Emerald Coast Magazine • December 2022/January 2023

New Ringing in the

BLACK SHEEP TEQUILA JOINS THE SPIRITS WORLD

MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH THE GIFT OF GIVING GLOBE-TROTTER NARROWLY ESCAPES WAR-TORN UKRAINE

P r i v a t e r e s i d e n c e i n A l y s B e a c h , F l o r i d a , f e a t u r i n g L o e w e n w i n d o w s a n d c u s t o m a r c h i t e c t u r a l m i l l w o r k b y E F S a n J u a n

A r c h i t e c t : M c A l p i n e Ta n k e r s l e y A r c h i t e c t u r e | B u i l d e r : A l y s B e a c h C o n s t r u c t i o n | P h o t o : J a c k G a r d n e r

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FEATURES

60 GIVING AS GIFTS

In honoring the person who has everything by making a contribution to a deserving nonprofit, people may help ensure that organizations dedicated to protecting the environment, perpetuating the arts or safeguarding seniors and children get what they need. We profile the Bay County Council on Aging, the Emerald Coast Theatre Company, the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance and the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Centers as examples of organizations that contribute to making our region a safer and better place to live and encourage responsible stewardship of the natural assets that have always made the Emerald Coast extraordinary. Our list of four is not a definitive one, of course. Rather, it is intended as a sampler that may cause readers to identify an organization that closely aligns with their passions and priorities and lend it support during the Season of Giving.

by EMMA WITMER

64

INTENTIONAL TOURIST

Following eight years spent working at Naval Support Activity Panama City, Frank Eastham was ready to take off. He did so in a big, that is, global way. Eastham, via various modes of transportation, visited far, out-of-the-way places with names that few Americans would recognize in nations, including Thailand and Cambodia. He traversed Siberia in summer and eventually landed in Ukraine, where he met a woman he would later marry. In Kyiv, he became engaged in recruiting software developers for a business, Teknika, launched by a venture capitalist and entrepreneur who was aware that Ukraine is home to many such professionals. After Russia began its attacks on Ukraine, Eastham, his wife and their child were at risk of being stranded there. The U.S. Embassy had been abandoned, and they were on their own. Upon his return to the United States, his parents barely recognized him.

by HANNAH BURKE

THE WAVE

19 PERSONALITY

A product of Bay County Schools, Chris Moore attended the University of Florida as an undergraduate and embarked on a career in the U.S. Navy. Today, he is taking on a new challenge as a school board member.

24 COMMUNITY SERVANTS

The Tyndall Spouses Club is a fellowship founded in fun. Its activities ensure that members get to know one another and the area surrounding Tyndall Air Force Base.

PANACHE

31 CITIZENS OF STYLE

Shopping at GiGi’s Boutique & Eats is a bit like hanging out at a best girlfriend’s house. Customers try on clothes and shoes, drink mimosas and dish on everything from family drama to the latest celebrity gossip.

34 FASHION Women’s blazers and men’s sport coats are nearly as versatile as a white T-shirt and jeans, and with a wide variety in colors, cuts and fabrics, there are countless ways to personalize the look.

40 WHAT’S

IN STORE

Retailers along the Emerald Coast offer tempting products ranging from the fashionable to the flavorful for the wine sipper and the clothes horse.

GASTRO & GUSTO

47

HOME COOKIN’

Casseroles make for a filling comfort food throughout the year, but the high-carb, cheesy delights truly come to the fore during indulgence season — the holidays.

50 DINING OUT

Inspired by a fishing trip that might have been the envy of Ernest Hemingway, The Grand Marlin restaurants in Pensacola and Panama City Beach place a premium on freshness.

50

56 LIBATIONS Black Sheep Tequila, a new entry to the world of spirits, is the product of an effort to reposition the product of blue agave plants as something more than cactus juice.

EXPRESSION

73 ART Russian-born painter Elena Filshtinska incorporates elements from the natural world and yields to the power of dance and music in pursuing her primary genre, fantasy art that retains an element of Old World folkiness.

ABODES

81 INTERIORS They not only keep us warm on chilly evenings but become a

natural focal point in any room. Given the numerous types of fireplaces, it’s important to assess your needs before purchasing a new one.

90 DECOR For the business owner who doesn’t have time for tinsel or a homeowner struggling to make her entertainment space fit for a holiday party, decorating services are stress-relievers.

92 GREEN SCENE Snapdragons, propagated for over 2,000 years in southern Europe, are salt tolerant, which is a good thing for gardeners living near the Gulf of Mexico.

BOOKS In authoring two children’s books, Rifk Ebeid recognized a need to impart multi-cultural awareness, sensitivity, empathy and inclusivity to future generations. In so doing, she has given her own children a better appreciation for their heritage.

DESTINATIONS

97 GETAWAYS Darla and Kenny Harrison have completed 45 cruises, including their most recent one to Portugal, Spain, France and England. But never had they experienced a boat quite like the Queen Elizabeth IN EVERY ISSUE

12 FROM THE ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

14 EDITOR’S LETTER

105 SOCIAL STUDIES

108 DINING GUIDE

112 POSTSCRIPT

ON THE COVER:

The makers of Black Sheep, a new tequila on the fashion runway, aim to make their product a status symbol appealing to dewy-eyed maidens in floppy sun hats and gossamer, flowing beachwear, dogged by fun-in-the-sun beaus all living Club Med style. The way Mark Bailey, the affable CEO at Black Sheep Tequila tells it, making tequila as appropriate to a martini glass as a shot glass has been an entrepreneurial obsession for all concerned. The featured drink is “But I’m a Local,” made by Kait Burke at Emeril’s with jalapeñoinfused Black Sheep blanco tequila, Chambord, lime and fresh raspberry with an egg white foam. PHOTO BY CHANDLER WILLIAMS

86 ↑ HOME SWEET HOME Restaurant owners, cookbook curators and Food Network contributors James Briscione and Brooke Parkhurst give readers a tour of their Pensacola home, which was furnished and customized by businesses including Southeastern Sash & Door and McNeill Palm.

28 PROPERLY PLATED Commelfo serves up European-influenced cuisine with a coastal flair in an elevated dining atmosphere.

36 GLOW FROM HALO Dermatology Specialists of Florida/Aqua Medical Spa offers HALO, the latest in laser treatments. It treats fine lines, wrinkles, sun damage, discoloration, scarring and more.

42 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Our holiday gift guide has ideas for everyone from your hard-to-buy-for uncle to your best friend — and you may even see something you would like for yourself.

44 KITCHEN INDULGENCES

Bodacious Shops specializes in personalized gift baskets of a bottle of bubbly, artisanal olive oil and more, all sure to impress your guests this holiday season.

45 ↓ GLEAM & GLIMMER All would be delighted to find a McCaskill & Company box under the tree — a silver watch for him, perhaps, or a sparkling

54 ↑ CHEERS FOR CHARITIES

Sample more than 600 wines while supporting children’s charities at the South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival at Grand Boulevard Town Center.

78 SEASONAL

STAGINGS

Emerald Coast Theatre Company presents two new theatrical performances: a musical and a heartwarming comedy.

79 CONDUCTOR

CONVERSATIONS

Sinfonia Gulf Coast’s music and artistic director Demetrius Fuller discusses what people can expect during the symphony’s 17th season. DEC

94 COMMUNITY TIES As a locally owned and operated company, Speciality Roofers has created a company culture that revolves around giving back to the community through signature events.

38 HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS Holiday light shows, visits with Santa, ice skating, Christmas carols and more await in an array of events hosted by Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort at The Village of Baytowne Wharf.

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

102 CALENDAR

The holiday season is full of seasonal gatherings, Christmas classics on stage and plenty of ways to ring in 2023.

106 MORE REASONS TO VISIT SOUTH WALTON

Walton County’s tourism director, Matt Algarin, discusses highlights of 2022 and looks toward the county’s promising future.

Steve Bornhoft MANAGING EDITOR Emilee Struss

STAFF WRITER Emma Witmer

WRITERS Kari C. Barlow, Hannah Burke, Darla Harrison, Les Harrison,

Honaker, Lis King, Rochelle Koff, Ronald Larsen, Rebecca Padgett Frett, Wynn Parks, Liesel Schmidt, Evgeniya Stetsenko CREATIVE

VICE PRESIDENT / PRODUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY Daniel Vitter

Ekrut

SENIOR PUBLICATION DESIGNERS Sarah Burger, Saige Roberts, Scott Schiller, Shruti Shah

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Sierra Thomas

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Dave Barfiled, Michael Booini, Colleen Duffley, Jennifer Ekrut, Mike Fender, Steven Gray, Will Hepburn, Matthew Murphy, Sean Murphy, Rhonda Murray, Pure 7 Studios, Shelly Swanger Photography, Bobby Wagner, Chandler Williams

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

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Julie Dorr

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Darla Harrison

MARKETING MANAGER Javis Ogden

SALES AND MARKETING WRITER Rebecca Padgett Frett

ADMINISTRATIVE & CUSTOMER SERVICE SPECIALIST Renee Johnson

OPERATIONS

CUSTOM PUBLISHING MANAGER Sara Goldfarb

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE/AD SERVICE COORDINATOR Sarah Coven

PRODUCTION EDITOR Paige Aigret

PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION SPECIALIST Melinda Lanigan

STAFF BOOKKEEPER Amber Dennard

DIGITAL SERVICES

DIGITAL EDITOR/MARKETING SPECIALIST Alix Black

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AN ‘IDEA’ WHOSE TIME IS NOW

Access is an essential key to inclusion

I pulled up to a favorite coffee spot on 30A, Black Bear Bread Co., there to meet a new friend, Bobby Parker, and discuss with him his goals as he undertakes a new phase in his life.

Parker is the president of the Northwest Florida Coast Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association and is the first man and the first gay person to hold that position. Parker is also a member of the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County’s IDEA board, formed to promote inclusion, diversity, engagement and access.

“I am so proud to work with Cultural Arts Alliance executive director Jennifer Steele and others on the IDEA initiative,” Parker said. “I am impressed with the A in the acronym — you don’t see that often in diversity and inclusion boards, and access is such an important part of the equation.”

Parker is committed to bringing about family-friendly activities, festivals and more in Okaloosa and Walton counties that would celebrate and welcome diversity. He and I discussed the spirit of inclusion as it has manifested itself in locations including Pensacola and Panama City. I proposed to connect him with leaders in our region who have worked to dissolve barriers and establish events that genuinely champion acceptance and understanding.

One of those leaders is Steve Bornhoft, the executive editor of Emerald Coast Magazine and 850 Business Magazine. In 850, Bornhoft has written about the impact of human rights ordinances and about the experiences of members of the LGBTQ+ community

in Northwest Florida workplaces. He was board chairman at the Bay Aids Service and Information Coalition and subsequently was the board vice president at the LGBTQ+ Center of Bay County where he also served as a youth group facilitator.

The collective efforts of Bornhoft, Parker and others could speed the realization of Parker’s goals.

In Panama City, Pride Day celebrations took place in 2019 and again this year following a two-year coronavirus hiatus. The 2023 edition of Bay Pride is scheduled for June 10; Arlene Garner is the festival’s director. Pensacola is home to Pride Month activities each year throughout the month of June.

In 1957 in Pensacola Beach, two adopted brothers, Ray and Henry Hillyer, opened a post office box using an alias, Emma Jones. They received and permitted others to receive books and magazines related to male homosexuality at that box — this at a time when postal officials were turning over the names of recipients of such material to police.

In 2021, Emma Jones archives were collected in a display assembled by the University of West Florida Historic Trust.

“I want to showcase that we have always been here and will always be here, showing our pride and helping to make spaces more open and accepting to the queer community that maybe weren’t in the past,” curator Emjay Williams told the Pensacola News Journal.

I believe that inclusion, diversity, engagement and access are important

criteria for millennials and members of Gen Z as they go about choosing where to live. For our community to retain the incredible talent we already have and attract new people, we must move forward by bringing IDEA to fruition.

As a new year approaches, let’s resolve to be more inclusive, provide access to all and ultimately open our hearts to benefit all. Being aware is the first step. Let’s keep the conversation going.

Happy holidays, happy new year and may your light lead others to shine.

Much love,

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PINK MEANIES

They may sting, but not so bad as a man of war

Along the Emerald Coast and beyond, all the way to Mobile Bay, 2022 was the Year of the Pink Meanie.

A species of jellyfish of a pinkish hue whose tentacles can reach 70 feet in length, the pink meanie, Drymonema larsoni, was not known to exist in the Gulf of Mexico or even known to exist at all until its discovery in 2000.

Ron Larson, a U.S. Fish & Wildlife scientist, was among the first to document the presence of meanies in the Gulf. Its scientific name derives from his last name. The Mobile Press-Register, in 2000, reported the discovery at Dauphin Island of a specimen whose bell was almost three feet in diameter. Over recent months in area waters, meanies were plentiful.

The meanie is a stinging jellyfish that feeds on other jellyfish — moon jellyfish, in particular. It seems that whenever moon populations surge, meanies show up and take advantage of the jubilee. Read the titles of a few articles in scientific journals, and you will gain an appreciation of just how specialized people can be. But, in the natural world, too, there exist some remarkably narrow niches.

I first noticed meanies just off Panama City Beach in September. A month later, just as the Philadelphia Phillies were punching their ticket to the World Series, I met a man from Gulf Shores, Alabama, who said he had seen meanies and moons throughout much of the summer. I’m not sure that he’s a chaos theory/ butterfly effect kind of guy, but he does assign cause-and-effect relationships to what I would dismiss as mere coincidences.

“I’m hiding money wherever I can find to put it,” he told me. “Philadelphia has won the World Series three times — 1928, 1980 and

2008.” Those dates, he pointed out, coincided pretty well with a stock market crash, an energy crisis and a bursting of the real estate bubble. In his mind, the Year of the Pink Meanie may become linked with some widespread calamitous event. The world, as I write this, indeed seems ripe for such a development.

I would be curious to learn how Drymonema larsoni got its nickname. Forgive me when I suggest that the handle is one that might be applied to a women’s hockey or roller derby team.

Over the course of my career, I have reported to, worked for and worked with scores of women. (This is not surprising in that women have long figured prominently in the worlds of writing, publishing and marketing/ communication.) Only two of them could fairly be described as a pink meanie, and both were in leadership positions. Both were capable of publicly humiliating subordinates. One was a city editor; the other was the marketing/ advertising director for a community bank. Both tried too hard.

The editor — I’ll call her Scarlett — once creamed me because she thought my reporting on a small Bay County city’s proposed budget was incomplete. She screamed at the top of her lungs that I should have calculated precisely how a .578-mil increase in the ad valorem tax would impact the owner of a home with an assessed value of, say, $100,000. The marketer — something of a Luna — petitioned for my firing when she felt I had not sufficiently involved her in the creation of a print ad for a checking account.

Scarlett would leave the newspaper business to become a staffer for a Natural Resources Committee in Florida state government, and I would become the editor of the paper where we both worked. Via email, she

congratulated me. The bank for which Luna and I worked, failed and when it did, she recruited me to become part of a marketing agency that she planned to start.

They were easily forgiven for past mean excesses. Men, in many cases, were flinty from start to finish.

But let’s set aside dichotomous generalizations except to say that each of us is a blend who occurs somewhere along a broad continuum. What matters most in relationships, working and otherwise, is mutual respect and understanding. And sometimes, it’s not a bad play to plainly ask for it.

As to the World Series, I have worked very hard to avoid learning the outcome. I was afraid to look.

Peace,

STEVE BORNHOFT EXECUTIVE EDITOR

sbornhoft@rowlandpublishing.com

PHOTO BY MICHAEL BOOINI

FIELD OF DREAMS

Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Glavine, his wife Chris Glavine and the Seaside School Foundation, Inc., teamed up to host the second annual Tom Glavine’s Field of Dreams golf tournament. The event, held Oct. 4 at Watersound Club’s Shark’s Tooth golf course in Panama City Beach, raised $125,000 to benefit the Seaside School Foundation. Visit EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/ golf-tournament-benefits-seasideschool to read more.

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FREEZING FAT AWAY

Julie Mahieu, an aesthetician at Aqua Medical Spa in Tallahassee, discusses the benefits of Coolscultping, a cutting-edge medical technology that uses cooling techniques to freeze away fat cells. Learn more Coolscultping by visiting EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/ freezing-away-fat

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SETTING IT STRAIGHT

The name of the Destin tax accounting and financial planning firm GSOCPA, LLC, was misspelled as it appeared in a list of Best of the Emerald Coast event sponsors in the October/November issue of Emerald Coast Magazine. We regret the error.

january

12 The Manhattan Transfer & DIVA vocal, jazz

19

24

4 The Other Mozart theatre

6 Katharine McPhee vocal, Broadway, cabaret

7 Step Afrika! dance, world music

9 Colson Whitehead author, speaker

11 Queens of Soul with Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra tribute, orchestral, r&b

14 MOMIX dance

28 Meklit jazz, world music, vocal

3 Zodiac Trio instrumental, jazz

4 Emmylou Harris country, Americana

11 New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players: The Mikado opera, comedy, musical theatre

23 The Jungle Book family, theatre

29 Jay Leno comedy april

13 John Ensor Parker: Chain of Parks Art Festival Presenting Artist speaker, visual arts

16 PRISM classical, jazz, marching band, pop

25 Piano Battle classical, instrumental, comedy

Sweet

Sweet

LIFELONG LEADER

Chris Moore neutralizes threats with optimism

by STEVE BORNHOFT

PERSONALITY

Were he to run for elective office in Bay County — or beyond — Chris Moore might be a campaign manager’s dream.

If you are looking for someone who models adherence to the Scout Law at the age of 55, Moore is your man.

He was born at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, his Navy father’s next-to-last duty station, but never knew the place. He was a toddler when the family came home to the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Panama City Beach.

Moore attended Bay County public schools, graduating from Bay High School. Along the way, he attained the rank of Eagle Scout as a member of a troop that met at First United Methodist Church. Scouting, he said, fueled his passion for community.

Moore is a third-generation Navy, firstgeneration officer. He has a son, newly

commissioned as a Navy flight officer (four and two), who is stationed at this writing at the NAS flight school in Pensacola.

In a Navy career that spanned 24 years and three months, Moore, who retired with the rank of captain, completed three tours as a commanding officer — with the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit TEN, the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center in Panama City Beach and the Navy Operational Support Center Atlanta.

In becoming an 1140 Special Operations officer, he qualified as a helium/oxygen mixed-gas diver and a hyperbaric chamber supervisor and underwent 11 months of explosive ordnance disposal training at Eglin Air Force Base. He was introduced to some 5,000 classified documents that detail “render safe” procedures related to military munitions from around the world.

Today, he is the senior program manager for General Dynamics Information Technology at its Panama City office. Its chief customer is the Naval Surface Warfare Center.

Moore is the immediate past board chairman at the Bay County Chamber of Commerce and currently chairs the Chamber’s Military Affairs Committee, which for decades has contributed to Bay County’s reputation as one of the most military-friendly communities in the country.

He holds master’s degrees from the U.S. Naval War College (National Security & Strategic Studies) and Valdosta State University (Public Administration). He did his undergraduate work at the University of Florida where he majored in political science. On his LinkedIn page, he lists Tim Tebow as an influencer.

Oh, and the notion that Moore might seek elective office? Truth is, he’s done that, too.

← Retired Navy captain Chris Moore at the quarter deck — the receiving area — in the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center in Panama City Beach. Behind him are several “Jakes,” a Navy term for dive suit mannequins, in gear developed over a period of 100 years. Moore served as a Special Operations officer specializing in explosive ordnance disposal.

Recently, he qualified as a candidate for the District 3 seat on the Bay County School Board, and the incumbent chose not to seek re-election.

Moore, a proven leader in military and private sector roles, now hopes to make a difference as a public official.

“The School Board is something I think I can be effective at and still keep my day job,” he said.

As one might expect, he has done his homework.

“Overhead in the Bay County school district is 50% higher than it is in comparable counties in Northwest Florida,” Moore said. “We need to get business minds involved. I have managed hundredmillion-dollar organizations with millions of dollars in equipment. Maybe we can find a way to get some of those overhead dollars in the classroom.

