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BOUQS & BRICKS
BOUQUETS BRICKBATS
To the University of North Florida for receiving a Preservation and Access Education and Training grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) for 2025. The college was one of only eight institutions nationwide to receive the award. Grants are awarded to support projects that address major challenges in preserving or providing access to humanities collections and resources, and prepare the next generation of conservators and preservation professionals.
To President Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing from participation in the World Health Organization, a group founded, in part, by the U.S. in 1948. Since its founding WHO has saved countless lives in this country, protecting us from smallpox, polio and other diseases now under control due to vaccines, among other accomplishments. It should come as no surprise then that Trump withdrew from WHO considering he once said 99% of all COVID cases were totally harmless. (Because he’s an immunologist, you know.) What’s next? Closing hospitals to open pickleball courts?
HOROSCOPES
Words by Ambar Ramirez & Carmen Macri
’Tis the season for love, Aries — though, it feels more like the season for power struggles. Don’t worry, though; it looks like you’ll come out on top this time. The full moon in Leo on the 12th should signal the end of this battle, and with Jupiter and Mars out of retrograde, things are finally looking up.
With Venus, the planet of love and charm, as your ruling planet, Taurus, relationships and romance often play a central role in your life — but they can’t always be your safety net. This month, you may find yourself tangled in a web, torn between what you want and what you need. Standing still and hoping it unravels itself won’t help. Instead, take charge and be purposeful with your words and actions.
ARIES TAURUS GEMINI
Let’s leave the pressure and expectations behind in January and move into February with no judgment, no pressure — you’ve earned it. It’s time to let go and trust the stars. What’s the worst that could happen? You end up having the best time of your life? Oh, no!
CANCER
Love is in the air, Cancer, but while others are writing love letters, you’re focused on an unconventional romance — your career. While chasing success is rewarding, money isn’t the key to true happiness. Make time for yourself and find ways to nurture love in other areas of your life.
LEO VIRGO
Looks like Cupid’s arrow hit the mark this time, Leo. With the Sun moving from Aquarius to Pisces, your partnership and committed alliances are in the spotlight. You might start feeling like a love-sick puppy over the next few weeks — don’t shy away from it. Let yourself love deeply.
Oh, Virgo, we hate to break it to you, but maybe the issue isn’t them — it’s you. You have a habit of gravitating toward love that feels like a fixer-upper, full of potential but in need of a makeover. Instead of chasing potential, try accepting people as they are. Trust us, both you and they will be better for it.
Your happiness takes center stage this month, Libra. Feb. 7 is a great time to manifest everything you desire most. When it comes to relationships, though, you might want to hold off for now. You’re looking a little too much like a ticking time bomb. You can find happiness on your own, you know?
Come out of that shell, Scorpio — you don’t have to stay so cynical and jaded all the time. Breakups happen to everyone, you’re not alone in that. Not everyone is out to get you, and not everyone has bad intentions. It’s time to stop channeling the Grinch. Let that icy heart thaw a little.
Libra Scorpio Sagittarius
With your ruling planet Jupiter, the bringer of luck and abundance, lighting up your partnership zone through the first half of the year, February brings a serendipitous shift in your love life. Embracing a more hands-off approach in your relationships could work wonders, allowing things to flow naturally. Trust in the universe — luck is on your side, and it might just guide you toward meaningful connections when you least expect it.
Capricorn
Yeah, yeah, love is in the air and all that, but maybe it’s time to dig a little deeper into your relationships — things aren’t always what they seem. February is your time to focus on your career. There’s always room to grow and climb that corporate ladder. The intensity of the full moon on Feb. 12 will rattle your bones.
Aquarius
Let’s face it, Aquarius — when it comes to love, your logic and emotions are always at odds, leaving you stuck. With Pluto, the planet of transformation, settling into your sign for the next 18 years, this inner conflict won’t get easier. But if anyone thrives on a challenge, it’s you. Embrace this transformative energy to shift your perspective on love and life—and learn how to apply it wisely.
Pisces
Don’t get us wrong, Pisces, love is great and all but it’s not without its challenges — especially when jealousy rears its head. This month that green-eyed monster might creep in when you least expect it, testing your emotions. While it’s tempting to romanticize jealousy, remember it often causes more harm than good, leaving lasting impacts on the relationships you value most. Keep it in check to protect what matters.
FEB. 1
MVP Praise Party 2025
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jaxevents.com
Rock the Dock Music and Beer Festival
Grace Note Brewing gracenote.beer
2025 Douglas Anderson Extravaganza Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxevents.com
FEB. 1-2
Tattoo Arts Festival
Prime Osborn Convention Center jaxevents.com
FEB. 1-MAY 4
“Mindworks” Museum of Science and History themosh.org
FEB. 2
ROARS and More Gala Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens jacksonvillezoo.org
FEB. 8
Black History Celebration
Riverside Arts Market riversideartsmarket.com
Jax Beach Arts Market
Seawalk Pavilion jaxbeachartsmarket.com
FEB. 9
Taylor Shines–The Laser Spectacular ft. JEXXA
Thrasher-Horne Center thcenter.org
FEB. 12
125th Year and World Tribute Festival of “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing”
Various locations jwjlifteveryvoice.com
FEB. 13
A 1920s-inspired Themed Dining Experience Underbelly underbellyjax.com
FEB. 14
Alton Brown Live: Last Bite
Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
FEB. 14-16
2025 JAX International Auto Show
Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center thejaxautoshow.com
FEB. 15
Brian Kilmeade Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
Mutts & Mimosas Sheraton Jacksonville friendsofjaxanimals.com
Valentine’s Day Swing Dance
Murray Hill Theatre murrayhilltheatre.com
Jacksonville Record & CD Festival
Holiday Inn E 295 Baymeadows facebook.com/JacksonvilleRecordCDShow
Rhinestone Cowpokes Burlesque
Dart Bar & Games eventbrite.com
FEB. 16
Yamato: Drummers of Japan Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
FEB. 19
Danny Go Live! Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
Super Scientific Circus Thrasher-Horne Center thcenter.org
FEB. 21
The 2025 Flea Market Garden Club of Jacksonville gardenclubjax.org
FEB. 22
Black History Month Parade & Market Melanin Market melanincollaborativegroup.org
Martin Luther King Jr. “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” Concert
Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church jaxchildrenschorus.org
“My Brother, My Brother & Me”
Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
Canine Jamboree
One Church Jacksonville Beach facebook.com/onechurchjaxbeach
Northeast Florida Scottish Games & Festival
Clay County Fairgrounds neflgames.com
FEB. 22-23
World of Nations Celebration
Tailgaters Parking (225 Talleyrand Ave.) specialevents.coj.net
FEB. 23
Riverside Craft Beer Festival
Riverside Arts Market riversidecraftbeerfestival.com
DTJax Gala: Under Construction
1 Independent Square dtjax.com
FEB. 25
“Blippi: Join The Band Tour!” Thrasher-Horne Center thcenter.org
FEB. 27
Untold Stories: Cloud Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
BB Revue Burlesque Show
Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com
FEB. 28-MARCH 2
Jacksonville Home + Patio Show jacksonvillespringhomeshow.com
Submitted by Carter Brown
MY IDENTITY SHOULDN'T PREVENT ME FROM LIVING MY AMERICAN DREAM.
Many of us have spent our lives pursuing our American dream. For me, this meant getting a college education, building a career and starting a family.
But for many LGBTQ+ people, achieving this dream remains out of reach. Across the country, LGBTQ+ people like me still face the harsh reality of being at higher risk of discrimination and bias, including at work.
I know this firsthand.
I was living my dream, successful at my job and making a name for myself in the real estate and mortgage industries. My wife and I bought our first home and welcomed our daughter.
Then, one day at work, everything changed when colleagues began focusing only on my personal identity instead of my work performance. They asked me if I was a woman, an identity I had shed long ago. That moment — being outed as a transgender man in my workplace, on somebody else’s terms, and against my will — completely changed my life. I had intentionally decided not to come out at work, partly because it had no impact on my job function and partly because of the fear it would turn into a nightmare. These fears became my reality.
In the following months, I experienced discrimination from colleagues, managers and members of human resources. People whispered about whether I was gay or had “the surgeries” because I “looked so real.” Others simply walked the other way when they saw me coming.
Then, simply for being who I was, I was fired.
I’m not alone. Concerningly, 50% of LGBTQ+ Americans have also been harassed, fired or denied a promotion at work because of who they are. This discrimination can manifest in a multitude of ways: being rejected as a job applicant, denied a promotion, getting fired, or experiencing verbal, physical, or sexual harassment.
It’s no wonder that only half of LGBTQ+ employees are open about their identity with their supervisors. When we’re forced to hide who we are, we’re not able to bring ourselves to work, which impacts not only our well-being but also the overall success of our team.
What’s more, the effects of workplace discrimination aren’t confined to the office. In fact, LGBTQ+ adults are twice as likely to experience homelessness as compared to the general population, and since more than half of Americans get their health insurance through their employer, being fired — or not hired in the first place — hurts access to health care.
Simply put, workplace discrimination can have a profound impact on a person’s life. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Coworkers can educate themselves on LGBTQ+ experiences and the various manifestations of bias and discrimination. A wealth of literature on the subject exists, including online resources like the Love Has No Labels website. Knowledge benefits us all and can help correct misconceptions and ensure your LGBTQ+ colleagues feel supported.
Employers can start with explicit anti-discrimination policies that cover gender and sexual identity, and ensure they’re backed by concrete actions like using gender-neutral language and offering inclusive benefits such as parental leave and spousal insurance for all.
Beyond policies, education is key. Regular training on LGBTQ+ issues, unconscious bias and allyship helps build understanding.
We all have our own American dreams, but our collective strength lies in ensuring everyone has the opportunity to live theirs. Together, by fostering understanding and standing against discrimination, we can create a future where everyone, no matter their identity, can thrive and contribute their best.
Carter Brown is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the National Black Trans Advocacy Coalition (BTAC).
by
FEB. 1
DONNA 5K and DONNA Dash to Finish Breast Cancer
EverBank Stadium
breastcancermarathon.com
FEB. 1-2
DONNA Ultra-Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer Seawalk Pavilion breastcancermarathon.com
FEB. 2
DONNA Marathon and DONNA Half-Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer
Seawalk Pavilion
breastcancermarathon.com
Jax Women’s Rugby vs. Tampa
Bob Hayes Sports Complex and Legends Center jaxwomensrugby.com
FEB. 4
Jacksonville Icemen vs. Bloomington Bison
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jacksonvilleicemen.com
FEB. 7-8
Jacksonville Icemen vs. Trois-Rivieres Lions
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jacksonvilleicemen.com
FEB. 8
Ortega River Run
Episcopal School of Jacksonville 1stplacesports.com
FEB. 13
St. Johns County Fight Night: First Responders
Boxing for Charity
St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com
FEB. 15
Jacksonville Icemen vs. Orlando Solar Bears
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jacksonvilleicemen.com
5K and 8K Superhero Run
156 Kingsley Ave., Orange Park 1stplacesports.com
FEB. 22
Swoop the Loop 5K
University of North Florida 1stplacesports.co
Manatee 5K
Beaches Town Center Beach Access 1stplace sports.com
FEB. 22-23
PBR: Unleash the Beast
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jaxevents.com
FEB. 28
Jacksonville Icemen vs. Savannah Ghost Pirates
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jacksonvilleicemen.com
Photo
Sam Kaplan
Words by Kaili Cochran
Vive Yoga Studio
A yoga studio couldn’t be more inclusive than Vive. Founded in 2018 as a veteran- and Latina- owned studio by Alejandra Amegin, the goal of this studio is “cultivating safe spaces for sacred practices.”
Amegin turned to yoga to process trauma she had experienced from a young age, and it awakened a new part of her and provided her the outlet that she needed without turning to self-sabotaging tactics.
“I felt lighter, more grounded and balanced, and I had a form of self-expression that allowed me to move beyond trying to find the words to articulate what I was feeling,” Amegin wrote on the Jacksonville Natural Healing website. “I felt compelled to share the gift of yoga with those who were in search of the missing piece like I was.”
Welcoming everyone of all backgrounds and levels of proficiency in yoga practices, this studio celebrates the unique differences within the community through special cultural events, workshops and classes. All classes are offered in English and Spanish, as well.
Amegin strives to bring comfort and a safe haven to those who walk into the studio going through their own struggles in life.
Vive offers over 10 different forms of yoga classes and offers a wide range of competency level classes so whether you’re a beginner or an expert, there’s a space for you to participate. Vive is open 7 days a week with classes starting as early as 5:45 a.m. and as late as 7 p.m.
Prices range on the time and day you choose to attend the yoga classes. Regular weekday drop-in classes range from $18-20. There is a weekend discount price for Fridays through Sundays where hour long classes are offered at $10. Beyond the drop in prices there are also packages and memberships where the cost per class is discounted or pays for itself overtime by paying for classes in bulk.
Beyond yoga classes this studio offers certificates in teaching yoga. One certificate includes a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training course. Another certificate is for BUTI Movement.
Yoga, like most exercises, is beneficial physically, emotionally and mentally. It’s a body-weight form of exercise that allows for you to increase your flexibility and muscle strength while reducing your stress and calming your mind.
ATMONDAYS
• St. Augustine Fish Company & Oyster House, 6 p.m
• V Pizza–Mandarin (music bingo), 6 p.m.
