New in Pensacola -- Varona's Cuban Restaurant

PLEASE NOTE: Varona's Cuban Restaurant closed on December 7, 2008.

Here's what Jack had to say about our meal at Varona's --

Tonight, we had dinner at the new Varona's Cuban Restaurant on 12th Avenue. It was superb. The only restaurant space in Pensacola that's equally elegant is Jackson's. Yet Varona's is quite casual and reasonably priced. Both our meals were well and carefully prepared. We also shared a garlic shrimp appetizer that was delicious. Happy to say that even at an early hour (we got there around 5:30) they were doing great business. It's a sensational addition to the town's restaurant scene and should be a great success.

To read all about the restaurant, owner Robert de Varona, Executive Chef Victor Garcia and to see the menu click here.

From Varona's web site: "Owner Robert de Varona grew up in Cuba in the 40s and 50s and wanted to create a destination dining experience similar to the restaurants and nightclubs of that era. Varona's features authentic Cuban dishes with a dash of American and Continental favorites. Appetizers are available in the bar, as well as complete meals, and our signature beverage is the mojito!"

PLEASE NOTE: Internet searchers need to know that the restaurant's name is spelled Varona's, not Verona's.

Good Food at Emeril's in Gulfport, Mississippi

Last month, the Grand Biloxi Casino, Hotel & Spa, part of the Harrah's group, offered us some free nights at their very flashy hotel on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. So, a couple weeks ago we decided to spend a night there.

We drove over early in the day and stopped for lunch, just west of Biloxi, at Emeril's Gulf Coast Fish House, in Gulfport.

As we expected when dining at an Emeril Lagasse restaurant, the food, service, ambience and location was the very best, plus the view of the Gulf of Mexico from our table was splendid. And the prices were quite reasonable. The restaurant is in Gulfport's only gaming establishment -- the classy Island View Casino Resort. It was a wonderful experience and we must go back for another meal there. Soon.

Click [BAM], for the links to all of Emeril's restaurants -- ten so far, in four states.

After lunch we proceeded to our hotel, the Grand Biloxi. We got a great room with a view of the Gulf and the huge construction site of Harrah's upcoming tribute to Jimmy Buffett, Margaritaville Casino & Resort, due to open in 2010.

Broken Deck Chair

A bolt in one of our favorite deck chairs snapped off the other day. The chair may still be under warranty and the good folks at Pinch-A-Penny Pool, Patio & Spa, where we bought it, need to see a photo of the chair and the problem.

Here are some pictures of the broken chair. The red circle in the bottom photo shows the location of the broken bolt.

These Are the Best Gingersnaps in the World (Tribute)

From the tiny town of Nyåkers in northern Sweden come the bright red tins from Nyåkers Pepparkakor Bakery. It is the only factory in the town and each year they ship millions of their spicy cookies to 45 countries around the world.

Pepparkakor is Swedish for "spicy ginger cookie."

In the U.S. these used to be available only at Christmastime and only at a small chain of stores -- World Market. But a few years ago there were some heart-shaped ones for sale around St. Valentine's Day. And this year, for Easter, I spotted them in bright new tins of blue with springtime colors. Still, the only places you can buy them in the U.S. are at World Market stores. There are also some mail order companies that sell them but at twice the price, plus you have to pay for the shipping and handling.

Thank you World Market -- give us Nyåkers Pepparkakors all year long.

Herb Garden 2008

The whisky barrel herb garden is already planted and it's not even April yet.

The herb garden is planted in half a Kentucky whisky barrel. I bought it at the K-Mart on Nine Mile Road in Pensacola. It's branded on the bottom that it is from Maker's Mark Distillery of Loretto, Kentucky and it's dated March 1996. This is the third year we've had it and have planted herbs in it.

The inside diameter is 23 inches so the plantable area is almost 2.9 square feet. Or somewhat less than one ten-thousandth (1/10,0000) of an acre.

Here is a key to what's planted.
1. Greek Oregano, still growing from last year
2. Peppermint
3. Thyme
4. Dill
5. Mint
6. Chives, growing from last summer
7. Cayenne Pepper
8. Sweet Basil
9. Summer Savory
10. Taragon

There are also pots of Lavender and Rosemary growing by themselves.

Here's a link to another post about the herb garden -- from April, 2006.

Next Cruise

We have been reading the cruise ship brochures again and like the idea of a spring cruise of the Eastern Caribbean on Carnival Glory.

The seven night cruise begins and ends at Port Canaveral. It's on the Atlantic east of Orlando and just north of Cocoa Beach. It is the world's second busiest cruise ship port after Miami.

There are stops in:
Saint Thomas, U.S.Virgin Islands; Sint Maarten, Netherlands Antilles; and Nassau, Bahamas.

OTHER EASTERN CARIBBEAN LINKS
• Shopping at the port in Charlotte Amalie -- Havensight Mall.
• Interactive maps, one of Downtown Nassau showing Prince George Wharf, Rawson Square, Government Buildings and other sights and another map showing Nassau and Paradise Island.
• The Port of St. Maarten link.
• St. Maarten/St. Martin's chain of big supermarkets -- Le Grand Marché.
• On the Dutch side of St. Maarten take the water taxi for lunch at The Greenhouse Restaurant, part of Bobby's Marina.

Maggie the New Cat

Maggie, on the right, has just been adopted from the Humane Society of Pensacola's shelter. She is one year old.

Susie, on the left, is 13 and is sitting in the "meatloaf" position because she isn't sure we need another cat. But she's coming around. And in a week or two they will be buddies.

Circus Sarasota 2008

Earlier in the week we drove south to Sarasota and Venice, Florida. We had two reasons. One was to see our friends Sue & Rudi and the other was to see Circus Sarasota.

It was a long drive with terrible weather but it was wonderful to see our friends and the circus.

Circus Sarasota was founded eleven years ago by Dolly Jacobs, shown here on the cover of this year's program book, and her husband Pedro Reis. It is a not-for-profit organization. Each season they bring outstanding circus artists from all over the world to perform in Circus Sarasota. This year the show will go on tour for engagements in southern Florida as well. During the rest of the year they present eductional and entertainment projects for school children and people in retirement homes around central Florida.

You can see what the weather looked like on the lot earlier that day. By show time the weather improved, the tornado warning was canceled and the show went on -- with a big, enthusiastic audience of all ages.

Ashley Brown In Concert

Everyone in the Pensacola area was thrilled two years ago when 22 year old Ashley Brown from Pensacola suburb, Gulf Breeze, debuted on Broadway as Belle in Disney's Beauty and the Beast. A year later she was still on Broadway, but now creating the title role in Mary Poppins, for Disney. Last night she came home to sing, backed by the Pensacola Symphony. It was a smash hit. She was wonderful.

Pensacola's Weather Alert

This is what our weather map looked like on Wednesday morning. The line of storms is moving from west to east. The white dot above the word "Pensacola" is where we live. The night before there were predictions of heavy weather overnight (didn't happen) and worse weather in the morning.

The weather system pictured above hit us about 30 minutes after I saved the image. We heard two distant claps of thunder and we got half an inch of rain. That's all. We were lucky to miss the deadly tornadoes and violent thunderstorms they had north of us. But it sure looked dire there for a few minutes.