Folio Vol. 37, Issue 5

“Not

Cover

Behind the Cover:

MARCH HOROSCOPES

ARIES

If you have been wanting to pick up a practice to connect yourself to something spiritual, March is the month to do so. Understand your intention and intuition. Often, people use rituals to ground themselves spiritually during big changes, and now is the time. Big life changes are coming up, Aries. It is time to start preparing.

TAURUS

Feeling like you might find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Well, you just may be in luck this month, Taurus. While you may face some challenges in the workspace, just know that obstacles and challenges are placed there for a reason. Overcome that, and you can overcome anything.

GEMINI

You are drawn to people with dedication and passion. You often observe people with a graceful command of their craft. You are attracted to their discipline and confidence. It is time to become the person you crave. Put your all into your work or passion. Be the person you wish to have.

CANCER

Seems like you’ve been kissed by a leprechaun, Cancer. This month will bring you change and new opportunities! Whoever said change is a bad thing had no idea what they were talking about. It’s finally time to flip the page and move on to the next chapter of your life.

LEO

Trust yourself this month, Leo. You know what is best for you. Don’t doubt yourself. Your intuition will be at an all-time high during the middle of March. Listen to it, enough to get you through life’s uncertainties.

VIRGO

Happy March, Virgo. You’ve been putting in a lot of work these past few months that you haven’t had any time for play. This month will force you to find balance between your career and personal relationships. Dictate what matters most to you and prove it!

LIBRA

Uh-oh, Libra. This month is gonna bring a lot of changes to your personal life, and you may find yourself on a rollercoaster ride you never paid for. The influence of Mars on Libra may interfere with your emotions and give you a higher sense of anxiety. Just stay focused on those who love and care for you, and everything will turn out fine.

SCORPIO

It seems paradoxical, but you gotta take your playtime seriously, Scorpio. During March, it is crucial for you to set aside time for creativity. Find a new hobby or rekindle an old one. Create a deeper sense of connection in your life, whether it be painting or a sunset stroll.

SAGITTARIUS

Wow, you sure are glowing this month, Sagittarius. After a few rocky months, you’ve finally found that spark within yourself and are ready to explore it further. You will have strong urges to break off from the norm and go out of your comfort zone. Embrace this duality and be like the bright rainbow that shines after it rains.

CAPRICORN

Your routine will be your best friend this month. They keep you grounded and prepared for life’s unexpected twists. The beginning of a routine is never easy, but you, out of anyone, can make it fun. March will be filled with inconsistencies, but you will be prepared.

AQUARIUS

We’ve reached the end of Aquarius season but that doesn’t mean the fun has to end. In fact, March is looking like an exciting and adventureful month for you. As long as you continue to embrace your inner alien and spontaneity, you will experience many new things this month.

PISCES

Much like a house plant that needs dying stems clipped off, you are in dire need of a fresh start. The clipping brings more nutrients and growth to the rest of the plant. Make more space so nourishment can flow to the parts of you that have been parched.

First, let me say being the superintendent of a large school district must be an incredibly hard job, a job made a lot harder by a state that often works to undermine public education; that being said, shouldn’t we want our super to do that job well? Or should we go? You know it’s a tough gig, so we should be happy somebody showed up. I prefer the former, and without a doubt, Greene is not doing the job well.

First, there was the stripping of classroom libraries months before we had to, and now there is this at the last board meeting, Greene said, when reviewing Captain Underpants, it should only take you five minutes (um, what ?!), but then it got worse from there. Captain Underpants should only take five minutes to review unless it’s Mexican Captain Underpants because then, clear the calendar and break out the magnifying glass and Spanish-English dictionary because themes based on the Mexican culture, well we all know how dubious they can be. Books for white kids are great and easy to review; books for kids of different ethnicities, well, they can be problematic.

Yes, I put my spin on above to try and make it a little funny because if I don’t laugh, I might cry. The thing is, check out the video; it’s even worse because it’s a fifty-something-year-old woman who should know better, painfully showing us she doesn’t.

Chris Guerrieri

BOUQS & BRICKS BOUQUETS BRICKBATS

Sulzbacher’s new Urban Rest Stop Social Services Bus.

A joint venture between Sulbacher and the City of Jacksonville, the mobile unit was designed to bring “Hosing and Hope on Wheels” to anyone experiencing homelessness in Downtown. Available services include housing placement and case management. The bus is in addition to Sulzbacher’s Healthmobile which provides outreach health services.

Gov. Ron DeSantis for requesting data on transgender students who sought gender-affirming care at Florida’s public universities. While the data will not include information identifying individual patients (as per HIPAA regulations), this is still an extremely troubling action as many believe DeSantis may be gearing up to cut public healthcare funding to transgender individuals, further proving his despicable treatment of and discrimination toward the LGBTQ community in our state. Governmental deviance comes to mind along with abuse of power as governor, not to mention, a few other things.

MARCH SPECIAL EVENTS

MARCH 2

Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation Wine Tasting

Gala

Venue 841 Riverfront Weddings & Events tcjayfund.org

MARCH 3

Jacksonville Icemen vs. Adirondack Thunder

VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jacksonvilleicemen.com

MARCH 3-5

Jacksonville Home + Patio Show

Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center jacksonvillespringhomeshow.com

MARCH 4

Gate River Run Jacksonville Fairgrounds gateriverrun15k.com

Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp vs. Savannah

Bananas

121 Financial Ballpark milb.com/jacksonville

Jacksonville Icemen vs. Adirondack Thunder VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jacksonvilleicemen.com

Menorcan Heritage Celebration Oldest House Gardens, St. Augustine menorcansociety.net

MARCH 5

Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp vs. Savannah

Bananas

121 Financial Ballpark milb.com/jacksonville

3K Raptor Run

St. Augustine Alligator Farm alligatorfarm.com

MARCH 6

4th Annual Jacksonville Icemen Charity Golf Tournament Cimarrone Golf Club jacksonvilleicemen.com/golf

MARCH 7-12

The PLAYERS Championship TPC Sawgrass theplayers.com

MARCH 9

Jacksonville Icemen vs. Greenville Swamp Rabbits

VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jacksonvilleicemen.com

March 11

2023 St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Downtown St. Augustine celticstaugustine.com

Jacksonville Icemen vs. Savannah Ghost Pirates VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jacksonvilleicemen.com

6th Annual Tree Giveaway Mandarin Community Club mandarincommunityclub.org

Run Wild 5K Wildlight, Yulee 1stplacesports.com

March 11-12

Celtic Music and Heritage Festival Francis Field, St. Augustine celticstaugustine.com

Jacksonville Ultimate Women’s Expo Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center floridawomensexpo.com

MARCH 12

St. Paddy’s Run 5K and 10K Evergreen Cemetery 1stplacesports.com

MARCH 15

Jacksonville Icemen vs. South Carolina Stingrays VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jacksonvilleicemen.com

“Cracking the Codes: The System of Racial Inequity” screening Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center lincolnvillemuseum.org/

MARCH 17

Jacksonville Icemen vs. Savannah Ghost Pirates VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jacksonvilleicemen.com

MARCH 17-19

Collective Con 2023 Prime F. Osborn Convention Center collectivecon.com

MARCH 18

Jacksonville Icemen vs. Greenville Swamp Pirates VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jacksonvilleicemen.com

Bob Hayes Invitational Track and Field Meet UNF Hodges Stadium bhitm22.org

Fight for Air Climb Bank of America Tower 1stplacesports.com

Founders Day Fort Mose, St. Augustine fortmose.org

MARCH 18-25

St. Augustine Race Week St. Augustine Yacht Club staugustineyachtclub.com

MARCH 19

Young Gifted & Black: The Playground—Women in Photography

Ritz Theatre & Museum ritzjacksonville.com

MARCH 23

Jacksonville Icemen vs. Savannah Ghost Pirates VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jacksonvilleicemen.com

Celebrity Chefs Tasting Luncheon & Silent Auction Prime F. Osborn Convention Center salvationarmyflorida.org/jacksonville

MARCH 24

Black and Gold Studio 54 Birthday Extravaganza hosted by and celebrating Karrissa T. Wade The Glass Factory 904tix.com

MARCH 25

Ponte Vedra Wine Festival Ponte Vedra Croquet Club pontevedracroquetclub.com

First Coast Parkinson’s Run Riverside Park 1stplacesports.com

First Coast Poetry Showcase Southeast Regional Library northfloridapoetryhub.org

Mt. Acosta Classic Endurance Race Haskell 1stplacesports.com

MARCH 25-26

40th Annual St. Augustine Lions Seafood Festival Francis Field, St. Augustine lionsfestival.com

Flower and Garden Expo 2023 Sykes Family Farms, Elkton epicbh.org/flower-garden-expo

MARCH 30-APRIL 9 Clay County Agricultural Fair Clay County Fairgrounds claycountyfair.org

MARCH 31-APRIL 2

Disney on Ice: Into the Magic VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jaxevents.com

MONDAYS

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

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

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

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

• Mellow Mushroom–Avondale, 7 p.m.

