Emerald Coast Magazine December 2021/January 2022 by Rowland Publishing, Inc.

TOP C H E FS SE RV E U P A LT E R NAT I V E S TO T U R K E Y A N D H A M

COOKIES Santa salivates over plates of these favorites

PINNACLE AWARD WINNING WOMEN IMPROVE LIVES, PURSUE JUSTICE AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES

PROSECCO Affordable ‘iced tea’ of Italy sparkles, refreshes

Musical Moments

Magic

Lifelong performer and band leader Rick Ford matches playlists to life’s biggest events

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 2021-January EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM December 2020–January 2021

2022 2020

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 Hwy 79, less than 8 miles from the beach. New Homes from the mid $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 2021-January 2022

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

Contents

DEC 2021/JAN 2022

FEATURE

UNCONVENTIONAL HOLIDAY MEALS

Chefs are much more than food preparers who are good at following recipes. They are creatives who delight in experimenting with new combinations of ingredients and flavors. We suspected that these culinary artists who live to cook outside the lines might be frustrated by the limits imposed by holiday traditions and decided to liberate them. What, we asked, might you recommend as an alternative to familiar holiday fare? Their suggestions may surprise you. That, surely, was our intention. Freed from the box, Chef Carey Stegall of Destin prepared the grilled beef tenderloin drizzled with chimichurri pictured at left.

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

by HANNAH BURKE

photography by MICHAEL BOOINI

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

December 2021-January 2022

Contents

DEC 2021/JAN 2022

47 63

22 19 PERSONALITY

EXPRESSION

63 ART Visit the Atomic

both modest electric models and towering gas affairs, can serve to extend porch season by providing creature comfort when the temperature dips.

FASHION Baubles of gold and diamonds pair nicely with the deep reds and greens that make up the holiday season color palette. EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

TOP C H E FS SE RV E U P A LT E R NAT I V E S TO T U R K E Y A N D H A M

COOKIES Santa salivates over plates of these favorites

PINNACLE AWARD WINNING WOMEN IMPROVE LIVES, PURSUE JUSTICE AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES

PROSECCO Affordable ‘iced tea’ of Italy sparkles, refreshes

Musical Moments

Magic

EMERALDCOASTMAGAZINE.COM

Freshen your look with a spa visit, upgrade your sandals assortment, sip a craft beer and pick up a treat for Fido.

December 2021-January 2022

78 EXTERIORS Heaters,

38 WHAT’S IN STORE

typically home to framed art and photographs, the walls of your abode can also effectively host collections of artifacts or meaningful personal effects.

» CARESS HUDSON » ALICE’S ON BAYVIEW

Caress Hudson surprised herself when she gained admission to a highly regarded culinary school. Today, she is the owner of Henny Penny's Patisserie in Pensacola.

the iced tea of Italy, has proved popular in the United States as a sparkling but low-cost alternative to champagne.

native Rick Ford went from the Marching 100 at FAMU to Atlanta to New York City. Now, he is back in his hometown with a simple aim: bringing joy to the people.

75 INTERIORS While

HOLIDAY BAUBLES

66 MUSIC Panama City

54 LIBATIONS Prosecco,

29 CITIZEN OF STYLE

Frog tattoo studio at Destin Commons, and you never know what you might leave with. Our photographer left with a large green amphibian on his calf.

52 DINING OUT Overlooking

the St. Andrews Bay marina, Alice’s on Bayview hosts a regular lunch crowd, many of whose members are likely to be back for supper or Sunday brunch.

ABODES

DEC 2021–JAN 2022

PANACHE

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER 14 EDITOR'S LETTER 16 FEEDBACK 92 SOCIAL STUDIES 96 DINING GUIDE 98 POSTSCRIPT

47 H OME COOKIN’

22 CHAMPIONS Four

Emerald Coast women — a lawyer, a physician, a student counselor and the president of the Studer Community Institute — were honored with Pinnacle Awards.

12 FROM THE

GASTRO & GUSTO A caterer, a writer and Santa Claus himself have combined to recommend what they consider to be Christmas cookies for the ages. Do the Jolly Old Elf a favor, and put some of these out for him this Christmas Eve.

Cool-weather annuals add winter color.

IN EVERY ISSUE

EMERALD COAST MAGAZINE

Ashton Hayward has again shifted career gears. He’s now the president of the Andrews Research & Education Foundation in Pensacola.

80 GREEN SCENE

Lifelong performer and band leader Rick Ford matches playlists to life’s biggest events

ON THE COVER:

Rick Ford has taken a trip around a very long block. A graduate of Rutherford High School in Panama City, he went on to Florida A&M, where he was a member of the Marching 100 performance band. He paused for a time in Atlanta on his way to the Big Apple, where he lived and worked for decades. All along the way, music has been his constant companion. He is now back in Panama City, gigging and leading bands he puts together for special occasions. PHOTO BY MIKE FENDER

PHOTOS BY ALEX WORKMAN (22), JOHN HARRINGTON (63), WWW.SUGARSALTMAGIC.COM (47) AND COURTESY OF MCCASKILL & COMPANY (36)

THE WAVE

Paradise has arrived ON THE EMERALD COAST

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

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM December 2021-January EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM December 2020–January 2021

2022 2020

Contents

PROMOTION

DEC 2021/JAN 2022

SPECIAL SECTIONS AND PROMOTIONS

SKIN-SATIONAL Aqua Medical Spa and Dermatology Specialists want you to love the skin you’re in. Start the new year right by freshening your look.

↑ CENTER STAGE Emerald Coast Theatre Company will warm audiences all winter with three sizzling performances.

HOLIDAY HEADLINER Broadway

star Nicholas Rodriguez will serenade audiences with jazz, blues, pop and folk selections at Sinfonia Gulf Coast’s Holiday Pops concert.

SANDESTIN STYLE

Whether you’re a local resident or vacationer, Sandestin Family Retail Shops are prepared to outfit you year-round.

↓ GLEAM & GLIMMER

CHEERFUL TREATS With a

SACRED HEART FOUNDATION

Sip and savor fine wines, spirits, craft beers and items selected by award-winning chefs at the South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival.

↘ HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Find something for everyone on your list, thanks to local retailers.

WINE & DINE

“Stories from the Heart” describes people who have been helped by the Sacred Heart Foundation and the expertise and dedication of the caring men and women who make up the Sacred Heart Health System.

90 CALENDAR

Holiday happenings are set to take place throughout the most magical time of the year. The calendar includes plays, musicals, festivals, concerts and New Year’s Eve celebrations.

↓ FORCES FOR GOOD The Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, Food For Thought and the

Emeril Lagasse Foundation are among the many philanthropic organizations in South Walton County.

All would be delighted to find a McCaskill & Company box under the tree — a silver watch for him, perhaps, or a sparkling statement piece for her.

wide selection of home decor items and lifestyle gifts, Bodacious Shops can help add a special accent piece to your home or that of a friend.

NEXT ISSUE 8

We present a salute to the history of contributions made by women to homes, families and communities.

December 2021-January 2022

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

PHOTOS BY NIKKI HEDRICK (70) AND COURTESY OF ROCKWELL THARP (40), MCCASKILL & CO. (43) AND VISIT SOUTH WALTON (94)

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.

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM December 2021-January EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM December 2020–January 2021

2022 2020

EMERALD COAST MAGAZINE

VOL. 22, NO. 6

DECEMBER 2021-JANUARY 2022

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 SENIOR STAFF WRITER Emma Witmer STAFF WRITER Hannah Burke CONTRIBUTING WRITERS FR. Rian Adams, Marina Brown, Les Harrison, Lis King, Al Krulick, Thomas J. Monigan, Rebecca Padgett Frett, Wynn Parks, Audrey Post

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 Alissa Aryn Photography, Michael Booini, Jennifer Ekrut, Mike Fender, John Harrington, Nikki Hedrick, Will Hepburn, Lynn Crow Photography, Sean Murphy, Saige Roberts, Shelly Swanger, Tyler Teston, The Workmans

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 Frett SENIOR INTEGRATED MARKETING SPECIALIST 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

December 2021-January 2022

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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 December 2021 Emerald Coast Magazine Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

MODELS NOW OPEN

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 $500s? NatureWalk is outside of ordinary, and now open for you to explore. by

Tour 5 designer-decorated models in-person or online New Homes from the $500s 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

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM December 2021-January EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM December 2020–January 2021

2022 2020

from the

associate publisher

OPENING OUR EYES TO THE PRESENT A focus on the ‘now’ can bring peace at all seasons

December 2021-January 2022

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

I hope each of you finds peace today and throughout 2022. The now is all we are ever promised. We can’t get back yesterday, and tomorrow is never guaranteed. But the present is a great present. Immerse yourself in it. Love,

MCKENZIE BURLEIGH, ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER mburleigh@rowlandpublishing.com

PHOTO BY SEAN MURPHY

I have found that the more I slow down and become present, the more productive I am. I achieve goals and keep resolutions. For 12 years, I have been studying and practicing yoga and meditation and exploring the philosophy of mind/ body unity. I have discovered that there is real value in simple being — not merely existing, but being in the world in conscious ways. For Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the question was “To be or not to be?” The desperately miserable prince contemplates quite literally whether to live or not to live. For us, the question can be whether to live or to live more fully. Doing so requires persistence, but the benefits are absolutely worth the effort. Being present means separating oneself from regrets and desires. The ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu championed a natural existence free from social conventions. “If you are depressed, you are living in the past,” he wrote. “If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.” Easier said than done? Of course. Can we hope to remove ourselves from conventions, traditions and expectations, especially during the holiday season? Hardly. But, to the extent possible, we can endeavor not to be controlled by them. Like most everyone, I cherish most my childhood holiday memories. The extended family would gather at Grammy’s house on Christmas Eve, and 16 cousins would go from door to door singing carols. What has happened to caroling? I would love to bring that tradition back! My two sisters and I slept in the same bed and tickled one another, so filled with anticipation that we were unable to get to sleep. On Christmas Day, we would spend time in my grandparents’ living room where the fireplace roared and my grandmother served us scrumptious fudge until we had our fill. Life was simpler then, truly. Still, we should endeavor amidst the hustle and bustle of the holidays to slow down enough so that we don’t miss or fail to appreciate the most important parts.

Schedule today at our new diagnostic and imaging center for women

You can schedule important health screenings now — including mammograms — where it’s even more convenient for you. Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Women’s Diagnostic Center is close

Appointments available now. To schedule, call 850-909-9980

to home, with a care team that takes the time to listen and understand you. Choose imaging, testing and care that’s designed and personalized for women:

Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Women’s Diagnostic Center 179 Mack Bayou Loop, Suite 102 Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

• 3D mammograms and breast ultrasounds • Bone density testing • Pelvic floor rehabilitation • A nurse navigator who connects the dots for any additional care

A 3D mammogram may require an additional fee if your insurance carrier does not cover the full cost. Please check with your carrier to determine if you will be responsible for any of the costs.

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM December 2021-January EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM December 2020–January 2021

2022 2020

editor’s letter

LET IT BE, LET IT BE

Quiet your mind and say hello to your silent partner

December 2021-January 2022

I sized up the project at the staffer’s desk and then as I headed toward my office, there it was. “Splendor in the grass,” I announced. “How did you do that?” the reporter, furious, demanded to know. “You just have to let it happen,” I said, making things worse. I had the privilege a few years back of taking a transcendental meditation class with Prudence Bruns at a cabin she owns in a wood at Santa Rosa Beach. A person more peaceful and kind I will never meet. The TM experience for me brought freedom from distractions, so emptying my mind that I am certain my blood pressure dropped. She is speaking to me now, Prudence is. She knows that I have abandoned the practice of meditation; she’s aware I run around like a man who has lost his mantra. The musician has turned me on to the notion of thought adjusters, godlike spirits that are described in The Urantia Book, a work that is central to a foundation that has been spreading its messages throughout the world since early in the 20th century. These entities, the adjusters, are said to indwell the minds of creatures of time — like me and you — after becoming apprised of our intellectual endowments and spiritual capacity. While these adjusters may join with us, human will dominates the adjuster– human partnership, according to The Urantia Book. Human will functions on a personality level while adjusters operate on a pre-personal level. That is to say that if we are to benefit from the partnership, we must get out of our own way. We must let things happen, and when we do, the benefits can be far-reaching. Early in our earthly evolution, it is said, humans began to experience a feeling of social duty as the product of fear and the need for security arising from

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

group membership. But a less selfish tendency toward “social service and the idealism of altruism is derived from the direct impulse of the divine spirit indwelling the human mind,” according to The Urantia Book. Whether indwelling god-extensions might be responsible for glorious headlines or perfect lyrics isn’t clear. But, in any event, the notion that I might succeed in new or renewed ways by setting aside my stubborn will, quieting my mind and being receptive to arrivals has tremendous appeal to me. It may seem that I am being led. Something, dear Prudence, has led me back to meditation, and as a new year approaches, I am resolved to slow down without losing speed to make room for a better nature. Good things come back around. Peace be with you,

STEVE BORNHOFT EXECUTIVE EDITOR sbornhoft@rowlandpublishing.com

PHOTO BY SAIGE ROBERTS

In recent weeks, I have gotten to know a longtime Southern rocker and his devoted wife. How that connection came about I could tell you easily enough. Why it did remains an open question. They have helped me to better articulate and understand thoughts I have had for a long time, including the belief that my best impulses and my best work are influenced by a beneficent presence. The musician has described for me his creative process or, better said, unprocess. His lyrics and melodies are not products of mental exertion, he said, but instead arrive at still, wee hours. Even so, he cannot merely be passive. He must be open and alert to the arrivals and secure them before they vanish like an insight from a dream not recorded on the pad at the bedside table. He must act before somebody else claims them. Bob Dylan expressed a similar outlook in a 1978 interview with Karen Hughes of Rock Express magazine. Editor and anthologist Jonathan Cott included that interview in Dylan on Dylan, a book published in 2006. “Do you find that as a composer, you’re more like a medium, tuning into something greater happening?” Hughes asked Dylan. “I think that every composer does that,” he replied. “No one in his right mind would think that it was coming from him, that he has invented it. It’s just coming through him.” I have many times had that conduit experience. I remember very well, for example, one afternoon during my tenure as editor of the Panama City News Herald. A staffer was trying too hard to arrive at a headline for a two-page illustration of an estuarine grass flat that included a speckled trout, a blue crab, a flounder and other life forms.

LADIES APPAREL • BOOTS • SHOES • BELTS • HANDBAGS • JEWELRY

Elegant Sophistication! The Village of Baytowne Wharf | 850.837.1242 | www.RockwellTharp.com EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM December 2021-January 2022 15 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM December 2020–January 2021 2020

PROMOTION

EMERALDCOASTMAGAZINE.COM GIVEAWAY

Win Festival Tix The 30A Songwriters Festival attracts star performers from throughout the country. This 2022 festival will be held Jan. 14–17, coinciding with the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend.

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS? Show us your home holiday style by tagging us on Instagram @emeraldcoastmag, and your photo might be featured on our page.

Feedback DeFuniak’s Rich History As a longtime resident of DeFuniak Springs, I read with interest your recent article on the city and appreciate the display of our history. There were, however, some inaccuracies that should be addressed. I revived the Chautauqua in 1992 after a hiatus of almost 75 years and personally managed and funded it until 2006. As I stepped aside, the incoming board decided to purchase the Lakeside Hospital as its headquarters. I made a personal contribution of $25,000 toward that effort, and in 2018, donated an additional $150,000. The Florida Chautauqua Association subsequently received a $50,000 grant from the Florida Division of Historical Resources to assist with architectural planning for the hospital building.

December 2021-January 2022

@emeraldcoastmag Emerald Coast Magazine @EmeraldCoastMag

NEW YEAR/ NEW YOU

Find out why Aqua Medical Spa and Dermatology Specialists believe “diamonds” are a girl’s best friend at EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/ sponsored-content/beauty-links.

