Pensacola Magazine August/September 2013

August / September 2013

Also Inside

w w w .p e n sa c o la ma g a zin e .c o m

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editor’s note > my two cents on the subject Every town has at least one--a dining establishment that has been there as long as nearly anyone can remember. Maybe it's an old drugstore with an ice cream counter, a breakfast diner or an old seafood shack. These longstanding restaurants and delis connect generations of families and communities with their friendly service and good old fashioned cooking. When I was a kid in Minnesota, these establishments were everywhere, but I mostly remember going to the old A&W Root Beer restaurants with my dad or my grandpa. I thought it was so cool that you could sit outside in your car and they would bring the food out to you and latch it onto your window. Over a root beer float, we'd listen to the old radio programs both my dad and grandpa loved and I'd usually hear a story or two about "the good old days." Later, I came to know and love the longstanding restaurants and po-boy shops of New Orleans. From elegant old mainstays to divey diners and funky corner stores, many of them still stand and I still visit them on occasion. They are a part of my story.

Kelly Oden Executive Editor

Pensacola has a healthy supply of what we like to call culinary and cultural icons. In this issue, we profile a few of these local traditions and I hope you enjoy learning a little more about these Pensacola treasures. I hope it inspires you to ask your parents and grandparents if they went to these restaurants and to start a new tradition by taking your kids or grandkids to them as well. Make them a part of your story.

In this food focused issue, we've also asked local restaurants to offer readers a special recipe from one of their ethnic specialties.

From Ceviche to Kibbeh and from Thai Mussels to Sushi, take a minute to spice up your palate this month. We've also included a list of ethnic groceries for those hard to find spices and ingredients.

This month we had the privilege of visiting an interesting new venture for the area--Rollins Distillery. Rollins is a father and son team based in Gulf Breeze. Their plans to bring locally distilled craft beverages to the community have us very excited and we were thrilled to be the first to interview them. Be on the lookout for their Esprit De Krewe rums and vodka this fall. I know we will be!

Until next month, Bon Appetit!

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Pick up any of our magazines at one of these fine locations: Barnes and Noble Ever’man Natural Foods Bookseller 315 W. Garden St. 1200 Airport Blvd.

Pensacola, FL 32501 Pensacola, FL 32504 850-438-0402 850-969-9554 Varona’s Airport Gift Shop Family Christian Stores Area Books-A-Million 1520 Airport Blvd.

Area Walmart Stores Pensacola, FL 32504 850-474-9324 Subscription Expiration Date is printed on the address label. Renew your subscription now online at www.ballingerpublishing.com: One year $14.95 and two years $22.75.

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CONTENTS FEATURES

25.

25. Iconic Eats Pensacola’s Culinary and Cultural Icons

35. Spice Up Your Palate

DEPARTMENTS 10. PLAY Events & Adventures

14. GIVE Nonprofit News

17. LIVE Art, Music & Culture

20. SHOP Kitchen Essentials Rollins Distillery

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17.

20.

22.

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40. REPEATS Pensacola Scene

Cover: Jerry’s Drive-In Photo by Kassie McLean

August / September 2013 MALCOLM BALLINGER malcolm@ballingerpublishing.com KELLY ODEN kelly@ballingerpublishing.com RITA LAYMON rita@ballingerpublishing.com KASSIE MCLEAN kassie@ballingerpublishing.com EMILY LULLO emily@ballingerpublishing.com JOSH NEWBY josh@ballingerpublishing.com ELLIE GRABSKI ellie@ballingerpublishing.com SHARYON MILLER, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE EXT. 28 sharyon@ballingerpublishing.com RHEANA RICE, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE, EXT. 31 rheana@ballingerpublishing.com

OWNERS

MALCOLM & GLENYS BALLINGER PUBLISHER

MALCOLM BALLINGER malcolm@ballingerpublishing.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR

KELLY ODEN kelly@ballingerpublishing.com ART DIRECTOR

RITA LAYMON rita@ballingerpublishing.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER & ADVERTISING COORDINATOR

KASSIE MCLEAN kassie@ballingerpublishing.com EDITOR

EMILY LULLO emily@ballingerpublishing.com BUSINESS EDITOR

JOSH NEWBY josh@ballingerpublishing.com SALES & MARKETING SHARYON MILLER, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE EXT. 28 sharyon@ballingerpublishing.com

RHEANA RICE, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE, EXT. 31 rheana@ballingerpublishing.com SIMONE SANDS, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE EXT. 21 simone@ballingerpublishing.com WEBSITE:

WWW.BALLINGERPUBLISHING.COM

EDITORIAL OFFICES 41 NORTH JEFFERSON STREET, SUITE 402 PENSACOLA, FLORIDA 32502 850-433-1166 • FAX 850-435-9174

PUBLISHED BY BALLINGER PUBLISHING:

Member of:

NW Florida’s Business Climate Magazine and Pensacola Magazine is locally owned and operated. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or use of the contents herein is prohibited without written permission from the publisher. Comments and opinions expressed in this magazine represent the personal views of the individuals to whom they are attributed and/or the person identified as the author of the article, and they are not necessarily those of the publisher. This magazine accepts no responsibility for these opinions. The publisher reserves the right to edit all manuscripts. All advertising information is the responsibility of the individual advertiser. Appearance in this magazine does not necessarily reflect endorsement of any products or services by Ballinger Publishing. © 2013

August/September 2013

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PLAY

18TH

ANNUAL

EMERALD COAST

BEER FESTIVAL FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 6

By Ellie Grabski

Is anyone else tired of always ordering those same “go-to” beverages? Being adventurous is great, but it isn’t always the most economically sound way to spend your happy hour. If only there was a way for you to enjoy sample after sample and find your new favorite brew....

There is! Whether you’re a beer connoisseur or just hoping to learn a few things, the 2013 Emerald Coast Beer Festival, hosted by the Escambia Bay Home Brewers and Seville Quarter, provides the perfect atmosphere to broaden your beer horizon and update your list of “go-tos.”

This year, the festival begins Thursday, Sept. 5 at 7 pm in the Apple Annie’s Room. Seville Quarter brings you the art of the perfect beer pairing in this five course dinner that will feature handcrafted ales from Lagunitas Brewing of Petaluma, Calif.

Dinner begins at 7 pm. Advanced sale tickets are required and are only available by calling Nancy at Seville Quarter at 850434-6211.

Friday, Sept. 6 is a beer lover’s dream come true. From 6 to 8 pm the Escambia Bay Home Brewer’s night of tastings will take place throughout the entire complex. With unlimited samples from microbreweries, homebrew clubs, brewpubs and distributors, you’re in for an evening of discovery and delight.

Featured breweries include: Abita, Avondale, Back Forty Beer Co., Bayou Teche, Bell’s, Blue Point, Capital, Chattahoochee, Florida Beer, Grayton, Highland, Kona, Lazy Magnolia, McGuire’s, Middle Bay, Moccasin Bend, New Orleans Beer Co., NOLA, Parish, Pensacola Bay Brewery, Perdido Vineyards, Proof Brewing, Props, Sam Adams, Shipyard, Southern Tier, Sweetwater, Terrapin, Victory and Woodchuck Hard Cider.

Rick Sliva, President of the Escambia Bay Home Brewers, expects the event to be bigger and better than ever and says he is “especially excited about the opportunity to share the experience of appreciating fine craft and home brew creations with those who might not be familiar with the varieties of styles and flavors available.” Sliva adds that the mission of Escambia

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Bay Home Brewers is “to further educate ourselves in the art of making fine adult beverages and to share the art of making these beverages with others that are interested in learning. We also strive to engender an appreciation of fine micro brewed and imported beer, wine and adult beverages among those of us who make them.”

It’s safe to say you might feel a little overwhelmed on Friday as you try to navigate through the complex with over 45 different breweries, 15 homebrew clubs and three major distributors.

This year, make sure you don’t miss a beat and download the Find My Tap iPhone or Android app to help you identify beers available and locate them at the festival.

Advance tickets for Friday’s tasting are available online at emeraldcoastbeerfest.com/tickets.php or from an Escambia Bay Home Brew Club member. Advance general admission is $20 and day of tickets are $30. Tickets are also available for $25 at the following outlets: Seville Quarter, Pensacola Bay Brewery, Richey’s East Liquors, Wisteria Tavern, Wine World Outlet, Four Winds International Food and The Shady Lady. All general admission and VIP ticket holders will receive a souvenir festival beer tasting glass. Designated Driver tickets are available for $10 and a special wristband will grant access to soft drinks, water and the entertainment.

VIP tickets for Friday night are available for the first 200 ticket buyers and can only be purchased in advance for $50 from an Escambia Bay Home Brew Club Member or for $55 from one of the previously listed outlets. VIP ticket holders are granted early entry to the event at 5:15 pm and will enjoy hot hors d’oeuvres and hand-selected beers chosen by top brewers and breweries. Please enter from the east side of the Seville Complex.

Friday’s tastings will support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida and the Seville Rotary Club. For questions and more information, please visit emeraldcoastbeerfest.com/tickets.

