Big fun for the little ones at the National Naval Aviation Museum

The National Naval Aviation Museum that has entertained Pensacola visitors and locals for years now has a brand new activity area just for the little ones. Upon this aircraft carrier deck, there are not only slides, ramps, poles and rope ladders; kids actually get the experience of being aboard a ship with buttons that make ship noises and plasma screens with “views.” They can see through look-out holes and telescopes, play captain as they use the steering wheel and man the mock control panels.

This new addition makes it easy for the whole family to enjoy the National Naval Aviation Museum. Big kids can ride the simulator while the parents watch the little guys at the aircraft carrier playground. (view Kid's Carrier flickr set)

Stay tuned as the official name of the new playground is revealed after a child’s winning entry of the name contest has been chosen. 

For more information on the kid carrier and other exhibits the National Naval Aviation Museum has to offer, visit www.navalaviationmuseum.org, or call (850) 452-3604.

 

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The Race to 1559

Follow Pensacola on twitter

Will you help us in our race to 1559 on twitter? Connect with Pensacola Florida on twitter. It's fun, free and easy. We're trying to get 1559 followers by our birthday celebration on August 15, 2009 which commemorates our 450th anniversary and discovery of Pensacola Florida, by Spanish explorer Don Tristan de Luna.

You may notice that our twitter updates may contain this (#raceto1559). This is called a hashtag. It's used to follow a specific topic of discussion. In our case we'll be using it in our updates to help us get to 1559 followers by our birthday.We're hoping to make some new friends. Make sure to use the hashtag in your tweet!

**update: (Number of followers July 23, 2009. 1471. Announcement posted on Facebook)We made it to 1559 followers! July, 31, 2009, 8:18 p.m.

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Start your engines and head to Fast Eddie's

You’re invited to party and play at Fast Eddie’s Fun Center to celebrate its 20th birthday. On Aug. 5 and 6 from 4-9 p.m., unlimited rides on the go-kart track and rounds of mini-golf are available for $10 per person. Inside the arcade, the entire family can play games such as skee-ball, pool, basketball and more while collecting tickets to cash in for prizes. Kids will also love playing waterwars with water balloon launchers, and older siblings can test their speed at the SuperKart Speedway. Celebrate with Fast Eddie’s this summer…VROOM! (http://fasteddiesfunctr.com)

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Expert Blogger: Grilled Gulf Shrimp Recipe

Submitted by Gus Silivos, Skopelos on the Bay chef and Pensacola Celebrity Chef (www.myskopelos.com)

I first want to thank all of you for your recent support and encouragement. The entire Skopelos family truly appreciates the thoughts and prayers of our community as we near a resolution. We would love for you to share your personal Skopelos stories online to www.myskopelos.com, and hope you will join us before the end of August for a few more lasting memories.

Today, my recipe keeps it local. The Grilled Gulf Shrimp on a Bayside Blue Potato Cake utilizes fresh, local ingredients available in and around our beautiful city. We all know where Gulf shrimp comes from, and the delicious Bayside Blue cheese hails direct from nearby Elberta, Alabama’s Sweet Home Farm. You can also find it, along with many other cheeses, around the corner at our new shop – Nancy’s Haute Affairs. Toast to our local resources and enjoy! You can find more of my recipes on www.PensacolaCelebrityChefs.com.

Grilled Gulf Shrimp recipe word doc (file size 39.0 KB)

Grilled Gulf Shrimp on Bayside Blue Potato Cake

Potato Cake

• 1 each 11oz. baking potato
• 1 ½ oz. Bayside Blue
• 1 each green onion, chopped thin
• 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
• To taste kosher salt and pepper
• 1egg yolk, lightly beaten
• ½ cup flour
• 5 tbsp. Canola oil
• 1 tsp. chives, finely minced for garnish

Place potato in pot and cover by 1 inch of water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 25-30 minutes until easily pierced with knife. Drain. Cool slightly and remove skin. Place in bowl. Break into pieces and mash. Add onion, parsley, cheese. Mix to combine. Season to taste. Fold in egg yolk. Divide mixture into four equal portions and shape each into a cake. Refrigerate for one hour or longer to stiffen mixture. Heat sauté pan. Add canola oil. Add cakes and cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove to paper towels and keep warm.

Horseradish Sauce

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp. Horseradish (prepared)
• To taste Kosher salt and pepper
• To taste lemon juice

Add cream to sauce pan. Simmer and reduce by a third. Add horseradish and stir well. Place sauce in blender and puree until smooth. Strain sauce through strainer and return to sauce pan. Season to taste with salt pepper and lemon juice. Keep warm.

Grilled Shrimp

• 12 large (10/12 size) Gulf shrimp with heads
• 1 tsp Olive Oil
• To taste Kosher salt and pepper

Reheat Grill. Peel, devein and remove antennas from shrimp. Leave heads on. Toss shrimp in a bowl with oil, salt and pepper. Place on grill and cook until firm (4 to 6 min). Remove and serve.

To assemble, place one cake on the center of plate. Stack three shrimp on top of each cake. Drizzle sauce. Garnish with chives. Enjoy!

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UFOs, aliens and spaceships... oh my!

With alien invasions and UFOs hovering in the sky, Pensacola is considered to be part of the UFO capital of the world. Come aboard the Five Flags Trolley as an intergalactic stewardess leads the way through a tour filled with UFO sightings and up-close and personal aliens. Aluminum foil hats will be provided to protect your mind from being controlled by aliens.

