Folio Vol. 37, Issue 23 by Folio Weekly

11.3 0

2023

YOUR GUIDE TO ENTERTAINMENT IN JACKSONVILLE 1

CONTENTS

VOL. 37, ISSUE 23

COLUM N S 7

FE ATU RES 9

Ambar Ramirez & Carmen Macri

Amy Love

Harry Moore

Amiyah Golden

Kerry Speckman

Kelila Ritchie

Nation

Folio Staff

Carmen Macri

COMEDY

Su Ertekin-Taner

Say During The Holidays

HOROSCOPES

In The Name Of Love

SPORTS

The Specktator

TRIVIA , E TC .

THEATER/ DANCE

Amiyah Golden

Carson Rich

SOUTHERN SOUNDS: Tinsley Ellis Carson Rich

Mood Stabilizers Shelton Hull

The Hunt: Finding The Best Apple Pie In Jacksonville Ambar Ramirez & Carmen Macri

New Music Releases Amiyah Golden

Stogie-Cigar Capital Of The World Ted Hunt

Ambar Ramirez & Carmen Macri

Actually, Let’s Not: Things You Shouldn’t

The Road To Playoffs

Wish You Were Here With Floyd

What The F***?

Podcast Picks

ART

Local Artist Spotlight: Lizza Attic

Big City, Bigger Dreams: Ally Shawver

Special Events

2023 Film Reviews

Ice Nine Kills: A Scary Good Show Courtney Thomassen

CONCERTS

BITE BY BITE

NIGHTLIFE ANGELA PHILLIPS Publisher

CARSON RICH Writer

BEHIND THE COVER:

FOLIO STAFF:

“Winter in Florida” TERESA SPENCER General Manager

AMIYAH GOLDEN Writer/Photographer

JOHN PHILLIPS Vice President

MALLORY PACE Writer

KERRY SPECKMAN Copy Editor/ Writer

KELILA RITCHIE Writer

AMBAR RAMIREZ Creative Director

HARRY MOORE Writer

CARMEN MACRI Multi-media Creative/ Social Media Manager/ Lead Writer

TED HUNT Writer

SHELTON HULL Writer SU ERTEKIN-TANER Writer

Photo by Ambar Ramirez

COURTNEY THOMASSEN Photographer & Contributor TIM JONES Cartoonist

Annabella suffered a meniscus tear but thanks to Injury Care Centers & our Biotarget Therapy she was back on the field in only 3 weeks.

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904-549-5647 gobiotarget.com

I was very interested when I saw your headlined story on female bodybuilding! I did BODYBUILDING CONTESTS from 2002 to 2005 ! I worked out at Baileys at beach and then World Gym on beach! The person who wrote the article kept referring to female bodybuilders and talked about bikini girls. They had it all wrong. There is a big difference between a female bodybuilder and a female bikini competitor. The pictures of those girls look nothing like a bodybuilder. Yes the regimen is grueling and makes you headstrong. I’m not putting the bikini competitors down! It’s all hard work but the word BODYBUILDER FEMALE was very incorrect! My first contest I won the middleweight and the entire show, I took second in west palm beach for the State and then went on to win the Masters Nationals in Pittsburgh and a couple other shows! I was also a guest poser at a show in Savannah. As a note, bodybuilders have to do a routine to music for 90 seconds also! Bikini girls just walk and turn. And, I started competing in my 50s in the open class-not my age group and I am now 76 and no one believes it! It was a good article and gave a good amount of info on the hard work but the word bodybuilder should not have been used! I’ve read Folio for years and love it! Peggy Hilbert.

THE

MAIL

BOUQS & BRICKS

BOUQUETS

BRICKBATS

A study conducted by Lending Tree found that the River City is one of the

banks and lenders in Jacksonville. According to several families who con-

top 10 best places in the country to start a small business, which reminds

tacted us, the company has been extremely delayed — sometimes up to a

us: Shop local!

month — in allowing individuals to retrieve personal items from their vehi-

To Jacksonville’s national reputation for being a small business leader.

To Specialized Towing who does vehicle repossessions for a variety of

cles including wallets, purses, driver licenses and even childrens’ car seats, To holiday toy drives. So many children go without gifts this time of year for

which is a considerable problem since the vehicles can be auctioned off in

a variety of reasons, and it’s because of local businesses, organizations and

as little as two weeks. The bank or lender may own the car but certainly not

charities many of these kids will have something under the tree this year. It’s

the contents within, and Specialized Towing should respect the individuals’

an amazing thing to witness a child receive a toy or other gift they might not

rights and return their property in a timely manner.

otherwise receive. Speaking of which, “Folio” has partnered with H.E.A.D. On Youth Impact to not only provide gifts but offer “hope, inspiration and

To Elite Parking for outrageous and excessive fees for parking Downtown.

opportunities” they may not otherwise have. To participate, drop off un-

News4Jax reported rates of up to $80 an hour to park in their lots located

wrapped toys at “Folio” HQ (212 N. Laura St.) by Dec. 15, Toys collected will

throughout the area, while others have found themselves with a $109 park-

be given to children in local hospitals and medical facilities, as well as kids

ing ticket for being mere minutes past their time being up. Forget highway

on Ken Knight Drive.

robbery: This is parking robbery.

HOROSCOPES ARIES

Feeling ambitious this December, Aries? With the presence of Mars, the Sun and Mercury, that is to be expected. Those once-distant goals now seem quite obtainable. The planetary configuration is aligning in your favor this month: Jump at the occasion.

LIBRA

Looks like luck is finally leaning in your favor, Libra. Or should we say, the planets are aligning in your favor. Either way, December is looking pretty good for you. The cosmic alignment coming your way is bringing with it a profound sense of passion and determination, giving you an upperhand in decision making, which comes in right on time for gift shopping.

TAURUS

SCORPIO

’Tis the season to be optimistic, Taurus. December will be-

With the planetary influence of both Venus and Mercury, De-

gin hopeful and joyful, but as Venus makes its way into

cember seems to be quite pleasurable for you, Scorpio — in

your celestial bubble, things can quickly turn from sweet

more ways than one. When these planets align, so does a

to sour. This isn’t to say you should hibernate for the rest

sense of harmony. For your love sector, communication will

of the month, just tread lightly and make decisions care-

always be your downfall. Take the time to build up those

fully.

around you.

GEMINI

SAGITTARIUS

It is only natural to feel stress, Gemini. The key is how you

While January is usually the month of new beginnings, De-

wield it. Do not fall under the pressure you are feeling. Pa-

cember is highlighting the favorable influences of the Sun,

tience is a virtue, as they say, and it is key to approaching less favorable situations. As for your love life? Buckle up.

Mars and Mercury in your chart, Sagittarius. These planets symbolize fresh starts and heightened independence, making this month perfect for taking risks and trying things out of your comfort zone.

CANCER

CAPRICORN

Seasonal depression is no joke, Cancer. And just because

Gain and loss are two sides of the same coin. Where one

you tend to brush things off with your hard-shelled exteri-

door might shut for you, another one will always open — it

or that doesn’t mean you are left unscathed emotionally.

is up to you to find that door. December will require you to

Avoid uncomfortable conversations this month and maybe book a flight to a sunny island. You’ll need it.

LEO

dig deep into yourself to ask those questions you’ve been avoiding. You cannot run from them forever.

AQUARIUS

Determination and resilience are your most favorable qual-

You’re on a roll, Aquarius and the stars have no plans of mak-

ities. And this December, they will be your best friends.

ing you slow down this December. But just because the stars

You have never been one to back down from a challenge,

are pushing you to your limits that doesn’t mean you have to

so, don’t start now. When problems arise, remember who you are at your core.

listen. Everything is about balance. Work hard but also make time to play.

VIRGO

PISCES

The holiday season kicks off promising for you, Virgo.

No opportunity comes without a challenge, Pisces. You

What could possibly go wrong when the weather is crisp

have to fight for what you want, though, you never do

and everyone is jolly? We’ll tell you, Saturn. The planet

choose to take the easier route. Your desire to make a

seems to bring a gray cloud over your otherwise sunny disposition. But light usually overcomes dark, so don’t let

positive impact might earn you a few snakes. Don’t let others take advantage of your goodwill.

the clouds rain on your parade.

IN THE NAME OF

Love Words by Amy Love

Founder and Matchmaker of the Honey and Flame Matchmaking agency CONNIE L. FROM ST. AUGUSTINE EXPRESSED THAT HER AL-

ALLEN FROM JACKSONVILLE ASKS THE QUESTION, IF AFTER

MOST LIVE-IN BOYFRIEND HAS NOT SAID “I LOVE YOU” YET AND

DATING SIX MONTHS, SHOULD YOU MAKE YOUR RELATIONSHIP

WANTS TO KNOW WHEN THOSE WORDS SHOULD BE EXPECTED.

OFFICIAL BY POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA? HIS MOTHER SAYS HE SHOULD WAIT A FEW YEARS.

Ah, the three little words that can either make your heart soar to new heights or send you into a panic: “I love you.” The timing of this emotional revelation

There is a fine line between dating and being in a relationship — it’s like navi-

is like a carefully choreographed dance, and the question of who should take

gating a maze blindfolded with a GPS that occasionally sends you on detours

the lead in this romantic tango is as old as time itself.

just for laughs. After six months of romantic rollercoaster rides, should you unveil your love story to the world via the social media megaphone?

Talking about romantic love and commitment will occasionally scare the breath right out of some lovers. So love and the declaration of those three

Dating is like a trial subscription to a streaming service — you’re still browsing

little words is very connected.

the catalog, occasionally buffering, and figuring out if the content is worth the long-term commitment. Being in a relationship, on the other hand, is like

Some argue that it’s a game of emotional chicken with both partners waiting

upgrading to the premium package — you’ve binged on enough episodes to

for the other to crack first. After all, saying “I love you” is like opening Pan-

know this is the series finale you want.

dora’s box — once those words escape your lips, there’s no going back. It’s the relationship equivalent of pulling the pin on a love grenade and hoping

Should you change your relationship status or keep it on the down-low like

for the best.

a secret menu item at your favorite restaurant? Some say it’s like putting a “reserved” sign on your love seat. Others argue it’s a virtual high-five to com-

Where would you be without this thought? The thought of being first to say “I

mitment. Ultimately, I like the sentiment that it’s not that serious. At the end of

love you.” You might be a lot happier. However, if you cannot clear your mind,

the day, the one who will care the most is the person you are posting about.

remember that someone not saying “I love you” does not mean that you are

The rules? Well, it’s the digital Wild West out there. Some swear by the “six-

not worthy of the sentiment. It often comes from issues and limitations stem-

month reveal,” while others believe in the mystical “when it feels right” doc-

ming from the other person, not you. Which means you get the happy task of

trine. In the end, whether you shout your love from the virtual rooftops or

moving on to someone else. Someone who sees you and loves you because

keep it hush-hush, just make sure it’s a decision you’re both happy with. Re-

they can.

lationships may be complicated, but your status update doesn’t have to be.

In matters of the heart, timing is key. It’s not about beating your partner to the punch; it’s about ensuring the atmosphere is ripe for an emotional confession. If your significant other has just tackled a mountain of dirty dishes or fixed your wonky bookshelf, maybe hold off until they’ve caught their breath. As for who should say it first, well, chivalry might be dead, but the thrill of being the first to declare love is very much alive. So if you’re feeling the love bubbling up like a well-shaken soda, why not take the plunge? After all, in matters of the heart, fortune favors the bold — just make sure your partner isn’t lactose intolerant before pouring your heart out with that cheesy line. Love is a deliciously unpredictable dish, so savor the moment. Say it when it feels right and enjoy the symphony of emotions that follow. You may also want to ask yourself — if you don’t want to be the one to say those words first, then do you really love the person at all? Their reciprocation does not need to be your validation. You are all you need for validation. Love hard, love often and don’t ever give up on yourself.

HAVING TROUBLE IN THE LOVE DEPARTMENT? EMAIL US YOUR CONCERNS AT LOVEADVICE@FOLIOWEEKLY.COM 9

THE SPECKTATOR Words by Kerry Speckman Of all the Merriam-Webster’s words of the year, 2023’s might just be my favorite: authentic. For one, it’s something I strive to be as much as possible (for better or worse). Plus, it reminds me of one of my favorite quotes: “The thing about quotes from the Internet is that it is difficult to define their authenticity.” –Abraham Lincoln

William Shatner beamed down to the Florida Theatre last month for a screening of “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” followed by “a cosmic adventure like no other” with Shatner sharing behind-the-scenes anecdotes and stories from his career and answering audience questions. But for the true Trekkies who went VIP, the highlight had to have been the post-show photo op with James T. Kirk himself. That is, until they stepped into the room to see Shatner surrounded by a plexiglass wall which they were invited to stand next to while he sat on a stool and did his best version of a smile. According to Jeff

Speaking of the Florida Theatre, comedian Anthony Jeselnik recently took the stage for a sold-out show at the newly renovated theater, which he referred to as “gorgeous” in his Instagram post about the event. Fortunately, he left out the part where a woman screamed out in the middle of his set (I’ll refrain from restating his response), some guy in the front “requesting” specific jokes (Jeselnik shut him down hard) and random chants of “DUUUVAL!” Fortunately, he was warned

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH VIGGIANO

Bellamy (pictured with Summer Spencer), it was well worth all five seconds.

by staff before the show about the phenomenon, so when he heard it he didn’t think he was getting booed. As if. A new book called “Florida Sculptors and their Work: 1880–2020” features a number of Northeast Florida sculptors and … their work. In addition to a six-page spread on Charles Adrian Pillars (he of the Memorial Park statue “Life”), author Deborah C. Pollack features David Engdahl, David Ponsler, Dolf James and the late Mildred Thompson in Jacksonville and Enzo Torcoletti, Joe Regal, Earl Cunningham, Chad Light in St. Augustine. Pollack also recognized local artists Lance Vickery, Jenny Hager, Derby Ulloa, Kue King, Brett Waller and Jim Smith.

If you’ve ever been to a Jaguars game, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve seen one of the team’s most famous fans —Tealopatra (she’s easy to spot with her teal afro wig, Jagged-out attire and the biggest smile in the stadium). Well, Ms. 9-Oh-Fro just got a little more recognizable when conservative radio host Larry Elder tweeted this idiotic comment after seeing her on TV. That’s actually small potatoes considering her picture is in the NFL Hall of Fame.

SPECIAL EVENTS

“Florida Wonderland” By Ambar Ramirez

DAZZLING NIGHTS JACKSONVILLE

LIGHTED CHRISTMAS PARADE

Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens

Central Park, Amelia Island

Through Dec. 29

Dec. 2

Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens is completely transformed during

From 6 to 8 p.m., holiday fans of all ages can enjoy can enjoy a night parade

the holidays with the opening of Dazzling Lights. Enjoy snowball fights within

featuring bands, dancers, lighted floats and, of course, an appearance by the

a 40-foot snow globe right here in Florida, thousands of sparkling Christmas

man in red. But only if you’ve been good. The parade is free and organized

lights and for the adults, themed drinks! Plus so much more. This winter won-

by America’s Youth Inc.

derland has something for everyone. This is a great time for families, date nights or even a night out on the town with friends!

