Emerald Coast Magazine- December/January 2014 by Rowland Publishing, Inc.

Ce E 15t C Mlebr h A ag at nn azi ing ive neâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rs s ar y The Emer ald Coast Maga zine

Pro design tips to save you time, money Your guide to the hottest local bands Providing hope for the homeless Awardwinning women you should know

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FRESH SEAFOOD?

One of the first questions people ask when they visit our area is “How can we be sure we’re getting fresh seafood?” That’s an excellent question. There is a good chance that the seafood you will be offered traveled farther than you did. In the state of Florida, even though we are surrounded by water, more than 90% of the seafood sold this year will be imported from other countries. Throughout the United States, the huge majority of seafood is imported. Most of it is mislabeled. Frozen seafood is sold as “fresh” and imported seafood is sold as “local.” According to Oceana, 93% of ﬁsh sold as red snapper is actually some other species. 57% of tuna sold at sushi bars throughout the country is not tuna. Most of the tilapia served in this country comes from Viet Nam and Thailand and much of it is farmed in waters with sewage run-off and the source of feed is pig feces.

Harbor Docks has been selling fish through its wholesale market since 1981. We sell to markets across the United States and Canada. We also sell to select restaurants along the Gulf Coast. Harbor Docks contracts with over 100 commercial boats to insure that we have an adequate supply of fresh fish. We invite you to dine at our restaurants – Harbor Docks, in the heart of Destin, and Camille’s, overlooking the Gulf in Crystal Beach. But we’d also encourage you to try any of the wonderful, independent, local restaurants in our area that are committed to serving Florida seafood. We know who they are, because we sell them their fish.

Check our website to find out which restaurants sell certified Gulf-to-Table fish from Harbor Docks Seafood Market. DES TIN , FL | 850. 837. 2506 | H A R B O R D O C K S .CO M S E A F O O D & C O C K TA I L S

4 December 2014–January 2015

Snapper and Tuna stats: http://oceana.org/en/news-media/publications/reports/oceana-study-reveals-seafood-fraud-nationwide Imported seafood stat: http://www.ﬁshwatch.gov/farmed_seafood/outside_the_us.htm Tilapia/pig feces: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-11/asian-seafood-raised-on-pig-feces-approved-for-u-s-consumers.html

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EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;January 2015

N CominEW OFFICE g Spring 2015!

Miramar Beach Dental & Orthodontics

Jason E. Baker, DDS

Miramar Beach Dental & Orthodontics provides a wide variety of dental services and procedures to address all of our patients’ dental health needs. By combining quality patient care with up-to-date technology, we are able to treat patients of all ages in a comfortable and relaxed setting. We are building a new ofﬁce to help us achieve our goals of creating a comfortable, convenient location in which we can serve all of our patients’ needs under one roof. Stay tuned to our Facebook for updates and monthly specials!

miramarbeachdental.com | (850) 650-2070 | Accepting new patients! 6 December 2014–January 2015

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The Emerald Coast Magazine December 2014 + January 2015

contents

FEATUREs

58 EC is 15!

Readers give us 150 reasons why they love the Emerald Coast. By Zandra Wolfgram

68 Homelessness

The heartbreaking, yet hopeful stories of those navigating the turns and detours on life’s often unexpected road. By Martha J. LaGuardia-Kotite and Zandra Wolfgram

Powerful Women

Meet four EC women who are the “Pinnacle” of success. By Linda Kleindeinst

Matt Burke

Isaac Arnett has been homeless for the past five years. Thanks to Sharing & Caring, he is able to get a warm lunch most Fridays. At night he hunkers down under the Brooks Bridge in Fort Walton Beach, or where he can.

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

8 December 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;January 2015

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PHOTO + FILM STUDIOS

WEDDINGS & PORTRAITS

AVA I L A B LE WO R LDW I D E . N O PL ACE I S TO O FA R .

FLORIDA E S TA B L I S HED 20 07

PURE7STUDIOS.COM

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

contents in the e.c. 21 Snapshot Meet the town butcher. 22 Well-Worded Cindy Moskovitz’s “Sunsets of 30A” is as pretty as a picture. 26 Made in the EC We’ve got the number on EC’s coolest signature cocktail. 30 Historicity Talk about rubbing salt in wounds ... 37 Scene The EC is buzzing with news. Read it here.

happenings 39 Spotlight What the Dickens is ECTC up to this holiday season?

40 Vibe From funky to soulful, we sound off on a few hot “house bands.” 44 Calendar Warm your winter with wonderful EC events. 51 Social Studies Look who we’ve “scene” out and about lately.

the good life 85 Eudaimonia Pensacola has never been jazzier!

90 Going Places A trio of places to see in wonderful Wisconsin. 94 Gardening Spruce up your garden for the holidays. 102 Habitat You can have a designer dream home.

106 FYI What happens to your online assets when you sign off? Find out. 110 Flavor Ginger … the magical root. 113 Dining Your guide to dining out on the Emerald Coast. 116 A Taste For … Nochebuena!

A WORD WITH YOU

14 16 19 122

From the Publisher Editor’s Note Contributors/Feedback The Last Word

Special Section 34 Gift Guide 96 Deal Estate

116 10 December 2014–January 2015

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Like us at facebook.com/emeraldcoast

Photos by Matt Burke (26), Shelly Swanger (40), Saige Roberts (116) and Courtesy of Silver Sands (34)

86 In Motion This outdoor sport will have you tossing and turning … in a good way.

Legal counsel for every facet of life At the law ďŹ rm of Daniel W. Uhlfelder, P.A., we are dedicated to delivering results to clients through hard work, honesty and dedication. We represent clients in many areas of legal need, including:

Real Estate Foreclosures Divorce Litigation Homeowner and Condominium Association Law Construction Law Estate Planning and Asset Protection

Serving clients throughout Northwest Florida for thirteen years

DWULAW.COM Santa Rosa Beach 850.534.0246 124 East County Highway 30-A Santa Rosa Beach, Florida 32459 EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;January 2015

Vol. 15, No. 6 December 2014–January 2015 The Emerald Coast Magazine

President/Publisher

Brian E. Rowland EDITORIAL

SALES AND MARKETING

Director of Editorial Services Linda Kleindienst

Marketing and Sales Manager McKenzie Burleigh

Editor Zandra Wolfgram

Director of New Business Daniel Parisi

Senior Staff Writer Jason Dehart

Ad Services Coordinator Lisa Sostre

Staff Writers Chay D. Baxley, Lynda Belcher

Sales Executives Rhonda Lynn Murray, Darla Harrison, Tanya Heath, Tracy Mulligan, Paula Sconiers, Alice Watts, Drew Gregg Westling

Contributing Writers Lynda Belcher, Laura Bradley, Tiffany Clemons, Domonique Davis, Janie Harris, Katie Johnson, Lis King, Martha J. LaGuardia-Kotite, Jack Macaleavy, Thomas J. Monigan, Audrey Post, Sarah Proctor, Paisley Rose Editorial Interns Janie Harris, Matthew Hooper, Mikaela McShane, Kate Mueller, Samantha Rhodes, Ana Stolica, Megan Williams Production Specialist Melinda Lanigan

CREATIVE Creative Director Lawrence Davidson Production Manager/ Network Administrator Daniel Vitter Senior Art Director Saige Roberts Art Director Jennifer Ekrut Publication Designers Shruti Shah, Rebecca Sumerall Advertising Designers Jillian Fry, Amanda Hartsfield Staff Photographer Matt Burke Contributing Photographers Dave Barfield, Cathy Cantanese, Mari Darr~Welch, Scott Holstein, Randy Lee Photography, Sarah Lyn, Christy Milliken, Cindy Moskovitz, Modus Photography, Mo Moseley, Lynn Nesmith, Nightmind Photography, Kay Phelan, Kansas Pitts, Pure 7 Studios, Saige Roberts, Michelle Stancil Photography, Vena Sensenbaugh, Shelly Swanger, Jason Wallis, Jacqueline Ward Images, Steve Wells

Marketing and Sales assistant Christie Green

OPERATIONS COrporate client relations specialist Caroline Miller Events AND SPECIAL PROJECTS Coordinator Leigha Inman Staff accountant Josh Faulds Accounting assistant Tabby Hamilton Receptionist Tristin Kroening

WEB Digital Services Manager Carlin Trammel Digital Services CoordinatorS Jennifer Ireland, Rebecca Padgett Digital Services Producer Chelsea Moore Emerald Coast Magazine emeraldcoastmagazine.com facebook.com/emeraldcoast twitter.com/emeraldcoastmag instagram.com/emeraldcoastmag pinterest.com/emeraldcoastmag youtube.com/user/emeraldcoastmag Rowland Publishing rowlandpublishing.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS One Year (6 issues) is $30 Call (850) 878-0554 or go online to emeraldcoastmagazine.com. Single copies are $3.95 Purchase at Barnes and Noble in Destin and Books-A-Million in Destin and at Sun Plaza in Mary Esther.

Editorial Office 1932 Miccosukee Road, Tallahassee, FL, 32308 Customer Service & Submissions EC 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. EC Magazine reserves the right to publish any letters to the editor. Copyright December 2014 Emerald Coast Magazine Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

12 December 2014–January 2015

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30A is a great place to live, and NatureWalk by KOLTER KOLTERH HOMES is footsteps from everything you love about this charming seaside community. While you’re here, join us to explore our Walkabout lifestyle — the neighborhood, trails, amenity center and beach are all a scenic stroll away. y Stop byy to sayy hello and tour our designer g models. We invite you y to preview our Move-In Readyy homes. Now is the time to make the move and join the walkabout with us.

3 and 4 Bedroom Homes from the $500s to $900s Located on Highway g y 395, one mile north of Highway 30A and two miles south of Highway 98

Visit www.NatureWalkatSeagrove.com ww.NatureWalkatSeagrove.com or call 888.819.7188 888.8 9. 88 780 Sandgrass Blvd., Santa Rosa Beach, FL 324 32459 9 Prrices Pri cees ces es, feeat eaat ature ure res, s, spe s, speci cifi cifi i ccaatio tiio ons an and nd n d am ameni eni niitti nitie tie ies aare rree su sub ub bject jec je e t to ec to ch han ha ange ge wit i ho hout no hou oti o ot ttice ce. e. EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

from the publisher A Decade and a Half Later …

Scott Holstein

Our editor, Zandra Wolfgram, sent me a note the other day to remind me that EC Magazine is celebrating its 15th anniversary at the end of this year. I paused for a moment to gain perspective on what she said. And on my daily 5-mile lunchtime walk I had an hour to think about the journey. I have a vivid memory of the very beginning, when I joined my wife, Cherie, on the Emerald Coast as a “significant other” for one of her professional meetings. At the time my company was producing Tallahassee Magazine, Visit Tallahassee’s official visitor guide, the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra program and others, but my entrepreneurial spirit was still eager to grow in the Northwest Florida area. When I took a drive along Highway 98, I saw massive retail and restaurant growth and the potential for more. I went to the library to discover no local consumer lifestyle magazine was in existence at that time. I talked to a few merchants and asked “what if,” and after listening to them decided to make an Emerald Coast-based magazine happen. On Monday I had the name registered with the Department of Corporations and spent the week developing a business plan and a simple rate card. I returned the following Monday morning and spent the next two weeks in a market blitz. My offer to potential advertisers was short and simple. With a Tallahassee Magazine in hand, I said, “I will direct mail 20,000 Emerald Coast Magazines (now rebranded EC Magazine) to local households with an average income of $90,000 plus. I will provide a journalism-based magazine produced to the quality and integrity standard you see in Tallahassee Magazine,” which was 18 years old at the time. I ended with, “And if I do not do what I say I will do when I say it will be done, then you will not have to pay anything for the ad I am asking you to buy today.” After two weeks and about 150 “asks,” there were about 25 business owners who took me up on my risk-free offer. About eight weeks later Rowland Publishing Inc. produced a 52-page issue of EC Magazine and debuted it at a fundraiser for the Junior League of the Emerald Coast at the historic Gulfview Hotel in Fort Walton Beach. EC began as a quarterly and, within 18 months, transitioned to a bi-monthly. Now, 87 issues later — despite three hurricanes, the BP Horizon catastrophe and the Great Recession — we are proud to be the leader of consumer magazine publishing along the Emerald Coast. I am so proud and grateful for my dedicated and talented staff that works so diligently to make sure each and every issue meets our ongoing publishing standard of being current, quotable and well read. I also thank the long list of local business leaders who invest their valuable advertising dollars in EC Magazine. Without them, publishing EC would not be possible. Last, but certainly not least, is you, the reader, who consumes our editorial pages and patronizes our advertisers. Again, without your loyal support of EC Magazine, we would not exist. I also want to acknowledge the hard work, commitment to excellence and professionalism of our editor, Zandra Wolfgram, who has brought EC Magazine to a new zenith. Now, on to the next 15 and doing more of what we love to do … publish the Emerald Coast’s first and best consumer lifestyle magazine.

on the cover

The view from the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa offers up one of the more beautiful backdrops along the Emerald Coast as the sun kisses the Gulf of Mexico while setting. We agree with our readers who say, “What’s not to love?” Photo illustration by Matt Burke and Lawrence Davidson. CE 15TEC MLEBR H A AG AT NN AZINING IVE E RS ’S AR Y

VOL. 15 NO. 6

Berkshire Hathaway’s Multi-Million Dollar Real Estate Company Debuts on the Emerald Coast We’re remodeling our brand, but not our commitment to top-quality service to our clients. Prudential PenFed Realty is now officially Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.

THE EMER ALD COAST MAGA ZINE

150 THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT THE EC

Sanctuary By the Sea Penthouse Residence 3127

$4,175,000

Providing hope for the homeless

Royce W. Mitchell

Luxury Collection Broker PenFed Realty 7684 West County Highway 30A Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459 850-267-0013 Office 850-737-0567 Cell

www.bhhspenfed.com

©2014 BHH Affiliates, LLC. Real Estate Brokerage Services are offered through the network member franchisees of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Most franchisees are independently owned and operated. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.® Equal Housing Opportunity.

14EC_PrudentialPenFed.indd 1

14 December 2014–January 2015

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Pro design tips to save you time, money Your guide to the hottest local bands

10/30/14 11:56 AM

EMERALDCOASTMAGAZINE.COM DECEMBER 2014-JANUARY 2015

— Brian Rowland browland@rowlandpublishing.com

Awardwinning women you should know

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A product of Rowland Publishing, Inc.

150

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AT T O R N E YS AT L AW

INSIGHT INTEGRITY INNOVATION

201 0

destinlaw.com

011 · 2012 · ·2

14 20

REMEMBERING THE PAST, SEEING THE FUTURE

editor’s note The Emerald Coast is Alive with the Sound of Music … and More

Clarification On p. 81 in “The Arts Mean Business” (October/November 2014) we wrote that

Nathanael and Anna Fisher founded the Emerald Coast Theatre Festival in 2012, when, in fact, their not-for-profit professional theater is Emerald Coast Theatre Company. Our apologies.

16 December 2014–January 2015

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

Bombs Away I like to celebrate nearly everything. So on Pearl Harbor Day I’ve decided to lift a glass of Bombing Range Red 2010 from the McKinley Springs Winery, whose land was once used as a training ground for U.S. fighter pilots during World War II. The label of this red blend depicts a U.S. P-40 Hawk fighter plane and is a tribute to our troops and the colorful history of this vineyard. Pair it with barbecued beef brisket, and toast our brave warfighters from the 33rd Fighter Wing. Celebrate the Manatee If your New Year’s resolution includes ticking things off of your Bucket List, consider celebrating the sea’s “gentle giant” during the 27th Annual Florida Manatee Festival in Crystal River on Jan. 17–18. In addition to manatee tours, arts and crafts, food and live music are just a few of the activities that will be going on in downtown Crystal River, located about an hour north of Tampa on U.S. 19. Admission is just $3. For a schedule of events, visit citruscountychamber.com. Happy Birthday to … In honor of my January b-day, I wanted to share how you can give rather than receive on your special day. This year, instead of gifts, ask your friends and family to celebrate your day by making a donation to your favorite charity in your name. Even if your birthday is months away, you can give causes you care about valuable exposure by setting up your birthday page at any time with charitybirthday.com. Be creative. You give the amount of a day’s wages (onedayswages.com) or give a donation to someone for their birthday in the form of a gift card through charitygiftcertificate.org. You select the amount of the gift, and the recipient chooses what cause it goes to. All donations are 100 percent tax deductible. Happy donating!

