Posts Tagged ‘Daphne’
Saturday, May 22nd, 2010 by TurkReno
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:
Pizzeria Ozio – Main Site: http://www.pizzeriaozio.com
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.
Tags: 36526, Alabama, business, Daphne, daphne alabama, Italian, local eats, Pizza, PR, review
Posted in Food Reviews, Google, Local News, Marketing | No Comments »
Friday, May 14th, 2010 by TurkReno
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:
Originally Posted at: http://www.eschamber.com/bus_news.php?newsitem=357
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!)
Taylor S. Ripley
CEO – TurkReno, Inc.
PO Box 2361
Daphne, AL. 36526
(251) 279-0278
Tags: 36526, 36527, Alabama, BP, Daphne, daphne alabama, Fairhope, Gulf Shores, Gulf Shores Alabama, Mobile, Mobile Alabama, Oil Spill, Orange Beach, PR, press release, SMO, Spanish Fort, WALA, WKRG, WPMI
Posted in Abuse, Local News, Marketing, Methods, Press Release, SMO | No Comments »
Friday, May 14th, 2010 by TurkReno
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
Tags: 36526, AL, Alabama, Daphne, daphne alabama, Fairhope, fairhope alabama, local eats, Los Tacos
Posted in Food Reviews, Local News, Marketing, Off-Topic | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 17th, 2010 by TurkReno
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).
Tags: Alabama, buffet, Cantonese, chinese food, Daphne, Dragon City Buffet, Hibachi, Hunan, local eats, review, Sushi, Szechuan
Posted in Food Reviews, Marketing, Off-Topic, Reviews | No Comments »
Thursday, November 26th, 2009 by TurkReno
In the past month, TurkReno Inc. – the leading provider of computer and server repair and support and website design in the greater Daphne, Alabama area – was awarded the membership and recognition as an Accredited Business of the Better Business Bureau. “We at TurkReno are honored to receive this prestigious membership,” said Taylor S. Ripley, Owner and CEO of TurkReno Incorporated. “This recognition not only sets us ahead of our competition, but sets us apart in a way that, as of today, we are the only Accredited Business in Baldwin County providing IT Support and Web Services. Not only that, in our primary line of business of Website Design, the only other Accredited Business within 500 miles to us is over 170 miles away in Louisiana.”
In the November 2009 newsletter from the Better Business Bureau, TurkReno Incorporated was listed in the New Member Spotlight with the following listed about the business:
TurkReno Incorporated, established in 2008, is a Website Design, Website Hosting and Computer Services company operating from Daphne, Alabama. The Corporation has served local, national, government and international clients through many different Internet Technology Services. Specializing in Search Engine Placement, TurkReno aims to help their clients achieve their goals and to create solutions that work for everyone.
“We accepted the Better Business Bureau’s offer for membership over joining both local Chambers of Commerce for two specific reasons,” Mr. Ripley had to say. “One: we saw the benefit of being a member of the BBB exponentially larger because their membership proves that we can be trusted over companies that are not members. In this area, there are so many dishonest and near-to-fraudulent IT companies providing poor service and prices that border on scalping that we wanted to put ourselves in a completely different light backed by the trust of an internationally recognized organization. With being accredited, the trust is almost instantly gained because it shows that we are not only honest, but that we stand behind exactly what we say we are going to do. Simply being a Chamber of Commerce associate is not enough to convince a national or international client that you’re reliable. You have to take a step further than confining yourself to your local market.”
“Two: we did extensive research and made the calls. As a matter of fact, I’ve got an un-mailed check on my desk that already is sealed, signed and in a stamped envelope for one of the local chambers and it’s sat there for over nine months. It’s not the money that has stopped us from sending it, it’s the experience that my fellow associates have had with them. Most people join a Chamber of Commerce in hopes of getting referrals. One associate has been a chamber member for over eight years and to this day has never received a referral. Another of five years reports the same. Since it was a matter of building trust over potentially non-existent referrals, the choice was obvious to us. Further research showed that other companies in our industry had already joined one Chamber and jaded them towards what an actual Web Services and IT Company was capable of doing by providing sub-quality websites to other Chamber members at outrageous prices. At the time, we did not feel like joining an organization that seemed as if we would have to do ‘damage control’ which may have been caused by our competition failing to provide what they promised.”