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

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

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

• Mellow Mushroom–Tinseltown, 7 p.m.

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

• Wall Street, 7 p.m.

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

TUESDAYS

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

• Dick’s Wings–Nocatee, 7 p.m.

• Dick’s Wings–San Pablo, 7 p.m.

• Harps American Grill, 7 p.m.

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

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

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

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

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

• Jax Craft Beer, 7 p.m.

• Jerry’s Sports Grille, 7 p.m.

TR I V IA E T C .

• Raindogs, 7 p.m.

• Sahara Cafe, 7 p.m.

• Southern Grill, 7 p.m.

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

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

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

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

• Time Out Sports Bar, 7:30 p.m.

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

WEDNESDAYS

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

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

• The Beacon, St. Augustine, 7 p.m.

• Cruisers Grill, 7 p.m.

• Dick’s Wings–Mandarin, 7 p.m.

• Firefly Bay, 7 p.m.

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

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

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

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

• Veterans United Craft Brewery, 7 p.m.

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

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

• Hoptinger–5 Points, 7:30 p.m.

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

• King Maker Brewing, 7:30 p.m.

• Time Out Sports Grill, 7:30 p.m

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

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

• Hoptinger–Jacksonville Beach, 9 p.m.

THURSDAYS

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

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

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

• Whiskey Jax–Baymeadows, 7 p.m.

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

• Flask & Cannon / V Pizza, 7:30 p.m.

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

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

SATURDAYS

• Hamburger Mary’s (HamBingo), 2 p.m.

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

SUNDAYS

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

All games are general knowledge trivia unless otherwise noted.

addition to a cash award, winners will receive a feature story & professional photo shoot with Folio

THEATER / DANCE

THROUGH MARCH 5

“Camelot & Camelittle” Artist Connection Theatre artistconnectiontheatre.org

“The Lifespan of a Fact” ABET Theatre abetjax.com

“Little Women” Orange Park Community Theatre opct.info

THROUGH MARCH 19

“The Diviners” Limelight Theatre, St. Augustine limelight-theatre.org

THROUGH MARCH 23

“The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” Alhambra Theatre & Dining alhambrajax.com

MARCH 3-11

“Sylvia” The Waterworks. St. Augustine aclassictheatre.org

MARCH 8-11

First Coast Classic DanceSport Championship World Golf Village Renaissance St. Augustine Resort firstcoastclassic.com

MARCH 10

“Dragons and Mythical Beasts” Thrasher-Horne Center thcenter.org

MARCH 10-26

“Doubt” Theatre Jacksonville theatrejax.com

MARCH 11

An Evening of Arias Marsh Creek Country Club, St. Augustine firstcoastopera.com

MARCH 11-12

“Peter Pan”

The Island Theater, Fleming Island theislandtheater.com

MARCH 15

MOCA Movie Night: “A Zen Life” MOCA Jacksonville mocajacksonville.unf.edu

St. Patrick’s Day Revue

Amelia Musical Playhouse ameliamusicalplayhouse.com

MARCH 15-19

“Britain’s Finest: The Complete Beatles Experience” Alhambra Theatre & Dining alhambrajax.com

MARCH 16-APRIL 1

“Something Rotten” Amelia Musical Playhouse ameliamusicalplayhouse.com

MARCH 17-25

“Let Me Down Easy”

The Florida Ballet the5anddime.org

MARCH 20

“Hits! The Musical” Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts fscjartistseries.org

MARCH 21-26

“Jesus Christ Superstar” Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts fscjartistseries.org

MARCH 23-26

“Nine, the Musical” Swisher Theatre–Jacksonville Univeristy ju.edu/cfa

MARCH 23-APRIL 16

“Arsenic and Old Lace” Alhambra Theatre & Dining alhambrajax.com

MARCH 24

“Angry Insecure Men” Ritz Theatre & Museum ritzjacksonville.com

MARCH 28

“R.E.S.P.E.C.T—An Aretha Franklin Tribute” Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts fscjartistseries.org

MARCH 30

“Untold Stories: Winds of Change” Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com

ONGOING

Fridays and Saturdays

Magician Bill Abbott at the Magic Hideway Casa Monica Resort & Spa, St. Augustine magichideaway.com

FILM REVIEWS

Words by Harry Moore

“Avatar: The Way of Water”

After a 13-year sabbatical, James Cameron takes us back to the alien world of Pandora with his ambitious science-fiction epic, “Avatar: The Way of Water.” The self-proclaimed “king of the world” flexes his technologically advanced muscles and shows audiences once again why he is among the greatest conjurers of cinematic spectacles that there has ever been.

Picking up over a decade after the events of the record-setting original, “The Way of Water” sees human-turned-Na’vi Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), and his family being forced to flee their home when the threat of war from an old enemy arrives at their doorstep. While Sully was the sole lead in the original film, the sequel expands its cast, becoming a broader ensemble of generally strong performances. Worthington is far more convincing here than in the previous film, giving Sully a personality that had previously eluded him. Zoë Saldana stole the show in “Avatar” and is excellent again as Neytiri, giving a committed performance that must have made the animators’ jobs much easier. Kate Winslet is unrecognizable, even without taking the digital makeup into account, and Sigourney Weaver gives one of the most interesting performances of her storied career.

But there is only one star of this movie, and it’s the visionary mind of James Cameron. Where the first “Avatar” set the table and introduced us to Cameron’s dreamscape, the sequel is unafraid of diving deeper into his world. Cameron revels in exploring his long gestating mythology that does just as much to bring this world to life as the 3D technology, showing new corners of Pandora that reveal more about the Na’vi way of life with a new tribe of whale-worshiping natives and their ocean-based home taking center stage for most of the film. Cameron has created a Tolkien-esque level of lore and pulls off potentially dense world building, but where the maestro really shines is in the action set pieces which manage to be thrillingly expansive and easy to follow. The precisely calibrated vision and execution of these battle scenes puts the majority of other blockbuster filmmakers to shame with the spectacle being imaginative and easy to follow—two areas that are often lacking in contemporary blockbusters.

Cameron is one of the architects for the language of modern event cinema, and his triumphant return shows that he can still pull off grand scale visual storytelling better than almost anyone else out there. While his work here is often deeply immersive and always on a technical plane of its own, it is hard to not wonder what his career, and cinema in general, would have looked like had he not been consumed by Pandora for the better part of two decades.

“Babylon”

Damien Chazelle, Hollywood’s current wunderkind auteur, cashes his blank check to tell a sprawling, depraved tale of cinema’s transition from silent to sound using an eclectic ensemble to show the rise and fall of several figures of the era. “Babylon” operates as the deranged love child of “Singin’ in the Rain” and “The Wolf of Wall Street” with this take on Hollywood’s golden era focusing more on the debauched parties and ruined lives that hid behind the glamour than the wonder of cinema. (A more appropriate title for “Babylon” may have been “F***in’ on Cocaine,” given the content of much of its bloated runtime.) At the center of the film is Manny Torres, played ably by Diego Calva, who we see rise from an usher at a Hollywood party spot to being an executive for a major studio. Early in the film, Manny meets and becomes entranced by wild child starlet Nellie LaRoy, played by Margot Robbie, who gives an enthralling performance that shows off many of her best qualities as an actor, while Brad Pitt stretches to play Jack Conrad, an aging movie star

with a drinking problem and a penchant for messy divorces. Much like “Singin’ in the Rain,” “Babylon” charts the lost careers and technical challenges caused by the transition from silent films to talking pictures. One sequence, in particular, depicts the filming of a supposedly simple scene for Nelly’s newly begun career in the talkies, standing out as one of the most enthralling of the over three-hour runtime. As tensions flare on set among the crewmembers with each botched take, the pacing and cinematography feels more appropriate toward depicting an epic battle scene than the filming of a cheap B-picture. It is a mesmerizing scene that is shot and cut to anxiety fuelling perfection, encapsulating the pure difficulties the challenge the new medium has posed.

When “Babylon” reaches its highs, it is as deliriously entertaining as cinema can be. But it is nearly impossible for almost any director, even one as instinctually gifted as Chazelle, to sustain those highs for too long—and the inevitable, confusing lows will come crashing in, potentially in the shape of elephant anuses, over-the-top Tobey Maguire performances or scenes of Farrelly brothers-inspired projectile bodily fluid. A bold and often beguiling picture.

“The Banshees of Inisherin”

An abruptly ended lifelong friendship and a brutal ultimatum send ripples through a small village against the backdrop of the Irish civil war. Playwright and filmmaker Martin McDonagh creates a moving portrait of loneliness, or at least the fear of enduring loneliness, laced with his trademarked acerbic sense of humor. “The Banshees of Inisherin” reunites McDonagh with Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, the two leads of his brilliant black comedy “In Bruges.” And it is clear there is a deep understanding and fruitful creative partnership between the writer and his actors.

