Tallahassee Magazine - May/June 2018

The Gandy Man Can

Event architect creates experiences

Writing Prof Pens Novel

Shoemaker’s son explores dad’s footsteps

Playing Upland Games Tiny quail stand tall at plantation

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Opening Nights Star Turn

Program welcomes new director

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Contents

MAY/JUNE 2018

FEATURES

88

PLANTATION LIFE

Game Fair offers glimpse of an exclusive lifestyle.

by ERIN HOOVER

94

MASTER OF CEREMONIES John Gandy makes occasions eventful.

by ERIN HOOVER

102

FANCY FISHING THREADS John Gandy collects the tools of his trade in a warehouse he calls “Gandyland.” photography by ALICIA OSBORNE

Fly tyers create impressionistic works of art.

by STEVE BORNHOFT

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MAY/JUNE 2018

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61 323 23 RELATIONSHIPS

PANACHE 51 FOR HER

28 SCIENCE

56 FOR HIM

Peterson-Shacochis: Author and lawyer work wonders with words.

Area river-mapping project impresses Royal Society of London.

32 CHAMPIONS

Leon County and Second Harvest help refugees prep for stormy weather.

36 TOP SENIORS

Meet nine of the city’s high-school supergrads.

58 WHAT’S IN STORE

At last, spring fashion is here and summer is just ahead.

GASTRO & GUSTO 61 LIBATIONS

Tastefully reserved, Shula’s serves up classic cocktails.

64 DINING IN

Gather the family to make spring rolls at home.

42 LOOKING BACK

Fossils from Florida’s ancient past hide in plain sight.

66 PERSONALITY

Food Network’s Amanda Freitag dishes on cooking, caring and going first.

EXPRESSION 71 MUSIC Indianhead

Factory is producing music for the record.

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High-performance fishing apparel makes a difference.

Disney Imagineer unveils the skills behind the magic.

46 DISCOVERIES

rope swings offer old-school fun at Bob’s River Place.

Animal-print garments borrow beauty from regal creatures.

38 EDUCATION

WWII fighter pilot from Tallahassee cheated death in Pacific.

140 QUICK TRIP Slides,

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76 ART Third-generation physician finds a new muse.

80 BOOKS Spencer Wise’s debut novel walks a mile in father’s shoes.

84 STAGE Opening Nights raises curtain on new era under Michael Blachly.

ABODES 109 INTERIORS Plan well and enjoy years of sunshine in your Florida room.

114

Natural predators including cardinals put the hurt on stink bugs.

114 GARDENING

Beautiful, fragrant gingers add splendor to local landscapes.

118 PETS

Big dogs love living large.

142 GREAT OUTDOORS

On white water, teams must paddle in the same direction.

I N EVERY ISSUE 16 PUBLISHER’S LETTER 20 DIRECTOR’S COLUMN 158 SOCIAL STUDIES 172 DINING GUIDE 176 AGENDA 178 POSTSCRIPT

DESTINATIONS 135 GETAWAY Fine

accommodations lend comfort to wonder when visiting China.

The Gandy Man Can

Event architect creates experiences

Writing Prof Pens Novel

Shoemaker’s son explores dad’s footsteps

Playing Upland Games Tiny quail stand tall at plantation

+

Best of Tallahassee

Opening Nights Star Turn

Program welcomes new director

Support businesses you most admire; take part in poll

ON THE COVER:

In the demanding world of event planning, John Gandy’s strength is interpreting dreams.

Photo by Alicia Osborne

PHOTOS BY SAIGE ROBERTS (P. 61 AND 118), ALICIA OSBORNE (P. 71 AND ON THE COVER) AND COURTESY SADDAKO (CARDINAL) / ISTOCK / GETTYIMAGES PLUS

Contents

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MAY/JUNE 2018

Special Sections and Promotions

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CALENDAR The community’s most eligible bachelors and bachelorettes vie for the coveted “Top Single” title at the annual Tallahassee’s Top Singles event.

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PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

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NEXT ISSUE Vet & Pet Profiles 12

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BEST OF TALLHASSEE

Businesses work hard to maintain reputations for getting the job done right. Reward the business you most admire when you fi ll in the blanks of your 2018 Best of Tallahassee ballot.

Pets and Their People

PHOTOS BY SAIGE ROBERTS (GIFT GUIDE), LAWRENCE DAVIDSON (TOP SINGLES) AND COURTESY THE NAUMANNGROUP (DEAL ESTATE)

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TALLAHASSEE MAGAZINE VOL. 41, NO. 3 MAY-JUNE 2018

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BRIAN E. ROWLAND

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL SERVICES/EDITOR Steve Bornhoft MANAGING EDITOR Laura Cassels STAFF WRITERS Hannah Burke, Erin Hoover DIGITAL EDITOR Janecia Britt CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lazaro Aleman, Marina Brown, Jackie Brooks, Bill Cordell, Steve Dollar, Rosanne Dunkelberger, Jack Macaleavy, Dr. J. Stanley Marshall, Karen Murphy, Rebecca Padgett, Audrey Post, Kristin Redfield, Rob Rushin, Sara Santora, Kim Harris Thacker

CREATIVE CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER Lawrence Davidson DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY Daniel Vitter DESIGN DIRECTOR Chi Hang EDITORIAL DESIGNER Charles Bakofsky PUBLICATION DESIGNERS Sarah Mitchell, Sarah Notley, Shruti Shah GRAPHIC DESIGNER Meredith Brooks CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS 8 Fifty Productions, Dave Barfield, Jackie Brooks, Chalet Comellas, Mike Copeland, Copeland Productions, Lawrence Davidson, Scott Holstein, Joslym Garzon, Black and Hue Photography, David Mangum, Steven Mangum of STM Photography, G.H. Means, Kay Meyer, Matt of Digital Eyes Tally, Nancy O’Brien with Sunlight Photography, Alicia Osborne, Saige Roberts, Bruce Palmer, Phil Sears, Maddie Sortino, SHEMS, Kim Harris Thacker, Bri Whigham, Hannah Wagner, Woodland Fields

SALES, MARKETING AND EVENTS VICE PRESIDENT/CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT McKenzie Burleigh Lohbeck DIRECTOR OF NEW BUSINESS Daniel Parisi ADVERTISING SERVICES COORDINATOR Tracy Mulligan, Lisa Sostre ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES MaKenna Curtis, Julie Dorr, Margaret Farris, 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

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from the publisher

Days after the Parkland, Florida, killings in February, thousands of young people descended on the Old Capitol in Tallahassee to demonstrate and to express their anger and disappointment about our nation’s gun laws and gun culture. Rallying around a hashtag — #neveragain — and chanting in unison, students called upon our legislators to limit access to semi-automatic, military-style weapons by making substantial changes in state laws.

For most of the young people involved, this likely was the first time they had exercised their rights as Americans to engage in public protest. Horrified by the deaths of classmates, they could not stand still, no matter the resources of Second Amendment advocates and organizations including the powerful National Rifle Association. Theirs is an important point of view in a debate about a polarizing issue that presents no easy answers. And they had the courage to step up, be heard and are continuing to stay involved.

Like people across the nation, I tuned in to news reports about the peaceful and impactful rallies that took place in our backyard. The message delivered

by Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School students to legislators unwilling to strengthen the state’s gun laws was clear: “We will vote you out.” Certainly, those students are aware enough to know that people in power are motivated by a desire to remain in power.

All of this activity brought to my mind experiences I had at the University of South Florida during the divisive Vietnam War era. One afternoon, I joined thousands of other students in an antiwar march planned to cover the two miles between Fletcher Avenue and I-75 and then to attract attention to our cause by disrupting traffic on the interstate.

Our plan was short-circuited. A mile from I-75, law enforcement officers in riot gear intercepted us and stood their ground. Equipped with a camera, I documented the pandemonium that developed when the officers then rushed the demonstrators. I attempted a hasty re-

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treat, but an officer had singled me out — maybe that camera had something to do with it — and he was determined to arrest me. The race was on.

For about a quarter-mile, I heard the “whoosh, whoosh” of the officer’s baton as he took swings at me. Fortunately, I was able to build up a lead of several steps on the officer and, approaching a dormitory, I spotted a friendly face that waved me inside to safety. As the door closed and was locked, I could hear the long arm of the law trying to pull it back open and I — whew! — disappeared into the dorm.

Forty-five years later, two members of the Rowland Publishing family attended the February 21 demonstration at the Old Capitol, one with her daughter and the other with her son. It was a day I know they will never forget. At dinner that night, parents and children processed the events of the day and recognized how fortunate we all are to be living in a country where voices of dissent may be raised. This, versus the many countries in the world where even peaceful demonstrations may result in imprisonment or worse.

I congratulate the parents who chose to immerse their children in what may very well prove to have been a pivotal event in our state’s history. And I salute the passion and spirit that fueled the demonstrators as they challenged people in power. They do not seem willing to let go until changes are made and persistence will be required.

My sincere hope is that steps will continue to be taken to ensure that no more shootings will occur, that our schools will not be governed by fear, that they will instead be reserved for learning, self-discovery and productive meetings of minds.

Have a great and safe summer,

BRIAN ROWLAND browland@rowlandpublishing.com

↑Waving an American flag, demonstrators marched toward I-75 in Tampa in May 1972 intending to disrupt traffic to draw attention to their protests against the Vietnam War. Police carrying rifles and tear gas intercepted and dispersed the crowd.

PHOTOS BRIAN ROWLAND

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director’s column

GRAPES A PLENTY There, in the whole wine world, went Kevin

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learn more about Cremisan and to discover whether there might be much more to wine life than Chardonnays, Merlots, Cabernet Sauvignons and Rieslings.

He was about to tap into a rich, but long overlooked vein.

Along the way, he consulted the author of a seemingly comprehensive book that describes 1,368 varieties of grapes who, embarrassed, admitted that he had missed the “Cremisan” grapes when putting his compilation together. Begos spent time with an archaeologist who has examined residue on 5,000-year-old Egyptian amphoras from the tomb of Scorpion I, finding evidence of yeast and grapes. He traced the route of wine’s historic advances from the Caucuses to Israel, the Mediterranean and America.

And, in Cremisan, he discovered why the distribution of the wine he had stumbled upon in Amman was so limited: For the monks who produced it, widely marketing alcohol simply was not a priority. Their most important priority was helping orphans, and wine was made largely for use in their Christian rituals and to generate modest revenues in support of the greater mission. Only when survival of its winemaking operation was threatened did Cremisan undertake partnerships and market expansion as ways to grow and perpetuate the business.

Unavailable in the Western world when Begos first tasted it, Cremisan wine is now sold in the United States. Begos heartily recommends it.

Begos, in his travels, was pleased to discover an emerging movement dedicated to preserving native grapes and, from them, producing new flavors of wine. Others, on a parallel course, are working to commercially reintroduce varieties of apples long drowned out by dominant sorts, Red Delicious and McIntosh and such. To say nothing of the craft beer craze.

With the publication of his book on June 12, Begos may very well encourage and hasten the wine diversity trend, and I’ll salute any trend that bucks homogenization.

Kudos, Kevin. Your book is an example of the best journalism, which arises not from an event or, worse by far, an agenda, but from a question whose answer enriches all.

To you, I raise a glass of Star of Bethlehem Baladi.

SAIGE ROBERTS

I was flattered when Kevin Begos, a fine journalist with whom I once worked, asked me to have a look at a manuscript he planned to pitch for a book about the origins of wine. But, because what I know about wine wouldn’t fill a flute — I know only what my wife likes — I let the opportunity pass and didn’t give Kevin’s project another thought until an advance copy of his book, Tasting the Past, arrived in the mail the other day.

Mr. Begos lived in Apalachicola when we worked together; he covered Franklin County for the Panama City News Herald, where I was editor. I didn’t see him often — he kept to his beat, filing stories on oystermen, monkey boats, artisans, regulators and land speculators — but he came to town twice a month for a pre-press check of pages that made up our twice monthly section devoted to news from the Forgotten Coast. Always, he arrived wearing exhausted sandals, a formerly white bucket hat and tatters. Never would anyone have taken him at the time for someone who would one day write a book about those sometimes symbols of ecstasy, temptation and loss — grapes.

Only once did Begos suggest to me that he might have an appetite for sophistication. It was mayfly season and, at his suggestion, we met at a primitive landing marked by a railroad trestle — I would be powerless to find the place today — and we panfished from his square-back canoe powered by a modest outboard engine. Begos, who had his work clothes on, brandished a fly rod while I contented myself with a Bream Buster.

Never had I seen a fly caster of Begos’ ability. I marveled at the way he somehow slipped a Green Drake or a Sparkle Dun into the narrow slot that separated overhanging willow branches from the creek’s surface. Begos might look like a cricket dunker, but there was something else going on with him.

I have learned that Begos, after leaving Apalach, where he feverishly worked to fix up a dilapidated house before the real estate bubble burst, became an MIT Knight Science Journalism fellow and an Associated Press correspondent. In the latter capacity, he traveled on assignment to Amman, Jordan, and while there, dared to sample from his hotel room mini-bar an unfamiliar red wine produced by “Cremisan Cellars, HOLY LAND, Bethlehem.”

In so doing, he imbibed the basis of an inquiry that would lead to an eight-year adventure and meetings with people around the world who enhanced his understanding of wine and rendered him a bonafide oenophile. He wanted to

Cheers,

STEVE BORNHOFT sbornhoft@rowlandpublishing.com

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Seminoles Make Great Plays On the stage and the field, talent thrives at Florida State University. Our arts and athletics programs cultivate a distinct learning environment where students—no matter their interests—can develop the skills to succeed. Whether they’re winning an Oscar or a national championship, our talented Seminoles are an essential part of what makes Florida State truly great.

Visit raisethetorch.fsu.edu to support the arts, athletics and everything in between at Florida State University.

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323

MAY/JUNE 2018

Profiling the Pursuits, Passions and Personalities Among Us

THE

Bob Shacochis, in a WHERE’S THE FISH T-shirt, and Barbara Peterson, dressed down after another grueling legislative session, share a laugh at their home.

RELATIONSHIPS

Literature and Law Author Bob Shacochis and attorney Barbara Peterson love, work and persist at top of their fields

by MARINA BROWN

PERSONALITY

Food Network’s Amanda Freitag

photography by SAIGE ROBERTS

|| EDUCATION Disney Imagineer at FSU || CHAMPIONS Hurricane Prep for Refugees TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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THE

323

“It was his intelligence. His desire to broaden his life. He was funny and generous and difficult to get along with. I didn’t want a ‘yes’ man.”

— Barbara Peterson on what first attracted her to her husband

The brainy couple enjoys a chilly morning walk at Lafayette Park with their Irish setters, Sissy and Bob.

A

visitor to the Shacochis-Peterson house, tucked against an aging city park, is met with a fusillade of barking and body blocks from the couple’s two photogenic Irish setters. Barbara Peterson offers assurances they’ll settle down even as she gets their attention with a spritz of aromatic doggie spray.

In casual pants, sweater and fuzzy bunny slippers, Peterson is fitting some neighborly cookie baking into her nearly 60-hour work week as the prime mover of the First Amendment Foundation, a nonprofit that seeks transparency in government. Yet, the PetersonShacochis home doesn’t fit the template of high-powered attorney and blockbuster author.

Instead, its dark walls, Persian-rugged floors and aged furniture whose antique damask has mellowed to meerschaum remind one of an

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18th-century Spanish house, perhaps of a sea captain who has covered his walls and shelves with exotic tapestries, amulets and crumbling idols. Or a Parisian flat … a Left Bank address … where salons are held on Thursdays and Gertrude Stein hobbles up the stairs.

Indeed, it is to this house that the literati of Tallahassee come — the intelligentsia from academia and government, thinkers and doers from afar. It is a place where acclaimed literature has been created and high-minded concepts discussed. Here, the evidence of life and experience is examined, as an author and a lawyer would do.

Peterson and Shacochis were born near McLean, Virginia. Admitting to their humble upbringing, Peterson’s lineage nevertheless included three presidents, and Shacochis’ father went on to a notable

government career and was eventually elected supervisor of Fairfax County.

While Shacochis describes himself as a “nerdy boy,” a clean-cut surfer and editor of the high school paper, Peterson’s image was in flux. “She was trying to be a bad girl,” quips Shacochis, who as interpreter, spin doctor and one-line comic irreverently captions the conversation. “She had a shaved head, one long pony-tail to her (waist) and a short skirt up to here. She was ridiculous.” Peterson smiles up at her husband. She’s used to his charm. It’s part of what she loves about him now — but it was not so at first.

Shacochis was intrigued, but there were things to do first. He finished school at the University of Missouri, took three years off to travel to Columbia, Europe and the West Indies, ran public relations for his father’s campaign, then worked in the Peace Corps in the Grenadines. When he returned, he found the intriguing girl was about to marry someone else. Just back from Europe herself, Peterson equivocated on man No. 1. “It was his intelligence,” she says of her husband. “His desire to broaden his life. He was funny and generous and difficult to get along with. I didn’t want a ‘yes’ man.”

She didn’t get one. But she did embark on a life saga that was by turns full and empty, joyous and sad. The couple moved to Iowa, where Shacochis was accepted into a graduate school program, the prestigious Iowa Writer’s Workshop. At first, living in a tent in a friend’s backyard, Shacochis wrote and Peterson worked as a bookkeeper to keep them afloat. It paid off.

By the time of his graduation, Shacochis was writing for high-flying literary magazines photography by SAIGE ROBERTS

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such as Harper’s, Outside and GQ and had published his first book, Easy in the Islands, a collection of short stories based on his tenure in the Peace Corps that would win the National Book Award. Meanwhile, Peterson’s path forward was less obvious.

Shacochis was ambitious, curious, riding high on his new reputation and writing that was sought by literature purveyors all over the world.

Peterson had told him early on she wasn’t interested in having children.

Nor did she seem interested in a career of her own. “Being and happiness” are what she needed in life, she’d said, a quasi-hippie philosophy that didn’t resonate with her husband.

And then one day Peterson came home with an announcement: She wanted to go to law school. She could make beautiful pottery; she was passionate about literature. But law school it would be, although there was a caveat. She didn’t want to work as a lawyer. It was when she graduated summa cum laude and still didn’t want to take the bar that Shacochis, in a bout of ire, left for Argentina. By the time he returned, Peterson had passed the bar and would begin working in state government on First Amendment issues. “Bob had a talent that shaped his life,” she says. “Most of us have to work to shape it.”

And just as with the epiphany Peterson had experienced with career goals, she now began to long for a child. She was nearing 40, but the couple was determined. The decision for parenthood coincided with Shacochis’ increasing assignments abroad. “All through the 1990s, he was gone … Nicaragua, Haiti, the Far East. Of those 10 years, he was home for an aggregate of five,” Peterson says. Infertility tests, donor eggs, inseminations and trials resulted in one pregnancy. It lasted for three months. Shacochis was away at the time. For him, he would write, the pregnancy’s end was manifested as a star in the Himalayas, the “missing person in our life.”

Despite their great disappointment, they persisted in growing. The years brought more awards for Shacochis: the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, finalist for another National Book Award, and Pulitzer Prize finalist. Peterson now heads the First Amendment Foundation and recently received an invitation from Sandra Day O’Conner to attend Supreme Court deliberation in a case she worked on in Tallahassee.

She is regaled as a champion of government transparency and the public’s right to know.

A recent award came from the American Library Association, honoring the First Amendment Foundation with the 2018 Eileen Cooke Award for individuals and organizations that champion, protect and promote public access to government information. ALA President Jim Neal described Peterson as “a tireless powerhouse of information” helping the public and journalists hold government accountable.

Over time, Peterson and Shacochis have traveled together, mourned the “child of our shared imagination,” and stayed together in the face of what life was still doling out.

“When my sister died of a rare disease which I too have, we helped raise her two daughters,” says Peterson. “Recently both young women died, one of illness, the other from an overdose.” And life wasn’t done.

“I have a hard time writing now … a hard time even reading,” says Shacochis, who despite his own severe health problems looks as fit as a younger man. Peterson runs her arm around his waist. “We don’t hold hands,” he says. “I only hold her hand when we’re crossing suspension bridges.” Yet he glances at her, incongruously blushing, perhaps taking comfort in their marital schtick, knowing that they’re still in the game, still in the serious business of shaping their lives and impacting the lives of others. Still persisting. TM

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Scientists using advanced mapping technology are studying ice-age channels of the Aucilla River that once extended miles into the Gulf of Mexico.

SCIENCE

A MAP TO THE PAST

Prehistoric river channels provide clues to historic climate change

by ERIN HOOVER

I

magine peering into the underwater channels of prehistoric rivers and trying to visualize the lives of people who lived alongside them when they were above sea level.

One year ago, attendees of a scientific meeting convened by the Royal Society of London were able to do just that, thanks to a project completed by the Aucilla Research Institute, based in Monticello, Florida.

The project mapped the submerged channels of the Aucilla and Econfina Rivers five miles off the Florida shore in the Gulf of Mexico.

Scientists affiliated with the Royal Society of London organized “Lost and Future Worlds: Marine Paleolandscapes and the Historic Impact of Long-Term Climate Change” to identify new tools to explore

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landscapes that were above sea level during the last ice age. The conference was held last May at London’s Chicheley Hall.

Founded four years ago, the Aucilla Research Institute (ARI) supports original research in the archaeology of the Jefferson County-northwest Florida area. Dr. Jessica Cook Hale, then a doctoral student at University of Georgia, presented findings from maps created at the institute with data gathered using bathymetric LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology.

Institute board member Dr. George Cole, an adjunct professor of geography at Florida State University, used the LiDAR data to map features of the paleo-channels of the Aucilla and Econfina Rivers.

Then as now, rivers and seas determined

A Changed Shoreline Native Americans settled on the lands mapped by the project when, 12,000 years ago, Florida’s shoreline extended 75 to 80 miles out into the Gulf of Mexico.

“This area was virtually unexplored,” Dr. Cole said of the Aucilla and Econfina channels. “The data can give us an idea of the impact of changing sea levels on human habitation, as village sites moved along with the rising shoreline.”

Typically mounted on aircraft, LiDAR measures Dr. George Cole elevation or depth by analyzing the reflection of pulses of laser light off an object. While LiDAR has existed for several decades, redspectrum lasers haven’t been able to penetrate the reflective surfaces of bodies of water. The development of green-spectrum lasers able to reach the sea floor has opened the door to collecting detailed nautical data.

“You can literally gather thousands of points per second and create a high-density image,” Dr. Cole said.

In November 2016, the Aucilla Research Institute commissioned a flight using a green-spectrum wavelength laser 400 meters above ground level. After local consultants tested the reliability of the sounding — a process poetically named “groundtruthing” — Dr. Cole and FSU graduate student Zachary Joanas created a large poster to visualize the methodology and results of the LiDAR findings from the Aucilla and Econfina River channels. The Institute commissioned a second flight in December 2017 over Wakulla Springs and the Wakulla River.

International Interest Displayed next to the seminar room in Chicheley Hall, that poster created in Monticello was available to scientists from around the world who gathered in London to discuss

PHOTOS COURTESTY OF AUCILLA RESEARCH INSTITUTE

human habitation in North America, and these channels represent the early routes of the rivers heading to sea, Dr. Cole said.

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their own projects to map underwater topographic features of interest to archaeologists.

The presentation Dr. Cook Hale gave at the Royal Society joined others in the subfield of submerged prehistoric archeology, including other remote-sensing methods and extraction of DNA sequences from sediment cores. She noted that excavation sites have already been identified in Florida, in comparison to other places in the world that are only now developing models for finding sites where prehistoric people lived.

“Bathymetric LiDAR is one of the most potentially productive methods for submerged landscape reconstruction to appear within the last 30 years,” said Dr. Cook Hale. “It should allow us to narrow our focus when searching for, excavating, and interpreting these sites in ways that would have been impossibly expensive and timeconsuming before.

“We highlighted the construction of bathymetric maps from the LiDAR, and from very preliminary results from our dives in February 2017, two targets identified as potentially archaeological within those maps,” she continued.

Dr. Cole’s report identifies for further study a mound along the Econfina Channel

that is “very close” to a Native American shell midden, a pile of the shell and bone remains of prehistoric dinners. In a separate project, Dr. Cook Hale’s research suggested that areas surrounding the midden had hosted human settlements for a span of more than 1,200 years.

A second area for study includes a submerged man-made object rising to about 4 feet below water level, which Dr. Cole’s report suggests is an uncharted derelict vessel.

LiDAR green-spectrum lasers penetrate the reflective surface of water to map submerged features, a task infrared-spectrum lasers could not do.

Future Implications Bathymetric LiDAR data will keep the Aucilla Research Institute busy in the coming year, according to Dr. Cole. Assuming the Florida Legislature passes it, ARI was approved for a grant to fund graduate students to analyze the existing data about the Aucilla and Econfina channels, with instructions to identify potential research sites and to take core samples of those targets.

“We think we know what the promising sites are but we’ve got to dive out there to check them out,” said David Ward, Institute board member and co-author of the Aucilla and Econfina mapping project.

Based on a number of other archeological finds along the Aucilla and Econfina Rivers dating back thousands of years, including the famous Page-Ladsen site, Dr. Cole expects to find evidence of human occupation. The Florida Legislature has already

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Aerial LiDAR imaging shows ancient channels of the Aucilla (left) and Econfina rivers now submerged beneath the Gulf of Mexico. People once lived alongside those channels.

Dr. George Cole takes readings to assess the precision of the LiDAR elevations.

approved a large grant to map Wakulla Springs, Dr. Cole said. He also hopes to create more maps that extend further into the Gulf of Mexico using LiDAR. While information on prehistoric settlements in Florida may not allow scientists to make predictive comments on present-day climate change, Dr. Cole did point out one key difference between human habitation patterns today and 12,000 years ago: “Back in the good old days when the water got up to your doorstep, you just picked up your possessions and moved up the hill.”

“Now, we’ve hardened the shoreline,” he continued, referring to today’s coastal settlements. “We can certainly learn about what’s happened before. We should design our coastal shores accordingly.” TM

PHOTOS COURTESTY OF AUCILLA RESEARCH INSTITUTE

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CHAMPIONS

EXPECTING THE BEST, PREPARING Hurricane season unites sectors to FOR THE WORST promote community resilience

by KIM HARRIS THACKER

L

ast fall, a group of local volunteers distributed 100 parcels, each containing three days’ worth of emergency food supplies to some of Tallahassee’s most at-risk residents: refugees.

Refugees new to this area typically have no experience with hurricanes or with preparing for a power outage in their new homes. Certainly, many of them had lived without power in refugee camps, but living without power in

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an urban environment is very different and requires different behavior.

The volunteers, including translators, met with Mathieu Cavell, assistant to the Leon County administrator for Community Relations and Resilience, who gained permission to have the county’s Disaster Survival Guide translated into Swahili and Arabic and to prepare 72-hour emergency food kits for recently arrived refugees. Second Harvest of

the Big Bend was enlisted to supply readyto-eat foods for the project at a very low, by-the-pound cost.

“The project of supplying Tallahassee’s refugees with emergency food supplies and a Disaster Survival Guide aligned well with our preparation and resilience message,” Cavell said. “With a little forethought, we were able to equip people to prepare for a disaster. We want people to be proactive, instead of reactive.”

PHOTOS BY BRUCE PALMER (GROUP) AND KIM HARRIS THACKER (EMERGENCY KIT)

In a public-private partnership, Leon County’s Britney Smith (at left), in Community and Media Relations, and Emergency Management Director Kevin Peters (at right) work with Rick Minor, CEO of Second Harvest of the Big Bend, to assemble and distribute emergency food kits for refugees living in Tallahassee.

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BE PREPARED Hurricane season starts June 1 and ends Nov. 30. The Leon County office of Community Relations and Resilience aims to prepare residents, visitors and businesses for hurricane season and to facilitate recovery after a disaster. There are opportunities this spring for the public to take part in disaster preparedness.

MAY ➸ Citizen Engagement: Citizens engage in activities and discuss emergency-related topics with nonprofit partners, preparedness experts and Emergency Management staff. ➸ National Hurricane Week NOAA’s Hurricane Awareness Tour: Students in grades 4–6 participate in a webinar that covers hurricane hazards, forecasting, preparedness and more.

JUNE ➸ Multi-Agency Hurricane Exercise: Throughout the month, Leon County tests the abilities and capacity of a joint response and recovery effort. ➸ Hurricane Season Kickoff Press Conference: County staff convenes a press conference with local government, emergency management and emergency response agencies to promote disaster preparedness. ➸ 4th Annual Build Your Bucket Event: Students in grades 4–6 participate in a webinar that covers hurricane hazards, forecasting, preparedness and more.

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Refugees from war-torn Syria, the Almasri family (above) has much to learn about preparing for disasters such as hurricanes. Leon County government recently translated emergency information into Arabic and Swahili to assist refugee families living here. Second Harvest collected and donated food for the newcomers. Kathy Ladle (above left) helps assemble emergency food kits. Employed at FSU’s Florida Center for Reading Research, she also is a volunteer tutor who teaches English to refugee children living in Tallahassee.

Relations and Resilience team are eager to implement the Emergency 72-hour Food Supply Project into their regular hurricane-preparedness schedule, and the Disaster Survival Guide is now available online in several languages.

Cavell said interest from private citizens who speak up about needs and possible solutions helps make the area more resilient.

“Engaging the help of citizens with issues that we face together is an important way to find solutions to those issues,” he said. TM

The Citizens Connect mobile app, available for iPhone

and Android devices, provides users with a single source of up-to-date emergency information that has been verified by public safety agencies, emergency management professionals and crews in the field. The information includes shelters, evacuation routes, road closures and power-outage reports from the City of Tallahassee and Talquin Electric.

The Disaster Survival Guide, an asset that is especially

recommended for newcomers, is available for download at haveahurricaneplan.com/ guide.pdf. It includes time-tested advice needed in disasters including hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and wildfires. It also includes instructions on removing debris after a disaster, avoiding hazards such as downed power lines, and avoiding price gouging.

Learn more: Leon County Emergency Management at (850) 606-3700 or Leon County Community and Media Relations at (850) 606-5300

PHOTOS BY BRUCE PALMER (TRUCK) AND KIM HARRIS THACKER (FAMILY, VOLUNTEER, EMERGENCY KITS)

Rick Minor, CEO of Second Harvest of the Big Bend, attended the food-kit distribution event, which took place a week before Hurricane Irma knocked out power throughout much of Tallahassee. He was struck by the surprise the refugees showed when they were given their kits.

“It’s almost like they couldn’t believe that anyone could be so generous to them,” Minor said.

People who are food-insecure are the most vulnerable to disasters, he added.

“It typically takes them much longer to recover, too,” he said. “For example, if I lose the food in my refrigerator due to a disaster-related power outage, I can go to the store and restock my fridge as soon as the power is restored. For a family living in poverty, though, it can take weeks before they’re able to fully replace the food they lost. That’s why it’s so important for us to help them prepare for an emergency. If provided with sufficient food and water, they can more quickly regain financial self-sufficiency after a disaster. This, in turn, accelerates the rebound of Florida’s economy, which is a benefit to all of us.”

Cavell and other members of the Community

➸ Disaster Survival Guide Distribution: The annual Disaster Survival Guide (found online at haveahurricaneplan.com) is distributed at key sites for the public.

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323 CLASS OF ’18

BIG DREAMERS

The future looks bright for this generation of changemakers

by JANECIA BRITT

Tallahassee Magazine sat down with nine 2018 graduates of Tallahassee high schools to learn about their accomplishments thus far, their favorite memories from high school and the impacts they intend to make in the future.

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TO READ THE PROFILES OF THESE OUTSTANDING SENIORS, VISIT: TALLAHASSMAGAZINE.COM/2018-TOP-SENIORS

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EDUCATION

FOR DISNEY IMAGINEER, DREAMS DO COME TRUE

THE

323

At FSU, Mk Haley teaches collaboration is the magic

by LAZARO ALEMAN

S

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Imagineer and teacher Mk Haley tests an interactive ferrofluid exhibit she created with students in a project partnering FSU’s Jim Moran School of Entrepreneurship with FSU’s National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.

work well across fields, “they’re coexisting, not collaborating.”

“Working on teams and across disciplines is something my students struggle with,” she says.

