Emerald Coast Magazine- February/March 2018

Inside: Merrymakers, It’s Your Season Spring erupts in a flurry of festivals

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MASTERS OF THE FLIES

Anglers’ creations fool fish in water salty and sweet

MARRIAGE RENOURISHMENT

Couples renew vows where the Gulf meets the shore

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FEB-MAR 2018

www.emeraldcoastmagazine.com A product of Rowland Publishing, Inc.

MARVELING AT THE HEAVENS

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DESTIN PL STIC SURGERY

DESTIN PL STIC SURGERY

WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU: BREAST: I perform breast augmentation using multiple approaches and techniques, and I am unique with the No Scar On The Breast approach. Destin Plastic Surgery is one of the few practices that is able to perform this procedure using the new silicone cohesive gel implants.

FACE: Facial surgery has become a specialty due to the minimal incision techniques I use, and the endoscopic brow lift is an advanced procedure few plastic surgeons are able to perform proficiently. Our procedures enhance your appearance and don’t give a pulled or stretched look.

BODY: Body contouring procedures have become more popular in recent years. Dr. Burden was the first in the area to use ultrasonic liposuction, and power-assisted liposuction was adopted as technology became more refined.

Abdominoplasty procedures have become more common as people lose larger amounts of weight and more women seek to stay fit after having children.

HAIR: Hair transplantation at Destin Plastic Surgery has led to many happy patients.

Dr. Burden continues to pursue excellence in hair transplantation with the use of the Follicular Unit Extraction technique. Many men were so pleased with their initial results that they have returned years later for further transplantation.

4

DESTIN PLASTIC SURGERY: The Area’s Most Trusted Name in Plastic Surgery

E

xperience is what sets Dr. William R. Burden apart. A board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Burden performed the first endoscopic No Scar On The Breast augmentation in Northwest Florida in 1995 after pioneering the procedure that same year at the University of Florida. Since then, he has performed over 5,000 of these procedures as a part of Destin Plastic Surgery, making him one of the most sought-after surgeons in the country for augmentation and implant replacement. His pioneered technique makes him one of the few surgeons in the country that does this procedure — drawing patients from Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama and Washington, DC, to name a few.

Dr. Burden helped revolutionize breast surgery with fiber-optic technology. This allows small incisions to be made under the arm, and the ability to place the implant more precise. This allows an implant to be placed with No Scar On The Breast.

In addition to being published, Dr. Burden also trains other surgeons in the area on how to perform the endoscopic breast augmentation.

He also wrote a book on his procedure, “Breast

February–March 2018 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM SPONSORED REPORT

Augmentation With No Scar On The Breast,” which reached Amazon’s Bestseller List.

After starting his own practice in Destin, Dr. Burden accomplished a number of firsts in the area: the first endoscopic brow lift; first endoscopic breast augmentation; and the first microvascular free flap breast reconstruction in the area. His satisfied patients and numerous referrals from nurses and doctors in the area helped Dr. Burden build his practice.

Today, Destin Plastic Surgery is the first practice in the region to offer digital imaging with Vectra® 3D technology. Dr. Burden currently uses 3-D imaging technology to further improve accuracy and communication with patients. With this new, state-of-the-art technology, you see the potential new you in 3-D — before surgery.

Destin Plastic Surgery houses its own Skincare Clinic, the Destin Surgery Center, and the Destin Vein Center.

Experience and natural looking results — this is why people travel from around the world to Destin Plastic Surgery.

Celebrating over 20 YEARS in business A BETTER WAY — BY THE BOOK Dr. William Burden literally wrote the book on his pioneering augmentation procedure. His book — “Breast Augmentation With No Scar On The Breast” — reached the Amazon Bestseller List and was listed at No. 1 among all plastic surgery books and also as the No. 1 Hot New Release in multiple categories.

In his book, Dr. Burden discusses the “No Scar On The Breast” technique and provides information about breast augmentation options.

Burden provides background on researching this new approach to breast augmentation surgery, such as using fiber optics that allow for a smaller incision and accurate implant placement.

“In my experience,” Dr. Burden says, “women are not as satisfied with their breast augmentation result when they are left with an undesirable scar on or underneath their breasts; however,

when the scar is in the underarm area, they rarely comment on the scar since the scar is well hidden.”

His overview of the many options available for breast augmentation are covered in an easy to read Q&A format. Topics include: choice of incision location, implant placement, implant types, use of 3-D imaging to help visualize the expected outcome, and how to select a plastic surgeon for a breast augmentation procedure.

According to Dr. Burden, many women don’t realize all of the various options and decisions that will need to be made in order to achieve their ideal breast shape and size.

“Breast Augmentation With No Scar On The Breast” is available on Amazon in an e-book version. A paperback version is also available.

MEET THE EXPERT Dr. William R. Burden, MD, FACS, is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. He is the founder and CEO of Destin Plastic Surgery and is also the founder of the Destin Surgery Center, housed in the same building.

Both Dr. Burden and physician assistant Bill Edelman have received recognition by the Allergan Corporation for their experience with Botox and Juvéderm injections for non-surgical facial rejuvenation. They have achieved black diamond status, which is reserved for the top 10 percent of practices nationwide, and it is the only recognized practice in the region. Dr. Burden is the only plastic surgeon in the area certified to be on the Speaker’s Bureau for the Allergan Corporation. He routinely teaches other physicians on cosmetic facial procedures.

Dr. Burden also is a published author. He has written on facial surgery and breast surgery, and he has presented studies nationally and internationally on breast surgery. Dr. Burden regularly instructs other plastic surgeons in advanced endoscopic techniques for breast surgery, and surgeons from the United States and Europe have visited his facility to observe his techniques. Dr. Burden also is an Amazon Bestselling author with his new book, “Breast Augmentation With No Scar On The Breast.”

To learn more about Dr. Burden, visit ThePlasticDoc.com.

DR. BURDEN EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

SPONSORED REPORT

February–March 2018

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APPOINTMENTS 855-414-6902

Contents 70

NORTHWEST FLORIDA SPRINGS

Water managers work to protect windows to the aquifer.

by KIM HARRIS THACKER

photography by TRACE INGHAM

FEATURES

74

FEB/MAR 2018

80

COSMOS OVER THE COAST

FANCY FISHING THREADS

by THOMAS J. MONIGAN

by STEVE BORNHOFT

Astronomy clubs keeps watch on night skies.

Fly tyers create impressionistic works of art.

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February–March 2018

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FEB/MAR 2018

68 THE WAVE

21 RELATIONSHIPS

Couples say “I do” all over again.

24 CHAMPIONS

EXPRESSION Wine, dine and unwind at UNwineD in Panama City Beach.

48 GUMBO FEST

28 PETS Custom treats

50 MARDI GRAS

PANACHE

31 CITIZEN OF STYLE

Boutique owner practices mind-body style.

36 FOR HER Look and feel great in pretty beach cover-ups.

42 WHAT’S IN STORE

Shops and products for a new you.

Me oh my oh, it’s time for Sandestin Gumbo.

Good times roll at Mardi Gras beach event.

52 B OOKS Ignite your

child’s love of reading.

GASTRO & GUSTO

63 D INING OUT Old World pizza pie with modern style.

66 D INING IN Dress up your oysters like the pros.

68 LIBATIONS ONE89

shares a tasty cocktail recipe.

8

16 92 127 141 146

45 WINE AND DINE

Literacy tutors write new chapters in pupils’ lives.

have love baked right in.

31

February–March 2018 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

97 ABODES

97 INTERIORS

Lend coastal beauty to your countertops and walls.

106 EXTERIORS

Graceful palm trees add subtropical beauty.

66

Oysters are delicious naked and even tastier dressed up.

DIRECTOR’S COLUMN DESTINATIONS SOCIAL STUDIES DINING GUIDE I T’S NOT ROCKET SURGERY

108 GARDENING

Ms. Grow-It-All says trim, don’t hack, your crape myrtles.

Inside: Merrymakers, It’s Your Season Spring erupts in a flurry of festivals

+

IN EVERY ISSUE

MASTERS OF THE FLIES

Anglers’ creations fool fish in water salty and sweet

14 PUBLISHER’S LETTER

MARRIAGE RENOURISHMENT

Couples renew vows where the Gulf meets the shore

$3.95

www.emeraldcoastmagazine.com

FEB-MAR 2018

MARVELING AT THE HEAVENS Astronomers explore worlds beyond our own

A product of Rowland Publishing, Inc.

ON THE COVER:

A swimmer climbs to the surface of Jackson County’s Blue Springs.

While providing much appreciated recreational opportunities for people, springs are also ecologically important habitats for wildlife and plants.

PHOTO BY DAVID MOYNAHAN PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL BOOINI (31), TODD DOUGLAS PHOTOGRAPHY (68), SAIGE ROBERTS (66) AND COURTESY OF VETRAZZO (97)

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February–March 2018

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PROMOTION

Contents

FEB/MAR 2018

SPECIAL SECTIONS AND PROMOTIONS

54 ↑MODUS PHOTOGRAPHY Photographer Chandler Williams captures some of life’s little moments on film during his trip to Havana, Cuba.

60

OPENING NIGHTS

Grammy and Tony award winner Patti LuPone brings her performance of “Far Away Places” to Ruby Diamond on April 5.

850.865.8562 | DIPSWIMWEAR.NET |

87

WOMEN’S PROFILES

During Women’s History Month, we are spotlighting area women who are making their mark in our community.

100

Discover a little coastal comfort with a visit to the showroom at Pearl Home and Oasis Rugs.

110

DEAL ESTATE

119

SACRED HEART FOUNDATION

Need to find some luxury by the lake or are you eyeing a lavishly large townhome? Take a peek at the new real estate listings.

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112

CALENDAR

Classical music will fill the air with multiple events in coming weeks, including a classic ballet performance of “Peter Pan.” Or grab a glass and toast the South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival.

The “Stories from the Heart” section features heartwarming and inspiring stories from those who impact and have been impacted by The Sacred Heart Foundation. These stories revolve around people helping people.

136

EMERALD COAST BEST OF RECAP

Relive our yearly bash celebrating the best in business along the Emerald Coast, which helped raise more than $40,000 to benefit the Junior League of the Emerald Coast.

W Edding C akE p roJECtion m apping

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February–March 2018 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

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EMERALD COAST MAGAZINE

VOL. 19, NO. 1

Pharmaceuticals Built

for

You

because you are unique ...

FEBRUARY–MARCH 2018

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BRIAN E. ROWLAND

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL SERVICES/EDITOR Steve Bornhoft MANAGING EDITOR Laura Cassels STAFF WRITERS Hannah Burke, Erin Hoover CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kari C. Barlow, Thomas J. Monigan, Rebecca Padget, Audrey Post, Gary Yordon, Kim Harris Thacker, Kristin Redfield

CREATIVE CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER Lawrence Davidson DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY Daniel Vitter DESIGN DIRECTORS Jennifer Ekrut, Chi Hang EDITORIAL DESIGNER Charles Bakofsky PUBLICATION DESIGNER Shruti Shah GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Meredith Brooks, Sarah Mitchell CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Abby Anders, Kari Barlow, Michael Booini, McKenzie Burleigh Lohbeck, Amanda Byers, Chris Miller Photography, Tre’ Cole, Marcia Croom, Julie Dorr, Alex Hall, Trace Ingham, Jacqueline Ward Images, Jon Jaros, Scott Kluksdahl, Kay Phelan, Pure 7 Studios, Rahav, Luke Ratray, Tyler Rickenbach, Saige Roberts, Rhonda Schafer, Todd Douglas Photography, Vera Hogenson Photography

SALES, MARKETING AND EVENTS

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VICE PRESIDENT/CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT McKenzie Burleigh Lohbeck DIRECTOR OF NEW BUSINESS Daniel Parisi ADVERTISING SERVICES COORDINATORS Tracy Mulligan, Lisa Sostre ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES MaKenna Curtis, Julie Dorr, Darla Harrison, Rhonda Lynn Murray, Dan Parker, Linda Powell, Lori Magee Yeaton EVENTS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR Mandy Chapman INTEGRATED MARKETING MANAGER Rachel Smith CLIENT SERVICES COORDINATOR Joslym Alcala SALES AND EVENTS ASSOCIATE Mackenzie Ligas

OPERATIONS Pharmaceutical compounding allows for your medical provider to offer specialized treatment. We can formulate your prescriptions to meet your individual needs.

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ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES/HUMAN RESOURCE COORDINATOR Marah Rhone CORPORATE CLIENT LIAISON Sara Goldfarb CLIENT SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE/PRODUCTION SPECIALIST Melinda Lanigan STAFF ACCOUNTANT Jackie Burns ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT Daphne Laurie RECEPTIONISTS Eliza Holtom, Christie Valentin-Bati EMERALD COAST MAGAZINE emeraldcoastmagazine.com facebook.com/emeraldcoast twitter.com/emeraldcoastmag instagram.com/emeraldcoastmag pinterest.com/emeraldcoastmag youtube.com/user/emeraldcoastmag ROWLAND PUBLISHING rowlandpublishing.com

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EDITORIAL OFFICE 1932 Miccosukee Road, Tallahassee, FL 32308. (850) 878-0554 SUBSCRIPTIONS One year (6 issues) is $30. Call (850) 878-0554 or go online to emeraldcoastmagazine.com. Single copies are $3.95. Purchase at Barnes and Noble in Destin and Pensacola and Books-A-Million in Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Pensacola and Panama City.

CUSTOMER SERVICE & SUBMISSIONS Emerald Coast Magazine and Rowland Publishing, Inc. are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photography or artwork. Editorial contributions are welcomed and encouraged but will not be returned. Emerald Coast Magazine reserves the right to publish any letters to the editor.

Copyright February 2018 Emerald Coast Magazine Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

Let your imagination take flight on this spectacular journey to Neverland...

March 3 @ 7:30pm March 4 @ 2:30pm Mattie Kelly Arts Center

World premier choreography by Katia Garza and music composed by David Ott with live accompaniment by the NFB Symphony Orchestra.

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from the publisher

Uniting words, images and headlines in an engaging fashion is the work and the passion of publication designers.

Their talents enable them to look at a blank, 200-page magazine “canvas” and to create an emotional and rewarding experience for readers.

Rowland Publishing has been very fortunate to enjoy the talents, dedication and services of Saige Roberts and Jennifer Ekrut for a combined 20 years. Together with our chief content officer, Larry Davidson, they have steadfastly brought life to the pages of Emerald Coast Magazine and other publications in eye-catching, conversation-starting ways.

But the winds of change began to stir recently, and we learned that Saige had made plans to pursue a new creative outlet. Going forward, she will be working as a freelance photographer for clients that will include Rowland Publishing.

Jennifer, meanwhile, has moved along with her three children to Austin, Texas, where her husband had found employment in his highly specialized field. It was time to get the family back together again.

RPI will miss the contributions that Saige and Jennifer made and the can-do attitudes that they brought to their jobs every day, and we wish them the best as their life journeys continue to unfold.

As of January, Charles Bakofsky, who had been working for us as a client publication designer, was promoted to editorial designer. He has been joined by Chi Hang, who is new to our operation and had been doing creative agency work in Los Angeles.

I look forward to seeing the influence that Charles and Chi, working from their unique perspectives, will have on our magazines. And I invite you to let me know what you think as you experience the changes that they bring about.

Change will be a driving force as RPI strives always to become a better and more versatile publication, communication and digital firm.

Accordingly, we have made a new investment in our digital department as part of our commitment to enlarging our presence on social and digital media platforms and increasing the frequency and convenience with which we extend valuable content to our audiences.

Stay tuned; our best is always yet to come.

Best,

BRIAN ROWLAND browland@rowlandpublishing.com

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February–March 2018 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

SCOTT HOLSTEIN

THE CHANGING OF OUR CREATIVE GUARD

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February–March 2018

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director’s column

UNVARNISHED TRUTHS THE LIGHT DISSOLVES ALTERNATIVE FACTS

launched during a holiday truce. “Never,” writes Bowden about Westmoreland, “had a general so effectively willed away the facts.”

There was no way to square his claims with the reports of journalists in theater. In truth, more than 80,000 troops from the north had simultaneously struck more than 100 targets, but still Westmoreland couldn’t stop insisting that Hanoi was unable to carry out a coordinated attack. He believed in the inevitability of an American victory and a false doctrine of U.S. invincibility. Meanwhile, NBC News reported, “The communists may not be winning the war, as the Pentagon claims, but they don’t seem to be losing it either.”

And so, it would all wind up.

Unprepared for urban warfare and badly outnumbered, U.S. forces sustained heavy losses in retaking the city of Hue, which had been captured by the communists — poor intelligence combined with bravado to produce bloodbaths.

In his play-by-play recounting of the battle for Hue, Bowden describes horrors of war that I never had read about before.

I cannot un-see the picture Bowden painted in detailing the deaths of two men who were “plumed” by mortar fire.

In reading Hue, I thought back to Randy Evans, an artist I got to know when I lived and did newspaper work in Illinois.

Evans had served as a medic in Vietnam and, back home, depicted war scenes in angry reds, oranges and yellows on large canvases. He let his art speak for him. Via Bowden, I now have a feel for what Evans could not talk about.

As a resident of the Florida Panhandle for decades, I was surrounded by military men and women with whom I did not interact. I wrote about changes of command from time to time and witnessed jets overhead and stood for color guards. That was all.

But Bowden’s book, like all fine literature and reporting, transported me to another time and place. And, back home, I have a refined appreciation for military service, for my good fortune, for the momentousness of a high number and for mistakes that we never should have repeated.

SAIGE ROBERTS

My father so felt that he should read Andersonville, a Pulitzer Prize winning novel hailed in some corners as the best ever written about the Civil War, that he tried several times to finish the 770-page work, without success.

Dad was a student of the War Between the States, you see. Swords hung above the fireplace in the home where I grew up. Knives and other artifacts filled the mantle. A possession most prized was a battlefield pencil sketch of a minor general.

Prominent on the bookshelves in the study were the six volumes of Carl Sandburg’s definitive biography of Abraham Lincoln. Dad had read them all.

But never could he conquer Andersonville, MacKinley Kantor’s book about a savage Georgia prison where 14,000 Union soldiers died. More than once, I saw him heft the tome and mutter, “I guess I’ll give it one more try.”

Of late, I made my second attempt at making it through Mark Bowden’s authoritative book on the Tet Offensive in the Vietnam War and its bloodiest battle. Titled Hue 1968: A Turning Point in the American War in Vietnam, it was a book that I felt compelled to read and, this time, I completed it.

I met Bowden (who is related to that retired football coach guy) years ago at the Chautauqua Institution in upstate New York. Chautauqua hosts intellectual fairs that resemble a writer’s conference, and Bowden, when I saw him, spoke to Black Hawk Down, his book about a 1993 battle between U.S. forces and Somali militia fighters. I bought a signed copy.

In terms of pacing and length, Black Hawk is much more manageable than Hue, but I picked up Bowden’s latest book after I saw it reviewed in the New York Times, owing to my familiarity with the author and because I have long felt guilty about not knowing more about the Vietnam War, which I avoided via the luck of the draw. (I had a high draft number.)

Hue is about courage and foolhardiness and the death of young men and their dreams and, perhaps most tellingly, it is about delusion and dishonesty.

Despite mounting U.S. and Army of the Republic of Vietnam casualties and other incontrovertible evidence to the contrary, President Lyndon Johnson, Gen. William Westmoreland and other leaders of the U.S. war effort far removed from the action on the ground stubbornly clung to the belief that the Tet offensive was, for the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army, a futile and suicidal mission. They claimed defiantly that the exercise had failed to surprise U.S. forces even though it was

Peace,

STEVE BORNHOFT sbornhoft@rowlandpublishing.com

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INTRODUCING

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Health and beauty have always been a part of Emerald Coast Magazine content because these topics are important to our readers. As interest has amplified, we are pleased to announce a partnership with Destin Plastic Surgery to produce a new “Health & Beauty” section on EmeraldCoastMagazine.com. This section, along with Beauty Links, will offer exclusive insights and expertise from Dr. William Burden, a boardcertified, internationally recognized plastic surgeon whose practice is located in Destin.

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“It was wonderful. I spent one night at the hospital and went home.

Now my acid reflux is cured.”

Reverend Roger Peadro

This Reverend Has Nothing But Praise For Fort Walton Beach Medical Center.

Reverend Roger Peadro spent a lot of time at Fort Walton Beach Medical Center as part of the hospital’s Chaplain-On-Call Program. But the tables were turned when he was diagnosed with severe acid reflux disease and he became the patient. His physician, Dr. Mauri Lunderman, determined he was a candidate for advanced robotic surgery.

Fort Walton Beach Medical Center is proud to offer patients minimally-invasive robotic surgery, which enables surgeons to perform complex procedures with unmatched precision, while promising a shorter hospital stay and a quicker recovery time.

Just ask Reverend Peadro. He’s still singing our praises.

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TALL AHASSEE MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION

PROUDLY ANNOUNCE GOLDEN GAL A X X X V – FEATURING

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FEB/MAR 2018

A CONSCIOUS, COOL COMPENDIUM OF COASTAL STUFF

RELATIONSHIPS

↗

Couples on the coast say ‘I do’ all over again 

by HANNAH BURKE

PHOTO BY VERA HOGENSON PHOTOGRAPHY

Brent and Rachel Goode celebrated 10 years of marriage by renewing their vows in a beachside ceremony in Sandestin.

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW

CHAMPIONS Northwest Florida Leads Local Fight Against Illiteracy || PETS Pastries for Pooches EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

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t’s no secret that Emerald Coast beaches are coveted destinations for tying the knot, with lovely brides barefoot in the sand, joining with their betrotheds beneath an arch made of driftwood.

For many, the timeless beauty of the shore and the immensity of the Gulf of Mexico also are ideal settings for formally telling your spouse you would do it all over again.

Whether you’re celebrating your wooden anniversary or your golden, vow renewal ceremonies are a way to strengthen the love you share with your spouse and reaffirm the promises you made, with sea and sun as your witness.

Marie Di Giovine has been officiating vow renewals, along with traditional

↑ Marie Di Giovine officiated as the Goodes exchanged vows reaffirming their love and commitment. The couple wrote their own renewal vows, declaring their ongoing devotion to each other after a decade of marriage and to their children.

weddings, for more than eight years.

She has presided over everything from a surprise vow renewal on a beach condo balcony to a shorefront service planned a year in advance.

“When a couple comes to me wanting to renew their vows, the first thing I do is make sure I’m the right fit for them,” Di Giovine explains. “Whether it’s their first official wedding or they’re renewing vows, it’s still a very important day in their lives.”

Di Giovine determines if it’s a match by interviewing the couple to understand

what they’re looking for. Personalization is a must when Di Giovine writes her scripts, so she must have a deep understanding of your marriage to formulate the most meaningful exchange.

“A lot of my vow renewal couples never got to have a real wedding,” Di Giovine says. “A lot of them are military and did it before deployment, or finances restricted a big ceremony so they just went to a Justice of the Peace back home. Now they want to come to our beautiful beaches and finally have that extravagant blowout.”

Those couples are referred to a vetted wedding planner and vendors by Di Giovine to craft a memorable reception.

Other couples want events in the category of sweet and simple, electing a small ceremony with only the closest friends and family, or no guests at all.

Di Giovine says Henderson Beach State Park, Grayton Beach State Park, Eden Gardens State Park and John Beasley Park are her go-to suggestions for a picturesque, exclusive experience that also makes for fantastic photos.

Meanwhile, Navarre Marine Park and lettered inlets along Pensacola Beach (particularly lot H and G near the Portofino Resort) are the preferred venues of Cheri Pope, officiant and coowner of Forever I Do Weddings.

“You don’t have commercial buildings or other people on the beach in the background, so the white sand acts as a blank canvas for us to customize our vow renewal ceremonies,” says Pope. “Brides who show up from out of state or different countries are overwhelmed with what’s available to them, and for us it can’t get any better.”

Thirty years of being in the wedding business have taught Pope that people have various motives for renewing their vows.

“There’s only one reason to have a wedding, but there’s a hundred to renew your vows,” Pope states. “I’ll have some couples that say, OK, it’s been 10 years, let’s renew our vows. Or, they’re

LULU’S TROPICAL RE-UNION VOW RENEWAL, FEB. 12, 2 P.M.

Just in time for Valentine’s day, Lulu’s in Destin hosts its second annual Tropical Re-Union Vow Renewal. Registration opens that morning at 11 a.m. When the clock strikes 2, take your spouse by the hand and confirm your love in a free ceremony that includes cake, champagne and live grooves to celebrate getting hitched … again!

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PHOTO BY VERA HOGENSON PHOTOGRAPHY

THE

Love INSPIRED

celebrating other anniversary milestones. But then others seek us out while they’re going through tough times.

When life gets in the way, vow renewals are a perfect way to put the focus back on each other, rekindle your bond and remember your love.”

On the other hand, some of Di Giovine’s clients make the decision that because their lives have changed so much since their wedding day, it’s time to take on new roles of commitment. They know they’re here for better or for worse, but the things in between matter, too.

“Personally, my vow renewals follow the same format as a wedding, only when it’s time to say the vows, they’re written and expressed in such a way that they reflect the couple’s continued promise of love to each other,” she describes. “You would think that those kinds of ceremonies would make the petite, dainty wife break down and cry, but nope … it’s always the big, burly husband!”

It’s not just older couples who renew their vows.

Marilyn and Cody Poindexter from Springfield, Missouri, had only been married for less than three years when they enlisted Pope and Forever I Do Weddings to create their second union.

“Originally, we eloped to Costa Rica for a quick getaway,” Marilyn Poindexter recalls. “We knew that one day we wanted to have a proper ceremony and have always loved vacationing in Florida, so we decided to take the trip down to the Destin/Navarre area to do it.”

After getting to know the couple, Pope decided the private atmosphere of Navarre Beach would best suit their exchange. As the sun began to set, the Poindexters recited their fresh, handwritten vows and Cody slipped a new ring on to Marilyn’s finger. According to the bride, the promises cemented in the sand that day brought them even closer.

Both Pope and Di Giovine find that children are one of the biggest inspirations behind other young couples that come to them. It’s not uncommon for the betrothed to pledge oaths to always support their kids and parent to the best of their abilities.

Family, after all, is what it’s all about.

“We like to say that people call as clients, but they leave as friends and family,” Pope says. “To take someone’s idea or dream for a wedding or vow renewal and make it a reality is very satisfying. It’s special. They’re letting me into a private part of their life.”

It’s an honor and a learning experience for Di Giovine.

“I knew I wanted to do something where I could create happiness for somebody, but I didn’t know what that would be,” Di Giovine laughs. “Unbeknownst to me, not only would I go on to do that, but I would also get something in return. Every day, I’m learning about love and what it looks like at different stages of life. It’s helped me in my relationships, my friendships and has taught me to be a better person.” EC

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CHAMPIONS

EMPOWERING Northwest Florida tutors teach thousands to read

by KARI C. BARLOW

A Vital Tool

Long-time tutor Jim Williams estimates that more than 10,000 people have made their way through Learn to Read since its inception. At present, the group has 85 tutors teaching roughly 100 students. In 2016, Learn to Read saw an influx of new tutors and students, thanks to a $106,000 grant from Impact 100 Pensacola for a

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public awareness campaign that included TV, radio and print ads.

“We have people who are coming in in their 60s, and we have people in their teens,” Williams said. “A lot of times, it’s someone who gets behind in school, feels like they’ll never catch up and just quits.

And then they never learn.”

Some students who turn to Learn to Read are from other countries, and English is not their native language.

Williams, who started tutoring in 1992, says illiteracy in and around Pensacola — much of it linked to generational poverty — continues to be more pervasive than many people realize.

“It certainly doesn’t seem like it’s a problem that’s solving itself,” he said.

