The Village Journal by The Village Journal

GAINESVILLEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

Vol. 12 No. 3

Ninja Warrior ERICA COOK

The Ultimate Community Lifestyle Magazine

SPOTLIGHT ON NEIGHBORS:

DAN AND DIANE LEWIS

Slow down & unwind in

DUNEDIN

2016 | Vol. 12 No. 3

Tailgating with Chef

DEAN CACCIATORE

What's Inside

ON THE COVER

Betsy Hansen

GAINESVILLEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NINJA WARRIOR ERICA COOK

20 54

CO V ER S TO RIES

30 66

Spotlight on Neighbors: Dan and Diane Lewis

Artist Mandy Macias: A Palette of Strong Colors

Tailgating with Chef Dean Cacciatore

Slow Down and Unwind in Dunedin

TheVillageJournal.com | 55

CON TE NTS

IN EVERY ISSUE 10 #VJConnect 14 Haile Village Center Directory 18 Haile Market Square Directory 36 Real Estate Market Watch 37 Community Map 72 Calendar of Events 76 Snapshots 81 Register of Advertisers 82 From the Kitchen of Dean Cacciatore

life 40 Gainesvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ninja Warrior Erica Cook

50 Tropical Prints Give Us an Endless Summer

taste 54 Tailgating with

local 20 Spotlight on Neighbors: Dan and Diane Lewis

26 Kanapaha Presbyterian Church: Rooted in History and Relevant for Today

30 Artist Mandy Macias:

A Palette of Strong Colors

Chef Dean Cacciatore

wellness 58 Turn Screen-Time Into Ninja-Time 62 Finding Strength in Family Balance

explore 66 Slow Down and Unwind in Dunedin

6 | CONTENTS

Robert Hedges

Betsy Hansen

E DITOR’ S NO TE This issue gives us an opportunity to dedicate pages to the achievements of folks across a number of fields who have grabbed our attention. We meet Erica Cook who packs an impressive punch in her 5-foot frame. Having competed on the hit reality show “Team Ninja Warrior,” she exudes the physical and mental prowess and the tenacity to be one of the very few women to have completed the daunting obstacle course (p.40). For an even more impressive look at what she can do, follow her on Instagram (@ecook126). Your jaw will drop! Cuban-born Mandy Macias shares her coming of age story during the time when Fidel Castro’s regime had taken political control of the country, how she escaped it for a better life, and how rekindling her love for drawing has led her to be an award winning artist (p.30).

Behind the scenes at the cover story photoshoot with Erica Cook.

Photography by Betsy Hansen. Hair by Rachel Cole. Makeup by Kara Winslow. Clothes provided by Banana Republic and Dillard’s. Photographed on location at No Limits Personal Training.

Doctors Dan and Diane Lewis share a peek into their busy lives, both veterinarians and active in the community and volunteering, including a recent mission trip to Uganda (p.20). We round out the issue with a few recipes to ensure your tailgating season is full of flavor and excitement (p.54). Chef Dean Cacciatore shares his go-to tailgating favorites that are sure to have even the visiting team cheering!

Channing Williams editor@thevillagejournal.com

8 | EDITORS NOTE

ON THE COVER: Tiered-Ruffle Drop Waist Dress, $128; Peacock Cuff, $28/both Banana Republic; Olive Bomber Jacket, stylist’s collection (similar – BP. Twill Bomber Jacket, $62/ Nordstrom.com)

@thevillagejournal

#VJCONNECT

@villagejournal

INSIDE SCOOP

@villagejournal

@VillageJournal

Favorite Ways to Beat the Heat

Hear from the people featured in this issue.

According to VJ Staffers

ecook126 #americanninjawarrior inception. Can't wait to watch everyone crush the ATL finals tonight!

Pure Barre Gainesville Look for these 3 on the schedule soon! Henna, Elisa, and Meagan spent the weekend in SC at training to bring you the best workout

Movies

Mall

Beach

Froyo

Water Park

Ninja Zone "He has learned how to keep working to get a skill and has gained confidence when he has mastered a skill."

Dunedin Brewery To commemorate National Get Gnarly Day (yes, it's an actual day)... we had to pull a totally rad skateboard move. We call this the "Work Boot Manual Inverse Keg Stand." Gnarly dude!!!

10 | CONNECT

The Village Journal has gone international! Check out this amazing shot of our Senior Graphic Designer, Jean Piot, with the latest issue in Positano, Italy

Don’t pay big bucks for beaded tassel necklaces when you can DIY them for half the cost! Learn how on our “Great Ideas” board.

thevillagejournal.com Head to the web for more stories, resources and updates, or drop us a line to share your thoughts.

CON TR I BU TO RS Dean Cacciatore Dean Cacciatore is the chef owner of Cacciatore Catering in Gainesville, FL. Dean achieved a Bachelors of Science degree in Hospitality at Widener University in Philadelphia and further attended The Culinary Institute of America continual education courses. Dean has a sense of pride and understanding of what family and good food means. His grandmother, Philomena, brought him into the kitchen as a child and taught him everything she knew about cooking and what it means to the family. Originally from Jersey City, New Jersey, Dean has been with The University of Florida Office of the President since 1995. The only thing he enjoys more than cooking is spending every available moment with his family. Buon Appetito!

PUBLISHER:

Ryan Frankel EDITOR:

Channing Williams DESIGN:

Jean Piot, Senior Graphic Designer Alexandra Villella, Graphic Designer Rene van Rensburg, Graphic Designer Nita Chester, Production Manager ADVERTISING:

Kilty Bryson, Senior Account Executive SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS:

Coleen DeGroff Michelle Luchau, Intern CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:

Lynna Lawrence Kendal Norris Benny Torres PHOTOGRAPHY:

Betsy Hansen Kara Winslow Robert Hedges DIGITAL MEDIA:

Mehgan McLendon, Webmaster Jillian Kirby, Social Media Strategist ACCOUNTING:

Diana Schwartz-Levine, Bookkeeper For advertising or licensing information call (352) 331-5560 or visit TheVillageJournal.com

105 SW 128th Street, Suite 200 Newberry, FL 32669 TheVillageJournal.com The Village Journal is published quarterly in Gainesville, Florida. Copyright 2016, all rights reserved by Frankel Media Group. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising. Frankelâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;Media Group is an independent entity, and neither it, its agents, employees, nor its publication The Village Journal, have any associations with The Haile Village Center, Haile Plantation, its developers, employees or tenants. Printed in the USA. ÂŠ2016 Frankel Media Group.

12 | CONTRIBUTORS

SW 52nd Road

SW 49th Place

SW 91st Way

SW 91st Terrace

SW 5

rive

1st R oad

nue

nd Ave

91s

SW 52

SW 48th Place

SW 91st Way

SW 52nd Lane

SW 53rd Ave

SW 53rd Place

SW 91st Terrace

SW 91st

91st

Driv

Street

PRESENTED BY

HAILE VI L L AG E C ENTER DIRE CTORY

ARCHITECTURE Jennifer Langford, AIA, CNU, PA . . . . . 371-7187 The Sustainable Design Group . . . . . . 327-3899

COMMUNITY Haile Equestrian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 665-7433 Haile Village Farmers Market . . . . . . . . 363-2233

MER

D E V E LO PM E N T C O M

EDUCATION Abacus Learning Center . . . . . . . . . . . . 376-1492 La Escuela Spanish Learning Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 514-4409

EVENT SERVICES Cacciatore Catering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 692-0701 Plantation Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371-1600

DANCE Cameron Dancenter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335-7785

FINANCIAL American Optimal Advisors . . . . . . . . . . 505-5632

DINING

Holloway Wealth Management . . . . . . 337-8177

Fresco Pizza and Pasta . . . . . . . . . . . . . 872-5005

Markey Wealth Management . . . . . . . . 338-1560

Haile Village Bistro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378-0721

SunTrust Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375-6868

Limerock Road

Tillman Hartley, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335-9015

Neighborhood Grill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240-6228 Patticakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376-1332 Queens Arms Pub . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378-0721 Volcanic Sushi & Sake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363-6226 14 | DIRECTORY

FURNISHINGS & GIFTS The Perfect Gift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375-8000

HEALTH & BEAUTY Cj's Plantation Salon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-0400 Haile Barber Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374-2005 Haile Village Spa & Salon . . . . . . . . . . . 335-5025 Hang Ten Nail Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-5545 Salon PhD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338-1011 Sarah’s Hair Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226-6909 Serendipity Spa & Salon . . . . . . . . . . . . 378-9088

JEWELRY Sander’s Jewelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-6100

LEGAL C. David Coffey, P.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335-8442 Warner, Sechrest & Butts, P.A. . . . . . . . 373-5922 Law Offices of Allan H. Kaye, P.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375-0816 Law Offices of Steven Kalishman . . . . 376-8600 Mark J. Fraser, Attorney at Law . . . . . . 367-0444 Niesen, Price, Worthy, Campo, Frasier & Blakey, P.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373-9031 White & Crouch, P.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372-1011

MEDICAL Aguirre & Sappington Orthodontics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378-2545 Alix L. Baxter, M.D., P.A. Psychiatry and Psychotherapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373-2525 Benet Clinical Assessment . . . . . . . . . . 375-2545 Burnell Acupuncture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367-0900 CFK Cardiac Tech, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332-3760 Haile Endodontics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374-2999 Galvan Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327-3561 Haile Medical Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367-9602 Haile Plantation Family Dental . . . . . . . 375-6116 Haile Plantation Family Medicine (UF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265-0944 Infectious Disease Consultants . . . . . . 375-0008 Kelly Aissen, PhD, LMHC . . . . . . . . . . . . 278-7008 Kent Wegner, M.D., Psychiatry & Neurology . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333-1109 Kids Only Dental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335-7777 Lori Libert Physical Therapy . . . . . . . . . 222-1583 TheVillageJournal.com | 15 15