“So, any time a good idea happens, and it only happened because two disciplines got together, I like to stop the class and say, ‘Hold on, you guys get it, right?’”

Storytelling, as Haley explains it, involves the use of physical space to create experiences.

It relies on teamwork, meticulous research, attention to detail and flawless execution — hallmarks of Imagineers.

“It’s a struggle to tell people what a story is,” Haley says. “Many people think it’s taking a theme and cramming the Grimm Brothers atop it. And that’s not it. It’s the idea that everything around us — the physical places that we build — communicate information. So that if you were to wake up flat on your back in the

center of Dodger Stadium, you would know where you were. How? There’s no sign that says baseball stadium. But everything about that space tells you what it is. Whether it’s a classroom, library, church, grocery store or art gallery, there’s a combination of form and function and physical space that tell a story. So, if we’re looking to tell a specific story, we do it with the physical space.”

She cites Apple stores and sporting arenas as examples of highly themed experiences.

“How you behave in there and what you see at what point is extremely well orchestrated,” Haley says. “As are most shopping experiences.

The Apple Store literally looks like a proscenium from outside. If you think of sporting arenas, they’re highly immersive entertainment venues.

They’ve got projections on the walls, giveaways, color themes, and good and bad guys. There’s as much a story there as anywhere.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

torytelling is the essence of the themed entertainment classes that Mk Haley teaches at FSU during fall semesters. Not storytelling in the conventional sense of character, plot, setting and conflict resolution, although storyline, physical space and thematic cohesion/coherence are very much parts of it.

But storytelling as a process involving research, creativity, interdisciplinary collaboration and critical thinking — skillsets that Haley maintains are necessary in every field.

“These are the areas where industry, any industry, is saying that entry-level employees are desperately lacking,” says Haley, an Imagineer with the Walt Disney Company and one of multiple entrepreneursin-residence from various industries partnering with FSU’s Jim Moran School of Entrepreneurship in Tallahassee.

Haley titles her class “Creating Experiences” because she doesn’t want her students, whose majors are varied, to think it’s solely about entertainment.

“Because it’s not,” she asserts. “It’s about working in groups across disciplines.”

She cites Imagineering (imagination plus engineering), Disney’s research and development arm responsible for designing and building experiences at its theme parks, resorts, cruise ships and other entertainment venues, and encompassing “over 130 disciplines — everything from accounting to zoology.” A person may excel at whatever, Haley says, but if they don’t

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A Massachusetts native with a master’s in computer animation, Haley has been with Disney since 1994, serving in both creative and technical roles. She has also taught in one capacity or another since day one.

Indeed, because of her prior teaching experience in graduate school, she quickly became the go-to person at Disney whenever someone was needed to lead group tours or give new hires orientation talks.

“And it just exploded,” Haley says. “Anytime anyone asked for a conference lecturer, it was me; then it got into legitimate teaching gigs.”

She came to FSU through Peter Weishar, formerly dean of the College of Fine Arts and currently with the Jim Moran School and founder/director of the Themed Entertainment Institute (TEI), whose mission is to develop the next generation of designers and producers for Florida’s themed-experience industry.

A trusted Disney partner from his days at Savannah College of Art Design, where he established the nation’s first Master of Fine Arts program in themed-entertainment design, Weishar chose Haley as entrepreneur-in-residence for his budding TEI. The setup allows Haley, and by extension Disney, a unique relationship with FSU. “We (Disney) have great relationships with other university departments,” Haley says. “Like we’ve partnered for years with Carnegie Mellon robotics. But we didn’t have a relationship with a whole school. The entrepreneur-in-residence program allows me this option. It may be the only program of its kind in the country where a university has folks from different industries partnering with the school.”

The relationship is mutually beneficial. FSU gains Haley’s expertise.

As for Disney: “Of course I’d like to steal all the good students,” Haley says laughing. “But really, we just want to make the industry better. Because at some point, that pays off for us.

It might not be today or tomorrow, but if everybody is better at what they do, eventually it gets back to us.” TM

PHOTO COURTESY OF FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

Mk Haley, at right, consults with Kristin Roberts, public affairs director at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, or MagLab, where the “magic” is actually science.

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LOOKING BACK

Heroics Aloft Tom Van Brunt’s war stories tell a tale of uncommon valor

Fighter pilot and Tallahassee native Lt. Tom Van Brunt (at center) and crewmates Les Frederickson (at left) and John South attacked Japanese warships in the Philippine Islands, then narrowly escaped death by being prevented from landing on the USS St. Lo aircraft carrier, which was attacked minutes later and sank. The crew helped Allied forces win the Battle of Leyte Gulf, one of the largest naval battles in World War II.

by DR. J. STANLEY MARSHALL

↓ A diagram of the battle shows Japanese forces in

T

om Van Brunt’s Tallahassee roots run deep. He was born into one of Tallahassee’s oldest and most distinguished families. But nothing in his small-town upbringing prepared him for the deathdefying experiences he encountered as a Navy fighter pilot based in the Pacific during World War II. Tom’s parents had three boys. The two older brothers, Bill and Tom, enlisted in the Navy in September 1941, three months before Pearl Harbor. Their younger brother, Bernard, enlisted in the Navy upon his graduation from high school. All three served in the Southwest Pacific.

In October 1944, the largest naval engagement of World War II turned the tide of the war in the Pacific. A total of 264 combat ships took part in the Battle for Leyte Gulf. The Japanese lost 26 large ships, while American forces lost three small carriers and four destroyers.

Lt. Tom Van Brunt had been assigned to fly an anti-submarine patrol in the sector northeast of the carrier group to which he

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belonged. The pilot and his two-man crew took off just before daylight during a heavy squall. Van Brunt’s fellow pilot, Ensign Bill Brooks, had the northwest quadrant. They had been airborne for less than 15 minutes when Brooks came on the radio and called back to Derby Base — the code name for their ship. (Its real name was the USS St. Lo.) “Derby Base,” said Brooks, “I have a contact report. I see the Japanese navy. There are five battleships, 11 cruisers and God knows how many destroyers.”

“Are you sure they are Japanese?” replied Derby Base.

“Yes, I’m sure. I can see the Pagoda masts, and I see the biggest red meatball flag I ever saw flying on the biggest battleship I ever saw.”

At that moment, Derby Base became convinced because the Japanese launched their first salvo into the midst of the Allied carriers.

After flying the sector for about an hour, Van Brunt heard an all-fleet order from the admiral for all planes to attack with whatever arms they had, and for all carriers to launch

red, Allied forces in gray, the site where the USS St. Lo sank, and DULAG Airfield, where Van Brunt and his crew reached safety.

photography by KATE BELLFLOWER

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↑ Grumman TBF Avengers are readied for a mission aboard the USS St. Lo. After Lt. Van Brunt and his crew

whatever planes they had. Van Brunt’s plane had three depth charges aboard for attacking submarines, but no subs had been seen.

He figured if he could place the depth charges close enough to a cruiser, he might be able to do some underwater damage. There was cloud between Van Brunt and a cruiser below and when he came out of the cloud, he found that he had made his dive a little too shallow. At any rate, he said, “I nosed over and dropped my depth charges.”

Now without any ammunition and low on fuel, Van Brunt flew back to his carrier to find it under attack. Unable to land on his ship, he found another carrier, the USS Marcus Island, upon which he landed safely.

When he went down to the ready room, pilots from several different carriers were there. “They looked at my laundry mark (a serial number on the uniform),” Van Brunt said, “and I was senior among the torpedo bomber pilots, so they said, ‘You’re going to lead an attack on the Jap fleet; we’re loading your plane with torpedoes now.’”

When they climbed into their planes, Van Brunt’s was the first on the catapult. They had to launch crosswind because the enemy was directly upwind, preventing a normal carrier takeoff. The plane was loaded so heavily that Van Brunt and his crew were not sure it would fly.

Van Brunt’s plane climbed slowly to rendezvous height and was joined by eight fighter planes from another carrier. As the leader, Van Brunt made the decision to attack a Kongoclass battleship, which was last in the Japanese

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line. They headed directly toward the battleship and dropped their torpedoes.

Then, Van Brunt felt his left rudder go limp.

His plane has been hit by enemy fire, setting in motion a series of near miracles that make Van Brunt’s story one of the most remarkable in all of Navy aviation.

As he climbed back to altitude, Van Brunt found that he could handle a right-hand turn pretty well. When he got back to the St. Lo, he asked the signal officer for permission to come in from a right-hand approach, which is never done in a carrier landing.

“We’ll try,” said the signal officer, “but stay at altitude until we get everyone else aboard.”

Van Brunt continued circling at 1,500 feet and watched the other planes land.

“A great big wing of a Jap plane with a big meatball fluttered down in front of my plane,” Van Brunt recalled. “I almost hit it. I also saw another plane in a dive on my carrier — it was blasted out of the air before it got there. But what I didn’t see was the third Jap plane that was coming up the wake of our carrier.”

That plane pulled up and nosed over into the flight deck. It went through the flight deck into the hangar deck, where the planes were being armed and fueled. That’s where the explosion occurred. Twenty-five minutes later, the ship sank.

Van Brunt was told by radio to proceed to the airstrip at DULAG. A right-hand approach was unusual, and when some of the American troops on the ground saw it, they opened fire with small arms, thinking it must

Van Brunt heard an all-fleet order from the admiral for all planes to attack with whatever arms they had, and for all carriers to launch whatever planes they had. be the enemy because all of the other Navy planes were approaching in left-hand turns. As far as Van Brunt could tell, his plane was not hit, at least not to the degree of being disabled.

The plane dodged bomb craters on the grass runway and landed safely. The first thing Van Brunt and his crew did after alighting from the planes was to inspect the damage. Enemy antiaircraft fire had hit the very rear of the plane’s fuselage, severing the left rudder.

They also found that their tailhook had been shot off completely. That meant that if they had landed on the carrier, there would have been no way to stop the plane — and they would have crashed into the barrier on the flight deck.

Contemplating his lucky breaks, Van Brunt said, “The good Lord was certainly with us that day.” TM This story first appeared in the November/December 2005 issue of Tallahassee Magazine. Tom Van Brunt died in January 2008 at age 90. The author, former FSU President J. Stanley Marshall, died in 2014 at the age of 91.

PHOTOS COURTESY USS ST. LO (FORMERLY MIDWAY) CVE-63/VC-65 ASSOCIATION

took off in one of them, a Japanese fighter pilot crashed into the aircraft carrier (at right), sinking it. Of 889 aboard, 746 survived. Van Brunt landed his plane elsewhere, refueled, rearmed and flew back into the battle.

photography by KATE BELLFLOWER

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The fossilized skull of a gracile saber-toothed cat is one of the treasures discovered in Florida and on display in state museums, while remains such as this Pleistocene horse tooth and prehistoric shells may be found in the field and in nearby rivers.

DISCOVERIES

From coral heads to mastodons, fossils of native species abound

by KIM HARRIS THACKER

T

races of a prehistoric world can be found at your feet, right here in Tallahassee.

“Fossils are defined as the remains or physical traces of ancient life,” says Tallahassee native and assistant state geologist Harley Means as he passes a Pleistocene-era horse tooth from one hand to the other. The tooth looks a bit like a piece of rhubarb that was dropped in mud. “Typically, paleontologists (scientists who study fossils) will put the cutoff between what is and isn’t a fossil somewhere in the latest Pleistocene into the early Holocene — roughly 11,700 years ago.”

Means’ office is a veritable museum of Florida fossils. The state has an abundance of fossils because its geology is especially good at preserving them. Most organisms don’t leave behind fossil remains because it takes a very special set of conditions for fossilization to occur.

Bill Parker, a paleontologist and professor at FSU, explains that the shallow water, crumbly limestone and marine mud that covered this region millions of years ago preserved many organisms almost hermetically. “The clay that

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“A short drive from Tallahassee, a little to the west, are some great river sites … The Chipola is a source of Miocene and Pliocene coral heads, pearly nautilus and spiny oysters. The Apalachicola is great for vertebrate fossils.”

— Dr. Bill Parker, paleontologist and professor at Florida State University was here fit tightly around an organism — like a zip-lock bag,” he says. “It essentially formed an airtight seal that kept the organism preserved from the time it was buried. That’s why a huge number of the invertebrate fossils that come out of our riverbanks are museum-quality fossils with original shell material.”

“Teeth and dense bones are preferentially preserved, because they’re already hard,” Means added, pondering the Pleistocene horse tooth in his palm.

Fossils Around Town Upon entering the Florida Geological Survey Museum, visitors’ first sight is a massive dugong skeleton. It is a cast of the original skeleton, 18 million years old, that was found in a clay mine near Quincy in the 1950s. The original is on display in New York City at the American Museum of Natural History.

The Geological Survey Museum also boasts impressive examples of Florida’s state stone, agatized coral, and enough shark teeth from an extinct mako to send a shiver down a fossil hunter’s spine.

To see them for yourself, call (850) 617-0316 to schedule a visit during business hours. The museum is at: 3000 Commonwealth Drive, No. 1, Tallahassee. ➸ Governor’s Square Mall: See Jurassic limestone with fossil mollusks (probably from Western Europe) in the floor tiles at the mall. ➸ Strozier Library at FSU: See Ordovician-age reef rocks (from east Tennessee) in the decorative wall stones in the library’s south stairwell. ➸ Longmire Building on FSU campus: See Pleistocene coral heads (from Key Largo) in the mantelpiece and fireplacesurround. ➸ Parking lots: Find fossilized remains of of invertebrate marine life (likely from the Avon Park area of Central Florida) in the crushed limestone gravel found in many Tallahassee parking lots.

PHOTOS BY G.H. MEANS, FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Signs of Ancient Life

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Explore Tallahassee Museum’s 52 acres of living history, wildlife exhibits, soaring zip lines and obstacle courses, Jim Gary’s Twentieth Century Dinosaurs, natural trails, historic buildings, animal encounters and more.

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Dr. Parker points out that while many people think of a fossil as an organism that has been replaced by other minerals, that is not always the case. Under the right circumstances, a fossilized organism — for example, many of the marine invertebrates that can be found in riverbanks in and around Tallahassee — can retain some of its original materials.

Fossils that are native to Tallahassee include invertebrates such as strombuses, turritellas, coral heads, foraminifera, spiny oysters, conchs and nautiluses; and vertebrates such as early horses, camels and llamas, as well as tapirs, giant bison, elephants, cave bears, rabbits, alligators, turtles, dugongs, sharks and mastodons. Means says there are no dinosaur fossils to be found in Florida. Dinosaurs died out about 65 million years ago, while the oldest rocks in Florida that aren’t thousands of feet below the surface are a mere 40 million years old.

With the exception of shark teeth, it is illegal to collect vertebrate fossils from state or federal land without a permit. Permits can be obtained from the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville; they cost $5 per year.

“Make sure you follow all the rules and regulations, which can be found on the back of the permit,” says Richard Hulbert, manager of Vertebrate Paleontology Collections at the Florida Museum of Natural History and fossil permits manager for the State of Florida.

For example, no fossil collecting of any kind, whether vertebrate or invertebrate, is allowed in wildlife refuges or within the boundaries of national or state parks. However, invertebrate fossils, including seashells, foliage and petrified wood, can be collected on other public land without a permit. On private land, no permit is required to hunt for fossils; only the landowner’s permission is required.

“You can find fossils in just about any of the major rivers in Florida,” Hulbert says. This is because, according to Means, our spring-fed rivers — or karst rivers — have a very “low gradient, so the water flows slowly and doesn’t wear things down as much.”

“A short drive from Tallahassee, a little to the west, are some great river sites,” says Dr. Parker. “The Chipola is a source of Miocene and Pliocene coral heads, pearly nautilus and spiny oysters. The Apalachicola is great for vertebrate fossils.”

If a fossil hunter needs help identifying his or her finds, Hulbert and other paleontologists at the Florida Museum of Natural History can help, often just by looking at an emailed photograph of the fossils. TM

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PHOTOS BY G.H. MEANS, FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

This cast of a fossilized nautilus shell shows the ancient creature’s famous structure.

Thomasville Out of Town...

Up the Street

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Nestled among the pines and plantations of the rolling red hills lies a town that’s both modern and familiar. Thomasville’s authentic, welcoming atmosphere may beckon back to the Victorian era, but don’t expect formalities here. Come experience a one-of-a-kind meal in a town Food and Wine Magazine recently called “One of the Best Small Food Towns in the Country.” Stroll through the historic and hip downtown that offers everything from haute cuisine to haute couture. Enjoy a free outdoor concert at the Thomasville Park and Amphitheater.

Just 30 minutes from Tallahassee, Thomasville is the reinvigorating trip you’ve been needing without traveling too far from home.

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panache MAY/JUN 2018

Regarding Matters of All Things Stylish

FOR HER

Animal Prints

Hunger for statement pieces never abates

by MARINA BROWN

PHOTO BY ROHAPPY / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

↗

Wearing garments that resemble the markings of some of the planet’s most beautiful animals naturally feels bold.

FOR HIM

Engineered for Fishing

|| WHAT’S IN STORE

Reset for Spring

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W

hat pairs with python?” The young shopper was earnestly staring at the belt she had fallen in love with but was apparently afraid to buy. In some circles, python may seem too daring, even when confined to a narrow cinch around the waist.

Little did she know, fashion history was boldly on her side. From the beginning of clothing, people have draped themselves in patterned skins and hides meant to camouflage their original owners. They were warm.

They were protective. They wouldn’t wear out. And then, as now, they look downright cool.

Chieftains wore cheetah shawls and Roman Emperors slung leopard capes about their shoulders. Animal skins denoted power and invoked a statement: “I took down this zebra and you must reckon with me.”

In the 1930s, Joan Crawford wore real animal hide coats and Mae West slithered in snakepattern tube dresses. Such impulses dwell in our fashion consciousness, sometimes emerging, sometimes lurking. Maybe the apron-wearing housewives of the 1950s didn’t sport crocodile pumps as they dusted the Venetian blinds, but they wanted to. Hippies broke out the animal hide vests, and high fashion took notice. Animal-print everything was back. Though the allure of wearing These sharp looks reflect regal patterns found in nature on jaguars, cheetahs, leopards, giraffes, tigers and zebras. another creature’s actual hide retreated, and faux replacements took over that territory. falling for animal-print couture ever since, though passion for it surges From the early 2000s, glossy fashfrom time to time to the fashion forefront. ion magazines told us how to wear Taylor Garcia of Abby and Taylor Boutique said she is seeing just lizard pattern-tops, leopard splotches such a reawakening: an appetite for leopard and cheetah patterns in with sleek velvet pants, and gazelletans and blacks. “Especially in tunics and dusters,” she said, “there will striped jackets with cut-off jeans — be lots of spots.” and they revealed that these prints New arrivals are creating excitement at Narcissus, too, where sales staff could easily transform outfits from tell us that faded leopard spots will appear on, “of all things, denim trousophisticated daytime office wear to sers,” while giraffe-patterned blouses with “modern geometry and a color nighttime something-else. twist” will perk up spring.

And they were right. That straight black skirt and tailored white blouse So, go hunting among the new lines of animal-print garments. Unthat anchors office attire is transformed into a different animal when domesticate yourself. Who knows, you may “bring out the animal” in topped with a leopard-print urban jacket and some large, gold hoops for someone else. TM nighttime. A busy floral daytime dress, once over-laid with a turquoise crocodile vest, goes totally BoHo and bold when the sun goes down.

Christian Dior once remarked, if you are fair and sweet, don’t wear animal prints, under6668 Thomasville Road, abbyandtaylorboutique.com, (850) 765-6402 standing that a woman sporting jungle attire Monday–Saturday 11 a.m.–7 p.m., Sunday Noon–5 p.m. can represent a not-so-sweet and “undomesticated” female. Like Dior, who fell for them in 1408 Timberlane Road, narcissusstyle.com, (850) 668-4807 Monday–Saturday 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Sunday Noon–6 p.m. the 1950s, designers and fashionistas have been

ABBY & TAYLOR BOUTIQUE NARCISSUS

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PHOTOS COURTESTY OF ABBY & TAYLOR BOUTIQUE (LEOPARD PRINT) / BY IMAGE SOURCE (GIRAFFE PRINT) / GETTYIMAGES PLUS

“

t abletops t hat m a ke

CELEBRATING EVERY DAY EASY.

Visit the Tallahassee Coton Colors Flagship Store for all your gifting and celebrating needs.

1355 Market Street | (850) 668-0149 | coton-colors.com P E R S O N A L I Z E D G I F T S | TA B L E T O P | B R I D A L R E G I S T R Y | H O M E | C O L L E G I AT E | O R N A M E N T S | H A P P Y E V E R Y T H I N G ! T M

(850) 553 3327 / 1350 MARKET STREET TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

May–June 2018

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SPECIAL PROMOTION

Spring Gift Guide 1

1. COTON COLORS Deco Rectangle Platter – Perfect for serving or décor! Coton Colors designed the deco rectangle platter to add bold style to your everyday. $59.95

2

1355 Market St., (850) 668-0149 Coton-Colors.com

2. MILLENNIUM AT MIDTOWN Aveda Shampure Candle – Shampure soy wax candle is created with Aveda’s beloved calming aroma of 25 pure flower and plant essences, which can burn up to 50 hours. $42 Aveda Rosemary Mint Body Polish – This limited edition item cleanses and refreshes.

Its invigorating aroma is infused with certified organic rosemary and peppermint. $34 1817 Thomasville Road #230, (850) 224-2222 MillenniumAtMidtown.com

3. SALTWATER SEAFOOD COMPANY

1926 Capital Circle NE, (850) 329-2105 EatDrinkSaltwater.com

4. MILLENNIUM NAIL & DAY SPA Pevonia Lip Renew Plump and Deage – This intense anti-aging treatment instantly plumps and smooths lines and wrinkles on and around the lips. $55 Pevonia Lumafirm Eye Contour Lift and Glow – Quickly lifts, firms, smooths and brightens to wake up and perk up tired, aged eyes. $76.50 3427 Bannerman Road, (850) 894-4772 MillenniumNailAndDaySpa.com

5. SOUTHEASTERN PLASTIC SURGERY, P.A. Seeking the perfect gift? No sweat, literally! miraDry® is a treatment that permanently eliminates sweat and odor glands making you sweat and antiperspirant free forever. Contact Southeastern Plastic Surgery to learn more.

2030 Fleischmann Road, (850) 219-2000 se-plasticsurgery.com

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4

5

PHOTOS COURTESTY OF COTON COLORS (PLATTER), MILLENNIUM AT MIDTOWN (CANDLE AND BODY POLISH), SALTWATER SEAFOOD COMPANY (GIFT CARD), MILLENNIUM NAIL AND DAY SPA (LIP AND EYE TREATMENTS), SOUTHEASTERN PLASTIC SURGERY, P.A. (WOMAN)

3

Saltwater Seafood Company Gift Card – Give the gift of a locally owned and locally sourced dining experience with a menu of Gulf-fresh seafood, Southern favorites and craft cocktails.

Generations of

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THE GALLERY 1455 Market St. (850) 893-9599

NIC’S BIG & TALL 1475 Market St. (850) 385-6866

WEDDING PLANNING MADE EASY

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May–June 2018

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panache FOR HIM

HIGH PERFORMANCE

Tilley Airflo® hat LTM6

Duds, gear are engineered for fishing success

by KIM HARRIS THACKER

Simms Currents shoe

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Columbia Sportswear Big Katuna LL shorts

closure and a siped, surface-gripping sole. If you’re a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) angler, this is the right kind of shoe for you. In addition, the Currents shoe embraces CleanStream® design to resist hitchhiking organisms that can spread invasive species from one body of water sloping brim, a ¾-inch band of mesh around to another. the crown for ventilation and is rated UPF 50+, Protect your eyes with high-performance the highest rating for sun protection. This hat shades such as Smith Optics sunglasses, which is engineered to last a lifetime feature polarized ChromaPop given ordinary care. Weighing lenses. Other cool gear includes only 4 ounces, it even floats. waterproof Bertucci and Garmin Where to find: Serious fishermen know a watches and Buff multifunctional good pair of shorts comes with headwear, which can be worn as Cape Harbor Outfitters a reinforced pliers pocket. The a cap, neck gaiter or hair tie and Cape-harbor.com lightweight Columbia Sportsis made of moisture-wicking, UVKevin’s Guns and wear Big Katuna LL shorts not resistant fiber.

Sporting Goods kevinscatalog.com only have such a pocket, they Coolers and thermoses are also have everything else, such part of the outfit. Rig your Southern Compass as Omni-Shield™ UPF 50 sun double-wall, vacuum-insulated Outfitters Southerncompass protection, Omni-Shield™ water YETI Rambler® with a Freeoutfitters.com and stain repellency and even a dom Handle, made in Panama Tally Yakkers Outfitters sunglasses cleaning patch.

City Beach from marine-grade Tallyyakkers.net The Simms Currents shoe shock cord and colorful paraTrail and Ski is one part water sock and chute chord. Freedom Handles Trailandski.com one part sneaker. It features work on any brand of stainless a smooth upper with bungee steep cups. TM

PHOTOS COURTESTY OF KEVIN’S GUNS AND SPORTING GOODS

H

erbert Hoover said, “Fishing ... is the great occasion when we may return to the fine simplicity of our forefathers.”

Obviously, Herbert Hoover never went fishing in clothing made of high-performance fabrics with aerating mesh vents and OmniShield™ UPF 50 sun protection.

These days, by wearing state-of-the-art, high-tech fishing apparel, anglers may commune with nature without giving the sun, bugs or heat the upper hand.

A heavy shirt can turn a potentially great fishing day into a total drag. Choose lightweight, quick-drying fabrics, with mesh vents and pockets where you need them.

Patagonia’s Sol Patrol® II Shirt is such a garment, made of polyester ripstop with 30-UPF sun protection. Features include center-back and side vents receptive to any breeze, mesh-lined pockets, a zippered pocket inset, and sleeves that can be rolled up and secured with tabs.

The Huk Phenom performance shirt also is light and airy, with excellent sun protection and breathability. The underarm area and sides of this short-sleeve shirt are mesh, providing ample ventilation.

Designed to shade your face and neck, the Tilley Airflo® hat LTM6 has a wide, down-

Huk Phenom performance shirt

EXPAND YOUR HORIZONS

BY WANDERING OFF THE BEATEN PATH

LakeFest Family Fun with a Fishing Tourney & Water Races May 19 – Lake DeFuniak defuniakspringslakefest.com

EVENTSINSOUTH WALTON. COM

17VSW365C_North Walton_TallhasseeMag_MayJune.indd 1

THE

3/19/18 9:05 AM

2 019 SUBARU ™

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panache

ROBERT’S JEWELRY

For season of sun, choose fashion that’s fun

by MARINA BROWN

The spring you thought would never come has burst forth, and now summer beckons just over the horizon. After that dismal winter, fashionistas can shake out their curls, shake up their closets, and reset for warm weather.

START YOUR RESET with get-out-and-

go shoes that blend cute and comfortable. SHINE BOUTIQUE is featuring the venerable Hush Puppies brand in wedges, heels and sandals. Pair those Puppies with a top covered in embroidered flowers and scrolls.

Pendants are in, too. Shine shared that 16- and 18-inch chains with a bit of whimsy at the base add some sparkle without taking away from the nature-inspired vibe.

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Meanwhile, shove that giant-faced watch to the back of the drawer. For women, smaller, more delicate timepieces will take their place.

Taylor Garcia of ABBY & TAYLOR says the color of the season is “ultraviolet purple.”

For some, in their hair, of course. Where else? Garcia says, “In blouses!” And then add ruffles. “Cold-shoulder styling is still around, but now it’s ruffle trimming on the bodice and around the wrists. It’s ultra-feminine, perfect in the new floral fabrics.”

At SPLASH SALON, color stylists say the hair palette is changing, too. “I’m thinking pastels are done,” says stylist Jenifer Breedlove Kinsey. Yes, she’s talking about your locks. “This year, instead of a pale pink swatch of color in your hair, people are wanting neon.”

From vibrant orchid to magenta and teal, tucked in, up front or behind the ear, many are feeling a season-fueled urge to put a pop of color in their hair.

Kinsey foresees not only playful coifs this season, but practical ones, too.

“No one wants to spend an hour with a straightening iron or curling. The look is more natural.” Likewise, ombre coloring is making room for its more subtle sister. This year, says Kinsey, soft, fade-to-light baylayage highlights will be painted freehand onto the surface and away from the roots, for a soft, sun-kissed look.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHINE BOUTIQUE (SHOES), HENRI BOUTIQUE (BELL BOTTOMS), ROBERTS JEWERLRY (RING) AND ABBY & TAYLOR (DRESS)

What’s In Store?

At HENRI BOUTIQUE, catering mostly to college-age women, some things just don’t go out of style on campus — like short-short skirts and high-high heels. But coeds also are intrigued by the flared jeans and flared sleeves of the ’60s. All things strappy are big, too: ankle straps on heels, straps and laces on sandals, and straps on off-theshoulder tops. While mothers and daughters rarely share fashion trends, those newly appreciated giant gold hoops, choker necklaces and tassel earrings may be cause for renewed bonding.

is ready for sun season, too. Yes, even metals and stones have trends. Owner Robert Peavy says big gems are taking a back seat to simpler and more delicate settings and cuts.

European cuts, cabochon and rose-cut diamonds that have less faceting and appear more natural are in.

As are layered chains, three or four at a time in different lengths, thoughtfully selected to express the wearer’s individuality.

Bridal Registry Stationery and Gifts Home Accessories Follow us @shopmft ShopMFT.com 850-681-2824 · 800-983-2266 1410 Market Street , C3 · Tallahassee, Florida

Call us today for a complimentary consultation!

850.385.2822

5555 ROANOKE TRAIL | TALLAHASSEE | CLARKORTHOTALLY.COM TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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Supporting homeless, runaway, & at-risk youth in the Big Bend area

WHAT WE DO

OUR PROGRAMS

Family Place Counseling Emergency Youth Shelter Transitional Living Program Going Places Street Outreach Stop Now & Plan Safe Place

2407 Roberts Avenue Tallahassee, FL 32310

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850|576|6000

www.ccys.org

gastro&gusto MAY/JUN 2018

FROM THE SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE TO THE PIÈCE DE RÉSISTANCE

↖ Tucked into a corner of the famous steak house is the snug little lounge at Shula’s, for discerning lovers of cocktails.

Page 62

LIBATIONS

A HIDDEN TREASURE OF A BAR

Shula’s 347 offers patrons classic cocktails — and steak

by ROSANNE DUNKELBERGER

DINING IN photography by SAIGE ROBERTS

Homemade Springrolls

|| DINING GUIDE

See page 172

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gastro & gusto

Shula’s Dirty Martini ➸ 3 ounces (two jiggers) Belvedere Vodka ➸ 1.25 ounces olive juice ➸ Blue cheese-stuffed olives Fill a small cocktail shaker with ice. Add vodka and olive juice and shake vigorously for a few seconds. Strain into a pre-chilled martini glass. Garnish with olives on a cocktail pick.

Jeremiah Elliott dirties up 3 ounces of vodka with olive juice and olives stuffed with blue cheese. With no trace of vermouth, this martini is extra dry.

I

f you want your cocktails brought to your conversation pit by young ladies in miniskirts, to ogle the Beautiful People and enjoy an expansive bird’s-eye view of Downtown Tallahassee, by all means, take the elevator to Hotel Duval’s Level 8.

But stay on the ground floor and you’ll find a very different, more low-key experience in the hotel’s best kept secret — the lounge at Shula’s 347 Grill. The bar, tucked away behind a frosted glass window as you enter the steakhouse, seats only 12 people (the bar staff serves another 12 people at traditional tables nearby).

The atmosphere is classic — lots of wood paneling and a wide assortment of scotches, single malts, whiskeys and wines — cozy and, for the most part, quiet. The bar attracts a more mature crowd, including traveling business people who want to enjoy something to eat.

From a Crispy Ravioli appetizer to a 14-ounce Shula Cut Rib Eye, the entire Shula’s menu is available to patrons.

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Ask bartender Jeremiah Elliott to suggest a drink and he’s going to direct you to Shula’s Signature Cocktail menu, which includes all the classics, “with a twist,” he says. He suggests Shula’s take on the whiskey sour, the Signature 25, which pairs Knob Creek bourbon with a homemade sour mix, and the less-traditional addition of Agavero Orange liqueur and bitters.

