Folio Vol. 37, Issue 15

We’re Just Barbies Living in a Barbie World

35

You’re Not-So-Typical Flower Girl

Ambar Ramirez

37

Summer’s Not Over at the Cummer Ambar Ramirez

44

Matchbox Twenty Knows How to Light Up a Crowd Ambar Ramirez

47

Michael Frantini Concert Review Through the Lens Stayce Koegler

51

New Music Releases Amiyah Golden

52

The Stars Aligned: Exploring the Emergence of Speed Weapon Amiyah Golden

61

Dining With the Fish Company Su Ertekin-Taner

Photo by Nick Lang Photography

Only @ 904-549-5647 gobiotarget.com

"It just heals up so much better. To the point I’m more functional now than I have been in years!”

Dear Folio:

TikToker DannyFCollins showed that Jason Aldean’s teaser trailer for “Try That in a Small Town,” posted to TikTok May 19, shows a newspaper clipping about a Mississippi newspaper publisher harassed for satirizing racism.

I took another look at those clippings. They also reference a 1912 case where the South Omaha Chief of Police gunned down an innocent man.

I think the Aldean teaser trailer is the work of an intern, or videographer, who hates Jason Aldean or his message.

I already posted a synopsis, alas, but I’d love to see this in print.

Thanks,

Brian Patrick O’Malley

BOUQS & BRICKS BOUQUETS BRICKBATS

To the Beaches Community Fund. An initiative of The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, the organization recently made more than $270,000 in grants to 15 nonprofits that address critical needs facing their Beaches-area neighbors. This collective giving circle, including 30+ Beaches-area families, has now invested more than $2 million in grants to nonprofits serving residents from Mayport to Guana since the fund was established in 2015. The fund focuses on direct financial aid, food assistance and educational funding for students and people with special needs.

To dating apps using AI. With artificial intelligence becoming mainstream, many dating apps are now using the technology to trick humans into thinking they are actually talking to and building a relationship with a real person. Yes, we know before AI there have always been trolls catfishing on dating apps, but now it’s even worse. You may have to upgrade to a premium package paying top dollar to even get to see the photos of a person and yikes! Are the photos even real? Are they even real? Did AI write this paragraph?!? (JK. A real human did.)

PS: Our “I SAW YOU” feature is back! It’s free, easy to use and might just connect you with the dreamboat you saw walking out of Publix last week but didn’t have the nerve to say hello to. Send us your encounter (or missed opportunity), and we will share it in our print issue. Now get out there! For more information or to submit your sighting, visit folioweekly.com

The smell of sweet, sweet satisfaction is in the air, Aries. You worked hard and now it’s time to play hard — and just in time for the end of summer. The new moon in Virgo on August 27 will mark a significant turning point in your life. It is time to celebrate your achievements, so pop the bubbly!

Ah, dear Taurus, it’s time to brush off those stubborn horns and charge into August! Brace yourself for a month of surprises, but don’t worry: Your resistance to change will come in handy. As the planets dance around, they’ll inevitably mess with your routine and comfort zone. Embrace the chaos, though, because who needs stability, right? It’s not like you thrive on predictability or anything.

HOROSCOPES ARIES TAURUS GEMINI

Saturn will begin its retrograde this August, Gemini, which is never good news. It is time to wear your big boy/girl pants and get to work. It has been a leisurely summer so far, but all of that is about to change. You may have felt yourself slipping behind in work and relationships, and this is the month to put in some work and make a change.

CANCER

It’s August— time to unleash those emotions like a tidal wave! Get ready for a month of feels and mood swings that even the moon would envy. This month, your sensitivity levels will be off the charts. Just a gentle breeze might have you in tears, reminiscing about your childhood pet goldfish. Ride those emotional waves then like a true cosmic surfer. Just don’t forget to bring a box of tissues and some dramatic background music wherever you go.

LEO VIRGO

Uh oh … Expect an earnest conversation this August, Leo. The moon will be in your sign from Aug. 16-18. This is a sign of change and exploration. Your relationships may be feel ing unsatisfactory as of recently, and what is the point of staying stagnant? You need to cut off what no longer serves you and spread your wings.

Get ready for a month of impeccable planning and nitpicking that would make any perfectionist proud. Your analytical mind will be in overdrive, scrutinizing every little detail like a detective on a mission. Don’t worry; we all know you’re just trying to save the world with your color-coded to-do lists.

Well, well, Libra, August is upon us, and it’s time to put your indecisiveness to good use — or not, who knows?

This month, you’ll find yourself dancing between choices like a squirrel on a caffeine high. Should you go left or right? Who cares! Life’s just a never-ending game of eeny, meeny, miny, moe for you!

LIBRA SCORPIO

Relaxation is calling your name. You may be feeling restless, but enjoy it while it lasts for September will bring changes you may not be ready for. Take this time to better yourself; it’s no surprise that you have a short fuse. Use this downtime to connect with your emotions. No one likes a ticking time bomb.

SAGITTARIUS CAPRICORN

Dear Sagittarius, embrace your nomadic soul and let August be a whirlwind of adventures and escapades. After all, why settle down when you can roam freely like a wild stallion? Just remember, life is one big rollercoaster, so buckle up and enjoy the ride! Happy wandering.

Sometimes you win and sometimes you learn. This will ring true for you this August. Not everything you put your heart to will turn into success, and that’s OK. Whether it be in your career or your personal relationships, try not to be so argumentative this month.

AQUARIUS

Get ready to turn heads with your quirkiness and leave everyone wondering, “What planet is Aquarius from again?” In social situations, you’ll be the rebel with a cause, challenging norms and conventions wherever you go. You’re not afraid to be the odd one out, and you wear your uniqueness like a badge of honor.

PISCES

On Aug. 1 and 27, both the Sun and Saturn will enter retrograde in your sign bringing back stories from the past. That ex you thought you got rid of? Think again. Old friends and lovers alike will be knocking on your door all month long. It’s up to you whether you want to open up or slam it back in their face.

THE SPECKTATOR

Words by Kerry Speckman

You may know Grant Nielsen as an award-winning artist, musician (Jacksonvegas, Fusebox Funk) and/or all-around cool dude. Add “author” to that list because Nielsen released his first novel.

Since I’m not a book reviewer and it is a sci-fiction book, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to let AI write the review — to which I would add: “All eyes will be on this book.” (Feel free to quote me on that, Grant.)

“The Eyes of Cosa” takes readers on a riveting journey through a visionary city of domes crafted by the genius architect Arthur deWalt Roberts. Blending sci-fi elements with a heartfelt tale of intergenerational bonding, Arthur and his grandson Simon embark on a daring adventure. As they delve into Cosa’s mesmerizing world, the story unravels with thrilling dangers lurking beneath their innocent exploration. With richly developed characters and evocative prose, this captivating sci-fi masterpiece leaves readers pondering the price of ambition and the allure of the unknown. A gripping and emotionally charged adventure, “The Eyes of Cosa” captivates with its intricate world-building and exploration of the human spirit.

I’m about to date myself with this Wonder Twins reference, but “Power suits, activate!” (Btw, that’s Mayor Donna Deegan greeting Vice President Kamala Harris at the airport. Harris spoke at the historic Ritz Theatre late last month on the Florida State Board of Education’s revised standards on teaching Black history. If you missed it, Kamala was not happy.)

Speaking of our favorite subjects think you know able Donna Deegan, “Tim Said It Would la you don’t tidbits.

City of Jacksonville

Donna Foundation

Another history-making leader Nat Glover releases his biography “Striving for Justice: A Black Sheriff in the Deep South” this month with a conversation and book signing at The BookMark in Neptune Beach on Aug. 22. Glover was the city’s first Black sheriff from 1995 to 2003 and also served as president of Edward Waters College (now Edward Waters University).

DUUUVAL was in the house at the 2023 BET Awards where some of hip-hop’s biggest names took the stage for a tribute to 50 years of hip-hop. And if you didn’t already know the 69 Boyz, who performed their mega hit “Tootsee Roll” were from Jacksonville, Thrill Da Playa started out the song with a “DUUUUVAL” chant.

our new mayor (one of my subjects as of late), you may know a lot about The HonorDeegan, but I bet you one Would Be Like This” umbrelknow some of these juicy

Gator Clowns of Jacksonville

And one more thing because it didn’t fit anywhere else and I know deep down inside someone needs to know this information: Gator Clowns of Jacksonville’s Clown Academy 23 starts next month. Visit gatorclowns. org for more info or to enroll. Family rates available!

PODCAST PICKS

Words by Su Ertekin-Taner

Writer’s Block

We start off our podcast picks satirically this time with humor-lifestylestorytime podcast “Writer’s Block,” a show with, we think, a satirical name because the two hosts, Bobby Brown Jr. and Logan Butler, clearly show no signs of comedic blockage. We’re not only featuring “Writer’s Block” because they symbiotically featured “Folio”’s finest, Ambar and Carmen, on an episode, but also because of their quick-witted, rapid fire satire that accurately represents their setting and backgrounds: comedian Bobby Brown Jr. and co host/musical artist Logan Butler partner with Comedy Zone Jacksonville to present each gut hurting-ly hilarious episode.

Each episode of the “poddy,” as Brown says, incorporates timely stories from Brown’s or Butler’s anecdote arsenal with their always-amusing spin or freestyled satirical songs. All episodes consistently include well-researched interviews with local and wider-reaching comics like Simul Martin, Comedian CP, Ambur James, Spencer Neal, Tony Roberts, Che Durena, Martin Rizo and Ali Siddiq. Of course, the presence of multiple comedians in a space makes for pyramiding jokes in 60- to 90-minute episodes. Gradually, “Writer’s Block” has become an online complimentary standup act.

Yet, what I most enjoy about “Writer’s Block” is the unfiltered (i.e., adult), story content from Brown and Butler. Doesn’t everyone have a desire to consume raw, meaty, slightly embarrassing content? “The Writer’s Block” cohosts allow us to experience and reexperience theirs and others’ dilemmas with them, so there’s never a lull in this type of storytime material. Dating stories, stage performance stories, area-coded stories, new takes on popular news: Whatever the topic, I’m listening to “Writer’s Block” to digest the issue with a bit of comedic spice.

With banter enough for a 10-person conversation, the “Writer’s Block” cohosts never give us a dull moment. While the bi- or sometimes tri-monthly podcast has long passed 100 episodes, newer listeners can catch up with “Writer’s Block” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Listen Notes, TuneIn, Buzzsprout, Scribd, iHeart, Brown’s YouTube channel (@Maybe Bobby TV) and other streaming services.

I chose this next podcast a bit more selfishly because its content caters to one of my niche, personal interests: romance books. While I’m not an avid romance reader — in fact, I prefer genres quite the opposite like science fiction — but I dabble in romance books and have found an outlet for my literary thoughts in the “Damsels Never Finish” podcast.

