If you’ve been wondering where that HUGE BP settlement money for Panama City Beach has and will go, you definitely want to make this Tuesday’s meeting. Up for discussion: BP Marketing Grant Plan and the Fall Concert Series ad well as the overall use of the BP claim settlement.
Download the AGENDA here.
Holy Fantastical Giveaway Extravaganza! Cox Pools has lost their mind!!! In celebration of their HUGE Grand Opening event, they’re throwing an enormous party with tons of cool things and a mega-giveaway. Cox Pools has been around for a long time in Northwest Florida and has long been considered the authority in pool construction, cleaning, supplies and backyard paradisiacal creation.
They are giving away a brand new Vita Spa, Kamado Joe Ceramic Grill and a Polaris 280 Automatic Pool Cleaner. To enter, go to their Facebook page, Facebook.com/CoxPools, click on the tab labeled “Huge Giveaway” on the left, and enter your email address on the form.
Hint: you have to have Liked the page to see the form and you must be present to win.
Grand Prize – Vita 4-Person Spa [$4200 value]
The grand prize is an amazing Vita Spa from the Cooperage line. This awesome spa features a sweet combination of barrier-free seating and a comfortable corner, bucket seat. This spa is also interior doorway compatible, allowing indoor AND outdoor use. This spa is valued at $4200, it’s brand new and it’s really awesome.
2nd Place Prize – Kamado Joe Ceramic Grill [$800 value]
This awesome ceramic grill from Kamado Joe is the pinnacle of outdoor grilling awesomeness. Everything you put in this amazing grill is sure to be the most tasty and delicious delicacy you’ve ever sunk your teeth in. Have you heard of The Big Green Egg grill? This is essentially the same thing, just different brand. This grill is valued at $800. I’ve heard this grill makes the best food you can make over an open fire (or coals).
3rd Place Prize – Polaris 280 Auto Pool Cleaner [$1000 value]
This is the best of the best when it comes to automatic pool cleaners. One of Cox Pools’ most popular models, the 280 is compact, reliable and VERY good at what it does. They say they are giving this one away because “we know you’ll be happy with it for years to come.” This pool cleaner is valued at $1000 and is considered the gold-standard in automatic pool cleaners.
Cox Pools is re-opening their showroom in Panama City Beach. This showroom will be where you can go to get everything you need to make your backyard paradise. In their showroom they’ll have a huge supply of patio furniture, grills, decorations and other things to make your backyard awesome. In addition, you’ll be able to go there to shop for a new pool, pool cleaning supplies, accessories and decking.
The giveaway is to get you there June 18th for the Grand Opening event.
Of course, the giveaway is great, but what’s going on during the event?
Three workshops where the pros teach you:
At the end of each workshop, they’ll give away the prize that’s associated with that workshop.
This is from the Cox Pools Facebook page.
When: June 18th, 2011
Where: Cox Pools Showroom – 12216 Panama City Beach Parkway (Back Beach Road), 32407
What to bring: Yourself, swim trunks, empty tummy (for lunch), desire to WIN
Cost: NOTHING – It’s free!
Water Chemistry 101 – 10:30 am – 30 minutes
In this riveting workshop, we’re going to teach you all the tips and tricks you need to know in order to keep your pool or spa’s water chemicals in tip-top shape. Having the correct balance of chemicals ensures you can use your pool when YOU want to, not when nature directs.
Awesome Grilling in a Ceramic Grill – 11:15 am – 30 minutes
You’re neighbors, The Jones, have one, you’ve read about them in Backyard Magazine, you’ve dreamt of one since last summer and you’d love to have one this summer. In this workshop we’re going to show you everything you need to know in order to grill up delicious, juicy meals in one of the most popular grills ever made. On the menu is a grilled pizza (yea, I know, it’s gonna be amazing).
How to Keep your Spa Like-New – 1 pm – 30 minutes
You’ve seen it before, you’ve heard the horror stories. Your friend gets an amazing new spa, something went wrong, they didn’t take care of it and it was never the same again. In this simple workshop, we’re going to show you everything you need to know in order to keep your spa in like-new condition for as long as you own it.
Every summer you look forward to it: chillin’ with friends, fresh salty breeze on your face, kids laughing and smooth tunes emanate from the amphitheater. The 11 week summer Pier Park Concerts in the Park series begins tonight with Beach Mice.
The summer concert series is on Thursday evenings and starts at 7 pm. They usually break about 8 pm for prizes and giveaways, the resume playing until around 9 pm. In the past, they’ve rarely cancelled a show.
The series is located at the Aaron Bessant Park amphitheater. Aaron Bessant park is adjacent to Pier Park – on the west side of the property. Just follow the cars, music and people.