Photo Courtesy Zandra Wolfgram (Wine)

—Z andra Wolfgram eC-Editor@rowlandpublishing.com

editor’s picks

Allison Yii

Holidays on the Emerald Coast are a chance for us to celebrate traditions with our families. Thanks to Sinfonia Gulf Coast, it’s made even easier with the annual production of “Orchestral Holiday” (Dec. 12 at Destiny Worship Center). This year’s production features music from the great grandchildren of the Von Trapp family. Music is inspiring, especially to children. Kealee Sloan, who participated in Sinfonia’s Music Education outreach program — which has reached more than 47,000 kids in Okaloosa and Walton counties and has enabled more than 800 students, teachers and youth orchestra members to attend Sinfonia concerts — put it much better than I ever could in a thank you letter written to Sinfonia: “I love all the excitement in the music ... The Sinfonia concert was the best thing I’ve ever seen. I love music, and this made me love music even more. You inspired me. The music inspired me to write how I feel about things in pictures and how I can draw pictures of what I feel in music. Thank you again, for the beautiful and inspiring concert you had.” But Sinfonia’s concert and the many other choral offerings in churches and halls are just the beginning to putting a song in your heart this winter. With more than 150 singer/ songwriters giving 200 live performances in 25 different venues during the 30A Songwriter’s Festival (Jan. 16–18), the winter blues are just not an option. This year, we are excited to see a number of creative collaborations. In November, the Sinfonia orchestra performed live during Northwest Florida Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” — a perfect partnership that we hope will becomes an annual tradition. In January, Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach is hosting a workshop for artists to create site-specific digital artwork, which can be entered into the DG2015 summer juried art competition. This year, Digital Graffiti hope to collaborate with the singer/songwriters in town for the 30A Songwriter’s Festival. Who knows, maybe we’ll see some digital art on the white walls of Alys Beach accompanied by some original live music at the event next June? In the October/November 2014 issue we featured a story on the business end of the arts. It ended saying, “Perhaps artists along the Emerald Coast would ultimately be best served if the string of art organizations found a way to band together to create a collective ‘voice’ which together may be stronger, louder.” The inventive event organizers at The Alys Foundation and the Cultural Arts Alliance, which produces these world-class events, have answered the call. And it’s beautiful music to our ears ... and eyes.

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;January 2015

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com EXTRA CONTENT ONLINE ONLY

Our First Issue

» Pinnacle awards recap The Pinnacle Awards recognizes powerful and inspiring women throughout the region who have worked hard in their field. This year’s Pinnacle Award winners include four powerful women from the Emerald Coast. Check out our video about these winners on our website.

We’re celebrating 15 years of Emerald Coast Magazine by digitizing our first issue from spring 2000. Visit emeraldcoastmagazine.com to see the first issue in digital form. Happy 15th birthday to us!

#ECMag

What's the … Deal?

OF THE

A beautiful community awaits in the heart of Destin at Regatta Bay. The resort-like gated neighborhood community is home to an 18-hole championship golf course and is nestled along the scenic Choctawhatchee Bay. Learn more about the luxurious community and find out what’s just sold and what’s newly listed — all in this edition of Deal Estate.

the cl

18 December 2014–January F TH 2015

Video and photos! 2007–2014 » Best of EC Recap Did you go to the Best event on the Emerald Coast this year? This year’s event was held at Grand Boulevard on October 25th and featured the reader’s choice winners in entertainment, food and beverage, services and shopping in the Emerald Coast. In case you missed Best of EC 2014, we’ve got a recap of the event on our website. To see posts made live from the event, visit thebestofec.com.

Join the Club!

Text EC to 20673. Or visit emeraldcoastmagazine.com and look for the Top of the EC logo to sign up for special promotions, events and exclusive offers. (Text STOP anytime to opt out.)

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» Beachy Beach Real Estate » Coastal Skin Surgery Dermatology » Idyll Hounds » Infinity Flooring » Insurance Zone » McCaskill & Company

Denys Prykhodov/Shutterstock.com (ipad), Carlin Trammel(Video Images) and Courtesy of Zandra Wolfgram (contributors)

Video!

contributors This past summer two talented young journalists lent their time and talent to EC Magazine. We offer our heartfelt thanks to Janie Harris and Samantha Rhodes, who joined our team as summer interns. During their internships, these two curious and creative writers traversed the Emerald Coast covering special events and conducting first-person interviews for a wide range of stories.

Janie Harris W R I T E R

Harris is a junior English and Mass Communications major at Piedmont College in Demorest, Georgia, where she is a resident assistant, a cheerleader and the editor of the sports page for the Piedmont College Navigator.

Samantha Rhodes W R I T E R

Rhodes is double majoring in Communication and English Creative Writing at the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio. She serves as managing editor for the university newspaper, The Independent Collegian, and has worked as a features editor and news editor.

feedback Have a thought? Let us know what you think at editor@emeraldcoastmagazine. com, facebook.com/emeraldcoast or through twitter @emeraldcoastmag.

Dear Zandra, Your editorial (“Chicken Soup for the Soul,” October/November 2014) was soulful and heartfelt, and I enjoyed your writing style and your wonderful expression of appreciation for this character in your life who truly must have touched your soul. You have touched mine by my reading this. Pam Avera Seaside

Dear Zandra, I just read your Editor’s Note and felt compelled to email you. It was one of the best things that I have ever read; it had such feeling and really touched my heart and soul. I was a former oncology nurse, so I can so relate to your story. It still never ceases to astound me how many young women get cancer. And yet so many not only conquer it, but they also, in the process, give others hope and enrich our lives. As a cancer survivor, I count my blessings every day. While so many people don’t understand this, my favorite specialty of nursing was oncology. I developed such strong bonds with my patients and learned so much about life. Zandra, thank you for sharing your heart-warming story, and for your eloquence and sensitivity in doing so. Cheers and many blessings, Patti Burcham Destin EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

Local Craft Brewery Proudly located in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida

Reach out and touch us www.IdyllHoundsBrewingCompany.com 850.231.1138 845 Serenoa Road Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459 Please Enjoy Responsibly

20 December 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;January 2015

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

in the e.c.

Peopl e + St y le + H y p e

The Butcher Shoppe

The Butcher Shoppe owner Kevin Green and his son Jordan are self-taught butchers who love their job: serving quality meats at affordable prices. “The old saying is, ‘You can’t make everybody happy,’ but I’d like to say we’ve made 99 percent of our customers happy,” Jordan says. And he’s absolutely right — the reviews on the shop’s Facebook page speak volumes. The family owned and operated shop in Pensacola has been in business for seven years, and customers keep coming back (sometimes daily). Virtually any cut of any meat is available upon request, including the highest grade of beef in the world — Japanese Kobe, which runs $149.99 per pound. Also featured are specialty meats such as alligator, duck, ostrich and elk, just to name a few. To top it off, they offer over 100 fresh seasonings, rubs and marinades. Nothing will stop this duo from maintaining the high standards Kevin has set for the business — and showing his customers they matter. “Your customers always come first. As long as they leave happy, you’ve done your job right,” Jordan says. — Samantha Rhodes

Photo by Matt Burke

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

well-worded

22 December 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;January 2015

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

‘Sunsets of 30A’

Cindy Moskovitz’ First Book Shines a Ray of Light on Local Photographers By Paisley Rose

Photo by christy milliken (Sunset) and Cindy Moskovitz (portrait)

hough the “personalities” of each town along Scenic Highway 30A are distinctly different, one commonality connects them all — the glory of the sun setting into the Gulf of Mexico. These daily celebrations along the 18 or so miles of Scenic Highway 30A are beautifully captured in a new book by local resident and first-time editor/publisher Cindy Moskovitz that is entitled “Sunsets of 30A: The Magic of Light on the Emerald Coast.” “Sunsets of 30A” beautifully and simply celebrates the joy of stellar sunsets. The horizontal orientation of the 128-page, perfect-bound softcover book showcases 168 stunning images contributed by a mix of 135 local and visiting photographers — some professional but many amateur. The photographs were selected from more than 700 submissions. Each is paired with an individual quote, which reveals still more

about the photo, the photographer who shot it and his/her connection to 30A. “Every sunset for me is spectacular,” says Moskovitz. “But add to that the framework of the natural beauty of the coastal dune lakes, the beautiful and unique architecture of the beach towns, the state parks, the beach … it is just the perfect storm for a gorgeous sunset most nights.” Bud & Alley’s Rooftop Bar in Seaside has turned the setting of the sun into a beloved daily ritual that has become a coveted tradition for locals and visitors alike for nearly 30 years. So, it goes without saying that longtime Bud & Alley’s bartender Mo Moseley has seen more than his fair share of sunsets. Moskovitz thought one of Moseley’s images of a fiery sunset was about as delicious as his famous margarita, and so she featured it in her new book. In addition to Moseley’s image, the book features many more local fixtures of 30A, in-

cluding Claire Bannerman, Shelly Swanger, Ginger Jackson Sinton, Lynn Nesmith, Elam Stoltzfus, Douglas Bock, Jamie Conley, Scotty Lisenbe and Christy Milliken, among others. As a local and lover of 30A, it was important to Moskovitz to create the book by sourcing local talent: Colleen Duffley Productions designed it, artist Joan Vienot created the map and Boyd Brothers printed it. Moskovitz and her husband, Scott, divide their time between Nashville and Old Seagrove. The couple shares a passion for photography and particularly enjoys collecting images that capture the true spirit of the many places they’ve lived in and traveled to. After seeing fervent responses to sunset images, her own and others frequently shared on Facebook, Cindy began to think about collecting 30A’s sunsets into a book. Part of her desire was simply to gather them in one place, but another personal reason for

“Sunsets of 30A” by Cindy Moskovitz (left) is the first book to showcase 30A-area sunsets (opposite) captured by both professional and amateur photographers such as Christy Milliken of Santa Rosa Beach.

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

well-worded

24 December 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;January 2015

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

Lynn Nesmith vena sensenbaugh

Mo Moseley

(Clockwise) Vena Sensenbaugh of Fort Walton Beach captures a sunset through a beach walkover in Seaside; Western Lake in Grayton State Park graces this sunset shot taken by Lynn Nesmith of Blue Mountain Beach; Mo Moseley of Panama City Beach, paused from his bartending job at Bud & Alley's Rooftop Bar in Seaside, to snap this shot of the sun's final bow.

publishing the book was to shine a ray of light, so to speak, on the work and talent of local and visiting photographers she personally admires. “Many of them are off the grid and do not have galleries or studios, so their work might not ever be discovered, especially by visitors just passing through who don’t know where to find their work,” Moskovitz said. The book, which Moskovitz selfpublished in late May just before her 60th birthday, is $29.95. Signed copies are available at Sundog Books in Seaside and Hidden Lantern in Rosemary Beach, or online at sunsetsof30a.com. Beyond being a “coffee table” book for beach lovers, Moskovitz hopes her first effort at publishing appeals to locals and visitors looking for a pretty present to put under the tree this holiday season. “It’s a great way to take a bit of 30A home with you,” she says. ec

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

made in the ec

Here, Here!

The Emerald Coast Inspires Friends to Create a Refreshing New Coastal Cocktail By Janie Harris

link! You’re sitting on the beach and toasting to another day of life on the Emerald Coast. But what is it that you’re sipping on? It should be an iced down cocktail that represents exactly what living on the Emerald Coast is like, but what drink represents the simple life of living on the coast? Two entrepreneurial Emerald Coast mixologists believe it should be No. 850, a 34-proof spirit that fuses rum with hints of citrus, pineapple and coconut concocted right here. In 2011, Bess Grasswick of Freeport sat down at the bar where her childhood friend, Ricky Fannin, worked. It was there that the two creative-minded pals in their late twenties decided to become business partners and explore bottling a beachy adult beverage. The ready-to-drink cocktail concocted by Fannin in his own home was not always named after the Emerald Coast’s area code. It was named after its clever creator. Fannin, while working as a bartender, was asked to make a patron a beachy beverage she had never tried before. Impressed with the drink and its creator, she called it “The Ricky” in honor of the barkeep who served her the refreshing, fruit-infused cocktail. The drink-inventing duo didn’t really care to call it “The Ricky,” so they looked to their community for inspiration for a new name. With the obvious parallels between the area and their drinkable invention, No. 850 was a keeper. “We liked the fact that our area is really unique, but it’s got these classic elements,” said Grasswick. However the two friends did not just bottle a cocktail. They opened a company, and the company had to be named, too. Grasswick and Fannin wanted another name that represented the area well, so they bounced ideas off each other and their friends. The Chaste Company became a contender, and after a friend made a joke about being chased (because chaste sounds like chased) off the beach, they knew it would be a great name. Chaste is defined as without unnecessary ordination, simple — and Fannin believes that the Emerald Coast is a simple living area.

Peering through the 34 proof rum in the EC’s coastal-inspired signature cocktail are notes of citrus, pineapple and coconut.

26 December 2014–January 2015

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

Photos by Matt Burke

Bess Grasswick and Ricky Fannin grew their childhood friendship into a thriving business partnership. They credit the special attributes of life on the Emerald Coast such as a relaxing day at Eden State Park, where they are pictured, with the inspiration behind their carefree cocktail concoction.

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;January 2015

Matt Burke

made in the ec

28 December 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;January 2015

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Sarah Lyn

Our goal is to help you pursue yours. It’s that simple.

There are 13 different cocktail recipes online at chaste.co from Bloody Beer to the Red Headed Ricky, or simply enjoy a classic Chaste No. 850 poured over ice with a lime garnish.

“It (the name) really does reflect our area,” said Fannin. With support from local retailers, Fannin and Grasswick have expanded No. 850 to nearly 70 beverage stores, bars and restaurants all along Northwest Florida from Half-Time Liquors in Pensacola to the 101 Restaurant and Lounge in Tallahassee. While they were supported by residents and locals alike, putting a bottle on a shelf was more difficult than they expected. “It was a process,” said Fannin. It was a process that they couldn’t have an ego with. And they have continued to grow their company, but they haven’t been able to drink in their success just yet. Fannin still works as a bartender while Grasswick handles the day-to-day operation of the company. They are focused on growing No. 850 into a staple behind the bar. Fannin and Grasswick made No. 850 a ready-to-drink beverage with the ability to allow bartenders to mix it up and make a number of other drinks with it, including mojitos and bloody beer. And while there are always challenges in launching your own company, Fannin and Grasswick crack jokes and spend their time enjoying the progress of their dream. Even if it doesn’t work out the way they hoped, they chased a dream and will never regret trying. “We are really thankful for the opportunity that we got to do this,” said Fannin. ec

At Merrill Lynch, you’re at the center of every conversation. Your Merrill Lynch financial advisor will take the time to understand what’s most important to you: your family, your work, your hopes and dreams. Together, we’ll create an investment strategy that’s uniquely yours.

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management 34990 Emerald Coast Parkway Suite 400 Destin, FL 32541 866.625.2295 850.269.7000

No. 850 Mojito Ingredients 6 ounces of Chaste No. 850

Soda water

4 lime wedges

Sugar cane or fresh mint for garnish

Fresh mint

Ice cubes

Life’s better when we’re connected®

Simple syrup Method Squeeze 4 lime wedges in glass. Add fresh mint. Pour in 6 ounces Chaste No. 850. Add a splash of simple syrup. Muddle to extract all flavors. Fill remainder of glass with soda water. Serve over ice. Garnish with fresh mint, sugar cane or lime.