When the hospital opened in 1939, it had only one story and served the entire community, not just the Black community, who were relegated to separate quarters in a facility at the back of the structure. When a second story was added, the building boasted the only elevator between Tallahassee and Pensacola. The facility was purchased in the early 1980s by a local DeFuniak Springs couple who renovated the upstairs as their private personal residence while leaving the area downstairs for medical office space. The renovation carefully preserved features of the old hospital, such as the original woodwork and call button lights over each patient room. The operating room was converted into a social area while saving original plumbing, overhead lighting fixtures and static-free flooring. Patient rooms were left intact with some of the original beds. The bathrooms remained untouched. The nurse’s station was converted into a bar area with ample living room space. The building is currently owned by the Florida Chautauqua Association. EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

The exterior photo that ran with your article is not of the hospital but rather of the Chautauqua Hall of Brotherhood, which was constructed in 1909 and is a property of the City of DeFuniak Springs. The city received a grant of $497,118 from the State of Florida Division of Historical Resources through the immense efforts of local resident and volunteer grant writer Dr. Melinda Henderson. The city provided an additional $250,000 toward the restoration of the revered building with additional funding of $19,000 from the St. Joe Community Foundation for audio-visual equipment.

Another $7,000 was raised locally through the efforts of the Chautauqua Hall of Brotherhood Foundation and Forward DeFuniak, Inc. The CHOB Foundation also provided an additional $38,000 in matching funds for the elevator. This grand old structure continues to remind the community of its glorious past and its hopeful future. It remains the jewel in the crown of one of the most historic communities in Florida. DeFuniak Springs has a unique and proud history, and I am honored to have been a part of its rebirth. I look forward to continuing to work on its behalf. F. DIANE PICKETT, DEFUNIAK SPRINGS

PHOTOS BY SHELLY SWANGER (30A SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL), JENNIFER EKRUT (AUG/SEPT MAGAZINE) AND COURTESY OF DERMATOLOGY SPECIALISTS (BEAUTY LINKS)

Enter to win two festival passes valued at $700 at EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/ giveaways.

Meet John. With more than a decade of banking experience and a background in business administration, John Hodges is a private banker who understands the complex financial needs of higher-net-worth clients. He is committed to a one banker, one call level of personalized service to simplify managing finances and to provide custom solutions that meet the demands of personal wealth and business. Call John today: 850.553.0488

John Hodges Vice President Private Banker

Serving Walton County ccbg.com

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM December 2021-January EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM December 2020–January 2021

2022 2020

We’re thethe We’re

CENTER CENTER

of attention! of attention!

Bealls Outlet • Dick’s Sporting Goods Bealls Outlet • Dick’s Sporting Goods Ross • The Fresh Market

Ross • The Fresh Market

EATERIES

EATERIES Chili’s • Wayback Burgers • Craft Bar: a Florida Gastropub Chili’s •• Wayback Burgers • Craft a Florida Gastropub Texas Roadhouse IHOP • Jersey Mike’s SubsBar: • Zoë’s Kitchen Roadhouse • IHOP • Jersey Mike’s Subs • Zoë’s Kitchen Sweet FrogTexas Frozen Yogurt Sweet Frog Frozen Yogurt

SPECIALTYSTORES STORES SPECIALTY PetSmart Kirkland’s••Verizon Verizon• •Bed, Bed,Bath Bath and Beyond PetSmart • Kirkland’s and Beyond Michael’s Wine World World• •World WorldMarket Market Michael’s •• Chan’s Chan’s Wine Shoe more! Shoe Carnival Carnival and and more! 15750 Panama City Beach Pkwy PierParkNorth.com

182020–January December 2021-January EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM December 2021 2020 2022 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

pierparknorth

castoinfo.com CASTOinfo.com

wave

THE

→ Ashton Hayward has moved from City Hall to a prestigious health care position.

DEC 2021 / JAN 2022

A CONSCIOUS, COOL COMPENDIUM OF COASTAL STUFF

PERSONALITY

THE NEXT BIG THING

Former Pensacola mayor now heads Andrews Foundation by AL KRULICK

↓

CHAMPIONS photography by WILL HEPBURN

Pinnacle Awards — The Class of 2021 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

December 2021-January 2022

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ensacola-born Ashton Hayward has always been a man on the move — changing careers, shifting direction and perpetually looking for the next challenge to take on. “I’m one of those folks that’s pretty driven,” he said. The highly regarded former Pensacola mayor, who served two terms from 2011–2018, made his first big move when he left his Panhandle hometown for New York City in the early ’90s after graduating from Florida State University. En route, he lived briefly in Miami, where he met An, his wife now of 25 years. In New York, he worked as an executive for AT&T and then as an ad director for the Financial Times. “Being from Pensacola and living in Manhattan for a decade was kind of a culture shock,” Hayward said. But those 10 years up north helped to instill in him a broader understanding of what makes a vibrant city vibrant. “Living in New York, working in corporate America and taking the subway to work every morning, you’re around so many cultures in the most diverse city in the world,” he said. “I was around a lot of sophisticated people and a lot of everyday people. It allowed me to look at things through a different lens and gave me a picture of what could be.” When Hayward returned to Pensacola in 2003, he helped found a real estate development firm and also served as vice president of marketing and business development for the World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts before deciding to run for mayor. At that point, the city had adopted a “strong mayor” form of government, establishing the mayor as its chief executive instead of a ceremonial ribbon cutter. He would call upon his experience as a big-city dweller to help transform his city of 50,000. Ashton streamlined city operations, cut taxes, improved city services, reduced crime, led the transition of public vehicle fleets to compressed natural gas, oversaw an expansion of services and opportunities at Pensacola International Airport, and reformed the city’s pension programs. “I spent a lot of time and energy on the airport because it’s someone’s first impression of the community,” Hayward said. “And pension reform was also a big deal. We had a big unfunded liability when I came into office. We

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photography by WILL HEPBURN

↑ Medical education director Ashley Mixson, Andrews Research & Education Foundation president Ashton

Hayward and Dr. Adam Anz, an orthopedic surgeon and director of regenerative medicine at the Andrews Institute discuss research studies that Dr. Anz is pursuing.

renegotiated a lot of union contracts — police, fire, general employees. You have to get a handle on that stuff. I know we did a really good job getting that under control. Now, we have the Rolls Royce of pension plans. “But the biggest accomplishment is that we changed the culture in Pensacola,” Hayward continued. “We began to think of Pensacola as a city on the rise. A city that could be creative and walkable and bikeable with an urban lifestyle. A smart city, where talent wants to come and stay, an environment where entrepreneurs want to take risks and invest in our community.” Hayward is a fan of new urbanism and its live, work, play model. “All the things that I experienced before I ran for office I wanted to bring to our community. I feel from 2010–2018 we really set the stage to have some very positive growth in Pensacola and Northwest Florida. We’re a town of winners, now. And we’re just getting started. Our better days are ahead.” Why would a successful politician decide to walk away from a certain third term? “I got us where we needed to go, and it was time for me to go and do something else,” Hayward

said matter-of-factly. “I gave it all I had and then some, and it was time to move on.” Almost immediately, Hayward went from City Hall to the next big thing — becoming president of the Andrews Research & Education Foundation (AREF), an international leader in the fields of sports medicine and musculoskeletal research and education. “I had the good fortune of knowing Dr. (James) Andrews for 18-plus years, and I know a lot of physicians out here,” Hayward said. “I was given the opportunity to work with one of the greatest orthopedic surgeons of all time, and I would have been a fool not to go. I want to learn as much as I can from him, not just from the health care side, but how he impacts other people as a leader. It’s an honor to work with someone like that. I always want to be around people of honesty and integrity who can help make me a better me.” Will Hayward’s path ever lead him back to elective office? “I don’t think about it too much,” he demurred. “Don’t get me wrong. I loved it, and I love people. I’m still involved in the community, and I’ve got a lot left in the tank. I do enjoy politics, and we’ll see what the future holds for me.” EC

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RACHAEL GILLETTE PENSACOLA

CHAMPIONS

THE CLASS OF 2021

Pinnacle Awards program honors four women of the Emerald Coast by STEVE BORNHOFT and HANNAH BURKE

Rowland Publishing’s Pinnacle Awards program has celebrated scores of women of influence and distinction in the years since it was established in 2014. Honorees unfailingly have both excelled professionally and as women unselfishly committed to community betterment. They are givers, not takers; optimists, not defeatists; visionary, not complacent. The Pinnacle Awards Class of 2021 includes four highly consequential women from Emerald Coast communities. They are profiled here.

Rachael Gillette, Pensacola

Once a British barrister, she helps businesses raise the bar Rachael Gillette, in her role as the president of the Studer Community Institute, gets to do what she loves to do every day. “I am on a mission to improve the quality of life for people,” she said. “I love to help others be the best they can be, and I have the honor of working alongside Quint Studer and have him as my leader, mentor, role model and coach.” The nonprofit SCI offers programs, events and trainings designed to

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improve school readiness; raise what Studer likes to call the civic IQ; and furnish people with skills training to enable them to launch and grow businesses. It is the latter “lane” where Gillette spends her time. More particularly, she is focused on leadership. Leadership is a big umbrella, she concedes, one that includes communication, time management, teamwork and more. And leadership must be exercised to navigate a wide range of issues, some resulting from external factors and others that develop internally. Businesses do well, Gillette said, by being proactive and agile.

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“Suddenly last year, businesses had to adapt to operating remotely,” she said, “and had to figure out how to keep a company culture strong when people are not in the same building. Now, we are struggling to reopen our businesses and hire people and rebuild.” For Gillette and for many, the pandemic was a teacher. “We learned that we have to be resilient to survive,” Gillette said, noting efforts by SCI to provide businesses with coaching and resources they needed to carry on. “We were reminded about the importance of investing in relationships. We have to have resources, we have to have money, but at the end of the day, it’s photography by THE WORKMANS

all about people. Authenticity in relationships is a huge key to both personal growth and the growth of businesses.” Today, many businesses are populated by employees from multiple generations, a circumstance that presents its own set of communication challenges. “We all thought the boomers were going to retire and leave the workforce, but no, 60 is the new 30, and people are staying in their jobs longer,” Gillette said. “We may have five different generations in a workplace. I love helping people communicate more effectively because poor communication can be a huge source of stress. Misunderstandings occur — especially in intergenerational communication.” Gillette grew up in Liverpool, England, and for nine years worked as a barrister — black robe, white wig. She studied law and American studies at Keele University and completed bar vocational studies at the Inns of Court School of Law in London. But a passion for competitive sailing led her to cross the pond. She met her future husband at a regatta in the British Virgin Islands and moved to Pensacola in 2002. In the years since, she has continued to sail, earning honors as the Pensacola Yacht Club’s “Offshore Sailor of the Year” and “Sportswoman of the Year.” “Pensacola has become home to me,” Gillette said. “I love the sense of community here and the slower pace of life. Things are very different than they were in Manchester where I had been living.” Gillette quickly started volunteering as a way to get to know Pensacola at the Ronald McDonald House and then as a member of Pensacola Young Professionals. It was while working to establish a leadership institute at Pensacola Young Professionals that Gillette met Studer, whose help the group had enlisted. “I got to know the way in which Quint was running his organization,” she said. “I began to understand his ethos and vision. I loved the emphasis at the Studer Group on culture and values and mission and valuing people.” She counts businessman, entrepreneur, consultant, author, speaker and baseball team owner Studer as a chief influence in her

life and said she has been inspired, too, by Carol Carlan, the president of the Ascension Sacred Heart Foundation; consultant and business strategist Debbie Ritchie; and Bert Thornton, the retired longtime president of Waffle House and a past keynote speaker at EntreCon, an SCI business, leadership and entrepreneurship conference. She is grateful for the steady encouragement that she received from her father — “He always told me, ‘You can do this.’ ” — and for the example provided by her mother, who founded a preschool in England. Gillette, to be sure, is a lifelong learner. “We should always be mindful of what can

we learn from each other,” she said. “The older generation has a lot of intellectual capital to share, and younger generations have their own valuable insights and perspectives. It can be like a cultural exchange.”

Kathleen Hudon, Pensacola

Cheerfully, she helps college students reach the next rung To understand Dr. Kathleen Hudon, it may be helpful to think about Tigger, the beloved character from Winnie the Pooh.

KATHLEEN HUDON PENSACOLA

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wave Tigger, breezy and outgoing, is always on the go, ricocheting from one place to the next to lend a helping hand, boost morale or provide a much-needed laugh when a forlorn Eeyore misplaces his tail or Pooh is honeyless. Equipped with eight degrees and experience in fields including journalism, banking, law and higher education, Hudon has done her fair share of bouncing around. And, in a literal sense, she always has. “I loved gymnastics when I was a kid,” Hudon said. “I would physically cartwheel and twirl into whatever seemed exciting or interesting. So, I suppose my approach to life has always been to just … start tumbling.” Of course, that is easier said than done. Hudon recalls a time when she took on a mountainous hill at a relative’s home in North Carolina. It wasn’t until she reached the bottom that she realized she’d somersaulted through some freshly “baked” cow pies on the way down. “I’ve found that not every pursuit is going to be positive,” Hudon said. “We might come out a little more begrimed than we started, but whatever the wear and tear, it helps us learn. It helps us teach others so that we can elevate them to places we’ll never reach ourselves.” As an attorney, Hudon found that most of her dealings with clients were not happy. Adoptions could be. But divorces, lawsuits, bankruptcies and probating wills, not so much. “I wanted to be able to help people but help them to a cheerier place,” said Hudon. Her current role as director of student affairs at Pensacola State College (PSC) allows her to do just that. Hudon assists students with financial needs and oversees admissions, advising and student engagement and activities. In the past year, Hudon helped coordinate two community COVID-19 vaccination clinics at PSC. She worked with CARES grant administrators to distribute funding to students in need; created virtual activities for children of busy student-parents; and advocated for greater

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attention to the mental health needs of students and staff. When the pandemic released its grip on everything, she oversaw the creation of a PSC pantry to combat food insecurity. Recently, she joined the Pensacola Women’s Alliance, which helps distribute scholarships to local women who may not otherwise be able to attend school. Hudon is also involved in the Lion’s Club, a humanitarian organization that, among other things, aids the visually impaired. It’s a cause near and dear to

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Hudon’s heart. Macular degeneration runs in her family and affects one of her biggest inspirations, her maternal grandmother “MawMaw.” “Three women have molded me: my mom, my dad’s mom (Grandma) and MawMaw,” she said. “All three have inspired me to be fearless, adventuresome, creative and a lifelong learner.” While attending school in Michigan, Hudon remembers a visit from MawMaw. The pair went sledding, and MawMaw gladly sat in the front seat. In that

DR. LISA R. WILLIAMSON PLANO FORT WALTON BEACH

photography by THE WORKMANS

position, she ate some snow, but “MawMaw charged down the slopes like any excited 12-year-old would do,” Hudon laughed. Thrill-seeking runs in the family. Though Hudon has a serious fear of heights, she’s summoned the courage to rappel down a waterfall, bungee jump off a cliff and conquer some of the highest zip lines and rollercoasters in the world. She refuses to miss out on all life has to offer. “I just want to raise others up to that next plane,” Hudon said. “While he was in hospice, one of my high school English teachers told me I was in a place in my career that he had aspired to but was never able to achieve. I feel like it’s my duty to be that next rung on the ladder for people, or at least be a part of making others’ lives more satisfying and meaningful.”

