Emerald Coast Magazine • August/September 2023

of WOODS

Craftsmen’s lathes, steady hands produce intricate showpieces

PHOTO BY KYLE CARPENTER

CREATED BY NATURE.

CRAFTED BY US.

The life of a tree, with each unique grain and texture, brings its majestic beauty to every home bearing the E. F. San Juan fingerprint. Since 1976, this third-generation family business has evolved from modest facilities and equipment to a state-of-the-art facility featuring the world’s finest woodworking equipment. Coupled with a highly skilled and dedicated workforce, the company continues to set the standard for quality architectural millwork, mouldings, stair parts, trim, paneling, cabinetry, and more in the Southeastern Coastal US and beyond.

Live the life you’ve dreamed at Latitude Margaritaville Watersound!

Sunshine and cool breezes. Palm trees and margaritas. Welcome to Latitude Margaritaville, a 55-and-better community inspired by the legendary music and lifestyle of Jimmy Buffett, built on food, fun, music and escapism.

Escape to the place where fun and relaxation meet.

Escape to island-inspired living as you grow older, but not up.

Escape to Latitude Margaritaville Watersound, located on Hwy 79, less than 8 miles from the beach.

New homes from the $300s

FEATURES

48

FLORIDA STRONG!

Public servants including Rebecca Smith of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office understand the importance of coming to the aid of communities following a devastating natural disaster. The assistance extended to a community may very well be returned by that community following the next storm. When Hurricane Ian left a swath of destruction across Southwest Florida, employees of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and a group of volunteers from Jackson County headed for Charlotte County where they established a command post and spread out tarping roofs, clearing roads and wearing out chainsaws.

by HANNAH BURKE

54

CASES NOT CLOSED

Law enforcement agencies across the Emerald Coast region are applying new technologies toward efforts to solve cold missing persons and murder cases. In Bay County, longtime investigator Jimmy Stanford officially retired in June, but he isn’t prepared to hang up his magnifying glass — or its modern-day equivalents. He leads an all-volunteer team of veteran investigators who are taking fresh looks at cold cases. In Escambia County, the Sheriff’s Office hopes to clear murder cases involving a woman who was picking blackberries and a bartender who was closing up shop when they were killed.

by STEVE BORNHOFT and HANNAH BURKE

photography by MIKE FENDER

DESTINATIONS

89 GETAWAYS In Coastal Alabama, an evening meal of redfish on the half shell was still on a kayaker’s belly as he headed out with a couple of locals for a morning of backcountry fishing. A big flounder cooperated.

THE WAVE

19 HOBBIES The Emerald Coast Woodturners’ Guild is home to 65 craftsmen who convert blocks of wood to works of art using lathes and other delicate instruments with which they achieve incredible intricacy.

22 PERSONALITY Born in Indonesia, Klara Haloho has found her calling and stays in touch with her roots by crafting pearl jewelry. Haloho sells her knotted pearl necklaces and bracelets at her Destin Commons boutique.

PANACHE

29 CITIZEN OF STYLE

Alyssa Jamieson is living her lifelong dream as the owner of ClasSea Chic Boutique in Fort Walton Beach. She favors fashions that are fun, flirty and comfortable.

36 WHAT’S IN STORE

Find time to unwind with at-home spa products from JA Essence and Beauty; feel like a celebrity with

designer goods from the Alys Beach Shoppe; and check out the latest stores at Grand Boulevard.

GASTRO & GUSTO

41 LIBATIONS Rich in flavor and never watered down, cold brew is an easy, athome alternative to hot coffee. Lucky Goat Coffee Company is making special grinds available at coastal cafes.

44 DINING IN Infusions elevate flavors and create next-level dishes. Hot or cold, they are easy enough to try making at home.

EXPRESSION

63 MUSIC Musicians

comfortable on their farm in the Sand Hills, where they have created a performance venue that welcomes anyone with a hankering to play.

70 FILM Pensacolan Javan Garza’s new horror film, When a Stranger Knocks, is made all the more effective by its presentation in black and white.

ABODES

73 EXTERIORS Adding native species to your yard is a simple and beautiful way to support pollinators like bees, butterflies and birds.

Maggie and Mike McKinney tried on Nashville for a time, but they are far more FASHION

Perfect for a beach day, a workday or a trip to the grocery store, the practical tote bag never goes out of style.

80 INTERIORS Interior designers and savvy homeowners are finding that vintage furniture is a stylish and sustainable way to transform a space. Selecting the right pieces and refurbishing with care are key.

84 GREEN SCENE Our expert gardener gives a nod to Florida’s 27 bug-gobbling frog and toad species, offers tips stunting weed growth with solarization and suggests the best ornamentals to plant for summer.

IN EVERY ISSUE

14 FROM THE ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

16 EDITOR'S LETTER

108 SOCIAL STUDIES

110 DINING GUIDE

114 POSTSCRIPT

ON THE COVER:

For the members of the Emerald Coast Woodturners’ Guild, the medium is the message and the message is wood. Operating with lathes, an abundance of patience and steady hands, the woodturners create works of art whose intricacy warrants close study. Guild president Chuck Chaloupka says members have come a long way since the days when they turned out utilitarian salad bowls.

PHOTO BY MIKE FENDER

86 IN OFFICE ERA American Real Estate is expanding by reopening a Destin branch that will be the company’s first Agent Enterprise Location and home to the company’s top-performing team.

95 PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

In this special section, we feature the pros you should know from insurance agents to roofers to bankers and more.

102

76 ↑

CALENDAR

The late summer/early fall period offers concerts, beer, wine and spirits festivals, fishing rodeos, theatrical performances and much more.

34

Grand Boulevard has welcomed its newest store, Faherty, a brand fit for the easy, breezy Emerald Coast lifestyle. Shop their selection of cozy fabrics, ideal for layering.

38

24 ↑ LATITUDE LIFESTYLE

Every day is a vacation at Latitude Margaritaville Watersound, a 55-and-better active living community. The colorful, coastal neighborhood features fully furnished model homes and enviable amenities.

Dermatology Specialists of Florida and Aqua Medical Spa present the latest and shiniest in skin treatments, DiamondGlow, a skin booster that exfoliates, extracts and infuses skin for optimal glow.

106 ↑ SWIMMING PROTOCOLS

Visit South Walton encourages everyone to educate themselves about rip currents, the area’s surf conditions as well as the flag warning system before entering the Gulf of Mexico.

WORDLY WORKMANSHIP Inspired by their travels to Dubai, an Alys Beach couple dreamed of turning their townhome into an architectural showplace. They enlisted the expertise of E. F. San Juan to make their vision a reality.

SPARKLING SKIN

↘ COASTAL CLOTHING

Pharmaceuticals Built for You

because you are unique

EMERALD COAST MAGAZINE

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER

BRIAN E. ROWLAND

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

MCKENZIE BURLEIGH

EDITORIAL

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Steve Bornhoft

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Emma Witmer

EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Raemi Creteur

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Paige Aigret, Hannah Burke, Mike Fender, Les Harrison, Bob Jones, Lis King, Rebecca Padgett Frett, Wynn Parks, Liesel Schmidt

CREATIVE

VICE PRESIDENT / PRODUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY Daniel Vitter

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jennifer Ekrut

LEAD DESIGNER Saige Roberts

SENIOR PUBLICATION DESIGNERS Sarah Burger, Scott Schiller, Shruti Shah

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Sierra Thomas

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Michael Booini, Steve Bornhoft, Mariah Brady, Julie Dorr, Jennifer Ekrut, Mike Fender, Chris Granger, Darla Harrison, Gina Hodson, Brenna Kneiss, Lynn Crow Photography, Nicole Moon, Riegler Photography, Crystal Vander Weit, Christopher Vargas, Will Hepburn Photography, Chandler Williams, Aleighsa Wright, Nathan Zucker

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 MANAGER Tracy Mulligan

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Julie Dorr

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Darla Harrison

Regina Jaquess, PharmD

10 time World Water Ski Champion 2022 World Games Slalom Champion

Pharmaceutical compounding allows for your medical provider to offer specialized treatment. We can formulate your prescriptions to meet your individual needs.

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Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

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

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

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2022

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SO MUCH MORE THAN CO-WORKERS

Butterfly theory embraces the notion that even a tiny action, such as a monarch flapping its wings, may set in motion a series of events that can affect the world at large — not as a matter of direct cause and effect, but instead, something like a ripple effect.

In our own lives, casual interactions or chance meetings lead to major changes affecting our paths and outlooks. It is impossible for us to know and appreciate fully the impact our relationships have on the course of events, but we can easily name the most influential people we have encountered.

At Emerald Coast Magazine and Rowland Publishing Inc., I am surrounded by beautifully impactful people. Our purpose is to inspire, educate and support the communities we serve. Professionally and personally, I strive to conduct myself in alignment with that goal.

In May, Rowland Publishing held its first in-person, full-staff meeting since before COVID-19 arrived to rock our world. Day to day, our employees, with few exceptions, work remotely. Four of them live outside Northwest Florida and three of them out of state, an option that permits them to live closer to family and see to the most important relationships they have.

Our recent gathering enabled some of our folks to meet fellow Rowland Publishing employees face to face for the first time. For others, it was a chance to reconnect with colleagues whom they had missed seeing for years. Going forward, we plan to hold such gatherings annually.

The meeting was intentionally focused on connection, strengthening relationships and conducting ourselves in ways that demonstrate our care and appreciation for one another.

As I looked around the meeting room, I was filled with pride and appreciation. I have been working at Rowland Publishing for over 16 years. More than

half of our employees have worked for the company for 11 years or more. Melinda Lanigan is approaching her 24th employment anniversary, and Rhonda Murray celebrated her 21year milestone this year.

These people are more than just co-workers. They have supported me, guided me, inspired me and, from time to time, have been brutally honest with me in ways that caused me to grow. I trust and honor their opinions and perspectives. We share our company’s core values, which enable us to manifest our vision and conquer challenges.

Those values are:

We hold each other and ourselves to high standards. We are dependable.

We have a positive attitude. We have a growth mindset. We do the right thing. We have flexibility when things don’t go as planned.

We are courteous and compassionate.

Consistently behaving in accordance with those values requires discipline and commitment, but honoring them always yields the best decisions in the long run. We are celebrating our 25th year of publishing Emerald Coast Magazine, and we look forward to 25 more years of serving you as a window into your community.

I dedicate this column to the people responsible for the great work you experience via our magazine, website, newsletters, social media platforms and events. These individuals get going when times are tough. They are leaders within our organization and in their families and communities.

In particular, I will single out our leader and visionary Brian Rowland. He had the guts and foresight to start a publishing company in 1990 and continues to evolve as a person and professional year after year. He has the ability to see the big picture yet is not afraid to get his hands dirty with the small stuff. He has a heart for the people in this company and his community. He goes out of his way to make a stranger’s day. I am grateful that 17-plus years ago, Lori Yeaton, who now serves as our eastern division sales manager, invited me to an event where I met Brian and the Rowland Publishing team. That invitation from Lori was the first in a continuing series of events that have profoundly affected my life’s journey. I am grateful for each of you, our readers, advertisers and supporters. We have big goals to meet and an exciting vision for the future. I thank you for trusting us and supporting us along the way.

Much love,

MCKENZIE BURLEIGH, ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER mburleigh@rowlandpublishing.com

I am surrounded by people who inspire and guide me

P.S. Please make plans to attend our signature event, the Best of the Emerald Coast Winners Soiree, on Oct. 12, 2023, at Grand Boulevard at Sandestin. Together, we will celebrate the businesses that you, our readers, voted as the “Best” our area has to offer EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/bestofec

LENNY’S HAPPY PLACE

Bicyclist keeps smiling despite bumps in the road

For years, I had avoided Lenny Zacher but not by design.

We have close personal friends in common. I have known his brother-inlaw, Bob, for many years. And Lenny’s chief recreation is bicycling at the City of Panama City Beach’s Conservation Park, a place that I have visited more than a few times.

Lenny, especially in the late afternoon, his preferred riding time, can be hard to avoid at the park. He estimates that he has logged an average of 50 miles a month for 10 years riding the 2,912-acre natural asset’s trails.

It wasn’t until a few weeks ago, however, that Lenny and I met up and went for a modest, 9-mile spin, primarily along the Longleaf and Baxley Homestead trails. We were joined by Bob and by Webb Burke, who works with Lenny at the Osprey on the Gulf hotel.

The ride was leisurely. We never much got up to speed, and Lenny stopped about every half mile to inspect spots where he had seen gators, hogs, otters and rattlesnakes in the past.

On this cloudy, low-humidity and slightly cool day, wildlife was not visibly about, but Lenny kept things lively by furnishing me with ample stories about critters that growl, snort, cavort and hiss. Early in the ride, he took me by what he calls the Walking Tree, a nod to ents, tree-like beings that inhabit J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth in The Hobbit and fall in behind their leader Treebeard.

The walking tree in Lenny’s world is stationary. It is made up of two cypress trunks that are separated by just a couple of inches for much of their lengths and then fuse together about 15 feet above the ground.

“I love the green of the cypress leaves when they are new,” Lenny said.

And he is fascinated by gators. He recounted having seen seven “baby gators,” no longer hatchlings, but still together on a bank bordering open water. He scrolled through videos on his phone until he found footage of the “congregation,” as groups of gators are called.

“I felt so privileged when I saw them,” Lenny said. “It was as if they had presented themselves just for me.”

I regaled Lenny with a story of my own about gator hunting on Deer Point Lake, a reservoir that serves Bay County as a primary source of drinking water. I described how my guide produced baby gator cries and mating calls that caused a big bull to charge our boat and come within harpoon range.

Lenny didn’t react to my tale much. I think he felt sorry for the gator. In any event, my story was to be topped.

Most of the 24 miles of trails in the park are hardpacked and easily traversed, even following a heavy rain. There are some, though, that flood, and Lenny finds them irresistible when submerged. He’s like a kid who cannot resist hopping into a puddle.

On this day, we passed by Baxley Homestead’s intersection with a trail that leads to Cypress Pond and was underwater owing to a drenching thunderstorm of the night before. Only in deference to me did Lenny not head down the trail turned tributary.

Lenny may be the only park visitor ever to have run into a gator with his bicycle. A dip in a trail was filled with water to a depth of more than a foot. Unfazed, Lenny plowed into the spot and was stopped short by a reptilian obstruction.

“That had my heart going,” he conceded.

I asked Lenny what he would call the park if he had the chance to rename it.

“Ooh, that’s a hard one,” he said.

I suggested Restoration Park as an alternative in that the unspoiled acreage

serves Lenny and countless others as a restorative. He liked that all right, also noting efforts at the park to restore a longleaf pine forest.

“Do you notice how everyone here smiles?” Lenny asked a moment after a bicyclist approached us from the opposite direction.

Next to come our way was a fatherand-son team. Dad looked like Dick Butkus on a bicycle.

“That guy won’t smile,” I challenged Lenny.

Moments later, I was proven wrong.

Restoration Park? I have thought better of that. Call it the Park of Smiles.

Be well,

STEVE BORNHOFT, EXECUTIVE EDITOR sbornhoft@rowlandpublishing.com

PHOTO BY MICHAEL BOOINI / RPI FILE PHOTO

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

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

PROVIDING EXPERTISE AND PATIENT TAILORED THERAPY IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY

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

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

STRUCTURAL

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

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

New Downtown Panama City Hotel Now Welcoming Guests

The latest addition to The St. Joe Company’s hotel portfolio, Hotel Indigo Downtown Panama City Marina, is now open. The 124-room hotel complements the marina area and reflects the local culture by offering majestic views of St. Andrew Bay and a convenient location within walking distance of the many locally owned restaurants, bars and businesses that make up historic downtown Panama City.

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/hotel-indigo-welcomes-guests

Bit-Wizards’ Be the Magic Foundation (BTMF) kicked off its third year of partnership with the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society by doubling down on its support. In 2023, BTMF presented PAWS with a check for $20,000, spent over 40 hours of Wizard volunteer time at the facility and pledged to support the rebuilding of an entire wing for the recently launched PAWS Kennels for Canines project to improve the lives of the pets in their care through a Kennel Rebuild Initiative. BTMF will also donate more than $20,000 in hardware and skill-based services.

Visit EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/btmf-pledges-support-for-paws-in-2023.

CONSISTENCY IS KEY IN SKIN CARE TREATMENTS

Washing your face and applying sunscreen are essential parts of a daily routine, but maintenance of your skin care shouldn’t stop there. The experts at Dermatology Specialists of Florida and Aqua Medical Spa encourage patients to include treatments such as facials and dermaplaning as part of their overall skin care regimens.

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/ consistency-is-key-in-skin-care-treatments

SOIRÉE!

The public is invited to celebrate the 25th annual Best of the Emerald Coast winners as voted by the readers of Emerald Coast Magazine! This year’s event format has changed. The intimate soirée will be one for the books — all in celebration of 25 years of BEST! Guests will enjoy an evening where all their senses will be stimulated: MUSIC, VISUAL MURAL ARTISTS, DELIGHTFUL CUISINE AND LIBATIONS. Learn more and get your tickets: EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/bestofec.

STAY IN TOUCH

Do you love the idea of receiving the Emerald Coast newsletter in your inbox but not sure how to sign up for it? We’ve got you covered right here: EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/connect-with-us.

@EmeraldCoastMag

Promote your event to Emerald Coast readers. Submit your event to our online calendar for free! Check it out at EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/local-events

BE THE MAGIC FOUNDATION PLEDGES OVER $45,000 IN SUPPORT FOR PAWS IN 2023

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Full-time specialty veterinary dermatology is led by Dermatologist Dr. Karly Robinson.

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Dr. Robinson is an expert in the field and board certified in all aspects of dermatology. Capital Vet Specialists offer specialized care and imaging including MRI, CT, interventional ultrasound, minimally invasive surgery, ACL repair, cancer treatment, open chest surgery and all forms of endoscopy and laparoscopy.

Our specialists partner with your primary care veterinarians to maximize care and quality of life for your family member pets. This advanced care helps to maintain and restore the human-animal bond that enriches and completes our day-to-day lives.

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TURN, TURN, TURN!

Klara Haloho

Icompleted shop class in junior high with all 10 fingers intact, so the most interesting aspect of that experience was an assignment to make something on the wood lathe. At home, no one ever really knew what my creation ended up being. It might have done as a humidor for short cigars, if it had been made of Spanish cedar, and if I’d turned out a lid for it, too.

Still, I have known the satisfaction of a three-quarter-inch gouge with a hissing sound, carving grooves and channels into a spinning wooden blank. It was that memory that accompanied me to the studio/ workshop of the Emerald Coast Woodturners’ Guild in Santa Rosa Beach.

The antecedent of the modern trade union, a guild was an association of artists and merchants with a trade in common. The Emerald Coast Woodturners’ Guild, however, is a modern nonprofit organization — no merchants, only artisans — with apprenticeships that

may last hours or years. Yet, by and large, the motivations of the oldtime guild survive.

It’s a rainy, leaden day, and finding guild headquarters requires a sharp eye — “south side of U.S. 98, behind Florida Bath” — but once there, I’m greeted by Chuck Chaloupka, guild president, who ushers me through a cavernous industrial building into a breakroom, part of the guild workshop.

