Jacksonville Magazine, February 2019, The Women's Issue by Jacksonville Magazine

SPECIAL SECTION: WOMEN EMPOWERED PROFILES

ALL of ME Jax women are speaking out & being heard

EAT YOUR Heart OUT Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dining

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Contents

IN EVERY ISSUE: 8

Click The latest from Jacksonville Magazine online

THE BEST OF JACKSONVILLE EVERY MONTH // FEBRUARY 2019

Publisher’s Letter Allow us a few words of introduction

Seen People, parties & pictures

JaxLife Hot trends, culture, travel and local style

Agenda Looking for something to do in February?

Flavor The city’s premier monthly roundup of local food and fine dining. Plus, a visit to MLG

Backstory Long before GLOW, the glamorous ladies of Jacksonville wrestling took to the ring in the Downtown Arena

DEPARTMENTS: 50

Home Renovating your home on a $10,000-orless budget

Health How tech companies are leading the charge to detect AFib

Congress banned the slave trade, some 400 captive men, women and children were smuggled into Jekyll Island

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69 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION: Women Empowered Highlighting the accomplishments of local female business pros

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Family Combatting childhood anxiety and mental health issues

FEATURES: 32

History Half a century after

All of Me On a national and local stage, women are standing up, speaking out and—finally—being heard

Eat Your Heart Out Whether dining out or staying in on February 14, Jax has plenty of date-worthy options

Companies With Heart Two dozen Jacksonville companies making their mark on the local community

[ SERVICE ] TIX

CLICK The latest from Jacksonville Magazine online MOST LIKED JANUARY INSTAGRAM POST

PET OF THE MONTH

쑽 904TIX.COM SPONSORED BY

FEATURED 904TIX.COM EVENTS Jax Mag’s source for admission to fundraisers and special events, are highlighted throughout the magazine. Look for the above logo and visit 904TIX.com to get your tickets!

2/7: Moors & McCumber Blue Jay Listening Room

2/8: Beginner Ferment: Water Kefir Cultivate Jax

2/14: Sweetheart Valentine’s Day Ball St. Ephrem Hall

2/22: 2nd Annual Coastal Carnivale

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쑽 SECRET SUPPER CLUB

JACK • NOMINATIONS for Pet of the Month can be made via a form on our website, under the heading ReadeR Polls. Past Pets of the Month may be viewed there, too.

SECRE T pp er C

Hudson is Jacksonville Magazine’s Pet of the Month for February. This long-haired cat loves to play hard to get, but at the end of the day he’s a cuddle bug who won’t turn down some snuggles. He spends his days sleeping on the porch in the sun and FaceTiming his best kitty friend who lives in Virginia. From the north himself, Hudson enjoys playing in the snow and still hasn’t ﬁgured out why there isn’t snow in Jacksonville.

쑽 NEWSLETTERS

V IL LE M A G A ZI NE ’

SON

Every month, Jax Mag partners with a local chef/restaurateur to host a special 50-person meal with a twist. The next two Secret Suppers take place at Intuition Ale Works and Vernon’s at the Marriott Sawgrass. 904TIX.com

쑽 904 PAPER CO. With more than 25,000 subscribers, Jax Mag’s e-newsletters are your links to the latest happenings across Northeast Florida. The Ticket focuses on concerts, theatre shows and other happenings. The Dish is all about food festivals, restaurant openings, reviews and recipes. The Digs covers home décor. And The Trip is a guide to regional destinations: where to go, what to do and what to pack. 8 |

JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM / FEBRUARY 2019

• Intuition Ale Works - February 5

Jacksonville Magazine’s 904 Paper Co. is an online store specializing in Jax-themed greeting cards and frameable prints. Visit us at our website and click “shop,” or look for the 904 Paper Co. logo.

• Vernon’s - March 5

Vote

WELCOME “WHAT’S IT FOR?” OR “WHY ARE YOU DOING IT?” These questions, and others of a similar nature, have been asked of me of late more times than I can remember. The questioner is, invariably, inquiring about this year’s Jacksonville Lantern Parade, taking place February 16 along the Northbank Riverwalk.

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JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM / FEBRUARY 2019

“For fun” and “why not” are the answers I give most often when asked, followed by a short explanation of what we have planned. I’ll do the same here. While there is a charitable initiative behind the Jacksonville Lantern Parade, I see that as a secondary motivation for people to come out and join in the fun. Do you need reasons to go to a concert or see a movie or visit the zoo, reasons besides that doing so can be an enjoyable experience? Not really, right?

JOSEPH WHITE PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF joe@jacksonvillemag.com

Same goes for the Lantern Parade, an event I hope becomes an annual tradition for the city. A publication like Jacksonville Magazine needs to be more than just a static read that arrives in a mailbox once a month. Part of our role is to be involved in the conversations had in Northeast Florida, sometimes even starting them. Such is the case with the Lantern Parade and many of the other events we host throughout the year. If we want to be a part of a growing, improving metro area, we need to be an active participant.

Hosting something like the Lantern Parade—with its food trucks, fireworks, bands and other entertainment—is a way to make that idea of participation come to life. If we can help shine a light on the city’s creative community, as well as its most important natural resource, the St. Johns River, then I believe we are contributing something real and meaningful. Writing stories about the people, places and issues affecting life in Northeast Florida is relatively easy. We have been doing that for 35 years. Rolling up one’s sleeves and doing what’s needed to plan and promote a free public event, one that is intended to attract thousands of participants... well, that’s hard. I can attest to that from first-hand experience. So, now that you know what it’s for, I invite you to come out and be a part of the second annual Jacksonville Lantern Parade presented by VyStar Credit Union, February 16 under the Fuller Warren Bridge. I hope to see you there.

COMING SOON: Ready or not, THE PLAYERS Championship returns next month. No longer held in May, the PGA TOUR’s marquee event and a springtime tradition around these parts for more than 40 years, tees off the second week of March. Just as we have for nearly a decade, Jacksonville Magazine will be partnering with the TOUR to publish a 100-page primer to the golf tournament. More than just a list of dates and times, our Ultimate Guide takes you inside the ropes and into the clubhouse for lots of must-have info. Subscribers receive a copy with their March edition. If you want one, subscribe soon.

For 35 years Jacksonville Magazine has told the stories of our city and all of Northeast Florida. Our publications are written and designed to help readers get the most out of living here.

EDITORIAL PUBLISHER / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Joseph White EDITOR

Virginia Chamlee EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Emily Bailey PROOFREADER

Kathy Weedon CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Ashley Williams, Katie McPherson, Melody Taylor, Kerry Speckman INTERNS

Amanda Allan Bailie Staton

CREATIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Jennifer Compton DESIGNER

Heather Kruse STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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SALES & MARKETING ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING

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Vanessa Raola ACCOUNTING / OFFICE MANAGER

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1261 King St., Jacksonville, FL 32204 (904) 389-3622 • Fax: (904) 389-3628 Website: JacksonvilleMag.com JACKSONVILLE (ISSN 1070-5163), (USPS 749870), February 2019 Volume 35 Issue 1. Published monthly with seven supplements annually for $19.90 per year by White Publishing Co., 1261 King St., Jacksonville, FL 32204, (904) 389-3622. All editorial contents ©2019 by White Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Periodical postage paid at Jacksonville, FL. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to JACKSONVILLE, 1261 King St., Jacksonville, FL 32204, (904) 389-3622. PRINTED IN THE USA. FEBRUARY 2019 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM

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SEEN PEOPLE, PARTIES & PICTURES

COMING NEXT MONTH: Hope Floats and Taps Bar & Grill St. Johns hosted the 2nd annual Block Party for Breast Cancer September 29. The family-friendly event included live music, raffles and an outdoor all-you-can-eat menu featuring BBQ pork, hamburgers, hot dogs, coleslaw, and chips. Ticket sales, a raffle, and drink sales benefited The DONNA Foundation to support the needs of women and families living with breast cancer. u — PHOTOS BY KRYSTINA HARCOURT

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• Secret Supper Club @ Intuition Ale Works February 5 • Sweetheart Valentine’s Day Ball February 14

S Hart Felt Ministries hosted its 8th annual Bridging the Gaps Charity Gala Friday, October 5, at the TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse. The evening included dinner, a silent auction and a special appearance by ethereal angel painter, Anne Neilson. The highlight of the night was bringing attention to an often forgotten segment of our populationâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;seniors in need in Northeast Florida. u

FEBRUARY 2019 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM

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S The Junior Service League of St. Augustine hosted their 36th annual gala, Bow Ties & Starry Skies, October 6, at the Tringali Barn. The black-tie celebration featured cocktails, dinner and dancing under the stars. Guests were also treated to a string ensemble, silent auction, full bar and DJ, as well as charitable gambling. All proceeds beneﬁt the Junior Service League of St. Augustine and its charities. u — BY ALEXIA CARRASCO

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Jax Life

LET THERE BE LIGHT! cc Last year, some 2,000 people turned out to kick off what we believe will become one of the city’s signature annual events—a glowing display of color, light, music and movement that lights up the heart of Jacksonville. The second annual Jacksonville Lantern Parade presented by VyStar Credit Union is set for Saturday, February 16. The illuminated celebration of creativity, kids and the St. Johns River is free and open to the public. All we ask is that participants bring something that glows, twinkles or shines. (Last year’s event saw everything from dragons to elaborate sea creatures, but even traditional, round, paper lanterns do the job.) The parade route runs from the Riverside Artist Square beneath the Fuller Warren Bridge and continues down the St. Johns River to the Jacksonville Landing. The Parade itself begins at 7 PM and concludes with a Downtown fireworks show at 9 PM. Prior to the official start, participants can join in the fun at the starting line with live music, games, food trucks and more. There also will be a kids activity park set up adjacent to the Riverside YMCA and music presented at the riverfront stage at the Landing. u

FEBRUARY 2019 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM

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5 THINGS TO LOVE

this February

[ ]

The nation’s Oldest City plays host to fashion’s newest looks during St. Augustine Fashion Week, March 2-10. A lengthy roster of events are held throughout the week, but the spotlight is the two nights of runway presentations, featuring local small brand designers showcasing their latest collections (March 8-9 at The Assembly Room). Runway presentation tickets start at $60.

Area vendors, dance performances and a concert featuring Mama Blue, Kim Reteguiz and Brittany Wescott round out Get Down(town), an event celebrating African American culture and honoring Black History Month at Hemming Park. Attendees can also expect food trucks, adult beverages and local art at the afternoon affair, which takes place February 23, 3-9:30 PM.

The Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville’s Micro-Macro exhibit pairs the works of two New-York based painters, Andrew Sendor and Ali Banisadr, showcasing Sendor’s small-scale, photo-realistic paintings alongside Banisadr’s large-scale, predominately abstract paintings. According to museum curators, though the styles are worlds away, the process and inﬂuence of both painters makes them a natural pairing. The exhibit is on display February 2-July 28.

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Multi-platinum singersongwriter Jack Johnson does a lot more than sing barefoot on stages across America. In fact, the musician is a noted environmental activist, having been named an Environmental Goodwill Ambassador by the United Nations. In short, he knows a thing or two about living green and founded his All At Once foundation as a way of recognizing music venues and promoters who excel in sustainability practices. In December, Johnson presented the St. Augustine Amphitheater an award for its Green Hands program, dedicated to establishing and maintaining operating practices that reduce its ecological footprint.

MICRO-MACRO IMAGE: © ANDREW SENDOR, PORTRAIT OF LAFAYETTE WITH BHAYA ON THE SOUTHWEST WALL OF SATURDAY’S LIVING ROOM

Recording artist Damien Sneed’s career covers an incredible breadth of genres—he’s collaborated with everyone from Wynton Marsalis to Aretha Franklin—and his latest production is no exception. We Shall Overcome showcases a range of African American musical traditions, including gospel, jazz, and spirituals, to pay tribute to the words and actions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In addition to highlighting music that electriﬁed generations of civil rights activists, the show includes spoken word from King’s recorded speeches. February 5, 7:30 PM at the Ritz Theatre & Museum in LaVilla.

[Jax Life ]

LIVE WELL Modern

Love

Chocolates and roses are nice, but modern accessories with a touch of whimsy make a bolder impact this Valentine’s Day. —VIRGINIA CHAMLEE

A classic shape, in the perfect shade of red. 2

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1. Red post-modern lamp, $80, CaosCreo; 2. Graphic heart-printed chair, $680, Kartell; 3. Love and Like print, $36, Indie Art; 4. “Sealed With a Kiss” earrings, $55, Etsy; 5. Silk and wool scarf, $160, The Shop Floor Project

JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM / FEBRUARY 2019

TRAVEL

[Jax Life ]

Stone Age and Primitive Arts Festival

TINY TRIP

Wild at Heart

ROUGHLY THREE HOURS WEST OF JACKSONVILLE LIES WAKULLA COUNTY, a sleepy region on the outskirts of Tallahassee, nestled just off the Gulf Coast. Wakulla is devoid of the over-commercialized attractions in some parts of Florida (we’re lookin’ at you, Orlando) and instead rich in history, wildlife and outdoor activities, like kayaking, hiking, and snorkeling. In short, it’s the kind of place one can reconnect with nature, whether you prefer the quaintness of a historic landmark or the convenience of modern amenities. February is an especially ideal time to pay a visit, as Wakulla plays host to two outdoor festivals. The first, on February 2, is the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge Wildlife Heritage & Outdoor Festival. WHO Fest, as it is affectionately known, has grown into one of the region’s largest annual displays of outdoor culture. Expect everything from wildlife exhibits and dog-hunting demonstrations to turkey call contests and archery tutorials. Local food vendors, musicians, artists and naturebased businesses are also on hand. Later in the month, visitors can experience the altogether different Stone Age and Primitive Arts Festival. Here, demonstrations are of arrowhead-making, hide-tanning, basket-weaving and primitive weaponry. There are also lessons on carving shell, bone, antlers and wood, at the February 22-24 event at Ochlockonee River State Park. There are several campgrounds and RV sites in the area, but those looking for something more comfortable will likely appreciate the Wakulla Springs Lodge. The hotel—which opened in 1937 and is recognized as a National Natural Landmark—sits at the center of Wakulla Springs State Park and was beautifully constructed with hand-wrought iron, marble and imported tile. The hotel houses two dining options: the Edward Ball Dining Room, a full-service eatery which serves three meals daily, and a classic, 70-foot marble soda fountain, turning out root beer floats, cherry phosphates and traditional lunch counter eats. u —VIRGINIA CHAMLEE

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The tiny home movement is chugging along in 2019. Though, for many, small houses-on-wheels aren’t all that economical when taking into account zoning regulations and land costs. Enter Getaway, a Brooklyn-based hospitality company that offers all the trappings of a tiny home—for only as many nights as you’d like to stay in one. The company’s latest 40-cabin outpost is situated 85 miles north of downtown Atlanta and officially opens this spring. Each cabin is designed with signature picture windows, allowing for immersive views and all range from 136-200 square feet, including a queen-sized bed, mini-kitchen, bathroom, and a private outdoor area with a fire pit and cooking grate. All cabins can also accommodate dogs for an additional fee. Nightly rates start at $99. u

ON THE ROCKS

Beverage tastings, head-to-head food competitions by local culinary superstars and an incredibly scenic view are just a few of the draws at Whiskey, Wine & Wildlife, February 7-10 in Jekyll Island. The culinary weekend includes plenty of spirits, wine and beer, but the excursions—a wine cruise, bartenders challenge, wine master class and Sunday brunch—are top-shelf, too. Prices and locations for events vary, though the main course takes place on February 9, 1-4 PM, outside The Westin, Jekyll Island, and includes numerous stages of cooking demonstrations, music, and tastings. 904tix.com u

Felt a lump? You don’t have to wait for answers.

Same-day breast assessment. A lump or other breast abnormality brings lots of questions. But waiting weeks to know if you have breast cancer is no longer necessary. The UF Health Breast Center – Jacksonville offers appointments for biopsy, imaging and treatment consultations with nationally recognized breast health specialists, all on the same day. Don’t wait. Learn more at UFHealthJax.org/breast or call 904.244.4387 to schedule your private consultation.

Same-day Testing, Same-day Peace of Mind. UF Health Jacksonville offers fast answers to mother-daughter duo. Ellen Durand fought Stage 3 breast cancer in her 30s. She endured dozens of rounds of radiation, participated in clinical trials, and had multiple operations, including a double mastectomy. When Ellen was diagnosed, her daughter, Ashley, was 6 years old. Ellen was determined to fight cancer so she could raise Ashley and be there for all her childhood milestones. Ellen learned she was a carrier of a BRCA2 gene mutation and decided to have Ashley tested as a teenager. The test confirmed Ashley was also a carrier of BRCA2, which is associated with an increased risk of developing breast cancer. Ashley called her mother one morning from Alabama, where she was attending college, with terrifying news — she found a lump and needed help. Ellen knew they should act quickly. “Finding my lump was probably how you would imagine finding one — initial panic, a lot of crying in the shower and a lot of thinking the worst,” Ashley said. For Ellen, the possibility of her only daughter being diagnosed with breast cancer at age 22 was devastating. She remembered waiting seven agonizing weeks for her own diagnosis, enduring delays with scheduling and referrals to see all of the required specialists.

