Coastal Companion

Your ultimate guide to the coast

Things to do in Georgia – September 2010

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September is a beautiful month on the coast of Georgia, and there are a lot of festivals coming up. September is the month for seafood with the Shrimp and Grits Festival in Jekyll Island, and the Rock Shrimp Festival in St Marys.

Here are a few ideas of things to do in the month of September in coastal Georgia:

Gray’s Reef Ocean Film Festival – Sept 17 – 19, 2010
Savannah is probably most known for its big film festival in October, but the Ocean Film Festival is gaining in popularity. This year the film festival screens many interesting and important films made about the oil spill.

Click here to read more about the Ocean Film Festival

Shrimp and Grits Sept 17-19, 2010
Head to the historic district on Jekyll Island for one of the best seafood festivals on the coast.  Lots of delicious food, chefs from all around are showing off their talents in the cooking competition, live entertainment and lots of fun for the whole family. Go to our page for Shrimp & Grits Festival

Jazz in the Park – St Simons Island, Sept 19, 2010
This is the last chance for the season to enjoy Jazz in the Park right outside St. Simons Island Lighthouse.  This event is scheduled at high tide, so the breeze from the ocean can cool you off.

Read more about the event here.

Savannah Jazz Festival Sept 19 – 26, 2010
This is one of the most popular festivals in Savannah, and no wonder. The city is just the perfect location for a jazz festival.  Lots of performances to choose from, check out our special events page for Savannah Jazz Festival

The Rock Shrimp Festival – Sept 25, 2010
The rock shrimp is a delicious shrimp with a hard shell. Every year the city of St. Marys in South Georgia holds a special festival to celebrate the shrimp.  Read more on our special page for Rock Shrimp Festival

More Georgia stories:

Oktoberfest on the River

Georgia’s Colonial Coast Birding & Nature Festival


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1800 Tequila Lime Chicken

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Tequila can be used for a lot more than margaritas. For a new twist on chicken, try our 1800 Tequila Lime Chicken recipe. This is an exotic and exciting recipe perfect for a Labor Day gathering.

1800 Tequila Lime Chicken

1/4 cup 1800 Silver Tequila
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 fresh squeezed orange
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeño chilies
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 boneless chicken breast halves with skin

Mix lime juice, tequila, orange juice, cilantro, jalapeños, chili powder,
salt and pepper in bowl. Coat chicken in marinade and cover to chill overnight.
Grill chicken over medium heat until cooked through, turning occasionally, for approximately 18 minutes. Serves six.

Related posts:

Tequila Cocktail Recipes

Guy Fieri from Food Networks Showcases Jacksonville

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Chef Guy Fieri’s Food Network Show Maps Authentic Dining Options

Renowned chef and popular Food Network host Guy Fieri travels the country in search of local flavors on the hit show, “Diners, Drive-ins & Dives.” However, in recent episodes, Fieri has been searching for real food, made with the best ingredients showcasing the community and its people. That search led him to Jacksonville. So what did Guy Fieri find?

First up, Singleton’s Seafood Shack. This restaurant has offered fish specialties for more than 40 years. Located in the heart of historic Mayport, the shrimping boats docked nearby return with the day’s catch of locally harvested Mayport Shrimp. The episode featured restaurant owner Dean Singleton’s four family favorite dishes – Minorcan chowder, blackened sheepshead, fried gator tail and classic shrimp burgers. Guy even boarded a boat “in search” of fresh seafood, and he found it in this self-professed dive.

Next, Culhane’s Irish Pub. This unique establishment offers a great menu of New World Irish Cuisine featuring traditional favorites mixed with fresh southeastern produce, seafood and all-natural ingredients. Four Limerick-born sisters started the restaurant in Atlantic Beach and have never looked back. You’ll always find one of their smiling faces at this local’s favorite for a cold pint and tasty dishes. Chef Olive Davis invited Fieri into her kitchen to give him the lowdown on patron favorites like Guinness Beef Stew and lamb sliders.