Dr. Lisa R. Williamson Plano, Fort Walton Beach

Her cribside manner is making a big difference in infant health For many years, Dr. Lisa R. Williamson Plano had been engaged in academic medicine doing funded research at the University of Miami. But the funding hustle had become difficult and her work less satisfying. Plano confided in her daughter’s stepfather, an attorney who represents a hospital in Birmingham, Alabama, telling him that she would like to manage a small in-hospital unit where she could implement new standards of care and employ evidence-based medicine as an attending physician and coach. With that conversation in mind, the attorney forwarded to Plano a job posting he had come across. Needed was a director for a neonatal intensive care unit at the Fort Walton Beach Medical Center. Plano discussed the possibility with her husband Greg who, like her, is a University of Miami faculty member. Plano grew up in Gadsden, Alabama, and vacationed as a child in Destin. She and Greg had talked about one day making the Emerald Coast their retirement destination.

“You should apply for it,” Greg said. Plano, who holds a doctorate in microbiology in addition to her medical degree, was the top candidate for the job, but interviewers wanted to be sure that she was prepared to trade Miami for the Panhandle. She assured them that she knew what she would be getting into. On this day, Plano is off from work, sort of. That is, she is at home but is awaiting a call from an infectious disease specialist in connection with a case involving a child born to a woman with a drug problem. “I really don’t have days off,” Plano said. “There are some days where things pause for a little bit.” Plano, in any event, doesn’t report to a job. She answers a calling. “I tell the parents of the children I care for that they don’t have to thank me,” said Plano, who is employed by Envision Healthcare, which is under contract to cover the neonatal ICU that she directs. “I love what I do. I have a unit where I can feel that I am really making an impact.” Plano’s work is not confined to the ICU. She and a partner see more than 95 percent of the roughly 900 children born in a year at the Fort Walton Beach Medical Center. “You won’t hear a neonatologist refer to a ‘typical’ birth,” she said. “Every newborn has a little something going on, and if you can reassure the parents and educate the parents so that they know what to look for, that makes a big difference. The things that can go wrong are often very subtle.” Plano was attracted to the job in Fort Walton in part because the need for her services there was so great. “We have so many babies who are born with a special need,” Plano said. “They may be pre-term, but not so extremely pre-term that they cannot stay locally. The value of our hospital and our little intensive care unit is that it serves this community and has the capability of keeping these kids close to their home when they otherwise would have to go to Pensacola or Panama City.” Plano grew up with a desire to become a marine biologist. She was on that track as a graduate student at the University of South Alabama when a hurricane prevented planned field study at Dauphin Island.

Plano drifted into microbiology. She and her husband met in grad school, and both have doctorates in that field. In Fort Walton Beach, Plano has been instrumental in dramatically reducing the number of newborns with neonatal abstinence syndrome who require admission to the ICU. The condition occurs when a baby withdraws from certain drugs (most often opioids) that he is exposed to in the womb. NAS kids can be especially hard to soothe, and the withdrawal process is a taxing one. Plano had instituted a cuddler program at FWBMC that recruits volunteers to help hold babies. She has established protocols whereby babies may remain with their mothers or primary caregiver for as long as they are eating and sleeping sufficiently and are consolable. The benefits have been dramatic. In the two years since Plano’s initiatives were put in place, the hospital has seen a 63 percent decrease in the number of NAS babies requiring admission to the NICU. The average length of hospital stays among those infants has declined by 65 percent. The percentage of NAS cases requiring pharmaceutical treatment has dropped by 63 percent. And, NAS kids now account for just 6 percent of NICU admissions versus a high a few years ago of 22 percent. Cuddling matters. “Our area has been hard hit by the opioid crisis,” Plano said. “It’s not just in Appalachia. It’s in our backyard. I didn’t have a lot of experience with it before coming to Fort Walton Beach, but I am making myself an expert.” Plano recalls especially well the case of an especially tiny premie. For years after he left the hospital, his parents would bring him by to see Plano and drop off donations of baby clothes. He has reached the age now where Plano and the boy carry on conversations during his visits. When she gets the chance, Plano loves to cook. “And I like what I cook,” she said. “I have a recipe in a Junior League cookbook for a mango daiquiri.” In Miami, she said, mangos grow on trees.

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wave Pamela Dru Sutton, Panama City She fights for fairness from within the court system

Pamela Dru Sutton, working for the Public Defender’s Office in Florida’s 14th Judicial Circuit, was scheduled to represent three defendants in a week. She had a cold and laryngitis, and because she was sick, she requested continuances. She was also 7½ months pregnant. The judge in the cases chose to believe that her pregnancy and not her illness accounted for the requests, which he denied. “OK,” Sutton said, her voice soft and raspy. “But I have to go to the bathroom every hour.” The judge was “totally freaked out,” she recalled. “He told me to raise my hand.” In the first case, the defendant was acquitted of some of the charges he faced, a result that Sutton counted as a victory. The second defendant was found not guilty. “The third guy was an aggravated assault and battery case,” Sutton said. “I worked very hard on that case because I was convinced that he was innocent. While the jury was out deliberating, the judge looked at the prosecutor and said, ‘She’s beaten us both down.’ I was motivated by women I had seen in the Northeast who were treated like crap because they were pregnant.” Sutton was born in New York City and grew up on Long Island. Her mother was an educator who graduated college a few months shy of her 15th birthday. Sutton attended Harvard University, where she would meet the man who would become her husband and law partner, Michel Stone. Sutton wanted to become a film director and filled out applications to film schools. She never mailed them. She took the LSAT instead. She would earn her law degree at Brooklyn Law School and Stone at New York University Law School. Stone was working for a firm in New York City that dissolved and had an offer

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PAMELA DRU SUTTON PANAMA CITY

to go to work for a firm in Panama City, Florida. He had grown up in Panama City, graduating from Bay High School. His parents were still there. “I kinda agreed to come down,” Sutton said. “For six months. I took the New York bar exam before I passed the Florida bar because I was sure I wasn’t going to stay.” Sutton went to work for Legal Services of Northwest Florida when its Panama

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City office was opened. Her first case involved restoring parental rights to a cognitively challenged mother whose baby had been taken from her by the state and given to someone who was not even licensed as a foster parent. “I had a lot of help,” Sutton said. “You don’t do this alone.” Louise Gruner Gans, then the managing attorney for legal services programs in New York City, was a powerful force photography by THE WORKMANS

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in her life. A Holocaust survivor who later became a judge, Gans presided when Sutton and Stone were married. “She inspired me to fight for people who couldn’t afford a lawyer and were basically defenseless against a system that is often arbitrary and would rather interfere than help out,” Sutton said. Sutton was among the first women ever to practice law in Bay County. She didn’t have a career path, she said. “It was more like making my way through the undergrowth.” For a time, she made court appearances in woolen suits that she had worn in New York. “Suits and stockings, I was dying in the heat,” Sutton said. “So I bought a bunch of linen skirts and tops. It was the ’80s, and melon colors were in. I looked like a fruit salad.” She would find that opposing counsel found the contrast between “girlie” dress and her strong voice to be unsettling. About her colorful couture, a bailiff once told her, “People just assume that’s what lawyers wear in New York.” Pam joined with Mike in founding their law firm, Stone & Sutton, P.A., after leaving Legal Services. They continued to work part time for the Public Defender’s Office and for years handled all of the capital murder cases locally. Together, they represented a teenager charged with murdering his father. “We took the case pro bono after leaving the public defender’s office,” Sutton explained. “We put on a self-defense case that relied on explaining child abuse and what it does to your mindset.” The defendant was found not guilty. The case was later featured on CBS-TV’s 48 Hours program and prompted a community conversation about child abuse. Indeed, it is fair to say that Sutton has been an agent of cultural change in Bay County. She was president of the local chapter of the National Organization for Women when it dissuaded Gov. Lawton Chiles from attending a meeting of the exclusively male Econfina Men’s Club in Bay County. She joined forces opposed to a school superintendent’s book ban. She has taught enrichment classes at Bay High School and has long been associated with Panama City’s Martin Theatre, which she has served as a Shakespeare expert. She would like to resume her theater involvement, which was disrupted by Hurricane Michael, but the Martin was heavily damaged by the storm, and efforts to bring it back have proceeded in fits and starts. Her daughter Elizabeth, who lives in New York where she works in theater and as a tutor, had helped her out at the Martin during visits home. “If an organization needed help, I have helped them,” Sutton said. “I read a murder mystery once, and it was said about one of the characters that she forgot to get old. I have made that my motto.” EC

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↖ Caress Hudson samples her own red velvet cake while suited up in an outfit of a complementary color from Viola’s Men’s Apparel in Pensacola.

For Caress Hudson, food and fashion go hand in hand by HANNAH BURKE

FASHION photography by WILL HEPBURN

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← Caress Hudson applies a steady hand to a chocolate raspberry cake in the making. Her Pensacola patisserie, Henny Penny, is named for her grandmother.

aress Hudson was just a few courses short of obtaining an associate’s degree in baking and pastry arts at Anne Arundel’s Community College in Maryland when her professor posed a question to the class: “If you were to open a store right now, what would you call it?” There on her flour-dusted workspace, Hudson’s fingertip etched “Henny Penny,” the pet name of her grandmother and fiery family matriarch, Henry Mae Dews. “As a Black woman born during times of segregation, she hated the fact that

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her parents named her Henry in the masculine form,” Hudson said. “Growing up, I would always hear her make comments about her name, but names are so important. In African traditions, they’re something you’re supposed to honor and uphold.” Explaining all this to her professor, Hudson snapped a photo of the table. She never imagined that, years later, the name would grace a Pensacola storefront. Hudson, you see, never banked on becoming a baker. The Tyler, Texas, native’s confounding career path began in

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Bethesda, Maryland, where she studied genetics and began working for genetic sequencing and technology company Celera Genomics. After putting in long hours at the lab dealing with DNA samples, Hudson realized the monotony might not be for her. Life had other plans, anyway. She soon met a dashing Navy sailor, Keith Hudson, fell in love and, at age 20, was expecting the first of their four daughters. A military brat herself, Hudson knew the drill and decided to take some time off to raise her daughters and support her husband as his career took them around the country. It wasn’t until the introduction of MYCAA, a scholarship program for military spouses, that Hudson got cooking. “I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity and receive some sort of certification, but didn’t know what to do,” Hudson said. “I have always loved food, so my sister suggested I take some cooking and baking classes and see where they’d take me.” Hudson completed her associate’s degree with such aplomb, a professor encouraged her to take her career a step further and apply to Johnson & Wales University. The private, Providence, Rhode Island, school is revered for its culinary arts program and just so happened to be Hudson’s “dream school.” “I didn’t think I could get in,” Hudson said. “Here I was, age 35, and I only just obtained my certificate and associate’s degree. How was that going to work?” But Hudson applied, was accepted and graduated with a degree in restaurant and food service management in 2017. In another two years, she had achieved an MBA. Meanwhile, Keith had become a Navy reservist and the couple was looking for a place to settle down. Hudson took one look at Pensacola’s beach, turned to Keith and said, “This is it!” As they settled in the Escambia County community of Myrtle Grove, Hudson began scoping out the local food scene. Her goal as a business owner, she said, was to provide a service (and a little culture) that gave back to the community that welcomed her so graciously. photography by WILL HEPBURN

Since opening three years ago on Jackson Street, Henny Penny’s Patisserie has been supplying what Hudson calls “European pastries with a Southern twist.” Today, the business is transitioning to become a bakery large enough to cater to the more than 5,000 followers of its Facebook page. Look at the drool-inducing shots of pineapple upside-down cakes, fresh fruit tarts and assorted cupcakes, and you’ll understand the hype. In August, Hudson was busy planning fall-inspired flavors for the brownie boxes she would be shipping in September. So far, there’s pumpkin, red velvet, espresso and chocolate cream cheese. “A lot of inspiration for my work plays on color palettes,” she explained about her creations that are almost too pretty to eat. “I’ll lay out a box of crayons or colored pencils to pull ideas for color pops that make sure the food is bright and modern.” In that respect, she said, “food and fashion go together.” Much like her contemporary take on classic pastries, Hudson experiments with colors and textures in her wardrobe. She is a fan of marrying modern style with traditional pieces, such as the African prints, that make their way onto Hudson’s skirts and blouses.

→ Caress Hudson’s gown is from A+ Curves in Pensacola, owned by designer Audrey Allen. A+ Couture, a branch of the business, works with clients to create custom pieces for any occasion. EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

December 2021-January 2022

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And, she prefers to shop locally. Among her favorites are the vibrant works of Audrey Allen at A+ Curves and chic African designs from Sara De’Lisa Smith’s e-store, D&J’s Favorite Things. There, she can always find a classy, trendy jumpsuit or dress. She’ll be consulting those ladies soon, she said, as she prepares to speak at EntreCon, a business and leadership conference scheduled to take place in November in Pensacola, COVID permitting. It’s an honor stemming from her involvement with the Studer Community Institute, where she mentors aspiring entrepreneurs once a month. “A lot of success can be attributed to your food’s presentation,” she said. “That’s what pulls you in. I tell other bakers to focus on their food’s style and sexiness. Yes, you want a sexy brownie! You want that chocolate to speak to you and evoke emotion.” When Hudson steps out, she said, she wants to make sure her style performs the same way. She’ll even borrow inspiration from Henny Penny’s era, modifying a classic, Audrey Hepburn-esque ensemble with leopard print or other trending patterns. Hudson is still blessed to have Henny Penny in her life. At age 93, she’s “as sassy as ever,” said Hudson. Of course, she’s proud of her granddaughter’s gumption. But, is she finally proud of her name? “When she’s visiting Pensacola, she’ll tell everyone who walks through the door, ‘Hi, I’m Henny Penny!’” Hudson laughed. “You can hear the pride in her voice. For her to be able to switch that around and own it is a beautiful thing.” EC

PHOTO BY WILL HEPBURN

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December 2021-January 2022

Healthy Holiday Skin

End one year and begin the next with your best skin from Aqua Medical Spa

insel sparkles and holiday lights shine, inspiring something within us to look and feel our best as one year closes and another begins. Whether you are gifting yourself some holiday pampering or preparing for a season of greetings at holiday gatherings, Aqua Medical Spa provides a menu of services and treatments to get you in the spirit. Most are seeking rejuvenated and revived skin, especially at the end of a long year and during the dryer climate of the fall and winter months. To achieve a glow that parallels the holiday lights, exfoliation is essential. “I have a philosophy that exfoliation is the core of skin care,” said Stacie Senn, aesthetician at the Santa Rosa Beach location of Aqua Medical Spa. For exfoliation services, Senn advises chemical peels or DiamondGlow™. Both promote exfoliation and enhance skin renewal. Chemical peels renew smoothness to your face by removing dead and damaged outer layers of skin. The results are improved pigmentation, diminished blemishes, reduced wrinkles and overall texture improvement. During your skin evaluation, your peel will be customized to fit your specific needs. A chemical peel treatment takes anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour, depending on the solution strength and the number of applications needed. DiamondGlow™ uses an exfoliating diamond treatment head equipped with suctions to extract toxins and infusion abilities to pump serums into the skin. During this short, pain-free treatment,

the skin immediately plumps and brightens on the exterior while activating cellular changes internally for results that will continue long after treatment. “We love DiamondGlow™ because it’s very versatile and customizable,” said Senn. “In a consult, we select the correct exfoliation grit tip, and the serum can be cocktailed to your liking.” Senn adds, “Being non-invasive and with no downtime, it can be done right before a holiday party for a radiant glow and plump, hydrated skin.” Senn suggests starting your holiday glow-up early, then establishing a skin regimen to take you into the new year. To step into 2022 with your best face forward, Senn encourages a consult in which a skin-care regimen is established, followed up by monthly facials and treatments — such as chemical peels and DiamondGlow™ — as needed.

STACIE SENN, AESTHETICIAN AT THE SANTA ROSA BEACH LOCATION OF AQUA MEDICAL SPA

AQUA MEDICAL SPA & DERMATOLOGY SPECIALISTS OF FLORIDA | 30A PLASTIC SURGERY | (850) 252-4450

CUSTOM CONTENT

December 2021-January 2022

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December 2021-January 2022

panache → Pearls, gray crystals, white cubic zirconium and diamonds all pair nicely with the deep reds, greens and metallics that make up the holiday color palette, says Laurie Olshefski, the owner of Shimmering Seas Jewelry and Gifts.