• Iguana on Park (cashpot bingo), 6:30 p.m.
• 9 Ball Heaven Sports Grill & Billiards, 7 p.m.
• Amici (music bingo), 7 p.m.
• Donovan’s Irish Pub, St. Augustine, 7 p.m.
• Mellow Mushroom–Durbin Park, 7 p.m.
• Mellow Mushroom–Fleming Island, 7 p.m.
• Mellow Mushroom–River City/ Northside, 7 p.m.
• Mellow Mushroom–Tinseltown, 7:30 p.m.
• Rain Dogs, 8 p.m.
• Treylor Park (pop culture), 9 p.m.
TUESDAYS
• St. Mary’s Seafood (music bingo) 6 p.m.
• Mr. Chubby’s Wings–Fleming Island (music bingo), 6:30 p.m.
• Dick’s Wings–St. Augustine, 6:30 p.m.
• V Pizza– St. Augustine, 6:30 p.m.
• The Back 40, 7 p.m.
• Bottlenose Brewing, 7 p.m.
• Dick’s Wings–Nocatee, 7 p.m.
• Dick’s Wings–San Pablo, 7 p.m.
• Gator’s Dockside–Oakleaf, (music bingo), 7 p.m.
• Harps American Grill, 7 p.m.
• Hurricane Grill & Wings–Atlantic Boulevard, 7 p.m.
• Island Wing Company–Bartram, 7 p.m.
• Jax Craft Beer, 7 p.m.
• Jerry’s Sports Grille, 7 p.m.
• Miller’s Ale House–Deerwood, 7 p.m.
• My Tap Room (pop culture), 7 p.m.
• Players Grille, 7 p.m.
• Shantytown Pub, 7 p.m.
• Southern Grill, 7 p.m.
• Surfside Kitchen, St. Augustine, 7 p.m.
• V Pizza–Fernandina (music bingo), 7 p.m.
• VooSwar, 7 p.m.
• Xtreme Wings Sports Bar and Grille, St. Johns, 7 p.m.
• Culhane’s Irish Pub–Southside, 7:30 p.m.
• Flask & Cannon / V Pizza (pop culture), 7:30 p.m.
• King Maker Brewing (name that tune), 7:30 p.m.
• Lynch’s Irish Pub (music bingo), 7:30 p.m.
• Monkey’s Uncle Tavern, 7:30 p.m.
• Time Out Sports Bar, 7:30 p.m.
• Tepeyolot Cerveceria, 7:30 p.m.
• Casbah Cafe, 8 p.m.
• Sahara Cafe, 8 p.m.
• Surfer the Bar (pop culture trivia), 9:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAYS
• Mr. Chubby’s Wings–Ponte Vedra (music bingo), 6:30 p.m.
• V Pizza–Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.
• The Beacon, St. Augustine, 7 p.m.
• Bold City Brewery, 7 p.m.
• Cruisers Grill, 7 p.m.
• Dick’s Wings–Nocatee, 7 p.m.
• Dick’s Wings–Mandarin, 7 p.m.
• Firefly Bay, 7 p.m.
• Ink Factory Brewing, 7 p.m.
• Island Wing–Bartram (music bingo) 7 p.m.
• Island Wing–Southside, 7 p.m.
• Lola’s Burrito & Burger Joint, 7 p.m.
• Mellow Mushroom–Avondale, 7 p.m.
• Miller’s Ale House–Hodges, 7 p.m.
• Mellow Mushroom–Jacksonville Beach, 7 p.m.
• Scarlett O’ Hara’s, St. Augustine, 7 p.m.
• Shaughnessy’s Sports Grill, St. Augustine, 7 p.m.
• V Pizza–Fleming Island, 7 p.m.
• V Pizza–Fernandina, 7 p.m.
• V Pizza–Palm Valley, 7 p.m.
• Veterans United Craft Brewery, 7 p.m.
• Burrito Gallery–Town Center (pop culture), 7:30 p.m.
• Dick’s Wings–Fleming Island, 7:30 p.m.
• Harps American Grill (pop culture), 7:30 p.m.
• Hoptinger–5 Points, 7:30 p.m.
• Hoptinger–Jacksonville Beach, 7:30 p.m.
• Hurricane Grill–Fleming Island, 7:30 p.m.
• King Maker Brewing, 7:30 p.m.
• Time Out Sports Grill, 7:30 p.m
• Wicked Barley Brewing, 7:30 p.m.
• The Brix Taphouse (pop culture trivia), 8 p.m.
• Root Down (music trivia), 9 p.m.
THURSDAYS
• Ann O’Malley’s Irish Pub, 7 p.m.
• Bold City Brewery, 7 p.m.
• Bottlenose Brewing, 7 p.m.
• Dick’s Wings–Atlantic Boulevard, 7 p.m.
• Dick’s Wings– Nocatee (name that tune), 7 p.m.
• Justice Pub (music bingo), 7 p.m.
• Island Wing Company–Southside (music bingo), 7 p.m.
• Kava and Company–San Marco (every other Thursday), 7 p.m.
• Miller’s Ale House–Avenues, 7 p.m.
• Mr. Chubby’s Wings–Ponte Vedra, 7 p.m.
• The Stout Snug, 7 p.m.
• V Pizza– Fernandina (what’s that song), 7 p.m.
• Burrito Gallery–Brooklyn (’80s, ’90s & 2000s), 7:30 p.m.
• Dick’s Wings– St. Aug, 7:30 p.m.
• Flask & Cannon / V Pizza, 7:30 p.m.
• V Pizza–San Marco, 7:30 p.m.
• Hoptinger–Jax Beach (music bingo), 8 p.m.
FRIDAYS
• Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, 6 p.m.
• Time Out Sports Grill, 6:30 p.m.
• Engine 15 Brewing, 7 p.m.
• MVP’s Sports Grille, 7 p.m.
• Tepeyolot Cerveceria, 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAYS
• Hamburger Mary’s (HamBingo), 2 p.m.
• VooSwar, 7 p.m.
• Dick’s Wings–Atlantic Boulevard, 7 p.m.
• Dick’s Wings–San Pablo (pop culture), 7p.m.
• Ink Factory Brewing (name that tune), 7 p.m.
• Bottlenose Brewing (name that tune), 7:30 p.m.
THROUGH FEB. 1
“Cry Baby “
Orange Park Community Theatre opct.info
THROUGH FEB. 2
“Crimes of the Heart” Limelight Theatre, St. Augustine limelight-theatre.org
THROUGH FEB. 9
“Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” Amelia Musical Playhouse ameliamusicalplayhouse.com
FEB. 1-2
Jacksonville Dance Theatre: “Render”
The Florida Ballet jacksonvilledancetheatre.org
FEB. 6
“Girls Night: The Musical” Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxevents.com
Riverdance
Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts fscjartistseries.org
FEB. 7
“Who Am I This Time? And Other Conundrums of Love”
Center for Spiritual Living, St. Augustine artistconnectiontheatre.org
“Night on Broadway” The Island Theater, Fleming Island theislandtheater.com
FEB. 7-22
“Rumors”
Amelia Community Theatre ameliacommunitytheatre.org
FEB. 7-23
“The Jungle Book” Artist Connection Theatre artistconnectiontheatre.org
FEB. 8
Princess Concert
The Island Theater, Fleming Island theislandtheater.com
FEB. 12-16
“Elvis Live: Love Me Tender” Alhambra Theatre & Dining alhambrajax.com
FEB. 13-14
danceWORKS Spring Dance Concert
FSCJ South Campus–Nathan. H. Wilson Center for the Arts fscjartistseries.org
FEB. 14
“Shrek: The Musical” The Island Theater, Fleming Island theislandtheater.com
FEB. 14-22
“You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” Orange Park Community Theatre opct.info
“Be Our Valentine” The Florida Ballet floridaballet.org
FEB. 15
“Songs in the Key of Freedom” Amelia Musical Playhouse ameliamusicalplayhouse.com
FEB. 15-20
“Love Takes Flight” The Florida Ballet floridaballet.org
FEB. 18-23
“Peter Pan”
Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts fscjartistseries.org
FEB. 20
“Wild Kratts Live 2.0” Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
FEB. 20-MARCH 30
“West Side Story” Alhambra Theatre & Dining alhambrajax.com
FEB. 21-23
“The Shark Is Broken” Amelia Musical Playhouse ameliamusicalplayhouse.com
FEB. 21-MARCH 9
“Funny Girl” Players by the Sea playersbythesea.org
FEB. 21-MARCH 16
“The Drowsy Chaperone” The Limelight Theatre limelight-theatre.org
FEB. 26
Celtic Angels Ireland Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxevents.com
FEB. 27
“Dancing with the Stars” Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts fscjartistseries.org
FEB. 27-MARCH 2
“The Trojan Women” Flagler College–Lewis Auditorium flagler.edu
FEB. 27-MARCH 9
“Mean Girls” (teen version)
Amelia Musical Playhouse ameliamusicalplayhouse.com
Words by Kaili Cochran
The New Norm for Date Nights
As Valentine’s Day approaches, let’s talk about how the definition of date night has been redefined by the popularity and convenience of streaming services and social media. What once was dinner and a movie is now at-home-cooking and streaming.
In 2020, when COVID-19 had caused the shut down of almost all nearby theaters it led to streaming services becoming the go-to for anyone who wanted to stay up to date with the latest movie releases.
Fast forward to five years post-pandemic and we’re all still staying home and watching Netflix and Hulu. We’ve all just adjusted to the new norm because it’s the more convenient and cheaper option. The average price of movie tickets in 2025 is about $11. While, the cheaper plans of most streaming services per month stays below $10 a month.
With the switch to online platforms, there are no longer movies that were “only in theaters” anymore. Now, we can watch movies almost as soon as they release and from the comfort of our homes. Some movies even show up on streaming services less than three weeks after being released in cinema, which is an enormous change from waiting two to three months minimum for it to be on DVD. Now, I’m not saying no one goes to the movies anymore. We proved that’s not the case whenever “Deadpool & Wolverine” came to theaters. But the numbers have been down on a day-to-day basis.
Not only has society shifted to streaming services but there has been an increase in social media trends promoting the “at home” lifestyle. Trends like “tradwife,” “at home date night,” and “galentine’s” are all flooding through social media, especially TikTok. These trends have promoted cooking at home and making special meals and desserts as couples or as friends to celebrate the holiday. Pushing restaurants and reservations to the side, we are now scrolling and saving recipes online.
The way we approach and celebrate Valentine’s day has evolved over time each year a little bit differently and that just means there are more options on how to celebrate the holiday.
For February 2025 here are the dinner and movie combinations I recommend if you’re going to the cinema, with both high and low price options.
“Captain America: Brave New World”
In Theaters February 14 Action/Sci-Fi
For all of you Marvel fans…
You already know what this is going to be about. We’ve all been keeping up with the trailers and teasers and can’t wait for the day to come when we can watch it on the big screen.
In honor of Captain America I would suggest American food outings such as Five Guys ($) for burgers or The Cheesecake Factory ($$$) for a wider range of options.
“Paddington in Peru”
In Theaters February 14 Family/Comedy
It’s been eight years since we’ve seen the bear on screen, and this time he’s on his way to Peru. This movie is the third in the Paddington series. Paddington finds that his aunt has gone missing unexpectedly. He takes this investigation into his own hands and heads to Peru to find her and figure out what had happened. During his journey, he discovers something he never could have imagined.
Tying into the Peru theme of this movie you may be interested in places with a focus on more Latin cuisines such as Arepa Please ($) or Iguana on Park ($$) to get you into the vibe of the movie.
“Heart Eyes”
In Theaters February 7 Horror/Romance
This horror romance, featuring Olivia Holt and Mason Gooding, immediately cues flashbacks of “Girl vs Monster” ( Holt) and the “Scream” movies ( Gooding) for these two well-known actors.
For years, the “Heart Eyes Killer” has stalked and murdered numerous couples on Valentine’s Day. This year is no exception. When Ally finds someone she can call hers, she becomes the Heart Eyes Killer’s next target.
Although this movie is a horror-romance movie. We’re featuring some romantic dinner options for this movie/dinner combination: French and Italian cuisines such as Le Petit Paris Cafe Mandarin ($) and Picasso’s ($$).
Here’s some of the best movies to watch now on streaming services paired with some of the best take-out food for your night in.
“The Fall Guy”
Watch on Prime Video Action/Comedy
This film is about a stuntman (aka the fall guy) whose stunt didn’t go as planned resulting in severe injuries that also led to a break in his career. His life takes an unexpected turn when he has to solve a conspiracy and find a missing movie star.
For takeout: I recommend your favorite pizza spot for this one where it’s something more casual for the film that will keep you laughing all while having you on the edge of your seat.
“The Wild Robot”
Watch on Prime Video Family/Adventure
Roz is a robot who gets shipwrecked on an island and is forced to adapt to her surroundings in order to survive. With no idea what her purpose, is she begins to realize she isn’t alone on the island but surrounded with different species of animals.
When it comes to takeout for watching “The Wild Robot” you may want to lean toward eating something more hearty like a taco bowl from Moe’s or Chipotle. But, if you’re not feeling TexMex, I recommend a soup and sandwich combo — my go to is Panera.