Annual Gingerbread Extravaganza

jacksonvillearboretum.org

Dec. 8-27 Old St. Andrew’s Church

BLACKHAWK BLUFF CHRISTMAS DISPLAY

The Jacksonville Historical Society’s beloved Gingerbread Extravaganza is

Off Girvin Road

back with a mind-boggling collection of gingerbread houses, schools, offices,

Through Dec. 31

local attractions and anything else these sweet creators can dream up. The

One of the best parts of the holiday season is the beautiful lights and decora-

event also features a holiday shop, tours of the Merrill House and Kids Day

tions that brighten various neighborhoods. Being able to see the personality

(Dec. 10) with activities, facepainting and photos with Santa.

within a home shine on the outside is always a treat and nowhere more so

jaxhistory.org

than the Blackhawk Bluff neighborhood, located off Girvin Road. With a threeyear consecutive title as “Jax Best Choice for Holiday Lights,” it is well worth

FLORIDA BALLET PRESENTS “THE NUTCRACKER”

the wait to be able to drive in the comfort of your car blaring your favorite

Dec. 9-10, Thrasher Horne Center, Orange Park

festive tunes with your family and friends while admiring beautiful displays of

Dec. 15-17, UNF Fine Arts Center

holiday cheer.

Indulge in a holiday classic with a touch of elegance and pointe shoes! Join The Florida Ballet for their annual presentation of “The Nutcracker.” It’s the

DECK THE CHAIRS

ideal start to the festive season, creating enduring memories. With The Flor-

Jacksonville Beach

ida Ballet’s skilled Company and over 100 local student dancers, this de-

Through Jan. 1, 2024

lightful show caters to all ages. If time is tight, check out “Nutcracker in a

Get ready to jingle all the way with Deck the Chairs, Jacksonville Beach’s

Nutshell,” a 60-minute version of the full ballet.

heartwarming holiday exhibit that’s all about spreading joy and supporting

floridaballet.org

children’s arts and education! Lifeguard chairs are transformed into festive masterpieces by the creative minds of kids, turning public spaces into magi-

RIVERSIDE AVONDALE LUMINARIA

cal wonderlands and bringing smiles to everyone.

Riverside Avondale Historic District

deckthechairs.org

Dec. 10 Celebrating its 39th year in 2023, Riverside Avondale Luminaria returns to the

ST. AUGUSTINE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS

historic district with thousands of luminaria creating a magical glow through-

St. Augustine Historic District

out the neighborhoods. In addition to the photo worthy trail of lights, visitors

Through Jan. 28, 2024

will also get a health dose of holiday spirit from neighborhood families and

In the enchanting city of St. Augustine, the annual Nights of Lights celebra-

friends touring the streets by bike and foot.

tion transforms the historic district into a dazzling spectacle of holiday magic.

riversideavondale.org

The sparkling extravaganza showcases the city’s timeless charm with historic landmarks like the Castillo de San Marcos and the Bridge of Lions adorned in a breathtaking array of festive illuminations. As the radiant display continues to paint the night sky, St. Augustine’s Nights of Lights stands as a testament to the city’s enduring legacy and its ability to evoke a sense of timeless joy during the holiday season. floridashistoriccoast.com/nights-lights COLORS OF THE WILD Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Through Feb. 18, 2024 The Jacksonville Zoo has transformed its wildlife scenery into a breathtaking Asian lantern festival for the holidays — and beyond. Guests are invited to explore Asian lanterns of all sizes take on life as animals and plants in over 70 displays. Each lantern tells its own story about the importance of conservation through carefully curated details. Although the event isn’t specifically holiday-centered, the zoo will host holiday nights from Dec. 14 until Dec. 24, where special characters and performers will take the stage, like the Grinch, Ice Queen, Toy Soldier stilt walker and Santa Claus. jacksonvillezoo.org

PODCAST PICKS These days everybody has a podcast, so we did some deep diving into the local podcast scene and found these two pearls. Words by Su Ertekin-Taner “POPS ON HOPS”

“EAT YOUR CONTENT”

For Barry and Abigail Hummel, podcasting is a family affair. The father and

Keeping on the theme of oddly well-aligned podcast topic duos, this next

daughter duo are the co-hosts of podcast “Pops on Hops.” In their usually

auditory delight titled “Eat Your Content” combines commentary on cuisine

90-minute to hour- long podcast episodes, the cross generational pair dis-

and pop culture in what its host Rich Herrera calls a “cultural smorgasbord”

cuss two podcast topics — perhaps oddly, but as I listen to the podcast, per-

of a podcast. Freelance food writer and “professional eater” (as his Instagram

fectly coherently paired — an intentionally chosen album of contemporary or

claims) Herrera may be right. The podcast, much like a smorgasbord, offers a

matured mainstream or lesser known music and an equally as intentionally

heterogeneous mixture of delectables enough to satisfy cravings.

chosen set of ales. Herrera serves his listeners interviews with Jacksonville’s culinary innovators, In addition to this typical episode format, the Hummels aim to entertain with

including “Top Chef” contestants, a body language expert that elucidates a

their great variety of bonus episodes. Musical artist and national brewery

link between food and body language, and even the director of black comedy

interviews, jukebox selection episodes during which the pair review an al-

film “Waiting…” set in a franchise restaurant called ShenaniganZ.

bum submitted by an audience member and their intoxicating “Pops on Hops” spinoff about wine, “Dorks on Corks,” all have the same spirit that the main

Each episode, the guests discuss whatever facet of the culinary community

“Pops on Hops” episodes do.

they deem to satisfy listener cravings. TV show (i.e., “The Bear” and “Top Chef”) and movie recaps (i.e., “The Menu,” “Waiting…,” and “Burnt”) filled

In fact, what glues the odd topic pairing and all the variations of the “Pops

with discourse on the realities of a chef’s life, the pressure of novel creation,

on Hops” episodes together is this Hummel spirit. Barry and Abigail converse

toxic kitchen culture, the financial burdens of a life of cooking, and all the

with all the eagerness and enthusiasm of a playful and, at times, sarcastic pop

other small insanities of restauranting and cooking explore the intersection

culture debate among friends while maintaining the conscious reference-mak-

between cuisine and culture. But Herrera also aims to explore other novel

ing and empathy that informs family conversations. Listeners can’t help but

intersections like that between psychology and food and even photography

think that the two enrich their relationship as they offer us their weekly taste-

and food.

ful, even succulent commentary on their album and hops of choice. This symbiosis is what makes the podcast charming and important.

In all these episodes, Herrera urges listeners to view (pop) culture through the lens of culinary experts. In doing so, food and the environment in which it is

But the Hummel charm hardly ends with their warm conversation. Each pod-

created take on a new significance. Enlightened by the appetizing, well-sea-

cast episode is all marked with the Hummel brand: an acoustic guitar jin-

soned comments of Herrera and these experts, listeners might rethink their

gle written by Hummel family friend Pete Coe, album covers photoshopped

plate of food or the way food appears in modern media. The concoction of

with Abigail’s and Barry’s faces or their “Pops on Hops” logo, and clever ep-

ingredients is a manifestation of a chef’s desire to serve and ability to inno-

isode titles that integrate album or artist names (i.e., in the episode titled

vate empathically; it is a history of adaptability, a history of the restaurants

“Dr!nk,” the co-hosts review “I’m Not Dead” by P!nk or in the episode titled

the chef worked for. It is everything that “Eat Your Content” allows listeners

“We Talk. We Drink. We Make Podcasts.” where the co-hosts review “We Sing.

a glimpse into.

We Dance. We Steal Things.” by Jason Mraz). These extra touches endear an already devoted audience. Few other podcasts have this much spirit — both

Indeed Herrera is as careful as these aforementioned chefs, cutting episodes

literally and figuratively of course.

intentionally, combining the ingredients of culinary and cultural conversation expertly, and inviting the most prestigious and knowledgeable of guests to

Listen to “Pops on Hops” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Spotify for Podcasters,

work on creating this resulting auditory meal.

YouTube, Listen Notes, Substack and popsonhopspod.com among other lo-

Herrera is the chef of the cultural smorgasbord of “Eat Your Content,” and my

cations.

mouth is watering now thinking about the intellectual food he offers and will offer us in his weekly episodes. Listen to “Eat Your Content” on Apple Podcasts, Audacy, Spotify, Amazon Music among other locations.

ROAD TO THE PLAYOFFS The 2023 Jacksonville Jaguars Unbelievable Comeback Season Words by Carson Rich We have reached the midway point of the

Linebackers Foye Oluokun and Josh Allen

NFL season, and it is looking like the biggest

have been showing time and time again they

comeback of the decade is how the Jackson-

are an unstoppable force that offensive line-

ville Jaguars have been performing. Sitting

men need to be afraid of. Oluokun is fourth in

at top of the AFC conference right now with

the NFL on combined tackles with 119, plac-

an 8-3 record, they are poised to make their

ing him among an elite list of defenders after

mark during the playoffs if they continue on

being traded from the Atlanta Falcons. Devin

the current path they are following.

Lloyd and Rayshawn Jenkins also help complete this stacked line-up of defensive titans

Known for their resilience, the Jaguars en-

that has been a major problem for offenses

tered the 2023 season with a renewed sense

everywhere. Back to the offense, wide re-

of purpose. Under the leadership of head

ceiver Calvin Ridley had a slow start at the

coach Doug Pederson, the team set out to re-

beginning of the season but has been a men-

build its foundation, both on and off the field.

ace to defensive backs ever since with 663

Through these past 11 games, every member

yards and five touchdowns.

of the team has come together to show the league that they are a force to be reckoned

The rest of the season shows much promise

with, not one to forget about. Defeating al-

of success for the Jaguars, as both the Cin-

most every opponent in just about every

cinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns

team stat category, this newly refurbished

have lost key players due to injury, making

and refocused team is showing everyone

those wins more plausible. After that, the next

that it takes a group effort, and that everyone

two games complete their out of conference

deserves their spot on that 53-man roster.

division games of the NFC South with the 1-10 Carolina Panthers, who just fired their head

During the offseason, there was a lot of chat-

coach, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who

ter circulating around QB Trevor Lawrence’s

should not pose as a big problem. The two

position as a starter in the NFL. Some would

games that could potentially be in question

say that he is a top five quarterback that de-

are the Baltimore Ravens, who have been on

serves the same recognition that is given to

fire lately, and the division rival Tennessee

the likes of Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes,

Titans. These two games could ultimately de-

and others say that statement is wildly un-

cide the season, but if the home team can

true and that he is just filling in the role as

pull these out as wins, then making the play-

someone who is just “better than his back-

offs won’t even be a conversation.

ups.” This season has without a doubt proven that Lawrence has earned a spot in the top 10

In the heart of Florida, the Jacksonville Jag-

conversation at the very least. As of now, the

uars are orchestrating a comeback story that

Jaguars are the top team in the AFC, which

has captured the attention of football enthu-

was not the outcome most people would

siasts across the nation. With the image of

have expected by this time, and his stat lines

last year’s defeat still lingering in the back of

show his work is paying off in the biggest way

everyone’s mind, this team is resurging with

possible. After his monster game against the

a vengeance to take what is rightfully theirs,

Houston Texans, he ranks ninth in QBR per-

a shot at the Lombardi Trophy.

centage and 10th in passing yards, along with his clutch gene that enables him to help pull the team together for a victory. NFL “couch analysts” may have doubted him before, but they should be holding their tongues now after what he has done thus far.

Photo by Carmen Macri

18 Folio Weekly

DEC. 1

DEC. 16

Light Up the House 5K and Family Day

Jacksonville Icemen vs. South Caroling Stingrays

Ronald McDonald House

VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena

1stplacesports.com

jacksonvilleicemen.com

DEC. 2

Jacksonville Bank Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K

Girls on the Run 5K

The Bolles School

University of North Florida

raceroster.com

gotrnefl.org Run Santa Run Festival of Lights 5K

Henry Klutho Park

San Marco Square

1stplacesports.com

1stplacesports.com DEC. 17 Race to ENDALZ

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Baltimore Ravens

103rd Street Sports Complex

EverBank Stadium

procupkarting.com

jaguars.com

DEC. 3

DEC. 20

Guana 50K and 12K Trail Races

Jacksonville Icemen vs. Florida Everblades

Guana Research Reserve, Ponte Vedra

VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena

1stplacesports.com

jacksonvilleicemen.com

JAMfest Jacksonville Classic 2023 Cheerleading

DEC. 22

Competition

Jacksonville Icemen vs. South Carolina Stingrays

University of North Florida–University Center

VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena

cheertheory.com

jacksonvilleicemen.com

DEC. 4

DEC. 29

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Cincinnati Bengals

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

EverBank Stadium

jaguars.com

taxslayergatorbowl.com

DEC. 9

DEC. 30

Run Like the Dickens

Gator Bowl Charities 5K Run/Walk

Main Beach Park, Fernandina Beach

VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena

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taxslayergatorbowl.com

Santa Suits on the Loose 5K

Emerald Trail 5K and 10K

St. Augustine Beach Pier

Duval County Courthouse

runsignup.com

1stplacesports.com

DEC. 10

DEC. 31

Jacksonville Marathon

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Carolina Panthers

The Bolles School

EverBank Stadium

raceroster.com

jaguars.com

DEC. 15-17

The Last Gasp Cross Country Race

Florida All Breed Horse Show Series

Jacksonville University

Jacksonville Equestrian Center

jtcrunning.com

flhorseshow.wixsite.com/flhorseshow DEC. 15 WWE: NXT Live Armory Building wwe.com/shows/nxtple

OF T

RLD O W

CIG

GIE

A R

IGA C -

ITAL P A

TO S T S O

I E G

Words by Ted Hunt In the land of sunshine, oranges, tourism, retirees, alligators and pythons,

one of their wagons broke down. They decided to stay put and began farming

there exists a rich tradition that goes far beyond the theme parks and count-

to support themselves. They soon realized the sandy soil was ideal for cotton

less rows of condominiums. Florida’s cigar industry, often overshadowed by

and growing the Cuban tobacco seeds they brought along. As it turned out,

more prominent industries and attractions, has quietly thrived, and the tra-

the tobacco leaves were high-grade quality and perfect for cigar wrapping.

dition of cigar making holds a significant place in the state’s history, culture and economy. So grab a stogie and let’s embark on a journey through the fas-

By 1845, Gadsden County was growing 1.2 million pounds of cigar tobacco

cinating history of Florida’s cigar industry where hand rolling cigars is more

and shipping it to the booming cigar making industry in the United States as

than just a craft, it’s practically a competitive sport.

well as overseas. Lots of money was being made: Lucky accident!

LESSON 101: THE TOBACCO LEAF

Cigar making in Key West dates to 1831 when William H. Wall opened a small

Cigar tobacco differs greatly from cigarette, pipe, chewing and snuff tobac-

factory that employed 50 workers from Cuba to hand roll cigars, using Cu-

co. Cigar tobacco is air cured and naturally aged. No chemicals or additives

ban tobacco leaves. Other cigar factories followed and also brought over

are used. A cigar is a roll of all-natural tobacco wrapped in a natural tobac-

Cuban workers. Business was thriving until the Civil War. The North’s block-

co leaf. In contrast, cigarette tobacco and its wrapping paper and filters are

ade around Florida stopped shipments of leaves from Cuba vital to the cigar

processed with chemical additives. Pipe tobacco infuses additives for flavor,

factories, and the factories went under. After the war, factories re-opened and

aroma and preservation. Chewing and snuff tobaccos use additives for fla-

soon the demand for Key West cigars outpaced the supply.

vor and sweetness. Hand-rolled cigar manufacturers take pride in using only pure, unadulterated tobacco where not a single leaf is chemically treated or

In 1869 a cigar maker from Cuba, Vicente Martinez Ybor, fleeing the Cuban

artificially altered for taste. So voila! You’re now a tobacco aficionado.

revolution between Spain and Cuba, came to the island and opened up a cigar factory. Other cigar factories quickly followed. Soon thousands of experi-

LESSON 102: CIGAR TOBACCO HISTORY

enced cigar workers also fled the revolution to work in the Key West factories.