Since his initial meteoric rise and fall as a leading man early in his career, Farrell has quietly built one of the most richly diverse resumes of any thespian currently working in film, earning the reputation of a character actor who is able to make unique choices and elevate whatever material he may be working with. In “Banshees,” Farrell is at once hilarious and heartbreaking as Pádraic, perfecting the deliberate comic timing that McDonagh’s dialogue demands and effortlessly turning his pronounced facial features into a hangdog look that reveals a deep hurt: The thought of losing his only friend on an island with more sheep than men is clearly tormenting him, but Farrell never strays into a melodramatic performance. As Colm, Gleeson is an engaging foil for Pádraic, countering his simple decency with gruff arrogance and condescension with Colm believing himself to be above Pádraic’s dull musings, even willing to spite himself in order to be rid of the eejit. Elsewhere, Barry Keoghan steals scenes as the troubled young Dominic, who Pádraic is forced to spend time with after Colm dismisses him; while Kerry Condon shines as Pádraic’s long suffering sister Siobhan.

The two leading performances in Banshees are the accumulation of the careers of a pair of fine actors who are justifiably receiving the plaudits that their work has deserved for decades now. McDonagh has promised to not leave such a long wait for the trio to reunite once more, and he would be wise to keep that promise as it is clear that the collaboration brings the best work out of one another. McDonagh has crafted his most surprising and satisfying story since “In Bruges,” creating a dark, funny and poignant film about the importance of having someone to share a pint with.

Best Of the Small Screen

Words by Harry Moore

Television may be several years removed from the days of “case of the week” shows being a mainstay of airwaves with season-long stories and characters who endure growth becoming the vogue of the medium. But “Knives Out” director Rian Johnson has managed to bring the once reliable genre into the 2020s with his new show “Poker Face.” We all know how this works: There’s a murder (often committed by a famous guest star), and our hero sleuth rolls onto the scene to unravel the mystery and serve justice before the hour’s out. It’s a structure that worked for years for both Angela Lansbury and Scooby Doo.

The “Columbo” character in “Poker Face” is played by the always charming Natasha Lyonne, who deftly delivers the show’s quick-witted dialogue and effortlessly creates on screen chemistry with the revolving cast of supporting players. Lyonne stars as Charlie, a woman on the run and living off the grid, who also has the uncanny ability to read whenever someone is lying—and to regularly find herself tangentially tangled around a series of suspicious deaths. In the first episode, we meet Charlie working as a waitress at a Nevada casino. When her coworker is killed under suspicious circumstances, Charlie unravels a conspiracy that points toward the murder being ordered by the casino owner Sterling Frost

Jr., played by Oscar winner Adrien Brody. After leaking her findings to the web, Charlie is forced to hit the road fleeing retribution from Frost’s mobtied network. The road trip takes Charlie through the backroads of America’s heartland, as she looks for jobs that pay under the table to avoid leaving a paper trail, stopping at a variety of locations from a roadside Texas BBQ joint to a Georgia nursing home to a dinner theatre in upstate New York. Each stop is filled with memorable characters (played by guest stars such as Lil Rel Howery, Tim Blake Nelson, Chloë Sevigny and Tim Meadows) and will inevitably be the scene of a strangely suspicious death. The unique and ever-changing locations are big part of what make the show work, as we see a glimpse into the way of life of underrepresented communities, which results in unexpected, small-town motivations for these murders. The conceit allows for each episode to be its own thing, while still sticking to a tried-and-true formula that has been clearly defined in these early episodes. “Poker Face” is an engaging and delightful reimagining of a series format that had been somewhat lost to the binge era of television. Johnson and his team are able to create consistently surprising mysteries that always have a distinctive sense of humor, and in Charlie, “Poker Face” has given Natasha Lyonne a part worthy of her unique talents.

“Poker Face” (Peacock)

COMEDY

MARCH 1

Two Dykes

Comedy Zone comedyzone.com

Improv Night

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

MARCH 2-4

Jimmie Walker

Comedy Zone comedyzone.com

MARCH 3

Antoine Scott and Ozrick Cooley

Lauren’s Seafood Blues and Jazz phattkatz.com

Howie Mandel

Comedy Zone comedyzone.com

MARCH 3-4

The Main Event, 7:30 p.m.

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

MARCH 8

Improv Night

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

MARCH 9

Mike Macy with Stephen Henry Jackie Knight’s Comedy Club jackieknightscomedyclub.com

MARCH 9-12

DeRay Davis

Comedy Zone comedyzone.com

MARCH 10-11

The Main Event, 7:30 p.m.

The Blue Show (adults only), 10 p.m.

First Coast Comedy firstcoastcomedy.com

MARCH 15

Improv Night

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

MARCH 17-18

The Main Event, 7:30 p.m. The Blue Show (adults only), 10 p.m.

First Coast Comedy firstcoastcomedy.com

March 18

Chris Distefano: Right Intention, Wrong Move Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts

Jacoby Symphony Hall jaxevents.com

MARCH 22

Improv Night

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

MARCH 23

Glenn Raymond: It’s OK to Blame The World Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com

Bear Webb with Angela Nacca

Jackie Knight’s Comedy Club jackieknightscomedyclub.com

MARCH 23-25

Brian Simpson Comedy Zone comedyzone.com

MARCH 24

Chelcie Lynn: 2 Fingers and a 12 Pack Tour Ponte Vedra Concert Hall pvconcerthall.com

MARCH 24-25

The Main Event, 7:30 p.m. The Blue Show (adults only), 10 p.m.

First Coast Comedy firstcoastcomedy.com

MARCH 25

Sam Morril Ponte Vedra Concert Hall pvconcerthall.com

MARCH 26

Best. Stand Up Show. Ever.

First Coast Comedy firstcoastcomedy.com

MARCH 29

Improv Night

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark. com

MARCH 31-APRIL 1

The Main Event, 7:30 p.m.

The Blue Show (adults only), 10 p.m.

First Coast Comedy firstcoastcomedy.com

OPEN MIC NIGHTS

Monday Raindogs facebook.com/raindogsjax

Tuesday Birdies facebook.com/birdiesfivepoints

VooSwar bit.ly/vooswar

Wednesday

Comedy Zone comedyzone.com

The Walrus thewalrusjax.com

Thursday Kava & Company–San Marco kavaandcompany.com

ART

The Art Center Cooperative

• Wild Things,” through March 26 tacjacksonvillegallery.org

Butterfield Garage Art Gallery

• Featured artists include Pat Arenas, Michael Fitzpatrick, Xi Guo, Gwen Mehler and Jan Miller butterfieldgarage.com

The Corner Gallery at The Jessie

• Shameera Din Wiest: The Veil of Maya,” through May 3 movingthemargins.org

Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens

• “Anila Quayyum Agha: Flight Patterns,” through April 30

• “Rockwell Kent: The Shakespeare Portfolios,” through May 7

• “Brennan Wojtyla: Cathedral of Labor,” through May 21

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

• “Outside: In,” through Nov. 30 cummermuseum.org

FemArt Gallery

• Annual Members Exhibition, March 4-April 29 femartgallery.org

First Coast Cultural Center firstcoastculturalcenter.org

Florida Mining Gallery floridamininggallery.com

Florida State College at Jacksonville

• “The Martian: A Student Response Project,” March 1-29, South Gallery

• “Rivers and Oceans: Women Writing for a Change,” March 21-April 28, Deerwood Gallery

• Eddie Castro and Michael Saunders, March 28-April 25, Kent Gallery

• “What Lifts You Up: Art with a Heart in Healthcare,” through March 3, North Gallery

• “New Growth,” through March 7, Kent Gallery,

• Wellcome Photography Prize, through March 10, Deerwood Gallery

• “Mark Sablow: 15 Years in Asia,” through April 28, Downtown Gallery fscj.edu/art-galleries

Gallery 725

• Photographer Mark “Weissguy” Weiss: “The Decade that Rocked,” March 17-27 gallery725.com

Governor’s House Cultural Center and Museum, St. Augustine

• “Painting St. Augustine: Selections from the Samuel H. and Roberta T. Vickers Collection,” through May staugustine.ufl.edu

Haskell Gallery at Jacksonville International Airport jaxairportarts.com

Hillary Whitaker Gallery

• Featured artists include Carmelo Blanding, John Bunker, Hillary Butler, Dennis Campay, Page Jones Davis, Marissa Decinque, Christina Foard and Jennifer JL Jones hwhitakergallery.com

Jacksonville University

• School of Art & Design Annual Thesis Exhibition, March 23-April 19, Alexander Brest Gallery

• “Sitting Down Together: Melissa Haviland, Andrew Decaen and Janet Ballweg,” through March 6, Alexander Brest Gallery

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

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

James Weldon Johnson Park

• Art in the Park Chalk Drawing Competition, March 25 jamesweldonjohnsonpark.org

The Lightner Museum

• “Tom Schifanella: Faces of the Alcazar,” through March 7

• “Through the Lens of William Henry Jackson,” through March 31

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

• “75 for 75: Lightner Musuem Diamond Anniversary Exhibition,” ongoing lightnermuseum.org