“Anyone But You”
Watch on Netflix, Prime Video Comedy/Romance
In this film Bea and Ben look to be a picture perfect couple but after their first date the connection turns up cold. Bea’s sister, Halle, is getting married to Ben’s friend, Claudia, which means both Bea and Ben have accepted an invitation to unknowingly attend the same wedding. They dig themselves deeper when they play off their tension and now have to pretend to be the perfect couple to keep up appearances.
For this one, I recommend you eat some comfort food, whether that’s grabbing burgers, fries and milkshake or getting some Chinese takeout.
Silver Springs State Park
The 4,000-acre Silver Springs State Park isn’t just home to the electric blue springs — it also includes the entire 5-mile Silver River and the surrounding sandhill forest. However, I think the standout contender is the amazing wildlife you see during your float. And luckily for you, this time of the year is when the manatees come out to play.
Silver Springs offers a variety of ways to enjoy its beauty, depending on your vibe. If getting your hands dirty isn’t your thing, no worries — they’ve got you covered with glass-bottom boat tours of the main springs, keeping you comfortably dry. The only catch? These tours don’t cover the entire Silver River. Now, if you’re up for a little adventure, I highly recommend renting a paddleboard or a glass-bottom kayak. You’ll get to explore the whole park and get up close to the wildlife. Just a heads-up: while the animals may look friend-sized, it’s best to admire them from a respectful distance.
6:30 AM: 7:00 AM: 9:00 AM: 9:25 AM: 12:00 PM: 12:20 PM: 1:00 PM: 1:45 PM:
Night Before:
Reserve your paddleboard or kayak rentals online if you don’t have your own.
Morning:
Rise and shine! Make your coffee and pack a small cooler with water, snacks, sandwiches and sunscreen for your float.
Hit the road with the goal of arriving at Silver Springs around 8:45 AM. Take pit stops as needed.
At the Springs:
Pick up your paddleboards or kayaks at the main entrance. Don’t forget to purchase a shuttle pass to avoid the 5-mile paddle back upstream (unless you’re feeling ambitious).
Enter the springs and take your time exploring. It’s a marathon, not a sprint—stop in the little coves, float in the springs, and make it a game to spot the wildlife: manatees, monkeys, alligators, otters, turtles, and more.
Midday:
Exit the river and take the shuttle back to your car.
Return your paddleboards or kayaks, load up the car, and start heading home –Or swing by the gift shop if you want a souvenir
Lunch Stop:
Stop at Tabby’s Restaurant for a hearty, well-earned lunch.
Afternoon:
Officially hit the road back home. What happens next? That’s up to you. Good luck with the rest of your Valentine’s Day plans!
Blue Springs State
Park
Blue Springs State Park is one of Florida’s natural gems — a haven for crystal-clear waters, lush greenery and a whole lot of wildlife. Best known as a winter refuge for manatees, it’s like a seasonal Airbnb for these gentle giants. The park boasts a massive spring-fed swimming area that stays a crisp 72°F year-round, perfect for cooling off when Florida’s heat becomes unbearable. Whether you’re swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, or just floating around pretending to exercise, the experience is nothing short of magical. However since this is set for February, let’s stay off the tubes and steer clear of hypothermia.
Similar to Silver Springs, if you aren’t looking to get your hands dirty, they offer boat tours of the springs and a viewing area to spot manatees as well as a full hiking area.
6:30 AM: 7:00 AM: 9:00 AM: 9:25 AM: 12:00 PM: 12:20 PM: 1:15 PM: 2:00 PM:
Night Before:
Reserve your kayak rentals online if you don’t have your own
Morning:
Wake-up call! Again, let’s make your coffee and pack up your cooler!
Hit the road with the goal of getting to Blue Springs around 8:45 AM. Take pit stops as needed.
At The Springs:
Pick up your kayaks at the main entrance – no need for a shuttle, you’re not going too far.
Enter the springs, and again, this is a marathon, not a sprint. Take your time exploring. Blue Springs is known for their high manatee count this time of year.
Midday:
Unload, grab your cooler and hit the picnic seating area to enjoy a quick snack with incredible views. Nothing too heavy though, you have lunch plans.
Walk around the hiking area for a bit. Take in the views and head to the manatee viewing area if you haven’t gotten your fill yet.
Lunch Stop:
Hopefully you are feeling up for seafood! Stop by Nice N Easy Oyster Bar & Grille for some top-notch oysters.
Afternoon:
Hit the road back home, the rest of the day is up to you. The world is your oyster! (pun intended)
Rainbow Springs State Park
Rainbow Springs State Park is the kind of place that makes you stop and wonder if Florida is actually showing off. The water is so clear it looks fake, and at a cool 72°F year-round, it’s perfect for swimming, snorkeling or floating around while pretending to be productive. The park’s got everything: lush nature trails, legit waterfalls (yes, waterfalls in Florida) and plenty of spots to throw down a picnic blanket.
Whether you’re paddling through the stunning scenery or just taking it all in, Rainbow Springs is pure perfection. But if you haven’t caught on yet, we’re getting in the water.
6:30 AM: 7:00 AM: 9:35 AM: 9:50 AM:
Night Before:
Reserve your kayak rentals online if you don’t have your own (I know, repetitive).
Morning:
Can we just assume you know what to do? No? Okay. Wake up! Make coffee! Pack a cooler! Bring a blanket this time.
Hit the road with the goal of getting to Rainbow Springs around 9:20 AM. Take pit stops as needed.
At The Springs:
Pick up your kayaks at the main entrance.
Enter the springs, and you know the drill: A marathon, not a sprint. Rainbow Springs is home to some incredible wildlife and with water so clear, you’ll be able to see it all.
Midday:
12:30 PM: 1:15 PM: 2:00PM:
Drop off your kayaks, grab your cooler and that blanket previously mentioned – you’re setting up a picnic! Or if you want to be boring and less romantic, there are picnic tables available.
Lunch Stop:
Swing by Pavarotti’s Pizza & Restaurant for the best pie in town. You deserve it.
Afternoon:
And this is where I bid you farewell. Safe travels and happy Valentine’s Day!
BE MY… SITUATIONSHIP?
Love (and confusion) is in the air this holiday season — with boxes full of chocolate (and delusion), flower bouquets (and deceit), and kisses being given as gifts this Valentine’s Day.
Themed “V-Day” candies with the phrasing “Be mine,” “I love you,” and … “Be my secret” are engraved on the background of colorful heart-shaped sweetness, although the sentiment is awfully bitter.
The infamous one-day celebration that is made for lovers (and the joy of the capitalist) has made its orbit around the sun yet again with you either lingering in anticipation, at the joy of celebrating your lover — or you existing in the empire of unease as you wonder if your “situationship” is finally going to promote you to the exclusive title of being their partner. The lack of clarification the last six months has really put a damper on the initial promises they made amid the honeymoon phase — where feelings were adamant and euphoric.
These acts of passion — the constant reassurance, the time spent together, the inside jokes you both shared — led to the deep smile lines that formed on your face, which seemingly began to fade. You’re slightly puzzled as your feelings were (and always have been) true, so you knew this all couldn’t be a calculated facade of emotions…
Right?
It’s a thought you brush away quickly but a possibility that you can’t shake as you have knowingly (but inadvertently) committed yourself to a non-committed relationship that has all the perks of a partnership … but without the emotional stability or explicit boundaries that typically come when you sign the covenant of devotion. But you didn’t sign up for that one but signed a contract that comes with commitment issues.
A situationship.
If you’re not chronically bound to the epilogue of the internet or the cesspool that is modern day dating, you may not even understand what I’m refer -
encing and are likely to have questions as to what this romantic sensation is.
In the “Women’s Health” article, “Being In A Situationship Has Its Pros and Cons: Here’s What To Do If You’re In One, Per Experts,” Jess Carbino defines it as “a romantic relationship that lacks commitment and the associated norms and expectations.”
As a dating and relationship sociologist, Carbino has worked directly with popular dating apps, such as Tinder and Bumble, and has had a direct insight into present-day dating, as she has led the research for both and organized hundreds of focus groups around the world, grasping for direct motivations for seekers and those who desire to be sought-after.
My initial thoughts when hearing about this term were that it was simply the contemporary of a “friends with benefits” pact. But after much investigation and testimonies from friends and peers, I’ve got to say it’s something a bit more sinister than your typical exchange of coitus with a few laughs and a handshake at the end.
In many cases, a situationship is formed with the belief (by at least one of the parties involved) that this connection will end in a monogamous relationship because it is fueled by sweet-nothings, dishonest vows and a prolonged period of involvement with each other.
It’s kind of like dangling a carrot in front of a starving rabbit with no intent to feed it… and that would get PETA called on you… so why would you do that to another human?
I digress.
I also must note that this practice is completely different from your casual dating experience, and it’s also separate from the latter, where the line in the sand is undoubtedly drawn and no confusion exists between two consenting adults.
The parallel in these two scenarios is that the communication is effective and unambiguous off the bat. In a situationship, the dynamic is often unbalanced and rooted in self-righteous aims that come at no expense to the beneficiary.
A poll conducted by YouGov last year revealed half of Americans who are between the ages of 18 to 34 have classified themselves as being in a situationship:
“Seeing how these situationships begin, the survey highlights diverse routes. More than half of situationships began in person (55%). However, the role of digital platforms is also significant, with social media acting as a catalyst in 17% of situationships,” according to the YouGov website.
“The survey underscores the evolving landscape of relationships among U.S. adults, with situationships emerging as a notable trend, especially among younger demographics. While in-person interactions remain the predominant way these relationships begin, the influence of digital platforms is undeniable.”
Certainly, social media has significantly impacted courting today, but I wouldn’t be too quick to deem it as the “antichrist” when it comes to entanglements, as this deterioration is simply a reflection of the conglomerate of prospects.
In the Women’s Health article, Carbino, who wrote her dissertation on dating in the 21st century, shines the bat signal to those who may be unaware that they’re even in this covenant.
“One of the cardinal signs of a situationship is that… the person is not integrated into other social relationships, i.e. friends and family,” said Carbino.
I know this statement may have stung for some, but are you really telling me it’s been eight months and none of their friends or family know you even exist?
(And you weren’t even a tad suspicious?)
Cambino also notes, “Longer situationships are often not very promising because it often signifies a lack of desire of at least one party to move the relationship into a different, more committed state.”
This is just one of the first red flags of many, as Saba Harouni Lurie, a licensed marriage and family therapist, added, “If you find out that your significant other is romantically or sexually involved with other people — and you’re surprised by this information — you might be in a situationship. Even within a couple that practices ethical non-monogamy, ideally, there would be clear and defined boundaries in place so that all parties stay informed and can consent to the boundaries of the relationship.”
Premeditated lapses in communication and constant goal-post shifts in expectancy contribute to the collapse of these flimsy arrangements.
These are just some of the messes that can come along with this disproportionate affair, that even Bounty may have trouble picking up.
Even my current binge of “Sex in the City” (which aired over 25 years ago) has shown me that this enigma isn’t exclusive to the present day, as Carrie and Mr. Big were the poster children for it.
The normalization of these breaches in intimacy isn’t foreign; it has just been exacerbated by real stories, in real time, by real people, who coined a term that’s catchy and relatable.
The 10-minute-long “Get Ready With Me” videos and bedside rants on TIkTok and Instagram, also offer a diverse perspective on the lives of strangers who also fell victim to the confines of a situationship — with viewers’ trauma bonding throughout the comments about their shared betrayal.
(We may be a divisive country, but heartbreak is unfortunately one thing we all seem to relate to.)
If you’ve read the entirety of this article and you’re actively in a situationship (that is mutually beneficial for both of you), pay no mind to my chastisement. My prudence comes from witnessing shedded tears and faded smiles from friends and the lack of firm boundaries. This wasn’t written to condemn anyone — except the people who enjoy contributing to shattered hearts with no remorse — but to empower the people out there who are constantly caught in a crossfire of mixed signals and manipulation.
It’s a New Year, and we’re two months in; it’s never too late to drop that dead weight.
“DUMP THEM!”
This year, I really want you to release yourself from the shackles of the “what ifs” and the chronic confusion that comes with that one specific person that everyone has told you (for ages) to “let go.”
Happy Valentine’s Day, lovers!
Your Love Tattoos
Leda the Cheetah
“I LUV BEIN’ BAD”
Love means never having to say you’re sorry.
Donna
“Love you to Infinity”
My husband passed in 2017 and I got this tat a few months later. The date is our wedding date.
“Love Letter”
Check “no” with two roses done by Endia Evans.
Evelyn Jackson
COMEDY
FEB. 1
First Coast Comedy
The Main Event, 7:30 p.m.
Adult Show (21+ only), 10 p.m.
Secret Stand-Up Show (21+ only), 11:59 p.m.
First Coast Comedy firstcoastcomedy.com
FEB. 7
Sal Vulcano
Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
Hester Ross
Cafe Eleven. St. Augustine Beach originalcafe11.com
FEB. 7-8
First Coast Comedy
The Main Event, 7:30 p.m.
Adult Show (21+ only), 10 p.m.
