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A charming new neighborhood with the amenities of a larger community
The Manor House The amenity centerpiece of an intimate, 345-home lakefront enclave between Jacksonville and St. Augustine
Custom residences from $280K to $700K+ Six beautifully designed model homes open daily DREES HOMES RIVERSIDE HOMES PROVIDENCE HOMES ARTHUR RUTENBERG HOMES DREAM FINDERS HOMES COTTAGE HOME COMPANY
Entry gatehouse just one minute east of I-95 off International Golf Parkway 2001 International Golf Parkway, St. Augustine 904.513.5740 www.markland.com
Contents
IN EVERY ISSUE: 6
Click The latest from Jacksonville Magazine online
THE BEST OF JACKSONVILLE EVERY MONTH // MARCH 2017 8
Publisher’s Letter Allow us a few words of introduction
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59
10
Seen People, parties & pictures
15
JaxLife Hot trends, culture, travel and local style
22
Agenda Looking for something to do this month?
82
Flavor The city’s premier monthly roundup of local food and fine dining. Plus, a visit to Prohibition Kitchen
98 Backstory A look into the lifestyle of bodybuilding champion Dexter Jackson
DEPARTMENTS: 31
History The Alhambra’s debut performance was precisely what guests expected
82
34 Health Duval County ranks near dead last in the country in mental health funding
36 Family When women outlive their spouses
38 Perspective Birds-eye view of Daily’s Place construction
40 Home Benefits and challenges of attic renovation
FEATURES: 42
Kidding Around This season
52
Abandoned Jacksonville Rare looks inside five buildings which have stood the test of time, but for how long?
59 2017 Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Wine Tasting Gala Fine wines, tasty eats and a good cause
68 Home Design Quarterly A rebirth in Empire Point, plus paint tips and gardening ideas
ABOUT THE COVER:
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Photo by Agnes Lopez Hand-lettering by Lizz Farhat Chester missfabulizz.com Model Emma Robertson
ALL PHOTOS BY AGNES LOPEZ EXCEPT PAGE 52 BY BULLET
has plenty to keep even the most energetic little ones busy
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SPECIAL EVENTS
The latest from Jacksonville Magazine online MOST LIKED FEBRUARY INSTAGRAM PHOTO
PET OF THE MONTH We are presently accepting nominations from businesses and individuals for a new special section and honors luncheon presented by 904 Magazine and benefiting Dignity U Wear. For details about Serving With Dignity, visit our website and click ”Get Involved.” Nomination deadline is March 17.
JACKSONVILLE MAGAZINE’S 2017
FASHiON PROJECT 쑽 904 PAPER CO.
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.
쑽 NEWSLETTERS:
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• Nominations for Pet of the Month can be made via a form on our website, under the heading Get Involved. Past Pets of the Month may be viewed there, too.
쑽 904TIX.COM
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Hate waiting until the new issue comes out to learn what’s happening around town? Jax Mag delivers two newsletters directly to your inbox. When you sign up, you’ll receive both The Ticket and The Food Chain. The Ticket focuses on concerts, theatre shows and happenings of note in the Jacksonville area. The Food Chain is all about food festivals, restaurant openings, reviews, recipes, the best places to eat and more. Sign up on our website.
Jacksonville Magazine’s Pet of the Month for March is Newton, a ten-month-old Golden RetrieverAustralian Shepard mix. Newton’s youth shines through as he spends most of his time being active. When he’s not digging holes in the backyard, he loves being chased by his owners and taking longs walks through Boone Park in Avondale. However, he knows when to calm down. He’s on his best behavior when walking the streets as he waits patiently before crossing intersections. Newton is very social with people and other dogs. His best trick is giving high-five.
Aspiring models, sponsors and local fashion vendors are invited to participate in this spring’s Fashion Project, set for May 19. Jewlery makers, artists and other makers of fashionalable things may take part in the Pop Up Shops Marketplace. Space is limited so don’t delay.
If you're in search of a local online resource for all things #wedding in Northeast Florida, we have the answer. JaxMagBride.com features planning tips, trending topics, destinations and more! There’s even a section to submit photos from your special day for publication in Jax Mag.
Events featured on 904TIX.com, 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 today.
COMING SOON!
April The spring 2017 edition of Jacksonville Magazine’s Home doubles as the official guide for this year’s Riverside Avondale Preservation Tour of Homes (April 29-30) and SPAR’s Historic Springfield Tour of Homes (May 20-21). Subscribers receive copies with the April edition of Jax Mag. Additional copies available at each tour.
May Many consider it the best edition of the year. Because that’s what it is. Best in Jax 2017 arrives in subscriber mailboxes in May. Voting taking place on our website right now!
June Jacksonville Magazine’s annual Best Doctors edition is perennially the biggest of the year, featuring profiles of the city’s leading physicians and medical practices. MARCH 2017 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM
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WELCOME “DO YOU HAVE SHOES ON? Good. Wait! Do you have pants on? Okay, then yes, you can go outside and play.” Any parent of a young son likely has experienced plenty of unforeseen discussions, conversations for which one will never be adequately prepared. Sure, similar talks happen with daughters. But boys present their own special brand of unusual challenges and interactions. The brief exchange above is not unlike many we’ve had in our family through the years. Our young son often has something akin to an allergic reaction while wearing clothing, especially in the summertime. There are occasions when I arrive home only to find shoes, socks and other articles of clothing littering the yard and porch, as if some mysterious magnetic force tugged at his laces and shirt to the point where they literally flew off his appendages.
JOSEPH WHITE PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF joe@jacksonvillemag.com
“No, you will never be allowed to be the guy on The Bachelor. Do you want to make your mom cry? How do you even know about that TV show?”
Just like a lot of boys, our son is a sponge, soaking up information from sources ranging from school teachers to reality TV and everything in between. He is a whirl of activity and unable to sit still for even short periods of time. I appreciate his curiosity and willingness to explore what’s over the horizon. While we can’t get him to eat most vegetables he will jump at the chance for adventure like a retriever leaps off a couch with a shake of a leash.
Our daughter isn’t quite a teenager yet she’s nearly as tall as her mother. She’s still too young to be seriously thinking about colleges and careers choices. Those days no doubt will be here before we know it. The time will come when most of our quirky conversations will come to an end. It saddens me to know that. Children don’t stay little forever. I figure that’s the worst and best part about being a parent.
BONUS ISSUE: The spring edition of Taste has arrived. Featuring 100 pages devoted to Northeast Florida restaurants, recipes, foodie events and good eats, the twice-annual guide has been a reader favorite for more than a decade. Subscribers also received the 2017 edition of our Kids Health Guide, a partnership with Nemours Children’s Specialty Care. In it, some of the city’s top pediatricians provide valuable insight and advice for growing families.
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LEFT: AGNES LOPEZ
“Your mother said you can come back and live in your room after college? Well, I was planning to put a pool table up there. Seeing as you are only eight, we can discuss the idea in greater detail at a later date.”
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SEEN PEOPLE, PARTIES & PICTURES
Jacksonville's newest farm-to-table tasting, Farm to Future, was held January 17 at the Glass Factory in Downtown Jax. The event featured 20 top area chefs from restaurants such as Community Loaves and Culhane’s Irish Pub competing to create dishes using fresh, local ingredients. All funds raised benefited the Center for Sustainable Agricultural Education and Conservation, which teaches farmers of tomorrow how to grow better, less expensive produce—all while protecting the environment and earning a living. The chefs from the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort won with their swordfish and "romaine trash" dish. u —PHOTOS BY DENISE WILLIAMS
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For 33 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 ASSISTANT EDITORS
Courtnee James, Jocelyn Tolbert EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Jeremy Collard PROOFREADER
Kathy Weedon CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Charles Day, Juliet Johnson, Kara Pound, Melody Taylor, Andrew Thurlow INTERNS
Sarah Carter, Reginald Durant, Mary Hamel
CREATIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Bronie Brunet DESIGNER
Jennifer Curry STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Agnes Lopez CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Bullet, Denise Williams
SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING
Amy Robertson SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Jessica Lindsay ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Vanessa Raola ACCOUNTING / OFFICE MANAGER
Wendy Castro ADVERTISING COORDINATOR
Crystal Chase ADVERTISING INTERNS
Danielle Arnett, Kristin Ibison, Alexia Reese SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR / 904TIX
Mandy Niesen
CIRCULATION CIRCULATION MANAGER
Mike Romero SUBSCRIPTION REQUESTS / INQUIRIES
904-389-3622, ext. 313 circulation@jacksonvillemag.com
1261 King St., Jacksonville, FL 32204 (904) 389-3622 • Fax: (904) 389-3628 JacksonvilleMag.com JACKSONVILLE (ISSN 1070-5163), (USPS 749870), March 2017 Volume 33 Issue 2. 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 ©2017 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.
MARCH 2017 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM
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Each year, the Jacksonville Junior Chamber selects and recognizes a group of young movers and shakers. Men and women of all fields and endeavors were honored at the Outstanding Young Professionals of Jacksonville on January 19 at the Salem Centre. Each honoree was presented with a trophy, a certificate of achievement, and a bus bench located within the city dedicated to either the honoree, their cause or organization. u —PHOTOS BY DENISE WILLIAMS
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S The inaugural Dancing for the Cure took place on January 27 at Downtown’s Hyatt Regency Riverfront. More than 300 guests cheered on their favorite local celebrity dancers while supporting Susan G. Komen North Florida. Through events like this, Komen North Florida has invested over $2 million in community breast health programs in our region. Baptist Health's VP Michael Lanier and his pro dancer partner Megan Wallace emerged the winners amid fierce competition. u —PHOTOS BY DENISE WILLIAMS
Look for the Jacksonville Magazine party screens this month at Jacksonville Science Festival Scholarship Live and Silent Auction on March 3, Great Chefs of Jacksonville on March 9 and the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Wine Tasting Gala on March 17. MARCH 2017 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM
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With This Ring Northeast Florida couples say “I do,” and smile for the cameras
LONDON HARDIN & LIAM O’BRIEN London and Liam were married January 29. The ceremony and reception were held at Congaree and Penn Farm. The newlyweds spent 10 days in Tulum, Mexico for their honeymoon. —PHOTO BY CHRISTINA KARST PHOTOGRAPHY
BROOKE GALLOWAY & DEREK JOHNSON Brooke and Derek were married December 10, 2016. The ceremony was held at St. Joseph’s Historical Catholic Church in Mandarin. The reception was held at Sweet Pete’s. The newlyweds spent one week in Napa Valley, California and one week in Sapphire Valley, North Carolina for their honeymoon. —PHOTO BY TRUE ERA PHOTOGRAPHY
The Spring 2017 edition of Jacksonville Magazine’s Bride is available online and at newsstands. The issue is packed with info, including local reception sites and the region’s top wedding service providers. The Fall 2017 edition of Bride will be released in August. Recently married? Announce your wedding in an upcoming edition of Jacksonville Magazine. Details posted at JaxMagBride.com. Or call Courtnee James at (904) 389-3622.
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MALLORY WARD & CHRIS AUSSEM Mallory and Chris were married January 6. The ceremony and reception were held at Bowing Oaks Plantation in Bayard. The Aussems enjoyed a week in Cancun, Mexico for their honeymoon. —PHOTO BY FLORA + FAUNA
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5 THINGS TO LOVE p. 16 / LIVE WELL p. 18 / TRAVEL p. 20 / AGENDA p. 22
JAXlife Root Cause 5,000 trees to be given away in celebration of Arbor Day
cc Since its inception in 1975, Greenscape of Jacksonville has planted more than 250,000 trees across the city. This year, the nonprofit holds its first Tree Festival and Great Tree Giveaway, with 5,000 trees free to good homes. “We’ll have at least three varieties. We’re looking for live oaks and maybe red maple,” says Anna Dooley, Greenscape’s executive director. “They’ll be in three-gallon containers, something that people can carry away and put in their car. If you’re going to get the kids involved, it’s a good size.” For those who don’t know much about trees, botanists, landscape architects and arborists will be on hand at the April 1 event to talk about planting, pruning and more. The festival also includes crafts, food trucks, pet adoptions, vendors and live entertainment. 10 AM-4 PM, Metropolitan Park. greenscapeofjacksonville.com u —by jocelyn tolbert
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5 THINGS TO LOVE
[JAXlife] —BY JOCELYN TOLBERT
this March
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1. Garden Month has returned to the Cummer Museum, kicking off with a free family day and plant sale on March 4. The rest of the month features guided tours (free with museum admission) on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Author P. Allen Smith, who demonstrates principles of design and conservation on his Moss Mountain Farm, speaks March 22 ($55). 2. After a series of successful pop-up events, the Jacksonville Dog Café has a permanent home at 5535 Roosevelt Blvd. Each Saturday, 10 AM2 PM, approximately 10 dogs from area rescue shelters hang out at the café, hoping to meet their future families. Coffee and tea are free, but adoption fees depend on the dog and the shelter. jaxdogcafe.com 3. The Sawgrass Village Artisan Food Festival takes place every Sunday, 10 AM-2 PM, in the heart of Ponte Vedra Beach. Good eats, crafts and more. And sales benefit a local charity. 4. New York Times bestselling author and St. Augustinian Steve Berry releases a new book on April 4: The Lost Order (Minotaur Books, $29.99). This 12th book in the Cotton Malone series has the protagonist crisscrossing the country in search of a treasure hidden since the Civil War. It’s the latest in a growing genre centered on historical conspiracy theories—à la The Da Vinci Code and National Treasure. 5. Huguenot Memorial Park, which was closed for four months for repairs after Hurricane Matthew, has reopened. Work is still underway in some parts of the park and the campgrounds and shelters remain closed. But driving on the sand—with caution!—is permitted. Open daily from 8 AM to 4 PM. u
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[JAXlife]
LIVE WELL Spring has sprung! —ARI GASKIN, STYLIST
Transition into warmer temps with lighter fabrics, open-toed shoes and nature-inspired home décor. u
1. Harmon geometric metal home accessory ($72-$148), Sidney Cardel's 2. Black Fringe Jacket ($75) & Yellow Flower Harness ($45), Boutique 3:16; 70s Maxi dress ($135), Mara Vintage Boutique 3. Primeware wine purse ($59), Anazao Gallery 4. Scotch & Soda silk scarf ($49), Penelope T 5. Spadaro Beso Del Mar Perfum ($95), Rosie True 6. Crystal Floyd custom terrariums ($180), COrK Arts District 7. Aether Design Coffee table ($300), Six Hundred King 8. Alexandre Birman Teal snakeskin sandal ($590), Emly Benham u
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Who needs a picnic basket when you can fill a purse with two bottles of wine?
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Timeless additions to your wardrobe can be paired with any modern trend. Use fun accessories to transition from winter to spring.
Raw cold-forged steel and coffee-stained walnut, hand-sanded and finished with coconut oil and beeswax. 7. 8. 18 |
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P o n t e Ve d r a . N a t u r a l l y.
Gated luxury from m the low $900s Kurt Morgan • 904.568.3682 2 • kmorg gan@thepineapplecorp.com p pp p www w.thepineapplecorp.com/vista
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[JAXlife]
TRAVEL Bathhouse Row
Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa
Soak It Up Mineral baths in the Arkansas mountains may cure what ails you BY JOCELYN TOLBERT
MANY EVENTS ARE MARKETED AS THE BIGGEST or the best. The St. Patrick’s Day festival in Hot Springs, Arkansas, however, prides itself on being among the smallest. Nestled in the rugged Ouachita Mountains, Hot Springs is home to the “World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade,” stretching just 98-feet long. But don’t judge the parade by its length. A troupe of Irish Elvis impersonators, dozens of floats and more than 30,000 revelers join grand marshal Alfonso Ribeiro (yes, Carlton) and official parade starter Ric Flair to celebrate on March 17. There’s more to Hot Springs than green beer and Irish Elvises, though. The town’s 47 namesake springs have for centuries drawn people in search of healing, and though one can’t drive right in due to restrictions from the National Park Service, there are plenty of places to experience the curative waters. Bathhouse Row consists of eight historic buildings including Fordyce Bathhouse, now a museum with classic equipment exhibits.
A traditional soak can be had at Buckstaff Bathhouse, which still uses the same tubs as when it opened in 1912. For a modern experience, try Quapaw Baths & Spa. Each of the four jetted mineral water pools in the coed bathing area is set at a different temperature. Private baths, as well as time in the steam cave—built above a natural spring flowing with 143ºF water—are also available to enjoy. The Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa, opened in 1923 not far from Bathhouse Row, houses its own spa and heated pools. The Friday Night Seafood Feast is popular in the Venetian Dining Room, the Arlington’s main restaurant, and the art deco Lobby Bar has live music three nights a week. Hotel guests enjoy member privileges at nearby Hot Springs Country Club and its two golf courses. Reportedly, the Arlington was a favorite spot of Al Capone’s in the 1930s, and his preferred fourth floor suite awaits guests. $105-$295/night. u
Songs of the South Since the 1960s, Nashville has been home to some of the most interesting museums in the South, including the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and the Johnny Cash Museum. A new destination for the musically inclined has opened two hours down the line in Chattanooga. Songbirds Guitar Museum holds the world’s largest collection of vintage guitars with more than 1,700 instruments. Opening this month, visitors can see an array of six strings like a Pre-War D45 Martin, a 34 Gibson Les Paul Model Sunbursts (considered by many to be the Holy Grail of electric guitars) and a Prototype 1950 Fender Broadcaster. songbirdsguitars.com u —Reggie Durant
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GORGEOUS GORGE: Watch your step. The main attraction at Georgia’s Tallulah Gorge State Park is nearly 1,000 feet deep. The best way to experience it is via a two-mile hike down 600 stairs, crossing a suspension bridge 80 feet in the air above jagged rocks, ultimately leading to Hurricane Falls, one of six waterfalls cascading through the depths of the gorge. Admission and parking are $5 apiece. gastateparks.org u —Reggie Durant
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THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO EATING & DRINKING IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA
taste ide Up nny S JACKSONVILLE MAGAZINE’S
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BACON & EGGS, CHICKEN & WAFFLES AND MORE OF THE CITY’S MOST POPULAR AM EATS
237 BARS & RESTAURANTS YOU NEED TO KNOW
SLICES OF LIFE Pizzas We Love!
SPRING
2017
A SUPPLEMENT TO JACKSONVILLE MAGAZINE
VOLUME 13 NO. 1
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AGENDA: MARCH BY JOCELYN TOLBERT, MANDY NIESEN & KRISTIN IBISON
[JAXlife] TO DO LIST 3/9-3/12
Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island plays host to this weekend of high-end classic cars, parties and driving.
3/10
Catherine Russell Contemporary jazz vocalist performs at the Ritz Theatre.
3/10
Celtic Woman Five singers accompanied by musicians and dancers fuse Irish music and tradition with modern vibes. T-U Center.
3/11-3/12
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Gold Dust Woman Rock and roll queen Stevie Nicks brings an otherworldly presence to the stage wherever she performs. With her trademark gypsy wardrobe and dreamy voice, she’ll bewitch fans at Veterans Memorial Arena with hits from throughout her long career. March 23.
Robert Earl Keen Texas singer-songwriter whose musical style spans from folk to bluegrass to rock performs at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall.
3/12
Christiana Trio
PULLIN' SOME STRINGS Guitar legend Buddy Guy is still playing the blues at age 79. His first album was released 50 years ago; his most recent studio recording, Born to Play Guitar, came out in 2015, and won the Grammy for best blues album. Guy performs at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre on April 9.
The Amelia Island Chamber Music Fest continues through April with a lineup including the Christiana Trio, performing at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church.
3/12
Clint Black The country music vet will be “killin’ some time” at the Florida Theatre.
3/12
Amelia Island Festivals of Speed Jacksonville Automotive & Motorcycle Museum invites all motorheads to bring their rides to the fifth annual event.
