VIE Magazine December 2020

Cozy Retreats at

L

GE

AL

T

AY F R O M I W T A

The RANCH at ROCK CREEK FLYING NORTH for the WINTER

THE HOLIDAYS ARE HERE! BRUNCH RECIPES, DECOR TIPS & MORE

SP

READING

HOLIDAY CHEER!

Winter 2020-21

THE SEASON of LOVE

S C E N I C H W Y 3 0 A H A S B E E N N A M E D T H E #1 P L AC E T O B U Y INVESTMENT PRO PERT Y IN THE US

OVER $2 BILLION WORTH OF REAL ESTATE SOLD ON 30A THIS YEAR

W H O ’S W H O I N L UXU RY R E A L E S TAT E THE WEBBY AWARD -WINNING LUXURY REAL ESTATE WEBSITE WITH THE MOST MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR PROPERTIES:

38,968

LUXURYREALESTATE.COM

24,308

SOTHEBY’S

21,206

LUXURY PORTFOLIO CHRISTIE’S

15,469

INFO RMAT IO N P R OV I DE D B Y W HO' S W HO I N L UXURY R E AL E S TAT E , 2020.

YO U G E T T H E L I N DA M I L L E R A DVA N TA G E

22 YEARS OF SELLING SCENIC HW Y 30A

EXPERIENCE OVER HALF A BILLION IN SALES

KNOWLEDGE HUNDREDS OF HAPPY CUSTOMERS

WISDOM

Call me, I can help! ( 8 5 0 ) 9 74 - 8 8 8 5

Linda@thesmileof30a.com | LindaMillerLuxury.com 5297 E Scenic Hwy 30-A #102, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

47 HINTON L ANE SEAGROVE, FLORIDA – $12,500,000

This luxury Gulf-front home is an INVESTOR'S DREAM, with a second-floor pool and huge living area! Gulf-front master suite and office. Rental potential of over $500,000 in this 8 bedroom, 8.5 bath home. Panoramic views from Destin to Panama City Beach and 75 feet of Gulf frontage with private beach access. Over 8,500 square feet, 3-car garage, and elevator.

L I N DA M I L L E R LU X U RY.C OM Linda@thesmileof30a.com | (850) 974-8885 5297 E Scenic Hwy 30-A #102, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

68 PAR ADISE BY THE SEA ROSEMARY BEACH, FLORIDA – $12,500,000

A luxurious Tuscan villa brings the best of Italy to our white-sand beaches with an infinity-edge pool overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Featuring stone walls, Venetian plaster, and reclaimed hardwood floors and beams. Two Gulf-front Master suites open onto covered porches. Authentic Italian furnishings grace every room of this 5 bedroom, 5 bath beauty. Lot is 60 x 600 feet deep with room to add value with a garage/carriage house.

3510 Burnt Pine Lane SANDESTIN GOLF AND BEACH RESORT ®

30 Canal Street SEAGROVE SHORES

30 Atwoods Court ROSEMARY BEACH

Blake Morar 850.259.5944

86 Tidal Bridge Way

Ron Hefner 850.461.8886

38 Bramble Grove Place

Blake Morar | Carrie Shoaf 850.259.5944 | 850.866.2114

scenicsir.com

WATERSOUND BEACH

SEAGROVE BEACH

2 East Spanish Town Court ROSEMARY BEACH

Tom Fitzpatrick 850.225.4674

Nina McCaslin-Horn 850.685.0198

Nina McCaslin-Horn 850.685.0198

Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated.

For those seeking the refined

86 Tidal Bridge Way presented by

TOM FITZPATRICK

C E L E B R AT I N G

25 YEARS IN BUSINESS

O N T H E E M E R A L D COAST !

T WO B E AU T I F U L S H OW R O O M S TO I N S P I R E YO U 12870 U.S. Highway 98 West | Miramar Beach, FL 32550 | (850) 837-5563 Shoppes @ Inlet | 13625 Emerald Coast Pkwy East | Inlet Beach, FL 32461 | (850) 909-0435

LOV E L AC E I N T E R I O R S .CO M

MODERN I S A LWAY S I N

S E AS O N N AT H A N A L A N Y O A K U M Artist in Residence

12170 Emerald Coast Parkway | Miramar Beach | (850) 269-1699

IDMIDESIGN.COM

In this issue On the Cover

Take glamping to the next level all year long at The Ranch at Rock Creek, an award-winning luxury dude ranch in the Montana Rocky Mountains.

The 6,600-acre property features a variety of accommodations, including canvas tent–meets–log cabin private suites. Plush furnishings, gas stoves, and top-notch amenities await inside.

The all-inclusive ranch resort makes a perfect getaway for the holidays or anytime. Read and see more on page 26!

Photo courtesy of The Ranch at Rock Creek

34

THIS COZY CABIN RETREAT IN WISCONSIN EXEMPLIFIES THE WARMTH AND BEAUTY WE ALL HOPE TO FEEL DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON. ARCHITECT WADE WEISSMANN AND INTERIOR DESIGNER MARK WEAVER SHARE THEIR TIPS FOR ACHIEVING THE PERFECT BALANCE OF CHRISTMAS SPIRIT AND GREAT DESIGN.

Photo courtesy of Wade Weissmann Architecture

FEATURE 26 Walking in a Winter Wonderland

PUBLISHED BY

L’AMOUR 99

LA MAISON 25

100 Mr. and Mrs. Woodard: A Grand Wedding

34 Home for the Holidays: Elegant Decor and

on the Grand Lawn

Celebrations to Remember

107 Petite pause: Merry Christmas to You!

39 L’intermission: Let the Light In

108 Backyard of Love: A Wedding at Home in

40 A Coastal Getaway like No Other

Pensacola, Florida

47 Petite pause: Fröhliche Weihnachten!

115 L’intermission: Mountain Magic

48 California Dreaming in London:

BON APPÉTIT! 117

Bermonds Locke Meets Joshua Tree Vie is a French word meaning “life” or “way of living.” VIE magazine sets itself apart as a high-gloss publication that focuses on human-interest stories with heart and soul. From Seattle to NYC with a concentration in the Southeast, VIE is known for its unique editorial approach—a broad spectrum of deep content with rich photography. The award-winning magazine was founded in 2008 by husband-and-wife team Lisa and Gerald Burwell, owners of the specialty publishing and branding house known as The Idea Boutique®. From the finest artistically bound books to paperless digital publication and distribution, The Idea Boutique provides comprehensive publishing services to authors and organizations. Its team of creative professionals delivers a complete publishing experience—all that’s needed is your vision.

C’EST LA VIE: 2020 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 88

54 Beauty on the Bay: A Private Estate 61 L’intermission: Fire and Ice 62 Beachfront Blues in Perdido Key: A Serene Gulf Getaway

LE MONDE 71 72 The Magic of Museums: Finding Culture amid COVID-19

79 Petite pause: Joyeux Noël!

80 Giving Smartly

118 Brunch for the Holidays: Let’s Get Together 123 Petite pause: Warm Wishes for the Holidays!

124 Our Many Selves

THE LAST WORD: ’TIS THE SEASON 129 LA SCÈNE 132 AU REVOIR! 137

87 L’intermission: Deck the Halls THEIDEABOUTIQUE.COM INFO@THEIDEABOUTIQUE.COM V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 13

CREATIVE TEAM CEO / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LISA MARIE BURWELL Lisa@VIEmagazine.com

FOUNDER / PUBLISHER GERALD BURWELL Gerald@VIEmagazine.com

EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR JORDAN STAGGS Jordan@VIEmagazine.com

CHIEF COPY EDITOR MARGARET STEVENSON

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS SALLIE W. BOYLES, FELICIA FERGUSON, ANTHEA GERRIE, SALLIE LEWIS, MYLES MELLOR, KELSEY OGLETREE, CAROLYN O’NEIL, TORI PHELPS, SUZANNE POLL AK, NICHOL AS S. RACHEOTES, VIRGINIA REED, L AURETTE RYAN, COLLEEN SACHS, BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN, JANET THOMAS, MEGAN WALDREP, MARK WEAVER, WADE WEISSMANN, CHAD ZIBELMAN

ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY CREATIVE DIRECTOR TRACEY THOMAS Tracey@VIEmagazine.com

ART DIRECTOR HANNAH VERMILLION Hannah@VIEmagazine.com

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER OLIVIA WELLER

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS DUSTIN DOWNING, SVEN HANSCHE, SUSAN BARNSON HAY WARD, KURT HEUMILLER, DONN JONES, AL AN K ARCHMER, BRENNA KNEISS, CHRIS LUKER, K AY PHEL AN, CARLO PIERONI, OLIVER PILCHER, TONY POWELL, ROMONA ROBBINS, JAMIE SCHRAMM, MARK STAFF, MIKHAIL STARODUBOV, WINSTON TAN, DAVE WARREN, AISLINN K ATE PHOTOGRAPHY, DEAR WESLEYANN, DIGITAL LOVE, DESIRÉE GARDNER PHOTOGRAPHY, L AUREN BAILEY PHOTOGRAPHY, PAVEL L PHOTO AND VIDEO, SHUTTERSTOCK

ADVERTISING, SALES, AND MARKETING DIRECTOR OF BRAND AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AMANDA SALUCCI Amanda@VIEmagazine.com

SOCIAL MEDIA AND BRAND MANAGER ABIGAIL RYAN

BRAND AMBASSADOR LISA MARIE BURWELL Lisa@VIEmagazine.com MARTA RATA Marta@VIEmagazine.com

AD MANAGER ABIGAIL RYAN Abigail@VIEmagazine.com

INTERN SAMANTHA ACCOL A

VIE is a registered trademark. All contents herein are Copyright © 2008–2020 Cornerstone Marketing and Advertising, Incorporated (Publisher). All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written permission from the Publisher. VIE is a lifestyle magazine and is published twelve times annually on a monthly schedule. The opinions herein are not necessarily those of the Publisher. The Publisher and its advertisers will not be held responsible for any errors found in this publication. The Publisher is not liable for the accuracy of statements made by its advertisers. Ads that appear in this publication are not intended as offers where prohibited by state law. The Publisher is not responsible for photography or artwork submitted by freelance or outside contributors. The Publisher reserves the right to publish any letter addressed to the editor or the Publisher. VIE is a paid publication. Subscription rates: Printed magazine – One-year $29.95; Two-year $49.95. Subscriptions can be purchased online at www.VIEmagazine.com.

14 | DECEMBER 2020

From our of fice to your home, we wish you the happiest of holidays, filled with architectural dreams coming true.

A BOHEME DESIGN AR0015281

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED A BOHEME DESIGN, LLC / Jack Gardner Photography 2020

www.aboheme.com

Our inaugural coffee-table book, HOME by VIE, debuts just in time for Christmas 2020!

Preorder your copy now at VIEmagazine.com/shop-vie!

R E TA I L

P R I C E :

Published by

$ 4 9 . 9 9

Editor’s Note

A BLESSING Home for the Holidays

As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

—Joshua 24:15, V2

A

s we close out the year with the last month of 2020, my prayer is for the world to return to normal again soon—but that it may be better than it was before. I pray for us to collectively have a renewed sense of what is important and what is not. May we understand deeply that we need each other and evolve with a mind-set that we truly are our brothers’ keepers in every sense of the meaning. It has not been an easy year for most people that I know—many have gone through the worst year of their lives. For some, however, it’s been a year filled with unexpected blessings, and we in turn should share our blessings with those in need.

estate market that boasts some of the most beautiful homes you’ve ever seen. We hope you enjoy the artistic architecture and design found in the stunning waterfront abodes featured in this issue. You might even want to make one of these homes your own!

In this issue, we celebrate a feeling of nostalgia and all the warmth that the holidays can bring. We also showcase some beautiful weddings, marking this as the Season of Love. As these newlyweds embark on their journeys of marriage, we wish them all the happiness in the world.

To life!

Additionally, our area of the world along the Northwest Florida coast continues to be blessed by a robust real

—Lisa Marie CEO/Editor-in-Chief

I have always been thankful for my team and felt daily gratitude for them, but this year has heightened my appreciation. I love them for being strong, loyal, courageous, talented, and, most of all, some of the best people that I know.

I wish you well and pray for everyone to see what we all need to see more clearly—Love!

Left: Lisa Marie Burwell, Jordan Staggs, Tracey Thomas, Samantha Accola, and Amanda Salucci on set during a project at In Surf We Trust in Seaside, Florida Photo by Abigail Ryan Middle: Members of the VIE team celebrating the season at our Logan Lane Holiday Block Party in 2018 Right: VIE CFO/publisher Gerald Burwell and CEO/ editor-in-chief Lisa Marie Burwell with Sucré Photos by Brenna Kneiss

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 17

NOW OPEN • MONDAY ‑ SATURDAY, 10 AM ‑ 6 PM • SUNDAY, 12 PM ‑ 5 PM

F INE FAS H I O N, JE WE L RY, HOM E ACC ESSOR I ES, G I FTS, A N D ALYS B E AC H AP PA R E L • LO C AT E D O N T H E E AST E N D O F H I G H WAY 3 0 A IN ALYS B E AC H 30 MARK TWAIN LANE ALYS BEACH, FL 32461 • 850.213.5550 • SHOP ONLINE AT ALYSSHOPPE.COM

The Creatives We collaborate with talented photographers, writers, and other creatives on a regular basis, and we’re continually inspired by how they pour their hearts and souls into their crafts. Follow these creatives on social media and don’t forget to check out our account, @viemagazine.

