Margaritaville Beach Hotel, Pensacola Beach, Fla.: The Hotel With A "Million Dollar View"

Early Morning Sunrise at the Beach

   
It was one of the first things that caught my eye when I walked into the  beautiful and spacious lobby of the Margaritaville Hotel at Pensacola Beach, Fla., earlier this month when Patty and I made our annual short vacation trip down to the Gulf of Mexico from Kentucky. This hotel which is only five years-old, in my opinion, has a "Million Dollar View" of the Emerald Coast with its very white sandy beaches just below your feet as you stand at the glass panel windows looking out into vast blue, green waters of the ocean. You can see for miles and miles. This type of view of the ocean always stirs an awesome feeling inside me-a feeling of relaxation and inspiration.  I noticed that the hotel also had a very nice gift shop in the lobby with lots of Jimmy Buffett merchandise and Jimmy Buffett and reggae music was constantly playing in the background in the lobby at a very decent low level volume. The staff at the front desk were really nice and helpful. They gave us good directions on how to get to our room and where to park. And when we checked into our room in which we did on the very top floor, the seventh floor, we experienced a even more incredible breathtaking view of the Gulf of Mexico.

Patty standing in front of the hotel beachside

I loved the balcony with its two chairs and little table. It's a non-smoking hotel, so you don't have smell any cigarette smoke blowing up towards you from guests down below. I am an early riser so I really enjoyed getting up before dawn and watch the sunrise while drinking a cup of coffee from the Keurig Coffee Maker in the bathroom and sitting in the waffle cloth spa robe that the hotel provides for you during your stay. Patty always loves to sleep in especially in the wonderful king size bed that was in the room with its fantastically soft, white linens and duvets. The towels and wash clothes were super soft too and smelled very fresh! The first night we walked around the hotel and out to the pool and out on a long boardwalk from the hotel to the beach. The sun was setting and we took some awesome pics. Very romantic! We had dinner in the hotel's full service restaurant in the lobby called, "Frank & Lolas Pensacola Cafe" and it was really good. Not too

The front of the hotel bayside

Our room with the million dollar view

overpriced with a friendly and attentive staff. I had their delicious blackened grouper Fish Sandwich and fries and Patty had the House Sirloin steak dinner. I also tried some of their local brewed beer and I went with the Fairhope beer brewed just down the road in Mobile, Ala., which is a classic American pale ale, brewed with a combination of American-made Falconer's Flight hops and German hops. The next morning I woke up early and did my early sunrise thing and snapped a few pics. We spent about a half of a day at the hotel's awesome pool and Tiki bar and then went to the beach of course. Patty thought the weather was a little too cool but I thought it was perfect. Of course, I was in and out of the water several times also. I loved the fact, the hotel gives you two free Landshark beers coupons when you check in and I used those at the Tiki bar. Earlier in the day, we had walked the boardwalk area of the beach hitting a few gift shops and had lunch at Sidelines, our all-time favorite sports-bar and grill. Later on that evening, we drove over to Flounders Chowder House for some of our annual favorite seafood with a couple of Pina Coladas. We even purchased the really cool glasses that they came in and brought them home with us.

The awesome pool

Patty and I at breakfast

The next day we had a late lunch at Peg Leg Pete's another one of our favorite seafood restaurants on the beach. Apparently we ate so much seafood we totally skipped dinner. We also drove down to Casino Beach pier and paid a $1.25 each to see dolphins, sharks, jelly fish and fishermen fishing-everything you'd see while walking out on the pier.  I've always enjoyed the pier because you never know what you're going to see. Earlier that day, we had gone downstairs to the lobby and had breakfast at Frank and Lola's. We sat outside on the deck and the food and coffee was out of this world. We had a super nice and friendly server by the name of Belinda. She did a great job! She said she has been working there pretty much ever since the hotel opened. Patty later asked at the front desk if they had laundry service because she had dropped some food on her sweater and they said they did but it had already gone out. However, Constance, the Executive Housekeeper, happened to be there and she said would be glad to help out with a friendly smile.  She personally laundered Patty's sweater and brought it back to the room and hung it up in the closet and would not even take a tip that we tried to give her! Now that's first-class, elegant personal service. We really appreciated this type of service when employees at a hotel or restaurant go above the call of duty while on vacation and it shows that this hotel really cares about their guests experience and stay.
Our stay at Margaritaville Beach Hotel, Pensacola Beach, was way beyond our imaginations of how nice of an experience that we would have even though we had read all of the reviews and watched the videos on YouTube about the hotel before we left Kentucky. If you want a hotel with a "Million Dollar View" and you enjoy beautiful sunrises like I do, make sure you get a king gulf view room facing the Gulf of Mexico. You won't regret it. You'll probably find awe and inspiration like I did and your stay at Margaritaville Hotel might even help you forget life's problems for a moment like it did for me in this hectic, face paced world that we live in. http://www.margaritavillehotel.com/