1st annual Kayak, BBQ and Blues Festival Saturday, August 31 The Blue Angels might be grounded for Labor Day, but the blues will be alive and well in Perdido Key. The Kayak, BBQ and Blues Festival will feature kayak and paddleboard races, a BBQ cookoff, live music, fireworks and even a Flyboarding. The festival will kick off Saturday morning at Galvez Landing, with human-powered boat races. Athletes in three classes — solo, tandem and paddleboard — will compete for cash on two race courses. The top six competitors in each class will receive prizes. After the races, head back to Hub Stacey's for live music and BBQ. Cooks will compete for the title of Best BBQ and a trophy, and all the entries will be available for purchase. The victor will be crowned after a blind tasting by a panel of judges. There will also be arts and crafts vendors set up on the festival grounds. Performing during the festivities will be Gulf Coast veterans Larry T. Wilson and Big Muddy (from 11 am to 2 pm), Johnny Barbato and the Lucky Dogs (from 2:30 pm to 5 pm) and the Blues Brothers Soul Band (from 5:30 pm to 8 pm). If you're still feeling "kind of blue" after the last guitar riff fades, stick around for the fireworks show.

The show is being produced by Pyrotecnico, the powerhouse behind such spectacular events as the Orange Bowl and Colonial Williamsburg's Grand Illumination. As an added bonus, the show will also include a Flyboard demonstration. The event is located at Hub Stacey's at the Point, 5851 Galvez Rd. For details, call (850)492-4660 or visit www.visitperdido.com/kayak-barbeque-blues.

Perdido Key Pirate Festival "Find the Lost Key!” September 14-15, 2013 No black flags fly above the turquoise waters of Perdido Key these days. Most of the time, the only pirates who frequent these parts are the Pirates of Lost Treasure, a local Mardi Gras krewe.

However, all that will change on Sept. 14 and 15, when an eager horde of young buccaneers descends on Big Lagoon State Park — for the annual Pirate Festival. The event comes just ahead of Talk Like a Pirate Day, on Sept. 19. So you can brush up on your pirate parlance before the big day. Throughout the weekend, kids young and old will have the chance to hunt for pirate coins, redeemable for more than $7,500 in prizes. Each day, one lucky pirate who finds the "Lost Key" will even take home a grand-prize treasure chest — loaded with everything a family needs for a memorable vacation, including lodging and gift certificates for area attractions and restaurants. In addition to plenty of booty, the festival will feature pirate games, live seafaring music by Red McWilliams, Kelly Kingston and Charlie Zahm, live reptile shows

by Reno's Reptiles, Polynesian dancing by traditional performer Elena Sise, plus storytelling, face painting, arts and crafts vendors and more. Entrance to the event is included with $6 park admission fee. For more information, visit www.visitperdido.com/pirate-fest.

Pensacola Para Con A Paranormal, Horror, Sci Fi, Anime, Gaming & Costuming Convention Saturday August 17 + Sunday August 18, 2013 Sports teams, musicians, actors, films, books, certain genres – regardless of what it is you love, passion is a part of what defines us as human beings. We all know sports fans can get a little crazy but as far as genres go it seems there’s something special about science fiction, paranormal, horror and the like that really brings people together. Ever been to a romantic comedy convention?

Mystery novel conference? I didn’t think so. Yet Comic-Con is world famous and the Pensacola Para Con is one of the most well attended events every year at the Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds. Whatever the reason, these conferences display the fervor of their attendees and give individuals with perhaps less conventional interests a chance to get together and engage as a fandom.

Pensacola Para Con, often referred to as the “everything and the kitchen sink convention,” by event promoter Ericka Boussarhane, also gives fans of a laundry list of different genres a chance to meet the greats and browse various vendors. This year the event covers sci-fi, fantasy, science, horror movies, comics, toys, video gaming, games, TV, films, anime, manga, horror, wrestling, MMA, original art, paranormal, collectibles and more.

Boussarhane was thrilled to share highlights of the long list of celebrated guests. “We have Gil Gerard from Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Cindy Morgan from Caddyshack and Tron, Ari Lehman from Friday the 13th, and Michael Berryman from The Hills Have Eyes. The Greater Florida Lego Association is coming with different Legos set up and we have the Scooby Doo Mystery Van and Love Guns Kiss Tribute Band from New Orleans.”

Apart from mingling and shopping at the different vendors, you may also attend discussion panels, screenings, demonstrations, workshops, competitions and a charity auction. The charity auction will take place at 4:30 pm on Sunday, Aug. 18. “We have things from different celebrities including John Travolta, and Miss Pensacola USA, Heidi Jo Medina, is going to be our master of ceremonies. One hundred percent of the money raised from the auction goes to Making Strides,” says Boussarhane. In addition to the money raised through the auction, a portion of the event proceeds will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

The convention will begin at 10 am and run until 6 pm each day. Tickets are $10 and children 12 and under are free. Tickets may be purchased online at pensacolaparacon.com or at the door.

To conclude the two-day event the Zombie Geeks and Freaks Masquerade Ball will begin at 8 pm at Seville Quarter on Aug. 18.

Admittance will be $10 at the door or $5 with a valid student ID. Get working on your costume today and as always, live long and prosper.

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PLAY

Ghost Hunt at the Pensacola Lighthouse August 16, 17, 24, 30, 31 Is the Pensacola Lighthouse haunted? The Travel Channel and SciFi’s Ghost Hunters think so! It’s been called one of the most haunted lighthouses in America! However, only you can answer the question for yourself! Join the lighthouse for a ghost hunt in the historic 1869 Keeper’s Quarters and see if the ghosts are willing to meet you. Bring your own ghosthunting equipment or share the lighthouse’s (some items available for purchase in the Gift Shop before tours commence). Tours are two hours. This tour includes a trip to the top of the Lighthouse, weather permitting, and is recommended for children 12 and over. Make reservations at pensacolalighthouse.org.

Toast at the Top Sunset Tour of Pensacola Lighthouse August 16, 21, 24, 28, 30 Make date night special and treat yourselves to the most romantic view on the Gulf Coast from the Pensacola Lighthouse! Each reservation is for two and includes ambient music, sparkling non-alcoholic wine served in keepsake champagne flutes, and light hors d’oeuvres.

Space is extremely limited! Make reservations now at pensacolalighthouse.org.

Saenger Theater Presents: Summer Classic Movie Series Saturdays The Saenger’s Summer Classic Movie Series is back this summer with hits from yesteryear lighting up the silver screen in the historic theater. A survey was conducted allowing people to vote for favorite classic films to be shown. Movies will be shown on Saturdays at 7 pm, and admission is $5. A movie 10-pack, which can be used in any combination, is available for $40. Seating is general admission.

August 17: August 24: August 31: September 7:

Living History Exhibits in Historic Pensacola Village Fridays + Saturdays

Learn early 19th century cooking techniques and trade-skills from costumed Living History interpreters every Friday and Saturday in Historic Pensacola Village. Cooking takes place in an authentically recreated detached kitchen house using actual 18th and 19th century recipes. Trades demonstrated include broom making, sewing, basket weaving, and wood working. Demonstration schedules vary and are included with the Village admission, which is $6 adults, $5 AAA, senior citizen 65+ and active military, $3 children between 416. Visit the Historic Pensacola Village at 205 East Zaragoza St. or call 595.5993 for more information.

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West Side Story Rear Window African Queen Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory

Spa Yoga at Stay the Clinical Spa Wednesdays & Saturdays Treat yourself to a rejuvenating yoga session at Stay the Clinical Spa, located at 1010 N. 12th Avenue, suite 128 in the Historic Sacred Heart Building at 11 am. Only $15 or just $20 for you and a friend for personalized classes with exceptional guidance in your yoga practice from Bevin Murphy. Call 4383580 with any questions.

2013 Home & Product Expo at Pensacola Bay Center

Cooking Demonstrations & Wine Pairings with Chef Irv Miller August 21 Enjoy a Cooking Demonstration and Wine Pairing with Jackson’s Chef Irv Miller. For the August 21 demonstration Chef Irv will present “Taste of the Middle East.” This demonstration will cover flavors of the Middle East including cinnamon, cloves, cumin, coriander and garlic. Lamb is a favorite meat, and eggplant is often fried in slices and dressed in yogurt and garlic, or roasted over an open fire, then pulped and dressed with tahini lemon juice, garlic and cumin, in a dish known as baba ghanoush. Chef Irv will select many of his favorite dishes and prepare a Middle East tasting. Tickets are $45 and there will be two seatings at 5 pm-6:30 pm and 7:30 pm-9 pm. For reservations call 217-2347.

August 23-25 Visit the 2013 Home & Product Expo to make your home a place where you love to live. A much anticipated event for area homeowners and homebuyers, the 2013 Home & Product Expo is set for Aug. 23-25 at the Pensacola Bay Center. With nearly 100 exhibitor spaces and dozens of ways to learn something new, the Home Expo is THE place to simplify your home building, remodeling or landscaping plans! Tickets are $5 for attendees 18 and over, free for under 18, and entry is free on Sunday from 3-5 pm only. Tickets are available at the Pensacola Bay Center Box Office.