“I can honestly say waiting for the results in between tests brought me more anxiety and stress than the actual moment I was diagnosed with breast cancer,” Ellen said. Ellen works for UF Health Jacksonville and knew about the hospital’s same-day breast assessment service. She called and made an appointment for the same week. Ashley was able to see multiple specialists within that same day. Fortunately for Ashley, her tumor was identified as a fibroadenoma, or a noncancerous breast tumor. No treatment was necessary. She was able to return to school with a plan for regular follow-ups. Ashley has since earned her master’s degree in biological science from Auburn University. She plans to become a veterinarian and will always remain a steadfast advocate for early breast cancer detection. “I would really like more of the public to know this is a viable option,” Ashley said. “I would have endured unnecessary stress and anxiety wondering about my lump if it was not for the assessment.” Same-day breast assessments are available at UF Health Jacksonville and UF Health North. For more information or to make an appointment, visit UFHealthJax.org/breast, or call 904.244.4387.

Ashley Durand, UF Health Jacksonville patient

AGENDA: FEBRUARY

[Jax Life ] TO DO LIST 2/5

Gaelic Storm Remember the band that kept playing as the ship sank in Titanic? That was Gaelic Storm, a Celtic group who began touring shortly after that memorable role, and hasn’t really stopped since (seriously: they play roughly 125 days out of the year). This month, they’ll perform at Ponte Vedra Concert Hall.

2/8

G. Love & Special Sauce The three-member, alternative-meets-hip hop-meets-blues band celebrates more than two decades of music in a 25th anniversary show at Ponte Vedra Concert Hall.

2/9

Jacksonville Icemen Minor League hockey squad the Jacksonville Icemen take on the Orlando Solar Bears at Veterans Memorial Arena. Can’t make it? They hit the ice a handful more times this month—on the 13th, 20th, 23rd, 24th, and 27th.

2/9

Indigo Girls Break out your flannel shirts and baby doll dresses for the vocal stylings of these darlings of the early ‘90s, who perform at Ponte Vedra Concert Hall.

2/13

The Taj Mahal Trio

Pretty in P!NK Powerful vocalist? Yes, but the one-named pop diva P!NK is also quite the stunt-person, judging by the feats of physicality on display in her live show (spoiler alert: expect her to sing upside down, from a chandelier). She stages the Jax leg of her Beautiful Trauma tour—a big-budget production that blends her signature mix of pseudo goth and pop—March 5 at Veterans Memorial Arena.

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American blues musician Taj Mahal (real name: Henry Saint Clair Fredericks) heads this jazz trio, performing at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall this month.

2/14

Keiko Matsui The contemporary jazz pianist performs a blend of new-age and smooth jazz. Ponte Vedra Concert Hall

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MARCH 12-17

#THEPLAYERS

J 2/15

Matt and Kim This Brooklyn-based indie electronic duo—Pitchfork calls them a ‘quintessential party band’—takes to the St. Augustine Amphitheatre.

2/15

Tom Rush

Best In Show If you suﬀer from pet dander allergies, you’d be wise to stay far away from the Solomon Calhoun Community Center this month, when it plays host to more than 125 felines during the Ancient City Cat Club’s fourth annual Cat Show, February 23-24. The felines at the event are a mix of pedigreed and household animals, judged on a range of characteristics—though no tricks, as it turns out. Instead, it's a bit like a beauty pageant, where the furlegged contestants are judged on the symmetry of their features, the size of their paws and, of course, their poise.

Northeast Florida

If you’re a fan of Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne or James Taylor, you might have Tom Rush to thank. Rush is largely credited with ushering in the era of the singersongwriter, performing songs by artists like those above to help them gain recognition early in their careers. He’ll headline Ponte Vedra Concert Hall this month.

DRAMA DISTRICT The Bridges of Madison County Based off the bestselling novel-turned-film of the same name, Bridges tells the story of a four-day affair between an Italian war bride and a traveling National Geographic photographer who comes to Iowa to shoot the area’s fabled covered bridges. February 1-16, Players By the Sea

Jeeves in Bloom The peaceful English countryside is shaken up as Bertie Wooster and his unﬂappable valet, Jeeves, become involved in a scheme. Naturally, it’s left to Jeeves to set things right. February 1-16, Amelia Community Theatre

2/15-2/16

Daphnis and Chloe Music from Wagner’s final, and by many accounts greatest, opera sets the stage for music from Ravel’s grand ballet in this Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra performance. T-U Center

Old Love Old Love spans three decades and half-a-dozen meetings between Bud, a salesman, and Molly, his boss’s wife. One of them is smitten from the get-go—the other, not so much, in this clever tale of the never-ending pursuit of love. March 1-17, Theatre Jacksonville

RIDE OF THEIR LIVES

The rock and roll blues icons bring their joint tour to Ponte Vedra Concert Hall.

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2/17

Dave Mason and Steve Cropper

Google “How to rope a bull” and you’ll ﬁnd some 25 million howto guides—but we’re willing to leave this one to the experts. For one night only, the best bull riders in the world battle the sport’s ﬁercest bovine athletes in the PBR: Velocity Tour, February 16 at Veterans Memorial Arena. Each rider will face one bull in round one before the ten with the highest scores advance to the championship round. Yeehaw!

Trail of Terror

2/20

Murder By Death Indie folk rockers Murder by Death and J Roddy Walson & The Business co-headline a concert at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre’s Back Yard Stage.

FOND q

q 2/21 The country star takes to Veterans Memorial Arena for his Hits Deep tour.

2/22

LP The genre-defying singersongwriter has written songs for a number of big-name artists from Cher to Rihanna. This month, she brings her Heart to Mouth tour to Ponte Vedra Concert Hall.

2/28

When Tyler Perry announced he’d soon be retiring his most beloved character—a mouthy, grey-haired senior citizen named Madea—fans were shocked and dismayed. Fortunately, she’s going out with in true Madea fashion: with a nationwide tour. Perry’s Madea’s Farewell Play Tour comes to Veterans Memorial Arena February 5, and also stars Tamela Mann, David Mann, and Cassi Davis Patton.

Toby Mac

FAREWELL

The Expendables

3/1

Alabama Breakthrough country band Alabama takes to the St. Augustine Amphitheater for their 50th anniversary tour.

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55,374 v

West Coast surf rockers showcase their brand of California cool to the St. Augustine Amphitheatre.

The average number of steps required to complete all 26.2 miles in a marathon. Strap on your FitBit for the 26.2 with Donna Marathon, February 10. This year’s event starts in Atlantic Beach and weaves through Neptune and Jacksonville Beach before making its way to Ponte Vedra—and then, of course, back to Neptune Beach.

WALKING DEAD Before they were The Zombies, this Brit-pop band called themselves The Mustangs. Unfortunately, there were other groups with that name so one of the group’s members suggested The Zombies. He left the group soon after but the name stuck and 57 years later, they’re still touring. February 20, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall.

Orange Legacy

The Voice

Florida’s Exotic Fruit February 21

Adult contemporary crooner Sarah McLachlan takes a break from recording ASPCA commercials for an intimate evening of songs and storytelling, February 24, at the Florida Theatre.

Eat, Drink & Be Merry

TIX

Expect to sample lots of vino, nibble plenty of bites from area restaurants and bid on one-of-a-kind auction items (think rare wine and sports memorabilia) at the annual Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Wine Gala. Proceeds go toward supporting area families battling childhood cancer. March 8 at the Wells Fargo Center, Downtown. u

TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT 904TIX.COM FEBRUARY 2019 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM

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One of the Top Structural Heart Care Programs in the Nation, Right Here at Home

The Baptist Health Structural Heart Program features weekly valve conferences where the multidisciplinary team comes together to review the unique aspects of each case and determine the best plan of care for the patient.

An exciting new generation of interventional cardiology has emerged, providing patients with advanced treatment options for diseases affecting the valves and tissues of the heart. Here in Jacksonville, Baptist Health is recognized as one of the leading structural heart programs in the country, exceeding national quality benchmarks for patient outcomes and dramatically reducing hospital stays. Led by nationally renowned structural heart expert, interventional cardiologist Ruby Satpathy, MD, FACC, FSCAI, the Baptist Structural Heart Program offers the area’s most comprehensive array of minimally invasive treatment options, and is the only local program doing these innovative, catheter-based procedures without any incision (only a single magic stich) and only twilight sleep (without general anesthesia). This means patients can typically go home faster and recover more quickly from these and other cutting-edge procedures: • Alcohol septal ablation • Atrial septal defect repair • Left atrial appendage repair (WATCHMAN™) • Left atrial appendage repair (LARIAT™) • Patent foramen ovale repair • Percutaneous mitral valve repair (MitraClip®) • Transcatheter Aortic or Mitral Valve Replacement (TAVR or TMVR) © Baptist Health 2019

Our multidisciplinary team provides advanced treatments in our state-of-the-art hybrid operating suites with highly specialized imaging capabilities.

Dr. Satpathy was among the first in the nation to perform many structural heart procedures, and she is frequently invited to train other physicians nationally and internationally in using the latest techniques. As a result of her experience and expertise, Baptist Heart patients now have expanded access to research studies for next-generation technologies, providing them with more treatment options for a variety of conditions including aortic stenosis, mitral regurgitation, atrial septal defect (ASD), patent foramen ovale (PFO), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), pulmonary stenosis, mitral stenosis, stroke and Afib. In fact the Baptist Structural Heart Program is #1 in the state of Florida for trials related to left atrial appendage closure and #1 in the country for PFO closure. The Baptist Health Structural Heart Program features a valve clinic, providing patients with one location to consult with multiple specialists and complete diagnostic testing needs in one day. Talk with your doctor to find out if you are a candidate for these treatment options. Or to request an appointment, call our Structural Heart Scheduler during business hours at 904.202.9500.

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SECOND ANNUAL

Jacksonville Lantern Parade presented by

Lantern Making Workshops Intuition Ale Works with Butt Hutt Smokehouse February 5, 6-8 PM Tabula Rasa Brewing February 10, 2-4 PM Main & Six February 13, 6-8 PM Parade Activities Saturday, February 16 St. Johns River Taxi Rides Tin Can Photo Lounge Food Trucks & Craft Beer UNF Drumline Best “Illuminated” Pet Costume Contest 100-Passenger Viewing Cruise Kids Activities & Games Ronan School of Music Rock Band Firework Show Over Downtown Jacksonville Jaguars D-Line Laser Light Show & Much More!

Saturday, February 16, 7-9 PM Northbank Riverwalk, Downtown

JACKSONVILLELANTERNPARADE.COM

2019

DR. SAMIRA MEYMAND, DDS/MPH

WOMEN EMPOWERED

Meymand Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Dr. Samira “Sam” Meymand, an accomplished Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, took the path less traveled by most females in the field of dentistry. Half of most dental school classes are currently women. Only five to ten percent of these women apply to specialize in oral surgery, are accepted, and complete training and obtain board certification. This is partly due to the length of training required (an additional 12 to 15 years), which can be prohibitive to starting a family. Since there are few women in the field, Dr. Meymand feels it is important to encourage and empower other women to enter fields such as surgery. Dr. Meymand loves the training, discipline, and challenge of being a leader, as well as the camaraderie that comes with the being in the military. The U.S. Navy was a natural fit for her. She completed her Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency at the National Capital Consortium, Naval Hospital Bethesda in 2008. Her residency coincided with the heights of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a result, the pressures of residency were amplified when hundreds of soldiers were expedited to Bethesda to be treated for serious—and sometimes devastating—facial injuries resulting from IED blasts and bullet wounds. “It was an honor to treat these soldiers and be brave for the families of these heroes that put their lives on the line.” The military helped prepare Dr. Meymand for the challenge of starting her own business. “Leadership, sacrifice, and teamwork are important qualities I learned in the military. If you have a strong work ethic and surround yourself with great people, then great things can happen. I’m blessed to have an amazing staff. We work as a team to take great care of our patients with compassion and love,” she says.

Two particular members of Dr. Meymand’s staff have earned accolades from patients and certainly qualify as “Women Empowered.” Dena Peeples, Front Desk Manager and Treatment Coordinator, has 20 years’ experience in the dental field. Her positive attitude helps patients feel less fearful about coming to the oral surgeon. Desiree Leonard, Lead Surgical Assistant, has ten years’ experience as a Certified Medical Assistant and Phlebotomist. She has a grace and calm that helps our patients during their surgery appointments. These staff members also help run the office when Dr. Meymand performs her U. S. Naval Reserves duties at Camp Pendleton, California, where she serves as a Commander assigned to the Expeditionary Medical Unit. She was board-selected to be the Officer-In-Charge of a joint field exercise in 2018 for two weeks where her team of 51 (Doctors, Nurses, Ancillary Services, and Corpsmen) participated in a mass casualty exercise. “This experience leading this unit in a real world military medicine scenario was an honor and the reality of mass casualty medical training. Women play a crucial role in the setup, organization, and treatment of mass casualty victims.” As a Surgeon, a Navy Commander, and business owner, Dr. Meymand empowers other women achieve their goals, whether in the military or in her office. She is a Board Certified Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and Past President of the Jacksonville Dental Society. She co-founded the Jacksonville Women’s Dental Society and is on the Baptist Health Women in Medicine Executive Board. Dr. Meymand’s practice is conveniently located in Mandarin and offers the full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures, various levels of anesthetic and sedation surgery, and spa treatments such as Botox and Juvederm.

11571 SAN JOSE BLVD., JACKSONVILLE, FL 32223 | (904) 886-2667 | MEYMANDOMS.COM A D V E RT I S I N G F E AT U R E

2019

WOMEN EMPOWERED

KALAI SANKAR Founder & Head Instructor, Shiva Robotics Academy Kalai Sankar is the founder of Jacksonville’s Shiva Robotics Academy, a robotics education institution geared to students in grades K-8. As a Carnegie Mellon-certified robotics instructor and professional LEGO educator, she has introduced after-school robotics programs in 18 Title I schools in Jacksonville. By partnering with organizations like Renaissance Jax, Communities in Schools, and Girl Scouts of Gateway Council, she has helped hundreds of Florida students compete in tournaments as far away as Costa Rica. Kalai is the recipient of Florida’s Best Robotics Coach award and Jacksonville Business Journal’s Innovator in Education Award, and her robotics camps have been featured in the Florida TimesUnion and Folio, as well as on Channel 4 and Buzz TV. In 2018, she served

as a featured panelist at a TEDxFSCJ Salon on Fearless Innovation, which explored how innovators across Northeast Florida are defying the frontiers of the familiar. Kalai’s vision is to build a more integrated future through science and technology. Through her passionate approach, “Coach K”—as she is affectionately known amongst her students—has created a streak of winning robotics teams. Having formed the institution after her own two daughters became interested in robotics, Kalai knows firsthand the challenges that face both students and parents alike. Over time, she hopes to inspire more adults to take up the baton as robotics coaches and engage more children to become skilled at robotics themselves.

7044 BEACH BOULEVARD, JACKSONVILLE, FL 32216 | (904) 704 7046 | SHIVAROBOTICS.COM

A D V E RT I S I N G F E AT U R E

2019

EMPOWERED

2019

WOMEN

WOMEN EMPOWERED

D.K. BRIERY, CPA Certified Public Accountant

CARLIE CHRISTENSON

Dianne Briery began her business with one goal in mind: to

Founder, Boob-eez

convey to each client their value. She graduated from LSU Shreveport in 1978 with a degree in accounting, becoming a CPA in 1979. Soon after, she went to work for a large company, gaining a broad range of experience in income tax, pen-

On the brink of turning 10 and self-conscious about her developing body, Carlie Christenson searched for the perfect product to mask her insecurities. After filtering through an array of petals and bras, she designed and created her own:

sion administration and accounting. In 1984, she became a

Boob-eez, the “headlight hider” that makes boobs, easier for

partner of the firm and three years later moved with her fam-

women of all ages, shapes, and sizes..

ily to Jacksonville. In 1994, she opened her own firm with a fellow CPA and, in 2006, she branched out on her own, opening D.K. Briery, CPA, where she places an emphasis on performing work the right way and at a reasonable price. “I believe that my clients are sent to me for a reason,” she says. “If my firm is responsible for a mistake, we do our best to make it right.” D.K. Briery staff consists of a para-professional, Kristen Zimmerman; an office manager and tax preparer, Donna Swenson; and various consultants that work on an as-needed basis.