H AIL E V I LLAGE C E NT E R D I R E C T OR Y Linda Goodwin, PhD, LMHC, Counselor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .373-0030 Options Medical, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317-6379 Speech & Language Center at Haile Plantation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284-3323 The Haile Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337-0551 William E. Beaty PhD, Psychologist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-5520

PET CARE Haileâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Angels Pet Rescue . . . . . . . . . . 262-4232 Haile Plantation Animal Clinic . . . . . . . . 377-6003 Shampoodles by Jan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336-7236 Sweet Paws Bakery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264-8995

REAL ESTATE Bosshardt Realty Services . . . . . . . . . . . 371-6100 Coldwell Banker, M.M. Parrish Realtors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335-4999 Haile Plantation Sales & Information Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .335-4999 Management Specialists Services . . . . 335-7848 Premier Management Associates, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379-4641 Henderson Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339-3478 Rabell Realty Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 559-8820 Thomas Group Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226-8228

TITLE & INSURANCE AmeriLife Insurance Marketing . . . . . . . . . 371-8213 Brightway Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519-1900 New York Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379-8171 Homestead Insurance, Agent Ann Toms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505-6565

TECHNOLOGY Advanced Turbine Support, LLC . . . . . . 302-2364 E-Tech Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-785-5993 Neptuno Data Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 514-4215

16 | DIRECTORY

SW 25th RD

W 25th LN

PUBLIX

W ay

HAI L E MA R KE T SQ UARE DI RE CT O R Y

BEAUTY Great Clips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-1005 Venus Nail Spa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-3878 Salon 119. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505-3819

DINING

INSURANCE Bo Greene Insurance Agency. . . . . . . . 333-1123

MEDICAL Archer Dental. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3 1 - 4 7 3 1 Haile Market Therapy &

Bamboos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-1522

Behavioral Medicine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-0020

I Love NY Pizza. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333-6185

Kinetix Physical Therapy. . . . . . . . . . . . . 505-6665

Looseyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bar & Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-6620

UF Health PRC at Haile . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265-0944

Subway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332-1707 Sweet Cup Frozen Yogurt. . . . . . . . . . . 240-6828

DRY CLEANING On the Spot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332-9494

FINANCIAL Florida Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 7 7 - 4 1 4 1 Wells Fargo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-8239

FITNESS Sweat Life Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 692-4926 Sweat Box. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 692-4926

PHARMACY Publix Pharmacy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-1086

SHOPPING Haile Jewelry & Loans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333-1905 Haile Kitchen & Bath. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 745-3456

SPIRITS The Spirit Shoppe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-7274

REAL ESTATE Tommy Williams Homes. . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-8180 Viking Construction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333-9333

GROCERY Publix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3 1 - 1 0 3 7 18 | DIRECTORY

Betsy Hansen

S POT L I GH T ON N EI GH B O R S

DOCTORS Dan & Diane Lewis

By Kendal Norris

r. Daniel D. Lewis came by his vocation as a veterinary surgeon naturally. Both his parents were in the medical field: his mother was a nurse and his father a pediatrician. Dan was born in Oceanside, California, but at age five his family settled in Sacramento, where he grew up with his two brothers and a sister.

I wasn’t very mature entering college, as I was only interested in playing football and basketball in high school. I really knew very little outside the field of medicine and I was gradually drawn toward veterinary medicine partly because UC Davis has such an excellent program. I’d always been a dog lover, and so it just seemed like a good answer to the question of what to do when I grow up.”

Deciding to attend the University of California at Davis, Dan recalled, “I was feeling some outside pressure early on to become a doctor.

Dan received a BS in zoology from UC Davis’ College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences in 1979, and went on to obtain his

20 | LOCAL

LOCAL

degree as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from UC Davis in 1983. After completing a year’s internship at Louisiana State University, Dan began his small animal surgery residency at the University of Florida.

generous-spirited colleagues in Sydney.” While living and working in Australia, Dan and Diane took some time to travel, exploring different parts of the country, visiting newfound friends, camping, and discovering the land’s various geographical wonders. “We made such good relationships while we were there that we’ve been back six or seven times since then,” Dan said.

At a New Year’s Eve party in Gainesville at the end of 1984, he met his future wife, Orlando native, Diane DeLany. She was a senior in veterinary school at UF, having obtained her BS in biology from Florida State University in 1980. Dan remembered, “When we met, we sensed Their next career move took them to Baton there was a strong connection between us. We Rouge, Louisiana where Dan became an shared some important Assistant Professor interests and values, at LSU’s School of so it was an intriguing Veterinary Medicine. beginning.” Diane Diane completed a onewas also a sports year internship in small enthusiast, having animal medicine and participated in softball, surgery, followed by a swimming, track, and two-year residency in Diane Lewis cheerleading in high dermatology at LSU. She school. The two were became qualified and married in April 1986 in Diane’s home town. board-certified in dermatology in 1992. The couple welcomed their daughter, Sarah, in 1990. After completing his surgical residency at UF, Dan was offered the position of In 1993 Dan and Diane returned to Gainesville. Surgical Registrar at the University of Dan is a Professor, Eminent Scholar and Sydney’s Veterinary Hospital in Sydney, Associate Chair in the Department of Small Australia. Diane had completed a year of Animal Clinical Sciences at UF’s College of private general practice in Kissimmee and Veterinary Medicine. In his orthopedic surgeon an additional year in Gainesville, so off capacity, Dr. Lewis works primarily on dogs, the couple went to live Down Under. but has operated on more exotic creatures, including the occasional bear, tiger, lion, bat, “I really enjoyed working with the Australian and even endangered Florida panthers. vets, many of whom had done their internships in the US,” Diane said. “It was a wonderful In his role as a professor, Dan commented, opportunity to explore the different kinds of “While I really enjoy interacting with the endemic diseases and learn from my helpful, veterinary students, I find working with

“WHEN WE MET, WE SENSED THERE WAS A STRONG

CONNECTION BETWEEN US.”

TheVillageJournal.com | 21

Provided by Lewis family ABOVE: The Lewis family and niece/cousin Devin McCurdy on left. RIGHT: The Lewis Family with Reverend Cornelius Kateregga Bakubanja, the founder of African Rural Community Shepherds in Uganda, whose mission is to empower local communities through education.

interns and particularly our surgery residents especially rewarding. Even with a heavy surgical caseload and twelve-hour-plus days, there are always opportunities for professional growth and camaraderie.” He continued, “I have the privilege of working with not only American residents — including those from the US Army Veterinary Corps — but also foreign graduates from countries like Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, the UK, and Canada. It’s gratifying to witness their development and maturation and follow their subsequent careers. I feel almost like a surrogate parent at times.” Diane works at a private specialty practice in Gainesville as a dermatologist and another specialty practice in Tallahassee, where they have a small second home, enabling them to cut down on commuting time. Diane’s medical interests are allergies, ear infections, cutaneous infectious diseases, endocrinology, and dermatopathology.

22 | LOCAL

Having purchased their primary home in Haile Plantation in 1993, the Lewis’s welcomed son, Ryan, to their family in 1994. Both Ryan and Sarah attended and graduated from Gainesville’s St. Francis Catholic High School, where Sarah was in the inaugural class. Dan and Diane are proud to have been involved with the school from its inception. Both Ryan and Sarah went on to graduate from Florida State University as biology majors. “In her third year of college, Sarah came to help me as a vet technician in my practice,” Diane said. “That experience helped her decide to focus on veterinary and not human medicine. She earned a Master’s degree in Animal Science at UF in 2013. Sarah just completed her first year of veterinary school at UF and will graduate in 2019.” Son Ryan, according to his dad, “has always loved children. He would spend his spring breaks in college on medical mission trips, working with families in Costa Rica and Belize, as well as a summer in

Provided by Lewis family

TheVillageJournal.com | 23

rural Uganda. There, he taught high school science and basic health care through the Global Scholars organization and African Rural Community Outreach Shepherds.” Ryan was adept at learning the local languages and quickly became a favorite of the children in the places he served. After college he worked in a pediatric endocrinology practice in Tallahassee for six months and is currently teaching ESL in Shanghai, China. Ryan plans to return to the US this fall. Then he’ll take the MCAT and apply to medical school, hoping to enter the field of pediatrics, like his grandfather. Doctors Dan and Diane Lewis have published extensively in medical journals and have lectured internationally (Australia, Europe, the UK and Ireland, Prince Edward Island, and

Be the Change Volunteers, an organization based in Columbia, Missouri. Be the Change is a development aid non-profit with a mission to improve education opportunities worldwide through infrastructure, equipping, and training for project partners. Operating primarily in third-world and developing countries. The organization sends selffunded volunteers to work in partnership with the local community. They provide sustainable, educational opportunities where facilities are desperately needed. Thirtyone schools have been built so far in only eight years in places such as Papua New Guinea, Peru, Cambodia, and Uganda. Sarah is looking forward to rendezvousing with her brother, Ryan, in Uganda. “I’m so excited to have the chance to meet and spend

"WHILE I REALLY ENJOY INTERACTING WITH THE VETERINARY STUDENTS, I FIND WORKING WITH INTERNS AND PARTICULARLY OUR SURGERY RESIDENTS ESPECIALLY REWARDING." Dan Lewis Grenada, among other places). When they do find time to relax, they take advantage of Haile’s many amenities, including the walking, running and biking trails, and Diane is a regular at yoga classes. They have a long-haired dachshund, Guinness. They spend free time in the summer at the springs or scalloping in the Gulf — a kind of “underwater Easter egg hunt,” according to Diane. The family enjoys outdoor vacations: ascending Half Dome in Yosemite, hiking together in Glacier, Zion, and Bryce National Parks, or rafting the Grand Canyon. The Lewis’s latest family trip is a two-week humanitarian project in Uganda, in the same village where Ryan previously worked with 24 | LOCAL

time with the people Ryan befriended on his earlier trip and to do some good by helping build a much-needed school,” she said. And, as history has shown, the adventure continues for Dan and Diane with plans for Dan to teach a course in Zurich, Switzerland next winter. “Before I get too old, I’d like to go ski the Alps,” Dan added. For the Lewis family – each member committed to healing, service to others, and making a difference locally and abroad – the road ahead is sure to be filled with excitement and adventure, leaving nothing short of a positive impact along the way.