He introduces me to retired neurologist Alan Prince; retired electrical engineer and club techie John Blackwell; and building owner Al Christopher. Sitting at a nearby coffee table, Christopher’s wife Rebecca smiles tolerantly while her husband speaks of his creative habit. Also present is the purring Obnoxious Cat — the feline’s actual name — for whom there is no such thing as a strange lap.

ECWT is a chapter of the National Guild of Woodturners and was chartered first in 2003 in Freeport, but like so many worthy endeavors, was forced by rampant gentrification into other venues.

Fortunately, the club landed in Christopher’s corrugated metal palace in Santa Rosa Beach.

The guild’s current membership stands at 65 with ages ranging from 11 to 94. The youngster is president Chuck’s grandson, Jimmy Murray III.

“I started him when he was 4!” said Chaloupka. Christopher is the eldest of the guild.

The woodturners currently hold their meetings on second Saturdays. Dues are a nominal $40 per year. They often participate in community events benefiting veterans and homeless children and man booths at art fairs, including the Walton County Cultural Arts Alliance’s ArtsQuest.

After orientation in the breakroom comes a much-anticipated tour of the 3,000-square-foot, well-kept studioworkshop containing 11 mediumsized wood lathes alongside sets of

photography by MIKE FENDER

↖ Guild president Chuck Chaloupka, left, compares notes with members Alan Prince and Al Christopher at the guild’s workshop in Santa Rosa Beach.

↑ Via a series of steps, Chuck Chaloupka turns a piece of raw wood into an ornate bowl at the guild’s workshop. The woodturners currently hold their meetings on second Saturdays. Dues are a nominal $40 per year.

gouges — straight, fluted, chisel-like tools with wooden handles.

In the midst are buffing wheels with arms sticking out like the cardinal directions of a compass, each with different grit wheels used to put a finer and finer shine on wood.

The most basic woodturning involves a block of wood securely fixed at the end of a steel axle that extends from a motor that is good for some serious rpm’s.

Parallel to the spinning axle is a moveable tool rest to brace one’s gouge on. While the wooden block is spinning, a woodturner places his choice of gouge on the tool rest, then holds the cutting edge against the block. The shavings fly and the block morphs, first rounding, then gradually condensing under the blade.

Straight gouges are used for canister shapes, and as fascinating as that might be, with bent tools, a turner can hollow out bulbous shapes through a hole no larger than the mouth of a jug. Electronics have added a laser sensor to traditional

techniques for ensuring uniform thickness of the walls of a piece.

“The club started out making pretty utilitarian pieces, salad bowls and such,” Chaloupka said. “Over the years, our styles have evolved. Today, if you were to show up at a show with a plain ol’ turned bowl unpierced or uncarved or both, they’d pat you on the head!

“There are more esoteric turning techniques,” he continued, “like mounting the block off center on the axle — that’s called offset turning.”

“Don’t forget fractal burning,” Prince interjected. “National chapter frowns on that one; too dangerous!”

Fractal burning, while featured on social media sites as a cool, new woodburning technique, is actually a lifethreatening stunt that has already claimed lives. It involves the use of an unfettered electrical current with no safeguards should you come into contact with the metal rods or other conductor.

Chaloupka calculates that out of the guild’s 65 members, a little over half are regulars at lathe work, and some also have home workshops. A goodly number of members have filled every storage place in their house with the fruits of their labor.

Prince is rumored to have a dragon’s treasure cache of hundreds of exquisite, common and exotic wood sculptures.

Christopher led me upstairs to his own showcase.

On three of the room’s four walls and on the floor sits his collection including

200 or more astonishing shapes, sizes, moods, colors and textures. Countless shelves present pierced wood bowls; a hollow woman with ragged flames where her head should be; a slinky, red lounge singer; 26 turned and carved apples, each apple of a different wood with the name of each wood corresponding to a letter of the alphabet; a floor display of giant 50-cent pieces; and finally, taken from a box and unswaddled from cloth, the cherished mahogany quail that took 40 years to complete!

Traditionally, woodturning has been considered a craft, but perhaps the evolution that Chaloupka describes will carry products of ECWT members into the realm of pure art.

I might argue that it already has. EC

↑ Guild member Al Christopher has an extensive collection of work he has produced. He keeps a number of the pieces in a museum/gallery above the guild workshop in Santa Rosa Beach. ↙ Guild member John Blackwell looks over some of his creations; his work is so precise that it sometimes approaches photorealism.

SHE’S A PEARL

Immigrant jeweler strings successes together

by HANNAH BURKE

Visiting Qatar, Klara Haloho stood before a colossal fountain sculpture of an oyster and an enormous pearl. At that moment, she told herself that when she made it to the United States, she would work with the jewels of nature. Today, she is surrounded by thousands of nature’s jewels that she has made part of knotted pearl necklaces, bracelets, earrings and anklets at her Destin Commons jewelry boutique, a business 10 years in the making.

“Life here is maybe too good,” mused Haloho, tucking a strand of long, jet-black hair behind her ear. “It isn’t lost on me. I am a new American, and I know it is called the ‘Land of Opportunity’ for a reason. If I do the same work I do here at home, the results would not be the same.”

For Haloho, home is in Sumatra, Indonesia, a land of volcanoes known for its coffee bean production. She grew up with seven siblings; her family farmed rice.

“Life was labor,” she recalled. “Life was working from morning until dark, shooing the birds away from the rice paddies. We didn’t have much, but we lived off the land. There were all kinds of tropical fruits — pigs and chickens, too.”

Haloho said women in her family worked the hardest. It was only when her mother gave birth to a boy that she stopped having children.

East, it is important to have a son so your family’s name and legacy may continue,” she explained. “But it is the females laboring, and the females keeping the house together, while the boys get away with everything. I feel this is not fair. It is why I decided, as a little girl, I was not going to marry a man from my culture.”

Haloho is funny and frank. She speaks English well and with wit and poignancy. Thanks to her eldest sister’s financial support, she was the first of her siblings to attend college in the Indonesian capital

of Jakarta. Subsequently, each sibling paid the way for the next in line to obtain an education.

“All except the boy!” she said. “He is such a smart kiddo, but he has no interest in college. He said it was not for him.”

Haloho studied to become an administrative secretary and called her first position with an insurance company “the most stressful job in the world.” Her heart wasn’t in it.

“Growing up, I was in love with beauty,” she said. “It was all around me in nature, and it could be found in the magazines and

tabloids we would sometimes find. I would cut out all the pictures of clothes, jewelry and hair.”

Haloho said she began making jewelry in 2010. She watched online tutorials to learn how to string and knot pearls and has been expanding her skills, along with her business, ever since.

Haloho explained the difference between saltwater and freshwater pearl farming and her preference for more durable silk-hybrid and leather cords. Adorning the walls of her store is everything from cascading formal beads to single-studded chokers for everyday wear.

You’ll also find handmade, engraved cuff bracelets and colorful, carved animals that Haloho has picked up at markets in Bali, one of her favorite places in the world.

“Bali is special,” she said. “In my country, you have everything from where my tribe is to Jakarta, which is busier than New York City. Bali is popular, but it feels traditional. The art is not mass-produced and feels personal. That is how I want my jewelry to be.”

Haloho has a perspective on life and the world that many people lack.

“I encourage more people to step outside of their bubble,” she said. “I think often about how we humans can be like pearls. We all come from different places, with our own shapes and uniqueness. Yet not in all waters may pearls grow.

“With the water, the climate and even the bacteria, there must be harmony.” EC

←↘ Klara Haloho, opposite page, brings looks from Indonesia to the Emerald Coast with her handmade pearl and leather jewelry, boho beach clothes and accessories, all sold in her store at Destin Commons. Here, she wears Beach Vibes tie-dye pants and a ribbed crop top, accessorized with stacked pearl and leather jewelry. Klara’s functional designs, at right, can be worn as a single necklace, bracelet, belt or hat accessory. She utilizes sea glass and other materials in creating one-of-a-kind items.

A Change in Latitude

Latitude Margaritaville Watersound redefines 55-and-better active living

Just beside the beautiful Intracoastal Waterway, a new community with a “no worries” tropical vibe is taking shape. Welcome to Latitude Margaritaville Watersound, a 55-and-better paradise inspired by the songs of legendary singer, songwriter and best-selling author Jimmy Buffett.

Developed in partnership with master developer Minto Communities, global lifestyle brand Margaritaville Holdings and The St. Joe Company, Latitude Margaritaville Watersound has captured the imagination of today’s vibrant 55-and-better homebuyers who are growing older … but not up.

Built on the pillars of food, fun, music and escapism, Latitude Margaritaville Watersound is a distinctly happy place where every day is like an island vacation on Florida’s gorgeous Emerald Coast. Colorful coastal-themed architecture, walkable neighborhoods and golf cart-friendly streets create a setting where neighbors become friends and visitors feel right at home from day one.

13 Fully Furnished Model Homes

Latitude Margaritaville Watersound offers a variety of distinct island-inspired floor plans, including Conch Cottages, Caribbean Villas and single-family homes. Prices start in the $300,000s.

Conch Cottages offer convenient twobedroom, two-bathroom living, ranging from 1,210 to 1,481 square feet. All Conch Cottages have a two-car garage, and select floor plans offer a den or hobby room.

Villa homes range from 1,507 to 1,865 square feet under air. All have two bedrooms, a den or hobby room, two baths, a covered lanai and a two-car garage.

Single-family homes range from 1,685 to 2,568 square feet under air and feature two to three bedrooms plus a den, two- to three-car garages, two to 3½ bathrooms and a covered lanai.

The low-maintenance homes feature open, airy spaces that maximize natural light and flow into uniquely designed outdoor living spaces. Homes are designed for relaxing, entertaining and comfortably accommodating house guests. Spacious master suites feature large walk-in closets and raised-height vanities in the master bath.

Living with a License to Chill

Amenities at Latitude Margaritaville are second to none. The community recently celebrated the opening of its Town Square with a grand opening event at the new bandshell amphitheater. Other amenities include the lagoon-style Paradise Pool, the “Fins Up!” Fitness Center with an indoor pool and spa and the two-story Latitude Bar & Chill Restaurant, which overlooks the Intracoastal Waterway. Also included in the phase one amenities, residents are enjoying the tennis and pickleball courts with lighting for night play and the Barkaritaville Dog Park for resident pooches.

For more information about life in Latitude Margaritaville Watersound, visit the Sales Center, open daily Monday–Saturday, 9 am–5 pm, and Sunday, 11 am–5 pm.

You can also call (866) 220-1954 or visit LatitudeMargaritaville.com.

panache

ELEMENTS

ClasSea Couture

by PAIGE AIGRET

Few children, when asked, could accurately predict what their futures will hold. Many future doctors dreamed of being pirates or princesses, but Alyssa Jamieson’s childhood aspirations bordered on premonition.

“Ever since I was a little girl — probably like 4 or 5 — I’ve just always told my mom, ‘When I grow up, I’m going to have my own store. When I grow up, I’m going to sell my own clothes,’” Jamieson recalled. “It’s just been a dream of mine since I was very little.”

A young Jamieson watched fashion shows, created vision boards of clothing clipped from magazines and played dressup with girlfriends, trying her hand at pretend stylist and store owner. At 14, she landed her first boutique job.

“I started in boutiques, and I’ve never worked any other job except in boutiques,” Jamieson said.

“My mom always jokes, ‘It’s in your blood. It’s just in your blood.’ So, I think I was just born with this passion, and it just grew from the inside.”

With passion came ambition. At 21, Jamieson launched ClasSea Chic Boutique as an online platform, working out of a spare bedroom in her home.

“I started out with $300 that I had saved up and bought one box of inventory,” Jamieson recalled.

“I just believe deep down that it’s not going to fail because this is my dream. This is what I want. I worked very hard for it.”

After years of success through her website and social media, Jamieson began to outgrow her at-home workspace. In 2020, she graduated to a storefront in the high-traffic downtown strip of Fort Walton Beach.

Now a two-time Boutique Owner of the Year winner from Scarlett Magazine’s Woman of the Year Awards, Jamieson is still playing dress-up. Whether styling a customer or picking out her own wardrobe, she is living her dream every day.

“We all have a fun side,” Jamieson said. “We don’t always want to be stuck in

photography by MIKE FENDER

↗ Twice named a Boutique Owner of the Year award winner from Scarlett Magazine, Alyssa Jamieson is still playing dress-up. Whether styling a customer or picking out her own wardrobe, she lives her dream every day. She describes her preferred style as fun, flirty and comfortable.

oversized sweaters. Every now and then, you want to dress up and go out and have some fun. My style is fun, flirty but very comfortable.”

Jamieson hand selects pieces for her boutique that speak to a wide-range audience, with styles fitting for ages 16 through 80.

The boutique’s style is inspired much by Jamieson’s own. A mom of two toddlers, ages 3 and 5, she prefers casual outfits that speak to trends as much as they do to comfort and ease. On any given day, she’ll opt for an oversized T-shirt or crew neck, biker shorts and tennis shoes. She also loves the simplicity of a good romper — a stylish one-and-done look — paired with a simple sandal. She almost always has her hair in a high ponytail with light jewelry touches like a layering of dainty necklaces and neutral-toned clay earrings.

“I am a very bold person,” Jamieson said. “I like those bright pinks and the bright blues, but I do like the simplicity of solid colors.”

She stands by skinny jeans, despite the generational debate, but she’s a fan of highwaisted jeans in any style. At ClasSea Chic, she said, high-waisted skinny jeans and high-waisted mom-jeans tie for the most popular cut.

Summer is Jamieson’s favorite season, and she is stocked up on trending looks for warm weather. Mix-and-match sets, crop tops, strappy tanks, palazzo pants and shorts will line her clothing racks. As wedge sandals become less popular, she’s following the trend and incorporating more platforms. Locally handmade clay earrings and cross-body sling bags, she said, have proven popular accessories at the boutique year-round.

Looking ahead, Jamieson’s vision board has customer interests in mind. She plans to expand her offerings to reach a wider audience, including lines for children and men.

“I’m not corporate,” Jamieson said. “I base everything on that small-business relationship with my customers. I like to be their small, go-to place for whatever they need.”

In the future, she plans to open a second location within the Destin to Navarre region.

“I hope that I can make the community just feel comfortable in the clothes that they wear,” Jamieson said. “One of my main goals is to become friends with every customer I have and help them love themselves in their outfits because we deserve to look cute, and we deserve to be comfortable and, you know, have fun shopping.” EC

↑ “I am a very bold person,” says Alyssa Jamieson. “I like bright pinks and the bright blues, but I do like the simplicity of solid colors.” She plans to expand her offerings to reach a wider audience, including lines for children and men.

TOTE-ALLY STILL IN FASHION

The evolution and faithfulness of the tried and trusted tote

by REBECCA PADGETT FRETT

From fresh farmers market finds and grocery store hauls to necessities for a day at the park, when we need a catch-all carrier, the tote bag is the first to come to mind. Where bag styles come and go, the tote carries with it a reputation of consistency for both fashion and function.

The tote bag emerged long before society was concerned with something being “in fashion.” We can look back as far as 17th-century paintings to see depictions of men and women from all cultures using textile satchels to transport their belongings. Since tote simply means “to carry,” we can look back further to our ancestors to recognize the practicality of a bag worn on the body.

The creation of the tote bag as we know it today is credited to L.L. Bean, a fashion brand that was utilitarian focused. In 1944, the tote bag first debuted as a large boxy canvas bag with primary uses of transporting ice and keeping food cool.

During the ’40s and ’50s, the tote bag made waves in the lives of housewives who used the bags for grocery transport, picnics, outdoor activities and more. L.L. Bean began releasing more colors and styles, and soon other brands caught on, mimicking the material, durable design and straps that sat nicely on the shoulder.

these bags are made of quality cotton and luxury leather rather than standard canvas, they still serve the simple purpose of toting our everyday essentials to and fro.

“We have structured totes that can be used for going out with the girls, fun weekender bags made to go with that jet-setting outfit and the burlap and straw totes that are perfect for a day at the beach,” said Debra Fortson, owner of Gigi’s Boutique & Eats in Pensacola.

A luxury leather tote makes a statement in the corporate world. A colorful athleisure canvas tote is great for the gym or parents on the go. And a recycled-fabric tote is ideal for the environmentally conscious grocery shopper.

How you wear your tote bag is dependent on your lifestyle. There are totes for farmers market strolling, rushing off to business meetings, hitting the sand or an elevated moment between the work day and cocktail hour.

Sea Bags, a company that began in Portland, Maine, where they handcraft their totes, has a retail location along Grand Boulevard at Sandestin. Inspired by life spent by the water, the bags are extremely durable and printed in a variety of designs and styles to suit the occasion or customer’s taste.

“Sea Bags converts old sails into rugged and stylish shoulder bags that work great for travel, whether you’re toting souvenirs back home, transporting essentials for a beach day or enjoying dinner and a sunset at the end of the day,” said Tara Knupp, vice president of merchandising, design and product development at Sea Bags.

The bags are preferred for casual wear with unique features original to the recycled sail such as stitching and hardware that speak to each bag’s authenticity.

Southern Toile owner and designer Jennifer Grehan emphasizes personalization in her handdesigned products. Combining her passion for fine arts and graphic design, Grehan sketches vignettes by hand, then transfers her drawings to her computer to design and layout the tote prints.

Grehan describes toile as a type of printed material with a characteristic floral, figure or landscape design. Her current toile selections include patterns inspired by 30A, Florida, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama.

“Southern Toile really is a love letter to special places,” said Grehan. “The goal of toile is to capture the spirit of that location through the inclusion of special landmarks, architecture and foliage unique to that place.”

The bags can be toted for any occasion, but Grehan finds them to be particularly popular as gifts.

As a society on the go, having a place to throw all your things that’s roomy yet always en vogue is essential. No matter where you’re headed out the door, keep a few totes on standby. EC

↑

TOTES FROM SEA BAGS

Top left: Indigo Rising tote pays homage to African American women and the art of quilting. The patchwork is constructed of indigo blocks that incorporate the Indigo Arts Alliance symbol for growth through community. Above: Chebeague Crossbody Bag is handsome and rugged. It is designed with an adjustable premium leather handle, Dacron sailcloth with canvas bottom and embossed leather Sea Bags logo patch.

←

TOTE FROM SOUTHERN TOILE 30A Tarpaulin

tote depicts scenes from 30A beaches and towns. Southern Toile owner and designer Jennifer Grehan emphasizes personalization in her hand-designed products.

FAHERTY

at Grand Blvd.

Grand Boulevard’s newest addition, Faherty, is a clothing brand that seeks inspiration from the sun and waves, making it the ideal uniform for Emerald Coast living. As we transition from sweltering summers to easy, breezy autumns, the brand’s layering looks are perfect for that in-between. Fill your shopping bag and closet with chunky knit sweaters over linen sundresses or classic button downs with versatile khakis, all made with recycled and renewable fabrics.

