It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Naval Live Oaks Nature Preserve gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Gulf Breeze, FL is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Shoreline Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Lao Ocean or visit Fort George, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Gulf Breeze, FL, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Gulf Breeze, FL understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Gulf Breeze, FL 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
Gulf Breeze, FL (July 8, 2025) – A crash involving injuries occurred Tuesday afternoon at the intersection of Gulf Breeze Parkway and Gondolier Boulevard, prompting a rapid emergency response from local authorities. The Florida Highway Patrol reported that the incident was dispatched at 12:21 p.m., with first responders arriving on scene by 12:34 p.m.Although the roadway has since been cleared and traffic is flowing normally, officials confirmed that at least one person was injured in the crash. Details regarding the numb...
Gulf Breeze, FL (July 8, 2025) – A crash involving injuries occurred Tuesday afternoon at the intersection of Gulf Breeze Parkway and Gondolier Boulevard, prompting a rapid emergency response from local authorities. The Florida Highway Patrol reported that the incident was dispatched at 12:21 p.m., with first responders arriving on scene by 12:34 p.m.
Although the roadway has since been cleared and traffic is flowing normally, officials confirmed that at least one person was injured in the crash. Details regarding the number of vehicles involved and the extent of injuries have not yet been made public.
Medical teams provided treatment at the scene and transported any injured individuals to nearby medical facilities as needed. The Florida Highway Patrol is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.
We send our best wishes for a speedy recovery to those affected.
Gulf Breeze Parkway (U.S. Highway 98) is a heavily traveled corridor connecting residential areas, tourist destinations, and commercial zones in Santa Rosa County. Intersections like the one at Gondolier Blvd are particularly vulnerable to collisions due to the mix of high-speed traffic and turning vehicles.
Even though the roadway has been cleared, crashes with injuries—like Tuesday’s incident—can have lingering effects on those involved. Victims often experience not only physical injuries, such as whiplash or soft tissue damage, but also financial strain from medical expenses and vehicle repairs.
If you or a loved one was hurt in a crash on Gulf Breeze Parkway, it’s important to seek medical attention promptly and understand your rights for compensation and support.
Were you injured in a crash like the one in Gulf Breeze? Local Accident Reports is here to provide timely updates, recovery resources, and connections to local legal and medical professionals. Contact us today for guidance and support as you navigate the path to healing.
Note: These posts are created solely for the use of Local Accident Reports. We have not verified the information in these posts as the information is gathered from secondary sources. If you have personal knowledge that the information contained in these posts is inaccurate, please contact Local Accident Reports immediately so we can make the necessary corrections or remove the story.
Disclaimer: We are providing this information to the general public as a resource to use in the event you or a family member are injured in a similar incident. Every effort is put forth to honor the victims of accidents, and hope the information presented helps others avoid the same type of accidents in the future. The photos depicted in these posts are not representative of the actual accident scene. Please contact Local Accident Reports at (888) 657-1460 to be connected with an attorney in your area who will answer any legal questions you may have.
The immediate and biggest shock was the heat.Back home in rural Wicklow County, Ireland, the summer temperature averages 68 to 70 degrees in summer. But upon arrival to the United States and the Gulf Coast in August of 1967, newly ordained ...
The immediate and biggest shock was the heat.
Back home in rural Wicklow County, Ireland, the summer temperature averages 68 to 70 degrees in summer. But upon arrival to the United States and the Gulf Coast in August of 1967, newly ordained Roman Catholic priest Rev. Luke Hunt found himself smothered in something much more uncomfortable that a heavy black cassock. It was the heat. And, of course, the humidity.
"I was at St. Mary's in Fort Walton Beach and it was my first weekend there,'' Hunt recalled. "It was a small church with no air conditioning and I'm wearing the long, black cassock. The pastor had sent me to hear confessions and I was sitting in the confessional with bugs biting me and it was so hot."
A family came into the church, and he could hear a child run ahead of his parents through the holy place.
"I'm sure his parents had warned him to be quiet in church because God was there,'' Hunt said. "But he ran ahead of them, looked around and shouted back to his parents, 'I can't see God in here.' I said to myself, that's my sentiment exactly."
Hunt, 83, smiled and added that it was also Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival season too, Fort Walton Beach's weeklong celebration similar to Pensacola's Fiesta of Five Flags, though maybe a bit more raucous.
"No one had told me about it and there were all these explosions,'' he said. "I thought I was in a war zone."