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A M EM BE RSHI P WITH BR AG G ING R IGHTS D y e’ s Va l l e y An n u a l Pa s s a va i l a b l e fo r $3 , 5 0 0 Book a tee time on the renovated PLAYERS Stadium Course before it closes on April 17! T h e Socia l Cl ub Fa mil y Member sh ip , $600 • • • • •
$300 credit towards food and beverage purchases Access to our Member-only dining area Advanced reservations to Member events, wine maker dinners, theme dinners and holiday events Seasonal discounts on THE PLAYERS Stadium Course and Dye’s Valley Course And more!
Learn More Visit TPC.COM/SAWGRASS Call (904) 280-2412 to speak with the Director of Sales
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[JAXlife]
3/16-3/18
Anastasia Music Festival Three days of bluegrass at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre include Del McCoury Band, David Grisman’s Bluegrass Experience and more.
3/17-3/18
Loni Love Comedienne, TV and radio personality and sometimesDJ looks for laughs at the Comedy Zone.
3/18
Gastrofest Some 30,000 hungry Jaxons are expected for this gathering of local eats, craft beer and more at Hemming Park.
3/18
Throwing His Voice
v current SEC Nation co-host and New
Though former NFL quarterback and
York Met hopeful Tim Tebow has been in the national spotlight since his high school football days at Nease, he’s still a Jacksonville guy at heart. He’ll speak at the Florida Forum on March 13, last in this year’s lineup for the Women’s Board of Wolfson Children’s Hospital’s annual speaker series. womensboardwch.org
SEC Gymnastics Championships Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU and Missouri flip, tuck and vault for the title at Veterans Arena.
3/18
Rhythm in the Night: Irish Dance Spectacular Hold on to your spirits with this Irish dance performance at the Thrasher-Horne Center for the Arts.
3/24
Gabriel Iglesias The Florida Theatre hosts this “fluffy” comedian who had a role in in Magic Mike XXL and has appeared on The Tonight Show and Conan.
$12,000,000 Amount in cash and prizes given away over the 10-year run of Price is Right Live. Get in on some of that April 1 at the T-U Center. artistseriesjax.org
Shell Out 3/24
I Love the 90s Tour Vanilla Ice, Naughty By Nature, Mark McGrath, Biz Markie and more hit the St. Augustine Amphitheatre.
3/25
Carrot Top Instantly recognizable prop comic performs at the Florida Theatre.
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artist v Maine-based Lauren Fenterstock
created work for MOCA Jacksonville’s Project Atrium after visiting Sanibel Island. The materials and research she gathered there resulted in Holophusicon, a sculptural installation of shells, cabinets, mirrors and stalacties to be unveiled on March 18. mocajacksonville.unf.edu
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Brand Loyalty St. Augustine Fashion Week returns March 22-24 for its third season. Twenty designers, including Ani Sarkissian, Erin Healy, Naz & Court and fashion design students from Bartram Trail High School, showcase their 2017 collections at the Lightner Museum. “Not many people are aware that there are so many small brand labels and local designers in our area,” says event founder Brittany Alphonso. “There is a need to create a platform for small brands to showcase their work. I hope the public will support these brilliant artists and our nonprofit partners.” A VIP preview party kicks off the three nights of events on March 22 with drinks, music and designer and model meet-andgreets. Runway shows dominate the next two nights. Tickets to the preview party are $25; runway tickets are $60 and $80 for VIP. 904tix.com
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Setting the
Stage JAX CHILDREN’S CHORUS PERFORMS WITH ACCLAIMED SINGER
The Jacksonville Children’s Chorus (JCC) performs with singer and actress Audra McDonald at the T-U Center on March 12. McDonald has earned six Tony Awards, two Grammys and an Emmy for roles in such stage and television productions as Ragtime, A Raisin in the Sun and Porgy and Bess. “Musical preparations are going well. The kids are very excited to hear this extraordinary performer,” says Carolyn Audije, marketing and PR director for the JCC. “Our touring and concert choirs will be performing a special arrangement of ‘Favorite Things’ with McDonald. Programs such as this give students in the program an opportunity to perform with some of the best artists in the world. Audra is a great role model for our JCC students and families.” jaxchildrenschorus.org u
New Merchandise • • HANDMADE WOODEN SIGNS
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J PIPE DREAMS v
The Chieftains play traditional Irish instruments such as the uillean pipes (a kind of bagpipe) to create some jaunty tunes. They team up with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra for two shows just in time for St. Patrick’s Day: at the T-U Center on March 17 and St. Augustine Amphitheatre on March 19.
3/25
Jacksonville Sharks Soothe your NFL withdrawals at the Arena when the Sharks meet the Georgia Firebirds on March 25 and the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks on April 1.
3/26
Spring Record Fair Music lovers and LP fans are invited to browse thousands of records, CDs, posters, memorabilia and gear, 11 AM-5 PM, St. Augustine Amphitheatre.
Northeast Florida
DRAMA DISTRICT The Mystery of Irma Vep March 10-April 2. Limelight Theatre, St. Augustine
FENCES March 17, 18, 23-26 and 30-1. Players by the Sea, Jacksonville Beach 3/26
Air Supply Australian pop duo make love out of nothing at all. Florida Theatre.
3/28
Drumline Live
The God Game March 3, 4, 9-12 and 16-19. Theatre Jacksonville, San Marco
The Glass Menagerie March 24-April 9. Orange Park Community Theatre, Orange Park u
This synchronized musical experience includes original compositions and interpretations of top 40 hits. T-U Center.
3/28
UF vs. FSU Baseball In-state rivals play a few innings at the Baseball Grounds.
The Latest Issue is Available from the Publisher of Jacksonville Magazine
ONLINE • ON NEWSSTANDS
JaxMagBride.com
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Kyle Lombard and David Berry This intimate recital series from the Ritz Chamber Players is performed at the Cummer Museum. u
Stir It UP For the first time since the death of Bob Marley, all the original Wailers are appearing together as part of a concert tour. See them on April 6 at Ponte Vedra Concert Hall.
J Jacksonville
FUNDRAISERS TIX
3/3-3/4
Join the Junior League of Jacksonville for the annual Whale of a Sale. Browse through gently used furniture, clothes, home goods, toys, tailgating gear and much more. All proceeds benefit community projects with a focus on nutrition education and fresh food availability across Jacksonville. Early access $40. Day of the main event is $2 admission and $5 parking. 8 PM. Jacksonville Agricultural Fairgrounds. TIX
3/9
Great Chefs of Jacksonville VII returns as Northeast Florida’s most prestigious culinary competition. Eight of the city’s top chefs (four per team) will gather to cook and compete, all to the delight of a hungry audience. The proceeds benefit a local non-profit. Only 160 tickets available so grab one while you can. $175. 6 PM. TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse.
3/17 The Jay Fund Wine Tasting Gala fundraiser benefits parents of cancer patients during a time most never expect to see. Inspired by a young player fighting luekemia while coaching at Boston College, Tom Coughlin started the foundation to provide comprehensive emotional and financial support, allowing parents to solely focus on their child’s recovery. Sponsorship opportunities, cuisine from top area restaurants and an array of fine wines are on offer for the evening. Tickets start at $130. 6:30 PM. Downtown, Wells Fargo Center.
3/18 Guests at the Grand Anchor Gala, Port of Call: Hawaii can expect food, live and silent auctions, a wine drawing and live entertainment by comedian John Crist. Proceeds benefit Project SOS, allowing them to reach teenagers in Northeast Florida with the critical life skills they need to become healthy individuals. $125. 6 PM. Sawgrass Marriott.
MAR RCH 1 THROUGH 31 Join the Cummer Museum eum for a month-long celeb bration of art in nature. Garden d Month programs will include special events, lectu ures, demonstrations, work kshops, exhibitions, and a Garden Concert. For m more information and reservations, call 904..356.6857 or visit cumm mermuseum.org.
3/23 Wish Madness is a social fundraiser for sports enthusiasts who also enjoy good eats and drinks benefiting the Make a Wish Foundation. The event includes a watch party of NCAA Sweet Sixteen basketball games with live and silent auctions throughout the evening. The ultimate goal is to ensure that children with life threatening medical conditions get the wishes they deserve. Tickets start at $75. 6:30 PM. Mercedes of Jacksonville.
829 Riv R erside Avenue Jackssonville, FL 32204 904.3 356.6857
MARCH 2017 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM
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J ALL THE SINGLE LADIES PARODY TRIBUTE TO SEX AND THE CITY HITS JACKSONVILLE Actor, writer and improviser Kerry Ipema comes to the T-U Center April 7-8 to perform One Woman Sex and the City: A Parody on Love, Friendships and Shoes. Alone on the stage, Ipema manages to bring to life all six seasons of the HBO comedy, which followed fictional writer Carrie Bradshaw and her friends in their quest to find true love and great fashion. You must have been a big fan of the show? Absolutely. I started watching it in high school. I remember my dad coming in and going, “What are you watching?” It explores female friendships in a way that was unique for the time. I think that’s what stays with a lot of women. Were you a Carrie, Miranda, Samantha or Charlotte? It’s changed throughout my life. Everybody has a little bit of all of them. I hate to say I’m a little bit of a Carrie, but I wanted to be a Miranda. SATC has become the butt of jokes about it being outdated. Why do you think it’s such a good target for parody? The show ended in 2004. [Co-writer] TJ [Dawe] and I approached the parody as a love letter to that time, and how
things have changed. A lot of things don’t hold up, like Carrie living her life the way she does. I live in New York and I can assure you that is not how I live. There’s a fantasy element to it—the clothes, the shoes. We can comment on that and laugh along with it. A lot of the best scenes are the ones where the group of friends is just talking. How do you tackle that all by yourself? I play about 24 characters in the show: the four main women, their many boyfriends and some secondary characters. The TV show works because of those iconic brunch moments where they’re having fun. I use angles and different voices to create those scenes, but what’s important is creating that environment in the theatre. I want it to be a bunch of women laughing together, commiserating about that moment where we’re like, “What was I thinking?” Does one have to be a fan of SATC to appreciate your show? We wrote the show for the fans. But people who don’t know Sex and the City, there’s jokes for them too. However, I’m hoping that it will cause people to start watching it. My parents and grandmother are going to come. There’s something for everybody. artistseriesjax.org u
COMING IN APRIL 4/1
4/7-4/9
4/8
Rick Thomas
Springing the Blues
Shovels & Rope
Illusionist weaves magic, music, comedy and dance at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall.
The lineup for this Jax Beach blues festival includes Albert Cummings, Coco Montoya and more.
An evening of indie rock fused with country, bluegrass and blues at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall.
4/2
Steve Miller Band
4/7
4/8
Classic rock group performs at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre. That is, if they don’t take the money and run.
Duo Sonidos
Nu Soul Revival Tour
The Friday Musicale hosts this Luys Milan International Chamber Music Competition-winning guitar and violin duo.
The T-U Center hosts this concert featuring Lyfe Jennings, Musiq Soulchild and more.
4/7-4/9
Canellakis Conducts Shostakovich Guest “Conductor on the rise” Karina Canellakis leads the Jax Symphony with its premiere of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 15. T-U Center.
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4/8 4/8
Alan Jackson
Iterations: Lorrie Fredette
The Honky Tonk Highway Tour, featuring this country superstar and singer Lee Ann Womack, comes to the St. Augustine Amphitheatre. u
New York artists used more than 2,000 muslin and wax covered pods to create a sculpture inspired by the smallpox virus. MOCA Jacksonville.
[ HISTORY ]
FLOW OF HISTORY Museum exhibit traces the influence of the St. Johns on Florida history
Opening Night The Alhambra Theatre’s debut performance was precisely what one would have expected, and then some BOOK EXCERPT BY CHARLES DAY
helped make the Alhambra Dinner Theatre a reality. There were exclamations of delight and congratulatory declarations. There was, as Florida Times-Union writer Shirrel Rhoades described it, the “lavish and delicious buffet dinner.” And, certainly, there were magnums of champagne flowing throughout the memorable
BULLS TO THE BIG CATS v
THERE WERE GLAMOROUS AND DAZZLING GOWNS, well-tailored tuxedos, and distinguished military dress uniforms, all worn by the invitation-only crowd carefully compiled from Jacksonville’s “Who’s Who” of movers and shakers—including, to be sure, the Duval County Commissioners whose approval that July had
The Matheson History Museum in Gainesville explores the connection Floridians have had with the St. Johns River going back to the late 1800s with its exhibition River of Dreams: The St. Johns and its Springs. The collection features artifacts, documents, postcards and historical photos. “We have artifacts from Kingsley Plantation that depict the lifestyle and history of the property,” says museum director Peggy Macdonald. “We have a lot of pre-historic artifacts including shells from the Silver Glen Springs shell mound, and original photos of Blue Cypress Lake and Silver Springs.” Open through June 24. u —SARAH CARTER
The Jaguars brought big league sports to the River City nearly a quarter-century ago. It goes without saying, much of the attention paid to athletics in this town is centered around the big cats. However, Jacksonville has a deeper connection with the gridiron than many realize. In Big League City! 100 Years of Football in Jacksonville, author Ken Bowen investigates the origins of the sport in Jax from 1901 through today. The Jacksonville Historical Society will present some of that story and the author during an open discussion on March 14. 6:30-8:30 PM, Old St. Andrews Episcopal. $5 for non-members. u —JEREMY COLLARD MARCH 2017 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM
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Wednesday evening… and they kept on flowing well past the scheduled 8:30 PM curtain for Come Blow Your Horn. But the champagne did not flow for reasons you might surmise. The delay in serving dinner, Rhoades’ account duly reported, was that the flaming prime rib was still in the oven at 8:30 PM, hours after the elegant repast was to have been served. What her account did not report was the prime reason for the flaming prime rib still being in the oven. Head chef Carl Victor Helm was, as courteous southerners might say, three sheets to the wind; drunk as a skunk. Ted Johnson, by now accustomed to being resourceful, almost seemed to take impending disaster in stride. Fortunately, the buffet line, while already positioned on stage, was still hidden behind the closed curtain. “Just get him off the stage,” said Johnson to assorted colleagues when alerted, adding “And keep everybody entertained,” as he handed bottles of champagne to nearby associates. One of them was attorney Barry Zisser, who had charted the Alhambra’s path to securing its liquor license. He now had a bottle of bubbly in each hand, and immediately began pouring the sparkling spirits into the empty or half-empty glasses within reach. As soon as he emptied the bottles, Zisser was handed two more. An ironic epilogue to Zisser’s legal journeys within state and county officials? There wasn’t time to ponder. Meanwhile, on stage, backstage and in the kitchen, Alhambra staffers scrambled to put the finishing touches on the buffet, nurse the prime rib to perfection, and keep the inebriated head chef out of sight. The guests never caught a glimpse. Herr Helm was gently whisked from the stage and kept safely hidden. What could not be kept out of sight, however, were other remnants of unfinished business: a hammer or two still pounding as the guests arrived; the cement floor still awaiting carpeting; the not-quite-dry painted railings that left their marks on some of the gowns and trousers; and the brand new movable stage that refused to move. “By the time everybody had all the champagne, nobody cared,” Zisser later recalled with a smile. Before long, Johnson’s colleagues had figured out how to get the stage rolling and “purring like a gigantic Murphy bed.” Wherever it finally wound up—all the way into position, or just part way— didn’t seems to matter, either. Dinner was served at last, and the show did go on, to the unanimous acclaim of the attendees and the local critics.That very first opening night merits one last historical note: It was an encore celebration for
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director George Ballis and his wife Marcy. They had been married three days earlier, on December 10, 1967. The gala evening Johnson and his colleagues had arranged immediately set a trend: The Alhambra was the place to attend, and the venue where politicians, military brass, and civic and business leaders of every stripe went to be seen. They dressed accordingly. Going to the Alhambra? Wear your finest. Critics reviews of early productions were almost always glowing. By mid 1968, sellouts were common, especially on weekends. And, whatever the production, its opening night “Gala” became a must-attend event. rguably, no one better personified the Alhambra’s formula for early success than Betty Grable: a still glamorous and gorgeous movie star who had rocketed to fame as the No. 1 World War II pin-up queen sold out the house night after night. Grable’s appearance as Billie Dawn in the Garson Kanin comedy Born Yesterday in January 1973 was so popular it was held over for another two weeks. And, from all indications, she was delighted to stick around. “She was wonderful!” praises George Ballis, who directed her. “And very modest.” So modest that when Ballis asked Grable during rehearsal to be sure to pause for a long time while making her first entrance in Scene One, she asked why. “Because you’re going to get applauded, and no one will hear your line,” Ballis explained. Grable agreed, but was dubious—until the opening crowd gave her a thunderous ovation. More ovations followed. Grable didn’t mind hiding her legs, of course but she was concealing a secret: Throughout her Alhambra run, she also was being treated for cancer at a Downtown Jacksonville hospital. For anonymity’s sake, she registered as “Betty James,” as she was officially known from 1943 to 1965 when she was married to bandleader Harry James. It may have been one of their last meetings. Betty Grable died of cancer on July 2, 1973 in California. After her death, Grable’s Alhambra performance was cited in a biography about the actress. It had been her last professional appearance. Despite her illness she never missed a performance. “She was a real trooper,” remembers Ted Johnson. “And after the shows, she’d play cards and have drinks with the cast and crew.” u
A
Reprinted with permission from Alhambra Theatre & Dining: 50 Years of Memories by Charles Day (Alhambra Theatre & Dining, $39.99). Available from the publisher online at alhambrajax.com. MARCH 2017 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM
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[HEALTH] RUN DON’T WALK have your new year’s fitness resolutions faded away? If not, you may want to participate in this year’s Turtle Crawl on Jekyll Island, on may 12-14. For the accomplished athletes, international and sprint triathlons are staged. For the road runners, a 5K and 10K are hosted the following day. “These races do more than get your blood pumping,” says dr. Terry norton, Georgia Sea Turtle center’s (GSTc) director and veterinarian. “They also benefit the work we do here.” The GSTc is devoted to the rehabilitation of injured sea turtles and preservation of the oceanic ecosystem. u —MARY HAMEL
Crisis Management Border war In late January, the Journal of the American Medical Association released a study that explores links between cancer related deaths and location by county. In 2014, 214 out of every 100,000 people died of cancer in Duval County compared to the national average of 192. The study also found Duval’s neighbor, Union County, has the highest lung cancer mortality rate in the country—231 deaths per 100,000, with the next-highest being Powell County, Kentucky at 151. “What’s causing cancer to be so much more fatal in one part of the country than in others demands further investigation,” says researcher Laura DwyerLindgren, a co-author of the study. u —MARY HAMEL
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Duval County ranks near dead last in the country in mental health funding, but area hospitals have a plan by Andrew Thurlow
APPROXIMATELY ONE IN FIVE ADULTS in the U.S.—43.8 million, or 18.5 percent—experiences a mental illness per year, according to a 2015 study by the National alliance on Mental Illness. Those illnesses include everything from suicide and substance abuse to even the most common mental health conditions, anxiety and depression. Mental health was identified as a top community need during local hospitals’ health needs assessment last year, says Melanie Patz, vice president of community investment and impact with Baptist Health. despite Florida having the third highest number of hospitals in the country (217) behind California (346) and Texas (378), the state ranks 49 out of 50 for mental health funding, according to a 2014 study by the Jacksonville Community Council. State funding for mental health services goes to all providers, not solely hospitals and is not determined by the number of hospitals in a community.