“We need to focus on the fiscal responsibilities of a half-billion-dollar operation.”

Moore is painfully aware that the U.S. Air Force rates schools within a prescribed radius of its 157 installations worldwide and that in 2019, Bay County ranked 157th. Two years later, it was 156th.

Moore was quick to point out that by citing those rankings, he does not intend to admonish the current school board and district administrators — he is kind. He’d rather talk about prospects for improvement.

His speech is peppered with words including planning, mission, accomplishment, forward and upward.

Moore is excited about the $5 billion redevelopment of Tyndall Air Force Base as the “base of the future” and about the benefits likely to emerge from the further integration of the base into the community. He noted that Tyndall brass and the leadership at Florida State University Panama City are working toward the creation of a new STEM school at Tyndall.

Such developments, he said, “will make airmen want to come to Bay County.”

In Bay County, far more than the Air Force base is being restored and advanced, of course. The private sector is moving to address the depletion of housing stock caused by Hurricane Michael. Downtown Panama City has been re-visioned, and evidence of new investment there is growing. The Bay County Economic Development Alliance has enjoyed recent successes including the landing of a $50 million FedEx distribution center.

For Moore, the Chamber is a relevant, vital and active organization that touches all of those efforts.

“It’s a good conduit that brings the business community together,” Moore said. “We look at all the factors that affect business and help ensure that we are moving ahead with forethought and a planned strategy.”

Those considerations include quality-of-life issues that affect where highly skilled employees and highly desirable businesses choose to locate.

Moore said he has been pleased by the downtown revitalization work and would love to see it move faster.

“But all good projects take due diligence and planning,” he said. “We’ve finally got a hotel back in the downtown area, and now we’re working on the next piece — whatever is deemed the suitable replacement for the Marina Civic Center.”

Moore recalls performing as a member of the Bay High School band at the old Civic Center, which was destroyed by Michael.

“And I couldn’t tell you how many recitals we attended there in the 13 or 14 years my daughter danced,” he said. He believes the city should work toward a

multi-use facility or perhaps two buildings that would serve as both a conference center and a performing arts venue.

In March, Moore, then near the end of his year as Chamber chairman, was present at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Hotel Indigo under construction at Panama City’s Downtown Marina. There was a gold shovel there for him and for Panama City Mayor Greg Brudnicki, U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott and St. Joe Company president/CEO Jorge Gonzalez.

“Today, we are hitting a milestone that is unbelievable,” Moore said at the time. “It’s not just a jumpstart. It’s a supercharge.”

For that, Moore assigned credit to Gonzalez.

“He is prepared to be first,” Moore said of him, citing St. Joe’s commitment

← Capt. Chris Moore, U.S. Navy, retired, talks with the petty officer on the watch in the receiving area or “quarter deck” at the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center. The quarter deck’s flooring is teak wood from World War II era battleships. ↑ Chris Moore at the Aquatic Training Facility at NDSTC. This pool is 40 feet deep and used during various stages of dive training. He works today as a senior program manager in the Panama City Beach office of General Dynamics Information Technology whose chief customer is the nearby Naval Surface Warfare Center.

to the construction of a large spec building in its commerce center near Bay County’s airport and now its investment in downtown.

“He leads from the front.”

Moore regards himself as something of a libertarian, but he is one for whom some taxes have merit.

He supported the enactment of a bed tax in Panama City and a Bay County half-cent infrastructure sales tax. The former, he said, made possible the creation of a promotional organization, Destination Panama City, and the latter has enabled the county to get started on projects that would otherwise be waiting in line for state funding.

Again, Moore finds that the Chamber, by advancing a legislative agenda, was instrumental in bringing about those levies.

He views Carol Roberts, the Chamber’s longtime executive director and a Chamber employee for 45 years, as a strategically important weapon who is unmatched among her counterparts around Florida.

“She bleeds Bay County, and people statewide will pick up her call, people that others can’t get to,” Moore said. “She has been a tremendous asset because of her corporate knowledge and the continuity she has brought to the Chamber. And, she’s a pit bull. She latches onto a problem or an issue and figures out the best way to accomplish the mission.”

Always, Moore has found people, beginning with his father, to emulate, and he’s not through learning.

“We have a tight-knit community, and that’s to our advantage,” he said. “The circles aren’t huge, and that makes for great efficiency in getting things done. I grew up in St. Andrews as a lower-middle-class kid, and now I’m seeing how the Bay County machine works.” EC

↑ Moore, looks over the four-chamber hyperbaric Dive Simulation Facility used for dive training and medical decompression treatments. Blue panels at left of photo are touch-screen controls for chamber pressure, breathing, fire suppression and other systems. Moore “dove” to a depth of 300 feet during his HeliumOxygen Dive Officer Training in 1992.

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NO DRAMA LLAMAS

Tyndall Spouses Club fosters camaraderie

by HANNAH BURKE

While military spouses clubs serve to provide social connection and opportunities for volunteerism, Aimee Bright has found that they can come with a fair share of melodrama.

The cattiness of Real Housewivestype reality shows may make for good television, but club politics, superiority complexes and gossip only serve to estrange spouses from their new communities. One might as well be a member of a condo association board.

So when Bright’s husband was stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base in 2014, and she became president of the Officers’ Spouses Club, Bright helped spearhead an effort to unify the group with Tyndall’s Enlisted Spouses Club.

The merger brought about the Tyndall Spouses Club (TSC), a fellowship founded on the tenets of service, friendship and fun. The “drama llama” is denied membership.

“We simply don’t accept drama because there is no room for it,” said Bright, who currently serves on the TSC’s publicity board. “We pride ourselves on inclusivity. We won’t ask about your active-duty’s rank because we don’t care about that. So, rather than calling ourselves a combined club, we like to say we’re unified because we’re unifying our efforts and friendships to make a difference in our community.”

Currently 56 members strong, the TSC welcomes spouses of active duty, guard and retired members of all branches of the military, an open-door approach that

appealed to the TSC’s current president, Danielle Sweeney.

“When I married military in 2015, and we had our first PCS (permanent change of station), it was an anxiety-ridden time as I began to learn about military life and worried about how to fit in,” said Sweeney. “At Tyndall, I was lucky to meet some amazing people and experience this familial vibe among the community. I was not a part of the spouses club then, but I always hoped to return to Tyndall to experience that special feeling again.”

photography

→ Tyndall Spouses Club members each contributed two or three items or a basket to a prize raffle at a recent social.

→ The Tyndall Spouses Club is a fellowship founded on the tenets of service, friendship and fun. Here, club president Danielle Sweeney, at left, passes a raffle prize to member Aimee Mecham as Mayra Kent, smiling broadly, looks on.

Fortunately, Sweeney’s husband was returned to Panama City in 2021. Sweeney, who holds a master’s degree in social work, joined the TSC and said it was ultimately Aimee Bright who convinced her to volunteer for a larger board role the following year.

“Inclusivity is something that is extremely important to me not only as a social worker but as president of the TSC,” Sweeney said. “I’m always looking for opportunities to include diversity into our club ideas to make sure the modern military spouse is represented and supported.”

Sweeney said the TSC is a casual club. Its “meetings” are centered around

events that allow members to get to know one another and the area. Last year, the TSC arranged a photo scavenger hunt around St. Andrews State Park. Random teams were formed based on responses to an icebreaker, and each group learned about the area’s history as they pursued clues.

“I’m always looking for opportunities to include diversity into our club ideas to make sure the modern military spouse is represented and supported.”

This year, the TSC has planned a classic car show, murder mystery dinner and a “Nerf war” with their children. It’s through building friendships that the TSC believes it can help better serve the members of their base and Panama City.

— Danielle Sweeney, president of TSC

Their biggest initiative, the volunteer-operated Tyndall Thrift Shop, recently relaunched after being destroyed by Hurricane Michael in 2018. The funds raised by the store help the TSC distribute grants to local and national military-centric nonprofits as well as support the club’s military-dependent scholarships program.

“I’m one of the few people that was here when we had the old thrift shop and remember when we earned over $100,000 one year,” Bright said. “We’re good financial stewards, and we’ve been stretching our savings for as long as we can, but we’re very excited to have the new space and grow our charitable outreach again.”

The TSC also collects donations for a specific cause during each of their monthly socials, such as items for the Junior League of Panama City’s Diaper Bank and nonperishables for homeless veterans. Annually, the club distributes over $40,000 in college scholarships and to organizations devoted to improving the quality of life for military families.

As the holidays roll around, the TSC is especially devoted to supporting causes on base. The TSC helps back the Christmas party put on by Tyndall’s Airman and Family Readiness Center’s Hearts Apart program, which helps

↑ Tyndall Spouses Club members gathered for a “Make It, Bake It, Fake It, Take It” event in November. Everyone in attendance left with a raffle prize. In addition, toys were collected for a “Stuff the Bus” event held in December. The club’s largest initiative is the volunteer-run Tyndall Thrift Shop.

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connect the families of deployed airmen and furnish them with a support group.

“December is so busy that sometimes it’s best to stay out of the way and support events that are already happening,” Bright said. “For our members spending the holidays without their spouse, we try to wrap our arms around them and ask what we can do. That’s not always inviting them over for dinner. Sometimes, it’s giving them someone to talk to, helping check on their house or care for their pets while they go out of town to visit family.”

For airmen living in the base’s dorms, the TSC annually devises a “cookie caper.” Spouses get together and bake batches of assorted cookies and using paper bags decorated by children attending Tyndall Academy Elementary School. They hang the treats on dorm room doors.

“Most of the airmen are fresh out of tech school and on their first assignment, so we like to give them a little taste of home and let them know their community cares about them,” said Bright. “The little messages the children write on the bags are so sweet, and you can tell the airmen really enjoy it.”

For Bright, involvement with the TSC’s volunteer work has helped her reach a new level of personal and professional growth. She now oversees the Bay County Chamber of Commerce’s Government/Military Affairs program, and said she “likely wouldn’t be doing this if I haven’t had the experience with the club.”

She added, “We even have retired members of the TSC who volunteer with us because they still support our mission. You build family here.” EC

↓ WANT TO JOIN?

The Tyndall Spouses Club is open to all spouses of active duty, guard and retired members of all branches of the military. To join, complete the membership form at TyndallSC.org.

↑ Stacey Gingrich, membership chair for the Tyndall Spouses Club, retrieves a nametag for member Colleen Goldfein. Club events are designed to ensure that members get to know one another and become familiar with the area surrounding Tyndall Air Force Base.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL BOOINI

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Commelfo

Gold furnishings lend a glow to the table brimming with inviting dishes. You take your first bite of lamb as an attentive waiter fills your wine glass.

You’re experiencing Commelfo, a restaurant whose name is a French word meaning “done the proper way.”

Owners Vincent and his wife Nadya are committed to providing diners with an experience done right, starting with the hostess’s greeting and carrying through to the last bite of 24k golden cheesecake.

With Vincent’s 15 years of experience managing restaurants and Nadya’s background in hospitality, they knew the ins, outs and in-betweens of the industry. Their interest in starting their own business was solidified when Vincent visited Houston and was inspired by

the restaurant scene there. He sought to bring an elevated yet approachable experience to Miramar Beach.

In May 2022, Commelfo opened its doors. The interior adheres to a palette of greens, gold, black and white, but as attractive as that is, one’s attention is quickly drawn to what’s on his plate.

“Every dish is completely unique,” Vincent said. “We are not a conveyor belt. Our talented chefs dedicate time to each dish and infuse it with creativity and flavor.”

On the menu, you’ll find European influences merged with regional offerings. The chefs use fresh, authentic ingredients and employ traditional cooking techniques.

Menu standouts include the New Zealand rack of lamb, filet mignon, prosciutto-wrapped stuffed chicken and Gulf Coast pasta. The breakfast and brunch menus are heavily influenced by European favorites such as burrata toast,

steak and egg dishes featuring fresh crab or smoked salmon.

While the menu is elevated and the staff exemplifies a high standard of service, Vincent is hesitant to call it fine dining.

“We want everyone to feel relaxed and welcome here,” Vincent said. “We will provide excellent food and attentive service so you can enjoy those you are surrounded by and sharing a meal with.”

EXPERIENCE

Upscale shopping, sophisticated dining options and South Walton’s premier events and entertainment await you Along the Boulevard.

DINE

Another Broken Egg Café

The Bistro (Located in Courtyard by Marriott Sandestin at Grand Boulevard)

Black Bear Bread Co. (Now Open)

Cantina Laredo Modern Mexican

The Craft Bar

Emeril’s Coastal everkrisp

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

Grimaldi’s Coal Brick-Oven Pizzeria

Kilwins

PF Chang’s China Bistro

Starbucks

Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar

Vin’tij Food & Wine

The Wine Bar

SHOP

Altar’d State

Anthropologie

Arhaus (Now Open)

Arula

The Beaufort Bonnet Company

Billabong

Bluemercury

Hemline

J.Ji l l

J.McLaughlin

johnnie-O (Now Open)

The Jewel

Kendra Scott (Now Open)

La Luna

Lilly Pulitzer

lululemon (Now Open)

Ophelia Swimwear

Orvis

Peter Millar

Pottery Barn

Courtyard by Marriott

Sandestin at Grand Boulevard

Hyatt Place Sandestin at Grand Boulevard

AMC CLASSIC Boulevard 10

grandboulevard.com

#GrandBlvd

Pure Collective Salon (Now Open)

Rose & Co (Now Open )

Seabags (Now Open)

Southern Tide

Sunset Shoes & Lifestyles

Vineyard Vines

Williams Sonoma

Residence Inn by Marriott

Sandestin at Grand Boulevard

Grand Fitness

Emerald Coast Theatre Company

DEC 2022/JAN 2023

ELEMENTS OF STYLE RANGING FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE MORE SUBLIME

GIGI’S BOUTIQUE & EATS

Shop and refuel in an atmosphere flavored by Southern hospitality by

Debra Fortson and Madison Williams know a thing or two about facing challenges.

In August of 2020, five months into the coronavirus pandemic, this mother-daughter duo opened GiGi’s Boutique on Nine Mile Road in Pensacola. A few weeks later, Hurricane Sally wreaked havoc across the area.

“We feel like if we survived the pandemic and a hurricane, we can pretty much make it through anything,” Fortson said.

In March, with that same confidence, Fortson and Williams rebranded their

business as “GiGi’s Boutique & Eats.” They expanded their space by adding some funky furniture around the shop and fresh strokes of hot pink paint to the walls and introduced a simple menu that includes shareables, small plates and beverages from coffee to champagne.

“Pensacola’s big, and there are a lot of boutiques, a lot of competition,” Fortson said. “It gave us a little niche that’s different.”

As they head into their third year in business, drawing customers of all ages from Pensacola, Pace, Milton and Orange Beach, all signs indicate that their plan was a success. For many, shopping at GiGi’s Boutique & Eats is a bit like hanging out at a best girlfriend’s house, where they can try on clothes and shoes, drink mimosas and dish on everything from family drama to the latest celebrity gossip.

“It’s almost like a therapy session,” Fortson commented. “Women love to be able to go somewhere they can connect with other women about what’s happening in their lives.”

The boutique offers an eclectic assortment of T-shirts, jeans, dresses, hats and shoes, while also carrying home décor and gifts featuring trusted brands like Tyler candles and FarmHouse Fresh skin care products. The new menu has proven a perfect fit for girlfriend get-togethers and corporate parties, as well as solo shoppers who desire a relaxing glass of wine while they browse.

“That’s one thing about Pensacola — you make a customer, and you’ve made a friend for life,” Fortson said. “A lot of our customers have gotten to know us, and they pretty much know our entire family.”

From the beginning, Fortson and Williams wanted to create a space that

↑ The mother-daughter team of Debra Fortson, left, and Madison Williams has created a vibe for its store that they liken to hanging out at a girlfriend’s house. Having survived a hurricane and a pandemic, they navigate ups and downs with confidence. <- The team has added modern furniture to Gigi’s, along with pink accents.

was fun and stylish, but also down-to-earth and affordable.

“That’s our motto: fun and fashion at a fair price,” Fortson said. “You’re not going to feel like you have to come dressed in your Sunday best to shop with us. It’s nice, comfortable and kids are welcome, too.”

In fact, Williams’ 3-year-old daughter, Nola, is a regular at GiGi’s. “She loves her dresses, shoes and makeup,” Williams added. “She’s a little fashionista.”

The boutique, they explained, is simply a reflection of their personalities. “We like pink and Southern hospitality,” Fortson said. “We’re just country girls.” Even the music playing in the shop, everything from Dolly Parton to Diana Ross to Rihanna, is chosen with care.

“We love displaying strong women, especially artists,” Fortson said. “I guess we want to be role models for Nola and show her that women can be business owners and succeed.”

Fortson attributes much of the boutique’s success to being located next to a large Goodwill thrift store and a busy Harbor Freight Tools.

“The foot traffic here at this little shopping center, even though it’s 60 years old, you can’t beat it,” she said. “And Nine Mile Road is a hot spot for growth.”

Fortson also credits her daughter’s flare for staging and merchandising.

“She’s my creative and my tech,” she said. “Madison has taught me a lot of tech stuff necessary for operating a modern business.”

Always an artsy kid, Williams has developed a discerning eye for exciting looks but says her personal fashion style is a bit more understated.

“I like streetwear, white tennis shoes and graphic T-shirts,” she said. “I’m not a girly girl. I like to be comfortable.”

But Williams is not afraid to try new things, especially when it comes to stocking clothes and other items that shoppers want. She loves traveling to the Dallas and Atlanta markets, and

whether dressing mannequins or ordering merchandise, she keeps her eye on social media for all the latest trends.

“TikTok is the place. It’s all different kinds of ages,” Williams said, adding that she and Fortson also hired two social media managers to help them maximize the shop’s presence on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram.

For Fortson and Williams, the best part of their adventure is experiencing all the ups and downs of operating a business side by side.

“We get to spend time together and blend our creativity and fashion,” Fortson said. “It makes us feel blessed!” EC

↑ An expanded menu at Gigi’s includes small plates and shareables with hot coffee and chilled champagne as beverage options.

→ The boutique offers an eclectic assortment of T-shirts, jeans, dresses, hats and shoes, while also carrying home décor and gifts.

Beguiling

Blazers

<- ROOM TO FLOW

Loose-fitting blazers make for a chill look and can provide an effective contrast to fitted tops.

Classic wardrobe staple never fades away

by EMMA WITMER

If you think your favorite blazer or sports coat belongs only in the office, think again.

Women’s blazers and men’s sport coats are nearly as versatile as a white T-shirt and jeans, and with a wide variety in colors, cuts and fabrics, there are countless ways to personalize the look.

Whether you prefer a structured, unlined, oversized or floral-patterned piece, a good blazer adds a bit of sophistication to any outfit. Ladies can dress up a tank and denim cutoffs for a more casual look or add a bit of edge to more feminine silhouettes. On the other hand, men’s sports coats offer a more flexible alternative to the classic suit.

When customers visit Don Alans in Pensacola, owner Courtney Fitzsimmons ushers them toward a sport coat for an elevated multipurpose option. With the company’s broad stock of timeless wares, sport coats are one of their most popular items.

“It’s a little bit more casual than a suit would be,” Fitzsimmons said. “You can even keep a sport coat in the car with a garment bag over it for any time you need to attend an event or meeting and don’t have the time to run home.”

Not every sport coat is crafted alike, Fitzsimmons pointed out. You will find variations in the cut of the lapel and the number of buttons or pockets. These stylistic differences are mostly a matter of personal taste, but other features may require a bit more thought.

Sport coats often get their structure from a thin satin or polyester lining that adds breathability when layering,

Fitzsimmons said. An unlined sport coat is ideal for guys who take a lowmaintenance approach to fashion but still want to look polished. The relaxed style can be pulled right out of the laundry pile and still look effortlessly classic at a nice dinner or cocktail hour.

PRETTY IN PLAID

When it comes to color, Fitzsimmons has a few simple rules of thumb to keep you looking in style and in season. Show off your bright colors during the day or at springtime events, and reserve your darker shades for the evening and chilly months.