In 1542, tobacco was first grown commercially in North America. For over 200

These exiled rollers brought with them the secret art of cigar making, turning

years, tobacco farming expanded and flourished. Tobacco seeds were im-

Florida into the epicenter of the American cigar industry. Hand-rolled cigars

ported from South America, and the tobacco leaf was used in pipes and snuff.

require precision and speed. Cigar making was not just a job to the workers,

Eventually cigar smoking began to catch on because cigars were cheaper

they thought of themselves as more of an artist than a worker. At its height in

and easy to make. Cigar hand rollers found that regular tobacco leaves were

the 1880s, there were more than 100 cigar factories in Key West, producing

not suitable for cigars, so cigar tobacco farmers began importing seeds from

millions of cigars per year. Key West became the largest producer of cigars

Cuba because they produced tobacco that was sweeter and made for a bet-

in the United States.

ter roll. They didn’t know it back then, but Cuban soil is rich in magnesium, calcium and iron which results in the perfect cigar tobacco. By 1895 there

Just as quickly as the cigar boom began in Key West, it quickly burned out. A

were approximately 42,000 cigar factories in the United States. Their com-

fire in 1886 swept through the town and destroyed most of the cigar factories.

bined output was millions of cigars each day.

A few stuck around, but Ybor moved his factory to Tampa. Here steamships would bring tobacco leaves from Cuba to be processed into cigars, then the

Florida’s cigar tobacco industry began in the 1820s quite by accident. As early

railroad would take the product to major markets up North. The area around

pioneers were crossing the Florida-Georgia border (today Gadsden County),

the cigar factories grew and became known as Ybor City. Immigrants came

20 Folio Weekly

by the thousands to the booming town of Tampa in search of work. They

•

came from Cuba, Italy, Spain and throughout Eastern Europe and Latin America. By 1910, there were 150 factories in the Tampa area employing

Cigars passed out after a baby is born is to celebrate the new life and bring prosperity to the family.

•

Close, but no cigar, is widely used to signal a near miss. The earliest use

more than 10,000 workers. Of the 50,000 residents of Tampa, 14,000

is in the 1935 film “Annie Oakley” which has the line “Close, colonel, but

were Cuban, 7,500 were Spanish, and 1,500 were Italian. Many immi-

no cigar!”

grants worked in the cigar factories, but many also started businesses

•

Comedian Groucho Marx always had an unlit cigar in his mouth or hand,

to cater to the cigar industry and workers. They made cigar boxes, cigar

which he used as a prop, something to stick in his mouth or to keep his

wrappers and opened grocery stores, bakeries, clothing stores and es-

hands busy when he wasn’t talking.

tablished vegetable and dairy farms. Eventually Tampa cigars surpassed the production in Havana, Cuba. During its peak production years, there were over 200 factories employing 12,000 workers making over 700 million cigars a year: Tampa had become the Cigar Capital of the World. The cigarette industry with its cheaper products, along with the Great Depression of 1929 began the decline of the cigar industry. When American men and women went off to war in World War II, the U.S. War Department furnished them cigarettes with their rations. By the end of the war, cigarettes had hooked thousands of ex-GIs and cigar sales spiraled downward. In 1962 the Cuban trade embargo, as a result of the Cuban Missile Crisis, had the largest and most significant impact on the industry. It was now illegal to import Cuban tobacco into the United States. As a result, Tampa’s Ybor City closed most of its cigar manufacturers. Today there are about 50 factories that hand roll cigars in the U.S. Florida has the most factories with manufacturers in Miami, Tampa and Key West. These factories import their tobacco from several South American countries. To this day, it is still illegal to bring Cuban tobacco and cigars into the United States. The punishment can be fines and/or time in prison.

tory, economic and cultural identity. Cigar-making became a cherished craft passed down through generations, and cigar workers formed tightknit communities. Florida’s cigar factories employed thousands of workers, providing stable jobs and economic prosperity to the region and state. While the overall industry has undergone significant changes in Florida, it has experienced a resurgence in recent years. Boutique cigar manufacturers have emerged, crafting premium hand-rolled cigars that

Florida’s cigar industry played a crucial role in shaping the state’s his-

pay homage to the state’s rich cigar-making heritage. These small-batch cigars have gained recognition for their quality and unique flavors, attracting a dedicated following of cigar enthusiasts. Florida’s cigar industry continues to thrive, inviting both residents and visitors to savor the rich flavors of its heritage. It keeps the spirit of tradition, craftsmanship and community alive in the Sunshine State. So next time you get a whiff of a stogie, let it take you back to a time when Florida was the Cigar Capital of the World! CIGAR TIDBITS: FOR YOUR PUFFING ENJOYMENT •

Cigar nicknames – stogie, sticks, puro (from “pure” in Spanish) and sikar (from “to smoke” in Mayan)

•

Types of Cigars – cigarillo, corona, blunt, robusto, Lonsdale, panetela, grande and Churchill

•

A highly-skilled cigar hand roller can wrap 200 cigars a day.

•

Many cigar factories had lectors (or readers) who would read books and newspapers to the workers for entertainment and to help pass the time.

•

Sharing cigars after a wedding is thought to bring luck to the newly married couple.

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T R I V I A

MONDAYS

WEDNESDAYS

•

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

bingo), 6:30 p.m.

•

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

•

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

•

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

•

The Beacon, St. Augustine, 7 p.m.

•

Hurricane Grill & Wings–Atlantic Boulevard

•

Bold City Brewery, 7 p.m.

(music bingo), 7 p.m.

•

Cruisers Grill, 7 p.m.

Hurricane Grill & Wings–Julington Creek

•

Dick’s Wings–Mandarin, 7 p.m.

(music bingo), 7 p.m.

•

Firefly Bay, 7 p.m.

•

Mellow Mushroom–Avondale, 7 p.m.

•

Ink Factory Brewing, 7 p.m.

•

Mellow Mushroom–Durbin Pavilion Drive,

•

Island Wing Company–Southside Boule-

•

7 p.m.

vard (music bingo), 7 p.m.

•

Mellow Mushroom–Fleming Island, 7 p.m.

•

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

•

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

•

Mellow Mushroom–Tinseltown, 7 p.m.

•

Shaughnessy’s Sports Grill, St. Augustine,

•

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

•

7 p.m.

7 p.m. •

V Pizza–Fleming Island (pop culture trivia),

Jekyll Brewing, 7:30 p.m.

•

Rain Dogs, 8:30 p.m.

•

Veterans United Craft Brewery, 7 p.m.

•

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

•

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

•

Harps American Grill (pop culture),

bingo), 6:30 p.m.

•

Hoptinger–5 Points, 7:30 p.m.

•

Amici’s, St. Augustine, 7 p.m.

•

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

•

The Back 40, 7 p.m.

•

King Maker Brewing, 7:30 p.m.

•

Bold City Brewery (Name That Tune),

•

Time Out Sports Grill, 7:30 p.m

7 p.m.

•

The Brix Taphouse (pop culture trivia),

TUESDAYS •

7 p.m.

Mr. Chubby’s Wings–Fleming Island (music

7:30 p.m.

•

Bottlenose Brewing, 7 p.m.

8 p.m.

•

Dick’s Wings–Nocatee, 7 p.m.

•

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

•

Dick’s Wings–San Pablo, 7 p.m.

•

Hoptinger–Jacksonville Beach, 9 p.m.

•

Harps American Grill, 7 p.m.

THURSDAYS

•

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

•

Bold City Brewery, 7 p.m.

•

Hurricane Grill & Wings–Atlantic Boule-

•

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

vard, 7 p.m.

•

Justice Pub (music bingo), 7 p.m.

Hurricane Grill & Wings–Julington Creek,

•

Kava and Company–San Marco (every oth-

7 p.m.

All games are general knowledge trivia unless otherwise noted.

Mellow Mushroom–Jacksonville Beach,

•

E T C

Mr. Chubby’s Wings–Ponte Vedra (music

•

er Thursday), 7 p.m.

Hurricane Grill & Wings–Neptune Beach,

•

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

7 p.m.

•

Whiskey Jax–Baymeadows, 7 p.m.

•

Island Wing Company–Southside, 7 p.m.

•

Burrito Gallery–Brooklyn (’80s, ’90s &

•

Jax Craft Beer, 7 p.m.

•

Jerry’s Sports Grille, 7 p.m.

•

Flask & Cannon / V Pizza, 7:30 p.m.

•

Players Grille, 7 p.m.

•

Dick’s Wings–St Augustine, 7:30 p.m.

•

Raindogs, 7 p.m.

•

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

•

Sahara Cafe, 7 p.m.

SATURDAYS

•

Southern Grill, 7 p.m.

•

Hamburger Mary’s (HamBingo), 2 p.m.

•

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

•

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

•

Xtreme Wings Sports Bar and Grille, St.

•

Ink Factory Brewing (Name That Tune),

2000s), 7:30 p.m.

Johns, 7 p.m.

7 p.m.

•

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

•

Flask & Cannon / V Pizza (pop culture),

SUNDAYS

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.

•

Shantytown Pub, 8:30 p.m.

•

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

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

•

Rain Dogs (B-movie bingo), 7 p.m.

• SEE INCREDIBLE LEGO® EXHIBITS • EXPLORE OUT OF THIS WORLD CREATIONS BY LIA CHAN

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Dec. 2-3

#1 Family LEGO® Fan Event is returing to the Jacksonville Fairgrounds with the most creations built by professional artists under on roof!

Tickets for this event are usually sold out so early booking is advised .

RESERVE YOUR TICKETS ONLINE AT BRICKUNIVERSEUSA.COM

When it comes to film, 2023 will likely be remembered as a year

3 2

0 2

marred with strikes and big-budget bombs. Hollywood has begun to reckon with an existential crisis that has been brewing since Silicon Valley came to town with streaming hobbling theaters and proving to not be a financially viable alternative to good old-fashioned ticket sales. Add in a depressed box office that has struggled to return

to former heights following the pandemic, a rapidly grown cultural fatigue of superhero films — once one of the few guaranteed successes on the multiplex calendar — and you have the makings of a bleak outlook for the industry’s immediate future. That’s without mentioning the simultaneous strikes of both the actors’ and writers’ guilds that halted production for months on end. With that being said, there were many films released over the past year. Some of which were very good. We saw releases from several of our great auteurs from the likes of Martin

FIL

Scorsese and Ridley Scott to David Fincher and Michael Mann. With several superhero movies, like “The Flash,” “Ant-

Man and The Wasp: Quantumania” and the recently released “The Marvels,” all drastically underperforming — though James Gunn wonderfully

S W E I REV Wor

ry Moor ds by Har

closed out his “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy with what can be considered an ideal epilogue for the MCU. Video game adaptations became a hot commodity thanks to the sweeping successes of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s” (not to mention HBO’s “The Last of Us” bringing prestige to that particular trend). Movies about the origins behind some of our favorite products became all the rage, ranging from the forgettable “Tetris” and “Flamin’ Hot” (yes, it’s about Cheetos) to the better-thanthey-had-any-right-to-be “Blackberry” and “Air.” Animated films turned to a new page with strong box office returns and critical praise for the visually inventive “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” R-rated comedies made a minor comeback with releases such as “No Hard Feelings,” “Joy Ride,” “Cocaine Bear” and “Strays” all finding their way to theaters. Legacy sequels like “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and “The Exorcist: Believer” arrived to little fanfare and effectively left those classic series dead and buried. And then there was the movie event of the year, “Barbenheimer, a pair of blockbusting juggernauts (“Barbie” and “Oppenheimer”) that amplified each other to become cultural phenomenons of a sort that films rarely experience in the current landscape. While the story of cinema in 2023 is still being processed, this wouldn’t be an end-of-year summary without doing a top 10 list, so let’s get into it.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING Tom Cruise’s latest adventure as the international man of mystery Ethan Hunt sees the action hero take on his greatest foe yet: artificial intelligence. The “Mission: Impossible” series has managed to up the stakes and death-defying action with each installment, and “Dead Reckoning” is no exception. The globetrotting adventure marks another creative success for director Christopher McQuarrie who has taken this franchise to greater

biggest athlete of all time. Director Ben Affleck spins the tale of how Nike courted Michael Jordan to their team into a feel-good crowd-pleaser that is anchored by a terrific ensemble cast, led by a winning Matt Damon performance.

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON Martin Scorsese’s epic drama tells the tragic story of the killings of members

heights under his stewardship.

of the Osage tribe in the early 20th century. This challenging film is made by

ASTEROID CITY

horror. Led by stellar performances from Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone

Wes Anderson’s latest work is a touching ensemble comedy that deals with symptoms of the human condition while evoking more classical American art forms told through his inimitable trademark style. This time there was an alien in it. “Asteroid City “is cuttingly funny with a melancholic current running through it and a deep bench of terrific performers who’re each given a moment to shine, particularly Jason Schwartzman, who holds the film together at its center, and Tom Hanks, who subverts his usual persona but still

a team of experts in their craft and a beautiful rendering of an unspeakable and Robert De Niro, “Killers of the Flower Moon” is a captivating exploration of darkness and greed that lies in the heart of men.

SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE The second part of the planned Spider-Verse trilogy that follows the young new Spider-Man, Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) as he faces off against a council of Spider-Men from across the multiverse. Across the Spider-Verse

finds a way to tug on heartstrings.

delivers on all levels, telling a relatable, human story on a cosmic canvas

TALK TO ME

creating inventive images on screen that are unlike anything else in feature

The horror film of the year announced the arrival of an exciting filmmaking duo who clearly know how to create upsetting images and a tense atmosphere. Australian siblings Danny and Michael Philippou have made quite the impression with their feature debut, an inspired and unsettling take on demonic possession films that feels destined to be in the canon of modern

that allows for diverse, boundary-pushing animation styles to come together films.

THE KILLER This darkly comedic thriller follows a calculating hitman (Michael Fassbender) dealing with the fallout after a job goes sideways. Director David Fincher

horror.

has once again elegantly executed a perversely thrilling work that’s as funny

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4

in a demanding role that has him on screen through almost every frame. As

Keanu Reeves’ saga of mobsters, bullets and dogs reaches a crescendo in its fourth chapter that finds John, once again, fighting against the world. The first two-thirds of the film plays like a standard functioning, if uninspired installment to the series, but once the action reaches Paris for the final act it becomes something transcendent. Each escalating challenge John is put through in his journey through the City of Lights elevates the ante of this action extravaganza. Each set piece is inventively conceived and expertly pulled off with stunt work that feels as indebted to Buster Keaton as they do

as it is discomforting. Fassbender gives a coldly charismatic performance Fincher’s been one to do in past projects such as “Fight Club” and “Gone Girl,” he threads the needle of balancing a propulsive plot with a satirical bent taking a swing at the perks of the modern world that facilitates our nameless killer to hide in plain sight as he violently and methodically ties up his loose ends. A gripping and provocative work of genre fiction from one of the masters of the form.

OPPENHEIMER

John Woo, creating moments unlike anything else out there.