His personal favorite is the gin-and-lemonflavored classic, a Tom Collins, which he often tops off with Sprite rather than the traditional club soda. “I’m a sweet kind of guy,” the 26-year-old admits.

The soft-spoken Tallahassee native started working at Shula’s five years ago as a line cook, graduated to food running and waiting tables, and went behind the bar a year and a half ago.

As a rookie, Elliott would refer to recipes written on a set of laminated 4-by-6-inch index cards that are kind of sticky. “There’s a lot of simple syrup and bitters flying around here,” he explains.

He’s doesn’t need them now, and if a really obscure drink is requested, customers often have recipes at the ready on their cellphones. If not, “We have the power of the internet.”

But even the most classic of cocktails involve communication between bartender and patron, says Elliott.

Consider the martini.

First, there’s the “gin or vodka” question.

While martinis originally featured gin, now, “much more vodka” martinis are ordered, he says. “I would say 85 to 15 (percent) or 75 to 25.”

Ask for your martini “dirty” and you’ll get a splash of olive juice in your drink. “Filthy” will get you even more. Olives come regular and stuffed with blue cheese. Or you can get “a twist” of lemon. A cocktail onion garnish transforms the drink into a Gibson.

And then there’s the whole “dry versus wet” situation, which refers to the amount of vermouth in the drink. Simply put, “dry” means a splash of vermouth. Elliott swishes the flavorful fortified wine in a glass and then dumps out what’s left to make a dry martini. For an “extra dry” martini, he uses no vermouth at all.

“People come here and they’re like, ‘I want it very, very, very dry.’ I get so confused at that point, I have to ask them ‘vermouth or no vermouth,’” Elliott says.

He would also like to remind us that a martini features 3 ounces of liquor, twice that of a standard cocktail, something to keep in mind when pacing one’s drinking. TM photography by SAIGE ROBERTS

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gastro & gusto DINING IN

A Fine Season for Spring Rolls Stuff with fresh, crunchy ingredients and roll your own

by KIM HARRIS THACKER

T

Spring roll ingredients Rice paper* Light protein options: medium-sized shrimp (deveined, cooked, shells removed), deli-style roast beef or chicken (thinly sliced), tofu (thinly sliced), pork (cooked, shredded) Vermicelli rice noodles,* cooked or soaked (according to package directions) and drained Butter lettuce or another firm-but-flexible lettuce Fresh mint leaves Fresh cilantro Diced chives or green onions Raw bean sprouts Shredded carrots and cucumbers

Dipping sauce ingredients ¼ cup hoisin sauce* 2 tablespoons peanut butter 2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 tablespoons soy sauce* 1 tablespoon sesame oil* 1 teaspoon lime juice 1 teaspoon red chili sauce* Water to thin mixture to dipping consistency

Assembly 1. Fill a large bowl with cool water. Soak one sheet of rice paper in the water for about 15 seconds on one side, flip it over and soak for 15 seconds on the other side. Lay the wet (still firm) rice paper sheet on a damp towel and add desired ingredients to the bottom-center portion of the roll (see image).

Do not overfill. At this point, the rice paper will have become very flexible.

2. Lift the bottom edge of the rice paper over the filling, then fold in both sides (see image).

3. Continue rolling. The rice paper will stick to itself, forming a tight seal. Serve with dipping sauce, soy sauce or plain rice vinegar. *Available in most supermarkets in Asian foods section.

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Tip: Surround stiff, crunchy vegetables (such as bean sprouts and carrots) with soft noodles or butter lettuce to prevent the stiff veggies from tearing the delicate rice paper.

PHOTO BY RICHARD ERNEST YAP / GETTYIMAGES / ILLUSTRATIONS BY CHARLES BAKOFSKY

raditional Vietnamese spring rolls (gỏi cuốn) are the perfect springtime food: They’re light, tasty and fun to make. And because the rice paper wrappers (bánh tráng) lend lots of texture and only a touch of flavor to a spring roll, you can really get creative with the fillings. Try stuffing your spring rolls with your favorite sandwich or salad fixings, and then whip up a dipping sauce to complement the rolls. Or, if you’re keen to try traditional Vietnamese flavors, stick with shrimp rolls dipped in a hoisin-peanut sauce (see recipe). However you make them, these little beauties’ colors and textures are a springtime delight.

SPRING

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Free concerts every third Saturday of the summer at Cascades Park, events are open to all ages, local food trucks will be on site, all events are BYOB so bring a cooler and a blanket!

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gastro & gusto

One Part Talent, Two Parts Resolve Food Network’s Amanda Freitag succeeds in cooking and life

by LAURA CASSELS

E

quipped with tenacity and “mesmerized by the magic of what goes on in a good kitchen,” Amanda Freitag worked her way up from star student in high-school home economics classes to celebrity chef on the Food Network.

In June 2017, Freitag was on the three-judge panel that named Tallahassee’s own Chef Shacafrica Simmons a “Chopped” champion.

Simmons — once homeless and now an acclaimed caterer — outclassed three other chefs and won $10,000.

In March, Freitag was in town for Tallahassee Community College’s wine-and-dine event, Cleaver and Cork, which raises funds for the TCC Foundation and its “First Class” campaign to build new classrooms.

Back home in New York City, she cooks for and supports a program called “God’s Love We Deliver” that delivers millions of meals each year to homebound residents.

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Celebrity chef Amanda Freitag Ambition, resolve and humanitarivisited Tallahassee in support anism blend in Freitag’s life, which of TCC’s Cleaver and Cork revolves around food, health and cookfundraising event, where she did a cooking demonstration, ing but has a wider impact. prepared dinner using recipes “I didn’t think of myself as a role from her book (at left) and dismodel, until now,” Freitag said. “I never cussed her path to becoming a professional chef. thought of myself as anything but a chef.” But a role model she has become.

Having often been the only woman in a room full of men — from cooking school classmates to chefs on her staff — she has made a practice of shaking off disparagement and powering her way to her goals.

Freitag said young, female chefs thank her for inspiring them and for helping widen the path for women in male-dominated professions. “They say, ‘Thank you for being successful, for inspiring women and women chefs, for being a pioneer.’”

Trained at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, where she graduated in 1989, she succeeded despite resistance from male classmates and instructors.

“In the first wave, there definitely were moments of being intimidated. They put pressure on me, questioned why I was there, said I should go to secretarial school,” Freitag recalled. “In our class of 100, there were only four women. In my group, I was the only woman.” Nevertheless, considering Freitag’s personal wherewithal, the odds were in her favor.

Missteps are part of Freitag’s story, mainly in terms of how she dealt with them. For instance, she failed a final exam when she was required to prepare a chicken dish.

“I froze. I didn’t know how to cut it,” Freitag recalled. “Every day after that, I got a chicken and cut it up. I can cut up a chicken now with my eyes closed.”

For aspiring cooks, Freitag has plenty of advice: Get familiar

PHOTOS BY DAVE BARFIELD/COURTESY TALLAHASSEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

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THE BEST LITTLE STEAKHOUSE IN TALLAHASSEE

gastro & gusto with cooking techniques and understand that preparation is as vital as cooking itself. Otherwise, she said, you may still be chopping when you should be stirring, turning or adjusting the heat.

Also, viewers can learn from Freitag and other talented chefs on “Chopped,” “Iron Chef” and “American Diner Revival,” all programs on the Food Network.

And, you could buy her book, The Chef Next Door. Freitag said she wrote it as a mix of “the professional chef mind and the home-cook mind.”

Some personal details: Freitag is single, with a longtime boyfriend. She wants a puppy but travels too much to take good care of one. Her mother was a terrible cook. She wants to see the world. She insists on using organic and non-GMO ingredients.

She likes to teach and advocates lifelong learning.

Chiefly, obviously, she loves to make good food — for customers, students and many homebound New Yorkers who may not know their delivered meal was prepared by one of America’s most celebrated chefs. TM

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At top, Chef Amanda Freitag prepares the third course of Cleaver and Cork, pernil with creamed mustard greens, alongside her sous chef, Ariane Duarte, and staff from Tallahassee’s Social Catering & Events. She also served patrons Gulf shrimp ceviche with chili oil, avocado and bacon salad, and lemon meyer tart with fresh berries, explaining the courses along the way.

PHOTOS BY DAVE BARFIELD/COURTESY TALLAHASSEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Our steaks are not only the best in Tallahassee, but USDA choice Midwestern corn-fed beef, specially selected, aged to our specifications and cut daily. We also serve fresh jumbo shrimp and fish — grilled, blackened or fried.

So please join us for lunch and dinner or just meet up for drinks at our fully stocked bar.

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Having the right dental team is essential ...

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JEANNE FERRY, SCHEDULING COORDINATOR A friendly informative conversation with Jeanne will likely be your first introduction to our practice. She will schedule your appointments, answer any questions you may have, and handle your check-out at the end of your appointments.

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expression MAY/JUN 2018

KEEPING TABS ON ALL THAT MUSES INSPIRE

MUSIC

MASTERING SOUND Indianhead Factory raises the volume on recording music in Tallahassee

by STEVE DOLLAR

↗ Owners Chan Leonard and Tracy Horenbein, musicians themselves, host live performances and recording sessions in their studio and music venue.

ART

‘Waging Peace’ This Spring

photography by ALICIA OSBORNE

|| BOOKS

‘The Emperor of Shoes’

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New Direction at Opening Nights

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expression

Working as producer and engineer, Chan Leonard (top right) works with Travis Green (lower right) of Sway Jah Vu in a recording session by the alt-reggae band.

W

here once hot rollers ignited bouncy curls, some of the South’s most promising and original music acts are making bold new sounds.

Indianhead Factory, a recording studio and performance venue, celebrated its first anniversary in January. The compact former storefront, which once housed a beauty parlor and a dollar store, sits adjacent to Vertigo Burgers and Fries off Apalachee Parkway, on Indianhead Drive. Thus the name, symbolized in a bright, iconic mural painted on the building’s cinder block exterior: The giant letters IF, painted in red, white and black paint that appears to drip like ice cream.

Owners Chan Leonard and Tracy Horenbein are musicians themselves.

They ran their own home studio for a decade, but it could no longer accommodate their volume of business or their artistic ambitions. “We needed more space,” says Horenbein, who currently plays guitar in the rock band Once Great Estates, “and I randomly came upon this place.”

Despite the building’s bargain-bin appearance, it was ideal. “In the best acoustic spaces in the world, there are no parallel walls,” Leonard says.

“Inside, there are no parallel walls. The price was right and the footprint was great.”

The studio is nearly always humming, booked 2½ months out with a variety of acts from all genres recording tracks. IF’s first client was a traditional Christian Southern bluegrass combo. Since then, it has welcomed

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performers as disparate as the local Americana “If that La La outfit Big Blue, doom metal bands and the indie Land life isn’t hip-hop collective Cap 6. The former American Idol finalist Eben also recorded at IF and recently conducive … scored a hit on iTunes. “He’s our first nationally you come here, charting artist,” says Horenbein proudly. because it’s Much of the studio’s appeal is its classic Neve Genesys recording console. The model, one of so chill there’s perhaps 100 in existence, is prized for the purity nothing else to of its signal and for the ease with which the anado but get into log board synchronizes with digital technology.

“It’s the best you can get,” Leonard says. “The the music.” closest one to us is in Athens, Georgia, but it’s — Chan Leonard, not as tricked out.”

Increasingly, IF is drawing clients from outside Indianhead the 850 area code. Artists come to Tallahassee from Factory co-owner Los Angeles, New Orleans and Atlanta. They include both a former Prince sideman and a rising star from the crew of underground hip-hop’s Run the Jewels. “If you’re in Nashville and you can’t afford to book a room of this quality, you call us,” Leonard says. It’s not only the price, though. Tallahassee also asserts a certain charm, especially for artists and producers from bigger markets full of noise and temptation. photography by ALICIA OSBORNE

ExclusivEly markEtEd by thE naumann group rEal EstatE, inc.

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↑ Owners Leonard and Horenbein converse in the performance space at Indianhead Factory. ← Atlanta jazz saxophonist and clarinetist Jeff Crompton and Tallahassee guitarist Rob Rushin perform a piece by South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim.

If, as Leonard says, “that La La Land life isn’t conducive … you come here, because it’s so chill there’s nothing else to do but get into the music.”

IF thrives on the spillover between the studio and the performance space, which has a slightly odd layout due to an extra-large bathroom installed to accommodate the disabled. But even that allowed for more creativity. “The bathroom is the vocal booth,” Horenbein says, adding that “we can fit a whole drum kit in there.”

Atlanta jazz saxophonist Jeff Crompton has played IF three times and also recorded in the studio. The venue offers him a friendly, casual vibe that is especially welcoming for a musician on tour. “I love the atmosphere,” he says. “You get the feeling that Tracy and Chan are there for you and not the other way around. They do whatever it takes to make you feel comfortable.”

The room’s intimate scale, low-key lighting and lack of bells and whistles encourages a singular focus on the music. It shares some DNA with the Office Lounge, a now-defunct performance space in Railroad Square that the couple ran a few years ago. “It was a funkier, shabbier version but the same kind of thing,” Crompton says. “There was no reason to go there except for the music, but it had the same welcoming spirit.”

As the performance space expands with an outside stage, Leonard, Horenbein and their partners – the production team known as The EthniKids (J Cruz and Kelz) – will learn how viable their enterprise really is.

“It’s been 80 percent great,” Leonard says. “And 20 percent fraught with uncertainty. “The next year is going to be about ‘is our hunch correct?’” TM

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PHOTOS BY ALICIA OSBORNE (LEONARD AND HORENBEIN), CHALET COMELLAS (CROMPTON AND RUSHIN)

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ART

Beautiful History With Anderson Brickler Gallery, Dr. Celeste Hart honors a second muse

Celeste Hart, M.D., an endocrinologist, installed an art gallery in the building where three generations of her family have practiced medicine. Kabuya Pamela Bowens-Saffo, at right, is chief curator and director of educational programs. They met at an exhibition of Bowens-Saffo’s work.

by ERIN HOOVER

F

or the last 28 years, Dr. Celeste Hart has practiced endocrinology in the building where in 1957 her father, Dr. Alexander D. Brickler, joined her grandfather, Dr. Russell L. Anderson, in a primary care practice. In fact, she was born across the street at Florida A&M University Hospital, she said.

The Anderson Brickler Gallery — named after the two renowned physicians — is on the first floor of the building. The gallery is a second job and labor of love for Hart, who began collecting art in college when she won an online auction of a painting by Romare Bearden.

When the practice had nine providers, the first floor served as their lunchroom and offices, Hart said. She removed doors and redid the flooring to create the gallery space below her practice. Upon entering the gallery, visitors encounter information about the featured artist before following a circular path through a series of rooms hung with their work.

“The gallery is an educational experience where you can learn about the artist and their place in history and an excellent resource for research,” said Kabuya Pamela Bowens-Saffo, Anderson Brickler Gallery’s chief curator.

The painting Hart bought, Bearden’s “Circe Turns the Companion of Odysseus into a

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Swine,” hung on the wall for the gallery’s first show, which opened in October 2017. Bearden’s paintings are represented in public collections at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and many other places.

“Artists will be interested in artistic objectives or technical aspects,” she said. “Those are sometimes not the things that draw my attention. I am interested in how Bearden chose what he wanted to represent.”

The gallery features fine art editions and works on paper by modern, post-war and contemporary artists with a focus on African diasporan artists. According to Hart’s vision, the gallery has a significant educational charge: to offer “cultural experiences for learning” and “educational enrichment through the social engagement of fine art.”

“Here, the artist’s works explore visual aesthetics of beauty. Also meaningful are the artist’s approach and skills in the creative process. These insights are relevant to American

The Anderson Brickler Gallery opened with an exhibition of collages by renowned artist Romare Bearden, celebrating African-American art and experiences.

and African-American history,” Bowens-Saffo explained.

At the time of our interview, Bowens-Saffo was planning visits for classes of students at Florida A&M University and Rickards High School.

In October, the Bearden exhibit opened with a lecture from visiting guest scholar Deirdra

S. Adams Street, Lower Level. Open Saturday 2–5 p.m. and by appointment, andersonbricklerart.com ANDERSON BRICKLER GALLERY 1705

photography by SAIGE ROBERTS

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Master engraver Leon Hicks traveled to the “AB Gallery” to discuss his life and work during the exhibition of his limited-edition prints.

(See his print behind Dr. Hart on page 76.)

Harris Kelly from the Romare Bearden Foundation in New York. A second show, of Leon Hicks’ engravings, launched in February with a talk by the artist and an unveiling of limited edition prints.

In May, Anderson Brickler Gallery will serve as one of three sites exhibiting student work on the theme of “Waging Peace,” along with Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts and The Council on Culture and Arts (COCA) exhibiting at City Hall. As part of this exhibit, the gallery plans to install in its outdoor space a large-scale cultural piece inspired by Bearden.

Other upcoming exhibits include printmaking and mixed media work by contemporary artist Ken Falana, and pieces by the modernist painter Beauford Delaney, for which the gallery hopes to invite scholars of the writer James Baldwin, a close friend of Delaney, fellow expatriate, and subject of many of his paintings.

In addition to producing exhibits and arranging scholarly talks, the gallery hosts an artists-in-residence program and supports university students and professional artists in “Art in Public Places” projects.

With so much underway, it can be hard to remember that Anderson Brickler Gallery is relatively young. It was only in February 2017 that Hart and Bowens-Saffo met at Bowens’ solo show at LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts; eight months later, Hart opened the gallery.

She credits Bowens-Saffo with helping her bring the project together, along with support from a friend who runs a gallery in New York.

“We were on the phone hours some nights,” Hart said of her gallerist friend in New York. “It’s important to have a mentor.”

To talk with Hart and Bowens-Saffo is to share in their feeling of gratitude and love for the work Anderson Brickler Gallery showcases.

“The gallery is a new face in the community that is exciting to both research universities as well as Leon County art teachers,” said Bowens-Saffo. “The opening exhibition has been well received by the local community and brought out many supportive people.”

“I’ve had calls from people I didn’t know collected,” Hart said.

“People are volunteering to help. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have people drop by on a Saturday — artists I haven’t met, people with ideas for exhibits.”

Like many artists, Hart has a day job. She calls acquiring pieces to exhibit, especially when the artist is deceased, “labor intensive.”

And yet the Bearden pieces hung on the walls, many on loan from collectors in New York. “That it actually happened is the greatest joy,” Hart said. “I have an emotional attachment to each of these pieces.

Knowing the history deepens that.” TM photography by SAIGE ROBERTS

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TEACHER OF THE YEAR SHINES A LIGHT ON BRIGHT FUTURES Growing up near West Palm Beach, Jessica Hooker, Leon County’s 2017 “Teacher of the Year,” was confident she would attend college.

While the assistance she received as a Bright Futures Scholarship recipient was immensely helpful, it was only when she started teaching that she truly came to appreciate the critical difference Bright Futures can make to students.

As a math instructional coach at Springwood Elementary School, she frequently encounters students and parents who consider college out of reach.

Springwood is a Title 1 school; more than 75% of its students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches.

“We make sure our students hear the word ‘college’ a lot,” said Hooker, who holds two degrees in Early Childhood Education from Florida State University.

“In elementary school, we begin introducing them to skills that will help them succeed in college.”

“We let parents know that there are financial resources available that can make college dreams a reality. That’s where Bright Futures comes in. It changes the lives of students and their families for the better, AND brighter.”

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TWEET US YOUR STORY @FLORIDALOTTERY #FUNDINGFUTURES TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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BOOKS

LEATHER BEGETS LETTERS

In his first novel, a son explores his father’s livelihood

by STEVE BORNHOFT

S

pencer Wise spurned shoe business.

His great-grandfather left Vilnius, in Lithuania, in 1907, sailed to the United States as a passenger aboard the SS Carmania, was processed at Ellis Island, settled in Boston, and sold leather from a horse cart.

His father, as a boy, swept the floors in a shoe factory owned by his grandfather in Amesbury, Massachusetts, became an apprentice and went on from there, a “shoedog” forever on the run, landing in far-flung places where it was possible to make shoes cheaply: Taiwan, Italy, Yugoslavia, Brazil and, for the last 30 years, China.

But Professor Wise, who teaches creative writing at Florida State University, has opted for a career in letters rather than leather.

“My dad has supported my decision, and that has been moving and beautiful and has really helped me keep going as a writer,” said Wise, whose older sister and an older cousin also declined to try on shoes. “A part

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of him didn’t want me to go into the business. He spent my entire childhood flying back and forth to China. He furnished our house by redeeming frequent flier miles.”

Wise, however, is so near shoemaking that he was motivated to write about it as the subject of his first novel, The Emperor of Shoes, scheduled for release (Hanover Square Press) on June 5. He traveled to China in 2015 and spent a year, mostly in the factory town of Foshan, doing research for the book, which would become his doctoral dissertation at FSU. Alex Cohen is the protagonist in the more than loosely autobiographical work that is a rite-of-passage novel, yes, but has also been likened by its marketers to Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, a novel which exposed deplorable working conditions in the meat-packing industry in early 20th-century Chicago.

Cohen reluctantly becomes a partner in his father’s shoemaking enterprise, and increasingly discovers that it is rife with corruption,

Novelist Spencer Wise (at left) confers with his mentor, Pulitzer-Prize winning author Robert Olen Butler. Wise’s debut novel, set for release in June, is about corruption and exploitation of workers in a Chinese industry that Wise’s family knows well.

bribery and the exploitation of workers.

That conflict intensifies as Cohen’s affections for Ivy, a seamstress, grow, and Ivy tries to draft Cohen into the underground Democratic Revolutionary Party for whom she is working as an organizer. Cohen is crimped further by the strong arm of a party boss at whose pleasure his father operates his factory.

An embittering realization inexorably advances: In this life, “you can’t play it from both sides forever. Eventually, you had to betray someone.”

Or do you? Is it possible to simultaneously satisfy the interests of government, a company and its workers?

Wise believes his publisher bought his novel in large part due to the parallels between the Chinese workers it depicts and itinerant workers in the United States.

“Given the Trump presidency, the timing for my book was perfect,” Wise surmises. “Ostensibly, you have Donald Trump running the country, but you also have migrant workers running the country. Kick all the recent ethnic immigrants out of the United States and see what happens. America would come to a halt.

“We have people who build the country and keep it running who are not entitled to basic freedoms. I think people are becoming photography by PHIL SEARS

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increasingly uneasy about that.”

Observes Ivy in Emperor about disfranchised workers: “You have in the States the same problem.

People come to pick grapes, mow lawns, cook. Outsiders. They are invisible in your country, but you need them. So here they circuitboard iPads instead of washing dishes. Live like unwanted guests here in their own country.”

Novelist Spencer Wise The world, Ivy advocates, must be caused to see the unseen.

“He’s part of American life that we choose not to look at,” Wise said about his father. “We are disconnected from the sources of the products we use and the foods we consume. How disconnected can you become before that distance starts to separate you from who you are?

We don’t make anything or understand where it comes from. The chair in the living room, the chicken in the freezer, the clothes and shoes we wear. It all just comes.” Emperor succeeds in embodying the invisible.

Wise has confronted his father with difficult questions: For especially a Jewish man to participate in an industry that exploits people, is that not grievously hypocritical? Do you feel complicity, culpability in that? What is the rationale that permits you to live with what you do?

Those questions, Wise said, always have gone unanswered.

“My dad read my manuscript and liked it,” Wise said. “It does honor our culture to an extent, but, in many ways, it is a cultural critique. Maybe, out of pride, he missed that.

“He doesn’t really think that he’s part of an exploitive system and I don’t know why. Maybe it’s as simple as the imperative to survive. We have to provide for our families, keep Jewish traditions alive, keep marching through the desert. Maybe that overwhelms every other concern.”

Too, as Wise points out, his father is thoroughly a businessman who’s “probably read 10 books in his life.” He’s a shoe guy.

Cohen’s father is at once hopelessly pragmatic, unwittingly hilarious and given to an unending series of petty complaints. He sets aside a serving of beans because they are “squeaky,” registers his displeasure with a frivolous family outing by wearing a woolen suit and hard shoes to the beach, reduces Marc Chagall’s most famous work, I and the Village, to a “stupid goat.” He is Morty Seinfeld and, however successful, there is a Lomanesque quality about him. He is, somehow, a compassionate figure who is better than his insistence that “leather’s worth more than labor.” And, always, there is a “storm just outside his door.”

Wise is indebted to his father — shoe money put him through Tufts University in Boston — and to a host of people who helped him with his book, including most especially the head of his dissertation committee, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Robert Olen Butler.

“He is the best mentor,” Wise said. “I don’t think I could have gotten the book done without him. He reeled me in when I went off the rails.”

Referring to boxing’s most renowned manager, Wise said of Butler, “He was my Cus D’Amato.”

Everybody needs a cut man, an interviewer tells Wise.

“That metaphor works two ways,” Wise replies. “Bob was in my corner, and he cut my manuscript when it needed to be trimmed.

I had 20 pages in the book where I described step by step how you make shoes. He wanted to know why I included such a lengthy digression. I told him I thought it was fascinating and he told me, ‘It’s not.’ It’s good to have a little guidance like that.” TM

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STAGE

NEW OPENING NIGHTS DIRECTOR TAKES THE STAGE Michael Blachly inherits Tallahassee’s premier performing arts series

by ROB RUSHIN

L

ast spring, lovers of the performing arts in Tallahassee were distressed to learn that Chris Heacox, popular director of Opening Nights at Florida State University, had been poached away by Auburn University.

Those dastardly cross-the-border rivals had poached the guy — our guy! — responsible for bringing talent such as Yo-Yo Ma, Wayne Shorter, Anne Sophie Mutter and Tony Bennett to town. Calamity! Ruin.

Well, Opening Nights devotees, be happy again. After an extensive national search, the — Michael Blachly, director of Opening Nights at Florida State University legacy built by Heacox and by Steve MacQueen before him is in the capable hands of Michael Blachly (pronounced BLATCH-lee), a pertouring production, to facilitating collaborajust to do a job. I wanted to be doing someforming arts veteran. He got his start booking tions among diverse artists and across genres. thing where the time I’m spending is somethe likes of John Denver into his northern ColFor the past several years, Blachly served as thing I want to do. And I [had been] doing orado college gym. He moved on to lead proconsultant to several arts organizations around much more of the basics of getting it done gramming efforts at University of Tennessee, the country, but he jumped at the opportunity administratively.”

Colorado State, University of to take the reins at ON. Blachly acknowledges the strong legacy of Hawaii/Manoa, the Knoxville Consulting “just didn’t Opening Nights, but he was also open about World’s Fair, UCLA, and, until have the same return on insome of the unique challenges in store. now, the University of Florida. vestment for me that workOpening Nights Blachly is at home curating ing with artists and audiences Challenge #1: Venue Scarcity Box Office: all aspects of the performing does.

It was that whole way “I want to see what other spaces in Tallahassee FSU Fine Arts Building arts. He loves to get involved that “the arts” make the comand the surrounding communities will lend 540 West Call Street (850) 644-6500 in artistic development, from munity a richer resource for themselves to programming.” openingnights.fsu.edu bringing The Grand Kabucki people to live here.”

Tallahassee’s inventory of prime perforHours (Box Office): of Japan to America for their “You’re drawn to something mance venues is, to be blunt, inadequate. On Tuesday-Saturday, first appearances, to helping a because you have a passion top of that, ON has to get in line behind the 11 a.m–4 p.m. fledgling dance troupe called for it. You have a purpose. I Music Department and some general academSTOMP establish its first wanted something more than ic classes for the available FSU venues.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

“I would like to honor the legacy of the original ‘Seven Days’ by having a capstone event each month from October to April, to have seven days of marquee events, along with other smaller events throughout the year.”

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He recalls when the Northridge earthquake shut down UCLA’s primary stage and forced him to find alternative spaces, a move that led to a more vibrant and geographically diverse arts environment than they enjoyed in their flagship venue.

Challenge #2: The February Tsunami None of Noting that even though the past two directors this means broke the series out of its traditional February turning away confinement, 17 of this season’s 39 events still fall in the shortest month. from the “This creates audience fatigue — financial, people who discretionary time, and everything else that supported goes on in a community. It’s just a lot in a short period of time. I would like to honor the legacy Opening Nights of the original ‘Seven Days’ by having a capfor the past stone event each month from October to April, 20 years. to have seven days of marquee events, along with other smaller events throughout the year.”

“I’d like to consider expanding into summer, too. Despite what everyone thinks, there are people here in the summer. We can do things.”

Challenge #3: New Audiences “One of the things I want to do is take our programs out into the community, start going to places that have spaces.”

Like any good promoter, Blachly is keen to expand the scope and reach of the program, and that means reaching out and finding the audiences who have not been exposed to performing arts in general.

“Since we’ve largely taken art out of the schools, young people are not only not learning how to play an instrument, they are not learning how to be an audience member. They’re not getting a chance to hear their school orchestra because there isn’t one. Or they’re not getting the chance to make school field trips to concerts and museums because it’s not part of the curriculum. We’ve lost probably two generations of audience members.”

There’s no quick fix for this, but a good start lies in taking Opening Nights artists to underserved groups to let them see what is available.

Blachly asks visiting artists to conduct residency/outreach education activity along with their public performance. “And with almost 100% of the (people) we talk to, the response is ‘absolutely’. Everybody understands, it has to be more than just drive-by art. We need them here in the community, we need them to get a feel for who and what we are, so that they start to think about us as part of the tapestry of their working world, that this is a place to come back to. So now we have to figure out how to craft those educational pieces and make sure we have the audience.”

But none of this means turning away from the people who supported Opening Nights for the past 20 years.

“Chris and Steve (previous directors) built this program up and took some smart risks that paid off. So I have to be cautious that the risks I take are within the lines of what people are going to accept.”

“You have to build a sense of trust that what you’re doing is of value.

I don’t want to dumb down just to fill seats. I want people to be willing to take a risk with us. But it’s so fragile.”

But the payoff — creating something in the community that it never knew it could not live without — is what makes it worth the effort.

“It’s that global reach that becomes bigger than Tallahassee, bigger than Soweto, it’s bigger than who we are. It’s so much greater than the sum of our parts. That’s what it’s all about.” TM

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Just outside a narrow gunroom stocked with bespoke firearms hung a poster-sized drawing of Thomasville, a patchwork map of plantations well known to most in attendance.

“Kevin has one of the finest collections of quail guns in the Southeast,” said Jon Kohler. “He made his own shotgun for hunting bobwhite quail.”

Through LandLeader, Jon Kohler & Associates sponsored the NAMED FOR ITS MATING CALL — a cocktail party, along with Southwest Georgia Farm Credit, whose clear bob-bob-WHITE whistle — the bird cele- representative, Liz Nogowski, said she was grateful for the benefitbrated by Kevin’s Annual Southern Game Fair is ting organizations’ service to community as well as conservation small and plump, with mottled brown and white and land management. Southwest Georgia Farm Credit also made feathers and a short, curved bill. To be sure, vast a donation to Tall Timbers and the NRA Youth Initiative.

Easily recognized by his characteristic cowboy hat, Kohler is part segments of the American populace have no idea of what he calls “the industry built upon the stewardship of these what a quail looks like, have not heard the sudlands.” His firm specializes in sales of plantations and ranches, inden burst of its wings on takeoff and have never cluding the Thomasville/Tallahassee and Albany markets, and the passed bits of its meat between their lips.

Alabama plantation belt. Many plantations have been in the same families for decades, he said; one recently sold in South Carolina for But in Thomasville, Georgia, on a chilly Friday morning in midthe first time in 300 years.

November, more than 250 people have gathered at Greenwood “These are great places to preserve wealth. In the last recession, Plantation, most in the waxed jackets and quilted vests that signify not one of these plantations went up for sale. All of them held,” someone who hunts quail or is quail-hunting adjacent.

Kohler smiled.

Some have enthusiastically lined up a range to shoot clay pigeons.