Betsy Hansen

TheVillageJournal.com | 25

Kanapaha Presbyterian Church:

Rooted in History and Relevant for Today By Kendal Norris | Photos courtesy of Kanapaha Presbyterian Church

hen the Second Seminole War (1835–42) ended, land vacated by exiled Seminoles was cheap and plentiful. That factor, combined with Sea Island cotton crop failures in South Carolina, led to an influx of white settlers and cotton growers in the 1840s and 1850s into what was then known as the Arredondo Grant, much of which is in Alachua County. Among them was Thomas Evans Haile, who paid as little as one dollar an acre for some parcels of his 1500-acre plantation in 1854. He and his wife, Serena, were soon joined by his three

brothers, his mother, and two of her brothers. Haile also brought fifty-six enslaved people to work the land; together they harvested the first cotton crop in 1855. Needing spiritual guidance as well as physical sustenance, a group of planters met together in 1857 to discuss building a permanent Presbyterian church and hiring a pastor for 26 | LOCAL

the new congregation. The original Kanapaha (meaning “thatched roof”) Presbyterian Church structure was erected in 1859, and services were led by Reverend William J. McCormick, recruited from South Carolina. It had twelve members and two elders and served its congregants until 1885. Through the Civil War years, the church building suffered neglect. With even the pastor joining the army as a chaplain, the church was in severe disrepair by the early 1880s. So its members decided to build a new church closer to the recently established Kanapaha railroad station. The stately structure, at its current site near Archer Road and S.W. 75th, was completed in 1886. Karen Kirkman, president and historian for the Historic Haile Homestead and member of Kanapaha Presbyterian Church commented, “Each Sunday, we ring the original bell cast by Henry McShane & Company of Baltimore, Maryland. Thomas Haile’s youngest son, Carol, born in 1870, was the first person to ring the bell when he was sixteen. We still have the original pews and kerosene chandelier, which we light once a year on Christmas Eve.” Much that’s known about the church’s history comes from the diary of Serena Haile. It chronicles the laying of the cornerstone, the arrival of the church bell, the dedication ceremony, and the erection of the chandelier throughout the months of 1886.

"EACH SUNDAY, WE RING THE ORIGINAL BELL CAST BY HENRY MCSHANE & COMPANY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND." Karen Kirkman

“As our website says, the beautiful redbordered stained glass windows were purchased with monies earned by selling homemade ice cream from the back of a horse-drawn buggy,” Karen explained. “They remained intact until a tragic act of vandalism in 1972 destroyed them.” She personally spent a great deal of time last year digging around the church’s foundation and managed to find bits and pieces of the original red glass.

In the later nineteenth century, the abolition of slavery, Reconstruction, and the mechanization of agriculture changed the nature of life in north central Florida, shifting it from a rural farming economy, to a city-based/industrialized one. Kanapaha Church membership was depleted in the twentieth century by the two world wars, the Great Depression, the infestation of the boll weevil on cotton crops, and the transition from rural to urban life. The church had to close its doors for a couple of years in the 1940s. TheVillageJournal.com | 27

"THROUGH THICK AND THIN, WE HAVE SURVIVED AND CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO GROW AS CHRISTIANS."

Hank Conner

Karen Kirkman

But even a ten-year shift of holding services in another facility closer to Gainesville could not extinguish the spiritual appeal of the original sanctuary. In 1970, a huge renovation project got under way to rehabilitate the structure, eradicate a bee infestation (honey was said to be flowing down the walls from the belfry), and fully refurbish the interior with carpeting, central heat and air, and new electrical wiring. In 2005, the church began a capital campaign to build a larger, more spacious fellowship hall. Memorial Hall, a 3,500 square foot building, was dedicated on June 4, 2006. “What’s so important about the continuity of Kanapaha Presbyterian is that it is the mother church for all the other Presbyterian congregations in the region,” Karen commented. “Through thick and thin, we have survived and continue to strive to grow as Christians. And we’re deeply involved in community outreach through Habitat for Humanity and Family Promise, a program that provides food and temporary shelter for the homeless.” Kanapaha also partners with nearby Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church in backpack and shoe giveaway programs, as well as joint hymn singalongs. 28 | LOCAL

The church could be considered progressive in its choice of two female pastors since 1993. The current one, Reverend Dr. Dawn M. Conti, recently earned her doctorate of ministry in preaching. She also conducts a weekly, early morning “Tuesday at Barney’s” Bible study. On September twenty-fifth, Rev. Dr. Conti kicks off a six-week sermon series entitled, “The Road to Abundant Life: The Nuts and Bolts of Living the Christian Life.” As part of her deep dedication, Karen helps produce the annual Heart, Home and History Tour, which includes the old church cemetery (the site of the original church), the 1886 sanctuary, and reenactments of Serena Haile reading from her diary. On October 30, 2016, an All Saints Day Cemetery Tour is scheduled, featuring firstperson portrayals by descendants of some of the ancestral dead. Only half a mile from Haile Plantation, and with its close ties to the Historic Haile Homestead, Kanapaha Presbyterian Church remains a place of reverent worship and community service. It’s a strong thread of local tradition weaving the reminder that faith, hope, and charity transcend the often deleterious effects of time.

TheVillageJournal.com | 29

Artist Mandy Macias:

A Palette of Strong Colors

30 | LOCAL

By Kendal Norris | Betsy Hansen

New Year’s Eve, Havana, Cuba, 1959. Mandy Macias was a typical seventeen-year-old high school student, captain of her volleyball team, living at home with her parents and two older brothers, paying attention to her studies, and hanging out with friends. The family tradition was to usher in the new year with members of her extended family, always a large get-together of uncles, aunts, and cousins. Mandy recalled, “On the way home that evening, there was something different about the city. Normally bustling with nightlife, Havana’s streets were eerily silent and absent of people.” In the pre-cell phone era, they had to wait until the next morning to find out that a political coup had taken place: Fulgencio Batista was out and Fidel Castro was in. Within a few days, armed military personnel seemed to be everywhere, invading all aspects of Cuban life, and even patrolling the high school Mandy attended. Interrogations, communist brainwashing, public trials, and televised firing squads became the new norm of the revolutionary era.

President Batista’s palace in Havana. September 1958. Image: Central Press/Getty Images

fared pretty well as newcomers, but there was still a tough adjustment period. My father and mother had to take menial manual labor jobs, and I, understandably, missed my home, my friends, and the rest of my family we’d left behind. But it was a matter of safety and freedom; we had no choice but to start over.” After obtaining her high school diploma, Mandy found work as a babysitter for various families

“ We’d known each other in high school and kept in touch after he moved to New Jersey to work and attend university.”

Mandy’s father realized he had to get his family away from this regime. By June 1960 he and Mandy’s mother and oldest brother had obtained visas for the United States. Bureaucratic complications led to Mandy having to wait until November to join them. Her brother, Jorge, was delayed another year, having relocated in the interim to live with relatives and work in Spain. Mandy said, “When we were all finally reunited, it was a cause for celebration and thanksgiving. Because we had studied English in Cuba, we

and enrolled in night classes to learn Italian, calligraphy, and bookkeeping. She added, “My hopes of attending college to become an architect had to be put aside so that I could help my parents financially. My father was washing dishes in a pizza restaurant. My mother was helping take care of another mother and her child and doing sewing on the side to bring in money. ” A few years later, Mandy became a licensed beautician and eventually established and purchased her own salon business in Miami. About the same time, she reconnected with a friend from Cuba, Ernesto Macias. She commented, “We’d known each other in high school and kept in touch after he moved to New Jersey to work and attend university.” TheVillageJournal.com | 31

In December 1962, once again, Mandy’s life would take another turn. Mandy traveled to New York to spend a few weeks with her favorite aunt and found a job for the holiday season working at Bloomingdales. “It was New Year’s Eve, and that evening after work, I was too tired to go out, but at the last minute I accepted an invitation from two friends to go to a party,” she explains. Meanwhile, Mandy’s old friend Ernesto had canceled his plans to go on a ski trip with his friends and instead decided to celebrate the New Year in New York City. “Ernesto traveled first by bus and then by subway from New Jersey to New York, and at one of the last stops, the doors opened, and to his surprise, our friends and I walked in,” Mandy shared with excitement.

