Archive for May, 2008
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May
31
Posted by Robin Sherman
It’s All About Location – 
I have just added a very cool new interactive mapping tool to my home search module. The map that pops up when you click on the home search is the gateway to this super new feature.
And I will be continually adding and updating features as they become available. Who doesn’t like satellite views of homes and neighborhoods?
And to be able to see all the nearby listed properties and save your searches . . . what a time saver!
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May
27
Posted by Robin Sherman
Crab Jubilee – Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m 50. Fifty is the new 40 you 
know (But, of course, in my case it’s the new 30). Since I’m being honest about my age I have no problem telling you some of the things I remember about the Old Florida. That’s the Florida that came WAY before the internet . . . heck that’s the Florida that came WAY before Cable television and the 8–Track (if you don’t remember 8–tracks, they came WAY before CDs).
When I was a kid we would finish our dinner, load the Igloo cooler with snacks and head to Santa Rosa Island (Pensacola Beach). We would pull the battery out of the car – no kidding – plunk it in a galvanize d tub sitting in an inner tube and connect it to lights we floated on the water. My grandfather would tie the inner tube to his belt loop with a rope and pull the entire contraption behind him as we walked through the Santa Rosa Sound (Intracoastal Waterway). What in God’s name were we doing you ask? CRABBING – this is the way you caught your fill of Blue Crab in those days and as a kid, it was more fun that Halloween and the Interstate Fair all wrapped into one.
Now, this is a thing most people have never witnessed, but I count myself among the lucky few (relatively speaking) who have been on the beach at the height of a Jubilee. The biologists will tell you a Jubilee occurs when there is too little oxygen in the water and the crab make their way to the shore. I will tell you that a Jubilee is a CRAZY TEAMING MASS of Blue Crab making their way to shore by the hundreds of thousands come hell or high water.
I have only seen one Jubilee in my adult life (a small one at that), so I suspect we have done something to alter our environment in such a way as to eliminate this amazing phenomenon. But I cherish the memory of being a child, dozing off in the back seat of a Ford Fairlane, surrounded by buckets of Blue Crab, bubbling their last breaths as we trundled down the highway toward a backyard overflowing with aunts, uncles and cousins all gathered around a bonfire prepared just for one of our southern crab boil get-togethers.
For More Articles like this:
Blue Crab Jubilee – Wild Delaware
Alabama – Great Days Outdoor Magazine
Mobile Bay Jubilee – Wikipedia
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May
26
Posted by Robin Sherman
In Honor of Memorial Day –In 2001, my husband retired after over 20 years in the military. He was in the military when we met, but I will tell you, I had NO idea what I was in for when he proposed and I accepted.
There were lots of ups and lots of downs, including lots of separations. I will always remember his return from his first six month deployment aboard the USS Forrestal. He told me, “The best day of my life is ANY day I return from deployment.”
That stuck with me and I worked hard to make sure that every time he returned from deployment it really was the BEST day.
Today I think not only of the active duty men and women that deserve our thanks – and a Best day – I think of their families. I think of those who went before, those who served, those who came home and those who didn’t. And, again, I think of their families. I think of their wives – or husbands – who celebrated anniversaries alone, watched their children grow – and in some cases come into the world – alone, buried parents alone and simply lived day in and day out without the presence of their spouse. I want to honor our active duty members and our veterans, but I also want to honor their spouses and their children. I wish them all a Best day!
If you want to learn more about supporting our troops and helping the families they have left behind, visit Operation Homefront
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May
25
Posted by Robin Sherman
Joe Patti’s Seafood, A Pensacola Landmark – Ask any Pensacola tourist . . . after the beach and the Naval Aviation Museum, Pensacola’s most visited attraction is Joe Patti’s Seafood. Not only do you have an amazing choice of fresh seafood, just ordering is entertainment!
Started as a small bait business in 1931, Captain Joe and Anna Patti’s seafood sales has now gone global. You can find crab, crawfish, gumbo, every fish imagineable, wine, sushi and even tableware at this busy seafood house.
The patrons line up for fresh Gulf shrimp, with heads or without!
One of the shrimp boats in Joe Patti’s Fleet.
Want to know more . . . or place an order . . . they ship worldwide.
Click Here to Vist Joe Patti’s Website
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May
24
Posted by Robin Sherman
Sacred Heart Hosptial Announces $31.5 million Cancer Facility – Patients undergoing cancer treatment in Pensacola will soon have a modern new facility in which to receive their treatment. The new four story building, slated to open in late 2009, will house researchers, patients and doctors in one building, increasing the overall comfort and efficiency for all.
Located at the corner of Airport Boulevard and College Parkway, across from the Cordova Mall, the four-story building will include a pharmacy, a prayer and meditation area, a patient resource library and meeting rooms, in addition to areas for clinical services.
Sacred Heart is affiliatd with the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Construction of the Sacred Heart Hospital Cancer Facility is expected to begin in August.
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May
22
Posted by Robin Sherman
Pensacola Regional Airport – We have a SUPER little airport here in 
Pensacola. It’s in a convenient location, easy to get into and out of, clean and shiny, plenty of parking . . . everything you’d want in an airport. But, guess what? It’s gonna get BETTER!
With growth for the region on the horizon, a $100 million dollar expansion is underway. There will be a state-of-the-art in-line baggage screening area, an enlarged ticketing area, four more passenger loading gates and a 1,300 space addition to the covered parking garage. This will be the most expensive public works project ever undertaken by the City of Pensacola. And . . . get this . . . the project is being phased in over several years so it should not impact travelers. YES!!!
Nine major passenger carriers fly into Pensacola and there are eight rental car agencies operating from the airport. There is a great gift shop, a full service restaurant a coffee shop and a news stand.