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management makes available products and services offered by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S”), a registered broker-dealer and member SIPC, and other subsidiaries of Bank of America Corporation (“BAC”). The Bull Symbol, Merrill Lynch Personal Investment Advisory and Merrill Lynch are registered trademarks or trademarks of Bank of America Corporation. Investment products: Are Not FDIC Insured Are Not Bank Guaranteed © 2014 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved. AR9U5C6E | AD-08-14-0278 | 470949PM-0314 | 08/2014

May Lose Value

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

historicity

Salt Wars

The U.S. Navy Went to Great Lengths to Deny the Confederates Means for Preserving Meat By Jason Dehart

30 December 2014–January 2015

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State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory

t was a highly successful raid. Or, it was a fearsome loss of valuable equipment. All depending on what side you were on. The three-day salt works raid in St. Marks by sailors and crew of the USS Tahoma in February 1864, was perhaps the most serious effort by the Union to target an essential “ingredient” in the Southern war effort. Back in the days before refrigeration kept our food fresh and safe, salt was used extensively to keep meat fresh. Salt was used as a preservative because it literally sucked the life out of any microbes or mold attempting to purchase a foothold in meat. The more salt you use, the longer the meat can be stored, but the saltier and less palatable the taste becomes. The damage, detailed in a report by Theodorus Bailey, commander of the U.S. Navy’s East Gulf Blockading Squadron, indicates that much more than just salt was destroyed or captured by the Tahoma’s landing parties. Among the items were 390 salt kettles, 52 sheet-iron boilers, 170 brick and stone furnaces, 150 pumps, wells and aqueducts; 55 storehouses, 165 houses and shanties, 60 sheds and stables, 6,000 bushels of salt in barrels, a “large number of axes, shovels, and hoes,” one carpenter’s shop with tools, one fishing house, 600 bushels of corn and 350 cords of wood. In addition, the raid captured (or stole, again depending on your perspective) five large wagons, 15 mules, 2,500 pounds of bacon, two horses, 1,000 head of cattle and one prisoner, a “government agent” by the name of G.R. Paul. It was perhaps the biggest haul of the war for the Union navy and certainly gave Southern supply officers a big headache. Although salt would continue to be produced here, it had officially become a strategic target. A week later the Tahoma’s raiding parties were at it again, this time in nearby Goose Creek. This raid netted 2,000 bushels of salt in barrels and bins, three corncribs (containing about 1,000 bushels), a large amount of hay and fodder, a blacksmith’s shop and tools, a carpenter’s shop and tools, about 100 storehouses and stables, 165 kettles and pans, 43 large boilers, 98 “well-constructed” brick furnaces, nine wagons and carts and 20 sets of mule harnesses. In terms of money value, the total damage done by the landing parties came to an estimated $2 million. The South could scarcely afford the loss of such a commodity. During the second half of the Late Unpleasantness, as the Union chokehold tightened around the whole Confederacy, Florida became a valuable supply source of this essential mineral (as well as other vital

commodities like cattle, cotton, timber and turpentine). Numerous salt works dotted the Gulf Coast from Choctawhatchee Bay down to Tampa Bay. After building up its fleet, the U.S. Navy blockade squadrons decided it was finally ready to not only blockade Southern ports but to actively seek and destroy rebel salt works (as well as any other resource that supported the Southern war effort). Without the boilers and kettles, you couldn’t process seawater into salt. Without salt, you couldn’t preserve the meat. Without wagons, mules and harnesses you couldn’t haul the meat. It was that simple. The Union navy didn’t just attack the works around St. Marks. The salt operations around greater St. Andrews Bay were also a prime target. A recent drought in that region had caused an increase in the salinity of the huge bay, which allowed the salt-making business to boom. Some 2,500 men were employed in this one area alone. Devoted to the interdiction of this trade was the USS Restless, whose crew struck the targets

here on a regular basis because they were often rebuilt. In early February 1864, the crew of the Restless conducted a raid by land and by sea to put the works out of business. Acting Master W.R. Browne filed this in his after-action report: “I have the honor to make the following report: Learning that the rebels had erected new Government salt works on West Bay, on the site of the old salt works destroyed by us in December, and that they had a force of 50 men armed and stationed there for protection, I fitted out the first cutter, manned with 13 men, under charge of Acting Ensign James J. Russell, with orders to proceed up the Gulf coast 20 miles, and march inland 7 miles to the salt works and attack them in the rear, while Acting Ensign Henry Eason with 10 men, in command of the second cutter, would proceed by the inside passage and attack them in the front at the same time.” Browne states in his official report that the expedition was “entirely successful” because the 50 armed men

apparently skedaddled when the Yankees approached. Not clear is whether these were actual regular army soldiers, or armed civilians who were otherwise engaged in the commercial enterprise. It really didn’t matter, because civilian salt workers — although exempt from military service — were treated as soldiers by the Federals. “Messrs. Russells and Easons … immediately proceeded in the destruction of everything connected with the manufactories, consisting of 26 sheet-iron boilers, averaging 881 gallons, and 19 kettles, averaging 200 gallons, making an aggregate of 26,706 gallons,” he reported. “These boilers and kettles were cut up or broken to pieces, some 600 bushels of salt were thrown into the bay, all the chimneys and furnaces hauled down, and everything rendered completely useless for any further operations. Seven slaves fled to us for protection and assisted in the destruction of this establishment, which had only been in operation ten days. This work covered a space of half a square mile, the boilers and kettles alone costing (an estimated) $146,883. Our party

This rendering circa 1862 depicts the destruction of a rebel salt factory on the Florida coast.

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

GET THE JOB DONE RIGHT HIRE A STATE-LICENSED PROFESSIONAL

Unlicensed activity is against the law. Report unlicensed individuals to DBPR by calling the Unlicensed Activity Hotline at 1.866.532.1440, online or on the DBPR Mobile app.

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historicity returned to the ship next day, bringing seven contrabands and six shotguns. You will please find enclosed a drawing of the boilers and kettles.” About a week later, Browne and the Restless’ crew was back in the bay area, this time looking for a barge that was expected to arrive and pick up a cargo of salt on the southwest side of East Bay. An expedition was fitted and set out to ambush the barge, which didn’t show up. Instead, the crew landed and destroyed all the works they could find. “… The men were landed and destroyed all the works at hand, 15 in number, among which were some of the largest Government salt works ever erected in Florida, the whole of which were successfully destroyed, consisting of 5 large steamboat boilers and 23 kettles, together with 16 log houses, 1 flatboat, a large quantity of salt, vats, tanks and other materials connected with the manufacture of this article. After destroying the above they returned to the ship, bringing with them six contrabands (slaves) found at this place,” Browne said in his report. The Restless’ work would continue. It returned in October, 1864, and landed another expedition that destroyed 50 boilers, 90 kettles, 300 bushels of salt, 31 wagons, 500 cords of wood, 150 buildings and employee houses, sheds and storehouses. Amazingly enough, despite the destruction, the Confederate government — embroiled in a battle to stay alive — kept allocating men, money and other scarce resources to build and rebuild these works. That indicates how vital salt was to the war effort. But as persistent as the Confederates were, the U.S. Navy was just as dogged. “All this was the property of the Confederates, and although it is probable that they may again be rebuilt, it is certain that a severe blow has been struck at the rebel forces in Georgia,” reported Rear Admiral C.K. Stribling, who at that point had succeeded Bailey as commander of the East Gulf Blockading Squadron. Naturally, salt prices skyrocketed during the war, and the Southern men handling the evaporators stood a good chance of being shot at and shelled by Federal gunboats or landing parties. In one case, three saltmakers from Alabama were executed in Campbellton during the Battle of Marianna, according to historian Dale Cox. The men were with the Dale County Militia and were escorting a salt wagon back to Alabama when they were intercepted by Union troops, Cox said. ec

Amazingly enough, despite the destruction, the Confederate government — embroiled in a battle to stay alive — kept allocating men, money and other scarce resources to build and rebuild these works. That indicates how vital salt was to the war effort.

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Holiday Gift Guide

Whether you want to deck yourself out for date night, thank a friend with something special or find a unique gift for a someone on your holiday list, with our handy Holiday Gift Guide, you are sure to enjoy your shopping spree on the EC. With fabulous finds ranging from upscale designer duds to silly keepsake souvenirs, sensational seasonal shopping is simply in the bag! Now, that’s the spirit! 1. Silver sands premium outlets® Enjoy exceptional brands with extraordinary savings of 25% to 65% at an impressive collection of 110 designer and name brand outlets including Nike, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Calvin Klein, Gap Outlet, Kate Spade New York, Coach, Kenneth Cole, Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th, J.Crew and more. For complete information and to join the VIP Shopper Club, visit premiumoutlets.com. Silver Sands Premium Outlets®, Hwy 98, Destin, (850) 654-9771 2. Island Clothiers This sweater features Winter White at its finest with the intricate jeweled beading around the neck. Wear it to work or a holiday party! $384 Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, 9300 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W., Miramar Beach, (850) 351-1806 3. Sunrise chair co. Handcrafted in the USA with incredible attention to detail, they are constructed using Sunbrella fabric, rust-proof brass, highest grade marine varnish and white oak. 1701 S. County Highway 393, Santa Rosa Beach, sunrisechairco.com 34 December 2014–January 2015

4. the big green egg is the ultimate in outdoor cooking. It’s a grill, a smoker, oven and ... the best holiday gift you will ever give! Available in six sizes from $402 to $1,206. Voted Best Outdoor Furniture Retailer. Bay Breeze Patio, 32 Forest Shore Drive, Destin, 850.269.4666, BayBreezePatio.com 5. YOLO BOARD This is NOT your mamma’s 3 speed. This beauty is built with a top-shelf quality that gets you there in comfort and style. $549 YOLO Board + Beach, 11610 Highway 98 W., Miramar Beach, (850) 424-6852; YOLO Board + Bike, Gulf Place, 95 Laura Hamilton Blvd., Suite R-1, Santa Rosa Beach, (850) 267-0602 6. Marsha Doll Beauty, The Model Collection This dual-pump self tanner combines moisturizing and self tanning in one step. Perfect for daily use, it builds a beautiful, natural-looking tan over time. Enjoy the fabulous tropical fragrance, without the harsh chemical smell of most self tanners. 7oz, $32.99. Marsha Doll Beauty, marshadollbeauty.com, (850) 656-2600

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7. Beautiful Lights — The ShopPes of Destiny (between Avantgarde and Kiki Risa) Beautiful Lights, voted Best Lighting Store in 2014, offers lighting options from decorative to task lighting, including custom lighting design services. This holiday season bring some cheer and decorate with the “A Christmas Story” Leg Lamp in your window! $247. 36236 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Destin, (850) 650-9417 8. Meritage Spa Gift Cards Give the gift of relaxation and rejuvenation with a Meritage Spa Gift Card. Spa services include massages, facials, chemical peels, makeup application and additional aesthetic treatments. Meritage Spa Coastal Skin Surgery & Dermatology, 12469 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Miramar Beach, (850) 654-3376 9. Island Clothiers These pullovers go with anything and make a great gift for the man in your life! Add a woven and he has a great new outfit! $99 Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, 9300 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W., Miramar Beach, (850) 351-1806

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9 EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

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CenturyLink is proud to call the Emerald Coast home. For home 850.244.1150 For business 850.362.1214 Click centurylink.com Come in Fort Walton Beach – 411 Mary Esther Cut Off next to Hibbett Sports

Services may not be available everywhere. CenturyLink may change, cancel, or substitute offers and services, or vary them by service area, at its sole discretion without notice. Requires credit approval and deposit may be required. Additional restrictions apply. Terms and Conditions – All products and services listed are governed by tariffs, terms of service, or terms and conditions posted at www.centurylink.com. High-Speed Internet (HSI) – Private, direct connection and speed claims are based on CenturyLink providing High-Speed Internet subscribers with a dedicated, virtual-circuit connection to the CenturyLink central ofﬁce. The name CenturyLink and the pathways logo are trademarks of CenturyLink. All other marks are property of their respective owners. © 2014 CenturyLink. All Rights Reserved. December 2014–January 2015 EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

scene Here is some of what we’ve seen and heard on the EC scene … NEW NEWS

photos by Kay Phelan (Erickson and Mahoney) and courtesy of Bluewater Bay Dental (Broutin), Sacred Heart Hospitals (Kinzelman) and the Pearl (Testa)

▪ Avantgarde AVEDA Salon & Spa, which was named Top Salon on the Emerald Coast in 2014 and voted Best Salon by EC Magazine readers for several years running, has opened a third location in Niceville. ▪ Dr. Olivier Broutin of Bluewater Bay Dental was recently awarded Mastership in the Academy of Broutin General Dentistry (AGD). Less than 2 percent of all general dentists have earned the Academy Mastership Award. Since 1952, when the AGD was founded, only 2,200 dentists have gone on to receive a Mastership Award. ▪ Coastal Skin Surgery & Dermatology announces the opening of Meritage, a new medical spa connected to its dermatology practice in Miramar Beach. ▪ Dr. Matthew Kinzelman, a board-certified family medicine physician, has moved his practice to Sacred Heart Kinzelman Medical Group in Santa Rosa Beach. ▪ Jason Hedden an associate professor with Gulf Coast State College; Sherry Londe, an art advocate and former dancer; Chris Ogle with Wells Fargo; Scott Russell with Russell & Russell Consulting; and Zandra Wolfgram with EC Magazine have joined the board of Emerald Coast Theatre Company, founded by Nathanael and Anna Fisher in 2012. ▪ Stephanie Brannon with SETCO Services; Dr. Dennis Lichorwic, DMD, with The Center for Cosmetic and Family Dentistry; Jon Lyons with Beachy Beach Destin Real Estate; and Will Palmer with Beach Properties of Florida have joined the board of Children’s Volunteer Health Network.

Gabrielle Testa has joined The Pearl as hotel manager. A native of New York and graduate of Flagler College in St. Augustine, Testa has extensive experience in the luxury lodging and hospitality sector, including management roles with WaterColor Inn & Resort, as well as 12 years’ experience at the Ocean Reef Club, a private club located in Key Largo.

Kudos and Congrats … ▪ SunQuest Cruises has received a Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence award. The accolade, which honors hospitality excellence, is given only to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveller reviews on TripAdvisor and is extended to qualifying businesses worldwide. ▪ The Girl Scouts of Florida Panhandle honored Gretchen Erikson with its Pearl Award and Dr. Glenda Walters with its Diamond Award during its annual Women of Distinction Awards Gala at Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort. The following honors were also bestowed: Charlotte Marshall (Visionary), Victoria Williams (Leadership), Pat Sabiston (Lifetime Achievement), Sandra Wilson (Community Impact), Tricia Pearce (Emerging Woman of Distinction), Gayle Littleton (Public Service), Tonie Bense (Impacting Youth).

Erikson

▪ Andi Mahoney, marketing and PR director for White-Wilson Medical Center, was installed as president of the Northwest Florida Coast Chapter of Florida Public Relations Association. The Northwest Florida Coast chapter is one of 15 across the state of Florida and enters its 11th year in 2015. Mel Ponder was recognized by the association as its Person of the Year for 2014.

Andi Mahoney, Mel Ponder, Jessica Proffitt Bracken

Faces in News Places … ▪ Regulatory Compliance Services (RCS), a subsidiary of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA), is pleased to welcome Caitie Mook as its new Northwest Florida Regional Manager. As an RCS regional manager, Mook will be responsible for sales, service and administrative functions related to alcohol compliance, food safety training and food protection manager certification in Northwest Florida. She joins RCS’ 13 current regional directors serving from Pensacola to Key West. ec

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

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38 December 2014–January 2015

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happenings Events + Culture + Causes

spotlight

A Dear ‘Dickens Christmas’

Emerald Coast Theatre Company is giving us all a chance to redeem ourselves. Hearts surely will be warmed this holiday season with ECTC’s unique adaptation of Charles Dickens’ beloved holiday classic, “A Christmas Carol.” In this intimate staging debut three costumed actors seamlessly change from character to character as they bring to life the tale of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge and his transformational night with three unwelcome spirits. Sure to become an annual holiday tradition, “A Dickens Christmas” is an opportune time to put down that shopping list and celebrate the season with family and friends over cookies and tea. And for your support of live local theater, as Tiny Tim would say, “God bless us every one.” Veranda Room, Emerald Grande at HarborWalk Village Dec. 11, 13 & 21, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13* & 20, 2 p.m. LeCiel Ballroom, Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort Dec. 18, 19, 20, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21, 2 p.m. Doors open 30 minutes prior to performance time. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children 5 to 12. To purchase tickets, visit emeraldcoasttheatre.org. — Paisley Rose

*Performance for special needs families

Photo by Matt Burke

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

vibe The Emerald Coast … where the weather is hot and

the music is hotter!

Michelle Stancil Photography

The sun has taken its daily plunge into the Gulf of Mexico, and lights begin to twinkle along the Emerald Coast. As you brush the sand from your feet, the sounds of guitars and pianos, rhythms and beats enter your ear. You follow the music to a venue where the band is jamming, people are dancing, and before you know it, you’re dancing, too. You have entered the Emerald Coast music scene, where there is no lack of entertainment. By Tiffany Clemons

Hotel Oscar released their newest album “Hotel Oscar: Live at Florabama” in the fall at the Funky Blues Shack. The three-member band that plays a little of everything hopes to release a self-titled studio album in early 2015. Mose Wilson (right) rocks vocals and plays lead guitar.

Hotel Oscar — plenty of vacancy, bring your dancing shoes

Hotel Oscar, formed in 2011, is a hometown original. Though members Mose Wilson (guitar, vocals), Isaac Eady (drums, vocals) and Owen Finley (bass, vocals) all come from different states, they have come together in the heart of the Florida Panhandle to create great music together. When it comes to music, they are about 40 December 2014–January 2015

as diverse as they can be. From covers of The Rolling Stones, to catchy originals that will be sure to stick in your head, Hotel Oscar entertains from start to finish. Band manager Chris Ackridge describes their music: “Hotel Oscar’s music is about everything rock and roll, funk, country, folk, blues, R&B, jazz and hip hop. In the end, Hotel Oscar is just honest American rock and roll.”