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As fate would have it, Ernesto was headed to attend the same party. “That night was the beginning of our lifelong commitment to one another,” Mandy said. After a long distance courtship, the couple was married on June 18, 1966, and just recently celebrated their fiftyyear wedding anniversary. Ernesto graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology with a degree in chemical engineering and pursued a career in that field that led him to jobs in New Jersey, Lakeland, Miami, and later in Gainesville. Along the way, Ernesto, “Ernie,” and Mandy had four children, each one born in a different city.: Alex, Anya, Ernesto, and after an eleven-year interim, Sergio. Thriving in her life as a mother and homemaker in Gainesville — where the family moved in

Spring Flowers/Water Color

1977 — Mandy made time to explore the town’s many educational resources. She noted, “While I was raising my children, I had the opportunity to take courses in various subjects that interested me. I joined a tennis league and owned a sporting goods store. Then, when my oldest son and daughter went away to school, I also enrolled at Santa Fe Community College, finished the required courses for my AA degree, and then did something significant that marked another turning point in my life: I

TheVillageJournal.com | 33

started studying Italian again and enrolled in a drawing class.” Mandy’s professor noticed her obvious talent for drawing. “I’d always been a doodler,” she says. The professor recommended she take a multi-media painting class. “When I experienced working with oils and watercolors for the first time, I was totally hooked and passionate about painting! From that point on, I’ve never stopped taking workshops, trying to expand and improve my abilities through working with different techniques and media: acrylics, oils, charcoal, watercolor, collage, and natural fibers,” said Mandy. Today Mandy is a full-time, successful, awardwinning artist. A member of the Gainesville Fine Arts Association and the Gainesville

Mystic Harbor/Mixed Media

Artisan Guild, a co-op, she is an exhibitor as well as a committee member for the Winter Fine Arts Fair at Tioga Town Center and participates in the annual Art Festival at Thornebrook on October first and second. She will also be exhibiting for the first time at the Gainesville Downtown Festival and Arts Show on November fifth and sixth. In addition, her paintings have been shown at The Perfect Gift in Haile Plantation, The Thomas Center, the Medical Plaza Building and many other venues in Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City, Melrose, Deland, Miami, Melbourne,

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Red Lips III/Acrylic on Canvas

Taverneer Key, and New Smyrna Beach in Florida to name a few, as well as Valdosta and Thomasville in Georgia. “Painting makes me complete,” she said, “and my subject matter changes with my mood and inspirations.” Producing from realistic to abstract works, Mandy is known for her use of strong bright colors. “I like using all sizes of canvas, from small, 5 by 5 to 36 by 48 inches. Some of my most popular works incorporate materials such as thread, cotton, tissue paper, and rope fibers into my paintings to create a more vivid, three-dimensional effect.” Always in the learning mode, Mandy and her close friend Grace took a dream-of-a-lifetime trip to Florence, Italy in May 2012, where they attended a two-week printing workshop at Santa Reparata School of Art in the heart of the ancient Tuscan city. She observed, “We learned so much while we were there and stayed in a fantastic little apartment close to the school. That made it easy to avail ourselves daily of fresh produce at the neighborhood markets. Since I enjoy cooking, and food is like a religion to the Italians, it was quite a treat. I had studied Italian in various courses over the years and found it fairly easy to communicate with the amazingly friendly locals.”

Mandy and her friend walked everywhere and soaked up the beauty and cultural splendor of a city that had nurtured the likes of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. And just a couple of months ago, Mandy was fortunate enough to take her daughter, Anya, on a second trip to Italy. They toured Florence, Venice, and Rome, and even had breakfast at the Vatican and heard a mass in Polish at St. Peter’s Basilica. “There is no end to the wonders of Italy,” she recalled wistfully. “My daughter and I took a cooking class at a villa on the outskirts of Florence. Now I make my own pasta, pizza dough, and tiramisu.” When Mandy isn’t working in her Gainesville studio or busy hosting visits from her children and grandchildren, Isabel, Logan, Brandon, and Jacob, she enjoys writing poetry, reading, and traveling. Even while spending time at their vacation condo in New Smyrna Beach, Mandy is never without a canvas, brushes, paints, or sketchbook, saying, “They’re my security blanket. After all, inspiration could strike any moment.” “I have tried to instill in my children pride for their ancestral Spanish and Cuban roots and traditions, as well as love and respect for the country where they were born. America gave us the opportunity to live in freedom, and to incorporate the best elements of both worlds into our lives. I’m so blessed and grateful to my parents for providing this opportunity. I’m able to do what I love, strive to grow creatively, and bask in the gift of family and friends.”

A selection of Mandy’s paintings can be viewed at the Artisans’ Guild Gallery website, artisansguildgallery.com/mandy-macias, as well as the Gainesville Fine Arts Association Gallery located at 1314 South Main Street.

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MARKET WATCH A selection of single-family and attached homes sold in Haile Plantation, May 1, 2016 through July 10, 2016. Provided by Coleen DeGroff of RE/MAX Professionals.

Village Center | SW 52nd Road

Laurel Park | SW 83rd Terrace

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

2006 816

$92,000

1982 1262

1/1

Sold Price

3/2 $163,750

Village Center | SW 91st Court

Camden Court | SW 88th Terrace

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

2006 848

$94,000

1993 1292

1/1

Sold Price

2/2 $165,000

Magnolia Walk | SW 92nd Court

Planters Grove | SW 80th Terrace

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1984 992

Sold Price

2/2 $115,900

1989 2124

Sold Price

4/2 $170,000

Plantation Villas | SW 97th Drive

Village Center | SW 48th Place

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1995 1200

Sold Price

2/2 $119,000

The Links | SW 52nd Avenue Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1998 1134

2002 1593

Chestnut Hill | SW 47th Lane Sold Price

2/2 $120,000

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1986 1655

Laurel Park | SW 50th Lane

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

2/2 $122,000

The Links | SW 52nd Avenue Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1998 1250

The Links | SW 52nd Avenue 1998 1369

The Links | SW 52nd Avenue 1998 1134

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1993 1611

Sold Price

3/2 $219,900

Sutherland Crossing | SW 104th Terrace Sold Price

3/2 $136,000

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

1986 1800 3/2.5 $200,000 Grahams Hill | SW 91st Terrace

Sold Price

2/2 $123,500

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

4/2 $185,400

Village Center | SW 91st Terrace 2003 1088

Sold Price

2/2 $177,450

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1994 1911

Sold Price

3/2 $224,900

Hickory Walk | SW 52nd Road Sold Price

2/2 $138,000

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1993 1612

Sold Price

3/2 $229,000

Laurel Park | SW 83rd Terrace

Lenox Gardens | SW 37th Road

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1982 1494

Sold Price

3/2 $138,500

Founders Hill | SW 84th Drive Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1986 1175

1999 1744

Sold Price

3/2 $235,000

Village Center | SW 91st Way Sold Price

2/2 $144,000

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

2005 1626

Sold Price

3/3 $235,000 CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

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Publix Market Square

SW 24th Ave

Chiles Elementary Storeys School Round Retreat Bedford Victoria Square Place Circle

Sable Pointe

Mills Glen

Matheson Woods

Benjamins Grove

Millington Hampstead Park

Albury Round

Matthews Grant Madison Square Colsons Corner Stratford Ridge Annadale Round William Kent Court Charleston Park

Whitaker Oaks

School The Thomas Evans Haile Preserve

Oakmont

4th

Amelia Gardens

Av e

India Station

Bennets Garden

Butterfly Garden

Spalding Place

Kestrel Point The Links Condominiums

Middleton Green Chickasaw way

Haile

Sutherland Crossing

Blvd

Indigo Square

Chestnut Hill

Planters Grove

Kanapaha * Middle School

Quail Heritage Court Green

Evans Hollow Grahams Mill

HAILE PLANTATION COMMUNITY MAP

Evans Hollow

Laurel Park

rch

Southgate

SW 91st ST

Coleen DeGroff, MBA REALTOR, Broker Associate

Founders Hill

The Haile VIllage Center Camden Court Magnolia Walk

Lexington Farms

PRESENTED BY

Haile Equestrian Center

Tower Rd

Hickory Walk

The Hamptons

Plantation Villas

Wiles * Kimball Elementary

Westfield Commons

Cameron Park

Hail e Bl

Buellers Way

Fairhaven

Tower Rd

Ashleigh Circle Lenox Gardens

Prestonwood

Carlton Court

Branton Court

SW 91st ST

Katelyn Lane

SW 24th Ave

Historic Haile Homestead

Shopping

Eloise *Gardens

Trails

Lugano

Parks Schools

Outside of Haile Plantation TheVillageJournal.com | 37

MARKET WATCH Hickory Walk | SW 52nd Road

Amelia Gardens | SW 44th Lane

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1993 1526

Sold Price

2/2 $240,000

Katelyn Lane | SW 98th Drive Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

2003 1803

Katelyn Lane | SW 98th Drive 2002 1965

Sold Price

4/2 $335,000

The Preserve | SW 84th Way Sold Price

3/2 $241,000

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1996 2417

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

1988 2702 4/2.5 $335,000 Hampstead Park | SW 34th Lane

Sold Price

3/2 $243,000

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

2000 3288 4/3.5 $341,250

Hampstead Park | SW 97th Drive

The Preserve | SW 45th Boulevard

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1997 1652

Sold Price

3/2 $258,000

Hickory Walk | SW 52nd Road

Oakmont | SW 91st Drive

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1994 1908

Sold Price

3/2 $270,000

Sold Price

1989 2342 4/3 $345,000 Sold Price

1992 2670 4/2.5 $351,450

The Preserve | SW 45th Boulevard

Westfield Commons | SW 105th Drive

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1992 1898

Sold Price

3/2 $270,000

1996 2751

Amelia Gardens | SW 103rd Court

The Preserve | SW 44th Lane

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

4/3 $365,000 Sold Price

1994 2095 3/2 $273,000

1989 2359 4/2.5 $385,000

Lexington Farms | SW 56th Lane

Buellers Way | SW 98th Terrace

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1993 2133

Sold Price

4/2 $277,500

Kestrel Point | SW 48th Place Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

1989 2350 4/2.5 $385,000 Sable Pointe | SW 33rd Lane

Sold Price

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

1998 2353 4/3 $290,000

2001 2507 4/3 $398,750

Lenox Gardens | SW 37th Road

Katelyn Lane | SW 98th Drive

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

2000 2179

Sold Price

3/2 $292,000

2002 2584

Hampstead Park | SW 97th Drive

Oakmont | SW 94th Drive

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1998 1898

Sold Price

4/2 $314,000

Rosemond Way | SW 97th Way

Kestrel Point | SW 48th Place Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

2001 2396 3/3 $315,000

Sold Price

1992 2972 4/3 $400,000

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

4/3 $399,500

Sold Price

1996 3087 4/3.5 $410,000

For the complete list of homes sold in Haile Plantation during this time period, visit thevillagejournal.com/local.

