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March Events You Don’t Want to Miss!

Spring is quickly approaching and the Florida sunshine we all know and love is returning! Take advantage of the beautiful weather this time of the year by visiting local events with friends and family. From tasting new cuisines, embracing your competitive side with bingo and trivia games, to dancing under the stars to your favorite tunes – there is so much to enjoy.

Mark your favorite events on your calendar because you don’t want to miss these!*

 

March 2 O’Riley’s Bingo night

Come enjoy some bingo with us for a chance to win some cool prizes and get 20% off all of our pub bites!

Location: O’Riley’s Irish Pub321 S. Palafox St.
Pensacola, FL 32501
(850) 912-4001
Time: 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Admission: FREE

March 5 –Sun Belt Conference Men’s Basketball Championship

Location: Sun Belt Basketball Conference
201 E. GREGORY ST.
Pensacola, FL 32502
Time: 5:00 PM

March 6 – 200 South Small Business Saturday

At 200 South we’re all about supporting locals and the family we have here downtown is AWESOME. We love how supportive everyone is of each other’s businesses each and every day. If there’s anything that 2020 taught us it’s that you’ve got to stick together and support one another.

That’s why on the First Saturday of each month we are running the 200 South Small Business Saturday Promotion. This is an initiative to support our local business friends and those that support them by buying their products, food, and drinks.

The gist:

Bring in a receipt from a purchase made from another downtown business (it can be ANY downtown business) and receive 10% off your bill here at 200 South. This is redeemable at Graffiti Pizza, World of Beer, Taco Agave, and Blend Lounge.

*Must be a receipt dated that specific Saturday and can only be redeemed that same day

*Limit one discount total

February 6, 2021 – June 5, 2021
Location: Graffiti Pizza
210 South Palafox Street
Pensacola, FL 32502
(928) 853-5967
Time: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Admission: None

March 6 – 2021 Spring Food Truck Fest

Tempt your taste buds and come hungry at this year’s 2021 Spring Food Truck Fest. The fest will feature a number of the city’s finest food trucks! We also will have vendors exhibiting and selling gifts, crafts, jewelry, personal care products, and much more! The event will take place at Community Maritime Park, Downtown, Pensacola. This is a family-friendly event.

There will be Food Trucks, Vendors, Live Entertainment, a Food Truck People’s Choice Tasting competition, and a bounce house for the kids. A portion of the proceeds goes to Feeding the Gulf Coast. Location: Community Maritime Park Downtown Pensacola

5220 Medina Road 301 West Main Street
Pensacola, FL 32501
(850) 376-9350
Time: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Admission: $2 admission and kids 12 and under free

March 9 –RILEY GREEN WITH OPENING SUPPORT BY ADAM DOLEAC & ADAM HOOD

Currently opening for Jason Aldean’s “We Back Tour,” and singer/songwriter of hit songs “There Was This Girl” and “I Wish Grandpa’s Never Died,” we’re excited to welcome Riley Green back to the beach! Flora-Bama’s Beach Concert Series presents Riley Green on the Flora-Bama Beach with opening support by Adam Doleac and Adam Hood Monday, March 9th!

Beach Concert Series After-Party

6:30 – 8:00 PM | Flora-Bama Tent Stage

Join us for the Beach Concert Series After-Party featuring Country Music Singer/Songwriter Mike Ryan!

Location: Flora-Bama Lounge, Package and Oyster Bar
17401 Perdido Key Dr.
Pensacola, FL 32507-9354
(850) 492-0611
Time: 1:30 PM – 8:00 PM

March 11 – Stuzzichini & Aperitivi – Entertaining Italian-style, Appetizers and Cocktails

Have you ever wanted to entertain like an Italian? ‘Aperitivo hour’ with friends, colleagues, and family is the sacred sunset hour that bridges the end of the workday to evenings ‘al fresco’ in the piazza or at a rooftop bar. Spritzes, vibrant cocktails, and perfect, small bites can pass for a great

Aperitivo hour or meal.