Once relegated solely to the men’s section, blazers are a common staple in women’s wardrobes as well. Women’s blazers have a much wider variety in cut and color than their male counterparts — a quality that is on full display at Pensacola’s Indigeaux Denim Bar & Boutique.

Owner Katie Bosso stocks blazers in classic plaid patterns, trendy satin and velvet textures for the more adventurous stylist. Cuts range from fitted and structured to loose and flowing to accommodate anyone’s personal style.

“We love styling our blazers so they can transition from day to night,” Bosso said. “If

<RUMPLEWEAR

Unlined sport coats can be pulled from a clothes heap and still work at a fine dining establishment or cocktail event.

you are going for a more dressed-down look, I would opt for an oversized boyfriend blazer in a neutral plaid. To dress up your blazer, look for one with more structure in a satin or velvet.”

Like many other retailers, Indigeaux has jumped on the trend of coordinated sets, and blazers are showing up in a major way. Matching blazer and shorts outfits have been a hit at Indigeaux, Bosso commented.

“I love adding a blazer to a satin slip dress or styling the new blazer and matching short sets,” Bosso said. “I tell girls to have fun with a blazer. You can dress them down with a fun band tee and jeans or dress them up with a camisole and trousers. Blazers don’t have to be all business.” EC

Timeless Fashion

In concert with matching slacks, it connotes seriousness, confidence and respect

Prized for its versatility, it can immediately transform a purely casual look into something more.

Structured varieties are relatively formal and high maintenance while unlined coats demand little in the way of attention.

SUIT JACKET

BLAZER

SPORT COAT

A New Skinsation

Get That Glow with HALO™

HALO™ is a complete skin revitalization laser treatment that provides noticeable, effective and risk-free results. It is the only hybrid fractional laser that delivers ablative and non-ablative wavelengths that work together to treat fine lines and wrinkles, discoloration, sun damage, scarring and pore size. HALO™ uses laser technology to eliminate years of damage by triggering your body’s natural healing response to reveal a youthful glow!

“I love treating patients using the HALO™ laser because it gives consistent positive results,” said Angela Pearson, a nurse practitioner at the Watersound office of Dermatology Specialists of FL/Aqua Medical Spa.

All treatments start with a consultation to evaluate whether the HALO™ laser is the best option for patients’ specific concerns. While the face is the most common target for treatment, HALO™ can also be used on the neck, chest and arms and provide a solution for crepe-like skin. During your initial consultation, your provider will customize a treatment plan and give pretreatment instructions such as avoiding sun exposure and stopping the use of retinoid or retinol products.

The HALO™ treatment begins with the application of a numbing agent to ensure optimal comfort for the patient. The actual procedure typically lasts 30 to 60 minutes. After the treatment, most patients will continue to feel warm for an additional 30 to 60 minutes, or a bit longer with deeper treatment levels. Some

swelling, redness and tightness of the skin may also occur post-treatment.

“I typically tell my patients to relax and stay out of the sun for the first few days. After three to five days of slight downtime, patients can return to their normal daily routine with results being noticeable around one week after treatment,” explained Pearson.

Provided patients take care of their skin by wearing sunscreen and using medical-grade skin care products, patients can expect remarkable results

in just one to two treatments. In comparison, other older, non-hybrid lasers often require five to six treatments to demonstrate similar results.

When patients ask if the HALO™ is a good option for them, I reply, “The HALO™ laser offers amazing results with minimal discomfort, low downtime and fast healing. It stimulates collagen production, removes damaged skin and helps with signs of aging — anyone and everyone sees glowing results.”

Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort® Sparkles and Shines During Holiday Times

Whether you call the Emerald Coast home or home for the holidays, Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort’s events offer a festive reprieve from the bustle of shopping, decorating and preparing for the season.

Embracing the holiday spirit of memory making, Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort ® hosts a variety of seasonal events at The Village of Baytowne Wharf.

“For a moment, you forget you’re at the beach when entering the Village and seeing hundreds of lights and a huge tree,” said Olivia Moore, marketing and communications coordinator of Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort ®. “It’s much like a miniature Rockefeller Center with all the magic and holiday spirit.”

Beginning on Dec. 2, the 12 Nights of Lights Celebration runs through Dec. 23. Light shows take place on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays with three shows per night at 6 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Wednesdays in December become the best day of the week with the Wednesday Night Concert Series Holiday Edition. Along with the choreographed light show, local musicians will take the stage to play holiday classics. The music schedule includes the Fort Walton Beach High School Choir on Dec. 7, Niceville High School on Dec. 14 and the Matt McCarty Band on Dec. 21. During this time, children can meet Santa and tell him what’s on their Christmas list.

The Village becomes an ice palace on Dec. 2 when the rinks opens for the Ice Skating Extravaganza. This event will feature performances by two professional ice skaters. Before and after the shows, skaters can lace up and join the pros on the ice.

Ring in the new year at the Baytowne Countdown, a family friendly event featuring two fireworks shows 8 p.m. and midnight. The event offers crafts, activities and live music until the fireworks fade. Once the kiddos are tucked in bed, those who are over 21 can dance the night away until 1 a.m.

On Jan. 7, the Village will receive a snow shower at the Winter Wonderland event. Play in the fake snow and enjoy extended ice-skating hours.

“All of our events are free, allowing all to simply have fun and enjoy the spirit of the season,” Moore said.

PHOTO BY THE GOOD LIFE DESTIN (FIREWORKS)

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WHAT’S IN STORE?

A roundup of retail happenings throughout the Emerald Coast

by HANNAH BURKE

JOHNNIE-O, one of Grand Boulevard’s latest additions, specializes in timeless styles for men, making it the ideal fashion choice for a gift or to step into 2023 with an elevated style. Comfortable and versatile, the brand markets itself as East Coast prep meets West Coast casual. Add your new favorite T-shirt, a clean-line classic polo or fashionable footwear to your closet.

BODACIOUS!

➸ Whether picking up a bottle for a holiday party, selecting a bottle as a gift or finding the celebratory cork to pop at midnight, SALTY BOTTLE WINE SHOP in Carillon Beach is a great source. This family-owned wine, beer and market shop features organic wines, local brews and delicacies ideal for entertaining. A knowledgeable staff awaits to point you in the direction of the perfect pour that you won’t find in your average store.

➸ Fine jewelry designer, REBECCA PINTO, divides her time between New York City and Santa Rosa Beach, where her main location is housed. Pinto is the artist and designer behind her brand, which is sold in local stores such as WILLOW BOUTIQUE in Alys Beach. Her craftsmanship features precious metals, conflict-free diamonds and South Sea pearls that she hand selects from the South Pacific. Each piece is original, making the wearer feel that same special essence.

➸ In Florida, sunglasses never go out of style and are an ever-fashionable gift for both men and women. Don’t be fooled by KREWE’S tiny house stature in Sandestin at Grand Boulevard; the inside is packed with designer eyewear. Each pair is designed and handcrafted at the brand’s headquarters in New Orleans. The brand offers classic optical silhouettes but specializes in whimsical prints, cool colors and a variety of styles to fit each face.

The holidays might be when we spend the most time in the kitchen or gathered around food.

Whether you’re the chef or the taster, you’ll enjoy The BODACIOUS OLIVE’S delectable extra virgin, flavor-infused selection of olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Standout flavors include Persian lime olive oil, cilantro and roasted onion olive oil, blood orange, fig balsamic, dark chocolate balsamic and more. While there, stop next door to SO GOURMET for accoutrements, serving ware and gadgets for the kitchen.

GIFT GUIDE Holiday

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 treatyourself gifts, sensational seasonal shopping is simply in the bag! Now that’s the spirit!

CLOSET SOLUTIONS FLORIDA You can’t go wrong with a gift that inspires and helps organization. Closet Solutions offers many custom options to help improve surroundings and make a home happier. Better use of space will allow more time for what matters in the new year.

(850) 714-3851 | ClosetSolutionsFlorida.com

ELECTRIC CART COMPANY

Surprise the family this season with the ultimate leisure vehicle. Garia focuses on design, sophistication and performance. Details analyzed by golfers and a team of automobile engineers and designers to offer you the first and only golf CAR in the world.

5426 US Hwy. 98 W., Santa Rosa Beach (850) 622-2000 ElectricCartCompany.com

COASTAL SKIN SURGERY & DERMATOLOGY

ZO SKIN HEALTH PRODUCTS

Illuminating AOX Serum

A concentrated antioxidant serum that provides protection against pollution and premature signs of aging while visibly brightening the skin with a subtly luminous, soft-focus finish.

Brightalive Skin Brightener

A technologically advanced skin brightener clinically proven to increase luminosity, visibly improve skin clarity and fade the appearance of dark spots for a brighter, more even complexion. Non-hydroquinone and non-retinol.

12469 Emerald Coast Parkway, Miramar Beach (850) 654-3376

CoastalSkinSurgery.com

WILLIAM LOIRY Order Second Chances: How To Have A Better 2023, 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

SERENITY BY THE SEA SPA

Give the gift of Serenity for the holidays. As a full-service, award-winning spa and salon, Serenity by the sea Spa presents infinite ways to indulge. Cards may be redeemed for spa services, salon appointments or in the spa shoppe. $25 minimum 4000 Sandestin Blvd., Miramar Beach | (850) 660-7612 | SerenitybytheseaSpa.com

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.

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1. BLACK CANVAS PERFECT MARKET BAG $50

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3.

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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.

EARRINGS Playful tanzanite and mint-green tourmaline earrings with diamond accents.

5. OMI PRIVE’ RING

Stunning pink sapphire and diamond 3-stone ring.

EARRINGS

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

6. KWIAT DIAMOND

Sparkling tiaracut diamond classic stud earrings in platinum martini setting.

7. MCCASKILL & COMPANY SIGNATURE RINGS

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

gastro&gusto

SOUTHERN CASSEROLES

From covered dishes comes timeless comfort

by ROCHELLE KOFF

PHOTO

It is both familiar and fitting for special occasions. At a baby shower, a memorial service or a neighborhood covered-dish dinner, the casserole reliably pleases people as classic comfort fare.

Casseroles like the indispensable tuna casserole have been a staple for generations. Mac and cheese may be the granddaddy of them all, having been written about in 1250.

In the 1950s, casseroles got a big boost from Campbell’s soups. Supping on the green-bean variety made with cream of mushroom soup and served in a Pyrex dish became an experience about as universal as going to the store.

“What is it with Southern casseroles and Mama’n’em?” writes Valerie Fraser Luesse in Southern Living. “It’s as if they’ve found a way to stir together love, concern, consolation, congratulations, comfort and joy — and then top it off with Ritz crackers and butter.”

But you don’t have to be a Southerner to love casseroles; they have global appeal.

“Casserole” is from a French word meaning “sauce pan,” a deep dish used for cooking and serving. It’s derived from the French word “cassa” and the Latin word “cattia,” both meaning “ladle.”

Casseroles are a hit any time of year, but home cooks are even more motivated to find a crowdpleasing dish during the holidays.

Aiming for a special casserole, Lauren Weekley Tiller concocted the “Sugar Hill Strata,” made with her grandmother’s recipe and including cane syrup from the Davis Family Farm in Cairo, Georgia.

“They’ve been making their own cane syrup for four generations,” Tiller said.

Her dish is a French toast strata with a Southern twang and is both sweet and savory. And what better

time is there than the holidays to indulge in rich, sweet and savory flavors that taste like home?

Tiller turns out Southern-style staples from her food truck, called Ida-Belle’s Southern Kitchen, which operates in Havana and Tallahassee. The truck is named after Ida Belle Dassie, the housekeeper with whom Tiller grew up.

“She was family,” said Tiller, who lives in her childhood home in Havana, where she has 15 animals sharing 15 acres of land.

↑ Butternut Squash Casserole

from Katherine Quick

INGREDIENTS:

➸ 2 cups cooked, mashed butternut squash

➸ 3 eggs beaten

➸ 1 stick butter

➸ 1 cup milk

➸ 1 cup sugar

➸ Ritz crackers crumbled

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine all ingredients except the Ritz crackers. Pour into a flat baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45–60 minutes. Sprinkle crackers on top of the dish and dot with butter. Continue baking until butter is melted.

Tiller’s food truck meals include her fried chicken, pork chops, mac and cheese and pork stew. She also offers take-and-bake dishes that customers can reheat at home.

Pensacola resident Penni Dougherty’s sweet potato casserole is a familiar friend at the holiday table.

“Special occasions are always made even more special when Mom makes her sweet potato casserole,” said Dougherty, whose Georgia roots run thick and deep. “It’s one of my favorite holiday foods, and I look forward to it every year.”

Jeff Harris’ holiday casserole game is strong with his oyster dressing. Made with fresh oysters, bread crumbs and copious amounts of butter, the added ingredient of Beau Monde seasoning gives it incredible flavor.

“I only make it once a year, during the holiday season, and it makes things so much more festive,” said Harris, coowner of Fort Walton Beachbased Run With It and a man whose background as a former restaurateur and caterer shines through in his culinary prowess. “I’d make it all the time, but that would make it less special and lessen the enjoyment.”

Katherine Quick, co-owner of Tallahassee’s K&R Hidden Farms, said one of her favorite recipes for traditional holiday dishes comes from a friend. Even better, she can pluck the main ingredient right from her farm.

“We enjoy living off the land as much as possible,” said Quick. “We use our fresh butternut squash for the casserole, and it’s always a family favorite.” EC

Liesel Schmidt contributed to this story.

PHOTOS BY DAVE BARFIELD (SUGAR HILL STRATA) AND JENNIFER EKRUT (CASSEROLE) AND KARANDAEV / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS (APPLES)

← Food truck owner Lauren Weekley Tiller whipped up her favorite casserole at the Prepared Table, a Tallahassee kitchenware shop. The key ingredient: cane syrup and custard, made from a family recipe.

← Sugar

Hill Strata

from Lauren Weekley Tiller

INGREDIENTS:

➸ 1 French baguette loaf, cubed

➸ 8 eggs

➸ 1½ cups buttermilk

➸ ¼ cup Davis Family Cane Syrup (or other cane syrup)

➸ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

➸ 1 teaspoon cinnamon

➸ ½ teaspoon nutmeg

➸ 2 Granny Smith apples, cubed

➸ 1 pound of smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled or substitute cooked ground sausage

➸ ¼ cup brown sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

Coat a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish with butter or cooking spray and set aside. Cut the baguette into ½-inch cubes and spread evenly along the bottom of the dish. In a large bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, cane syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, apples and bacon (or sausage).

Mix well and pour over bread, covering with plastic wrap and pressing lightly to ensure the egg mixture is absorbed. Refrigerate for two hours or overnight before baking. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bake for 45 minutes or until eggs are no longer runny. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with brown sugar and let stand for 15 minutes. Top with a drizzle of custard, and serve immediately.

INGREDIENTS FOR

CUSTARD SAUCE:

➸ 2 eggs

➸ 1½ cups sugar

➸ 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk

➸ 1 can of whole milk (after pouring out the evaporated milk, fill the same can with whole milk)

➸ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

CUSTARD INSTRUCTIONS:

Cook ingredients over low heat, constantly whisking to ensure even distribution of egg yolks until thickened. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

DINING OUT

A PRODUCT OF PASSIONS

The Grand Marlin was born at sea

by CARRIE HONAKER

Apowerful, majestic blue marlin greyhounding across the water’s surface, battling to escape a fisherman’s line — it is the scene that inspired a Pulitzer Prize-winning tale, The Old Man and the Sea, published in 1952 and written by Ernest Hemingway, a big-game fisherman, himself.

Decades later, a 2008 billfishing adventure off of St. Thomas inspired the award-winning Grand Marlin restaurant. The friends who joined in the trip share a passion for fresh seafood, the open sea and carefree Caribbean living, and in 2010, they opened the restaurant’s doors.

Fresh seafood from the Gulf, 360-degree water views and a spectacular 1,228.5-pound blue marlin hanging in

the dining room are this tale’s headliners, but there are many details as to how it all began. Figuring prominently in the narrative are executive chef/operating partner Gregg McCarthy and president/ operating partner Bryan Housley, who dreamed for a decade of opening a restaurant together before they made it a reality.

The pair used to meet at Ray’s on the River in Atlanta most every day for lunch. McCarthy and Housley were impressed by the restaurant’s dedication to quality food and excellent service.

“They had land in Pensacola and offered to put a restaurant there to bring Bryan and me together. It took me 30 seconds to agree,” McCarthy said.

Diners at The Grand Marlin in Pensacola Beach enjoy seating with a water view. Plans for the restaurant started to take shape when the partners in the business made a Hemingway-esque, Caribbean fishing trip for blue marlin.

Digging into menu creation and concept, McCarthy drew on influences from St. Thomas and from New Orleans, whose flair is evident in Pensacola’s architecture and lifestyle. But finding the freshest ingredients for every dish was paramount.

“If softshell crabs are not in season, we won’t serve them. We look locally for snapper, grouper, shrimp and all the Gulf offers. But when king salmon is running in Alaska or halibut on the East Coast, we want to offer them to our guests,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy and Housley wanted to offer an experience that is both upscale and casual.

“We didn’t want to be another place serving fried food. We wanted to utilize my talents with fresh fish, and different toppings you wouldn’t normally see on the beach, but still maintain that beachy feel,” McCarthy said.

A commitment to the highest quality ingredients and topnotch service with a laid-back Caribbean vibe keeps the seats full at The Grand Marlin. One dish, the grouper piccata, has its own fanbase.

“I’m famous for saying we’ve sold enough grouper alone that it’s probably paid for our building,” McCarthy said. “We pan-sear it with browned butter and crispy capers we’ve dropped in the fryer. I could stand there and eat an entire jar of those capers — they’re crunchy, somewhat buttery, with that fried popcorn flavor.”

But when McCarthy comes for dinner, he opts for the special of the night.

↗ President/operating partner Bryan Housley and executive chef/operating partner Gregg McCarthy → Top, from left: Seafood Gumbo, Crispy Lobster Fingers, Grouper Piccata. Bottom, from left: Loved & Rubbed Scottish Salmon, The Grand Marlin Chicken & Dumplings.

“Whatever’s running out there, whatever the fisherman says we should be serving, that’s what I order,” he said. “We just did a dish with Florida rock shrimp, which I absolutely love. The radiatori (pasta shaped like a radiator) comes dressed in a light pesto cream, tossed with fresh vegetables, and the rock shrimp — so delicious!”

As the seasons change, so does the menu, but favorites like the grouper and seafood gumbo with its dark, smoky roux maintain their positions as staples. And if you’re not in the mood for seafood, the chicken and dumplings with roasted baby carrots, caramelized cipollini onions and pillowy ricotta gnocchi makes for a delicious alternative.

An 80-plus-bottle wine list lends plenty of options for pairing, and islandinspired cocktails from the bar are made for tropical toasts raised by diners celebrating another cotton-candy sunset over Pensacola Bay.

A second Grand Marlin restaurant is located in Panama City Beach; that one is on the water, too. It overlooks Grand Lagoon. EC

HOURS OF OPERATION

The Grand Marlin has locations in Pensacola Beach and Panama City Beach and is open for dinners and Sunday brunch. The North Drop Bar is located on the second floor at the Pensacola Beach location. More information, including menu and prices, is available at TheGrandMarlin.com.

↙ The Grand Marlin Grouper  Piccata

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

Parmesan Crust

➸ ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs

➸ ¼ cup grated parmesan

➸ 1 teaspoon Italian parsley, chopped

➸ ½ teaspoon granulated garlic

➸ ½ teaspoon kosher salt

➸ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Grouper Piccata

➸ Four, 6-to-8-ounce grouper filets

➸ Salt and freshly ground black pepper

➸ 1 cup all-purpose flour

➸ 2 eggs, lightly beaten ➸ 2 cups parmesan crust (see above)

➸ 4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

➸ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

➸ 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

➸ 2 tablespoons drained brined capers, minced

➸ 4 teaspoons fried capers

➸ Lemon slices for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a stainless steel bowl, combine all the ingredients to make the parmesan crust.

2. Season both sides of the grouper with salt and black pepper. Place flour in a stainless steel bowl. Place eggs in a separate stainless steel bowl. Dip the grouper filets first in flour, then in the egg and then into the parmesan crust mixture.

