Emerald Coast Magazine August-September 2021 by Rowland Publishing, Inc.

STORIED PAST

City leaders in Walton’s county seat view history as currency

DENIM REDUX

Yank on your skinnies if you want, but breathing room is back

Have Charge ...

... will travel; excitement about electric vehicles is amping up

Big

Little Theatre In Pensacola, a Mississippian enlivens performing arts venue

Your Dream Home Is Our Passssiion

ARCHITECT: CHRIST & ASSOCIATES | PHOTOGR APHY: CHRIS LUKER BUILDER: DAVIS DUNN CONSTRUCTION | INTERIOR DESIGNER: CINDY ME ADOR

THE PRIDE OF A MASTER CR AFTSMAN When old-world craft meets new-world technology, an unprecedented level of quality is birthed. At E. F. San Juan, the quality and long-term function of our woodwork are the keys to creating elements that will transform a house into your dream home.

EFSANJUAN.COM

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

December 2020–January 2021 2020

HunterDouglas 0 -MOTORIZED SCREENED PERGOL A

SHADES

MOTORIZATION - BEAUTIFUL HOME

STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGY

+ UNMATCHED CUSTOMIZATION = OUTDOOR PARADISE

McNeillPalmllc.com 4

August-September 2021

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(850) 613-6228

Contents

AUG/SEPT 2021

FEATURES

ELECTRIC CARS

Major automakers have announced plans to phase out production of vehicles powered by internal combustion, greenhouse gas-producing engines. In their place, electric vehicles are coming to the fore. Even as telephone booths have disappeared from the landscape, charging stations are sprouting up across the land. We take close looks at two electric vehicles (EVs) — the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Chevrolet Bolt — and kick the tires of a hybrid vehicle, the Toyota Highlander, built for people who are not ready to go electric all the way. “There’s no doubt that the future is electric,” says Robert Gates, the general manager at Panama City Toyota. by HANNAH BURKE

←

PHOTO BY ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS: THROUGH-MY-LENS

ADAMS DETAILING

Ace Adams — Ace is the given name on his birth certificate — spent three years homeless and on the streets, dumpster dining to survive. Over time, raking yards and working entry-level jobs, he acquired possessions that the vast majority of people take for granted. Today, he is the owner of a business, Adams Detailing, and has plans to acquire a shop and hire employees. He learned detailing at Harley-Davidson dealerships but will buff up most anything that rolls. by STEVE BORNHOFT

HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN DEFUNIAK SPRINGS

Early in the 20th century, DeFuniak Springs in Walton County became synonymous with an intellectual movement known as Chautauqua. As the host of educational assemblies, DeFuniak Springs, founded in 1903 and named for a railroad man, has hosted dignitaries ranging from Red Cross founder Clara Barton to First Lady Rosalynn Carter. Today, Christopher Mitchell, the president of the Florida Chautauqua Association, is working to restore the city as a center of art, culture and education. Part of that effort involves the renovation of the Lakeside Hospital building near Lake DeFuniak. Opened in 1939, the hospital was established to serve the African American community. Upon the completion of work on the building, the one-time working hospital will become home to a medical history museum. by DAVID EKRUT, PH.D.

photography by MIKE FENDER

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

August-September 2021

Contents

AUG/SEPT 2021

19 19 CHAMPION As the

executive leader of the LEAD Coalition, former journalist and educator Janice Lucas is devoted to making three Panama City neighborhoods — Glenwood, Millville and the Hill — safer and more resilient.

24 EDUCATION Destin is

34 WHAT’S IN STORE

Fatboys location, this one at the foot of the Destin Bridge, serves beefed-up burgers inspired by the

A traditional Korean side dish, kimchi is made up of salted, fermented vegetables combined with seasonings. Historically, pickling was employed as a way to extend the shelf life of foods.

EXPRESSION

61 MUSIC As a teen, Christon

Birge saved money he made harvesting watermelons and bought his first guitar. Today, he is making noise in Nashville. His beachy hit

editorial page cartoonist at the Pensacola News Journal, proceeds fearlessly with his righteous, passiveaggressive depictions of the politically powerful and the familiar.

ABODES

27 CITIZEN OF STYLE

Sid Williams-Heath, the executive director at the Pensacola Little Theatre, favors a muted color palette while on the job but has been known to host plaid-only Halloween parties. And when it comes to his shorts, well, there’s not much to them.

August-September 2021

66 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER EDITOR'S LETTER SOCIAL STUDIES DINING GUIDE POSTSCRIPT

66 ART Andy Marlette, the

71 EXTERIORS Driveways,

enhanced as inviting pathways to homes, may be painted, textured or infused with rocks or aggregate.

74 INTERIORS The walk-in

pantry, as of 2019, had become the most desired kitchen feature among homebuyers. Its evolution has mirrored that of the walk-in closet. Now, food items can be found at a glance.

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41 DINING OUT The second

song, Sunscreen on You, is getting air time nationally.

wide-open outlook and devilmay-care attitude that is embraced by Harley riders.

46 DINING IN

14 100 102 106

STORIED PAST

» WALK-IN PANTRIES » DESTIN HIGH SCHOOL » ANDY MARLETTE

GASTRO & GUSTO

12 FROM THE

JANICE LUCAS

Area retailers are equipped to bait your hook, satisfy your sweet tooth or outfit you in Western wear, gym duds or clothing well suited to a hike around Camp Helen.

IN EVERY ISSUE

AUG–SEPT 2021

PANACHE

are not as hot as they once were. Flares are back for another look, and there are a number of alternatives available to denim wearers who like to have a little operating room. There are boyfriend jeans and boot cuts, to boot.

EMERALD COAST MAGAZINE

marking a milestone. The first high school in the history of the World’s Luckiest Fishing Village is welcoming its first students. The charter school has adopted a shark as its mascot; a replica mako shark occupies the fountain at the front of the building.

30 FASHION Skinny jeans

autumn is the time to get started on a wildflower garden. Six months later, blooms will brighten spring days.

City leaders in Walton’s county seat view history as currency

DENIM REDUX

Yank on your skinnies if you want, but breathing room is back

Have Charge ...

... will travel; excitement about electric vehicles is amping up

Big

Little Theatre In Pensacola, a Mississippian enlivens performing arts venue

ON THE COVER:

Sid Williams-Heath, the executive director of the Pensacola Little Theatre, delights in taking full advantage of the “weird opportunity we get as a theater.” He assembles outlandish mixes of performers in cabaret-style fundraisers for the theater, which produces shows for young and old, for the chaste and the unleashed. An unrestrained promoter of the arts, his own experiences on stage have been few. He was the Tin Man once: “Someone long and lanky needed to do it.” PHOTO BY JOHN HARRINGTON

PHOTOS BY MIKE FENDER (19,61), JOHN HARRINGTON (41) AND COURTESY OF ANDY MARLETTE (66)

THE WAVE

80 GREEN SCENE Early

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

December 2020–January 2021 2020

Contents

PROMOTION

AUG/SEPT 2021

SPECIAL SECTIONS AND PROMOTIONS

↑ VACAY EVERY DAY

↑ CRAFTSMANSHIP This year, E. F. San Juan celebrates 45 years of crafting customized cabinets, moulding and

RAISING ROOFS Specialty

PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

millwork for homes spanning Northwest Florida. Founded by Eddie San Juan, the company is now operated by third- and fourth-generation family members eager to carry on the company’s mission and add to its reputation.

TONED TUMMIES

30A Plastic Surgery professionals discuss the results possible through abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck.

MILESTONES Bud & Alley’s,

GOOD FUEL The Bodacious Cafe is an

Seaside’s iconic Gulf-front restaurant, is celebrating 35 years in business and dramatic building improvements.

artisanal eatery serving breakfast and lunch and pouring delicious, locally ground coffees.

TIDE IS IN Southern Tide Destin at Grand Boulevard offers classically designed active-lifestyle apparel of exceptional craftsmanship.

Photography has pioneered the introduction of fine art photography to the region.

PSORIASIS SOLUTIONS

Coastal Skin Surgery & Dermatology offers a multitude of medication and treatment options to restore skin clarity.

From flooring experts to financial consultants, this section highlights topnotch, trusted business leaders.

CALENDAR Events are back in full force. Concerts, trade shows, theater performances, triathlons and a variety of festivals provide abundant options to choose from.

← SHUTTER EFFECT Modus

GET ARTSY Attendees at the 33rd annual ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival will have access to more

↑ POURS GALORE Sample

your favorites among more than 200 beers at the 13th annual Village of Baytowne Wharf Beer Festival.

We announce the results of this year’s Best of the Emerald Coast balloting.

August-September 2021

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2021 of

BEST TH

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than 150 artists exhibiting works available for purchase. The festival includes a juried art contest. All proceeds support the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County.

101

E-Z DOES IT Ride in style. Dixielectricar is the premier retailer of E-Z-GO golf carts in the region.

Roofers goes to great heights to ensure superior customer service and top quality commercial and residential services.

ERALD C O

PHOTOS BY MODUS PHOTOGRAPHY (64) AND LYDIA SAN JUAN (76) AND COURTESY OF THE VILLAGE OF BAYTOWNE WHARF (101) AND LATITUDE MARGARITAVILLE WATERSOUND (82)

Latitude Margaritaville is a 55-and-better community redefining retirement as a permanent vacation through luxurious amenities, daily activities, shopping, dining and music. Fully furnished model homes are on-site.

WIN!

A 2022 ACURA MDX

THERE IS NO CURE FOR TYPE 1 DIABETES But your raffle ticket purchase will help children in our region manage the devastating effects of this disease. Each ticket enters your name in the drawing for a 2022 Acura MDX, valued at $48,425. Only 1,250 tickets will be sold. Proceeds benefit the Proctor Endowment for Children with Diabetes and the programs and services of the Tallahassee Memorial Metabolic Health Center. Tickets at TMH.ORG/TOFT. Ticket sales start mid August.

SUGGESTED MINIMUM PRICE

100

Drawing will be held on November 7 at approximately 7:30 pm at Lake Iamonia Lodge, 379 Iamonia Farms Road, Tallahassee, FL 32312. Winner does not have to be present. For complete rules and details, call 850-431-4590 or visit TMH.ORG/TOFT.

PER TICKET

28TH ANNUAL

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

December 2020–January 2021 2020

EMERALD COAST MAGAZINE

VOL. 22, NO. 4

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BRIAN E. ROWLAND ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER MCKENZIE BURLEIGH

EDITORIAL

WE ARE NORTH FLORIDA’S ONLY EXCLUSIVE SINGLE AGENCY BROKERAGE AND CONSULTING FIRM SINGLE AGENTS

TRANSACTIONAL AGENTS

CONFIDENTIALITY

OBEDIENCE

LOYALTY

FULL DISCLOSURE

Held to a Higher Standard by Florida Statute for your Real Estate advantage

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Steve Bornhoft CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Hannah Burke, David Ekrut, Ph.D., Les Harrison, Lis King, Thomas J. Monigan, Wynn Parks, Liesel Schmidt

CREATIVE VICE PRESIDENT / PRODUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY Daniel Vitter CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jennifer Ekrut ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Lindsey Masterson SENIOR PUBLICATION DESIGNERS Sarah Burger, Shruti Shah PUBLICATION DESIGNER Jordan Harrison GRAPHIC DESIGNER Sierra Thomas CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Mike Fender, Jacqueline Ward Images, John Harrington, Kay Phelan, Kansas Pitts, Land Air Sea Productions, Modus Photography, Sean Murphy, Saige Roberts, Chase Yakaboski

SALES, MARKETING AND EVENTS SALES MANAGER, WESTERN DIVISION Rhonda Lynn Murray SALES MANAGER, EASTERN DIVISION Lori Magee Yeaton DIRECTOR OF NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, WESTERN DIVISION Dan Parker DIRECTOR OF NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, EASTERN DIVISION Daniel Parisi ADVERTISING SERVICES SPECIALIST Tracy Mulligan ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Julie Dorr, Darla Harrison DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Zandra Wolfgram SALES AND MARKETING WRITER Rebecca Padgett SENIOR INTEGRATED MARKETING COORDINATOR Javis Ogden ADMINISTRATIVE & CUSTOMER SERVICE SPECIALIST Renee Johnson

OPERATIONS

CUSTOM PUBLISHING MANAGER Sara Goldfarb CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE/AD SERVICE COORDINATOR Sarah Coven CUSTOM PUBLISHING EDITOR Jeff Price PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION SPECIALIST Melinda Lanigan ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT Amber Dennard

DIGITAL SERVICES

DIGITAL EDITOR Janecia Britt

EMERALD COAST MAGAZINE emeraldcoastmagazine.com facebook.com/emeraldcoast twitter.com/emeraldcoastmag instagram.com/emeraldcoastmag pinterest.com/emeraldcoastmag youtube.com/user/emeraldcoastmag ROWLAND PUBLISHING rowlandpublishing.com

EDITORIAL OFFICE 1932 Miccosukee Road, Tallahassee, FL 32308. (850) 878-0554

CHAD KITTRELL (850) 570-0604 | ck@agency4re.com Equal Housing Opportunity, Agency 4 Real Estate and Consulting, LLC

August-September 2021

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SUBSCRIPTIONS One year (6 issues) is $30. Call (850) 878-0554 or go online to emeraldcoastmagazine.com. Single copies are $3.95. Purchase at Barnes and Noble in Destin and Pensacola and Books-A-Million in Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City and Pensacola. Availability may change subject to COVID-19 restrictions. CUSTOMER SERVICE & SUBMISSIONS Emerald Coast Magazine and Rowland Publishing, Inc. are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photography or artwork. Editorial contributions are welcomed and encouraged but will not be returned. Emerald Coast Magazine reserves the right to publish any letters to the editor. Copyright August 2021 Emerald Coast Magazine Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

JOSEPH A. PEDONE, MD, FACC, FACP, FSCAI, CDDR Interventional Cardiologist MICHAEL L. YANDEL, MD, FACC, FSCAI Interventional Cardiologist JUAN C. ZARATE, MD, FACC, FSCAI Interventional Cardiologist ANTHONY S. AL-DEHNEH, DO, FACC, FSCAI Interventional Cardiologist ANGEL D. MORROBEL, MD, FACC Invasive Cardiologist AJIT H. JANARDHAN, MD, PhD, FACC, FHRS Cardiac Electrophysiology IAN L. WEISBERG, MD, FACC, FHRS, Cardiac Electrophysiology

Best Cardiologist

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DESTIN 36468 Emerald Coast Parkway Suite 1101 Destin, FL 32541 (850) 424-5638

NICEVILLE 552 Twin Cities Boulevard Suite A Niceville, FL 32578 (850) 279-4426

FORT WALTON BEACH 1032 Mar Walt Drive Suite 110 Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547 (850) 862-1753

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CRESTVIEW 129 Redstone Ave. Suite A Crestview, FL 32539 (850) 682-7212

December 2020–January 2021 2020

from the

associate publisher

THE SEASONS OF OUR LIVES Darkness yield to light, scarcity to abundance

Nature is a great restorative. When I am stressed or feeling out of sync or ungrounded, I intentionally spend time with Mother Nature. In the natural world and in our lives, there are times of abundance and of scarcity. Emily Motzkus, a poet, mentor and dear friend, addressed such duality in an online course I attended. That teaching changed my perspective and my life. Motzkus leads students to consider that there are two sides to everything, and that only by experiencing one side are we awakened to the existence of the opposite side. Without sadness, we would not know happiness and joy. It is darkness that defines light. Winter defines spring, the season of renewal. Each spring, cherry trees, once bare, erupt in bloom and elevate our spirits. As the Beatles sang in George Harrison’s Here Comes the Sun: “Little darling/ It’s been a long, cold, lonely winter. Little darling/ It feels like years since it’s been here. Here comes the sun/ Doo da doo doo/ Here comes the sun/ And I say/ It’s all right.”

August-September 2021

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Garfunkel surface in my mind, and I recall with fondness the Rocky Mountain breezes that refreshed us as we drove around with the windows down. Behind the wheel of his Eddie Bauer edition, forest-green Bronco, Dad always had a coffee in hand. An older car triggers nostalgia in me, and I have developed a strong desire to own a vintage vehicle. As to tomorrow, wake up, smell the coffee, seize the day and make it a great one. And remember, as Pete Seeger wrote … “To everything (turn, turn, turn)/ There is a season (turn, turn, turn)/ And a time to every purpose, under heaven.” Love you,

MCKENZIE BURLEIGH, ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER mburleigh@rowlandpublishing.com

PHOTO BY SEAN MURPHY

Sometimes it seems that our darkest days will not yield to light, but they do. September bridges summer and fall and is a good time to reflect on the shifting seasons in our lives. Every season has a purpose. If you are in a time of transition or darkness, keep moving forward, knowing that this, too, shall pass. The night is darkest right before the dawn. It’s my wish that you find peace no matter what season you are in. The author, spiritual leader and one-time presidential candidate Marianne Williamson finds that “Ego says, ‘Once everything falls into place, I’ll feel peace,’ while Spirit says, ‘Find your peace, and then everything will fall into place.’ ” Amen. In this issue, you’ll find stories about the continuously evolving automobile. No country’s love affair with cars is as intense as America’s. For us, the car is a rite of passage and the stuff of memories. Growing up in Utah, I was the youngest of three girls. I remember my older sister Michelle driving her siblings Megan and me around in her Isuzu Amigo with the top off as we listened to Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Deep Blue Something. I thought she was the coolest chick around. Every time I see a Bronco — a vehicle in the midst of a comeback — I think of my dad. The songs of Simon &

forever YOU WILL

always

BE MY

Voted the “Best Place to Pop the Question” by Destin Magazine, Vue on 30a is home to dramatic sunsets with its panoramic views of the Gulf of Mexico through expansive floor-to-ceiling windows. From its sleek, contemporary look to its inviting atmosphere, Vue on 30a offers something for everyone and can accommodate intimate weddings of 35 to large-scale weddings or rehearsal dinners up to 200 guests.

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August-September 2021

editor’s letter

THE BEST OF INCLINATIONS Diverse perspectives strengthen communities

August-September 2021

I love to fish. Al finds that activity crude and cruel. He is a seafood lover who engages in compartmentalization that separates the fish from the fillet. I love baseball. For Al, the national pastime’s time is past if ever it had one. As an airline executive, he entertained key customers, including some for whom attending a game at Yankee Stadium was a box that must be checked. For Al, the experience was excruciating. From skyboxes, he was tempted to scream at a deliberate pitcher, “Just throw the damn ball!” I love David Sedaris, a writer who consistently causes me to laugh hard. He named his beach house the Sea Section. When a grandfather clock fell on his father at the nursing home, Sedaris wondered aloud, “When you’re 95, and Father Time literally knocks you to the ground, don’t you think he’s maybe trying to tell you something?” Hilarious? Not to Al. He might tell you it is all slightly less sensitive than fishing. A year ago, Al returned to his native Maine. He lives in Portland, where his husband, Jack, has taken a part-time job selling $240 canvas bags to visiting New Yorkers and where both men love the city’s scores of restaurant options. I miss Al. But I recognize that his acculturation here was a struggle, and after Michael stripped his neighborhood of its greenery, he felt lost. Indeed, the storm had made off with the city’s street signs. I miss Al’s big ideas, his visions of new fellowship halls and a bigger symphony and a grand performing arts center. He often challenged people by asking, “Why not?” A community needs that. I thought of Al the other day when someone we both know well told me about her experience at a Panama City

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

screen-printing shop. She wanted to have a PRIDE MONTH message printed on tie-dye shirts. The shop refused the job: “We don’t do work for people like you.” Incidents like that infuriate Al and me to our cores. It is there that we most meaningfully meet. Al was in town for a visit not long ago, and he and I and my wife supped at a restaurant with a spectacular view and marginal food. Acknowledging my misguided passion, he mentioned having read about a no-hitter thrown by aging Yankee hurler Corey Kluber. Called him a “young kid,” Al did. “Not a big deal,” I said. “There have already been six no-hitters this year, so many that baseball is talking about lowering pitcher’s mounds or moving them farther from home plate. And, Kluber left his next game with an injured shoulder.” “Herr Bornhoft, you’re a drip,” Burgermeister said. What’s not to miss? Think big,

STEVE BORNHOFT EXECUTIVE EDITOR sbornhoft@rowlandpublishing.com

PHOTO BY SAIGE ROBERTS

I met Al Burgermeister for the first time at the Chautauqua Learn & Serve Charter School in Panama City. I was a board member there and had stopped by the school for some cookies and good cheer at a holiday open house. Terry Jack, at the time an instructor at Gulf Coast State College, had brought Al to the gathering. Looking back on that day, it makes sense that Al and Terry were together. I regard both as communitarians. Both believe in the capacity of good people to develop and maintain systems and institutions that provide for the common good and help the needy. Al and his life partner were new to town, having traded a New Jersey cityscape for small-town Southern living in a place given to great natural beauty. They settled in a part of Panama City known as The Cove, a large hammock populated, pre-Michael, by magnificent live oaks of a stature like those found in Tallahassee. Al was looking for causes or organizations to which he might devote time and energy, and Terry thought the school might interest him. I was interested to meet a man of such inclinations. I judged him immediately to be a gentle man with a good heart. My assessment would prove over time to be spot on. Al and I served on boards together at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Bay County, where I had spoken from time to time, and at the LGBTQ Center of Bay County. For some months, we worked out as members of the 7 a.m. class at a crossfit gym that did not survive the pandemic. Organically, it came to be the Geriatric Class. Dropins, seeing its membership, would ask if it were reserved for the old. But the truth is, we are good friends who don’t have much in common.

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*All loans subject to credit and property approval. The introductory rate will be in effect for the first six (6) months after account is opened. Upon expiration of the introductory rate, all balances will accrue interest at the variable standard Annual Percentage Rate (APR) that can range from Prime + 0.5% (currently 3.75% APR) to Prime + 6.5% (currently 9.75% APR), using the JP Morgan Chase Prime (JPMCP) rate, not to exceed 18% at any time. Information accurate as of 04/15/2021. After the promotional period, the variable standard APR will be based on the borrower’s line amount, combined loan-to-value ratio, and credit rating. Hazard insurance required and flood insurance, if applicable. An annual fee of $50 is charged on the first year anniversary after closing and each year thereafter. A prepayment penalty of 2% of the original credit line amount, not to exceed $1,500, will be assessed if the credit line is closed within three (3) years of the origination date. The borrower may pay the credit line down to zero without closing the line of credit or without incurring a prepayment penalty. Consult a tax advisor about possible tax benefits. Minimum line of $10,000 required. Exclusions, limitations and funding requirements apply. Additional Limitations and conditions apply for existing HELOC clients. Refer to product disclosure or ask a banker for complete details. Offer available for limited time.

PROMOTION

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

2021 Best of the Emerald Coast

Join us for an evening of celebration at Grand Boulevard as we showcase the 2021 winners of the “Best of the Emerald Coast.” Our 22nd annual event will be a night of food, fashion and fun as we sample from the best restaurants, shopping and businesses on the Emerald Coast. Enjoy an evening of community, and experience the unique attributes that made this year’s winners stand out among the crowd. Purchase tickets by visiting EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/ best-of-the-emerald-coast.

BEAUTY & THE BEST “One of the most rewarding things about being a plastic surgeon is helping my patients achieve the cosmetic results they desire. I provide a thorough consultation with each and every patient to listen to their needs and educate them on the importance of their involvement, combined with my expertise, for a successful, beautiful result.” — David Chandler, MD For more on how 30A Plastic Surgery will help you “put your best face forward” visit EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/beauty-links.

SANTA ROSA GOLF & BEACH CLUB RAISES OVER $40,000 FOR WALTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

New to the Neighborhood Inspired by the resilience and reliability of locally owned businesses, we felt compelled to start a quarterly listing of businesses you should know about that have recently opened along the Emerald Coast. We’ve rounded up eight places that need to be on your list to visit, and you can learn about all of them by visiting EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/ new-to-the-neighborhood.

Santa Rosa Golf & Beach Club’s Sassy Sisters group presented a $40,400 donation to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office on April 27 during an event at Vue on 30A. The group had chosen Project K9 as a philanthropic focus and set a goal of funding the acquisition of an additional working dog for the Sheriff’s Office. Read the full story by visiting EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/ santa-rosa-golf-beach-club-raise-40000for-walton-county-sheriffs-office.

SUMMER FUN!