38 | LOCAL

TheVillageJournal.com | 39

a j n ni ior r r wEa K O O C A RIC S ’ E L L I V S E N I GA

By Benny Torres Photography by Betsy Hansen | Hair by Rachel Cole | Makeup by Kara Winslow

Erica Cook, owner of No Limits Personal Training and recent contestant on “American Ninja Warrior,” is no stranger to athletic achievement. The Gainesvillenative not only played multiple sports at Gainesville High School (volleyball and power lifting) she won a state championship as well.

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Alo Moto Legging in Black $110/Pure Barre Gainesville Alo Show Stopper Bra $62/Barre Forte Nike Air Zoom Structure in Cool Grey-Black-Fuschia Flash $120/Gainesville Running and Walking

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Alo Coast Legging in White $94/Pure Barre Gainesville Work Hard Play Harder Tee $38/Pure Barre Gainesville Lily and Laura beaded bracelets $10 ea./Pure Barre Gainesville Nike Air Zoom Pegasus in White-Black-Volt $110/Gainesville Running and Walking

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t c e p s e R She continued power lifting through her late teens and early 20s and by her junior year at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, she was chosen as an originating member of the college’s first-ever track team. The fact that she’d never formally run track before didn’t hold her back for a moment. One wouldn’t guess all that power is packed into Cook’s 5-foot frame and shy demeanor. She prefers it that way. “That’s how my brother and I were brought up. Be respectful and humble and if you do good things, you celebrate them. My dad’s from the South, it’s part of [being from] the South, respect and humility.” It took those foundations and a whole lot of courage in her early 20s to make the decision that would lead her down the Ninja Warrior path. Cook was making progress toward her Masters in Psychology while working at a gym and keeping athletics as a hobby, when she started questioning her path. “I realized I wasn’t looking forward to going to class and I really enjoyed going to work. It wasn’t easy because you’re like ‘I just spent five years studying this and now I could possibly never use it.’” So, at 22, with the full support of her friends and family, she decided to move back to Gainesville, exploring what a full-time career in fitness might look like. “Being 22, I didn’t realize this could be a form of work.” It wasn’t just community support that brought her back to town though – it was Gainesville’s community of fitness.

“There are so many different ways in Gainesville to be active. You go to the stadium on a Sunday morning and there are a hundred people. You go down 8th Ave… all those neighborhoods with the hills, there are people. Drive by anywhere you want and you’ll see someone out. It doesn’t matter if it’s 10pm at night or 3pm in the afternoon.” It was the community, family and athletic challenges Gainesville offered that set the stage for this American Ninja Warrior.

Her family began watching the show, which Cook describes as “a big adult obstacle course that is constantly getting more challenging,” on their annual beach vacation a couple years ago. The show, in which a variety of exceptionally athletic contestants tackle a series of almostimpossible physical challenges and obstacles, originated in Japan and has found much success on American TV. At first, Cook was faced with a rare athletic challenge she didn’t believe she could tackle. “There weren’t very many women that were succeeding [on the show]. And I kind of thought, ‘That’s impossible. There’s gotta be a reason none of the girls can do this.’ Despite her moment of uncertainty, it was her community, once again, that inspired and encouraged her to bite the bullet and try the “American Ninja Warrior” course. “I must’ve had 100 people call or message me and encourage me to enter.” And so, she did, “I really had no idea what I was getting myself into.”

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o h w l r i g a t e a h W t s ? t a a h W t o “ d d i d n e t jus see wom don’t at – ever.” th

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Alo Moto Legging in Electric Blue $110/Pure Barre Gainesville Splits59 Karlie Performance Tank in Black $66/Barre Forte

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a j n i n y t u a e b r e w po

n o i t a n i m detewrarrior It would seem that Cook’s tenacity, passion and long history of cross-training would make her a great “American Ninja Warrior” contestant… but the show, Cook would discover, is more than a display of athletics. “Where I failed,” Cook explains, “was in putting together a decent submission video, not in my performance.” Cook’s first shot at television had all the steak but none of the sizzle television producers wanted. She recounts the producers told her, “We think you’re great, the video is cool, but you don’t have the personality for TV.”

There’s that Southern humility, coming back to haunt her. But if Cook has any regrets, they’re impossible to see. “Looking back I understand why. My video was completely athletic. In reality, it’s a TV show, they’re trying to make TV. I’m not going to be the one that climbs up the wall and does backflips, but at the same time I’m not going to fail and have it be devastating. That’s true to how I am.” Failure, it seems, is yet another surprising key to success for Cook. “There are two people ever who have completed the [American Ninja Warrior] course, everyone else has failed at one point or another and that’s a lot of people to constantly fail. [The producers] told me no. I failed at something I wanted to do. Now I’m going to work harder. For me, failure is really motivating.”

And motivation, in the end, pays off. After her initial rejection Cook went on to test in Orlando where her performance impressed some of the top “American Ninja Warrior” contestants to ever tackle the course. Fast forward to Atlanta in 2016 and Cook turned in one of the top two female performances of the day. Cook would not be denied, and eventually her performance was deemed ready for prime-time.

Despite her achievements, the call that she was cast for “American Ninja Warrior” spinoff “Team Ninja Warrior,” came as a surprise. “[One of my teammates] saw me testing in Orlando, I was doing the hardest part of the course and his response was “Was that a girl who just did that? We don’t see women do that – ever.” The show, in which previous elite “American Ninja Warrior” contestants form teams and tackle a whole new course with new rules, was Cook’s unexpected second shot at American Ninja Warrior greatness. As has been the case over and over again throughout her life, Cook took on “Team Ninja Warrior” with respect, humility and selfassuredness. “People ask ‘How did you do that entire course without showing one hint of emotion?’ Well, that’s exactly who I am.” Cook is also one of a multitude of female “American Ninja Warrior” competitors who are TheVillageJournal.com | 47

Nux London Legging in Black Heather $83/Barre Forte Alo Sculpt Tank in Guava $46/Barre Forte Beyond Yoga Mesh Inset Bra in Black Spacedye $73 /Barre Forte

s s e c c u S changing perceptions of women in fitness. “There’s a lot of girls that are hanging with the guys [now]. It’s one of the only athletic events not tailored for men or women. It’s all the same, doesn’t matter if you’re 6’8". Gender barriers are breaking down. It’s not taboo for girls to be strong and I think that’s cool. "American Ninja Warrior" has helped that along.”

Even Cook’s former area of study comes into play on the course, “Women, in my opinion, have much better mental aspect on the course. The girls are more methodical and thought-out. That psychological aspect between men and women is fun for me.” Even as she’s gone on to receive national respect and achievement, Cook is still supported by the Gainesville community. “After my run aired in Atlanta, is was really cool to have all my highschool friends, teachers and neighbors reach out. I’m not doing super traditional things and it’s cool Gainesville can follow me.” That’s why Cook is bringing a bit of “American Ninja Warrior” to Gainesville at her personal training gym, “No Limits Personal Training,” on 34th Ave. The gym is inspired by “American Ninja Warrior” and Cook calls it “an obstacle-style gym.” “It’s a really cool way to promote fitness. The training that people on [American Ninja Warrior] go through is incredible. You have to be good at so many aspects of fitness. People go ‘that looks like fun I want to get into that.’ They’re entering a whole new world of fitness.” Bringing together the two communities that have fueled her success is a key part of the gym, “[Obstacle-style gyms] attract phenomenal people. They’re so encouraging. You don’t get that in a traditional gym. You might try to run up that wall 9,000 times, but the one time you do get it people are going to stop and be clapping for you.” Even failure, it seems, is key to training success at Cook’s gym. “There’s a whole lot of people who go to ninja warrior gyms who can’t do much of anything. But they’re going to try and do what they can to get better and go conquer something else.” A supportive community and progress through failure is how Cook has found her success, and it’s what she’s ended up bringing back to Gainesville as an American Ninja Warrior and personal trainer. “Anyone can do it. If you can’t do it, we can make it so that you can do it and then make it harder. I want people to reach their goals. I want you to want to be here. I want you to enjoy what you’re doing here.” TheVillageJournal.com | 49

Tropical Prints

Give Us An Endless Summer Tropical prints now have a place in your year-round wardrobe. According to Vogue, this fun summer style is back on the runway for the seasons to come. The marriage of fall colors to palm fronds and hibiscus silhouettes create a whimsical air around our cooler seasons.

