The restaurant confirmed the move on social media Christmas Day “Aunt Katie's will be closed Monday 12/30 and Tues 12/31 so we can get ready to OPEN Jan 1st at 8 a.m WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU!!!” the statement read Aunt Katie’s first made its East Pensacola Heights debut in early 2020 at 3005 E offering a variety of Southern and New Orleans infused dishes Customers quickly fell in love with the menu – like their Cajun infused omelets homemade gumbo and olive and shrimp stuffed Bloody Mary cocktails had previously occupied the restaurant on the other side of the street at 3102 E P'cola Bistro says goodbye: P'Cola Bistro neighborhood diner permanently closes East Pensacola Heights location The restaurant comes equips with various indoor dining areas For real-time updates and information on the restaurant’s move, follow Aunt Katie’s – Welcome to Breakfast on social media. Stay up to date on the latest restaurant news by subscribing to our free Pensacola Eats newsletter Sign up for the newsletter at profile.pnj.com/newsletters/pensacola-eats/ By Kim Lanier-HuntPublished: Feb. 13, 2025 at 2:15 PM CST|Updated: Feb. 21, 2025 at 4:11 PM CSTEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInPENSACOLA, Fla. (WALA) - The next Mayor’s Neighborhood Cleanup is scheduled Saturday in the East Pensacola Heights area and portions of surrounding neighborhoods Through the Mayor’s Neighborhood Cleanup program all city neighborhoods have a cleanup once a year during the months of January through October In addition to Sanitation Services collecting items left at the curb Code Enforcement conducts a sweep of the cleanup area and addresses any code violations The cleanup allows city of Pensacola Sanitation customers in the cleanup area to leave eligible items at the curb for pickup Sanitation customers in the cleanup area must place items curbside by 7 a.m on the day of the cleanup and are asked not place items at the curb before Wednesday Officials said that items left curbside outside of the cleanup area will not be collected Yard waste and garbage will not be collected Residents are asked to keep tires and paint cans separate from all other debris and not to place piles under low-hanging lines or near poles today was our last day operating at this location,” the restaurant wrote in an abrupt Facebook statement Sunday night “We will be moving to another location soon till then we are still doing caterings You can reach us at 717-379-6161 or here on our Facebook page!” The restaurant was family-owned and operated to its core and her sons Bernard “Beman” Reyad and Leonard Reyad The goal was to make customers feel like part of the family when they stepped inside The atmosphere was inspired by the family’s last restaurant in Harrisburg filled with Mekhal’s famous French toast and friendly regulars When opening in East Pensacola Heights in late 2023 they brought their scratch-made menu items for breakfast and lunch including some of the family’s Egyptian specialties Owners thanked their customers who grew the P’Cola Bistro family “We are so happy with the relationships we have built,” the statement continued “It started as a family business and with each day our family grew and grew For real-time updates and information regarding P’Cola Bistro, follow them on social media With its stunning white sand beaches and historic landmarks draws residents and tourists alike to its charming city This Gulf Coast city is known for its beautiful beaches Whether it’s the famous Blue Angels air shows or the charming architecture of the Seville Historic District there is always something to explore and enjoy you’ll find a neighborhood that fits your lifestyle Belmont-DeVilliers is located in Downtown Pensacola The area is known for its proximity to historic landmarks Belmont-DeVilliers features a mix of historic homes and modern townhouses showcasing a variety of architectural styles Homes for Sale in Belmont-DeVilliers | Apartments for Rent in Belmont-DeVilliers The neighborhood is known for its proximity to the bay and Pensacola International Airport Cordova Park offers a mix of single-family homes and modern condos Homes for Sale in Cordova Park | Apartments for Rent in Cordova Park Downtown Pensacola is a bustling area known for its historic architecture and vibrant arts scene You can also find landmarks like Palafox Street Downtown offers a mix of historic homes and modern high-rise apartments Homes for Sale in Downtown | Apartments for Rent in Downtown East Hill is just outside Downtown Pensacola and is known for its tree-lined streets and historic charm There are plenty of local shops and restaurants to discover in the area You can find a mix of historic cottages and modern bungalows in East Hill Homes for Sale in East Hill | Apartments for Rent in East Hill East Pensacola Heights is a charming neighborhood known for its waterfront views and historic landmarks The area is home to several parks and boat ramps and is close to the city center and the bay East Pensacola Heights offers a mix of historic homes and modern waterfront properties Homes for Sale in East Pensacola Heights | Apartments for Rent in East Pensacola Heights North Hill Preservation District is a historic neighborhood in Pensacola known for its grand homes and tree-lined streets North Hill Preservation District features a mix of historic mansions and colonial-style homes Homes for Sale in North Hill Preservation District | Apartments for Rent in North Hill Preservation District Northeast Pensacola is a large area encompassing many smaller neighborhoods The area is home to the Pensacola International Airport Northeast Pensacola offers a mix of single-family homes and modern condos Average Rent for 1-Bedroom Apartment: $1,169 | Average Rent for 2-Bedroom Apartment: $1,371 Homes for Sale in Northeast Pensacola | Apartments for Rent in Northeast Pensacola Seville Historic District is a charming neighborhood known for its historic architecture and vibrant downtown area The neighborhood has numerous landmarks like Seville Square Seville Historic District features historic homes and modern condos Homes for Sale in Seville Historic District | Apartments for Rent in Seville Historic District South Pensacola is a vibrant neighborhood with its eclectic mix of shops and restaurants The area is home to the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida South Pensacola offers a mix of historic homes and modern townhouses Homes for Sale in South Pensacola | Apartments for Rent in South Pensacola West Side is known for its laid-back atmosphere but it’s close to downtown and South Pensacola The housing options in the West Side area are primarily condos and single-family homes Homes for Sale in West Side | Apartments for Rent in West Side Methodology: All neighborhoods must be listed as a “neighborhood” on Redfin.com. Median home sale price data from the Redfin Data Center during February 2024. Average rental data from Rent.com during February 2024 Alison is part of the Content Marketing team as a Content Marketing Manager Alison has written a variety of articles ranging from home design tips to housing affordability Alison currently resides in Seattle where you can find her catching a concert or exploring farmers’ markets Her dream home is a cottage-style house with a chef’s kitchen and a cozy room to store and play vinyl records 🇨🇦 Canada Updated January 2020: By searching, you agree to the Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy REDFIN IS COMMITTED TO AND ABIDES BY THE FAIR HOUSING ACT AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ACT. READ REDFIN’S FAIR HOUSING POLICY NY Standard Operating Procedures TREC: Info About Brokerage Services, Consumer Protection Notice please call Redfin Customer Support for help at 1-844-759-7732 East Pensacola Heights’ P’Cola Bistro is family-owned and operated to the core where the touch of love is sprinkled into the mile-wide pancakes and towering croque madame sandwiches The family of restauranteurs who relocated to Pensacola from Pennsylvania have been in the industry since 1993 and have perfected their recipes over time to provide the ultimately satisfying meal that never lets you leave hungry The P’Cola Bistro is a combination of breakfast and lunch favorites, such as omelets along with some interesting items difficult to find anywhere else Now that the restaurant has made its official debut in the East Pensacola Heights neighborhood week — the horseshoe-shaped bar pumping out mason jar iced coffees and mimosa flights full-speed — here are a few of our suggestions for must-try menu items Here are the breakfast menu must-try items:P’Cola French Toast SandwichWhat’s inside bacon and American cheese on sourdough French toast Why you should try it: The house French toast is a breakfast staple that P’Cola Bistro stands by but this sandwich takes it to the next level when paired with savory breakfast meats melted provolone on toasted sourdough bread topped with sausage gravy and sunny side up egg Why you should try it: Piled high with seemingly endless layers of meat and cheese that require a steak knife to cut through you won’t order the Croque Madame and leave hungry Smothered in the restaurant’s signature sausage gravy the sandwich serves as a filling breakfast masterpiece crafted with care Three buttermilk pancakes topped with Hershey’s chocolate Why you should try it: As a nod to the owners' former home in Pennsylvania the P’Cola Bistro owners swear by the decadent Hershey’s chocolate syrup drizzled over the fluffy pancake tower topped with marshmallows and whipped cream Similar to the comforts of a hot chocolate on a cold winter night this sweet treat is the ultimate comfort food to begin your day with childlike glee Two poached eggs on an English muffin topped with hollandaise sauce and served with chorizo Why you should try it: Two words: chipotle hollandaise Even benedict fans have likely never had one exactly like this before If you like a savory breakfast with a hint of spicy the Ranchero Benedict is the perfect plate The restaurant’s house chorizo shines when paired with the flavor-packed sauces and cool avocado Here are the lunch menu must-try items:Flat Iron French BurgerWhat’s inside: Brioche bun flat ironed with garlic butter soaked in homemade French onion soup and served with a side of French onion dipping soup Why you should try it: This twist on a juicy French dip sandwich is crafted with a half-pound patty of beef cheese and sauces while being accompanied with a little extra flavor for dipping Read how P'Cola Bistro got started here: East Pensacola Heights' new P'Cola Bistro is aiming to open this fall. Here's what we know Why you should try it: As a nod to Pensacola’s coastal seafood and Southern and Cajun influences the homemade shrimp and grits is a must-try Why you should try it: Whether your childhood nostalgia is driving your decision to try the sandwich that SpongeBob SquarePants brought to fame or you just want to elevate your lunch game this crab burger adds an element of everyday luxury Why you should try it: The P'Cola Bistro's hand-pressed panini section of the menu is packed with options ranging from chipotle pesto to chicken parm The Louisiana Panini comes packed with flavor and a hint of heat for those looking to spice up lunch on their workday For more updates and information, follow the P’Cola Bistro Facebook page neighborhood diner where customers feel more like family The restaurant itself is a family-owned operation filled their restaurant for all holidays and in bad weather and became a place they could count on “The restaurant didn’t have a lock on it,” Mekhal said figuratively After her husband’s job relocated her family to Pensacola she’s ready to build that culture all over again and is hoping to have P’Cola Bistro open by Thanksgiving “Having a restaurant is like having your bigger family over,” Mekhal said and she was heavily influenced by her mother she did know one word and would make sure to use it with every person who taste-tested her cooking which her mother would always evaluate to measure how much they were really enjoying their meal Her mom’s a better cook,” her son Beman Reyad teased While the restaurant will feature a variety of daily specials that lean into the family’s culture like the homemade hummus or to-die-for Egyptian-styled falafel the core menu will focus largely on American breakfast and lunch The menu items come from Mekhal’s own recipes she has perfected over decades she will tell you the secret is not as much about following the recipe step-by-step as it is having the innate “sense” of cooking in the kitchen that kicks in that’s what makes the food delicious,” Mekhal said There will be some familiar items on the menu such as Mekhal’s favorite sourdough French toast It's the kind grilled to a perfect fluffy thickness that rises a few inches high with just enough cinnamon sprinkled on the plate She can tell a good slice with just one analytical gaze and almost had a heart palpitations when she learned how many people fry their French toast (frying the French toast) is not going to happen,” Mekhal said “I’m really sensitive to the French toast.” There will also be scratch-made menu items that are harder to come by in the area Dutch potpies and meatloaf with a credibility that’s followed her all the way from the northeast While the restaurant will be easing themselves into the neighborhood with breakfast and lunch to start they are prepared to add dinner service into the mix if they feel that’s what the community wants They also have the option of adding outdoor seating in time since the bistro inherited the bar from Black