MOCA Jacksonville

• “Shervone Neckles: Bless This House,” through March 5

• Project Atrium: Milagros, through April 9

• “Don’t Blame It on Zen: The Way of John Cage & Friends,” through May 7

• “Brennan Wojtyla: Cathedral of Labor,” through May 21 mocajacksonville.unf.edu

Museum of Science and History

• Arts Infusion ImagiNclusion, MOSH Lobby

• Works by Patricia Madrid, MOSH Creation Station themosh.org

Ritz Theatre & Museum

• Jazz Jam Photo Exhibit, through March

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

St. Augustine Art Association staaa.org

Stellers Gallery

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

University of North Florida

• “I Feel it Fading: A Solo Exhibition by Dustin Harewood,” through April 7, UNF Gallery of Art

• Brazil Study Abroad Exhibit, through April 7, Lufrano Intercultural Gallery unf.edu/gallery

The Vault at 330

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

Yellow House

• “A Time to Beast: The Art of Traci Mims,” through TBD

• “Sit in Stand Up,” virtual exhibition

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

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

ONGOING

Art Walk: March 1

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/artwalk

Fernandina Beach Arts Market: March 11 and 25

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: March 4, 11, 18 and 25

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: March 3

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.

artgalleriesofstaugustine.com

Vilano Beach Artisan Market: March 18

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

MARCH. 3

New Music Releases This Month

By Tysen Romeo

It’s been five years since Macklemore released “Gemini,” and he’s back with a new album, “Ben.”

“Red Moon in Venus” is Kali Uchis’ newest album since 2020’s “Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios).”

MARCH. 24

“Fantasy” is the ninth studio album by French electronic music group M83.

Following 2021’s “Blue Banisters,” American singer-songwriter Lana Del Ray releases her ninth studio album, “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd.”

MARCH. 10

Miley Cyrus releases “Endless Summer Vacation” this month, making it her eight studio album.

MARCH. 15

March also brings the fifth studio album from American pop rock sisters Aly & AJ, “With Love From.”

MARCH. 17

Hyperpop duo 100 gecs follows up their debut album with “10,000 gecs,” a more mainstream sound—and sans the autotune.

MARCH. 31

“Higher Than Heaven” is English singer-songwriter Elllie Goulding’s follow up to 2020’s “Brightest Blue.”

Pop-punkers Fall Out Boy haven’t released an album in five years, but they’re back with “So Much (for) Stardust.”

American indie rock supergroup Boygenius, composed of singer-songwriters Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, drops its debut full-length album “The Record.”

CONCERTS

MARCH 1

Weedeater, Rebelmatic and guests

Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com

MARCH 2

Blake Shelton: Back to the Honky Tonk Tour VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jaxevents.com

Hank Williams 100 Year Celebration Starring Jason Petty Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com

Cumberland

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

Kidd G

Underbelly underbellyjax.com

Mustard Plug, Stop the Presses and Stillfire Bellows

Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com

Words and Music Series with Lorri Gill The Waterworks, St. Augustine emmaconcerts.com

MARCH 3

Hell Paso Pt. 1 with special guests Tyler Farr & Dylan Wheeler St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com

Alta Loma, Psycho Ballet and Slippery Rick / Psycho Ballet 1904 Music Hall 1904musichall.com

Annika Chamber & Paul DesLauriers Cafe Eleven originalcafe11.com

Falling Through April and guests Jack Rabbits jaxrabbitslive.com

I Vibes!

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

MARCH 4

“ONES: The Beatles #1 Hits” Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com

Magnolia Park, Arrows in Action, poptropicalslutz! and First & Forever

Underbelly underbellyjax.com

Warehouse Studios Expo Kona Skatepark konaskatepark.com

Jess Zimmerman Band Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

MARCH 5

Queensrÿche: Digital Noise Alliance Tour Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com

Swing With The Big Bands

Ponte Vedra Concert Hall pvconcerthall.com

Eddie Keyes’ 50th Birthday Bash with Jam Pony Express & Slick Vic Underbelly underbellyjax.com

Powerman 5000, Alborn and Dancing With Ghosts Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com

Under The Oaks Jam Mandarin Museum nffolk.com

MARCH 6

Greta Van Fleet: Dreams in Gold VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jaxevents.com

MARCH 7

Jill Scott: Words and Sounds Vol. 1 Anniversary Tour

Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxevents.com

Alan Doyle with special guest Chris Trapper Ponte Vedra Concert Hall pvconcerthall.com

Hemlock, Divided Truth and The Dood 1904 Music Hall 1904musichall.com

JU Orchestra: Spring Concert Terry Concert Hall–Jacksonville University ju.edu/cfa

MARCH 8

Friday Night Flicks, John Parker Urban Band and Cacique Jakar Underbelly underbellyjax.com

MARCH 9

Reba McEntire VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jaxevents.com

Little River Band with Special Guest Pablo Cruise Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com

Tommy Emmanuel, CGP with special guest Richard Smith Ponte Vedra Concert Hall pvconcerthall.com

AK Renny’s “Birthday at The Discotheque” 1904 Music Hall 1904musichall.com

Raspberry Pie and guests Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com

Winehoused: The Amy Celebration Prohibition Kitchen, St. Augustine pkstaug.com

MARCH 9

Dean Winter & The Heat Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

MARCH 10

Nick Cannon’s Next Superstar Tour 2023 Daily’s Place dailysplace.com

The Moody Blues’ John Lodge Ponte Vedra Concert Hall pvoncerthall.com

“Billy Joel Legends Live! The Lords of 52nd Street” Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com

69 BOYZ Sadler Ranch sadlerranchlive.com

Earth Tonez Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

Hang Eleven, If I’m Lucky and Vermillion Kona Skatepark konaskatepark.com

Influence, Pharohound and Legions Blind Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com

MARCH 10-11

Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxsymphony.org

MARCH 10-12

2023 Will McLean Music Festival Florida Sand Music Ranch, Brooksville nffolk.com

MARCH 11

Joe Bonamassa St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com

Get the Led Out Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com

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

Bryan Martin Sadler Ranch sadlerranchlive.com

The Johns Twins and guests Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com

Pony Xodus with DJ KGB, Jayne WYK and more Underbelly underbellyjax.com

Kicking Dandelions Kona Skatepark konaskatepark.com

MARCH 11

Babar, Ferdinand & Skywalker Memorial United Methodist Church, Fernandina Beach ameliachambermusic.org

Glimmers with Parks & Razz 1904 Music Hall 1904musichall.com

St. Augustine Community Chorus: “Charmed…Enchanted…Spellbound” Ancient City Baptist Church, St. Augustine staugustinecommunitychorus.org

MARCH 12

Kenny Loggins: This Is It! His Final Tour Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com

Stories For Kids By Kids—Family Concert Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxsymphony.org

Sumo Cyco 1904 Music Hall 1904musichall.com

MARCH 14

Eric Johnson: Treasure Tour Ponte Vedra Concert Hall pvconcerthall.com

Collie Buddz with The Elovaters and Arise Roots Underbelly underbellyjax.com

Popa Chubby

Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com

MARCH 15

Cheap Trick Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com

Martin Sexton with special guest Matt MacKelcan Ponte Vedra Concert Hall pvconcerthall.com

MARCH 16

Third Eye Blind Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com

Catcher and the Rye, Losing Daylight and more Underbelly underbellyjax.com

MARCH 16

Rio Grande Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

MARCH 17

Pepper with special guest Joe Samba Ponte Vedra Concert Hall pvconcerthall.com

Chillula

Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

Gloom Gala: SADSONGS and Ryan Key of Yellowcard Underbelly underbellyjax.com

Ordinary Boys: A Tribute to The Smiths and Morrissey & Limo Scene 1904 Music Hall 1904musichall.com

MARCH 17-18

The Avett Brothers St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com

Jacksonville Symphony: Bruckner’s Brilliance Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxevents.com

MARCH 18

They Might Be Giants Ponte Vedra Concert Hall pvconcerthall.com

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

15 BROTHERS AGAIN: A CELEBRATION OF THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND

16 CLINT BLACK

17 THE MAGIC SCHOOL BUS: LOST IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM FOR SCHOOLS

19 SCOTT BRADLEE’S POSTMODERN JUKEBOX

20 JIM GAFFIGAN

THE FLORIDA

1 HAPPY TOGETHER TOUR 2023

2 TREY KENNEDY

8 UNTOLD STORIESFORK IN THE ROAD

9 THE PRINCESS BRIDE: AN INCONCEIVABLE EVENING WITH CARY ELWES

25 MARGARET CHO

Eddie 9V

Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com

Iya Terra with Cas Haley & Sun Dub Underbelly underbellyjax.com

Actus Retus, Re-Birth, Torn Soul and The Fallen Sons

Kona Skatepark konaskatepark.com

Dover Quartet & Friends Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Fernandina Beach ameliachambermusic.org

Real Friends and Knucklepuck 1904 Music Hall 1904musichall.com

MARCH 18

Ramona & The Riot! Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

MARCH 19

Future & Friends: One Big Party Tour VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jaxevents.com

An Acoustic Evening with Matisyahu Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxevents.com

Gordon Lightfoot Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com

Afton Showcase 1904 Music Hall 1904musichall.com

moe.