As any fashionista knows, style isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t limited to the closet. Use this playful flamingo train case for all your weekend getaways. Agapanthus, $19 Comfort and style meet with the Alo Goddess legging in Palm Spring Glowstick. Perfect for your barre and yoga classes or to-and-from on the weekends. Barre Forte, $98 The Lilly Pulitzer Rina Romper can be worn into the early fall as a daytime playsuit. Pair with a light sweater when the sun sets for an easy day-to-night look. Pink Narcissus, $158 Keep those tootsies toasty with Hunterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Botanical Rain Boot. Slip in a knit Whelly sock when temperatures really drop. Nordstrom.com, $123 50 | LIFE

Want to take your tropical fun on the go? This monogrammed banana leaf print iPhone case is just the way to do it! MinnieandEmma.com, $59 Match this spiral notebook for chic notetaking. MinnieandEmma.com, $58

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Duralee brings the outdoors in with the Urban Oasis collection shown here in Solei blue/green. Use for throw pillows for a small pop, or cover an accent chair to make a statement. Koontz, Call For Price From serving drinks poolside to hot cocoa fireside, this personalized palm leaf Lucite tray carries you from summer into fall with a breeze. PrettySmitten.com, $36 and up Working out in the Alo Palm Springs Zest leggings has us looking good and feeling even better. For errands, wear these leggings with sneakers and a white tee. Pure Barre Gainesville, $88 Transition into cooler weather with this lightweight palm pullover from Mother. Nordstrom.com, $158 Wrap up with a lively print on those cool nights in Lilly Pulitzer’s Resort Scarf in Serene Blue Island Time. Pink Narcissus, $78 The print on this versatile A-line dress has an easy fit making it great for daytime. Pair it with a blazer, a statement necklace and some pumps, and – poof! – you have a casual office look with a fun pop of color. The Colorful Gator, $42

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TheVillageJournal.com | 53

TAILGATING WITH CHEF DEAN CACCIATORE

With football season upon us, we ask Dean Cacciatore, chef owner of Cacciatore Catering, to share some of his best recipes for tailgating. Now in his 21st year as the cater of the President's sky box at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, it's safe to say he knows a thing or two about feeding football fans.

54 | TASTE

TASTE

CHILLIN' CHILI WITH SHRIMP AND GARBANZO BEANS 1 (1-pound) bag dried garbanzo beans, picked over and rinsed 2 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck 2 pounds ground pork 2 pounds, peeled and deviened large shrimp, 21/25 count 3 large bell peppers of assorted colors, chopped 2 large onions, chopped 1/2 cup chili powder 2 tablespoons cumin seeds 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 (28-ounce) can plus 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their juice 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil Chopped onion, shredded cheddar cheese, and sour cream for garnish

Preparation 1. Soak the dried beans according to the package directions and drain. In a pot, combine the beans with enough water to cover by two inches. Bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the beans until almost tender, about an hour. Best to prepare the beans the night before, cool and toss with little extra virgin olive oil and refrigerate. 2. Set an eight-quart heavy gauge pot over mediumhigh heat. In batches, add the beef and pork. Cook, breaking the meat up with a spoon, until well browned (don’t crowd the pot or the meat will steam, not brown). Transfer each batch to a bowl using a slotted spoon. 3. Heat the drippings in the same pot over medium heat. Add the bell peppers, onions, chili powder, cumin seeds, and oregano; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice and the reserved meat, and simmer for one hour. Add the beans and simmer until the chili is thickened and the beans are tender, about an hour longer. Stir in the parsley, cilantro, salt, and pepper. 4. In a separate cast iron pan, flash the shrimp with little olive oil for one minute on each side, season with little salt and pepper and place two or three in bottom of bowl before serving chili over top. Garnish each serving with onion, cheese, sour cream, and salsa. TheVillageJournal.com | 55

BROCCOLI RABE & EGG SANDWICH

This is quite possibly the best meatless sandwich in the world. In addition, it is perfect for those noon games. To turn it up, I love adding some anchovies to the sandwich. The key is fresh, crusty bread.

1 pound fresh broccoli rabe, washed and rough chopped 4 large eggs, scrambled in bowl with 1 tbsp water added 1 cup sliced sweet onions 1/4 cup olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese 1 loaf Italian or French bread, sliced into 4 pieces Crushed red pepper Canned anchovy (optional)

56 | TASTE

Preparation You will need a large seasoned cast iron skillet and portable butane camping burner. In large skillet, add olive oil and onions and sauté on low-med until onions are translucent, (do not burn). Add broccoli rabe, season with salt and pepper, crushed red pepper, and stir into oil. Continue cooking on low-med heat, stirring frequently, until the rabe is bright green. Raise heat to med-high and add eggs, stirring well to coat egg onto the rabe. Cook eggs thoroughly, making sure not to burn. Sprinkle with cheese and serve on bread, folding the slice of bread in half to make a roll. Add anchovy if desired.

GRANOLA, PALEO (GRAIN FREE) This is a great recipe even if you are not following a Paleo diet. Great energy boost to snack on during a long game.

3 cups unsweetened coconut flakes 1 1/2 cups all natural almond pieces 1/2 cup all natural walnut pieces 1 cup shelled raw pumpkin seeds

Preparation

1/2 cup sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 300Â°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds 2 tablespoons chia seeds 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/2 cup honey 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Toss coconut, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, if using, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom in a large bowl. Cook honey, oil, and vanilla in a small pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until hot and easily pourable, about one minute. Pour over coconut mixture and stir to combine. Spread mixture evenly on prepared baking sheet and bake, stirring once halfway through, until goldenbrown and crisp, about 20 minutes.

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TURN SCREEN-TIME INTO

NINJA -Time

58 | WELLNESS

W ELLNESS

By Lynna Lawrence | Robert Hedges

Kids ages eight and up spend more than seven and a half hours glued to a screen each day on average, eclipsing a normal workday or the drive time from Gainesville to New Orleans. Luckily, a promising new sport has emerged to combat the digital draw and bring fantasy to the gym. Ninja Zone teaches dynamic Ninja moves to kids in a video-game-like atmosphere. Each class begins with a massive obstacle course and maintains the intensity with 80-percent continuous movement throughout the session. Now the fastest growing boys’ gym sport, Ninja Zone opened its doors at Sun Country Sports Center for children ages three to 11 this February. Instructors combine skills from four traditional disciplines, instilling coordination from gymnastics, discipline from martial arts, strength and agility from obstacle course training and creativity from street dance. Trainer Nick Cusi jump-starts kids’ imagination from the onset with the first obstacle course. Slanted pads and improvised gymnastics equipment create a faux-urban landscape for the Ninjas to traverse. Then, their imagination constructs the rest. “You’re running across a building today,” Nick tells the kids. “You’re leaping through a jungle. You’re chasing a bad guy.” Building a mental arena helps kids focus and find inner-motivation, an increasingly difficult task in the digital age, Nick said. “With video games, technology and the internet playing such a major role in kids’ lives today it’s definitely important to take aspects of that

and translate it in a way that we can keep them engaged,” he said. In video games, kids idolize and role-play fictional characters. They advance in the game when their avatar gains skills and wins battles. In Ninja classes, students become the characters of their own course. Leveling up grants them a prized color-ranked headband and new moves to tackle. Hours in the gym, away from the TV, teach them core values to embrace life’s obstacles with focus and clarity. “These skills teach people how to encounter what they’re seeing every day in a way that, if they trip and fall, they can catch themselves and roll over their shoulder instead of landing on their face and hurting themselves,” he said. Ninjas recite the Ninja Creed every class to instill core disciplines applicable in and out of the gym. These values help make Ninjas “better students, children and peers to everyone around them,” Nick said. “Respect and honor my parents, teachers, siblings, peers and authority figures. Use proper manners at home and in public… Use my ninja powers only for good and helpful purposes… Reach my full potential each day by pushing my body, mind and soul.” – excerpts from the Ninja Creed

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These values soak in, and kids learn to release their energy constructively. This has inspired some pretty amazing transformations, Nick said. One student has grown into a star Ninja in just three months of Nick’s Lil’ Ninjas class for boys ages three to five. Before Ninja he did partnerbased gymnastics, where parent supervision allowed the student to stay within his comfort zone and use mom as a crutch.

His mom, like countless other Ninja parents, raved about her son’s remarkable improvements in and out of the gym. “She’s seen his confidence level grow, he’s acting better at home, and he’s more focused

"She's seen his confidence level grow, he's acting better at home, and he's more focused on what he does." Nick Cusi

“He was very hesitant, lacked the confidence to jump on some of the equipment, and always looked to mom for reassurance,” Nick said. A signature ricochet move was particularly daunting for this student. Lil’ Ninjas leap like cats from block to block through a ricochet alley. For small kids, the blocks can feel skyhigh, and he was scared to jump onto them during his first couple of weeks. “Now, he runs through them,” Nick said. “He trips and falls and just gets back up, and doesn’t stop. He just keeps going.”

60 | WELLNESS

on what he does,” he said. Finding kids’ exercise sweet spot is important to Jodi Hunt, Director of Marketing and Operations at Sun Country Sports West. Different kids take to different activities, so finding a program that taps into a child’s individual motivators is the key to a healthy, life-long relationship with fitness. In general, kids under five years old should be active at least three hours a day, versus one hour a day for older children.

“Get your kids active, whatever it is,” Jodi said. “Whether it’s here or something outside, the importance of active, healthy children is something we advocate every day.” Recently, a former Gator gymnast was looking to find a place for her son at Sun Country. Gymnastics, the facility’s largest program, was a no-brainer at first. However, they quickly found that sharp routines and stuck landings simply didn’t ignite his spirit. Next, they turned to Ninja Zone. Ninja’s high-speed nature and imaginative role-play captivated his focus like gymnastics could not, echoing the program motto, “turning energy to ambition, one awesome kid at a time.”

“This was made for him,” the mother told Jodi. Ninja Zone has been extremely successful instilling focus and motivation in even the most energetic kiddos. “The kid that’s literally running in circles around himself now has a way to run in circles on an obstacle course,” Jodi said. By facing and conquering Ninja’s obstacles, kids gain the confidence to attack life’s challenges. After all, Ninja is about instilling core values that resonate far outside the gym. Respect and honor my parents. Work hard at everything I do. Use my ninja powers only for good.

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62 | TASTE

FINDING STRENGTH

IN FAMILY BALANCE Pure Barre Gainesville owners, Moana and Marshall Tucker, chose to embrace the business of fitness to find strength and balance for their family.