“When you can’t read, it affects just about everything. Just applying for a job, even.

If you have to sit down at a computer and apply for that job, you’re in big trouble.”

Penny Fendt, a volunteer since 2012 who trains new tutors, noted that illiteracy can often impact the entire family.

“It affects raising your kids,” she said.

“You can’t help your children with school work. You’re not interacting with teachers.”

Although people who are functionally illiterate are certainly able to adapt by relying on spouses or friends or even technology, they are still missing out on a great deal of what life has to offer, Williams said.

And many people who cannot read get taken advantage of, Magera added. “It’s important to point out that even though the people we see here can’t read, it

February–March 2018 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

doesn’t mean they’re not smart,” she said.

“They have the mental capacity. They just didn’t get that one tool.”

Confidence and Gratitude

One person whom the Learn to Read team considers an exceptional success story is former student Costella Paige.

In 2005, at the age of 48, Paige saw a Learn to Read flyer in a nearby Dollar General “When you and summoned the courage to walk into the ofcan’t read, fice. A high school dropit affects out, Paige was struggling just about to straighten out her life, and she longed to be able everything.” to read.

—Jim Williams, “I could read some, Reading Tutor but the comprehension wasn’t there,” she said.

“I never stopped at a period, and I never stopped at a comma. … And I was always embarrassed.”

Paige’s first tutor was Williams.

“He was very encouraging,” she said.

“I can’t give him enough credit. He really wanted to take the time to help me.

I had never seen that before!”

Three years later, she had earned her GED. She then went on to become a Learn to Read tutor and a member of the group’s board of directors, and she wrote her own book.

“Reading changed my outlook,” Paige said. “It gave me confidence, and it gave me gratitude. I can do anything now!” ››

PHOTO BY KEIRA01 / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

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magine not being able to read a street sign, a note sent home from your child’s school or a label on a bottle of prescription medication.

For roughly 34,000 people across the greater Pensacola area, those limitations — and countless others — are a harsh reality.

Learn to Read Northwest Florida is on a mission to eliminate illiteracy, one person at a time.

Formed in 1984, it’s the only organization that provides free, one-on-one adult literacy instruction across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

“There is zero money required,” said Manette Magera, executive director of Learn to Read. “It’s totally free. But we do really want people who will make a commitment to themselves and who will be willing to meet with a tutor.”

Because it provides free tutoring, Learn to Read’s lifeblood is its hardworking volunteer force: men and women who not only tutor students, but also train the tutors, help run the office and raise money and awareness in the community.

“They are big-hearted, kind people!”

Magera said. “Those are the only people who would do this.”

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↑ Longtime volunteer tutors Jim Williams and Penny Fendt combine curriculum and common sense to help their students learn to read. They say literacy can improve life for a student’s whole family.

PHOTO BY KARI BARLOW

When non-readers first arrive at the Learn to Read office, they are asked to agree to a background check and complete a 20-minute reading assessment that helps to determine a student’s reading level. Students are then matched with tutors based on criteria including schedules, gender preference and location. Tutors and students generally meet in public places such as libraries, churches and restaurants.

All tutors must complete a one-day training session that introduces the volunteers to the Laubach Way to Reading method, which is used by Learn to Read. Tutors use these multilevel books and workbooks with their students in 1.5-hour sessions twice a week.

“It’s a proven method. It’s used all over the world, and it works,” Magera said. “You really don’t have to have any experience in teaching. You just have to be able to follow a recipe.”

Williams and Fendt said it’s important for tutors to focus on what interests their students. Some students might want to be able to write and send an email, while others might want to get their driver’s license or read a novel.

Williams used the student-interest approach with his first English as a Second Language (ESL) student, a Slovakian man named Peter.

“I found out he had built his own house back in Slovakia, and I said, ‘Hey, we’ve gotta go on a field trip to the hardware store!’” Williams recalled. “He just went nuts … He wanted to know what every single thing in that store was!” EC

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At 3 Dogs & a Chick in Fort Walton Beach, owner Nicole Cummins runs a bakery and boutique specializing in products for dogs.

Her line of homemade baked treats are free of sugar, salt and other substances unhealthy for canines.

Top Sellers

PASTRIES FOR POOCHES

Successful baker learned from her British Nana

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or Nicole Cummins, baking has always been a cherished pastime. Growing up overseas, she recalls learning the art by creating pastries with her British “Nana,” but now she specializes in a different kind of biscuit.

You may know Cummins as the chick from 3 Dogs & a Chick, her doggy bakery and boutique that’s served up tasty treats for pups in the Fort Walton Beach area for over 10 years.

As it turns out, baking for dogs isn’t so different from whipping up goodies for people.

Cummins obtains human-grade ingredients from the same vendors where surrounding restaurants buy supplies; only when she bakes, she omits sugar, salt and other substances harmful to our four-legged friends.

“I had a parent call me one time that had left some treats out on the counter, and her little son decided to eat them,” Cummins laughs.

“She wanted to know if he was going to be OK, and I told her he was better off eating those than a box of Oreos!”

But let’s leave the munching and crunching to Fido. When you take them in for a visit, they’ll have the option to mix n’ match everyday treats, like BBQ Squirrels, 4 Cheese Fire

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1

by HANNAH BURKE

Hydrants and Barkin’ Burgers cookies. However, the more refined pooch may prefer the gourmet collection. These individually iced and decorated delicacies take the form of Peanut Butter Birthday Bones and decadent Granola Cakes.

In fact, special occasions are Cummins’ forte. The bakery frequently serves as a site for local animal rescue adoption fairs, doggy socials and holiday parties.

“One of our biggest events is our annual Easter Egg Hunt,” Cummins said. “Every year, we rent The Landing behind our store and stuff about 2,500 eggs with doggy treats.

Of course, with noses like that, eggs are usually devoured in about 60 seconds! But then we have vendors and feature local rescues, so it’s a great day for the whole family.”

Though she caters to dogs, forming relationships with her human customers is most treasured by Cummins.

“All of my staff right now is getting certified in dog nutrition, so oftentimes the community comes to us for advice. Getting to know them and providing a way for their pets to live longer, healthier lives is just wonderful.” EC

February–March 2018 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

SAMPLER PACK

“Dogs enjoy the variety of flavors our sampler pack allows and new customers like them too, as they get to see which flavors their dogs enjoy the most. Included in each pack is a box of gourmet dog treats, all freshly baked here in our dog bakery, as well as one 8 ounce variety bag of our everyday favorites.”

BBQ SQUIRRELS

2 “Delicious BBQ flavor in a fun squirrel shape. No squirrels were harmed in the making of this treat. Baked fresh daily.”

DOGGIE ICE CREAM

3 “Our homemade doggie ice cream is a year-round hit. Sugar free and made with human-grade ingredients, like our treats, this ice cream is perfectly made for your pup. Flavors such as Maple Bacon, Peamutt Butter and Nutty Monkey are favorites.”

BIRTHDAY CAKES

4 “No, you’re not the only one who wants to celebrate your dog’s birthday or gotcha day. We bake lots of cakes for local pups who are celebrating their special day. “

COOKIE SURPRISE

5 “These are the perfect size treats for little mouths or for training. They are a combination of our favorite flavors — and each bag is a surprise as to what it contains.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF 3 DOGS & A CHICK

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panache FEB/MAR 2018

ELEMENTS OF STYLE RANGING FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE MORE SUBLIME

CITIZEN OF STYLE

YOGI CHIC STYLE

↗ Laurie Olshefski, rocking a classic business look, dons a sheer, multi-way scarf to add a pop of color to her classic Calvin Klein black sheath dress.

Fashion retailer Laurie Olshefski dresses to move 

by ERIN HOOVER

FOR HER photography by MICHAEL BOOINI

Looking Ahead to Swim Season

|| WHAT’S IN STORE New Year, New You EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

February–March 2018

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or Laurie Olshefski, fashion is all about how you want others to see you. A selfdescribed “CEO type,” she said, “I like to put my best self forward when stepping out into the world. If you want people to follow you, you should probably look like you have your act together, even if on some days you don’t feel like you do.”

Somehow, I doubt that many people in Panama City Beach have seen Olshefski as anything but on point.

A 2011 recipient of the Florida Retail Federation’s Retailer of the Year Award, Laurie Olshefski and her husband John own three businesses: Coastal Casuals at Pier Park, and two Shimmering Seas Jewelry & Gifts stores, one at Pier Park and another at 30Avenue.

The mother of two has also been a group fitness instructor since 1991 and teaches yoga at Sequence Fitness.

In 1994, Olshefski stopped working as a naval contractor to go into fashion retail.

She and her husband are now both devoted full-time to Coastal Casuals and Shimmering Seas and work actively in the stores. “Being a retailer in this day and age and being a small company — a ‘mom and pop’ company — you have to wear so many hats.” She laughed.

“That’s why I have so many outfits.”

One quality all of those outfits have in common: movement. It’s important to Olshefski to be able to move in what she’s wearing. “I teach in fabrics that can move in all different directions. I like normal clothes to have that feel, too,” she said. She has a preference, too, for flowing colors, paisleys, and prints with swirls and movement. A friend calls Olshefski’s style “yogi chic.” ››

Olshefski wears paisley palazzo pants, a loose black top and a crocheted soul warmer, providing plenty of freedom to move. Her stylish Aerosole wedge sandals are flexible and comfortable for hours on the go. Her garments and jewelry are from her store, Coastal Casuals at Pier Park in Panama City Beach.

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photography by MICHAEL BOOINI

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Managed by

panache Considering Olshefski’s business, it’s not too surprising that she uses jewelry to add flair to her look. “I’m a ‘collections’ type of girl when it comes to matching,” she said. “I love my earrings and bracelets to go with my necklaces. People notice that.”

Next to movement, matching is another key concept for Olshefski. She puts a lot of thought into color schemes and credits the color theory outlined in Color Me Beautiful, the influential 1980 book by Carole Jackson, with helping her dress according to her best color palette.

The book uses a four-season typology to identify the most flattering colors for people based on the undertone of their skin, hair and eyes, as well as overall coloring. “You’ll get more compliments if you start wearing the colors in your season palette,” Olshefski said. “And if you keep buying in your personal palette, other things you buy start matching. Random clothes or accessories from years ago will match what you just bought.”

Though white is great for her skin tone, in Color Me Beautiful terms, Olshefski is a “winter” so best suited to bold shades, black and white, red and jewel tones. She confessed that she avoids white because she tends to spill on it. “Black is better.

It makes people look thinner, and if you spill, you can’t see it,” she laughed.

Olshefski prioritizes clothes that fit her body type well, and keeping things properly covered and with a flattering fit. She asks employees to be mindful of this concern, too. “I’m really funny about lines and making sure things aren’t hanging out,” she said. “I lead a team of women, and we call our dress code at the jewelry stores ‘shimmer code.’ We say, ‘are you in shimmer code?’ We have a style and image that is expected: Dress like a lady with a shimmery, stylish flair.”

She thinks about fit and color when choosing what to sell in her stores and said that she would advise any retailer in any part of the country to observe potential clients when they’re out having fun, for instance, when out to dinner at a restaurant.

“Watch them and see what they’re wearing. What would make their body shapes look best? What can they afford? How many skin tones will a color compliment? Sometimes designers will come up with crazy colors, and I’ll realize people will hate it because it won’t make them look good.”

Olshefski credits her mother and an aunt for teaching her the first lessons on style. Her Aunt Donna, a former fashion model and flight attendant, always gave her fashion tips and hand-medown designer dresses. “Auntie D. has always dressed to the nines,” Olshefski said. “My mom has never gone out of the house without makeup,” she continued, laughing: “I’m kind of like that too, except when I’m power walking in my neighborhood.”

That idea — being put together — emerged several times during our conversation. So did the concept of cultivating a look that communicates her personality, which is high-energy, humorous and fun-loving.

Embodying the look that her businesses represent extends to wearing the brands shoppers will find at Coastal Casuals or Shimmering Seas. “I try to wear what we sell and live what we do,” Olshefski said. “The thing about it, it’s not hard for me because I love it. I’m in business with stuff I love.” EC

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panache FOR HER

KEEPING IT UNDER WRAPS Stylish new beach cover-ups

by HANNAH BURKE

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s beach-lovers head into swim season, your first priority is likely tracking down a trendy, flattering two-piece. But you can’t just strut into your best friend’s pool party clad in nothing but a strappy bikini and a pair of flip-flops!

What you layer over your swimsuit speaks volumes about your sense of style, and like other trends, the world of beach cover-ups is ever-changing. Last year saw the emergence of the kimono, and, according to Tatiana Wilmot, owner of Dip Swimwear in Miramar Beach, these colorful, billowy pieces are still going strong.

“It’s easy to wear with a bathing suit to the beach or the pool because you can just throw it on and go,” says the seaside-chic fashionista.

“You can also wear your kimono out shopping after a day at the beach because it pairs great with a pair of shorts and a tank.”

Versatility is something you should look for when purchasing a durable cover-up. Like kimonos, breathable tunics are an easy transition from a day in the sun to a night out when thrown over your go-to leggings or skinny jeans. This classic look happens to be a bestseller at Dip and can do no wrong.

The latest trend in 2018, however, might make you rub your eyes to make sure you’re reading this right …

“Overalls!” Wilmot shares. “I know it sounds weird, but I saw it

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← Loose, lightweight Aila Blue overalls are on trend for beachwear, paired with an Elizabeth Jane bikini, Coastal Road jewelry and a hat by Haute Handcrafted Accessories. All items on this page are available at Dip Swimwear.

a lot at market for next year. They’re making them in French Terry, cotton gauze and other lightweight fabrics. Some lines have even updated the standard style by making the leg a jogger, or a palazzo-style leg for a beach/lunch look.”

As for what cover-up fabrics are best, Wilmot attributes that to personal preference. Crocheted pieces are stylish and breezy, but others prefer the modesty of a resilient cotton. After a day at sea with her daughter, you’ll likely find Wilmot tossing on a soft, cotton sarong.

“Sarongs, I think, are the easiest cover-up to pack and use for more than just the beach,” she explains. “You can wear them as a top, dress or skirt and with a couple of wraps and a knotyou’re ready to go. I really think it’s a must-have for any beach girl.” → Oversize sunglasses

by Le Specs provide stylish UV protection.

Speaking of packing, you’re going to want a tasteful tote to haul around all of your gear.

Wilmot’s rule of thumb when it comes to bags?

The bigger the better.

“My favorite is our large red tote with a zip top,” Wilmot describes. “It’s great because the handles have a soft suede liner and it has a full zipper. This makes a huge difference if you

February–March 2018 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

↗ This striped, tropical-print pareo by Agua Bendita is both beautiful and versatile at the beach. Hat by Haute Handcrafted Accessories.

have small children because you don’t have to worry about everything falling out of the bag if you drop it.”

Hats and sunglasses are other essentials that often get left behind when sun worshipers rush to get out the door. 30A’s Gaëlle Le Goff carries a line of Panama hats as part of her Haute Hand Crafted Accessories brand that are the cherry on top of an ensemble. Woven in Ecuador, they’re shipped to the Emerald Coast and made available at Dip and other local boutiques. Slide on a pair of sleek, sharp sunglasses

by Le Specs, and you’re ready to conquer both land and sea.

“When heading to the beach, the most important thing to remember is to wear what makes you feel comfortable and great,” advises Wilmot. “There are so many different styles and looks that you can create, but your comfort is the most important thing. So, when you go out to buy a cover-up, try on styles that you haven’t thought of before. You never know what you’ve been missing out on.” EC photography by JACQUELINE WARD IMAGES

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Fla. Seller of Travel Reg. No. ST-38182. Washington Seller of Travel Reg. No. 603118961. Wyndham Vacation Rentals and related marks are registered trademarks and/or service marks in the United States and internationally. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. 14 Sylvan Way, Parsippany, NJ 07054 / Š2017 Wyndham Vacation Rentals North America, LLC.

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SHOP Alta r’d S ta te Anthrop olo g ie Brooks Brothers Hemline (S pring 20 1 8 ) J. Jill J. McLaughlin Kinnuc a n’s S pec ia lty O utf i tter L illy P ulitzer L’Oc c itane en P roven c e Th e Orv is C ompany Ophelia S w imwea r Peter Milla r (S pring 2 0 1 8 ) Pottery Ba rn Tommy Ba hama V ineya rd V ine s

grandboulevard.com

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Photo courtesy of J. McLaughlin

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DIN E Another Broken Eg g C a fe C a ntina La red o The C ra ft Ba r Emeril’s C o a sta l Ita l i a n everkrisp Flemin g ’s P rime S tea k hous e G rima ld i’s C oa l Bric k- Oven P i zzeri a P F C ha ng ’s C hina Bi s tro S ta rbucks Tommy Ba ha ma Resta ura nt & Ba r Th e Wine Ba r

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Photo courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

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panache NEW YEAR, NEW YOU

 WHAT’S IN STORE? A roundup of retail happenings throughout the Emerald Coast

Between fighting crowds and sifting through pickedover racks, buying swimsuits can be a nightmare in the spring and summer months. Get a head start on bikini season and visit DIP SWIMWEAR, Sandestin’s new and exclusive beachy boutique. TKEES, Salinas, Adriana Degreas and Bondi Born Australia labels provide quality selections that accommodate women of every shape and size.

Wild Lemon is taking Pensacola by storm with its Pilates, Barre and TRX Suspension Trainer workout classes, and the studio ensures you look good while participating. Vibrant, standout leggings, tops and accessories are available in Tavi Noir, New Orleans Yoga Apparel and Toe Sox brands.

Refresh & Renovate ➸ SAVI FLOORING AND

TILE in Grayton Beach provides the materials and means to renovate your home in 2018.

Whether you’re looking for something simple, elegant, intricate or exotic, the brand-new showroom features woods and tiles tailored to suit your taste.

➸ New to Panama City Beach’s Pier Park is AVENUE SEA, a coastalchic furniture, art and specialty shop. This exceptionally curated boutique also features the Mermaid Tales Wine Room, a nook stocked with craft beer, wines and other goodies with which to stock your bar.

Bodacious Buys ➸ THE BODACIOUS

FAMILY OF SHOPS in

downtown Pensacola have all the ingredients you need to follow

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through with that New Year’s diet resolution.

Shop the latest kitchen gadgets, utensils and dinnerware at SO GOURMET, and even sign up for an in-store cooking class to spruce up your skills.

➸ Say goodbye to

cooking with butter, and opt for the healthier alternative of extravirgin olive oils available

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at THE BODACIOUS OLIVE. Uniquely flavored oils and vinegars are always available to sample before you buy, allowing you to find the perfect companion for your pastas and salads. ➸ Speaking of which, you’ll want to stop

by SO CHOPPED on your way out for a nutritious, refreshing salad. Customers can personalize their bowl from a bar of homemade dressings and fresh fixins’, or snack on the salubrious menu’s signature dishes.

The holiday season is officially over, and it’s time to work off all that feasting.

FITNESS FETISH on 30A supplies the latest stock of sporting apparel and athletic shoes in brands such as Moving Comfort, K-Swiss, Teva and Skechers to get you out and moving.

With a location in the Shalimar-Fort Walton area and one coming to Panama City soon, CLEAN EATZ is the perfect guide for your new diet. In addition to the tasty yet healthy dishes served up at the café, Clean Eatz organizes balanced meal plans that can be picked up weekly from each location.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WILD LEMON / DBANTAYPHOTO, SAVI FLOORING AND TILE AND THE BODACIOUS FAMILY OF SHOPS

by HANNAH BURKE

RITZ COLLECTION

Exclusively at

SMITH’S ANTIQUES MALL

& INTERIOR MARKET

The Best 25,000 square feet and 90 vetted dealers has made Smith’s the favorite with decorators, locals, and tourists for 24 years.

Voted Best on the Emerald Coast for 18 consecutive years!

Antiques Shop

12500 Emerald Coast Parkway • Hwy 98 • Miramar Beach • smithsantiquesmall.com • 850.654.1484 Mon–Sat 10-6 • Sun 11-5 | L o c a t e d b e t we e n S ilv e r S a n d s O u t le t s a n d D e s t in Co m m o n s EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

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expression FEB/MAR 2018

CREATIVE WORKS LAND ON PAGES, CANVASES AND STAGES

FESTIVALS

Spring Flings An eclectic crop of celebrations sprout along the coast

by HANNAH BURKE



PHOTO COURTESY OF UNWINED

With spring in the air, it’s time to venture outdoors and welcome back the sundrenched atmosphere for which the Emerald Coast is known. And what better way to celebrate the season than with luscious local delicacies, refreshing libations and grand parades? Whether you’re a casual foodie or a Mardi Gras merrymaker, festivals for you are now in bloom.

FESTIVALS

UNwineD, Sandestin Gumbo Festival and Pensacola Mardi Gras

|| BOOKS

Make it Blaze

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expression

FESTIVALS

UNwineD Wine flows and music rings at al fresco fete

by HANNAH BURKE

I

f the kids get a spring break, why shouldn’t you? On March 23 and 24, Aaron Bessant Park in Panama City Beach is the place to “wine” down and dine out, as guests are treated to a weekend of decadent coastal cuisine, premier libations and top-line entertainment. The wine hails from all across the country, while local and celebrity chefs provide the bites. Is your mouth watering yet?

Biscuits & Jam, presented by Southern Living magazine, will be your “appetizer” for the festival. For those who are not familiar with Biscuits & Jam, it’s a special section in

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Southern Living magazine that showcases the talents of up-and-coming singers and musicians of the South, some of whom will provide a live concert and garden party on Friday, March 23.

“That night, we’ll be putting the spotlight on Cale Tyson,” said Emily Boehling, Senior Brand Marketing Manager for Southern Living. “Right now, he’s based in Nashville, but he has a distinctive, soulful voice and classic sound that’s influenced by the Muscle Shoals area of Alabama.”

Tyson’s pipes aren’t the only thing with soul at the party. It wouldn’t be Southern Living without some country cookin’. Beneath the massive, billowing, white-top tent, strung with lustrous string lights, iconic Southern dishes will come to life as celebrity chef and Southern Living Contributing Editor Matt Moore serves up his specialties.

“We’re really excited to bring Matt along because he is the most

fun-loving, easy-going, laid-back guy — and a fantastic chef,” Boehling said. “He’ll be working with local chefs for our menu on Friday, but he’ll also help enhance the footprint of the festival on Saturday, during the Grand Tasting, by hosting cooking demonstrations, distributing samples and selling and signing his two cookbooks.”

The Grand Tasting, which is UNwineD’s main event, features over 36 booths full of craft beer, spirits, fares from local eateries and, of course, wine. You’ll even have the opportunity to sample masterfully crafted cocktails from vendors and vote in UNwineD’s debut cocktail competition.

Thankfully, the party doesn’t stop when your stomach gets full. That evening, St. Paul and the Broken Bones will headline another concert in the park, wowing audiences with their symphonic spin on country music. EC

PHOTOS PURE 7 STUDIOS (TABLE AND FOOD) AND COURTESY OF UNWINED

↖ Southern Living magazine kicks off the weekend with the Biscuits & Jam garden party, featuring hors d’oeuvres by Chef Matt Moore and concerts by Southern musicians. ↑ Guests toast with premier pours from around the world. Over 36 booths showcase local and international libations and light bites.

BOD0051 Emerald Coast June/July half pg.indd 1

4/21/17 2:11 PM

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expression

FESTIVALS

Sandestin Gumbo Festival Local restaurants vie for title of Best Gumbo in Destin

by HANNAH BURKE

U

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↗ Winning 1st Place in the People’s Choice Awards, Crab Island Cantina served up a savory seafood gumbo in 2017. ↘ Chefs present their samples as bite-size works of edible art.

“In our seafood gumbo, one of the key ingredients is chorizo, and Spanish rice goes on top,” Shaffran said. “Our winning recipe last year was topped off with a crawfish empanada.”

When he was interviewed for this article, Shaffran didn’t yet know how he was going to change things up for 2018’s competition; but years of participating in the festival has taught him that preparation is no joke.

“Each year, we bring in about 50 gallons of gumbo,” Shaffran said. “Our roux, alone, takes anywhere from four to five hours to cook. So early Thursday, we start preparing five-gallon batches of gumbo, and we continue preparing them around the clock until Saturday.”

Shaffran’s gumbo will be sampled by the 2,000-odd people who attend each year.

For casual gumbo enthusiasts, the festival’s Baytowne Wharf venue is the ideal place to graze, mingle and catch up on a little shopping. For others, the competition is far more serious.

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“We’ll have people return to our booth three, four times, saying, ‘OK, I’ve narrowed it down to about five of you,’” Shaffran said. “Then they’ll come back again, and say, ‘Now I’ve narrowed it down to three of you.’ That just makes the build-up to having the judges call out your name all the more exciting.” EC

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CRAB ISLAND CANTINA AND THE VILLAGE OF BAYTOWNE WHARF / SANDESTIN GOLF & BEACH RESORT (GUMBO)

nless you’re a Cajun or Creole cook, gumbo isn’t something as easy to whip up as, say, a grilled-cheese sandwich.

In fact, there isn’t a precise science to perfecting a gumbo, because mastering this dish is, undoubtedly, a form of art.

For those of you who have tried making gumbo at home, you’ll know there are a million different ways to make it, and, if something goes wrong, a million different ways to break it. Whether you’re using poultry or shellfish, a traditional roux or filé powder, texture is just as crucial as taste to create the most satisfactory stew.

Thankfully, the Sandestin Gumbo Festival leaves the cooking to the experts and the tasting to you. On February 17, local chefs will churn out gallons of their particular secret recipe for the chance for their restaurant to claim the title of “Best Gumbo on the Coast.”

In honor of 2017, last year’s contest hosted 17 different competitors who competed in 7 categories that included a Veteran’s award for returning, senior restaurants; a Best New Participant award; and a People’s Choice award, which was given to Crab Island Cantina.

Like other items on the Crab Island Cantina menu, Chef/Owner Carlos Shaffran’s gumbo is all about a fusion of flavor and a callback to his Latin roots. His secret weapon happens to be using seasoning from his own line of spices, which you can purchase at carlitosproducts.com.

One of

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A dazzling roster of dozens of celebrity winemakers, distillers, chefs, brew masters and entertainers converge in South Walton, Florida to wine, dine, educate and entertain guests as part of the four-day celebration of wine during the 2018 South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival held April 26-29, 2018 throughout the Town Center of Grand Boulevard.

Attendees enjoy such attractions as Spirits Row, Rosé All Day Garden, Savor South Walton Culinary Village, Nosh Pavilions, Tasting Seminars, Craft Beer & Spirits Jam, live entertainment and more than 800 wines poured by knowledgeable wine industry insiders.

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

GOOD TIMES ROLL ON THE COAST PENSACOLA GRAND MARDI GRAS PARADE FEBRUARY 10, 2–6 PM

FESTIVALS

Pensacola Beach Mardi Gras Krewes rule in Fat Tuesday parade

by HANNAH BURKE

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Pensacolamardigras.com

particular rite of passage has since changed, as there are dozens of other krewes in the area; but being a part of the original group remains an honor.

Other participants in the Fat Tuesday bash include the Pirates of Orange Beach, the fictitious Mayoki Indian tribe, the Navarre Krewe of Jesters, the Krewe du Ya Yas and the Krewe of Bowlegs. You’ve likely met the latter at Fort Walton Beach’s annual Billy Bowlegs Festival.

“People who haven’t been here before don’t realize what a classy operation the parade is,” Goudey added. “We throw quality beads — none of the cheap, plastic kinds — and floats throw little trinkets and souvenirs that go with their themes. And, we keep it family-friendly. The whole parade stretches several miles and takes a couple of hours to complete, so it’s a great way to spend the day.”

