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Mobile Mardi Gras Flag

2012 Mobile Alabama Area Mardi Gras Schedule

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We all know that Mardi Gras started in Mobile, Alabama (contrary to what those will tell you who live in New Orleans). So why not enjoy Mardi Gras where it started?!

Mobile is known for having the oldest organized Carnival celebrations in the United States, dating to the 18th century of its early colonial period. It was also host to the first formally organized Carnival mystic society or “krewe” in the United States, dating to 1830.

Here’s the schedule for the 2012 Mardi Gras events happening in the Mobile, Alabama area:

Mobile, Alabama (courtesy of the Mobile Bay CVB) —

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2011: A Year In Review

As I sit back and write this retrospective on 2011, I realize just how much I stopped blogging when we got really busy. That’s our resolution: blog more. Easy resolution to keep, I suppose. Onto our stories of 2011!

2011 was a year full of surprises, failures, catastrophes, losses and laughter. We first covered 2011 with Alabama Moon, a movie based on a book by Watt Key about Moon Blake. Supposedly this film took place in Alabama, but it was filmed in Canada and Louisiana. Fail. Read More about Alabama Moon.

In March an Earthquake and Tsunami struck Japan causing manufacturing and supply outages from mega-corporations like Sony and Canon. It took almost the rest of the year just to get some of the companies back on their feet again while others just shifted jobs to other parts of the world. Read More about the Earthquake and Tsunami.

Later in March, the White House called for a “New” copyright crackdown law citing that they wanted the US Congress to fix “deficiencies that could hinder enforcement” of intellectual property laws. Netflix and Hulu later gained an unprecedented momentum (thus filtering out pirate traffic vs. legitimate traffic) and later in the year SOPA took center stage where the Internet went into a rage. Read More about the Call for Copyright Crackdown.

In Late April, the Sony PlayStation Network outage occurred near simultaneously to the Amazon EC2 outage. Foursquare, Quora, Amazon, Sony, Apple, Reddit, Hootsuite, Wattpad – all went down. The only group to naturally take credit was “Anonymous” for the lawsuit Sony rightfully brought against George Hotz aka GeoHot for purportedly jailbreaking the PS3. Read More about the Sony PSN Outage Timeline.

In mid-May, the US State Department drew attention to the effect Social Media was having on the Internet landscape stating that it had become a “must-have communication tool. The Wall Street Journal put out a graph that indicated that while only a fraction of millions of people had visited websites like Coca-cola and Starbucks, almost 10 to 15 times that had visited their Facebook pages. We outline the Social Media aspect and as the question “Is It Time to Shut Down Your Website” in this retrospective.

Steve jobs 2011

On October 5th, 2011, Apple co-founder, CEO and American icon Steve Jobs passed away. Noted with the creation of innovations such as the iPod and iPhone, millions remembered Steve Jobs by e-mailing Apple how he changed their lives. To this day, that memorial can be seen here: http://www.apple.com/stevejobs/. We reposted his Stanford Commencement Address that still inspires many in our blog “Remembering Steve Jobs“.

In mid-October, we announced the upcoming 3rd Annual South Alabama Film Festival which took place in Downtown Mobile November 4th through the 6th bringing commerce and Independent entertainment to the area. Movies such as Wrestling For Jesus, Missing Pieces, Prairie Love, Man of Deeds and The Reconstruction of Asa Carter were featured. Read More about the South Alabama Film Festival.

Later in October, we reposted an article by Tomer Tagrin citing Steve Jobs at the Apple World Wide Developers Conference in 1997 in which he stated “Focusing is about saying ‘No'”. The video of the original conference as well as the article by Tomer can be read here.

The iPhone 4s and iOS 5 launched in late October. As subscribers of Google Voice, we posted some handy instructions for those who wanted to manually swap over their line to a new device. Read More about Activating Google Voicemail on the AT&T iPhone 4s.

On Halloween, we got word that Google had chosen Mobile, Alabama to launch their Mobilize Mobile campaign. At first, we didn’t believe it because of the source announcing it. But it did later happen. Read More about the Rumor of Google Coming to Mobile Alabama.

Also on Halloween, we resounded our own feelings about the banking industry, specifically Regions Bank, charging from $3.00 to $7.50 for debit card usage. We also got pretty ticked off when a “friend” didn’t repay a loan and illustrate just how much Regions can doublespeak when they want to. Read More about Banking: The Importance of Not Bearing False Expectations.

