11 minute read
CITIZEN OF STYLE
panache DEC 2021/JAN 2022
ELEMENTS OF STYLE RANGING FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE MORE SUBLIME
CITIZEN OF STYLE
ALL IN GOOD TASTE
For Caress Hudson, food and fashion go hand in hand
by HANNAH BURKE
↖ 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.
← Caress Hudson applies a steady hand to a chocolate raspberry cake in the making. Her Pensacola patisserie, Henny Penny, is named for her grandmother.
Caress 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:
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 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 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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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
Healthy Holiday Skin
End one year and begin the next with your best skin from Aqua Medical Spa
Tinsel 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
FASHION
Holiday Baubles
Decorate yourself with jewelry that shines bright
by REBECCA PADGETT FRETT
→ 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.
Tinsel 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 the deep reds, greens and metallics that make up the holiday color palette.
Where fashion fixes come and go, diamonds really are forever. Olshefski, 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,
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.
Brunch By Day Bites By Night
3375 W County Highway 30A, Santa Rosa Beach | (850) 660-1594