WADE WEISSMANN

ARE SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE Architect, “Home for the Holidays” @wadeweissmannarchitecture

IN THIS ISSUE, WE ASKED THE CREATIVES: WHAT IS THE MOST SPECIAL THING ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS FOR YOU?

FAMILY TRADITIONS

I love to spend time in my cabin in the Northwoods of Wisconsin for the holidays. There is nothing else quite like it. I light a fire and grab a warm beverage and my sketchbook. I am someone who enjoys sketching by hand and I always find myself inspired during this time of year. There is an energy that comes with the holidays. A lot of my work revolves around family. We create homes designed to stand the test of time, and we often build multigenerational homes.

When I think of the holidays, I think of families spending time together. That might look different this year. It might be via Zoom instead of in person, but you still have that feeling of togetherness that I find so inspiring. It brings me back to my childhood: gathering around the fire with my family, cracking open an architecture book from my grandfather.

THEY REMIND US THAT OUR FAMILY’S TRADITIONS GROW AS OUR FAMILY DOES, AND THAT FAMILY IS THE GREATEST GIFT WE COULD EVER BE GIVEN.

SUSAN BENTON CHAD ZIBELMAN Wedding Planner/Mother of the Groom, Writer, “Giving Smartly”

“Backyard of Love”

TheSonderProject.org; Chad@thesonderproject.org

What I always appreciate most about the holidays is the tradition. As a Jewish American, this means lighting the menorah and celebrating Hanukkah, and also spending Christmas Day with my immediate family and going to see a movie. Today, with my own mixed-religion family, the traditions have grown to include getting a tree, listening to seasonal music, and decorating the house. My daughters love decorating; they’ve been asking to start ever since our Halloween decorations came down, and each year seems to get a little bigger and brighter. Unfortunately, this year won’t also include a cross-country trip to gather with extended family, but nevertheless, I look forward to being together with my young immediate family and establishing new traditions while paying homage to the rituals of the past.

@30aeats

MARK WEAVER Interior Designer, “Home for the Holidays” @markweaverandassociates

My favorite part of the holidays is sharing time with family. I also like to reflect on the year’s accomplishments as well as the things I need to improve the next year. Additionally, it’s a time to be grateful for everything we have. And, since I’m not a very good cook, I love visiting with just a few friends for dinner over the holidays—this year, as safely as possible. I always look forward to the new year and the energy of a fresh beginning.

Family is the most special part of the holidays for me. Being present in the moment is the best gift of all. Most of my childhood memories stem from the holidays. Decorating our tree together, baking cookies for neighbors, and waking up early Christmas morning to my Dad wearing his red pajamas. My mother made the season magical as she transformed our home into a festive sanctuary filled with warmth and light. As I’ve grown older, I’ve tried to continue my parents’ traditions while incorporating a few of my own. This year marks a milestone, as both of our children are now married, the most recent this past September. Family traditions are so important because they remind us that our family’s traditions grow as our family does, and that family is the greatest gift we could ever be given.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 19

We have no longer an outside and an inside as two separate things.

Now the outside may come inside and the inside may and does go outside.

They are of each other. – Frank Lloyd Wright

property group

La conversation

Season’s Greetings!

WE LOVE TO COMMUNICATE AND INTERACT WITH OUR READERS! AND WE LOVE IT EVEN MORE WHEN THEY PROUDLY SHARE THEIR STORIES AND POSE WITH VIE FOR A CLOSE-UP! THAT’S WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT: SHARING, LOVING, AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS. WE THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH AND WE APPRECIATE YOU!

@lovelaceinteriors Sneak peek! Photo shoot for @viemagazine’s upcoming book. We love you, @lisamburwell and crew! Photography by @romonarobbinsreynolds

@theideaboutique Quiet on set! A few behind-the-scenes peeks at @e.f.sanjuan’s upcoming documentary film, which will tell the story of this incredible family-owned business and showcase some of their favorite projects! You might recognize this home, In Surf We Trust, from @viemagazine’s 2013 Home and Garden Issue. You may even spy it in our upcoming coffee-table book, HOME—Inspirations for Home and Life by VIE, now available for preorder!

@nomitajoshi.interiordesign My favorite room I have designed is on the front cover of @viemagazine’s November 2020 issue! @anthea_gerrie wrote a beautiful story about my house and design process, and @saraessexbradley captured it beautifully. A huge thank-you to all who made my dream bathroom come true. And yes, I do take a bath in my beautiful tub every day!

@authorrebeccaahall Clearing my shelves and found a bunch of magazines I’ve written for.

I realized that this year marks the fifth I’ve been working (paid and for free) as a #travelwriter.

Thanks to every editor I’ve had for the constructive feedback and giving me a chance. I still love it, even during tough times.

LET’S TALK!

@alexbdoss It’s always gratifying to see my work in magazines. It’s an honor to make the cover of VIE. Looks great, @viemagazine!

@creebals The greatest gift is to give and there is no more fulfilling way than when your gifts are used to serve others. Our team decided to use our time, treasures, and talents to serve, and therefore @christopherai decided to launch @christopher.kids.

Under the impactful and passionate leadership of @cshea14, we have found ways to serve children with special needs.

Send VIE your comments and photos on our social media channels or by emailing us at info@viemagazine.com. We’d love to hear your thoughts. They could end up in the next La conversation!

VIEmagazine.com

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 21

N E W L Y

L I S T E D

1 6 W O O D B E A C H D R I V E , S A N TA R O S A B E A C H , F L

| $3,200,000

FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES PLEASE VISIT

viemagazine.com/beachshowhome

JA M E S

WAT T S

Luxury Real Estate and Development BeachLuxury30A.com | (850) 246-1809 @BeachLuxury30A

BUILDING PE ACE OF MIND

New Construction + Renovations 1300 County Hwy 283 South, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida 32459 (850) 780-0870 | CoastalElements30a.com

La maison

Learn more or shop at DelightFULL.eu Photo courtesy of DelightFULL

La maison WHERE THE HEART IS

Reviving midcentury lighting design, DelightFULL makes old things new again. Brightening every corner in a timeless fashion, the brand hopes beholders are drawn to the light this season as it takes them on a journey through time. DelightFULL’s Holiday 2020 collection is inspired by Christmas traditions and styles from the 1940s to the 1970s. Its classic lamps and chandeliers reinterpret iconic designs while implementing colors and materials from modern times. Flip the switch this festive season and let your decor radiate with innovation.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 25

La maison

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

By Jordan Staggs Photography courtesy of The Ranch at Rock Creek 26 | DECEMBER 2020

S

now falls softly on the thick pines, coating the Rocky Mountain peaks and blanketing the valley beneath them. The horses gather in their impressive stables while The Ranch at Rock Creek prepares to celebrate the holiday season. This luxury getaway in western Montana has been named the first five-star guest ranch by Forbes Travel Guide and is a member of the exclusive Relais & Châteaux hotel collection, and it’s not hard to see why. With a bevy of activities and endless panoramic views, this secluded retreat combines the best of the mountains and the Wild West for an unparalleled winter escape.

This Christmas season, The Ranch at Rock Creek is hosting Homestead Holidays, with special themed activities daily from December 21 through 27, such as gingerbread-house decorating, holiday spirits tastings, s’mores around the campfire, caroling, and Christmas Eve dinner. These are in addition to the resort’s usual all-inclusive offerings of downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, horseback riding, snowmobiling, wildlife viewing and experiences, hiking, shooting, and much more. Accommodations range from uniquely decorated rooms in the Granite Lodge or the Historic Barn to private luxury cabins and bohemian-meets-Western glamping experiences with all the modern comforts of home.

The Ranch at Rock Creek is a luxury dude ranch located in Philipsburg, Montana.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 27

La maison

“ Above: A perfect winter respite with unparalleled views, The Ranch at Rock Creek has a full lineup of winter activities on tap for guests.

28 | DECEMBER 2020

The resort proudly educates guests on the current landscape’s creation over twelve thousand years ago. The nearby Sapphire Mountains were aptly named when homesteaders, who had formed a thriving silver mill, discovered the azure gems in Rock Creek in 1892.

A

s one of twenty-four National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World, The Ranch at Rock Creek is committed to preserving and celebrating its surroundings and shares this mission so guests can feel a profound connection to Mother Nature during each stay. The surrounding Pintler, Sapphire, and John Long Mountains, along with prehistoric Glacial Lake Missoula (now a National Natural Landmark), are treasures of the area. The resort proudly educates guests on the current landscape’s creation over twelve thousand years ago. The nearby Sapphire Mountains were aptly named when homesteaders, who had formed a thriving silver mill, discovered the azure gems in Rock Creek in 1892. Activities at the ranch celebrate its local history, as guests can sift for sapphires from one of four active mines. They can also learn more about the ranch’s history of raising cattle and horses through the historical photographs that can be found throughout the Granite Lodge and several guest rooms. The Historic Barn, the original nineteenth-century structure built by some of the area’s first homesteaders, is now a luxurious way to experience ranch

life, with three separate accommodations inside that can be booked separately or together.

Top: Choose from one of seventy-five unique accommodations on property at the 6,600-acre ranch, from cozy rooms in the Granite Lodge to private cabins or even luxury glamping experiences year-round.

Above and right: Snowy horseback rides, snowmobile excursions, cross-country and downhill skiing, and a host of holiday happenings are available at the allinclusive ranch resort.

Like all things at Rock Creek, dining is a celebration of the local culture and environment. All meals are included with each stay. They provide time to relax and enjoy your home on the range while planning the rest of your stay’s activities. Each morning, guests can sip hot coffee from a classic thermos while enjoying freshly baked goods by in-house pastry chef Chris Whitten. Breakfast is also served in the Buckle Barn, with favorites such as locally smoked bacon and fluffy blueberry pancakes. Happy hour is always in style at the ranch, with local beers on tap and craft cocktails never in short supply alongside small bites from the kitchen—but don’t fill up too much because dinner is the real star of the dining scene.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 29

E

ach evening brings a new menu and an exceptional experience depending on the season, from the Rodeo Barbecue and Barn Dance in the summer to the wintertime Montana Craft Beer Dinner and classic Homestead Supper Club. Executive Chef Josh Drage delivers a homestyle culinary taste of Montana with every meal.

“I had the opportunity to stay at the Ranch at Rock Creek for a week between Christmas and New Year’s,” says guest Claire V. in a glowing review on TripAdvisor.

“The ranch is one of the most spectacular places I have ever visited, with breathtaking views, beautifully and creatively decorated rooms, and unparalleled service.”

Other highlights include the Granite Spa and other wellness amenities: a yoga room, a custom tea bar experience, massage and spa treatments, forest meditation, and a state-of-the-art fitness center.

Ring in the New Year with The Ranch at Rock Creek’s special package, including artisanal cocktails, live music, dancing and karaoke in the Silver Dollar Saloon, and midnight fireworks.

If you can’t make it for the holidays, the ranch has extended its celebration of the winter season with special rates for guests who book a four-night weekend retreat between January 29 and March 31, 2021.

30 | DECEMBER 2020

La maison

Above: The log cabins at The Ranch at Rock Creek offer a rustic yet luxurious stay for those seeking an authentic Montana experience.

Right: Homestead Holidays at The Ranch (December 21–27, 2020) will include special Christmas-themed decor, events, and experiences for all ages.

“

The ranch is one of the most spectacular places I have ever visited, with breathtaking views, beautifully and creatively decorated rooms, and unparalleled service.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 31

La maison

T

hey will receive two Granite Spa massages and a private fireside wine or spirits tasting, in addition to over twenty adventures and private downhill skiing and snowboarding excursions. The resort’s website states, “Stargaze each night with whiskey, wine, or a hot toddy by the fireside. Sink into winter serenity with over $650 in additional inclusions, massages, and fireside spirits or wine tastings—two delightful ways to relax after a private downhill skiing excursion at our local mountain, Discovery Ski Area.”

Guests will undoubtedly want to stop by the on-site Mercantile at The Ranch for authentic Western garb for men, women, and children, travel essentials, Rock Creek merchandise, and local artisanal goods, such as raw honey sourced from nearby Hall, Montana.

executive team have implemented extra health and safety precautions as well. Guests can rest assured their wellness remains a top priority and that experiences at The Ranch will still be exciting and unforgettable, both indoors and out. Visit the resort’s website for more information on their recently updated policies and procedures.

Although the expansive 6,600-acre resort is designed to be an all-inclusive retreat that guests won’t want to leave, they can also make time to explore the nearby national forests or cities. Missoula, Helena, Butte, and Bozeman all have airports within two and a half hours of The Ranch and make exciting day trips. Flights ending at Missoula or Butte are recommended for guests traveling to The Ranch by plane, as an employee will greet them there and arrange a private rental car for the last leg of their journey. Helicopter transport is also available for those who wish to experience The Ranch from above.