The 2016 Community Health Needs Assessment report found that Northeast Florida ranked second from last in the state for mental health care funding. “Florida legislature has not made mental health a priority at all,” says denise Marzullo, executive director for Mental america in Northeast Florida. “In the past 20 years, we as a state did not increase mental health funding until last year, when there was a slight increase.” Last year Florida saw an increase of more than $50 million in mental health care funding, but due to the anticipated budget shortfall, projections are looking at decreasing them again, Marzullo says. In 2014, California added $123 million, while Texas added $254 million in the budget toward funding mental health. “They take the total budgeted amount and divide it by the state's population. That goes toward providing treatment to those who live with an illness who do not have health insur-
ance,” says Marzullo. Even though Florida has a much higher population of homeless people without insurance, the state only spends about $37 per person on mental health funding, which is well below the national average of $127 per person. “What that means is that states who have more money per person can have a variety of services to provide, such as therapy, medication management and inpatient psychiatric care. In states like Connecticut, patients can go to long- or short-term residential treatment facilities, where they stay for several months until they get back on their feet. Florida doesn’t have anything like that because there is no funding,” she says. The consequence of reduced funding is limited prevention and early intervention services, especially for adults. “State funding is currently going to the crisis end, but that means we don't have the resources to fund prevention and early intervention services, such as outpatient therapy or peer support specialists,” Patz says. Thousands of Duval County residents can sign up to receive free mental health training over the next three years under a campaign recently set up by multiple hospitals in effort to reduce the stigma and maximize treatment results. The project, spearheaded in collaboration by Baptist Health, Brooks Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic Florida, St. Vincent's Healthcare and UF Health Jacksonville, seeks to provide 10,000 first responders and members of the public with the necessary skills to help those developing or experiencing a mental health crisis. During the interactive, eight-hour training course, participants learn the warning signs of a mental illness. Attendees take advantage of role playing scenarios, learning how to have a positive conversation with someone with mental illness that leads to them getting help. “A couple of months after taking the course, I was in a conversation with a friend of mine who indicated she was emotionally and mentally 'stuck.' The training prepared me to talk with her to understand her situation and help her get assistance,” Patz says. “If I hadn’t participated in the training, I’m not sure I would have understood what she was saying and how to help.” Those enrolled in the course will also receive a book that gives more information on various mental illnesses and treatments. After completing the course, participants receive a three-year certificate that can be re-certified online. “This gives us a chance to react in a proactive way instead of responding to a crisis,” Patz says. u
ONE YEAR 19 MAGAZINES ONLY $18.95
Call (904) 389-3622
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[ FAMILY ]
ROAD TRIP! a recent aaa survey found that 70 percent of families are planning to take at least one vacation this year, and 28 percent will take three or more. according to the survey, the top family vacations planned in 2017 are: 1. road Trips • 79% 2. national parks • 51% 3. Theme parks • 40% 4. International • 33% 5. Guided or Escorted Tours • 22% 6. ocean cruise • 20%
u
—JOCELYN TOLBERT
Tough Talk When women outlive their spouses
Drop Your Drawers One in seven Americans live in poverty, and two and a half million of those are children. Jax-based Dignity U Wear provides donated clothing to people in need. Underwear is infrequently donated but most requested, so the organization created the Undie Campaign. “We desperately need the support of the entire community to ensure that the very basics are not forgotten," says Nicole Brose, president of Dignity U Wear. The 11th annual Undie Campaign runs March 1-April 29, but donations can be made at any time. u —SARAH CARTER
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by kara pound
DEATH IS NEVER AN EASY CONVERSATION. Whether it’s a sudden accident or expected passing, talking about what should or needs to come next is a tough discussion. That’s why—especially when it pertains to the loss of a spouse—being open and honest is important. According to Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA), a non-profit founded in the late 1970s for families and friends providing long-term care to loved ones at home, women tend to outlive their spouses and have less access to retirement savings such as pensions. In short, women are particularly vulnerable due to a lack of counseling in finances, self-care, legal documents, medical needs and more after a spouse passes away. In fact, FCA reports that almost half of women age 75 and older live alone and that number continues to rise. Many experts also agree that a couple’s children should help with planning in every way that they can—no matter how difficult the conversation.
“I encourage everyone, adult children included, to prepare a living will, health care surrogate and durable power of attorney,” says Helen Balz Brown, client relations manager for Home Instead Senior Care Northeast Florida, an inhome senior care service. “I also urge families to become educated about the differences between Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance and private pay.” Brown, and others at similar service providers, assists families by exploring options and solving issues with aging lifestyles. This includes arranging a care plan to meet their family’s particular situation or referring to other resources. “Most seniors want to remain in their own homes for as long as possible, as independently as possible,” says Brown. “One way to facilitate this is to make environmental adaptations necessary including grab bars, accessible showers, door widening, ramps and good lighting.” Aside from home care needs, finances are also an issue when it comes to preparing for a
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ANY FAMILY CAN DO TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FOR THE FUTURE, IN MY OPINION, IS NOT NECESSARILY LIFE INSURANCE, BUT LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE
“
—HELEN BALZ BROWN, HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE NORTHEAST FLORIDA
spouse’s death. “Remember, this is a very emotional time and dealing with finances can be a difficult topic,” says Ameriprise Jacksonville senior financial advisor Sandy Misenheimer. “Try to get a handle on the retirement income and create a list of assets and liabilities. If mom has a relationship with a financial advisor or estate attorney, reach out to that person.” Misenheimer advises that parents should get involved in creating a financial plan while they’re able to communicate their wishes. “While this isn’t always possible, any preparations you can do before the situation is critical and can help you feel better about their financial affairs,” Misenheimer explains. “Many family members may want to be involved in decisions affecting the individual, but you should consider choosing one person as the financial contact.” This person, granted the responsibility often referred to as the power of attorney, is given authority to act on behalf of the parent for all legal and financial matters. “Demonstrate how your parents can protect themselves against fraud,” Misenheimer says. “Try to find some time to lay out a caregiving and financial plan of action while your parents are still able. Consulting with a financial advisor or an attorney familiar with elder law issues may help get the discussion started.” Of course, nobody wants to bring up a worst-case scenario during family dinner, but it can be a great source of peace to all involved. Be empathetic, understanding and bring knowledge to the table. There are resources available including Legal Aid, hospice organizations and certified aging-in-place specialists. “The most important thing any family can do to protect themselves for the future, in my opinion, is not necessarily life insurance, but long term care insurance,” says Brown. “Many seniors either deny or refuse to acknowledge the need for home care. One approach can be for children to say, ‘We know how much you value your independence and your desire to remain at home for as long as possible.’” u
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[ PERSPECTIVE ]
Amph It Up! Construction of the amphitheater and flex field adjacent to EverBank Field set to be completed in May BY COURTNEE JAMES // PHOTO BY AGNES LOPEZ
ON AUGUST 19, 2016, THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE AND THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS broke ground on Daily’s Place, a 5,500-seat amphitheater and 94,000-square foot covered flex field. The project represents phase 2 of the $90 million investment in the sports complex. Phase 1 included the improvements to the club levels and the creation of a new south end zone tunnel that serves as a new field entrance. With the performance schedule already filling up with acts such as Dave Matthews, Tim Reynolds, Chicago and The Doobie Brothers, construction is slated to be complete in May.
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The structure of the facility is designed to be integrated into the stadium, creating the opportunity to utilize the entire complex. At the ground level, the south end zone entrance tunnel will lead to a central bar connected to the amphitheater entrance. The existing Bud Light Party Zone and Terrace Suite areas will be linked to the amphitheater’s elevated seating decks via access bridges at each level.
The amphitheater will feature a 14,000 square-foot back-ofhouse artist building which includes space for up to ten dressing rooms, lounges, a VIP guest meet-and-greet space, laundry and dining facilities. “One of the things that keeps artists coming back is their experience at the venue,” says Nik Sobic, director of strategic initiatives for the Jacksonville Jaguars. “Being able to hang out with your friends in the practice facility and throw a football around is a unique experience for an artist.”
The covered flex field includes a regulationsize football field with more than 20 feet of auxiliary space around the playing surface. The facility is designed to be used independently or opened up to the amphitheater via a sliding door behind the stage that measures approximately 53 feet tall by 60 feet wide. The interior will be climatecontrolled and feature multicolored stadium lighting. “We are calling it a flex field because of the flexibility of its use,” says Sobic. “The idea is to be able to accommodate a mega music festival [with acts in all three facilities].”
Concrete, steel and Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fabric comprise more than eighty percent of the design materials for the more than 60-foot tall project. “One of the main design-drivers of this facility was to use steel because if you look at an aerial shot of Downtown Jacksonville, one of the coolest things is the bridges. That’s really what makes Jacksonville unique,” says Sobic. “We wanted to do a design that’s an architectural nod to what’s already great about Downtown.”
A staff of up to 160 contractors work around the clock each day, not only to ensure the project is completed on time but also because some elements require cooler temperatures. “There are some trades that are doing night shift,” says Sobic. “One of the reasons is because we have a very aggressive schedule and the other reason is when you pour concrete, it’s easier to do it at night when it’s cooler. In the morning, when the sun hits it, it’s the perfect amount of heat for drying.”
PTFE will be used for the roof and siding. It will be suspended from a series of steel trusses, each spanning 430 feet from the south end zone of the stadium to the front of the flex field.
MARCH 2017 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM
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[ HOME ]
TURN OF EVENTS The weather’s getting warmer, and that means the return of termites. every year, these wood-eating pests cause more than $5 billion in property damage across the U.s. “once a termite infestation begins, the damage can occur very quickly so it’s imperative that homeowners get an inspection early in the season,” says charlie jones of Nader’s pest raiders. “Many homeowners believe they don’t have termites simply because they don’t see them. however, termites are most often present in a home well before they start to swarm.” here are some ways to prevent an infestation in your home this spring: • don’t stack firewood or lumber near your home. Termites can burrow into the woodpile and then into the home. • reduce humidity in crawlspaces with proper ventilation. • remove old tree stumps in the yard. • eliminate moisture around the foundation of the home. divert water from the house by using proper downspouts and gutters. u —JOCELYN TOLBERT
Movin’ On Up Benefits and challenges of attic renovation by Melody Taylor // phoTos by jessie preza
CONVERTING AN ATTIC INTO A BEDROOM can be an economical way for homeowners to increase living, storage or guest space. Adding to the appeal, this update can be accomplished by using existing space rather than building more on to a home’s roofline or sacrificing valuable yard area. According to a recent Remodeling Impact Report issued by the National Association of Realtors, an attic conversion ranks among the top 10 projects likely to add value to a home at resale, and among the top 12 interior projects that appeal to buyers. Although attic conversions are frequently fea-
tured on syndicated home improvement shows, they won’t work for every home—space, access, structural integrity, building regulations and design challenges may come into play. Additionally, many Florida homes are engineered with low roof pitches that may not accommodate the needed headspace for a proper room. “I would say that most single story homes are not capable of this type of addition because truss systems are engineered in a way that would not support it. A-frame homes or conventionally framed homes would make better candidates,” says general contractor Jesse Lane. “If you start adjusting a roof structure, that’s usually not a good option.”
Salad Days Anyone who has a yard in Florida is familiar with dollarweed, also known as pennywort. This broadleaf plant looks a lot like a mini lily pad and favors wet areas in the landscape. Most consider it an unwanted weed—but it’s also edible. In fact, a chemical found in dollarweed helps the aorta and blood vessels relax by increasing the amount of nitrous oxide, which lowers blood pressure. It can be cooked like spinach or added to soups and salads. u —MARY HAMEL 40 |
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Lane says it’s best to first schedule a consultation with a general contractor who can estimate costs, where planning for any upgrades to electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems are necessary. Plumbing can usually be tied into the home’s existing pipes, although adjustments may be necessary if plumbing is routed through the attic. Depending on the tonnage and BTU output of the home’s existing HVAC system, a ductless mini split system with a self-contained condenser may reduce HVAC upgrade costs. The home’s thermal barriers may need to be reengineered by moving insulation into the rafters. “We handle permitting work with the City, pass inspections and have an experienced team to do the best work possible, versus hiring the handyman down the street,” Lane says. Next, Lane says a licensed engineer is needed to determine a home’s integrity, including structural loads, live loads and dead loads. The home’s joists may require remediation, such as a load-bearing beam, before construction can begin. An engineer should also be well-versed in building regulations, ensuring that the new space complies with applicable egress, height and structural codes. Of course, access to the attic is an important consideration since it has to meet building and fire code specifications. “You have to include a staircase so that it flows with the existing floor plan of the home,” Lane says. “In many cases, a spiral staircase is the way to go.” If your home passes structural muster and you decide to proceed with an attic renovation, a designer can then plan and consult on optimizing the new space. “Ceiling heights are really critical in space planning because they could be as low as three, four or five feet,” says Amanda Webster, design principal of Jacksonville Beach-based Amanda Webster Design. Webster recommends notating wall height and walkable floor space when choosing a layout and furniture pieces for an attic bedroom. She says nightstands and chests often work better than full-sized dressers. If space allows for a traditional staircase, Webster suggests adding built-in drawers with pulls on the steps for added storage. Because natural light is often limited to small dormer windows in attic bedrooms, try adding glossy white painted beadboard or tongue-in-groove paneling to the walls. “It would add character so that you aren’t highlighting a trapezoid sort of space,” explains Webster. While attic conversions are uncommon in Northeast Florida, they can be good options for older homes with walkable attic space. “If you’ve got it, go for it,” Webster says. “It’s definitely better than a full addition if you’ve got the space.” u
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BY STAFF
Kidding Around With warmer weather comes more daylight hours to fill—meaning parents are often in search of something new to entertain the kids. This year, we’ve packed our annual Kids Issue with things to do, whether at home in a neighborhood that comes equipped with numerous ready-made family activities, away at one of the coolest summer camps in Northeast Florida, communing with nature at a Northeast Florida park or at a local attraction for one of the many upcoming family-themed events and performances. In short, this season has more than enough going on.
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out & about Have a little family fun this month with these decidedly childish activities F More than 80 life-size, animatronic dinosaurs take over the Prime Osborn Convention Center on March 11 and 12 during Jurassic Quest. Featuring T-rex, apatosaurus, spinosaurus and more, the event also includes rides, fossil digs, a science station, bounce houses and crafts. $20-$29, additional attractions $5 each. jurassicquest.com F First Coast Opera stages two courtroom satires, Trial By Jury and The Trial of B.B. Wolf, this month. The first is a one-act satire highlighted by colorful costumes. The second has the Big Bad Wolf on trial for his transgressions against some well-known pigs and grandmothers. Each opera is suitable for children of all ages. March 16, 7:30 PM and March 18, 4 PM. Ancient City Baptist Church, St. Augustine. Adults, $35, students, $10. firstcoastopera.com F Mythbuster Adam Savage and YouTube star Michael Stevens team up for Brain Candy Live, a show featuring three tons of toys and tools used in demonstrations designed to answer questions about science. Questions like, “What happens if everyone on earth jumps in the air at exactly the same time?” and “Is it possible to 3D-print a human live onstage?” March 19, 7 PM. Florida Theatre. $27.50-$150. floridatheatre.com F It’s March Madness with a different sort of spin. Take the kids to see the Harlem Globetrotters and ruin them for all future, less impressive basketball games. Meet the players after the game for autographs and high fives. March 21, 7 PM. Veterans Memorial Arena. $17 and up. harlemglobetrotters.com F The Broadway production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid splashes down in Jax March 21-26 with all the movie’s beloved characters and songs. Opening night, March 21, is the Artist Series’ annual Family Night on Broadway, during which local institutions such as the Jacksonville Zoo and Jax libraries bring kids’ activities to the theatre. T-U Center. $38.50-$99.50. artistseriesjax.org F Bugs Bunny introduced many adults to classical music. Children can get that same first impression with Bugs Bunny at the Symphony. The Jacksonville Symphony performs some of classical music’s best-known works accompanied by a big screen showing the original cartoons. April 1, 7 PM, and April 2, 3 PM. T-U Center. $22-$77. jaxsymphony.org u —JT
WHAT’S FAIR IS FAIR 30TH ANNUAL CLAY COUNTY FAIR KICKS OFF The Clay County Agricultural Fair ($5-$7) returns March 30 through April 8. The event offers a variety of concerts by artists including Chris Lane and Wynonna Judd, k-9 Frisbee dog shows, livestock exhibitions, carnival rides and games. Entertainment for the kids includes pig races, a dinosaur strolling act, magic shows, parades and agri-puppets. Clay County Fairgrounds, 2493 State Road 16 W., Green Cove Springs. u —SC MARCh 2017 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM
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ALL IN THE FAMILY
NORTHEAST FLORIDA’S NEW HOME COMMUNITIES KNOW WHAT PARENTS AND KIDS WANT
M
oving with children adds another important criteria to the relocation selection process. Once children are in the picture, potential home buyers need the whole package: kid-friendly amenities, close proximity to necessities and a safe environment. Many look to planned communities for these qualities. Allison Chance, Realtor with Hover Girl Properties and contributor to Jacksonville Moms Blog suggests families thoroughly explore each area before making a decision. “Test out the commutes to school and work and determine how much time you want to spend in the car everyday,” she says. “Drive the neighborhoods in the summertime and survey the environment. It’s nice to see families out walking and kids going to the park.” Duval, Clay and St. Johns Counties are known to feature some of the fastest growing master-planned communities and neighborhoods in the state—causing Northeast Florida to become more inviting to families with children. Sorry, retirees. “Communities like Nocatee, Durbin Crossing, Oakleaf Plantation are so popular because they fulfill a need for families who want the ease of a suburban lifestyle, but appreciate some of the old fashioned advantages of small town living,” says Donny Mak, director of marketing at Bloom Realty. “The social interaction, activities and amazing amenities are far beyond what you'd experience in a big suburban tract neighborhood.” Despite a bit of a slowdown in sales in 2016, according to real estate consulting firm RCLCO, St. Johns County development Nocatee was still ranked as the third-fastest growing master-planned community in the country for the year with 973 new homes sold. These types of residential plans include resort-style recreational amenities such as parks, golf courses, lakes, bike paths, jogging trails and water parks, and are designed to keep shopping centers, schools and restaurants in close proximity for its residents. “They are what I like to call the Disney World for families because everything is at the convenience of their back door,” says Anita Vining, Realtor at Berkshire Hathaway. “Walkability to neighborhood schools, multiple pools, playgrounds and picnic pavilions, sports fields and dog parks offer a lifestyle that basically they can stay within the community and never leave unless they want to.”
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Many of these communities have fees to cover various costs associated with the amenities offered but many homebuyers consider them to be worth it. “The ameni-
ties in many cases are hard to beat,” says Realtor Missy DeKay. “The cost per family is generally a worthwhile investment as it helps to protect property values.” u —CJ
Bartram Springs
Nocatee
Yellow Bluff
SELECT NORTHEAST FLORIDA MASTER-PLANNED COMMUNITIES BARTRAM SPRINGS Duval County RESIDENTIAL UNITS: approx.
1,700 AMENITIES INCLUDE: club-
house, junior Olympic pool, recreation pool, toddler wading pool, waterslide, picnic gazebo, saunas, fitness center, basketball courts, tennis courts, dog park, library
DURBIN CROSSING St. Johns County RESIDENTIAL UNITS: approx.
JULINGTON CREEK PLANTATION St. Johns County RESIDENTIAL UNITS: approx.