"You Are Not Your Job. Your Job Is Just How You Get Your Money"-Dr. Wayne Dyer. R.I.P. Dr. Dyer, 1940-2015

"Sad to hear about self-help guru, Dr. Wayne Dyer's passing on Saturday. By listening to his self-help tapes in a pick-up truck while driving down the roads and highways in the mid-90's, he helped me get passed my ego issues of working in the service industry. Being a former newsroom employee and Ole Miss alumni, I thought I was too good to be working in the pest management industry at the time. He made me realize that we are not our jobs. It's just what we do to get our money and that the real person is on the inside. That's really who we are. He also helped me to understand the concept of metaphysics. In the late 90's, I wrote him a personal letter and explained to him about how he had helped me to be very successful in my pest management career. He then sent me a free autographed book and tape set in return. Dr. Dyer was a super nice man and extremely intelligent! R.I.P. Dr. Dyer. You will be greatly missed by your millions of fans."-Galen A. Smith Sr.

Remembering Those 70's Hit Songs As If It Was Yesterday

Time and space may change things, but on the inside (your conscienceness and awareness) you're always the same.

      That's why I think God gave us a memory so that we can reflect on those past seasons of our lives in retrospect in order to remember the good times. And I think one way that we can achieve activating those good memories is through listening those happy songs from the 70's especially for us "Baby-Boomers."  Listening to those happy songs from the 70's always brings back good memories for me.  Especially those songs of my youthful days of those endless summers when school used to start after Labor Day growing up in East Memphis, Tenn., and North Mississippi.  Nowadays with the event of the internet age, it's easy to go back in time. We are able to tap into those songs by jogging our memory with such internet tools such as YouTube, Spotify or Pandora.  I recently created a new Facebook page geared to our generation (Baby-Boomers) called, "Those 70's Hit Songs That You Can't Resist." https://www.facebook.com/pages/Those-70s-Hit-Songs-That-You-Cant-Resist/1518065575150089

    So if you want to take a walk down memory lane, just go on the internet and do a little research on one of favorite songs or videos and look for your top 70's favorite hit and post it on my new Facebook page.  Thanks and enjoy!

There's Always Room For Improvement And I'm Still Trying To Perfect It

"I am not offended by gay people, gay couples, gay marriages, the gay pride flag, people of other races and other nations nor the Rebel flag, Southern heritage, the American flag, American heritage, traditional couples and traditional marriages. I am also not offended by religious people, religious couples, religious families and homes, churches and other places of worship. I treat others as they treat me. I don't always turn the other cheek and I have been known to stand my ground and take people to task. But on the other hand, I can be kind to people and accept them for who they are. In most cases, I do. But I do have a problem with dangerous, drug addicted criminals, mental and disturbed violent people who want to hurt or kill other people just for the hell of it or steal from them for their  addiction problems. Or people who abuse children. And I have a problem with people who want to kill Christian Americans because they have an extreme religious belief system. However, I view myself as a child of God and a Catholic who is a sinner just as much as my fellow man. There's always room for improvement and I'm still trying to perfect

it."-Galen A. Smith Sr.

White Squirrel Brewery in Bowling Green, Ky., Is The Da' Bomb!

