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WSRE Gives Health Care a Check Up with
New TV Program/Town Hall Meeting Series

Pensacola, Fla. — WSRE, PBS for the Gulf Coast, is launching a new phase of its community health care initiative called “Inside Healthcare” to address the growing concerns regarding health issues in our region. The project, funded by a grant from the Kugelman Foundation, will feature multiple components — free, open to the public town hall meetings giving citizens the opportunity to ask questions and weigh in on issues affecting them; a TV program produced from the town hall meetings; and a comprehensive website with links to local and national resources. The first in a series of four “Inside Healthcare” town hall meetings is planned for Tuesday, December 8 at WSRE’s Amos Performance Studio located on Pensacola Junior College’s Pensacola campus. The topic will be “Treating the Uninsured.” Free and open to the public, doors will open at 6 p.m. with free health screenings and the meeting/TV taping will begin promptly at 7 p.m. The television program is slated to air on WSRE Sunday, January 3 at 7 p.m.

In the United States, there are over 40 million people without health insurance. In Escambia County, the number is 76,000, and in Santa Rosa County there are 18,000 uninsured. It’s the cause of thousands of premature deaths each year. Who are the uninsured and what is their impact on our area’s health care system? And exactly who are these uninsured people? Join WSRE to explore the plight of the uninsured and what local services are available. The panel of experts will include Dr. David Conkle, volunteer medical director of Our Lady of Angels St. Joseph Medical Clinic; Fred Cornett, administrator of Good Samaritan Clinic; Dr. Donna Jacobi, clinical associate professor of FSU College of Medicine; Dr. John Lanza, director of Escambia County Health Department; Dr. Gary Pablo, medical director of Emergency/Trauma Center at Sacred Heart Hospital; David Sjoberg, VP of planning for Baptist Health Care; and Dr. George Smith, medical director of Escambia Community Clinics.

Other topics planned include: preventive medicine, medical technology and end-of-life decisions.

“Health care is a major concern for the people of our area,” states WSRE General Manager Sandy Cesaretti Ray. “WSRE’s Community Health Initiative will identify and address those critical issues to help the people of the Gulf Coast be better equipped with the knowledge and tools to manage their own health. WSRE is pleased to serve as the conduit for this vital information and resources through the power of television.”

About WSRE, PBS for the Gulf Coast

WSRE is a PBS member station that is locally owned and operated by Pensacola Junior College. The public broadcasting station has been serving the needs of the Gulf Coast community through programming, educational services and outreach since 1967. WSRE produces, acquires and distributes programs that address local interests and reflect the diverse cultural, political, geographic and demographic characteristics of its audience. The Educational Services unit for WSRE serves as the connection to teachers, parents, caregivers and children to extend the rich resources found in public television. For more information about WSRE, it services, programs or available resources, visit wsre.org.

Snowbird Clubs Announce Winter Events

Welcome to all of our beloved Winter Visitors or “Snowbirds” as you are affectionately called. Our clubs are gearing up for a busy busy season. This information will certainly help you make the most of your time with us here on the beautiful Gulf Coast.

RA Winter Rentals Panama City Beach, FL

Getaway from the harsh winters. Getaway to your perfect winter retreat. Getaway to savings. Getaway to the best snowbirds activity program on the gulf coast.

HARRAH’S NEW ORLEANS CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF SUCCESS IN SOUTH LOUISIANA

This October, Harrah’s New Orleans will celebrate 10 years of world-class gaming in one of America’s top cities. The 115,000-square-foot casino opened October 1999 as Louisiana’s first and only land-based casino, growing to become the Gulf Coast’s premiere entertainment destination.

ANDY GRIFFITH, DORIS ROBERTS & LIZ SHERIDAN FOOL AROUND IN NEW DATING MOVIE “PLAY THE GAME”

Andy Griffith and Doris Roberts star in our independent film called PLAY THE GAME, which is coming to a number of cities on the Gulf Coast on October 30th. Plans are in the works to expand to additional cities along the coast through December.

IP DINING VENUES SERVE DELICIOUS THANKSGIVING MEALS!

Your other self does not want the drudgery of cooking Thanksgiving Dinner this year. In fact, what your other self really wants is to enjoy a delicious Thanksgiving meal at IP CASINO, RESORT & SPA!

Pet Savvy, Leader of the pack

One day, while out taking my power-walk, I noticed a group of kids trying to get close to a barking dog who was loose in the neighborhood.
They were reacting with fear as the dog came toward them, screaming and kicking their legs out. I happened to recognize the dog and knew him to be friendly. I approached the kids, told them to be still, squat down, hold their hand out flat, let the dog sniff them and then try and take him back to his house.

Pet Savvy, Doggie in the Window Still a No-No!

As we begin this new year and many people start to think about bringing a pet into their families, I’d like to highlight a problem still rampant in the United States.
The reckless practice of breeding dogs solely for profit has certainly always been an issue. However, it is currently being masked by some highend pet boutiques who sell mainly small-breed dogs at high-end prices.

