We Had A Full House For The Ace Of Hearts Poker Run! – WKRG News 5

Over the weekend, WKRG News 5 and The Gulf Coast CW participated in the 5th annual Ace of Hearts Poker Run to help benefit the American Heart Association and yours truly was fortunate enough to come for the ride on the Mobile side of the Poker Run.

Our first stop was bright and early at 9 oclock on a beautiful morning at The Main Event Club in Theodore where registration was being held. I started off the day with a delicious breakfast that included bacon, biscuits and gravy, eggs, muffins and more! After I finished my plate, I ran into WKRG Meteorologist John Nodar who was participating in the Poker Run and had a conversation with him while he finished his delicious breakfast! After chopping it up with John for a little while, I decided to let him finish his food, to have a conversation with Vickie and Annie who run the Main Event Club as they were very excited to be a part of such a positive event that helps fight against heart disease. It is a cause that is near and dear to their hearts, which would explain their enthusiasm in participating in the Poker Run. After I gave Vickie and Annie a hug and a goodbye, I went to talk to Bridgette from the American Heart Association. You can tell her passion is in her work, partnering with communities to educate, research and to advocate in the fight against heart disease.

After having several awesome conversations at The Main Event Club, it was time for the kickstands to go up and to head out to our first official stop of the day at Greers St. Louis Market in Downtown Mobile, and if you havent made it to Greers St. Louis Market yet, I understand because its only a few months old, but I would implore anyone who hasnt been yet, to take the trip! Greers St. Louis Market is more than just a grocery store. Its a caf, a winery, a bakery, a place to order a hot meal, a grocery store and more! Fortunately for me, I was provided a tour guide as Jenny, a manager at Greers St. Louis Market, was kind enough to show me around their new store. I was impressed by the outdoor caf that is set up looking on to St. Louis Street, as you could see people young and old enjoying a nice coffee or meal outside on such a wonderful day. After observing the caf, we went upstairs to check out their rooftop, where you can also go sit and enjoy a meal. Now myself personally, I love a good rooftop. Theres just something special about being able to sit on top of the building looking over top of Downtown Mobile while having a meal or drinking a cup of Joe. Once I was done marveling over the rooftop, I went downstairs to check out the market side of things. This is where a delicious pepperoni pizza caught my eye that had just come out of the kitchen, and as many of you know, Im about as bad as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle with my love of pizza! However, they had so much more to offer than just pizza, so I definitely suggest that you check it out for yourself! I walked around for a bit more as I checked out their selection, and I must say that I was impressed! Their meat selection is unparalleled, the rows of wine seemingly went on forever, and the pastries looked absolutely delectable!

Once again, it was time to get back on the road as this time we were in route to the 2nd official stop of the day; The Boot Store in Loxley. I was immediately happy when I pulled up because they were giving out doughnuts and hot dogs at the front door! Once inside, I was amazed by the sheer size of the selection that was housed inside of The Boot Store. I wanted to do a bit of shopping, so I walked around and saw that they had more than just an amazing selection of boots, but they had shirts, perfumes and cologne, hats and so much more! I tried on a few hats, and saw some really nice boots that I wanted to try on, but first I had a conversation with John Peppers who works as a salesperson at The Boot Store who went on to tell me that they have probably the most diverse selection in the southeast. Given what I saw at The Boot Store, I would likely have to agree! It was a fun time checking out all of the cool things that The Boot Store had to offer but it was once again time to hit the road to cruise on to our final stop before The Florabama; Wacked Out Weiner in Foley.

Ive got to admit, Wacked Out Weiner is one of my favorite places to go! The hotdog selection is pretty tasty, and their chili is a homerun every single time! My favorite hotdog is the chili dog that they make to perfection, even with the added corn chips on top! While everyone was chowing down on some delicious dogs, I decided to have a little bit of fun and turned myself into a giant talking hot dog! I had a brief conversation with the owner Jason, however, the hotdogs were so good that we just didnt have much time to talk because the line was out of the door! So, instead I had a good time taking pictures with my good buddy John Nodar and talking to all of the hungry motorcycle riders.

Last but not least it was time to arrive at The Florabama for our final stop where everyone who participated received their final playing card to see what their poker hand would be. The winning hand was four 6s, a very difficult hand to beat in any game in poker! The person who won the final hand was generous enough to donate his winnings to the American Heart Association. Even though the ride was over and the game was finished, there was still a party to be had, as we all jammed out to some blues and rock! On this day, WKRG News 5 raised $5,000 for the American Heart Association, and honestly, thats the most important part! That was why we were all there. Heart disease has affected all of our lives in one way or another, so to be able to do something for such a notable cause was reward enough for riding around the Gulf Coast on such a beautiful day and getting to eat at literally every stop! I had a great time at The Ace of Hearts Poker Run and if you didnt make it this year, I definitely suggest that you give it a try next year!

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We Had A Full House For The Ace Of Hearts Poker Run! - WKRG News 5