3. Over medium heat, pour about 1/3 cup of oil into a non-stick skillet, add the breaded grouper filets to the pan and cook 3 minutes on the first side (until golden brown) then carefully turn to the other side and cook for another 3 minutes.

TIP: If the grouper is very thick, you can have them butterflied to flatten them out for more even cooking, or place them in a 350-degree oven to finish. Cook until the fish is at about 135 degrees. They will be just cooked with a moist translucent texture. Do not overcook as it will be dry and tasteless.

4. Remove the grouper from the pan, and add in the butter. Heat until the butter begins to brown.

5. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, chopped parsley and capers. Pour sauce over fish and serve. Garnish with lemon slices.

↑ Grand Marlin executive chef/operating partner Gregg McCarthy delivers a Loved & Rubbed Scottish Salmon dish from his kitchen. The restaurant’s menu experiences seasonal changes, all part of an effort to furnish diners with the freshest ingredients possible.

Grouper Piccata

South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival

Support children’s charities while living the good life

Wine has a way of brightening even the sunniest of days. Each year, the South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival raises a glass to that sentiment.

The festival, which brings together winemakers, chefs, distillers and brewers for a weekend of wine tastings, education and entertainment, will be held for the 11th time next April 27–30 at the Grand Boulevard Town Center.

More than 600 wines will be poured, giving attendees the opportunity to taste, learn about and purchase regional, national and international vintages.

To complement the wines, the Savor South Walton Culinary Village will offer samples from the best restaurants in South Walton. Items are prepared to pair well with the wines that are poured. Additional food offerings are located throughout the festival.

A unique aspect of the festival is its Tasting Seminar Tent. Seminars presented by winemakers, distillers, chefs and well-

known personalities are both educational and enjoyable and provide insights into processes, flavor profiles and more.

The festival begins on Thursday with a Winemakers & Shakers event held at Wine World in Destin. Friday’s activities include a VIP Wine Tasting followed by the Craft Beer & Spirits Jam. The main events occur on Saturday and Sunday at the Grand Tasting.

Stacey Brady, executive director of South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival, advises festival-goers to look at the event program ahead of time and plot out the tents they most want to visit.

“Our wines are poured from around the world — beautiful pinots from Oregon, specialty cabernets and chardonnays from California, delicious Italian reds, subtle French wines that everyone loves and bold wines from South Africa and South America,” Brady said.

“Our goal is to present a world-class wine and food event that you might not be able to experience elsewhere in terms of the volume and types we pour,” Brady said.

The Minuty Rose tent, evoking the glamour and French Riviera lifestyle of St. Tropez, will be back in 2023.

The festival is a fundraiser for the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, which benefits over a dozen children’s charities in Northwest Florida. The 2022 event raised $40,000, a record amount.

“Since the start, we have made it our mission to be charitable, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to see how much we’ve raised, all while allowing attendees to enjoy the good life, discovering great wines and delicious local food,” Brady said.

ENTREPRENEURS IN BLACK SHEEP’S CLOTHING

Smooth operators are bending tequila’s story toward cool

by WYNN PARKS

Until now, tequila’s zeitgeist was typified by an Eastwood-type character walking into a frontier saloon, growling impatiently as the barkeep pours him a shot of “cactus juice” — Salude! — and then permitting his face to shrink into a steely squint that says it all.

In 1974, amid growing national appreciation of its place as an international asset, “tequila” became Mexico’s intellectual property. The mountainous state of Jalisco was established as the only source in the world for true tequila. Anything made from blue agave grown in any place other than Jalisco should be called Mezcal. (The French had already made such claims stick for champagne.)

The makers of Black Sheep, a new tequila on the fashion runway, aim to make their product an affluent asset, that is, a status symbol appealing to dewy-eyed maidens in floppy sun hats and gossamer, flowing beachwear, dogged by fun-in-thesun beaus all living Club Med style.

The way Mark Bailey, the affable CEO at Black Sheep Tequila tells it, gentrifying tequila has been an entrepreneurial obsession for all concerned, interspersed with rewards like its debut with Emeril Lagasse in 2020.

Back in Y2K, Bailey and some American buddies vacationing in Arandas, Mexico, came to the shared realization that they were a company of black sheep. Under

PERFECTION

According to CEO Mark Bailey, an intentional effort to elevate the status of tequila to something more than cactus juice unites everyone involved.

the circumstances, what guy doesn’t fancy himself one of the Wild Bunch? Right?

But they were incorrigible, and three of the caballeros — Mark Bailey, Jason Charles and a Mexican associate — banded together and resolved to create a tequila in their own image. They’d call it Black Sheep Tequila!

Within a couple of years, the Black Sheep had established a 1,600-acre blue agave farm in the Jalisco highlands. A local grower was engaged to cultivate the agave and see to the harvesting of the 7to 10-year-old plants. Doing so involves removing spiky leaves, revealing a watermelon-sized, pineapple-like pinya. The pinyas go to a distillery to be cooked, mashed, fermented and distilled, often in old-timey pot stills. Black Sheep

→ Jason Charles; a Mexican associate, Rodolfo; Mark Bailey and Blake Svoboda, pictured left to right, gathered in San Agustin in the Jalisco highlands of Mexico. In photo, below, the group is surrounded by the mountains of Los Altos, Jalisco.

↗ AN OBSESSION WITH

styles itself as a single-estate operation — farm to bottle.

Bailey must have a gray hair or two, but his buzz cut is so short it’s hard to tell. He regards himself as an up-by-the-bootstraps man and is a North Carolina Tar Heel, long assimilated in the Panhandle as his Miramar mansion attests. In a recent meeting, he introduced his colleague, partner/owner Blake Svoboda, a “Show Me State” boy with a wary manner. He holds a business degree from Mizzou, but when he visited Northwest Florida, he decided not to go back.

“There’s no hangover with tequila,” Bailey said.

By the looks of it, the Black Sheep boys are making a franchise of it. Along with recruiting members to an exclusive Black Sheep Club and selling brand merchandise, it produces six grades of Black Sheep tequila from Blanco, basically an agave aquavit, clear and un-aged, all the way up to 15-year-old anejos, aged in American charred-oak whiskey barrels. The latter is said to put the anejo in the flavor realm of a smooth bourbon and will run you about $8.50 a shot — at home.

As spokesmen for the brand, both Bailey and Svoboda express the company’s commitment to following traditional techniques — except for maybe the whiskey barrels, which Black Sheep advertisements justify as an “Old World approach.” It may be that Black Sheep is following the very steps that made Jose Cuervo the “Tequila Patrone” in 1795.

“Ours is the purest tequila in the world. Our anejo (aged) class won best in show and class at the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.” He pauses, then, clinches it, like a nail: “It tastes good. It’s organic.”

↓ WHERE TO BUY?

Coincidentally, around 2000, sales of traditional spirits like bourbon and cognac were slumping. Venture connoisseurs homed in on hitherto party shots and Sergio Leone-ish tequila. Over the past decade, that once humble libation has grown to be the darling of celebrity entrepreneurs like George Clooney, Toby Keith and native Jaliscano Carlos Santana.

If one wants to get really anejo about it, there were the Spanish monks with their homemade stills, and before that, the Aztec tale of maguey and Quetzalcoatl, which holds that agave (and pulque beer) came into the world out of a failed romance. A mythic boy loses a mythic girl, so the legend goes, and mourns inconsolably until, in pity, other gods give him agave and fermented agave nectar to comfort him in his loss.

This writer’s consideration of Black Sheep Tequila, LLC, isn’t meant to be a nose and palate piece, but more a consideration of what’s cool and who we want to be as we slug down, or sip up, our tequila. Is Black Sheep good tequila? I would suppose it is. Look at all the awards! But to be truthful, nobody’s ever invited the writer out for a drink. Maybe they were afraid he’d growl! EC

Café Thirty-A

Hailing from Alabama, Harriet Crommelin, the owner of Café Thirty-A, believes in the power of Southern hospitality. When you visit the restaurant, you are in many ways entering a home fashioned in the Old Florida style.

Crommelin has always enjoyed cooking and hosting. While she studied Spanish in college, one night she found herself talking with friends who wanted to open a restaurant. That night, Crommelin realized that was something she would be good at.

For 13 years, Crommelin and her friend Kathy operated Kat and Harri’s in Montgomery, Alabama, before Crommelin decided to set out on her own venture, opening Café Thirty-A in Seagrove Beach in 1995.

“It’s a place of casual elegance,” Crommelin said. “It’s comfortable, like you’ve been invited to a friend’s house for a dinner party.”

An abundance of windows let in natural light and scenic views of Seagrove Beach. The mostly white interior makes the space all the more

open and airy. Accents of ocean blues and greens alongside artwork add dashes of color.

The location and interior design are among the reasons the restaurant is often used for private events. Contemporary, eclectic menu items stand out when presented on white tablecloths and plates.

Popular dishes include Maine Lobster in Paradise, Sesame Crusted Bluefin, Grilled Filet Mignon, Grilled Georgia Quail and Jumbo Lump Crab Cake. The restaurant offers a vast assortment of spirits and wines.

With hospitality at the forefront, Crommelin takes pride in her staff members. All are excellent listeners and well-versed in the menu, often providing recommendations and pairings.

“It’s all about the experience of upscale food and atmosphere but with touches that feel like home,” Crommelin said.

Restaurant Spotlight

PHOTOS BY COLLEEN DUFFLEY

Emerald Coast Catering & Gourmet To Go

Whether you are gathering the family for a weeknight meal or are seated in a banquet hall among friends, food is the centerpiece. For 18 years, Emerald Coast Catering has filled tables for all of life’s small and grand moments.

Owner and chef Gary Serafin has been in the business of food for more than 40 years, having owned Jamie’s Wine Bar and Restaurant in Pensacola. In 2004, he transitioned to catering.

Serafin and his staff have catered everything from corporate Christmas parties to private wine dinners. The most requested events and what has become their specialty are weddings. His team offers couples a wide variety of curated menus to align with any style, size and flavor profile they desire. From a crawfish boil at the welcome party to an Italian meal at the reception and a Southernstyle breakfast buffet at the farewell brunch, Serafin and company can help

you create menus for each wedding weekend event.

In 2020, the company had to rethink its business model to stay relevant during a time in which few weddings were held.

Gourmet To Go began with Serafin taking pre-made meals to local farmers markets. Their popularity quickly led to Serafin creating a list of entrees, sides, soups, desserts and wines that customers could pick up at their storefront or order online.

“We were filling a gap during a time when people wanted the gourmet experience of a restaurant but in their home,” Serafin said. “Our gourmet-to-go options have remained popular, especially for those who are vacationing and want quality food from the comfort of their beach home without cooking.”

The meals are prepared fresh with the best ingredients available. Standout gourmet-to-go options that can be ordered online or by phone include threecheese lasagna, pork tenderloin with

blackberry glaze, market street meatloaf, their signature gumbo and bread pudding with bourbon sauce.

With expanded services, Emerald Coast Catering & Gourmet To Go is enjoying a growing customer base while gaining a reputation for quality ingredients, creative menus and a staff that puts the customer first.

Catering Spotlight

The Spirit of

GIVING

Inherent in people may be impulses toward compassion and charity, impulses that are activated more often than not by experiences and circumstances. On June 2, Lou Gehrig Day, I was moved to make a donation to the ALS Association, a nonprofit dedicated to finding a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the progressive neurodegenerative disease that ended the life of baseball’s Iron Horse. While I am a fan of baseball and a student of its history, my contribution was inspired only in part by a connection to the national pastime. It was triggered more so by an experience I had interviewing and writing about a man battling ALS. He told me he had never been a giver before he got to know others with the disease who are less fortunate than he — people without health insurance or nest eggs or supportive family. To those others, he began to give generously, and to me, he provided a powerful example. On the following pages, we profile a cross-section of nonprofits in an effort to inspire giving. The particular organizations described here may conform to your passions, or they may lead you to consider other causes that you would be comfortable supporting. The holidays can be a season of excess in a world full of exigencies. Why not give yourself the gift of the good feeling that comes with helping people you may never know?

—

Steve Bornhoft

BASINALLIANCE.ORG

PHOTO BY PURE 7 STUDIOS / RPI FILE PHOTO

Choctawhatchee

Basin Alliance

01

“FOR THE MOST part, it’s hard for people to imagine that what they have now, they won’t have always,” said Alison McDowell, the executive director of the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance.

Today, McDowell said, there is fairly good water quality along the Choctawhatchee River and Bay watershed, but the tipping point is always close at hand. Sedimentation and nutrient enrichment caused by erosion and development pose serious threats to marine life in a region that relies heavily on its waterways both economically and environmentally.

One prong of the CBA’s efforts is restoration. The alliance works to remove invasive species that choke out native seagrasses and oyster beds, two of the primary building blocks of the bay’s food web. This year, McDowell said, has been the biggest yet for developing living shorelines, a natural alternative to seawalls or revetments that leverages oyster beds and salt marshes to decrease erosion and improve water quality.

“One adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day, so we create habitats for oysters to settle on,” McDowell said. “We are hoping to create water clarity, but the reef itself is a great refuge habitat and feeding habitat for all types of critters, including redfish. The angler community likes that. When they see us out working, they drive by and say, ‘Keep it up!’”

The CBA is also active in the school system at all age levels with educational courses like Grasses for Classes and Dunes in Schools. Through these courses, students learn about the Choctawhatchee Bay estuary and grow seagrasses or sea oats throughout the year. By the end of the school year, the CBA takes the classes out to one of its restoration sites where they take a hands-on role in planting their grasses and restoring the ecosystem.

“It’s a long game,” McDowell said. “We are trying to grow the next generation of stewards and foster the next generation of environmental stewardship, but it is also a short game because we put them to work restoring habitat right away. We appreciate their help.”

EMERALD COAST THEATRE COMPANY 02

WHEN NATHANAEL AND ANNA FISHER FINISHED their graduate studies and moved back to Destin, they weren’t sure what the future would hold, but they knew they wanted to be a part of the arts. During their search for work, the Fishers noted a gap.

“There were no opportunities we could find in Okaloosa or Walton counties for elementary school kids to get involved in theater,” Nathanael said. “In Okaloosa County, there was only one middle school that offered a theater program. In Walton County, there was none, so most kids had to wait until high school to get involved in theater.”

In 2012, the Fishers started the Emerald Coast Theatre Company with the aim of bringing professional entertainment and accessible theater education to Okaloosa and Walton counties. In addition to its professional performances, ECTC puts on regular performances for area schools and offers

classes on the various aspects of musical theater for children ages 5 through high school on a trimester basis. At the end of each trimester, each age group puts on a performance at the theater.

“Kids blossom in theater,” Nathanael said. “They learn the practice of memorization and cooperation. It’s like a big group project. When you do a play and learn to see the world through a character’s eyes, you also learn to see the world through other people’s eyes. It elicits empathy. There are so many educational and emotional and mental benefits to being involved in theater.”

Several years ago, the ECTC board got together to establish a scholarship fund to ensure that any child with an interest in the theater could get involved regardless of financial circumstances. ECTC gave away more than $16,000 in scholarships in 2022, allowing individual children to take classes and area Title 1 schools to attend shows free of charge.

Bay County Council on Aging 03

THE BAY COUNTY COUNCIL ON Aging works to ensure that older adults never have to go hungry. As the county’s lead agency for senior services for more than 50 years, the BCCA offers in-home assistance, caregiver support, a respite center for adults who need hands-on care and feeding programs, including Meals on Wheels and congregate meal sites.

“Our board of directors has made feeding folks their primary goal, so no one is ever on a waiting list for that,” said BCCA Chief Operating Officer Andrea Marsh.

Qualifying homebound adults over 60 receive nutritional lunches daily through Meals on Wheels, but in recent years, BCCA has begun to deliver evening meals as well. According to Marsh, some who benefit from the program are near nutritional crisis by the time they are referred to BCCA. It was critical that BCCA take its service a step further.

“A lot of times, the volunteer who delivers that meal is the only person they see or talk to that

day,” Marsh said. “So although it is a nutrition program, and all the meals are approved by a registered dietician to meet a third of the daily requirements for senior adults, the visit is probably as important as the meal itself.”

BCCA’s three congregate meal sites serve the same dieticianapproved meals that are provided through Meals on Wheels and also offer games, speakers and social engagement.

BCCA addresses the needs of caregivers as well as older adults. Two support groups, one educational and one communal, allow caregivers to meet twice monthly to discuss challenges and learn about resources and strategies to cope with the stresses of caring for an aging loved one. BCCA’s Respite Center provides meals, programming and non-medical care to adults with memory disorders and other conditions that require roundthe-clock care, giving caregivers precious time to themselves during the week.

EMERALD COAST CHILDREN’S ADVOCACY CENTER

04

JULIE PORTERFIELD HAD A particularly troubling case in 1988. At that time, Porterfield was a children’s advocate for the State Attorney’s Office working on behalf of victims of abuse and neglect. She and her colleagues from law enforcement and the Department of Children and Families often saw children forced to tell harrowing stories again and again to unfamiliar people in often frightening environments. They determined that there had to be a better way to seek justice for these children.

Via interagency cooperation, the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center was formed, and Porterfield was named its director in 1999. Based on the national model for children’s advocacy centers, ECCAC provides a safe, central hub meant to minimize the number of times children have to tell their story and offers services to help them heal while seeking justice.

“When a child first comes into the center with their family, they have an advocate from the beginning of that case until the end, whatever that result may be,” Porterfield said. “Instead of having to figure out who to call with what agency, they just call their advocate.”

ECCAC has two locations, one in Niceville and the other in DeFuniak Springs. Each provides trained interviewers, medical exam rooms and free mental health therapy for as long as the child is in need. They also provide holiday parties, clothing closets and other material resources to families.

“Statistically, we know we see about a third of the children who need us, so in 2017, a group of us got together to think about how we could, number one, prevent abuse, but secondly how to identify children who need us but can’t find us,” Porterfield said.

This effort led ECCAC to launch Child Safety Matters, an in-school education program meant to empower children to protect themselves and provide the opportunity to safely disclose abusive situations.

UKRAINE from ESCAPE

Breakout of war interrupts an adventurer’s travels

story by HANNAH BURKE

His parents barely recognized him. His sandy hair, bleached by the sun and more than shoulder length, framed a full, bushy beard. His skin was darker than it had been, his limbs more sinewy and his eyes brighter.

For the returning Frank Eastham, years spent backpacking through Asia and hitchhiking and couch surfing his way across Eastern Europe had been the “best times of his life.”

He pulls out his phone and shares with me his passport photo in which he looks more than a little bit like Tom Hanks did at the end of Castaway Today, in a conference room at the Panama City Beach-based business incubator and co-working facility TechFarms, Eastham is clean-cut, fair and the picture of the mechanical engineer I’d expected to meet.

His story, he warns, is a long one and begins with a bad case of wanderlust.

After earning his mechanical engineering degree at Virginia Tech, Eastham, who grew up in Maryland, landed a civilian engineering job at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division. After eight years on the job, he abruptly quit.

“My life had been get good grades in high school, go to university, take on a tremendous debt, get a job, pay the debt down and dedicate your time to dealing with bureaucracy,” explained Eastham, now 36. “I enjoyed my job, but realized I had left little time for life, and I was in one big grind.”

Eastham had never left the United States but always considered himself an adventurous person. He asked himself, “Where’s my adventure?” About to turn 30, he felt some urgency about finding it.

DIRT BIKES AND FAIRIES

He calls his first destination the “digital nomad capital of the world.”

Chiang Mai, a small city tucked into the mountains of northern Thailand, was at the time of Eastham’s arrival in 2015 at the forefront of the remote working movement. He calls it the “digital nomad capital of the world.”

“I went there with the intention of finding a low cost of living, low obligations and devoting my free time to self-improvement,” Eastham said.

Most of the friends that Eastham would make there were from Canada. He began going to the gym every day, riding motorcycles and making a study of the investment business. He had money, which he had earned as a partner in developing a housing for GoPro cameras.

“After finding my footing, I was ready for the next thing,” Eastham said. “I backpacked throughout Southeast Asia, hitting Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia. My destinations were the unconventional. I wanted to go to places people thought you wouldn’t want to visit and see what we’re missing.”