By Kendal Norris | Robert Hedges

ife in the twenty-first century has raised the bar on young professionals to multi-task and stretch precious time resources to the limits. So how does a high-energy, goalcentered, family and work-oriented couple create a balance between career and home life? They intertwine them. It didn’t happen overnight, but Marshall and Moana Tucker were committed to spending time together, raising their children, and building a future for themselves in the field of fitness. That’s how their Pure Barre enterprise came into being earlier this year. Moana (meaning “deep ocean” in Hawaiian), was born and raised in Jacksonville Beach. At the age of eleven, Moana met Marshall Tucker, whose family had relocated to Jacksonville Beach from the Baltimore/Annapolis area. A strong friendship developed between them as they entered their teens. They began dating and were married in 2010. Prior to their marriage, Moana and Marshall had come to Gainesville for college. Graduating in 2009 with a BS in finance from the University of Florida, Moana commented, “I guess I was always pretty good in math and developed a passion for finance early on in my life.” Joining the brokerage firm of Merrill Lynch, Moana worked for the Wall Street giant as a financial advisor for seven years and became one of the company’s youngest licensed

CFPs (Certified Financial Planner). Different opportunities within Merrill took her from Jacksonville to North Carolina, the Panhandle of Florida, and Alabama. “I loved cultivating meaningful relationships with my clients, helping them plan for retirement, and securing their financial futures,” she recalled. “But the work hours were intense and not all that conducive to starting a family, which Marshall and I wanted to do.” Marshall’s career path led him into the military. He enlisted in the US Army in 2009 and completed training to become a Green Beret with the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) located at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. “For two years I was deployed in Afghanistan and in the Southern Command of Central and South America. I’ll always be grateful for the skills I was able to hone while in the service. It was a true test of discipline, resolve, and resiliency,” said Marshall. But the reality of six-to-ten month foreign deployments and twenty-to-thirty day training schools closer to home were challenging to their marriage and family, which came to include son, Jameson, born in 2011. Toward the end of his five-year military enlistment, Marshall recalled, “I received training in strength and conditioning and was certified as a personal trainer. So, when Moana was doing independent financial consulting in Birmingham, I worked as a strength and conditioning coach and trainer.”

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and grandfather also owned various business franchises in Maryland.

It was near there, in Homewood, Alabama, that the couple got their first exposure to Pure Barre, a fitness studio franchise that uses the ballet bar (or “barre” in French) to perform small isometric movements set to music. Its method targets the arms, abs, seat, and thighs and provides a fullbody workout to create long, lean muscles and burn calories. “I’d never seen that approach or combination before,” Marshall commented. “It seemed to offer movement patterns and training of different muscle groups in ways that are atypical of group gyms’ fitness workouts. It was more holistic in its approach to teacher, client interaction as well.” The more Moana and Marshall concentrated on their future path, the more they wanted to prioritize spending quality time with each other and their son. So they began researching the possibility of opening a Pure Barre franchise together somewhere in the southeastern US, where most of their extended family lives. Marshall had the added advantage of having grown up in a family with entrepreneurial experience, as his father 64 | WELLNESS

“The deeper we explored Gainesville, the more we discovered the qualities we were seeking: an active, volunteer-oriented area, with lots of young families, where people were physically, emotionally, and spiritually connected to the community,” Marshall noted. “I had coached at a local private school here eight years earlier, and this community seemed to have the positive environment we wanted to raise our kids in as well.” Located in the Millhopper area of town, Pure Barre opened in January 2016 and offers classes seven days a week, each a fifty-five minute low-impact session composed of warm-up stretching, pushing off and against the barre workout, and cool-down stretching. All exercises are done with light weights and accompanied by high-energy, theme-based music designed to provide an energetic impulse and “fuel” during the workout. The latest addition to the studio’s class lineup is the Pure Barre Platform workout that claims to double the calories burned, providing a higher intensity exercise and better cardiovascular results. Moana teaches a majority of the classes, while

Marshall plays a more behind-the-scenes and special events role. They stay busy as a family of four, Jameson having acquired a baby brother, Grayton, in January of this year. “The decision to combine our work and personal lives was scary at first, but it has made such a rewarding difference,” Moana said. “We’re able to spend lots of time together and fulfill our common goal of providing a health and fitness venue to a wide age of clients, currently including a range from college students to retirees.” Moana notes that one of the nice things about classes offered is that no dance experience is required. If you can hold a ballet barre, you can take a Pure Barre class. “The positive physical results are only matched by the sense of camaraderie and mutually supportive friendships that develop within the classes,” she said.

The Tuckers also take advantage, when available, of Pure Barre’s matching corporate dollars to help sponsor charity events and donate to local causes that are dear to their hearts, including veterans’ and women’s groups, child hunger and officer down programs. When Marshall, Moana, Jameson and Grayton have leisure time, they head to nearby Jacksonville Beach, take day trips to Universal and Disney World (dinosaurs for Jameson and Mickey Mouse for Grayton), and when time permits, visit family in Baltimore and Hawaii. “We’ll do anything that’s beach-oriented,” Moana added, “from stand-up paddle boarding to surfing to beachcombing for shells and sharks’ teeth. Our main priority is to incorporate family in all our activities, and thankfully, we’re now able to do that.”

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66 | EXPLORE

EXPLORE

Slow down & unwind in

DUNEDIN By Lynna Lawrence

Caladesi Island State Park and Honeymoon State Park / Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater

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S DUNEDIN

tep back to Old Florida, where sea-oat sheltered islands and an eclectic Main Street offer a taste of the simple life among the bustling Tampa Bay. Days in Dunedin start on the water and end with a dazzling sunset finale, with great food, shopping and strolls in-between. Silence your phone, and instead reach for a pint of local beer to dial back to pure paradise.

68 | EXPLORE

Olde Bay Café & Dunedin Fish Market

Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater

Dunedin’s sister islands are a perfect paradise sans high-rises and swimsuit shops. Caladesi Island State Park–accessible only by boat–is one of the last remaining natural islands on the Florida Gulf. It has a way of removing even the most seasoned Floridian’s tourist-trapinduced bitterness by delivering a panorama of natural beauty. Make the journey on your own boat, kayak or a relaxing 15-minute ride on the Caladesi Island Ferry, departing from Honeymoon Island every half hour beginning at 10 a.m. mid-February to mid-September. Sunning, shelling, swimming and fishing are just a few of the activities you’ll find on its banks. Kayakers can even paddle through a dreamy mangrove canopy on a three-mile water trail. Honeymoon Island State Park matches its sister island with

Tim Kirby

Kick back on Caladesi and Honeymoon Islands

Dunedin Brewery

Dunedin's Main Street

sea-oat-framed dunes and sand bars that extend far into the ocean. Fido can even join the idyllic scene in Honeymoon’s dogaccess areas. On both islands, you’ll certainly experience the refreshing back-to-basics attitude that Dunedin is admired for.

Wander… the marina, downtown and craft beer trail Dunedin reigns as “America’s Most Walkable Town,” named by Walking Magazine, thanks to its charming downtown and glistening marina. Main Street delicately marries the easygoing atmosphere of Old Florida with its Scottish architectural roots. Boutiques, art galleries and antique shops are nestled along the tree-lined roads, with not a bad souvenir shop in sight. Finally, wander to the Dunedin Marina where sailboats and yachts wade in intercoastal waters. TheVillageJournal.com | 69

DUNEDIN

Rest & Relax The world-renowned Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail intersects downtown with 40 miles of paved pathways for strolling or sport. It’s not the only famed trail that touches down in Dunedin, however. Tampa Bay is craft-beer country, with 27 independent breweries making up the St. Pete/Clearwater Craft Beer Trail. Beer connoisseurs cannot miss the Dunedin Brewery, which holds a special place on the map as Florida’s oldest microbrewery. Visit the location for live music, food and a $5 tour, complete with a souvenir glass. Roam the trail to three other breweries and tap houses that call Dunedin home: 7venth Sun Brewery, Woodwright Brewing Company and Dunedin House of Beer.

Eat

Dunedin is home to some of the best eats of Tampa Bay located centrally on its Main Street. The quirky Casa Tina Mexican Restaurant screams celebration, even if your reason to

WELLNESS 70 | EXPLORE

party is concocted on the spot. Circus art performers fascinate by performing beautiful routines on hoops suspended around the restaurant on select nights. Down the block, the famous Black Pearl exudes a completely different feel. The intimate 40-person dining room and artful dishes will make you feel like you slipped in from Parisian streets. With inventive dishes like the White Truffle Maine Lobster Risotto, it’s no wonder the Black Pearl was named the number one bay-area French restaurant by the Tampa Bay Times for 2016. Times Food Critic Laura Reiley called her experience there the “kind of meal for which people make pilgrimages.” What are you waiting for?

Sleep

The Beso Del Sol Resort earns its name, The Kiss of the Sun, for waterfront views overlooking the Caladesi and Honeymoon Islands. Studio suites are optimal for a

single-family vacation, or if travelling with a larger crowd, a breathtaking three-bedroom penthouse offers a massive balcony with prime sunset views. The boutique hotel also offers complimentary bikes, perfect for exploring the nearby downtown or a day on the trails. For a quaint B&B, check out the Meranova Guest Inn where you can enjoy gourmet breakfast in your suite, by the pool, under the gazebo or in a stunning orchid garden.

Why Dunedin?

Dunedin offers an unspoiled peak at Old Florida before condos crowded the unmatched beauty of the Gulf Coast. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll leave with a sun-kissed tan, refreshed energy and multitudes of memories.

