Tallahassee Magazine January–February 2022

JILLIAN WEISE’S WRITINGS ALTER PERSPECTIVES ON THE DISABLED

CHUCK’S FISH Seafood restaurant reflects owner’s respect for fishermen and commitment to helping others

PURSUING FITNESS ON TWO

WHEELS

The Capital City’s canopy roads and technical trails enthrall bicyclists seeking balanced lives HARMONY

Adrian Fogelin and Craig Reeder pour their veteran hearts into songs

At Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, our Heart & Vascular Center is a leader in the Southeast for advanced care and research. In fact, patients travel from across the region to receive heart and vascular care from our expert team of physicians and surgeons. To learn more about how you can access our exceptional treatment options right here at home visit TMH.ORG/Heart.

A REGIONAL HEART LEADER RIGHT HERE AT HOME.

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January-February 2022

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I t a ke yo u , i n d ay s we wo n’t fo r g e t

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Contents

JAN/FEB 2022

FEATURES →

“I think if you take the time to sit with a stone, you’ll observe its subtle energies.”

— Alexis Barnett, a crystal consultant and owner of the Crystal Portal in Tallahassee

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HEALING ARTS

For tarostrologer Jost Van Dyke, successful living means aligning with one’s true path. In working with clients, he compiles an astral chart as a first step in identifying blocks that may separate them from their greatest potential.

Blocks may be external, internal or the result of unresolved issues from past lives, he says. Setting aside the notion of coincidence, Van Dyke focuses on the interrelatedness of people and developments in their lives. Like energy workers, he speaks to the body-mindspirit troika. Alexis Barnett, at left, meditates with high vibrational crystals, downloading information encoded in stones she calls energy storehouses.

by HANNAH BURKE and STEVE BORNHOFT

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MINDFULNESS OVER MATTER

Any attempt to define mindfulness is unlikely to arrive at a definitive answer.

For all who seek it, though, mindfulness involves a separation from distractions and moving to a quiet place where people can achieve new perspectives and insights on themselves and others.

Some favor yoga, and many employ meditation or thoughtful breathing as tools that can help bring about inner peace. While mindfulness is often equated with an elevated self-awareness, Pastor Kent Nottingham of Tallahassee says it is not about a focus on self but manifesting love for others.

by EMMA WITMER

photography by SAIGE ROBERTS

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Contents

JAN/FEB 2022

67 106 EXTERIORS The arrival

40

21 OUTDOORS For the

serious bicyclist, especially one living in Tallahassee, two two-wheelers are a must, one for traversing the city’s enchanting canopy roads and another for taking to trails, including the highly technical challenges at Tom Brown Park.

28 CHAMPIONS Tallahassee was well represented among the 12 women honored by Rowland Publishing with Pinnacle Awards in 2021. The awards are reserved for women who have distinguished themselves professionally and as public servants.

Fentanyl has figured across the country in an epidemic of drug overdoses among young people. A parent who lost her son to fentanyl details warning signs that may point to a drug problem.

GASTRO & GUSTO

EXPRESSION

P ANACHE

52 WHAT’S IN STORE

Local retailers offer good books to curl up with and products good for pampering.

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Fish, newly opened in Tallahassee, combines a passion for seafood with a commitment to feeding residents of food deserts.

62 EATING HEALTHY

Intuitive eating involves “listening” to one’s body and feeding it what it wants and needs. Chances are, it’s not calling for the latest fad diet.

47 FASHION

The turtleneck, designed in the first place to separate the skin of Middle Ages combatants from their chainmail, has retained its popularity through many centuries. Today’s styles range from mockneck to high-rise.

117 GETAWAYS Crested

Butte, Colorado, makes its living entertaining people who like to hike, ski and fish and who relish a little solitude.

67 MUSIC The veteran

hearts who make up Hot Tamale suggest that harmony may be the best antidote to aging.

Still the musical duo concedes that its latest collection of songs come from “further down the road.”

IN EVERY ISSUE

14 16 132 143 146

72 BOOKS The poetry

of amputee Jillian Weise, who identifies herself as a cyborg, leads readers to consider the abuse and challenges that disabled persons confront. Weise navigates her world with the use of a computerized leg.

» PINNACLE AWARD WINNERS » COLORADO

Hobley, grew up in the small town of Quincy in Gadsden County, not knowing all the places he would go on the strength of his basketball prowess.

Hobley was a longtime member of the Harlem Globetrotters and, upon his retirement from the hardcourt, a philanthropist.

57 DINING OUT Chuck’s

weather makes for the successful transplanting of shrubs and fruit trees.

DESTINATIONS

BILLY RAY HOBLEY

36 PERSONALITY Billy Ray

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40 GOOD ADVICE

TALLAHASSEE MAGAZINE

110 GREEN SCENE Cold

PUBLISHER’S LETTER EDITOR’S COLUMN SOCIAL STUDIES DINING GUIDE POSTSCRIPT

JILLIAN WEISE’S WRITINGS ALTER PERSPECTIVES ON THE DISABLED

CHUCK’S FISH Seafood restaurant reflects owner’s respect for fishermen and commitment to helping others

PURSUING FITNESS

ON TWO WHEELS

The Capital City’s canopy roads and technical trails enthrall bicyclists seeking balanced lives HARMONY

Adrian Fogelin and Craig Reeder pour their veteran hearts into songs

ABODES

97 INTERIORS For

thousands of years, the practice of feng shui has united the natural world and homes through thoughtful design and the flow of lifeforce energy.

ON THE COVER:

Josh McLawhorn is a serious bicyclist, so much so that he has pedaled across the continental United States multiple times — and he’s got the calf muscles to prove it.

Photo by Dave Barfield

ILLUSTRATION BY LINDSEY MASTERSON (40) AND PHOTOS BY SAIGE ROBERTS (67), ALICIA OSBORNE (57) AND COURTESY OF SHOW ME YOUR MUMU (47)

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of new, water-resistant fabrics has meant that furniture once reserved for dens and living rooms is now at home on the porch.

HONORING OUR DONORS

Over $3.5 million raised to support children with diabetes.

THE PROCTOR D E A LE R SH IPS

Members of the Proctor family have been dedicated donors and advocates for children with Type 1 diabetes for nearly 30 years. Thanks to their support of the annual Tee Off for Tots Golf Tournament and Car Raffle, more than $3.5 million has been raised through the Proctor Endowment for Children with Diabetes.

These funds support the programs and services of the Tallahassee Memorial Metabolic Health Center and help send children with diabetes to a medically staffed camp where they can have fun with their peers in a safe environment.

Thanks to the Proctors and our generous community, children who are diagnosed with diabetes and their families have an invaluable resource to teach them how to manage their disease and thrive.

“ Tee Off for Tots – and the critical funding it

generates – simply would not happen without the support of the Proctor family. We are so grateful for their time, generosity and partnership.

The Proctors are saving and improving the lives of children in our region. They’ve built an incredible legacy of giving that will help generations to come.

”

– NIGEL ALLEN PRESIDENT AND CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER TMH FOUNDATION

TMH President and CEO G. Mark O’Bryant, Martin Proctor, Sarah Proctor Demont, Nick Sutton, Theo Proctor, TMH Foundation President and Chief Advancement Officer Nigel Allen

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Contents

JAN/FEB 2022

SPECIAL SECTIONS AND PROMOTIONS

112

DEAL ESTATE A four-bedroom home on Lake Iamonia in Tallahassee features gorgeous water views from the lake shore — and from a nearby private island that is included in the property.

124

CALENDAR The January-

February events calendar is chock-a-block with theatrical productions, musical performances, fundraising celebrations and, for the fittest of the fit, the Tallahassee Marathon.

↑ IN TRANSITION When it comes to furnishing your home’s interior, why limit yourself to one style?

Trending today is a “transitional approach, which combines the best of traditional elements. You can trust the highly experienced and knowledgeable experts at Turner’s Fine Furniture to help you achieve a harmonious and engaging combination of aesthetics.

76

ART IN THE PARKS The Chain of Parks Art Festival returns in full bloom in downtown Tallahassee after two years in which it was disrupted by the pandemic. More than 150 artists are expected to participate in the juried show.

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IT’S POURING Celebrity winemakers, mixologists and chefs will converge on the Grand Boulevard Town Center in South Walton for a spirited four-day celebration of wine that would make Bacchus blush.

GO BOLDLY Support Sinfonia Gulf

Coast while channeling Mardi Gras or Carnival at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa at an event that is part New Orleans, part Rio.

44

↑PET CARE North Florida

Animal Hospital sets itself apart by emphasizing the utmost in care and compassion while employing the latest best practices in veterinary medicine.

54

SKIN HEALTH Allure Laser

MediSpa advises that the winter months are an ideal time to invest in your skin.

Take advantage of the break from the intense summer sunlight by revitalizing your look.

NEXT ISSUE

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↑HOMES TOUR The Cultural Arts

Alliance of Walton County invites you to participate in a Valentine Tour of Homes & Gardens that is sure to cause you to re-imagine your dream house.

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↑TALLY’S BEST

Rowland Publishing’s Best of Tallahassee celebration added a new, spontaneous element in 2021. Rowland staffers and LIVE! In Tallahassee host Joel Silver made surprise visits to eight winning businesses.

Your guide to Springtime Tallahassee from the Grand Parade to The Jubilee and more.

PROMOTION

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PHOTOS BY RENEE JOHNSON (140) AND COURTESY OF TURNER’S FINE FURNITURE (100), NORTH FLORIDA ANIMAL HOSPITAL (44), CULTURAL ARTS ALLIANCE (78)

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Your Patient-Centered Medical Home It is our mission to help parents become the advocates of good health for their children so they can grow up and achieve their fullest potential. Thank you to the many families who allow us to participate in the lives of their precious children.

TALLAHASSEE MAGAZINE VOL. 45, NO. 1

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BRIAN E. ROWLAND ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER MCKENZIE BURLEIGH

EDITORIAL EXECUTIVE EDITOR Steve Bornhoft SENIOR STAFF WRITER Emma Witmer STAFF WRITER Hannah Burke CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Marina Brown, Rebecca Padgett Frett, Les Harrison, Ellen Cook Humphrey, Lis King, Rochelle Koff, Ashley Thesier, Clayton Trutor

CREATIVE

TA L

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S E’

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BEST TA L

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L A H A SSE

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NorthFloridaPeds.com (850) 877-1162 3606 Maclay Boulevard, Ste. 102

Target Print & Mail & SIGNS! Yep, we can do that.

VICE PRESIDENT / PRODUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY Daniel Vitter CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jennifer Ekrut ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Lindsey Masterson SENIOR PUBLICATION DESIGNERS Sarah Burger, Shruti Shah PUBLICATION DESIGNER Jordan Harrison GRAPHIC DESIGNER Sierra Thomas CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Stan Badz, Betsy Barfield, Dave Barfield, Lydia Bell, Alexis Gayda, Shems Hamilton, Scott Holstein, Haley Jacobs, Renee Johnson, Dave Kozlowski, Lance Bryant Photography, Rebecca Lutz, Lindsey Masterson, Kay Meyer, Nancy O’Brien, Alicia Osborne, Jennifer Powell, Saige Roberts, Courtney Wahl, Tim Wheeler, The Workmans, Hal Yeager

SALES, MARKETING AND EVENTS SALES MANAGER, WESTERN DIVISION Rhonda Lynn Murray SALES MANAGER, EASTERN DIVISION Lori Magee Yeaton DIRECTOR OF NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, EASTERN DIVISION Daniel Parisi DIRECTOR OF NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, WESTERN DIVISION Dan Parker ADVERTISING SERVICES SPECIALIST Tracy Mulligan ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Julie Dorr, Darla Harrison DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Zandra Wolfgram SALES AND MARKETING WRITER Rebecca Padgett SENIOR INTEGRATED MARKETING SPECIALIST Javis Ogden ADMINISTRATIVE & CUSTOMER SERVICE SPECIALIST Renee Johnson

OPERATIONS CUSTOM PUBLISHING MANAGER Sara Goldfarb CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE/AD SERVICE COORDINATOR Sarah Coven PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION SPECIALIST Melinda Lanigan STAFF BOOKKEEPER Amber Dennard

TALLAHASSEE MAGAZINE tallahasseemagazine.com facebook.com/tallahasseemag twitter.com/tallahasseemag instagram.com/tallahasseemag pinterest.com/tallahasseemag youtube.com/user/tallahasseemag ROWLAND PUBLISHING rowlandpublishing.com

EDITORIAL OFFICE 1932 Miccosukee Road, Tallahassee, FL 32308. (850) 878-0554 SUBSCRIPTIONS One year (6 issues) is $30. Call (850) 878-0554 or go online to tallahasseemagazine.com.

Single copies are $3.95. Purchase at Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, Midtown Reader and at our Miccosukee Road office.

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CUSTOMER SERVICE & SUBMISSIONS Tallahassee 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. Tallahassee Magazine reserves the right to publish any letters to the editor.

Copyright January 2022 Tallahassee Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

Partners of Visit Tallahassee and Member, Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce.

12 January-February 2022

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from the publisher

AT THE BOAT SHOW, A SINKING FEELING Perhaps I could learn to carry my cellphone in an outsized man purse. Even I would have a hard time losing track of a phone in a canvas tote.

Over many years, I had misplaced the Apple I carry in my pocket many times — only to find it right where I’d left it. I had been fortunate that way.

In total, I had probably spent a total of three days searching cars, my office and home for my iPhone, an experience that always raised my already elevated anxiety and frustration levels.

To combat all of that, I downloaded the Find My iPhone app, and as soon as I did, I stopped misplacing my phone, probably because I didn’t trust myself to figure out the app.

Finally, my luck ran out.

In late October, I attended the fiveday Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show on behalf of our client, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation. I was wowed by the size of the event, which overtook four venues and attracted thousands of vendors representing everything from the latest hose nozzle — I bought one, and it is the bomb — to 250-foot Italian mega-yachts with price tags exceeding $100 million.

Along with my associate publisher, McKenzie Burleigh, I was at the show to engage companies willing to support Dr. Harvey’s efforts to place marine science curriculum in schools throughout Florida, throughout the United States and throughout the world. That curriculum has been designed to instill in students a conservation ethic such that they will be motivated to protect and preserve the world’s oceans. I almost wore out a pair of Sperry Topsiders working the show and talking up the marine curriculum initiative to dozens of companies, including Boston Whaler, Caterpillar,

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Honda and Viking yachts. I look forward to bringing those companies and dozens more Fortune 500 companies aboard the Guy Harvey ship.

One night, I was part of a group that traveled by Uber to a restaurant for dinner. The following morning, I realized that my phone and I had become separated. I walked back to the restaurant and searched the booth where we had eaten, hoping to locate my phone in the cushions, but I didn’t find so much as a quarter. I had no way to get up with the Uber driver.

I tried to log in to my Apple account, but I did not have my little black book of passwords with me. I thought I knew my password, and I know I came close, but I guessed wrong several times until I was notified that I was exhausting my allotted tries.

McKenzie managed to find a way to get Apple to send to her phone a code that I could use to unlock the account and reset my password. The code, however, would not be sent for 24 hours, an eternity’s worth of cellphone separation anxiety. Patience was not an option.

Satisfied that I had the password right this time, I tried again, and again I whiffed. Apple put a padlock on the close account gate. Now, it would be three weeks before we could get a code number to unlock the account. I might rather have been kneecapped.

I very quickly received a new iPhone as a replacement for my lost — and insured — phone, but I won’t be able to activate it until my three-week sentence elapses and my never to be forgotten again Apple ID is reset.

For two weeks now, I have been limping along with a burner phone, a Tinker Toy capable only of sending and receiving calls. I may as well be off

the grid. When finally I get my new iPhone activated, it’s going to feel like a return from the Himalayas … or the 19th century.

I have learned a difficult lesson the hard way. Strive never to forget your Apple ID password, but if you do, relax and observe the right protocols to get your account reset.

I have often thought about what I’d get for a tattoo if ever I got one. Now, I have an idea.

Take care,

BRIAN ROWLAND PUBLISHER browland@rowlandpublishing.com

P.S. I will be returning missed calls in the order they were received.

PHOTO BY SCOTT HOLSTEIN / ROWLAND PUBLISHING FILE PHOTO

For want of a password, the publisher was fraught

For more than forty years, the BMW 5 Series stood for uncompromising performance and dynamic driving. Now it takes its place as one of the most interactive and innovative vehicles in the BMW lineup. Gorgeous design and luxurious comfort make the 5 Series more than a statement piece – it’s a work of art. Special lease and finance offers available by Capital BMW through BMW Financial Services.

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from the editor

A FABULOUS FIVE

Rosanne Dunkelberger, I concluded at a glance, was no-nonsense.

As if to leave no doubt that way, she gave me my brief introduction to the Editorial Department at Rowland Publishing’s Tallahassee offices now almost seven years ago. That is, she showed me the restroom, demonstrated the locking mechanism on its pocket door and admonished me against leaving the seat up.

Her dress was colorful, and she was fiery. She wore a necklace so chunky that it could have been used to subdue a large dog or a small shark. She reminded me of a hard-drinking Irish sports editor I worked with for years — and I say that intending only flattery.

I could tell I was going to like her as surely as I knew that winning her over wasn’t going to be easy. She was kind enough to reserve judgment and give herself time to arrive at an informed opinion, but for starters, she knew about her new boss only that I was a newspaper editor turned bank marketer from — Lawd! — Panama City Beach.

I caught her checking to see if I was wearing shoes.

Rosie in some regards was the best writer Rowland Publishing ever had, a marvelous storyteller who captured people and events and scenes with brevity and wit. Her stories carried readers along; all were curious to discover what rhetorical flourish the next paragraph might contain.

She was never complacent about content, never willing to settle for doing it this year like we did it last. Content for her was like produce; it had to be crisp and fresh.

Rosie is among several fine lady journalists of my generation with whom I have worked at Rowland Publishing, all of them great and valued colleagues

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who have served me as motivators and as partners in frank and honest conversation. They are truth-tellers.

Any aspiring or working journalist would do well to get to know just one of them. I recognize them here in the spirit in which Rowland Publishing honors difference-making women from throughout Northwest Florida with its Pinnacle Awards.

I succeeded Linda Kleindienst at Rowland Publishing as what was then called the director of editorial services.

She had served as my editor for years in which I made freelance contributions to 850 Business Magazine.

Linda might have and surely would have taken me about town to meet people of note. But there was an easier way to accomplish that end. Instead, we camped out on the patio at Andrew’s at Adams and Jefferson streets and the prominent and the proud and the pompous all came to us. They both knew and respected Linda.

Linda once passed by Rosanne a passage I wrote in an article for a tourist publication for which Rowland Publishing furnished content. I had been called upon to describe the types of folks who frequent spots along Panama City Beach, including St. Andrews State Park. My depiction of winter visitors noted their manner of dress, their binoculars and their speech and may have included a reference to “beaches the color of snowbirds.”

Rosanne blessed it, but the passage never made it to the press.

For years, Marina Brown, a woman who insists upon calling me Stephen; Audrey Post, who these days is doing communication work for the FSU College of Medicine; and Rochelle Koff, an accomplished business writer with a flair for writing about food and

chefs, have made up the core of the freelancing corps at Tallahassee Magazine.

Marina once accepted a call from me and seemed nearly out of breath. She explained that I had caught her riding a stationary recumbent exercise bicycle in high heels. The heels, Marina explained, made the angle just right.

She is formal in aspect, but as a former nurse, is also unflappable.

Audrey, a master gardener known to many as Ms. Grow-It-All, did me the favor of introducing me to restaurateur Matt Thompson, who chairs the Integrated Communication Department at Flagler College in Tallahassee. As a result, I taught at Flagler for three years. I once joined a work party at Audrey’s house that de-jungled her front yard. We were rewarded with a truly memorable lunch of ingredients that Audrey had coaxed from the ground.

Rochelle has demonstrated to me many times that patience and kindness and genuineness on the one hand and journalistic pursuits on the other need not be mutually exclusive. Her respectful approach to her subjects is admirable and, I dare say, disarming.

Rosanne, Linda, Marina, Audrey and Rochelle, I am in your debt. Thank you.

Best,

STEVE BORNHOFT, EXECUTIVE EDITOR sbornhoft@rowlandpublishing.com

PHOTO BY SAIGE ROBERTS / ROWLAND PUBLISHING FILE PHOTO

To these Tallahassee ladies, I owe much

well-connected. highly effective.

We at Hill, Spooner and Elliott know that buying and selling a home is much more than just numbers. Rather, we understand that listening to you about your needs and desires is the most effective way of finding you that special place where you and your family can live.

Our agents have over 50 years of combined real estate experience. With our personal approach, we have continued to be leaders and partners in the Tallahassee real estate community for over 15 years. Thank you for keeping Hill, Spooner and Elliott Tallahassee’s top-producing boutique real estate brokerage.

EMERALD COAST

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FORGOTTEN COAST

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PROMOTION

TALLAHASSEEMAGAZINE.COM GIVEAWAY

South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival Wine or beer? Why not both! We are giving away two tickets to the South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival’s Craft Beer & Spirits Jam (April 22) and the Grand Tasting (April 24) at Grand Boulevard in Miramar Beach.

COMBATING CHILDHOOD HUNGER

Tally Top Pet We’re getting down to the nitty gritty.

Two rounds of voting in January and February will determine the two finalists for the title of Tally Top Pet. Be sure to cast your ballot for the pet that pulls the hardest at your heartstrings. Visit TallahasseeMagazine.com/tally-toppet to participate in the voting as our annual contest nears its climax.

18 January-February 2022

Ia pic of what TALLY! The season of love is nearly here. Post you love most about Tallahassee and tell us why,

include #ihearttally, tag us at @Tallahasseemag and you may be included in an upcoming issue.

@tallahasseemag Tallahassee Magazine @TallahasseeMag

For the Best of Tallahassee 2021, event viewers were able to join in the festivities from the comfort of their homes and at watch party locations throughout the city as the hour-long show hosted by LIVE! In Tallahassee aired in primetime on Fox 49. Tallahassee Magazine surprised winners at eight locations and announced winners and honorable mentions from more than 100 categories. Relive the excitement by reading the full recap and watching the special broadcast here TallahasseeMagazine.com/the-best-yet.

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TA L

SSEE MAGAZ HA IN LA

2021

S E’

THE BEST YET

In response to an acute community need, the Junior League of Tallahassee launched its Mighty Meals initiative. The one-of-akind program assists in the fight against childhood hunger and food insecurity. Learn more about how this Best of Tallahassee awardwinning nonprofit is reaching out to some of the most vulnerable people in our community at TallahasseeMagazine.com/ life-and-style.

BEST TA L

of

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PHOTOS BY DAVE BARFIELD (TALLY TOP PET) AND COURTESY OF SOUTH WALTON BEACHES WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL (GIVEAWAY) AND JUNIOR LEAGUE OF TALLAHASSEE (MIGHTY MEALS)

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JAN/FEB 2022

PROFILING THE PURSUITS, PASSIONS AND PERSONALITIES AMONG US

THE

OUTDOORS

PEDAL TO THE METTLE

↓

Bicycling helps enthusiasts push through tough times

by EMMA WITMER

CHAMPIONS photography by DAVE BARFIELD

The Class of 2021

|| PERSONALITY

A Gadsden Globetrotter

|| GOOD ADVICE

A Surviving Mom’s Crusade

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THE

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↑ Bicycling enthusiasts Josh McLawhorn and Gaby Rodeiro travel Miccosukee Road atop their road bikes.

McLawhorn’s is a Felt F2. Rodeiro’s is a Specialized Amira. When he takes to the trails, McLawhorn prefers a Surley Karate Monkey or an Intense Primer; Rodeiro likes an Ibis DV9.

W

ith dozens of trails, thousands of riders and multiple clubs devoted to the sport, Tallahassee is home to a thriving cycling community whose members find the activity makes for healthy bodies and minds.

And, there’s this: Tallahassee’s most devout pedal heads say it’s just plain fun.

Groups including Capital City Cyclists and the Tallahassee Mountain Bike Association host numerous free and open weekly rides for people of all ages and experience levels.

As the president of CCC, Jim Mann knows why cycling inspires devotion. He is one of two octogenarians who takes part in the club’s weekly “Riding Not Working” gatherings. A peloton of retirees, including Mann, complete 36-mile rides as a way to stay social and active.