I click readily, hastily into an episode. A few seconds into this episode covering K. Loraine and Meg Anne’s “Rejection,” the lusty drum solo and bass-dominant introductory theme tells me we’ll definitely be talking romance books, specifically those of the sexy variety. Sure enough, an advisory proves my prediction right: “This podcast contains sexual content, strong language, and some compromising situations. Damsel discretion is advised.”

Soon, lively conversation cuts off the sexy music. The “damsels” — Domonique, Brenda, Kat, Judith, Angel and Thea — begin discussing a monthly romance book selection. In their 1- to 2-hour episodes, our hosts cover both popular and lesser known romance titles including Jennifer L. Armentrout’s “From Blood and Ash,” Xiran Jay Zhao’s “Iron Widow,” Opal Reyne’s “A Soul to Keep” and Maeve Black’s “Stupid Cupid.”

For each read, the damsels touch on an always-convoluted plot first, then each of the main characters, their relation to each other, dialogue and romance book tropes. The damsels don’t spare the listeners a holistic review of the romantic and scandalous. No dirty detail is left unvoiced, and risque is required. Even so, the damsels also don’t spare us listeners the cringe moments which, without fail, accompany the sexy scenes and book or character critiques. Essentially, “Damsels Never Finish” is a spicy podcastified book club. For maximum engagement, listeners should read monthly romance book picks alongside the damsels.

The episode wraps up with the same lusty bass and drum motif. While damsels may never finish, this podcast’s steamy discussion and hilarious scene breakdowns give me, the listener, ample literary satisfaction.

Listen to this monthly adult podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Listen Notes, Podcast Addict, YouTube, Podbay, Deezer, Player FM, the Damsels Never Finish website and other streaming services.

These days everybody has a podcast, so we did some deep diving into the local podcast scene and found these two pearls.

“Damsels Never Finish”

“Jacksonville Sharks football is back. It’s back. We’ve had a few years where things just weren’t going our way. We weren’t in the community. We weren’t doing the things that we knew we could do… we have a great organization. We have a lot of dedicated people. We have a great head coach. We have great owners, uh, staff. So, we just want to continue to do what we do best, and that’s play great arena football.” - jacksonville Sharks owner nick furris

More is More

Jacksonville Sharks 2023 Regular Season Review

Words by Carson Rich

The 2023 National Arena League (NAL) football regular season has now concluded, but before the Jacksonville Sharks storm their way into the playoffs, it’s worth noting how they got here. The popular arena football team has been very successful this season, ending with an impressive record of 10 wins and 2 losses. They are currently the No. 1 seed coming into the off-season, and Jacksonville is pumped for what is to come.

One thing that has been apparent all year has been the team’s involvement in the community this year. The Sharks Foundation has played a big role in supporting loyal fans and struggling fans in Jacksonville. Owner Nick Furris and Head Coach Jason Gibson proudly expressed how much the area and its residents mean to them.

“We certainly have played very well, and we’re on a roll. But I think more importantly, we build the culture of football, the Jacksonville Sharks, both on the turf and in the community that has been reborn… We want to give back, just like every other professional team gives back, and we want to serve the community that we play in. And, and for me, I think that’s one of the greatest things that we did this year,” said Furris.

Throughout the season, Gibson was known for his motto “More is More,” meaning there is always more to be done. Whether that’s watching more game films, spending more time practicing or even off-the-court like engaging with the fans. He believes that there is always room for improvement, and everybody plays a part in making things happen.

The team is fully prepared to battle it out in the coming weeks for the championship spot, and it seems like there is nothing that could get in their way. “As we progress through the playoffs, I’d like to be able to peak at the championship game and play the perfect game,” said Gibson. Their current win streak helps the team keep their head high, but both Gibson and Furris explained how crucial it is for them to only look forward without feeling too comfortable. Having such a dominant run can actually sometimes diminish the players’ outlook of what the end goal is and can make them feel accomplished before they finish the job. Gibson said this is an important message to convey to players when trying to keep them in the right mindset.

“Jacksonville Sharks football is back. It’s back. We’ve had a few years where things just weren’t going our way. We weren’t in the community. We weren’t doing the things that we knew we could do… we have a great organization. We have a lot of dedicated people. We have a great head coach. We have great owners, uh, staff. So, we just want to continue to do what we do best, and that’s play great arena football.” said Furris.

The Jacksonville Sharks have plenty to brag about after the monumental regular season they’ve had. This season has proven that they are a force to be reckoned with not only for this season but for many more to come.

AUG. 1, 2 & 3

Jaguars Training Camp Miller Electric Center jaguars.com

AUG. 4 & 5

Tour De Pain Various locations 1stplacesports.com

AUG. 5

Jaguars Stadium Practice TIAA Bank Field jaguars.com

AUG. 6 & 7

Jaguars Training Camp Miller Electric Center jaguars.com

AUG. 8-13

Jumbo Shrimp vs. Norfolk Tides 121 FInancial Ballpark 121financialballpark.com

AUG. 9 & 10

Jaguars Training Camp Miller Electric Center jaguars.com

AUG. 12

WWE: NXT Live Jacksonville Armory jaxevents.com

AUG. 19

Tijuana Flats Summer Beach Run Seawalk Pavilion 1stplacesports.com

AUG. 25

Cecil Field Summer Classic Open 5K Cecil Field Golf Club 1stplacesports.com

AUG. 26

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Miami Dolphins (preseason) TIAA Bank Field jaguars.com

Isaiah Strong 5K Oak Leaf High School, Orange Park 1stplacesports.com

AUG. 29-31

Jumbo Shrimp vs. Charlotte Knights 121 Financial Ballpark 121financialballpark.com

USL TO BRING PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S SOCCER TO JACKSONVILLE

Words and Photos by Carson Rich

Women’s professional soccer is finally coming to Duval County. Jacksonville was recently announced as part of a list of cities to receive a new team in the United Soccer League (USL), and locals should feel pretty excited about it. The details of what is to come are still in the works, but this is still big news, as residents now have a new attraction to look forward to in the future.

The JaxUSL ownership group, led by Tony Allegretti, Ricky Caplin, Steve Livingstone and Tim Tebow, are all set to manage the new team. The new question now appears to be when and where these matches will all take place. While the owners are trying to narrow down possibilities that could become a host for all of Jacksonville’s soccer events, but no names have been mentioned publicly yet. Rumors speculate the building of a brand new stadium could be in the works, but with the news of the TIAA Bank Field renovations gearing up to take place, there are also possibilities of hosting games there when it is finished. As for when the players will take the field, the league is slated to start in 2025-2026, so there is plenty of time to plan the specifics of the team.

“Every day, we’re getting close to the stadium site. You know, every day I wake up, I think, ‘You know, we’re a day closer.’ So, I can’t tell you what day

that is, but we’re working on it, Livingstone said. “We’re working diligently. We’re talking to various municipalities. We’re narrowing down our options.”

The amount of support for this new team is rapidly growing, as locals are loving the idea of a new women’s team coming to the forefront with some even feeling inspired by the news.

“It’s great to see some of these young women … thinking, ‘I can be that one. I could be the next one that’s going to be a professional women’s athlete,’ and I think that’s fantastic.” said Mayor Donna Deegan.

The USL is doing a big part in embracing women’s soccer by expanding the number of teams across the country. Young female athletes have often been discouraged due to the lack of opportunities they are given from their areas. At long last, women’s sports is getting the recognition it needs in Jacksonville. The addition of the team will also generate lots of revenue for the city, as various local businesses and community leaders have already expressed interest in backing the team.

MONDAYS

• St. Augustine Fish Company & Oyster House, 6:30 p.m.

• The Brix Taphouse (music bingo), 7 p.m.

• Donovan’s Irish Pub, St. Augustine, 7 p.m.

• Hurricane Grill & Wings–Atlantic Boulevard (music bingo), 7 p.m.

• Hurricane Grill & Wings–Julington Creek (music bingo), 7 p.m.

• Mellow Mushroom–Avondale, 7 p.m.

• Mellow Mushroom–Durbin Pavilion Drive, 7 p.m.

• Mellow Mushroom–Fleming Island, 7 p.m.

• Mellow Mushroom–River City/ Northside, 7 p.m.

• Mellow Mushroom–Tinseltown, 7 p.m.

• V Pizza–Fleming Island (music bingo), 7 p.m.

• Wall Street, 7 p.m.

• Treylor Park (pop culture trivia), 9 p.m.

TUESDAYS

• Mr. Chubby’s Wings–Fleming Island (music bingo), 6:30 p.m.

• Amici’s, St. Augustine, 7 p.m.

• The Back 40, 7 p.m.

• Bottlenose Brewing, 7 p.m.

• Dick’s Wings–Nocatee, 7 p.m.

• Dick’s Wings–San Pablo, 7 p.m.

• Harps American Grill, 7 p.m.

• Hoptinger–5 Points (music bingo), 7 p.m.

• Hurricane Grill & Wings–Atlantic Boulevard, 7 p.m.

• Hurricane Grill & Wings–Julington Creek, 7 p.m.

• Hurricane Grill & Wings–Neptune Beach, 7 p.m.

• Island Wing Company–Southside, 7 p.m.

• Jax Craft Beer, 7 p.m.

• Jerry’s Sports Grille, 7 p.m.

• Players Grille, 7 p.m.

• Raindogs, 7 p.m.

• Sahara Cafe, 7 p.m.

• Southern Grill, 7 p.m.

• Surfside Kitchen, St. Augustine, 7 p.m.

• Xtreme Wings Sports Bar and Grille, St. Johns, 7 p.m.

• Culhane’s Irish Pub–Southside, 7:30 p.m.

• Flask & Cannon / V Pizza (pop culture), 7:30 p.m.

• King Maker Brewing (Name That Tune), 7:30 p.m.

• Lynch’s Irish Pub (music bingo), 7:30 p.m.

• Time Out Sports Bar, 7:30 p.m.

• Surfer the Bar (pop culture trivia), 9:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAYS

• Mr. Chubby’s Wings–Ponte Vedra (music bingo), 6:30 p.m.

• V Pizza–Mandarin (pop culture), 6:30 p.m.

• The Beacon, St. Augustine, 7 p.m.

• Cruisers Grill, 7 p.m.

• Dick’s Wings–Mandarin, 7 p.m.

• Firefly Bay, 7 p.m.

• Ink Factory Brewing, 7 p.m.

• Island Wing Company–Southside Boulevard (music bingo), 7 p.m.

• Mellow Mushroom–Jacksonville Beach, 7 p.m.

• Scarlett O’ Hara’s, St. Augustine, 7 p.m.

• Shaughnessy’s Sports Grill, St. Augustine, 7 p.m.

• V Pizza–Fleming Island (pop culture trivia), 7 p.m.

• Veterans United Craft Brewery, 7 p.m.

• Dick’s Wings–Fleming Island, 7:30 p.m.

• Harps American Grill (pop culture), 7:30 p.m.