Sheep they are working on obtaining their liquor license to support alcoholic beverages They will also have coffee and espresso beverages that are second-to-none against national competitors Reyad will also orchestrate bringing more entertainment options to the neighborhood through the restaurant they’re excited to be in the neighborhood to stay “We believe that something is waiting for us here,” Mekhal said Those looking for updates on the restaurant, are interested in applying for a job or landing a place on the restaurant’s entertainment lineup can contact the restaurant through the Facebook page, P’Cola Bistro East Pensacola Heights is getting its very own Peruvian restaurant coming to 3103 E. Strong, replacing the former Los Cebollines Mexican Restaurant. The building, which formerly housed Horizen Sushi Restaurant for nearly 20 years before it closed in 2018 was leased to Los Cebollines soon after and remodeling began immediately after Horizen shut down The restaurant opened in the summer of 2019 and offered favorites like tacos the restaurant will be transitioning into a Peruvian restaurant called Don Cha Peruvian Food Here’s what we know about the restaurant so far The restaurant has an existing location at 100 Perry Ave. in Fort Walton Beach that opened in 2017. The restaurant has largely positive online ratings, with a 4.7 average on Yelp Owner Pedro Jose Ramirez Flores opened the restaurant as a way of bringing back some of the old dishes of his home country of Peru “That longing sparked a great desire to create a dining experience that would transport his fellow Peruvians back in time to the kitchen they grew up in,” the Don Cha website states Not only does it bring the authentic Peruvian experience through the food but the Fort Walton location is decorated with Peruvian themes and photos a décor trend that will likely carry over to Pensacola What’s on the Don Cha menu?The menu includes a wide variety of authentic dishes such as a whole section of causas (Peruvian mashed potatoes made with a touch of lime and a hint of Peruvian chili pepper) different variations of chaufa (Peruvian fried rice) ceviche (raw fish marinated in lime juice) and tarrines (Peruvian pasta) The restaurant also has a wide variety of soups If the menu looks like there is a lot there — it’s because there is With over 70 menu items on the Fort Walton Beach menu diners have plenty of options suitable for even the pickiest of eaters The items also come at a variety of price points ranging from sandwiches under $10 to whole snapper plates for $29 Some examples of stand-out menu items include: Don Cha offers a variety of alcoholic and interesting non-alcoholic drinks including the maracuya (passion fruit) and chicha morada (purple corn drink.) a food truck located inside the Garden that serves more traditional Peruvian cooking Peru native Ronnie Gonzales had a similar goal as Ramirez Flores in bringing traditional Peruvian cooking to the area More updates and information on Don Cha's opening can be found on the Don Cha Peruvian Food Facebook page this stunning residence is “Cape Cod meets old Florida,” says Realtor Carole Neuner refreshing swimming pool and a detached storage building workshop and studio. Arriving at the three-fourths of an acre property you’ll adore the canopy of mature moss laden oaks that give the impression of a fairytale but has seen extensive remodels including a new roof and windows post Hurricane Ivan and is a quintessential Southern gem. Upon entering the foyer opens to the formal dining room on one side and the formal living room on the other.  screen enclosed patio and allows easy access to the pool deck. The kitchen is open to the expansive living area and connects to the dining area abundant cabinet storage and a large walk-in pantry. A library off the living area is bathed in natural light and offers a space to retreat from any hustle and bustle in the home. The large playroom downstairs is excellent for children and adults It features a fireplace and a wall of seating and storage overlooking the pool deck. The home offers room for office space on the first or second story and will allow you to host many guests or live-in family members. The expansive master suite includes a large bedroom with a private balcony overlooking the bay a his and hers walk-in closet with storage and a spa-like bath The master bath includes a deep soaking tub with a water view walk-in shower. A third floor loft offers a stunning water view and many possible uses. The home’s exterior offers the same “wow” factor as the interior hot tub and outdoor kitchen area are perfect for hosting family and friends with the open lawn excellent for more formal garden parties on the waterfront. With an East Pensacola Heights locale the residence is convenient to shopping areas and restaurants with downtown and Pensacola beach only a few minutes drive.  • Approximate square feet: 4,210 • Listing AgentCarole Neuner850-712-0116Levin Rinke Realtye-mail: carole@caroleneuner.com • Online: www.levinrinkerealty.com The management team and staff at Pensacola's newest incoming restaurant have set out to stand out.  With a mission statement like that, it's no wonder they coined the name Black Sheep Tavern and Sports Pub a new establishment that should be open in East Pensacola Heights by early September.  from management to the employees we have recruited wants to be a part of something different and something better," said Simon Courtney the owner of the new restaurant going into the vacant building at 3102 E Cervantes St. "We want to take the restaurant culture and elevate it to a new level." Replacing Calvert's in the Heights' original Cervantes Street location after Calvert's relocated to Scenic Highway in the spring of 2021 is Black Sheep Tavern a restaurant and bar that promises elevated pub fare and a fun late night environment for an area that is lacking on the latter.  "We'll have the TVs and stuff inside so there will be 15 different TVs set up in various areas every room will have different things going on in it," said Courtney We'll have a stage set up for live karaoke and live music events While scoping out a location earlier this year Courtney and his team said they liked the Cervantes strip ahead of Scenic particularly because there was a void in that area of the kind of restaurant he envisioned.  everything closes up around 9 or 10 o'clock," he said 'Do I want to go to Waffle House or Whataburger?' Which but this is a place that will be an alternative and a place you can go to catch the end of a game hang out with people and have a good time."  ►Calvert's moves up the road: Calvert's in the Heights Pensacola restaurant to change locations "High end comfort food" is the way Courtney and Black Sheep Tavern Executive Chef John Smith describe their menu and approach to food Courtney said he and Smith are aiming to take such traditional pub fare as burgers loaded tater tot 'tot-chos.' The flavors will be unique and different "We'll have a buffalo grilled cheese melt that looks really neat." The idea is to not only avoid the standard basic bar food label but to also curate a menu full of easy-to-make items which is important in getting food out of the kitchen and onto your table for a restaurant that expects to be slightly understaffed out of the gate.  "Chef's got all kinds of great ideas," Courtney said "The original concept was to keep it simple so between the staffing thing and just costs it's like how many ingredients can we re-use to do things differently?' So chef's already got his mad scientist hat on thinking Courtney promises some forthcoming "showmanship" with his cocktails and how they're presented.  ►Jerry's is back: Jerry's Drive-In reopens with tweaks, asks Pensacola for patience ►Gallery Night themes revealed: Pensacola Gallery Night announces themes for final five events of 2021 "We have some stuff that isn't being done in Pensacola involved in the way our drinks are going to be done," he said The restaurant overall will seat about 200 The outdoor patio at Black Sheep not only will feature 30 to 40 seats and such games as cornhole and Giant Jenga but also a light-up, LED Black Sheep Tavern logo sign that the staff thinks will become a fixture on Instagram and Facebook feeds all over the city.  he wants to quickly establish a deep rapport with the community He hopes the culture Black Sheep cultivates and the relationships it builds with fellow small businesses will help it get to that place.  De Luna Coffee is going to do our coffee and tea for us We want to be able to say we're using your products 'Well you should go there and try some more.'"  Courtney said they hope to get to a point where they open even later than that but they'll play the closing time by ear this fall.  Wednesdays will be the only day Black Sheep is closed.  Jake Newby can be reached at jnewby@pnj.com or 850-435-8538 Bob and Carol Powell’s home in East Pensacola Heights blends in seamlessly with the older and fits in with the neighborhood Carol loved growing up I loved East Pensacola Heights and would be invited to Merritt Nickinson’s grandmother’s home for lunch after church on Sundays and hers was one of the original homes two blocks down from this home on the water I often did training runs through East Pensacola Heights and always wanted to live back here… it’s like a secret garden a secret neighborhood scantly touched by time and hurricanes with quiet streets and beautiful oak trees with moss similar to the streets in East Hill where I lived as a young child,” says Carol After their home in Tiger Point was devastated by Hurricane Ivan the Powells had the opportunity to purchase the home of a friend in East Pensacola Heights and were more than happy to move in sentimental piecesWorking with interior designer Dee McDavid the home’s color palette received a makeover to complement the Powell’s décor so “Natural Choice” by Sherman Williams was chosen McDavid notes this ivory tone works as the perfect backdrop to the antique rugs and furnishings found in the home “I love the way it changes according to the lighting and furnishing colors in each room,” McDavid says artwork and antiques throughout the home can shine on their own accord bringing the rooms to life with a personal touch Two of Carol’s favorite rooms in the home are the Blue Room and the master bedroom “The Blue Room is my reading room and my respite; each morning I take my coffee and devotional to the Blue Room open the blinds just enough to see the day begin and soon the sun is rising and the birds and squirrels are full entertainers,” she says The Blue Room also includes a collection of demitasse tea cups which where painted by her mother’s aunts and family friends a generation before her while more of an open space with coral accents offers a soothing appeal and Carol loves the adjoining screened porch where she can “open the door to let the fresh breeze in or sneak a late night read,” she says The home is brimming with pieces harkening back to both paternal and maternal grandparents blending modern patterns and textures to create a harmonious atmosphere that pays tribute to the past One upstairs bedroom is furnished with Carol’s maternal grandmother’s childhood bedroom furniture from the Stonebreaker farm in Defiance Ohio which then passed to become her mother’s childhood bedroom furniture in Kentucky The other upstairs bedroom “is furnished with furniture from my paternal grandmother’s childhood home in Wapakoneta This furniture is very special because these grandparents were medical missionaries in India so we never knew them very well and they lived a minimal lifestyle with few ‘things,’ so to have memories from her childhood is priceless to me,” says Carol At home in East Pensacola HeightsBeing that Carol was well associated with the area and had always wanted to live in East Pensacola Heights upon moving in for the first time it was more like just coming home “After we moved in I was truly overwhelmed by the abundance of kindness and the outpouring of heart felt salutations from neighbors welcoming us to their neighborhood And even now I continue to be delighted at the feeling of really being in a ‘neighborhood.’ It’s so much fun being able to walk or ride a bike to shops and eateries and a host of businesses,” she says with delight There is a brand new homemade ice cream shop in the East Pensacola Heights neighborhood While the business is less than a week old Gary Rhodes opened his shop on 3101 E. Cervantes St. in a former Subway building, naming the powder blue and pink parlor Fanny Lou’s Ice Cream in tribute to his late grandmother After Rhodes’ grandmother Fanny Lou passed away in 1996 Rhodes' mother compiled a cookbook of her recipes which would later fuel the inspiration for some of his ice cream concoctions Father-son run food truck? The Mediterranean Table food truck brings taste of Algeria outside Pensacola City Hall an ice cream version of a decadent dessert Fannie Lou's signature desserts The ice cream is a mix of the chewy brownie ooey-gooey marshmallow and salty pecan that he remembers so fondly from his childhood Rhodes has also concocted his own original Pensacola-themed flavors Graffiti Bridge and DeLuna Spiced Chocolate and a tasty treat with a misleading name: Pelican Poo “It’s not what you think,” the menu board pleads under the ice cream flavor’s description marshmallow swirl and fudge graham pieces take Cookies ‘N Cream to a whole new level.” Though the name may not be the most appetizing and has become a frequent order by children and adults alike Though it is safe to say that flavor isn’t going anywhere Rhodes plans to rotate several of his flavors out as the seasons change like his cinnamon-soaked pumpkin spiced latte For those looking to build onto their ice cream Rhodes said there are plenty more ideas on the way Rhodes doesn't have much of a sweet tooth himself but he loves to see the smiles his desserts put on other people's faces It's a trait he may have inherited from his grandmother “She always had desserts and she liked making desserts for other people You didn't go to her house without having some pound cake before you leave or something,” Rhodes said And that's kind of the way I feel,” Rhodes said “I've probably had two tiny little scoops of ice cream since we've opened.” Navarre's newest chicken tender hub: Arkansas-based 'fast-casual' restaurant opens in Navarre. Chicken tender fans rejoice. Although he doesn't eat a lot of ice cream Rhodes has long dreamed of owning his own ice cream business It took a visit from an out-of-state friend to ultimately change the course of his life ‘I hear about this ice cream thing (dream) you have What are you doing about that?’ Rhodes recalled ‘I'm really not doing anything about that.’ if you were going to do something about it … what would you do first?’" he picked up the phone and called up a fellow ice-cream making friend in Alabama It was during that preliminary call that his friend offered him a deal on an unused ice cream maker that he was willing to sell to Rhodes to kickstart his business Rhodes not only found himself giving his word to purchase the equipment but making a promise to himself to quit his corporate job in internet technology and get to work on his dream Once Rhodes’ two-week resignation was turned in he started keeping an eye out for storefronts and using his household ice cream maker to curate small batches to pawn off on his friends and family for feedback I'm going to open up an ice cream shop,’” Rhodes said ‘this is my one day’ thing.” A grand opening celebration is planned for November 12 with specials to be announced.  Pensacola is often described by locals and visitors alike as having a “laid back” vibe — a coastal casual and carefree kind of style that permeates everything from fashion and food to having fun While it’s true Pensacola’s easy-going ways are captivating and pervasive the City of Five Flags consists of a variety of neighborhoods each with their own character and selection of pubs We’ve highlighted a few of these communities that collectively give Pensacola its unique personality.  Pensacola’s Historic District is centered in downtown’s Seville Square an area rich with historical homes from days of yore Pensacola Bay Brewery is one such stop that gives you a chance to take in the city’s history offering a wide selection of American craft beers with unique names like “1845,” a pilsner that celebrates the year Florida officially joined the Union and the “Conquistador,” a dopplebock style of beer named in honor of Florida’s earliest explorers.  art galleries have so much local talent displayed It’s a great time to be in the historic district and downtown Pensacola.” — Brenda Mader you’ll find more recent references to pop culture history at Dolce & Gelato a restaurant offering “sinfully delicious” handmade gelato shotgun style home that is decorated with posters of old movies and movie stars barstools shaped like a pair of lips and other cool collectibles including framed photos Pensacola mother and non-profit administrator often brings her 11-year-old daughter Annabell to the shop for a sweet treat after summer camp or school It’s a great excuse to get out in downtown and relax “This is my favorite part of town right here,” explained Cutshaw with a smile “I love to think about the way Pensacola was way back then when my grandfather was here as a preacher I try to get a sense of what the city was about and I think historic buildings can communicate that And Dolce & Gelato is a regular stop when we are downtown I love how funky and welcoming it is!” Owner Brenda Mader opened the hip and eclectic shop nearly three years ago After working 30 years as an attorney she was ready for a fun and creative business and was thrilled when the shop on Zaragoza Street became available.  “It’s a cool neighborhood with something for everyone,” said Mader We are getting that mini-Austin or mini-Savannah vibe It’s a great time to be in the historic district and downtown Pensacola.” Other newer neighbors to the historic area include South Market and Lucy’s both restaurants and great additions to other established eateries like Hub Stacey’s and Dharma Blue that offer a range of dining experiences from a pub style sandwich to a nice evening out on the town Other services surrounding historic Seville Square are Breathe Yoga and Wellness Center as well as clothing and gift shops La Bona International Boutique The legendary Pensacola neighborhood of Belmont-DeVilliers continues to grow and draw new neighbors and visitors to the historic area Although the once bustling center of Pensacola’s African-American community the neighborhood known as “the Blocks” experienced decades of decline but thanks to a combination of private and community investment this area on the western edge of Pensacola’s thriving downtown is enjoying new growth a business development space that is home to nearly two-dozen businesses and organizations anchors the intersection of Belmont and DeVilliers streets while the heart of the neighborhood sits across the street.  Five Sisters Blues Café is a locally owned and operated restaurant that features Southern and Creole-style Southern fare for lunch or dinner Aunt Sara’s Southern Fried Chicken and CJ’s Blueberry Bread Pudding The café was once a record store and music venue where celebrity R&B musicians from across the country would play.  blues artists still share top billing in the historic space with famous artists depicted in paintings on the walls as well as a steady stream of blues music The restaurant offers live music several nights a week which nearly always draws a line of diners ready to eat a down home meal and relax to some live jazz.  Longtime Pensacola restaurateur Jean Pierre N’Dione manages Five Sisters He says the popular dining spot is a great blend of what the revitalized neighborhood has to offer “This is the only place you can go and get some really good food and enjoy live music without going to a bar,” explained N’Dione “It’s different and the neighborhood is very attractive to a wide variety of people and the history being a part of the rejuvenation of this part of downtown.” Other unique and shouldn’t-be-missed stops in the Belmont-DeVilliers neighborhood include the Blue Dot counter serve restaurant with a delicious but pared-down menu of burgers and ribs It has been a long-time popular place with locals a “dive bar” style restaurant and music venue that opens from 5 p.m The bar offers an ever-changing menu of vegan snacks and a wide variety of original music and live entertainment everything from punk rock to acoustic to comedy.  “I enjoy seeing people who grew up in here come back after being gone for a long time and they have a sense of pride in what it has become,” N’Dione said exercise and enjoy a great meal and live music — all in an old The Old Sacred Heart Hospital is a historic building on 12th Avenue in East Hill Its Gothic architecture has had few changes since it opened in 1915 but the location where patients once received medical treatment is a now popular place where patrons go to treat themselves with a variety of services including a spa Jiu-Jitsu lessons and two restaurants: rock-n-roll hotspot O’Zone Pizza Pub as well as The Vineyard on 12th Avenue music and beer inside the historic building and outside in the gated courtyard Co-owner Glen Hill opened The Vineyard on 12th Avenue a little over two years ago He says longtime neighbors and newcomers to the popular East Hill neighborhood have embraced their new business and he enjoys their location inside the historic hospital where Hill says the array of services keeps people coming to the community “You can spend a day in this building “People who live in East Hill are extremely particular about this neighborhood Newcomers are proud to live in a neighborhood with such culture and history while others are proud because they’re from here.”  community-centered events for adults and families like a monthly East Hill Bicycle Scavenger Hunt He also organizes other holiday themed bike rides as well as a Family Movie Night and other meal and drink specials at the restaurant.  “We start at the Vineyard and we ride through East Hill I highlight eclectic little pieces of the community like finding a cannon or a landmark or a new business and then have folks take a selfie with it People also are getting to know each other and their neighborhood through these experiences and create new bonds and friendships that otherwise wouldn’t have been created,” Hill explained of the scavenger hunt The Old Sacred Heart Hospital building is just one of many areas that draw locals and visitors alike to East Hill which runs through the heart of the popular Pensacola community like Cactus Flower Café which offers California-style Mexican food a fun themed restaurant and bar that is packed with Pensacola memorabilia and has a menu that reflects both fun and tasty Southern fare East Pensacola Heights offers a “restaurant row” nearly the length of Cervantes Street which runs through the village-like community The destination neighborhood is home to a number of popular eateries including Pensacola’s iconic Jerry’s Drive-In for burgers and milkshakes a restaurant with country-style atmosphere and home cooked meals that is especially popular for brunch There’s also an eclectic gift shop offering old-fashioned chocolates and candy as well as fun gifts that are bound to draw a chuckle Popular eatery the New Yorker Deli & Pizzeria has been a central part of the East Pensacola Heights landscape since 1991 when the restaurant was opened by a couple from New York City and much of the original menu consisting of fresh homemade soups sandwiches and fabulous fresh pasta dishes remains the same as well as the welcoming cottage-turned-restaurant building filled with New York City themed décor.  “I think it has become an important part of the community and is a good representation of what it looks like to live work and play here,” said owner Renee Nix “One of the reasons it’s such a special place is because it’s run with love and passion but rather a cozy mom and pop shop with a lot of history We once had the opportunity to meet a gentleman who was born and reared in the building before it was converted into a restaurant describing what it once looked like when he was a child and we have an incredible team of people to do it with.”  Another long-time hot spot and local favorite in East Pensacola Heights is Sir Richard’s old-fashioned watering hole where patrons can find affordable drinks sing karaoke and meet some interesting folks As you move through East Pensacola Heights a cozy hangout with a wide selection of craft beers and American plates as well as Georgio’s Pizza and Horizen Restaurant I think people enjoy being able to walk or bike from their homes or make a short drive from downtown to grab a quick and delicious bite to eat in a unique atmosphere It adds to the camaraderie between the patrons and the staff that combine to make it a fun experience for everyone,” Nix said The wide range of services — intertwined with nearby residential neighborhoods where cottage style homes often meet new construction — gives the growing community of East Pensacola Heights the feel of a modern day village the neighborhood comes with its own unique character This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Kelly Hagen's name Promoting the restoration of Pensacola's tree canopy across the entire city is the goal of the Citizens Tree Canopy Restoration Project which started by planting nearly 90 trees earlier this month The Citizens Tree Canopy Restoration Project is tapping into volunteers willing to take on the planting and care of a tree and they've had no shortage of help Nearly 50 volunteers turned out to plant dozens of trees in Pensacola neighborhoods on Dec and the result was 88 trees planted at a cost of $62.50 per tree – much lower than anything the city can match using contractors both the East Pensacola Heights project and the Citizens Tree Canopy Restoration Projects aimed to plant trees both on public property and within 20 feet of the right-of-way on private property The city determined that planting a tree close enough to the public right-of-way gave a public benefit by shading sidewalks and roads so city dollars could be used for the trees Using volunteers can be more cost-effective for the number of trees president of CNAPP and a member of the Canopy Committee of the Citizens Tree Canopy Restoration Project "There's a dual benefit there: you're getting more trees in the ground for less money and you're also engaging interested citizens and encouraging the culture of environmental stewardship in order to ultimately expand our aging canopy and create a more resilient and beautiful future," Hagen said Both Hagen and the Citizens Tree Canopy Project won CivicCon awards earlier this month for environmental work in the community The East Pensacola Heights Neighborhood Association used a Tree Planting Trust Fund for volunteers to plant trees at the cost of $109 per tree resulting in a total cost per live tree of $122 That cost was significantly cheaper − and more successful − than a city-contracted planting out of the trust fund in 2021 in East Pensacola Heights Lions Park which cost $166 per tree and had a survival