5,900 AMENITIES INCLUDE: childcare,
cafe, fitness center, family pool with slide, heated competition pool, eight tennis courts, youth sports camps, skate park, basketball courts, sand volleyball court, splash park, aquatics complex with additional family pool and competition pool
2,000 AMENITIES INCLUDE: two club-
houses, junior Olympic pool, water slide, fitness center, six lighted tennis courts, two basketball courts, volleyball court, children’s play areas, multipurpose field
EAGLE LANDING AT OAKLEAF PLANTATION Clay County RESIDENTIAL UNITS: 20,000
MARKLAND St. Johns County RESIDENTIAL UNITS: 345
planned
course, clubhouse, pro shop, sports bar, banquet and catering services, water playground, heated pool, fun pool with water slide, competition pool with diving wells, poolside cafe, diving boards, cabana bar, clay sports courts, fitness center, gym, coffee shop, ice cream parlor, general store, game and multipurpose room, amphitheater with stage, hiking and biking trails, parks, tree house, lake house, birthday pavilion
PALENCIA St. Johns County RESIDENTIAL UNITS: 2,350
planned AMENITIES INCLUDE: club-
house, pro shop, golf course, tennis courts, three baseball diamonds, soccer field, basketball court, children’s playground, family picnic pavilion, four swimming pools, fitness center, spa, eight miles of nature trails and boardwalks
RIVERTOWN St. Johns County RESIDENTIAL UNITS: 4,500
AMENITIES INCLUDE: pool with
approved
cabanas and lounge areas, fitness center and yoga studio, gathering and entertainment room, tennis courts, children’s playground and an interconnected network of parks and walkways
AMENITIES INCLUDE: fitness
planned for Oakleaf Plantation AMENITIES INCLUDE: golf
kids swimming facility, soccer field, lighted tennis court, kids park, poolside cabana, gazebo
NOCATEE St. Johns County RESIDENTIAL UNITS: 12,579
approved AMENITIES INCLUDE: water
park, children’s playground, family pool, poolside cabana, sand volleyball court, fitness center, zip line, banquet and event rental space, kayak launch, jogging and biking trails
PABLO BAY Duval County RESIDENTIAL UNITS: 450 AMENITIES INCLUDE: adult and
center, clubhouse, water slide, heated junior Olympic lap pool, heated family splash pool, poolside veranda, nature trails, fishing pier, riverfront park, three lighted tennis courts, playing field, community playground, kayak launch, river-view terraces
YELLOW BLUFF LANDING Duval County RESIDENTIAL UNITS: 680
planned AMENITIES INCLUDE: club-
house, fitness center, veranda with outdoor fireplace, pool with kid’s splash fun zone, two lighted tennis courts, playground, sand volleyball court, soccer field, baseball field, two basketball courts, fenced dog park u
Camp Out
KONA SKATEPARK
MOCA ART CAMPS
Campers can ride down the infamous Snake Run, an iconic staple in one of the Tony Hawk Pro Skater video games. Advanced, intermediate and beginning skateboard instruction, visits from local pros, races and contests are all included. $199 per week non-members; $169 per week members beginning the week of June 13. konaskatepark.com
Each project assigned to the campers ages 4-14 is ingrained with the contemporary and historical artistic context of the pieces. Campers explore nearby art galleries and UNF nature trails. Camps begin the week of June 5, 9 AM-4 PM. Full day, $230 nonmembers; $196 members per week. mocajacksonville.org
THE FIRST TEE OF NORTH FLORIDA
The City of Jacksonville Parks Division hosts this camp which encourages kids to explore the waters and coastline of Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park. Sand castles, surfing and environmental learning adventures are just some of the activities which make up the list. Camp begins May 2. $150 per two week session, coj.net
Instructors help guide young golfers’ swings and campers can expect group exercises, games and competitions throughout the week. The First Tee emphasizes their nine core values and healthy habits, helping bring up a class of young golfers who demonstrate professionalism on and off the links. Locations include Brentwood Golf Course, Palm Valley Golf Club and St. Johns and Country Club. Half-day (offered for kids ages 5-8) and Full-day options available, $100$175 per week. thefirstteenorthflorida.org
DIAMOND D HORSE RANCH Kids aged 8-17 learn all about horsemanship, from grooming and conditioning to health and nutrition. Campers can expect to take part in an old-fashioned cattle drive, while the overnight campers ride under the stars and on the trails of the 26,000-acre Jennings State Forest. Four sessions beginning the week of June 26. $508 per week for day campers; $829 per week for overnight campers. diamonddranchinc.com
JAX SURF & PADDLE Hang ten in Jacksonville Beach with Jax Surf and Paddle’s Surf Camp. All equipment is provided, with focus placed on the fundamentals of surfing. Sessions are separated into skill-appropriate levels. Yoga, races, beach sports and a Friday pizza party included. Full day prices $335 per week, 9 AM-3 PM, June 5-August 11. jacksonvillesurfandpaddle.com
OCEAN CAMP
KAYAK AMELIA NATURE CAMP At the discretion of the counselor, day one will focus on fundamentals, while days two through five take campers on a journey to the Kingsley Plantation, Little Talbot Beach, stand-up paddleboarding at Huguenot lagoon, and a bike and hike at Big Talbot state park. There are two week sessions for kids aged 7-10, and two for those aged 11-14. Classes begin June 20, 9 AM-4 PM, $250 per week, kayakamelia.com
JACKSONVILLE BEACH JUNIOR LIFEGUARD CAMP Boys and girls aged 9 to 15 learn what it takes to be a lifeguard, including life saving techniques, interpreting weather patterns and use of equipment. Those who demonstrate a high level of determination and ability are invited to advanced level courses and an end-of-camp competition. The camp is held in all weather and sea conditions, and potential visitors should expect to be challenged. Classes begin the second week of June. Mon-Fri, 9 AM-4 PM, $185 per week for the first session; $135 week for additional sessions. jacksonvillebeach.org u —JC MARCH 2017 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM
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FINDING YOUR WAY FOLLOWING A COMPASS AND MAP ISN’T A DEAD ART. NOT YET.
O
rienteering competitions began in the U.S. in the 1940s. Now it’s become a kind of outdoor adventure that attracts thousands. “Orienteering is the activity of finding your way around unfamiliar terrain. It is the art of map reading,” says Ray Bruneau, information and publicity manager of the Florida Orienteering Club.
What you do: Participants use a topographical map to locate a series of checkpoints, or controls. During a competition times are recorded through either a punch card or digital recording. The person with the fastest time wins. Who it’s for: “Anyone from ages six to eighty-six,” says Bruneau. What you need: Comfortable outdoor clothes, a water bottle, sunscreen, bug spray and athletic shoes. “Participants only need a compass when they change direction,” says Bruneau. The specific course’s topographical map is necessary, too. For beginners: To teach your kids map skills, start in a park. Draw a map with landmarks like a pond, power lines, bridges and sidewalks. Buy a simple compass to help them learn how to navigate. “Parents show the children where they’re standing on the map, and point out where to go,” Bruneau explains. If you want to make a game out of it, set up your own controls—you could even hide prizes at each. Florida Orienteering hosts a competition at the Florida Agricultural Museum in Palm Coast on May 20. A permanent course is set up for those who wish to practice. u —MH
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Guana
live & learn GUANA TOLOMATO MATANZAS NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE On the first Saturday of every month, guests are led through a discussion on the cultural and natural history of the oceanside park while discovering the biodiversity of the landscape. More than 5,000 years of human history, plantation life and estuarine resources are discussed as well as how to maintain them for future generations. Hike begins at the trailhead at 8:30 AM, and guests are encouraged to wear closed-toe shoes. The reserve also hosts seine, or dragnet, exhibitions on fourth Saturdays, 8:30-10:30 AM. Staff and volunteers lead guests through the process of placing and retrieving the long nets, while information and identification of fish and other aquatic species are discussed by professionals. Waders, boots and other gear provided. Free to the public, parking is $3. 823.4500, Ponte Vedra Beach.
JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAMS Six Northeast Florida State Parks, including Anastasia Island and Big and Little Talbot Islands are seeking enlistees for the Junior Rangers Program. At each participating park, pick up a Junior Ranger Kit and get started with a quick test and initiation. From campfire cooking to animal tracking and night sky star identification, Junior Rangers complete over 25 outdoor activities and pass a Ranger’s test before becoming a full member of the squad. Patches, pins and badges are awarded for completing tasks. (850) 245.2157
JACKSONVILLE ARBORETUM & GARDENS The third Saturday of every month through May, the Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens in Arlington hosts its Discovering
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Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens
Nature Nearby Series. Start your own nature journal, where making leaf rubbings, taking photos and drawing are encouraged. On March 18, an instructor leads guests on a discussion about climate change and a carbon emissions experiment will follow. On April 15, bee and butterfly expert Joan Kramer discusses native pollinators, insect release and specimen collection. Finally, on May 20, Annie More, former Clay County Extension agent and Wild Florida member, leads guests through a walk discovering native plants and field identification. jacksonvillearboretum.com
FORT MATANZAS Beginning at 9:30am nearly every day of the year, a ferry waits to take guests across the Matanzas River to Matanzas National Monument. The fort, built by the Spanish in 1742 as a first line of defense for the colony of St. Augustine, stands as a visible reminder of a much different period in Florida’s history. Park service members often sport traditional uniforms, fire cannon and musket demonstrations and present oral histories of the area from pre-Colombian times through present day. 471.0116
FLORIDA AGRICULTURAL MUSEUM Take a two-hour tour of a depression-era citrus farm, an 1890s pioneer homestead, a cowboy’s museum and John Hewitt’s 1770s water-powered sawmill at this working museum in Palm Coast. Farm animals live on the property and some are available for petting. The museum also hosts equestrian trails for guided rides or riding lessons. All of the activities are aimed at producing a historically accurate depiction of Old Florida. 386.7630 u —JC
MARCH 2017 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM
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Yes We Can! GYM APPEALS TO KIDS OF ALL ABILITIES
From the Publisher of Jacksonville Magazine yourhealth
Mental Illness
yourhealth
at an Typically Begins
than many a much earlier onset has ental illnesses have Overall, mental illness other chronic diseases. overall before 33, with the an average age of onset 14. disorder onset being average age of any Youth Risk Bepart in the biannual for Disease Our community takes conducted by the Centers havior Survey (YRBS) as a tool to deterThe survey serves have proven Control and Prevention. risk behaviors that health of frequency and social probmine the of death, disability, States. The surto be the leading causes and adults in the United to plan lems among youth communities participating vey results can help progress. issues and monitor on the 2015 strategies to address and well-being questions The mental health that: YRBS survey revealed
M
healthy balance What Do You Think You Hear the Term “Mental Health?”
30
When
Early Age
school students and 19.7% of high • 27% of middle school attempting suicide. seriously considered of high school students school and 19.3% suicide. • 17.9% of middle how they would attempt made a plan about of high school students school and 18.9% • 11.3% of middle during the 12 one or more times attempted suicide survey. months before the student results. are the high school Of particular concern school students rehigh County Duval The data demonstrates suicide at rates and actually attempting indicate a port contemplating average. Our local results higher than the national number of local initiatives to inare a programs, need for action. There mental health supports, crease local youth-oriented care and work with young people. who and training for adults
primarily produces or many “mental health” or mental disorders and illness, thoughts of mental mental Mental health is not mental disabilities. is an imporof well-being that illness. It is a state People health and well-being. tant part of general health can: with optimal mental abilities • Realize their own stresses of life normal the with • Cope
F
:
• Work productively to the community • Make a contribution are considabout 17% of U.S adults It is estimated that health. of optimal mental ered to be in a state health. It is the converse of mental health condiMental illness is the mental disorders or collection of all diagnosablechanges in thinking, mood, or by tions that are indicated associated with combination thereof) illnesses are behavior (or some functioning. Mental distress and/or impaired like heart disease is a disease of much diseases of the brain, is disease of the pancreas. the heart or diabetes
:
YOURHEALTH
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YOURHEALTH
Turnip
Turnips may be eaten raw or cooked. Small to medium ones are usually the sweetest. Turnips tend to get bitter with prolonged storage, so only a few days in the refrigerator are recommended before Nutrition benefits: eating. cholesterol and fat free and low in sodium; excellent source of vitamin C.
Grapefruit Look for grapefruits with blemishfree skin. About the size of a softball, a quality fruit will feel heavy for its size. Store either at room temperature or in the fridge for up to three weeks. Nutrition benefits: High in vitamin C and A; free of fat, saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol.
of cancer drugs on the heart. Recently, a new subspecialty—carto dio-oncology—has emerged specifically address the cardiovascular health of cancer patients. the “Nowadays we know what We drugs are that cause problems. to do collaborate with our colleagues patients, follow-ups with our cancer to including regular echocardiograms chemotherassess any damage from YOURHEALTH “To limit 77 apy,” Dr. Landolfo explains. a drug toxicity, we may recommend if the be limited or, put on hold sustained heart has weakened and damage.” in this area. Research is also ongoing geneticist Nadine Norton, Ph.D., a Clinic who is a part of the Mayo GeBreast Cancer Translational studying nomics Program, is actively therapeutics the link between cancer
if there and heart disease. Specifically, be afis a way to predict who will fected. of breast Women who have a type are usually cancer known as HER2+ known as given a targeted therapy to have trastuzumab, which is known Many cardiotoxicity in some patients. followwomen receive trastuzumab ing treatment with another chemotherapy drug, doxorubicin, negatively which is also known to impact the heart. medica“Not all patients on these function tions have a decline in heart way to but we don’t have any reliable to,” predict who that might happen that the rate says Dr. Norton, adding differs beof and extent of damage on the tween patients, even those people, same treatment. “For most once they the effects are reversible patients finish treatment but some
eart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, with more than 600,000 to people dying annually, according Control and the Centers for Disease from the Prevention. Recent reports indicate American Cancer Society die that almost as many Americans each year from cancer.
H
not seem While the two diseases may related, the connection between is not unheart disease and cancer
some of the common. Unfortunately, in cancer life-saving therapies used the heart. care can cause damage to “For most cancer patients, of care chemotherapy is the standard years, we for treatment. But over the drugs can have learned that certain system and affect the cardiovascular muscle,” cause damage to the heart Carolyn says Mayo Clinic cardiologist Landolfo, M.D.
has been A variety of medication abnorlinked to high blood pressure, increased mal heart rhythms and an the imrisk for blood clots. Though ing pacts may be temporary—occurr on the only while the patient is caused drug—some therapies have in irreversible damage, resulting says. heart failure, Dr. Landolfo work At Mayo Clinic, cardiologists to preside-by-side with oncologists effects vent and reduce the negative
DO YOU READ ME? JAX BOOK FEST BRINGS NATIONAL AUTHORS TO DOWNTOWN
treatment may be withdrawn from early if cardiotoxicity is apparent.” percentage Norton adds that a small conof patients develop irreversible is rare but gestive heart failure.“This to be able it is still important for us will be to predict which patients to protect affected and to find a way their hearts,” she says. a part, Dr. Believing genetics plays variants Norton is reviewing genetic to idenof cancer patients and hoping risk of a tify those that might increase patient’s likelihood of cardiotoxicity. on DNA, “If we can predict, based for develwhich patients are at risk on the oping cardiac issues based we can current standards of care, the design experiments to identify each patient mechanism of toxicity in it,” she and then hopefully prevent says.
YOURHEALTH
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SEARCHING S Cancer ANSWERBattling FOR Keeping Heart Healthy When
22
We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym on Philips Highway is an indoor sensory playground designed for children with special needs. “Kids feel comfortable in the gym. There’s no loud music, no over stimulating colors. It’s set up to be sensory friendly,” says co-owner Marissa Chunn. The specialized equipment helps children learn and play at the same time. For example, the swing apparatus promotes balance whereas the trampoline builds lower body strength and coordination. The arts and crafts section helps foster imagination. Quality bonding time is also a priority. “Parents are encouraged to do as much as the kids are doing,” Chunn says. Open play is held daily. 9 AM-6 PM. u —MH
YOURHEALTH
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YOURHEALTH
For Advertising & Sponsor Information, Call (904) 389-3622 • JacksonvilleMag.com
The Jacksonville Public Library’s Jax Book Fest on March 25, 10 AM-3 PM, is chock full of children’s authors and illustrators, zine creators, young poets and Florida authors, all gathered at the Downtown Main Library. Events both educational and entertaining for the kids include face painting, balloons and animal encounters courtesy of the Jacksonville Zoo. Writers including picture book author Karen Beaumont and Maggie Stiefvater of the young adult fiction genre will speak, along with meet-and-greets, book signings and self-publishing classes. Free. ilovejpl.org u —SC
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JACKSONVILLE MAGAZINE’S
TOP TEACHER PROFILES Cindy Hall GREENWOOD SCHOOL
C
indy Hall’s influence as an educator reaches far beyond her primary teaching course load as Greenwood’s Art teacher. Cindy draws on over 40 years of experience to enhance Greenwood students’ growth in and out of the classroom. Cindy’s talents in the classroom extend from the fine arts to history’s depths from sculpture and painting to the profundity of the Holocaust. Outside of the classroom Cindy coaches students in the logic of Chess, the discipline of Archery and a sense of community through volunteerism. Cindy exemplifies holistic teaching and gives students every opportunity to discover and develop their own talents.
greenwoodjax.org
GREENWOOD SCHOOL
9920 Regency Square Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32225 • (904) 726-5000
Steve Williams
Nancy Hockenbery
ST. MARK'S EPISCOPAL DAY SCHOOL
JACKSONVILLE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL
S
N
teve Williams’ fifth and sixth grade students will tell you their favorite subject is Math. While teaching American history is his passion, it is his expertise of making math fun and relatable that instills a love of learning in each of his students. Steve attributes his 44-year teaching career, with 26 of those years at St. Mark’s, to going home every day knowing he has helped someone learn. The energy, faith, and humor of his students keeps him going, and he feels blessed to be able to see the product of his work. ST. MARK'S EPISCOPAL DAY SCHOOL
stmarksdayschool.org
4114 Oxford Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32210 • (904) 388-2632
A DV ERTI S I N G F E AT U RE
ancy Hockenbery is a top teacher at Jacksonville Country Day School (JCDS). The 6th grade teacher embodies the school’s mission of developing lifelong learners through her growth mindset. She earned her masters degree at age 50 and says, “The key to a full life is to open yourself each day to new learning opportunities and experiences.” To Nancy, teaching is all about relationships. Having respect in the classroom is important, but her students know that she is there for them and wants them to succeed. Nancy also models the JCDS mission focus on healthy living: she is an avid runner who just completed the Donna Half-Marathon and is training for the Gate River Run. Character, another component of the JCDS mission, is also essential to Nancy. She asks herself everyday, “How can I help someone?” JACKSONVILLE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL
jcds.com
10063 Baymeadows Road, Jacksonville, FL 32256 • (904) 641-6644
words by Jocelyn Tolbert // photography by Bullet
JACKSONVILLE
ABANDONED
In any metropolitan area, history must make way for progress. That’s especially true in Florida, where buildings are routinely torn down or abandoned to prepare for the new, the bigger and the better. Downtown Jax is no stranger to abandoned structures. Here are rare looks inside five such buildings, landmarks which have stood the test of time—but for which time may be running out. 52 |
JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM / MARCH 2017
Annie Lytle Elementary School Most people have noticed the abandoned elementary school which sits frightfully close to where an elevated section of I-95 connects to I-10. Its pediment is emblazoned with “Public School Number Four,” but the school was named Annie Lytle Elementary School after a longtime teacher. The building was constructed on the site of a small wooden schoolhouse built in 1891. It was closed in 1960—the proximity of the aforementioned interstates isolated it from the neighborhood—but it was used as school system administration offices for more than a decade. Today, the building’s regal columns belie the decay inside. Graffiti covers what’s left of the walls and a fire in 1995 caused the auditorium’s roof to cave in. In 2000, the building received historic landmark designation, halting demolition plans.
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Moulton & Kyle Funeral Home In 1851, Vermont businessman Calvin Oak was told he had tuberculosis and six months to live. Undeterred, he moved to Jacksonville where the more agreeable weather may have had a hand in keeping Oak around for another 30 years. Apparently not a superstitious man, he and his son Byron went into the mortuary business in 1856. After Calvin’s death, the business grew into Moulton & Kyle Funeral Home, and architecture firm Mark & Sheftall was commissioned to build this two-story Prairie School-style building on Union Street. Construction was completed in 1914. The business changed hands a few times but eventually became part of Peeples Family Funeral Home in Riverview. Peeples closed the location on Union Street in 2013, a few months shy of a century of continuous operation.
