Things To Do in Coastal Mississippi Beyond the Casinos Saturday 06 April, 2019

This post was hosted by Coastal Mississippi. All opinions are my own. 

My first time to the Mississippi Gulf Coast has really changed my view on the state. I will be honest I didn’t know Coastal Mississippi had so many interesting things to do. When you come into the Mississippi Gulf Coast near Biloxi, it does look like a smaller version of Vegas with a strip of lit up hotels which doubles as a casino. So from just the immediate area, it looks like a casino strip and the major thing to do in the area.

There is actually way more to do in Coast Mississippi without haven’t to even consider the casino for one’s main entertainment. So much more to do here such as visit museums, lots of scenic views and shopping, and fun quaint unexpected places to eat. Check out a couple of things to do in Coast Mississippi that I enjoyed doing while on my trip!

Have Breakfast at Greenhouse on Porter Ave.

Located on the quiet west end of Porter Avenue, the Green House on Porter is unlike any shop Ocean Springs has ever seen. At first glance its a mint green quaint house, that definitely doesnt look like a coffee + tea + biscuit shop inside. But it is and it is amazing.

They make fresh brewed specialty teas that I feel in love with. I order a Lemongrass Ice Tea that was very refreshing!

Now you walk to the back and its another little secret oasis I was not expecting from this spot. Its like a modern shabby chic feel that makes you feel instantly at home. 

Besides the tea and coffee, the big speciality here is their ever-changing biscuits. No two days will you get the same biscuit specials as they are always coming up with new creations. Daily there are top selections and its definitely fun to see what the two biscuits of the day will be. They switch it up every day!

Learn more and get your biscuit fix at biscuitsprings.com

Visit Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art

Ten years in the making, the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art celebrates the innovative, independent and creative spirit of their namesake Mississippi master potter George Ohr. Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art has four new buildings and the reconstructed home of Pleasant Reed which are now open, offer visitors separate but not isolated experiences – together creating a single unified vision connected by the expansive brick plaza and the majestic Live Oaks.  For our guests of all ages and interests, let the landscape be relaxing and the art inspiring, invigorating, and challenging.

.Located under majestic oaks on the beautiful Mississippi Sound, OOMA features the ceramics of George E. Ohr (1857-1918), the self-proclaimed “Mad Potter of Biloxi.

 George Edgar Ohr, “The Mad Potter of Biloxi” created innovative ceramics that are a central part of the artistic heritage of the Gulf South, and the broader canon of American Art. Today, 100 years after he ended his pottery-making career, George Edgar Ohr is considered an early leader in the American modernist movement.

Classes & Workshops – So to keep Ohr legacy alive and active, they have an on-site Ceramics Studio holds art classes for artists of all kinds and ages!

“Elements of Change” consists of works on paper and installations that explore visual systems and the contemporary political, social, and environmental issues that surround climate change. Through their very different individual voices, the artists manifest in visual terms the many aspects of living in a rapidly changing world. Together, the artists’ contrasting approaches comprise a timely exhibit about our changing environment.

In the exhibit, the artistic approaches of the artists contrast in their address: one speaks to and about nature, while the other concerns herself with invention of form and the investigation of its effects. But the art of the two women constitutes two sides of the same coin: survival and evolution in the early 21st century, requiring increased awareness, increased sensitivity, and increased ingenuity. Both Alston and Stewart employ abstract form and composition and rich, vibrant palettes, the better to attract attention to their broader concerns while providing the mystery and pleasure of art itself.

Exhibit will be active here March 8 – June 8, 2019

John Isiah Walton is an emerging artist with a strong conceptual streak who often bespeaks a stinging social commentary. His use of wit and irony addressing the constructs of race and class is irreverent and sensitive. “The body of work I plan to present is a mixture of New Orleans’ culture, including my experiences growing up in my beautiful city.”

This was a special day as John Isaih was  actually there while I was visiting. So I got a chance to chat with him about some of his work and his life on being an artist. He is a very humble and doesn’t have a thesis for each piece. He creates from feelings and inspired by his friends and his vibrant city of NOLA. He has lectured about his work to the graduate program at UNC, Chapel Hill (2014) & his work was donated to the permanent collection of the New Orleans Museum of Art.