1. STRETCH PLAYA Cut from a lightweight washed chambray, this shirt will be your go-to summer selection. Style it up or down depending on where the day leads. $138

2. PARADISE COVE SWEATER The hues of sea and sky merge in this striped sweater featuring six different shades of yarn. Layer over a sundress, or pair with shorts for a laid-back summer look. $298

3. MOVEMENT FIVE-POCKET PANTS Beat the Florida heat with pants that allow you to move while keeping your cool with COOLMAX CORE technology and other desirable features such as fourway stretch and an elasticized interior waistband. $168

4. ALL DAY SHORTS

You can wear these shorts all day from mornings spent on the golf course to evenings at sunset cocktails. Even better, these are made from ecofriendly fabric. $98

5. MOVEMENT POLO From workwear to weekend style, this soft and stretchy shirt is refined yet relaxed. It’s a staple addition to any man’s wardrobe. $118

6. KNIT SEASONS SHIRT It looks like a button-up with utility-style detailing but feels like your favorite worn-in tee. This cozy feel stems from silky soft 100% organic cotton that’s knit rather than woven. $148

7. SUNWASHED SLUB HOODIE

Perfect for those breezy beachside evenings, this hoodie boasts a relaxed fit with a cinchable hood and knit ribbing at the collar, cuff and hem. $98

8. STRETCH TERRY FIVEPOCKET PANT

Desire the classic, cool style of jeans combined with the irresistible softness of your favorite sweatpants? These pants combine style, utility and comfort. $168

WHAT’S IN STORE?

A roundup of retail happenings throughout the Emerald Coast

by REBECCA PADGETT FRETT

Alys Beach Shoppe

➸ ALYS BEACH SHOPPE is an extension of the Alys Beach brand, offering a variety of logo items in addition to a thoughtfully curated selection of designer apparel, accessories, gifts and exclusive, limited-edition brand collaborations. The Alys Shoppe is the place to find special pieces and unique items for graceful living.

➸ In collaboration with Alys Beach, CB GREY, a luxury silk brand, has captured the essence of Alys Beach’s architecture and design through renderings that translate to silk scarves, sarongs, shawls and accessories. Available exclusively in the Alys Shoppe and through CB Grey, these beautiful works of art encapsulate the Alys Beach experience.

➸ For summer, Alys Beach Shoppe encourages you to take an Italian vacation, even if it’s only via your clothing. BENE HANDBAGS are made of fine Italian leather, custom art-print silk linings and impeccable craftsmanship. Designer Ellie Schwing combines influences from Italy with her New Orleans roots in creating these beautiful handbags and leather products, often collaborating with artists to create the interior linings and traveling to Italian tanners to source the perfect materials.

Grand Boulevard Town Center

➸ Slip into a warm bath brimming with the CHAMOMILE LAVENDER

HONEY BATH MILK

Raw honey and sweet almond oil combined with a touch of coconut milk make for lusciously moisturized skin. Milk helps to clean and soften the skin while the lavender reduces stress, relieves pain and improves sleep.

➸ If a shower is more your style, the SUGAR ALMOND SCRUB fills your bathroom with the sweetest of scents while revitalizing and nourishing the skin. Rich in vitamins, minerals and proteins, this scrub keeps aging at bay while gently removing dry, dead skin to reveal a lovely glow, reduce inflammation and protect against harmful UV rays.

➸ Lock in all-day hydration with the JA HOME SIGNATURE SCENT OIL that merges sweet almond oil, avocado oil and jojoba to soothe, heal, reduce signs of aging and even improve skin tone. The signature oil can be customized to suit your skin’s needs.

➸ In the coming months, GRAND BOULEVARD TOWN CENTER will introduce two clothing brands to its tenant roster — STALLWORTH and FAHERTY. Stallworth is run by fourthgeneration Memphis retailers with a particular love for 30A. The company has a unique business model. In its stores, it offers All Birds, Rothy’s and Jo Malone — brands that were previously available only online. Faherty specializes in clothing that emphasizes a cool, coastal lifestyle with breezy button downs, pastel sundresses, relaxed knits and cozy plaids. With a mission of offering only environmentally friendly and sustainable clothing, the store offers organic cotton, ethically sourced cashmere and recycled polyester, linen and hemp.

Jennifer Albert, owner and creator of JA Essence Beauty in Santa Rosa Beach, believes a spa experience should be readily available, especially in your own home. Her organic, handcrafted wellness products promote rejuvenation, healing and pampering.

Shine Bright Like a

Diamond Aqua Medical Spa offering shining new skin treatment — DiamondGlow

Adiamond sparkles and shines, it catches and holds attention — Aqua Medical Spa’s DiamondGlow treatment intends the same for your skin. This noninvasive three-in-one treatment simultaneously exfoliates, extracts, and infuses the skin offering immediate and long-lasting results.

Unlike the typical facial that relies on chemical exfoliation, DiamondGlow has a patented recessed diamond-tip wand. The triple-threat technology employs the DiamondGlow dermabrasion device to gently exfoliate to uncover new skin, extracts by removing debris from pores with a deep cleanse and infuses with SkinMedica Pro-Infusion serums that are customized to your skin type.

The SkinMedica TNS Advanced+ Serum enhances tone and texture by targeting wrinkles, fine lines and sagging. SkinMedica HA5 contains hyaluronic acid to plump skin and reduce wrinkles. SkinMedica Even & Correct Advanced Brightening corrects the appearance of hyperpigmentation and dark spots. The Vitamin C+E Complex Serum doses the skin with antioxidants to rejuvenate and protect. A pore clarifying treatment addresses imperfections and acne-prone skin.

At Aqua Medical Spa, a consultation is

required to inquire about products used, medications, skin types, concerns and intended results. The aesthetician will help you determine the best serum for your skin.

The entire treatment can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on any added services. For most patients, the treatment begins with a double cleanse. Some patients may opt to add dermaplaning or a steam mask to further extract congestion from pores and loosen the skin. Lastly, the DiamondGlow treatment occurs, leaving your skin feeling bright and new.

Katie Perkins, an aesthetician with Aqua Medical Spa & Dermatology Specialists of Florida, said that the noticeable glow is instant with results typically lasting four to six weeks.

“Clients love it because they walk out with smooth, hydrated, plump and glowing skin,” Perkins said.

There is no healing period after the treatment, and the only side effects that occur include redness in the hour following the treatment and the possibility of whiteheads as the skin continues to purge. The treatment is safe for most except those who have severe acne, open wounds or are pregnant.

Falling under the Allergan product umbrella, Alle Loyalty Program points can be used for DiamondGlow treatments. The aestheticians of Dermatology Specialists can help guide patients to a skin care regimen that helps maintain results.

“We want people to leave feeling confident in their skin, love looking in the mirror, feeling like they don’t have to wear makeup and feeling good about investing in their skin health,” Perkins said.

KATIE PERKINS, LICENSED AESTHETICIAN

EXPERIENCE

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

SHOP

Altar’d State

Anthropologie

Arhaus

Arula

The Beaufort Bonnet Company

Billabong

Bluemercury

Faherty (Now Open)

Hemline

J.Ji l l

J.McLaughlin

johnnie-O

The Jewel

Hunter Douglas by McNeill Palm (Now Open)

Kendra Scott

KREWE

La Luna

Lilly Pulitzer

lululemon (Now Open)

Ophelia Swimwear

Orvis

Peter Millar

Pottery Barn

Pure Collective Salon (Now Open)

Rose & Co

Seabags

Southern Tide

Stallworth (Now Open)

Sunset Shoes & Lifestyles

Vineyard Vines

Williams Sonoma

Courtyard by Marriott Sandestin at Grand Boulevard

Hyatt Place Sandestin at Grand Boulevard

AMC CLASSIC Boulevard 10

grandboulevard.com

#GrandBlvd

DINE

Another Broken Egg Café

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

Black Bear Bread Co.

BrickTop’s (Coming Soon)

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

Residence Inn by Marriott Sandestin at Grand Boulevard

Grand Fitness

Emerald Coast Theatre Company

Ohana Day School (Coming Soon)

lululemon & Pure Collective Salon NOW OPEN

by

Cups clink as guests carry on conversations inside the cafe.

The warm smell of espresso fills the air. A cozy seat next to the window beckons with a bit of sunshine, providing the perfect lighting to settle in with a good book and a latte of velvety steamed milk, rich espresso, a touch of vanilla and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Here, time simply melts away.

Everything melts in August heat, and the thermometer doesn’t seem to have numbers high enough to reflect the temperature outside.

When looking for a summer alternative to that steamy latte, don’t just clunk a few ice cubes in your leftover morning coffee — brew your coffee cold from the start.

“The buzz behind cold brew coffee is because there is no hot water introduced,” said Alex Conley, head of coffee education and product development at Lucky Goat Coffee Company. “A lot of the acids that are naturally present in coffee don’t get extracted into the cold brew.”

Cold brew coffee offers a smoother, fuller-bodied experience than traditional iced coffee, which can quickly become watered down as the ice melts. The lower acid content from this brewing method makes cold brew a rich coffee beverage without the unpleasant bitterness.

Iced coffee also loses out in terms of longevity.

“Hot coffee often loses its structure quickly as it cools down, whereas cold brew can be stored in the fridge and it’s still good a week later,” Conley said. “The slower rate of extraction maintains

pH balance, but the taste is much smoother and you get a more concentrated end product.”

Lucky Goat Coffee Company manufactures its own cold brew at a facility in Tallahassee for distribution to cafés along Scenic Highway 30A in South Walton County. The company also sells three variants that can be brewed at home and boasts a homebrewed rig for nitro cold brew, a system that injects the concentrated cold brew with nitrogen gas.

“When you put nitrogen in cold brew, it cascades up to the top, creating a really creamy, cloudy texture to form a nitrogen head,” Conley said. “We created a system in our cafés that can infuse nitrogen much more efficiently to make it even more creamy.”

Cold brew coffee is surprisingly delicious even without milk or sugar, despite being a concentrated form of coffee similar to espresso. Still, not everyone enjoys their coffee neat.

“Oatmilk is a popular addition,” said Conley. “It’s super creamy, and that’s what people are missing when they don’t want to have the dairy component to their drink, but they still want that creaminess.

Vanilla syrup is also our most popular addition, not just for cold brew but across the board.”

Hot coffee can be a sacred experience, but with weather this warm, it may be time to try something cool. If you love to experiment with brewing methods at home, cold brew is sure to be a summer favorite in your repertoire. EC

FRENCH PRESS COLD BREW AT HOME

LUCKY GOAT 30A DISTRIBUTION

Cold Brew coffee is often brewed with any dark roast bean, such as French roast or Italian roast. Lucky Goat is hard at work dominating the cold brew scene along Northwest Florida as they have the only blends specifically crafted for cold brew use.

While Lucky Goat currently has stores in Tallahassee, they do distribute their coffee across 30A, Inlet Beach and Panama City. Find a cup of Lucky Goat brew at any of these locations:

➸ Charlie & Donie’s Donuts

➸ Charlie’s Delights

➸ Charlie’s Cafe Rosemary

➸ The Big Chill

➸ Kahve & Cream

➸ Nectar Coffee

➸ Cafe Aroma

➸ Blue Mountain Creamery

➸ Modica Market

➸ The Press

➸ Emerald Hub

➸ FlyBy Coffee

Grab your favorite roast or a bag of beans labeled for cold brewing. Grind the beans coarsely, as you would for a French press brew. Combine 2 cups of coffee grinds with 3 ½ cups of filtered water into your 1 ½ liter (6 cup) French press. Stir the ingredients until all of the coffee grounds are saturated, cover and leave in the fridge for 18 hours. The following day, press down the plunger on your French press, and pour your coffee into a large pitcher. To serve, combine equal parts cold brew and filtered water, add your favorite syrup and cream and pour over ice.

FLAVOR ADDED

Infusion embellishes beverages

by LIESEL SCHMIDT

Infusions add new and exciting flavors to common household liquids without imparting any artificial additives.

If you’ve ever enjoyed flavored craft moonshine or vodka, savored the refreshing taste of water from a pitcher with sliced cucumbers floating in it or dipped bread in a spicy olive oil, you’ve experienced the results of infusing a liquid with herbs, spices or some other flavoring agent.

Infusions exude the essence of the item used, much the way an aroma fills the air; the air is still unchanged but now contains a sensational new scent.

“With an infusion, you take whatever ingredient you want to use — be it an herb, spice, fruit, vegetable or even something like coffee beans — and steep it in your chosen ‘solvent’ for a week or two,” said Audrey Hart, owner of Emerald Coast Olive Oil, which operates locations in Panama City and Destin.

“As it steeps,” Hart adds, “it releases its flavors into the liquid. At the end of this time, the flavoring agent is removed and the liquid is strained to remove all physical traces.”

Et voila! The liquid is unchanged save for the addition of flavor.

Water, alcohol, oil or vinegar are all fantastic starter liquids for infusion. They can be hot or cold, which is useful in the bar and restaurant industry as well as for home cooks.

HERBINFUSED OLIVE OIL

INGREDIENTS

➸ ½ cup fresh herb leaves (rosemary, thyme, oregano), washed and dried

➸ Pinch of salt

➸ 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

As popular as it’s become with creatively obsessed mixologists and forwardthinking chefs, infusion is a process that has been in use for centuries. Historically, infusion wasn’t used to create trendy drinks or elevate the flavor of a simple dish. Infusion was practical and used to preserve food to last through the winter months. Fruits, vegetables and berries were submerged and stored in alcohol or vinegar, which extended their use and prevented spoilage.

As people began to notice the change in taste of these preservative liquids, infusions became a method of flavoring liquids, as well.

And, of course, it works both ways — like how marinating meat in a liquid imparts flavor.

Infusion is being used in everything from making tea and French press coffee to craft beers and wines as well as flavored oils and vinegars — all of which have become incredibly popular.

DIRECTIONS

Combine ingredients in a saucepan over low heat and warm until mixture bubbles, then cook until oil is very fragrant, about one to two minutes. Cool, then strain. Use a funnel to pour oil into a clean container. Refrigerate and use within a month.

HOT INFUSIONS

May take several minutes to an hour

Steeping method: For tea and vinegar-based infusions. Simmering method: For syrups, most oil-based infusions and some vinegar-based infusions.

COLD INFUSIONS

May take up to several weeks

Submerge herbs, spices, fruits or the flavoring agents of your choice in water, alcohol, vinegar or oil in a sealed container, shaking every few days.

“For the process of making infused olive oils, the olives are harvested and crushed to make olive oil, and the infusions — which are all natural flavors — are added to it afterward,” explained Alicja Donlon, assistant retail manager at Bodacious Shops, which includes Bodacious Olive in Pensacola, a local hotspot for all things olive oil and vinegar.

“There are also fused olive oils,” Donlon continued, “which are created when olives and fruits, herbs or vegetables are crushed at the same time, resulting in a very strong and flavorful olive oil. In the case of vinegars, dark and white infused vinegars are also created by the addition of the natural flavor of fruit or herbs and allowed to steep before being strained from the vinegar.”

The traditional manner of infusion takes anywhere from a few hours to several months, depending on the liquid you’re infusing and the flavoring agent you’re using, as well as whether you’re using a hot or cold infusion process.

Cold infusions follow a simple process: Fill a container with herbs, spices, fruits or the flavoring agents of your choice and add enough alcohol, vinegar or oil to completely submerge them, then seal the container and store in a dark location for up to several weeks, shaking it every few days to help the flavors mix into the liquid. Once the liquid has fully infused, strain it into a new container.

Hot infusions, by contrast, are achieved much more quickly and can be done using two main methods.

The first involves boiling the liquid and then pouring it over the flavoring agents before allowing the liquid to steep for anywhere from several minutes to an hour before straining. Examples of this include tea and many vinegarbased infusions.

The second method requires simmering the liquid and flavoring agents together for up to an hour, then cooling them and straining. Syrups, most oil-based infusions and some vinegar-based infusions are created using this method.

Whether choosing hot or cold methods, infusions can add some unique flair to your home cooking experience. EC

Bodacious Booms as Community-Based Business

The sun sets as you relax into sipping wine and snacking on charcuterie from a balcony overlooking downtown Pensacola — a common setting at Bodacious Shops in downtown Pensacola.

Bodacious Shops’ location wasn’t always a place buzzing with business or a spot where gatherings regularly attracted crowds. But 11 years ago, the location found its start when Rishy Studer and her husband, Quint, conceptualized a revitalization project for downtown Pensacola and Palafox Street — the Bodacious Shops dining and retail umbrella.

The Bodacious Olive was the first to open, shortly followed by The Bodacious Brew coffee shop, So Chopped Salad Bar & Bistro, and a coffee roasting room where they roast their coffee beans in-house. Eventually, retail followed including So Gourmet culinary shop and, just a couple blocks away from the main shops, The Bodacious Bookstore.

The latest addition includes an upstairs kitchen and event space that can be rented and

where patrons can attend cooking classes with local chefs that range from four-course meals to specialized focuses, such as sushi making.

So Gourmet includes an impressive selection of wines and gourmet cheeses, ideal for charcuterie at sunset with a live-music background at one of Bodacious’ monthly Sunsets on Main events.

Bodacious Shops takes pride in stocking shelves with products from local businesses, such as NaturBaker’s nutritious and allergenfree treats, Chef Phil’s barbecue sauces and rubs, and Bill-E’s small batch bacon.

“We are always seeking to invest in local businesses,” said Noelle White, vice president of retail at Bodacious Shops. “It’s part of our mission to help local businesses grow and to provide them the platform to do so.”

The overarching mission that the Studers established in 2012 is to improve the quality of life in the communities they serve.

The Studers regularly invest their revenue dollars into the community by providing

scholarships to local universities and donating to local hospitals, YMCAs and domestic violence centers.

Most notably, they’ve established the Studer Community Institute, which works to improve life in diverse communities through initiatives including kindergarten preparation and the creation of jobs through mentorships with entrepreneurs and business leaders.

In the future, Bodacious seeks to host open mic nights at the downstairs café, offer more opportunities for family-friendly events and increase use of their space for events both at Bodacious Shops and their sister event venue, 5eleven Palafox.

“We get to support our community by providing this space to gather, feel welcome and eat healthy, fulfilling foods,” said White. “In turn, every time someone sits down for lunch, attends an event, hosts an event or simply grabs a coffee, they are supporting the growth of our downtown, our community.”

The business model that revitalized downtown Pensacola and what keeps it going

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RESPONDING IN

NORTHWEST FLORIDA

CITIZENS AND FIRST RESPONDERS

AID IN THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE IAN

BY HANNAH BURKE

TAMPA

ENGLEWOOD

Hurricane Ian, as photographed from the International Space Station on Sept. 28, 2022, two days before the Category 4 storm made landfall on Florida’s southwest coast.

Rolling into Englewood, a low-lying town that is part of West Florida’s Charlotte and Sarasota counties, Investigator Rebecca Smith and a team of 22 fellow officials from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office saw shades of the hurricane that had devastated their community four years prior.

Hundreds of trees, felled and mangled, blocked roads, littered yards and crushed homes. Tepid, stagnant floodwater had inundated entire neighborhoods, and scores of residents were still without power.

“Everybody was kind of like they were back in Bay County when Hurricane Michael hit — in shock and just trying to help each other out as best they could,” Smith said.

Smith, who now works as a criminal investigator under Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford, has a history of responding to storms. She spent most of her career as a paramedic in Central Florida and can recall “the year of four storms” when hurricanes Ivan, Frances, Charley and Jeanne ravaged the state in 2004.

But Hurricane Ian, which claimed more than 100 lives and ushered in historic flooding with its turbulent storm surge, is among Florida’s most deadly.

“Local deputies and first responders were overwhelmed,” Smith said. “They were working what we call an ‘Alpha/Bravo’ shift,

PEACE RIVER

PORT ORANGE

PHOTO COURTESY OF NASA, ILLUSTRATION BY SAIGE ROBERTS

that is, working 12 to 16 hours a day, every day, and going home just to sleep.”