Pet Savvy, The Senior Pet

As I watched this past year my star performer, Cupid, tumble off the edge of the stage (unhurt thankfully), I realized he was getting older.
Cupid has begun to loose some vision and has developed chronic canine bronchitis. Both of which require changes in the routine for our stage act as well as everyday life.
Since we travel about six months out of the year, it’s extremely important that I pack enough of the required medication.

Pet Savvy, Once Bitten, What To Do?

We’ve all seen them, the creepy crawlies, those dreaded spiders that we wonder about.
Recently, I saw my one year old poodle jumping excitedly around something small and brown on the floor. As I approached, I realized it was a Brown Recluse Spider. Brown Recluse spiders are found in the south from California to Virginia.

Pet Savvy Before You Go A Rovin’

So, it’s that time of the year again. You pack up the car and the pooch and head down the highway to warmer ground.
But, do you know what possible dangers lurk outside of your own backyard. People are often surprised to learn there are actually hundreds of plants potentially poisonous to dogs.

Here are the top 10 most common poisonous houseplants and landscape plants dog owners should avoid.

Pet Savvy Travel With New Puppy

Recently, after performing with my three trained “trick poodles” at the South Florida Fair, I made the drive farther south to Homestead, Fla., to visit my friend and expert Poodle Breeder, Rose Thompson. She had informed me last October that she had three poodle litters born in September but to check back with her to to see which ones will go “show” and which will be “pet.”
Now, this is “show dog” talk for all of you novices.

Pet Savvy Travelers Good Neighbors

Now that you’re at your winter destination with your favorite furry friend, you’re away from familiar surroundings and your own backyard. This means the doggies must go for a walk. But, do you know the rules in the area you’ve decided to call your snowbird home? For instance, on Pensacola Beach bringing a dog onto the beach can cost you a fine of up to $500. For the most part, there is ample signage posted but I’ve run into a tourist or two who didn’t know and gasps when finding out what they their afternoon walk with fluffy could have cost them. Usually, the Beach Patrol will be friendly enough to give you a first warning if you’re from out of town.

Pet Savvy Traveler

Okay, so you’ve packed up everything you need for winter and headed south with your furry friends. But when you travel away from your home environment, potential danger is everywhere.
If you have a a pet like my mini poodle Cupid, it’s also important
to know what to do in case they ingest something possibly harmful in the non plant form as well.
Cupid, who should have been named Snoopy for the way he likes to snoop through my bags in search of anything edible, happened to tear into a bag of honey flavored cough drops while I was traveling and performing in Wisconsin.

Are you Pet Savvy?

Having traveled with my three wonderful poodles across the country and back three times, I can tell you a thing or two about the dos and don’ts.
I often brag that my poodles are the most well-traveled, hotel-savvy doggies around. I could swear that my girl poodle, Blondie, can tell the difference between the expensive hotel and the budget hotels.
She’s partial to the big fluffy pillows.

Beaches to Woodlands Tour Sporting Events

Fitness and sports enthusiasts have their choice of a half dozen events at the 6th Annual Beaches to Woodlands Tour of Santa Rosa County staged weekends annually in October.
There are four 5k runs, a volleyball tournament, a long-distance bike ride and a triathlon associated with the tour.

Beaches to Woodlands Tour

A family-friendly triathlon, historical ghost walk, fun haunted house and a new twist on getting rid of recyclables highlight the fourth weekend of the 6th Annual Beaches to Woodlands Tour of Santa Rosa County.

“Finally, the weather is changing, getting cooler and that usually means that Halloween is just around the corner,” said tour coordinator Karen Harrell. “What can be a scary holiday is actually a lot of fun in Santa Rosa County.”

The Slippery Mermaid

The journey between Pensacola and Destin Florida used to be a quiet and desolate ride. Not any more! Located just east of the Navarre Beach Bridge is one of Navarre’s newest businesses “The Slippery Mermaid “. Opened in A ugust 2009 by longtime resident Karen Hineman, this little jewel offers locals as well as travellers along Hwy 98 a casual dining experience featuring some of the freshest sushi along the Gulf Coast. Please enjoy the video we shot while dining at the Slippery Mermaid recently. It is sure to stimulate your palate and encourage a visit in the near future to one of Navarre’s newest businesses. The Slippery Mermaid is located at 8779 Navarre Parkway, Navarre, FL 32566, ph: 850-621-2119 or visit them online at http://slipperymermaid.com

Condo For Rent in Orange Beach, AL

Newly updated 3/2 in Phoenix II, with oversized balcony, looking for snowbirds Dec- thru Feb 10. Heated pool, racquet ball, tennis, hot tubs and Gulf front. Great prices, call Judy at 225-939-9548.

Residence Inn by Marriott Sandestin

Spend your winter retreat at the Residence Inn by Marriott Sandestin with monthly rates starting at $59.00 per night plus tax.