Location: Angelena’s Ristorante Italiano
101 E Intendencia St
Pensacola, FL 32501
(917) 573-1613
Time: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Admission: $65

March 12 – Pensacola Habitat Food Truck Festival

We are so excited about bringing our 5th Annual Pensacola Habitat Food Truck Festival to our community on March 12th and 13th at Community Maritime Park. At Pensacola Habitat, we love the community that we serve. Please know that we are doing everything we can to ensure that this year’s event is SAFE for our community and fun for all that attend. Food trucks featuring dishes from various cooking styles and flavors come together for this event to benefit Pensacola Habitat for Humanity each year!
This year is Pensacola Habitat for Humanity’s 40th Anniversary! To celebrate, we are adding some new components to this year’s event that we can’t wait to share! How we announce what is new this year will be part of the fun! Look out for HabiHints on our social media platforms to see if you can guess what we are doing that is new and exciting this year. Tell us your guesses. All who correctly guess will be entered into a drawing to win some pretty spectacular prizes during HabiFridays during February!
Location: Community Maritime Park
301 W Main St
Pensacola, FL 32502
Time: 11:00 AM – 9:30 PM

March 13 – McGuire’s 5k Run

RUN or WALK! Everyone is welcome! Please see what’s new for 2021:

NEW FOR 2021

McGuire’s St. Patrick’s Day 5k Run is a Pensacola tradition and is known as the largest Prediction Run in America! In keeping with tradition…the show must go on! The Run will look different this year and as a precaution and for your safety; there will be no post-race party. We do hope you’ll join us for the 44th Annual McGuire’s St. Patrick’s Day 5k Run.

McGuire’s 2021 COVID Safety Plan

The following safety protocols will be in place:

• All participants are asked to maintain a social distance of 6 feet while on the property; including at Packet Pickup

• Wear a face mask at all times except during the Run

• Participants are encouraged to bring their own pre-race and during race water. There will not be race route water stops. Bottled water will be provided at the finish line.

• All participants will be timed for fastest times and predicted times; however, NO post-race awards will be given. All times will be posted online at http://www.mcguiresirishpub.com

All participants will receive a 2021 McGuire’s 5k commemorative run medal upon crossing the finish line.

Location: McGuire’s Irish Pub
600 E. Gregory St. (Hwy. 98)
Pensacola, FL 32502
(850) 433-6789
Time: 9:00 AM
Admission: $25

March 13 – Songs of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales

Join us in the parking garage of 316, Inc. (316 S. Baylen St.) for a program of traditional and contemporary songs from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, conducted by Peter Steenblik. The performance also features pianist Isabelle Areola, trumpeters Dale Riegle and Jonathan Martin, and percussionist Laura Noah. Admission is free, but we welcome donations.

NOTE: To mitigate health risks for the audience and singers, the chorus will follow protocols based on the latest scientific research, guidelines from health experts, and best practice of other choral organizations. The venue was selected to allow a free flow of air. In addition, chorus members will wear special singers’ masks and stand six feet apart. Masks and distancing are also required for audience members, who are requested to bring their own seating.

Location: 316, Inc. parking garage (316 S. Baylen St.)
1000 College Blvd., Rm. 803
Pensacola, FL 32503
(850) 484-1806
Time: 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Admission: Free

March 13 – St. Patrick’s Day Pensacola Ice Flyers vs Knoxville Ice Bears

The Pensacola Ice Flyers are hosting the Knoxville Ice Bears for St. Patrick’s Day at the Pensacola Bay Center! Wear green for good luck and cheer on the Ice Flyers. Tickets can be purchased online on Ticket Master or in-person at the box office.

Location: Pensacola Ice Flyers
201 E. Gregory St.
Pensacola, FL 32502
(850) 466-3111
Time: 7:05 PM
Admission: $19.00 – $21.00

March 15 – Little River Band

Little River Band is bringing their vocal and musical energy along with great arrangements to their timeless classic hits including “Cool Change,” “Take It Easy On Me,” “Reminiscing,” “Help is on its Way,” “Lonesome Loser,” “Lady,” and “Happy Anniversary.”