Secret Stand-Up Show (21+ only), 11:59 p.m. First Coast Comedy firstcoastcomedy.com
FEB. 8
Hope Flood & Friends
Ritz Theatre & Museum ritzjacksonville.com
Clean Comedy Series
Murray Hill Theatre murrayhilltheatre.com
Becky Robinson
Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxevents.com
FEB. 13
Blue Jay Comedy Night
Blue Jay LIstening Room bluejayjax.com
FEB. 14
Don’t Tell Comedy
Somewhere in Riverside (even if we knew we wouldn’t tell you) donttellcomedy.com
FEB. 14-15
First Coast Comedy
The Main Event, 7:30 p.m.
Adult Show (21+ only), 10 p.m.
Secret Stand-Up Show (21+ only), 11:59 p.m.
First Coast Comedy firstcoastcomedy.com
FEB. 15
Giggly Squad Live: Club Giggly St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com
FEB. 20
River City Comedy Showcase
Voodoo Brewing eventbrite.com
FEB. 21
Comedy Crushers
The Justice Pub eventbrite.com
FEB. 21-22
First Coast Comedy
The Main Event, 7:30 p.m.
Adult Show (21+ only), 10 p.m.
Secret Stand-Up Show (21+ only), 11:59 p.m.
First Coast Comedy firstcoastcomedy.com
FEB. 28
Don’t Tell Comedy
Somewhere in Riverside (even if we knew we wouldn’t tell you) donttellcomedy.com
FEB. 28-MARCH 1
First Coast Comedy
The Main Event, 7:30 p.m.
Adult Show (21+ only), 10 p.m.
First Coast Comedy firstcoastcomedy.com
Words by Kaili Cochran
2025 MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS
Calling all bookworms! Whether you’re into fantasy & romance, historical fiction, mystery & thriller, sci-fi or selfhelp books: here is a list of book recommendations based on some of the most anticipated books of 2025. These books were picked based on GoodReads statistics, Barnes and Noble’s Most Anticipated List, “The New York Times” best sellers and Amazon’s Trending Books.
So without further ado: open your GoodReads app and let’s add more books to your “to be read” list.
Fantasy & Romance Books
Release date: April 22, 2025
Alice Scott is a writer waiting to get her big break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer prize-winning writer. When this story takes place, they both find themselves on Little Crescent Island for the same reason: to write about a long-lost former princess, Margaret. Well, someone who claims to be her, anyhow. Margaret comes from one of the most storied and scandalous families of the 20th century. This story could be career-changing for Alice or Hayden, whoever gets to publish it. Once they meet Margaret on the island, they’re both given different pieces of her story to work with. They know they can’t exchange information with the enemy: each other. But every time they’re in the same room it seems as if there’s an invisible string that is pulling at them.
“Great Beautiful Big Life” won’t be published for two, almost three, months from now but still received a lot of attention during the beginning of 2025. It made the GoodReads “Most Anticipated Releases” list and was shelved by over a thousand GoodRead readers as “want to read.” Also, on January 10, the New York Times released a podcast with Gilbert Cruz and Joumana Khatibon discussing the most anticipated books of 2025. In this podcast, they featured “Great Beautiful Big Life” as one of them.
I haven’t read a fantasy book since middle school when I binge-read the entire “The Land Of Stories” series. Now that I’m older, I’m more of a mystery & thriller reader. But let me tell you, The Empyrean series is pulling me back into reading more of the fantasy genre. Long story short, after researching this series for this write-up, I now have the first two books in my Amazon cart.
Onyx Storm is a follow-up book to “Fourth Wing” and “Iron Flame” from the series: The Empyrean. This series continues the journey of Violet Sorrengail at the Basgiath War College. At the beginning of the series, she gets thrown into being trained as one of the next dragon riders. Which seemed like an impossible challenge given Violet’s smaller physique (not to mention that at this college you either graduate or die trying.) Fast forward to “Onyx Storm,” Violet has to take all the skills she’s learned and fight against a war that could destroy everything — her dragons, her family, her home and him. And frankly, not everything is going to survive that storm.
As of this writing, “Onyx Storm” is No. 2 on Amazon’s “Best Seller” and No.1 on Barnes and Noble’s Most Anticipated Fiction. Sidenote: the first book in this series, “Fourth Wing,” won the GoodReads Choice Award for Readers’ Favorite Romantasy of 2023.
Historic Fiction Books
On Shelves Now
A “New York Times” best-selling author tells a story that travels back and forth between 1930s Egypt with Charlotte, a former archaeologist and 1970s New York City with Annie, an assistant for a “Vogue” fashion editor. When they’re lives are at the most chaotic they’ve been, they both end up at a Met Gala where a valuable artifact goes missing and signs of an awakening curse begin to form. Charlotte and Annie cross paths and have to search for the missing antique facing many challenges of their pasts along the way.
This book hits almost every genre: horror, fantasy, historical fiction and thriller. At that point, you may be wondering how I chose which genre to include it under. Well, on GoodReads, it took the #1 spot for Historic Fiction to Look Forward to in 2025, so I decided to let that speak for itself. It also received No. 5 across the board on Barnes and Noble’s MMost Anticipated Books of 2025, which accounted for all genres.
No one knows of the Wayward girls. You’re not supposed to. Wayward girls are young pregnant teens who are sent by their families to the Wellwood House to be hidden away while they carry to term and have their child. Then they are forced to put their newborn up for adoption and come home like the pregnancy had never happened. This story takes place in 1970, when 15-year-old Fern is sent to the Wellwood House all alone to be one of the next Wayward girls to carry a pregnancy that never happened. But not everything goes to plan when she eventually meets a librarian who gives her a book about witchcraft. As she dives into the powerful pages of this book, she is finally in control of her fate for the first time. But power can destroy as easily as it can create.
On Shelves Now
On Shelves Now
Mystery & Thriller Books
Release date: February 4, 2025
Grady Green is a writer and has some exciting news to share with his wife, Abby. He calls her as she’s driving home from work one day but during their conversation, he hears the sound of screeching brakes, then her car door opening and then silence. He finds her car by the edge of a cliff with its driver door still open. But everything else was in place as if his wife vanished into thin air. A year later, no one knows what happened to Abby and it’s all Grady can think about. His whole life has been flipped upside down. He can’t sleep or write so he decides to take time to travel and get his life back together. It’s time for a new start. But once he arrives at his new destination he runs into someone who looks exactly like his missing wife and now his life has done another 180.
Giovanni Rossi was part of a secret organization called The Twelve. He responded to an urgent request but when got in the waiting car he died within minutes. Lt. Eve Dallas finds this cold case aggravating as everything leads her to a dead end. But just as all seems lost, she learns that a man named Summerset was himself one of The Twelve and is still alive. When asked to share what he knows, Summerset doesn’t want to revisit that part of his past. That’s when he gets word from a cryptic message from Giovanni’s killer that says that others from The Twelve have also been killed off and Summerset is one of the last ones alive.
Science-Fiction Books
On Shelves Now
Nonie is the main character in this book who finds that her family and a group of researchers are all that’s left in almost a fully abandoned New York City. All the glaciers have melted and they’re surrounded by water. They have a settlement on top of the American Museum of Natural History and that’s what they call home in a world that’s been turned upside down. During this story, a superstorm hits their settlement and they have to flee to survive. In their journey of finding a new place to settle they encounter other civilizations who have approached surviving in different forms. Throughout this book you will be taken on a dystopian world-like journey of those who survive. All Nonie has ever known is being surrounded by water.
Release date: May 20, 2025
Elizabeth, Andy, Logan and Brooke are all given an opportunity to revisit any part of their past. But only for an hour. When 60 minutes are up they are left stranded in the past. They’ve all experienced traumas and want to go into the past to revisit the times before now. Elizabeth wants to see her son again who had died in an accident. Andy wants to find his first love who seamlessly disappeared. Logan wants to be able to feel the emotions of riding a wave in the ocean since a tragic accident had landed him in a wheelchair. Brooke wants an hour of relief from a grave mistake. As they all go back into the past they find that it’s not everything that it seems. Someone else is there too, planting harmful seeds.
Self-Help Books
On Shelves Now
This book was released at the end of 2024 and I added it in the 2025 most anticipated because this book was sold out immediately upon hitting the bookstores — and even now in 2025 people are still searching for copies of this book.
“The Let Them Theory” focuses on the importance of your own opinion above anyone else’s when it comes to your life. Are people judging you? Let them. Are people causing drama around you? Let them. There’s a party that your friend group is going to and you weren’t invited? Let them. The Let Them Theory is letting go of pleasing everyone around you and putting yourself first again.
Release date: April 22, 2025
This book is a guide to journaling and meditation. Suleika explains how the art of journaling can help tap into your inner creativity. She accompanies her personal experience with firsthand research from writers, artists and thinkers who share how journaling has proved to help them as well.
POLITICAL SCHEMES AND THE TIKTOK BAN
In the weeks leading up to the TikTok ban, there were faint glimmers of hope that it might be delayed. But alas, influencers who had risen to fame on the endlessly addictive platform began bidding their followers goodbye; Red Note quickly claimed the top spot in the app store; and on Jan. 19, TikTok disappeared from the digital shelves. For a brief moment, everyone was left wondering: What’s next? Well, at least that’s what everyone was thinking for about 12 hours. One second, the app was populating the message “Sorry, TikTok Isn’t available right now” to hours later stating “Welcome back!”
I had just begun to accept the loss of the app and was honestly looking forward to maybe gaining back some of my attention span by digesting longform media. And that’s actually what this article was going to focus on, on the return of YouTube (not that it really ever left), blog posts (still passionate about bringing back myspace but that’s a whole other article) and other media that’s longer than the 1-minute clips we are so used to on TikTok. But with the temporary ban lifted, 75-day extension to be exact, I have to do my due diligence as a journalist and dive into how this TikTok “ban” is all a part of a political scheme by President Donald J. Trump.
Before I dive into the current climate, let’s briefly take it back to when the bill to ban the app was first introduced into Congress and why it was introduced.
U.S. politicians’ unrest with the app began in Sept. 2019 when the “Washington Post” published an article that raised questions about how images of Hong Kong democracy protests and severe police involvement were present on most apps except for TikTok. However, within the same article, the “Washington Post” reported that posts on TikTok that used the #trump2020 received roughly 70 million views. In response, TikTok stated that content moderation is done in the U.S. Further, they added that the app’s sole purpose is to entertain and is not a place for politics. Within the same month, “The Guardian” revealed internal documents that detailed how TikTok instructs its moderators to delete or limit the reach of video topics that were sensitive to China, in their article “Revealed: how TikTok censors videos that do not please Beijing.”
Sound the alarm bells. With these articles and information, U.S. politicians began to question TikTok’s influence and called for federal investigations of its Musical.ly investment and a national security probe into TikTok and other Chinese-owned apps. That investigation began in November of 2019.
In July 2020, after India banned TikTok and other Chinese apps due to a border clash with China, Trump stated he was considering banning TikTok in retaliation to China’s supposed mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Then in the following month, Trump issued a vague executive order banning American companies from completing transactions with ByteDance and any affiliates, then issued a second order days later demanding that ByteDance divest itself from TikTok’s U.S. operations in 90 days. TikTok retaliated by suing the Trump administration for violating due process. Come November 2020, Biden was elected president and while Trump still planned to force a sale of TikTok, the orders and demands unraveled under Biden as he postponed the legal case.
From 2020 to 2023, talks of banning the app quieted down, but that didn’t stop politicians and news sites from sharing reports and statements that pointed out what was wrong with the app. It also didn’t stop TikTok from becoming the most downloaded app in the world beating Instagram. Cue the classic game of cat and mouse. When “The Wall Street Journal” reported that TikTok algorithms can flood teen’s pages with harmful narratives, TikTok clapped back with a new rule that would deter the spread of harmful content. Buzzfeed reported that China-based ByteDance employees have unlimited access to nonpublic information from U.S. users; TikTok announced the switch in its user data to U.S. servers managed by the U.S. tech firm Oracle.
In February of 2023, FBI Director Christopher Wray raised national security concerns over TikTok, stating that Chinese officials could manipulate the app’s algorithm to work in spreading their own propaganda. Funnily enough, TikTok isn’t even available in mainland China. They have their own TikTok that goes by the name Douyin that debuted in September 2016. The following month legislators put TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew through a six-hour congressional hearing. In short, Chew had to repeatedly confirm that he is a Singaporean citizen and has never been affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party as he is…Singaporean. This hearing should have been enough to confirm that TikTok and ByteDance are not tools for the Chinese government, but come March 2024 the House of Representatives passes the TikTok ban-or-sell bill. In April 2024, Biden signs the bill and then in May TikTok and ByteDance sue the U.S. federal government stating that the sell-or-ban law is unconstitutional.
Here’s where things get interesting. In June 2024 Trump downloaded and made an account on TikTok to post campaign-related content. Then as president-elect, Trump asked the Supreme Court to pause the TikTok ban until his administration could pursue a “political resolution.”
The irony in all of this is that the idea of banning TikTok started with Trump. Sure, you could argue that it was the FBI’s raised national security concerns or the politician’s worries over harmful content, that initiated this ban. But the truth is, no one seriously talked about a ban until Trump brought it up.
Despite the clear violation of First Amendment rights—and the fact that millions of Americans rely on TikTok for income, including small businesses using it to grow their brands—the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the federal law banning TikTok on Jan. 17, 2025. The ruling requires the app to be sold to an American parent company, failure of so would result with a ban set to take effect on Jan. 19, just one day before President-elect Trump’s inauguration.
And on Jan. 18, one day before the ban was to take effect, TikTok shut down.