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From the stage, Jeff Hardwick, originally from Montgomery, Alabama, now a local and a diehard devotee, can always be seen dancing front row by the guys. “I’ve been a fan of Hotel Oscar since the beginning. They have been through a lot of changes, started at the bottom, but look at them now. I’m always front row yelling at Mose, ‘If someone gives you an axe, chop down some trees!’ ” Hardwick says. “He is the lumberjack of live entertainment around here!” Hotel Oscar can be heard all along the Emerald Coast. They play regular gigs at several hot spots between Gulf Shores, Alabama, and 30A and are also popular on the wedding circuit. The guys love to entertain and, most importantly, want their audience to have a good time. One of the many cool aspects of Hotel Oscar, is that all of the guys can play multiple instruments. There is literally no end to what they can play. From songs with hard guitar riffs and drums like “Black Cat Jerry” and slow love songs like “Nothing’s Gonna Hurt” off of their second album, “Rock & Roll Graveyard,” you definitely sense the love they put into their music. You can check out Hotel Oscar performing live on New Year’s Eve at the Funky Blues Shack in The Village of Baytowne Wharf in Miramar Beach and on Jan. 15 with Grammy award-winning Rebirth Brass Band at the Vinyl Music Call in Pensacola. A full roster of dates can be found at hoteloscar.net. Once there, you can hear some of their original recordings as well.

On the EC Music Scene Flow Tribe New Orleans Funk Various dates. Funky Blues Shack: Destin and Baytowne

Dread Clampitt Bluegrass, Soul Sundays at The Red Bar

Cadillac Willy Jam and Rock Various dates and locations on the Emerald Coast, including Harbor Docks in Destin

Heritage Reggae, Rock Various dates and locations on the Emerald Coast, including Local Catch on 30A

Forrest Williams Band Rock, Blues, Country, Folk Various dates and locations on the Emerald Coast, including La Playa in Gulf Place

Flash Flood Duo Rock & Roll, Pop covers Various dates and locations on the Emerald Coast, including Hog’s Breath Saloon

Jones & Co. Soul, Jazz, Funk Sundays at AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar

Kyle Lamonica Acoustic Rock & Soul Sundays at Harry T’s Lighthouse

Barry Fish Band Acoustic Duo

Ben Friedman Acoustic Guitar Various dates and locations on the Emerald Coast, including Watercolor Inn: The Gathering Spot

SuperFUNk Fantasy Top 40, Hip Hop, 80s Rock/ Pop/New Wave, 90s Rap, Disco, Funk, Oldies Michelle Stancil Photography

Photos by Frank Ockenfels and Steve Wells

Various dates and locations in Panama City Beach

Various dates and locations in Pensacola

DJ Vladi DJ Spins, Top 40, Pop, Dance, Hip Hop Various dates and locations on the Emerald Coast, including The Red Bar

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

NightMind Photography/nightmindphoto.com Shelly Swanger Shelly Swanger

(From left) Devoted fans say Derwin “Big D” Perkins gives Boukou Groove beaucoup soul; Destin’s Donnie Sundal on keyboard; Michael J. Thomas is a class solo act that is right at home at fine dining establishments such as Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Destin.

Boukou Groove — making the beach a funkier place

Got a funky music itch that you can’t scratch? Boukou Groove has the cure. Formed in 2010 in Destin by way of New Orleans, Boukou Groove is the creation of singer/producer Donnie Sundal and New Orleans guitar legend Derwin “Big D” Perkins. With upcoming tour dates in Japan, Boukou Groove’s music is universally popular. They consider themselves to be a New 42 December 2014–January 2015

Orleans funk and a rootsy Southern soul group. They not only entertain but get folks up out of their seats and out onto the dance floor as well. Over the years Boukou Groove has developed a large following in the area. Local music enthusiast Wilson Foster is one such devoted fan, traveling all the way to New Orleans to catch the band’s live shows. “There is more soul in Big D’s pinky finger than most people have in their entire body. The vibe and music of Boukou Groove is unmatched, and you just have to see them to understand!” Foster says. Influenced by popular artists like Stevie Wonder and having shared the stage with names like Bonnie Raitt and The Neville Brothers, Big D and Sundal are no strangers to performing and are always prepared to entertain. If it has been awhile since you’ve seen them, you should revisit their show to hear their new twist on covering songs and jam out to their soul funk originals. Visit boukougroove.com to find out where you can catch them on the Emerald Coast.

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

Michael J. Thomas — the Emerald Coast’s soulful soloist

Imagine yourself seated at dinner. Surrounded by great friends, food and cocktails. It seems pretty perfect, right? Not yet. Add music and you have yourself the makings of a wonderful dining experience. Luckily for you, that experience is located right here on the Emerald Coast. Nightly at Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Destin you can find nationally known, chart topping, and “Best of the Emerald Coast” winning saxophonist/vocalist/songwriter Michael J. Thomas. He adds an ambiance to the Ruth’s Chris’ main dining room that may just be why this steakhouse was voted Best Romantic Restaurant by EC Magazine readers. While known for his smooth and jazzy sax solos, he is not your typical saxophonist. By adding tracks and vocals, he is able to put

Matt Burke

Vibe

Continuum is one of the hottest bands playing the EC circuit. Known as an Indie Pop/ Top 40 band, electronic violinist/vocalist Jessica Heit, vocalist Anthony O’Shae, acoustic guitarist/vocalist Hope Given and Caleb Schossow on the “cajon” box bring a unique blend of R&B, bluegrass and soulful music to the stage.

on a full show solo. Something many don’t know about him is that he is also an accomplished vocalist and songwriter, too. His national debut album “City Beat,” released in 2010, has hit numerous charts, including Billboard’s Smooth Jazz chart. General Manager Mike Sable says, “Michael J. Thomas is infectious. We are so lucky to have him perform inhouse regularly. I really believe that it adds that extra spark to our guests’ dining experience. He makes our Ruth’s Chris special, and the music brings people back and encourages people to stay longer and enjoy themselves. We offer true dining and dancing, and I encourage people to come in and see him because he truly is a talent and local gem.” Thomas is a staple musician here on the Emerald Coast. Ask almost anyone in the area and they can tell you about him. You can find him performing nightly at Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Destin.

Continuum — making a serious splash on the Emerald Coast music scene Have you ever wondered what your favorite rock and roll song would sound like on violin? Do you know what a cajon is? Members Anthony O’Shae, Jessica Heit, Caleb Schossow and Hope Given have arrived on the Emerald Coast to show you. A cajon looks like a regular wooden box, but it is actually a single instrument that can replicate almost every sound that an entire drum set can make. Caleb Schossow plays the cajon in one of the Emerald Coast’s newest music groups. Formed in 2012 along with Anthony O’Shae (vocals), Jessica Heit (violin and vocals) and Hope Given (guitars and vocals), Continuum now plays almost seven nights out of the week somewhere along the Emerald Coast. Originally playing covers of popular Top 40 artists, and even covering some

Indie bands, Continuum just released their first original EP, “Cover Up.” Filled with “folky pop” songs, this album is perfect to listen to while cruising along the Emerald Coast. After just a few gigs around the area, the name Continuum caught on and soon they could be caught doing weekly gigs at Boshamps Oyster House and playing Pensacola, 30A and everywhere in between. Continuum can be heard at various local hotspots like Harry T’s Lighthouse in Destin, Peg Leg Pete’s in Pensacola Beach and McGuire’s Irish Pub in Destin. Check out continuumsound.com for a roster of all upcoming local dates. All over the Emerald Coast, from rock and roll to blues, there is no end to great music around here and no excuse not to check out the scene. With so many great bands, even new and undiscovered groups, there is bound to be something that will linger in your ear. ec

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

thecalendar december + january

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6th Annual Countdown Seaside: A New Year’s Eve Celebration

Dec. 31 Ring in 2015 at a big family-friendly party in Seaside’s Central Square featuring live entertainment, kid’s art projects, street performers and more fun.

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30A Songwriters Festival Jan. 16–18 Local and national singer/songwriters

will venture to the Emerald Coast for a three-day festival featuring more than 150 musicians giving more than 300 performances at 25 venues ranging from intimate listening rooms to spacious outdoor amphitheaters along 30A. Previous artists have included the Bangles, Joan Osborne, Indigo Girls, Shawn Mullins, Rodney Crowell, Matthew Sweet and Sam Bush, among many others.

Proceeds benefit the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County. $100. Headquarters: WaterColor Inn & Resort, 34 Goldenrod Circle, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 622-5970, 30Asongwritersfestival.com 44 December 2014–January 2015

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

Joan Osborne Shawn Mullins

Photos by MODUS PHOTOGRAPHY (seaside), Sinfonia Gulf Coast (von Trapps), Shelly Swanger (Joan osborne), STEVE WELLS (Shawn mullins)

Festivities begin at 6 p.m. and last through midnight. seasidefl.com

Compiled by Janie Harris For more events in the EC, visit emeraldcoastmagazine.com.

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Orchestral Holiday with The von Trapps

Dec. 12 The great-grandchildren of Captain and Maria von Trapp, made famous from the film “The Sound of Music,” carry on the family tradition with a special performance designed with families in mind. Enjoy festive holiday favorites plus more in this popular annual family concert performed one time at 7:30 p.m. on stage at Destiny Worship Center in Miramar Beach. Tickets are available online at sinfoniagulfcoast.org for $29.50 and $42.50. For more information, call (850) 269-7129.

Saturdays and Sundays through December

Nov. 25–Dec. 31

Visit with Santa at HarborWalk Village It’s time for the children to bring their wish list and visit with Santa Claus. All of Santa’s guests receive a special treat. FREE. HarborWalk Village, 10 Harbor Blvd., Destin. (850) 424-0600, emeraldgrande.com/event.aspx

Sundays through Jan. 25

The Market at Gulf Place and Artist Bazaar Take a trip to the Gulf Place Amphitheater and explore the market of homemade products by local vendors from around the Emerald Coast. FREE. Gulf Place Amphitheater, County Road 393 and 30A. 8 a.m.–2 p.m. (850) 200-6805 or (850) 879-7296, facebook.com/marketgulfplace

Daily through January

Wednesdays through Dec. 17

Wednesday Night Concert Series Tantalize your musical taste buds with special holiday performances. FREE. The Village of Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin, 9300 Emerald Coast Parkway W., Miramar Beach. 7–9 p.m. (850) 912-3224, baytownewharf.com

Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays through December

12 Nights of Lights Enjoy a festive light show set to your favorite holiday music during the month of December, leading up to a special Christmas performance. FREE. Events Plaza in The Village of Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin, 9300 Emerald Coast Parkway W., Miramar Beach. 6, 7 and 8 p.m. (850) 267-8184, Sandestin.com/events

Baytowne on Ice This seasonal ice skating rink has become a local holiday favorite and is the perfect opportunity to bring you and the family into the winter spirit. $13 including skate rental and tax. The Village of Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin, 9300 Emerald Coast Parkway W., Miramar Beach. All day, first hour reserved for “Kids Skate” for youths ages 12 and under. (850) 267-8184, sandestin.com/events

Nov. 17–Dec. 20

ADSO Christmas Art Market Check off your holiday list at the ADSO Art Center members’ art sale, featuring an assortment of jewelry, paintings, clay works, photographs, note cards, plants and foods made by the members of the Arts and Design Society. FREE. ADSO Art Center, 17 First St. SE, Fort Walton Beach. Gallery Hours: Tues–Fri noon–4 p.m., Sat 1–4 p.m. (850) 244-1271, artsdesignsociety.org

Festival of Trees Come feast your eyes on the magnificent array of 12 spectacular Christmas trees decorated by area nonprofit organizations as they’re lit. Bring your family and friends and take part in judging which tree is the best based on lights and decorations from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Nov. 25 kickoff. FREE. Grand Park in Grand Boulevard at Sandestin, 600 Grand Blvd., Miramar Beach. (850) 837-3099, grandboulevard.com

Dec. 1–31

ADSO Window Display The works of Corina Zalace will be on display during the month of December in the studio windows of the Arts and Design Society Art Center in Fort Walton Beach. FREE. ADSO Art Center, 17 First St. SE, Fort Walton Beach. (850) 244-1271, artsdesignsociety.org

Dec. 4

First Thursday Art Walk and Holiday Sale Join the artists from the Grayton Artist Collective in their studios for a special holiday sale. FREE. Logan Lane off County Road 283 in Grayton Beach. 5–8 p.m. (850) 231-1416, GraytonArtistCollective.com

Dec. 4–27

‘Every Christmas Story Ever Told’ Get into the spirit with the fifth annual staging of this hilarious holiday show. $20 matinee, $25 evening performance. The Repertory Theatre, 216 Quincy Circle, Seaside. 7:30 p.m. evening performances, with 2 p.m. matinees on Dec. 13, 20, 26 and 27. lovetherep.com

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

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46 December 2014–January 2015

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

HARBOR HAR BORWAL BOR W K VILL WAL ILLAGE AGE Veranda Room December 13* and 20 at 2 p.m. December 11, 13 and 21 at 7:30 p.m. *for special needs families

SANDES SAN DEST DES TIN GO TIN GOLF LF AND BE BEACH ACH RE RESOR SORT SOR T LeCiel Ballroom December 18, 19, and 20 at 7:30 p.m. December 21 at 2 p.m.

thecalendar Dec. 5

Annual ADSO Holiday Party Come ready to party to this year’s ADSO holiday party. Feast on refreshments, auction on art and browse through holiday ornaments and gift items made by the artists of the Arts and Design Society. FREE. ADSO Art Center, 17 First St. SE, Fort Walton Beach. 6–8 p.m. (850) 244-1271, artsdesignsociety.org

Dec. 6

Christmas Open House at the Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum Bring your entire family to see the Camp Walton Schoolhouse decorated for the holidays. Take part in arts and crafts activities as well as fun-filled games. FREE. 127 Miracle Strip Parkway SE, Fort Walton Beach. Noon–4 p.m. (850) 833-9595, fwb.org/museums

Dec. 6

4th Annual Luminaria Run to End Domestic and Sexual Violence Come get your glow on during the Luminaria twilight 5K/9K run through the Indian Bayou neighborhood, and enjoy a delicious after-party at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. The trail will be illuminated with 2,000 luminaria bags signifying how Shelter House lights the way to a safer place for victims. Adults: 5K $30; 9K $45. Children (3–12): 5K $10; 9K $15. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., 14059 Emerald Coast Parkway, Destin. 4:30 p.m. (850) 243-1201, shelterhousenwfl.org

Dec. 10–17

Lilly Pulitzer Holiday GWP at Barefoot Princess Shop till you drop at Barefoot Princess in The Village of Baytowne Wharf. Spend $150 and receive a free seashore charm necklace. 9300 Emerald Coast Parkway W., Miramar Beach. (850) 351-1806, facebook. com/barefootprincessbaytowne

Dec. 11

Starting a Business Workshop Obtain the skills you need to start up your own business in this three-hour workshop. Learn about idea evaluation, legal business structures,

regulations, licensing, taxation and more. $35. Florida SBDC, 1170 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Campus Building 1, Room 126, Fort Walton Beach. 1–4 p.m. (850) 863-6552, sbdc.uwf.edu

Dec. 12

USS Massachusetts: History of the Nation’s Oldest Battleship Brace yourself for an epic presentation given by public archaeologist Della Scott-Ireton on the history of the USS Massachusetts, a U.S. battleship in service during World War I. FREE. Heritage Park and Cultural Museum, 139 Miracle Strip Parkway SE, Fort Walton Beach. 6 p.m. (850) 833-9595, fwb.org/museums

Dec. 12

Holiday Toast on the Coast: A Taste of 30A This annual event will help raise funds for the Florida Public Relations Association’s Northwest Florida Coast Chapter, as well as its charity of choice this year, Food for Thought. The evening will feature heavy hors d’oeuvres and delicious treats by 30A’s top restaurants, live music, wine, champagne, a silent auction and a raffle. Bring canned food items or a grocery gift card to support Food for Thought. Advance tickets are $30 ($20 for FPRA members); $35 and $25 on day of event. Celebration Hall, 61 Topsail Village Drive, Santa Rosa Beach. 6–8:30 p.m. facebook.com/fpraNWF

Dec. 12

Jerry Seinfeld Comedian Jerry Seinfeld will perform his signature standup routine at the Marina Civic Center. $45–$125. 8 Harrison Ave., Panama City. 7 p.m. (850) 763-4696, marinaciviccenter.com

Dec. 13

Baytowne Holiday Lantern Parade Get ready to get crafty and make your own paper lantern for this year’s Holiday Paper Lantern Parade. Kick off the night with a performance by Tuba Christmas and ring in the Christmas cheer. FREE. The Village of Baytowne Wharf, 9300 Emerald Coast Parkway W., Miramar Beach. 6 p.m. (850) 267-8184, sandestin.com/events

avenue 4467 Commons Dr. W., Destin (in front of Fresh Market)

Open daily 10-6 (Closed Mondays) @PinkNBlueAvenue 850.424.5707 | www.pinknblueavenue.net

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

thecalendar Dec. 13–14

Tee Off for Toys Join in the Christmas spirit by participating in Harvest House’s Hope for the Holidays toy drive. Donate new, unwrapped toys or gift cards of $15 and up and, in exchange, play one of three public Sandestin golf courses for just $20. Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, 9300 Emerald Coast Parkway W., Miramar Beach. Tee times available all day both days. (850) 267-8155, sandestin.com/events

