Ah, school is back, football is returning, and September marks the beginning of fall. While some of our readers will begin to experience cooler weather, our weather here at the beach will stay warm, with morning and evening cool breezes blowing in off the Gulf. As we embark on the fall season, this time of year is especially beautiful here in Mexico Beach, when our sunsets are painted with those key colors of pink, auburn, and red hues. If you have yet to see a fall sunset in Mexico Beach, this is your chance to visit!
And the Winner Is. . .
Up for grabs last month was lunch for two from Killer Seafood, and the lucky winner Dale K. from Medina, Ohio. Congrats, Dale!
SEPTEMBER GIVEAWAY
This month’s giveaway is a gift certificate and goodies from Forgotten Coast Brewing Co. Open daily, FCBC offers craft beers and pub grub in a laid-back, friendly atmosphere for everyone to enjoy. With craft beer made in-house, this is one cool place to take a load off and enjoy a cold one. To place your name in the hat, email Kathy at [email protected].
Meet Mexico Beach
This month, we’re delighted to introduce our local bank, Centennial Bank Mexico Beach branch. If you need banking help during your stay, the friendly staff can assist you. Located at the corner of 15th Street and Highway 98, Veronica, Lisa, and Angie are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There is also an outside ATM that is available 24 hours a day. Centennial Bank is a community bank that prides itself on giving back, and that philosophy can be seen here in Mexico Beach. Please stop in, say hello, and let them help you with your banking needs.
Farmers & Craft Market
SEPTEMBER 14 & 28
Come spend the morning at the Mexico Beach Farmers & Craft Market at Parker Park, located at 2500 Highway 98. Vendors will include produce, fresh jellies, one-of-a-kind crafts, and much more. Each market is sure to have new vendors, so be sure to come every time. If you’d like to be a vendor, sign up now. This market is put on by the Special Events for Mexico Beach, Inc.
Bay Scallop Season
NOW-SEPTEMBER 24
There is still time to find those blue eyes! The 2024 season will end on September 24 for scalloping in St. Joseph Bay. This season’s opening is from the Mexico Beach Canal in Bay County through the westernmost point of St. Vincent Island in Franklin County. To learn more about the requirements and obtain a Florida saltwater fishing license, visit our events page at the link below.
Music in the Park
Every Thursday in September
Need to hear some great tunes and enjoy a sunset? Well then, you’re in luck! Our Music in the Park concert series takes place every Thursday in September from 5:00–7:00 p.m., featuring live music from around the area and local favorites on the stage at Parker Park. Each concert is free and open to the public. Be sure to bring your blankets, chairs, and picnic supplies for a great evening just in time for sunset. If you don’t feel like cooking, don’t worry! There will be a food truck vendor on-site each week.
A friendly reminder:
Mexico Beach is a Leave No Trace community, and we appreciate your assistance in helping us keep our beaches clean. Any items left on the beach unattended from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. will be removed and disposed of by the City of Mexico Beach. Items include, but are not limited to, tents and tent frames, beach chairs, coolers, umbrellas, toys, etc. Also, please fill in any holes before you leave and please remain off the sand dunes and out of the sea oats to ensure their continued nourishment. There are boardwalks and walking paths that can be accessed to reach the beach. Your assistance with these requests will keep our beaches beautiful and pristine. For full details on this ordinance or questions, click here or contact City Hall at (850) 648-5700.
Crab & Shrimp Bread Bowl Dip
A perfect party recipe! We publish it with the compliments of the Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association cookbook (MBARA.org)
INGREDIENTS
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
6 oz small shrimp, rinsed and drained
6 oz crabmeat, drained, flaked and cartilage removed
2/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 round loaf sourdough bread (1 lb)
Assorted fresh vegetables
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and mustard with a mixer until smooth. Stir in the shrimp, crab, 1/3 cup cheese, and onions. Cut the top fourth off the loaf of bread and carefully hollow out the bottom, leaving a half-inch shell. Cube the removed bread and set it aside. Spoon the seafood mixture into the bread shell and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Wrap tightly in heavy-duty foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Unwrap and bake 20–25 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted and the dip is heated through. Serve with vegetables and reserved bread cubes for dipping. Enjoy!
Quotes from Steven Wright
Comedian Steven Wright has offered some great insight, humor, and wisdom over the years.
Here are a few of his more notable thoughts:
Borrow money from a pessimist—they don’t expect it back!
A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
If you want the rainbow, you’ve got to put up with the rain.
The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
I’d kill for a Nobel Peace Prize.
If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.
If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?
Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?
The hardness of the butter is proportional to the softness of the bread.
When everything is coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane.
Slush Fund
This saying has a few meanings. One meaning of “slush” was coined in the seventeenth century: a term for half-melted snow. A secondary meaning came from a nautical term referring to slush as the fat or grease obtained from boiled meat, possibly due to its appearance. The phrase “slush fund” originated from that by-product sold by a ship’s cook when the vessel arrived in port. The money earned from selling grease was known at the time as a slush fund and was often used for purchasing small luxuries or pleasures for the crew. The meaning evolved into today’s more popular one, which refers to money gained from unsavory or illegal means and often used for bribery or other illicit purposes.