With this explosive biopic about the father of the atomic bomb, Christopher

BLACKBERRY

masterpiece of his career. Nolan is arguably the only filmmaker working

The story of the rise and fall of the company behind the original smartphone is told in this squeamishly funny corporate drama. “Blackberry” follows Mike Lazaridis (Jay Baruchel) and Jim Balsillie (Glenn Howerton) the co-CEOs of the Canadian tech start-up Research in Motion, which skyrockets in growth after developing the first smartphone, the Blackberry. Both the leads give eye-catching performances, particularly Howerton who gives a stirring rendition of almost untethered rage. Unlike the characters the film is following, the audience is saddled with the knowledge that an Apple-shaped meteorite is heading straight for the growing business, and yet director Matthew Johnson and his cast make the proceedings captivating. Oftentimes it is like the film is presenting a car crash in slow motion, and that is hard to look away from.

AIR On the other end of the spectrum of films about the story behind a popular product sits “Air,” which isn’t about the rise and fall of a fledgling company, but rather follows how Nike went from a moderately successful sportswear manufacturer to an industry titan thanks to the endorsement of the

26 Folio Weekly

Nolan reaches a new plateau as a filmmaker, creating what might be the today who can demand a wide audience just off of his name alone, and with “Oppenheimer,” he showed that the crowds are willing to follow him wherever he goes. Usually known for creating extravagant spectacles, Nolan turns this three-hour drama that is mostly about people talking in cramped rooms into the edge-of-your-seat cinematic event of the year. Cillian Murphy, a longtime collaborator of Nolan, is given his overdue flowers as he shines in the lead as the destroyer of worlds, while the likes of Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh and Matt Damon give stellar supporting turns — as do many others in this stacked collective of performers. Expect this one to clean up at the Oscars in a few months.

THEATER/DANCE THROUGH DEC. 24

DEC. 8-24

DEC. 16

“Miracle on 24th Street”

“A Trailer Park Christmas”

“The Scandal of Bethlehem”

Alhambra Theatre & Dining

Orange Park Community Theatre

Ritz Theatre & Museum

alhambrajax.com

opct.info

ritzjacksonville.com

DEC. 1

DEC. 9

DEC. 17

Magician Michael Carbonaro

“On Your Feet! The Musical: The Story of Emilio

“The Nightmare Before Christmas” (film)

Florida Theatre

& Gloria Estefan”

Florida Theatre

floridatheatre.com

Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts

floridatheatre.com

fscjartistseries.com DEC. 1-3

DEC. 18

“The Book of Mormon”

The Florida Ballet presents “The Nutcracker”

Apex Theatre Studio Presents: “It’s A Wonderful

Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts

Thrasher-Horne Center, Orange Park

Life” A Live Radio Play

fscjartistseries.com

thcenter.org

St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com

DEC. 1-10

DEC. 10

“Silent Sky”

“Christmas With C.S Lewis”

DEC. 20

The Waterworks, St. Augustine

Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts

Cirque Musica “Holiday Wonderland”

aclassictheatre.org

jaxevents.com

Florida Theatre

“Scrooge!” The Musical

DEC. 12

Amelia Music Playhouse, Fernandina Beach

“A Charlie Brown Christmas” Live on Stage

“Wheel of Fortune” LIVE!

ameliamusicalplayhouse.com

Florida Theatre

Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts

floridatheatre.com

fscjartistseries.org

“Miracle On 34th Street” A Live Radio Play

DEC. 14-23

MOCA Movie Night: “Taxi Driver”

Amelia Community Theatre, Fernandina Beach

“The Velvet Underground Show”

MOCA Jacksonville

ameliacommunitytheatre.org

Glass Factory

mocajacksonville.unf.edu

floridatheatre.com

DEC. 1-16

904tix.com DEC. 1-17

DEC. 20-JAN. 1

“The Winter Wonderettes”

“It’s a Wonderful Life”

Vernardos Circus

Players by the Sea

The Island Theater, Fleming Island

St. Augustine Amphitheatre

playersbythesea.org

theislandtheater.com

theamp.com

DEC. 2-3

DEC. 15-17

DEC. 27

“The Jacksonville Christmas Spectacular”

First Coast “Nutcracker”

“NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet”

Ritz Theatre & Museum

Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts

Florida Theatre

ritzjacksonville.com

jaxsymphony.org

floridatheatre.com

DEC. 8-9

St. Augustine “Nutcracker” Ballet

DEC. 28

32nd Annual Community “Nutcracker”

Flagler College–Lewis Auditorium

“A Drag Queen Christmas”

Florida Theatre

saintaugustineballet.org

Florida Theatre

floridatheatre.com

floridatheatre.com APEX Theatre Studios presents “Annie Jr.”

DEC. 8-16

Ponte Vedra Concert Hall

ONGOING

“Assassins”

pvconcerthall.com

Fridays and Saturdays

The 5 & Dime

Magician Bill Abbott at the Magic Hideway

the5anddime.org

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

28 Folio Weekly

BIG CITY, BIGGER DREAMS: ALLY SHAWVER Words by Kelila Ritchie As a Jacksonville native, it is always really cool to see people who come from the same city as you doing something amazing. That “amazing” can be people who serve as neighborhood heroes or people who are simply following their dreams. This is the case for Ally Shawver, an actress born and raised and raised in Jacksonville coming soon to the big screens near you! Shawver grew up surfing in Jacksonville Beach and performing in plays at her school theater. Following your dreams, unapologetically can be scary but when the reward outweighs the risk, you take the chance. And that is exactly what she did. “It’s such a talent to fake all of that emotion and passion

“I grew up here in Jacksonville, so I knew absolutely nobody that acted. Besides school plays, I knew nothing about it. I first found my passion for acting when I was in sixth grade and I started drama class. I was so obsessed with it. Something about it, I just fell in love with it,”

and make it look so real and authentic. I think that is the coolest thing. That’s what made me fall in love with acting,” said Shawver during our interview.

set’ or whoever that excitement starts to bubble, but once

Shawver took part in many plays throughout her educa-

you’re all having a conversation, it’s like, ‘You’re just a reg-

tional years, attributing her love for acting to drama class and a drama teacher who played a major role in her wanting to pursue a career in acting. “I grew up here in Jacksonville, so I knew absolutely nobody that acted. Besides school plays, I knew nothing about it. I first found my passion for acting when I was in sixth grade and I started drama class. I was so obsessed with it. Something about it, I just fell in love with it,” she

they’re on set and they’re a few feet away from you, and ular person,’” she said. “We are one in the same, it’s a cool feeling.” Since her first callback, Ally has worked with A-list director, Ava Duvernay, who she says is someone she really looks up to. “Ava Duvernay is such a big person in my life. I have met her; we’ve had a couple brief talks. But in those moments

said excitedly.

of just being in her presence and watching her communi-

Shawver first got her big break after auditioning for a mov-

Shawver. “Greta Gerwig is the definition of girl power,

ie starring Channing Tatum and Scarlett Johansson (that has not been released yet). “It was wild. I had no idea what to expect, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up,” she recalled. “My mom kept trying to calm me down. I kept a really quiet mind going into it, but I knew once I got on set that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. It really was the confirmation I needed.” Of course I asked the question everyone wants to know (or maybe just me), does she experience being star struck being around celebrities we’ve watched on the big screens for years? Surprisingly, no. “There’s been a couple moments when everyone around you on set is like, ‘OMG, Channing Tatum is gonna be on

cate the way she did with everybody is incredible,” said also.” You can catch Ally Shawver — Hollywood’s next big thing — in a couple new movies coming soon to theaters. “Origin” will be in theaters January, though due to the writer’s strike, many movie releases have been delayed but are still on the way! It is always so refreshing seeing people from my hometown doing huge things, following their passions. It’s not just an inspirational story to me, but for the children of Jacksonville who also dream big. In the words of Shawver, “If you can fake it until you make it, you will make it 100%. Be kind also and you can go so far.”

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FIND YOUR

COMEDY

DEC. 1-2

DEC. 13

DEC. 27

Funny Marco

Pokerface Comedy Show

Improv Night

Comedy Zone

Goodfellas Cigar Lounge

The Colonial Oak Music Park

comedyzone.com

eventbrite.com

thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

The Main Event, 7:30 p.m.

Improv Night

DEC. 29

The Blue Show (21+ only), 10 p.m.

The Colonial Oak Music Park

Matt Mathews

First Coast Comedy

thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com

firstcoastcomedy.com DEC. 15 DEC. 2

Lewis Black

DEC. 29-30

Desi Banks

Florida Theatre

The Main Event, 7:30 p.m.

Florida Theatre

floridatheatre.com

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

floridatheatre.com DEC. 15-16

firstcoastcomedy.com

DEC. 3

The Main Event, 7:30 p.m.

“Whose Live Anyway?” With Ryan Stiles, Greg

The Blue Show (21+ only), 10 p.m.

DEC. 30

Proops, Jeff B. Davis and Joel Murray

First Coast Comedy

Fortune Feimster

Florida Theatre

firstcoastcomedy.com

Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com

floridatheatre.com DEC. 15-19 DEC. 6

Michael Palascak

Mike Rivera

River City Showcase

Comedy Zone

Jackie Knight’s Comedy Club, St. Augustine

Comedy Zone

comedyzone.com

jackieknightscomedyclub.com

DEC. 16

DEC. 31

Improv Night

Tony Hingecliff

New Year’s Eve Party

The Colonial Oak Music Park

Florida Theatre

Comedy Zone

firstcoastcomedy.com

floridatheatre.com

comedyzone.com

DEC. 7

DEC. 17

OPEN MIC COMEDY NIGHTS

Katrina Brown

Antwon Murphy

Jackie Knight’s Comedy Club, St. Augustine

Maa Hall

MONDAYS

jackieknightscomedyclub.com

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Kava and Company–San Marco

DEC. 8-9

DEC. 20

Ms. Pat

Ben Brainard

Rain Dogs

Comedy Zone

facebook.com/raindogsjax

comedyzone.com

kavaandcompany.com

TUESDAYS The Main Event, 7:30 p.m.

Improv Night

Voo Swar Restaurant & Lounge

The Blue Show (21+ only), 10 p.m.

The Colonial Oak Music Park

instagram.com/vooswar

First Coast Comedy

thecolonialoakmusicpark.com WEDNESDAYS

firstcoastcomedy.com DEC. 21

Comedy Zone–Lobby Bar

DEC. 10

Johnny Mac

comedyzone.com

Nurse Blake

Jackie Knight’s Comedy Club, St. Augustine

Florida Theatre

jackieknightscomedyclub.com

Live Bar facebook.com/livebarclubjax

floridatheatre.com DEC. 22-23 Watch Jazzy

The Main Event, 7:30 p.m.

The Walrus

Comedy Zone

The Blue Show (21+ only), 10 p.m.

thewalrusjax.com

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First Coast Comedy firstcoastcomedy.com

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Ben Bailey

King Maker Brewing

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SUBMIT HERE

What the F***? Words by Carmen Macri

Does it really come as a surprise that Florida, the dirty south, has the dirtiest mouth? This esteemed revelation came from BonusFinder.com when they

FLORIDA RANKS 3RD IN U.S. STATES THAT SWEAR THE MOST

analyzed the top “hot” posts on state subreddit pages to pinpoint the states with the most colorful vocabularies. Out of 726 posts, there were 4,723 curse words used for an average of 6.7 per post. That seems a little extreme, no? But that’s not the best part — after further investigation, our beautiful city of Jacksonville also ranks 3rd out of every city in the United States for use of vulgarity… You’ve got to be f***ing kidding me. According to Preply, the average American curses around 21 times per day, and since Jacksonville is always above average, Jacksonvillians, on average, curse around 28 times per day. In my opinion? That seems a bit low. I feel like I curse 28 times before I even walk into work, but that’s just me. Another recent survey from Business Insider goes so far as to say the average American says about five curse words for every hour they’re awake … that’s more like it. And that leads me to the question: What is the most popular no-no word in Florida? I’m so glad you asked. A report from BonusFinder shows that in the grand tradition of national curse words, Florida’s go-to seems to be in sync with the rest of the country. We like to throw “bull” in front of it. And no, we’re not talking about “crap.” It’s a different four-letter word for the same delightful concept. Have you guessed it yet? No? Well, sh*t. (Picking up what I’m putting down?) BonusFinder’s study counted Floridians cursing on Reddit and the word was used 18% of the time. And for the other tens of thousands of profane-filled state subreddit posts, the same word was used 19% of the time. Wonderful. THE LIST OF AMERICA’S FAVORITE TO LEAST FAVORITE CURSE WORDS

IS IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER: Our favorite four-letter word that rhymes with “sit” is used 19% of the time.

2 3 4 5 6 7

It’s a tie between a word that rhymes with “truck” and “trucking” which were used 14% of the time. “H. E. double hockey sticks” is used 7% of the time. Another tie is between that thing beavers build (different spelling) and another word for a donkey, both used 6% of the time Another variation of our top word (add a “y”) was used 4% of the time. “Bullsh*t” and “f***ed” are tied for both being used 3% of the time And I would hardly call this vulgarity, but “crap” was used a total of 2%.

Not too far back in the day, dropping a curse word was seen as a breach of good manners (well, it kinda still is). But lately, swearing has become the common tongue. Thanks to the quirks of social media, some curse words have undergone a complete makeover. For most folks, except those down unda in Australia and in parts of the U.K., “c*nt” used to be the absolute taboo. It was reserved for those rare moments when someone committed an act so atrocious that it was the only insult fitting. But guess what? Being a “c*nt,” or having a touch of the “c*nty’ vibe is now considered high praise from those Gen-Zers. If my coworker Ambar were to walk into the office wearing a mini skirt and platform boots, that outfit would be “c*nty” or “serving c*nt.” (It takes a while to get used to it.) Some even believe that higher usage of profanity has a direct link to intelligence, so, by default, Florida is one of the brightest states, and it’s not because of the sunshine. Timothy Jay, professor emeritus of psychology at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, who has studied swearing for more than 40 years, said in a recent CNN interview, “The advantages of swearing are many … To the degree that language is correlated with intelligence, people who are good at language are good at generating a swearing vocabulary.” This was in relation to a 2015 study Jay conducted where people were presented with the task to come up with as many words as they could in one minute with the first letter being “F,” “S” and “A.” The next minute was devoted to listing as many curse words as they could with the same beginning letters. The study found those who came up with the most “F,” “S” and “A” words also produced the most curse words. Jay mentioned believing swearing can also be associated with social intelligence. “Having the strategies to know where and when it’s appropriate to swear, and when it’s not,” Jay explained, “is a social cognitive skill like picking the right clothes for the right occasion. That’s a pretty sophisticated social tool.” Hell yeah.