rate of 62% after a year leading to a total cost per live tree of $268 according to the Citizens Tree Canopy Restoration Project's presentation to City Council in September "The East Pensacola Heights tree planting project was kind of a pilot project and so we built upon their model that they use and kind of decided what worked and what didn't work and tweaked some things for this project," Hagen said an East Pensacola Heights resident and member of the Citizens Tree Canopy Restoration Project said the neighborhood lost a lot of its canopy in Hurricane Sally "I was walking around and just noticing we lost a lot of trees during Sally and what a lack there was of just the beauty and also the shade "So I just wanted to do something about it." Through the Citizens Tree Canopy Restoration Project the idea that started with East Pensacola Heights is being tried in East Hill the Westside Garden District and Broadview Farms Fifty-two volunteers from those neighborhoods turned out on a rainy morning on Dec 2 to learn how to plant and care for the 88 trees they planted that weekend Hagen said they will report back to the city in a year on the condition of the trees and hope to plant new ones next year under a similar grant "We can simply plant a lot of trees if we rely on citizens to care for the trees," Hagen said East Pensacola Heights' neighborhood restaurant Calvert's in the Heights temporarily closed its doors Monday following an early morning kitchen fire While there will be cleaning necessary to reopen the restaurant "The building is safe and sound and no one was harmed but we will require a day or two to complete cleaning and proper inspections," the Calvert's statement read "We thank you for your patience and understanding and we can’t wait to open back up and serve you." While the building has had false alarms for fires in the past Calvert's owner Scott Calvert said when he pulled up to the restaurant just after midnight and saw about a dozen emergency vehicles waiting in the parking lot "It’s a little unnerving," Calvert said of pulling into the Calvert's parking lot He learned a flat top grill had been left on overnight without the exhaust system running the restaurant's fire system kicked in immediately which shut the gas and power off and activated the restaurant's sprinkler system The system effectively began extinguishing the fire until firefighters could arrive on scene The combined efforts "saved the building," which was built in 1935 there's no building damage at all...the fire department actually squeegeed my floors so the water didn’t get in the lobby," Calvert said "I am so impressed with the fire department; they did a great job." but it only caused enough damage to shut them down for a few days Calvert said that since the restaurant is closed on Tuesdays anyway he expects that they will be ready to reopen as early as 11 a.m Calvert's directed patrons to follow their social media pages for updates on their reopening timeline Calvert's in the Heights is located at 670 Scenic Highway The state has determined it's feasible to create a bike- and pedestrian-friendly corridor running along Scenic Highway from East Pensacola Heights to U.S and now it's up to local authorities to prioritize the next step in developing the scenic coastal trail The 10.5-mile trail from Perry Avenue to U.S 90 aims to connect currently disjointed areas of the city and county then tie into a more overarching system that would continue across to Milton "I very much look forward to moving this forward in some fashion that connects these two and gives everybody on the east side of Pensacola great access to safe biking and walking trails that can also take in the beauty that coastline has to offer," Escambia County Commissioner Robert Bender said at a Florida-Alabama Transportation Planning Organization meeting Wednesday "I think it's a great opportunity and look forward to moving it forward." Hashtag project: Pensacola 'Hashtag' project will move forward despite opposition to landscaping plan Jackson Street: Citizens want a more walkable Jackson Street with better drainage. Do you agree? Florida Department of Transportation project manager Olen Pettis told the TPO board Wednesday that there are some barriers to overcome such as steep drop-offs up to 50 feet along the bluffs area and residential driveways but overall the project is viable enough to move forward "DOT has completed the study up to this point … to provide the community with the tools to make an educated decision on which alternatives would be best to move forward," he said Scenic Highway project still has several roadblocks to overcomeThe corridor isn't funded but is in its very early stages and would need TPO approval before moving to the next stage A preliminary map given to the board shows one long stretch from south to north on the route with multiple offshoot loops like adding a connector road project on Summit Boulevard to join Spanish Trail in a loop and again at Creighton Road and Ninth Avenue Pettis said the TPO members — made up largely of city council members and county commissioners across Santa Rosa and Escambia counties and Baldwin County Alabama — now will look for any immediate red flags or roadblocks on a more local level before deciding to add it to their priority list TPOs generally prioritize transportation projects and recommend them to FDOT which in this case would urge the state to move ahead with the second phase called a PD&E (Project Development and Environment) study to include a more in-depth analysis of the idea Pensacola City Councilwoman Ann Hill said the trail is significant and it's something she could see being prioritized on the city level as it aligns with what the mayor and council have been pushing for recently The city is currently working through multiple bike- and pedestrian-focused roadwork projects including the downtown Hashtag Connector project waterfront access and road diets on main thoroughfares Emerald Coast Regional Council CEO Austin Mount said this connector would be an important element of the overall trail connection in the area especially as it so closely aligns geographically with plans to build out a U.S "As these two trails kind of come together this will be the most important connector piece because the two trails will almost actually touch," he said "Trying to connect these two trails will be tremendous economic impact for Pensacola and so we're happy to work with the city happy to work with the county to continue the projects on this." If the trail moves ahead beyond the PD&E phase it would go into design and construction which are not yet funded Emma Kennedy can be reached at ekennedy@pnj.com or 850-480-6979 Calvert's in the Heights is moving The English-themed, family-friendly restaurant and pub currently at 3102 E. Cervantes St. announced on Facebook that it is moving about a mile up the road this winter into the old Skopelos location of 670 Scenic Highway.  After calling the Cervantes building in East Pensacola Heights home for two full years owner Scott Calvert said one factor in particular inspired him to make the switch.  "The water view," the restaurant owner said "The water view and it's 1,500 square feet bigger Calvert said he also had the opportunity to buy the Scenic Highway property which was more enticing to him than his current leasing situation with the building on Cervantes.  ►Seafood Fest returns: Pensacola's annual Seafood Festival is back on - but wear your mask! ►Navarre gets its third brewery: St. Michael's Brewing Company opens taproom and microbrewery in Navarre The current location is set to operate until the end of November and the new location should open at some point before the end of 2020.  "We couldn't have moved up without our fantastic customers," Calvert said but it turned out to be a no-brainer for me because you get to look out into the bay."  Calvert's in the Heights will hold a yard sale to sell items left behind in the Scenic Highway building that the new restaurant will not need.  A new English-themed restaurant and bar is opening in the East Pensacola Heights area the week after Thanksgiving at 3102 E Calvert's In the Heights is replacing the former Passage to India restaurant on the Cervantes property and is named after owner Scott Calvert a former Pensacola Subway franchisee for 28 years.  "Calvert's is an English name and we're just making a play off that," he said on Wednesday "We'll serve American pub food and some English staples like fish and chips and some Shepard's pies but Calvert said he'll hold a "family and friends" soft opening party within a week after Thanksgiving and then open full time shortly after that Calvert's hours of operation will be 11 a.m The 7,000-square-foot restaurant includes a full bar with 12 beers on tap.  "We're gonna have local beer selections like from Pensacola Bay (Brewery) and Gulf Coast (Brewery) and we're also doing some English-style beers "We'll have 12 beers on tap to start and a bunch of different bottled beers." Calvert said he wants his restaurant and bar to double as a place where people enjoy a drink and watch the game and also bring the whole family He said there will be a kids gaming area and mentioned Sidelines and Hub Stacey's as restaurants with comparable family-friendly vibes "If you've ever been to Sidelines or Hub's during the day but you see families in those places," he said we're in the middle of some of the best neighborhoods in Pensacola so we're hoping we get families and stuff from there."  and includes items like "The Gob Smack," a blood orange and herb marinated pork tenderloin served over homemade potato hash and a side of vegetables which has homemade roast beef on Gambino's French bread and is topped with a fried muenster cheese wedge Read more: Horizen Sushi Restaurant in Pensacola closing permanently, Mexican restaurant moving in The connection to 17th century English politician and colonizer George Calvert is strong within the restaurant that bears his name Prominently placed near the entrance is the black-and-gold checkered Calvert family banner which is incorporated into Maryland's state flag as well as the NFL's Baltimore Ravens' logo.  Wall-hanging portraits of Calvert family members who founded Maryland in 1632, fill out the decor.  "We're making kind of a play on my name and its English origin," Calvert said but the family settled in Maryland and I don't know if its ancestors of mine or not but we're playing with it."  Calvert only leased the building on Sept. 13 and has worked hard to remodel quickly ever since. The property owner is Pensacola landlord William Yang, who also owns the building most recently occupied by the Horizen Sushi Restaurant When the pandemic got underway, Pensacola musician Chad Harvey started performing on his East Pensacola Heights porch as a coping mechanism an outlet he was otherwise robbed of once the COVID-19 outbreak caused him to cancel the spring music tour he'd planned through Nashville.  As Harvey strummed away on his guitar from his front porch in early April the idea floated into his head to turn his personal hobby into a neighborhood concert.  Thus, the "Front Porch Sessions" were born. And they've been a free weekly source of local entertainment ever since.  "I held the first one on a Sunday morning, on April 5, I believe, and we ended up doing it for 12 weeks in a row," Harvey said. "I would post on social media and try to grab folks from the neighborhood to come by. We called Mister Softee ice cream truck early on and they've been coming by There's been weeks where Harvey's looked out and seen close to 100 people vibing along to his brand of Americana-roots rock Inspired by musicians like John Mellencamp and Tom Petty Harvey said the small crowd of folks sitting in their camping chairs or on their blankets must be enjoying his family-friendly Or else they wouldn't keep coming back again and again.   there's a lot of kids running around," Harvey said "I've got a 5-and 3-year-old boy and there's a little play set in the backyard a way for neighbors to get out and talk to each other in a fairly safe environment."  ►When the music stops: How Pensacola artists and entertainers are coping with the shutdown ►Local finds a label: Pensacola native LBS Kee'vin signs with Visionary Records For the first time in the 12-week history of the "Front Porch Sessions," the latest edition July 2 was held on Thursday night Harvey said this will become the new night for his weekly performance going forward "A neighbor of mine that lives on the south side of Cervantes I was sitting there in the middle of the song and she walked up with a fiddle in her hand," Harvey said of fellow Pensacola resident and musician Frances Michaels "We plugged her into the PA and she started playing with me every week."  Harvey and Michaels bonded over their similarly unfortunate plights from having a season's worth of live shows lined up only to see them wiped out in a matter of days by the coronavirus Michaels had routinely performed at bars and small venues in Mobile Even though blues isn't quite their genre of choice the two have relished the chance to release every emotion they had bottled up over the past few months through their therapeutic art form.  Their weekly audience has been grateful.  I was doing it for me at first," Harvey said "What I came to find out, is many neighbors would come up and say 'Man this is really great that you're doing this for the neighbors It gets us all out and it's something for us to do We really enjoy it and really appreciate it.'" If you'd like to see what one of Harvey's outdoor concerts looks like but you don't live in that area, the musician streams his Front Porch Sessions each week on both his Facebook and Instagram pages.  