     I've been meaning to get over to Broadway Avenue across the street from the Firestone Tire store in Bowling Green and try the new White Squirrel Brewery http://www.whitesquirrelbrewery.com/ every since it opened almost three weeks ago.  Apparently, word of mouth has spread like wildfire and this place is hot! Finally, Patty (my wife) and I got a chance make it over there last night for dinner.  After all its target audience marketing and hype build-up on the social media sites and in our local newspapers and the publicity on our local television station beforehand, it's true-this place is Da' Bomb!

The White Squirrel Logo

The Very Cool Bar Area

     When Patty and I walked in around 5 p.m., fortunately there was no waiting in line for a table.  We immediately saw Sean Stevens, one of the owners and "Hop Hustler" and Joe Imel, Director of Media Operations of the Bowling Green Daily News and who has his own Twitter account called "@Joeimel" with over 26,000 followers where he reports what he hears on the police scanner.  Sean is a super friendly guy with a very charismatic personality. I went over said, "Hello" to Sean and Joe and shook their hands.  Then the hostess showed us our table right up front in the room next to the bar.  Patty sat on a long, high back wood bench with a pillow behind her. And I sat at a chair on the other side of the table.  Our server's name was Josh, a very nice and cool guy. Josh brought us two separate food and craft beer/wine menus.  He asked what we would like to have to drink and I ordered one of their own micro-brewed beers called the "White Squirrel Pale Ale - Nuts, We're Out!" which was a "IPA/APA hybrid that owns a good balance of malt and hops, fruity esters, hop bitterness is moderate with a floral nose. ABV: 6.1%."  Patty ordered a white wine of "Woodwork Chardonnay."  As we were waiting for our drinks, I noticed that the atmosphere was very warm and cozy with light lighting and music in the background with light blue wood panels on the walls with black ceilings and some cool concrete floors.  Also, there's a very nicely decorated and private patio area with metal tables and chairs and another dining in a lower area with big windows where you can look out onto the patio. The energetic vibe is very trendy and the bar has a lot of fancy wood and metal work with very nice, cool lighting above. Also, you can see the White Squirrel emblem or logo in several places throughout the brewery restaurant. Besides their own micro brews, there's several other beers on taps such Southern Tier, Tin Man-Overlord, Blue Point-Blueberry Ale and Carson's Red Dawn - Amber Wheat.  Of course, there's an assortment of bottled and can beer also.  One of my favorite things about the bar is the stuffed white squirrel in a cage hanging in the corner.  You can turn a knob at the bar that's attached to an antique truck horn via the ropes and pulleys on the ceiling causes the cage door to open and close while making a a cool, squeaking noise.

A Very Nice Patio Area

A Stuffed White Squirrel In A Cage

     But wow, the food!  You should see the menu.  They offer "Kick Starters" or appetizers such as Nut Brown Beer Cheese, Crispy Kale Chips, Pork Belly, Smoked Wings and Edamame among other offerings.  However, Patty and I just settled for the main course.  I had a Beef & Brat Burger with house sauerkraut, Dijon mayo, Swiss cheese served on an English muffin with Crispy Kale Chips and some awesome Kale Chip sauce.  Patty had the Fried Chicken Tender Salad with mixed greens, apples, bacon, onion, toasted pecans and honey Dijon dressing.  You can request grilled chicken and that's what she did.  Another interesting burger that I thought about trying was the "Beer Belly," which is pork belly, pickled green tomatoes, leaf lettuce, smoked paprika mayo and sourdough. Besides burgers and salads they also offer pizza and a section called, "Harvest." In the Harvest section you find items like Duck Fried Poutine which is duck fat fries, bacon mozzarella cheese, shredded duck confit and apple gravy or the Southern favorite that's especially popular in Nashville where it was created called "Hot Chicken" which is cayenne rubbed chicken, toasted sourdough and house-made sour pickles.  As far as desserts goes, Josh had offered us something that was very sweet and tempting but we declined because we were stuffed already.  They offer a Fudge Brownie salted with caramel and apple-wood smoked bacon or a Stout Beer Float with a seasonal stout and vanilla bean ice cream.  And oh, by the way, underneath it states of the menu, you must be at least 21.  Not one for the the kiddos, parents. lol.