The band enjoys watching their fans fall in love with the songs all over again as they are swept up by the show’s powerful performance and the volume of hits from Little River Band’s history.

Location: Saenger Theatre
118 South Palafox Place
Pensacola, FL 32502
(850) 595-3880
Time: 7:30 PM

March 20 – Saturdays at the Market, LLC SPRING MARKET

Our SPRING MARKET at SATURDAYS AT THE MARKET, LLC will be located under the beautiful Oaks at 5300 Berryhill Road in Milton, Florida. We will be hosts to various local artisans, direct sales vendors, food vendors, bakers, and THE PO-BOY SHACK FOOD TRUCK! Check out our vendors and their new spring items! Have lunch while you are there, and take some delicious baked goods home with you! Something for everyone and ADMISSION IS ALWAYS FREE!

Location: 5300 Berryhill Road, Milton, Florida 32570
Milton, FL 32570
(850) 390-0991
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Admission: FREE

March 23 – GAME ON! Digital Trivia Night

GAME ON! Tuesday Digital Trivia Night
7:30 PM in Apple Annie’s

Are you any good at Jeopardy? Do you remember “Let’s Make A Deal”? Can you play “Name That Tune”? Then Seville Quarter’s new “GAME ON” Digital Trivia Night is right for you! Every Tuesday night, Seville Quarter is hosting a Digital Trivia Night, with a Smartphone twist. 21st Century revolutionary Smartphone Trivia has taken over the Pensacola Trivia Scene.

Location: Seville Quarter
130 East Government Street
Pensacola, FL 32502
(850) 434-6211
Time: 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM

March 23 – Pensacola VegFest 2021

“Pensacola VegFest is about normalizing compassionate living and focusing on making that a more accessible reality”
Vegan Food Vendors | Meditation on Planetary Peace | Vegan Desserts | Food Samples | Cooking Demonstrations | Live Music | Face Painting | Free Yoga | Guest Speakers | Jewelry | Clothing
Location: Community Maritime Park
301 W Main St
Pensacola, FL 32502
Time: 11:30 AM

March 27 – Pensacola Tribute Music Fest

Pensacola Tribute Fest is coming to Community Maritime Parks Amphitheater in Pensacola on March 27th and 28th 2021. 11 Tribute Bands playing over 2 days.

Get your tickets now at https://link.edgepilot.com/s/e5c4383a/VAX67_ndzkSYgfNQaW48QA?u=http://www.pensacolatributefest.com/

After February 15th: the price of tickets increase to:

$35 for One Day
$60 for Two Day &
$175 for VIP
$25 One Day Military and First Responder
$60 Two Day Military and First Responder

Location: Community Maritime Park Amphitheater Downtown Pensacola
301 West Main Street
Pensacola, FL 32501
(850) 376-9350
Time: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Admission: $35 One Day $60 Two Days VIP $175

*Information provided courtesy of visitpensacola.com


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Get Your Home Ready to Sell

Congratulations! You have decided to sell your home and are beginning a new chapter. While the market is never 100% predictable, there are some surefire ways to make your home as sellable as it can be to attract buyers fast.

Check out these tips below and start the first step towards selling your home:

Landscaping

Your yard is the first thing potential buyers will see when they arrive at your home. Make sure your curb appeal is up to par. Mow the lawn, trim the bushes, pull weeds, and add new plants to provide a welcoming look.

Clean the Outside

In addition to landscaping, the exterior of your home should reflect the tidiness of the interior. Clean out your gutters, pressure wash the sides, and clean up around your mailbox.

Repairs

Minor repairs around the home will add a ton of value. Buyers typically do not want to view a home and see all the little projects they will have to do to move in. That means fixing things like broken windows, dripping faucets, and leaks in the roof.