Underbelly Jax underbellyjax.com

The Movement: Always With Me Tour Underbelly underbellyjax.com

MARCH 23

Brass Transit: The Musical Legacy of Chicago Thrasher-Horne Center thcenter.org

Harlan Saved 1904 Music Hall 1904musichall.com

Josh Ford and The Groove Bender Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

MARCH 24

Aaron Lewis Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com

Kool Keith (aka Dr. Octagon) Underbelly underbellyjax.com

Stop Light Observations and Little Bird Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com

Universal Funk Orchestra, Vlad the Inhaler, ZYX, Milky Von and Raichyl Sin 1904 Music Hall 1904musichall.com

MARCH 24

Jake Bradley Colonial Oak Music Park, St. Augustine thecolonialoakmusicpark.com

MARCH 24-25

“Sondheim, Webber & Friends: Songs of the Great White Way” Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxsymphony.org

MARCH 24-26

Widespread Panic St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com

MARCH 25

Eagles: Hotel California 2023 Tour VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jaxevents.com

Daddy’s Beemer, Lake Disney and Dakar Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com

Skyview, The Osceola Brothers, Mommy’s Little Helpers, Rosewilder & Tori N Underbelly underbellyjax.com

Tiger Kona Skatepark konaskatepark.com

MARCH 26

Guster Ponte Vedra Concert Hall pvconcerthall.com

MARCH 28

“R.E.S.P.E.C.T.—A Celebration of the Music of Aretha Franklin” Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts fscjartistseries.com

“Carnival of the Animals”

Phillips Fine Arts Studio–Jacksonville University ju.edu/cfa

Empire Strikes Brass

1904 Music Hall 1904musichall.com

Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com

MARCH 30

X Ambassadors Clay County Fairgrounds claycountyfair.org

Jaydaaakiing: Arizona Celebrity USA Tour 2023 Underbelly underbellyjax.com

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

MARCH 31

Niko Moon Clay County Fairgrounds claycountyfair.org

Lucius: “Love So Deep Tour” The Backyard Stage–St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com

Our Planet Live in Concert Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com

Driveaway and guests Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com

MARCH 31-APRIL 1

Beethoven’s Fifth Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxsymphony.org

Photo by Sam Graff

Words and Interview by Tysen Romeo

After a late-night viewing of the 1971 film “They Might Be Giants,” two high school friends, both named John, came up with the perfect rock band name.

They Might Be Giants is an alternative rock band formed by John Flansburgh and John Linnell in 1982.

i g h t B e G i a n t s

“We were just trying to do something that sounded different,” said Linnell. “We were not maybe thinking that we’d be saddled with the name ‘They Might Be Giants’ for the next 40 years … you kind of forget about the meaning of the name over time, the same way people don’t worry too much about how dumb the name of The Beatles is.”

MThey might be giants, or they might be masterminds.

Over their 40-year career, TMBG have released 23 studio albums, won two Grammy Awards, were nominated for a Tony Award for Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) for “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical” and sold millions of albums.

Now I don’t know about you, but I haven’t heard of many bands that have been able to stick together for over 40 years. They might have made a deal with the devil for success in the music industry or they might just know how to stay relevant.

Known for their unique style of alternative music, using unconventional instruments, experimental sounds, and quirky lyrics, TMBG defies a true description of what their music is like.

“Occasionally I’m on an airplane or something and someone says, ‘What do you do?’ and I have to sort of try and explain what it is,” said Linnell. “I feel like I’m sort of bullshitting in that situation. You know? I can’t really say what I think it is because I don’t think it makes sense to anybody. I generally say we do original music. Fundamentally, it’s a rock band.”

And there was no better place for their experimental sound to shine than in New York City circa 1980.

“New York had its own kind of microclimate at that time, and, in particular, what we would end up doing was playing in these little clubs that were performance spaces,” said Linnell. “It was really fun and exciting. We made a ton of friends in that world, and we felt like we were part of that community.”

Linnell and Flansburgh were credited as influential members of the founding and growth of the creative DIY music scene in Brooklyn in the mid to late 1980s.

Not only were they producing music to influence the DIY music scene, but as time went on, the duo of Johns got a backing band and began to make music outside of their super unique genre.

“We started doing a lot more different stuff. We made albums for kids, and we did a lot of commercial work, which we had never done before,” said Linnell. “The weirdest thing, we did a lot of jobs that were commercial jobs but felt strangely artistically satisfying. For example, we did a whole bunch of donut ads, and that was one of the funnest things we’ve ever done weirdly.”

The inseparable Johns also began touring and doing special venue songs where they would write a song for each venue or town they were visiting, then adding each venue song into its own album to create one big special album dedicated to the fans. Apparently, when you have the gift to write music you do it about anything and everything.

“There’s been a lot of memorable places that we return to over and over again, like there’s a theater in Philadelphia called the TLA [Theater of Living Arts] that’s great. Asheville, North Carolina has The Orange Peel. That’s a super fun gig. Then Stubbs down in Austin, Texas, has this big outdoor stage. It’s a really great place to play, and also they serve amazingly delicious barbecue there,” said Linnell.

They Might Be Giants knew their niche audiences and always visited the towns they previously toured. The pair of Johns don’t plan on stopping anytime soon either. This time around the tour bus is coming to the swamp.

It’s highly likely you’ve never seen them live before (neither have I), but if we just make it through listening to music that one of the band members can’t even describe, we can find out if they are actual giants. Or if they are at least 10 feet tall.

So until then, I’ll call them The TBD Giants, and we’ll all find out March 18 at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall.

MARCH 30

BORN IN A BARN

This year’s line-up of talent includes up-and-coming (mostly) country acts along with chart-topping stars, as well as local opening acts.

As they say, it’s “A Family A*Fair.” For more information on all things Clay County Agricutlural Fair, visit claycountyfair.org.

Xambassadors with Charlotte Sand, Cattlemen’s Arena, 7 p.m.

MARCH 31

Niko Moon with Alan Cooper, Cattlemen’s Arena, 7 p.m.

APRIL 1

Chris Janson with Shane Profitt, Cattlemen’s Arena, 7 p.m.

APRIL 2

Tracy Lawrence with Cumberland, Cattlemen’s Arena, 7 p.m.

APRIL 3

Casting Crowns with We Are Messengers and Ben Fuller, Cattlemen’s Arena, 7 p.m.

APRIL 4

Ashley McBryde with Lily Rose, Cattlemen’s Arena, 7 p.m.

APRIL 5

Fourtune, Walker, Rogers and Isaacs, Cattlemen’s Arena, 2 p.m.

FRIDAY, APRIL 7

Clay County Fair Star Search, Community Stage, 7 p.m.

And for the truly curious, check out the Youth Tractor Driving Contest (April 8-9), Tractor Pull (April 8-9) and … you guessed it … a Slient Disco Goat Party (April 6).

The Clay County Agricultural Fair returns to the Clay County Fairgrounds in Green Cove Springs March 31-April 9 with another full slate of midway rides, livestock shows, contests, fair food and, of course, entertainment.

Ashley McBryde to perform with Lily Rose April 4th

“NOT SO SAINT” ST. AUGUSTINE

A look into the life of the bad boy with a city named after him

Words by Tysen Romeo

Did you know the person they named St. Augustine after was actually an atheist, a thief and a playboy? Turns out “Saint” Augustine of Hippo was anything but a saint.

Born in 354 A.D., Augustine was the son of Patricius, a pagan who worked and saved to give him a good education, and Monica, a committed Christian who prayed endlessly for him. Too bad her prayers didn’t work very well as Augustine grew up atheist and treaded down a scandalous path in his youth.

His first dabble into his acts of sin was at 16 years old when he and his friends stole pears from his neighbor’s tree. Augustine apparently didn’t even like pears; he stole them just to steal them. He later wrote that stealing the pears and throwing them away “pleased us all the more because it was forbidden.” Looks like Eve wasn’t the only one tempted by forbidden fruit. This was only the beginning of Augustine’s bad boy era.

Throughout his teens Augustine was completely obsessed with girls. He wrote that from the time he was about 16, “the frenzy gripped me and I surrendered myself entirely to lust.” We have all been teenagers once, obsessed with sex and doing anything to get the attention of those we find attractive. But Augustine was probably a borderline sex addict and had lots of it … before marriage. Sex before marriage is one of the worst things he could have possibly done back in the 4th century. (Even nowadays, many people regard sex before marriage a sin.)

Things got even crazier. Even with all the sex he was having, Augustine fell in love. But don’t cue the wedding bells too soon because marriage was not in the picture for this lover boy. She did become his girlfriend, however … and then got pregnant. So Augustine, still in his teens, fathered a child out of wedlock. How’s that for controversial?

He did not leave them to fend for themselves, however. Augustine’s son Adeodatus was born in 372 A.D. Augustine described the experience as “given by God,” as he considered the birth unplanned and thought his son was some sort of divine intervention. As a result, Augustine became interested in religion. Though he and the mother of his son never married, they all lived as a family together faithfully for 13 years, so there are some redeeming qualities about him.