Hops Waiting To Be Brewed

    If you ever are in Bowling Green, the White Squirrell Brewery is a must stop and eat and drink destination for their awesome brews, food and atmosphere.  Make sure you get there early because by the time Patty and I left around 6:30 p.m. on a Friday night this place was hopping with guests waiting outside. Bowling Green was ready for a micro-brewery/restaurant and now the White Squirrel has arrived!
White Squirrel Brewery, 871 Broadway, Bowling Green, Ky., 42101
Open – Tuesday-Saturday – 4 pm-?
Indoor Seating/Bar Seating
Patio Seating – Weather Permitting
Three Local Taps – Kolsch, Brown Ale, and Pale Ale

Wha Bah's Steakhouse In Bowling Green, Ky., Closed For Remodeling After Being Featured On "Restaurant Impossible"

I hate to admit this but I only dined at Wha Bah's Steakhouse in Bowling Green https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XliBdscCSQk only once in the nine years that it was opened.  Now, sadly I probably won't get a chance anytime soon since it is closed for remodeling according to a banner hanging over the front door and several pieces of paper stating the same thing on the windows.  I've known about Wha Bah's for a long time ever since it's been open and the restaurant was recently featured on the Food Network's "Restaurant Impossible" starring Robert Irvine.

    According to Irvine, Wah Bah's with over 4,000 square feet was the biggest restaurant he'd ever tried to help revive and one of the most expensive too, sinking in over $10,000 in just two days.  I was finally able to watch the episode on Youtube the other day.  I know the show is somewhat scripted but it looks like Irvine did go in there and kick some ass embarrassing and shaming the owner, Donnie Perrquette and his staff in order to try to help them.  I remember the Restaurant Impossible press conference that was shown on the local news and on the social media sites.  Perrquette looked like he had been beaten up by Irvine-in a "non-physical" way of course. Irvine had found a lot of grease and dirt and found that there was a lack of respect of management from the staff with Perrquette taking all the blame just to name a couple of things.  The show also told how the restaurant had a biker theme originally and made over a million dollars the first year it was open. Then eventually they got to featuring local music and bands with a full-blown stage in the dining area.  But as the story unfolded, Irvine talks about Perrquette being depressed and was heavily in debt.  Perrquette even had to mortgaged his own home to try to help save his restaurant. I probably would eaten there again to give them new menu and decor a chance since it so close to my house but when you are married you always have to consider your spouse's desires on where to eat too. Her's are always on the other side town towards the interstate it seems.

    Not long after the restaurant was remodeled by Irvine and featured on the show, I saw an ad in our local newspaper, the Bowling Green Daily News, that the restaurant was for sale.  So at this point, I don't know if the restaurant has been sold to a new owner or what.  I guess we'll just have to wait and see.  And I certainly hope Perrquette is able to pull things together and get through this.  He seems like a very intelligent, strong willed man with many talents and skills.  I am pulling for him and I'm hoping he'll get through this or maybe he already has. I don't know.  But there are people in the community like me who do like see people pull themselves up by the bootstraps and get through tough times. Again, I think he can do it.

Tennis Courts in Oxford, Miss., Named After Late Ole Miss Writer-In-Residence and Writing Teacher, Barry Hannah

     I was reminded recently of the late writer-in-residence and writing teacher, Barry Hannah at Ole Miss where I attended college for five years in the early 80's by an article that was written by Oxford, Miss., writer, Jim Dees, called "Was There A Golden Age" in Oxford?"http://oxfordcitizen.com/2015/04/10/was-there-a-golden-age-in-oxford/. Also, because of the fact that the City of Oxford had named some tennis courts in a local park after him that made national news earlier this month. http://oxfordcitizen.com/2015/04/13/avent-tennis-courts-named-for-barry-hannah/