12627 SAN JOSE BLVD., SUITE 601, JACKSONVILLE, FL 32223 (904) 880-3200 | DKBRIERYCPA@DKBRIERYCPA.COM A D V E RT I S I N G F E AT U R E

Continuously growing, the Boob-eez brand now boasts a full line of undergarments and fashion fixes that are carried in brick and mortar stores nation-wide, ensuring that all women have the chance to stand tall with confidence. Intending to take her business to the next level, Carlie has been studying Business Management and Social Entrepreneurship at The College of Charleston. While there, she has been named a Stuart Williams Impact Scholar, Student Entrepreneur of the Year and Women Entrepreneur of the Year from CofC, as well as a Woman to Watch by The Center for Women. For more information about Carlie and Boob-eez visit boobeez.com

(904) 534-2881 | BOOBEEZ.COM

2019 2019

WOMEN EMPOWERED

FISHER, TOUSEY, LEAS & BALL, P.A. Kateena Manners, Mary A. Robison, Beverly H. Furtick & Anne Buzby-Walt

EMILIE CHRISTENSON Jaffi’s A workaholic wired for speed with a rich family history rooted in retail and fashion, Emilie Christenson was built to run a boutique. In 2001, after twelve years of working in Corporate America, Emilie had an ‘ah-ha’ moment and opened a boutique in the heart of Neptune Beach. Now, 18 years later, Jaffi’s is still the go-to spot in Jax for a caliber of thoughtfully curated merchandise unmatched by other local boutiques. And with a long list of ‘Best-Of’ accolades to boast, it would seem that Jaffi’s isn't short of dedicated fans either. Located in the heart of Beaches Town Center, on the corner of First and Lemon Street in Neptune Beach, the women’s clothing is rife with thoughtfully curated accessories—perfectly sized leather totes, stackable wrap bracelets—stellar basics by brands like Splendid and JBrand and statement pieces to spruce up your daily uniform. Known lovingly by customers and friends alike as a true “retail therapist,” Emilie goes far beyond the traditional role of business owner, extending a helping hand or listening ear to those who need it. And as a mother of two children, she continues to inspire by instilling them with the same spark and passion for female-driven entrepreneurship that pushed her to success.

200 FIRST ST., NEPTUNE BEACH, FL 32266 | (904) 249-4030 JAFFISNEPTUNEBEACH.COM

As a firm, and as individuals, we value integrity and excellence in the practice of law. Our experiences collectively and individually enables us to draw on each other in a truly collaborative environment. Success means continuously honing our craft and making sure we are all rowing in the same direction. As law students, we learned to develop our analytical and problem solving skills and apply that logic to a constantly evolving body of law and regulations. After law school, as associate attorneys, we learned how to manage the business aspects of law. We also believe in continuing to improve our skills. In Kateena’s case, she holds a Masters of Law in Taxation. Anne is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). Beverly, Anne and Mary have each received Board Certification in their respective practice areas. Beverly and Mary also serve on the Florida Bar Board Certification committees for Wills, Trusts and Estates and Real Estate. The practice of law is literally and figuratively a balancing act. At Fisher Tousey, we encourage a family-centered approach by cultivating a collaborative work environment where we can support one another.

501 RIVERSIDE AVE., SUITE 600, JACKSONVILLE, FL 32202 818 N. A1A, SUITE 104, PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL 32082 5211 S. FLETCHER AVE., SUITE 260, AMELIA ISLAND, FL 32034 (904) 356-2600 | FISHERTOUSEY.COM A D V E RT I S I N G F E AT U R E

EMPOWERED

2019

WOMEN

ELIZABETH HUDGINS, REALTOR® Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty

In 1990, her husband, Dr. Robert Hudgins, a Jacksonville neurologist, made a suggestion, after they moved from Ortega to the beach and purchased a condominium. “Bob said, ‘With more moves to be made, you should do this. You should sell real estate. And save us some money!’” said Hudgins, laughing. What happened next surprised her. “I thought this would be a part-time commitment,” said Hudgins, “but soon my phone started ringing and it hasn’t stopped since.” This year Hudgins celebrates more than 25 years of continued devotion to her clients and a passion for Northeast Florida real estate that has only grown since she began. One of the main differences of today’s market versus when Hudgins first started is the global connection. It is no secret that today’s technology and social media allow us to communicate effortlessly on an international scale. She leverages the company’s extensive media resources to stay connected and showcase homes to both the local and global market.

(904) 553-2032 cell | ELIZABETHHUDGINS.COM A D V E RT I S I N G F E AT U R E

JANET JOHNSON, P.A. Criminal Defense Attorney Janet Johnson is committed to defending people accused in criminal matters in state and federal court. Ms. Johnson has been awarded the AV preeminent® rating from MartindaleHubbell® and was named a fellow to the prestigious Litigation Counsel of America,™ she has been named as one of the ten best criminal defense attorneys nationally by the American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys. She appears as a legal commentator on CNN and HLN. • Driving Under the Influence • Federal Crimes • Probation Violations • Child Abuse • Assault & Battery • Juvenile Cases

2019

Elizabeth Hudgins of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty routinely sets new benchmarks for real estate in Northeast Florida. Recognized as one of the company’s Top Producers, Hudgins is ranked nationally in the top two percent of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ affiliated offices, is a member of the company’s prestigious Chairman’s Circle and is a recipient of its coveted 20-Year Legend Award.

WOMEN EMPOWERED

• Sex Offenses • Domestic Violence • Drug Trafficking/Possession • White Collar Crime

3219 ATLANTIC BLVD., JACKSONVILLE, FL 32207 | (904) 634-8991 JANETEJOHNSONLAW.COM

LEGACY TRUST FAMILY WEALTH OFFICES Kristi Quick, Laura McGarity, Kristin McLauchlan, Susan Tronti, Natalie Johns, Debbie Burshett, Holly Tyrrell, Suzanne Blake Kristin McLauchlan. “That is truly a shared value among all of us. We approach our business every day not thinking about

2019

“When I envisioned Legacy Trust 15 years ago, it was to be a company with a true service heart,” says CEO and chairperson

WOMEN EMPOWERED

what the markets are doing or how much money can we make if we do this instead of this, but from the perspective of how do we help our clients achieve their goals? How do we help Jacksonville and our community reach its potential? How do we help each other make this a special workplace?” The team of women at Legacy Trust Family Wealth Offices brings a variety of backgrounds, from working in nonprofits to careers as fraud investigators. Each path led them to Legacy Trust where they come together as a whole greater than the sum of their parts. As a Family Wealth Office, their role for its client families is enhanced by each of their own personal experiences. Whether it’s caring for their kids, caring for their parents, taking care of their spouses, or going through divorce, they have not just seen the ups and downs of family life, but have lived them.

2019

4200 MARSH LANDING BOULEVARD, SUITE 100 JACKSONVILLE BEACH, FL 32250 (904) 280-9100 | LEGACYTRUSTCOMPANY.COM

WOMEN EMPOWERED

BLANCA MARTINEZ-HOPPE, DMD, PA Owner, Hodges Family & Cosmetic Dentistry Dr. Blanca Martinez-Hoppe is a general dentist who provides exceptional care for patients of all ages. She grew up in Miami and completed her undergraduate studies at Florida International University. She was accepted into Southern Illinois University-School of Dental Medicine in 1993 where she graduated with honors in 1997. Dr. Martinez-Hoppe went on to complete a General Practice Residency program at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Miami Beach. One year later, she married her husband, Lloyd, and moved to Tampa, where she joined a group practice and worked for nine years. She has a beautiful 14year-old daughter, Veronica. She moved to Jacksonville to be closer to family and in 2008 opened Hodges Family & Cosmetic Dentistry. Dr. Martinez-Hoppe is compassionate and values integrity and honesty. This year marks the 11th anniversary of Hodges Family & Cosmetic Dentistry. Dr. Martinez-Hoppe will always address your main concerns and listen attentively to your requests. She believes in conservative cosmetic treatments for the restoration of a beautiful and long-lasting smile.

4776 HODGES BOULEVARD, SUITE 103, JACKSONVILLE, FL 32224 (904) 992-0922 | HODGESCOSMETICDENTAL.COM A D V E RT I S I N G F E AT U R E

2019

WOMEN EMPOWERED

WOMEN

Family Law

EMPOWERED

Ashley McCorvey Myers, a Jacksonville native, is also the first and only local female attorney to achieve the honor of Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. The AAML is an organization which tests, peer reviews and selects Fellows only upon a demonstration of the highest level of experience, competence and professionalism. She has been a Board Certified Specialist in Marital and Family Law by the Florida Bar since 2003. Ms. Myers previously served as both Vice Chair of the Rules of Judicial Administration and as Chair of the Florida Bar Family Law Rules Committees of the Florida Bar. Ms. Myers, as an appointee to the Bounds of Advocacy Workgroup convened jointly by the Family Law Section of the Florida Bar and the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, updated the aspirational Bounds of Advocacy, an ethical guide for family law attorneys. She is President-Elect of the Florida Family Law Inn of Court, a member of the Board of Managers of the American Academy of Matrimonial Law, Florida Chapter and a member of the Rules of Judicial Administration Committee of the Florida Bar. Ms. Myers has been consistently recognized by Thomson Reuters’ Superlawyers, as well as by Florida Trend as a Legal Elite. She has the honor of receiving both the Rudy Hernandez Award for Professionalism by the Florida Family Law Inn of Court as well as the Barry Sinoff Award of Excellence. Ms. Myers publishes articles, lectures and performs on marital and family law issues. Most recently, Ms. Myers presented at the Marital and Family Law Review Course and is scheduled to lecture at the AAML Florida Chapter Institute on Executive Compensation in May 2019. She recently married Mark Hand and together they co-parent her two daughters, Avery and Cookie Myers, with their father. Ms. Myers treasures her family, which also includes 3 dogs, a Maine coon cat and a rabbit.

1301 RIVERPLACE BLVD., SUITE 2405, JACKSONVILLE, FL 32207 (904) 224-5077 | ASHLEYMYERS.COM A D V E RT I S I N G F E AT U R E

2019

ASHLEY M. MYERS, P.A.

PIVOT CPAS Raejean Echegaray, Sheryl Tschimpke, Wendy Ranson, CPA, Pamela Bomba, Debra Smith, Angela Vogt & Emmy Pursley The women of Pivot might come from different backgrounds, but all arrived at the same place because of one overarching commonality: hard work. One had served in the Navy, where she was responsible for the accounting of an entire squadron, while others came from Big Four accounting firms and still others had experience in niche fields, such as real estate and investment accounting. At Pivot, they’ve found a firm “that gave us both the resources and the opportunity to succeed while balancing our professional lives with our family and personal lives,” says tax partner Wendy Ranson. The firm’s intense focus on integrity, honesty and community service made it a no-brainer for tax manager Emmy Pursely. “This has been the easiest part of succeeding at Pivot,” she notes. The “why” of the work performed by the Pivot team goes well beyond accounting, according to audit director Sheryl Tschimpke. “I want to provide the leadership and mentorship I didn’t always have in my career, to do what women like Wendy did for me.”

238 PONTE VEDRA PARK DR., SUITE 201 PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL 32082 (904) 280-2053 | PIVOTCPAS.COM

2019

WOMEN EMPOWERED

SHEILA POWERS Owner/Stylist, Ten Salon For almost two decades, Sheila Powers and her talented team at Ten Salon have been the gold standard for Northeast Florida’s five-star beauty salon experience. Sheila has impacted the local beauty industry, helping refine the landscape of training and education for new stylists through Ten Salon’s Associate Training Program. She most appreciates leading her team, watching them grow and become successful, seeing her stylists build thriving careers of their own—balancing work, families, and busy lives. Ten provides a special environment for established and growing stylists alike. From fresh cuts to gorgeous balayage and color, she is expertly trained and distinctly talented. Ten’s team shares her values, resulting in an extremely low turnover rate. This happy, busy culture is very much on purpose—and is always protected. “I am so fortunate to work alongside smart and talented women everyday to create and maintain that culture, one that you can feel the moment you step inside the salon,” says Powers. Powers underscores this culture with Ten’s bright, clean, open space and welcoming atmosphere. She emphasizes excellence, innovative ideas and endless possibilities, and is devoted to client happiness, well-being and satisfaction. She balances TV appearances, sharing the latest tips and hair trends, while caring for and maintaining a loyal clientele and running the day-to-day operations of the busy salon. Powers strives to maintain this level of excellence, and continues to grow with the First Coast community.

115 PROFESSIONAL DRIVE, PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL 32082 (904) 285-7776 | TENSALON.NET

WOMEN EMPOWERED

CHRISTINA STARMER CenterBeam Real Estate / CenterBeam Construction Many entrepreneurs have a straight and clear path to success. But for Christina Starmer, it’s been more of a winding journey. Cofounding CenterBeam Construction in 2008, and then CenterBeam Real Estate in 2010, was just the beginning of the building thread that now weaves through her life. As CEO and building contractor of the construction side of the business, her days are busy. The hard work has paid off, leading to a slew of renovation awards, including those from Riverside Avondale Preservation and the city of Jacksonville. Both CenterBeam Companies employ over 22 local hard working individuals who can either help clients rent, sell, buy, build, renovate, manage or add on to a home. When she’s not looking at plans or roaming a house with a homeowner, she’ll most likely will be hosting the She Is Me podcast, aimed at helping women Build up their lives. She is also a co-leader of My Opportunitree, an organization that Builds bonds between donors and non profit schools in third world countries, providing needed equal access to quality education. Reflecting back, the seemingly curvy route she has traveled has lead to a clear path and desire to help people Build their dreams. Working on historic homes is special to Christina—it’s like seeing the diamond in the rough. And just like all of us, sometimes an old house just needs a little love. Have a question for Christina? You can contact her directly at christina@CenterBeamConstruction.com

CENTERBEAM REAL ESTATE 577 COLLEGE ST. JACKSONVILLE, FL 32204 (904) 701-3276 CENTERBEAMREALESTATE.COM

CENTERBEAM CONSTRUCTION 577 COLLEGE ST. JACKSONVILLE, FL 32204 (904) 568-7427 CENTERBEAMCONSTRUCTION.COM A D V E RT I S I N G F E AT U R E

SECOND ANNUAL

Jacksonville Lantern Parade

2018

presented by VyStar Credit Union

WOMEN EMPOWERED

CAROLYN ZISSER Zisser Family Law In 1975, instilled with a determined vision to pursue her clients’ best interests, Carolyn Zisser established the first womanowned family law firm in Jacksonville. Today, Zisser Family Law in Neptune Beach focuses solely on marital and family law cases. Earning a reputation for persistence and desirable outcomes, the firm has unparalleled experience serving families in transition. Zisser Family Law has a formidable network of highly-regarded experts in challenging areas, such as business valuation, mental health, real estate, forensic accounting and vocational evaluations. The firm’s strong family values secure its internal culture of compassion, understanding and trust. Robust, skilled attorneys navigate through family disputes with cooperative mediations, a Collaborative Family Law model or a more traditional litigation approach as necessary. Above all, Zisser Family Law represents people—not just clients. Whether a client is preparing for a marriage with a prenuptial agreement, ending a marriage with divorce, or having issues after a divorce, the firm’s motto is to achieve desired results through “an unwavering pursuit of what is just and right.” Specifically, the firm uniquely combines relentless strength and unmitigated compassion to change its clients’ lives—for good. At Zisser Family Law, if it’s possible, it’s probable.

302 THIRD ST., SUITE 6, NEPTUNE BEACH, FL 32266 (904) 249-8787 | ZISSERFAMILYLAW.COM A D V E RT I S I N G F E AT U R E

Saturday, February 16, 7-9 PM Northbank Riverwalk, Downtown JACKSONVILLELANTERNPARADE.COM

[ HOME ]

PLANT IT you could outfit your lawn in plants bought at a big box hardware store—but why not source them directly from the place with arguably the most wellknown gardens in town? The Cummer Museum gets a jump-start on spring with its annual Plant Sale, March 2, on the front lawn of the museum. In addition to local vendors hawking shrubs and flowers, attendees can expect music, hands-on family art activities and plein air painters creating in the gardens. Garden tours will also be offered throughout the day. The event is free and no registration is required. 10 aM-4 PM u

Design on a Dime Renovating your home on a $10,000 or less budget by Melody Taylor

ACCORDING TO A RECENT NATIONWIDE SURVEY OF HOMEOWNERS, the average cost of a multipleroom home remodel tops $42,000, with most renovations falling anywhere between $17,000 and $68,000. If this price tag seems high, consider that even a generous renovation budget can snowball into exponentially greater costs if a homeowner happens to uncover problems in the process. Still, unless you want to move, home renovations are often the best option to personalize or upgrade your space. For many, it’s not a question of “if,” but “when.” If you don’t have tens of thousands saved up for a mega renovation project but you also can’t stand the thought of living another year with the same outdated kitchen or bathroom, what are your options? We asked Jacksonville-area interior designers to share

New Hue Living Coral is the new Millennial Pink—at least, according to the Pantone Color Institute, which named the shade its color of the year for 2019. According to Pantone representatives, the shade is evocative of coral reefs and oﬀers “a warm and natural backdrop for the modern world’s onslaught of digital technology and social media.” Of course, it’s only natural that the shade will ﬁnd its way onto shag rugs, art, decorative accessories—and, yes, Instagram—throughout the year. u 50 |

JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM / february 2019

their tips for the best home updates that can be completed for less than $10,000.

