Emerald Coast Magazine • February/March 2023

Paradise has arrived

ON THE EMERALD COAST

LIVE THE LIFE YOU’VE DREAMED AT LATITUDE MARGARITAVILLE WATERSOUND!

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

Escape to the place where fun and relaxation meet. Escape to island-inspired living as you grow older, but not up. Escape to Latitude Margaritaville Watersound, located on Hwy 79, less than 8 miles from the beach.

New homes from the low $300s

54

HEALTHY EATING

“I strongly believe each individual body has the innate wisdom to guide itself toward its own unique needs,” says dietitian Tammy Lantz, who believes that there are three keys to changing diets for the better: emotional awareness, developing compassion for self and reprogramming the brain to let go of restrictive ways of eating. “Many people attempt to change their environment or behaviors, but these changes generally do not last beyond three days, because who that person is at the very core level does not change,” Lantz said. “Their entire system is designed to go back to its default setting, unless the default is shifted.” Bringing about lasting change is not a fast process, but the payoff is worth the effort.

by EMILEE MAE STRUSS

FEATURES 58

TOUGH AS NAILS

At age 42, Michelle Mecca was a wellestablished fitness competitor accustomed to bringing home trophies. She worked out twice daily, held herself to a strict diet and saw her doctor for regular checkups. So it was that everyone who knows her was flabbergasted when Mecca was diagnosed with breast cancer. She took her medicine, maintained her gym habit and the cancer entered remission. She thought cancer was behind her until she learned that it had metastasized to her brain.

by STEVE BORNHOFT

photography by DAVE BARFIELD

ABODES

75 INTERIORS Statement walls use elements including paint, wallpaper, laminate, paneling, tile, wood, art or photographs to draw the eye and add personality to a room.

THE WAVE

19 HEALTH

Ice baths, cryotherapy chambers and the application of liquid nitrogen all lead the body to take steps to prevent frostbite. Those same steps serve to combat inflammation and improve circulation.

24 CHAMPION

Jimmy Patronis, who grew up in the restaurant business, has traded customer service for public service. As Florida’s CFO and its state fire marshal, he has gained an enhanced appreciation for first responders and prioritized public safety.

26 PERSONALITY

Raemi Creteur’s education at Florida State University

Panama City was disrupted by COVID-19, but when live classes and campus life resumed, she made the most of them, growing in confidence and becoming a campus leader.

PANACHE

33 CITIZEN OF STYLE

Jonathan Delevoe cut hair to make pin money while a student at the University of West Florida, where he majored in information technology. Upon graduation, he decided not to pursue high tech, preferring high and tight, instead.

36 FASHION Uncovering

your perfect color palette involves science, psychology and play. Increased confidence and compliments from passersby will let you know when you’ve found it.

GASTRO & GUSTO

45 HEALTHY EATING

To reprogram, one first must deprogram. Americans gravitate toward processed foods as if there were no alternative, but we can do better by feeding ourselves the way we deserve to be treated.

50 LILY HALL In Pensacola, a project to repurpose a historic building deemed worth saving will provide out-of-towners and city residents with a new lodging house and an adjoining restaurant and speakeasy.

52 LIBATIONS A smooth whiskey becomes all the smoother when it is chased by a finger or two of pickle juice. So it is that bars are asking their companion restaurants to save the brine.

EXPRESSION

65 BOOKS In her debut novel, Linda Habib of Sandestin tells the story of a young woman who survives a botched abortion only to be tormented by professors on her way to becoming a doctor and establishing a fertility clinic.

80 GREEN SCENE Hybrid tea roses, grandiflora and other types of roses require fertilizer, watering, frequent grooming and applications of insecticides.

IN EVERY ISSUE

12 FROM THE ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

14 EDITOR’S LETTER

103 SOCIAL STUDIES

110 DINING GUIDE

114 POSTSCRIPT

WHAT’S IN STORE

With accents ranging from scented candles to throw pillows, it’s possible to create a household that is summery in feel throughout the year.

68 MUSIC Forrest Williams learned to be a welder and trained to be a combat medic in the Army, all the while paying his dues as a musical entertainer. These days, he plays gigs up and down the Emerald Coast.

ON THE COVER: He may look relaxed, but Kasean Pryor’s turn in the ice bath following a workout at Northwest Florida State College won’t last long. Cryotherapy chambers, the use of liquid nitrogen as well as immersion in cold, cold water, helps prevent inflammation and improves circulation by causing the body to take steps used to combat frostbite. Pryor, a 6-foot10-inch forward from Chicago, is a sophomore at NWFSC.

PHOTO BY LUKE TREXLER COURTESY / NORTHWEST FLORIDA STATE COLLEGE

100

BEST

30 OFFICE SPACE

The 30 corporate tenants at the Grand Boulevard Town Center enjoy ease of accessibility and a great array of amenities for both clients and employees to enjoy.

42 DERMAL FILLERS

For the injectors at Dermatology Specialists in Fort Walton Beach, training that includes study of facial aesthetics and anatomy is essential. NEXT ISSUE

FEB/MAR 2023

The

70

← OFF TO NEVERLAND

For the childlike at heart and those who never want to grow up, Peter Pan is soaring onto Northwest Florida Ballet’s stage March 11-12.

BEST OF EMERALD COAST BALLOT — cast your vote for your favorite businesses!

72 ↑ STORIES IN SONG Famed singer/songwriter Emmylou Harris will be sharing songs from her brilliant body of work as part of the Opening Nights performing arts series in Tallahassee.

78 ↑ TIDY CLOSETS Closet Solutions

Florida ensures that a shoe is never out of place and you can always locate that outfit that is just right for the occasion.

83

WOMEN’S PROFILES Discover the inspirations, motivations and accomplishments of women who have emerged along the Emerald Coast as leaders and are making important differences in their fields of endeavor and in the community at large.

94 CALENDAR

As winter gives way to spring, the events calendar stays busy with indoor and outdoor events, including theatrical performances, food festivals, wine festivals, marathons and more.

98 LAKE LIFE Walton County is home to coastal dune lakes found in only a handful of locations throughout the world. Learn about these marvels, their beauty and the ecological role they play.

↑

OF THE EC

24th annual Best of the Emerald Coast event, held in October, showcased the top businesses and service providers in the region. Winners cued up along Grand Boulevard Town Center and shared product samples and information with a large crowd of celebrants.

EMERALD COAST MAGAZINE

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER

BRIAN E. ROWLAND

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

MCKENZIE BURLEIGH

EDITORIAL

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Steve Bornhoft

SENIOR STAFF WRITER Emma Witmer

EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Raemi Creteur

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kari C. Barlow, Rebecca Padgett Frett, Les Harrison, Thomas J. Monigan, Wynn Parks, Evgeniya Stetsenko, Emilee Mae Struss

CREATIVE

VICE PRESIDENT / PRODUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY Daniel Vitter

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jennifer Ekrut

SENIOR PUBLICATION DESIGNERS Sarah Burger, Saige Roberts, Scott Schiller, Shruti Shah GRAPHIC DESIGNER Sierra Thomas

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Christie Anderson, Alex Ashman Dave Barfiled, Michael Booini, Brandan Babineaux, Desirée Gardner Photography, Julie Dorr, Mike Fender, Steven Gray, Rob Hasker, Mike Haytack, JDC Photo, Helen Johnson, Brenna Kneiss, Tracy Louthain, Sean Murphy, Bob O’Lary, Greg Riegler, Saige Roberts, Shelly Swanger Photography, Luke Trexler, Kiara Watson, Lorelei White, Chase Yakaboski

SALES, MARKETING AND EVENTS

SALES MANAGER, WESTERN DIVISION Rhonda Lynn Murray

SALES MANAGER, EASTERN DIVISION Lori Magee Yeaton

DIRECTOR OF NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, WESTERN DIVISION Dan Parker

DIRECTOR OF NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, EASTERN DIVISION Daniel Parisi

ADVERTISING SERVICES MANAGER Tracy Mulligan

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Julie Dorr

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Darla Harrison

MARKETING MANAGER Javis Ogden

SALES AND MARKETING WRITER Rebecca Padgett Frett

ADMINISTRATIVE & CUSTOMER SERVICE SPECIALIST Renee Johnson

OPERATIONS

CUSTOM PUBLISHING MANAGER Sara Goldfarb

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE/AD SERVICE COORDINATOR Sarah Coven

PRODUCTION EDITOR Paige Aigret

PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION SPECIALIST Melinda Lanigan

STAFF BOOKKEEPER Amber Dennard

DIGITAL SERVICES

DIGITAL EDITOR/MARKETING SPECIALIST Alix Black

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

ROWLAND PUBLISHING rowlandpublishing.com

EDITORIAL OFFICE 118 N. Monroe St., Ste. 401, Tallahassee, FL 32301. (850) 878-0554

SUBSCRIPTIONS One year (6 issues) is $35. Call (850) 878-0554 or go online to  emeraldcoastmagazine.com. Single copies are $5.95. Purchase at Barnes & Noble in Destin and Pensacola and Books-A-Million in Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City and Pensacola.

CUSTOMER SERVICE & SUBMISSIONS Emerald Coast Magazine and Rowland Publishing, Inc. are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photography or artwork. Editorial contributions are welcomed and encouraged but will not be returned. Emerald Coast Magazine reserves the right to publish any letters to the editor.

Copyright February 2023 Emerald Coast Magazine Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

DO THE BRIGHT THING

Better your community by shining your light

While visiting my hometown in Utah in December, I went with my family to listen to a special performance by the Tabernacle Choir. Being home, I enjoyed a warm feeling despite the 9-degree temperature outside, and we greatly looked forward to a presentation that would include a guest, the English actor Sir David Suchet.

Suchet shared the story of Sir Nicholas Winton, who as a 29-year-old stockbroker from London, assisted in the rescue of 669 children from Czechoslovakia on the eve of World War II. Winton, along with the parents of these mostly Jewish children, feared the grave risks posed by the Nazis.

The parents took steps to create the impression that their children’s travel to Britain was part of a holiday celebration. Had they been told the truth, they would have resisted being separated from their parents, who knew they were likely never to see their children again.

Winton overcame many obstacles and challenges to ensure that the children could be moved safely and legally to Britain. He worked to find sponsors and homes for each of them.

For decades, Winton never disclosed his heroic actions to anyone, including his wife Grete. Fifty years following the rescues, he and Grete were cleaning out their attic when she discovered a photo album that contained a list of all the children her husband had saved.

When she inquired about the album, Winton rather casually shared the story of the rescues. Grete couldn’t believe no one knew of the selfless humanitarian acts her husband had accomplished. He didn’t believe he had done anything especially praiseworthy. In his mind, he believed that he simply did what needed to be done.

In 1988, Winton appeared on a BBC television program before a live audience. Unbeknownst to him, the BBC had tracked down as many surviving children as it could and invited them to attend the airing along with their spouses and children. Many enthusiastically did, enjoying for the first time the chance to meet, thank and hug the man who had saved them.

There are more than 6,000 people alive today thanks to Winton’s efforts to save those 669 children. And,

Winton’s story, now that it is known, has impacted many thousands more.

At the conclusion of his presentation, Suchet invited Winton’s son Nick to the stage. Nick shared the values his father instilled in him and many others, chief among them the importance of being actively good — that is, taking actions that benefit your community as a way to share your light. We each have a light to shine. Throughout this year, let’s find ways to make impacts, even if one life at a time. Let someone in during heavy traffic, hold a door for a stranger at the grocery store or get involved with local charities. Many organizations in our communities can use more volunteers and the resources you have to offer.

During this special heart month, I challenge you to give a little of yours.

Much love,

MCKENZIE BURLEIGH, ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

mburleigh@rowlandpublishing.com

To watch a condensed version of the BBC program “That’s Life,” visit: youtu.be/ PKkgO06bAZk

A NOTE FROM PUBLISHER BRIAN ROWLAND In the course of publishing Emerald Coast Magazine and other titles, we have brought readers thousands of stories. Our internal protocols allow me to review and revise proposed story lineups before writers begin work on individual pieces. And, before our magazines go to press, I read each story as written and run it through my quality-control filters. I can count on one hand the number of negative comments I have received over many years, but that’s not to say we’re even near perfect. There are times when I cannot anticipate how a story may affect people whose culture, beliefs or life experiences greatly differ from mine. Recently, a story published in Emerald Coast Magazine generated critical letters of concern that called into question our editorial judgment. I went back and re-read the story, which was about an author of children's books, from the perspective of the letter writers. That experience was an educational one for me in that I was not well-versed in the conflicting viewpoints touched upon by the story. I take full responsibility for my error in judgment and want to express my regret and apology to anyone who was offended.

The Associate Publisher's photos were taken at the beautiful Alys Beach — a place where mind, body and spirit delight in carefully curated amenities. With the finest culinary talents on the coast, shopping suitable for those with distinctive tastes, outdoor activities on an exclusive beachfront, miles of nature trails and a state-of-the-art wellness center, Alys Beach is a seaside town like none other.

THE BIRDHOUSE COBBLER

Meeting another character from Vernon was a joy

Hanging from rigging made of PVC pipe, rubber bungee cords and spring clamps were vertically oriented lengths of cypress, some of which reached the body of his old and gray pickup. It was as if the truck, parked at a Publix store, may have been fitted at one time with a wooden camper shell that had grown dilapidated.

As I neared the truck, however, it became clear that the unhewn cypress formed the faces of birdhouses screwed to the backs of the boards. Some boards fronted one house, others two.

“Sir, are they big enough for bluebirds?” I asked, startling the man behind the steering wheel. Sun streaming through the windshield had warmed the old boy, and he had been napping as still as a gator on a hill.

“They make great gifts,” Doug Hertkorn said, then furnished me with pricing. The birdhouses ranged from $50 to $75. Cash or check, only.

“A friend of mine has a portable little machine that you can run credit cards through, and he said I should get one of those and get my birdhouses on the internet,” Hertkorn said. “If I wanted to work that hard, I’d get a job.”

Hertkorn, 80, lives in the Washington County community of Vernon, population 732 (2020 Census), up from 687 in 2010, and is eight months removed from quadruple bypass surgery.

“The doctor said one of my arteries was like that,” Hertkorn explained, placing the tips of a thumb and a forefinger together. “Completely collapsed. He didn’t know how any blood was getting through. I guess

I’m lucky. Dr. (James) Cook put my first stent in at Bay Medical Center in 1996.”

Hertkorn struggles to get to his feet and cannot remain standing for long. He was a tile setter for more than 50 years.

“Knees are shot, but I don’t want the surgery,” he said. “Don’t trust it.”

I ask him if he is familiar with the Errol Morris documentary, “Vernon, Florida,” released in 1981. (You can find it on YouTube.) He is and said he used to see some of the characters from the film around town — the turkey hunter, perhaps, or the couple that grows sand in a jar or the man fattening a possum in anticipation of Wausau Fun Day.

I like Hertkorn. He reminds me through his face of my late motherin-law. Like him and like me, she was German. I admire him for the effort he makes in supplementing his Social Security by selling birdhouses he cobbles together himself. He personifies an old-timey hardware store with a creaky wood floor and a rusty scale for weighing nails.

He moved to Florida from New Jersey after serving in the Army and purchased adjoining 8-acre and 7-acre plots.

“I had enough land that I could get naked and walk around in the yard,” Hertkorn said.

He recently sold 7 acres for $55,000. There is an open sinkhole on that parcel that he planned one day to line with clay and turn into a bass pond, but he never got around to it. That’s all right. He prefers catfishing on the Choctawhatchee, anyway.

“Are they big enough for bluebirds?”

“The hole is an inch and fiveeighths, perfect for bluebirds. I sold a house to a lady and her husband put it up, and she had birds in it just a couple of hours later.”

I parted with 50 beans and left with a one-holer. I was pleased with my purchase and pleased to have been reminded that simple times are not gone forever.

One need only head north to Vernon.

STEVE BORNHOFT EXECUTIVE EDITOR sbornhoft@rowlandpublishing.com

PHOTO BY MICHAEL BOOINI / RPI FILE PHOTO

GIVEAWAYS Ultimate Hilton Sandestin Beach Resort Getaway

Enter to win a perfect staycation for two at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa. This ultimate getaway is the escape you have been longing for.

Enter to win today at EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/giveaways

A LONG-RUNNING TRADITION

The Seaside School Half Marathon & 5K Race Weekend is slated for Feb. 17–19, 2023. Now in its 21st year, the race weekend, has become one of the top-grossing fundraisers in Northwest Florida. Drawing participants from all over the country, the event supports The Seaside School, Inc., one of the first and now the oldest operating public charter school in Florida.

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/a-long-running-tradition

SKIN AND SUN SEASON

Spring will soon be here, and the temptation to spend time outside will be irresistible. Stay on top of the latest skin applications and techniques for protecting your skin from those intense rays as you soak up the sun. Don’t get burned; Dermatology Specialists and Aqua Medical Spa have the knowhow and products to keep you looking youthful and vibrant.

Learn more by visiting EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/ sponsored-content/beauty-links.

Best of the EMERALD COAST RECAP

EMERALDCOAST MAGAZINE’S

2022

BEST of

The Best of Emerald Coast event made a dazzling and delicious return in October 2022. Hosted by Emerald Coast Magazine, sponsors and guests enjoyed a night of fun and celebration featuring local chefs, crafters and representatives of “Best” winners. Event proceeds benefited the Junior League of the Emerald Coast’s Child Clothing Project.

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/best-of-emerald-coast-2022

HARVEST WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL BRINGS A BOUNTY

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.

It was a picture-perfect, palate-pleasing weekend when the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation conducted its sixth annual Harvest Wine & Food Festival at Cerulean Park at WaterColor. This event, held Oct. 13–16, 2022, was held during homeowner’s weekend, resulting in an especially big turnout and proceeds totaling more than $110,000. “Every year, I enjoy watching the festival grow and elevate in its offerings while also growing in its contributions to our partner charities,” said DCWAF director of marketing and communications Kate MacMillan. Next year’s festival will be held Oct. 19–22, and tickets will go on sale in July.

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com/ harvest-wine-food-festivalbrings-a-bounty

EXPERIENCE

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

DINE

Another Broken Egg Café

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

Black Bear Bread Co. (Now Open)

Cantina Laredo Modern Mexican

The Craft Bar

Emeril’s Coastal

everkrisp

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

Grimaldi’s Coal Brick-Oven Pizzeria

Kilwins

PF Chang’s China Bistro

Starbucks

Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar

Vin’tij Food & Wine

The Wine Bar

SHOP

Altar’d State

Anthropologie

Arhaus (Now Open)

Arula

The Beaufort Bonnet Company

Billabong

Bluemercury

Hemline

J.Ji l l

J.McLaughlin

johnnie-O (Now Open)

The Jewel

Kendra Scott (Now Open)

KREWE

La Luna

Lilly Pulitzer

lululemon (Now Open)

Ophelia Swimwear

Orvis

Peter Millar

Pottery Barn

Pure Collective Salon (Now Open)

Rose & Co (Now Open )

Seabags (Now Open)

Southern Tide

Sunset Shoes & Lifestyles

Vineyard Vines

Williams Sonoma

Courtyard by Marriott

Sandestin at Grand Boulevard

Hyatt Place Sandestin at Grand Boulevard

AMC CLASSIC Boulevard 10

Residence Inn by Marriott Sandestin at Grand Boulevard

Grand Fitness

Emerald Coast Theatre Company

All the cool kids are doing it — submerging themselves in bone-chilling water of between 50 and 59 degrees, intentionally.