What are some fun ways that you’ve been spending your summer? At the beach? The pool? Perhaps a barbecue at the park with family and friends? Head over to our Instagram page @EmeraldCoastMag and tag us with some pics of your favorite summer activities. @emeraldcoastmag

August-September 2021

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Emerald Coast Magazine

@EmeraldCoastMag

PHOTOS BY LAND AIR SEA PRODUCTIONS (BEST OF) AND COURTESY OF SANTA ROSA GOLF & BEACH CLUB (WALTON COUNTY) , DERMATOLOGY SPECIALISTS AND HUCK AND HARLOWE (NEIGHBORHOOD); INSTAGRAM PHOTOS BY: CHASE YAKABOSKI (GRILL) AND KANSAS PITTS (BEACH)

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35 years of Good Food. Good People. Good Times. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

BEST E

ERALD C O

Voted Best Rooftop Bar Coastal Living Magazine

BudandAlleys.com 850.231.5900

Bud & Alley's restaurants are proudly following CDC protocols to ensure the health and safety of our employees and patrons.

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August-September 2021

Paradise has arrived ON THE EMERALD COAST

LIVE THE LIFE YOU’VE DREAMED AT LATITUDE MARGARITAVILLE WATERSOUND! Sunshine and cool breezes. Palm trees and margaritas. Welcome to Latitude Margaritaville, a 55-and-better community inspired by the legendary music and lifestyle of Jimmy Buffett, built on food, fun, music and escapism. Escape to the place where fun and relaxation meet. Escape to island-inspired living as you grow older, but not up. Escape to Latitude Margaritaville Watersound, located on the Emerald Coast on Florida’s Panhandle. New Homes from the $200s

Sales center and 13 models open daily

Latitude Margaritaville Watersound (866) 220-1954

9201 Highway 79, Panama City Beach, FL 32413 Mon. - Sat. 9:00am - 5:00pm | Sun. 11:00am - 5:00pm

Visit online for more information LatitudeMargaritaville.com

Obtain the Property Report required by Federal law and read it before signing anything. No Federal agency has judged the merits or value, if any, of this property. WARNING: THE CALIFORNIA BUREAU OF REAL ESTATE HAS NOT INSPECTED, EXAMINED, OR QUALIFIED THE OFFERINGS. Latitude Margaritaville Kentucky Registration Number R-201. For NY Residents: THE COMPLETE OFFERING TERMS FOR THE SALE OF LOTS ARE IN THE CPS-12 APPLICATION AVAILABLE FROM SPONSOR, LMWS, LLC. FILE NO. CP20-0062. Pennsylvania Registration Number OL001182. Latitude Margaritaville Watersound is registered with the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salesmen, 1000 Washington Street, Suite 710, Boston, MA 02118 and with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 1700 G Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20552. This material shall not constitute a valid offer in any state where prior registration is required and has not been completed. The facilities and amenities described are proposed but not yet constructed. Photographs are for illustrative purposes only and are merely representative of current development plans. Development plans, amenities, facilities, dimensions, specifications, prices and features depicted by artists renderings or otherwise described herein are approximate and subject to change without notice. ©Minto Communities, LLC 2021. All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced, copied, altered, distributed, stored, or transferred in any form or by any means without express written permission. Latitude Margaritaville and the Latitude Margaritaville logo are trademarks of Margaritaville Enterprises, LLC and are used under license. Minto and the Minto logo are trademarks of Minto Communities, LLC and/or its affiliates. St. Joe and the St. Joe logo are trademarks of The St. Joe Company and are used under license. CGC 1519880/CGC 120919. 2021

December 2020–January 2021 2020

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AUG/SEPT 2021

A CONSCIOUS, COOL COMPENDIUM OF COASTAL STUFF

CHAMPION

LEADing by Example Coalition director mobilizes communities

by STEVE BORNHOFT

EDUCATION photography by MIKE FENDER

A New High School in Destin

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August-September 2021

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he LEAD Coalition, a Panama City nonprofit dedicated to creating safe, resilient neighborhoods, was born out of tragedy. Seven homicides had occurred in nine weeks in 2014, the last involving a boy who had been reported missing and whose body was found in the trunk of a car in the Glenwood community. Concerned, if not distraught, residents came together in a morning march and an afternoon rally and prayed for an end to the violence. “We’ve got to organize,” the Rev. Kenric Conway, the senior pastor at the Family of God Baptist Church, urged at the time. Who to head up the effort? Eyes landed on Janice Lucas, an educator and one-time newspaper journalist. She was drafted. Two days later, Lucas and some 30 others met at the Bay County Sheriff’s Office to discuss ways to make communities safer and to bring about a relationship of trust between law enforcement and residents. Investigations into the killings had been made difficult because residents of predominantly Black neighborhoods were not comfortable interacting with police and sheriff’s detectives. As a product of the meeting at the Sheriff’s Office, Lucas et al, joined by law enforcement personnel, went door to door in the three communities that are the focus of the coalition’s efforts: Glenwood, Millville and a neighborhood called The Hill, where Lucas grew up and attended a segregated elementary school. “We had a simple message,” Lucas said. “We love you. You are not alone. And, if you see something, say something.” Too, the visits to residents enabled Lucas to gain a better understanding of neighborhood dynamics. “If you are going to represent a community, you need to know the community,” she said. “And there is a corollary to that: If a community is to function as a community, its residents need to know one another.”

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In seven years, the LEAD Coalition has done much to breed such familiarity. Perhaps few organizations pull off “y’all comes,” as Lucas calls community gatherings, as well or as readily as it does. Lucas, the daughter of a fish market owner who can sure enough spot a phony grouper fillet, went full time as the executive director of the LEAD Coalition in 2015. The coalition became a 501(c)(3) organization a year later. To gauge its success, Lucas monitors what people say and do. When a killing occurred in St. Andrews in August 2015, people did tell law enforcement what they knew, and suspects were in custody within days. Reports to Crime Stoppers grew in number after the coalition canvassed neighborhoods and passed out flyers about the anonymous tip line. And, people increasingly are supporting the coalition financially. Despite and perhaps because of everything that 2020 entailed, the coalition took in a record amount of donations and grant funding. “From the beginning, it’s been part of our mission to be a collaborative organization,” Lucas said. “We are taking on wicked problems that defy linear solutions and can’t be solved by any one agency, organization or individual. We assess the nature of a problem, form a hypothesis, test it, determine what we’ve learned and go back at it.” Those wicked problems, in addition to violent crime, have come to include the devastation wrought by a Category 5 hurricane and the local ramifications of a global pandemic. Along the way, consistent with its mission, the coalition has formed strategic alliances and partnerships. n The coalition was instrumental in setting up Rebuild Bay County, a local long-term hurricane recovery organization. Lucas is its board chair. n Working with the Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church and angel donors, the coalition has

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established Cornerstone Trust, which extends micro-grants to businesses in Glenwood. In May, Michelle Darko, the coalition’s office manager and the owner of a cookie-dough business, Darko’s Delish, was among grant recipients. To become grant eligible, recipients must complete a four-part workshop on the fundamentals of business and submit a business plan. n Along with community redevelopment agencies serving Millville and Glenwood, the coalition is working to provide affordable housing. n In concert with GlobalGiving, a nonprofit that connects donors with grassroots projects, the coalition photography by MIKE FENDER

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Janice Lucas and her husband Lawrenso Burroughs are committed to being a part of the Millville community, one of three served by the LEAD Coalition. Their home-in-progress will replace one destroyed by Hurricane Michael.

distributed literature about COVID-19 to combat myths, including one that held that the melanin in their skin makes Blacks infection proof. n With a four-year grant and in partnership with Gulf Coast State College, the coalition moved into the direct-services arena by providing an after-school STEM program. As a participant in the Medical and Public Health Information Sharing Environment program of the Department of Homeland Security, the coalition has pulled data from hospitals, nursing homes, schools and the county health department and maintained a dashboard

with continuously updated totals of infections, hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID. Because even county numbers can obscure problems at the neighborhood level, data collection and analysis is a big part of what the LEAD Coalition does. “When you look at Bay County as a whole, it doesn’t have a guns and gangs problem,” Lucas said. “But when you disaggregate Health Department data on deaths and injuries resulting from firearms, you can detect highly localized problems.” Those numbers had trended upward in the coalition’s focus area for three years leading to the string of killings that spurred the LEAD Coalition’s founding.

At Florida A&M University, Lucas was among 16 journalism students selected to participate in an internship program that offered work experience at papers, including the Kansas City Times. Lucas recalls clearly listening while in Kansas City to a Black bank executive talk about his notion of community. “It’s people who make things happen in their communities, and he caused me to think about what was not happening here,” Lucas said. “I wanted to come home and shed light on problems so that people would become aware of them before they were personally affected by them.” In time, she would not just report on problems. She would endeavor to fix them. EC

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August-September 2021

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nyone who has been to the Emerald Coast knows that the lifestyle is distinct — emerald waters, sugar-white sands, and a laid-back luxury attitude. Another aspect that is becoming synonymous with the 30A way of life is the proliferation of golf carts. Dixielectricar has been a street legal golf cart retailer since 1972, supplying residents and visitors with the highest premium product, E-Z-GO golf carts. Unlike other dealers, they exclusively sell E-Z-GO because it is the most advanced and refined product on the market. Part of the exceptionalism of these golf carts stems from their parent company, aircraft manufacturer Textron, ensuring an exemplary level of technology and efficiency. While many golf carts are intended only for golf and have had the same design for over 40 years, E-Z-GO transitioned in 2008 to the same motor system as Tesla, an alternating current system which utilizes 5% of the parts and is 30% more efficient. “E-Z-GO is a product that has evolved to transcend golf courses to become technical recreation vehicles that offer short-range fun missions for people,” said Colin Gorman, one of the owners of Dixielectricar. “They are easy to use, customizable, reliable and comfortable.” Dixielectricar takes pride in offering products that are an investment. The price tags reflect the actual price you will pay with the added value of an eight-year warranty and access to the service shop that can repair and replace parts. Upon purchase, the cart is delivered to your door, ready to roll.

The experience of shopping is straightforward and easy. Often the only question asked is, “what’s your mission?” — to help address the right option for you. Golf carts are available both in gas and electric models depending on your preference, and each is customizable. Gorman and his family have owned the business for over 20 years, and as a former urban planning major at Florida State University, he has long envisioned the success and popularity of golf carts. “The 30A lifestyle is geared toward slowing down and enjoying where you are going,” said Gorman.

“For many customers, it’s the joy of feeling the breeze and the ease of cruising to your local wine bar or market or loading up the kids, the dog and the cooler for a trip to the beach.”

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August–September 2021

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← The new Destin High School, represented here by renderings, will welcome 300 students in grades 9-11 in its first year. Lord & Son was the general contractor on the project.

EDUCATION

SCHOOL OF SHARKS Destin celebrates a milestone by THOMAS J. MONIGAN

fter years of sorting through complex issues, organizers of the new Destin High School are poised to celebrate when it welcomes its first students for the 2021–22 school year. “Everything has been going very smoothly and the community is pulling for us,” said Prebble Ramswell, president of the school’s governing board and a Destin City Council member. Destin High School is a tuition-free, public charter school located at the former Grace Lutheran Church site on Commons Drive, next to the Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village. In the past, public school students from Destin had to attend either Choctawhatchee High School or Fort Walton Beach High School. Acquisition, construction and renovation costs have been financed through a $10 million tax-exempt bond from Truist SunTrust Bank. Lord & Son was the project’s general contractor. DAG Architects Inc. developed plans for the campus, which comprises three buildings: a classroom building with cafeteria; the student gathering hall; and an

August-September 2021

administration building that also contains classrooms. The cafeteria is equipped with a full kitchen, “But we plan on working with community partners to have catered lunches from local restaurants each day,” Ramswell said. For the school’s first year, enrollment will be capped at 300 students in grades 9 through 11. Ramswell said a second phase of development at DHS may include a gymnasium. For now, the school will use local facilities, including the Destin Community Center and municipal fields. “We will have all the traditional clubs and extracurricular activities, as well as some specialized clubs building on our career academies, such as sportfishing,” Ramswell said. Christine Cruickshank will serve as DHS’s first principal. “She is absolutely incredible,” Ramswell said. “We did a nationwide search and received almost 200 applications from people all over the country.” Ramswell said she was impressed by Cruickshank’s local knowledge and familiarity with school systems.

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“It was just a perfect match, and we couldn’t be happier,” she said. Cruickshank first visited the Emerald Coast with her then-future husband Kent, who grew up locally, graduating from Fort Walton Beach High School. “I fell in love with the area, and we decided to move here from Central Florida,” Cruickshank said. She taught for a year at Niceville High School and then spent 12½ years at Collegiate High School as a history teacher and assistant principal. “When I was looking at moving here, Destin High School was my first choice, but unfortunately, there was no Destin High School here in 2007,” Cruickshank said. “When I saw the governing board was looking for a principal to open the new school, I saw it as an amazing opportunity and challenge.” Cruickshank has received a warm reception in her new role. “The community has been amazing,” she said. “I have had the chance to meet many of the Christine Cruickshank, students and parents, DHS’s first principal and they are so excited. I have also met and am working with a variety of community members who want to be part of Destin High School, and they are wonderful.” The school mascot, a shark, was determined by voting at a Destin Prebble Ramswell, president of the Town Hall meeting in school’s governing the spring. board and a Destin Brooke O’Keefe, the City Council member reigning Miss Destin at the time, and local banker Gloria Tucker submitted winning mascot drawings. Tucker is a great-great-granddaughter of William T. Marler, one of Destin’s founders.

PHOTO BY KAY PHELAN (GRAND OPENING) AND RENDERINGS COURTESY OF DAG ARCHITECTS INC. AND PHOTOS COURTESY OF DESTIN HIGH SCHOOL

After classes commence, students will name the mascot; select a school motto and alma mater song; and establish a mission statement and founding principles. Briar Ramswell, Prebble’s daughter, created the school’s logo, incorporating the shark. She will be a DHS sophomore this year. “We wanted to show empowerment because this school is something Destin has wanted for a really long time,” Briar said. “I look forward to being able to go to school with a lot of my friends so close, instead of going over a bridge or waking up so early in the morning to get ready. And we can work after school or play one of the sports.” In its first year, DHS athletics will be limited to club sports and intramural competition. In year two, the school plans to be joining the Florida High School Sports Association. “Students may participate in sports at their regularly zoned high school until Destin High School offers them,” Ramswell pointed out. At the end of May, school officials introduced Philip Dorn as DHS’s athletic

director and unveiled a mako shark statue donated by the LoCicero family. “The whole point of what we’re doing here is not where we’re going to start, it’s where we’re going to finish that matters,” Dorn said, “and we want to finish as one of the best high schools in Florida, providing our student-athletes with the opportunity to be the best they can be.” Dorn has 39 years of coaching experience, 17 of them at the college level, and 22 years at high schools. He has been an athletic director for 13 years. He and his family live in Destin. “In any startup situation, there are multiple challenges,” he said. “There are a lot of things we’re going to be doing on a continuing basis — fundraising, obviously, and working with the community to set up safe practice and competition facilities. We’re also going to be working very hard to hire great coaches.” School board member Heidi LoCicero and her husband Brian, along with their son Andrew and fiancé Ann Elizabeth Walker and daughter Peyton and her husband Beau Trist, presented the school with the 15-foot shark statue that is positioned

in the reflecting water fountain in the high school’s courtyard. Capt. Mike Parker arranged to have it molded and painted by a taxidermist in South Florida. It is a replica of the largest mako shark ever caught in U.S. waters. “Great things are happening in our little beach town,” Heidi LoCicero said. “In donating this gift, my family hopes that this iconic statue will be the backdrop of many wonderful memories and photos taken at Destin High for the next 400 million years.” Ella Stone, daughter of board treasurer Sarah Stone, has been wearing the school’s shark costume. “I get a couple of people to help me, and I just wiggle into it,” she said. Local donor Joe Campbell gave the costume to the school. “It’s very rewarding to see all this come to fruition,” Sarah Stone said. “I am most excited that our students will have the option to attend high school in their community, where they can get plugged in with their local businesses and city government to become the next generation of leaders for our community.” EC

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August-September 2021

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ELEMENTS OF STYLE RANGING FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE MORE SUBLIME

→ As the executive director of the Pensacola Little Theatre, Sid Williams-Heath takes a grand approach to fundraising, assembling eclectic collections of performers in cabaret-style events. A native of Mississippi, he spent time in New York before rebounding to the South.

CITIZEN OF STYLE

A LATTER-DAY BARNUM

Arts advocate Sid Williams-Heath can gather a crowd by STEVE BORNHOFT

FASHION photography by JOHN HARRINGTON

The Skinny on Jeans

|| WHAT’S IN STORE

Retail Round-up

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August-September 2021

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hroughout a 30-minute conversation I had with Sid Williams-Heath, pictures of the novelist Tom Wolfe, he of the trademark white linen suits, appeared in my mind. Williams-Heath is the executive director of the Pensacola Little Theatre, which produces shows for young people as part of its work, yes, but is not a children’s theater — far from it from time to time. When we spoke — “Absolutely, let’s talk drama,” Williams-Heath welcomed me — the PLT had just come through the striking of the set for 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, a ribald musical in which adults play tweens and confront assorted embarrassments. In one number, a cast member sings about his unfortunately timed erection. But, on quite another hand, the PLT stages shows such as Mary Poppins, The Velveteen Rabbit and Charlotte’s Web. And falling in between the extremes is the theatre’s Main Stage adult series that has included shows such as The Odd Couple, Rumors and Mamma Mia! Mississippi born and raised, WilliamsHeath went to work at the Savannah School of Art and Design after graduating with a journalism/public relations degree from Ole Miss in 2013. In Georgia, he discovered that he loved being part of an art scene.

↗ Sid Williams-Heath sports a jacket by J. Crew; a shirt from UNIQLO; shoes by Gucci; and a belt from MR PORTER. His watch, a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust, is an heirloom.

↑ Always animated, Sid Williams-Heath gestures to a colleague. He is wearing a shirt by Sid Mashburn and pants from J. Crew.

August-September 2021

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photography by JOHN HARRINGTON

“The singing! The theater!” WilliamsHeath said. “While I’m not necessarily a performer, someone has to advocate for all of it. That’s my form of artistic expression. There is such a creativity piece when it comes to raising funds. Who needs another stuffy sit-down dinner where the food is mediocre?” PLT has instead conducted a series of “Cabaret” fundraising events, each with a different theme: Phantom of the Masquerade; 007, Shaken Not Stirred; and Midnight in Paris, to name several. “They are celebrations of art,” WilliamsHeath said. “Aerialists, drag performers, pianists, singers, sketch artists, ballerinas, every form of art we can assemble — we put them right in front of your face. We stretch the kind of weird opportunity that we get as a theater.” As many as 800 people have turned out for a Cabaret event. Williams-Heath met his husband Nicklaus in New York where Nicklaus went to dental school. “He sweet-talked me into Pensacola,” Williams-Heath said of Nicklaus, who grew up in Gulf Breeze. “We knew it would be a great place for him to establish a practice, and he was blown away by how much the city had changed in the seven years he had been away.” Blown away in a good way. “A symphony, ballet, opera, children’s chorus, museum of art. It’s absurd that a town this size offers all of that,” WilliamsHeath said. “Patronage and private support are phenomenal. You can have great talent and venues and no one to see it. Here, you have both.” Williams-Heath revels in opportunities to introduce a show or rally support for the arts — “I’ve never met a microphone I didn’t love,” he said — but his experience as a thespian has been limited. He has never taken the stage as an actor at the PLT. As a child, he played the role of Charlie Bradley in a production of The Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever. “And, I was the Tin Man at one point; somebody’s got to be lanky and do it.” Williams-Heath is leggy enough. At a pool party, you are sure to find him in shorts. At work, he often wears shorts suits.

“I am not going to say I have been known to have a nice leg, but I’m also not saying that people haven’t commented on them a time or two,” said Williams-Heath, who keeps his pins in shape teaching a 6 a.m. spin class. He favors a muted color palette: khaki, white, blues, gingham. “Some may call my style boring, but I call it classic,” Williams-Heath said. “I am not very adventurous with my wardrobe, and that has worked for me.” Today, he is wearing gray chinos and a blue-and-white gingham shirt, no tie, nice loafers and his heirloom Rolex. His lid, meanwhile, is a statement piece. “I have this Johnny Bravo hair going on, so I am not much of a hat guy,” he said. “I’ve got an arsenal of hair product.” How much does he spend in a month on product? “You know, I try not to look at that,” Williams-Heath said. “Maybe 60 or 80 bucks a month.” That’s in addition to twicemonthly maintenance sessions at the barber. “But, hey, while I’ve got hair, I’m gonna celebrate it.” Williams-Heath is a party-goer, a party planner and a party thrower. He and Nicklaus annually hold a “Carving & Cocktails” Halloween gathering where all attendees wear plaid, receive a white pumpkin to work on and are served by the “best bartenders in town.” The WilliamsHeaths host a Kentucky Derby party that is likely to go on, no matter the future of horse racing. “It’s not a horse event,” WilliamsHeath said. “The race is the fastest two minutes in sports, and we’re together for three hours or more. I went to football games at Ole Miss, but really it wasn’t about the football.” Williams-Heath’s party-planning prowess figures prominently in what he does for PLT. It is largely to his credit that the theatre stayed active throughout all but the initial blanket shutdown triggered by the pandemic. “We did a series called Sips & Serenades. We opened the bar and held them outside, and it gave performers a creative outlet,” Williams-Heath said. In January and February, the PLT

↑ Sid Williams-Heath, above, inspects a poster while wearing a shirt from Blakely Clothing and shorts by Ralph Lauren.

admitted groups of about 40 people to a “Singeasy” inside the theater. “Feinstein’s/54 Below New York City vibes, baby grand piano, candlelight. We really explored what theater is for us,” Williams-Heath said. The PLT attracts something like 1,000 volunteers in a typical year: actors, painters, costumers, directors, assistant directors, music directors, lighting and sound technicians, and more. That’s a lot of people to try to keep engaged. Plus, Williams-Heath noted, the PLT owns and operates the historic Pensacola Cultural Center within which the theater is located. The center hosts church services, a ballet, a literary federation and assorted community events. “We play Mother Hen to so many organizations,” Williams-Heath said. “The center is a huge source of revenue for the theater.” Tom Wolfe surfaced in my mind again, and I had one more question for a man who occasionally refers to himself in the third person. “Can you see Sid in a Tom Wolfe suit?” I asked. “One hundred percent. Minus the chapeau.” EC

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

August-September 2021

panache FASHION

The Skinny on Jeans Flares are back for another look by HANNAH BURKE

Room to Breathe 30

August-September 2021

Relaxed Fit

A stylishly slackened cut tapering below the knee.

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“Some women feel more confident and comfortable in skinny jeans, and that’s fine,” Law said. “Skinny jeans aren’t going away. Just because we’re in a mom jeanmoment doesn’t mean skinny jeans won’t be back in another five years.”

Boot Fit

A chic, straightleg stitch with flared ankles.

Boyfriend Fit

Cuffed and distressed for a relaxed silhouette.

Such is the cyclical nature of fashion. According to Law, a teenage girl recently strolled into U&I looking for some jeans like the ones Jennifer Aniston’s character Rachel wore on the’90s sitcom, Friends. “A popular look right now borrows

Straight Fit

A classic, uniform cut with ample operating room.

Wide Fit

High-rise and looselegged for vintage flair.