Mann has been a cornerstone of the Tallahassee cycling community since 1986 when he joined CCC. He leads or organizes numerous meets, including October’s Spaghetti 100, which attracts about 300 riders and features five on-road and offroad courses.

Since his retirement in 2004, Mann has biked from San Diego, California, to St. Augustine;

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Josh McLawhorn is comfortable as a rider on both paved roads and technical trails. Twice he has bicycled across the continental United States on fundraising rides for a nonprofit, “Bike and Build.”

photography by DAVE BARFIELD

For many, drive to ride intensifies mile by mile While the term “runner’s high” is familiar, the intoxicating bicyclist’s high also releases helpful chemicals with an added element: speed.

JIM MANN

PRESIDENT OF CCC “I don’t get tired of it. If I’m off my bike for a week or two because of weather or minor illness, I get pretty antsy to get back on. Frankly, as far as trying to stay on the right side of the grass, cycling has done a lot for me.”

JOHN TAN

QUALITY ASSURANCE ANALYST

PHOTOS BY LINDSEY MASTERSON

“Over time, I picked up the desire to ride all of these different trails that we have in town. That’s how it started for me, and I think that’s how it starts for a lot of people. Once they’ve had a chance to ride the trails, they’re hooked.”

MELVIN JONES

A SOLUTION CONSULTANT “I know I’m training my mentality as well. I depend on the physical training to help me push through difficult situations at work or in relationships. It really comes full cycle for me.”

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→ Josh McLawhorn gets airborne upon departing a wooden drop that is part of the “Gun Range,” a section of the trail at Tom Brown Park. In the lower photo, he navigates a structure known as “Wally World.”

Key West to Bar Harbor, Maine; and Astoria, Oregon, to Yorktown, Virginia.

“I don’t get tired of it,” Mann said. “If I’m off my bike for a week or two because of weather or minor illness, I get pretty antsy to get back on. Frankly, as far as trying to stay on the right side of the grass, cycling has done a lot for me.”

It’s true, cycling has been proven to keep your ticker ticking. A 2017 study published in The BMJ, a peerreviewed medical trade journal, concluded that cycling significantly reduces the risk of developing or succumbing to cardiovascular disease. The study also suggested that regular cycling could reduce the risk of cancer. And, a 2019 study from the Public Library of Science found a clear correlation between cycling and improved cognitive function in older adults.

Tallahassee is home to mountain bikers, road cyclists, triathlon trainers and those who simply use their bikes to run errands.

John Tan was in the latter category until about 10 years ago. A quality assurance analyst for Brandt Information Services, he decided he wanted to improve his health, so he grabbed his old bike and a few friends and started checking out the trails.

“Over time, I picked up the desire to ride all of these different trails that we have in town,” Tan said.

“That’s how it started for me, and I think that’s how it starts for a lot of people. Once they’ve had a chance to ride the trails, they’re hooked.”

The St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail, J.R. Alford Greenway

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photography by DAVE BARFIELD

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Gaby Rodeiro and Josh McLawhorn join in a ride along Tallahassee’s Miccosukee Road.

Rodeiro says she loves the variety of bike trails and multiuse trails in Tallahassee — and hopes to see more.

and Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park mountain biking trails are some of his favorites.

While Tan enjoys cycling alone, he also sees it as a great way to meet and connect with friends. Tan goes out with a small group at least once a week, when the weather permits, and has also connected with other cyclists through social media fitness apps such as Strava.

Melvin Jones, a solution consultant with SeeUnity and self-styled “data geek,” first got interested in cycling some six or seven years ago through co-workers. At the time,

a trip up the office stairs left him out of breath. Something had to change.

“I would always try to work out at the gym,” Jones said. “I would go for a month or two, but it would end up boring me.

With cycling, I didn’t feel like I was exercising even though I was getting my butt kicked out there.”

What started as a quick three-mile ride around the neighborhood on a used bike quickly evolved into an obsession, with Jones hitting the roads and trails around Tallahassee several days per week, often riding 30 or 40 miles at a time.

Jones likes to mix things up, too.

Sometimes he powers through obstacles to challenge endurance, balance and speed.

Other times, he goes out to explore or simply unwind. During the rainy season, he uses his off-road bike to find forest trails and pick chanterelle mushrooms. When work is challenging, he spends his lunch break pedaling through mental blocks.

“I know I’m training my mentality as well,” Jones said. “I depend on the physical training to help me push through difficult situations at work or in relationships. It really comes full cycle for me.” TM

RULES OF THE ROAD

A state law adopted this year was drafted to benefit cyclists and pedestrians. It provides that no-passing zones (double yellow centerlines) do not apply to motorists who safely and briefly drive to the left of center of the roadway to overtake a bicycle. The law requires a vehicle making a right turn while overtaking and/or passing a cyclist to do so only if the cyclist is at least 20 feet from the intersection and at a distance that the driver of the vehicle may safely turn. And, it authorized cyclists riding in groups, after coming to a full stop, to go through an intersection in groups of 10 or fewer. Motorists are now required to let one such group pass before proceeding. The law also requires that more questions dealing with cyclists and pedestrians be asked on driver exams.

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January–February 2022

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Visit TMH.ORG/PrimaryCare or scan the QR code to find the right doctor for you.

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CHAMPIONS

THE CLASS OF 2021

BETH CORUM

Tallahassee well represented among Pinnacle Award winners

by STEVE BORNHOFT

Rowland Publishing’s Pinnacle Awards program has celebrated scores of women of influence and distinction in the years since it was established in 2014. Honorees unfailingly have excelled both professionally and as women unselfishly committed to community betterment. They are givers, not takers; optimists, not defeatists; visionary, not complacent.

The Pinnacle Awards Class of 2021 includes eight Tallahasseearea women, the value of whose contributions is beyond measure.

They are profiled here.

Beth Corum

A groomer of talent, she’s a steward of her company’s culture Banking, among all of the career options that may have been available to Beth Corum upon her graduation from Florida State with a master’s degree in communication, may have been the last one she would have chosen.

“It wasn’t on my radar,” she said. But Corum was hungry for work. “I needed to gain my footing and get in somewhere,” she said.

She became aware of an opportunity at the Florida Bankers Association, applied and got the job. She would work for the

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association for 14 years and then move to Capital City Bank where today she is the chief operating officer.

At FBA, Corum visited with banks around the state, became familiar with issues affecting the banking industry and gained an appreciation for the role of community banks.

“The core mission of the banking industry is to help build communities and to help people, and I kinda fell in love with it,” Corum said.

She likes Capital City Bank, she said, because it is not so large that she doesn’t get to know its clients.

She interacts closely with both external and internal customers.

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“A lot of what I do is work with our associates,” Corum said. “While I may not know all 800 or so by name, I know many of them. I really enjoy working with our folks who are working with our clients on a daily basis.”

Florida Trend and the ABA have recognized Capital City as a “best place to work.” Corum has helped bring about those designations.

“I may lead those efforts, but it’s a team effort,” Corum said. “I like to believe we always put the associate first no matter the circumstances. Hurricanes, the pandemic, individual life crises — we have been right there to help our associates with whatever is put in front of them. photography by THE WORKMANS

I also like to think that we are providing associates with opportunities to develop professionally with our tuition assistance program, conferences and seminars and mentor/mentee programs managed within the company. We look for ways to help people to move up in the organization.”

Corum has extended her passion for people and talent for leadership to community organizations including the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, where she is the immediate past chair, and the United Way of the Big Bend, where she chaired its community fundraising campaign in 2015. Recently, she joined the Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare board of directors.

Too, she has a personal board of directors, people she turns to for advice or as sounding boards: her father, Bill Harding, a retired engineer; Capital City CEO Bill Smith; Tallahassee Community College president Jim Murdaugh; Tallahassee Chamber president/CEO Sue Dick; TMH president/CEO Mark O’Bryant; and Sachs Media founder and CEO Ron Sachs.

The work/life/community balance is something that Corum works continuously to manage. Her daughter, Stella, like all children, is growing up fast.

“I blinked once, and she was in the 5th grade,” she said. “If I blink again, I’ll be having people over to celebrate her high school graduation.”

woman in the country to become a president of a retail association. She said “yes” to becoming FSU Faculty Senate president.

“When my daughter was born in 1992, I only had 10 days of sick leave,” Fiorito recalled. “People said she was going to know her caregiver as her mother, not me. I said, ‘No, she is going to have an additional person to love.’ My children respect women who work. I advise young women to follow their passion. Don’t let anyone limit you.”

Under Fiorito’s direction, the Jim Moran School has grown rapidly. It was begun in the fall of 2017 with seven faculty members, 70 students and two tracks of study: merchandising and product development. It

now boasts 30 faculty members, 700 undergraduate students and 65 graduate students.

It offers four master’s degree programs and is working to add a fifth in creative arts and entrepreneurship.

Fiorito graduated from FSU with a bachelor’s degree in 1973 and then taught home economics at Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School for three years before marrying and moving to Atlanta. The football team at the school once presented her with a trophy in appreciation for the time she spent mending practice uniforms.

Her husband owned clothing stores and a wholesale leather company that made tooled belts and visors. Fiorito gained

SUSAN S. FIORITO

Susan S. Fiorito

Given a chance to start a college, she figured it out Florida State University was in the process of trying to find a dean for the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship that it would soon be launching.

“They offered it to two men, and they both turned it down,” Susan S. Fiorito said.

“They said it was too big of a job for them, that they didn’t know how to start a college from scratch. When the job was offered to me, I told the provost I didn’t know either, but I would figure it out.”

Dean Fiorito, once a high school home economics teacher, has a history of saying “yes” to opportunities. She was the first TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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323 experience in retailing and small business. She taught high school by day and worked in the stores at night, performing tasks that included sewing wallets and designing vests. If that weren’t enough, she also compiled credits toward a master’s degree.

After Fiorito and her husband divorced, she returned to Miami and taught at Florida International University for two years before departing for Oklahoma State where she earned a doctorate; her dissertation was on the financial performance of small businesses.

At OSU, she met a man she has now been married to for 39 years. He had accepted a job at the University of Iowa, and she joined him there, teaching in Iowa City for eight years.

When Fiorito lost her job in Iowa due to the closure of her department, she moved to Tallahassee and FSU, her professional home for the past 30 years. For 23 years, she taught classes in the retail program.

In Tallahassee, Fiorito is excited to be part of a growing entrepreneurial ecosystem.

“We are not Austin, Texas, yet, or the Silicon Valley or North Carolina’s Research Triangle,” Fiorito said. “Yet. We’re getting some traction. And the potential is huge.”

As a musical evangelist, Floyd travels the world. In Tallahassee, she trains students who will occupy chairs in the finest orchestras in the land.

Floyd began playing the violin at age 8 as a participant in the strings program offered by the Palm Beach County public school system. An early mentor and teacher was Leander Kirksey, who was the band director at FAMU from 1930–1945 before becoming a high school band director in West Palm Beach. As a girl, Floyd attended music camps at the University of Kansas. As a collegian, she studied music and psychology at FSU. “Only 3.5% of players in symphonies in the United States are black,” Floyd said.

“Only three blacks have faculty positions at conservatories nationwide.”

Floyd is doing her best to change those numbers. Her students are predominantly black.

At Javacya, she works with children beginning at age 3. At 11, they begin traveling to summer music camps at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan, in London and elsewhere.

“We are an independent institute of advanced learning that teaches students all that they need to know to go to a conservatory,” Floyd said. She employs curriculum supplied by the Royal Conservatory of Music in Canada, where she is recognized as a founding member. She has

PATRICE FLOYD

Patrice Floyd

A minister of music, she brings joy to the world Martin Luther King Jr. once characterized 11 a.m. on Sundays as “the most segregated hour in Christian America.”

But, said Patrice Floyd, Friday nights at 6:30, when the Javacya Elite Chamber Orchestra performs at St. Peter’s Anglican Cathedral in Tallahassee, may be among the most integrated and diverse.

Church members are joined on those occasions by people from around the state with connections to the Javacya Arts Conservatory, founded by Floyd 41 years ago. The Javacya Elite Chamber Orchestra, based at the church, comprises both professional players and Floyd’s most advanced students and plays music by black composers.

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photography by THE WORKMANS

established satellite schools in Orlando; Fitzgerald and Thomasville, Georgia; and North Augusta, South Carolina.

Floyd became interested in St. Peter’s Anglican Cathedral when her physician, Dr. Stephen Haley, told her about plans for its construction. The church, she said, gives her students a chance to “experience what it’s like to play in a great hall.”

Javacya students’ talents are not confined to music.

“Most of our students who do not go into music become doctors or engineers,” said Floyd, noting that medical schools have begun to make music part of their curricula.

“Einstein said he got the most joy in life out of music.”

Floyd has established the Robotics Youth Orchestra at FAMU, so called because it is part of the robotics program in the developmental research school. But the music, she made clear, is played by humans, not robots.

“Even the king’s heart is like water,” said Floyd, an ordained minister. “The Lord turns it where he wants it to go. We are an example of what the world could be.”

JULIE MONTANARO

Julie Montanaro Her approach to news is anchored by a big heart

When Julie Montanaro graduated from Syracuse University’s highly regarded broadcast journalism program, she resolved to start her career in a place less arctic.

With no destination known, she pointed her Honda south intent upon exploring the Southeast. A native of the Washington, D.C., area, she would find work in what was, for her, a strange land as the Thomasville, Georgia, bureau reporter for WCTV in Tallahassee.

Soon, she would require a car equipped with air conditioning.

When she first arrived in Thomasville in 1989, she was dragging a U-Haul behind her Honda and stopped for gas. Across the street, a farmer’s market was underway. She had never seen anything like it.

“I watched it for a very long time,” Montanaro recalls. “It was like, ‘Where am I?’ Thomasville taught me to slow down a little bit and visit a little bit and

build relationships instead of just getting the job done. As much as a culture shock as it was for me, it was also a very valuable experience.”

Thomasville was a teacher, and back at the station, Carmen Cummings, a 6 o’clock anchor, and Anna Johnson, then the community service coordinator for WCTV, were mentors and inspirations.

“They were gritty, but they were graceful,” Montanaro said. “I saw them treat people with dignity and compassion, but I also saw them ask really tough questions and do really tough stories. They made it clear that community service was a part of what we do, and I was expected to continue in that way. We were there to tell the stories, but we were also there to serve the community.”

Over time, Montanaro would become

a daily reporter, weekend anchor, evening anchor and a main anchor, “so it’s been an ever-changing landscape and job description,” she said.

If there was a moment when Montanaro first relayed stories about people to audiences, it may have been in 8th grade when she completed an oral history project.

“I interviewed a lady in my neighborhood about her time in the USO during World War II, and after that, she wasn’t just another grandmother. I never looked at her the same way.”

Montanaro had learned that everyone has a backstory, and to discover it, sometimes all you need to do is ask.

She has never stopped feeling rewarded by the experience of “using the incredible power of television to share information,

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Montanaro is herself a humanitarian.

She has been a United Way of the Big Bend board member for several years and chaired its community campaign in 2016.

Five years ago, she launched an initiative, PBJ PLZ, in concert with the Second Harvest food bank and Leon County Schools.

“I was reporting a story at a school, and a girl ran down the hall very upset,” Montanaro said “She was late that day and had missed breakfast and hadn’t eaten since leaving school the day before.

I asked the principal how unusual that situation was, and he told me it happens every day.”

PBJ PLZ collects peanut butter and jelly during the spring for consumption by students in the summer when they don’t have access to school meals.

“The thought of a kid not having enough to eat, I’m just not OK with that,” Montanaro said. “I had to do something about that.”

SUSAN PAYNE TURNER

Susan Payne Turner She climbed ladders and now she leads others

Susan Payne Turner has consulted a book, Half Time: Moving from Success to Significance, now and again.

The book, written by Bob Buford and first published in 1995, identifies halftime as a pivotal point in life when people transition from “getting and gaining, earning and learning” to assuming control of their lives, calling their own shots and using their God-given gifts in service to others.

For Turner, the executive vice president, chief risk officer and HR director at Prime Meridian Bank, that has meant discovering the joys and satisfactions of mentorship.

Turner favors a hands-on leadership style, she said, while encouraging colleagues in the first halves of their lives to grow professionally and personally.

As a teen, Turner worked at Wakulla Bank. Her mother, Irene C. Payne,

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had worked at Lewis State Bank in Tallahassee and wanted her daughter to have the experience of working in a bank. At Lewis State Bank, Irene Payne completed tasks in a pre-digital era. No one left at day’s end until all the physical checks were filed.

Turner started at Wakulla Bank in Crawfordville as a loan operations assistant and eventually became chief financial officer. When Centennial Bank acquired Wakulla Bank, Turner managed its retail operations in a four-county area. She joined Prime Meridian Bank in 2013 as a senior vice president and chief risk officer.

Turner said Prime Meridian Bank’s company values — passion, grace, integrity, tenacity and accountability — resonate with her.

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“If you truly apply those things, it’s impactful,” she said. “At Prime Meridian, I’ve gained an appreciation for the importance of maintaining the culture and the brand. I tell people that we are the Chick-fil-A and Publix of banking. It’s all about relationships. I love people, listening to them and being helpful. Every day we build our legacies. On some days, you maybe don’t do as well as you could, but that’s where grace comes in.”

People who know her well, including members of the bank board at Prime Meridian, call Turner a true servant leader.

She was instrumental in bringing about Prime Meridian’s Crawfordville office.

As someone who beat breast cancer, Turner is “thankful every day that God blessed me to be a survivor,” she said. photography by THE WORKMANS

She has served a long list of community organizations and nonprofits, always with an eye toward having an impact and putting in motion activities and initiatives that will endure over time.

At present, she is a director and the treasurer at the Community Foundation of North Florida and a director and current chair with the Florida Bankers Association Education Foundation. She has served on boards at the United Way, the Red Cross and the Wakulla County Chamber of Commerce and the county’s Economic Development Council.

She is a past chair and director emeritus of the foundation at Tallahassee Community College, where she got to know Marjorie Turnbull, a woman whom she counts as a role model and inspiration along with her parents and grandmothers.

Turner’s mother taught school at Shadeville Elementary in Wakulla County.

Her father, Bill Payne, was once the county’s superintendent of schools.

“My parents had and still have a very strong work ethic,” Turner said. “They raised me to work half a day — 12 hours.”

Turner grew up and still resides in Crawfordville. Her husband, Chuck Turner, is the deputy property appraiser at the Wakulla County Property Appraiser’s Office.

Turner coaches bank employees to “fail fast and move on.” And she keeps near the top of her mind a truth that her father impressed upon her: Things just don’t happen; they are made to happen.

Let it be said about Susan Payne Turner that she makes things happen.

seminar on cyborg theory and practice at FSU this fall in addition to a graduate poetry workshop. “It is part of my body. I vacuum seal into my leg so the distinction between where Jillian ends and the leg begins is a false distinction. I can’t tell.”

Operating with a basic, hinge-style prosthesis, Weise fell about four times a year.

Cy falls no longer.

“I think about the ground and gravity 1,000 times a second,” Weise said in detailing the capacities of her manmade leg. “I now make allowances for all kinds of gradient surfaces. If I am walking on ice, I make adjustments that are imperceptible to me.

If I am going from concrete to loose gravel, I am not consciously thinking, ‘OK, be

careful.’ Part of my body is making those adjustments.”

Still, people scoff at or dismiss as a phase her decision to identify as a cyborg. In an interview, cy recalled speaking to a gathering of disabled scholars at the University of California, Berkeley.

“People there said it was a stage, that I’d grow out of it,” Weise said. “Instead, I grew right into it.”

Weise finds that people tend to view “cyborg” as a futuristic concept, the stuff of science fiction. Weise is made to feel like cy is forcing her cyborg identity.

“A disabled person is named; he never gets to be the namer,” Weise said. “That’s left to doctors and diagnosticians. For a

THE CYBORG JILLIAN WEISE

The Cyborg Jillian Weise Disabled poet defines herself and challenges power hierarchy

The Cyborg Jillian Weise, a disabled poet and professor of English at Florida State University, believes that she should be able to choose her identity.

Weise is fortunate to have two legs. One of them cy (Weise’s preferred pronoun) was born with. The other was manufactured.

“I am computer; I have a computerized leg,” said Weise, who taught a senior TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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323 disabled person to say that he is going to name himself is quite radical. It is about flipping an entire power hierarchy. But I am a poet; I am a namer.”

Weise graduated from Rutherford High School in Springfield, Florida, in Bay County. Her first experience as a writer was gained as a newsroom intern at the Panama City News Herald. Cy completed undergraduate studies at FSU before earning an MFA at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro and a doctorate at the University of Cincinnati.

Cy taught at Clemson University before joining the FSU English faculty for the 2021–22 school year.

Now, Barbara Hamby and David Kirby, once Weise’s poetry professors, are colleagues.

Weise is an ambassador for disabled people, someone who articulates and champions accessibility causes. Cy has written four books and is at work on a fifth. Cy credits her FSU professors with liberating her as a writer by encouraging her to feel free to write about herself.

For Weise, efforts to soften “disabled” undermine efforts to destigmatize the term.

“I go by disabled person, disabled poet, disabled professor, disabled scholar,” Weise said. “Some people are in favor of ‘persons with’ language, but for me that’s like person with womanhood, person with an umbrella, person with a hat. I love identity-based language.

In the same way that a person says I’m queer versus a person with queerness, I say I am disabled versus I am a person with a disability.”

Accordingly, Rowland Publishing and 850 Business Magazine chose Zabala to receive the Marjorie Turnbull Award, which is part of RPI’s Pinnacle Awards and is reserved for a young woman of extraordinary promise.

At the behest of her mother Cheryl Geiger, Zabala completed leadership training as a middle-schooler in mentor Samantha Vance’s Ladies Learning to Lead program. It took.

Zabala is a homeowner and the co-owner of a business, Tallahassee Picnic, that she operates with her sister, Makenzie Geiger. She graduated from Leon High School with 30 college credits earned via dual enrollment at Tallahassee Community College and is

now a junior majoring in communication science and disorders at Florida State.

She plans to earn a master’s degree in speech/language pathology at FSU and to work as a speech pathologist for a public school system. As to that pursuit, she has two role models, both aunts. One works for the Liberty County School District and the other is a contractor who supplies services to schools around the country.

Zabala was further motivated by the experience of a cousin who was ostracized as a school child due to his speech difficulties.

Of late, Zabala has worked as a customer service representative at TC Federal Bank in Tallahassee.

SUSAN DU 1961–20

MADISON ZABALA

Madison Zabala

Marjorie Turnbull Award winner The Marjorie Turnbull Award was made part of the Pinnacle Awards program in 2020. It is reserved for an ambitious young woman whose strivings are sure to make an important difference in her community.

Given all that she accomplished in her first 19 years, it seems a certainty that Madison Zabala’s achievements to come will be big, bold and beneficial.

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photography by THE WORKMANS

She and her sister purchased Tallahassee Picnic from the former events coordinator at The Edison restaurant. The business has performed well, exceeding Zabala’s expectations.

“We provide an elevated picnic experience,” Zabala said, one in which a rug replaces the traditional blanket and a lowrise table, shaded by a large umbrella, is set with fine china. The business supplies charcuterie and dessert boards for clients, including couples and small groups.

“My mom is my hero,” Zabala said. “She worked as a nanny, and I helped her with that and came by a desire to work with children. She taught me to serve others.”

Zabala and her husband Isham love to hike, as time permits. And Zabala is a voracious reader of fiction when her nose is not buried in a textbook.

Susan Dunlap, 1961–2021

Her heart united her with people struggling to get by

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE UNITED WAY OF THE BIG BEND (DUNLAP)

UNLAP, 021

Susan Dunlap dedicated her career to the United Way for 10 years in her birthplace of Tifton, Georgia, and for 26 at the United Way of the Big Bend in Tallahassee.

In Tallahassee, she started at the United Way in an entry-level position and earned promotions on her way to becoming vice president of community impact. In that role, she worked with UW-funded agencies and with initiatives, including Reading Pals, Math Pals and a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program.

She worked, too, with Women United, an affinity group within the United Way of the Big Bend that is made up of prominent women in leadership roles who are passionate and committed to the work of the organization. The group has grown to become an influential team of philanthropists who give, advocate and volunteer to improve the lives of women and children throughout the Big Bend.