A.B.C. Beverage Tastings August - November Atlas Oyster House presents the next installment of Atlas Beverage Classes (A.B.C.) This semester Atlas will be focusing on handcrafted beers as well as two featured spirit brands. In addition to the beverage tasting, Atlas will also feature small plates paired with each featured beverage, as prepared by Fish House Chef Billy Ballou. The classes will be held outside, on the Deck Bar, the first Thursday of the month (August through November) and will feature a presenter discussing the highlighted beverages. Classes will consist of four tastings of beverages with four mini appetizers to complement each tasting. Classes will cover the basics as well as specific information regarding the history of the brewery/distillery and their beers or spirits. There is one class every month, each an hour long. The class begins promptly at 6 pm. Class cost is $20 per person (plus tax and gratuity), per class, which gets each participant one tasting of each of the featured beverages. In addition, throughout the class, participants should be prepared for “pop quizzes,” when Atlas will be giving away T-shirts, beer glassware, gift certificates and more.

September 5: October 3: November 7:

Jim Beam Bourbon tastings featuring Chris Willey Pensacola Bay Brewery featuring Elliott Eckland Jameson Irish Whiskey tasting featuring Brad Larrieu

Seating is limited and reservations are required, so be sure to make yours by calling Lauren Smith, 516-2324, or email lauren@goodgrits.com.

Woof at the Door Laura Morrigan is a lover of all things wild and exotic. Having spent her formative years on a Costa Rican coffee farm, followed by a position as a volunteer at a local zoo, her mind is ripe with imagination and often entertains a variety of different ideas and stories. Putting those ideas to paper seemed like a natural, productive means of expressing herself, and from that “ignorance and ego,” as Morrigan calls it, she created character Grace Wilde for the Call of the Wilde mystery series.

The first book in the series, Woof at the Door, introduces the reader to a range of characters both human and four-legged, as the protagonist has to keep her ability to psychically communicate with furry and feathered creatures under wraps. But when the star quarterback of the Jacksonville Jaguars turns up murdered, and a scared Doberman is the only witness to the crime, Wilde will have to decide whether to let the Sergeant in charge of the case in on her secret—or follow the pup’s lead to track down the killer herself.

Throughout the novel, the reader is treated to twists and turns involving Wilde’s budding romance with Sergeant Kai Duncan and clues to who the perpetrator might be.

Morrigan admits to a fair amount of similarities between herself and Wilde, as they are both loyal and share a love of pizza. She also used her background with animals to assist her progression of the character and the story.

“Eons ago, I worked at the Zoo in Gulf Breeze and, later, for the zoo vet,” said Morrigan. “That experience has been crucial.

I’m able to infuse my writing with all the sights, sounds and smells (they’re not all bad!) relevant to working with both wild and domestic animals.”

Morrigan also admits to a desire to be able to communicate with her four-legged friends, much as her main fictional character does.

The next book in the series, A Tiger’s Tale, is already completed and should be hitting shelves soon, and Morrigan says she is planning the start of the third entry soon.

“In each book, Grace is pulled into a mystery only she can solvewith the help of her friends, both man and beast.”

Available at Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Amazon.com, and IndieBound.org.

By Josh Newby August/September 2013

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GIVE

COVENANT HOSPICE PRESENTS the 19th Annual Evening of Comedy

Comedy Club at the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front Friday, August 16th 2013, 6 pm – 10 pm When’s the last time you laughed? I’m not talking about the quick little chortle as you flipped through the channels last night. I mean really laughed. Can’t remember? Covenant Hospice’s 19th Annual Evening of Comedy is here to help. No matter what kind of day you’ve had, there’s no mood laughter can’t improve and this evening is going to be full of talented entertainment and cathartic laughs to boot.

New this year, the event will not only have a national headliner but will also feature a local comedian. “We have Al Ernst as our headliner and an opening act, Brandon Rathert, from NewsRadio1620. There will be more of a comedy club feel than ever before with the two comedians,” says Covenant Hospice’s Development & Communications Manager, Angie Schlosser.

Headliner Al Ernst is well known for his ability to see the humor and inspiration in everyday life. His impressive television credits include CNN, ESPN, HBO, Comedy Central, TNN and A&E. He has performed as a professional wrestling announcer, the host of his own show, “The View from the Cheap Seats” and as a comedian for the Carnival Cruise lines.

Opening act Brandon Rathert moved to Pensacola and joined NewsRadio1620 in 2009. His documentary won the First Place Documentary Award from the Florida Associated Press Broadcasters Association in 2011. His act is based off of real life stories and his self-deprecating style of humor is sure to amuse.

The night will also feature a live and silent auction. “Currently we have a buy-it-now auction on our website where there are three experience packages. At the actual event we usually have about 100 packages for the silent auction. Packages include anything from art, jewelry, local services, drivable trips, children’s activities and even paddleboard experiences,” says Schlosser.

Proceeds from the items auctioned off will help to support the not-for-profit operations of Covenant Care. According to Schlosser, “Covenant Hospice cares for individuals in our community with life limiting illnesses as a not-for-profit hospice regardless of their ability to pay. That’s one of the main things that we fundraise for but we also provide children services in the bereavement department and we provide bereavement services to our community as a whole — you don’t have to have received our services to take advantage of our bereavement specialist.”

Tickets for Evening of Comedy are $75 and include a cocktail hour, dinner, the live and silent auctions, prize drawings, and theme related activities. Tickets may be purchased by phone at 438-9714 or online at eventsatcovenant.org/eveningofcomedy. Buy yours today and spend your Friday evening at an event that truly benefits all involved.

Special Olympics Annual Charity Golf Tournament

Panhandle Charitable Open to Benefit Local Charities

August 23

September 27-28

Want to win a new car? A free weekend get-a-way perhaps? How about playing a fun game of golf, all while supporting your local Special Olympics athletes? Golfers from throughout the region are invited to come out and support our Special Olympics Florida - Escambia/Santa Rosa golf team in their upcoming trip to state and national competitions. Stonebrook Golf Club in Pace will be hosting this year’s Charity Golf Tournament on Friday, Aug.t 23.

Registration will begin at 11 am with a 1 pm shotgun start for a four-person scramble. The entry fee is $100 per player or $400 per team with an entry deadline set for Aug. 16. Tee signs can be purchased for $100 each. Entry fees include delicious food and beverages served throughout the day by local vendors. There will be great prizes and awards for the longest drive and closest to the pin, including a $250 spa package from Stay The Clinical Spa, door prizes, a silent auction and goody bags for all golfers at registration. A hole-in-one wins a new car from Astro Lincoln! All proceeds go to Special Olympics Florida - Escambia/Santa Rosa Golf Team. For more information and to participate, please contact Matt at 994-7171 or StonebrookGC@bellsouth.net or JessicaBarrale@SpecialOlympicsEscambia.org.

The 12th Annual Panhandle Charitable Open golf tournament, held in memory of John Ryan Peacock, will be held Sept. 27-28 at the Marcus Pointe Golf Club. This event will be held to benefit the Gulf Coast Kid’s House, Child Guardians, Inc., and the Council on Aging of West Florida R.S.V.P. Program. The tournament uses a two-day, two-person Best Ball format, which is unique to charity tournaments in that it allows each player to play their own ball from tee to green. Teams will be selected after the first day in order to group teams by skill level. Other events include a Hole-NOne contest, a challenge match with the University of West Florida’s Lady Argos Team and a silent auction. Players and their spouses and/or guests will be treated to live music and food after play on the Friday of the tournament. The deadline for sponsorship registration is Sept. 1. Teams will have until Sept. 15 to register.

Registration fees are tax-deductible as allowed by law. For more information and to register online, visit www.pcogolf.org.

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National League of American Pen Women – Pensacola Chapter #84 Friday September 6, 6 pm – 10 pm Arts, letters and music: the three things that the National League of American Pen Women (NLAPW) hold most dear. What began as a quest for occupational equality in 1897 now stands as an empowered group of women actively seeking to promote the arts through outreach and education.

The Pensacola chapter of NLAPW is furthering their mission through joint events with the Artel Art Gallery in downtown Pensacola. Their First Annual Pensacola Branch NLAPW Art Show will take place at the Artel Gallery on Friday, Sept. 6 with reception held from 6 pm to 8 pm. “Women Branching Out,” will be in the “Vault” Artel Gallery and will be on display beginning Aug. 27 and running until Oct. 4. “It will include all kinds of art media, everything from paintings to writings,” said Mara Viksnins, current president of the local chapter of the National League of American Pen Women.

The event is open to the public and is free of charge.