Plan it out When your budget is already tight, hiring a designer to plan and prioritize home renovations may seem counterintuitive. But a one-time consultation could save you money in the long run and ensure you’re happy with the ﬁnished product, says Kamila Malewska of Jacksonville’s Level Up Design. “I like situations where people are honest with me and say, ‘Hey, I have a really tight budget, but I want to make sure we aren’t making a mistake with what we have planned.’ I’ll spend a couple of hours consulting in their house to help them come up with a plan of action, make sure it’s cohesive, and then break it up into stages,” she says. “Then, when the client wants us to continue working, we can just go

back to the plans and resume with the next stage.” If you don’t have much experience with home improvement, a consultation might also help you avoid a costly mistake. “Sometimes people like to focus only on the ﬁnishes and on having a beautiful white kitchen like they’ve seen on TV, but I can tell they’re going to have plumbing issues because the home is older,” Malewska says. “If you spend all that money doing renovations and then have a leak or an electrical issue, it can be devastating. I try to ﬁrst make sure the bones and the structure of the home are good and safe in the beginning, and then we can make it pretty.”

Small change, big impact If $10,000 won’t allow you to check every item off your renovation wish list, going for an update that makes a big visual change to a large surface can still give the space a bold, fresh vibe. For big impact in a kitchen, Katrina Hosea, president of BeeTree Homes, recommends installing new quartz counter tops along with a new kitchen sink and faucet, and new cabinet hardware. Other low-cost recommendations include hiring an electrician to install under-cabinet lighting, or a painter to give a fresh look to existing cabinets. “If it’s a small kitchen, why not remove a few upper [cabinets] and place open shelves? Or, hire someone to retrofit your cabinet doors with glass and wallpaper the backs of the cabinets for a little extra punch of color,” she says. New artwork or rugs can also change the look and feel of a space with minimal cost. When working on a budget, Malewska recommends choosing timeless wall colors and fixtures and adding personality through lower-cost accessories such as pillows and lamps. To give a dining room a fresh upgrade, Hosea suggests adding some wainscoting on the walls or tongue and groove on the ceiling. (A good trim carpenter will come in handy for these projects.) Even something as simple as changing out interior door knobs can give a home a quick, relatively inexpensive and

noticeable update.

So fresh and so clean “Something we can all do that helps our budgets go farther, gives us peace of mind and helps local non-proﬁts is to declutter our space,” Hosea says. “It does the mind and soul good. And, if you’re up for the challenge of a do-it-yourself project, shop the local Habitat for Humanity thrift store. There are a lot of bargains to be found from clients who are remodeling and donating their goods.”

Do it yourself If you’re willing to do some of the work yourself, a simple coat of paint can reinvigorate a space without breaking the bank. Malewska recommends going with a light gray, cream or off-white throughout an entire area to give the illusion that the space is larger than it is. “Paint is something that, even if you’re not handy, you can do it yourself. It’s not rocket science,” she says. “It’s just your hard work and a little bit of patience, and it can be a fun project to have family and friends over on the weekend and have a little paint party. And YouTube and other online sources provide step-by-step tutorials to make projects like cabinet painting approachable and affordable.” If your bathroom is looking tired, Hosea recommends changing out the towel bars and fixtures, and considering wallpaper—which can be DIY in some cases, depending on your level of familiarity. “Wallpaper is a great way to add some personality to small spaces. And it’s not your grandma’s wallpaper. There are tons of creative wallpaper designs on the market,” she says.

Quality still counts

Deadline:

1 February

Jacksonvillemag.com click “reader Polls”

“Even if you have a smaller budget and you know you’ll either be doing things in stages or you can’t afford to do all of it, don’t sacrifice the quality,” Malewska says. “I know people like to get different quotes because everyone is searching for the best price, but sometimes the lowest price is not going to be the best solution and will hurt you in the long run. Take a few items out of your whole list and do them right. You’ll spend your money wisely, do it right the first time, and not have to redo it.” u FEBRUARY 2019 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM

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[HEALTH ]

WELCOME

HOME: v

There’s a powerful connection between affordable housing and health care, particularly on the First Coast, according to the findings of a recent study conducted in Duval County. Ability Housing’s pilot study found that those who utilize Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH)—lowbarrier affordable housing targeted at homeless or otherwise unstably housed individuals—saw a 58 percent decrease in overall hospital costs compared to those who were homeless, and a 59 percent decrease in inpatient services costs. After two years in housing, participants showed a 30.9 percent decrease in suicidality, a 20 percent decrease in agoraphobia and a 19.9 percent decrease in drug abuse or dependence. u

When Your Heart Skips A Beat Tech companies are leading the charge to detect atrial ﬁbrillation BY KATIE MCPHERSON

AT LEAST 2.7 MILLION AMERICANS live with it every day, but many don’t know they have it, and others dismiss it as nothing serious. It causes more than 750,000 hospitalizations and an estimated 130,000 deaths each year. That’s why physicians— and now, the world’s largest tech companies— are looking for new treatments and methods of detection.

is the increased risk of stroke, particularly if other risk factors for stroke are present such as age, high blood pressure, or diabetes,” says Fred Kusumoto, an electrophysiologist and director of Heart Rhythm Services at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville. “In some cases, the rapid heart rates associated with atrial ﬁbrillation can cause heart failure. However, atrial ﬁbrillation will only rarely cause sudden cardiac death.”

Atrial ﬁbrillation, or AFib, is deﬁned by the American Heart Association as “a quivering or irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications.” While an unsteady heartbeat may not sound serious, it’s those risks that make AFib dangerous.

According to Kusumoto, many patients notice periods of abnormally fast heart rates, shortness of breath or unexplained fatigue due to the heart’s diﬃculty functioning. Their irregular heartbeat may lead to an irregular pulse, too. But some people living with AFib experience no symptoms at all, meaning the condition can go undetected until it causes a larger issue.

“The most serious consequence of atrial ﬁbrillation

STRETCH IT OUT The next trend in boutique fitness is rather unexpected—mostly because it’s something most of us do on our own, without even thinking about it. Stretching studios aim to finesse the often-ignored post-workout ritual, offering trainers who manually push your limbs for a range of specific needs, be it injury or just relaxation. Locally, Stretch Zone in Ponte Vedra Beach claims its method can help clients feel lighter, younger and enhance their physical and athletic skills. u

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As technology companies continue developing fitness trackers, opportunities for early detection of conditions like AFib have arisen. When Apple released the Apple Watch Series 3 in 2017, the device’s heart rate monitor and optical sensor could effectively take heart measurements during workouts, in recovery and at rest. Most recently, the company has expanded those abilities to include detecting a spike in heart rate that may signal the presence of AFib. Apple partnered with Stanford University to launch the Apple Heart Study, which became the largest of its kind with 419,093 participants. The goal: determine how accurately the Apple Watch could detect irregular heartbeats. Results should be available in early 2019. But how reliable can a smart watch be when it comes to questions normally reserved for an MD with access to proven medical technology? “I believe these new technologies will eventually be helpful for detecting atrial fibrillation,” says Kusumoto. “Unfortunately, the current iteration of these devices can have both false positives—incorrectly identifying the presence of atrial fibrillation when it is actually not present, and false negatives, incorrectly identifying the presence of normal rhythm when atrial fibrillation is actually present.” If taken at face value, information from the Apple watch and other similar technologies could lead to inappropriate therapies or unnecessary tests. No matter how AFib is detected, treatment methods today are generally effective and always improving with research. Currently, many patients with AFib are treated using drugs to thin the blood or a procedure to block the left atrial appendage, reducing the risk of stroke. Others may undergo ablation, a different procedure which can be noninvasive or surgical. “One of the most active areas of current research is using technology to help plan ablation procedures for individual patients,” Kusumoto says. “Currently we use a onesize-fits-all approach for ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation. It is more likely that the underlying cause for atrial fibrillation will vary from patient to patient. Emerging data will hopefully help us design patient-specific ablation procedures that will improve effectiveness and minimize risk.” Kusumoto notes that AFib is more common in the U.S. compared to other countries. Like most heart-related conditions, it seems the best prevention is healthy living. “There are a number of studies that have found a general trend for a lower incidence of atrial fibrillation in people who are physically fit. These findings provide indirect evidence that diet and exercise strategies could delay, or perhaps prevent, the development of atrial fibrillation.” u FEBRUARY 2019 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM

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[ HISTORY ]

Roughly 20 miles south of Mandarin, just east of U.S. 1, lies an important part of AfricanAmerican history. Fort Mose is now a Florida State Park with picnic areas, a visitor center and a museum. When it was established in 1738 by Colonial Spanish Florida Governor Manuel Montiano, it provided sanctuary to Africans challenging enslavement in the English Colony of Carolina. Some 100 people lived at Fort Mose, comprising 20 households and creating a frontier community that was the first free African settlement to really exist in what would become the U.S. On February 21, in honor of Black History Month, the Fort Mose Historical Society hosts a lecture about the site at 7 PM at the Mandarin Community Club. u

The Survivors Half-a-century after Congress banned the slave trade, some 400 captive men, women and children were smuggled into Jekyll Island BY ASHLEY WILLIAMS

ON INDEPENDENCE DAY OF 1858, a luxury racing yacht considered one of the ﬁnest vessels of the New York Yacht Club set sail from Charleston, South Carolina, on a voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. When it returned nearly ﬁve months later from West Africa to Jekyll Island, Georgia, the prestigious Wanderer carried 487 new passengers on board—each taken against his will to be sold illegally into slave trade, decades after the practice became punishable by death in the United States. The ship was one of the last ever to import slaves onto U.S. soil, and the story of its survivors has been largely underreported despite its important mark on American history. “A lot was known about the ship, its voyage, the conspiracies behind making this illegal trip to import enslaved Africans into the U.S. and the trial, but not much was known about the survivors, who they were, and their

experiences,” says Jekyll Island Museum curator Andrea Marroquin. Tyler E. Bagwell, associate professor of communication at the College of Coastal Georgia, says that he believes most people don’t understand what happened. Bagwell recently ﬁlmed a documentary titled The Wanderer. Two southerners—William Corrie, a member of the New York Yacht Club, and Charles Lamar, who hailed from a prominent family in the South— conspired to purchase the ship and stealthily convert it into a vessel intended to smuggle human cargo. It was reported that many captives were teenage boys and young children. “Some of them were 7 or 8 years old, many of them separated from families,” Bagwell says. “Sometimes, it was entire families.” Historians have said that the Wanderer’s

WRITTEN IN THE STARS Before we knew about black holes, which planets orbited the sun, or that the Earth was round, the sky was essentially a big mystery. Of course, it’s still full of mystery, which is why it’s especially interesting to imagine what ancient astronomers thought when they looked up at the great big dome overhead. On February 22, MOSH’s Planetarium Night Live! will explore what we’ve learned from ancient people when it comes to exploring the heavens—plus, what we still stand to learn. 7 PM at MOSH’s Bryan-Gooding Planetarium. u

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PHOTO COURTESY OF JEKYLL ISLAND AUTHORITY AND THE JEKYLL ISLAND MUSEUM

Fortitude

crew opted for the cruel method of “tight packing” slaves on the ship—cramming the captives together in a spoon-like fashion on the planks beneath the ship’s deck. Not all of the Wanderer ’s captives survived; more than 70 slaves perished on the journey. When many of them arrived in the U.S., they suffered from various physical ailments, including intestinal infections and skin diseases, mostly resulting from being on the ship for six weeks, according to a 1908 article published in the American Anthropologist. While they were likely not tortured aboard the ship, as they were regarded as valuable cargo, any slave who fell ill posed a risk to the remainder of the passengers and crew, according to archaeologist Dr. Mark Newell, who studied pottery that was found to be created by survivors of the Wanderer. “In those days, if anyone fell ill, they didn’t know what seasickness was,” Newell says. “They didn’t want any infection to occur in the rest of the crew or the cargo—the slaves—so, they would dispose of anybody who appeared to be ill, which was pretty savage behavior.” Once the Wanderer made it back to the U.S. from the Congo, those who successfully endured the journey were placed in smaller boats to plantations and slave markets across the South. The slaves were sold off for as much as $700 per person. Survivors included Ward Lee, who was 10 years old when he was taken from the Congo. “He became a potter in Edgefield, South Carolina, and once the Civil War ended, he was able to acquire land and build a large family whose descendants still exist in the area to this very day,” says Newell. “There was another baby named Lucy Lanham who was sent to a plantation in Edgefield, and today, there are a great many descendants from her,” Newell continues. More than 160 years after the slave ship landed on Jekyll Island, many descendants of the Wanderer’s captives still live on St. Simons Island, Brunswick, and Darien, Georgia. “We have, along the coast here of the southeastern United States, an active living community of descendants from enslaved Africans who have a very rich culture that has contributed to our larger American culture in many ways,” says Marroquin, who has spoken with a number of Wanderer descendants including Ocea Barns, a surviving granddaughter of Ward Lee. In 2008, the Jekyll Island Museum and the State of Georgia recognized the 150th anniversary of the Wanderer ’s arrival by dedicating a portion of the island to the landing of the ship and its descendants. The Wanderer Memory Trail at St. Andres Beach Park takes visitors along an interactive journey of the story of one of the survivors. “Ocea was at the opening with tears running down her cheeks to be where her grandfather came to the island, and to realize that he’s being honored now for having been a survivor and creating a legacy for others,” says Marroquin. u

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[ FAMILY]

SPIN A YARN crochet is kind of a lost art, one replaced by modern hobbies like texting or updating one’s Facebook status. In the interest of keeping young hands busy, it’s not a bad habit to instill in kids. at Flow Studio art center in neptune beach, kids can select their own yarn colors and take on a beginners crochet project—a hair bow—in the Learn to Crochet for Kids class. Future yarn artists will learn how to make a slip knot, chain stitch, single crochet stitch and slip stitch and leave with their very own bitty bow and a printed pattern in hand to practice their new skills at home. The class is open to ages 9 and up and costs $15. The next class takes place February 9, 9-11 aM. u

Age of Anxiety Does your child worry excessively or need constant reassurance? by KErry SPEcKMan

SOPHIA* BEGAN EXHIBITING SYMPTOMS of anxiety when she was in fourth grade.

FAMILY FOODIE

FARE

“One night I was so scared someone was going to break in our house. I couldn’t sleep, so I just stayed awake,” she recalls. “Then it kept happening every night. It wouldn’t go away. I was scared to sleep in my own bed. And I couldn’t be alone.” To calm her, Sophia’s parents would take turns lying in bed with her until she fell asleep. Like most parents, they didn’t give it much thought beyond its being typical kid stuﬀ like imaginary monsters in the closet or creatures under the bed. That was until Sophia had a full-blown panic attack several weeks later.

Fare Thee Well Some of the area’s most popular restaurants compete Top Chef-style for food pairings that will wow the toughest critics—kids—at the fourth annual Family Foodie Fare, February 24, 12:30 PM, at Engine 15 Taproom Downtown. Expect plenty of kidfriendly faves (donuts, pizza and the like) along with eats that will please adults, as well. Family games, a photo booth and live entertainment will also be on oﬀer. 904tix.com u

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“It was time for school, and I kept calling her to come downstairs, but she refused to leave her room,” her mom Cammie* says. “She was screaming and crying hysterically and having a total meltdown. My husband and I just looked at each other. That was the point when we realized this wasn’t ‘normal’ [behavior], and that we didn’t know how to help her.” Sophia’s story is not uncommon. In fact, the American Pediatric Association estimates eight percent of all children and adolescents have some type of anxiety disorder. The big question for parents, however, is how to know

when your child has a mental health issue or, as Sophia’s parents once thought, she is simply acting out or trying to get attention. Kristi Keidel Seybolt, team leader at the pediatric behavioral health inpatient and partial hospitalization programs at Wolfson Children’s Hospital and Baptist Health Jacksonville, encourages parents to consider these questions: “Does your child worry excessively over more common ideas or need constant reassurance? Does he have frequent headaches, stomachaches or restlessness? Is she irritable? Does he have difficulty concentrating or have his eating habits changed?” While a “yes” to any of these questions doesn’t necessarily indicate an anxiety disorder, further consideration is certainly warranted. Theresa Rulien, president and CEO of Child Guidance Center, also suggests taking into consideration what is going on in the child’s life—in toto. “Evaluate the atmosphere at home. Has there been a divorce, death, loss of job or even a new baby?” she says. “You don’t have to be a mental health professional to know your child or family norms and when they are off.” When a stressor, which can be positive or negative, affects your child’s ability to function in daily life (for example, not wanting to go to school, getting into fights or experiencing

physical ailments such as stomach aches) over a two-week period, Seybolt says, it’s time to look at getting some professional help. At that point, Seybolt and Rulien suggest consulting the child’s guidance counselor or pediatrician for recommendations on how to best deal with the issue. In some cases, it may be something as simple as learning stress reduction techniques like deep breathing or meditation or having open conversations about the child’s day, especially about successes or challenges she faced. Getting a restful night’s sleep is also critical for a child’s growth and development, so monitoring sleep patterns and limiting sugar and caffeine intake before bed are important. Depending on the severity and frequency of the child’s episodes, she may be referred to a child psychiatrist or mental health counselor for further evaluation, which may include individual therapy and/or medication. Sophia, for example, sees a therapist regularly and a psychiatrist for medication management. (She’s currently on a low dose of Prozac daily.) While her night fears have abated, she still struggles with separation anxiety. “Sometimes on the way to school, I start to feel uncomfortable, like I’m confined within myself, and I get pains in my stomach,” she says. “I get really scared like something bad is going to happen, and my parents are the only ones who can protect me.” It also hampers her ability to go to sleepovers at friends’ houses, which is a big deal for a 12-year-old. Her anxiety is compounded when others (usually her parents, but also friends and teachers) become angry with her because of her behavior. “They get frustrated if I can’t do something and get mad at me,” Sophia says. “Then that makes me frustrated because they don’t know what I’m going through and think I can just talk myself out of what I’m feeling.” For this reason, Rulien is also a strong proponent of family therapy in conjunction with individual therapy. As she says, the entire family system and environment at home (and school) need to considered when preparing an effective treatment plan. “When people are frustrated, it’s almost always because it’s something that’s out of their control,” she adds. “If you’re a parent, you want to be able to ‘fix’ what’s wrong. When you’re dealing with a kid who is already anxious (and you show frustration or anger), you’re just revving it up for everyone.” Ultimately, Seybolt says, children and adolescents are resilient and go through phases. “However, if a child cannot manage in his or her everyday activities,” she says, “then help may be needed.” u *

Names have been changed to protect privacy. FEBRUARY 2019 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM

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Each year, Jacksonville Magazine makes it a point to recognize the companies doing extraordinary work in the community through our Companies With Heart feature. Not only are the honorees committed to their work, but they exhibit tireless dedication in shaping the community through fundraisers, backpack drives, donations and grant programs. Though the industries they represent, and the work they do, differs, these 24 organizations continue to leave their mark on the Northeast Florida. Some are assisting children with autism, others are offering healthcare services to low-income communities or helping vulnerable communities combat climate change. All are making a difference. We’re fortunate to have them as a part of our city and region.