Whether guests are hoping to take in the natural beauty, embark on wintertime adventures, spend time with family and pets, or relax by the fire and enjoy incredible farm-to-table fare, The Ranch at Rock Creek is sure to provide memories that will last a lifetime.

In response to COVID-19, occupancy at The Ranch has been reduced, so it’s recommended that guests book their reservations well in advance. The staff and

Visit TheRanchatRockCreek.com for more information on seasonal specials or to book your great escape!

32 | DECEMBER 2020

Top: Book a skiing or snowboarding excursion at The Ranch at Rock Creek’s designated mountain escape, the Discovery Ski Area.

Above: Merry Christmas to all from The Ranch at Rock Creek!

Available in Destin, exclusively at

EL

EMERALD LADY JEWELRY 34940 Emerald Coast Parkway Suite 161 ◆ Destin, FL 32541

(850) 424-3823 ◆ EmeraldLadyJewelry.com

Designer of the latest, sizzling-hot diamond fashion jewelry from New York.

La maison

home and

E L E G A N T DEC OR C E L E B R ATI O N S TO REMEMB ER

FOR THE HOLIDAYS STORY and PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY of MARK WEAVER and WADE WEISSMANN

When it comes to holiday decor, there are many ways to celebrate the season. Going all out might feel like fun, but remember that there is such thing as too much Christmas (sorry, Clark Griswold). Keeping your home looking festive and bright without leaning toward tacky is a sure way to impress guests and feel cozy and warm this holiday season.

If anyone understands classic luxury, whether by land, by sea, or coast to coast, it’s Mark Weaver of Mark Weaver & Associates and Wade Weissmann of Wade Weissmann Architecture. Their high-end design and architecture firms have collaborated on a number of projects this season, bringing together Weaver’s seamless integration of the old with the new and Weissmann’s attention to craftsmanship and design detail.

This stylish duo has offered some tips for how to spruce up your holiday decor and celebrate safely this year!

34 | DECEMBER 2020

Wade Weissmann’s cabin in northern Wisconsin, dubbed the Architect’s Retreat, was converted from an old fishing camp into a cozy compound that’s perfect for a holiday getaway.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 35

La maison D I N E A LF R E S CO. Set a gorgeous table on your deck, patio, or porch with flowers and candles. Put on your favorite festive music. If an in-person gathering is not possible, invite family and friends to join your table virtually. You can use a heater or a firepit if the weather is cold—just be sure to use best safety practices.

T R AV E L W H E R E YO U C A N .

A trip is always a wonderful way to enjoy the holidays.

Maybe it means driving to a destination and staying at an Airbnb to enjoy the snow with your family. Perhaps this year it means going on a virtual tour of the Louvre or a local tour of your favorite towns all decked out for Christmas. Whichever way you choose, experiencing another place will surely put you in the holiday spirit.

The colors of the season are not flashy, but subtle and rich, like dark greens and blues with small pops of red.

36 | DECEMBER 2020

C H O O S E A S I G N AT U R E H O L I DAY S C E N T. Scent is a great and easy way to suffuse your home with the feeling of the holidays. We love boughs of pine and the scent of cedar. The decor and smells should reflect the celebration of family, winter, nature, and holiday treats.

K E E P D E CO R E LE G A N T A N D TA S T E FU L .

It is important to create an environment that speaks to the joy of the holidays without being cliché. We like to use a lot of white with hints of red and green. There is nothing worse than feeling like you are being banged over the head with holiday decor.

BRING THE OUTDOORS IN. Always look to nature for inspiration. The colors of the season are not flashy, but subtle and rich, like dark greens and blues with small pops of red. In contrast, set those rich tones against a lot of white and it’s magical!

I N CO R P O R AT E AW E S O M E R I B B O N I N YO U R D E CO R .

Woven materials, plaids, tapestry prints, seasonal patterns like holly, or native-inspired designs can add so much festivity and richness to any table or mantle.

D O S O M E T H I N G S PE C I A L , E V E N W I T H S O C I A L D I S TA N C I N G .

Drive through your neighborhood’s version of Christmas Tree Lane and see the light displays. Throw a socially distanced holiday block party or invite friends to come out and have eggnog and celebrate some

Whichever way you choose, experiencing another place will surely put you in the holiday spirit. holiday cheer on your rooftop or in your outdoor living space. See a classic holiday movie at a drive-in theater or rent a projector and screen a movie outside in your own backyard.

No matter if you’re heading home for the holidays or enjoying a smaller celebration with immediate family and close friends, remember that all it takes is a little cheer to make it a great season. Decorate and celebrate from the heart, and you can’t go wrong!

Opposite: Keeping holiday decor subtle and elegant not only minimizes the risk of overwhelming guests but also lets the rest of your home and your personality shine through.

V i s i t M a r k We a v e r.c o m a n d Wa d eWe i s s m a n n A r c h i t e c t u r e .c o m to s e e m o r e w o r k f r o m t h e s e t w o celebrated designers. Happy holidays!

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 37

Debu ts

2020

SPONSORS

VIE is proud to announce its fourth show home, coming this year to Seagrove Beach, Florida!

We are once again working with the developers and owners, Suzy Accola of Q Tile and Jim Accola of Coastal Elements Construction, to create a show home of inspired ideas, the VIE Beach House! They will implement the latest in innovative building techniques, integrated home technology, appliances, and more to build a house unlike any other. An incredible lineup of partners and participants is also on board with building materials, flooring and tile, furnishings and decor, artwork, and so much more.

Stay tuned for more updates as the VIE Beach House – A Show Home takes shape!

PARTNERS Betsey Mosby Interior Design · Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights · Brizo · Frank’s Cash and Carry Gregory D. Jazayeri Design · Lovelace Interiors · Maison30a Home + Garden · Mediterra Tile Mobile Appliance · Summer House Lifestyle · The Beach Group Properties

PARTICIPANTS Artistic Tile · ARTO · BlueStar · Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits · Cindy McCarley Designs · Drape98 E. F. San Juan · Farrow & Ball · Florida Bath & Surfaces · Grimes Cabinets · Horton Land Works · Jonah Allen Studio · LiLi Cement Tile New Ravenna · Porcelanosa Tile · Sabine Hill · Shoreline Title · SICIS Tile · Tabarka Studio · YOLO Board

PHILANTHROPY PARTNERS Food For Thought Outreach · The Sonder Project FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES PLEASE VISIT

viemagazine.com/beachshowhome

L’intermission

Let the Light In

Located in Meadows of Dan, Virginia, Primland Resort is an acclaimed destination for adventure seekers and respite travelers alike. Book your stay at Primland.com.

Photo courtesy of Primland Resort

Open your eyes to bright hopes for the future and unwind amid the charm of Virginia’s rolling hills. Primland Resort offers guests a secluded and memorable experience that embodies luxury in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Let the relaxed pace of the countryside warm your heart this season.

Love, VIE xo V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 39

La maison

A C OA S T A L G E T AW AY

BY Abigail Ryan P H O T O G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F E n g e l & Vรถ l k e r s 3 0 A B e a c h e s 40 | DECEMBER 2020

If you’ve ever visited the Florida Panhandle and seen the crystal clear waters, chances are you’ve caught yourself dreaming of living in a beachfront home one day.

Perhaps you never thought of owning the most expensive home ever listed along the Emerald Coast, but if you’re ready to take your dreams to that level, you’re in luck! This newly constructed Gulf-front residence in the heart of Seagrove Beach boasts no rival.

L

isted for $19.9 million by Beau Blankenship of Engel & Völkers 30A Beaches, this exemplary ten-thousand-square-foot, four-story retreat includes seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms, and an impressive five-car garage. The custom luxury home was brought to life by the Sater Group, led by architect Dan F. Sater II, and built by the Arkon Group, a local home builder known for its creative custom projects, both residential and commercial.

LIKE NO OTHER V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 41

La maison

I

deally positioned for enjoying the picturesque scenery of the Emerald Coast from every angle, this unique home showcases incomparable panoramic views.

The waterfront home was intentionally constructed with longevity in mind and pushes the boundaries of both fortified construction and architectural design.

The property’s concrete structure provides both durability and energy efficiency within the coastal environment, embracing the highly desired beach community’s down-to-earth philosophy.

“We’ve been experiencing an explosive amount of growth in our area,” says Blankenship. “Due to the increased exposure, our real estate market is now trending in more geographic locations than ever, thus exposing us to a new level of clientele.

This house caters perfectly to those individuals. You simply can’t replicate the perfect

42 | DECEMBER 2020

combination of quality, endless amenities, and location this home has to offer—especially considering Gulffront homes are becoming extremely hard to come by. I’m confident in my ability to leverage the Engel & Völkers global platform to attract the perfect buyer for this property.”

The first level provides an open living space concept featuring a wall of windows overlooking the emeraldgreen waters and sugar-white shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico. The floor-to-ceiling windows cascade into the rear deck for an effortlessly beautiful outdoor living

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 43

La maison

space, flowing seamlessly to a Gulf-front swimming pool and hot tub. An elegant first-floor living room features a Venetian fireplace, bringing a welcoming sense of warmth and belonging to all who enter through the home’s waterfront doorways. The spacious and accommodating dining room sits adjacent to a custom kitchen outfitted with marble countertops and state-of-the-art appliances. Discover the second-floor living quarters with Gulf-front balconies, where you can admire nature’s beauty while resting and recuperating from a day on the beach.

The third floor includes a lavish master suite containing a double-sided fireplace, a private sitting area, and a luxurious bathroom that is an experience in itself.

Among many other upscale features and amenities, the fourth floor exceeds the heart’s desire with a massage room, a steam room, an exercise room, and a home theater.

“Working on this project was a designer’s dream come true,” says Jodie Wilson of Beau Interiors. “There’s no better feeling than when a client trusts you and gives you full creative freedom on a project, especially one as large as this. When curating the pieces throughout 44 | DECEMBER 2020

THE THIRD FLOOR INCLUDES A LAVISH MASTER SUITE CONTAINING A DOUBLE-SIDED FIREPLACE, A PRIVATE SITTING AREA, AND A LUXURIOUS BATHROOM THAT IS AN EXPERIENCE IN ITSELF. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 45

La maison the residence, the beach inspired us! You’ll find lots of coastal decor throughout the home, as well as artwork that paints the perfect picture of life along Scenic Highway 30-A. The master bedroom is my favorite oasis in the house! The balcony off the master presents the most breathtaking view of the Gulf of Mexico, and we wanted to evoke that feeling of awe throughout the home as well.” Locals and visitors alike can find more nature-inspired furnishings, artwork, gifts, and accessories at the expansive Beau Interiors showroom in Grayton Beach.

For those looking for nothing but the best, inside and out, this home is truly a dream come true!

This property can be found at 3010 East County Highway 30-A, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, 32459, and is listed for $19.9 million by license partner Beau Blankenship at Engel & Völkers 30A Beaches. To learn more about this property, visit 30AFineLiving.com.

For more information about designer Jodie Wilson and Beau Interiors, visit BeauHomeInteriors.com or stop by their showroom at 32 East County Highway 30-A in Grayton Beach, Florida.

To learn more about Dan F. Sater II of the Sater Group, visit SaterGroup.com. For more information on the Arkon Group, go to ArkonGroup.com.

Pier Park- PCB, FL

Petite pause

Frรถhliche We i h n a c h t e n !

A grand Christmas tree adorns the plaza near Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany.

Photo by Sven Hansche/ Shutterstock V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 47

California

B E R M O N D S 48 | DECEMBER 2020

L O C K E

M E E T S

J O S H U A

T R E E

Dreaming

La maison

in London S T O R Y A N D P H O T O G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F H O L LO WAY L I V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 49

La maison

A new hotel design unifies sustainability with a sunsetdrenched aesthetic in the heart of Bermondsey, London. This neighborhood could be described as the Brooklyn south of Thames, with its converted warehouse spaces and hip apartments that have attracted a renaissance of art and culture in the past few years. Museums, galleries, and gourmet eateries have made it one of the city’s best new places to stay, and the interior architects at Holloway Li agree.

Earlier this year, they unveiled their design for Bermonds Locke, the latest property of home-meetshotel brand Locke. This sustainable urban retreat in the heart of Bermondsey features repurposed materials that transform the 143-room hotel into a surreal, iridescent haven inspired by California’s Joshua Tree National Park and the surrounding Mojave Desert.

The desert-inspired aesthetic begins with a moonlit reception area bathed in a glittering mirage created by overhead mirrors. It was inspired by Olafur Eliasson’s The Weather Project, a massive art installation at London’s Tate Modern, which mimicked a blazing orange sunset that viewers could stand or lie under and take ethereal photos.

50 | DECEMBER 2020

“By innovating the reuse of materials, we hope to highlight how a circular material economy can generate an incredibly unique aesthetic and a new kind of living experience—doing more with less.”