You can access the latest Airport information at www.FlyPensacola.com
Here’s some additional basic information you might want to know before your next trip:
Address:
2430 Airport Blvd., Ste. 225, Pensacola, FL 32504
Airport Operations Center: 850–436–5000
Administration: 850–436–5006 (M-F, 8am to 5pm)
Directions:
From Mobile on I-10 or Tallahassee or Panama City on I-10
Take I10 to Exit 12. Go South to Exit 5 (Brent Lane). Turn left onto Brent Lane, left onto Davis Highway and right onto Airport Blvd.
From Ft. Walton Beach/Destin
Go west on Hwy. 98, across Pensacola Bay Bridge to Pensacola and follow the signs to I-110 North. Take Exit 5 onto Brent Lane. Turn onto Brent Lane, left at the next light onto Davis Hwy and right to onto Airport Blvd.
From Perdido Key, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach
Take Gulf Beach Hwy east. Turn right onto Garden St., left on Palafox and right on Chase St., to on ramp to I-110 North. Take Exit 5 and turn right onto Brent Lane. Turn left at the next light onto Davis Hwy and right onto Airport Blvd.
Pensacola Regional Airport – Flying High
Related Article at Pensacola Regional Airport Takes Off
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May
21
Posted by Robin Sherman
Gulf Breeze’s AppRiver, Top 100 Most Innovative in the nation. A rapidly 
growing Gulf Breeze, FL, Web security firm, AppRiver, has garnered another Kudo! The Red Herring, a national magazine focusing on technology and business has named AppRiver one of the 100 most innovative private technology companies in North America.
Just last year, Inc. Magazine named AppRiver to its list of 5,000 fastest growing privately held companies in America. The company also received the 2007 Florida Governor’s Business Diversification Award. All of this from right here in little ‘ole Gulf Breeze!
Over 1,500 applicants were screened for the Red Herring’s top 100 award. Financial performance, technology innovation, quality of management, execution of strategy and integration into their ecosystem are areas that are scrutinized during judging.
AppRiver is just one of the companies participating in the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce initiative, “i-10 Wired” designed to encourage networking and job growth between the companies that make up the fast growing technology sector in our area.
To read a related article, click on the title below:
Poised for Growth – Interstate 10 – Mobile, AL, to Crestview, FL
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May
21
Posted by Robin Sherman
Evening in Olde Seville Square – Round up the kids, pack the picnic cooler, grab the lawn chairs . . . It’s Caribbean night at Seville Square in downtown Pensacola this Thursday evening with John Wooton and KAISO, famous for their steel drums and native instruments. And, guess what . . . it’s FREE!
Never made it to a Thursday concert at Seville? Well don’t miss this one for heavens sake! John’s group performs a variety of styles including calypso, soca, jazz, salsa, samba, reggae and funk. Bet you won’t be able to sit still!
Evening in Olde Seville Square – The concert starts at 7pm and is over by 9pm – giving you plenty of time for your beauty rest!
By the way, the Pensacola Bay Area is pretty well known for our free events. If you haven’t made it out to a “Bands on the Beach” concert you are truly missing a fabulous venue. Bands on the Beach is every Tuesday evening through September at Casino Beach on Pensacola Beach. Free as well!
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May
19
Posted by robin sherman
Global Warming and Hurricanes Not Related – Just in time for the start of the 2008 hurricane season, a new study by prominent federal scientist Tom Knutson indicates that global warming and a recent jump in hurricane activity aren’t related. What is really surprising about this announcement is that Knutson has previously raised concerns about the effects of climate change on storms and has complained about being censored by the Bush administration for past studies on the dangers of global warming.
Knutson’s new study actually indicates that by the end of the century the number of hurricanes in the Atlantic will fall by 18 percent.
So . . . what’s the real scoop and what does it matter anyway? Good question! While there were many factors that fed into the real estate slowdown in Florida, the fear of hurricanes was certainly a big one.
In the aftermath of numerous hurricanes coming ashore in Florida in 2004 and 2005, insurance rates climbed. Last year the Florida Legislature stepped in and assumed a good deal of the risk in order keep insurers from abandoning the state altogether. For this reason – the eyes of the state are firmly fastened on any predictions related to hurricanes. The last two years have seen the predictions of increased storm activity fizzle out when the anticipated hurricanes failed to materialize.
Related Articles – Click on the Article to Read
Global Warming has Little Impact in Tropical Storm and Hurricane Numbers
Northwest Florida Real Estate Market – A History of Recent Changes
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May
18
Posted by robin sherman
| Sales in Greater Pensacola Bay Area |
5/15/06 to 5/15/07
|
5/15/07 to 5/15/08
|
| Total # of Sales |
6,572
|
5,125
|
| Average Sold Price |
$203,246
|
$206,014
|
| Median Sold Price |
$164,900
|
$160,000
|
| Average Price Per Square Foot |
$128
|
$112
|
| Sell Price to List Price |
96.04%
|
95.07%
|
| Average # of Days on the Market |
120
|
140
|
Pensacola Bay Area Market Report – Just what’s going on with property sales in Pensacola? Fewer homes are selling and homes are moving a bit slower than the same period a year ago, but average prices have actually crept up a bit. The table shows sales of homes, townhomes, condominiums and manufactured homes in the Greater Pensacola Bay Area for the past year. This encompasses not only Pensacola, but outlying areas including Pace, Milton, Gulf Breeze, Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key. Statistics come from the Pensacola Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service. I will be breaking this down by individual communities in upcoming posts. In the meantime, if you would like to read similar past posts, click on the links below.
Pensacola Beach Market Update, Prices Up, What’s the Real Story
Hit Bottom Yet? You Bet!