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ADECCO GROUP From hosting food drives to fundraisers, charity is at the heart of what The Adecco Group does—in fact, one of their employees, senior tax analyst Kara Gibson, even founded a non-profit, Operation H.O.M.E. But it is perhaps the company’s focus on educating future leaders that best demonstrates their philanthropy. In 2018, the Adecco Group sponsored fifteen young adults for a six-week summer internship program through the Jacksonville Urban League. The interns obtained various work experiences including time at a large financial institution, the Jacksonville Urban League, and a local attorney’s office. They were also offered guidance on resume writing, social media etiquette and given personality assessments for better communication and relationship building. In short, all the skills one needs to enter the job market confidently. CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

The Adecco Group believes in giving back by encouraging volunteerism and providing ﬁnancial support to many community-focused organizations. Employees are given eight paid hours per year to pursue their volunteer interests and are encouraged to support them through ﬁnancial contributions, with a goal of helping make Jacksonville a better place. The Adecco Group believes that the impact of those donated dollars and time spent volunteering changes lives for the better.

BANK OF AMERICA Throughout the Jacksonville area, Bank of America is trying to actively promote ﬁnancial responsibility and give the same opportunities to all residents. Recently, Bank of America granted $75,000 to the Local Initiatives Support Corporation. This donation is being used to revive local communities and help residents gain and build employment skills needed o get jobs. With the funds received from Bank of America, the LISC also opened the ﬁrst Financial Opportunity Center in Florida. Located in New Town, a historically disadvantaged neighborhood, the center aims to help residents achieve living-wage jobs. In 2018, Bank of America donated over $1.5 million and recorded 60,000 hours in community service. CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

Bank of America is proud of its commitment in working to improve the Jacksonville community’s quality of life through philanthropy, whether it be monetary donations or volunteering. They deliver on their promise to make ﬁnancial lives better through a focus on responsible growth and social leadership.

BAPTIST HEALTH Low-income individuals are more likely to have chronic illnesses—but being low-income means they also are less likely to have insurance coverage and, as a result, have less interaction with healthcare systems. In an effort to address the problem head-on, Baptist Health opened three school-based health clinics in 2018 in underserved communities, effectively bringing healthcare directly to area residents (more specifically, children and young adults). The clinics—two are located at Ribault High and one is at Ribault Middle— are open throughout the summer, so individuals can

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cleanup on A1A. Multiple times a year they go out into the community and strive to make it cleaner and better than how they found it. CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

It’s been said that the power of one person can change the world and BKS Partners is a strong believer in this philosophy. At the middle of its core values, they believe they are driven to make a difference in the quality of life for the people in their communities. This is demonstrated through encouragement of colleagues’ community involvement by offering workplace flexibility.

BONO’S BAR-B-Q

s Baptist Health

visit even when school is not in session. All are staﬀed by a licensed nurse practitioner and a pediatrician and recorded more than 280 patient visits last year alone. The organization, which provides funding for all three clinics, is currently working to initiate clinics in other Duval County public schools. The organization’s emphasis on childrens’ health is apparent in another initiative, Calm Classroom, in which a mindfulness curriculum is implemented in 18 Duval County Public elementary, middle and high schools. Evaluation indicates that schools implementing Calm Classroom have increased student attendance, decreased behavior referrals and increased teacher satisfaction. CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

Guided by an all-volunteer board of engaged business and civic leaders, Baptist Health is a faith-based, mission-driven, not-for-proﬁt organization owned by the community. For more than 60 years, it has demonstrated its core value of community advocacy, doing its part to enhance accessibility to quality healthcare for area residents at every stage of life and income level. In 2006, Baptist Health formalized its commitment to community advocacy by establishing a governing body, a Social Responsibility & Community Health Committee, and dedicating executive leadership to spearhead social responsibility endeavors.

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BDO USA LLP From handling taxes to helping communities, BDO USA LLP participates in many activities through volunteering and fundraising for local nonprofits. While working with multiple charities and nonprofits over 2018, BDO employees chose to focus on a two-week-long support of First Coast No More Homeless Pets, whose goal is to put an end to the euthanasia of animals in shelters. Along with that mission they also offer a wide range of services like large scale adoption events, a pet food bank, and low or no cost spay neuter programs. CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

From building a ﬁrm-wide culture to give back to communities, BDO USA LLP has been able to use their talent and resources to strengthen their neighborhoods. By becoming an integral part of their beliefs, employees of BDO USA LLP have been able to make a lasting and supportive impact.

BKS-PARTNERS BKS Partners gives employees 24 hours of paid time off in order to give back to the community in which they work, live and play. They also provide free office space in order for non-profits to host events like office get-togethers, educational meetings, professional workshops and more. Additionally, BKS Partners and its employees take part in quarterly highway

Bono’s helps to support hundreds of organizations a year including local high schools, colleges and non-proﬁts. However, Bono’s is particularly proud of one collaboration. In a community where more than 280,000 people struggle to put food on the table, more than 81,000 of those being children, it’s no secret the fear of going hungry is a burden many in Northeast Florida face. To help alleviate this burden, Bono’s has partnered with Feeding Northeast Florida, a community food bank and one of the region’s largest hunger-relief organizations. Bono’s regularly teams up with the organization in order to better serve their community. President Josh Martino, serves as board chairman. CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

As Bono’s celebrates its 70th Anniversary in Jacksonville, they believe in giving back to the community that has supported them for so long. They stress the fact that there is no initiative too big or too small for them and that they will strive to do their best to help everyone in need.

CROWLEY MARITIME CORPORATION Crowley Maritime Corporation has helped to donate over $220,000 to various nonprofits and gather copious amounts of food for the local community in food drives. Perhaps one of Crowley’s most impressive charity efforts though, was helping a girl with a life-threatening affliction enjoy her dream come true. Partnering with Jacksonville-based non-profit Dreams Come True, they helped to fulfill the wish of Zinzee Noel, a girl from St. George, Grenada, who was receiving medical treatments in Jacksonville. She wished for a library back home on her island where they didn’t have one and Crowley helped to see her dream through. Not only did they set up their own book drive through their Crowley Cares Program, but they also provided transportation free

of charge. More than 15,000 books were donated and Crowley helped to ship 306 boxes to the Caribbean Island so they could establish a library. CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

Through the Crowley Cares Program, they are able to make positive changes and more impact where it matters most. The program consists of multiple aspects, one of which is a foundation that allows the donations of employees to be matched. The money taken from this foundation is then given to non-profits across the area. Crowley Cares also offers the ‘Thomas B. Crowley Sr. Memorial Scholarship Program,’ a scholarship that provides financial support to students in maritime academies and other select institutions.

THE CSI COMPANIES The CSI Companies hosts fundraisers and charitable events throughout the year, but does so with an end goal in mind: to truly make a difference and change a life. In 2018, the company raised over $13,000 for Dreams Come True dreamers with its annual Silent Auction Fundraiser. Those funds were used to fulfill the dreams of three local children suffering from cancer. CSI’s participation in the Team HEAL Cornhole Tournament made an impact, too, leading the company to sponsor three iPads for area children and adults suffering from autism.

have loved this experience so much that they do it every year as a tradition.

CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

As a company and as individual employees, the CSI Companies takes great pride in the communities in which it does business, working to identify and support local organizations that directly impact those in true need. The CSI Companies extends contributions beyond providing great candidates with ﬂexible job opportunities and new careers, providing acts of kindness and bringing smiles to the greater community at a critical time.

While their organization may be small, their hearts are mighty when it comes to CTI Resource Management’s community involvement. They are committed to making a diﬀerence and even have a corporate policy called Leading with Love, which embodies their values of being kind, patient, unselﬁsh, trusting and dedicated. CTI also hosts annual events to help support local charities involving homeless shelters, the United States Military, the Ronald McDonald House, and many more. Since 2010, they have given almost $275,000 to over 22 various charities.

CTI RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Since the founding of the company, the mission of CTI Resource Management has been to have a deep devotion to community. Not just the Jacksonville community, but communities across borders and around the world. Because of this strong devotion, CTI employees volunteer a week of their time to travel to Honduras to help with mission building. They participate in building schools for the population of Sandy Bay, Roaten. These schools serve as community centers for the English language to be taught to people of all ages, allowing more people in Sandy Bay obtain jobs and go on to teach English to younger generations. Some employees

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s BDO USA LLP

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ENNIS, PELLUM & ASSOCIATES Ennis, Pellum and Associates employees believe in the philosophy to “Live United,” as seen through their comprehensive involvement with United Way of Northeast Florida. This includes lots of fun and entertaining fundraisers such as a Chili Cook-Off, Clown for a Day, United Way Jeans Fridays for $5, and even a Win an Extra Day of PTO raffle. All the money raised from these events is donated to United Way which helps fight for the education, health and financial stability of all people in Northeast Florida. The firm

also hosts ﬁrm-wide volunteer days where employees participate in back to school drives and even an ‘adopt’ a family for the holidays program. CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

Since the ﬁrm was founded over 40 years ago, Ennis, Pellum and Associates has made giving back to their community an integral part of who they are. The importance of giving back is seen through the ﬁrm’s vision of building a better Jacksonville, their mission of being committed to the success of their clients and community, and their core value of demonstrating integrity. They believe relationships are everything and want to invest in others’ success in order to see the community grow.

FLORIDA CAPITAL BANK Passion is the spark behind Florida Capital Bank and their eﬀorts to evoke change into the lives of their community members, whether it’s partnering with a school or taking care of their own. Their newest employees to their highest level executives have all taken turns coaching, teaching, and cooking, all in the name of improving their communities. When a Florida Capital Bank employee lost her son in Iraq, a scholarship fund was created for military students at the University

through providing nutritious meals to kids, seniors and families in need, as well as books to let children's adventurous minds wander. Assembling a team of 30 volunteers, the company donated 54 volunteer hours and packed more than 2,600 meals in 2018. Along with the volunteer eﬀorts, the credit union donated $3,000 to Hunger Fight to further support the important work it’s doing in Jacksonville. CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

The pride they have in Jacksonville reflects in their efforts to give back. By actively encouraging their associates to give their time, talents and resources to causes that make a difference in Northeast Florida, they are holding true to their mission of giving back.

s Bank of America

of North Florida. In the scholarship’s 12th year, the fund has helped raise approximately $325,000 that helps support four scholars in the 2018-2019 school year. Not only does this bank dominate in raising money, but they dominate in the classroom. In 2018, they partnered with Ruth N. Upson Elementary School where they provide support, school supplies, food drives, as well as two on-site literacy training programs developed by the American Bankers Association. CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

Aspiring to oﬀer the best for their customers and the communities they serve is one of main goals of Florida Capital Bank. With their immense amount of time, passion, and commitment behind the programs they have created, the strive they have to improving the lives of their community is paying oﬀ.

HASKELL With oﬃces around the world, it’s no wonder this company dedicates time and passion into making the world more beautiful than it was before. With headquarters on the banks of the St. Johns River, the dedication Haskell has to keeping their surroundings clean is central to its values. Employees regularly schedule “clean-up” days to help remove debris and trash that accumulates along the shoreline. Partnering with the Discovery School in 2018, Haskell entered its seventh year promoting and volunteering with the U.S. Green Building Council’s “Green Apple Day of Service” sustainability program that promotes healthier schools and more sustainable places to learn.

mentoring activities, or donations—is a part of Haskell’s heritage.

HOLLAND & KNIGHT With a storied tradition of pro bono work and a mission to foster social change, Holland & Knight’s initiatives are to make deeper investment into communities in need. Not only does that mean volunteering at local charities, but also giving time as board members and holding leadership roles in the organizations that they support. A priority commitment they hold is to S.P. Livingston Elementary school with their Beckham’s Buddies mentor program. By “adopting” this inner-city school, their collective involvement of time and resources turned the partnership to more than a mentoring program, focusing on relationships that have a strong impact on the lives of the students. In addition to the Buddies’ program, Holland & Knight employees assist teachers in much-needed supplies, clothing drives, and support for their S.T.E.M. programs.

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JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM / FEBRUARY 2019

Powered by the belief that communities are only as strong as the businesses and people that support them, JAX Refrigeration holds that moral responsibility at the forefront of their work. From multiple JAX employees holding board of director positions for local nonproﬁts to donating over $100,000 to local organizations, the members of JAX Refrigeration are harnessing the power of their volunteer successes in an attempt to give back even more. Created by JAX Refrigeration, their Pay it Forward program allows JAX clients to donate program points to an HVAC improvement fund for charities and nonproﬁts in need. CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

With their hunger to keep their communities strong and growing symbiotically, JAX Refrigeration strives to leave a lasting inﬂuence for future generations to assume. Their pay it forward approach and dedication to charitable initiatives emphasizes the volunteer work they have accomplished.

CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

Recognizing the importance of giving not only pro bono work, Holland & Knight provides non-legal services that strengthen their communities. Their lawyers, professionals, and staﬀ members participate in activities such as volunteering their time with civic, environmental, educational, social services, and by impacting local charities and services that focus on supporting local at-risk youth.

JAX FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

With almost 60 years of philanthropic endeavors behind it, service and the commitment to give back still lies at the core of Haskell. Making a positive impact and leaving a greater legacy than that which they inherited—through volunteering,

JAX REFRIGERATION

With Jax in their name, it’s no surprise this company strives to make Northeast Florida a better place in which to live. Jax Federal employees dedicate their time to charities such as Hunger Fight, with a mission to end hunger and illiteracy

LANDSOUTH CONSTRUCTION Not only is LandSouth Construction building the future of America’s infrastructure, they are dedicated to helping one of the most important parts of America’s future, the youth and their families. Through integrity and leadership they hope to be a supportive presence to struggling communities. Along with celebrating their 20th anniversary, LandSouth Construction collaborated with the Boys and Girls Club of Northeast Florida and raised a total of $33,000 for their newest initiative, Camp Deep Pond. This camp gives inner-city youth a true summer camp experience with activities like camping, watersports, archery, ﬁshing, arts & crafts and more.

PRIDE IN SERVICE CSX is proud to honor the men and women who selflessly serve their country and communities â&#x20AC;&#x201C; veterans, active military and first responders. In support of these heroes, CSX has launched the Pride in Service community investment program. Together, CSX, its employees and partners will help connect those who serve with the resources and support they need to thrive.

csx.com/prideinservice

PET PARADISE RESORTS

ST. VINCENT’S HEALTHCARE

Since it’s a company geared toward pets, perhaps it’s no surprise that Pet Paradise’s philanthropy focuses on the needs of the four-legged. It recently donated $10,000 to honor Fang, a JSO K-9 oﬃcer killed in the line of duty in September. The company’s charitable work goes far beyond charitable donations, though. Its Paradise Park—a dog park at TIAA Bank Field complete with a bone-shaped pool and palm trees— is more than just a cool stadium amenity. It’s actually part of Pet Paradise’s longstanding partnership with the Jacksonville Humane Society, helping raise $50,000 during the 2018 season to help homeless pets in Northeast Florida.

Realizing that there is a direct correlation between underserved communities and limited healthcare, serving these individuals in Jacksonville is at the heart of what St. Vincent’s HealthCare aims to do every day. Not only do they help to provide healthcare for those who otherwise might not be able to obtain it, but they are also partnering up with local non-proﬁts to go out into their community and serve. In partnership with Hunger Fight, St.Vincent’s gathered hundreds of employees to help create 35,000 meals for people in need. They also helped to provide 700 hot Thanksgiving meals to Meals on Wheels clients during their 25th annual Thanksgiving Meals on Wheels event. These meals are cooked by St. Vincent’s chefs, packaged by volunteers, and then given out to those who otherwise would have gone without the comfort of a hot meal.

CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

s Adecco Group

Giving back to the community is near and dear to the heart of those who work at Pet Paradise. Not only is the company committed to providing the best “home away from home” to our four-legged friends, but it is passionate about local communities. From an annual pet food drive, to supporting animal rescue events, the organization is proud to go above and beyond.

CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

With the same passion for their community as they have for their own company, LandSouth Construction dedicates time to give back. From providing support programs that provide education of critical life skills, and vital resources to struggling youth and their families, they’re making the world a better place one step at a time.

LAW OFFICES OF JOHN M. PHILLIPS More than 200 kids in the Eureka Gardens neighborhood walked away with brand new backpacks full of school supplies. This was a blessing for those who didn’t know how they would be able to aﬀord school supplies. For the third year in a row, the Law Oﬃces of John M. Phillips organized this school supply drive for the residents and kids of Eureka Gardens on the city’s Westside. They’ve kept up the tradition of the Backpack Bash since 2016 and will continue to do so and serve their community as much as they can for the foreseeable future. CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

John Phillips himself believes that there is nothing more important than working together, creating unity and doing all that needs to be done to make a community great. The ﬁrm believes in being compassionate towards others and being involved as individuals, not just an organization.

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THE RITZ-CARLTON, AMELIA ISLAND With the ever changing climate and the increase of pollution in our waters, it’s imperative to become conscious of our resources and to help our environment ﬂourish. The Ritz-Carlton takes environmental responsibility very seriously and wants to do what it can to help educate the public about what needs to be done to help the planet. That’s why they have partnered up with St. Mary’s Riverkeeper, located in southern Georgia. Together they are developing a year-long plan that will help to develop a better, living coastline by lining the St. Mary’s River with oyster beds, a natural water puriﬁer. CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

Years ago, the founders of The Ritz-Carlton embraced a philosophy of giving back. This eventually evolved into a program known as the Community Footprints which consists of three pillars. One of their main focuses is child well-being and through the partnership of diﬀerent local organizations, they aim to provide a nurturing environment as well as a safe haven for children who might not otherwise have that. The last main pillar of focus for The Ritz-Carlton is hunger and poverty relief. From cooking and serving meals at shelters to building homes, they realize that every contribution helps and they are proud to do it.

CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

With a mission to care for all people, especially those struggling the most, St. Vincent’s HealthCare is dedicated to giving back to the community. St. Vincent’s provides access to medical care as well as other services beyond their hospital walls. They help to provide a healthcare safety net to those who might otherwise go without. They are dedicated to compassionate, holistic care in order to sustain and improve the health not only of individuals, but communities as a whole.

STELLAR Stellar’s robust grant program has funneled contributions to a number of worthy organizations. This past year, Stellar awarded $10,000 to Food Brings Hope; $6,000 to Rodeheaver Boys Ranch; $1,500 to the Jacksonville Children’s Commission for its JaxKids Book Club initiative and $1,000 to the North Florida School of Special Education. In addition, the company oﬀered its support to the Stellar Academy of Engineering, a rigorous program designed to prepare students for high-skill, high-wage, high-demand careers in multiple ﬁelds of engineering. CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

Founded in 2006, the Stellar Foundation provides its employees with concentrated avenues to participate in charitable organizations that resonate with them. The Foundation’s goal is to harness what Stellar does best into tangible beneﬁts for the greater community: building. However, Stellar is building more than just innovative manufacturing plants and medical facilities: “We’re building

Our passsiion for help pin ng goes be eyond o the e custom merrs we se erve. We e put our h hearrt into suppo orting the people off ou ur community ty,, h however and d wherever h we ca can.

W W W.FLCB .C OM Florida Capital Bank, N.A. Member FDIC Equal Housing Lender NMLS #79 90396

our community up by investing in families and causes, both here in Jacksonville and around the world.”

UF HEALTH JACKSONVILLE In 2018, the UF Health Care Van participated in nearly 100 events, where the mobile unit provided health and wellness information as well as screenings and interactive displays focused on a variety of topics, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, asthma, cholesterol, healthy eating, transportation safety and more. The organization’s Heal Thy People program was active in the community as well, bringing UF Health providers into 54 churches to improve health awareness, oﬀering screenings for hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, cancer, HIV and other conditions. CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

UF Health Jacksonville’s philosophy is to heal, to comfort, to educate and to discover. A commitment to being a responsible, accountable steward of resources is the cornerstone of UF Health Jacksonville’s not-for-proﬁt mission, and the organization provides more than half of all charity care in Duval County.

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VYSTAR CREDIT UNION With the military rooted deep in their history, it’s no secret that VyStar Credit Union continues to be a loud and proud sponsor of the armed forces. With such pride, they’re actively involved in Jacksonville’s more than 20 militaryfocused events, charities, and other initiatives each year, including NAS Jax Air Show, USO Military Appreciation Night at Adventure Landing and Duval and Clay Counties Military Appreciation Luncheons. Originally named Jax Navy Federal Credit Union, VyStar came about to aid civil service staff, military employees, and their families stationed at Naval Air Station Jacksonville (NAS Jax) and now serves anyone who lives or works in 22 counties from Northeast to Central Florida. In 2018, VyStar funded the first-ever USO PathfinderSM transition service center at NAS Jax. Not only is it the first of its kind in Florida, but it provides an invaluable resource for service members in need of assistance as they transition out of the military and into civilian life. CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

Inspired by the motto, “People Helping People,” VyStar Credit Union believes that giving lifts everyone up. Functioning as a not-for-proﬁt community credit union

for over 66 years, they well understand the importance of serving and giving back by focusing on the health, education, and welfare of the communities they serve.

WELLS FARGO In 2018, Wells Fargo and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced $2 million in grants to eight nonproﬁt organizations to help communities become more resilient in the face of conditions associated with a changing climate, including rising sea levels, water quantity and quality issues, and extended hurricane and ﬁre seasons. The projects will increase the protections naturally provided by ecosystems by investing in green infrastructure and conservation training across the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The grants will generate $7.6 million in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of more than $9.6 million. CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY ON GIVING:

Wells Fargo works to make a positive contribution to communities through philanthropy, advancing diversity and inclusion, creating economic opportunity, and promoting environmental sustainability. u

Valentine’s Day Dining Guide Private Dining for Parties • Gift Certificates Available •

The Recupito Family Invites You To Enjoy… Contemporary Italian Fare with Traditional Fresh Ingredients

Open for Lunch & Dinner | caffeandiamo-pvb.com | 904.280.2299 225 Village Main Street, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082

Valentine’s Day Dining Guide ATL ANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA

Stoone Craab Season is Noow Open!

Oyysstte ter Bar ar ar! Local F Fiish • Shrimp • Clamss • Musseels l • O yystters Crrab a – Snow • Al Alaska Kin ng • Dung u geness e • Sttoone (Sea easoonaal) ea Hoomemade Soup Sou S oupps & Salads • Desserts t Faamily Owned & O Opperat ateedd • Open D Daily at 11 AM M 72 725-12 725 Atlan nt n ic Blvd d. • 904.246.01 0123 • the hefi efishcojax..com m

Peony Asian Bistro

(904) 268-3889 10586 Old St. Augustine Rd. Jacksonville, FL 32257

Sun -Thurs 11:30am - 9pm Fri & Sat 11:30am -10pm (CLOSED ON TUESDAYS)

AUTHENTIC CANTONESE CHINESE CUISINE

Valentine’s Day Dining Guide VISIT OUR BEAUTIFUL NEW BUILDING !

Lunch • Brunch • Dinner • Private Events

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comfort. food is good for the soul.

BREAKFAST & LUNCH 5 days a week! Tue-Wed 7am-3pm Thur 7am-9pm

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aquagrill.net 904.285.3017

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Valentine’s Day Dining Guide Reserve your place now: CHINESE NEW YEAR DINNER FEB. 4-6

FAMILY OWNED BUTCHER SHOP 1625 Hendricks Avenue | Jacksonville, FL 32207 904.624.8346 Clinescustommeats.com

Make Your Valentine’s Day Reservation Today! LUNCH • DINNER • PRIVATE PARTY ROOM / FINE DINING IN JULINGTON CREEK

112 bartram oaks walk, suite 102 • 904.287.0766 • blackstonegrille.com

Flavor

Your monthly section devoted to all things food

Dining Trends, Wine Fests, Great Chefs Returns & more

Shrimp and grits from MLG

Sweet Rewards

Downtown eatery MLG FEBRUARY 2019 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM

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REVIEW

[Flavor ]

Key lime pie

Sweet Rewards Downtown’s latest dining venture oﬀers dressed-up American standards in an artful space WORDS BY VIRGINIA CHAMLEE // PHOTOS BY AGNES LOPEZ

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The historic Seminole Club in Downtown Jacksonville has hosted a number of notable diners, including Presidents Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy. All three ate at the Hemming Park landmark before it sat vacant for nearly a decade. It seems only fitting that the person to breathe new life into the space would be a more modern sort of celebrity—a reality television star. Marcus Lemonis, of CNBC’s The Profit fame, renovated the property in 2014, turning it into a 23,000-square-foot confectionary emporium that housed candy shop Sweet Pete’s and the Candy Apple Café. Candy Apple closed its doors in August 2018 and, in November, Lemonis’ new fine dining eatery, MLG, took its place.

chicken and collard green meal ($18). It might be hard to pass up those heartier dishes but the macadamia nut grouper ($25), with wilted spinach, glazed gnocchi and sun-dried tomato, is the true gem of the entrée offerings. The starters are a bit more disjointed, offering a mash-up of plates that, while trendy enough, don’t necessarily complement the main dishes. Our advice? Bypass the #Hollywood avocado toast ($8 and yes, it comes with a hashtag) and the fried cheese curds ($9) in favor of the wild mushroom flatbread ($9), splashed with truffle oil and a hefty sprinkling of fontina cheese and spinach.

This is the second location for MLG (the first is in Chicago), whose interior offers a stark, modern backdrop for creative plates of “New American” fare. Chef Rodrick Smith, who previously ran Jax Diner and Mother’s Cafe & Bar, helms the kitchen, offering his take on the Chicago location’s menu. Expect upscale riffs on classic country club fare: a New York strip served with roasted garlic ($25), shrimp scampi with angel hair pasta ($22) and, in a nod to the South, a fried

Being that it’s nestled within a sweet shop, desserts aren’t hard to come by. The restaurant’s Key lime pie ($8) is shipped from the Key Lime Pie Co., another of Lemonis’ business ventures. It’s hard to go wrong with Farrell’s Famous Ice Cream Sundae ($7) which, with its three scoops of vanilla ice cream, caramel and chocolate sauces, whipped cream, and cinnamon cookie, will have you feeling like a kid in a candy shop. u

Kids Cuisine

Wallflowers

Save a Seat

MLG

The children’s menu features several $6 meals, from the “I Don’t Care” (mac-and-cheese) to the “I’m Not Hungry” (mini burgers).

Lemonis handpicks each exhibit for the restaurant’s rotating art gallery, with net proceeds from art sales going to local charities.

Reservations are available on OpenTable.

400 N Hogan St. Downtown mlgjax.com (904) 300-3122

JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM / FEBRUARY 2019

LET’S EAT! A curated guide to dining out Jacksonville Magazine offers a select list of approximately 50 area restaurants as a service to its readers. The directory does not include every restaurant in town. It does, however, feature many of the magazine’s Top 50 choices of must-try eateries, as well as a sampling of other notable Northeast Florida dining establishments. Restaurants to add or other suggestions from readers are welcome. Please contact us at mail@jacksonvillemag.com. ALHAMBRA THEATRE & DINING 12000 Beach Blvd., Southside (641-1212; alhambrajax.com). With Executive Chef DeJuan Roy creating a fresh, new menu for each show, the Alhambra is becoming known as much for its culinary experience as it is for its Broadway-caliber productions. No longer a buffet service, the Alhambra prides itself on exceptional table service with the highest degree of professionalism. Meals feature a three-course prix-fixe menu, but the chef sneaks in a fourth course if the script calls for it. Full bar with an eclectic wine list. L, D, SB, $$$. AL’S PIZZA 8060 Philips Hwy., Southside (731-4300; alspizza.com) plus five other locations. Al’s is casual with a menu chock-full of pizza, calzones and pasta dishes. But its slick and funky atmosphere, not to mention unexpected dishes like mussels in wine and garlic butter sauce and fried chicken salad, also make it a favorite with foodies who normally wouldn’t dine at a pizza joint. During the week, Al’s offers $1.50 cheese slices at Happy Hour. L, D, $. AQUA GRILL 395 Front Street, Ponte Vedra Beach (285-3017; aquagrill.net). Since 1988, Aqua Grill has been wowing diners with eclectic, multi-ethnic menu featuring the freshest of local ingredients, prepared to order. For banquets, Aqua offers lakefront, climatecontrolled al fresco dining or the private dining room. They have a popular full service bar with all DirecTV sports packages. Casual. L, D, $$$. AZUREA AT ONE OCEAN RESORT & SPA 1 Ocean Blvd., Atlantic Beach (249-7402; oneoceanresort.com). The signature restaurant of One Ocean Resort blends culinary influences from Europe, the Caribbean, the Americas, and of course, the ocean. The menu includes signature dishes such as a cast-iron seared jumbo blue crab cake, coriander-dusted Hawaiian bass, Hudson Valley foie gras, Eden Farms pork chop and Mishima Ranch Wagyu beef tenderloin. B, L, D, $$$.

BARRIQUE KITCHEN & WINE BAR 3563 St. Johns Ave. Jacksonville, FL, (619-2150). This Avondale wine cellar-inspired restaurant emphasizes wining and dining with a wine list that spans some 200-plus selections and a menu of rustic offerings including goat cheese ravioli, lamb chops, veal meatball sliders, clams and calamari. The ‘small plate approach’ encourages sharing, though there are sandwiches and pizzas, as well. L, D, $$. BAR ZIN BISTRO & WINE BAR 924 1st Coast Hwy., Fernandina Beach (310-6620). While the libations are draw here, this bistro’s eclectic menu features dishes in support of its farm-to-table philosophy. With inside or al fresco dining, enjoy seasonal specials such as rum and pepper painted Florida snapper, fried green tomato Napoleon and seared North Carolina trout. L, D, $$ bb’s 1019 Hendricks Ave., San Marco (306-0100; bbsrestaurant.com). The San Marco bistro’s upscale comfort food, which includes yellowfin tuna tartare, ancho-spiced rotisserie turkey, white truffle pizza and warm goat cheese salad (specials change daily) with to-die-for desserts, keeps patrons filling up the oneroom dining space. Enjoy the slow-roasted springer chicken with a glass of pinot noir. L, D, SB, $$.

THE BEARDED PIG 1224 Kings Ave., San Marco (619-2247; thebeardedpigbbq.com). Resting on the Southbank of the St. Johns River, this barbecue joint specializes in Southern barbecue dishes ranging from brisket to pulled pork. Try a bit of everything with The San Marco platter that includes four meats and two sides. Complete with an outdoor seating area, the restaurant also offers an array of wine and local beer options. L, D $$.

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BELLWETHER 100 N. Laura St., Downtown (8027745, bellwetherjax.com). Expect minimalist decor and farm-to-table fare at this Downtown eatery, which serves up a fast-casual, order-at-the-counter lunch and offers an upscale dinner service. Burgers are always a great choice, but chef’s specials (such as the daily catch) are also worthy of attention. Don’t forget a cup of soft-serve ice cream. L, D $$$ BISCOTTIS 3556 St. Johns Ave., Avondale (3872060; biscottis.net). One of the few places where you can be seated between a Red Hat Society member and a purple-haired creative director, this Avondale institution specializes in innovative updates on old favorites like meatloaf served with apricot marinara sauce and duck confit pizza (dinner specials change daily). Casual. B, L, D, SB, $$. BISTRO AIX 1440 San Marco Blvd., San Marco (398-1949; bistrox.com). San Marco’s Bistro Aix (pronounced “X,” FYI) is stylish, yet unpretentious, in both décor and menu. The Mediterranean and Frenchinspired fare includes grilled lamb shank, a raw bar with oysters and seasonal seafood and handcrafted cocktails. If you can find a seat at the glowing martini bar, you won’t even mind a wait for a table. L, D, $$. BLACK SHEEP RESTAURANT 1534 Oak St., Five Points (380-3091; blacksheep5points.com). The independent restaurant offers a menu that emphasizes local ingredients, as well as a full bar and rooftop dining. Popular items on the menu include chicken and dumplings, shrimp and grits and beef short rib pot roast. L, D, $$. BLACKSTONE GRILLE 112 Bartram Oaks Walk, Fruit Cove (287-0766; blackstone-grille.com). Serving a variety of modern American fusion choices, such as pan-seared sea bass, filet mignon au poivre and scallop and shrimp Newburg. Private dining room. Upscale. L, D, $$$. BLK SHP @ INTUITION 929 E. Bay St., Downtown (683-7720) Local beer and good eats: the perfect pairing. At BLK SHP @ Intuition guests can enjoy locally brewed varieties of Intuition beer, alongside upgraded bar eats like brisket barbecue, fried cheese curds, and a pretty addictive cheeseburger. L, D, $. BLUE BAMBOO 3820 Southside Blvd., Southside (646-1478; bluebamboojacksonville.com). Innovative menu features miso-marinated salmon, lemongrass crab cakes, Cantonese orange duck, ahi tuna salad and Mandarin orange cake. Features a wine lounge and patio dining. Casual. L, D, $$.

