By Caron Schwartz
GULFPORT, my hometown, keeping it weird
We just had our ninth annual Fine Arts Festival; seventh annual ReadOUT; Peace, Love and Blueberries Fest; 20th annual Get Rescued; and even the first Valentine Doggy Flash Mob.
Amid all this activity there was a Cash Mob organized by Bob Dauch, the reigning Gecko Queen. In the spirit of keeping Gulfport weird, we elect a Gecko Queen – gender and orientation irrelevant – at our annual end-of-summer bacchanalia, the Gecko Ball. Dauch, known for arranging these fun fundraising events both here and in his former home turf of Cleveland, called on us locals to patronize* the newest Gulfport coffee establishment, the Annex Coffee House on 22nd Avenue S.
What used to be a produce stand, then the short-lived Two Dads take-out joint, is now a tiny roadside cafe. They not only serve all manner of coffee beverages brewed with local roaster Kahwa beans, but you can also get tea, kombucha, a smoothie, or something chewable like a chicken salad croissant, Cuban sandwich, or a cookie. And despite appearances, it’s not just a drive-thru; there’s limited seating inside and out and even a surprisingly spacious (and immaculate) restroom. I enjoyed a cappuccino while schmoozing and basking in the brisk but sunny afternoon.
In March you’ll find me at Tardi Gras; the Peace, Love & Pride Festival; Art in the Yard; the beloved Pink Flamingo Home Tour; and probably a Cash Mob or two.
*This being Gulfport, I’m not sure if the word “patronize” is kosher. Should I use “matronize” or maybe “gaytronize”?