FASHION

Holiday Baubles

Decorate yourself with jewelry that shines bright by REBECCA PADGETT FRETT

December 2021-January 2022

the deep reds, greens and metallics that make up the holiday color palette. “This holiday season, there is no such thing as being extra,” said Carolyn Brigman, vice president of McCaskill & Company in Destin. “Luxurious and bright gemstones, supersized earrings and statement jewelry choices are sure to be a go-to.” Where fashion fixes come and go, diamonds really are forever. Olshefski,

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

Brigman and every jeweler will agree, that whether wearing or gifting, diamonds are always the way to wow and woo. The beauty of diamonds is they can be worn year-round, much like selecting a colored gemstone. Yellow gold is back and more popular than ever. For the 2021 holiday season, all that glitters will be gold. Holiday partygoers will don large gold hoops,

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHIMMERING SEAS AND MCCASKILL & COMPANY (BRACELETS)

insel tantalizes, gleaming ornaments glint, sequins shine and colored confetti calls for celebration. The holiday months naturally encourage a boldness, a bit of pizzazz and pop to close out the year. With holiday parties bringing together family, friends and coworkers, it seems we are always attempting to outshine our Christmas trees with the dazzling jewelry we select to wear. Whether you are attending a company Christmas party, an intimate gathering with family and friends or a Zoom soiree, you’ll want a reason to shine this season. “Parties give people the opportunity to dress up and be festive, and guests appreciate the opportunity to wear their favorite bling,” said Laurie Olshefski, owner of Shimmering Seas Jewelry & Gifts in Panama City Beach. “If you’re celebrating via video call, go for bold earrings or a statement necklace to create a dramatic effect.” While Olshefski thinks your Christmas light bulb jewelry is fun for ugly sweater parties and family-oriented events, she suggests ways to invest in fashionable pieces that will soon become beloved Christmas classics. Olshefski encourages customers to seek out pearls, gray crystals, white cubic zirconium and diamonds because they pair nicely with

yellow gold ear cuffs and wide yellow gold bracelets and link chains for both men and women. Brigman thinks the jewelry trends of fall and winter will transcend into party styles including chunky chain necklaces worn short, long chain necklaces, stacks of gold or diamond bangle bracelets, bold cuffs, personalized mixes of amulet charms and dramatic chandelier earrings. You can incorporate holiday colors such as ruby red drop earrings, an emerald pendant, or alternating silver and gold bangles. Jewelry should either center around a statement piece or be a tasteful layering of smaller, delicate jewelry. The days of stacking large, bold jewelry are gone. Sequins and velvet are top contenders for holiday parties, and because these are already vivid choices, a pair of diamond studs or a gold bracelet would be fitting companions. If your ensemble is a solid color, infuse it with the vibrance of gemstones. The holidays are a time where we all gravitate toward whimsy and wonder. The baubles we wear reflect our spirits — radiant and shiny. EC

Fun and flirty, these Jude Frances bangles of 18K gold studded with diamonds are available at McCaskill & Company jewelers in Miramar Beach.

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December 2021-January 2022

panache Gifts and Garb ➸ Know a fella in need of a winter wardrobe upgrade? TIDWELL & SON is now open in Rosemary Beach, offering Southern Tide, Vineyard Vines, Peter Millar and other leading brands for boys and men.

↓

for 2022 with massage therapy, CoolScultping, nail and skin care services and infrared sauna sessions. ➸ CALVIA’S ROYALE NAILS & ESTHETICS is a minority-

owned business that recently opened its first brick-andmortar store in Pensacola. Swing by West La Rua Street for manicures, pedicures, facials and waxes from a team of talented estheticians.

➸ BEAUTY FACTORY BY V&D

has a new location on Panama City Beach’s Front Beach Road. Spruce up with long-lasting manicures, striking brow laminations and Russian-style lash extensions.

➸ Sure, it may be a little chilly, but it never hurts to plan ahead for beach season. Treat your feet to some of the more than 80 brands of sandals and leisure footwear at FLIP FLOP SHOPS, one of the newest tenants at Pier Park in Panama City Beach. ➸ If you’re looking to enliven your home for the holidays, HOWSE is here to help. Shop designer furnishings, décor and more at their new Miramar Beach location or at TheHowse.com virtual store.

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

Fido’s Finds ➸ Owners Ramon and Nicole Rodriguez are dedicated to making Spot look his best and brightest at SOPAW DOG GROOMING. The Miramar Beach salon treats your pooch to odor-eliminating baths, quality trims, teeth and nail treatments and plenty of takehome treasures. ↓

➸ A fresh home and garden store has sprouted in Pensacola. Satisfy your lastminute holiday shopping at GREEN WITH ENVY, offering premium blooms, succulents, air plants and verdant arrangements for you and your loved ones.

by HANNAH BURKE

East Hill’s new neighborhood brewery, ALGA BEER CO., is now open for business in Pensacola. Ring in the New Year with Palahops pale ale, Camaro Hair hoppy lager and Highway Juice golden sour beers.

JUST A SIP 38

New Year, New Look ➸ Your destination for wellness, beauty and relaxation, THE SPA AT RENEW is now open in Fort Walton Beach. Pamper and polish your look

➸ Don’t leave your pups out of the holiday festivities. Stuff their stockings with adorable outfits, beaded collars, pet CBD, and quirky squeak toys and chews from BROOKLYN’S DOG BOUTIQUE, open now in Panama City Beach.

Crispy winter air, a cozy sweater and a steaming-hot cappuccino — what could be better? Warm up with internationally influenced hot coffee, specialty beverages and café cuisine at FERNWEH COFFEE ROASTERY in Destin.

December 2021-January 2022

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALGA BEER CO., TIDWELL & SON AND BROOKLYN’S DOG BOUTIQUE

➸

A special offer for locals! Dine at Ovide, Hotel Effie's signature restaurant led by James Beard award-winning chef, Hugh Acheson, or relax at Spa Lilliana and save! Show your local ID for 10% off. Sandestin® Owners, show your owner card for 15% off. Plus, we'll validate your parking! Make your dining and spa reservations now. You'll be glad you did!

HotelEffie.com | 833-873-3343 *Complimentary valet parking offered seasonally. Must present local ID or SOA owners card to receive discount. EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

December 2021-January 2022

PROMOTION

Holiday

Bags and Boots

GIFT GUIDE

Whether you want to deck yourself out for date night, thank a coworker or find a unique gift for someone on your nice list, our handy Holiday Gift Guide will make your shopping spree along the Emerald Coast a breeze. With fabulous finds ranging from upscale designer duds to treat-yourself gifts, sensational seasonal shopping is simply in the bag! Now that’s the spirit!

ROCKWELL THARP Looking for a stunning boot that is

comfortable and classy? Rockwell Tharp’s Manchester all leather black crocodile embossed knee-high Cuban heel boot is exactly that! Pairs well with red polished stingray handbag handcrafted in Chanel body-style strap and crossbody chain. 141 Fisherman’s Cove, The Village of Baytowne Wharf, Sandestin, Florida | (850) 837-1242 | RockwellTharp.com

AUBREY & OLIVER A must-have gifting essential, these party clutches give new meaning to the term “BYOB.” You’ll never have to worry about what to give the person who has it all. Grab your favorite beverage, snap the clutch shut and head to the party in style. $35–$42.50

12035 Panama City Beach Parkway, Panama City Beach (850) 588-7904 | AubreyAndOliver.com

Helpful Advice WILLIAM LOIRY Order Second Chances: How To Have A Better 2022, and present it as a gift to someone going through bad times this holiday season. Order by visiting Amazon’s Kindle Store at Amazon.com. WilliamLoiry.com

December 2021-January 2022

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

PROMOTION

Skin Support

Land and Sea LEGENDARY MARINE

Personalized canvas and upholstery items are always on trend and considered to be thoughtful and unique gifts. This custom cushion top can be made to fit any cooler. Legendary Marine has experts on staff to assist with a variety of canvas and upholstery services. Call them today to discuss your options and place your order.

COASTAL SKIN SURGERY & DERMATOLOGY

4601 Legendary Marina Drive (850) 337-8310 LegendaryMarine.com

ZO® SKIN HEALTH | GROWTH FACTOR SERUM: 30 ML/$148. Lightweight gel for all skin types that strengthens skin, supports skin rejuvenation and protects against future signs of aging.

12469 Emerald Coast Parkway, Miramar Beach (850) 654-3376 | CoastalSkinSurgery.com

ELECTRIC CART COMPANY The 2022 GEM by Polaris excels SERENITY BY THE SEA SPA

Give the gift of a Serenity by the sea Spa treatment this year! As a full-service, award-winning spa, Serenity offers infinite ways to indulge both at the spa and at home. Experience Circadia’s Staycation facial, the perfect at-home present for those interested in self-care.

on looks, performance and safety. Power steering, aluminum frame and multiple accessories make the GEM an eye-opening product to cruise the neighborhood with comfort and style. 5426 U.S. Highway 98 W, Santa Rosa Beach (850) 622-2000 | ElectricCartCompany.com

4000 S. Sandestin Blvd., Miramar Beach (850) 622-9595 | SerenitybytheseaSpa.com

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December 2021-January 2022

PROMOTION

SHOP SANDESTIN THERE’S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE Temperatures may be cooling down, but new styles are still heating up at the Sandestin Family Retail Shops located in The Village of Baytowne Wharf. From classic plaid to casual gear, Barefoot Princess, Island Clothiers, Coconut Kidz and Sandestin Clothing Company have something for everyone.

1. SPARTINA-MONARCH EARRING SET Complete any outfit with a sparkle and shine. $32

4 1

2. TEA COLLECTION-GIRLS LS POCKET DRESS Fashion is fun! Layer with leggings or shorts to be in style season after season. $37 3. HOBO-GAZE CROSSBODY Wear as a crossbody during the day. Remove the strap and carry as a clutch by night. $258

4. VINEYARD VINES WOMEN’S DREAMCLOTH SHEP SHIRT Tried and true classic. Super soft makes this luxurious and feminine. $138 6

5. TIED-BOYS LS COMPASS TEE Comfortable, durable and soft. $28 6. VINEYARD VINESON-THE-GO BRRR° TATTERSALL SHIRT Dress to impress in the perfect button-down. $128

GO 42

➺ Sandestin Family Retail Shops

BAREFOOT PRINCESS, ISLAND CLOTHIERS, COCONUT KIDZ AND SANDESTIN CLOTHING COMPANY THE VILLAGE OF BAYTOWNE WHARF, 9300 EMERALD COAST PARKWAY, SANDESTIN | (850) 351-1806

December 2021-January 2022

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PROMOTION

McCASKILL & COMPANY DAZZLES This holiday season, dazzle and delight with the gift of fine jewelry from McCaskill & Company, featuring the Emerald Coast’s largest and most exclusive selection. Select a luxury Swiss watch, a stunning piece of statement jewelry or give the promise of forever with a hand-selected engagement ring. With a wide variety of your favorite designers and impeccable customer service, McCaskill & Company is the ideal holiday shopping destination.

1. JUDE FRANCES BANGLES

Fun and flirty 18K gold and diamond bangles.

2. ERICA COURTNEY PENDANT Drop Dead

Gorgeous’ sapphire and diamond pendant.

3. ERICA COURTNEY RING

Rare and exotic Pariaba one-of-a-kind ring.

4. LAUREN K DROP EARRINGS Playful tanzanite

and mint-green tourmaline earrings with diamond accents.

5. OMI PRIVE’ RING

Stunning pink sapphire and diamond 3-stone ring.

6. KWIAT DIAMOND EARRINGS Sparkling tiara-

cut diamond classic stud earrings in platinum martini setting.

7. MCCASKILL & COMPANY SIGNATURE RINGS

Fabulous diamond rings from ½ carat to whatever you can dream.

➺ McCaskill & Company 13390 U.S. 98 W., Destin | (850) 650-2262 | McCaskillAndCompany.com

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December 2021-January 2022

PROMOTION

MAKE YOUR HOLIDAYS BODACIOUS Holiday shopping has never been easier! Choose from one of our staff-curated collections, or let us help you create your perfect gift.

1. BLACK CANVAS PERFECT MARKET BAG $50 2. BODACIOUS BUBBLY Louis Vallon Cremant De Bordeaux $20

3. DIPPING SET Bodacious Bread Dipping Cruet, Small Bottle EVOO, Dipping Bowls, set of four $67 4. GROSCHE MOKA ESPRESSO MAKER $33

5. OLIVEWOOD SALT CELLAR & SANTA SALT $47

GO 44

➺ Bodacious Shops

407 S. PALAFOX ST., PENSACOLA | (850) 438-7857 | BODACIOUSSHOPS.COM

December 2021-January 2022

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December 2021-January 2022

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gastro&gusto DEC 2021/JAN 2022

DINING, IMBIBING AND LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST

↘

Scottish shortbread cookies, a traditional holiday treat, are the product of three simple ingredients: butter, powdered sugar and flour. They are easily enhanced by dipping them in chocolate and adding green and red sprinkles.

HOME COOKIN’

Neither Santa nor you can eat only one

↓

PHOTO BY TAVAN AMONRATANASAREEGUL / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

CAN’T-MISS CHRISTMAS COOKIES by AUDREY POST

DINING OUT

Alice’s on Bayview

|| LIBATIONS

Effervescence in a Bottle

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December 2021-January 2022

gastro & gusto

Ah, Christmas cookies, those holiday essentials that delight the senses and pack on the pounds. We all have our favorites, even if we don’t want to admit it for fear of offending the cooks we love. Here, Emerald Coast Magazine shares the three very best Christmas cookie recipes. You’ll probably recognize them, and we invite you to add your own touches. These recommendations come from three sources who really know Christmas cookies: a Northwest Florida chef and caterer, Santa and this writer. Happy Holidays!

December 2021-January 2022

↑ Scottish Shortbread Cookies INGREDIENTS

➸ 1 cup softened salted butter (2 sticks) ➸ ¾ cup powdered sugar ➸ 2 cups flour

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. With the mixer running, gradually add the flour to form dough. Place dough onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper and shape into a large circle ¾ inch thick. Prick with fork, then score into wedges and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake for five minutes, then reduce oven to 300°F and bake for 45 additional minutes until pale gold. Don’t let it brown. Cut into wedges along scored lines before it cools completely.

Optional additions: Add a half-teaspoon of fresh minced rosemary, dried lavender or fresh ground black pepper for an unexpected burst of flavor. You can also dip in chocolate and decorate with holiday sprinkles.

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

PHOTO BY TAVAN AMONRATANASAREEGUL / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

Sharing a family tradition At first, Chef Jessica Bright McMillan didn’t “get” the magic of shortbread’s buttery flavor. “Obviously it was complex,” she said. “Why else would we pay for wrapped packages of the delicate cookies to cross the ocean, rather than making them ourselves? My grandparents would routinely gift a tin of the stuff, which I joyfully dipped in my tea every Christmas. … I looked forward to it all year long.” A friend who never cooked solved the mystery, proudly disclosing that she learned how to make shortbread from her Scottish immigrant grandfather. Grandpa Stobo’s Scottish Shortbread became a Christmas tradition for McMillan, too. “This simple combination of three ingredients magically melts in your mouth,” she said. “The recipe couldn’t be easier and is perfect to make in bulk and gift to your friends.”

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December 2021-January 2022

gastro & gusto

Santa’s Sugar Cookies Santa insisted we include this disclaimer: He never met a Christmas cookie he didn’t love. Anyone who takes the time to create a treat to sustain him on his long Christmas Eve rounds infuses so much love that it wipes out the occasional undercooking, overcooking or accidental misapplication of seasonings. That said, his favorite sugar cookie recipe is another of Chef Jessica’s creations. Santa said they taste just like the ones Grandma Claus used to make.