Hunt served with various parishes in what was then the Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham, which included the Florida Panhandle. Northwest Florida churches would later become part of the Diocese of St. Augustine. Now, all Northwest Florida Catholic churches are part of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, established in 1975.
Since 1984, now Monsignor Hunt has served as pastor at St. Ann Catholic Church Parish in Gulf Breeze. When he began his service to the church 41 years ago, the parish had about 300 families. Today, the parish is made up of about 850 families, as well as another 150 families from St. Ann's mission church on Pensacola Beach, Our Lady of Assumption Mission.
Hunt will retire following a morning mass at St. Ann Catholic Church on June 22.
Then, he'll return home.
That's to his home in a nice Gulf Breeze neighborhood, not far from the church.
"People ask me if I'm going to go back to Ireland,'' Hunt said in his Irish brogue, not as thick as it was 58 years ago when he arrived in the United States. "Well, you know, I know more people here now than I do in Ireland. Plus, I've been part of more families here, families I've known for generations. In our preschool now are parents who bring their kids here who went here themselves as children. I have celebrated weddings with people that I baptized. I'm going to stay here and to continue to minister. when called. I love to be around people, and I want to continue to do that."
He suffered a health scare in 2021 when he became severely ill after contracting COVID-19. Today, he said his health is good, though, of course, age has taken its natural toll. He can't ride his bike out on Pensacola Beach like he used to enjoy doing until about 20 years ago. No more jogging through Gulf Breeze like he once did.
It's the right time to retire, he said. But what actually does a priest do in retirement?
"I'm about to find out,'' Hunt said with a grin.
He's always returned to Ireland once or twice a year since his ordination so long ago and will return twice a year for sure now that he has more free time.
Hunt has family there − a brother, sister-in-law, nephews and cousins. But he'll always return back to Gulf Breeze, where he has become part of families and the community. The church even served as a FEMA relief center for nearly five months in 2004 following the devastation of Hurricane Ivan and a year later, Hunt was elected chairman of the Santa Rosa Island Authority's Committee to Redefine Pensacola Beach advisory committee.
"Pope Francis used to say that we not only serve Catholics, but the whole community,'' Hunt said. "I want to thank the whole Gulf Breeze community, the Pensacola Beach and Pensacola communities for their acceptance of me and their love and support over the years."
Bishop William Wack, who leads the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, called Hunt "the unofficial mayor of Gulf Breeze."
"He especially enjoys bringing members of the community together on the church grounds for meetings, fellowship, and prayer,'' Wack said. "This includes everyone, Catholics and non-Catholics alike."
Though he led the church as senior pastor for decades, he is now associate pastor under Rev. John Cayer who has led the church for just a few years.
"He's given us a great sense of stability here,'' Cayer said. "People have appreciated that throughout the years. He's been great for parish life and leads more by example than his voice."
St. Ann church member and parish bookkeeper Grace Hofius has known Hunt since she was 15. She's 63 now.
"I've known him since Fort Walton Beach,'' she said. "It was right when he first arrived and he got to know our family well." She would later marry, move away, have children then began searching for a new parish, finding St. Ann Catholic Church.
"One of the first days I was here I ran into the monsignor and we were talking, and he looked at me for a second,'' Hofius said. He had remembered her parents. And her.
"I was in my 40s then and he recognized me from when I was 15,'' she said. "I knew I was in the right place. He is just very present with people when he's with them and he lets them know he cares through his attitude, actions and words. He has been amazing."
Yes, she calls him "Monsignor" as everyone does. Monsignor is an honorary title the pope bestows upon certain priests who have provided valuable service to the church or provided some special role in church governance.
Before coming to St. Ann's in 1984, and following his early parish assignments, which included Our Lady of Victory in Crestview, he served as secretary to Bishop Rene Gracida, who was appointed first bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee in 1975. Hunt said it was Gracida − who is still alive and turned 102 years old on June 9 − who requested to then Pope Paul VI to bestow the "monsignor" title upon him.
He was told by Gracida that the designation was for service given, and service yet to come.
As a young seminary student from Tallahassee talked to Cayer in the parish hall kitchen, Hunt reflected on advice he would give to any new priest.
"The first thing I would say is to be faithful to prayer, because prayer is what fuels your ministry,'' he said. "Without prayer you cannot be effective. I would also tell them that they're not working for me, they're not working for the bishop, they are working with Christ."
As for his own faith, he said it has grown since his ordination.
