Mike Bobe's Pensacola Favorites

A Beach for your Dog!

2011-02-23T18:14:00.000-08:00

I have only recently become a dog person. When my son moved home, he brought his dog with him. Therefore, he is pretty much our dog as well. I've learned the joys of walking a dog, picking up after them, etc. Trilla, our dog, has not had a lot of chances to socialize with other dogs, so we were pretty excited to find out that Pensacola has a dog beach!

The beach is part of the Bayview Park complex on the east side of town on Bayou Texar. This park is one of Pensacola's oldest. Where the dog beach is today was once an amphitheatre where they would show movies on a screen floating out in the water. The amphitheatre seats are still there. There is all the typical park activities. There are picnic areas, play areas, walking or biking trails, a Senior Center, and more. But the really special part to me are the Dog Park areas. At the top of the hill there are 2 enclosed areas for the dogs. One for smaller breeds, one for larger breeds. But these can be found in other areas of the city. The unique part is the Dog Beach!

The Dog Beach is a nice enclosed area on the water where the dogs can run, play, and even swim! There are benches and a pavilion or two for the pet owners as well. There is even a cool stump carved into the shape of a fire hydrant!

There dogs of all kinds and sizes at the park on a regular basis. It's a great chance for the dogs to socialize and play. Everyone I've encountered there has been very friendly, and the dogs are generally pretty well behaved. So, if you have a pet pooch, take them out for a day at the beach!

The easiest way to get there for me is to turn North off Cervantes onto North 19th Ave. That's the last turn before you hit the bridge when you're traveling East on Cervantes. Keep going to the first stop sign at Lloyd st. Turn right and it will lead you right into Bayview park. Have fun!

Favorite Pensacola Celebrity? - Emmitt Smith!

2010-08-05T09:33:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I posted, but the timing is right for this one.

This week, my all-time favorite Pensacola Celebrity is back in the news. Emmitt Smith will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend in Canton, OH! Tonight on ESPN Emmitt appears on the show "Homecoming" talking about where he got his start. All week in the Pensacola News Journal there have been special articles. Well, I want to contribute and give my history as an Emmitt Smith fan. I may not get all the dates and facts entirely correct, but here is my experience with Emmitt...