PHOTOS BY ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS / LIGHTFIELDSTUDIOS AND ILLUSTRATIONS BY LINDSEY MASTERSON

ith the revival of mom jeans, disco-ready bell-bottoms and grungy “boyfriend” denim, the millennial skinny jean appears to be going the route of Ellen DeGeneres and daytime TV. The fashion arbiters on TikTok have gone so far as to declare skinny jeans — along with hair parted on the side and the beloved “crying laughing” emoji — “dead” or, even worse, “cringey.” Skinnies have become synonymous with an older generation of folks who, you know, are not in the know. I’ve never been one for emojis and because a cowlick prevents me from having a symmetrical middle part, I’ll have to accept the loss of cool points there. As for the jean condemnation, I get it. When I was a middle-schooler who listened to My Chemical Romance and adorned my arms with Silly Bandz and spiked bracelets, I swore off my old, bedazzled flares and couldn’t imagine going back. For many more years, I lived in denim sausage casing, thinking they were the be-all-endall of pants. I go for a high-waisted, loose fit these days, but there’s an old pair of American Eagle skinny jeans I still reach for nearly every week. They may give away my ancient, mid-20s millennial status, but they’re worn, cozy and I like the way my legs look in them. And, according to Haleigh Law, district sales manager for U&I Boutique in Pensacola and Panama City, that’s okay.

inspiration from the ’90s with loose, destroyed denim paired with crop tops,” said Law. “The boyfriend jean is also coming back at a time where, post-pandemic, people are feeling less comfortable in tight, form-fitting clothing.” Boyfriend fits, such U&I’s “Denim Dream” pants, are versatile and can be dressed up or down for different occasions. Law said a trendy casual look right now is baggy denim with crisp, white crop tops and Nike Air Force 1s. “For dressier occasions, I would pair a boyfriend jean with a bodysuit, blazer and a good pair of heels,” she said. The same could be said of U&I’s collection of flower child flares. “Light It Up Wide Leg Flares” and “A Denim Babe Jeans” come in different washes, but both feature leg-accentuating bell-bottoms that can add some flair to a graphic tee, or dress down a formal sweater or flouncy blouse. Law prefers a mom jean and believes that finding a “good, stretchy, high-waisted pair of jeans you feel comfortable in is key.” High-waisted denim pairs well with cropped shirts and is a go-to, everyday, allpurpose bottom. Tapered, loose, elastic-banded or wide-cut, it’s a jean that can be mixed and matched with almost anything. But, as Law says, comfort is key. Kimber Givens, buyer and manager of Kiss the Sky Boutique in Destin, said the boutique’s most popular jeans aren’t really jeans at all. Last year, XCVI launched its “Wearables” collection, pants made from a pre-shrunk blend of cotton and spandex made to imitate denim. “I can’t tell you how many people I’ve hooked on these pants,” said Law. “It’s crazy because they feel like pajama pants, but I can pair them with my silk blouses and dressier tops.” Most Wearables come in a straight-leg fit, with some bunching around the knee for better maneuverability. While these jeans could technically fall into the “skinny” category, Givens said the majority of her 30-and-up clientele aren’t ready to give up their favorite fit but are willing to compromise. One of Kiss the Sky’s best-selling denim brands, Lysse, borrows from boyfriends with its ripped, frayed bottoms. Givens has also noted the popularity of the boutique’s distressed, flare-bottomed capris. “This year, at market, I did notice a trend in flare jeans, but we’re still selling skinny jeans like crazy,” said Givens. “To me, it doesn’t matter. I like to make sure our customers get something that fits and looks good on them.” “If skinny jeans are what you feel great in, then wear them,” agreed Law. “Who cares?” EC

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August–September 2021

Toned and Tightened with Tummy Tucks

THE TRUTHS ABOUT ABDOMINOPLASTY FROM 30A PLASTIC SURGERY

n abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck, is a procedure done to restore the stomach’s contour and the person’s confidence. A tummy tuck eliminates excess skin and fat in the abdominal area. By restoring the stretched and weakened abdomen wall, the result is a firmer smother stomach. For the procedure, an incision is made; then the doctor trims away excess skin and, if needed, tightens the underlying muscles in the abdomen wall with a series of sutures. “The goal of a tummy tuck is to restore the youthful contour of the abdomen wall that life events may have altered,” said Dr. David Chandler of 30A Plastic Surgery. Most often, the life events that occur resulting in a tummy tuck are women who have had pregnancies that have stretched their abdominal walls muscles and men or women who have undergone significant weight loss. These candidates have abdomen walls that are stretched

beyond the point of what diet and exercise can accomplish. The first step is to seek out a consultation to discuss your desired results. Healthy people of any age can undergo a tummy tuck. Someone who doesn’t have much extra skin is not an ideal candidate and may be best suited for a mini tummy tuck or liposuction. Dr. Chandler tends to include liposuction when performing a tummy tuck to further contour as most patients can benefit from it. The contour is especially important around the belly button. When making the incision, Dr. Chandler keeps the scar line as low as possible, ensuring it hides well within clothing and bathing suits. As a result of being experienced in the latest techniques, Dr. Chandler rarely uses drains. While there is not much involved as far as preparation for the surgery, the recovery process is one of the more intense of

plastic surgery procedures. Dr. Chandler ensures that each patient understands post-op expectations and care before proceeding. He specifically highlights the importance of getting up to walk even when the patient may not feel like it. “A tummy tuck will tighten, remove excess skin, improve your contour and, overall, achieve the best aesthetics outcome possible,” said Dr. Chandler.

DAVID CHANDLER, MD

DERMATOLOGY SPECIALISTS / AQUA MEDICAL SPA / 30A PLASTIC SURGERY PANAMA CITY | SANTA ROSA BEACH | (850) 608-1833 | 30APLASTICS.COM PROMOTION CUSTOM CONTENT

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» HURRICANE

» REBUILDS &

» ROOF TARPING &

» PERSONAL

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RECONSTRUCTION CONTENTS & PACKOUTS

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WE GET THE JOB DONE!

The tears of joy are ready. Hugs, laughter and spoiling the grandkids are all ready too. And with nonstop flights to major cities, rest assured that whenever you’re ready to reunite with loved ones, we’re ready to fly you there. Visit iflybeaches.com/escape.

for the Reunions.

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August–September 2021

panache Up and at ’Em

➸ Mamas, don’t let your babies

grow up to be cowboys. But, if they already have, they may want to saddle up and head for the COWBOY CENTER. The 60-year-old, Miami-based horse tack and supplies hub has found a new home in Pensacola, offering boots, breeches, hats, saddles and everything a rider could need.

➸ We may not be Rocky Mountains high, but The Market Shops of Destin’s newest tenant,

MOUNTAIN HIGH OUTFITTERS

will have you looking the part for your next hike through Topsail, Camp Helen State Park or Perdido Bay. Gear up with their designer collection of outdoor apparel, camping goods and sporting equipment.

➸ Whether you’re a surf or fly fisherman, or a pier or offshore angler, EMERALD COAST BAIT & TACKLE has you covered. Fort Walton Beach’s newest fishing tackle shop is owned “by fisherman, for fisherman,” and offers a broad range of rods, reels, leaders, lures and live and frozen bait.

➸ Fans of Fort Walton Beach’s

PARLOR DONUTS will be happy to hear the home of the layered doughnut has opened a new location in Miramar Beach. Take home a dozen keto, gluten-free, vegan or organic delights, or go all-out on your cheat day with the sumptuous flavors of maple pecan, raspberry pistachio and coconut cream.

Hidden Gems ➸ Something wicked this way comes to Downtown Panama City from BAYWITCH, a onestop shop for spiritual self-care. The house of curiosities unites the enchanted with exercise, serving as both a studio for One Heart Yoga and a magical market of crystals, tarot cards, herbal teas and witchy literature.

↓

↑ WHAT’S IN STORE? A roundup of retail happenings throughout the Emerald Coast by HANNAH BURKE

SOUTHERN ATHLETICA recently opened a third location in Destin Commons, bringing to the area its cozy collection of athleisure for women and men. Add a touch of flair to your workout wardrobe with loose-fit crop tops, performance hoodies, stylish leggings and moisture-wicking joggers. 34

August-September 2021

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➸ FAT & WEIRD COOKIE

proudly serves, well, fat cookies with weird names. Take the “Sugar Momma,” a hefty, cotton candy-based cookie stuffed with pink cake, or the plump “Apple Bottom,” baked with Apple Jacks cereal and oozing with apple pie filling. Mop up your drool, and swing by their flagship store in downtown Panama City to see what you’ve been missing. ↓

➸ Now open at 30Avenue in Santa Rosa Beach, BECASA is local fashion designer Emily Raffield’s encapsulation of coastal magic. Raffield’s closet staples, “meeting your desires in the moment, with rich quality to last a lifetime,” take the form of in-house, coastalchic clothing collections, artisan-made jewelry and accessories, and exotic textiles and home goods imports. ➸ You never know what you might discover at THE BIG SALE @DESTINCOMMONS, but you can be sure it’ll make a style statement. An ever-changing inventory of in-vogue accessories, dresses, activewear and date-night attire is always on sale, offering designer brands at a more pocket-friendly price.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SOUTHERN ATHLETICA, FAT & WEIRD COOKIES AND BAYWITCH

Gimme Some Sugar

FAMILY

TIME

O P E N F O R B R E A K FAST LU N C H & D I N N E R Happy Hour 2–5 PM Daily

ONLINE ORDERING AVAIL ABLE FOOW30A .COM • (850) 534-5050 • 34 Goldenrod Circle, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

August–September 2021

PROMOTION

SOUTHERN TIDE AT GRAND BOULEVARD Southern Tide is an apparel brand that boasts exceptional craftsmanship and classic design for your active lifestyle. The retailer offers an array of apparel and accessory products for men, women and kids that deliver their authentic lifestyle through quality, experience and service.

1 SUN FARER TEE Add comfort to

1 3

your wardrobe with our new Sun Farer Collection. This classic-fit pocket T-shirt features a sun-washed look and insanely soft cotton that is perfect for all your adventures. $48

2 PAITON HOODIE Wear this hoodie

while you’re cuddled up by a bonfire, drinking coffee on a weekend morning, or over a tank and leggings on your way to yoga. $108

3 COBY PANT These cute navy

performance pants are sure to be your new BFF. Woven with a hint of stretch for comfort, these will quickly earn a spot in your weekly rotation. $98

4 BRRR®-DIE GULF SHORT Your

favorite short now with added brrr® cooling technology. Whether you’re on the water or the golf course, you’ll be cool and comfortable. $99.50

5 CARLEY PERFORMANCE DRESS

Want to effortlessly upgrade your look? We’ve created a flattering femininefit dress with a wave print to instantly elevate the everyday performance dress. Quick dry fabric and three-quarter length sleeves keep you cool and comfortable on even the hottest days. $128 5

6 BENGAL STRIPE BRRR® INTERCOASTAL SPORTSHIRT

A classic blue-and-white striped sport shirt with added brrr® technology to keep you cooler during those warmer months. What’s brrr® technology? A fabric made of fibers with natural cooling minerals, active moisture wicking and rapid drying, proven to instantly and permanently keep you cooler. $130

7 RYDER GEO PRINT PERFORMANCE POLO If patterned polos are your style,

GO 36

➺ Southern Tide Destin 600 Grand Blvd | Miramar Beach | (850) 837-1224 SouthernTide.com | @SouthernTide

August–September 2021

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you’ll love this geo-printed performance polo. Super stretchy and soft, this men’s shirt features moisture-wicking technology and UV protection to keep you cool and dry all day long. $89.50

BEST OF THE EMERALD COAST multiple award winner

Welcome to the Team Ed! Ed Burns Community President 850-244-5151

The original, award-winning wood-fired pizza and classical Italian cuisine Lunch M–F 11–2 · Dinner M–Sat 5–9 · 850.650.5980 12273 US Hwy 98, Miramar Beach · fatclemenzas.com

Fort Walton Banking Center 135 Perry Avenue S.E. Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548

Destin Banking Center 363 U.S. Highway 98, East Destin, FL 32541

www.unitedfidelity.com EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

August–September 2021

Fighting Psoriasis NEW TREATMENTS, MEDICATIONS CAN HELP YOU RECLAIM YOUR CLEAR SKIN BY NICHOLAS G. PAPAJOHN, MD, FAAD

soriasis is a condition that affects many people and is more than just a “rash.” The classic case is a pink rash with a silver scale particularly over the elbows and knees, but psoriasis can take many forms for different patients. There is plaque psoriasis, scalp psoriasis, palmoplantar psoriasis, pustular psoriasis, guttate psoriasis and the joint-destroying psoriatic arthritis. It can affect people at any point in their lives. It rarely affects children and is more common to appear in young adulthood or later in life. Some are very self-conscious about the rash, causing them to change the types of clothes they wear. It is even associated with a higher incidence of depression. Studies have shown psoriasis to be an independent risk factor of diabetes as well as heart disease. During Psoriasis Awareness Month, our

goal is to educate those without psoriasis that the condition is not contagious, is not an infection and is of no fault of theirs. We try to educate those with psoriasis that there are now many medications available that address all types of psoriasis, which usually are highly effective with minimal side effects. For mild or limited disease, we usually start with topical creams, ointments, foams and shampoos. These include steroids but also include non-steroidal medications, including salicylic acid, vitamin A derivatives and vitamin D. For harder-to-treat or more extensive involvement, there are systemic treatments. These are highly effective and can even improve arthritic symptoms. Patients should talk to their provider to tailor treatment based on their symptoms, their concerns over side effects and

preference due to aversion of needles, or applying creams all over. Treatment options have come a long way in the past 20, 10 and even five years. The goal years ago was to make it better; now, the goal is clear skin.

Dr. Nicholas G. Papajohn, MD, FAAD

To learn more about how Coastal Skin Surgery & Dermatology can help with your psoriasis needs, visit CoastalSkinSurgery.com. COASTAL SKIN SURGERY & DERMATOLOGY MIRAMAR BEACH 12469 EMERALD COAST PARKWAY (850) 654-3376

FORT WALTON BEACH 912 MAR WALT DRIVE (850) 314-7546

NICEVILLE 4400 HWY. 20 E, SUITE 410 (850) 897-4900

CUSTOM CONTENT

August–September 2021

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PANAMA CITY BEACH 12139 PANAMA CITY BEACH PARKWAY (850) 500-3376

EVERYDAY SHOULD LOOK THIS GOOD Summer is winding down, but that doesn't mean your wardrobe has to! Visit the Shop Sandestin family stores located in The Village of Baytowne Wharf, and shop this gorgeous look from Jude Connally. Plus, brands like Show me Your Mumu, MudPie and more!

850.351.1806 Find your inspiration - @ShopSandestin

Capt.on Dave’s the

SERVING LOCAL FLORIDA SEAFOOD AND STEAKS Dinner 4pm UNTIL … For more information visit captdavesonthegulf.com

Gulf

d C ral e m Ser rS ving the e yea 0 5 for over

Enjoy cocktails on the deck for sunset Happy Hour: 4–6pm Open 6 days a week (closed Tuesdays) Live Music

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Casual Gulf Front Dining. The locals’ favorite since 1968! 3796 Scenic Hwy 98, Destin | 850.837.2627 | captdavesonthegulf.com EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

August–September 2021

Our team can help you with... • Real Estate Guidance • Estate Planning, Trusts, and Asset and Contract Review Protection • Real Estate Closing and Escrow Services • Powers of Attorney • Construction Defects • Guardianships • Real Estate Contract • General Civil and Construction Litigation Litigation

We do this with... INSIGHT, INTEGRITY, INNOVATION MATTHEWSANDJONES.COM DESTIN 4475 Legendary Drive | Destin, FL 32541 | 850.837.3662 phone | 850.654.1634 fa x NICEVILLE 323 E. John Sims Parkway | Niceville, FL 32578 850.729.7440 phone | 850.729.7871 fa x SANTA ROSA BEACH 2930 W. Count y Hw y 30A , STE 202 | Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459 850.682.6211 phone | 850.622.0898 fa x

August–September 2021

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gastro&gusto AUG-SEPT 2021

DINING, IMBIBING AND LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST

DINING OUT

REV UP YOUR HUNGER

↘ The I (Heart) Bacon Burger has proved popular among diners who arrive hungry at Fatboys. The hefty sandwich is built with layers of bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo, Fatboys sauce and American cheese.

Fatboys serves up beef for the hawg lover by LIESEL SCHMIDT

DINING IN The Art of Kimchi photography by JOHN HARRINGTON

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August-September 2021

gastro & gusto

→

Serving “juicy beef and tasty bird” in big ways, Fatboys also make an allowance for non-carnivores with its Meatless Beast burger that features a black bean patty. The restaurant offers countless options for washing down grub.

urgers and bikes. They have gone hand in hand for pretty much as long as the raucous rhythm of motorcycle engines has provided the soundtrack for a culture of individuals who somehow see past economic status, race and religion to come together over Harleys. It was that love — the rumble of the engine, the rev, the smell of the exhaust and the feeling of complete freedom — that inspired Fatboys. In Enterprise, Alabama, brothers-in-law and co-owners Harshil and Jesal Patel created a place in 2018 that was all one could hope for in a burger joint and added their own unique spin. Two years later, they opened a location in Destin at the foot of the Destin Bridge. For years, the building that the Patels took over had seen a string of uninspired, unsuccessful ventures that seemed to merely occupy the space. Now with the advent of Fatboys, the building has new life.

August-September 2021

The brothers Patel earned their chops with a string of restaurants focused on traditional Indian cuisine. With their three locations of Holi, the Patels demonstrated that they could execute and deliver — and that people would show up for what they were serving. As great a departure as Fatboys may have been, the concept was likewise created with a dedication to quality and experience. “Fatboys is all about good food, good drinks and good service in a laid-back atmosphere,” said manager Bernadette Grey. “People love the friendly, attentive service and the fresh, never-frozen food.” That fresh food is the foundation for the entire menu, which focuses greatly on gourmet burgers. Made with 100 percent premium beef, the handcrafted burgers seem to follow no set precepts — aside from being as unique as they are delicious. Case in point: the Hula Girl, a creative burger made with savory teriyaki, sweet

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and smoky grilled pineapple slices, crunchy slaw, signature Fatboys sauce and melted Swiss cheese all nested in a brioche bun. For true hawg lovers, there’s the I (Heart) Bacon burger, a cholesterol trip that boasts six slices (count them if you

photography by JOHN HARRINGTON

don’t believe it) of crisp bacon, lettuce, Beast with a black-bean patty that stands tomato, mayo, Fatboys sauce and melted in for the ground beef. Still, with all American cheese on a toasted brioche its various accouterments, the veggie bun. It’s become a favorite, as has the option is every bit as satisfying as its Roadhouse burger, topped with pulled meaty cousins. pork, tangy barbecue sauce, crispy onion Beyond burgers, Fatboys has created an straws, Fatboys sauce and cheddar cheese. equally impressive array of sandwiches, Hungry yet? Clearly, you’re not alone, crossing happily over the line of the as Fatboys has claimed quite the following, expected. Clubs and chicken sandwiches calling to those who proudly straddle nod to convention and then leave it in Harleys as well as those who choose a the dust. The wings are also a claim to less exciting mode of transportation. The fame, dressed for the party in your choice varieties of handcrafted burgers on offer of 11 sauces, ranging from mild lemon are plentiful, as one must pepper to the hottest — choose among 10 different appropriately called Fatboys signature burgers — all of Fire. In between, the balance which naturally feature the of savory, sweet and heat are restaurant’s not-so-secret temptations to the tastebuds Located at sauce, which contains mayo, that entice you ever further 104 Harbor Blvd., Destin mustard, ketchup and up the heat index. For more information, Worcestershire sauce. At the end of the day, it all call (850) 842-3190 or For meat-free eaters, they comes back to the same thing visit ilovefatboys.com. even offer the Meatless for the Patels, regardless of

FATBOYS

↑ With Fatboys, co-owners Harshil Patel and Jesal Patel have brought to life a building at the foot of the Destin bridge that previously had seen a string of unsuccessful ventures.

whether they’re talking about their Holi restaurants or Fatboys: the community. “One of our favorite things about having the restaurant is being able to give back to the community,” Grey said. “We offer a local discount, and we sponsor kids in every sport from every local school. We do anything that we can do to support the community.” EC

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August-September 2021

CUSTOM CONTENT

Bud & Alley’s elaborate enhancements include a welcoming plaza and picturesque panoramic views of both the Gulf and Seaside’s Town Center.

Bud & Alley’s Celebrates 35 Years

heers! Bud & Alley’s Waterfront Restaurant on Scenic Highway 30A in Seaside marks its 35th anniversary in 2021. Foodie fans can now toast the daily sunset celebration on a newly renovated rooftop deck. With care and consideration for the past and to honor the original building, Bud & Alley’s remains largely the same, save some minor interior restoration. Architect Dhiru Thadani delicately marries the old and the new, and the resulting design is a perfect match. A new entrance plaza flanks Bud & Alley’s to the east and west with a treelined walkway to the north. With 850 additional square feet, the rooftop deck affords both a stunning Gulf view and a panoramic view of Seaside’s Central Square. A new, full-service bar fronts 30A, a stunning three-story tower entrance to the roof deck is now equipped with an elevator, and 10 restrooms have been

added. A gleaming, handcrafted, wooden bar rail leads guests from the back-deck area to the shore via a beautiful beach boardwalk. Though this year has seen many changes for the restaurant that pioneered the farm- and sea-to-table movement along 30A, the seafood-centric breakfast, lunch and dinner menu curated by the capable hands of executive chef David Bishop remains largely the same. “Our fresh, locally sourced menu includes favorites such as Bud & Alley’s famous crab cakes, head-on barbecue shrimp — and sweet potato fries are still offered,” Bishop assures. Founded in 1986 in Seaside, Bud & Alley’s has become a revered gathering place by local patrons and visitors known for “Good Food. Good People. Good Times.” Over the years, Bud & Alley’s has been recognized with numerous awards and accolades, including Florida Trend magazine’s Golden Spoon award Hall of

Fame, being named one of Florida’s Top 20 restaurants, selected as one of Coastal Living magazine’s best rooftop bars, and voted “Best Place to See the Sunset” by the readers of Emerald Coast Magazine, among others. “I am so humbled to be marking this milestone,” said Bud & Alley’s owner and founder Dave Rauschkolb. “After 35 years, I’m still as excited as I’ve ever been.”

The seafood-centric menu includes this favorite, Bud Alley’s Famous Crab Cakes.

BUD & ALLEY’S SEASIDE | (850) 231-5900 | BUDANDALLEYS.COM | @BUDANDALLEYS

August-September 2021

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PHOTOS BY ALISSA ARYN PHOTOGRAPHY AND RENDERING COURTESY OF BUD & ALLEY’S

BY ZANDRA WOLFGRAM

CUSTOM CONTENT

Enrich every day the Bodacious way

ENJOY OUR HEALTHY CHOICES AND HELP FUEL YOUR HAPPY LIFE

rom always-fresh café creations, to locally ground coffees and a signature selection of extra virgin olive oils, the Bodacious family of shops have everything you need to make each day a celebration of simple things done in a big way. The Bodacious Café is a full-service, artisanal café serving breakfast and lunch while being stocked with hand-crafted lattes, cappuccinos, cold brews and pourovers. Our flatbreads, acai bowls and signature salads are fully customizable to give you the energy to take on any day. Learn to make restaurant-quality meals at home with a cooking class in our stateof-the-art teaching kitchen, and find all the tools you need in our fully stocked kitchenry shop.

Coffee lovers will want to make a point to visit the Bodacious Roasting Lab, where single-origin coffees from around the world are blended to create one-of-a-kind brews. Enjoy a midday pick-me-up in our cozy café, or stop by the Bodacious Brew-Thru next door to get our best brews on the go. Ready to get out of the house? Our beautifully restored space offers an unparalleled backdrop for one-of-akind parties, showers, receptions, private dinners, meetings and special events. Indulge in rich red wines, crisp whites and savory charcuterie boards overlooking Palafox Street in downtown Pensacola, or take them to enjoy in your favorite setting. “The Bodacious lifestyle is about celebrating the simple things in life and making mindful choices to lead a healthier,

happier life,” says owner Rishy Studer. “We believe in the power of good food, good friends and great olive oil to enrich lives.”

BODACIOUS FAMILY OF SHOPS 407 S. PALAFOX ST., PENSACOLA | (850) 433-6505 | BODACIOUSSHOPS.COM

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August-September 2021

gastro & gusto

←

Ock Ja Yoo, 94, of Panama City Beach, is an expert maker of water kimchi. The Korean dietary staple, served as a side dish, is made up of strongly seasoned and salted fermented vegetables.