• Hoptinger–5 Points, 7:30 p.m.

• Hurricane Grill–Fleming Island, 7:30 p.m.

• King Maker Brewing, 7:30 p.m.

• Time Out Sports Grill, 7:30 p.m

• The Brix Taphouse (pop culture trivia), 8 p.m.

• Hamburger Mary’s (drag bingo, 21+), 8 p.m.

• Hoptinger–Jacksonville Beach, 9 p.m.

THURSDAYS

• Dick’s Wings–Atlantic Boulevard, 7 p.m.

• Kava and Company–San Marco (every other Thursday), 7 p.m.

• Mr. Chubby’s Wings–Ponte Vedra, 7 p.m.

• Whiskey Jax–Baymeadows, 7 p.m.

• Burrito Gallery–Brooklyn (’80s, ’90s & 2000s), 7:30 p.m.

• Flask & Cannon / V Pizza, 7:30 p.m.

• Dick’s Wings–St Augustine, 7:30 p.m.

• Hoptinger–Jax Beach (music bingo), 9 p.m.

SATURDAYS

• Hamburger Mary’s (HamBingo), 2 p.m.

• Dick’s Wings–Atlantic Boulevard, 7 p.m.

• Ink Factory Brewing (Name That Tune), 7 p.m.

SUNDAYS

• Ann O’Malley’s Irish Pub, 8 p.m. (first and third Sunday)

All games are general knowledge trivia unless otherwise noted.

TIN CAN TOURISTS OF THE WORLD

Words by Ted Hunt

When Henry Ford introduced the Model T automobile in 1908, he gave Americans mass mobility and a means of escaping their restrictive environment. Americans saw the automobile as a new way to explore the unknown, and explore they did. The auto quickly replaced the horse and buggy. It could be used in everyday activities; it was less trouble than a horse or mule and could carry passengers and pull trailers for miles without requiring a rest and water break — or having to be fed.

Just a Few Miles Down the Road

With the advent of the automobile, states began building hard surface roads to accommodate the demand. The Dixie Highway, completed in 1915, ran from Montreal to Miami. It connected with another set of roads from Michigan to Florida. The completed system is better understood as a network of connected paved roads, rather than one single highway. The Tamiami Trail highway, completed in 1928, gave Florida more than 3,000 miles of open roads to travel. Florida was always a destination for tourism as early as the 1870s, who arrived by trains and steamboats. Tourism exploded with the auto and paved roads, and tourists came by the tens of thousands to the Sunshine State — “auto camping” became the norm.

The Tin Can Tourists Club

With the influx of so many folks with a common interest in camping and pulling their homes behind them, America’s first RV (recreational vehicle) camper club, the Tin Can Tourists of the World, was organized in Tampa in 1919. They were called “auto campers.” The idea was to create clean and safe parks for members to stay with their families. It stressed friendship and shared experiences, living in a tent, pulling trailers and camping around the country. The organization had their own secret handshake, sign, password and song. The head of the group was given the title Royal Exalted Tin Can Opener of the Tin Can Tourists, which was changed to Royal Chief in 1935. They held two annual meetings a year, summers in Michigan and winters in Florida. Many members soldered a tin can to their radiator cap as a badge of their participation. Membership is estimated at 17,000 in 1921 and soared to over 100,000 by 1935: The Tin Canners were many and true pioneers of the open road.

The origin of the name Tin Can is uncertain. Some say it was named after the Ford Model T, often called the Tin Lizzie. Others attribute it to the tinned food cans that made up a substantial part of their diet or the most popular explanation, they pulled trailers that resembled oversized soup cans.

Buckle Up — Let’s Go for a Spin

These nomadic adventurers roamed the Florida roads, seeking thrills, spills and the perfect spot to camp or park their portable palaces. They didn’t need a fancy GPS or travel app to find their way. They had trusty roadmaps and a sixth sense for adventure. The Tin Canners swarmed over the Florida peninsula. They braved bumpy dirt roads, washed out bridges, fallen timbers blocking their path and wild hogs challenging for space on the road — finding yourself in the middle of a cow stampede was not uncommon.

In the 1920s and 1930s, Florida offered few public campgrounds or lodgings for the tourists, so tents were the order of the day. Tin Canners often modi -

fied their tents to include their cars as part of the structure. The car became a place of rest as well as a mode of transportation. Early auto camps were often little more than backyards, lawns, or a cleared space on the side of a dirt road. They were known as “roadside gypsies.”

Their cars were standard Model Ts, large touring sedans or trucks of all shapes and sizes, piled high with bedding, canvas tents and boxes of canned food. Five-gallon cans of gasoline and water were strapped to every available space. Spare tires were tied to the fenders. The autos looked like turtles, carrying their homes on their backs.

Many pulled trailers. Some looked like small houses —others like tear drops, train cars, and yes, soup cans. They painted their trailers in every available color, transforming them into rolling rainbows on wheels. There are reports of what looked like circus parades cruising down country roads. They were often called “motor-hobos” or “auto-vagabonds.”

Strength in That Horsepower

The formation of the Tin Can Tourist Club gave clout to the group. Throughout Florida, camps were established to accommodate the members. By the 1940s just about every major city and town created camp accommodations for the Canners. Camps with 1,000 lots were not uncommon and became completely rented out in the winter months. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s these camps flourished with the influx of seasonal visitors who pulled their homes behind them. Trailer parks developed to cater to the waves of new visitors. Roadside attractions, amusement parks and gas stations developed facilities to meet the needs of the Auto Campers. Tin Canners were a blessing to local economies: They brought money to buy stuff.

Today’s Tin Canners

Gradually, these camps began to diminish in importance as small and affordable motels replaced them in the late 1950s and 1960s. The Tin Can Tourists stayed intact until late ’70s until the late 90’s when the towed house trailer was replaced by the self-propelled RV with some as expensive as a home. In 1998 the club was revived in Michigan and just like the original group, it holds annual meetings every summer in Michigan and at various campgrounds in Florida in winter.

They also hold rallies throughout the year at campgrounds in the US and Canada. Today there are over 2,500 campers registered with the Tin Can Tourists of America organization.

So, next time you see a vintage tin can trailer on the highway or backroad, give them a honk and a wave, for they carry the spirit of the original Tin Can Tourists, the pioneers of the portable lifestyle.

They are the true “happy campers”!

THEATER / DANCE

THROUGH AUGUST 6

“West Side Story”

Players by the Sea playersbythesea.org

AUG. 3-SEPT. 17

“Fiddler on the Roof” Alhambra Theatre & Dining alhambrajax.com

AUG. 7

Cult Classic Movie Night Blue Jay LIstning Room bluejayjax.com

AUG. 10-20

“Hunchback of Notre Dame”

Amelia Musical Playhouse, Amelia Island ameliamusicalplayhouse.com

AUG. 11-19

The 5 & Dime Theatre Company presents “Tick, Tick... Boom!” Florida Ballet Theatre the5anddime.org

AUG. 11-20

“9 to 5 The Musical”

Amelia Community Theatre, Fernandina Beach ameliacommunitytheatre.org

“Puffs”

The Island Theater, Fleming Island theislandtheater.com

AUG. 11-27

ABET presents “Murder Ballad” Players by the Seat Theatre abetjax.com

AUG. 11-SEPT. 3

“Hands on a Hardbody” Limelight Theatre, St. Augustine limelight-theatre.org

AUG. 25-26

Matt Stone as Elvis The Island Theater, Fleming Island theislandtheater.com

AUG. 27

“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” Live in Concert fscjartistseries.org

ONGOING

Fridays and Saturdays

Magician Bill Abbott at the Magic Hideway

Casa Monica Resort & Spa, St. Augustine magichideaway.com

“I just remember having tears in my eyes watching The Rockettes. I was like, I need to be them. How can I do this?” said Ella Wehner, a 19-year old native of Fleming Island and a dancer. Wehner’s New York trip with her dance studio in eighth grade was the root of her years-long Rockette fantasy. Just four years later, the dancer took a step toward her dream by auditioning for the Rockettes 17 days after her 18th birthday. While she wasn’t recruited for the prestigious cast, Wehner plans to audition annually.

But Wehner’s passion for dance won’t end and certainly didn’t start with the Rockettes. In fact, she’s been dancing since she was 2. She carried out her her childhood training in her parents’ dance studio, Wehner’s School of The Arts (WSOTA), inspired by her dancer cousin, and now attends Jacksonville University.

The dancer’s training gradually went global. Wehner attributes some of her current passion and ability for dance to myriad dance mentors. “My philosophy is that every single dance teacher that I take from whether it’s for years at my studio or just like a convention class or I see them once a year — I try to take something from everyone because I feel like that’s what helps … all these people make me who I am today,” Wehner said.

Her first dance teacher, Ashley McNair, molded Wehner’s devotion to dance. From there she found inspiration and guidance wherever she could, studying with “So You Think You Can Dance” alumni Kathryn McCormick and Carlos Garland, her current trainer and former Rockette Rhonda Malkin and Ariana Grande’s choreographer Brian Nicholson. Currently, she attends Jacksonville University where she has taken master classes from renowned international dancers. Through bite-sized lessons from around the world, Wehner whittled herself into an adept performance and competition dancer specializing in contemporary and jazz.

And thus the fantasy became less fantastical day by day — although some were more difficult than others.

Dancing with a Star:

Words

by Su Ertekin-Taner

While Wehner rejected the overly dramatized portrayal of competition dance in Lifetime’s series “Dance Moms,” she did mention a pessimistic mentality associated with this dance sphere.

A seemingly perpetual negativity attempted to eclipse Wehner’s shine since third grade. Competing dance studios used intimidation tactics against Wehner, while her own studio’s dancers and parents hoped to discount her wins because her parents owned the dance studio.

“Sometimes you only focus on the negativity you get from people, and when you’re given a big task, a big dance to accomplish, you just beat yourself up about it because you’re like, there’s all these people watching me, and you just feel like all of them want you to fail,” Wehner said. “And I’ve had times, many times, where I just have gotten that feeling where I feel like everybody’s watching me, and they don’t want me to book this audition. They don’t want me to finish this dance and make it good. They don’t want me to win, you know?”

But the surrounding negativity stayed that way — that is, on the outskirts of

her thoughts. Hatred never won for Wehner. “I’m going to do everything for myself and I’m never going to do anything out of hate because that’s when the worst happens is when you start focusing on other things and other people,” she said. “You just really have to realize I’m doing this because I love it and nobody has the power to make you feel any less than you are.”

Wehner’s competition days now inspire much of her self-proclaimed discipline of steel and tenacity. With all her wealth of knowledge and determination, the dancer has chasséd (small moving step), jetéd (leap), and pas de bourréed (three step movement) into accomplishments of her own. Wehner auditioned for and danced during The Rockettes Summer Intensive before her freshman year of high school, received a scholarship to attend the Joffrey Ballet Musical Theatre and Ballet Contemporary Summer Program, as well as a merit scholarship for Joffrey Ballet School’s Trainee Program, completed many successful competition seasons, and most recently earned a dance scholarship to attend JU.