Some of them didn’t even have that luxury. Smith and her team assisted one Charlotte County deputy whose home was, according to Smith, a “total loss.”

“My dayshift crew went in there, pulled some drywall and helped him pack up boxes of items that were salvageable,” she said. “You saw that kind of thing a lot. We were working off a list of deputies, firefighters and military veterans who received a bunch of damage to their homes. We were able to help them tarp roofs, cut trees and help them with getting their lives back together so they could go back to work without worrying about their families who may be home alone, or what they were coming back to.”

Smith was also part of a mission to assess the damage of Little Gasparilla, a barrier island just west of Placida, and is only accessible by ferry. Home to some 2,300 residents, Little Gasparilla’s utter destruction was evident upon arrival.

“There are no stores, no gas stations, just this little community of people,” Smith said of the area. “We were able to take them a bunch of MREs (meals ready-to-eat) and drive around to make sure everyone was safe and accounted for. We helped them clear the roads, which are unpaved, and remove some trees so people could get through.”

A Little Gasparilla resident who granted an interview to NPR said of his community’s recovery, “I think it’s going to take years. … Right now, it’s just pure survival mode.”

Smith is hopeful that her week spent in Southwestern Florida provided some peace of mind for the storm’s victims.

“Because we had just experienced something just as traumatic and devastating as they did, it was fulfilling to give back to those agencies who came over to help us during Michael,” she said. “The amount of appreciation they showed us was heartfelt. … It was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ll ever have.”

Homes along the Peace River east of North Port, Florida, were overtaken by floodwaters in the wake of Hurricane Ian, which made landfall on Sept. 30, 2022. Jackson County Judge Wade Mercer was among Northwest Florida residents who visited the storm-ravaged area to lend a hand. Some communities, he found, were affected primarily by flooding while others sustained massive wind damage that took down trees and battered homes. “We did a lot of chainsaw work,” Mercer said.

A COORDINATED EFFORT

It was important to Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford to involve his staff in Hurricane Ian relief efforts not just on a personal level but within his role as the newly appointed chairman of the Florida Sheriff’s Task Force.

The mechanism by which county sheriffs interface with emergency support functions and the State Emergency Operations Center, the task force responds to affected sheriffs and plays a major role in coordinating law enforcement response to storms.

It’s a gig Ford picked up not three weeks before Hurricane Ian made landfall, but prior to being appointed sheriff in 2016, he spent nearly two decades responding to disasters with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Much of that responsibility comprised mutual aid and working under the Florida Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan. During that time, Ford’s team was one of the first to head to Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina.

As Bay County’s sheriff throughout the recovery from Hurricane Michael, he was well prepared for the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.

“My lieutenant, one of my captains and I were there when Ian hit, and we headed into Charlotte and Lee counties to meet with the sheriffs, see what their needs were and match them up with

agencies from all over the state,” Ford said. “We usually poll other sheriffs to see what they can send.”

Ford said bigger agencies can possibly send 20 to 25 self-contained units. “Being self-sufficient is important,” he said. “Lots of us have developed capabilities for feeding our people and providing sleeping quarters. You could send 100 cops to help, but if the sheriff is having to worry about putting them up … there’s just no time. So, we roll in the self-sustaining teams first.”

Investigator Smith was part of the team Ford assembled in Englewood. Their home base consisted of inflatable tents, a cooking trailer, portable bathrooms and makeshift showers.

Many Bay County deputies, he said, were responsible for supplementing patrols in affected areas of Charlotte County.

“My role was generally being a resource for affected sheriffs,” Ford said. “The first week to two weeks after a storm is working from can to can’t. We’d troubleshoot things like communications between the SEOC and then generators for the jail or what was going on with cell phone service. And we coordinated special missions.”

Ford said he received an early request from Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri. Anticipating an unprecedented storm surge in the highly populated Tampa area, Gualtieri

requested 10 shallow-water boats. Ford and the task force called across the state to cobble together the boats and sent them on their way.

“Once Ian hit further south, we worked together to redeploy those boats to Sheriff (Bill) Prummell in Charlotte County,” Ford said.

After a week of 20-hour Alpha/Bravo shifts, Ford, along with Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister and other first responders were honored at a Tampa Bay Buccaneers football game for their relief efforts.

“That was cool,” Ford conceded but added that it can’t compare to a return on kindness.

In anticipation of the 2021 hurricane season, Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford familiarized personnel with the capabilities of his Incident Management Team facility and mobile operations center. Bay County first responders, lower right, completed a hurricane preparedness exercise.

This page, clockwise upper left: The Bay County Sheriff’s Office announced plans to join Hurricane Ian recovery efforts; the BCSO command post in Charlotte County; the storm buckled roads and stranded automobiles. Opposite page, clockwise starting with group photo: Personnel from Bay County assisted the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office with debris removal and other tasks; storm response volunteers Caleb Shores and Keith Godwin placed a tarp on a damaged home; BCSO investigator Rebecca Smith wielded a chainsaw at a home in Englewood; retired BCSO Capt. Gene Hendrix trailered personal tractors to the Ian impact zone and went to work helping out residents of Little Gasparilla Island.

“I know how it feels, being responsible for public safety after an event that has upended your community,” he said. “I know what it’s like when your agency is overwhelmed with more demand than the resources you have.

“I will never forget the feeling of seeing other sheriff’s offices arrive to help. At one point, we had 600 deputies from other areas to help Bay County after the storm. I had a real sense of needing to repay that debt.”

FAITH IN HUMANITY

A week after Hurricane Ian, a Charlotte County fire department received a call from an elderly couple living in Rotunda West, a deed-restricted community popular among retirees.

Power had been restored to all the houses along the cul-de-sac except theirs because a towering oak tree had fallen directly on the power line outside their home.

Inundated with other calls, the fire department dispatched a team of nine Jackson County men and women to their home. The leader of the group, Jackson County Judge Wade Mercer, said his crew arrived with four chainsaws.

“Some power companies assist with tree removal, and some won’t,” Mercer explained. “The couple, who were in their 70s, asked if we could maybe knock some limbs off and see if that would help them get electricity. We said, ‘We can do better than that.’”

Mercer’s team, most of them members of First Baptist Church of Marianna, got

to work, and the tree was gone in a matter of hours. When they were finished, Mercer said tears flowed from the woman’s eyes, and her husband “got choked up.”

“What happens is they try to pay you,” said Mercer, who helped service roughly 15 homes during the three-day trip. “Then they try and get us to take their money by telling us to donate it to our church. We refuse because that’s not what we’re here for. There’s no hidden agenda. We told them they needed the money a whole lot more down here than we need in North Florida.”

Mercer said storm response has become a part of his church’s ministry, and he has been involved with other hurricane relief trips in the past. Members donate meals, chainsaw oil and gas, and reach

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BAY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE (PARKING LOT, SHERIFF POSING WITH GROUP, MEN SURROUNDING HOUSE), JUDGE MERCER AND FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH MARIANNA (MAN ON ROOF) AND REBECCA SMITH (SIGN, ROAD DAMAGE, TRACTOR AND CHAINSAW GROUP)

out to extended family members near affected areas for possible lodging and accommodations.

This year, Mercer’s team spent their first day in Port Orange, a town in South Daytona Beach. The area was severely impacted by storm surge, and much of their time there was spent tarping roofs, pulling out drenched carpet and wet vinyl and attempting to salvage ruined furniture.

“When we arrived in Englewood the next day, it was the complete opposite,” Mercer said. “There was tons of tree damage because that’s near where the eye hit. Our final day, in Hardee County in Central Florida, was a combination of both places. The Peace River had overflowed, and we did a lot of chainsaw work there.”

Mercer said they worked with a fire department in Englewood who, like Ford’s team, was working double shifts. They also cooperated with a local Methodist pastor, who put his team in contact with elderly widows, retirees and military veterans.

“If you look for people who need help, you will find them,” Mercer said. “We went to the home of a 92-year-old man who lived alone and was retired military. He was raised in tough times, lived during the Great Depression and had a completely different mindset than the younger people who throw everything out because insurance will pay for it. He wanted to save what he had.”

The man’s furniture had been standing in several inches of water for about four

days, but Mercer’s squad honored his wish. They spent four hours cutting the carpet out around his furniture — learning that wet carpet is much heavier than you’d expect — and the man said he’d reassess the damage after the remainder of the water drained.

“You could tell he couldn’t believe we’d take the time to do that, and that’s why we go on these trips,” Mercer said. “We go to show people we love and care about them. Especially as Christians, you have an obligation to your fellow man and woman.

“If we’re healthy, have the ability and the tools, there’s no reason not to help out. If there’s a storm next year, we’ll go there, too.” EC

OLD PROS WITH NEW TRICKS

Senior investigators thaw out cold cases

STORY BY STEVE BORNHOFT // PHOTOS BY MIKE FENDER

FORTY-TWO YEARS AFTER HE STARTED IN LAW

ENFORCEMENT AS A PATROL OFFICER WITH THE PANAMA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT, JIMMY STANFORD RETIRED IN JUNE FROM THE BAY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, WHERE HE HAD ATTAINED THE RANK OF MAJOR AND OVERSAW THE OFFICE’S INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION.

Still, he is not abandoning his passion for crime busting.

In his final weeks on the BCSO payroll, Stanford organized an allvolunteer group of retired investigators who will work to solve murders and missing-persons cases that have long gone uncleared. The group comprises Stanford, former Bay County Sheriff Frank McKeithen and four additional retirees Steve Harbuck (BCSO),

COLD CASES: NOTES FROM THE BAY COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

1983

VIVIAN LEE EDWARDS

WHITE FEMALE, 32

Discovered missing from her Dolphin Drive residence on Jan. 26, 1983. Blood was found inside the residence, and in 1988, her body was found in a wooded area in Walton County, Florida. Possible serial killers — Ottis Toole and Henry Lee Lucas.

1996

MIKE BRADY

WHITE MALE, 28

Discovered shot to death inside his Callaway residence on Oct. 6, 1996. Prominent businessman, lots of twists with this case.

2004

ELIZABETH PRESCOTT

WHITE FEMALE, 19

Went missing on April 30, 2004, from her residence at Abalone Apartments, located at 522 North Tyndall Parkway. Has not been seen or heard from since. Husband suspect.

together, and I am hoping that we can have some success.”

Daniels, in particular, stays current with new and improving technologies that aid in criminal investigations.

The “Stanford Squad,” let’s call it, will focus on cases that have been worked before. Indeed, several cold case task forces have been assembled in Bay County in the past.

Paul Vecker (BCSO), Koren Daniels (BSCO) and Mitchell Pitts, who was a commander with the Panama City Police Department.

“We all have more than 40 years of law enforcement experience,” Stanford said. “Frank and Steve have worked tons of homicides, and Koren is the finest crime scene technician I have ever worked with. It’s a pretty impressive team that we are pulling

Stanford has on his desk a list of brief synopses of cold cases dating to 1976. Several developed before DNA fingerprinting was used for the first time in a criminal trial in England in 1986.

The most recent case on the list involves a woman who may have been “suffering from schizophrenia” and went missing in January 2008 from her motel room on Thomas Drive in Panama City Beach. There was no sign of foul play at the scene.

← Retired Bay County Sheriff’s Office investigator Jimmy Stanford displays newspaper articles that described the killing of a Callaway businessman, Mike Brady, in 1996. Stanford heads up an all-volunteer task force made up of career law enforcement professionals who are taking fresh looks at cold cases. Stanford worked a combined 42 years for the Sheriff’s Office and the Panama City Police Department.

“We haven’t added cases to the list recently, and that’s a pretty good barometer as to the quality of law enforcement we have had over the past 50 years,” Stanford said. “We have several cases that appear to have been domestic in nature, and the husbands are suspects. The toughest cases tend to be gang and drug related.”

As those tough cases are, law enforcement in Bay County has enjoyed success by rounding up anyone in the area of a crime scene who may have witnessed something or may have information of value. A large number of investigators, at times from multiple agencies, divvy up the group and conduct interviews.

Stanford had just moved from the Panama City Police Department to the BCSO when the approach was first used in Bay County in 2004. Members of a gang calling themselves the Crazy White Boys had bludgeoned a teenager, Jeffrey Shane Alexander, to death with a baseball bat in a drug deal gone bad.

“We had possible sources in every room at the Sheriff’s Office,” Stanford recalled. “We’d get a little information from one and go interview another one and maybe catch him in a lie. We were able to play them off each other.”

Multiple arrests in the murder were made four months after the crime was committed, and Stanford came to be a believer in the full-court press. He had been used to a system whereby “case agents'' and an assistant were assigned to work specific crimes. He recalled that by instead “getting every person we could involved,” the BCSO made an arrest in the murder of an elderly resident of the Northshore development near Lynn Haven.

“He had been tied up and tortured,” Stanford said. “We worked 17 straight days on that case and finally made the arrest.” Investigators succeeded in ensuring that the case never got cool, much less cold.

Assembling a group approach requires adequate human resources relative to the crime rate, and in that regard, Stanford said, Bay County is fortunate.

“Lots of departments can’t take all crime as seriously as we do, and there may come a time when we are too busy to do that,” Stanford said. “In some large cities, a robbery occurs and they just take a report over the phone. But so far we are blessed. We are certainly busier than we used to be, but all cases are investigated.

“We have a search-and-rescue team, horses, a dive team, canine units, a helicopter. We have a lot of resources that we didn’t used to have.”

The proliferation of security cameras and video doorbells has extended the reach of law enforcement. The BCSO has agreements with businesses throughout Bay County that allow its Real-Time Operations Center, dubbed BAYROC, to view scenes surveilled by cameras at their properties.

The center is dominated by a large wall of screens that invites comparison to a sports bar. A BCSO employee working in the center turns to a visitor and says, “Let me show you my hot tub.” Moments later, live footage of a deck at a Panama City Beach condominium appears on a screen.

BAYROC is also linked to license plate readers (LPRs) and unlimited public records.

“Let’s say your bad-boy cousin Johnny Johnson is at your house, and

he’s drunk and showing his ass, and you call us for assistance,” Stanford created a scenario. “Before the deputy gets there, BAYROC has done a records search, and we know if there are any outstanding warrants for Johnny, and the officer is furnished with a picture of him. We can immediately call up Johnny’s criminal history. Before the deputy even gets on scene, he’s been given all this intelligence. If you got some guy who likes to fight the cops, it’s kinda good to know that going in.”

LPRs were key to solving a case involving serial thefts of dump-truck doors containing valuable computer chips in Alabama and North Florida. The doors are secured to truck cabs by pins that are easily removed. When LPRs discovered the same tag number near multiple door-theft sites, the case was all but made.

“I mean what is the chance that you are innocently going to be at theft locations in Mobile, Marianna and Panama City on different days at 2 in the morning?” Stanford said.

BAYROC also has access to contact information for homeowners and businesses that have registered their doorbell cameras with the BCSO. When a crime occurs in a given neighborhood, sheriff’s personnel email

↗ Jimmy Stanford, left, meets with his cold case team members: left to right, Roger Haddix, Koren Daniels, Steve Harbuck, Paul Vecker and Mitch Pitts.

▊

people in the registry from that area requesting footage.

“Technology has been good for the good guys,” Stanford said, but it has also added to workloads.

“You can hardly go anywhere without being on a video camera, and that helps solve a lot of crimes. The downside is that it is so time-consuming to watch all that footage. If we have a homicide, we go to every neighbor to get their video. We can’t ask them to review it to see if a suspect shows up.”

DNA evidence has been a gamechanger, Stanford said, and phone forensics can be used to place a suspect at a location at a particular time. Fingerprints remain important. New procedures and chemicals are used to detect trace amounts of blood not detectable to the eye. Social media are scanned with an eye toward keywords

that may relate to a planned takeover incursion like the one that took place in Panama City Beach in 2022.

“We get so many people with phones,” Stanford said. “Most crimes are not premeditated. Someone finds his girlfriend with another guy, and he shoots and kills him, and now he’s panicked and trying to cover things up. But he had his phone with him, and we can place him at the scene.”

Increasingly, the BCSO is making homicide cases against drug dealers. Text messages exchanged between dealers and suppliers are often central to them.

Bay County, at greater than 60%, has one of the highest crime clearance rates in the state. As a result, its jail is full and its operation is expensive. And, for law enforcement agencies along the Emerald Coast, it’s not just the resident population that figures in criminal activity.

“We hear about a homicide in Kentucky or an escaped prisoner from

North Carolina, and we joke that they will be here in Bay County before long,” Stanford said. “And it is amazing how often that happens. We are a magnet for more than tourists. For some reason, a lot of people on the run think that Panama City Beach is the place to come.”

Or it may be that in fleeing south, they can’t go any farther when they hit the Gulf of Mexico.

All of this means that the contributions of the Stanford Squad will come as a welcome supplement to the efforts of salaried officers.

Once, Stanford was a mullet-wearing member of the Panama City Police Department’s newly minted SWAT team. Now, he’s working for free.

For some law enforcement careerists, unfinished business is like an open wound.

For them, justice has no expiration date. EC

→ Inspector Jon Morris talks with intern Alyssa DuQuesne at the Bay County Sheriff’s Office Real Time Operations Center (BAYROC). The BCSO has agreements with businesses throughout much of the county that allows it to tap into privately owned security cameras in an area where criminal activity is reported. BCSO also maintains a list of homeowners with video doorbells and may contact people on that list to obtain footage.

CASE STUDIES

Across the region, families cling to hope for closure

STORY BY HANNAH BURKE // PHOTOS BY MIKE FENDER

IN COUNTIES INCLUDING BAY, ESCAMBIA AND WALTON, IT HAS BECOME COMMON FOR RETIRED SHERIFF’S INVESTIGATORS TO VOLUNTEER TO WORK LONG UNSOLVED CASES THAT DEVELOPED DURING THEIR YEARS ON ACTIVE DUTY.

Two of those cases involve a woman who was gunned down while picking blackberries at the side of a road in Escambia County and a bartender who was killed in Walton County not long after his boss had him close the Lone Branch Bar early.

With over 130 active cold cases, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office annually hosts a two-day symposium designed to encourage collaboration among retired law enforcement detectives, state attorney’s offices and lab analysts and gain new insights into unresolved homicides and disappearances.

Sgt. Jason Comans, who oversees the cold case, special victims and missing persons units for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, said the symposia typically focus on about four cases with participants offering notes, ideas and potential leads.

“It’s been helpful in providing us with new information and in opening our eyes to new possibilities we haven’t even thought about,” said Comans, who has been with the sheriff’s office for 14 years. “They can create new theories based on their expertise and potentially lead us to more people to interview.”

▊

↙ Escambia County Sheriff’s Sgt. James Comans, at left, confers with cold case team members Karen Shreves and James Lee. The Sheriff’s Office annually conducts a symposium designed to bring about cooperation among investigators, state attorney’s offices and lab analysts in connection with unsolved crimes and disappearances.

One case featured at this year’s symposium was that of 38-year-old Anna Brown.

Brown, a mother and a resident of Molino, was found dead on the evening of April 30, 2017. She was lying face down at the side of Gibson Road near Alligator Creek and had suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Comans said Brown was believed to have been taking a walk and picking blackberries at the time of her murder.