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ART THE ART CENTER COOPERATIVE

THE CORNER GALLERY AT THE JESSIE

• “Patterns,” through Dec. 8

• “Hiromi Moneyhun: Shibani,” through Nov. 11-Feb. 7

tacjacksonville.org

facebook.com/movingthemargins

BEACHES MUSEUM

CUMMER MUSEUM OF ART & GARDENS

beachesmuseum.org

• “Maia Cruz Palileo: Days Later Down River,” through Dec. 30 • Tattoos in Japanese Prints, through Jan. 14, 2024

BUTTERFIELD GARAGE ART GALLERY

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

• Works by Amy Hemphill Dove, Nancy Hamlin–Vogle, Sydney McKenna, Jan

• “Fake News & Lying Pictures,” through April 29, 2004

Miller, Debra Mixon Holliday, Paula Pascucci, Ron Vellucci and Cindy Wilson

cummermuseum.org

butterfieldgarage.com

FEMART GALLERY

YELLOW HOUSE

• “Through the Lens,” Dec. 2-Jan. 27

MOCA JACKSONVILLE

• “Sit in Stand Up,” virtual exhibition

femartgallery.org

• “A Walk on the Wild Side,” Dec. 1-June 30, 2024

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

First Coast Cultural Center

• Brennan Wojtyla: “Cathedral of Labor,” through

exhibition

firstcoastculturalcenter.org

Dec. 17

• “Magic, Mirth, and Mortality: Musings on Black

• “Art With a Heart in Healthcare: Daydreamers,”

Motherhood,” virtual exhibition

FLAGLER COLLEGE

through Jan. 14, 2024

yellowhouseart.org

• Lenny Foster: “In the Spirit of Lincolnville,”

• Project Atrium: Rowland Ricketts, through Jan.

through Dec. 2, Crisp-Ellert Art Museum

28, 2024

ONGOING

flagler.edu

mocajacksonville.unf.edu

Art Walk: Dec. 6

FLORIDA STATE COLLEGE AT JACKSONVILLE

PASTA FINE ART GALLERY

day of the month with art by local artists at hubs

fscj.edu/art-galleries

• Works by David Fain, Pam Geiger, Linda F. Haw-

in James Weldon Johnson Park, The Jessie and

kins, Tracy Lavely, Ginny LeJeune, Rafael Pasarell,

Vagabond Flea at VyStar Tower from 5–9 p.m.

GALLERY 725

Marlene Zullig and others

Visitors can also enjoy live music, food trucks,

• The Art of Chad Smith, virtual exhibition

pastagalleryart.com

street performers, free admission to MOCA and

Downtown Jacksonville lights up the first Wednes-

gallery725.com

complimentary rides on JTA’s Skyway. RITZ THEATRE & MUSEUM

GOVERNOR’S

HOUSE

CULTURAL

CENTER

dtjax.org

• Teresa Cook: “See Jacksonville: Past and Pres-

AND MUSEUM, ST. AUGUSTINE

ent,” through Jan. 5, 2024

Fernandina Beach Arts Market: Dec. 9 and 23

• “Painting St. Augustine: Selections from the

• “Lift Ev’ry Voice,” permanent collection

Amelia Island’s premier arts and crafts market

Samuel H. and Roberta T. Vickers Collection,” on-

ritzjacksonville.com

comes alive the second and fourth Saturday of

going

every month from 9 a.m.–1 p.m.

• “Freedom Is Not Free: Ax Handle Saturday,” vir-

SOUTHLIGHT GALLERY

tual exhibition

• Featuring works by Will Dickey, Koo Hon, Paul

staugustine.ufl.edu

Karabinis, Pablo Rivera, Enzo Torcoletti, Pam Zam-

Riverside Arts Market: Dec. 2, 9, 16 and 23

betti and more

Artists, artisans and makers display their original

southlightgallery.com

paintings, jewelry, photographs, prints and other

HASKELL GALLERY AT JACKSONVILLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

fernandinabeachartsmarket.com

handcrafted items every Saturday — rain or shine

jaxairportarts.com

ST. AUGUSTINE ART ASSOCIATION

— from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Riverside Avenue un-

• “Fantastic Florida,” through Dec. 31

derneath the canopy of the Fuller Warren Bridge.

HILLARY WHITAKER GALLERY

staaa.org

riversideartsmarket.com

STELLERS GALLERY

St. Augustine First Friday Artwalk: Dec. 1

JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY

• Works by Eileen Corse, Jim Draper, MacTruque,

On the first Friday of every month (hence the

• Faculty Biennial Exhibition, Nov. 30 through

Fallon Pepper, C. Ford Riley, Alice Williams, Jeff

clever name), more than 30 galleries around the

Jan. 25, Alexander Brest Gallery

Foxworthy (yes, that Jeff Foxworthy) and more

Oldest City open their doors from 5–9 p.m. for

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

stellersgallery.com

visitors to browse exhibits and interact with art-

h whitakergallery.com

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

ists. A complimentary trolley service provides THRASHER-HORNE CENTER GALLERY

transportation between downtown venues.

• Works by Thomas H. Nagata, Yamel Molerio and

staaa.org

THE LIGHTNER MUSEUM

John Gerstner, ongoing

• “The Triumph of Nature: Art Nouveau from the

thcenter.org

Chrysler Museum of Art,” through March 15, 2024

Vilano Beach Artisan Market: Dec. 16 Part beach party, part arts market, this month-

• “DESCENT ≈ An Atlas of Relation,” through Jan.

TOUCHÉ GALLERY

ly event includes works by local artists and lo-

28, 2024

touchegallery.com

cally-made products, as well as live music. The

• “75 for 75: Lightner Museum Diamond Anniver-

market takes place on the third Saturday of every

sary Exhibition,” ongoing

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA

month from 4-8 p.m. on A1A and Vilano Road.

• “Illuminate: Lightner Museum’s Stained Glass

• Fall 2023 Senior Showcase, Jan. 5, 2024 UNF

facebook.com/vilanobeachofficial

Rediscovered,” ongoing

Gallery of Art

• “St. Augustine Through the Lens of William Hen-

unf.edu/gallery

ry Jackson,” ongoing lightnermuseum.org

THE VAULT AT 330 • Featured artists include Susan Astleford, Marge-

MAIN LIBRARY

na Burnett, Ellen Diamond, Ed Hall, Dolf James,

TAC presents “Winter in the South,” through

Harry McCormick and Denise Murphy

Jan. 26, 2024

thevaultat1930.com

tacjacksonville.org

36 Folio Weekly

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ACTUALLY, LET’S NOT: THINGS YOU SHOULDN’T SAY DURING THE HOLIDAYS Words by Amiyah Golden

As we prepare to gather around the dinner table for another holiday, we cannot do so without acknowledging the anxiety that comes with the obligatory seasonal game of “21 Unnecessary Questions Nobody Asked For!” *and theme show music plays.* I know we’re past the spooky season, but it’s still frightening when your mom tells you that Aunt Becky is coming (you know the aunt who is constantly in everyone’s business) and Uncle John (the one who thinks it’s his earthly duty to debate everyone on their political views). It can all just feel so overwhelming (especially when you know the night might end in wishbones and whines) and that can ultimately make the anticipated holiday cheer feel like holiday … dread. Thankfully I have an amazing family. Our dialogue is open and fun (but we’re all close so I don’t mind updating them on the arbitrary tales of my life), and although I’m fortunate enough to have lucked out with joyous holiday affairs, this unfortunately is not the case for everyone. I remember a couple years ago, “Black Twitter” had had enough of family members feeling comfortable spewing their most out-of-pocket commentary, so many users decided to challenge the hierarchy of age and began clapping back in defense. This ultimately created the infamous #thanksgivingclapbacks like: Aunt: “Where’s your husband?” Me: “Missing like your teeth.” – @divatia20 Aunt: “That’s a lot of gravy you’ve got there.” Me: “That’s a lot of kids you’ve got there.” – @thehoboquueen Now, these are just some examples of remarks made in defense by Twitter users who felt the need to combat the sly comments made by family members — with the same energy. This trend wasn’t just limited to the Black community/culture or exclusive to the Thanksgiving holiday, however, with users of all backgrounds sharing their experiences. In doing so, it fostered a communal conversation on disseminating the common denominator — a precocious family member or “elder” speaking out of turn — and why it was so normalized for them to have such audacity, especially around the holiday season. That said, I surveyed my friends and searched the internet for some things you just shouldn’t say or ask during the holidays.

38 Folio Weekly

“HOW’S THAT LITTLE JOB GOING?” The word “little” in this case is used to diminish one’s accomplishments and/or lifestyle choices and is, in turn, projected as an extremely shady notion of how you may really feel. This adjective is often used in the Black community and can translate as feelings of jealousy as well. While “little job” is just an example of a common phrase, it’s not limited to employment but the overall implication of “little” being applied to any aspect of one’s life is just unnecessary and not needed.

“WHAT ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THAT DEGREE ANYWAY?” Most people who pursue a particular degree have a goal in mind (we’re taking the classes, and we’re preparing.) Just because you may not understand the depths of the degree, it does not eliminate it as credible or indicate the possibility of having a successful career. Now, I’m not saying it’s not appropriate to inquire, but before you do, maybe evaluate your tone and your objective. That can make a world of difference.

“WHEN ARE YOU FINALLY GOING TO STOP BEING SINGLE?” A relationship status is never linear nor relevant. It is OK to be single (and you do not have to conform to this irrational societal timeline that your Uncle John keeps pushing.) Let’s allow people to embrace their singleness! This question can often make one feel inadequate, perpetuating this tale that being in a relationship equates to fulfillment (which is not true.) So let’s start minding our business when it comes to other people’s lives.

“I’M NOT GOING TO RESPECT YOUR PRONOUNS; I DON’T UNDERSTAND THAT STUFF.” As more people begin to embrace their gender/sexual identity, it is so important that we practice reverence regarding one’s preferred identity. No one is asking you to be an expert on the matter, but if someone so simply asks you to respect their self-identity, I don’t think it’s too much to ask (especially for a loved one) to respect them as such. No one’s expecting you to get it right each time, but consideration goes a long way, and there are numerous resources available to learn and prepare yourself.

“MAYBE YOU SHOULD LAY OFF THE POTATOES.” Making a comment regarding food choices or someone else’s appearance is never necessary (I thought we learned this at a young age), but I forget that a majority of our society still correlates weight to being unhealthy. It’s bad enough this myth is still maintained through the media, but it’s even worse when it is carried on by our own family members. Passive commentary like this could lead to a domino effect of actions that could be detrimental to one’s physical and/or mental health. Before you open your mouth to comment, stop and think about the potential effects your criticism could have. Although these are just some examples of things you shouldn’t say, the list goes on and on. If I continued the list this singular article would turn into its own non-fiction book entitled, “Untold Tales of the Holiday: Surviving Aunty Becky and Uncle John.” While we should know better, many use the title of “family” to justify their claims to blast futile critique. But it doesn’t. So for the holidays this year, let’s instead focus on you not forgetting the ingredients for the macaroni and cheese and less on how you can belittle your family members this holiday season.

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SOUTHERN SOUNDS FOLIO: When listening to your work, I can hear a lot of influences from the likes of the folk, blues, country, and rock. Was there an idea behind this, to make songs that do not sound like any of the traditional music we might hear? ELLIS: This is my first all acoustic album. I wanted to make sure it held a mirror up to all the music I love. Blues is my first love, but I also listen to a lot of rock music from the ’60s and ’70s. FOLIO: Your new single, “Devil in the Room”, features a very dark, grungy type of tone that brings me toward an older ’90s and early post-grunge sound that I used to love. What was the inspiration behind this? ELLIS: That song was influenced by the hill country blues musician R.L. Burnside. There’s a semi-distorted foot stomp in it that has a very lo-fi quality to it. It’s probably my favorite song on the new album. FOLIO: What can you tell us about your new album, “Naked Truth” ahead of its release? Is there a main theme or mood that you are trying to set? ELLIS: The album is very representative of the show I’m doing now where I include my love for both rock and blues music. I kept the songs mostly up tempo. I didn’t want the album to be too pensive or morose. I think fans of my live shows will really like the music on this album. FOLIO: You have been creating music for over three decades now, when you look back on your career or discography, do you try to incorporate any of your older sounds into your new releases or do you enjoy the evolution of your art? ELLIS: These are all new songs on this album. But in my live shows I do songs from every decade of my recording career which dates back to 1981. FOLIO: Who would you say has inspired you the most along your musical journey and why?

A CONVERSATION WITH

TINSLEY ELLIS Words by Carson Rich

ELLIS: I’m from Georgia and Florida so it’s safe to say that the Allman Brothers Band has been my biggest musical influence. I love the way they mix blues, jazz and psychedelic rock and roll into a perfect musical concoction. FOLIO: What advice would you give to someone starting out in their music career based on your experiences so far? Is there anything that you might wish you had done differently? ELLIS: I would urge anyone starting out in music to write, record and perform their own material as much as possible. That would give them their own sound. I wish I hadn’t waited into my 30s to do this.

A singer-songwriter from Atlanta, Tinsely Ellis has been blessing fans’ ears with sounds of rock, folk and blues for over three decades now. His influ-

FOLIO: If you had to come up with one, what message would you want fans

ence spreads wildly among today’s artists as his discography exemplifies

to walk away with after hearing your music for the first time?

nothing short of timeless symphonies. “Folio” had the opportunity to speak with him ahead of the release of his new album “Naked Truth” that is set to drop Feb. 9, 2024.

ELLIS: I want my music to take people away from their struggles and worries. I feel like that should be the mission statement of all entertainers.

NEW MUSIC RELEASES Made For You By Amiyah Golden

Holiday time calls for peace and jazz! (I’m sorry. I don’t make the rules. I just enforce them!) And Grammy-award winning saxophonist Kenny G has announced his 20th-studio album right in time for the

DEC 1

joyous season. The 12-track project will “embrace the theme of lullabies, a cultural and familial tradition that is very special to Kenny,” according to his official website. TBA With his own unique flair on classic songs such as, “Rock-a-Bye Baby” and “Over the Rainbow,” we can

KENNY G.

expect melodies so crystal and pure from Kenny and his saxophone. I can’t wait to turn on this album while bundled up next to my fake fireplace (because we live in Florida … *sigh*) and let Kenny G take

The “So You Think You Can Dance” contestant turned pop star is releasing “Think Later” this December. With her being the voice behind the hit song, “Greedy”, the 20-year-old artist has made her mark on the music world not just with her catchy hooks but also with her stellar dance abilities, preparing her to be

“THINK LATER”

me to a place filled with nostalgia. Make sure you give this project a listen this holiday season!

This album means sooo much to me and I can’t believe it’s so close to coming out. Writing this whole thing was one of the most stressful, exciting, nerve racking, and fun things I’ve ever gone through,” McRae wrote on Instagram.

TATE MCRAE

DEC 8

a well-rounded pop star.

Fans are highly anticipating Chief Keef’s album “Almighty So 2,” which was slated for release in Novem-

DEC 15

ber 2022. With the rapper’s last album coming out in 2021, many are excited to hear what he’ll be bringing to the table this time — likely a project filled with drill music, as that’s what he’s is best known for.

“ALMIGHTY S0 2”

CHIEF KEEF

DEC. 1 Three Dog Night Thrasher-Horne Center, Orange Park

CONCERTS

thcenter.org “A Choral Christmas” with the UNF Choirs Ponte Vedra Concert Hall pvconcerthall.com Antonio Vergara Quartet Friday Musicale fridaymusicale.com DEC. 2 Bret Michaels with guest Night Ranger St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com The Wood Brothers with special guest The Watson Twins Ponte Vedra Concert Hall pvconcerthall.com Tchaikovsky & Barber Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxsymphony.org Patterson Hood with Parker Gispert The Bier Hall at Intuition Ale Works intuitionaleworks.com Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country and Eggy Underbelly underbellyjax.com Mike Teezy Murray Hill Theatre murrayhilltheatre.com Gabe Stillman Cafe Eleven, St Augustine originalcafe11.com DEC. 3 The Ultimate Elvis Christmas Thrasher-Horne Center, Orange Park thcenter.org Michael Turner Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com

Photo by Ambar Ramirez

DEC. 5

Ritz Heritage Series: Spirit of the Season

DEC. 16

Hillbilly Casino

Ritz Theatre & Museum

Steve Miller Band with Samantha Fish Band

Jack Rabbits

ritzjacksonville.com

St. Augustine Amphitheatre

jaxlive.com

theamp.com “Civic Celebrates!”