November 1st, 2011 brought some joy to PS3 MMO players around the world when Sony Online Entertainment made DC Universe Online Free-To-Play. Read More about DC Universe going FTP here.

Exciting for us, and maybe not for you, but we had Hibachi On The Go open up in Daphne, Alabama opened in November. Pretty good Japanese food and at a more affordable price than a sit-down sushi restaurant. Read More about Hibachi on the Go. Love the seaweed salad.

Also in the beginning of November, after leaving the area Checkers, also known as Rally’s in other parts of the country, reopened at it’s founding location in Downtown Mobile. The first 100 people got free Checkers fries for a year. Read More about the free fry giveaway.

Amidst the earlier speculation, Google actually DID come to Mobile, Alabama. We got a chance to meet Jason Spero, @speroman on Twitter, Director of Google’s Mobile Division in the Americas, see a few of our competitors, and learn more about the Mobilize initiative. We posted an online schedule of events and a link to the Mobilize website here.

Late November, we posted an important blog about the lessons we’ve learned on Twitter. Namely we wanted to emphasize to engage your followers and those you find interesting. It’s a good read and we hope you find it helpful. Read more about Twitter Best Practices Learned With Hard Knocks.

Client Brad Sundberg, who’s list of achievements are longer than this post, of BSUN Media Systems posted a very helpful guide to the Do’s and Don’ts of Black Friday Shopping. It’s still good for next year so take a look.

Final fantasy vi

At the beginning of December, the long awaited Final Fantasy VI, also known as the SNES version of Final Fantasy III, launched on the PlayStation Network. Listed on multiple blogs, websites and magazines, this game has won top 10 and above in accolades for Must-Have RPGs. Read More about Final Fantasy VI.

The Thomas Hospital Foundation on December 9th announced that artwork by Elizabeth Goree was available to support the foundation during the holiday season. They also shared information on a Family Fun Project that anyone can do. Read more about the Thomas Hospital Foundation Christmas Greeting Program.

GoDaddy Sucks. And this is just Part 1. We illustrate what SOPA is, why GoDaddy was supporting it (we still think they are), and how it’s a major crux to the Internet. PR stunt by GoDaddy? Totally. Read More about GoDaddy Sucks and Here is Why – Part 1 – The SOPA Truth.

Just before Christmas, we shared a rather interesting and concerning video about how Siri, the newest feature of the iPhone 4s, could kill people. It wasn’t true, of course, but technology may concern people like this in the future. Consider yourself warned and Read More about When Apple’s Siri Kills People.

And in the continued SOPA controversy, Anonymous decides to declare war on the Sony PlayStation Network – again. Yawn. These kids are annoying, but if you want to Read More about Anonymous Declaring War on Sony for SOPA Support, be our guest.

Ending the news in December, barring nothing important happens between now and midnight, The day after Anonymous declares war on Sony more companies including Sony Electronics, Nintendo and Electronics Arts drop their support for SOPA. We also outline our stance on SOPA. Read More about Who Dropped SOPA.

From everyone at TurkReno Incorporated, Have a Happy New Year and a Prosperous 2012!

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Japanese Express (Hibachi on the Go) 28825-A Hwy 98 Daphne AL 36526

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Shrimp Hibachi from Hibachi on the Go in Daphne AL

Shrimp Hibachi

It’s always great when a good restaurant opens. It’s even better when a good restaurant opens that has awesome food for a reasonable price. Japanese Express, formerly Hibachi on the Go, located at 28825-A Hwy 98 in Daphne, Alabama (near Subway and I-Hop) is the latest addition to the Eastern Shore that is definitely worth it if you enjoy Japanese cuisine.

Miso Soup and Seaweed Salad from Japanese Express hibachi in Daphne, Alabama 36526

Miso Soup and Seaweed Salad

They’re open every day from 11:00 AM to 9:30 PM and can be reached by phone at 251-626-8818. Lunch and dinner portions are available. The restaurant features appetizers that you can’t find anywhere else in the area such as Japanese Egg Rolls, Tempura Mushrooms, Kani Salad and Japanese Nachos. The hibachi and teriyaki choices are vegetable, chicken, tofu, steak, shrimp, salmon or tuna, which is also a larger variety than that of all of the other hibachi restaurants around and offer a huge selection of sauces to accompany the meal.