"Pen Women at their Spring luncheon: Left to right Diana Obe, Marylin Dorsey, Carolyn Fleming, Marsha Baumert, Ruth Ackerman, Val Webb, Margret-Ann Allison, Anne Baehr, Mara Viksnins, Nancy Nesvik, Jane Lies, Jackye Jensen, Autry Dye, Joyce Williams, and Jane Nowlin

Artel Goes to the Dogs Friday, September 13 from 6 pm - 9 pm NLAPW will also be donating paintings to the Artel Art Gallery’s upcoming fundraiser, “Artel Goes to the Dogs.... A purr-fect Evening with HSOP (the Humane Society of Pensacola).” The event will take place Friday, Sept. 13 from 6 - 9 pm. For a $40 ticket or $75 couple tickets, you will receive an auction paddle and two drink vouchers which will be served in hand painted wine glasses and coozies. There will be a professional auctioneer and the event will be catered by Varona’s.

The Artel Gallery is a large part of the artistic community in Pensacola and works to celebrate Pensacola’s spirit and edgier side. “Each year we like to do a big fundraiser and this year to mark our 20 year milestone we wanted to have a joint benefit with the Humane Society. Many of us have adopted pets so we feel a close connection. Our former president is now associated with the Humane Society and we thought it would be a nice way to bring awareness to both organizations. We are thrilled to have donations made by over 40 wonderfully supportive and talented artists. Some of them include Leland Leonard, Michael DeMaria, Judy Bense (President of UWF), Armored Frog and Rishy Studer.

Guests will also enjoy notable auctioneer Bill Harrell, formerly of WSRE,” said Suzanne Robbert of the Artel Gallery.

Tickets are now on sale and are available at the Artel website, by emailing info@artelgallery.org or by calling 850-791-8070.

HSOP is a no kill shelter and adoption center that cares for unwanted, neglected and homeless animals. They receive no city, state or federal funding and rely entirely on community involvement and assistance. For more information visit http://humanesocietyofpensacola.org/.

Writers’ Group Kickstarts Fundraiser with Poems, Flash Fiction & Blogs Want a personalized poem written by a poet laureate or to name the characters in a short story? These are only a few of the creative rewards offered by area poets and writers of West Florida Literary Federation in their Kickstarter campaign. The nonprofit 501(C)3 all-volunteer organization located in Pensacola is seeking corporate and individual sponsors to help fund a dance troupe to perform in Art in Motion: From the Gallery to the Theatre. The major performance, funded in part by the Florida Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities, is slated for Oct. 24. The African-American Heritage Society is co-hosting the event which features noted poet-scholar-performer Kwame Dawes. WFLF President Diane Skelton says, “We wanted to make this fun for individuals and beneficial to business sponsors. Our rewards are clever with different types of writing for different sponsor levels ranging from a haiku or limerick to a blog or flash fiction story.” Sponsor levels range from one dollar to $1,000. The group’s goal is $3,600. “Everyone is a valuable donor to us,” Skelton continues. “The arts are for everyone and every dollar counts.”

All contributions are tax-deductible, minus the cost of the rewards. Kickstarter is an “all-or-nothing” process; pledges are processed only if the appeals reaches its goal of $3,600. The WFLF project Art in Motion can be viewed at Kickstarter.com www.kickstarter.com/projects/500voices/folk-art-andinterpretive-dance-meet-poetry-art-in. For more information visit WFLF’s website (wflf.org) or email Skelton at westfloridaliteraryfederation@gmail.com.

United Way Donors Allocate $910,000 to Area Non-Profit Programs United Way of Escambia County is excited to announce that $910,000 will be awarded to area non-profit programs thanks to more than 10,000 donors who gave the united way during the 2012-13 annual workplace campaign season. Congratulations to the 44 programs at 33 agencies who were awarded funding to serve our community by creating measured change in focus areas of education, health and financial stability. A complete list of recipients can be found at unitedwayescambia.org. In addition to the dollars raised for the grants awarded, United Way raised another $618,949 in donor designated pledges to tax exempt organizations. Designations for this year’s campaign were nearly double that of the last year’s campaign, resulting in a 3 percent increase in total dollars raised ($2,412,047). In 2013-14, the $910,000 in allocated funding will enable agencies to draw down matches totaling $1.72 million from private, state and federal sources. In effect, this means donor contributions of $910,000 grew to $2.63 million through matching funds. Campaign dollars raised and leveraged, combined with other United Way initiatives, resulted in an $8.9 million community impact.

“Because of the thousands of generous individuals and workplaces in our community who gave the united way, we are able to multiply our impact in Escambia County and account for measurable outcomes from United Way agency partners,” says United Way President/CEO Andrea Krieger. “We are grateful to the caring donors who donated time in volunteer service to ensure we made the best investments possible.” For more information contact United Way’s President/CEO Andrea Krieger by phone at 850.444.7110 or email andrea@unitedwayescambia.org.

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L IV E

BLUEGRASS, BOURBON & BREWS @ Pensacola Bay Center presented by Jim Beam

August 30, 2013 in the 9th Avenue Parking Lot The Blue Dogs

As far as alliterations go, this pretty much takes the cake.

Apart from being a clever event combination, bluegrass, distilleries, and microbreweries actually have quite a bit in common. They’re all American made and work constantly to get at the truest forms of their respective methods. It seems that slowing down and thinking about where something takes root results in much higher quality products and experiences.

With over 20 different samplings of both brews and bourbons, celebrating the roots and heritage of America has never been so easy. A long list of microbreweries and bourbons will be featured at the event including (but not limited to): Pensacola Bay Brewery, Blue Point Brewery, Goose Island Brewery, Woodchuck Ciders, Victory Brewing Company, Jim Beam, Devils Cut, Knob Creek Single Barrel, Basil Hayden’s, Baker’s Bourbon, Old Crow Reserve, Old Grand Dad 114, Maker’s Mark, and Red Stag Black Cherry.

What better to accompany your sipping and swilling than three critically acclaimed bluegrass bands?

The Grascals

The Grascals are out of Nashville and are Grammy nominated for Best Bluegrass Album for three of their releases.

The Blue Dogs play true Americana music and have toured for 25 years and released nine CDs and two DVDs, developing a large national and international fan base.

The Honeycutters are a new up-and-coming band in the world of bluegrass and work to take country music back to its roots.

All three are genre favorites and the perfect pairings to the samples of American brew and whiskey.

“Bluegrass, Bourbon and Brews presented by Jim Beam is being organized and promoted by Pensacola Bay Center/SMG,” says SMG Marketing and Sales Coordinator, Eric Schleicher.

“SMG is the management company for the county-owned Pensacola Bay Center. We are the largest management company in the world for arenas, stadiums, theatres, performing arts centers and a variety of other venues.”

Tickets are on sale now! $40 gets you tasting and event admission and $20 tickets are available for non-tasting admission to the event as well. “We do offer a military discount of half off the $40 tasting ticket. This discount is available at Pensacola Bay Center Box Office with a military ID, but limited quantity is available,” says Schleicher. Tickets may also be purchased at PensacolaBayCenter.com and by calling Ticketmaster outlets at (800) 745-3000.

Bring your lawn chair at 5:30 pm to the 9th Avenue parking lot where tastings will run from 6 to 9 pm and music will play until 11 pm. Specialty food items will also be available for purchase. In the case of inclement weather, all main aspects of the event will be brought inside the Pensacola Bay Center. So sit back, relax and toast to the American sound on the stage with the American sip in your cup.

The Honeycutters

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L IV E

EVENINGS IN OLDE SEVILLE SQUARE THURSDAYS THROUGH AUGUST

This free event is one of the most popular summer concert series, bringing thousands to Downtown Pensacola over the course of the summer and showcasing a variety of local and regional musicians and groups. Grab a blanket and a picnic basket for the free summer concert series filled with memorable, musical evenings every Thursday from 7-9 pm in Seville Square.

For more information visit: eveningsinoldesevillesquare.com First City Art Center Commemorates Viva Florida 500 with Artifacts

First City Art Introduction to Pottery on the Wheel Workshops

August 9 - September 28

Tuesdays through September

The artists of the Studios and Gallery at First City Art Center (FCAC) are proud to host the exhibition Artifacts, a celebration to promote 500 years of Florida’s history–its people, places and cultural achievements–and this important milestone in American and Florida history. Artifacts features work from the resident artists of the FCAC Studios as well as the work of the FCAC Pottery and Glass Guilds, and will run Aug. 9-Sept. 28 in the First City Art Center Studios and Gallery at 1060 N. Guillemard St. An opening reception will take place on Friday, Aug. 9 from 5-7 pm. This event is open to the public and is First City Art Center’s contribution to the statewide Viva Florida 500 program.

First City Art Center is now accepting sign-ups for its upcoming Introduction to Pottery on the Wheel workshops.

Workshops run each week through Sept. 10. This one-day workshop will be offered each Tuesday from 3-6 pm. Cost for the workshop is $30. Students will receive an introduction to materials, equipment and throwing techniques in this fun workshop. The instructor works individually with each student to develop finesse and consistency in throwing on the wheel. All workshops will be held at First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St. For more information, or to sign up, call 429.1222 or visit firstcityart.org.

Marcus Luttrell’s Patriot Tour at the Saenger Theatre August 17 Throughout his life, Marcus Luttrell has been many things—a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a best-selling author, the subject of a forthcoming Hollywood blockbuster and a brave Navy SEAL. Throughout it all, there’s been one constant: his love for and belief in his country. Marcus Luttrell is an American Patriot, and he’s bringing his amazingly true story of determination, valor and survival to you, live on stage at the Saenger Theatre on Aug. 17 at 7 pm. Tickets are $48, $78, or $98 and are available at the Saenger Box Office or pensacolasaenger.com.