Thomasville expanded after the Civil War as a fresh-air resort Others cluster around fly-fishing presentations, bird dog demonfor industrialists seeking to escape the pollution of Northern cities. strations, or metal firepits where chefs have prepared tasting por“The Northerners that came down here created the Southern sport tions of sous vide quail and quail dumplings. From beneath woolly of quail hunting,” Kohler explained. manes, two husky Clydesdales pull a wooden wagon loaded with Willow Oak Plantation has been in the family of Ed Davis’s wife, children, and people in pairs and foursomes climb aboard helicopRosamond, for more than a century. The septuagenarian couple reters to see the whole of Greenwood, one of the most private places cently arrived from their ranch in Montana to in the world. winter in Thomasville, where Rosamond also All have come to practice what is called serves on the board of Tall Timbers. Asked the “upland lifestyle,” which revolves about his experience with plantation hunts, around hunts in South Carolina’s low counhe said, “It has nothing to do with killing.” try and the Texas Hills, at the foothills of the Without skipping a beat, Davis added, Rockies and here, on the most private quail “Conservation is a passion, a calling. It’s hard plantations in South Georgia. to explain unless you have that type of passion A microcosm of what we do for something else. It consumes you.”

“You’re going to feel old-time America. It’s People encountered in the context of the for real.” game fair tended to use “hunting” and “conThat was Kevin Kelly’s pledge on the servation” interchangeably. night before the game fair to an audience Davis called the game fair “a microcosm of gathered on the second floor of Kevin’s Fine what we do all year long.” He explained: “It’s Outdoor Gear and Apparel in Thomasville, artificial, but it’s sort of what we do. People its walls hung with trophy mounts and who don’t experience this lifestyle can get a — Ed Davis, Willow Oak Plantation, Thomasville paintings that celebrate English manor life. feel for what goes on in their neighborhood.

A subset of those attending the game fair You can go to a major league ballgame, but had turned up for cocktails and passed apyou’re not going to play in it.” petizers. Kelly and his wife, Kathleen, also hoped they would bid As if to underline his point, English cockers and Labradors lay on auction items. The Kellys had designated Tall Timbers, a timber on the floor, their glossy coats occasionally petted by ladies in sheer, and quail management organization for the Red Hills, as benefibreezy blouses and slacks, and gentlemen in jeans and blazers. ciary of the door; auction proceeds would go to the NRA Youth The auction went later than expected, as almost all charity aucInitiative, Tall Timbers and the Navy SEAL Foundation. tions do. Items up for bid included High Adventure Company hunt packages in South Dakota (pheasant) or Patagonia (quail) ← Marty Wood, Master of Foxhounds and huntsman with Live and an Argentine mixed-bag hunt offered by Exciting Outdoors Oak Hounds, prepares his prize dogs for a demonstration. Foxhounds have a strong hunting instinct and a keen sense of smell.

Argentina. Kevin and Kathleen each wore tailored clothing

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRI WHIGHAM

“Conservation is a passion, a calling. It’s hard to explain unless you have that type of passion for something else.

It consumes you.”

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“It’s not just the experience of the hunt that people are looking for. It’s attention to food and service. We are like hotels with a world-class sporting experience.”

— John Burrell, president of High Adventure Company

patterned with ducks to advertise a custom jacket offered by Kirpalani’s Tailors.

“I never dreamed we could support three charities with this event,” Kathleen said. “We didn’t ask for one auction item.”

John Burrell, president of High Adventure Company, based in Atlanta, volunteered two auction items. “This is our client base — most of these folks are our clients. They come to expect a certain standard. It’s not just the experience of the hunt that people are looking for. It’s attention to food and service. We are like hotels with a world-class sporting experience,” he said.

Rita LeBlanc met the Kellys at the “Dressed to Kilt” show during New York Fashion Week. She pledged to support the Navy SEAL Foundation with a duck hunt at her family’s home, Shirley Ranch, in Johnson City, Texas. “I’m an American,” LeBlanc said. “I’m proud to offer up our home and share it with this community.”

During the bidding, LeBlanc — best known as a former vice chairman of the board of the New Orleans Saints — stood on stage, her dark hair tucked into a khaki fedora, a woven tartan inspired by the Navy SEALs draped over one arm: blue to represent the ocean, red for blood, and gold accents for the sand onshore.

LeBlanc planned to accompany the top bidders on the Shirley Ranch hunt along with Brian Robinson, a decorated Navy SEAL reserve officer.

Auctioneer Charlie Whitney worked the crowd. “It’s just money,” he told them. “Don’t be afraid to bid. It’s just money.”

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A guest takes aim during the all-day clay shoot, featuring shotguns by Purdey & Sons and Kevin’s.

Celebrated history For most of the 20th century, ambassador to the United Kingdom and New York Herald Tribune publisher, financier and philanthropist John Hay Whitney owned Greenwood Plantation. Among his celebrated guests, President Eisenhower visited to hunt quail and turkey, and the duke and duchess of Windsor sipped tea at Greenwood. Jacqueline Kennedy twice found refuge with the Whitneys, most famously in February 1964.

Greenwood today encompasses 4,200-plus acres purchased in 2015 by Emily Vanderbilt Wade, who also owns nearby Arcadia. A private firm owns the “campus,” with its 40-odd buildings, including the main house, damaged by fire in 1993.

Wade’s portion of Greenwood includes a 1,000-acre stand of old-growth longleaf pine — the largest such forest in the country. As Kohler put it, “It’s the best example of what America looked like when Columbus came here.”

The idea for a game fair in Thomasville began when London-based gunmaker James Purdey & Sons — called Purdey’s by game fair attendees — wanted to gather people for a shooting event, Kathleen Kelly said. “We decided to put

together a special day in the field sharing what we love, to charge an entrance fee and donate the proceeds to charity.” This year’s game fair was their second annual event.

Caleb and Faris Connor and their four children, ages 3 to 9, had traveled to Thomasville from their home in Aiken, South Carolina. The children waited in child-size Barbour jackets to climb aboard the Clydesdale wagon.

A lawyer, Caleb Connor was raised on a horse farm in Tallahassee. He had returned to town for a christening, extending the family trip for the game fair and to pick up a new dog, an English cocker.

“I think the kids are at an age where they can soak it in,” he said. “We’re going to go to Bradley’s (Country Store) and we’ll drive down the canopy roads. I’ll show them the things I did when I was young.”

The Connors own a farm in Edgefield, South Carolina, whose rolling red clay hills remind Caleb of home, he said. “It’s an old cattle farm, and I’ve been trying to manage it for bobwhites. I let the fields grow up, applied fire. I’d seen two quail, heard them whistling, and so I knew there were more.” Connor explained that prescribed burning helps preserve

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRI WHIGHAM

→ One of Chris Mathan’s pointers demonstrates its skills.

the “early secession environment” favored by quail.

There are events like Kevin’s Annual Southern Game Fair in parts of South Carolina, Connor said. “We don’t go to organized hunts, but we’ll go on dove hunts or quail hunts and have lunches in the field.”

William E. Palmer, president of Tall Timbers, kicked off the game fair luncheon. He told those gathered that one of the things Tall Timbers protects is “the right to burn.”

C. Martin Wood III followed Palmer with a short presentation of several hounds. Wood is well known as a huntsman, and formerly served in an executive capacity at Flowers Foods, the billion-dollar packaged food company in Thomasville. “There are hieroglyphs in the pyramids showing hunters with jackals,” he told the crowd enjoying pork and pasta salad and camouflage-patterned Blue Bell ice cream.

Attendants in brass-buttoned red coats and riding hats showed off a powerful hunting hound whose lineage, Wood said, could be traced to 1746.

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“Thank God that Flagler built the railroad to Palm Beach.

Thank God we didn’t have air conditioning. Florida opened up (instead of South Georgia), and it saved us.”

— Daphne Flowers Wood, chairman of the Tall Timbers Easement Committee

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRI WHIGHAM

↑ Guests gathered at long tables set among shade trees for an al fresco lunch and auction. ← Scenes from the Game Fair include (on opposite page, clockwise from upper left) tours, rarely offered to the public; Clydesdales from Longpine Plantation pulling wagons; meals featuring everyone’s favorite game bird, prepared by chefs from Longpine, Pinckney Hill and Loveridge plantations; and demonstrations by British and Irish Labradors trained by Wildrose Kennels.

“The first real hounds came to England with William the Conqueror,” Wood said. “Modern fox hunting really started with the Enclosure Act,” referring to Acts of Parliament that created legal property rights in England for land that had previously been shared.

The auctioneer announced the items and bids from the night before, with the addition of a new prize for auction: a tour of the Long Room in James Purdey & Sons’ London showroom and shooting at the West London Shooting Range. “Every crown head since Victoria has toured the Long Room,” Purdey’s representative Stephen Murray explained, adding that it was also the place where Eisenhower reportedly planned the D-Day invasion.

The lunchtime bidding opened; by its close, in total, Kevin’s Annual Southern

Game Fair had raised close to $60,000 for its charity beneficiaries.

At the cocktail party, Kevin had promised his guests a feeling of old-time America.

Based on the vision of the Northern industrialists’ grandchildren and great-grandchildren, plantation life in Thomasville — experienced as a series of game-bird hunts, single malts and tablecloth luncheons — has more in common with the bygone Edwardian country houses of England than the cashcrop farms of the Deep South. This version of Georgia looks a good bit like a shire county, when all of its small fields and hedgerows are devoted to bobwhite quail.

All kinds of creatures A walking embodiment of the interdependence of hunting and conservation, Daphne Flowers Wood serves as chairman of the Tall Timbers Easement Committee and breeds foxhounds in Monticello with her husband.

Flowers Wood was raised on Merrily Plantation and said she has been shooting for nearly six decades — “no big game, but everything else.”

The first female president of the Masters of Foxhounds Association of North America called Thomasville “overdue” for an event like the game fair: “There are plenty of events in

England that showcase rural recreational land use,” she said, adding that, in England, they also would feature falconry.

“Open space and rural habitat is important for all kinds of creatures,” she continued, pointing out the recent discovery of a rare species of striped newt on Dixie Plantation.

The luncheon tables beginning to empty, Wood credited hunting with saving some 80 threatened or endangered species.

“We live in a time warp,” she said, noting the abundance of undeveloped land surrounding Thomasville. “Thank God that Flagler built the railroad to Palm Beach. Thank God we didn’t have air conditioning. Florida opened up (instead of South Georgia), and it saved us.”

Wood looked around her surroundings.

Kevin’s Annual Southern Game Fair had neared its end.

“You could come to this property and you wouldn’t know if it was 1918 or 2018.” TM

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Kevin’s Annual Southern Game Fair for 2018 will take place on Nov. 9. To be notified when tickets go on sale, join the mailing list at kevinscatalog.com or follow Kevin’s on Facebook and Instagram.

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Sought-after event planner combines innate style with attention to detail

by ERIN HOOVER | photography by ALICIA OSBORNE

J

ohn Gandy has just returned from Louisville on a site visit for a wedding. Next year, he and his team will be off to plan a couple’s nuptials in Switzerland.

For now, Gandy walks through the 13,000- square-foot warehouse in Tallahassee that his event company has called home for the last five years, pointing out the banquettes, tabletops and vases that form the backdrops in his business.

John Gandy Events may be best knownfor helping to plan Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare’s Golden Gala. Other wellknown events on Gandy’s resume include the Sandestin Wine and Food Festival and Tallahassee Community College Foundation’s Cleaver and Cork, a new event. The company is also venue design sponsor for Best of Tallahassee and Tallahassee Top Singles.

All told, Gandy produces more than 100 events a year; he said 85-90 percent of those are weddings, with price tags ranging from $25,000 to $2 million.

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↖ For event planner John Gandy, any day can be an occasion for finery, whether he’s putting together a wedding or his attire.

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John Gandy shows visitors around “Gandyland,” his 13,000-square-foot warehouse full of all things grand, festive and party-worthy.

Corporate parties are great, but when you plan a wedding, that’s a memory that you’re creating with your clients forever … We’ll always be linked somehow. I still get notes from past clients or brides.

I see them on Facebook and now they have children.

It’s great to know that we were part of something — John Gandy really special for them.

It really is an experience John Gandy Events has been building an inventory for the past 15 years. Originally from Tallahassee, Gandy ran a small gift shop and then began working in public relations for Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare in 1992. Business began to boom in 2000, as he moved from decorating to full production and took on higher profile clients.

He stored event supplies in his laundry

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room, then his garage. “We would buy vases for a client, and the client would keep the vases. Soon I realized I was buying the same vases over and over.”

John Gandy Events moved to its current location on Garber Drive in 2013 — a move, he says, that helped him expand his business.

“Here, we can show people our inventory.

They can walk through all of ‘Gandyland’ and see the whole process and meet the team.”

Darin Jones, Gandy’s partner in life, also can frequently be found in the building, as John Gandy Events shares warehouse space with Designs by Darin, Jones’ floral design company.

“It really is an experience at Gandyland,” Gandy continued. “Usually the bride and the mother of the bride are already on board, but the father may ask, ‘What’s an event planner?’

When they come here and see our inventory, look at the awards we have on our wall, it gives us a sense of legitimacy.”

Those awards include a coveted place in The Knot’s Hall of Fame — earned by achieving “Best of Weddings” status, based on excellent customer reviews, several years in a row.

At Gandyland, the event team catalogues materials by category, such as holiday, decor, lighting or furniture selections. The back of the warehouse comprises a workshop where staff can custom-build furniture or shelving, according to a client’s wishes. photography by ALICIA OSBORNE

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“

When I was growing up, there was no event planner or wedding coordinator training program. I fell into this, and I love it. It is my life.

— John Gandy

”

John Gandy Events designed this aisle for a bridal march at Pebble Hill Plantation.

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photography by WOODLAND FIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY

Gandy cultivates teamwork to help his staff perform well under the pressure of attending to an event’s every detail.

Passing several mounted deer heads, Gandy explained that they were for a rehearsal dinner at a private plantation with a groom who liked to hunt.

A visitor might believe that anything needed to throw a good party can be found here. “We think we have everything. And then someone will want a ‘leprechaun rainbow’ wedding, and we’ll buy what we need.”

Behind the scenes John Gandy Events is not one person but eight people. Additional support staff work events, and interns from FSU’s Dedman School of Hospitality also help out. According to the John Gandy Events website, clients can purchase two Levels of Service — for Level I, John Gandy himself serves as point of contact.

Troy Rentz and Janice Powell hold senior positions as event managers. “They’re my go-to team, the legacy members; they’ve been here forever,” Gandy said. “Troy is young and has a fresh take, and Janice has that great traditional feel for events and knows customer service inside and out. Our philosophy as a team is say ‘yes’ and figure out a way to make it happen.”

As anyone who has attended a wedding and reception knows, long days and long hours are prerequisites in the event planning business — making it critical to hire the right team. “You’re with these people in stressful situations, so you’ve got to get along,” Gandy said. Maybe the band won’t play unless they’re paid in advance, and the client doesn’t have cash on him. The bar service may not have the right alcohol. The cake shows up late.”

Gandy remembered how one of his biggest events, a $2 million wedding at The Cloister in Sea Island, Georgia, hit a temporary snag.

The day before the wedding, one of the three trucks Gandy hired for the event blew its transmission on the interstate. “We had to unload into a rental truck, get that truck to Sea Island, get the other truck towed into Brunswick. But no one at the wedding knew that.”

If event planning is the art of limiting the unpredictable, Gandy’s plans are based on years of experience. “We have detailed timelines, and we know what to look for,” he continued. “We have years of knowing what could happen. The thing is, if something doesn’t go as planned, nobody will really know about it but our team.”

A Few Questions for John Gandy What trends do you love for weddings right now? The use of greenery, neutral tones and extended seating areas like lounges.

What event would you love to be hired to do? In Tallahassee, we’re really lucky, because we get to do the events we want to do. But a wish list? I’d love to do the Grammys or the Oscars. Shoot, I’d take the daytime Emmys!

What’s the most unusual thing you’ve been asked to do? We did a wedding a few years back for a client who got married on the anniversary of the day her mother died. The wedding was at 3:33 in the afternoon on a Wednesday.

Do you ever get to throw your own party?

We’ll have dinner, we’ll have people over to the house, but I don’t like hosting my own parties. People ask Darin and I when we’re getting married, because there’s so much anticipation around what that will look like. We say we’ll wait and see!

What comment or feedback do you typically receive after an event? “That was the best day ever.”

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Asked what makes a good event, Gandy responded that a good event has organization, meaning all creative partners are working together; a seamless flow, with attendees moving from one experience to the next; and attention to detail, such as greeting people at the door with a drink and easy transitions from one area of the venue to another.

In other words, everyone — including the clients throwing the party — should feel free to have fun.

Perception is reality “I think if you have to think about style, you don’t have it. You can make good choices, but style is something you’re born with. There’s a Jackie O quote in there somewhere,” Gandy said.

When he plans an event, that style should appear effortless, as well. Gandy tells a story about a client who recently came in wanting every fabric at the wedding in the same pattern. “We fine-tuned the idea,” he said. “We toned it down just a little, so not everything matched.”

Asked who taught him about event planning, he continued: “I don’t think you can really learn this. You’ve got to have an innate style or vision.”

Gandy continued: “I’m really grateful for where I’m at and what I have. When I

was growing up, there was no event planner or wedding coordinator training program. I fell into this, and I love it. It is my life.”

Holiday celebrations, and his mother’s work putting them together, gave Gandy an early idea of what attention to style could accomplish. “Growing up, we had

“

To see the design on paper is one thing. I love getting together with people and brainstorming and having that vision come to life.

— John Gandy

”

the best Christmas and the best Easter.

She had a beautiful table set, beautiful food, and she always encouraged us to experience the event as a family and to enjoy it,” he remembered. “We may not have had a ton of money, but we certainly had nice rooms and nice holidays. Perception is reality.”

Doing the very best with the means available has influenced his work in event

planning, too. “I take inspiration from the design community and national planners; it pushes me to go a little further. I think, ‘What can we do here in Tallahassee with what we have access to?’

“When we first started doing events, we did a lot with little. We wanted it to look amazing no matter what. Even if the money wasn’t there, we’d make [an event] look like a million bucks. I’m not hung up on money, but I am hung up on the experience and on design. I want people to walk in and go, ‘Wow.’” Upon reading review websites, it becomes clear that for Gandy’s event, there are many synonyms for “Wow”— words such as “amazing” and “gold standard” and “perfect.”

“He was able to translate our vision into reality with stunning accuracy and delivered a wedding beyond our expectations,” wrote one groom on The Knot. com.

On WeddingWire.com, a bride gushed: “I loved being surprised and impressed at my own event!”

That feeling of joy is one shared by their event planner: “To see the design on paper is one thing. I love getting together with people and brainstorming and having that vision come to life.” TM

Gandy says he likes being part of important moments in people’s lives. His mother’s attention to style at family holiday celebrations was an inspiration.

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photography by WOODLAND FIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY

photography by ALICIA OSBORNE

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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 & DAVID MANGUM

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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 Fresh Water 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.

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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.

PHOTOS BY SAIGE ROBERTS

“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 … TM TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF MONKEYBUSINESSIMAGES / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS A

Abodes

MAY/JUN 2018

TRENDS FROM FLOOR TO CEILING, FRONT TO BACK

↖ With a glassedin Florida room or sunroom, homeowners can bring in the sunshine and the beautiful views but leave the humidity outside.

INTERIOR

Florida Rooms Sunny gathering place? Yes. Good investment? That depends.

by KIM HARRIS THACKER

GARDENING

Add Splendor and Fragrance

|| PETS

Big Dogs and Their Owners Live Large

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abodes

↗ These sunny rooms can be rustic or elegant, designed for playtime or for entertaining guests.

F

lorida rooms, also known as sunrooms, bring the outdoors indoors, or the indoors outdoors, depending on your perspective.

“Florida rooms are a great way to enjoy sunny weather without feeling the heat too much, and they give you the luxury of staying warm during the few cold snaps that we have here in Tallahassee,” said Rebecca Mayhann Hathcoat, Realtor with The Naumann Real Estate Group. “They also provide an escape from pesky bugs.”

A simple Florida room might consist of a screened-in porch; an extravagant Florida room might function as a solarium, with glass walls and a glass ceiling.

“Many buyers view a Florida room as an addition to a home’s value,” said Hathcoat. “These rooms provide extra square footage for a family to stretch out in, and many families use them as a space for their furry, four-legged family members.”

Hathcoat recommends that homeowners considering renovations or upgrades to their home speak with a local real estate agent regarding the return on those investments.

“The real estate market is moving at a fast pace,” she says. “Keeping up-to-date with information on recent appraisals in your neighborhood, along with current buyer needs and wants will help to

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safeguard you from over-improving your home and will allow you to spend wisely, so you can see a return on your investment when and if you sell.”

Buyers should also be aware of maintenance costs, which depend on the quality of construction. In a room designed to welcome sunshine, a poorly constructed space can drive up utility bills.

Robert Hartsfield, owner of Hartsfield Builders, explains that he often installs a mini-AC split to cool a Florida room. However, if a home is 15 years old or older, he recommends replacing the entire airconditioning system.

“You’ll save energy and make up for the additional cost over the long haul,” he says.

Hartsfield said it’s important investment-wise to blend the new room with the rest of the house.

“We always recommend matching the construction of the Florida room to the rest of the house, so it doesn’t look like an add-on,” Hartsfield says.

Sunny by design With so many windows, special consideration should be given to

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KATARZYNABIALASIEWICZ (LEFT), IMAGOPHOTODESIGN (RIGHT) / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

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Your Guide for Real Estate

Personalized Service from Broker/Owner Top Producer, Tallahassee Board of Realtors Certified Residential Specialist Accredited Buyers Representative

privacy and to furnishings and decoration, which should be resistant to sun damage.

“If you add a Florida room to your home, keep in mind the location of the windows and the views from both the inside looking out and the outside looking in,” Hathcoat advised.

Clay Sechrest, owner and interior designer at Sechrest Design Co., said, “I always ask how the space is going to be utilized by the family.

Typically, in this area, the function of a Florida room is for more casual purposes than the adjoining spaces of the house, and that affects the furnishing and decoration. As a decorator, I also allow for and address the actual construction of the room. Was it built to have a fireplace or a water feature? If so, I have to address these focal points to the room.”

When most people furnish an indoor/outdoor room on their own, they simply purchase outdoor furniture, Sechrest says. But there are other options.

“A person can have some beautiful pieces of furniture upholstered with fade-resistant fabric,” he said. “They can also furnish with rattan, glass, stone, travertine, marble and other materials. The wall that connects to the rest of the house can have appropriate artwork on it, or shelves to display something, like a collection of glass art.”

And ever-present is this consideration: “Regardless of how it’s decorated, the designer needs to be sensitive to the customer’s budget.” TM

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abodes GARDENING

Ornamental Gingers Brighten a Landscape

Your Monthly Garden Chores MAY

➸ Give citrus trees their

By AUDREY POST, MS. GROW-IT-ALL®

Butterfly ginger: Hedychium coronarium is one of the most popular ornamental gingers for the home garden because it’s beautiful and its flowers smell heavenly.

It grows 4 to 6 feet tall and spreads to a clump about the same width. Each flower bud can produce hundreds of showy white flowers over a 6- to 8-week period. Plant in full sun to part shade; the more sun it gets, the better it blooms.

Variegated shell ginger: With 2-foot green and yellow leaves that emerge from the base of the plant in a spiral, variegated shell ginger (Alpinia zerumbet “variegata”) makes a striking appearance. It grows 6 to 8 feet tall and about as wide.

Plant in full sun to part shade and keep moist.

JUNE

➸ Most early summer

vegetable plants are spent, so clear them out of your garden beds. You can either replace them with something that can take our summer heat, such as cherry tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and okra, or amend with compost and cover with mulch until fall planting. ➸ Consider adding

Blue ginger: Dichorisandra thyrsiflora sends up 10-inch spikes of showy purplish-blue flowers in the fall, which unlike most ornamental gingers, also makes a nice cut flower for arrangements. Plant in moist, welldrained soil in the shade.

roselle, also known as Jamaican sorrel or Florida cranberry, to your garden or landscape.

This variety of hibiscus, a cousin to okra and cotton, has beautiful foliage and flowers. It produces tart calyxes that can be used like cranberries just in time for the fall holidays. ➸ Finish pruning azaleas

Peacock ginger: Kaempheria makes a great groundcover and is often suggested as a replacement for hostas, which seem to struggle here in Zone 8b.

Plant in full to partial shade and keep moist until established. Like other ornamental gingers, peacock ginger loses its leaves in winter.

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and other springflowering shrubs. The buds for next spring’s bloom begin forming in July and you don’t want to remove them by late pruning.

PHOTOS BY RPFERREIRA (BUTTERFLY GINGER), EDSON HARDT (VARIEGATED SHELL GINGER), PAYLESSIMAGES (BLUE GINGER), KENDONICE (PEACOCK GINGER), JTBOB888 (COLEUS), CHENGYUZHENG (OKRA) / GETTYIMAGES PLUS

There are several ornamental landscape plants that fall under the common name “ginger” but do not produce an edible rhizome. True ginger, Zingiber officinale, is used for both culinary and medicinal purposes. Ornamental gingers add pop to the Florida Panhandle landscape and are perennial in our area, often going dormant in winter. A heavy layer of mulch should keep them comfortable until spring. In addition to the four popular ornamental gingers described below, other gingers seen in area landscapes include pine cone ginger, spiral ginger and torch ginger.

second dose of fertilizer for the year. ➸ Replace cool-season annual flowers such as pansies and snapdragons with heat-loving annuals such as torenia, salvia and coleus. ➸ If rainfall is scarce, water deeply once a week – at least an inch – instead of watering lightly more often, which encourages shallow root systems that cannot withstand drought as well as deeper roots do.

8

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TRY OUR SPECIALTY SEED BLENDS Monday–Saturday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

Sunday: Noon–4 p.m.

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Enjoy the beauty of healthy trees.

Call AAA Tree Experts, Inc.

Firewood and Cooking Wood Available

SERVING TALLAHASSEE FOR 35 YEARS

Our Mission Our pledge to you, from AAA Tree Experts, Inc., is to offer the highest level of professionalism in all aspects of our tree service operations. From your initial phone contact, to your personal visit and consultation from one of our highly trained arborists all the way to the actual work being conducted by our highly trained crews, we want your experience to be positive and satisfying.

Honesty and professionalism are extremely important to us. We will try our best to offer sound advice and never suggest services that are not necessary or beneficial.

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FREE ESTIMATES CERTIFIED ARBORISTS

850.385.3319 aaatreeexperts.net

ROOFING SYSTEMS THAT STAND UP TO

Pesky Pests

Spotlight on Stink Bugs

Stink bugs (Pentatomidae) get their name from their natural defense of releasing a sticky substance with a nasty odor to deter predators. They thrive in areas of heavy vegetation and can cause deformity to crops such as peaches and pecans, as well as some vegetables, including tomatoes and beans. The best way to keep stink bugs under control is to keep your garden beds clean of debris such as weeds and spent plants. To keep the bugs out of the house, make sure windows are screened and caulked.

The Sunshine State

Adult brown stink bug Natural predators are ladybugs, praying mantises, toads and birds, so encourage these friends to inhabit your garden.

Plant sunflowers and French marigolds to attract insects that feed on stink bugs. If stink bugs’ numbers get out of control, spray with insecticidal soap.

PHOTOS BY BEE_PHOTOBEE (STINK BUG), SADDAKO (CARDINAL), GLOBALP (PRAYING MANTIS) / GETTYIMAGES PLUS

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Residential • Commercial • All Types • Roof Repair Fully Insured • FREE ESTIMATES • Financing Available We have been serving Tallahassee for over 60 years! We take pride in our customers.

RAIN, SUN OR SALT, WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED

© 2015-2018 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-ItAll® is a registered trademark of PostScript Publishing Inc.

CALL US AT 850-562-8366 TALLAHASSEEROOFINGINC.COM TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

May–June 2018

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abodes

PETS

GENTLE GIANTS There’s a lot to love about BIG dogs

by HANNAH BURKE

W

hen you welcome a big dog into your home, you’re essentially agreeing to bring up a perpetual toddler that has the stature to see over the counter, outruns you and bellows its bark to get your attention. While that may sound terrifying to some, those are quirks that make our adult hearts swell with love for supersized canines.

Having spent 15 years and counting with a Miniature Pinscher, I was accustomed to the low-maintenance, lap-dog lifestyle. Then I rescued an eight-week-old Golden Retriever/Irish Setter mix named Fargo, who was already the size of my senior dog. As the weeks went by and he kept growing, so did his appetite for extra kibble and activity. But these needs aren’t as demanding or as expensive as one might think.

The Leon County Humane Society has fostered many a Malamute, Great Dane and Doberman. When you come across these big fellas, your hounds and retrievers suddenly don’t seem as large as you first thought.

Take Lex, the shelter’s 3-year-old Mastiff mix that weighs in at around 110 pounds. Rescued from a dog farm in South Korea, Lex came to Tallahassee with no training nor exposure to people and other pets.

“Lex has undergone one of the biggest transformations we’ve seen,” says Lisa Glunt, executive director of the Leon County Humane Society. “He’s developed a goofy, fun personality, found a family, and he’s really enthusiastic with his training.”

Lex, like his fellow giant breeds, is classified as a Working Dog. While all dogs can be trained, Working Group canines are the most

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↖ Big fun is ahead for Johnny Eckenrode and the newest member of his family, Lex, a 110-pound Mastiff mix adopted through the Leon County Humane Society. Here, they enjoy an outing at Cascades Park.

photography by SAIGE ROBERTS

(From left) Emily and Johnny Eckenrode pose with Noah, a boxer they adopted from Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando, and with Lex, a Mastiff mix they adopted in Leon County after he was rescued from a dog farm in South Korea. Mallory Davis is fostering Boss, an American bulldog mix, until he can be adopted.

“When you come home for the day, you don’t have to run them for hours or worry about a wild temperament.

They’re just excited to be with you. Get to know their personalities, and you’ll see how loyal and loving they are.”

PHOTOS BY SAIGE ROBERTS

— Lisa Glunt, executive director of the Leon County Humane Society eager to master commands and learn jobs, making training a breeze if you’re consistent with it.

Coaching and praising your prodigious pooch is key to boosting his or her confidence, deepening your bond and creating a wholesome, happy home environment.

When it’s time to play, burlier breeds are

typically satisfied with a half hour or so of fetch carrying extra weight, it puts a huge strain on or a leisurely loop around the neighborhood. their joints that can contribute to arthritis and “In general, giant breeds tend to be more dysplasia later on in life.” docile than other dogs and don’t require as Dr. Barron recommends investing in food much activity as, say, a Labrador,” states Dr. packed with amino acids and fish oils that Rebecca Barron of Northwood Animal Hosact as anti-inflammatories, supplements that pital. “They have a much calmer, gentler nasupport joint health, and probiotic treats that ture. Cascades Park and Tom heighten the immune system.

Brown Park are great spots in You may be paying a bit more Tallahassee to take your big to support their needs, but THE LEON COUNTY dog hiking, and they make your best friend’s health is HUMANE SOCIETY 413 Timberlane Road great companions for the river worth it.

(850) 224-9193 or beach. But, they appreciate An oversize build makes it lchs.info their downtime.” tricky to find fur-ever homes.

Hours Lex happens to be a giant At adoption fairs, most people Monday–Thursday, couch potato, content to serve are overwhelmed by very large 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Friday, as a pillow for others catching dogs, opting instead to take 10 a.m.–1 p.m. up on their shows. Snack time home puppies and standardis pretty big in his book, too, size adult breeds. but his daily feedings and diet are carefully “If the size alone is what’s keeping you from monitored. considering a big dog, you need to meet one,” “Overfeeding and obesity is an issue with Glunt stresses. “When you come home for the bigger dogs, so it’s important to talk to your vet day, you don’t have to run them for hours or to get a baseline recommendation of how much worry about a wild temperament. They’re just to feed them a day and adjust that for their excited to be with you. Get to know their perlifestyle and individual metabolisms,” says Dr. sonalities, and you’ll see how loyal and loving Barron. “If you’ve got a large-framed dog that’s they are.” TM TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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UpperEast Modern is characterized by the most up-to-date ideas, products, and techniques. It’s about progress and innovation, and it’s happening at Upper East, a new residential development on Lake Hall Road.