Japanese Express hibachi in Daphne Alabama Japanese Eggrolls and Sushi

Japanese Eggrolls and Sushi

In addition to traditional hibachi they offer Yakimesi, which is fried rice, with chicken, steak and shrimp. And hibachi isn’t the only thing they offer; sushi is also an option to eat while dining here. From favorites such as the California Roll to Spicy Tuna Rolls, to specialty rolls such as the Hibachi on a Roll and the War Eagle Roll, the selection is large enough to satisfy any craving you might have. And sushi is worth a try for the price.

One of the best things about Japanese Express hibachi, aside from the food, is that you can call ahead and pick up your order from their drive-thru, literally making “on-the-go” a reality. Or if you would rather dine-in, you can easily seat a party of 6 or more in the dining room area as well as sit at the bar for a quick bite.

We’ve had a few meals here already, have been patrons since their grand opening and we’ve yet to be disappointed. With hibachi at nearly half the cost of their competitors and the drive-thru alone, you can’t miss this. The wait for the food is usually about 10 to 15 minutes or less depending on if you called ahead or not. Don’t let the absence of cars out front fool you though as they get their food out quick and you’re “on the go”. The price is moderate and about $12 to $15 per person with appetizers, hibachi and a drink depending on your selection.

We hope you’ll give them a try as we’ve thoroughly enjoyed everything on the menu so far and will continue to stop by, even if to satisfy our seaweed salad craving. Here’s the menu so you won’t have to go hunting it down.

Hibachi on the Go Menu - Front

Hibachi on the Go Menu – Front

Hibachi on the Go Menu - Back

Hibachi on the Go Menu – Back

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Banking: The Importance of Not Bearing False Expectations

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Regions BankApparently we’ve all been getting screwed by banks lately. Fees upon fees upon fees. From “free” accounts turning into a “fee” accounts. Mainly consumers are upset with debit card usage fees from $3.00 to $7.50 per month for what seems like no reason at all. But there is a reason. It’s called the Durbin Amendment, a piece of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act that limited the fees banks could charge on debit card transactions. We’ve had our own mishap with the “bank” that’s supposed to be stellar lately so here it is.

Generally, we keep the blogs and all non-advertising on the PC side, not straying to step on toes or offend anyone even in the slightest way – except when we feel like we’ve been slighted. A topic we’re all familiar with is the expectation of service when the service is stated to be provided. You order something at a restaurant, an appetizer for example, you then have a reasonable expectation that the food will be there both before the entrees arrive and that the appetizer will be what you ordered. You purchase a subscription to a newspaper to be delivered, you then have a reasonable expectation that the paperboy will deliver it the mornings it should arrive. You go to the bank with a problem and they state point-blank they will fix an issue the next business day, you then have a reasonable expectation that the next business day wasn’t in fine print somewhere to actually imply two weeks and one business day before your problem is solved. Undeniably, service is key when reasonable expectations have been created by an exchange or request between consumer and client.

I’d like to share a recent experience that I feel like most people would have either left the company they chose to do business with, escalated the claim to the next level or manager or safeguarded themselves from potential harm by outright saying, “No”. I got a call on TurkReno’s Anniversary from an employee of a client was going through some hard times. I prefer not to see anyone, client or friend, suffer when there’s an event that could change their environment. Nevertheless, I loan this client some money and I do so by cashier’s check. I make a logical mistake in doing so, not by loaning money, but by not realizing that a cashier’s check would accomplish less than what I had anticipated it would. You see, I was under the presumption that using a cashier’s check would allow me to see who endorsed the instrument once it had been cashed – much like a check would be added as a digital image on most modern bank accounts. For example, I decide to pay rent. I can see the check and who endorsed or stamped the check, and if anyone were to have signed below the original endorsement, passing the check along to another party. I later found out that seeing the endorsement was not possible and defeated the original purpose of a cashier’s check altogether. A personal or corporate check would have been just as effective in creating a “paper trail” and I could have copied it and had the signature notarized on it as well if I was to go to that extreme.