Eastham indulged his curiosity about Russia and embarked on a two-month trip to St. Petersburg. He took side trips to Sochi, Moscow, and Tbilisi, Georgia.

But Cambodia beckoned. He moved into a co-working and shared living space in Siem Reap, home to the Angkor Wat Hindu-Buddhist temples and expatriates living frugally. Go there, and it’s like traveling 2,000 years into the past.

S I B E R I A M

“One of my dreams was a motorcycle trip to nowhere,” Eastham said. “While I was in Cambodia, I rode around for two weeks on this old 1993 dirt bike. You can’t get proper parts for it, so I’d be in hotels making my own, fixing the carburetor, just experiencing the ultimate freedom. The next morning, I’d get on my bike and

← Frank Eastham explored Northern Thailand on a motorcycle in 2016. He visited the city of Chiang Mai, then at the forefront of (truly) remote working.

CHIANG MAI

KYIV

MOSCOW

ST. PETERSBURG LVIV SOCHI

TSIBLISI

KRASNOYARSK BLACK SEA

Lake Baikal

BAY

TUVA REPUBLIC

SIEM REAP

← From top: In 2017, Eastham traveled by train for two months in Russia, going from St. Petersburg to Sochi via train and stopping along the way at St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow; for two weeks, he toured Cambodia by himself on a motorcycle, visiting regions without paved roads; he and a friend, Igor, hitchhiked across Siberia, at one point looking for a lift to Abakan.

think, ‘I wonder where I’m going to go today?’”

Eastham had fully entered adventure mode. A man he had met in Russia asked if he would be interested in hitchhiking across Siberia (in the summer), and Eastham immediately said, “Sure!”

The Russian man, Igor, is from Norilsk, the northernmost city in the world. He is an expert on traveling for free, and Eastham agreed to join him on a two-month-long trek.

Departing Krasnoyarsk, the pair caught rides, crashed on couches in remote villages and camped when necessary on their way east.

One of their most memorable stops was Lake Baikal, a primeval rift lake that is more than 5,000 feet deep. Eastham describes it as a liminal space somewhere between Russia and Tolkien’s Middle Earth. Log cabins dot

the lake’s banks, which are populated by cedars, firs and spruce, and the air is infused with magic.

“If you were to see a fairy float by, you’d just be like, ‘Yeah, that tracks,’” Eastham said.

The friends dipped south to Mongolia, where they stayed in traditional yurts in nomadic farming villages. Eastham said the people there were among the happiest he’s met. There, he hopped on a dirt bike and helped his host family’s 12-year-old daughter herd thousands of sheep and goats.

The pair next traveled to the Tuva Republic in southern Siberia — despite a Russian girl’s warning that they would be killed there. Eastham said the tribes of Tuva are ethnically similar to Mongolians but have their own language.

→ From top: A warm, hospitable family befriended Eastham and his friend Igor, picking them up in the Tuva Republic in Russia; on a hot and sunny day in Mongolia, Eastham and Igor found shade between two homes and were joined by a Mongolian girl, Nandia, who carried them to a remote region where her family lives; Eastham, while studying Russian at the University of Krasnodar, delivered a presentation; in Ukraine, Eastham recruited employees for a software development business, Teknika, which is based in Panama City Beach.

“Apparently, Tuvans aren’t crazy about white people,” he said. “But we went, and it was fine and beautiful, like the Colorado Rocky Mountains. I started to think, ‘Wow, I’m probably the only American who’s ever dared come here.’”

Well, maybe the second. A Tuvan who gave Eastham and Igor a ride told them about an American named Shawn who had settled in Tuva 20 years earlier. He fell in love with a Tuvan girl, became a father several times and mastered the Tuvan language to the point where he now teaches it.

“What’s funny is a van full of his family ended up giving us a ride out of Tuva,” Eastham said. “His wife and kids were in the car, but he was not. One day, I’ll meet him.”

THEN CAME WAR

By the end of his Siberian summer, Eastham realized he needed to reintegrate into society. He wound up back in Chiang Mai, and it was at about that time Eastham received a “fateful” call from TechFarms founder and CEO Steve Millaway. The two had known each other since Eastham’s time at the Navy base, and Millaway was curious about his adventures.

CHIANG MAI

KRASNOYARSK

Lake Baikal

Gulf of Thailand

SOUTH CHINA SEA BAY OF BENGAL

TUVA REPUBLIC

SIEM REAP Malaysia Vietnam Thailand Laos Cambodia

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FRANK EASTHAM

“He suggested there were opportunities for hiring software developers in Eastern Europe,” Eastham said. “To his thinking, Ukraine was a resource. I’d always wanted to visit Ukraine, and I’ve always admired Steve. He has good business sense, and if he thinks it’s a good opportunity, it must be.”

Two weeks later, Eastham was on a plane to Ukraine. He met with developers and soon connected with Shawn Hoffman, who would join Millaway and Eastham in establishing a software development company, Teknika.

Comprising 30 employees in the United States and across Eastern Europe, Teknika develops mobile apps, web applications and custom software. Bolstered by developers in Kyiv, Teknika took off in 2019, and the next three years, Eastham said, have been “busy.”

Eastham fell in love with a Ukrainian woman, Jenya. They married and soon welcomed a daughter, Kira. Eastham said Teknika survived the COVID-19 lockdowns in good shape, and things were picking up again.

Then, war came.

“A lot of people thought it would be over in two days,” Eastham said. “I wasn’t that

worried about it. We lived in a totally civilian part of Kyiv and thought it would be a political thing, and life would go on. Then it started getting more serious.”

Eastham had applied for a marriage visa for Jenya six months earlier. When an invasion looked imminent, he contacted the U.S. embassy to expedite the visa so they could seek asylum in America. With one final appointment scheduled before the visa could be granted, U.S. embassy personnel left Ukraine.

“I had already prepared our apartment,” Eastham said. “We had a generator, food, water and I’d been stockpiling supplies just in case. One day, the war just sort of kicked off, and we thought we could ride it out. Plus, Jenya’s family and my employees were here, and there was this sense of not wanting to leave people behind.

“We were living on the edge. Foreigners in Ukraine began forming these groups on Telegram (a global instant messaging service) and exchanging rumors, information and planning where to meet if things went down. One morning, I woke up, read that the Belarus border has been crossed and start hearing explosions.”

← From top: Eastham spent time at elevation, high in the mountains of the Khakassia region of Russia where snow does not fully recede from mountaintops at any point during the year; in 2018, he lived in Krasnodar, Russia, where he enjoyed off-roading with friends in their UAZ, a Jeep-like vehicle; Eastham and his then future wife Jenya posed for a photo while on a bridge overlooking Kyiv, Ukraine.

Eastham said society began breaking down, and it became too dangerous to venture outside. A gunfight broke out at the metro station Eastham frequented. Police essentially stopped working as Territorial Defense Forces began patrolling the streets, and paranoia about infiltrators grew among Ukrainian citizens.

The same day Russia crossed the border, Eastham was infected with the COVID-19 virus.

“Right when I need to be ready for action, I’m down,” he said. “I thought if it got 30 percent worse, I’d need to go to the hospital. But the hospitals weren’t open, and most pharmacies were closed.”

When Eastham developed trouble breathing, he went looking for an asthma inhaler in hopes of dilating his airways. He kept his head down as he walked in search of an open pharmacy. Finding one, he waited in line as his phone pinged with Telegram

notifications about possible air strikes in Northern Kyiv — precisely where he was standing.

He felt the explosion before he could see it.

“Right down the street is this big, beautiful orthodox church, and you could see the explosion behind it,” Eastham recalled. “It felt apocalyptic, like something you’d see in a movie.”

Eastham made it home and hunkered down. Everyone he knows flooded his phone with concern, but it was safer to be inside than to be on the road.

“It’s kind of like a hurricane; you either evacuate before it comes, or you hunker down when it arrives,” he said.

With the help of his father-inlaw, Eastham and his family took a train to Lviv. A bus then transported them and other refugees to a spot two miles outside the Polish border, and Eastham walked the rest of the way with his wife and baby girl in the dead of night.

Thirty-two hours after they left their Kyiv apartment, they had a place to sleep in Poland.

When his wife’s visa was finally approved, Eastham moved his family into a rental home Steve Millaway had kept open for him in Panama City.

“Steve gave me a soft landing,” Eastham said. “I have a place to live, a place to work, but how many hundreds of thousands of people can’t say the same?”

Millaway’s drone company, AeroTech Corp., is currently manufacturing unmanned aircraft capable of detecting unexploded ordnance and land mines.

“My hope is that the drones take off, we get the funding we need and I get to go back to Ukraine to help with them,” said Eastham. “I have a whole life I left behind in Ukraine. The war doesn’t seem to be slowing down, and I do worry about the winter.

“I know it sounds bizarre saying I’m excited to go back, but you know what? It’s another adventure.” EC

↖ Clockwise from top left: In the course of a 32-hour ordeal, Eastham, his wife Jenya and their daughter Kira made their way from Ukraine to Poland following attacks on Ukraine by Russia; Eastham and family at his place of work in Panama City Beach; Eastham took this photo of Ukrainian refugees arriving at the Polish border moments after crossing the border, himself.

PHOTO BY MIKE FENDER (EASTHAM AND FAMILY) AND COURTESY OF FRANK EASTHAM

Old Florida Soul on 30 A

Old Florida Soul on 30 A

Outdoor and indoor waterfront dining overlooking Eastern Lake and the Gulf Gulf-to-table seafood | Award-winning sushi

Live music nightly, including dueling pianos most Wednesdays through Saturdays Happy hour daily 11 a.m.–4 p.m.

MICHAEL L. YANDEL, MD, FACC, FSCAI Interventional Cardiologist

JUAN C. ZARATE, MD, FACC, FSCAI Interventional Cardiologist

ANTHONY S. AL-DEHNEH, DO, FACC, FSCAI Interventional Cardiologist

GEORGE A. YOUSSEF, MD, FACC, FSCAI Interventional Cardiologist

SHADY HENIEN, MD, MBA, FACC, FSCAI Interventional Cardiologist

ANGEL D. MORROBEL, MD, FACC Invasive Cardiologist

AJIT H. JANARDHAN, MD, PhD, FACC, FHRS Cardiac Electrophysiology

IAN L. WEISBERG, MD, FACC, FHRS, Cardiac Electrophysiology

Best Cardiologist

PROVIDING

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Diagnostic coronary angiogram | Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) with coronary stents

High risk PCI with Impella and intravascular lithotripsy balloon | Stress tests | Nuclear cardiology

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Transcatheter mitral valve replacement | Tranacatheter mitral valve edge-to-edge repair (i.e. MitraClip)

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) | Watchman for stroke reduction risk

Atrial septal defect (ASD) closure | Patent forman ovale (PFO) closure

PERIPHERAL & ENDOVASCULAR

Carotid angiogram and stents | Peripheral stents in leg vasculature

Aneurysm repair | Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for abdominal aortic aneurysm

For Elena Filshtinska, art stirs emotions

by EVGENIYA STETSENKO

↗ ARTIST AT REST Elena Filshtinska, even when she appears to relax, is never far removed from inspiration. Her preferred genre is fantasy art.

photography

An artist may draw inspiration from many sources. Elena Filshtinska’s art reflects her heritage.

Born in Novokuznetsk, Siberia, and raised in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Filshtinska’s influences include art from those two regions that predates the formation of the Soviet Union. She incorporates elements from the natural world and yields to the power of dance and music in pursuing her primary genre, fantasy art.

Recently, she and her husband David Burwell moved to Northwest Florida, where Filshtinska has discovered a liking for walking on the beach and exploring state parks.

“You must be in a place where you can relax and enjoy yourself to find inspiration,” Filshtinska said. “It’s almost a meditative state.”

Artists, Filshtinska said, accumulate joy that they then pour into their work. She has been painting familiar subjects — marinas and sailboats — in coastal colors but adding unique touches of “poetic fantasy.”

↗ Filshtinska got in line twice when talents were handed out. She is an accomplished pianist and artist.

↑ Elena Filshtinska, with a nod toward Russian and Ukrainian folk art, paints on trays and plates, often incorporating elements from literature and fairytales. This piece is titled Evening Gathering in the Village.

“Water has always inspired me and especially the ocean, its movements, and its moods,” Filshtinska said. “Now, my dream has come true. I live near the Gulf of Mexico, and I can see it every day, hear the gentle rustling of the palm trees in the wind, see the birds flying, watch the intricate patterns of the clouds — it all lends itself to an inexhaustible source of inspiration.”

Filshtinska studied piano as a child — finishing music school at 13 and continuing to play after graduating college with a degree in engineering — and developed her skills as an artist by copying portraits by Rafael and Leonardo da Vinci.

For years, Filshtinska led art and music classes, but after arriving in the United States in 2000 with her teenage son, she shifted her focus to drawing and painting.

↑ Painting at top (with red wading bird) is called Ready to Fly and measures 24 by 30 inches. Painting, above, with the whimsical dancer, is titled Unity. At left, Filshtinska works to add detail to a painting that she is calling Magic Land. She likes to combine natural and fantastic elements. Unity and Magic Land both measure 30 by 40 inches.

expression

MORE TO SEE

In the tradition of Russian and Ukrainian folk art, Filshtinska painted on trays and plates, often including elements from literature, music and fairytales. Her fondness for abstract, magical art grew.

“Dance as a means of expressing emotions through movement always had a huge influence on me,” Filshtinska said. In addition, she has found that art encourages and sometimes enables people to speak to their emotions.

Filshtinska works in oils, acrylics, watercolors and pastels. She achieved notoriety first for her use of color and detail in Russian Palekh and Zhostovo styles. She has been recognized for her contributions to local arts communities in the United States, Ukraine, Germany, Mexico, Taiwan, Japan and Australia.

Filshtinska and her husband live in Fort Walton Beach. Burwell provides her with marketing and public relations support.

“I want to share the energy that I feel with the rest of the world,” Filshtinska said, “and help people feel the movement through color.” EC

↑ Seated at her piano, Filshtinska faces paintings including a large piece titled Day Break

← Elena Filshtinska and her husband David Burwell at their home in Fort Walton Beach.

Works by Elena Filshtinska are on display at locations including Fort Walton Beach City Hall, HH Arts in Fort Walton Beach and the J. Leon Gallery and Studio in Miramar Beach. Learn more about the artist at ElenaFilshtinska.com.

Emerald Coast Theatre Company Set to Stage a Musical and a Comedy

This winter, the Emerald Coast Theatre Company will present two theatrical performances new to its stage.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical is as an adaptation of Barbara Robinson’s children’s story published in 1971. The story revolves around the incorrigible Herdman children, who intend to star in their church’s Christmas pageant. The pageant turns to shambles for a time, but director Grace Bradley gives the siblings a chance to do better, ultimately teaching all the true meaning of the Christmas season.

The buoyant musical provides laughs and warmth in equal measure. The ECTC cast, along with members of the Junior Company, will be the first in the region to perform the show, which was written by Jahnna Beecham and Malcolm Hillgartener and debuted in 2016 at the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The run of the show extends from Dec. 8–18 and includes a Wednesday, Dec. 14, performance at 2:30 p.m.; Thursday–Saturday shows at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday shows at 2:30 p.m. and a school field trip showing on Dec. 15 at 9:30 a.m.

The Odd Couple , written by the great American playwright Neil Simon, will take center stage from Jan. 20–29. The story involves Oscar, a relative slob, and his friend Felix, a neat freak. When they improbably decide to become roommates, their life together soon spirals into comedic chaos.

The play formed the basis for a television series in the 1970s featuring actors Jack Klugman and Tony Randall.

Nathanael Fisher, the producing artistic director at ECTC, will play the role of Oscar alongside his longtime friend and co-worker Jason Hedden, a founding board member and the board president at ECTC.

Fisher and Hedden starred in a comedy in February 2021, and when a patron

commented that the two should consider putting on The Odd Couple together, they embraced the idea.

“The show is sure to provide many good laughs,” Fisher said.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER

THE ODD COUPLE

A Conversation with the Conductor

Demetrius Fuller Gives His Take on Sinfonia Gulf Coast’s 17th Season

Curating a season that “sings” is an artform and Sinfonia Music & Artistic Director Demetrius Fuller is pitch perfect for the 17th year. With celebrity appearances, classical connections and innovative debuts, this year’s offerings redefine the symphony experience and offer something for everyone. We sat down with maestro Fuller to get his take on Season 17’s winter offerings.

Holiday Pops is a tradition, but you always put a twist on it. What can we expect on Dec. 9?

DF: Yes, this year, we “doowopify” our Holiday Pops with the Doo Wop Project. Doo Wop is just a great art form. It is as much an American musical staple as jazz, and rock and roll. They will perform everybody's favorite holiday tunes but will also take pop songs and a handful of popular tunes

and “doowopify” them. Plus, the full orchestra will play favorites like Stille Nacht and more, so it will be a great seasonal concert.

January 21 audiences can enjoy a Southwest U.S. premier with

Get Happy: A Judy Garland Centennial Celebration.

DF: Who doesn't love the legend, Judy Garland? This is a great production

because it showcases the string section of the orchestra and a jazz band along with classically trained vocalist, Broadway veteran and recording artist Morgan James. You will feel as though you are seeing Judy Garland singing live with the orchestra. There’s a multimedia component that showcases vintage footage of The Judy Garland Show with tons of outtakes with Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra that make an entertaining trip down memory lane.

February 24 and 26 you celebrate the Season of Love with Crescendo! 2023. What’s in store for this year’s event extravaganza?

DF: This is our biggest “fun-raiser” of the year and has become known as the mustnot-miss event of the social season. We kick off the event with a seated lunch at Bijoux Restaurant + Spirits January 26. The two-day celebration begins on Friday with a series of intimate Vintner Dinners showcasing celebrity winemakers and chefs. On Sunday, the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa will transform into a chic, ebony and ivory-themed fête we’re calling Crescendo! noir (et blanc). The Main Event on Sunday afternoon is a festive affair that features world-class vintners and spirit purveyors, delicious bites, a seated lunch, an amazing silent and live auction, party games, and, of course, live entertainment!

At the heart of Sinfonia’s mission is music education. Tell us more. DF: Our mission states that we “entertain, educate, inspire the community” and we aim to do that with everything we do. Education is the centerpiece of Sinfonia. It was founded not only for its entertainment value, but for the fact that Northwest Florida needed an organization that could be the proponent for arts education in schools, specifically music education.

↙

Gas fireplace styles have trended toward long and slim. They don’t produce ashes or smoke and lend themselves to remotecontrol operation.

Fireplaces are inviting and purposeful. They not only keep us warm on chilly evenings but become a natural focal point in any room. With numerous types of fireplaces, it’s vital to assess your needs before purchasing a new one. Whether adding a fireplace to new construction or an existing house, the range of options is dazzling, trending from sleek, linear models to traditional mantel designs.

“You need to establish how you want to use the fireplace and what you expect from it,” advises Todd Pumphrey, president of Hearth & Fireplace Creations in Valparaiso. “For example, depending on where you live, you may want a fireplace more for its looks than whatever heat it may produce. And, of course, you must consider costs, maintenance and above all, whether you want to go with wood, gas or electric.”

GAS FIREPLACES

If you’re looking for a fireplace that involves minimal mess, a gas type could be just the ticket. It doesn’t produce smoke or ash and includes convenient features such as remote-control operation, a timer and a thermostat. Some can even connect to Wi-Fi, so you can start the heating on your commute home from the office and walk into a perfectly heated home.

Both Pumphrey and Peter Horn, owner of Artisan of Seagrove Beach in Valparaiso, say that gas fireplaces are the overwhelming choice in Northern Florida. Styles include long and slim modern designs. However, if traditional is more your style, a gas fireplace fits well into a classic mantel. For both options, you’ll need access to natural or bottled gas.

There are different ways to vent a gas fireplace, explains Horn. Flues can run up, down or sideways, which makes these fireplaces suitable for most property types, including apartments and townhouses. Vent-free gas fireplaces are also available. They are highly heatefficient, but Horn warns that they can produce an odor that some people might object to.