"It has to grow,'' he said. "If a relationship doesn't grow, it becomes static and it's going to die."
He said he is thrilled to see Pope Leo XIV become the first American pope − Hunt has dual Irish and U.S. citizenship.
"It's beyond joy,'' he said. "It's amazing. It's something I never thought I'd see in my lifetime."
Wok, Hunt's current bishop − he's served under six in the diocese, beginning with Gracida − said the community was fortunate to have Hunt venture from his homeland nearly 60 years ago.
"Monsignor Hunt made the decision to leave his home country to dedicate his life for the spread of the Gospel in the United States,'' Wok said. " What an incredible gift. He has faithfully served here in Northwest Florida for more than 58 years − as long as I have been alive...I take solace in knowing he isn't going far."
Popular Pensacola brewery Alga Beer Co. is expanding its footprint in Santa Rosa County with a new Gulf breeze biergarten called The Breeze Way.The Breeze Way will join the food truck park ...
Popular Pensacola brewery Alga Beer Co. is expanding its footprint in Santa Rosa County with a new Gulf breeze biergarten called The Breeze Way.
The Breeze Way will join the food truck park Truxtop Food Court at 2541 Gulf Breeze Parkway, and will serve Alga beers, wine and cider starting at 11 a.m. on June 14, according to a social media post made by The Breeze Way.
“Join us this Saturday, June 14th, as we open The Breeze Way, our open-air biergarten in beautiful Gulf Breeze, FL. We’ll roll up the door at 11 a.m. for a selection of Alga beers, wine, and cider. Grab a beer, get some food, and celebrate with us as we toast to the next chapter of Alga Beer. Preciate y’all,” The Breeze Way’s June 10 statement read.
While The Breeze Way will handle the beverages, Truxtop is also home to a variety of food trucks, including Ghost Fried Chicken, Greek Catering & Events and a food truck from Hotspot BBQ.
The Breeze Way will be Alga’s first concept in Santa Rosa County. Its flagship location at 2435 N. 12 Ave. opened in August 2021 and has been an East Hill staple since, serving a variety of house-brewed creations including fun favorites such as their East Hillsner German pilsner, Wheatwave Floridian wheat beer and El Sure Mexican-style lager.
In 2024, Alga welcomed a new addition called The Florida Room, an '80s, old Florida-inspired cocktail lounge specializing in refreshing seltzer-based cocktails and slushies.
Now, The Breeze Way, an Alga Beer Co. biergarten, will mark the third concept of the company and the first in Santa Rosa County.
For real-time updates and information on The Breeze Way, follow thebreezeway.alga on Instagram.
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When you bite into a homemade pastry from the soon-to-open Sugar Beach Bakery in Gulf Breeze, chef Jennifer Pimentel and her husband Frank want you to taste the ...
When you bite into a homemade pastry from the soon-to-open Sugar Beach Bakery in Gulf Breeze, chef Jennifer Pimentel and her husband Frank want you to taste the real butter and nostalgia that transports you back to the “stuff that grandma was making from scratch."
But, they don't want to stop there. They also want you to be wowed when you step into their shop at 3489 Gulf Breeze Parkway by viral social media desserts you would otherwise only find in major cities, such as New York City or Miami.
“We also want to do very popular, nuanced things,” Jennifer added.
Whether you’re ordering a tried-and-true cinnamon roll or one of her original creations, the cornerstone of her bakery is being part of her customers’ memories. She thinks back to her own cherished memories baking has created, from baking for Hilary Clinton surrounded by Secret Service, or crafting a cake for her son’s first birthday covered in Star Wars movie memorabilia.
“Our theme is ‘baking memories,’ and that's really important to us. The memories you had as a kid, the memories that you're making for your baby shower, your anniversary, your bachelorette party. I want to be part of that. I want to be able to give them that experience,” Jennifer said.
Jennifer moved to Pensacola in 2021 after a rich career in California with a rich career working for the state’s top casinos, wineries and hotels, . She brought her career with her, baking for local restaurants and hotels, and named her own bakery after her love for the Gulf Coast’s beaches that she now calls home.
“I told my husband, ‘Oh my gosh, this sand looks like sugar!’” Jenifer said of developing her bakery’s name, Sugar Beach Bakery.
Now, the two have invested everything into a place of their own, which they hope to have open in early July.
“It’s just important to do what makes you happy, and I know this makes my wife really happy,” Frank said. “I think having her own bakery is just going to allow her to go back to being able to use her imagination and do what she wants to do. Our main focus is to bring that high-quality, fresh product.”