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Summer Listen Local Concert Series

Jazz at Jackson’s

August 21, 28

September 12

The Community Maritime Park Amphitheater will host its new summer Listen Local series this month Aug. 21 and 28. The City of Pensacola Neighborhood Services Department is hosting this music series to shine a light on one of Pensacola’s most beautiful waterfront attractions, the Randall K and Martha A Hunter Amphitheater at the Maritime Park. These concerts will feature local musicians from the culture-rich Pensacola area. The free concert series will benefit a different nonprofit organization each time. Concerts are from 7-9 pm. For more information call 436.5670.

The featured performers for the evening are vocalist Ellen Vinson accompanied by noted pianist John Ripley. Together, they will present “Mostly Jazz” - featuring many jazz standards of songs by composers with enduring popularity, including Cole Porter, George and Ira Gershwin, Duke Ellington and Irving Berlin along with some contemporary favorites including Carole King, Burt Bacharach, Adele, Norah Jones and many others.

There will be two seatings for this event: 5 pm and 7:30 pm. In addition to the full dinner menu, which will be available for the evening, Chef Miller has prepared a special-feature entrée: “The Great American Steak” - pecan-wood grilled rib eye with sorghum and bourbon glaze served with heirloom tomatoes and sautéed snap beans. This is a limited-seating event. To reserve your table, please call Jackson’s Steakhouse, 469-9898.

Quayside Gallery Presents Interpretations: Florida’s Forgotten Coast August 28 - October 7 This distinguishing exhibit connects friends and Florida with feature artists Connie Boussom, Lynn Parker and Nikki Strahota. Working from photographs of old Florida by Lynn and Connie, each artist has interpreted representations. Connie has taken a new direction in oils, “interpreting with my own style!”

Nikki uniquely creates collages from the photograph inspirations, “layering paper for a thick foundation of rich colors and textures.” The exhibit will be on display Aug. 28 through Oct. 7. Quayside Gallery is located at 15-17 E. Zarragosa.

Landscapes

By William Lee Golden at the PMA Through August 31 In celebration of the arts and in commemoration of Viva Florida 500, the Pensacola Museum of Art will unveil an exhibit of works

by The Oak Ridge Boys’ William Lee Golden. The exhibit will be on display through Aug. 31 in the Kugelman Family and Mary Janice Henderson Thornton galleries. Along with landscapes of scenes from around the world, a new piece honoring the historic landscapes of Florida will be unveiled as a commemorative tribute to Viva Florida 500.

Blue Morning Gallery Presents Visiting Artist Show: August Ash Through August The Blue Morning Gallery celebrates summer with the third Visiting Artist Show August Ash. For the month of August, the work of Larry Manning, well-known local potter and instructor, is the focus of the Gallery’s Spotlight on Art. August Ash is a study in woodfired pottery, specifically form, surface and firing techniques. Featured works are from the Managama, Anagama kilns in Navarre, designed from Japanese wood burning kilns, and from groundhog kilns. More popular lately, pots made for these kilns are looser and heavier and have organic forms more like those found in nature. The fly ash creates amazing surfaces as the fire continues to change the texture and color of the glaze. For the show, the Gallery offers Manning’s pottery in a variety of forms and surfaces, continuing its mission of providing art that is original, local and affordable. The Blue Morning Gallery is located at 21 Palafox Pl. For more information, call 429-9100 or check out the website at bluemorninggallery.com.

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Photo by Kassie McLean

SHOP Paul and Patrick Rollins

Heads, Hearts and Tails: Distilling the American Spirit

By Kelly Oden

A new spirit is brewing, or rather, distilling in Gulf Breeze, Fla. On the heels of the incredibly successful craft beer making movement comes the craft distillery. The thirst for unique products that reflect regional influences is growing in all culinary and spirit markets. Local produce, beer, wine, cheese, meat and spirits are in high demand with consumers who want variety and enjoy the nuances of flavor that such products inherently hold.

Enter Rollins Distillery—the first craft distillery in Northwest Florida. The father/son venture, helmed by Paul and Patrick Rollins, is currently in research and development on their first product line, which consists of three products: two rums, clear and spiced, and a vodka, all distilled from molasses. The line’s name, Esprit de Krewe, is a nod to both the region’s close ties to Mardi Gras and Paul’s history in the military. Currently experimenting with flavors and processes, the pair expects its first product line to be available this fall.

Paul, a retired Navy pilot and chemist, was looking for a project after retirement. He wanted a business that would bring the county together—the agricultural north, the cosmopolitan south and the blue collar in between. “It occurred to me that although they do not grow grains around here, this area is very good for growing sugar cane. I hopes that if this takes off, we will get some interest from the agricultural community to provide sugar cane, which will be turned into molasses for the distillery,” says Paul.

At the same time, Patrick was becoming heavily enamored with the craft-brewing scene and brewing his own small batches of beer while studying architecture in Gainesville. Although he was doing well in the program, Patrick realized that architecture was not his calling in life. He left architecture school and returned to the Pensacola area and received his BSBA in marketing and sales management with a certificate in supply chain logistics from UWF with the intention of opening a brewpub.

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Patrick’s return home, his interest in craft beer brewing and his father’s interest in opening a business all culminated in the idea of opening a distillery. “I found that I could take my marketing skills and really use them for the distillery. It’s an opportunity that a lot of people don’t get to have when starting a business,” says Patrick. “I want the family business to succeed. It’s the legacy that we have.”

So, in 2010, the two began conceptualizing the distillery. In 2011, they incorporated and began going to conferences and researching the laws and regulations. In March of 2012, with plenty of zoning advice from the county, they leased the space and began preparing the physical distillery.

The small, clean distillery is located off of Highway 98 in Gulf Breeze. The walls are lined with vats of thick, dark Florida

Logo designed by Gulf Breeze native, Jeslyn Cantrell, the distillery’s logo represents the dynamic between father and son and their occasional “stubborn tendencies.”

molasses. Molasses is a great source material for distilling because it is very shelf stable, meaning it doesn’t go bad. Two larger stills take up one corner while a smaller copper single run still sits impressively in another. The fermenting room is located in a temperature-controlled room upstairs.

The process of distilling rum, Paul insists, is quite simple. It begins with the source material: in this case, molasses. The molasses is diluted down to the concentration you want for fermenting. Then you adjust the pH to what the yeast prefers and add some nutrients for the yeast. Next, you heat it to 160 degrees for 30 minutes to pasteurize it. “Molasses has wild spores in it and pasteurization makes sure they won’t be a factor,” says Paul. The mixture is then pumped up to fermenters and left to settle and cool for three days. Next, the yeast is added and the batch fermented for five days to two weeks. “Once it is fermented,” says Paul, “we bring it down and put it through a filter and we do a first distillation, which is called the stripping run. With that run, you basically concentrate the wash. What starts out as about 50 gallons of fermented wash turns into about 16 gallons or so of wash distillate.

Then we do a second distillation, which is called the spirit run and this is where you make the heads and tails cut. The first part of the distillation, the head, is very solventy, very volatile stuff and you don’t want that in your spirit. Then comes the hearts, which you want to collect. This will be the rum. Then, some of the later not so good flavors start to come in and then you make the tails cut. So you just capture the hearts of the spirit.”

“As for the vodka,” Patrick explains, “You can make vodka out of anything as long as you take it to a neutral spirit when you distill it.” Again, the process is not complex, says Paul, “ For vodka, you take whatever has been fermented and distilled up to over 190 proof so it is devoid of all character and flavor and then you water it back down to your bottling proof of 80 and you have vodka, whatever the source material was. Ours, of course, will be a cane vodka because it comes from the molasses.”

Rollins Distillery’s Esprit de Krewe rum and vodka will be sold through a distributor and due to a recent change in Florida law, they plan to offer tastings and bottle sales out of the distillery itself. Plans for future expansion include a barrel-aged rum and a gin along with various infusions and possibly a line of craft bitters.

“We are not just a distillery; we are a craft beverage producer. We produce craft spirits, but we’d also like to do things that are derived from alcohol production,” says Patrick. “Extracts, for example. We want to figure out how we can share what we have with the community outside of spirits, too. Not everybody drinks alcohol. We can create extracts. We’ll have lots of vanilla and spices from our spiced rum and we were also talking about making our own bitters.”

For more information on Rollins Distillery, visit them on facebook at facebook.com/RollinsDistillery.

Rum in America The first liquor to be made in quantity and to have a major impact on the colonies was, in fact, rum.

Starting in the mid-1600s, sugar and molasses were exported from the West Indies to New England where the colonists made their very own variety of rum. Of course, settlers in the islands made their own rum, and that, too, was exported to the American Colonies, ready for immediate consumption.

In those days, rum was known by many different names: Rumbullion, rumbustion, rumbowling, kill-devil, rhumbooze, and Barbados water were all common terms for the distillate of sugar cane or molasses.