Cold water therapy reduces inflammation, and if one can stand it for more than 12 minutes, improves circulation. Ice baths produce these benefits and so, too, does the application of ice packs to selected areas. The longer the treatment, the more vasodilation occurs.

“When the body experiences coldness, it takes steps to avoid going into frostbite,” said Dr. Eric Shamus, the chairman of the Department of Rehabilitative Sciences at Florida Gulf Coast University. “Vasodilation basically means the arteries get wider,

and that’s where the benefit of greater blood flow comes from.”

Shamus has worked with the Florida Panthers, Miami Heat and the Florida Marlins to assist professional athletes with training and recovery. He said there’s always a bucket, or bath, of ice water available at practices and games.

“Baseball pitchers are a great example,” he said. “They pitch, and as soon as they come off the field, they immediately put ice on their shoulder to prevent delayed-onset muscle soreness. It allows for quicker recovery.”

Shamus said people with hypertension should be aware that cold water immersion affects blood pressure and heart rate. Ice pack applications should be limited to no more than 20 minutes.

←↙ CHILLIN’

A Northwest Florida State College baseball pitcher, top, and a women’s basketball team member, lower photo, take their turns in ice baths in a training room. Cold water therapy relieves inflammation and can serve to improve circulation by widening arteries, a response by the body to avoid frostbite.

COLDER THAN ICE

Temperatures in therapeutic cryotherapy chambers drop to minus 222 degrees Fahrenheit. During two-to-three-minute sessions in these chambers, which employ a non-toxic form of liquid nitrogen, the body’s surface temperature drops to approximately 30 degrees.

Tara Santosuosso, the founder and owner of Chill Cryotherapy in Pensacola, swears by them. Living in Dallas, Santosuosso was working on her tennis game seven hours a day when she suffered a brain aneurysm. Returning to the courts just five days after surgery, she struggled with her balance and sustained ankle and foot injuries. When

she consulted a doctor, she was told to soak her feet in ice water.

“I’m a crybaby, so I couldn’t do the ice water immersion,” Santosuosso said. “And then a friend suggested I try cryotherapy.”

After just one session, she felt the benefits of reduced pain and inflammation. And, she found the cold to be manageable.

“Cryotherapy chamber temperatures drop gradually, whereas submerging yourself into ice water can be shocking,” Santosuosso said. “There is also protective gear that you wear, including socks, slippers, gloves, ear protection and a surgical face mask that makes the air you breathe feel warmer.”

↑ A Northwest Florida State College softball player is fitted with an ice pack. The application of ice immediately after a player leaves the field for the day helps prevent delayed-onset muscle soreness. This can be especially important for baseball and softball relief pitchers who may make frequent appearances separated by a limited number of days.

Santosuosso said she was told that cryotherapy produces a relatively tolerable “dry cold.”

“I wasn’t sure if I should believe them when they said that, but it was true,” she recalled.

EIGHT TO 89

When Santosuosso moved to Pensacola in 2013, there weren’t any businesses offering cryotherapy.

“That was a hard transition because it had become such a big part of my recovery process,” she said.

Santosuosso launched Chill Cryotherapy in 2015.

“My clients range from 8 to 89 years old,” she said. “A lot of people think this therapy is only for athletes, and it’s extremely beneficial for them, but it’s also beneficial for individuals with arthritis, pre- and post-surgical patients and anyone desiring general pain reduction.”

Not to mention the mental health benefits. Oh, and the weight loss.

“Weight loss is a common benefit mentioned because it raises your metabolism and you burn calories,” Shamus said. “However, just like if someone is training for a biking race and that increases their metabolism, it will only remain high if they keep training. It isn’t permanent.”

As for the mental health benefits, cold water immersion, even taking a cold shower, releases endorphins and dopamine — two of the body’s natural “feel good” hormones.

Santosuosso believes there has been an increase in cryotherapy’s popularity due to the reduced availability of prescription pain medications resulting from the opioid epidemic.

“If it gets bad enough, people will do just about anything to escape their pain,” she said. “When they try cryotherapy for the first time and are released from their pain — they, well, cry because they feel good again for maybe the first time in a long time.” EC

TRAVEL THE WORLD CAPTURING BEAUTIFUL IMAGES FOR YOU TO ENJOY

↑ The application of liquid nitrogen or time spent in cryotherapy chambers benefits not only athletes but people including older adults who may be dealing with arthritis or recovering from surgeries. The use of liquid nitrogen lowers the body’s surface temperature to 30 degrees.

GOOD BUSINESS

by EMMA WITMER

Every Floridian from Pensacola to Key West is Jimmy Patronis’ customer, and the customer always comes first. That is a lesson Patronis learned early from working in his late father’s popular Panama City seafood joint, Capt. Anderson’s Restaurant & Waterfront Market.

These days, Patronis co-owns Capt. Anderson’s with his brothers, but keeping his customers happy goes far beyond Greek salads and seafood. As Florida’s chief financial officer, Patronis’ varied responsibilities impact the entire state. He isn’t just serving plates anymore — he’s spinning them.

The role of CFO may seem straightforward. As Patronis says, he is the business manager of the state, responsible for signing checks, monitoring investments and balancing the books. Much like the restaurant business,

however, there is a great deal more going on in the back of the house than most people realize, particularly when it comes to times of crisis.

The CFO’s office is responsible for coordinating all search and rescue efforts throughout the state, a monumental task in a state beset by cycles of storm damage.

“Florida has seen its share of disasters,” Patronis said. “Probably the first real storm that I played a role in as CFO was Hurricane Irma. That storm touched over 40 counties in the state. It was a massive storm, an incredible threat to the health, welfare and finances of the state.”

Since then-Gov. Rick Scott appointed Patronis to the position of CFO in mid2017, Florida has seen more than six major hurricanes. Each time, Patronis’ team has been on the ground.

Jimmy Patronis believes Florida’s prosperity is rooted in safety and justice

↘

As the State of Florida’s chief financial officer and the State Fire Marshal, Bay County native Jimmy Patronis manages diverse duties ranging from service as the state’s business manager to protecting citizens from fraudulent contractors and phishing schemes. He grew up as part of Capt. Anderson’s Restaurant in Panama City Beach, a business known for having reduced service to a science.

“Prior to the storm, we are out there turning up the volume, helping people understand the threat of the storm, helping them get their financial home in order and understand that, if they are going to be filing an insurance claim, these are some things you should consider doing now before the storm lands,” Patronis said.

Once the storm has passed, his office deploys swaths of first responders to wade through stormwater, pull people out of rubble and all too often, identify victims claimed by nature’s wrath.

Speaking candidly, Patronis said he hadn’t fully understood the importance of first responders and the burdens they carry. Whether responding to the aftermath of a hurricane or a routine 911 call, he said, first responders handle some of the most traumatic events imaginable. They are at a higher risk of PTSD and suicide, yet they received no PTSD benefit from the state. Something had to change.

“A woman reached out to me whose brother was a firefighter,” Patronis said. “He had responded to one too many bad calls, and he committed suicide. We worked together and passed legislation to get these men and women access to the mental health benefits that they need to live a normal life.”

Even with increased access to mental health benefits, first responders often have a difficult journey, he added.

“It’s hard for these men and women,” Patronis said. “They have a very hard outer shell, and for them to come forward and say, ‘I need help. I am having trouble sorting through my demons,’ it’s hard. They have our back 24/7, 365. It was about time for the state of Florida to say, ‘You know what, we’ve got your back too.’”

Patronis also discovered that not all who make an appearance in the aftermath of a natural disaster are heroic. Since his reelection in 2022, he is taking a hard look at Florida’s Assignment of Benefits process and what he describes as a predatory exploitation of the vulnerable in times of crisis.

Assignment of Benefits, or AOB, is a legal agreement between a contractor and a homeowner in which the homeowner

signs their insurance claim over to the contractor in lieu of cash payment. In its proper execution, AOB allows work to begin immediately without the homeowner having to wait for insurance money to arrive. When used inappropriately, however, AOB can be financially and emotionally devastating. All too often, Patronis said, once the homeowner signs over the benefit, they never see the contractor again.

“I tell people there is the best in recovery and the worst in recovery as far as what you see of humanity,” Patronis said. “The good Samaritans arrive day four, day five, but the predators arrive hours after the storm.”

Patronis’ office works diligently to investigate these cases, but because AOB is a legal process, it can be difficult to prove fraud. Furthermore, even a strong case can find itself at the bottom of the pile once turned over to the State Attorney’s Office.

“These prosecutors that work for the state attorney, they only have so many hours in a day,” Patronis said. “If they are

looking at a murder or insurance fraud, one was physically hurt and the other one was financially hurt. They have to prioritize.”

As a member of the Executive Branch, he has no direct power over the actions of the state’s judicial system, but he has become quite vocal. He has gone as far as advocating for the State Attorney’s Office to dedicate a number of prosecutors to insurance fraud cases or to eliminate the AOB process altogether.

For Patronis, creating a system that is safer is not simply the right thing to do, it’s good business.

“No one is going to relocate to the state if it’s not safe,” he said. “A business is not going to make an investment if it’s not safe. You are not going to have prosperous communities if it’s not safe. So, I started really understanding how much that safety and security and a robust safety net complements good, quality economic development and prosperity.” EC

↑ Florida CFO and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis honored the Urban Search and Rescue Florida US&R Task Force 4 during the “Year of the US&R” in a ceremony that recognized its members for their heroic efforts during their response to the Surfside Condo Collapse. → Patronis heralds firefighters who put their own lives at risk to save their fellow Floridians. He says he has gained a greater appreciation for first responders while serving as a member of the state’s executive team.

A SMILING WARRIOR

New FSU PC graduate works to build bridges

by STEVE BORNHOFT

Among the people who have most influenced her, she lists a professor of communication and an associate dean at Florida State University Panama City.

“They are like the devil and angel on my shoulders,” said Raemi Creteur, a December 2022 graduate of the campus.

She said her favorite professor, Dr. Abigail Reed, favors replacing altogether systems that do not work. She views the dean, Dr. Irvin Clark, as someone who prefers working within systems to reform them. Neither is complacent, but one is a tsunami to the other’s ripples.

Creteur, 30, is somewhere in the middle. She wants to create waves capable of significantly altering the contours of society without undermining it.

As a student, Creteur became familiar with the writings of poet, professor and civil rights activist Audre Lorde. She has pondered and written about Lorde’s assertion that, especially for marginalized people, survival …

… is not an academic skill. It is learning how to take our differences and make them strengths. For the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house. They may allow us temporarily to beat him at his own game, but they will never enable us to bring about genuine change.

Creteur’s tools are communication and engagement. She tells a story about

a man with a Spanish accent whom she encountered on a Halloween night at a Walmart store just outside Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, where she resided for a time.

Creteur lived across the street from an elementary school and had been flooded with trick-or-treaters. She went to Walmart to get more candy. The store’s picked-over Halloween supplies were a disheveled mess, boxes had been opened and costumes had become separated from matching masks.

The man with the accent sought to check out with a mismatched werewolf set, but the cashier immediately said she would have to charge him twice the price of one complete costume.

“The cashier just shut down as soon as he started speaking because she didn’t want to deal with someone with an accent,” Creteur said. “He could have shoved the mask into the costume box, and she wouldn’t have known, but he was trying to do the right thing.”

Creteur intervened on the man’s behalf. That is, she succeeded in engaging the cashier, who wound up charging the man half of what she said she would charge.

When Creteur left the store, the man was waiting to thank her.

“That’s not an unusual experience, especially for people of color and people with accents,” she said. “It has always been a passion of mine to help people communicate. I thought languages

↘ Raemi Creteur, the daughter of Florida State University alumni, graduated from the school with a degree in communication in January. She aspires to do communication research work and to establish a nonprofit that would help nonprofits become more efficient through cooperation.

were going to be my path.” (She studied Spanish and American Sign Language at Gulf Coast State College.) “But then I found the communication program at FSU PC and realized that it’s not just about languages — even within the same language, people have difficulty communicating.”

Creteur dissolves divides.

Employing a model similar to that of the United Way, she is working to establish a “grassroots organization” called BRIDGE — Building Relationships for Inclusion, Diversity and Global Equity — that would work to strengthen nonprofits.

“Nonprofits struggle with access to resources and with their structure,” Creteur said. “They tend to experience high turnover or unmotivated staff after ‘X’ years. I want to equip them with the tools they need to succeed long term and not lose momentum when events like hurricanes occur.”

In so doing, Creteur would seek to bring nonprofits together and lead them to share resources.

Speaking from experience — she was an events coordinator at FSU PC — Creteur said that it may cost $5,000 a day to book a conference center in Panama City Beach for an event lasting a couple of hours. But if multiple nonprofits were to coordinate their efforts and each conduct an event within that $5,000 day, costs could be greatly reduced.

Creteur appreciates how difficult it is for nonprofits to raise funds, particularly in an unstable economy in a storm-battered community. And, in a small town, the usual contributors soon experience donor fatigue.

But, for Creteur, a “no” is an opportunity to create a “yes.” She wants to help organizations creatively propose avenues that will benefit both nonprofits and their donors.

At FSU PC, Creteur emerged as a campus leader, planning events including an Out in the South Festival, which aims to affirm and educate people about the experiences of LGBTQ+ communities; the campus’s annual fundraising dinner; and the 2021 Nole Fest, a homecoming week activity.

She was an intern in the Office of Advancement when the writing media specialist resigned, a role that she would then fill.

Creteur began her studies at FSU PC in the summer of 2020, shortly after the campus shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All of her classes were delivered online for two semesters. She minored in public administration by taking main campus classes remotely.

Even learning at a distance, she so impressed professors in Tallahassee that they are encouraging her to enroll in their master’s program.

Encounter Creteur today and one finds little evidence of her former self, a young woman so averse to contact with people that she was always grateful for the payat-the-pump option at gas stations.

She lives with her son, Eliren, who is autistic, and a partner, Chris Frias, a student at Gulf Coast who is employed by the City of Lynn Haven.

Wait a minute, another couple of mentors have come to Creteur’s mind.

Becky Kelly, the longtime director of the Office of Advancement at FSU PC, she said, “has been a trellis for me to grow on.”

Her late father, David Creteur, was the “smartest man I have ever known” and taught her always to make things, including relationships, better than they are when you first encounter them.

She greatly admires Cindy Wilker, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who founded the LGBTQ Center of Bay County, where Creteur completed an internship.

“She has the biggest heart out of everyone I know, but she can be a little rough around the edges,” Creteur said. “But we need people with her fighter mentality. She is a warrior.”

Creteur is a warrior, too, a smiling one who is ready to unleash herself upon the world. EC

Among her other pursuits, Raemi Creteur joined Rowland Publishing as its editorial department coordinator in December.

↑ At FSU Panama City, Raemi Creteur headed up a Planning Club whose members shared ways to manage their time, keep appointments and hold themselves accountable to the commitments they made. She employs those skills as the editorial department coordinator at Rowland Publishing. As an intern at FSU, she took on responsibilities as an event planner in the Office of Advancement.

Happily Ever After Starts Here

Nestled in the community of Watersound Origins®, Watersound FountainsSM is a stylish new Independent Living community with thoughtfully designed residences, a wealth of engaging programs, and resort-style amenities – all within walking distance of the best the Emerald Coast has to offer.

Opening in 2023, this enviable, sun-kissed destination near 30A offers a setting where you can truly thrive. Here, you can savor gourmet dining, a salon and spa, an on-site putting green, and more, along with the freedom to create your perfect lifestyle in an extraordinary senior living community.

NOW LEASING! Call 850-601-3174 today to learn more and schedule a private consultation.

watersoundfountains.com | 850-601-3174

Leasing Gallery: 331 Watersound Parkway North, Inlet Beach, FL 32413

Community: 335 Watersound Parkway North, Inlet Beach, FL 32413

Joe Company and is used under license.

A New Take on Corporate Culture

Grand Boulevard places emphasis on accessibility and amenities

Most everyone values ease and efficiency in things, along with a dash of excitement. Companies likewise seek these qualities when scoping out business spaces. The 30 corporate tenants at Grand Boulevard Town Center have found what they were looking for.

Carr, Riggs & Ingram CPAs and Advisors, Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital HR, Fisher Brown Bottrell Insurance and Regus Professional Office Suites have been tenants at Grand Boulevard since the beginning.

“There are two primary reasons that high-end professional offices are attracted to Grand Boulevard — access and amenities,” said Stacey Brady, the center’s marketing and communications director.

Brady emphasizes that Grand Boulevard is midway between Tallahassee and Pensacola. There’s one way in and one way out via the Emerald Coast Parkway, making the center attractive to businesses that pull customers from areas east and west.

On property, there are three nationally branded hotels, which are attractive to business travelers. Grand Boulevard has broad appeal due to its many unique retail options and a wide variety of dining venues.

Grand Boulevard is a place where business people can meet for coffee, conduct business lunches, hold celebratory client dinners and raise toasts to newly cemented relationships. Should a company need to purchase a gift, there’s a retailer suited for any occasion right down the street.

In addition, Grand Boulevard hosts many popular events that corporate tenants

attend and invite their clients to as a means of continuing the working relationship outside of the workday setting.

Corporate tenants enjoy the opportunity to grab coffee, pick up their dry cleaning and drop off packages at the UPS store, all before the workday begins. On their lunch breaks, many employees select an on-property eatery or get a workout in at the fitness facility. Once the workday concludes, they may shop for that birthday gift on their list, grab a drink with friends or stop into Publix for groceries on their way home.

“With 185,000 square feet of custom Class A office space and the value of convenience plus amenities, Grand Boulevard provides value to companies and consumers that’s unmatched in this market,” Brady said.

Reflecting on his early years behind the chair, Blaze Barbershop owner Jonathan Delevoe can’t help but laugh. “I started cutting hair when I was 16, a sophomore in high school,” he said with a grin. “I was terrible.”

But he saw an area of opportunity and never gave up.

For Delevoe, who grew up in Dania Beach, there was something about cutting a person’s hair that he thoroughly enjoyed — even if his beginning was a little rough.

“I think we all have been put on this earth to serve in one way or another,” he said. “For me, helping people bring out the best version of themselves is

always fulfilling. Seeing someone’s day turn around is what it’s all about.”

While attending the University of West Florida, Delevoe turned his passion into a proper side hustle.

“I started cutting hair out of my dorm to make some money,” he recalled. “I had a $55 phone bill, so I would perform spoken words to win $25 at an open mic event, and then I would cut my five clients’ hair to make the other $35. Eventually, it started taking off, and by junior year, I was cutting a lot of people’s hair on campus.”

After graduating with a degree in information technology, Delevoe spent a short time in his field but eventually found his way back to barbering. For a

time, he cut hair 12 hours a day to pay the bills and save enough money to attend the Adrian H. Wallace Barber Academy in Pensacola.

“Adrian Wallace is the owner,” he said. “It’s the best barber school in town.”