In the tranquil pursuit of both business and pleasure at Bermonds Locke, visitors can meander through open coworking spaces with soft light, swing chairs, fixed concrete banquette seating, and suspended planters punctuating the stretch between the bar and restaurant in the hotel’s on-site eatery, Bermondsey Larder.

The hotel is conveniently situated within the neighborhood’s “Beer Mile,” which comprises a collection of breweries and bottle shops, ensuring guests will never go thirsty or lack entertainment.

Marking a new design direction for Locke, which has three other apartment-style hotel locations in London, Holloway Li curated a living experience carved out

of recycled construction-site materials. They adorn the studio rooms, bar and restaurant, coworking spaces, gym, and yoga room. The studio harnessed the potential of upcycling to curate bespoke furniture and interiors throughout the space. Concrete testing cubes that were destined for the landfill found new purpose at Bermonds Locke. They now serve as plinths for a twenty-foot-long terrazzo table in the groundfloor workspace and were shaped into the bar for Bermondsey Larder. Repurposed steel rebar and clay bricks form decorative ironwork and joinery elements throughout the dining space.

“We are really excited to partner with Locke to pave a new design direction for the brand’s homemeets-hotel concept,” share Alex Holloway and Na Li, the cofounders of Holloway Li. “By innovating the reuse of materials, we hope to highlight how a circular material economy can generate an incredibly unique aesthetic and a new kind of living experience— doing more with less.”

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 51

La maison

B

52 | DECEMBER 2020

ringing the changing gradient of the desert sunset to South London, Locke’s signature functional living rooms on the upper floors are dipped in blue, beige, and gray hues, while saturated, vibrant reds adorn the spaces on lower floors. Holloway Li designed bespoke modular sofas for the hotel that were hand made using sand mixed with resin lay-up to re-create the desert’s tonality. Rough-sawn timber floors welcome a patina to be marked as more guests tread upon them.

Each studio is designed to be a real home away from home, equipped with a fully functional kitchen and laundry facilities to give guests the flexibility to live undisturbed. Bespoke bed frames, woven from

blackened rebar and accented with linen canopies, pay homage to nature’s wonder in aesthetic and ecoresponsibility. The result infuses old notions of the concrete jungle with a new sense of sanctuary. Stays can be booked from one night to three months.

Capturing the psychedelic experience of Joshua Tree underpins the entire design narrative in all spaces.

An industrial process called zinc passivation created the iridescent rainbow finish found on bar tops and wall paneling. This metal-dipping process forms a patina over the metal, embedding the desert sky into the hotel’s DNA. The lustrous look is echoed in the fluted glass partitions in the rooms.

“Locke aims to liberate guests from the typical oppressive hotel room by providing beautiful apartments that are designed to be lived in.”

“We are delighted to work with design studio Holloway Li to bring our third outpost to life with their unique vision,” says Stephen McCall, CEO of edyn, the development studio over the Locke brand. The studio specializes in extended-stay “aparthotel” accommodations. “Locke aims to liberate guests from the typical oppressive hotel room by providing beautiful apartments that are designed to be lived in.”

Bermonds Locke is the first of a series of collaborative projects for Holloway Li and Locke. Other recent projects by the design studio include a rooftop extension for The Hoxton—an iconic boutique hotel in Shoreditch, London—and Georgian/French brand Entree’s first UK bakery and modern-style café in Notting Hill.

To learn more or book your stay, go to LockeLiving.com/en/london/bermonds-locke.

To see more projects from the design team, visit HollowayLi.com.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 53

La maison A

P R I VA T E

E S T A T E

BEAUTY on the BAY

By SAMANTHA ACCOLA 54 | DECEMBER 2020

|

P h o t o g r a p h y b y D AV E WA R R E N

Magnolia Manor, a gorgeous New England– style waterfront retreat in Panama City Beach, Florida, is over twentyone thousand square feet of luxury just waiting for its new residents.

Contact the listing specialists at Corcoran Reverie to request a private showing.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 55

La maison

S

tanding out from the rest, this three-story Hamptons-style mansion creates a strong impression. The lush grounds and over two hundred feet of waterfront overlooking historic Saint Andrew Bay in Panama City Beach, Florida, are the perfect setting for relaxation and respite. Through an unprecedented partnership, the three-year construction of this masterpiece in the Delwood Beach neighborhood was rendered by sought-after architect Eric Watson and builder Clifford C. Myers of McIntosh-Myers Construction.

With its spacious design and coastal furnishings, the home reflects the ease and elegance of the Gulf Coast beach life, but with an air of New England elegance.

Its entrance seems designed for royalty, with custom mahogany doors that create a welcoming atmosphere for homeowners and guests. At over twenty-one thousand square feet, the house features three gourmet kitchens, a home theater, a nanny suite or staff ’s quarters, a safe room, and impressive details in every space. No corners were cut when it comes to Southern hospitality—this property prides itself on comfort and convenience.

Homeowners can expect the ultimate privacy, thanks to the state-of-the-art security system, smart house technology, and a gated driveway.

56 | DECEMBER 2020

“

With endless opportunities for making memories, creating traditions, and gathering the whole family, this estate, dubbed Magnolia Manor, is more than just a beautiful setting—it is a true home.

�

Extending just over three acres, this hideaway offers luxury at every turn. Whether swimming in the saltwater infinity pool, landing a helicopter on the private stone helipad, or storing antique automobiles in the seven-car garage, the sky is not even a limit on this versatile property. Let your imagination fly! Encompassing two plots of land, the estate favors entertaining; the main house sits directly across from a one-acre parcel featuring additional parking, a fully equipped outdoor kitchen, and a playful green space on the north side.

The property was built in 2016, and buyers can choose to extend their lifestyle into the bay, as plans for a 150-foot dock can easily be carried out so as to discover the water beyond the shoreline. One could even take a sunrise paddle across the bay.

If you prefer to head elsewhere for your aquatic adventures, try a deep-sea fishing excursion into the Gulf of Mexico or snorkel for sand dollars off nearby Shell Island.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 57

La maison

With endless opportunities for making memories, creating traditions, and gathering the whole family, this estate, dubbed Magnolia Manor, is more than just a beautiful setting—it is a true home. And it could be yours! The residence is currently listed with Lori and Taylor Buckalew (the Buckalew Group) of Corcoran Reverie real estate based in nearby Santa Rosa Beach. Corcoran Reverie recently opened as the Northwest Florida affiliate of luxury international real estate company The Corcoran Group.

“The Corcoran Group, along with its affiliate networks, continues to stand out as an industry leader with some of the best properties around the world. Magnolia Manor is no exception,” says Hilary Farnum-Fasth, broker/owner of Corcoran Reverie. Along with her partner, Jacob Watkins, Hilary brings years of luxury real estate to the representation of this remarkable estate property. “Corcoran Reverie has the privilege of representing this expansive residence at 3807 Delwood Drive, which is the highest-priced listing in Panama City Beach.”

58 | DECEMBER 2020

Taylor Buckalew, Lori Buckalew, Hilary Farnum-Fasth, and Jacob Watkins of Corcoran Reverie

The Corcoran Group’s main offices are located in the affluent markets of New York City, the Hamptons, and California. Corcoran Reverie is honored to represent the company in Northwest Florida, fusing the strength of a world-class brand with local community experts.

With nearly one billion dollars in combined lifetime sales, Hilary and Jacob bring more than twenty years of high-end real estate sales and expertise that make them the perfect team to represent this exceptional home.

Magnolia Manor’s intricate finishes and boundless outdoor space inspire us to dream for more!

This property can be found at 3807 Delwood Drive, Panama City Beach, FL 32459. It is listed for $14 million by Lori Buckalew, Taylor Buckalew, Jacob Watkins, and broker/owner Hilary Farnum-Fasth at Corcoran Reverie. It has six bedrooms, five bathrooms, and two half baths and is approximately 21,975 square feet. The property is available to be shown to qualified buyers by appointment only. Visit CorcoranReverie.com to learn more and see more listings.

tweens, womens, gi�s 104 north barre� square RO S E M A RY B EA C H , F L

850.231.1720

CGC # 1509111 Photography by Matt Jozwiak

RESIDENTIAL | COMMERCIAL | RENOVATION 110 LOGAN LN., SUITE 3, SANTA ROSA BEACH, FL | (850) 231-1437 GRAN D BAYCO N STRU CT IO N .CO M

L’intermission

Fire and Ice Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa is located in Lake Placid, New York, and provides guests with an authentic Adirondack experience. Book your stay at MirrorLakeInn.com.

Photo courtesy of Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa

Feel like a champion as you embark on an outdoor winter adventure, then sit back and relax with a warm cup of cider. Mirror Lake Inn inspires guests to live extraordinary lives. The village’s gold-medal scenery and rich Olympic history draw a diverse crowd to this AAA Four Diamond escape in upstate New York.

Love, VIE xo V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 61

IN

PERDIDO

62 | DECE MBE R R 2020

KEY

La maison

A Serene Gulf Getaway by jordan staggs photography by chris luker Inspired by the many shades of blue of the Gulf of Mexico and the white-sand beaches just steps from its back door, this coastal home in Perdido Key, Florida, provides its owners with the perfect casually elegant escape. Orange Beach, Alabama–based interior designer Cindy Meador worked her magic from top to bottom, adorning each room with what she describes as a clean and elevated coastal look.

“There is a sophistication to the casual nature of the house and its location,” Meador shares. Perdido Key, just east of the Florida-Alabama state line, is known for its gorgeous landscapes and protected wildlife areas. It is also a serene white-sand oasis situated between the vibrant cultural hubs of Pensacola, Florida, and Gulf Shores, Alabama, so visitors can get the best of both worlds.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 63

he local style ranges from classic coastal to kitschy Old Florida. Meador was sure to keep a sense of luxury and class in her design. “We didn’t go for as much reclaimed wood as you see in some beach homes,” she says, “but rather kept a less rustic vibe, staying in the palette of watery blues but with some crisp navy and white too. The antique heart pine floors and sandy neutrals create warmth against the cool blue tones.”

Meador, having previously worked with the homeowners on two houses in Houston, kept in close contact with them throughout the process of outfitting this beautiful abode overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Her inspiration remained grounded in the natural surroundings as well as with the clients’ desire for a comfortable place to gather with family and friends. Whether enjoying a meal together at the kitchen bar or the farmhouse-style dining table, 64 | DECEMBER 2020

La maison

This page and opposite: This Gulf-front residence in Perdido Key, Florida, features interior design

by Cindy Meador of Orange Beach, Alabama.

She worked closely with architect Dean Dalrymple and the builders at Old South Construction, both out of Pensacola, Florida, to make this second home shine from the inside out.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 65

66 | DECE MBE R R 2020

La maison relaxing or reading on the spacious window seats of the lounge, or cozying up with a glass of wine before bed, the homeowners certainly feel a sense of calm and rejuvenation. Of course, adventures await just outside; visitors can enjoy three surrounding state parks, nearby Big Lagoon, and the Gulf !

Textiles, art, and accessories were sourced from trusted vendors and the Cindy Meador Interiors lifestyle shop in Orange Beach. The result is a home fit for a true beach lover, with motifs such as coral, natural sea fans, and shells woven throughout in an elegant fashion.

Visit CindyMeador.com to learn more, or visit the lifestyle boutique at 25299 Canal Road, Orange Beach, Alabama, 36561.

This page and opposite: All furnishings, art, accessories, and lighting were sourced

by Cindy Meador.

They blend perfectly with the clean white custom cabinetry by Eastburn Woodworks and countertops by Superior Granite in the kitchen and bathrooms. A colorful lounge and kids’ bunk room also feature extra built-in storage.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 67

Gregory D Jazayeri | Design A Custom Residential Design Firm SANTA ROSA BEACH, FLORIDA GDJDESIGN.COM | (850) 217-3286

Timeless | Sustainable | Design

Le monde

The heavy entrance door of the Petit Palais is the gateway to a collection of treasures. See more in the Paris Chic art/photography book by Assouline, now available for purchase.

Learn more at Assouline.com.

Photo by Oliver Pilcher

Le monde GOES ROUND AND ROUND

Displaying the true-to-self personality of the City of Love, Paris Chic is a new Assouline volume written by Alexandra Senes and photographed by Oliver Pilcher that unveils the authenticity of Parisian architecture and culture. As Senes writes, “Monuments don’t make a city; the people do.” Capturing the city with an artistic eye, this beautiful book presents a welcoming spirit amid the bustling and fashionable destination.

It’s a city that has endlessly inspired worldwide attention and wanderlust. Readers can now peer into spaces of hidden beauty through a local Parisian lens. Quaint bistros, romantic alleyways, artist studios, and charming characters paint a day in Paris as something extraordinary—which it is.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 71

Le monde

MAGIC OF MUSEUMS THE

F I N D I N G C U LT U R E A M I D C O V I D -1 9

72 | DECEMBER 2020

By S A M A N T H A A C C O L A

LET THE PAST NOT BE FORGOTTEN.