Perdido Key Resort Rentals

Perdido Key Resort Rentals has over 100 condominiums and beach homes to choose from during your winter stay including 1, 2 and 3 bedroom accommodations at reasonable off-season rates.

Navarre Beach Condo for Rent by Owner

Come relax and enjoy the beach this winter in a peaceful atmosphere away from the crowds. Located on the Sound-side of beautiful Navarre Beach, you can enjoy the calm waters and private beach areas most tourists miss.

Sterling Resorts on the Gulf Coast

Winter guests can choose from more than 20 Gulf Coast resorts from Panama City to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Destin West in beautiful Destin Florida

Award-winning resort offering beautifully furnished 1, 2, & 3 bedroom condominiums in beautiful Destin Florida

Edgewater Beach Resort, Panama City Beach, Fla

Retreat to a world of your own this winter and relax in spacious and elegantly furnished one-, two- or three-bedroom accommodations at Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort on Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Craft Farms Golf Resort

Originally posted January 2009

Alabama’s only Arnold Palmer Signature Design Courses – Cotton Creek Golf Club and Cypress Bend Golf Course – have been purchased by the Honours Golf Company.
Craft Farms Golf Resort was originally established in 1987 by the Craft Family. Rated 4½ stars by Golf Digest, Cypress Bend is the newer of the two Palmer courses featuring a more forgiving resort-style layout with wide fairways, vast landing areas, large undulating greens and a unique system
Cotton Creek, the first Palmer designed course, offers a traditional layout with tree-lined rolling fairways, large undulating greens, and well-positioned bunkers. This golf course offers numerous risk/reward opportunities; however, it can be quite challenging at times with over 7,000 yards to play from the tips.
“We seek to align with golf courses that share our common vision for quality and our passion for golf,” said Honours Golf CEO Bob Barrett.
“The Craft Family has built and established a solid reputation for two of the finest courses along the Gulf Coast. And, the location provides us the opportunity to offer a variety of premier golf experiences and golf packages to local golfers and visitors to the Gulf Shores area. “
Honours Golf currently owns and manages two other golf courses in the local area – Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club located in Gulf Shores, Ala., and Rock Creek Golf Club, located in Fairhope, Ala. Honours Golf offers Snowbird package deals for multiple rounds of play at its individual Gulf Coast courses which also includes Marriott Bay Point Resort in Panama City, Fla..
Craft Farms is the 13th golf facility owned and/or managed by Honours Golf. To learn more: www.honoursgolf.com or (866)-HONOURS.

Magnolia Grill Ft Walton Beach

by Karen Harrell
Originally posted January 2009

Just one block off busy Hwy. 98 in downtown Fort Walton Beach, Fla., is a place many longtime Snowbirds proudly call “home” – The Magnolia Grill.
“We have many Snowbirds who bring their friends and family in to ‘their’ restaurant,” said owner Tom Rice. “They go through and tell them all about the history and introduce me to them. It’s great.”
The remodeled and rambling 90-year old Craftsman-style two story house has a prime waterfront location that history buffs will remember as the former site of the 98 Court Motel. The walls are covered with memorabilia of Fort Walton’s long and sometimes racy history which included gambling well into the 1950s. The restaurant was named after the Magnolia Club, a landmark downtown business from that era.
The restaurant is open for lunch during the week and dinner nightly. The menu features Italian, seafood, steak and homemade desserts.
Lunch entrees range between $8 to $10 and include many of the Magnolia Grill’s signature dishes that come complete with soup or salad.
“Snowbirds know when they come here they will get value for their money,” said Rice who kept his prices steady during the recent boom years. “Most of the time we send them home with a ‘go’ box so they have a meal for the next day too.”
We visited for lunch and my strapping 6’3, 24-year-old nephew ordered the salad with prime rib accompanied by a cup of Fagoli soup and toasted garlic toast. I had the Crabcake with Fettucine and Shrimp Alfredo sauce and took half home for my 16-year-old daughter’s dinner. She proclaimed it as “the best she’s ever had.”
Both of us left stuffed but still ordered a sampling of desserts for later. The restaurant
offers a variety of home-made desserts contributed by various staff members from Tiramasu, cheesecakes, pies and good, oldfashioned apple pie.
Visitors are urged to visit the museum upstairs where military, media and local landmark memorabilia will make you go “wow.”
Each year the famed World War II heroes “Doolittle Raiders” hold a reunion at the restaurant.
Rice caters to a local crowd year-round part-time locals. Each year he gives a warm welcome at the Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce’s Senior Snowbird Expo – set for Jan. 9 at the Emerald Coast Conference Center – with a grand gesture – a free bottle of wine for the first 1000 people.
Rice’s free bottle of wine gives the expo a huge boost. “This is my opportunity to say ‘thank you,”Rice said.