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Claude Nolan Cadillac The Claude Nolan Cadillac Building on North Main St. is one of the only Urban Core structures designed by famed architect Henry J. Klutho to remain standing today. Its original Prairie-style design and large plate glass windows are but a faint memory, as it was remodeled in 1948, completely obscuring the original façade. The cornice and canopy were removed, and the delicate bricks were covered with art deco-style marble paneling. Today the windows are boarded up, but the grand interior has, for the most part, survived. Claude Nolan, who founded the Cadillac dealership—the first such business in Jacksonville—in 1907, was one of the city’s best-known innovators. He’s credited with originating the idea of selling cars on installments in 1910, a practice that was soon adopted by the entire automotive industry. Nolan died in 1943, but his family continued to operate the business here until 1985, when the decline of Downtown began to take a toll on sales. The dealership was moved to Southside Blvd., where it remains in business today.
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Jones Brothers Furniture Company
Abandoned Florida was founded in 2009 as a way to share information about neglected and distressed places throughout Florida and to promote their preservation. While the website abandonedfl.com allows guest photographers and writers to contribute, most of the work is done by photographer “Bullet,” a Floridian who has traveled throughout the U.S. documenting abandoned places.
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Three brothers founded the Jones Furniture Company in 1902 following the construction boom that came after the Great Fire of 1901. W.G. and Michael K. Jones employed their younger brother R.L. Jones in the store for a time, but by 1910 R.L. had started a rival company— Standard Furniture. In 1926, he developed this building on Hogan St., one story taller than his brothers’ six-story building on Main. Standard’s building was designed by architect Jefferson D. Powell and features Mediterranean Revival detailing, prism glass above the street level entrance and a wrought-iron staircase. Eventually, R.L. Jones’ sons purchased Jones Furniture Company and merged the two together, keeping the Jones Brothers name and operating out of this building. In 2005, the empty and neglected structure was slated to be renovated into an office complex, but that has not come to fruition.
Horace Drew Mansion Dr. Horace Drew was a physician and grandson of businessman Columbus Drew. This house, built in 1909 and now named for its first resident, is a rarity in Jacksonville. Even among the beautiful homes in Springfield, the house stands out. Its eclectic design borrows from the Tudor Revival, Queen Anne and Spanish Colonial Revival styles, and uses concrete blocks to create hexagonal columns, a tower and projecting bays. The home is as storied as it is odd. It is rumored that a human head was found buried in the back yard in 1970. The head was said to have been stolen from a local medical center by an orderly who would bring his friends by the “haunted house” to show them. Two boys discovered the head after a rainstorm, still inside an airtight bag which had prevented it from decomposing. Today the Bourre Construction Group has plans to restore the mansion. Though the company purchased the property in 2015 and no work has begun, a spokesperson for the project says it’s still in the works. u
MARCH 2017 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM
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STING WINE TA
GALA
G ET Y O U R TICKETS TO DAY
Great Wine. Great Food. Greater Cause.
Friday, Ma rch 17 6:30-9:30 PM
!
WELLS FAR G O C EN DOWNTO WN JACKS TER ONVILLE
Tickets: $13
0 at tcjayf
und.org
“The shocking news went through our entire team,” recalls When Tom Coughlin was tapped in January to return to the coach Coughlin of the shattering diagnosis. “Both Judy and I city where he began his NFL coaching career and started the Jay knew if we ever had a chance to give back, it would be Fund Foundation, he jumped at the chance. “I'm grateful to be in the spirit, in the name of, Jay McGillis.” Following back here in Jacksonville... and it's time for us to get to Jay’s funeral, Coughlin continued to stay in touch work,” Coughlin said in a January press conference. with the McGillis family. “I have a vested interest in the historical presence When the Jacksonville Jaguars hired Coughlin in and success of the Jacksonville Jaguars. I believe our 1995, he decided he was in a position to make good great fans deserve a team they can be proud of.” It’s on his promise. He picked up the phone and dialed that spirit of dedication that sets Coach Coughlin Jay’s mother, Pat McGillis. apart. He views every single day as an opportunity to “I was just elated when he called,” Ms. McGillis “waste it or use it for good.” Nothing captures this said. “He said, ‘I’m going to establish the Jay Fund aspect of Coughlin better than his true legacy, the Tom in memory of Jay. And we’re going to help Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation. children with cancer. We’re going to do all we can The foundation, now in its twenty-second year, helps to be there for these families.’” families in the Jacksonville and New York/New Jersey He hosts the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Wine areas tackle childhood cancer. The foundation is named Tasting Gala on Friday, March 17, 6:30-9:30 PM at for Jay McGillis, one of Coach Coughlin’s players from hlin the Wells Fargo Center in Downtown his time at Boston College. It was in Coughlin’s first year Coach Coug with Jay Jacksonville. The event is an essential source of at BC, during a game against Syracuse, that McGillis felt McGillis at ge Boston Colle revenue which allows the Jay Fund to BE something was wrong. What was originally thought to THERE, providing financial, emotional, and be a case of mononucleosis would end up diagnosed as practical support for local families tackling childhood cancer. leukemia. Jay McGillis died at home in his bed eight tcjayfund.org months later on July 3, 1992. He was 22. MARCH 2017 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM
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FAMILIES OF THE TOM COUGHLIN JAY FUND FOUNDATION
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welve-year-old Ethan Branck was an energetic soccer player with big dreams. His family had just relocated to St. Augustine, and he was getting into a routine at school and with his new soccer team when he started to feel lethargic on the pitch and in the classroom. Ethan began complaining of pain in his knee, hip and ankle. His parents, Mike and Lisa, were deeply concerned about their child’s health. After a series of doctor’s visits, they received the earth-shattering news: Ethan was suffering from Metastatic Ewing Sarcoma, a cancerous tumor that grows in the bones or in the tissues around the bones. In Ethan’s case, it had spread to the bone marrow. “To think about what was happening to Ethan was so overwhelming,” Mike Branck chokes up as he recalls hearing Ethan’s diagnosis and struggling with how to explain it to his six other children. To add to the devastation, the family felt isolated and alone in their new community. Lisa and Mike leaned on each other and their older children to figure out their new normal. Mike remembers, “It was tough. We had to make lots of adjustments.” Treatments were long and grueling, requiring Ethan and his mom to travel to Jacksonville where he would go through chemotherapy at Wolfson Children’s Hospital. With Lisa and Ethan gone for up to a week at a time, Mike was left to wear both parental hats and keep life “normal” for their other children. Cooking, watching movies, making certain homework was done, kids getting to school and daycare and eating together were key to keeping family life in a regular routine. Ethan’s normal became one day at a
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time. Whatever sacrifice the family had to make, they did to help Ethan get better. From November when he was diagnosed to the following July when he received his last treatment, Ethan would spend every holiday, every birthday in the hospital. This extended time in treatment is one reason the Jay Fund is committed to improving quality of patient life at treatment centers. Families like the Brancks spend weeks in the hospital and the Jay Fund provides snacks, games, holiday celebrations and special celebrity visits to divert attention away from the painful process of tackling childhood cancer. Painful process is an understatement for Ethan. The young cancer patient did not enjoy the needle pricks he had to endure or the powerful drugs flowing through his body to kill the cancer cells which left him exhausted and weak. When his parents told him that his right leg would need to be amputated from the middle, down, Ethan surprised his parents with his courage. Mike laughs in retrospect, “When he woke-up from surgery he was making jokes and saying he was happy to have it gone.” “There was a lot of fear and frustration, but Lisa and I tried to keep that between us. We wanted to keep a strong front for all of our children,” says Mike. The expense of cancer also took its toll on the family. “Insurance issues hit us really hard. We had a lot of outgoing expenses, so this situation put a lot of strain on our family.” The Brancks struggled with the balancing act of helping Ethan get well, and meeting financial obligations. “Our social worker suggested we reach out to the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund, and ever since that happened, we feel like we gained another
family. It’s not just the financial assistance—they’ve helped us pay our mortgage several times— it’s the phone calls to check in and the events where they invite us to do something as a family. The events, in particular, are a conduit for us to do normal things together with others going through the same thing. It let us be a family again, even if it’s just for a day,” says Mike. Lisa, whose family lives out of the country, was plagued with loneliness throughout this painful time. Tom Coughlin Jay Fund was able to offer some respite with a wellness retreat for mothers of children with cancer. “This was a year of hell. Lonely, painful hell. But one weekend spent with an amazing bunch of women, who have all gone through or are going through the same hell, and I feel like me again. I'm so thankful and extremely blessed for the life changing experience, for the love and laughter and the genuine friendships made at the retreat,” she says. Mike is also grateful for the visit Tom Coughlin made to the hospital and a letter of encouragement from New York Giants linebacker and cancer survivor Mark Herzlich. “Ethan was touched by the note and took Mark’s words to heart,” says Lisa. The Jay Fund is committed to providing this type of encouragement in addition to financial and emotional support. For the next five years, the Branck family will continue to live on pins and needles whenever they know a scan is coming up. They try to be optimistic and take it one day at a time, but cancer has left them emotionally scarred and wondering what’s next. It is the mission of the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund to continue to BE THERE as they face the unknown.
E
very year in Jacksonville approximately 100 families have a child diagnosed with cancer. With treatment lasting anywhere from a few months to a year or more, the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund has made it their mission to help these families tackle childhood cancer by providing comprehensive financial, emotional and practical support. According to a new study from DanaFarber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, almost one-third of families whose children were being treated for cancer face food, housing or energy insecurity, and one-quarter lost more than 40 percent of household income. Dustin and Leesa Sellers are all too familiar with housing insecurity, losing income, and the emotional toll created by childhood cancer. Leesa vividly remembers the day she noticed something wasn’t quite right with one-year-old Gabrielle’s eye. Her grandmother told Leesa she noticed something, too. A doctor’s appointment was made immediately. The doctor was concerned and ordered an MRI. While waiting on the results, the Sellers went about their daily errands. Leesa remembers getting the call as they were leaving the grocery store, “They said they saw a tumor behind her eye and she needed to begin chemotherapy treatment
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right away. It terrified me. My heart dropped to my stomach. I cried. I couldn’t function at work,” she says as she breaks into sobs. “I don’t understand why this happened to Gabrielle.” Gabrielle’s diagnosis required Leesa to be there for her daughter 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The diagnosis was traumatic, and within days of that phone call, Leesa also found out she was pregnant. “It was a lot to go through at the same time.” Gabrielle began chemotherapy right away. The treatments were once a week, every week for a year. Leesa recalls, “We had to sit there for hours. She would get her treatment and then she would be sick. She wouldn’t want to eat
anything for a day or two, and then she would go back to her normal self until the next week and we would have to do it all over again.” Frequent hospital visits, weekly treatments and the round-the-clock care her daughter requires has taken a toll on Leesa’s professional career, as well as the Seller’s family finances. “I’ve missed so much work. You only have so much time off for medical family leave, and I’ve already exhausted that. So, if they have to let me go, they have to. My daughter comes first,” Leesa says without hesitation. “Cancer is beyond expensive. We got behind on our bills. The Jay Fund has helped us make up the difference on our
rent several times. Every time we ask, they help. I don’t know what we would have done without their assistance.” The hardship of work disruption or complete loss of employment is an issue for families who have a child diagnosed with pediatric cancer. Parents like Leesa who take on the expanded caregiver responsibilities are not in the minority. According to the Dana-Farber study, by six months after diagnosis, 56 percent of adults who support their families experienced a disruption of their work. Everything has become secondary to the Sellers. Their primary focus is ensuring their daughter gets better. The disease has impacted every facet of the family’s life, including simple socializing. Chemotherapy often leaves a patient feeling like they have the flu and susceptible to infection and illness. For this reason, Gabrielle had to be taken out of day care. “I feel bad because she doesn’t get out at all. She doesn’t get to interact with kids her own age, just her baby sister and she’s only seven months old.” While Gabrielle is not able to socialize in day care right now, the Jay Fund provides opportunities to make her life a little brighter. Gabrielle and her family enjoyed suite tickets to the circus earlier this year, and had fun eating cookies and bouncing on trampolines at the Jay Fund Valentine’s Day party. While kids have fun, moms like Leesa have a chance to meet other mothers facing the unthinkable, creating a network of Jay Fund families for support. Through 21 years of service, the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund has helped thousands of families just like the Sellers. Attending the Wine Gala is one way you can BE THERE for families facing the unthinkable. Learn more at tcjayfund.org.
WINE TASTING GALA
BE THERE: Friday, March 17 • 6:30-9:30 PM • Wells Fargo Center • tcjayfund.org One of Jacksonville’s most anticipated events, the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Wine Tasting Gala has been voted best charity gala by Jacksonville Magazine readers. Cuisine from the area’s top restaurants and world-class wines are offered in a walkabout format. More than 800 guests eat, drink and social-
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ize with Coach Coughlin and other celebrity participants. The 2017 Wine Tasting Gala will feature more than 250 wines from around the globe. According to Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits, the Jay Fund Gala offers one of the most dramatic arrays of red, white, sparkling, and blended wines
found at any fundraiser of its type in North Florida. Just a few of the sought-after brands available for sample include: Ferrari Carano, Moet & Chandon, Perrier Jouet, Beringer, Conundrum, Francis Ford Coppola and Rodney Strong. According to many wine aficionados, red blends are becom-
ing popular as the winemaker has the ability to blend different grapes to exemplify personal style and the characteristics of the region in which wine is produced. The gala will feature more than 20 of these trendy blends from which to choose. Get your tickets today so you can experience and taste for yourself.
SPONSORS GRAND CRU
W I N E
TA S T I N G
G A L A
BE THERE
Tickets available at tcjayfund.org
2017 PARTICIPATING FOOD PURVEYORS: III Forks Steakhouse Azurea Restaurant at One Ocean Resort bb’s Restaurant & Bar Biscottis Bistro Aix | II Desco | Ovinte Black Sheep Restaurant Bono’s and Pastiche Catering Buddha Thai Bistro Catering by Liz The Chart House Coffee Perks Eleven South Bistro Gumbo YaYa’s Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grille Havana Jax & Cuba Libre Bar HAWKERS Asian Street Fare Jaxon Social Restaurant & Bar Marker 32 Mojo BBQ Nothing Bundt Cakes Peterbrooke Bake Studio & Peterbrooke The Potter’s House Soul Food Bistro Publix Apron’s Cooking School | Event Planning | Catering Pusser’s Bar and Grille Restaurant 619 Ocean View Restaurant Orsay River City Brewing Company Roy’s Ruth’s Chris Steak House Salt Life Food Shack Seasons 52 Sweet by Holly Sweet Pete’s TacoLu The Fish Company The Wine Cellar
PREMIER CRU
RESERVE Bedell Firm Brent and Sharon Brown Charles Schwab Citra Health Solutions The Devine Heuertz Family The Glenn-Durham Family Hartley Press Inc. Indigo South Capital Kuhn Flowers Macquarie Group
McCall Dentistry Miller Electric Company Pajcic & Pajcic, P.A. Regency Centers Republic Services Selevan's Family Foundation SMG Jacksonville St. Vincent's HealthCare Sterling Search & Consulting Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
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photo courtesy of the Jaguars
ThAnk You! “I personally want to thank the people of Jacksonville for their warm welcome and for their continued support of the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation over the last 21 years. A football team comes together to win, but through the Jay Fund a community comes together to help its own. Coming together in unity of purpose makes us stronger. It makes us better. I’m glad to be back.”
—Tom Coughlin 64 |
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EMPIRE STRIKES BACK 1960S-ERA HOME IS REBORN FOR A FAMILY WHO ENJOYS SPECIAL OCCASIONS AND REASONS TO MAKE A CHANGE words by JULIET JOHNSON // images by AGNES LOPEZ
Oh, the tales Little Pottsburg Creek could tell. We have visited a William Morgan-designed home on one side of the inlet previously in the magazine. This month we take you to another slice of Empire Point, to a former movie location. Though if you were one of the few who saw the film, The Year of Getting To Know Us, starring Jimmy Fallon, Lucy Liu, Tom Arnold and Sharon Stone (dream cast, anyone?) you likely would not recognize the house.
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Design Quarterly
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n 2008 Alan and Ellen Cottrill were looking for a place to start married life. Once blended, their family would have six children— though only four would be at home—all going through high school at the same time. An unusual (and sturdy) house was called for. With friends in Empire Point, they knew and liked the neighborhood. And this was not a couple afraid of renovation. They own a construction company, located a few miles away in San Marco. Among the few houses available, they felt drawn to a mid-century modern with green trim, yellow panels and mad shag rugs. The house had good bones and the position on the creek was irresistible. Plus, it was kinda cool that it had been in a movie. A two-story brick façade gives nothing away. In fact, it’s even a bit confusing as to which is the way in. There is a covered walkway, but the water alongside the driveway pulls visitors towards it and they want to head there first. The parking court, even, has a great view of the creek. Water views stretch from every room, upstairs and down. The living floor is an open plan. Bedrooms run along the second floor, which is also where the pool is located. There are both interior and exterior staircases that lead to it.
The Cottrills both prefer contemporary architecture. Mid-century modern is a natural fit for them thanks to the boxy shapes, straight lines and mix of materials. Floors in a soft beige and bleached wood lend a roughhewn feel to the kitchen, dining space and den, but the family room is in luxuriously rich, dark chocolate-brown stained concrete.
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Travertine complements the walnut paneling in the living room, colors echo in a painting by local artist, Lori Taylor. The yellow and green painting over the stairs is by Jacksonville native Jef Taylor. The master bedroom’s white chair is Alan’s—his quiet spot—where he retreats when the house fills with boisterous family.
Before they moved in, the Cottrills replaced carpeting and repainted. Then they paused while they got the feel of the home and how it would fit their family. However, six weeks before they were to be married, Alan realized they had some cabinet doors at the shop that weren’t being used and they could redo the kitchen before the wedding. The project went down to the wire, with guests coming in one door for the rehearsal dinner while workers left from another. The wedding went off beautifully. Fast forward three years. Now, their daughter is planning an at-home wedding. When the septic system suddenly failed and the entire garden had to be torn up, renovation promptly commenced. With a new retaining wall added, the gardens evolved into a series of rooms around a gazebo, a swing (constructed from an old pallet), a dining space with lights strung across (from the first wedding), the dock, the fire pit and an outdoor kitchen. When a second daughter planned her wedding, the Cottrills decided the ugly ’60s fireplace in the family room had to go. New lighting, a sleek cabinet and floating shelves to echo the tidal creek’s meandering pulse outside came along. Soothing artwork in soft blues and greens amplify the water’s proximity. New beams suggested a nautical feel without being “clownpants” obvious. “Yes, it takes a milestone or special event for us to do a renovation for ourselves. Kind of like the cobbler’s kids with no shoes,” says Ellen. “We had always intended to do one large overhaul, but instead the house has evolved. As has our family. And that’s what’s important to us.”