Madre Vaca ”Knights of the Round Table” CD

St. Paul’s by the Sea

Agnostic Front

Release

civicorchestrajax.org

Jack Rabbits

Friday Musicale fridaymusicale.com DEC. 6

jaxlive.com Lil Lotus and Makeout Jack Rabbits

Consumed By Fire and Jordan St. Cyr

jaxlive.com

Murray Hill Theatre

A Peter White Christmas featuring Mindi Abair

murrayhilltheatre.com

and Vincent Ingala

Keith Harkin

Ponte Vedra Concert Hall

Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine

DEC. 16-17

pvconcerthall.com

originalcafe11.com

Jacksonville Symphony: Handel’s “Messiah” Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts

Josh Heinrichs

DEC. 10

Jack Rabbits

The Outlaws with Artimus Pyle Band: A Skynyrd

jaxlive.com

Celebration

DEC. 18

Ponte Vedra Concert Hall

Rod Wave: Nostalgia Tour

pvconcerthall.com

VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena

DEC. 7 Dwarves

jaxevents.com

Jack Rabbits

“Civic Celebrates!”

jaxlive.com

Ritz Theatre

Il Divo: A New Day Holiday Tour

civicorchestrajax.org

Florida Theatre

Smalltown Poets

floridatheatre.com

Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine

DEC. 11

Cafe Eleven

Ann Wilson of Heart & Tripsitter

DEC. 21

originalcafe11.com

Florida Theatre

Trans-Siberian Orchestra: “The Ghosts of Christ-

floridatheatre.com

mas Eve”

DEC. 7-10

VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena

Jacksonville Symphony: “Holiday Pops”

DEC. 12

Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts

Luicidal

jaxevents.com

Jack Rabbits

DEC. 28

jaxlive.com

Maroon 5

DEC. 8

jaxevents.com

Daily’s Place

Andy Summers

DEC. 13

Ponte Vedra Concert Hall

The Allman Betts Family Revival

pvconcerthall.com

Florida Theatre

Magic City Hippies

floridatheatre.com

Underbelly

Raichyl Sinerversa and Palm Ghosts

dailysplace.com

underbellyjax.com

Jack Rabbits

DEC. 14

jaxlive.com

First Coast Flute Choir

DEC. 29

Friday Musicale

Papadosio

fridaymusicale.com

Underbelly

Albert Castiglia Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com

underbellyjax.com Mike Zito Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine

DEC. 9

originalcafe11.com

Dark Star Orchestra St. Augustine Amphitheatre

DEC. 15

theamp.com

Jazz Jam Music Series: Sean Mason Ritz Theatre & Museum

“The Sixties Show”

ritzjacksonville.com

Ponte Vedra Concert Hall pvconcerthall.com

The Mountain Goat The Bier Hall at Intuition Ale Works

46 Folio Weekly

intuitionaleworks.com

ICE NINE KILLS: A SCARY GOOD SHOW Words and photos by Courtney Thomassen

INT. DAILY’S PLACE, JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA VOICE (V.O.) And now, for our feature presentation… A light rain falls over the venue where fans have gathered for what is likely to be a killer show. The large banner concealing the stage drops to reveal two television screens that flip through a handful of channels before landing on American Case File, where a profile on singer Spencer Charnas is airing. A voice over welcomes the audience as fog pools on the stage floor. The silhouettes of Ice Nine Kills appear.

At the crossroads where horror film and metal music meet, Ice Nine Kills is building a world for fans of both. While the casual listener would find it hard to miss the countless references to classic films in their music, the band offers an immersive experience that goes so much deeper. The band’s 2018 album “The Silver Scream” introduced fans to a cinematic universe of sorts, weaved together with cutscenes at the end of each music video. The clips focus on frontman Spencer Charnas as he shares details of his nightmares with his new therapist. At the end of the story is a gruesome twist that sets up “The Silver Scream” sequel “Welcome To Horrorwood” released in 2021. The

48 Folio Weekly

second album’s story closely follows an ‘“investigation” into Charnas, but this time the world has expanded beyond music videos with a fictional television show, “American Case File,” and a full book, written by in-universe news anchor Roy Merkin, available at their shows in physical print. Earlier this month Rock Sound voted Ice Nine Kills “Best Live Act,” and it’s clear why; the level of detail in their recorded material carries over into the band’s live shows which come complete with props, costume changes and stage actors. On a crisp November evening, Ice Nine Kills brought their award-winning show to Jacksonville. Temperatures that lingered in the high ’60s were perfect for the outdoor concert and, even though it rained quite a bit throughout the night, the pavilion over Daily’s Place blocked most of it. By the time it hit the pit, all that was left was a light mist not even strong enough to smudge the “IX”s painted on the most diehard fan’s faces. As showtime approached, the stage was set with blood splattered risers and racks of garment bags stuffed with bodies. A goblinesque figure attached to Charnas’ mic stand sat front and center and, as the lights from the television screens to the rear died down, the creature’s glowing red eyes shone through the fog. Just as the ghoulish laughter of the introductory voice over began to fade, the opening notes of “Hip To Be Scared” rang out through the speakers. One by one, guitarists Dan Sugarman and Ricky Armellino, bassist Joe Occiuti, and drummer Patrick Galante appeared, all wearing matching tuxedos and sunglasses. Charnas wore a striped button down paired with suspenders, black gloves and a classic red tie. Between verses of the track inspired by the film “American Psycho,” Charnas was helped into a clear raincoat before picking up an ax to complete his Patrick Batemen look. As the bridge began, a drunken business man stumbled up onto the middle riser, taking his place for the first kill of the night. The crowd excitedly sang along with the lyrics, which playfully mirror the dialogue from “American Psycho’s” iconic ax scene. Charnas lifted the weapon as fans shouted the callout “Hey, Paul!” before swinging, chopping to the beat of the breakdown. Fans went wild as the singer lifted a prop head, resembling that of the actor playing Paul, high over his head. Once the first song ended the stage went dark for just a moment, giving the audience a short window to holler and cheer before a pair of zombies hobbled onto stage for “Rainy Day.” The set, consisting mostly of tracks off of “The Silver Scream” and “Welcome To Horrorwood,” charged on with catchy choruses, heavy breakdowns and gory propwork. Fan favorites “Meat & Greet” and “Stabbing In the Dark” saw spikes in moshing and crowd surfing as characters influenced by films “The Silence of the Lambs” and “It” claimed their victims onstage. While energy remained high throughout the entire performance, “The American Nightmare” kick-started an exceptionally strong finale. Immediately upon seeing video from “The Shower Scene’’ play on the back screens, fans shrieked in excitement, singing along as Charnas waved around a large prop knife. Silhouetted by a shower curtain, the singer stabbed along to the instantly recognizable screech of violins from Alfred Hitchock’s 1960 classic “Psycho” in one of the most expertly integrated references of the 2021 album. A scene from the fictional trial of “Charnas appeared on the screens to introduce the closing song, the title track of Welcome To Horrorwood.” For one last time, fans screamed along with the band as CO2 blasters punctuated the final breakdown of the night. To maintain the element of surprise for those who choose to see this show in person, a detailed account of each character, kill and dismemberment has not been listed here. Instead, consider it a recommendation for those who fancy all things macabre along with fantastic musicianship; Ice Nine Kills’ show is not one to miss.

YOU’RE ALREADY HERE, SO ARE POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS.

Email teresa@folioweekly.com or call us at 904-239-5736

LOCAL ARTIST SPOTLIGHT:

LIZA ATTIC Words by Amiyah Golden

Meet Liza Attic, a local Jacksonville band that is composed of four friends

“Friends,” unfortunately, is the first project released without late band mem-

who love to create music filled with passion, purpose, and inspiration from

ber, Higney. But his blueprint still remains well throughout the album. While

late band member, Max Higney.

Higney was the songwriter for many of Liza Attic’s projects, his presence was channeled by fellow band members, Rivers and Smith in producing the

With a sound that’s unique to Jacksonville’s music scene but pays homage

title-track song, Friends, holding place as a favorite song off the album for

to those before them, the ensemble composed of members: Ej Rivers, John

a few of the bandmates, it was the first moment that they realized that they

Jones, Jordan Smith, and Cole O’Hallaron is one to keep your ears open for.

could carry out Higney’s legacy.

I remember hearing the band play at a local venue months prior and was

With much support from the Jacksonville community and music scene, Liza

intrigued by their lyricism and sound. It felt nostalgic but fresh; Something

Attic continues to thrive not just in their recognition but in a humbleness they

unique to them while still feeling somewhat classic. Not only was their sound

exude that accredits their cosmic jams.

entrancing but the chemistry poured through the strings of Rivers’ bass and collided with the bridge of O’Hallaron’s guitar while making way to Jones’

I can’t wait to see where life takes them as they continue to pursue making

drums catalyzing into the perfect harmony carried by Smith. Creating a wave

music that is embedded in authentic and genuine talent!

of music inspiring vibes concurrent to “Indie-disco.” Well reader, I hope you enjoyed this month’s artist spotlight and I strongly The band knows no limits when it comes to sound, evident in their personal

suggest you check out their latest album, Friends.

journey of metamorphosis. Originally beginning with Jones and Smith who

The project being the perfect reminder to,

were the duo Pajama Dogs. Which then grew to accompany River and Higney who began a band that curated a sound that was more edgy and punk in-

“[Hold] your friends as important to you and take the ups and downs in life

spired. Eventually, leading to their present band, Liza Attic, which is now the

and grab what’s important,” as stated by Jones.

product of a more encompassing sound that now includes Smith. You can find Liza Attic on their various platforms below. Speaking with the band made all the puzzle-pieces fall into place as I began to understand the dynamic between the members. With each artist having such individualized preference and taste regarding favorite musicians and

Instagram: @liza_attic

inspiration, it all supported their ability to create such a well-rounded sound.

Spotify: LIZA ATTIC Apple Music: LIZA ATTIC

With the recent release of their newest album, “Friends,” I think the project is

Soundcloud: LIZA ATTIC

the perfect example of the versatility they produce while keeping the integrity that makes them unique.

WISH YOU WERE HERE WITH FLOYD NATION “We don’t hold ourselves out to be these rock stars we’re not. We’re just people. We’re just people that just happen to be able to play Pink Floyd really well.” – John Conrath, Floyd Nation Words by Ambar Ramirez & Carmen Macri It’s unfortunate, really, that our generation did not have the luxury of living

because we see there’s an opportunity to have a band like this. Tt’s because

through the Pink Floyd era. That doesn’t mean we don’t listen to them; we just

we just love the music,” Conrath said. “And when we all came together and

weren’t physically there. From 1965 to 1994 Pink Floyd, ruled radio stations

played together for the very first time, we literally just had to stand there for

and arenas across the globe with their psychedelic space-rock and blues-

a second in quiet and say, ‘You gotta be kidding me.’”

based progressive rock. As we mentioned, a lot of us weren’t living through Pink Floyd’s prime, but what we are living through is a generation of talented

Floyd Nation had their debut concert in November 2021, and shortly after,

tribute bands. And one tribute band particularly stands out among the bunch

they landed another gig in the following December. It didn’t take long for

— Floyd Nation.

people to notice their talent because the band secured a record deal right after their second performance — which is not as common as we might think.

You can’t just pluck a guitar and round up a couple of mates for a tribute band: It’s a tad more complicated than that. Unraveling the intricacies of Pink

For devoted Pink Floyd enthusiasts, it’s common knowledge that the iconic

Floyd demands more than your run-of-the-mill band setup. So for Floyd Na-

band not only crafted captivating “off ‘The Wall’” music but also elevated their

tion it was all about curating a band of 10 highly skilled musicians. Will Kaiser

concerts with mesmerizing laser light displays. However, Floyd Nation seized

handles acoustic guitar, electric guitar and vocals, while Brendon McDonnell

a unique opportunity often overlooked by other tribute bands. Their emphasis

plays lead guitar and steel guitar and provides vocals. Ray Nesbit contributes

lies not in replicating the visual spectacle, but rather in capturing the pro-

with guitar and vocals, and Robert Harris showcases his skills on keyboard,

found emotional essence evoked by the music. While it’s simple to acquire

synthesizer, Hammond B3 and vocals. Jason Collins holds down the bass, and

and stage a dazzling laser-light show, the indescribable sentiment stirred by

Justin Pupillo commands the drums and percussion. John Conrath adds the

the soulful sounds remains priceless.

saxophone, percussion and steel guitar to the mix. The ensemble is further complemented by the vocal talents of Shannon Robinson, Jenna Damiano

“When you’re starting out like us, you have to make a critical decision. And

and Kara Gorke. (Now say that 10 times fast)

our decision out of the gate wasn’t to focus as much on the big light and laser show, although we have a pretty decent one. Our goal was to focus on

“All of us have a very similar story in that we’re not just playing the music

52 Folio Weekly

something that we felt was absent in the current marketplace of Pink Floyd,”

Conrath shared. “We feel that there is a lack of a sense of soul or feeling. Maybe it’s there, but it’s not there to the level that we want it. It’s kind of like when you listen to music and your hair stands up on your arms. You feel it in your gut. That’s the feeling that I’m talking about. There’s a sorrowful, weeping, bluesy undertone that just makes you want to cry sometimes. And that’s what we really wanted to focus on from the very beginning.” What Conrath wants to express is that Floyd Nation hones in on being able to portray this music with soul, depth, feel and accuracy. They built their band more on the music’s tone rather than the physicality of it: They went deeper. And the deeper they went, they found that to be true to Pink Floyd’s essence, they had to focus on connecting with their fan base. They are the beating heart of their shows. “The cool thing about that is that we can touch multiple generations at our shows. It’s not like the band [Pink Floyd] was just popular in the ’70s or just popular in the ’60s. This literally spans multiple generations,” Conrath shared. “I’ve always loved — my entire life ever since I was a kid — to connect with people. And whether it’s helping them in their careers or in their finances or whatever it is, I just love to connect. So for me, this band allows me to connect with people who share a love of the music as much as I do.” One thing that wasn’t around for the Pink Floyd era that Floyd Nation is taking advantage of is our advanced technology. Being on the other side of the stage, we usually don’t get to see what’s going on backstage. Conrath expressed how important the house sound engineer is. Especially with a 10-member band. “We’re putting together all of these different parts onstage. It’s getting thrown through these electronic systems and then it’s shot through a copper wire out to him [sound engineer] in front of the house to where he takes this information, all this data that we’ve just created, and then he presents it to the audience,” Conrath said. “That’s where the magic comes in.” Interestingly, amidst the intricate technological aspects backstage, Conrath highlights the significance of embracing the present and breaking away from our society’s obsession with social media. Strip away the dazzling lights and smartphones, and what remains is a group on stage passionately pursuing their craft, while an audience enjoys the music they cherish. “You know, as people in this society, we have cell phones and we’ve got tablets and we’ve got this digital life that we’re all so disconnected from one another physically. I mean, just go to a coffee shop or to a library or go anywhere where people are congregating. You might have a room full of people, but there’s no connection — and everyone’s wanting that connection,” Conrath expressed. “We need that connection as humans. So for me, this platform, this band is a way to be able to connect people with people and to make them feel like they’re actually living again.”

21st Annual Gingerbread Extravaganza

To-Do List

Buy tickets!

Enjoy more than a dozen themed trees!

Vote for your favorite display!

Scan to buy

Play the scavenger hunt! on a t n a S t Mee s Day, Kid 10! Dec. A fundraiser for

Buy a gingerbread cookie!