Dec. 14

Artwalk on the Harbor Featuring dozens of artists, showcasing and selling their creative works, from jewelry to paintings to more, you’ll find a mix of unique, handmade items as you take a casual stroll down the harbor. FREE. 10 Harbor Blvd., Destin. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. (850) 424-0600, emeraldgrande. com/event.aspx

Dec. 18

Gulf Place Sparkling Wine Walkabout Sample select champagnes, feast on delicious light appetizers and relax to live music. Check in at the Artists of Gulf Place to receive your glass. $15. 7 Laura Hamilton Blvd., Santa Rosa Beach. 5–7 p.m. gulfplacefl.com

Dec. 20 and 22

‘His Greatest Gift Camp’ 2014 Grab the kids and join awardwinning artists Mary Hong and Robin Cannon in celebrating Jesus’ birth as they create unique gifts and arts projects. $35 for students; $30 for siblings. Coastline Calvary Church in Destin, Dec. 20; Good News Methodist Church in Santa Rosa Beach, Dec. 22; 9 a.m.–3 p.m. both days. (850) 586-8264 (Ms. Tami), holykidzcamp.com

Dec. 22

Santa’s Big Bang Arrival at Destin Commons

Kick off the holidays

with a parade down Main Street with Santa Claus, the lighting of a 50-foot tree and magnificent fireworks. Make it a family event, and enjoy live entertainment and kids’ arts and crafts. FREE. Destin Commons at the corner of Mid-Bay Bridge and U.S. Highway 98 in Destin. 5 p.m. (850) 337-8700, DestinCommons.com

Dec. 29

‘Elf’ at Fonville Press Gather the family for a special holiday showing of Will Ferrell’s classic Christmas movie, “Elf,” at the Fonville Press. FREE. Fonville Press, 147 W. LaGarza Lane, Alys Beach. 5:15 p.m. (850) 213-5906, alysbeach.com/events

Dec. 31

7th Annual Beach Ball Drop Ring in the New Year at Pier Park in Panama City Beach with a festive night of live musical performances and exclusive giveaways. At 8 p.m., brace yourself for the

nation’s only family beach ball drop, in which 10,000 beach balls will be released onto guests, followed by a countdown starting just before midnight for the drop of the 800-pound lit beach ball. Pier Park, Panama City Beach. 5:30 p.m. (850) 236-9974, simon. com/mall/pier-park

Dec. 31

Salute 2014 Plan a visit to lovely Alys Beach and experience the delightful music of Kyle LaMonica while enjoying light finger foods and beverages. FREE. Fonville Press, 147 W. LaGarza Lane, Alys Beach. 11 a.m.–2 p.m. (850) 213-5906, alysbeach.com/events

Dec. 31

Baytowne Countdown Bring your dancing shoes to The Village of Baytowne Wharf’s end-of-year New Year’s Eve party. Enjoy live bands and breathtaking fireworks as you make the last night of 2014 one to remember. FREE. Sandestin Golf and Beach

As Hilton Sandestin Beach celebrates 30 amazing years and the debut of our transformation, we invite you to celebrate personal renewal at our award-winning Serenity by the sea Spa.

APPOINTMENTS

850-622-9595 www.SerenitybytheseaSpa.com Located at:

Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa 4000 Sandestin Blvd. South, Destin, FL 32550

48 December 2014–January 2015

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

Kay Phelan

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28th Annual Holiday on the Harbor Destin Boat Parade Dec. 14 Sail into the holiday spirit with a lighted boat parade! Enjoy live music, children’s arts and crafts and hot chocolate in the afternoon all along the Harbor, a visit from Santa from noon to 4 p.m. followed by the Lighted Boat Parade contest beginning at 6 p.m. and a fireworks finale that will light up the Harbor sky. View the parade from docks and restaurants west of Grand Harbor Condominiums on Destin Harbor.

FREE. Entry fees benefit the Destin History and Fishing Museum. Destin Harbor, 6 p.m. (850) 837-6611

Resort and The Village of Baytowne Wharf, 9300 Emerald Coast Parkway W., Miramar Beach. 7 p.m.–midnight. (866) 912-3224, sandestin.com/events

Fine & Performing Arts Center, 100 College Blvd., Niceville. 7:30 p.m. (850) 729-6000, mattiekellyartscenter.org

Dec. 31

Pyramid Art Show Experience the powerful art from the artists of Pyramid, Incorporated. Hosted by the Arts and Design Society, enjoy a gallery viewing as well as a post-reception. FREE. ADSO Art Center, 17 First St. SE, Fort Walton Beach. Gallery Hours: Tues–Fri noon–4 p.m., Sat 1–4 p.m. Receptions Jan. 9, 6–8 p.m., and Jan. 10, 6–8 p.m. (850) 244-1271, artsdesignsociety.org

Jan. 1–31

ADSO Window Display The works of Corina Zalace will be on display during the month of January in the studio windows of the Arts and Design Society Art Center in Fort Walton Beach. Drive by to view these magnificent displays. FREE. ADSO Art Center, 17 First St. SE, Fort Walton Beach. (850) 244-1271, artsdesignsociety.org

Jan. 8–10

Jan. 6

Jan. 8, 15, 22

‘Menopause the Musical’ Come laugh the night away to this hilarious Broadway musical parody set to classic 1960s, ’70s and ’80s tunes. $45. Mattie Kelly

Joye Moon Watercolor Workshop Join nationally known watercolorist Joye Moon for her annual watercolor workshop at the Arts and Design Society. See website for times and prices. ADSO Art Center, 17 First St. SE, Fort Walton Beach. (850) 244-1271, artsdesignsociety.org Soups, Stocks and Sauces Cooking Class Series Come learn the tricks of the trade from the executive chefs at Clemenza’s at Uptown Station

New Year’s Eve Celebration Dance your way into 2015 with HarborWalk Village’s annual New Year’s celebration. Start the night with some wine, dining and dancing and finish off with the fifth annual ball drop and fireworks show. FREE. 10 Harbor Blvd., Destin. (850) 424-0600, emeraldgrand.com

Jan. 6–16

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EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

Provides 24-hour care and supervision for all pet guests

Destin’s First Premium Dog Resort!

thecalendar during this three-part cooking series. Whether you attend one class or all three, you’ll broaden your cooking-technique horizons. Reservations required. $60 per person per class or $150 per person for the series. Clemenza’s at Uptown Station, 75 Eglin Parkway, Fort Walton Beach. 6 p.m. (850) 243-0707, clemenzasatuptown.com

Jan. 11

HarborWalk Village Sundays Starting Jan. 11, spend your Sunday afternoon down on the HarborWalk Village at the Destin Harbor for an outdoor concert. FREE. 10 Harbor Blvd., Destin. 2–4 p.m. (850) 424-0600, emeraldgrande.com/event

The Hotel

★★★★★ • Plush beds • Flat screen TV • First-class service and amenities • Friendly/caring staff available 24/7 • 2 times a day room service • 3 times a day potty break • Mid day snack • Filtered water

Day Care • Full Day or Half Day • Indoor and outdoor play area • Nap time in a private suite • Constant supervision and a lot of love and new friendships!

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goochiepoochiesparesort.com

50 December 2014–January 2015

‘Sister Act: The Musical’ Catch Broadway’s musical comedy smash, which tells the story of Deloris Van Cartier, a wannabe diva whose life takes a surprising turn when she witnesses a crime and the cops hide her in the last place anyone would think to look — a convent! Tickets from $58. Saenger Theater, 118 S. Palafox St., Pensacola. (850) 595-3880, pensacolasaenger.com

Jan. 13

• Full Grooming Service • Bath/Brush and Maintenance • De-Shedding Treatment • Hair Repair and more!

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Jan. 12

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

‘Sister Act: The Musical’ Laugh the night away watching what the New York Post calls a “ridiculously fun” comedy smash hit. $45–$55. Marina Civic Center, 8 Harrison Ave., Panama City. 7 p.m. (850) 763-4696, marinaciviccenter.com

Jan. 15

Sole Sister Luncheon and Fashion Preview Gather your gal and guy pals and enjoy a fabulous wine lunch, fashion show and sample sale by Worth and support Sinfonia Gulf Coast. $50 per person. Bistro Bijoux in The Village of Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin, 9300 Emerald Coast Parkway W., Miramar Beach. 11 a.m.–2 p.m. (850) 269-7129, sinfoniagulfcoast.org

Jan. 16

USS Water Witch: Blockade of the East Pass During the Civil War

Join guest speaker Hank Klein as he tells the story of the Union gunboat Water Witch during the Civil War. FREE. Heritage Park and Cultural Museum, 139 Miracle Strip Parkway SE, Fort Walton Beach. 6 p.m. (850) 833-9595

Jan. 20

The Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra Open your ears to this unique performance starring the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra, straight from New Zealand. Watch as 30 local elementary school students join the orchestra onstage and perform many of our music industry’s classics. $12–$32. Marina Civic Center, 8 Harrison Ave., Panama City. 7 p.m. (850) 763-4696, marinaciviccenter.com

Jan. 20–Feb. 6

ADSO Membership Show and Reception Come celebrate the talents and accomplishments of the wonderful Arts and Design Society members and artists. Explore their projects and praise them for their contributions to the arts society. ADSO Art Center, 17 First St. SE, Fort Walton Beach. Fri 6–8 p.m., Sat 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; reception Jan. 23, 6–8 pm. (850) 244-1271, artsdesignsociety.org

Jan. 22

‘MidTown Men’ Check out the 1960s throwback group on its fourth national tour of this one-of-a-kind concert experience. Prepare to be blown away by the top-shelf choreography, note-perfect harmonies and dynamic onstage chemistry. $45. Mattie Kelly Fine & Performing Arts Center, 100 College Blvd., Niceville. (850) 729-6000, mattiekellyartscenter.org

Jan. 23

‘Seeing is Believing’ Enjoy the premier musical stylings of world-renowned electric violinist Tracy Silverman, who will join Sinfonia in performing such classics as Mozart’s Overture to “The Marriage of Figaro” and Stravinsky’s “The Firebird.” $29.50–$42.50. Destiny Worship Center, Destin.

socialstudies

Myra Williams, Zandra Wolfgram and Stacey Brady

Grand Boulevard

D’Luxe Limo Entertainer Annie Escobar

Anna & Nathanael Fisher and family

Waylynne Harris, Sarah Saczynski, Andy Saczynski, Alexandra Wells, Gabrielle Wells and Kristen Sims

Cadillac Willy

14th annual Best of the Emerald Coast Oct. 25, 2014 More than 3,000 EC Magazine fans ventured to Grand Boulevard at Sandestin for the 14th annual Best of the Emerald Coast awards celebration to sample the Emerald Coast’s best food and drink, products and services while listening to live entertainment by 2014 Best winner, Cadillac Willy. Guests bid on silent auction items, danced in the streets and “posted” what they loved best about the EC on a window mural. All efforts will help raise funds for the Junior League of the Emerald Coast, whose dedicated volunteers help stage the event each year. Photos by Lawrence Davidson, Zandra Wolfgram and Tanya Heath Morgan Stimson and Amanda Slay

For more photos and video recap, visit EmeraldCoastMagazine.com EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

thecalendar 7:30 p.m. (850) 269-7129, sinfoniagulfcoast.com

Jan. 23 and 25

‘La Boheme’ Get swept up in the passionate and fateful lives of a group of young bohemians in Giacomo Puccini’s timeless opera. The hauntingly beautiful melodies will guide you through Paris’ Latin Quarter in the 1830s, where six friends live freely and struggle to fulfill their dreams. Call for ticket prices. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St., Pensacola. Fri 7:30 p.m., Sun 2 p.m. (850) 433-6737, pensacolaopera.com

Jan. 24

Destin’s 5th Superhero Bayou, Bay and Back 1-Mile Fun Run, 5K Run/Walk, 10K and Half-Marathon Enjoy the scenic beauty of Destin as you start your morning with either a 1-mile, 5K, 10K or half-marathon run along Choctawhatchee Bay, Destin Harbor and East Pass. Prior to Jan. 24, half-marathon $60, 5K/10K $30. On Jan. 24, half-marathon $75, 5K/10K $35, 1-mile run $20. Clement Taylor Park, 131 Calhoun Ave., Destin. Half-marathon 7:30 a.m., 5K/10K 8:30 a.m., 1-Mile Fun Run 10:30 a.m. (850) 837-6241, destinchamber.com

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

January ADSO Luncheon Join Corina Zalace, a renowned artist with the Arts and Design Society, as she describes scientific illustration and her career path in this field. RSVP by Monday, Jan. 26. $12 ($15 after Jan. 20). ADSO Art Center, 17 First St. SE, Fort Walton Beach. 11:30 a.m. Email reservation to adsorsvp@gmail. com. artsdesignsociety.com

Jan. 29

‘Guys and Dolls’ Said to be Broadway’s most perfect musical comedy, “Guys and Dolls” is populated by a motley crew of eccentrics, non-conformists, Salvation Army do-gooders, gamblers, night-club entertainers and various miscreants who will entertain you in one of the most popular shows of all time. From $48. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St., Pensacola. 7:30 p.m. (850) 595-3880, Pensacolasaenger.com

Jan. 30

Jan. 24

ADSO Membership Open House Spend the day celebrating the members of the Arts and Design Society. Meet the artists, browse their works and learn about the endless classes and activities that ADSO has to offer. ADSO Art Center, 17 First St. SE, Fort Walton Beach. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. (850) 244-1271, artsdesignsociety.org

Destin Desserts Competition Seven local “celebrity” chefs will vie for the title of Destin Desserts Champion at the 2015 Destin Desserts creative competition in which they are asked to “reinvent” a Girl Scout cookie into a new dessert. The event features with a social hour with heavy hors d’oeuvres, dessert tasting and voting, a silent auction awards ceremony and entertainment by Shades of Blue. $30. The Palms of Destin Resort and Conference Center, 4201 Indian Bayou Trail, Destin. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the tasting begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase at Frillseekers in Destin, Shear Twist in Niceville, all three Girl Scout Service Centers, or by calling toll free 1 (888) 271-8778.

Jan. 26

Jan. 30

Celebration on Ice Experience a delectable ice skating performance with magnificent costumes, ice skating moves and more. Adults $35, youth $20. Mattie Kelly Fine & Performing Arts Center, 100 College Blvd, Niceville. (850) 729-6000, mattiekellyartscenter.org 52 December 2014–January 2015

Jan. 28

Tasting of Champions Sample from 600-plus of the 2015 South Walton Beaches Food & Wine Festival entries benefiting the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation. $50. Hilton Sandestin Golf Beach Resort & Spa, 4000 Sandestin Blvd. S., Miramar Beach. 6–8 p.m. (850) 650-3732, dcwaf.org ec

socialstudies

Joshnua Snellgrove and Sandy Sims

Virginia Barr, Karen Chapman, M.D., Elaine Manthey, Jennifer Geno, Carrie Warf and Staci Berryman

Little Black Dress Party Aug. 25, 2014 Five local charities received a total of $50,000 in donations thanks to White-Wilson Medical Center’s 5th Anniversary Little Black Dress celebration hosted by Clemenza’s Uptown. A champagne toast was raised to the generous sponsors, including EC Magazine, as well as the hardworking event committee and volunteers.