There are many different sizes and looks of gas logs, so Pumphrey suggests that interested buyers see them switched on before purchasing.

WOOD-BURNING FIREPLACES

It’s hard to beat a wood-burning fireplace. The flickering flames are amorous, and a natural fire is perfect for roasting marshmallows. However, it requires a fair amount of work and maintenance,

←→ For some, a gas or electric fireplace is to a wood-burner as a wave pool is to the Gulf of Mexico. Make your own firewood, the saying goes, and you will be warmed twice. ↙ Electric fireplaces have unique advantages — they don’t require a flue and they are highly portable. Their popularity has spiked recently.

including gathering wood logs, lighting the fire, cleaning out ash and chimney sweeping.

There are built-in types with intricate masonry, modular masonry and zero-clearance models. Zeroclearance designs are premanufactured models that can be installed directly against combustible materials, including wood and paneling. The latter is the most popular, notes Pumphrey, because it’s easy to install and requires less structural support.

In addition, free-standing fireplaces range from traditional, country-style stoves to sleek, contemporary designs, such as pod-styles, that serve as functional art. They can be installed in any room but should be mindfully kept away from kids and pets to avoid collisions or burns.

ELECTRIC FIREPLACES

Electric fireplaces are the ideal option if you don’t want the hassle of a flue and hope to take your fireplace with you should you move. Pumphrey says these designs have undergone vast improvements and look entirely different from a few years ago; they are a quantum leap from those made 20 years ago.

“They are so realistic that visitors to our showroom don’t realize they’re looking at an electric fireplace,” he says. “We typically have to point it out to them.”

Jack Goldman, CEO of the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA), agrees. “It’s no wonder electric fireplaces are trending,” he said. “They are gorgeous. You know those stunning, long horizontal fireplaces you often see in hotel lobbies? They’re now in living rooms, bedrooms and even bathrooms.” EC

MORE INFO

For more information, visit HPBA’s website to discover greater details about fireplaces, stoves and heater elements. The how-to resources page also informs visitors about wood and pellet tax credits, tips for installation and a long gallery of inspiration.

CulinaryRealizesCouple a Bayfront Dream Home

For James Briscione and Brooke Parkhurst, the kitchen came first

BY STEVEN GRAY

PHOTOGRAPHY

◄ Sitting on the balcony of the bay is this family’s favorite place to be. East Hill Building & Design constructed the home so the outdoors can be accessed from each level.

▼ It’s all about island life — the kitchen island that is. The kitchen is the home’s most frequented room with the island by Vermont Danby Quarry as its centerpiece for cooking and connecting with one another.

“We enjoy the process of creating together.”

For James Briscione and Brooke Parkhurst, an island came first in their thinking — a kitchen island where they could chop and mix ingredients for their latest culinary creations. It would be a place where guests would gather and kids would do homework, and it would provide the ideal vantage point for watching the Blue Angels streak across the sky.

Briscione is the executive chef and Parkhurst is the wine director at their restaurant, Angelena’s Ristorante Italiano in Pensacola. The couple has published four cookbooks together, and they regularly contribute content to The Food Network. Given their extensive backgrounds in the culinary realm, they made the kitchen the focal point of their home. It encompasses 60% of the main floor.

“Our lives and careers revolve around food, making the kitchen of our dreams an essential feature of the home,” said Briscione.

Previously, the couple lived in apartments in New York City and Pensacola.

“We’ve built so many things together — a company, cookbooks, restaurants — and we knew building our first home would be no different,” Parkhurst said. “We enjoy the process of creating together.”

Together, they looked for an expert builder who would help them make decisions about

the house and could be relied upon to be a good communicator. They found one in East Hill Building & Design and its contractor Steven Shelley.

“We loved our builder because they made a process that could have been stressful, seamless and enjoyable,” Briscione said. “We talked with them every day and came to see the progress on the house almost every day. We cannot imagine what it would have been like to embark on this without East Hill Building & Design.”

The couple worked with Shelley, owner of East Hill Building & Design along with designer and owner of DUH for Garden and Home, Quinn Stinson, and trusted brands to make selections that were aesthetically pleasing as well as functional.

They hand-selected a 5-centimeter Olympian White Classico marble slab from Vermont Danby Quarry, one of the largest single slabs for a kitchen that the company has cut. Monogram appliances created a chef’s dream kitchen, from the brassaccented professional range to custom panel

▲ The couple created the kitchen of their dreams complete with custom mixed-metal Monogram appliances and custom Francois & Co. range hood, which is equal parts art and function. CDC Woodworking beautifully designed all of the cabinetry, keeping the pots and pans safely tucked away.

► The final touches of the scullery include a window treatment by McNeill Palm that serves fashion as well as function, merging seamlessly with the selected dark cabinets and stunning wall mural. McNeill Palm offers the full range of products to fit your space with an array of design and finer fabric choices.

As a wine expert, Parkhurst has the perfect palate pairing for the meal Briscione is serving the family during an al fresco meal on the patio.

▼ For a Florida home located near water, quality doors and windows were essential. Southeastern Sash & Door ensured the home’s safety with Windsor aluminum clad, Florida approved windows and doors.

▲ Quinn Stinson of DUH for Garden and Home visualized a living room space of serenity complimented by the eye-catching mantle by Francois & Co. and the floating shelves by CDC Woodworking.

► The bathroom is an oasis of calm and privacy.

McNeill Palm selected window treatments that allow for privacy through sheer panels that beautifully diffuse sunlight and enhance the mood.

► Sleek sophistication has never looked so effortless. McNeill Palm added Hunter Douglas window coverings that are versatile and allow for expansive views or soft filtered light for this dining room space. The view through those very windows is what inspired the custom waterscape artwork by artist Sarah Otts.

▲ A grand entrance indeed. The home’s entryway features a statement-making spiral staircase and a wine wall that equates to art.

◄ The outdoor kitchen is a year-round hangout spot for the family with the grill from Bay Breeze Patio and a Monogram appliances minifridge as staples for these outdoor chefs.

“Seeing the process of building a home unfold was a unique and exciting experience that we couldn’t have done without the help of so many wonderful people.”

BEHIND THE SCENES

Builder

EAST HILL BUILDING & DESIGN

Window Treatments

MCNEILL PALM

1191 N. Eglin Pkwy Ste. C, Shalimar (850) 613-6228

McNeillPalmLLC.com

Windows and Doors

SOUTHEASTERN SASH & DOOR

450 E. Heinberg St., Pensacola (850) 469-9002

SoutheasternSashAndDoor.com

Outdoor Grill

BAY BREEZE PATIO

32 Forest Shore Drive, Destin (850) 269-4666

BayBreezePatio.com

Makeup

GLAM ON THE GO PENSACOLA (850) 490-9517

GlamOnTheGoPensacola.com

Hair

VOLUMEONE SALON

7 W. Main St., Pensacola (850) 434-5409

VolumeOneSalon.com

refrigerators and an indoor pizza oven that fits perfectly in the Italianinfluenced home.

refrigerators and an indoor pizza oven that fits perfectly in the Italianinfluenced home.

“Seeing the process of building a home unfold was a unique and exciting experience that we couldn’t have done without the help of so many wonderful people,” Briscione said.

“Seeing the process of building a home unfold was a unique and exciting experience that we couldn’t have done without the help of so many wonderful people,” Briscione said.

The couple’s 7-year-old son, August, is a Lego enthusiast who delighted in watching the house come together from its early stages to the stunning façade. Thirteen-year-old daughter, Parker, who enjoys fashion and art, provided suggestions during the design process.

The couple’s 7-year-old son, August, is a Lego enthusiast who delighted in the house come together from its early stages to the stunning façade. Thirteen-year-old daughter, Parker, who enjoys fashion and art, provided suggestions during the design process.

The couple was certain that they wanted to reside and raise their family on Pensacola Bay. They wanted each room to provide expansive panoramic

The couple was certain that they wanted to reside and raise their family on Pensacola Bay. They wanted each room to provide expansive panoramic

views, therefore, they enlisted the expertise of McNeill Palm to provide versatile window coverings that could admit maximum natural light or softly filter, depending on the time of day.

views, therefore, they enlisted the expertise of McNeill Palm to provide versatile window coverings that could admit maximum natural light or softly filter, depending on the time of day.

Parkhurst’s favorite area of the home is the porch, which is an extension of the living room where the family relaxes, dines and entertains. McNeill Palm designed soft sheer columns of linen fabric that frame the bay view to perfection, creating a serene outdoor space. The home is a haven providing a respite and igniting enthusiasm for living.

Parkhurst’s favorite area of the home is the porch, which is an extension of the living room where the family relaxes, dines and entertains. McNeill Palm designed soft sheer columns of linen fabric that frame the view to perfection, creating a serene outdoor space. The home is a haven providing respite and igniting enthusiasm for living.

“We get to be in a beautiful environment every day, and beauty is often associated with an escape, a paradise,” Parkhurst said. “It’s our dream family beach house that we get to live in every day.”

“We get to be in a beautiful environment every day, and beauty is often associated with an escape, a paradise,” Parkhurst said. “It’s our dream family beach house that we get to live in every day.”

▲ Glam on the Go Pensacola and VolumeONE Salon were responsible for emphasizing Brooke’s natural beauty by forming a color palette of Brooke’s favorite shades, creating a customized lip color and using hair products for volume and texture.

DECK YOUR HALLS WITH HELPERS

Decorating services make the holidays less hectic

by REBECCA PADGETT FRETT

Ah, the holidays … the most wonderful time of the year. Until you remember that the in-laws arrive in three weeks, your shopping list is nowhere near complete, the kids have multiple Christmas plays, you haven’t thought about a holiday menu, you have a huge client meeting approaching and the ornaments are still covered in dust in the attic.

While the holidays are merry and bright, they can also be hectic and harried. You want to be present in the spirit of the season, but the list of holiday tasks and happenings keeps piling up, heavier than Santa’s sleigh. Fortunately, there are design and decor services across the Emerald Coast that can alleviate some of the stress.

Whether you’re a busy business owner who doesn’t have the time to decorate, a senior citizen who’s wary of ladders or someone who’s hosting a holiday party but doesn’t know where to begin, decorating professionals are prepared to meet all needs.

“We create designs as unique as our clients,” said Lee Barber, co-owner of Outdoor Lighting Perspectives in Pensacola. “They just tell us what they want, when they want it and when they want it to come down. It’s built to take

the burden off of the client and make their homes look great for the holidays.”

The holidays are when Outdoor Lighting Perspectives truly gets to shine, offering decorating services for residential and commercial properties.

Commonly, the biggest headache for holiday decorators is outdoor lighting — the endless detangling, dead bulbs and dangerous heights atop a wobbly ladder. Outdoor Lighting Perspectives provides solutions that range from basic roofline lights to more elaborate greenery and decor.

“We have all of the supplies, decorations, extension cords, timers — everything that

→ Loft & Leaf partners with 360 Blue in providing holiday season installations that may include decorated trees and wreaths, tablescapes and festive floral arrangements.

powers the system, itself,” Barber said. “We provide all that. Everything is customized to the home.”

Outdoor Lighting Perspectives offers weatherfriendly garlands, wreaths, bows, lawn decor and professional-grade lights for the exterior of the home and garden. The installation team is also willing to work with their customers’ decorations. Once the holidays are over, the team returns for removal and storage.

Heroman Services Plant Company of Pensacola is a service geared primarily toward businesses. It offers comprehensive indoor and outdoor Christmas decorating services across the Emerald Coast with styles ranging from traditional to corporate-themed to off the wall.

“We do everything from tabletop arrangements to 30-foot exterior trees,” said Deborah Heroman, vice president of marketing for the company. “We light palm trees, we do 20-foot indoor trees that are custom decorated, we do garland and wreaths. We do themes, characters — pretty much everything. Because we are a plant company, we also do live decor like poinsettias and large 20-foot poinsettia trees.”

When you hire Heroman, design experts will come by to tour and photograph your space and discuss what direction to take the design. Then, an in-house graphic designer will create mock-ups of what the decor will look like once it is installed, so there are no surprises.

“Our design services allow us to do pretty much anything anyone wants,” Heroman said. “Do you want us to hang a tree from the ceiling? Want a tree made of giant, lighted globes? Nothing is off the table.”

For those looking for a holiday getaway, 360 Blue’s luxury rentals come with their own Christmas magic. The vacation home rental agency in Santa Rosa Beach works with various vendors around 30A to create a homey holiday feeling wherever you stay.

“We coordinate with our vendors to bring in fully decorated Christmas trees, wreaths around the house, fireplace swag, table pieces and more,” said Amory Craig, director of concierge at 360 Blue. “It can be as basic as just the Christmas tree, or they can decorate the whole house inside and out for the guests. It’s really customized for what the guest is looking for.”

Beyond decor, 360 Blue’s concierge department can also arrange for a chef to come in and prepare a holiday meal or deliver charcuterie boards and custom cocktails. They will place presents for kids under the tree including ornament decorating supplies and other craft items.

During the holidays, you don’t have to do it all yourself. Hire a professional to assist with your holiday decorating so you can be fully present for other holiday gatherings and festivities.

Emma Witmer contributed reporting to this story.

IN PRAISE OF SNAPDRAGONS

They’re colorful, hardy and salt tolerant

by LES HARRISON

Hardy annuals can add color to the winter landscape. They are available as starter plants in nurseries and garden centers but can also be grown from seed.

While there are options in a rainbow of colors, sometimes relying on the tried and true may be best. For the Emerald Coast area, this may be the snapdragon.

It has two appealing features, especially for the novice gardener. First, it has been propagated successfully for over 2,000 years in southern Europe and still grows wild in Italy and Greece. It is also salt tolerant, which is a good thing for gardeners living near the Gulf of Mexico.

MULCHING

Transplanting Tips

When the perennials in the home landscape are dormant, transplanting is far more likely to be successful. Still, there are some steps that should be followed to improve the likelihood of good outcomes.

When a shrub or small tree has been selected for relocation, be certain the new location meets all the needs of the plant. Soil type, light exposure and enough room for the plant to develop to maturity are all considerations.

Prepare the new site by removing competing weeds, like smilax and Carolina jessamine, and digging a hole large enough to accept the root ball of the transplant. Add compost or peat moss to the base of the hole especially if the soil is sandy.

Today’s snapdragons come in a variety of colors and range in height from 4 inches to 3 feet, depending on the cultivar.

For these plants to reach their full potential, supplemental nutrition may be needed in sandy soils near the coast. Snapdragons flourish in slightly acidic soils, so the addition of peat moss may be necessary to lower the soil’s pH into the ideal range.

For color in the spring, now is the time to divide crinum lily bulbs. This is easily done by loosening the soil with a trowel or shovel and removing the new bulbs attached to the established plant.

Plant the new bulbs in a location that gets partial shade, and blooms will appear in late spring.

The root ball of the transplant should be as large as possible so as not to disrupt the smaller roots closer to the soil’s surface. These are the roots that absorb most of the nutrients and moisture needed by the plant. Be sure the root ball is an inch or two above ground level. There will be some settling, and it will be fatal to the transplant if it is planted too deep.

Mulch the root zone, and water as needed. It may be winter, but the plant is still slowly growing.

An easy way to assess the moisture is to stick a finger 2 inches beneath the soil’s surface. If it is dry, then add water.

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

One activity benefiting yardscapes will accomplish three results. Gathering and properly applying leaves and pine needles to flowerbeds will tidy their appearance, insulate shrub roots and suppress weeds in the spring. Collecting deciduous leaves and pine straw is sometimes viewed as a necessary chore to maintain a neat guise, and it helps. The neighbors and homeowners association will appreciate the orderly look. Just as important in the near term is the insulation factor of this organic material. Four inches of mulch will help regulate the temperature and moisture of the plant’s root zone much like insulation in the home. It might seem an odd time to be taking weed control actions in the home landscape, but early winter is the starting point. Sustaining this organic barrier of mulch will help suppress annual weeds from germinating in spring. One caution: Bringing in mulch from off-site may introduce weed seed. So, picking up bags of mulch left on the roadside may save raking time, but it could add to needed weed control efforts later.

GREEN SCENE

A Growing Business with a Big Heart

Specialty Roofers, Inc., maintains close ties to the community

Specialty Roofers, Inc., believes in giving back.

“We are a locally owned and operated company, and a large part of our culture is supporting the community we live in,” said Erin Bakker, director of business development with Specialty Roofers.

Founded in 2011, Specialty Roofers is one of the fastest growing roofing companies in Northwest Florida and deals in residential and commercial projects. President and general manager Mike Miller, CEO Cole Bakker and vice president Josh Diehl combined to start the company, which now employs more than 50 people.

For years, the company supported local charities by putting together teams for a race or tournament or showing up in support of a local event. Recently, the company has begun its own signature events.

In 2020 and again in 2021, Specialty Roofers gave a roof away to a deserving public servant — a first responder and then a high school teacher.

On Nov. 4, 2022, Specialty Roofers held the first Westonwood Ranch Sporting Clays Tournament. Four-person teams competed with proceeds benefitting Westonwood Ranch, a nonprofit dedicated to improving life skills and pre-vocational skills in young adults with developmental challenges. The event raised over $60,000 for the organization.

“We’ve grown a lot, but our mission has always remained the same — provide the best quality workmanship, highly skilled labor and exemplary customer care because each roof is important to a homeowner or business owner, and they are our neighbors,” Bakker said.

Cole Bakker, Mike Miller and Josh Diehl (top) and Erin Bakker, Director of Business Development

destinations

For my husband Kenny and I, cruising is our favorite way to travel. We love the freedom, adventure and serenity that we experience while at sea, so much so that we have taken 45 cruises, so far.

Kenny is my personal travel planner, and he put together two trans-Atlantic voyages. Departing Fort Lauderdale, we would spend 16 days aboard the Emerald Princess, making several stops in Spain and Portugal en route to Southampton, England. We would return as passengers for 12 days aboard the extraordinarily luxurious Queen Elizabeth.

The Emerald Princess was delightful, offering impeccable service, delicious food, outstanding entertainment and a wonderful itinerary. The ship made stops in the Azores Islands at Ponta Delgada; Lisbon; La Coruña and Bilbao, Spain; and Cherbourg, France, before arriving at Southampton.

I had researched Spain on Instagram in anticipation of our adventure and already had fallen in love with its beauty. I was far less acquainted with the Azores, which had never been on my radar. The islands were spectacularly beautiful and made me feel I was at the center of the earth and totally at peace. It is hard to explain what they did for me. We enjoyed all the ports, but the Azores was extra special to me.

In Lisbon, we happened upon a tuk-tuk (auto rickshaw) driver, Armando, who was born in Portugal and loved history. We negotiated a 60-minute tour of the city along its cobblestone narrow streets. Our driver was a font of information, and our planned hour became 2½ hours instead.

Kenny and I walked our socks off in La Coruña, taking in sights including the Hercules tower, which was built by the Romans as a lighthouse. Bilbao is famous as the site of a Guggenheim Museum, but what fascinated me was the quaint, bustling city center and its farmers market with the most exotic fruits, vegetables and cheeses sold by the pound.

↓ The Harrisons’ month-long adventure was their 45th voyage aboard cruise vessels. They left behind the Emerald Princess in Southampton, England, and boarded the Queen Elizabeth for the crossing back to the United States.

Cruise Route and Ports of Call

FORT LAUDERDALE PORT CANAVERAL

QUEEN ELIZABETH I I — 12 DAYS

EMERALD PRINCESS — 16 DAYS

LISBON

LA CORUÑA BILBAO

CHERBOURG

SOUTHAMPTON

PONTA DELGADA Azores Islands

Por t ugal

England Spain

France

Atlantic Ocean Florida

↑ The Emerald Princess carried Darla and Kenny Harrison across the Atlantic to ports of call in Europe. On a calm day at sea, Darla enjoyed the sun and the view at the stern of the ship.

“What fascinated me in Bilbao was the quaint, bustling city center and its farmers market with the most exotic fruits, vegetables and cheeses sold by the pound.”

↑ RIBERA MARKET Seen at the left of a footbridge over the Nervion River, the Mercado de la Ribera is located in Bilbao, the capital of the Basque Province of Viscay in the north of Spain. It has, since 1929, been the largest covered market in Europe.