I did not grow up a sports fan. My family was not particularly into sports. We would watch the Superbowl each year, but I chose who to cheer for by how cool their uniform was! I tended to cheer for underdogs, or against the establishment. For instance, when the Dallas Cowboys were all the rage in the 70's, I would tend to cheer against them. But overall, it just did not matter.
In the Fall of 1981 I was a Freshman Trombone player in the band at Escambia High School. We played at all the football games, and it was kind of fun! We were 3-7 that year, and apparently had been for some time. Many people came to see the band, then left after halftime. My Sophomore year a friend on the football team told me their goal was to not be 3-7! We were either 2-8 or 1-9, I can't remember. When we actually scored, the band had to search for our music for the fight song!
My Junior year, things changed. A new coach arrived, and new attitudes. Another friend on the football team told me about the first day of practice. The coach brought out a freshman player to play on the varsity team. My friend said the plan was to knock him back to the Freshman team and show him his place. The next thing he knew, the freshman had knocked him backwards, stepping on his hand on the way to the end zone! That freshman was Emmitt Smith!
Emmitt's Freshman year was a real change for us. We started winning! And it was much more fun! We learned the fight song! That year we lost to Milton I believe in the district playoffs. But there was much more to come!
My Senior year, Emmitt led the team to the State Championship! He had a great team around him, but he was distinctly the star of the team. I seem to remember winning the playoffs in overtime, the next round in double overtime, the next in triple overtime, then I think it was Jacksonville Lee in Quadruple overtime! The band was seated for that one in folding chairs on the track in Jacksonville. We had all lost our voices yelling and screaming during the game. We tried to keep cheering, but nothing would come out! If I remember correctly, the actual State Championship game was nowhere near as exciting, but we won, and had our first State Championship! I had become more of a football fan.
The next year I went to Millsaps College in Jackson, MS for college. My sister started as a Freshman at Escambia, and she was also in the band. I did make it back to Pensacola for a few games that year. The thing I remember most that year was that Escambia played the MS State Champion, Magee High School. Magee was halfway between Jackson and Hattiesburg. Denis McKinnon, the Captain of Escambia's team my Senior Year was a freshman at Southern Miss in Hattiesburg. My roomate and high school friend Martin Dunlap and I met Denis in Magee. My sister and the band had made a bunch of signs for us, and we posted them around Magee! We watched part of their practice in our bright Orange State Champion T-Shirts! At one point at a stop sign, a large number of Magee students came rushing up to the car. We thought we were in trouble! They just wanted to know how we thought they looked, what their chances were. Emmitt and Escambia beat them soundly that Friday Night!
I also traveled to Gainesville that year to see one of the playoff games. Escambia and Emmitt once again won the State Championship.
Emmitt's senior year I did not get to see as many games, but still made it to town for a few. One of these was the most hyped high school game I ever saw. Again my memories may not coincide with the facts, but here was my experience... The game was the last of the season against arch-rival Pensacola High. Whoever won would take the district title. Tickets were given away on the radio! I seem to remember getting there before 5 in the afternoon, and the crowd was already building. By game time, there was no aisle in the stadium, and people were several deep around the edges. The game had a number of VERY questionable calls, and Escambia ended up losing the game. It had been televised on local TV, and I believe replays showed the calls were questionable. One included a long signature sideline run by Emmitt for a touchdown. The opposing coach yelled at the ref until the ref gave in and called that Emmitt had stepped out of bounds. It was a very depressing game.
During this last couple years the nation had taken note of Emmitt and Escambia. We had been ranked in the USA Today as the top High School football team in the country for a time. Since Escambia didn't make the playoffs, they were invited to play in a special High School "Bowl" game at the University of Florida that year. I always wondered if that was a recruiting move by UF? Whatever the case, Emmitt went on to play at the University of Florida.
For me this was an easy transition. I already had tons of Orange and Blue, and Gator shirts as those were the colors and mascot at Escambia. Many of my friends were at UF, and I had actually wanted to go there as well. Millsaps was a great school, but they did not really go in for the sports. They had a good team, but nobody seemed to care. So once a year at least, I would roadtrip to see the UF Gators and Emmitt play to renew my faith in football.
When I graduated from Millsaps, I decided to go to UF to pursue a second degree. Those plans did not work out, but I spent a fantastic year at UF, and got to go to almost every game they played! As it happens, this was Emmitt's final year at UF as well.
When he left school early to go to the NFL draft, and went to the Cowboys, I wasn't sure what to think. I had not been a Cowboys fan, had not liked Jimmy Johnson when he was at Miami, and was not sure what to think. But honestly, I had no real strong feelings in the NFL, and as always, I am an Emmitt fan, so I became a Cowboys fan.
I did my grad school at Tulane. Another school that did not support their team well at the time. I continued my traditional yearly Gators game, and got to see an occasional Saints game as well. When I graduated in 92, I took a job in Dallas! The last time I saw Emmitt reasonably close was at a preseason scrimmage game open to the public at Texas Stadium. We could walk on the field and meet the players. Emmitt was so mobbed with people, I got within about 15 feet, and din't want to try and push further. It was crazy! That year was the first year the Cowboys won the Superbowl with Emmitt. I became a voracious fan, reading everything I could get my hands on. Collecting T-shirts, figures, cards, etc. I still have boxes of stuff I have saved tracking Emmitt from the days at Escambia through UF and to the Cowboys.
Not long before I left Dallas to return to Pensacola, Emmitt had left Dallas to play for the Arizona Cardinals. This was another in a series of events that made it easier for me to leave Dallas. Funny how things work out...
He even turned me into a dance fan when he competed in Dancing With the Stars. I watched every episode, and called in as many times as I could get through on as many phones as I could to vote for him.
I cannot really claim to know Emmitt personally. I have spoken to him on only a couple of occasions. I last talked to him on the UF campus his last year there. My family sold him his first train set before he left Pensacola. I understand he is still a Model Railroader. But in all my years in Dallas, working in a train shop, and living not far away, I never crossed paths with him again. I visited his family's store and Emmitt museum when it was over in Town and Country Plaza. I bought a club membership card and autograph, and have only recently taken the card out of my wallett, even though the store has been gone for years. I still hope one day when he come to visit his family he might come by the Hobby Shop again where he bought his first train set. But that's probably just a dream. It doesn't matter anyway. I am a big fan, and I appreciate all the entertainment he has provided me over the years.
I am an Emmitt Fan. And I wish him and his family congratulations on this well deserved honor.