Michelle Anchors, Alan Gieseman, Andi Mahoney and Leslie Moland

Photos by Zandra Wolfgram

Pure Barre Destin Grand Opening Aug. 27, 2014 Ashley Singleton filled her Destin fitness studio with Pure Barre friends, fans and fitness gurus to celebrate the opening of her second studio in Destin. Guests took a break from the “lift, tone, burn” mantra to sip cocktails, organic juices and nosh on healthy snacks and sweet treats marked with a P, while DJ Shawn “rocked the house.” One lucky PB fan won the grand prize raffle valued at $5,000. Photos by Zandra Wolfgram

Trevor Ladner, John Delberta, Sarah Ladner and Nicole Haufe

Lindsey Smith, Kristy Green and Valory Roberts

Ashley Singleton and Shelly Rode

Paulette DeGraw EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

Best Dermatology Practice on the Emerald Coast 2012, 2013 & 2014

License # MM32744

54 December 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;January 2015

Octâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Feb all massage & facial services are 20% off on Mondays & Tuesdays! EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

socialstudies

Angela and Mike Ragsdale Lori Leath Smith and Wendy Dixon

Jim Shirley and Pam Avera

The Seaside Wine Project Pairing Party Aug. 29, 2014 In the spirit of creating lasting traditions, Seaside has partnered with winemaker Erik Miller of Kokomo Winery in Sonoma Valley, California, to launch a new signature wine label. There are six red, white and rose Seaside wines in the collection, which can be tasted and purchased at several shops and restaurants in Seaside. A portion of the proceeds from each bottle benefits The Seaside Institute. Photos by Zandra Wolfgram

Patricia and Tommy Stein

Art of Giving Sept. 18, 2014 The second annual Art of Giving at Churchill Oaks featured an art auction of pieces donated by Chandler Williams of Modus Photography, Allison Wickey and Justin Lyons. Presented by Southern Fashion House and Summer House Lifestyle, the event raised more than $48,000 for Food For Thought Outreach, a local non-profit that provides easy-to-prepare meals to over 670 students in Okaloosa and Walton counties. Kevin Boyle, Tiffanie Shelton, Justin Lyons, Allison Wickey and Chandler Williams

Allison Erwin, Tiffanie Shelton and Carly Harmer

Russ Porter

Photos by Jacqueline Ward Photography

Tiffanie Shelton and Justin Gaffrey EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;January 2015

socialstudies

Marcia Hull and Dr. Seuss (Alexis Tibbetts)

Mattie Kelly Celebrity Server Luncheon Sept. 24, 2014 Strawberry Shortcake, Woody, Little Red Riding Hood, Mary Poppins and many more made Bonefish Grill abuzz with excitement at Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation’s Celebrity Server luncheon. The event raised $18,000 (thanks to EC’s own Rhonda Murray, who was top fundraiser) for the non-profit’s All Kinds of Art outreach program. Lauren McGill and Mary Poppins (Leah McGill)

Photos by Kay Phelan

Emerald Coast Cattle Barons’ Ball Branding Party Oct. 22, 2014 Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Destin was the perfect place for a branding pre-party for the 8th annual Cattle Barons’ Ball hoedown set for March 14 at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. The toe-tappin’ annual gala supports the Emerald Coast chapter of the American Cancer Society in its efforts to give cancer the boot. Photos by Kay Phelan John and Ann Paulsen

Nikki Folley, Dr. Thomas Johnson and Allisyn Granier 56 December 2014–January 2015

Sherri and Matt Butler

Phil Werz and Dan Keyser EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

Diane Pickett, Woofy Ramone and Laura Bland

YOUR FAVORI T E CO M PE T I T IO N IS BACK

FOURTH ANNUAL

2015

PRESENTING SPONSOR: THE CENTER FOR COSMETIC & FAMILY DENTISTRY

APRIL 10, 2015

AT HILTON SANDESTIN BEACH GOLF RESORT & SPA Thanks to your nominations, the Top Salons have been selected! Look for their proﬁles in the next issue of EC Magazine.

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EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

The fishing pier at the Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island is a great place to catch a stunning sunset and fresh local Gulf fish.

150 Things

We â?¤ about the EC 58 December 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;January 2015

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

EC Tu Ma rn ga S zin 15 e !

e choose to live, work and play in the Emerald Coast because it has a distinct sense of place that gives us a true sense of belonging. Locals will tell you that the quality of life here is unlike any other, not because of the sugar-sand beaches, though they are spectacular. Not because of the weather, though the Southern tropical climate is desirable all year. It is surely because of the people who give this little patch of Florida personality plus. They are our earnest, hardworking friends, family and neighbors who pour their hearts and souls into all they do — including delicious restaurants, quaint retail shops and service-centric businesses they own and operate, and the exceptional professional services they dutifully provide to each of us day in and day out. After 15 years, EC Magazine is still proud to be the first consumer magazine on the scene dedicated to celebrating all the Emerald Coast has to offer through compelling stories about local people, places and things that make the EC the distinctive place it is. We would not be here without the hard work of our talented EC publishing team, the loyal support of our readers and the financial support of our advertisers, so to our extended EC family, we extend a heartfelt thank you for 15 fantastic years. In celebration of our 15th anniversary we decided to mark the occasion with a few “love notes” — 150 in fact. We asked friends, family and fans “What do you love about the Emerald Coast?” This is what some of you had to say, and we added a few more of our favs.

By Zandra Wolfgram // Photo by Mari Darr~Welch

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

150 Things We ❤ about the EC

I love the local spirit and community of the Emerald Coast. The locals support the locals, and the Emerald Coast family can’t be beat. Tiffany Clemons Fort Walton Beach

Downtown Fort Walton Beach is a hidden gem on the Emerald Coast. It is home to beautiful public spaces, historical monuments, art galleries, unique boutiques and events that cannot be found online or in big box stores. More importantly, it is a great place to see the true culture and community of Fort Walton Beach. With merchants who truly care about the products they are selling, these entrepreneurs are not only passionate but also very knowledgeable about their niche markets. In Downtown Fort Walton it is not only about the products, it is about the experience and the community. HarborWalk Village

With roots to the area that go back hundreds of years, it is our people, the cuisine, the coastal culture mixed with the mannerisms and customs of the Deep South that I love. May we preserve and nurture it all, for generations to come. Margaret Biggs Gulf Breeze

I love the great diversity of amenities, dining and health care options. Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast is the crown jewel of health care. Scott Jackson Destin

The diversity of fishing the Emerald Coast is unmatched. You can run out in the Gulf in the mornings and catch snapper and grouper then hit the flats in the afternoon and get a box full of trout and reds. You’re never a cast away from great fishing. Hunter Ray Freeport

All of the caring folks with big hearts, specifically, the staff behind local non-profits such as Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center and Gulf Coast Kid’s House, helping abused and neglected kids in Northwest Florida.

I love our Thursday night supper club on Grayton Beach. Grilling out with our friends and watching our children enjoy the beauty of our home is unbeatable. The friendships and memories that are being made are priceless. As we say, “More sunsets than TV!” Megan Harrison Grayton Beach

I love the Emerald Coast because there are always fun festivals! Shaye Smith Destin

Jennie McKeon Navarre

I love the Forgotten Coast … St. Teresa Beach, Alligator Point and Dog Island. No hotels, no stores, all old beach cottages filled with people laughing, singing, cooking out and enjoying the beach.

1. The Emerald Coast Science Center, of course. Where else can you go on a rainy day with your kids? 2. Running! There is a 5K and 10K road race almost every weekend.

Sara Noel Childers Destin

James W. LaFollette Jr. Destin

60 December 2014–January 2015

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The people and diverse amenities in this coastal community that make the Emerald Coast the best place to live, work and play! Marcia Hull Destin

Photos By Kansas Pitts (Hull), Scott Holstein (Lucas ANd Phelan) And Courtesy of Individuals

Mercedes Rodgers Fort Walton Beach

Total relaxation to sit with friends over a cocktail at Elephant Walk restaurant in Sandestin overlooking the beautiful Gulf waters.

Something about the salt water helps wash off the stress, and the sunsets draw us closer as a family. VIVA LA EMERALD COAST!

Kay Phelan Destin

Legendary Inc.

I love that there is much more than our beautiful beaches — between the beaches of South Walton and the Bay lie several diverse ecosystems, including 15 rare coastal dune lakes and 56,000 acres of state parks. During the shoulder season it’s such a joy to be a resident here and share our beautiful area with our nation’s treasure, the bald eagles who come here to nest.

The Heart Walk and the Heart Ball!

Angela Vaughn  Santa Rosa Beach

Best thing on Emerald Coast? Four working orchestras — Pensacola, Sinfonia, Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra and Panama City POPS — and they all use double bassists!

Inger Alderfer Fort Walton Beach

What do I love about the Emerald Coast? Quite obviously, the art scene. With all the beauty of a serene coastal landscape and gorgeous architecture that goes with it ... comes art that represents it. And with the art comes the people that make art and people that appreciate art, and if you appreciate art, then, you appreciate food, family, God and life! Mary Hong Destin

The Emerald Coast is a mash tun of characters from all over this great continent. Each adds its own spice to the area, and the results are smooth and definitely best enjoyed on the beach. Chas Swanson Santa Rosa Beach

David Goldflies (aka TNEO) Panama City Beach

Woofy Ramone Destin

Going out on the boat and spending the day at Shell Island with friends. Ashley Capps Panama City Beach

I love that I live where people want to vacation. I love the sound of the ocean, the smell of the ocean and the beauty of the ocean. Liz Horton Gulf Breeze

I love the coastal dune lakes. These lakes are extremely rare and only found in a couple of places in the world, and I’ve been amazed by these geological wonders since we moved here. Now, they are a special place I love to visit with my kids when we want a break from the Gulf. Tracy Louthain Freeport

There is a certain anonymity that follows life in a big city, but here on the Emerald Coast our small community boasts partnerships in every aspect of your life. You can walk into your local grocery store and certainly, more than likely, run into someone you know. There is a comfort in knowing your neighbors, your business partners and almost all the parents at your kid’s school. Tara Wesley Fort Walton Beach

I love living here on the EC, because I can enjoy the real people and places that make living here a true pleasure. After a long week of work and/or school we grab a box of fried chicken from Publix, a few sides and drinks and head to beach for dinner and a swim.

What do I love about the Emerald Coast? It provides me unending inspiration for my art. I will not live long enough to paint all the ideas I see every day. It is a place filled with all sorts of beauty, and mystery, colors and memorable scenes. How lucky we are! Susan Lucas Santa Rosa Beach

It’s a beautiful, peaceful, friendly and uplifting place to raise my kids. Vonn Plunk Santa Rosa Beach

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

150 Things We ❤ about the EC

I love Choctawhatchee Bay. Go east into the river mouth and you’ll find yourself all alone in an Amazonlike jungle, populated with ospreys, bald eagles, turtles and alligators. Travel west, and you can enjoy waterfront restaurants, playful dolphins and stunning emerald-green Gulf waters.

I really think what sets the Emerald Coast apart from any place else is the people. I’m not sure if it’s because we are all so happy we live in such a beautiful place, or because we have 364 days of sunshine a year, or because we are still such a young community, but our positive spirit is contagious to all who come here. Jeanne Dailey Miramar Beach

Mike Ragsdale Santa Rosa Beach

I just purchased a new fishing boat, so what I love the most of course is the fishing! So many beautiful places to fish or just go for a sunset boat ride. It’s AWESOME! Charles Halcomb Shalimar

I love the Emerald Coast for its world-class fishing! I love spending the day with my family out on the water and seeing them get excited when a big fish takes their line, and they struggle to bring the fish in the boat to see what they’ve caught. Being out in the Gulf, under the sun, with a fishing rod in hand soothes the soul and brings our family together to make lasting memories. Shelley Jacks Niceville

One of the best events is Rosemary Beach Foundations Girls Getaway Weekend. It’s not only a great way to gather with friends but also raises money for charities. Thanks to the Rosemary Beach Foundation, the community is a strong one but also one that gives back. Debbie Wright Rosemary Beach/Franklin, Tenn.

What I love about the area is the diversity of what one can do for entertainment. You can dine at a fine restaurant like Seagar’s or ride your Harley to the Boat House. You can go hear a classical concert at a Sinfonia Gulf Coast event or go rock to an outdoor concert in the Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village. You can go to a crowed beach at Norriego Point or go to a desolate island in the sound. So for a guy with multiple tastes (or ADD) you have everything in one little town!

I love the Emerald Coast of Florida because most anywhere you go, you will not find too much over-development. In this area, you can drive along Scenic Hwy. 98 and still see the raw beauty of untouched coastal land, gorgeous sand dunes, natural wildlife preserves, as well as the pure soft white sands and emerald-green waters that fade into the azure blue of the Gulf of Mexico. Jenni Rogers Niceville & Destin, Florida

It’s where Southern hospitality meets a Jimmy Buffet feel and vibe! Nicole Scott Miramar Beach, FL

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I love October! The temperature is mild, the sand is cool, the water is still warm, the roads are clear and the fishing is best. Brian Haugen Niceville

Sunshine … the smell of salt air … and the absence of snow. Cory Fosdyck Destin

I love that, as a local, every day off has the opportunity to feel like a true vacation. Karina Orr Niceville

What is not to love is the question? The beauty not only of the Emerald Coast area but also the beauty of the wonderful people who live here. I think I love the Emerald Coast the most because all the residents that I know are so happy to live in a place we like to call “paradise.” Gail Moher Destin

I love the spirit of being a part of a community that offers a special quality of place for people of all ages and life styles.

Tim Krueger Destin

Larry Sassano Santa Rosa Beach

What I love about the Emerald Coast … what is not to love? I moved here in 1986, when Emerald Coast Parkway, Mid-Bay Bridge, cell phones and hashtags weren’t even thought of. There was a drawbridge on 331, and it seemed as though driving from Fort Walton Beach to Santa Rosa Beach was a trip across country! Our first stop was at the beach on Okaloosa Island, and I remember the sand dunes being as tall as mountains. There have been many new things added to the list that I love from 1986 until present day, and I do love them all … all along the Emerald Coast! Jeramie Bates Freeport

I like finding paths to the bay or beach off the beaten path so that I can enjoy my little piece of paradise, and I love the fact I live where people want to visit! My Emerald Coast has so much to offer; I would not be able to do it all in one lifetime! Leann Pope Valparaiso

My answer (hands down) is the state parks, as well as Freeport’s Biophilia Center. These places offer great educational resources, as well as being some of my favorite places in the area. Although I am thankful for the quiet time I have there, I wish more folks took more time to enjoy them. Bess Grasswick Santa Rosa Beach

Scott Holstein

Water to the north of me and water to the south of me. If I wanted to go boating, there is a launch by the 331 Bridge. If I wanted to take a walk on the beach at night with the full moon and the Gulf breeze blowing on my face, I can. The woods surrounding me surprises me with deer and other wildlife in my backyard.

Amavida Coffee

Seeing and hearing the military aircraft flying in the area. I’m always overwhelmed at the stunning size and sounds of the planes and helicopters. Tracy Mulligan Destin

Photos By Tracy Mulligan (Haugen), rhonda Murray (Ragsdale) and Courtesy of Individuals

Deborah Madden Santa Rosa Beach

It’s like taking a mini vacation every weekend and then enjoying the comfort of your home minus the travel. I love that my extended family and friends want to come to see me and enjoy all the Emerald Coast has to offer. Jennifer Frost Santa Rosa Beach

Having lived on this coast since 1961, I love being the voice of the Walton County Coastal Dune Lakes as the secretary of the Advisory Board. I am proud to raise awareness of our 15 rare and imperiled Coastal Dune Lakes. Watch me roar!! Marilue Maris Freeport

I love the Emerald Coast because there’s so much to do and see. Ashlynn Henkel Niceville

I love being able to get my favorite cup of coffee from Amavida in Seaside and then drive to Grayton Beach for breakfast on the beach. My husband and I will sit with our coffee and breakfast croissant while enjoying the view. I’d imagine it’s like breakfast at Tiffany’s; however, the view of the sparkling water, cool morning breeze and the scent of the Gulf give the day a sense of hope.

I love the Emerald Coast because it has discovered and begun to grow into its artistic and creative potential, which inspires me to do the same. Chase Yakaboski Mary Esther

I love Rosemary Beach Foundation’s Walk Her Way event! This event is not only tons of fun, but the proceeds benefit a great local cause — Shelter House, which provides refuge for victims of domestic violence. Jessica Standley Panama City Beach

Hayley Bryant Santa Rosa Beach

I love the captivating beauty of the Emerald Coast and all the diverse people who call it home. If I were to describe home with words, it’s like Mayberry in Paradise that just happens to have the most beautiful beach for its backyard. Ricky Fannin Santa Rosa Beach

What I love about the Emerald Coast is that you get to live where God spent a little extra time, which has attracted people to come and live here, thus enabling you to share the surroundings with people that you just want to be around. Bruce Craul Destin

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

51 Biting into a bit of history with a grouper sandwich at Dewey Destin’s. 52 The local excitement during college football season.

Scott Holstein

150 Things We ❤ about the EC

We couldn’t agree more … and here are 100 more things we love about the Emerald Coast.

53 The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village tagline.

Turtle Bob and the gopher turtles at the E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center.

54 The quaint, historic library in DeFuniak Springs. 55 The wonderful Wyland Whaling Wall at Legendary Marina.

63 Strolling folk art galleries and studios all along the coast.

56 The annual Snowbird migration every winter. 57 Exploring Fort Walton Beach during a haunted history tour. 58 Any of the dozens of Italian ice flavors at GS Gelato. 59 Shopping for quirky keepsakes at Banana Barts. 60 Ice skating at The Village of Baytowne Wharf.

64 Mountain Film Festival at WaterColor and how it takes us away into the magic of the silver screen.

65 The Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation’s mission to help local children’s charities.

68 The “running of the bulls” event in Pensacola!

66 Our world-class tennis centers and the talented pros who teach us their tips.

69 The Hands Across the Sands movement that is now a global effort. 70 The charming Camp Walton oneroom schoolhouse.

Homemade ice cream from Southern Craft Creamery.

71 The romantic wooden bridges on 30A.

Jason Wallis

72 Knowing the highest elevation in Florida is in Walton County on Britton Hill.

64 December 2014–January 2015

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

73 The fact that 30A is a nationally designated scenic highway.

All the outdoor amphitheaters along the coast. 74 We love that Dog Daze is the Lollapalooza on the pup circuit. 75 The things we learn during the speaker series at the Crestview library. 76 A dirty martini at the Marlin Grill. 77 The proximity of the Gulf Stream that brings us the bounty of the Gulf. 78 Saying “I Do” on the beach is a dream that never gets old. 79 Channeling our inner Jack Sparrow on the Buccaneer pirate ship.