← TOWER OF HERCULES

Located in La Coruña, Spain, the tower is the only fully preserved Roman lighthouse still used for maritime signaling. As such, it pays testimony to the elaborate system of navigation that existed in antiquity and provides insights to the Atlantic sea route in Western Europe. The Tower of Hercules was restored in the 18th century and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009.

destinations

BEACHES OF NORMANDY

The airborne and beach assault at Normandy by Allied Forces in World War II took place on June 10, 1946. The Normandy beaches were chosen by planners because they lay within range of air cover and were less heavily defended than the obvious objective of the Pas de Calais, the shortest distance between Great Britain and the European continent. Airborne drops at both ends of the beachheads were to protect the flanks, as well as open up roadways to the interior.

Disorganization and confusion characterized the initial phases of the landings, but most troops were able to adapt to the disorganization. In the end, the Allies achieved their objective.

Source: U.S. Army.

Cherbourg, France, was our jumping-off point for visiting the beaches of Normandy and the American Memorial Cemetery. The city is also home to a famous umbrella factory, Le Parapluie de Cherbourg.

A long run of pleasant weather ended when we got to Southampton. Kenny had booked a room in a swanky hotel, The Harbor House, located on the harbor and overlooking the entrance to the city’s port. On a table were decanters of gin and sherry and a pair of binoculars. From our window, we watched the Emerald Princess sail away and the Queen Elizabeth arrive.

Beneath our umbrellas, we walked to the Old Town district in Southampton while admiring many private yachts. From somewhere, the music of Tom Jones exited speakers. The Welsh performer remains popular in the United Kingdom — and I always found him to be fine, myself.

The locals gather in pubs, and we discovered a great one just around the block from the hotel. We liked it so much that we took all our Southampton meals there.

It was cold and rainy when we lined up to board the QE. Most of the passengers were Europeans in their 80s and 90s, and I began to think that we may have booked the wrong cruise. I am 66 and Kenny is 72, and everyone around looked old to us. Each passenger was allowed to board with one bottle of wine, but due to the cold, bottles were slipping from the numb hands of passengers and breaking on the pavement. Nothing like the smell of wine at 9 in the morning.

The Queen Elizabeth recalls the glory days of luxury cruise liners. We were greeted at the elevators

← Tudor House in the historic Old Town district of Southampton features a timber-framed exterior. The house was built in the 15th century and is now open to the public as a historical museum.

↘

A golf course sits atop the cliffs of Etretat at Normandy Beach in France.

by operators in their bright red uniforms and white gloves. A pungent floor-to-ceiling floral arrangement graced the grand lobby. A sexy saxophonist played seductive music. We were immersed in the culture and fabric of upper-class Brits.

Our Club Britannia-level accommodations entitled us to a special small dining room, where we had the same table and enjoyed the same waiter at every meal. The maître d’ prepared flaming desserts that were followed by exotic cheeses, dried fruits, nuts and biscuits served from a cart.

High tea was served every afternoon at 3.Twenty-five waiters, dressed in starched white uniforms and white gloves, marched in carrying sterling silver trays of finger sandwiches, scones and sweets. Tea is poured, piping hot, from Wedgewood china teapots as an orchestra performs.

Our crossing back to Fort Lauderdale would include eight uninterrupted sea

days, meaning that the crew needed to be prepared with lots of onboard activities. They were. Live music could be heard all over the ship. Fascinating speakers gave lectures daily. There were dance classes (soft shoe tap, line and ballroom dancing), exercise classes and croquet. I was stimulated in every way.

Every day at 3:15, the shipboard British Pub hosted a darts tournament. Kenny plays darts, and I figured he’d have an easy time of it with the octogenarians. Instead, they kicked his butt! Kenny would eventually manage to win some and was admitted to the onboard darts fraternity, whose members took to calling him Mr. Darts.

The QE stopped for a night at Port Canaveral, and Kenny and I made a side trip to see Epcot and the International Flower Show. We were truly fortunate to have been at Port Canaveral on the day Elon Musk launched a rocket for his Starlink Satellite

↓ For Darla and Kenny Harrison, the ship itself and activities on board were highlights of their month-long cruise vacation. Kenny, once he established himself alongside the many British pub veterans he sailed with, came to be known as Mr. Darts.

System. What an experience! We then closed the loop at Fort Lauderdale.

Jacques Cousteau once said, “The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonders forever.”

I agree, Mr. Cousteau. We don’t intend for our shore leave to last long. EC

← The Grand Staircase aboard the Queen Elizabeth exemplifies the grandeur of the ship. ↑ Traditional afternoon teas aboard the Queen Elizabeth are served with precision in the most elegant and mannerly way possible.

For

JAN. 21

GET HAPPY:

A Judy Garland Centennial Celebration

Get Happy celebrates the life and artistry of the legendary Judy Garland. Her Carnegie Hall debut in 1961 is one of the most storied evenings in the venue’s history and won five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year. Classically trained vocalist and recording artist Morgan James, whose Broadway shows have included Motown: The Musical, Godspell and The Addams Family, brings Garland’s unforgettable songbook back to life. She will be accompanied by rare performance footage and interviews in this one-night-only celebration of an artist whose legacy inspires fans around the world. For more information, visit SinfoniaGulfCoast.org/web/events.

REGIONAL

JAN. 12

THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER

→ The Manhattan Transfer will be performing at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall as part of the Opening Nights 2022-23 concert series. With sold-out world tours and record sales in the millions, Manhattan Transfer continues to bring extraordinary melodic and jazz-infused vocals to new and established audiences spanning generations.

For tickets and more information, visit OpeningNights.fsu.edu/events/manhattantransfer-diva.

JAN. 20–29

THE ODD COUPLE

→ When Oscar the slob and fastidious Felix decide to room together, hilarity ensues as the two have a showdown of epic proportions. A classic that never goes out of style, The Odd Couple provides nonstop laughs.

For tickets and additional information, visit EmeraldCoastTheatre.org/on-stage.

Dean Martin, Garland and Frank Sinatra on the 1962 television special The Judy Garland Show

JAN. 13-16

30A SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL

→ More than 6,500 music lovers will come together over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend (Jan. 13-16, 2023) at the 30A Songwriters Festival. This fourday extravaganza will feature more than 250 songwriters and musicians performing original songs in genres ranging from country to Americana and folk to blues and soul at more than 35 listening rooms on Scenic Highway 30A in South Walton. Visit 30ASongwritersFestival.com for tickets and more information.

Seaside School

Half-Marathon & 5K

→ Celebrating its 21st year, the Seaside School Half Marathon & 5K Race weekend will take place Feb. 17–19, 2023. It begins with the coastal cuisine event, “Taste of the Race,” on Friday night and culminates on Sunday morning with the running of the half-marathon and 5K along Scenic Highway 30A. The race starts and finishes in Seaside. Fans of the race picked “Rockstar Run” as the theme for this year’s event, so get those rock ’n’ roll costumes ready! Register at RunSeasideFL.com.

ANASTASIA

DEC. 1

The romantic and adventure-filled musical Anastasia is at home in Niceville at last. This dazzling show will transport you from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out on a journey to discover the mystery of her past. mattiekellyartscenter.org/event/ anastasia

THE 55TH ANNUAL SNOWBALL DERBY

DEC. 1

Rev your engines for the Snowball Derby at the Five Flags Speedway featuring top series NASCAR drivers. visitpensacola.com/events/55thannual-snowball-derby

ICE SKATING EXTRAVAGANZA!

DEC. 2

Baytowne on Ice is hosting its annual Ice Skating Extravaganza! The event will feature two performances by professional ice skaters at 6 and 7:30 p.m. Before and in between the shows, lace up those skates and skate around with the pros. baytownewharf.com

A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS

DEC. 2–10

Discover the true meaning of Christmas with Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang in this classic adaptation of A Charlie Brown Christmas presented by Emerald Coast Theatre Company’s Junior Company teen players. emeraldcoasttheatre.org/on-stage

12 NIGHTS OF LIGHTS

DEC. 2–23

This December at The

Village of Baytowne Wharf, enjoy a festive light show every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday leading up to Christmas. This sparkling event will also be featured during the special holiday edition of the Wednesday Night Concert Series.

baytownewharf.com

PANAMA CITY BEACH MARATHON

DEC. 3

Run through paradise alongside Panama City Beach’s award-winning beaches in the marathon, half-marathon, 5K or Kid’s Fun Run. The 26.2mile race has become a staple in the community, attracting thousands of residents and visitors. pcbmarathon.com

LIGHTED BOAT PARADE

DEC. 3

The 2022 Lighted Boat Parade will set sail from Sabine Marina in Little Sabine Bay at 6:30 p.m., make a loop and wind its way around the Santa Rosa Sound/Boardwalk area. After the parade, a dazzling fireworks display will take place along the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk.

visitpensacola.com/events/ season-your-holidays-lightedboat-parade

THE PROPHECY –A TRIBUTE TO THE TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA

DEC. 3

Launching their 16th touring season of an extravagant Christmas musical production, this powerhouse group of classically trained musicians comes together to create nothing short of an electrifying evening of holiday rock music. pensacolasaenger.com/events/ the-prophecy-a-tribute-to-transsiberian-orchestra

WEDNESDAY NIGHT CONCERT SERIES

DEC. 7–21

Get in the winter spirit at The Village of Baytowne Wharf, and listen to some of your favorite holiday classics. Every Wednesday this December, enjoy the holiday edition of the Wednesday Night Concert Series. Each concert will feature visits with Santa baytownewharf.com

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER: THE MUSICAL

DEC. 8–18

A little town goes up in panic when the Herdmans, the worst kids in town, take over the annual Christmas pageant. Watch the mess and the magic unfold in a musical adaptation that is equal parts humor and heartwarming.

emeraldcoasttheatre.org/on-stage

HOLIDAY POPS FEATURING THE DOO WOP PROJECT

DEC. 9

Hear old-school holiday classics like The Drifters’ White Christmas, The Temptations’ Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons’ version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town along with “Doowopified” contemporary hits like This Christmas and Last Christmas. It’s sure to be a jolly good time.

destinchamber.com/events

THE MEAN ONE

DEC. 16

Meet the maven of mischief himself for a photo opportunity, then enjoy a movie showing of Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Don’t miss out on this Who-liday spectacular!

baytownewharf.com

75

Grazie

for voting us “Best Restaurant in Okaloosa County”

25TH ANNUAL TOYS FOR KIDS FOUNDATION CHRISTMAS BALL

DEC. 17

The 25th Toys for Kids Foundation Charity Christmas Ball, presented by Ramey Law Offices, is the blacktie event of the holiday season in Bay County. The Toys for Kids Foundation provides toys for those in need during the holiday season. toysforkidsbay.org

HOLIDAY DREAM –A SPECTACULAR HOLIDAY CIRQUE

DEC. 26

PENSACOLA NEW YEAR’S EVE

DEC. 31

Head to downtown Pensacola to say goodbye to 2022 and hello to 2023 with live music, vendors and impressive midnight fireworks. downtownpensacola.com

PENSACOLA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS: CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR!

DEC. 31

The bright lights of Broadway come to the Saenger stage as the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra celebrates the new year with musical theater’s most memorable melodies.   pensacolasaenger.com/events/ pensacola-symphony-orchestrapresents-celebrate-the-new-year

LEGALLY BLONDE

JAN. 11

Holiday Dreams, a spectacular holiday show, is the most modern, exciting and original holiday show on the scene today. Featuring holograms, projection mapping, interactive lasers and BMX daredevils, Holiday Dreams is worlds apart from the traditional cirque-style shows.  pensacolasaenger.com/events/holidaydreams-a-spectacular-holiday-cirque

BAYTOWNE COUNTDOWN

DEC. 31

Ring in the New Year with an evening to remember at The Village of Baytowne Wharf, with two breathtaking fireworks displays at 8 p.m. and midnight. Enjoy a family-friendly evening from 6–8 p.m. with face painting, kids activities and live music. Dance the night away at the 21 and up event after 10 p.m. baytownewharf.com

PCB ANNUAL BEACH BALL DROP

DEC. 31

Celebrate New Year’s Eve with this family-friendly countdown that culminates with the lowering of a gigantic, glowing beach ball and the showering of 10,000 beach balls on the crowd, assembled at Pier Park in Panama City Beach. The event also includes fireworks and live music.   visitpanamacitybeach.com/events/ holiday-events/new-years-eve-beachball-drop

Based on the iconic movie, Legally Blonde, this musical will take you from the sorority house to the halls of justice following Elle Woods and her chihuahua named Bruiser. mattiekellyartscenter.org/event/ legally-blonde

PENSACOLA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS BEETHOVEN AND BLUE JEANS

JAN. 14

Whether you dress up or dress down, join the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra for this annual celebration of Beethoven, anchored by the composer’s Seventh Symphony.

pensacolasaenger.com/events/ pensacola-symphony-orchestrapresents-beethoven-and-blue-jeans

GRACE FOR PRESIDENT

JAN. 23

When third-grader Grace finds out there’s never been a female president, she sets herself on a mission to become one. Join Grace and her classmates on a musical theater journey as the classmates discover what it takes to be the best candidate.

mattiekellyartscenter.org/event/gracefor-president/2023-01-23

SOCIAL STUDIES

Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation Check Presentation

AUG. 31 Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF) has donated more than $28 million to help children in need in Northwest Florida since its inception in 2005. This year alone, DCWAF donated $3.775 million to 16 children’s charities in Northwest Florida following the highest grossing auction in Foundation history. Funding was awarded in a private check presentation ceremony at the Henderson Beach Resort. Next year’s Destin Charity Wine Auction Weekend, the Foundation’s signature fundraising event, is set for April 28–29.

3

4

Tom Glavine’s Field of Dreams Golf Tournament

OCT. 4 The second annual Field of Dreams Golf Outing drew 144 participants to Watersound Club’s Shark’s Tooth Golf Course. Hosted by baseball Hall of Famer Tom Glavine and wife Chris, the event raised $125,000 for the Seaside School Foundation. Thanks to generous sponsors, all enjoyed a day of friendly competition, prizes and silent and live auctions featuring one-of-a-kind sports memorabilia.

1 Wes Madden and Chris Abbott

2 Harrison Holditch, Jessica Proffitt Bracken, McKenzie Burleigh, Kristy Holditch, Teresa Horton and Kelly Nuckolls

3 Peyton Glavine, Mason Glavine, Chris Glavine, Tom Glavine and Jonathan Glavine

4 Tom Glavine and Seaside Neighborhood School Students

PHOTOS BY RHONDA MURRAY

1 Mindy Holscher, Karah Fridley-Young and Kate MacMillan

2 Lindsey McEwan and Adrienne Maygarden

Christina Abbott and Sarah Svoboda

Stacey and Mike Brady

PHOTOS BY TOURNAMENT VOLUNTEERS

IAn Update from the Walton County Tourism Department

BY MATT ALGARIN, TOURISM DIRECTOR

t’s been an incredible, but busy, season here in Walton County. We’ve seen visitation to our community remain strong. Countless families have spent time on our sugar-white sand beaches, in our restaurants and retail shops, making memories they will cherish for a lifetime.

It’s been incredible to see new businesses open and existing businesses expand their offerings due to the support of our residents and visitors. As we continue to navigate the impacts of COVID-19, there’s been a tremendous sense of compassion and teamwork throughout our community. I will always believe that we are stronger when we work together and support our friends, neighbors and colleagues.

We know that staffing has presented challenges for all of us, but we did not let that stop us from showcasing what makes our businesses so resilient. As someone who spent many years in the service industry, I applaud everyone who laced up their shoes and went to work knowing they were short staffed, but still delivered exceptional service.

To our residents, industry partners and business owners who have played a key role in helping create those memories, we want to extend a huge “thank you.” Without your hard work, dedication and passion, these experiences would not be possible.

And as the new tourism director for Walton County, I am incredibly proud of this community.

Now that we’ve moved beyond our summer visitation season, there are plenty of exciting things happening at the tourism department.

We’ve drafted, with input from our residents and community stakeholders, a strategic plan that will take us through 2025. Truthfully, we’re excited to put this plan in place, especially as we continue to seek ways to enhance our community assets and manage a thoughtful visitor economy. We know that tourism is the backbone of the Walton County economy, so we must continue looking at opportunities to enhance the experience, but also manage visitation in a responsible manner. In 2021, more than 5.3 million visitors came to our destination, resulting in a $7.1 billion economic impact.

That’s an incredible amount of money circulating through our community, supporting friends, colleagues and families. All told, the tourism industry put more than 47,000 people to work in 2021.

As part of our commitment to supporting businesses in our community, we also want our residents to know we are here to listen. Whether it’s me or anyone on our leadership team, please know that we are always happy to sit down and talk about our mission and what we do to support Walton County.

Speaking of Walton County, you may have noticed that we’ve shifted the way we refer to ourselves (at the staff level) in the community. Our hard-working team represents the Walton County Tourism Department, which is a distinction we want to make, as we now represent the entire county from a destination management perspective.

For some time, it was common for our staff to be referred to as the “TDC.” Just to clear up any confusion, the TDC is a nine-member board (the Tourist Development Council) which is tasked with fiduciary oversight of the tourist development tax (commonly referred to as the “bed tax”) collected on short-term rentals (stays of six months or less). This body comprising industry professionals reviews and makes recommendations on expenditures to ensure we are following proper spending procedures and policies.

We always like to take the opportunity to acknowledge that the tourism department and its operations are funded completely by the “bed tax,” meaning that residents do not fund our department, unless they are taking a “stay-cation” in a local short-term rental. We currently collect a 5% bed tax south of Choctawhatchee Bay and a 2% bed tax north of the bay.

So, what else do we have going on? We’re in the early stages of working on some refreshed branding as we expand our efforts into the rest of the county.

For 30-plus years, we’ve worked diligently to build a successful brand — South Walton. And we are going to continue making South Walton a priority. But we also plan to build our “Beyond the Beach” brand and experiences, promoting the natural gems and hidden treasures that can be found beyond the sugar-white sand beaches that we are known for.

In addition to expanding our footprint, we are actively working with and reaching out to our partners to gather information. We want to ensure that we have up-todate and accurate information about your businesses that we can share with our visitors and our media partners. Whether you are a hotel, motel, campground, retailer, restaurant, meeting or event venue, or an attraction, please don’t miss out on your opportunity to have a free business listing on our website. Contact Lisa Foster, Industry Relations Specialist, at Lisa@ visitsouthwalton.com for more information. Help us share your story!

As we continue to manage this incredible destination, we have plenty to

be excited about, whether that’s highlighting our incredible sugar-white sand beaches and architecture or shining a light on the history, heritage and offthe-beaten-path eco-tourism adventures to be had.

Walton County is blessed to have such a diverse mix of experiences and adventures. As we grow together, please know that we value everyone in the community who strives to make this destination the incredible place that we all call home.