I have to decide due to an unforeseen injury to a pet that the pet must go to the veterinary clinic. I told the client that I was sorry, that I couldn’t move forward with the loan and that I had events happen that demanded my fiduciary responsibilities. I had not heard from the client, so I contact Regions Bank with the information that they needed to find out if the check had been cashed. They told me on multiple occasions before I returned to the branch to invalidate the check that they could tell the status of the check and if it had been cashed. I spoke to a total of seven employees of Regions Bank, from the Branch “Team Lead”, to the original person who opened my account, to several different representatives for 1-800-REGIONS. Each of them assured me that the check had yet to be cashed because the network they were checking, the “teller network”, was able to track the status of a check, especially if was a check issued by the bank and if had been cashed at a Regions Bank. I sign a document that invalidates the check and the representative reassures me that I’ll have the money back in my account on the following business day because time after time the Regions Bank representatives check and show the check as continuing to be an “outstanding” item (not yet cashed). This was the second wrong presumption: It’s safe to trust the bank at face value…or trust the bank at all.

A weekend passes. It’s the next business day. I’ve yet to hear from the representative at Regions as to what’s happening, so I decide that I should stop by since I was given the expectation that the next business day the funds would be placed back into my account. Yet again, I was also under the expectation that because the cashier’s check had been stopped and, more importantly, was told that the check was still “outstanding” that I would surely be taken care of. I arrive to find that the same Regions Bank representative that assisted me in stopping the check had yet to do her procedure for the day. All she could me tell was that the stop payment on the check was still there and our money was going to be deposited soon. I explained to her that as a business owner that she created an expectation of service to both call me and rectify this issue by today. Immediately there was action that they took on their side. She called around, found out that the check had in fact been cashed and that it had been done on that Friday hours before I even arrived at the bank. Doublespeak.

Bottom line, the whole illusion of the “teller network” was a false one. It wasted our time and really, really got us mad. The fees that banks have imposed lately have lots of other people mad, too. But there’s hope in sight. Regions Bank announced that Tuesday it will refund all fees charged for Debit card usage as did Wells-Fargo and Suntrust banks. But, is that small amount of money enough for you to not switch to a credit union? You decide.

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Alabama Moon Coming To Theaters

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Alabama Moon the Movie - PosterFairhope, Alabama (February 18, 2011) – “Alabama Moon,” the movie based on Alabama author Watt Key’s best-selling novel about adventure, survival and friendship, comes to the big screen beginning March 18. This action-packed, family film starring John Goodman, Clint Howard and Jimmy Bennett debuts first in Birmingham, Alabama. The film shows next in Mobile, Alabama and then opens in other Southeastern cities.

The film, produced by Alabamians Kenny McLean and Lee Faulkner, follows eleven-year-old Moon Blake (Jimmy Bennett), who has spent most of his life hiding out in the forests of Alabama with his anti-government father who clings to conspiracy theories and trusts no one. Moon’s life suddenly changes when the land is sold and his father dies. Knowing only what he learned from his father, Moon decides to follow his last instructions: make your way to Alaska where “people could still make a living off trapping.”

In the path of civilization, Moon quickly lands himself in a reform school where he meets the mean-spirited Constable Sanders (Clint Howard) and learns what friendship is all about. With the help of Mr. Wellington (John Goodman), Moon adapts and learns to survive in the outside world. “Being involved with this movie has been the experience of a lifetime,” said Lee Faulkner. “When I read Watt Key’s novel I knew it would make a perfect family film.”

“Alabama Moon’s” Alabama ties run deep. Watt Key’s novel and the movie are set in the forests of Alabama; Key, Faulkner and McLean all reside in Fairhope, a small city in Baldwin County, Alabama; and one of the actors in the film, Uriah Shelton, lived and attended school in Fairhope.

Alabama Moon is a classic kid’s film complete with adventure and survival that most of us only dream about, which is what makes it great for the entire family. The film was awarded the Dove Foundation Family Approved seal in 2010. The non-profit foundation is dedicated to advocating for families and moving Hollywood in a more family-friendly direction.

Alabama Moon Website – http://www.alabamamoonthemovie.net

Alabama Moon Release Schedule

3/18 Birmingham

Rave Patton Creek
Rave Lee Branch
Premiere Tannehill
Premiere 16 (Gadsden)
Cobb Hollywood 16 (Tuscaloosa)

4/1 Mobile
Crescent Theater
Hollywood 18
Rave Jubilee (Daphne)
Rave Wharf 15 (Orange Beach)

4/1 Pensacola

Rave 18

Media Contact:
Gina Gregory
Public Relations Director
MDi media group
251.438.6999
ggregory@mdimediagroup.com

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Pizzeria Ozio – 697 US Hwy 98 Daphne AL 36526 – Pizza, Cocktails and More

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If you’re just passing through or new to the area, you may miss this jewel called Ozio located in the southern part of Daphne on US Hwy 98, but it’s well worth actually stopping in and grabbing a bite to eat for dinner or lunch. We chose dinner and found a selection of gourmet pizza at its finest.