December 2021-January 2022

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

↙ Sugar Cookies INGREDIENTS

➸ 2 teaspoons ➸ ½ cup butter (see Chef’s note below) baking powder ➸ 1 cup sugar ➸ 2 cups flour ➸ 1 egg ➸ ½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract ➸ ½ teaspoon salt Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add egg and vanilla, mix. In a separate bowl whisk together remaining ingredients, then gradually add to creamed mixture while mixing. When evenly mixed, remove dough from bowl and roll out, then cut as desired with cookie cutters. Place shapes on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, with 1 inch between cookies. Chill cookies for about 10 minutes in refrigerator before baking to help the dough hold its shape. Bake cookies until slightly golden, about 7–10 minutes, depending on the size of cookie. Chef’s note: If you have a powerful mixer, you can cream the butter with the sugar straight from the refrigerator and start rolling dough right away. However, if you’re using a standard kitchen mixer, we recommend using roomtemperature butter, then chilling the dough after mixing (before rolling) so it can hold its shape better.

An adaptable Southern classic Pecan Tassies have always been a double winner because they’re both tasty and easy to make. Now there’s one more reason to love them: They can be made gluten-free. It’s worth buying a tart tamper, which makes shaping the shells a snap.

Royal Icing INGREDIENTS

➸ ½ cup cold water or 4 egg whites ➸ ¼ cup meringue powder

➸ 1 teaspoon lemon juice ➸ Pinch of salt ➸ 4 cups powdered sugar

PHOTOS BY WWW.SUGARSALTMAGIC.COM (PECAN TASSIES) AND ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS: SOLPHOTO AND HUEPHOTOGRAPHY

Beat meringue powder into cold water or egg whites until soft peaks form, then beat in lemon juice and salt. Beat until stiff peaks form, and gradually incorporate confectioner’s sugar until desired consistency. Add more sugar for stiffer icing. Divide icing into bowls and color as desired, then pipe or spread icing on cookies. Allow cookies to air dry. Chef’s notes: Meringue powder is also called powdered egg whites and is available online, at stores that sell cake-decorating supplies and seasonally at well-stocked supermarkets. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can create an effective substitute by putting the icing in a plastic zip-top bag and cutting a small hole in one of the bottom corners.

↑ Tart Shells

Filling

INGREDIENTS

➸½ cup butter (1 stick), softened ➸ 3 ounces cream cheese, softened ➸ 1 cup gluten-free baking flour, plus extra for the tamper

➸ 2 tablespoons butter, melted ➸ ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar ➸ 1 large egg ➸ 1 teaspoon vanilla ➸ 1 cup chopped pecan halves ➸ Powdered sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat the butter and cream cheese until well blended. Mix in flour to form a soft dough. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place dough balls in ungreased cups of a mini-muffin pan. Dip tart tamper lightly in flour, then press tamper into the dough until edges rise slightly above the pan’s rim. Pour melted butter into bowl. Stir in brown sugar, egg and vanilla. Add pecans and mix well. Place a couple of teaspoons of filling in each shell; do not overfill. Bake 20–25 minutes or until light golden brown. Let the cookies cool in pan for 3 minutes, then remove to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

December 2021-January 2022

gastro & gusto

DINING OUT

Alice’s on Bayview

Restaurant makes going out feel like going home by STEVE BORNHOFT

verything changed once I learned she was from Wisconsin, the state where I started my decades-long newspapering career. I was trying to place her accent and guessed that she might be from Eastern Europe. Ashley’s manner was pleasant but efficient, meaning that I had but limited speech to assess. Alice’s on Bayview, located across from the St. Andrews Marina in Panama City, was busy this drizzly Friday night, leaving the two waitresses on duty with little time for small talk. The hostess led our party of four past an overdressed dude at the corner of the bar to a table within a few feet of bass player Jimmy Ward and guitarist Lowell Hopper, who were combining to provide chill music with a George Benson vibe. We had stopped by, in part, to enjoy the music but not to ingest it. We opted for a table on the porch. Separated from the players by a window, the music was perfectly diluted. Ashley greeted us promptly, introduced herself and asked us for our names. We would learn that she has been waitressing for 12 years and has long made taking names part of her way to establish rapport with customers, you know, as time permits. She mentioned that she has a boy named Maverick. Lot to live up to. The vino drinkers in our group were slow to pore over Alice’s impressive wine

December 2021-January 2022

list, and Ashley, with other tables to tend, said she would be back with waters to give them some time. We’re deliberate. We’re senior. Alice’s attracts lots of long-established Panama City residents who are likely to know one another. Many are old enough to recall well the Harbor House restaurant where Alice’s owner Alice Masker and several of her siblings once worked. While it adjoined a Ramada Inn, that restaurant, too, catered to locals. It hosted service clubs, company luncheons and Chamber events. The bar on the property, the C-Shell Lounge, was notorious for its lingerie fashion shows. Long time ago.

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

On her next pass, Ashley succeeded in extracting from us drink and appetizer orders. A cabernet, a sauvignon blanc, a whiskey. A wedge salad, she-crab soup and a dozen raw oysters. All would prove excellent. Never had I heard my wife praise a salad like she did her wedge. When the romaine was gone, she took after the remaining blue cheese dressing with a spoon. Between courses, Ashley stopped by, looking to freshen our drinks and to take our entrée orders. It was then that I popped the question: Where did you grow up? “Wis-cahn-sin.” A conversation developed. Ashley, a Packers fan and a Favre girl versus a photography by MIKE FENDER

Alice’s on Bayview Dinner entrées as of Sept. 16

BURGER: Ground chuck, egg bun, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, french fries. FRESH MAHI SANDWICH: Egg bun, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, french fries. WILD-CAUGHT SALMON: Crushed red potato, spinach, mushroom, tomato, onion sauté.

← Restaurant owner Alice Masker exits the kitchen with a ribeye steak prepared to order and fried oysters with remoulade sauce. Some purists, of course, prefer their oysters raw. ↑ Alice’s on Bayview frequently hosts parties and often offers live music. Located in St. Andrews, Masker entertains mostly locals, but if you are, say, from across the bridge, she’ll let you in.

Rodgers fan, lived in the southern part of the state before heading south. I lived in Ashland in northernmost Wisconsin on the south shore of Lake Superior. The fact that Ashley has never heard of it speaks to its remoteness. “I spent many hours up there staring at a hole in the ice and waiting for a bite,” I said. Ashley and I compared notes on our favorite freshwater fish — muskies, pike, crappie, bluegill, yellow perch — as my dinner mates drifted off into their own separate conversation. The main courses, like the apps, were marvelous. Grouper piccata; a beef tenderloin fillet; crab claws — one of us ate light; and, for me, wild-caught salmon. Who

doesn’t prefer anadromous to farmed, lean to fat? The fish was like the best of cakes — moist, flavorful and scrumptious. I had polished it off when Ashley, standing behind me, tapped me on the shoulder, startling me. I had been staring at the thigh of a youngish woman with a tattoo peeking out of her red shorts. Such an invitation to speculation. “What about tag fishin’?” Ashley asked without waiting for an answer. She was back presently, and we ordered two slices of key lime pie to go. “Tag fishing, is that when you catch a fish that has been tagged by the state and you turn the tag in for a reward?” I asked when we went to settle up. I had guessed right. We wished Ashley and Maverick well. On my way out, I had a word with the dude at the corner of the bar who was unpacking a sax and preparing to join the duo. I thought I might know him, and it turned out that I knew his father. Scanning the interior of Alice’s, I spied several other familiar folks, all relaxed and enjoying fine meals. All feeling at home. EC

SEAFOOD PLATTER: Fish, crab claws, shrimp, scallops, oysters, parmesan grits, cilantro coleslaw. FRIED OR GRILLED SHRIMP: Remoulade sauce, parmesan grits, cilantro coleslaw. SHRIMP CREOLE: Large shrimp sautéed with tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, celery with rice. FRESH GROUPER: Grilled or lightly fried, parmesan grits, cilantro coleslaw. RIBEYE: 12 ounce. Rosemary butter, haricot vert, roasted sweet potato slices. BEEF TENDERLOIN FILLET: 6 ounce. Rosemary butter, haricot vert, roasted sweet potato slices. SMOKED CHICKEN: Hickory smoked and lightly fried, collards, parmesan grits, cornbread.

HOURS OF OPERATION

Alice’s on Bayview is open for lunch and dinner, Monday through Saturday, and open for brunch on Sunday. For more information, consult AlicesOnBayview.com.

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

December 2021-January 2022

gastro & gusto

LIBATIONS

EFFERVESCENCE IN A BOTTLE Prosecco delivers affordable quality

f you are someone who enjoys wine with bubbles in it, you are very likely well acquainted with Prosecco. This Italian import has become wildly popular here on the Emerald Coast and a favorite throughout the year of locals and visitors. “Prosecco is basically the iced tea of Italy,” said Joseph Larney, a representative for Republic National Distributing Company. He has family roots in Naples. “So simple, but very delicious. Before dinner, after dinner — no rules with Prosecco.” It is named after the village of Prosecco, located in the Italian province of Trieste. “My initial impression was that it is a great alternative to sparkling wines from other wine regions,” said Chan Cox, founder and CEO of Chan’s Wine World. “Later I discovered there are quality differences, just like other wines, as I was introduced to a wide range of Proseccos. Traveling to the region was very instructive.” Bryan Rust, manager of Kelley’s Beach Liquors in Destin, said that Prosecco is the Italian version of French champagne and tends to be slightly sweeter than a Brut. “It has a great price point and drinks great by itself, or it’s a great base for a mimosa,” Rust said. “Add a splash of orange juice, and you can have a cocktail with breakfast without guilt!” “It’s an Italian sparkling wine that can be festive, refreshing, a great mixer and it can pair well with food,” Cox added. “There is a wide range to choose from. Tell me what you are looking for, and we can find the right choice.”

December 2021-January 2022

Cox said Prosecco sales have exploded in recent years. “I do not see it declining,” he said. “The sparkling category from all wine regions has seen substantial growth, and Prosecco represents great value.” Rust said that Beach Liquors carries more than a dozen labels of Prosecco, but 95 percent of their sales of this wine come from three labels. “My favorite is Ca Furlan Chateau Beatrice and it’s number two in (Prosecco) sales,” Rust said. “It’s under $15 and I would put it up against any $40-or-under champagne.” But there is one brand that sells more than all others. “If you had to guess the number one item in units sold for a liquor, wine, and craft beer shop located 100 yards from the Gulf of Mexico, what would you guess?” Rust asked. “Michelob Ultra, White Claw, Tito’s vodka, Fireball, Malibu rum, a bag of ice? Nope! It’s Lamarca Prosecco, an Italian sparkling wine.” Which brings us back to Larney and RNDC. “We’ve been blessed to represent Lamarca, which is by far the number one Prosecco sold,” Larney said. “That beautiful Tiffany blue bottle will get it in your buggy the first time and then the delicious peach, pear, apple and lemon effervescence will get you to buy it every time after that.” EC

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

IS PROSECCO CHAMPAGNE?

“I suppose the first time I encountered Prosecco I didn’t know it was Prosecco,” said Bryan Rust of Kelly’s Beach Liquors. “Like a lot of people, I thought anything in a champagne bottle with a cork and a cage on the top and popped when you opened it was champagne.”

Here are some differences: PROSECCO ➺ Prosecco is a sparkling wine made primarily in Veneto, Italy, about 15 miles north of Venice.

➺ It is made primarily with

Prosecco, also knows as “Glera” grapes.

➺ It is produced efficiently and affordably using a “tank method.”

➺ A standard 5-ounce serving of extra-dry Prosecco has 91 to 98 calories and 2.6 grams of carbohydrates (11% alcohol by volume).

CHAMPAGNE ➺ It comes from the

Champagne region of France, 80 miles northeast of Paris.

➺ Champagne is derived from

Chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier grapes.

➺ It is produced using the

relatively costly “traditional method.”

➺ A standard 5-ounce serving

of Brut Champagne has 91 to 98 calories and 1.8 grams of carbohydrates (12% alcohol by volume).

PHOTOS BY UNPICT / GETTY IMAGES PLUS AND COURTESY OF WWW.REGALWINE.COM

by THOMAS J. MONIGAN

Restaurant Spotlight

Backyard Dining

The Grove 30A encourages unwinding in the presence of good food and company

In Northwest Florida, al fresco dining is an option in any season. When you crave a change in outdoor scenery and don’t want to do the cooking, The Grove 30A invites guests to their backyard to dine under cabanas and brunch at picnic tables. “The Grove 30A is a gathering place to get away from reality for a bit and hang out and mingle with new and old friends,” said Clint Machamer, owner of The Grove 30A. “It’s relaxed and comfortable because it feels just like your own backyard.” The perimeter is lined with cozy cabanas that make for an intimate evening setting made complete with build-your-own charcuterie boards,

specialty sandwiches, craft cocktails and an extensive wine list. For lunch or brunch, stake out a picnic table, play some lawn games and munch on burgers, tacos and all variety of breakfast fare. There’s also daily live music to accompany every meal. The Grove Burger — topped with American cheese, arugula, bacon, pickles, tomato jam, Grove burger sauce and a toasted brioche bun branded with the restaurant’s logo — is a favorite worth a return trip. The ahi tuna tacos — seared ahi, avocado, cucumber, ginger and toasted sesame on tortillas with wasabi aioli, Sriracha and house-made ponzu — are another standout.

The staff also takes the time to interact with guests, involving them in the lighthearted and laid-back nature of the restaurant and giving The Grove 30A a home-away-from-home feel. “Our mission is to serve good food in an environment that makes you want to keep coming back for the ease, familiarity and fun of it all,” said Machamer.

THE GROVE 30A 3375 W. COUNTY HIGHWAY 30A, SANTA ROSA BEACH | (850) 660-1594

DELIVERY

from your favorites Residents and visitors can enjoy the food of local restaurants at their convenience. Local restaurants please reach out for information on partnering with us!

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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 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

December 2021-January 2022

Putting Your Best

Food Forward Holiday meal traditions, like records, may be broken BY HANNAH BURKE

Poppy’s flaky, fried catfish, Texasstyle jalapeño cornbread, baconsimmered pinto beans and country peas and Mammy’s homemade peach cobbler with a dollop of “vaniller” Blue Bell ice cream. For me, those are the flavors of Christmas. Departures from stuffed turkey, gingerbread and mulled wine, to be sure. But we do raise glasses of spiked nog and suspiciously unlabeled jars of “spiced moonshine” of which Uncle Michael never fails to partake. That’s about as close to convention as the Warren clan of Maud, Texas, (pop. 1,096) gets. No worries. Our closest neighbors — the pesky gophers that dig up Mammy’s pansies, a ceaseless flight of cardinals and bluebirds and the occasional doe and her Bambi — will not judge us. Perhaps you’ve grown weary of churning out the cranberry sauce, green bean casserole and sweet potato soufflé at Thanksgiving, only to make it all over again at Christmas. Perhaps you’re new to the Emerald Coast and looking to start new holiday traditions. The following not so customary recipes provided by Emerald Coast chefs just might provide the inspiration you need to spice up your seasonal menu.

December 2021-January 2022

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CHEF JEKYLL’S

Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Chimichurri and Arils

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL BOOINI

Carey Stegall Aka Chef Jekyll His name is Carey Stegall, but you can call him Chef Jekyll. It’s his cooking persona and a nod to the call sign he had when flying F-16s for the Air Force. I reached Jekyll in the fall, while he was vacationing with his wife in Rhode Island. He may have had a little wine, and let slip tales of losing his “serious, studious” reputation abroad. “I think I learned to let my hair down when I started flying with the Danes and Norwegians in Germany,” Jekyll laughed. “I wasn’t a wild child per se, but look, all people need to know is that Jekyll is the good guy, Hyde is the bad guy!” Good Guy Jekyll needed something to do once he retired. He didn’t want to get EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

December 2021-January 2022

Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Chimichurri and Arils PREP: 20 minutes, plus 2 hours marinating time COOK: 30 minutes // SERVES: 4 - 6 INGREDIENTS » 2 pounds of top-quality beef, such as USDA Choice beef tenderloin or Prime ribeye

DIRECTIONS 1. Put beef in a 1-gallon Ziploc bag with all the marinade ingredients for at least 2 hours, preferably 4 hours, turning the bag over occasionally.