Y THE ART DININIG IN

OF KIMCHI Eat your — fermented — vegetables by LIESEL SCHMIDT

August-September 2021

ou’ve probably heard of kimchi, but do you know what it is? Strictly speaking, it’s a traditional Korean dish, used as a condiment and made of salted, fermented vegetables — the most common of which are napa cabbage and radish — which are combined with seasonings that often include chili powder, spring onions, garlic, ginger and salted seafood. While cabbage and radish may be the most frequently used veggies in kimchi, there are actually hundreds of varieties of kimchi made with different

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vegetables as the main ingredients. And while that may be a pretty interesting fact, the kicker comes in its history. Back before the days of refrigeration, kimchi was stored in the ground, using large earthenware containers to prevent it from freezing during the winter months. This was actually the main way of storing vegetables throughout the seasons. During the summer months, the in-ground storage kept the kimchi cool enough to slow the fermentation process. These days, special kimchi refrigerators are used to store kimchi and keep it fresh. To dig a little deeper into this Korean staple, we go back thousands of years. There are actually indications that kimchi was eaten all the way back in the times of the Three Kingdoms of Korea (57 B.C. to 668 A.D.), though it became most prevalent during the Silla dynasty (57 B.C. to 935 A.D.), when Buddhism became more widespread and people had begun to embrace a vegetarian lifestyle. Before the grand invention of refrigerators and all the conveniences that little gem afforded, pickling vegetables was an ideal way to extend the lifespan of foods and help preserve them. In Korea, kimchi was made during the winter by fermenting vegetables and burying the whole mixture in the ground, using traditional brown ceramic pots called onggi to store it. “Now, we can make kimchi any time and have fresh kimchi anytime we want,” said Ji Bushell, who lives in Panama City. “It used to be that kimchi was an important way to have vegetables to eat all year, even in the cold winter months. In the old days, it took a long time to make, but now you can make it in about a day.” Over the centuries, making kimchi also became an exercise in bonding for women in a family. That experience has been a part of Korean culture for generations, and it still continues today — even among families in the U.S. “Koreans don’t really have a lot of recipes written down, especially for photography by MIKE FENDER

Cabbage Kimchi ( yields 8 pounds) INGREDIENTS

↑ Ingredients used by Ock Ja Yoo in her making of water kimchi include dried hot pepper, red bell pepper, garlic salted baby shrimp and ginger root, along with the flour-and-water mix in the bowl. ↓ She harvests many of the ingredients from her own vegetable garden.

kimchi — it’s just something we learn by watching and doing,” said Michelle Yoo of Fort Walton Beach, a 30-year resident of Florida. “You watch the women in your family make it — your mothers or aunts or grandmothers — and learn to make it from them.” The variety is something that many Koreans appreciate, as well. “There are so many types, and each has its own unique flavor,” said Yoo, the mother of two U.S.-born children who have also learned the art of making kimchi. “It’s been part of our meals for 5,000 years, and it’s a good way to eat vegetables all year-round. You make a lot at once and then keep eating it throughout the year.” As we’ve already established, cabbages and radishes are the most commonly used kimchi vegetables, but other veggies used in kimchi include burdock roots, celery, cilantro, cucumber, eggplant, ginger, garlic chives, garlic scapes, lotus roots, mustard greens, onions, bamboo shoots, pumpkins, radish greens, scallions, soybean sprouts, spinach, sugar beets, sweet potato vines and tomatoes. An important thing for making kimchi is also the brining water. While the water used to soak the cabbage or whatever vegetable is the base of your kimchi should be salty, it shouldn’t be overly so. Nor should the seasonings used to flavor the kimchi. Seasonings include chili

powder, scallions, garlic, ginger and salted seafood like shrimp or anchovies. So now that you know what kimchi is, you need to know how to eat it. “It’s a side dish, so we eat it with rice or soups and stews,” Yoo said. While kimchi can be eaten alone, it is usually eaten with white or brown rice and is also used in the recipes of other traditional dishes, including porridges, soups and rice cakes. Kimchi is also the foundational ingredient for dishes including stew, kimchi pancake, kimchi soup and kimchi fried rice. “Traditionally, we eat kimchi with pretty much every meal,” noted Bushell, who has been living in the U.S. for more than 40 years. The benefits of the dish are also important to note: It’s low in calories and high in dietary fiber as well as being an important source of probiotics. EC

➸ 6 pounds napa cabbage ➸ ¾ cup kosher salt ➸ 3 tablespoons glutinous rice flour ➸ 2 ½ cups water ➸ 2 tablespoons granulated or turbinado sugar ➸ ½ cup minced garlic ➸ 2 teaspoons minced peeled ginger ➸ 1 small onion, minced ➸ 4 ounces fish sauce ➸ 1 ½ cups Korean hot pepper flakes ➸ 1 2 ounces Korean radish or daikon, peeled and cut into matchsticks ➸ 1 cup carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks ➸ 10 scallions, chopped ➸ 3 ounces Asian chives or additional scallions, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Cut each cabbage in half, then cut a slit through the core two inches above the stem so that the leaves are loosened but still attached. Dunk each half in a large bowl of water to moisten the leaves. Remove and place on cutting board. Sprinkle the salt between the leaves and place the cabbage in a large bowl. Let stand for 90 minutes, turning the cabbage every 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the rice flour and water in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring about 10 minutes, or until it bubbles. Add sugar and stir until the mixture is slightly translucent and thinned. Remove from heat, and cool to room temperature. Rinse the cabbage under cold running water, ruffling the leaves to remove any dirt and excess salt. Split each half lengthwise into two pieces. Drain well. Put the cooled mixture and remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix well to create kimchi paste. Leaving the cabbage quarters intact, spread kimchi paste over each leaf. Pack the cabbage quarters into glass jars or other airtight containers and cover. Let stand at cool room temperature until the surface bubbles and the kimchi smells and tastes sour, up to two days, depending on how warm your kitchen is. Once the kimchi is fermented, refrigerate.

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

August-September 2021

Restaurant Spotlight

Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood—a Taste of the Good Life For a private event, family dinner or a romantic evening for two, visit Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood — the area’s only AAA Four-Diamond steakhouse. Located within Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, this renowned New York-style steakhouse brings traditional elegance back to the finedining experience. Indulge in a delicious meal, and surround yourself with the luxurious wood furnishings, a cozy fireplace and live piano entertainment. The restaurant is open to hotel guests, visitors and locals alike. Diners enjoy captain service, private dining areas, sommelier service and tableside preparation of items — including the restaurant’s famous Caesar salad for two.

In previous years, Seagar’s was voted “Best Fine Dining Restaurant” and “Best Romantic Restaurant” by Emerald Coast Magazine readers, and we couldn’t agree more. Other accolades include the Distinguished Restaurants of America Award of Excellence and the Open Table Diner’s Choice Award. Visit Seagar’s, and experience a taste of the good life. The menu features classic steak dishes and an array of delicious local entrees, such as pan seared diver scallops and crab cakes. End the night with their delicious bananas foster for two that is prepared tableside. But Seagar’s is more than just what’s on your plate. Fill your glass with a

selection from the restaurant’s awardwinning wine list. Full of the finest Burgundies, Bordeaux and more, the list has repeatedly garnered Wine Spectator’s “Best of Award of Excellence,” cementing the restaurant’s place as one of the finest on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The professionally curated wine list perfectly complements your meal — from the Anderson Valley Champagne to the Domaine Matrot Pinot Noir. You and your guests will be able to sample wines from around the world without ever leaving your table. Seagar’s offers an elegant, one-of-akind fine dining opportunity. Be sure to treat yourself to their fine dining experience this season.

SEAGAR’S PRIME STEAKS & SEAFOOD 4000 S. SANDESTIN BLVD., MIRAMAR BEACH | (850) 622-1500 | SEAGARS.COM

August-September 2021

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

Restaurant Spotlight

Mimmo’s Ristorante Italiano

The scent of roasted garlic wafting through the air, a full glass of vino, a rustic atmosphere filled with the warmth of good conversation and even better food — when you dine at Mimmo’s Ristorante Italiano, there’s a comfort reminiscent of another time, a past peace again made attainable. What patrons experience is akin to pulling up a chair at the family dinner table of owner Mimmo La Innusa. The menu and the restaurant are modeled after the Sundays he spent in his grandparent’s home in Sicily, surrounded by family cooking in the kitchen and sharing a meal at the table. “I loved watching my grandparents, aunts and uncles creating the best meals for our family and friends,” said La Innusa. “I saw how food really brings everyone together. So, I decided to watch and learn. I knew I wanted to explore an opportunity in the culinary world.”

La Innusa came to the United States in 2005 with little else than the desire to feed others as he was fed. He began as a partner of Fat Clemenza’s in Miramar Beach, and after working there and gaining experience, he decided to open his own restaurant in 2013. He will open his second location in early 2022 in Blue Mountain Beach. While the quality of the food will remain the same, the building will be a site that La Innusa hopes to become the talk of 30A. The façade will be all white concrete featuring plentiful patio dining, and the stunning interior will boast a space for hosting events.

Rendering of Blue Mountain Beach location coming early 2022

“Even before purchasing another property, I have been working for eight years to open a second location,” said La Innusa. “We’ve been doing so by building a strong reputation, a successful following and loyal clientele, all of which has made this possible.”

MIMMO’S RISTORANTE ITALIANO 979 U.S. HWY. 98 E., STE. 5, DESTIN | (850) 460-7353 | MIMMOS.COM

Restaurant Spotlight

Café Thirty-A

Since 1995, owner of Café Thirty-A Harriet Crommelin has ensured that each patron is attended to with the highest quality of care and is served a delicious meal. Great consideration was taken in designing a restaurant that mirrored a Florida beach house, making you feel right at home. The interior is open and airy, made even more so by the plethora of windows that overlook Seagrove Beach, and allows sunrays to seep in. Dashes of color, mostly green and blue, add color alongside the beautifully presented dishes. The menu is eclectic, with a refreshing twist on classic recipes. Most commonly ordered — for good reason — are the Maine Lobster in Paradise, Grilled Quail and Grits, Grilled Filet Mignon, Fried Oyster and Spinach Salad and the Sesame-

Crusted Rare Yellowfin Tuna. Cap off the meal with banana beignets and a selection from their impressive wine or cocktail list. “The food and the atmosphere are totally in sync,” said Crommelin. “Fine dining that is in an upscale atmosphere but with the familiarity of home. My staff is responsible for the great experiences that are had here. When someone dines here, they are guests in my home; therefore, I treat them the way I would want to be treated.”

CAFÉ THIRTY-A 3899 E. COUNTY HWY. 30A, SEAGROVE BEACH | (850) 231-2166 | CAFETHIRTYA.COM

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

August-September 2021

M O V E M E N T

ELECTRIFYING

New generation of vehicles answers climate concerns by HANNAH BURKE

2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E

2021 Chevrolet Bolt

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FORD, HONDA AND TOYOTA

Toyota 2021 Highlander Hybrid

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the United States is currently the secondlargest producer of greenhouse gases in the world, with transportation accounting for a whopping 29 percent of those emissions. Government policy shifts and consumer demand for greener travel and alternative energy sources have sparked a movement in the automotive industry. More and more of those whacky charging stations are popping up in public spaces, and you’re likely seeing more electric and hybrid car commercials than ever before. General Motors has pledged that, by 2035, it will sell only electric vehicles (EVs). So, move over, Elon Musk. Take a closer look at the newest EV and hybrid entries from Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota, and you’ll see Tesla has some tough competition in the electric race.

2021 FORD MUSTANG MACH-E Boasting “zero gas, zero emissions and 100% exhilaration,” the 2021 Mustang Mach-E makes its debut as Ford’s first all-electric crossover SUV. To some, a battery-powered, fourdoor Mustang with all-wheel drive may seem sacrilegious and downright un-American. Indeed, according to Drew Colon, service director at Gary Smith Ford in Fort Walton Beach, the prevailing complaint about Ford’s entry in the EV movement concerns its blasphemous display of the equine emblem. “But, those people haven’t been behind the wheel to experience that immediate acceleration, that power,” Colon said. In fact, the Mustang Mach-E can go from 0–60 miles per hour in a matter of seconds without so much as a gripe

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August-September 2021

from its eerily silent, 480-horsepower electric motor. It’s that stillness, that ease, Colon said, that makes it the most comfortable car he’s ever driven. At this writing, Colon had been commandeering his sleek, metallic white Mustang Mach-E demo for two months after becoming the first Emerald Coast resident to receive one. He’s grown accustomed to curious strangers stalking him on the road. He patiently indulges slews of questions thrown at him in parking lots by people, including a certain magazine writer who wants to know, “Can this really compete with a Tesla?” Colon is prepared to argue that the Mustang’s features match what Tesla has to offer. Slide inside, and you’re greeted with a 15.5-inch vertical touchscreen that serves as a command center. You’re able to map your routes, monitor your vehicle’s fuel economy, activate one-pedal driving and select from three driving modes: Engage, Whisper and Unbridled, the latter of which is reminiscent of Tesla’s “Ludicrous” mode. “Engage is the most fuel-efficient, energy-saving mode and ideal for just driving around town,” said Colon. “With Whisper, you get a little more power, but Unbridled is the power.” But before you go all Fast & Furious, you’ll want to charge up. Officially, the EPA gives the Mustang Mach-E a range of 211 to 305 miles on a charge, but Colon said he’s seen up 310 miles. “The best I’ve personally gotten from a full charge is 285 miles, but that’s because I have too much fun driving it and can be kind of silly with it,” he laughed. Unlike Tesla, the Mustang Mach-E is able to use universal chargers. Many drivers opt to install a Ford Connected Charge Station at home and plug in their vehicles overnight, as you need a little over 10 hours to fully charge a 300-mile Mach-E battery. Find a direct-current fast-charger, and you’ll get up to 61 miles per 10 minutes of charge time. But most public charging stations you’ll find at hotels, shopping areas and restaurants use the J-1772 universal charger, which much like the Ford Connected, take time. “Range anxiety is real,” said Colon,

August-September 2021

↑ The Ford Mustang Mach-E, top, consumes no gasoline, produces no emissions and according to product literature, “generates 100% exhilaration.” Lower left: A 2021 Chevrolet Bolt receives a charge. Lower right: This hybrid, a 2020 Toyota Highlander, features a high-tech dashboard and gray metallic interior.

whose battery once ran out of juice on a trip home from Biloxi and stranded him for several hours in Pensacola. “I could have planned my trip better and definitely learned my lesson.” Thankfully, the Mustang Mach-E command center is smart about notifying drivers when the power gets low. A handy map details nearby charging stations, making trip planning easy. “There’s no selling this car because, for the people who want electric, it’s already sold,” Colon said. “It’s reasonably priced, loaded with safety measures that check all the boxes, and at the end of the day, you can feel a little bit better about yourself by

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not contributing carbon emissions into the atmosphere — and, man, does it look cool.” 2021 CHEVROLET BOLT For the best insights into the status of EVs, Ben Myers, general sales manager at Pete Moore Chevrolet in Pensacola, would have you look no further than the 2022 Bolt EUV. “With the development of EVs, we’re seeing more and more moves being made into the autonomous driving vehicle,” said Myers. “Things like the Bolt’s lane-keep assist with lane departure, and adaptive cruise control and Super Cruise is getting dumped into the EV market much more than the ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FORD, HONDA AND TOYOTA

GM Super Cruise, currently classified as a Level 2 type of autonomous technology, utilizes GPS, cameras, lidar mapping (light detection and ranging) and radar sensors to automatically brake, steer and even change lanes along select highways. According to GM, the system is currently compatible with up to 200,000 miles of North American roads, with plans to expand its radar each year. The system, which was premiered in the 2018 Cadillac CT6, has since expanded to a few other Cadillac models and the Chevy Bolt, adding to what Myers calls its “IKEA appeal.” “I say that because you get inside the Bolt, and you’ll see it’s very techy, very streamlined and clean,” Myers said. “Your command center is full of displays, various graphs that calculate your driving, how much fuel you’re saving, your estimated range and how much power you’re regenerating.” The latter refers to the Bolt’s regenerative braking, which absorbs the kinetic energy expended during deceleration and redistributes it as electricity to power its motor. Like the Mach-E Mustang, the Bolt is equipped with one-pedal driving, meaning you can simply let off the gas to slow your vehicle to a stop. That can take some getting used to, said Myers, but it’s like learning to ride a bike: Once you master it, there’s no going back. And, you may never go back to ICE vehicles after you’ve tested the Bolt’s acceleration, he said. “The thing about EVs is there’s no real power transfer, it’s an electric motor that goes from nothing to full board by flipping a switch. There’s no loss of torque, so you push the gas on an electric vehicle, and it takes off like a shot.” But speed demons aren’t the Bolt’s only fans. The vehicle’s affordability (pricing starts at $33,995), paired with its 250-mile range and spacious seating, attract many young people, families and commuters. “The national average for a commute is 40 minutes, but mine is 14,” said Myers. “I could come home from work with an empty battery, plug my Bolt into a standard 240-volt charger and have it fully charged in seven hours, so it’s ready for the next day.” With the DC fast charger, Myers said the Bolt could accumulate 100 miles in

just 30 minutes. With the myChevrolet app, customers can map their road trips with access to over 80,000 chargers in North America. The app will send real-time alerts relating to your range, upcoming charging stations and even facilitate payments through its click-tocharge feature. Myers cites Chevrolet’s dealer support as another huge draw. “Tesla has one repair center in Pensacola, and I’m not sure where the next nearest one is,” he said. “But, within about 25 miles of where you are, you can find a Chevrolet support facility.” Myers drives an ICE truck himself, as he often pulls a trailer or fishing boat. But, he’s looking forward to the day EVs can haul loads and transport freight. Until then, he said, he’s minimalizing air pollution with the solar panels on his house. “The interest in EVs has grown exponentially over the last five years, and it’s definitely the future,” he said. “It’s a wave that’s growing bigger and bigger. If I didn’t need a truck and was looking for a family vehicle or commuter, going electric is something I’d definitely consider.” TOYOTA 2021 HIGHLANDER HYBRID If you’re looking to shrink your ecological footprint but are not quite ready to commit to electric, hybrids such as the 2021 Toyota Highlander help ease the transition. While this is not a plug-in vehicle and does rely on a gasoline-fueled engine, the Highlander also puts to work its two electric motors, combining for 243 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque. The Highlander uses those electric motors as generators so that when the driver brakes, energy flows back into the battery for later use. That makes for ideal fuel economy, considering the Highlander gets an EPA-estimated 35–36 miles per gallon. Panama City Toyota general manager Robert Gates doesn’t drive a 2021 Highlander, but his wife does. When he borrows her car, he said, the ride is almost meditative. “Behind the wheel, it’s smooth, sturdy and very quiet,” Gates said. “The 2021 model is the second year of the fourth generation of Highlanders. Toyota did a great job of enhancing its body

style to make it longer, wider and more aerodynamic and ergonomic.” The new and improved Highlander, equipped with standard four-wheel drive and an optional all-wheel drive, features third-row seating and abundant cargo storage space. But where this entry really shines is in its four Hybrid Drive Modes. In addition to the conventional Sport and Eco modes you’ll find in most modern vehicles, the Highlander adds its EV and Trail Modes. EV Mode allows for an all-electric drive utilizing power saved by regenerative braking and can be engaged while traveling short distances at lower speeds. If you’re vacationing in higher altitudes, Trail Mode enhances all-wheel drive by boosting traction. “Toyota has been in the hybrid business for a long time,” Gates said. “They’ve been making the Highlander hybrid for 15 years. People worry about reliability or the cost of replacing the battery, but the technology has been out for so long, Toyota knows what they’re doing.” In fact, Gates said, with all the hybrids Toyota has been manufacturing since 2000, he’s never seen a hybrid battery out of a vehicle. And, if you’re truly concerned, the hybrid powertrain has a 96-month, 100,000mile warranty. The battery itself is backed by a 10-year, 150,000-mile warranty. Potential buyers can customize their Highlander by choosing from among six different trim levels. At its most simplistic, the Highlander L goes for about $38,735. Climbing the rungs, you’ll upgrade to various features, including wireless smartphone charging, heated seats, rain-sensing windshield wipers and a digital rear-view mirror. The fully tricked-out, souped-up Highlander Platinum starts at $48,690. A fair price, Gates said, considering that between its deluxe accommodations and electric and gas hybrid engines, you’re getting an “unparalleled range.” “Toyota just put out a press release saying that, by 2030, 70 percent of the vehicles they manufacture will either be all-battery or electric hybrid vehicles,” Gates said. “You look at models like the Toyota Sienna van, and it’s only available as a hybrid now. There’s no question that the future is electric, and we’re already on our way.” EC

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

August-September 2021

T H E

PERFECT FINISH Once homeless, Ace Adams has begun to shine story by STEVE BORNHOFT // photography by MIKE FENDER

o say that Ace Adams is a selfmade man, while true, doesn’t give him sufficient credit. Even more profoundly, he is a self-saved man. Adams was 15 when his relationship with his mother went irretrievably south. He had been told all of his life that he was an only child and was angered when finally he found out that he had siblings living out of state. “Then, one night, my mom came at me and words were said, and I left home at 12:30 in the morning,” Adams matter-offactly recalled. For the next three years, he would live on the streets, scrounging and, often, dumpster diving. “It wasn’t my proudest moment, but I was doing everything I could to survive,” Adams said. He did not finish high school. Survival, for a time, meant knocking on doors and offering to do yard work — with the homeowners’ tools. Ten bucks a job. He got along without any transportation until his father bought him a “Chinese scooter” that Adams rode into the ground. He worked at a Burger King, saved what he could and bought a 1981 Honda 400. Six months after meeting a woman, Sarah, whom he would later marry, Adams

August-September 2021

located his siblings in Ohio. He moved there and for a year worked as a “floater” at Rubber City Harley-Davidson in Cuyahoga Falls near Akron. Upon returning to Florida, Adams, 28, lived with his future father-in-law for nine months, worked shopping mall jobs and did restaurant work. Then, in 2013, he successfully applied for work at the HarleyDavidson dealership under construction in Panama City Beach. He stayed there for six years, working four of them as a detailer and two as a technician. “But I wasn’t making the bills, so something had to give,” Adams said. In any event, he had grown weary of working for others and started his own enterprise after watching YouTube videos on business basics. Today, Adams Detailing is doing well. Adams, at this writing, is looking around for a shop and has plans to employ others. The one-time homeless teenager is now an entrepreneurial jobs generator. He speaks with confidence and seems unaffected by the vitiligo that has overtaken his hands and parts of his legs. “It’s time that I hire people, step back and focus on the business of running a business,” he said. But a facility will come

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first. Adams is exclusively a mobile detailer at this point, and the weather can wreak havoc with schedules. Adams — Ace is his given name on his birth certificate — is sure to hold his eventual hires to the same high standards he adheres to. He has a hard-earned reputation to safeguard; honesty and integrity are critically important to him. “I have had a high success rate. I’d say 98 percent of my customers have been 100 percent satisfied,” Adams said. In fact, he has had only two dissatisfied customers, and one of those figured in a job he never got the opportunity to start. He arrived at the Bay Point home of a woman who had contacted him by phone. They were executing paperwork when she looked beyond Adams to his beater pickup truck and told him she would be getting somebody else. “That really devastated me,” Adams said. “She judged the quality of my work based on the vehicle I was driving. I was just getting started in business and I needed a better truck, but I couldn’t really

↑ Ace Adams, the owner of Adams Detailing, buffs out a Corvette, above, and perfects its wheels, at left. He has built his business while placing a premium on honesty and integrity and by knowing his limits. HIs capacity for work is intense: He detailed 40 motorcycles during a recent bike week on Panama City Beach.

afford one. I didn’t know how my company was going to do, and I didn’t want to get in a financial bind.” He consulted Sarah. They decided they could swing a 2019 Tacoma. As it happened, a friend of Adams detailed the car of the Bay Point lady and described her as rude and impossible to satisfy. Adams had dodged a bullet. The other problem customer contacted Adams some four months after he detailed her car and her son’s car. She complained that he had ruined seats in one of the vehicles and demanded that all the money she had paid him be refunded. She took the dispute to her bank, and Adams then supplied his bank with documentation, including after-photos of the cars and text messages in which the customer said she was fine with the work. He prevailed and kept the money. Adams is a motorcycle specialist and has thus become accustomed to exacting customers. “A lot of people who own bikes, that’s their baby, their pride and joy,” Adams recognizes. “Some bikes today cost the same

as an SUV. Thirty-five grand, 50 grand. I deal with a lot of Harley owners, and they are real meticulous.” Adams detailed 40 bikes during Thunder Beach week in Panama City Beach in May. He set up a booth outside Sharky’s restaurant and worked on bikes from 8 a.m. until 1 the following morning. He will do likewise during Thunder Beach in the fall. The detailing of a single bike can consume about four hours. Detailing a car is a process. The car is washed using a microfiber mitt and then “clayed.” Clay bars are used to remove imperfections in paint, including tree sap, road debris and water spots. They provide an optimal surface for three buffing stages that eliminate swirls and waviness in paint. “The main work is in the paint correction,” said Adams, whose average ticket runs about $200. The final step, applying the ceramic coating, is the “easiest part of the whole process,” he said, although it proceeds painstakingly, one small section at a time. Adams is a certified authorized dealer for Nanopro, a Boyton Beach-based maker of ceramic coatings.