We arrived at Ozio shortly before 7PM to find an almost packed house lined up to enjoy fine wine, mixed drinks, cocktails, live music by Jeff Glickman on acoustic guitar and, most of all, pizza. It took a moment, but we were greeted with a smile and the absolutely most attentive and polite waitress that we’ve ever had to date.

Both reviewers had un-sweet tea but were offered wine, mixed drinks, and Coke-Cola products as an alternative. We started off our meal with the calamari appetizer, which was served lightly battered with a very delicate but spicy lemon butter dipping sauce unlike any we’ve ever had. One reviewer stated that the calamari was unique enough to be a highlight of its own for the restaurant.

The pizza we ordered was called “Gardinio”, created with fresh red and green peppers, Crimini mushrooms, sliced red onions and arugula. We later found out that the dough of the pizza is not actually tossed. Instead, it is kneaded by hand into the delicacy that it will be once baked. Made as a 14 inch pie, this pizza was both light, healthy and filling all at the same time.

As you can see from the picture, it’s a delicious, hand-made pizza that is served fresh. We didn’t ask if it could be made to order. But judging from what we saw in the kitchen it wouldn’t be hard to get your pizza exactly the way you prefer, given some time.

Ozio provides an atmosphere that’s available for special occasions, a reason to be romantic and families. When you consider the quality at the same price, if not a better price than the corporate chains that really never put that extra care into the experience like Ozio does, you know for sure that you’ve found a keeper.

You can find Ozio online at:

Twitter: @PizzeriaOzio
Facebook: Ozio

Ozio is easily the dining that you’d wished you’d always knew about – a best kept secret of the Eastern Shore and Daphne, if you will – for an absolutely world-class and stellar experience. The service alone was enough to want to go back, not just the food.

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Oil Spill Information – TurkReno and ES Chamber Speaks Out

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We love our local media. We grew up listening to them. Heck, sometimes we are the local media when they get too bored or “busy” to report something. But this is unfortunately a topic that hits us and a good deal of our clients square in the chest. It affects our business in a way that some of you may not even imagine. What is it you ask? The Oil Spill and the media syndicating false rumors surrounding it. I want to be very clear about one specific point because it seems to get lost in the wash of commotion and heartache of wildlife being at risk. What is that point I want to be clear about?

DO NOT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SEE ON THE NEWS ABOUT THE OIL SPILL! EVERYTHING ON THE ALABAMA COAST IS JUST FINE! (Or at least it was when we wrote this…now, it’s really, really bad.)

We are tired of the fear-mongering and it has had a direct impact on our clients income which in turn hurts our income because they no longer have a budget to advertise in some cases. One thing that this has taught everyone is that regardless if it’s true or not (in this case it’s not), the fact that someone who has a very loud microphone keeps talking about it (AKA the media), the more tourists don’t want to come visit. There are not dead, oiled birds, dolphins or tuna on our coastline. There are not tar balls washing up that would be any different than any other day at the beach (it’s normal for tar balls to wash up at the beach). And there is no smell of oil in the air. The local media reported that there were tar balls but that they were not confirmed to be caused by the oil spill and that LESS THAN A DOZEN were found. Again, that’s not more than normal. Dead fish? Happens all the time. Is it the chemicals in the water? What makes you think there weren’t already chemicals in the water from boats before the oil spill?

It’s no longer comedic or a joke. We’ve gotten fed up with it and the tone of this article surely is indicative of that. And we’re not the only ones. The Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce has spoken out against this fallacy of oil covering our beaches and the Gulf Coast being somewhere no one can visit right now too, and we commend them for it:

Friday, May 14, 2010

Dear Friend,

We are urgently working to combat the negative national media message and get the facts out to the United States and the world that the Gulf Coast, including Alabama, is open for business. Our goal is to pass the truth on. Yes, there is an oil spill, is it as bad as they say? You be the judge. At the bottom of this message is a link to information updated daily. It includes reports from NOAA, and daily pictures of the beaches in Baldwin County, Alabama. The beaches of Alabama and the Mobile Bay are very important to us all.. we are all working to be proactive and ready to protect our waterways and natural habitats, WE are committed to keeping you updated with the facts – not the fear factor.

The Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce
www.eschamber.com

Here are a few facts from that link:

  • The Alabama Department of Public Health and Alabama Department of Environmental Management stated that there is no foreseeable need to close beaches and, short of a drastic change, they have no plans to do so.
  • Tarballs travel independently of an oil slick and are not an indication that the slick itself will travel in the same direction or to the same area. The oil slick still has not reached the beaches of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach and, according to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) forecasts, is not expected to for at least 72 hours. Forecasts beyond 72 hours are not available.
  • Although NOAA has closed commercial and recreational fishing in a limited area between the mouth of the Mississippi River and Florida’s Pensacola Bay, there is a large area of the gulf still open.
  • All appropriate preventative measures, including oil-absorbing booms, are being used along Alabama’s beaches, bays, inlets and sensitive areas in an effort to prevent oil from reaching our shores. Researchers and scientists have indicated that any impact directly on the beaches can potentially be cleaned effectively and fairly quickly.

GO TO THIS LINK FOR PICTURES , MORE INFORMATION AND DAILY UPDATES!:

http://www.gulfshores.com/issues

Darrelyn
Darrelyn J. Bender
President/CEO
Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 310
Daphne, AL 36526
251.621.8222
dbender@eschamber.com

What do you do in a case like this? Well, first: Speak out. Comment here. If you don’t think that’s good enough, call WALA, WKRG, or WPMI, The Press Register and the entire conglomerate of sites that run AL.com and NOLA.com and tell them to stop running stories about it. Second: Go share this and blog about it yourself. Third: Tell all of your friends it’s OK to come to the beach and business is still open for EVERYONE. This is a very passive-aggressive move from our own people! Airing headlines that bleed to lead, putting statements and then following up with “inconclusive” facts. Shame on you local media for ruining your own town and our economy!

The South Alabama market cannot take this. This is unjust and it’s all from the media! Speak out and tell them to quit!  AND DON’T LET THEM DISTRACT YOU WITH ANOTHER STORY!! (People won’t stop thinking it’s unsafe to come to the beach until THEY SAY ITS SAFE – which it IS!)

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Los Tacos – 28991 U.S. 98 Daphne, AL 36526 – Great Fish Tacos

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Have you ever had a taco that you just couldn’t put down and when you were done with it you just wanted another one? We have, and they come from Los Tacos Fresh Mexican Grill in Daphne, AL. You can call them at (251) 626-6110. They’re right next to Taco Bell (imagine that) and it’s so much better. The prices and wait time is comparable so there’s absolutely no reason not to try them out. Los Tacos has eight different preparations of meat: Ground Beef, Chicken, Shredded Beef, Steak – Asada, Carnitas, Lengua, Pastor and Cabeza. And Los Tacos menu ranges from $0.79 to about $8.49 (Fajitas) and is mostly on the cheaper side.

We decided after talking to a very special relative that it would be a great idea to go try Fish Tacos. And I can’t say that I could have picked a better place to try my very first grilled AND battered Fish Taco. As Los Tacos menu states, Fish Tacos a battered or grilled Fish Taco consists of cabbage, pico and zesty sauce. We also had the Shrimp Tacos as well with some rice and Chips and Salsa.

Some of you may have had Los Tacos from the locations in Fairhope or Foley, maybe even from the Los Tacos van that can perhaps come to your place of work or even have your party catered by Los Tacos where you can “Spice Up Your Next Fiesta!”. We picked up a card at the restaurant that for Los Tacos Catering to call (251) 648-2788 for a personalized menu that fits your budget.

You can visit Los Tacos online at http://www.lostacos.org and see just about everything you’d like to see about their company including a menu. As stated on their site: “Los Tacos Fresh Mexican Grill has been been spicing up Baldwin County for over five years. With the addition of our third location in Daphne, you will have even more opportunities to enjoy the authentic flavors of Mexico.” There was a statement on the site that you could call the location nearest to you and have your meal available for pickup. Sounds like a great plan for lunch or dinner!