Dining at the Native Cafe

by Karen Harrell
Originally posted December 2008

Native Cafe's Popular Fish Tacos

Local, local, local.
In today’s world of never-ending chain stores and restaurants, it’s always a challenge finding quality local businesses, but especially restaurants.
Opened last spring in a

nondescript shopping center on Pensacola Beach, the Native Café is a true local’s (although tourists are encouraged) restaurant.
The restaurant serves only fresh food found from the area and eschews
the cost-saving steps taken by many chain restaurants.
What does this mean? Seafood pulled out of the Gulf of Mexico, vegetables purchased from local farmer’s markets, biscuits and desserts made fresh each day using unbleached flour, homegrown herbs and recipes that are all “native.”
Owner Joyce Brown starts her day at 5 a.m. getting the restaurant’s baked goods in the oven and prepping food. “Chef Tater” creates tasty sauces and recipes that have become popular among many repeat diners.
Brown’s entire family was involved in forming the restaurant including her two grown children who helped name menu items and create a strategy. But the restaurant came about by chance.
“One of my friends owned the building and he said there was a need for a breakfast place on Pensacola Dining at the Beach,” said Brown who has worked in the restaurant business for many years. “I decided to go for it.’
One of the most popular breakfast items is one your doctor may have ordered for you – the Apple & Raisin Oatmeal. Brown adds tasty ingredients such as cinnamon and real butter to the chopped apples and raisins.
The hottest seller on the menu is the Fish Tacos. Sorry, Brown won’t give away her recipe for this tasty dish but will tell you the secret is the fish is pan seared with an infusion of olive oil, home-grown herbs and Pinot Grigio. A generous serving of three soft tacos filled with the tasty fish, cabbage, red and green peppers with pico sauce or chipotle mayonnaise makes a meal. But, be sure to order at least a cup of gumbo. Brown adapted her mother’s home recipe and added generous helpings of vegetables to the traditional shrimp and chicken and tasty roux. Along with gumbo, fresh soups such as Lentil and Five Beach are served daily.
The décor in the restaurant is also local – the walls are filled with paintings, photos and other artwork produced by area artists. The artwork is also for sale.

Tanglewood PGA Connection Training Ground for Boo, Bubba and Heath

by Karen Harrell
Originally posted December 2008

Boo Weekley, Bubba Watson and Heath Slocum are all PGA Tour players who hail from the same Milton High School in Northwest Florida. They all share one other connection – they grew up playing at Tanglewood Golf and Country Club in Milton.
In fact, Weekley – one of the stars of the U.S. Ryder Cup team this summer – has won two PGA Tour events at the same venue that somewhat resembles the Tanglewood layout.

It’s a narrow, tree-lined course.
Many of the holes have doglegs, so it favors the straight hitters and golfers who can work the ball.
The greens are small, so accuracy is a premium. Sixteen of the 18 holes have out-of-bounds on one side or both. There are three different men’s tees to match the varying level of skill of the golfer.

“The course is very playable,” said Charlie Daniels, who is a club pro along with J.J. Dunn. “It’s not a difficult course and it’s walkable.”
Fees are $24 with cart Monday through Thursday and $28 with cart Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
“Our rates are as cheap as anybody in the area,” Daniels said.
In 1986, the course was expanded from nine to 18 holes. It is a par-72 that measures 6,330 yards.
The facility includes a driving range, the putting green has been recently redone, pro shop, Grille and party rooms are available for rent.
The pro shop is open from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and The Grille offers great food from 6:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Come by to play. Who knows.
You might see a PGA Tour pro playing a round there.

Directions: On I-10 take Exit 22, (Avalon Blvd.) Go north on Avalon Blvd.
Approximately 7 miles, turn right on highway 90. Approximately 2 miles, turn left on Glover Lane (at 3rd traffic signal).
Continue straight on Glover Lane, as it will turn into Northrop at intersection of Glover and Berryhill Road. In 1 mile Northup dead-ends into Willard Norris Road (Hwy 191), turn left. Tanglewood drive is on left, ½ mile, follow signs to clubhouse on left ½ mile.

Phone: 850-623-6176 Address: 5916 Tanglewood Drive, Milton, FL
http://www.tanglewood-golf.com/

Phone: 850-623-6176 Address: 5916 Tanglewood Drive, Milton, FL

One Crazy Sista!

by Karen Harrell
Originally posted March 2008
Lucy Buffett, like many people, had a book in her head for many years.
But, finding the time to put words on paper was tough for the busy restaurateur to find.
“I finally got down to business and made it a goal to complete the book by the end of the year,” said Buffett, sister of music icon Jimmy Buffett and owner of the enormously popular “Lulu’s” restaurant in Gulf Shores, Ala. “I published it myself. I figured if I couldn’t find places to distribute it, I would sell it myself in our gift shop.”
The result of Buffett’s labor of love is: “Crazy Sista Cooking – Cuisine and Conversation with Lucy Anne Buffett.”