Given his close relationship with cars, Adams has noted tendencies. Red Fords fade, the clear coat used by General Motors from 2000–2013 often cracks, Dodge paint jobs can be flakey. He sometimes encounters cars that need to be repainted versus detailed. Adams takes care not to set himself up for failure. On the advice of a friend and fellow detailer, he once declined to work on the highend suede interior of a $145,000 Escalade after finishing the exterior. “Don’t touch the interior,” warned the friend, who had his own experience with the car’s owner. “You mess it up, he’ll take you for everything you’ve got.” Sarah works full time at Central Supply at Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center where her responsibilities include cleaning equipment used in surgeries, preparing instrument trays and readying crash carts. She is studying at Gulf Coast State College to become a degreed surgical technician. In addition, she helps keep the books and schedules at Adams Detailing. Three dogs share Sarah and Ace’s home in the St. Andrews section of Panama City. One is mostly boxer, one is mostly pit bull and one is mostly shar pei. “Business is starting to pick up,” said Adams, who keeps close track of click-throughs on his website. Last month, 148 people clicked on a button to get directions to his home. “That’s almost $30,000,” he said, slightly incredulous, “if I don’t lose ’em to car washes.” EC

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

August-September 2021

↗ Renovation work is underway at Lakeside Hospital near Lake DeFuniak. The project is part of historic preservation efforts in DeFuniak Springs, a city that was once synonymous with educational Chautauqua assemblies. That tradition survives in a more modest fashion.

Capturing DeFuniak Springs sees its past as a key to its future

History

STORY BY DAVID EKRUT, PH.D. // PHOTOGRAPHY BY SEAN MURPHY

eFuniak Springs was named after Frederick R. DeFuniak, one of the founding officers of the Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad, whose depot in the Panhandle became a thriving community and resort destination in the late 19th century. Officially founded in 1903, the city would become an epicenter for an intellectual revival movement known as Chautauqua. The movement began in Chautauqua, New York, in 1874 at a campus devoted to educating adults in the areas of art, recreation, education and religion. Building upon its success, similar assemblies became popular around the nation, each taking on the name of the original event’s birthplace.

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Theodore Roosevelt famously claimed Chautauqua to be “the most American thing in America.” “The TED talks you see today, that’s what Chautauqua was doing back in the 1800s,” said Amanda Bierbaum, a DeFuniak Springs business owner and the city’s director of communication and business development. Bierbaum is also the president of the Mainstreet Program in DeFuniak Springs. In its prime, DeFuniak Springs saw many big dignitaries at Chautauqua assemblies including Woodrow Wilson’s vice president Thomas Marshall and Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross. More recently, the assembly welcomed former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. “DeFuniak Springs was one of the first fully planned, new urban-style communities in Florida, and it was on the basis of Chautauqua,” said Todd Bierbaum, a city council member. “Our organization was founded in ’92 to revive those historic events,” said Chris Mitchell, the city’s public information officer and president of the Florida Chautauqua Association. Mitchell attributes the founding of DeFuniak Springs and the success of the community as a resort destination to the revival movement. He is working to restore the town as the epicenter of art, culture and education in the South.

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Part of that effort involves the preservation of the Lakeside Hospital near Lake DeFuniak. The clinic opened in 1939 to serve the African American community. Dr. Ralph Spires focused his practice on lowering infant mortality rates and succeeded by teaching parents the best child care practices and testing children for ailments such as hookworms. The clinic also served as a refuge for single mothers, charging up to $5 for delivering babies but only to women who could afford it. The clinic closed in 1972, not long after Dr. Spires’ death, and the first floor was devoted to office space for clinicians and physicians. In the early 1980s, after the building changed hands, the second floor became residential apartments. The Florida Chautauqua Association purchased the Lakeside Hospital in 2013 for $150,000 with the intent to restore

↑ At left, Christopher Mitchell, the public information officer for the City of DeFuniak Springs, describes the progress of renovation work at the Lakeside Hospital building, top right. The hospital, once restored, will house a medical history museum and lodging. Mitchell is also president of the Florida Chautauqua Association.

and preserve the building, rather than risk it being sold and demolished for the land. Recently, they have been working to get the building on the National Register of Historic Places. The restoration project began in 2016 after the Florida Chautauqua Association received a grant reward of $497,113 from the Florida Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources. The association hopes to open the building for use by 2024. The city is also giving $250,000 to develop the property. The Chautauqua Hall of Brotherhood contributed $7,000 for a caterer’s kitchen on the ground floor, and St. Joe Community Foundation supplied $19,000 for audio/visual equipment throughout the building. “We are wanting to turn this into a museum for medical history for the

region,” Mitchell said, while noting that the renovated building will be used for multiple purposes. Possibilities include using the upper level as a temporary living space for people attending Chautauqua events. For the remainder of the year, those rooms can serve as a bed and breakfast for travelers. DeFuniak Springs relies heavily on its historic sites and tourism for economic growth and vitality. Visitors walk around the natural spring lake, enjoy the historic feel of the downtown business district, then rest at the Hotel DeFuniak, a restored Masonic lodge built in 1920. “We very much are proud of what we have here,” said City Council member Bierbaum, who emphasized that historic buildings, 19th-century homes and the natural beauty of Lake DeFuniak are keys to bringing travelers to the city.

During December, the city wraps the area around the lake in over 3 million lights. Last year, record numbers of people passed through town, taking advantage of the opportunity to safely distance while engaging in outdoor holiday festivities. Bierbaum said the pandemic has boosted tourism. As people adapted to working remotely, they came to DeFuniak Springs thinking, “If I can work anywhere, I’m going to work near the beach.” The vacation rental market in DeFuniak Springs has boomed due to the town’s close proximity to the Emerald Coast. And with U.S. 331 now expanded to four lanes running through the city, hopes are high that the town will continue to see record numbers of travelers take part in Chautauqua events and experience history, captured in landmarks like the Lakeside Hospital. EC

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

August-September 2021

MODEL GRAND OPENING

OUTSIDE LIVING. OUTSIDE OF ORDINARY. A new home designed around you, with a backyard ready for parties and fun. A gated community that is a short bike ride or drive to everything you love about 30A and the Emerald Coast. And all of this starting from the $400s? NatureWalk by is outside of ordinary, and now open for you to explore.

Tour 5 designer-decorated models in-person or online New Homes from the $400s to $800s NatureWalkWatersound.com

© 2021. Prices, homesites, amenities, home designs, square footage and other information subject to errors, changes, omissions, deletions, availability, prior sales and withdrawal at any time without notice. Square footage numbers are approximate and may vary depending on the standard measurement used. Photos and/or drawings of homes may show upgraded landscaping and may not represent the lowest priced homes in the community. All renderings and ﬂoorplans in these materials are an artist’s conceptual drawings and will vary from the actual plans and homes as built. CGC1509406

June–July 2020

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expression AUG/SEPT 2021

CREATIVE WORKS LAND ON PAGES, CANVASES AND STAGES

MUSIC

ON THE VERGE A singer from Vernon flirts with stardom by WYNN PARKS

↓

ART photography by MIKE FENDER

Chopping Pols Down to Size

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

August-September 2021

expression

n one of his online promo shots, Christon Birge looks every bit the Nashville country boy at home: denim work shirt, Stetson hat, jeans worn ragged through the right knee and threadbare on the left. After the “streetwaif” knees, a pair of expensive-looking snakeskin boots prompts a double take. When the first question in a recent interview was about those boots, Birge, the youngest of three brothers, knew he was being messed with. His eyes brightened, and he chuckled appreciatively. “They’re my work boots!” he protested. “I didn’t run out to the boot shop and buy

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them for the picture. I can show you the soles if you want.” From the first hello, Christon Birge gives you the feeling that you’re a homeboy and he’s gonna like you. Birge is from Vernon, Florida (pop. 728), the 766th most populated city in the state, where nobody is a stranger and it can be hard to tell the local accents from those in Alabama. Birge grew up playing baseball and basketball and listening to his older brothers play music. Both are named Robert. “Kind of like George Foreman,” Birge said, referring to the prizefighter who named all of his sons George.

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Birge’s music is boyish and bighearted, classic country twang, strong, clean and playful. Mixed in is Birge’s added talent for writing musical curveballs. His quirky lyrics in love songs like Tacos, comingles country’s old and new-school sensibilities. About Tacos, his 2017 single — even with the refrain being, “All I can promise is to buy you tacos / And touch your butt” — nobody should start hollering about political correctness until they’ve paid attention to the verses. In them, they will discover a simple man plighting his troth, with a quirky forever-and-ever promise photography by MIKE FENDER

← Christon Birge sips a cup of joe at the All American Diner in Panama City Beach. Birge grew up in Vernon and bought his first guitar with money he made harvesting watermelons in nearby Chipley.

made up of the homespun endearments he has to offer his bride-to-be. “By 15, I started wanting a guitar and a trick bike,” Birge said. “I couldn’t find a job in Vernon, so I got one over in Chipley harvesting watermelons. Tossing watermelons all day to the dude on the truck. After work, I’d go to the basketball court, play a little shirts and skins with my buddies. What with all day tossing melons, the basketball would feel like a helium balloon! Anyway, that’s how I got my first guitar.” After Vernon High, Birge became the first in his family to enroll in college. For a while, his affair with music is like

some Hemingway story where the main suddenly no house, no clothes, no insurance, man tries to work a compromise between no job. What the heck! They didn’t even like security and his passion, always with the their jobs! You might as well be jumping safety net of a job in case the music thing off doing something you love. For me, that doesn’t pan out. meant music full time. No net!” But what doesn’t pan out is the safety-net So far, it’s looking good for Birge. He’s thing. There have already been signs that putting out singles like Delirious and Tacos, “part-time professional musician” wasn’t written for his co-vivant and sometimes cutting it with respect to Birge’s aspirations. musical collaborator, Katie Spillman. Still, there are 10,000 things to choose from, Somebody describes Birge’s nationally aired and in 2011, Birge thinks, “Maybe mixed and critically noted 2019 single Sunscreen On martial arts?” You as “beachy rock.” “That didn’t last long,” he said. “You The YouTube video is a bit more sand than could see where that movie ended. You can rock. Here’s a tiki statue and, over there, sea play at baseball or football, but you can’t oats for a backdrop, but the Stetson’s still play at fighting.” in place and the snakeskin boots. The band Then, in 2014, Birge wins does lay down a fine syncopated a talent contest at Tootsie’s two-step, right on the sugar Orchid Lounge in Panama sand where Birge weaves and City Beach. He sings a couple shuffles, extolling the salubrious of emblematic Marshall Tucker sensations of slathering your songs, probably from an older sweetie with suntan lotion. Christon Birge might have been a Robert brother’s collection of ’70s muNo albums yet, but you like his brothers, but sic, and ends up at the original can tell one is coming. Birge for an epiphany his Tootsie’s in Nashville opening has just released Best Friends mother had while driving. On the radio, for Kid Rock. But even after Bring Beer, written by his she heard the name that, it still takes a major hurfriend Shaun Streeter. It will Christon, which she ricane, Michael in 2018, for probably be Birge’s breakout later told people was the name to beat all Birge to walk away from the single. If there were a bull’snames. A few months security of a steady job. eye in convivial puffy-eyed later, when she found “After Michael tore up drinking songs, Best Friends herself pregnant, she decided that is what Panama City,” Birge rememwould split Roger Miller’s she would call her bers, “I saw people around me Chug-a-Lug arrow right down third boy. that had worked 20 years and the middle. EC

THE PERFECT NAME

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August-September 2021

Beyond the Lens MODUS PHOTOGRAPHY INTRODUCES FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY TO THE REGION

here is photography that you enjoy looking at because it is aesthetically appealing or because the subject matter interests you. Then there is photography that plants you in place transfixed by what it’s trying to say to you, and then, once you’ve listened, it sets you into motion. The second is what Chandler Williams, photographer and owner of Modus Photography, intends to enact with his fine art photography gallery. Williams has always been lured by the messages and meanings present in photography. His first dealings with a camera were in high school when he began taking photos and processing 35 millimeter film. Upon graduation, he bought a new Nikon N65 and a wideangle lens to document his travels. In 2006, he began Modus Photography and eventually transitioned to full time, opening his own gallery in Grayton Beach. The downstairs of the gallery is lined with Williams’ work, consisting of aesthetically appealing images of seascapes and natural beauties that can be customized

in a variety of sizes, mediums and frames. The gallery is gaining an addition — the upstairs will be solely dedicated to fine art photography featuring Williams originals. “Fine art photography is the act of the artist putting themselves out there and expressing themselves,” said Williams. “These pieces will be an interpretive expression of my experiences. Fine art is not for mass production but for a sense of mass understanding. It’s not about commerce. It’s about communicating.” The gallery will encompass images that revolve around social justice and environmental influence. As someone who grew up on the Emerald Coast and is raising his family here, he is deeply concerned for how we impact and influence our environment. “I have the ability to give voice through photography to the environment and for these social injustices impacting our community and world,” said Williams. “By showing fine art photography in a public arena, I want people to feel the frustration, anger and beauty all at the same time — for clients and visitors to stop and think and

be triggered to do better and be present for at least that moment when they are experiencing my fine art collection.” Williams feels there is a need for exposure to fine art photography in the Emerald Coast region. He also believes the community here will be receptive to the ways in which this art form speaks and that they, in turn, will listen. “In every way, I am introducing fine art photography in the most proper, respectful way to the trade of being a photographer,” said Williams.

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August–September 2021

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ArtsQuest Festival Returns in October

CELEBRATE ARTS AND HUMANITIES MONTH AT GRAND BOULEVARD

n its 33rd year, ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival is scheduled for Oct. 9–10 in conjunction with National Arts & Humanities Month. Produced by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) and presented by Grand Boulevard Town Center with support from Visit South Walton and the Florida Department of State Division of Cultural Affairs, ArtsQuest provides an opportunity to view and purchase original art from over 150 artists from around the country. Usually held over Mother’s Day weekend, this year’s festival was rescheduled to the fall due to the pandemic. National Arts & Humanities Month was established in 1993 by Americans for the Arts and is celebrated every October in the United States. It was initiated to encourage Americans to explore new facets of the arts and humanities in their lives and to begin a lifelong habit of participation in the arts and humanities. ArtsQuest is a juried show that includes artists in the categories of ceramics, fiber, glass, jewelry, metal, mixed media, oils and acrylics, original digital art, photography, sculpture, wood, and works on paper (watercolor, printmaking, pastels, pencils and ink). ArtsQuest awards $10,000 in cash prizes. ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival is a beloved Cultural Arts Alliance signature event that fulfills the CAA’s mission to support the arts through leadership, advocacy, funding, programs and education. As the creative core of Walton County, the CAA offers support, connection and access opportunities for all forms of art, every variety of maker, all levels of learners and, especially, art lovers. Through sponsorship, performance and educational programs, the organization directly connects the people of Walton County with the broader view, the critical exploration and the answers only the arts have the power to provide. For more information, visit CulturalArtsAlliance.com.

CULTURAL ARTS ALLIANCE 105 HOGTOWN BAYOU LANE, SANTA ROSA BEACH | (850) 622-5970 | CULTURALARTSALLIANCE.COM

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expression

ART

Cartoonist wields a wicked lampoon by WYNN PARKS

artooning is one of those takenfor-granted arts, regarded either affectionately or, at least, with tolerance, as ephemera on a plebian medium. However, few folks can ignore the cartoon on whatever page they’re reading. But they never consider that cartooning’s lineage reaches back to humanity’s earliest drawings: red clay on sandstone; soot and grease on limestone cave walls; drawings of good hunting; and images to keep bad things from happening. According to a 2015 PBS interview with Andy Marlette, the Pensacola News Journal’s at times errant political cartoonist, there were between 260 and 300 active editorial cartoonists in the country. As of the twenty-

teens, only 60 to 70 had survived the effects of electronic media and trends, including the consolidation of newspapers. It’s not a cushy occupation. Not only are editorial cartoonists subjected to the verbal venom of offended readers, but also the withering of their industry. Marlette sums things up, declaring: “Cartoonists are an endangered species!” Not to put too fine a point on it. With exceptions like Charles Schultz or Stan Lee, celebrity cartoonists seldom get the adulation the fine arts types do. Cartoonists deserve more! Properly timed, satirical cartooning is a childlike way of pointing out the revolutionary realization that the Emperor has no clothes! That takes a certain giant-killer instinct. Yet, Marlette’s personal approach to those he vets is affable and somewhat reticent. Though he sports a neat, well-

COMICTARY

trimmed beard at the bottom of his head, it is to his conversely shaved and hairchallenged pate that he more frequently refers, comparing himself ruefully to Sen. Rick Scott who, he jokes, “is not a fan of mine.” To Marlette, cartooning is an act of vigilance. His righteous, passiveaggressive graphics spare none. Though he sometimes does memorial-spirited obituary cartoons, his main mission is to catch up politicians who take themselves too seriously. “People keep asking me why I always pick on Republicans?” Marlette has said. “I say because they’re the only ones who have any power in Florida. I’d pick on Democrats if they had the power.” Andy’s a Sanford, Florida, boy, G.T.P. (Gone To Pensacola). His parents were schoolteachers. As a kid, he was the geeky one who drew. As a teen, he spent a lot of time in North Carolina with his uncle

Creators Syndicate bills Andy Marlette as “bold, clever and unafraid to hit sensitive topics.” He is a member of a dying guild whose cartoons may advocate a position or favor a particular point of view or they may address seemingly intractable realities. For example, a cartoon published June 9 depicted Vice President Kamala Harris “visiting the border.” One side, dubbed Outer Leftghanistan, was represented by a donkey. On the other side lay Greater Rightsburg, symbolized by an elephant. Harris is being battered from both sides with tomatoes, toilet paper, litter, bricks and AOC campaign buttons. The cartoon made for a powerful distillation of a problem seemingly without a solution.

August-September 2021

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PHOTOS AND ILLUSTRATIONS COURTESY OF ANDY MARLETTE

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Doug Marlette who coached him in cartooning. (That’s the Doug Marlette who created the comic strip, “Kudzu,” and won a Pulitzer Prize.) In between Marlette’s apprenticeship with his famous uncle and graduation from the University of Florida, Andy cartooned for the Florida Alligator, receiving threats even then for his cartoons on controversial issues. In 2007, Uncle Doug died in an auto crash, and his nephew was hired at the Pensacola News Journal. Six years later, Marlette won a Florida Society of Newspaper Editors award for the “Best Editorial Cartoons on State Issues.” As that “best editorial cartoonist,” Marlette has become an army of one specializing in deadly, journalistic duty, skewing all things pompous, inept, corrupt and contemptible. Someone once quipped that if Andy Marlette were a mirror, he would be the mirror of Dorian Gray reflecting the ugly, twisted state of Dorian’s soul rather than his handsome outward suaveness. While a multitude of Marlette’s caricatures lampoon the peccadillos of gate-mouthed Florida politicians, more far-flung outrages and catastrophes around the U.S. and abroad are all fair game. There was his image of a dead terrorist impaled by a giant ink-pin labeled je suis Charlie Hebdo; his depiction of an island-sized

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← Andy Marlette, the son of a Pulitzer Prize-winning comic strip creator, says he has a tendency to pick on the political party wielding the most power at any point in time. Given today’s political divide, both Dems and GOPers are in his crosshairs. Within a few days in June, both Vice President Kamala Harris and Congressman Matt Gaetz took shots. ↓ Below: the artist at work.

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Puerto Rican flag; a sun sinking into the western sea with Uncle Sam sweeping under it the crosses and gravestones of unacknowledged Hurricane Maria victims. Anyone viewing Marlette’s 2015 PBS session with hyper-solicitous interviewer Jeff Weeks will find the interviewer hanging on every word while Andy comes across as an agreeable introvert. With pants rolled up, prepubescent boy’s style and loosened necktie, he’s all arms and legs in the studio easy chair, not the kind of tough guy who goes around knocking people’s hats off. Indeed, except for the high ones, hats probably wouldn’t be Marlette’s first choice anyway. So don’t be fooled; Andy Marlette is a syndicated gadfly! “Some folks like what I do, and others don’t,” Marlette gives a rueful smile. “I get called some names you couldn’t use on air. Cartooning, to me, is a matter of free speech, and that means ‘Thou shalt not apologize for opinions.’ I look around and whatever seems to me to be too big (for their breeches), and I take a swing at it.” EC

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Pantry Perfection

|| GREEN SCENE

Domesticating Wildflowers

PHOTO BY KATARZYNABIALASIEWICZ / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

Abodes ↘ Driveways are utilitarian, yes — they prevent vehicles from sinking into the soft sands of the Emerald Coast. But, properly dressed up, they can serve as dramatic pathways to residences.

AUG/SEPT 2021

TRENDS FROM FLOOR TO CEILING, FRONT TO BACK

EXTERIORS

DISTINCTIVE DRIVEWAYS

They can be much more than pedestrian

↓

INTERIORS

by LIS KING

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

August-September 2021

abodes

↗ Today, concrete can be much more than a colorless, lifeless slab. It can be colored and shaped and enhanced with surface textures, stone or aggregates.

August-September 2021

home the proper curb appeal. Crushed shells, of course, are perfection for a beach bungalow. Mixing and matching materials adds extra personality, noted James Murphy of Delta Pavers in Miramar Beach. For example, you could mix concrete with stones or pavers for a one-of-a-kind look. Or you could do a smooth concrete area for a basketball area, while the rest of the driveway could be decorative pavers. “When you mix materials, the design options are infinite,” he said. “But let us not forget there are practical considerations as well. A driveway can be designed to control flooding and erosion problems. And, of course, driveways should always slope away from the house.”

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SOLID OR PERMEABLE

Before selecting a design, you need to check with your county government, warns Bryer. You need to know if you can have a paved or permeable driveway in your location. “The permeable driveway lets water flow into the ground rather than race to the nearest storm sewer,” he explained. “It may be grass with two paving strips featuring loose stone or gravel, or permeable pavers. Today, there are even permeable concrete and asphalt options.” Since permeable surfaces are the best environmental bets, even die-hard paver or stone fans should make use of permeable grout or sand to fill the cracks.

PHOTO BY ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS: PC PHOTOGRAPHY (CONCRETE), PAULMAGUIRE (ASPHALT), CORDIMAGES (BRICK), AFONKIN_YURIY (PAVERS) AND KATARZYNABIALASIEWICZ (GRAVEL)

our driveway deserves to be more than an afterthought. Think of it as a giant welcome mat, the pathway to your home, and, most of all, as an opportunity to play up the character of your home and enhance your property. The material chosen for the driveway makes a huge difference explained Mark Bryer of Southern Construction and Paving, Miramar Beach. Some materials complement specific architectural styles more than others, so let them speak to you. For example, a gravel driveway goes well with a farmhouse look, and bricks or pavers laid in a fancy pattern can complement a traditional home, including a Victorian villa, while sleek concrete could be the way to give a contemporary

MATERIALS OPTIONS

Asphalt, the most common paving material of them all, is cheaper than concrete, sets faster and can be maintained with sealants every few years. Price: $4 to $8 per square foot. In home resale value, it lags behind concrete. Concrete is much more versatile than most people think. It can be colored, Asphalt shaped, given surface textures or even be embedded with stone or aggregates. Concrete driveways can also be stamped or imprinted with a pattern to look like stone, cobbles or brick. Cost: $8 to $15 per square foot. Bricks Bricks come in a variety of colors, and they are nicely non-slip for cars and people. They can be set in many patterns, from straightforward stretcher to intricate herringbone. Bricks are easily replaced if damaged. Some Pavers demolition companies sell old bricks for a distressed look popular for historic and rustic properties. Cost: $10 to $25 per square foot. Pavers are smart and elegant and provide excellent drainGravel age. They are laid in sand just like flagstones and brick, but they interlock to form a perfectly stable surface. They come in a vast range of colors, shapes and textures and invite design creativity. Cost: $20 to $25 per square foot. Gravel can be made from just about any natural stone and come in many colors. It is the most affordable of all driveway materials and can add great charm to many properties. Cost: $3 to $5. Now it’s time to lay out the driveway. As with the materials, be creative by perhaps making it curve through your landscaping. Or perhaps a driveway that’s a straight shot from the street will be the right look for your house. But be practical, too, advises Bryer. Make sure there is enough parking for guests. And when the grading is in place, take a test drive up and down the driveway to make sure it tracks comfortably for your biggest car. You wouldn’t want to knock off your sideview mirror. EC

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August-September 2021

abodes ↙ Walk-in pantries emerged as one of the most highly desired interior features among homebuyers well before the pandemic triggered an uptick in hoarding behavior. Here, black baskets serve as handy catch-alls and as a contrast to white shelving.

2020, the association found that 85% of new large homes (more than 3,500 square feet) featured walk-in pantries. The rise of the pantry from modest cabinet to an entire room comes as no surprise to Larry Taulbee, president of Closet Solutions in Miramar Beach. “It’s the modern-age problem of ‘so much stuff,’ ” he remarked. “We saw it with clothes. There, we went from a freestanding closet to built-ins to entire rooms devoted to the wardrobe. A similar evolution of the pantry was inevitable. All those small appliances cluttering countertops and the cabinets bulging with stuff making it hard to find whatever is needed for dinner — that’s why the well-designed pantry was born, and families’ lives are better for it.”