“We know a couple of things,” Comans said. “We know she, at the time, was going through an ugly divorce. We have nothing to say that she had anybody accompanying her at the time. Because the road is isolated — kind of out in the country — it is my belief that it was not

According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, witnesses described hearing gunfire around 4 p.m. and saw a silver, early 2000s model Volvo fleeing the scene.

Statistics compiled by the Bureau of Justice Statistics indicate that 76% of female homicides are perpetrated by people with whom the victim is familiar. Comans said members of Brown’s family believe that was true in her case; investigators have not ruled out that possibility.

“It’s important to us to stay in contact with her family, and all our cold case victims’ families, to let them know we’re still invested and we haven’t forgotten them,” Comans said. “Sometimes family members hear things we don’t, and they may remember things or suggest new people for us to interview. If there’s a lead we can chase, we do.”

Comans said he and others are relying on vetted volunteer case reviews, collaboration with other state and federal agencies, and findings gleaned from the most recent cold case symposium to pursue justice for Brown.

“There’s a lot of work to be done, but I’m hopeful we’ll be able to solve it,” he said.

MURDER AT CLOSING TIME

Bobby Ray Jones was killed 52 years ago, but Steve Sunday, an investigator who oversees cold cases for the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, still seeks answers.

The recently retired Sunday, whose law enforcement career spanned 33 years and primarily involved investigations and violent crimes, said time has been the case’s biggest enemy.

“As the years go by and cases get older, we lose witnesses,” Sunday said. “Memories fade, and evidence decays. But in the case of Bobby Ray, I believe someone who knows what happened is still out there.”

→ Six years after the body of Anna Brown was discovered at the side of a road in the Escambia County community of Molino, the case remains unsolved. Investigators believe that Brown knew her killer. She was in the midst of a divorce when the killing occurred and appears to have been picking blackberries when she sustained multiple gunshot wounds.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY CASE STUDY

Bobby Ray Jones was a resident of Darlington, a small, unincorporated community in northern Walton County. He was a bartender at the Lone Branch Bar, where he and his wife, Betty Jones, made their home. It was there he was killed in the wee hours of the morning of Sept. 30, 1971.

“The report says the owner of the bar told him to close up early, and Jones and his wife remained on the premises where they were staying in the back,” Sunday said. “About an hour after he closed, there was a knock on the front door. It was before the bar’s normal closing hours, so he went to answer. The female who was in the back heard some conversation but couldn’t make out what was being said. She heard the cooler

door open, then close. A few seconds later, she heard gunshots.”

Betty Jones reportedly left the living quarters behind the bar after surmising that the attacker(s) had left. Ray had been shot in the chest and succumbed to his injury within minutes.

Sunday said the case attracted the attention of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and became a “big” investigation. It garnered myriad suspects (most of whom have since passed away) and occasioned theories ranging from a robbery gone wrong to a possible love triangle to a personal vendetta.

“As a bartender, you know people,” Sunday said. “I want to say whoever knocked on that door, Bobby Ray knew enough to some degree to invite them in.”

Recently, Sunday distributed fliers depicting Ray at his old stomping grounds. “It puts his face out there, and it lets people know this was a human

being who didn’t deserve this,” he said. “You hope you get one person who sees it. Maybe they’ve had that information and realize it’s time to come forward.

“My biggest fear is that that person has already passed, and that information has died with them. I know whatever we do isn’t going to bring back Bobby Ray or any of these victims, but we can hope to bring some peace to their families.”

Jones has one surviving sibling, Charles Jones, who is a pastor in Enterprise, Alabama.

“Bobby Ray loved life,” said Jones. “He was outgoing, a cut-up and had a personality you just loved being around. Our mother didn’t like him working at that bar. The day he died, he told her,

‘Mama, don’t worry; I don’t have an enemy in the world. Everybody loves me.’ But, as I told someone the other day, he had at least one enemy.”

Jones, like Sunday, believes one day he will gain closure.

“I don’t want to know so this person can receive any more punishment than the one they’re going to receive from the hand of God,” said Jones. “I have forgiven this person long ago. I don’t harbor any animosity or hatred. I just want to know so I can ask them, ‘Why did you do that? What did he do that would make you want to take his life?’ I believe someone, somewhere still has a heart and will want to get this off their conscience.” EC

↗ Photos of victims in Walton County cold cases are posted on the wall of the Sheriff’s Office. For investigator Steve Sunday, they help keep him mindful of survivors who continue to yearn for closure. Opposite page, top right: Sunday visits the scene in Darlington where bartender Bobby Ray Jones was shot and killed in 1971. The shooting took place when the building housed the Lone Branch Bar. It is now a church.

“As the years go by and cases get older, we lose witnesses,” Sunday said. “Memories fade, and evidence decays. But in the case of Bobby Ray, I believe someone who knows what happened is still out there.”

AUG/SEPT 2023

CREATIVE WORKS LAND ON PAGES, CANVASES AND STAGES

<Maggie and Mike McKinney perform together as Lucky Mud and welcome musicians to stop by their place for jam sessions they call Americana Cafe Sundays, September through May.

MUSIC

TONK & OTHER MUD MUSIC

photography by MIKE FENDER

Maggie McKinney has tried growing just about everything on her Bay County farm. She’s planted watermelon, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and even yin yang beans.

Located in the Sand Hills near Econfina Creek, the farm sits high on a limestone ridge where, McKinney said, the soil is too sandy to grow much of anything outside of a raised bed.

But on Maggie’s Musical Farm, the crops that feed your soul are different.

“I always like to tell people that here we are growing musicians one song at a time,” Maggie said with a laugh.

From a rustic stage adorned in pecky cypress, Maggie and her husband, Mike, have welcomed hundreds of musicians to their farm over the past five years for afternoon concerts they call “Americana Cafe Sundays.” The stage is a short walk away from the 140-year-old farmhouse the McKinneys call home.

Accomplished musicians themselves, Maggie and Mike are better known as Lucky Mud. They play a mix of what they call Swampy Tonk and Folkabilly, music

What’s the matter with a girl like her?

She’s got everything. That boy’s got nothin’. He’s got nothin’. She said, “The things that you don’t see Are the things that mean the world to me. He’s got everything.”

— FROM HE’S GOT NOTHIN’ BY LUCKY MUD

that worms its way out of the Florida soil and tells you a story. The duo has toured the country and played shows in Ireland, the British Isles and Nova Scotia. They have recorded 17 CDs.

“We have been playing music onstage for so long that if you walked in and heard us playing, you might say it’s a country band, two songs later you would say it’s a blues band or later a folk band. We change it up a lot; it’s mud music,” Mike said.

The duo is booked “in perpetuity” as Maggie describes it, at Patches Pub in Panama City Beach for St. Patrick’s Day, given their repertoire of Irish folk music.

The Sunday sessions are informal and look more like a family reunion than a concert. The stage faces a pavilion called the Hotangle where a mix of chairs, loveseats, stools and one big couch await the audience. (Get there early if you want the couch.)

Rules are simple, but Maggie is pretty strict with them. You better silence your phone and shut your trap. Dogs are welcome, and donations are encouraged. It’s hard to get past Maggie without her giving you a hug. She’s 70 and smiles at you like she has known you for years. Mike wears a cowboy hat and sounds a little like Willie Nelson with less twang. Together

photography by MIKE FENDER

→ Maggie and Mike McKinney tried on Nashville for a time — she once worked as an assistant to Ronnie Milsap — but couldn’t get comfortable with a music world dominated by big business. Today, they live on a farm in the Sand Hills not far from Econfina Creek.

their voices blend as smooth as the Irish whiskey Mike likes to sip after a show.

The farm attracts musicians with a story to tell. Most are singer/songwriters, so you don’t hear a lot of cover tunes. Many have made the rounds playing clubs and restaurants where their music can easily become lost in the background.

“I have bands from town who love to come out here because they know they can play their own music, and people will listen to it,” Maggie said.

Panama City resident Andre Childers is one of those performers who played in teen clubs and bars on the beach in the past. At 71, he is a regular attendee and occasional performer on Maggie’s stage. He’s come a long way from the first guitar he got from his grandfather.

“It only had one string,” he said.

On a Sunday in late spring, Childers belted out a couple of John Prine classics before he moved into an upbeat tune he called Longbranch. He wrote the song after watching an episode of “Gunsmoke” with fake gunslingers.

To Childers, having an audience that listens to your music is everything.

“This place is out in the boonies, but it’s really unique and all about the people. Once you start coming out to the farm, you keep coming,” he said.

Bob Bronar made the trip down from his family’s farm in Alabama to play a set. He’s played folk and music festivals for years and plays with a regular band where he is comfortable in the background playing guitar. Maggie says he is one of the best.

After three songs where he was out front and center, Bronar was relieved to be done and quick to describe what playing at the farm is like.

“It’s intimate,” he said. “You are really close to the audience, and you can see people’s faces so you connect with them better.”

Michael Roth moved from New Mexico to Panama City recently and calls Maggie and Mike his guardian angels.

“They took me under their wing when I got here,” he said. Roth credits the couple with connecting him to the local music crowd.

Like the others, Roth is complimentary about what it’s like to play at the farm.

His set included a song he wrote called Homeless Sky. The audience seemed glued to every word.

“You are asking a lot of an audience like this,” he said. “But that is what makes the farm so special.”

Roth said that at Maggie’s he has gotten to know the audience and is comfortable onstage even though he says he is “not a performer.” He has played around Nashville, and sometimes that crowd can be like facing a firing squad, he said.

Maggie and Mike know a little about Nashville, as well. They spent seven years in Music City in the ’70s with dreams of making it as songwriters. Mike worked a number of jobs, including groundskeeping. Maggie started out sorting fan mail for Country Music Hall of Fame artist Ronnie Milsap. Mike took care of his yard.

Maggie would eventually move up to become Milsap’s personal secretary where she was witness to the inner workings of how the music business operates in Nashville. And it wasn’t pretty.

“The business controls — it has to control,” she said. “Independent music started because people wanted something

different, and they didn’t want to be told what they did and didn’t like.” For her, the control in Nashville was something “I just railed against,” she said.

“Independent music is almost word of mouth; it’s like an underground railroad,” Maggie added. “The network being created has nothing to do with the business. It’s one person passing on a favorite singer or songwriter to another person.”

The couple left Nashville disillusioned and headed back to their native Florida. Their daughter, Sasha Sox, had just been born and the couple didn’t want to raise her in Nashville.

Maggie had met Mike years earlier when he was stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base. Mike grew up in Dade City and a shared love of music, poetry and politics, which drew them closer together.

↑ Mike McKinney helps Andre Childers get ready to play at an Americana Cafe Sunday event at the McKinneys’ farm. The couple has created a performance space that has proved durable. It came through Hurricane Michael without losing a board. Shows at the farm started as informal gatherings among friends and grew from there.

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The two drifted apart for three years, and Maggie ended up selling flowers on the streets in New Orleans for a while before Mike came back into her life. She was 19 and he was 25 when they married.

The farm is not the couple’s first music venture. They have organized shows at the Martin Theatre in Panama City and Roberts Hall in Lynn Haven. The shows at the farm started out as informal gatherings with friends like Lynn Haven resident Charlotte Moreau.

“We would just sit in a circle around a firepit sharing songs,” she remembers. She would bring her dad who loved to join in the singing.

Mike will tell you the best thing about hosting shows at the farm is that he can just walk out his front door and be there. He built the stage with the help of several friends in 2018, and it took a hit from Hurricane Michael but never lost a board.

The shows at the farm are popular with snowbirds and a number of regular attendees who yearn for storytelling music. The farm also serves as a campground where spots can be booked through Hipcamp. Shows usually take place between September and May.

After finishing their set with Spring Yodel, Mike and Maggie make the rounds with hugs. Dean White, who claims to be the fan club president, makes sure he gets his hug from Maggie.

“I’m not saying Mike and Maggie are the king and queen of local music,” he said. “But they are the fairy godmother and godfather for a lot of musicians around here.” EC

↑ Mike and Maggie McKinney have been married for 51 years, and not a day passes when they don’t feel lucky. As Lucky Mud, they play a mix of what they call Swampy Tonk and Folkabilly.

Macy Gray in Concert

Thursday, October 12

Experience the electrifying, eclectic talent of Grammy-winning Macy Gray best known for her international hit single I Try. Don't miss Macy Gray and The California Jet Club performing hot tracks from her newest album, The Reset, featuring special guest rapper Maino. Head to the Cultural Arts Village in Destin to witness Gray's captivating vocals and soulful R&B at its finest all in support of Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation.

28th Annual Festival of the Arts

Saturday & Sunday | October 28 & 29

A celebration of art, music, food and family fun at the Cultural Arts Village in Destin. Browse original artwork by 100+ artists and enjoy artist demos, live music, food truck fare, craft beer & cocktails, kids creative station, street performers, art raffle, plus free admission, parking and shuttle service.

11th Annual Wine Walkabout

Thursday | November 9

Join us at Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Destin to savor tasting stations, visit with vintners from exclusive wineries, enjoy live music, wine pull, silent auction, raffle and more. An intimate vintner-dinner follows the Walkabout (for an additional cost).

Proceeds from all events benefit MKAF and its ArtsReach education initiatives.

ArtsReach provides dynamic performing and visual arts programs creatively curated for K-12 students, children and adults with special needs, and the military community along the Emerald Coast.

Help keep the Arts FUN-ded, because they won’t flourish on imagination alone.

A SLOWBURN THRILLER

Crestview native’s film heads toward distribution

by HANNAH BURKE

Javan Garza is most at home on the fringes of convention.

The 33-year-old writer, director and co-producer of When a Stranger Knocks, an independent horror film shot and produced in Northwest Florida, found purpose in a subversive genre that attracts what he calls the “outsider mentality.”

“Growing up, I was stigmatized,” said Garza, a Crestview native with over a decade of video production experience. “At school, I was one of the only Latino kids at the time and got picked on for being biracial. I was into heavy metal, and I was that kid in art class whose work was dark because I was processing things. I always want my work to mean something, and horror is a way to sneak in all sorts of thoughts and ideas.”

With When a Stranger Knocks, Garza is one of many new filmmakers contributing to a subgenre that disposes of cheap thrills and gore galore, relying instead on inspired cinematography and frightful allegories that dare viewers to look inside themselves for profound meanings. Examples are films

like Ari Aster’s Hereditary and Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook that get under your skin and stay there for a while.

On paper, When a Stranger Knocks is a slow-burn thriller loosely steeped in Venezuelan folklore. Pensacola actress and When a Stranger Knocks co-producer Dawn Hamil stars as Sky, a woman who, along with her brother Grey (Joseph Bishop) and husband Cecil (Ty Anthony Smith), returns to her childhood home to spread her recently deceased father’s ashes. The task is made more daunting as the trio is stalked by an overbearing park ranger, who may prove to be not entirely human. The film is aesthetically pleasing. Garza chose to shoot in black and white. He tells stories with the tones and shadows that play across his characters’ faces and the stark, isolated woods of Milton. A somber, original score accompanies the grief-ridden journey and adds a touch of sentimentality. But where When a Stranger Knocks really succeeds is in maintaining a sense of likability for each of its characters.

PHOTOS BY CHRISTOPHER VARGAS (FILM CREW), MARIAH BRADY (CAST) AND COURTESY OF WHEN A STRANGER KNOCKS (STILLS)

“In writing When a Stranger Knocks, I watched an analysis of Hereditary and learned from Aster how to immediately get an audience on the side of your characters,” said Garza. “The movie begins with his characters at a funeral. You immediately empathize with them. In my movie, I wanted Dawn (Sky) to instantly come off as a strong character. In the film’s initial scene, I originally had Sky sort of lost in her own mind, while the other two characters were changing a tire. We ended up with her changing the tire while the men watched, which is probably how it would go in real life because Dawn is a very capable woman!”

Hamil has serious acting chops and even performed her own stunts while filming. Garza jokingly describes her as “the sister he never wanted,” and said they have been working together for eight years, shooting projects like Garza’s debut film, Melany Rose, and a variety of shorts. It was Hamil who encouraged Garza to get the ball rolling with When a Stranger Knocks, a project which took him

six months to write, two weeks to film and ultimately eight months to edit.

“There’s no ego between us; that’s the key,” Garza said of his collaboration with Hamil. “And, I’ve had ego run-ins. You squash it the best you can, but people inform you if they want to work with you again or not.”

Garza has also enjoyed a friendship with actor Joseph Bishop since he was 18. He has worked for eight years with Steven Marlow, who plays the sinister park ranger, and created a role for his Northwest Florida State College professor, Clint Mahle, as Sky and Grey’s father.

“Clint was in my first extended short, so it meant a lot to be able to bring him on and actually pay him,” said Garza. “He gave a speech at the premiere that made me emotional, and I hate tearing up, but it meant a lot to me.”

At this writing, the timing for the general release of When a Stranger Knocks has not been determined, but an agreement has been reached with a distributor. It did enjoy a local premiere in February at the Saenger Theatre in Pensacola, where over 500 people attended.

“I owe that all to Dawn,” said Garza. “She’s the one who made it prestigious, rolled out the red carpet and got a lot of really cool people to come out.”

Garza is his own biggest critic. He doesn’t quite believe it when you tell him you enjoyed his work, and

he struggles to find words that can describe the surrealness of watching an audience gasp at the tense moments he’s choreographed or laugh at a joke he wrote.

“You’re not prepared for positive feedback,” he said. “I feel like I let a lot of people down with my first film, and I really didn’t want to do that to my team again. With When a Stranger Knocks, I’m slowly becoming proud of it.”

Garza said he currently has several scripts in the works. He wants to keep writing and keep creating projects that spark dialogue and self-reflection.

“There’s a deep answer for why I make films,” he said. “My dad is a very salt-of-the-earth-type guy; you only ever see him happy or angry. We butted heads a lot during my teenage years, but one thing we always connected on was watching things, whether at the movies or on old VHS tapes. He would tell me things he never would have otherwise, all because of a certain scene.

“When I saw him smiling at me from the audience at the premiere, that was everything. I don’t want to publicly say what a film is about. I want it to be up to others’ interpretations and encourage people to dig deep.” EC

← Opposite page: Director Javan Garza and assistant director Giovanni Papini carefully arrange a crucial camera angle, while Dawn Hamil and others look on. Still shots from film, above: Hopelessly vulnerable, Sky (Dawn Hamil), Cecil (Ty A. Smith) and Grey (Joseph Bishop) change a tire; Sky awakens crying from a nightmare. Bottom of page: Garza, at right, with cast members, from left, Steven Marlow, Ty A. Smith, Dawn Hamil and Joseph Bishop.

COMPLIMENTARY DESIGN CONSULTATIONS | REALTOR GIFT CARD PROGRAM

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Abodes

Native plants are wildlife magnets →

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HOW TO GET STARTED

Buying plants can run into real money, so it’s a good idea to educate yourself before going shopping.

You might attend the Walton County Extension Service’s classes, which include a master gardener volunteer lecture series that covers many different topics. There are also tours of the county’s demonstration gardens, an eyeopening way to get up close and personal with native plants.

Best of all, Anderson’s office will consult with anyone who has questions, providing resources and advice on what to plant and how.

And do heed Anderson’s advice about what not to plant.