Marinade: » 2 cups dry red wine » 1 lg Vidalia onion, peeled/quartered » 20 whole black peppercorns » 6 dried juniper berries » 3 bay leaves

2. To make the chimichurri, chop garlic in a food processor with oregano, mint, cilantro, and parsley. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil and then vinegar and lemon juice. Taste, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as desired. If it’s too thick, add just enough water to make it flow. The herbs should be very finely chopped.

Chimichurri: » 1 large garlic clove, quartered » 1 tsp kosher salt » ¼ cup packed fresh oregano » ¼ cup packed fresh mint » ½ cup packed fresh cilantro » 1 ½ cups packed fresh flat-leaf parsley » 1 cup extra virgin olive oil » ¼ cup white wine vinegar » 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice » ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper » ½ cup pomegranate seeds (arils), to garnish

December 2021-January 2022

3. P repare a charcoal or gas grill for high heat. Take the beef out of the marinade and discard the marinade. Season the beef with salt right before grilling. Sear the steak on all sides, and then move it to a cooler part of the grill to finish. For medium rare, remove it from the grill when a meat thermometer reads 120°F. Allow steak to rest at least 10 minutes before carving into thick slices. 4. C arve the steak in half-inch thick slices across the grain (diagonally). Add a little salt to the cut sides of the steak, arrange on a long platter, drizzle with chimichurri, and decorate with pomegranate seeds for a nice presentation. Serve immediately.

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Amy Potmesil, The Nest General Store If you’re a longtime Pensacola resident, you’ve no doubt tasted one of Amy Potmesil’s sumptuous seafood dishes on a night out. For many years, Potmesil was the chef behind The Grand Marlin of Pensacola Beach. Then she, along with Blake Rushing, opened the Union Public House, a craft pub offering contemporary Southern cuisine. Now she’s joined forces with baker Justine Gudmundson-McCain at The Nest

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL BOOINI (CHEF JEKYLL, BEEF TENDERLOIN) AND COURTESY OF THE NEST GENERAL STORE

Chef Jekyll’s

involved in the defense industry or fly for commercial airlines, so he turned to his enduring passion for cooking. As a private chef, Jekyll serves the Destin, Fort Walton Beach and Santa Rosa Beach areas. Having spent time in Italy, India, Thailand and Hawaii during his military career, Jekyll gained an appreciation for international cuisine and often incorporates those flavors into his clients’ entrees. He presents to us a red wine-marinated beef tenderloin, Italian in origin, but elevated with a South American chimichurri sauce. This is a dish Jekyll said he makes at least once a month, but he modifies it for the holidays with the addition of arils, or pomegranate seeds, for an aesthetically pleasing, red-and-green color scheme. “You can garnish with arils for a sweet pop of flavor that compliments the vinegary tang of the chimichurri,” he said. “The beef comes out medium-rare, very tender and rich. It’s a dish I really enjoy making.” For this meal, Jekyll recommends a fullbodied red wine, something that stands up to the herbaceous chimichurri. He goes with a “spicy, peppery-type” Zinfandel. This Christmas, when Jekyll visits his family in either Virginia or Colorado, I wondered if he might make this dish. According to him, gatherings remain mostly traditional, with baked ham, roasted pork or spatchcocked poultry. While he is a chef, he has learned not to stick his nose in another’s galley. “I try not to be intrusive in the kitchen, but I generally end up having a hand in it,” he said of Christmas dinner. “I just like to contribute, let’s put it that way.”

General Store, a café and sister store to Gudmundson-McCain’s other business, Bluejay’s Bakery. Trained at the Art Institute of Atlanta, Potmesil has been cooking professionally for the better part of 18 years. Ironically, she said, the holidays are the only time she makes good use of her own pantry. “I always end up cooking Christmas dinner for my family because, as a chef, you’re never really cooking at home,” she said. “It’s the one time of the year that I’ll get into my kitchen and really throw down.”

AMY POTMESIL, The Nest General Store

Root Vegetable and Kale Gratin with Brown Butter Béchamel and Hazelnuts INGREDIENTS » 2 large celery roots, peeled » 2 large white sweet potatoes, peeled » 1 rutabaga, peeled » 2 cups kale, chopped into small pieces » 2 qts whole milk » ½ cup butter » 1 cup flour » 4 garlic cloves, minced fine » 1 shallot, minced fine » 1 cup Gruyere cheese » ½ cup Parmesan cheese » ¼ cup toasted and chopped hazelnuts » Thyme for garnish

DIRECTIONS 1. On a mandoline slicer, slice each of the root vegetables to ⅛” thickness. Set aside. 2. In a large pot on low heat, brown the butter, allowing the milk solids to toast to a deep brown color without burning. Add the garlic and shallot to the butter and sweat for two minutes. 3. Add the flour and mix; stir over low heat for 3 minutes. Carefully add the milk and whisk until combined. Continuously

stir this mixture until it comes to a slight simmer, then remove from heat. Add the sliced vegetables and kale and stir to combine. 4. In a greased baking dish, add the mixture, top with both cheeses. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted gives no resistance. Remove from oven, garnish with hazelnuts and small pieces of the thyme sprig.

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December 2021-January 2022

When tasked with supplying an atypical holiday recipe, Potmesil proposed a béchamel-sauced, root vegetable gratin. Packed with rich flavor and hearty winter veggies, it’s the perfect compromise for those who aren’t quite ready to pass up a Christmas ham. “You’ve got your celery root, parsnips, white sweet potato and kale,” Potmesil said. “And you’re going to want to chop your kale small, so it doesn’t get stringy. The béchamel compliments the root vegetables because you brown the butter for a roux, so you’ve got this really nice, nutty complexity going on.” So as not to disrupt those chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Potmesil recommends a crunchy hazelnut garnish. While the gratin can accompany virtually any holiday feast, Potmesil said it would go best with a traditional prime rib, Yorkshire pudding and a marinated, winter vegetable salad. It’s a recipe that seemingly fits Potmesil’s MO, which she described as “kitschy, eye-popping and strangely elevated dishes.” Naturally, I’m curious as to what has constituted meals at holidays past. “Typically, our main course is a standing rib roast, or maybe a roasted duck with, like, four different sauces,” she said. “I make a crab cake casserole that’s always a hit, a bourbon caramelized onion dip or a hot Cajun crab dip. I’ll spend a couple of days in the kitchen just prepping, making my own demi-glace from veal bones — things like that. “I go all out. Maybe a bit too much.”

MARY THWEATT, Edible Bay Catering and Personal Chef Services

A product of the Culinary Institute of America and Gulf Coast State College’s culinary program, Mary Thweatt, owner of Edible Bay Catering and Personal Chef Services, has been cooking for more than 40 years.

December 2021-January 2022

PHOTOS BY MIKE FENDER

Mary Thweatt, Edible Bay Catering and Personal Chef Services

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

Bahamian Seafood Noel SERVES 6 INGREDIENTS » 2 dozen shrimp peeled and deveined, tails removed » 2 to 3 lobster tails (about 1 pound), shell removed and cut into 1 inch pieces » 1 stick of unsalted butter » 2 large cloves of garlic minced » 3 green onions cut into ½ inch pieces » ¼ cup sliced mushrooms (optional) » ¼ cup chopped red bell pepper » ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper » 3 tablespoons flour » ½ cup dry white wine » 1 14-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, cored and chopped » 1 ½ cups shrimp stock (can substitute chicken stock) » Juice of ½ lemon » Salt and pepper » ½ cup chopped fresh parsley DIRECTIONS 1. Melt butter in a large pot over mediumhigh heat. Add garlic, onions, mushrooms, and bell peppers and cook about two minutes to soften. Add flour and cook for another two to three minutes or until it begins to smell nutty, remove from heat, add wine and whisk well. 2. Return to heat and cook for about two to three minutes. Next, add tomatoes and shrimp stock and blend well. Bring to a soft boil, add seafood, and cook for two minutes or until seafood is cooked through. When finished, your shrimp should look like the letter C. 3. A dd lemon juice and then salt and pepper to taste. Serve over hot cooked rice, polenta, grits, or pasta. Garnish with parsley and enjoy.

Her business, established in 2012, brings to Panama City, Panama City Beach, Destin and 30A kitchen-stocking services, cooking lessons and full-course meals for dinner parties, gatherings and special events. I was intrigued by her website’s sample menus, which include an exotic Tibetan Monk’s New Year meal (stuffed dumplings, lentil soup and Dresil, a rice pudding with honey and fruit); Grecian stuffed mushrooms; and Hawaiian pineapple-glazed ribs. Not knowing what Thweatt’s eccentricity might mean for Christmas supper, she didn’t disappoint when she offered up a recipe for a tasty Bahamian Seafood Noel. “This is a traditional Bahamian dish that they would, in fact, eat to celebrate,” said Thweatt. “You can use local Gulf shrimp, and because you’re cutting the lobster into nice, big chunks, it’s a great way to treat your guests to lobster while stretching your dollar.” The tomato and bell pepper sauce, she said, is decadent — slightly spicy, and rich with garlic. The seafood stew is typically served over rice, but you’re free to substitute grits, polenta or any other starch. Thweatt recommends a bottle of merlot or cabernet sauvignon, any red with a medium-tofull body to cut through the Noel’s thick, garlicrich broth. “And, you have a very colorful dish,” added Thweatt. “There’s lots of reds and greens to go with the season.” After operating her own restaurant and working as a cook and as a caterer, Thweatt is happy to be wearing her private chef hat. Her time with Edible Bay has afforded her the pleasure of cooking many a holiday meal for folks, the most memorable of which sparked a heated debate. Thweatt served a grilled sweet potato, mango and red onion salad, and while all agreed it was delicious, some felt it blasphemed the sweet potato. “One half of the room said sweet potatoes should only ever be smothered in brown sugar and marshmallows, while the other said after having my dish they couldn’t imagine eating them any other way,” Thweatt laughed. “It was really funny watching them go back and forth.” After all, isn’t breaking bread with family and clashing over your political and culinary views what the holidays are all about? “Eating with and feeding people, for me, is an act of love,” said Thweatt. “From the very beginning, that’s how you’re shown love: Your mom feeds you and, in doing so, loves you. So, for me, the main ingredient to a perfect holiday meal is family.” EC EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

December 2021-January 2022

We offer classes 7 days a week and have something for every person on every level.

Check out our schedule and class descriptions. We can’t wait to welcome you with open hearts and open arms.

Private group and individual classes are available upon request and include options to travel to you or at our studio.

LAURA BAILEY

LAURA BAILEY YO G A Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, 8:30 a.m.

SHANNON KRAMOLIS

KENZIE BURLEIGH

V I N YA S A STYLE YO G A W I T H KENZIE

V I N YA S A STYLE YO G A W I T H SHANNON

Monday, 5:30 p.m. and Sunday, 9 a.m.

Thursday, 8:30 a.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m.

TIFFANI ROBBINS

CLASSES WITH T I F FA N I

K I D S YO G A ( A G E S 5 -1 2 ) WITH KENZIE

Visit the website and/or mind/body for most updated offerings

Starting January 2022 Check the website and mind/body for more information

@YOGASTUDIOTHIRTYA • YOGASTUDIO30A.COM • 2052 W COUNTY HWY 30A R201, SANTA ROSA BEACH

622020 December 2021-January 2022 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM June–July EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

expression DEC 2021/JAN 2022

CREATIVE WORKS LAND ON PAGES, CANVASES AND STAGES

↘

FROG LEG

Photographer John Harrington visited the Atomic Frog tattoo studio to get shots of artists and left with a newly decorated calf.

ART

ATOMIC FROG Top dog in the ink pool by WYNN PARKS

↓

MUSIC photography by JOHN HARRINGTON

A Musician for All Occasions

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

December 2021-January 2022

expression

aybe a preacher in your experience equated a tattoo to a ticket to hell. If so, you can appreciate the hypnotic fascination that a tattoo parlor can cast — fascination with that walk on the wild side, with drunken sailors, Victorian courtesans, the savage Maori. But all of that was long ago in a golden age. By contrast, Rachel Kelly once worked in the modern-day field of radiation therapy. “I found out that I’m too much of an empath for that work!” she said. “Those cancer patients! It burnt me out! Finally, my husband and I discussed how I should do something where I could be my own boss, something that people would walk away from smiling every time.” So from earnest medical work, Kelly jumped into tattoo parlor ownership. While not a tattooist herself, she knew that an inkster can’t do his work at home. Like musicians, they travel to make a living and know well the value of a good venue. With an entrepreneurial eye to gentrification, Kelly moved her newly acquired tattoo digs, named Atomic Frog, from behind a fish market in Destin to a studio-shop in the heart of yuppyclass Destin Commons. Kelly is as nice a lady as you might meet at the Commons. There, her stable of artists has decorated her left side like an inker’s marquee with four fat tats, one in the style of each of her inksters. Cody Hartzell has been tattooing for 14 years. He has Hoosier blood and describes his main stylistic jam as American Traditional; it uses only red, white and blue inks. → TEAM FROG Seated, Zachary Williams, artist. Second row: Melissa Gaines, henna; Rachel Kelly, co-owner; Katie Myers, artist. Back row: artists Cody Hartzell and Xander Dodson.

December 2021-January 2022

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

photography by JOHN HARRINGTON

↑ It’s not like it was when your father got his tattoo while in the Navy. Here, artists Zach Williams and Katie Myers work on designs on iPads as a first step in the tattooing process.

Zach Williams favors a New School style that lands somewhere between cartoonists Robert Crumb and Walt Disney. His tattoos are like combining in one hallucination Crumb’s bizarre exaggerations and an intense color-saturated figure from a classic Disney animation.

He’s got the chops to ink a preacher on the arm of a wild-ass biker. At his workstation, he points to an ingenious rotary rack holding at least two dozen polychrome bottles of ink. “That’s my ink-spinner,” he enthused. “Makes it easier to find a color than in a flat-rack. Since it came out, those things have sold to tattoo places all over the country. The guy who invented it lives up in Crestview.” “Xander” has been tattooing for nine years. The product of a military brat upbringing, Xander has an electric repertoire ranging from freshly harvested human hearts to elbow-toshoulder portraits of somebody’s sweetheart and maybe a flower-like Asian mandala.

Katie Myers, an Inked magazine cover girl, is the latest addition to the Frog. Her version of the Japanese-inspired anime style, while still recognizable as such, comes from a darker palette and imagery than the Kitsune cartoons viewed by kids on television. Taking the Frog’s services from decoration to ornamentation was a quantum leap. But for those with a desire to accessorize, Gregory Toefield, nicknamed “Boobie,” is ready with a chair like one you would find in a dentist’s office and a set of surgical tools that would do most operating rooms proud. He will pierce one’s skin and insert a ring or some other trinket that looks cool nearly anywhere on your body. Boobie’s mother died when he was young, and he was taken in by a woman who owned the first Black tattoo parlor in New Orleans. She raised him as her own son, gave him his pet name and from the age of 13 taught him body piercing. Today, Boobie’s CV

includes piercings done in New Orleans for Angelina Jolie, Lil Wayne and Tina Marie. The Frog’s current tattooing apprentice, Melissa Gaines, is an Air Force vet. She minds the front of the shop in the evenings and for the past year has specialized in henna tattooing. She stains skin with images that last from a week to ten days. Except for electrification, tattooing hasn’t changed since at least the Stone Age. It’s a simple process whereby indelible marks are made by driving pigment into the dermal layer with thousands of pricks with needlelike points. The body of Otzi, a 5,000-yearold Bronze Age hunter preserved in an Alpine glacier, was found to have tattoos in 57 places on his body. Though Otzi is an old guy, body art like his still has its advocates and detractors. Researchers at the University of Alabama found that “tattooing stimulates and strengthens immune response,” while the American Journal of Clinical Pathology reports that people with tattoos appear to die earlier than those without. Pew Research reports that tattoo emporiums are the sixth fastestgrowing retail business in America. A Google search surfaces an item that contends that the Bible strongly forbids tattoos, but they won’t keep you out of heaven. Still, that probably won’t change the mind of anybody’s preacher. EC

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

December 2021-January 2022

expression ↘ Rick Ford performs with the Da Gruuve Band at the House of Henry in Panama City. His red, white and blue bandana is a signature piece. “I am the most American American you are ever going to meet,” said Ford, whose mission is “to bring joy” to his hometown.