She has had no trouble finding distribution outlets for her new cookbook. It is marketed through major online outlets such as Amazon.com, but also in selected major bookstores. She will be the guest of honor at a book signing event during the Fairhope, Ala., “First Friday Artwalk” from 6-8 p.m. March 7 at Page and Palette bookstore.
The popularity of her first book signing during the restaurant’s recent Mardi Gras anniversary party caught her by surprise. Some people – including many Snowbirds – waited an hour or more to have her sign a copy.
“People would say thank you for autographing the book,” she said. “I said that I’m actually glad people want to buy the book.”
The cookbook includes recipes from many of the restaurant’s most popular dishes along with family stories told in Buffett’s inimitable style.
The Snowbirds have become a part of Lulu’s winter regulars. Several local clubs host regular breakfast meetings there and the open-air atmosphere lures many back for an additional meal.
“The Snowbird business has helped our business not feel so seasonal,” Buffett said.
The process of writing a book is something many people don’t expect. It’s tough.
“It was so torturous that I said I’m never writing another book. But I’m already starting my second one.”

Catch Bluewater Golfing on the Coast

In the heart of Northwest Florida, there is a golf course that offers 36 holes of fun and challenging action in a picturesque setting.
Bluewater Bay Resort in Niceville, just north of Fort Walton Beach, has four nine-hole courses designed by golf architects Tom Fazio and Jerry Pate, a Pensacola golfer currently playing on the Champions Tour.
“The conditions are excellent,” said David Trimm, general manager. “It’s a little shorter than most modern-day courses. It’s narrow, heavily wooded with bunkered greens. It has a nice variety of holes.”
Golfers play along the shoreline of Choctawhatchee Bay and then move through southern woodlands followed by a journey through a pristine wetland area. Trimm said they receive a strong contingent of Snowbird players in January, February and the first of March.
They have a play card for Snowbirds for 12 rounds for $450, which includes greens fee, cart fee and taxes. That averages out to $37.50 a round and the card is transferable.
It’s for members of the Walton County Snowbird Association or Destin Snowbird Association. “It’s been hugely successful for us,” Trimm said.
Regular fees March through August are $75 before noon and $62 afterward.

In the heart of Northwest Florida, there is a golf course that offers 36 holes of
fun and challenging action in a picturesque setting.
Bluewater Bay Resort in Niceville, just north of Fort Walton Beach, has
four nine-hole courses designed by golf architects Tom Fazio and Jerry Pate, a
Pensacola golfer currently playing on the Champions Tour.
“The conditions are excellent,” said David Trimm, general manager. “It’s a
little shorter than most modern-day courses. It’s narrow, heavily wooded with
bunkered greens. It has a nice variety of holes.”
Golfers play along the shoreline of Choctawhatchee Bay and then move
through southern woodlands followed by a journey through a pristine wetland
area. Trimm said they receive a strong contingent of Snowbird players in January,
February and the first of March.
They have a play card for Snowbirds for 12 rounds for $450, which includes
greens fee, cart fee and taxes. That averages out to $37.50 a round and the card is
transferable.
It’s for members of the Walton County Snowbird Association or Destin
Snowbird Association. “It’s been hugely successful for us,” Trimm said.
Regular fees March through August are $75 before noon and $62 afterward.

Vinnie R’s: Old-Fashioned Italian with Finesse

by Joe Culpepper
Originally posted February 2008

In his book “Playing For Pizza,”
best-selling author John Grisham vividly describes Italians’ unabashed appreciation of fine food and wine.
Dining in romantic Italian locales such as Rome, Venice, Sicily or Florence –
or Parma, per Grisham’s novel – is typically reason for celebration; meals often last for hours.
Vinnie R’s, a family-owned New York-style Italian restaurant in Navarre, Fla., strives to make dining a similarly enjoyable experience.
Daniel and Paulette Rollant, along with general manager Michael Giachetti, opened Vinnie R’s three years ago with one goal: To serve the finest, freshest Italian food at affordable prices and with an attitude.
“There are a lot of Italian restaurants around,” Daniel Rollant said recently, “but we offer something that’s different, unique. All of our food is fresh, made from scratch. We only use top-of-the-line ingredients, like Grändé Wisconsin Mozzarella cheese.
This philosophy carries through to the other ingredients that we use.”
Not only does Vinnie R’s serve only the finest and freshest ingredients, it also prepares its sauces from scratch.
The cooks mix, weigh and roll their own dough daily. Many ingredients such as olive oil, ziti and linguini noodles are imported directly from Italy. Vinnie R’s homemade lasagna is its most popular fare. It’s a combination of layers of pasta, Ricotta and Parmesan cheeses, homemade meat sauce and smothered in Mozzarella cheese and baked to perfection.
Another favorite is the Tour of Italy, featuring a two-cheese or meat Ravioli with Manicotti and a choice of spinach or cheese shell, covered in Vinnie R’s signature Marinara sauce, with an extra-large meatball and toasted garlic bread.