H

istory brings an air of change and appreciation as we further seek to understand the heights and depths of human existence culturally, scientifically, and artistically. From intricate oil-painted landscapes to virtuoso piano pieces and page-turner novels, art touches the innermost parts of our being and calls us to believe in our uniqueness. Someone might briefly pass an artistic work and catch a moment of respite while another deeply ponders its odd familiarity. Though things draw us to them for different reasons, our souls crave a connection to the world and its inhabitants.

Saturn V rocket and engine on display at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Photo courtesy of KSCVC

As lifelong learners, humans value education for the preservation of knowledge, imagination, and perspective. During this socially distanced time, our society has slowed down in some aspects. Acting as time capsules, museums remind us where we come from, where we are, and where we are going. With many people longing for normalcy and others dreaming of innovation, museums can make for relaxing and educational respites from the pandemic! Many have reopened with new safety measures in place so their guests can enjoy art, science, and history as they get out and about for a little while.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 73

Le monde

OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO KENNEDY SPACE CENTER VISITOR COMPLEX, CAPE CANAVERAL Walk among giants. Exploring the many attractions at the complex, visitors can watch NASA rocket launches, get up close to the space shuttle Atlantis, and climb aboard a shuttle simulator to experience a zero-gravity liftoff. The Kennedy Space Center’s futuristic facility honors American heroes and legends in its very own U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. See the space shuttle, relive the wonder of the Apollo era, celebrate the unprecedented achievement of humans walking on the moon, and look to the future with a mission to Mars!

KennedySpaceCenter.com 74 | DECEMBER 2020

ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME, CLEVELAND Let the music move you. Recording history reigns over six floors of exhibits, including exclusive Rolling Stone photographs of Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead, rare instruments belonging to the Beatles and other renowned artists, and documentation of the evolution of rock and roll. Visit today and enjoy the museum with new COVID-19 safety regulations in place.

RockHall.com

Below: Take a ride with animal experts to discover wildlife at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

Photo courtesy of San Diego Zoo

SAN DIEGO ZOO AND SAN DIEGO ZOO SAFARI PARK Lion and tigers and bears, oh my! With a mission to save and nurture animals worldwide, the San Diego Zoo houses more than 650 species and was the pioneer of open-air, cageless exhibits to help mirror natural habitats. This outdoor living museum allows visitors to learn the ropes of a zookeeper and then stop to smell the roses in beautiful botanical gardens! At the San Diego Safari Park, hold on tight as you experience one-of-a-kind sights on a safari jeep ride. You can also watch live video feeds in the comfort of your home and see some of nature’s most endangered animals.

Zoo.SanDiegoZoo.org; SDZSafariPark.org

THIS OUTDOOR LIVING MUSEUM ALLOWS VISITORS TO LEARN THE ROPES OF A ZOOKEEPER AND THEN STOP TO SMELL THE ROSES IN BEAUTIFUL BOTANICAL GARDENS!

Above: The Power of Rock Experience at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland Photo courtesy of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Left: The ATX Microgravity Simulator at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Photo courtesy of KSCVC V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 75

DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE

Above: The Musical Crossroads exhibit at the National Museum of African American History and Culture Photo by Alan Karchmer, courtesy of NMAAHC Right: Claude Monet’s Water Lilies at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City Photo by Kurt Heumiller, courtesy of MoMA Opposite: Kobe Bryant was a founding donor to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. His Lakers jersey now hangs in the museum as a tribute to the late NBA star.

Photo by Tony Powell, courtesy of NMAAHC 76 | DECEMBER 2020

Travel through time as the empirical galleries call you to observe history through the eyes of a scientist.

Open the ancient tombs of Egyptian mummies, stand in awe beneath the fossils of dinosaurs, pose next to a replica of Michelangelo’s David made from LEGO bricks, and journey across the solar system in the museum’s cosmic planetarium. Let the stars align as you become more fascinated with the world around you and have fun learning!

DMNS.org

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE, WASHINGTON, D.C. Opened by the Smithsonian in 2016, this architectural masterpiece tells stories of the nation’s deep roots.

With ten floors (five above and five below ground), the museum illuminates African American history through its many transformative exhibitions on the struggles for equality and justice. Its vignettes illustrate the legacies and achievements of African Americans over generations. Preserved Civil War–era photographs tell stories alongside images of the fight for voting rights

and celebrations of modern icons such as John Lewis. The museum also includes popculture artifacts, such as Chuck Berry’s Cadillac and Kobe Bryant’s Lakers jersey.

NMAAHC.si.edu

MUSEUM OF MODERN ART, NEW YORK CITY With current exhibits featuring Van Gogh’s The Starry Night, the avant-garde works that inspired art critic Félix Fénéon, post–World War II drawings done by artists from five continents, and Salvador Dalí’s The Persistence of Memory, MoMA is certainly upholding its reputation. Located in the heart of Manhattan, this modern art collection provides a familiar haven during the coronavirus pandemic.

MoMA.org

Le monde

WITH TEN FLOORS, THE MUSEUM ILLUMINATES AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY THROUGH ITS MANY TRANSFORMATIVE EXHIBITIONS ON THE STRUGGLES FOR EQUALITY AND JUSTICE. If traveling is out of bounds and far from your comfort zone, rest easy! Let the wheels of your mind spin instead. Art is not limited to time and space, and there is no distance too great for creative genius to meet your soul. Offering world-renowned collections, these resources are filled with online opportunities and virtual walk-throughs that will rouse reflection, expression, and gratitude while you stay safe at home.

Find your muse when you engage in the art of exploration at any of these great American institutions and many more.

Taylo r

Origi Famil

y, Gra yton

nal G

© 197 6

rayton

Kitty Taylor, Broker, GRI, CRS, CIPS Catherine Ryland, Broker Associate

Girl

“Grayton Girl Team” Selling Grayton and Beach Properties along 30-A 850.585.5334 President of the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors 2020 133 Defuniak Street, Grayton Beach, FL GraytonCoastProperties.com

Petite pause

Festive decor abounds at the Galeries Lafayette flagship department store in Paris, France.

Joyeux NoĂŤl!

Photo by Pavel L Photo and Video/Shutterstock V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 79

Le monde

80 | DECEMBER 2020

Giving Smartly

BY CHAD ZIBELMAN

|

P H OTO G R A P H Y CO U RT E SY O F T H E S O N D E R P R OJ E C T

D

ecember is the most common month to make charitable contributions, and this year the reasons for giving are greater than ever. For starters, the coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on most organizations’ fund-raising plans. Many live events had to be canceled or they were converted to virtual events, with mixed results. Additionally, reliable annual supporters have been impacted by COVID-19, resulting in a change of donation patterns. Add to that the increased costs of operating in a pandemic world, and you can see how nonprofit organizations dependent upon donations can certainly use your support this year.

Left: The Sonder Project’s tenth school, completed in September 2020. This school in Central Malawi will help support four hundred currently enrolled students.

Right: Mariam Ramde, one of the many community members in Burkina Faso interviewed by The Sonder Project to assess the impact of its well program there.

to 25 percent of their taxable income—up from 10 percent. Whether you can give a small or large donation, this is a great year to do it!

What if you’re not sure where to give? How do you ensure the money you donate is making an impact?

How can you give smartly?

Here are a few tips to consider that will help give you confidence that your gift is making the most significant impact possible, whether you’re donating one dollar or one million dollars.

There are more reasons to donate this year than just the COVID-19 pandemic and having a giving spirit; the 2020 CARES Act passed at the end of March provides tax incentives as well. Individual taxpayers that do not itemize their deductions can now deduct up to three hundred dollars per individual. That’s practically free money: you can give to a cause that matters to you rather than paying it in taxes. Furthermore, individuals who do itemize their deductions in 2020 can now deduct 100 percent of their adjusted gross income— up from 60 percent—and corporations can deduct up V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 81

Le monde

1. Do your research.

Choose an organization that you are familiar with and look it up, although the most revealing information may not be found on its website. Instead, use a search engine to find the organization’s Form 990. Most nonprofits who receive more than $50K per year are required to complete a Form 990, so you simply search, for example, Organization XYZ 990. The document provides excellent insight into an organization’s finances and how it operates. Although it certainly doesn’t tell the whole picture, it does give a more objective look at an organization. You can also look at an organization on CharityNavigator.com. Charity Navigator rates large nonprofits and recently created a rating sheet for smaller organizations like The Sonder Project, which is listed as one to which you can “Give with Confidence.”

2. Give globally.

If you genuinely want to make the biggest possible impact with your donation, give to an organization working in the economically developing world. Your gift can go a lot further abroad; because the level of poverty is greater, the cost of living for staff is lower, and solutions are often less complicated. For instance, the water problem that began in 2014 in Flint, Michigan, cost over $350 million to fix for its population of roughly one hundred thousand people, or about $3,500 per person, according to the EPA. Meanwhile, it costs The Sonder Project $11,000 to provide access to clean water for a community of at least a thousand residents in Burkina Faso, equating to $11 per person. If you are interested in impacting more lives with less cost, consider supporting international causes.

82 | DECEMBER 2020

“ Your donation can go a lot further abroad because the level of poverty is greater, the cost of living for staffing is lower, and the solutions are often not as complicated.

3. Bigger is not always better.

If you are unfamiliar with local or smaller organizations, you may be more likely to support a large organization like the Red Cross or the American Cancer Society. These organizations are doing important work, but when you look at the number of donations they receive and the amount of money they spend on administrative functions and the infrastructure necessary to sustain them, your year-end donation is a drop in the bucket. According to Charity Navigator, the Red Cross spends $280.5 million per year—or 10 percent of its annual budget—on administrative and fund-raising expenses alone. Your donation is much more likely to be felt and appreciated by a smaller organization, especially in this pandemic-altered fundraising landscape. When doing your research, compare the percentage of expenses between administrative costs and program costs. Assuming these percentages are similar, your donation will be a lot more meaningful to a smaller organization.

sessions held, or do they dig deeper and focus on the outcomes that participants experience after training?

Is participation enough cause for celebration, or is there a measurable result that demonstrates the organization’s effectiveness over time?

4. Look for impact and sustainability.

This is why The Sonder Project invests time into surveying members of our partner communities and measuring the effects of infrastructure projects. It’s why I can tell you that people in our communities who receive new wells spend, on average, over an hour and a half less per day collecting water. That fact is significantly more powerful than just knowing that we’ve installed seventeen wells. Creating long-term sustainability is also why The Sonder Project views each of its communities as a partner. We establish local leadership committees to oversee each project and require local contributions, such as raw materials and manual labor, to increase local ownership.

My final suggestion—and this is something the financial documents can’t tell you—is to look at a nonprofit’s long-term impact. What are the results of the organization’s work? If the organization focuses on running educational programs, do they celebrate the number of people they’ve educated and the number of training

Before choosing a nonprofit to help this year, I encourage you to view an organization’s website to understand its sustainable impact. It can help if

Above: Students and Sonder Project staff inside the Matundu School in Malawi, completed in September 2020.

Opposite: The Sonder Project’s initiatives most often directly benefit women and girls who more commonly collect water and drop out of school due to antiquated gender roles.

Next page: Partner community members in Malawi building pit latrines in conjunction with a Sonder Project school.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 83

Le monde

you also talk to a member of the organization directly to hear what they have to say about their programs’ outcomes. If they’re focused solely on celebrating what they’ve done rather than the long-term impact of their initiatives, then you are better off looking elsewhere.

Donating is often viewed as giving something away with the expectation of receiving nothing in return; however, that is not precisely accurate. It’s more accurate to consider your donation as an investment in reaching a specific type of outcome—not for you personally, but for a cause you care about. Follow the recommendations above, and I’m confident you will make a choice that can improve many lives. Good luck with your research, and if you’re still not sure, please consider making a high-impact donation to support our global work at The Sonder Project. ’Tis the season for giving!

Chad Zibelman is the CEO of The Sonder Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. Its mission is to empower impoverished communities through high-impact, sustainable development. Focusing on sub-Saharan Africa, The Sonder Project partners with communities to drill wells, build schools, and on various other community-based projects to improve lives. Learn more or donate today at TheSonderProject.org.

BENEFITTING ----------------------------------> H E AV Y H O R S D ' O E U V R E S  C H A M PAG N E TOAST RAFFLE  SILENT AUCTION  DJ 30A PHOTOBOOTH BY

L’intermission

Deck the Halls

Jekyll Island Club Resort brings good tidings with festive decor during this magical holiday season.

Escape to warmer weather when you book your stay at JekyllClub.com.

Photo courtesy of Jekyll Island Club Resort

Serving up Southern hospitality and comfort without fail, Jekyll Island Club Resort is an unforgettable seaside sanctuary off the coast of Georgia. Celebrate a whitesand Christmas holiday as you rock around the tree with close friends and family.

Love, VIE xo V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 87

C’est la vie

2020 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The VIE team is gearing up for the holiday season, and we’ve curated a list of our favorite presents for this year’s Holiday Gift Guide.

Whether you’re shopping for him or her, you’re looking to spruce up your home, or you want to bring a smile to the kids’ faces, this collection is made to express your love this holiday season. Take a look at our list and check it twice because these products will have you ready to play Santa Claus for your closest friends and loved ones!