Yet, these prestigious achievements are upstaged by what the dancer perceives to be her biggest dance accomplishment: “I just feel like there’s some -

Photo by Richard Fleming

Star: Ella Wehner

thing to be said for somebody who grows up at a studio their entire life and then gets to move on from that studio and still gets to do what they love in college. I feel like my biggest accomplishment would be being able to get into college, get a scholarship for dance, and get to do what I love everyday.”

And so she does, dance everyday, that is. While the dancer trains at least four hours a day everyday, she is also currently exploring a new budding artistic passion: choreographing, specifically for her parents’ dance studio. With the help of WSOTA dance instructor Lauren Sundberg, Wehner has learned to teach and choreograph competition dances.

In her most recent endeavor, Wehner choreographed a contemporary dance and jazz dance for the teen (14-18) competition team. “I think [another] accomplishment would honestly be my parents and the other teachers at the studio trusting me to choreograph for the kids and put these really big production numbers on stage. That’s what means the most to me, I think. It’s just— I love that I get to give back to my studio and also give back what I learn outside of the studio,” Wehner said.

Now, Wehner has set her sights outside of the studio, training with her idol, Rhonda Malkin, in New York over the summer (and winter) and planning to partake in another year of college packed with dance–both classes and extracurricular performances for the JU Sirens.

Wehner will carry her technical and emotional robustness into these endeavors, remembering to dance with intention for every performance. “I have grown to be someone who dances, actually, from the heart. I know that sounds so cheesy. Everything I do now, I try to pour my whole self into. It’s not just like ‘oh I’m given this choreography, I’ll do this on stage.’”

With every era of dance, every dance mentor, Wehner works toward her Rockette dreams and, more importantly, discovers new pockets of herself. So, the future that the dancer is presently cultivating is bright, as bright as this star that the professional dance community will soon welcome into their midst.

Ertekin-Taner

Photo by Marissa Dolan

Photo provided by “The Dance Awards”

LOL JAX Film Festival Part VII

It started seven years ago with a question sitting in the back row of the Sun-Ray Cinema. Monique Madrid asked her filmmaker husband, Adam Madrid, “Think we can create a comedy film festival?” He pondered the question overnight before responding he was onboard for the new adventur e, and from there the LOL JAX Film Festival was born. The co-creators quickly recruited local stand-up comedian Jenn Weeks to officially host the event.

The vision for LOL JAX was simple: Create a platform to present short films and talent by local community filmmakers, actors and comedians. The comedy genre was chosen as a way to promote positivity to the community hence the festival’s motto “Love Our Locals by Laughing Out Loud.” With so much drama in the world, they wanted to create an event where people can come and enjoy a good laugh while supporting the amazing local ta lent Jacksonville has. With each year, the LOL JAX Film Festival grew to the point they were selling out.

As advocates for the arts, Adam and Monique use their platform to help the next generation gain experience in the local film industry. They do so by creating opportunities for students at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts such as volunteering at the festival and networking and collaborating with the participating filmmakers. The Madrids also volunteer as instructors at Jacksonville Arts & Music School (JAMS) and Chimney Lakes Elementary School providing education and guidance about organizing film festivals so the students are prepared when the time comes that they want to start their own

The LOL JAX Film Festival — which has won Best Film Festival in Folio’s Best of Jax Readers Poll every year since 2018 — is being held at WJCT Studios, Aug. 5-6. Doors open at 5 p.m. Screening begin at 6 p.m. This year’s festival will also feature stand-up comedians, food trucks and vendors.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit loljax.com.

comedy

AUG. 2

Improv Night

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

AUG. 3

LaVilla Laughs Comedy Show Ritz Theatre and Museum ritzjacksonville.com

AUG. 3-5

Don “DC” Curry Comedy Zone comedyzone.com

Aug. 4-5

The Main Event, 7:30 p.m. The Blue Show (21+ only), 10 p.m. First Coast Comedy firstcoastcomedy.com

AUG. 5-6

LOL JAX Film Festival

JME Soundstage at WJCT Studios loljax.com

AUG. 9

Improv Night

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

AUG. 10

Josh Wolf Comedy Zone comedyzone.com

Kevin White

Jackie Knight’s Comedy Club, St. Augustine jackieknightscomedyclub.com

Blue Jay Comedy Night presented by River City Comedy Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com

AUG. 11-12

The Main Event, 7:30 p.m. The Blue Show (21+ only), 10 p.m. First Coast Comedy firstcoastcomedy.com

AUG. 11-13

Ryan Davis

Comedy Zone comedyzone.com

AUG. 16

Improv Night

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

AUG. 18

The Main Event, 7:30 p.m. Full Disclosure (21+), 10 p.m. First Coast Comedy firstcoastcomedy.com

AUG. 18-20

Arnez J Comedy Zone comedyzone.com

AUG. 19

The Main Event, 7:30 p.m. The Blue Show (21+ only), 10 p.m. First Coast Comedy firstcoastcomedy.com

AUG. 23

Improv Night

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

AUG. 24

Jim Moran

Jackie Knight’s Comedy Club, St. Augustine jackieknightscomedyclub.com

AUG. 24-26

Chris Redd

Comedy Zone comedyzone.com

AUG. 25-26

The Main Event, 7:30 p.m.

The Blue Show (21+ only), 10 p.m. First Coast Comedy firstcoastcomedy.com

AUG. 27

Girls of Virtue Stand-up Comedy Show with Jenn Weeks, Mike Freed and Bobby Parker Manifest Distillery girlsofvirtue.org

AUG. 30

Improv Night

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

AUG. 31-SEPT. 2

Damon Wayans Jr. Comedy Zone comedyzone.com

OPEN MIC COMEDY NIGHTS

MONDAYS

Kava and Company–San Marco kavaandcompany.com

Rain Dogs facebook.com/raindogsjax

TUESDAYS

Voo Swar Restaurant & Lounge instagram.com/vooswar

WEDNESDAYS

Comedy Zone–Lobby Bar comedyzone.com

Live Bar facebook.com/livebarclubjax

The Walrus thewalrusjax.com

THURSDAYS

King Maker Brewing kingmakerbrewing.com

We’re Just Barbies Living in a Barbie

Barbie has come to play after the release of director Greta Gerwig’s newest The motion picture has engulfed today’s culture with many celebrating the release of the ways. A local Jacksonville business, The Walrus participated by holding a Barbie Contest movie. The event hosted by BeBe Deluxe featured live music, a DJ, photobooth and drag performances. contest also included a cash prize for the best dressed Barbie look.

Photos by Kat Tarbet / @katculture

Barbie World

newest film! the movie in various Contest in honor of the performances. The

ART

THE ART CENTER COOPERATIVE tacjacksonville.org

BEACHES MUSEUM

• “So You Think You Know Jax Music?” through Aug. 6 jaxhistory.org

BUTTERFIELD GARAGE ART GALLERY

• Featuring works by Richlin Burnett-Ryan, Michael Fitzpatrick, Gwen Mehler, Paula Pascucci, Dave Tuttle, Cindy Wilson and more butterfieldgarage.com

THE CORNER GALLERY AT THE JESSIE

• “Ricder Ricardo: Transitory Permanence,” through Aug. 2

• “Lillian Blades: Fragmental Reflections,” Aug. 12-Nov. 1 facebook.com/movingthemargins

CUMMER MUSEUM OF ART & GARDENS

• “American Made: Paintings and Sculptures from the Demell Jacobsen Collection,” through Sept. 24

• “James McBey: Etchings,” through Oct. 29

• “Outside: In,” through Nov. 30

• Jacksonville’s Norman Studios, through Jan. 31, 2024 cummermuseum.org

FEMART GALLERY femartgallery.org

FIRST COAST CULTURAL CENTER firstcoastculturalcenter.org

FLORIDA STATE COLLEGE AT JACKSONVILLE

• “Mark Sablow: 15 Years in Asia,” through Aug. 31, Downtown Gallery

• Highlights of the Student Annual, through Oct. 13, Deerwood Gallery fscj.edu/art-galleries

GALLERY 725

• “Masters of Pop Art,” Aug. 11-Sept. 8

• The Art of Chad Smith, virtual exhibition gallery725.com

GOVERNOR’S HOUSE CULTURAL CENTER AND MUSEUM, ST. AUGUSTINE

• “Painting St. Augustine: Selections from the Samuel H. and Roberta T. Vickers Collection,” ongoing

• “Freedom Is Not Free: Ax Handle Saturday,” virtual exhibition staugustine.ufl.edu

HASKELL GALLERY AT JACKSONVILLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT jaxairportarts.com

HILLARY WHITAKER GALLERY hwhitakergallery.com

JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY

• ”Bill Davis: No Dark in Sight,” virtual exhibition

• “Kristin Skees: Close Knit,” virtual exhibition ju.edu/cfa

JENNA ALEXANDER STUDIO jenna-alexander.com

THE LIGHTNER MUSEUM

• “Contemporary Chronicles of St. Augustine,” through Sept. 30

• “75 for 75: Lightner Museum Diamond Anniversary Exhibition,” ongoing

• “Illuminate: Lightner Museum’s Stained Glass Rediscovered,” ongoing

• “St. Augustine Through the Lens of William Henry Jackson,” ongoing lightnermuseum.org

MAIN LIBRARY

• “May Atwood: Observations of an Explorer,” through Sept. 7 jaxpubliclibrary.org

MOCA JACKSONVILLE

• “Brendan Wojtyla: Cathedral of Labor,” through Aug. 13

• Project Atrium: ”Hiromi Moneyhun: Ghosts,” through Aug. 27

• “Print+: Sameness and Otherness in Contemporary Printmedia,” through Aug. 27

• ”Bo Bartlett: Earthly Matters” through Sept. 10

• “Contemporary Cartographies,” through Oct. 15 mocajacksonville.unf.edu

NOCO CENTER

• “Beyond King Tut,” through Sept. 3 beyondkingtut.com

RITZ THEATRE & MUSEUM

• “10 Walls,” through Aug. 28

• “Lift Ev’ry Voice,” permanent collection ritzjacksonville.com

SOUTHLIGHT GALLERY

• Featuring works by Will Dickey, Koo Hon, Paul Karabinis, Pablo Rivera, Enzo Torcoletti, Pam Zambetti and more southlightgallery.com

ST. AUGUSTINE ART ASSOCIATION

• “Online Summer Art Sale,” through Aug. 27 staaa.org

STELLERS GALLERY

• Works by Eileen Corse, Jim Draper, MacTruque, Fallon Pepper, C. Ford Riley, Alice Williams, Jeff Foxworthy (yes, that Jeff Foxworthy) and more stellersgallery.com

THRASHER-HORNE CENTER GALLERY

• Works by Thomas H. Nagata, Yamel Molerio and John Gerstner, Aug. 9 through Dec. 8 thcenter.org