Paint Your Front Door

This is a small upgrade that makes a huge difference! Painting your front door adds a freshness that makes your porch feel new and trendy.

Wipe Your Feet

Add a welcome mat to invite potential buyers into your home. Bonus: it reduces the amount of dirt tracked in from the heavy amount of foot traffic.

No More Holes and Scratches

Fill in any holes and scratches that would take away from the overall look. Common holes would be where a doorknob hits the wall and areas that wall art used to hang.

Start With the Kitchen

If you want to make improvements in your home that adds the most value – start with the kitchen! It is very common for buyers to ask for a lesser price due to a dated kitchen so making small updates can be a huge benefit in the long run. Focus on painting, changing the hardware, and if you have the budget – replace appliances with stainless steel. Try to remove unneeded clutter on the countertops to make the kitchen feel even larger!

Remove Clutter

Remove anything in your home that isn’t necessary or will cause distractions. Especially personal items that would make it difficult for the buyer to picture themselves living in the home.

Organize Closets

Closets are a big selling point and one that can make or break a sale. Take out half of your clothes and shoes to store away until the move. This makes the closet seem more spacious and organized. Another bonus: half of your clothes will already be packed and ready to go for the move!

Dust and Shine

Your home will be under the scrutiny of potential buyers. Go over all the nooks and crannies dusting surfaces such as ceiling fans, mantles, and baseboards until everything is sparkling clean. Go ahead and check a couple of times to be sure you did not miss anything!

Make it Bright

Light is your best friend when it comes to showing off your home. Replace your lightbulbs with ones with higher wattage. While you’re at it, have a few as a backup – your lights will be on more often than usual from showings. It is also helpful to remove any barriers to your natural light filling your home. Walk around your home and find what could be blocking light such as blackout curtains and furniture in front of windows.

Hide Pets

We get it – your pets are like family! But not everyone is comfortable around animals, especially if they have deep fears or are allergic. If you can, try having a friend or family member watch your pets during showings. You could also check them into a pet hotel if needed!

Do Away With Bad Odors

You have probably heard the term “nose blind” meaning you have adapted to your surroundings so much that you can not differentiate the odors in your home. Do away with things that may be causing unnoticed odors such as litter boxes, half-filled trash bins, and dirty sinks.

Add Fresh Flowers

Staging your home doesn’t have to be a financial burden! Something as simple as adding fresh flowers in your kitchen will provide a pop of color and also smells great.

Research Local Housing Market

It is nice to have an idea of what you are getting in to so go online and research your local housing market to learn the trends and current state it is in at the time you are ready to sell. This also helps you see what homes in your area that are similar to yours have sold for recently.

Find a Listing Agent

The selling process should be as stress-free as possible! That is why we recommend finding a listing agent who can tell you exactly how to get your home ready to sell and who can guide you through the process. An agent who is knowledgeable in the market, and the laws that are in place to protect you, is always the safest route.

You can find an agent here.


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FAQs for the First-Time Home Buyer

Purchasing a home for the first time can seem overwhelming. Fear of the home buying process typically comes from fear of the unknown. There are so many directions you can take and a lot of decisions that go into the process. While this lengthy undertaking is meant to protect you, as the buyer, it is still important to settle on an objective for what you are looking for and what you can afford. The best thing you can do is prepare yourself as much as you can through research, so you know what to expect.

 

 We have collected a series of the MOST asked questions from first-time home buyers so that you can start this journey confidently – making your home buying experience stress-free!

 

  1. What is a mortgage?

Let’s start with the basics. A mortgage is a type of loan that you agree to pay back monthly in installments over the course of so many years. When you begin making these payments, a portion goes towards principal (the amount you borrowed as the loan) and interest (the cost of the loan).

 

  1. How much of a down payment do I need?

This amount varies from which financing options are offered and what you choose; however, the average amount is substantially less than what many may believe. While there are those who put as much as 20% down, other options are always available that require less, some as low as 5%! If the down payment seems intimidating, it is a good idea to investigate more financing options to see which is the best fit for you and your situation.