Overall Ratings:
Reviewer #1: 7.5/10
Reviewer #2: 8.5/10
Overall Score: 16/20

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Opening Review: Dragon City Buffet – Daphne, AL 36526

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We recently visited the newly opened Dragon City Buffet, located at 28611 Hwy 98 Daphne, Alabama, 36526 on opening night (also St. Patrick’s Day) for a review since we’ve enjoyed so much of their delivery from their Dragon City restaurant further down 98. The restaurant is located in the old Rousso’s and Ruby Tuesday’s building, near the intersection of Van Buren St. and Hwy 98. They serve a wide variety of foods including Cantonese, Szechuan, Hunan, Sushi and even Hibachi. It’s not a traditional sit-down Hibachi Grill, but nonetheless Hibachi made-to-order and unique to any other Chinese Buffet in the area.

Their hours of operation are 7 days a week, Mon-Thurs.: 11:00AM to 10:00PM * Friday & Saturday: 11:00AM to 10:30PM * Sunday: 11:00AM to 9:30PM. They can be reached by telephone at (251) 626-5666 and Fax at (251) 626-2838.

Our initial impressions were that they were very busy…and the restaurant was quite loud with customers.  Lots of kids, so we would say it’s family friendly. The adults were being louder than the kids, but that’s to be expected in Alabama. There was a lot of activity from the staff attending to the buffet, but not really focused entirely on customer service or any type of personal attention. Room for improvement there.

Their Health department rating was at a 94 when we visited. We didn’t stare at the ratings, so not entirely sure what those 6 negative points were for. The food also leaves something to be desired. Almost the typical feeling of being full with Chinese food and then an hour later starving again. We sampled just about everything we could before we got stuffed. The pork-on-a-stick was very tender and fresh, but the NY Strip Steak was almost rare and we couldn’t find a knife in sight. The sushi had a very fishy taste to it and there wasn’t a huge variety and it wasn’t restocked before we left. If you want sushi, go to a sushi restaurant like Furama.

The lighting bad in some of the dining areas. The men’s restroom sink was completely covered in water and towels. It didn’t seem like somewhere we’d want to wash our hands and leave the bathroom with clean hands to eat. We’ll still give it to them that it was opening night, but still a very important place in the business to make sure is tidy.

When our drinks were empty, we did receive prompt attention. After that, however, we were served our bill way too fast. We felt like we were being rushed out so that they could turn as many tables as possible in their first night. Not exactly how we’d want to feel when trying to enjoy a meal. At least ask if there’s anything else they can get us or what we thought before the check arrives.

The cost of two people, both soft drinks and buffet, cost $24.70 – sort of pricy since you’d almost expect the drink to be included for that amount and the quality of food. Lunch is cheaper, but they don’t have the Snow Crab legs like they do at Dinner.

Our Scores: Reviewer 1: 6/10; Reviewer 2: 7/10 – Overall score 13/20.

In closing, the buffet doesn’t match their other restaurant in Daphne that fortunately delivers, and we’re totally grateful for delivery, decent Chinese food in Alabama. If you’d like to order their delivery service, which in our opinion is 100 times better than the buffet, call them at (251) 621-8501 or visit them at Fountain Square, 2101 Hwy 98, Suite J, Daphne, Alabama 36526 (across the street from the AT&T Store).

Don’t forget that TurkReno provides website design to Mobile, Alabama and the surrounding areas!

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Motorola S9-HD

Motorola MOTOROKR S9-HD Review With iPhone 3G S 3.0.1 OS – Newly Updated!!

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Motorola MOTOROKR S9-HD

Motorola MOTOROKR S9-HD

I have been really wanting something that works well as a Bluetooth headset, as a real headset, to do A2DP on the iPhone 3G S. I decided to try the Motorola MOTOROKO S9-HD over trying the JayBird JB-200 Headset again.  Overall, it works just as bad as the ones with the adapters when playing music (very choppy, very random pauses).  However, you don’t need an adapter to get this pair to do Bluetooth iPhone calls or iPod.

I have been surprised with this new acronym that my iPhone doesn’t seem to be able to do (AVRCP), at least not yet.  It seems to also do the pairing automatically without asking for a code. The instruction booklet says that the code is 0000, but I didn’t ever need to put that in.  I’ll keep it simply for the fact that it does pair with our Broadcom Bluetooth receiver which is actually a Rocketfish Bluetooth Transmitter. It will work well as a diagnostic and day to day tool, and will be great for driving and hands-free.

=== UPDATE: 11/12/2009 ===
We wanted to write an update that these work PERFECTLY with the iPhone 3GS 3.1.2 OS. No skipping, techno sounds great, 100% all the way Motorola S9-HD! Worth the buy!

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