Dunlap, a servant leader given to great humility, deserved a place among their number.

For a time, Dunlap worked as the interim CEO of the United Way of the Big Bend but was not interested in taking on that job

SUSAN DUNLAP

1961–2021

permanently, said Berneice Cox, the agency’s CEO currently.

“She loved what she was doing,” Cox said. “She had the job she wanted. She wanted to be close to the people we worked with and served.”

Dunlap died unexpectedly at her home on March 1, 2021, at age 59. She likely would have been content to work at the United Way for another 10 years.

Dunlap was no stranger to struggle, and she related closely to people living in poverty or just a paycheck away from landing there. She was a single parent who raised two sons.

“In our eight-county footprint (Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Liberty, Leon, Madison, Taylor and Wakulla), between 49 and 54 percent of people are living in poverty or are near poverty,” Cox said. “Many are homeless or living in substandard housing. Susan was very concerned about anyone who was financially challenged, anyone who needed food or access to health care.”

In the year before she died, Dunlap saw needs grow greater and the cost of living spike due to the COVID pandemic.

“The people and agencies who connected with Susan always found her to be open, caring, patient, honest and transparent,” Cox said. “People see our helping-hands logo and stop by our office looking for assistance. Invariably, regardless of what their need was, Susan would connect them with one of our funding program partners so they could pay for utilities or food. And she never failed to follow up with them by phone.”

As the vice president of community impact, Dunlap oversaw the funding allocation process at UWBB, a key responsibility.

“Susan’s years of institutional knowledge have been hard to try to replace,” Cox said.

“I loved her as a person and depended upon her input and advice. I was on the board for six years before I was made CEO, and she shaped how I became involved. The members of her staff, they all loved her.” TM

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323 PERSONALITY

A GADSDEN GLOBETROTTER

Quincy’s Billy Ray Hobley saw the world as an athlete and entertainer

by CLAYTON TRUTOR

I

n the 95-year history of the Harlem Globetrotters, just 33 members of the organization have been named “Legends,” a designation created by the organization in 1993. It honors retired Globetrotters for the unique contributions they made to the team, both on and off the court. One of the honorees is Quincy native Billy Ray Hobley, who spent 22 years with the world’s winningest and most beloved basketball team (1977-1998). Few Globetrotters became such icons and inspirations to the fans, particularly younger ones, as did Billy Ray Hobley.

Nicknamed “Supertrotter” for his extraordinary athleticism and ball-handling ability, the 6-foot, 8-inch forward possessed the basketball skills and showmanship that have made the Globetrotters one of the world’s premier athletic attractions for decades. The late, great Billy Ray Hobley was just as much a “Supertrotter” off the court as well, exemplifying the team’s mission of mentorship for young people.

“Billy Ray could light up any room in the world,” fellow Globetrotters Legend “Sweet Lou” Dunbar told ESPN at the time of Hobley’s unexpected passing in 2002. “The nickname ‘Supertrotter’ fit him perfectly.”

Hobley was raised in modest circumstances in Quincy in Gadsden County. His mother, Lucy, raised 14 children on her own after the death of Billy Ray’s father, David. The family grew much of their own food and cut their own firewood. Lucy maintained order in the household by making firm rules and having inflexible expectations for her children’s behavior. She made sure that her kids took school seriously. Her children were not allowed to go to bed until they finished their homework.

Hobley took up basketball at age 5, playing with his older siblings. He excelled in athletics, as he did in the classroom, from an early age. Hobley first came to the attention of Tallahassee-area basketball fans in the early 1970s at Quincy’s James A. Shanks

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Harlem Globetrotter Billy Ray Hobley, a native of Quincy, launches a jump shot during an exhibition game played in Birmingham, Alabama. Hobley earned the nickname “Supertrotter.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY. DONATED BY ALABAMA MEDIA GROUP. PHOTO BY HAL YEAGER, BIRMINGHAM NEWS. (LEFT) AND DILLARD UNIVERSITY (RIGHT)

↑ Dillard University in New Orleans honored Billy Ray Hobley as an outstanding alumnus in the late 1970s. Left to right: athletic director Robert Green; Hobley; Dillard University president Dr. Samuel DuBois Cook; and basketball coach John O. Brown.

High School. Playing for the legendary Ron Miles, Hobley helped transform the Tigers of Shanks High, then a newly formed school, into a Big Bend basketball power.

In addition to his prowess on the basketball court, Hobley excelled as a gymnast and a saxophone player in the school band.

“High school was tough for me,” Hobley often told the crowds of young people that gathered to hear him speak. He persevered through peer pressure, avoiding drugs and delinquency as he pursued his athletic and academic goals.

Hobley earned significant attention from college scouts. He accepted a scholarship offer from Dillard University, a historically black college in New Orleans.

He became one of the leading scorers in Dillard Bleu Devils history, pouring in nearly 1,500 career points while averaging nearly 15 points per game. And, he continued to excel in the classroom, earning a degree in health and physical education.

Following his college career, Hobley earned a tryout with the Harlem Globetrotters, who signed the 22-yearold acrobatic, ball-handling wizard. He joined a team that included the likes of Meadowlark Lemon, Hallie Bryant and Curly Neal, figures who were already internationally known from the team’s

appearances on network television and in Saturday morning cartoons. Hobley fit right in with the group, not only because of his basketball prowess but also because of his outgoing personality.

“Billy was such a personable guy. He was friends with everybody,” Bill Campion recalled. From 1978 to 1986, Campion was a member of the Washington Generals, the Globetrotters’ traveling rivals. Like Hobley, Campion had been an elite college player.

Hobley and Campion broke into the world of Globetrotters basketball within a year of each other and soon became good friends.

“When you first get there, they try to feel you out to see what kind of player you are. It’s kind of tough to gain their respect,” Campion said. Hobley was one of the first Globetrotters players to recognize Campion’s skills. “I got along with Billy really well. He always used to compliment me on the way I played,” Campion said. The respect was certainly mutual.

Hobley was known for his precise dribbling skills — especially for his ability to spin the ball on a fingertip and maneuver it around his body. He could shift the spinning ball from his finger to that of a bystander, even a small child’s.

Hobley played in small-town gyms and big-city arenas around the United States during the fall and winter. In the spring, the Globetrotters toured the world, taking Hobley to places as diverse as South Africa, Saudi Arabia and the Soviet Union.

The Globetrotters’ brand of showmanship and family-friendly entertainment proved easily translatable to any culture.

Hobley exemplified the Globetrotters’ commitment to community, going to tremendous trouble during his free time to be a good citizen and role model, both near and far from home.

In addition to his charity work during the Globetrotters’ season, Hobley worked extensively with youth during the team’s summer offseason. He developed special relationships with charities in Quincy and the Tallahassee-area as well as the TampaSt. Petersburg region.

In March 1989, Quincy honored Hobley’s contributions to the community at a special gathering.

“Wherever I go, whenever anybody asks me where I’m from, I’m proud to say I’m from Quincy,” Hobley told a crowd gathered on the Gadsden County Courthouse steps. That night, he and the Globetrotters played before a full house at the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center. In 1992, he created an annual sports academy in Quincy sponsored by the A.S.K. Billy Ray Hobley Foundation, which featured a week’s work of basketball clinics, anti-drug and mentoring talks and a special appearance by the Harlem Globetrotter himself.

Following his retirement from the Globetrotters, Hobley returned to Dillard University, serving first as an assistant basketball coach and later as interim head coach. His run as Dillard Bleu Devil basketball coach culminated in a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference championship in 2000.

The following season, Hobley left coaching to focus on his charity work for children through his foundation.

Sadly, Hobley’s move to full-time work in children’s mentorship proved shortlived. On July 31, 2002, he died unexpectedly, suffering a heart attack in Phoenix while playing tennis.

“I was shocked when I found out that he’d passed away, a guy who was in the physical shape that he was,” Campion

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PLAN AHEAD

PHOTO COURTESY OF DILLARD UNIVERSITY

↑ Following his graduation from Shanks High School in Quincy, Billy Ray Hobley accepted a scholarship to play basketball at Dillard University in New Orleans. He scored nearly 1,500 points as a collegian, and his number was retired by the school.

recalled. Hobley, a devoted husband and father, was just 47 years old.

Posthumous honors for Hobley have been numerous. Dillard University retired his number and created a scholarship fund in his name, which supports numerous students annually at the New Orleans college. Since 2009, an annual Billy Ray Hobley Scholarship Gala has raised funds to support the scholarship program.

On Feb. 13, 2011, the Harlem Globetrotters immortalized Hobley in their ring of “Legends.” The ceremony honoring Hobley took place at halftime of a Globetrotters game at the New Orleans Arena. In their press release, the Globetrotters noted Hobley’s “rim-jarring dunks, blazing ball-handling and effervescent personality.” The team calculated that Hobley had traveled the world six-times over for the Globetrotters during his 22-year run with the club.

Not bad for a young man from a small town in Gadsden County. TM Clayton Trutor holds a doctorate in U.S. History from Boston College and teaches at Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont. He is the author of Loserville: How Professional Sports Remade Atlanta — and How Atlanta Remade Professional Sports (University of Nebraska Press, 2022).

He’d love to hear from you on Twitter: @ClaytonTrutor.

Six Pillars Financial Advisors is a comprehensive Financial Services Firm located in Tallahassee. We provide clients access to personal and professional services, including Financial Planning, Investment Advisory Services, Estate Planning, Insurance, and distribution options.

Located at: First Commerce Credit Union 3343 Thomasville Rd. (850) 410-3569 | www.SixPillarsFA.com Securities are offered through LPL Financial (LPL), a registered broker-dealer (member FINRA/SIPC). Insurance products are offered through LPL or its licensed affiliates. Investment advice offered through Independent Advisor Alliance, a registered investment advisor and separate entity from LPL Financial. First Commerce Credit Union and Six Pillars Financial Advisors are not registered as a broker-dealer or investment advisor. Registered representatives of LPL offer products and services using Six Pillars Financial Advisors, and may also be employees of First Commerce Credit Union. These products and services are being offered through LPL or its affiliates, which are separate entities from, and not affiliates of, First Commerce Credit Union or Six Pillars Financial Advisors. Securities and insurance offered through LPL or its affiliates are:

Not Insured by NCUA or Any Other Government Agency

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323

GOOD ADVICE

A SURVIVING MOM’S CRUSADE

Illinois woman spreads awareness of dangers of fentanyl

by ELLEN COOK HUMPHREY

W

e are reeling from the sudden death in June of my son Nick at age 22, but we are taking comfort in sharing the truth about what killed him with the hope of saving lives.

Nick died as the result of accidental fentanyl poisoning. We have asked ourselves the excruciating question, “What could we have done to prevent his death?” The answer is nothing because we didn’t know what we didn’t know.

While tempted to curl up in pain at the news, we are instead educating ourselves about fentanyl and spreading the word to save others.

We have been working closely with detectives from the Lake Forest (Illinois) Police Department. After several weeks of waiting, we’ve learned that a small box that I saw under the couch while on my knees performing CPR contained 1 ½ pills.

These pills were stamped with markings indicating they were oxycodone.

However, further analysis revealed these pills to be counterfeit and laced with the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl. We’ve also learned the Lake County Coroner’s Office discovered evidence of fentanyl in Nick’s body during their investigation into his official cause of his death.

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Fentanyl is a highly potent synthetic opioid 50 to 100 times stronger than heroin. This drug was initially developed to help manage severe pain in cancer patients. However, as a highly addictive, potent drug, fentanyl is being diverted by criminals for misuse at an alarming rate.

Across the country, villains are covertly adding fentanyl to every conceivable drug sold on the street to increase their ill-begotten profits.

Fentanyl is so powerful that adding just 2 mg (the amount of a few grains of salt) causes certain death. The situation is becoming exponentially deadly. By 2020, as many as 43,000 U.S. drug overdose deaths were specifically caused by fentanyl.

Making fentanyl is easy and dirt cheap, so there is a huge profit to be made. International drug cartels have been aware of this for years, and evidence

TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

demonstrates smuggling fentanyl is on the rise. Tragically, once in the country, fentanyl is sold to dealers who mix it into every conceivable street drug. Naive consumers buy these fake drugs from dealers, or directly online through social media channels such as Snapchat.

Worse, when any drug is spiked with fentanyl, it is never mixed in evenly.

This is called the “chocolate chip cookie effect.” For example, one edge of a counterfeit pressed pill might contain lethal amounts of fentanyl while the other side has none. Therefore, anyone buying drugs (i.e., Xanax, cocaine, ecstasy, opioids, methamphetamines, etc.), whether on the internet, from a friend or from a dealer, must assume they are playing a dangerous game of Russian roulette.

Drug pushers risk killing people, and losing customers, by adding a lethal illustration by LINDSEY MASTERSON

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substance to the drugs they manufacture and sell because fentanyl is highly addictive and significantly increases the “euphoric high” users experience. So, if users don’t die from fentanyl poisoning, they are even more likely to come back to buy more.

We boldly ask, “How will you protect yourself and your loved ones from a similar fate?” The reality is that in our society, people of every faith, race, gender, socioeconomic class and age use drugs and alcohol for more than just recreation. Many habitual users seek to escape overwhelming feelings of depression, anxiety, shame and fear. And these mental health problems have only increased since the onset of the pandemic.

Here are three things we learned that everyone can do to protect their loved ones and the lives of others from this scourge. ➺ GET HELP If someone you know struggles with addiction, forget judgment and stigma. Instead, reach out with love and acceptance. No one can win this battle alone. So, gather a network of trusted friends, family and professionals to help you fight like hell to break the cycle. ➺ CARRY NARCAN Purchase and learn how to use Narcan, an over-the-counter medication sold at pharmacies designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdoses. It is administered as a nasal spray and comes in small canisters. One dose isn’t always enough, so keep several doses in your household and carry them with you. ➺ BUY FENTANYL TEST STRIPS Keep some in your wallet or purse. These test strips are small slips of paper that can detect the presence of fentanyl in any drug batch (e.g., pills, powder, pot, gummies and injectables). This inexpensive, easy-to-use tool could be lifesaving for the teenager experimenting for the first time, individuals in the throes of a severe opioid use disorder, the concertgoer looking for a more intense high or the person using a preferred substance obtained from a new source.

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We carry Nick’s memory with us and are grateful for the time we had with him. We humbly ask that you hold his memory dear as well and recommend you embrace these three suggestions we’ve made to keep your loved ones safe. If understanding the real cause of Nick’s death saves even one life, he will not have died in vain. TM Ellen Cook Humphrey of Lake Forest, Illinois, provided Rowland Publishing president with the appeal, above, in hopes that he would share it with readers of this magazine.

She is encouraging others across the country to do likewise.

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43

PET PRIORITIES

North Florida Animal Hospital has led the way in putting your pet first

W

e turn to our pets as sources of comfort and joy on a hard day. They provide stability and dependability in a world of uncertainty. At North Florida Animal Hospital, doctors and staff strive to mirror the most admirable qualities of pets by supplying comfort, joy, stability, reliability and much more to all of our clients — both two-legged and four-legged.

NFAH owners George Simmons, Randy Fullerton and Shane Burkhead have been together for more than 30 years and are dedicated to keeping their hospital at the forefront of quality medicine and customer service. With this culture in place, NFAH has been voted Best of Tallahassee for over 10 years.

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“Our focus, no matter the size of the hospital or the changes in the pet industry, will always be to adhere to the best practices in medicine and to supply excellent customer service that creates longterm relationships with pet parents,” said NFAH administrator Alice Malone.

Each morning, the doctors discuss hospital cases and work on a team approach for the more difficult ones. At present, the hospital has 10 highly skilled veterinarians on staff with hundreds of years of combined veterinary experience. Simmons and his team have helped guide more than 35 technicians in becoming DVMs since he purchased the practice in 1988.

CUSTOM CONTENT

Left: Check presentation, with local nonprofit partner Be The Solution Above: Dr. Randy Fullerton, Dr. Harley Fogler and Dr. Shane Burkhead

“We love that our experienced ‘old dogs’ mentor new graduates,” Malone said. “They in turn bring new techniques to a team that is always pursuing the best in medicine.”

One of the most valuable assets of the hospital is the dedication of its staff. The hospital has remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping its staff employed and extending services to longtime, new and urgent care patients.

NFAH is a full-service hospital that provides routine well care, sick and urgent care, surgical and diagnostic services, pharmacy, boarding and much more. While many veterinary practices offer these services, what sets the hospital apart is its unwavering commitment to excellence.

NFAH has been American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) certified since 2000. The rigorous certification process requires that members demonstrate every three years that they meet and provide over 900 standards of best medicine. This certification is a reflection of the doctors’ expertise and experience. NFAH is also a Gold Standard

Cat Friendly Hospital where feline visits begin in cat-only exam rooms, and cats have separate boarding facilities.

The doctors’ care and compassion extend beyond the hospital into the community. They work alongside local nonprofit Be The Solution to provide affordable spay and neuter surgeries, which in turn reduce the number of sheltered and abandoned pets. NFAH has performed more than 1,000 such surgeries each year for over 10 years and has raised more than $30,000 in partnership with Tally Top Pet to benefit Be The Solution. The hospital also collaborates with St. Francis Wildlife Center to provide veterinary services and donations and to accept wildlife drop-offs. The hospital provides services for the Tallahassee Police Department canine unit and Leon County Sheriff’s Office canines.

No matter if your pet is big or little, or furry or feathered or even scaly, the staff and doctors at NFAH strive to make sure you leave their facility with your questions answered, a care plan in place and confidence in your visit and future visits.

NORTH FLORIDA ANIMAL HOSPITAL 2701 N. MONROE ST., TALLAHASSEE | (850) 385-5141 | NORTHFLORIDAANIMALHOSPITAL.COM

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panache JAN/FEB 2022

REGARDING MATTERS OF ALL THINGS STYLISH

FASHION

THE TIMELESS TURTLENECK PHOTOS BY STOCKFOUR / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

Slow and steady wins the fashion race

by REBECCA PADGETT FRETT

WHAT’S IN STORE Retail Roundup TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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↑ Turtlenecks, both high-rise and low-rise, have been worn by prominent women for centuries. From top: Audrey Hepburn, Queen Elizabeth I of England and Gloria Steinem.

Today, turtlenecks are not necessarily having a moment — they never left.

They have simply evolved in their design, stretching to accommodate the whim of the times.

“While a black turtleneck is synonymous with boring for some and timeless classic for others, the humble turtleneck has been elevated, and natural fabrics like silk, cotton and cashmere bring wearability to us in the Southeast,” said Candice Thompson, customer service director and apparel stylist with Hearth & Soul.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT PICTURES / PHOTO 12 / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO (HEPBURN) AND WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / TARNYA COOPER, A GUIDE TO TUDOR & JACOBEAN PORTRAITS, LONDON, NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, 2008 (QUEEN ELIZABETH I) AND WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES' SPECIAL COLLECTIONS AND ARCHIVES / LIBRARIES.WRIGHT.EDU (STEINEM)

I

n the 1957 film Funny Face, Audrey Hepburn pirouettes across the screen uninhibited and effortlessly chic in a black turtleneck. Watching this film years ago, I was a young woman working her way through Hepburn’s film catalog, spellbound by the charisma, grace and impeccable fashion sense of this woman. I decided then that my next retail purchase would be an imitation of the star’s style.

It was not the most practical purchase for someone who at the time lived in Central Florida, but then and today, there’s no fashion choice I adore more on brisk days than a turtleneck. Throughout history, we have turned to the turtleneck for both fashion and function.

The turtleneck emerged on the scene as early as the Middle Ages, created as a protective measure against the heavy chainmail that chaffed against soldiers’ skin and made it easier for them to swivel their heads in battle.

In the 1600s, the design transitioned to fashion with volume and ruffles.

Queen Elizabeth I of England made them a staple in her wardrobe, and they became a high society status symbol. In the 1800s, polo players adopted them as part of their uniforms, often referred to as “polo necks.”

Turtlenecks largely disappeared until the 1940s and 1950s when all forms of sweaters were being styled. Icons and movie stars, Hepburn included, caused turtleneck sales to skyrocket.

By the 1970s, turtlenecks made both fashion and feminist statements.

Knowing the history of the clothing as battle attire and given its prominence in menswear, feminists such as Gloria Steinem wore them as a way of claiming power.

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←

Utilitarian gorpcore meets sartorial style in the latest winter collection from H&M.

Chunky knit sweatered turtlenecks styled with knee-high boots are intended to keep you warm on cold evenings. Slouchy soft cashmere and boyfriend jeans are ideal companions for a girl’s night or date night. A silk turtleneck, structured blazer and pencil skirt transition from office to a night on the town.

Another evolution of the turtleneck that buyer/managers Sarah Villella and Juli Downs point to is the bodysuit turtleneck, which they find creates the perfect streamlined tuck and a smooth look for layering. Consider wearing one under a sleeveless sweater vest or a dress.

Thompson, Villella and Downs all like turtleneck dresses, which can be styled many ways, an advantage in Florida. They work well with or without tights or a coat, with knee-high boots or ankle booties.

Men find that they can achieve a dressy casual look with turtlenecks.

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“You are seeing more turtlenecks being worn today because a welldressed man still wants to look his best even in today’s more casual lifestyle.

They take casual to another level of dressing,” said George Gavalas, owner of Nic’s Toggery.

Gavalas suggests men pair a turtleneck with a suit for dressy events or under a casual soft-shouldered sport coat worn with jeans. “Mocknecks” work well in the South, he said. Where a traditional turtleneck extends from the collarbone to the lower jaw, a mockneck reaches just below the Adam’s apple.

The Hepburn mystique is still with me. And, every so often in the winter months, I don my black turtleneck, becoming a woman who drinks espresso from tiny mugs in Parisian cafes and tap dances with Fred Astaire. TM

TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

← Turtleneck mini-dress with balloon sleeves from Show Me Your Mumu.

PHOTOS BY PEDRO MERINO HIGUERAS / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS AND COURTESY OF H&M AND SHOW ME YOUR MUMU

↑ “Mocknecks” work well in three-season climates like that of Northwest Florida.

They pair well with blazers and topcoats.

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↓ What’s In Store?

A roundup of retail happenings throughout Tallahassee

by REBECCA PADGETT FRETT

Popular artist and author Meera Lee Patel’s latest work, Create Your Own Calm: A Journal for Quieting Anxiety found at Midtown Reader, is designed to help us better understand ourselves and tamp down the everyday worries getting in our way.

These thoughtful and beautifully illustrated journal pages invite reflection, self-acceptance and the freedom to move forward with more clarity and joy.

MIDTOWN READER

➸ Hearth & Soul suggests adding self-care soul-utions to your new year’s plans. YON-KA CLEANSING GEL is a plantbased, gentle cleanser for all skin types that refreshes faces as it sweeps away makeup, pollution and impurities on the skin. And, let’s not neglect the rest of the body. Soak sore muscles and soothe dry skin with GREEN TEA MURRAY RIVER BATH SALTS. This sundried scrub featuring mineral-rich salt from Australia’s Murray River delivers an uplifting bathing experience. With trace amounts of iodine, magnesium, beta-carotene and potassium, it helps boost circulation as it gently buffs away dry patches.

Perfect for a post-workout soak as well as enhancing sleep and mood. A good night’s sleep is good for every part of our body. The BRANCHE SILK WEIGHTED EYE MASQUE can enhance REM sleep, improving the body’s regenerative processes, including boosting the production of melatonin, HGH and collagen to provide a deep skin recovery.

THE COMFORT BOOK BY MATT HAIG Matt Haig, the New York Times bestselling author of The Midnight Library, has written a book of short meditations intended to fulfill people and steer them through life’s highs and lows. Incorporating a diverse array of sources from across the world, history, science and his own experiences, Haig offers warmth and reassurance, reminding us to slow down and appreciate the beauty and unpredictability of existence. // MORE THAN A BODY: YOUR BODY IS AN INSTRUMENT, NOT AN ORNAMENT BY LEXIE KITE AND LINDSAY KITE With insights drawn from their extensive body image research, twin sisters Lindsay and Lexie Kite, founders of the nonprofit Beauty Redefined, lay out an action plan that arms you with the skills you need to reconnect with your whole self and free yourself from the constraints of self-objectification.