Unlike the love stories we read in the books, Augustine and his family didn’t live happily ever after.

In 385 A.D. Augustine was living in Milan with his family and mother. His mother arranged a marriage but not with the mother of his child. This outraged Augustine’s unnamed mistress and she left him. Taken aback from this, he pondered why he never married her and described her as “stronger than I.” He could never find the strength to marry her, but she could find the courage to leave him. And the marriage that was arranged was with a girl too young to marry, as she had to wait two more years to be of marriageable age.

All of which led Augustine to find another mistress. He had fallen back into the era of being a playboy. He wrote that this time in his life he was “impatient of the delay” and “a slave to lust.” This all broke his mother’s heart.

He remained an atheist for most of his youth, which isn’t surprising considering he kept a mistress, had a child out of wedlock, didn’t marry his son’s

mother and, instead, found another mistress.

So much for a saint, right? We named a city in Florida after a guy who would do all this in his youth? He was a good for nothing most of his life and not exactly a role model at the time.

Don’t be so quick to judge, though. Augustine, despite all his mistakes in his life, eventually found God. Not to say you have to “find God” to get past your mistakes in life or that “finding God” solves all your problems. While some find ways of expressing themselves through art, writing or singing, Augustine found it through religion.

Augustine was baptized in 387 A.D. by Ambrose, the bishop of Milan. He soon returned to his birthplace of Thagaste and was ordained. A few years later, he would be made bishop of the city of Hippo, becoming Augustine of Hippo. He would also go on to write about his sexual corruption and his mother’s concern for his well-being, admitting his sins and righting his wrongs.

It takes a lot to admit one’s faults and truly grow as a person. Being able to think about the complexities of selflessness and how to address one’s personal issues is also super intense. Augustine was actually a person who lived a full life: He did a lot wrong but also did a lot of good in his life.

Through his redemption era as a bishop, a father and as someone his mother could be proud of, he showed true resilience and strength. He would even be worthy enough to have our beloved city of St. Augustine named after him.

St. Augustine is a place all about resilience and strength: the Castillo de San Marcos, the textbook symbol of resilience, and the shops and restaurants that survive the ebbs of tourism show true strength. Honestly, St. Augustine is kind of campy too. Campy, for those who don’t know, describes St. Augustine, as sort of funky, having that Southern charm and uniqueness to it. Kind of like how you feel as if you are always listening to a Lana Del Ray song when you are there. I think that the bad boy embodiment that Augustine gives off is a perfect example of the way you will feel when you are in St. Augustine.

St. Augustine: Florida’s most resilient and campy city.

Every March “Spanish” St. Augustine, Florida, USA, celebrates its Celtic roots with “The WORLD’s Original St. Patrick Parade”, the “St. Augustine Highland Games”, the internationally recognized “St. Augustine Celtic Music and Heritage Festival” and something NEW: “Celtic NOIR! Authors Symposium”.

TAKE AN AUDIO WALKING TOUR OF “AMERICA’S OLDEST... CELTIC CITY” ST. AUGUSTINE

WRITTEN BY ALBERT SYELES

TOLD BY ROB NICHOLSON

St. Augustine Events

Upcoming Special Events in St.

“Lady In the Blue Dress” Photo submitted to Folio’s The Eye by Jay Stevens

Augustine-area

MARCH 11-12

St. Augustine Celtic Music and Heritage Festival

Francis Field celticstaugustine.com

MARCH 25-26

EPIC Garden and Flower Expo

Sykes Family Farms, Elkton epicbh.org/flower-garden-expo

MARCH 25-26

St. Augustine Lions Seafood Festival

Francis Field lionsfestival.com

APRIL 1-2

Old Town Art Show

Francis Field holidayartshows.com/old-town-art-show

Florida Ma’am Festival

Colonial Oak Music Park facebook.com/flmaam

APRIL 14-16

Gamble Rogers Folk Festival St. Johns County Fairgrounds, Elkton gamblerogersfest.org/

APRIL 22

Hop Into Spring Fest

World Golf Hall of Fame jacksonvillebusinessconnections.com/events/5th-annual-hop-intospring-fest

3rd Annual St. Augustine Veg Fest World Golf Hall of Fame eventbrite.com/e/3rd-annual-st-augustine-vegfest-tickets-487586021917

Roscolusa Songwriters Festival

Nocatee, Ponte Vedra Beach roscolusa.com

APRIL 29

St. Augustine Family Fun Fest

Francis Field facebook.com/StAugustineFamilyFunFest

APRIL 30

Taste of St. Augustine

St. Augustine Amphitheatre epicbh.org/taste-of-st-augustine

MAY 3-7

St. Augustine Food + Wine Festival

Various locations

staugustinefoodandwinefestival.com

BITE BY BITE

ARLINGTON

Cliff’s Bar & Grill cliffsbarandgrill.com

Rice + Noodles Korean Restaurant riceandnoodles.net

Tabouleh Cafe taboulehcafe.com

Angie’s Subs facebook.com/angiessubs

Azurea at One Ocean azurearestaurant.com

Barbara Jean’s on the Water barbarajeansonthewater.com

Coop 303 coop303.com

Engine 15 Brewing Company engine15.com

The Fish Company Restaurant and Oyster Bar thefishcojax.com

Flying Iguana Taqueria & Tequila Bar flyingiguana.com

BEACHES

Marker 32 marker32.com

Mezzaluna mezzalunajax.com

Bellweather bellwetherjax.com

The Bread and Board thebreadandboard.com

Burrito Gallery burritogallery.com

Cowford Chophouse cowfordchophouse.com

De Real Ting Cafe facebook.com/derealtingcafe

Estrella Cocina estrellajax.com

The Happy Grilled Cheese thehappygrilledchees.wixsite.com/grilledcheese

Indochine indochinejax.com

North Beach Fish Camp thenorthbeachfishcamp.com

Palm Valley Fish Camp palmvalleyfishcamp.com

Poe’s Tavern poestavern.com

Ragtime Tavern ragtimetavern.com

Safe Harbor Seafood Market and Restaurant safeharbor-seafood.com

Salt Life Food Shack saltlifefoodshack.com

Singleton’s Seafood Shack singletonsseafood.com

TacoLu tacolu.com

Valley Smoke BBQ valleysmoke.com

Juliette’s Bistro at Marriott Jacksonville Downtown marriott.com

Ocean Street Tacos oceanstreettacos.com

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

Sweet Pete’s sweetpetescandy.com

Spliff’s Gastropub spliffsgastropub.com

MANDARIN

Berndt Ends BBQ facebook.com/berndtendsbbq

Blue Bamboo Canton Bistro bluebamboojacksonville.com

ChopHouse Thirteen chophouse13.com

Julington Creek Fish Camp julingtoncreekfishcamp.com

Buchner’s Bierhall buchnersbierhalle.com

MURRAY HILL

The Dreamette dreametteicecream.com

El Jefe Tex Mex eljefejax.com

Fired Up Pizza woodfireduppizza.com

NORTHSIDE

Green Papaya Pan Asian Cuisine greenpapayaus.com

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

Le Petit Paris French Cafe lepetitparisjax.com

Picasso’s Pizzeria jaxpicassos.wixsite.com/jaxpicassos

Umami Japanese Curry & Ramen umamijax.com

Maple Street Biscuit Company maplestreetbiscuits.com/murray-hill

Moon River Pizza moonriverpizza.net

Murray Hillbilly murrayhillbilly.com

Vagabond Coffee Co. vagabondcoffee.com

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

Ship 2 Shore Seafood & Steak ship2shoreseafood.com

RIVERSIDE & AVONDALE

13 Gypsies 13gypsies.com

904 Tacos facebook.com/904tacosfivepoints

Arepa Please arepaplease.com

Black Sheep blacksheep5points.com

Biscottis biscottis.net

Blue Orchid blueorchidthai.com

Bold Bean boldbeancoffee.com

Brew Five Points brewfivepoints.co

Iguana on Park iguanaonpark.com

Jazzy’s Restaurant & Lounge jazzysrestaurant.net

Josephine josephineavondale.com

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

The Mossfire Grill mossfire.com

Pizza Cave facebook.com/pizzacave5pts

Restaurant Orsay restaurantorsay.com

Sake House sakehousejax.com

Sweet Theory Baking Company sweettheorybakingco.com

Taqueria Cinco taqueria5points.com

SAN MARCO

Bar Molino barmolino.com

bb’s bbsrestaurant.com

The Bearded Pig thebeardedpigbbq.com

Bistro AIX Restaurant and Lounge bistrox.com

European Street Cafe europeanstreet.com

Fuji Sushi jacksonvillefujisushi.com

SPRINGFIELD

1748 Bakehouse 1748bakehouse.com

Crispy’s Springfield Gallery facebook.com/CrispysSpringfieldGallery

Strings Sport Brewery stringssportsbrewery.com

SOUTHSIDE

WESTSIDE

III Forks 3forks.com/location/jacksonville

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

Culhane’s Irish Pub culhanesirishpub.com

The Juicy Crab thejuicycrabjax.com

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

The Local thelocaljax.com

Matthew’s Restaurant matthewsrestaurant.com

The Metro Diner metrodiner.com Peterbrooke peterbrooke.com/pages/san-marco

Taverna taverna.restaurant

Town Hall townhalljax.com

Silkie’s Chicken & Champagne Bar meetatsilkies.com

Waafa and Mike’s Cafe facebook.com/waafaandmikes

The French Pantry thefrenchpantryfl.com

Mr. Potato Spread mrpotatospread.com

Taste of Thai tasteofthaijax.com

Sushi Bear sushibearjax.com

Trent’s Seafood jltrents.com

Pour Some Sugar On Me

That’s right. The moment we have all been waiting for is here. Sugar Factory American Brasserie is opening its newest location, right here in Jacksonville

Words by Ambar Ramirez

Don’t let the name confuse you. While both Sugar Factory and Cheesecake Factory carry “factory” in their name and both sell sweets, food, and (of course) drinks, Sugar Factory offers an entirely different experience once you walk through those glass-paneled doors.