This year, the parade will begin at 2 p.m. on February 11. Floats will compete in multiple contest divisions, including Most Creative, Best Costume, Best Use of Color and Best Throws.

“We have thousands and thousands of people show up for something that just feels so local,” Goudey said. “You’re having fun, whether you’re in the parade or catching beads, and that happiness brings our community together.” EC

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PANAMA CITY BEACH MARDI GRAS & MUSIC FESTIVAL FEBRUARY 9–10 If you’re partial to snazzy, jazzy, Cajun tunes with your carnival, the PCB Mardi Gras & Music Festival delivers the ideal extravaganza. The soulful sounds of Aaron Neville, Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band, Vince Vance & the Valiants and other musicians provide the soundtrack for your revelry as they take Pier Park’s Celebration Stage. Special activities for children include a themed costume contest, Fun Zone and their very own parade.

But they’ll also want to tag along with you to the main parade, where the legendary local pirate, Dominique Youx, and his krewe invade Pier Park with elaborate costumes, floats and booty for the crowd. visitpanamacitybeach. com/mardigras/

PHOTO COURTESY OF KREWE OF WRECKS

N

ew Orleans may be considered the Mardi Gras mecca, but it’s not the only city in which to parade, swap beads and boogie to the beats of jazz bands. Pensacola Beach offers a Fat Tuesday bash with a local twist, as the Krewe of Wrecks and 50 other participating floats invade the island for a full day of fun.

The Krewe of Wrecks is a non-profit group that is active in improving the community through acts of charity. A portion of the organization’s proceeds are distributed through food banks and charities such as the Good Samaritan Clinic and Florida Elks Youth Camps.

According to “Head Wreck” Jeff Goudey, conception of the Krewe dates to 1979, when three people sat down to discuss the lack of business and activity on the beach during the off-season.

“Jane Cooper, one of the founding members, was from New Orleans, so she pitched the idea of bringing Mardi Gras to the Beach,” Goudey explained. “They started hosting meetings in local bars and restaurants, people gained interest, and it’s been a special tradition ever since.”

Back in its early days, it was customary to join the Krewe of Wrecks if you wished to participate in the Mardi Gras Parade. Goudey noted that that

For those sticking to the Pensacola mainland for Fat Tuesday, gather with other revelers downtown as more than 100 krewes and floats flood the streets with festivity in the Pensacola Grand Mardi Gras Parade.

Attracting a crowd of about 100,000 people each year, the spectacle is one of Downtown Pensacola’s biggest attractions of the year. This means each costume-clad parader is armed to the teeth with flashy beads, toys, trinkets and traditional Moon Pies for each family to catch! As the fanfare weaves through Garden and Palafox streets, watering holes and eateries will remain open to fuel the fire and keep the good times rolling.

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expression

STOKE THE FLAMES Ignite in children a love of reading

by KIM HARRIS THACKER

In his timeless novel, Les Misérables, author Victor Hugo wrote, “To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark.”

It’s a beautiful thought, but for some children, the tinder just won’t catch. These children may have developmental or learning disabilities, be English-language learners or lack access to books.

Some children simply don’t like to read because they haven’t yet gotten to the point where reading becomes a pleasure and an avenue for learning, rather than an arduous task.

The good news is that there are ways to help your child or grandchild develop a love of reading, which will then lead to reading fluency and, in turn, an even greater enjoyment of reading.



WORDS FROM THE WISE: Explore Your Child’s Interests Linda Thompson, Managing Librarian at Coastal Branch Library in Santa Rosa Beach, says, “Everybody has different things that they really enjoy. Discovering what that is … that’s the ticket to getting a child to read. They have to be interested in the topic.”

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Dr. Sheila Brant, Media Services Coordinator for Escambia County School District, says, “Parents can help children become better readers by finding out what their interests are. Then it’s not so much about what people want them to read, but what they want to read. Let them try out graphic novels, books online, magazines … whatever gets them reading.”

PHOTOS BY MONKEYBUSINESSIMAGES / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS AND COURTESY OF LINDA THOMPSON AND DR. SHEILA BRANT

BOOKS

1

READ TOGETHER. Set

aside a special time each day that is devoted entirely to shared reading. Make this time something you both look forward to that creates positive associations with reading.

TIP: Take breaks and reward your child.

TIP: Don’t get caught up in the idea that if a text has pictures, it’s “too young” for your growing reader, or it doesn’t have literary merit.

TRY: Dig, a magazine for kids who are fascinated by archeology and world history.

3

IMPLEMENT REWARDS.

TRY: Paul Fleischman’s Newbery Award-winning book of poetry, Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices.

Create an “I’m a Reader” chart, with a small reward at the end of each day, a larger reward at the end of the week and a very special reward at the end of the month.

LEVERAGE MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES. Children tend to

TIP: Don’t give out disproportionate rewards. You want to get to the point where reading the book becomes the reward.

2

associate reading with chapter books; but exposure to other types of media can help your child get excited about reading. ➸ Audiobooks are great for all stages of reading — including pre-reading — because they teach children how stories “work.” They help kids learn how to anticipate a narrative arc and look forward to and get satisfaction from a story’s progression.

TIP: Try listening to audiobooks in the car.

TRY: J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, narrated by Jim Dale. ➸ E-books. Today’s kids are born into a world where technology plays a huge role in their lives. Your reluctant reader might enjoy reading a book on a Kindle or iPad. TIP: Many e-books are available online at low or no cost.

TRY: Not Norman: A Goldfish Story

by Kelly Bennett (author) and Noah Z. Jones (illustrator). ➸ Movies that are based on books are great tools for encouraging children to read, but they shouldn’t replace the actual books.

TIP: Learn what children’s movies that are based on books are coming to theaters in the near future, and then read one of the books with your child. Let a trip to see the movie be an incentive to finish the book.

TRY: Wonder by R.J. Palacio. The movie features Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson and Jacob Tremblay.

4

BREAKFAST & LUNCH with a

VIEW

EMPOWER YOUR CHILD.

Let your child self-track his or her daily reading time. You can also allow your child to pick out his or her own book at the library or a bookstore.

TIP: Let your child use his or her own money to buy a book. It provides an extra nudge to read the book.

TRY: Shopping at the following Emerald Coast book stores, all of which sell used books: Hawsey’s Book Index in Pensacola; The Book Rack of Fort Walton Beach, Inc.; Read it Again in Niceville; Sundog Books in Santa Rosa Beach; and The Book Bin in Panama City.

5

ACTIVATE THE IMAGINATION.

Combine books with fun activities.

For example, if the book you and your child are reading is about airplanes, head for the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola on the weekend.

TIP: Avoid the urge to go overboard with fun activities. Keep it simple so the focus stays on the story.

TRY: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi and Ron Barrett.

Make spaghetti and meatballs for supper and hang paper cutouts of food from the dining room ceiling.

6

TRY SOMETHING NEW.

Put away the fiction for a while and try some non-fiction, poetry or a play.

TIP: Think creatively. If your child is interested in a certain sports star or figure from history, pick up a biography about that person, written specifically for children.

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Cafe

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TRY: Anything from the “Who Was” biography series from Who HQ. EC

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➸ Graphic novels, picture books, pop-up books and magazines are art-heavy forms of media that might hold your child’s attention where books without images don’t.

TRY: Making the reward chart and planning the rewards together.

Bay side

Sandestin Golf Club & Beach Resort

Courtyard Sandestin at Grand Boulevard

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February–March 2018

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SPONSORED REPORT

A native of Cienfuegos lights up his cigar in the day’s early hours, revealing a face hardened by life’s trials. He spent the next hour spinning tales of his youth while photographer Chandler Williams of Modus Photography prepared for another day in Cuba.

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SPONSORED REPORT

CAPTURING

MOMENTS WITH MODUS PHOTOGRAPHY

CAPTURING

MOMENTS A view of the world through the lens of Chandler Williams of Modus Photography

W

hen you make a living out of doing what you love, you know you have found true success. Lifestyle photographer Chandler Williams has done just that.

As an enthusiastic artist with a thirst for travel, Williams has turned his passions into a thrilling career.

Williams’ relationship with photography started over 18 years ago, when he began to learn and love the art of photography in the quiet spaces of the darkroom. Already a traveler at heart, the next few years found Williams trekking the globe, armed with only his camera and a desire to get the perfect shot. Since then, he has continued to build his photography portfolio by expanding his travels and seeking out unique experiences, all while capturing each memorable moment through the lens of his camera.

These adventures led to the launch of Modus Photography in 2007. Incredibly, in just a few short years, it has grown from a one-man operation to a team of creatives offering photography and cinematography services around the world.

“Mo-dus” is a translation for the “mode of expression,” and

Modus Photography is the avenue in which Williams shares his years of captured moments, including those from a recent excursion to Cuba.

Chandler’s role in this trip was to create a short film about the installation of water filtration systems that help ensure access to clean water for the people of Cuba, though for Williams it turned into something so much more. Through his photography, Williams was not only able to experience the culture and build relationships with the people, but also share these meaningful moments through powerful photos.

From witnessing a street-boxing match with historical ties to listening to the stories of an older man as he lit his cigar, these experiences will forever be remembered in a series of captivating photos.

With the support of his community, Williams continues to explore the world with his camera in hand, constantly searching for new opportunities to expand his artistic limits.

With his traveler’s spirit and keen eye for detail, we are excited to see what he does next!

PHOTOS BY MODUS PHOTOGRAPHY // MODUSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM // 39 LOGAN LANE SUITE 9, SANTA ROSA BEACH // (850) 714-7997

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SPONSORED REPORT

Sports and athletics, boxing especially, are a high priority in Cuba. This ragtag bunch meets daily at their favorite boxing ring to spar, hone their skills and strengthen their resolve. Cuba has won 32 Olympic boxing gold medals since 1972, more than any other country.

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SPONSORED REPORT

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SPONSORED REPORT

TOP LEFT: While the youth exercise their bodies, the preceding generations keep their wits sharp by enjoying a few rounds of dominos. Strategic board and card games are an entertainment staple amongst the Cuban community. BOTTOM LEFT: Cuba’s automobile culture is well-known for its classics. As a result of the ban on foreign imports, the island nation generates a frozen-in-time feeling that is displayed by their resourcefulness and ingenuity in restoring and maintaining their prized cars. RIGHT: Sun sets on another day in Havana, Cuba. As Chandler WIlliams’ trip came to an end, he reflected on his week spent immersed in Cuban culture. Williams said he was overwhelmed with humility and that the trip was a one-of-a-kind experience that left him with an open mind and an open heart.

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SPONSORED REPORT

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PROMOTION

Patti LuPone Bringing ‘Far Away Places’ Close to Home

Presented by Opening Nights at Florida State University Concert Hall courtesy of Opening Nights, she gathered inspiration very literally from far and wide. “Far Away Places” spans a variety of genres from Broadway classics to cabaret to contemporary pop.

“My inspiration for ‘Far Away Places’ comes through traveling that I’ve done both for work and for pleasure,” said LuPone. “Earth is a glorious beauty, and all of her people and their cultures are forever fascinating to me.

There is so much to learn, to appreciate, to stand in awe of.”

Bobby Bacon, president of Earl Bacon Agency, and his daughter, Lauren Bacon, multi-lines agent and social media manager for the Earl Bacon Agency, hold a sincere appreciation for LuPone’s talent and accomplishments. The Earl Bacon Agency is sponsoring LuPone’s performance, and Lauren will have the honor of introducing her.

“It’s a great privilege to bring world-class artists like Patti LuPone to Tallahassee,” said Bobby Bacon. “Let’s face it, Patti LuPone could schedule a sold-out performance practically anywhere in the world, but she chooses to come to Tallahassee because of the reputation of Florida State University’s faculty and students. The corporate sponsorships make

it possible for artists to stay in town and host a master’s class with our students. Imagine, you’re a musical theater major at Florida State, and your professor tells you your guest lecturer today will be Patti LuPone.”

Lauren Bacon has been involved in musical theater for 20 years, and she says anyone who attends LuPone’s Opening Nights performance will witness an icon continuing to place her mark on history.

“Patti LuPone is clearly one of the great stage performers of our time,” said Lauren Bacon.

“LuPone is the consummate professional — not only a great performer but someone who reveres the history and etiquette of the theater.

Her dedication to her craft is so complete, she simply mesmerizes an audience. She is literally a ‘showstopper.’ ”

Want to catch Patti LuPone on tour?

Her performance will be at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall, April 5, 2018, at 7:30 p.m. For information on other performances, visit openingnights.fsu.edu/events.

Tickets to Patti LuPone’s performance are priced from $65-$85. To get yours, visit openingnights.fsu.edu or call (850) 644-6500.

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TOP PHOTO BY RAHAV /HEADSHOT BY AXEL DUPEUX

I

n Patti LuPone’s rendition of “Far Away Places,” she sings, “They call me a dreamer, well maybe I am.” LuPone may have dreamed of success, but she likely didn’t fathom that her achievements would be so vast, including two Grammy awards, two Tony awards and an induction into the American Theater Hall of Fame. However, there was one thing she knew with great certainty.

“I was chosen at the age of 4, and I’ve never looked back. I just knew I belonged on the stage,” said LuPone. “Then I fell in love with the audience.”

Watch her on stage for a few seconds, and you’ll know it’s true — she captivates, enthralls, animates and entertains. As a bona fide Broadway actress and singer, LuPone is adaptable in her roles, attentive to her audience, limitless in her talent and actively accepting inspiration.

Speaking of her performance of “Far Away Places,” which she will be bringing to Ruby Diamond PATTI LUPONE

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Consistently Delicious since 1995! www.cafethirtya.com

3899 E. Co. Hwy. 30A, Seagrove · 850.231.2166 Open Daily At 5

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gastro&gusto FEB/MAR 2018

DINING, IMBIBING AND LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST

↙

PAZZO ITALIANO ANTIPASTO PLATTER

DINING OUT

Molto buono, Pazzo!

Old World ways meet modern approach at Destin restaurant

by HANNAH BURKE

DINING IN photography by TODD DOUGLAS PHOTOGRAPHY

Oysters, Hemingway-style

|| LIBATIONS

O, Basilico

|| DINING GUIDE

See Page 125

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gastro & gusto

P THE BURRATA

REGINA MARGARITA

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azzo: An Italian word meaning insane, wild and downright mad.

For restaurant owners Levi Tischler and Alfonso Di Bonito, Pazzo is the name that best represents them. They’d have to be a little crazy to put their personal finances on the line to build their first business from the ground up, and to haul a 7,000-pound artisanal oven from Italy all the way to Destin, Florida.

But there’s clearly method to their madness, because their food is crazy-good, too.

In 2003, Di Bonito left Italy to make the Emerald Coast his new home. A few years later, the Naples native was working at a restaurant when he met up with Tischler, a former resident of Romania who worked at the same restaurant, and the pair became fast friends.

With Tischler’s entrepreneurial spirit and Di Bonito’s culinary expertise, the duo figured they should start their own restaurant.

“We had talked about it forever,” Di Bonito said, “and a year ago, the day finally came when we started our company. It was a big decision — like getting married for the second time! Our two wonderful wives and our friends understood that this was not one dream, but two, and they supported us all the way.”

February–March 2018 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

That support is the bedrock of Pazzo Italiano Ristorante & Bar. Rather than hire a contractor, the two banded together with friends to completely remodel the property they’d chosen in the Crystal Beach Plaza of Destin. Meeting up with tools and a case of beer in hand, the crew spent long days knocking down walls and customizing every corner. They completed their project in about three months’ time.

“We didn’t want to create just another Italian restaurant, with the same theme,” Tischler explained. “We wanted modern. Industrial.

Our logo on the wood tables. A bar and open seating. It was hard work, but it paid off, because I’m always happy coming here. It’s our second home.”

“Maybe our first home, with the amount of time we spend here!” Di Bonito joked.

As the chef, Di Bonito’s pride and joy is his brick oven. Imported from a small company in Naples, this oven stands as the only one of its kind in the Southast. It’s proudly on display near the kitchen, surrounded by a bar where guests can watch Di Bonito cook up pizza and calzones right before their eyes. You won’t find any gas or electric heat anywhere near this oven. Fueled by an oak-wood fire, internal photography by TODD DOUGLAS PHOTOGRAPHY

← Levi Tischler, at left, and Alfonso DiBonito teamed up to import this 3.5-ton, wood-fired oven from Italy, at the heart of their restaurant in Destin. At far left, light shimmers on goblets and wall tiles, setting a warm, modern tone.

COME SEE US IN DESTIN! On Highway 98, Half Mile West of SR 293

temperatures in this unique oven can reach 900 degrees and cook pizzas in two to three minutes, tops.

While Pazzo’s serves saucy, cheesy pizza and other common Italian fare that’s molto buono, the real draw lies in the fact that these are home-style, family recipes. Although the restaurant only opened in May of 2017, guests have already discovered many hidden gems on the menu, and they keep coming back for more.

“One big seller is our Porchetta, which is pork belly we wrap in Italian herbs and pork tenderloin,” Di Bonito said.

“We cook that for about four to five hours, until the belly hits crispy.”

The Burrata, Tischler added, is another favorite.

“It’s mozzarella on the outside, filled with a kind of sweetcream butter,” he said. “It’s so very fresh and different. We serve that over a bed of cherry tomato, arugula and prosciutto. Very simple ingredients, but high-quality.”

While you indulge in these delectable dishes, you may see Tischler’s wife, Mesi, serving up her legendary cakes, in flavors like blueberry mascarpone and chocolate cannoli. Behind the bar, Di Bonito’s wife, Erika, might be concocting cocktails, while his nephew operates the oven. A true family business, Pazzo’s is a place where you can come casual and know you’re among friends.

“When you come into our restaurant, you become one of our own,” Tischler said. “We like to say, ‘Pazzo’s is the taste of passion.’ This is a passion for Alfonso, for me and for everyone involved. When we see people leave happy — nothing can match that.” EC

Award-winning Oysters and Seafood Specialties, Amazing Steaks, Pasta Dishes, Salads and So Much More!

34761 Emerald Coast Pkwy (Hwy 98) Suite 104

850.842.4788

Visit our website for a full list of locations

www.HalfShellOysterHouse.com

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gastro & gusto

DINING IN

OYSTERS, HEMINGWAYSTYLE Dress ’em up with these tips from the experts

by KIM HARRIS THACKER

T

he taste of a really good oyster is, for most people, hard to describe. But Ernest Hemingway was not most people. His description of oysters in his memoir, A Moveable Feast, may very well be the loveliest commentary on oysters in the English language: “As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea taste and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell and washed it down with the crisp taste of the wine, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans.”

When I read those words for the first time, I, like Hemingway, began to be happy and to make plans — happy plans to eat oysters. I decided to embark on my own “moveable feast” and reach out to some of the best seafoodies across the Emerald Coast to find out their favorite ways to dress up an oyster.

But before we get down to the buttery, garlicky details, let’s do a little “Oysters 101”: Not all oysters are good eatin’. Remember, “If it’s open a crack, then please, put it back.” And have you heard the one that says oysters should be eaten only during the colder months — the months that have an “r” in them? This lore doesn’t hold up across the board because the season of harvest has no impact on most people, but shellfish specialists caution health-compromised oyster fans not to eat them raw at any time of year.

James Duff, Manager of Destin Ice Seafood Market, says of the once-useful adage, “I think that old saying came about before ice and refrigeration. Back then, people could

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only sell oysters when it was cold outside. I sell and eat my oysters all year, because I make sure they’re transported in a truck that is kept at a certain temperature all the time.”

Duff ’s primary rule for oyster selection is to check the harvest date, because oysters “expire” seven days after they are harvested.

Before you shuck your oysters, invest in a good oyster knife. These short, sturdy knives often have a cross-guard that protects the knife-wielding hand from sharp oyster shells. Another item you’ll need to protect your hands is a tea towel, folded into a pad.

Clean your oysters under cold, running water. Place an oyster cup-side down inside the tea towel, leaving the hinge of the oyster exposed. Insert the oyster knife at the hinge photography by SAIGE ROBERTS

➸ Spicy Oysters & Oysters Rockefeller

Manager James Duff, Destin Ice Seafood Market 2017 Best of the Emerald Coast winner for Best Seafood Market “I love my oysters raw. I put one on a cracker and add a splash of Crystal hot sauce. They’re delicious that way. But if I’m going to cook them, I’ll do Oysters Rockefeller: I steam fresh spinach, then I dice some mushrooms and jalapenos real small. I mix all of that together and put it and some shredded cheese on top of each oyster. Then I add a dash of salt and pepper and put them on the grill.”

OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER

SPICY OYSTERS

➸ Grilled Oysters & Oysters Bienville General Manager Steven Vallette, Half Shell Oyster House 2017 Best of the Emerald Coast winner for Best Oysters (tie)

GRILLED OYSTERS

and twist, popping the hinge. Run the knife along the top shell to release the meat. Open the shell, taking care not to spill the brine. (Duff calls it the “liquor.”) The oyster should smell fresh and salty, like the sea. Use the knife to release the meat from the bottom shell.

Most people want to sip a raw oyster from its shell, but this is a sure way to end up with shell fragments in your mouth. Instead, lean over your oyster and suck it up from the top.

If you’re a bit squeamish about eating oysters raw, or if you don’t have an oyster knife, try steaming your oysters on the grill until they pop open.

Now, are you ready to make some happy plans for your own oyster feast? EC

“For grilled oysters, I’ll put a little butter, garlic and Parmesan cheese on top. If I bake them, I’ll do it Bienville-style — topped with shrimp, Portobello mushrooms, bell peppers, a little sherry, some Parmesan cheese, Italian breadcrumbs and bacon.”

➸ Oysters Casino

Manager Danny Horgan, Hightide Seafood Restaurant and Oyster Bar 2017 Best of the Emerald Coast winner for Best Oysters (tie) “Oysters Casino are really popular around here. To make them, first shuck the top shell from your oysters, then top them with some chopped yellow onion and lots and lots of colby and pepper jack cheese. Then put them in a steamer to

cook. For eight oysters, it’ll take about five minutes to melt the cheese. For a larger number, it’ll take 7–10.”

➸ Oysters with Homemade Mignonette & Oysters with Bacon Marmalade Chef Andi Bell, Boshamps 2017 Best of the Emerald Coast winner for Best Outdoor Dining

“For the mignonette, I make homemade vinegar out of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. Then I mix the vinegar with extra virgin olive oil, black pepper and shallots. I also bake oysters with a mixture of caramelized onions, smoked bacon marmalade and feta cheese on top.”

➸ Fried Oysters

Chef Thomas Stukenborg and General Manager Michael Pruitt, The Old Florida Fish House 2017 Best of the Emerald Coast winner for Best Tuna Dip (their oysters are to die for, too) “Grind together some all-purpose flour, corn flour and our spice mixture: paprika, oregano, granulated garlic and Cajun seasoning.

When everything is the consistency of flour, put the mixture in a large mixing bowl. Fill another bowl with half buttermilk and half whole milk. Place your shucked oysters in a wire basket and dip the basket in the milk. Transfer the oysters to the breading mixture and toss them gently until they are all covered. Shake loose any excess breading. Cook the oysters in hot oil until they reach the desired crispness.

Our basic rule of thumb is to leave them in oil until they stop crackling.”

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gastro & gusto Christina Vona says muddled basil is the key to ONE89’s perfect “Basilico” cocktail.

helpful with the guests. She’s very informative with them.”

Giovanni’s features almost five dozen cocktails on its specialty menu, but it didn’t take long for Vona to find one that would become her favorite: Basilico. The cocktail was created by Julia LeBlanc, Jamie’s younger sister and the restaurant’s bar ↙ manager. ➸ Start with a 12-ounce “I like the com“tall glass” ➸ Using simple syrup, bination of basil muddle fresh basil and and strawberry to strawberries begin with,” Vona ➸ Add 2 ounces of Bacardi Silver Rum said. “It’s just so re➸A dd an ounce of freshing, and when “Strawberrycello” liqueur you add the fresh(made in house) ➸ Shake and add a splash of squeezed lime soda water that’s perfect.

Dur➸ Top with half-ounce of ing the summer I Prosecco and garnish with a lime wedge make at least 10 to 15 a week.”

And muddling doesn’t slow her down. Vona estimated a Basilico would take 2 to 3 minutes to prepare, and she proved it when Emerald Coast Magazine stopped by for a drink.

“Well, after you make a certain amount it just gets easier and easier as time goes on,” Vona said with the hint of a smile. “I was surprised myself, because I had never tasted muddled basil and strawberry.”

Vona’s Basilico proved to be everything that the bartending pro advertised, with all the elements in perfect balance. But those who have yet to taste Basilico can sometimes be wary.

“Just the look on their face when I tell what’s in it,” Vona said. “I tell them basil and strawberry and some people, they’re just dumbfounded that I’m going to put the 1925 building was a residence and basil in a cocktail.” then became the town’s first doctor’s ofTasting is believing. fice, housing the practice of Dr. Henry C. “It’s just super refreshing,” Vona said, White. Much later it became Caffe Italia “so I enjoy that wide-eyed look on their ONE89 — being located at 189 Brooks face — they’re so surprised. Honestly, I’ve Street — and was renamed Giovanni’s never had anybody that didn’t like it, and ONE89 in 2016 by new owners John and I’ve made more than 100 in two years.”

Janie LeBlanc.

Last year, Vona was invited to mix cock“Christina is one of our best bartendtails at the famous motorcycle rally in ers,” said the LeBlancs’ daughter and Sturgis, South Dakota. “I enjoy the stories, Giovanni’s General Manager Jamie Beth I enjoy the different personalities, and I LeBlanc. “She’s just so personable and enjoy making people happy,” she said. EC

Basilico

LIBATIONS

REFRESH

ONE89 serves new flavors in historic location

by THOMAS J. MONIGAN

B

artenders are unique characters, and they love to show it by serving up their own special cocktails.

So it is with bartender Christina Vona, born and raised in the Village of Addison in western New York, population 2,500.

After moving to the Emerald Coast several years ago, Vona quickly signed on with Giovanni’s ONE89.

Nestled between Brooks Street and Santa Rosa Sound in Fort Walton Beach,

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photography by TODD DOUGLAS PHOTOGRAPHY

P R I M E

S T E A K S

&

S E A F O O D

SAVOR THE CLASSIC & SOPHISTICATED One of the finest dining destinations along Florida’s Gulf Coast, Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood features an award-winning 600-label wine list, hand selected prime steaks and Gulf-to-table seafood dishes. With fresh, seasonally inspired ingredients, Seagar’s prides itself on providing the most decadent and indulgent meals.

The Emerald Coast’s only AAA Four-Diamond Steakhouse RESERVATIONS 850-622-1500 | 4000 Sandestin Blvd. South, Miramar Beach, FL 32550 | SEAGARS.com Since 2000 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

February–March 2018

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The group of springs that feed Econfina Creek supplies water to Deer Point Lake, Bay County’s source of drinking water.

WATERS of life Natural springs of Northwest Florida STORY BY KIM HARRIS THACKER PHOTO BY TRACE INGHAM

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B

eneath Florida’s sandy topsoil and spreading through about 100,000 square miles of porous limestone lies the Floridan aquifer. One of the most productive aquifers in the world, the Floridan supplies water for more than 10 million people. Rainwater keeps the aquifer full, and in some places, pressure in the aquifer builds to the point where water is forced through openings in the earth’s surface, revealing freshwater springs.

Florida has more than 1,000 springs — the largest concentration of freshwater springs in the world — and more than 250 of those are located within the Northwest Florida Water Management District which includes the entire Florida Pan-

handle and a significant portion of the Big Bend region.

“This region’s 255 springs and their associated rivers and bays have significant ecological, cultural and economic value,” says Northwest Florida Water Management District Executive Director Brett Cyphers.