Mr. Ripley later stated, “Perhaps one day we will join both Chambers. But today is not that day. Our marketing strategy is strong and we stand behind the Better Business Bureau 110% as proof to our future and existing clients that we will deliver above and beyond what we say we will deliver.”
TurkReno Incorporated’s BBB Accredited Business seal can be found at the bottom of most all of our pages. If you would like to see our status current standing, please check this link.
For more information, or if you are seeking to become a client, please contact us at 251-279-0278 or use our online contact form to submit a request.
Tags: advertise my computer repair business, advertising, BBB, Better Business Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, consulting, Corporate, Daphne, Design, IT, TurkReno Incorporated, web design
Posted in Marketing, press release | 1 Comment »
Thursday, November 12th, 2009 by TurkReno
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!
Tags: 0000, 3.0.1, 36526, 36527, A2DP, Alabama, AVRCP, Bluetooth, Broadcom, code, Daphne, driving, hands-free, instructions, iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3G S, JayBird, JB-200, MOTOROKR, Motorola, OS, review, Rocketfish, S9-HD, S9HD, Spanish Fort, tool, TurkReno
Posted in Marketing, Reviews | 7 Comments »
Sunday, September 27th, 2009 by TurkReno
On this day, one year ago, in the midst of economic chaos and one of the worst financial crises the world has seen in at least a generation, CEO and Founder, Mr. Taylor S. Ripley, laid the foundation to what would become one of the most successful web development and design companies in the State of Alabama. His passion for technology and his belief in the market’s need for a reliable service provider focused on excellence led him to take an incredible risk, which many would not have taken in an economic downturn let alone during such an uncertain time. Yet, his faith was well placed because what the market lacked was a business that applied a long-forgotten model, that of offering valuable services and the creation of a network of long-lasting partnerships. And so TurkReno Incorporated was born.
It has been a bumpy but exciting ride and TurkReno Inc. is living proof that a business that is client and service oriented can be successful under any market conditions. The company has become one of the most reputable providers of IT services with satisfied clients all over the world. We have risen through the ranks of our competitors and have become the #1 Eastern Shore IT service provider in our area by maintaining and expanding on the excellence we consistently achieve in the projects we undertake in the name of our clients. 
We understand that our success hinges on the success of our clients and we know that reliability and dedication are the most the important qualities of any partner. TurkReno’s service packages are designed with you, our client, in mind. Service packages that consist to be a complete, custom solution that is adaptable to any project or requirements. Some of the services we offer include:
- Website Design – Increase your business’ exposure and revenues with a custom designed website created by talented and certified professionals. With the added support of our complete web development solutions, we can create any solution that works.
- Website Hosting – A reliable and fast service to house your website – second to none in this area guaranteed;
- Print Advertising – A good advertising campaign targets your potential customers through numerous channels and one efficient and effective way is by using our print advertising service. We can provide you with any type of printing or publication that you may need, be it 1000 business cards or 1,000,000 flyers, we can take care of it;
- Computer and Server Repair – Our licensed, certified and experienced technicians will keep your company running and efficient by taking care of all your IT maintenance needs;
- E-commerce Web Site Design – Let us design your custom e-commerce website so your products can reach the whole world. Increase your sales by being available to potential customers 24/7.
We, at TurkReno Incorporated, believe in growth and innovation, which has positioned us as an industry leader. We are constantly expanding our range of services to provide the best and most complete solutions to our clients in Daphne, Spanish Fort, Fairhope, Point Clear, Foley, Orange Beach, Bay Minette, Gulf Shores, and Mobile, Alabama.
We celebrate one year of existence, growth and progress; of creating hundreds of successful websites for businesses worldwide; of undertaking amazing projects and consistently delivering results. We celebrate one year of creating a family of clients that will withstand the tests of time and the harshest market conditions under our wings. We know not what the future may bring, but we are confident that the only way for us to move forward is together as partners.