By the time Delevoe enrolled in the barber academy, he already had a strong clientele as well as a digital booking and payment system in place.

“The things that I learned in college and during my short time in the professional world, I took into barbering,” he said.

→ Jonathan Delevoe cut fellow students’ hair while a student at the University of West Florida as a way to pay phone bills. He graduated with a degree in information technology but found his way back to barbering as a career after graduating from a barber academy.

“The power of a haircut can transform how someone feels about themselves that day.”

— Jonathan Delevoe

Wallace noticed his initiative and, in late 2016, extended Delevoe the opportunity to take over his shop — the popular Blaze Barbershop on Brent Lane. At just 26 years old, Delevoe was slightly intimidated by the prospect of owning his own shop, but he accepted the offer.

By January 2017, he had graduated from the academy and walked into his own shop.

“By the grace of God, and being in the right place at the right time and having the right people around, I’m able to be where I’m at today,” he said.

Delevoe is 32 now — and not a bit bored with barbering. From skin fades and shadow fades to basic beard trims or dramatic transformations, he’s there for it all.

“For a long time, my favorite haircut was the high-top fade where you just flatten out the top, and it’ll go straight up,” he said. “A lot of people don’t do it right, and it can be uneven.”

Delevoe has worked to put his own stamp on Blaze and create a welcoming, diverse space where people of all backgrounds can go for a quality haircut.

“People of all nationalities can be spotted in my shop,” he said. “I don’t ever want to be in a situation where I had to tell someone no because I don’t cater to their hair texture or style.”

The barbers who rent space at Blaze are also a well-rounded group.

“We have people from different walks of life,” Delevoe said. “I have people from Pensacola, out-of-towners and people who have made mistakes and gotten a second chance to turn things around.”

Decorated in the barbershop-signature color palette, red and black, the shop has seven barbers and a stylist with a comfortable waiting area where a TV usually plays kids’ movies.

“We try to be family-friendly,” said Delevoe, expanding on his core value of accepting everyone that walks through the door — including the little ones.

Delevoe also sells his own line of hair products, named “A to Z,” which

includes a cream for moisturizing and softening longer curly hair. His line also includes butter for conditioning the scalp and beard, and he plans to add a shampoo and conditioner in the future.

“The power of a haircut can transform how someone feels about themselves that day,” Delevoe said. “And sometimes, especially for men, it’s a place to vent and be open about life.”

Since taking over Blaze, he’s grown close to countless clients and watched their lives change along with his own. People whose hair he’s been cutting since college are

now married or have children; some have gone on to achieve their master’s degrees.

“It’s not just about what we do for people’s hair,” Delevoe said. “It’s about what we can do for them spiritually and emotionally.”

It’s all part of giving his clients an exceptional experience, from A to Z.

EC

Blaze Barbershop is located at 15 Brent Lane, Suite 8 in Pensacola. For more information, contact them at (850) 483-1253.

↑ Owner Jonathan Delevoe is surrounded by members of his team at the Blaze Barbershop in Pensacola. From left: Venece Gordon, Logan Neely, Joseph Young, Juan Gonzalez, Isaiah Chapman, Kimo Ilano, Joseph Brown and Mike Watts. The shop styles and cuts hair, offers beard and mustache services and provides discounts to first responders, students and members of the military. Stylists specialize in lotion-oil-cream treatments (locs) and are skilled at braids, sew-ins and a variety of other styles.

FOR YOU hue THE

The science and whimsy of finding “your color”

by REBECCA PADGETT FRETT

Pale skin and jet-black hair against a cherry red dress. A man’s auburn beard peeking over the collar of a forest green coat. Black skin in a burnt orange top. A blonde, tanned by summer rays, in a pastel pink dress. Visualizing these complementary images is easy, and there’s a reason for that.

How we process color is more than meets the eye.

As the retina intakes color, our brain internalizes what we associate with yellow, blue or green. Since the beginning of humankind, red has caught the eye. It demands that our brain pay attention and be alert. Blue often lulls us into a state of comfort and trust.

The earliest color wheel was developed by Sir Isaac Newton in the 17th century. Experimenting with sunlight and prisms, he noted that white light was made up of seven colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. This finding opened the floodgates to the study of optics and perception, which would eventually influence marketing, interior design, visual art and fashion.

Swiss artist and color theorist Johannes Itten moved beyond Newton’s color wheel and also created the four-season color theory. When

painting, Itten favored background colors that best went with the skin tone of people in his portraits.

Itten noted that skin tones fall into two categories: yellow undertones, which equated to warm, and blue undertones, which he called cool. Warm and cool were then divided into light or dark, often aligning with eye and hair color. Spring is warm and light, autumn warm and dark, summer cool and light, and winter cool and dark.

Spring colors include sunshine yellow, pale green, lilac and blush pink. Autumn lines up with olive green, crimson, burnt orange and gold. Summer colors include blue hues, gray and pale pink versus winter, when maroon, deep purple and cobalt blue work best.

Itten’s theory was highly popular in the ’60s and ’70s. Where Itten’s theory failed, however, was in fully recognizing the vastness and variation of skin tones in people of color.

Sunny Mitchell, owner of Kiss the Sky Boutique in Destin, thinks there is validity to the four season theory, but doesn’t believe that it represents hard and fast rules.

“As a clothing boutique that strives to think about the individuality of each of our client’s needs, one of the first things we do with them is understand how they

➺ YOU HAVE A “COOL” UNDERTONE IF the veins on your wrist are blue or purple. Silvery jewelry flatters your skin tone more than gold. You look best in jewel-tones such as blues, purples and emerald greens.

Source: Medium.com

COOL SKIN TONE

➺ YOU HAVE A “WARM” UNDERTONE IF the veins on your wrist are slightly green or olive. Gold jewelry flatters your skin more than silver.

When you look at your skin in the sun, it appears yellowish. You look best in earthtones like reds, oranges, yellows, and olive-greens

WARM SKIN TONE

see their own palette,” Mitchell said. “Once we understand how they see themselves, we try and work within groupings that best fit them and align with the palettes of autumn, winter, spring and summer.”

Kiss the Sky Boutique encourages customers to work with alongside their stylists who will pull from a variety of colors. This allows people to discover how they feel in colors they might have been hesitant to buy and receive feedback from the stylists.

Finding your hue can help you build a complete wardrobe by identifying analogous colors, which is where the color wheel comes into play.

Analogous colors are next to each other on the color wheel, such as blue sandwiched between teal and violet. Colors stemming from the same family line create comfort and uniformity in your closet.

When looking at a color wheel, complementary colors are across from one another — red and green; yellow and purple; orange and blue.

Fashion often coincides with beauty, where color theory can also be utilized.

“Makeup is a lot like art when you think of the face as a canvas,” said Brittany Sigler, owner of Destin Mobile Makeup Box. “As a makeup artist, I use the color wheel to decide on a color palette, which colors cancel each other out and which pair well together, to create a look that best complements the client’s skin tones and features.”

Sigler begins by determining whether the client has warm or cool undertones to find the ideal foundation. Skin is typically categorized as fair, light, medium and deep, and further categorized as cool or warm.

Sigler said eyes are the biggest factor in making a client happy with her makeup. Where eyeshadow shades are concerned, Sigler suggests plum, light blue and gray for brown eyes; golds, copper and cinnamon brown for blue eyes; and rose gold, pale pink and light orange for green or hazel eyes.

Uncovering your perfect palette involves science, psychology and play. Get it right, and you will enjoy increased confidence and perhaps even compliments from passersby. EC

➺ YOU HAVE A “NEUTRAL” UNDERTONE IF the veins on your wrist are blue-green. Both gold and silver jewelry flatter your skin. You look best in neutral colors such as light peach, dusty pinks, soft rose, placid blue and jade green.

NEUTRAL SKIN TONE

WHAT’S IN STORE?

A roundup of retail happenings throughout the Emerald Coast

by REBECCA PADGETT FRETT

Summer House Lifestyle believes that summer is a year-round state of mind. The liveliness, joy and sunshine-nature of the season is present in the boutique’s offerings of home decor and accessories that brighten and lighten. Located in uptown Grayton in Santa Rosa Beach, the store welcomes visitors with a smile that’s sure to stay while perusing a home decor purchase or gift. The store, owned by Melissa Skowlund, offers interior design services as well.

↓ SUMMER HOUSE LIFESTYLE PILLOWS are designed with carefully curated fabrics for beautiful accent pillows that are representative of the simple and timeless Summer House style — an ideal addition to cozy nooks.

↓ THE SUMMER HOUSE LIFESTYLE CANDLE is a luxurious hand-poured candle that exudes a clean, fresh scent reminiscent of a warm, breezy summer day on the coast.

↓

QLOCKTWO is a clock turned art as it bridges the gap between craftsmanship and modern interior design. On the face, 110 characters light to form the words that display time in a loosely held sentence.

↓ Summer House Lifestyle is a proud retailer of FARROW & BALL paints. Farrow & Ball is a highly pigmented paint offered in a wide range of colors that responds extraordinarily well to all types of light.

Adrianne Brackett, owner, licensed stylist and educator at Pure & Couture Salon, along with her team, are on standby to guide clients in their hair care journey.

↑

➸ We all have five minutes to spare, especially when it results in softer, frizz-free hair. The ORIBE RENEWAL REMEDY is clinically proven to make hair four times smoother and over 70% more manageable in just one fiveminute professional treatment.

↑

➸ DISCIPLINE PRODUCTS BY KERASTASE aim to smooth each hair fiber, define texture and guarantee fluidity. Using breakthrough morphokeratine technology, these products envelop each hair fiber in feather-light coating, adding suppleness and shine while sublimating hair’s movement. The result is weightless smoothness, anti-frizz action and anti-humidity protection perfect for combatting Florida’s humidity.

Grand Boulevard has long merged retail with business spaces, yet the Town Center will be offering a new concept by the summer of 2023, Ohana Day School. Recognized as the premier day school in South Walton, Ohana is now accepting applications for their second location. Established in 2020 as a fully licensed and accredited school, Ohana, which means “family” in Hawaiian, equates to a welcoming, safe and inclusive environment for all children.

OHANA DAY SCHOOL AT GRAND BOULEVARD

Pump Up The Volume

Dermatology Specialists/ Aqua Medical Spa on the uses of fillers

Aplump pout and cherub-like cheeks are often associated with the use of dermal filler. Dermal fillers, as the term suggests, are injections used to “fill in” areas that have lost volume or smoothness.

Dermal filler, sometimes called just “filler,” is commonly injected around the mouth, the lips or cheeks to create or replace lost volume. Most fillers use hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance that is already found in skin to help keep it plump and hydrated. The hyaluronic acid that occurs naturally diminishes over time causing visible signs of aging. Filler can replace that lost volume to restore a more youthful appearance.

“Filler works best on saggy, wrinkled, tired skin because the hyaluronic acid fills that space giving the cheeks, chin or lips a nice, immediate lift,” said Lindsey Watford, FNP-C at Dermatology Specialists in Fort Walton Beach.

To Watford and all the providers at Dermatology Specialists/ Aqua Medical Spa, ongoing training and education is essential. Each injector is trained on facial aesthetics and anatomy as well as educated on proper safety protocol using the most trusted procedures. For anyone interested in filler, a consult is required to determine what changes the patient would like and if filler is the best option. Watford enjoys the education aspect of the process, letting the patient hold a mirror as she indicates the areas she can and cannot inject, and the reasons why.

“The best advice I can give is to find someone that you align with cosmetically, whose work you like and who has your best interests in

mind,” said Watford. “Do your research and find an injector you’re comfortable with. Also, it’s important to go somewhere reputable that only uses FDA approved filler.”

Once the decision to proceed with filler is made, an appointment is scheduled. When scheduling, Watford advises making the appointment two weeks before any event so any bruising or swelling has time to subside. To lessen bruising, come to your appointment well hydrated, and avoid drinking alcohol or using certain vitamins such as fish oil. Some clients have success with taking a bromelain supplement (pineapple extract) for one week prior to being injected.

Once you arrive at your appointment, “before” photos are taken and then a topical numbing agent is applied, typically for around 30 minutes. Watford likes to mark the injection sites with a white eyeliner pencil before injecting the filler. There’s no downtime, but strenuous activity should be avoided for at least 24 hours. Although the effects of filler can often be seen immediately, “after” photos are typically taken during the follow-up appointment to give any swelling and/or bruising a chance to subside.

Clinical studies have shown that four weeks is the peak effect for dermal fillers, and patients can expect the results to last six to 12 months. Watford advised that her lip filler patients have their filler dissolved after every three visits to maintain the integrity and structure of their lips.

“I love to enhance a patient’s natural aesthetic rather than change or augment their appearance,” Watford said. “People can be a bit cautious of filler, but, if injected by an experienced provider, fillers can be used to achieve the perfect balance and symmetry of the face.”

If you are interested in learning more about dermal filler, we invite you to call our office to schedule a consultation.

LINDSEY WATFORD, FNP-C

PHOTO

From left to right: pumpkin seeds, peas, edamame, kale, fava beans, bananas, strawberries and beets

LILY HALL Brother Fox and Sister Hen ||

Healthy snacks are an important part of a balanced diet. They can help you feel fuller longer, especially if you have to take extended breaks between meals, and they can also be a great way to get some extra nutrients in your diet. However, unhealthy, processed “junk foods” can be hard to avoid. Finding snacks that are portable, tasty and nutritious may require a little extra effort, but it’s worth it. Healthy snacking is a great way to boost your energy, stay focused and avoid overeating at meals. It's also a good way to get extra protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals throughout the day.

PROTEINS

Lots of snacks contain healthy amounts of protein. Whether you choose animal proteins (hardboiled eggs, turkey, cheese, jerky, cottage cheese) or other sources of protein (chickpeas, hummus, lentils, edamame, popcorn), various options can help tide you over until dinner time. They are filling and loaded with vitamins. Healthy snacks for the whole family are reasonably accessible. If you know your family members are free of nut allergies, nuts and seeds are a great option. They contain minerals, vitamins, healthy fats, proteins and fiber. Plus, they can help you keep your cholesterol levels within normal ranges.

Veggie sticks and hummus dip

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Maybe the best types of healthy snacks include fruits and vegetables. They can be consumed fresh, dried or preserved another way, such as pickling. They are high in vitamins and minerals, but low in calories, making them ideal for people who want to watch their weight. Consider your preferences and allergy limitations, and be creative. Preservation processes cause fruit to become dehydrated, but it retains its flavor and has a light crispy texture. You’ll be surprised at the cravings that apples, pineapples, apricots, grapes, strawberries, blueberries and dragon fruit can suppress.

HEALTHY SNACK PACK #2

GRANOLA

Combine granola with yogurt, fruits and nuts for a breakfast that is like a parfait minus all that sugar. Granola can be enjoyed, too, as a midday snack. Sweet Nonna, located in Inlet Beach, makes granola in small, highly portable batches. Owner Kimberlee Stone adds some local honey to her mix of healthy grains and nuts. You are likely to encounter Stone at farmers markets in the area.

MAKE YOUR OWN SNACKS AT HOME

Packaged foods often contain high amounts of sugar, sodium and fat — all ingredients that can harm your health over time. Make sure to read labels to discover the amounts of sugar, sodium and other ingredients that your snack contains. Educate yourself on your body’s dietary requirements. Instead of relying on packaged snacks full of preservatives and additives, try making your own snacks as a healthy, educational and money-saving activity.

There are also lots of other types of healthy snacks available on the market today that don’t contain just fruits or vegetables. They include energy bars and protein shakes, which can give you an extra boost when you need it. Instead of grabbing an afternoon cup of coffee with cookies, opt for a relatively healthy energy bar as a way to combat afternoon drowsiness.

Eat a variety of foods. Snacks should be more than just chips or candy bars. Try different things and discover what excites your taste buds. EC

HEALTHY SNACK PACK #3

Greek yogurt, granola and fresh fruit

Mason jars — solid, traditional, attractive and transparent — are an excellent “storage medium" for snacks.

Old Florida Soul on 30 A

Old Florida Soul on 30 A

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

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

DINING OUT

NO VACANCY

Lily Hall houses new restaurant and speakeasy

by KARI C. BARLOW

Repurposing relics of the Old East Hill neighborhood wasn’t a project Nathan Weinberg and his partners at Stahlman Hospitality Group expected they’d walk into.

That is until they saw the Old Mount Baptist Church on Alcaniz Street.

“We ended up in front of this church, and it was pretty hard to deny what a cool building it was,” recalled Weinberg, who heads marketing and operations for Stahlman Hospitality. “We saw it as an unequaled opportunity.”

The church, heavily damaged by Hurricane Ivan in 2004, was on the city’s “Seven to Save” list of endangered buildings. With the 1930s building sitting vacant, Weinberg and his crew decided to walk right into their new frame of opportunity.

“It really is a beautiful building, and we are fans and practitioners of adaptive reuse,” Weinberg said. “And so the idea of being able to preserve something is always appealing to us.”

In the past two years, the Stahlman Group has blended the past, present and future to not only preserve the soul of the old building but transform its sturdy bones into a quirky-yet-elegant 15-room boutique lodging house, called Lily Hall.

“The lodging house is a self-directed experience,” Weinberg said, “people check in digitally.”

Those guest rooms — which are described by their creators as “delightfully peculiar” — feature bold textures, exuberant colors and playful patterns, as well as record players and curated album collections. Other fun amenities include a signature property scent that blends

↑↓

Dishes on the Brother Fox menu include coal-roasted whole red snapper with yuzu and Japanese tare. The restaurant adjoins Lily Hall (depicted in rendering), a boutique lodging that was scheduled for a February opening.

photography by STEVEN GRAY

notes of bergamot and ginger, vintage typewriters displayed around the property for guest use, bike rentals and a virtual concierge.

Flanking Lily Hall are the restaurant Brother Fox and attached speakeasy Sister Hen — both developed by awardwinning restaurateur Terry Raley in partnership with Stahlman Hospitality.

“Brother Fox has many different looks, indoor and outdoor, and has this destination quality about it that is very appealing,” he said. “I have been told on more than one occasion from locals that they plan to use the lodging house as a staycation venue, where they can relax, have awesome food and wine, take walks and imbibe in style at Sister Hen.”

Raley sees Brother Fox’s target patron as anyone who appreciates wood-fired fish, seafood and perfectly cooked steaks in a comfortable environment.

“At its heart, it is representative of what I would cook in my backyard for friends, so there are some classic French and Spanish elements, wood-fired steaks and fish, charbroiled oysters and inspired vegetable dishes that are meant to be shared,” he said. “I’m looking forward to plating the Carne Asada for

two with fresh tortillas just as much as a whole flounder cooked on a plancha with almond meunière sauce.”

Raley’s goal is for an evening at Brother Fox — encompassing food, decor and ambiance — to feel as exciting as it is approachable.

“The vibe that we get from design is very much modern Spanish colonial, so there is a rustic elegance and soft curves that lend to a sexy environment, but it doesn’t cross the line of tastefulness,” he added. “Music-wise, again, tastefulness is key, but we like music around that 80–120 bpm range because it keeps you alive in your seat.”

At Sister Hen, which has a passwordprotected entrance, guests enjoy an intimate space reminiscent of the finer side of some Prohibition-era establishments.