“They provide important habitat for wildlife and plants, recreational opportunities for the public and an opportunity for people to connect with their natural environment. They also represent the visible part of the Floridan Aquifer, where most of our drinking water comes from. Restoring and protecting these priceless resources remains a priority for our District’s board and staff, and the state’s support of those efforts is vital to continuing the great progress we’ve made so far.”

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Water from Cypress Spring, on Holmes Creek near Vernon, is bottled by Nestlé Waters North America.

Northwest Florida is one of the most biologically diverse regions in the U.S. This diversity can be attributed, in part, to the area’s spring ecosystems. Many of these ecosystems have existed since the end of the last ice age, which means that numerous plant and animal species in these ecosystems are entirely unique — even endemic to particular spring systems.

The springs are teeming with flora and fauna. A day at the springs might result in sightings of the mottled longbract wakerobin (also known as trillium), cabbage palms, largemouth bass, pond crayfish, American alligators, river otters, dragonflies, great blue herons and even West Indian manatees.

Cultural value of the springs

Thousands of years ago, the Paleoindians who lived in Florida relied on fresh water and freshwater ecosystems for survival. They lived and hunted near bodies of fresh water, and evidence of the impact that springs had on their lives is visible today in the form of exciting archaeological findings, recovered from springs throughout Florida.

Springs are still important to Floridians and to tourists who visit the Sunshine State. Many Northwest Florida springs are accessible to the public and present wonderful opportunities to paddle and swim in some of the most beautiful waters on earth.

Bay County. But another spring in Northwest Florida provides water to communities around the world via Nestlé Waters North America, which has a water-collection facility on Holmes Creek at Cypress Spring.

Some Holmes County residents are opposed to the presence of the Nestlé facility, yet Cyphers says that these individuals may not be aware of Nestlé’s role in maintaining Cypress Spring’s health.

Nestlé owns about two-thirds of the land surrounding Cypress Spring, and the Water Management District owns the other third. This means the land surrounding Cypress Spring is not farmed and so is from farming fertilizers that tend to find their way into springs.

For those who are concerned about the quantity of water Nestlé collects for bottling

Magnitude springs are classified according to the average amount of water they discharge as measured by cubic feet per second (cfs), million gallons per day (mgd), or gallons per minute (gpm). The following table shows magnitude and the corresponding flow requirements for a particular magnitude as well as how many springs in NFWMD are of that magnitude. Note the huge range in flow for Magnitude 2 springs.

MAGNITUDE

Economic value of the springs

Northwest Florida’s springs are an important source of drinking water. The springs that feed Econfina Creek in Bay County, for example, flow into Deer Point Lake, which provides 90 percent of all drinking water in

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purposes, it’s one-tenth of a percentage of the spring’s average daily flow of nearly 58 million gallons of water per day.

“Even if Nestlé reached a point where they were collecting 400,000 gallons of water a day, which is what they’re permitted and which is eight times what they actually use, that’s not enough to even move the needle in regards to harming this natural system,” says Cyphers, who also noted that Nestlé’s business model relies on clean water, meaning the company is committed to protecting the spring.

Crystal Gainey, of Vernon, Florida, appreciates what Nestlé has done for her community. “Their tax money helps Vernon,” she says. “It goes back into the school system and to other places.”

Gainey has helped her father run their

NUMBER OF NAMED SPRINGS OR SPRING GROUPS IN NFWMD

FLOW

1

≥ 100 CFS (≥ 64.6 MGD)

5 (4 FRESHWATER, 1 SUBMARINE)

2

≥ 10 TO 100CFS (≥ 6.46 TO 64.6 MGD)

29 (28 FRESHWATER, 1 SUBMARINE)

3

≥ 1 TO 10 CFS (≥ 0.646 TO 6.46 MGD)

44

4

≥ 100 GPM TO 1 CFS (≥ 100 TO 448 GPM)

26

5

≥ 10 TO 100 GPM

13

6

≥ 1 TO 10 GPM

10

7

≥ 1 PINT/MIN TO 1 GPM

/

8

≥ 1 PINT/MIN

/

UNCLASSIFIED

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KEY: cfs = cubic feet per second; mgd = million gallons per day; gpm = gallons per minute

February–March 2018 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN CROWE, NORTHWEST FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

Ecological value of the springs

family-owned business, Snaggy Bend Outfitters LLC, for five years, now. The business is located on Holmes Creek near Vernon and was built on land that the Gainey family has owned for at least 150 years.

“I really think the springs bring a lot to Vernon’s economy,” Gainey says. “About 85 to 90 percent of Snaggy Bend’s business comes from people who aren’t from Florida. They’re looking for a little change in scenery — something to get them out of the salt water for a while. That’s why they come to what we call, ‘The Other Florida Coast.’ They like to kayak and go on paddle trips, but everyone always wants to see Cypress Springs. That’s the main attraction.”

Protecting the main attractions

Dana Stephens, Director of the Mattie M. Kelly Environmental Institute and Chair of the Department of Environmental Science at Northwest Florida State College, says, “Studies have shown the negative impact of humans on flora and fauna. Sometimes, if there’s too much recreational use, you can overwhelm a spring system.”

One spring in Northwest Florida that was almost destroyed due to recreational overuse is Williford Spring, on Econfina Creek.

“People would kayak and canoe down the creek, and then, when they reached the spring, they would just beach their boats,” says Cyphers.

“That causes a lot of erosion to spring banks.”

To mitigate the over-use, the NWFWMD installed a canoe dock at Williford Spring where paddlers can park while they enjoy the spring.

The District constructed wide, ADA-compliant steps leading into the spring for swimmers — helping to protect the shoreline at Williford Spring from too much foot traffic. The District also planted “geotech bags,” plants and trees to discourage people from walking on the spring bank.

“We still wanted people to have access to the vent, because we knew that if we didn’t provide some access, people were going to make their own, and, in the process, destroy plants and cause erosion,” Cyphers says. “We had to do some strategic planning and some engineering so we could ‘manage the feet’ and keep people from accidentally loving the spring to death.”

Another key concern for Northwest Florida’s springs is excess nutrients, particularly in the case of Jackson Blue Spring in Jackson County.

“A spring’s contribution zone is the area around the spring where water soaks into the ground and ends up in the spring,” says Cyphers. “Jackson Blue Spring’s groundwater contribution zone

stretches up into Alabama. It’s a rural zone, and it’s also agricultural. Farmers of crops like peanuts, cotton, soybeans and corn — which are what we have in that zone — use quite a bit of nitrogen in their fertilizers.”

Stephens explains that nitrogen is used in fertilizer because it encourages plant growth.

“But if people are using fertilizers and are living near a watershed that surrounds a spring, these elements can leach into the soil and eventually into the springs, causing eutrophication, or more ‘biology in the system’ than the system can handle,” she says. “Some nutrients appear in Florida’s springs naturally; but an overabundance of nitrates represent an anthropogenic, or human-induced, introduction of nutrients.”

The excess plant growth depletes oxygen and injures other species in the ecosystem.

Cyphers and his on-the-ground staff with NWFWMD have worked with farmers to implement programs designed to offset the impacts of these excess nutrients. NWFWMD staff visit the farms in Jackson County and talk to the farmers who live there. “For years we had a program where we’d go out to farmers and measure how much water they’re using,” says Cyphers. “Then, at no cost to the farmers, we’d look at their irrigation system and give them suggestions on how they could improve the efficiency of their system.”

As an example, Cyphers references overhead sprinklers that spray water onto crops. The problem with overhead sprinklers is that when the weather is at all windy, the water doesn’t fall directly onto the crops, and farmers are forced to use a larger quantity of water for a longer period of time to achieve the soil saturation they want.

“Now we approach farmers with a BMP (Best Management Practices) cost-share program, where we use the state’s Springs Restoration and Protection dollars to pay 75 percent of the cost of new technology, equipment and retrofitting for these farms, while the farmer only pays 25 percent,” says Cyphers.

The newer technologies reduce the amount of money farmers spend on water and fertilizer while still enhancing their yields. The cost-share program also reduces as much as 630,000 pounds per year of nitrogen entering the Jackson Blue Spring contribution zone and saves as much as 8 million gallons of water per day in withdrawals in Jackson County.

“We actually have more people who come in requesting to be a part of the cost-share program than we can manage,” Cyphers said. “We’re going to have to expand.” (continued on page 134) EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

Visit the springs Econfina springs (including the Gainer spring group, Pitt Spring, Sylvan Spring and Williford Spring) MAGNITUDE

Collectively, 1 LOCATION Econfina Creek in Bay and Washington County DETAILS Open daily, sunrise to sunset; activities include paddling, snorkeling, swimming, wildlife viewing, hiking, camping, fishing and picnicking Holmes Creek spring group (including Cypress Spring, Holmes Blue Spring, Jackson Spring, Ponce De Leon Spring and Vortex Spring) MAGNITUDES 2, 3 LOCATION Holmes Creek in Vernon, Holmes County DETAILS Open daily, 8 a.m. to sunset; activities include boating, paddling, fishing, snorkeling, swimming, wildlife viewing and geocaching; entry fee is $4 per vehicle (maximum 8 people) or $2 for pedestrians/ cyclists Jackson Blue Spring MAGNITUDE 1 LOCATION Jackson Blue Recreation Area in Jackson County DETAILS Open between Memorial Day and Labor Day, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; canoe, kayak and paddle boat rentals are available in the park; activities include paddling, swimming, diving, snorkeling and hiking; entry fee is $4 per person, military and first responders get $2 off, children 5 and under are free

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For Heavens’ ASTRONOMY ON THE EMERALD COAST story by THOMAS J. MONIGAN photography by TODD DOUGLAS PHOTOGRAPHY

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Sake

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Ken Leone of Shalimar uses a laser pointer to aim his astronomical binoculars.

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Col. Robert Waddell Gaskin, USAF Retired, died Dec. 19 as a result of complications from pancreatic cancer. At Rowland Publishing, it is our sincere hope that publication of the story that follows will add to Gaskin’s legacy by making his contributions to the world of science known to people who did not know him. A graduate of Clemson University, Gaskin joined the Air Force to pursue his passion for flying. He flew O-2s in 1969 as a forward air controller in Pleiku, Vietnam, where he met his future wife, who was then an assistant field director with the American Red Cross. He went on to serve as a T-38 instructor pilot at Randolph AFB, a U-2 pilot at Beale AFB, an F-4 pilot at Seymour Johnson AFB, Kunsan AB and Clark AB, and as squadron commander of the 19th TASS at Osan AB. In his last assignment, he worked in the Office of Net Assessment for the secretary of defense at the Pentagon, and created the Joint Air Force Component Command (JFACC). From 2000 to 2010 he was executive director of the Emerald Coast Science Center in Fort Walton Beach.

On clear nights he’d roll his huge telescope out on his driveway and teach sidewalk astronomy to anyone who was interested. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Emerald Coast Science Center, 31 Memorial Parkway SW, Fort Walton Beach, Florida 32548.

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The dramatic solar eclipse that cast a shadow on North America last August caused a surge of interest in astronomy. If you are curious about what’s out there in the night sky and beyond, the Emerald Coast is home to two groups of local stargazers who could teach you quite a bit.

NORTHWEST FLORIDA ASTRONOMY ASSOCIATION Bob Gaskin, of Miramar Beach, was one of the founders of the Northwest Florida Astronomy Association. A retired Air Force colonel who flew the Lockheed U-2 ultrahigh-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, Gaskin has long been familiar with the terrain above terra firma. But he got started with stargazing quite by accident. It happened in 1995, after he had taken over as the director of the Emerald Coast Science Center in Fort Walton Beach.

“We had a great big storage room, and I was sorting through all kinds of equipment and stuff that was just taking up space, and I came across a telescope,” Gaskin recalled.

“It was a very small one — I would estimate 3 inches in lens-diameter — and it was black. I didn’t know anything about telescopes, but I didn’t want to throw it away.”

There were no astronomy programs at the science center, and no one on staff knew much about the topic, so Gaskin was left to his own devices to teach himself about astronomy. Knowledge didn’t come quickly or easily.

“After a number of weeks of frustration, I gave up,” Gaskin said. “I didn’t know what I was doing. The key to astronomy is to know what’s up there and get the telescope on it — and that’s what it’s all about. There’s everything up there from galaxies to star clusters to nebula … you name it. The question is, when is it visible and how do you find it?”

Technology, in the form of an iPhone application, eventually helped Gaskin make progress in his studies. He recommends the current iPad app, SkySafari. “Once I started studying how stars were formed, how the universe was formed, how everything was formed … I just fell in love with it,” he said. “Getting into astronomy — I can’t compare it to anything else.”

Gaskin’s enthusiasm for astronomy was obvious, as was his willingness to share what he learned from other people who are interested in studying the night skies. One of his fondest astronomy-related memories came from a public stargazing event, or “stargaze.”

“This one night, we had a fairly large scope setup focused on Saturn,” he recalled.

“I had a hard time getting people away from the scope. Then this one guy came up, and he looked at it, and looked at it and looked at it. Then he sat down, and then he asked me, ‘Can I see it again?’ And he got back up to it and looked at it, and looked at it and looked at it. And he sat down and he was crying — real tears in his eyes — and I said, ‘Is anything wrong? Why are you crying?’ And he said, ‘I have devoted my

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↑ Tom Haugh of Valparaiso sets up his hydrogen-alpha solar telescope.

Tom Haugh glimpses the cosmos through his nighttime telescope.

life to science — I’m a medical doctor — and I guess I had a pretty high opinion of what I know about science. But when I look through that scope and see Saturn, I realize how much I’ve been missing.’”

At a recent meeting of the Northwest Florida Astronomy Association, Dick Hoey, from Destin, said, “You can only fall on your face so many times before you seek help, and with astro-imaging, you need a lot of help. Every time I’m here, I learn something.”

Steve Runyan, from Crestview, is a newcomer to the group. “I love looking at the stars, and I own a couple of cheap telescopes,” he said. “I want to get more advanced, and I want to see more.”

Dean Covey from Fort Walton Beach has been a member for five years. “I had interest in astronomy before, and I picked it up again when I retired from civil service — from the Air Force,” he said. “I come to these meetings because there are some good programs here, and they always enlighten me.”

George and Renee Gollehon, from Niceville, said they took an interest in astronomy by way of a younger relative. “We started out looking for a telescope for our grandson, Frank Atchison, and he told us about this club,” said George. “It’s so amazing, the things you learn, and it just gets you so interested in the night sky and the history of the sky. Now Renee is taking a course in astronomy at the Extended Learning Center.”

Eli Taylor, a 7-year-old Cub Scout from Bluewater Bay Elementary, attended a meeting with his mother, Ashley Taylor, and reported, “I’m really interested in constellations and asteroids and the stars, and I checked out a telescope from the library.

One day, maybe, I might be a scientist that works in space.”

At a Northwest Florida Astronomy Association stargazing event, Ken Leone (in hat) shows guests the astrophotos he has just taken. Guests are welcome at the association’s public events.

NASA Speaks

Millions observed the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017, many from the path of totality. The next annular solar eclipse that can be seen in the continental United States will be on Oct. 14, 2023. It will be visible from Northern California to Florida.

— eclipse2017.nasa.gov EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

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Dave Halupowski, a Valparaiso resident, hopes to convey his interest in astronomy to his 10-year-old granddaughter, Emily Odom. His interest reaches back to 1967, when he picked up a book at his junior high school library in Danvers, Massachusetts.

“Star Trek was big then, and I was very much into science fiction,” he said. “I still have the second telescope I ever bought, back in 1968. Since then, I’ve (traveled for astronomy purposes) as far south as Bolivia; as far west as Fort Davis, Texas; and as far north as West Virginia.”

To get started in astronomy, Halupowski recommends joining a club and attending its events.

“Generally, you’ll find members with various types of telescopes, and you can talk to them about what they like and dislike. And if you do want to purchase one, check out the kind of scope you want. That gives you some idea of what you’re looking at and how to use the equipment.”

Professor Anthony Russo is Northwest Florida State College’s host for the Astronomy Association meetings and is one of its founding members. The college’s observatory has been around since 2001, and its Prime Design telescope is used to take pictures of outer space.

“When I was about 8 years old, father was a carpenter, and he would take me out on the porch where we lived in Miami and break out a surveyor’s transit, and we’d just look at the moon,” Russo recalled. “We weren’t able to see much else — maybe some moon craters — but oh, boy, that just fired my imagination. It got me into Northwest learning science and started a lifetime in astronomy.”

Florida When asked what it is about astronomy that is so Astronomy attractive to people, Russo said, “It’s a lot of things.

Association The beauty of the heavens, the wonder of it all … and The NWFAA meets some people approach it from a religious aspect. Then at the observatory of there’s the excitement of scientific discovery. We had Northwest Florida State a comet come by around Valentine’s Day, and a lunar College, in Niceville, and eclipse that night, and … a solar eclipse (in August).” schedules occasional public stargazes. For Russo is a rarity: a veteran stargazer who doesn’t more information, visit own a telescope, choosing, instead, to use those that nwfastro.org. are available to him through his work. “You don’t need (a telescope),” he said. “You can just come to our meetings.”

Escambia If you’re uncomfortable with the idea of not havAmateur ing your own equipment to use, Russo recommends Astronomers’ starting out small, “with a pair of binoculars, mayAssociation The EAAA meets at be.” He said, “You don’t want to go the whole hog the Boroco Center for and spend a ton of money and realize that you don’t Science and Technology know what you’re doing and you’ve made a mistake. on the campus of Start out small and learn as you go along.”

Pensacola State College.

Another stargazer who isn’t afraid to use binoculars For more information, visit rlwalker.gulfweb. is Tom Haugh, a former Air Force master sergeant net/astronomy. who lives in Valparaiso and serves as the Astronomy Association’s outreach coordinator. Haugh grew up as an “Army brat,” using binoculars to look at the sky.

“That’s what was available and they’re excellent to start with,” he said. “That’s what I recommend when someone comes up and says, ‘I’ve got a young’un and we want to buy a telescope for Christmas. What do you recommend?’”

Rest assured, there is plenty to see using binoculars, alone.

“There’s a couple galaxies, moons of Jupiter and plenty of star clusters,” Haugh said. “You can spend a lot of money on a telescope and it just doesn’t click with the youngster. So now you’ve got something you won’t be using, whereas, with a pair of binoculars, if it doesn’t catch on, there’s bird watching — or NASCAR watching. They can be multi-purpose devices.”

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↑ Frank Atchison of Niceville sets up his telescope for an evening of stargazing.

Haugh shares his expertise at association meetings and at stargazes, alike. Although the organization has a sizeable membership — Haugh estimates about 45 members — only 12 to 15 people come to the meetings and only five or six attend stargazes. This means that members have access to individual instruction as they may desire.

The Northwest Florida Astronomy Association’s mission to inform and educate in the subject of astronomy extends beyond the bounds of its membership, too. “We work with the school systems, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties — daytime and nighttime — and one school in Luverne, which is in Crenshaw County, Alabama,” Haugh said. The association also supports the Emerald Coast Science Center at its new location on Memorial Parkway in Fort Walton Beach.

“They have an inflatable planetarium, and they do three (public) shows a night on the first and third Tuesdays of the month,” Haugh explained. “We provide the color

Using add-on solar filters, Robert Sutphen of Crestview views the sun through Ken Leone’s astronomical binoculars.

commentary.” Color commentary involves answering audience members’ questions as they are asked.

“One question we perennially get is, ‘Is Pluto a planet?’ or ‘Why isn’t Pluto a planet?’” Haugh said. The answer to both of those questions is complex and fascinating, and the planetarium is a great place to get those answers. The six public events are free of charge.

At the stargazes, Haugh also runs into a common theme.

“Many people say, ‘Hey we’ve got this telescope,’ and we say, ‘Well, why didn’t you bring it out?’ And they say, ‘Well, it sits in the closet.’ So we encourage the public: Bring your telescope out, and we’ll give you a hand with setting it up.”

ESCAMBIA AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS’ ASSOCIATION For Dr. Wayne Wooten, Professor of Astronomy at Pensacola State, astronomy

is all about “the beauty, the changeability and the excitement of discovering new stuff.”

Wooten was a 9-year-old farm boy in Piney Grove, just north of Defuniak Springs, when he first saw the comet Mrkos in the western sky. That was in 1957, and it launched a lifetime of discovery that has gained him continuing local and national recognition.

Wooten is a major sponsor of the Escambia Amateur Astronomers’ Association (EAAA), which has a membership of more than 100 individuals. Wooten has served as the editor of its journal, The Meteor, for the last 40 years.

As an educator, Wooten recommends that high schoolers who have been bitten by the astronomy bug concentrate on math, physics and chemistry in school.

For the more mature crowd, Wooten said, “Come to as many of our stargazes as possible. Bring along your telescope, and if you need help, learn from the people who are more experienced. The more events you come to, the more you learn. Basically, most of these people are self-taught. A lot of that began by coming out to the meetings, and they learned by doing.”

Air Force dentist Chris Gomez has spent four years with the EAAA, and is one of its officers.

“I didn’t know much when I first joined,” Gomez said. “At my first stargaze, I saw 30 shooting stars in the first hour, and that was really cool.”

Now Gomez is among those who are dedicated to learning something new, every time he looks up.

“We have the benefit of living where you can sit outside and see the stars,” Gomez said. “You can join us with no commitments, and once you know the map that’s in the sky, with objects hidden in deep space, you can point your scope to them.” EC EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

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A STUDY IN

CONTRASTS FLY TYERS MAY WORK IN BOLD STROKES OR EXACTING DETAIL

A

mong people who tie flies with which to fool fish, those who pursue their quarry in salt water are impressionists. Those who favor sweet water aren’t photo realists, certainly, but they are more literal than the fishers who have to rinse the boat off after every use.

They are watercolorists, more so.

Capt. David Mangum falls into the former category. He owns and operates a guide service, Shallow Water Expeditions, that he operates from his home in Santa Rosa Beach. Fifteen guides are associated with the enterprise.

Mangum specializes in targeting tarpon — the so-called silver king — a fish best taken on flies.

Tom Logan, of Tallahassee, fishes for bream and bass on the Wacissa River, the upper reaches of the St. Marks River, and lakes Miccosukee, Talquin and Hall. He teaches fly tying and fly casting, fishes from a gheenoe (a square-backed canoe with a small outboard) and operates a oneman guide service, North Florida Fly Fishing

Adventures, that gets frisky each summer and makes a trout trip to the Green River in Wyoming.

There was a time when Mangum, who looks like he may have escaped the pages of an Orvis catalog, tied show-piece flies — contemporary Atlantic salmon flies with ingredients including golden pheasant feathers — that he never intended to fish. But these days, most everything Mangum ties is for work.

“I’ve got to have bullets for my gun,” Mangum said.

Friends at the University of Texas in Austin got Mangum started tying flies before Mangum got gone. He wasn’t in Texas for long before he moved to Alaska and started a guiding career that would carry him to Colorado, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas before he returned to his native Florida Panhandle.

For 120 or so days each year beginning in April, Mangum focuses exclusively on tarpon, fishing with repeat customers who are all

STORY BY STEVE BORNHOFT // PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAIGE ROBERTS

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BASS GRABBER Tom Logan designed the Wacissa, the streamer fly shown here, to appeal to Suwannee bass in the Wacissa River. Its wings are made from the hackle of a Coq-de-Leon rooster, found in Spain.

The pattern also involves the blue rump feather of a ring-necked pheasant.

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I’VE GOT A POLE Shallow-water skiffs enable anglers to invade skinny-water haunts favored by redfish that frequently may be seen feeding with their tails extending from the water. Poling allows for a silent approach.

SHOW PIECES

Tom Logan is a perfectionist about the flies he ties and a purist — he religiously avoids synthetic materials. His collection ranges from large, gaudy salmon flies to tiny patterns for trout and bream.

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accomplished fly fishers. His client list is impressive, including the owners of Orvis, now that you mention it, Simms fishing products, Costa eyewear and YETI coolers. The rest of the year, redfish pay the bills.

Mangum has been fishing for tarpon in North Florida since 1990, long before most area anglers were even aware that the bruising, leaping fish usually associated with the Florida Keys were seasonal residents. He graduated from Fort Walton Beach High School. His father was a wing commander at Eglin Air Force Base and was Mangum’s first fishing mentor, but one whose development as an angler was arrested at a point that Mangum soon surpassed. Dad was a fly fisher, but one content to buy fiberglass rods and automatic reels at Kmart.

For Mangum, fly fishing is like bow hunting. Some people are content to fish with spinning gear or harvest deer with 200-yard shots from rifles. Others move on to more refined approaches.

“

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CAPT. DAVID MANGUM / SHALLOW WATER EXPEDITIONS (TOP LEFT AND RIGHT)

Fishing in saltwater is not like trout fishing, where you are trying to match the hatch.

The profile of a saltwater fly may resemble a baitfish or a crab but not all that closely. There are no chartreuse baitfish out there. Hook size and weight can be the most important considerations, along with color.” — Capt. David Mangum

Mangum ties flies left handed, purely because the first time he sat down at a vice, it was oriented that way. He uses synthetic materials primarily and introduces a bit of flash to most of his patterns. He has developed and named a few patterns that are marketed commercially, including The Dragon, inspired by an undulating fuzzy children’s toy that looks like something you might torment a cat with.

“Fishing in saltwater is not like trout fishing, where you are trying to match the hatch,” Mangum said. “The profile of a saltwater fly may resemble a baitfish or a crab but not all that closely. There are no chartreuse baitfish out there. Hook size and weight can be the most important considerations, along with color.”

Mangum will choose a dark fly or a light fly as a function of water clarity and sky conditions. Contrast is key.

In very clear water, he is likely to use black flies.

“I fish in the dirtiest water I can find and still see the fish,” Mangum explained. “I don’t want to have to try to talk a fish into biting. I want to be in control by capitalizing on the instincts of the fish.

“Place the fly where the fish is going to run into it. Wait until he gets very close to the fly and then move it just a little tiny bit. That’s enough to trigger a reaction strike.”

Mangum has learned that a tarpon in gin-clear water is not thinking about eating. Everything that he might want to eat sees him coming. But tarpon are conditioned to make quick decisions in discolored water.

For Mangum, an average tarpon runs 100 pounds. He led clients to 185-pounders in 2015 and 2016.

When Mangum first started focusing on tarpon, he spent most of his time at Crooked Island Sound in Bay County. He has since moved on to other waters that have become his favorites. More on that later.

Freshwater angler Logan grew up in Oklahoma where he fished farm ponds with his father and a grandfather.

He went to Oklahoma State and went to work as a wildlife biologist and researcher at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, then worked for the Audubon Society as an assistant director of sanctuaries.

He moved to Florida upon accepting a job as chief researcher for the Game and Freshwater Fish Commission.

Most of his work there concerned endangered species and the Florida panther, in particular.

While Logan’s father had fly fished some, he never encouraged his son to do so. Logan got into the sport in earnest in the early 1990s after taking a Tallahassee Parks and Recreation Department-offered class that his wife saw listed in an advertisement in the Tallahassee Democrat.

He got involved in Fly Fishers International (then the Federation of Fly Fishers), which he currently serves as a senior advisor and chairman of the board of directors.

And he had some fine mentors, notably Tom Broderidge, a one-time editor with the Florida Bar. Broderidge married a woman from Ireland and eventually moved across the pond to an isle noted for its trout streams.

Logan, owing to his closeness to the natural world, is a fly-tying purist who spurns synthetic materials and refrains from tying popping bugs with their foam plastic heads.

Like Mangum, he has invented several patterns that now bear his name, but he finds distinct pleasure in tying traditional patterns that have been around for hundreds of years.

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SILVER KING

A bruising tarpon leaves the water after being fooled by the fly lodged in its upper mouth.

Fly fishers learn to “bow to the fish,” introducing slack as the fish jumps and accelerates through the air.