Did you enjoy a bracing cup of coffee this morning? And a glass of orange juice? If so, you should send kind thoughts to the bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and all the other pollinators that keep the food chain going. Still better, start catering to them in your own garden. It isn’t difficult, and you’ll be rewarded with lovely blooms, less maintenance, fascinating wildlife and the knowledge that you’re helping preserve the natural world.

One of the easiest ways to grow an ecofriendly garden is by choosing native plants and shunning “exotics,” imported plants that are harmful to ecosystems.

“I think of native flowering plants as gas stations for bees,” says Elizabeth Georges of Native Nurseries in Tallahassee. “And I think of native trees as bird feeders. We need homeowners to understand that they can actually turn their yards into wildlife habitats.”

Evan H. Anderson, of DeFuniak Springs, agrees. Florida State University’s horticulture extension agent for Walton County said it’s not as if “going native” limits your gardening choices.

“There’s a ton of great plants out there that serve all sorts of functions in the landscape,” he said. “One great resource is the Florida State Native Plant Society, which has a fantastic website with a plant finder that

lists native plants that do well in your specific locale. For small trees, some of my favorites are sand, live oak, fringe tree and redbud. For shrubs and hedges, wax myrtle, beautyberry and yaupon holly. For vines, maypop (also called passion flower) and American wisteria. For groundcovers, powderpuff or sunshine mimosa, coontie palm or any native fern. For palms, I have to stick with the sabal palm, our state tree. For smaller perennials, gaillardia, milkweed, black-eyed Susan or blueeyed grass.”

THE TOP NATIVES

Georges recommends that homeowners start their earth-conscious garden with keystone species, natives that have a disproportionately large effect on other species, including insects. “Without keystone plants, the local food web may fall apart,” Georges said.

Keystone wildflowers include native perennial sunflowers, goldenrods and asters. Shrubs to plant include native viburnum, elderberry, holly, Virginia sweetspire and blueberry. Oaks are the No. 1 tree species in terms of biodiversity, supporting up to 557 butterfly and moth types.

Excellent natives that aren’t keystone species are Indian pink, a shade plant that

“Queen palms, avocado trees and other tropical plants can’t handle the cold Panhandle winters,” he said. “Instead go with cold-hardy sabal palms or even the non-native but Florida-friendly pindo palm. Among fruit trees, sand pears, figs, blueberries, satsumas, kumquats and persimmons do well here.”

butterflies love, and ox-eye sunflowers that bloom from March through November. Butterflies and bees love those.

Native plants also adapt well to the weather extremes typical of Northern Florida, so it makes sense to grow them instead of exotic plants from foreign soils and climates.

“It’s much easier to grow plants that naturally prefer your site conditions instead of trying to change the soil structure or keep an unhappy plant alive,” Georges said. EC

↑ Flowering shrubs such as this viburnum attract pollinators — butterflies, bees and hummingbirds — that help keep food chains going. To create an eco-friendly garden, use native plants instead of exotic imported plants that may harm local ecosystems.

Retreat Inspired An in Alys Beach

STORY BY EMME MARTIN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICOLA HARGER, COURTESY OF ALYS BEACH

The worldly owners of this idyllic Alys Beach, Florida, townhome wanted the house to reflect their cultured past, which included 20 years living in Dubai and countless travels. The team at E. F. San Juan, a custom architectural molding, millwork and cabinetry firm based in Youngstown, Florida, worked closely with the award-winning designers at Khoury Vogt Architects (KVA) and the builders at Davis Dunn Construction to create the residence’s custom wood details. Exterior gates, trim, interior doors, ceilings and other add-ons reflect an Arabesque style and aesthetic while complementing the Gulf Coast community. The townhome’s clean, white walls emphasize the seafoam-green trim and

geometric patterns. E. F. San Juan was responsible for the three exterior gates and exterior ceiling paneling in the garage and north porch. Additionally, they customized the courtyard gates to fit the home’s specific needs, providing beauty as well as privacy. The windows and doors are custom impactrated glass by Weathershield, also sourced through E. F. San Juan, which will protect the house from harsh Florida elements. Overall, the custom exterior elements add a layer of luxury and present the home as a charming sight for the owners and passersby.

“The E. F. San Juan team was proud to flex its creative skills for this project,” said company president Edward San Juan. “We always enjoy working with clients who have

E. F. San Juan’s custom millwork for this project by Khoury Vogt Architects in Alys Beach included architectural trim, interior doors, courtyard gates, ceiling details and more.

a unique vision. The KVA team always has beautiful plans for each home, especially in Alys Beach, and working with Davis Dunn Construction for many years has yielded some truly stunning works of art.”

On the inside, the intricate details continue through stunning customized trim designed by KVA, making every corner of the house a work of craftsmanship. The millwork and soothing color scheme successfully tie the interior decorative millwork with the outdoor facade, making this home feel complete in every detail.

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From intricate wooden gates, shutters, railings and other details to impactrated glass windows and doors that protect homes from the elements, E. F. San Juan’s footprint can be seen throughout Alys Beach.

Family

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UPCYCLING FURNITURE

Who says you can’t mix old and new

by LIS KING

For decades, the “brown” furniture of our grandparents’ homes sat unloved in thrift shops or was dumped in landfills. But today, vintage furnishings are being updated and proudly shown off.

A convergence of events made this happen: a craving for something new after the pandemic lockdowns, long delivery dates on new furniture, inflation and a desire to stop dumping 10 million tons of furniture annually in landfills.

Now, what should we especially look for on our treasure hunts, and how can we make them look chic in our homes?

Designer Cheryl Kees Clendenon, owner of the In Detail Studio in Pensacola, said

UPCYCLING GUIDELINES

RUST-OLEUM, whose product lines include brush and spray paints, offers on its website six tips for making the most of an upscaling experience.

1. PACE YOURSELF Don’t tackle something huge on your first go. It will seem daunting to you, and you are more likely to give in and give up half way through. Start small, and enjoy the satisfaction that comes with knowing that no matter how small, you made it yours.

2. HAVE FUN Upcycling is supposed to be fun. Don’t shy away from a project, but avoid touching up expensive or sentimental pieces until you’ve practiced on similar surfaces and can approach them with confidence. Instead, revamp dated furniture around the home, or check out our local

second-hand shop you might just discover a bargain.

3. PREPARE Give yourself the time and space to complete a project. Make sure you have all the tools you’ll need before you start.

4. PRIME An old or secondhand piece is likely to have been treated in the past with coatings that may contaminate your new paint or varnish, causing a reaction and an upcycle fail. In most cases, prepare the surface with a primer. Depending on the paint you use and the surface you are painting, you may not have to use a primer but a light

sanding is always recommend. Just remember to wipe down all surfaces with a damp cloth before you start work.

5. WHERE WILL YOUR PIECE LIVE? Thinking about how the upcycled piece will fit into the color scheme and decor of an existing room will help you figure out the color, finish and accessorizing needed to make the furniture stand out while simultaneously complementing a room.

6. FIND INSPIRATION There are oodles of tutorials, guides and brilliant bloggers to discover and learn from.

→ Liz Lapan, designer and project manager at the 1514 Home shop in Pensacola, finds that soulful, vintage pieces of furniture often serve to inspire and guide interior design projects.

that she and her team love mixing old and new pieces, something she does in her own home.

“I cherish antiques and vintage,” she said, “and that’s why we have a shop, 1514 Home, as well as a studio. We have shoppers everywhere, including Europe, plus I can’t help nosing around myself. So we have tons of furniture and a collection of midcentury barware and pottery.”

Clendenon is interested in more than just the dollar value of a piece.

“Its soul is what’s important,” she explained. “That’s why we often let some vintage item — a quirky piece of furniture, a Turkish rug or mid-century vase — inspire us when we start a design project. Vintage pieces add a sense of history and mystique. They start conversations.”

In her home, Clendenon has a vintage bar cart painted bright yellow.

“It’s a fun storage piece,” she said, “and a good example of how paint and hardware can update a vintage piece. The block print hanging above it is a 1960s find bought for a song at an antique mall. Another thing we do in every project is layering. For example, we might place some old magazines in a vintage bowl, or a piece of pottery atop a stack of books.”

Used furniture hunters can find treasures at thrift shops; neighborhood, yard and estate sales; antique emporiums; auctions; and online sites such as eBay, but nearby sourcing is the eco-friendly way to go. Dumpster diving? That might seem tacky, but realtors say they’re amazed

↑ Cheryl Kees Clendenon freshened a vintage bar cart by giving it a fresh coat of bright yellow paint and outfitting it with new hardware. On the wall above the cart is a 1960s vintage art block print purchased for a bargain price at an antique mall.

← Interior design features elements both vintage and more contemporary. Designer Cheryl Kees Clendenon likes to layer items — a sculpture atop a book atop a table, for example.

how many people leave good furniture at the curb. Clendenon admits she can’t help looking, but said her husband has threatened to divorce her if she brings home one more homeless piece of furniture.

Always look for quality, recommends designer Anna Osborne of Studio A Interiors in Tallahassee.

“Ask yourself if the piece of furniture looks cheap or is a solid piece that’s just outdated,” she advised. “If it looks dated, reupholstery, staining and new hardware can bring it into the here and now. Consider the scale and proportion of the pieces to make sure they’ll be a good fit for your home. Put lighter and ‘leggy’ items near ones that are heavier and larger. And it’s OK to mix metals but never more than three in a space.

“Go for pieces you find beautiful and meaningful. You’ll love the soft and lived-in feel they’ll give a room.”

Clendenon agrees but warns that upholstered pieces can be expensive to redo. “That means you must love, love a piece to spend the money on fabric plus labor,” she said.

Clendenon said antiques are slowly coming back. Storage pieces are always key, and pieces that can get a new life with a fun paint color and perhaps a new top are a plus.

“Antiques also mix well with modern pieces and create a great personal style, “she added. “Even homeowners living in a just-built house want one-of-a-kind pieces to warm up their spaces to counter all the newness.” EC

Upholstery

Pressure

↑ Designer Anna Osborne of Studio A Interiors places a premium on quality. “Ask yourself if the piece of furniture looks cheap or is a solid piece that’s just outdated,” she advises. “If it looks dated, reupholstering, staining and new hardware can bring it into the here and now.”

FLORIDIAN AMPHIBIANS

Frogs and toads can’t get enough of bugs

by LES HARRISON UF/IFAS EXTENSION AGENT EMERITUS

CELOSIA ↓

Late summer ornamentals

In the dog days of August, only the most heat-tolerant annual bedding plants can survive.

Vinca, gaillardia and coleus transplants will thrive under the intense heat of this last full month of summer.

Frogs and toads are carnivorous and have a taste for arthropods — especially insects. Close examination will reveal a population of hungry hopping creatures that use home landscapes and vegetable gardens as a hunting ground. The frogs eat the bugs that would normally eat the plants, keeping the garden and landscape healthier.

Florida’s 27 native frog species all inhabit North Florida. Many have adapted to human habitation and can be found around houses and buildings.

Frogs are generally classified as arboreal, aquatic or terrestrial — some of the terrestrial frogs are also identified as toads.

Arboreal frog species live in trees or bushes and have noticeably enlarged toe pads. Their suction-cupped toes make them excellent climbers with the ability to successfully leap impressive distances.

Aquatic frog species spend the majority of their lives in water. Most have well-developed

toe webbing for efficient swimming, but they are still capable of remarkable jumps.

Terrestrial frogs live on dry ground under plants, logs or other cover with most species burrowing in loose soil. These frogs and toads often have dry, lumpy skin.

Native frogs will be found around water where they lay eggs during breeding season, which begins in March and tapers off in September. Once hatched, the small fish-like offspring rely on water sources as a safe haven for development. They have a tail for propulsion, no legs for hopping and only gills to breathe in the water.

They live on plant material until metamorphosis changes everything.

During the tadpole stage, the body shape changes — lungs replace gills, and legs grow as the tail disappears. They also convert from an herbivore to a carnivore.

While a persistent myth, there is no need to worry about physical contact as nobody has ever contracted warts from touching frogs or toads.

Add cool-season annuals and bedding plants in late September to complement the colors of the autumn season. In some cases, these plants may be started as seeds during August, but there are many species and cultivars readily available in retail establishments and nurseries.

Ageratum, celosia, zinnia and wax begonia are all good candidates. The key to success in establishing these plants is to meet their needs for sun, water and soil.

Sun exposure can be manipulated by planting in locations near objects which may shade the ever-changing position of the sun’s natural light source.

SOLARIZATION

August is a great month to solarize garden spots. Solarization is a soil sanitizing technique that can be accomplished with a heat-trapping cover which will kill some, if not most, of the weed seeds and insect eggs lodging in the garden patch. For small plots, a large trash bag held down with bricks, boards or rocks will do. For larger areas, a roll of plastic sheeting will be necessary. The August heat trapped under the plastic will slow bake the potentially harmful organisms and render them inert. Luckily, earthworms — which are good for garden soil — will leave the area when it heats up but will return when the soil cools to normal.

GREEN SCENE

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

ERA AMERICAN REAL ESTATE REOPENS IN DESTIN

AMERICAN REAL ESTATE REOPENS IN DESTIN

While technological advances have allowed for much of the real estate transaction to be done digitally, having multiple convenient physical locations is still important to ERA American Real Estate. While many real estate companies are closing and consolidating offices by sending agents home, ERA American Real Estate is expanding its physical footprint to include reopening a Destin branch. The branch will be the company’s first-ever Agent Enterprise Location (AEL) and will be occupied by the company’s top performing team, The Domenech Group.

While technological advances have allowed for much of the real estate transaction to be done digitally, having multiple convenient physical locations is still important to ERA American Real Estate. While many real estate companies are closing and consolidating offices by sending agents home, ERA American Real Estate is expanding its physical footprint to include reopening a Destin branch. The branch will be the company’s first-ever Agent Enterprise Location (AEL) and will be occupied by the company’s top performing team, The Domenech Group.

An AEL allows flexibility for the physical expansion of a growing agent team as well as the development of their own microcompany culture — with the benefit of maintaining the relationship with ERA American Real Estate, including brand recognition, resources and technology.

An AEL allows flexibility for the physical expansion of a growing agent team as well as the development of their own microcompany culture — with the benefit of maintaining the relationship with ERA American Real Estate, including brand recognition, resources and technology.

“We view our agents as our core customers, and we serve sellers and buyers through them,” said Tony Lombardo, CEO of ERA American Real Estate. “By introducing the option of an AEL, we are able to take our service to a higher level. We are excited to partner with Paul and The Domenech Group on this venture and support our shared continued growth and expansion.”

“We view our agents as our core customers, and we serve sellers and buyers through them,” said Tony Lombardo, CEO of ERA American Real Estate. “By introducing the option of an AEL, we are able to take our service to a higher level. We are excited to partner with Paul and The Domenech Group on this venture and support our shared continued growth and expansion.”

“We aren’t moving. We are expanding our capabilities and investing in our customer-first model,” said Paul Domenech, Realtor and Team Leader.

“We aren’t moving. We are expanding our capabilities and investing in our customer-first model,” said Paul Domenech, Realtor and Team Leader.

Paul and The Domenech Group will continue to serve customers and clients from the company’s current offices, and this new location will serve as their new headquarters.

Paul and The Domenech Group will continue to serve customers and clients from the company’s current offices, and this new location will serve as their new headquarters.

“We’ve created a space with a culture of professional productivity based on our group’s core values: integrity, generosity, inspiration, responsibility, compassion, perseverance, professionalism and servant leadership,” Domenech continued. “It will include a collaborative entrepreneurial space, business training, a meeting room for our community,

“We’ve created a space with a culture of professional productivity based on our group’s core values: integrity, generosity, inspiration, responsibility, compassion, perseverance, professionalism and servant leadership,” Domenech continued. “It will include a collaborative entrepreneurial space, business training, a meeting room for our community,

a podcast studio and, of course, the Domenech Group’s office AKA ‘The Shark Tank,’ providing commercial and residential real estate services.”

a podcast studio and, of course, the Domenech Group’s office AKA ‘The Shark Tank,’ providing commercial and residential real estate services.”

This new branch will be located along Highway 98 and will mark ERA American Real Estate’s sixth Emerald Coast location. Additional locations can be found in Shalimar, Gulf Breeze, Niceville, Crestview and 30A.

This new branch will be located along Highway 98 and will mark ERA American Real Estate’s sixth Emerald Coast location. Additional locations can be found in Shalimar, Gulf Breeze, Niceville, Crestview and 30A.

“Our organization has always provided flexibility in the way we support our agents in what they need to run their businesses,” said Gloria Frazier, Founder and Broker. “This is a milestone moment in the evolution of our business model which allows for us to invest in the entrepreneurial spirit that drives Paul and The Domenech Group.”

“Our organization has always provided flexibility in the way we support our agents in what they need to run their businesses,” said Gloria Frazier, Founder and Broker. “This is a milestone moment in the evolution of our business model which allows for us to invest in the entrepreneurial spirit that drives Paul and The Domenech Group.”

THE DOMENECH GROUP

TONY LOMBARDO, CEO ERA AMERICAN REAL ESTATE AND PAUL DOMENECH

THE DOMENECH GROUP

TONY LOMBARDO, CEO ERA AMERICAN REAL ESTATE AND PAUL DOMENECH

REST ASSURED

Coastal

by STEVE BORNHOFT

Alabama offers good times not to be forgotten ↓

→

A bicyclist pauses with her balloon-tire beach cruiser at a dune walkover along Alabama’s Gulf Coast. Among Gulffront structures, two piers in the area — the Gulf State Park Pier and the Fort Morgan Pier — accommodate anglers.

About 5 pounds of Mardi Gras beads hang from the rearview mirror in Easton Colvin’s four-wheel-drive F-150 pickup truck. There’s a foam rubber ball wedged into a space beneath the glove compartment that Colvin surely tosses to his German shorthair pointer, a dog he acquired during his Colorado years spent working for the Professional Bull Riders organization. There’s a cowbell on the dash — Colvin, an Arkansas native, went to Mississippi State. A crack runs the length of the truck’s windshield, and there’s a cattle catcher out front. It’s not the kind of vehicle you would expect a hospitality industry public relations official to drive, but Colvin far from conforms to a PR stereotype.

For starters, he’s a dude, one who looks like a cross between Tiny Tim and Waylon Jennings, with a build much slighter than either one of theirs. He stands 6 feet, 3 inches and might touch 175 pounds if you filled his pockets with sand. From his truck’s sound system emerge David Allan Coe songs including The Ride, about a guitartoting vagabond and a driver “dressed like 1950,” who share the front seat of a vintage Cadillac. The land yacht owner turns to his rider and wants to know…

Drifter, can ya make folks cry when you play and sing?

Have you paid your dues, can you moan the blues?

Can you bend them guitar strings?

He said, “Boy, can you make folks feel what you feel inside?

’Cause if you’re big star bound, let me warn ya, it’s a long, hard ride.”

Colvin, a hard-drivin’ man, picked me up at 6 a.m. at my hotel, The Tides, in Orange Beach — the breakfast there is way above average — and we coursed west through the dark on highways 182 and 180 toward an unimproved landing. There, we were to meet up with a fishing guide, Scott Kennedy of Whistlin’ Waters, billed as the Alabama Gulf Coast’s premier kayak charter company.

Along the way, Colvin, a PR coordinator with Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism,

→ Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, Alabama, have a long history as a destination for tourists. The Orange Beach Hotel opened in 1923 and withstood a 1926 hurricane that did in other Gulf-front properties. The Gulf Shores Hotel opened in 1927.

