Valentine's lunch at Leo's--bistro setting for Calamari and Pizza in Ocean Springs!

The weather has turned glorious--high 60's and bright sun, and it's only due to get better this week. The water is all sparkly and blue...the sand just perfect. Locals and visitors alike have come out of their houses, taken off their jackets and smiles are everywhere.

We planned our day around lunch in Ocean Springs, thanks to the advice of a couple we met last night playing Mississippi Stud (a novelty table game, a bit like Let It Ride) at Treasure Bay Casino a few miles down the beach from us.(Click here for casino info) They are transplants (and happy ones!) from Georgia and couldn't say enough about the restaurants in the quaint downtown area of Ocean Springs. They especially recommended  Alfresco Italian Bistro and Leo's Wood Fired Pizza.

But first...Maggie's exercise! As ususal, Maggie started her day at the park a couple of blocks down on Second Street. She is loving the "chuck-it" ball thrower that Bud found for her and races through the park like a bullet!

After an errand or two and losing stop at a couple of casinos, we headed east over the bridge to Ocean Springs, and soon found Alfresco--but it was closed.  Next stop...Leo's!

The menu explained that the wood-fire pizza oven was imported from Italy, as is the flour for the made-from-scratch pizza dough. We ordered the house pizza and added roasted garlic and portabella mushrooms--one of the best pizzas we've had anywhere, even in Italy!

Maggie thought our calamari starter was yummy!



Our server, Tory, snapped this shot. Maggie was quite the hit!