—From The Book of Bourbon and Other Fine American Whiskeys by Gary Regan and Mardee Haidin Regan

Esprit De Krewe labels designed by Gulf Breeze native, Jeslyn Cantrell.

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ICONIC EATS YOU

KNOW THEIR MENUS BY HEART. THE STAFF KNOWS YOUR NAME, WHAT YOU LIKE TO EAT AND SOMETIMES EVEN YOUR CHILDREN'S BIRTHDAYS. WHEN YOU GET A CRAVING FOR THEIR FARE — BE IT GRITS, GREENS, SEAFOOD OR FETA, NOTHING ELSE WILL DO. FRIENDLY, UNPRETENTIOUS AND DECIDEDLY P ENSACOLA , THESE LONGSTANDING EATERIES ARE SURELY DESERVING OF THEIR STATUS AS CULINARY AND CULTURAL ICONS.

JOE PATTI’S SEAFOOD

By Josh Newby For more than 75 years, Joe Patti’s has been a staple of Pensacola seafood, shopping and business. What started in the early 1930s as Joe and Anna Patti selling shrimp from their front porch in downtown Pensacola has evolved, morphed and expanded to become a restaurant, deli, sushi and wine shop, seafood market, and even a tourist attraction. Driving down Main Street in Pensacola to the iconic location, one is greeted by the famous shrimp-topped sign welcoming regulars and newcomers alike to a one-of-akind, fully immersive seafood and seaside experience.

Capt. Joe, as locals and loyal customers of the store knew him, was a WWI vet who moved to Pensacola in 1920, and started selling shrimp and other assorted seafood with his wife as a means of survival during the Great Depression.

Eventually, news of the pair’s reputation for quality products and wholesale prices spread as those from around the region came to check out what all the fuss was about.

Owning a number of fishing vessels, and eventually a shipyard, gave the Pattis a unique advantage over competitors: they could oversee and ensure quality through every step of the retail process, from fishing to delivery.

During the 1960s and up until the 1990s, the market served restaurants along the Gulf Coast from refrigerated delivery trucks that ran seven days a week.

“We never stop working,” said Frank Patti, Sr., Joe’s son and current owner of the establishment. “That might very well be the key to our success. We work hard to bring good fish and good products to good people.”

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In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the store saw rapid expansion, and the now famous sushi bar and fine wine store opened, selling everything from high-quality boutique wines to microbrews.

Over in the fresh sushi bar, customers can sit down and enjoy the casual atmosphere while being treated to some of the freshest sushi and nigiri available in town. The dishes are prepared in the open, right in front of patrons, where they can choose to enjoy the delicacies in the quaint café or take it on the go as they peruse the gift shop or seaside property.

Additional dishes range from brown rice to seaweed wrappers. Sake is available for foodies needing to quench their thirst, as is specialty soda and beer. The sushi bar also accommodates catering needs.

“I love Pensacola and I love what I do,” said Frank. “From the time the shipyard started in 1977 till now, I have tried to have my hands in every part of the business.”

Joe Patti’s employs about 165 locals, and stays busy every one of its operating hours, 7:30 am to 7 pm, seven days a week, 361 days a year. Many of the employees are family and many more are people who regularly patronize the establishment, keeping the staff closely knit and the business in the family.

Left: Frank Patti, Sr., Top Middle: Joe Patti, 1956; Bottom Middle: Exterior; Right: The Iconic Joe Patti’s Sign

ELBOW ROOM

By Emily Lullo The Elbow Room is well known for many things. Star Trek and Schlitz-themed décor, low, red lighting, the use of coasters for all beverages and the huge stock of board games available for patrons to entertain themselves are just a few. With its unassuming exterior, walking into the Elbow Room has a feeling of entering another era, and not just because acts like Buddy Holly, Simon & Garfunkel, and Patsy Cline stream from the jukebox filled with 45s.

This year, Oct. 4 marks the 50th anniversary for the Elbow Room, and while the bar and restaurant has evolved a bit in that time, much of the classic style has remained over the decades.

“Jim Flynn came home from the Navy in 1963 and convinced his mom [Maggie] to turn her little Brownsville cafe into a replica of a bar he fell in love with in the south of France, and the Elbow Room was born,” says owner Lesa Touchette.

In 1984, the Elbow Room moved from its original building to one just a few yards east, and it was built into an exact replica of the original. Jim took over when Maggie passed in 1996 and he decided to retire in 2008.

“I started enjoying the ambiance, pizza, and hot ham and cheese in 1989 when my grandmother (Maggie's neighbor) started sitting up there on Wednesday nights to give Jim a night off,” Touchette says. “After Jim retired, I couldn't stand to see the place closed so I took over.”

Touchette says only a few things have changed in the Elbow Room, mostly in the menu. The drink choices have expanded greatly with 40 beers added to the list, four beer taps recently installed at the bar, and six additional wines to choose from.

Touchette also added champagne cocktails that mix bubbly with exotic juices in drinks like the Champango or the Spocktail.

The menu features popular pizza toppings as well as unique extras like goat cheese, turkey, or vegan cheeses, and sandwiches range from burgers and dogs to the Enterprise, a breaded eggplant and goat cheese hoagie, and the popular Hot Italian Hoagie, which has salty meats, melty cheese and marinated onions. Fresh daily soups and homemade desserts are also available.

The Elbow Room is unlike any other bar in town, and its uniqueness is most evident in some of its ongoing quirky traditions. The red lights give a distinct ambiance all year long, except for a few days around St. Patrick’s Day when they’re all switched out for green bulbs. There are also what Touchette calls “Jim-isms,” like always using coasters and a fresh frozen glass, pouring the beer for customers and enforcing a respectful atmosphere.

The holidays also bring trademark Elbow Room customs.

“We drink champagne from a black high-heeled pump and pass the shoe around at midnight every New Year’s Eve,” Touchette says. “Many have claimed it’s their antivirus; they don't get sick all year, so long as they drank from that shoe!”

With a personality all its own, the Elbow Room mixes classic and modern for a perfect blend of cozy atmosphere, delicious food and drinks, and unique traditions that loyal patrons can’t wait to carry on for another 50 years.

Left Top: Lesa Touchette and Jim Flynn The Elbow Room, Top Right: Original Elbow Room, Bottom: Interior Bar.

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BLUE DOT

By Josh Newby

They don’t have a sign on the street, but the line outside advertises their location. They only have two menu items, but they are both local favorites. Known for its no-frills meals, approximate hours of operation, and minimalist, seemingly arbitrary order of service, Blue Dot has been a Pensacola barbecue icon for more than half a century.

Legendary to the locals and refreshingly quirky to visitors, the staff at Blue Dot keeps the business in the family and the burgers and rib sandwiches fresh.

A hidden gem nestled in the Belmont/De Villiers district, the restaurant originally opened in 1946, and after three subsequent moves, Blue Dot now resides in its current location. The restaurant is named after Blue Robinson and his wife Dorothy. In 1987, nephew Thomas Long took over, and the burger joint is currently operated by him and his son Byron.

“We want people to be able to come and have a good burger,” said Byron. “That’s the purpose of what we do and so we don’t offer a lot of frills.”

The $5 hamburger and $7.50 barbecue rib sandwiches can only be purchased with cash, and while it is not unheard of to customize each, it is generally frowned upon.

A variety of chips and canned drinks are available to complement the meals, and patrons are encouraged to order their food and eat it elsewhere, as the inside of the restaurant is primarily brimming with customers waiting for their meals or chefs shouting out orders.

“We don’t use any extra ingredients to make our burgers unnecessarily fancy,” said Byron. “It’s just a good, solid burger, with no additives, and it’s been kept that way since

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1946. That’s what our customers love and that’s what we give them.”

It is this service that has made Blue Dot such a fascination for so many years—that, and the strict adherence to the essentials of what makes a barbecue sandwich great. In fact, Blue Dot also routinely attracts high-profile Pensacola celebrities, such as Roy Jones, Jr. and Trent Richardson.

Ingredients are purchased fresh each day, so the opening time of 11:30 am is suggested, though patrons begin lining up well before that. Generally the restaurant remains open until supplies run out, about 3 pm each day.

Blue Dot has not changed a thing beyond its location and staff in more than 50 years, and the customers seem to like it that way. The restaurant is focused on delivering its signature backyard, homey taste without the garnishes or extravagance offered by most other venues.

“We’ll probably get a sign sometime soon,” said Byron, not that they need one. Whether they follow their taste buds or heed the countless local endorsements, Blue Dot patrons seem to know exactly where to get that one-of-akind, signature Blue Dot burger.

Left: Front exterior; Right: Owner, Byron Long

H&O CAFE Established 1944

By Kelly Oden

Local African-American businessman Tierce Lee originally opened H&O Cafe, one of the first AfricanAmerican owned restaurants in Pensacola, as a dry goods store in the 1920s. H&O was purchased by Lee’s brother Hamp and his wife Ola in 1944. The couple dubbed their new cafe, H&O, after their initials. In 1947, the Grier family bought the cafe and still operates H&O to this day.