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PHOTOS COURTESY AMAZON.COM (THE COMFORT BOOK AND MORE THAN A BODY), MIDTOWN READER, HEARTH & SOUL AND TALLULAH CBD + JUICEBAR

Hearth & Soul

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LUISA WONDRA AND DANA WALKER

The Appeal of Allure Laser MediSpa hen we think of the seasons, we equate spring with growth, summer with fun, fall with change and winter with a sense of stagnancy. When it comes to winter and your skin, that doesn’t have to be the case. Allure Laser MediSpa suggests the winter months are some of the best to invest in your skin.

Servicing Tallahassee for a decade, Allure Laser MediSpa is staffed by nurse practitioners and a registered nurse. The atmosphere of the office is that of a spa — but with state-of-the-art medical treatments available. Services include Botox, fillers, microneedling, PRP, laser hair removal, cryotherapy, chemical peels, IV hydration therapy and more.

While it’s true that people are most cognizant of skin concerns during the summer months — whether it be burns,

freckles or wrinkles caused by the sun — winter is the time to refresh and revitalize skin.

“Winter in Tallahassee provides a break from direct sunlight, which makes it a great time to do treatments that are harder to do in the summer, such as lasers and peels,” said Luisa Wondra, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, nurse practitioner and business manager at Allure Laser MediSpa. As a result of peels and lasers removing dead or damaged layers of skin, patients must stay out of sunlight for a while after the procedure. The dry air and lack of moisture make winter a prime time for peels, which revive dehydrated skin by removing dead cells and generating new skin.

Staying adequately hydrated during dry winter months is important to every aspect of health. That’s where IV hydration can

assist. Vitamin C and zinc treatments are used for cell turnover and overall internal and external health.

“What sets us apart is we like to focus on your individual goals to come up with a treatment plan, and from there we can even establish a multi-modal approach,” said Wondra.

Whether you are seeking a skin care plan, interested in a chemical peel or want to try Botox, each patient is invited to a consult in which their concerns, health and medical history are considered.

“People come in wanting to look more youthful, healthy and glowing,” said Wondra. “We help them achieve a look that is their best natural self — wellrested, happy and vibrant. Allure is who we want patients to think of when they want to look and feel good.”

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PHOTOS BY KATIE WOODARD SMITH

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FROM THE SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE TO THE PIÉCE DE RÉSISTANCE

↗

Charles Morgan, left, a fisherman’s friend if ever there were one, and Cris Eddings, at Chuck’s Fish in Tallahassee. The partners opened the location, Morgan’s fifth, in 2020.

DINING OUT

CHUCK’S IS CATCHING ON ↓

Coastal seafood restaurant goes downtown

by ROCHELLE KOFF

EATING HEALTHY photography by ALICIA OSBORNE

Canceling Diet Culture

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gastro & gusto

C

harles Morgan III was just a boy when he started catching bream and largemouth bass in the creeks of Birmingham, Alabama. He pursued higher education, but even as an adult, Morgan was still a fisherman at heart.

“I grew up loving fishing,” said Morgan, founder of the seafood restaurant Chuck’s Fish. “I got a master’s degree in American studies in 1977, but the job market wasn’t really there. The first thing I did was get a captain’s license.”

Then, 42 years ago, Morgan launched the Destin seafood market, Harbor Docks, which started as a beer and oyster shack and a hangout for local fishermen.

“As I got older, I liked the camaraderie of fishing,” he said. “Everybody that I admired and wanted to be around in Destin was a fisherman.”

Harbor Docks grew with the area, evolving into a full-fledged restaurant as well as a seafood market. Then in 2006, Morgan opened the first Chuck’s Fish restaurant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to showcase Gulf seafood. Birmingham was next, followed by Mobile and Athens, Georgia.

Morgan opened his fifth location in downtown Tallahassee in the summer of 2020 with partner Cris Eddings, and his mother, acclaimed sushi chef Yoshi Eddings, who learned the art of making sushi at her parents’ restaurant in Tokyo.

In the U.S., aside from teaming up with

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Harbor Docks and Chuck’s Fish for more than 20 years, she catered on film sets, preparing sushi for actors such as Tom Hanks, Bill Murray, Danny Glover and Sharon Stone.

The Tallahassee Chuck’s is gaining recognition for its stellar sushi, freshcatch seafood and laid-back happy hour, with plenty of space for outdoor dining on the patio and deck.

TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

“We’re finding our way downtown,” said Morgan. “We’re not in a highly visible location, but we are downtown people. If there’s anything to stimulate downtown growth, we’ll do that.”

Chuck’s Fish, located on College Avenue, is indeed in a challenging spot that’s been a bit of a revolving door in recent years. It was home to Deck Pizza Pub, Southern Public House and Tucker photography by ALICIA OSBORNE

← At left, sushi chef Jeremy Howell. ↑ On the plate, above, a Backdown Roll: shrimp, cucumber, tempura, spicy sauce and cream cheese topped with yellowfin tuna, avocado and crab salad. On the right of the plate, a Rainbow Tail: shrimp, cucumber, wasabi, topped with yellowfin tuna, yellowtail and fresh salmon.

Dukes. Po’ Boys Creole Cafe called the space home for nearly 20 years before closing in 2013.

To make matters more difficult, Chuck’s opened during the pandemic at a time when many restaurants in the city were struggling or closing.

“It’s a strange time to operate a restaurant, but we are patient,” said Morgan. “We intend to be here for a long, long time.”

But Morgan isn’t afraid of a challenge.

He opened his second Chuck’s in Birmingham, a city that wasn’t always kind to his family, especially his father, a Birmingham native who became a respected civil rights attorney.

Charles Morgan, nicknamed Chuck, gained national prominence following the 1963 bombing of his hometown’s 16th Street Baptist Church that killed four girls. The next day, a 33-year-old Morgan spoke out publicly about the bombing at a meeting with the Young Men’s Business Club in Birmingham, criticizing the city’s establishment for nurturing violence.

Morgan wrote about this period in his 1964 book, A Time To Speak, which is being reissued by the University of Alabama Press.

Chuck Morgan’s statements that day in Birmingham led to death threats that caused him to leave Birmingham, taking his wife and only son to Atlanta.

Morgan took on several high-profile cases. One was his representation of Muhammad Ali when the legendary boxer, as a conscientious objector, refused induction into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Another case involved civil rights activist Julian Bond after he had been denied a seat in the Georgia legislature because of his anti-war views. Bond later became the godfather to Charles Morgan’s youngest daughter.

“My dad was with Martin Luther King Jr. the day before he was killed,” said Morgan, who serves on the board of a nonprofit organization called The Morgan Project, named after his father. The group was founded in Birmingham after the

killing of George Floyd to implement programs to combat racism.

“I’m so proud of him,” Morgan said of his father. “There aren’t too many restaurants named after civil rights activists.

We have that market to ourselves.”

Despite the name, Chuck Morgan wasn’t exactly an experienced angler.

↑ Charles Morgan points to a photograph taken outside his original Harbor Docks seafood market in Destin. The portrait on the right is of Yoshi Eddings, a renowned sushi chef and the mother of Morgan’s partner in the Tallahassee location.

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↑ Above: Bronzed Gulf snapper with a lemon cream sauce and blistered tomato and goat cheese risotto accompanied by two bacon-wrapped shrimp stuffed with crab.

“My dad and Julian Bond won a fishing tournament and people said, ‘Oh, your dad was a fisherman.’ But that’s Chuck’s Fish right there,” said Morgan, referring to an old picture of his father with a 30-pound king mackerel caught in Destin in the 1980s. “That’s about his only fish, but it was a good one.’”

Customers will find lots of good fish on the menu at the restaurant, including grouper, red snapper, amberjack, triggerfish and shrimp from the Gulf.

Morgan works with more than 100 boats, including many owned by Harbor Docks.

“There’s absolutely no way I’d run a seafood restaurant if we didn’t own our own wholesale market,” he said. “The seafood industry is unbelievably volatile when it comes to what’s available and what it costs. Just look at the price of crab this year.”

Seafood distributors say prices for crabs have skyrocketed as much as 50 percent.

Chuck’s still uses crab meat in dishes like Gulf Fish Parmadine, a customer

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favorite, which adds toppings of Parmesan and toasted almonds. I’ve had the dish with red snapper and grouper, and it was excellent each time — the fish juicy and perfectly cooked.

Seafood dishes and other entrees, priced from $15 to $38 or market price, include fried shrimp, seafood pasta and surf ’n’ turf (a 6-ounce filet and scallops or stuffed shrimp) and the catch of the day grilled, bronzed or sautéed. If you’re more of a meat eater, there’s also chicken scaloppine with gnocchi, ribeye steaks and a cheeseburger.

Diners can graze at Chuck’s with appetizers that include spring rolls, fried oysters, seafood gumbo, baked avocado and kimchi Brussels plus salads.

Aside from getting fish from Destin anglers, Chuck’s is a fan of Southern Seafood.

“We’ve worked with them for many years before we opened Chuck’s in Tallahassee,” Morgan said. “Sometimes they have fish we don’t have access to.

TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

They do more in Panacea and Apalachicola than we do.”

The restaurant uses local tuna for sushi but gets other ingredients for sushi from the Pacific. Chuck’s extensive sushi menu includes salmon, eel and yellowtail. Rolls have colorful names like the Red Dragon, made with soft shell crab; the Panhandle, made with yellowtail; and even the Philly, which combines smoked salmon and cream cheese.

Also on the sushi menu: nigiri and sashimi along with tuna poké, edamame, squid salad and other appetizers.

For dessert, we have devoured the white chocolate bread pudding, but you’ll also find cheesecake and a brownie sundae.

The full bar features fun cocktails, local craft beers and sake.

Chuck’s added, but then dropped, lunch and brunch. Morgan plans to resume lunch in early 2022.

“We’re glad we’re open for dinner six days a week,” said Morgan, who plans to open a sixth Chuck’s, to be located photography by ALICIA OSBORNE

in Montgomery, Alabama, in January 2022. “Some places can’t do that.”

It’s not surprising that Chuck’s Fish has a humanitarian mission along with its commercial enterprise. At all its locations, Chuck’s operates nonprofit food trucks called American Lunch that bring free meals to hard-hit communities.

The American Lunch truck serves different areas of Tallahassee on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

All of Morgan’s restaurants donate a portion of sales to the American Lunch program. The trucks usually stop at local churches (see americanlunch.org).

“In Tuscaloosa, we stop at the courthouse because there are a lot of poor folks at the courthouse,” said Morgan. “We feed them and judges and attorneys. The judges and attorneys are usually generous enough to drop money in the bucket.

“But there are no questions asked,” said Morgan. “We feed everybody.” TM

→ Outside dining area at Chuck’s Fish in Tallahassee. The restaurant also hits the road. Restaurant proceeds are used to feed the hungry through the American Lunch program.

CHUCK’S FISH 224 E. College Ave. (850) 597-7506 chucksfish.com.

Open for dining in or curbside takeout: 5–10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5–11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Happy hour, 4–6 p.m., Monday through Friday, (bar and sushi available).

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EATING HEALTHY

CANCELING DIET CULTURE Intuitive eating begins to chew away at calorie counting

by EMMA WITMER

A

nna Jones threw away her scale years ago.

She is a registered dietitian, mind you, someone who offers clients advice on eating well and exercising right.

Why, then, toss the accountability device?

How can you track progress without monitoring weight? More generally, how do you know when you are healthy?

Jones and fellow Tallahassee dietitian Claire Igoe reject what has been coined “diet culture,” whose tenants include: There are good foods and bad foods.

Thinness equates to healthiness. The right diet will solve all of your problems. If you can’t keep the weight off, it’s a personal, if not moral, failing.

The truth, according to Jones and Igoe, is that dieting doesn’t really work at all.

The only thing that dieting does well, they say, is to keep people miserable.

Jones has worked as a dietician for more than 20 years. She has seen countless clients try unsuccessfully to reach goals by restricting their diet, cutting carbs and experimenting with fad diets.

“Over the years, many people sought me out for weight loss,” Jones said. “They wanted meal plans. They wanted me to tell them what to eat and how many calories they needed, so I thought that was my job.

That’s what people want, but it just felt like it didn’t fit with my values and my

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relationship with food and my body.”

Jones doesn’t count calories. She doesn’t study food labels, and she for sure doesn’t weigh herself every day. About five years ago, Jones embraced “intuitive eating,” an alternative to diet culture whereby people eat what their bodies tell them they need.

Too good to be true? It may sound that way. Diet culture preaches that if we listen to our bodies, we’ll just keep eating.

“But that’s a big misconception about intuitive eating,” Jones said. “That it’s not caring about nutrition, that it means eating whatever we want, whenever we want.”

Intuitive eating requires attention to hunger and fullness cues, yes, but behavior and “gentle” nutrition are key components in making it work.

“Many of us never really learned to take care of ourselves,” Jones said. “People come in asking me to help them lose weight, but yet they’re stressed to the

TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

max, they’re not sleeping well, they’re maybe not even eating on a consistent basis and then wondering why they are starving and binging at night when they haven’t eaten all day long.”

When it comes to nutrition, Jones said, most of us generally know what our bodies need. Fruits and vegetables contain important nutrients. Carbs are brain fuel. We need to eat regularly to stay focused, energized and to sleep well.

Processed foods are not as filling, but eating the occasional piece of cake or a white bread sandwich should not cause us stress. Missing a day’s worth of veggies should not make us feel guilty. These are the principles of gentle nutrition.

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weight loss products would surpass $254 billion. By 2026, that number is expected to top $377 billion.

“They want us coming back,” Jones said. “It is their sole purpose to make a profit. So what do they do?

They prey on our insecurities.”

Messaging from the diet industry is pervasive across television, billboards, books and news articles. In recent years, social media has become a superhighway for diet culture.

In the fall of 2021, a whistleblowing former employee of Facebook (the parent company of Instagram) released hundreds of documents outlining internal company research on how two of the country’s most popular social media outlets are affecting users. Many of those documents related to diet culture, eating disorders and impacts on body image among girls.

Igoe works with Better Living Solutions, a wellness and nutrition center focused on eating disorder recovery.

She said that while social media can promote unhealthy practices and ideals, there is —Claire Igoe, good out there, too. YouTubers registered dietitian including Colleen Christensen speak to the dangers of diet culture and the benefits of intuitive eating. By searching online for “intuitive eating,” “anti-diet” or “registered dietitian,” people can find helpful advice — and produce healthy algorithms.

Diet culture, Jones said, exists not just in the media; it’s in the home. As she puts it, diet culture is the ocean, and we’re the fish.

Diet culture may affect how people see themselves, how their children see them and how those children will feel about themselves and treat their bodies.

“I think the important question to honestly ask is, ‘Why do I want to lose this weight? What impact could it have on my child, and what behaviors am I willing to engage in to get there that could affect my child?’”

Igoe said.

She further advises people to ask, “How can I change certain behaviors to be healthier?”

“That could mean being less sedentary or including more variety in your diet or teaching your children about eating for health versus eating to look a certain way.” TM

“I think the important question to honestly ask is, ‘Why do I want to lose this weight?

What impact could it have on my child, and what behaviors am I willing to engage in to get there that could affect my child?’”

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expression

JAN/FEB 2022

KEEPING TABS ON ALL THAT MUSES INSPIRE

MUSIC

UNITED IN MUSIC ↓

An ageless duo, Hot Tamale shows no sign of cooling off

by MARINA BROWN

BOOKS Disabled Detective photography by SAIGE ROBERTS

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expression

I

n popular musical tastes, there have always been wide swaths, varying demographics and migrating audiences that shift from decade to decade. From the melodically earnest songs of the ’30s, the slightly sappy tunes of the ’40s and ’50s, the rock that spun out of the ’60s and the poignant ballads of Bob Dylan, much has followed — disco, funk, metal, techno, hip hop, rap and the “singer/songwriter” personal confessions of people filled with angst.

But occasionally, one comes across a unique hybrid, a blend of sounds that though its roots may be steeped in the elixir of nostalgia, is filled with enough joy, enough melody, enough of a heel-pumping beat, that children, their parents and those who were once flower children can all gather together and delight in harmonies that no matter their ages, touch them.

Hot Tamale is such a hybrid. The duo is ubiquitous in the capital city and environs — at art show openings, the Downtown Market Place, Railroad Square on First Fridays and fundraisers for everything from breast cancer to environmental causes. Everywhere they go, Adrian Fogelin and Craig Reeder’s harmonies joyfully bind people together with their head-bobbing rhythms.

Together for the last 13 years, in conversation as in music, the pair seems to be operating from a “uni-mind.” In their early 70s and happily married to other people, Fogelin and Reeder, nevertheless finish each other’s sentences, brag on each other’s multiple talents, laugh at each other, interrupt each other and admire each other endlessly. And, they say, it is their love of the music and the “ham” in each of them that has only strengthened the longevity and creativity that powers Hot Tamale.

Fogelin, youthful looking in a sundress and cropped hair, is as enthusiastic as a kindergarten teacher. Laughter marks her conversation as she hops from subject to subject.

Born in New York and raised in New Jersey, Fogelin started down a musical road

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with her father’s guitar. By the time she finished high school, Fogelin had already been the leader of two bands. But there were other paths, too. The artistic muses seemed to like what they saw in the young woman and brought their friends.

Fogelin entered the Rhode Island School of Design as a sculptor. She would later become a top illustrator of animals at the Baltimore Zoo and go on to have her own gallery in Key West — this time as a fabric art creator. It was later that her facility for writing would burgeon into over 300 unique songs and work as an author of books. Fogelin has written nine middle-reader novels, one of which, prize-winning Crossing Jordan, has been made into a play, a short film and a musical. In her spare time, she runs a food bank and edits others’ books.

Watching, Craig Reeder, smiles with pride at his partner.

“I think she’s the best songwriter I’ve ever heard,” he says. Reeder, soft grey hair leaving him looking slightly collegiate, spent much of his life working with numbers — he was an accountant. But he parlayed that into international travel, spending a total of nine years working in China and becoming fluent in the language. Later, he taught accounting at Florida A&M. And then, with retirement, he became a busker (probably something many people have wanted to do).

Fogelin and Reeder double over laughing at how they became a team.

“I was helping my friend sell pottery at the Downtown Marketplace one Saturday, and this guy was singing all alone at one end of the park. And I said to myself, ‘He needs harmony!’” After several weekends, Fogelin had the nerve to join him, and their voices, their sensibilities and musical tastes immediately synced.

“Also, we’re both vaudevillians at heart,” says Reeder. “We love to joke on stage, ham it up, do our shtick.” And make the most universally appealing music they can.

→

AT EASE Craig Reeder, with his 12-string guitar, and Adrian Fogelin pause beneath the banana trees in Reeder’s backyard. Together, they make up the duo Hot Tamale.

photography by SAIGE ROBERTS

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expression ↙

GARAGE BAND Craig Reeder’s somewhat finished garage serves as a practice space and recording studio for Hot Tamale. Partner Adrian Fogelin wails on a kazoo.

↑ Reeder and Fogelin are experimenting with getting their music into the ears of others by handing out cards with QR codes linked to their songs and videos.

To hear them perform is to step back into a folk, sometimes country, at times early rock ’n’ roll mode. Fogelin’s voice

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is as sparkling as spring water, then as husky as Southern whiskey when she drops it. Reeder says she sounds like Judy Collins. Reeder often sings lead to Fogelin’s instinctive harmonies, but his baritone is warm and friendly. And together they revel in telling the melodic song stories that Fogelin writes.

Often on the Roots Music Report’s Top 50, with four major CDs to their

credit and YouTube videos online, the pair’s newest 12-song production is Veteran Hearts. Here are songs that tell us that love has nothing at all to do with age, which is just how Hot Tamale approaches their passion for music.

“We love it!” they say. In fact, they’ve recently taken up voice lessons. “We want to be doing this for a long time to come!” TM

Hot Tamale released a collection of original music, Veteran Hearts: Songs from Further Down the Road, in October 2021.

About the album, they say, “The long thread of life winds through the songs: love, pain, joy, memory, the bitter and the sweet.” Songs include Busker’s Lament and Halfway to Texas.

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photography by SAIGE ROBERTS

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BOOKS

DISABLED DETECTIVE

The Cyborg Jillian Weise searches for answers

by STEVE BORNHOFT

C

ould it be her?

I immediately recognized the name upon running across it in a New York Times Magazine in January 2010.

Jillian Weise.

I had not thought about Jillian since 1999 when she, along with my son, graduated from Rutherford High School in Panama City. Both were students in the International Baccalaureate program. She, seeking an opportunity to exercise a desire to write, had completed an internship in the newspaper newsroom I managed at the time.

Turns out that she had never stopped writing. The byline in the magazine atop a column headlined Going Cyborg belonged, without a doubt, to the Jillian Weise I knew.

Weise, an amputee owing to a congenital disorder, had written about the process of getting used to the 12th artificial leg she had worn in her lifetime. This one was different.

Not the typical hinged prosthesis, it was instead a computerized, software-driven, data-collecting, ground-sensing leg that made annoying noises.

Once the new appendage was vacuumsealed to Weise, she learned that she would have to relearn walking. She fought the new leg at first.

“For five years, I had walked on my old hinged leg,” Weise wrote in the Times. “I had been in my longest relationship with that leg and lived in three different states. I don’t want to wax sentimental here and say it felt like dying, but it kind of did feel like dying.

Goodbye hinge, goodbye foot. You’re done.

You’re through.”

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The dying was short-lived. Weise went to a mall, accompanied by a friend who helped support her, to work on getting the hang of the new leg. Before long, she would try on, too, a new identity: cyborg.

Jillian over time has chosen to pronounce “Weise” in various ways — so that it rhymed with twice; as the letters “y” and “z”; and as Germans pronounce their word meaning way, vize-uh. Never, to my knowledge, has she opted for an alternative rhyming with geese.

People would say, I suppose, that Weise was free to go with the pronunciation of her choice. But the cyborg thing, that would prove a tough sell.

Weise wonders why.

In Cyborg’s collection of poems, Cyborg Detective (BOA Editions, 2019), she goes in search of an answer.

In the poem Nondisabled Demands, she adopts the voice of a preachy sort inclined to lecture Weise the writer for hiding behind a word that belongs in the future … photography by LINDSEY MASTERSON

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expression It isn’t fair to us. You owe it to the reader.

We’re trying to help. We have an uncle with a disability and he always says exactly what it is. Take it from him.

Take it from us. Take it from them.

You can’t expect people to read you if you don’t come out and say it.

Everyone knows the default mode of a poem is ten fingers, ten toes, in love with women and this nation.

When this is not true, it is incumbent on you to come out and say it.

Here’s what we’ll do. We’ll rope you to the podium and ask What do you have? What is it?

If you refuse to answer then we call your doctor. Then we get to say You’re an inspiration.

About Weise’s chosen identity, people are dismissive and expect her to be submissive, to operate

↑ The poetry of the Cyborg Jillian Weise causes readers to adopt the perspective of a disabled person. He may find that he had been guilty of demeaning treatment, unfounded assumptions or patronizing behavior.

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within established nomenclature and conventions. Another poem …

Anticipatory Action If cyborg enunciations are the future Avant-garde, then what are the real cyborgs?

Do we have to be avant or can we be ourselves? Sometimes you all come in and need us to assert our powerlessness.

Of course, we trust you.

We won’t ask for inclusion.

Do with us as you wish.

↓

Or the nurse comes in and says, “Oh, no. You should have had that shot hours ago,” as if we are responsible for time.

Call the shots. Cheap shot, Big shot, give it a shot, parting shot.

PHOTO BY LINDSEY MASTERSON

mad as hell, and we’re not going to take I know well two gay men of about it anymore.” my age who pine for the days when life And the pronouns. Lord, the pronouns. was rather dichotomous. Homosexual Still, we can do this if we try, even if there and heterosexual. For them, there come to be as many identities as there are are too many labels about these days: Eskimo words for snow. queer, questioning, bisexual, pansexual, Something led me to land on Weise a megasexual, polyamorous, metasexual. few months ago when I was thinking about (One of those words I may have made women deserving of Rowland Publishing up. Maybe.)