Mama-mia!
Seafood is popular in Navarre, and Vinnie R’s offers several mouthwatering pasta specials.
One best-seller is the Lobster and Shrimp A La Trattoria – succulent butterfly shrimp topped with fresh lobster, dusted with cracked black pepper and sea salt, baked in Vinnie’s original white wine/garlic butter sauce over linguini in a homemade Alfredo sauce.
Another fave is the traditional Shrimp Scampi, featuring eight fresh Gulf shrimp roasted in garlic and Parmesan butter sauce with a side of Angel Hair pasta.
Vinnie’s also specializes in spaghetti, strombolis and calzones, subs and salads. But you don’t want to leave without experiencing the New York-style thin-crust pizza. The Vinnie R’s Special features eight gourmet ingredients – pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, onions, green peppers, mushrooms, black and green olives.
Vegetarians will love the Bada-Boom topped with artichoke hearts, spinach, feta, mushrooms, tomatoes and minced garlic.
Vinnie’s offers a variety of wines that complement every entrée. In addition to domestic brands, several Italian beers are available: Peroni, Nastro, Azzurro, Moretti La Rossa and Birra Moretti.
“We try to stay away from wines you can buy most anywhere,” Rollants said. “Most of the prices on our wine list are in the moderate price range,
between $17 and $22 a bottle. We have two that sell for $39 a bottle for special occasions.”
Snowbirds are among Vinnie R’s most valued customers.
“Several Snowbirds have remarked that our food is very similar to what they are used to back home,” Rollant said. “Many of them appreciate premium cheese, which we go to great lengths to acquire and serve.”
A brief wait can be expected on weekend nights. That’s a good time to check out Vinnie’s paperback book exchange. You might even discover a copy of Grisham’s “Playing For Pizza” to further whet your appetite.

Ya-Ya In For a Treat at Great Southern Café

Originally posted February 2008

Jim Shirley is well-known in the Pensacola culinary scene as executive chef and part-owner of two thriving downtown eateries – The Fish House and Atlas.
The waterfront restaurants are popular among Pensacola’s business community and draw a loyal customer base.

But today he divides his time with a new venture, Great Southern Café, the restaurant he started last year in Seaside.
The idyllic community is located along Florida’s Scenic 30-A and was featured in the movie “The Truman Show,” starring Jim Carrey.
Although his market at Seaside is different, Shirley uses the same formula for success.
“I am actually using the same philosophy that I used in Pensacola,”
said Shirley, who contributes a regular column to the Pensacola News Journal and is publisher of a popular cookbook.
“Great food and good service have earned us loyal customers in Seaside as well. The difference is they are only in town two weeks a year.”
The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner to accommodate Seaside’s overnight guests. As the name implies, menu items include Southern fare, such as biscuits and gravy, collard greens and fried okra.
Seaside’s winter market includes many day visitors who spend several months in nearby communities. Always looking for a chance to be creative in his menus, Shirley has adapted his winter fare to serve Snowbirds.
“I have some great seafood and salads and at least six fresh soups every day that will fit right in with the drive in Snowbirds,” Shirley said.
Among the winter specials: Mondays – 1/2 price wine by the bottle or glass and 25 cent oysters till March on Mondays; Tuesdays – complimentary beignets until noon, fried chicken and $3 dollar mojitos all day and Wednesdays – Couples lunch, which includes a soup sampler, salad, fish, shrimp and today’s veggy for $14.
The regular menu features several of his signature dishes from The Fish House, including Grits A Ya Ya. The tasty dish features smoked Gouda cheese grits, topped with cream gravy laced with bacon, spinach and mushroom with seasoned shrimp.
Shirley recommends winter visitors leave enough time to not only dine with him, but also stroll and shop in Seaside’s unique community.

Regatta Bay Golf Course Rated one of the Best in the South

Snowbirds looking for a golf course in Northwest Florida where the terms “Best” and “Favorite” are common themes, should look to Regatta Bay Golf and Country Club in Destin, Fla.
The 6,894-yard, par-72 semi-private course owned by Legendary is located along the Choctawhatchee Bay and offers great golf for all levels.
Among the accolades: Florida Golf News magazine voted the course “the #1 Favorite Golf Course in Northwest Florida” and readers of Emerald Coast magazine named the course “Best of Emerald Coast.” Also, Golf Digest ranked the course among its “Top 200 Places to Play in North America,” as well as one of the “Top 15” courses in Florida. And don’t forget for the last three years, it has been rated as having the best golf instruction on the Emerald Coast.
“Regatta Bay has won more recognition than any golf course in the area,”
said Dan Shelton, Director of Golf.
He said the Snowbirds have arrived and a winter special is available for
them. They can purchase a 10-round pass that comes out to $54.50 per round, well below the winter rate of $89 a round. And the pass includes two free lessons, a video swing analysis, as well as a Legendary privilege card that offers a 10-percent discount at its restaurant and pro shop.
“Snowbirds are one of our major groups who play this time of year,” Shelton said.
The design of the course is what Shelton attributes to its numerous recognitions. Designed by Robert C. Walker, a former lead architect for Arnold Palmer, the course has numerous tee selections, which allow the golfer to decide how challenging he or she wants the course to be.
The landing areas are forgiving and the greens are protected by many bunkers.
“It’s definitely a player-friendly course,” Shelton said.
The signature hole is the par-5 18th hole. It’s risk-reward setup makes it one
of the favorite finishing holes along the Emerald Coast. The green is protected
on one side by a lake and has a picturesque view of the clubhouse.
Among the amenities include state-of-the-art Parview GPS system on golf
carts, clubhouse with pro shop, Rutherfords 465 restaurant, on-course beverage carts, chilled apples on the 1st and 10th tees and mango-scented iced towels.
Golfers can call 850-337-8080 to set up tee times or they can book online at
www.regattabay.com