INTERIORS

PANTRY PERFECTION Clutter-busters are growing on people by LIS KING

he walk-in pantry has become homeowners’ newest passion, but — surprise, surprise — this has nothing to do with COVID. Yes, the pandemic meant lots of home cooking and as few supermarket trips as possible, so well-stocked pantries did become focal points. But the luxury pantry with its Instagram-worthy lineup of cork-

August-September 2021

topped, calligraphed spice canisters and apothecary jars of dog treats preceded the arrival of “social distancing” in everyone’s lexicon. A 2019 survey by the National Association of Home Builders showed that the walk-in pantry had become the most desirable kitchen feature for homebuyers. At the beginning of

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

Of course, there are numerous variables from family to family, but specific pantry categories can be described. The super pantry, which can easily qualify as an extra kitchen, is way out in front. “It usually has an additional refrigerator and freezer, sink, dishwasher, and, naturally, lots of open shelving for an instant view of what’s there,” explained Cindy Aplanalp of the National Kitchen & Bath Association. “It’s a true clutterbuster, a great way to keep the openconcept kitchen neat.” The butler’s pantry, usually a galleytype kitchen separating the dining room and the real kitchen, is another option. It acts as a way station, hiding kitchen messes from dinner guests and comes in handy for extra serving pieces and party supplies, plus it makes a great bar. From there, pantries go all over the place, with one overriding priority: storing kitchen supplies and staples for easy access and overview. But what if you want to add a pantry to an existing house? Taulbee says that borrowing space from a mudroom or other neighboring space often does the trick, and if everything else fails, the pantry might go into a garage or other

PHOTO BY JR-STOCK / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS AND COURTESY OF NEAT FREAK PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZING

THE SUPER PANTRY

room. “Recently, we even put a stand-alone pantry into the living room of a condo,” he said. It isn’t just practical concerns that come into play in pantry design. “It needs to be aesthetically pleasing as well,” says Taulbee. “That’s where all those accessories come in. The jars, bins, baskets, the lazy Susans and corner shelves. Homeowners definitely want their pantries to exude lots of charm and showcase special interests, such as a baking station for breads or cupcakes, or a coffee bar to make the most of the home barista’s skills.” GETTING ORGANIZED

Arranging pantry shelves is one of the specialties of Neat Freak Professional Organizing, a Niceville team headed by Keegan Postulka. “First off, those clear containers

you see in Instagram pics aren’t there just for good looks. Emptying the content of supermarket bags — such as flour, sugar and pasta — into those jars, canisters and bins makes it easy to see exactly what you have. Plus commercial packaging is really ugly.” After unpacking, it’s time to place things, and Postulka recommends working in zones. “Make it fit your life,” she said. “If you have kids, cluster their snacks in one spot, yours in another. Put baking supplies in one grouping and dinner essentials in another. And so on. Once it’s done, homeowners invariably find that the walk-in pantry was the best idea they ever had. It makes their lives so much easier and saves them money. What can be better than that?” EC

↑ Pros stand ready to help homeowners make efficient, attractive and practical use of their pantries. This one was arranged by Neat Freak Professional Organizers out of Niceville.

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August-September 2021

CUSTOM CONTENT

The Pride of a Master Craftsman Celebrating 45 Years at E. F. San Juan

August-September 2021

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

PHOTOS BY LYDIA SAN JUAN

hen Eddie San Juan opened a cabinetry shop in Miami in the 1950s, he likely never imagined he’d lay the foundation for a legacy family business. His reputation for fine millwork became renowned, and his clients included affluent homeowners and businesses in the area and even the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City. Custom cabinetry was his forte, and now his son, grandson and great-grandson carry on the tradition at E. F. San Juan. The custom moulding, millwork and cabinetry firm celebrates its 45th anniversary this year in Youngstown, Florida. E. F. San Juan’s custom cabinetry division grew in 2019 and 2020 as the company rebuilt and expanded in the wake of Hurricane Michael, which had decimated the production facility and offices in October of 2018. From traditional fullkitchen cabinets to islands, bathroom vanities, built-in shelves and storage and more, the team of master craftsmen at E. F. San Juan aids contractors, architects and homeowners in their quest for the perfect custom cabinetry. The team works closely with each client to ensure a perfect fit and style for each space and the highest quality wood products.

Custom cabinetry by E. F. San Juan Inc. of Youngstown, Florida

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August-September 2021

“We could have been defeated after Hurricane Michael,” says the firm’s president, Edward San Juan. “We had to make assessments in that week following the storm to decide what was best for the company and our employees. None of us was ready to quit. We took the rebuilding period as an opportunity to improve and expand our business, and that included focusing on our custom cabinetry division.” Since growing the division, E. F. San Juan has created custom wood cabinets for homes in the Northwest Florida region from Destin to Panama City Beach and beyond. The company’s reach has also spread as far south as Naples. “We’re excited to continue my grandfather’s legacy, growing and bringing these products that we create with so much heart, soul and precision to areas beyond ours,” says Edward. “The 30A, Destin, PCB and Tallahassee communities are still thriving markets for us, and we’re proud to be embedded here with such talented builders and architects.” Visit EFSanJuan.com to learn more and to see their work.

August-September 2021

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PHOTOS BY LYDIA SAN JUAN

CUSTOM CONTENT

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August-September 2021

abodes Late-season veggies

DOMESTICATING WILDFLOWERS

Seed beds now for springtime blooms

t’s early autumn, and time to establish your wildflower garden. For the most colorful blooms, your seeds will need at least six months to germinate and grow in the cool weather, especially if you want your blossoms to pop up by spring. There are several ways to plant the seed. You may “overseed” a designated area by scattering the seed among the existing annuals. Some of the seed will lodge at soil level, and the decaying annuals will provide organic material. The decomposing annuals will provide nutrients and water-holding capacity necessary for the new seed to germinate. This method usually takes more seeds to be successful, since some never make it to the soil. Another method for planting your wildflower seed is to clear an area, then cover the seed with about an eighth of an inch of

by LES HARRISON

soil. Apply a thin layer of mulch, and keep the area watered. The mulch will help retain the soil’s moisture and keep the seed in place. If no rain falls, water weekly. Remove invasive weeds that germinate in the wildflower bed. Once the seeds have been established, late autumn or early winter mowing is critically important to the continuation of many wildflower species. Timing mowing cycles to the seed maturation is the best way to ensure that a planting will be sustainable long-term. Seeds need a minimum of a month to mature after an individual flower has bloomed. If prematurely removed, the seed is not likely to sprout. Lastly, purchase locally acclimatized wildflower seed. This seed is grown in the region and is far more likely to produce blooms.

Controlling weeds

There is no need to apply herbicides to control weeds in your home lawn and landscape. Many of the weed species will stop growing and will hold seeds for the next season’s infestation. Most herbicides work only when weeds are actively growing. Pulling weeds and collecting their seed for proper disposal is more effective from both an economic and a horticultural perspective. However, there’s an additional weed control activity that can be accomplished in autumn and will likely pay big dividends in spring. Map or mark off sections of the home landscape where seedy weeds have become established. These are areas where pre-emergent herbicides can be applied in spring to control weeds like chamberbitter and purple nutsedge.

Les Harrison is a retired University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Wakulla County extension director.

Chief among allergy-inducing plants in the fall is common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), an herbaceous plant in the Asteraceae family native to North America. Given its capacity for inducing hay fever symptoms, it deserves its reputation as a poster-plant for facial tissues. Common ragweed (and there are other species) is most often found in disturbed habitats such as cultivated fields, orchards, home or commercial landscapes, and roadsides. Common ragweed growing in home landscapes will compete with shrubs for light, moisture, nutrients and space, which will result in significant performance losses from preferred shrubs. This native nuisance can grow rapidly to more than 7 feet in height and dominate companion plants. A prolific seed producer, common ragweed is capable of producing up to 62,000 seeds per plant when growing under ideal conditions. These seeds can remain viable for many years in undisturbed soil.

SNIFF. DARN RAGWEED!

August-September 2021

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PHOTOS BY ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS: DOMNICKY (RAGWEED), OLGA GUCHEK (RADISH) AND PITO FOTOS (WILDFLOWERS)

GREEN SCENE

Onion bulbs, cabbage, collards, kale, sugar snap peas and many other cool-season vegetables can be planted in the early autumn. Some vegetables (onion bulbs, for instance) will take 150 to Radish 180 days to reach maturity. Others, like radishes, can be harvested in 60 days. If the gardener is willing to gamble on a warm fall and late frost, he can try growing tomatoes. Success is more likely if starter plants are used.

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A Change in Latitude Every day feels like a vacation in Latitude Margaritaville Watersound

elcome to Latitude Margaritaville Watersound, a 55-and-better community inspired by the lyrics of legendary singer, songwriter and best-selling author Jimmy Buffett, whose songs evoke a passion for tropical escape and relaxation. Latitude Margaritaville Watersound has captured the imagination of today’s vibrant 55-and-better homebuyers who are growing older — but not up. Offering an irresistible concoction of food, fun, music and escapism, this dynamic all-new community for active adult living is redefining how pre- and active-retirement living is viewed forever. Latitude Margaritaville Watersound is a distinctly happy place where every day is like an island vacation. Colorful coastal-themed architecture, walkable neighborhoods and golf cart-friendly streets create a setting where neighbors wave to neighbors and visitors are made to feel right at home. Latitude Margaritaville Watersound is located on Northwest Florida’s gorgeous Emerald Coast between Pensacola and Panama City, near Panama City Beach. Latitude Margaritaville Watersound is being developed in partnership with master developer Minto Communities, global lifestyle brand Margaritaville Holdings and the St. Joe Company, one of Northwest Florida’s largest real estate development companies. EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

August-September 2021

ISLAND COLLECTION Aruba Floor Plan

August-September 2021

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CONCH COTTAGES COLLECTION Dreamsicle Floor Plan

13 Fully Furnished Model Homes

Island-styled homes are designed to capture the “no worries” tropical vibe that is so much a part of life at Latitude Margaritaville Watersound. There are four distinct home collections: Conch Cottages, Caribbean Villas, Beach and Island single-family homes. Conch Cottages offer convenient two-bedroom/ two-bathroom living, ranging from 1,204 to 1,466 square feet. All Conch Cottages have a two-car garage, and select floor plans offer a den or hobby room. Prices start at $239,990.

CONCH COTTAGES COLLECTION Aloha Floor Plan

Villa homes range from 1,503 to 1,862 square feet under air. All have two bedrooms, den or hobby room, two baths, covered lanai and two-car garage. Villa pricing starts at $281,990. Single-family homes range from 1,684 to 2,568 square feet under air; they feature two to three bedrooms plus den, two- to three-car garages, two- to three-anda-half baths and a covered lanai. Pricing for single-family homes starts at $337,990.

ISLAND COLLECTION Trinidad Bay Floor Plan

For more information about life in Latitude Margaritaville Watersound, visit the sales center, open daily Monday– Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. You can also call (866) 220-1954 or visit LatitudeMargaritaville.com. (866) 220-1954 LatitudeMargaritaville.com EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

August-September 2021

Raising Your Roofing Standards

s a business owner, you strive to pursue the best options for your company. One of the sturdiest investments you can make is in a building. The roof over the heads of your employees and customers should be a purchase made with purpose. This year marks 10 years of Specialty Roofers’ dedication to building, repairing and restoring roofs throughout Northwest Florida and Alabama. The company began in 2011 as a residential roofing company, quickly expanding to include commercial and new construction. Commercial roofing makes up the majority of their work. “In recent years, this area has maintained a steady activity of tourism and growth, which has perpetuated residential builds, leading to commercial industries arriving to support that influx,” said Josh Diehl, vice president of Specialty Roofers. For anyone, a roof is an investment, which is why Specialty Roofers works alongside each client to ensure they get the best roof for their buck. For quality assurance, they

are partners with GAF, which is the largest roofing manufacturer in the country, in turn granting them manufacturer warranties that other roofers don’t have access to. Diehl notes that with any roof, it is essential to hire a qualified contractor that is certified in the systems they provide. Specialty Roofers has narrowed its selection down to only the products it knows and trusts. A roof is not a product to cut corners on, but Specialty Roofers provides many ways to increase the longevity of your roof and save you money in the long run. By selecting an energy-saving roof system, you will save money on heating and cooling costs. These systems are reflective, helping to dissipate heat absorption. Their manufacturers provide an upfront, freeof-charge analysis that gauges the energy savings you could accomplish with a new roof. The roof maintenance program, conducted by the service department, provides a yearly inspection that checks

overall roof health, rids the roof of debris and cleans out the drainage systems. “Our maintenance plan is highly suggested because you’re being proactive rather than reactive, especially in this region where there is a lot of UV and weather damage,” said Diehl. “Statistically, a roof under a maintenance program will last 60% longer than a roof that isn’t.”

SPECIALTY ROOFERS 94 READY AVE. NW #A-1, FORT WALTON BEACH | (850) 974-ROOF (7663) | SPECIALTYROOFERS.COM PROMOTION CUSTOM CONTENT

August-September 2021

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR 8TH ANNUAL PINNACLE AWARDS CEREMONY JOIN US VIRTUALLY AS WE HONOR THE 2021 PINNACLE AWARD RECIPIENTS and hear from keynote speaker and past Pinnacle Award recipient, Marjorie Turnbull.

2021 Recipients Beth Corum Julie Montanaro

Susan Payne Turner

Kathleen Hudon

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Susan Fiorito

Dr. Lisa Plano Madison Zabala (Turnbull Award) Susan Dunlap (Posthumous)

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PROFESSIONAL PROFILES The Emerald Coast is home to a community of business professionals who serve their customers as both consultants and service providers in important areas that relate to their finances, health and livelihoods. Choosing the right company to trust can be critical. In this special section of Emerald Coast Magazine, we profile selected, highly regarded professionals who have proven accountable, dependable, trustworthy and dedicated to improving the lives of the people they assist.

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

August-September 2021

PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

Trustmark JOHN SUMRALL, REGIONAL PRESIDENT, FLORIDA MARKET

WHAT SERVICES DO YOU PROVIDE?

Trustmark is a financial services company with over 180 locations in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. We provide consumer and commercial banking and financial solutions, including checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, credit cards, loans and lines of credit. We are one of the Emerald Coast’s leading mortgage providers, and we offer construction loans for residential and commercial projects. Our cash management offerings are best in class and can be custom fit to the needs of small businesses or the largest publicly traded company. We offer investment management and provide a broad array of wealth management strategies — including financial planning, portfolio management, trust and custodial services — through our Tailored Wealth¹ division. We also are one of the leading commercial insurance providers in the Panhandle through our wholly owned subsidiary, Fisher Brown Bottrell Insurance².

large corporation or volunteering at a local community organization, we take our responsibility seriously. Through our support and efforts, the community is strengthened and continues to be the kind of place people want to live, start a business, raise their children or retire.

WHAT IMPACT DO YOU HOPE TO MAKE ON THE COMMUNITY? We are

WHAT SETS YOUR COMPANY APART? At Trustmark, we believe in

committed to helping the Emerald Coast grow, thrive and maintain economic success. Whether it’s providing a financial product or service to an individual or a

building strong customer relationships, and we work hard to know and understand our customers and their financial needs. We are committed to

our clients’ success, and we genuinely believe in helping our customers win financially. We are a community-focused, values-guided organization making a difference in the lives of our customers and communities. We are dedicated to a communitybanking model that allows us to be highly attuned to local needs, and therefore we customize our approach to best fit each market. We recognize the trust you place in your financial institution, and we look forward to demonstrating the value behind our name.

( 8 0 0 ) 2 4 3 - 2 5 2 4 | TRU STMA RK. COM ¹Trustmark Tailored Wealth is a division of Trustmark National Bank. Trustmark Investment Advisors, Inc. is a SEC registered investment adviser, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trustmark National Bank and a division of Trustmark Tailored Wealth. ²Fisher Brown Insurance, Inc., is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trustmark National Bank.Tailored Wealth and Risk Services products are: Not FDIC Insured | Not Bank Guaranteed | Subject to Loss in Value | Not Bank Deposits | Not Insured by Any Federal Government Agency

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Marcia Carr, Brian Wachtel, Janet Stuckey, Norman McFaden, Patti Fenton, Nick Lennard, Denise Nosal, Dan Carr, Jessica Turnpaugh, Mark Williams, Derek Hill, Bill Doherty. Not pictured - Jim Turnpaugh, Owner

PHOTO COURTESY OF BLACKSUIT FM (DESTIN FLOORING AMERICA)

Destin Flooring America

looring is an asset that adds value and aesthetic appeal to your home. For 22 years, the professionals of Destin Flooring America have assisted customers in selecting flooring that aligns with your lifestyle, budget and vision for your home. Destin Flooring began as a humble 1,000-square-foot storefront in Destin. In the years since, they have experienced exponential growth with three locations in Destin, Fort Walton Beach and Crestview. This surge in growth first occurred in the early 2000s, when Destin Flooring evolved into a buying group co-op with Flooring America.

This merger allowed them the buying power to negotiate prices with vendors and have an advantage over competitors as far as lifetime warranties on installs and extended warranties on products. Currently, Flooring America has 550 stores across the United States. While these ranks are impressive, they will always convey the warmth of a family-owned business at their core. That compassion for community is most apparent in the extensive charity work they take part in. Each year, they donate to the Destin Rotary Club, sponsor local sports teams, and at the close of each year, they donate extra materials to Habitat for

Humanity and local shelters. Past charity involvements have included the Children’s Advocacy Center, Food For Thought, and “Military Makeover,” an HGTV show in which they made over the home of a disabled veteran and donated over $15,000 in materials to Hurricane Michael victims who were rebuilding. “Since 1998, we have achieved resilience and longevity because we have gained the trust and respect of the community,” said Dan Carr, owner and sales representative of Destin Flooring America. “We take pride in our premier products, talented installation crew and quality communication skills with each customer.”

1 2 8 8 9 U . S . 9 8 , # 1 1 3 B , DESTIN | 2 2 5 4 S. FERDON B LV D. , CRESTV IEW

2 E G L IN PA R K WAY S E , F O RT WA LTON B EA CH | ( 8 5 0 ) 6 5 0 - 8 5 1 1 | DESTIN FL OORI NG .US

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August-September 2021

PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

Intellichoice Builders, LLC JUAN GONZALEZ AND ROBERT YANCHIS, OWNERS

s technology has become infused in almost every aspect of life, many of us have gravitated toward smart homes. Ever on the cutting edge, Intellichoice Builders, LLC has believed in building smarter by integrating technology into construction since their inception in 2017. Intellichoice Builders is a general contractor that specializes in new constructions and remodels of both residential and commercial buildings. Their custom construction work can be seen throughout Bay, Gulf and Walton counties. With over 40 years of combined experience, the team knows the value of traditional construction work while also investing in the future by educating

themselves on the newest technology products, building materials and methods. “Our big focus is individualized projects that are catered and customized to the client’s needs and desires,” said Robert Yanchis, owner of Intellichoice Builders. “None of our buildings are cookie cutter, and we try not to do the same thing twice.” Clients are highly receptive to this personalized approach because they are assured their build is a one-of-akind. In the process of a design build, the team sits down with the client and listens to their wants in order to use 3D design software to accurately depict the project. From this assessment, the team can educate clients on the technology options that are best suited for them.

The Intellichoice team enjoys helping clients find the proper building materials to construct their home and then the interior technology to bring ease into your home or business. The owners credit their associates level of professionalism and quality work for the company’s success. The employees care not only about the tangible end product but also the relationships that they form with each client throughout the process. “We want each client to have nothing but a pleasant experience when hiring us,” said Mr. Yanchis. “There are so many great people in this region, and we want to continue to build our reputation and serve the community by becoming a pillar and the go-to name in construction.”

S E RV I NG B AY, GU L F A N D WA LT O N C OU N TIES | ( 8 5 0 ) 4 2 7 - 2 7 2 7 | IN TEL L ICH OICEB U ILDER S.C O M

August-September 2021 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

PHOTO BY 4D PHOTOGRAPHY (REYNOLDS / GULFSHORE AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING INC.)

SPEC IA L A DVERTISIN G SECTION

Steve Reynolds

GULFSHORE AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING INC.

here are steamy summer days and brisk fall and winter nights in Northwest Florida. The seasons we experience make us grateful for our heating and cooling systems — and all the more aware of their importance when an issue occurs.

Whether residential or commercial, when an inconvenience occurs, you want timely, efficient and reliable repairs. Gulfshore Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. aspires to be the region’s first call for quality work. In 1995, Steve Reynolds began an HVAC contracting company specializing

residential and commercial system design with the vision of providing customer service so exemplary that it eliminated that typical contractor stereotype. Since then, his company has grown to 28 employees who hold customer service to the same high standards as Reynolds. Reynolds always knew he wanted to pursue a career that merged mechanics, design and building science. Though heating and cooling involve those aspects, his true talent is problem solving. “I enjoy solving problems, and the end result is making people happy,” said Reynolds. “I enjoy restoring customers’ lives to normalcy and providing them with complete satisfaction and knowledge of what we’ve done and how their system works.” A key component of five-star reviews and a high rate of word-of-mouth referrals stem from not only providing premier products but also taking the time to explain to the customer what the issue was and how it was resolved. In doing so, customers rest assured they are not being take advantage of. Reynolds credits the integrity, knowledge and design abilities of his staff for their continued success. The company recently completed construction of its new 10,800-squarefoot facility and training space, where they will continue to obtain the highest level of industry education. “We strive to be known as the premier in the area and to be known as a company people can trust and refer with confidence,” said Reynolds. “We do so through developing sincere relationships. We are only successful when the clients are happy, the space is cool and dry, and the system is working as it should.”

4 6 8 4 E . HW Y. 2 0 , N ICEV IL L E | ( 8 5 0 ) 8 9 7 - 6 5 4 0 | GU L FSH OREA IR. COM

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August-September 2021

PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

EGLIN FINANCIAL SERVICES MARK KILBRIDE

watched afternoon market updates on local cable with his uncle Joe, a stockbroker. He began his own journey at Raymond James in 2000. “The biggest reward in my career is my longevity. I have been in this business for 21 years. I have always been a trusted resource for my clients because I have always done what is in their best interest,” said Kilbride. “That is why I have enjoyed my relationship with Eglin Federal Credit Union.”

The credit union works with CUNA Brokerage Services, a national firm that is a full-service broker/dealer specializing in investments and retirement to provide financial services as EGLIN FINANCIAL SERVICES. “Since relocating from the Chicago area in 2018, I’ve come to love the Florida lifestyle,” Kilbride says. “With that in mind, I plan on retiring in this area but hopefully not for another 21 years.”

The EGLIN FINANCIAL SERVICES program is offered through CUNA Brokerage Services, Inc.*, a broker/dealer focused on serving credit union members. CUNA Brokerage Services, Inc. is an affiliate of CUNA Mutual Group. *EGLIN FINANCIAL SERVICES Advisors are registered representatives of CUNA Brokerage Services, Inc. Representatives are registered, securities sold, advisory services offered through CUNA Brokerage Services, Inc. (CBSI), member FINRA/ SIPC, a registered broker/dealer and investment advisor, which is not an affiliate of the credit union. CBSI is under contract with the financial institution to make securities available to members. Not NCUA/NCUSIF/FDIC insured, May Lose Value, No Financial Institution Guarantee. Not a deposit of any financial institution. CUNA Brokerage Services, Inc. is a registered broker/dealer in all fifty states of the United States of America. FR-3624365.1-0621-0723.