Home Is Where the Heart Is 1

HOME–Inspirations for Home and Life by VIE $50 – VIEmagazine.com 88 | DECEMBER 2020

2

Social Butterfly

Scattered Butterflies Wall Art $1,250 – ScoutDesignStudio.com

Fly Me to the Moon

3

MadeTerra Crescent Moons Wall Art, Set of Two $26 – MadeTerra.com

4

Luxe Glamour

Jonathan Adler Bacharach Sofa $3,495 – JonathanAdler.com

5

Souvenir Chic

Jonathan Adler Jet Set Paris Pillow $98 – JonathanAdler.com

Peak of Light

7

Creature Comfort

6

Jonathan Adler Monte Carlo Candle Holders $78–$98 – JonathanAdler.com

Jonathan Adler Snake Embellished Throw $395 – JonathanAdler.com V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 89

C’est la vie

Happy Hour

8

Samuel Bar Cabinet $448 – Anthropologie.com

90 | DECEMBER 2020

9

A Bite of Life

Tommy Bahama Flavors of the Southern Coast Cookbook $40 – TommyBahama.com

Say Cheese

10

Crate & Barrel Gold Cheese Knives $25 – CrateandBarrel.com

Tip It on Back

11

Tip Top Proper Cocktails $32 per pack – TipTopCocktails.com

12

We Brie-Long Together

Agate Cheese Board $78 – Anthropologie.com

Gouda Vibes Only

13

Well Told x Meghan Surette Ocean Wave Serving Board $85–$120 – WellTold.com

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 91

C’est la vie

14

This Calls for Champagne

Crate & Barrel Congrats! Gift Set $85 – CrateandBarrel.com

92 | DECEMBER 2020

15

Frost Yourself

Gabriel & Co. 14K Yellow-White Gold Oval Chain Twisted Rope Link Necklace with Diamond Pavé $7,360 – EmeraldLadyJewelry.com

Life Is Short—Buy the Bag

16

Alexander McQueen The Story Leather Shoulder Bag $2,390 – NET-A-PORTER.com

17

Spec-tacular

Miu Miu Oversize HexagonFramed Gold-Tone Sunglasses $445 – NET-A-PORTER.com

18

Blooming Love

Van Cleef & Arpels Rose de Noël Earrings $19,800 – VanCleefArpels.com

19

Suit Yourself

Tommy Bahama Tema Indigo High-Rise Sparkle Tux Ankle Jeans $145 – TommyBahama.com

Red-Carpet Ready 20

Diane Kordas 18-Karat Rose Gold Diamond Earrings $19,065 – NET-A-PORTER.com

21

Pumped Up Kicks

Fendi Logo-Embossed Leather Sneakers $690 – NET-A-PORTER.com

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 93

C’est la vie

Gin to My Tonic

22

Artingstall’s Brilliant London Dry Gin with Limited Edition Cocktail Kit $190 – ReserveBar.com

94 | DECEMBER 2020

23

Inhale, Exhale

Assouline The Impossible Collection of Cigars Hardcover Book Box Set $995 – MRPORTER.com

Time for a Man-icure 24

Bamford Grooming Department Stainless Steel and Carbon Fiber Manicure Set $1,855 – MRPORTER.com

Uncommon Scents

25

Tommy Bahama Maritime Journey Cologne $65–$102 – TommyBahama.com

Freshly Pressed 26

Cold War Kids New Age Norms 1 Vinyl LP $20 – Store.ColdWarKids.com

27

Two in One

Tommy Bahama Flipshore Half-Zip Reversible Sweatshirt $110 – TommyBahama.com

Mr. Fixer Upper 28

Lorenzi Milano Tool Kit with Mahogany Wood Box $6,925 – MRPORTER.com

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 95

The Giving Tree

29

Crate & Kids Treehouse Play Set $229 – CrateandBarrel.com

96 | DECE MBE R R 2020

C’est la vie

30

I Want Candy

by robynblair Think Happy Thoughts Print $800–$1,060 – byrobynblair.com

Mini Chef

31

Crate & Kids Janod Cooker Reverso $210 – CrateandBarrel.com

Title

9 32

Copy copy copy copy copy copy copy copy copy copy $$$ – website.com

Big Moments

FAO Piano Mat $40 – FAOSchwarz.com

Take a Seat 33

Circu Elephant Stool $990 – Circu.net

Row, Row, Row Your Boat 34

Crate & Kids Camp Wandawega Plush Canoe $279 – CrateandBarrel.com

Tykes Who Bike 35

Crate & Kids Leanne Ford Motorcycle Ride On $239 – CrateandBarrel.com V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 97

L’amour

Photo by Lauren Bailey Photography

L’ amour IT’S ALL YOU NEED.

Love is in the air this holiday season. Toss your petals and join us in wishing a joyful second anniversary to Courtney and Kyle Farmer! Married at The Chapel at Seaside, Florida, in November of 2018, these lovebirds leave us daydreaming about our big day. Brimming with sophisticated detail, their stunning wedding was mirrored by the couple’s beautiful relationship and love for one another.

From Courtney’s captivating dress, which was hand crafted in Israel, to the bleached white fern bouquets and matching ring-finger tattoos, this union and celebration are genuinely one of a kind.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 99

L’amour

Woodard Mr. and Mrs.

A G ra n d We d d i n g o n t h e G ra n d L a w n OctOber 10, 2020 in Destin, FlOriDa

100 | DECEMBER 2020

W

hen Keighley Alexa McConnell and Eric Michael Woodard met in Washington, D.C., about four years ago, it was at a mutual friend’s Fourth of July cookout. “Sarah, our friend, decided it was a good idea to introduce us right as I was taking a bite of a burger—I later found out Keighley is a vegetarian,” Eric laughs. “We soon found out that was about the only thing we didn’t have in common, and we got along well from the start by talking about dogs and football.”

Keighley, who had moved to D.C. from Nashville before meeting Eric, says they were friends for about a year before she “finally decided to give him a chance after my little brother convinced me I’d be stupid not to date him!” She laughs too. “Looking back, he may have just wanted to lock Eric in long term as a golf partner.”

The pair became inseparable, and VIE was thrilled to learn of their recent nuptials at the beautiful Henderson Beach Resort & Spa in Destin, Florida.

We caught up with the newlyweds to hear more of their story and toast to their continued happiness!

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 101

L’amour

V

IE: Tell us your love story. How did you know you had found the one?

Eric: I knew I wanted to propose to Keighley on our second anniversary (although it didn’t take me nearly that long to realize I wanted to marry her) but had no idea Keighley would end up planning the entire proposal on accident!

She suggested we watch the sunset from the Lincoln Memorial, get dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in Georgetown, and then go to a vineyard that weekend.

Keighley: Eric planned an amazing proposal, and I had no idea what was going on until he basically ran away from me to get things ready when we got to the Lincoln Memorial! He planned the perfect weekend, and we had so much fun celebrating with our family and friends, who all flew in for it. After that weekend, we knew that if our wedding weekend was anything like it, everyone would have an absolute blast.

VIE: How did you choose the venue for your wedding? Did you explore a lot of options, or was it love at first “site”?

Keighley: I have always wanted to get married along the beaches of 30-A, and when my parents moved there permanently, I knew it would happen! We looked at 102 | DECEMBER 2020

two venues but ultimately decided on The Henderson because we loved that all events could occur in one location and our guests could stay at the resort. A dogfriendly wedding location was an absolute must for us—we had to have Cooper as the Most Valuable Pup during the ceremony. We fell in love with the resort and the idea of a weekend-long celebration. My parents hosted a welcome party on the Thursday before the wedding at their home in Seagrove. On Friday, guests golfed with the groomsmen at Regatta Bay, and the bridesmaids’ luncheon was on the roof at The Henderson. We had a cocktail hour there before the rehearsal dinner and then moved down to the Sunset Terrace for dinner.

Eric: I told Keighley before we decided on a venue that the most important thing to me is that we had a place where everyone could hang out together all weekend. The Henderson did not disappoint!

VIE: What was the process of wedding planning like for you as a couple?

Keighley: I would absolutely plan another wedding—I had so much fun. My Mom and I have very similar tastes, so we had fun bouncing ideas off each other and working together. We worked closely with Sherri from Destin To Wed, Jillian from The Henderson, and Cass from Florals by the Sea to make our dreams come to life.

Eric and I had a similar vision for what our wedding would look like, so when it came to the small details, he just let me run with it!

“

Eric: We got engaged in May 2019, so we had plenty of time to plan. My contribution was picking out the band and tasting the food and alcohol! It was great having a longer engagement to make sure we got all of the things we wanted.

Eric planned an amazing proposal, and I had no idea what was going on until he basically ran away from me to get things ready when we got to the Lincoln Memorial!

VIE: Describe your wedding day. What were some of your most favorite moments?

Eric: On the day of the wedding, I loved getting to sit around the pool bar watching football with my family and friends. It helped keep me relaxed! I was the most nervous for the first look because I couldn’t wait to see Keighley. Leading up to the wedding, she always wanted me to guess what her dress would look like; I had an idea in my head, but I was completely blown away when I first saw her.

During the wedding reception, the band provided a really fun atmosphere all night and got everyone on the dance floor.

Keighley and I always said we didn’t want the night to end after our walkout, so we turned right around and went back to the bar with our friends and family.

The most important thing to both of us was that everyone had a blast all weekend long, and the night of the wedding was no exception!

Keighley: I was nervous all week because Hurricane Delta was headed our way! Fortunately, the rain held off, and we even got a beautiful rainbow during our pictures on the beach at sunset. I knew I wanted our wedding vibe to be fun but also very elegant with personal touches. I am so happy with how our wedding invitation suite turned out and that we could incorporate our wedding crest into the whole weekend.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 103

L’amour

“

My favorite colors are white and blue, and I knew I wanted orchids and garden roses to fill the room—I wanted to drape the ballroom, which completely transformed the place!

We had the ceremony on the Grand Lawn at The Henderson. My favorite colors are white and blue, and I knew I wanted orchids and garden roses to fill the room—I wanted to drape the ballroom, which completely transformed the place! We were able to have our first look in the ballroom before our guests, and we were utterly blown away. A bagpiper led my Dad and me down the grand staircase, and one of our best friends officiated the wedding, making it even more special.

Our signature cocktails were named after our golden retriever, Cooper—the Coopertini and In Cooper Fashion. My favorite food is sushi, and the sushi and raw bar were definitely guest favorites! Toward the end of the night, we had oversize foam party hats and leis for all our guests on the dance floor.

Everything went by so quickly—we wish we could do it all over again!

VIE: How about the honeymoon?

Keighley: We worked with Anna Gilbert from Travel 6 Degrees, and she ended up planning three different honeymoons for us! We originally planned to go to Italy, then switched to Anguilla and Saint Barts, but ultimately decided on San José Del Cabo. We have postponed our honeymoon until early 2021.

Eric: We also still plan to go on the other trips she planned for us one day! We love the Cabo area and can’t wait to finally go on the honeymoon. Keighley and I both love to relax on the beach, so a week in Cabo is our ideal vacation.

104 | DECEMBER 2020

Special Thanks p lanners : Sherri Kuhn of Destin To Wed, Jillian McCarthy from The Henderson

F lorals / design : Cass Stevens from Florals by the Sea

W edding

p hotographer : Dear Wesleyann

W edding

Emily Mayne Studio

d ance

W edding dress : Ines di Santo from Carine’s Bridal Atelier

s ave

Wendy Nooney

d raping : Wedding Walls

r ings : American Jewelry

h air

F ood : The Henderson

g room ’ s cake and cookies : Sugar & Heart Bakery

B and : Musical Fantasy Band

p arty

and makeup :

W edding

shoes :

Destin Mobile Makeup Box

Sophia Webster and Aquazzura

suite :

the dates :

cake :

Sweet for Sirten

v ideographer : Michael K Photography Floor and rentals :

hats :

850 Events

Foam Party Hats

t ux : The Black Tux V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 105

EXPERIENCE

Is The Difference

Coastal Dune Lake on 30A as photographed by Jeff Landreth.

We do what we do because we’re passionate about the field of Real Estate and we execute with objectivity. With more than 40 years of experience coupled with our strong community alliances, La Florida has evolved into the ultimate brand for expertise, advice and support. Whether you’re buying or selling, you can place your confidence in the professionals at La Florida.

That’s the La Florida Difference.

32 East County Highway 30A, Suite J Santa Rosa Beach, Florida Office 850.231.7896 laflorida.com Service | Integrity | Excellence

Petite pause

Perhaps the most famous Christmas tree in the USA, the one at Rockefeller Center and its surrounding decor are always welcomed with much fanfare in the heart of New York City.

Photo by Winston Tan/ Shutterstock

Merry Christmas t o Yo u !

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 107

L’amour

108 | DECE MBE R R 2020

A W edding at H ome in Pensacola , Florida B y V ir g in i a Re e d

fter coping with the disappointment of having to postpone their Telluride, Colorado, wedding due to COVID-19, this duo decided to make the best of it and tied the knot with just a few weeks’ notice.