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Empire Point was evacuated last fall during Hurricane Matthew. So, no one was there when neighbor Maureen’s dock broke loose and floated onto the Cottrills’ lawn. “It looked like Noah’s arc at Mount Ararat!” laughs Ellen, recalling how she called all the neighbors to find out who was missing a dock. Given the number of weddings off the Cottrills’ own dock, the two-by-two reference fits quite well.
athering spaces where families can come together and enjoy each other— it’s the prevailing sentiment at home and it’s the underlying theme at the Cottrills’ restaurant, HOBNOB, where they have just opened an event space next door in collaboration with Stellers Art Gallery. And, as with family, life comes full circle for the Cottrills. You see, that’s how they met. Alan was the contractor called in to renovate a big space on Beach Boulevard that Ellen’s art gallery was moving to. “I feel guilty for leaving this beautiful property every morning, but incredibly blessed that I have somewhere so nutrimental to call home,” says Ellen. u
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Experience the beforre and after
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A New GeNerAtioN Officially making its debut in April 2017 at 822 Lomax St., GeNerAtioN US is a home furnishing and accessories loft offering affordable, classic-contemporary wares. Interior designer and shop owner Troy Spurlin wanted to reflect the vintage flavor of Five Points when choosing pieces for the store. “Furniture is often overlooked as a mundane, static feature of the home,” Spurlin says. “But its resonance in our lives is much more profound. Just like us, it’s dynamic.” Prices range from $10 for small accessories to just over $1,000 for custom art and photography pieces. Join them for their grand opening on Saturday, April 22. generationus.com u —REGGIE DURANT
stone’s throw Fountains can be stylish accessories to liven one’s outdoor space. Adding a water feature can elevate your garden with a natural and elegant touch. For example, Stone Forest’s ribbed sphere fountain is carved from a single block of granite and has a textured exterior that adds movement and sound to any yard. stoneforest.com u —SARAH CARTER
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BLACK IS THE NEW BLACK HGTV reality star offers some deep thoughts about paint colors NEW YORK INTERIOR DESIGNER Tyler Wisler was working for a design firm in 2011 when he got the call to appear on season six of HGTV’s Design Star. Though he didn’t win, he says being on the reality show was a great experience. “It opened a huge amount of new options and doors for me. And I met so many new people. I’m eternally grateful for that,” he says. He’s now got his own company, Tyler Wisler Home, and is appearing at the Jacksonville Home and Patio Show on March 2-5. We asked Wisler to give us some tips on refreshing a room with paint. Q. Any advice on choosing a paint color? A. Paint is one of the most powerful mediums you can use to update any space. If you get paint swatches from any home improvement store, they go from lightest down to darkest with five or seven colors. Stay within the top portion of that range, the lightest colors, or the two deepest. All those middle tones work better for accent colors. You would never paint your walls fire engine red. Q. So you think dark colors are good for walls?
A. Everybody’s so intimidated by dark colors. I happen to love them. I would paint every ceiling black. If you go to a chic boutique hotel, they’re the ones who take chances. A lot of these places are sort of dark, but what you do notice are those fixtures or rugs or furniture. They’ve trained you to look at what they want you to look at. Q. Wait, you’d paint ceilings black? Doesn’t
that make the ceiling seem lower and the room darker? A. I just did a kitchen for a TV show—a white kitchen with gray floors and mustard yellow and black backsplash tile. I painted the ceiling mustard yellow. And nobody even picked up on the fact that the ceiling was painted. Unless you’re doing some really vibrant color, which I don’t recommend you do, it just ties the room together in this beautifully passive way. Your eye doesn’t pick up where the ceiling begins. I always equate it to when you’re outside at night. You’re looking at darkness. All you can see is stars. If you have a black ceiling, the chandelier is 50 times more beautiful. u —JOCELYN TOLBERT
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boxed in:
Tips on gardening in a raised bed
Raised bed gaRdening, rather than in the ground, isn’t a new concept but it’s a good alternative to traditional gardening. Zak Furey, founder of residential raised bed maker Garden of Eatin’, offers some advice on how to elevate one’s homegrown produce. Q. What are the advantages? a. “Garden boxes are much easier to care for and are better for drainage, have no hassle of bending over and don’t require as much work. It’s as simple as just watering,” he says.
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They also resist weeds and, because it’s off the ground, the box helps prevent pests such as snails and slugs. Raised beds extend the growing season too. They dry out more quickly and warm up faster in spring than flat beds, allowing you to plant sooner.
grows in the same season. Q. What can’t you grow in them? a. “Anything that needs deep roots is not ideal for boxes.” Q. any tips on maintaining?
Q. What can you grow in raised beds? a. Almost any plant can be grown in a raised bed. “We are big into culinary gardens, so we offer salad, vegetable, health and wellness, herbs, and fairy [mini plants] gardens.” Tea, juicing and floral gardens are also common, and you can mix pretty much anything that
a. “It’s very important to feed your garden with seaweed, kelp, minerals or worm castings [if you want] an organic garden,” Furey says. With all plants, make sure to pick off any dead leaves. “Feel the soil before watering to make sure it’s dry so you’re not over-watering.” u —SARAH CARTER
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DESIGNER HOUSES Ponte Vedra Beach Home and Art Tour returns Five homes are on display in this year’s Ponte Vedra Beach Home and Art Tour, April 8. This self-guided tour features professionally designed and decorated houses in The Plantation, Sawgrass Island, Marsh Landing and on Roscoe Boulevard. “All kinds of art will be on display,” says Toni Boudreaux, development director for the Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach (CCPVB). “We focused on working with local businesses like Stellers Art Gallery, J. Turner & Co., Mark Macco Architects and others.” Since the debut tour in 2010, the event has grown to become CCPVB’s most popular fundraiser of the year. $35. u —MARY HAMEL
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Magazine and website domino provides inspirational design advice to readers who aim to create their ideal interior spaces. Its second book domino: Your Guide to a Stylish Home (Simon & Schuster, $35.00) contains 224 pages of creative ideas and tips to make the most of any home. Topics include seating, lighting, shelving, flooring and more. “You don’t have to pick one look and stick with it. You can mix things up… but knowing what excites you helps define your style,” says editorial director Jessica Romm Perez. u —MARY HAMEL
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FASHiON PROJECT From flowing lines to exotic hues, the competition goes full speed
POETRY IN MOTION Jacksonville Magazine’s Fashion Project offers a challenge for both local designers and aspiring models. The second Jax Mag Fashion Project is open to professional, amateur and student designers and artists, who are tasked with creating two looks for our April fashion show. This year’s theme is Poetry in Motion—a nod to presenting sponsor Ferrari. In addition to a winning designer, one lucky model will win a coveted spot on an upcoming cover of Jacksonville Magazine.
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FLAVOR
Read about our visit to Prohibition Kitchen (pictured) on page 84
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REVIEW
Skirt steak
Eat, Drink, Be Merry St. Augustine eatery gives nod to Prohibition Era BY DAMON NOISETTE // PHOTOS BY AGNES LOPEZ
WHEN THE 18TH AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION was passed and ratified in 1919, the United States embarked on what President Herbert Hoover called “The Noble Experiment” of Prohibition. As the teetotalers rejoiced, bootleggers and moonshiners got to work and supplied a thirsty nation with spirits, served discreetly in basement speakeasies and after-hours clubs. Eventually the experiment ended with Americans getting back their cocktails and turning the page on temperance. St. Augustine’s Prohibition Kitchen gives a nod to the era, but in a modern and impressively large restaurant on the main strip of St. George Street that can accommodate more than 200 diners and a few dozen at its stately bar. A stage for the nightly musical acts sits just inside the entrance and rows of tables and booths stretch far back into what used to be the Old Town Wine Cellar & Restaurant. The Sheltra family, owners of Pizzalley’s on St. George next door and the Chianti Room, went heavy on the period details, using reclaimed wood and installing tin ceilings. Edison bulbs hang down from custom lighting fixtures made of pulleys, metal blades, and pipes, and there are welcome modern touches like electrical outlets with USB plugs for visitors seated at some booths. Executive chef Bradford Smith and chef de cuisine Joshua Day
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designed a menu of seasonal and elevated gastropub food that sets the new restaurant well above the usual bar fare. There is an attractive charcuterie and cheese board ($15) and seasonal deviled eggs ($6) that come topped with a fried pork belly marinated in datil pepper jam. Oysters can be ordered steamed or on the half shell ($12), and a massive German style pretzel ($9) is another interesting starter. Prohibition Kitchen’s signature burger ($16) and whiskey BBQ burger ($14) are both mouthwatering standouts. For a little flair, the signature burger even has a “PK” emblazoned onto the top of its brioche bun. The chef isn’t stingy with the portions of lobster in the Maineiac ($18), served on a sweet Hawaiian roll, or with the fried chicken sandwich ($12). The skirt steak ($25) and the portobello Wellington ($17), an almost-vegetarian take on beef Wellington, save the savory mushroom and beef reduction, are excellent. The Florida citrus tart ($8) is reminiscent of a Key Lime pie, and the New Orleans style beignets ($7) are a fine take on the Crescent City’s famous dessert, though a cookies & cream milkshake ($9)— that comes complete with an Oreo cookie—might be the best finisher of all. u
Sing Me a Song
Take a Seat
Have a Drink
Prohibition Kitchen
Live music daily, 6-9 PM. Late night performances Th-Sat, 10 PM. A list of upcoming bands is on the restaurant’s website under the events link.
Prohibition Kitchen doesn’t take reservations, so it’s best to arrive with a little time to spare.
The bar has a full complement of craft cocktails and beers on tap, in cans and in bottles. Create an Old Fashioned, choosing your bitters, simple syrup and bourbon.
119 St. George St., St. Augustine 904-209-5704 prohibitionkitchenstaugustine.com
JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM / MARCH 2017
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THE GUIDE EDITOR’S NOTE: Menu items mentioned in the following listings are subject to change, as are any prices posted or details about each restaurant.
AMERICAN 29 SOUTH 29 South 3rd St., Fernandina Beach (2777919; 29southrestaurant.com). A chic neighborhood bistro that features an eclectic menu and extensive wine list. Signature items include lobster corndogs and sweet tea brined pork chop. Casual. L, D, SB, $$$.
ALHAMBRA THEATRE & DINING 12000 Beach Blvd., Southside (641-1212; alhambrajax.com). With Executive Chef DeJuan Roy creating a fresh, new menu for each show, the Alhambra is becoming known as much for its culinary experience as it is for its Broadway-caliber productions. No longer a buffet service, the Alhambra prides itself on exceptional table service with the highest degree of professionalism. Meals feature a three-course prix-fixe menu, but the chef sneaks in a fourth course if the script calls for it. Full bar with an eclectic wine list. L, D, SB, $$$. 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. Visit the beautiful new building in the renovated Sawgrass Village shopping center. For banquets, Aqua offers lakefront, climate-controlled al fresco dining or the private dining room. They have a popular full service bar with all DirecTV sports packages. Casual. L, D, $$$. BB’S 1019 Hendricks Ave., San Marco (306-0100; bbsrestaurant.com). The San Marco bistro’s upscale comfort food, which includes yellowfin tuna tartare, ancho-spiced rotisserie turkey, white truffle pizza and warm goat cheese salad (specials change daily) with todie-for desserts, keeps patrons filling up the one-room dining space. Enjoy the slow-roasted springer chicken with a glass of pinot noir. L, D, SB, $$. 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 $$. BISCOTTIS 3556 St. Johns Ave., Avondale (3872060; biscottis.net). One of the few places where you can be seated between a Red Hat Society member and a purple-haired creative director, this Avondale institution specializes in innovative updates on old favorites like meatloaf served with apricot marinara sauce and duck confit pizza (dinner specials change daily). Casual. B, L, D, SB, $$. 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, $$. BLACKSTONE GRILLE 112 Bartram Oaks Walk, Fruit Cove (287-0766; blackstone-grille.com). Serving a variety of modern American fusion choices, such as pan-seared sea bass, filet mignon au poivre and scallop and shrimp Newburg. Private dining room. Upscale. L, D, $$$.
THE BLIND RABBIT—A BURGER AND WHISKEY BAR 311 N. Third St., Jacksonville Beach (595-5915); 901 King St., Riverside (337-0146). With a menu boasting over a half dozen types of artisan burgers, like the Whiskey burger topped with mushrooms onions, smoked gouda, and five pepper jelly and an ample selection of whiskeys, The Blind Rabbit has something for everyone. The Jax Beach restaurant has more than 100 whiskey varietals from which to choose along with a variety of Southern- and Creole-inspired dishes. L, D, $$.
BREW FIVE POINTS 1024 Park St., Five Points (374-5789). Brew Five Points offers flavored waffles, quiche, breakfast tacos, sandwiches, salad and sweets to accompany the variety of toasts with toppings
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JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM / MARCH 2017
including avocado, radish, hummus and chocolatepecan spread. Try the Loki’s Escape Toast with rosemary garlic bread, dill cream cheese, smoked salmon and shaved asparagus. B, L, SB, $.
GUIDE to the GUIDE:
BURLINGAME RESTAURANT 20 S. 5th St., Fernandina Beach (432-7671). New to the Fernandina Beach scene, this casual fine dining restaurant offers patrons an eclectic menu of Southern favorites and seafood dishes that change with the season. Try the heirloom tomato and peach salad with country ham, burrata, sherry vinegar reduction and toasted pine nuts. D, SB, $$$.
B–Breakfast; L –Lunch; D–Dinner; SB–Sunday Brunch
NOLA MOCA 333 N. Laura St., Downtown (366-
$$$ — $21 to $30; $$$$ — $31 or above
6911, x231). Inside the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, this chic eatery serves food that rivals the artwork, with dishes like spicy salmon soba, coconut and curry chicken, grilled asparagus and blueberry salad with goat cheese and toasted Georgia pecans. Upscale. L, D, $$.
THE CANDY APPLE CAFE 400 N. Hogan St., Downtown (353-9717; candyapplecafeandcocktails.com). Sweet Pete’s upgrade to new digs also includes the addition of a restaurant that serves much more than sugary treats; owned and operated by Chef’s Garden Catering. With its modern décor and items like short rib meatloaf, rock shrimp crêpe, cornmeal dusted flounder and croque monsieur sandwiches. Don’t overlook the gourmet candy apple desserts with flavors such as coconut curry cashew and sea salt caramel candy bacon. L, D, SB, $$. COOPER’S HAWK WINERY & RESTAURANT St. Johns Town Center (559-4999; coopershawkwinery.com). One of the newest dining options at St. John’s Town Center, Cooper’s Hawk is best-known for its wine (the namesake winery produces around 600,000 gallons of vino per year). The menu is vast, as well, and includes gluten-free options and dishes such as churrasco-grilled steak, pistachiocrusted grouper and gnocchi carbonara. L, D, $$$.
CRUISERS GRILL 23rd Ave. S., Jacksonville Beach (270-0356; cruisersgrill.com); 3 St. George St., St. Augustine (824-6993); 5613-1 San Jose Blvd., Lakewood (737-2874). For more than twenty years, beachgoers have looked to the original Cruisers Grill in Jacksonville Beach for a great American fare. Patrons can dine inside to the sounds of a bustling kitchen or sit outside at the picnic tables. L, D, $$. DAVID’S RESTAURANT 802 Ash St., Amelia Island (310-6049). The menu is laced with tons of seafood options including pan-seared Chilean sea bass, truffle scallops, seafood linguini and more. Desserts include cheesecake du jour, crème brûlée and warm apple crumb pie. Upscale. D, $$$$. ELEVEN SOUTH BISTRO 216 11th Ave. S., Jacksonville Beach (241-1112; elevensouth.com). Upscale eatery earns high marks for its extensive wine list, mesquite wood grill and outdoor patio. Seafood martini, lobster mac and cheese, miso-glazed Chilean sea bass and mesquite-grilled certified Angus beef tenderloin highlight the menu. L, D, $$$$. EUROPEAN STREET CAFE 992 Beach Blvd. (249-3001); 5500 Beach Blvd. (398-1717); 2753 Park St. (384-9999); 1704 San Marco Blvd. (398-9500). With more than 100 salads and deli sandwiches and another hundred beers to choose from, the home of the monster German wiener caters to worker bees on lunch break and neighborhood denizens at “beer-thirty.” Casual. L, D, $. FIVE POINTS TAVERN 1521 Margaret St., Five Points (549-5063; fivepointstavern.com). This neighborhood tavern has a rustic feel with a chef-curated menu based on availability and seasonality. Their menu offers a variety of choices from European cuisine to seafood, salads, burgers, and pasta. Try the Tavern Burger an eight-ounce brisket blend beef patty (topped with gorgonzola cheese, aioli, red onion. Theres’s also a full bar. L, D, $$. THE FRENCH PANTRY 6301 Powers Ave., Southside (730-8696). Regulars know to come early. The line often forms even before the doors open. Expect items like shrimp and leek bruschetta, French dip sandwiches and delicious cakes and cookies. The bakery supplies many of the city’s better restaurants with bread, and all guests receive a small basket to enjoy with their meal. L, $$.
$ — $10 or less; $$ — $11 to $20;
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. The Guide does not represent a complete listing of Jacksonville-area restaurants.
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, $$$. GILBERT’S UNDERGROUND KITCHEN 510 S. 8th St., Fernandina Beach (310-6374; undergroundkitchen.co). Celebrity chef Kenny Gilbert of Bravo’s Top Chef is back on the First Coast where he began his career with his newest venture. The restaurant is intimate, seating just over 60 diners at a time, and it’s a short walk from the lounge up front to the homey dining area past the kitchen. Dishes are served family style. L, D, SB, $$$. HOBNOB 3220 Riverside Ave., Riverside (hobnobjax.com). Hobnob specializes in grown-up tastes in a glam setting. Here, the focus is on shareable plates and a dinner-club format with customer-chef interactions. Expect butler passed appetizers and dishes like Bahn Mi-style tacos with Ahi tuna. L, D, $$-$$$. JOE’S 2ND STREET BISTRO 14 S. Second St., Fernandina Beach (321-2558; joesbistro.com). The cuisine prepared at Joe’s has been described as New American with Italian, French, Creole, Asian and Southof-the-Border influences, but “eclectic” works just fine for us. Guests can sup on chicken Cordon Bleu, seafood bouillabaisse and Amelia Island shrimp and grits inside the restored turn-of-the-century home or al fresco in the New Orleans-inspired courtyard. L, D, $$$. M SHACK 1012 Margaret St. (423-1283); St. Johns Town Center (642-5000); 299 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach (241-2599). The newest venture of brothers Matthew and David Medure gets back to the basics. Hormone-free beef burgers (with toppings like foie gras and bacon onion compote) and allbeef hot dogs make up most of the menu, but sweet potato tots and hand-spun milkshakes in flavors like pecan pie and marshmallow brûlée add a gourmet flair. L, D. $-$$. MAIN EVENT ENTERTAINMENT 10370 Philips Hwy., Southside (260-7500; mainevent.com). Dallas headquartered Main Event Entertainment opened its second Florida location in the space that formerly held Latitude 360. The center features bowling, laser tag, billiards, shuffleboard, video games, a bar with American pub grub and a standalone pizzeria, La Bella’s. Food offerings include street tacos, loaded nachos, chicken wings, ribs, skillet mac and cheese and grilled salmon. 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
Culinary
CALENDAR u
Speakeasy Party, March 4, 7-10 PM The Florida Theatre’s 90th anniversary is celebrated at this fundraiser featuring eats from Restaurant Orsay, Black Sheep and Fionn MacCool’s and spirits from local distilleries Manifest, Marlin and Barrel and St. Augustine Distillery, $50-$100. 927 Events, 927 West Forsyth St., Downtown
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Couples Cooking, March 9, 6 PM Learn new cooking concepts during Seafood Another Way, a culinary class where couples work together to learn fresh twists on old favorites. The menu includes cream cheese filled crepes with creamy crab sauce and sole roulade. Publix Aprons Cooking School, Mandarin. publix.com
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Culinary Connections Ukrainian Cooking Night, March 23, 6-9 PM Let your taste buds travel to eastern Europe, as Global Jax hosts Culinary Connections during which six Open World Leadership Center visitors from Ukraine and guests make an authentic Ukrainian dish together. Bring an appetizer and beverage to share. GlobalJax Heritage Neighborhood Clubhouse, 10901 Burnt Mill Dr. facebook.com/GlobalJax
u Bakers-In-Training, March 20-23 and March 27-30, 2-4:30 PM Panera Bread continues its Bakers-InTraining program this spring, introducing children, ages 5-12, to the fundamentals of baking. $20 per child. Area Panera Bread locations. bitkids.panerabread.com
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Celebrity Chefs Luncheon, March 30, 11 AM The Salvation Army’s Women’s Auxiliary presents the 31st annual Celebrity Chefs Luncheon. Starring local celebrities dishing up their personal favorite recipes at this fundraiser for The Salvation Army of Northeast Florida. Tickets include admission to the tasting and silent auction, as well as a cookbook containing the recipes featured at the tasting. $30. Prime Osborn Convention Center.