John Isiah Watson Exhibit will be active here February 5 – June 1, 2019

Visit and learn more about the Ohr-O’Keefe Musuem of Art at georgeohr.org

Visit the Walter Anderson Museum of Art

Walter Anderson Museum of Art, opened in 1991 dedicated to celebrating the works of Walter Inglis Anderson (1903-1965), American master, whose depictions of the plants, animals, and people of the Gulf Coast have placed him among the forefront of American painters of the Twentieth Century.  Anderson cultivated a belief in realization between man and nature.. “In order to realize the beauty of man we must realize his relation to nature,” wrote Anderson.

The Community Center is the site of Walter Anderson’s monumental 3,000 square foot murals, which depict the historic discovery of the Mississippi Coast and its diverse climates. The City commissioned Walter Anderson to execute the murals in 1950 for a fee of $1.00. They were completed after 16 months in 1951-52.

Walter Anderson did not separate “fine” art from “folk,” knowing that the designation was a temporal phenomenon unasserted across most of human civilization. He saw his art not as a product through which he might earn acclaim or fortune, but as a process for grasping, if only for a moment, the bounty of creation.

Anderson’s murals, block prints, and ceramics – decorated and designed as an employee of Shearwater Pottery (founded by his brother, Peter) – were propagated widely. These works were intended to be accessible; created, said Anderson, for “people who cannot afford to pay a great deal for works of art, but still have an appetite for beauty.

Visit and learn more about the Walter Ingis Anderson Museum at walterandersonmuseum.org

Have A Healthy Lunch at Eat.Drink.Love

Eat.Drink.Love is a very cute spot in Oceans Springs located on Porter Ave. It is another hidden gem I didnt expect to get in Mississippi. So modern and a minimalist place of a little serenity to catch a quick lunch.

Power Salad feta, artichoke hearts, cranberries, pecans, avocado, red onion, balsamic with added salmon

I will tell you I wasn’t expecting such a cute and modern healthy lunch spot in Coastal Mississippi. Yes the Mississippi Gulf Coast is full of seafood spots to visit, but Eat.Drink.Love was a pleasant surprise. It reminds me of places I would eat at home to have a fresh bowl, so this power bowl was amazing. The fresh cranberries made this dish and when I return I am coming back for this!

Order a Seafood Tower at White Pillars

White Pillars Restaurant is a farm-to-table restaurant using Mississippi-grown meats and seasonal local vegetables. Its an upscale spot and must-order here is the SeaFood Tower, with an array of fresh caught crawfish, oysters, prawns with ceviche large enough to share!

Stay.Spa.Eat.Relax at Harrah’s Gulf Coast

I did an entire post on Stay at Harrah’s Gulf Coast Hotel and Casino. As this post stated it is what to do outside of casinos, but this hotel definitely has way more than that! Harrah’s Gulf Coast offers a greal poolside area, lots of restaurants to choose from, spa, and definitely great place to stay if you are visiting from out of town/weekend getaway. Click the image or the link here to learn more about Harrah’s.

COOL FACTS ABOUT COASTAL MISSISSIPPI

• The Mississippi Gulf Coast is comprised of three coastal counties: Jackson, Harrison
and Hancock. 12 cities make up these three coastal counties.

• The Mississippi Gulf Coast spans 62 miles along the Gulf of Mexico and overlooks the
Mississippi Sound.

• Visit Mississippi Gulf Coast is the official regional tourism entity representing
Mississippi’s three coastal counties.

• Culinary influence from around the globe is found on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, inspired
by an endless bounty of seafood.

Find itineraries, lodging options, attraction information and more by visiting gulfcoast.org #MSCoastLife

What part of Coastal Mississippi intrigued you the most?

About the Blogger - Kiwi the Beauty


Kiwi is the free spirited blogger and content creator of KiwiTheBeauty.com. As a digital influencer, she produces creative inspiration around beauty, lifestyle, media and travel leisure. Her life mantra is to make manifesting fun! When she’s not blogging, she is eating trendy hipster food, carrying crystals, making it rain at her local farmer's market and binge brunching. Follow her on her blog and social media at kiwithebeauty.com + @kiwithebeauty


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