13 Gypsies in the historic Riverside neighborhood is home to newcomer Chef Howard whose attention to detail and his use of the freshest ingredients grabbed the attention of the Food Network. Definitely not a “Diner, Drive-in or Dive,” this unique restaurant peaked interest with its made-from-scratch breads, sausage, cheese and crème fraîche. A tapas-style menu is served with the true flavors of the Gypsy migratory trail – Spain, India, Central Europe and others. The small restaurant seats less than 15 people, so a reservation is a must, but is well worth the wait!
Jacksonville natives eagerly awaits the premiere of legendary Metro Diner on the show. Fieri also visited this restaurant, located in historic San Marco. Lines have been known to wrap around the building while waiting for a taste of a Metro Diner original, the Breakfast Pie, on a Sunday morning. The meatloaf and other down-home comfort foods are also featured daily for lunch.

Labor Day Weekend – Georgia – 2010

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Labor Day is always a big deal on the coast of Georgia with a variety of annual festivals and events. It’ll be hard to choose, but here’s a quick rundown to help you with you plan your weekend getaway trip.

Savannah Craft Brew Fest

Let’s start in Savannah, Georgia. Savannah is always a beautiful city to visit, especially in the warmer season. You can take a nice walk down to Riverstreet. One of our favorite places to visit for a drink, something to eat or just to people watch is the City Market.

But if you visit Savannah during Labor Day weekend, the place to be is Savannah Craft Brew Fest. This event start already on September 4 with the grande tasting event on Saturday September 5.

For more information visit our special page about Savannah Craft Brew Fest.

Tybee Island Beach Bash

About a 20 minute drive from Savannah, you’ll find Tybee Island, often referred to as Savannah’s own beach.  If you’re looking to spend your Labor Day weekend on the beach – why not head out to Tybee Island. The island has plenty of nice restaurants and bars, quaint shops and on Saturday September 5, 2010, Tybee celebrates the weekend with a big bash. It’s the Tybee Island Labor Day Beach Bash – complete with fireworks.

Read more here – Tybee Island Labor Day Beach Bash

You have to taste the catfish!

In Camden County further south, Labor Day weekend is celebrated every year with a festival. It’s the annual Kingsland Catfish Festival. This festival of course serves southern fried catfish – but besides food, the festival comes with vendors, arts & crafts, live music and a parade.

Read more here about the Kingsland Catfish Festival

Click here to watch our video podcast about Labor Day Weekend!

Good News – it’s National Tequila Day

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Perfect Pear Margarita
Perfect Pear Margarita

Tequila aficionados on the coast rejoice! I have found the perfect excuse for a party – July 24 is National Tequila Day. Forget the shots, and explore the wide range of flavors offered from silky chocolate to spicy pepper. Take this opportunity to impress your friends with your mixology skills.

In the olden days, I think we would refer to it as “bartender skills”. Remember Tom Cruise and that Australian guy in the movie “Cocktail”?
Nowadays the real experts in the field are called “mixologists”.

The cocktail recipes below is sure to be a hit with your friends. Plus, there’s no need to pretend to be a cool Tom Cruise and throw bottles in the air or pour drinks behind your back. I’m sure you’re better half is going to be appreciate that too.

Remember, presentation is 25% – the rest is in taste. And with that, we’re ending my mixology lesson for the day.

Happy Tequila Day!

National Tequila Day Cocktail Recipes

Here are two tasty cocktail recipes to make your Tequila Day party a success.

Passion Caipirinha

Passion Caipirinha

1 oz. 1800 Select Silver
1 oz. Passion fruit juice
1 oz. Agave Nectar
5 Muddled Limes
Drizzle of Raspberry liquor

Muddle limes and agave nectar in the bottom of a mixing glass. Add ice and all other ingredients besides the raspberry liquor. Shake and pour contents into a rocks glass and drizzle with the raspberry liquor.

Perfect Pear Margarita

1 oz. 1800 Silver Tequila
.25 oz. Pear Puree
.25 oz. Fresh lime juice
.25 oz. Agave nectar
Splash of Chambord

Combine first four ingredients in a cocktail shake with ice. Shake vigorously and pour into a lightly salted high ball glass. Float with Chambord for a drizzle effect.

The United States’ best selling super-premium tequila is named after the year it was created, 1800® Tequila is pure, 100% blue agave tequila grown on family-owned ranches and bottled in Jalisco, Mexico. The tequila is double-distilled and matured in oak barrels and the unique stopper doubles as a shot glass – comes in handy!