Upper East is the first of its kind in Tallahassee. The subdivision is the culmination of the creative vision of Matt McHaffie of GBGH Construction, who worked with Architects Lewis and Whitlock to create the unique plan, intentionally creating opportunities for homeowners to engage in the surrounding community and upgrade to a modern lifestyle. The homes boast a minimalist design with clean lines and abundant natural lighting, and residents can enjoy nature trails on the adjacent 7.5 acres of reserved conservation land.

AD

Modern is not just embodied in the architectural design of Upper East, it is also the developer’s approach when it comes to selecting building products. Educated home buyers who understand the difference and the value of homes built with high quality products will appreciate what GBGH Construction offers at Upper East.

The homes are built with an innovative Zip System developed by Huber Engineered Woods that offers superior protection against moisture and air leaks. Energy efficient features like Pella windows, LED lights, Energy Star products, standing seam metal roofing, and spray foam insulation are standard. Sustainable upgrades like Tesla electric car chargers and the Tesla Power Wall systems are also available and encouraged. “We are proud to set the standard for the future at Upper East,” says developer Matt McHaffie, and that is indeed what he has accomplished.

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ADVERTISEMENT

“Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”

- John F. Kennedy

Upper East homes are offered by Stephanie Eldridge, of the Keller Williams Eldridge Home Team, and model homes are open! More information can be found on the GBGH website at www.gbghconstruction.com/uppereast.

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PROMOTION

DEAL ESTATE JUST LISTED

Lakefront Masterpiece Hidden in Tallahassee

by RACHEL SMITH

By far one of the most spectacular estates in all of Tallahassee, this Dungan Nequette architectural masterpiece is situated on almost four acres with 180-degree views overlooking Lake Hall.

LIST PRICE: $3,800,000 ADDRESS: 3661 Phipps Point Road SQUARE FOOTAGE: 7,245 BEDROOMS: 4 BATHROOMS: 5.5 FEATURES: Situated on Lake Hall, six-car garage, carriage house, handcrafted wood detail throughout the home, pecky cypress ceiling details, 28-foot atrium foyer, custom pool and hot tub, safe room, sauna and fireplace.

APPEAL: This home cannot be duplicated. If you are looking for a lakefront masterpiece, this is it.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Jason Naumann, Broker/Owner The Naumann Group Real Estate, Inc. (850) 933-0328 Jason@NaumannGroup.com NaumannGroup.com

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PHOTOS BY NANCY O’BRIEN WITH SUNLIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY

YEAR BUILT: 2016

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PROMOTION

DEAL ESTATE SECOND HOME

Make New Beach Memories

by RACHEL SMITH

Situated along Scenic Gulf Drive in Miramar Beach is the Amalfi Coast Condominium Resort.

Breathtaking Gulf views, a heated pool and lighted tennis courts all sit on the plush, 8.5-acre parcel, which is securely fenced and gated. This is where memories are made.

SOLD PRICE: $629,000 ADDRESS: 778 Scenic Gulf Drive, Unit A111, Miramar Beach SQUARE FOOTAGE: 1,755 BEDROOMS: 3 BATHROOMS: 3 YEAR BUILT: 2001

REALTOR QUOTE: Live the beach life along golf cart-friendly Scenic Gulf Drive and enjoy the walk and bike paths, restaurants and bars that are located directly on the beach.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Diane Green, Broker Associate Newman-Dailey Resort Properties Mobile: (850) 699-7307 diane@buyourbeachlife.com destinsales.com

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PHOTOS BY STEVEN MANGUM OF STM PHOTOGRAPHY

FEATURES: One level of 1,755 square feet of indoor living and 1,300 square feet of outdoor terrace living; master and family room view the Gulf; updated and sold fully furnished; underground deeded parking and storage.

What does your

Home Equity Line of Credit

look like?

1.99%

home equity

*

APR/6 MONTH INTRODUCTORY RATE

5.50%

*

APR/CURRENT VARIABLE RATE

No Closing Costs* Apply today at: ccbg.com/equity

*Subject to credit and property approval. The introductory rate will be in effect for the first six (6) months after your account is opened. Upon expiration of the introductory rate, all balances will accrue interest at the variable standard Annual Percentage Rate, which can range from Prime + 1% to Prime + 5% using the JP Morgan Chase Prime (JPMCP) rate (currently an APR of 4.50%) not to exceed 18% at any time. Information accurate as of 03/01/2018. After the promotional period, the variable standard APR will be based on your line amount, combined loan to value ratio, and credit rating. This offer is available to new equity line clients, and to existing equity line clients and is subject to change without notice. Hazard insurance required and flood insurance, if applicable.

Exclusions and limitations apply.No closing costs (except for survey if need) will be assessed on lines up to $250,000, subject to the following conditions: (1) if applicable, Borrower will pay for the second and any subsequent valuations of the property; (2) in the event it becomes necessary to have a property survey conducted, Borrower will be responsible for the associated costs. Borrower will participate in closing costs for lines exceeding $250,000. Minimum line of $10,000 required. If you close your Credit Line and we release our lien within three (3) years from the date of closing, you will owe a prepayment penalty of 2% of the line amount not to exceed $1,500. For existing equity line clients, the HELOC must be 3 years or more past the origination date and include a line increase to receive the promotional rate and no closing costs offers. No line increase is required if the equity line has fewer than 12 months until the no-draw period. Consult your tax advisor about possible tax benefits. Owner-occupied property only and CCB must be in a valid first or second lien position. Refer to loan application or ask your banker for complete details. This offer may be withdrawn at any time.

Business Insurance Specialists: Will Croley, Angie Hearl, Mary Katharine (Croley) Lawler, Doug Croley

We Focus on Your Insurance So You Can Focus on Your Business 2814 Remington Green Circle, Tallahassee, FL 850-386-1922 • www.dougcroleyins.com

850-545-4747 “You say where, I’ll be there!”

NewHomesInTallahassee.com

Call, Text or Email “YOUR Canopy Connection” Visit my Parade of Homes Home in Canopy May 12, 13, 19 and 20 JeffDoxsee1@gmail.com

Top 1% TBR Realtors 2016 & 2017, 21st year with Premier since 1997 TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

May–June 2018

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your style . . your design

CREATING MEMORIES THAT LAST A LIFETIME

A Country Rose Florals 250 E. 6th Ave. 850.877.8294 acountryrosewedding.com

QR Code Generation and Mobile Websites ∙ CD / DVD Duplication and Full Color Label Printing ∙ Flashdrives with Loaded Data ∙ Document Scanning ∙ Oversize Scanning ∙ Photo Scanning ∙ Holiday Cards ∙ Calendars ∙ Invitations ∙ Custom Notepads ∙ Custom Notecards ∙ Promo Products ∙ Personalized Letters ∙ Postcards ∙ Bulk Business Mail ∙ “Lumpy” Mail & Fulfillment ∙ Newsletters ∙ Training Binders and Books ∙ Binding Options (Comb, Coil, Wire, Perfect, Tape, Booklets) ∙ Programs ∙ Presentation Signage / Foam Board Signs ∙ Event Tickets ∙ CDs / DVDs with Printed Full Color Labels ∙ Retractable Banner Stands ∙ Mailing ∙ Step & Repeat Backdrops ∙ Custom Lanyards and Nametags ∙ Postcards (Including Political Mail) ∙ Newsletters ∙ Flyers ∙ Small Posters ∙ Business Cards ∙ Catalogs ∙ Rack Cards ∙ Table Tents ∙ Menus ∙ Presentation Folders ∙ Artwork on Canvas ∙ Backlit Film ∙ Indoor/Outdoor Banners ∙ Foam Board Mounted Signage ∙ Magnetic Vehicle Signs ∙ Architectural Plans ∙ Posters ∙ Retractable Banner Stands ∙ Static Cling ∙ Window and Door Lettering ∙ Wall Decals, Fatheads, or Wall Words ∙ Yard Signs ∙ QR Code Generation and Mobile Websites ∙ CD / DVD Duplication and Full Color Label Printing ∙ Flashdrives with Loaded Data ∙ Document Scanning ∙ Oversize Scanning ∙ Photo Scanning ∙ Holiday Cards ∙ Calendars ∙ Invitations ∙ Custom Notepads ∙ Custom Notecards ∙ Promo Products ∙ Personalized Letters ∙ Postcards ∙ Bulk Business Mail ∙ “Lumpy” Mail & Fulfillment ∙ Newsletters ∙ Training Binders and Books ∙ Binding Options (Comb, Coil, Wire, Perfect, Tape, Booklets) ∙ Programs ∙ Presentation Signage ∙ Foam Board Signs ∙ Event Tickets ∙ CDs / DVDs with Printed Full Color Labels ∙ Retractable Banner Stands ∙ Step & Repeat Backdrops ∙ Custom Lanyards and Nametags ∙ Postcards (Including Political Mail) ∙ Newsletters ∙ Flyers ∙ Small Posters (12 x 18 or Smaller) ∙ Business Cards ∙ Catalogs ∙ Rack Cards ∙ Table Tents ∙ Menus ∙ Presentation Folders ∙ Artwork on Canvas ∙ Backlit Film ∙ Indoor/Outdoor Banners ∙ Foam Board Mounted Signage ∙ Magnetic Vehicle Signs ∙ Architectural Plans ∙ Posters ∙ Retractable Banner Stands ∙ Static Cling ∙ Window and Door Lettering ∙ Wall Decals, Fatheads, or Wall Words ∙ Yard Signs ∙ QR Code Generation and Mobile Websites ∙ CD / DVD Duplication and Full Color Label Printing ∙ Flashdrives with Loaded Data ∙ Document Scanning ∙ Oversize Scanning ∙ Photo Scanning ∙ Holiday Cards ∙ Calendars ∙ Invitations ∙ Custom Notepads ∙ Custom Notecards ∙ Promo Products ∙ Personalized Letters ∙ Postcards ∙ Bulk Business Mail ∙ “Lumpy” Mail & Fulfillment ∙ Newsletters ∙ Training Binders and Books ∙ Binding Options (Comb, Coil, Wire, Perfect, Tape, Booklets) ∙ Programs ∙ Presentation Signage / Foam Board Signs ∙ Event Tickets ∙ CDs / DVDs with Printed Full Color Labels ∙ Retractable Banner Stands ∙ Step & Repeat Backdrops ∙ Custom Lanyards and Nametags ∙ Postcards (Including Political Mail) ∙ Newsletters ∙ Flyers ∙ Small Posters (12 x 18 or Smaller) ∙ Business Cards ∙ Catalogs ∙ Rack Cards ∙ Table Tents ∙ Menus ∙ Presentation Folders ∙ Artwork on Canvas ∙ Backlit Film ∙ Indoor/Outdoor Banners ∙ Foam Board Mounted Signage ∙ Magnetic Vehicle Signs ∙ Architectural Plans ∙ Posters ∙ Retractable Banner Stands ∙ Static Cling ∙ Window and Door Lettering ∙ Wall Decals, Fatheads, or Wall Words ∙ Yard Signs

Yep!

We can do that.

850.671.6600 www.targetprintmail.com

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Professional Profiles

Every day we confront choices as we work to improve our lives, advance our businesses, promote our brands and protect our interests. In so doing, we often have occasion to enlist the services of skilled professionals. Who is the best person for the job? Those can be tough calls, but we’re here to help. In this special section of Tallahassee Magazine, we profile selected, highly regarded professionals who are proven performers in their fields of expertise.

Whom can you trust? Turn the pages of this section and find out.

PHOTO BY RAWPIXEL / GETTY IMAGES

TURN THE PAGE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TOP PROFESSIONALS TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

DEMONT INSURANCE

WHAT SERVICES DO YOU PROVIDE? Demont Insurance Agency covers every aspect of insurance including business, home, auto and powersports. We advise clients on personal lines insurance, commercial lines insurance and employee benefits, including life and health insurance. We provide custom solutions with personalized customer service and proudly represent a wide range of carriers which allows us to offer the best value to our clients.

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR COMPANY’S HISTORY. We have served the people of our community for over five decades.

Demont Insurance Agency was founded in 1964 by James E. Demont. Today, we continue the legacy that my grandfather and father, Mark Demont, built for Demont Insurance Agency — helping thousands of businesses and families across the Southeast.

WHAT TRAINING HAVE YOU HAD? I hold the 2-20 General

Lines, 2-15 Life, Health and Variable Annuities, and the 01-20

Surplus Lines Licenses with the state of Florida. I also hold the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) and Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist Designations (CRIS).

WHAT SETS YOUR BUSINESS APART? We offer customized insurance plans to our clients as every client has different needs. We begin by having conversations with our clients to understand their goals and then create a custom solution to achieve those goals.

WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF WORKING FOR YOUR COMPANY? Our clients — they inspire us to do great work,

and every satisfied customer is a testimony to our dedication and customer service that we offer our clients.

WHAT IMPACT DO YOU HOPE TO MAKE IN THE COMMUNITY?

As a business that has been part of the Tallahassee community for over five decades, we want to retain the talent we have at our local colleges and universities and show them that Tallahassee is a growing and vibrant city.

2400 MAHAN DRIVE, TALLAHASSEE | (850) 942-7760 | DEMONTINSURANCE.COM

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

BARNES CAPITAL GROUP

WHAT SERVICES DO YOU PROVIDE? At Barnes Capital Group,

we strive to offer our clients innovative strategies to address their financial needs. We offer comprehensive services to our clients with a focus on the financial planning process that includes investment management, financial planning, 401k retirement plan design and implementation, and complete employee benefits insurance and consulting.

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR COMPANY’S HISTORY. Barnes

Capital Group was created in 2014 with the aim of offering our clients a better way of managing and preserving their wealth.

We offer quality advice and a multitude of services. I have been working in financial services for 28 years.

COURTESY COMPASS MARKETING

WHAT TRAINING HAVE YOU HAD? All our financial advisors

have MBAs and two of our three advisors are Certified Financial Planners. Benefit consultants have specialized designations for their respective field.

WHAT SETS YOUR BUSINESS APART? Our values are a unique

combination of a shared vision, accountability, integrity, loyalty and culture. Our experience and dedication to service are what separates us from other firms. At the forefront of our business, we strive to offer the best service possible, while also developing new processes to help our clients manage their financial futures efficiently and effectively.

WHAT IS THE GOAL OF YOUR COMPANY? Our focus is to develop long-term relationships with our clients by putting their interests first and delivering innovative solutions to fulfill their financial needs or company objectives.

WHAT IMPACT DO YOU HOPE TO MAKE ON THE COMMUNITY?

I hope we have exhibited and will continue to exhibit good corporate citizenship through our involvement — our time, talent and financial resources — with a broad range of not-forprofit community organizations.

— STAN BARNES, MANAGING DIRECTOR

318 N. CALHOUN ST., TALLAHASSEE | (850) 894-2930 | BARNESCAPGROUP.COM

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

HILL SPOONER & ELLIOT, INC. REAL ESTATE

J

ust as you invest in your home, Hill Spooner & Elliott, Inc. invests in you. Since 2005, Hill Spooner & Elliott, Inc. has invested to make their group of experienced professionals among the highest producing brokerage firms in the Tallahassee area.

They are a boutique real estate firm with expertise in every aspect of Tallahassee’s dynamic real estate market. From luxury homes to investment properties, they offer a unique perspective on what it takes to obtain desired results.

They don’t just tell you what you want to hear, but what you need to know to protect and grow your real estate investment.

With the goal of providing customized marketing services and finding innovative ways to incorporate targeted marketing strategies, they set the bar high for you.

Results are achieved through investing time in their clients, producing professionally marketed advertising to maximize exposure, growth of their agents, creating innovative ways to add value to their brand and enriching the community in order to make it the best place for us to reside.

2001 THOMASVILLE ROAD, TALLAHASSEE | (850) 907-2051 | HILLSPOONER.COM | WEBMAIL@HILLSPOONER.COM

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PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

DALE TADLOCK OWNER/PRESIDENT, TADLOCK ROOFING

WHAT DIFFERENTIATES TADLOCK ROOFING? Knowing with confidence that when you purchase a roof from Tadlock Roofing, you’re supporting nonprofit organizations throughout Florida that aim to protect children facing adversity. We are proud sponsors of Boys Town North Florida, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Coalition, Eckerd Kids and the Children’s Home Society.

BLACK AND HUE PHOTOGRAPHY

HOW DID YOU GET INTO THIS PROFESSION? Not long after high school, while working in the construction industry, I was given an opportunity to manage the production side of a roofing company. I immediately realized this line of work was perfectly suited to my personality, as I enjoy relating to clients, working outside and providing high-quality workmanship. In 1980, I founded Tadlock Roofing in Tallahassee and have had the privilege of serving Tallahassee and its surrounding communities ever since. We now have six locations in Florida – Tallahassee, Panama City, Pensacola, Jacksonville, Tampa and Orlando.

WHAT IS THE SECRET OF YOUR SUCCESS? At Tadlock Roofing, we promise to always do the right thing to ensure our client’s satisfaction, because we truly care. We care about our clients, we care about their families and we care about their homes. That is how I have run a successful family owned and operated company going on 40 years.

502 CAPITAL CIRCLE SE, TALLAHASSEE | (850) 877-5516 | TADLOCKROOFING.COM

M

MIDTOWN INSURANCE

idtown Insurance is an independent insurance agency with a wealth of resources and experience. We specialize in the personal lines of insurance such as homeowners, auto, boat, motorcycle, RV and umbrella policies. We also have some great markets for small businesses.

Being an independent agency requires us to truly understand the resources of multiple companies and enables us to develop solutions for our clients that meet their unique situations.

The agency was founded in 2012 by Gaye Johnson with the approach that treating your employees and clients well provides the best foundation for a healthy and long relationship. This approach has led to a dedicated team that works hard to ensure we provide the best service possible.

In 2017 Midtown Insurance relocated, and we are proud of our new home and permanent location on 6th Avenue. The building was originally built in 1935, and after a year of renovations it has been transformed into a beautiful workplace for both its employees and clients to enjoy. We invite you to stop by for a visit.

410 E. 6TH AVE. | (850) 385-8811 | MIDTOWNINS.COM

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

DEANNA LOUIE, M.D. EYE ASSOCIATES OF TALLAHASSEE

WHAT SETS YOUR BUSINESS APART? Eye Associates of Tallahassee is the oldest and largest practice in Tallahassee that offers the highest quality of patient care. In addition to providing routine eye care for children and adults, our team of optometrists, oculoplastic surgeons and ophthalmologists brings a wealth of experience and surgical expertise to the practice.

WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF WORKING FOR YOUR COMPANY? It’s been great working in a larger practice with highly trained specialists that are able to provide almost every aspect of comprehensive eye care. We support each other and are lucky enough to be able to lend our expertise in difficult situations and diagnoses.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO PURSUE THIS CAREER? From an early age, I knew I wanted to de a doctor. I found eyes to be so intricate and fascinating. I enjoyed helping patients and knowing that I am able to make a positive impact on their lives. If you have to stare at one body part all day, why not the eyes? They are so beautiful!

2020 FLEISCHMANN ROAD, TALLAHASSEE | (850) 878-6161 | EYEASSOCIATESOFTALLAHASSEE.COM

LENA MILLER

BRANCH MANAGER, AMERICAN COMMERCE BANK HOW DID YOU GET INTO BANKING? My interest in numbers — combined with a personal desire to work around people — made banking an obvious choice. Over the years, I am often the first person a newcomer to our community meets when they open their first business or personal account. It’s such an honor. My customers are my extended family.

WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF WORKING FOR YOUR BANK? Our organization is extremely customer-service oriented, and that is evident both internally and externally.

We are encouraged to build genuine and authentic relationships. We are supported by our executive and board teams, who encourage us at every level of the bank to serve people in ways that make sense and not be robotically trained to follow procedures.

WHAT IMPACT DO YOU HOPE TO MAKE ON THE COMMUNITY? It is my hope that customers have received the best possible customer service experience every time they call or stop by. When you are dealing with people’s finances, credibility, professionalism and confidence are extremely important.

WHAT IS THE GOAL OF YOUR BANK? Whether it’s opening your first restaurant or looking for the best money market rates, we want to be the bank that is recognized for helping everyone in our community to achieve their goals.

536 N. MONROE ST., TALLAHASSEE | (850) 681-7761 | AMERICANCOMMERCEBANK.COM

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PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

COLDWELL BANKER HARTUNG AND NOBLIN, INC.

WHAT SERVICES DO YOU PROVIDE? We are a full-service Tallahassee Real Estate company specializing in residential sales, commercial sales and leasing, corporate relocation and investment property sales.

WHAT AWARDS HAS YOUR COMPANY RECEIVED? In addition to our individual real estate professionals and teams being recognized for demonstrating exceptional sales production and leadership, our office earned three prestigious awards from Coldwell Banker for production in 2017. We were proud to have earned the President’s Award of Honor, the Premier Office Bronze Award and the International President’s Premier Office Award.

WHAT SETS YOUR BUSINESS APART? First and foremost — integrity. Chip Hartung, the broker/owner, and our agents built the business on high standards and principles. Our success is due in large part to the relationships we’ve built with customers and the reputation we have maintained. Secondly, CBHN operates with only full-time agents. This provides our company with quality agents that are both committed to their career and helping

our customers, whether it’s selling their home or finding a place to call their own. Lastly, our partnership with the Coldwell Banker national brand gives our brokerage credibility, which helps attract agents and clients. Coldwell Banker is over 111 years old, and their practices prove tried and true. Coldwell Banker has always been a real estate company. They lead the industry in innovative techniques while maintaining traditional values.

HOW DO YOU MEASURE SUCCESS? Being a real estate company, most people would argue our success is a direct correlation to the housing market. However, if that were the case, our local brokerage would not have been around for almost 40 years. According to Chip Hartung, our success is measured by our reputation. We are proud to be known for our integrity and ethics in the local market.

WHAT IS THE GOAL OF YOUR COMPANY? For almost 40 years, our local brokerage has made home our purpose. It defines us and everyone in our network. Our mission will never waver — to deliver the treasure of home, ethically and honestly.

3303 THOMASVILLE ROAD, TALLAHASSEE | (850) 386-6160 | COLDWELLBANKERTALLAHASSEE.COM

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PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

BILL MOORE MARKET PRESIDENT, SYNOVUS

B

ill Moore has an enthusiasm for the Tallahassee community after 25 years serving local business clients.

Because of his experience as the Market President of Tallahassee State Bank, he firmly believes now is the right time to transition to the Synovus brand.

“Synovus has served this community since acquiring Tallahassee State Bank in 1988, so the new name won’t change who we are,” said Moore. “We’ll continue to have a local community-first focus, with an emphasis on personal relationships. That’s a different approach in today’s banking industry, and it means everything to us.”

In April, signs at the four Tallahassee locations changed to reflect the Synovus brand and its success as the “Most Reputable Bank” in the U.S. in the 2017 Survey of Bank Reputations.

“What truly distinguishes Synovus is that serving communities means more than taking deposits, providing loans or earning the right to do the next transaction,” said Moore. “It means connecting with people and helping people connect, so that individuals and businesses can fulfill their potential and thrive where they are.”

601 N. MONROE ST. | (850) 576-1182 | SYNOVUS.COM

ELIZABETH EKK EKK REALTY GROUP

H

ome: where milestones and memories are made.

From a young age, Elizabeth Ekk had a knack for turning a house into a home. Now, she is transitioning into her own firm — Ekk Realty Group — after five years as a part of Ekk and Hamilton Realty. With a pipeline of new construction, resale opportunities, a new office in the Medical District of Midtown and a list of talented realtors on board, she intends to help many more residents find their dream home or a company's new office space.

“The best part of my job is that I get to surrender myself to God and see how he uses me as a tool,” said Ekk. “I connect people, and I then get to watch their happiness come to fruition and their goals be obtained.”

Ekk considers her three children and 17 years of marriage to be her most cherished achievements. She demonstrates to her kids the importance of community involvement by supporting causes such as Second Harvest and the Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Foundation, American Heart Association and Leon County Schools.

“Sixteen years ago, I moved to Tallahassee,” says Ekk, “and since then, I have been helping people see how great the quality of life is here.

“My hope is that I help recruit and keep families that want to continue enhancing Tallahassee’s businesses and community as a whole.”

Ranked 1% of the Top Producing Realtors in Tallahassee out of over 1,400 TBR Members

4004 NORTON LANE, TALLAHASSEE | (850) 567-3455 | ELIZABETHEKK.COM

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SPONSORED REPORT

destinations MAY/JUN 2018

VISITING NOTEWORTHY PLACES NEAR AND FAR

GETAWAY

PHOTOS COURTESY OF IMPERIAL TOURS OF CHINA

Chinese Check-in

Tour companies simplify travel to land of dragons and emperors

↖ The Palace Museum within the Forbidden City was built six centuries ago during the Ming Dynasty.

Now protected within central Beijing, the Forbidden City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

by JACK MACALEAVY

QUICK TRIP

Take Me to the River

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destinations

I

nternational travel, no matter the destination, has its challenges, but choose to visit China and those hurdles are significantly higher.

The language barrier, as you might expect, is considerable. Step outside your major-brand hotel and you are unlikely to encounter anyone equipped to communicate with English speakers.

And, there is the matter of China’s sheer size. It is 585,000 square miles larger than the continental United States — and its population is some 3.8 times larger than that of the U.S. In order to see China’s most familiar sights, the traveler must navigate a number of airports and will experience various forms of ground transportation. He is well advised not to go it alone. Unassisted, even the most experienced globetrotter is likely to have a stressful and disappointing experience.

Fortunately, the China-bound traveler has options of varying costs, all of which will serve to mitigate the “rough edges” he might otherwise confront upon landing in Beijing or Shanghai.

The least expensive is large-group travel (groups of 25-50 people) and is provided by a

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long list of vendors. Groups are Visit the Great Wall as part of required to adhere to an inflexa large group or even a luxury ible schedule of activities. This is budget travel, after all, and you small group and you will find may be made to feel like you are yourself amid a throng of a member of a herd.

A shorter list of companies oftourists. Travel with Imperial fers luxury, small-group (12-14 Tours and you will be escorted to people) excursions. Participants an area along the wall that you choose between alternative itineraries and stay and eat at fine fourwill share with no one else. and five-star hotels. Groups of about a half-dozen couples interact closely with one another over the course of you a unique China experience designed to a 10-14 day adventure. If the chemistry is right, reflect your particular interests as determined this can be a great time. by a pre-trip interview. The company offers If you are willing to pay 10-15% more than a lengthy menu of upgrades and personalized you would for luxury, small-group travel with experiences. just two to eight companions — all of whom Visit the Great Wall as part of a large group you are required to know — I would recomor even a luxury small group and you will find mend without reservation that you engage yourself amid a throng of tourists. Travel with Imperial Tours of China, operated by one of Imperial Tours and you will be escorted to an Beijing’s most celebrated power couples. area along the wall that you will share with no Imperial Tours has been in business for one else. And, you will enjoy a white-tablecloth more than 20 years. Its staff will create for lunch served in a remote guard tower.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF IMPERIAL TOURS OF CHINA

Tourists can be served lunch privately on a section of the Great Wall of China, which spanned 5,500 miles from the Korean border west to the Gobi Desert. Half of the Great Wall has crumbled; international organizations are working to protect and fortify what remains.

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↑ West Lake is a famous site in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province in eastern China. Travelers may view its islands, temples, pavilions, gardens and arched bridges by boat. ↓ The 2,000-yearold Terra-Cotta Army of life-size sculptures keeps watch over the tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang.

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Elsewhere, Imperial Tours will make it possible for you to visit an emperor’s bedroom in the Forbidden Palace in front of Tiananmen Square. When you go to see the Terra-Cotta Army, a collection of sculptures buried with China’s first emperor, you will be permitted to closely inspect one of the unearthed soldiers created to protect the emperor in his afterlife.

(Versus viewing them from a balcony.) These are just a couple of the extras that Imperial Tours clients enjoy.

Those clients are closely attended to and pampered by Imperial Tours personnel throughout their China experience.

After a 14-hour flight that may have you feeling a bit disoriented, an airport VIP greeter escorts you through diplomatic channels to baggage claim and turns you over to an Imperial Tours employee. You ride in a private vehicle

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to your hotel where the employee assists you at check-in. Moments after your first post-flight shower, your room phone rings. Another Imperial Tours rep wants to know if you are comfortable and pleased.

In the morning, you are greeted in the lobby by an Imperial rep who will be with you during days ahead, seeing to logistics and tending to your needs. Local guides at every stopping-off point bring points of interest alive with fascinating stories and answer all of your questions.

Imperial Tours facilitates your air travel to regions within China by taking your bags and passport to the airports early and seeing to your boarding passes. If you have a hotel brand preference, Imperial Tours employees, whenever possible, will ensure that you stay there.

Too, they will guide you to shops offering the jewelry, clothing or art that most interests you.

China is divided into provinces, each offering unique destinations, many of which you will want to see. To facilitate that, the lead Imperial Tours Guide, who accompanies wherever you go, is joined at each of the provinces you visit by a second guide with lots of local knowledge.

These guides prove to be excellent resources who can answer any questions you may have.

As a guest of Imperial Tours, you will travel within the provinces aboard large private coaches that have two or three times more seats than there are passengers. That gives you plenty of operating room. Water and snacks are provided.

So, if you are planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip to China or Tibet and intend for it to be flawless, consider booking with Imperial Tours of China. You will find that it is worth the added investment. TM

PHOTOS COURTESY OF IMPERIAL TOURS OF CHINA

(top) The Potala Palace in the city of Lhasa, administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, served as winter home of the Dalai Lama for 13 centuries. ↑ Now a museum, the palace is a World Heritage Site. Within the palace is a prayer hall, simple but bathed in glorious color.

In a private home outside Hangzhou, in eastern China, an opera singer performs for travelers.

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↑ Guests slide, jump and careen into the Suwannee

BOB’S RIVER PLACE Rope swings are star attraction at Suwannee River swimming hole

by ERIN HOOVER

E

very spring Bob Hawkins opens to visitors a very special half-mile of the Suwannee River on his property. About two hours from Tallahassee outside the tiny town of Branford, Florida, Bob’s River Place is an easy day trip and, visitors attest, a one-of-a-kind experience.

“This is an amazing place, and everyone in Florida should experience it at least once!” a visitor from last season proclaimed on Yelp.

That’s the thing about Bob’s River Place: Its popularity is a product of Internet word-ofmouth, the kind of viral marketing that costs corporate amusement parks plenty of money.

Hawkins is 83 years old and has owned this

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piece of Dixie County for a half century. He explained: “Fifty years ago, it was just the local people. Then visitors started putting videos (of their experience) up on the Internet. People started coming from other places. We have people from all over the state and country now, people from Australia, Japan, Taiwan.”

Bob’s is not a water park. “A water park is man-made, and this is natural. A water park has concrete pools and slides where you have to push yourself along,” Hawkins said. By contrast, visitors at Bob’s River Place enter a swimming hole in the natural-flowing Suwannee River.

To hear Hawkins tell it, he just happened to

River at Bob’s, a privately owned swimming hole.

Bob Hawkins, formerly a marina owner in Miami, says running the place is a labor of love.

build the tree houses, rope swings, water slides and jumping platforms that make the place so much fun — not to mention the floating rafts, volleyball nets, and karaoke stage built right on the water. Bob’s River Place is his private property.

“The first thing we did was put up a rope swing. The locals started stopping off. They’d be driving down the river on a boat and say, ‘can I use your rope swing?’ and the word got out about this place,” Hawkins remembered.

“My rope swings are a big attraction,” he continued. “Kids come from all over to try their expertise with flips, double flips, triple flips and so on. Every now and then you find someone who can do four.”

It’s the kind of playing that older folks may remember doing as kids: vying for king of the dock, swinging high on a rope swing and dunking friends underwater. Though the water is tested by the state Department of Environmental Protection, in general, Bob’s River

PHOTOS COURTESTY OF BOB’S RIVER PLACE

QUICK TRIP

Place is an “at your own risk” adventure. There are no lifeguards.

Hawkins and other volunteers at the park do their part to let visitors know how to participate in activities safely. You’ll see him by the rope swings or jumping platforms keeping an eye out and using a microphone to talk to those new to the park. “I make people aware that there is a danger. If you swing off a rope, you could get hurt. But the main reason people come here is that a kid can be a kid again without a bubble to protect them from everything,” he said.