Photo Taken By Galen A. Smith Sr.
Ole Miss, 1986

      I remember learning about Mr. Hannah being at Ole Miss when I saw some of his posters for some books he had written posted around campus.  To me, it seemed he just appeared out of nowhere.  Little did I know that Mr. Hannah had accepted a position with the university teaching writing courses in the English department on campus and also became our writer-in-residence.  Also, he already had several books published, won awards and had taught at other universities. Eventually, I think most students and Oxford citizens realize that we now had another pretty well-known and respected writer in the vicinity besides our other well known writer-in-residence, another Mississippi writer, Willie Morris. Barry and Willie were basically two different types of writers. Mr. Hannah, fiction, and Willie, non-fiction. Although, I am sure that they hung out at night together some with the same people in the same circle of friends at the former Hoka, the famous little bohemian coffee shop and theater in the small university town.  And I'm sure some of his quick new friends when he arrived in town were probably of course, Willie, and Ron Shapiro, who owned the Hoka, and Jim Dees who worked there.

"Week Of Initiation," One of the Short-Stories
that I wrote for Mr. Hannah's course.  I was
proud of the comments he gave me on it.

      Eventually, I took Mr. Hannah's fiction writing course and got an "A" in it.  I think one of the things he liked about me as a writer is that I took chances by writing such short stories like an expose piece about a fraternity initiation that was loosely based on truth.  It was foul-mouth and dirty.  But he liked it.  In the Summer of 1986, I was the Entertainment Editor of  Ole Miss' student newspaper, "The Daily Mississippian."  Mr. Hannah allowed me to come to his home and interview him for the student newspaper.

 

Written By Galen A. Smith Sr.
Published June 19, 1986
"The Daily Mississippian"

    While I was in Mr. Hannah's class, I met another young writer and Ole Miss student by the name of  Katie Powell from Bowling Green, Ky., who would eventually become his daughter-in-law.  Mr. Hannah's son, Barry Jr., was also a student at Ole Miss at the time and I had several classes with him.  I would also see Katie at the Hoka where she worked some serving cheesecake and coffee.  Eventually, I had moved to Bowling Green after I married a Kentucky lady down in Oxford who was also from the Bowling Green area and we eventually settled there in 1988 after we had married in 1986.  That same year in 1988, I saw Katie again at a local Italian restaurant in downtown Bowling Green where she was serving and invited me to her wedding to Barry Jr.  The wedding was at the historical St. Joseph Catholic Church in Bowling Green with a reception at the Bowling Green Country Club.  At the reception, I saw Mr. Hannah again and I think he was really surprised to see me and probably wondering how in the hell I got there!  I don't think he understood the connection at the time.

     Eventually as time went by, I lost touch with Ole Miss and Oxford and the local writer's scene with the Hoka and the famous, little, independent book store, "Square Books" where they had a lot of book signings and readings for authors from all over the country and world.  By the time 1994 had arrived, it seemed Oxford was in the national spotlight all the time because of legal thriller writer and Oxford resident John Grisham's major success.  So I decided to attend the "Second Annual Oxford Conference For The Book" in 1994 that was taken place on campus at Fulton Chapel with a reception following in the library.  Superstar horror writer, Stephen King was there along with John Grisham and Mr. Hannah was moderating.  Before the session began, I saw Mr. Hannah sitting down on a wall on the side of the building smoking a cigarette and I decided to walk around and talk to him.  Obviously, Mr. Hannah was trying to enjoy his cigarette and I started to ask questions about getting published and he got really irritated with me so I decided to back off and leave.  However, I did get to shake Mr. King's hand after the session was over with.  However,  Mr. Grisham was standoffish and apparently didn't want to be bothered either with the public.  Apparently, fame and being the center of attention was closing in on him.

    Regardless, I held no grudge against Mr. Hannah.  I am the one who invaded his space and privacy that day.  However, I am extremely happy for Mr. Hannah and his family and grandchildren for being remembered and honored by the City of Oxford and by naming the tennis courts after him since he loved the game of tennis as well as writing and teaching. Mainly, he was an excellent teacher of fiction writing in my opinion and I really enjoyed taking his class.  His class was one of the best in my five years at Ole Miss!