GUIDE to the GUIDE: B–Breakfast; L –Lunch; D–Dinner; SB–Sunday Brunch $ — $10 or less; $$ — $11 to $20; $$$ — $21 to $30; $$$$ — $31 or above These $ categories are based upon the average cost of a dinner entrée excluding drinks, desserts and/or gratuities. Note: Some restaurant entrée prices do not include à la carte sides or salad. All phone numbers are in the (904) area code. Cafeterias, fast food joints and primarily takeout restaurants are not eligible for inclusion.. Dining guide can be viewed online at jacksonvillemag.com.

pecan spread. Try the Loki’s Escape Toast with rosemary garlic bread, dill cream cheese, smoked salmon and shaved asparagus. B, L, SB, $.

BURLINGAME RESTAURANT 20 S. 5th St., Fernandina Beach (432-7671). New to the Fernandina Beach scene, this casual fine dining restaurant offers patrons an eclectic menu of Southern favorites and seafood dishes that change with the season. Try the heirloom tomato and peach salad with country ham, burrata, sherry vinegar reduction and toasted pine nuts. D, SB, $$$. BURRITO GALLERY 21 E. Adams St., Downtown (598-2922); 300 Beach Blvd., Jax Beach (246-6521); 90 Riverside Ave., Brooklyn (355-4889). The art-filled yet laid-back Burrito Gallery continues to turn out traditional Mexican favorites, albeit with a twist—along with some new menu offerings. Tacos, queso, nachos, enchiladas, ‘dillas and salads are all on the menu, and so are entrée-sized plates such as flat-iron steak, jerk chicken, and fresh fish. All best served with an ice cold margarita, of course. L, D, $. CAFFE ANDIAMO 225 Village Main St., Ponte Vedra Beach (280-2299; caffeandiamo-pvb.com). A copper pizza oven highlights this chic eatery specializing in frutti di mare, pollo paisano, veal chop carbone and vongole Positano. Pasta highlights include linguini with a medley of seafood with your choice of marinara or garlic and olive oil. The “rustica” pizza is topped with grilled chicken, caramelized onions and roasted red peppers. L, D, $$. COMFORT. A SOUTHERN BISTRO 2777 University Blvd. W (683-7182). Opened by a brothersister team who strive to create from-scratch comfort meals, this eatery serves authentic southern fare from start to finish. Diners can start their meal with boiled peanuts or pimento cheese fritters, or even a fried vegetable trio. The menu offers everything from fried chicken to shrimp and grits to chicken pot pie (and don’t forget the biscuits). B. L. D. $$

BLUE ORCHID 13475 Atlantic Blvd., Jacksonville (723-1300; blueorchid.menu). Blue Orchid focuses on offering a taste of Thailand, utilizing traditional ingredients such as palm sugar, Thai basil and kaffir lime leaves. Coconut Shell Curry, Pad Thai and Dynamite Chicken are among the house specialties with a range of curries, stir frys, noodle and rice dishes to choose from. L, D, $$.

COOP 303 303 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach (3724507; coop303.com). New to the Jacksonville Beach area, this restaurant opened its doors in late August. Offering an innovative take on classic Southern dishes such as peaches & cream, a fried green tomato starter served with a peach jam, and bacon bourbon sundae, topped with a white chocolate blondie and candied bacon. L. D. $$

BONO’S BBQ Multiple locations (880-8310; bonosbarbq.com). Meat is the draw at Bono’s Pit Bar-B-Q, which has been pit-smoking everything from turkey to pork since 1949. Try the Slawpy Pig, a heaping pile of pulled pork topped with coleslaw and served with sides such as fried corn on the cob, collard greens, or Brunswick stew. L, D. $

COUSINS MAINE LOBSTER 630 Atlantic Blvd., Neptune Beach (246-0304; cousinsmainelobster.com). Lobster, lobster, and more lobster, this restaurant chain has brought New England cuisine to the residents of Neptune Beach. They offer wild-caught, sustainable, premium lobster straight from Maine. Offering two style of lobster rolls, as well as lobster tots, lobster tacos, and lobster mac and cheese, this. L. D. $$$.

BREW FIVE POINTS 1024 Park St., Five Points (374-5789). Brew Five Points offers flavored waffles, quiche, breakfast tacos, sandwiches, salad and sweets to accompany the variety of toasts with toppings including avocado, radish, hummus and chocolate-

COWFORD CHOPHOUSE 101 E. Bay St., Downtown (862-6464; cowfordchophouse.com). When Cowford Chophouse finally opened in 2017, it helped bring luxury back to Downtown Jax, thanks to a gold

RECIPE

[Flavor ]

Seven-Layer Chocolate Mousse Cake by Chef Erika Cline of Bleu Chocolat Cake: 1 c. butter

¾ c. flour

3 c. chocolate mousse

3 eggs

1⁄₃ c. cocoa

2 c. whipped cream

3 c. sour cream

¾ tsp. baking soda

1½ tsp. vanilla

¼ tsp. salt

¾ c. sugar

2 c. crushed Oreos

Makes three 8-inch cakes Procedure: 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2. In a large bowl, beat butter, sour cream, eggs, vanilla and sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. 3. Add flour mixture to butter/sour cream mixture. When combined, beat on medium speed for three minutes. Pour the mixture into prepared cake pans. 4. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. 5. Once cooled, slice each cake into thin layers. 6. Spread each layer with half-a-cup of chocolate mousse. Stack each layer and place cake in refrigerator for 30 minutes to set. 7. Remove cake from the refrigerator and ice the top and sides with a layer of whipped cream. (Don’t worry if you can see the layers of cake; that’s the fun part.) Take the crushed Oreos and sprinkle them over the cake. Slice and enjoy. u For the whipped cream frosting and chocolate mousse filling recipes, visit JacksonvilleMag.com.

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F and marble-clad champagne and caviar bar, personal wine lockers, and a rooftop lounge. Dining at Cowford is an experience, right down to the tabletops (the design mimics the flow of the St. Johns River). Thankfully, it isn’t completely over-the-top. That aforementioned caviar, for instance, comes served with homemade tater tots. There are also plenty of hand-cut steaks, chops and hefty sides served á la carte. L, D, $$$$.

CRUISERS GRILL 23rd Ave. S., Jacksonville Beach (270-0356; cruisersgrill.com). For more than twenty years, beachgoers have looked to the original Cruisers Grill in Jacksonville Beach for a great American fare. The restaurant is currently undergoing a major renovation but, once it reopens this year, patrons can dine inside to the sounds of a bustling kitchen or sit outside at the picnic tables. L, D, $$.

DWIGHT’S 1527 Penman Rd, Jacksonville Beach (241-4496). Nestled within the mosaic-clad walls of this unassuming space on Penman Avenue, you’ll find some of the best pasta in the city—along with quail with truffle butter, veal piccata and filet mignon with balsamic syrup. The Beaches institution is incredibly old school in the best way possible with knowledgeable and attentive servers, a stellar wine list, and a mix of special occasion diners and regulars that keep coming back. L, D, $$$. ELEVEN SOUTH BISTRO 216 11th Ave. S., Jacksonville Beach (241-1112; elevensouth.com). Upscale eatery earns high marks for its extensive wine list, mesquite wood grill and outdoor patio. Seafood martini, lobster mac and cheese, miso-glazed Chilean sea bass and mesquite-grilled certified Angus beef tenderloin highlight the menu. L, D, $$$$. THE FISH COMPANY 725-12 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach (246-0123; thefishcojax.com). With a crowded raw bar, oyster specials Monday-Saturday 2-7 PM, and a wide variety of fresh, locally-caught seafood. The Fish Company offers a little something for everyone. Chef Bill Pinner's menu combines signature items, like fried Mayport shrimp baskets with new favorites, such as the Szechuan fish. The restaurant offers several specials throughout the week. L, D, $$$. FLYING IGUANA TAQUERIA & TEQUILA BAR 207 Atlantic Blvd., Neptune Beach (853-5680, flyingiguana.com). This Neptune Beach taqueria features an eclectic assortment of tacos, as well as heartier fare, like Peruvian rotisserie chicken, blue corn-crusted grouper and Agave-brined pork chops. The bar features more than 100 tequilas, as well as nightly live music and al fresco dining. L, D, SB, $$.

GILBERT’S SOCIAL 4021 Southside Blvd., Southside (647-7936; gilbertssocial.co). Top Chef’s Kenny Gilbert brings his culinary style to Jacksonville’s Southside. The menu features many of the Southern dishes (Fernandina Beach hot chicken, pork spare ribs, cast iron roasted broccoli) listed on the Gilbert’s Underground Kitchen menu located in Fernandina Beach. L, D, $$$. HARRY’S SEAFOOD BAR & GRILLE 46 Avenida Menendez, St. Augustine (824-7765; hookedonharrys.com). Located at the foot of the Bridge of Lions, Harry’s has a waterfront view, which diners can enjoy from either the indoor seating area or the tree-lined courtyard. The menu features Cajun favorites such as jambalaya, shrimp and scallops Orleans. L, D, $$.

INDIA’S RESTAURANT 9802-8 Baymeadows Rd., Baymeadows (620-0777; ). The lunch buffet is a favorite at this family-run staple of the Baymeadows dining scene. The menu is both mild and spicy, featuring traditional dishes like lamb korma, fish vindaloo, shrimp bhoona and chicken tikka masala. Casual. L, D, $$. KAZU JAPANESE RESTAURANT 9965 San Jose Blvd.; Mandarin (683-9903). Kazu aims to please sushi connoisseurs with an eclectic list of rolls including the Dancing Eel Roll with eel, shrimp, seaweed salad, tobiko, avocado and spicy mayo, or the Super Kazu Roll with salmon, tuna, yellowtail, shrimp, crab, avocado, cucumber and tobiko. Other dishes include pork and shrimp dumplings coated in wasabi, Kazu spicy beef and a variety of bento boxes. L, D, $$$.

MARKER 32 14549 Beach Blvd., Intracoastal West (223-1534). This classic go-to caters to a more grownup Beaches crowd, albeit one that’s fun and kind of buzzy. The broiled oysters are always top-notch, and the bar is perpetually two to three people deep—even so, a glass of crisp white wine while taking in the view of the Intracoastal Waterway is totally worth it. L, D, $$$. MATTHEW’S RESTAURANT 2107 Hendricks Ave., San Marco (396-9922). The ever-changing menu brings influences as diverse as Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Asian and Southern to the plate. Look for escargot or venison carpaccio, Maine diver scallops and nightly soufflés. Petrossian and Osetra caviar, too. D. $$$$. METRO DINER Multiple area locations including 3302 Hendricks Ave., San Marco (398-3701; metrodiner. com). The interior atmosphere is reminiscent of the Art Deco era, with black and silver vintage bar stools overlooking an open kitchen where cooks flip pancakes and burgers. Don’t forget to check the blackboard for breakfast and lunch specials and try the Yo Hala on the Square, as featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives. B, L, SB, $. MEZZA RESTAURANT & BAR 110 1st St., Neptune Beach (249-5573, mezzarestaurantandbar.com). Pan-seared scallops, hand-made pappardelle and woodfired pizzas highlight a creative menu at Mezza, who offers dinner in three different spaces: the bar and lounge, where children can make their own pizzas at a woodfired oven in the early part of the evening; a covered patio, where guests can sit outdoors protected from the elements; and a main dining room for those who like their evening meal to be a little bit more formal. D, $$$. MOJO BAR-B-QUE 1607 University Blvd. W., Lakewood (732-7200, mojobbq.com); 1500 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville Beach (247-6636); 1810 Town Center Blvd., Orange Park (264-0636); 3572 St. Johns Ave., Avondale (381-6670); 5 Cordova St., St. Augustine (342-5264). Specializing in Southern-style BBQ, Mojo is a casual, down-home kind of place featuring favorites like North Carolina pork shoulder, Texas beef brisket, Delta catfish and buttermilk fried chicken. Full catering services, live music (Beaches and St. Augustine only). L, D, $$. MORTON’S THE STEAKHOUSE 225 E. Coastline Dr., Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, Northbank (354-4350; mortons.com). After more than five years of closing its Southbank location, Morton’s returns to Jacksonville but this time on the other side of the St. Johns River. The high-end steakhouse has been serving signature cuts for nearly 40 years. Before cutting into one of the steaks and chops, start out with the ahi tuna tower. Sides are served family style, just enough to share. Don’t forget the restaurant’s signature hot chocolate cake. D, $$$$. MOXIE KITCHEN + COCKTAILS St. Johns Town Center, Southside (998-9744; moxiefl.com). Unique dishes like pimento cheese toast with potato chips and chicken and waffles with maple mousse and pepper jelly are Chef Tom Gray’s personal take on contemporary regional American cuisine, influenced from his Southern upbringing, extensive travels and past professional experiences. L, D, $$-$$$. M SHACK 1012 Margaret St. (423-1283); St. Johns Town Center (642-5000); 299 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach (241-2599); 641 Crosswater Pkwy., Nocatee (3953575). An expanding venture of brothers and chef Matthew and David Medure gets back to the basics. Hormone-free beef burgers (with toppings like foie gras and bacon onion compote) and all-beef hot dogs make up most of the menu, but sweet potato tots and handspun milkshakes in flavors like pecan pie and marshmallow brûlée add a gourmet flair. L, D, $. NINETEEN Sawgrass Clubhouse, Ponte Vedra Beach (273-3238; tpcsawgrass.com). Gorgeous clubhouse open to all serves a variety of fare such as grilled grouper with poblano grit cake, corn-crusted flounder, “Jim Furyk’s” filet mignon and “Phil Mickelson” lobster ravioli. Sunday buffet 11 AM-2 PM, $25. Happy hour MondaySaturday, 4:30-6:30 PM. B, L, D, SB, $$. NORTH BEACH BISTRO 725-6 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach (372-4105; nbbistro.com). Since 2008, executive chef David Seavey has created a following with hand-cut steaks, local seafood and dishes such as seafood paella and ahi tuna tacos. A secluded art

gallery provides private dining space in a relaxed, intimate atmosphere. Casual. L, D, $$.

OCEAN 60 60 Ocean Blvd., Atlantic Beach (247-0060; ocean60.com). Chef-owned, CIA-certified restaurant serving shrimp and goat cheese spiedini, Costa Rican shrimp ceviche, seafood chowder, whole fried fish and veal Montrachet. Upscale. Martini room with live music Wed.-Sat. D, $$$. ORSAY 3630 Park St., Avondale (381-0909; restaurantorsay.com). Acclaimed neighborhood bistro specializes in French-inspired cuisine. The house-made charcuterie options are can’t-miss, as are the escargot with mushrooms, lemons and garlic. Entrée standouts include mussels, frites, bouillebaisse and coq au vin. The lobster pot pie is the stuff of legend. Save room for the vanilla bean crème brûlée. On cool evenings the outside tables and lounge chairs fill up fast. A small bar is ideal for a cocktail as one waits for a free table. D, SB. $$$$ PEONY ASIAN BISTRO 10586 Old St Augustine Rd., Mandarin (268-3889). The strip mall location belies the delicious Cantonese-style plates being served inside Mandarin’s Peony Asian Bistro. The restaurant’s interior is inviting, with attentive servers who are happy to make recommendations. And while the go-tos are available (fried rice, sweet and sour chicken), wise diners will venture outside the standards, opting for orders of umami-rich salt-and-pepper squid and salted fish and eggplant hot pots. L, D, $$. RAGTIME TAVERN 207 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach (241-7877; ragtimetavern.com). Open for more than 20 years, Ragtime is Northeast Florida’s first microbrewery. The menu is loaded with items like shrimp bruschetta, Louisiana crawfish and sautéed mussels. Try the bistro filet and crab-stuffed shrimp, Cajun fettuccine or the sesame tuna. L, D, SB, $$. THE REEF 4100 Hwy. A1A, St. Augustine (824-8008; thereefstaugustine.com). The menu at this casual oceanfront restaurant encompasses a variety of seafood, fresh fish, steaks and pasta entrées, as well as soups, salads and sandwiches. Prime rib, fresh grouper and organic salmon are favorites with the locals, but the main attraction is The Reef’s “famous” Sunday champagne brunch, featuring eggs Benedict, crab legs, waffles and a carving station. L, D, SB, $$$. RESTAURANT MEDURE 818 A1A N., Ponte Vedra Beach (543-3797; restaurantmedure.com). This restaurant features high-end favorites like escargot and caviar while also making room for classics like meatloaf. They are known for their fish and pasta dishes made of only local produce. When it comes to wine, their house sommelier puts the menu together. Hand-crafted cocktails and local and international beers are also available. Keep an eye out for the soufflé of the evening. D, $$$.