( 8 5 0 ) 8 6 2 - 0 1 1 1 E X T. 1 3 2 1 | EGL IN FCU . ORG/ FIN A N CIA L A DV ISOR

August-September 2021 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

PHOTO COURTESY OF MEGAN RIGGS (KILBRIDE / EGLIN FINANCIAL SERVICES)

hether you are at the start of your professional journey or nearing the finish line, it is wise to have a financial plan in place. Mark Kilbride, a financial advisor with EGLIN FINANCIAL SERVICES, has helped countless clients with financial strategies that align with their individual lifestyles and financial needs. “My motto is ‘your money at work, your mind at ease,’ ” said Kilbride. “Everyone I meet with is a unique financial puzzle. We determine the investments and strategies for their individual situation. Most members don’t realize all the tools we have available to help them retire successfully. Success to me is when we can match the investment strategies with their goals for retirement.” Over the past few years, Kilbride has become particularly attuned to helping those in the military and civil service. “I’ve increased my focus on income planning for surviving spouses. It’s important to ensure my clients have investments in line and a sustainable income, should something happen to their spouse.” Kilbride’s desire to pursue this career began in his childhood home, where he

SPEC IA L A DVERTISIN G SECTION

Northwest Florida State College

his fall semester, Northwest Florida State College will soar to new heights with the addition of the Aviation Center of Excellence at the Bob Sikes Airport in Crestview, Florida. With the aviation industry thriving and ever-expanding from Panama City Beach to Pensacola, the college decided an aviation program would benefit students, the community and the local economy. The aviation department will begin by offering the following programs — unmanned vehicle systems operations, professional pilot technology and aviation airframe mechanics, and an aviation mechanics power plant program to follow the next year. “As the aviation field continues to progress in this region, the demand for

airframe and powerplant mechanics grows,” said Dr. Michael Erny, Dean of Career Education with Northwest Florida State College. “These programs will create a trained workforce with the skills needed for these high-wage and in-demand careers.” The programs are geared toward preparing students to pass the FAA airframe and powerplant mechanics exams, allowing them to receive licensure to work on aircraft that range from small private planes to large commercial jets. Once licensed, students become professionals in everything from aircraft repair to building and manufacturing new planes. Even from the conceptual stage, the program has received tremendous support and positive reception from local businesses that have provided curriculum

input and planning assistance with the hopes of hiring graduates. Dr. Erny expressed just how important input from aviation experts is to shaping the future of students. Aviation is a fastmoving and growing industry. There is a great need to have skilled personnel to maintain and fly aircraft and to ensure the air transportation system runs smoothly on a global scale. Over the next 10 years, air travel traffic is expected to increase by 4% with the addition of 2.1 million jobs in operational fields, according the 2020 Boeing Commercial Market Outlook. “Our primary goal is preparing students for success, and we do so by offering quality curriculum and relevant aviation industry certifications. We make a difference in student’s lives so they can make a difference within the community.”

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EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

August-September 2021

PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

First National Bank

TODD SCALI, MARKET PRESIDENT/SVP

n this day and age, there are countless banking options to choose from. While First National Bank’s e-services are convenient, the bank knows there are moments when customers seek face-toface interactions when dealing with their most prized asset — their finances. First National Bank is an independent and locally owned bank with products for consumers and businesses of all sizes. The bank was founded in 2004 with a community-first mission. “We are a community bank directly involved in the communities we serve. We support our communities through food drives,

sponsorships, school involvement and many other acts making a direct impact on our communities. That is at the heart of this bank,” said Todd Scali, Market President/SVP. Scali began his banking career in Atlanta, quickly transitioning from a personal banker to branch manager. In 2011, Scali relocated to Florida to help his father run the family’s vacation rental company while continuing his banking career in his new community. In May of 2021, Scali joined the First National Bank team, where he uses his keen knowledge of the local economy and businesses to best serve his customers.

“In banking with us, customers gain trust and peace of mind in their finances, knowing I have their best interest in mind and at heart,” said Scali. “This allows customers to focus on what they are good at, supporting their own businesses and families.”

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Emerald Coast Compounding Pharmacy TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND.

I received my doctorate in pharmacy from the University of Louisiana at Monroe in 2009. I have received post-graduate training in pharmaceutical compounding, which is my passion. I am a member of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and a member of Professional Compounding Center of America (PCCA). WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY?

When it comes to patient health care, I believe there should be a connection between patient, physician and pharmacist. At Emerald Coast Compounding Pharmacy (ECCP), we strive to develop a comprehensive plan to improve each

patient’s overall health and quality of life. Our connection with our clients has earned us for the past five years (2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016) the “Best of the Emerald Coast” award for “Best Pharmacy.” WHAT SERVICES DOES YOUR COMPANY OFFER? At ECCP we formulate your

prescriptions to meet your individual needs. Our facility addresses a range of medical concerns including: anti-aging, bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, dental, dermatology, gastroenterology, infertility, pain management, pediatric, podiatry, sports medicine and veterinary.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF WORK? I am currently a USA Water Ski team

member, 10 time World Champion and 13 time World Record Holder in both Slalom and Overall. I am also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), West Florida Chapter.

1719 S . C O. HW Y. 3 9 3 , S A N TA ROSA B EA CH | ( 8 5 0 ) 6 2 2 - 5 8 0 0 | ECCPH A RMA CY.C O M

August-September 2021 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

PHOTO BY JACQUELINE WARD IMAGES (SCALI / FIRST NATIONAL BANK)

REGINA K. JAQUESS, PHARM.D.

SPEC IA L A DVERTISIN G SECTION

Specialty Roofers COLE BAKKER, CEO

pecialty Roofers began as three employees working from home. Ten years later, they have 50 employees and a new office in Freeport. The roofs over their heads have improved, which is the same thing they can guarantee each customer. In 2007, Cole Bakker and Mike Miller worked together at another roofing company. They parted from the company but kept in touch before deciding to open their own roofing company in 2011. They welcomed their third partner, Josh Diehl, this past year. Specialty Roofers provides residential, commercial and new construction roofs alongside a service department offering

repairs and maintenance. While they began as a residential roofing company, commercial roofing is a majority of their work. Notably, they partner with GAF, which is the largest roofing manufacturer in the country. They are GAF master elite contractors, a level that only 3% of contractors achieve, qualifying them to provide manufacturer warranties that other companies are unable to offer. “It’s an honor to celebrate 10 years of business,” said Bakker. “Our company has maintained steady growth and success because of our employees and customers. The reviews of happy clients are the highest measure of success.”

MIKE MILLER, COLE BAKKER, JOSH DIEHL

Growth is also on the horizon, with a new state-of-the-art metal fabrication shop and the opening of their Alabama-based office within the next year. “We want every customer to experience great service, from the day they call our office to meeting their project manager to the end result of a quality new roof,” said Bakker. “We pride ourselves on building relationships — and roofs.”

94 READY AVE. NW #A-1, FORT WALTON BEACH | (850) 974-ROOF (7663) | SPECIALTYROOFERS.COM

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AUG/SEPT 2021 For more events in the EC, visit EmeraldCoastMagazine.com and 850tix.com. compiled by JAVIS OGDEN AND

REBECCA PADGETT

SAVE THE DATE OCT. 16

Best of the Emerald Coast

‘SNOW WHITE AND THE PRINCE’

Join us for an evening of celebration at Grand Boulevard at Sandestin as we showcase the 2021 winners of “Best of the Emerald Coast.” Our 22nd annual event will be a night of food, fashion and fun as you sample from the best restaurants, shopping and businesses on the coast.

The Pensacola Little Theatre presents a new take on a beloved princess. This romantic yet humorous production will feature Snow White and her dwarfs with the addition of some new and unexpected characters. It’s a clever retelling of the classic tale.

To get tickets, visit EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/ best-of-the-emerald-coast.

JULY 30–AUG. 15

pensacolalittletheatre.com/showsand-events

PCB SUMMER CONCERT SERIES AUG. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 The lazy, hazy days of summer are made for relaxing and listening to music, and the Summer Concert Series has become a beloved activity in Panama City Beach. Tuesdays just got better because you can enjoy a free concert at Aaron Bessant Park Amphitheater. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, coolers, food and furry friends. visitpanamacitybeach.com/events/ concerts

BANDS ON THE BEACH AUG. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 & SEP. 7, 14, 21, 28 SAVE THE DATE NOV. 4–7

SAVE THE DATE OCT. 9–10

ARTSQUEST FINE ARTS FESTIVAL

HARVEST WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL

→ In its 33rd year, the ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival will be held in conjunction with National Arts & Humanities Month. Produced by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County and presented by Grand Boulevard Town Center, ArtsQuest provides an opportunity to view and purchase original art from over 150 artists from around the country.

→ Guests are invited to sip world-class wines paired with some of the Emerald Coast’s finest cuisine as the Harvest Wine & Food Festival returns to WaterColor.

To learn more, visit CulturalArtsAlliance.com/arts-quest.

Tickets are available at HarvestWineandFood.com.

August-September 2021

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

Pensacola Beach’s popular outdoor summer concert series, Bands on the Beach, features a lineup of performers sure to satisfy every musical taste. Make plans to visit the beautiful Gulfside Pavilion overlooking the Gulf of Mexico for great music, smooth grooves and good times. visitpensacola.com/eventsat-thebeach/bands-on-the-beach

SAVE THE DATE OCT. 30–31

Festival of the Arts → Respected as one of Northwest Florida’s premier fine arts shows, the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation’s Festival of the Arts will return to Destin for its 26th year this fall. Artists from across the United States will present original artwork in the numerous competition categories: oil, watercolor, acrylic, glass, photography, sculpture, pottery, wood, paper, fiber, mosaics, mixed media, jewelry designs and more. The festival will award $10,000 in cash prizes in a total of 29 categories and present the coveted “Best in Show” and “People’s Choice” honors. To learn more, visit MKAF.org/arts-festival.

PADDLE AT THE PORCH AUG. 21 After a one-year absence, the annual stand-up paddleboard race is back and with a new sponsor, Destin ER. The event is moving to Henderson Beach State Park where paddleboarders can participate in a one- or three-mile recreational race or the six-mile elite race. destinchamber.com/paddle-atthe-porch

GULF COAST SUMMER FEST JAZZ EDITION

PHOTOS BY LAND AIR SEA PRODUCTIONS (BEST OF EC) AND COURTESY OF CULTURAL ARTS ALLIANCE OF WALTON COUNTY, MATTIE KELLY ARTS FOUNDATION, VISIT PANAMA CITY BEACH (SANDJAM) AND HARVEST WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL

SEPT. 3–5 Get jazzy with an impressive lineup of jazz musicians that will headline the Gulf Coast Summerfest Jazz Edition at Pensacola’s Maritime Park. Bring your beach chairs and coolers, and enjoy a variety of live jazz performances at this scenic venue on Pensacola Bay. gulfcoastsummerfestjazzedition.com

BRIAN REGAN AT SAENGER THEATRE SEPT. 11 Prep yourself for sidesplitting laughs as comedian Brian Regan takes the Pensacola Saenger Theatre stage as part of his 100-city tour. pensacolasaenger.com/events/ brian-regan

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

2021 VETTES AT THE BEACH SEPT. 18 View over 300 sleek Corvettes from all over the country at a weekend made for car fanatics and presented by the Miracle Strip Corvette Club. Thirtyfive trophies will be awarded in various categories, and many vendors will be on hand at the Pensacola Beach parking lot. miraclestripcorvette.com/vettesat-the-beach

SANDESTIN TRIATHLON SEPT. 23 The annual Sandestin Triathlon will subject participants to an endurance test involving a half-mile Gulf of Mexico swim, a 20-mile bike ride along the coast and a 4-mile run through Sandestin’s beach and bayside community. sandestin.com/registration

BLACK JACKET SYMPHONY PERFORMING PINK FLOYD’S ‘THE WALL’ SEPT. 23 The Black Jacket Symphony offers a unique concert experience by precisely recreating classic albums in a live performance setting.

The Wall will be performed in its entirety by a group of handpicked musicians.

LITTLE RIVER BAND

pensacolasaenger.com/events/ black-jacket-symphonyperforming-pink-floyds-the-wall

Little River Band is bringing their vocal and musical energy along with great arrangements to the Pensacola Saenger Theatre. They will perform their timeless classic hits including Cool Change, Take It Easy On Me, Reminiscing, Help is on its Way, Lonesome Loser, Lady and Happy Anniversary.

PENSACOLA SEAFOOD FESTIVAL SEPT. 24–26 Famous for its fresh Gulf seafood, Pensacola welcomes all to sample scrumptious bites from Gulf-to-table local restaurants, caterers and vendors. Once you’ve had your fill of seafood fare, the treats continue with live music and an arts and crafts fair featuring over 150 artisans and crafters from around the world. pensacolaseafoodfestival.com

EMERALD COAST HOME SHOW SEPT. 25–26 Attend the biggest and best home and boat show in the region featuring over 100 indoor vendors in 21,000 square feet of airconditioned space at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center. There will be over $20,000 in giveaways and door prizes. All proceeds will benefit Homes for Heroes, Special Olympics Florida, Kiwanis International and The Children’s Neighborhood. emeraldcoasthomeshow.com

Pandemic and social distancing policies may affect gatherings. Check websites to see if the listed events will occur as scheduled.

SEPT. 30

clothing and craft vendors will fill the M.B. Miller Pier parking lot creating a fun atmosphere for hanging out with old and new friends alike. sandjamfest.com

pensacolasaenger.com/ events/little-river-bandpensacolasaenger SAVE THE DATE

SAVE THE DATE

DESTIN SEAFOOD FESTIVAL

OCT. 9–10

OCT. 1–3 The Destin Seafood Festival will feature a multitude of local seafood dishes, musicians from throughout the United States and vendors with art for purchase at the historic Destin Harbor and Harbor Boardwalk. Admission is free, and VIP passes are available for purchase. destinseafoodfestival.com SAVE THE DATE

SANDJAM MUSIC FESTIVAL OCT. 1–3 Jam in the sugar-white sand of Panama City Beach at this adult alternative rock festival. Food, drink,

BAYTOWNE WHARF BEER FEST

→ Head on out to The Village of Baytowne Wharf for the 13th annual Baytowne Wharf Beer Fest. Returning after a year away due to COVID-19, the festival is sure to delight visitors from all over with a great list of events and programs, including “Beer from Around Here,” craft beer tasting, live music and great food from local merchants and vendors. Visit BaytowneBeerFestival.com for more information.

HAVE AN EVENT YOU’D LIKE US TO CONSIDER?

Send an email to sbornhoft@rowlandpublishing.com.

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

August-September 2021

PROMOTION

SOCIAL STUDIES Sandestin Wine Festival The 34th annual Sandestin Wine Festival provided experiences ranging from grand wine tastings to yoga classes to mimosas at the new Hotel Effie. The much-anticipated festival enjoys an outstanding reputation among events conducted in the Visit South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival area. APR. 15–18

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ATTENDEES OF THE SANDESTIN WINE FESTIVAL

1 Catherine Guarisco, Chelsea Fox and Taylor Powell 2 Alan Meyers, Leighann Elliott, Kensley Brooks, Troy Sjostrom (BWNA Staff) 3 Steve Barber, Leighann Elliott, Chelsea Fox and May Aho 4 Debra, Leighann, Lauren and Kevin Elliott

Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County Street Art Festival Artists took over the streets of Grand Boulevard during the Cultural Arts Alliance’s inaugural South Walton Street Art Festival. Dozens of artists and students created visual works of art on the streets of Grand Boulevard using pastel chalk and their imaginations. The festival also featured live music throughout the weekend.

MAY 7-9

PHOTOS COURTESY OF LYNN CROWE PHOTOGRAPHY

1 Justin Gaffrey Sr. and Justin Gaffrey Jr. 2 Art Teacher Billie Gaffrey with students from Seaside Neighborhood School

3 Robin Jeffrey, Doug Foltz and Gabby Callaway 4 Christen Cowgill with Mike and Stacey Brady 5 Blair, Kara and Cornelius Wootson 6 Hayes, Adam, Matilda and Grove Fisher

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Get the crew and grab some brew SIP, SAMPLE AND CELEBRATE THE BEST IN CRAFT BEER AT THE ANNUAL BAYTOWNE WHARF BEER FEST

On Oct. 8–9, 2021, The Village of Baytowne Wharf will roll out the barrel and present unique suds and ales during the 13th annual Baytowne Wharf Beer Fest. American specialty beers from around the nation will be available for participants to sample and savor. The main event on Saturday, Oct. 9, will feature more than 200 domestic and international craft beers available for sampling. Brewery representatives will be available at the event, offering an opportunity to learn about the different types of lagers and ales from a variety of styles. The festival works with great sponsors and community partners and loves the continued support from all locals and visitors. In 2019, a total of $5,600 was donated to three charities that supplied volunteers for the festival: $3,200 to the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, $1,100 to Fisher House of the Emerald Coast, and $1,250 to Sandestin Foundation for Kids.

Schedule of events: Beer From Around Here Friday, Oct. 8 | 6–8 p.m.

On Friday night, we will showcase local beer tastings and samplings of appetizers from our great restaurants here in The Village of Baytowne Wharf. The night will also feature live music.

VIP Event | Saturday, Oct. 9 | 1–2 p.m.

We love to offer a little something special for our Beer Fest attendees! Our Saturday VIP event will feature exclusive beer tastings and great food from a Baytowne Wharf merchant. This ticket will be all-inclusive for Saturday’s events — and attendees will beat the lines to get in the event before anyone else. More information to come.

Craft Beer Tasting Saturday, Oct. 9 | 2–6 p.m.

The main event features more than 50 breweries, offering over to 200 domestic and international craft beers for sampling. Brewery representatives will be available to discuss the different types of lagers and ales, plus teach about the variety of styles. All ticket holders will be provided with a Baytowne Wharf Beer Fest tasting glass for sampling. The event will also feature live music.

The Baytowne Beer Festival was started in 2008 by the Baytowne Wharf Neighborhood Association. With the increasing popularity of craft beers, the event provided an opportunity to sample and savor more than 40 on-site craft brewers and hundreds of domestic and international craft beers while enjoying live music in a fun exotic location. This festival has quickly become a one-of-a-kind event in the region. The Village provides the perfect backdrop for fun in the sun and strolling the charming streets while enjoying live music and a wide range of beer. It makes for a very memorable experience for tourists and locals. The Baytowne Beer Festival is a “pitcher-perfect” reason for a getaway or staycation with special discounted accommodation packages. Sandestin makes it easy with great offers. Find out more by visiting Sandestin.com. Stay in The Village of Baytowne Wharf and never leave the resort; everything you need is right here. Find out more about the Baytowne Beer Festival by visiting BaytowneBeerFestival.com. Did you know that Florida has more than 110 operating craft breweries? The Emerald Coast is not only turquoise water and sugar-white sands, it is also home to more than a dozen craft breweries. We love featuring the local breweries at our beer festival, and this year we are bringing back our Beer From Around Here event — and it’s going to be better than ever. The relaxed and intimate Beer From Around Here event will take place in the Village Events Plaza. Sample local breweries and taste delicious appetizers from merchants right here in the Village, all while enjoying live music. So if you are feeling adventurous and wanting to try some great locally crafted beer, the annual Baytowne Beer Festival is the place to be. Join the trend, and drink local!

BAYTOWNE WHARF BEER FEST 9300 BAYTOWNE WHARF BLVD., MIRAMAR BEACH | (850) 267-8000 | BAYTOWNEWHARF.COM PROMOTION EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

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dining guide

THE KEY ★ Best of the

Emerald Coast 2020 Winner

Pandemic developments and social distancing policies and protocols may affect restaurant operations. Check websites for the latest information.

AMERICAN

EMERIL’S COASTAL ITALIAN

Located at Grand Boulevard in Sandestin, the famed chef’s first restaurant in Northwest Florida combines Italian cuisine with the variety of fresh Gulf seafood and local ingredients. Sun–Thur 11:30 am–10 pm, Fri–Sat 11:30 am–10:30 pm. 435 Grand Blvd., Miramar Beach. (850) 608-7040.

THE BEACH HOUSE

Casual, beach-front dining. Open daily 11 am–10 pm. 4009 S. Sandestin Blvd., Miramar Beach. (850) 267-4800. $$ L D

BUFFALO’S REEF ★

$$$ L D

Hot wings and cold beer. Tues–Sat open at 10:30 am, Sun open at noon. 116 Eglin Pkwy., Fort Walton Beach. (850) 243-9463. $ L D

EVERKRISP ★

Farm-to-table salads, rice bowls and other health-focused American bites in modern, brick-lined digs. Open daily 10:30 am–9 pm. 625 Grand Blvd., Miramar Beach. (850) 842-4504. $$ L D

THE CRAFT BAR ★

Craft brews on tap along with artisan cocktails and elevated bar fare. Open daily 11 am– midnight. 4424 Commons Dr., Destin. Also in Grayton Beach and Pensacola. (850) 460-7907. $$ L D Atmosphere and service match an expansive menu including everything from sushi to pork tenderloin. Lunch Sat–Sun 10 am–1 pm. Dinner daily from 5. 300 S. Alcaniz St., Pensacola. (850) 433-1275. $$ L D

B L D

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Outdoor Dining Live Music

$ Inexpensive

$$ Moderately

Expensive

$$$ Expensive

GREAT SOUTHERN CAFE ★

LULU’S

JACO’S BAYFRONT BAR & GRILLE

MAGNOLIA GRILL

This all-day cafe puts a new spin on classic with a mix of international cuisines, Southern cooking and local food and produce. Open daily for breakfast: 8–10:45 am, lunch: 11 am–4 pm and dinner: 4–9:30 pm. 83 Central Square, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 231-7327. $$ B L D Waterfront restaurant serving burgers, salads, seafood and brunch daily. Open Mon–Wed 11 am–9 pm, Thurs–Sat 11 am–10 pm and Sun 10 am–9 pm. 997 S. Palafox St., Pensacola. (850) 432-5226. $$ L D

LOUISIANA LAGNIAPPE ★

Lucy Buffett’s funky hangout features cocktails, burgers and seafood, plus allergy-friendly menus. Open Sun–Thur 11 am–9 pm, Fri–Sat 11 am–10 pm. 4607 Legendary Marina Dr., Destin. (850) 710-5858. $$ L D

Steak, seafood, pasta, soups, salads and desserts. Lunch Mon-Fri 11 am–2 pm, dinner Mon–Sat from 5 pm. Closed Sun. 157 SE Brooks St., Fort Walton Beach. (850) 302-0266. $$ L D

MARINA BAR AND GRILL

Fresh Gulf seafood, steak, sushi and signature cocktails. Open daily at 5 pm. 535 Richard Jackson Blvd., Panama City Beach. (850) 249-3359. $$$ D

A taste of New Orleans hits the coast through Louisiana-style favorites like shrimp and grits and Cajun seafood gumbo. Open daily from 4 pm. 775 Gulf Shore Dr., Destin. (850) 837-0881. $$ D

Seafood, po’ boys, burgers and salads. Open Sun–Thurs 11 am–8 pm, Fri 11 am–10 pm, Sat 8 am–10 pm. Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, 9300 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W., Miramar Beach. (850) 267-7778. $ B L D

GEORGE’S AT ALYS BEACH

LOUIS LOUIS ★

MARINA CAFÉ ★

FIREFLY ★

DHARMA BLUE

The restaurants that appear in this guide are included as a service to readers and not as recommendations of the Emerald Coast Magazine editorial department, except where noted.