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Rhythm & Ribs Festival, March 31April 2 Annual fest celebrates delish BBQ, music and good times in the Oldest City, with bands and eats prepared by regional barbecue champions. Francis Field, St. Augustine, 687-9037. u
Need a Lawer? JacksonvilleMag.com has an extensive directory of professional profiles.
—REGGIE DURANT
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RECIPE Super Black Bean Burger by Super Food & Brew executive chef Richard Haugk
Burger Ingredients: 48 oz. black beans, either soaked and drained or for ease, 3 cans (16 oz. each) reduced sodium black beans, rinsed and drained 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped 2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
Burger Procedure: 1. Process onion, carrots and garlic in a food processor until it forms a paste.
3 garlic cloves ¼ c. onion 1 serrano pepper
2. Combine vegetable paste, black beans, sunflower seeds, quinoa, oats and spices in a large bowl and knead until it reaches a rigid consistency.
1 c. olive oil
3. Measure into 8-oz. patties and place into fridge for at least two hours to set.
1 bag coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
4. When ready to cook, heat a skillet with extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat.
Salt and pepper to taste
5. Cook patties for approximately 5-7 minutes on each side until crispy and heated thoroughly. Chimichurri slaw ingredients:
Blend all items in food processor (except for olive oil and coleslaw mix). Once a paste forms, slowly add olive oil until thoroughly emulsified. Toss with shredded cabbage, carrot and garnish. u
½ c. white wine vinegar
MAKES 6 BURGERS
1 c. loosely packed, fresh cilantro ½ c. loosely packed, fresh parsley
5 cloves garlic ½ c. roasted sunflower seeds 1 c. rolled oats 1 c. cooked quinoa 2 T. chili powder 4 T. blackening seasoning Salt and pepper to taste Sliced avocado for garnish
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Procedure:
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). The interior is reminiscent of a wine cellar with dark woods, dim lighting and a corner fireplace. Panseared scallops, hand-made pappardelle and woodfired pizzas highlight a creative menu. Mezza offers dinner six nights a week in three different spaces: the bar and lounge, where patrons can enjoy a musical happy hour four nights a week and where children can make their own pizzas at a wood-fired 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, $$. MOXIE KITCHEN + COCKTAILS 4972 Big Island Dr., St. Johns Town Center, Southside (9989744; moxiefl.com). Unique dishes like pimiento cheese toast with potato chips and chicken and waffles with maple mousse and pepper jelly are Chef Tom Gray’s personal take on contemporary regional American cuisine, influenced from his Southern upbringing, extensive travels and past professional experiences. L, D, $$-$$$. NORTH BEACH BISTRO 725-6 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach (372-4105; nbbistro.com). Since 2008, executive chef David Seavey has created a following with hand-cut steaks, local seafood and dishes such as seafood paella and ahi tuna tacos. A secluded art gallery provides private dining space in a relaxed, intimate atmosphere. Casual. L, D, $$. O.C. WHITE’S SEAFOOD & SPIRITS 118 Avenida Menendez, St. Augustine (824-0808). Dine upstairs on the balcony or in the tropical courtyard of a building dating back to 1790. Maryland crab cakes, coconut shrimp, grouper and bruschetta round out an extensive menu. The restaurant’s White Room is suitable for receptions and other special events. L, D, $$. POE’S TAVERN 363 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach (241-7637; poestavern.com). Edgar Allan Poeinspired gastropub known for gourmet hamburgers, hand-cut french fries, fish tacos, quesadillas, daily market fish sandwich and 50+ beers with a focus on craft and local selections. Expansive patio and live music. Casual. L, D, $. PROHIBITION KITCHEN 119 St. George St., St. Augustine (209-5704). The family behind Pizzalley’s opened this bar and eatery just before Christmas in 2016. The restaurant keeps with the theme of a 1920’s Prohibition-era gastropub, offering a selection of beer on tap and specialty cocktails. The menu’s snacks and small plates include pork rinds and poutine. Entrées include burgers, sandwiches and dinner items such as skirt steak with charred vegetable salsa verde and half barbecue chicken with a whiskey barbecue sauce. L, D, $$. THE REEF 4100 Coastal Hwy. A1A, St. Augustine (824-8008; thereefstaugustine.com). Casual oceanside dining serving shrimp egg rolls, crab cakes, herbed tuna, Louisiana smoked pork chops and daily specials. Also noteworthy, every table has an ocean view. L, D, SB, $$. RESTAURANT DORO 106 1st St., Neptune Beach (853-6943). This beach chic restaurant offers “New American” cuisine. The menu selections are split into first and second courses with a handful of à la carte sides. Try the grilled snapper with tomato, Brussels sprout leaves and roasted olives. Dining is intimate with seating for approximately 40 guests. Reservations are recommended. D, $$$. SEASONS 52 St. Johns Town Center, Southside (645-5252). Seasonally-driven menu that highlights fresh flavors and ingredients. Entrée options routinely change, but customer favorites like the cedar plank Atlantic salmon, caramelized sea scallops,
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Sidedishes
Take Your Pick
History in the Baking Dough to Go
the Jewish holiday Purim commemorates the salvation of the Hebrew people in ancient Persia (fourth century BCe) from Haman—who plotted to annihilate the Jewish race. Celebrated this year on March 11-12, a common tradition is to send two gifts of food to friends and family. “it is a show of our love to other Jewish people,” says rabbi eli Wilansky of Chabad at the Beaches. the most popular Purim treat is the hamantaschen (pictured above), a triangular pastry that is typically filled with raspberry, apricot, chocolate, pomegranate, prune or poppy seed. u —MARY HAMEL
New food truck Jayne Dough is rolling around Jax. Owner and baker Maria Conover makes both yeast and potato doughnuts in her 1960s Shasta Airflyte camper named Ruthie. “The potato gives the doughnut a crispy outside and soft inside,” she says. “The strawberry and raspberry are the most popular. The fruit flavors are usually the first to go.” Other favorites include chocolate and sea salt, cookies and cream, vanilla buttermilk and maple bacon. Find Jayne Dough at special events like the Rustapalooza Vintage Market in St. Marys, Ga. on March 10. $3/doughnut, $24/dozen. jaynedough.info
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—MARY HAMEL
HelPing Hand
Florida’s peak strawberry season is brief, with the best pickin’s usually in March and April. Grab your buckets and head to these local U-pick farms: • Fresh Start Hydroponic Farms west of St. Augustine allows strawberry picking on Saturdays from 10 AM-1 PM, except the third Saturday of each month, now through May or June, depending on the harvest. $3.50 per pound. • Brown’s Farm, located in Hawthorne, about an hour and a half southwest of Jax, will open its field for customers in late March or early April.
CoFFee SHoP on A MiSSion to Hire HoMeleSS vetS
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• At roger’s Farm in Gainesville, U-pick starts in mid-March. Check the farm’s Facebook page for dates and price.
Jason Kelloway founded Social grounds coffee in 2015 as an online store. What began with a love for people and great coffee has turned into a noble mission to hire homeless veterans. this April, he plans to open a storefront in Springfield. “We have a good partnership with the Sulzbacher Center and wanted to create more opportunities for employment for the homeless,” says Kelloway, a Marine Corps vet himself. “i just felt that it was time.” each coffee purchase provides a donation to organizations like Cup of love Ministry and rethreaded. socialgroundscc.com u
Celebrate the opening of strawberry season at the clay county Strawberry Fest on March 4-5 at the Clay County Fairgrounds in Green Cove Springs. claycountyfest.com u
—MARY HAMEL & SARAH CARTER
—JOCELYN TOLBERT
THIS IS HOW WE
Dress Table
THE FAMILY
Proudly serving Jacksonville and all surrounding areas JACKSONVILLE : 3802 Beach Boulevard PONTE VEDRA : 832 A1A North, Suite 10
(904) 398-8601 • (800) 458-5846
KUHNFLOWERS.COM
garlic chicken flatbread and char crust filet mignon are often available. Each entrée totals 475 or fewer calories. Casual, upscale. L, D, $$$-$$$$.
handcrafted cocktails. If you can find a seat at the glowing martini bar, you won’t even mind a wait for a table. L, D, $$.
SEVEN BRIDGES 9735 Gate Pkwy. N., Southside
COSTA BRAVA AT 95 CORDOVA 95 Cordova
(997-1999). Seven Bridges serves a wide variety of seafood, steaks, chicken, salads and pizza. The restaurant features a working brewery, bar, championship billiards, as well as semi-private dining areas for groups and parties. L, D, $$.
St., St. Augustine (810-6810). Expect craft cocktails, fine wine and an eclectic mix of international cuisines. New World, Asian and Middle Eastern influences lace the menu featuring Sicilian calamari, blistered padron peppers and seared red snapper. L, D, $$$$.
SOUTH KITCHEN + SPIRITS 3638 Park St.,
NINETEEN Sawgrass Clubhouse, Ponte Vedra Beach
Avondale (475-2362, south.kitchen). The varied menu at South features everything from popcorn shrimp to superfood salad, Bold City braised beef stroganoff to the ham, egg and cheese burger. With seating for 230 and plenty of cocktails to try (try duck fat Sazerac), there’s no hurry to make up your mind here. A table on the covered patio is always nice, weather permitting. L, D, $$.
(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 Mon.-Sat., 4:30-6:30 PM. B, L, D, SB, $$.
SUPER FOOD & BREW 11 E Forsyth St., Downtown (723-1180). This hip Downtown spot with a sleek interior offers the sort of food you’d expect from a former food truck—think tuna poke bowls, fried mac & cheese balls and pretzel sandwiches. Healthier options (kale salads, black bean burgers) are also available, along with a selection of wine and craft brews. L, D, $.
UPTOWN KITCHEN & BAR 1303 North Main St., Suite 112, Springfield (355-0734; uptownmarketjax.com). This Springfield favorite was revamped to include a full-service bar and new menu items. Breakfast runs the gamut from traditional faves (buttermilk pancakes, French toast) to downright gourmet (ciabatta pimento cheese egg sandwich, bacon jam biscuit). The lunch and dinner menus are also rife with comfort food classics with a twist, and daily specials (jambalaya, chicken tikka masala) offer something a little different from the standard fare. B, L, D, $.
VERNON’S Sawgrass Marriott, 1000 PGA TOUR Blvd., Ponte Vedra Beach (280-3405). Panoramic views, an open concept kitchen with a wood-fired grill and an impressive wine list make Vernon’s one of Ponte Vedra’s newest culinary hot spots. The menu is peppered with locally sourced vegetables, prime steaks, chops and salads. B, D, $$$.
BAKERIES & CHOCOLATIERS CINOTTI’S BAKERY 1523 Penman Rd., Jacksonville Beach (246-1728). The family-owned bakery has been operating since 1936 with the Penman location opening in 1990. The restaurant includes extensive bakery, breakfast and lunch menus. B, L, $. PETERBROOKE CHOCOLATIER St. Johns Town Center (565-1073; peterbrooke.com). Nobody does sweet and salty better than Peterbrooke; the popularity of their chocolate-covered popcorn is proof. Handdipped treats, gift baskets, ice cream and chocolatecovered fruits and nuts attract a faithful customer base to the many shops peppered across Jacksonville and St. Augustine. $. SWEET BY HOLLY Various locations, including St. Johns Town Center (564-2711; sweetbyholly.com). Choose from more than 50 cupcake flavors or customize to add a personal touch. Sweet By Holly offers traditional-sized cupcakes and mini cupcakes for those looking for a sweet treat without the temptation to over indulge. Vegan and gluten-free options are also available. $.
CONTINENTAL AZUREA AT ONE OCEAN RESORT & SPA One 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, $$$.
BISTRO AIX 1440 San Marco Blvd., San Marco (398-1949; bistrox.com). San Marco’s Bistro Aix (pronounced “X,” FYI) is stylish, yet unpretentious, in both décor and menu. The Mediterranean and French-inspired fare includes grilled lamb shank, a raw bar with oysters and seasonal seafood and
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OCEAN 60 60 Ocean Blvd., Atlantic Beach (2470060; ocean60.com). Chef-owned, CIA-certified restaurant serving shrimp and goat cheese spiedini, Costa Rican shrimp ceviche, seafood chowder, whole fried fish and veal Montrachet. Upscale. Martini room with live music Wed.-Sat. D, $$$. OVINTÉ St. Johns Town Center (900-7730; ovinté.com). This wine bar and eatery is one of the few non-chain restaurants at the St. Johns Town Center and entices patrons with a broad selection of full-sized entrées, tapas and wine. The menu incorporates food influenced by Italian, Spanish and Mediterranean flavors. Diners often choose from the cheese and charcuterie portion of the menu, but any of the housemade pastas and risottos provide a heartier option. D, SB, $$$.
sandwiches, sides and desserts; however, the store is a veteran of serving organic smoothies and juices. $-$$$
THE GRANARY 1738 Kingsley Ave., Orange Park (269-7222). For 30 years the health food market has specialized in organic produce, as well as household goods, health and beauty items and pet supplies. Located in a charming old house, the feeling is more of a country store. $$-$$$. NATIVE SUN NATURAL FOODS MARKET 11030 Baymeadows Rd. (260-2791); 10000 San Jose Blvd. (260-6950; nativesunjax.com). Certified organic supermarket with deli and hot bar serving rotisserie chicken, made-to-order chopped salads, crab cakes, dumplings, wraps, salads, soups and more. Market offers fresh organic produce, meat and seafood, baked goods and smoothies, with indoor and outdoor seating and catering services. B, L, D, SB, $.
THE PRESENT MOMENT CAFE 224 West King St., St. Augustine (827-4499). The unique menu at this vegan enclave (which specializes in unprocessed, “living” foods) does not include your usual tofu and rice; rather, most of the dishes feature nuts, salad or hand-hewn corn chips, and beverages include organic wine, beer, juice and infused water. D, $-$$.
INDIAN INDIA HOUSE 8661 Baymeadows Rd., Baymeadows (683-55280. Traditional Indian cuisine is the specialty of this chef-owned restaurant. Vegetarians find comfort in dishes such as onion bhajia and potato mushroom bonda. Also chicken curry, lamb kebabs and shrimp vindaloo. Casual. L, D, $$.
THE RAINTREE 102 San Marco Ave., St. Augustine (824-7211; raintreerestaurant.com). This old Victorian home-turned-restaurant creates an intimate dining atmosphere. The menu includes an array of entrées, such as pizza, seafood, steak and salad. D, $$.
INDIA’S RESTAURANT 9802-8 Baymeadows Rd., Baymeadows (620-0777; ). The lunch buffet is a favorite at this family-run staple of the Baymeadows dining scene. The menu is both mild and spicy, featuring traditional dishes like lamb korma, fish vindaloo, shrimp bhoona and chicken tikka masala. Casual. L, D, $$.
VERANDAH 39 Beach Lagoon, Amelia Island (2775958). Situated under the live oaks on Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort, Verandah features fresh, local ingredients and Southern-inspired flavors in a newly renovated dining room with a relaxing, family-friendly atmosphere. D, $$$-$$$$
AL’S CRAFT PIZZA CO. 240 3rd St., Neptune
WHISKEY JAX 10915 Baymeadows Rd., Southside (634-7208); 950 Marsh Landing Pkwy., Jax Beach (8535973). This gastropub and whiskey bar offers a host of upscale bar bites (avocado fries, fried green tomatoes and ahi tuna among them) as well as signature plates. Try the root beer-braised brisket or Houdini burger (topped with bacon jam, brie, arugula and a fried egg) and don’t overlook the house-made cocktails and whiskey selection. L, D, $$$.
FRENCH ORSAY 3630 Park St., Avondale (381-0909; restaurantorsay.com). Bistro serves a variety of French favorites including croque madame, steak tartare, mussels frites, coq au vin and house-made patés. Upscale. D, SB, $$$.
FUSION/GLOBAL BLUE BAMBOO 3820 Southside Blvd., Southside (646-1478; bluebamboojacksonville.com). Innovative menu features miso-marinated salmon, lemongrass crab cakes, Cantonese orange duck, Ahi tuna salad and Mandarin orange cake. Wine lounge. Patio dining. Casual. L, D, $$.
COLLAGE 60 Hypolita St., St. Augustine (829-0055; collagestaug.com). This upscale, intimate restaurant has an extensive wine list and features fresh local seafood, steaks, lamb and veal artfully prepared from scratch with international flavor in mind. D, $$$$. HAWKERS ASIAN STREET FARE 1001 Park St., Five Points (508-0342). Adventurous diners can enjoy a menu full of small plates that include the most popular street foods from regions including Hong Kong, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and Korea. Authentic noodle soups, stir-fried noodles and small plates fill the menu. L, D, $.
HEALTHFUL & ORGANIC GRASSROOTS NATURAL MARKET 1915 E.W. Pkwy., Orange Park (541-0009); 2007 Park St., Riverside (384-4474). With an emphasis on an organic market, Grassroots now sells organic salads, wraps,
ITALIAN Beach (alscraftpizzaco.com). Al’s Craft Pizza Co. is a new concept designed by the owners of Al’s Pizza. It focuses on quality ingredients, bright flavors, local beers, and friendly service in an inviting atmosphere. While taking a new perspective on pizza, Al’s Craft will also offer entrees such as beef bolognese with potato gnocchi and porchetta-style pork shoulder with crispy potatoes, kale and romesco sauce. The local, craft beer selection will rotate seasonally. L, D, $.
AL’S PIZZA 8060 Philips Hwy., Southside (731-4300; alspizza.com) plus five other locations. Al’s is casual with a menu chock-full of pizza, calzones and pasta dishes. But its slick and funky atmosphere, not to mention unexpected dishes like mussels in wine and garlic butter sauce and fried chicken salad, also make it a favorite with foodies who normally wouldn’t dine at a pizza joint. Visit the newest location on St. George street in historic downtown St. Augustine. L, D, $. CAFFE ANDIAMO 500 Sawgrass Village Cir., Ponte Vedra Beach (280-2299; caffeandiamo-pvb.com). A copper pizza oven highlights this chic eatery specializing in frutti di mare, pollo paisano, veal chop carbone and vongole Positano. Pasta highlights include linguini with a medley of seafood with your choice of marinara or garlic and olive oil. The “rustica” pizza is topped with grilled chicken, caramelized onions and roasted red peppers. L, D, $$. IL DESCO 2665 Park St., Riverside (290-6711; ildescojax.com). Italian for “the dinner table,” Il Desco specializes in “modern Italian cuisine,” with dishes such as spaghettini arribiata served with house-made tomato sauce, red chili, shaved parmiggiano-reggiano and basil. A cocktail program, full bar with 13 beers on tap, 26 wines by the glass and 125 wines by the bottle round out the experience. L, D, $$. MOON RIVER PIZZA 1176 Edgewood Ave. S., Murray Hill (389-4442); 925 S. 14th St., Fernandina (321-3400). Order by the slice or go for the entire pie. Moon River gives guests the neighborhood pizza joint feel while adding a touch of sophistication to its selection with beer and wine to complement the menu. L, D, $. MELLOW MUSHROOM 1018-2 N. 3rd St., Jacksonville Beach (241-5600; mellowmushroom.com); Fleming Island (541-1999); Southside (997-1955); 3611 St. Johns Ave., Avondale (388-0200); 15170 Max Leggett
Pkwy, Northside (751-4200). With live music, over 35 draft beers and a wide variety of hand-tossed pies, Mellow Mushroom keeps guests full and happy into the night. The hummus appetizer, chicken and cheese hoagie and Thai dye pizza are standouts. Family. B (Sat./Sun. at Jax Beach only), L, D, SB (Jax Beach only), $.