The bohemian Jenny Yoo fit-and-flare gown that Hope wore on her wedding day was whimsical and timeless and evoked a vintage vibe—words that could also be used to describe this adorable couple.

When Hope Batzel met Reed Coker in 2015 during his last semester in aerospace engineering school at Georgia Tech, there was an instant attraction, but he was about to leave town to study abroad in Limerick, Ireland, for the summer. Though they FaceTimed as much as possible, the couple decided that the entire summer was too long to wait to see each other again, so Hope hopped a plane for a visit.

“It felt like we had known each other forever and not just a few short months,” she recalls. “On July Fourth,

Reed asked me to be his girlfriend while we were sitting on the grass at the Cliffs of Moher overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It was a beautiful sunny day, which is rare for the area.”

Once Reed was back on American soil, he told his parents that Hope was the one. He soon began ring shopping, eventually homing in on a pristine, justover-two-carat brilliant round diamond. It was then set in a vintage-style diamond setting he located at Jewelers Trade Shop in downtown Pensacola, Florida.

Both Hope and Reed have always loved visiting new places and countries—one of their many common interests—so Hope wasn’t suspicious at all when Reed’s family planned a trip to Exuma, Bahamas, and rented a home overlooking Elizabeth Harbor and Crab Cay for the six of them. “We were all in and so excited to be traveling together. I was finishing my college finals in Atlanta and thrilled that the trip fit with my schedule,” Hope explains.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 109

nce the family landed, they made their way to their waterfront home, where Hope proceeded to lounge in a hammock poolside overlooking the harbor. Unbeknownst to her, the rest of the family was hanging party decorations. Reed made his way down to the pool deck where he asked Hope to stand, professed his love, and got down on one knee. “I was totally shocked,” she recalls. “There’s me, standing in a bikini, having just awakened, and the love of my life is asking me to marry him!”

The family (with Hope’s parents present by cell phone) had gathered on the balcony to watch the proposal from above. “When I said yes, I heard all this noise,” Hope remembers. “I looked up and our families were cheering from the balcony!”

The Rusty Anchor, an iconic restaurant and bar located next door to the home, was the perfect place to celebrate afterward.

It felt like we had known each other forever and not just a few short months.

When it came time to plan the wedding, Hope didn’t want to marry in her hometown of Atlanta, and Reed wasn’t excited about a beach wedding along Florida’s Scenic Highway 30-A where he grew up. The couple decided on a smaller, more intimate outdoor wedding and found the perfect location at a luxury resort in Alabama. However, life threw the Batzel family a curveball when Hope’s mother suddenly passed away, causing the future bride to take a needed pause from any further planning.

In February 2020, during a family get-together on Pensacola Beach, Reed and Hope joyfully announced that they had decided on September 26 as the date

110 | DECEMBER 2020

L’amour

for an intimate ceremony in Telluride, Colorado.

Reed had family living near there, and the couple felt a connection to the area. Hope even went as far as having the wedding date and their names stamped inside the handmade bone-colored Bryr shoes that she purchased to wear with her wedding gown.

Come March, a worldwide pandemic forced the country and the couple to rethink everything, including family gatherings. “We waited until the last minute, hoping that there would be an end in sight with COVID,” Hope says. “We didn’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable or to become ill on our account, but we also didn’t want to continue putting off starting our lives together, so we decided to take Reed’s mother, Susan Benton, up on her offer to host a socially distanced backyard wedding with just our immediate family and a few close friends.”

But the challenges weren’t over. Hurricane Sally bore down on Pensacola the week prior to the wedding, devastating the East Hill neighborhood and Reed’s father’s medical office—but not the Benton home.

Hope and Susan were also in a car accident when another driver ran a red light in downtown Pensacola the day before the wedding. Hope recalls Susan telling her, “We’ve had the hell and the high water, so come tomorrow, this wedding is happening!”

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 111

L’amour

Despite all the obstacles, love found a way. In the peaceful setting of the private home of Dr. and Mrs. Philip Benton, the casual, outdoor welcome cocktail reception kicked off the evening, allowing guests to mingle at a distance and enjoy libations and light bites by Classic City Catering while listening to piano music played by the talented John Ripley. The signature drink was a Hurricane Sally, shaken—like Pensacola had been on September 15—and topped with a maraschino cherry.

Guests were provided with screen-printed masks to wear with a palm tree logo representing the Old Florida theme of the wedding. The logo, designed by Susan, was also printed on party cups, napkins, koozies, and matchbook covers by Heidi LoCicero of Frill Seekers in Destin.

Our wedding ended up being such a special day, and I wouldn’t have changed it for the world.

During the welcome reception, the bride was inside the home preparing for her walk down the aisle. She was presented with a love letter from Reed along with a diamond-and-opal ring, a family heirloom that Susan gifted Reed for Hope; it had been given to Susan on her wedding day. Hope also tied her mother’s thumbprint, engraved onto a necklace, around her floral bouquet of garden white roses.

As the festivities moved on to the ceremony, Hope walked down an aisle covered in white rose petals holding the arm of her father, Tracy Batzel. She met Reed under a wooden arch adorned with a plethora of white garden roses and greenery. The vows took place under a large, clear tent so that the evening stars could shine down on the beautiful couple as Reverend Bryan Adams officiated. Two chandeliers embellished with greenery also hung from the tent’s ceiling.

After the ceremony, guests were treated to a champagne toast with Veuve Clicquot, the groom’s favorite, followed by the cutting of the fresh crushed strawberry and cream layer cake made by Betty Weber. Reed and Hope sipped their champagne in sterling silver goblets, a gift from Reed’s parents. Within minutes, David Penniman of Classic City Catering, along with Chloe Sexton and her team from Supposey, turned the seated ceremony area into a lavish dining room for the four-course dinner. It included a salad of Gulf shrimp with scallops, duck and andouille gumbo, filet mignon, sautéed grouper with citrus beurre blanc, twice-baked potatoes, and a trio of desserts, ending with Southern-style late-night bites of mini chicken and waffles and Conecuh sausage sliders.

112 | DECEMBER 2020

Lanterns, twinkling lights, and soft white fabric billowing in the breeze set a romantic tone as Reed and Hope took to the wood-and-white checkered dance floor and danced to Harry Connick’s rendition of “It Had to Be You” for their first dance. The night ended with a sparkler send-off before the Cokers departed in a vintage Karmann Ghia to the honeymoon suite at The Oyster Cove bed-and-breakfast.

Hope and Reed had not given up on their dream of Telluride. The next day, they flew to Colorado and renewed their vows on a mountaintop on September 26 with Reed’s aunt and uncle present. From there they honeymooned across America’s western states, ultimately ending the ten-day trip in San Francisco.

Hope expresses, “Our wedding ended up being such a special day, and I wouldn’t have changed it for the world. I am the happiest bride on earth and feel incredibly blessed to have married Reed and, as an only child, to have gained a sister through him. My heart is so full!”

SPECIAL THANKS W ed d i n g p l a n n e rs : S usa n B ento n , Ch l o e S exto n o f S u p p os ey P h oto g ra p h e r : A is l i n n Kate P h oto g ra p hy Vi d eo g ra p h e r : B ra nd o n S tew a r t O f f i c i a nt: R everend B r ya n A d a ms , a . k .a . B ea ch P rea ch er Ca te re rs : D avid Pen n i m a n o f

B ri d a l g o w n : J en ny Yo o G ro o m s a t ti re : D o n A l a ns B ri d es m a i d s d ress es : B i rdy G rey E n g a g e m e nt ri n g : J ew el ers Tra d e S h o p W ed d i n g ri n g s : B eré J ew el ers , R eed ’ s g ra n d fath er g i f ted h is o w n g o l d ba nd

Cl a ss i c Cit y Cateri ng

W ed d i n g ca ke : B et t y W eb er

F l o ra l s , d ra p i n g a n d l i g hti n g , c l ea r

H a i rst yl ist: Kel ly W o o d s o f H ive S a l o n

te nt , ba r f ro nt: S u p p os ey

M a keu p a r tist: D e S h eri M c Cl u re o f D ES H I

S o f t s ea ti n g : S usa n B ento n

Tra ns p o r ta ti o n : S u p p os ey

I nvita ti o ns , p ro g ra m s , m e n us , a n d

H ote l a c c o m m o d a ti o ns : T h e Oyster Cove

g i f t- ba g ta g s : Vo w el l s P ri nti n g

(fo rm erly kn o w n a s T h e Lee H o us e)

Pa r t y c u ps , c o c kta i l n a p ki ns , m a s ks ,

La n d s ca p i n g : E a st H i l l n eig h b o rs w h o

ko ozi es a n d m a tc h b o o ks : F ri l l S eekers

g ra ci o us ly m oved th e B ento n’ s h u rri ca n e d eb ris to

E nte r ta i n m e nt: J o h n R i p l ey M usi c

th ei r o w n ya rd s s o th e w ed d i n g w o u l d b e p er fect V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 113

SHEROBAR.COM A new nutrition bar designed for the SUPERHERO in YOU

L’intermission

Mountain Magic Mohonk Mountain House is a National Historic Landmark located in Hudson Valley, New York.

Learn more and book your stay at Mohonk.com.

Photo courtesy of Mohonk Mountain House

Immerse yourself in a winter wonderland with more than eighty-five miles of hiking trails on the Mohonk Mountain House property. This spectacular retreat celebrates the Christmas spirit as it hosts several festive northern traditions and activities, such as reindeer tracking, snowshoe tours, and campfire story nights.

Love, VIE xo V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 115

THEIDEABOUTIQUE.COM Santa Rosa Beach, Florida: (850) 231-3087 Clifden, Co. Galway, Ireland: +353 (85) 158 9879

Bon appétit!

Bon appétit!

THE ESSENCE OF LIFE

Book your stay or make a dining reservation at GraduateHotels.com/Nashville.

Photo by Digital Love

Opening its doors to lively interiors in July 2020, White Limozeen features a thoughtfully eclectic design and a celebratory tribute to a certain leading lady of country music. It has been the talk of the town for Nashvillians and fans around the world as its pink-and-floral, Dolly Parton–inspired decor transports guests to a world of lighthearted whimsy. Crowning the Graduate Hotel Nashville, this over-the-top indoor-outdoor rooftop restaurant and bar celebrates the unique Music City identity of following your dreams. With skyline views of Midtown from the rosy bar and the Governor’s Pool (closed until spring 2021), White Limozeen offers a stylish menu that includes playful party foods and homestyle renditions of traditionally French repasts and cocktails. Fall in love with possibility!

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 117

Bon appétit!

BRUNCH FOR THE

Holidays LET’S GET TOGETHER

RECIPES COURTESY OF

CHEF BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN

118 | DECEMBER 2020

NO MATTER HOW YOU PLAN TO GET TOGETHER WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, CHEF BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN’S NEW COOKBOOK SAYS CELEBRATE WITH BRUNCH! The holidays are a time of year when family and friends get together, usually over a prepared meal. This year, holiday celebrations may look totally different, but we can still sit down to a delicious brunch, be it brunch à deux, a brunch buffet with immediate family, or a group of friends hanging out on the patio via Zoom eating frittatas and drinking Bellinis. Still, one thing is clear—brunch is here to stay.

In Let’s Brunch: 100 Recipes for the Best Meal of the Week, Chef Belinda brings all these flavors and feelings together and lends a little Southern hospitality to your holiday brunch menu with delicious, flavor-packed recipes for breakfast and brunch, including front porch–worthy libations.

“Brunch is a meal designed for leisure and good times spent with family and friends,” says Chef Belinda, who is also the author of Just Peachy, a food writer, a spice blends entrepreneur, and a commercially rated pilot.

She is an active member of the Southern Foodways Alliance, the International Association of Culinary Professionals, the American Culinary Federation, and Les Dames d’Escoffier. “In my opinion, brunch is the most creative meal because there are no rules— menus can range from a full array of breakfast items to steak and potatoes and everything in between.”

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 119

Bon appétit!

et’s Brunch provides full menu ideas focusing on starters, soups, salads, egg dishes, casseroles, meats, pastas, grits, sandwiches, breads, jams and syrups, desserts, and brunch cocktails. Some of the book’s recipes include Ramp Buttermilk Biscuits, Panettone Grand Marnier French Toast, Croque Madame, Smoked Salmon Blinis, Spinach and Goat Cheese Eggs Florentine, Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Scallops, Southern-Style Succotash, Blackened Catfish on Herb Grits, Red Velvet and Pecan Waffles with Fried Chicken, Black Walnut–Cardamom Pound Cake, Rum–Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie, Mint Julep, and Chef Belinda’s Creole Mary.

“BRUNCH IS A MEAL DESIGNED FOR LEISURE AND GOOD TIMES SPENT WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.”

This year, as you plan your holidays, make room for brunch. Let’s Brunch is the perfect cookbook to lift the spirit and delight the taste buds. Brunch just might become the new dinner party!