June 2 – Beach Mice
June 9 – Rollin in the Hay
June 16 – Suite Caroline
June 23 – Boukou Groove
June 30 – Lee Griffin Band
July 7 – Heritage
July 14 – Heartbeat City
July 21 – Kevin Jacobs Band with Terry Brock
July 28 – Eric Lindell
August 4 – Bonerama
August 11 – Eric Heatherly
Thousands of families make their way each year, to the 27 miles of white-sand beaches of Panama City Beach, Florida. It should come as no surprise, then, that when those families’ return home, a little part of Panama City Beach is always in the back of their mind.
Now, thanks to a variety of enterprising Panama City Beach businesses, vacationers can satisfy their craving for a daily-dose of the “world’s most beautiful beaches”. Hotels, bars, restaurants, and even nightclubs are now broadcasting live, 24/7 video streams showcasing the natural beauty of Panama City Beach.
One example is the Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort; a family-friendly hotel located directly on the beach. “We’ve had a lot of positive feedback from guests staying with us now, as well as those with reservations for later in the year”, said Patrick Hazard, general manager of the resort. “It’s another great opportunity to entertain our guests even when they aren’t here staying with us”.
If the old adage is true, and a picture really is worth a thousand words, the value of live video cannot be underestimated. With the summer season almost underway, and many local business owners hoping for a successful year – initiatives like these can only help drive tourism to the area.
Our Summer in the City Series is all about new and exciting things you can spend the summer enjoying. From one end of Panama City to the other, we’ll bring you all that the city has to offer
World-renowned jazz bass player, Steve Gilmore says, “There is nowhere like this in the area.”
Gilmore moved to Panama City permanently years ago when his health and the health of his wife started to be “iffy.” He has played with jazz greats such as Tony Bennett, the Phil Woods Orchestra and George Coleman. Now, the Gilmore’s weekly routine includes the Wednesday night Jazz Jam at Zachary’s American Grill. While Steve plays with a host of local musicians, his wife Shirley snuggles into a plush couch and kicks up her feet with a close friend to listen as the smooth jazz fills the room.
Enjoy unique comfort food in one of downtown Panama City’s most enchanting digs. This place feels like several of the spunky restaurants from the New Orleans’ vieux carre, the French Quarter, blended into one fun hangout. Rooms don a variety of accoutrements showcasing a different genre and vibe for each eating space: Bohemian, Middle Eastern, country backyard, college bar, jazz digs.
Whether it’s a hamburger, an authentic Cuban sandwich, Tex-Mex Meatloaf or a Bangkok Salad, Zachary’s has a snack, lunch or evening meal for you. Zachary’s is a place Earnest Hemingway would have frequented, stopping by several times a week for a Cubano Frenchie and a cold beer. If you know anything about Hemingway, he rather enjoyed a good meal and was known to stay in a place he loved for beer…after beer…after beer. At Zachary’s, friends shake hands and place their order for Loaded Fries in the sultry lighting of the aged downtown PC building.
Named after owner Karen’s son Zachary, a Marine stationed in North Carolina in sniper school, Zachary’s American Grill has been in our community since 2009. The restaurant started on Harrison Avenue and has since moved to their current location on Grace Avenue. Owners Cody and Karen Biggs are pleased to be in downtown Panama City and are encouraged to see the local businesses thrive and grow.
The Biggs’ recently loosened up their menu to bring more sandwiches and snacks with reasonable prices in a struggling economy. Cody says the fare of Zachary’s is “down right American.” He hopes that people do not see the bridge as a barrier and take a chance on his restaurant.
My good friend Ashlee said it is much more fun to call appetizers “appe-teasers.” I totally get this reference after enjoying the starters at Zachary’s. Whether you are in the mood for Thai, Italian, Cajun or the simplicity of Americana cuisine, there is a taste bud tantalization for you. A truly sinful delight, Loaded Fries, includes a pile of shoestring French fries hand-tossed in cheddar cheese, topped with scallions, bacon and…well…more cheese! It’s a party in your mouth. If you are attracted to a New Orleans-esque flavor, enjoy the Classic Shrimp Remolaude. Tender Gulf shrimp are tossed in a zesty house remoulade sauce, served on a bed of field greens and drizzled with sriachi. An interesting dish that I tried once merely out of curiosity was the Caramelized Onion and Bleu Cheese Quesadilla. Even if you are not a fan of bleu cheese, I double-dog-dare-you to try this starter. You will be glad that you did. (All appetizers are reasonably priced, ranging from $3 – $8.)