Shop for the holidays!

Visit jaxhistory.org for details! Dates/times vary. Sponsors & Supporters

Support local artists in the silent auction!

Old St. Andrews Church 317 A. Philip Randolph Blvd. Dec. 8-27

MOOD STABILIZERS Jazz+Food=Perfection Words by Shelton Hull

“Fine dining” is about more than just the food itself, although that is the most

Of course, there are plenty of entrees and desserts, as well. Highlights in-

important thing. Fine dining is a state of mind, a mix of atmosphere and atti-

clude the foie gras en croissant, chorizo meatballs and the jambon et gruyere

tude that begins before you’ve even left the house. From the time you select

flatbread. The owners also run Ancient City Brunch Bar, which is set to ex-

your outfit, you’re immersing yourself into the whole experience, physically

pand once it moves down to the same block. Live music is a major part of their

and mentally. Once you walk through the doors, the adventure has begun,

vision, particularly jazz. Recent weeks have seen sets by Yael ZaZa Flamenca,

and the pace is set immediately by the ambient sounds within.

Russ DeFilippis, the Marc Dickman Quartet, Jim Johnston, Jonathan Dotson, the Bottom Feeders, Taylor Roberts and the Kelly/Scott Jazz 5Tet.

An easy cheat-code for setting the mood is to use music, particularly jazz, which rose up from the cathouses and riverboats of New Orleans to dominate

Also in St. Augustine is Chez L’Amour, located on San Marco Avenue. They’re

in high-end night spots around the world, including Florida. A trio of newer

open Wednesday through Saturday, 4-11 p.m., with happy hour and brunch

restaurants have gone all-in on this aesthetic, using the power of jazz to set

service also on deck. The menu reads so well, it might as well be edible

the mood for new culinary experiences.

itself, but highlights include salmon carpaccio, coconut curry popcorn chicken, prosecco butter prawns, peri peri chicken skewers, plus a whole slate of

The first is Josephine, a fairly new restaurant in Avondale and a very good

desserts that definitely defy description. Chez L’Amout also leans heavily on

one, at that. It occupies the space formerly known as Barrique, which was also

local music, and they’re picking some pretty great stuff. For example, Joshua

a very good restaurant, before the original owners decamped for new adven-

Bowlus, whose new Christmas jazz album is out now on Bold City Records,

tures and the new owners rebuilt it, literally from the ground up. Highlights

will be playing there on Dec. 2, and Ramona + The Riot will be holding it down

include the polenta crisps, a whole slate of antipasti, pinwheel lasagna with

for New Year’s Eve. They have live music four nights a week, with recent acts

roast fennel sausage ragu, porchetta, seared scallops, ribeye steak pizzai-

including Doug Carn, Alberto Cebollero, Yael Dray, Cortnie Frazier, SouLo

ola, baked branzino and cauliflower gratinato. Their main jazz offerings are

Lyons, Leelyn and Danielle Osborn, Ulysses Owens Trio and The Raisin Cake

provided by the trio of tenor saxophonist Al Maniscalco, who also leads the

Orchestra.

jam sessions at Grape and Grain on the first Friday of every month. The Jazz Bishops have been featured, as well.

Are these restaurants expensive? Maybe — it depends on who you are. But Florida loves to flex — that’s why we go to London for football games, even

There are a couple of other restaurants moving in similar directions, and

when the Jaguars aren’t very good. What better way to show your peers who’s

they’re both in St. Augustine. Bourbon & Boards opened just recently on King

really the coolest than with a couple choice selfies at some place they’ve nev-

Street in the city’s historic district. They specialize in small plates, light bites

er even heard of? And if you love good music, all the better!

like tapas and charcuterie, in addition to a full bar stocked with craft beer, vintage wine and locally distilled spirits, of which there always seems to be new stuff.

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Cliff’s Bar & Grill

Rice + Noodles Korean Restaurant

Fancy Sushi & Grill Japanese Restaurant

Seven Wonders Restaurant

Fuji Sushi

Southern Coast Seafood

The Good Place Nutrition

Tabouleh Cafe

Grinders American Diner

Thai & Lao Bistro

cliffsbarandgrill.com

A R LIN GT O N

fujisushi-fl.com

facebook.com/thegoodplacenutrition

grindersamdiner.com

southerncoastseafood.com

taboulehcafe.com

thaiandlaobistro.com

orderlapalmerita.com ABBQ

JJ’s Liberty Bistro

Anejo

Kamiya 86

Angie’s Subs

Lone Wolf Co.

Aqua Grill

Marker 32

Azurea at One Ocean

Mezzaluna

Barbara Jean’s on the Water

Mojo Kitchen

Caffe Andiamo

Nona Blue Modern Tavern

Cantina Louie

North Beach Fish Camp

Coop 303

Oaxaca Club

Eleven South

O-Ku

Engine 15 Brewing Company

Palm Valley Fish Camp

European Street Cafe

Poe’s Tavern

The Fish Company Restaurant and Oyster Bar

Ragtime Tavern

Flying Iguana Taqueria & Tequila Bar

Safe Harbor Seafood Market and Restaurant

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

Salt Life Food Shack

Hawkers

Salumeria 104 Atlantic Beach

abbqmeatdrink.com

anejococinamexicana.com

facebook.com/angiessubs

aquagrill.net

azurearestaurant.com

barbarajeansonthewater.com

caffeandiamo.com

BE A CH E S/

In tr a co a st a l

We s t

cantinalouie.com

BITE

7wondersbakery.com

La Palmerita

BITE

fancysushiandgrill.com

riceandnoodles.net

coop303.com

elevensouth.com

engine15.com

europeanstreet.com

thefishcojax.com

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jjbistro.com/ponte-vedra

kamiya86fl.com

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marker32.com

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mojobbq.com/mojo-kitchen

nonablue.com

thenorthbeachfishcamp.com

theoaxacaclub.com

o-kusushi.com

palmvalleyfishcamp.com

poestavern.com

ragtimetavern.com

safeharbor-seafood.com

saltlifefoodshack.com

salumeria104.com

Singleton’s Seafood Shack

Two Dudes Seafood Restaurant

Sliders Oyster Bar

Valley Smoke BBQ

Southern Grounds

Vicious Biscuit

singletonsseafood.com

slidersoysterbar.com

southerngrounds.com

twodudesrestaurant.com

valleysmoke.com

viciousbiscuit.com

TacoLu

tacolu.com Bellweather

Juliette’s Bistro at Marriott Jacksonville Downtown

The Bread and Board

Morton’s The Steakhouse

The Brick Coffee House

Ocean Street Tacos

Burrito Gallery

On The Fly Sandwiches & Stuff (food truck)

Cowford Chophouse

The River Club

Casa Dora Italian Cafe

Spliff’s Gastropub

De Real Ting Cafe

Super Food & Brew

Estrella Cocina

Sweet Pete’s

The Happy Grilled Cheese

Tavern at the Hyatt Regency

bellwetherjax.com

thebreadandboard.com

brickcoffeehouse.com

burritogallery.com

cowfordchophouse.com

D O WNT O WN

facebook.com/casadorajax

facebook.com/derealtingcafe

estrellajax.com

thehappygrilledchees.wixsite.com/grilledcheese

marriott.com

mortons.com

oceanstreettacos.com

ontheflyjax.com

jaxriverclub.com

spliffsgastropub.com

superfoodandbrew.com

sweetpetescandy.com

hyatt.com

Indochine

indochinejax.com Berndt Ends BBQ

Mandola’s Italian Kitchen

Blue Bamboo Canton Bistro

Masala Indian Cuisine

ChopHouse Thirteen

One Night Taco Stand

Enza’s Italian Restaurant

Picasso’s Pizzeria

ISO ISO Ramen

Rosy’s Restaurant

Julington Creek Fish Camp

Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe

Kazu Japanese Restaurant

Umami Japanese Curry & Ramen

Le Petit Paris French Cafe

Wicked Barley Brewing Company

facebook.com/berndtendsbbq

bluebamboojacksonville.com

chophouse13.com

MA ND A R I N

enzas.net

58 Folio Weekly

isoisoramen.com

julingtoncreekfishcamp.com

kazujapaneserestaurant.com

lepetitparisjax.com

mandolas.com

jaxmasala.com

onenightjax.com

jaxpicassos.wixsite.com/jaxpicassos

rosys-restaurant.business.site

tazikis.com

umamijax.com

wickedbarley.com

HILL M UR R A Y

Bold Birds Nashville Hot Chicken

Moon River Pizza

boldbirdshotchicken.com

moonriverpizza.net

Buchner’s Bierhall

Murray Hillbilly

buchnersbierhalle.com

murrayhillbilly.com

The Dreamette

Solazo Taqueria

dreametteicecream.com

solazofl.business.site

El Jefe Tex Mex

The Stout Snug

eljefejax.com

thestoutsnug.com

Fired Up Pizza

Vagabond Coffee Co.

woodfireduppizza.com

vagabondcoffee.com

Maple Street Biscuit Company

The Walrus

maplestreetbiscuits.com/murray-hill

thewalrusjax.com

Fuji Yama

Nagasaki Japanese Restaurant

fujiyamajax.com Green Papaya Pan Asian Cuisine greenpapayaus.com

NO R T H S IDE

Joseph’s Pizza

josephspizza.com/northside-full-menu The Jungle Bowl

facebook.com/thejunglebowl Junior’s Seafood Restaurant

juniorsseafoodrestaurant.com/north-jacksonville

nagasakisushirestaurant.com

New Berlin Fish House & Oyster Bar newberlinfishhouse.com

Ship 2 Shore Seafood & Steak ship2shoreseafood.com Sushi Zen Jax

sushizenfl.kwickmenu.com Terry’s Grill

facebook.com/terrysgrill

Masala Mantra

masalamantrajax.com 13 Gypsies

Bold Bean

904 Tacos

Brew Five Points

Ale Pie House

Carolina Jax

Arepa Please

Carmines Pie House

Bagel Love

Cool Moose Cafe

Biggie’s Pizza

Cuisine 76 & Bar

Biscottis

European Street Cafe

The Blue Fish

The Fox Restaurant

Blue Buddha

Hawkers

13gypsies.com

facebook.com/904tacosfivepoints

R I VE R SI D E

AV O ND A L E

alepiehousefl.com

arepaplease.com

bagel-love.ueniweb.com

biggiespizzajax.com

biscottis.net

bluefishjax.com

bluebuddhaspecialty.com Blue Orchid Thai Cuisine blueorchidthai.com

boldbeancoffee.com

brewfivepoints.co

carolinajax.com

carminespiehouse.com

coolmoosecafe.net

cuisine76andbar.com

europeanstreet.com

facebook.com/thefoxrestaurant

eathawkers.com

Homespun Kitchen

homespunkitchen.com Iguana on Park

iguanaonpark.com 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

restaurantorsay.com River & Post

riverandpostjax.com Sake House

sakehousejax.com Southern Grounds

southerngrounds.com S & R Dim Sum

srdimsumjax.com Sushi Cafe

sushicafejax.com Sweet Theory Baking Company sweettheorybakingco.com Taqueria Cinco

taqueria5points.com

Bar Molino

The Metro Diner

bb’s

The Olive Tree Mediterranean Grille

The Bearded Pig

Peterbrooke

Bistro X Restaurant and Lounge

Pink Salt Restaurant + Wine Bar

Chart House

Rue Saint-Marc

European Street Cafe

Southern Grounds

Fla. Juice and Bowl

Taverna

Flavors of Thai

Town Hall

Fuji Sushi

V Pizza

bbsrestaurant.com

thebeardedpigbbq.com

bistrox.com

chart-house.com

europeanstreet.com

flajuiceandbowl.com M A RC O

Restaurant Orsay

Matthew’s Restaurant

barmolino.com

S AN

facebook.com/pizzacave5pts

1937

1937sanmarco.com

60 Folio Weekly

Pizza Cave

flavors-of-thai.business.site

jacksonvillefujisushi.com The Local

thelocaljax.com

matthewsrestaurant.com

metrodiner.com

theolivetreemediterraneangrille.com

peterbrooke.com/pages/san-marco

pinksaltrestaurant.com

ruesaintmarc.com

southerngrounds.com

taverna.restaurant

townhalljax.com

vpizza.com

1748 Bakehouse

The District

Caribbean Sunrise Bakery & Restaurant

Hola Mexican Restaurant

Crispy’s Springfield Gallery

Social Grounds Coffee Roasters

Flavva

Strings Sport Brewery

Island Tropics Restaurant

Silkie’s Chicken & Champagne Bar

Tha Soulfood Smagicians

Uptown Kitchen and Bar

The Dreamette

Waafa and Mike’s Cafe

III Forks

Galaxy Burger

4 Rivers Smokehouse

Mr. Potato Spread

Amazing Thai Restaurant

Midtown Table

Bazille at Nordstrom

Prati Italia

Blaze Pizza

Seasons 52

Catullo’s Italian

Taste of Thai

Culhane’s Irish Pub

Texas de Brazil

1748bakehouse.com

caribbeansunrisebakery.com

facebook.com/CrispysSpringfieldGallery

S P R IN GF IE LD

flavvajacksonville.com

facebook.com/Island-Tropics-Restaurant-Lounge

facebook.com/thasmagicians

dreametteicecream.com

3forks.com/location/jacksonville

4rsmokehouse.com

amazingthaijax.com

nordstrom.com

S OU T HS ID E

blazepizza.com

catullos.hrpos.heartland.us/menu

culhanesirishpub.com

holajax.com

social-grounds-coffee.myshopify.com

stringssportsbrewery.com

meetatsilkies.com

uptownkitchenjax.com

facebook.com/waafaandmikes

galaxyburgersjax.com

mrpotatospread.com

midtowntable.medurebrothers.com

pratiitalia.com

seasons52.com

tasteofthaijax.com

texasdebrazil.com

The French Pantry

thefrenchpantryfl.com Ahadu Ethiopian Restaurant

Mesa

Banana Leaf Asian Bistro

The Metro Diner

Cross Creek Steakhouse and Ribs

The Potter’s House Soul Food and Bistro

Ellianos Coffee

Puerto Plata Restaurant

The Juicy Crab

Sushi Bear

La Perla Mexican Restaurant

Trent’s Seafood

ahadu-ethiopian-restaurant.business.site

facebook.com/bananaleafasianbistro

WE S TS I D E

thedistrictspr.com

crosscreeksteakhouse.com

ellianos.com

thejuicycrabjax.com

orderlaperlamexicanrestaurant.com Lewey’s Seafood and Wings

leweys-seafood-wings.business.site

mesajax.com

metrodiner.com

thesoulfoodbistro.com

puertoplatarestaurant.com

sushibearjax.com

jltrents.com

FROM THE ARCHIVES

62 Folio Weekly

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Words by Ambar Ramirez & Carmen Macri

THE HUNT: FINDING THE BEST APPLE PIE IN JACKSONVILLE

This month’s edition of “The Hunt” is a little different — mainly because we dropped the ball and did not realize how impossible it would be to find bakeries still selling apple pies during Thanksgiving break. That being said, we were able to score two delicious apple pies from two local bakeries, so here is our review of those.