Pinnacle Awards. I knew that she was The writer David Sedaris remarked about to join the English in a recent interview, “I’d Department faculty at FSU rather say I’m homosexual after earning her doctorate than queer. It’s completeand teaching at Clemson for ly strictly generational. a time. I was due for some That’s what people my age re-education, and Weise was were called, you know? But In high school, Jillian good for that. that’s not the part of it that Weise played the part Will there come a time bothers me. It’s just the reof Laura, a disabled when we all get to be branding. That’s why now girl, in a production of The Glass Menagerie ourselves? The Cyborg I’m a straight man. And at the Martin Theatre Jillian Weise is doing her you know what? in Panama City. Said part, “plugging in her leg and “I’m going to be a really attorney Pam Sutton, who helped out with the hopping to it,” campaigning good spokesperson for show, “She was the most for such a world. straight men, too. We’ve inspirational person I And, in that, Jillian just been maligned for too long, had ever met.” might find a weise. TM and we’ve had it. We’re

Do we count yet? Not by a long — Cyborg Detective is angry, defiant, proud and given to calling others out. But the more one reads, the more he comes to appreciate the indignation as righteous.

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CUSTOM CONTENT

Top 10 Reasons to

CRESCENDO!

Save the dates for the event extravaganza of the season supporting Sinfonia Gulf Coast

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Cre·scen·do (/kr'SHen,do/) Even the name is full of fun!

It’s such an exciting word — it’s a noun, adverb, adjective and verb.

Sinfonia Gulf Coast is presenting this event … that means … live entertainment!

Last year, we were treated to a beautiful burlesque showstopper. We cannot wait to see what surprises Sinfonia has in store for us this year!

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We love a themed party! Whether you want to go full on showgirl with a feather headress or channel New Orleans Mardi Gras — any colorful variation on the festive theme of Carnivale will do.

The spirited artwork by Jason Lindblad of J. Leon Gallery + Studio tells us Crescendo! is going to be a bold, hold-on-to-your-hats-ladiesand-gents affair to remember.

The venue.

The event will be held at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, so it is sure to be a swank soiree. You had us at “ballroom.”

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We’re starved!

With the excitement of this extravaganza, we’ve already worked up quite an appetite.

We love a proper Sunday luncheon paired with great wine from A-list vintners served at linen clothed tables set with candles and creative decor. Delish!

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Party prizes!

Bling rings, mystery boxes, the raffle, the silent auction of art, wine, jewels, excursions and more, plus the live auction of curated A-list travel getaways,

you couldn’t possibly plan yourself. Win-win!

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Gathering with gal pals and gents.

The perfect way to shake off the winter blues and usher in spring with the sizzle of Crescendo!

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Treble Makers!

As a member of the Treble Makers, you’re considered a VIP at Crescendo! Your $550 contribution will enable Sinfonia to continue to perform music with 3,500 elementary students throughout Okaloosa and

Walton counties, thanks to Link Up — Sinfonia’s collaborative partnership with Carnegie Hall’s Weill Institute of Music.

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Local kids!

Proceeds from Crescendo! benefit Sinfonia and its music education programs, which include musicians/guest artists in schools, free orchestra concerts, bus transportation for students, the Sinfonia Youth Orchestra program, the Arts in Medicine initiative with Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast and Link Up.

Crescendo Kick-off Lunch is Thursday, Jan. 27 at Bijoux Restaurant + Spirits in Miramar Beach. Vintner Dinners are Friday, Feb. 25 at stunning homes and venues. Crescendo! Main Event is Sunday, Feb. 27, at Hilton Sandestin Beach.

This event will sell out, so reserve your seat today at SinfoniaGulfCoast.org.

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ILLUSTRATION BY JASON LINDBLAD AND PHOTO BY DESIREÉ GARDNER PHOTOGRAPHY

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Homes Are Where the Heart Is Spend your Valentine’s weekend at the Tour of Homes & Gardens in South Walton

T

hink outside of the chocolate box this Valentine’s weekend by arranging your date around the Valentine Tour of Homes & Gardens, presented by the Cultural Arts Alliance (CAA) of Walton County. This annual event welcomes the romance of perusing stunning homes and outdoor living spaces that evoke a sense of inspiration and the comfort only homes can bring.

The event, made possible by CAA and Visit South Walton, is additionally supported by the State of Florida Department of State, Division of Arts & Culture Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. These organizations worked together to open the doors of four to seven uniquely designed homes in various neighborhoods throughout South Walton during the weekend of Feb. 12 and 13, 2022.

“The homes are diverse in architectural style and age, and we love to feature homes that showcase creativity in their design, craftsmanship and curated visual works,” said Jennifer Steele, executive director of CAA. Couples, friends and family alike enjoy this fun yet low-key event, either making a day out of it or leisurely spreading the tour over the two days. The event provides attendees with the chance to take self-guided tours of spaces they likely would be unable to enter otherwise.

The tours highlight the latest in outdoor living trends, interior design,

acclaimed architectural design and the beauty of the region itself. With a focus on location, this year’s home tour will emphasize outdoor living spaces, gardens and interesting courtyards.

Tickets are $40 in advance through Dec. 31, $45 beginning Jan. 1, 2022 and $50 during the tour weekend.

Tickets can be purchased in advance via CAA’s website or at each of the homes throughout the weekend. Each ticket is valid the entire weekend, with one entry per location.

Proceeds will benefit the CAA’s Art For All program, which provides grants and scholarships to teachers, students, artists and arts organizations. This year’s goal is to raise $25,000.

“The Tour of Homes provides a different perspective and view for our attendees, whether that be from a Gulffront mansion to a tiny, historic cottage,” said Steele. “Guests can find inspiration from each home’s unique design and hopefully will be introduced to new artists and their work.”

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Healers RECONFIGURING OLD PATTERNS Energy workers help people reinvent themselves STORY BY HANNAH BURKE // PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAIGE ROBERTS

For hundreds of years, traditional Chinese medicine has purported the existence of qi, intangible forces of mental and physical energy exerted by virtually everything in existence. Eventually, Western healers caught on. A committee of alternative medicine practitioners and researchers coined in 1992 the term “biofield,” a massless, but not necessarily electromagnetic, field that surrounds, infuses and affects the human body. Biofield science may be in its infancy, but therapies involving the healing or realignment of one’s energy are said to transform lives.

Energy healer Paige Apgar has seen and experienced such changes.

In 2005, Apgar began exploring her own energy system. Though she wasn’t suffering any physical ailments, her soul was unsettled.

“I started seeing an energy worker and got into the bigger question of why this was happening in my life,” Apgar said. “I learned the way in which things show

up in your life always has something to do with how they’re holding in your system. You make patterns.

When I started working with this woman, it all began to click. I started seeing huge changes in myself and realized this was the kind of work I wanted to do.”

Apgar said it took her a while to find a program she liked. In 2011, she enrolled in a four-year training program in what is now called the Eden Method.

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“The energy system is where mind, body and spirit come together.

They all intertwine, so sometimes you’re working with a system that’s inherently more connected to soul-level pieces, while other energies are more aligned with the physical. We don’t know until we let the body open up and tell us what it needs.”

— Paige Apgar, Soul’s Light Energy Healing in Tallahassee

Considered to be one of the most comprehensive energy healing modalities, the Eden Method draws upon acupuncture, yoga, kinesiology and traditional Chinese medicine and examines patterns and imbalances among nine different energy systems: the chakras, meridians, auras, electrics, radiant circuits, Celtic weave, basic grid, five elements and triple weave.

Don’t worry about keeping up with all those, though. That’s what Apgar is for. Now a certified Eden Method practitioner, she balances biofields at her business, Soul’s Light Energy Healing in Tallahassee.

“In my practice, I work with techniques from the Eden Method, but I also pull from other things I’ve learned along the way,” Apgar said. “I use energy psychology techniques like EFT (emotional freedom technique) which is commonly referred to as energy ‘tapping,’ but also draw on intuition when tuning in to a person’s system.”

While clients lie on a massage table, Apgar scans them with her eyes closed, relying on an “innervision” that reveals where energy is pooling and how it’s moving. Apgar has a way of asking the body what it needs — the human body has a consciousness and intelligence, she said. In such a way, she discovers what general issues are at play and what attention they may require.

With new clients, Apgar begins by exploring their physical and emotional health history. She asks about childhood because many energy patterns originate from stress responses at an early age, and she gets a hint as to where to look first.

“I don’t dig for things, but they do come up,” Apgar said. “I do feel emotion and get a map of someone’s emotional state, what’s holding where and how things are moving and not moving in their life. It is very deep work.”

Deep and rewarding. For the last decade, Apgar has treated everything from anxiety and depression to chronic pain and physical illness.

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One of the most powerful and effective techniques at her disposal is matrix re-imprinting, an extension of EFT’s cognitive psychology component. When delving in to a client’s past trauma, Apgar works to neutralize any surrounding emotions to the point where they no longer cause a reaction. A positive memory is then “re-imprinted,” replacing the traumatic event.

Some sessions, Apgar said, result in “soullevel” revelations. Past life regressions may reveal prominent patterns across different lifetimes. Apgar believes it is possible that energetic chords connect situations from this life to unresolved issues from our soul’s past.

“The energy system is where mind, body and spirit come together,” Apgar said. “They all intertwine, so sometimes you’re working with a system that’s inherently more connected to soul-level pieces, while other energies are more aligned with the physical. We don’t know until we let the body open up and tell us what it needs.”

Energy work is something Apgar considers a “cocreative process.” You’ll work on re-patterning old habits and are expected to complete quick, daily exercises in energy mindfulness that Apgar assigns as homework.

Whether you’re attending an in-person session or taking advantage of her distance healing technique, which can be done over Zoom, Apgar asks that you be “present, aware and interactive.”

“You don’t even have to believe in it, but if you’re guarded and putting up walls, the energy will shut itself up in a little container, and I can’t get through,” she said. “Once people start to pay attention, they become more aware of their own energy system and what moves it.

“As we start to undo old patterning that’s been repeatedly causing the same problems, people open up to a new version of themselves. They’re able to access new places, more fully express themselves and ultimately lead a happier, more satisfying life.”

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“Deep down, one knows when he is living an authentic life and is genuinely content and at peace, and life just flows.”

— Jost Van Dyke, Pilates instructor, a fine-art photographer and tarostrologer

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WHERE LIFE JUST FLOWS Jost Van Dyke leads people to their true paths

BY STEVE BORNHOFT

Jost Van Dyke sees people as free agents who may choose how to spend their time, identify the goals they wish to pursue and discover what makes them happy. But he believes, too, in a soul code, that everyone has a true path. Finding that path can be brutal, he said, but “deep down, one knows when he is living an authentic life and is genuinely content and at peace, and life just flows.” One knows when he finds it.

For Van Dyke, life unfolded differently.

Tallahassee born, he was 4 years old, he said, when he had an out-of-body experience and an encounter with an angelic being.

“I remember the experience today as vividly as I would if it had happened yesterday,” Van Dyke said. “It literally shook me by the shoulders and shifted my whole consciousness. Even at that young age, I then knew that there was life beyond what we see on the threedimensional plane.”

And, an agreement was reached, even if Van Dyke didn’t fully realize as much at the time. He would live his life as a mystic, helping people find their true paths.

“We all have the potential to be mystics, but most people don’t want to take the time and go through the hard work of becoming one,” Van Dyke said. “It’s a way of life, but it’s also a calling. The choice was made for me.”

When he has strayed, course corrections have been swift and sure.

“Everyone has heard the line, ‘If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.’ That’s the way my life has been,” Van Dyke said.

“When I tried to make plans or set certain goals for myself, I was able to temporarily achieve those goals, but invariably, I would get hit with the big cosmic flyswatter and cattle-prodded back onto my true path.”

Van Dyke was born with Poland’s Syndrome. He was without muscles on the right side of his chest and in his back and had an underdeveloped right arm.

“The doctor who delivered me told my parents that my right arm would never grow beyond a flipper,” Van Dyke said.

But that was not his path.

“My arm miraculously grew,” Van Dyke said. “Doctors asked me how that happened, and I told them I didn’t know; it wasn’t my doing.”

Today, Van Dyke is a Pilates instructor and a fine-art photographer.

He, for 19 years, performed as a concert pianist. And true to his assigned path, he is a tarostrologer; in that, he is a connector.

Beginning with a client’s birthplace, birthdate and time of birth, he assembles a picture comprising a natal chart and hieroglyphs and sets about deciphering it. In particular, he works to identify the controls or blocks that separate a client from the intended realization of his potential and purpose.

“I reach in and try to make the client aware of where they might be psychically blocked,” Van Dyke said.

“Many times, clients don’t know how or why they are blocked. I try to bring their attention to elements that may be causing the blockage. They may

be external or the external may be the result of an internal projection.”

Natalie Levin of Philadelphia scheduled a session with Van Dyke after meeting him online — both were visiting similar Facebook pages — and at a point where she was entertaining self-doubt.

“I wasn’t sure I had the goods to offer professional astrology sessions,” she said.

Van Dyke immediately impressed Levin as someone who is not concerned about what others may think of him.

“He was so beautiful and organic,” Levin said. “The way I saw myself through his eyes allowed me to believe in myself. He used the word ‘mystic’ to describe what he saw in my astrology chart, and I felt like that was something that I could really lean into. Jost gave me the little boost of confidence I needed to begin to offer sessions professionally.”

Van Dyke also told Levin that he sensed that something big in Levin’s voice, and performance life was about to happen.

Indeed, less than two weeks after her session with Van Dyke, Levin landed a large part in the Philadelphia Opera’s production of Let Me Die. The role called for a performer capable of gender fluidity and switching voices.

It was as if it had been drawn up for her, she said.

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Levin regards Van Dyke as a soul friend.

“I can reach out to him and share with him; he is a container for everything — the gritty, the ugly, the crap and the glory — and that is a rare person,” Levin said. “He is a magical soul in a human form. He is unique. There is no box for Jost.”

Marina Lickson of Tallahassee met Van Dyke as a student in one of his Pilates classes. She had for many years thought about having her astrological chart read, and upon getting to know Van Dyke, she scheduled a session with him.

“He was magical,” Lickson said. “He could not have been more perfect. He has a great command of astrology and an innate ability to feel and see.”

Van Dyke does not fully discount intentionality or notions that thoughts can create realities or that people can make things happen.

“But I have found that the greatest surprises in my life come about when I am simply present and available,” Van Dyke said. “For me, life is like walking a tightrope while balancing two different realms.

There is the realm of your intentions where you do all the right things to bring about results, and then there’s the other modus where we just allow things to happen and be receptive to what the universe gives us and be grateful for that. There is a lot of power in just being grateful.”

Van Dyke is comfortable, he said, sitting in a void.

He does not feel compelled to always be filling it with activity or people or things.

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“As a species, we would be much better off if we weren’t all so controlled by the happy factor,” Van Dyke said. “We have to be happy at all costs, and sometimes the costs of happiness can be very high. Why not just be content with less and really appreciate less?”

Marketers and the media, Van Dyke finds, proffer false diagnoses and false prescriptions.

“A lot of the ills today result from people not living their authentic lives,” he said. “They are living lives that they have been told to live or think that they need to live. But are they authentic?”

Van Dyke dropped a reference to The Hidden Persuaders, a book first published in 1957 and written

by Vance Packard, who was credited by Salon with “demystifying the deliberately mysterious arts of advertising.”

He counts as chief influences in his life his parents — both are CPAs — his paternal grandmother, who was an educator; three musicians; and a man he met while living in Manhattan, Van Zandt Ellis, described

by Van Dyke as a brilliant pianist, Fulbright scholar, eccentric visionary and trans-channel medium.

From 1984 through 1987, Van Dyke was a member of a small group that convened every third Friday in Ellis’ Greenwich Village apartment where the gathered would contact “non-local consciousness” and take delivery of seemingly arcane material that would eventually become mainstream.

Ellis traveled frequently to the Great Pyramid of Giza where he became acquainted with the guards.

Charming a sentry, he gained permission to climb during his visits to the top of the pyramid after hours, there to meditate under the stars. On one such occasion, he dropped a rose quartz crystal given him

by Van Dyke into the pyramid through a hole in the finial at its apex.

“Thanks to Van Zandt, there is a piece of Jost Van Dyke incorporated within the bowels of the Great Pyramid,” Van Dyke said.

That only seems fitting and right.

“I have always been intrigued by the interconnectedness of everything,” Van Dyke said. “I have always been able to see relationships that may be hidden from others. I look at life as a metaphor, so everything is symbolic and everything is woven together. What some people say is coincidence, I see as relatedness. It’s sort of like Newton’s Third Law. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

Surely when that rose quartz crystal reached the bottom of the Great Pyramid, Jost Van Dyke felt something.

CRYSTAL CLARITY Consultant taps into the power of stones

BY HANNAH BURKE

When I call Alexis Barnett for an interview, she informs me that, right at this very moment, I’m interacting with crystals. In fact, our conversation wouldn’t be possible without them. “Every phone has a crystal oscillator made of quartz and gold,” Barnett said. “When gold taps the quartz, it creates something called piezoelectricity. It’s that piezoelectricity that creates electrical signals for your phone, computer and anything with telecommunication. We’ve demystified technology, but isn’t it fascinating we can share a photo in a millisecond all because of crystals and human design?”

Even more fascinating is the curious nature of crystals. Barnett, a crystal consultant and owner of the Crystal Portal in Tallahassee, explained that within all of matter’s atoms, rotating electrons create vibrations and frequencies. You vibrate at a very high frequency because you are a living thing. Your bedside table’s frequency is much lower, and therefore, it appears stagnant.

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“I think if you take the time to sit with a stone, you’ll observe its subtle energies.”

— Alexis Barnett, a crystal consultant and owner of the Crystal Portal in Tallahassee

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nonliving objects. For that reason, Barnett likes to think of crystals as “energy storehouses.”

“It’s kind of like Wi-Fi; you can’t see, hear or feel it, but you know it’s real because you can utilize it,” she said. “In the last decade, we discovered you can store 360 terabytes of information on a quartz about the size of a dollar coin. If we’re able to put data on a crystal, what information might already be stored there?”

Barnett wonders if Mother Earth doesn’t speak our language, but she communicates perhaps through vibrations and frequencies. When we meditate with crystals, she said, we intuitively “download” what has been encoded and view life through a new lens.

As a crystal consultant, Barnett identifies crystals that suit a client’s situation. One who desires strength and prosperity may look to citrine, while those seeking sobriety and clarity might opt for amethyst.

A crystal’s hue may clue you in on which chakra it’s associated with and consequently what properties it possesses. Malachite and rose quartz, for example, are linked to the green-and-pink heart chakra and are believed to aid in emotional healing and foster love.

When a new stone is discovered, Barnett said, psychics and healers meditate with them, report their findings and agree on commonalities.

“I think if you take the time to sit with a stone, you’ll observe its subtle energies,” Barnett said. “But, you don’t have to meditate with them. A blue lace agate on your desk may remind you to take a deep breath and remain calm. Rubbing a black tourmaline (associated with the root chakra) between your hands while flying can help you feel more relaxed and grounded.”

Some may tell you there’s a “right” way to use healing stones, that they need to be recharged by moonlight or that they must be cleansed upon absorbing too much negative energy. But, Barnett doesn’t adhere to these rules, nor does she believe crystals should be the only component in your spiritual toolbox.

“My only goal is to empower individuals to lead a more intentional lifestyle,” she said. “I like to call myself a skeptical mystic because I prefer to observe and analyze what others say and let them live any type of journey they want. I’m not trying to convince

anyone of anything, and however you engage with crystals is up to you.”

Barnett began her own spiritual journey at age 12 when she began practicing Reiki and meditation with her grandmother. She is now a Reiki Master who is well versed in areas of herbalism, holistic health and divine femininity.

While the power of crystals may be unfathomable to some, the effects of Barnett’s most recent venture into sound therapy, she said, are “undeniable.”

A sound therapy session at Crystal Portal relies on the vibrations and frequencies emitted from 400-year-old Himalayan singing bowls. Barnett places bowls around the room and at energy points on a client’s body. When lightly struck, the bowls release gentle, binaural sound waves that resonate within the body and naturally induce a theta (deeply relaxed) state of mind.

“People go through one session and say it’s the most relaxed they’ve ever felt, that they feel lighter and that it’s cleared out a year’s worth of trauma,” Barnett said. “What it does is make meditation effortless. The human body is an intelligent instrument and knows how to heal itself if we can get into a state of true relaxation. In this day and age, there’s so much distraction and stimuli that few of us are actually experiencing deep relaxation outside of sleep.”

Crystal Portal offers sound therapy for individuals, couples and small groups. Barnett has seen many wives drag skeptical husbands along, and often, it’s the doubtful who come away the most transformed and eager to book their next session.

Alternative healing in general is becoming more accepted, Barnett said. Her clients include pagans and wiccans but also devout Christians and agnostics.

“I think the pandemic has made many people do a 180 on their life,” Barnett said. “We saw a huge surge of customers after lockdown because we all had time to take a close look at who we are, and some didn’t like what they saw. If there’s any silver lining to the pandemic, it’s that people have learned how important it is to take care of themselves. I’m excited to see how open our mentalities will be in the next five to 10 years.” TM TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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In Your Right

MIND

FULNESS PRACTICE CAN EXPAND AWARENESSES, BRING PEACE story by EMMA WITMER photography by SAIGE ROBERTS // photo illustrations by LINDSEY MASTERSON

w

hat is mindfulness, and what does it mean to be mindful? Like many things, that depends upon your perspective.

Mindfulness may be seen as an awareness of other people’s feelings and consideration for them. In that sense, being mindful means understanding that your words and actions have an impact on those around you; that what may be funny to you could be offensive or hurtful to another; that you need to take a step outside of your own point of view or risk being inconsiderate, rude or, frankly, just a jerk.

But mindfulness also may equate to self-awareness. It is often linked with “living in the moment” and thinking critically about your emotions and experiences in an effort to know yourself better. This application of mindfulness may employ yoga, meditation and thoughtful breathing as tools for achieving inner peace and developing a healthy body and mind.

Mindfulness, then, can mean both making it about yourself, and not making it about yourself. Hmmm.

In an effort to clear our minds about mindfulness, we consulted a pastor, a psychologist and a healer.

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“The Bible teaches us that with mindfulness and meditation, it’s not about you,” said Pastor Kent Nottingham of Calvary Chapel Tallahassee. “It’s about God, and of course, it’s also about others. He tells us in the greatest command, ‘Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love thy neighbor as thyself.’ God says all the prophets and all the psalms and all the laws are summed up in those two things.”

Kent is not a plug-and-play kind of preacher. His Sunday morning scriptural deep-dives add creative and historical context to commonly cited scriptures.

For more than 30 years, Kent has prepared sermons in a way that consumes weeks. He pores over passages day in and day out until a deeper meaning is revealed. Only then, will he bring a lesson to his congregation.

Kent’s practice of meditating on scripture is purposeful. It helps him focus on treating others with love, compassion and patience like Christ did. That is his mindfulness.

There is also the matter of being compassionate toward yourself.

“We live in such a busy society,” said Dr. Barbara Uchino, a private practice counseling psychologist. “It’s always about what’s next, what’s the next big thing? We have completely disconnected from our own experiences, our own thoughts, our feelings, our body sensations.”

Being mindful of your thoughts and emotions doesn’t mean wallowing in them.

You have to be objective, Uchino explained.

You can’t always prevent yourself from feeling sadness, anger or self-doubt, but you can learn to identify why you are feeling those things. When we focus on the why, it can be much easier to put those thoughts and emotions in their place.

“Each emotion tells us something, so sit with the emotion and be curious about what is coming up. Don’t judge it. Don’t force it, and don’t be ashamed of it. Our reaction to our emotional experience is where a lot of suffering comes from. Instead, we can say, ‘This is where I am at today, and I know this is temporary.’”

That’s where meditation comes in.

“There are so many preconceived notions about meditation,” Uchino said.

It’s not necessarily about clearing your mind completely, but rather focusing on the present moment, connecting with the senses and reining in the constant noise about to-dos and obligations.

“The Bible teaches us that with mindfulness and meditation, it’s not about you. It’s about God, and of course, it’s also about others.”

— Pastor Kent Nottingham of Calvary Chapel Tallahassee

Dr. Barbara Uchino, a private practice counseling psychologist

Pastor Kent Nottingham, citing the Bible, says mindfulness should not be inner-directed, but instead be about God and others.