For more information about Dunedin, visit visitstpeteclearwater. com/communities/dunedin TheVillageJournal.com | 71

CAL END AR Happening Around Town Submit your event including a description, date, time and location on our website. TheVillageJournal.com SUBMISSION DOES NOT GUARANTEE PUBLICATION.

ON-GOING » Bridge Every Monday, 1 p.m. Haile Plantation Hall Call Marj Crago at 352-336-1055 or Suzie Taylor at 352-337-9956 » Haile Village Farmer’s Market Every Saturday, rain or shine, 8:30 a.m. - noon Haile Plantation Village Center 352-363-2233 » Museum Nights 2nd Thursday of every month, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. Harn Museum of Art www.harn.ufl.edu » Kanapaha Botanical Gardens Guided Walk First Saturday of every month, 10 a.m. - noon Kanapaha Botanical Gardens kanapaha.org » Artwalk Gainesville Last Friday of every month, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. Downtown Gainesville artwalkgainesville.com » “Free Fridays” Concert Series Every Friday through October 21, 8 p.m. -10 p.m. Bo Diddley Plaza bodiddleyplaza.com Fat Tuscan Cooking Classes » August through September, times vary Fat Tuscan fattuscan.com

AUGUST Oklahoma! » Friday, July 22 - Sunday, August 14, times vary Gainesville Community Playhouse at Vam York Theater gcplayhouse.org

EXPLORE 72 | CALENDAR

Summer Camp: Cave of Wonders Monday, August 1 – Friday, August 5, 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. Florida Museum flmnh.ufl.edu » Summer Camp: Engineering Exploration Monday, August 1 - Friday, August 5, 1 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Florida Museum flmnh.ufl.edu » Hope Weekend by Tyler’s Hope Thursday, August 4 - Saturday, August 6, times vary Gainesville Country Club tylershope.org » Liquid Gold: The Rise and Fall of Florida Citrus Exhibit Monday, April 4 - Friday, August 26 Matheson History Museum mathesonmuseum.org » Kanapaha Botanical Gardens Kid’s Day Thursday, August 6, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Kanapaha Botanical Gardens Kanapaha.org » Movie Night: The Good Dinosaur Friday, August 12, 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. The Square at Tioga Town Center tiogatowncenter.com

Spread the word

about your upcoming community event.

» Fluid Lounge’s 2nd Annual Rum Fest Saturday, August 20, 2 p.m. - 9 p.m. World of Beer and Fluid Lounge at Tioga Town Center tiogatowncenter.com

Submit the event title, date, time, location and a website/phone number to info@thevillagejournal.com and we will gladly help promote your event in print and online.

» A Beautiful You for A Beautiful World Saturday, August 20, 10 a.m. Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens cedarlakeswoodsandgarden.com » Bubba Can’t Dance Concert Friday, August 26, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. Tioga Town Center tiogatowncenter.com » Titletown Fall Kickoff Saturday, August 27, 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. Tioga Town Center tiogatowncenter.com

SEPTEMBER » Little Mike and the Tornadoes Concert Friday, September 2, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. Tioga Town Center tiogatowncenter.com » Movie Night: Zootopia Friday, September 9, 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. Tioga Town Center tiogatowncenter.com » Kanapaha Botanical Gardens Paint Out Friday, September 9 - Sunday, September 11 Kanapaha Botanical Gardens kanapaha.org

352.331.5560 THEVIL L AGEJOURNAL .COM

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CAL END AR » The 39 Steps Sunday, September 11 - Tuesday, September 27, times vary Gainesville Community Playhouse at Vam York Theater gcplayhouse.org » Movie Night: Hotel Transylvania Friday, October 14, 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. The Square at Tioga Town Center tiogatowncenter.com » Fall Plant Sale and Orchid Show Saturday, October 22 - Sunday, October 23, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Kanapaha Botanical Gardens kanapaha.org » Ocala Arts Festival Saturday, October 22 - Sunday, October 23 Historic Downtown Ocala fafo.org » Friends of the Library Sale Saturday, October 22 - Wednesday, October 26, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Friends of the Library Alachua County folacld.org » Sun Country Howl-a-Palooza Sunday, October 23 Sun Country Sports West suncountrysports.com Florida Bridal Expo Sunday, September 18, 12:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. Hilton at the University of Florida thefloridabridalexpo.com

OCTOBER » Battle of the Bands Saturday, October 1, 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. Tioga Town Center tiogatowncenter.com » Chamber After Hours featuring The Ken and Drew Show Thursday October 13, 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. TradePMR business.gainesvillechamber.com/events » ButterflyFest Saturday, October 1, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Florida Museum flmnh.ufl.edu

74 | CALENDAR

» Gainesville Gone Austin benefitting the Child Advocacy Center Thursday, October 27, 6 p.m. Hitchcock Farm at Santa Fe River Ranch gainesvillegoneaustin.org » FANGS! Friday, October 28, 7:30 p.m. Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts dancealive.org » Gardens and Zombies 5k Saturday, October 29, 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens cedarlakeswoodsandgarden.com » Micanopy Fall Festival Saturday, October 29, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday, October 30, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Downtown Micanopy micanopyfallfestival.org Follow us on facebook.com/thevillagejournal for more event information and photos.

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SN AP SH OT S

Junior League of Gainesville Thrift Store Bake Sale

April 16-20, 2016 Photos by Kara Winslow

76 | SNAPSHOTS

SNAPSHOTS

Friends of the Library Book Sale

April 16-20, 2016 Photos by Kara Winslow

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SN AP SH OT S Hats, Hearts and Handbags benefitting Girls Place May 6, 2016 Photos by Kara Winslow

78 | SNAPSHOTS

SNAPSHOTS

Thomas Realty Group Ribbon Cutting July 21, 2016 Photos provided by Thomas Realty Group

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SN AP SH OT S A Very Good Deed Backpacks 4 Success benefitting Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Home Society July 24, 2016 Photos provided by AVGD

80 | SNAPSHOTS

REG IS T ER OF ADVERTISERS A Personal Elf (p.81) ..............................................271-1111 All About Women (p.69) ................................. 331-3332 Altschuler Periodontic and Implant Center (p.IBC) ........................................371-4141 Avera & Smith, Attorneys at Law (p.4) .......372-9999 Barre Forte (p.53) ............................................ 727-7800 Battle of the Bands (p.75) Bosshardt Realty Services (p.11) ................... 318-9703 Coleen DeGroff (p.37)..................................... 359-2797 Dr. Storoe, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (p.33) ...............................371-4111 Electronics World (p.51) ................................ 332-5608

Junior League of Gainesville Thrift Shop (p.78) ................................................372-1710 Historic Kanapaha Presbyterian Church (p.51) ...........................378-9080 Kara Winslow Makeup Artist (p.29)..... (321) 356-3116 Kinetix Physical Therapy (p.61) ................... 505-6665 Koontz Furniture & Design (p.35) ................622-3241 Koss Olinger (BC) .............................................373-3337 Lugano (p.15)....................................................... 374-4910 Moxie (p.80) ....................................................... 871-6729 Pink Narcissus (p.19) ........................................373-4874 Poser Plastic Surgery Center (IFC) ............ 372-3672

Frankel Media Group (p.77)............................331-5558

Pure Aesthetics (p.9) .......................................332-7873

Gainesville Gone Austin (p.39)....................... 376-9161

Pure Barre (p.16) ................................................ 627-6414

GRU Natural Gas (p.1) ...................................... 393-1464

SaborĂŠ (p.13) ...................................................... 332-2727

GRU Call Before You Dig (p.79) ................................811

Sun Country Sports Center (p.65) ................331-8773

GRUcom (p.57) .................................................334-3200

Sunny's Howl-A-Palooza (p.39)......................331-8773

Hippodrome Theatre (p.76) ...........................375-4477

Sweat Life Fitness (p.71) ................................ 692-4926

Hundreds of Moments Photography (p.75) .................................(347) 725-1272

Tioga Town Center (p.2) .................................331-4000 UF Health (p.7) ................................................. 265-2222

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F R OM T H E KIT CH EN O F D EAN CACC IATORE

CIAMBOTTA, ITALIAN VEGETABLE STEW This is a great recipe that my grandmother used as a base for other stews. She basically used all the leftover produce from the garden to create this stew. This is a great fall recipe and can include a variety of meat, seafood or just grated cheese. I personally like to add garbanzo beans and some shredded mozzarella on the bottom of the soup bowl and then pour over the hot stew and enjoy the long strings of cheese.

Buon Appetito! INGREDIENTS • ⅓ cup olive oil • 2 medium onions, chopped • 2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices • 3 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped • ½ oz fresh basil • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper • ½ teaspoon dried leaf thyme • 1 ¼pounds eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces • ½ cup water • 1 (28-ounces) can whole tomatoes in juice, drained, juice reserved and tomatoes chopped, or 1 ¾ pounds fresh tomatoes, chopped • 2 red bell peppers, cut into ¾-inch pieces • ¾ pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces • 1 ¼ pounds zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices • ¾ pound boiling potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces 82 | TheVillageJournal.com

PREPARATION Heat oil in a 7-to 8-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add onions, celery, carrots, thyme, crushed red pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally until pale golden, about 10 minutes. Add eggplant and water and cook covered, stirring occasionally until eggplant is slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with juice and bell peppers, then reduce heat to low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook green beans in a 3 to 4-quart saucepan of well-salted boiling water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. Add zucchini to boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to bowl with green beans. Add potatoes to boiling water and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and add to beans and zucchini. Add boiled vegetables and fresh basil to stew and simmer, stirring until all vegetables are very soft, about 15 minutes. Season with 1 ½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Stew can be made up to a week before serving. Just like wine, it gets better with time.