 

  1. What is a credit score and why should I care about it?

A credit score is a numerical assessment ranging from 300-850 that analyzes how much of a risk you are to lenders – in other words, your creditworthiness. This lets them know how likely you are to pay your bills on time. Generally, the higher your score is the lower risk you are to lenders. Poor credit history or no credit at all are usually one of the two main culprits of credit challenges when it comes to buying a home.

 

A. Poor credit history

While a good credit score is very valuable, a poor credit score does not automatically count you out of the home-buying process. It is always beneficial to talk to several lenders to see your options. A good loan officer, or mortgage specialist, will be able to offer assistance in resolving your credit challenges through creating a plan of action. This plan would consist of ways to consolidate your debt and create a strategy to increase your credit score in the future. This could take some time and is always smart to be proactive.

 

Minh Uong/The New York Times

 

B. No credit history

You may have no credit history if you are new in the workforce, or do not have opened credit cards. Some options to still qualify for a loan despite this would be to secure help with a cosigner. This is typically a parent or close relative who “vouches” for you by agreeing to make your payments if you fail to. A positive to this option would be that there are few better ways to establish good credit than by making timely payments on your mortgage.

 

  1. What are the benefits of buying instead of renting?

One of the biggest benefits of buying a home instead of paying rent each month is that you are able to lock in a fixed-rate mortgage. Landlords increase rent by about 3-5 percent each year, according to the U.S. national average found on Millionacres. Even if rent was locked in at a fixed-rate, you would be essentially losing money because you are not building what is called “equity.”

 

  1. What does building equity mean?

Equity is the portion of your home’s value that you own. It is the amount you would receive after selling your home, and settling your mortgage/selling expenses. This is important because it helps determine your net worth, or the dollar amount when you add everything of value you own minus what you owe.

The first way to build equity is by paying down your mortgage. You are paying two things when you pay your mortgage: principal (the amount you owe), and interest (the payment for the loan given). As time goes on, you begin to own more and more of your home’s value because you are making payments towards your principal.

Another way you can build equity is by your home appreciating in value. This is because home prices inflate exponentially over time meaning that what your home is worth when you are ready to sell it will be significantly higher than what you bought it for.

 

These are the basics of what you need to know before making the leap to start the home buying process. It is important to note that laws vary from state to state and you should invest in a quality team of professionals who are knowledgeable in the area and conduct business with integrity and reliability. Remember to keep it simple and not to let the opinions or advice from others deter you from staying focused on the plan you create for yourself. Now go on and seize the opportunity!

 


Keller, Gary, et al. Your First Home: The Proven Path to Home Ownership. Stonesong Press/McGraw-Hill, 2008.


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The Hidden VALUE of Your Home

Food. Water. Shelter.

Three of our most basic human needs. And it’s these basic needs that represent a thin line separating the species’ survival and the species’ extinction.

Abraham Maslow, an American psychologist and philosopher best known for his theory on self-actualization and motivation, stated that human needs are ranked in priority, represented visually by his now iconic pyramid titled “Hierarchy of Needs.” The more basic needs such as food and water exist at the bottom; high-level emotional needs such as love and self-esteem are contained in the middle; and finally, at the top, the need for self-actualization, or the desire to become one’s best self.
Maslow stated that each lower-level need must be satisfied before reaching the next level of needs. This means that the highest level, self-actualization, is the most elusive, difficult, and desirable state to achieve. It is here where humans engage in self-fulfillment, personal growth, and introspection. Self-actualization is the desire “to become everything one is capable of becoming.”

But how do shelters and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs relate to modern day home value? 

With each evolution of the shelter, from primitive caves to two-story houses in suburban America, came a new level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. And with it, a new intrinsic value of our shelter, our home. With each new building innovation, from sticks to stones, mud to bricks, came a new purpose of our shelters that satisfied a more complex human desire, increasing the inherent value of our homes along the way. 