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“You become an observer of yourself,” Uchino said. And by focusing on your breathing, Uchino explained, you become grounded in the moment.

That doesn’t mean it comes immediately.

Maybe that’s why it’s called a practice.

“It’s just like going to the gym,” Uchino said. “When you do a bicep curl, you do this extension, and then you bring it back. That’s how you build the muscle. As your mind deviates, bring it back with your breath.

That’s the exercise. Sometimes you may have to do that 100 times in five minutes, but with time you become more connected with your thoughts without judgment.”

Michelle Chason, 60, is a spiritual healer and reiki master whose practice, Namaste Michelle Chason of Namaste Spiritual Reiki and Healing uses the Japanese practice to supplement Western medicine and as a way to strengthen connections with self.

“Mindfulness is about being able to go into your inner self — meditation, tai chi, sitting quietly under a tree, grounding yourself. It’s about self-care but just not going to a spa.”

— Michelle Chason, spiritual healer and reiki master, Namaste Spiritual Reiki and Healing

Spiritual Reiki and Healing, is located in her home. Reiki is a practice rooted in Japanese culture that seeks to channel a universal energy in dealing with emotional, physical and spiritual challenges. Clients lie still with their eyes closed, as Chason’s hands gently guide that energy through the body.

Chason is quick to clarify that she is not a medical practitioner, nor does she suggest reiki as a substitute for clinical medicine. Reiki, rather, is a complement

to traditional Western medicine. It serves as a way to relax, heal and form a deeper connection with the self.

“Mindfulness is about being able to go into your inner self — meditation, tai chi, sitting quietly under a tree, grounding yourself,” Chason said. “It’s about selfcare but just not going to a spa.”

Chason starts each day by performing a healing on herself to calm her mind and feel more prepared to face the day ahead.

“When you take the time to care for

yourself and practice mindfulness, things don’t upset you the way that they used to because you know better,” Chason said.

“You’re starting to take the grace and comfort you’ve been giving to everyone else, and give it to yourself.”

Kent, Uchino and Chason agree that mindfulness takes work. Whether through thoughtful breathing, meditation, reading or reiki, it’s not easy to overcome the voice of fear within. Start small, and try to love yourself along the way. TM

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Create a harmonious home with feng shui

PHOTO BY ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS: PHIWATH JITTAMAS

by EMMA WITMER

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he itch to touch up walls and rearrange furniture comes on strong when spring wildflowers bloom. The season of renewal compels us to throw open our windows and let the energy, light and life flow in.

Feng shui helps us do just that.

For thousands of years, the practice has served to bridge the gap between nature and the home through thoughtful architecture and design.

“Feng shui includes two Chinese characters, feng and shui, which translate to wind and water,” said Yanning Wang, associate professor of Chinese language and literature at Florida State University. “What we care about is the spiritual influence of these elements.”

Wind and water represent the balance that exists within nature.

The feng shui philosophy calls for extending that balance to the home by creating a free flow of positive chi, or lifeforce energy.

The principles of feng shui can be applied to many aspects of home design, all in the interest of promoting wellness in areas including health, family, wealth, reputation, love, creativity, friendship, career and spiritual growth.

Joey Yap, chief consultant of the Joey Yap Consulting Group and a popular YouTube personality, has spent his life studying feng shui and teaching others how to utilize the practice. He and Wang combined to provide a few guidelines for using feng shui to create harmony in your home.

To begin with, look for a house that faces south. Why? It’s all about sunlight. Feng shui posits that a home bathed in light benefits from the sun’s energy in much the same way that plants do. Sunlight is nourishing, energizing and illuminating.

Inside, too, light is important. Feng shui refers to the space directly inside the front door as the “bright room.”

It is the first thing you see when you

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↘ A variety of components can be combined to balance the energy in a room. Here, elements derived from wood, water, metal and the Earth work together to achieve that effect.

arrive home from work. It sets the tone for guests who come calling.

Foregoing lamps and other forms of artificial light in favor of large windows and open blinds makes a home feel warm and inviting. Additionally, the bright room should be free of any obstructions, no matter how stylish. Connection between the natural environment and the home is an essential principle of feng shui, so you want this space to be clear and open. Couches, tables or large

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plants positioned at the entry of your home block light and the flow of the positive energy coming in through your front door.

Using feng shui to balance the energy within kitchens is especially important for families who regularly cook and eat together. The layout of the kitchen can affect health, especially if it presents a “fire and water clash.” Feng shui, like many ancient Chinese practices, relies on a symbolic elemental system, which includes

PHOTOS BY ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS: ARTJAFARA (KITCHEN), LILAS GH (LIVING ROOM), ISMAGILOV (KITCHEN WITH BAR) AND ARTJAFARA (BEDROOM)

↑ LESS IS MORE. Techniques captured in photos, above, illustrate minimalist approaches and the use of limited color. An abundance of natural light makes it possible to forgo turning the lights on.

The bed is intentionally placed against a blank wall space and away from the doorway.

earth, wood, fire, water and metal. Pairing fire and water creates friction. For this reason, the stove and sink should not be side by side or face one another directly.

If necessary, balance can be achieved by adding a wood element, like a plant or bowl, between appliances.

People are working from home today more than ever before. Creating a home office that promotes focus and productivity can be both appealing and essential. Rather than pushing your desk

up against the wall and sitting with your back toward the room, flip things around.

Staring at a wall all day stifles creativity and may lead your mind to wander away from the task at hand. Rather, pull the desk out a bit and sit with your back against the wall. This is often referred to as a “position of power” in feng shui, and is said to open up your field of vision and invite positive, productive energy.

When the workday is done, we need a place to rest and reset. This is where

the practice of feng shui calls upon the idea of yin and yang. This circular blackand-white symbol represents a balance between passivity, or yin, and activity, or yang. Windows and doors represent yang, as they allow light, activity and energy to freely move in and out of a given space.

Sleep, however, is a yin activity. Therefore, feng shui maintains that your headboard should rest against a wall without windows or doors whenever possible.

Whether magic, myth or lingering lessons of enlightenment from days gone by, the principles of feng shui have survived millennia. It couldn’t hurt to try them out in your space and time. TM

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Start with a muted, neutral color scheme reserving darker colors for accents.

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W

hen it comes to your home’s interior, design doesn’t have to fall into only one style. You may even find yourself in between two styles, but this is where creative yet intentional choices come together to form truly impressive rooms.

Currently trending is “transitional,” which is a style that combines the best of traditional and modern elements. A harmony between these two aesthetics can be seamlessly achieved with a little bit of inspiration and the right pieces. But how do you bring transitional to your home?

Pictured are several transitional looks you can find locally at Turner’s Fine Furniture.

From sofas, chairs and accent pieces, to lamps, rugs, mirrors and accessories, Turner’s has many unique items to create beautifully decorated rooms.

Whether you’re going for transitional or a different style, the talented designers at Turner’s specialize in carefully coordinated mixes resulting in spaces that are comfortable and effortlessly balanced.

2151 US Hwy 319 10 minutes north of Chiles High School (850) 210-0446 TurnerFurniture.com

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Add balance and texture to your room by layering metal, glass and natural materials like wood.

CUSTOM CONTENT

Blending two opposing styles doesn’t have to be difficult. Turner’s design team can help you create a cohesive look.

Choose a piece or two that brings character to the space.

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CUSTOM CONTENT

With a variety of different style and color options available, Turner’s knows that beauty is in the details.

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At Turner’s Fine Furniture, find the very best quality leather sofas that feature top grain leather. When pairing with upholstery, the design experts at Turner’s Fine Furniture will help you achieve the ultimate look.

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abodes EXTERIORS

OUTDOOR FABRICS GO CHIC So↗much A banjo andso that assorted guitars they are being provide enough continuity and allowed indoors contrast to make for anbyeffective LIS KING wall display.

H

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↑ Teak furniture from JANUS et Cie features cushions covered with high-performance outdoor fabrics. Accent pillows, too, are fabricated with durable indoor/outdoor materials.

coming up with stunning patterns, weaves and textures. Indoor/outdoor fabrics now appear as boucle, chenille, taffeta, linen and yes, even jacquard, velvet and raffia.

They’ll fit practically any home scenario. They are naturals for dining chairs, kitchen banquettes, family room sofas, shower curtains, and, of course, cushions and pillows for lanai, porch and patio furniture. You could even find one that would be appropriate for a Louis Seize chair. A damask, maybe.

Or brocade.

FABRIC TYPES ABOUND

The variety of performance fabrics expands all the time said Patsy Scott, owner of Tallahassee Decorative Fabrics.

She is also an interior designer, so she is excited to introduce area homeowners to

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all that functional fashion now available for rooms inside and out.

“All the fabric houses have launched or are in the process of launching an outdoor fabric line,” she said.

“Companies like Perennials, Kravet and Thibaut, among others, all have collections that were intended to bring interior elegance outdoors but ended up bringing outdoor durability and performance inside. Our team is especially fond of the Perennials line, which comes in an unbelievable range of designs. They have all the neutrals as well as lots of interesting patterns, from plaids and stripes to tropicals and animal prints.”

However, all performance fabrics aren’t created equal. Sunbrella Fabrics, for example, are 100 percent solutiondyed acrylic. The acrylic threads are

PHOTOS BY LANCE BRYANT PHOTOGRAPHY

ave you ever wanted to upholster a poolside chaise in plush jacquard? Or cozy up a porch settee with velvet cushions? Well, go ahead. Now you can do it, thanks to technological advances in performance fabrics. That’s trade-speak for outdoor fabrics, but interior designees say that we should actually call them indoor/outdoor fabrics.

“Those fabrics have become so sophisticated that they aren’t just dressing up outdoor spaces,” explained designer Ellen Sprowls, a partner in Langston Sprowls Interior Design in Tallahassee. “They have moved indoors in a big way. They have come a long way from those stiff canvas twills of not so long ago, but they are still enormously practical.”

They are a blessing for anybody living with kids, pets or tipsy adults.

“Say you spill red wine on one of those multipurpose ottomans that everybody seems to have,” Sprowls said. “If it is upholstered in one of these new fabrics, the wine wipes right up.

Same thing if you spill anything from milk to hot sauce on the cushions of the kitchen stools.”

But the popularity of the performance fabrics isn’t just about functionality.

Top designers like Ralph Lauren, Barbara Barry, Laura Ashley and Kelly Wearstler have jumped into the fray,

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↑ Performance fabrics from Sunbrella, shown here, are soil- and water-resistant and colorfast. The accent pillow can be used indoors and outside. A handwoven proprietary fiber wrapped around teak frames of dining seating in the background provides exceptional comfort and wear.

dyed before they’re woven, so the color is continuous throughout the fabric. This means these fabrics are colorfast, even when exposed to bleach and the harshest sun. They are treated to make them soil- and water-resistant.

Waverly is one of many companies using polyester as a base for its outdoor fabrics. Polyester-base cloths are screen-printed with dyes that are resistant to fading and outdoor elements. In addition, a water repellent guard is applied to further protect the pattern.

For all their functionality, items made from performance fabrics do need some care. Consider them to be water-resistant, not waterproof. They should be brought inside in heavy rainstorms, warns Scott. Wipe up spills immediately. Most fabrics can be cleaned with soap and water.

WELCOME TO YOUR NEW BATHROOM

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Outdoor rooms are all the rage these days, but a smaller space, say a porch, modest patio or even a balcony can offer a great respite as well.

Sprowls and her team like neutral upholstery and cushions for outdoor use. She feels that flowers and greenery provide plenty of lively background, and if you really want more color, go for toss pillows.

In fact, one of the things she likes best about performance fabrics is that they make it possible to use white for upholstery, cushions and other decorative items.

Other places to use fabrics outdoors? How about tie-up side curtains for a balcony or patio? Use leftover fabric to make place mats or table runners.

And don’t forget an outdoor rug to inject comfort and color. “It can complete a space,” said Sprowls. “And wait till you see how many colors and patterns are available.

Some come in weaves so plush you’d never believe they might well be made from plastic jugs.” TM

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abodes Bare Spots in the Lawn Another mid-winter task is seeding bare spots in the lawn. This can be done easily with little expense. Reading the seed tag attached to the bag will make product selection easy. Check to confirm the seed has been tested for germination within a year. This is a State of Florida law, which assures the best possible outcome. Also, be sure the grass species will grow in Florida.

Sometimes generic lawn seed mixes will contain fescue, bluegrass, orchard grass and other turf types, which will not survive in North Florida. While they may germinate, their use will only ensure weeds get established for another year.

GREEN SCENE

MITIGATING TRANSPLANT SHOCK

Shrubs and trees are best relocated while dormant

by LES HARRISON

T

he quiet of post-holiday winter makes for an excellent time to complete some necessary tasks, including transplanting shrubs and bare-root fruit trees.

Transplant shock, frequently resulting in the plant’s death, is much less likely to occur when the subject of the relocation is seasonally dormant.

If moving a shrub or a rooted branch, take as much as possible of the surrounding soil and roots. Place the plant in a location suitable to its mature size so that it can grow to its full potential.

Dig the hole about twice the size of the root ball, but be sure the transplant’s aboveground portion is sitting about an inch

above the soil line. If planted too deep, the shrub will ultimately decay and die.

Fill in around the root ball with a blend of topsoil, peat moss and composted cow manure. Mulch the root zone with about four inches of leaves.

Water as necessary to keep the root zone moist but not saturated. An easy way to determine the need to irrigate is to test with a finger. If the soil feels dry, it is time to water.

Bareroot fruit trees are established the same way. Select a tree with a straight trunk and a robust root system. If a crosspollinator of the same species is required, place it in the same area.

In shady spots under trees, unexpected color may appear. The native blue violets are blooming, offering a stark color contrast to the leaf litter and pine needles it thrives in. This delicate herbaceous plant is an early season bloomer with inch-wide blooms that are usually bluish-purple. These violets are self-pollinating perennials and flourish in the filtered light under tree canopies.

The heavy mulch layer in flowerbeds and under trees in home landscapes provides the consistently moist soil and ample organic matter for successful growth. Seed heads form in the late summer and early autumn, and seeds are scattered by birds, animals and weather events. Carolina geranium (Geranium carolinianum) is an annual plant in the same genus as the popular porch shrub. Although not producing as many or as large blooms as its ornamental cousin, this native plant is striking in its own right. The minute pinkish to purple flowers appear on the end of this herb’s stems. The plant is highly adaptable and will grow, sometimes aggressively, in a variety of environments.

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

When adding a potted plant to the home landscape, confirm it has come from a reputable production nursery, which has passed state inspection. This is the best way to avoid introducing an invasive species. One of these problem species is the hammerhead flatworm. Classified as a land planarian, it makes its presence felt out of the sight of most homeowners. Land planarians are carnivorous, and most species are active predators, including Bipalium kewense Moseley as the local variety is scientifically known. They are frequently found in and around potted plants, which are surrounded by rich soil and are home to earthworms, their favorite meal. The hammerhead flatworms actively track their prey. The earthworms’ slow pace and obvious trail make them vulnerable. Once the planarian captures the earthworms, it uses the muscles in its body, as well as sticky secretions, to prevent escape. The secretions also contain a neurotoxin employed to subdue its prey. Earthworms are a critical environmental link in soils. They aerate the dirt counteracting compaction and convert vegetative materials into a form plants can use. The hammerhead flatworm does none of these.

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

MEAN WORMS

HAMMERHEAD FLATWORM

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PROMOTION

DEAL ESTATE

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All the Lakefront Views a Luxury Home Could Have Experience life on the lake in the highly sought-after Killearn Lakes neighborhood.

This home not only comes with lakefront views, but it also boasts an island with its very own solar-powered cabin on Lake Iamonia. It is a short trip from the backyard of the home to the island, and public access to the island can be found off Bull Headley and at Fish Camp. You do not want to miss out on this unique property. It is a perfect package for hunters and fishermen or for someone who wants to enjoy the outdoors on your own private island.

SOLD PRICE: Home and private island $1,100,000. Or willing to sell separately: home for $750,000, island for $350,000.

ADDRESS: 10663 Lake Iamonia Drive and 0n Lake Iamonia Island SQUARE FOOTAGE: 2,728 (Home) BEDROOMS: 4 BATHROOMS: 2.5 FEATURES: This home features hardwood floors, a large master bedroom with private sunroom, eat-in kitchen, dining room, a lovely deck for entertaining and more. The island is northwest of the house and features a solarpowered cabin with all the necessities — full bath, a bedroom and a kitchen.

APPEAL: Enjoy all the lakefront views you could want with this home that sits privately near the end of Lake Iamonia Drive. This four-bed, 2.5-bath home is perfect for entertaining.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Martin Chavez, (850) 320-3608 martinchavezrealtor@gmail.com Coldwell Banker Hartung

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PHOTOS HALEY JACOBS / HOME SHOT MEDIA

YEAR BUILT: 1996

New Year’s Resolutions .. Homeowners Edition!

Ban clutter! Start your spring cleaning early. Organize and maintain orderly shelves, cabinets, and rooms. Start with one room at a time!

Boost your home’s curb appeal.

Whether that’s mowing your lawn, laying fresh pine straw, or investing in new outdoor furniture.

Save on your energy bills with LED light bulbs! According to the Department of Energy, LED lights use 75% less energy and last 25 times longer.

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PROMOTION

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Modern Midtown Farmhouse Now Off the Market This gorgeous modern farmhouse-style home, in the desirable midtown Glendale neighborhood, features five bedrooms and three full baths plus an office. You are greeted with beautiful curb appeal featuring pavers, a large front porch and double doors for a welcoming entrance. Inside the home, you will find custom finishes throughout with beautiful woodwork, a wrought-iron stair banister, built-ins and more. The kitchen is a dream with top-of-the-line appliances that include a Sub-Zero refrigerator, Wolf six-burner stove and a Bosch dishwasher. The owner’s suite is show-stopping with an enormous custom closet and beautiful bathroom. The back of the home has a large covered patio, fantastic pool with fountains and pavers, and an outdoor kitchen — all of which make for great entertaining. Not only is the home beautiful, but it is also located in a prime location that is convenient to everything.

SOLD PRICE: $899,000 ADDRESS: 710 N. Forest Drive SQUARE FOOTAGE: 3,700 BEDROOMS: 5 BATHROOMS: 3 YEAR BUILT: 2014

APPEAL: The gorgeous modern farmhouse-style exterior will welcome you into this one-of-a-kind home.

It also has a backyard made for entertaining plus luxury custom finishes throughout the interior.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Kevin Davis The Naumann Group Real Estate Kevin@Naumanngroup.com (850) 545-7244

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PHOTOS BY NANCY O’BRIEN / SUNLIGHT PHOTOS

FEATURES: This midtown home has it all — a beautiful pool, outdoor kitchen, custom high-end finishes, a luxurious kitchen, custom woodwork throughout, and oversized owner’s suite with bathroom and closet. It also boasts a great location in Glendale.

CONVENIENCE AND CONTROL

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Thanks for voting us Tallahassee’s Best Painter for 11 years.

As we celebrate our 22nd year in business, we thank all of our customers for their continued support.

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MULTI-FUNCTION PRINTERS (SALES & SERVICE) | 3D PRINTING | BUSINESS PRINTING | CUSTOMER SERVICE

“CopyFax has been with us since we started and has always provided what we needed to keep the sheet music, scripts and playbills printing. They have always been responsive to questions and supply needs, and their equipment is completely reliable. CopyFax has the resources of a big company with the personal attention of a small one.”

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destinations

JAN/FEB 2022

VISITING NOTEWORTHY PLACES NEAR AND FAR

↘ The lushness of summer surrounds lodging houses in Crested Butte, Colorado, an area known for its quaking aspen trees.

GETAWAY

THE PARADISE LESS TRAVELED ↓

Low-key mountain retreat offers a welcome respite

PHOTO BY KRBLOKHIN / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

by JACK MACALEAVY

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↑ Blair and Fred Garth of Pensacola own Cinnamon House, a four-story structure that is accessorized with many of Blair’s artworks.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF VAIL RESORTS (SKIING)

orthwest Florida offers visitors disparate experiences, depending on exactly where they stay.

The Emerald Coast is distinct from the Forgotten Coast as to accommodations, dining options, retail shops and the relative concentrations of people who go there.

In the course of a bicycle ride along Scenic Highway 30A in South Walton County, a tourist will encounter communities with unique identities and histories, some relatively long, another that didn’t begin until Robert Davis had a vision.

Colorado, too, presents contrasting settlements. On one side of the Maroon Bells in the Elk Mountains lies ritzy Aspen and on the other, Mt. Crested Butte. Both destinations offer world-class skiing in the winter and breathtaking hiking throughout the rest of the year for anyone seeking a Rocky Mountain high. But whereas you will find long rows of luxury private jets at Aspen’s airport, Crested Butte is more low-key and laid-back.

Leaving behind heat and humidity, my wife and I arrived in the Rockies just as the leaves were turning brilliant yellows, oranges and reds. We stayed in a beautiful mountainside home overlooking ski slopes and the quaint village of Mt. Crested Butte, which aligns with the St. George Island experience.

We flew into Colorado Springs and enjoyed a three-hour scenic drive along the Arkansas River, crossing the Continental Divide at Monarch Pass and rolling into town in time to grab groceries before heading up to Cinnamon House, owned by Blair and Fred Garth of Pensacola. Blair is an accomplished artist and has filled the four-story home with her creations, many of them three-dimensional, making for a museum with a view.

Learn more about Cinnamon House on Mt. Crested Butte at VRBO.com/336001.

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↑ For generations, people in Crested Butte made their living mining coal.

The area’s first ski resort opened in 1962.

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PHOTOS BY ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS: JILL MEYER MILLET (SKILIFT), DAVE KOZLOWSKI (LICENSE PLATES AND SUNSET) AND COURTESY OF VAIL RESORTS (SKIER)

From green to black Travel magazines have dubbed Crested Butte the “Last Great Ski Town in Colorado.” Slopes range from the gentle to the extreme. There are plenty of beginner and intermediate runs appropriate for the whole family. Among 16 lifts, 80 percent service “green” and “blue” slopes. The other 20 percent carry adventurers to the tops of runs challenging enough to get the most radical of skiers stoked.

The craggy North Face offers a plethora of “double-black-diamond” chutes, cliffs and descents and usually opens in late January or February, depending on snowfall. Banana Peel, Teocalli Bowl and plenty of other black runs are enough to keep the adrenaline flowing in the most experienced skiers.

If you’re not into high-speed airtime, Paradise Bowl and the runs served by the Red Lady lift offer consistently blissful, machine-manicured “groomers.” There, three outstanding on-mountain restaurant/bars serve hot adult beverages and delicious food.

Photography bugs will find spectacular views just about everywhere. A stunning panoramic view awaits those who head up Painter Boy lift to the Umbrella Bar. Crested Butte may not have the sprawling terrain of Vail or ready access to Denver, but it has its own advantages. Locals refer to skiing as doing laps because the lift lines are usually sparse, ensuring that you have more “down time” and less wait time.

↑ Crested Butte is home to the License Plate House, a coffee shop shingled with old car tags. Nearby is a house whose front is covered with old tools.

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Rocky Mountain chill

↑ The Crested Butte area is criss-crossed by numerous hiking trails of varying degrees of difficulty. There, no dog will wait for long for its owner to get to its feet.

On our trip, we were into a different kind of downtime. Each day, we took our time reading and relaxing before heading out for the day.

On a Sunday, we took the 10-minute drive to town to catch the final day of the Summer Street Marketplace. It was packed with local vendors selling their crafts and food items. We walked the main drag and strayed into residential areas where we met many welcoming locals who relish their simple, healthy lifestyle, far removed from urban chaos.

When in the course of our stay we felt like we had adjusted somewhat to high altitude, we resolved to go hiking. We had many trails to choose from of varying degrees of difficulty. We opted to hike up to the Umbrella Bar, and while it took us two hours to reach the peak, the view from there made the effort — and the tight legs to come — worthwhile.

Outfitters in Crested Butte offers biking, hiking, rafting, fly-fishing and horseback riding day trips, all customized to your interests and abilities.