Hawkins owned a marina in Miami before settling in Branford.

“My wife and I took a trip up here to go camping, and I camped out right next to the bridge on this property. We noticed a ‘for sale’ sign and ended up buying it,” Hawkins remembered. When the Department of Transportation put a highway through his marina, he moved up permanently.

While the activities at Bob’s River Place are mostly geared for teenagers and young adults, the swimming hole is a “bring the whole family” kind of place. Hawkins estimated the appropriate age as 6 to 60.

Bob’s River Place is open for three months in the summer and otherwise on weekends; the park sometimes closes due to flooding, so check the website — bobsriverplace.com —or call first. Visitors are welcome to bring their own food and to barbecue using the provided grills and picnic tables. Public restrooms, changing rooms and showers are available.

a.m. break WITH

ANN

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Thursdays 10:30 am Fox 49 Upgrade Your Experience

Many try to hang onto the hammock and stay dry, but few succeed.

Though Hawkins has spent his own time and energy building Bob’s River Place and he keeps it open all summer, seven days a week, he’s not aiming to profit. By amusement park standards, the entrance and parking fees are extremely affordable.

For Hawkins, it’s a labor of love and no more than that. He said, “I enjoy seeing people come here and have smiles on their faces. It’s a fun thing for me to do. I prefer to do this rather than anything else I can think about.” TM

Audio Video Connections PROFESSIONAL DESIGN & INSTALLATION OF

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Mark Ice, Owner (850) 251-4931

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No turning back: Rowland Publishing employees Charles Bakofsky, Kenzie Lohbeck, Dan Parker, Meredith Brooks and Mandy Chapman tighten their grips on their paddles and brace themselves as they approach rough water during a trip along the Chattahoochee River with WhiteWater Express Outfitters of Columbus, Georgia.

destinations

OUTDOORS

RIDING THE WAVES

by HANNAH BURKE

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lustered in a store cluttered with sporting goods and souvenirs, Rowland Publishing employees clutched towels and shared sunscreen. They had arisen earlier than usual to catch a chartered bus for the two-and-a-half-hour ride from Tallahassee to Columbus, Georgia, home to WhiteWater Express outfitters and what it bills as the longest urban whitewater rafting course anywhere.

Rookie rafters like myself didn’t know what to expect. How does a Class I rapid compare with a Class IV? We had no idea. Would rafts flip and co-workers fly? Meanwhile, experienced rapids riders fairly salivated; for them, bigger meant better.

Organically, the newbies and veterans organized themselves into groups of like and kind. The WhiteWater guides seem to recognize this separating of the strong from the weak and, indeed, the first-timers would be taken down a route less challenging than the one reserved for the confident.

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All of us were escorted to a staging area outside the shop where we were furnished with helmets and paddles and fitted with personal flotation devices (PFDs). I thought I had properly donned my PFD, but the guide who checked my work wasn’t satisfied. He tugged on the straps of the life jacket until I was corseted.

“If you can’t breathe, you can’t drown,” he said.

Next, an especially youthful looking guide served up a safety sermon, one he had surely recited a hundred times before. But he spiced things up with a few jokes that were new, at least to me.

It turns out that the most hazardous thing on the river isn’t the rapids but flying equipment. Following directions, I curled my thumb around the T-grip of the paddle and closed my other fingers over its top as the guide, stern now, made us loudly pledge that we would never let go.

After a short walk and a sticky bus ride, we arrived at the drop-off point on the Chattahoochee River. I noticed that Marah Rhone, our human resources coordinator,

↑ The Rowland crew is pitched forward as their

raft meets up with rapids, leaving their guide to take care of business.

had affixed a GoPro to her helmet. You know HR folks; they’re all about documentation.

The Rowland delegation was split into five groups of five. I would be going down the river with Marah and three other women.

Our guide was a charming young dude who delighted in having an all-girl group to torment — and he wasted no time in doing so. With several deft scoops of his paddle, he soaked us before our raft even departed the bank. While amused by our chorus of squeals, he innocently claimed he was only trying to acclimate us to the water.

PHOTOS COURTESTY OF WHITEWATER EXPRESS

The Chattachoochee provides a thrill ride

Whether you’re hiking, running or biking along the trails or paddling down a river, Trailahassee.com makes planning outdoor excursions easier than ever. With GPS tracking, interactive features and reviews, you can get on the right track when exploring more than 600 miles of greenways and trails in the Tallahassee area.

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The guide showed us how to secure ourselves while seated atop the sides of the raft. But, he told us that if we heard him call out, “Hot tub,” we were to immediately drop to the floor of the raft and brace ourselves for a big rapid.

“Three strokes forward!” our guide bellowed. While not entirely synchronized, we were off. On one side of the river, Columbus. On the other, Phenix City, Alabama. Though the Chattahoochee rapids are manmade, I felt that we were retracing old explorations as the guide fed us tidbits of information about the area’s history.

A light rain began to dimple the river, as we approached the first white water.

“Hot tub!”

The river dipped and then lobbed our raft over the frothy bubbles of the waves. Now on the bottom of the raft, we surfed a swell as our guide managed to keep us all aboard.

Another Rowland raft, however, took on the steepest part of the rapid, and its occupants, with the exception of the guide, were jettisoned into the drink. Marah wished she had turned her GoPro on at that moment to capture the priceless reactions of five colleagues as they were fished out of the river and hoisted back aboard. We were already having so much fun that the prospect of our own boat tipping was no longer a fear.

Passing under several bridges, we soon arrived at the “Lazy River,” a bit of a misnomer. Rowlanders jumped shipped (intentionally) in favor of floating down a half-mile stretch of current. As soon as we departed the raft, the current jerked me and my raft-mates forward.

The five of us joined hands or grabbed other body parts in order to stay together. A passerby on a kayak pointed out that we resembled a group of freefalling skydivers, clinging to one another as we spiraled down the river. Oh, how we dreaded the upload of Marah’s GoPro footage. Helmeted and with water shooting up our noses, we could only imagine how attractive we all looked. By the time we reunited with our guide, adrenaline was coursing through us, and we assured ourselves that we were ready to face the upper-class rapids.

The final rapid, aptly named “The Rookie Crusher,” was my

PHOTOS COURTESTY OF WHITEWATER EXPRESS

SPONSORED REPORT

SPONSORED REPORT

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR REQUIRED MINIMUM DISTRIBUTION The author.

↖ Smooth water, photo at left, provides a welcome respite between

As voted on by the readers of Tallahassee Magazine

encounters with rapids.

↑ Above: The manmade rapids of the Chattahoochee River between

Columbus, Georgia, and Phenix City, Alabama, make for scenery reminiscent of wild waterways in North Carolina and Colorado, but WhiteWater Express prides itself on offering the longest urban rafting experience anywhere.

favorite. In the same way it does in response to the initial drop of a rollercoaster, my stomach flipped as we descended. Though no rookie crushing commenced, Marah and I were knocked onto the floor of the boat. Making a speedy recovery, we hopped back up to conquer the remaining whitewater. Our raft came close to tipping when we were propelled into the air, but we stuck the landing and were gently ejected into the relative calm of the remainder of our trip.

We passed under a bridge called “Boo Thang,” a nod to a touching proclamation of love made by a graffiti artist. Boo Thang surely was honored. My inner redneck surfaced when the guide showed us how to slap our paddles flat against the surface of the water while we paused beneath the bridge. The resulting reports sounded like shotgun blasts.

Alas, we had come to the end of our rafting experience. All wished that the trip could go on. There wasn’t a single person without a smile on her face as she came ashore.

The trip worked as intended. It was a team-builder. I saw my coworkers’ true personalities come to light. And as someone who was just getting started at Rowland Publishing at that time, I was delighted to have shared my river experience with people who proved warm and supportive.

As the uncrushed rookie, it made me feel at home. TM

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WHITEWATEREXPRESS

whitewaterexpress.com (800) 676-7238

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REGIONAL

JULY 14

Tallahassee Top Singles Join the community’s most eligible bachelors and bachelorettes at the hottest event of the summer. Tallahassee’s Top Singles will gather at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center to help raise funds for charity. Each single will be paired with a getaway or experience package, and that package will be auctioned off to raise funds for each single’s selected charity. Last year’s event raised almost $93,000. Cocktail hour is from 6-7 p.m., with the event to follow. This is not a singles event; everyone is invited. Come help us break our fundraising record and help give back to our community.

For tickets and more information, visit tallahasseemagazine.com/Top-Singles.

For tickets and more information, visit tallahasseemagazine.com/Top-Singles.

146 May–June 2018 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM photography

by SAIGE ROBERTS

calendar REGIONAL

MAY/JUN 2018 For more events in Tallahassee, visit TallahasseeMagazine.com.

MAY 5

The Down & Derby Fest

PHOTOS BY LARRY DAVIDSON (TOP SINGLES), SHEMS (SPRING FLING), 8 FIFTY PRODUCTIONS (BLUE MARLIN CLASSIC) / COURTESY OF DOWN AND DERBY FEST (HORSE), INDEPENDENCE LANDING (CHEF YORDON)

→ Get “Down and Derby” with the

Junior League of the Emerald Coast. The JLEC is excited to announce The Down & Derby Fest, taking place at The Market Shops in honor of the 144th running of the Kentucky Derby. The festival will feature “Derby Fare” from local restaurants, highlighting the Emerald Coast’s best savory cuisine, decadent dessert and luscious libations. The event will be held from 4–7 p.m. (VIP starts at 3:30 p.m.) and will showcase a live viewing of the Kentucky Derby. Get lost in the infield with Mose Wilson & The Delta Twang as they serenade guests with Southern rock. Enjoy an extravagant VIP experience at Bijoux Destin, where guests can enjoy complimentary valet parking by 30A Valet, a premium viewing area for the most exciting two minutes in sports, a private bourbon blending presentation

by Timber Creek Distillery and each VIP guest will receive a commemorative 144th Derby glass in their swag bag.

→ Join us for the premier event of the season titled — “Under an Artists’ Moon.” Come enjoy this magical evening as local artists showcase their extraordinary talent and beautiful renderings in the spectacular gardens of Tallahassee Nurseries. This event has raised over $1.2 million to support unfunded programs not otherwise available to hospice patients and their families.

Visit 850tix.com/events/the-down-derby-fest for more info.

Visit bigbendhospice.org to purchase tickets or become a sponsor.

MAY 17

BIG BEND HOSPICE’S SPRING FLING 2018: UNDER AN ARTISTS’ MOON

MAY 31

Bourbon, Bites & Brew → Kick off your summer with the B3 Bash at the Purple

Martin Outpost. This new event will feature tastings of exceptional bourbons from Warhorse Whiskey, limited edition craft beers from Anheuser-Busch and specially selected wines by sommelier Lee Satterfield. In addition, the event will include cuisine prepared by award-winning Chef Jackson Yordon, owner of Kennebunkport, Maine’s Salt & Honey restaurant. There will also be gourmet “bites” by Black Fig, a bourbon and bacon pairing station

by Social Catering and Events, and decadent desserts by Paisley Café. All proceeds benefit Independence Landing, the Big Bend’s first independent living residential community with amenities for individuals with varying cognitive and physical abilities.

For more information, go to independencelandingfl.com or 850tix.com/events/b3-bash.

REGIONAL

JUNE 20-24

EMERALD COAST BLUE MARLIN CLASSIC → Baytowne Marina at

Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort is the place to be for two days of exciting weigh-ins as top anglers vie for nearly $2 million in prizes during the 16th annual Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic, presented by Wind Creek Casino & Hotel – Atmore. Enjoy nightly fun with entertainment and activities.

Visit fishECBC.com to register or for more details.

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MAR/APR 2018

lush orchestration with musical intimacy and will feature Berlioz, Rachmaninoff, Puccini and Respighi.

TALLAHASSEE BALLET: SWAN LAKE & OTHER WORKS

tallahasseesymphony.org

MAY 12-13

TAILS AND TRAILS MAY 6 Tallahassee’s Animal Shelter Foundation (ASF) hosts its 17th annual Tails and Trails race. Whether you’re up for a 1 mile, 5K, 10K or half-marathon race, this event calls to runners and animal lovers. Created by volunteers, ASF is a non-profit organization that benefits animals at the Tallahassee Animal Shelter. animalshelterfoundation.org

REGIONAL

MAY 18–20

DIGITAL GRAFFITI — ART WEEK SOUTH WALTON

→ Explore more than the shore at Art Week South Walton, an initiative of the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County. This spectacular, week-long festival brings a variety of visual, performing and literary arts events to venues throughout South Walton. Events include ArtsQuest, the 30th annual fine arts festival in Grand Boulevard’s Town Center at Sandestin; the Longleaf Writers Conference, a full week of workshops, seminars, readings and events in the iconic town of Seaside; and the Northwest Florida Theatre Festival, an innovative gathering of performing artists and theater enthusiasts. The week ends with Digital Graffiti, which explores the intersection of art and architecture as dozens of original works of art are projected onto the glistening white walls of Alys Beach.

For more information, visit ArtWeekSouthWalton.com.

SOUTHERN SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL MAY 10–13 Travel back in time to the 1500s for this four-day event featuring free, live performances of “Romeo & Juliet”in the Capital City Amphitheater in Cascades Park and a Renaissance fair. Plus poetic performances, interactive activities, period costumes, vendors, food and beverages. southernshakespearefestival.org

The 2017-18 season finale combines excerpts from Acts II & IV of “Swan Lake” and contemporary works performed with a live orchestra, in a blend intended to delight various audiences. Choose a grand evening performance Saturday or a Sunday matinee. tallahasseeballet.org/performances, (850) 224-6917

JOE BONAMASSA MAY 15 Blues-rock guitar icon Joe Bonamassa started his career at the age of 12, when he opened for B.B. King. Today, he is hailed as the Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and guitar virtuoso who brought the blues-rock genre into the mainstream and has had more albums top the Billboard charts than any other blues artist in history. Bonamassa returns to Tallahassee for an exciting show at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center. tuckerciviccenter.com/events/detail/joe-bonamassa

AN EVENING WITH CHICAGO MAY 18 Chicago, the first American band to create six consecutive decades of Top 40 albums, is coming to the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center. Billboard Magazine recently ranked Chicago at No. 9 on its Hot 200 All-Time Top Artists chart. tuckerciviccenter.com/events/detail/an-evening with-chicago

PAS DE VIE BALLET 30th ANNIVERSARY

MYSTERIES BELOW THE GROUND THROUGH JUNE 10 This exhibit at Tallahassee Museum reveals the complexity of ant nest structure and demonstrates Dr. Walter Tschinkel’s method of metal casting to precisely reproduce the underground nests.

Tschinkel’s casts have been featured in 16 museums around the world, from Paris to Hong Kong, including two casts at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.

For details, click on “Explore” at tallahasseemuseum.org

PANACEA BLUE CRAB FESTIVAL MAY 4–5 Calling all seafood lovers! Hosted at

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Dickerson Bay, the Panacea Blue Crab Festival beckons locals and tourists who enjoy fresh Gulf seafood and north Florida’s coastal culture. Besides eating your weight in crab, you can enjoy live music, arts and crafts and a crabpickin’ contest. bluecrabfest.com

AN EPIC EVENING: RACHMANINOFF & RESPIGHI MAY 5 Guest pianist Adam Golka joins the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra for TSO’s season finale, “An Epic Evening” of music at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall. The concert, sponsored by Capital City Bank and Glenn Hosken, promises to combine

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The troupe celebrates its 30th anniversary by presenting a special performance of a family favorite, “Peter and the Wolf,” followed by “Spotlight on Dance” performances the following days. pasdevieballet.com

FREE DAY AT TALLAHASSEE MUSEUM MAY 19 The Tallahassee Museum grants free admission all day to encourage locals to see

PHOTO BY JUN2 (VIOLIN) / GETTY IMAGES PLUS WINE / COURTESY OF DIGITAL GRAFFITI (DIGITAL GRAFFITI)

MAY 18-20

the latest, which includes a temporary exhibit about complex underground ant nests and a visiting guest animal.

This is part of the T.O.U.R. Guide program arranged by Leon County’s Visit Tallahassee tourism office.

between these newlyweds be saved?

Performances each Thursday–Sunday.

tallahasseemuseum.org/calendar

JUNE 11-17

theatretallahassee.org

FRISBEE CHAMPIONSHIPS The 2018 U.S. Overall Frisbee Championships tournament features seven events including disc golf, freestyle, distance, self-caught flight, accuracy, discathon and double disc court. Each event is contested with divisions for open, women and juniors. Free to watch. Events are set for Tom Brown Park, FSU SportsPlex and Optimist Park in Indianhead Acres.

For details, click on “Schedule” at this link: usopenflyingdiscchampionships.com.

TOUR OF GARDENS MAY 19

TALLAHASSEE BALLET: BALLET BARRE CRAWL

This springtime tour of Tallahassee’s finest public and private gardens begins at Maclay Gardens State Park with breakfast, followed by a silent auction, a plant sale and then a self-guided tour of Tallahassee gardens in springtime splendor.

JUNE 12

friendsofmaclaygardens.org

tallahasseeballet.org, or call (850) 224-6917 for more information.

EMANCIPATION CELEBRATION MAY 20 The Knott House Museum hosts its annual re-enactment of the first reading in Florida of the Emancipation Proclamation. The reading is done on the very steps where the famous proclamation was first read in 1865.

Plus readings, prayers, musical performances, dancing and a picnic lunch. museumoffloridahistory.com

Kick off the summer with this fundraiser benefiting The Tallahassee Ballet. Imbibe in all the tastes of CollegeTown and sample some of the best Tallahassee has to offer — all while supporting the Tallahassee Ballet.

Celebrate the Best in Senior Living!

At HarborChase, you will discover innovative 24-hour care, helpful services, a convenient location, and a wealth of exciting activities available daily. Come by for a visit and experience the vibrant and exceptional lifestyle our residents enjoy every day!

WATERMELON FESTIVAL JUNE 15-16

Call now for a tour and chef-prepared lunch on us!

Jefferson County showcases its prize product — sweet, juicy watermelons — in this annual festival which includes a parade, a pageant, watermelon-carving and seed-spitting contests, a car show, children’s theater, a street dance and a 5K run. In historic downtown Monticello.

(850) 517-1997

monticellojeffersonfl.com/watermelonfestival

FLORIDA AFRICAN DANCE FESTIVAL JUNE 7-9 Renowned dancers, musicians and artists bring African arts and culture to life at Tallahassee Community College.

The festival includes exhilarating live performances, national headliners, dance workshops and a marketplace.

PHOTO BY SCOTT HOLSTEIN (PANTHER)

fadf.org

THEATRE TALLAHASSEE: ‘BAREFOOT IN THE PARK’ JUNE 7-24 Opposites attract in this classic Neil Simon comedy, when “boring” Paul marries free-spirited Corie and everything that can go wrong does. Can the love

Tallahassee

YOUNG ACTORS THEATER: ‘PIPPIN’ JUNE 22-JULY 1 This Broadway musical, adapted for all ages, is a contemporary classic, the one that made choreographer Bob Fosse famous. After failing as a warrior, Pippin, son of Charlemagne, is encouraged by a band of players to set out on an adventure to discover passion and the meaning of life. On a quest to be extraordinary, Pippin finds that happiness lies in other ways of living. The story, utterly current today during uncertain times, is set to the unforgettable score by musical theatre giant Stephen Schwartz (“Wicked,” “Godspell”). tallahasseearts.org/event/young-actors-theaterpresents-pippin

100 John Knox Road | Tallahassee, FL 32303 | (850) 517-1997 www.HarborChaseTallahassee.com ALF#9730

Joan H. Raley, REALTOR® CRS, CDPE, SFR, e-PRO, GRI, ABR, CHMS, WCR | Home Economist, Broker/Owner Mobile & Text: 850.545.9390 | JOAN@JOANRALEY.COM | JoanRaley.com

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REGIONAL

JUNE 9

MORNING NATURE WALK AT EDWARD BALL WAKULLA SPRINGS STATE PARK

AD

→ Come join a ranger-led trek through the park from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Enjoy the habitat before the heat of the day sets in, smell the magnolia blossoms, glean tidbits of park history and observe nature with the aid of your guide.

Space is limited; please call (850) 561-7286 to register.

Forgotten Coast

CRAWFORDVILLE

PLAY • SHOP • DINE • STAY

S

pring on the Forgotten Coast has a lot to offer anyone wanting to escape city life for a day, a weekend or longer. Along the bays, beaches and byways there are many opportunities to slow down and take it easy. While there, we recommend visiting the following locations:

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PANACEA

HOLE IN THE WALL

Seafood market and raw bar. Family owned and operated. Serving fresh locally caught seafood. Open Tuesday through Saturday.

(850) 653-3222

LANARK VILLAGE

GULF SPECIMEN AQUARIUM

A unique experience to get up close with sharks, sea turtles, starfish, octopus and other sea life from the Gulf of Mexico. One of the largest touch tanks exhibits in the U.S. (850) 984-5297 gulfspecimen.org

APALACHICOLA Apalachicola Bay

St. George Island

Bob Sikes Cut Cape St. George

PROMOTION

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Dog Island

EASTPOINT

ATTRACTION

Apalachee Bay

CARRABELLE

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23 Avenue D, Apalachicola

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LIVE OAK POINT

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VISIT THE

TALLAHASSEE MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE

FOUNDATION Meet BRIANA EDMUNDS

The month of October brings a lot of different things for different people. For most people in Tallahassee, October brings football games, cooler weather and Halloween. For Briana and Jesse Edmunds, it brought in the opening of their new restaurant, Hawthorn, and a new level of scary that wasn’t Halloween.

“From that Monday to Thursday though, it just got exponentially worse each day,” said Briana. “I got really sick and couldn’t keep a thing down. It went from just a stomach pain to just horrible, horrible symptoms that affected everything to the point where jaundice started to set in

by Thursday.”

It was Friday, October 13, 2017, and Briana Edmunds had been having on and off again stomach pains for about a week. As she and her husband, Jesse, were still fairly new business owners in Tallahassee, they weren’t in a position yet to afford a self-employed health insurance plan – and being just 28 years old and young and healthy, didn’t think they would ever really need it. At 2 am on that Friday morning though, Briana’s stomach pains became debilitating and she decided to go to the Tallahassee Memorial Emergency CenterNortheast. Naturally, the first thought that came through Briana’s head was that she didn’t have health insurance.

When Briana, who had to be wheelchaired in to her preop appointment Thursday, got back to see her nurses, it only took one look at Briana for them to tell her she needed to be taken care of immediately and would be admitted. After getting checked-in and hooked up to IVs, Dr. Watkins determined that she had gallstones that had left her gallbladder, and they would have to do an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) – a procedure that allows an endoscope to go down her throat to retrieve the loose gallstones – and then would follow up with the actual gallbladder removal the next day.

“I immediately told them I didn’t have insurance, so I asked them what can I do and what can I expect, but it was clear that was not their priority and that my health was instead,” said Briana. “They just told me ‘Don’t you even worry about it – we’re going to take care of you first and then we can deal with that afterwards.’”

“That Friday morning I had the ERCP procedure where they actually found and removed three gallstones, and then we moved forward with the gallbladder removal that Saturday,” said Briana. “I think I was so sick and dehydrated even before going in to either of the procedures that I wasn’t surprised when I still felt awful when I woke up afterwards. I really don’t remember much of those two days, but I started vomiting up blood the next day on Sunday, so they took me down to the ICU (intensive care unit).”

After being seen by a doctor, it was determined that Briana would need to have her gallbladder removed. She was referred to meet with Lucas Watkins, MD, general surgeon at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH), the following Monday so they could schedule her surgery. Briana met with Dr. Watkins and his team who explained to Briana that her surgery would be a simple outpatient procedure as long as nothing progressed rapidly.

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T M H F O U N DAT I O N U P DAT E The next day, Dr. Watkins, along with Michael Mangan, MD, gastroenterologist, found that there was a tiny area in Briana that was refusing to clot, which was what was causing Briana to throw up blood, so they performed a quick procedure right there in the ICU to cauterize the bleeding.

“After that, I was in the ICU for four days, but the staff there was incredible. Ms. Connie was my nurse for three of my four days, and I don’t think I’ll ever forget her. She made me feel like I was one of her daughters, and she took care of me like that,” said Briana. “And I can’t say enough about Dr. Watkins. He was amazing through the whole entire process and through every bump in the road we would hit.”

When Briana moved out of ICU and back up to her regular room, she and Jesse were hopeful they would be going home in a few days. That Friday morning though, Briana’s enzyme levels were up, she couldn’t keep down her food, and her doctors told her they weren’t comfortable discharging her yet and would need to do more tests to figure out what was going on.

Briana’s doctors found that her bile duct was constricted a bit which caused bile backup – meaning her pancreatic enzymes weren’t escaping the way they should have been and fluid was pocketing around her pancreas. On Sunday, she had a drain put in to help get rid of the fluid.

It wasn’t until Wednesday that they were able to remove the drainage tube and Briana was finally able to start eating/ drinking a little on her own.

“I remember finally being able to have Gatorade and a popsicle – and it was the best popsicle I’ve probably ever had,” said Briana. “From there, things finally started getting better. I started having blood work done again to make sure my levels were getting back to normal, met with a dietician because I had lost 40 pounds, and was doing exercises to get my strength back.”

There is always a small, miniscule percentage with every procedure where patients may not respond perfectly, no matter how flawlessly the procedure may go. For Briana, she ended up being that tiny percentage every step of the way.

When all was said and done, Briana ended up having a 19-day stay at the hospital.

“Briana’s experience showed us some of the good and the bad of medicine. We saw the natural complications of a disease we encounter everyday like gallstones. We saw the severity of illnesses that can be caused by a disease and treatments.

And we saw how significant illness can impact a young, healthy individual for an extended period of time,” said Dr. Watkins. “But we also saw how TMH helps the people of the community. We saw the care and compassion of all the people in the hospital. And most importantly, we saw how a patient’s drive to fight and recover can lead to great outcomes.”

For Briana, it was a combination of both her drive to get better to return back home to her family, her dogs and her work, and also the indispensable support she received from both her family and TMH. “It was no doubt a tough time, but there were two things that really helped us along the way – one of which was how TMH didn’t hesitate to help me even though we didn’t have insurance. It wasn’t even a priority at all for them, so it allowed me to just focus on getting better,” said Briana. “The second part was Animal Therapy. It was the best day of my life when I got a visit. I was at a point where I mentally felt like I was good enough to go home, but I knew that my lab work was saying I wasn’t ready – so when this beautiful black lab came in, I just bawled happy tears. When Animal Therapy was there, it didn’t feel like a hospital anymore.”

Just a few months later, Briana is completely healthy again, and she and Jesse have only focused on the good that has come of Briana’s health scare. Knowing how important it was to have TMH on their side when it came to providing care and working with them on their insurance, the Edmunds’ – who employ many people through Liberty Bar & Restaurant, El Cocinero, The Hawthorn, Liberty Catering & Events and Liberty Farms – want to make sure their employees feel the same level of reassurance and peace of mind that TMH provided them. The Edmunds’ are currently in the process of getting a company healthcare insurance plan for all of their employees - something that many know is very rare to come across in the restaurant industry.

“The entire staff – and not just the doctors, nurses and personal care attendants (PCAs) – but every single person I interacted with was just so compassionate, caring and generous. You really felt that they loved their job, loved working there and just wanted to get you better,” said Briana.

“Every single person made such an impact on me and made it memorable for all the right reasons. I felt so loved from everyone and am so grateful for the care I received while there. And now we’re so excited to be involved with TMH and the Foundation so we can start giving back.”

If you’re a grateful patient and are interested in sharing your story or learning how you can get involved, please contact the TMH Foundation at Foundation@TMH.ORG.

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Golden Gala XXXV

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Tallahassee’s premier black-tie event, Golden Gala, took place this April 19 featuring the No. 1 bestselling duo in music history, Daryl Hall & John Oates.

From securing top-tier talent and curating a culinary experience, to handcrafting floral displays and steaming linen, countless hours went into this event that proved to be an energizing – and immaculate – one for all involved.

Thank you to all who attended, sponsored and supported Golden Gala XXXV, which is hosted by the Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH) Foundation and supports TMH’s vision of transforming care, advancing health and improving lives.

Head over to TMH.ORG/GoldenGala to view an image gallery and full recap of the night.

T H E TA L L A H A S S E E TENNIS CHALLENGER Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare and its Foundation want to thank everyone who helped make the 19th annual Tallahassee Tennis Challenger another wildly successful event. With 46 matches that drew professional tennis players from all over the world, this sold-out event benefitted the Tallahassee Memorial Vogter Neuro Intensive Care Unit – the only neuro intensive care unit in our region.

Patients in the Vogter Neuro ICU receive treatment for everything from advanced stroke care, aneurysms and traumatic brain injuries to memory disorders, spinal cord injuries and more. The Tallahassee Tennis Challenger has raised more than $750,000 throughout the years to directly benefit patient care in the Vogter Neuro ICU. A special thank you to all of the attendees and sponsors who helped make this happen.

For the final results and a full recap including winners and photos, visit tallahasseechallenger.com.

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T M H F O U N DAT I O N U P DAT E

WHY I GIVE

STEPHEN TAYLOR Stephen Taylor, a devoted father and 2017 Tallahassee Magazine Top Single Honoree, selected Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare’s (TMH) Children’s Center as his chosen charity. The Top Singles event raises thousands of dollars for various charities, with $2,500 going to the Children’s Center, a place Stephen has been personally connected to since his daughter, Kaelyn, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia at age four.

“In a word, her diagnosis was tough. You never think it will happen to your own kid,” said Stephen. “I never could have imagined my own daughter being diagnosed with cancer, especially at such a young age. I didn’t even know what Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia was.”

Kaelyn was treated at UF Health Shands Children’s hospital in Gainesville, and received blood transfusions and other intermittent treatment at the Kids Korner in TMH’s Children’s Center. The only unit of its kind in Tallahassee, the Kids Korner is a special outpatient area for young patients that offers lab work, blood transfusions, endocrine studies, IVs, pre- and post-operative care, and recovery from procedures requiring sedation.

“Going to the Kids Korner was great. It was so nice not to have to travel all the way to Gainesville, and it’s such a beautiful facility that it makes doctors appointments a breeze,” said Stephen. “The Children’s Center did so much for me and my family.”

After seeing how much TMH’s Children’s Center helped him and his daughter through an incredibly difficult time in their life, Stephen knew he wanted to figure out how he could give back. When he was selected to be a Tallahassee Top Single, Stephen knew exactly who he would choose for his charity.

“It was a no-brainer choosing Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare. They have given my daughter and I so much, the least I could do is give back,” said Stephen.

“TMH is a true pillar in our community, and I had such a great time raising money for them that I now try to do more even after the event has ended. My whole experience at TMH was amazing and I’m glad that I can now help them in return.”

Stephen and his daughter, who is now 11-years-old, are back to their regular, cancer-free lives. Stephen and Kaelyn come back to the Kids Korner a few times a year to do blood work and regular check-ups.

“If I could give advice to other parents going through a child’s cancer diagnosis, I would tell them to never lose faith,” said Stephen. “There is a light at the end of the tunnel and you can never give up hope. Know that the doctors and nurses are there for you, and they will help you every step of the way.”

For more information about the Tallahassee Memorial Children’s Center or how you can give back, please contact Judi Wills at Judi.Wills@TMH.ORG or 850-431-5904.

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THE PEGGY AND RAY MUNROE, SR. FAMILY CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO THE 5TH ANNUAL

“HAVE A HEART” CELEBRATION 100% OF DONATED FUNDS FROM THE EVENING WILL BE DESIGNATED FOR THE RAY B. MUNROE, JR. PHD ENDOWMENT AT THE TMH FOUNDATION TO BENEFIT THE TALLAHASSEE MEMORIAL HEART & VASCULAR CENTER

MAY 10, 2018 | 6:00 P.M.

MAYS-MUNROE SHOWROOM 2791 CAPITAL CIRCLE NORTHEAST TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA 32308 Admission is complimentary. Donations of any amount welcomed at the door.