Tarpon have a much harder time throwing a fly than they do heavier lures.

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VISE PRESIDENT

Tom Logan, the chairman of the board at Fly Fishers International, ties a Western coachman.

Materials used in the pattern include mule deer hair, at right.

Logan deflects the comments of those who fuss at him about his fly-tying fastidiousness, saying, “I wouldn’t hunt birds over an ugly dog, either.”

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“My students often start out by talking about bass flies versus bream flies and trout flies and I beat it into them that there is no such thing,” Logan said. “What we are doing is tying imitations of natural fish food. Fish worldwide eat aquatic insects and that’s the reason that a pattern developed for brown trout 400 years ago is a killer for bream today.”

Logan is on the pro team for Whiting Farms in Delta, Colorado, the world’s premier supplier of hackles for tying flies.

“They provide me with materials that I experiment with and a pattern may just happen,” Logan has found.

“But mostly, I like to tie the traditional, historic patterns.

This morning, I fished an Irish Invicta on the St. Marks River. It was developed 200 years ago in Ireland for brown trout, but I take a lot of fish on it.”

Indeed, in a few hours, Logan landed one or more bluegill, redbreast sunfish, spotted sunfish, stumpknockers, red-ear sunfish and Suwannee bass.

Logan’s favorite fly is the Western coachman, designed

by Buz Buszek of Visalia, California, along about 1940.

While it was designed for taking rainbow and brown trout in the King’s River east of Fresno, Logan has caught on the Western coachman at least one of every freshwater species he has ever caught on a fly.

February–March 2018 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

No surprise, Logan applies a lot of science to his fishing.

“Predators have to consume more energy than they expend so they have to be selective about what they eat,” Logan turned professorial. “The food must be abundant and readily available. Aquatic insects — think about a mayfly — are most abundant as eggs. Immatures crawl around on rocks and go through molts as they get ready to become adults and then they emerge.”

At the surface, the mayflies’ wings dry out, they take to the air, mating occurs and the females come back and drop the eggs in the water. But there are many more eggs and immature adults than there are adults. As the creature moves through life stages and rises through the water column, its numbers decline.

“When they are eggs under the rocks, they are not available to predators, but when they are immatures crawling on the rocks, fish really look for them,” Logan said. “That’s why beaded nymphs work so well. It’s the wet patterns (flies fished beneath the surface) that fish really key on.”

“Most freshwater fly fishers in our area use popping bugs and foam spiders most of the time,” Logan said.

They don’t know the biology that underlies his approach.

All good fly tyers are detail oriented who know that how the thread is wrapped on the hook is critically important.

“You need to put one wrap right in front of or behind the other and keep the thread flat on the hook shank,” Logan said. “That’s simple for me. I don’t even have to look at what I’m doing. But many people just can’t do that. Some people want to keep their flies simple and that means they are going to look that way. They say, ‘I catch fish on my flies, they just aren’t as pretty as Tom’s,’ and I tell them that I never hunt over an ugly bird dog, either.”

On the other hand, Logan readily recalls a precocious student who was the son of a peanut grower.

Logan teaches certain patterns selected for the techniques that are involved. He lets students watch him tie a fly and then, typically, student and teacher tie one together, step by step.

“But this young man, he would watch me tie a fly and then he would tie his own,” Logan said. “He had the ability to watch me tie an entire fly and then duplicate it.

Amazing.”

Asked to recount the story of a memorable catch, Logan drifts off to Wyoming.

“

When they are eggs under the rocks, they are not available to predators, but when they are immatures crawling on the rocks, fish really look for them. That’s why beaded nymphs work so well. It’s the wet patterns (flies fished beneath the surface) that fish really key on.” — Tom Logan

He was fishing Horse Creek when he saw a fish rising under an overhang while remaining in an area about the size of a pie pan.

“I made 12 casts and the fish rose three times, but did not take my fly. Finally, I put the fly right where it needed to be and the fish nailed it. It was one of the biggest cutthroats I’ve ever caught.”

Ask Mangum about his favorite tarpon haunts and, surprisingly, he doesn’t hesitate to disclose them.

“There’s a little shack down there with tarpon scales on the walls. Not far from … EC EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

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In 1987, March was deemed Women’s History Month as a way to commemorate and encourage the study, observance and celebration of the vital role of women in American history. To honor the contributions women have made, this special section recognizes female leaders and professionals within our region whose accomplishments are far-reaching and impressive. These are the women that, through determination, dedication, passion, altruism, creativity and strength, have molded our community into a better place and one that will last for decades to come. History began with those who came before them, but progress shall continue and persist because of them.

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JLEC members shopping with children for the Child Clothing Project.

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The diverse group of women who compose the Junior League of the Emerald Coast stem from different backgrounds, having reached the organization through varied career paths and assorted interests. Their diversity contributes to idealistic thinking, unique points of view and specialized leadership skills, all of which benefit the communities they impact. There is a common thread, however, that unites them — service.

“We share hearts of service,” said Marissa Rollins, president of the JLEC. “We believe that successful community impact is rooted in our ability to respond creatively to the needs within our community and to grow community partnerships with businesses and locals who also seek change and growth in our community.”

The mission of the JLEC is to promote volunteerism, develop the potential of women and improve communities through effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. To fulfill this mission, members volunteer on a monthly basis, organize service events, plan fundraisers and hold trainings to further develop their leadership skills. Every month the JLEC holds Community Impact Days where they partner with other nonprofits to assist them with their needs, whether that be facilitating an event or collecting supplies. Some notable nonprofit partners are Food For Thought, Children in Crisis, Habitat for Humanity and The Emerald Coast Science Center, among others.

The JLEC’s signature event is the Child Clothing Project, which spans two

GROUP PHOTO BY COLLIS THOMPSON WITH MELLOW MEDIA

JUNIOR LEAGUE OF THE EMERALD COAST

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days and clothes 400 students in Walton and Okaloosa counties.

Nominated by school guidance counselors, each child is bussed to a local Target store where they get to select a complete wardrobe (typically about $100 worth of clothes). This project has taken place every October for 35 years and is supported by generous community partners and volunteers. The project has expanded to include four year-round Child Clothing Closets that are within schools and provide essentials for children in need. The JLEC’s main objective is to serve more children by adding additional closets in local schools and to increase donations to allow more children to be invited to their annual Child Clothing Project.

Throughout the year, you can find each member volunteering, donating, planning and training all to become better leaders as well as servants within their beloved community. At each JLEC meeting, members receive some form of leadership instruction whether it be from a speaker, hands-on training or national conference attendance. With every opportunity for personal betterment, members keep their community at the forefront.

“We strive to do our best to impact the women and children in our community who are needful and elevate them so they can find opportunities where they are and, in turn, find their potential,” said Rollins. “We love seeing our community grow and thrive.” To learn more on how you can contribute or join, visit jlec.org.

TOP RIGHT: Members volunteering at Destin Commons’ annual Smoke on the Coast event with Buh’s BBQ. JLEC won second place and raised $6,500 for Child Clothing Closets.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Members volunteering at JLEC annual Child Clothing Project

JLEC (850) 460-8980 | JLEC.ORG EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

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PHOTOS BY WILL SULLIVAN (HEADSHOT AND STORE) AND COURTESY OF BIJOUX DE MER FINE JEWELRY (JEWELRY)

Renee Launiere and Gus

The luminous sheen of a pearl or the iridescent glow of a gemstone are beautiful enough, but a creatively crafted piece of jewelry is truly exceptional. Renee Launiere, owner and designer of Bijoux De Mer, knows elegant, custom jewelry has transformative powers.

Looking at Launiere’s exquisite and expertly composed pieces, you would think she had studied the art of jewelry making her entire life. While she always had a creative side and an entrepreneurial spirit, she found herself pursuing a business degree, working in sales marketing with a pharmaceutical company and climbing the corporate ladder. After 15 years, she became frustrated with the bureaucracy of working for a big company and sought to tap into her repressed creativity. She began taking jewelry fabrication and design classes as a hobby, which quickly turned into a passion and became a business. She left the corporate world behind, invested her savings into her own jewelry line and never looked back.

In 2006, Launiere launched Bijoux De Mer Fine Jewelry, which rapidly gained popularity in over 60 premier jewelry stores, on the pages of fashion magazines and in a Michael Kors runway show. Ten years later came her proudest moment — the opening of her flagship gallery.

“I am at my store 90 percent of the time just so I can meet my customers,” said Launiere. “When they find out that I am the designer, they are thrilled. This is what truly sets me apart; the ability to not just sell what I have in stock, but to custom create anything their heart desires.”

The meaning of Bijoux De Mer is “jewels of the sea,” the sea being a significant influence of her work. Launiere selects only the finest materials — sumptuous pearls, rare gemstones and precious metals resulting in pieces that are bold, elegant and always unique.

“For me, doing what I love is the most amazing feeling,” said Launiere.

“It’s an unbelievable high as an artist to meet people who love and want to collect my jewelry.”

destinations

The Door is Always Open Door County, Wisconsin holds tight to its community, cherries and cheese

by KRISTIN REDFIELD

I

n between bites of cherry walnut cream cheese, bacon maple bourbon-glazed tenderloin, and the cheesiest of tater curds, I discovered the town of Door County, Wisconsin, and its inner workings, beautifully woven together. Every restaurant, shop and winery exhibited local pride and neighborliness.

Resting between Green Bay and Lake Michigan, this community and its love for cheeses and cherries welcomes guests with an open, you guessed it, door.

Nestle in at the Beachfront Inn Nothing screams “Good morning!” like tossing the blanket aside, stepping into my slippers, ripping open the drapes, and feasting my eyes on the views given to me outside my window. Baileys Harbor’s Beachfront Inn hosted me in a second floor room overlooking Lake Michigan, a body of water I had never dipped my toes in. With an early morning

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↑ Fire and fish are prepared for the outdoor fish boil at the historic Old Post Office Restaurant. The traditional dish of white fish and vegetables is boiled in a cauldron.

wake up call, I groggily peeked out of my window to see the sun’s dewy light waking up the ocean’s waves — happily noticing the American flag at the end of the dock waving me hello.

Closed during the winter season, but proudly flicking on the “No Vacancy” sign in the spring, it is no surprise the Beachfront Inn books up. Once I pried myself away from the window view, I braced for the May Wisconsin weather — AKA chilly — and went out to enjoy the inn’s front lawn. Closing the door behind me, I found I had stepped into a Wisconsin paradise. Bordered with bright yellow and pure white daffodils, the Beachfront Inn welcomes its guests with a floral ambience. Facing the ocean sat blue and yellow lawn chairs, perfectly contrasting with the crisp, green grass and the sparkling ocean. I could have lounged on the lawn all day and been perfectly content. But I had other Door County adventures to embark on and lots of cheese to eat.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF GEIGER & ASSOCIATES PUBLIC RELATIONS (TYLER RICKENBACH-FISH BOIL, JON JAROSH - CHEEY PIE) AND CHRIS MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY (BEACH FRONT INN)

Cheese, Cherries, and More Cherries — Oh My! My whole life I’ve been convinced I was incapable of being full, even after a big meal. Whether that’s a blessing or a curse, I’m not sure. But what I am sure of is I have never been as full as I was during my time in Door County. They aren’t afraid to serve up some carbs, which are my personal favorite. During my stay I had the pleasure of ordering off the menu from a wide array of dining experiences.

Nestled in a booth inside The Harbor View Grill, I tasted a menu filled with the love of not only the two-man show running the restaurant, but other local vendors as well. What used to be an automobile shop, this restaurant takes pride in their family-styled, local cuisine, multiple course meals. Gathering cheese from Renard’s and succulent white fish from Charlie Henriksen Fisheries, I indulged in their dishes. From appetizers featuring cream cheese with cherry walnuts and dried cherries, homemade hummus with a dash of hot sauce, and Door County cherry salad with a homemade cherry vinaigrette, I was sold. For the meat lovers, don’t leave Harborview Grill without salivating over their tenderloin. The cherry pork tenderloin, basted in a decadent sauce and topped with a cherry had me wanting more.

Established in 1896, The White Gull Inn Bed and Breakfast is a staple spot for the most important meal of the day. In fact, The

↑ A tranquil view of Lake Michigan from the Baileys Harbor Beachfront Inn.

White Gull Inn was deemed the winner of Good Morning America’s Best Breakfast Challenge. To say I had high expectations was an understatement. Sipping on my morning coffee, eyeing an informative placemat offering literature on the history of the White Gull Inn, I ordered the famous, medal-adorned Cherry Stuffed French Toast.

Placed in front of me was a plate full of toasted bread, filled to the brim with Wisconsin cream cheese, topped with tart cherries and powdered sugar.

For a fine dining experience, with some casual cheese grazing, the Glacier Ledge restaurant doesn’t disappoint. Located right off the highway, this new eatery stops travelers with a cheese craving. While waiting for your table, feel free to scope out the wide array of meats, cheeses, and wines offered in the shop next door. Unbeknownst to me, the cheese is made directly beneath my feet — in a cheese cave.

The elevator took me underground where a stone hallway allows you to look into different rooms, displaying different aging cheeses, all at different temperatures. Once seated at the table I splurged on multiple charcuterie boards, allowing time to savor each and every cheese.

To round up my restaurant visits, across the street from the water sits the Old Post Office Restaurant — a historic spot famous for their fish boils. Behind the restaurant sits a large cauldron filled with boiling water. I watched the Boil Master toss in red potatoes, onions, and Lake Michigan white fish into the pot — waiting for the large flames and the infamous “boil over”. → Door County cherry pie is a favorite dessert in this cherry-loving destination.

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destinations Served buffet style, the whitefish and vegetables are served with homemade bread and cherry pie alamode. The freshly cooked, “pot to table” meal is so filled with tradition you’ll feel like a local.

No Whining at the Wineries

Wilderness in Wisconsin Door County, Wisconsin has so much earthy land to explore and Door County Trolley, Inc. gave me the opportunity to enjoy the hidden treasures of the town. Owner AJ Frank and his scenic tour business has been operating since 2000; to fully immerse himself into his company, each trolley is named after one of his kids. The trolley allowed me to overlook breathtaking bluffs amidst Peninsula State Park, and informational tidbits regarding Door County.

For an added twist, bring on a cherry mimosa offered in Door County Trolley’s shop.

And while there’s plenty of adventuring on land, the water

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Explore the natural and historic beauty of the area by kayak, and enjoy the vista from the balcony of the Cana Island Lighthouse.

surrounding Door County beckon locals and tourists. Kayak anyone?

Unfortunately, I was unable to kayak near historic caves and bluffs due to inclement weather, so instead I kayaked through Mud Lake in Baileys Harbor with the Door County Kayak Tour group. After maneuvering through a winding stream amongst willows and grasses, the lake opens up into a wide, open body of water.

Adorned with lily pads and bordered by tall pine trees, the lake reels you in — making it hard to kayak back to shore.

Admittedly, I believed if I’d seen one lighthouse, I’d seen them all. That was until I walked the 97 steps in the Cana Island Lighthouse. Surrounded by Lake Michigan, this lighthouse is still active today and is a rare lighthouse that still uses the original lens. The amount of history within the walls of the lighthouse as I walked up the steps was a truly authentic experience. I imagined myself as a lighthouse keeper, carefully making my way up the spiral staircase, hoping to lead ships back home. The balcony surrounding the lighthouse acts as a reward for climbing the steps, granting visitors spectacular views of Lake Michigan and the sounds of waves crashing on the shore. EC

PHOTOS COURTESY OF GEIGER & ASSOCIATES PUBLIC RELATIONS

Laughtenbach’s Orchard Country Winery & Market is truly what dreams are made of. Bushels of white cherry blossoms bloom in rows, filling up 100 acres of Wisconsin land. Operating as a family affair, owner Bob Laughtenbach and his two daughters run the business. In fact, an abundance of grape wines are named after Bob’s grandchildren — Lauren Elizabeth, for example, is a Pinot Grigio and pairs best with grilled shrimp.

On the winery’s tour and tasting, I got a first hand look into the history and background regarding the monumental aspects of opening up a winery, and the now operation of Laughtenbach’s wine making. Tasting the wine amidst two rooms filled with machinery made my visit an authentic one. Oh, and don’t forget to practice your pit spittin’ skills at the Cherry Pit Spit.

With wines titled Call Me a Cab, Gimme One Good Riesling, and Carmen’s Last Dance, Harbor Ridge Winery adds flare and humor to their signature beverages.

Claiming they’re “Solving the worlds problems one sip at a time”, this winery offers comfort and a buzz when you step through the door. Waltzing upstairs and watching the bustling shop below, the owner excitedly poured dozens of red, white, and fruit wines—many of which are award-winning.

Even if you aren’t a fan of wine, Harbor Ridge’s owner and wife are reason enough to shop around in their market. Their love for their work is truly inspiring and shines through each pour and drop.

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FEB/MAR 2018

TRENDS FROM FLOOR TO CEILING, FRONT TO BACK

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF VETRAZZO

INTERIORS

Vetrazzo brings the Emerald Coast into your home

by HANNAH BURKE

EXTERIORS

Palms of Paradise

|| GARDENING

How to Prune Crape Myrtles

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T

he year is 1996, and Don McPherson, a brilliant glass science student from Berkley, California, doesn’t know he’s on the verge of creating a revolutionary surface material.

While fiddling around with various glass aggregates, particles and cement binding, the PhD student discovered he might be on to something and began to narrow down his formula. As it turns out, the coalescence of those substances creates a colorful, glossy and refined surface akin to marble, but far more striking.

Fast forward a couple of years and McPherson’s happy accident, dubbed Vetrazzo, is being manufactured at the old Ford assembly plant in Richmond, California, and transforming homes along the west coast.

“That location obviously had an ironic, historical significance because Henry Ford is the classic American dream, building something from the ground up,” says Steve Schrenk, Digital Media Director and Design Consultant at Polycor. “When our company, Polycor, acquired Vetrazzo in 2007, we moved all manufacturing out to the Georgia Marble Quarry on the east coast, so it was quite literally a transcontinental journey for all the equipment and manpower.”

All-American standards are something that Polycor, Vetrazzo’s parent company, is proud of maintaining. The Great Georgia Marble Quarry in Tate, Georgia, also happens to be the location in which marble for the Lincoln Memorial was mined.

“Since the Vetrazzo atelier is also in Tate, it’s produced side-by-side with all the marble,” explains Schrenk.

“Chips of marble that can’t be utilized get swirled into the product, so you’re putting little pieces of history into your home. It’s a great American story.”

Containing about 700 pounds of recycled glass in each slab, Vetrazzo is an environmentally friendly product,

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diverting heaps of waste from landfills that would otherwise take centuries to break down. Bursts of cobalt blue may have been from a Skyy Vodka bottle, while splashes of red could be shards of an old stoplight.

Both Vetrazzo’s Residential and Sea and Sand collections have been stealing the spotlight along the Emerald Coast, fa← Designer mous for its incorporation of mateToni Sabatino chose rials such as wine bottles, archiVetrazzo in coastal colors tectural glass and even oyster for the countertops, mosaic shower tiles shells. and cabinet “We actually have a design handles. called Emerald Coast that has a very unique, sea glass green and Coke bottle color that’s unlike anything else we sell,” Schrenk describes. “That’s mixed with South Carolina oyster shells and marble from Tate’s quarry to give it a subtle translucence that’s really perfect for coastal homes.”

“We’ve definitely been getting more requests, especially with houses on the beach that want to remodel with Vetrazzo,” says Eric Harper, vice president of Solid Design Fabricators Inc. in Pensacola. “It’s beautiful because it reflects the scenery outside. Umbo White, Cubist Clear and Emerald Coast are the colors we Vetrazzo do the most of.” vendors But if muted, sandy-white tones aren’t for you, there are bold options that inteon the coast grate shards from stained glass, prismatic ➺ EMERALD COAST GRANITE Pensacola perfume bottles, and even broken dishes (850) 437-0747 to provide that pop of pigment you need.

“Vetrazzo can almost be seen as a piece ➺ SOLID DESIGN FABRICATORS Pensacola of jewelry, an artistic statement you want to (850) 484-8401 make in a room,” says Schrenk. “Nowadays people are tiling their bathrooms with ce➺ ARTISTIC STONE WORKS Fort Walton Beach ramics and building open-enclosure show(850) 243-8111 ers out of glass. We see people using Vetrazzo as an accent border, or incorporating ➺ LOVELACE INTERIORS INC. Miramar Beach those glassy blues and greens of the shower (850) 837-5563 into cabinetry. You’ve never been able to do that with a natural stone product before.” ➺ 30A KITCHEN STUDIO Santa Rosa Beach Kitchen counters and islands are anoth(850) 660-1655 er ideal place for Vetrazzo, as its largely glass composition means it won’t leave ➺ GRANITE PLUS - PCB Panama City Beach stains behind. The durable surface is also (850) 236-6363 UV-stable, meaning natural light won’t cause any loss of vibrancy.

Outdoors, Vetrazzo brings seaside vibes to your pool and deck features. Well-tested against the elements, Schrenk has seen people employ Vetrazzo as personalized touches to their Jacuzzis, outdoor cabanas and bars.

“It’s important to remember this is a handmade product, and very artisanal. This isn’t something mass-produced on an assembly line; a lot of care is put into each piece, and it’s going to reflect in your home.” EC

PHOTOS COURTESY OF VETRAZZO

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SPONSORED REPORT

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SPONSORED REPORT

FINDING A GEM Pearl Home and Oasis Rugs offer treasure trove of furnishings

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midst a haven of tranquil home furnishings featuring laid-back luxury with tones of sophistication, it isn’t hard to see how Pearl Home and Oasis Rugs formed, as the store exhibits qualities of its name. Once through the doors of the Miramar Beach location, you’re transported to a realm of relaxation brimming with unique treasures, much like a pearl itself. West Coast vibes reverberate through organic fabrics, neutral and muted palettes and cozy textures.

The rugs and home furnishings available simply invite you to live your best life. When envisioning their ideal home-furnishing store, the owner wanted each customer to enter feeling welcomed and leave with a one-of-a-kind piece that perfectly pairs with their style. Fifteen years and three stores later, the owner’s vision is flourishing with distinct pieces, top-quality rugs and personalized design services. Miramar Beach showroom manager Charlann

Joyner and her team enjoy interacting with visitors, listening to their needs, providing design consultations and ultimately leading customers to furnishings and rugs that mesh with their lifestyles. “Our goal is to help clients achieve a space they love and also feel comfortable in for life,” said Joyner. “We want customers to take a chance and think outside the box when it comes to home design, but their happiness is the most important goal. Regardless of the style, we will find them items that are livable.”

The showroom is versatile in its offerings, whether you wish for a complete redesign or to simply add statement pieces to revive a space. From an intricate rug to downy luxury linens to rustic, reclaimed wood pieces, the style selection is vast and comprised of items you won’t find elsewhere. Pearl Home and Oasis Rugs specializes in furnishings that appear luxuriously lived-in, anchor a room and create a persona.

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SPONSORED REPORT

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SPONSORED REPORT

LEFT: This sectional with a one-arm chaise from Verellen is part of their Stella line and features a sustainably harvested hardwood frame. A modern classic, this family of sofas has an eight-way hand-tied seat construction. It comes standard with boxed back pillows and toss pillows. TOP RIGHT: Outdoors or indoors, this Verellen sofa from the Marilyn line is bench-crafted in a North Carolina atelier and features a soy base poly/down wrap seat, loose boxed-style seat cushion, diamond-tufted inside back with fabric covered ball buttons. The sofa legs are available in nine finishes. BOTTOM RIGHT: Verellen uses wood that is kiln-dried from managed and sustainable forests. These hanging slabs are a unique wood from Mexico that can be custom made into one-of-a-kind cocktail and dining tables.

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SPONSORED REPORT

BOTTOM LEFT: From one of Verellen’s best-selling sofa lines, these Clyde Club chairs are bench-crafted with a sustainably harvested hardwood frame and eight-way, hand-tied seat construction. Select from nine finishes. The accompanying Como Table is available in walnut or ash, including nine finishes. It’s available in bistro and side-table heights. TOP RIGHT: Libeco Linens accentuates this outdoor family dining set and adds a touch of European charm. Libeco Linens bring you back in time to a place where handcrafted quality and pride in workmanship is woven to perfection. MIDDLE RIGHT: These slightly curved slip-covered Parsons dining chairs pair well with the straight lines of this reclaimed elm dining table. The cabinet is also reclaimed elm, allowing for a room that is clean and simple with a timeless look.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Rest easy in a king canopy bed perfectly paired with Libeco Linens.

A master suite with a palette of subtle neutral tones, natural elements of driftwood and soft lighting will ensure a calming effect. Be sure to include an area rug to define the space and put the finishing touches on your sanctuary.

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EXTERIORS

Palms of Paradise Accent your landscape with iconic Florida flora

by HANNAH BURKE

February–March 2018 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

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material called Frost Blanket that gardenthat provides them water. But, that makes ers use to throw over anything tender in palms extremely easy to cut out and transthe cold weather.” plant into their new environment. That’s Of course, if you harbor potted Lady or why they’re so easy to grow.”

Sentry Palms, you can show them some While new leaves began to sprout as love by bringing them inside to warm their soon as a few weeks post planting, it may fronds. But if you’re not looking to fuss take a few years for palms to reach their with the extra labor, outdoor Pindo Palms, full potential. Until then, it’s your responstout European Sand Palms and the slim n’ sibility to properly prune them. sleek Windmill Palms are resilient against “Over-pruning is a problem,” stresses the coldest of coastal nights.

Brown. “The best method is just to trim Once you select the species that’s right off the fronds that are completely brown for your residence, it’s important you nurand not cut it back too hard. Fronds are ture your little seedling or sapling, as the like solar panels, the more they have, the first few months of develmore energy they collect opment require consistent from the sun that can be watering while new root used to photosynthesize. systems develop. According Don’t go crazy and chop EMERALD COAST to Shawn Brown, owner of away, because you’re actuNURSERY Servicing areas Destin Palms Landscaping, ally stunting its growth.” from Pensacola to this is a process that greatly From the short and stocky Panama City Beach differs from that of a hardto the lean and lacy, there 1405 S. Palm Blvd., Niceville (850) 897-0111 wood tree. are thousands of different emeraldcoastnursery.com “You could say palms species of palms that span are more akin to grass in the globe and have the abilDESTIN PALMS their genetic makeup,” says ity to flourish in Florida. To LANDSCAPING Brown. “Their roots are learn about these varieties or Servicing Destin-30A area like little hairs that branch to find out how you can raise 187 N. 7th St., Santa Rosa Beach out to get to the nearest your own, call or visit Emer(850) 368-5443 water source, whereas oaks ald Coast Nursery or Destin destinpalmslandscaping.com and pines have a taproot Palms Landscaping. EC

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAIGE ROBERTS

P

alms swaying in the ocean breeze is an image that comes to the minds of many when they think of Florida, but not all of these tropical trees are native to our sands.

In fact, most of the tall, full-frond palms that grace our major streets and commercial districts are Washingtonia palms imported from California or Mexico.

Take a trek along one of our nature preserves or parks, however, and eventually you’ll come face-to-face with our state tree, the Sabal Palm. Sometimes referred to as the Cabbage Palm, these trees are native to Florida and thrive on the Emerald Coast as one of the most popular species to sport in your yard.

“You see these all over neighborhoods and condominiums because they’re some of the most cold-hardy palms available,” explains Leslie Odom of Emerald Coast Nursery.

According to Odom, other trendy species, like the non-native Wild Date and Queen Palms, are the flashy, billowy trees you see in some large home-improvement store nurseries that homeowners buy blindly. While they’re gorgeous in the summertime, these trees are extremely vulnerable to plunging temperatures in the winter and require extra maintenance.