1748 5/5 BAKEHOUSE We started off very strong with our Best of Jax 2022 Best Bakery winner, 1748 Bakehouse. The bar was set excruciatingly high for this apple pie, and it did not disappoint. We were a bit worried when we stepped into the bakehouse located in Springfield the day before Thanksgiving. Our luck had been running thin the last few days in trying to locate a bakery that was still taking walk-in orders. And when we walked through the sky-blue doors we were met with a line that reached the back of the homey bakery — making us a bit nervous. But as we reached the cashier and solemnly asked if they had any apple pies left, our luck took a turn for the better. With a pie in hand, we made our way back to the office and wasted no time. The first thing we noticed was that this was no store-bought filled pie. They filled this classic apple pie with fresh, crispy apples sautéed to perfection in a bath of brown sugar and cider, tossed with cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Their crust is crafted with an all-butter, flaky short double crust covered in crystalized sugar. Usually, the pie is all about the filling, but real pie enthusiasts know the crust will either make or break the pie — and in this case — the crust had us dreaming about it for days, not to mention this 1748 Bakehouse partners with local farms, gathering only fresh produce for their menu. We tried to be modest with just one slice heated up in our office microwave, but after the first bite, we were already preparing for a second serving. Even after being sauteed and bathed in cinnamon cider, the apples still had a crunch. There was no overwhelming — for a better lack of words — goop-filling. It was like biting straight into a slice of spiced apple. The integrity of the crust remained flaky and sturdy, which is important since no one enjoys a soggy pie. Each bite was better than the last, even after three days of it being in our refrigerator. This is one winner living up to their title: “Best of Jax.”

ATMOSPHERE: 5/5 PIE: 5/5 OVERALL: 5/5 Perfect for people looking for the classics with a modern twist.

PIE 4/5 HEAVEN Situated on Mayport Road, this local pie bakery is more than just a means to an end. During her childhood, Anita Hyde, the owner and master pie baker, found her happy place in her grandmother’s kitchen. There, she would observe her grandmother skillfully baking pies with fresh ingredients from the garden, never relying on a measuring cup. Driven by a desire to honor her inner child and to provide delectable treats for the hungry, Hyde opened Pie Heaven with a singular goal in mind. As soon as we walked into the shack-like bakery we were hit with the smell of freshly baked pies, and dare I say, the smell alone was heavenly. But we weren’t there just for the smell. We were on a mission — to find a pie that could compete with the 1748 Bakehouse. And that we did. Right off the bat, we noticed that the pie was dense — three pounds of fresh apples dense. And it wasn’t just the apples baked in cinnamon, sugar and butter that had our mouths watering for the next bite, it was (surprise, surprise) the crust. It was everything one could hope for in a pie crust. Pie Heaven uses only fresh ingredients, and for their homemade crust they use unbleached flour, pure butter and pure lard, making this crust extremely flaky and slightly savory, creating a perfect balance of rich flavors. We will say though, for the sake of an honest review, this pie had more goop-filling than that of 1748 Bakehouse’s pie. But that in no way took away from how fresh this pie tasted. Each bite was filled with memories of my grandmother’s pie. It’s all in the name. This little slice of heaven was to die for.

ATMOSPHERE: 3/5 PIE: 4/5 OVERALL: 4/5 Perfect for people looking for a pie worthy of their grandmother’s.

NI G HTL I FE

ARLINGTON

Ink Factory Brewing

Reve Brewing

Cliff’s Bar and Grill

inkfactorybrewing.com

revebrewing.com

Island Girl Cigar Bar

The Ritz Lounge

islandgirlcigarbar.com

theritzlounge.com

Julep Palm Valley

The Shim Sham Room

facebook.com/juleppalmvalley

shimshamroom.com

Lemon Bar & Grille

Southern Swells Brewing Company

lemonbarjax.com

southernswells.com

Lynch’s Irish Pub

Surfer The Bar

lynchsirishpub.com

surferthebar.com

Mango’s

Voo Swar Restaurant & Lounge

mangosjaxbeach.com

instagram.com/vooswar

Mavi’s Waterfront Bar & Grill

DOWNTOWN

mavijax.com

The Bier Hall at Intuition Ale Works

cliffsbarandgrill.com Club Heaven clubheavenjax.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

intuitionaleworks.com/bierhall Monkey’s Uncle Tavern monkeysuncletavern.com

Green Room Brewing greenroombrewing.com

boldcitybrewery.com Palm Valley Outdoors Bar and Grill palmvalleyoutdoors.com

Grey Matter Distillery greymatterdistillery.com

dosgatosjax.com casamarinahotel.com Ragtime Tavern

Hoptinger Bier Garden + Sausage House

Hardwicks hardwicksbarjax.com

Refinery Jax Beach refineryjaxbeach.com

66 Folio Weekly

Element Bistro Bar & Lounge elementjax.com

ragtimetavern.com hoptinger.com

Dos Gatos

Penthouse Lounge at Casa Marina Hotel

Gusto gustojax.com

Bold City Brewery

Intuition Aleworks

MANDARIN/JULINGTON CREEK/

intuitionaleworks.com

FRUIT COVE 2nd Bay Brewing

Island Girl Cigar Bar

2ndbaybrewing.com

islandgirlcigarbar.com Comedy Zone Justice Pub

comedyzone.com

facebook.com/thejusticepub

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Iggy’s Grill and Bar The Lark

facebook.com/IggysGrill

thelarkjax.com Kava & Company Live Bar

kavaandcompany.com

facebook.com/livebarclubjax Legacy Ale Works Manifest Distilling

legacyaleworks.com

Manifestdistilling.com Monkey’s Uncle Tavern The RL Lounge

facebook.com/monkeysuncleman-

therlloungejax.com

darin1

Ruby Beach Brewing

Rack’em Up Sports Bar

rubybeachbrewing.com

facebook.com/rackemupsportsbar

Underbelly

Time Out Sports Grill

underbellyjax.com

timeoutsportsgrill.com

The Volstead

MURRAY HILL

thevolsteadjax.com

Buchner’s Bierhalle buchnersbierhalle.com

FLEMING ISLAND Island Girl Cigar Bar

The Boot Rack Saloon

islandgirlcigarbar.com/fleming-is-

boot-rack-saloon.business.site

land Fishweir Brewing Company Mercury Moon

fishweirbrewing.com

facebook.com/mercury-moon The Flamingo Mr. Chubby’s Wings

theflamingojax.com

mrchubbyswings.com Perfect Rack Billiards Sunset Tiki Bar

perfectrackbilliards.com

the-sunset-tiki-bar.business.site Silver Cow Whitey’s Fish Camp

silvercowjax.com

whiteysfishcamp.com The Stout Snug INTRACOASTAL WEST

thestoutsnug.com

9 Zero Pour 9zeropour.com

The Walrus thewalrusjax.com

MVP’s Sports Grille facebook.com/mvpssportsgrille

NORTHSIDE

KANSAS 28 MARK NORMAND 1 MICHAEL ERTH’S DINOSAUR CARBONARO ZOO LIVE! ON STAGE 29 2 DESI BANKS 16 CINDERELLA’S TOM 3 WHOSE LIVE KEIFER ANYWAY? WITH 1 18 HEATHER RYAN STILES, GREG MCMAHAN 2 PROOPS, JEFF B. 19 THE NEW YORK BEE 3 DAVIS & JOEL GEES MURRAY 6 20 MUTTS GONE NUTS 7 6 A PETER WHITE UNLEASHED CHRISTMAS FEAT: 20 PAT MCGANN MINDI ABAIR AND PONTE VEDRA CONCERT HALL VINCENT INGALA PONTE VEDRA CONCERT HALL 21 BATMAN IN CONCERT 35TH ANNIVERSARY 8 8-9 COMMUNITY WITH LIVE SYMPHONY NUTCRACKER ORCHESTRA 10 NURSE BLAKE 23 YACHT ROCK REVUE 11 ANN WILSON OF HEART & TRIPSITTER 24 CHARLOTTE’S WEB 9 FOR SCHOOLS 10 12 A CHARLIE BROWN 26 THE PRINCESS CHRISTMAS: LIVE BRIDE: AN ON STAGE INCONCEIVABLE 11 13 ALLMAN BETTS EVENING WITH FAMILY REVIVAL 15 CARY ELWES 15 LEWIS BLACK 21 27 JIM BREUER 16 TONY HINCHCLIFFE 22 17 THE NIGHTMARE 22 BEFORE CHRISTMAS 1 GRACE POTTER & FEED N.E. FLORIDA 2 TERRI CLARK 18 IL DIVO 3 SASHA VELOUR 20 CIRQUE MUSICA 4 PINK FLOYD LASER HOLIDAY 23 SPECTACULAR WONDERLAND OCTOBER LONDON 20 WHEEL OF FORTUNE 7 LIVE! 9 FLORIDA BALLET 24 JACKSONVILLE CENTER FOR 10 MIKE BIRBIGLIA THE PERFORMING ARTS 13 GLADYS KNIGHT 27 NUTCRACKER! MAGICAL 25 15 UNTOLD STORIES CHRISTMAS BALLET 16 JOHN WAITE 28 A DRAG QUEEN 20 THE FROG PRINCE 26 CHRISTMAS FOR SCHOOLS 18+ ONLY 28 21 NICKEL CREEK 29 MATT MATHEWS 22 NAPOLEON 30 FORTUNE FEIMSTER DYNAMITE LIVE! 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION 23 CHRIS BOTTI 5 ELVIS BIRTHDAY BASH 23 THE GIBSON BROTHERS 6 38 SPECIAL W/ THE PONTE VEDRA CONCERT HALL CURT TOWNE BAND 24 MANIA-THE ABBA 7 MATT FRASER TRIBUTE 10 JESSE COOK 25 DREW AND ELLIE WJCT SOUNDSTAGE HOLCOMB 11 GREENSKY 27 ONES: #1 BEATLES BLUEGRASS HITS

DECEMBER

12 13 14

FEBRUARY

GEOFF TATE & ADRIAN VANDENBERG BLIPPI

MARCH STEVE HACKETT GRUPO NICHE BRAD WILLIAMS PINK MARTINI HARRIET TUBMAN AND THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FOR SCHOOLS

LEGENDS OF THE BILLY JOEL BAND – THE LORDS OF 52ND STREET ZACH WILLIAMS EXTREME WITH SPECIAL GUEST LIVING COLOUR GINO VANNELLI GET THE LED OUT AIR SUPPLY TOM PAPA

PONTE VEDRA CONCERT HALL

LITTLE RIVER BAND WITH THE JACKSONVILLE ROCK SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA HOTEL CALIFORNIA: A SALUTE TO THE EAGLES DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD LIVE – KING FOR A DAY LORD OF THE DANCE 25TH ANNIVERSARY JOE SATRIANI & STEVE VAI NEIL DIAMOND CELEBRATION

JANUARY

Coppertop Bar and Restaurant The Spot Hookah Lounge

coppertopbarandrestaurant.com

thespothookahloungejax.com Four Fathers Distillery Time Out Sports Grill timeoutsportsgrill.com

fourfathersdistillery.com

BUY TICKETS ONLY AT THE FLORIDA THEATRE BOX OFFICE AT Floridatheatre.co m 904-355-2 787 128 E . Forsy th St. Jac kso nville, FL 32 2 02

ORANGE PARK/MIDDLEBURG

The Green House

Breezy Jazz House

57 Heaven

thegreenhousebar.com

breezyjazzhouse.com

Hoptinger Bier Garden + Sausage House

Cuba Libre Ultra Lounge

hoptinger.com

cubalibrebar.com

Incahoots

Fore Score Golf Tavern

incahootsnightclub.com

forescoregolf.com

Kanine Social Taproom

The Grape & Grain Exchange

kaninesocial.com

grapeandgrainexchange.com

Keg & Coin

Hamburger Mary’s

kegandcoinjax.com

hamburgermarys.com/jax

Kingmaker Brewing

Kava & Company

kingmakerbrewing.com

kavaandcompany.com

Lemonstreet Brewing Company

The Mudville Grill

lemonstreetbrewing.com

themudvillegrill.com

The Loft

The Players Grille

loftjax.com

playersgrille.com

Myrtle Avenue Brewing

Posting House

facebook.com/myrtleavebrewing

posting.house

Park Place Lounge

Sidecar

park-place-lounge.business.site

instagram.com/sidecarjax

Rain Dogs

SOUTHSIDE/ST. JOHNS TOWN CENTER

instagram.com/raindogs5points

Austin Karaoke

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

facebook.com/austinkaraoke River & Post

Southern Social Whiskey Bar & Lounge

riverandpostjax.com

southernsocialbar.com

Bottlenose Brewing bottlenosebrewing.com

Riverside Liquors RIVERSIDE/AVONDALE

riversideliquors.biz

Birdies facebook.com/birdiesfivepoints

culhanesirishpub.com Rogue Bar facebook.com/rogue.bar.1

Bold City Brewery boldcitybrewery.com

instagram.com/diorrestaurantlounge.jax facebook.com/rootdownjax Shores Liquor and Bar

Burlock & Barrel

jaxcraftbeer.com facebook.com/wildcraftersjax

Dart Bar & Games

Jax Craft Beer

Wildcrafters

Casbah Cafe thecasbahcafe.com

Island Girl Cigar Bar islandgirlcigarbar.com

instagram.com/shoresliquoravondale burlockandbarrel.com

Dior Restaurant and Lounge

Root Down

Brick Restaurant brickofavondale.com

Culhane’s

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

SAN MARCO/ST. NICHOLAS 1937 Spirits & Eatery

Secret Tiki Temple

1937sanmarco.com

secrettikitemple.com

Aardwolf Brewing Company

Seven Bridges Grille & Brewery

aardwolfbrewing.com

7bridgesgrille.com

Bar Molino

Trio Lounge

barmolino.com

triohookahlounge.com

facebook.com/dartbarjax Eclipse Bar & Nightclub facebook.com/eclipsebarjax The Garage garagejax.com

68 Folio Weekly

Veterans United Craft Brewery vubrew.com

JME PRESENTS

Wicked Barley Brewing Company wickedbarley.com WXYZ Bar at Aloft Hotel aloftjacksonvilletapestrypark.com

WJCT

SPRINGFIELD Crispy’s Springfield Gallery crispysspringfieldgallery.com The District thedistrictspr.com Historically Hoppy Brewing Company

JAN 12 7PM

LIVE ON THE

"Best Album of 2023" - Rolling Stone, Spin, Mojo

"Thrilling." - NPR Music

historicallyhoppy.com Hyperion Brewing

Shantytown Pub facebook.com/shantytownjax Strings Sports Brewery

SCAN HERE

hyperionbrewing.com

stringssportsbrewery.com ST. AUGUSTINE Ancient City Brewing ancientcitybrewing.com

In partnership with

PUBLIC MEDIA

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

Prohibition Kitchen pkstaug.com Tradewinds Lounge tradewindslounge.com

SCAN HERE

originalcafe11.com

FEB 15 | 7PM

“A joyful, supportive celebration of Black artists.” - NPR Music

WESTSIDE Lillian’s lillianssportsgrill.com The Phoenix Bar & Bowling facebook.com/thephoenixjax

MORE INFO & TICKETS AT

JAXMUSIC.ORG 69

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76 Folio Weekly

Folio Vol. 37, Issue 23

Articles inside

The Hunt: Finding The Best Apple Pie In Jacksonville

Mood Stabilizers

Wish You Were Here With Floyd Nation

Local Artist Spotlight: Liza Attic

Ice Nine Kills: A Scary Good Show

Southern Sounds: A Conversation With Tinsley Ellis

Actually, Let's Not: Things You Shouldn't Say During The Holidays

What The F***?

Big City, Bigger Dreams: Ally Shawver

2023 Film Reviews

Stogie-Cigar Capital Of The World

Road To The Playoffs

Special Holiday Events