No longer can homes be measured simply by cash value, and no longer are people merely looking at the selling price of a home when purchasing. Rather, buyers are now considering the potential lifestyle value the home offers.

 

But can homeownership really help you meet Maslow’s highest-level need: self-actualization? And are we in a new era of homeownership, one that inspires the growth and development of our highest selves? 

 

According to archaeologists, humankind’s first shelters were built primarily out of natural materials such as rocks, trees, grasses, and caves. These primitive shelters satisfied the bottom layer of Maslow’s hierarchy, our basic and psychological needs. Their only purpose – only worth, was protection from the wind, rain, and extreme temperatures. Similar to modern-day apes that run under thick tree coverage during a rainstorm, these shelters were temporary, singularly focused, and contained no emotional connection.

As people and civilizations evolved, so did their shelters, and along with that came the next level of Maslow’s needs and a new layer of intrinsic value: safety. 

 At first glance, this seems to be the same basic need of the previous level.  Indeed, primitive shelters do offer a sense of safety. However, according to Maslow, “safety” represents security, order, and stability. And nothing says security and stability quite like the ancient Egyptian pyramids. Around 3100 BC, humans learned to use dried clay to make bricks, and with it came more stable homes and structures, as well as the Great Pyramids of Egypt, made of stronger limestone and granite.

During this time, shelter no longer represented just a primitive need, but instead security, employment, resources, and property. Homes meant stable, settled civilizations, unlike the quickly-erected and easily-destroyed makeshift shelters of the nomadic tribes in early human existence. In stark contrast stand the Pyramids of Egypt symbolizing indestructibility and permanence.   

Breadmaker/Shutterstock.com

Fast forward through ancient Greek civilizations and the Middle Ages, when housing advancements focused on sturdier building materials, basic comforts like heating and cooling, and sanitation. We reach the end of the Industrial Revolution where the idea of comfort and leisure reached even the poorest classes of civilization. This emergence of comfort and leisure led to the idea of the modern-day living room.

And with the arrival of the living room, humans ushered in the next level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: love and belonging.  According to Maslow, after individuals take care of their basic psychological needs and sense of security, they are ready to share themselves with others including family and friends. 

 

This jump in the evolution of the home into more specialized rooms reflects our need for love, connection, and fostering relationships. Dining rooms were constructed for gathering friends and families, living rooms designed for connection with family, bedrooms created for intimate relationships. Four walls no longer represented shelter, or safety from the elements, but belonging, connection, love, friendship, family, and togetherness. 

 

The value of homes turned into how well they could bring us together. 

     

At the turn of the 20th century, homeownership increased significantly as more people sought the American dream of opportunity, prosperity, and homeownership. This increase brought in the next level of Maslow’s pyramid and a new layer of built-in value: self-esteem, status, and success. 

 

In an ING survey of 15,000 people Across Europe and the US, 65% said they regarded buying a home as a symbol of success. 

 

Perhaps, even more telling of this shift from “love and belonging” to the more complex emotional need of self-esteem, a new study by Bank of America reveals that Millennials are now prioritizing homeownership above other major life milestones, including starting a family.

 

“Millennials are redefining life’s priorities by placing homeownership above nearly all other key milestones, including marriage,”

Bank of America Consumer Lending Managing Director Steve Boland said.

“Millennials equate homeownership with personal and financial success, and it’s encouraging to see this generation aspire to homeownership.”

The study also states,

“Homeownership is also perceived as a status symbol among Millennials, with 53% equating it with personal achievement and 45% with financial success.”

 

Far from the primitive needs of basic shelter, a home now represents achievement, respect from others, and confidence. 

 

But where does that leave us now, in 2020? 

 

According to Maslow, there is one last level to achieve: self-actualization

 

Often seen as the most nebulous of needs, self-actualization is a desire to become the most that one can become. It’s when individuals are engaged in achieving their full potential. 