This house salad is surprisingly to die for, and this coming from a girl who does not love the salad! Do not fear the traditional chain restaurant bowl of anemic iceberg lettuce with some shards of shredded cheese and a crouton. This House Salad is a blend of fresh cut romaine, field greens, bleu cheese crumbles, cucumbers, red onions, Craisins, sunflower seeds, croutons and finished with a signature Champagne vinaigrette. Is your mouth watering yet? Should be! Other salads include BBQ Chicken Salad, Buffalo Chicken Salad, Bangkok Salad and Southwest Salad. (Salads are all $9 and you can choose to substitute Shrimp or Salmon in any of these salads for just $2.) If soup tickles your fancy, try a bowl of Zachary’s Sweet Potato Bisque for $4 a cup or $6 a bowl.
You can rest assured that all of Zachary’s burgers are hand-patted and cooked to order. I don’t know about you, but I enjoy a good hand-patted burger. Enjoy Big Bill’s Beef and Bleu Burger with caramelized onions, bleu cheese, American cheese, topped with a homemade Garlic Basil Aioli. Or, choose the Fire House Burger, which would be my brother’s favorite. This is one of those “enter at own risk” kind of burgers. It’s like your taste buds have gone on a quick-thrill roller coaster. The Fire House Burger has caramelized onions, bacon and Zachary’s signature firehouse jalapeno cheese sauce. It’s totally worth the heart burn that MAY ensue. If you like to take matters into your own hands, build your own burger. Just about anything you could wish to go on a burger is available for you to build away! (Burgers are all $8.50 and are served with southwest pasta salad. Substitute Shoestring French fries for $1 or Sweet Potato Fries for $1.50.)
The dish that will keep me craving Zachary’s was my most recent pick – the Hot Ham & Cheese Frenchie. As is characteristic of this place, the chef chanced a unique twist on a traditional ham and cheese combo. On first bite, I threw my head back and made an inappropriate noise at the table. My boyfriend said, “What?” I told him that was sandwich speak for, “Oh yeah!” The Hot Ham & Cheese Frenchie comes with sliced Hickory Pit Ham, Provolone and Swiss Cheese as well as tomato, red onion, Honey Dijon Aioli on French bread. So good! Some other savory Frenchies include the Cubano (traditional Cuban with shaved meat), the Chicken Cordon Bleu, the Hawaiian Chicken and many more! (Sandwiches range in prices from $7 – $8.50 and are served with southwest pasta salad. Substitute Shoestring French Fries for $1 or Sweet Potato Fries for $1.50.)
If your mom ever made you eat meatloaf, thank her. It’s a wonderful American delight and we should celebrate it. Don’t be afraid of the meatloaf. Karen Biggs, joint owner of Zachary’s, blends a meatloaf masterpiece she calls Tex-Mex Meatloaf including roasted corn, tomatoes and chilies. This southwestern inspired meatloaf is then topped with chipotle cream gravy and served over mashed potatoes with green beans on the side. Come get ya some! The entrée menu also includes house creations such as Zachary’s House Filet of Beef, Sherry Portobello Filet, Chicken Portabella and several other savory meals. (Entrees range in price from $14 to $24.)
Cody wanted me to make sure to let vegetarian friends know that Zachary’s will always have tasty treats for you. Veggie burgers are available and can be topped with any fun burger additions listed on the main burger menu ($6). The Grilled Veggie Frenchie is served with caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, red onions, Provolone and Swiss Cheese topped with Chipotle Aioli ($7). On the entrée menu, Veggie friends can enjoy the Pasta Angelica which is a blend of sautéed veggies including fresh mushrooms, spinach, sweet peas and sundried tomatoes. This is tossed with a house Parmesan 
cheese cream sauce atop a bed of angel hair pasta, dusted with Parmesan and crisp green onions ($12).
Top off your delicious meal or end your evening with a cup of coffee and one of Zachary’s mouth-watering desserts. Try a piece of Outrageous Chocolate Cake, a four-layer dense dark chocolate cake filled with rich chocolate ganache and covered in a silky chocolate frosting. Or, may I tempt you with a piece of Mile High Peanut Butter Pie or Key Lime Pie. (Desserts range in prices from $5-$6.)
If Zachary’s does not thrive in our community, Panama City should go outside, get a branch from the largest tree and prepare for a spanking.
Zachary’s is located in historic downtown Panama City on 425 Grace Avenue. Call Zachary’s today for dine-in, carry out, large or small meal catering at 850.557.3522. You can also visit Zachary’s online at zacharyscafe.com.