December 2021-January 2022

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

MUSIC

A MUSICIAN FOR ALL OCCASIONS Rick Ford tailors performances to special events by STEVE BORNHOFT

or almost 37 years, Rick Ford worked for the State of New York as the facilities manager at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center, a teaching hospital and medical school. Throughout those years, he maintained a Florida driver’s license. A colleague once asked him why. “I’m just visiting,” Ford replied. He is back in Bay County now, having returned following his retirement to help look after his ailing father during his final months and to pick up pieces left behind by Hurricane Michael. “People ask me if I miss New York and the truth is that I don’t,” Ford said. “Back in the day, I went to all the clubs — Studio 54, Limelight, Leviticus — and after three or four years of that, I was ready to come home.” These days, he said, “It’s my business to make Panama City a happier place. I came back to a town whose psyche was badly damaged.” Ford calls himself a “live entertainment coordinator.” He has a business, Konkoction, which he launched in New York and which provides music tailored to special events and occasions — baby photography by MIKE FENDER

showers, weddings, birthdays, retirement parties, even divorce parties. His customers describe the types of music they prefer to hear — disco, funk, jazz, pop, reggae and rock are all on the menu — choose the number of musicians they want to hire and may even influence what band members will wear. The contacts list in Ford’s phone includes numbers for dozens of players he may call upon to fit a bill locally. Most of them, he said, lost their homes to Michael. From age 12 forward, Ford was a member of the house band at the Safari Lounge, a one-time Black music venue on 11th Street in Panama City where he also worked as a DJ. He played sax in the Rutherford High School Band directed by Ray Smith, graduating in 1976. He moved on to Florida A&M and was a member of the Marching 100 there. Upon graduation, he played with a band, CC and the Soulful Three, which included the younger brothers of CC Carter, well known for his weekend soul and blues programs on Panama City radio stations. After moving to Atlanta, the band adopted a new name, Panama Gold. Two years later, Ford

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was on his way to New York and an extended hiatus from playing music. He got Konkoction going around the turn of the century with the assistance of a friend, Guya Patterson, who was an associate director for CBS News and who managed and branded jazz bands as a “side hustle.” “Musicians may think they are good businesspeople, but that’s not often true,” said Patterson, reached at her home in Forest Hills, New York. “They need to concentrate on what they do best, playing music. “The devil is in the details, and my job was to see to it that everything was tight.”

Patterson said about Ford that he was a good student, a good listener. They worked first on establishing an identity for Konkoction and then ensuring that everything about the business was consistent with that identity. They determined that they wanted Konkoction to be upscale, chic, sophisticated and consistently professional in all that they did from rehearsals to breaking down equipment following a performance. “Rick exemplifies responsibility,” Patterson said. “People would call him the mayor of Brooklyn. He had that timber about him.”

Indeed, Ford was elected a chapter president with the Civil Service Employees Association in New York. “It was like being the mayor of a small city,” he said. “I’ll never run for office again. Saving the world? Not for me. My cape is in the closet.” In important ways, Ford resembles his father Walter, an educator who rose to positions as the assistant director at the Haney Vocational-Technical Center and principal of Rosenwald High School in Panama City. While in the Navy, Walter Ford became the first Black man ever to serve on the deck of a U.S. aircraft carrier.

WALTER’S KID

Among his few regrets, Rick Ford wishes that it had been possible for him to bring about a funeral ceremony for his father, Walter, who died in April 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic prevented that. “Dad was a Renaissance man,” Rick said. “He set the pace.” Indeed, Walter was the first Black man to serve on the deck of a U.S. aircraft carrier. He majored in industrial arts at Florida A&M and drew up house plans. Later in life, he became the first Black man to sell cars at Cook-Whitehead Ford in Panama City. He retired from Bay District Schools as the associate director at Haney Technical Center. He did his student teaching at Rosenwald High School, prior to integration. Walter was a disciplinarian, but in wielding a paddle, he never took a full swing. “My father would beat my butt,” Rick laughed. “My mother would beat my ass.”

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← Rick Ford takes five while leaning against a palm tree on

Harrison Avenue in Panama City. For most of his career, Ford worked as a facilities manager and musician in New York, then returned to Bay County to look after his ailing father. Ford recalls with fondness an era when Panama City was home to venues dedicated to Black music.

When desegregation of schools began in Bay County, he saw to it that Rick became the first Black boy ever to attend Cove Elementary School. From his father, Ford learned to be kind, patriotic and composed. Patterson said he often paid musicians in New York to attend rehearsals and bought them clothes. He wears a signature red, white and blue bandana around his neck. He will hold himself to one Absolut and pineapple juice, nursing it until well after the ice has melted. He learned modesty, too. “My goal is to get the right musicians and for me to be the least talented musician on the stage,” Ford said. “I don’t need to take the three-point shot. I like to be the utility player in the background. I’m there ready to get the rebound.” Ford writes music, quietly so. “I haven’t pursued putting it out,” he said, adding that he has written music intended for movies, “but the movies haven’t been written yet.” He’s in the cover-band business. “Every song I play, people need to know it,” he said. “The first three notes in ‘My Girl,’ when you hear them, they have an effect. Some musicians may like to play their own music, but many times nobody really wants to hear it.” In preparation for an event, Ford prepares not set lists, but lists of songs, any one of which he may play whenever the moment is right in the course of a performance. “Some bands roll up on a gig, straggling in at different times wearing whatever,” Ford said. “They are there to play and go home. We want to make people feel like we are their band.” EC

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Similar to It’s A Wonderful Life (2018) ECTC’s Miracle on 34th Street will be staged as a 1940s radio play with a live Foley artist.

Emerald Coast Theatre Company Warms Hearts of All Ages This Winter A beloved holiday classic with a twist, a vintage musical trip down memory lane and a saucy variety show staring — the theater audience! Emerald Coast Theatre Company (ECTC) continues its ninth annual season with a sure cure for the winter blues. From December–February, ECTC will stage three deliciously entertaining shows that serve up something for everyone to enjoy. MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET December 9–19 Adapted from the 1947 Lux Radio Hour broadcast, this entertaining version of Lance Arthur Smith’s beloved holiday play about the miracle of believing is staged with live Foley effects and a score of holiday carols. This heartwarming story is perfect for the whole family to enjoy.

“I’m thinking retro classic late 1940s/early 1950s,” director Marci Duncan says. “It’s one of my favorite periods for fashion. So picture beautiful clothes, imagine a warm cup of cocoa, a plate of fresh-baked Christmas cookies and the scent of pine in the air. That sets the mental stage with a nostalgic Christmas story that everybody should be in the mood for right now.”

MISS ABIGAIL’S GUIDE TO DATING, MATING & MARRIAGE Jan. 28–Feb. 6 In this raucous romp, Miss Abigail is a sought-after relationship expert to the stars. She travels the world — aided by her strapping assistant Paco — sharing her vast “how to” knowledge gleaned from “every piece of relationship literature known to mankind.” “If you crossed the shows of Richard Simmons with Ellen DeGeneres, Dr. Ruth and Dr. Phil, you’ve got the Off-Broadway smash hit Miss Abigail,” says ECTC producing artistic director Nathanael Fisher. “This show is all about relationships, and that includes our theater audience.”

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MMM … GOOD

THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES January 21–23; February 10–13; March 3–6 This smash, off-Broadway hit takes audiences back to the 1958 Springfield High School prom, where we meet Betty Jean, Cindy Lou, Missy and Suzy: four girls with hopes and dreams as big as their crinoline skirts. As the girls serenade us with classic ’50s hits including Lollipop, Dream Lover, Lipstick on Your Collar and more, we are charmed to learn that no matter what life throws their way, they will conquer it together. “Who isn’t ready to hop in a vintage convertible, peel out of today’s problems and take an entertaining musical trip down memory lane?” asks ECTC producing artistic director Nathanael Fisher. “This show is perfect for couples and anyone who loves sock hop-style music.”

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Broadway’s Nicholas Rodriguez Headlines Holiday Pops Sinfonia fan to serenade his favorite carols and ballads from the Great American Songbook

traight from the Broadway stage — he is in Company starring Sinfonia Gulf Coast (2014) gala star Patti LuPone — dashing, upbeat singer/actor Nicholas Rodriquez will add sizzle to the sounds of the season when he takes the stage Friday, Dec. 10 as the headline artist in Sinfonia Gulf Coast’s Holiday Pops concert. Heralded by the Washington Post as “the classic leading man,” Rodriguez is an award-winning star of the stage (Tarzan, The Sound of Music, Carousel and others), TV screen (One Life to Live as Nick Chavez, Madam Secretary) and film (Sex and the City 2). His debut album, The First Time, based on his one-man show of the same name, fuses Rodriguez’s love of theater with jazz, blues, folk and pop music. Backed by the sensational Sinfonia Gulf Coast orchestra conducted by music and artistic director Demetrius Fuller, Rodriguez will serenade music lovers with his hand-selected “playlist,” including his favorite classic holiday carols, classic ballads from the Great American Songbook, Broadway tunes (Rodgers & Hammerstein fans rejoice!) and a selection

of hand-picked lyrical songs that make his heart zing. Rodriguez hopes to gift the audience with a performance akin to a compilation “live holiday CD.” “I’m a super fan of Christmas CDs. My favorites range from Nat King Cole to Vince Gill and from Ella Fitzgerald to Mahalia Jackson. As for atmosphere, remember the old-timey variety show specials that Dean Martin would host where he would bring up old friends? I hope we accomplish that kind of throwback welcome-to-my-livingroom feel. It’s going to be an evening of great holiday music, and we’re going to have some fun.” This will be a homecoming for Rodriguez, who has performed twice before with the orchestra. This Texas native tenor is eager to return to his Florida “family” to make his first solo appearance. “Having gotten to know so many patrons personally over the years, it will be amazing

to come back and see people who are now very good friends,” Rodriguez shares. “The beauty of the venue is that it feels like a living room. You can see every single face in the audience. You can feel that connection coming back to you. So that’s really magical.” This one-night-only “holiday card,” held in the decked halls of Village Church in Destin, will be festive fun for the whole family — and, who knows, maybe another famous Nick will make an appearance, too!

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Cheers to 10 Years

South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival Serves Up Great Wine, Fine Food and Good Will

dazzling roster of celebrity winemakers, mixologists and chefs will converge April 21-24, 2022 in idyllic South Walton’s Grand Boulevard Town Center to wine, dine, educate and entertain guests as part of the four-day celebration of wine, spirits, food, music, fun and goodwill. Celebrating 10 years in 2022, the South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival — an award-winning, nationally ranked event — draws wine and food industry icons such as Peter

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Mondavi, Jr., Marc Perrin, Don Hartford, Cristina MarianiMay, Jean-Charles Boissett, Norman Van Aken and South Walton’s own Chef Emeril Lagasse and many more. Given the caliber of A-list participants, it’s no wonder USA Today touted it as “one of the South’s standout food and beverage festivals.” Here, we provide a personal “tour” of the highly anticipated highlights planned for the ninth year of this popular charity event. The Festival kicks off in fine wine fashion in the Culinary Village with a VIP Wine Tasting on Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. Delivering the ultimate wine experience, limited tickets are sold to this exclusive event which gathers you with fellow wine lovers and top wine celebrities. Whether an aficionado or novice, you will sip rare and collectible wines from your commemorative XL Riedel glass and savor high-end food tastings created by the chefs of Grand Boulevard and South Walton’s rave restaurants. Relax; your VIP status gives you express entry into Friday’s Craft Beer & Spirits Jam as well as Saturday’s and Sunday’s Grand Tastings. Keep the party going at the best block party of the year in the Town Center and Grand Park with Friday night’s Craft Beer & Spirits Jam from 6 to 9 p.m. Taste and enjoy specialty craft beers and spirits from the hottest breweries and distilleries in the country. Meet the makers of these lively libations, and chat up master mixologists as they craft creative cocktails. Nosh on fantastic food all along EATS Street, and jam to live music. Before, you swirl a single wine at the Grand Tastings (Saturday

and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m.), take a moment to download the Festival wine list from the newly refreshed Sowalwine.com website. Create your own custom wine tour by mapping out the tent locations of favorite “friends” and a few you’d like to “meet.” Having a plan is wise when there are more than 600 domestic and imported wines to discover. But wine isn’t all there is to drink in. Included in your ticket price are Savor South Walton Culinary Village, Tasting Seminars, Rosé All Day Garden, Spirits Row, chef demos and the Nashville Songwriters Showcase. Cheers to that! Each year, wine A-listers come to showcase trending wines, which infuse the event with fresh excitement. A must-not-miss this year is Château Minuty, the global leader in luxury Cotes de Provence Rosé, which will be making a special appearance. Château Minuty abounds in leading beach clubs, restaurants and luxury retailers from Saint-Tropez to Monaco and beyond. Join in the celebration of the French Riviera lifestyle, personified by these luxury rosé wines. Sample the Château Minuty wines with pairings by top local proprietor/chefs along with the VINTUS wine team. Master Sommelier Craig Collins will be presenting exciting educational seminars in Grand Park.

Wine is best shared and paired. Food is in the name of this Festival for good reason. Top chefs from near and far gather at the Festival to present their artfully curated creations designed to pair with the wines being poured. Foodies will delight in the delicious dishes artfully orchestrated by local Festival Culinary Director Scott Plumley throughout the Savor South Walton Culinary Village and peppered along EATS Street — the feast of flavors will satisfy and surprise. What pairs with good food and wine? Great music! Amplifying the atmosphere is the Great Florida Event’s Nashville Songwriters Showcase, creating a sensational live “soundtrack” of the Music City’s top talent. The toast of the event is surely Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF), the beneficiary of this charity event. The Festival works in concert with DCWAF — of the nation’s Top Charity Wine Auctions in the U.S. — to raise funds for children in need in Northwest Florida. Whether your tasting tour has led you to an old flame or a new love, you can purchase your favorite wine discovery in the Retail Wine Tent located on-site.