RUE SAINT-MARC 2103 San Marco Blvd., San Marco (619-0861; ruesaintmarc.com). Executive chef Scott Alters alongside beverage director Gabrielle Saul have joined together with chefs Matthew and David Medure to open this French-inspired restaurant. Breakfast items such as French-styled omelets, poached eggs on a croissant and rainbow trout are served Monday through Friday beginning at 7 AM and at 8 AM on Saturday. The restaurant is closed on Sunday. Lunch features a selection of sandwiches among other items and for dinner, entrées include dishes such as roasted cornish hen and Moroccan lamb shoulder. B, L, D, SB, $$. SALENTO 11018 Old St Augustine Rd., Mandarin (374-5882). Pink-tinged walls and platters overflowing with meat make Salento a highly Instagrammable restaurant, but the food is every bit as delicious as it looks on social media. For a true taste of South America, order off the “from the grill” section of the menu, which includes a variety of proteins: shrimp, chicken, pork and fish among them. There’s also a smattering of arepas filled with everything from ham and pineapple to beef and avocado. L, D, $$. SALT LIFE FOOD SHACK 1018 3rd St. N., Jacksonville Beach (372-4456; saltlifefoodshack.com); 321 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine Beach. Enjoy a wide array of specialty menu items, including a tuna poke bowl, hand-rolled sushi, local fried shrimp and beer can chicken. L, D, $$.

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SIDEdishes

TOP CHEFS For the better part of a decade, Jacksonville Magazine has been celebrating the best culinary talents in Northeast Florida with the Great Chefs series, competitions in which teams of area chefs go plate-to-plate to see who will be crowned best. As in years past, 2019 will include three separate competitions—Great Chefs of Jacksonville, Amelia Island, and St. Augustine. But this year, we’ll also host a championship finale, pitting the winners from each region against one another. Our advice? Come hungry. The eighth annual Great Chefs of Jacksonville is slated for March. 904tix.com u

BUZZFEED Move over, grain bowls. The next food trend expected to go mainstream in 2019 is CBD, an extract from the cannabis plant with no psychoactive effects. In its annual food trend report, KIND (the company behind the vegan snack bars with a cult-like following) notes that consumers can soon expect to see the ingredient pop up in everything from yogurt to salad dressing. “While we’ve seen CBD’s presence within lotions and oils to aide folks with chronic conditions, 2019 marks the year where CBD makes its way into the food and beverage industries,” KIND reports. Sparkling water brand Recess has already doubled down on the trend, unveiling a line of incredibly Instagrammable canned beverages containing CBD. Of course, the trend comes with a price—a six-pack of Recess’ sparkling beverage will set you back $30, which is kind of, well, a buzzkill. u

500 YEARS YOUNG v

There’s no better way to celebrate a 500th birthday than with wine, and copious amounts of it. St. augustine will toast the birth of its founder, Pedro Menéndez, as it showcases the city’s Spanish heritage in wine, cuisine and entertainment during the Spanish Wine Festival, February 15-17. a series of events are planned throughout the weekend, beginning with a Cava reception and dinner inside the Flagler College Solarium February 15, and concluding with a Grand Tasting of more than 100 Spanish wines at the river House on February 17. Prices and times vary. 904tix.com u

Orange Legacy: Florida’s Exotic Fruit FEBRUARY 21: Learn about one of the first orange barons and try a featured cocktail inspired by a popular 18th century drink at this historic and indulgent event held at the Museum of Science and History. $25, 6:30 PM. 904tix.com

TIX

Rooftop Champagne Soirée FEBRUARY 23: Music, gourmet eats and champagne by Nicolas Feuillate are the focus at this inaugural event, held on the rooftop of Black Sheep restaurant in 5 Points. $120. 7-11 PM. 904tix.com

TIX

JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM / FEBRUARY 2019

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CulinaryCaLeNdar Secret Supper Club MARCH 5: Jacksonville Magazine’s monthly supper club meets at Vernon’s First Coast Kitchen & Bar for an evening of delicious eats with, as usual, a secret twist. $50. 6-8 PM. 904tix.com u

X TTIIX

February Events

2/7

2/7-10

2/14

NFLT Annual Meeting

Whiskey, Wine & Wildlife

Sweetheart Valentine’s Day Ball

“W3” artfully combines renowned beverage tastings and inspired cuisine from some of the South’s best and award-winning chefs, an esteemed group of masters from all walks of life.

All proceeds from this event go to the FunkZitiello Foundation for pancreatic cancer research at Mayo Clinic. Guests can expect the full 19 piece Chris Thomas Band, cash bar, food prepared by Chef Dejuan Roy and more.

North Florida Land Trust honors new members of the McQuilkin Society, NFLT’s giving society recognizing major donors of land, legacy, and capital, and thank NFLT volunteers and outgoing board members with their 2019 annual awards.

Friday Musicale

$45

Jekyll Island

Prices Vary

2/15-17

2/21

St. Augustine Spanish Wine Festival

Orange Legacy: Florida’s Exotic Fruit

The festival and all of its events are designed to promote St. Augustine as the Spanish Wine Capitol of America and to facilitate historical-destination tourism with culture, music, food and wine.

Locations & pricing vary

Learn about one of the ﬁrst Orange Barons, infamous ship-master and smuggler Jesse Fish, and try a featured cocktail recipe inspired by a popular drink from the late 18th Century.

St. Ephrem Hall

Start at $75

2/22 Coastal Carnivale The Beaches Town Center’s annual fundraiser returns with the biggest party of the year with live music by LPT, dinner by One Ocean Resort, silent auction and more.

One Ocean Resort

$125

MOSH

$25

2/22

2/23

The Winemaker Dinner

Deanna Witkowski Trio

Burgandy Seminar

Guests will enjoy a wonderful raw bar and charcuterie reception followed by a ﬁve course meal, as our chefs work to match the fantastic wines oﬀered by Ken Wright and his ‘Cellars.

Restaurant Orsay

Winner of the Great American Jazz Piano Competition, New York-based pianist/ composer/arranger Deanna Witkowski has been heralded for her “consistently thrilling” playing and her “boundless imagination.”

$156

1100 Stockton Street

An industry focused seminar with Jonathon Ramsey and Augustan Wine Imports focusing on the region of Burgundy. Lunch to be provided.

Bellwether

$54

$25

T I C K e T S O N S A L e N O W AT 9 0 4 T I X .CO M

C R O S S W O R D

ODD JOB

BY JAMES BARRICK

DINING OUT What’s new in the local restaurant scene? Culhane’s Irish Pub, a local landmark in Atlantic Beach, has opened a second location on the Southside. Find dishes such as Guinness beef stew, Sheppard’s pie, and corned beef and cabbage. The Irish joint’s claim to fame is when, in 2011, Guy Fieri stopped by for his show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. The latest eatery to set up shop in St. Johns Town Center is Keke’s Breakfast Cafe. As the name suggests the menu is filled with waffles, pancakes, French toast, and omelets, along with classic lunch offerings such as sandwiches, burgers, salads and wraps. Standouts include piña colada stuffed French toast and a scrambler bowl filled with eggs, veggies, cheese, and home fries. Arlington is now home to Viet Subs Cafe. While the shop specializes in sandwiches— buns and banh mis—the kitchen also turns out pho, rice dishes, smoothies, and shrimp and pork rolls. Try the vermicelli special filled with beef, pork, and egg roll or the Vietnamese Philly steak banh mi. 1. “—, the Magic Dragon” 5. Young haddock 10. Bogus 15. Accord 19. Disappearing sea in Asia 20. Zahn or Abdul 21. Crime-fighter — Ness 22. Razor brand 23. — avis 24. Bird genus 25. Hackneyed 26. Supernova 27. Start of a quip by Jennifer Love Hewitt: 6 wds. 31. Emmet 32. Appliance

ACROSS

1. — -mutuel 2. River in Russia 3. Old card game 4. Like some coffees 5. Freshets 6. Body of rules 7. Red-brown 8. Olive genus 9. Gloomy 10. Pasturage plant 11. Communion table 12. Perjurer 13. Unique 14. Son of Oedipus 15. Faux — 16. Files sent via email 17. Grouch 18. Bakery offerings 28. Always

DOWN

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33. Speak ill of 34. Makes a gallinaceous sound 36. Extras 39. Aphorism 41. Carriage hood 43. Cubic decimeter 44. Units of weight 45. Mentioned previously 48. Footless 49. Hogback cousin 50. Lacks 51. Big bird 52. Special person 53. Group of fish 54. A little loony 55. John — Garner 57. Santa — 58. Disconnect

29. Shade trees 30. Glazed custard 35. Serv. branch 36. Dross 37. Simple instrument 38. Corpuscle 39. Makeup for mummers 40. Part of NLRB: Abbr. 41. Dispute 42. Dilettantish 44. Clique 45. Three goddesses of destiny 46. Host 47. Musical works 49. Cry like “Eureka!” 50. Brandishes 53. Coasters 54.— Epoque 55. Just out

JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM / FEBRUARY 2019

59. Performing group 60. Go at a leisurely pace 63. Part 2 of quip: 3 wds. 66. Jars 67. Reduced 68. Vessels with bails 69. Promised 71. Walks speedily 72. Swiftness 73. Scrap or sheet 74. License plate 77. Nest-egg letters 78. Provokes 79. Capacitance unit 80. Tree trunk 81. Muttonchops 84. Ecstasy 85. Island chain in the Pacific 86. Approval 56. School: Abbr. 57. Symbol in sheet music 58. Skewers 60. Plant pest genus 61. Indigene of New Zealand 62. Media organization 64. Kilns 65. Greek letters 70. Soft mass 72. Mata — 73. Flexible body armor 74. A-one 75. Jai — 76. Factor in heredity 78. Eastern faith 79. Barge 80. Parade instrument: 2 wds. 82. Goof

87. Flat roll 88. Man from Oz 89. Blatted 91. Arrange in categories 92. Appends 93. — Alamos 94. End of the quip: 6 wds. 102. Ins and — 104. Exemplar 105. Scholarly publication 106. Repetition 107. Bewildered 108. List of office hopefuls 109. Fine instrument 110. A bone 111. Period 112. Device in a hack 113. Vetches 114. Farina, e.g. 83. Mangel-wurzel 84. Shuttlecock 85. A martial art 87. HVAC device 88. Dreamboat 89. Swell 90. Unethical guy 91. Flat fish 92. Banded stone 95. Lazy 96. Unmixed, as scotch 97. Writer — Bombeck 98. Kanten 99. Mouselike creature 100. Famed volcano 101. Duck 103. Tolkien character

Five Point’s Derby on Park, which originally opened in 2012, has shut down with plans to reopen as a new concept by new owners Dwayne Beliakoff and Jonathan Cobbs. They took over Derby a few months ago, implementing a few small changes, but now plan on undergoing a complete overhaul. They also own The Bread & Board, so the new space is expected to echo their established modern boho vibe. Benny’s Steak & Seafood Restaurant at the Jacksonville Landing has closed its doors. This leaves the Downtown venue with only six vendors. One of them, Chicago Pizza, is working to reopen their game bar, GLHF, which has been closed since a fatal shooting took place there in August. The reopening doesn’t come without its challenges as the restaurant needs to attain a certificate of use to allow indoor recreation and entertainment facilities— something they didn’t have before the event last summer, leading to the closure of the spot by the fire marshal. After just two years in business, Riverside’s Tamarind Thai has closed. The restaurant was shut down after inspectors found highpriority violations twice last year. In Baymeadows, Pattaya Thai Grille has closed its doors after a run of 28 years. While the owners are retiring, the King Street location is still serving fan favorites like curry, fried rice, and noddle bowls. u

SOUTH KITCHEN + SPIRITS 3638 Park St., Avondale (475-2362, south.kitchen); 150 Pine Lake Dr., Nocatee (opening March). The varied menu at South features everything from popcorn shrimp to superfood salad, Bold City braised beef stroganoff to the ham, egg and cheese burger. With seating for 230 and plenty of cocktails to try (try duck fat Sazerac), there’s no hurry to make up your mind here. A table on the covered patio is always nice, weather permitting. L, D, $$. TACOLU 1712 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville Beach (249-TACO; tacolu.com). Offering a blend of Bajastyle cuisine, this ever-popular, casual Beaches sit-down eatery offers a new twist on the traditional taco. But what really sets it apart from the pack is its selection of over 50 tequilas. L, D, SB, $. TAVERNA 1986 San Marco Blvd., San Marco (398-3005; taverna.restaurant). San Marco Square’s upscale dining option features handcrafted Italian dishes with seasonal produce and meat from local purveyors. Handcrafted cocktails, salads, meats and pizzas made in a wood-burning oven are top sellers. L, D, SB, $$. TIMOTI’S SEAFOOD SHAK 21 N. 3rd St., Fernandina Beach (310-6550); 1043 Park St., Five Points (374-8892; timotis.com); Nocatee Town Center (374-5892). Timoti’s is a no-frills casual seafood joint that consistently dishes out tasty tacos, fish baskets and salads. Shrimp baskets that come with the works—a hush puppy, fries and slaw—and the poke bowl with ahi tuna, coconut rice and spinach is the stuff of local legend. L, D, $$. TOWN HALL 2012 San Marco Blvd., San Marco (398-0726; townhalljax.com). Town Hall is the kind of place where you can wile away the better part of an evening with a plate of duck fat cornbread and a bottle of rosé. The food is excellent but the experience is made even better by the fact that the space is appointed with comfortable couches, warmly hued artwork, and thoughtful design touches, such as outlets at every high-top table in the bar area (perfect when your phone needs a charge). D, SB, $$$. TREE STEAK HOUSE 11362-1 San Jose Blvd., Mandarin (262-0006; thetreesteakhousejax.com). For over 35 years the Tree has been serving prime steaks, as well as pork tenderloin, rack of lamb and lobster tails. Extensive wine list. D, $$$$.

C R O S S W O R D

TREYLOR PARK 158 Marketside Ave., Ponte Vedra Beach (834-7356; treylorpark.com). Located in Nocatee's Town Center, Treylor Park leans into its name with wooden tables, industrial seating, televisions and bric-a-brac adorning the walls in its 100seat main space that features a full bar. Executive Chef Marvin Sterling III’s offerings include inventive combos like PB&J chicken wings tossed in a peanut, pecan butter and peach jelly sauce, and Panko crusted avocado fries with Sriracha aioli. L, D, $$.

A N S W E R S

VALLEY SMOKE 11 S. Roscoe Blvd., Ponte Vedra Beach (285-3235; valleysmoke.com) . A new restaurant from Ben and Liza Groshell, the restauranteurs behind Marker 32 and the Fish Camps, Valley Smoke features a menu that’s a modern take on traditional barbecue. Heavy Southern influences like house-made cornbread, beef brisket and pulled pork plates are balanced by items such as Atlantic salmon and venison Jagerschnitzel. L, D, $$$. V PIZZA 1406 Hendricks Ave., San Marco (527-1511; vpizza.com); 528 1st St. N., Jacksonville Beach (8536633); 12601 San Jose Blvd., Mandarin (647-9424). This eatery turns pizza-making into an art form. Three wood-fired ovens show patrons just what they’re getting when they order one of the Neopolitan-style pizzas. Go with a classic margherita with mozzarella, basil and tomato or try the pizza carnivora with sausage, pepperoni, pancetta, red onion, roasted garlic, basil and mozzarella. In addition to pies, V Pizza offers salads, calzones, paninis and even roasts chicken wings in the wood-fired ovens. L, D, $$. u Send food and restaurant news, ideas or questions to mail@jacksonvillemag.com.

Adult & Kid Food Pairings February 24 • 12:30 PM

FAMILY

Engine 15 taproom, Downtown 633 Myrtle Ave. N.

Tickets @ 904TIX.com

FOODIE

FARE

ed by:

sponsor

& FEBRUARY 2019 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM

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[ BACKSTORY ]

Put a Ring on It Lady wrasslin’ matches pinned Jax fans to their seats IMAGE VIA LOYD SANDGREN/VINTAGE JACKSONVILLE

Downtown Arena to the delight of raucus crowds (and, by the looks of it, lots of young sailors). In the 1940s and `50s, the corner of Main and Beaver streets was the near-permanent parking space for promoter Jimmy Murdock’s car, which he positioned out front to advertise the events taking place inside: “Don’t Miss the Women Wrestlers, Tonite 8:30 PM at the Arena,” proclaimed the one for this particular bout. Admission was 75 cents (ringside seats were a more extravagant $1.25) and the rules were as follows: best two out of three falls, with a one-hour time limit. Judging by the ﬂag hanging in the rafters, this particular photo likely pre-dated 1959, when the 50-star ﬂag was adopted after Alaska and Hawaii were added as the 49th and 50th states. u 98 |

JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM / FEBRUARY 2019

PHOTO COURTESY OF ????

LONG BEFORE THERE WAS GLOW, the Netﬂix series about women’s wrestling in the 1980s, v there were the glamorous ladies of Jacksonville wrestling, who took to the ring in the old

S A GQUEM SHAQ M GRIF FFIN AINST ALL ODDS FEB BRUARY Y 9, 2019 DOORS OPEN 10 A.M. A

at 1 Daily’s Place • Jacksonville, FL 32202

Join us for a converrsation with Shaquem m Griffin and a morn ning of family activities, exhibits and exciting g demonstrations - all a in the name of living liife to its fullest.