Sugar Factory Brasserie has locations spread across across the country and around the world (Dubai being just one example), and by the time you read this, Jacksonville residents will be getting their first sugary tastes when the sweet shop finally opens (assuming they don’t postpone their opening date again) in the Markets of Town Center.

While the prices may not seem as sweet (this, coming from a recent college graduate), remember you’re not just paying for an edible item but one designed to offer an unforgettable sweet experience. Or as Gwen Stefani would put it, a sweet escape.

But don’t just take my word for it. Back in 2016 celebrities like the Kardashians and Jenners were basically poster people for the restaurant. And I’m sure it wasn’t just the amount on the checks that made these celebrities promote the elevated candy shop.

It all began with an idea that came up during a family dinner: to create a place where children could revel in being a kid and where adults could re-spark their inner child, a place where the whole family could have fun. And well, you can really never go wrong with candy or sweets.

From that moment on, the family-owned brassiere went from just being located in a small town in Nevada to over 24 locations worldwide.

But people don’t just go to Sugar Factory to rekindle their inner child (we have meditation and therapy for that). They go for the food, candy, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, the list goes on. I mean it.

They have every type of classic American food you can think of. Just to name a few off of the savory portion of the menu: burgers, onion rings, chicken wings, pasta, grilled four-cheese sandwiches, fillet and pan-roasted salmon!

Should I go onto the sweet portion of the menu? There are milkshakes (one of which may or may not be alcoholic), ice cream sundaes, waffles and crepes, and, of course, dessert fondue. Talk about a sugar high.

And while I won’t go into detail about the cocktail menu, just know that they use a little bit of dry ice to add some magic to your drink when you order a goblet.

Needless to say, you won’t be disappointed with this new addition to Jacksonville’s food scene.

Pineapples to Oranges

Words by Ted Hunt

Such a delicious and healthy fruit, the pineapple. It can be diced, sliced, baked, grilled, even served on pizza, and its sweet juice is the nectar for the refreshing piña colada.

Florida has always been known for its oranges and grapefruit, but pineapples were cultivated long before citrus ruled the state. During the 1860s crates of the fruit were shipped by boats from the Florida Keys and Merritt Island on the east coast of Florida to cities in the Northeast. They were nicknamed “pines” because they resembled a pine cone.

As demand for the fruit increased during the 1880s and 1890s, pineapple fever had taken hold. Farmers were eager to turn the state’s sandy soil into profitable fruit. Plantations from one to 100+ acres sprouted up and down the sandy ridge of the Indian River and across the state. The counties of Volusia, Brevard, Indian River and Martin were tilling thousands of acres of pineapples. Soon, plantations spread from the east coast through Orange County to Lee County on the west coast of Florida. The average farmer was producing approximately 300 crates a day, each holding up to 80 pounds of fruit.

In 1894 railroad pioneer Henry Flagler expanded his railroad down the east coast of Florida to West Palm Beach and to Miami in 1896. Lines were also extended to the central part of the state and then westward to the gulf. The railroads had an enormous impact on the growth of the market. Pineapple farmers now had the means to reach markets like Chicago in three days and New York in two days. Everyone was making money. The early 1900s produced close to 1 million crates a year. Florida had become the Pineapple Capital of the World.

However, the ”‘pines” market flourished for only a brief time in Florida’s history until several factors caused it to wane and eventually collapse.

A severe freeze in 1895 would begin the downturn of the industry. Frosts and freezes would continue over the years, the worst occurring from 1909-1910. The budding plants didn’t stand a chance against Mother Nature. (The brutal winters of 1917 and 1918 were probably the last straw.)

Cuba was also growing and shipping pineapples to the United States with labor and shipping costing less than Florida’s growers. With so many pineapples being grown and shipped, there was a glut in the marketplace and prices began to fall. By 1908 Cuba had surpassed Florida in the total number of crates produced.

Then in 1909, plantation owners noticed their plants yellowing and dying. A disease caused by mealybugs and roundworms was attacking their plants and traveling quickly from one farm to another. At that time there was very little they could do to stop the spread. Soon entire farms were wiped out. Finally in 1912, many pineapple farmers, weary from the difficulties of farming, began to sell off their farms to real estate speculators. People had started flocking to Florida seeking the warm weather and opportunities offered in the growing state. They needed housing, and the Florida land grab began.

If there is a bright side to the collapse, it’s that many pineapple farmers in the early 1900s saw a bleak future and were not willing to give up hope for their farms and livelihood. This was the time in Florida’s history that most remaining pineapple farmers switched to a more weather-resistant crop that also grew well in Florida’s abundant sandy soil. These farmers abandoned the pineapple and started planting citrus groves, the groves that now produce the famous Florida orange. And what’s the cliché … the rest is history.

Now where is that piña colada?

ARLINGTON

Cliff’s Bar and Grill cliffsbarandgrill.com

BEACHES/PONTE VEDRA

Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com

The Brix Taphouse jacksonvillebeachbar.com

Culhane’s culhanesirishpub.com

Flask & Cannon facebook.com/flaskandcannon

Green Room Brewing greenroombrewing.com

Grey Matter Distillery greymatterdistillery.com

Gusto gustojax.com

Hoptinger Bier Garden + Sausage House hoptinger.com

Ink Factory Brewing inkfactorybrewing.com

Island Girl Cigar Bar islandgirlcigarbar.com

Julep Palm Valley facebook.com/JulepPalmValley

Lemon Bar & Grille lemonbarjax.com

Lynch’s Irish Pub lynchsirishpub.com

Mango’s mangosjaxbeach.com

Mavi’s Waterfront Bar & Grill mavijax.com

NIGHTLIFE

Monkey’s Uncle Tavern monkeysuncletavern.com

Palm Valley Outdoors Bar and Grill palmvalleyoutdoors.com

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

Pete’s Bar facebook.com/people/Petes-Bar-Atlantic-Beach/100077446452734/

Ragtime Tavern ragtimetavern.com

Refinery Jax Beach refineryjaxbeach.com

Reve Brewing revebrewing.com

The Ritz Lounge theritzlounge.com

The Shim Sham Room shimshamroom.com

Southern Swells Brewing Company southernswells.com

Surfer The Bar surferthebar.com

DOWNTOWN 1904 Music Hall 1904musichall.com

The Bier Hall intuitionaleworks.com/bierhall

Bold City Brewery boldcitybrewery.com

Dos Gatos dosgatosjax.com

Element Bistro & Craft Cocktail Lounge elementjax.com

Intuition Aleworks intuitionaleworks.com

Island Girl Cigar Bar islandgirlcigarbar.com

Justice Pub facebook.com/TheJusticePub

Manifest Distillery manifestdistilling.com Myth Nightclub mythexperience.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

MANDARIN/JULINGTON CREEK/ FRUIT COVE

2nd Bay Brewing 2ndbaybrewing.com

Iggy’s Grill and Bar facebook.com/IggysGrill

Kava & Company kavaandcompany.com

Legacy Ale Works legacyaleworks.com

Monkey’s Uncle Tavern facebook.com/MonkeysUncleMandarin1

Rack’em Up Sports Bar facebook.com/rackemupsportsbar

MURRAY HILL Buchner’s Bierhalle buchnersbierhalle.com

Fishweir Brewing Company fishweirbrewing.com

The Flamingo theflamingojax.com

Perfect Rack Billiards perfectrackbilliards.com

The Stout Snug thestoutsnug.com

The Walrus thewalrusjax.com

NORTHSIDE

Coppertop Bar and Restaurant coppertopbarandrestaurant.com

Four Fathers Distillery fourfathersdistillery.com

ORANGE PARK/MIDDLEBURG

57 Heaven facebook.com/57HeavenOP

Big Dawgs Sports Restaurant bigdawgsrestaurant.com

Cheers Park Avenue cheersparkave.com

The Daq Shack thedaqshack904.com

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

The Fresh Spot Lounge thefreshspotlounge.com

LeaderBoard Arcade leaderboardarcade.com

Locals Pub localspub.co

Nakama Anime Bar nakamabar.com

Park Avenue Billiards parkavenuebilliards.com Pinglehead Brewing Company pinglehead.com

