Gulf Coast Arts Festival

My friend, Bridget, met Larry and I for breakfast at Crema Bakery and Coffee Shop here on Garden street, Downtown Pensacola. Crema reminds me a lot of going out with my mom and having fabulous meals because they have such unusually good cuisine. Here in the South cooking is just a little different to what we as South Africans (spoilt rotten) are used to. It is an experience.
I had too much to eat and so, Bridget and I ventured out into the cold and greeted Larry. His destination was the skating rink and ours was the Gulf Coast Arts Festival.
We were truly blessed to find parking and in a spot that was charing $5! Off we went. The newest craze in "paintings" is having digital photographs printed on canvas. It gives the "painting" an extremely natural look, yet it still appears rather artsy. I would love to have a few of our pictures printed that way, but I honestly don't want to shell out $80 for it.

McGuire's Irish Pub is just that. I highly famous restaurant famous for selling 16oz (1 lb) steaks and brewing their own beer. The also have a live performer singing irish songs and picking on customers to come and "kiss the moose" head mounted on a wall. The thing is huge! My boss and the owner are very close friends as my boss, Mr. Reeves, helped the McGuire's out in a difficult time with the business. Mr. Reeves asked that they just make sure that he always has a table for himself where he can come in for lunch and not be bothered.
This is really convenient as McGuire's is less across the road from where our offices. Hence, the Irish Politicians Club was formed. It is a "secret" and "private" room in the restaurant reserved for members only - no children allowed.
Anyway, McGuire's has a pipe band and they also performed at the festival.
I ran across a bookshop-stand hidden towards the outskirts with a little old Dutch oomie wearing klompe. I immediately knew where he was from and he started talking to us. I told him that I am from South Africa and he asked me in Dutch if I speak Afrikaans. We then spoke to each other in our languages and there was complete comprehension. It was quite a thrill. He lives on a boat and was a child in WWII. He told us how their house was occupied by Germans and all kinds of war stories. I just had to buy the book.
The festival was a blast, but I am glad to be home as my feet now hurt.