This is easily remedied, says Odom, with “a sheet, but not plastic, to provide proper insulation. Pine straw around the base, and even putting a light over your palm will help keep it warm. There’s also a

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HOW TO PRUNE CRAPE MYRTLES

BY AUDREY POST, MS. GROW-IT-ALL®

WHETHER YOU SPELL IT “CREPE MYRTLE” OR “CRAPE MYRTLE,”

Lagerstroemia indica is a classic southern small tree or shrub that is a popular substitute for northern lilacs here in the Deep South. It’s often the victim of “crape murder,” a severe topping of the tree that is supposed to increase blooming but does real damage to the overall health of the tree. It’s important to prune your crape myrtle correctly, in February, while it is dormant.

DO THIS

Correct Pruning Branches To Trim Incorrect Pruning

NOT THIS

Your Monthly Garden Chores FEBRUARY

➸ Prune roses. Remove

dead or damaged canes back to the ground. Remove crossed or rubbing canes.

Take care not to remove more than one-third of the canes on the shrub. Cut back overall size by no more than one-third. Repeat over the next two years to rejuvenate overgrown rose bushes. ➸ Plant potatoes.

Local nurseries will have seed potatoes that do well in our area, along with instructions on how to plant them. ➸ Give your citrus trees their first dose of fertilizer for the year.

MARCH

1 Remove suckers from the bottom

of the plant. Remove any damaged and diseased branches. Remove branches that are crossing or rubbing against each other, trimming the weaker of the two limbs.

2 Thin out small twiggy growth,

particularly small branches that are growing back into the plant, to allow air to better circulate.

3 The University of Florida’s

Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences recommends pruning the tips of branches to remove old flowers that remain from last summer’s bloom.

If old blooms are removed, a second blooming may occur.

4 If your crape myrtle was the

victim of “crape murder,” you have two options. First one: Pick the two or three strongest sprouts from each

stub and remove the rest, nurturing the survivors for the next couple of seasons and removing other sprouts as they emerge. Or, while the tree is dormant, cut it back to within 1-to-2 inches of the ground. Two or three weeks later, select three to five of the most vigorous new shoots on each trunk and remove all others. Remove any new shoots that emerge later. Within three to five years, you will again have a natural-looking crape myrtle.

Witch’s Horse If you’ve ever encountered the two-striped walking stick, you’ll probably remember it. Anisomorpha buprestoides emits a strong milky substance when threatened that can cause painful irritation to the eyes and mucus membranes. Fortunately, copious amounts of cool water will ease the irritation, and symptoms should disappear within a few days. The two-striped walking stick is a member of the stick insect family. It is also known by more exotic names including: devil’s riding horse, prairie alligator, witch’s horse, musk mare and devil’s darning needle. It can be found TWO-STRIPED WALKING STICK throughout Florida and the Gulf Coast, as well as in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and in parts of Mississippi and Louisiana. Like all stick insects, it feeds on the leaves of shrubs and trees. It is particularly fond of azaleas, crape myrtles and roses. Wear gloves to pick them off and put them in a plastic newspaper bag to smother them. Make sure you wear protective eyewear to thwart the spray.

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PESKY PESTS

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➸ Fertilize non-citrus

fruit trees.

➸ Wait until April to fertilize your lawn; the soil is still too cool to absorb the nutrients. ➸ Set out tomato plants, but be prepared to cover them in case of a late frost or freeze. ➸ Watch for pests on new growth on perennials and shrubs, and use an insecticidal soap as needed. ➸ Give your citrus trees their first dose of fertilizer for the year.

©2018 Postscript Publishing, all rights reserved.

Audrey Post is a certified Advanced Master Gardener volunteer with the University of Florida IFAS Extension in Leon County. Email her at Questions@ MsGrowItAll.com or visit her website at msgrowitall.com.

Ms. Grow-It-All® is a registered trademark of PostScript Publishing Inc. illustration by SAIGE ROBERTS

PHOTOS BY UNALOZMEN (TOMATO PLANT) AND HYRMA (POTATO) / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS AND COURTESY OF BUGENSTEIN AT ENGLISH WIKIPEDIA, CC BY-SA 3.0 (WALKING STICK)

GARDENING

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SEACREST BEACH | WATERCOLOR | GRAND BOULEVARD This advertisement is not an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy, to residents of any state or province in which registration and other legal requirements have not been fulfilled. This advertisement is not intended to solicit properties currently listed by other real estate brokerages. All advertised square footages should be verified by the buyer. Obtain the Property Report required by Federal Law and read it before signing anything. No federal agency has judged the merits or value, if any, of this property.

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A native of Jensen Beach, Carly majored in Family and Child Services and taught for a time. Then, working for a nonprofit organization, she realized she could combine her passion for helping others with event marketing.

Carly now works for The Hive Creative Consulting, a Santa Rosa Beach marketing and business development firm specializing in creatively connecting clients with their target audiences.

“Bright Futures gave me the extra support I needed while pursuing my degree,” Carly says. “During my time at FSU, my mom battled cancer (non-Hodgkins lymphoma, now in remission) and my scholarship made it possible for me to pursue my education despite the stress my family was under.”

TWEET US YOUR STORY @FLORIDALOTTERY #FUNDINGFUTURES

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A PASSION FOR PROMOTION

SHADES

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M OTO R I Z AT I O N

McNeillPalmllc.com

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BEAUTIFUL HOME

(850)-613-6228

PROMOTION

APRIL 26-29

South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival A dazzling roster of dozens of celebrity winemakers, distillers, chefs, brew masters and entertainers converge upon Grand Boulevard’s Town Center in South Walton to wine, dine, educate and entertain guests as part of a four-day celebration of wine during the South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival at the Town Center of Grand Boulevard. This charity event is a fundraiser for Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, which benefits children in need in Northwest Florida.

Visit sowalwine.com for more information.

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calendar PROMOTION

REGIONAL

FEB/MAR 2018 For more events in the EC, visit EmeraldCoastMagazine.com compiled by KIM HARRIS THACKER

and LAURA CASSELS

FEBRUARY 23–25

11TH ANNUAL STONE AGE & PRIMITIVE ART FESTIVAL →

Gather at Ochlockonee River State Park in Wakulla County to gain insight into how early man lived and worked. Visitors may participate in demonstrations of flint knapping; projectile point fashioning; deer hide brain tanning; and bone, wood and antler carving.

The cost to enter the park is $4 per vehicle for up to eight occupants. Additional occupants are $2 per person. Visit knapfest.com for more details.

FEBRUARY 16-18

An event supporting Sinfonia Gulf Coast

FEBRUARY 10

PHOTOS BY DENNY THURSTON PHOTOGRAPHY / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS (ARROW) COURTESY 0F SOUTH WALTON BEACHES WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL, SINFONIA GULF COAST (CRESENDO!), NORTHWEST FLORIDA BALLET (PETER PAN) AND PENSACOLA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA / SCOTT KLUKSDAHL (PAPA HAYDN)

Crescendo!

HANNAH MARTIN’S PARTY → Hannah Martin hosts 4th Annual Birthday

Fundraiser, benefiting Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County, Special Olympics Florida-Walton County and Westonwood Ranch. The event, called “La Lumière: A Metropolitan Affair,” will be held at Grand Boulevard at Sandestin starting at 6 p.m. Guests are highly encouraged to dress in the metropolitan theme.

→ Crescendo! is an exciting new cultural extravaganza to benefit Sinfonia Gulf Coast and its music education and community engagement initiatives throughout Northwest Florida. Known for producing the highest caliber concerts and events along Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, Sinfonia redefines charitable events with this energy-infused experience that celebrates the cultural and culinary arts by showcasing world-class vintners, celebrity chefs, expert spirit purveyors, amazing auction items and award-winning musical guests.

To learn more about the event, visit sinfoniagulfcoast.org.

Purchase tickets at 501auctions.com/hannahmartinsparty

MARCH 3 MARCH 3–4

PETER PAN → Peter Pan features world

premiere choreography by international guest artist Katia Garza and an original composition by Northwest Florida Ballet Music Director David Ott played live by the NFB Symphony Orchestra. Peter Pan will be presented on the main stage of the Mattie Kelly Arts Center in Niceville on March 3 at 7:30 p.m., and March 4 at 2:30 p.m.

Complete with magical sets and mesmerizing costumes, join NFB’s cast of international guest artists and company members and let your imagination take flight on a spectacular journey to Neverland.

PAPA HAYDN →

Explore the musical splendor of Haydn, the beloved and revered “Father of the Symphony,” with this evening highlighting the orchestra, the University of West Florida and Pensacola Christian College Choruses on the effervescent Te Deum and the return of soloist Scott Kluksdahl on the Cello Concerto in C Major. Enjoy Haydn’s brilliance through the drama of “The Representation of Chaos” from The Creation and his sense of musical humor in Symphony No. 100, “Military.” The concert is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Saenger Theatre in Pensacola.

Learn more at pensacolasymphony.com/season-tickets/events.

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calendar

FEB/MAR 2018

REGIONAL

APRIL 5

PATTI LUPONE Two-time Grammy Award winner and two-time Tony Award winner Patti LuPone will perform at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall in Tallahassee. An American Theater Hall of Fame inductee in 2006, LuPone began her professional career with The Acting Company in 1972 and made her Broadway debut in Three Sisters in 1973.

For more information and tickets, please visit openingnights.fsu.edu/ events/patti-lupone/

Lemoyne Chain of Parks Art Festival

MYSTIQUE

→ This golf tournament benefits the Junior League of Panama City’s

community outreach programs including: Child Service Center, Kids in the Kitchen, Elderly Outreach and Voices and more.

Registration begins at 10:30 a.m., with a noon Shotgun Start at the beautiful Hombre Golf Club in Panama City Beach. Mulligans and contests will be available for purchase at the event. For more details, visit jlpanamacity.org/mystique.

→ Ranked the No. 1 Fine Art

APRIL 7

RUSSIAN SPECTACULAR: GIL SHAHAM PLAYS TCHAIKOVSKY → Enjoy an evening with the sweeping romance of “Romeo and Juliet”

and the stunning talent of Grammy Award-winning violinist Gil Shaham performing Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. The concert is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Saenger Theatre in Pensacola.

Visit pensacolasymphony.com/season-ticket/events/ for more details.

MARCH 4

SEASIDE SCHOOL HALF MARATHON & 5K RUN → Presented by Vera Bradley, this course is fast and mostly flat. The half

marathon is USATF certified and will start and finish in downtown Seaside.

From Seaside, the racers will run west along scenic Highway 30A, past the beach towns of Watercolor, Grayton, Blue Mountain Beach, and Santa Rosa Beach, with the halfway point and turnaround at Gulf Place. Half marathoners receive custom finisher’s medallion, and both races will get a moisture-wicking race shirt, goody bag, lunch and craft beer. All finishers receive a Vera Bradley tote. Celebrate at the post-race party and enjoy live music!

Purchase tickets at RunSeasideFL.com PROMOTION

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APRIL 21–22

Festival in the nation, LeMoyne’s Chain of Parks Art Festival, in its 18th year, is the Big Bend’s premiere outdoor fine art festival. Located in downtown Tallahassee along Park Avenue, the festival is free and open to the public. Visitors view and purchase amazing oneof-a-kind works by over 170 fine artists from around the country. Art, culture and local heritage abound at the festival, with reenactments of Jacques LeMoyne — the first European artist to sketch Florida’s people, flora and fauna. The festival also includes pop-up studios for children and adults to experience making art; BeTheArt photo ops; and the community’s best entertainers on stage. A wide variety of local foods are offered by the region's food trucks and restaurants, as well as a bar serving craft beer, wine, Mimosas, Bloody Mary's and more. The festival will be open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. both days, with a Saturday-evening concert from 5-7 p.m.

For more information, call (850) 222-8800 or go to chainofparks.com

PHOTOS BY RAHAV (PATTI LAPONE), LUKE RATRAY (PENSACOLA SYMPHONY), MIKDAM / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS (GOLF) AND COURTESY OF LEMOYNE’S CHAIN OF PARKS ART FESTIVAL

REGIONAL

MARCH 2

BAYTOWNE ON ICE FEB. 1–3 A visit to the ice-skating rink, in the Village of Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin, is the perfect opportunity to get into the winter spirit. The first hour of each day is reserved for “Kids Skate,” for children ages 12 and under. Skate rentals are available. baytownewharf.com

KREWE OF ST. ANDREWS MARDI GRAS PARADE FEB. 2–3 For 21 years, the St. Andrews Mardi Gras Parade has been the largest, most popular Mardi Gras celebration in Bay County. More than 14 krewes and 30 floats travel the parade route, throwing thousands of beads and doubloons over a massive crowd. It’s Mardi Gras fun for everyone! standrewsmardigras.com

DOUBLE BRIDGE RUN FEB. 3 The Pensacola Double Bridge Run, presented by Publix, is one of the premier 15Ks in the country. The race will start in downtown Pensacola and will pass through the historic district, along picturesque Bayfront Parkway, through Gulf Breeze and onto Pensacola Beach. Runners will cross two bridges that span Pensacola Bay and Santa Rosa Sound. pensacolasports.org/ doublebridgerun

FLORA-BAMA’S ‘SUPER’ BOWL CHILI COOK-OFF FEB. 3 Teams of three, all dressed up to show team spirit, work their chili wizardry together at Flora-Bama Lounge, Package and Oyster Bar in Pensacola, to compete for their version of the best chili ever. Awards will be announced at the end of the day. If you don't want to cook, come by and sample the wide variety of dishes. florabama.com/events/super-chilicook-off

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

PENSACOLA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS: MOZART MADNESS FEB. 3 This chamber music concert, held at First United Methodist Church in Pensacola, features the “Haffner Symphony” and the Pensacola Opera Artists-inResidence. Under the direction of guest conductor Jerome Shannon, the musicians will perform pieces from The Marriage of Figaro, Idomeneo and La Clemenza di Tito.

Tickets may be purchased at the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra Box Office or by phone at (850) 435-2533. pensacolasymphony.com

MARDI GRAS AT THE BEACH PARADE BY DOMINIQUE YOUX FEB. 9–10 This 2-day Mardi Gras festival takes place in and around Pier Park, In Panama City Beach.

The event is designed for the whole family and includes a Mardi Gras Kids Zone, parade float tours and parade, street fair and live music. dykrewe.org

PENSACOLA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS: ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE: A BEATLES TRIBUTE FEB. 10 All you need is love and concert tickets to see the Classical Mystery Tour perform the legendary music of the Beatles at the Saenger Theatre in Pensacola, 118 South Palafox Place. The arrangements are exact, the costumes are spectacular, and the nostalgia is thick enough to cut with a knife.

Purchase tickets online at ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 745-3000.

TROPICAL RE-UNION VOW RENEWAL FEB. 10 For all the lovebirds out there, make it a special Valentine’s

Day and celebrate your love for and commitment to your significant other at LuLu’s Destin 3rd Annual Tropical Re-union. Officially renew your vows with a wedding officiant on the sandy white beach overlooking the Choctawhatchee Bay and enjoy a complimentary champagne toast, wedding cake and flowers. lulubuffett.com/destin

JIM GAFFIGAN, LIVE COMEDY FEB. 11 Grammy-nominated comedian Jim Gaffigan, actor, New York Times bestselling author, and multiplatinum-selling father of five, brings his stand-up comedy tour to Pensacola Bay Center. Gaffigan is known around the world for his unique brand of humor, which largely revolves around fatherhood. pensacolabaycenter.com/events/all

SYLVIA FEB. 15–MARCH 4 Sylvia is a modern romantic comedy about a marriage and a dog. The world of a middle-aged New York couple is turned topsy-turvy when the husband brings home an exceptionally engaging canine that had been running loose in Central Park. Appropriate for ages 13 and up due to mature situations. The show takes place Thursdays–Sundays.

For tickets, call (850) 684-0323 or visit emeraldcoasttheatre.org.

HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS FEB. 19 In preparation for their 2018 World Tour against the Washington Generals, Harlem Globetrotters brings their fancy footwork, trick ball-handling, humor and showmanship to the Pensacola Bay Center. pensacolabaycenter.com/ events/all

Details of listings can change at the last minute. Please call ahead of time to confirm.

PACE AWARDS FEB. 21 The 58th Annual PACE Awards are presented by the Pensacola Area Commitment to Excellence to honor top business leaders who have gone above and beyond in their efforts to improve Pensacola’s economy. Held at the Pensacola Beach Hilton Gulf Front, the evening features cocktails and presentation of awards such as Emerging Leader of the Year, Spirit of Pensacola and Pioneer Award. pensacolachamber.com/ events/pace-awards

7TH ANNUAL 30A WINE FESTIVAL FEB. 22–25 The annual 30A Wine Festival is a must-experience event for fans of the vintner’s craft and the culinary arts. Even more important is the reason behind the event: Proceeds from the Wine Festival will support the Children’s Volunteer Health Network, a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to providing access to health services for children in Walton and Okaloosa counties. alysbeach.com

PENSACON FEB. 23–25 Pensacola’s Comic Con returns to the Pensacola Bay Center and Pensacola Grand Hotel, with many celebrity authors, artists and actors present, including fiction writer Dacre Stoker (great grand-nephew of Bram Stoker), comics artist Paris Cullins and Academy Award-nominee Chris Sarandon. pensacon.com

WINTER RESIDENT GRANDE FINALE FEB. 28 Spring is in the air, so join your snowbird friends for one last hurrah at the Winter Resident Grand Finale, held at Sheraton Bay Point.

Entertainment includes Todd

Allen Herendeen and the FTD (Follow the Dog) Band. Are you ready to twist and shout? visitpanamacitybeach.com/ event/winter-resident-grandfinale-2018/22049

TASTE OF THE RACE MARCH 2 This event kicks off the Seaside School Half Marathon race weekend. Enjoy cuisine from two of Emeril Lagasse’s famous restaurants along with some of the Gulf Coast’s top chefs from restaurants including Great Southern Cafe, Bud & Alley’s and more. The VIP reception includes more foods prepared by Chef Emeril Lagasse, Chef Jim Shirley and Chef Jim Richard, and a special opportunity to take a photo with Chef Lagasse. runseasidefl.com

EMERALD COAST BOAT & LIFESTYLE SHOW MARCH 2–4 The second annual Emerald Coast Boat & Lifestyle Show promises to be an event to remember. Come to see the boats; stay to attend a seminar or to check out the displays of the latest and greatest in fishing and diving gear, paddleboards, bicycles, activewear and more. gulfboatshow.com

GULF COAST RENAISSANCE FAIRE MARCH 3–4 Thousands will gather at the Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds to witness the spectacle of armored combat, the thunderous clash of jousters, the swirl of dancers’ costumes and to sample the wares of merchants who have traveled from afar. Meet Their Majesties, see fabulous characters and experience a historically good time.

GCRF.us

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL MARCH 8 The Bay Arts Alliance & InnovationAE presents “Motown The Musical,” part

HAVE AN EVENT YOU’D LIKE US TO CONSIDER? Send an email to ec-calendar@rowlandpublishing.com.

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calendar 2008 - Best Italian 2009 - Best Pizza 2010 - Best Pizza & Best Chef 2011 - Best Pizza, Best Italian & Best Chef 2012 - Best Italian 2013 - Best Pizza & Best Walton Restaurant 2014 - Best Pizza, Best Walton Restaurant & Best Chef 2015 - Best Pizza 2016 - Best Pizza 2017 - Best Pizza & Best Chef

The original, award-winning wood-fired pizza and classical Italian cuisine

FEB/MAR 2018

of the Bay Arts “Presenting Series.”

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL is the true American dream story of Motown founder Berry Gordy’s journey from featherweight boxer to the heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson and many more. Motown shattered barriers, shaped our lives and made us all move to the same. beatmarinaciviccenter.com/events

EMERALD COAST CHILDREN’S ADVOCACY CENTER GALA AND GOLF TOURNAMENT: KIERAN MAY MEMORIAL WEEKEND MARCH 9, 11

Lunch M–F 11–2 · Dinner M–Sat 5–9 · 850.650.5980 12273 US Hwy 98, Miramar Beach · fatclemenzas.com

Help abused, abandoned and neglected kids by attending the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center Gala. This annual, signature fundraising event will include a delicious dinner, dancing and live entertainment at the Hilton Sandestin and a golf tournament at Kelly Plantation.

Eccac.org

GULF BREEZE CELEBRATES THE ARTS FESTIVAL MARCH 10–11 The City of Gulf Breeze and Gulf Breeze Arts, Inc. (GBA) will present the 24th annual “Gulf Breeze Celebrates the Arts” fine arts festival at Gulf Breeze High School. The juried festival will bring together quality local, regional and national artists.

Gulfbreezearts.com

MULTI-CHAMBER BUSINESS EXPO & TASTE OF OKALOOSA COUNTY MARCH 13 It’s the region’s largest office party!

For 11 years now, the Destin and Greater Fort Walton Beach chambers of commerce have partnered together to bring the Multi-Chamber Business Expo & Taste of Okaloosa County to the public. This is a great opportunity for local businesses to market their products/services and network with one another and for the public to see the latest and greatest offerings from area businesses. facebook.com/events/1700823933295071

PENSACOLA OPERA: ‘MAN OF LA MANCHA’ 34876 Emerald Coast Pkwy. / (850) 654-5251 116

February–March 2018 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

MARCH 16, 18 The famous tale of Don Quixote comes to life this March at the Saenger

Theater. Now in its 35th season, the Pensacola Opera performs the award-winning drama with stunning costumes and powerhouse vocals

by Corey McKern, Karin Mushegain, Orin Strunk, Eric Dean Wassenaar and Evelyn Saavedra. pensacolaopera.com/man-of-la-mancha

PURSES WITH A PURPOSE MARCH 23–24 Enjoy cocktails and appetizers at Grand Boulevard at Sandestin while exploring an expansive array of silent auction items, including new and gently used designer handbags, wallets, jewelry and more. Proceeds of this two-day event will be donated to Shelter House, a non-profit center for victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence in Okaloosa and Walton counties. shelterhousenwfl.org

SINFONIA GALA: MEREDITH WILLSON’S ‘THE MUSIC MAN’ MARCH 25 Sinfonia Gulf Coast brings a beloved movie musical to the Emerald Coast. The movie has been restored and will be projected on the big screen at the Emerald Coast Convention Center in Fort Walton Beach. The brilliant score will be performed live by Sinfonia Gulf Coast. Emmy winner George Daugherty will conduct. sinfoniagulfcoast.org

PENSACOLA BEACH KIDNEY WALK APRIL 7 The Kidney Walk is the nation’s largest walk to fight kidney disease. This event, held at the Pensacola Beach Amphitheater, is a great opportunity for families, friends and businesses to raise awareness and funds for lifesaving programs that educate and support patients, their families and those at risk of kidney disease. kidneywalk.org

‘CINDERELLA,’ LIVE APRIL 13 Glass slippers are SO back.

Innovation Arts & Entertainment and Bay Arts Alliance present Rodgers and Hammerstein’s beloved musical “Cinderella” in a glamorous new production at the Marina Civic Center in Panama City. marinaciviccenter.com/events

Where Good Times Set Sail

PA N A M A C I T Y

Chart your course for Panama City, Florida, where you’ll find great events and endless good times.

FLORIDA

Where Life Sets Sail

Panama City Music Association - 76th Season January 6 - March 21, 2018 PCMA presents a variety of classical and modern music, dance, opera and musical theatre throughout the season. (Chanticleer pictured is on March 21, 2018) Krewe of St. Andrews Mardi Gras February 2 - February 3, 2018 A weekend-long celebration with parades, floats and over a million beads

Warrior Dash Panama City March 10, 2018 A 5k obstacle course race to conquer 12 world-class obstacles to reach the finish line

2018 ISCA Masters World Championship Regatta March 17 - March 20, 2018 A classic, competitive world championship regatta

2018 USSCA National Championship at Midwinters March 21 - March 24, 2018 Qualifier for the top 3 nations to compete at the Pan American Games

Learn more and register to win a free paddle board at DestinationPanamaCity.com EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

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SP O NSO R ED R E P O RT

Stories from the

Heart I NSPI R ING STOR IES OF PEOPL E H EL PING PEOPL E The life-changing care Sacred Heart Health System provides has touched the hearts of many who strive to ensure that this incredible mission of care continues for future generations. Sacred Heart Foundation is proud to be a partner in this endeavor. Please enjoy these “Stories from the Heart.”

PR ESENTE D BY

FEB RUARY 2018

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM February–March 2018 119 FOUNDATION.SACRED-HEART.ORG | SAC RE D H E ART FO U N DAT IO N 1

Stories

Heart from the

SPONSORED REPORT

Shae Burleson

A Ray of Sunshine Through the Darkest Days

S

hae Burleson is a happy 9-year-old girl.

She loves fishing, the beach and going to the fair. She lights up the room when she walks in. (And not just because of her shiny pink shoes that sparkle with every step.)

You’d never know that a year ago, she spent 118 days in The Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart.

“It’s still hard,” she says. “This is the first time I’ve ever told the whole story.”

On September 23, 2016, Shae was in a terrible car accident while heading home from school. In the ambulance, paramedics told

her to try to stay awake. The last thing she remembers is being wheeled into the hospital.

Twenty-three days later, Shae woke up, “connected to a bunch of stuff.”

Over the next four months, her doctors, nurses and volunteers became like family. Shae would spend Halloween and Thanksgiving in the hospital, undergoing a total of eight surgeries to repair the extensive damage caused by the accident.

“I had a feeding tube, an ostomy and tracheostomy … it was such a relief to have all that gone,” Shae says. “Now, I just have my scars.”

And a wonderful outlook on life.

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With a smile, Shae says the best thing about being in the hospital was all the attention. “I used to play with my nurses,” she says. “I’d ring the bell, but I didn’t really need anything.”

She got everything she needed and more during her stay — which included two months in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Shae says what she’s been through makes her cry. But it also makes her feel strong and brave.

She wants to be a neonatologist, a doctor who takes care of babies, when she grows up, because she figures she “pretty much learned everything” she needs to know during her time in the hospital.

Stories

Heart from the

SPONSORED REPORT

Shae’s aunt, Sharon, who works at Sacred Heart as a respiratory therapist, was by her side through it all.

“These doctors and nurses really affect these kids’ lives,” Sharon says. “Coming from a tough background, she wants to grow up and take care of babies because of what she’s seen.”

Sharon admits she, too, has changed because of what she witnessed.

“Seeing the other side, I was amazed,” she says. “You already know the people you work with and how skilled they are. But when you see all the extra things they do that they don’t have to do, it’s just incredible.”

These extra things include braiding Shae’s hair and painting her fingernails during recovery from another surgery, making a little

prizes each day. When she was finally able to leave the floor, he wheeled her down to Wendy’s.

“I just want to walk with him and talk with him,” Shae says. “I miss him.”

One day, Shae’s cousin came to visit. They went outside to draw with sidewalk chalk. Shae wrote her name, as big as she could. After all this time — through rainstorms and sunshine — her name is still there.

“I think the hospital liked me, so it just won’t let me go,” she laughs.

How did this little ray of sunshine keep her spirits through the storm? She says it was the support she received from the hospital, family and friends.

The power of prayer also gave her hope, according to her aunt.

“Seeing the other side, I was amazed. You already know the people you work with and how skilled they are. But when you see all the extra things they do that they don’t have to do, it’s just incredible.” – SHARON BURLESON

(Shae’s aunt and a respiratory therapist at Sacred Heart) girl feel beautiful when she’s learning how to change her own dressings or throwing up for the fifth time that day.

“It made a difference because I knew that was above and beyond what they had to do. I saw the extra,” Sharon says. “Any nurse can come and give medicine or take vitals. You can tell they do it because they love what they do. It gave me a lot more pride to know I’m a part of that.”