In Memoriam - Reverie Bakery

2010-04-19T07:53:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's been quite a while since my last post. Things have been a little crazy with a variety of projects going on. I hope to start posting more regularly again though. The purpose of this blog from the start was to help promote some of my favorite businesses and places in the Pensacola community. We have some wonderful things here to take advantage of, but may have overlooked many of them. Sadly, some of the places I want to help have not survived long enough for me to promote them! These are tough economic times on everyone, but if we all do our part, we can help everyone make it through. I can't emphasize this enough:

Support your local businesses, or they won't be there to support you!

In my first post, I lamented the loss of the Ice Cream Club on Nine Mile Road. In January, two more of my favorites closed down. The Reverie Bakery downtown, and just a week later, Tuan's Sweet Things Bakery on Mobile Highway. Please do what you can to support local businesses like these so they will still be there to enjoy!

The Reverie Bakery was located on Jefferson Street downtown across from the News Journal. It was the same locale as the old Napoleon Bakery many old time Pensacola folks will remember. The Napoleon was sold and became Pittman's Bakery as I understand it, and when they closed down, it was up for sale again. My friend Angela Johnson was living in the Atlanta area at the time. She had worked at the Napoleon bakery years before, and had since trained as a European Style Pastry Chef. Through some complicated manouevers over the long distance, she bought the Bakery and moved back to Pensacola. This was her dream, thus the name "Reverie" which is French for Dream.

Unfortunately for Angela she opened just as the recession hit, and the business was in worse shape than she realized when she bought it long distance. She made a valiant effort, and had some highlights and awards at local festivals. She even supplied great breads to some local restaurants and grocery stores. But most of all she had some great food! I tried to go by any time I was in the downtown area. I loved the lunch specials, and the pastries, and the cookies, and, and....

In January of 2010, Angela was forced to close the doors for good. Her wonderful crew was with her to the end, and they will all be missed. But most of all, I will miss the food!

I went in to Tuan's Sweet Things bakery on Mobile Highway the following week to tell him about Reverie. Sadly he informed me that they too were closing down that week. I never even got to take pictures and interview them for this blog, but they are another of the places I will definitely miss.

Again I say, SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, or they will no longer be there to support!

a test and a discount!

2009-09-15T09:28:00.000-07:00

Well, the gang here at Bobe's Hobby House is giving me a hard time this week, because I ordered too many new puzzles! We don't have room for them on the shelf, so I have to do something about it! So, as a test to see if anyone out there is paying attention, come in before 9/26/09 and receive a 25% discount on any regular priced puzzles, just for mentioning this blog! And if you're not into puzzles, at least let us know you read this, and maybe we'll try some different discounts down the line!

Back to School with Books from Hawsey's!

2009-08-17T18:08:00.000-07:00

I'm back once again to tell you about some of my favorite places in Pensacola. It's back to school time around here, and that always makes me think of books. And when I think of books, I think of Hawsey's Book Index on Navy Boulevard! Hawsey's is the biggest used book store in town, and a great place to shop for bargains. But it's not just used books...

Hawsey's started in June of 1968 as Hawsey's Index. Back then they carried quite a variety of things. They carried furniture, jewelry, and among other things, books. The "Index" name came from the idea of the index is where you go to look for things! Over the years, the books took over, and the other parts of the business were phased out. It started with fun reading materials, and just expanded to include books to relax, and to open your mind for knowledge. The idea now is that it's a family book store with a little something for everyone. From "Read to Me" books for the kids, to things that appeal to Grandma and Grandpa. Starting in 1980 they even expanded to include some new books as well as the used books they have always been known for.

Some of the favorite sections include Cookbooks, Arts & Crafts, Large Print Books, Books on CD, Science Fiction, Mystery, Kids, Classics, and much, much more. And one of the always popular sections in this area is of course Military History. They also carry books by local authors, and books on local area interests such as the Blue Angels, Florida Lighthouses, and much more.

On the subject of back to school, Hawsey's is a great place to shop for all those required reading books! They are very good about trying to keep in stock the books for the required reading at all the local schools. And if they can't find you a used copy of the required book, they offer a 10% discount on new classics for students' required reading as well.

At Hawsey's you can buy, sell, or trade a wide variety of books! They have a great selection of books at great prices. And as a special deal for a limited time, if you mention this blog to the folks at Hawsey's, they will give you a 10% discount on your purchase as a one time special. This only applies to new purchases, not to trades or credits. So tell them Mike Bobe sent you! And support your local businesses!