TOUCHÉ GALLERY

• “Collage a Trois” with works by Noli Novak, Liz Gibson and Eric Gilyard, through Aug. 11 touchegallery.com

THE VAULT AT 330

• Featured artists include Susan Astleford, Margena Burnett, Ellen Diamond, Ed Hall, Dolf James, Harry McCormick and Denise Murphy thevaultat1930.com

• “Magic, Mirth, and Mortality: Musings on Black Motherhood,” virtual exhibition yellowhouseart.org

ONGOING

ART WALK: AUG. 2

Downtown Jacksonville lights up the first Wednesday of the month with art by local artists at hubs in James Weldon Johnson Park, The Jessie and Vagabond Flea at VyStar Tower from 5–9 p.m. Visitors can also enjoy live music, food trucks, street performers, free admission to MOCA and complimentary rides on JTA’s Skyway. dtjax.org

FERNANDINA BEACH ARTS MARKET: AUG. 12 AND 29

Amelia Island’s premier arts and crafts market comes alive the second and fourth Saturday of every month from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. fernandinabeachartsmarket.com

RIVERSIDE ARTS MARKET: AUG. 5, 12, 19 AND 26

Artists, artisans and makers display their original paintings, jewelry, photographs, prints and other handcrafted items every Saturday—rain or shine— from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Riverside Avenue underneath the canopy of the Fuller Warren Bridge. riversideartsmarket.com

ST. AUGUSTINE FIRST FRIDAY ARTWALK: AUG. 5

On the first Friday of every month (hence the clever name), more than 30 galleries around the Oldest City open their doors from 5–9 p.m. for visitors to browse exhibits and interact with artists. A complimentary trolley service provides transportation between downtown venues. staaa.org

VILANO BEACH ARTISAN MARKET: AUG. 19

Part beach party, part arts market, this monthly event includes works by local artists and locally-made products, as well as live music. The market takes place on the third Saturday of every month from 4-8 p.m. on A1A and Vilano Road. facebook.com/vilanobeachofficial

YELLOW HOUSE

• “Sit in Stand Up,” virtual exhibition

• “Still Not About a Hotdog and a Coke,” virtual exhibition

HOPPY TRAILS TO YOU.

Jacksonville’s a hoppin’ destination for those looking to tap into a thriving, flavorful beer scene.

And with the Jax Ale Trail, it’s even easier to explore our brews.

No trailhead needed for this route. Just hop on the #JaxAleTrail with our Brewery Passport found at any of the 26 (and counting) participating breweries. Consider your passport a guide to the best local pints — and a key to free beer gear.

Jacksonville’s beer scene extends beyond craft breweries. Find out more about our beer-centric restaurants, bars and activities, then start sippin’!

Explore the Ale Trail with our Brewery Passport and plan your beer-venture by visiting jaxaletrail.com.

Your Not-So-Typical Flower Girl

Words by Ambar Ramirez

Flowers have a wide range of meanings, physically and symbolically. But for Lily Silsby, a local flower-pressing artist, flowers hold a different meaning altogether. Born and raised in Jacksonville, Silsby recalls identifying and foraging plants as a child.

“I have always been interested in botany and growing plants,” Silsby shared. “My dream is to have a food forest outside the city and live a self-sufficient lifestyle.”

Even though foraging plants and flowers has been a part of Silsby’s life ever since she was a child, it wasn’t until two years ago that the woman with a degree in biochemistry began to flower-press.

“I wanted to bring a bit of nature into people’s homes, especially for those who do not have a yard for gardening,” Silsby said.

We’ve all probably gone out into the forest on hikes or on walks through the many nature trails our city has and seen beautiful wildflowers. We admire them, maybe even pick them off the stem to put in our hair or to hold on to. But by the time we get home, the petals have wilted and the beauty the flower once had is lost.

“I want to give the flowers a second chance to be enjoyed and admired,” Silsby explained. “It is also a way for me to document my fond memories of going out in nature with my best friend on our excursions. and I also get to learn a lot about the flowers that I am pressing. I research their medicinal and culinary uses to expand my knowledge as a survivalist.”

Silsby said the first step in flower-pressing is to identify a wildflower that is good for pressing. Her personal favorite is the phlox that tends to change colors, going from a bright magenta to lavender, when pressed.

“Not all wildflowers will press well. Flowers with high moisture content will usually rot in the flower press,” Silsby explained. “I put my old biochemistry textbooks to good use by placing flowers between the pages for pressing. The thicker the book, the better the result. Sometimes I cut the flowers separately from the stems and leaves so that I can get them as flat as possible.”

Aside from flower-pressing, Silsby does watercolor painting and sells propagated plants on her Etsy shop LilysSunGarden. Even in her free time, Silsby can be found in her yard, gardening and growing her plant collection.

SUMMER’S NOT OVER AT THE CUMMER

The ring of school bells sounds nearer as summer vacations come to an end and shopping for backpacks, notebooks and pencils begins. But don’t stow your beach towels and coolers away so soon ‘cause Summer is not over at the Cummer. Every Friday until Sept. 8, the museum is offering free admission from 4-9 p.m.

Of course, I decided to go to the museum on a day that a heat advisory warning was put out, but nonetheless, I made my way in through those large glass doors, where I was immediately met with A/C (thankfully) and smiling employees who gave me a quick rundown of where to find the live music, games and other festivities.

Straight through the lobby, toward the back of the museum, you’ll come upon the museum’s beloved gardens. Now on any other day when the temperature isn’t reading 100 degrees, the museum would organize the event to be outside on the riverfront lawn. Luckily for anyone who dared to brave the scorching heat that day, the museum moved the outdoor games and live music indoors to the “upper tier,” along with a full bar and a full view of the gardens seen through the ceiling-to-floor windows. There were also games like giant chess, ring toss and cornhole, while DJ Enerji was set up in the room with string lights, prompting dancing and laughter. Outside in the gardens, visitors strolled through the grounds with drinks in hand.

The event isn’t limited to just the gardens, though. In the cafe, Bronero was set up with their keyboards exuding a welcoming vibe while visitors grabbed a quick bite. Summer at the Cummer also allows guests who take advantage of the free admission to check out the current exhibitions in the gallery, as well as pieces from the Cummer’s permanent collection.

So if you’re in need of an escape from your everyday routine, grab those blankets and beach chairs you were about to put in storage and head over to the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens for a free night of culture and inspiration for the whole family.

AUG. 4

Cafe Patio: Arvid Smith

Upper Tier: Huan

AUG. 11

Cafe Patio: Yael Dray

Upper Tier: Caribe Groove

AUG. 18

Cafe Patio: Scott Greenaway

Upper Tier: Bold City Opera

AUG. 25

Cafe Patio: Folk is People

Upper Tier: TBD

SEPT. 1

Cafe Patio: Claire Vandiver

Upper Tier: TBA

SEPT. 8

Cafe Patio: Bronero

Upper Tier: TB

Words and photos by Ambar Ramirez

Dierks Bentley’s Blast From The Past

Words and photos by Carmen Macri

Dierks Bentley has ruled every country radio station since the early 2000s. So, unsurprisingly, his “Gravel and Gold” show at Daily’s Place was sold out.

Before his performance, I was thoroughly impressed by the two opening acts. Caylee Hammack and Jordan Davis. Hammack exuded a reminiscent aura of Dolly Parton, encompassing all the best qualities, including her powerhouse vocals and stunning voluminous hair. She had the whole arena on its feet.

Next up was the “Song of the Summer” artist Jordan Davis. The man knows how to write a catchy tune that makes you want to roll your windows down and sing along. His stage presence was that of a tipsy frat boy. Swinging his bottle of Casamigos while singing hit songs like “A Little Lime” and “Take It From Me.” He knew exactly how to captivate the crowd, closing his set with the song that got him to where he is now, “Buy Dirt.”

Now for the main act: Dierks Bentley. This was a true blast from the past as I remember growing up listening to his music with my dad. As we welcomed Dierks to the stage, he opened with the title track “Gold” from his newest album “Gravel & Gold.” As one would expect, the crowd roared with excitement. He flawlessly transitioned from a new track to one of his older bangers “Am I The Only One.” The moment was so electrifying that I couldn’t resist putting my camera down to join in the jumping and dancing along with the crowd.

His set featured a power medley of his newer tracks which blended seamlessly with the beloved staple songs that played a significant role in propelling Bentley to where he stands today. Unlike most concerts I have attended, he also had multiple costume changes. Yes. A male country artist had costume changes, and boy, were they something special.

During his performance of “Drunk On A Plane,” Bentley took the stage by storm. He disappeared momentarily and returned donning a pilot’s outfit, clutching a full, red Solo cup (obviously). Stumbling around the stage, he sang passionately, “Buying drinks for everybody but the pilot, it’s a party.” Midsong, he playfully removed the costume to reveal a bra taped in his side jacket pocket, adding a touch of hilarious spontaneity.

Toward the end of his set, Bentley and his band surprised the crowd with an unexpected encore. When they reappeared, they were decked out in all things ’90s, complete with mullets, Pit Vipers

sunglasses, bright bomber jackets, even emerging from a ’90s Volkswagen van. They dubbed themselves “Hot Country Knights” and treated the audience to a nostalgia-filled journey through the early and late ’90s, covering hits like “I Like It, I Love It,” “Achy Breaky Heart” and “Man! I Feel Like A Woman.” It was an epic blast from the past that had the entire crowd singing and dancing along.

But before I get ahead of myself, let’s backtrack to the middle of his set. When it was time for Bentley to perform his best track (in my opinion) “What Was I Thinking,” he welcomed back Davis to the stage. The two were sharing the infamous bottle of Casamigos Reposado while going verse for verse on stage, even playing what looked like a game of tag. The two looked like childhood friends and made the stage their own personal playground.

Later on throughout the night, as Dierks was introducing the band, he welcomed back Caylee Hammack to sing “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton, which suits

Hammack so well you would’ve thought it was her own song. The band treated us to a mesmerizing strings-only melody, where each member went head-to-head, striving to outshine the other. However, it was banjo player, Charlie Worsham, who managed to captivate the hearts of everyone in the arena with his electrifying and awe-inspiring skills. Bentley had the crowd completely enthralled from start to finish. Engaging with the audience at every turn, he effortlessly cracked jokes and performed with a contagious energy that made it feel like the rent was due at any moment. Each song seemed to outshine the previous one, taking us on a rollercoaster of emotions. Whether he serenaded us with soulful ballads like “Say You Do” or had us dancing to the beats of party anthems like “5-1-5-0,” he kept us on our toes, making the entire performance an unforgettable experience.

I used to say I wasn’t a country fan anymore, but this concert may have me jumping back on the bandwagon.