VisitSouthWalton.com

VISIT SOUTH WALTON

From the picturesque views of nearly 200 historic homes surrounding Lake DeFuniak to the shopping and dining experiences of charming Downtown DeFuniak Springs, there are many unique opportunities to explore in the communities north of the Choctawhatchee Bay.

dining guide

Hot wings and cold beer. 116 Eglin Pkwy., Fort Walton Beach. (850) 243-9463.$ L D

COMMELFÓ RESTAURANT

American dining; enjoy steak and eggs for breakfast, a Southeast Cuban sandwich for lunch or lobster ravioli for dinner, among many other options. 10859 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Miramar Beach. (850) 353-2991. $$$ B L D

DHARMA BLUE

Atmosphere and service match an expansive menu including everything from sushi to pork tenderloin. 300 S. Alcaniz St., Pensacola. (850) 433-1275. $$ L D

DIXIELAND CHICKEN CO. ★

Authentic Creole-style fried chicken, walk-up and drive-thru only. (850) 353-2464. $ L

EMERIL’S COASTAL ITALIAN

Located at Grand Boulevard in Sandestin, the famed chef’s first restaurant in Northwest Florida combines Italian cuisine with the variety of fresh Gulf seafood and local ingredients. 435 Grand Blvd., Miramar Beach. (850) 608-7040. $$$ L D

FIREFLY ★

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

GEORGE’S AT ALYS BEACH

Seafood, burgers and sandwiches. 30 Castle Harbour Dr., Alys Beach. (850) 641-0017. $$ L D

GEORGE BISTRO + BAR ★

Husband and wife owners are driven by a passion to create exceptionally humble, ingredient-driven food, coffees and cocktails while treating guests like family. 6205 N. 9th Ave., Pensacola. (850) 912-4655. $$ L D

GREAT SOUTHERN CAFE ★

This all-day cafe puts a new spin on classic with a mix of international cuisines, Southern cooking and local food and produce. 83 Central Square, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 231-7327. $$ B L D

JACO’S BAYFRONT BAR & GRILLE

Waterfront restaurant serving burgers, salads, seafood and brunch daily. 997 S. Palafox St., Pensacola. (850) 432-5226. $$ L D

LOUISIANA LAGNIAPPE

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

LULU’S

Lucy Buffett’s funky hangout features cocktails, burgers and seafood, plus allergy-

friendly menus. 4607 Legendary Marina Dr., Destin. (850) 710-5858. $$ L D

MAGNOLIA GRILL

Steak, seafood, pasta, soups, salads and desserts. 157 SE Brooks St., Fort Walton Beach. (850) 302-0266. $$ L D

MARINA BAR AND GRILL

Seafood, po’ boys, burgers and salads. Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, 9300 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W., Miramar Beach. (850) 267-7778. $ B L D

MARINA CAFÉ ★

Gourmet pizzas, Creole and American cuisine. 404 E. Hwy. 98, Destin. (850) 837-7960. $$$ D

NICK’S BOATHOUSE

Serving a wide variety of seafood, steaks and flatbreads by the waterfront. 455 W. Main St., Pensacola. (850) 912-8775. $$ L D

NORTH BEACH SOCIAL ★

Favorites include the Great Southern Café’s famous Grits a Ya Ya, the Bay’s Bomber Burger, fresh raw oysters, and tune poké bowls. 24200 U.S. Hwy 331, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 622-8110. $$ B L D

OVIDE ★

Located inside the new Hotel Effie, acclaimed chef Hugh Acheson brings together classic Gulf Coast flavors and impeccable classic French technique. 1 Grand Sandestin Blvd., Miramar Beach. (850) 351-3030. $$$ D

RESTAURANT IRON ★

Buzzy, stylish locale serving gourmet, reimagined takes on Southern cuisine, plus clever cocktails. 22 N. Palafox St., Pensacola. (850) 912-4655. $$ D

RESTAURANT PARADIS

Restaurant and lounge offers rich coastal flavors in its innovative dishes. 82 S. Barrett Square, Rosemary Beach. (850) 534-0400. $$$ D

SHADES BAR & GRILL ★

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

SUNQUEST CRUISES SOLARIS YACHT ★

Enjoy a fusion of ambiance, food and live music aboard the SOLARIS yacht offering three decks of indoor and outdoor spaces. 9300 Emerald Coast Parkway, Miramar Beach. (850) 650-2519. $$ D

THE BODACIOUS CAFÉ

This coffee house and eatery specializes in handcrafted espresso, lattes and cappuccinos. For breakfast, try their omelets and acai bowls; for lunch, salads, wraps and flatbread pizzas are on the menu. 407 S. Palafox St., Pensacola. (850) 434-6300. $ B L

THE CRAFT BAR ★

Craft brews on tap along with artisan cocktails and elevated bar fare. 4424 Commons Dr., Destin. Also in Grayton Beach and Pensacola. (850) 460-7907. $$ L D

THE KEY

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

Best of the Emerald Coast 2022 Winner

Offering fresh Japanese cuisine like sushi, tempura and hibachi dishes, plus a sake bar. 117 W. John Sims Pkwy., Niceville. (850) 678-0771. $$ L D

DOMO CAFÉ ★

This Asian kitchen offers dozens of sushi options, including vegetarian, signature, fried and baked rolls. 1823 Hurlburt Rd., #3, Fort Walton Beach. (850) 226-6412. $$ L D

LIN'S ASIAN CUISINE ★

Offering a variety of authentic, fresh Chinese and Asian cuisine. 130 Scenic Gulf Drive Ste., #5B, Miramar Beach. (850) 424-5888. $ L D

OSAKA JAPANESE HIBACHI

STEAKHOUSE & SUSHI BAR ★

Known for its sushi but serves a variety of dishes, including chicken, steak and seafood. 34845 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Destin. (850) 650-4688 or (850) 650-4689. $$ L D

SUSHIMOTO ★

Family-owned casual eatery with a sushi bar offering up creative rolls, plus other Japanese fare. 12889 Hwy. 98, Ste. 103B, Miramar Beach. (850) 424-5977. $$ L D

THAI CHIANG RAI ★

Soups, curries and specials including Papa’s Crab Meat Fried Rice. 4942 U.S. Hwy 98, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 213-3972. $$ D

BARBECUE

98 BAR-B-QUE ★

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

BLUE MABEL

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

CHIPPER’S BBQ

This family-run barbecue joint offers an array of smoked treats like ribs, brisket, pork and chicken, plus steak, burgers, salads and pulled pork nachos. 4419 Commons Dr., #101, Destin. (850) 353-2753 $$ L D

BREAKFAST/ BRUNCH/BAKERY

ANDY’S FLOUR POWER CAFE & BAKERY

Lively brunch/lunch destination known for its French toast, rolled omelets and cheery ambiance. 2629 Thomas Dr., Panama City Beach. (850) 230-0014. $$ L D

BLACK BEAR BREAD CO.

Contemporary cafe for craft coffee, housebaked breads, pastries and sandwiches and

all-day breakfast. 26 Logan Lane, Grayton Beach. (850) 213-4528 $ B L

DONUT HOLE BAKERY CAFE ★

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

GOT BAKED ★

Whether gluten free, low carb, vegan, no sugar or dairy-free, this bakery has the right bite for any dietary restriction. 80 Mc Davis Loop #1110. Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 598-7438. $

MAMA CLEMENZA’S EUROPEAN BREAKFAST ★

Old World family recipes. Multiple award winner. 273 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W., Miramar Beach. (850) 424-3157, 75 Eglin Pkwy., Fort Walton Beach. (850) 243-0707. $$ B

NAVARRE BAKERY & CREAMERY ★

Goodies fresh from the oven: bagels, kolaches, scones, cinnamon rolls and more; sandwiches for lunch. 9914 Navarre Pkwy., Navarre. (850) 844-9705. $ B L

SUNSET BAY CAFÉ

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

DESSERT

KONA ICE OF SOUTH WALTON COUNTY ★

This shaved ice truck spreads smiles one frozen treat at a time. Main St., Freeport. (850) 567-5057. $

FRENCH

BAY CAFE FRENCH RESTAURANT ★

Step out on the bay for authentic European cuisine, featuring fresh local seafood and decadent creme sauces. 233 Alconese Ave. SE, Fort Walton Beach. (850) 244-3550. $$ L D

GREEK

AEGEAN RESTAURANT ★

Authentic Greek restaurant. 11225 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Miramar Beach (and Shalimar). (850) 460-2728. $$ B L D

ALI BABA GRILL CAFÉ

Casual spot for familiar Turkish and Greek recipes offered à la carte and at a buffet, plus beer and wine. 550 Mary Esther Cutoff, Fort Walton Beach. (850) 986-5555. $$ L D

YIOTA’S GREEK DELI

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

IRISH

JOHNNY MCTIGHE’S IRISH PUB

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

MCGUIRE’S IRISH PUB

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

ITALIAN/PIZZA

AMICI 30A ITALIAN KITCHEN ★

Offering authentic Italian cuisine with a flair for celebration. 12805 U.S. Hwy. 98 E., Ste. R101, Inlet Beach. (850) 909-0555. $$$ L D

ANGELENA’S ITALIANO

In the heart of downtown, nationally renowned Chef James Briscione’s menu serves up rusticyet-elegant plates with an Italian coastal vibe. 101 E. Intendencia St., Pensacola. (850) 542-8398.

$$ D

CLEMENZA’S UPTOWN ★

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

FARM & FIRE SOUTHERN PIZZERIA

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

FAT CLEMENZA’S

Classic Italian. Wood-fired pizza, specialty desserts, fish Fridays. Multiple award winner. Holiday Plaza, Hwy. 98, Miramar Beach. (850) 650-5980. $$ L D

GRIMALDI’S PIZZERIA

Pizzas and calzones baked to perfection in their signature coal-burning oven, delivering experience not possible from conventional ovens. 780 Grand Blvd., Ste. 100, Miramar Beach. (850) 837-3095. $$ L D

HELEN BACK PIZZA ★

The world’s finest hand-tossed pizza and cold beer in a sports bar atmosphere. 1826 Lewis Turner Blvd., Fort Walton Beach. (850) 374-8603. $$ L D

MIMMO’S RISTORANTE ITALIANO ★

Authentic Italian dishes bursting with flavor and color. Located in Destin and Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 460-7353. $$ L D

PAZZO ITALIANO

Destin’s newest Italian restaurant offers

authentic Italian cuisine such as wood-fired pizzas, pasta, calzones, salads, chef specialties and nightly specials. 34904 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Ste. 114, Destin. (850) 974-5484. $$ L D

THE PIZZA BAR AT BUD & ALLEY’S

Artisan cheese, fresh salads, antipasto dishes, homemade soups, seasonal vegetables, hearty pastas and homemade wood-fired Neapolitan pizza. 2236 E. Hwy. 30A, Seaside. (850) 231-3113.

$$ L D

TRATTORIA BORAGO

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

MEXICAN

BURRITO DEL SOL ★

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

$ L D

CANTINA LAREDO ★

A gourmet twist on Mexican favorites. 585 Grand Blvd., Miramar Beach. (850) 654-5649. $$ B L D

PEPITO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT ★

Serving award-winning authentic Mexican food with the finest ingredients available since 2000. Multiple locations: Destin, Niceville and Fort Walton Beach. $$ L D

PEPPER’S MEXICAN GRILL & CANTINA ★

Casual eatery with familiar Mexican dishes, including seafood and vegetarian options, plus a full bar. Five Emerald Coast locations: Niceville,

Crestview, Panama City, Shalimar, Fort Walton Beach. (850) 353-2625. $ L D

RED FISH TACO ★

Featuring fresh takes on classic fare, such as street tacos, burritos, taco salads and quesadillas. 2052 W. Hwy 30A, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 994-7443. $$ L D

THE TACO BAR AT BUD & ALLEY’S

Baja fish tacos, homemade guacamole, burritos and top-shelf margaritas. 2236 E. Hwy. 30A, Seaside. (850) 231-4781. $$ L D

SEAFOOD

THE BAY SOUTH WALTON

This family-friendly waterfront staurant overlooking Choctawhatchee Bay features Gulf Coast cuisine, sushi, a 12-draft beer system, plus wine and crafted cocktails. 24215 Hwy. 331, Santa Rosa Beach, (850) 622-2291. $$ L D

BOSHAMPS SEAFOOD & OYSTER HOUSE ★

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

BROTULA’S SEAFOOD HOUSE & STEAMER

Fresh steamed and boiled seafood dishes. Destin Harbor, Destin. (850) 460-8900. $$$ B

BUD & ALLEY’S WATERFRONT RESTAURANT ★

Sea-to-table dining, serving fresh seafood, steak and vegetarian dishes. 2236 E. Hwy. 30A, Seaside. (850) 231-5900 $$$ L D

CAPT. ANDERSON’S RESTAURANT

Since 1967, offering traditional seafood items, flavorful salads and soups with a view of the

marina. 5551 N. Lagoon Dr., Panama City Beach. (850) 234-2225. $$$ D

DEWEY DESTIN’S HARBORSIDE

Award-winning seafood in a quaint house. 202 Harbor Blvd., Destin. (850) 837-7525. $$$ L D

DEWEY DESTIN’S SEAFOOD

RESTAURANT & MARKET

Outdoor setting, fresh seafood. 9 Calhoun Ave., Destin. (850) 837-7575. $$ B L D

DOWN ISLAND GULF SEAFOOD RESTAURANT ★

A modern casual restaurant serving Gulf South cuisine; chef-owned and family-operated. 2780 Hwy. 98, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 777-3385. $$ D

FOOW RESTAURANT

Southern coastal cuisine with an Asian flair. Located in the WaterColor Inn, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 534-5050. $$$ D

HARBOR DOCKS

A surf-and-turf restaurant. Breakfast, lunch and dinner and great sushi. 538 E. Hwy. 98, Destin. (850) 837-2506. $$ B L D

JACKACUDA’S SEAFOOD & SUSHI

Seafood, sushi, salad and sandwiches. 36120 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Destin. (850) 460-2909. $$ L D

OLD BAY STEAMER ★

The perfect place for quality steamed seafood, outstanding steaks and incredible ribs. 102 Santa Rosa Blvd., Fort Walton Beach. (850) 664-2795 $$ D

PESCADO SEAFOOD GRILL & ROOFTOP BAR ★

Dining room, inside bar and outside rooftop bar overlooking the Gulf of Mexico; extraordinary

service and cuisine by Chef Brendan Wakeham. 74 Town Hall Rd., Ste. 4B, Rosemary Beach. (850) 213-4600. $$$ L D

RUNAWAY ISLAND

Crab, oysters and grouper sandwiches in a casual beach bar and grill with steps onto the sand. 14521 Front Beach Rd., Panama City Beach. (850) 634-4884. $$ L D

SHUNK GULLEY OYSTER BAR ★

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

STINKY’S FISH CAMP ★

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

THE CRAB TRAP ★

Beautiful views of the Gulf of Mexico and fresh local seafood processed in the restaurant’s own facility. 3500 Hwy. 98 E., Destin; 1450 Miracle Strip Pkwy., Fort Walton Beach; 16945 Perdido Key Dr., Pensacola. (850) 654-2722. $$ L D

THE FISH HOUSE

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

STEAK & SEAFOOD

AUSTONS ON 98 OYSTER BAR AND GRILL

Home of the 102-foot bar, specialties include littleneck clams, raw oysters, clam chowder and jumbo shrimp cocktail. 125 Poinciana Blvd., Miramar Beach. (850) 842-3200 $$ L D

BEACH WALK CAFE

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

BIJOUX ★

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

BOATHOUSE OYSTER BAR

Your new favorite spot for fresh oysters, cold beer and live music, right on Destin Harbor. 288 Harbor Blvd., Destin. (850) 837-3645 $$ L D

CAFE THIRTY-A ★

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

CAPTAIN DAVE’S ON THE GULF

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

THE GULF – FORT WALTON BEACH

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

JACKSON’S STEAKHOUSE

High-end steakhouse cuisine with fine wines. Local seafood is hand-selected and artistically prepared to perfection. 400 S. Palafox St., Pensacola. (850) 469-9898 $$$ D

NOLA BOILING CO. ★

From crawfish and crab legs to chicken to sausage, these classic Creole and Cajun boils are perfect for groups and catering jobs. 47 Talon Court, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 672-2847. $$

OLD FLORIDA FISH HOUSE

Nestled beside Eastern Lake, find your retreat for oysters, fresh seafood fare, sushi and other classics. 33 Heron’s Watch Way, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 534-3045. $$$ L D

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE

Steak and seafood. New Orleans-inspired. Silver Shells Resort, 1500 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Destin. (850) 337-5108 $$$ D

SEAGAR’S PRIME STEAKS & SEAFOOD ★

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

SLICK LIPS SEAFOOD & OYSTER HOUSE

Family-friendly seafood and oyster bar featuring locally caught fare and nestled in picturesque Baytowne Wharf. 140 Fisherman’s Cove. (850) 347-5060 $$ L D

TAKE OUT

30AGRUB2GO

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

DESTIN ICE SEAFOOD

MARKET & DELI ★

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

EMERALD COAST CATERING & GOURMET TO GO

Offering full-service catering and prepared gourmet meals to go. 3906 Hwy. 98 W., Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 585-5979. $$ L D

FARRINGTON FOODS ★

Chef-driven commercial kitchen offering at-home and virtual cooking classes as well as private chef dinners and events. Santa Rosa Beach. chef@farringtonfoods.com. $$$ D

JC’S GOURMET

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

REEL ’EM IN FRESH SEAFOOD AND GOURMET ★

Delivering fresh Gulf seafood — fish, shrimp, crab and more — from Miramar Beach to Panama City. Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 420-2240. $$

VEGAN

THE OASIS SANTA ROSA BEACH ★

This 100% vegan restaurant offers a cozy, speak-easy dining room, outdoor bar, patio, pizza bar and pool lounge area. 306 Bald Eagle Dr., Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 660-2000. $$$ D

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

MEMORIES OF GRANDMA

She lived an unselfish life in a harsh place

by RONALD LARSEN

Grandma was a tough old Swede. She had to be to handle a hardscrabble life on an Upper Midwestern prairie. She was an American citizen, born in 1883 in North Dakota to immigrants from Sweden, but she was intensely proud of her Swedish heritage.

My grandfather was of Norwegian stock and often nettled Grandma. The story goes that he came home from town one day and said, “Ma, I heard the Sons of Norway are going to admit Swedes now.”

Delighted, Grandma perked up. “Really?”

“Yeah, and they’re going to change the name of the lodge to the Sons of Bitches.”

Her response has been lost to antiquity, but it’s quite possible Grandpa spent several nights on the couch. She was scarcely a featherweight.

In 1959, Ingemar Johansson of Sweden defeated Floyd Patterson for the heavyweight boxing championship. Grandma was proud. The next year, in a rematch, Patterson floored Johansson in the sixth round. When Grandma heard about the outcome, she snorted, “Huh, he wasn’t much of a Swede!”

Grandma raised five boys and one girl, my mother. She married my grandfather in 1905, and at some point, they owned two small, underground coal mines, the first in southwestern North Dakota and the second in the central part of the state.

Grandpa was an alcoholic who drank up much of the proceeds from the mines. In addition to raising a family and contending with Grandpa, my

grandmother also fed a group of coal miners three times a day. A hired girl had helped her out much of the time, and my mother was pressed into service as soon as she was old enough.

In the early 1950s, underground coal mines became unprofitable because nearby strip mines could produce coal faster and cheaper. So, my grandparents sold their land and moved. They purchased a couple of acres on the edge of town and later sold off some lots.

They also purchased the town telephone exchange. This was in the days before dial phones became common out in the hinterlands.

The system consisted of a few party lines with six to 10 subscribers on each. Subscribers had an old-fashioned cranktype phone on the wall, and when they wanted to talk to someone on a different party line or make a long-distance call, they rang the operator, who made connections using a plugboard.

Grandpa wasn’t much help. He did a little, but as little as possible.

After Grandpa died in 1955, my family bought one of Grandma’s lots, right next door to her home, and moved the old house from the mine into town. That was when I really got to know her. We liked each other. I spent quite a bit of time at her house as the telephone operator. It wasn’t a big system, so I didn’t have a lot to do except read magazines and answer the occasional call to the central office.

Grandma was a hefty woman, about 5 feet, 8 inches tall and about an ax handle across the beam. She much preferred working in her garden to housework, although she got that done, too. She

was a good cook, and like most women of that era, pickled cucumbers and preserved fruit and vegetables, which were stored in glass jars in the basement for the winter.

In the fall, she loved going out to the coulees around our town, picking wild berries, which she made into jam. She knew all the good places, and following her was like following a momma bear crashing through the underbrush.

She greeted visitors with a warm hello and always then asked, “Have you et yet?” If they had not, Grandma fed them. I don’t recall being asked if I’d et, but I was a grandkid living right next door and not company.

She died during the winter of 1967 at age 84. I had moved out of state a few hundred miles away and due to cold, snowy weather, I didn’t make it to her funeral.

Writing this, I realized I never really said a proper goodbye to Grandma.

“Goodbye Grandma, this story is for you. I love you, wherever you are. And yes, I’m OK. I’ve et.” EC

↑ Laura Dalen, a first-generation American, was intensely proud of her Swedish heritage and well equipped for life on the North Dakota prairie. She cooked, gardened, pickled cucumbers, welcomed company and strived to keep her husband in line.