After more than two decades in East Pensacola Heights, Apple Market the neighborhood grocer at 1021 Scenic Highway boasting a range of local goods now faces a series of financial challenges that could kill its operations explained on Monday that the February opening of Publix on East Cervantes Street – less than a 5-minute drive away – took a significant portion of his store's clientele big-box chains including Publix and Walmart now offer grocery delivery through online ordering Apple said the reduced volume of shoppers subsequently diminished Apple Market's ability to invest in inventory The reduction of products then damaged the store's sales because it could not carry as much merchandise More: Westside Stories: Woodsie's Hilltop Lounge a favorite for decades "That kind of devolves into a situation where you're not able any longer to meet your expenses as you once were," said Apple then that can stretch out some of your obligations So you just reach a critical mass point where you say 'We need some help if we're going to turn this corner.' That's kind of where we find ourselves." In a post on Apple Market's Facebook account on Sunday expounded further on the store's struggles to remain solvent She wrote that her parents had sold their house to ensure the store continues operating so the doors of The Apple Market can stay open a little longer," she wrote More: Popular Market Basket is returning, seeking vendors vehicles occupied nearly all of the store's parking spaces before noon on Monday As shoppers entered the store or finished paying for groceries many stopped to offer David Apple their words of support and encouragement Additionally, former employee Liz Tringas, now the owner and veterinarian at Pensacola animal clinic Luxury Pet Boarding, started a fundraising campaign for Apple Market on the website GoFundMe he taught me many values that I use in my own business every day," Tringas wrote on the campaign's page "I have never met a more hard working man dedicated to his business David Apple said if the donations materialize the store intends to use the capital to pay for more inventory and other expenses a North Hill resident and senior sales representative at pharmaceutical company Neos Therapeutics said she contributed to the campaign because she appreciates the personal approach David Apple takes with running the store She said he often knows customers by name and takes time to speak with shoppers individually McCaa also cited the communal nature of Apple Market which sells the products of many other local vendors "I think that's what stands out the most," she said "David gives them a platform for them to sell their goods You wouldn't see those things in the big-box grocery stores as much." chief financial officer at Pensacola engineering firm Baskerville-Donovan Inc. said the neighborhood feel of the store often reminds of her hometown of DeWitt a small town with a population of less than 6,000 "It's just that feeling that you get when you go in there," she said "I'm from a small town and I feel like I'm going home when I go into the store." Both women also touched on the local aspect of the store asserting that as the Pensacola region continues to develop and grow residents should not simultaneously forsake homegrown businesses Recognizing that Apple Market's struggles have arrived as more free-market competition has sprung up residents should still feel a sense of obligation to support one another during hard times Asked how imminent his store stands toward closing Apple declined to specify a deadline that funds must manifest But he said all at the grocer remain hopeful fortunes will turn "We're all praying for a miracle," he said "We're praying that the right turn of events will help get us turned right back around and back on the track to profitability." As 2024 nears its end, it’s time to start thinking about where to celebrate the start of 2025 in the Pensacola area there are over two dozen parties and special dinners spanning Escambia and Santa Rosa counties to choose from Whether you want to party until midnight Great Gatsby style, watch fireworks on the beach or be at a balloon drop in an Irish pub, here’s a look at all the Pensacola area has to offer. New Year’s Eve parties in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties are listed at the top of the article Send PNJ reporter Brittany Misencik an email at BMisencik@pnj.com with details and we'll update the list NYE partiesPerfect Plain Brewing Co.Where: 50 E There will be plenty of live entertainment There are some perks for those who upgrade to VIP a midnight breakfast buffet and a strolling champagne dress Price: Tickets are tiered starting at designated driver tickets for $50, general admission for $149 and VIP for $189. Tickets can be purchased on the Perfect Plain website under the “Upcoming Events” tab. Price: Tickets are $125 per person plus gratuity and fees Coastal County Brewing CompanyWhere: 3041 E Details: East Pensacola Heights neighborhood hub Calvert’s in the Heights is throwing a NYE bash to welcome in the new year as well as a free champagne toast at midnight and reservations can be made by contacting the restaurant at 850-332-5838 Details: Goat Lips is hosting a karaoke celebration from 7 p.m along with complimentary breakfast and a champagne toast at midnight Theme: New Year’s Eve Celebration at Seville Quarter Details: Seville will be hosting a NYE celebration from 7 p.m There will be live entertainment all night long party favors and a champagne toast at midnight Price: There are various party packages available for purchase ranging from $80 to $400. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite Details: Vinyl is hosting a NYE Studio 54 Party including a DJ The event is “inspired by the legendary nights of 1970s New York” promising “smooth beats and a vibe that’s effortlessly cool” according to the event website The VIP package offers more luxurious services including a top shelf open bar appetizers and hors d’ouevres as well as balcony views Price: General admission tickets are $75 plus service fees, while VIP tickets are $200 plus service fees, and can be purchased on Vinyl’s website under upcoming events. Theme: Funeral 2024: New Year's Eve Celebration Details: Emerald Republic is throwing a party with a unique spin on New Year's Eve celebration. "We’re ready to bury the year 2024, and our sixth annual funeral is back to close the casket. Join us for a night to remember as we put this year behind us," the Emeral Republic event page states. There will be fire dancers and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight Funeral attire is highly encouraged and will be praised Details: Odd Colony is welcoming guests in for a “Phases of Funk” themed party starting at 6 p.m and complimentary Saison and champagne pours at midnight Details: Sir Richard’s is hosting a New Year’s Eve party starting at 9 p.m Price: $49.95 per person for general admission and $79.95 per person for VIP access Theme: New Year’s Eve Casino Night at Andy D’s Details: Andy D’s is bringing Navarre Beach a slice of Las Vegas for New Year’s Eve starting when doors open at 8 p.m dancing and appetizer buffet from 8-10 p.m There will be a champagne toast and fireworks watch party at midnight Tickets can be purchased at the Andy D’s hostess stand in advance Price: Tickets are $30 per person in advance and $40 at the door if available The Country GymWhere: 4580 Gulf Breeze Parkway Details: The Country Gym encourages patrons to dress up in their “favorite dapper outfit” and come out to The Country Gym from 8:30 p.m Details: This will be the first annual New Year’s Eve Celebration party starting at 3:30 p.m The restaurant will offer two featured menus with set pricing for guests to choose from along with live jazz and a complimentary glass of champagne Details: Oops Alley is hosting an evening of karaoke and bowling fun to bring in the New Year they will also offer three hours of bowling for $30 with shoes included Details: 200 South is throwing a major party across four venues - Blend Lounge The event is 21-plus only and festive attire is encouraged the largest NYE fireworks display on the Gulf Coast will commence at midnight on the Pensacola Beach Soundside according to the Pensacola Beach Chamber of Commerce website The show will last about 15 minutes and is free to watch Details: Angelena’s Executive Chef Ian Gillette is preparing a special fixed-price four-course menu with three different seatings on New Years Eve Reservations are required and can be made by calling the restaurant at 850-542-8398 or visiting the website, angelenaspensacola.com including party favors and complimentary parking in Southtowne parking garage with validation at the hostess stand upon arrival An Italian wine paring is available for an additional $45 Details: Brother Fox is offering a four-course menu on New Year’s Eve with a handful of decadent menu options Optional add-ons: Steak enhancement (+$45) shaved black truffles (+$25 per gram,) caviar service for two (+$65-$85.) Price: $120 per person for the standard menu Theme: New Year’s Eve wine dinner (Five course menu with wine pairing) Details: Chef Jason Hughes has prepared a special fixed-price five-course menu with hand-selected wine pairings for a 6 p.m visit Opentable.com or call Taylor Dawson at 850-287-0200 For those that don’t participate in the wine dinner there will still be walk-in service throughout the complex with the standard menu The wine dinner menu includes the following: Theme: Ring in the New Years with DRIFT Prix Fixe dinner Details: Pensacola Beach’s DRIFT is offering a special four-course fixed-price dinner and celebratory champagne toast to ring in the New Year Visit driftpcola.com or call DRIFT at 850-733-7331 to reserve a spot Price: $120 per guest excluding tax and gratuity Hungry for more? Stay up to date on the latest restaurant news by subscribing to our free Pensacola Eats newsletter, delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign up for the newsletter at profile.pnj.com/newsletters/pensacola-eats/ As a sworn defender of the Western Realm — a true son of Barrancas and a proud Lakewood lad — I have word-battled on many brutal occasions the well-fed Eastern Hordes whose claim of superiority over this great land has pitted our two peoples against one another for many years now those folks over in East Hill aren't too bad And they actually have some cool things over there that I hope someday our realm can replicate for our own benefit Or City Grocery on 12th Avenue with its swanky selection of culinary finery  but I've seen some of those "We Love East Hill" signs over there too everything east of 12th Avenue is East Hill no matter what the map says.) RELATED CONTENT: BE LOCAL: Apple Market grows through specialty services Or — and this might be my favorite — the long-standing Apple Market the truest definition of "neighborhood market" that you'll find on either side I see the Westside doesn't have a monopoly on good southern manners I watched owner David Apple greeting folks as they walked into the store and also offer to help little old ladies and men get their groceries to their car People who worked there smiled and asked if they could help It really did seem like stepping into a market in Mayberry — that classic sample and explore delicacies that not all our little Westside grocery stores have You have a couple of butchers in the cold room carving up thick steaks and chops; a sushi fella rolling up the good stuff at the sushi bar; the olive bar olives; the weird and varied international beers; the vintage class sodas (I picked up a peach Nehi); local honey rubs and sauces; a hot food bar; catering services; gelato which Apple had to describe to a visitor — "it's fancy Italian ice cream"; and a whole bunch of apples from the Granny Smiths to the many Apples who work the store RELATED CONTENT: The 14th annual Chocolate Fest returns in April That probably wouldn't be healthy.)  