Welcome, 2025! We hope you have at least one trip on your calendar to visit our beautiful beaches this year. While it might seem too early to start planning your trip for summer or fall, don’t wait too long. We also have many great events in the coming months, including the beloved Gumbo Cook-Off and fishing tournaments. We hope one of your New Year’s resolutions was to have as many trips to Mexico Beach as possible!
And the Winner Is. . .
Up for grabs last month was a beach bag and T-shirts from Forgotten Coast Property Management & Rentals, and the lucky winner is Wilson E. from Tallahassee, FL. Congrats, Wilson!
JANUARY GIVEAWAY
This month’s giveaway is a burlap beach bag from Cathey’s ACE Hardware. Far more than your average hardware store, Cathey’s ACE Hardware has been serving Mexico Beach for over 50 years. Alongside an impressive selection of hardware and tools, they also offer lawn and garden supplies, fishing tackle, and paint, and they cater to a wide range of needs. Can’t find what you’re looking for? No problem—they can often special order it just for you. To place your name in the hat, send an email to Kathy at [email protected].
Meet Mexico Beach
This month we want to introduce you to “Tex” and TK Hibachi food truck. Located at 1000 Highway 98, they offer a variety of delicious hibachi meals, including filet mignon, tuna, shrimp, and chicken, as well as noodles, combos, and specials. You can visit their website (TKHibachi.com) to see their full menu. They are open Tuesday through Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Be sure to stop by, say hello, and be ready to have your belly filled with a fresh made-to-order hibachi meal!
For more information on weddings or vow renewal ceremonies on the beach, visit mexicobeach.com.
Allen & Karen
This month we would like to introduce Karen and Allen, who reside in Mexico Beach! They celebrated their love with a romantic beach wedding on New Year’s Eve. It was a great way to ring in the new year together. Congratulations, Allen and Karen.
Farmers & Craft Market
January 11 & 25
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.
Annual Gumbo Cook-Off
February 15
Ladle up, because the Special Events for Mexico Beach, Inc.’s beloved Gumbo Cook-Off is returning. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, February 15, 2025. Gumbo and Brunswick stew will be served up starting at 10:00 a.m. and run until it’s all gone. Tickets will be sold once the gates open; tickets are required to sample and enjoy all the gumbo and stew. All proceeds from this event go toward the Best Blast on the Beach July 4th festivities. The Mexico Beach Gumbo Cook-Off is embarking on its 25th year, so mark your calendars and come enjoy this wonderful event!
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.
Sambuca Shrimp Appetizer
We publish it with the compliments of the Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association cookbook (MBARA.org).
INGREDIENTS
1 lb. large, cooked shrimp
3 Tbsp. butter (separated)
1 to 2 cloves fresh garlic, to taste
1/3 cup table cream
2 oz. Sambuca liqueur (or another anise-based liqueur)
Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Mince and crush garlic and combine with 2 Tbsp. of the butter. Add the table cream and mix well. Refrigerate for a couple of hours to allow the garlic flavor to blend. In a cast iron skillet or wok, melt the remaining butter and sauté the thawed shrimp until well heated on medium heat. Increase heat to high, add Sambuca, and flambé; reduce heat immediately and add the butter, garlic, and cream mixture. Simmer for about five minutes and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Celebrity Wisdom
“I’m not offended by blonde jokes because I know I’m not dumb, and I also know I’m not blonde.” —Dolly Parton
“Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes.” —Jim Carrey
“Now that I’m a parent, I understand why my father was in a bad mood a lot.” —Adam Sandler
“If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito [in the room].” —Reba McEntire
“I’m not overweight; I fluctuate between chubby and curvy.” —Mindy Kaling
“As long as you know men are like children, you know everything.” —Coco Chanel
“I like women. I don’t understand them, but I like them.” —Sean Connery
“And now the sequence of events, in no particular order.” —Dan Rather
“I have a rule: if the temperature is less than my age, I don’t get out of bed.” —Ellen DeGeneres
“In every circle of friends, there’s always that one person everyone secretly hates. Don’t have one? Then it’s probably you.” —Will Ferrell
By and Large
This phrase means “generally speaking” or being close to the meaning of something. Its usage could be something like a party was a success by and large—meaning it was good but not perfect. The origin of the term goes back to sailors. The first part of the phrase refers to the nautical term “full and by,” meaning a boat was traveling into the wind. Conversely, “large” meant the wind was coming from behind. “By and large” then meant the wind could be coming from any direction, giving rise to the current meaning of “in general” or “generally speaking” rather than something having a specific outcome..