“Imagine walnut-paneled walls, lots of candles, bookshelves, minimal lighting, a lone chandelier and the smell of lavender and citrus everywhere, and there you have it,” Raley said. “No membership required, but it will have two entrances, both of which are surprising. We have a secret door from the Brother Fox dining room into the Hen that is very cool.”

What makes the speakeasy unique, aside from being located inside an old church, is its commitment to elevate the senses and provide service that goes above and beyond.

“Sister Hen is all about the cocktail and should be the reason for every visit,” Raley said, adding that the speakeasy will serve the classics as well as proprietary and inspired cocktails. “Our staff behind the stick will have all the tools, including a dress code, that will make you believe that you have stepped into a time capsule. We don’t shy away at all from being a true speakeasy. We are proud of it.”

Weinberg agreed, noting that Sister Hen is serious about delivering an authentic speakeasy experience — right down to making sure every patron has a seat.

“There’s no standing,” he said. “We wanted to make sure that this feels special to people, and it isn’t special if you’re standing behind someone peering over their shoulder, hoping to get the bartender’s attention.”

History is written, but buildings like Lily Hall display a repurposed potential for a finer present experience. EC

↑ Sous chef Amber Halverson and executive chef Darian Hernandez are combining talents to create exceptional dining experiences at the Brother Fox restaurant. → A mouthwatering portion of wood-fired broccolini.

WHISKEY AND BRINE

by THOMAS J. MONIGAN

Jonathan Swift, the author of Gulliver’s Travels, is credited with coining the phrase, “Everything old is new again.”

These days, that adage applies to the double-shot cocktail known as the pickleback, comprising a dose of whiskey followed by one of pickle brine.

“Chasing whiskey with pickle brine really is nothing new; it›s long been one of those hairof-the-dog remedies for hangovers,» writes Colleen Gram at the The Spruce Eats website. “Yet, it wasn›t until 2006 that Brooklyn, New York, bartender Reggie Cunningham gave the shot its now famous name. After that, it didn›t take long for the drink to become a hit and spread across the U.S. and beyond.”

Nate Montgomery is beverage manager at Seville Quarter, which has five bars among its seven rooms in Pensacola.

“Every bar has a special jar of pickle juice that we get from the huge jars of pickles that the kitchen orders,” Montgomery said. “The choice of whiskey is up to the customer. But you definitely want to use a harsher whiskey; that’s kind of the point of it.”

Montgomery finds that people usually opt for an Irish whiskey — Jameson, Tullamore Dew or Bushmills — but some go with Jack Daniels.

“Most of the people who order it are service industry people who are well versed in liquor,” Montgomery said. “And when other people see them it’s like, ‘Oh, what is that?’ And they’ll try it. It’s unique and that’s why people order it.”

Cocktail lends new meaning to ‘getting pickled’

↗ The pickleback, a two-part experience made up of a shot of whiskey followed by a pull on pickle juice, has long been touted as a hangover cure. Its popularity spiked after 2006 when a New York bartender gave the doubleshot cocktail its name. photography by

At Calvert’s in East Pensacola Heights, owner Kate Calvert said, “We’ve been getting requests for picklebacks for a few years now. They are mostly with Jameson, but lately we’ve been getting more requests for picklebacks with different liquors.

“One regular at our bar orders Espolon silver tequila with pickle juice. I find all demographics order them, and the one thing I think they all have in common is that they love pickle juice. I think pickles and pickle juice are becoming trendy, but I couldn’t explain why.”

McGuire’s Irish Pub has been a popular Destin watering hole for decades. Stu Campbell, a bartender there, reports, “We’ve been getting calls for picklebacks for maybe five years now. There are different reasons people order them. If they don’t like the taste of whiskey, but really want to take a straight shot, the acidity of the pickle juice definitely takes the bite away.”

Campbell said that some of his customers prefer vodka to whiskey with their pickle juice.

“But the vast majority wants Jameson,” Campbell said. “If someone asked me about a

pickleback not knowing what they are, I would explain that, as weird as it sounds, the flavors do go well together.”

In the past year, liquor stores have begun to carry Original Pickle Shot vodkas in dill, spicy and sweet flavors.

Justin and Brittney Acita, owners of Pickles Pub in Ocean City, Maryland, developed that product. John King runs the company that makes and distributes it.

“The brine we use is our trade secret,” King said, “but it uses real ingredients, real color and no added flavor. It’s real brine used along with a five-times-distilled Iowa corn vodka.”

Original Pickle Shot debuted in Maryland and Delaware in 2020 and is now marketed in 24 states, including Florida.

The product is 30 proof, and King said that there is a reason it does not have higher alcohol content.

“Too much alcohol would crush the taste,” King said. “And we already know can’t fool pickle people. We learned that when we were serving 10,000 shots a year at Pickles Pub.” EC

↑ Original Pickle Shot vodkas are marketed in dill, spicy and sweet flavors. The product debuted in Maryland and Delaware in 2020 and is now marketed in 24 states, including Florida.

PHOTO BY ALEX ASHMAN (PICKLE SHOT VODKA)

with the Getting

re-program

HEALTHY EATING STARTS WITH A HEALTHY OUTLOOK

BY EMILEE MAE STRUSS

Remember the Atkins diet? Have you tried on the more recent Paleo diet? Or the classic low-carb diet? Just for good measure: Can you name the diet founded by Dr. Peter J. D’Adamo? His New York Times bestselling book, Eat Right 4 Your Blood Type , sold over 7 million copies.

All of these diets, hyped to discourage people from thinking that eating right has to be a drag, flourished for a time before they went the way of most New Year’s resolutions.

Tammy Lantz, the owner of Your Essential Dietitian in Destin, says the only positive thing to come from fad diets is a sense of community.

“Community is vital in our evolution of human survival,” she said. “However, the feeling of belongingness with fad diets is short-lived when dieters cannot live up to the standards and feel as if they’re constantly failing.”

Lantz has a bachelor’s degree in food, nutrition and dietetics from the University of Northern Colorado. With 20 years of experience as a registered dietitian working with clients of varying backgrounds, she wouldn’t recommend a particular diet, but she did offer one sweeping statement.

“I highly disagree with any diet that is restrictive,” she said. “That’s a direct invitation for overeating, obsession and shame, which are all counterintuitive to health.

“If I had to speak of one eating plan, I would consider the Mediterranean lifestyle

HOW TO Build a Healthy Plate

25%

because it incorporates taste, satisfaction, community and culture to optimize health and not just the food.”

What’s the key to living healthy? It’s astonishingly simple, but it isn’t easy.

It’s slow as molasses, which happens to be a healthy alternative for sugar that is naturally rich in antioxidants. Blackstrap molasses aren’t exactly flying off the shelves, and neither are foods like tofu, quinoa or kale.

According to traveling dietitian Jackie Munoz, people interested in increasing their all-around wellness should focus on activity levels, medical issues, lab work, height and weight, skin type, body composition and a balanced diet.

Munoz, who graduated from Florida State University with a master’s degree in sports nutrition and exercise science, said the process must involve more than omitting certain things from one’s diet such as carbohydrates.

“Carbs get bad press,” she said, “but they are what gives us energy and we do need them to maintain a healthy weight long term.”

She breaks down nutrition into two categories.

Macronutrients provide our bodies with energy, such as carbs, fats and proteins. Micronutrients, though they do not provide “energy,” fuel bodies with minerals and vitamins to maintain proper functioning.

“The reason a lot of fad diets fail is because they are extremely selective and help you lose weight fast, but it often

10% FATS

becomes a yo-yo sort of situation where you gain it back later,” Munoz said.

She also mentioned that it’s important to start with a goal in mind. Is it to lose weight? Gain weight? Put on muscle? Improve mental health? Decrease inflammation?

The best way to lose weight, she commented, is by slowly trimming one to two pounds a week with a mindful approach to well-balanced meals and regular exercise. If the goal is to gain weight, it’s helpful to find ways to increase natural fats from foods like avocado and oils while adding protein powders when possible.

Munoz, who’s traveled internationally practicing one-on-one nutrition with her clients, is now based in Panama City Beach and works at Sacred Heart Bay Medical Center.

“The No. 1 thing my clients want to improve is their quality of life,” she said.

“Everyone wants to feel more energized and experience less pain. In those cases, focusing on antioxidants and anti-inflammatory foods is most important — I always start with food — and then add supplements if necessary.”

There is no “one size fits all” approach to wellness, Munoz said.

She recommends that people have lab tests done to discover nutrition gaps or deficiencies that, if addressed, could greatly improve overall wellness and hormonal balance. And, she pointed to online sources that can help with nutritional meal planning. Munoz

FIBER-RICH CARBOHYDRATES

suggests eatright.org for nutrition guidance or dietitian.com for a more scientific-based approach.

“I strongly believe each individual body has the innate wisdom to guide itself toward its own unique needs,” Lantz said. “Once all the external diet culture indoctrination is unlearned and released from one’s subconscious mind and nervous system, people can begin to seek better ways to maintain health.”

There are three things required if one is to change his or her diet, Lantz said: emotional awareness, developing compassion for self and reprogramming the brain to let go of restrictive ways of eating.

“Many people attempt to change their environment or behaviors, but these changes generally do not last beyond three days, because who that person is at the very core level did not change,” Lantz said. “Their entire system is designed to go back to its default setting, unless the default is shifted.”

It’s not a fast process, but the payoff that both Lantz and Munoz see in their clients is worth the time spent reprogramming. EC

vs. Macro Micro

MACRONUTRIENTS

Required in relatively larger amounts

Carbohydrates, Proteins, Lipids (Fats)

MICRONUTRIENTS

Required in relatively smaller amounts

Vitamins, Minerals and Phytochemical/ Phytonutrients

THE IMPORTANCE OF &Macronutrients Micronutrients

CARBOHYDRATES

Provide energy; support digestive health and immune function

FATS

Support cellular function and structure; regulate temperature; protect body organs; store energy in the body

PROTEIN

Regulate cellular processes; support mechanical and structural function; provide energy

VITAMINS

Support cell function development and growth; function as antioxidants; assist in the absorption of other nutrients

MICRONUTRIENTS

MINERALS

Support bone, muscular, cardiovascular and nervous system functions; produce enzymes and hormones

PHYTOCHEMICAL

PHYTONUTRIENTS

May help prevent chronic diseases; exert actions such as anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial

MACRONUTRIENTS

The building blocks of life, macronutrients are food elements that are required in large amounts in the body as they provide us energy to eat, breath, sleep and function properly. They contribute toward the bulk energy needed by the body to run metabolic processes.

Food elements that are required in minimal amounts in the body. They help in overall growth, development and well-being. Micronutrients help in the production of enzymes, hormones and proteins that help in the regulation metabolism, heartbeat, brain functions and bone density, among other processes.

Sources: Epichs.org and Fullscript.com

“If I had to speak of one eating plan, I would consider the Mediterranean lifestyle because it incorporates taste, satisfaction, community and culture to optimize health and not just the food.”

— TAMMY LANTZ, THE OWNER OF YOUR ESSENTIAL DIETITIAN IN DESTIN

ST SHE WILL NOT

RELENTLESS MICHELLE MECCA EMBODIES TRUE GRIT

STORY BY STEVE BORNHOFT

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE BARFIELD

OP FOR CANCER

Michelle Mecca of Tallahassee is at a stage in her life where she is of a mind to sugarcoat nothing. She has always been strong, capable of great personal sacrifice in pursuit of ambitious goals and linear in approach. For many years, she did well in a no-nonsense job, that of a loan officer. But today, she looks back on that career and says that it didn’t produce one good story. Today, she is working to write a story that will serve her as a legacy and supply others with will and strength. With a deadly co-author — her deadly malignancy — she is working to redefine for people everywhere what it means to fight cancer. For her, that means eating right, working out, thinking right and avoiding, absolutely, selfpity. She is joined in that battle by her husband, Dan, her children, her gym buddies and by a growing number of admirers who have heard her speak and seen her resolve. She does not just stand up to cancer. She stands up and slaps it with her best kickboxing move.

It may beat me, but it’s not going to conquer me. I have thrown up at the side of the road, but I keep driving. I have thrown up at the gym, but I resume my workout.”

The cure, Michelle Mecca said, can be worse than the disease, and barring the emergence of protocols not part of the science of medicine today, her course of treatment will be lifelong.

Still, Mecca looks good. She appears fit, extraordinarily so. Her movements are confident. And her eyes — oh, those eyes — reflect intensity, determination, interest.

“It may beat me, but it’s not going to conquer me,” Mecca said of the breast cancer that metastasized to her brain. “I have thrown up at the side of the road, but I keep driving. I have thrown up at the gym, but I resume my workout.”

She has been told by doctors to expect a slow decline in her health, but the tumor in her head is stable for now.

The product of a childhood that she describes as difficult, Mecca has about her a toughness that she has productively channeled in multiple ways.

She was a successful bank loan officer accustomed to knocking down six figures. She began training for fitness competitions in 2014 and would place in five shows over a three-year period. In preparation, she hit the gym twice daily, with one session devoted to cardio and the other to weight training.

By the time she competed in her last show, she was undergoing chemo.

NO REASON

As of 2017, Mecca was an established and elite fitness competitor — she participated in bikini competitions — and had begun to assemble a portfolio of photos with an eye toward getting a start in commercial modeling. She was a picture of health.

So it was that everyone in her circle was incredulous when Mecca received a breast cancer diagnosis.

“I was shocked,” Mecca said. “I had stayed on top of my mammograms. I did everything right. There wasn’t any reason for it. No family history. Working out the way I did, I was the last person you would think would get cancer.”

About Mecca, her friends assumed the best.

“They thought, ‘OK, it’s no big deal. They’ll get it out,’” Mecca said. “But come to find out, it was a rare, very aggressive cancer (called HER2-positive). By the time they got to it, it had turned into stage 2. I had a double mastectomy. I had lymph nodes removed. I had a port put in.”

Too, a scan revealed a spot on her skull. A biopsy came back negative, but Mecca was left for a time with staples in her head. Nonetheless, she clung to her active lifestyle.

“I went to the gym with the staples, and people freaked out,” Mecca said. “They were thinking,

The cure bends her fingers and her toes. It discolors her skin and has erased her fingerprints. She experiences lapses in memory and often loses track of time. She develops lesions on her feet and wraps them so that they do not become raw and blistered. She has problems with her mouth and stomach. Her appetite vanishes. She frequently becomes nauseous and is easily fatigued.

↑ Michelle Mecca was an accomplished fitness competitor when she was diagnosed with breast cancer that would later metastasize to her brain. The discipline and training required of participants in that sport helped prepare her to fight for her life.

‘Oh my god, she’s going to fall down dead.’ I told them to relax, that it was my skull, not my brain.”

Mecca underwent targeted chemotherapy for a year and a half. She lost her hair. Now, the motivation for her workouts was different. Cardio helped her withstand chemo. Weight training guarded against atrophy.

In the midst of it all, Mecca, the mother of two boys, came through a divorce. Eventually, she entered remission.

Via mutual friends, Michelle, in 2019, met Dan Mecca, the general sales manager at WCTV, the CBS affiliate station in Tallahassee. Dan was “smitten, very smitten,” and the couple began dating. Michelle got him started with a personal trainer at her gym, Momentum Fitness in Tallahassee — “I wasn’t physically fit until I met her; I owe her a lot,” Dan said. In November 2020, they got engaged.

“I thought cancer was over, and the world would be great,” Michelle said. “My oncologist told me not to worry about it anymore.”

But Michelle would become symptomatic in new ways.

She cried a lot without apparent cause. She began to have difficulty computing percentages and doing basic math.

“Hysterical crying, hysterical screaming, dropping the f-bomb, I was out of control,” Michelle recalled. “Then I started to have these weird symptoms where my right arm would start shaking, and I would have a sensation that felt like my head was rocking.”

The episodes would last 30 seconds or a minute. Michelle couldn’t account for them apart from thinking that they might be resulting from low blood sugar or stress.

Dan, as it happened, would witness one such episode and insist that Michelle immediately call a doctor. That doctor gave Michelle three hours in which to make an appointment at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. She was experiencing seizures.

At Mayo, Michelle underwent an MRI in the morning. She was to have an in-person meeting with an oncologist later that day but opted instead to receive a phone call during her ride back to Tallahassee.

CARRYING THE FIGHT TO CANCER

EXERCISE. Even when I have bad days and struggle with side effects, I go to the gym and do what I can. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. Fight for your life through exercise and moving.

NUTRITION. I eat anti-inflammatory foods mostly and take many supplements to help offset the damage chemo can do to healthy cells.

MENTALLY. Do what you need to try and be happy. Even when you don’t feel well, get up, put on some nice clothes and whatever you feel makes you look good. When you look good, you feel good.

SOCIALLY. Join support groups. Go to church, and get together with friends and neighbors. Ask your friends to spend time with you, or ask them to go to lunch, or ask them to invite you to events. Don’t be embarrassed to ask.

GRIT. Fight for your life in every way possible. Your life is important.

— Michelle Mecca

Dan and Michelle had passed by Downtown Jacksonville and were about to merge onto I-10. The phone rang, Dan said, at 3:21 p.m. on May 28, 2021.

“I think the oncologist didn’t want to just blurt it out,” Michelle said. “So she asked me to tell her my symptoms again, and I did, and then she said, ‘You have a brain tumor.’ I was thinking, ‘Is she talking to me?’”

The oncologist had been down the hall to speak to world-renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Alfred Quinones-Hinojosa, an immigrant from Mexico who once figured in a Netflix series, The Surgeon’s Cut. Quinones-Hinojosa called just a couple of minutes after Michelle hung up with the oncologist. He explained that the tumor was in a precarious spot, but he was prepared to do surgery within a few days.

Dan and Michelle packed for a weeklong return trip to Jacksonville. A pre-op discussion, testing and mapping were scheduled for Monday. The operation would take place as soon as an operating room became available later in the week. And, the couple had made

arrangements to be married at the Duval County Courthouse on Tuesday.

The medical plan changed when Dan showed Quinones-Hinojosa a photo of Michelle at a fitness competition, and the neurosurgeon learned in the pre-op meeting that she was a young, fit woman with two teenage sons. The doctor explained that the surgery would, best case, limit Michelle’s control of her right arm and, worst case, would leave her paralyzed on her right side.

Doctor and patient opted for radiation instead.

AN OUTLIER

Gamma radiation sessions were brutal but successful.

“They bolt your head down to a table,” Michelle explained. “The only thing that is open are two holes for your nose, and you have to sit there for about 45 minutes. You take a lot of Xanax because it is terrifying. You can’t open your eyes if you try.”

Dan explained that the 700 beams of radiation that would (continued on page 108)

↑ Michelle Mecca was working as a loan officer when she and Dan Mecca were introduced to one another by mutual friends. Dan recalls permitting himself to cry upon returning to Tallahassee from the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville where Michelle had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Seeing Dan break down, she firmly assured him, “There are no effing victims in this house.”