Once complete, the shop will be stocked with fresh loaves of handmade sourdough and focaccia, croissants, fresh seasonal fruit tarts, eclairs, cookies, raisin rolls and much more. Decorative cakes will be available to be cut fresh by the slice, while custom celebration cakes can be placed to order. She also has experience sculpting sugar art.
In addition to the baked goods, they will be churning up homemade ice cream and offering a variety of specialty coffee beverages and loose-leaf teas.
While there won’t be indoor seating, Jennifer does hope to add some outdoor seating.
“I do want maybe a couple of (tables) outside where you can sit, enjoy the weather, have your coffee and your croissant or Danish or your breakfast treat,” Jennifer said.
While Jennifer, who studied under French pastry chef Ste?phane Tre?and, will be doing most of the baking, her whole family is on board to help, even their children.
Their goal is to create a legacy they can leave behind one day.
“When we pass that on it goes to our children, kind of like Carlo's Bakery up in Hoboken, New Jersey. His dad had it, and his sisters helped run it, and he's there. I really want that for us and our family,” Jennifer said.
Frank, who especially favors Jennifer’s banana cream pie and brownies topped with a thin layer of ganache, is confident customers are going to like what they see.
“You bite into it, it just brings like a flashback of all these memories from when you were a kid, and I think she has that talent to be able to do that. I know she does,” Frank said. “So I think once people taste what she can make, and also her high standards, I think people are going to have memories flash back to what food should really taste like.”
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A 7-1/2 foot great white shark was caught on video by Florida Fish and Wildlife biologists off the Florida coast.It was a "rare but thrilling sighting" for FWC scientists, the video's narrator says.The juvenile white shark, estimated to be 13 years old, was filmed about 50 miles offshore of Tarpon Springs as ...
A 7-1/2 foot great white shark was caught on video by Florida Fish and Wildlife biologists off the Florida coast.
It was a "rare but thrilling sighting" for FWC scientists, the video's narrator says.
The juvenile white shark, estimated to be 13 years old, was filmed about 50 miles offshore of Tarpon Springs as FWC Fisheries-Independent Monitoring biologists conducted video surveys for the Gulf Fishery Independent Survey of Habitat and Ecosystem Resources. The group was using stereo-baited remote underwater video to record a 360-degree view of reef fish and nearby habitat, FWC wrote in a Facebook post.
Biologists identify, count and measure fish from over 1,000 videos collected each summer from natural and artificial reef habitats.
It's not uncommon for great white sharks to be in Florida waters.
North Atlantic great white sharks are known to leave their summer feeding grounds off Atlantic Canada and New England to head as far south as Florida and the Gulf, for warmer waters and more abundant food sources.
Here's what to know about great white sharks in Florida:
Yes. North Atlantic great white sharks are known to leave their summer feeding grounds off Atlantic Canada and New England to head as far south as Florida and the Gulf, for warmer waters and more abundant food sources.
Experts from OCEARCH, a shark advocacy group, said during the warmer months, these apex predators take advantage of the abundant seal populations and rich prey resources found in these areas. As temperatures drop and food sources dwindle, great white sharks are triggered by a combination of decreasing water temperatures and changes in daylight hours, prompting their southward migration.
Great white sharks are found in every ocean, though they stay away from the colder waters of Antarctica and the Arctic.
They can be found around Florida's coast, from the state's east coast to the Gulf.
There's no absolute data on the global population of white sharks and estimates vary widely – from 3,000 to over 10,000.
According to NOAA Fisheries:
According to NOAA Fisheries, white sharks have a diverse and opportunistic diet of fish, invertebrates, and marine mammals.
Juvenile white sharks mainly eat bottom fish, smaller sharks and rays, schooling fish and squids.
Larger white sharks often gather around seal and sea lion colonies to feed and also occasionally scavenge dead whales.
Florida is once again tops in the world for the number of unprovoked shark bites, even as the overall number of attacks declined in 2024.
An annual report by the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) shows 47 confirmed unprovoked shark bites globally, significantly lower than the average 64 annually over the previous five years.
The U.S. had the most bites at 28 compared to 36 bites in 2023, for 60% of the world's cases.
The Sunshine State racked up 14 confirmed bites, versus 19 in 2023, along its coastline, none of which were fatal. That's 30% of worldwide attacks.
Volusia County had the most shark bites with eight, more than half of the state total, and in line with the county's five-year annual average of nine.
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