CONCERTS

AUG. 1

Round Eye Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com

AUG. 3

Six Pack Sam

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

The Joshua Bowlus Quartet Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com

AUG. 4

Firewater Tent Revival and Wigeon Underbelly underbellyjax.com

Selwyn Birchwood Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com

Baba Caiman Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

AUG. 5

Underoath & The Ghost Inside St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com

A Gamble Rogers Showcase ft. Willi Carlisle Ponte Vedra Concert Hall pvconcerthall.com

Blow It Up Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com

Parks & Razz Kona Skatepark Clubhouse konaskatepark.com

Timewise EP Release Show Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com

I-Vibes

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

AUG. 6

The Queers Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com

Sanguisugabogg with guests 1904 Music Hall 1904musichall.com

JT & Alanis

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

Undelighted Devotion Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com

AUG. 8

Counting Crows with special guest Dashboard Confessional St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com

AUG. 9

Pentatonix with special guest Lauren Alaina Daily’s Place dailyplace.com

Make My Blood Dance Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com

AUG. 10

Snoop Dogg with Nelly and Ying Yang Twins VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jaxevents.com

Tabasco Brothers Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

AUG. 11

Stephen Marley with special guest Skip Marley and Artikal Sound System St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com

Moon Taxi with special guests The Stews Ponte Vedra Concert Hall pvconcerthall.com

Albert Castliglia Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com

Colourway Murray Hill Theatre murrayhilltheatre.com

Divided Truth

Kona Skatepark Clubhouse konaskatepark.com

rickoLus & The Pauses Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com

Trash Panda and Hotel Fiction Bier Hall at Intuition Aleworks intuitionaleworks.com

Bad Dog Mama

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

AUG. 12

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit with special guest The Baseball Project St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com

Steelin’ Peaches

Underbelly underbellyjax.com

Wrightlane

Kona Skatepark Clubhouse konaskatepark.com

Dewey Via Band

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

AUG. 13

Jason Mraz St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com

Neil Diamond Legacy Concert Thrasher-Horne Center, Orange Park thcenter.org

Gareth Pearson Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com

Claire Vandiver

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

AUG. 15

Kicklighter

Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com

AUG. 16

(hed) p.e. Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com

Jai Wolf

Underbelly underbellyjax.com

AUG. 17

Cumberland

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

AUG. 18

John Michael Montgomery Thrasher-Horne Center, Orange Park thcenter.org

Blue Jay’s 6-Year Anniversary Show:

Dean Winter & The Heat

Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com

Lifted Riffs B-Day bash

Kona Skatepark Clubhouse konaskatepark.com

Soulpax Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com

The Saltones

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

AUG. 19

Kreepy Tikis Kona Skatepark Clubhouse konaskatepark.com

So Over It Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com

Istoria

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

AUG. 20

Devon Allman and Donavon Frankenreiter Ponte Vedra Concert Hall pvconcerthall.com

Set It Off Underbelly underbellyjax.com

Kyra Livingston

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

AUG. 22

The Menzingers Underbelly underbellyjax.com

AUG. 23

Keith Murray: A Night of Hip-Hop Underbelly underbellyjax.com

Aug. 24

The Duque Collection Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com

Josh Ford Music Duo

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

Aug. 25

Jason Aldean

VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jaxevents.com

Matisyahu + G. Love & Special Sauce St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com

Lyn Avenue Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com

Soap Bar EP Release Show Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com

Circus Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

AUG. 26

Ellis Whie and Rob Zinn Breezy Jazz House breezyjazzhouse.com

Fly Socks and Tees 10 Underbelly underbellyjax.com

Justin Lee Partin

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

AUG. 27

$uicideboy$

VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jaxevents.com

Indie Outer Edge

Kona Skatepark Clubhouse konaskatepark.com

Claire Vandiver Colonial Oak Music Park thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

AUG. 30

Ghost with special guest Amon Amarth Daily’s Place dailysplace.com

Emere Morgan and guests

Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com

AUG. 31

Oyster Bed Outlaws

Colonial Oak Music Park thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

Matchbox Twenty Knows How to Light up a crowd

Words and photos by Ambar Ramirez

A Matchbox Twenty with Matt Nathanson concert review.

It was a stormy day in Jacksonville when concertgoers waited patiently in line at Daily’s Place with fingers crossed that the thunderstorm brewing outside wouldn’t affect the night ahead, especially since the show was rescheduled not once, not twice, but three times! Luckily for those with tickets (and really anybody driving out in the rain that day), the storm quickly cleared up, giving the venue the go-ahead to let people through its gates. And you can imagine just how electric the crowd was when they finally got to see Matchbox Twenty on stage for their Slow Dream tour.

But before we get into the main show, we have to talk about their opener, Matt Nathanson, an American singer-songwriter who seamlessly blends folk and rock. Nathanson brought us the hit song “Come on Get Higher” and got the crowd pumped up with his unique voice accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, making it look oh, so easy. Much like Matchbox Twenty, Nathanson has been in the game since the ’90s at the height of MTV music videos. And in no way did he fail to bring the same exact energy he would have brought back in the day, often referring to the crowd as “rebels” and “wallflowers,” making sure everybody felt included. Originally, Ben Rector was set to open for the beloved band but due to scheduling conflicts, Nathanson took over for the first half of the tour. Still, I couldn’t have imagined a better opening act.

Now for the main event and the main reason why the venue was filled to the brim with a sold-out show …Matchbox Twenty.

The American rock band formed in 1995 in Orlando. They quickly rose to fame with their debut album “Yourself or Someone Like You” in 1996, and 27 years later the group is still famously releasing albums. “Where the Light Goes,” for example, was released this year after nearly a decade of not releasing anything new. And it was this album that brought us this iconic live performance.

There’s not much I can say other than that I was starstruck for the entire performance. The band opened the show with one of their newer songs, “Friends,” which felt as if they were directly greeting the crowd. And the crowd was just as pumped to see their friends, to see the band they practically grew alongside (aside from a couple of younger faces that probably know the band from their parents, like me).

The band kept up the energy for the entire show, fluctuating between newer songs and songs we know from the radio such as “She’s So Mean” and “How Far We’ve Come.” The guitarists, Brian Yale and Kyle Cook, truly stole the show never missing a beat, and keeping up with drummer Paul John Ducette. But the venue became silent when the stage lights turned cobalt blue and lead singer Rob Thomas took a seat alongside Cook front and center for a heartfelt performance of “If You’re Gone.” It was certainly a memorable moment but maybe not as memorable as when Thomas, distracted by all the lights on stage, forgot the lines to “These Hard Times.” (Happens to the best of us, Rob.) Before ending the show with “Rebels,” Thomas comically let the crowd know that they would be exiting the stage for a fake encore.

Of course, knowing that the show wasn’t actually over, the audience took it as a chance to grab some last-minute drinks before coming back to their seats to hear the band perform (personally my favorite songs) “3AM” followed by “Unwell.” They officially ended the show with “Bright Lights,” leaving the crowd just a little hesitant to leave one of the best nights of their lives.

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CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR FULL CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Michael Frantini Concert Review

the Through Lens

Photos by Stayce Koegler

NEW MUSIC RELEASES

Made

For

You By Amiyah Golden

AUG 4

“LOVE + POP”

Current Joys

“You Are Who You Hang With”

The Front Bottoms

The mastermind behind Current Joys, Nick Rattigan, will be releasing his new album, “LOVE + POP.” Rattigan took heavy inspiration from late rapper Lil Peep, who had a sound of his own. “LOVE + POP” is definitely a passion project that spans the genres of house and rap with a feature from Lil Yachty. Rattigan described the album as a “tribute to process of creating.”

With the announcement of their upcoming tour, the New Jersey natives are anticipating the release of their new album, “You Are Who You Hang With.” The pop-punk band is known for its unique sound and interesting lyrics that divert to great storytelling.

SIde note: The band will be stopping in St. Augustine on November 3, 2023, as a part of the leg of their North American tour.

AUG 18

“The Patience”

Mick Jenkins

“Unreal Unearth”

Hozier

“The Patience,” Mick Jenkin’s new album is, “an expression of his frustration with the process of progression.” The album comes with a feature from fellow rapper JID, “Smoke Break-Dance”, which personifies the idiosyncratic flows between the two.

“I see this as a period of time in one’s journey, no matter the length, where the unseen things must take place,” said Jenkins, “it’s through these moments where I’ve found myself being the most frustrated with patience. And this body of work sounds like that frustration.”

Hoizer, a personal favorite, has decided to bless us with a new project, “Unreal Unearth.” This comes four years after his last album, “Wasteland Baby.” Unreal Unearth will include released songs, “Eat Your Young” and “All Things End.”

If you want to wrap your ears in a warm hug, I would check out the Irish native, who has hits such as “Take Me to Church” and “Would That I.”

“Jaguar

Victoria Monet

My latest go-to summer jam has definitely been “On My Mama” by Victoria Monet, which includes a groovy sample of “I Look Good” by Chalie Boy. A former songwriter for Ariana Grande, Monet has continued to break through in the music world as her own artist. Monet will begin “The Jaguar Tour” starting in September.

“Jaguar II” will be an extension of her 2020 album, “Jaguar,” which is a masterpiece in itself. I’m anticipating the release which will feature artists such as Lucky Daye and Buju Banton.

II”

The Stars Aligned: Exploring the Emergence of Speed Weapon

Words and photos by Amiyah Golden

I sat down with local band Speed Weapon to explore their rise in the Jacksonville rock scene. This interview was extra sweet because bassist Andy Jones is actually my guitar teacher.

Andy Jones, Jay Rogers and Cameron Hrachovina have come together to create a nostalgic sound that pays tribute to ‘70s “groove” rock that hits hard with Hrachovina on drums, Jones on bass, and Rogers as lead singer and guitarist. Speed Weapon exudes an electrifying sound with inspirations from bands such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin.

With their individual and combined skill sets, you would think this trio has been playing for decades but the band just recently formed. Hrachovina and Rogers used to perform as a duo named Canned Whiskey which emerged from the constant exchange of music back and forth between the two via text messages and Snapchat. Hrachovina finally decided to buy a set of drums last year to accompany Rogers’ guitar playing.

“It started right in the living room of my mom’s house,” said Hrachovina, which eventually became the inspiration for their popular single “Living Room.” The two wanted to take their music further and discussed adding another member to the group.

The trio was destined to form after Hrachovina met Jones at his job — George’s Music.

“I was in Vero Beach for an arts festival and there was a bass with a sunshine painted on it and I bought it because it was pretty,” said Jones, “And the next day I’m showing it off to all of my coworkers, and it’s in my hand as Cameron walks into the door and he says, ‘Uh, my bass player just quit and we need a bass player … Do you play bass?’”

At first, Jones was hesitant but Hrachovina revealed the name of his band and a cool gig at Kona Clubhouse that weekend and Jones reconsidered the offer.

“It’s just one of those things you say yes to,” said Jones.

When I truly say, you would think these three have been best friends since birth, it was hard to wrap my mind around the fact that the collective has only been together for less than a year. With the chemistry and organic banter the group exhibited throughout this interview, I couldn’t help but smile at the love they had for music and each other.