Snowbirds Enjoy a Great Golfing Experience with Honours Golf

Originally posted January 2008

When Snowbirds play at an Honours Golf course along the Gulf Coast, they are greeted at the first tee with a complimentary apple.
And the deal they get to play golf during the winter season at Honours Golf is just as tasty.
“Our Snowbirds just love it,” said Todd Edwards, director of Golf at Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club in Gulf Shores, Ala.

Also in the Honours Golf family are Rock Creek Golf Club in Fairhope, Ala., and Bay Point Golf Resort & Spa in Panama City.
Snowbirds enjoy a great golfing experience at these courses during the winter.
Peninsula is a semi-private club on the Fort Morgan Peninsula. It has 27 holes and is nestled beside the Bon Secour Wildlife Preserve and winds throughout live oaks, cypress and other vegetation native to Gulf Shores.
Peninsula and Rock Creek offer a six-pack special for Snowbirds that can be used at either location. It’s good for six rounds of golf with cart and is valid through Feb. 29. The cost is $325.
Edwards said Peninsula’s attraction to Snowbirds is its “player-friendliness” and its Global Positioning System on every golf cart.

“We have four different tee boxes on each hole to accommodate every skill level of player,” he said. “We have wide landing areas and wide fairways. And the golf course is in superb condition.”
Edwards added that they have always had a strong Snowbird following as word of mouth spreads about the course. He estimates about 20 Snowbirds clubs are in the area.
“January and February are without a doubt extremely heavy for us for winter visitors,” he said. “And it’s the fellowship we share. The Snowbirds come here to have coffee and get to know the staff.”
Rock Creek Golf Club is a semi-private club located off the eastern shore of Mobile Bay. It has 18 holes that stretch more than 7,000 yards.
The signature hole at Rock Creek is No. 2, a 434-yard par-4 that drops 70 feet from the tee to the fairway. Then the second shot has to carry over wetlands to a green that features a 30-foot high bulkhead wall.
The rest of the course is a nature scene with Alabama water wastelands, tall pines and hardwood forests.
“I think the undulation of the course is really unique to this area,” said Chad Leonard, Rock Creek general manager. “We’ve got a lot of rolling hills and you just don’t find that in lower Alabama. I think it probably reminds the Snowbirds of home.”
Rock Creek has been recognized by Golf Digest with 41/2 stars and is in superb condition.
“I think the course conditions are what set us apart,” he said.

Bay Point Golf Resort and Spa is located minutes from Panama City Beach in Florida and has two 18-hole courses – the Meadows course and the Nicklaus course.
The club has two several specials for Snowbirds – from the popular 6-Pack and the 12-Pack golf specials to the 25-round, 50-round and Unlimited packages. Check the Web site for prices.
“Because of the demand we saw last year, we worked long and hard to find the product that would appeal to them,” said Jay Iskow, director of golf and general manager of Bay Point. “It’s like a temporary membership.”
He pointed out that the uniqueness about Bay Point is the two different styles of the two courses. The Nicklaus Course, recently renovated at a cost of $5 million, is a tough test of golf with more length and difficult hazards to transverse.
The Meadows Course doesn’t have the forced carries and severe hazards.
“It’s a friendlier golf experience,”
Iskow said. “It’s definitely two different golfing experiences.”
He said they will plan some Snowbird events in January and February as the bulk of the winter visitors arrive. “They are a big part of our business.