Let’s circle back to those TikTok-populated messages that showed up on Jan. 18. It didn’t just say “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now” but further went on to say “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate
And then 12 hours later when the app resumed its normal scheduling, the populated message read as follows: “Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.! You can
Within the rush of how exciting it was to have the app back up and running, I think everyone overlooked the fact that a mass media platform that reaches 170 million Americans just publicly endorsed a politician. And not just any politician but the president of the United States. The same president that put the bill to ban the app in effect in the first place. Are we connecting the dots? No? Don’t worry, I have more.
Who owns Twitter, I mean X? That’s right: Elon Musk. The same Elon Musk that Trump appointed to be a part of his administration as government efficiency. There’s open reporting that X has artificially manipulated algorithms to push right-wing content. Who owns Meta? Mark Zuckerberg. According to an article published by “The New York Times,” after Zuckerberg visited Trump in November, he came back to headquarters to change policies within his apps stating that he was redirecting speech on its apps by loosening restrictions on how people can talk about controversial social issues. We also now know that Meta is getting rid of its fact-checking program and said it would instead rely on users to police falsehoods. The article also noted how changes to policies such as these would usually take time and heavily involve the cooperation of Meta employees, civic leaders and others to weigh in whereas with this change, Zuckerberg sprinted to make the changes in about six weeks. We also can’t just ignore that well before the ban took effect, government officials invested and put stock into Meta.
So, we have TikTok publicly endorsing Trump—something that has never happened in social media history—while every other major media platform is owned by a right-wing official. You can’t tell me that doesn’t seem at least a little odd. The real irony? U.S. politicians were so worried that China was using TikTok as a government tool and manipulating algorithms to push its own narrative, yet that’s exactly what U.S.-owned social media sites seem to be doing.
Now, amid Trump’s executive order of the 75-day extension on the TikTok ban, the app remains tangled in a legal battle. You may have noticed it’s no longer available in app stores, and phones with TikTok installed are being sold online for thousands. While Oracle seems confident in Trump’s political assurances, Apple and Google are taking a more cautious approach.
Congress has stayed adamant in its rule that TikTok must undergo a “qualified divestiture” from ByteDance to continue operating in the U.S., though there’s been some flexibility allowing ByteDance to retain a minority stake. Meanwhile, Chinese regulators are signaling they wouldn’t oppose a change in TikTok’s ownership.
It appears that the 12-hour ban was a strategic move—a warning shot to TikTok and ByteDance, proving just how easily Congress could pull the plug. And it worked.
THE ART CENTER COOPERATIVE tacjacksonville.org
BEACHES MUSEUM beachesmuseum.org
BUTTERFIELD GARAGE ART GALLERY butterfieldgarage.com
THE CORNER GALLERY AT THE JESSIE movingthemargins.org
CUMMER MUSEUM OF ART & GARDENS cummermuseum.org
FEMART GALLERY femartgallery.org
FIRST COAST CULTURAL CENTER firstcoastculturalcenter.org
FLAGLER COLLEGE–CRISP ELLERT MUSEUM flagler.edu
FLORIDA COMMUNITY COLLEGE AT JACKSONVILLE fscj.edu
FLORIDA MINING GALLERY floridamininggallery.com
GALLERY 725 gallery725.com
GOVERNOR’S HOUSE CULTURAL CENTER AND MUSEUM, ST. AUGUSTINE staugustine.ufl.edu
HASKELL GALLERY AT JACKSONVILLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT jaxairportarts.com
HILLARY WHITAKER GALLERY hwhitakergallery.com
JACKSONVILLE MAIN LIBRARY tacjacksonville.org
JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY ju.edu/cfa
THE LIGHTNER MUSEUM lightnermuseum.org
MOCA JACKSONVILLE mocajacksonville.unf.edu
PASTA FINE ART GALLERY pastagalleryart.com
RITZ THEATRE & MUSEUM ritzjacksonville.com
SOUTHLIGHT GALLERY southlightgallery.com
ST. AUGUSTINE ART ASSOCIATION staaa.org
STELLERS GALLERY stellersgallery.com
THRASHER-HORNE CENTER GALLERY thcenter.org
TOUCHÉ GALLERY touchegallery.com
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA unf.edu/gallery
THE VAULT AT 330 thevaultat1930.com
YELLOW HOUSE yellowhouseart.org
ONGOING Art Walk
Downtown Jacksonville lights up the first Wednesday of the month with art by local artists at hubs in James Weldon Johnson Park, The Jessie and Vagabond Flea at VyStar Tower from 5–9 p.m. Visitors can also enjoy live music, food trucks, street performers, free admission to MOCA and complimentary rides on JTA’s Skyway. dtjax.org
Fernandina Beach Arts Market
Amelia Island’s premier arts and crafts market comes alive the second and fourth Saturday of every month from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. fernandinabeachartsmarket.com
Riverside Arts Market
Artists, artisans and makers display their original paintings, jewelry, photographs, prints and other handcrafted items every Saturday — rain or shine — from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Riverside Avenue underneath the canopy of the Fuller Warren Bridge. riversideartsmarket.com
St. Augustine First Friday Artwalk
On the first Friday of every month (hence the clever name), more than 30 galleries around the Oldest City open their doors from 5–9 p.m. for visitors to browse exhibits and interact with artists. A complimentary trolley service provides transportation between downtown venues. staaa.org
Vilano Beach Artisan Market
Part beach party, part arts market, this monthly event includes works by local artists and locally-made products, as well as live music. The market takes place on the third Saturday of every month from 4-8 p.m. on A1A and Vilano Road. facebook.com/vilanobeachofficial
How Florida Became a Mecca for Pop Culture Conventions
Florida has always been known to be attractive based on its over-the-top theme parks, energetic nightlife and beautiful beaches.However, in recent years, the Sunshine State has found itself to also become a mecca for pop culture conventions. Becoming a hub for the fans of comic books, shows and movies may night have been foreseen in the Sunshine State, but it’s currently being witnessed as one of the top experiences for those who love pop culture. Megacon Orlando has grown to be one of the liveliest events in the expansion of the entertainment industry.
If you were ever in doubt of Florida’s appeal then look to see where one of the largest pop culture conventions in the Southeast is located. Megacon first made its entrance into the public eye in 1993, and today, it’s one of the biggest draws in the entertainment industry. Up to date it’s been attracting well over 100,000 attendees annually. The convention offers everything that can be imagined to create the best fandemonium experience such as meeting characters from your favorite shows or movies through celebrity panels, vendor marketplaces and amazing prize winning cosplay competitions. What makes an event such as this so significant is the warmth felt through the genuine interaction with someone who may be your favorite voice actor or legendary comic book creator.
Tom Croom, the founder of WasabiAnime, serves as leading organizer for Jacksonville’s WasabiCon convention.The event is a multiple day event which allows fans of aspiring gamers, celebrity guests and fictional series ranging from shows to movies to become immersed in the culture. Conventions throughout all of Florida have each come to create their own legacy.
“I started Wasabi Anime as an anime club in Orlando in 2001. Prior to our arrival in Jacksonville, though, our friends at a group called Fujikoma had started the city’s original anime club in 1998. When we launched in Orlando a few years later, we were encouraged to check out the Jacksonville scene for a potential for expansion,” Croom said. “By 2002, Wasabi Anime club chapters had started in both Jacksonville and Green Cove Springs. In 2004, Wasabi Anime came to Jacksonville, Florida for the first time as event runners as part of a pop culture convention called DreamCon taking place at the then-Adam’s Mark Hotel and the current Hyatt Regency. In 2010, we took over providing the anime programming for Ancient City Con (then located in Jacksonville) in its third year, and ran it for a couple of years before launching our own event, WasabiCon, in 2012,” said Croom.
Wasabicon has grown to be successful in its own way as it’s been driven to entertain and inspire the community. Conventions are typically structured to push forth creativity and the presence of content that would elevate the
inner joy in which people have when investing in the things they love. Croom created WasabiCon not only to serve Jacksonville for a few days but to cement itself as an event that will be built up year round due to pure excitement. In order to create things you must be able to invest into the foundation using the best of tools and resources.
What makes Florida such a beloved space for events such as WasabiCon and Megacon is its ability to reach out and attract different demographics through the advertisement of diversity in both interests and acceptance to all people. All the major cities in Florida ranging from Jacksonville, Tampa, Orlando and Miami have benefitted significantly due, in part, to warm weather, picturesque settings, plentiful restaurants and endless entertainment options. Economically there’s been an elevation in activity due to local businesses being presented with the opportunity to draw in larger crowds of traffic with the amount of people visiting for the convention.
Conventions such as WasabiCon and Megacon don’t just help uplift the profile of those who have an official status in the industry but also to those aspiring to make a name for themselves as well. To those who are independent and aspiring to be in the industry whether that’s as a filmmaker, writer or independent artist, a platform such as this can bring you recognition. Megacon allows for creators on all levels to be able to come together and showcase their work so that everyone in attendance — regardless if you’re a creator or a spectator — can share the common love of artistic creation. That’s what separates Wasabicon and Megacon from other conventions based on it’s capability to draw people in and align them not based on the roles they aspire to be but more so on the content in which keeps their inner child alive.
“I regularly refer to Wasabi Anime (Green Mustard Entertainment, Inc.) as a hobby gone horribly wrong,” Croom said jokingly. “My background is in theme parks, and I worked in entertainment management for both Universal Orlando and the Walt Disney World Resort. Wasabi Anime was originally designed as a club for my friends and fellow fans to have fun while making anime fandom more accessible to the mainstream. About a decade ago, I realized that I had — inadvertently — created a business… The challenges in that transition have mainly been structuring the company, as well, while maintaining the ‘fun factor’ that makes fandom what it is. And, yes, I still watch anime.”
Fostering a creative ecosystem such as Megacon can only contribute to the state’s richness in culture by allowing people to come and build platforms that will only increase in its value.
The Megacon convention hasn’t gone unnoticed since big time studios and publishing companies have established Florida as a pop culture powerhouse. Even gaming companies have found themselves to reach out and use the city’s platforms to debut new titles. As years go by the entertainment landscape for Florida only increases in both value and personal appreciation amongst fans and creators alike. Megacon just isn’t a location but rather an experience that can give people the opportunity to come together and bond over the very thing that they love.
“WasabiCon is the largest annual pop culture event in Jacksonville, Florida. Since starting in a hotel in 2012 and subsequently building local support for the acceptance of ‘geek culture,’ we’ve watched as local video games stores, barcades and similar businesses pop up in and around the city,” Croom said. “In 2023, Visit Jacksonville and the Duval County Tourist Development Council reported that WasabiCon had generated a $1.4 million impact on the city.”
If you were to describe the initial definition of culture, it would be the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively. Pop culture conventions embody every bit of wording in that definition as it draws in the gathering of those who love anime and artistic content. These conventions aren’t just a nerds excuse to dress up but rather let people feel like being a kid again. When creativity is embraced it affects not just the people but its surroundings. So if you’re looking for something that you won’t regret, check out these conventions.
NEW MUSIC RELEASES
Made For You By Amiyah Golden
THE LUMINEERS
It’s been three years since this popular folk-duo has released a full-length album, and fans are over the moon (it’s me) with glee as they hear the pair merge sounds again with “Automatic.”
I highly appreciate the release date falling on Valentine’s Day, as it’ll give me something to hyper-fixate on, as I heavily enjoy every song that The Lumineers touch.
“Phonetics On & On” is the sophomore album from Horsegirl, a rock trio that hails out of Chicago.
Their latest project will feature 11 tracks. And the early release of the single “2468” and the quirky music video that followed have me confident that this album will be a contemporary deep-dive into some fun classic sounds.
“PHONETICS ON & ON”
I’m personally so excited for this release, as Mereba has not released a studio album since 2019, and my ears are starving.
“The Breeze Grew a Fire” is only her second album but that doesn’t diminish her successes, as she has continuously proved herself with her various singles, features and her 2021 EP, “AZEB.”
“For this, it went back to me being on my own for the creation of a lot of the songs, and it was really important for me this time of life because I was a little disconnected from the world, and from who I was. So I was trying to find my way back to myself first. What do I like? What do I want to hear? What do I want to say to people now?” Mereba said in a press release.
While the titles of her 13-track project have been released with no explicit mentions of features, I wouldn’t completely write off the possibility of a surprise guest on one of these songs.
HORSEGIRL
Known best for her 2015 hit, “Here,” the Canadian singer and songwriter is releasing her fourth studio album, “Love and Hyperbole,” Feb. 14.
My loyalty to the alternative R&B singer, Neo has held strong since my middle school days and has no plans of fleeting as I anticipate her newest album, “Jupiter.”
According to a statement from RCA records, “[Nao’s] forthcoming album will explore themes of growth, abundance, and profound self-discovery, weaving together a tapestry of introspection and expansive creativity.”
Nao has demonstrated her immense vocal range, which can Segway through multiple genres with ease, as it’s so idiosyncratic yet alluring.
“I wanted to really make someone feel like they were inside my living room in 1993 but rearrange the furniture a bit. Something about combining the level of hyperreality with fairytales of devils and detectives weirdly felt like the truest way to immortalize these pieces of my family,” said Trevor Powell (the mastermind behind Youth Lagoon) in a press release about the album.
Powell’s newest musical escapade is expected to be raw and experimental, as he’s never afraid to push the bounds.