↗ The par-4 No. 6 hole at Kiva Dune Resort and Golf plays at 345 yards from the white tees. At Kiva, the sea breezes, dunes and vegetation all present obstacles to low scores.

described the golf courses that coastal Alabama has to offer and conceded about his own game that he may shoot 89 one day and 112 the next. I can relate to that, partly. Layouts include Kiva Dunes, the No. 1 public course in the state, said to be challenging enough for pros and forgiving enough not to thoroughly discourage hackers.

Spotting Kennedy’s truck, we left the pavement near Fort Morgan. Colvin permitted his tires to spin for two seconds before engaging four-wheeldrive, and we plowed our way close to where Kennedy was offloading three pedal-driven Hobie kayaks.

The night before our fishing excursion, I had met up with Colvin at the Playa at Sportsman Marina, a casual-fine

dining, waterfront restaurant dwarfed by nearby boat storage buildings. There was no missing him in his cream-colored cowboy hat, boots and a belt buckle the size of a sandwich. We ordered a round of drinks and, at Colvin’s suggestion, started with Playa Shrimp Ceviche — a half-dozen crustaceans, salsa, cucumber, avocado, Valentino and lime served with tortilla chips. A great beginning.

As we were about to order salads and entrees, formally attired young people arrived at the restaurant, and I muttered to myself, “They didn’t build homecoming dresses like that when I was a kid,” before redirecting my attention to the menu.

I opted for a specialty of the house, Redfish on the Half Shell, that is, redfish with its tough hide left on. Chef Bill Briand lets the fish do most of the work unaided — topping the dish simply with roasted tomatoes. I like that. Colvin went with Pepper-Seared Tuna, served with cucumber salad, coconut scallion rice, sushi barbecue and spicy aioli. He would carry fully half of his fish home in a box.

Kennedy introduced me to a Hobie after I told him that heretofore I had been a paddle purist. Securing the pedal drive in the kayak was a snap, and there was nothing to mastering the back-andforth motion used to propel it forward. All good, except that I didn’t know how to steer the thing until Kennedy introduced me to the rudder control at my left hand.

One of his eyes had been injured, and he didn’t wait for me to ask about it.

“Blood vessel burst,” he volunteered. “I know, I need to come up with a better story.”

Once underway, I found that the kayak easily handled the chop on Mobile Bay — the wind was out of the east at 12 knots. I outpaced Kennedy and Colvin in that I had the kayak with the longest fins. There was a trade-off, however. Those fins demand more oomph from the pedaler, a factor that would have a cumulative effect over the course of the morning.

Kennedy is likable, patient, relaxed, knowledgeable and a good conversationalist with an inexhaustible

love for kayak fishing. It’s what he does on vacation. He’s equipped with stories of BTB (beyond the breakers) trips to artificial reefs off Navarre that, with just a little bit of embellishment, would have worked in the old Argosy magazine.

We headed toward cuts in a dorsal finshaped part of what might well be called Alabama’s Big Island. Given a choice by Kennedy, I opted to work the leeward side of the cuts. Even at that, landing lures near the water’s edge but out of the reeds wasn’t easy. The guide suggested that sidearm casts, like a knockdown shot in golf, might help and encouraged Colvin and me to work over any indentation in the shoreline.

I pitched a copper-penny-colored swimbait on an unpainted jig head into one such pocket and was rewarded with a solid strike. Moments later, a large undulating flounder, stout enough to pull line from my spinning reel, came into view. Because flounder are notorious for slipping hooks, I was greatly relieved when I managed to get a landing net under the 18-incher — not a doormat, granted, but darn near a toilet-seat cover.

Colvin petitioned for keeping my catch and taking it to a restaurant offering a hook-and-cook option. Several in the area do, including Tacky Jacks Orange Beach, the Villagio Grille at the

↑ Guacamole made to taste is among the temptations at Playa at Sportsman Marina in Orange Beach. Seafood entrees include Redfish on the Half Shell and Fried Coconut Grouper.

Estuaries represent some of the most sensitive and ecologically important habitats on the planet. Mobile Bay and its estuary are national and state treasures that are frequently compared to South America’s Amazon region. Their richly diverse waters are home to more than 1,000 species of animals. The health of the bay and estuary are strongly connected to human activity, including shoreline development and fishing pressure.

Wharf and Voyagers at Perdido Beach Resort, an Alabama Restaurant & Hospitality Association “Restaurant of the Year.”

It was clear, however, that Kennedy’s sentiment leaned toward releasing the flounder, and that I did.

Coming off the water hungry after seven miles of pedaling, Colvin carried us to Desoto’s Seafood Kitchen in Gulf Shores, a longestablished family restaurant where owner Rosemary Steele likes to circulate among her customers, most of whom she counts as friends.

I had the Flounder Po’ Boy, don’t you know, with coleslaw. Massive and massively good.

I was free to set my agenda for the afternoon. Colvin had suggested as possibilities fishing the pier at Gulf State Park or visiting the Orange Beach Coastal Arts Center, but I had not come this far not to visit, just over the line, the widely renowned honky-tonk, the Flora-Bama Lounge & Oyster Bar, where Colvin has been seen to join in its Mullet Toss competition.

I lucked out. The Perdido Brothers — bongos, guitar and bass — with frontman Rick Whaley were playing at the upstairs stage. I entered upon the space unabashedly wearing a New York Yankees ball cap, which would attract some attention.

Whaley is a tall drink with hair that is long and tired, a Fu Manchu mustache, bird legs, lively

eyes, a captivating smile and a voice as raspy as a raven’s. He’s good, now; he channels Neil Diamond so closely, it’s eerie. People frequently request his cover of Dan Fogelberg’s There’s a Place in the World for a Gambler for good reason.

MOBILE BAY

↑ Scott Kennedy of the Whistlin’ Waters guide service led editor Steve Bornhoft of Rowland Publishing to a fine flounder, which pounced on a paddle-tail jig. Bornhoft, while tempted to take the fish to a hook-and-cook restaurant, released the fish to the tidal cut where he found it.

↙ Fort Morgan, which fronts both the Gulf of Mexico and Mobile Bay, is located west of Gulf Shores on Mobile Point and offers lots of options for golfers, foodies and anglers.

↑ It is possible that a bad mood never survived a trip to the Flora-Bama honky-tonk. The good-time business was built twice by a family from Pensacola before it opened in 1964. Arson claimed the original structure, and people suspected that the owners of a nearby floating bar and strip joint were responsible for the blaze. Undeterred, the Tampary family built it back.

On this occasion, when he slips into a performance of the Elvis Trilogy, there are some in the audience who get to their feet, remove their caps and place hands over their hearts as Whaley sings …

I wish I was in the land of cotton, Old times, they are not forgotten, Look away. Look away. Look away.

Dixie Land.

So it is that I was surprised when, at a break, Whaley’s wife, seeing my hat, approaches me and says, “You know, Rick is actually from New Jersey. At one time, he knew a bunch of the Yankees. You should talk to him.”

That I do. Turns out, Whaley, in 1979, played with a jazz band in Paramus, New Jersey, at what was the Yankees’ team hotel. The club featured the likes of Bucky Dent, Ron Guidry and Reggie Jackson, and Billy Martin was in his second of five tours as Yankees manager.

Martin and Whaley were neighbors for a time and became drinking buddies. Whaley told me a crazy story about Martin and a stick of Land O’ Lakes butter but made me promise not to retell it in print. Oh, but I wish I could.

Whaley left me wishing for more — more music, more tales. And, indeed, my welcome respite in Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, Fort Morgan and Perdido Key had been much too brief. I’ll be back for seconds.

There was a headline on the cover of the 2022 Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Vacation Guide: REST ASSURED. Kudos to whoever it is who wrote that. I am not sure anyone could better capture the Alabama Big Island vibe in a couple of words.

There is a place in the world for a gambler, all right, the kind of guy who will try to fill a straight, but there are times when it’s hard to beat a sure thing. EC

DESIRÉE GARDNER PHOTOGRAPHY, DESIREEGARDNER.COM

PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

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

Capital City Bank

JOHN HODGES, PRIVATE BANKER

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO PURSUE THIS CAREER? Choosing banking as a career has allowed me to be of service to others by providing a blueprint for their financial success. Private banking brings financial benefits while also offering a personal touch with deep relationship banking. It’s important to me to really know my clients. Though I assist clients with the everyday banking needs they might expect, my favorite part of private banking is providing objective, customized financial planning for reaching longerterm personal goals. I’m committed to a one-banker, one-call level of service to simplify managing my clients’ finances and help them meet the demands of personal wealth and business success.

WHAT SETS YOUR COMPANY APART IN THE INDUSTRY? At its core, a successful banking experience is relationship based. Clients should focus on choosing a banker they trust, enjoy working with and respect. At Capital City Bank we offer a full range of financial products and services including deposits, loans, investments, trust services, strategicwealth planning and retirement planning. Clients should always consider factors like a banker’s experience and qualifications, but they should also consider whether they can comfortably confide in their financial institution. Capital City Bank recently celebrated 128 years in business, which has proven to be an important brand and a legacy. With 58 banking offices in Florida, Georgia and Alabama, Capital City clients benefit from regional banking expertise

and offerings with a boutique, friendly, community-bank feel.

WHAT

SERVICES DOES

YOUR COMPANY PROVIDE? The biggest benefit of a private-banking relationship with a Capital City Banker is having a partner who knows everything about your personal and business finances. Most private-banking clients work hard in their professions, raising their families and volunteering in their communities, so they simply don’t have time to wrestle with organizing their finances. With intensive cash-flow analyses, our financial plans may encompass retirement income, business

growth, college financing and other goals like buying a second home or eliminating debt. We set goals with our clients, establish strategic financial plans and provide a disciplined approach for working toward achieving financial freedom.

SOME

THINGS PEOPLE

MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT ME … When I’m not working hard for my clients, I serve on the South Walton Football Touchdown Club Board, and I enjoy spending time with my family and wife of 28 years, going scuba diving and playing golf. One of the most unexpected things people should know is that I cook the best jambalaya.

Southern Design Companies

In 2009, during a time widely remembered as the Great Recession, Blanchard Benson’s thoughts were instead focused on founding a company that would grow. Benson planted entrepreneurial roots in North Georgia, launching Southern Design Landscaping. The company steadily matured to become Southern Design Companies (SDC), an industry leader in turnkey landscaping, concrete foundations and helical piers. Innovative approaches to operational efficiency combined with providing a quality product and exceptional service have always been at the forefront for the SDC management team. This “get things done right” attitude soon led the company to expand into concrete foundations and flatwork (Southern Design Concrete) and to vertically integrate by adding a plant nursery (Southern Design Nursery) and helical piers (Southern Design Piers) to the company portfolio.

With a big vision for the future, a willingness to take on new challenges, and a commitment to remain true to the company’s value system of Integrity, Quality, and Service (IQS),

SDC experienced explosive growth. The decision to partner with private equity in 2021 was soon followed by the acquisition of Metro Contracting in 2022, offering the same suite of services to commercial and multifamily contractors. Having owned a home in Watersound Beach for many years and watching the profound growth of the area, Benson resolved the next logical step was to expand the business from Georgia into Florida’s Gulf Coast.

The goal of SDC’s Florida leadership team, including Benson, Burel, Bradford and Grogan, is to fill a service void for builders, helping them to meet production

requirements efficiently and at a fair price. Construction is booming along Florida’s Gulf Coast, and SDC is partnering with big-name players including Kolter Homes, D.R. Horton, Samuel Taylor Homes, and Minto Communities.

“Our hands-on leadership team is a good balance of training and experience combined with progressive ideas,” Benson said. “Processes are continually improved, enabling rapid growth of the organization. The SDC team cares about the company and our customers. We appreciate the opportunity to work with such great builders in the Gulf Coast area.”

Deven Bradford, CEO; Blanchard Benson, SDL Founder and President; Karla Burel, SDC Founder and President; and Andrew Grogan, Florida Gulf Coast Division Manager

MillCreek Financial Consultants

People often are reluctant about seeking financial advice. They may fear that they are going to be subjected to a hard sell by the consultant or they may feel their own knowledge is inadequate. MillCreek Financial Consultants works to alleviate both of those concerns.

MillCreek distinguishes itself from other financial planning providers by prioritizing education and understanding over selling a catalog of products and services. Once your financial situation and intentions are understood, they seek to pair you with the products best suited for your situation.

MillCreek Financial Consultants offers services that span life insurance, IRAs, retirement planning, investments, financial management business planning, stock portfolios and more.

“Most companies operate as financial sales people but when you come into our office, we know nothing about you, so we don’t want to sell you anything until we take a comprehensive, macroeconomic approach to look at anything and everything that could impact you,” said Robbie Kinney, partner and financial advisor with MillCreek

Financial Consultants. “We protect clients first, then invest their money.”

Kinney acknowledges that most people are not equipped with proper knowledge pertaining to financial matters. They may rely on family, friends or the internet for advice. Kinney works to educate clients so they gain the confidence they need to take ownership of financial decisions.

“We are process oriented rather than product oriented,” said Austin England, financial advisor with MillCreek. “We love seeing those lightbulb moments when clients understand how the products we recommend benefit them.”

England is one of the few certified divorce financial analysts in Northwest

Florida. He applies his knowledge of asset distribution, tax law, short-term planning and long-term planning in helping people arrive at ways to fairly divide property and other assets.

MillCreek’s professionals work together to find answers and solutions for clients. Should they need assistance, MillCreek brings in attorneys, CPAs or other professionals rather than referring clients to another company.

Whether you’re seeking financial advice because you’re starting a family or approaching retirement, the MillCreek team will guide you when you’re ready to invest. It believes in conversing with clients to determine where they are and where they want to be.

Austin England, CDFA®

Robbie Kinney

Warren Averett BRANDEN CROSBY, CPA CGMA

Branden Crosby loves a good craft beer. Even more so, he loves helping the people behind the brew. As a CPA with Warren Averett, Crosby maintains and strengthens client portfolios for craft breweries, distilleries, restaurants and retail businesses across Northwest Florida.

Recently named the Industry Group Leader in the retail and consumer industry practice, Crosby has been making his mark within Warren Averett and the community since his arrival at the Destin office in 2019.

“The people in the restaurant, beverage and retail industries really spark my passion because they are down-to-earth, a pleasure to work with and appreciate the value of what Warren Averett has to offer,” Crosby said.

Since 1972, Warren Averett has been recognized as a top accounting firm providing traditional accounting, tax services, auditing, technology services, business consulting, HR solutions and more to help companies throughout the Southeast optimize their businesses.

Warren Averett has offices in Florida, Georgia and Alabama with four locations in the Panhandle — Destin, Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach and Panama City. The company provides the experience, talent and technology resources of

a national firm, with local roots and traditions that enable a superior level of personal attention, specialization in industries and experts that are community focused.

“Craft breweries, restaurants and retail make huge impacts on the communities they are in,” Crosby said.

“By leading and specializing in these industries, I’m able to provide tax and consulting services all while partnering to find increased efficiency and value in production, internal processes and business planning.”

Crosby works alongside clients to determine their goals. Taking this a step further, he focuses on recognizing and adapting to trends that will advance a client’s business and puts a plan in place to mitigate any potential issues.

The process begins with the attentive ear that Crosby lends to clients to gain an understanding of their issues from their perspective. He then takes a problem or pain point with a company and crafts a solution. To Crosby, the bigger the issue, the more opportunity for Warren Averett to rise to the occasion and shine.

WHAT SERVICES DO YOU PROVIDE?

Trustmark is a financial services company with locations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. We provide consumer and business banking and financial solutions, including checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, credit cards, loans and lines of credit. We are one of the Emerald Coast’s leading mortgage providers, and we offer construction loans for residential and commercial projects.

Trustmark also offers a broad array of wealth management strategies through our Wealth Management¹ division. We are also one of the leading insurance providers in the Panhandle through our wholly owned subsidiary, FBBINSURANCE.²

WHAT SETS YOUR COMPANY APART?

At Trustmark, we believe in building strong customer relationships, and we work hard to know and understand our customers and their financial needs. We are a communityfocused, values-guided organization that is making a difference in the lives of our customers and communities.

PLEASE TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF. I was born in New York and raised in California, so I have lived along coasts my entire life. I share five wonderful children with my beautiful wife, Stacey, to whom I have been married for 22 years.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO PURSUE A CAREER IN BANKING AND FINANCE?

I majored in Business at California Baptist University and wanted my primary career focus to come with the ability to interact with people on a daily basis. Trustmark has provided me the opportunity to create real and lasting relationships with coworkers and customers alike.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS?

Success in life is faithfully living out the principles that God has set before us in our roles as parents, coworkers, friends and members of our community. Along with faith, true success is found in living out those roles tangibly — with humility, gratitude and joy.

WHAT IMPACT DO YOU HOPE TO HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY? Trustmark is committed to helping the Emerald Coast

grow, thrive and maintain economic success. We take our responsibility seriously and enjoy volunteering at local community events and partnering with local organizations to help strengthen the markets in which we are present. We are dedicated to a communitybanking model that allows us to be highly attuned to local needs, and we look forward to demonstrating the value behind our name.

Jonathan Ochs, President and Commercial Relationship Manager

Emerald Coast Compounding Pharmacy

REGINA K. JAQUESS, PHARM.D.

Regina Jaquess leads two professional lives, one as the owner of Emerald Coast Compounding Pharmacy and another as a member of the elite USA water ski team. For her, there are strong connections between those roles.

Donning water skis for the first time at age 5, Jaquess learned that she liked standing up to a challenge. Later, as a scholarship athlete, she joined a water ski team at the University of Louisiana-Monroe that won two national championships.

As an athlete, she pursued optimal health and conditioning. As a student, she was drawn to pharmacy school and the mindbody-spirit connection central to healing through pharmaceuticals.

In 2010, she opened her business, Emerald Coast Compounding Pharmacy, in her hometown of Santa Rosa Beach.

“Compounding pharmacy is really the origin of pharmacy in general because you’re making adjustments and modifications to fit the needs of each patient,” Jaquess said. “I love the challenge of compounding pharmacy because there are so many avenues you can take in order to find the medicine that will most benefit the patient with the least side effects.”

Her pharmacy addresses prescription compounding, bio-identical hormones, thyroid replacement, veterinary pharmacy, dermatology, dental, pain management, pediatric care and more.

She is a 10-time world champion and has set 13 world records. She has won more than 300 medals in international competitions. Last year, Regina swept the competition at the World Games in Birmingham. This year, she will be competing in the World Championships in Clermont, Florida. She will wrap up the year defending her slalom, jump and overall titles at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, representing the USA under the United States Olympic Committee.

OCT. 12

PRESENTS

Macy Gray

Macy Gray, an electrifying, Grammy Award-winning American R&B/soul singer and actress, is best known for her international hit single “I Try” from her multi-platinum debut album, “On How Life Is.” Her latest 11-song album, The Reset, masterfully showcases Gray’s unique talent and features special guest rapper Maino. Fronting her band, The California Jet Club, Gray will deliver introspective and vocally exuberant tracks at the Cultural Arts Village in Destin.

Proceeds benefit the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation and its ArtsReach initiatives. For details, visit MKAF.org.