Cinnamon House was a welcome sight at the end of each day. Mostly, we ate in, taking advantage of a fully equipped gourmet kitchen. On an outdoor grill, we prepared steaks that we had purchased at the marketplace. And, yes, there is a big difference between fresh, grass-fed beef and the cuts you get at the grocery store.

Our week in Crested Butte passed quickly. On the last day, I spent an hour in a hammock listening to the mountain breezes and the rustling of yellow aspen leaves. I savored the last moments of daylight before the sun disappeared behind the mountain across the valley, and I told myself that I would be back. TM Learn more about Cinnamon House on Mt. Crested Butte at VRBO.com/336001.

COAL COUNTRY The Town of Crested Butte, known as “The Gateway to the Elk Mountains,” sits at an elevation of 8,885 feet and is CRESTED BUTTE

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located 28 miles north of the city of Gunnison. The area was originally home to the Ute Indians. The town was incorporated in 1880 with a population of just 400 people but grew and became a center of coal mining following the arrival of a railroad. With the closing of Big Mine in 1952, the era of coal came to an end in Crested Butte. Then in 1960, Dick Eflin and Fred Rice purchased the Malensek Ranch three miles northeast of town and, in the winter of 1962, opened a ski area. Tourism was about to become Crested Butte’s lifeblood.

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PHOTOS BY ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS: MELISSA WOOLF (TRAIL)

destinations

All billfishing in Guatemala is catch and release

April 19–23, 2022 Total Cost: $5,300 ■

Lodging per double occupancy 5 days/4 nights

■

Greeting at airport and all transfers; return to airport

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3 full days of fishing with captain and mate

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4 anglers per boat with all equipment

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A Guy Harvey gift package to include shirt and other items from their store

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A Pacific Fins gift package upon arrival to room

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Subscription to Guy Harvey Magazine

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Open bar private dinners (full a-la-carte menu) each night by Pacific Fins chef with Dr. Guy Harvey

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Breakfast, hot lunch and snacks prepared fresh on board by Pacific Fins crew with soft drink/water beverages

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During stay, Dr. Guy Harvey will paint an original piece of art to be auctioned off on the last night

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Personalized signed print of Guy Harvey art

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Sightseeing afternoon upon arrival and lunch at La Casa Del Ron (Service tips not included)

For available expedition dates, contact browland@GuyHarvey.com TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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PROMOTION

calendar SHOP & STROLL

↓

Women United is excited to announce Shop & Stroll. Gather your friends, stroll the Market District and enjoy an unforgettable night of shopping, spirits and fun — all for a good cause. Treat yourself this spring. Don’t miss the champagne toast at the close of the event for a chance to win a real diamond.

For more information, visit UWBB.org/shopstroll.

JAN. 26

Symphony in Chocolate → The GFWC Woman’s Club of Tallahassee is hosting “Symphony in Chocolate” on Jan. 26 at the Woman’s Club located in Los Robles for the orchestra program at Leon High School! Members of the high school orchestra and other music programs will perform while attendees enjoy refreshments, and of course, chocolate! The Woman’s Club has been working with Dr. Megan Sahely to raise funds for students to attend a music competition and festival in Atlanta, where they will have the opportunity to work with professionals and perform for several nationally renowned musicians.

For tickets and more information, call (850) 597-2398, email ddpeacoc77@embarqmail.com, or visit bit.ly/317IHq2.

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For more events in Tallahassee, visit TallahasseeMagazine.com. compiled by JAVIS OGDEN,

REBECCA PADGETT FRETT and ZANDRA WOLFGRAM

REGIONAL

MAR. 25

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

JAN/FEB 2022

Pandemic and social distancing policies may affect gatherings.

Check websites to see if the listed events will occur as scheduled.

January–February 2022

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FEB. 25 & 27

CRESCENDO! 2022 → The highly anticipated extravaganza kicks off on Friday with a series of intimate Vintner Dinners showcasing celebrity winemakers and chefs and held at stunning homes, resorts and restaurants. On Sunday, the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa will host a colorful celebration of all things Carnival.

The Crescendo! main event features world-class vintners and spirit purveyors, delectable bites, a seated lunch, amazing auction items and award-winning live entertainment.

Proceeds benefit Sinfonia Gulf Coast and its music education programs. For tickets visit SinfoniaGulfCoast.org.

HAVE AN EVENT YOU’D LIKE US TO CONSIDER?

Send an email to sbornhoft@rowlandpublishing.com.

THE WORLD OF MUSICALS

TALLAHASSEE MARATHON

JAN. 10

FEB. 3

This captivating production is an emotional journey through the great world of musicals that will leave you spellbound. With beautiful and emotional ballads from Evita, Les Misérables and Phantom of the Opera along with upbeat favorites from Dirty Dancing, We Will Rock You and Mamma Mia!, there is something for everyone in this show.

Run through the beautiful Capital City at the annual Tallahassee Marathon, hosted by Gulf Winds Track Club. Both the marathon and half-marathon courses traverse hills and pass through downtown.

openingnights.fsu.edu/events/ the-world-of-musicals

REGIONAL

LEDISI SINGS NINA

FEB. 12-13

VALENTINE TOUR OF HOMES BENEFITS THE CULTURAL ARTS ALLIANCE

→ The annual Valentine Tour of Homes is a fundraiser for the Cultural Arts Alliance’s Art for All program, which provides much-needed funding for arts education initiatives in Walton County. The two-day event features self-guided tours through some of South Walton’s most unique homes representing diverse architectural styles, beautiful interior design, historic significance and fine art collections. Our 2022 event will prominently feature outdoor living spaces to include gardens, pools, outdoor recreation spaces and gorgeous landscaping.

PHOTOS BY ANUSORN NAKDEE / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS AND COURTESY OF SHOP & STROLL, GFWC WOMAN’S CLUB OF TALLAHASSEE, SINFONIA GULF COAST, CULTURAL ARTS ALLIANCE AND EMERALD COAST THEATRE COMPANY

Details can be found at CulturalArtsAlliance.com.

JAN. 15 Join the powerhouse vocalist and 2021 Grammy winner Ledisi as she celebrates the songs of the legendary singer, songwriter and activist Nina Simone.

This concert is a beautifully orchestrated mixture of classical, jazz and rhythm and blues sounds, with a riveting narrative focused on the musical bond between an artist and a legend from the past. openingnights.fsu.edu/events/ ledisi-sings-nina

CHARLIE ALBRIGHT REGIONAL

FEB. 18-27

JAN. 24

EMERALD COAST THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS

Charlie Albright is a composer, pianist and improviser who breaks the rules of classical music to best connect with his audience. Through his music, speaking and unique improvisations that bring music to life, he visits all genres.

→ Two strangers board a San Francisco BART train at 4:30 a.m. These two opposites are intrigued, and their trip is filled with unpredictable yet believable surprises. As the train ride ends, it’s obvious each of them has been changed for the better. Emerald Coast Theatre Company’s performance space is located upstairs at 560 Grand Blvd., Grand Boulevard Town Center in Miramar Beach.

openingnights.fsu.edu/events/ charlie-albright

2 ACROSS

Tickets are $28–$34.

Purchase tickets online at EmeraldCoastTheatre.org.

DINING IN THE DARK JAN. 29 The 2022 Paula Bailey Dining in the Dark fundraiser will be a unique event where dinner is served in complete darkness.

Attendees temporarily experience how individuals with vision loss adapt in a sighted world. The event is hosted by the Lighthouse of the Big Bend. seeingindependence.org/events

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tallahasseemarathon.com

ROBIN SPIELBERG FEB. 4 Robin Spielberg is hailed as one of America’s most popular contemporary female pianists and composers and has been featured in live performances on PBS, CBS Saturday Morning, ABC News, Lifetime Live and NPR. Her extensive discography includes original piano solos, arrangements of American standards, holiday recordings, Americana melodies and lullabies.

Her arrangement for this performance is From the Heart – Give My Regards to Broadway. openingnights.fsu.edu/events/ robin-spielberg

DADDY DAUGHTER DANCE FEB. 5 The 17th Annual Tallahassee Northside Rotary Club’s Daddy Daughter Dance is back at The Moon from 5-9:30 p.m.

For more information, visit Rotaryddd.com, or contact Joyce Dove at (850) 328-0302.

MUTTS GONE NUTS FEB. 5 Expect the unexpected as canines and comedy collide in a smash-hit performance that leaves audiences everywhere howling for more! From shelters to showbiz, these amazing mutts unleash havoc and hilarity in a breathtaking, action-packed, comedydog spectacular, featuring some of the world’s most talented four-legged performers. openingnights.fsu.edu/events/ mutts-gone-nuts

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calendar

JAN/FEB 2022

893-1960

children‘s

est 1975

Summer Art Camp painting drawing collage mixed media sculpture

Accepting children who have completed Kindergarten-age 15.

See website for full camp listings.

NOW HIRING Tallahassee, FL. - Business Analyst– Seeking BS in Engg., Marketing, Business, or closely rel. field and 4 yrs of business analyst or rel. exp. req’d. Travel and relocation, as req’d.

Mail CV to Attn: HR/Job B26-04, GCOM Software, LLC, 9175 Guilford Rd, Ste 101, Columbia, MD 21046.

BE IN THE KNOW Be the first to read the next issue before it hits mailboxes!

Sign up for our e-newsletter and get updates about our website, online exclusive articles and additional offers.

TALLY SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL FEB. 7–8 The Tally Shorts Film Festival introduces unique, independent films to the region with the goal of promoting film as a cultural and economic asset. The event features a vast variety of local and international films. tallyshorts.com

openingnights.fsu.edu/events/ aretha-franklin

‘A TOWN DIVIDED’

PILOBOLUS

FEB. 7–11

FEB. 14

Based on interviews with community members, A Town Divided tells the story of Romeo and Juliet while examining the geographical and racial divides in Tallahassee.

Since 1971, Pilobolus has tested the limits of human physicality to explore the beauty and the power of connected bodies. Pilobolus tells stories with the human form in illustrating how to maximize group creativity, solve problems, create surprise and generate joy through the power of nonverbal communication.

visittallahassee.com/events/ a-town-divided

THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF GEORGE MICHAEL FEB. 8

openingnights.fsu.edu/events/pilobolus

This musical celebration of the life and music of George Michael depicts Michael’s rise to fame as a member of Wham! in the ’80s and his solo career beginning in 1987.

FSU’S PRODUCTION OF RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN’S ‘CINDERELLA’

openingnights.fsu.edu/events/the-lifeand-music-of-george-michael

FEB. 18

THE KING’S SINGERS FEB. 9 The King’s Singers was initially founded in 1968 by six choral scholars from King’s College who had recently graduated.

Founded in Cambridge and debuting in London, the vocal makeup of the group has not changed over the course of their five-decades-long career. openingnights.fsu.edu/events/ the-kings-singers

COLSON WHITEHEAD FEB. 10 Colson Whitehead, a New York Times bestselling author, Pulitzer Prize winner, National Book Award winner and Harvard graduate, will take to the Opening Nights stage to share his work and perspective. openingnights.fsu.edu/events/ colson-whitehead

A TRIBUTE TO ARETHA FRANKLIN FEB. 12 Go to tallahasseemagazine.com/newsletter and sign up today!

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The Queen of Soul, Damien Sneed pays homage to the Franklin with fresh renditions of her most cherished hits.

Backed by an accomplished cast of jazz, gospel, and soul musicians and vocalists, Sneed’s multi-media tribute will be a tender and spiritual reflection upon the life of an iconic industry titan.

In a Tribute to Aretha Franklin:

Enjoy the show tunes of Rodgers and Hammerstein in this fresh take on a timeless tale fit for anyone who’s ever had a dream. openingnights.fsu.edu/events/cinderella

MEKLIT FEB. 22 An Ethio-American vocalist, songwriter and composer, Meklit is known for her electric stage presence and innovative, deeply personal songs. She writes music steeped in traditional Ethiopian rhythms blended with a lyric poetic core. openingnights.fsu.edu/events/meklit

TALLAHASSEE YOUTH ORCHESTRA’S GUEST ARTIST CONCERT FEB. 27 The Tallahassee Youth Orchestra is partnering this season with the Ballet Arts Conservatory of Tallahassee in a Guest Artist Concert to take place at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall. visittallahassee.com/events/tallahasseeyouth-orchestras-guest-artist-concert

WELCOMING THIS YEAR’S GUEST CHEF:

AARÓN SÁNCHEZ You’re invited to Cleaver and Cork with award-winning chef, television personality, author and philanthropist Aarón Sánchez. Tickets are

on sale for the four-part culinary experience, expertly crafted by the Tallahassee Community College Foundation.

FEBRUARY 27

MARCH 3

MARCH 4

MARCH 5

Progressive Cocktail Party

Toast and Talk

Signature Dinner

Uncorked Food and Wine Festival

CLEAVERANDCORKTCC.COM TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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Art for Everyone Chain of Parks Art Festival returns in full bloom

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owntown Tallahassee’s “Chain of Parks” will welcome 150 artists and bring Tallahassee art lovers of all ages together during LeMoyne’s 22nd Annual Chain of Parks Art Festival, April 23-24, 2022.

LeMoyne Arts, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting education, interest and participation in the contemporary visual arts, says the Festival is a way of making art accessible to all. The event unites audiences with artists whose work they might not otherwise have an opportunity to see.

“This Festival is intended to celebrate art in engaging and interesting ways that all generations will benefit from,” said Powell Kreis, programming director and festival manager for the Chain of Parks Art Festival. “It’s a weekend of art, music, food and fun that encourages tourism while

bringing the intrigue and inspiration of an art gallery to a public space.”

Attendees can view and purchase original works from fine artist applicants who were thoughtfully selected to participate in the event, which is recognized as one of the nation’s “Top 100 Fine Art Festivals” by Sunshine Artist Magazine and was named the “BEST Family Amusement” in the Tallahassee Democrat’s Tallahassee Reader’s Choice Awards 2021.

The festivities begin on Thursday, April 21, with the Chain of Parks Art Festival Opening Night, in collaboration with Florida State University and featuring presenting artist Lana Shuttleworth.

Shuttleworth’s presentation will accompany her “Recycled Beauty” exhibit, available for viewing at LeMoyne Arts starting Thursday. On Friday before the Festival, guests can also engage with a featured artist through an experiential workshop.

The Festival’s main event, Artists in the Park, will fill the streets on Saturday and Sunday with artist booths, live street art, on-site chalk artists, live music and local favorite food trucks. The Village, an interactive area for children and adults, will feature art activities and community partner vendor tents.

On Saturday of the Festival, judges will review the artists’ works in each media category. Winning artists’ award ribbons

and flags will be displayed in their booths.

Winning artists vie for $10,000 in awards.

Saturday evening, the event transitions into “Evening Groove,” where participants can dance and sing in the streets to the live music of Tallahassee Nights Live, a touring musical production.

While the pandemic caused the 2020 Festival to be canceled and resulted in a scaled-back 2021 event, organizers and volunteers are working hard to resume a full, fun and special 2022 event.

“The entire Festival team is thrilled to be planning for the event to return to its full offerings and more in 2022,” said Kelly Dozier, Chain of Parks Art Festival Chair and Sponsor Chair.

The festival is made possible through the generous support of Presenting Sponsor, Mad Dog Construction, and Visit Tallahassee, Leon County, City of Tallahassee, Community Redevelopment Agency, and local businesses and donors.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE 2022 CHAIN OF PARKS ART FESTIVAL, VISIT THE WEBSITE AT CHAINOFPARKS.COM.

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PHOTOS BY BOB O’LARY (TOP) AND POWELL KREIS

CUSTOM CONTENT

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CUSTOM CONTENT

Cheers to 10 Years

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

dazzling roster of celebrity winemakers, mixologists and chefs will converge April 21-24, 2022 in idyllic South Walton’s Grand Boulevard Town Center to wine, dine, educate and entertain guests as part of the four-day celebration of wine, spirits, food, music, fun and goodwill.

Celebrating 10 years in 2022, the South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival — an award-winning, nationally ranked event — draws wine and food industry icons such as Peter

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Mondavi, Jr., Marc Perrin, Don Hartford, Cristina MarianiMay, Jean-Charles Boissett, Norman Van Aken and South Walton’s own Chef Emeril Lagasse and many more. Given the caliber of A-list participants, it’s no wonder USA Today touted it as “one of the South’s standout food and beverage festivals.”

Here, we provide a personal “tour” of the highly anticipated highlights planned for the ninth year of this popular charity event.

The Festival kicks off in fine wine fashion in the Culinary Village with a VIP Wine Tasting on Friday from 4 to 6 p.m.

Delivering the ultimate wine experience, limited tickets are sold to this exclusive event which gathers you with fellow wine lovers and top wine celebrities. Whether an aficionado or novice, you will sip rare and collectible wines from your commemorative XL Riedel glass and savor high-end food tastings created by the chefs of Grand Boulevard and South Walton’s rave restaurants. Relax; your VIP status gives you express entry into Friday’s Craft Beer & Spirits Jam as well as Saturday’s and Sunday’s Grand Tastings.

Keep the party going at the best block party of the year in the Town Center and Grand Park with Friday night’s Craft Beer & Spirits Jam from 6 to 9 p.m. Taste and enjoy specialty craft beers and spirits from the hottest breweries and distilleries in the country. Meet the makers of these lively libations, and chat up master mixologists as they craft creative cocktails. Nosh on fantastic food all along EATS Street, and jam to live music.

Before, you swirl a single wine at the Grand Tastings (Saturday

and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m.), take a moment to download the Festival wine list from the newly refreshed Sowalwine.com website.

Create your own custom wine tour by mapping out the tent locations of favorite “friends” and a few you’d like to “meet.” Having a plan is wise when there are more than 600 domestic and imported wines to discover. But wine isn’t all there is to drink in. Included in your ticket price are Savor South Walton Culinary Village, Tasting Seminars, Rosé All Day Garden, Spirits Row, chef demos and the Nashville Songwriters Showcase. Cheers to that!

Each year, wine A-listers come to showcase trending wines, which infuse the event with fresh excitement. A must-not-miss this year is Château Minuty, the global leader in luxury Cotes de Provence Rosé, which will be making a special appearance. Château Minuty abounds in leading beach clubs, restaurants and luxury retailers from Saint-Tropez to Monaco and beyond. Join in the celebration of the French Riviera lifestyle, personified by these luxury rosé wines. Sample the Château Minuty wines with pairings by top local proprietor/chefs along with the VINTUS wine team. Master Sommelier Craig Collins will be presenting exciting educational seminars in Grand Park.

Wine is best shared and paired. Food is in the name of this Festival for good reason. Top chefs from near and far gather at the Festival to present their artfully curated creations designed to pair with the wines being poured. Foodies will delight in the delicious dishes artfully orchestrated by local Festival Culinary Director Scott Plumley throughout the Savor South Walton Culinary Village and peppered along EATS Street — the feast of flavors will satisfy and surprise.

What pairs with good food and wine? Great music! Amplifying the atmosphere is the Great Florida Event’s Nashville Songwriters Showcase, creating a sensational live “soundtrack” of the Music City’s top talent.

The toast of the event is surely Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF), the beneficiary of this charity event. The Festival works in concert with DCWAF — of the nation’s Top Charity Wine Auctions in the U.S. — to raise funds for children in need in Northwest Florida.

Whether your tasting tour has led you to an old flame or a new love, you can purchase your favorite wine discovery in the Retail Wine Tent located on-site.

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

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PROMOTION

SOCIAL STUDIES Capital Medical Society Celebration Awards Dinner SEPT. 14 The Capital Medical Society, following pandemic-related postponements, conducted its annual awards dinner September 2021 to recognize Doctors’ Day and celebrate the profession of medicine.

Two annual awards were presented.

The I.B. Harrison, M.D., Humanitarian Award was presented posthumously to Sergio Ginaldi, M.D. David Saint, M.D., received the Outstanding Physician Award.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BETSY BARFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY

1

1 (Front row, l-r) Dr. Paresh Patel, Dr. Alfredo Paredes, Elizabeth Medley; (back row, l-r) Dr. Ken Whithaus, Paula S. Fortunas, Pam Irwin and Dr. Rohan Joseph 2 Dr. Rohan Joseph, Robin Ginaldi, Pam Irwin and Dr. David Saint 3 Dr. Ken Whithaus (far left) and Dr. Rohan Joseph (far right) presented the 2020 I.B. Harrison, M.D., Humanitarian Award to Dr. Sergio Ginaldi’s wife, Robin Ginaldi and their grandson, Luca Ginaldi (middle).

4 Dr. Patrick Murrah (far left), Dr. David Tedrick (second from left), and Dr. Rohan Joseph (far right) presented the 2020 Outstanding Physician Award to Dr. David Saint and his wife, Rhonda Saint (middle).

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3

Your treatment.

Our Journey.

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SOCIAL STUDIES Constellation Furyk & Friends OCT. 4–10 The Constellation Furyk & Friends charity golf event, presented by Circle K, took place at Timuquana Country Club in Jacksonville. The city of Jacksonville, fans, partners and volunteers all rallied around the event to create a memorable experience. Through their collective efforts, the event will donate $1 million to Northeast Florida charities through the Jim & Tabitha Furyk Foundation. The event proudly crowned Phil Mickelson as the event’s inaugural champion.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF STAN BADZ

1 Jim Furyk, Tabitha Furyk, Beverly Cable, Logan Cable and Dylan Cable 2 Darius Rucker 3 Phil Mickelson with Tabitha and Jim Furyk

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Elder Care Services Oktoberfest OCT. 10 Elder Care Services celebrated the fall season with its 23rd annual Oktoberfest. This year’s sold-out event in Cascades Park raised funds for programs helping seniors age comfortably at home.

Guests enjoyed a beautiful afternoon in the park, featuring a traditional German picnic on the lawn and an Oktoberfest beer village highlighting local brewers and musicians.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF LYDIA BELL, INVISUAL CREATIVE

1 The Southern Fields Brewing team 2 The Georgia Brewing Company team 3 Akin Akinyemi and Greg Tish

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SOCIAL STUDIES Tee Off for Tots

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OCT. 25 Tee Off for Tots, presented by The Proctor Dealerships and the Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Foundation, has raised over $3.5 million to support children with Type 1 diabetes and their families over the past 28 years. This year’s event included a golf tournament at Golden Eagle Golf & Country Club on Oct. 25 and the Tee Off Social at Lake Iamonia Lodge on Nov. 7. That’s where Mark Schreffler from Niceville was drawn as the winner of a 2022 Acura MDX, donated by The Proctor Dealerships.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHEMS HAMILTON, REBECCAH LUTZ AND ALEXIS GAYDA

1 Winners of The Proctor Cup at the TOFT Golf Tournament: Stone Cowie, Yancey Sutton, Nick Sutton and Mike Connelley 2 Virginia Glass, Margie Fletcher and Betty Hiraga 3 Pamela Ridley and Dr. Dennis Ridley

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4 Dustin and Jilly McGowan with Amy and Garrett Blanton

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5 Stuart Chandronnet, Haley Chandronnet, Kristie May, Don May, Morgan May and Cade Lassiter 6 Nick, Adelaide and Emily Sutton, Proctor, Sarah and Graham Demont 7 Paula and Harry Burn with Velma Proctor

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PROMOTION

SOCIAL STUDIES First Commerce Credit Union Power Forward Speaker Series NOV. 2 In partnership with the FSU Office of Research, First Commerce Credit Union hosted its 8th Annual Power Forward Speaker Series with Chris Gardner — Tallahassee’s largest annual business event. A self-made millionaire, entrepreneur and best-selling author of The Pursuit of Happyness, Gardner, went from living on the streets with his young son to Wall Street broker and founder of his own brokerage firm.