Enjoy delicious hors d’oeuvres, espresso martinis, beer, wine, soft drinks and music while participating in: ~ Live Auction ~ Silent Auction ~ Raffle Items ~ ~ Presentation by cardiologist Frank Gredler ~ Valet parking will be available.

Further information at info@Mays-Munroe.com or 850-385-9495.

Be sure to like the Mays-Munroe Facebook page and/or follow maysmunroe on Instagram for updated auction items and event information!

The Ride for Hope - In Memory of Lou Farrah June 9, 2018 at the North Florida Fairgrounds

• A fun-filled cyclist and wellness event for all ages, where proceeds will benefit the Tallahassee Memorial Cancer Center.

• Provides four distance rides ranging from an 11-mile to a 68-mile metric century through the rolling hills and canopy roads of Tallahassee.

• Features music, food, face painting and fun for the whole family.

Visit TheRideForHope.com for registration and more information.

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A DAY IN THE LIFE

Mickey S. Moore, TMH Foundation President

“Nurse managers are one of our key groups of colleagues that greatly impact the very reasons we are all here.”

At Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH), we recently began a new program designed to showcase the roles individual departments play in the organization – we call it “A Day in the Life.”

As a recent participant in the program, I had the honor and pleasure of spending an entire day shadowing our nursing operations team, nursing supervisors and the transfer team, and walked away with a more in-depth understanding of just how special their work is.

At the beginning of every day, the care of our patients starts with aligning and positioning our nurses to service all floors of the hospital to the very best of our ability. Considering all that is involved – the patient census, the alternating schedules of everyone, the scheduled patient arrivals/discharges/surgeries, and not to mention the expected, but unpredictable, daily changes – it is a challenging task to maneuver the pieces in place to reach high patient satisfaction. I was so impressed with how so much information was received, charted, tracked, adjusted and shared. It is clear communication is key to their success.

Nurse managers are one of our key groups of colleagues that greatly impact the very reasons we are all here – the quality of care. I witnessed one of their morning huddles and all were welcoming, warm and focused. The topics they reviewed ranged from discussing staffing and supply levels, to Joint Commission and therapeutic duplication. Granted, a lot of it went above my non-clinical head, but the one thing I noticed was how to-the-point and highpaced everything was – they had no time for inefficiency. It was obvious to me that they strive to do the very best for our patients within the rules and regulations provided.

As the morning progressed, I transitioned to a rotation with our nursing supervisors – a group of amazing multi-taskers and communicators.

I observed over and over again how they fervently – yet with composure and focus – received, tracked, managed, moved and coordinated any and all information pertaining to our patient placement. My first thought was how impressive they were. My second thought was ‘how do they keep up this pace and not lose their minds with all of this information?’

They shared that one secret to their success was being anticipatory – especially when planning patient movements around surgery and for downgrades (when the patient is getting better).

Unfortunately, the patient upgrades (when the patient is getting worse) come unexpectedly and often – thus, another success secret shared was being adaptable. Our transfer team, who are constantly answering the calls for help from around our community and region, deserve the utmost gratitude and praise. Through their “switchboard,” so many lives are dependent on their timeliness, accuracy, composure and compassion for a safe arrival at TMH. I then ended the afternoon completing rounds with one of the nurse supervisors. From a big picture perspective, the first half of the day, they spend all their efforts to place both nurses and patients in the best possible quality of care situation they can, based on the prior evening and current census. Then, as they put it, the rounds in the afternoon can be a sort of “trauma tango” – a tense, and sometimes hurried, exercise of balancing resources to meet ever-changing needs of patients and departments. Together we walked every floor of the main hospital (by stairways, not elevators) and at times were fast-walking like those racing in the Olympics – I could barely keep pace (says a sub-three-hour marathoner). The care and commitment for patients was evident everywhere I went, and our nursing supervisor consistently executed a welcoming approach to each engagement.

As I ended the day back in the operations office, I committed to continuing to visit with them now and then, and commended all of them for their work. As a colleague, I am a proud member of the TMH team, and this entire group truly inspired me. Since coming to TMH, I have wondered many times just how all these moving pieces come together – EMS, surgeries, in-patient, outpatient, upgrades, downgrades, pre-op, post-op, staffing, discharge, to name a few. I have now seen the light – and it shines brightly on nursing operations!

The TMH Foundation Update is produced by the Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Foundation 1331 East Sixth Avenue, Tallahassee, FL 32303 | 850-431-5389 | Foundation@TMH.ORG

To make a secure online donation, we invite you to visit TMHFoundation.ORG.

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SOCIAL STUDIES Leon Heart Ball

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MAR. 3 Complete with a silent and live auction, a multi-course dinner and live entertainment, the 2018 Leon Heart Ball, which benefited the American Heart Association, was held at The Pavilion at the Centre of Tallahassee. It was the ball’s most successful event ever as it raised $310,000, which will help fund life-saving research, education and raise awareness for heart disease and strokes. photography by MIKE COPELAND, COPELAND PRODUCTIONS

1D ale Kishbaugh, Sherrie Kishbaugh, Jim LeVan, Erin Ennis, Brad Hollis, Marilyn M. Cox, M.D., Bill Placilla, M.D., Debra Placilla 2 Jessica Daniels, Lynne Troelstrup

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3 Shannon Dixon, Chair 4D r. Bill Dixon, Cyndie Kottkamp, Jeff Kottkamp, Shannon Dixon 5 Dr. and Mrs. Bill and Shannon Dixon 6 Paul and Jessica McCormick 7 The RiverTown Band

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Proctor Acura 3523 W. Tennessee Street Tallahassee, FL 32304 850-574-6600 PROCTORACURA.COM proctoracura.com

©2017 Acura. Acura, TLX, and the stylized "A" logo are trademarks of Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

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SOCIAL STUDIES FCCU Power Forward Social Studies JAN. 31 Airbnb’s Chip Conley took Tallahassee business leaders “surfing” into the future as the fifth speaker in the First Commerce Credit Union Power Forward Speaker Series, Tallahassee’s largest annual business event, which welcomed over 850 attendees. photography by KAY MEYER

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1 Mary Estes, Carson Utecht, Kim Howes, Chip Conley, Cecilia Homison, Donnie Peaks, Jan Sheffield, Greg Adams 2 Chip Conley 3 Chip Conley and DeVoe Moore 4 Julie Montanaro and Chip Conley

The Divine Sisterhood of the Costume Closet Fundraiser FEB. 24 The Divine Sisterhood of the Costume Closet is an annual girls-nightout fundraiser for The Tallahassee Ballet’s costume fund. This year’s event was at the home of Lisa Gragnella. The theme was Las Vegas and featured a cocktail hour, dinner catered by Blu Halo, dancing, live music, fortune telling and Vegas-style entertainment. photography by HANNAH WAGNER

1 Carri Britt, Julia Doering, Paige Centers, Jillian Grall, Hope Eltomi 2 Brenda Huang, Janet Pichard, Daniela Jones, Kasia Chodyla, Melissa Barton 3 Trina Searcy, Lisa Graganella, Heidi Handel, Kendall Dickey, Wendy Baggett 4 Jillian Grall, Julia Doering 5 Lisa Parham, Michelle Sundberg

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Custom skin care & regimens Microblading performed by a registered nurse Luxury waxing 7

HAIR WAX/LASER SERVICES DAY SPA

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C E RT I F I E D B Y A H C A

Deficiency Free FEBRUARY 2018

bumblebee-waxing.com Assisted Living Facility #9746

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PROMOTION

SOCIAL STUDIES Fast Cars & Mason Jars

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FEB. 24 The 2018 Fast Cars & Mason Jars event benefiting Treehouse Tallahassee was a record-breaking event. A huge thank you to our premium sponsors: Fasig Brooks, Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet, Capital City Bank, Stand-Up MRI and all those who came out to support Treehouse.

Your support helps further the mission of providing love and care to the kids of Treehouse. photography by MATT OF DIGITAL EYES TALLY

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1 Treehouse Board of directors: Slater Bayliss, Allie Vanlandingham, Andrea Carlile, Allison Harrell, Rian Meadows, Sheila Mork, Jimmy Fasig, Dennis Gallant, Louis Poskey, Christina Riccardi, Dan Sherraden, Meredith Strange, Mark Yealdhall, Merritt Newell, Marlene Williams, Parker Sullivan, Ashley Chaney 2 Morgan Raney, Janette Fasig, Allison Harrel 3 Kate Wasson, Jennifer Diaz, Crissy Tallman, Carrie Millar, Alexis Lambert 4 Abbey Hopkins, Jamie Grant, Ashley Meeks 5 Parker Sullivan, Dana Brooks Cooper, Carrie Mendrick Roane

Social Studies Correction Pigmania 2018 JAN. 26 On page 168 of our March-April issue, the event information for Pigmania was incorrect. We also corrected a photo caption to fix the spelling of Debara Jump. The correct event details are as follows: Goodwood Museum & Gardens celebrated the art of Southern cooking and entertaining with Tallahassee’s finest chefs. Live music was accompanied with a feast featuring roast pigs, raw oysters, fried chicken, sweet potato fries, kicked-up coleslaw and many other local favorites. This year’s event helped ensure the long-term conservation of the museum and helped support museum operations. photography by JOSLYM GARZON

1 Debara Jump, Cindy Phipps 2 Sandy Proctor, JoAnn Bixler, Cissy Proctor, Melinda Proctor, Stewart Proctor, Stan Proctor and Cort Lippe

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For more than 30 years, Florida Cancer Specialists has been bringing world-class cancer care to patients across the state.

Scott Tetreault, M.D. Viral Bhanderi, M.D. Paresh Patel, M.D.

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(850) 219-5830 2626 Care Dr, Suite 200 1600 Phillips Rd, Suite 300

For more information visit: FLCANCER.COM

Permanently Stop Underarm Sweat Now. Embrace every moment of life to the fullest – without fear or embarrassment of underarm issues getting in the way. Whether you’re out with friends or going on a special date – miraDry® is your solution for sweat-free underarms in as little as one easy treatment.

~ FDA Cleared ~ Non-invasive ~ Toxin-free ~ Quick, in-office treatment ~ Minimal to no downtime

~ Immediate results ~ Permanent results ~ Antiperspirant Free ~ Underarm sweat solution

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Call Southeastern Plastic Surgery to learn more about miraDry®

Ben J. Kirbo, M.D. ~ Laurence Z. Rosenberg, M.D. ~ Chris DeRosier, M.D.

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CERTIFIED BY THE AMERICAN BOARD OF PLASTIC SURGERY

850.219.2000

2030 Fleischmann Rd. ~ Tallahassee, FL

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www.se-plasticsurgery.com TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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O

ur capital city is where families are raised, college students study, politicians make major decisions and young adults begin their careers — all blending together at work and at play. Tallahassee is growing and thriving while striving to only offer the best. Our quality of life is further enhanced by superior products, catered customer service and inviting atmospheres provided by our favorite businesses. These are the reasons we crave Friday night at our favorite restaurant, anticipate Saturday at local bars, plan Sundays at a scenic park, count on our barista to know our order Monday morning and entrust service providers to perform efficient work during our weekly appointments. As a way to express your gratitude to the businesses that make your life the best it can be, cast your ballot for the 2018 Best of Tallahassee awards.

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2018 OFFICIAL BEST OF TALLAHASSEE BALLOT brought to you by

RULES To preserve the integrity of the voting process, the following contest rules must be observed in order to cast a ballot and ensure it is included in the voting tabulation process: • Only ballots printed on original Tallahassee Magazine pages will be accepted; no copies or facsimiles of the ballot will be counted as a vote.

• Ballots must have votes marked in at least 10 different categories in order to be counted.

• Each vote must list the name of a business/company.

Individual names alone will not be counted.

• All votes must be cast for locally owned businesses in and around Tallahassee. Votes for any business located outside of a 30-mile radius from the city limits will not be counted.

• Locally owned and operated companies are defined by the owner or a managing partner living in Tallahassee or within a 30 mile radius the of Tallahassee city limits.

•O nly ballots cast for locally owned and operated companies will be counted.

•O nly one ballot per envelope is permitted.

•A ll ballots must be mailed directly to Thomas Howell Ferguson, a third party organization responsible for processing the ballots. The firm’s address is: T homas Howell Ferguson P.A., CPAs C/O: Best of Tallahassee P.O. Drawer 14569 Tallahassee, FL 32317 • Ballots must be postmarked by Jun 15, 2018.

• Obvious attempts at ballot stuffing will be disqualified.

• Any winning business must be in good standing with Rowland Publishing, Inc. in order to be promoted as a “Best of” winner.

Once ballots are counted, all tabulations are final.

Tallahassee Magazine will recognize the results of the winners and honorable mentions for every category in the Nov/Dec issue.

Rules apply for winners and honorable mentions.

A business can win the “Best of” award in no more than two categories. If a business is the leading vote-getter in more than two categories, that business will win only the “Best of” award for the two categories in which it received the most votes.

Hotdog__________________________________

FOOD & BEVERAGE Appetizer_________________________________

Italian Restaurant ___________________________

Asian____________________________________

Cold Pressed Juice/Smoothie ___________________

Bakery___________________________________

Lunch___________________________________

Bar_____________________________________

Martini/Cocktail ____________________________

Barbecue_________________________________

Mexican/Latin American Restaurant_______________

Breakfast_________________________________

Outdoor Dining Restaurant _____________________

Brunch __________________________________

Pizza____________________________________

Cajun Restaurant____________________________

Restaurant________________________________

Casual Dining______________________________ Catering _________________________________ Celebration/Special Occasion Restaurant____________ Coffee Shop_______________________________ Dessert__________________________________ Ethnic Restaurant___________________________

Sandwich_________________________________ Seafood Market_____________________________ Seafood Restaurant__________________________ NEW

Southern Cuisine/Food____________________

Sports Bar________________________________

Fine Dining Restaurant________________________

Steakhouse _______________________________

Hamburger________________________________

Sushi____________________________________

Happy Hour_______________________________

Wine List/Wine Bar___________________________

Hibachi__________________________________

Wings___________________________________

Funds

BRIGHT FUTURES SCHOLARSHIPS

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SERVICE PROVIDERS Air Conditioning/Heating ______________________ Alterations________________________________ Assisted Living Facility________________________ Auto/Body Shop ____________________________ Automobile Dealer___________________________ Bank____________________________________ Banquet Facility_____________________________ Carpet Cleaner_____________________________ Cell Phone and Computer Repair_________________ Child Care Provider__________________________ Children’s After School Program__________________ Chiropractor_______________________________ Commercial Real Estate Agency__________________ Counseling/Therapist_________________________ Credit Union_______________________________ Customer Service____________________________ Dance Studio______________________________ Day Spa__________________________________

Pediatric Practice____________________________ Pest Control Service__________________________ Photographer______________________________ Plumbing Service____________________________ Pool Repair/Service Company___________________ Printing/Copying Services______________________ Residential Painter___________________________ Residential Real Estate Agency___________________ Roofing Repair/Services_______________________ Security System ____________________________ Sign Company _____________________________ Sports/Physical Therapy _______________________ Surgical Practice____________________________ Tree Service_______________________________ Veterinary Clinic____________________________ Wedding Venue ____________________________ Weight Loss/Control Program____________________

Dental Practice_____________________________

SHOPPING

Dermatology Practice_________________________

Antique Shop______________________________

Dry Cleaner _______________________________

Cosmetic Vendor____________________________

Electrical Company__________________________

Eyeglass Store______________________________

Event/Wedding Planner _______________________

Furniture Store_____________________________

Family Physician Practice ______________________

Gift Store_________________________________

Financial Advisor____________________________

Jewelry Store______________________________

Fitness Studio______________________________

Kids Clothing ______________________________

Flooring (carpet/tile/etc) ______________________

Men’s Accessories ___________________________

Florist___________________________________

Men’s Clothing _____________________________

Gym/Health Center __________________________

Men’s Shoes _______________________________

Hair Salon/Studio ___________________________

Nursery/Garden Center/Landscaping Materials ________

Hair Wax/Laser Services _______________________

_______________________________________

Hotel ___________________________________

Sporting Goods Store_________________________

Insurance Agency ___________________________

Store____________________________________

Interior Design Firm__________________________

Teen Clothing Store__________________________

Landscaping/Lawn Services ____________________

Women’s Accessories ________________________

Law Firm/Attorney Practice _____________________

Women’s Clothing ___________________________

Limo Service_______________________________

Women’s Shoes ____________________________

Local Charity/Nonprofit Organization_______________ Maid Service/House Cleaning ___________________

ENTERTAINMENT

Medical Spa _______________________________

Community Event___________________________

Monogramming/Embroidery Services ______________

Entertainment Venue_________________________

Moving Company____________________________

Golf Course _______________________________

Nail Salon_________________________________

Local Band________________________________

Obstetric/Gynecological Practice_________________

NEW

Optometry/Ophthalmology Practice_______________

Place to Take the Kids_________________________

May–June 2018

TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

Nightlife/Live Music Venue__________________

TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR 6 ONLINE EXCLUSIVE CATEGORIES VISIT TALLAHASSEEMAGAZINE.COM/BEST-OF-TALLAHASSEE-2018-BALLOT

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Orthodontic Practice_________________________

TALLAHASSEE

TALLAHASSEE NURSERIES BEST GARDEN CENTER | 2 0 1 7

Thank you for choosing us as Best Garden Center once again! Visit us to find all your favorite annuals, perennials, succulents, gifts, orchids, house plants, fruit trees, citrus trees, shrubs, seeds, bird feeders and everything else spring! See you soon!

2911 THOMASVILLE ROAD 8 5 0 . 3 8 5 . 2 1 6 2 | TA L L A H A SS E E N U R S E R I E S . CO M

CAPITAL CITY BANK BEST FINANCIAL INSTITUTION |

RUSSELL B. RAINEY, DMD BEST DENTAL PRACTICE | 2 0 0 6 – 2 0 1 7

We thank you for voting us “Best Dentist” for the 2017 Best of Tallahassee Awards!

We are humbled and honored by your trust in our practice as we continue to serve our community through innovative dentistry and personalized care.

THE PROCTOR DEALERSHIPS AUTOMOBILE DEALER | 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 7

The Proctor Dealerships are rich in history and service to the Tallahassee community dating back to 1910. Our commitment to our customers and employees continues to be our primary focus at Proctor Honda, Proctor Acura and Proctor Subaru.

P R O C TO R H O N DA | 2 37 3 W. T E N N E SS E E ST. 850.576.5165 | PROCTORHONDA.COM P R O C TO R AC U RA | 352 3 W. T E N N E SS E E ST. 8 5 0 . 5 74 . 6 6 0 0 | P R O C T O R A C U R A . C O M

8 5 0 . 3 8 5 . 370 0 | 2 2 1 E . 7 T H AV E .

D R R A I N E Y. C O M

P R O C TO R S U B A R U | 1 707 C A P I TA L C I R C L E N E 850.702 .5678 | PROCTORSUBARU.COM

BENSON’S HEATING AND AIR AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING | 2 0 0 5 - 2 0 1 7

MADISON SOCIAL BEST HAPPY HOUR | 2 0 1 6 - 2 0 1 7

Your No. 1 heating and air conditioning team!

Benson’s is proud to have provided North Florida and South Georgia with 24/7 service for more than 35 years. Thank you for voting us the best heating and air conditioning company.

Anywhere with a view of Doak Campbell Stadium is a great place to enjoy an end of day cocktail, but add in weekday specials from 4-7 p.m. on select sociables, beer cocktails, house wine, wells and select domestic drafts and you have yourself Tallahassee’s Best Happy Hour.

5402 TOWER ROAD 8 5 0 . 39 1 . 3 6 2 3 | B E N SO N S H VAC .CO M

70 5 S . WO O DWA R D AV E .

850.894.6276 | MADISONSOCIAL.COM

2012-2013 BEST BANK | 2 0 1 4 - 2 0 1 7

A special thanks to Tallahassee Magazine readers for voting us “Best of Tallahassee.” We are honored to have been chosen again. Each day we live to fulfill our brand promise of being “More than your bank.

Your banker.”

1 3 LO C AT I O N S TO S E R V E YO U 850.402 .7500 | CCBG.COM

COOSH’S BAYOU ROUGE CAJUN RESTAURANT | 2 0 1 0 - 2 0 1 7

Coosh’s Bayou Rouge, where every day is Mardi Gras and you don’t even have to leave Tallahassee! Crawfish, jambalaya and red beans and rice await at Tallahassee’s Best Cajun Restaurant!

6 2 67 O L D WAT E R OA K R OA D | 8 5 0 . 8 9 4 . 4 1 1 0 7 0 5 S . W O O D WA R D AV E . , S U I T E 1 0 2 | 8 5 0 . 5 9 7. 9 5 0 5 | C O O S H S . C O M

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BLUE RIBBON CLEANERS DRY CLEANER | 2 0 1 6 - 2 0 1 7

Over 25 years of cleaning service and being locally owned and operated means Blue Ribbon provides that local connection Tallahassee has grown to trust and respect!

1 6 6 0 N . M O N R O E | 1 1 0 2 E . L A F AY E T T E 2 1 07 C A P I TA L C I R C L E N E

BUMBLEBEE WAXING AND MORE HAIR WAX/LASER SERVICES | 2 0 1 7

We were so full of gratitude for our double win in the Best of awards in 2016 and 2017, spa and hair removal! Let’s do it again.

Cheers, The BumbleBee Team 359 N . M O N R O E ST. 850.631 .1868 | BUMBLEBEE-WAXING.COM

CLARK ORTHODONTICS ORTHODONTIST | 2 0 1 7

Clark Orthodontics provides superior orthodontic treatment for children, teens and adults.

The Clark team is trained and skilled and strives to provide an energetic and fun-loving environment to each patient. Dr. Clark is trained in the latest orthodontic technology and has earned the Invisalign Gold Plus Provider status, which requires treatment for over 300 patients. Call us and schedule your complimentary consultation today!

5555 ROANOKE TRAIL 8 5 0 . 3 8 5 . 2 8 2 2 | C L A R K O R T H O T A L L Y. C O M

HELGA’S TAILORING BEST ALTERATIONS | 2 0 1 0 - 2 0 1 7

With more than 28 years of experience, Helga’s offers a full range of fine tailoring and alterations services in two locations. We can work with any style or material and are equally adept with both men’s and women’s clothing. Helga’s can create custom clothing and handle last-minute, same-day alterations. Two master tailors are available with two convenient locations.

2 9 0 1 E . PA R K A V E . | 8 5 0 . 8 7 7. 1 2 6 6 1535 KILLEARN CENTER BLVD. | 850. 270.9399 H E LG A STA I LO R I N G . CO M

NARCISSUS BEST WOMEN’S ACCESSORIES | 2 0 1 1 - 2 0 1 7 BEST WOMEN’S CLOTHING | 2011, 2012, 2014,

AMWAT MOVING, WAREHOUSING & STORAGE BEST MOVING COMPANY | 2 0 1 4 – 2 0 1 7

2016, 2017 BEST WOMEN’S SHOES | 2011-2017

Thank you from all of us at Narcissus for voting for us in last year’s Best of Tallahassee! We love styling and shopping with such a fabulous community and appreciate your support. We look forward to another Best of win this year. Don’t forget to vote on the ballot found in this issue starting on page 173.

1408 TIMBERLANE ROAD 8 5 0 . 6 6 8 . 4 8 07 | @ N A R C I S S U STA L LY

AMWAT is one of Florida’s most trusted moving companies with a global reach. We set the standard by providing efficient, reliable and cost effective local, national and international award-winning moving services. FL IM 1026 319 ROSS ROAD 8 5 0 . 8 7 7. 7 1 3 1 | A M W A T M O V E R S . C O M

NIC’S TOGGERY MEN’S ACCESSORIES | 2 0 1 6 – 2 0 1 7 MEN’S CLOTHING | 2 0 1 5 – 2 0 1 7 MEN’S SHOES | 2 0 1 6 – 2 0 1 7

Thank you for voting Nic’s 2017 Best of Tallahassee! Generations of Southern style.

THE GALLERY | 850.893.9599 DOWNTOWN | 850. 222 .0687 B I G - T A L L | 8 5 0 . 3 8 5 . 6 8 6 6 | N I C S T O G G E R Y. C O M

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DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE BALLOT STARTING ON PAGE 165 TO VOTE FOR THIS YEAR’S CATEGORIES.

MADISON SOCIAL BEST BAR | 2 0 1 4 , 2 0 1 5 , 2 0 1 7

Open every day, Madison Social is Tallahassee’s most exciting Social House that features lunch, dinner, happy hour and late night experiences for all ages. It’s the perfect place to enjoy one of our gourmet brunch items or a refreshing cocktail from our bar menu.

70 5 S . WO O DWA R D AV E .

850.894.6276 | MADISONSOCIAL.COM

OPTIONS BY E.T. INTERIOR DESIGN FIRM | 2 0 1 7

COLDWELL BANKER HARTUNG AND NOBLIN, INC BEST RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AGENCY |

2000, 2008, 2009, 2015-2017

Real Estate has been our purpose since 1979. We are proud to be your choice broker for residential sales, commercial sales, and corporate relocation. We appreciate your vote in this year’s Best of Tallahassee!

MILLER’S TREE SERVICE BEST TREE SERVICE | 2 0 0 9 – 2 0 1 7

Thank you for voting Miller’s Tree Service as Tallahassee’s best tree service for nine straight years.

We appreciate your continued support and are committed to providing the highest level of customer service in the years to come. “We’ll go out on a limb for you.”

4951 WOODLANE CIRCLE 8 5 0 . 8 9 4 .T R E E ( 87 3 3 ) | M I L L E RT R E E S R V. CO M

3 3 03 T H O M A SV I L L E R OA D 8 5 0 . 3 8 6 . 61 6 0 | CO L DW E L L B A N K E R TA L L A H A SS E E . CO M

MOMO’S PIZZA BEST PIZZA | 2 0 1 6 - 2 0 1 7

FIT WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM | 2013, 2014,

2016-2017

Thank you for voting Options by E.T. Best of Tallahassee!

Over 19 years of design have made me the type of designer that works to give you the OPTIONS for the space you are looking for.

Award-winning made-from-scratch New York-style hand-tossed pizza and calzones. Two locations.

8 5 0 . 5 0 9 . 3 0 67 | E V E R E T T@ O PT I O N S BY E T.CO M

T E N N E SS E E ST. 8 5 0 . 2 24 . 9 8 0 8 M A R K E T S T. 8 5 0 . 4 1 2 . 0 2 2 2 | M O M O S P I Z Z A . C O M

FIT specializes in medical weight loss, wellness support and aesthetic services.

Whether you want to lose or maintain your weight, increase your energy or improve your appearance, FIT will be your healthy inspiration. Start your journey today!

1 9 0 9 C A P I TA L C I R C L E N E 8 5 0 . 3 8 5 .1 1 0 5 | I N S P I R E D BY F I T.CO M

BUMBLEBEE WAXING AND MORE DAY SPA | 2 0 1 7

We were so full of gratitude for our double win in the Best of awards in 2016 and 2017, Best Day Spa and Best Hair Removal! Let’s do it again. Cheers, The BumbleBee Team 359 N . M O N R O E ST. | 8 5 0 . 63 1 .1 8 6 8 | B U M B L E B E E-WAX I N G .CO M

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PINK NARCISSUS BEST TEEN CLOTHING STORE | 2 0 1 7

Thank you from all of us at Pink Narcissus for voting us Best of Tallahassee 6 years in a row! We love and appreciate the support of our customers and look forward to another Best of win this year. Don’t forget to vote on the ballot found in this issue!

1 35 0 M A R K E T ST. , # 1 0 0 8 5 0 . 5 9 7. 8 2 0 1

ALLEGRO SENIOR LIVING | 2 0 1 6 , 2 0 1 7

Nestled among live oaks in beautiful Killearn, Allegro offers both independent and assisted living at its finest. Visit Allegro to see why we were voted BEST Senior and Assisted Living community in Tallahassee!

4501 W. SHANNON LAKES 850.668.4004 | ALLEGROLIVING.COM

PURE BARRE BEST FITNESS STUDIO | 2 0 1 7

Pure Barre Tallahassee is grateful to have been voted Best Fitness Center in 2017. We would appreciate your support again this year! Sculpt your body and empower your mind with Pure Barre + Pure Empower.

3425 THOMASVILLE ROAD, STE. 8 1594 GOVERNORS SQUARE BLVD., #3 850.629.4123 PUREBARRE.COM

TURNER’S FINE FURNITURE BEST FURNITURE STORE | 2 0 1 7

MADISON SOCIAL BEST BRUNCH | 2 0 1 6 - 2 0 1 7

Each Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m– 4 p.m., join us for Tallahassee’s best brunch.

From hot tottys to spiced honey chicken and waffles, we have what you need to make sure each weekend prepares you for the week ahead.

70 5 S . WO O DWA R D AV E .

850.894.6276 | MADISONSOCIAL.COM

KOOL BEANZ CAFE CASUAL DINING | 2 0 1 1 , 2 0 1 5 – 2 0 1 7 RESTAURANT | 2 0 1 6 – 2 0 1 7

EAT, Drink & Talk Loud ...

You’re Among Friends.

Modern American Cuisine.

Private dining room available!

For the best buys on furniture and mattresses, visit Turner’s Fine Furniture. Find Tallahassee’s best selection including top brands like Bassett, Paula Deen, Serta and Tempur-Pedic as well as the area’s largest La-Z-Boy Comfort Studio.

2151 US HWY 319 850. 210.0446 | TURNERFURNITURE.COM

921 THOMASVILLE ROAD 8 5 0 . 2 24 . 24 6 6 | KO O L B E A N Z- C A F E . CO M

HAUTE HEADZ SALON BEST SALON | 2 0 1 7

Thank you for voting Haute Headz Salon as Tallahassee’s Best Salon 2017!

1950 THOMASVILLE ROAD | 850. 224.0414 79 9 W. G A I N E S ST. | 8 5 0 . 765 .1 8 45 HAUTEHEADZSALON.COM

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Tallahassee’s preferred residential electrician for over 35 years ...

LAWSON & LAWSON Electrical Services, Inc. #1 in Tallahassee since 1979

beauty luxury

EXPERIENCE THE AND

Call “The Good Guys� Today!

850-562-4111 www.LLElectrical.com

YOU DESERVE

CHELSEA SALON AND SPA

Tallahassee’s Largest

lifestyle salon and spa

850.878.8282 • CHELSEASALON.COM

Like and follow us on Facebook for behind the scenes content.

We are your medical home!

Summer is here!

Subscribe to us on YouTube for full episodes.

Call now to schedule your child’s school physical! Accepting new patients and extended hours are available.

LIVE! In Tallahassee is the weekly entertainment show that keeps you updated on what’s happening in our region.

NorthFloridaPeds.com

(850) 877-1162

3606 Maclay Boulevard, Ste. 102 TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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BUY FRESH BUY WILD

BUY SOUTHERN

dining guide AMERICAN ANDREW’S CAPITAL GRILL AND BAR

After 40 years, Andrew’s is still an energetic, casual, see-and-be-seen spot. House favorites include a popular lunch buffet, hamburgers, sandwiches, salads and pasta dishes. Downtown delivery. Mon-Thurs 11:30 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat 11:30 am-11 pm, Sun 10:30 am-9 pm.

228 S. Adams St. (850) 222-3444/Fax, (850) 222-2433. $$ B L D

AVENUE EAT & DRINK

This downtown restaurant offers a melting pot of flavors fresh from the South, served in scrumptious dining presentations.

Sunday brunch is a not-to-be-missed treat.

Mon-Fri 11 am-10 pm, Sat 9:30 am-10 pm, Sun 9:30 am-9 pm. 115 E. Park Ave. (850) 224-0115. $$$ B L D

CORNER POCKET BAR & GRILL

This locally owned and operated sports bar serves a wide variety of beers, ciders and microbrews, along with wings, burgers, wraps, hot sandwiches and homemade potato salad. Plus lots of huge TVs, games and a stage that features top local bands on weekends. Mon-Sun 11 am-2 am. 2475 Apalachee Pkwy #201. (850) 574-2724. $$ L D

CYPRESS RESTAURANT

To make a special evening a cut above the rest, bring the celebration to Cypress.