80 Original gifts at The Zoo Gallery. 81 Custom pet portraits hand painted by Donna Burgess. 82 The visual feast of Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach. 83 The underwater diving adventure of the USS Oriskany. 84 An afternoon at Eden State Garden. 85 The sparkle that Celebration of Lights in DeFuniak Springs adds to the holiday season. 86 Preservationists like Dennis Ray in DeFuniak Springs.

Cathy Cantanese

The Dugas Pavilion in Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village

88 Performing arts organizations that cater to families, such Emerald Coast Theatre Company. 89 Getting a free pass to the beach at Henderson Beach Park. 90 Cooling off at Big Kahuna’s in the summertime. 91 The dedicated and compassionate staff at Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge. 92 The big CocaCola bottle at The Buccaneer Gift Shop. 93 The old fashioned toys in the gift shop in Historic Pensacola Village.

Cupcakes by the Sea, KaraBoo, Stacey Bakes, Henrietta’s — we love all the cute cupcake and bake shops on the coast!

95 Fireworks frenzy! From The Village of Baytowne Wharf to HarborWalk Village, there is often a weekly celebration in the sky above. 96 You pick fresh berry farms in Baker! 97 Promenading at the Mardi Gras parade, the holiday parade and the Destin Boat parade. 98 David Seering, Michael J Thomas, Cheryl Jones and the many other longtime class acts.

Scott Holstein

87 Getting our organic on at the many new Farmer’s Markets.

Scott Holstein

Being able to order a fattening grilled cheese and healthy organic juice from side-by-side Airstreams!

Stacey Bakes

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

150 Things We ❤ about the EC

117 The interactive exhibits at the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park.

102 Catching a Broadway show at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center. 103 The classic beauty of the cottages in Seaside. 104 Festivals and fetes from wine and beer to seafood and barbecue.

105

106 The handy beach flag safety system.

124 Snorkeling the jetties.

107 Shopping outdoors at Perspicacity on 30A.

125 Walking along the Destin harbor.

108 Watching the fish weigh-ins during the many exciting fishing tournaments. 109 The choo choo in Destin Commons for wee ones.

112

Guessing the time of the sunset at Bud & Alley’s.

111 The giant eagles nest at the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida.

National Flight Academy

66 December 2014–January 2015

121 The pageantry of Billy Bowlegs.

123 The relaxing artsy vibe of Ruskin Place.

110 Walking the boardwalk at Turkey Creek.

The Flight Academy in Pensacola.

120 Zooming on gokarts at The Track.

122 An afternoon at The Landing in Fort Walton Beach.

Bud & Alley’s

101 The intimate gala evenings at Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood.

That we can have dinner date night at Carmike Cinema’s Boulevard 10.

119 Deep-sea fishing, bay fishing, shore fishing, pier fishing and, well, fishing.

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

126 Playing a hand of poker while boating during the Emerald Coast Poker Run. 127 The Thanksgiving tradition at Harbor Docks. 128 Gulf Islands National Seashore pure and simple.

113 Watching the fish weigh-ins during the many exciting fishing tournaments.

129 Local bands like Heritage who never forget their roots, or fans.

114 Driving over the William T. Marler bridge in Destin and putting everything in perspective.

130 The fact that we have fashion designers like Nicole Paloma who stand up to any fashion house in NY, Paris or Milan.

115 Having more than 1,000 holes of golf to choose from. 116 The newsstands painted by local artists.

131 Local reports from community newspapers like The Seaside Times and local stations such as 30A Radio.

Pure 7 Studios

100

Scott Holstein

118 The fact that the Emerald Coast Cattle Barons’ Ball is helping to give cancer the boot.

133 Backyard throw downs like Forrest Williams Backyard Boogie and Chi Chi Miguel. 134 Cheese pillows at Sailor’s Grill in Navarre are always a bite of heaven. 135 Inspiring young inventors like Andy Hermann continue to impress us. 136 Standing in line at Joe Patti’s Seafood is somehow fun. 137 Shopping old-style stores like Modica Market, Red Bay Grocery and the Little Big Store. 138 Being able to bike nearly anywhere on 30A. 139 Ecotours in Walton County. 140 Homemade saltwater taffy from The Candymaker.

141 Yoga on the beach and Pilates on paddle boards.

Lisa Turpin

Mari Darr~Welch

132 The dedicated health care providers who give us much more than most small town communities have.

142

All the new babies at the Gulf Breeze Zoo!

143 The local songwriters who help tell stories through music. 144 The photographers along the EC who stay here though they could work anywhere they choose. 145 The blessing of the fleet. 146 The Greek Festival, the Italian Festival, the Salsa Festival … 147 The Best of the Emerald Coast winners and the awards celebration in October! 148 All of the locally owned “mom and pop” shops and restaurants. 149 Delicious local craft beer lovingly brewed right here. 150 The stories behind the models that make the Emerald Coast Top Salon competition such a special event. ec

After 15 years, EC Magazine may not be the only one, but we will always be proud to say we were the first magazine dedicated to telling the stories of the Emerald Coast. And if you want to say we’re the best, well, we won’t exactly argue.

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

Hidden Among Us

The poignant portraits and stories of five men at various points on the spectrum of homelessness in our hometown neighborhoods

By Martha LaGuardia-Kotite and Zandra Wolfgram // photography by Matt Burke

HOMELESSNESS IS HERE. Though the Emerald Coast may not have the high vagrancy and homelessness statistics of a larger metropolitan area, Florida is said to have the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s third highest homeless population. So yes, it is an issue. The homeless are among us. They are our friends and neighbors. And for a number of years, various groups of people have been actively seeking a permanent solution.

68 December 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;January 2015

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Hidden Among Us

For the past 15 years or maybe longer, Russell Ferguson has been on and off the street. He was living at his motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house in Valparaiso, but when she died, he had to move on. At 60-something he is now able to collect social security, which he receives on a debit card from a local bank. He has tried to earn his keep at local shelters by vacuuming and sweeping.

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;January 2015

Catapulted onto the Street, Veterans and Families on the Road to Recovery

“It’s getting very difficult to pay my bills and eat,” Glasgow said at the time. “Food is important. Once a month I am allowed to go into Sharing and Caring and come out with a grocery cart of food.” The donation from the coordinated community effort to meet emergency needs of families in the NicevilleValparaiso area helps Glasgow feed his two young teens. “If I get food — the girls come first,” he said, adding, “I have lost 35 pounds. I’ve gone down to one meal a day. I drink a lot of water.” But while Glasgow has managed to find food and keep a roof over his head, others have not been so lucky. Yvonne Franklin has served the Fort Walton Beach community as a volunteer church coordinator for 14 years. She has noticed an uptick in people

seeking shelter and a downward trend in age. She believes young people in particular come to the area in search of a dream life in paradise. “People come here looking for work and cannot find any and are not prepared for the winters we have here,” she said. “You can’t have a job at McDonald’s doing the dishes without being showered and having clean clothes.” Area churches rotate offering shelter on nights the thermometer dips below 40 degrees. Franklin says as many as 72 people piled into Fort Walton Beach’s Chester Pruitt Recreation Center in one evening last year, and most churches average about 45 people a night. Franklin doesn’t expect this winter to be much different. Even though state and national unemployment rates have dropped dramatically from where they were

during the Great Recession, critics have charged that much of the new job growth within Florida has been in low-wage service jobs and that homelessness in the Sunshine State remains a major concern. Indeed, a 2013 University of Florida housing study revealed that between 2000 and 2011, the statewide median rent increased from $816 to $950 while the median renter income fell from $34,000 to $30,343. A recent report by the Florida Housing Coalition and Florida Realtors Association finds that the state’s homeless population — more than 47,000 — is the third highest in the country. Other studies show that Florida has the second largest population of homeless veterans in the nation — about 17,000. Andrae Bailey, chief executive officer of the Orlando-based Central Florida Commission on Homelessness, says the Florida Housing Coalition report shows that lowincome families are being left out of the state’s economic recovery. “The recession hit everyone hard, but the recovery has not hit all sectors

“There was a time I was trusted with the nation’s secrets, but I guess I’m somehow not qualified to work at the Shopette.” — David Glasgow, 51, retired career Air Force major

70 December 2014–January 2015

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Photo Courtesy of David Glasgow

david glasgow, a retired career Air Force major, once made $75,000 a year working as a military contractor. When we first met this divorced dad, he was unemployed for the prior 18 months and had been struggling to pay expenses and provide food and school supplies for his two middle school daughters, who are now 14 and 16. He was in a group that no one wants to fall into: those referred to as “at serious risk” of being homeless.

Hidden Among Us

of our society equally,” Bailey said. “And so you’re seeing a great amount of lower-income families who are struggling in ways they never struggled before.” The report shows that homelessness in Florida remains close to what it was in 2007 after a peak during the recession. Nationally, the number of homeless Americans is steadily declining, although the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reports that families with children are the fastest-growing homeless population. The ‘avalanche’ of need is growing One local organization trying to help the homeless get into emergency shelters and back to

work and is the Okaloosa Walton Homeless Continuum of Care in Fort Walton Beach. Lenore Wilson, a former executive director, is shocked by the need. “There’s a glut of people looking for jobs who will take $7.40- to $8-an-hour jobs, part time, without benefits,” Wilson said. “People got very far behind. Working for $8 an hour is not enough to maintain (a household). There’s been a high demand (for our services) — an avalanche — and it really hasn’t stopped.” The impact of people working for lower wages or not finding work at all has increased the number of households receiving food stamps in Okaloosa County by 11 percent since 2010. By the end of September 2012, this meant 11,109 households.

“We’ve not seen those kind of numbers since the economy went down in 2009,” said Randall Fleming, community development administrator for Florida’s Department of Children and Families, Circuit One, which includes Okaloosa County. In 2013, there were reportedly 1,658 homeless persons in Okaloosa and Walton counties — with 44.3 percent of them under the age of 18. Local homeless veterans accounted for 15.9 percent of that population. “There’s a growing need for families who were shocked — they had no idea they were going to be homeless precipitated by the 2008 recession,” Wilson said. “It’s a big problem.” And the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated that

The Fort Walton Beach Sharing & Caring Inc. location opened its doors on Beal Parkway as an emergency food bank on Jan. 2, 1985; a location in Niceville followed in May of 1989 and one in Crestview in July of 1990.

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

“I exhausted my leads,” Glasgow said. “I was looking at anything. Universities — not hiring. As I’m going down, I started looking at minimum wage jobs.” What Glasgow discovered was that he was too highly qualified for lowerearning jobs. He resisted “tweaking” his resume to fit sales positions in retail because he did not want to compromise his honesty and integrity by removing his educational accomplishments. Glasgow applied for 300 jobs — from Sears to other defense contractors — and was willing to relocate. But there’s a Catch-22, he said. “I don’t have the money to move even to Tallahassee.” To add to his misfortune, he said his ex-wife has not paid the home mortgage, as agreed in their divorce, since 2007. “This shows up on my credit report,” Glasgow said. “It hurts me. I have never been late on a bill my entire life.” He receives a monthly Air Force retirement check of about $3,000. His unemployment benefits were $1,100, but they ran out several months ago. He now spends $650 for apartment rent, $450 on a second home mortgage, $450 on a car payment, $1,000 in child support, and after gas, utilities and food expenses, he doesn’t pocket much. “Anything for my daughters is a priority,” he said. Knowing his unemployment benefit ends in December, he added, “I hope and pray and think of things. I don’t know what’s going to happen.” At press time, Glasgow let us know that though he has taken classes to beef up his resume and had some callbacks, he has not yet found a job. Without employment, he has been unable

to maintain his military security clearance. Though he “dummied down” his resume to apply for an hourly job at a convenience store near Hurlburt Field, it was a no-go. “There was a time I was trusted with the nation’s secrets, but I guess I’m somehow not qualified to work at the Shopette,” Glasgow said. Despite all the setbacks, he continues to hope things will eventually turn around. “As long as I can provide something for my daughters, that’s all I care about,” he said. The cost of living eventually cost the McClellands nearly everything Ted McClelland fell off the thin rail that Glasgow is trying to ride. When retail gasoline prices skyrocketed in 2008 from $2.80 to more than $4 a gallon and the financial crisis hit, McClelland, who owned a luxury car dealership in San Diego, was forced down a path toward homelessness. Trying to support a family of five was impossible after losing in 90 days what he says was a $3.5 million business, which included a 90-car inventory of Lexus, BMWs, Mercedes and eight- to 10-cylinder, gasguzzling vehicles. He, his wife, Yvette Herrera, and their then 10-year-old daughter and twin 5-year-olds were driven out of their five-bedroom, three-car-garage home. “Forces way beyond our control wiped us out,” McClelland said. “The cost of living in California is three to four times more expensive than in northern Florida. A two-bedroom apartment in California cost $1,875 a month. In Northwest Florida, a fourbedroom is $1,000.”

“I’ve slept anywhere I could sleep with my family. I’ve slept in my storage unit, my car, the back of trucks, on public transportation all night long. I’ve slept in parks and on people’s couches.” —Ted McClelland

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Photo Courtesy Of Landrum Staffing Services, Inc.

the number of underemployed Americans working part-time jobs rose by 600,000 from August to September 2014 because “their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job.” Children in Crisis, a member of the coalition of agencies assisting homeless families and young adults in four Northwest Florida counties, helps find jobs and affordable housing for those who need it. Executive Director Judy Manning leads the effort. “If people my age — in their 50s — have lost their jobs because of companies downsizing or ‘rightsizing,’ there is a trickle-down affect,” Manning said. “There just hasn’t been the turnover of those who have bachelor’s degrees moving up, even in socialservices fields like mine ... It has been harder even for kids who come to us with work experience — the selection pool of people (includes those) with 10 years’ work experience.” David Glasgow, 51, qualified to work, traditionally would move up in salary. With a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in management after serving 20 years in the Air Force, he applied his operational experience and analytical skills as a weapons targeting and intelligence officer working for a defense contractor. In 2011, his company put him on “we’ll call you if we need you” status, he said. The company’s main client, the Air Force Research Lab at Eglin Air Force Base, was hit with program spending cuts. “Because I was a high-salary guy, they thought my salary could pay for three other people,” Glasgow said. He’s held a job since he was 16 years old. Forced to appeal to former clients and his network of friends for employment, he discovered no one was hiring.

Hidden At 53, he had trouble getting a job, in part, he says, because he was competing with 30-year-olds and those who did not have a large family. Employers would have to contribute more toward the McClelland family health insurance premiums. “I worked several $10-an-hour jobs equivalent to minimum wage here … I could not make enough money to support our family,” he said. “We’ve always been productive members of society and always paid our way. We did not live frivolously. We’re not people who had a lavish lifestyle. We didn’t owe anybody money. That was just a short six years ago.” Looking for a solution, the family migrated east. Since 2008, they have lived in four states and eight homes and have faced one foreclosure and three evictions. “I’ve slept anywhere I could sleep with my family,” McClelland said. “I’ve slept in my storage unit, my car, the back of trucks, on public transportation all night long. I’ve slept in parks and on people’s couches.” For this family living without a home, their daily routine adjusted to where they were at the time. “It’s extremely stressful,” McClelland said. “I’d go out and figure out what I can do to generate income. I think we got stuck in a car for six weeks. (But) through most of it, I was able to keep a roof over my kids’ heads.” The parents found ways to feed the family. “One of my favorite hotels was Residence Inn,” McClelland said. “I’d walk in there in some workout stuff, feed the kids off their buffet breakfast, and then get them off to school so I could look for work through temporary services or manpower services,” he said. McClelland has worked temporarily on a 12-hour shift as a production assistant for Coca-Cola Co., as a physician recruiter in Indiana and in many other odd jobs. When he arrived in Florida in March 2014, in part to help his elderly parents, he found some maintenance work at the Emerald Coast Convention Center. He currently works for Good-

will sorting donations. The rest of his family arrived in July. His wife found work as a surgical assistant. During this six-year period, they sold basically everything they owned. “I’ve never been happier,” McClelland said. “I don’t have any of the burdens of keeping up with it. What I have now is peace of mind.”