Shae’s dad and Aunt Sharon took turns at her bedside, where she had a team of doctors and nurses checking on her all the time. She grew especially fond of Dr. Weidner, who “put her back together.”

“I’m very thankful that they saved me,” Shae says. “And I love all of them. I love all of them.

I’m just living a regular life now.”

From physical therapy to wound care, Shae was never alone. When she began to feel better, her teachers and classmates would bring her schoolwork. Even her principal came to read books to her.

But there’s one visitor who stands out in her mind. “Bob the Paramedic” gave Shae little

“We baptized her right there in the hospital,” Sharon shares. “We had prayer groups going like you wouldn’t believe.”

Birthday wishes, too. For his birthday, Shae’s dad said the only thing he wanted was for her to live. He told her she would be his gift every year.

Today, the family has another gift to celebrate — a baby sister.

Before the holidays last year, Shae had another surgery before going home. She was wheeled straight from recovery to outside, where she watched Santa arrive by helicopter. She also attended the lighting of the big Christmas tree.

Santa asked Shae what she wanted. And when she was finally able to go home, she got it — an American Girl doll from her friends at Sacred Heart. Room 350, where Shae had spent so many nights, was filled with balloons and stuffed animals.

But there were a few things she was happy to leave behind. Shae graciously donated her wheelchair, walker and all her supplies to The Studer Family Children’s Hospital.

Just like her name still in chalk on the sidewalk, Shae has left her mark in our hearts.

A message from Carol Carlan Winston Churchill once wrote “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” He knew what he was talking about, as research has shown that “giving” is a fundamental activity for people that experience self-fulfillment and personal growth in their lives.

Here at the Foundation, we know that giving wears many faces: There are those who give of their time and talents; there are those who give by financially supporting out mission; and there are those who give by opening their hearts and making sure our community is united in the growth and purpose of Sacred Heart Health System.

This issue of “Stories from the Heart” features a few such individuals in our community whose lives are a legacy of giving.

There is Janet Piepul of the St. Joe Foundation, whose generosity has helped us expand care in the St. Joe and Miramar Beach communities. Jeff Hendrix and Mike Bagget are grateful parents who were inspired to join us in transforming care for children along the Gulf Coast with their support of the capital campaign for The Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart. Then there is the story of 9-year-old Shae Burleson, who after spending 118 days in our Children’s Hospital, generously donated her wheelchair, walker, and all her supplies to help other kids who are patients in the Children’s Hospital.

Through the generosity of our supportive community, we have furthered the mission of Sacred Heart Health System and helped improve the lives of our patients.

We invite you to join these individuals and organizations in helping us ensure that specialized and compassionate care remains available. Remember: “We make a life by what we give” – and in health care, that is true in more ways than one.

Carol Carlan President, Sacred Heart Foundation

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Stories

Heart from the

SPONSORED REPORT

Jeff Hendrix

Offering a Different Perspective

J

eff Hendrix will tell you that May 20 is a day forever etched in his memory. Two momentous events occurred on that date — years apart — and both took place at Sacred Heart.

The first occurred in 2002 when Jeff’s wife Kathryn gave birth to premature twin boys at The Children’s Hospital. Stephen and Braddock were born after only 25 weeks of gestation, weighing 1 pound, 10 ounces and 1 pound, 8 ounces. “I could take my wedding ring and slide it all the way over their arm to the shoulder,” says Jeff.

On May 20, Braddock passed away in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and Stephen spent 90 days in the NICU before coming home. Subsequently, Jeff and Kathryn became involved in fundraising for the Foundation’s Preemie Cup event for many years.

Fast forward to May 2013. By this time, the family had expanded to include Bennett, the middle child, and Carolyn the youngest. She was taken to see her pediatrician after several weeks of intermittent stomach pains.

Following a day of tests at The Children’s Hospital, a diagnosis of probable cancer was delivered late in the evening of May 20. Eleven years earlier to the day they were sitting in that

hospital the night of May 20 — it was when their son Braddock died.

Four-year-old Carolyn had a cancerous tumor the size of an orange encompassing three ribs. She underwent 17 rounds of chemotherapy, six surgeries and 44 blood transfusions.

Today, she is in remission and doing very well.

But it was during Carolyn’s 100 days as an inpatient that Jeff had an epiphany. Over and over, he picked up on things he felt could and should be changed in order to “make it better for the patient.” Although he owned a successful landscaping and lawn maintenance business, he became determined to work in healthcare.

He started by chairing the Pediatric Patient and Family Advisory Council and participated in the extensive planning phase of the new Children’s Hospital now under construction, helping to design it from the patient’s standpoint. He is pleased that a much-needed service it will bring to the region is a

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$1.2 million children’s CT scan. It will scan in 2 seconds, thus limiting the amount of the child’s exposure to radiation.

Today, Jeff serves as Sacred Heart’s Regional Director of Person Experience: “person” being representative of both associate and patient experience wrapped into one. He finds that not having a clinical or hospital administrative background allows him to see things from a different perspective — where changes are needed to enhance the healthcare experience for every person involved.

Stories

Heart from the

SPONSORED REPORT

Janet Piepul

Improving the Quality of Life J

anet Piepul’s role as Executive Director of The St. Joe Community Foundation, Inc., (“the Foundation”) is to ensure that its four-point mission in Bay and Walton counties is fulfilled: strengthen education, improve healthcare, protect the environment and support local cultural interests. In doing so, she is tasked with overseeing the foundation’s grants to a variety of nonprofit and 501(c)(3) organizations. These philanthropic contributions are always focused on improving the quality of life within the community and are structured for sustainable impact.

The St. Joe Company ( JOE) had its roots in the vast landholdings acquired by Alfred I. du Pont. After his death, brother-in-law Edward Ball founded JOE as part of the Alfred I. du Pont Testamentary Trust.

When Janet joined the company in 2002, JOE was the largest landholder in the state of Florida with over 1 million acres of land.

Sales of that land to homeowners — a percentage of the proceeds — are the source of funding for the Foundation.

Janet assumed directorship in 2011 and in subsequent years worked to increase the foundation’s outreach. “We weren’t receiving a lot of grant applications from area nonprofits, so I began an outreach program by meeting people at area events, visiting nonprofit locations, conducting site visits, and ensuring schools and county commissioners knew about the foundation and its funding.”

She also put ads in the newspapers and local websites to not only publicize the grants but inform the public about the foundation.

As a result, Janet was instrumental in the foundation’s provision of 87 grants in 2016, 74 grants in 2015 and 76 in 2014, with over $1 million in grant funding each year. To date, the foundation has provided $19 million in grants since 1999, and Janet is on track to fund almost $2 million in grants in 2017.

The grants impact a wide swath of community needs in a positive way. For example, some contributions are directed toward education, such as supplying computers and robotic academies in several middle and high schools. Other grants went toward supporting cultural experiences, environmental preservation or compassionate needs such as passenger vans for adult disability organizations or replenishing food pantries.

And, the foundation is a tremendous supporter of healthcare needs, contributing generously to the expansion underway at Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast. Janet says, “It is comforting to know there is great healthcare available in our community for the people who live here or visit our area. By investing in healthcare, our communities will continue to grow and provide long-term returns on the quality of life in our region. That’s the legacy the foundation would like to leave.”

“By investing in healthcare, our communities will continue to grow and provide long-term returns on the quality of life in our region.” – JANET PIEPUL EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM February–March 2018 123 FOUNDATION.SACRED-HEART.ORG | SAC R E D H E ART FO U N DAT IO N 5

Stories

Heart from the

SPONSORED REPORT

Mike Baggett

On Leaving – and Living – a Legacy

M

ike Baggett grew up in Pensacola’s Scenic Heights neighborhood, in those magical years when kids left on their bikes in the morning and didn’t return home until the streetlights came on.

His father, Henry Baggett, was also born and raised in Pensacola. An honest and respected man, he worked from a young age to help support his family after his own father passed away.

“He insisted that we work and stay busy,” Mike recalls. “Whenever I was introduced to someone, if they knew my Dad, I knew they would give me the benefit of the doubt.”

And he always strived to live up to the family name.

Mike has worked for the same company, Merrill Lynch, for 35 years — helping people build their futures as he builds his own.

Another way he supports his community is through his service as Secretary to the Sacred Heart Foundation Board.

“Everybody knows somebody who’s been in the Children’s Hospital,” he says.

“To have that resource locally, you just can’t say enough … especially if you have a child who’s in it.”

Mike’s youngest daughter, Peyton, was born 5 weeks early, weighing less than 5 pounds. Later, at age 3, she returned to the hospital with Kawasaki Disease. Through both experiences, Mike remembers feeling that the doctors and nurses were right there with them in the trenches.

“It’s hard not to support an organization like that,” he explains.

Peyton is now a healthy and strong second-grader. She has two older siblings

Mike’s daughter, Peyton

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— a brother, Hank, and a sister, Jordan, each of whom were recently married.

Mike spends his free time with family, fishing or hunting, and cheering on Auburn during football season.

He has a strong support system of wonderful women — including his daughters, his sisters and his longtime assistants, whom he jokes “are all very happy to tell me what to do.”

But he still misses his dad.

“I didn’t realize how much. He was always there,” Mike recalls. “We had lunch almost every Friday for 35 years.”

To young people coming up, Mike offers these words of wisdom.

“You can offer your time or you can offer money. Both are good,” he says. “In anything you approach, in charity or in life, think in terms of leaving it better than you found it.”

Maybe that’s something he learned in the great Boy Scout Troop 32, where he became an Eagle Scout. Camping together every month, the troop of 100 boys left no trace of their time in the woods and left it better than they found it.

He’s instilling the same sense of purpose in Peyton, in sweet and small ways. Mike’s little girl likes to paint pieces of sand dollars with fingernail polish. So when they go to the beach, they take two bags with them — one for Peyton’s sand dollars and the other for trash.

“We’re leaving it better than we found it,” he says. “You may not be giving money, but you’re doing something that matters.”

“In anything you approach, in charity or in life, think in terms of leaving it better than you found it.” – MIKE BAGGETT

Stories

Heart from the

SPONSORED REPORT

Set foot inside The Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart and you can feel the warmth of family around you; thousands of stories of hope, involving tens of thousands of children and families. They are powerful stories — from those of extremely premature babies to young cancer patients to victims of traumatic injury and everything in-between. During our 20th Annual Radiothon, we will share these stories and open a window into what The Studer Family Children’s Hospital means to our community.

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Stories

Heart from the

SP O NSO R ED R E P O RT

Thank You, Publix!

www.sacred-heart.org/foundation

Miracles are made with the help of Publix! We thank Publix for their generous support of The Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart, your local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. We also want to thank everyone who donated during Publix’s threeweek fundraising campaign helping raise more than $76,000 for the children and families in our care!

It’s All About the Kids!

Molly Brown

We thank An Hayward and Chico’s for their generous support of The Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart!

An afternoon of fun and fashion made a big difference in the lives of children across Northwest Florida, Southern Alabama, Mississippi and Southwest Georgia.

Pictured (L to R): Carol Carlan, President of Sacred Heart Foundation; Jan Leavenworth, Store Manager of Chico’s at Cordova Mall; An Hayward, Advisory Board member of Sacred Heart Hospital Pensacola; and Henry Stovall, President of Sacred Heart Hospital Pensacola and The Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart.

Pictured: Molly Brown is presenting her gift to Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast President, Roger Hall; Sacred Heart Foundation Major Gifts Director, Yvonne Freeman; and associates of the Olson Women’s Diagnostic Center.

Molly Brown, at the age of 11, is a blessing to so many in our community. In 2016, she donated her birthday money to The Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart, but she didn’t stop there! Over the past year, she has been saving money to make an incredibly generous gift of $1,060 to Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast Women’s Health Services Fund. Her gift was made in memory of her late grandmother, who passed away after a battle with breast cancer. Thank you, Molly, for being a difference-maker!

A BOU T TH E SACR ED H E A RT FOU NDATION Since 1915, Sacred Heart Health System has been at the heart of healing for Northwest Florida and South Alabama. Like our founders, the Daughters of Charity, Sacred Heart is dedicated to providing quality, compassionate healthcare to the citizens of our regions, regardless of their ability to pay. This steadfast commitment to our community could not have been achieved without the support and generosity of the thousands of individuals, businesses and organizations that have donated to Sacred Heart Foundation.

Through this charitable giving, Sacred Heart Foundation has been able to provide millions of dollars of free and low-cost healthcare to the poor, uninsured, under-insured and low-income families. With the help of generous donors, we are proud to partner in Sacred Heart’s mission of care along the Gulf Coast.

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PROMOTION

SOCIAL STUDIES Savor the Season Fundraising Event OCT. 27 The Taylor Haugen Foundation’s 8th Annual Savor the Season Fundraising Event was held at the Emerald Grande in Destin. One of the Emerald Coast’s most highly anticipated fundraisers each year, the event featured 10 of the area’s finest chefs creating custom unique dishes, savory selected wine pairings, live entertainment from billboard charting and national recording artist Michael J Thomas, an exciting live auction and an eclectic range of silent auction items. All funds raised benefit the Taylor Haugen Foundation and its programs.

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PHOTOS BY RHONDA SCHAFER

1 Lisa Chasin, Kathy Haugen and Cathy Jones 2 Jose Cruz of One20 Modern Bistro 3 Heather Kilbey and Terri Fedonczak

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Holly Fair

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NOV. 9–12 Celebrating its 29th year, Holly Fair welcomed record attendance thanks to the holiday weekend as it christened its new location at Edgewater Beach Resort. Many vendors said this was one of the best Holly Fairs ever. In addition, 100 percent of the proceeds from this event went to support the Junior League of Panama City’s mission of developing positive community change.

PHOTOS BY ABBY ANDERS, AMANDA BYERS AND MARCIA CROOM

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1 Annese Andrieu and Katie Harris 2 Christy Rogers and Whitney Sewell 3 Jenna and Trampus Andrews 4 Lynsey Beasley, Tina Kennon, Dr. Eric Berry, Jennifer Ross and Nikki Childree

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SOCIAL STUDIES 31st Annual Sandestin Wine Festival APR. 20–23 The 31st Annual Sandestin Wine Festival, was held at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort — the No. 1 resort on the Emerald Coast! Voted “Best Annual Event,” the Sandestin Wine Festival was a picture-perfect fête, complete with white tents, flowing wine, food, ladies in hats, live music and much more. Affectionately called the “Kentucky Derby of Wine Festivals,” the festival drew thousands to The Village of Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin to enjoy wine tastings featuring hundreds of domestic and international wines.

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PHOTOS BY MCKENZIE BURLEIGH AND JULIE DORR

1 ​Beau Geier and Gia Perez 2 Sharon and Steve Duresky with Jim and Kathy Schumacher 3 Warren Bondi and David Fazekas 4 Sherri Marsteller, Scott Simpkins and Julie Dorr

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Sinfonia Cabaret

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OCT. 24 Sinfonia’s annual Cabaret kickoff to the 2017–2018 season featured Chris Mann of “The Voice” and was held at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar. That was followed by a performance from Mann at 560 Grand Boulevard.

PHOTOS BY KAY PHELAN

1 Demetrius Fuller and Jimmy Chambers 2 Don and Janis Bishop with Edwin and Mary Watts

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3 Jerry and Alex Brown; Stan and Anita Skipper; Larry Anchors; Steve and Kay Crawford

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Located just 25 minutes from Asheville, N.C. and easily accessible from the airport and Interstate 40, Laurel Ridge Country Club remains a preferred seasonal destination for 30A residents. For decades, residents of the Emerald Coast have headed north to experience one of Western North Carolina’s timeless mountain retreats. Offering the region’s premier golf course, first-class dining in a rustic, mountain lodge-style clubhouse and event venue with full-service amenities.

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PROMOTION

SOCIAL STUDIES 2017 Best of the Emerald Coast

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OCT. 22 Emerald Coast Magazine hosted its 18th annual Best of the Emerald Coast event, benefiting the Junior League of the Emerald Coast. With close to 2,000 people in attendance, the streets of Grand Boulevard at Sandestin were packed as they walked from booth to booth where Best of the Emerald Coast winners displayed their products, services, delicious food and drinks.

PHOTOS BY TRE’ COLE

1 Matt and Jacqui Luberto, Monica Madel and Joseph William

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2 Katie and Rob Truax 3 Meagan Atwood and Scott Sexton 4 Paul Scarpulla and son 5 Meghan Katherine Mee and Tonya Allen 6 Shaun and Irina G. Roberts

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PROMOTION

SOCIAL STUDIES Destin Charity Wine Auction & Harvest Festival VIP Tent NOV. 4 The Harvest Wine and Food Festival provided patrons the opportunity to sip and savor some of the world’s finest wine and culinary selections while enjoying the beautiful beach town of WaterColor. VIP ticket holders were welcomed at Emerald Coast Magazine’s Pop-Up Party. Tunes

by Allie & Salty played as guests sampled the magazine’s signature cocktail, “On EC Thyme,” Timber Creek Distillery bourbons and wine selections from Gamble Family Vineyards and Hess Collection. Chefs from Cuvee Kitchen + Wine Bar and Restaurant Paradis served mouthwatering bites.

Guests also captured personal GIF videos at EPIC Photo Co. booth.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY MCKENZIE BURLEIGH AND DESTIN CHARITY WINE AUCTION

1 Hilary Fosdyck, Karah Fridley-Young, Melissa Vidaurre and Hunter Eager

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(continued from page 73) Econfina Springs near Fountian Florida, suntiost aut fugitintibus erum, quam doluptat quunto volecti natiscia et harumquist autessim ium ipsunto eos earum fugitas itesent ionsenda pernatest voluptur?

WATERS of life Natural springs of the Florida Panhandle STORY BY KIM HARRIS THACKER PHOTO BY TRACE INGHAM

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B

eneath Florida’s sandy topsoil and spreading through about 100,000 square miles of porous limestone lies the Floridan aquifer. One of the most productive aquifers in the world, the Floridan supplies water for more than 10 million people. Rainwater keeps the aquifer full, and in some places, pressure in the aquifer builds to the point where water is forced through openings in the earth’s surface, revealing freshwater springs.

Florida has more than 1,000 springs — the largest concentration of freshwater springs in the world — and more than 250 of those are located within the Northwest Florida Water Management District (NWFWMD), which includes the entire Flori-

da panhandle and a significant portion of the Big Bend region.

“This region’s 255 springs and their associated rivers and bays have significant ecological, cultural and economic value,” says Northwest Florida Water Management District Executive Director Brett Cyphers.

“They provide important habitat for wildlife and plants, recreational opportunities for the public and an opportunity for people to connect with their natural environment. They also represent the visible part of the Floridan Aquifer, where most of our drinking water comes from. Restoring and protecting these priceless resources remains a priority for our District’s board and staff, and the state’s support of those efforts is vital to continuing the great progress we’ve made so far.”

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Another way in which NWFWMD is trying to reduce nitrogen levels is by purchasing conservation easements to intensely farmed land and requesting that crops be converted to trees, which require less fertilizer and water.

“You just let the trees grow, and then, later on, you thin them and sell the timber … or whatever you want to do, just so you don’t grow corn or some other intensively managed crop there,” Cyphers says. He explains that trees hold eroding soil in place, absorb nitrates from the ground and provide natural habitats for many animals.

Cyphers is also busy helping farmers to implement a sod-based crop rotation, which results in the use of less nitrogen and water. Simply put, farmers alternate planting bahiagrass with planting their regular crops. Bahiagrass has a dense root system that holds water and nutrients in the soil. This means that after a field that once held bahiagrass is converted back to row crops, the topsoil retains a rich organic base in which crops flourish.

“You get better yield because you have this really good fertilizer built into the ground, and the water stays there,” says Cyphers.

Nitrates also appear in springs because of leaching septic tanks. In Marianna, the town nearest to Jackson Blue Spring, many homes use individual septic tanks because there is no access to a central sewer system running to a wastewater management facility. NWFWMD is working with the city and county to change that.

“We’re always looking for new ideas,” says Cyphers.

“Our programs aren’t stagnant. We can adjust them to fit the need. We always maintain our focus on the end result: What is going to get us to the goal of a healthy spring?”

A healthy spring is one that is at or below its standard water quality measurement for various components. For nitrates, that’s 0.35 milligrams per liter (m/l). The springs on Econfina Creek are below that, but Jackson Blue Spring is currently at 10 times that number, meaning it’s at 3.5 m/l.

“An old friend of mine used to say that if you were to drink a cup of water from Jackson Blue, it would be like drinking six hot dogs in terms of nitrates,” Cyphers says. “People still recreate there — it’s still a great, beautiful place — it’s just not healthy for the ecosystem as a whole, which is why we’re tackling it.”

A conversation with William Shirling, spring enthusiast and citizen biologist Holmes Creek has been a big part of William Shirling’s life since the early 1950s. As a child, he spent every summer with his grandparents, Julia and Emrie “Tink” Bruner, at their home on Holmes Creek. Over the years, Shirling witnessed the health of the creek and the springs that fed into it deteriorate. In 2000, he decided to do something about it. Kim Harris Thacker of Emerald Coast Magazine spoke with Shirling to find out more.

Emerald Coast Magazine: Please describe your Holmes Creek project for readers.

William Shirling: Holmes

Creek is a very unique and special place, made up of numerous springs. When I started my project, there was some commercial damage to some springs that was going on. A local group got together to try to prevent more damage to these springs, and I got involved with that.

Then I got interested in trying to protect the river system of Holmes Creek. I found out that the Northwest Florida Water Management District wasn’t aware of all of the springs on Holmes Creek, so I decided to document them. I documented 53, but there are more on the creek than that.

and I started at the upper section of Holmes Creek and documented around 35 miles to its confluence with the Chattahoochee River. I worked on the GPS-ing and taking photos and videos for a year.

Then it took me another year to put together my findings in a paper that I presented to the Water Management District.

Basically, it was an inventory of Holmes Creek flora and fauna.

In the process of me doing all this, I began getting phone calls from the University of Florida, from the U.S. Geological Survey — all kinds of biologists and scientists wanting to come have a look at Holmes Creek and maybe have me give them a tour.

We found a lot of rare and endemic species doing that.

ECM: Did you have experience in surveying or formal training in mapping?

WS: No. It was just my

ECM: How are you involved in preserving Holmes Creek today?

WS: I still stay active on

passion for the creek and trying to protect the creek from further damage and getting awareness out to people that caused me to think I could help. I bought a GPS and a video camera,

the creek. I’m still keeping a mental registry of what is going on. When you develop a love for a place, it gets in your blood and stays with you. It becomes a part of you.

Cyphers says changes at Jackson Blue Spring will take time. He explains that the porous, karst geology varies radically in that area, and that in some places, it only takes a day for nitrates applied on the ground to flow into the spring, where in other places, it takes 17 years.

“It’s not an overnight thing or even a five-year thing,” he says. “We’re looking at 20 years until Jackson Blue reaches its standard water quality measurement. But while there are challenges, we’re moving forward. We’re getting all of the support that we could ask for from the governor and the legislature right now. And the good news is, there are no places in Northwest Florida where the health of the springs is getting worse. We have people who were once a part of the challenge — like the farmers and septic tank owners in Jackson County — who are now becoming a part of the solution.” EC

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PROMOTION

A Toast to the Coast’s Best in Business

BY H A N N A H B U R K E

T

he 2017 Best of the Emerald Coast event illuminated the night of Oct. 21 with festivities and feasting, as thousands gathered at Grand Boulevard at Sandestin to celebrate the crème de la crème of EC businesses.

Guests’ taste buds traveled around the world, with offerings from wood-fired pizza and freshly rolled sushi, to Greek eats and good ol’ fashioned American cheeseburgers. French confections and smooth scoops of ice cream satisfied many a sweet tooth.

Most scouted out award-winning cocktails, brews and bubbly to accompany their snacks, some of which were poured by graceful acrobats suspended from the VIP tent’s grand chandelier. Those with access to the tent were positively spoiled with premier libations and juicy surf and turf.

Attendees were able to meet the people behind these preferred local businesses. Bags of swag were passed out at booths of financial firms, health practices and the people’s choice of top retailers.

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Better yet, there was another cause for celebration, as more than $40,000 in proceeds from this 18th annual event will benefit the Junior League of the Emerald Coast, a nonprofit organization devoted to strengthening our community through acts of volunteerism and leadership. The Best of the Emerald Coast raised $40,399.84 toward the League’s Child Clothing Project (CCP). Hundreds of underprivileged children in Okaloosa and Walton counties will receive approximately $100 each to pick out essential wardrobe items such as brand new socks, short- and long-sleeved shirts, underwear, jeans, a pair of shoes and a coat.

This wouldn’t be possible without the support of our sponsors, our devoted readers and the recognized businesses that have gone above and beyond to provide outstanding products and service along the Emerald Coast. Winners, you deserve it, and we can’t wait to live it up with you again next year!

PROMOTION

P R E SEN T ED BY Emerald Coast Magazine B EN EFI T T IN G Junior League of the Emerald Coast P H OTOS BY Jim Clark

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PROMOTION

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A Taste of the Mediterranean Floor-to-ceiling windows showcase stunning views of downtown. Historic paintings adorn the walls of the restaurant’s location inside of a former box factory. On the same property as the beautiful boutique hotel, New World Inn, Skopelos encompasses the premier aspects of Pensacola.

As you dine on pistachio crusted ahi tuna, gyro nachos, a rack of lamb, pork osso bucco or the signature dish of Scamp Cervantes (a personal favorite of president George H.W. Bush) you might momentarily forget which city you’re in.

The menu is best described as, “coastal casual with a Mediterranean flair.” The visionary behind Skopelos is

Executive Chef Gus Silivos, who, being the son of original owner Paul Silivos, has worked in the family restaurant since he was 11. His unique touch on hospitality and food has earned Silivos many awards, and he is proud to be included as one of Pensacola’s Celebrity Chefs. With such a designation, he aims to provide menu options that will please any guest. A steak lover will delight in the USDA Certified Angus steaks, the seafood fan can choose from the freshest Gulf offerings, a vegetarian will smile when seeing the impressive lunch salad bar or menu options such as the vegan popcorn cauliflower bites (expertly crafted by Chef de Cuisine, Takara Smith, and

mouthwatering for all). The mezze plates are also a great way to share and experience the coastal and Mediterranean flavors Skopelos has to offer. Brunch, lunch or dinner – pair your dish with a house-crafted cocktail or a selection from Skopelos’ impressive wine list, recognized by “Wine Spectator” with the 2017 Award of Excellence.

Further adding to the experience, the staff is thoroughly trained to anticipate the wants and needs of each guest, transferring that extra care into a specialized experience. The union of casual, fine dining and plates that will take your palate on an adventure invite you to a new world, indeed.

SKOPELOS AT NEW WORLD 600 S. Palafox St., Pensacola | (850) 432-6565 | skopelosatnewworld.com

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PHOTOS BY ARIANNE PEARCE

Skopelos at New World aims to transport your tastebuds to a Mediterranean island while making you feel right at home. The Silivos family opened their Pensacola restaurant in 1959, naming it after their former island home. Skopelos at New World is at once an homage to their family’s heritage as well as historic downtown Pensacola.

dining guide AMERICAN THE BEACH HOUSE

Casual, beach-front dining. Open daily 11 am–10 pm. 4009 S. Sandestin Blvd., Miramar Beach. (850) 267-4800. $$ L D

BUFFALO’S REEF ★

Hot wings and cold beer. Tues–Sat open at 10:30 am, Sun open at noon.

116 Eglin Pkwy., Fort Walton Beach.

(850) 243-9463. $ L D

THE CRAFT BAR ★

Craft brews on tap along with artisan cocktails and elevated bar fare. Open daily 11 am–midnight. 4424 Commons Dr., Destin.

Also in Grayton Beach and Pensacola.