He worked in grocery stores for nearly a quarter-century before opening the Apple Market in 1996 It's a mix of home-spun charm and cosmopolitan offerings they're not the newest grocery player on the Eastside block but sometimes it's good to be the established player in the game You don't make it that long in a mom-and-pop grocery store without doing it right we urge you to come visit our favorite Westside grocery hub Pensacola could limit when it's legal to knock on someone's door to sell something to only daylight hours if the City Council adopts a proposal from Councilman Jared Moore it's legal in Pensacola to solicit or canvas in residential areas between 8 a.m Moore is proposing changing the cutoff time to 5:30 p.m when daylight saving time is in effect in the spring and summer months Moore told the City Council at the Monday agenda conference that he's proposing the changes based off of complaints from constituents about door-to-door solicitation becoming a nuisance parts of East Hill and East Pensacola Heights I probably earned my seat in this body here through some solicitation maybe some would call it nuisance," Moore said I'm not trying to be too hard on people utilizing the door-to-door tactic." Although the ordinance states "soliciting or canvassing," the city code already has an exemption in place for political candidates or political petitions so the change would not affect political campaigns ST Engineering: Pensacola City Council approves ST Engineering lease and $20 million loan authorization Climate change: Pensacola councilwoman pulls climate change proposals to wait for mayor's strategic plan Demolition: Proposed Pensacola ordinance would require neighbors to be notified of demolition projects Current city code also allows residents and business owners to put up "no soliciting" signs which make it illegal to solicit at that location and carry up to a $500 fine or up to 60 days in jail time for a violation Moore said he wanted to balance the need to allow commerce with public safety and thought a fair way to approach the issue was to limit solicitation to daylight hours "A stranger knocking on your door has the possibility to be annoying Councilwoman Sherri Myers said she agreed 9 p.m and she was glad the time proposed was 7 p.m because she knows school children who go door-to-door fundraising in the evening "Miss Sherri always buys their coupon books "And they're usually knocking on the door after their parents get off work The Pensacola City Council will take its first of two votes on the ordinance at its meeting Thursday Jim Little can be reached at jwlittle@pnj.com and 850-208-9827 This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page standalone ice machines have been illegal to build in the city of Pensacola for at least the last 11 years The Pensacola City Council unanimously approved a change to the city's land development code that would allow ice vending machines to be built in commercial and industrial zoned areas of the city the standalone ice machines sell ice at a much cheaper price than bagged ice from grocery and convenience stores Blue Angel Ice LLC opened their ice machine on Ninth Avenue in Pensacola in 2008 but when the company tried to pull another building permit for a location on Scenic Highway in East Pensacola Heights they ran into trouble The proposed machine drew a petition from the neighborhood opposing it and the permit was denied by city staff who said it didn't qualify as vending machine appealed to the City Council who voted in 2009 to side with the city staff determination despite high-profile appeals from the likes of attorney Fred Levin Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson is changing the city's position on ice machines and asked the planning board to look at the issue The board unanimously recommended that the City Council change the land development code to allow for ice machines he never had any problems with the machines in the county and believed the city's stance was punitive when you ask people where they're willing to go most everybody would say I'd love to get twice the amount for half the cost," Robinson said at his press conference Monday city staff explained to the council that any ice machine would have to be an accessory structure for a property and not the main use Councilwoman Sherri Myers said that would seem to limit where they could go I wouldn't have an expectation that these are just going to be popping up all over the place," Myers said The City Council must vote in favor again at its next meeting on the proposal before it goes into effect CivicCon celebrated 23 individuals and organizations on Monday for their work to make Pensacola and the surrounding area an even better community CivicCon is a partnership of the Pensacola News Journal and the Center for Civic Engagement with the aim of making our community a better place to live work and invest through smart planning and civic conversation CivicCon has hosted over 60 speaker events on topics ranging from how to protect the character of our neighborhoods to strategies for creating more affordable housing to ways to promote mental health among our teens The CivicCon Awards honor community members who live the ideas that are discussed on stage from volunteers who dedicate their weekends testing our local water quality to health care professionals making medical care more accessible for our most vulnerable citizens to neighborhood groups who serve by picking up trash and feeding their neighbors Here's a look at the awards and the winners: This historic piece of Pensacola’s music scene closed its doors in 2018, leaving a void for up-and coming local musicians and smaller acts. Kathy Sandstrom and her husband, Chris McKean, purchased the vacant building in 2019 and lovingly restored the venue and were able to "capture and modernize the essence of the legacy Handlebar and create an intimate and special music venue where they host live music multiple nights per week," said the person who nominated the venue for the award As ParsCo President and CEO, Fooladi has invested heavily in renovating historic buildings in the downtown area, his most recent project being the Motor Inn Station Number Two in Belmont-DeVilliers He’s played a significant role as general contractor in the renovation of several of the downtown’s most iconic buildings including Brent Lofts and the historic Marston Quina renovation which won the Excellence in Construction Eagle Award for Best Historical Renovation in Florida Environmental AwardKelly HagenKelly serves as president of Sanders Beach Neighborhood Association and works continuously on the remediation and reuse of the American Creosote Works site as a community park She also serves as vice chair of city’s Environmental Advisory Board where she advocates for urban forestry and proper tree placement as well as serves on the Canopy Committee of the Citizens Tree Canopy Restoration Project This group of citizens put together a proposal to the city of Pensacola for a grant of up to $5,500 to rebuild our city’s canopy by planting trees in the right-of-way or on private property The group brought together neighborhood associations service groups and civic associations to plant over 90 trees in 50 locations This group, led by Jon Shell, was founded in 2015 with the mission of securing funds and public support for a skatepark in Downtown Pensacola Upward Intuition raised the initial funds for the design of the skatepark and helped bring it to fruition through eight years of effort and advocacy Upward Intuition now hosts competitions and camps to bring skateboarding to a broader audience and nurtures advocates and leaders capable of spearheading similar projects in their own neighborhoods The signs line a sidewalk that is painted by volunteers These trails are made possible through the partnership of Be Ready Kids the Early Learning Coalition of Escambia County the Early Learning Coalition of Santa Rosa County and the Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners One nominator, City Councilman Jared Moore, had this to say about them, “Founded during the pandemic, EPHNA formed when a group of engaged proactive residents decided they wanted to make their neighborhood a better place." Working with the city of Pensacola and a pair of tree experts they planted 50-plus trees in East Pensacola Heights' Lion's Park They didn't stop with just helping their own neighborhood and have been awarded a new grant to plant more trees in other neighborhoods Along with addressing neighborhood issues such a speeding, the association also organized multiple successful community events Halloween parade and the Holiday Luminary Night They have also worked with Bike Pensacola to organize and promote a Slow Ride Pensacola in North Hill This event, which started in 2021, was originally based around just local food trucks but expanded to celebrate Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs in Pensacola The event strengthens the community by offering an opportunity to network and gain exposure for small businesses and the event has grown to over 700 participants and raised $40,000 to bring awareness to safer streets and youth programs CivicCon Volunteer AwardDelores ShreevesSince her first appearance at CivicCon in 2022 She can always be counted on to be on time you can find her volunteering at countless other community events Jose has been with CivicCon since the very beginning and is an exemplary volunteer Whether he’s helping us set up a complicated step-and-repeat or checking in CivicCon attendees Another CivicCon member who has been with the initiative from the beginning Jack is a familiar face to anyone who has attended CivicCon events He volunteers at CivicCon regularly and even participated in tree plantings and small group sessions over the years The CivicCon Founding Member AwardGerry and Leslie YandleThe Yandles are constantly striving to raise their civic IQ take notes and share information with friends and family on how we can improve our community She is “passionate about inclusion and accessibility of our communities for everyone” and is always thriving to take those lessons she learns at CivicCon to make our community more inclusive Jarah is a husband and father of five (soon to be six) who advocates for the power of walkable, bikeable and people-centric places to promote conviviality and well-being, physical and mental health, economic vitality, and ecological resilience. He is the driving force behind the Bluffline a grassroots initiative to reconnect Pensacola residents with their environment and each other by building a public greenway from the University of West Florida to the neighborhoods of West Pensacola Audrey Foss and Dylan Patterson of Young Citizens DevelopmentAudrey and Dylan are International Baccalaureate seniors at Pensacola High School who are on the mock trial team and have an interest in civic engagement They felt inspired to bring civic education to middle schoolers in Escambia County after seeing the tumultuous political climate we currently live in Their Young Citizens Development Program uses classroom education and an essay contest to teach students the importance of being active members of their community Together they are providing our young people a firm foundation on which they can help build a better community for all For more information about CivicCon events, principles and past award winners, visit pnj.com/civiccon or civiccon.org Political newcomers Jared Moore and Chris Phillips will advance to a November run-off for the Pensacola City Council District 4 race Peter Gaddy was the odd man out in the three-way race to represent Cordova Park East Pensacola Heights and parts of East Hill Phillips took 33 percent and Gaddy took 25 percent The race was a bit closer than the statistics make it seem however with 445 votes separating first and third place Moore, general manager of a family-owned industrial manufacturing business, attributed the outcome to good "You love when you work hard and you get to see the fruit of that labor manifest." the campaign was a low-key affair characterized by hyper local All three candidates are small business operators who stressed the importance of having better cooperation at city hall and strengthening the Cervantes Street economic corridor owner of multiple small businesses including a charter boat fleet earning about $29,000 in campaign contributions he said he was thrilled with the amount of support he received it was a much bigger turnout than I anticipated.” Phillips said he said his plan is to “keep beating the streets and doing the same thing I’ve been doing." the owner of a shoreline construction company rounded out the pack with about $15,000 The winner of the run-off in November will be the first new council member to represent in District 4 in a decade announced earlier this year he would not seek re-election The contest in District 4 race was the only Pensacola City Council race on the ballot Tuesday but there will be two council races in November Along with the race between Moore and Phillips candidates Butch Hansen and Ann Hill will square off for the District 6 seat Kevin Robinson can be reached at krobinson4@pnj.com and 850-435-8527 At least two public bus routes in Escambia County are on the chopping block and four others could see their service reduced made a presentation to the Escambia County Commission on Thursday and said Escambia County Area Transit is looking to cut the routes by October as part of its comprehensive operations analysis The two routes facing elimination are Route 59A between Pensacola Naval Air Station downtown and the Pensacola International Airport The two routes have the first and second lowest ridership of the system's 22 routes More: Paperwork delay costs ECAT union state certification to represent transit workers ECAT will hold several public input meetings throughout the summer and the recommendations could change based on public input The full list of proposed changes include: Quite a few new restaurants opened their doors this fall in Pensacola and northwest Florida in general while a handful of others had to close down.  here's a list of the openings and closures to occur since late September.  Pensacola residents longing for the elegant upscale dining affair provided by Jamie's Restaurant can now experience the reincarnated version of the legendary former Jamie's by visiting Alice's at 1504 W Alice's opened in October and boasts tantalizing entree items like the veal oscar, double-cut lamb chops, steak au poivre and more. Not to mention the full wine bar.  "I think people who have lived here for many years and are familiar with Jamie's I want them to know that's what they can compare the upscale dining room to," owner Alice Guy told the News Journal in March people still are seeking and looking for today."  Original Alice's story: Alice's Restaurant to bring fine dining and exquisite wines to Pensacola in May A staple of the East Pensacola Heights area Constant Coffee & Tea owners Jason and Phillip Switzer expanded their business by adding a downtown location at 11 Palafox Place.  the downtown Constant implemented turn-of-the-century inspired breakfasts and lunches into its business making it a full-service restaurant.  