Southern Social Whiskey Bar & Lounge southernsocialbar.com

RIVERSIDE/AVONDALE Birdies facebook.com/birdiesfivepoints

Bold City Brewery boldcitybrewery.com

Brick Restaurant brickofavondale.com

Burlock & Barrel burlockandbarrel.com

Casbah Cafe thecasbahcafe.com

Dart Bar & Games facebook.com/DartBarJax

Eclipse Bar & Nightclub facebook.com/EclipseBarJax

The Garage garagejax.com

The Green House thegreenhousebar.com

Hoptinger Bier Garden + Sausage House hoptinger.com

Jazzy’s Restaurant & Lounge jazzysrestaurant.net

Kanine Social Taproom kaninesocial.com

Keg & Coin kegandcoinjax.com

Kingmaker Brewing kingmakerbrewing.com

Lemonstreet Brewing Company lemonstreetbrewing.com

The Loft loftjax.com

Myrtle Avenue Brewing facebook.com/MyrtleAveBrewing

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

Rain Dogs instagram.com/raindogs5points

River & Post riverandpostjax.com

Rogue Bar facebook.com/rogue.bar.1

Root Down facebook.com/RootDownJax

Tabula Rasa Brewing tabularasa.beer

Wall Street Lounge facebook.com/TheWallStreetLounge

Wildcrafters facebook.com/wildcraftersjax

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

Bar Molino barmolino.com

Breezy Jazz House breezyjazzhouse.com

Cuba Libre Ultra Lounge cubalibrebar.com

Fore Score Golf Tavern forescoregolf.com

The Grape & Grain Exchange grapeandgrainexchange.com

Hamburger Mary’s hamburgermarys.com/jax

Kava & Company kavaandcompany.com

The Mudville Grill themudvillegrill.com

The Players Grille playersgrille.com

Posting House posting.house

Sidecar instagram.com/sidecarjax

Tabula Rasa Brewing tabularasa.beer

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

Bottlenose Brewing bottlenosebrewing.com

Culhane’s culhanesirishpub.com

Island Girl Cigar Bar islandgirlcigarbar.com

Jax Craft Beer jaxcraftbeer.com

Secret Tiki Temple secrettikitemple.com

Seven Bridges Grille & Brewery 7bridgesgrille.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

Historically Hoppy Brewing Company historicallyhoppy.com

Hyperion Brewing hyperionbrewing.com

Shantytown Pub facebook.com/shantytownjax

Strings Sports Brewery stringssportsbrewery.com

ST. AUGUSTINE

Arnold’s Lounge arnoldslounge.com

The Bar With No Name facebook.com/TheBarWithNoName/

Beacon Listening Room beaconstaug.com

Cellar Upstairs Bar at San Sebastian Winery sansebastianwinery.com

The Original Café Eleven originalcafe11.com

Prohibition Kitchen pkstaug.com

Tradewinds Lounge tradewindslounge.com

WESTSIDE Lillian’s lillianssportsgrill.com

The Phoenix Bar & Bowling facebook.com/thephoenixjax

Girl Scout Cookies Are Back... or Should We Say ‘Bock’?

Words by Kerry Speckman

Ever wonder what Girl Scout cookie tastes best with a hefe-weizen, a doppelbock or a brown ale? Fortunately for you, Ambar, Carmen and Kerry put their tastebuds (and gag reflexes) on the line to find out as part of the Inaugural “Folio” Girl Scout Cookie/Beer Pairing and Tasting Office Party.

We scoured the internet for pairing suggestions (Girl Scout cookies and beer are a thing, if you don’t know) and also consulted the experts at European Street Cafe in Riverside to come up with the pairings below. As for the findings, you’ll have to watch and see.

• Adventurefuls: Lindemans Framboise

• Do-si-dos Newcastle Brown Ale

• Girl Scout S’mores: Paulaner Hefe-Weizen

• Lemon-Ups: Monk’s Cafe Flemish Sour Ale

• Samoas: Celebrator Doppelbock

• Tagalongs: La Trappe Quadrupel

• Thin Mints: Samuel Smith Organic Chocolate Stout

• Toffee-tastic: Purple Haze Raspberry Lager

• Trefoils: Samuel Smith Organic Pale Ale

Many thanks to European Street Cafe for the guidance and providing the beer for this most important experiment. And if you’d like to order some delicious Girl Scout cookies for yourself (without having to leave your house!), allow us to recommend our personal Girl Scout cookie rep, Charlotte, who has her own Digital Cookie Store … because she is bold, innovative and a go-getter.

Empowered Women Empower Women

The Rise of Girls of Virtue

Words by Carmen Macri

It comes as no surprise that being a woman in today’s society can be terrifying. Our rights are being stripped away in front of our eyes. We face misogyny in our day-to-day lives, whether it be subtle or overt. Since birth, we were dealt a shitty hand. Growing up I was always taught to cover my shoulders and watch what I say around boys … rather than teaching young boys human f***ing decency. It was always on us to censor ourselves so the men around us could act right.

That is why when organizations like Girls of Virtue pop up, it is a breath of fresh air. Adults empower young women to embrace who they are, to embrace their bodies and their spirituality. At Girls of Virtue, young women are taught more than “cover up and watch what you say.” They are surrounded by strong, successful women who have experienced similar challenges and overcame them. Girls of Virtue provides classes on personal growth, financial education, health and fitness, self-defense and spiritual balance, along with events like 5K races and one-mile “fun runs,” golf tournaments, self-love workshops and friendly fitness competitions.

According to the Girls of Virtue website: “Girls are often taught to be a reflection of their mothers, but there are many girls who break that mold and choose to be a reflection of their own virtue.” And that is exactly what Girls of Virtue strives for: to empower young women to break free from the restrictions placed upon them since birth. These girls are self-aware and confident in who they are. Girls of virtue are those who act with integrity and honesty. They follow their moral compass and are not afraid to speak up when they see something wrong. The Girls of Virtue live by their values and are not swayed by peer pressure.

Della Sellers launched Girls of Virtue in April 2020. As a child, she experienced many challenges from substance abuse and physical abuse to a broken home and poverty. She founded Girls of Virtue to show young women that their future is limitless and their future can always be bright, regardless of where they come from or their current circumstances.

Girls of Virtue is always looking for volunteers and sponsors to help make a difference in these girls’ lives. Volunteers will work one-on-one with the girls to share their own expertise and experience to provide guidance and support. If you are interested in joining as a Girl of Virtue, or as volunteer, check out their website girlsofvirtue.org for more information.

Public Transportation

How accessible and efficient is our public transportation system?

Words and photos by Ambar Ramirez

I’ve had the privilege of having access to private means of transportation for most of my life. My parents always owned cars and I was lucky enough to have a used Cherokee jeep passed down to me when I got my license. Granted, I did have to take the school bus during my 7th and 8th-grade years of Middle School. And, if there were ever a moment when I was in need of a ride but did not have a car, I used Uber. But, needless to say, Uber isn’t cheap and if you own a car, you know that isn’t cheap either. Having to deal with constant repairs and high gas prices.

The reality is that public transit accounts for 2% of urban trips in the United States, compared to Canada and Western Europe where public transit accounts for 10-20% of urban trips.

Have we all just gotten too comfortable with our private means of transit or is it the overall underdeveloped modes of public t ransit?

I call this one, “Meditating at the Bus Stop” for we were worried that the bus was never gonna show up… it showed up shortly after this picture was taken. Also, noodle man makes a grand appearance.

but make it fun

It’s giving the school bus ride to Sky-High if you know what I mean.

About 10 minutes into the 1 hour and 20-minute bus ride to work, but I don’t mind when I get to look out the window and stare at palm trees without fear of crashing into the car in front of me.

“Almost There” By this point, I was just ready to be at work (never thought I’d say that). While definitely accessible and cheap ($3.25 for the whole ride) you would think that by now we would have a faster form of public transit. Oh, wait… there is, we just don’t have one in Jacksonville. And yes, I know. Subways don’t have to be underground, I understand the whole “at sea level” issue.

“Taking Atlantic Blvd. Downtown” I hope the bus driver knows how important his job is to people that don’t have the means to own a car.

An hour and 20 minutes bus ride and 6-minute walk later, we made it to Folio HQ (AKA

The Skyway ! While only located in downtown and the Southbank, the Skyway is free and makes getting around downtown much easier. Plus it goes over the water! How fun. Now we just need something like this all over Jacksonville and I won’t ever have to worry about high gas prices again.

But of course, buses aren’t the only mode of public transportation in Jacksonville…

While just one of many pathways that leads you straight into James Weldon Johnson Park, I like to think that this is the entrance to Jacksonville’s very own Narnia.

work)!

“The Fullest Expression” By Ally Barrett