A tour also comes alongside this new era of music and will kick off in Spokane, Washington next month.
“RARELY DO I DREAM”
ALESSIA CARA
“JUPITER”
NAO
TATE MCRAE
This former “So You Think You Can Dance” finalist for the Canadian version of the popular dance competition show has made noise in recent years with her debut into pop stardom.
Her 2023 hit songs, “Greedy” and “exes,” helped her establish a more mainstream audience, with the singer and songwriter cultivating a dedicated fan base, as she continues to release pop-hits and deliver captivating visuals through her unique music videos.
McRae is often compared to the legendary Britney Spears, as many spectators make comparisons between the two based on their distinct choreography and style.
“So Close To What” is the singer’s third studio album and will be released right before her 2025 Miss Possessive Tour, which begins in March in Mexico City.
I know BANKS best from her 2014 debut album, “Goddess” which features the hit singles, “Waiting Game” and “Someone New.”
BANKS deems her latest project, “Off With Her Head” as a “big sister to Goddess” via a press statement. “After a decade apart, I’ve reunited with the core musicians and producers who shaped my debut. Yet, it also represents something entirely new, reflecting my growth as both an artist and a person.”
I’m sure we can anticipate some vulnerable insight into the mind of this singer and songwriter who treads the line of a mainstream “pop” sound while remaining authentic to self.
She also released a single with rap star Doechii last year that has found its way onto the album and displays her diversity.
the
This album will feature collaborations with Destin Conrad and Ogi — fellow alternative R&B singers — who are beginning to emerge into the limelight and rightfully so as they have established their own distinct sound.
“SO CLOSE TO WHAT”
“OFF WITH HER HEAD”
SEQUEL”
“GRIP SEQUEL” comes as
follow-up project to last year’s release of ‘GRIP’ by New York-based R&B singer serpentwithfeet.
Ty Dolla $ign, is also listed as a feature on the remix of the song, “Damn Gloves” by Baile Funk.
BANKS
FEB. 1
Beethoven & Rachmaninoff
Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxsymphony.org
Hotel Fiction
Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com
Tape B Decca Live deccalive.com
Seventh Day Slumber & more
Murray Hill Theatre murrayhilltheatre.com
Black Drum Reunion
Underbelly underbellyjax.com
FEB. 2
A1A: Jimmy Buffett Tribute Show Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
Adam Hawley
Ritz Theatre & Museum ritzjacksonville.com
Soulful Sounds ft. Acute Inflections
Friday Musicale acuteinflections.com
Homegrown Losers
Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
FEB. 4
Glenn Miller Orchestra
Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxevents.com
FEB. 5
Evil Woman—The American ELO
Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts fscjartistseries.org
Burton Cummings of the The Guess Who Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
So Good! The Neil Diamond Experience
Thrasher-Horne Center, Orange Park thcenter.org
Songs From the Road Band
Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com
Boyd & Miller Underbelly underbellyjax.com
FEB. 6
Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular
Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
CONCERTS
Fort Mose Historic State Park, St. Augustine discoverfortmose.com
904 Jazz Organ Trio
Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com
YDG
Myth Nightclub mythexperience.com
FEB. 6-7
A Journey Through Symphonic Americana
Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxsymphony.org
FEB. 7
Kem
Fort Mose Historic State Park, St. Augustine discoverfortmose.com
R&B Invitation Tour
Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxevents.com
Shawn Pfaffman
Blue Jay LIstening Room bluejayjax.com
Crespo Decca Live deccalive.com
Snarky Puppy
CONCERTS
Palace Rats
Jack Rabbits
jaxlive.com
FEB. 8
MJ Live: Michael Jackson Tribute
Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
Tower of Power Fort Mose Historic State Park, St. Augustine discoverfortmose.com
Lauren Woodall Band/Tori Nance
Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
Morgan Myles
Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com
FEB. 9
The Hindley Street Country Club
Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxevents.com
Camping in Alaska & more
Underbelly underbellyjax.com
FEB. 10
Drive-by Truckers
Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
FEB. 11
Alice Cooper St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com
Bold City Classics
Casa Marina Hotel 904tix.com
The Chris O’Leary Band
Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine Beach original11cafe.com
Takács Quartet
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Fernandina Beach aicmf.org
FEB. 12
The Bronx Wanderers
Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
The Ozark Mountain Daredevils
Thrasher-Horne Center, Orange Park thcenter.org
Toronzo Cannon
Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine Beach original11cafe.com
FEB. 13
Balkan Night
Decca Live deccalive.com
Kayo Ishimaru and Simon Shiao Friday Musicale fridaymusicale.com
Taylor Austin Dye & guests Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
Seth Glier
Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine Beach original11cafe.com
FEB. 14
TOBYMAC
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jaxevents.com
The Four Phantoms
Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts fscjartistseries.org
Dinner Party ft. Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper and Kamasi Washington
Fort Mose Historic State Park, St. Augustine discoverfortmose.com
Gipsy Kings ft. Nicolas Reyes
St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com
Crescendo Amelia Big Band
Blue Jay LIstening Room bluejayjax.com
Uncle Lucius
Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
Zulu & more
Underbelly underbellyjax.com
FEB. 15
Macy Gray
Fort Mose Historic State Park, St. Augustine discoverfortmose.com
The Coral Reefer Band Daily’s Place dailysplace.com Violins Of Hope Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxsymphony.org
Ship Wrek Decca Live deccalive.com
Love Stinks
Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
Stop Light Observations Underbelly underbellyjax.com
Unlimited Devotion
Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine Beach original11cafe.com
FEB. 15-16
Chicago Farmer Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com
FEB. 16
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band Fort Mose Historic State Park, St. Augustine discoverfortmose.com
Bit Brigade
Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
Super Garlin Brothers Underbelly underbellyjax.com
Candlelight ft. “Romeo and Juliet” & more
Jacksonville Main Library candlelightexperience.com
FEB. 17
Taylor Roberts & Friends
Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com
Born of Osiris & more
Underbelly underbellyjax.com
FEB. 18
Chris Botti
Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
Purple Kiss
Ritz Theatre & Museum ritzjacksonville.com
The Steel Wheels
Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
Agent Orange Kona Clubhouse konaskatepark.com
FEB. 19
Braxton Keith Decca Live deccalive.com
Sarah Shook & The Disarmers
Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com
Satisfaction: Rolling Stones Tribute Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine Beach original11cafe.com
FEB. 19-20
Willie Nelson & Friends
St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com
FEB. 20
Mania: The ABBA Tribute
Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
The Main Squeeze & more
Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
FEB. 21
Tropadelic Underbelly underbellyjax.com
FEB. 21-22
Soul Kings
Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxsymphony.org
Moors & McCumber
Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com
FEB. 22
Seawalk Music Festival Seawalk Pavilion communityfirstseawalkmusicfest.com
Wallow
St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com
The Gospel According to Ritz Voices
Ritz Theatre & Museum ritzjacksonville.com
Palaye Royale 5 fivejax.com
Tom McDermott w/Molly Sweet Friday Musicale fridaymusicale.com
Almost
Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
Candlelight: A Tribute to Adele
Jacksonville Main Library candlelightexperience.com
Joe Nester & more
Murray Hill Theatre murrayhilltheatre.com
Ryan Montbleau w/David Jacobs-Strain Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine Beach original11cafe.com
FEB. 23
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
Lullaby of the Rivers
St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com
Alexandra Kay 5 fivejax.com
Southpaw & more
Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
Jeff Rosenstock & others Underbelly underbellyjax.com
Jeremy Denk Ritz Carlton-Amelia Island aicmf.org
Bennett, Lane, Walker & Friends Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine Beach originalcafe11.com
FEB. 25
Robin Trower Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
Blippi: Join The Band Tour! Thrasher-Horne Center, Orange Park thcenter.org
John Moreland w/Jordan Foley Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com
FEB. 26
Matt Pless & Friends Underbelly underbellyjax.com
Doolin’ Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine Beach originalcafe11.com
FEB. 27
Black V Neck Decca Live deccalive.com
Rockabilly Revue
Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
Joey Harkum Underbelly underbellyjax.com
FEB. 28
Mitch McVicker & more
Murray Hill Theatre murrayhilltheatre.com
The Kruger Brothers Walker’s Landing, Amelia Island aicmf.org
FEB. 28 Dirtwire 5 fivejax.com
Bearly Dead Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
Alice Wallace and Christopher
James
Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine Beach originalcafe11.com
MARCH
APRIL
the band that spans across city lines
Empty Register
Words & photos by Amiyah Golden
A couple months back, I was enjoying a night that was filled with a variety of tunes under the Riverside Arts Market Bridge. As I watched the next group prepare for their set, the static flow of expectancy was instead disrupted by something rousing. What started off with a nod of slight hesitancy by the front-runner was instantly morphed into this electrifying assembly of assurance that was further exhilarated by the energy from the crowd.
The clicks of my camera shutter began to slow down, as I allowed myself to melt into this groovy sound, that was so unsuspecting yet fortified by their explicit display of talent. After all, I was at a punk show so to hear a perfect rendition of ‘Freaking Out the Neighborhood’ by Mac Demarco was riveting for me.
In front of me stood five friends who were jamming for the pure joy of it - as expressed through their exchanged smiles through the glow of the colored lights.
I vividly remember my friend and I establishing that we would become the founders of their fan club, as we were blown away by their talent. Our mouths stayed agape until they took their final pluck and the last echo of the snare resounded.
One of my favorite pastimes will always be stumbling across talent. Whether that’s through a friend, the fated fortune of a Spotify queue recommendation, or those evenings when expectations are foregone and you’re met with the privilege of a mind-blowing sound.
The entire night was filled with many talents, but I had to specifically know who this group was composed of (and how I could get an entire playlist filled with them playing live.)
As the night came to an end, I searched for the stars that had left their mark earlier on the concrete stage. I spotted one of the members amongst the crowd and I had to make sure I didn’t leave without hurling their praises. I was introduced to Sage who took our acclaim modestly (but if I had the ability to do half of what they did, I would be carrying a guitar everywhere I went just to bask in my own knack.)
They were an absolute gem and their energy was a reflection of something so self-effacing.
This was the commonality amongst the rest of the quintet, as a couple months later, I was able to finally meet the rest of the personalities that made up Empty Register. We sat down to discuss their origins, aspirations, and their sole - and collective - love for music.
I was welcomed into a cozy apartment that was being prepped for the nightly affairs of a celebratory performance for the recently graduated Sage.
I was formally introduced to the rest of the band: Hunter, Charlie, and Eliwith the exception of Justyn who unfortunately couldn’t make it - and two lovely cats who I now reserve as the unofficial mascots. Present was also Gabriel, who was tabbed as an honorary member.
Immediately, that seismic energy that flowed from the stage months prior saturated the room as this interview turned into a standard gathering among friends.
Amps and guitar cases filled the living room with anticipation as there was never a bad moment to jam; especially when fleeting moments lingered upon them, as this band wasn’t afforded the luxury of close-proximity. This fusion of music lovers couldn’t always be together, as distance and individual pursuits separated them often: Eli and Charlie both living in Gainesville for work, Justyn and Hunter in Tallahassee to further their education, and Sage as a new postgraduate residing in Jacksonville.
However, these miles that disjoined them physically had no effect on the sound or relationship they had constituted. Their idiomatic reverence for music, combined with their insane rhythmic abilities made the time apart bearable. Their collaborative playlists on Spotify and shared audio files also help to flesh out their ideas across the city lines.
This receptiveness is evident in their sound as they embrace the inclination to explore various genres. But this seems to have been instilled in them at a young age, as Hunter’s mom was the chorus teacher at the high school that Justyn and Sage both attended and his dad was a jazz musician growing up. Sage’s father also was intertwined in the music world as he formerly owned the recording studio, Vision Sound in Orange Park. Charlie’s initial introduction to music came in fifth grade as she began to play the piano and Eli picked up his first guitar in high school.
While they all have their preferred devices to use, they are all well-rounded in the capacity to interchange their roles. With Charlie, a.k.a “CharLEAD” being the lead guitarist, Eli on bass but also providing backing vocals when needed, Hunter with the rhythm guitar and also supplying vocals, Justyn on the drums and delivering the “best harmonies,” as cited by the band in his absence and Sage on the bass and the usual front-runner.
The communal virtuosity keeps their sound eccentric as they welcome suggestions and funky time signatures.
The prohibition of a tyrant helps breed joint creativity, as subjective preferences don’t subtract but add.
“If I was the dictator of sound…” Hunter chuckles off.
The room rings with laughter as they crack jokes as to what Empty Register would look like if solely run by him, as it would likely be nurtured under a more classic sound.
“I wouldn’t play in wacky ass time signatures if I was.” chimed Eli, who relished in the sounds of bands such as The National, The Smiths, and Blondie.
This ignited a conversation about musical predilection and influence: Sage is heavily inspired by the indie-pop group, Alvvays while also having a high regard for the jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery; and Charlie’s fervor is rooted in bands with a grunge sound such as Covet, Hail the Sun, and their favorite band (ever), See You Space Cowboy.
The range they have is why it’s so hard to confine their sound to a rigid box.
“It’s not meant to be described,” said Sage.
“It’s like a water ripple,” backed Hunter.
And I have to agree with Hunter, as that’s the best way to describe the wave of sentiment I felt when I first heard them play; and as they pulled out their guitars again, that same feeling washed over me.