 With the onset of the pandemic and individuals now quarantining or isolating in their homes for days and weeks at a time, homes are being used in ways and frequencies that most in our society have never attempted before: home offices, gyms, homeschool rooms, craft rooms, and even meditation sitting rooms. Could this new phase of home use usher in the last and final stage of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and support the desire for humans to become their highest selves?

Flamingo Images/Shutterstock.com

Homes are now being used (and even designed) to support activities beyond just leisure or comfort, or even love and belonging, but meaningful lifestyle changes. A subtle difference, perhaps, but these activities are being done not because we have the freedom for respite and recreation as was the case in previous generations; on the contrary, Americans have far less free time than ever before. Instead, these activities have a different intent. They’re aligned with raising oneself to a higher level: to improve the mind, body, and spirit. We designate space and unique flooring to bring in exercise equipment because exercise improves our self-confidence, energy, and mood. 

 

We engage in new hobbies like cooking and crafting as a form of therapeutic, healing reprieve from the day-to-day stress of our lives, and we want large open kitchens and designated craft rooms to support that. 

 

We build home gardens in our spacious backyards not so that we can support our family’s basic physiological needs for food, but to connect with nature as a way to improve our emotional and mental well-being. 

 

We design open floor plans and large, sprawling windows to improve natural lighting because sunlight lifts our mood and increases our happiness. 

 

We re-arrange furniture and rooms to support educating our children at home because we derive a sense of purpose from passing on our best values to the next generation. 

 

We live in an age of learning and even craving to engage in higher-level, emotional activities. Creation. Problem-solving. Connection with nature. Spirituality. Meditation. And we are buying and building homes to support these self-actualization pursuits.

 

This is the hidden, highest value of our homes: the support and encouragement of our best selves. Homes no longer represent just protection from storms, security from threats, closer relationships, or symbols of achievement. Nor can houses simply be reduced to a cash value. Instead, homes create tremendous value through the ways in which they’re used: how they inspire us to live our best lives, how they support us in becoming better versions of ourselves. 

 

Is your house supporting your self-actualization goals? 


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Flora-Bama Lounge – Perdido Key, FL | Orange Beach, AL

The Flora-Bama Lounge and Package is a Gulf-front oyster bar, beach bar, and Gulf Coast cultural landmark touted as being America’s “Last Great Roadhouse”. The Flora-Bama takes its name from its location on the Florida-Alabama state line. This famous Gulf Coast establishment has been entertaining visitors and locals alike since 1964. Featuring 365 days a year of live music from top regional and national acts as well as the home of the world-famous “Interstate Mullet Toss and Gulf Coast’s Greatest Beach Party”.

Check out Flora-Bama events

Contributor, Peggy Butler, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Main Street Properties realtor and ambassador to the world-famous Flora-Bama – visit Peggy’s real estate website

Flora-Bama Mullet Toss crowd


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Bands on the Beach

Located in the beautiful Gulfside Pavilion overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, the series features regional artists performing a wide variety of music. Join us every summer for hot music, smooth grooves, and a whole lot of good times.

Spectators are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to the pavilion area. No pets are allowed and glass is prohibited.

Bands on the Beach is at 7 p.m. and begins the first Tuesday in April and ends the last Tuesday in October.

Concerts are provided and organized by the Santa Rosa Island Authority.

For more information click here or call the SRIA at (850) 932-2257.

*Information provided courtesy of pensacolabeachchamber.com


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Fort Pickens – Pensacola Beach, FL

Fort Pickens is a pentagonal historic United States military fort on Santa Rosa Island in the Pensacola, Florida, area. It is named after American Revolutionary War hero Andrew Pickens. The fort was completed in 1834 and remained in use until 1947.

Visitors to the Fort Pickens area today can enjoy historic buildings, fort remnants, breezy bike rides along the beach, bird watching, and beautiful views. Fort Pickens is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, established in 1971, and is accessed via the Pensacola Beach bridge. Follow Fort Pickens Rd which terminates at the park entrance.

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