Recipes and photos reprinted from Let’s Brunch by Belinda Smith-Sullivan with permission from the publisher. Photography by Susan Barnson Hayward. ® Gibbs Smith, September 2020 120 | DECEMBER 2020

YIELD: 6 to 8 servings Mac and cheese is an “anytime of the day” meal or treat, but served for breakfast or brunch on the same plate next to eggs, biscuits, and gravy elevates this beloved side dish to center plate.

INGR E DIE N T S • 1 pound cavatappi or elbow macaroni

and small diced

breakfast

MACARONI AND CHEESE

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced • 4 cups whole milk

• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 large clove garlic, smashed

• Kosher salt, to taste

• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme

• White pepper, to taste

• 1 bay leaf

• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

• 1⁄2 onion, studded with 1 whole clove • 3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese • 1 teaspoon dry mustard

• 3 cups grated aged Gouda cheese

• 1 pound thick-sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1⁄2-inch pieces

• 1 tablespoon chopped basil, divided

• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded

• 1⁄4 cup bread crumbs

• 1⁄2 cup Parmesan cheese

DIR E C T ION S Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta until al dente, 5–7 minutes. Drain and toss with 2 tablespoons butter. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, add milk, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, onion with clove, and mustard.

Warm over medium-low heat until the milk starts to steam, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, set aside, and let the flavors infuse.

To a medium skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel–lined plate. Sauté jalapeño and bell pepper until soft.

Remove and transfer to another paper towel–lined plate.

Strain the milk, discarding the solids. To a 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat, add remaining butter and flour. Whisk for 3–4 minutes. Do not let brown.

Whisk the milk into the roux to avoid lumps. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cheddar and Gouda and stir until melted, then add the cooked pasta, peppers, half of the bacon, and half of the basil, stirring to combine thoroughly.

You can bake this in the skillet or transfer the mixture to a casserole dish.

In a small bowl, combine Parmesan, bread crumbs, and remaining basil, and sprinkle over the top along with remaining bacon. Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 121

vodka spritz

GRAPEFRUIT, CHAMPAGNE, AND

YIELD: 1 cocktail Nothing says brunch like a breezy cocktail to accompany your meal! A spritz is a cocktail made with champagne or prosecco, a bitter liqueur, and soda water. Aperol is an Italian bitter aperitif, though sweeter and fruitier than its elder sibling, Campari. Aperol gets its name from the Italian slang word apero, which means aperitif.

INGR E DIE N T S • 1 ounce Aperol

• Ice

• 4 ounces champagne

• Club soda

• 1 1/2 ounces grapefruit juice

• 1⁄2 grapefruit wheel, for garnish

• 1⁄2 ounce vodka

DIR E C T ION S Pour Aperol, champagne, grapefruit juice, and vodka into a tall glass. Add ice and a splash of club soda. Stir gently and garnish with grapefruit wheel. Holiday cheers!

Petite pause

Wa r m Wishes for the Holidays!

Moscow’s Red Square rings in the holidays with a colorful display, including this playful Christmas tree and a nearby gingerbread-inspired village.

Photo by Mikhail Starodubov/ Shutterstock V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 123

Bon appétit!

124 | DECE MBE R R 2020

Our Many Selves

By SUZANNE POLLAK

P h o t o g r a p h y b y M A R K S TA F F

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 125

Bon appétit!

utstanding portraitists possess eyes that pierce their subjects.

They see beneath the skin, beyond the surface, into the essence of the soul. They discern what we might hide behind our many masks, offering a glimpse at what lies beyond conscious awareness, often discovering gems waiting to develop or even intuiting darkness lurking unawares. A well-known painter created a portrait of my four children together when they were in middle and high school. The background color around one son was heavily shadowed. I assumed the darker color was a composition device. Five years later, that son was diagnosed with spinal cancer that had gone undetected for years. Did the painter feel that energy?

T H E P O RT R A I T I S A N EXC H A N G E B E T W EEN P H O T O G R A P H ER A N D S U B J E C T; F O R A M U LT I P LI C I T Y

P O RT R A I T, I T ’ S A L S O A D I A L O G U E

W I T H T H E S U B J E C T A N D H ER S ELF. Charleston-based photographer Mark Staff often shoots portraits, but multiplicity shots are his new creative endeavor—and they’re very different from most portraits. They involve more work for him, but the result is dynamic and exciting. He must participate and communicate with his subjects to bring out various personality traits, sometimes exposing parts they might not see or wish to see. There is a greater level of trust in this kind of portrait. It calls attention to who we are, forcing us to ask ourselves: What does this say about me? Is this how others view me? Have I developed into who I want to be? Can I? Will I? The portrait is an exchange between photographer and subject; for a multiplicity portrait, it’s also a dialogue with the subject and herself. Mark captured my domestic life. For twenty years, my business was caring for and feeding a family. The kitchen served as the engine of our house, creating a firm foundation for those connected to me (and even cha-ching-ing change while I briefly ran an illegal bakery). These pursuits allowed me to rule the roost with calm 126 | DECEMBER 2020

instead of chaos, to squeeze all the potential out of one room. Cooking was my way to mother and mentor, instill manners, awaken culture, and learn history, music, and cuisine. Providing proper nourishment ensured that each child might reach their potential one day because they were fully fed and loved as they grew up. The room gave its all, and so did I! Now, I see the fruit in how my kids utilize their kitchens, smokers, grills, and dining rooms.

Today my kitchen’s job is to expand my potential (not my waistline) and reach new communities during COVID-19. Mark’s multiplicity photo brought my ultimate endeavor—teaching people the art of using food to connect with anyone, anywhere—to life, visually. The portrait defines what I have done, but it also terrifies me. Is this all I am? Can I be more? The many selves in the picture make me think of different choices I might have made and how I narrowed my expertise. It’s important not to pigeonhole yourself. For so long, I ran a household almost to the exclusion of everything else. When that dissipated, then what? I had to figure out how to use domestic skills in new ways because I didn’t have other careers to fall back upon.

To use one tiny example, I expanded the mighty English muffin’s role beyond breakfast. My homemade version might host quail eggs Benedict for brunch, tuna melts for lunch, homemade marmalades at teatime, or sliders for dinner. You can shower love by gifting homemade English muffins as houseguest presents. Use them to replace party favors or the regular dinner party gift of wine. People will feel your warmth the following morning at their breakfast table, and you won’t even have to be there! Why not learn to expand your repertoire in ways large and small? See what a homemade carb, a simple dinner, a specialty craft cocktail, or an entirely new domestic vision can do to connect you to the person in the next room or next door.

The kind of philosophy we study at the Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits makes me wonder what it’s like to look through Mark Staff ’s camera lens. His portrait represents my doctorate in household management. What will my future multiplicity shots show? An entrepreneur, a business owner, a writer, a fund-raiser, a best friend, a cool nonagenarian, a person who finds her soul mate, a passion partner? It’s for me to design, but sometimes it takes another pair of eyes to point out the potential.

Last thought: if you are in the middle of a transition or in need of one, consider getting a portrait made so you can take a look at yourself in a new way, honor your past, and start mapping out the future.

Suzanne Pollak, a mentor and lecturer in the fields of home, hearth, and hospitality, is the founder and dean of the Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits. She is the coauthor of Entertaining for Dummies, The Pat Conroy Cookbook, and The Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits: A Handbook of Etiquette with Recipes. Born into a diplomatic family, Pollak was raised in Africa, where her parents hosted multiple parties every week. Her South Carolina homes have been featured in the Wall Street Journal Mansion section and Town & Country magazine. Visit CharlestonAcademy. com or contact her at Suzanne@CharlestonAcademy.com to learn more.

The Last Word 7

Solution on next page

’TIS THE SEASON

BY MYLES MELLOR

ACROSS

DOWN

1 3 8 9 10 12 14 15 18 19 21 24 25 26 29 32 33 35 36

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 11 13 16 17 20 21 22 23 26 27 28 30 31 34

What the Wise Men followed in the Bible One of Santa’s reindeer “____ lords a-leaping” NFL arbiter, for short Christmas carol Another of Santa’s reindeer Fancy celebration Celestial messenger Color of Santa’s suit ___nog “_____ roasting on an open fire” Kid’s present, often December 24th Snowstorm The Festival of Lights (var.)

Dean Martin song “Let It ___!”

Overhead railway December house decorations Flower holder

Present delivery man Wonder Email subject line intro Below the surface Had Gift Belonging to the woman Sheltered side at sea Had a roast “Six ___ a-laying” Allow Gentlemen Nativity scene Slang for “college” in the UK Shirt or shoe measurement Branch of a tree Icy surfaces Hooter Everyone Foolish beast, in fables Touring vehicle (abbr.)

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 129

The Last Word Puzzle on previous page 7

“

FABULOUS KIDS’ FASHIONS & TOYS 62 main street ROSEMARY BEACH,FL gigisfabkids.com 850.231.0110

FABULOUS KIDS’ FASHIONS & TOYS 62 main street ROSEMARY BEACH,FL gigisfabkids.com 850.231.0110

If you want to be happy in a million ways, for the holidays you can’t beat home sweet home.

—Perry Como, “(There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays”

”

Miranda Lambert Photo by Donn Jones

5 4T H A N N UA L CO U N T RY MU S I C A S S O C I AT I O N AWA R DS In a year like no other, the CMA Awards brought the country music community together, live, for the first time in months to celebrate the very best in the genre. In a night filled with riveting performances, heartfelt speeches, and emotional tributes, Country Music’s Biggest Night proved, once again, that even in the toughest of times, the heart of country remains true. Eric Church, who performed his “Hell of a View” for the show, was awarded the night’s top honor of CMA Entertainer of the Year, a first for the artist. Maren Morris performed “The Bones” and was the night’s biggest winner, taking home three awards. Other winners included Luke Combs, Old Dominion, Dan + Shay, Morgan Wallen, Lee Brice, Carly Pearce, Miranda Lambert, Jenee Fleenor, and more.

Photography courtesy of the Country Music Association

132 | DECE MBE R R 2020

Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins Photo by Jamie Schramm Carrie Underwood Photo by Jamie Schramm

Dan Smyers Photo by Dustin Downing

Old Dominion Photo by Jamie Schramm

Luke Combs and Nicole Hocking Photo by Jamie Schramm

Little Big Town Photo by Jamie Schramm

Eric Church Photo by Jamie Schramm

Summer Duncan and Jon Pardi Photo by Jamie Schramm

Jimmie Allen and Alexis Gale Photo by Jamie Schramm V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 133

La scène

People’s Choice winner Jeff Waldorff

25TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS PRESENTED BY MATTIE KELLY ARTS FOUNDATION The 25th Annual MKAF Festival of the Arts took place October 24–25, 2020, at the Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village in Destin.

During the festival, artists from across the United States offer up their original artwork in the form of paintings, photography, sculpture, pottery, wood, paper, fiber, mosaics, mixed media, jewelry, and more in order to compete for $10,000 in cash prizes in twenty-nine award categories. The festival also features a Collaborative Art Exhibit, which showcases select artwork of more than sixty community adult and student artists.

Photography by Kay Phelan

Best in Show winner Kelly Rysavy

134 | DECEMBER 2020

Marcia Hull, Melanie Moore, and Deb Nissley

Maxine Orange, Shantelle Dedicke, and Marcia Hull

Award of Excellence winner Juli Juneau

Award of Excellence winner Dorothy Starbuck

Best in Show winner Kelly Rysavy

Award of Excellence winner George Bragg

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 135

SUBSCRIBE TODAY! ONE-YEAR FOR $29.95 V IEM A G A Z INE .C O M / S U B S CR IBE

Au revoir!

Ivana Gonscakova and Gregory D. Jazayeri were married on September 30, 2017, at Saint Rita’s Catholic Church in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.

Their ethereal wedding portraits were taken at a nearby waterfront home that Greg designed.

Photo by Desirée Gardner Photography DesireeGardner.com

Au revoir!

BEFORE YOU GO . . .

I hope you don’t mind that I put down in words how wonderful life is while you’re in the world.

—Elton John, “Your Song”

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 137

Determined to keep dancing...

Support NFB with an end-of-year gift as we move forward in our efforts to continue providing classes and arts education to our community.

Consider your year end gift, today.

In the wake of COVID-19, we suspended our Academie Capital Campaign in pursuit of fundraising for our general fund through unrestricted giving and our Keep Dancing Membership Drive. Pivoting our efforts allowed us to maintain operational continuity and support our staff this year. Please consider making your end-of-year, tax-deductible donation TODAY at NFBallet.org/Donate!

850.664.7787

nfballet.org/DONATE

THE PRIDE OF A MASTER CR AFTSMAN E. F. San Juan offers the uncompromising protection of impact resistant innovation with Premium Coastal by Weather Shield®.

To find out more visit EFSanJuan.com.

ARCHITECT: CHRIST & ASSOCIATES | PHOTOGR APHY: JACK GARDNER

hines

Sh e

S

G R A N D B O U L E VA R D

|

SHOPTHEJEWEL .COM

|

(8 5 0) 8 3 7- 8 82 2

|