Most importantly, we want to thank each of our loyal clients and customers who have helped us become who we are today. Without you, we would not be here and our services would not be needed. Thank you so very much. We look forward to several more years to come, providing you each with outstanding and service that is superior to no other IT company in this region.
Cordially Yours,
Taylor S. Ripley
President and Chief Technology Consultant
TurkReno, Inc.
Tags: advertise my computer repair business, Alabama, Anniversary, Bay Minette, CEO, computer and server repair, computer repair, Daphne, e-commerce, Eastern Shore IT, Fairhope, Foley Alabama, Gulf Shores Alabama, internet, IT, Mobile Alabama, networking, PR, press release, print advertising, server repair, Spanish Fort, Taylor Ripley, TurkReno, Twitter, website design, website hosting
Posted in Local News, Marketing, Off-Topic, SEO, Self-Advertising, press release | No Comments »
Saturday, July 18th, 2009 by TurkReno
As we as a company continue to move into a virtual world, we have improved our telephone capabilities by integrating our systems with Google Voice. We now have one main number that we would prefer that all contact is made through: 1 (251) 279-0278 — Local to Fairhope, Alabama. This service not only allows us to be called on all phones simultaneously, but also the ability to receive voicemail from anywhere which is then automatically transcribed into a text message to our phones. There are other features that we are going to be using with this system.
From Google explaining the Google Voice System: “Google Voice is a service that gives you one number for all your phones, voicemail that is easy as email, and many enhanced calling features like call blocking and screening, voicemail transcripts, call conferencing, international calls, and more.” We would encourage all of our clients that are interested in this type of technology to go to https://services.google.com/fb/forms/googlevoiceinvite/ and sign up to be a part of the initial group before this becomes a major public service. — (Cited from: http://www.google.com/support/voice/bin/answer.py?answer=141993)
More info from Google: http://www.google.com/googlevoice/about.html
We appreciate your business and will continue to keep in contact with each of you.
Best Regards,
Taylor S. Ripley
TurkReno Inc.
P: (251) 279-0278
W: http://www.turkreno.com
Privacy Notice: This information is not to be collected for advertising purposes.
Tags: 36526, 36527, Alabama, clients, Daphne, daphne alabama, Fairhope, fairhope alabama, Google, Google Voice, Marketing, phones, PR, press release, Spanish Fort, TurkReno, voicemail, voicemail transcripts, web design
Posted in Google, Marketing | No Comments »
Friday, July 10th, 2009 by TurkReno
From Yahoo News –
Dear
Yahoo! GeoCities customer,
We’re writing to let you know that Yahoo! GeoCities, our free web site building service and community, is closing on October 26, 2009.
On October 26, 2009, your GeoCities site will no longer appear on the Web, and you will no longer be able to access your GeoCities account and files.
What You Need to Do
If you’d like to move your web site, or save the images and other files you’ve posted online, you need to act now by choosing one of the following options:
|
|
| €¢ |
Download your files to your own computer.
With your pages and images saved offline, you can re-create your site with any hosting provider.
To quickly download your published files, visit your GeoCities web site, right-click on each page, and choose Save Page As… from the menu that appears. Choose a location on your computer to save your files, then click OK or Save. Learn more about downloading your files. |
Don’t Wait
Please be aware that after October 26, your GeoCities files will be deleted from our servers, and will not be recoverable. If you’d like to save your files, you must download them now or move to Yahoo! Web Hosting. If you need assistance, please visit the help center.
We want to thank you for being a GeoCities customer, and hope you continue to enjoy our other Yahoo! services.
Best regards,
Yahoo
So. We offer hosting. We may not have been around as long as a dinosaur like GeoCities (God knows I had a few accounts there), but we can take care of you if this is what it comes down to. Contact us today at http://www.turkreno.com and find out what we can do for you!
Tags: 2009, 36526, Alabama, Daphne, Geocities, hosting, October 26, TurkReno, Yahoo
Posted in Discussion, Hosting Review | 2 Comments »
