The Beach Culture in Florabama

Florabama, where Florida and Alabama meet on the Gulf of Mexico, is laid back and fun. We spent several days touring the area between and around Pensacola, Florida and Foley, Alabama. This is where songwriters from all over the States come to perform at beach bars, Jimmy Buffet style. And you can't beat the beaches here.

Seafood is the number one item on menus. Red shrimp. Flounder. Grouper. Swai. Oysters. We tried them all.

On our first night in Foley we went to the “must see” “throwed rolls” restaurant otherwise known as Lambert’s. The wait staff in red bow ties and red braces are perfectly happy to throw a roll to anyone who wants one. They’re easy to catch from across the room because they almost weigh a pound. In addition to the food that we ordered, waiters wandered with stainless steel bowls and pots of “pass arounds” like fried potatoes, tomato and macaroni, deep fried okra, black eyed peas, and molasses and apple butter for the rolls. Good fun but toooo much food.

Jimmy Buffet’s sister, Lucy, owns a restaurant in Gulf Shores, Alabama, called LuLu's. Miss Lucy’s original establishment was in Fairhope, Alabama, where she and Jimmy were raised. One day she loaded her restaurant/bar onto a barge and floated it down to its present location on the Intercoastal.

We enjoyed lunch at Lulu's with our friends, Carl and Jane Pierce.

And we have to tell you about the bar located right on the border of Florida and Alabama. It is called "Florabama" of course. A photo can tell it better than words.

What are those things hanging from the rafters?