(850) 460-7907. $$ L D

CUVÉE KITCHEN + WINE BAR ★ Classic Italian, French and Asianinspired dishes. Open daily 5:30–10 pm.

36120 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W., Destin.

(850) 460-2909. $$$ D

DHARMA BLUE ★

LOUISIANA LAGNIAPPE ★

A taste of New Orleans hits the coast through Louisiana-style favorites like shrimp and grits and Cajun seafood gumbo. Open daily from 4 pm. 775 Gulf Shore Dr., Destin. (850) 837-0881. $$ D

LULU’S ★

Lucy Buffett’s funky hangout features cocktails, burgers & seafood, plus allergyfriendly menus. Open Sun–Thur 11 am–9 pm, Fri–Sat 11 am–10 pm. 4607 Legendary Marina Drive, Destin. (850) 710-5858. $$ L D

MAGNOLIA GRILL

Steak, seafood, pasta, soups, salads and desserts. Lunch Mon-Fri 11 am–2 pm, dinner Mon–Sat from 5 pm. Closed Sun. 157 SE Brooks St., Fort Walton Beach.

(850) 302-0266. $$ L D Seafood, steak, pasta and sushi. Lunch Tues– Fri 11 am–2 pm, dinner Tues–Sun from 5 pm.

2260 W. County Hwy. 30A, Blue Mountain Beach. (850) 278-6856. $$ L D

MARINA BAR AND GRILL

Seafood, po’ boys, burgers and salads.

Open daily 11 am–7 pm, breakfast Sat–Sun 8–11 am, kitchen closed Mon–Tues. Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, 9300 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W., Miramar Beach. (850) 267-7778.

$B L D

EVERKRISP ★

MARINA CAFÉ

GEORGE’S AT ALYS BEACH

Seafood, burgers and sandwiches. Open daily 11 am–3 pm and 5–9 pm. 30 Castle Harbour Dr., Alys Beach. (850) 641-0017. $$ L D

JACO’S BAYFRONT BAR & GRILLE Waterfront restaurant serving burgers, salads, seafood and brunch daily. Open Mon–Wed 11 am–9 pm, Thurs–Sat 11 am– 10 pm and Sun 10 am–9 pm. 997 S. Palafox St., Pensacola. (850) 432-5226. $$ L D

JOHNNY O’QUIGLEY’S

Steak, seafood and barbecue. Mon–Thurs 11 am–midnight, Fri–Sun 11 am–1 am.

34940 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Destin.

(850) 837-1015. $ L D

JOHN WEHNER’S VILLAGE DOOR BAYFRONT RESTAURANT & NIGHTCLUB

Dinner and dancing, serving barbeque and seafood. Open daily 5–9 pm. The Village of Baytowne Wharf, 126 Fisherman’s Cove, Miramar Beach. (850) 502-4590.

Gourmet pizzas, Creole and American cuisine. Open daily 5–10 pm. 404 E. Hwy. 98, Destin. (850) 837-7960. $$$ D

NICK’S BOATHOUSE

Serving a wide variety of seafood, steaks and flatbreads by the waterfront.

Open daily for lunch and dinner from 11 am–9 pm. 455 W. Main St., Pensacola.

(850) 912-8775. $$ L D

Open at 11AM • Closing hours vary by season 202 Harbor Blvd., Destin • 837-7525

SUNSET BAY CAFÉ ★

Chef-inspired twists on classic dishes.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner or cocktail.

Open daily 7 am–2 pm. Tiki Bar open noon to sunset. Linkside Conference Center, 158 Sandestin Blvd. N., Miramar Beach.

(850) 267-7108. $ B L

VIN’TIJ WINE BOUTIQUE & BISTRO Seafood, salad, chef specials. Open daily 11 am–midnight. 10859 W. Emerald Coast Pkwy., #103, Miramar Beach.

(850) 650-9820. $$ L D

ts bo • Sandwiches • Steamed Seafoo d • Fried Seafood Baske Gum

...overlooking Crab Island

ASIAN

Outpost of a chain specializing in Phillystyle cheesesteaks & submarine sandwiches.

Open daily 10 am–9 pm. Crestview, Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Mary Ester, Nicevville. $ L D

Emerald Coast 2017 Winner

Outdoor Seating Full Bar Lunch menu available 11AM-3PM

Live music and a menu of varied options including pastas, seafood, salads and cocktails. Lunch and dinner daily 11 am– 10 pm. 70 Hotz Ave., Grayton Beach.

(850) 231-1008. $ L D

LENNY’S ★

★ Best of the

BEST OF WINNER: 2010–2017

THE RED BAR ★

$$ D

THE KEY

or

MARIE’S BISTRO & BAR ★

Atmosphere and service match expansive menu including everything from sushi to pork tenderloin. Lunch Sat–Sun 10 am– 1 pm. Dinner daily from 5. 300 S Alcaniz St., Pensacola, (850) 433-1275. $$ L D Farm-to-table salads, rice bowls & other health-focused American bites in modern, brick-lined digs. Open daily 10:30 am–9 pm.

4463 Commons Dr W #10a, Destin.

(850) 460-8881. $$ L D

rb ...on the ha

ing uniqnuues Featurh nig tly me

KHON'S ON PALAFOX

Modern sushi spot with Pan-Asian salads, stir-fries and creative sake cocktails. Lunch

The restaurants that appear in this guide are included as a service to readers and not as recommendations of the Emerald Coast Magazine editorial department, except where noted.

B L D

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Outdoor Dining Live Music $ Inexpensive

$$ Moderately

Expensive

$$$ Expensive

Open 7 days a week • 11AM -‘Til 9 Calhoun Ave., Destin • 837-7575 BOATERS WELCOME! EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

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ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTORIAL

Restaurant Spotlight

Old Florida Fish House “We wanted to create the idyllic Southern restaurant,” says coowner, Jill McDonald. “Tucked away right off of 30A, we are covered by beautiful old trees, with panoramic water views and a beautifully built building. We knew it was the perfect spot to host a memorable experience for anyone.”

Old Florida Fish House is equipped with two central dining areas, the main dining area and the Porch. The newest addition to the restaurant, the Porch, is a beautiful, full-service bar and eatery which overlooks Eastern Lake offering one of the most relaxing views in Walton County.

Open for lunch daily starting at

11 a.m., the Porch boasts a menu of local Gulf seafood, fresh salads and classic sandwiches. A casual atmosphere with lakefront dining is the perfect setting for you and your family and is fondly known as a local’s favorite. Conveniently located in the heart of Seagrove Beach, Old Florida Fish House is just a turn north off 30A onto Heron Watch Way. Fun fact: Old Florida Fish House has the largest parking lot on 30A! Known for an extensive sushi menu and amazing cocktails, the main dining room and bar area are open for dinner daily at 5 p.m.

Some of the favored items on the menu include Grouper Fish House, Blackened Mahi-Mahi, Creamy

Cappellini and, of course, some of the best sushi in South Walton.

Southern comfort oozes out of all of their dishes and will leave you craving to come back. With the ability to seat 300+, Old Florida Fish House is the perfect venue for any celebration from an intimate birthday dinner to a wedding reception. Old Florida Fish House offers local live music weekly in season and signature events throughout the year.

“Family-friendly environment, with wonderful customer service, great views and an eclectic menu that will appease the whole family,” smiled McDonald. “That’s what we’re all about.”

OLD FLORIDA FISH HOUSE 5235 E. County Highway 30A, Santa Rosa Beach | (850) 534-3045 | oldfloridafishhouse.com

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PHOTOS BY ALISSA ARYN PHOTOGRAPHY (FOOD) AND LAND • AIR • SEA PRODUCTIONS (BAR)

It’s not often that you come across that old Florida feel in a restaurant on the Emerald Coast anymore. Which is why it’s no coincidence that Old Florida Fish House’s name completely coincides with the ambiance they have set for their restaurant. Located in the heart of Seagrove Beach since opening its doors in the summer of 2005, Old Florida Fish House is now under new ownership while continuing to be hit to locals and tourists alike.

Tues–Fri 11 am–2 pm, dinner Tues–Sat from 5 pm. 34 S Palafox Place, Pensacola, (850) 912-6762. $$ L D

OSAKA ★

Known for its sushi but serves a variety of dishes, including chicken, steak and seafood.

Lunch 11 am–2:30 pm, dinner 5–10:30 pm.

34845 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Destin.

(850) 650-4688 or (850) 650-4689. $$ L D

THAI DELIGHTS ★

Traditional dishes in a casual atmosphere.

Open daily 11 am–9 pm. 821 Harbor Blvd., Destin. (850) 650-3945. $$ L D

YIOTA’S GREEK DELI

Traditional Greek food made from family recipes. Order at counter. 10 am–5 pm.

130 E. Miracle Strip Pkwy., Mary Esther.

(850) 302-0691. $ L

DESSERT BRUSTERS ★

Ice cream selections made fresh on-site, daily. Noon–7 pm. 4655 Gulfstarr Dr., Destin.

(850) 269-2920. $

BBQ 98 BAR-B-QUE

Award-winning barbecue, gumbo, sandwiches and salads in a casual atmosphere. Dine in, take out, catering.

Mon–Sat 11 am–8 pm. 5008 Hwy. 98, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 622-0679. $ L D

BUCK’S SMOKEHOUSE ★

Brisket, ribs and pulled pork sandwiches and plates in a casual, rustic atmosphere.

Open daily 11 am–8 pm. 303 Harbor Blvd., Destin. (850) 837-3600. $ L D

BREAKFAST/ BRUNCH/BAKERY ANDY’S FLOUR POWER CAFE & BAKERY

Lively brunch/lunch destination known for its French toast, rolled omelets and cheery ambiance. Open Tues–Sat 7 am–2 pm, Sun 8 am–2 pm. 2629 Thomas Drive, Panama City, (850) 230-0014. $$ L D

ANOTHER BROKEN EGG CAFÉ ★

Breakfast all day, plus sandwiches, patty melts, specials, soups, salads and desserts.

Open daily 7 am–2 pm, closed Mondays.

979 E. Hwy. 98, #F, Destin (Also in Miramar Beach, Panama City, Pensacola, Sandestin and Grayton Beach). (850) 650-0499. $ B

BON APPETIT FRENCH BAKERY & CAFÉ ★

French pastries, croissants, crusty breads, soup, salads and sandwiches. Mon–Fri 7:30 am–5:30 pm, Sat 7:30 am–2 pm, Closed Sun. 420 Mary Esther Cutoff, Fort Walton Beach. (850) 244-2848. $ B L

DONUT HOLE BAKERY CAFE

IRISH JOHNNNY MCTIGHE’S IRISH PUB

Easygoing pub providing Irish and American eats, a game room for kids and deck seating. 11 am–2 am. 2298 Scenic Hwy. 30A, Blue Mountain Beach. (850) 267-0101. $$ L D

MCGUIRE’S IRISH PUB ★

Burgers and pub grub and the famous 18-cent Senate Bean Soup. Open daily 11 am–2 am. 33 Hwy. 98, Destin (Also in Pensacola). (850) 650-0000. $$ L D

ITALIAN/PIZZA AMICI 30A ★

Offering authentic Italian cuisine with a flair for celebration. Open daily 11 am–11 pm.

12805 US Highway 98 East, Suite R101, Inlet Beach. (850) 909-0555. $$$ L D

ANGELINA’S PIZZA & PASTA

Authentic homemade pizza pie and Italian dishes in a casual atmosphere.

Lunch and dinner daily 11 am–9:30 pm.

4005 E. Hwy. 30A, Seagrove Beach.

(850) 231-2500. $ B L D

ALA BABA GRILL CAFÉ

Casual spot for familiar Turkish and Greek recipes offered à la carte and at a buffet, plus beer and wine. 10 am–9 pm. 550 Mary Esther Cutoff, Fort Walton Beach. (850) 986-5555. L D

Clemenza’s At Uptown Station | 75 Eglin Pkwy, Fort Walton Beach 850.243.0707 | clemenzasatuptown.com

Classic Italian. Wood-fired pizza, specialty desserts, fish Fridays. Multiple award winner. Lunch Mon–Fri, dinner Mon–Sat 5–9 pm. Holiday Plaza, Hwy. 98, Miramar Beach. (850) 650-5980 $$ L D

MIMMO’S RISTORANTE ITALIANO

Authentic Greek restaurant. Breakfast 8–11 am, lunch 11 am–4 pm, dinner 4–9 pm.

11225 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Miramar Beach (and Shalimar). (850) 460-2728. $$ B L D

Mama Clemenza’s | 12273 Emerald Coast Pkwy, Miramar Beach 850.424.3157 | mamaclemenzas.com

FAT CLEMENZA’S ★

MAMA CLEMENZA’S EUROPEAN BREAKFAST ★

AEGEAN RESTAURANT ★

Best Brunch 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 Best Restaurant in Walton County 2017

Classic Italian. Wood-fired pizza, private dining, cooking school. Multiple award winner. Lunch Mon–Fri, dinner Mon– Sat. 75 Eglin Pkwy., Fort Walton Beach.

(850) 243-0707. $$ B L D

GRAFFITI

GREEK

Best Italian 2013, 2014, 2015 Best Restaurant Okaloosa County 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 Best Service, Food & Beverage 2015 Best Locally Owned Restaurant 2017

CLEMENZA’S UPTOWN ★

Eat breakfast all day with fresh-baked donuts and hearty comfort food. Open daily 6 am–10 pm. 635 Harbor Blvd., Destin (also in Inlet Beach and Santa Rosa Beach).

(850) 837-8824. $ B

Old World family recipes. Multiple award winner. Brunch Wed–Sun 8 am–1 pm, seasonal hours Labor Day to Memorial Day. In season open 7 days. 12273 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W, Miramar Beach. (850) 424-3157 and 8am-1pm on Sundays at 75 Eglin Pkwy, Fort Walton Beach (850) 243-0707. $$ B

The Tradition Continues

Traditional, Italian house specialties, such as seafood pizza. Mon–Thurs 5–9 pm, Fri–Sat 5–10 pm. 707 E. Hwy. 98, Destin.

(850) 654-2764. $$ D Italian dishes. Open Mon–Fri 11 am–10 pm, Sat–Sun 5–10 pm. 979 Hwy. 98, #5, Destin.

(850) 460-7353. $$ L D

THE PIZZA BAR AT BUD & ALLEY’S Artisan cheese, fresh salads, antipasto dishes, homemade soups, seasonal vegetables, hearty pastas and homemade wood-fired Neapolitan pizza. Open daily from 11 am. 2236 E. County Rd. 30A, Seaside.

(850) 231-3113. $$ L D

TRATTORIA BORAGO

Pork tenderloin or pan-seared grouper from the open kitchen. Open daily from 6 pm. 80 E. Hwy. 30A, Grayton Beach. (850) 231-9167. $$ D

MEXICAN CANTINA LAREDO ★

A gourmet twist on Mexican favorites.

Sun–Thurs 11 am–10 pm, Fri–Sat EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

February–March 2018

143

Do you want to look YEARS younger WITHOUT going under the knife?

11 am–11 pm. 585 Grand Blvd., Miramar Beach. (850) 654-5649. $$ B L D

CRAB ISLAND CANTINA

Latin-inspired Mexican cuisine. Mon– Thurs 11 am–10 pm, Fri–Sat 11 am–11 pm, Sun 11 am–9 pm. 2 Harbor Blvd., Destin.

(850) 424-7417. $$ L D

THE TACO BAR AT BUD & ALLEY’S

Baja fish tacos, homemade guacamole, burritos and top-shelf margaritas. Open daily from 11 am (in season). 2236 E. Country Rd. 30A, Seaside. (850) 231-4781. $$ L D

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BOATHOUSE OYSTER BAR

Ice cold beer, raw oysters, award-winning gumbo. Open daily 11 am–2 am. 288 B Harbor Blvd., Destin. (850) 837-3645. L D

BONEFISH ★

Contemporary grill chain offering a seafoodcentric menu, plus steaks & cocktails. Open Mon–Thur 4–10 pm, Fri 4–11 pm, Sat 11 am– 11 pm, Sun 10 am–9 pm. Destin, Panama City, Pensacola. $$ L D

BOSHAMPS SEAFOOD & OYSTER HOUSE ★

Ken Harrison

Gulf-to-table Southern cuisine.

Open daily from 11 am. 414 Harbor Blvd., Destin. (850) 424-7406. $$ L D

(850) 714-3037 | ken.harrison@kw.com | bestbeaches.kwrealty.com 36008 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Destin, FL

BROTULA’S SEAFOOD HOUSE & STEAMER ★

REALTOR®, Licensed Real Estate Agent

Fresh steamed and boiled seafood dishes. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Sunday brunch. Destin Harbor, Destin.

(850) 460-8900. $$$ B

BUD & ALLEY’S WATERFRONT RESTAURANT

Sea-to-table dining, serving fresh seafood, steak and vegetarian dishes. Open Mon– Fri 11:30 am. Roof bar open in summer 11:30 pm–2 am. 2236 E. Hwy. 30A, Seaside.

(850) 231-5900. $$$ L D

CAPT. ANDERSON’S RESTAURANT

Since 1967, offering traditional seafood items, flavorful salads and soups with a view of the marina. Open Mon–Fri at 4:30 pm, Sat–Sun at 4 pm. 5551 N. Lagoon Drive, Panama City Beach. (850) 234-2225. $$$ D

DEWEY DESTIN’S HARBORSIDE ★ Award-winning seafood in a quaint house.

Open daily 11 am–8 pm. 202 Harbor Blvd., Destin. (850) 837-7525. $$$ L D

DEWEY DESTIN SEAFOOD RESTAURANT & MARKET ★

Outdoor setting, fresh seafood. Open 11 am–8 pm. 9 Calhoun Ave., Destin.

(850) 837-7575. $$ B L D

THE FISH HOUSE SERVING

Bruster’s of Destin

4655 Gulfstarr Drive 850-269-2920 144

A surf-and-turf restaurant. Breakfast, lunch and dinner and the best sushi on the Emerald Coast. Open daily 5 am–11 pm.

538 E. Hwy. 98, Destin. (850) 837-2506. $$ B L D

HIGH TIDE RESTAURANT & OYSTER BAR ★

Casual eatery featuring an oyster bar. Open daily 11 am–9:30 pm. 1203 Miracle Strip Pkwy.

S.E., Fort Walton Beach. (850) 244-2124. $$ L D

JACKACUDA’S SEAFOOD & SUSHI

Laser • Chemical Peels • Botox • Mani/Pedi • Permanent Makeup • Massage • Spa Services • Microblading

1807 Alhambra St., Navarre, Fl

HARBOR DOCKS ★

February–March 2018 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

Seafood, sushi, salad and sandwiches.

Open daily from 11 am. Sunday brunch at 10 am. 56 Harbor Blvd., HarborWalk Village, Destin. (850) 424-3507. $$ L D

OLD FLORIDA FISH HOUSE ★

Airy eatery is a family-friendly destination for seafood, with a sushi bar & frequent live music. Open Sun–Thurs 11 am–10 pm, Fri– Sat 11 am–midnight. 5235 E County Highway 30A, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 534-3045. $$ L D

POPPY’S SEAFOOD FACTORY

Fresh seafood, steak and poultry dishes.

Open daily 11 am–9 pm. The Village of Baytowne Wharf, Miramar Beach.

(850) 351-1996. $$$ L D

RUNAWAY ISLAND

Crab, oysters and grouper sandwiches in a casual beach bar & grill with steps onto the sand. Open daily at 11 am. 14521 Front Beach Road, Panama City Beach, (850) 634-4884. $$ L D

TAKE OUT DESTIN ICE SEAFOOD MARKET & DELI ★

Fresh fish and seafood items, pastas, salads and side dishes, Buckhead meats, decadent desserts, wines, cheeses, spices and more. Open daily 8 am–7 pm.

663 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Destin.

(850) 837-8333. $$ L D

STEAK & SEAFOOD BIJOUX RESTAURANT & SPIRITS ★ Fine dining coastal cuisine with a New Orleans flair, Gulf seafood, prime steaks.

Open daily 4–10 pm. The Market Shops, 9375 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W., #22, Miramar Beach. (850) 622-0760. $$$ D

JACKSON’S STEAKHOUSE

High-end steakhouse cuisine with fine wines. Local seafood is hand-selected and artistically prepared to perfection.

Lunch Tues–Fri 11 am–2 pm, dinner Tues– Sat 5:30 pm–10:30 pm. 400 S. Palafox St., Pensacola. (850) 469-9898. $$$ D

Fresh seafood cuisine and Southern specialties in a setting overlooking Pensacola Bay and the Seville Harbor. Open daily from 11 am. 600 S. Barracks St., Pensacola.

(850) 470-0003. $$ L D

MARLIN GRILL ★

FISH OUT OF WATER RESTAURANT

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE ★

HALF SHELL OYSTER HOUSE ★

SEAGAR’S PRIME STEAKS AND SEAFOOD ★

Southern coastal cuisine with an Asian flair. Open daily 5:30–10 pm. Located in the WaterColor Inn, Santa Rosa Beach.

(850) 534-5050. $$$ D

Upscale-casual Southern seafood restaurant & bar serving oysters & po' boys, plus steak & cocktails. Open Sun–Thur 11 am–10 pm, Fri–Sat 11 am–11 pm. 34761 Emerald Coast Pkwy #104, Destin. (850) 842-4788. $$ L D

Seafood, steaks, salads and appetizers.

Open nightly from 5 pm. The Village of Baytowne Wharf, Miramar Beach.

(850) 351-1990. $$$ D Steak and seafood. New Orleans-inspired.

Mon–Sat 5:30–10 pm, Sun 5:30–9 pm. Silver Shells Resort, 1500 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Destin. (850) 337-5108. $$$ D

Premium steak, fresh seafood and caviar. Open daily from 6 pm. Hilton Sandestin, 4000 S. Sandestin Blvd., Miramar Beach. (850) 622-1500. $$$ D

Capt.on Dave’s the

SERVING LOCAL FLORIDA SEAFOOD AND STEAKS Dinner 4pm UNTIL …

For more information visit captdavesonthegulf.com

Gulf

Casual Gulf Front Dining The locals’ favorite since 1968!

Enjoy cocktails on the deck for sunset Happy Hour: 4–6pm Open 6 days a week (closed Tuesdays) Live Music

3796 Scenic Hwy 98, Destin 850.837.2627 captdavesonthegulf.com

MIMMOS Magnolia Grill fort walton beach

tom & peggy rice, proprietors

(850) 302-0266

www.magnoliagrillfwb.com 979 US HWY 98 E

|

Destin

(in the 98 Pa lms Shopping Plaza)

850.460.7353 EatMimmos.com

bridal luncheons • wedding rehearsals unique receptions EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

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postscript IT’S NOT ROCKET SURGERY

BUBBLES

As it happens, moments are momentary

W

ith the promise of wind in his hair, my friend Neil Rambana climbed into his newly restored 1970 Datsun Roadster and was off to meet the tree frog that would jump in his lap — and the telephone pole that would be the new home for his dream car.

Neil spent more than a year restoring his Datsun, piece by piece, bolt by bolt, all from the ground up. I need two friends to help me bake a quiche, so I marveled at the feat.

He would send updates along the way.

A snapshot of the dash with an exposed web of wires, and weeks later, an engine tucked in place. Sometimes it would be something small, like a wooden gearshift knob. Finally, after two years, came a picture of Neil standing next to his silver and red-topped masterpiece. Neil was Sir Edmund Hillary on top of Everest.

He had planted his man flag in his new front seat. I’m pretty sure his grand plan wasn’t to wrap his hard work around a telephone pole, but it gave Neil a chance to experience something special.

A few years earlier, a DVD produced by the magician Criss Angel had caught my eye at a store. The DVD would reveal Angel’s secret to levitation. Really?

Was I only $19.95 away from floating above mere mortals? The possibilities were staggering — disrupting meetings, visiting churches and rising up during sermons … an

endless idea stream of how to abuse a new gift.

Of course, I knew it was a trick. If he could really levitate, I’m pretty sure he would have made the evening news by now. But I’m the guy who orders a food dehydrator at 3 a.m.; whipping out my credit card for a mystical power that would alter the course of life as I know it seemed reasonable. So, $19.95 later, I had the DVD in hand. I went home, closed my office door, glanced up at the ceiling to make sure my path was clear and fired it up. It took about a minute before Angel acknowledged he didn’t ACTUALLY leave the ground.

Duh! But here’s the thing. For just a split second when the DVD was loading, I thought, “What if I paid $19.95 for a split second of ‘what if,’ and it was worth every penny?” I’ve forgotten a million other moments, but I remember that one.

Fan Yang is a bubble artist off Broadway — way off Broadway. He creates giant bubbles with people and other crazy things inside. And in an instant they’re gone. All his hard work — thousands of practice bubbles — bursting in failure.

All his years of perfecting his art, only to amaze you with something that’s gone in the blink of an eye.

Fan Yang understands that a moment matters.

Life has taught me to see the moments — even if fleeting — and to appreciate anticipation as its own gift.

Amazing things — sometimes occurring

in a flash — are so easy to miss: the first smile from a grandchild, the last “I do” at your kid’s wedding or seeing a couple kissing inside a big bubble off Broadway. The moments can be wonderfully happy or stunningly sad, but they define the difference between a well-lived life on a roller coaster and the predictable monotony of a merry-go-round. I’ll take the roller coaster all day long.

I’ve thought a great deal about this roller coaster versus merry-go-round idea.

I believe most people, when asked, would quickly choose the roller coaster, because it seems more interesting. Sadly, it seems most folks, despite their interest in experiencing the ups and downs, sink into the safety and monotony of everyday life.

Reality will do that to you sometimes, the rhythm of life swallowing us in a daily pattern, morphing the special moments into life noise. I’m not a psychologist, but I play one in my own head, so I try to embrace those up-and-down moments.

As Neil learned, sometimes the moment is when a tree frog decides to come along for the ride. Neil proved he could take a punch even if it was from a tiny green fist, but building his dream car was now a footnote on a phone pole — years to build, a moment to enjoy and an instant to lose.

Undaunted, Neil is starting over and restoring a Rolls Royce, because that’s what roller-coaster people do. I can’t wait for the first pictures. I’m guessing he’ll start sending them at any moment. EC

Gary Yordon is president of the Zachary Group in Tallahassee, hosts a political television show, “The Usual Suspects,” and contributes columns to the city’s daily newspaper, the Tallahassee Democrat. He may be reached at gary@zgroup.com.

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February–March 2018 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

PHOTO BY SSERG DIBROVA / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

by GARY YORDON

Colleen Krika ckrealtor88@gmail.com (850) 830-6914 (cell) (850) 267-0013 (office)

Betty Krika

bettykrika@gmail.com (850) 865-2232 (cell) (850) 267-0013 (office)

BellaMar at Gulf Place This luxurious home is located on a double lot in the desirable non-rental, gated community of BellaMar at Gulf Place. With 8,493 sq.ft, this home boasts 6 bedrooms and 7 full baths, including a 2 bedroom/2 bath guest house that overlooks the beautiful Beverly Hills style saltwater pool in the backyard. With lavish details, top of the line appliances found throughout the house, and a gated private beach access, there is little left to be desired in this beautiful residence.

333 Emerald Ridge

2,900,000

$

Chris Sause

chris@sausegroup.com (850) 225-1591(cell) (850) 267-0013 (office)

Vizcaya at Dune Allen Located in the exclusive gated community of Vizcaya at Dune Allen, this beautiful Gulf front residence is a must see. Adding a modern element to the classic Mediterranean style, this five bedroom, five bathroom, with a sizable media room, offers six decks from which residents and guests will enjoy unbeatable views of the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, this home features an open kitchen and living space, large nano glass door, a custom kitchen with top of the line appliances, a large laundry room, a two car garage, an elevator, two outdoor showers, and much more.

1010 Dune Allen Drive

3,960,000

$

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