Hawsey's Book Index

803 Navy Boulevard

Tuesday through Saturday 9AM-5PM

850-453-1430

Pensacola History on You Tube

2009-07-31T09:03:00.001-07:00

Thanks again to the folks at VisitPensacola.com I have a few new videos to share. I had mentioned the great history around Pensacola, and this video from WUWF, Next Exit History, gives a great short overview. And yes, that is Emmitt Smith as the Sports hero from Pensacola! Looks like plenty of other great videos out there as well, so check them out!

Twitter and Pensacola

2009-07-29T11:15:00.000-07:00

I am in the process of joining the tech revolution. I still don't even understand everything yet, but I'm giving it a good shot. It all started with the website for Bobe's Hobby House. Then I added a facebook page for myself, and for Bobe's Hobby House. Now I've joined Twitter for Bobe's Hobby House (@bobeshobby). What's next? I just don't know yet.

On both Facebook and Twitter, I've run into other interesting organizations, like Visit Pensacola. This is a website run by the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. They are trying to reach 1559 followers (#raceto1559) on their twitter account (@VisitPensacola). For those who don't know the history of the area, there's quite a lot to know. But what's being celebrated this year is the 450th anniversary of Pensacola. We lay claim to being the oldest European settlement in North America. St. Augustine only beats us because the first Pensacola settlement was washed away by a hurricane. Pensacola was not re-established until after St. Augustine. Anyway, on Saturday August 15 at 9:00 AM there will be a re-enactment of Don Tristan De Luna's landing, along with other celebrations. Check out Celebrate Pensacola for more info.

Tall Ships in Pensacola

2009-06-10T11:08:00.000-07:00

Well, it's a little late to tell you this now, but this past week Pensacola had a visit from the Spanish Navy's training ship, the Juan Sebastian de Elcano. This is the third largest tall ship in the world. They spent a week in the port of Pensacola, and were offering tours to the general public. I went down last Thursday to take the tour, but did not have the time to wait in the extremely long lines! Pensacola went all out for the visit, and there were Spanish flags flying all along Palafox street downtown. The Blue Angels did a flyover once the weather cooperated this weekend. This is just one of the kinds of events that pop up down here on a fairly regular basis.

For any of you who were fortunate enough to take the tour of the ship, and want something to remember it by, we just got in the model kit of the Elcano at Bobe's Hobby House! Come check it out!

Relay for Life

2009-05-22T12:10:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I participated in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. OK, so this is not really just a Pensacola thing. And there are actually several of these events in the area. But you know what? It's a great event, and I would encourage you to participate in any of them, wherever you are!

The Relay for Life is a fund raising event run by the American Cancer Society. As I said, they run them all over the area, and all over the country. Here are the basics. People and businesses form Teams for the Relay. These teams try to raise money for the event in an incredible variety of ways. The events are held typically at a school or college, using their Track to hold the event. The night of the event there is a dinner held to celebrate Cancer Survivors. The Survivors are given special purple Survivor T-shirts. At 6:00PM on Friday night is the first lap. This lap is for all the Survivors. It is very powerful to see the sea of Purple Shirts in this first lap! Each team has to keep at least 1 walker on the track for the 24 hours until the event ends. In reality the track is pretty full throughout the event.

The one exception is Friday night at 9:00PM. This is when the Luminaria ceremony is held. The Luminaria are another fund raiser for the event. The Luminaria are small bags with a candle inside that line the track edges. The bags are available for any donation. You then write the name of either someone who is a Cancer Survivor, or in memory of a Cancer Victim. Just before 9:00 the candles are all lit. At 9:00 for the ceremony, all other lights at the track are turned off, so that the Luminaria are the only lighting. A lone Bagpiper makes a single trip around the track playing "Amazing Grace". It is a very moving moment. There are a few other speeches and songs , and then the regular event resumes.

So how is money raised? There are an incredible variety of ways! Many of the businesses have specials throughout the year to raise money for the event. For instance, my team is from Angel's Garden, a wonderful little boutique gift shop on 12th avenue. They have a great Spiced Cider mix they sell, and all the proceeds go to the ACS. There are many dining events where proceeds are donated. The night of the event, many teams set up food booths. Others offer neck massages, or raffle items. Track Markers (signs) are for sale from the teams as well. This gives people or businesses a chance to express their support for the event. It's really a very creative and enjoyable event, and all for a good cause!