BOOKS

THE BIRTH OF A WOMAN

by STEVE BORNHOFT

FEB/MAR 2023

CREATIVE WORKS LAND ON PAGES, CANVASES AND STAGES

photography by MIKE FENDER

MUSIC Forrest Williams Band: Backyard Boogie

Aphysician escorts a medical student to a diner where he buys several rounds of drinks. Together that day, mentor and mentee had turned and delivered a breech baby and terminated an unwanted pregnancy. For the future gynecologist, both were firsts, and she had accepted the doctor’s invitation to celebrate and to discuss a preceptorship.

The conversation is at first professional — it is intended as an off-site “get to know you better” session — but soon turns personal as the couple’s selections play from a tabletop jukebox and martinis take hold. Candy, the student, grows uncomfortable and gulps her third Stoli. As the pair leaves the diner, Candy’s wooziness is noticeable, and Dr. Walker propositions her. She refuses his advances, and the relationship dissolves.

Not for the first time, it appears that Candy Krzyzanowski’s progress toward securing a career and realizing a purpose has been stymied. But she has conquered barriers and doors before, and she carries on with undiminished determination.

Linda Habib’s first novel, Against the Glass, traverses one woman’s representative struggle to achieve a lasting sense of selfworth and absolve herself of the guilt she feels for departing from traditional female roles and not living up to her mother’s expectations. Serially violated by men, Krzyzanowski immerses herself in her work and grows cloistered. When, metaphorically, she emerges from her scallop shell, she fights the inclination to immediately duck back in.

Habib’s book is at once powerful and familiar; her protagonist, wounded and heroic.

Krzyzanowski is impregnated — by a high school quarterback. She eventually finds lasting love — in Paris. But even as Candy escapes traps that ensnare many, if not most, women, Against the Glass rises above frayed conventions and devices. We know that Krzyzanowski will triumph but marvel at the difficulty of her path to success and the depths of the crassness of men.

Habib is at her best when she leaves the country. Her setting of scenes across the pond and in the Caribbean is precise and exquisite.

The quarterback’s coach makes arrangements for his star player, Wayne, and Candy to travel to an abortion mill in Isla Verde in Puerto Rico. The coach has sent players and girls in trouble there before. Conditions at the clinic are abhorrent and the callousness of the practitioner there is appalling. The procedure is botched. Upon their return to the U.S., Wayne delivers Candy to a Staten Island emergency room. She will wake up to the discovery that she has undergone a hysterectomy, performed to save her life.

Influenced by her doctor, Candy sets aside her interest in entomology and resolves to study medicine at a time, 1968, when doctors were almost

exclusively male and Valley of the Dolls topped the list of best sellers.

Habib, a member of the South Walton Writer’s Group, retired to the Emerald Coast following a 33-year career as an educator in New York City. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in literature from Hunter College, part of the City University of New York, and started teaching at a 300-student, allgirls public high school in Manhattan. She would become an assistant principal at one of the largest public schools in the Bronx. Among her favorite books to teach — Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte); Ethan Frome (Edith Wharton); Their Eyes Were Watching God (Zora Neale Hurston);

↘

Linda Habib’s novel, Against the Glass, tells the story of a woman who overcomes a botched abortion and an abusive male-dominated hierarchy to become a doctor and establish a fertility clinic. The author is pictured with her 17-year-old dog, Genghis Khan.

The Bluest Eye (Toni Morrison); The House on Mango Street (Sandra Cisneros); and Things Fall Apart (Chinua Achebe) — only one was written by a man.

It is easy to picture Habib, a genuine and engaging woman with a gentle aspect and bobbed hair, teaching her book to high schoolers. Thereby, they would learn that an impulsive decision may have lifelong consequences, but scars do fade; that opportunities awarded to some are hardearned by others; and that art informs life and the natural world informs art. They would learn about the significance of scallop shells and Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus to their teacher. Students, if reading the book while embarking on their sex lives, might go more carefully. And, were the book taught today, they would learn, too, that history and progress sometimes reverse themselves.

Habib wrote her book at a time when a constitutional right to an abortion was in place in the United States.

“I repair more abortions than you might think,” Krzyzanowski’s ER doctor fumes to her friend Brenda. “I wish the damned things were legal again as they were in the mid-19th century.”

The novel, which Habib regards as historical fiction, addresses the development of in vitro fertilization. Krzyzanowski, mentored by a pioneer of that science, carries on his work after he is bounced from academia, and eventually she opens her own fertility clinic, making possible for women something that was not possible for her — motherhood.

Against the Glass, published by Feme Press, is “Dedicated to women everywhere,” but it could as well have been dedicated to love, for it is that which finally liberates the book’s heroine. Love of her work; the unconditional love she receives from a widower, turned playboy, turned her adoring husband; love of possibility. Love of life. EC

IN HER OWN WORDS Ginger

Rogers, Fred Astaire’s dance partner, famously said that women do everything men do, but backwards and in high heels. While I don’t believe women are victims, I do believe the world is harder on them. So much is expected of them, and they achieve in so many ways. They are not bound to be pregnant and barefoot in the kitchen. They can be agents of their own autonomy, whatever that is for each of them. — Linda

Habib

BACKYARD BOOGIE

Grounded in the Ozarks, the Forrest Williams Band keeps evolving

by WYNN PARKS

The Forrest Williams Band’s presence online is minimal and mild as websites go, but its presence onstage is something else.

The band played four shows a week for 345 days last year from Seattle to Chicago to St. Petersburg. They’re jammed in more ways than one because as fans know by now, their chops are as tight as a sailor on shore leave — and double so on the husband-and-wife duets, rich as whipping cream smoothies.

Their repertoire runs from purring cocktail loungies like What’s Going On to musically stark country laments like Nothing on My Mind with vocal styles ranging from suave Euro-influences at one end to Armadillo World Headquarters at the other. And never do they resort to any suspender snapping for attention.

Coming onstage, aside from a tip of the hat to the audience, they just burst into guitar, keyboards and drums, full-tilt roadhouse rhythms and then, out on the dance floor, everybody gets up to get down.

“My grandmother Robeax was from down around New Orleans,” Forrest said. “But Pherrel and I come from Arkansas. Derek, our drummer, is from North Carolina.”

Back home near Fayetteville, Forrest Williams first picked up a guitar when he was 14, and between then and now, learned to be a welder and trained to be a combat medic in the Army. All along

his way, he worked at paying his dues as a musical entertainer.

“Oh yeah,” he said, “early on, I played some Blues Brothers-type venues, stuff flying through the air.”

Things spun out of control, Williams recalled, at a Fayetteville watering hole frequented by both blue-collar workers and University of Arkansas students.

“Normally there was peaceful coexistence, but one time there wasn’t, and a general brawl ensued. I was playing that night, and when it started I said, ‘I don’t want to get into that, at all!’ I put my guitar behind me to protect it and backed into the furthest corner of the set!”

Forrest remains close to the Ozarks and still enjoys chilling out in the woods and bowhunting there.

“Anyway, how we got down here is that my younger brother moved down to Destin before I did. He kept telling us he thought that we’d like it down here. So Pherrel and I came down from Arkansas to check it out — and we did!”

With Pherrel Williams, one gets more than he sees at first. Her reticent manner isn’t shyness; it comes from knowing who she is and where she’s been.

“My maiden name was Foster,” she said, explaining that The Fosters were a traveling musical family known nationwide on the gospel circuit.

“So from when I was 13 all the way up to 25, I tour-bussed the gospel circuit singing and playing bass and keyboard as a member of The Fosters.

“Home-schooled,” she declared before a question about her education was all the way out, and then she offered a rueful smile.

“We were eleven, including kids, on the road all the time. Until I graduated homeschool, there were times I know my mom wanted to wring my neck!”

And then there’s Derek Givans, who doesn’t just keep the beat going — no! Attending a Forrest Williams Band performance, one realizes after a couple of beers that the vertical vibrations from the Texas hatboxes rattling and thumping in front of him reflect the horizontal vibes from Forrest’s strings and Pherrel’s keyboard back out to the audience, pushing out an all-embracing wall of sound. Givans plays the guitar, too, sometimes at solo gigs.

↑ Forrest Williams leans on a vintage Ford truck. A native Arkansan, he first picked up a guitar at age 14. He and his wife Pherrel moved to Destin and later Santa Rosa Beach at the suggestion of his younger brother, who was the first to head for the coast.

“As a kid,” he laughs, “there were always guitars available at home. When I was 3, I wanted to dress up like Kiss. Later, there was metal until I was in high school, then I branched out wide.”

A North Carolina boy to start with, but some members of his family tree must have followed the historical frontier settler’s route from North Carolina to the Panhandle because he came south to Freeport to live in his grandparents’ house, which is one of the landmark, old-style Florida places in town.

“Pherrel and I came down to Destin in 2011,” Forrest said, “then moved from Destin to Santa Rosa Beach. We weren’t wanting to be hermits or anything. We were just looking for someplace more tranquil, less crowded. A slower pace and a little space.”

In fact, for five years, two-thirds of the Forrest Williams Band turned their rural backyard into a weekly venue featuring local talent — stage and all, with “no distractions from having a bar.”

They called it Backyard Boogie, a big success in those free-booting days until copycats came in and pulled the local kill-joy authorities down on themselves and Backyard Boogie, as well.

Vocally, Forrest’s style changes from album to album. Subtle gliding inflections in Gonna Take Love call to mind Brian Ferry. His back-home songs like Whiskey Tornado are way Waylon Jennings! And with Pherrel’s iridescent notes — totally cowboy, except for Derek’s flat hat!

So far, the Forrest Williams Band has chalked up three albums: Forrest Williams in 2007, Gonna Take Love in 2012 and in 2022, Eight Hundred Miles of Sunshine, inspired by a motorcycle trip to Key West where Forrest and friend Bryan Kennedy swore to write or at least initiate a song a day, all the way.

Down and back? EC

↑ BACKYARD BOOGIE For five years, Pherrel and Forrest Williams turned their backyard into a stage for showcasing local musicians in a setting removed from the distractions presented by barrooms. Photo is from 2013. PHOTOS

SHELLY SWANGER PHOTOGRAPHY

THE FORREST WILLIAMS BAND (FORREST WILLIAMS)

The Northwest Florida Ballet Returns to Neverland

The Northwest Florida Ballet invites people of all ages to revert to childhood. During the weekend of March 11-12, audience members will soar through the skies, trek along with the lost boys, sail away on pirate ships and sprinkle pixie dust during an original production of Peter Pan.

Neverland will be depicted through the choreography of international guest artist Katia Garza. NFB music director David Ott has composed music for the show and will serve as conductor for performances by the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra.

Todd Eric Allen, NFB’s artistic director and CEO, has a longstanding history of working with Garza, who is the artistic director of the Mobile Ballet. In 2018, the two first brought the production to the stage and are delighted to do again.

At first, Peter Pan was a only a vignette within a novel by author and playwright James Matthew Barrie. The idea of a magical world full of adventure where no one ever had to grow up gained immense popularity resulting in a full novel, plays and eventually the Disney adaptation.

The NFB’s production is a two-part ballet that takes the audiences into the fantastic world of Neverland alongside cherished characters Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Wendy and her brothers, Tiger Lily, the lost children, and of course, Captain Hook and his clever, kooky crocodile.

“We stay true to the story, so people will recognize all their favorite characters and their favorite parts of Neverland,” Allen said. “What makes this production unique is we take a traditional tale and make it modern with digital media projections and animations.”

To enliven the wonder and whimsy, Allen enlisted the talents of Israel Rodriguez, an artist who designed the scenery projections; Luly Garza, a scenic designer; and costume designer Brisa Dinorah. Gomez Cruz and C&S Themed Events and Environments will build all the hard scenery.

The production will feature international guest artists Keynald Reinaldo Vergara Soto as Peter Pan and Raul Peinado as Captain

Hook. NFB company member Madelyn Blanchard will perform the role of Wendy, soloist Angel Mier is Tinkerbell and soloist Luciana Ato is Tiger Lilly. Académie students John Rayman and Antonio Thomas will dance the roles of John and Michael.

Allen explains that while the choreography is rooted in classical ballet, Garza tailored the movements to mimic the qualities of certain characters, such as the carefree nature of Peter Pan, the darkness of Captain Hook and the sassiness of Tinker Bell.

“We were all children at one point, and each of us now longs to tap into that childlike spirit that Peter Pan represents,” Allen said. “Through dance and music and scenery, we invite you to an hour-and-a-half fantasy.”

2023 UPCOMING EVENTS

BLUE DOG @ BIJOUX

FEB 9, 2023

ArtsReach lunch featuring special guest, Wendy Rodrigue Magnus, benefiting MKAF’s ArtsReach initiatives.

SPRING CONCERT SERIES

APRIL 20, 2023 - JUNE 22, 2023

Thursday evening 10-concert live music series featuring family-friendly premier musicians and bands performing everything from classic rock, reggae and disco to modern pop.

OCT 28 & 29, 2023

Annual fall arts festival featuring fine artists exhibiting their original art, live music, food trucks, crafted cocktails.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK @MATTIEKELLYARTSFOUNDATION FOR THE LATEST EVENT UPDATES

Know that your membership fees impact students, veterans and adults of all abilities throughout Northwest Florida.

B

MKAF.org

mattie kelly arts foundation

mattie kelly arts foundation

mattie kelly arts foundation

Telling Stories Through Song

Emmylou Harris set for spring performance at Opening Nights in Tallahassee

For over 50 years, Emmylou Harris has been writing, singing and strumming songs that reflect the American experience.

A songwriter who has traveled the world, Harris will be making her way to the Ruby Diamond Concert Hall in Tallahassee on Saturday, March 4, as part of the Opening Nights performing arts series presented by Florida State University.

“We are thrilled to present the legendary Emmylou Harris,” said Jennifer Wright, director of Opening Nights. “For decades, this country and folk music legend has been enchanting audiences with her singing and songwriting.”

Harris’ career took off in the 1970s when she shook up the country music scene with her straightforward and

expressive lyrics that often pushed boundaries. In her career, she has released over 25 albums totaling more than 15 million copies in sales.

Harris is a 14-time Grammy winner, a three-time CMA winner, a four-time Americana Award winner, a Billboard Century Award recipient and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement recipient. In 2008, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville.

Harris has recorded with, written with and influenced artists such as Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Linda Ronstadt, Johnny Cash, Neil Young, Roy Orbison, Daniel Lanois, Mark Knopfler, Ryan Adams, Beck, Elvis Costello, Lucinda Williams, Lyle Lovett, Rodney Crowell and more.

On several occasions, Harris has been a headlining songwriter at the Emerald Coast’s popular 30A Songwriters Festival.

Harris is an activist, particularly where animals are concerned. In 2004, she established Bonaparte’s Retreat in Nashville, a rescue and adoption center for dogs.

Departing the Music City for Florida’s capital city, Harris will bring her music to generations who know her music well and others who will be grateful for the opportunity to get to know her.

“Don’t miss the opportunity to see Emmylou Harris, who is considered country music royalty, in Tallahassee on the beautiful Florida State University campus,” Wright said.

PHOTO BY KAT VILLACORTA

VINTNER DINNERS

Friday, Feb. 24 Celebrity vintners and chefs in stunning homes and venues.

$500/person

CRESCENDO! MAIN EVENT

Sunday, Feb. 26 Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa World-class vintners, delectable bites, a seated lunch, expert spirit purveyors, amazing auction items and award-winning entertainment.

$195/person

CRESCENDO! 2023 IS PRESENTED BY:

Abodes

Homeowners and designers have assorted options for transforming walls from muted spaces into statementmaking places that demand to be heard. Enhancing elements may include paints, wallpaper, laminates, paneling, tile, wood, art and photographs.

INTERIORS

MAKE A STATEMENT

Transform your barren wall into your next conversation starter ↓

GREEN SCENE Coaxing Roses to Bloom

PHOTO BY GREG RIEGLER COURTESY OF IN DETAILS INTERIORS

TRENDS FROM

FRONT

by EMMA WITMER

↗

abodes

Everyone has one. That big, blank, boring wall may be in your bedroom, living room, kitchen or even hallway. You could put up some family photos or a piece of art, but the whole effort feels daunting, and up until now, you’ve left well enough alone. No more. A delightful trend has emerged, proving that with a bit of creativity and elbow grease, even these windowless, doorless stretches of paint and plaster can become the focal point of a room.

“We have done many fireplace rehabs lately,” says

The popularity of statement or accent walls saw a meteoric rise about 10 years ago, thanks to websites like Pinterest. Put simply, an accent wall uses elements like paint, wallpaper, laminate, paneling, tile, wood, art or photographs to draw the eye and add personality to a room. Consider bringing in a pop of color, covering an entire wall with reclaimed barn wood or creating a modern textural pattern with carefully placed paneling.

Liz Lapan is the operations manager and, as her boss likes to say, “VP of everything” at Pensacola’s In Detail interior design firm. Unlike some firms, which rely on furniture to do the heavy lifting in designs, In Detail invests in the architectural personality of the space, often with accent walls.

“There are a lot of different ways you can treat it depending on your personal style and the overall feel you are looking to establish in the space,” Lapan said. “If you’re looking to add texture or some interesting architectural interest, restored doors, beams and mantles are an awesome resource and sometimes can be found for a great price. We have a lot of good resources in our area for this, and there’s always a story and history behind repurposed pieces that adds so much charm.”

There are three main things to consider when creating an accent wall:

personal style, budget and how much you can do yourself. The latter two, as you might expect, are directly linked. DIY projects can be both fun and economical, but it can be easy to get in over your head.

Elements like tile backsplashes or large paneled designs are beautiful, but they require special equipment and a deft hand. Tile is expensive and tricky to install without expert help. Installing paneling on your own requires a miter saw, nail gun and high-quality glue.

“Tile backsplashes or large paneled designs are beautiful for an accent or feature wall, and we have done many for fireplace rehabs lately,” Lapan noted.

Paint is arguably the most popular approach to accent walls for several reasons. It’s simple, inexpensive and easily covered if you decide to refresh the

room. In the 2010s, the trend of painting one wall a different shade or color took off, but in some cases, the theory behind this design was lost in the excitement.

“We tend to avoid the single-painted wall as an accent,” Lapan said. “There have been instances where it was the right fit, but it can be tricky because you want to have some visual flow with what is adjacent to that wall. A lot of times, if we are trying to make it stand out, we find that texture or pattern can help deliver that in a more cohesive way where you can color match with nearby walls.”

If you choose to take the paint route, try incorporating similar pops of color throughout the room for a more cohesive design. Use lamps, throw pillows or curtains to coordinate your color scheme, but avoid permanent features like flooring or countertops.

Liz Logan, the operations manager at the In Detail design firm in Pensacola. “This steel geometricpatterned tile (photo) was a bear to work with,” Logan notes, but produced a beautiful result.

↑ In the 2010s, a trend toward painting one wall in a room a bold color gained popularity, but enthusiasm for that approach may be waning. Designer Liz Logan finds that the use of texture or patterns can be a more subtle, but effective, way of setting a wall apart.

Stick with things that can be changed or rotated out if you decide to repaint. This principle applies to other accent wall mediums, as well. Wallpaper had a major resurgence in recent years, particularly once peel-andstick products hit the market, cutting down on the hassle of application and removal.