“I heard a quote one time,” said Sage. “If art is how we decorate space, music is how we decorate time.”
While this group of individuals have no current plans to capitalize off of their gifts, as they have real-life career goals - and a disdain for the record industry- it won’t stop their creativity as they plan to release more music in the near future.
Their incentives dwell in the freedom to create without limitations, share in giggles as Hunter does his arsenal of impressions, and vibe out within the presence of each other when time allows.
It doesn’t take away from the extreme talent that they possess - collectively and as one - and if they ever decided to pursue this full-time, they would have no problem succeeding (as Empty Register has my full support as the president of their fan club.)
To keep up with their new releases and shows you can follow them on the platforms below:
Instagram: @emptyregisterband
Spotify: Empty Register
Apple Music: Empty Register
Cajun Crab Juice Seafood & Bar Jax cajuncrabjax.com
Cliff’s Bar & Grill cliffsbarandgrill.com
El Fogón de Munchies facebook.com/elfogonMunchiesBoricuas
Fancy Sushi & Grill Japanese Restaurant fancysushiandgrill.com
Fuji Sushi fujisushi-fl.com
The Good Place Nutrition facebook.com/thegoodplacenutrition
ABBQ abbqmeatdrink.com
Anejo anejococinamexicana.com
Angie’s Subs facebook.com/angiessubs
Aqua Grill aquagrill.net
Azurea at One Ocean azurearestaurant.com
Barbara Jean’s on the Water barbarajeansonthewater.com
Caffe Andiamo caffeandiamo.com
Cantina Louie cantinalouie.com
Coop 303 coop303.com
Cruisers Grill cruisersgrill.com
Dockside Seafood docksideseafoodrestaurant.com
Dos Vatos Tacos dosvatostacosfl.com
Eleven South elevensouth.com Engine 15 Brewing Company engine15.com
European Street Cafe europeanstreet.com
Grinders American Diner grindersamdiner.com
Lauren’s Jazz, Blues & Seafood facebook.com/laurensseafoodbluesjazz
La Palmerita orderlapalmerita.com
Palms Fish Camp palmsfishcamp.com
Pupuseria El Paraíso pupuseriaelparaisojax.com
Rice + Noodles Korean Restaurant riceandnoodles.net
The Fish Company Restaurant and Oyster Bar thefishcojax.com
Flying Iguana Taqueria & Tequila Bar flyingiguana.com
The G.O.A.T. Tapas & Bar thegoatjax.com
GROM facebook.com/Grom904
Hawkers eathawkers.com
JJ’s Liberty Bistro jjbistro.com/ponte-vedra
Kamiya 86 kamiya86fl.com
Lone Wolf Co. lonewolfjax.com
Marker 32 marker32.com
Mezzaluna mezzalunajax.com
Mojo Kitchen mojobbq.com/mojo-kitchen
Nona Blue Modern Tavern nonablue.com
North Beach Fish Camp thenorthbeachfishcamp.com
Oaxaca Club theoaxacaclub.com O-Ku o-kusushi.com
Seven Wonders Restaurant 7wondersbakery.com
Southern Coast Seafood southerncoastseafood.com
Tabouleh Cafe taboulehcafe.com
Thai & Lao Bistro thaiandlaobistro.com
The Juicy Crab thejuicycrab.com
Zen Dumpling zendumplings.com
Palm Valley Fish Camp palmvalleyfishcamp.com
Poe’s Tavern poestavern.com
Safe Harbor Seafood Market and Restaurant safeharbor-seafood.com
Salt Life Food Shack saltlifefoodshack.com
Salumeria 104 Atlantic Beach salumeria104.com
Singleton’s Seafood Shack singletonsseafood.com
Sliders Oyster Bar slidersoysterbar.com
Southern Grounds southerngrounds.com
Strings Sports Brewery stringssportsbrewery.com
TacoLu tacolu.com
Talkin’ Tacos talkintacos.net
Tequila’s Town Mexican Restaurant tequilastown.com
Two Dudes Seafood Restaurant twodudesrestaurant.com
Valley Smoke BBQ valleysmoke.com
Vicious Biscuit viciousbiscuit.com
Bellweather bellwetherjax.com
The Bread and Board thebreadandboard.com
The Brick Coffee House brickcoffeehouse.com
Cowford Chophouse cowfordchophouse.com
Casa Dora Italian Cafe facebook.com/casadorajax
De Real Ting Cafe facebook.com/derealtingcafe
Estrella Cocina estrellajax.com
Bella Vista bellavistaitalian.com
Berndt Ends BBQ facebook.com/berndtendsbbq
Blue Bamboo Canton Bistro bluebamboojacksonville.com
ChopHouse Thirteen chophouse13.com
Enza’s Italian Restaurant enzas.net
ISO ISO Ramen isoisoramen.com
Julington Creek Fish Camp julingtoncreekfishcamp.com
Bold Birds Nashville Hot Chicken boldbirdshotchicken.com
Buchner’s Bierhall buchnersbierhalle.com
The Butt Hutt Smokehouse butthuttjax.com
Chancho King chanchoking.com
The Dreamette dreametteicecream.com
The Happy Grilled Cheese thehappygrilledchees.wixsite.com/grilledcheese
Indochine indochinejax.com
Juliette’s Bistro at Marriott Jacksonville Downtown marriott.com
Morton’s The Steakhouse mortons.com
Ocean Street Tacos oceanstreettacos.com
On The Fly Sandwiches & Stuff (food truck) ontheflyjax.com
The River Club jaxriverclub.com
Spliff’s Gastropub spliffsgastropub.com
Super Food & Brew superfoodandbrew.com
Sweet Pete’s sweetpetescandy.com
Tavern at the Hyatt Regency hyatt.com
Kazu Japanese Restaurant kazujapaneserestaurant.com
Le Petit Paris French Cafe lepetitparisjax.com
Mandola’s Italian Kitchen mandolas.com
Masala Indian Cuisine jaxmasala.com
Metro Diner metrodiner.com
Nudo Vietnam Cuisine nudoinjax.com
One Night Taco Stand onenightjax.com
El Jefe Tex Mex eljefejax.com
Fired Up Pizza woodfireduppizza.com
La Cena Ristorante No website. Google it!
Maple Street Biscuit Company maplestreetbiscuits.com/murray-hill
Moon River Pizza moonriverpizza.net
Picasso’s Pizzeria jaxpicassos.wixsite.com/jaxpicassos
Rosy’s Restaurant rosys-restaurant.business.site
Salento Steakhouse salentosteakhouse.com
Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe tazikis.com
Thai Blossom Bistro thaiblossombistrofl.com
Umami Japanese Curry & Ramen umamijax.com
Wicked Barley Brewing Company wickedbarley.com
Murray Hillbilly murrayhillbilly.com
Solazo Taqueria solazofl.business.site
The Stout Snug thestoutsnug.com
Vagabond Coffee Co. vagabondcoffee.com
The Walrus thewalrusjax.com
Aloha Waffle Bar alohawafflebar.com
Celestia’s Coastal Cuisine celestiascoastalcuisine.com
Epik epikeats.com
Fuji Yama fujiyamajax.com
Galaxy Burger galaxyburgersjax.com
13 Gypsies 13gypsies.com
904 Tacos facebook.com/904tacosfivepoints
Ale Pie House alepiehousefl.com
Arepa Please arepaplease.com
Bagel Love bagel-love.ueniweb.com
Biggie’s Pizza biggiespizzajax.com
Biscottis biscottis.net
The Blue Fish Restaurant & Oyster Bar bluefishjax.com
Blue Buddha bluebuddhaspecialty.com
Blue Orchid Thai Cuisine blueorchidthai.com
Bold Bean boldbeancoffee.com
Brew Five Points brewfivepoints.co
Carolina Jax carolinajax.com
Carmines Pie House carminespiehouse.com
Cool Moose Cafe coolmoosecafe.net
Green Papaya Pan Asian Cuisine greenpapayaus.com
Joseph’s Pizza josephspizza.com/northside-full-menu
The Jungle Bowl facebook.com/thejunglebowl
Junior’s Seafood Restaurant juniorsseafoodrestaurant.com/north-jacksonville
Masala Mantra masalamantrajax.com
Corner Taco cornertaco.com
Cuisine 76 & Bar cuisine76andbar.com
European Street Cafe europeanstreet.com
The Fox Restaurant facebook.com/thefoxrestaurant
The Greenhouse and Bar thegreenhousebar.com
Hawkers 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
Nagasaki Japanese Restaurant 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
Pizza Cave facebook.com/pizzacave5pts
Prospect Five Points prospectfivepoint.com
Restaurant Orsay 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
Toscana Little Italy toscanajax.com
1937 1937sanmarco.com
Bar Molino barmolino.com
bb’s bbsrestaurant.com
The Bearded Pig thebeardedpigbbq.com
Bistro X Restaurant and Lounge bistrox.com
Blue San Marco bluesanmarco.com
Chart House chart-house.com
European Street Cafe europeanstreet.com
Fla. Juice and Bowl flajuiceandbowl.com
1748 Bakehouse 1748bakehouse.com
Bold City Downtown boldcitybrewery.com
Dainty Cheesecake Company daintycheesecake.com
Dos Vatos Tacos dosvatostacosfl.com
Casa Dora Italian Cafe casadoraitaliancusinepizzeria.com
Caribbean Sunrise Bakery & Restaurant caribbeansunrisebakery.com
Crispy’s Springfield Gallery facebook.com/CrispysSpringfieldGallery
Flavors of Thai flavors-of-thai.business.site
Fuji Sushi jacksonvillefujisushi.com
Gemma gemmafishandoyster.com
Green Papaya greenpapayajax.com
The Local thelocaljax.com
Matthew’s Restaurant matthewsrestaurant.com
The Metro Diner metrodiner.com
Oceana oceana.restaurant
The Olive Tree Mediterranean Grille theolivetreemediterraneangrille.com
Flavva flavvajacksonville.com
Island Tropics Restaurant facebook.com/Island-Tropics-Restaurant-Lounge
Tha Soulfood Smagicians facebook.com/thasmagicians
The Dreamette dreametteicecream.com
The District thedistrictspr.com
Hola Mexican Restaurant holajax.com
Indulgence Southern Bistro indulgencesouthernbistro.com
III Forks 3forks.com/location/jacksonville
4 Rivers Smokehouse 4rsmokehouse.com
Alien Taco and Tequila Bar alientaco.net
Amazing Thai Restaurant amazingthaijax.com
Bazille at Nordstrom nordstrom.com
Blaze Pizza blazepizza.com
Peterbrooke peterbrooke.com/pages/san-marco
Pink Salt Restaurant + Wine Bar pinksaltrestaurant.com
Rue Saint-Marc ruesaintmarc.com
Sake House 2 sakehousejax2.com
Southern Grounds southerngrounds.com
Taverna taverna.restaurant
Town Hall townhalljax.com
V Pizza vpizza.com
Voodoo Brewing Co. jacksonville.voodoobrewery.com
Othello othellospringfield.com
Social Grounds Coffee Roasters social-grounds-coffee.myshopify.com
Strings Sport Brewery stringssportsbrewery.com
Silkie’s Chicken & Champagne Bar meetatsilkies.com
Tulua Bistro instagram.com/tuluabistro
Uptown Kitchen and Bar uptownkitchenjax.com
Waafa and Mike’s Cafe facebook.com/waafaandmikes
Catullo’s Italian catullos.hrpos.heartland.us/menu
Cataluna Jax catalunajax.com
Culhane’s Irish Pub culhanesirishpub.com
The French Pantry thefrenchpantryfl.com
Fresh Mex & Co. freshmexjax.com
Galaxy Burger galaxyburgersjax.com
Hopdoddy Burger Bar hopdoddy.com
Just Jerk justjerkbbq1.com
KeKe’s Breakfast Cafe kekes.com
Ahadu Ethiopian Restaurant ahadu-ethiopian-restaurant.business.site
Aspendos Italian Cuisine aspendositaliancuisine.com
Banana Leaf Asian Bistro facebook.com/bananaleafasianbistro
Cross Creek Steakhouse and Ribs crosscreeksteakhouse.com
Ellianos Coffee ellianos.com
The Juicy Crab thejuicycrabjax.com
1928 Cuban Bistro-Fleming Island 1928cubanistro.com
Akaya Grill & Sushi Restaurant akayaonline.com
Bangin Burgers banginburgurs.com
Black Creek Cafe black-creek-cafe-middleburg.com
Chophouse Thirteen chophouse13.com
Corky Bell’s Seafood & Steaks corkybellsseafood.com
El Palermo Puerto Rican Kitchen palermopuertoricankitchen.com
Marianas Grinds facebook.com/marianasgrinds
Marker 32 marker32.com
Mr. Potato Spread mrpotatospread.com
Midtown Table midtowntable.medurebrothers.com
Norikase norikase.com
Prati Italia pratiitalia.com
La Perla Mexican Restaurant orderlaperlamexicanrestaurant.com
Lewey’s Seafood and Wings leweys-seafood-wings.business.site
Mesa mesajax.com
The Metro Diner metrodiner.com
The Potter’s House Soul Food and Bistro thesoulfoodbistro.com
Puerto Plata Restaurant puertoplatarestaurant.com
El Pegao Restaurant facebook.com/eloegaorestaurant
Holey Moley Bagel Bar NYC facebook.com/HoleyMoleyBagelBar
King Kabob eatkingkabob.com
La Catrina Tacos & Tequila Bar lacatrinalovers.com
Leaderboard Arcade Bar & Pizzeria leaderboardarcade.com
Legacy Restaurant & Bar instagram.com/legacyloungejax
Mackey’s Munchies mackeysmunchies.com
Purple Roots purplerootsjacksonville.com
Seasons 52 seasons52.com
Senor Loco Tacos and Tequila senortacosand-tequila.com
Sweet Mama’s Southern Homestyle Cooking sweetmamasjacksonville.com
Taste of Thai tasteofthaijax.com
Texas de Brazil texasdebrazil.com
Sushi Bear sushibearjax.com
Sweet Peppers Deli sweetpeppersdeli.com
Trent’s Seafood jltrents.com
Tsaocaa Oakleaf tsaocaatea.com
Mr. Potato Spread mrpotatospread.com
Natural Kitchen naturalkitchenusa.com
OP Fish House & Oyster Bar opfishhouse.com
Ten Zushi tenzushionline.com
BITE
Two Sisters and A Deviled Crab 2sistersjax.com
Vito’s Pizza vitosorangepark.com
Whitey’s Fish Camp whiteysfishcamp.com
Words by Carmen Macri
DECCA LIVE: JACKSONVILLE’S NIGHTLIFE FINALLY GETS THE GLOW-UP IT DESERVES
It’s like the Jacksonville Gods answered our prayers with Decca Live.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve begged, pleaded, and borderline prayed for Jacksonville to get a nightclub that actually delivers — because, let’s be honest, Myth just isn’t cutting it anymore (no offense). So imagine my shock when the universe finally answered in the form of an email from Decca Live, announcing its grand opening and inviting the “Folio” team to a pre-opening VIP party. Naturally, we were honored.