You may ask what is a Cancer Survivor? Basically if you have had any form of Cancer and are still alive, you are a Survivor! The last statistic I heard said that 1 in 3 people will have some form of Cancer. So chances are excellent that you or someone you know will face Cancer. Cancer has definitely touched my life. My Mother lost her battle with Ovarian Cancer. My Father is a Prostate Cancer Survivor. My Wife is a Thyroid Cancer Survivor. There are other cases in my family as well.

So, please, if you have any interest in participating in this event, call your local American Cancer Society office for more information. Even if you don't want to get involved in the teams or fundraising, just go out and walk the track next time you see the Relay advertised. There is no cost to get in, and you can have a great time very inexpensively, and support a great cause.

To find a Relay for Life near you, visit the American Cancer Society or Relay for Life websites.

Futurevisions!

2009-05-02T10:22:00.000-07:00

OK, so today I get to do my first actual business review. Well, here goes...

Many times, when people come in my store, Bobe's Hobby House, they say that they feel like a kid in a candy store. I understand that sentiment, because I have found a place that does that for me! Futurevisions is a great little hole-in-the-wall comic book store on Pace Boulevard, one block south of Jackson Street. Richard Woodard started this store back in 1995 as a sci-fi/fantasy/horror specialty book store. He quickly found that there just was not enough market in Pensacola to support such a specialized store. He expanded into comic books, then action figures, and toys. I would guess he probably has the largest selection of action figures available on the Gulf Coast!

Rich told me that it took about 3 years to get established with the business. About the third year he bought the building. From 1998 to 2004, business was great. Then Ivan came. Hurricane Ivan really changed the community. The current economy makes things tough as well. Still, Rich does this because he loves it. As a kid, Rich was into comics, but was unable to afford the toys and comics he sells today.

Rich still carries a pretty good selection of the sci-fi, fantasy, and horror books that got him started in the business as well. And as you can see from the pictures, he has some great figurines available in his display cases. And where else can you see a life size Rat Fink?

So if you have ANY interest in comic books, action figures, or even sci-fi, fantasy, or horror books, you owe it to yourself to go check out Future Visions! They are at the corner of Pace & La Rua, next to the Hula Moon Tattoo studio. Or call Rich at 850-470-0360. And tell him I sent you!

Support your local favorites, before it's too late!

2009-04-10T13:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was working on some stories for this blog. Making a list of some of the businesses, events, and places that I would like to cover. I had lunch at the Reverie bakery downtown (which was GREAT) and had started working on soem of the info I would like to cover. Last night I was headed to a meeting of the Panhandle Miniature Figure Society at John's Models in Cantonment. I always stop for dinner somewhere on the way out there. I was going to go by my favorite Ice Cream place in Pensacola, the Ice Cream Club on Nine Mile Road. I decided not to, because my wife would be upset if I went without her. I figured I would use my blog as an excuse to take her out there and do a story on them. Well, I apparently waited too long. I learned at my meeting that the Ice Cream Club closed down. I was very depressed.
This brings me to my point for today. If there are places you like to shop, places you like to eat, or places you just like to hang out, SUPPORT THEM! If you don't, they may just go away like the Ice Cream Club did to me. Don't count on them always being there whenever you get around to it. Don't take them for granted. Patronize them. Buystuff from them. Tell your friends about them. Do whatever you can to promote them. That's what this blog is all aboout. Trying to help promote those places that I like to shop, eat, or just hang out. That way, maybe tehy'll still be there next time when I want to go.

Introduction

2009-04-02T08:14:00.000-07:00

Hello,
My name is Mike Bobe, and I want to introduce you to my home town. Pensacola, Florida is a great place to live, or to visit. I have lived here most of my life. I have also lived in Jackson,MS, Gainesville, FL, New Orleans, LA, and the Dallas,TX area. But Pensacola is my home, and I'm glad to be here.

My goal with this blog is to introduce you to some of MY favorite things about Pensacola. I am president of Bobe's Hobby House. We have people who travel to our store from all over the country, and sometimes all over the world. I often get asked what else is there to do around here? Well, this gives me the opportunity to pass along some suggestions. I will be posting about favorite stores, restaurants, museums, activities and more. I hope you like my suggestions, and if you have some to pass on to me, feel free to do so!

More soon!
Mike