Known for its sophisticated take on Southern cuisine, this restaurant won readers’ votes in 2014–2017 as Best Celebration/ Special Occasion and Best Fine Dining restaurant. Mon-Thurs 5-9:30 pm, Fri-Sat 5-10 pm, Sun Closed. 320 E. Tennessee St. (850) 513-1100. $$$ D

DOG ET AL

For the ultimate in comfort food, Dog Et Al offers hand-held deliciousness for the “down to earth” and “uppity” dogs in us all.

Foot-long and veggie entrees alike grace this award-winning menu. If the entire family is down for the dog, be sure to ask about their incredibly valued family packs. Mon-Fri 10 am-7 pm, Sat 10 am-6 pm, Sun Closed.

1456 S. Monroe St. (850) 222-4099. $ L D

THE EDISON

WE’RE THE BEST PLACE FOR ALL YOUR SEAFOOD NEEDS.

A Tallahassee relaxed fine dining establishment, The Edison is so much more than just a pretty face. Equipped with a beer garden, wine cellar, casual café, open-air alternatives and a gorgeous view, this historic building and restaurant has quickly become a Tallahassee favorite. Mon-Thurs 11 am-11 pm, Fri 11 am-midnight, Sat 10 am-midnight, Sun 10 am-11 pm. 470 Suwannee St. (850) 684-2117. $$/$$$

FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD

The name says it all! This restaurant boasts a palate-pleasing combination of personalized service, eclectic ambiance and award-winning cuisine and is the Best Desserts winner for 2017. Tues-Thurs 11 am2:30 pm, 5:30-9 pm; Fri-Sat 11 am-2:30 pm, 5:30-9:30 pm; Sun 10 am-2:30 pm, 5:30-9 pm.

1950 Thomasville Rd. (850) 224-9974. $$ L D

1415 TIMBERLANE ROAD in Market Square

850.893.7301 | SOUTHERNSEAFOODMARKET.COM

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THE KEY

★2017 Best

of Tallahassee Winner

HOPKINS’ EATERY

Hopkins’, a Best of 2017 winner, provides more than just your average sandwich. Favorites such as the Ultimate Turkey and the Linda Special, and a variety of salad meals keep customers coming back for more. And the food is healthy, too! Multiple locations.

Hours vary. hopkinseatery.com. $ L

ISLAND WING COMPANY

Get baked! Tally’s Best Wings 2017 won’t serve you up greasy, fried wings; instead, they bake them and prepare them fresh.

They don’t stop at wings, either: Try the mac ‘n cheese, burgers and tacos paired with a cold beer. Mon-Thurs 11 am-12 am, Fri-Sat 11 am-2 am, Sun 11 am-12 am. 1370 Market St. (850) 692-3116. $/$$ L D

JUICY BLUE

Located in the Four Points by Sheraton Downtown, this cool lobby restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. Unique dishes include tapas with a twist, such as the Georgia peaches with caramel. Sandwiches, salads and a nice variety of seafood, pasta and chicken dishes round out the menu.

Mon-Fri 7 am-11 pm, Sat-Sun 7 am-midnight.

316 W. Tennessee St. (850) 422-0071. $ B L D

KOOL BEANZ

Eclectic and edgy, both in menu and atmosphere, Kool Beanz delights in art present both on the walls and your plates.

This offbeat alternative won Best Casual Dining in Tallahassee. Dinner Mon-Sat 5:30-10 pm, lunch Mon-Fri 11 am-2:30 pm, brunch Sun 10:30 am-2 pm. 921 Thomasville Rd. (850) 224-2466. $$ L D

LIAM’S RESTAURANT

Part restaurant, part cheese shoppe, part lounge — Liam’s features locally grown and harvested foods, expertly made cocktails, craft beer, artisan wines & cheeses and friendly service. Lunch: Tues.-Sat., 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; Dinner: Tues.-Sat., 5 p.m.close; Lounge: Tues.-Fri. 5 p.m.-late., Sat.: noon-midnight. 113 E. Jackson St., Thomasville, Georgia. (229) 226-9944. $$/$$$ L D

MADISON SOCIAL

Whether it’s for a social cocktail, a quick lunch or a place for alumni to gather before home football games, Madison Social offers something for everyone. Madison Social earned Best Happy Hour honors in 2017. Mon-Fri 11:30 am-2 am, Sat-Sun 10 am-2 am. College Town, 705 S. Woodward Ave. (850) 894‑6276. $$ B L D

PAISLEY CAFÉ

Guilt-free lunch has never been easier now that Paisley serves up food fresh from the bakery and a garden full of wholesome treats. Mon-Fri 11 am-3 pm, Sat-Sun 10 am3 pm. 1123 Thomasville Rd. (850) 385‑7268. $$ L

SAGE RESTAURANT

Sage’s menu masterfully melds regional influences, including Southern and French.

The setting is gorgeous but cozy, and the outdoor patio sets a charming, romantic tone for a relaxed evening. Mon Closed;

The restaurants that appear in this guide are included as a service to readers and not as recommendations of the Tallahassee Magazine editorial department, except where noted.

B L D

Breakfast/ Brunch Lunch Dinner

Outdoor Dining Live Music Bar/Lounge $ Inexpensive

$$ Moderately

Expensive

$$$ Expensive

3.8125" x 2.3125" (1/8 page)

Tues-Sat 11 am-3 pm, 6-10 pm; Sun 11 am2:30 pm. 3534 Maclay Blvd. (850) 270-9396. $$$ B L D

TABLE 23

This “Southern porch, table and bar” is cozied up among oak trees on one of Tallahassee’s favorite street corners. Serving lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch, fabulous cocktails and craft beers. Lucky Goat coffee-rubbed ribeye and Schermer pecan-crusted chicken are among the regional-produce offerings.

Mon-Tues 11 am-2 pm, 5 pm-9 pm, Wed-Fri 11 am-2 pm, 5 pm-10 pm, Sat 5 pm-10 pm, Sun 10 am-3 pm. 1215 Thomasville Rd., (850) 329-2261. $$$ L D

UPTOWN CAFÉ

Uptown Cafe and Catering, locally owned and operated for more than 30 years, is famous for its all-day brunch menu and lunch fare. Specialties at the bustling, family-run café include apricot-glazed smoked salmon, one-of-a-kind omelets, banana bread French toast and flavorful sandwiches. Mon-Sat 7 am-3 pm, Sun 8 am-2 pm. 1325 Miccosukee Road (850) 219-9800. $ B L

THE WINE LOFT WINE BAR

Chosen as a Best of winner in 2017, Midtown’s Wine Loft offers a superb wine list, creative cocktails, quality beer and tasty tapas. Mon-Thurs 5 pm-2 am, Fri-Sat 4 pm-2 am, Sun Closed. 1240 Thomasville Rd., #100. (850) 222-9914. $$ D

VERTIGO BURGERS AND FRIES

Vertigo is home to some of the juiciest, funkiest burgers in town. The modern building provides a no-frills setting to enjoy such favorites as the Vertigo Burger — a beef patty served with a fried egg, applewood bacon, grilled jalapeños, sharp cheddar and Vertigo sauce. Mon-Sat 11 am-9 pm, Sun 11 am-6 pm. 1395 E. Lafayette St. (850) 878‑2020. $$ L D

ASIAN BENTO ASIAN KITCHEN + SUSHI

Bento serves bold, flavorful pan-Asian fare, seasoned with sauces crafted in-house with ingredients prepped daily. Dishes are prepared by hand according to time-honored traditions but have fresh interpretations that give Bento its reputation for innovation.

The lunch and dinner menus include sushi, wok-fired noodles, Asian salads, sweet boba teas and much more. Sun-Thurs 11:30 am10 pm, Fri 11;30 am-10:30 pm, Sat noon10:30 pm. (850) 765-3991, 1660 W. Tennessee St. $$ L D

KIKU JAPANESE FUSION

From tempura to teriyaki and from sushi to sashimi, Kiku Japanese Fusion fuses vibrant flavors with fresh ingredients.

There’s a reason Kiku was voted Best Sushi in 2017. Mon-Sat 11 am-1 pm, Sun 12-11 pm.

800 Ocala Rd. (850) 575-5458. $$ L D

MASA

In 2017, Masa earned the title of Best Asian in town — and with good reason. Their menu offers a creative blend of Eastern and Western cuisines. Mon-Fri 11 am-3 pm, 4:309:30 pm; Sat-Sun 12-3 pm, 4:30-9:30 pm. 1001 N. Monroe St. (850) 847-0003. $/$$ L D

OSAKA JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE AND SUSHI BAR

Rated Best Hibachi for 2017, Osaka provides dinner and a show, with the chefs seasoning and preparing your meal right in front of you. It’s a meal that’s sure to leave you satisfied as well as entertained. SunThurs 11 am-10:15 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-10:45 pm. 1690 Raymond Diehl Rd. (850) 531-0222. $$$ D

SIAM SUSHI

Thai one on at this fine eatery and you will be left wanton more. An expansive menu includes starters, soups, salads, fried rice, noodles and a host of signature dishes — some ducky, some not — ranging from

“Rock the Wok” to Chirashi Sumocombo, a substantial, edible work of art. Mon-Fri 11 am-10 pm, Sat-Sun 12-10 pm. 1700 N. Monroe St. (850) 391-9021. $$$ L D

BBQ SONNY’S REAL PIT BAR-B-Q

Nothing satisfies a rumblin’ stomach quite like a plateful of hot, savory barbeque; and if you’re looking for the tastiest grilled dishes, 2017 Best Barbecue winner Sonny’s has them in spades. Hours vary. Multiple locations. $ L D

WILLIE JEWELL’S OLD SCHOOL BBQ

Smoked for hours and served in minutes, Willie Jewell’s promises the best BBQ experience you have ever had. Platters, sandwiches or by the pound, Willie Jewell’s offers smoked brisket, pork, turkey, sausage, chicken and ribs with a bevy of Southern sides. Daily 11 a.m.-9 p.m. 5442 Thomasville Rd. (850) 629-4299. $ L D

Serving Lunch 11am-2:30pm Dinner 5pm-til' Tuesday through Saturday ANGUS PRIME BEEF Gulf Seafood

Farm -to-Table

Full Bar, Fine Wine, Craft Beer

Family Owned & Operated 123 North Broad St • Thomasville, GA 31792 • P: (229) 236-2467

ChopHouseontheBricks.com

3 Classes per week = Southern Nachos 2 Nite

BREAKFAST/ BRUNCH/BAKERY

O O R P REFU

CANOPY ROAD CAFÉ

Traditional breakfasts, fluffy omelets, skillets, French toast and sweet potato pancakes keep customers coming back. Breakfast is the main event but Canopy goes all out on lunch favorites, too, including salads and steakburgers. Mon-Sun 6:30 am-2:15 pm.

Multiple locations. (850) 668-6600. $ B L

CA

THE EGG CAFÉ AND EATERY

When you’re looking for breakfast favorites, even if it’s lunchtime, The Egg is the place to be. Their made-to-order items use the finest ingredients, and they were voted Tallahassee’s best 15 times, including the 2016 award for Best Breakfast. Light breakfast fare is available at The Egg Express, a second downtown location in the R.A. Gray building. Tues-Sun 7 am-2 pm. In Evening Rose at 3740 Austin Davis Ave. (850) 907-3447. $$ B L

CAJUN COOSH’S BAYOU ROUGE

This Best Cajun Restaurant winner for 2017 brings the best of the Bayou State right to your table. The menu is jam-packed with Louisiana-style dishes, including favorites like jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, po’boys and seafood gumbo. Not in a Cajun mood?

Coosh’s also offers classic hamburgers, salads and chicken wings. Mon-Tues 11 am-10 pm, Wed-Fri 7 am-10 pm, Sat 8 am-10 pm, Sun 8 am-9 pm. 6267 Old Water Oak Rd. (850) 894‑4110. $$ B L D

CATERING TASTEBUDZ CATERING

Their slogan is, “Holler if you need your taste buds tantalized.” Cases in point: Moroccan chicken with lemon spinach, beef tips with burgundy mushroom sauce, and Caribbean sweet potato and black bean salad.

Serving lunch and dinner. Open daily. 2655-12 Capital Circle NE. (850) 309‑7348. $$ L D

GREEK SAHARA GREEK & LEBANESE CAFÉ

Sahara’s fusion of Greek and Lebanese cuisines is unmatched in the area. A large menu and friendly staff cater to all tastes.

And don’t forget to order the falafel! MonWed 11 am-9 pm, Thurs-Fri 11 am-10 pm, Sat 12-10 pm, Sun Closed. 1241 E. Lafayette St. (850) 656‑1800. $$

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ITALIAN/PIZZA BELLA BELLA

Take your taste buds to Italy with a trip to Bella Bella, voted Best Italian in 2015 and 2017. This locally owned and operated restaurant has a cozy atmosphere and serves all the classics to satisfy your pasta cravings.

Mon-Fri 11 am-10 pm, Sat 4-10 pm, Sun Closed. 123 E. 5th Ave. (850) 412-1114. $$ L D

MOMO’S

After devouring a slice “as big as your head” at this 2017 Best Pizza winner, chain pizza simply is not gonna cut it. From the black-and-white photos to the bathrooms decorated in album covers, the restaurant has an unmistakable and enjoyable “hole in the wall” vibe. Multiple locations. Hours vary.

(850) 224‑9808. $ L D

MEXICAN EL JALISCO

In the mood for sizzling enchiladas and frozen margaritas? Make your way to the 2017 Best Mexican/Latin American Restaurant, El Jalisco, where they do Mexican cuisine to perfection. Multiple locations. Hours vary. $L D

PEPPERS MEXICAN GRILL & CANTINA SLICES AS BIG AS YOUR HEAD Award-winning, made-from-scratch, New York-style hand-tossed pizza and calzones.

Two locations. Voted Best Pizza in Tallahassee for 14 years and counting.

1410 MARKET ST., (850) 412-0222 | 1416 W. TENNESSEE ST., (850) 224-9808 MOMOSPIZZA.COM

Serving only the finest quality Mexican food made fresh every day. This North Florida chain offers lunch and dinner menus boasting favorites such as tacos, burritos, fajitas, chimichangas, quesadillas — including fish and vegetarian options — and a lengthy drinks menu. Mon.-Thurs: 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri.-Sat: 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sun: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Multiple locations. (850) 877-2020 or (850) 536-6800. $-$$ L D

TACO REPUBLIK

EAT, DRINK & TALK LOUD ...

YOU’RE AMONG FRIENDS!

An authentic taqueria, Taco Republik specializes in creating tacos and burritos in abstract and delicious ways. Located in the heart of Midtown, this restaurant is beloved for its bold flavor combinations and walletfriendly prices. Mon-Thurs 11 am-9 pm, FriSat 11 am-10 pm, Sun Closed. 1122-8 Thomasville Rd. (850) 559‑5464. $ L D

TIN LIZZY’S

The definitive neighborhood taqueria.

Grab a refreshing margarita or some of our delicious FlexMex cuisine, featuring tacos, skillets, quesadillas and more. Thur: 11 a.m.midnight; Fri-Sat: 11 a.m.-2 a.m.; College Town, 619 S. Woodward Ave., (850) 558-5592. $/$$ L D

SEAFOOD/ STEAK THE BLU HALO

MODERN AMERICAN CUISINE #1 rated on Trip Advisor Private dining room available!

Lunch: Mon–Fri 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; Dinner: Mon–Sat 5:30–10 p.m.

Sunday Brunch: 10:30 a.m.–2 p.m.

921 THOMASVILLE ROAD | (850) 224-2466 KOOLBEANZ850@GMAIL.COM | KOOLBEANZ-CAFE.COM

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Blue Halo is a high-end culinary experience featuring dry-aged steaks and fresh seafood along with fine wines and a martini bar.

The gourmet farm-to-table menu selections include a wide variety of small-plate appetizers and high-end chops. A private dining room for up to 20 guests is available. Mon-Thurs 4-10 pm; Fri 4 pm-close; Sat 8 am-2 pm, 4 pm-close; Sun 8 am-2 pm, 4-10 pm. 3431 Bannerman Rd., #2 (850) 792-7884. $$$ L D

BONEFISH GRILL

Bonefish is devoted to serving great seafood including shrimp, oysters, snapper and

swordfish in a vibrant setting, along with top-shelf cocktails and housemade infusions crafted by expert mixologists. Mon-Thurs 4 pm-10:30 pm, Fri 4 pm-11:30 pm, Sat 11 am11:30 pm, Sun 10 am-9 pm. 3491 Thomasville Road Ste. 7, (850) 297-0460. $$ L D

CHOP HOUSE ON THE BRICKS

This family-owned, upscale restaurant serves local organic and sustainable meats, seafood, poultry and produce. Craft beers, fine wines and specialty drinks complement dishes such as the Bone-In Ribeye, Plantation Quail and Chop House Burger. Their Knob Creek Bourbon Bread Pudding is a dessert favorite. Tues-Sat 5-9:30 pm, SunMon Closed. 123 N. Broad St., Thomasville, Ga. (229) 236-2467. $$ D

GEORGIO’S

If George Koikos is in the house, you can count on a visit from him to your table during your meal. His hands-on commitment to quality, food, service and a personal touch have kept his restaurants in business for more than 50 years. Mon-Sat 4-10 pm, Sun Closed. 2971 Apalachee Pkwy. (850) 877-3211. $$$ D

HARRY’S SEAFOOD BAR & GRILL

Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grille, established in 1987, serves Southern, cajun and creole flavors in classic and modern dishes. Full bar is available at each location and offers beer, wine, liquor and unique cocktails. Sun-Thurs 11 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-11 pm, and holiday hours. 301 S. Bronough St., in Kleman Plaza.

(850) 222-3976. $$ L D

MARIE LIVINGSTON’S STEAKHOUSE

Dining at Marie Livingston’s is upscale yet comfortable and always a special treat. Not just a restaurant that serves up savory cuts of prime rib or marbled steaks, this 2017 Best Steakhouse winner is a Tallahassee tradition, and newcomers owe it to themselves to make it a priority to visit.

Mon-Fri 11 am-2 pm, 5-9 pm; Sat 5-9 pm; Sun Closed. 2705 Apalachee Pkwy. (850) 562-2525. $$ L D

SALTWATER SEAFOOD COMPANY

Celebrate the spirit of historic Apalachicola Bay coastal lifestyle with fresh-caught seafood and a sensational, handmade cocktail all in the refined setting of Saltwater Seafood Company. They promise the fare doesn’t get fresher unless you catch it yourself. Mon – Sat 11 am – 10 pm, Sun 11am – 9 pm. 1926 Capital Circle NE. (850) 329-2105. $$ L D

SHULA’S 347

The legendary Miami Dolphins’ head coach brings the quest for perfection to the dining table at his namesake restaurant, located in Hotel Duval. Keep it light and casual with a premium Black Angus beef burger or a gourmet salad, or opt for one of their signature entrées — a “Shula Cut” steak.

Reservations are suggested. Sun-Thurs 5-10 pm, Fri-Sat 5-11 pm. 415 N. Monroe St. (850) 224-6005. $$$ L D

SOUTHERN SEAFOOD

Whether you’re looking for fish, shrimp, oysters, scallops, crab or lobster, these guys have you covered. The 2017 Best Seafood Market winner brings the ocean’s freshest choices to Tallahassee’s front door. Mon-Fri 10 am-7 pm, Sat 10 am-6 pm, Sun 12-6 pm.

1415 Timberlane Rd. (850) 668‑2203.

WHARF CASUAL SEAFOOD

The Wharf, a Tallahassee classic, serves Southern-style seafood in a casual setting in two Tallahassee locations. Shrimp, crab claws and fish tacos are big favorites, along with fried green tomatoes and collard greens. Plus lovely salads packed with veggies and fruit. Mon-Sun 11 am-8:30 pm. 4036 Lagniappe Way #3. (850) 668-1966. $$ L D

Visit our comprehensive, searchable dining guide online at tallahasseemagazine.com/Restaurants.

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agenda ▪ Meghan Collins and Kyle Hill, both of Tallahassee, are appointed to the Florida Commission on Community Service. Collins, 30, is the communications director at the Florida Department of Education. She succeeds Kelli Walker for a term ending Sept. 14, 2018. Hill, 22, is the student body president of Florida State University. He succeeds Christina Bonarrigo for a term ending Sept. 14, 2019.

▪ Dylan Rivers, 40, of Tallahassee, is appointed to the Florida Board of Architecture and Interior Design. Rivers is a shareholder at Ausley & McMullen, P.A. He received his juris doctor from Florida State University. He is reappointed for a term ending Oct. 31, 2020.

▪ Kathryn Ballard, 53, of Tallahassee, is appointed to the Florida State University Board of Trustees.

Ballard received her bachelor’s degree from Florida State University. She has previously served on the Board of the Florida Center for Performing Arts and as a board member for the Florida State University College of Human Sciences. Ballard is reappointed for a term ending Jan. 6, 2023.

▪ Owen McCaul, of Tallahassee, is appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind. McCaul is an assistant state attorney for the 2nd Judicial Circuit Court and is general counsel for state attorney Jack Campbell. McCaul is reappointed for a term ending Dec. 10, 2020.

▪ John Fischer and Thomas Hollern, both of Tallahassee, are appointed to the Board of Hearing Aid Specialists. Fischer, 61, is a hearing aid specialist for Hearing Lab Technology. He is reappointed for a term ending Oct. 31, 2018. Hollern, 72, is a school supervisor for Leon County Schools. He is reappointed for a term ending Oct. 31, 2021.

▪ Scott Drury of Tallahassee, senior associate for H2Engineering, is appointed to the Board of Professional Engineers. He succeeds Warren Hahn and is appointed for a term ending Oct. 31, 2021.

Four Tallahasseeans were recently appointed to the Florida Commission on Community Service.

• Chucha Barber is the president of Chucha Barber Productions. She is reappointed for a term ending Sept. 14, 2018.

• Jayne Cerio is a former public-school teacher.

She fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term ending Sept. 14, 2018.

• Cynthia “Cindy” O’Connell is the director of the Florida Prepaid College Foundation. She is reappointed for a term ending Sept. 14, 2020.

• Kelli Walker is the district volunteer coordinator for Leon County Schools. She fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term ending Sept.

14, 2018.

NEW & NOTABLE ▪ Experienced white collar criminal defense attorneys Stephen S. Dobson and Thomas M. Findley have joined Baker Donelson’s Tallahassee office as members of the Firm’s Government Enforcement and Investigations Group. Dobson, a shareholder, is a former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida and formerly worked with the Florida Department of Law Enforcements. Findley, also joining as shareholder, served as Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. He also served as a law clerk for the Honorable Joseph Hatchett on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.

▪ Andrew Fay, 34, of Tallahassee, is appointed to the Florida Public Service Commission. Fay is special counsel and director of legislative affairs, cabinet affairs and public policy for Attorney General Pam Bondi. He received his bachelor’s and juris doctorate degrees from Florida State University.

Fay fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term ending January 1, 2022.

▪ Domi Station in Tallahassee welcomes Antonio Montoya as its new executive director. Montoya was chosen from a field of candidates from across the Southeast. He and Montoya his family will relocate to Tallahassee from Huntsville, Alabama, a decision the Board of Directors describes as significant because it demonstrates Montoya’s commitment to the post and attests to the attractive energy of this community’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

▪ Eric Grant of Tallahassee is appointed to the Tallahassee Community College District Board of Code Corporation. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1998 to 2004. Grant received his bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Naval Academy, his master’s degree from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Services, and his juris doctorate degree from the University of Virginia.

He succeeds Kevin Vaughn and is appointed for a term ending May 31, 2021.

▪ The Leon County Research and Development Authority, which governs Innovation Park, has named Michael Tentnowski director of entrepreneurship. In this role, Tentnowski will play a vital role in the design and construction of the new technology incubator planned at Innovation Park. He will work to facilitate initial program development at a temporary location in the Park, and will oversee the longer-term development of a 40,000 square foot, mixed-use facility to house

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business incubator and accelerator programs.

The incubator will include wet labs, makerspace/ prototype development, light manufacturing and assembly space, offices and common area amenities. Additionally, Tentnowski will enhance existing programs, including the Entrepreneurial Excellence Program, and develop new programs based on the identified needs in the region.

▪ The FSU Credit Union board of directors has announced Charles E. “Chuck” Adcock III as the credit union’s new president and chief executive officer effective April 2. Adcock has Adcock served as FSU Credit Union executive VP for the past 14 years. He will succeed J. Bradley Blake, who will now lead a new technology credit union services organization. Blake, who started with FSU Credit Union in 1994 and became president and CEO in 2003, and Adcock plan to work closely to ensure a seamless leadership transition. While serving as an executive VP, Adcock formed and became the chief operating officer for the Credit Union Service Organization iDriveLending LLC, which combines the buying power of six credit unions to streamline the auto loan process. Adcock also was a driving force behind the establishment of the Frenchtown Financial Opportunity Center (FFOC), which serves the traditionally underserved community near downtown Tallahassee.

AWARDS & ACCOLADES ▪ Attorney Dan B. Hendrickson, who retired in 2014 after 25 years as an assistant public defender in Tallahassee, is one of 21 distinguished attorneys awarded a Florida Bar Pro Bono Award.

Hendrickson Hendrickson has long served in the 2nd Judicial Circuit, spanning Leon, Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Liberty and Wakulla counties. Since retiring, Hendrickson has donated at least 1,000 hours a year in pro bono services.

Hendrickson has spent his life in public service, first as an aide in a state hospital and then organizing community services in Appalachia, where he has his roots. Eighteen years after he graduated from college, he earned his J.D. in 1988 from Stetson University College of Law, and in 1989 he began his long career as a public defender, mostly representing Baker Act and other mental health clients. Since his retirement, he has devoted his time to numerous veterans projects. His most recent is the Tallahassee Veterans Legal Collaborative, which he created in 2015 to bring together several organizations to serve

PHOTOS COURTESY OF INDIVIDUALS PICTURED

APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR

When you retire your money sho keep STEPHEN C.working.

HUGGINS

the legal needs of veterans. Hendrickson also helped create the legal services program for the first North Florida Homeless Veterans Stand Down, and he has continued to coordinate the program for the last five years. He also mentors law students and this year launches the FSU Veterans Legal Clinic offering services using Florida State University law students supervised by a professor.

Senior Vice President Financial Advisor Someday you’ll stop working, 3520 Thomasville Rd, Suite 100 and at th 850.422.8707 point, you’ll have to depend on your re © 2013 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC.

income.

Member SIPC.To work toward building that i CRC588469 (12/12) CS 7338805 MAR013A 03/13

you’ll need a strategy. (left to right) Renee McNeill Susan Clifford Chisti Stephenson

▪ FMB community bank in the North Florida/South Georgia region recently recognized three employees for outstanding dedication and contributions. The bank awarded the F. Wilson Carraway Sr. Award for Excellence & Community Service to Vice President Commercial Lender Renee McNeill. Loan Assistant Susan Clifford was presented the Horizon Award, and Deposit Platform Operations Manager Christi Stephenson was awarded the Employee of the Year Award. FMB’s most prestigious award, the Carraway Award, was established in memory of F. Wilson Carraway Sr. In 1966 as Florida’s Senate president and owner of the local Coca-Cola bottling company, Carraway Sr. purchased the bank and began FMB’s modern era of banking. The award honors an employee’s commitment to FMB, its customers and community; religious and value-building activities; and continuing education. The new winner, McNeill, who joined FMB in 2011, is a board member for Tree House and the City of Tallahassee Ethics Board. McNeill also volunteers her time to the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, Youth Leadership Tallahassee and the Community Human Services Partnership with the United Way.

Parisi

Collins

▪ Dan Parisi, director of new business development at Rowland Publishing Inc., recently earned the company’s Gold 2017 Top Producer award in annual net sales. He also received top producer honors for 850 Business Magazine, Tallahassee Magazine and the Tallahassee Physician and Medical Resource Guide and was the Top Event Sponsorship Producer in 2017.

Stephen Huggins

Heartsong Tallahassee Senior Vice President Financial Advisor

3520 Thomasville Rd, Ste 100 Tallahassee, FL 32309 +1 850 422-8707 stephen.huggins@morganstanley. com www.morganstanley.com/fa/ stephen.huggins

With more than 26 years of experience

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Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors do n tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation an planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning and other legal © 2013 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC.

CRC588469 (12/12) CS 733

▪ Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs, a professional accounting, assurance, and tax services firm based in Tallahassee, congratulates Becca Collins for receiving her CPA license. Collins earned a master’s degree in accounting with a specialization in audit and systems. She is a member of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

HAPPENINGS ▪ The Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, to continue its robust study of local government structures in Tallahassee and Leon County, has commissioned a nine-person committee to examine key considerations for a potential merged-governance structure. This action follows recent review of a study commissioned by the Chamber and provided by the Washington Economics Group that highlighted significant economic benefits the community could achieve by modeling other communities that elected to merge their local government structure. The committee will provide its report to the full Chamber Board by August 2018.

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postscript

FOR YOU, MOM

Freefall from plane to earth is a family occasion

by JACKIE BROOKS

A

t 5,000 feet, the door to the Quest Kodiak single-engine turboprop aircraft was dragged open, reminding me of the sound our 25-yearold garage door makes when it’s manually lifted. Wind ripped through the unpressurized cabin, rapidly changing the temperature from the pleasant 75 degrees on the ground to a chilling 35 degrees at 5,000 feet. The noise was deafening as three young men tumbled out the door, yelling “hop-n-pop!” as their parachutes disappeared into a blue abyss. These guys were taking short jumps (only 5-10 seconds of freefall) to practice flying their canopies. The door was shut behind them, bringing the noise level down to what I suspect my ENT would still deem dangerous to my long-term hearing.

Moments before, the plane was full of men and women packed together like a panini sandwich straddling two metal benches wearing colorful parachute suits, Hermesesque helmets and goggles. My tandem instructor, Art, pulled straps securing me to his torso tighter than Gorilla Tape and super glue combined. The plane rattled and hit air pockets as it climbed to 13,000 feet, our point of debarkation. A general side note — the FAA requires oxygen masks after 13,500 feet. Art was chatting into my right ear, while I was preoccupied with that ever-present adult adage, “What in the world was I thinking?” Well, that’s really the point

isn’t it? I wasn’t thinking; I succumbed to peer pressure to partake in a high-adrenaline activity to prove that I wasn’t really getting old. That was never actually said, but we all know that was clearly in the subtext.

A few months before, our friend informed us he wanted to skydive to celebrate his 60th birthday. By the time we jumped, the number had grown to nine people, including both our families with adults and collegeage children. I rationalized that if my mother at ages 70, 75 and 80 could skydive, I could skydive. There are pictures of her, tandem jumping, arms spread, sporting a 100-watt smile. She loved every moment. How hard could it really be? I was even having video made so I could proudly hang my picture next to my mother’s, an ode to mothers and daughters.

The time came, as I knew it inevitably would, when that door opened at 13,000 feet. Crab-walking down the metal bench to the door, I smiled toward the videographer thinking this might be the only usable shot from this whole escapade. There was no more thinking. Within seconds, we were out the door. Now, I must tell you that I did have my eyes open at first, but staring at the earth racing toward me at 120 mph is not a comfortable feeling. I wasn’t afraid, but I felt something I can only guess was akin to vertigo — an effect caused by a change in visual perspective. Art tells me later that this feeling is not unusual and can happen when the eyes, ears and brain have trouble assimilating what’s happening. Waiting a few seconds, I opened my eyes and looked toward the horizon. All things considered, this helped.

There was one minute of freefall and four minutes of floating around, riding the air currents with an open parachute. My 20-year-old kids thought the freefall was the best part. I thought the parachute opening was the best part. I guess that’s the difference 40 years makes.

I did get my picture to hang next to my mom’s. Her smile is genuine, mine is the consequence of temporary insanity. TM

Jackie Brooks is a travel writer and mystery novelist in Panama City Beach. She is currently plotting revenge on her neighbor by including him on a hiking trip to Huayna Picchu in Peru. She may be reached at bythesee5@gmail.com.

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May–June 2018

TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

PHOTO BY MADDIE SORTINO, SKYDIVE PALATKA

Jackie Brooks and tandem partner Art Shaffer, owner of Skydive Palatka, hurtle toward earth in a freefall Brooks dedicated to her mother, Ali Belt.

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