Now, do you want the good news or the bad news first?
Let’s rip the Band-Aid off—the only downside? A brutal wait outside in what felt like sub-zero temperatures (OK, fine, it was 52 degrees, but still).
Now that we got that out of the way, let’s talk about the night.
For my Jacksonville locals, walking into Decca Live feels like stepping into the love child of Freebird and Surfer. The main entrance opens right into a massive venue, with a full bar stretching along the left side and an upper balcony wrapping around the entire space. Head upstairs, and you’ll find another bar backed by floor-to-ceiling windows showing off Jacksonville’s surprisingly stunning skyline. The upstairs is perfect for those who want to be in the action without drowning in it. And if you need a full escape? There’s a rooftop seating area waiting for you.
Acting as true “Folio” employees, of course, we needed to scope out the entire area first, but you better believe we were front and center the second Tokyo Moreno, Jacksonville’s best fire dancer took the stage.
If you’ve been around — or if you’re a dedicated “Folio” reader — you already know about Moreno and the absolute show she puts on. From start to finish, she had the entire crowd hooked. People were practically hanging over the balcony rails just to get a better view.
As the night went on, the crowd shifted from older business owners and —what we assumed — rich investment bankers to young influencers and Jacksonville bar regulars.
Upon entry, we were handed two free drink tickets each—exciting at first but gone way too fast. That said, shoutout to the bar staff because no matter how big the crowd got, drinks were flowing nonstop, and we never waited more than five minutes. A blessing and a curse.
The plan was to keep it chill — you know, casual drinks and light people-watching. But then DJ Crespo took the stage, and the next thing we knew, we were four drinks deep, screaming along to early 2000s bangers and dancing like our rent depended on it — which technically, it did.
Decca Live is exactly what Jacksonville’s nightlife has been missing: a fresh, much-needed upgrade to the scene, and honestly, we couldn’t be more grateful. The official grand opening kicks off on Jan. 31 with a sold-out show by Kaskade, setting the bar high right out of the gate. The hype doesn’t stop there, though. Night two brings another sold-out performance, this time from Tape B, which feels a little personal for me since we run in the same circles (friends of friends, you know how it is). If this lineup is any indication, Decca Live is here to make some serious waves.
ARLINGTON Atlantis Lounge instagram.com/theatlantis_jax
Cliff’s Bar and Grill cliffsbarandgrill.com
Club Heaven clubheavenjax.com
BEACHES/PONTE VEDRA Beach Bowl beachbowljax.com
Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com
The Brix Taphouse jacksonvillebeachbar.com
Casa Marina casamarinahotel.com
Culhane’s culhanesirishpub.com
Flask & Cannon facebook.com/flaskandcannon
Fly’s Tie Irish Pub facebook.com/flystieirishpub
Green Room Brewing greenroombrewing.com
Grey Matter Distillery greymatterdistillery.com
NIGHTLIFE
Gusto gustojax.com
Hoptinger Bier Garden + Sausage House hoptinger.com
Ink Factory Brewing inkfactorybrewing.com
Island Girl Cigar Bar islandgirlcigarbar.com
Jax Beach Kava Bar kavajacksonville.com
Jekyll Brewing jekyllbrewing.com
Julep Palm Valley facebook.com/juleppalmvalley
Lemon Bar & Grille lemonbarjax.com
Living Room Lounge instagram.com/thelivingroomab
Lucky’s Bar instagram.com/luckysjaxbch
Lynch’s Irish Pub lynchsirishpub.com
Mango’s mangosjaxbeach.com
Mavi’s Waterfront Bar & Grill mavijax.com
Mayport Brewing Company maportbrewing.com
Mayport Garden Club mayportgardenclub.com
Monkey’s Uncle Tavern monkeysuncletavern.com
Palm Valley Outdoors Bar and Grill palmvalleyoutdoors.com
Penthouse Lounge at Casa Marina Hotel casamarinahotel.com
Ragtime Tavern ragtimetavern.com
Refinery Jax Beach refineryjaxbeach.com
Reve Brewing revebrewing.com
The Ritz Lounge theritzlounge.com
Southern Swells Brewing Company southernswells.com
Surfer The Bar surferthebar.com
VooSwar Restaurant & Lounge instagram.com/vooswar
DOWNTOWN
The Bier Hall at Intuition Ale Works intuitionaleworks.com/bierhall
Bold City Brewery boldcitybrewery.com
De Real Ting Cafe facebook.com/derealtingcafe
Dos Gatos dosgatosjax.com
Element Bistro Bar & Lounge elementjax.com
Hardwicks hardwicksbarjax.com
Intuition Aleworks intuitionaleworks.com
Island Girl Cigar Bar islandgirlcigarbar.com
Justice Pub facebook.com/thejusticepub
Live Bar facebook.com/livebarclubjax
Manifest Distilling manifestdistilling.com
Ocean Street Tequila instagram.com/oceanstreettacosandtequila
The RL Lounge therlloungejax.com
Ruby Beach Brewing rubybeachbrewing.com Underbelly underbellyjax.com
The Volstead thevolsteadjax.com
FLEMING ISLAND
Island Girl Cigar Bar islandgirlcigarbar.com/fleming-island
Mercury Moon facebook.com/mercury-moon
Mr. Chubby’s Wings mrchubbyswings.com
Sunset Tiki Bar the-sunset-tiki-bar.business.site
Whitey’s Fish Camp whiteysfishcamp.com
INTRACOASTAL WEST
9 Zero Pour 9zeropour.com
MVP’s Sports Grille facebook.com/mvpssportsgrille
The Spot Hookah Lounge thespothookahloungejax.com
Time Out Sports Grill timeoutsportsgrill.com
MANDARIN/JULINGTON CREEK/ FRUIT COVE
2nd Bay Brewing 2ndbaybrewing.com
Comedy Zone comedyzone.com
Iggy’s Grill and Bar facebook.com/iggysgrill
Kava & Company kavaandcompany.com
Legacy Ale Works legacyaleworks.com
Monkey’s Uncle Tavern monkeysunclemandarin.com
Rack’em Up Sports Bar facebook.com/rackemupsportsbar
Time Out Sports Grill timeoutsportsgrill.com
MURRAY HILL
Axe Champs axechamps.com
Buchner’s Bierhalle buchnersbierhalle.com
The Boot Rack Saloon boot-rack-saloon.business.site
Fishweir Brewing Company fishweirbrewing.com
The Flamingo theflamingojax.com
Mustang Bar & Grill facebook.com/themustangjax
Perfect Rack Billiards perfectrackbilliards.com
Silver Cow silvercowjax.com
Spruce sprucejax.com
The Walrus thewalrusjax.com
NORTHSIDE
Coppertop Bar and Restaurant coppertopbarandrestaurant.com
Four Fathers Distillery fourfathersdistillery.com
ORANGE PARK/MIDDLEBURG
57 Heaven facebook.com/57heavenop
Big Dawgs Sports Restaurant bigdawgsrestaurant.com
Cheers Park Avenue cheersparkave.com
The Daq Shack thedaqshack904.com
Dee’s Music Bar and Grill facebook.com/musicbarandgrill
The Fresh Spot Lounge thefreshspotlounge.com
LeaderBoard Arcade leaderboardarcade.com
Locals Pub localspub.co
Nakama Anime Bar nakamabar.com
Park Avenue Billiards parkavenuebilliards.com
Pinglehead Brewing Company pinglehead.com
Southern Social Whiskey Bar & Lounge southernsocialbar.com
RIVERSIDE/AVONDALE
Birdies
facebook.com/birdiesfivepoints
Bold City Brewery boldcitybrewery.com
Brick Restaurant brickofavondale.com
Burlock & Barrel burlockandbarrel.com
Dart Bar & Games facebook.com/dartbarjax
Eclipse Bar & Nightclub facebook.com/eclipsebarjax
The Garage garagejax.com
The Green House thegreenhousebar.com
Hoptinger Bier Garden + Sausage House hoptinger.com
Incahoots incahootsnightclub.com
Kanine Social Taproom kaninesocial.com
Keg & Coin kegandcoinjax.com
Kingmaker Brewing kingmakerbrewing.com
Lemonstreet Brewing Company lemonstreetbrewing.com
The Loft loftjax.com
Mickie’s Irish Pub facebook.com/mickiesjax
Myrtle Avenue Brewing facebook.com/myrtleavebrewing
Park Place Lounge park-place-lounge.business.site
Rain Dogs instagram.com/raindogs5points
River & Post riverandpostjax.com
Riverside Liquors riversideliquors.biz
Rogue Bar facebook.com/rogue.bar.1
Root Down facebook.com/rootdownjax
Shores Liquor and Bar instagram.com/shoresliquoravondale
Wildcrafters facebook.com/wildcraftersjax
SAN MARCO/ST. NICHOLAS
1937 Spirits & Eatery 1937sanmarco.com
Aardwolf Brewing Company aardwolfbrewing.com
Bar Molino barmolino.com
Breezy Jazz House breezyjazzhouse.com
Cuba Libre Ultra Lounge cubalibrebar.com
Fore Score Golf Tavern forescoregolf.com
The Grape & Grain Exchange grapeandgrainexchange.com
Kava & Company kavaandcompany.com
The Mudville Grill themudvillegrill.com
The Players Grille playersgrille.com
Posting House posting.house
Sidecar instagram.com/sidecarjax
Voodoo Brewing instagram.com/voodoojax
SOUTHSIDE/ST. JOHNS TOWN CENTER
Austin Karaoke facebook.com/austinkaraoke
Bottlenose Brewing bottlenosebrewing.com
Cataluna Jax catalunajax.com
Culhane’s culhanesirishpub.com
Island Girl Cigar Bar islandgirlcigarbar.com
Jax Craft Beer jaxcraftbeer.com
Medusa Restaurant and Hookah Lounge facebook.com/medusa-loungejacksonville
Rio Restaurant and Lounge instagram.com/riorestauraunt.jax
Seven Bridges Grille & Brewery 7bridgesgrille.com
Trio Lounge triohookahlounge.com
Veterans United Craft Brewery vubrew.com
Wicked Barley Brewing Company wickedbarley.com
WXYZ Bar at Aloft Hotel aloftjacksonvilletapestrypark.com
SPRINGFIELD
Crispy’s Springfield Gallery crispysspringfieldgallery.com
The District thedistrictspr.com
Historically Hoppy Brewing Company historicallyhoppy.com
Odd Birds Cocktail Lounge and Kitchen instagram.com/odd_birds
Shantytown Pub facebook.com/shantytownjax
Strings Sports Brewery stringssportsbrewery.com
Stumpy’s Hatchet House stumpyshh.com
Tulua Bistro instagram.com/tuluabistro
ST. AUGUSTINE
Ancient City Brewing ancientcitybrewing.com
Arnold’s Lounge arnoldslounge.com
Beacon Listening Room beaconstaug.com
Cellar Upstairs Bar at San Sebastian Winery sansebastianwinery.com
Dog Rose Brewing dogrosebrewing.com
The Original Café Eleven originalcafe11.com
Prohibition Kitchen pkstaug.com
Tradewinds Lounge tradewindslounge.com
WESTSIDE Elevation Lounge elevationjax.com
Lillian’s lillianssportsgrill.com
Ortega River Club ortegariverclub.net
The Phoenix Bar & Bowling facebook.com/thephoenixjax
WHAT’S HAPPENING, JACKSONVILLE?
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Awesomus Prime
“A picture from one of the many raves I have shot in 2024” SC Cleary (@sage_c_photography)