“We’ve done a lot of walls that divide one space from another with wallpaper,” Lapan said. “We use a lot of wall-covering materials and wood cloths, as well as grasscloths in our interiors. Sometimes their purpose is more about the unification of a space — I love something bold for a feature headboard wall in a bedroom or in a powder bath — and sometimes it’s about really delivering something striking and solid like bold midnight grasscloth in a kitchen or soft blush in a living room. We just love wallpaper and believe that soon that will be the thing, rather than texture sprayed on your sheetrock.”

A statement wall does not have to require power tools or hours of dry time. Arranging a gallery wall with family photos, landscapes and artwork is a great way to display your creativity and cherished memories.

“Mural wall coverings are very in now, and we have used these as accents for creating a gallery space or feature nook in common areas a lot recently,” Lapan said. “I love the story they can tell and the way they can transform a large wall that has good scale.

“Unique art paired with great accent lighting is another way to treat an otherwise lifeless wall and really make it its own vignette and feature — great for entryways or focal points along a hall or up a stairwell.” EC

Closet Solutions Florida

A systematic approach to your storage spaces

We’ve all envied them, the spacious and luxurious walk-in closets on home design shows. Each item of clothing has its space, and each accessory is beautifully displayed. These covetable closets are attainable with the help of Closet Solutions Florida.

Closet Solutions can take your space from cramped, crowded and cluttered to spacious, organized and elevated. You’ll take your closet from a space you want to hide behind closed doors to a room you want to show off.

“You start and end your day in your closet,” said Larry Taulbee, president and founder of Closet Solutions Florida. “We can’t overestimate how nice it feels to start your day being able to locate your outfit easily and end your day knowing items will be put back in their places. You add value to your life by being organized.”

Taulbee adds that closets add value to homes. In today’s market, new and luxury homes are expected to have highend closets. Taulbee makes the comparison between linoleum countertops being out while granite is in. Wire rack closets similarly are a design of the past.

Taulbee is highly versed in the design needs of the area. Over 10 years ago, he and his wife vacationed on the Emerald Coast, enjoying their experience enough to purchase a second home that would eventually become their main residence.

At the time, they had been living in Atlanta and were inspired by friends who owned a closet business. The Taulbees decided to fill this niche in Santa Rosa Beach by opening Closet Solutions in 2016.

While master closets and custom closet systems are their most frequent services, they also work on laundry rooms, pantries, garages, home offices, specialty spaces and wall beds. Their projects feature high-end, textured products; wall-towall and floor-to-ceiling molds; lighting and customizable designs including shelves, storage spaces, finishes, colors and hardware options.

A free design consultation comes first. Customizations are selected, and then the highly skilled craftsmen come in to build out your space. In order to minimize disruption as much as possible, the construction plan is clearly communicated, turnaround time is minimized and the work area is left professionally cleaned.

“Seeing the customer’s reaction at the end of the project is always my favorite part,” said Taulbee. “The products they picked out and the drawing they saw has become a reality, something they get to keep that enhances their life.”

Elizabeth A. Clark MD, FAAD

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

COAXING ROSES TO BLOOM

Popular plants require care and feeding

by LES HARRISON UF/IFAS EXTENSION AGENT EMERITUS

Roses are one of the most popular flowers in America, and now is the time to plan for installation as spring approaches. On the Emerald Coast, they will grow and bloom during the nine warmest months of the year.

A gardener’s success will depend on choosing the varieties which perform well in North Florida — and the amount of work he commits to his bushes.

Hybrid tea roses, grandiflora and floribunda types of roses require more fertilizing and watering, frequent grooming and applications of insecticides to control bugs that feast on these showy plants.

Many of the older cultivars require far less work to bring about their fragrant blooms.

Other considerations are flower color, the shape of the rose plant and the location in the landscape.

Blooms come in varying hues including pink, blue, white, purple and yellow. They may be complex and tightly constructed or consist of a few simple petals at the end of a thorny stem.

Six hours of sun daily is required for all roses. In residential lots, this can be a very limiting location factor.

If some shade cannot be avoided, be sure the plant gets morning light, which will dry dew from the previous night. Excessive moisture on the leaves encourages fungal growth.

Roses can be grown close to the coast if protected from salt spray. Organic soil amendments, like peat moss, will be necessary in sandy soils.

Benefits of pruning

A regular and consistent winter pruning schedule protects plants, people and property from injury, pests and damage. It is an important part of a long-term landscape maintenance strategy.

Pruning removes dead and dying branches and stubs, allowing room for new growth and protecting property and passersby from damage. It also deters pest and animal infestation and promotes the plant’s natural shape and healthy growth.

Correct pruning of trees and shrubs encourages healthy fruit and flower production.

Additionally, systematic pruning minimizes the potential for storm damage to structures from broken branches and protects people from falling branches.

A general rule holds that summer and fall flowering trees and shrubs should be pruned in late winter to early spring. Spring flowering trees and shrubs are best pruned soon after their flowers fade.

If flowering shrubs are pruned to promote rejuvenation, the best time to prune is late winter or early spring. Pruning flowering shrubs at this time will reduce or eliminate blossoming in the spring of that year, but the trade-off is in gaining healthier, more vigorous flowering shrubs in the long run.

Given the amount of time and resources invested in home landscapes, a soil test is an excellent investment in achieving horticultural success. The process is simple, easy and inexpensive. An internet search easily identifies soil test labs that handle residential samples. The UF/IFAS Extension Office Bay County has kits for submitting samples. There are several characteristics common to area soils, but these are not universal. High amounts of phosphorus are a common trait of local soils. If, as is commonly the case, the soil test report indicates that phosphorus is present, then supplementary applications are not needed. Excess phosphorus tends to leach into the aquifer and surface water bodies, which can cause an assortment of long-term problems for everyone. The pH level, a measure of acidity or alkalinity, is a critical component of the soil test report. Many coastal soils are in the alkaline range, which affects the nutrient-absorbing ability of grass, shrubs and vegetable plants.

(PRUNING), EKATERINA CHIZHEVSKAYA (SOIL)

GREEN SCENE

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

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

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

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

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

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

ANGEL D. MORROBEL, MD, FACC Invasive Cardiologist

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

Best Cardiologist

WOMEN’S

PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

Women’s History Month, marked annually each March, focuses attention on the contributions to society and community that women have made historically and make each day. In this edition of Emerald Coast Magazine, we present Women’s Professional Profiles featuring individuals who, each in her way, is making life on the Emerald Coast better while making a little bit of history. While these women represent diverse careers, interests, talents and lifestyles, all are possessed of the qualities of a leader.

The SEASIDE® community is synonymous with charming strollable streets, lush waterfront landscaping, cozy coastal cottages and unique, artisanal businesses, many of which are owned and operated by women.

SEASIDE® is a special town that originated from the vision of Robert Davis and his wife Daryl Rose Davis. SEASIDE® is a New Urbanist community consisting of more than 300 homes and a variety of businesses, shops and restaurants. Central Square is the community’s heartbeat.

Beginning with the very conceptualization of the town, much of its success and recognition has been due to the women who make decisions, take action and open their storefronts daily as part of the SEASIDE® community.

When only two houses had been built, Daryl Rose Davis began the first SEASIDE® entrepreneurial venture, a produce stand, intended to foster community.

Throughout the years, Davis would open a women’s clothing boutique, a children’s store and a home furnishings store. In 1988, Erica Pierce joined Davis in creating a concept that would capture the essence of the community — The Seaside Style®

The Seaside Style® is a curated line of clothing and goods, which favors

Female Business Leaders in SEASIDE®

timeless and true over trendy. Acquiring SEASIDE®branded apparel is important to residents and visitors, alike. Simply and stylishly fashioned, the SEASIDE® T-shirt is familiar throughout the Southeast.

“Our store offers the opportunity to take home a part of SEASIDE®, to always have a connection,” Pierce said. “Many are repeat customers who know they are going to receive quality products, the

highest level of customer service and dedication to attention to detail.”

Over the years, Davis and Pierce have been mentors to the women who have been employees with The Seaside Style®, many of whom have gone on to open their own businesses.

“Daryl and Erica enjoy the success of The Seaside Style® because they treat their staff with

Front row, left to right: Jenny King, Kendall Andrews, Chasity Penick, Daryl Davis, Anne Hunter, Erica Pierce. Back row, left to right: Laura Granberry, Chance Schorder, Carmel Modica, Aubrey Ainsworth, Amy Wise-Coble, Courtney Fields, Makenzie Carter

WOMEN’S

respect and they invest passion and soul into women,” said Makenzie Carter, general manager and chief creative officer of The Seaside Style®. “It’s rewarding to see women grow in the confidence they might not have had before experiencing this company.”

Like Robert and Daryl Davis, Bill and Heavenly Dawson are forever tied to SEASIDE®. In 1988, the Dawsons started The Dawson Group, which would result in five SEASIDE® dining establishments: Dawson’s Yogurt & Fudge, Pickle’s Burger & Shake, It’s Heavenly, Wild Bill’s Beach Dogs and The Shrimp Shack.

In 2020, the couple made the decision to sell The Dawson Group entrusting it to operating partners Ashley and Clark Beecher and Courtney and Baron Fields.

“It’s a privilege and an honor to have businesses in SEASIDE® and to carry on the legacy that the Dawsons started,” Ashley Beecher said. “SEASIDE® provides an excellent audience, and we intend to offer the same expected experience to them while continuously improving and elevating our restaurants.”

With Beecher’s background in client experience management and Fields’ many years spent in restaurant management, the two ensure no detail goes overlooked from upgrading the pickles they use to guaranteeing every customer is greeted.

“It’s a privilege to be a part of people’s memories,” Fields said. “All of our restaurants are quick service, which means we have a small window to make a big impact. We will serve you with a smile and deliver your food with a kind word because people always remember how you made them feel.”

Chasity Brunson, owner of the Green Stream, a company serving cold-pressed juice, acai bowls, smoothies and other healthy options, said there’s an inclusive and exceptional feeling to being a female business owner in SEASIDE®

“I feel so honored to be a part of such an incredible community, and for a business owner, that’s a dream come true,” she said. “I love to show women that they can succeed with passion, hard work and a support system.”

As vacationers and homeowners stroll the scenic Central Square, they shop and support female-led businesses such as Central Square Records, Anne Hunter Galleries, The Art of Simple, Frost Bites, Modica Market, The REP, Homeowner’s Collection and more.

The perpetuation of SEASIDE’s® quintessential nature is due to these women, all of whom are versed in the art of delivering a brand message.

The Junior League of the Emerald Coast

The Junior League of the Emerald Coast is an organization that has helped women and children in our community since 1964 and has evolved with the times. In recent years, the League has sought to become more inclusive and ensure women of all backgrounds have a place to help the League meet its mission. President Hilary DeMers credited current membership to the revitalization that has occurred over the last three years.

As many organizations did, the JLEC felt the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which limited their meetings, halted in-person fundraisers and caused changes to their charitable projects.

“We chose to see the pandemic not as a setback, but instead as a reset,” DeMers said. “It challenged us to evaluate our ways of doing things, and to approach projects and fundraisers in creative ways.”

The group took an already flourishing yearly event, The Child Clothing Project, and not only improvised, but also improved it. Each year, The Child Clothing Project provides clothing and other essentials to more than 400 Okaloosa County and Walton County children. Eligible children are those who qualify for free or reduced-price school lunches.

In past years, the students were able to shop at Target, but because of the pandemic, the league adjusted by packing duffel bags filled with clothing for students. During their 2022 event, they created a pop-up shop that rivaled any local boutique. The children were able to select clothes, and then they participated in STEM activities alongside community partners.

Throughout the year, students in need can select items from the nine Child Clothing Closets the League maintains in Okaloosa and Walton schools. The JLEC hopes to continue expanding its impact by adding more school closets.

As a female-centric organization, the JLEC contributes to the community by investing in women and children externally through their charitable projects throughout the year. It also occurs internally through training, working on committees, and serving in leadership roles. Each member can gain valuable skills that translate to their work and personal life and enable them to become pillars of the community.

“We want our members to gain something from the process, whether learning something new, a skill they can use at work, or something that helps them at home. In the past, we have focused on things like financial

planning. This year, we focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion. We also learn things through participating in or planning our events and fundraisers,” DeMers explained.

As a result of the JLEC being a smaller league compared to other cities, each member can be hands-on and play an influential role. Members experience a connection with women of all ages and stages of life and find common ground.

The JLEC is made up of women ranging from new college graduates to retirees. It includes women with fulland part-time careers, entrepreneurs and family caretakers.

“We are united by our passion for women and children and our determination to improve our community,” DeMers said. “The most rewarding part of the JLEC experience is witnessing each member’s passion for helping become ignited or fueled.”

Hilary DeMers, president JLEC

Dr. Casi Stubbs

Stubbs Orthodontics

Dr. Casi Stubbs knows the power of a smile. As a child, Stubbs recognized the impact a confident grin can make, setting the groundwork for her future career as an orthodontist.

Stubbs earned her undergraduate degree in chemistry at Florida State University, continuing on to the University of Florida for dental school. After volunteering at a pediatric dentist, she realized that many children were distressed by their visits. This led Stubbs to consider orthodontics — a field where she could provide a positive experience and life-changing outcomes for her adolescent patients.

“In orthodontics, I get to help create confidence and improved smiles,” Stubbs said.

After finishing her residency in orthodontics at Nova Southeastern University, Stubbs returned home to the Emerald Coast to open her first practice in Niceville. This office became so sought after that she expanded her practice, opening a second location in Miramar Beach in 2012.

Between running two offices, managing a staff of 15, maintaining a happy marriage and raising two teenage daughters, Stubbs’ life has become quite the balancing act. She finds fulfillment in supporting the many working mothers on her staff and helping them to create a work-life balance for themselves.

“Being a mom is my top priority followed by being the best doctor I can be,” Stubbs said. “I do feel that being a woman and a mother helps me connect to parents and patients because I know what it’s like to make health decisions. When I make treatment plans, I think about what I would do for my own children.”

On average, orthodontic treatment spans three years, so Stubbs and her team get to know their patients very well. Being in practice for 15 years, Stubbs has watched her patients grow up, go off to college and even begin to have children of their

own. On many occasions, Stubbs has had former patients come by to see her years after their treatments are done.

Each month, Stubbs promotes a local charity with an office fundraiser that matches patient donations. Stubbs Orthodontics has donated more than $250,000 to local charities over the last 13 years.

“It always feels great to know I was such an impactful part of someone’s life,” Stubbs said. “I have a passion for what I do and for this community. It’s a balancing act, but I feel it’s important for women to know you can juggle it all — your career, your family, your community.”

Dr. Casi Stubbs

Cyndi Warren, managing member of Warren Averett’s office in Pensacola, is among the women who have risen to leadership positions in the company. Warren has been with Warren Averett since the early 1990s. One of the aspects she enjoys most about working for the business advisory firm is the company’s empowerment of women.

In college, Warren pursued a degree in accounting, securing an internship with a large firm and enjoying an opportunity to merge her talent for accounting services with her desire to help others.

As a long-established firm that assembled more than 20 CPA firms into one of the largest regional accounting firms in the nation, Warren Averett stood out to Warren because of the range of services it offered including full-service accounting, tax planning, auditing, technology services, HR advising, consulting and more.

“With each client, we provide a holistic approach, becoming an extension of their team,” Warren said.

This same team-centric attitude extends to employees. All are encouraged to try new things, work on endeavors that inspire them and seek internal mentorships. Warren has been on both the receiving and giving end of mentorships at the company.

“There is an abundance of female leaders in this company, which is inspiring and helps women to understand that having a career at that level is not only possible, but highly rewarding,” Warren said.

Warren emphasizes the importance of a healthy work/life balance for all women, especially when families are involved. Warren is proud of her career achievements such as becoming a partner, passing her CPA exam and the many valuable client relationships she’s maintained. She’s equally proud of her marriage, her three children and being highly involved in her community.

“Our oldest son works in financial services as well, and he’s very involved in the community,” Warren said. “To see him so passionate about these things says to me that he saw value in what I did as he was growing up.”

As a long-term Warren Averett employee, Warren reflects with pride on people she has mentored through the years.

“I’ve never been in a situation where I thought I couldn’t do something because I’ve always had people who encouraged me, so I’ve set out to do the same for others,” Warren said. “It’s important that we focus on women and encourage them to not give up, to be confident in knowing that their place can be both at home and at the head of the boardroom table.”

PHOTO BY DARRIS HARTMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Regina K. Jaquess, Pharm.D.

Emerald Coast Compounding Pharmacy

Regina Jaquess hasn’t always viewed herself as a mentor, but it’s a role she’s now readily and rightly settling in to.

Jaquess is a trailblazer and record breaker as the owner of Emerald Coast Compounding Pharmacy and as a member of the U.S. water ski team.

Recently, Jaquess was featured on the cover of the University of Louisiana-Monroe’s pharmacy magazine in which she appeared as the subject of an alumni spotlight article. This honor caused Jaquess to reflect on all she’s been able to accomplish since her graduation from pharmacy school.

Twelve years ago, she became the founder, owner and pharmacist of Emerald Coast Compounding Pharmacy, which she opened in her hometown of Santa Rosa Beach. Emerald Coast Compounding Pharmacy is a retail pharmacy specializing in customized prescriptions related to bio-identical hormones, dermatology, veterinary care, pediatrics, general care and more.

In her water skiing career, she is a 10-time world champion and has set 13 world records. Five times, she was the international water ski athlete of the year. She has won more than 300 medals in international competitions. In 2022, she competed in the World Games in Birmingham, Alabama, and the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.

“I’m at a point where I feel very established in both of my careers,” Jaquess said. “I’ve had mentors in both my fields that have

opened doors for me, and now I feel I’m in the position to give that mentorship back to others. Being a mentor, especially to young women, is such an honor and privilege.”

Jaquess believes there’s always room for growth and continued learning in both of her pursuits. Over the past two years, they merged unexpectedly to present a learning opportunity that was unfortunately caused by an ACL injury.

Being forced to sit out some major events in 2021, Jaquess took the opportunity to use her pharmacy background to enhance her water skiing career by delving into the area of pain management. Going through surgery and then experiencing topical pain management, Jaquess feels she not only improved her physical health, but is better able to help and relate to patients that come into the pharmacy.

“My professions don’t just coexist; they often collide,” Jaquess said. “I want women to know that just because your professions or passions are varied or vast or seem too big, you don’t have to compromise. You can do what you want, have what you want and achieve all your goals.”

CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC

Balenda Hetzel

As a mother, grandmother and someone who has dedicated her career to the mortgage industry, Balenda Hetzel knows how rewarding homeownership is. As the Southeast Regional vice president of CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC, she is integral in helping clients find homes.

Hetzel began her career on the title side, seeing clients at the close of their real estate journey. While she enjoyed being involved in those final steps, she decided she wanted to learn about the upfront process. She quickly came to love getting to know borrowers and helping them find the ideal loan programs for their needs.

Hetzel is aware that real estate dealings can become complicated, which is why she takes the time to explain every aspect of mortgage lending to her customers.

“It’s very important to find someone in the industry that not only listens to you, but also asks you questions about what you want three, five or 10 years down the road,” Hetzel said. “You want someone on your side who wants you to be happy and to succeed.”

This is where Hetzel believes CrossCountry Mortgage sets itself apart by providing service that is relationship-based rather than transaction-based.