With all of the members being extremely talented in their own right, I picked their brains on their personal aspirations and goals.

Rogers pulls inspiration from genres such as death metal and stoner rock; Hrachovina finds inspiration in the tattoo/ motorcycle culture and community; and Jones revels in the ambiguity of sound. Each of their unique experiences and individual interests allows the group to charter beyond the bounds of their “respective” genre.

With each member sourcing different styles to help create their sound —Rogers foreseeing an old-school punk sound, Hrachovina envisioning country and Jones wanting to incorporate some more slow blues into their future sets — it somehow works for the band because of the collective willingness to explore the heart of music. And with every respective response, encouragement was met by fellow bandmates.

Much support has come from all directions for Speed Weapon as the underground music scene has braced the newcomers. With endorsements from other bands and guidance from manager/promoter Chris Long, who was once a part of former rock duo Seals and Croft,

“It’s really funny what people will do for you when they believe in you,” said Jones, “all because they think you’re cool, and that’s a really cool thing.”

With fans comparing the group’s sound to bands such as Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Greta Van Fleet (which is one they don’t quite hear...), Speed Weapon has (re)introduced “stoner rock” to many in the Jacksonville community.

The band anticipates touring the world and headlining festivals but also playing in world-famous venues such as Whiskey a Go Go.

With their heavy-hitting sound, the Jacksonville locals are sure to surpass even their own expectations.

Keep up with Speed Weapon and upcoming shows on Instagram @speedweaponband and listen to them on Spotify.

BITE BY BITE

ARLINGTON BEACHES

Cliff’s Bar & Grill cliffsbarandgrill.com

La Palmerita orderlapalmerita.com

Rice + Noodles Korean Restaurant riceandnoodles.net

Anejo anejococinamexicana.com

Angie’s Subs facebook.com/angiessubs

Aqua Grill aquagrill.net

Azurea at One Ocean azurearestaurant.com

Barbara Jean’s on the Water barbarajeansonthewater.com

Caffe Andiamo caffeandiamo.com

Cantina Louie cantinalouie.com

Coop 303 coop303.com

Engine 15 Brewing Company engine15.com

The Fish Company Restaurant and Oyster Bar thefishcojax.com

Flying Iguana Taqueria & Tequila Bar flyingiguana.com

The G.O.A.T. Tapas & Bar thegoatjax.com

Hawkers eathawkers.com

JJ’s Liberty Bistro jjbistro.com/ponte-vedra

Kamiya 86 kamiya86fl.com

Marker 32 marker32.com Mezzaluna mezzalunajax.com

Seven Wonders Restaurant 7wondersbakery.com

Tabouleh Cafe taboulehcafe.com

Mojo Kitchen mojobbq.com/mojo-kitchen

Nona Blue Modern Tavern nonablue.com

North Beach Fish Camp thenorthbeachfishcamp.com

Oaxaca Club theoaxacaclub.com

O-Ku o-kusushi.com

Palm Valley Fish Camp palmvalleyfishcamp.com

Poe’s Tavern poestavern.com

Ragtime Tavern ragtimetavern.com

Safe Harbor Seafood Market and Restaurant safeharbor-seafood.com

Salt Life Food Shack saltlifefoodshack.com

Salumeria 104 Atlantic Beach salumeria104.com

Singleton’s Seafood Shack singletonsseafood.com

Sliders Oyster Bar slidersoysterbar.com

Southern Grounds southerngrounds.com

TacoLu tacolu.com

Two Dudes Seafood Restaurant twodudesrestaurant.com

Valley Smoke BBQ valleysmoke.com

MURRAY HILL

Bellweather bellwetherjax.com

The Bread and Board thebreadandboard.com

Burrito Gallery burritogallery.com

Cowford Chophouse cowfordchophouse.com

De Real Ting Cafe facebook.com/derealtingcafe

Estrella Cocina estrellajax.com

The Happy Grilled Cheese thehappygrilledchees.wixsite.com/grilledcheese

Indochine indochinejax.com

Juliette’s Bistro at Marriott Jacksonville Downtown marriott.com

Ocean Street Tacos oceanstreettacos.com

On The Fly Sandwiches & Stuff (food truck) ontheflyjax.com

Sweet Pete’s sweetpetescandy.com

Spliff’s Gastropub spliffsgastropub.com

Berndt Ends BBQ facebook.com/berndtendsbbq

Blue Bamboo Canton Bistro bluebamboojacksonville.com

ChopHouse Thirteen chophouse13.com

Julington Creek Fish Camp julingtoncreekfishcamp.com

Kazu Japanese Restaurant kazujapaneserestaurant.com

Le Petit Paris French Cafe lepetitparisjax.com

Masala Indian Cuisine jaxmasala.com

One Night Taco Stand onenightjax.com

Picasso’s Pizzeria jaxpicassos.wixsite.com/jaxpicassos

Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe tazikis.com

Umami Japanese Curry & Ramen umamijax.com

Wicked Barley Brewing Company wickedbarley.com

Buchner’s Bierhall buchnersbierhalle.com

The Dreamette dreametteicecream.com

El Jefe Tex Mex eljefejax.com

Fired Up Pizza woodfireduppizza.com

Maple Street Biscuit Company maplestreetbiscuits.com/murray-hill

Moon River Pizza moonriverpizza.net

Murray Hillbilly murrayhillbilly.com

Vagabond Coffee Co. vagabondcoffee.com

Aloha Waffle Bar alohawafflebar.com

Green Papaya Pan Asian Cuisine greenpapayaus.com

Junior’s Seafood Restaurant juniorsseafoodrestaurant.com/north-jacksonville

Joseph’s Pizza josephspizza.com/northside-full-menu

Masala Mantra masalamantrajax.com

Ship 2 Shore Seafood & Steak ship2shoreseafood.com

13 Gypsies 13gypsies.com

904 Tacos facebook.com/904tacosfivepoints

Ale Pie House alepiehousefl.com

Arepa Please arepaplease.com

Black Sheep blacksheep5points.com

Biggie’s Pizza biggiespizzajax.com

Biscottis biscottis.net

Blue Buddha bluebuddhaspecialty.com

Blue Orchid blueorchidthai.com

Bold Bean boldbeancoffee.com

Brew Five Points brewfivepoints.co

Carmines Pie House carminespiehouse.com

Cool Moose Cafe coolmoosecafe.net

Corner Taco cornertaco.com

Cuisine 76 & Bar cuisine76andbar.com

European Street Cafe europeanstreet.com

The Fox Restaurant facebook.com/thefoxrestaurant

Hawkers eathawkers.com

Homespun Kitchen homespunkitchen.com

Iguana on Park iguanaonpark.com

Jazzy’s Restaurant & Lounge jazzysrestaurant.net

Josephine josephineavondale.com

Kickbacks Gastropub kickbacksgastropub.com

Kingmaker Brewing kingmakerbrewing.com

MOJO No. 4 Urban BBQ & Whiskey Bar mojobbq.com/mojo-no-4

The Mossfire Grill mossfire.com

Nacho Taco nachotaco.net

Pattaya Thai Grill pattayathaijax.com

Pizza Cave facebook.com/pizzacave5pts

Restaurant Orsay restaurantorsay.com

River & Post riverandpostjax.com

Sake House sakehousejax.com

Southern Grounds southerngrounds.com

Sushi Cafe sushicafejax.com

Bar Molino barmolino.com

bb’s bbsrestaurant.com

The Bearded Pig thebeardedpigbbq.com

Bistro AIX Restaurant and Lounge bistrox.com

European Street Cafe europeanstreet.com

Flavors of Thai flavors-of-thai.business.site

Fuji Sushi jacksonvillefujisushi.com

The Local thelocaljax.com

1748 Bakehouse 1748bakehouse.com

Caribbean Sunrise Bakery & Restaurant caribbeansunrisebakery.com

Crispy’s Springfield Gallery facebook.com/CrispysSpringfieldGallery

Flavva flavvajacksonville.com

Island Tropics Restaurant facebook.com/Island-Tropics-Restaurant-Lounge

Tha Soulfood Smagicians facebook.com/thasmagicians

Sweet Theory Baking Company sweettheorybakingco.com

Taqueria Cinco taqueria5points.com

Matthew’s Restaurant matthewsrestaurant.com

The Metro Diner metrodiner.com

The Olive Tree Mediterranean Grille theolivetreemediterraneangrille.com

Peterbrooke peterbrooke.com/pages/san-marco

Southern Grounds southerngrounds.com

Taverna taverna.restaurant

Town Hall townhalljax.com

V Pizza vpizza.com

The Dreamette dreametteicecream.com

The District thedistrictspr.com

Hola Mexican Restaurant holajax.com

Strings Sport Brewery stringssportsbrewery.com

Silkie’s Chicken & Champagne Bar meetatsilkies.com

Waafa and Mike’s Cafe facebook.com/waafaandmikes

SOUTHSIDE

III Forks 3forks.com/location/jacksonville

Catullo’s Italian catullos.hrpos.heartland.us/menu

Culhane’s Irish Pub culhanesirishpub.com

The French Pantry thefrenchpantryfl.com

WESTSIDE

The Juicy Crab thejuicycrabjax.com

The Fox Restaurant facebook.com/thefoxrestaurant

The Potter’s House Soul Food and Bistro thesoulfoodbistro.com

Prati Italia pratiitalia.com

Mr. Potato Spread mrpotatospread.com

Midtown Table midtowntable.medurebrothers.com

Taste of Thai tasteofthaijax.com

Puerto Plata Restaurant puertoplatarestaurant.com

Sushi Bear sushibearjax.com

Trent’s Seafood jltrents.com

Dining With The Fish Company

Words and photos by Su Ertekin-Taner

Today, I take a trip to a childhood treasure. Other children took periodic trips to Disney or a local water park on weekends. I trekked to Atlantic Beach seafood joint The Fish Company. I remember the smaller, but equally hungry version of myself that rolled in with my family every weekend, sometimes with relatives from out of town hoping to get acquainted with the city. That I’ve found my way back to a youth memory is no surprise. I’ve been waiting on the tastes of childhood all college year long.

I open a familiar door accompanied by a fellow food critic, my 14-year-old sister. As the cold air of the building washes over me, so does a visceral nostalgia; we both feel it. We’ve walked in at an odd time to eat, 3:30 p.m., so there aren’t many guests like I remember from my childhood. Regardless, I’m remembering bits of the familial dining experience as I observe: framed photos of a classic Floridian scene — friends holding up a fresh catch — the ironic fish tank in the corner, the mosaic tiles lining some walls, abstract paintings with aquatic inspiration, the seafood/oyster bar in the back along with a regular bar. While I’m aware I’m standing in a restaurant, there’s a distinct hominess to the air, especially as the regulars trickle in, conversing with the staff.