Currently run by Michael Grier and Christa Grier Holmes, H&O is located at 301 East Gonzalez, at the corner of Hayne Street. Famous for its soul food and traditional southern plates, H&O is nothing short of a Pensacola institution. Customer favorites include smothered pork chops, ribs, grits, southern greens with black-eyed peas and okra, cobblers and the decadent bread pudding.

Adventurous diners can also try southern soul delicacies like hog jowl soup. “The good food and the cheap prices are what keeps people coming back,” says Holmes. And the customers are loyal. One of their oldest patrons, Sam Andrews, just recently passed away. Mr. Andrews had been dining at H&O since the 40s.

In the 1960s the cafe became a gathering place for the African-American community and a central hub for the local civil rights movement. Over the years, the cafe has been patronized by a number of local and national celebrities and dignitaries including civil rights activist Rosa Parks, Sen. Bob Graham, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, boxing promoter Don King and local champion boxer Roy Jones, Jr. Many of these celebrity visits are commorated in photographs on the cafe’s wall of fame. Holmes remembers Rosa Park’s visit vividly. “I left work to come down and meet her,” says Holmes. “Her security people came the day before to do a security detail. It was really amazing. Here was someone who had a hand in the civil rights movement. It was so great to actually meet this woman who gave up her seat on the bus.”

If you have a craving for home cooked southern soul food, head over to this Pensacola landmark. H&O is open Tuesday through Saturday from 7:30 am until 5:30 pm and on Sundays from 7:30 am until 5 pm.

Above Left: Front exterior of H&O; Above Right; Managers, Christa Grier Holmes and Michael Grier August/September 2013

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JERRY’S DRIVE-IN

By Josh Newby Originally founded as Jerry’s Barbecue in 1939, Jerry’s Drive-In is an iconic Southern fare, diner-style restaurant located on Cervantes St. Multiple owners and a fair share of hardships have not shaken the restaurant’s reputation of delicious food or its place in the diverse story of Pensacola eateries. A piece of Northwest Florida history standing still in time, a walk through the doors of Jerry’s is a walk back to a simpler era.

It all started with original owner Jerry Glass, who sold the restaurant to Raymond Wessel in 1952, at which time the location featured carhop-style service in the back, hence the name change. The current owners, Jimmy and Pam Halstead, have owned the iconic burger joint since 1997.

A staple of locals and a must for visitors, the distinctly home-style menu includes classic dinner fare such as burgers, fries, onion rings, milkshakes, barbecue pork, fried mullet and more. A variety of soups and Southern sides are also available.

The food is notoriously low-price, encouraging old-timers and tourists alike to check out its uniquely Pensacolan flair. Beer and alcohol are served for diners hoping to eat, drink and be merry.

Sarcastically kitsch signage and dive-chic décor can be found adding character to much of the wall space, as the staff and

food fit comfortably in their humble environment. Jerry’s oldschool feel has been around since it could be called new-school, and its local, authentic Southern cooking boasts years of precision tampering. Those looking for a low-key, romantic atmosphere would do well to visit elsewhere, but anyone after a signature bacon cheeseburger or milkshake is in for an unapologetically old-fashioned treat.

“Some people don’t realize that this is one of the few eateries in the country that has existed in the same location with the same business for 74 years,” said Pam. Though it has existed in the same location for that many years, Pam said the restaurant has seen some recent renovations to accommodate its growing popularity, but patrons can still access the decadent tastes they grew up with.

“In 2011, Jerry’s underwent major renovations to prepare the establishment for the next 70-plus years,” said Pam. “Corner booths were reincorporated to accommodate large parties and handicap bathrooms were installed. The memorabilia was salvaged and is still on display on the new walls. The menu still offers the same great food at the same great prices.”

Famously the home of the original bacon cheeseburger, Jerry’s Drive-In is open from 7 am to 10 pm Monday through Friday and only accepts cash.

Top Left: Exterior sign; Bottom Left & Top Right, Interior.

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SHORELINE FOODS

By Ellie Grabski

For over 45 years, Shoreline has served the Pensacola area with specialty grocery and deli products. While offering a wide variety of items, they are most known for their olive oil, made from their own olives harvested on the Greek island of Crete.

They are also well known in the community for their salads, sandwiches and dried Cretan spices. Owner Stelios (Steve) Vatsolakis purchased the store nearly 16 years ago and traveled with his family from Greece to Pensacola in 1978 because of his wife’s involvement in the Navy. Before its purchase by Vatsolakis the store was a limited convenience store and deli. Since its reopen, Vatsolakis has transformed the store’s selection adding meat and produce departments as well as Greek wines and beer.

Today, the store focuses mainly on international and Greek products, and of course, olive oil.

“My father was an olive grower and our income was in olive oil,” said Vatsolakis. “We make olive oil once a year, every winter.

Christmas vacation for me from school was to pick olives. I decided to bring it here in the US because I knew a lot about it. I started with a small amount of oil to begin with but now I’m at the point that I wholesale to Sysco foods and restaurants, and I also retail a lot of olive oil through my store. Almost everyone in Pensacola knows about the olive oil, seems like.”

Every February, Vatsolakis travels back to Greece to oversee packaging and guarantee the olive oil’s quality. “[Customers] love it because it is the real juice of the olives, not the blended oils that you get in other supermarkets or from other companies.

You’re getting 100% pure olive oil with very low acidity and a good date – the two things that you should always look for when you buy olive oil,” said Vatsolakis.

The olive oil’s low acidity is what makes it “extra virgin,” as

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“extra virgin” should have less than .7 or .8 acidity, according to Vatsolakis. The olive oil is also “first cold press,” indicating that the oil was made from only the first press of the fruit using cool water. Using cool water assures less degradation and keeps the health benefits of the olive intact. The olives used for the oil are called Koroneiki and are said to provide a peppery finish.

The store also has a very popular deli that serves unique specialties. “My deli is very famous and has been here almost 40 years,” said Vatsolakis. “All the products are local and everything we use mostly is homemade. We make chicken salad, tuna salad, potato salad, hummus, tabouli and Greek tuna. We carry many types of feta cheeses. In everything we make we use olive oil.

Our famous Greek tuna uses only olive oil and no mayonnaise.

It’s my own recipe, you won’t find that anywhere else in Pensacola.”

The store also features a refill station where customers are encouraged to bring their own container and purchase olive oil.

Though renowned for its international products, Vatsolakis guarantees, “You can find everything you want here.”

Top Left Bottom Right: Facade and Sign; Top & Top Right, Interior with Olive Oil Display.

COFFEE CUP Established 1944

By Kelly Oden

Built in 1944 by Wade Cagle, the Coffee Cup has been serving Pensacolians and visitors for nearly 70 years.

Wade’s brother Judge Cagle and his wife Pauline ran the Coffee Cup for 25 years until they sold it to Earline Cleveland who ran it for 20 years. Purchased in 2000 by Roy Cooley and his brother Bobby, the Coffee Cup is popular for its homestyle cooking and friendly atmosphere.

“We like to call it the non-alcoholic Cheers of Pensacola,” says Cooley. And it’s true—at the Coffee Cup, everybody really does know your name—and what you like to eat and how you take your coffee. “When new customers come in, my people get to know them and they tend to come back on a regular basis. Most of our diners are repeat customers,” says Cooley.

With a slogan like “No Grits, No Glory,” one would expect the grits to be a popular item. Other favorites include the omelets, pancakes and onion rings. “We are just a traditional place. We offer down home cooking like granny used to do it. Not a lot of people do that anymore,” says Cooley. Everything is made from scratch and Cooley says he chooses his ingredients wisely to ensure a quality product.

The Coffee Cup is also a multigenerational institution in that present day grandparents who were once brought to the restaurant as young children by their grandmothers now do the same with their grandchildren. Kids love climbing up on one of the fifteen original ornate counter stools that are still in use and adults swear by the coffee—still brewed in the original drip coffee makers.

The coffee cup has seen its share of notable people come through—Joe Scarbrough, Braden Ball and former Florida Gov. Reubin Askew. “Gov. Askew used to have our pancake batter flown to him in Tallahassee,” says Cooley.

“About once a week or so he’d have it flown out. That’s a fact.” Author Alex Kava also used the Coffee Cup to set a scene in one of her suspense novels.

Stop by and experience this Pensacola gem for yourself.

The Coffee Cup is located at 520 East Cervantes and is open Monday - Friday from 6 am - 2 pm and Saturday from 6 am - 1 pm.

Top Left: Owner, Roy Cooley; Bottom Left: Original Bar Stools; Top Right; Facade c. 1950’s.

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SPICE UP YOUR PALATE Our favorite cuisines often reflect the tastes of our hedonic palate as well as our individual heritage and past experiences. We all grow up with an odd mixture of dishes that make perfect sense to us but would be sure to confuse an onlooker. (You’d be crazy to try and tell me pierogies, golabki, lobster bisque, and chipped beef on toast don’t all belong under one roof). Thankfully, the more diverse your diet is, the greater the number of nutrients you’re likely to absorb, so those seemingly bizarre combinations can actually pay off. The foods we grow up with and create with our families not only become traditions but also reflect where we come from and allow for an opportunity for our culture to shine through and to be shared with others. Lucky for the discerning palate, as Pensacola continues to grow, a more eclectic offering of ethnic foods have become readily available.