“Ninety-eight percent of my borrowers and I develop lifelong friendships, and the best part is when they are handed the keys to their new home,” said Hetzel. “Even better is when borrowers will send photos of how they’ve decorated and made the home their own.”

Much of this familial feeling stems from Hetzel’s dedication to her own family, which consists of five biological children and many foster children throughout the years. One of her daughters also works in the real estate industry.

“I always strive to work as hard as I can so my children and other women know how successful you can be when you put in the effort and keep learning,” Hetzel said. “I think women provide more of the sensitive, thoughtful side to this business that is often needed while still being strong, reliable leaders.”

Lately, Hetzel’s focus has been on teaching and investing time in the growth of the younger generation within the industry. As someone adept and experienced in the industry, Hetzel intends to impart her own knowledge while steering newcomers away from possible missteps. As mothers often do, Hetzel leads with compassion, guidance and hope for the future.

FEB/MAR 2023

MARCH 11–12

Peter Pan

The Northwest Florida Ballet returns to the Mattie Kelly Arts Center with its original production of Peter Pan on Saturday, March 11, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 12, at 2:30 p.m. The production features choreography by international guest artist Katia Garza and an original composition by NFB music director David Ott, played live by the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra.

↓

FEB. 24 & 26 CRESCENDO! 2023

→ This highly anticipated extravaganza kicks off on Friday, Feb. 24, at 6 p.m. with a series of intimate vintner dinners showcasing celebrity winemakers and chefs and held in stunning homes, resorts and restaurants. On Sunday, Feb. 26 at 11:30 a.m., the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa will be transformed into a chic ebony and ivory-themed fete. Crescendo!

Main Event features world-class vintners and spirit purveyors, delectable bites, a sit-down lunch, amazing auction items and live entertainment.

FEB. 2–MARCH 5

STEEL MAGNOLIAS

→ Make an appointment at Truvy’s Beauty Salon and get all the latest gossip from Shelby, M’Lynn and the rest of the magnolias as they navigate life’s joys and tragedies. Filled with hilarious repartee and acerbic but humorously revealing verbal collisions, you will find a little piece of yourself in each of the characters. Filled with so much heart and warmth, Steel Magnolias touches on the gentle strength and courage that women carry with them as they support each other through good times and bad.

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

Jay Leno

→ Acclaimed late night TV host, admired stand-up comedian, best-selling children’s book author, voice-over artist and car builder, Jay Leno is widely regarded as “the hardest working man in show business.” Get your tickets and head to Ruby Diamond Concert Hall at Florida State University as part of this season’s Opening Nights series on March 29 for an intimate night of laughs. For tickets and show details, visit OpeningNights.FSU.edu/events/jay-leno.

BAYTOWNE ON ICE

FEB. 1–5

Keep the winter wonderland spirit going with a visit to the ice-skating rink in The Village of Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin. baytownewharf.com

BLACK JACKET SYMPHONY – FLEETWOOD MAC’S RUMOURS

FEB. 2

The Black Jacket Symphony recreates Fleetwood Mac’s iconic album Rumours in its entirety — note for note — plus a full set of Fleetwood Mac’s greatest hits. pensacolasaenger.com

PANAMA CITY BEACH MARDI GRAS AND MUSIC FESTIVAL

FEB. 3–4

Get your beads, masks and celebratory spirit ready with parades galore, live music, fun zones, fireworks and more. Held in conjunction with the Krewe of Dominique Youx’s Mardi Gras at the Beach parade, the festival features entertainment for the whole family.

visitpanamacitybeach.com/ mardi-gras

PENSACOLA DOUBLE BRIDGE RUN

FEB. 4

REGIONAL MARCH 31-APRIL 1

SPRINGTIME TALLAHASSEE

→ An annual tradition, Springtime Tallahassee will again supply food, entertainment, krewes and fun when it returns March 31–April 1. Enjoy all of the festivities that this highly anticipated event has to offer: MusicFest, Jubilee in the Park, the Grand Parade, the Children’s Park and more are back and bigger than ever.

Visit SpringtimeTallahassee.com to learn more.

One of the premier 15K races in the country, the course carries runners over two bridges, one across Pensacola Bay and the other across Santa Rosa Sound. Starting in Downtown Pensacola, runners run through the historic district, along picturesque Bayfront Parkway, through Gulf Breeze and onto Pensacola Beach. pensacolasports.org/ doublebridgerun

EDDIE B.’S TEACHERS ONLY COMEDY TOUR ’23

FEB. 4

What began as a series of videos titled What Teachers Really Want to Say has resulted in a worldwide comedy tour. Enjoy Eddie B.’s raw and hysterically realistic portrayal of a teacher’s hectic life from the point of view of an actual teacher.

pensacolasaenger.com

MOZART MADNESS

FEB. 4

The soaring stained-glass windows of First United Methodist’s sanctuary provide a beautiful backdrop for the annual celebration of Mozart featuring his Oboe Concerto, Adagio and Fugue in C Minor and Symphony No. 33 pensacolasymphony.com/ upcoming-events

CLINT BLACK FEATURING

LISA HARTMAN BLACK WITH LILY PEARL BLACK

FEB. 5

Grammy-winning country superstar Clint Black and his wife Lisa Hartman Black have hit the road again for year two of the Mostly Hits & the Mrs. Tour with special guest Lily Pearl Black. pensacolasaenger.com

THE LAST FIVE YEARS

FEB. 10–19

An emotionally powerful and intimate musical about two New Yorkers in their 20s who fall in and out of love over the course of five years. With brilliantly intricate music that is both gorgeous and heartbreaking, The Last Five Years is a beautifully compelling chronicle in the book of love.

emeraldcoasttheatre.org/on-stage

CIRQUE SPECTACULAR

FEB. 11

Enjoy the magic of the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra joined onstage by cirque-style acrobats and contortionists with breathtaking skill.  pensacolasaenger.com

JUNIE B. JONES

FEB. 13

A favorite childhood character, Junie B. Jones shares her hard-won expertise and shows us all how school is sometimes scary, sometimes super fun and always something to sing about. mattiekellyartscenter.org

MANIA –THE ABBA TRIBUTE

FEB. 14

ABBA’s timeless songs were written to be enjoyed live, and MANIA gives you exactly that. MANIA is not only for lifelong, die-hard ABBA fans but also for a new generation of fans who never had the opportunity to see ABBA live. Hits include Dancing Queen, Waterloo, and Mamma Mia pensacolasaenger.com

PANAMA CITY BEACH FOOD TRUCK & CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL

FEB. 18-19

Sip, sample and nosh from local food trucks and craft breweries at Aaron Bessant Park. When you’ve had your fill, enjoy live music and outdoor games, including cornhole, giant Jenga, a bounce house, mechanical bull and more.

foodtruckfestivalsofamerica.com/ panama-city-beach

APRIL 20-JUNE 22

CONCERTS IN THE VILLAGE

→ On Thursday evenings this spring, the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation will present a 10-concert live music series featuring premier musicians and bands performing everything from classic rock, reggae and disco to modern pop. The Florida Travel Guide named the Concerts in the Village as one of the “Top Ten Things to Do” in Northwest Florida. Post Modern Jukebox kicks things off on April 20. Gather with family, friends and colleagues for this must-not-miss family friendly fun. Bring a blanket or chair and enjoy dinner al fresco from local restaurants and food trucks.

Tickets range from $20 to $35 per concert. Proceeds benefit MKAF and its art education community outreach initiatives. Doors open at 6 p.m. and concerts start at 7 p.m. MKAF members enjoy early admission and attend for free. Learn more at MKAF.org.

APRIL 27-30

South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival

→ The finest winemakers, distillers, mixologists and culinary artists come from around the world to make Grand Boulevard in South Walton the epicenter of the wine world for one weekend in April. With over 600 wines presented by knowledgeable industry leaders, delectable small bites from the best restaurants and chefs in the area, educational seminars, celebrity guests and live music, this is not an event to be missed. The festival welcomes all wine lovers, foodies, cocktail enthusiasts, IPA connoisseurs and you! Join us for a fabulous three-day, award-winning charity event, and enjoy all that the beautiful beaches of Northwest Florida have to offer. For tickets and more information, visit SoWalWine.com.

SEASIDE SCHOOL HALF MARATHON AND 5K RUN

FEB. 19

Choose between the half marathon or 5K. Either option will be scenic, and both benefit the Seaside School. Proceeds enable students to participate in advanced placement and career readiness courses. runseasidefl.com

30A WINE FESTIVAL

FEB. 22–26

Sip and sup at the annual 30A Wine Festival, a must-experience for lovers of fine wines and the culinary arts. Proceeds from the wine festival will support the Children’s Volunteer Health Network, a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to providing access to health services for children in Walton and Okaloosa counties. 30awinefestival.com

34TH ANNUAL SANDESTIN GUMBO FESTIVAL

FEB. 24–25

Restaurants and businesses along the Gulf Coast will compete for the title of “Area’s Best” as they concoct and serve unique variations of a classic Southern dish: gumbo. Held at The Village of Baytowne Wharf, this event will offer food, live music, family activities and much more. sandestingumbofestival.com

PENSACON

FEB. 24–26

Pensacola’s Comic Con returns to the Pensacola Bay Center and Pensacola Grand Hotel with many celebrity authors, artists, voice actors and actors present for meet and greets, talks, merchandise and more.

pensacon.com

VERDI REQUIEM

FEB. 25

With soaring moments of joy and dramatic fanfare, Verdi’s Requiem is one of the most treasured choral works of all time. In a special artistic collaboration,

the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra will join forces with four celebrated soloists and more than 120 voices from the Hattiesburg Choral Union for Verdi’s Requiem Mass, a monumental masterpiece of joy, hope and passion.  pensacolasaenger.com

LLAMA LLAMA

FEB. 28

Llama Llama Live! is a new musical by Bay Area Children’s Theatre (BACT), inspired by the bestselling Llama, Llama Red Pajama series of picture books by the late Anna Dewdney. Families can join in the fun when Llama bursts into his bedroom looking frantically for his favorite red pajamas. mattiekellyartscenter.org

MOMIX

MARCH 4

Under the direction of Moses Pendleton, one of America’s most innovative and widely performed choreographers and directors, MOMIX is recognized internationally for presenting work characterized by exceptional innovation and physical artistry. Pendleton’s latest work takes the audience on a fun adventure with Lewis Carroll’s most beloved character, Alice.  mattiekellyartscenter.org

ON YOUR FEET – THE STORY OF GLORIA ESETFAN

MARCH 7–8

ON YOUR FEET! is the inspiring true story about heart, heritage and two people who believed in their talent — and each other — and became an international sensation: Gloria and Emilio Estefan. pensacolasaenger.com

GET THE LED OUT

MARCH 10

Get The Led Out is a group of professional musicians who are passionate about their love of the music of Led Zeppelin. It’s been their mission to bring the studio recordings of The Mighty Zep to life on the big concert stage. pensacolasaenger.com

CLASSICAL CONNECTIONS FEATURING GENEVA LEWIS

MARCH 11

The award-winning, New Zealand-born violinist Geneva Lewis, who has performed with some of the most prominent musicians in the world, takes the Sinfonia stage. sinfoniagulfcoast.org

CAROUSEL

MARCH 17–19

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel changed the face of American musical theater when it premiered on Broadway in 1945. This updated version will be led by the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra and Pensacola Opera Chorus. pensacolasaenger.com

BRONFMAN PLAYS RACHMANINOFF’S THIRD

MARCH 25

Experience artistry of the highest caliber as the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra welcomes internationally acclaimed and admired pianist Yefim Bronfman, performing Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto pensacolasaenger.com

MILLION DOLLAR TIME MACHINE

MARCH 31

Million Dollar Time Machine is the ultimate time travel experience and features only the best impersonators from around the world. Each night, the time machine year clock stops at 24 of the most defining points in the history of music and summons artists, pulling them from the

year when they were at the height of their careers. pensacolasaenger.com

UNWINED

MARCH 31–APRIL 1

Spend the weekend sampling craft beer, wine and spirits while enjoying cuisine from renowned area chefs and local eateries. Aaron Bessant Park will be transformed as it hosts a stylish garden party. visitpanamacitybeach.com/unwined

YOU AND ME UNDER THE SEA

MARCH 31–APRIL 8

This interactive show for young minds invites children to flap flippers, swish tails and explore underwater worlds alongside the Junior Company Teen players. emeraldcoasttheatre.org/on-stage

REGIONAL APRIL 15-16

CHAIN OF PARKS ART FESTIVAL

→ Stroll through Downtown Tallahassee’s beautiful oak-lined parks while viewing diverse, original works of art at the Chain of Parks Art Festival. The annual two-day fine art festival delights visitors with over 150 artists from all over the country, live entertainment, craft beer, local food trucks and many interactive cultural experiences for the whole family. For more information, email ChainOfParks@lemoyne.org.

Photo: Chad Griffith

Rare, Diverse & Beautiful: Coastal Dune Lakes

Pristine beauty is well documented in Walton County, where 40% of the land south of the Choctawhatchee Bay is preserved for nature. And a true ecological treasure here are our rare coastal dune lakes, the likes of which are found only in a handful of worldwide locations such as Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand and Oregon. In celebration of these special bodies of water, the Walton County Board of County Commissioners has even designated October as Coastal Dune Lake Awareness Month.

There are 15 named coastal dune lakes in Walton County. These shallow, irregularly shaped depressions are only about 5 feet deep on average. Adding to their uniqueness, the local dune lakes have an intermittent connection with the Gulf of Mexico. In addition to maintaining the exchange of freshwater and saltwater, this so-called “outfall” serves as an outlet for heavy rains.

Our dune lakes are highly important to the coast because they store and filter water. And while the water may not be as stunning as the nearby turquoise Gulf, it is equally fascinating. The brownish color of a coastal dune

This coastal dune lake outfall into the Gulf in Blue Mountain Beach maintains the exchange of freshwater and saltwater and also helps the lakes control flooding.

lake is due to the breakdown of organic matter, similar to when you make tea. It makes for a complex ecosystem that supports a diverse range of both saltwater and freshwater plant and animal species.

To help protect these rare natural treasures, Walton County has established several measures, including erosion control and a detailed stormwater plan. Almost every coastal dune lake here is afforded a 100-foot undisturbed shoreline setback buffer and a 50-foot undisturbed setback buffer from either side of its natural outlet. Seawalls, bulkheads, revetments and rip-rap are all prohibited.

There are also groups dedicated to protecting these rare bodies of water. In

place for 20 years, the county-appointed Coastal Dune Lake Advisory Board utilizes a combination of public education and promotion, while making informed recommendations to the Walton County Board of County Commissioners. Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance is a county partner that assists with education and outreach, as well as water quality monitoring and the removal of nuisance plants.

If you’re a resident of the area or a visitor who was initially drawn to the nearby beach, take some time to explore these rare coastal dune lakes.

Some of the best launching points are found in local state parks such as Grayton Beach State Park and Topsail

Hill Preserve State Park, which provide direct access to the lakes. The Boathouse Paddle Club in WaterColor is situated right along the shore of Western Lake, arguably the county’s most popular coastal dune lake.

Each of the 15 lakes provides an amazing opportunity to get out in nature, whether you enjoy fishing, birding or hiking, or taking to the water on a kayak or stand-up paddleboard.

WALTON COUNTY TOURISM DEPARTMENT

Learn more about these rare ecological treasures at VisitSouthWalton.com.

(Top) WaterColor is home to one of South Walton’s most picturesque coastal dune lakes, Western Lake. (Bottom) Beginning at Deer Lake State Park and ending in WaterSound, Camp Creek Lake offers about 70 acres of water for visitors to explore.

Best of Emerald Coast 2022

Popping off Perfection with Award-Winning Sponsors

BY EMILEE MAE STRUSS

The Best of Emerald Coast made a dazzling and delicious return in October of 2022.

Hosted by Emerald Coast Magazine with the Junior League of Emerald Coast’s Child Clothing Project as the beneficiary of the event’s proceeds, the evening popped off like a bubbling bottle of champagne in celebration.

Speaking of libations, there were more than enough samples (and not-so-sample sizes) of beverages available from Distillery 98’s Dune Lake vodka to Bacardi rum complete with a bicyclepowered daiquiri maker in the VIP section where ticketholders sipped handmade cocktails and supped on melt-off-the-bone short ribs courtesy of SunQuest Cruises. For sweet treats, Navarre Bakery provided peanut butter pies and brownies as one of their most popular items.

Gerard Amend, general manager of Emerald Coast Luxury Transportation, commented that the Seagar’s at Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa cuts of steak were akin to butter. “You just looked at them

and they fell apart,” he said while standing out front of a limousine displaying their company’s Best Car/ Limo/Shuttle Service award.

“Our company has been attending this event for five years,” Amend commented. “However, this is my first year attending as a winner, and I’ve enjoyed every part of it from the atmosphere to the people — and, of course, the delicious food and drinks.”

Grand Boulevard, the home of the event for the past 13 years, blocked off the main brick walkway for Best of the Emerald Coast winners, guests and attendees to enjoy without traffic. The event showcases Emerald Coast’s best in categories ranging from cocktails and pasta to skin care and fashion.

“This marks my 16th year being involved in the event,” said Associate Publisher of Rowland Publishing McKenzie Burleigh. “We’ve been setting up the event since 5 a.m. this morning, and I’m beyond grateful for the people who worked alongside me the entire time. I not only view them as sponsors and clients but friends as well.”

PHOTOS BY MOORE MEDIA (AERIAL) AND CHAS GALLOWAY (GROUP)

From the Rowland Publishing staff at Emerald Coast Magazine to volunteers representing the Junior League, the event ran successfully in support of their Child Clothing Project which has been running for over 38 years and seeks to clothe children along the Emerald Coast who cannot afford new clothing, shoes or books.

The project brings around 400 children shopping each year, many of them receiving their first pair of brand-new shoes. “It’s an amazing experience to see a child’s eyes light up when they open that box and see their very own pair of shoes that are just for them,” said one of the volunteers.

With the support of event workers and volunteers, hospitality staff serving Idyll Hounds brews and donated West Coast Wines and businesses like McGuire’s Irish Pub — a winner of the past — every detail was covered, and tummies and taste buds were satisfied. Sally McNider, supporting the head chef at Clemenza’s at Uptown in Fort Walton Beach was spotted delivering Bud & Aly’s famous tuna dip (second round of samples) to her hard-working partner.

“I traveled from Alabama just for this event,” McNider said. “And I am so glad that I did. Everything has been great from the food to the people.”

After the fog of the pandemic has now subsided, passion shined through once again with local chefs, crafters and sponsors of all kinds displaying their work face-to-face with eager smiles and a proud community.

presented by benefitting

SOCIAL STUDIES

Best of the Emerald Coast Winner’s Party

DEC. 8 North Beach Social, an outdoor beachside dining space featuring an elegant and casual atmosphere, played host to the Best of the Emerald Coast Winner’s party, held in person for the first time since 2019. The event benefited the Junior League of the Emerald Coast’s Child Clothing Project, which treats Walton County and Okaloosa County elementary school children to a shopping trip for new clothes. This year’s Best of the Emerald Coast event raised a whopping $81,095.21. A special thank you goes to this year’s Best of EC sponsors: Venue Sponsor Grand Boulevard Town Center and Event Sponsors Vero Building Systems, Capital City Bank, Vacasa, GSOCPA LLC, Silver Sands Premium Outlets, North Beach Social, Proffitt PR, Idyll Hounds Brewing Company, Timber Creek Distillery, Land.Air.Sea Productions, Copy Systems Business Center Inc., Sunbelt Rentals, WKSM 99Rock, Palm Folly, 98 Distillery, Eric Church and Mingle.