Hazel’s Serves Real Food to Real Friends

Originally posted January 2008

Many new restaurants have opened along the Alabama Gulf Coast in the past few years, but Hazel’s Seafood Restaurant in Orange Beach maintains its status as a Snowbird favorite.
Each year, a variety of Alabama Snowbird clubs and small groups of winter visitors gather at the venerable restaurant to reconnect, chat and visit with their favorite wait staff.
“Both employees and the Snowbirds look forward to seeing each other,” said Wick Goldsmith, who has owned the 21-year-old restaurant for about seven years. “The servers love seeing the Snowbirds come back.”
Snowbirds are offered free VIP cards, which gives them a 10 percent discount off every meal, making the already affordable restaurant a popular choice.
The unpretentious building features a seaside décor and casual atmosphere. Three meals per day are served either buffet-style or off the menu.
“One reason the Snowbirds really like us is everything is made from scratch,” Goldsmith said.
“A lot of the Snowbirds eat one meal out a day and usually it is a late lunch or early dinner. They want to eat a good wholesome meal, which is what we do.
“We serve real food.”
The breakfast buffet includes an omelet station that is especially popular. The lunch buffet features 10-15 fresh vegetables, fried chicken and other items, such as smoked ribs that are as “good as any place you might go.”
On weekends the restaurant serves a 17-entrée seafood buffet.
The restaurant suffered about a half million dollars in damage from Hurricane Ivan, but Goldsmith didn’t wait to haggle with the insurance company and began repairs right away.
The restaurant reopened just a month later and began serving many reconstruction workers.
The former executive with the Piccadilly Restaurant chain decided although he wanted to retire at the beach, he wasn’t ready to quit working entirely.
Today, he leaves much of the daily management of the business to trusted employees, many who have been at the restaurant for 15 years or more.
He said putting his employees first pays off and shows when customers like the Snowbirds return year after year.

Military Courses

Steve Bobe, the golf professional at A.C. Read Golf Course at Pensacola Naval Air Station, recalls a recent conversation with a retired military Snowbird.
“He said he had been retired from the Navy for 26 years,” Bobe said. “He never played golf at the course when he was a flight student. He went out and played and came back and said, ‘Holy mackerel, I missed it 26 years ago.’ He was all excited about it.”
military_golf_course A.C. Read is one of several military golf courses on the Gulf Coast that are available to Snowbirds, both retired military and civilians retirees alike. All offer great tests of golf in the usually quiet atmosphere, only broken by the sound of military aircraft taking off and landing.
The A.C. Read facility has 54 holes, including the Lakeview and Bayview courses. Rates vary according to rank, as well as civilian rates.
If Snowbirds join the Navy League at the course, they get a $4 discount off normal civilian rates for greens fees.
Bobe said they get a lot of Snowbirds playing in the winter.
“There’s a contingency of groups out there,” he said. “The course is in really good shape. It’s on a pretty piece of property in Northwest Florida with the live oaks, the bay and the Gulf.”
Farther east is the Falcon Course on Eglin Air Force Base in Niceville, Fla.
The course is built on a stretch of rolling hills, pretty rare for this part of the state. The greens are heavily undulated, so good putting skills are necessary.
And the Falcon Course is the third-ranked golf course in the Air Force.
Nearby at Hurlburt Field is Gator Lakes, so-called for its numerous lakes, as well as numerous alligators and other critters.
Pelican Point Golf Course on Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City offers an incredible view as its stretches along the Gulf of Mexico.
It also stands out in another way. It’s the only military golf course to use bright red golf carts.

A.C. Read Golf Course
Location: Pensacola Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Fla.
Holes: 54.
Fees: Varies by rank; civilian rates available.
Services: Driving range, putting and chipping greens, cart and club rental, food service, locker room, restaurant, lounge.
Information: (850) 452-2454

Whiting Golf Course
Location: Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Santa Rosa County, Fla.
Holes: 18
Fees: Military $8 for 9 holes; $11 for 18; DOD $9/$14; guests $12/$18; public $14/$22. Carts: $10 for 18 holes, $6 for 9
Services: Driving range, putting and chipping greens, cart and club rental, food service, lockerroom, restaurant, lounge.
Information: 850-623-7348

Falcon Course
Eglin AFB Golf Course
Location: 1527 Fairway Drive, Niceville, Fla.
Holes: 36
Fees: Varies by rank.
Services: Driving, putting and pitching greens, lockerrooms for men and women, lounge, snack bar, cart rental.
Information: 850-882-2949

Gator Lakes Golf Course
Hurlburt Golf Course
Location: 91300 Golf Course Road, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
Holes: 18
Fees: Varies by rank. Regular fees are $18 greens fees, $11 for cart.
Services: Driving range, putting green, café.
Information: 850-581-0007

Pelican Point Golf Course
Location: Sabre Drive on Tyndall AFB, Panama City, Fla.
Holes: 18
Fees: Varies by rank.
Services: Driving range, putting and chipping greens, carts and club rental, snack bar/lounge, lockerroom.
Information: 850-286-2565

A Taste of Hawaii at Aloha Grill

You choose to spend your winters on the Gulf Coast. Hawaii, thousands of miles away in the Pacific Ocean, just isn’t a viable alternative.
But Snowbirds visiting Northwest Florida need not book a transcontinental flight or Pacific cruise for the opportunity to experience a taste of native Hawaiian cuisine.

The Moors A Scottish Experience

Originally posted March 2007

Rolling mounds. Pot bunkers. Few trees in sight.
What might look like a golf course in Scotland is actually The Moors Golf and Lodging, located in Milton, Fla., just a short distance from Pensacola.
The par-70, 6,800-yard course is a picturesque design and for 11 years was the home to the Champions Tour event, the Emerald Coast Classic (named the Blue Angels Classic for the final two years), featuring winners like Raymond Floyd, Lee Trevino and Gil Morgan.