Seafood, burgers and sandwiches. Open daily 11 am–3 pm and 5–9 pm. 30 Castle Harbour Dr., Alys Beach. (850) 641-0017. $$ L D

This sister restaurant of The Red Bar has great American fare with a Gulf twist. 35 Mussett Bayou Road, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 267-1500. $$ D

Gourmet pizzas, Creole and American cuisine. Open daily 5–10 pm. 404 E. Hwy. 98, Destin. (850) 837-7960. $$$ D

Hibachi Tables • Sushi Bar • Happy Hour Private Dining • Large Parties Welcome

SSEE MAGA ZI HA N LA

2020

S E’

TA L

OPEN DAILY FOR LUNCH AND DINNER

BEST TA L

L AH AS

E SE

Hibachi

BESTIN DESTIN VIP DESTIN MAGAZINE READER CHOICE AWARD

2021

Asian Cuisine

Hibachi

DESTIN 34745 Emerald Coast Pkwy | (850) 650-4688 TALLAHASSEE 1489 Maclay Commerce Drive | (850) 900-5149 • (850) 531-0222 PANAMA CITY BEACH 15533 Panama City Beach Parkway | (850) 588-8403

WWW.OSAKAHIBACHIANDSUSHI.COM

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Thank you for voting us

BEST HIBACHI in Destin & Tallahassee

NICK’S BOATHOUSE

Serving a wide variety of seafood, steaks and flatbreads by the waterfront. Open daily for lunch and dinner from 11 am–9 pm. 455 W. Main St., Pensacola. (850) 912-8775. $$ L D

RESTAURANT PARADIS ★

Restaurant and lounge offers rich coastal flavors in its innovative dishes. Open Sun–Thur 5–9 pm, Fri–Sat 5–10 pm. 82 S. Barrett Square, Rosemary Beach. (850) 534-0400. $$$ D

SHADES BAR & GRILL ★

A 30A mainstay for over 20 years, Shades features 17 high-def TVs plus a menu of salsas, steaks, sandwiches and fish tacos. Open daily 11–1 am. 10952 E. Hwy. 30A, (850) 231-9410. $$ L D

THE GROVE

Serving American cuisine for brunch and dinner. Daily 11 am–10 pm, Sunday 10 am– 4 pm, closed Monday. 3375 W. Hwy. 30A, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 660-1594. $$ L D

THE RED BAR ★

New and improved and now reopened; get classic meals at one of the area’s most renowned locations. 70 Hotz Ave., Grayton Beach. (850) 231-1008. $$ L D

TOMMY BAHAMA RESTAURANT, BAR & STORE ★

Savor the fresh, island-inspired fare or unwind with one of their signature cocktails. 525 Grand Blvd., Miramar Beach. (850) 654-1743. $$$ L D

VIN’TIJ WINE BOUTIQUE & BISTRO ★

Seafood, salad, chef specials. Open daily 11 am–midnight. 10859 W. Emerald Coast Pkwy., #103, Miramar Beach. (850) 650-9820. $$ L D

ASIAN BASMATI’S ASIAN CUISINE ★

Serving fresh seafood, sushi and vegetables on Scenic 30A for more than 20 years. 3295 W. County Hwy. 30A., Blue Mountain Beach. (850) 267-3028. $$$ L D

OSAKA ★

Known for its sushi but serves a variety of dishes, including chicken, steak and seafood. Lunch 11 am–2:30 pm, dinner 5–10:30 pm. 34845 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Destin. (850) 650-4688 or (850) 650-4689. $$ L D

P.F. CHANG’S ★

Asian-influenced “farm to wok” chain offers made-from-scratch dishes such as dim sum, sushi and Chinese food favorites. Mon, 11 am–9 pm; Tues–Thur, Sun 11 am–10 pm; Fri–Sat 11 am–11 pm, 640 Grand Blvd., Sandestin. (850) 269-1806. $$ L D

SUSHIMOTO ★

This creative sushi bar offers up a variety of rolls and Japanese fare. 12889 U.S. Hwy. 98, Ste. 103B, Miramar Beach. (850) 424-5977. $ D

THAI DELIGHTS

Traditional dishes in a casual atmosphere. Open daily 11 am–9 pm. 821 Harbor Blvd., Destin. (850) 650-3945. $$ L D

THAI ELEPHANT AUTHENTIC THAI CUISINE ★

Serving traditional Thai favorites that were voted the area’s best. 3906 Hwy. 98, Ste. 5–6, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 660-6711. $ L D

Mimmo invites you to enjoy and experience traditional authentic Italian cuisine from his hometown of Sicily.

BBQ 98 BAR-B-QUE ★

Award-winning barbecue, gumbo, sandwiches and salads in a casual atmosphere. Dine in, take out, catering. Mon–Sat 11 am–8 pm. 5008 Hwy. 98, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 622-0679. $ L D

BLUE MABEL ★

This local smokehouse features made-fromscratch dishes and is stocked with everything from smoked meats to homemade sauces. 2260 W. Scenic Hwy. 30A, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 744-0040. $$ L D

BREAKFAST/ BRUNCH/BAKERY ANDY’S FLOUR POWER CAFE & BAKERY

Lively brunch/lunch destination known for its French toast, rolled omelets and cheery ambiance. Open Tues–Sat 7 am–2 pm, Sun 8 am–2 pm. 2629 Thomas Dr., Panama City Beach. (850) 230-0014. $$ L D

Mimmo invites you to enjoy and experience traditional authentic Italian cuisine from his hometown of Sicily.

BLACK BEAR BREAD CO. ★

Contemporary cafe for craft coffee, housebaked breads, pastries and sandwiches and all-day breakfast. 26 Logan Lane, Grayton Beach. (850) 213-4528. $ B L

BON APPETIT FRENCH BAKERY AND CAFE ★

Delicious made-from-scratch French pastries, croissants and crusty breads, along with soups, salads and sandwiches. 420 Mary Esther Cut Off NW, Fort Walton Beach. (850) 244-2848. $ L

Italian

979 US HWY 98 E | Destin

850.460.7353

(in the 98 Palms Shopping Plaza)

EatMimmos.com

DONUT HOLE BAKERY CAFE ★

Eat breakfast all day with fresh-baked donuts and hearty comfort food. Open daily 6 am–10 pm. 635 Harbor Blvd., Destin (also in Inlet Beach and Santa Rosa Beach). (850) 837-8824. $ B

MAMA CLEMENZA’S EUROPEAN BREAKFAST

Old World family recipes. Multiple award winner. Brunch Wed–Sun 8 am–1 pm. 273 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W., Miramar Beach. (850) 424-3157 and 8 am–1 pm on Sundays at 75 Eglin Pkwy., Fort Walton Beach. (850) 243-0707. $$ B

DELIVERY

from your favorites Residents and visitors can enjoy the food of 30A restaurants at their convenience.

SUNSET BAY CAFÉ

3OA restaurants please reach out for information on partnering with us!

Casual and outdoor dining overlooking Choctawhatchee Bay, featuring locally sourced ingredients and sustainable seafood. Daily 8 am–2 pm. 158 Sandestin Blvd. N. (850) 267-7108. $$ B L D

Chill, we deliver !

DESSERT

Download our app at Apple and Android stores

BLUE MOUNTAIN BEACH CREAMERY ★

Family-owned dessert shop serves delicious ice cream, yogurt and sorbet treats. 2129 S. County Hwy. 83, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 278-6849. $

GREEK AEGEAN RESTAURANT ★

Authentic Greek restaurant. Breakfast 8–11 am, lunch 11 am–4 pm, dinner 4–9 pm. 11225 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Miramar Beach (and Shalimar). (850) 460-2728. $$ B L D

NOW OPEN

JOIN OUR TEAM OF DRIVERS! Flexible Hours | Great Opportunity

ALA BABA GRILL CAFÉ

Casual spot for familiar Turkish and Greek recipes offered à la carte and at a buffet, plus beer and

(850) 460-4766 | 30AGRUB2GO.COM EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

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wine. 10 am–9 pm. 550 Mary Esther Cutoff, Fort Walton Beach. (850) 986-5555. L D

YIOTA’S GREEK DELI

Traditional Greek food made from family recipes. Order at counter. 10 am–5 pm. 130 E. Miracle Strip Pkwy., Mary Esther. (850) 302-0691. $ L

Classic Italian. Wood-fired pizza, private dining, cooking school. Multiple award winner. Lunch Mon–Fri, dinner Mon–Sat. 75 Eglin Pkwy., Fort Walton Beach. (850) 243-0707. $$ B L D

FARM & FIRE SOUTHERN PIZZERIA

Featuring a clean-burning coal oven to impart a unique, full flavor to their pizzas, whole fish, steaks and roasted chicken. Open daily, 4–10 pm. 24200 U.S. Hwy. 331 S., Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 622-3871. $$ D

IRISH JOHNNY MCTIGHE’S IRISH PUB

Easygoing pub providing Irish and American eats, a game room for kids and deck seating. 11 am–2 am. 2298 Scenic Hwy. 30A, Blue Mountain Beach. (850) 267-0101. $$ L D

MCGUIRE’S IRISH PUB ★

Burgers and pub grub and the famous 18-cent Senate Bean Soup. Open daily 11 am– 2 am. 33 Hwy. 98, Destin (Also in Pensacola). (850) 650-0000. $$ L D

FAT CLEMENZA’S

Classic Italian. Wood-fired pizza, specialty desserts, fish Fridays. Multiple award winner. Lunch Mon–Fri, dinner Mon–Sat 5–9 pm. Holiday Plaza, Hwy. 98, Miramar Beach. (850) 650-5980. $$ L D

MIMMO’S RISTORANTE ITALIANO ★ Italian dishes. Open Mon–Fri 11 am–10 pm, Sat–Sun 5–10 pm. 979 Hwy. 98, #5, Destin. (850) 460-7353. $$ L D

PIZZA BY THE SEA ★

ITALIAN/PIZZA AMICI 30A

Offering authentic Italian cuisine with a flair for celebration. Open daily 11 am–11 pm. 12805 U.S. Hwy. 98 E., Suite R101, Inlet Beach. (850) 909-0555. $$$ L D

ANGELINA’S PIZZA & PASTA

CLEMENZA’S UPTOWN ★

Authentic homemade pizza pie and Italian dishes in a casual atmosphere. Lunch and dinner daily 11 am–9:30 pm. 4005 E. Hwy. 30A, Seagrove Beach. (850) 231-2500. $ B L D

With an emphasis on fresh ingredients and a family-friendly environment, Pizza by the Sea offers handmade pizzas and other Italian favorites. Open daily 11 am–8 pm. Multiple locations. (850) 650-0015. $$ L D

PAZZO ITALIANO

Destin’s newest Italian restaurant offers authentic Italian cuisine such as woodfired pizzas, pasta, calzones, salads, chef specialties and nightly specials. Mon–Thur 11 am–9 pm, Fri 11 am–10 pm, Sat 4–10 pm, Sun 4–9 pm. 34904 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Suite 114, Destin. (850) 974-5484. $$ L D

THE PIZZA BAR AT BUD & ALLEY’S

Artisan cheese, fresh salads, antipasto dishes, homemade soups, seasonal vegetables, hearty pastas and homemade wood-fired Neapolitan pizza. Open daily from 11 am. 2236 E. Hwy. 30A, Seaside. (850) 231-3113. $$ L D

TRATTORIA BORAGO

Pork tenderloin or pan-seared grouper from the open kitchen. Open daily from 6 pm. 80 E. Hwy. 30A, Grayton Beach. (850) 231-9167. $$ D

MEXICAN BURRITO DEL SOL ★

This Mexican restaurant serves fresh Bajastyle Mexican food, including tacos, burritos, quesadillas and more. 201-B Miracle Strip Pkwy., Fort Walton Beach. (850) 226-8016. $ L D

CANTINA LAREDO ★

A gourmet twist on Mexican favorites. Sun–Thurs 11 am–10 pm, Fri–Sat 11 am– 11 pm. 585 Grand Blvd., Miramar Beach. (850) 654-5649. $$ B L D

THE TACO BAR AT BUD & ALLEY’S

Baja fish tacos, homemade guacamole, burritos and top-shelf margaritas. Open daily from 11 am (in season). 2236 E. Hwy. 30A, Seaside. (850) 231-4781. $$ L D

SEAFOOD THE BAY SOUTH WALTON ★

This family-friendly waterfront restaurant overlooking Choctawhatchee

Bay features Gulf Coast cuisine, sushi, a 12-draft beer system, plus wine and crafted cocktails. Open daily 11 am–9:30 pm. 24215 Hwy. 331, Santa Rosa Beach, (850) 622-2291.$$ L D

BONEFISH GRILL ★

Fresh seafood in a casual atmosphere; family bundles now available for carryout. 4447 Commons Drive E., Destin. (850) 650-3161. $$ L

BOSHAMPS SEAFOOD & OYSTER HOUSE ★

Gulf-to-table Southern cuisine. Open daily from 11 am. 414 Harbor Blvd., Destin. (850) 424-7406. $$ L D

BROTULA’S SEAFOOD HOUSE & STEAMER

Fresh steamed and boiled seafood dishes. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Sunday brunch. Destin Harbor, Destin. (850) 460-8900. $$$ B

BUD & ALLEY’S WATERFRONT RESTAURANT ★

Sea-to-table dining, serving fresh seafood, steak and vegetarian dishes. Open daily from 8 am–10 pm. 2236 E. Hwy. 30A, Seaside. (850) 231-5900. $$$ L D

CAPT. ANDERSON’S RESTAURANT

Since 1967, offering traditional seafood items, flavorful salads and soups with a view of the marina. Open Mon–Fri at 4:30 pm, Sat–Sun at 4 pm. 5551 N. Lagoon Dr., Panama City Beach. (850) 234-2225. $$$ D

DEWEY DESTIN’S HARBORSIDE ★

Award-winning seafood in a quaint house. Open daily 11 am–8 pm. 202 Harbor Blvd., Destin. (850) 837-7525. $$$ L D

12271 US-98, Miramar Beach, FL 32550 850-424-3157 | mamaclemenzaseuropeanbreakfast.com 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM | Tuesday - Sunday 104

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DEWEY DESTIN’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT & MARKET ★

Outdoor setting, fresh seafood. Open 11 am–8 pm. 9 Calhoun Ave., Destin. (850) 837-7575. $$ B L D

THE FISH HOUSE ★

Fresh seafood cuisine and Southern specialties in a setting overlooking Pensacola Bay and the Seville Harbor. Open daily from 11 am. 600 S. Barracks St., Pensacola. (850) 470-0003. $$ L D

FOOW RESTAURANT

Southern coastal cuisine with an Asian flair. Open daily 5:30–10 pm. Located in the WaterColor Inn, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 534-5050. $$$ D

HARBOR DOCKS

A surf-and-turf restaurant. Breakfast, lunch and dinner and great sushi. Open daily 5 am–11 pm. 538 E. Hwy. 98, Destin. (850) 837-2506. $$ B L D

JACKACUDA’S SEAFOOD & SUSHI

Seafood, sushi, salad and sandwiches. Open daily from 11 am. Sunday brunch at 10 am. 36120 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Destin. (850) 460-2909. $$ L D

CAFE THIRTY-A ★

Offering the best in steaks and Gulf fare, Café Thirty-A is also available for weddings and special gatherings. Open daily 5–9:30 pm. 3899 E. Scenic Hwy. 30A, Seagrove Beach. (850) 231-2166. $$$ D

CAPTAIN DAVE’S ON THE GULF

Inspired by traditional waterfront dining, Captain Dave’s features American seafood cuisine infused with a contemporary Gulf Coast twist. Wed–Mon 4 pm–close. 3796 Scenic Hwy. 98, Destin. (850) 837-2627. $$$ D

THE GULF – FORT WALTON BEACH ★

Locally inspired food and beverages in a beautiful waterfront setting, alongside a curated vinyl record collection. 284 Marler Ave., Fort Walton Beach. (850) 387-1300. $ L D

JACKSON’S STEAKHOUSE ★

High-end steakhouse cuisine with fine wines. Local seafood is hand-selected and artistically prepared to perfection. Lunch Wed–Fri 11 am–2 pm, dinner Mon–Sun 5 pm til. 400 S. Palafox St., Pensacola. (850) 469-9898. $$$ D

MARLIN GRILL ★

OLD BAY STEAMER ★

Seafood, steaks, salads and appetizers. Open nightly from 5 pm. The Village of Baytowne Wharf, Miramar Beach. (850) 351-1990. $$$ D

RUNAWAY ISLAND

Steak and seafood. New Orleans-inspired. Mon–Sat 5:30–10 pm, Sun 5:30–9 pm. Silver Shells Resort, 1500 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Destin. (850) 337-5108. $$$ D

The perfect place for quality steamed seafood, outstanding steaks and incredible ribs. 102 Santa Rosa Blvd., Fort Walton Beach. (850) 664-2795. $$ D Crab, oysters and grouper sandwiches in a casual beach bar and grill with steps onto the sand. Open daily at 11 am. 14521 Front Beach Rd., Panama City Beach. (850) 634-4884. $$ L D

SHUNK GULLEY OYSTER BAR ★

This seafood and casual fare restaurant features classic coastal cuisine and genuine Southern hospitality plus live music daily inside the panoramic bar. Open daily 11 am– 9 pm. 1875 S. Hwy. 393, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 622-2733. $$ L D

STINKY’S FISH CAMP ★

This seafood and wine mainstay promises Gulffresh fare. 5960 W. County Road 30A, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 267-3053. $$ L D

STEAK & SEAFOOD AUSTONS ON 98 OYSTER BAR AND GRILL

Home of the 102-foot bar, specialties include littleneck clams, raw oysters, clam chowder and jumbo shrimp cocktail. Sun–Thur 11 am– 9 pm; Fri–Sat 11 am–10 pm. 125 Poinciana Blvd., Miramar Beach. (850) 842-3200. $$ L D

BEACH WALK CAFE

Located at the Henderson Park Inn, this award-winning fine dining establishment features a range of favorites including grouper Vince, pepper-crusted yellowfin tuna and seafood pasta Rockefeller. Open daily 5:30–9 pm. 2700 Scenic Hwy. 98, Destin. (850) 650-7100. $$$ D

BIJOUX RESTAURANT & SPIRITS ★

Fine dining coastal cuisine with a New Orleans flair, Gulf seafood, prime steaks. Open daily 4–10 pm. The Market Shops, 9375 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W., #22, Miramar Beach. (850) 622-0760. $$$ D

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE

SEAGAR’S PRIME STEAKS & SEAFOOD ★

Brunch By Day

3375 W County Highway 30A, Santa Rosa Beach | (850) 660-1594

Premium steak, fresh seafood and caviar. Open daily from 6 pm. Hilton Sandestin, 4000 S. Sandestin Blvd., Miramar Beach. (850) 622-1500. $$$ D

SLICK LIPS SEAFOOD & OYSTER HOUSE

Family-friendly seafood and oyster bar featuring locally caught fare and nestled in picturesque Baytowne Wharf. Sun–Thur Noon–10 pm, Fri–Sat Noon–11 pm. 140 Fisherman’s Cove. (850) 347-5060. $$ L D

Bites By Night

BEST BRANDS • SELECTION • KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF BEST BRANDS • SELECTION • KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF

FINEST LIQUOR, LIQUOR, WINE WINE & CRAFT BEER BEER STORES STORES Shop in store, SHOP IN STORE, onOURour website website ON WEBSITE OR OUR APP! orWITH with app! our app! BEST BRANDS • SELECTION • KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF

TAKE OUT 30AGRUB2GO

Fast delivery of all the high-quality cuisine that 30A has to offer. Download their app on Google Play or the Apple Store, or visit 30agrub2go.com to get started. (850) 260-3139.

DESTIN ICE SEAFOOD MARKET & DELI ★

Fresh fish and seafood items, pastas, salads and side dishes, Buckhead meats, decadent desserts, wines, cheeses, spices and more. Open daily 8 am–7 pm. 663 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Destin. (850) 837-8333. $$ L D

JC’S GOURMET ★

A chilled mix of fresh shrimp, lime zest and vinegar-soaked cucumber, red onion and sweet pepper, this is shrimp ceviche-style. 4621 Hwy. 98 W., Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 687-2810

MODICA MARKET ★

Find delicious lunch specials and brews at this gourmet specialty food store. 109 Seaside Central Square, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 231-1214. L

Visit our comprehensive, searchable dining guide online at EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/Restaurants.

Convenient delivery within Convenient within CONVENIENT DELIVERY the hour hour by appt). the appt). WITHIN THE(or HOUR (OR BY APPOINTMENT) Curbside pickup also Curbside also available! available! CURBSIDE PICKUP ALSO AVAILABLE! DESTIN DESTIN

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DESTIN • FORT WALTON BEACH • CRESTVIEW • PANAMA CITY BEACH (850) 837-9463 • BeachLiquors.net EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

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postscript

REVIVING THE PAST

DeFuniak Springs elevates its remarkable history by CHRISTOPHER MITCHELL

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Lakeside Hospital circa 1948

here: Battle Hymn of the Republic songwriter Julia Ward Howe; American Red Cross founder Clara Barton; future U.S. President William McKinley; his political opponent William Jennings Bryan; and Woodrow Wilson’s vice president Thomas Marshall. A diary entry by Robert Todd Lincoln indicates he may have walked these grounds, too. These grounds may be among the most historic in America, and the impact of Chautauqua events on American culture from 1885 to 1935 is still being studied. A group is working with the city now to have these grounds designated as a National Historic Landmark. The Florida Division of Historic Resources in Tallahassee has already poured approximately $1 million in the past four years into the restoration of the Chautauqua Hall of Brotherhood, a building opened in 1909 as the grand entrance to a 4,000seat auditorium for the assemblies. The auditorium is gone today having succumbed to Hurricane Eloise in 1975, but the grand entrance still stands. A $50,000 grant from the Division in 2018 provided interpretive panels throughout the grounds to tell the campus’s story to people taking a self-guided walking tour. The Division also ranked the city’s application for a Florida Main Street designation of its adjacent downtown historic business district in 2017 at No. 1. Now, businesses are moving in, including a bakery and ice cream shop. The historic

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hotel on 8th Street has been restored along with its restaurant and is packed most days. The city celebrates a three-day festival on the grounds called LakeFest; it attracts thousands each May. The grounds are decorated with 10 million lights throughout December, attracting thousands more. The Florida Chautauqua Assembly is held for four days in late January. It has hosted former First Lady Rosalynn Carter; one-time child star Jerry Mathers of Leave It to Beaver; Apollo 13 astronaut Fred Haise; co-star Demond Wilson of Sanford & Son; former White House deputy chief of staff Karl Rove; and former First Daughter and NBC Today Show cohost Jenna Bush Hager. Tourists even inspect the “Planted by…” plaques marking trees around the lake. Famous folks planted many of them. Thanks to the leadership of Mayor Bob Campbell, members of the City Council, Main Street DeFuniak Springs, the Florida Chautauqua Association, the Florida Chautauqua (Theater), Forward DeFuniak and numerous other organizations and individuals, DeFuniak Springs is celebrating its past as it progresses into today’s rapidly growing and changing world. EC

Christopher Mitchell is the president of the Florida Chautauqua Association and the public information officer for the City of DeFuniak Springs.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTOPHER MITCHELL

eople who visit the historic district of DeFuniak Springs, Florida, think of the area as a “charming, historic neighborhood,” but it actually wasn’t planned as one. It was developed around a perfectly round spring-fed lake and opened in 1885 as a resort and campus for the annual Florida Chautauqua Assembly until 1935 when the group sold the last building to the city after entering bankruptcy. Many of the buildings deteriorated including the grand Chautauqua Hotel, which was torn down in the 1960s. Its history was forgotten. In 1993, Diane Pickett formed an organization that revived events which took formerly took place on the grounds and worked countless hours with other volunteers to encourage the restoration of homes and buildings in the historic district, which is today on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2007, I became president of that organization and program chair of the annual, revived assembly. Frustrated by the lack of coffee pots and other supplies for the event, I wondered how they managed it when they had up to 4,000 people a day arriving at that train depot to stay a day or a week. Then I learned that DeFuniak Springs was once home to a campus comprising a grand auditorium, hotel, boarding houses, library and an art department building. This place was more historic than I had ever imagined. I enlisted my friend Robert Daniel to research this history. He downloaded and read articles and records from all over the country, organizing them in 3-inch binders. They contain proof that Harriet Beecher Stowe was on the committee to create the grounds. Famous people visited and lectured

CONSISTENTLY DELICIOUS SINCE 1995!

3899 E. County Highway 30A, Seagrove · 850.231.2166 · Open Daily at 4:30 · cafethirtya.com

The Crest

2174 W County Hwy 30A

Royce Mitchell royce.mitchell@penfedrealty.com Cell: (850) 737-0567

Offered at $3,150,000 With sweeping views of the Gulf of Mexico from the beaches of South Walton to Panama City Beach, this eastern end unit at The Crest is simply breathtaking! Arguably one of the highest and most panoramic views on Scenic Highway 30A, this home provides complete luxury and privacy in a gated community of nine residences. Sold fully furnished with a few exclusions, this 3500 sq. ft. home boasts five bedrooms, five full baths, two half baths, two spacious living areas, two master bedrooms, and a private fenced backyard for family gatherings. No detail was overlooked by the current owners. The home has a private poolside cabana, golf cart garage, and golf cart. Enjoy the 40x60 heated community pool and hot tub after your day at the beach.

Driftwood Estates

Luke Andrews luke.andrews@penfedrealty.com Cell: (850) 978-0545

Lot 4C Driftwood Point Road

Taylor Adkins taylor.adkins@penfedrealty.com Cell: (850) 333-2282

Offered at $3,290,000 This one of a kind, custom built home is 4,088 square feet and features five bedrooms and five baths. The elegant new construction is situated on a private bayfront estate and will include many upgrades perfect for your family to enjoy! The private, front courtyard leads to the first floor featuring open living, dining and kitchen areas overlooking the breathtaking bay-waterfront scenery. The large kitchen boasts a large quartz island with many cabinet upgrades. The front of the house has a private guest bedroom over a three-car detached garage with full kitchen and laundry. This property is set to be completed by 2021.

Now with FIVE locations serving the Emerald Coast MIRAMAR BEACH 9375 Emerald Coast Parkway, Unit 18 | (850) 267-0050 SANTA ROSA BEACH 7684 W. County Highway 30A | (850) 267-0013 NICEVILLE 1073 E. John Sims Parkway | (850) 729-0176 PENSACOLA 17 W. Cedar St. | (850) 434-2244 GULF BREEZE 836 Gulf Breeze Parkway | (850) 932-6278

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