EMERALD COAST SPIRITS FESTIVAL

→ The Emerald Coast Spirits Festival, the first such festival in Santa Rosa Beach/Inlet Beach, will shake and stir up a good time. Distillery 98, along with the Florida Craft Spirits Association, is inviting craft distillers from all over Florida to show off their spirits with samples and batched cocktails. Craft distillers, industry reps, local business leaders and members of the general public will have the chance to mix, mingle and network at the VIP Welcome Party on Sept. 22 at Distillery 98.

Tickets go on sale for both the VIP Party and the Craft Spirits Festival soon!

OCT. 6-7

Baytowne Wharf Beer Festival

→ The Village of Baytowne Wharf will host the 15th annual Baytowne Wharf Beer Fest, featuring more than 200 domestic and international craft beers available for sampling. Attendees will enjoy activities including “Beer from Around Here,” craft beer tasting, live music and great food, all from local vendors. Visit Sandestin.com/things-to-do/events/15th-annualbaytowne-beer-festival for more information.

AUG/SEPT 2023

For more events in the EC, visit EmeraldCoastMagazine.com and 850tix.com

compiled by ALIX BLACK, SARAH COVEN, JAVIS OGDEN and REBECCA

PADGETT FRETT

BANDS ON THE BEACH

AUG. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 & SEPT. 5, 12, 19, 26

Pensacola Beach’s popular outdoor summer concert series, Bands on the Beach, features a lineup of regional performers sure to satisfy every musical taste. Make plans to visit the beautiful Gulfside Pavilion overlooking the Gulf of Mexico for hot music, smooth grooves and good times.

visitpensacolabeach.com/ whats-happening-bands-onbeach

LIVERPOOL LEGENDS BEATLES EXPERIENCE

AUG. 4

Liverpool Legends are four incredibly talented musicians and actors hand-picked by Louise Harrison, sister of the late George Harrison of The Beatles. Watch them recreate the legendary hits of the iconic British band. pensacolasaenger.com/events/ liverpool-legends-beatlesexperience

SAENGER SUMMER MOVIE SERIES

AUG. 5, 12, 18, 24, 26

Escape the heat and head into the cool of the Saenger to watch iconic films such as Weird Science, The Breakfast Club, National Lampoon’s Animal House, Shaun of the Dead and The Big Lebowski pensacolasaenger.com/events

MATTIE KELLY ARTS FOUNDATION

ECTC would like to thank all of our donors, sponsors, patrons, and volunteers for their continued support.

OCT. 14

EGGS ON THE BEACH EGGFEST

The ninth annual Big Green Egg EggFest Cooking Competition returns to Seascape Resort in Miramar Beach on Oct. 14 from 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Benefiting Fisher House of the Emerald Coast and Food For Thought, Eggs on the Beach features unlimited bites, live music, a cash bar, a chance to win a Mini-Max Big Green Egg and more. Large TVs will be tuned to college football games at the tiki bar while cook teams compete for votes. For more information, call (850) 269-4666 or visit EggsontheBeach.com.

OCT. 19-22

Harvest Wine & Food Festival

→ Produced by Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, the seventh annual Harvest Wine & Food Festival in WaterColor is a four-day series of events that offers guests a world-class wine and culinary experience while also raising money for a good cause For more information, including ticket purchases, visit DCWAF.org.

OCT. 5

PENSACOLA BEACH SONGWRITERS

FESTIVAL

AT OYSTER BAY BOUTIQUE HOTEL

→ Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival takes the show to downtown Pensacola. This special ticketed concert will occur Thursday, Oct. 5, from 6–9 p.m. at Oyster Bay Boutique Hotel. Four Nashville songwriters share stories and songs in their purest form. Limited tickets are available for this intimate evening performance. Tickets and more details are available through the event website beginning Aug. 1 at PensacolaBeachSongwriters.com. Guests who stay at Oyster Bay on Oct. 5 will receive access to the event, inclusive of their stay.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

BORED TEACHERS

AUG. 6

The biggest entertainment platform for teachers in the world, Bored Teachers, presents the funniest teachercomedians on one stage. Their hilarious skits have amassed hundreds of millions of views on the internet, and they’re all joining comic forces on the Saenger stage for a night of laughter.

pensacolasaenger.com/events/ bored-teachers

AUTOS IN AUGUST

AUG. 12

Classic car enthusiasts are invited to join The Village of Baytowne Wharf and Emerald Coast Customs for a day of all things auto. Trophies will be awarded in nine different car classes, and there will be a raffle for enviable prizes. Funds raised benefit the nonprofit Children in Crisis. baytownewharf.com

BUBBLY BAYTOWNE

AUG. 17

Sip and shop through the streets of The Village of Baytowne Wharf. Enjoy free champagne while shopping with participating merchants. baytownewharf.com

PERFECT HUES:

BAYTOWNE WHARF ART FEST

SEPT. 1–3

Each evening from 5–10 p.m., stroll T he Village of Baytowne Wharf streets as you

browse a variety of artwork from local and regional artists. Enjoy live music throughout the festival and a spectacular fireworks show over the lagoon on Sunday at 9:30 p.m. baytownewharf.com

27TH ANNUAL EMERALD COAST

BEER FESTIVAL

SEPT. 8

Sample beers from microbreweries, specialty bottle beers and even homebrewed beers crafted throughout Northwest Florida. Enjoy live music and the food vendor offerings in Pensacola’s Seville Quarter. emeraldcoastbeerfest.com

LEANNE MORGAN: JUST GETTING STARTED

SEPT. 20–22

Leanne Morgan is performing her popular online stand-up special, “So Yummy,” at the Pensacola Saenger. After discovering her passion for stand-up comedy later in life and finding the time and confidence to pursue her dream, Morgan has garnered over 2.5 million followers across social media. pensacolasaenger.com/ events/leanne-morgan-justgetting-started

INTERNATIONAL TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY

SEPT. 22

Ahoy Matey! Head to The Village of Baytowne Wharf for an evening full

HAVE AN EVENT YOU’D LIKE US TO CONSIDER? Send an email to sbornhoft@rowlandpublishing.com or promote an event at EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/things-to-do at no cost.

of adventure with special guest Captain Davy. Don your best pirate gear, and get ready for a scavenger hunt, magic show, costume contest and loads more mayhem.

baytownewharf.com

PANAMA CITY BEACH FISHING RODEO

SEPT. 22–OCT. 8

The fishing tournament is a three-weekend, 17-day event with two weigh-ins daily. This year will feature competition in 11 species that anglers may pursue from shore, boats, paddleboards, kayaks and more. There will be live music and food sponsors daily. pcbfishingrodeo.com

EMERALD COAST HOME AND BOAT SHOW

SEPT. 23–24

Attend the biggest and best home and boat show in the region featuring over 100 indoor vendors and 50,000 square feet of outdoor space. Vendors include home, boat, health care and retail businesses.

emeraldcoasthomeshow.com

PENSACOLA SEAFOOD FESTIVAL

SEPT. 29–OCT. 1

The Pensacola Seafood Festival provides an all-around sensory experience offering fresh seafood, live music and arts and crafts. Sample

scrumptious bites from a variety of vendors, listen to music from talented acts and find a crafting booth to get in touch with your artistic side.

pensacolaseafoodfestival.com

BLACK JACKET SYMPHONY PRESENTS SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER

SEPT. 30

Note for note, sound for sound, The Black Jacket Symphony will recreate the entirety of The Bee Gees album Saturday Night Fever. Over the past 10 years, The Black Jacket Symphony has performed over 40 classic rock albums. pensacolasaenger.com/events/ black-jacket-symphonypresents-saturday-night-fever

2024

30A SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL

→ The 30A Songwriters Festival, co-produced by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County and Russell Carter Artist Management, will celebrate 15 years as a signature South Walton happening with a Hooks, Lines & Singers event, scheduled for Jan. 12–15, 2024. Over 200 artists will perform original songs at more than 30 venues and listening rooms throughout South Walton. For more information, visit 30ASongwritersFestival.com.

SAVE THE DATE JAN. 12–15,

South Walton Beaches

Your guide to a better beach experience

A BETTER

Walton County Tourism from tourists to turtles. on beach improvements more than 50 lifeguards. last year on surf conditions rip currents. Learn more

EXPERIENCE

beachgoers –$4 million pays for texts dangerous

Walton County Tourism is committed to protecting all beachgoers — from tourists to turtles. In the past year, we spent almost $4 million on beach improvements and maintained a program that pays for more than 50 lifeguards. We also sent nearly 7.3 million texts last year on surf conditions, from marine pests to dangerous rip currents.

Learn more to improve your next visit.

Beach Safety in South Walton

Beach Safety in South Walton

TEXT SAFETY TO

For a complete guide on Walton County’s beach rules, visit BeachSafety.com

Familiarization with beach safety, rules and regulations will create a seamless, fun and memorable beach experience for all. For a complete guide on Walton County’s beach rules, visit BeachSafety.com

Glass containers and littering are prohibited.

Glass containers and littering are prohibited.

Vehicles, dogs and bonfires require permits. Permits may be obtained through Walton County Code Compliance, (850) 622-0000.

Vehicles, dogs and bonfires require permits. Permits may be obtained through Walton County Code Compliance, (850) 622-0000.

Know Before You Go. Obey all beach flag warnings.

KNOW BEFORE BEACH

Know before you go. Obey all beach flag warnings.

Leave No Trace. Items left on the beach overnight will be discarded.

Leave no trace. Items left on the beach overnight will be discarded.

Keep off the dunes.

Keep off the dunes.

Removal of sand, water or vegetation is strictly prohibited.

DOUBLE WATER

Removal of sand, water or vegetation is strictly prohibited.

Sea turtle nesting season is May 1 through October 31.

Sea turtle nesting season is May 1 through Oct. 31.

Please call the Walton County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 267-2000 If you find an injured, sick or dead sea turtle, or to report someone disturbing a sea turtle nest.

I f you find an injured, sick or dead sea turtle, or to report someone disturbing a sea turtle nest, please call the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, (850) 267-2000.

Know Before You Go

Double Red Flags

Water Closed to Public* Swimming and water activity prohibited.

Red Flag

High Hazard. High surf and/or strong currents.

BEACH EXPERIENCE

Yellow Flag Medium Hazard. Moderate surf and/or currents.

KNOW BEFORE BEACH

Rip Currents

Rip currents are powerful currents of water that can sweep even the strongest swimmers out to sea.

BEFORE YOU GO

Identify a rip current

Green Flag

Tourism is commi ed to protecting all our beachgoers –turtles. In the past year, we spent almost $4 million improvements and maintained a program that pays for lifeguards. We also sent nearly 7.3 million texts conditions from marine pests to dangerous more to improve your next visit.

Low Hazard. Calm conditions, exercise caution.

FOR SURF CONDITIONS

Purple Flag

Stinging Marine Life. Man o’ war, jellyfish, stingrays.

Darker color surf, indicating deeper water. Murky brown water caused by sand stirred up on the bottom. Smaller unorganized waves alongside more evenly breaking waves over a sandbar. Waves breaking further out to sea on both sides of the rip current.

What to do if you’re caught in a rip current

DOUBLE WATER RED FLAGHigh Surf YELLOW

BEACH FLAGS

TEXT SAFETY TO 31279 FOR SURF CONDITIONS AND FLAG UPDATES BEFORE HEADING TO THE BEACH.

DOUBLE RED FLAGS

WATER CLOSED TO PUBLIC*

*Entering the Gulf during double red flag conditions can result in a $500 fine and criminal charges. Absence of flags does not assure safe waters. Swim at your own risk. For emergencies, call or text 911.

Don’t panic or swim against the current. Float with the current until it subsides. Swim parallel to the shore and diagonally back in.

What to do if someone else is caught in a rip current

Have someone call 911, give accurate landmarks (beach safety flag poles are numbered). Do not enter the water, as you too will be caught in the current. Throw them a flotation device. Try not to lose sight of the victim.

Moderate GREEN Calm PURPLE Man O’

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TIPS ON BEACH SAFETY, VISIT BEACHSAFETY.COM.

*Entering the Gulf during double red Absence of flags does For emergencies call or text 911.

FLAG- HIGH HAZARD

Surf and/or Strong Currents

STUDIES

Sandestin Wine Festival

APR 13–16 For four glorious days, the 36th annual Sandestin Wine Festival celebrated all things Gulf Coast with hundreds of featured wines and gourmet bites. Whether wine aficionados or novices looking to learn more, the event had much to offer participants.

1 Brian and Nicole Moon, Sandestin Wine Festival giveaway winners

2 Pamela Burden, Mark Bailey and Stacy West-Agerton

3 Teresa Allen, Sherri Gastelum, Stacey Driver and Tobi Young

4 Ken Harrison, Shawn and Jim Springfield

Women United Brunch

MAY 7 The United Way Emerald Coast’s Women United group celebrated its one-year anniversary with their Brunch & Bubbly event on Sunday, May 7, at The Venue in Fort Walton Beach. The event, presented by Cox, was filled with generous women raising funds to provide access to mental health resources and education for women and girls in Okaloosa and Walton counties.

1 Laurie Markoe and Marlee Tucker

2 Neko Stubblefield

3 Khaliqa Wheatley

4 The program ended with a toast by United Way Emerald Coast’s President and CEO Kelly Jasen, “To women empowering women and the impact of Women United!”

PHOTOS BY GINA HODSON

PHOTOS BY NICOLE MOON, DARLA HARRISON AND JULIE DORR

SOCIAL STUDIES

ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival

MAY 13–14 The ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival celebrated its 35th year with a multi-faceted cultural event featuring works from more than 120 local and national artists, live music, performing arts ensembles, artist demonstrations, educational art projects for children and food offerings. Proceeds benefited the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County. Details can be found at CulturalArtsAlliance.com.

1 Pam Singh and Andrea Chipser

2 April Fitzpatrick, Ryan Sanchez, Kim Polakoff, Jayson Kretzer and Doug Foltz

3 Robyn Martins, Robin Wiesneth and Helene Pappas

4 Allison Wickey, Katie Witherspoon and Cam Wickey

Sip & Splash: An Aquatic Affair

MAY 20 The Emerald Coast Fitness Foundation raised $84,000 during their second annual Sip & Splash: An Aquatic Affair event, presented by Tim Smith Acura. More than 250 guests gathered at Destin’s Taj Renee Community Aquatic Center pool for an elegant evening featuring a fivecourse dinner, live music, craft cocktails, a silent auction, live painting and much more.

1 Gwen McAvoy, Susan Smith and Rena Anderson

2 Drew and Linnea Colon

3 Susan and Jim Luttrell

4 The sun set on a perfect evening during the second annual Sip & Splash: An Aquatic Affair.

PHOTOS BY BRENNA KNEISS

PHOTOS BY LYNN CROW PHOTOGRAPHY

Fresh, to go.

dining guide

AMERICAN

BUFFALO’S REEF ★

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

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 classics 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 allergyfriendly 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 tuna 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 Pkwy., 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 RED BAR ★

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

THE WINE BAR ★

A gathering spot for lunch or dinner, plus daily happy hour specials. Destin and Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 269-2902. L D

VUE ON 30A ★

Fine New American dining in a modern, cream and beige waterfront spot with bar, lounge and views. 4801 W. Hwy. 30A, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 267-2305 $$$ L D

ASIAN

BAMBOO SUSHI AND HIBACHI

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

BREAKFAST/ BRUNCH/BAKERY

ANDY’S FLOUR POWER CAFE & BAKERY

Lively brunch/lunch destination known for its French toast, rolled omelets and cheery ambiance. 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

30A COOKIES & CREAM

Treats from Great American Cookies and Marble Slab Creamery make for an irresistible combination. 174 Watercolor Way, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 231-2552. $

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 rustic-yetelegant 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 an 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

Enjoy classic Italian cuisine and favorites like 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 restaurant 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 Gulffresh 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 establishment features 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

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. $$

THE OCEAN CLUB

Storied restaurant serves fresh Gulf seafood and the finest steaks. Enjoy live music, great service and a full bar. 8955 US 98 W. 107, Miramar Beach. (850) 267-3666. $$–$$$ D

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

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

DIXIELAND CHICKEN CO. ★

Authentic Creole-style fried chicken. Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 353-2464. $ L

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 ceviche-style. 4621 Hwy. 98 W., Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 687-2810.

REEL ’EM IN FRESH

SEAFOOD AND GOURME T ★

30AGRUB2GO

Fast delivery of all the high-quality cuisine that 30A has to offer. Download their app on Google

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

MAINTAINING CONNECTION

He speaks grief to the wind and is soothed

by BOB JONES

Above my late wife Mindy’s swing in my backyard hang wind chimes, also known as fenglings, which have their roots in China and date back to around 1,100 B.C. In the Far East, these wind bells were used as decorative art at private homes and sacred structures. Hundreds of years later, they became popular in the Western world, including the U.S.

My son, Mark, hung the chimes for me at my Tallahassee home, and he mounted my wind phone on a beam that supports the swing. That swing is the one Mindy and I had at our Alligator Point beach house for decades.

Sitting on Mindy’s swing is comforting. There was something very, very special about watching the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico while holding hands with the one I loved more than anything in the world.

Most people I know love the sound of chimes when the wind blows. Mindy and I always had wind chimes at our cabin in Banner Elk in the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina, but when strong north winds ripped across Beech Mountain, we often had to retrieve chimes scattered around the property. That’s not a problem in my backyard.

I built a bright blue box for my wind phone, an idea that Japanese garden designer Itaru Sasaki originated in 2010 as a way to deal with the death of a cousin. The wind phone is unconnected to any earthbound grid, but Sasaki believes it is a means by which people can speak to loved ones who have died.

Sasaki installed an old rotary phone in an abandoned roadside telephone booth. He experienced comfort and healing by virtue of the connection he felt to his cousin through the phone, which he named kaze no denwa, which translates to “the phone of the wind.”

Tens of thousands of people have visited Sasaki’s original wind phone since 2011 when it was first publicized. There are now wind phones in places throughout the world, including Tampa. A wind phone can be placed anywhere, including my backyard.

In November 2021, CBS Sunday Morning broadcasted a segment about a wind phone placed by an amateur carpenter on the trunk of a massive tree in a rainforest near Olympia, Washington. He thought it might be helpful to his pre-teen daughter who

had lost a friend to infection, and then found himself using the phone to speak to his departed mother.

CBS correspondent Lee Cowan concluded that segment, saying, “Whispers on the wind; you might not hear them unless you listen.”

I don’t expect my “phone of the wind” to ring, but that’s alright with me. The sound of the wind chimes, coupled with the presence of a wind phone and my faith and imagination, provides solace and comfort to my soul as I talk to Mindy and all the other loved ones who have passed on.

Peace be with all. EC

Bob Jones was, for decades, the executive director of the Southeastern Fisheries Association, an organization that represents the interests of commercial fishermen throughout the region. At age 90, he is devoting his still considerable energies to finding the graves of some 900 Minorcans, including ancestors of his wife, Mindy, who died and were buried at a plantation in what would later become New Smyrna Beach.

↑ Bob Jones came by an old rotary phone and installed it on a post that supports the porch swing at his Tallahassee home. He was inspired by the notion of a Wind Phone by which people may communicate with departed loved ones.

David C. Adams MD, FAAD, FACMS

Brittain F. Kulow MD, FAAD

Nicholas G. Papajohn MD, FAAD

Layne M. Fielder MD, FAAD Cather McKay MD, FAAD

William C. Rigano MD Zac Carter MD, FAAD