TO PURCHASE TICKETS AND LEARN THE LATEST, VISIT SOWALWINE.COM. 495 GRAND BLVD, MIRAMAR BEACH, FL 32550 | (850) 837-3099 EXT. 203 | SOWALWINE.COM

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BRINGING WALLS TO LIFE by MARINA BROWN

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abodes → Designer Delena Denham of Pensacola achieved a strongly horizontal and distinctly nautical effect by arranging paddles and a bit of fishing net on a wall. Items on the coffee table complement the wall display.

here you are — proudly, though perhaps in a state of exhaustion, surveying the interior expanses of your new home or apartment. The floor is still littered with boxes, though your furniture seems to have taken a stand as if it intends to stay. A few rugs remain rolled like cigars along the baseboards, and the walls — well, the walls are vast, empty rectangles and squares of abandoned space. No matter how the floors and furniture may come into focus, the walls will seem regions of doubt that few normal people relish facing. There are just too many choices — or not enough — when one contends with walls. Unlike floor areas, where a sofa and a television seem to know exactly which space they were meant to inhabit, or where a skinny Tabriz hall rug has only one choice to make, walls are everywhere. From tiny alcoves backing a kitchen table to megalithic expanses in great rooms to half-walls above wainscoting in the dining area, even tiny bathroom walls present all the challenges that might be involved in going on a first date. How much do you want to reveal about yourself, your interests, your proclivities, your tacky hobbies, your rogue’s gallery of relatives or an odd preoccupation with your own face? We turned to experts in this fraught region of design and to other authorities to remind us that your home is, after all, your kingdom, and that you are its king or queen. But no royal ever got anywhere by being shy or reticent. Instead, advice from one and all seems to be: Follow a few artistically correct guidelines in balance and scale, and then make your visual voice heard as loud as a billboard or as subtle as a demitasse. Take another look at your walls and see a canvas, a sculpture garden, a Soho gallery or an album of Aunt Debbie’s photos of buds, but do it with confidence that nothing on a wall can really be wrong. Designer Delena Denham of Delena Denham Interiors in Pensacola advises

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people to determine a home’s focal point, often a fireplace. “For rooms without a fireplace, you would usually put your largest piece of furniture against your biggest wall,” Denham said. “Use this as the foundation for a statement wall and arrange your pieces around it. Think of it as dropping a rock into a pond, the ripples get wider and wider as they spiral out.” Apartmenttherapy.com advises making paper cutouts of the frames or items you will display, then taping the paper to the wall before drilling holes or adjusting your layout. First laying out the whole design on the floor can also help you adjust the spacing. Denham said larger pieces should be placed near the bottom of a collage, as if one were building a pyramid, otherwise

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the heaviness of your artifacts will “upend the room.” “I like to arrange the base of a wall collection in a straight line, almost like an artificial picture line or chair rail,” she said. “And I always tell my clients to never break up their collections. You want to keep your treasured pieces together to tell a story.” For highly subjective wall collections, consider making a gallery in a back hall, study or home office. “That way, if one is invited to that personal space, they’re more likely to have an appreciation for your personal artifacts,” Denham said. Recently, Denham arranged the wall of a client’s den with items from a war in which he fought, complete with photos, display cabinets and pieces mounted on photography by TYLER TESTON

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Solar is now chic. wall hooks. If mixing personal articles with photos, Denham makes sure to use the same frames and glass, be it matte or glossy, for consistency. “The continuity should speak to you because you’re creating your own museum that no one’s going to enjoy like yourself,” she said. Some examples of that kind of wall harmony may be a grouping of toys beloved by your children when they were young; your seven lovely guitars too long lost in the closet; aligned shelves holding a dozen vintage cameras; straw hats beach-worn over the years; record covers; sparkling mirrors of various sizes; jigsaw puzzles you never thought you’d solve — with maybe a piece or two missing; and even a vertical garden of green plants. All of these, and whatever other thematic treasures you’ve forgotten, can now be brought out into the light. As long as you’re personally invested in your collection and are prepared to spend time with friends who want to know the story behind each piece, look at your walls in a new way, and get personal! EC

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CHILL, BUT NOT CHILLY Heaters keep porches comfortably cozy by LIS KING

December 2021-January 2022

f late, we have learned to love our porches more than ever. This is the spot where we have sought refuge from at-home work and Zooming, and it has been nice to connect with neighbors also heading outdoors to their own porches or patios, or simply out for a walk. So it comes as no surprise that the porch is now listed as one of the top features wanted by homeowners. The only thing that might mar an evening on a porch is nippy weather, but, thankfully, technology has stepped in and an array of heaters is now available. They

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can be built-ins, freestanding or ceilingmounted, and the three fuel types are natural gas, propane and electric. Justin Elkins, a Home Depot merchant associate, confirms that sales of outdoor heaters have risen sharply during the pandemic. “Today’s homeowners look for ways to extend use of their outdoor spaces,” he said. “They want to host social events, gather safely, or just generally escape the indoors for a while. Those outdoor heaters are an important part of that goal.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF HOME DEPOT

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↑ TAKING THE NIP OUT OF THE AIR Homeowners are finding that they can extend porch season with the use of heaters including the 1,500 watt electric hanging patio heater, above, and the 42,000 BTU Gold Gas patio heater, opposite. Both are available at Home Depot.

Wayne Paul, owner of Bay Breeze Patio in Destin agrees. “Even here in Florida, we can encounter brisk weather, and heaters are needed to make our porches comfortable” he said. “I have built-in infrared heaters in my own outdoor room.” MYRIAD CHOICES

So many heater designs are available that homeowners may understandably be uncertain about what to choose. The first step, said Elkins, is to determine the BTUs (British Thermal Units)

needed to heat your space. Typically, one heater can cover a space of 1,500 to 2,000 square feet . The next step is deciding what fuel to use. Elkins said that natural gas heaters are easy to maintain and connect directly to your gas line. However, they are best used in larger and more open layouts so the fumes have space to dissipate safely. And keep in mind that if you don’t already have gas, installing it can be costly. Also be sure to hire a licensed plumber if installing the heater requires manipulation of the gas line. He said propane gas heaters are a convenient option for keeping porches and patios cozy. They are designed to heat a smaller area and connect to removable 20-pound propane tanks. These heaters are usually freestanding or tabletop units so they’re ideal for porch dining tables or patio sets. If there’s a bulk tank on the property already, then all that’s needed is a licensed plumber to connect the gas directly to a permanentfixture outdoor heater.

Portable electric heaters are efficient and with no harmful emissions or byproducts, they are extremely eco-friendly. They are also among the easiest to install. There is no need to manipulate gas lines or call in a plumber. Those that operate below 1,500 watts can sometimes be plugged straight into a 120volt circuit, but many do require hardwiring into their own circuit. And then there are electric infrared heaters, which Paul calls true game changers. They don’t just heat the air, they heat the people within its radius. Paul likes the versions that are built into the porch ceiling for an unobtrusive look. You’ll be surprised just how many outdoor heater designs there are, said Elkins. They can look like giant mushrooms, sleek columns, cylinders, cubes or even Tiffany chandeliers. Whatever your porch decor, one will be right at home. EC

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COLD-WEATHER PLANT CARE Cover but don’t smother when temperatures plummet by LES HARRISON

any homeowners and landscape managers want to know when their plants will need protection from the cold. Depending on the plant, the point of freezing is a good rule of thumb. It is worth noting there is a difference in the terms used for cold weather conditions. Frost, freeze and hard freeze all describe different circumstances. Frost occurs when water vapor freezes on surfaces. It usually happens on clear nights with still air and can happen when reported air temperatures are above freezing. Freezing is when cold air moves in and causes temperatures to drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. This condition commonly involves low humidity and wind, making drying out a big problem for plants. A hard freeze is when temperatures dip below 28 degrees Fahrenheit for several hours. Some tropical plants will survive a few degrees

below freezing for very short periods, but extended periods of freezing or heavy frost may require a heater used safely in combination with a plant covering. The risk of losing plants to freeze damage is compounded during the hectic holiday season. People are busy, schedules are disrupted and the distractions, pleasant thought they be, may cause homeowners to miss a critical freeze alert in the media. The holiday distractions are a good reason to prepare now for the problem weather likely to come later. Plants in containers can be moved indoors for the holidays and incorporated into the interior décor. If outside, cover plants entirely without crushing. Heavy blankets are great insulation but only a good idea on the sturdiest of plants. Remove the covers if the temperature is above 55 degrees the next day.

Adding color to the home landscape is possible with the use of many “cool-season” annuals. Most are exotic species, but there are some naturally occurring natives which brighten the area. Under pine trees, common blue violets add azure tones. Viola sororia, the scientific name for this native plant, provides a stark color contrast to the leaf litter and pine needles where it thrives. This delicate herbaceous plant is an early bloomer with inchwide blooms that are typically bluish-purple. These violets are self-pollinating perennials that flourish in the filtered light under tree canopies. The heavy mulch layer in forest settings provides the consistently moist soil and ample organic matter for successful growth. Seed heads form in the late summer and early autumn and are scatted by birds, animals and weather events. The Roundleaf Bluet (Houstonia procumbens), sometimes called “Innocence,” may be seen peering through dead grass and pine needles. This tiny white flower is about the size of a dime and appears in clusters. The blooms have four evenly spaced petals and prefer filtered light and heavy mulch, like the violet. This perennial is native to the lower southeastern U.S. and gradually fades away as the days become warmer.

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

The cooler months on the Emerald Coast see limited insect activity, but a few do persist. One such hardy species is a beetle known scientifically as Odontotaenius disjunctus. Commonly known as a Bess bug, the Jerusalem beetle or the patent leather beetle, it is a member of the superfamily Scarabaeoidea, which has only a few members found within the United States. Its home territory ranges from Florida to Canada’s deciduous forests. The easily recognizable beetle can grow to more than an inch and a half in length. They are a shiny coal black with a small horn between their eyes and club-shaped antenna. One survival key to this beetle is what and where it eats. Patent-leather beetles like to eat logs of certain trees, mostly the deciduous varieties, such as oaks and wax myrtles. Wood inhabited by these beetles is usually well decomposed and readily crumbles when handled, falls or is moved from its settling site. Adult beetles inhabit fallen trunks and limbs, provided the wood is large enough to support the original settlers and the extended family. Using its large mandibles, the homesteader cuts into fallen logs and creates galleries where beetles will live and reproduce. Many patent leather beetles live together in close colonies. Adults commonly live over a year, prospering with the ups and downs of the thermometer. Harmless to humans, the patent-leather beetle is considered beneficial because it breaks down dead wood into a form usable by plants.

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Zach Seabolt Financial Advisor 3063 US Highway 98 Santa Rosa Beach 850.724.1405 zseabolt@mypfswealth.com

December 2021-January 2022

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HEART INSPIRING STORIES OF PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE The life-changing care Ascension Sacred Heart provides has touched the hearts of many who strive to ensure that this incredible mission of care continues for future generations. Ascension Sacred Heart Foundation is proud to be a partner in this endeavor. Please enjoy these ”Stories from the Heart.”

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“For the Little Ones, Featuring the Little Ones” On Jan. 29, 2022, the Cordova Mall Ball will once again be a dazzling, live event, but this year’s version will feature the debut of an exciting, new benevolent association. Autumn and Peyton Blackledge are inaugural chairpersons of the official Krewe of Les Petits Enfants (Order of the Small Children), named in honor of those it will help support. With an initial goal of 50 participants, the krewe’s membership fee will go toward the purchase of a neonatal transport unit for Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart. Ascension Sacred Heart Foundation coordinates the Cordova Mall Ball as one of its major fundraising events benefitting sick and injured children. This year’s goal is raising the $350,000 needed to purchase the highly specialized vehicle, which is capable of transporting newborns and children 5 and under. The Krewe of Les Petits Enfants’ admission fee of $1,000 will supplement the Mall Ball’s proceeds for the purchase. Both natives of Pensacola, Autumn is a longtime member of Ascension Sacred Heart Foundation’s Board, while husband Peyton is a professional firefighter in the city of Milton. Autumn attended Tate High School, while Peyton went to Washington High. Still, they are amazed that they never came across each other as teens. But Peyton theorizes,

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“I grew up with a kind of downtown crowd, and Autumn was more of a north-end girl.” Opened in 2014, the law firm of Autumn Beck Blackledge PLLC concentrates on family and marital law. She met Peyton, her future husband, that same year, and their marriage resulted in a blended family of five children. Today, the eldest is stationed with the Navy in England, while the other four teens are in every grade at Catholic High School — from freshman to senior. Autumn and Peyton are delighted that they’ve been given the opportunity to kick off a krewe at Northwest Florida’s largest Mardi Gras Ball of the season. But what inspires them the most about this project is that children will be the focus and the face of the krewe. Autumn explains, “Our vision is not only in the krewe’s name ‘For the Little Ones,’ but also featuring the little ones — the children in need, the children who will need the services of Studer Family Children’s Hospital, and the children whose parents have decided to invest and give.” Autumn was taught at an early age that, “You give your talents, you give your time, you give your treasure.” She and Peyton are trying to impress this mindset upon their children: when you are blessed with more, you need to give back to help those less fortunate. They recognize that children need to learn early on what giving is all about, or the community’s future charitable needs will not be met. Once they learn, they can carry on this tradition of giving later in life. Introducing kids to the Krewe of Les Petits Enfants through their parent’s membership will be a valuable first step, and the hope is to create generations of givers. They understand that community involvement is truly necessary to make any charitable undertaking successful. The Cordova Mall Ball has always been

well-attended and highly successful because it is an opportunity to have a good time while supporting a worthy cause. Autumn and Peyton believe that there are more people out there who would contribute to the needs of the Studer Family Children’s Hospital if the right opportunity arose. These people might never have considered being part of a Mardi Gras event, but the Krewe of Les Petits Enfants — with its emphasis on children — hopefully will appeal to them when they realize that it will be their “kids raising money for kids.” And it will give all Mall Ball attendees the opportunity to meet people they have never met. The Ascension Sacred Heart Foundation’s Mardi Gras mission raises money for the Studer Family Children’s Hospital, and through this event, the children of krewe members will be introduced to the hospital. They will learn what it’s all about, its significance for kids, and how their parents’ krewe participation will benefit the facility. Autumn and Peyton are staunch advocates of the Studer Family Children’s Hospital and consider it a blessing to have this resource “in our own backyard.” When their daughter was injured in a car accident, she was transported to its emergency room, where the care she received was exceptional. From the perspective of a fireman, Peyton expresses concern that the community sometimes seems to take for granted the presence of this amazing trauma center. It is often mentioned during his training that children from Tallahassee, Baldwin County, Brewton and the Mobile region are flown to the Studer Family Children’s Hospital for treatment. “Being as we are not a large community, it is an enormous benefit and opportunity for the children in our area,” he says. “Care for children can remain right here where they reside.”

A MESSAGE FROM CAROL CARLAN Once again, we find ourselves in the midst of mankind’s most celebrated season: A time to pause and reflect on the gift of the Christ Child. These Stories from the Heart are reminders of how our ministry continues to give thanks for that gift by ensuring that no child in need goes without the best possible healthcare. The Cordova Mall Ball, one of Ascension Sacred Heart Foundation’s major community events, returns live on Jan. 29, 2022, featuring the debut of the official Mardi Gras Krewe of Les Petits Enfants (Order of the Small Children). Autumn and Peyton Blackledge’s Story from the Heart details their efforts as the inaugural chairs of this new krewe, whose focus will be kids. Its membership fee will contribute to the purchase of a neonatal transport unit for Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart, which is the fundraising goal of all proceeds from the upcoming Ball. Another story highlights the annual Dance Marathon at University of West Florida campus. This student-centered, communitysupported event features hours of dancing and games to raise funds for the needs of the Studer Family Children’s Hospital, a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. Finally, our Stories from the Heart introduce the Foundation’s much-valued 2022 board membership. Wishing you a joyous Christmas and blessings in the coming new year,

Carol Carlan President, Ascension Sacred Heart Foundation

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Articles inside

POSTSCRIPT

DINING GUIDE

SOCIAL STUDIES

GREEN SCENE

MUSIC Panama City native Rick Ford went from the Marching 100 at FAMU to Atlanta to New York City. Now, he is back in his hometown with a simple aim: bringing joy to the people.

EXTERIORS Heaters

INTERIORS While

ART Visit the Atomic Frog tattoo studio at Destin Commons, and you never know what you might leave with. Our photographer left with a large green amphibian on his calf.

DINING OUT Overlooking the St. Andrews Bay marina, Alice’s on Bayview hosts a regular lunch crowd, many of whose members are likely to be back for supper or Sunday brunch.

EDITOR'S LETTER

FROM THE ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

HOME COOKIN’

CITIZEN OF STYLE

CHAMPIONS Four

PERSONALITY

FEEDBACK