Speaking at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall, Gardner delivered an inspirational message to nearly 700 business owners, community leaders, entrepreneurs and students about resiliency and persistence in overcoming obstacles to make your dreams a reality.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF KAY MEYER

1 Boys & Girls Club of the Big Bend students enjoyed an opportunity to meet with Chris Gardner.

2 Curtis B. Richardson, Tallahassee City Commissioner, and Chris Gardner

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3 Jimmy Fasig, Chris Gardner and Dana Brooks

Women United Women’s Leadership Breakfast NOV. 4 Women United hosted its fifth annual Leadership Breakfast, celebrating women leading in business and philanthropy, at the University Center. The guest of honor was entrepreneur, author, fitness coach, podcast host and former NASCAR® driver Danica Patrick, whose experience in the worlds of business, philanthropy, wellness and competition provided endless wisdom and encouragement for the capacity crowd that was on hand.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF TIM WHEELER, TREW MEDIA

1 Rob Clarke, Shannon Morris, Peggy Smith, Danica Patrick, Janaye Pieczynski and Marty Sipple 2 Javis Ogden and Danica Patrick 3 Laci Swann, Danica Patrick and Michelle Mitcham 4 Berneice Cox, Susie Busch-Transou, Danica Patrick and Angie Sipple

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PROMOTION

SOCIAL STUDIES ‘Wonder Women’ of Tallahassee NOV. 4 A fundraising effort inspired by remarkable women netted Girls on the Run Panhandle (GOTR) $20,000 that will be dedicated to scholarships and programs for girls in the Tallahassee area. GOTR solicited nominations from the public and arrived at a list of 25 finalists (18 women and seven girls) for recognition as Wonder Women. The organization then posted bios of the finalists online and invited the public to vote for their favorites at a cost of $1 per ballot.

GOTR supporters and sponsors gathered at Leon High School on Nov. 4, when the top 10 vote getters were revealed and heralded as Wonder Women. “The aim of this event was to elevate the contributions of women and girls in our community,” said GOTR executive director Jennifer Powell.

“We looked for women who exemplified Wonder Woman’s values of strength, leadership, hope, compassion and service. This mirrors directly what we try to teach our girls in our Girls on the Run program.”

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF COURTNEY WAHL PHOTOGRAPHY

1 Wonder Woman finalists and winners 2 Jennifer Powell and Maicel Green 3 Gina Giacomo, Kyndra Light, Paula DeBoles-Johnson and Jennifer Powell (Girls on the Run Executive Director) 4 Wonder Girl finalists and winners with Executive Director Jennifer Powell and Superintendent Rocky Hanna 5 Caroline O’Kelley, Samanth Raines, Elyse Gelhardt, Charlotte Blades and Alina Zhao

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6 Stefanie and Gabrielle Bowden

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IS YOUR PET A

TALLY TOP PET VOTE FOR TALLY’S TOP PET

Go to TallahasseeMagazine.com/Tally-Top-Pet The winner will be featured on the cover of Tallahassee Magazine’s 2022 May/June issue.

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CUSTOM CONTENT

The Best Yet The 2021 Best of Tallahassee awards spread joy via screens

O

n Oct. 28, viewers were able to join in the Best of Tallahassee festivities from the comfort of their homes or at watch party locations throughout the city as the hour-long show aired in prime time on Fox 49. The hosts were Live! In Tallahassee and Tallahassee Magazine, who surprised winners at eight locations and announced winners and honorable mentions from over 100 categories.

The program began with associate publisher McKenzie Burleigh speaking on the history of the event and thanking both viewers and the many businesses that were honored. This year’s Best benefited the Junior League of Tallahassee (JLT), and viewers were encouraged to donate to JLT online.

Rowland Publishing staffers joined Live! In Tallahassee host Joel Silver in surprising eight

Tallahassee Magazine associate publisher McKenzie Burleigh (top left) appears on camera for the Best of Tallahassee live broadcast; Presenting sponsor Ox Bottom Animal Hospital’s Lauren DiMartino-Combs, DMV (center, on the mic) with colleagues and furry friend Fred; Tallahassee Magazine’s Javis Ogden (right, with mic) listens as Pam Monnier with supporting sponsor University Center Club announces another 2021 Best winner.

local businesses to capture their reactions to finding out they were winners. The first stop was with presenting sponsor Ox Bottom Animal Hospital. Additional partners who opened their doors for winner announcements included RedWire, John Gandy Events and the University Center Club. In between announcements, footage revealed watch parties and celebrations at several businesses, including: Food Glorious Food, Best Dessert; El Jalisco, Best Mexican/ Latin American Restaurant; Russell B. Rainey DMD, Best Dental Practice; Millennium Nail & Day Spa, Best Day Spa and Nail Salon; Superior Painting, Best Residential Painter; Drip Drop Fitness, Best Specialty Fitness Studio; Narcissus, Best Women’s Clothing and Women’s Shoes; and Capital City Country Club, Best Golf Course.

Those watching had the opportunity to be

winners as well. Throughout the evening, a QR code appeared on screen, and viewers were encouraged to scan it for the chance to win gift baskets filled with over $4,000 in products and gift cards donated by “Best” businesses.

Instead of a grand event, the visiting of local businesses was more intimate and sentimental as viewers were able to witness winners in their own place of business, rejoicing in unique ways.

In a tumultuous year, these businesses not only survived but also were able to thrive with the support of dedicated customers and consumers.

To view all the images, video highlights and the complete list of winners, visit TallahasseeMagazine.com/best-of-tallahassee-results-2021.

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COME CELEBRATE WITH US! April 21-24, 2022 Thursday • Winemakers & Shakers • 5pm–7pm Friday • VIP Wine Tasting Kick-Off • 4pm–6pm Friday • Craft Beer & Spirits Jam • 6pm–9pm Saturday & Sunday • Grand Tastings • 1pm–4pm Attendees enjoy such attractions as Spirits Row, Savor South Walton Culinary Village, Nosh Pavilions, Tasting Seminars, Craft Beer & Spirits Jam, live entertainment and more than 600 wines poured by knowledgeable wine industry insiders.

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dining guide AMERICAN ANDREW’S DOWNTOWN

After 47 years, Andrew’s is still an energetic, casual, see-and-be-seen spot.

House favorites include a popular lunch buffet, hamburgers, salads and pasta dishes. Downtown delivery.

(850) 222-3444. $$ B L D

BACKWOODS CROSSING ★

Sit down at this 2021 Best of winner for fresh gourmet food at Tallahassee’s farm-to-table, destination concept restaurant featuring locally caught and produced soft-shell crabs, sausage, duck and blueberries. 6725 Mahan Dr.

(850) 765-3753. $$ L D

DISTRICT 850

Mix an on-site restaurant and a full bar with a wide range of activities, like laser tag, a ropes course, bowling and much more, and you get Tallahassee’s premier entertainment location. 2662 Fleischmann Road, (850) 513-2114. $$ L D

HUMMINGBIRD WINE BAR ★

Hummingbird brings together great wine with house-made plates and paninis for the perfect after-work or evening get-together — or start your Sunday off right with an early brunch.

1216-4 N. Monroe St. (850) 296-2766. $$ D

ISLAND WING COMPANY ★

Get baked! This 2021 Best of winner for Best Wings won’t serve you up greasy, fried wings; instead Island Wing bakes them fresh. 1370 Market St. (850) 692-3116. $ L D

JUICY BLUE

Located in the Four Points by Sheraton Downtown, this cool lobby restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Unique dishes include tapas with a twist, such as the Georgia peaches with caramel. 316 W. Tennessee St. (850) 422-0071. $ B L D

LIBERTY BAR AND RESTAURANT ★

Carefully crafted unique cocktails mixed with a gourmet menu that features fresh, local produce. 1307 N. Monroe, Unit No. 2.

(850) 354-8277. $$ D

DOG ET AL ★

Foot-long and veggie entrees alike grace this award-winning menu. Also ask about their incredibly valued family packs. 1456 S. Monroe St.

LOFTY PURSUITS ★

THE EDISON

A11. (850) 521-0091. $ B

(850) 684-2117. $$/$$$ B L D

Whether it’s for a social cocktail, a quick lunch or a place to gather before home football games, Madison Social offers something for everyone.

(850) 222-4099. $ L D

This relaxed, fine dining establishment is equipped with a beer garden, wine cellar, casual café, open-air alternatives and a gorgeous view that has become a Tallahassee favorite. 470 Suwannee St.

FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD ★

The name says it all! This restaurant boasts a palate-pleasing combination of personalized service, eclectic ambiance and award-winning cuisine and is the Best Desserts winner for 2017–21. 1950 Thomasville Road.

(850) 224-9974. $$ L D

HOPKINS’ EATERY ★

A Best of 2021 winner, Hopkins’ provides favorites such as the Ultimate Turkey, the Linda Special and a variety of salads to keep customers coming back. Multiple locations. Hours vary. $ L D

HORIZONS BAR & GRILLE

Classic, homemade American cuisine along with a full bar serving premium liquors, local craft beers and wine.

3427 Bannerman Rd., Ste. 104.

(850) 329-2371. $$ B D

THE KEY ★ 2021 Best

of Tallahassee Winner

Brunch Lunch Dinner

Great Friends

3740 Austin Davis Ave. Tues-Sun | 7am-2pm (850) 765-0703

300 S. Duval St. in Kleman Plaza Tues-Sun | 8am-2pm (850) 907-EGGS (3447)

This old-fashioned soda fountain serves ice cream, milkshakes and candy — plus brunch dishes and a selection of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. 1355 Market St.,

MADISON SOCIAL

705 S. Woodward Ave. (850) 894‑6276. $$ B L D

OVERUNDER BAR + LOUNGE ★

Two experiences under one roof, OverUnder features specialty cocktails plus curated food and drink pairings and is a 2021 Best Bar winner. 1240

Thomasville Rd. (850) 597-7552. $$

PROOF BREWPUB

Tallahassee’s first brewery, Proof’s brewpub in downtown offers shareables, such as sliders and fried oysters, plus burgers, sandwiches and tacos to pair with their tasty craft brews. 1320 S. Monroe St. (850) 577-0517. $$ D

R&R EATERY

Located in Hotel Indigo, R&R Eatery is a modern American restaurant with fresh takes on classic dishes and a mix of signature craft cocktails. 826 W. Gaines St.

(850) 210-0008. $$ B D

The restaurants that appear in this guide are included as a service to readers and not as recommendations of the Tallahassee Magazine editorial department, except where noted. $$ Moderately B Breakfast/ Outdoor Dining L D

Great Food

Live Music Bar/Lounge $ Inexpensive

Expensive

$$$ Expensive

INDOOR DINING NOW OPEN CARRY OUT AVAILABLE Killearn Shopping Center (850) 222-5458

Ocala Corners (850) 575-5458

KIKUBOGO.COM

KIKUTOGO.COM

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ROOTSTOCK

With an ever-changing menu of unique flavors, Rootstock offers shareable plates, artisan cocktails and a selection of 25 wines by the glass. 228 South Adams.

(850) 518-0201. $$$ D

SAGE RESTAURANT ★

Sage’s menu masterfully melds regional influences, including Southern and French. The setting is gorgeous but cozy, and the outdoor patio sets a charming, romantic tone for a relaxing evening.

3534 Maclay Blvd. (850) 270-9396. $$$ B L D

VERTIGO BURGERS AND FRIES ★

Vertigo is home to some of the juiciest, funkiest burgers in town. The modern building provides a no-frills setting to enjoy such favorites as the Vertigo Burger — a beef patty served with a fried egg, applewood bacon, grilled jalapeños, sharp cheddar and Vertigo sauce. 1395 E. Lafayette St. (850) 878-2020. $$ L D

WALK-ON’S SPORTS BISTREAUX ★ Not your usual sports bar, this import from Louisiana offers seafood, traditional Cajun cuisine and burgers built for two hands — plus 40 beers on tap and wall-to-wall TVs for the big games. 3390 Capital Circle NE. (850) 597-7736. $$ L D

SAVOUR

Downtown fine dining with a vision for seasonally inspired, regionally sourced and creatively prepared cuisine, such as bourbon-brined pork chops, Gulf Coast bouillabaisse or miso marinated grouper.

115 E. Park Ave. (850) 765-6966. $$$ D

TABLE 23 ★

This “Southern porch, table and bar” is cozied up among oak trees on one of Tallahassee’s favorite street corners.

Lucky Goat coffee-rubbed ribeye and Schermer pecan-crusted chicken are among the regional offerings.

(850) 727-4183. $/$$

NAGOYA STEAKHOUSE & SUSHI

Dine in or takeout, Nagoya offers a wide variety of authentic Japanese cuisine, including hibachi, salads, sushi and sashimi.

1925 N. Monroe St. $/$$ L D

OSAKA JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE AND SUSHI BAR ★

Rated Best Hibachi for 2021, Osaka provides dinner and a show, with the chefs seasoning and preparing your meal right in front of you. 1489 Maclay Commerce Dr. (850) 900-5149.

Enjoy an extensive array of classic dishes with a modern flare, including gyoza dumplings, crab rangoon, General Tso’s chicken and Szechuan beef, all in a relaxed setting. 3220

ROCK N ROLL SUSHI

This American-style sushi chain born in Mobile offers fresh rolls, salads and hibachi — all with a rock-and-roll theme.

1415 Timberlane Rd., #305. (850) 999-1748. $$ L D

BORU BORU

A fast-casual eatery inspired by Japanese cuisine, featuring sushi bowls, poke bowls and sushiburritos. 1861 W. Tennessee St., #290. (850) 270-9253. $$ L D

KIKU JAPANESE FUSION ★

Specialties at the bustling, family-run café include apricot-glazed smoked salmon, oneof-a-kind omelets, banana bread French toast and flavorful sandwiches. 1325 Miccosukee Rd.

(850) 219-9800. $ B L

AZU LUCY HO’S

From tempura to teriyaki and sushi to sashimi, Kiku Japanese Fusion, voted Best Sushi in 2021, fuses vibrant flavors with fresh ingredients. 800 Ocala Rd.

(850) 575-5458, 3491 Thomasville Rd. (850) 222-5458. $$ L D

New Location Coming Soon 1900 Capital Circle NE Tallahassee

BREAKFAST/ BRUNCH/BAKERY

A 2021 Best Asian winner, Masa’s menu offers a creative blend of Eastern and Western cuisines. 1650 N. Monroe St.

$$$ D

Apalachee Pkwy., Ste. 13. (850) 893-4112. $$ L D

1215 Thomasville Rd. (850) 329-2261. $$$ L D

UPTOWN CAFÉ

ASIAN

MASA ★

BBQ WILLIE JEWELL’S OLD SCHOOL BBQ ★

Platters, sandwiches or by the pound, Willie Jewell’s, the 2021 Best Barbecue winner, offers smoked brisket, pork, turkey, sausage, chicken and ribs with a bevy of Southern sides. 5442 Thomasville Rd.

(850) 629-4299. $ L D

2226 N Monroe Street Tallahassee (850) 385-9888

CANOPY ROAD CAFÉ ★

Traditional breakfasts, fluffy omelets, skillets, French toast and sweet potato pancakes keep customers coming back to this 2021 Best Breakfast winner. Canopy also goes all out on lunch favorites. Multiple locations. (850) 668-6600. $ B L

THE EGG CAFÉ & EATERY

When you’re looking for breakfast favorites, even if it’s lunchtime, The Egg is the place to be. Second location now open in Kleman Plaza. Multiple locations. (850) 907-3447. $$ B L

TASTY PASTRY BAKERY ★

Tallahassee’s original cakery and 2021 Best Bakery winner features fresh breads, bagels, pies, cakes and catering. Mon–Sat 6:45 am–6 pm. 1355 Market St., No. A-5.

(850) 893-3752. $ B L D

TREVA’S PASTRIES & FINE FOODS Specializing in sweet treats, cakes, pastries and croissants, this bistro-style pastry shop and fine foods store also uses 100% natural ingredients to make savory sandwiches, salads and soups. 2766 Capital Circle NE.

(850) 765-0811. $$ L

CAJUN COOSH’S BAYOU ROUGE ★

This Best Cajun Restaurant winner for 2021 brings a menu jam-packed with Louisiana-style

1241 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee (850) 671-2722

CraftyCrabRestaurant.com/location/tallahassee 144

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2499 Hwy. 77 Unit A Panama City (850) 215-3330

dishes, including favorites like jambalaya, crawfish étouffée, po’boys and seafood gumbo. Multiple locations. (850) 894‑4110.

$$ B L D

frozen margaritas? Make your way to the 2021 Best Mexican/Latin American Restaurant, El Jalisco, where they do Mexican cuisine to perfection. Multiple

locations. $ L D

CATERING BLACK FIG ★

Voted Best Catering in 2021, whether you’re planning an event for five or 500, Black Fig offers a bevy of dining options, including catering-to-go. 1400 Village Square Blvd, #7. (850) 727-0016.

CATERING CAPERS

Offering meals, bar services and more, Catering Capers makes entertaining and planning corporate events, weddings or private parties in Tallahassee easy. 2915

EL PATRON MEXICAN GRILL & CANTINA

Find all your authentic Mexican classics such as tacos, quesadillas, fajitas and burritos, or take a sip of a yardstick margarita. 1170 Apalachee

Pkwy. (850) 656-7264. $$ L D

THE IRON DAISY

Made-to-order Mexican food with a Florida flair, The Iron Daisy blends traditional cast-iron cooking with the funky vibe of the Arts District.

507 W. Gaines St. (850) 597-9997. $$ L D

East Park Ave., Unit 4. (850) 385-5953.

Family Owned Since 1999

SEAFOOD/STEAK BELLA BELLA ★

Voted Best Italian in 2021, this locally owned and operated restaurant has a cozy atmosphere and serves all the classics to satisfy your pasta cravings.

123 E. 5th Ave. (850) 412-1114. $$ L D

GAINES STREET PIES

Locally owned and open since 2012, Gaines Street offers fresh ingredients and inventive pies, such as the Metal Mike with Sriracha. 603 W. Gaines St.,

No. 3, (850) 765-9275; 1184 Capital Circle NE, Ste. E, (850) 329-2141; 1122 Thomasville Rd., No. 4. (850) 765-4120. $$ L D

IL LUSSO ★

Homemade pasta, local seafood and a choice of prime steaks define this downtown fine dining experience.

201 E. Park Ave., Ste. 100. (850) 765-8620. $$$ D

MOMO’S ★

After devouring a slice “as big as your head” at this 2021 Best Pizza winner, chain pizza simply is not gonna cut it. Multiple locations. (850) 224‑9808. $ L D

RICCARDO’S RESTAURANT

A Tallahassee tradition since 1999, Riccardo’s features savory Italian classics, from pasta and pizza to homemade subs and calzones — plus a wide-ranging selection of wines and craft brews. 1950

Thomasville Rd. (850) 386-3988. $$ L D

MEDITERRANEAN SAHARA CAFE MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE

This 2020 Best Ethnic Restaurant winner is a family owned and operated restaurant. Sahara Cafe has been serving homemade Greek and Lebanese food to Tallahassee for 15 years. 1135 Apalachee Pkwy.(850) 656-1800. $$ L D

THE BLU HALO ★

Blu Halo is a high-end culinary experience featuring dry-aged steaks and fresh seafood along with fine wines and a martini bar. A private dining room for up to 20 guests is available. 3431 Bannerman

Rd., #2 (850) 999-1696. $$$ L D

CRAFTY CRAB

Offering the freshest seafood and most authentic recipes in the area, including crab, crawfish, calamari, lobster, oysters, mussels, scallops and more. 1241

Apalachee Pkwy. & 2226 N. Monroe St. (850) 671-2722. $$ L D

GEORGIO’S FINE FOOD & SPIRITS George Koikos has over 50 years of experience in Tallahassee restaurants, and his hands-on commitment has made this upscale restaurant a local favorite featuring local seafood, prime steaks and banquet rooms for private parties. 2971 Apalachee Pkwy.

(850) 877-3211. $$$ D

Serving Over 25 Craft Beers & 30 Wines Secret Bread Made Fresh Daily on the Premises Dine In or Carry Out LUNCH TUES - FRI 11AM - 2PM | DINNER TUES - SAT 5 - 9PM 1950 Thomasville Road | RiccardosTally.com | (850) 386-3988

Two over the top experiences,

HARRY’S SEAFOOD BAR & GRILL

Serving Southern, Cajun and Creole flavors in classic and modern dishes since 1987. Full bar is available at each location. 301 S. Bronough St., in Kleman

Plaza. (850) 222-3976. $$ L D

SHULA’S 347

Located in Hotel Duval. Keep it light and casual with a premium Black Angus beef burger or a gourmet salad, or opt for one of their signature entrées — a “Shula Cut” steak.

Reservations suggested.

415 N. Monroe St. (850) 224-6005. $$$ L D

SOUTHERN SEAFOOD ★

Whether you’re looking for fish, shrimp, oysters, scallops, crab or lobster, the 2021 Best Seafood Market winner brings the ocean’s freshest choices to Tallahassee. 1415 Timberlane Rd. (850) 668‑2203.

under one roof.

ITALIAN/PIZZA

THE SEINEYARD ★

MEXICAN EL JALISCO ★

In the mood for sizzling enchiladas and

Fried, grilled or blackened, the area’s best and freshest seafood is found at Seineyard. Grab your basket or mix it up with a plate of grouper, catfish, shrimp, oysters, scallops and more. Multiple locations. (850) 421-9191. $$ L D

Live Music Specialty Cocktails 850-597-7552 OverUnderBar.com

Visit our comprehensive, searchable dining guide online at TallahasseeMagazine.com/restaurants.

TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

Thank you for voting us Best Bar

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postscript

SETTING AN ELEVATED TONE Harmonize with positive chords in the year ahead

by ASHLEY THESIER

Success in life is all about momentum and direction. That means it is imperative that we set our heartfelt intentions for the year ahead if our desires are to eventually bear fruit. If you want to set a tone, then you have to strike a chord. So how do we bring these manifestation vibes into our home, our body and our life? Unfortunately, most New Year’s resolutions fizzle.

Every fitness studio owner can attest to packed houses for the month of January, but how do we see to it that those life-force enhancing aspirations maintain momentum throughout the year? Let’s talk about making a not-so-typical resolution for 2022.

As a mystic and a yogi, I would suggest that you not do so hastily. Give yourself time in which to do the work of planting spiritual seeds of virtue and aspiration that will germinate well into the future. The good news is that it is never too late to start! There is no time like the present to draw that line in the sand or the metaphorical fabric of space and time and begin generating the momentum that will carry you toward your goals. Once you are serious about what you want to call into the experience of your life — and remember to be as specific as possible — here are some steps to follow:

➺ “The pen is mightier than

the sword.” Go analog with this and use actual paper and pen. There is something more tangible about being able to feel the ink on the page. It is not real unless it is on paper, and until you write it down, it exists only in your head. Writing your thoughts out is the first step in the actualization of your dreams on the physical plane.

BE REALISTIC

ABOUT YOUR GOALS

➺ Remember to keep it simple. Create a schedule, and stick to it the best you can. However, this schedule is not a “should” and not a device to invite self-ridicule or stifle spontaneity. You will welcome and enjoy discipline once the benefits of reform begin to take root.

PLAN YOUR DOWNTIME WISELY

➺ Every gamer in life needs downtime; we just can’t run at 100% all the time. But it is in downtime more often than not when we are easily distracted.

Rather than allowing yourself to become idle, plan effective downtime activities like meal prep or exciting adventures and wholesome escapades to recharge your batteries.

Burnout is one of the greatest obstacles to overcome, so once the tone is set, keep the vibes flying high by strategically lying low.

GET COMFORTABLE

WITH BEING WAY OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

➺ Search out your edges and boundaries. Sign up for a class, learn a new language or hobby or discover the richness of other cultures and

religions. Dare to change your mind about the world as you have previously known it and your “role” within it. Rethink your mental programming by simply choosing a different thought; a whole new way of being is available to us in every conscious moment.

LEAR SPACE, MAKE C LISTS AND ORGANIZE

➺ Maintaining a positive mindset is not always easy; decluttering can help. Clear out closets of old clothes, and remove accumulated unnecessary stuff from your environment. This process of purging creates an empty space that the entire universe will rush in to fill because nature abhors a vacuum.

In order to invite positivity into our futures,

Ashley Thesier is the owner of Yoga Power Tallahassee at 2030 Thomasville Road, a “sacred space where people seek to stretch the limits of their bodies and minds.” She offers classes well suited to people of all experience levels. Since 2011, she has certified more than 150 instructors of Hatha Yoga through her Yoga Alliance teacher training program.

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we must release the weight of the past and soar high above that old version of self. It’s easier to stay positive when we take good care of ourselves on the inside and out. Nurturing your body, mind and spirit is essential to staying in tune with a chord you strike during any phase of life.

PHOTO BY JENNIFER POWELL

WRITE IT DOWN

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