we're doing an oyster rarebit," Jason Switzer said to the News Journal in November Read more on Constant's opening: Constant Coffee & Tea expands to downtown Pensacola, will serve breakfast and lunch Fine dining with a casual feel is the mantra at Drift 12 on the floor above Casino Beach Bar & Grille on Pensacola Beach.  a full-service bar outside and as one could imagine a breathtaking view of the beach from Drift's perch at 41 Fort Pickens Road.  The seafood and meat-based menu offers everything from crudos and cottos to pastas to steaks and chops.  More on Drift's December opening: New restaurant Drift opens on Pensacola Beach with fine dining in a casual setting "Our goal was to take advantage of this beautiful landscape that we have overlooking Pensacola Beach and put together some prime steaks some fresh seafood and then put a modern twist on those with the cuisine," said Drift Director of Operations in Culinary John Lipkowit earlier this month Downtown's newest grab-and-go shop and small restaurant at 100 S Unit J prepares eight "staple" meals rotating weekly specials and unique protein breakfasts.  All meals are gluten-free and prepared fresh daily.  Customers can sign up for monthly and weekly subscription packages on the Healthy Coast from the website More on Healthy Coast: Healthy Coast Meals brings grab-and-go store, meal subscription service to Southtowne but Island Fish and Grits provides a similar concept with a Caribbean-inspired twist.  All fish at Island Fish and Grits is freshly hand-breaded and lightly fried to order Part-owner Mike Gray told the News Journal in November that he infused island-style cuisine with tried-and-true southern comfort food favorites Keep reading about the new west Pensacola restaurant: Island Fish and Grits in West Pensacola puts Caribbean twist on a southern favorite "We came up with our own recipe as to how we season our fish," Gray said we put a little bit of Caribbean seasoning in it Pensacola's first Korean barbecue style restaurant arrived in November and it offers all-you-can-eat lunch and dinner specials from its location at 6235 N Lunch is $17.99 per person and dinner is $25.99 per person Add-on options are available and each dinner comes with sides like kimchi Learn more about Let's Meat: Korean barbecue finally makes it way to Pensacola with new 'Let's Meat' restaurant The cook-it-yourself style restaurant offers variations of chicken pork belly and beef bulgogi cuts for lunch Utilizing the actual recipes of the owner's grandmother and you can also create your own pizza.  at the site of the former Paisano's Pizza.  Same owners planning entertainment complex: Nonie I's Restaurant and Pizzeria opens on West Navy, Xtreme Rush complex still planned tofu and quinoa bowls are on the menu at Pineapple Express Rice Bowls Suite 6, in the strip behind Carlton Palms Condos just north of the Seville Historic District Pineapple Express bowls start at $9 and rise in price depending on the protein and add-on choices Keeping the pineapple theme strong are the dessert-menu headliners: the pineapple soft-served ice cream and pineapple float. There are pineapple almond or coconut lattes and a long list of add-on items like the Tajín Mexican seasoning shredded coconut and multiple flavors of puree.  Read more on Pineapple Express: Pineapple Express Rice Bowls set to open on East Garden Street in downtown Pensacola Replacing the Louisiana Lunchbox at 7000 Pine Forest Road Suite A is Shannon's Seafood Kitchen.  Owner Shannon Kersey serves a rotating menu of daily lunch specials and a host of po' boy and fish meal options.  More on Shannon's: Shannon's Seafood Kitchen opening on Pine Forest Road in mid-November "My food is gonna be basically Southern-based type stuff Our primary thing is seafood here," Kersey told the News Journal in October The second northwest Florida area Sonny's opened in late October at 54115 U.S The barbecue chain restaurant occupies 6,601 square feet and brought 106 jobs to the area.  Pace gets a Sonny's: Sonny's BBQ opens its first location in Pace Both Burger Factory locations — at 6907 N Navy Blvd. — closed up shop in early October.  fast-casual burger restaurants specialized in gourmet burgers with unique ingredient combinations The owners couldn't be reached for comment at the time of the closure They thanked their supporters for four great years of business on Facebook at the time of the closures.  closed about four months after opening in October.  Part owner Martin Saybe admitted to some financial issues toward the end of the bar's brief tenure in Pensacola.  (we made) a lot of bad decisions and we started losing a lot of money and fell way behind," Saybe said in October "We are currently looking for something smaller and more controllable."  O'Charley's O'Charley's Davis Highway location in late September.  O'Charley's operates more than 200 restaurants across 17 states. Serving up American food with a southern flair since 1971, the chain reported sales of $469.2 million for the 2018 fiscal year. That figure was down from $498.1 million in the prior year, according to The Nation's Restaurant News' Top 200 census Jarah Jacquay was standing in Bay Bluffs Park off Scenic Highway on a warm spring morning as he talked about an ambitious public greenway project in Pensacola that is picking up support locally and statewide. It’s called the Bluffline a project that’s been talked about for years multi-use path stretching from Scenic Heights in East Pensacola to the Jackson Lakes/Warrington area of West Pensacola," said Jacquay Support Local Stories. Donate Here Jarah Jacquay is the president of Bluffline Inc. a nonprofit started last year by a small group of community advocates He sees the Bluffline as a unifying concept tying together several city and county projects already in varying stages of development “Starting from the east, we have the Scenic Highway multi-use path that FDOT is in the planning phases (of) we’ve already done a feasibility study," said Jacquay pointing down the hill towards Pensacola Bay “Once we hop over into East Hill, the city has been working on a waterfront framework plan that would take us from the Pensacola Bay Bridge past the ECUA property and Bruce Beach,” said Jacquay That’s where the city’s current planning terminates wants to continue the project along the Jackson Street corridor where Escambia County and the city of Pensacola are jointly working on the Reimagine Jackson Street project “That’s really the project that’s in the earliest phase of development," said Jacquay “They just started soliciting public input and seeing what neighborhood residents want and need in that area But what I’m trying to emphasize is that the Bluffline is an effort to knit together several projects that are already in development and in different stages of the planning process.” The idea for the Bluffline is not unique to Pensacola There are similar projects in urban and rural areas across the country “We have some fantastic multi-use trails at Blackwater State Park the Blackwater Heritage Trail in Milton," said Jacquay “Over in Baldwin County you have the Gulf State Park trail system But we are more modeling this project on the Beltline Project in Atlanta the High Line Project in New York to a certain extent Because those trails go through urban areas and they’ve been strategic from the very beginning in making sure that the public achieves a return on investment that’s not just quality of life — although that’s hugely important — but that there’s an economic impact to the broader community (and) that there are positive environmental impacts So we are trying to take a page out of their playbooks.” The Bluffline project is still just a concept but one that Jacquay and his group is looking to guide along for as long as it takes “The biggest success stories have had strong advocacy groups and public sector engagement over a many year process to keep moving things forward," said Jacquay and to make sure that all the various public sector stakeholders involved continue to communicate with one another “We are still very early on in building our capacity in that regard very talented people step up to the plate and volunteer their services.” Some of those volunteers are skilled urban planners and transportation engineers who have worked on similar projects across the country and want to see this one succeed is currently building a team to do the legwork necessary to coordinate with the various governmental agencies involved in make this project happen “Our two biggest goals right now — one would be to support the city’s efforts on Main Street to make sure that the facilities that are built are safe and comfortable for cyclists and pedestrians from (ages) 8 to 80," said Jacquay “Because that’s the crucial middle portion of the trail and that will be built most likely in the next year or two “The second goal right now would be to move the Scenic Highway portion of the trail on to the next phase," he added "We received really wonderful news in April that this section of the trail has been finally added to the Florida Greenways and Trail Map What that means is that the state recognizes this as an important corridor to allocate resources to.” The current proposed route of the Bluffline begins at Chimney Park travels southwest along the Scenic Bay Bluffs corridor and then merges downtown with the Pensacola Waterfront Framework Plan before continuing west through Brownsville and Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors who represents District 4 including Cordova Park East Pensacola Heights and part of East Hill Johnson made the announcement in a press release Tuesday afternoon “It has been an honor and a privilege to serve my neighbors on the city council,” Johnson said in the release it’s time for me to pass the torch to a new generation.” led the effort to reduce the size of the City Council and pushed for a domestic partner registry before same-sex marriages were legalized.  Johnson said the city's progress in recent years was thanks to business and community leaders as well as the City Council and Mayor Ashton Hayward More: Pensacola City Council will weigh whether next mayor should get 25 percent pay raise But he added that "one or two council members have lost sight of their mission and place self-interest and political vendettas ahead of the greater good." “I am disappointed at the dysfunction and disorder at which has so often paralyzed this council over the past few years,” Johnson said “I hope that current and future city council members will set aside political squabbles and instead place the needs of our citizens at the center of everything they do.”  The only candidate to file for the District 4 seat so far is newcomer Jared Moore To provide our community with important public safety information, the Pensacola News Journal is making stories related to the coronavirus free to read. To support important local journalism like this, please consider becoming a digital subscriber.  Escambia County Area Transit is moving its bus routes to a modified schedule and  limiting each bus to no more than 10 people in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus Starting Monday and continuing through April 14 weekday bus routes will run on a modified schedule that mirrors ECAT's holiday schedule with the final routes departing ECAT and downtown at 6 p.m The same modified schedule will run Saturdays The following routes will be temporarily suspended until further notice: 60 and 63 will continue to operate modified schedule service Monday through Saturday UWF Express Trolley will also continue service Monday through Saturday Buses will be limited to transporting 10 people and encourage staggered seating Additional vehicles will be dispatched to ensure all passengers are picked up and complying with the 10-person limit Daily cleaning and disinfecting of ECAT vehicles and stations will continue Call ECAT Customer Service at 850-595-3228 with questions Escambia County Community Transportation will temporarily suspend all paratransit services after 7 p.m through April 14. All medical necessary trips will be honored All expired eligibility will be extended for 90 days In-person eligibility interviews will be rescheduled or completed over the phone Call ECCT Customer Service at 850-595-0501 if you need assistance.  When one door closed for renowned Pensacola chef Gus Silivos another door — one that had been right under his nose for a decade — opened up.  Agapi Bistro + Garden opened for breakfast lunch and dinner service last month at 555 Scenic Highway the former location of Nancy's Catering & Events Silivos and his crew moved Nancy's operations into a next-door warehouse on Scenic Highway Nancy's will no longer offer gourmet-to-go full-time but will still operate as a year-round catering business that brings back its gourmet-to-go options during holidays.  Nothing has or will change at Silivos' Scenic 90 Cafe.  Saying goodbye to Skopelos after 61 years in PensacolaIn September Hurricane Sally struck the Skopelos property at 600 S so hard that spending out of pocket to repair the severe damage just wasn't a sensible option for Silivos who was the longtime executive chef and director of operations at the iconic restaurant.  it was based on banquets as well as the restaurant," Silivos said "And to spend the amount of money that was needed to come back versus the inability to hold banquet functions of that scale just made it rather difficult to figure out." Skopelos had been a division of the New World Inn hotel since the restaurant reopened in early 2016 following a seven-year closure that began in 2009.  