Dishes tend to be differentiated across cuisines by the spices and herbs incorporated in the recipes. Eating often from different ethnic food groups will ensure exposure to a wide variety of flavors and health benefits. For example, Garlic is known to have antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral qualities.

Ginger is commonly used to relieve stomach irritation.

Allspice is said to have anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.

Tobiko, or raw fish roe, is full of vitamins, protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

As Pensacola continues to join such unique cultural backgrounds together, experiencing classics from Jordan, Japan, Chile, or Thailand is as easy as a quick drive down the road. Visit one of these local restaurants to sample their dishes and then update your spice cabinet and try one of their recipes at home.

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THE YARD Chilean Fusion 1010 N 12th Ave. Ste. 11 Pensacola, FL 32501 Chilean Ceviche Fish (Mahi Mahi) ...............1 lb.

Limes & Lemons ................7 – 8 fresh squeezed Red Onion .........................½ diced Jalapeno ............................½ diced Cumin ................................pinch Black Pepper ......................pinch Salt ....................................al gusto (to the liking) Oil ......................................3 tbsp.

Ginger ...............................(optional) Cilantro .............................1 small bunch chopped Ceviche is a dish consisting of raw fish or shrimp, marinated in citrus juices until the meat has become denatured or cooked. No heat is used in this magical process, only acids from citrus juices and salt. Chilies accompanied this dish traditionally but many countries have adopted their own take on seasoning and additional ingredients.

Ceviche is thought to have originated in the Americas 2,000 years ago with the introduction of citrus from Spanish Conquistadors. From Central to South America, Ceviche has been transformed to accommodate the culture and customs of different Pacific Coastline countries. From corn and potatoes to avocados and tomatoes, ceviche combinations are endless and delicious.

JORDAN VALLEY Mediterranean Restaurant and Hookah 201 South New Warrington Rd. Pensacola, FL 32507 Kibbeh Prep Time: 40 minutes, Cook Time: 10 minutes Ground beef or lamb, lean, divided ...............2 lbs.

Bulghur Cracked Wheat, medium or #2 .......½ lb.

Salt ................................................................1-½ teaspoons Pepper ...........................................................1-½ teaspoons Allspice ..........................................................1 teaspoon Cumin ............................................................¼ teaspoon Onions ...........................................................2 medium, 1 finely chopped, 1 coarsely chopped Pine Nuts (optional) .......................................½ cup Olive Oil ........................................................2 tablespoons Vegetable oil for frying In a medium bowl, soak wheat for 30 minutes in cold water. Remove and drain. Remove excess water by squeezing through thick paper towel or cheesecloth. Place into medium bowl and combine with 1 lb. meat, coarsely chopped onion, 1-teaspoon salt and 1teaspoon pepper. Combine well and place small amount in food processor until dough-like consistency. You can slowly add an ice cube at a time during processing if needed. Place mixture aside, covered. Instead of using a food processor, you can use a mortar and pestle, however it will take you over an hour to achieve desired consistency.

In a medium frying pan, sauté the finely chopped onion in olive oil. Add pine nuts if desired. Add ground lamb or beef and chop well with a spoon or spatula to ensure the meat is chopped. Add allspice, salt, pepper and cumin. Once beef is light brown, remove from heat. Cool for 10 minutes.

Take an egg-sized amount of shell mixture and form into a ball. With your finger, poke a hole in the ball, making a space for filling.

Add filling and pinch the top to seal the ball. You can then shape it into a point, or football shape, or leave as a ball. Fry in 350° oil on stovetop or in deep fryer for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Makes 25 medium-sized kibbeh. Kibbeh can be stored in the freezer in an airtight, freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Prepare and do not fry.

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THAI 54 47 Gulf Breeze Pkwy Gulf Breeze, FL 32561 Mussels Basil Mussels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 oz. bag Green Bell Pepper . . . . . . 5 – 8 pieces, sliced White Onion . . . . . . . . . . . 4 – pieces, sliced Red Bell Pepper . . . . . . . . 2 – 3 pieces, sliced Sweet Basil . . . . . . . . . . . 10 – 15 leaves Garlic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ½ teaspoon Oyster Sauce . . . . . . . . . . ½ teaspoon Chili Paste . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 tablespoon Sugar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ½ teaspoon Steam mussels in low water for about 3 to 5 minutes or until the shells open. Drain out the water. Next, in a saucepan over low heat, add garlic and mussels, stir and add oyster sauce, soy sauce, chili paste and sugar. Continue to stir and turn the heat up to high and add all desired vegetables. Add hot sauce as desired. Toss everything together and serve. Mussels Basil can be served as a shared appetizer or as an entrée.

THE FISH HOUSE Upscale Dockside Dining 600 S Barracks St Pensacola, FL 32502 From Fish House Sushi Chef Hiromi Miles

Hiromi Futomaki Tuna ................................................2 oz. sliced thin Crunchy Shrimp .............................1 each (split) Crab Sticks ....................................1 each (split) Wakame Seaweed Salad ...............1 oz.

Green Onion ...................................1 each sliced Cream Cheese ...............................1 tablespoon Avocado .........................................3 each sliced thin Cucumber .......................................1 each sliced thin Asparagus ......................................1 each (split) Topped with Red Tobiko .................1 tablespoon Nori (seaweed wrap) .....................1 each Sushi Rice ......................................1 1/2 cups Cover your rolling mat with plastic wrap. Take a nori sheet and place on mat, rough side facing upwards. Place a handful of the cooked rice in the middle of the nori sheet and spread out until about 1 cm high. Next flip the nori so that the rice is facing the mat. Place tuna and sliced fillings on the edge of the nori. Use the side of the mat closest to you and close over the filling. Continue rolling and keep it tight. Use a wet, sharp knife to cut the roll. Top with Red Tobiko.

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ETHNIC GROCERIES Find what you need at these local specialty shops.

1. Bien Dong Oriental Market

4. Bogo Market

3510 Mobile Hwy

Korean, Vietnamese

Pensacola, FL 32505

2801 N Pace Blvd

(850) 433-0222

Pensacola, FL 32505 (850) 444-7474

2. Viet Hoa Oriental Food Market 3707 Mobile Hwy

5. Joe Patti’s Seafood Company

Pensacola, FL 32505

524 S B St

(850) 433-8230

Pensacola, FL 32501 (850) 432-3315

3. Spice House

www.joepattis.com

6707 Plantation Rd #C1 Pensacola, FL 32504

6. La Mexicana

(850) 478-2471

9200 N Palafox St

www.spicehousepensacola.com

Pensacola, FL 32534 (850) 479-2815

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PENSACOLA SCENE

...at the special announcement of Vision 2015

Mayor Ashton Hayward, John Hutchinson and Commissioner Gene Valentino

Commissioner Grover Robinson, Governor Rick Scott and David Stafford Supervisor of Elections

...at the Manna Food Pantry expansion.

Commissioner Grover Robinson, Governor Rick Scott, Mayor Ashton Hayward, Commissioner Gene Valentino

Ribbon Cutting

Cary Koontz, Belle Bear, DeDe Flounlacker, Kathy Holsworth, Jennifer Bradshaw, Holly Jurnovoy

Susan Wilkens, Cathy Sowell, Sherry Jones 40

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Bill and Kim Gibbons

Brunie Emmanuel, Jerry Mock, George Biggs and Jack Williams

...at the Rat Pack Reunion Sponsor Party, Hosted by Teri Levin at Jackson’s

DeeDee Davis, John Clark, Carlette Howell and Kevin Doyle

This years honorees - Brian Spencer, Teri Levin, Mike Papantonio and Quint Studer, not pictured

Glenys Ballinger, Jennifer Cole and Angela Moore

Angela and Pete Moore

Fred Levin and Bob Williams

John Clark

Corbett and DeeDee Davis

Valerie and Ray Russenberger

John and Jerre Peacock

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A Place Plac l ce for for You You in Pensacola Peensacola Pen Busine Business e

Vacation

Extended d St Stay

Pensacola Do Downtown ow wnto own w

et 50 5 0-43 432 02 rresid e

700 East Chase Street 850-439-3330 courttyar ardpensacoladowntown.com d

Airport/Cordova Airport/Cordo ova Mall

2187 Airport Boulevard 850-478-1123 hamptoninnpensacolaairport.com

1144 Airport Boulevard 850-479-8900 hiltongarrd deninnpensacola.com

5049 Corporate Woods o Drive 850-474-3777 homewoodsuitespensacola.com

Pensacola Beach

24 Via DeLuna 800-406-7885 • 850-932-6000 sprringhillsuitespensacolabeacch h.com

16 Via DeLuna 800-934-3301 • 850-934-3300 day ysinnpensacolabeac s ch.com h

850-932-9314 • Hiighpointe.com

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