One year and 800,000 passengers later, the new Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport is regarded a huge success. Today was the one year anniversary to the opening of the new airport in Panama City Beach. The celebration included a gathering, speeches and the unveiling of a huge “rock” that commemorated the sponsors involved in the Grand Opening one year ago today.
Serving 800,000 passengers in the past year, the new location has catapulted the airport traffic above Tallahassee and just below Pensacola’s airport which sees an estimated 1 million annual passengers. The current traffic is three times greater than the traffic the old airport saw annually.
In addition to making our area more accessible to vacation travelers across the country, the new airport has also decreased the average per flight rate by 31%. This is an average across the board, factoring in rates from Delta as well.
The new lower rates has rippled through local industry, offering savings that’s enabled companies to hire more people, bring on new projects and overall expand. Applied Research, who employs around 200 people, 100 of which have PhD’s and Master degrees in various arenas, spends roughly $700k in airline tickets every year. The 30% savings has resulted in around $216k that they’ve been able to keep in their pocket to use in their business, reported Glen McDonald, their Senior VP.
The new airport’s Southwest carrier services 4 locations with 8 flights a day, which equates to 2,000 seats every day.
Commissioner Mike Thomas said people would complain about just about anything. He recounted this morning that he got a call at 7:30 am about a rooster crowing in their neighborhood off Thomas Drive. He said he welcomed that call, mentioning that if that’s all someone has to complain about, it must be a beautiful day. He said he fielded tons of other complaints over the years about the new airport but agreed it was a success and was proud to have supported it in its development.
All in all, it was a fun event. The growth of our area is apparent with the new airport, and no doubt, it’s opened up a whole new world of possibilities for local travel out and visiters traveling in.
The Panama City Beaches Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Social Media workshop and WE are presenting! If you’ve been wanting to know about how to use Facebook as a page, how to get people to Like you on Facebook and how to schedule and connect your networks, this is the workshop for you! We did the first of this series for the Chamber last month. This is part of their Navigator, the Beach Chamber of Commerce’s small business initiative.
The workshop will be this Thursday, May 26, 2011 from 11 am to 1 pm at the FSU-PC Holley Academic Center.
Pre-registration is required and there is a cost of $30 per person. If you want to come, call the Chamber at 850-235-1159.
Ok, so it’s actually not quite as dramatic as the headline, but the new Grand Lagoon Bridge roadway is set to transfer traffic to the new bridge today. Construction is set to be complete by mid summer, and they are goaled at having the temporary bridge out of the way by then.
They started construction on the bridge back in October of 2009 and have largely stayed on schedule for the duration of the project.
The new bridge is 18 feet at it’s center, up from 10 feet on the previous bridge. This huge for local Grand Lagoon residents since it not only opens up the lagoon for better circulation, it also allows larger boats to pass under it.
The bridge was funded by grants and the 2009 Economic Stimulus Fund.
The final show for this season’s Panama City Pops was last Saturday evening at Arnold High School, and let me tell you, it was amazing. I’ll be the first to admit, I didn’t think the “orchestra” was my cup of tea. I had really never considered going. It had been recommended to me for literally years, but I always just brushed it off as something I wouldn’t be interested in.
My years of neglect to attend the Pops was a large mistake. I’ve missed countless performances and unforgettable experiences. There is just no words to describe the feeling you get as raw emotion washes through you as the pure sounds of live instruments fill your ears and everything around you. My wife and I had a fantastic time and we’ll definitely be back.
You know how it is. Is watching football on TV ever as exciting as actually going to the stadium and watching it live? Of course, the real frequencies, as nature intended them, pulsating through your body helps too. You can feel the bass in your gut and violin strings in your tear ducts.
The season finale was last week, and the next season doesn’t start until the fall (October, maybe?), so you still have plenty of time to resolve that you’re going next year. This past season, the shows were in October, January, March and May, respectively.
Here were the shows of this past season:
The shows were always at 7:30 pm.
For you beach people, the Pops is close at hand – at Arnold High School’s auditorium. Obviously, this is convenient. The venue was great, easy to get to and really lent itself well to the event.
If you’ve not gone in the past, you need to make it a priority to go in the future. You’ll be glad you did.
In my wife’s words: “It was unbelievable, I had a fantastic time.”
For more information on the Pops, visit their website. PanamaCityPops.org
Dying for a beach vacation? Want it to be free? Sterling Resorts is going to hook you up!
In promotion of their new Facebook page for Calypso Resort and Towers, they’ve launched a FREE vacation giveaway. Here are the details:
Like I said, they’re doing this to promote their Facebook page, so in order to enter, you have to go Like their page, then enter your email address on the “WIN FREE VACAY” tab.
Here is their Facebook page –> Facebook.com/CalypsoResort
PCBDaily 