1 Courtney Hicks, Kristi Summerlin, Kristi Adkinson and Jessica Winkler

2 Levin and Jessica Proffitt Bracken

3 Adrianne and Patrick Brackett

4 Jamie Stephens, Lauryn Wilson and Valerie Burrelle

5 Bryan Ross and Debbie Flynn

6 Julie and Mike Blech

PHOTOS BY CHAS GALLOWAY

Baytowne Wharf Beer Festival

OCT. 7–8 Beer lovers sampled local brews, interacted with merchants and enjoyed live music on the lawn at the 14th Annual Baytowne Wharf Beer Fest. Specialty brews from around the nation also were available to sample and savor. Save the dates for the 15th annual Baytowne Wharf Beer Festival, scheduled for Oct. 6–7, 2023.

1 Festivalgoers donned their best garb for a day of tastings.

2 Seasoned and novice beer enthusiasts frequented the many beer tents lined throughout The Village of Baytowne Wharf.

3 It was a picturesque day at The Village of Baytowne Wharf during the Grand Craft Beer Tasting event.

4 Attendees sampled more than 200 domestic and international craft beers.

PHOTOS BY BRANDAN BABINEAUX

SOCIAL STUDIES

Harvest Wine & Food Festival

OCT. 13–16 Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation’s 6th annual Harvest Wine & Food Festival returned to WaterColor for four days of splendid events benefiting 17 local children’s charities in Northwest Florida. The sold-out weekend got started with two nights of wine dinners hosted in private homes and restaurants throughout South Walton, followed by a largescale Grand Tasting experience in Cerulean Park, and concluded with a lively cocktail brunch held at a private WaterColor residence.

1 Suzie and Steve Reynolds, Karah Fridley-Young, Lane and Trevor Redding, Meghan Hall and Mimmo La Innusa

2 Brooklyn Bain, Kate MacMillan, Karah Fridley-Young, Mindy Holscher and Jessica Roberts

3 Stephanie Brannon with Kirby and Mary Blake Williams

4 Alex Curry, Kim Cattelier, Ashley Cole and Dwight Williams

Harvest Wine & Food Festival VIP Experience

OCT. 13–16 The 6th annual Harvest Wine & Food Festival Grand Tasting VIP experience was again presented by Emerald Coast Magazine. The exclusive, sold-out experience offered festivalgoers access to premium wines, elevated culinary bites, a cocktail bar curated by Better Together Beverage, and live music by Allie & Salty in a lounge-like atmosphere. The event was part of a four-day festival experience produced by the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation that comprised eight events hosted throughout South Walton to raise money for children in need in Northwest Florida.

1 Zane and Mindy Holscher

2 Dudley Downing, Grace Gambel, Ashley Bass, Dana Crowe, Vonda Kay Downing, Heidi LoCicero, Jennifer Horn and Brian LoCicero

3 Leslie Moland, Lydia Gallup and Kate MacMillan

4 Jeff and Cindy Garrard

PHOTOS BY KIARA WATSON

PHOTOS BY KIARA WATSON

SOCIAL STUDIES

Eggs on the Beach

OCT. 15 The 8th annual Big Green Egg cooking competition, Eggs on the Beach, held on Oct. 15 at Seascape Resort, raised $45,000 for local nonprofits. The event featured a diverse array of deliciously creative bites cooked on Big Green Eggs. Presented by Bay Breeze Patio, the culinary happening benefited Food For Thought and Fisher House of the Emerald Coast. More at EggsontheBeach.com.

1 Tasters Demetria and Richard McNeese

2 Honorary Judges Chef Mike McIntosh of Seagar’s Prime Steakhouse, Freelance Food Writer Abigail Abesamis Demarest, Private Chef Kali Davis and Chef Al Massa of Brotula’s Seafood House

The Market Shops Bloody Mary Festival

OCT. 22 The 7th annual Market Shops Bloody Mary Festival, presented by Step One Automotive Group, raised a record-breaking $50,000 for Habitat for Humanity of Walton County. The sold-out event featured the Emerald Coast’s most creative bloody marys, served by 15 of the finest restaurants and bars in the region, along with live music, local shopping, craft beer, champagne, delicious bites, televised football and a BLOODY good time!

PHOTOS BY BRENNA KNEISS

1 This year’s winners (Chiringo, Camille’s at Crystal Beach, and The Beach House) along with the panel of judges

2 Keri Filakosky and Reida McCutchen

3 Sharon Massuch, Kyle Petit and Martin Horak

4 Wren Kendall, Cathy Palmer and Jessica Coffelt

PHOTOS BY TRACY LOUTHAIN

3 Misty Rae Ruthrauff and Clint Rogers of Team Saltwater Restaurants

4 Wayne Paul with Tiffanie Nelson and Susan Kiley representing Bay Breeze Patio and Food For Thought

MIURA/Clos Pissarra Wine Dinner (Espano on 30A)

OCT. 30 Master sommelier Emmanuel Kemiji provided a memorable evening when he showcased his Spanish wines from Clos Pissarra and ARRELS. Chef Tim Creehan, the owner of Cuvee 30A, earned raves with his menu of jumbo prawns, grilled quail and grilled spinalis steak with roasted carrots and potatoes.

10th Annual Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation Wine Walkabout

NOV. 10 Wine and art lovers converged on Nov. 10 at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Destin for the 10th Annual Wine Walkabout. Guests enjoyed delicious culinary creations, conversation with vintners from Oakville Ranch, Molly Dooker and Silver Trident wineries, live jazz music by saxophonist Michael J, a festive wine pull, a silent auction, a Cork Pull raffle and more. More than two dozen guests enjoyed a fourcourse vintner dinner prepared by Chef Ruston Johnson following the Walkabout. Proceeds benefited the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation and its ArtsReach community outreach education initiatives.

PHOTOS BY ROB HASKER AND JULIE DORR

1 Chef Tim Creehan and Master Sommelier Emmanuel Kemiji

2 Bob Kirk and Jennifer Creehan with Master Sommelier Emmanuel Kemiji

3 Master Sommelier Emmanuel Kemiji with Kim and Rick Bordelon and Hunter Boon

PHOTOS BY JDC PHOTO

1 Jenifer Tomasello and Estelle Grengs

2 Estelle Grengs, Melanie Moore, September Sims and Janet Paulus

3, Anne Flanagan and Rosemary Martinek

4 Melanie Moore and Demetrius Fuller

Finding a new house, condo or piece of property can be more painful than a poor-fitting pair of shoes, or as comfortable as your favorite sandals. So, in choosing a real estate agent, it’s important to get the right fit from the start.

I have been shopping with clients for 35 years, listening to their needs and desires, then vigorously pursuing the market until I find the right fit, and I will do the same for you!

be used for whole-head radiation were concentrated into a single beam directed at the center of Michelle’s tumor.

“I went back for an MRI to see how it went, and when I saw the radiology oncologist, he said he was very surprised,” Michelle said.

He had anticipated that more tumors would have developed or that the subject tumor would have grown. He thought that she might experience more seizures due to swelling resulting from the radiation. But none of that had happened.

“We don’t usually see this outcome,” he said.

These days, Michelle takes 40 pills a day. Twenty-two of them are chemo and anti-seizure meds, and 18 are vitamins and meds that offset chemo’s side effects. She sees an oncologist at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare every three weeks; her hometown oncologist is in regular contact with doctors at Mayo. TMH, Michelle emphasized, is a big part of a medical team that makes her a priority.

At some point, Michelle had to press for a prognosis. The Tallahassee oncologist gave her two years on the outside. An oncologist at Mayo gave her maybe three. But Dan makes the point that the number of women who have experienced breast cancer that metastasized to the brain is small. The sample includes women who may have been morbidly obese, smokers and in their 70s. He sees his wife as an outlier.

So does her 14-year-old son Dylan, a high school sophomore. When Michelle made him aware of her brain cancer diagnosis, she asked him, “What do you think is going to happen to me?”

“He looked at me and he shrugged and he said, ‘You’ll be fine.’ I asked him why he had that confidence and, in his way, he said, ‘Because I know you.’ That has stuck with me every day, especially when I am feeling overwhelmed.”

Michelle’s older son, Tyler, is 19 and a sophomore at Florida State. Dan has a son, Angelo, who is 14 and is autistic.

Michelle keeps in mind, too, a conversation she had with a coach as she was preparing for a fitness competition. She was struggling to lose weight, frustrated by the rigors of her training and whining.

“He just looked at me in the eye and asked me, ‘How bad do you want it?’ That has stuck with me forever,” Michelle said.

Even as she is fighting cancer, she is writing a legacy. Her career as a loan officer — she is now on disability — didn’t give rise to a single good story, she said, and she is working to compose one now, to redefine what it means to fight cancer.

Her approach is multi-dimensional, carried out on physical, mental and emotional planes. Nutrition, exercise, social interaction and humor are all essential ingredients.

But above all, Michelle advises people dealing with cancer to be their own advocates.

Dan recalls how forcefully Michelle “negotiated” with her doctors in seeking permission to continue to work out.

“They wanted her to do only a half hour of cardio a couple of days a week,

and they wanted her workouts not to be strenuous,” he said. “She didn’t listen and, after she got two or three MRIs and the swelling went down, the doctors said, ‘Just keep on doing what you’re doing.’”

“Your doctors work for you,” Michelle said. “We as patients sometimes look at doctors as almost gods. In some ways they are, but that doesn’t mean that they know everything. I always tell people that you don’t know what you don’t know.”

Be tough, Michelle advises, but don’t go it alone. She is active with a local support group, Joanna Francis Living Well, and is a member of a Facebook group comprising people dealing with the side effects of the chemotherapy drug, capecitabine. She makes appearances at runs and other events benefitting the American Cancer Society.

“You have to have support,” Michelle said. “Bring it about yourself if you have

to. It could be your neighbor or your friends. A lot of people feel like they don’t know how to talk to people with cancer. I need my friends; I tell them I need them to ask me to go places — even though I have cancer, even though I can’t go party and hang out. Being social is part of fighting cancer. Even when I don’t want to, I force myself to go.”

Michelle knows that she has cancer cells floating around her body. After her breast cancer had been dealt with, they came from somewhere and settled in her brain. She cannot know where they might land next.

“But today, I got up and I felt like I was dressing for the prom. I put on a lot of concealer to cover the bags under my eyes. I know that I look normal, I act normal, but really I am not. I do and say some weird things sometimes. But I don’t want to look sick. That, to me, would feel like I am declining.” EC

A match made in heaven, spend Valentine’s Day, or any day really, in cute and cozy love-inspired lounge set by Z Supply Shop these looks at Island Clothiers located in The Village of Baytowne Wharf

Plus, shop looks for your whole family at our family of ShopSandestin stores Browse designers like Lilly Pulitzer, Jude Connolly and Show Me Your Mumu for the ladies For the guys, Southern Tide, Vineyard Vines, Bad Birdie, and don't forget an amazing selection of children’s clothing and toys too!

850.351.1800 | @ShopSandestin

FRESH SEAFOOD FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS

DEWEY DESTIN’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT 9 Calhoun Ave., Destin, FL • (850) 837-7575

DEWEY DESTIN’S HARBORSIDE RESTAURANT 202 Harbor Blvd., Destin, FL • (850) 837-7525

DEWEY DESTIN’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT 8673 Navarre Pkwy., Navarre, FL • (850)710-7070

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 classic with a mix of international cuisines, Southern cooking and local food and produce. 83 Central Square, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 231-7327.

$$ B L D

JACO’S BAYFRONT BAR & GRILLE

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

$$ L D

LOUISIANA LAGNIAPPE

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

LULU’S

Lucy Buffett’s funky hangout features cocktails, burgers and seafood, plus allergyfriendly menus. 4607 Legendary Marina Dr., Destin. (850) 710-5858. $$ L D

THE KEY

MAGNOLIA GRILL

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

MARINA BAR AND GRILL

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

MARINA CAFÉ ★

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

NICK’S BOATHOUSE

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

NORTH BEACH SOCIAL ★

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

OVIDE ★

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

RESTAURANT IRON ★

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

RESTAURANT PARADIS

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

SHADES BAR & GRILL ★

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

SUNQUEST CRUISES SOLARIS YACHT ★

Enjoy a fusion of ambiance, food and live music aboard the SOLARIS yacht offering three decks of indoor and outdoor spaces. 9300 Emerald Coast 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

DESTINSEAFOOD.COM

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

CHIPPER’S BBQ

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

$$ L D

BREAKFAST/ BRUNCH/BAKERY

ANDY’S FLOUR POWER CAFE & BAKERY

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

BLACK BEAR BREAD CO.

Contemporary cafe for craft coffee, house-

baked 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

AMICI 30A ITALIAN KITCHEN ★

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

ANGELENA’S ITALIANO

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

$$ D

CLEMENZA’S UPTOWN ★

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

FARM & FIRE SOUTHERN PIZZERIA

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

FAT CLEMENZA’S

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

GRIMALDI’S PIZZERIA

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

HELEN BACK PIZZA ★

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

MIMMO’S RISTORANTE ITALIANO ★

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

PAZZO ITALIANO

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

THE PIZZA BAR AT BUD & ALLEY’S

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

TRATTORIA BORAGO

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

MEXICAN

BURRITO DEL SOL ★

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

CANTINA LAREDO ★

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

PEPITO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT ★

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

PEPPER’S MEXICAN GRILL & CANTINA ★

Casual eatery with familiar Mexican dishes, including seafood and vegetarian options, plus a full bar. Five Emerald Coast locations: Niceville, Crestview, Panama City, Shalimar, Fort Walton Beach. (850) 353-2625. $ L D

RED FISH TACO ★

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

THE TACO BAR AT BUD & ALLEY’S

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

SEAFOOD

THE BAY SOUTH WALTON

This family-friendly waterfront 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

3OA Cookies & Cream

CAPT. ANDERSON’S RESTAURANT

Since 1967, offering traditional seafood items, flavorful salads and soups with a view of the marina. 5551 N. Lagoon Dr., Panama City Beach. (850) 234-2225. $$$ D

DEWEY DESTIN’S HARBORSIDE

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

DEWEY DESTIN’S SEAFOOD

RESTAURANT & MARKET

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

DOWN ISLAND GULF

SEAFOOD RESTAURANT ★

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

FOOW RESTAURANT

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

HARBOR DOCKS

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

JACKACUDA’S SEAFOOD & SUSHI

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

OLD BAY STEAMER ★

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

PESCADO SEAFOOD GRILL & ROOFTOP BAR ★

Dining room, inside bar and outside rooftop bar

overlooking the Gulf of Mexico; extraordinary service and cuisine by Chef Brendan Wakeham. 74 Town Hall Rd., Ste. 4B, Rosemary Beach. (850) 213-4600. $$$ L D

RUNAWAY ISLAND

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

SHUNK GULLEY OYSTER BAR ★

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

STINKY’S FISH CAMP ★

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

THE CRAB TRAP ★

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

THE FISH HOUSE

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

STEAK & SEAFOOD

AUSTONS ON 98 OYSTER

BAR AND GRILL

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

BEACH WALK CAFE

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

BIJOUX ★

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

BOATHOUSE OYSTER BAR

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

CAFE

THIRTY-A ★

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

CAPTAIN DAVE’S ON THE GULF

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

THE GULF – FORT WALTON BEACH

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

JACKSON’S STEAKHOUSE

High-end steakhouse cuisine with fine wines.

Local seafood is hand-selected and artistically prepared to perfection. 400 S. Palafox St., Pensacola. (850) 469-9898 $$$ D

NOLA BOILING CO. ★

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

OLD FLORIDA FISH HOUSE

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

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE

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

SEAGAR’S PRIME STEAKS & SEAFOOD ★

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

SLICK LIPS SEAFOOD & OYSTER HOUSE

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

TAKE OUT 30AGRUB2GO

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

DESTIN ICE SEAFOOD

MARKET & DELI ★

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

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 GOURMET ★

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

VEGAN

THE OASIS SANTA ROSA BEACH ★

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

MAKE ROOM FOR THE WHOLE PERSON

Working to enact DEI may be next to godliness

by RAEMI CRETEUR

Diversity, equity and inclusion have become buzzwords of the moment. Everyone wants to say they support DEI. And they do matter. They have always mattered.

Diversity implies a broad range of people with various racial, ethnic, socio-economic and cultural backgrounds and differing lifestyles, experiences, religious beliefs and interests. It is something that we can recognize as we observe the ways in which people look, behave and move through the world.

Permit me to suggest that you take some time to look at who you spend your time with. Are they just like you?

If so, try to get comfortable with a little bit of discomfort, and go out into the world to explore spaces you have never visited before. Meet new people who are different and talk with them, ask them questions, listen to their experiences. Spending time learning new perspectives will enhance your life.

Inclusion is easy to understand, but it can be difficult to enact. We are inclusive when we use pronouns or chosen names preferred by people we meet. It is also evident when we warmly welcome new people, invite

others to join in our activities and avoid language or behaviors that could be triggering to others.

Being inclusive really starts with exposing yourself to diversity, learning about the needs and preferences of others, then making accommodations for them so that they are able to participate in spaces with you.

The most difficult of the three concepts is equity. Equity and equality get used interchangeably, but the application of each is very different. Equality says that everyone should take the stairs. Equity says, “Hey, wait a minute. We have these people who use wheelchairs and can’t take the stairs. What about them?”

In order to create systems with an equitable approach, we must first expose ourselves to the diverse experiences of others so that we can provide appropriate and necessary accommodations.

I have a hormonal disorder. My weight is very difficult to control. At a time when I was eating less than one meal a day, my doctor, without asking me about my diet, diagnosed me with obesity due to excessive consumption of calories.

My condition causes migraines, fatigue, cramping and irregular cycles accompanied by mood changes.

I constantly say I am at the mercy of my hormones. After having my son, my body began to have a hard time “digesting” stress. When I would get overwhelmed, I would experience bodily pain.

The equitable treatment I need is the understanding that I cannot always be at 100%. I live with a disorder that is incredibly challenging, and I battle with not being “enough” when I am physically unable to perform.

It is easy for us to look at others and make assumptions about them based on their work, availability and attitude. But for me, those things can be different month to month, week to week, and even day to day. I am so afraid of someone meeting me on an “off” day and judging me based on that one interaction.

Be gentle with your judgments. Understand that each person you meet lives a life as full as yours and that you are encountering only a small part of them. Be inclusive of their whole selves and allow space for others to be present even when they are not at their best. Move through the world with grace and compassion, forgive others when they do not give their all to you and acknowledge the humanity in each of us. EC

Raemi Creteur, a graduate of Florida State University Panama City, is the Editorial Department administrative coordinator at Rowland Publishing.