Watch your kids’ faces light up as they catch a glimpse of a space ship and witness aliens. The first stop is the home of Ed Walters who claimed to have several alien encounters at his Gulf Breeze residence. Next, you will travel to Shoreline Park where hundreds of alien sightings have been reported. Finally, you’ll land at the flying saucer house on Pensacola Beach where kids will enjoy snacking on food from the Romulan Star Empire.

Bring the whole family down to the Pensacola Bay Area Visitor’s Information Center at 1401 E. Gregory St. to board the trolley at 8 p.m. Tours last two hours and are $20 for adults and $5 for children 10 and younger.

Call the Five Flags Trolley Company at (850) 435-0914 or visit the Five Flags Trolley Web site for further information or to make your reservations.

Upcoming tour dates:

August	1,8,15,22,29
September	5

 

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Local Bars Get Accolades

The Pensacola Bay Area’s bars are getting national attention this month in several publications. The legendary Flora-Bama bar in Perdido Key was featured in Men’s Health and USA Today. The roadhouse bar, which straddles the Florida-Alabama line on the Gulf of Mexico, is famous for its annual Mullet Toss where attendees throw a fish across the state line. USA Today also listed the Sandshaker among Florida’s top beach bars. The Pensacola Beach hangout is known for inventing the bushwacker, the frozen, chocolately adult beverage enjoyed by locals and tourists each summer. Florida Trend named Downtown Pensacola’s 600 South wine and tapas bar among one of Florida’s finest bars. The trendy spot serves a variety of martinis, wine and creative small plates. Cheers to these area businesses—we raise our glasses to you!

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Five Days of Family Fun

Welcome to the Pensacola Bay Area, where the sun is shining, kids are laughing and families are happy. Here is a schedule your family can follow for a great five days of summer.

Monday

• Spend the day at Perdido Key State Park where you can surf, skim board and bird watch.
• Head over to Big Lagoon State Park where you can enjoy a picnic and camp overnight

Tuesday

• See the famous Blue Angels practice.
• Visit the National Naval Aviation Museum and check out an IMAX® film.
• Take a tour of Fort Barrancas

Wednesday

• Head to Pensacola Beach and build sandcastles in our sugar-white sand. You can even bring some poles and try fishing off of the pier.
• Enjoy dinner at Flounder's Chowder House, while the kids play on the beach-side playground.
• After dinner, stroll Portofino Boardwalk's shops.

Thursday

• Visit the Edward Ball Nature Preserve Trail where you can hike, walk or jog the University of West Florida's 1,600 acre nature preserve.
• Cool off on Sam's Fun City water slides, and play a variety of games the family will enjoy.
• Still have energy? Bring a picnic to Evenings in Olde Seville Square for live music.

Friday

• Explore artwork, artifacts, antique photographs and a hands-on discovery gallery for kids at the T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum.
• Then explore your artistic side at the Pensacola Museum of Art.
• Relax Downtown for Friday Family Flicks at Palafox Pier.

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Expert Blogger: Could Someone Crank on the A/C?

Submitted by Council Vaughan, veteran lifeguard at Pensacola Beach. (www.pensacolabeachlifeguards.com)

Hot, bright and sandy. That’s a fairly accurate description of our work conditions, which means the beach is in full swing. Man, it gets packed out here with literally thousands of visitors every weekend. If you haven’t made it to the beach this summer you’ve got to check it out. Just be sure to leave before noon to avoid traffic on the bridges.

It’s been a good summer for the guards. We’ve gone more than a month with just green flags flying. This leaves us with plenty of time to do other things such as chores and physical training. In fact, every weekend morning Senior Lifeguard Andrew runs us through competitions. This past Saturday we played Beach Flags, which is a cross between musical chairs and suicidal sprinting.

Also, the junior lifeguards, or "smurfs" because of their blue trunks, just finished their first session. For three weeks, these teens braved the elements, survived grueling exercises and sharpened their rescue skills as they learned everything from basic rescue techniques to advanced medical care. The smurfs marked their graduation by jumping off the pier, completing a series of rescues and taking a written exam. They’re going to be awesome guards when they grow up.

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Expert Blogger: An Awesome USS Oriskany Dive

Submitted by Eilene Beard with Scuba Shack (www.scubashackpensacola.com)

Summer has definitely hit, and the water is getting warmer and clear. I dove just the other day, and The Big O had better than 100-plus visibility with incredible sea life revealing itself to us. The overwhelming size of the conning tower is awesome to see — it is like a giant underwater jungle gym providing habitat for all types of sea life. The octopus and arrow crabs have definitely found their homes in various hideouts with lots of tropical fish swimming around. The butterflies and blennies are my favorite, but angels, damselfish and others are right in there as well. I know the spear fishermen really like those nice grouper, amberjack and snapper just tantalizing their desires, but they are illusive. I think it’s funny how the barracuda just hang out looking like demons. They sit there opening and closing their mouths like they are saying, “I am going to eat you,” but in reality, they are only pushing water through their mouth to breathe. They really are like big house cats and can easily be frightened away. The fellowship on the boat with hotdogs and ice cream really topped the day off. An awesome dive and fun was the name of the game! Wishing happy diving for everyone!

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