V PIZZA 1406 Hendricks Ave (527-1511; vpizza.com); 528 1st St. N., Jacksonville Beach (8536633); 12601 San Jose Blvd., Mandarin (647-9424). This eatery turns pizza-making into an art form. Three wood-fired ovens show patrons just what they’re getting when they order one of the Neopolitan-style pizzas. Go with a classic and order the margherita with mozzarella, basil and tomato or try the pizza capricciosa with mushrooms, tomato, olives, prosciutto, artichokes and egg. In addition to pies, V Pizza offers salads, calzones, paninis and even roasts chicken wings in the wood-fired ovens. L, D, $$. TAVERNA 1986 San Marco Blvd. (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, $$.
JAPANESE KAZU JAPANESE RESTAURANT 9965 San Jose Blvd.; Mandarin (683-9903). Kazu aims to please sushi connoisseurs with an eclectic list of rolls including the Dancing Eel Roll with eel, shrimp, seaweed salad, tobiko, avocado and spicy mayo or the Super Kazu Roll with salmon, tuna, yellowtail, shrimp, crab, avocado, cucumber and tobiko. Other dishes include pork and shrimp dumplings coated in wasabi, Kazu spicy beef and a variety of bento boxes. L, D, $$$.
SAKE HOUSE #1: 824 Lomax St. and 1507 Margaret St., Riverside/Five Points (301-1188); #2: 1478 Riverplace Blvd., San Marco/Southbank (306-2188). The city receives an infusion of Japanese flavors with a lengthy sushi menu, shrimp tempura and grilled steak. Casual and upscale. L, D, $$.
MEDITERRANEAN ATHENS CAFE 6271 St. Augustine Rd., San Jose (733-1199). Authentic Greek dishes, rack of lamb, rack of veal, whole snapper, chicken and seafood entrées. À la carte food and wine menu. Family, L, D, $$.
HOVAN MEDITERRANEAN 2005-1 Park St., Riverside (381-9394). Casual and quick in the midst of the Five Points shopping district. Serving gyro sandwiches, falafel, hummus, chicken kabobs and Hovan rolls. Pet-friendly with outdoor seating. L, D, $.
MEXICAN & SOUTHWESTERN BURRITO GALLERY 21 E. Adams St., Downtown (598-2922); 300 Beach Blvd. #1, Jax Beach (246-6521); 90Riverside Ave. #601, Brooklyn (3554889) . Arrive early to get a table for lunch at the popular Downtown eatery. The restaurant and art gallery offers the Tex-Mex standards—tacos, taco salads, quesadillas, nachos, burritos, chili and deli wraps. 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 Agavebrined pork chops. The restaurant also features more than 100 tequilas, as well as nightly live music and al fresco dining. L, D, SB, $$.
NACHO TACO 751 Stockton St., Riverside (6190383; nachotaco.net). This newly-opened taco shop offers traditional Mexican cuisine including salads, quesadillas, burritos, flautas, chimichangas, nachos, skewers and more. They offer both take-out and delivery, along with online ordering through GrubHub. There is a delivery fee of $1 with a minimum purchase of $10. L, D, $. TACOLU BAJA MEXICANA 1712 Beach
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Blvd., Jacksonville Beach (249-TACO; tacolu.com). Offering a blend of Baja-style cuisine, this ever-popular, casual Beaches sit-down eatery offers a new twist on the traditional taco. But what really sets it apart from the pack is its selection of over 50 tequilas. L, D, SB, $.
Upcoming Events
MIDDLE EASTERN CASBAH 3628 St. Johns Ave., Avondale (9819966; thecasbahcafe.com). Diners seeking a Middle Eastern experience will find it at this Avondale hotspot. In addition to a menu of traditional fare such as baba ghannoush and fried kibbie, guests can enjoy hookahs, as well as live belly dancing Thursday through Saturday nights. L, D, $$.
PUBS FIONN MACCOOL’S IRISH PUB 2 Independent Dr., The Jacksonville Landing (3741547). Traditional Irish pub with a full lunch and dinner menu, live entertainment and made-fromscratch desserts. Top sellers from the menu include Reuben spring rolls, shepherd’s pie, lamb shank stew, filets and salmon. Casual, family-friendly. L, D, $$.
TIX Local Tickets. One Place. 3/3 – 3/4 Whale of a sale
3/18 • 6 PM Grand Anchor Gala
Jacksonville Fairgrounds, Downtown Jax
Sawgrass Marriot
Benefiting The Junior League of Jacksonville
Benefiting Project SOS
3/9 • 6 PM Great Chefs of Jacksonville VII
3/22 – 3/24 St. Augustine Fashion Week
TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse, Ponte Vedra
Lightner Museum, St. Augustine
Benefiting Baptist Health Neurological Institute
4/21 • 10 AM 21st Annual Southeast US Boat Show
3/12 • 5 PM Gilbert’s Social Presents: A Meat Lover’s Affair Gilbert’s Social, Southside
3/16 • 1 PM Unstoppable
Metropolitan Park, Downtown Jax
4/21 • 10 AM Oyster Jam Music Festival Metropolitan Park, Downtown Jax
Adam W. Herbert University Center, UNF Campus
4/29 – 4/30 RAP Spring Home Tour
3/18 • 11 AM GastroFest- Exclusive Package Deals
Riverside & Avondale
Hemming Park, Downtown Jax
5/19 • 6 PM Jacksonville Magazine Fashion Project WJCT Studios, Downtown Jax Benefiting Dignity U Wear
SANDWICH SHOPS ANGIE’S SUBS 1436 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville Beach (249-SUBS). The décor is “Early American garage sale” (think: mismatched chairs, random tchotchkes and odd artifacts like a boar’s head). But the sandwiches at this Beaches institution are anything but thrown together. From the pulled pork specials to the Dirty Gringo, fans are addicted, especially to the house Peruvian sauce. L, D, $.
LARRY’S GIANT SUBS Various locations, including 1509 Margaret St., Riverside (674-2793; larryssubs.com). In 1982, two brothers opened the first Larry’s Giant Subs. Today, the chain has expanded throughout Jacksonville and the southeastern United States. Each sub is made with meats and cheeses that are sliced fresh when you order, then the subs are topped with crisp produce and served with a pickle. Catering is available. L, D, $. PINEGROVE MARKET & DELI 1511 Pinegrove Ave., Avondale (389-8655; pinegrovemarket.com). Easy to miss, this tiny Avondale deli and market offers breakfast and lunch fare in a homey environment that echoes delis past. Pinegrove has all the regulars, like bacon, egg and cheese wrap, fried chicken or steak sliders, as well as meatball subs and BLTs, known for heaping piles of bacon. B, L, D, $-$$. SURFWICHES 1537 Penman Rd, Jacksonville Beach (241-6996); 14286 Beach Blvd., Arlington (5595301). Hoagies are the menu highlight at this beachy casual hotspot. Guests enjoy a variety of tasty takes on classic Cubans, clubs and steak sandwiches. Regulars rave about the Roast Beef Hoagie topped with sweet or hot peppers for $10, and the Outrageous BLT with applewood smoked bacon and signature peppercorn mayo. Even a Marylandstyle crab cake gets the sandwich treatment with the Old Bay tartar sauce and sauteed mushrooms on a potato roll. All sandwiches are made to order, so don’t overlook the lengthy toppings and condiments selection. L, D, $ WHITEWAY DELI 1237 King St., Riverside (389-0355). The neighborhood landmark has been serving sandwiches, sides and iced tea since 1927. A new location a few years back didn’t deter legions of regulars from visiting the Riverside breakfast and lunch spot. Tabouli and riders are the main draws, and daily specials include the Dr. Berk, veggie tabouli and turkey on pita. B, L, $.
SEAFOOD 619 OCEAN VIEW 619 Ponte Vedra Blvd., Ponte Vedra (285-6198). Relaxing oceanfront restaurant specializes in seafood spiced with Caribbean, Cajun and Southern flavors. Offering fried green tomatoes, seafood gumbo, coconut shrimp and blackened snapper. L, D, $$.
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CAP’S ON THE WATER 4325 Myrtle St., St. Augustine (824-8794) Dubbed the place where “Palatka meets Ponte Vedra,” Cap’s is well-loved for its huge deck shaded by live oak trees and its front-
row views of the Intracoastal Waterway. The menu is a combination of traditional Southern dishes with Asian and European elements. Raw, steamed and baked oysters are favorites, as well as the sesame seared tuna. L, D, FB, $$$.
CHART HOUSE 1501 Riverplace Blvd., Southbank (398-3353; chart-house.com). The exterior of the waterfront restaurant is probably the most unusual in town. Inside is a dramatic, dimly-lit, dinner-only restaurant best known for its seafood, prime rib, salad bar and Hot Chocolate Lava Cake. D, $$$. THE FISH COMPANY 525-12 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach (246-0123; thefishcojax.com). With a crowded raw bar, Tuesday and Wednesday oyster specials, and a wide variety of fresh, locally-caught seafood, The Fish Company offers a little something for everyone. Chef Bill Pinner’s menu combines signature items, like fried Mayport shrimp baskets, with new favorites, such as the Szechuan fish. L, D, $$. HARRY’S SEAFOOD BAR & GRILLE 46 Avenida Menendez, St. Augustine (840-0900; 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, $$. MARKER 32 14549 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville Beach (223-1534; marker32.com). Upscale waterside dining overlooking the marina on the Intracoastal features a menu that changes with the season, but look for dishes such as crispy calamari, carmelized scallops, shrimp and andouille fettucini, blue crab cakes and fried jumbo Mayport shrimp. D, $$$. NORTH BEACH FISH CAMP 100 1st St. Neptune Beach (249-3474; thenorthbeachfishcamp.com); PALM VALLEY FISH CAMP 299 N Roscoe Blvd., Ponte Vedra Beach (285-3200); JULINGTON CREEK FISH CAMP 12760 San Jose Blvd. (886-2267). With dishes like spicy seafood linguine, flounder ceviche and roast cod filet with brown butter, North Beach is not your average fish camp— though they do offer standard fare like fried fish and shrimp platters with seasoned fries. The secondstory bar is a great place to enjoy a cool beverage. L, D, $$$. PUSSER’S CARIBBEAN GRILLE 816 A1A N., Ponte Vedra Beach (280-7766, pussersusa.com). A taste of the islands in PVB, featuring numerous seafood specialties including jumbo lump crab dip, Grouper Ponte Vedra, blackened salmon tower and Key Largo mixed grill. The restaurant’s signature cocktail is the Pusser’s Painkiller, a potent blend of rum, pineapple and orange juices, and cream of coconut. L, D, SB, $$$. 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 fun items like shrimp bruschetta, Louisiana crawfish and sautéed mussels. For dinner, try the bistro filet and crab-stuffed shrimp, Cajun fettuccine or the sesame tuna. L, D, SB, $$. SALT LIFE FOOD SHACK 1018 3rd St. N., Jacksonville Beach (372-4456; saltlifefoodshack.com); 321 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine Beach. Enjoy a wide array of specialty menu items, including a tuna poke bowl, hand-rolled sushi, local fried shrimp and beer can chicken. L, D, $$. SLIDERS SEAFOOD GRILLE 218 1st St., Neptune Beach (246-0881; slidersseafoodgrille.com). Sliders has been a beach mainstay for more than 30 years. Signature items include seafood gumbo and “Sliders’-style” deconstructed tacos. Stop in on Thursdays between 5-8 PM for Happy Oyster Hour, offering more than just oysters—fish tacos, shrimp and crab—at reduced prices. L, D, $$. SLIDERS SEASIDE GRILL 1998 South Fletcher Ave., Amelia Island (277-6652; slidersseaside.com). Founded in 1945, Sliders is a friendly, Caribbean themed ocean side restaurant featuring beach food and three different bars. Signature items include beef tenderloin tips and Sliders’ “famous” seafood platter. L, D, $$. TIMOTI’S SEAFOOD SHAK 21 N. 3rd St., Fernandina Beach (310-6550); 1043 Park St., Five Points (374-8892; timotis.com). Timoti’s is a no-frills casual seafood joint that consistently dishes out
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Bringing a little Hawaiian sun to Jacksonville, Honolulu-based L & L Hawaiian Barbecue looks to open its first Florida location mid-April at 6001 Argyle Forest Blvd. • After opening its Avondale location a few months ago, South Kitchen + Spirits is working on a second location in Nocatee. Featuring Southern comfort food with flair, the menu will mirror that of the Park Street establishment. Reportedly, a Timoti’s Seafood Shak is also in the works for Nocatee. • With one location in Avondale and the other in St. Augustine, Le Macaron (330 A1A N. Suite 300) opened its doors in Ponte Vedra last month. The shop sells macarons, gelato, gourmet coffee and hand-painted chocolates. • Look for Pie95 to be on the road in Jax. It’s a new food truck featuring a wood-fired oven in the trailer. For locations, check out @pie95pizza on Instagram. • 5Loaves 2Fish (1301 Riverplace Blvd.) has graduated from food truck to restaurant café and is now open for breakfast and lunch serving seasonal meals. • Atlantic Beach Brewing Co. (725 Atlantic Blvd.) opens next month and hopes to attract casual drinkers and beer enthusiasts alike. • The Cookbook Restaurant (1827 N. Pearl St.) opened in Springfield last month with a dining area, lounge and small stage for live entertainment. American standards—burgers and fries, etc.—are on the menu. • Craft beer brewing began in February at Southern Swells Brewing Co. (1312 Beach Blvd.); this month they’re expected to serve saison, IPA, double IPA and milk stout. • HOBNOB food + social exchange (220 Riverside Ave. Ste. 110) revealed its new event space and art gallery in January, partnering with Stellers Gallery to create a large private room comfortable for up to 110 guests. • SURFER [The Bar] located in the heart of Jacksonville Beach (200 First St. N.) is now open and promoting Florida surf culture. SURFER will host live music, lectures with iconic surf experts and live webcasts of surf contests. • Iggy’s Seafood Shack has been renamed Iggy’s Grill & Bar. The Julington Creek restaurant reopened last month after renovations including a new menu, logo, VIP club and a new interior. • Hold on to your recycled bags: Trader Joe’s is opening a second location later this year at 11112 San Jose Boulevard. • Al’s Pizza in Atlantic Beach is moving to Neptune Beach (240 3rd St.) with a new name: Al’s Craft Pizza Company. This restaurant will feature five to six special entrées made with imported Italian flour and tomatoes. • Hoptinger’s Five Points location opened for beers, brauts and business in February. u
Pho, A Noodle Bar, previously located in Downtown Jacksonville (117 W. Adams St.) is permanently closed.
tasty tacos, fish baskets and salads. Order at the counter and find a seat outside on a sunny day (the patio is shaded). 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, $$.
SPANISH EspaŇa 22 South 4th St., Fernandina Beach (2617700). Founded in 2004, España’s is located in the historic district of Fernandina Beach. The menu highlights traditional flavors from Spain and Portugal. Items include varied hot and cold tapas, steaks, and homemade desserts. D, ALL, $$-$$$$.
STEAKHOUSE III Forks 9822 Tapestry Park Cir., Southside (928-9277). Sleek and swanky steakhouse serving USDA prime beef and succulent seafood along with extensive wine list. Private rooms and outdoor seating available. D, $$$.
ruth’s ChrIs stEak housE 1201 Riverplace Blvd., Crowne Plaza Jacksonville Riverfront, Southbank (396-6200); 814 A1A N., Ponte Vedra Beach (285-0014). Steak (be it T-bone, ribeye, NY strip or filet mignon) is obviously their specialty, but entrées also include stuffed chicken breast, lamb chops and lobster. Upscale/casual club seating. D, $$$$. tErra GauCha BrazIlIan stEakhousE 4483 Southside Blvd., Tinseltown (5515920). This restaurant brings a taste of Brazil to the Southside with meat selections such as baconwrapped filet, chicken and lamb. Along with the tableside meat choices, customers can visit the salad and hot bar for vegetables, hot sides and salads. L, D, $$$.
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, $$$$.
THAI Buddha thaI BIstro 301 10th Ave. N., Jacksonville Beach (372-9149). The menu runs the gamut of Thai cuisine, from satay chicken, tom yum soup, Jade fried rice, Bangkok shrimp, green curry and prig pow to an extensive selection of teas. L, D, $$$.
IndoChInE 21 E. Adams St., Downtown (5985303); 1974 San Marco Blvd., San Marco (503-7013). Diners indulge in a variety of Thai and Southeast Asian classics. Veggie dishes, tofu, beef, chicken, shrimp and scallops may be prepared to your level of heat—1 is mild, 6 is scorching hot. Try the Crab Rangoon and the iced blackberry jasmine green tea. L, D, $$.
WINE BARS BarzIn BIstro & wInE Bar 924 1st Coast Hwy., Fernandina Beach (310-6620). While the libations are draw here, the tidy bistro’s eclectic menu features dishes in support of its farm-to-table philosophy. With inside or al fresco dining, enjoy seasonal specials such as rum and pepper painted Florida snapper, fried green tomato napoleon and seared North Carolina trout. L, D, $$.
rIvErsIdE lIquors 1251 King St., Riverside (356-4517). Upon entering, one may take this for a standard spirits shop. But this establishment has more to offer than meets the eye. In addition to a vast selection of wine and liquor, there is a bar serving upscale eats (stuffed dates, charcuterie, lamb meatballs, braised chicken breast) in the back of the spacious layout. Purchase a bottle from the shop and enjoy it with a meal in the restaurant. D. $$. royal palm vIllaGE wInE & tapas 296 Royal Palms Dr., Atlantic Beach (372-0052;). Large round tables made from wine barrels set the mood here, as do dishes like phyllo-wrapped salmon, polenta cakes, smoked sea salt-crusted beef tenderloin and ginger white chocolate bread pudding. L, D, $$. u
Send food and restaurant news, foodie ideas or questions to mail@jacksonvillemag.com. MARCH 2017 / JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM
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[ BACKSTORY ]
Super Size Me Born in Jacksonville, powered by Chicken of the Sea WORDS BY JEREMY COLLARD // PHOTO BY AGNES LOPEZ
Dexter “The Blade” Jackson recognized three v things as an aspiring bodybuilder. People will disparage your dreams, your focus must remain steadfast and you must consume so much canned tuna that you become dizzy at the thought of eating any more. “All I ate was canned tuna and veggies, I wanted to throw up. I was tuna’d out,” laughs Jackson. As a 21-year-old living on the Westside, Jackson worked at a Publix warehouse, fathered an infant daughter and continued to pursue his dream. “The guys at the warehouse, they always laughed about my [competition] outfit,” Jackson says. “As a five-foot-six, 137-pound bodybuilder I wasn’t expected to go far. Leading up to my first pro-qualifying competition I said, ‘Ya’ll know if I win this thing I’m not coming back’.” He didn’t go back. But the financial spoils of victory didn’t arrive immediately. It wasn’t until Jackson was hand-picked to com98 |
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pete in the 1999 Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic that his career took off. He soon found himself as the posterchild for Muscle Tech and Hydroxycut, leading up to a 2008 victory at the Mr. Olympia competition— regarded as the world’s pinnacle of bodybuilding. “Until the Arnold my girlfriend and I were pretty much sleeping on the floor, raising our children and training,” says Jackson, who, with 78 top-five finishes and 28 wins, is an icon in the sport. And at 47 years old he is still ranked second in the world. Now, all 250 pounds of “The Blade” are sustained by a strict dietary regimen of eight ounces of steak, six ounces of salmon, two cartons of eggs, 14 ounces of chicken, five cups of rice, 12 ounces of potato, five ounces of grits, a few apples, pineapple and walnuts spread out over six meals daily. That fuel enables Jackson to spend Mondays squatting 650 pounds, Tuesdays benching 550 pounds, Wednesdays shoulder pressing 500 pounds… the list goes on. u
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