The gourmet restaurant had been in Silivos' family since 1959 Its original location was on Cervantes Street and its niche back then was that of a modest breakfast restaurant.  "The first location on Cervantes was ideal because there was no interstate at that time," Skopelos owner and head chef Gus Silivos told the News Journal in 2019 "Across the street was a motel — different from a hotel because they don't have a restaurant — so we became the restaurant for that place So people would have breakfast (at Skopelos) Skopelos and all of its rich history didn't get to go out on ideal terms His idea to launch Agapi started forming late last year It was a double-faceted idea for the longtime chef as Silivos wasn't ready to stop sharing his culinary expertise in a restaurant setting He also felt responsible to look after his Skopelos staff many of whom were facing unemployment.  Kindness by the slice: East Hill Pizza launches 'Pizza Pay It Forward' coupon program Thai on North Davis:Thai Rice family-owned restaurant opens in place of The Simple Greek New food trucks to try: New Vietnamese food truck, two new Mexican trucks begin their journeys in Pensacola I was thinking of the staff," Silivos said "Even though we were displaced with the hurricane my hope at first was to remodel and come back Many employees had been with me since day one sous chef and head event planner from Skopelos over to Agapi with him He said he was able to retain a number of other employees whose services were dispersed across Silivos' trio of Scenic Highway businesses.  The property at New World Inn that formerly housed Skopelos will be absorbed into a venue that will revert back to its prior name of New World Landing it will be available to book for private events "Sometimes you just have to look at options New World Inn part owner Jim Homyak could not be reached for comment Friday by the News Journal.  Some tweaks were made to both the interior and exterior design of the unmistakable blue building on Scenic Highway this winter to transform it into Silivos' new 60-seat the Greek word for "love," serves Silivos' trademark Mediterranean-based fare with a light neighborhood touch to reflect the area and the vibe You don't have to dress up to dine at Agapi but every dish on the menu is dress-up quality.  'What is in this neighborhood that is offered?' Silivos said while explaining Agapi's backstory and birth in East Pensacola Heights and does what it does for a home-style cook But there was nothing really that offered a little bit more of an upscale meal that people sometimes look for whether it's in the downtown area or up in the Cordova Mall area and the biggest response I have gotten when I tell people what we're doing here is Silivos is aiming for dining versatility at Agapi He sees Agapi as the kind of establishment where friends can casually catch up over a charcuterie board a plate of oysters or an octopus agapi appetizer at lunch as well as where you can reserve a table at 7 p.m on a Friday and order five-course meals centered around Silivos' duck trio or herb-crusted lamb rack entrees.  but there will be elements of it at Agapi," Silivos said "We'll do things here that are more in tune of a leisurely-type environment one of the items we have here is the Skopelitiki Pita.It's known throughout Greece But it's basically a dough that's rolled out that has some olive oil and some feta "So we go from there to something that's a little more detailed like a lamb rack that has other elements and ingredients that highlight that dish We're not just tied into a fine-dining type of environment Another fixture at Agapi will be Saturday brunch diners can enjoy a rangy brunch menu that splices in plenty of vegetarian and vegan options.  which is a vegetarian baked puff pastry filled with woodland mushrooms Guests can either enjoy their meals inside the 32-seat restaurant or feel the breeze in Agapi's 25-seat outdoor courtyard area A 14-person private enclosed seating area is also available for bookings.  Silivos and his team have carried over some special concepts from Skopelos and will also infuse new event ideas intended to engage the surrounding neighborhood.  I even will have something that will be different in the area which is to have a cooking grill outside to do some dishes," Silivos said "How many times in the neighborhood do you go 'I wonder what the neighbors are cooking?' It will be a literal open kitchen on the outdoors."  Agapi Bistro + Garden is open six days a week with split hours Finding things to do with your dog or other leashed pet used to be a difficult task Most restaurants or bars didn't want anything to do with them places are much more relaxed — and online crowd-sourced review platforms like Yelp even offer helpful pet-friendly tags for the discerning pet owner.  Pensacola has historically been a pro-dog city nearly every restaurant with a patio lets dogs hang while their human eats or has a drink And dog parks will always be some of the best places to hang out with your dog offer places for your dog to swim off-leash while others are a little more restrictive.  Pet hoarding: Newest pet hoarding case raises alarms from Panhandle animal service professionals 'I'm so damn proud of y'all': SR Commissioners thank community for help on 70-dog rescue case Below is a pretty comprehensive list of local dog parks and bars and restaurants that are pet-friendly that doesn't mean they don't have space for your pet — feel free to call ahead and ask.  Dog parks in PensacolaPerdido Key River Road Dog ParkWhere: 14484 River Road The Perdido Key River Road Dog Park is a smaller park but is one of the few places that have separate areas for large and small breeds The Beulah Regional Dog Park is part of the larger Beulah Regional Park making it a great stop for families with pets The dog park has two fenced-in areas that allow them to free roam One of the areas has agility equipment for pups to run and jump There is shade available at both sections with seating You'll need to provide your own water at this park across the street from North Galvez Court and just before Park East Pets aren't allowed on the main parts of Pensacola Beach but there are two designated dog parks to the east and west Both parks are on-leash only and are fairly small Plastic bags and receptacles are on site but water isn't available.  If you're looking for a place where your dog can have a swim without a leash then the Bayview Dog Park and Beach are the places for you There is a 1-acre fenced-in dog park located directly on the beach letting dogs enter and exit the water whenever they like There are picnic tables on the sand and beneath trees for shade There is a separate dog park for dogs to free roam without the beach Water bowls and showers are available but you'll want to bring your own fresh water Where: Shoreline Drive and Colley Cove Drive The Shoreline Bark Park is a great place to stop on those park days with the kids This park on Shoreline Drive is smaller but provides separate sections for large and small breeds Fresh water and disposable bags are provided at the park.  Where: Along Scenic Highway in eastern Pensacola The Pensacola Bay Bluffs is another great place to take your dog where land meets sea The bluffs feature wooded walkways and rest areas that run parallel to Scenic Highway they'll lead you down to a shore along Pensacola Bay where you can walk with your leashed dog Blackwater Heritage State TrailWhere: 5533 Alabama St. The Blackwater Heritage State Trail is a 19-mile out-and-back trail near Milton The nine miles of paved trail offer a trip through the historic side of Milton running out into the countryside and crossing bridges and creeks Dogs are welcome on leashes no longer than 6-feet long Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park is the perfect hike with a view The 4,000-acre preserve is home to four species of endangered pitcher plants plus other rare and endangered plant species Dogs are allowed at the preserve on leashes no longer than 6 feet.  The Big Lagoon State Park is a getaway for people and wildlife alike It's also home to over 23 species of wood-warbler and a variety of ducks Pets are allowed in designated areas at Big Lagoon as the county prohibits pets on the beaches and waterways A quick note: Please assume that dog-friendly seating is patio-only unless otherwise stated A lot of movement is afoot with two popular downtown Pensacola businesses synonymous with wine.  Ian Kaple, owner of both the Wine Bar and the Bottle Shop is expanding both business concepts in the next six weeks with plans to open a second Wine Bar restaurant on Bayou Boulevard as well as a new Bottle Shop retail store and tasting room in East Hill on 12th Avenue.  The expansions have been in the works for well over a year who is pleased that the hunt for the locations of his new businesses is behind him The second Bottle Shop in East Hill will be located at 2704 N The second Wine Bar will be at 4400 Bayou Blvd. the longtime owner of East Hill Hardware & Supply at 2702 N and the building next door to it at 2704 N said last week that he is "semi-retiring." The "semi" side of that equation entails closing his hardware store but continuing as owner of the properties of the incoming new Bottle Shop location in East Hill We'll do weekly wine tastings and it'll just be an extension of the Bottle Shop brand that's been open on Baylen Street since 2015."  Kaple's expansion into East Hill doesn't end when the Bottle Shop is uncorked and opened in mid-September The Pensacola entrepreneur said that a restaurant concept — separate from the Wine Bar — will replace the hardware store by the spring of 2022.  ►Former Calvert's building filled: Black Sheep Tavern and Sports Pub to open in East Pensacola Heights later this summer ►Jerry's is back! Jerry's Drive-In reopens with tweaks, asks Pensacola for patience "In early 2022 will be a yet-to-be-named restaurant space in the hardware store," Kaple said last week "There's not much more to reveal about it at this time."  Kaple said he's been contemplating expansion into the area for some time.  "My daughter goes to Sacred Heart in East Hill I drive that 12th Avenue drive twice a day," Kaple said "I've been looking for a location here for about three years." He added that he's excited to add to the close-knit community vibe of East Hill with the Bottle Shop.  "I want to really be a neighborhood shop that benefits everyone near it," Kaple said "It's going to have a great neighborhood feel to it."  The second Wine Bar location is also targeting a mid-September opening date when it opens in the former Deli Case building in a Cordova Square plaza strip.  Kaple said the new Wine Bar will be a direct reflection of the original downtown version, both in menu and ambiance.  there's really no independent restaurateurs over there besides O'Brien's Bistro With the new hospital over there and all the new medical facilities Kaple said he purchased the building in August 2020.  The Wine Bar on Palafox is renowned for its extensive wine menu The new Wine Bar will seat 150 people with 65 of those seats being placed outdoors The outdoor seating space will be a new addition to the building and is part of Kaple's extensive renovation process.  "We're going on 12 years of running the Wine Bar on Palafox and with the overcrowding of downtown I've opted to move that same concept to the mall area," he said The original Wine Bar on Palafox can be visited at 16 Palafox Place.  It isn't too taxing to track down a delicious burger But when you're in diet mode or in the mood for something truly healthy and all-natural On Feb. 8, SuperBowls & Smoothies on East Nine Mile Road made health-food hunting a little easier in Pensacola by opening with its straightforward menu of açaí pitaya and green bowls and smoothies free of added or processed sugars.  "We came up with the recipes," said Amanda Thomason, who owns the new restaurant and smoothie bar at 1055 E. Nine Mile Road, Unit C, along with her husband, Jake. "I used to follow the (City Bowls South) food truck around but there's not a brick-and-mortar location that specializes in the açaí bowls there's not a freestanding location in Pensacola."  Thomason's commute to her other day job spans three states and she had a hard time finding spots to feed her self-professed "addiction" to açaí bowls we're kind of behind the eight ball on some of this stuff," she said Wednesday, pointing to her menu New breakfast spot coming to Cervantes: Aunt Katie's Welcome to Breakfast restaurant coming to East Pensacola Heights on Cervantes Nine Mile getting a Chipotle: Pensacola Chipotle to take over Schlotzky's property on East Nine Mile Road All below calorie counts are based on 16-ounce servings.   "It's also known as dragon fruit," Amanda Thomason said of the pitaya "The smoothies are made with fresh fruit," Jake Thomason said.  so even the bananas are fresh every day," Amanda Thomason added "We offer two different sized smoothies and then we have kind of like the base of the bowls in the smoothie form. So we have the açaí pitaya or green base in the smoothies as well Mardi Gras is upon us: Pensacola Grand Mardi Gras Parade 2020: Everything you need to know "There's two (UWF) students who have been here every day since we've opened," Jake Thomason said "And I have several others that I've seen almost every day SuperBowls & Smoothies is open seven days a week Customers can order ahead by phone for pickup or curbside pickup The restaurant has a couple of tables outside in its dog-friendly outdoor area They also offer 10% discounts to first responders Jake Newby can be reached at jnewby@pnj.com or 850-435-8538.