I’ve already decided on an order, my order, before I’m given a menu. It’s my usual: fried calamari as an appetizer and a fried cod sandwich with sides of coleslaw and hushpuppies for my entree. I’ve missed this.

I’m already eating with my eyes when the calamari arrives. I barely stifle my salivating taste buds to take a picture and then, I dive in. The fried calamari’s flavor broadens with each bite. The first wave of bliss comes in the form of a crisp outer fried shell and a second wave hits when I take on the inner chewiness of the calamari. A Japanese-style ginger sauce cuts through the fried outer layer with a nice tanginess. Fried calamari, fried anything for that matter, is difficult to get wrong, but right now, this dish feels more than just right.

Soon after my sister and I have half-filled ourselves with our appetizer, our entrees arrive — the soul of the meal is here and the first bite is just that, soulful. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, the fried cod sandwich, which I layer with their thick tartar sauce, melts on the tongue. I also greedily try a bit of my sister’s fried cod platter and fries, both characterized by the same greasiness of the sandwich I eat now. Although I am full in five bites, I focus my attention on the sides; they’re not headliners on the menu, but their flavor makes them one of the stars on this plate. By this point, conversation has come to a stop. I eat in silence, beguiled by the food in front of me: The coleslaw is superbly Southern, and I mean that in the best way. It’s a bit tart as it should be, crunchy due to a finely sliced cabbage, and most importantly, creamy and coated with a healthy amount of coleslaw dressing. In all my coleslaw connoisseurship, I haven’t found one equal to the one I eat now.

Now, the hushpuppies ... I would come back a dozen times to taste just The Fish Company’s hushpuppies even if no other dish were served. I conquer a thick circumference of fried dough to reach the rich cornmeal cake inside. Although I am more than full now, I eat all the hushpuppies on the plate — with more tartar sauce — as if in fear that I wouldn’t experience the taste again. I’ve finished a full plate of greasy goodness. Now this is food for the soul.

The Fish Company doesn’t only specialize in fried cuisine, though. Other options include their seared sea scallop, grilled fresh catch, baja taco plate served with shrimp or grilled fish, Atlantic Beach Seafood Salad with scallops, shrimp and Mahi, and another favorite of mine, the buttery grilled salmon.

At the end of our meal, I’ve made a memory to miss while away. I will remember the details. The familial atmosphere, the high-quality entrees and the soulful sides. The Fish Company is a taste of home and will remain that way.

ARLINGTON

Cliff’s Bar and Grill cliffsbarandgrill.com

Club Heaven clubheavenjax.com

Jim’s Place facebook.com/jimsplacenightclub.com

BEACHES/PONTE VEDRA

Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com

The Brix Taphouse jacksonvillebeachbar.com

Culhane’s culhanesirishpub.com

Flask & Cannon facebook.com/flaskandcannon

Fly’s Tie Irish Pub facebook.com/flystieirishpub

Green Room Brewing greenroombrewing.com

Grey Matter Distillery greymatterdistillery.com

Gusto gustojax.com

NIGHTLIFE

Hoptinger Bier Garden + Sausage House hoptinger.com

Ink Factory Brewing inkfactorybrewing.com

Island Girl Cigar Bar islandgirlcigarbar.com

Julep Palm Valley facebook.com/JulepPalmValley

Lemon Bar & Grille lemonbarjax.com

Lynch’s Irish Pub lynchsirishpub.com

Mango’s mangosjaxbeach.com

Mavi’s Waterfront Bar & Grill mavijax.com

Monkey’s Uncle Tavern monkeysuncletavern.com

Palm Valley Outdoors Bar and Grill palmvalleyoutdoors.com

Penthouse Lounge at Casa Marina Hotel casamarinahotel.com/penthouse-lounge

Ragtime Tavern ragtimetavern.com

Refinery Jax Beach refineryjaxbeach.com

Reve Brewing revebrewing.com

The Ritz Lounge Theritzlounge.com

The Shim Sham Room shimshamroom.com

Southern Swells Brewing Company southernswells.com

Surfer The Bar surferthebar.com

Voo Swar Restaurant & Lounge instagram.com/vooswar

DOWNTOWN 1904 Music Hall 1904musichall.com

The Bier Hall at Intuition Ale Works intuitionaleworks.com/bierhall

Bold City Brewery boldcitybrewery.com

Dos Gatos dosgatosjax.com

Element Bistro Bar & Lounge elementjax.com

Intuition Aleworks intuitionaleworks.com

Island Girl Cigar Bar islandgirlcigarbar.com

Justice Pub facebook.com/thejusticepub

Live Bar facebook.com/livebarclubjax

Manifest Distillery manifestdistilling.com

Ruby Beach Brewing rubybeachbrewing.com

Underbelly underbellyjax.com

The Volstead thevolsteadjax.com

FLEMING ISLAND

Island Girl Cigar Bar islandgirlcigarbar.com/fleming-island

Mercury Moon facebook.com/mercury-moon

Mr. Chubby’s Wings mrchubbyswings.com

Sunset Tiki Bar the-sunset-tiki-bar.business.site

Whitey’s Fish Camp whiteysfishcamp.com

INTRACOASTAL WEST 9 Zero Pour 9zeropour.com

MVP’s Sports Grille facebook.com/mvpssportsgrille

The Spot Hookah Lounge thespothookahloungejax.com

Time Out Sports Grill timeoutsportsgrill.com

MANDARIN/JULINGTON CREEK/ FRUIT COVE

2nd Bay Brewing 2ndbaybrewing.com

Comedy Zone comedyzone.com

Iggy’s Grill and Bar facebook.com/IggysGrill

Kava & Company kavaandcompany.com

Legacy Ale Works legacyaleworks.com

Monkey’s Uncle Tavern facebook.com/monkeysunclemandarin1

Rack’em Up Sports Bar facebook.com/rackemupsportsbar

Time Out Sports Grill timeoutsportsgrill.com

MURRAY HILL Buchner’s Bierhalle buchnersbierhalle.com

Fishweir Brewing Company fishweirbrewing.com

The Flamingo theflamingojax.com

Perfect Rack Billiards perfectrackbilliards.com

Silver Cow silvercowjax.com

The Stout Snug thestoutsnug.com

The Walrus thewalrusjax.com

NORTHSIDE Coppertop Bar and Restaurant coppertopbarandrestaurant.com

Four Fathers Distillery fourfathersdistillery.com

ORANGE PARK/MIDDLEBURG 57 Heaven facebook.com/57heavenop

Big Dawgs Sports Restaurant bigdawgsrestaurant.com

Cheers Park Avenue cheersparkave.com

The Daq Shack thedaqshack904.com

Dee’s Music Bar and Grill facebook.com/musicbarandgrill

The Fresh Spot Lounge thefreshspotlounge.com

LeaderBoard Arcade leaderboardarcade.com

Locals Pub localspub.co

Nakama Anime Bar nakamabar.com

Park Avenue Billiards parkavenuebilliards.com

Pinglehead Brewing Company pinglehead.com

Southern Social Whiskey Bar & Lounge southernsocialbar.com

RIVERSIDE/AVONDALE

Birdies facebook.com/birdiesfivepoints

Bold City Brewery boldcitybrewery.com

Brick Restaurant brickofavondale.com

Burlock & Barrel burlockandbarrel.com

Casbah Cafe thecasbahcafe.com

Dart Bar & Games facebook.com/dartbarjax

Eclipse Bar & Nightclub facebook.com/eclipsebarjax

The Garage garagejax.com

The Green House thegreenhousebar.com

Hoptinger Bier Garden + Sausage House hoptinger.com

Incahoots incahootsnightclub.com

Jazzy’s Restaurant & Lounge jazzysrestaurant.net

Kanine Social Taproom kaninesocial.com

Keg & Coin kegandcoinjax.com

Kingmaker Brewing kingmakerbrewing.com

Lemonstreet Brewing Company lemonstreetbrewing.com

The Loft loftjax.com

Myrtle Avenue Brewing facebook.com/myrtleavebrewing

Park Place Lounge park-place-lounge.business.site

Rain Dogs instagram.com/raindogs5points

River & Post riverandpostjax.com

Rogue Bar facebook.com/rogue.bar.1

Root Down facebook.com/rootdownjax

Tabula Rasa Brewing tabularasa.beer

Wall Street Lounge facebook.com/thewallstreetlounge

Wildcrafters facebook.com/wildcraftersjax

SAN MARCO/ST. NICHOLAS Aardwolf Brewing Company aardwolfbrewing.com

Bar Molino barmolino.com

Breezy Jazz House breezyjazzhouse.com

Cuba Libre Ultra Lounge cubalibrebar.com

Fore Score Golf Tavern forescoregolf.com

The Grape & Grain Exchange grapeandgrainexchange.com

Hamburger Mary’s hamburgermarys.com/jax

Kava & Company kavaandcompany.com

The Mudville Grill themudvillegrill.com

The Players Grille playersgrille.com

Posting House posting.house

Sidecar instagram.com/sidecarjax

Tabula Rasa Brewing tabularasa.beer

SOUTHSIDE/ST. JOHNS TOWN CENTER Austin Karaoke facebook.com/austinkaraoke

Bottlenose Brewing bottlenosebrewing.com

Culhane’s culhanesirishpub.com

Dior Restaurant and Lounge instagram.com/diorrestaurantlounge.jax

Island Girl Cigar Bar islandgirlcigarbar.com

Jax Craft Beer jaxcraftbeer.com

Medusa Restaurant and Hookah Lounge facebook.com/medusa-loungejacksonville

Secret Tiki Temple secrettikitemple.com

Seven Bridges Grille & Brewery 7bridgesgrille.com

Trio Lounge triohookahlounge.com

Veterans United Craft Brewery vubrew.com

Wicked Barley Brewing Company wickedbarley.com

WXYZ Bar at Aloft Hotel aloftjacksonvilletapestrypark.com

SPRINGFIELD

Crispy’s Springfield Gallery crispysspringfieldgallery.com

The District thedistrictspr.com

Historically Hoppy Brewing Company historicallyhoppy.com

Hyperion Brewing hyperionbrewing.com

Shantytown Pub facebook.com/shantytownjax

Strings Sports Brewery stringssportsbrewery.com

ST. AUGUSTINE Ancient City Brewing ancientcitybrewing.com

Arnold’s Lounge arnoldslounge.com

Beacon Listening Room beaconstaug.com

Cellar Upstairs Bar at San Sebastian Winery sansebastianwinery.com

Dog Rose Brewing dogrosebrewing.com

The Original Café Eleven originalcafe11.com

Prohibition Kitchen pkstaug.com

Tradewinds Lounge tradewindslounge.com

WESTSIDE

Lillian’s lillianssportsgrill.com

The Phoenix Bar & Bowling facebook.com/thephoenixjax

JME LIVE SESSIONS

PLUS FREE LOCAL PERFORMANCES THROUGHOUT SEPTEMBER!

“Malibu Barbie” By Brooklyn Nyager