Among Us

this doubt, and then this downward spiral. My wife and I were clean for 17 of our 25 years of marriage. After 2008, we started spiraling out of control ourselves. We both got ourselves A fresh start at moving forward back into a 12-step program. Life still Recently, Fresh Start for Children happens, and things pop up. We figand Families in Fort Walton Beach ure out the best way we can to move provided transitional housing for through that.” the McClellands. The organization Since the summer, the van that has 11 two- to three-bedroom apartMcClelland was running as a shuttle ments for families “blew up.” He got a or single women. A bill for 10 percent of single man with full his first year’s earnDid you know? custody of his chilings. He was fired dren can also apply. from that job. » 44 percent of the Residents must have “The only transhomeless in Okaloosa a job and can stay for portation we had was and Walton counties are under 18 years of age. up to nine months. totaled,” he said. “We Candace Lynch, are on bicycles. We » Family homelessness Fresh Start’s educaboth have jobs. We is the fastest growing tional coordinator, have a place to live. segment of the homeless population. says the residents There’s nothing but are required to atlove and laughter and » Domestic violence tend life skills trainhealing going on in is one of the leading ing. Offered are our household. I have causes of homelessfinancial manageeverything in the ness among women and children. ment, resume buildworld to be grateful ing, communication, for, and that’s just in » The average age at parenting and nutrithe last 10 weeks. You which a teen becomes tion classes. can imagine what it’s homeless is 14.7 years. “Some people been like since 2008 Sources: Opportunity Inc. and come here and don’t … I’ve got tools DoSomething.org have their high to deal relatively school diploma. smoothly with this We get them their thing called life. I’ve GED,” Lynch said. “We require 10 just got to have a little faith that things percent of their earned income to go will work out.” into a savings account on site. Twenty McClelland offered a thought for percent goes into program fees for the community about the issue of services like the food pantry they can homelessness: “I’ve had it all. In a shop in.” blink of an eye, your situation can The McClellands now are stable change and you have no control over and moving forward. Looking back, it. If you can give, please give. There he shares life lessons. are people out there who need it. It’s “When you are seeking happiness not just material things. If you’ve with material things that are on the got an afternoon, help a kid with his exterior, depression, alcoholism and homework. If you’ve got an afternoon, all those type of things creep in there, coach a softball team or take a kid to because you can’t believe this is hapa park. We’re all in this together. Be pening to you,” he said. “You have neighborly.” ec

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

Most mornings you can find Richard Ferrari up at 4:30 a.m. and headed to Labor Finders on his bike to get in line to receive a ticket for work assigned out for the day. Being homeless for a year and a half makes him a “newby” at local shelters.

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Hidden Among Us

Fort Walton Beach Strives to be a Part of the Solution in okaloosa county, thousands of men, women and children seeking refuge from the cold flock to churches for food and shelter each year. Cold night shelters are made available when temperatures drop below 40 degrees. You could argue that one homeless person out in the cold is one too many. Here’s a look at what’s been done so far and what’s on the horizon: Public Forums — Business leaders organized a public forum in Fort Walton Beach to hear from experts and talk through the issues in 2006. As a result committees were formed, work was begun and studies of specific needs were conducted. Community Solutions LLC was formed by concerned business owners, church officials and service agency leaders with a mission to “break the cycle of homelessness.” Consulting — Fort Walton Beach officials discussed investing $15,000 to $30,000 to retain an expert consultant. The Northwest Florida Daily News reported that Fort Walton Beach City Manager Michael Beedie and other city staff met briefly with a consultant who specializes in reducing vagrancy at the Florida Redevelopment Conference in October 2012. Tent City — Residents considered finding a location in Fort Walton Beach for a fenced-in area measuring 2 to 6 acres with showers to create a campground some referred to as a “tent city.” The idea was shelved in late 2013. Task Forces — An offshoot of Community Solutions was tasked with developing a portal website for services, while another group is exploring the steps necessary to create a non-residential shelter with space to serve meals, as well as provide educational and job training, health care and other services

that lead to self-sufficiency, the organization’s ultimate mission. Officials say the target date is 2018. City Shelter — In early fall 2014, Fort Walton Beach City Manager Mike Beedie was spearheading an effort to lease to Community Solutions 8 acres of land off the North Beal Extension. What was the site of a wastewater treatment plant would be renovated into a cold-night shelter that offers free meals, with a long-term goal to become a one-stop resource and job-training center. The Northwest Florida Daily News says, “This is the first time the city, county and homeless providers have come together to secure a bricksand-mortar shelter facility.” Though at least a partial solution appears to be on the horizon, some locals are grateful that concerned residents are trying to be a part of the solution. “The community owes a debt of gratitude to those such as Kathy Houchins, a veteran of the lodging industry now in real estate, and attorney Lisa Jo Spencer, who decided to do something about a problem and put the wheels in motion with the summit back in 2006. They set a good example for the rest of us,” wrote Niceville’s Judy Byrne Riley, chair of the Okaloosa Walton Homeless Continuum of Care, in an open letter to the city published in the Northwest Florida Daily News on March 14, 2014. ec

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

Hidden Among Us

Safe Havens for the Homeless

Emergency Shelters

Cold Night Shelters

Opportunity Place provides emergency shelter for families with children and single women, as space is available.

Fort Walton Beach Cold Weather Program — When the temperature drops below 40 degrees, the following churches will open at 6 p.m. according to the schedule below:

305 Lovejoy Road, Fort Walton Beach (850) 659-3190

Transitional Shelters Fresh Start is an independent, not-for-profit agency providing transitional and affordable housing for homeless children and families and those who are in imminent danger of becoming homeless. They must be gainfully employed and free of drugs and alcohol. The Fresh Start Program is for nine months, and the responsibilities of residents are a serious commitment to the rules as set forth by the administration. 8 Bobolink St. Northeast, Fort Walton Beach, (850) 243-5648 If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, email Fresh Start at info@ freshstartforchildrenandfamilies.com. Shelter House is a certified domestic violence shelter that provides a safe haven for women, children and men in imminent danger of domestic violence. Administration Office 102 Buck Drive, Fort Walton Beach (850) 243-1201 Crestview Outreach Office 290 Martin Luther King Blvd., Crestview (850) 683-0845

Sunday: Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 363 Miracle Strip Parkway SW, Fort Walton Beach, (850) 243-0788 Monday: Mary Esther United Methodist Church, 703 E. Miracle Strip Parkway, Mary Esther, (850) 243-7595 Tuesday: Gregg Chapel AME Church, 34 Carson Drive SE, Fort Walton Beach, (850) 243-5925   Wednesday: Chester Pruitt Recreation Center, 15 Carson Drive SE, Fort Walton Beach, (850) 833-9582 Thursday: First Christian Church, 201 St. Mary’s Ave. SW, Fort Walton Beach, (850) 243-8465 Friday: St. Simon’s on the Sound Episcopal Church, 28 Miracle Strip Parkway SW, Fort Walton Beach, (850) 244-8621

will open at 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. (arrive by 9 p.m.) according to the schedule below: Sunday: Life Point Church, 400 S. Ferdon Blvd., (850) 682-3518 Monday: Emmanuel Baptist Church hosts at First Presbyterian Church, 492 N. Ferdon Blvd., (850) 682-9416 or (850) 682-2835 Tuesday: Crestview Community of Christ Church, 398 W. First Thomas, (850) 682-7474 Wednesday: Crestview Community of Christ Church, 398 W. First Thomas, (850) 682-7474 Thursday: New Beginnings, 412 W. James Lee Blvd., (850) 689-2988 Friday: First Presbyterian Church, 492 N. Ferdon Blvd., (850) 682-2835 Saturday: First United Methodist Church, 499 McLaughlin, (850) 682-2018 For more information, contact Ann Sprague at (850) 826-1770 or cnasprague@embarqmail.com.

Saturday: Seventh Day Adventist of Fort Walton Beach, 119 St. Mary Ave. SW, Fort Walton Beach, (850) 243-1970

Walton County Cold Weather Program — A cold-weather shelter will be opened at the Civic Center in DeFuniak Springs in Walton County when the temperature is 32 degrees or lower from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Crestview Cold Weather Program — When the temperature drops below 40 degrees in Crestview, the following churches

If you have any questions, call Ed Joyner of the City of DeFuniak Springs at (850) 951-3788.

Walton County Outreach Office 1846 U.S. Highway 90 W., Suite B, DeFuniak Springs, (850) 892-0333 Email any questions to info@shelterhousenwfl.org or visit shelterhousenwfl.org. 24-Hour Crisis Hotline: (850) 863-4777 or 1-800-44ABUSE (22873)

Pregnancy Crisis Shelter Family Life Ministries of Northwest Florida is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit organization that has been in operation since 1986. The home focuses on expectant mothers and women in homeless situations. The Ronda Coon Women’s Home is a two-story, eightresident, 3,580-square-foot home located at 1008 Gospel Road in Fort Walton Beach.

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Powerhouse omen

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Meet the 2014 Pinnacle Award Winners Story By Linda Kleindienst and Photography by Dave Barfield

C Magazine is proud to introduce readers to four local winners of the 2014 Pinnacle Award, an honor designed to shine the spotlight on women in Northwest Florida who have set high standards for themselves and exceeded them, who are a moving force in private business and non-profit organizations that help the needy in our society or promote community interests. All 10 honorees represent a range of professions, from a vice president of Gulf Power Company to a farmer to an HIV/ AIDS advocate. They live in 18 different counties throughout Northwest Florida, representing urban, suburban and rural areas. Yet when asked to describe

themselves in one word, nearly every one said she was either “determined” or “dedicated.” Of the Pinnacle Award winners for 2014, four of them are Emerald Coast-area women who have shown their mettle in life, business and their community They’re moving forces in business and community, A-listers with A-plus personalities who face challenges head-on and are determined to make their world a better place. Readers of our sister publication, 850 Business Magazine, were asked to nominate women they felt deserved the honor. Please meet the winners who live, work and play on the Emerald Coast.

Watch behind-the-scenes video at emeraldcoastmagazine.com EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

KITTY WHITNEY ===

After turning around the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce, Whitney was courted to become the executive director of Sandestin Real Estate, the exclusive brokerage for the world-renowned Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort and a market-leading real estate company.

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Whitney, who turns 50 in November, started her working life as an intensive care unit nurse, a stint that helped plant the seed for a business venture she later started with her husband, Todd. Having seen patients sent home only to become homebound and tied to an intravenous tube for medication or nutrition, they invented the idea of an ambulatory infusion that lets the patient administer his or her own doses while being active. “It changed the face of medicine,” she says. “From that moment on, we knew anything was possible.” Within three years they sold the company to a larger medical firm. To bypass Louisiana’s state income tax, the couple moved to Florida and loved it. While pregnant with her son Max, now 10 years old, she got bored and decided to take a real estate class, thinking it would be helpful to have a license. As Whitney works with her sales team at Sandestin, her husband operates two new businesses — Blast Arcade and MooLaLa Ice Cream and Desserts — where she helps after hours and on weekends.

“I just don’t stop until it’s done.” 80 December 2014–January 2015

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BENTINA TERRY As Gulf Power’s vice president of customer service and sales, Bentina Terry is responsible for bringing in new customers, promoting regional economic development and marketing the utility. She’s worked for the company seven years.

While electric utilities are still a male-dominated industry, Bentina Terry long ago learned to be herself and “just work through it.” She started out wanting to be a high school English teacher, but after a stint of student teaching she realized it wasn’t what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. So she headed off to law school and later practiced for an Atlanta firm whose biggest clients were Georgia Power and Southern Company, the parent company of Georgia Power and Gulf Power. Part of her job now is to help bring in new customers. “Gulf Power has been here for 88 years, and our success is tied to the success of our communities,” she says. “We need to create the climate that allows us to be successful together.” Terry, 44, admitted she was terrified when she went to law school in Michigan because she knew only two people there. “But I said I was going to do it — and it taught me I could conquer any fear.”

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“Don’t let fear be what keeps you from doing things.”

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

LISA BARNES ===

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The special projects manager at Eastern Shipbuilding in Panama City, Lisa Barnes admits a shipyard is an unusual place for a woman. But most of her job involves working with elected officials on the company’s behalf and organizing events.

A native of bay county, Lisa Barnes was working as a paralegal in Colorado when she decided to come home eight years ago to help her aging parents. She says it’s ironic that she now works at a shipyard, because during World War II her mother worked in a shipyard for the Maritime Administration. When she first started at Eastern, Barnes was in charge of the program that brought in Guatemalan workers to help build the ships. She wanted to learn more about what the workers did, so she signed up for welding classes to understand the job. “The instructor had been a welding teacher forever, and I was the only woman there,” she remembers. “He said, ‘I can teach anybody to weld.’ He will never say that again. But he did give it his best shot.” Barnes, 55, believes that it is especially important for women to collaborate and cooperate. But the best advice she ever got was, “You can’t change anyone’s behavior but your own.”

“I’m good on details. When I talk to other people I pay attention to what they are saying to me.”

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VALERIE MINCEY President and CEO of BASIC NWFL Inc. in her hometown of Panama City, the 55-year-old Mincey has found her life’s passion in helping HIV/ AIDS victims in a six-county area of Northwest Florida.

Following a stint with the U.S. Post Office up North, Mincey moved back home in 1996 and became an outreach advocate for BASIC, which had just won a grant to serve Bay County’s AfricanAmerican community. “I didn’t know a lot about HIV/AIDS, but I did know my community,” she says. Because of the stigma of the disease, it was hard to make those first inroads, and money was tight. But under her leadership new and diverse funding sources were found, and today BASIC serves six counties — Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson and Washington — and about 300 patients who need help for a variety of needs, from getting medication to finding housing. The agency runs education programs and does testing for the disease. “As I moved up in the administration, I questioned if I was qualified. A friend told me that God would put no more on me than I could bear.”

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“I had to think outside the box.”

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

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the good life Food + Travel + Hea lth + Home

eudaimonia*

The Jazz Room

Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and Miles Davis — many legendary jazz musicians have left their mark in the world and in the West Florida Public Library in Pensacola. An entire room on the second floor of the library is dedicated to honoring and preserving the history, performance and culture of jazz in all forms. Known as The Jazz Room, this bluesy little space opened in September 2013 and houses the entirety of the library’s collection of nearly 800 books, CDs and movies. Michael Lane, adult programs coordinator, describes the room as a “one-stop shop” for anyone who’s interested in jazz. Complete with a listening station where patrons can sample music, the room features colorful jazz-related artwork donated by library users and two cozy armchairs. One glance in the room reveals all — jazz can’t be put in a box. According to Lane, it has saturated numerous facets, both culturally and musically, throughout history. “It really is America’s art form,” Lane says. “Everything else we brought over, but jazz we created here.”— Samantha Rhodes

Photo by Matt Burke

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

in motion

Disk Golf give

a toss

Those who play find big rewards for small investment By Thomas J. Monigan // Photos by Scott Holstein

ne of the bonuses built in to living on the Emerald Coast is the ability to enjoy outdoor sports during all 12 months of the year. But is there a sport that can involve the whole family — mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, and even grandparents? Yes, indeed, which is why Disc Golf continues to gain popularity with each passing year. At least 200 people a day use the course at Ferry Park in Fort Walton Beach, according to Jeff Peters, the city’s recreation director. “Some days there’s more than that,” Peters said. “During the summer when school is out we regularly have people out there from 7:30 in the morning to 7:30 at night. And golfers are very good about taking care of the course by cleaning it up on their own.” And this is on a course that has been around for less than three years.

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EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;January 2015

in motion

(Top) David Tye looks on while Barry Dovin takes his turn. (Left) Tye signing the 13th basket after throwing an ace, or a hole in one. (Right) Dovin gives his disc a light toss.

88 December 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;January 2015

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“I think it’s because anybody can play together,” said Ronda Key, who co-owns Key Chains Bike & Disc in Fort Walton Beach. “It’s a family fun thing, and it can be competitive. My mom (Helen Key) just started it to get out of the house and hang out with us, and now she’s a doubles partner with my niece (Sydney Key).” Key is in her 40s and started playing Disc Golf as a way to come back from a serious shoulder injury she suffered playing co-ed softball. Now she’s out on the course six or seven days a week. Disc Golf has been around since the mid-1970s, and the game’s basic premise parallels traditional golf. You tee off, and the object is to land your flying disc in a target, which usually involves a metal “basket” mounted on a pole. Course distances are shorter than traditional links. In the case of Ferry Park, going from tee to target usually means 240 to 390 feet, instead of longer distances measured in hundreds of yards. “I think the biggest thing that has exploded the sport is the baskets being added in recent years,” said Steve Hollis, a local 50-something realtor with an office on Okaloosa Island. “The targets used to be just some tape on some trees.” He started with the sport in the late 1980s and recently came back to it as a way to improve his fitness. He lost 29 pounds, he said, without changing his diet. He also plays almost every day. “And there’s been a big improvement in the plastic,” Hollis added. “When Wham-O first started making Frisbees in the 1950s, they were just big, round discs. Now they’ve gone into aerodynamics, with weighted rims that are used for different purposes.” Eric Walker mixes business and pleasure when it comes to the sport. An everyday player in his 40s, Walker sells disc golf items at the local Ace Hardware stores in Okaloosa County. He has been an organizer of a February “Ice Bowl” tournament at Ferry Park that raised about $2,500 per event for local charities. “I had somebody tell me recently that the sport has grown 60 to 65 percent in recent years,” Walker said. “The climate of the economy has helped out. For a minimal investment of $25 you can buy all three discs — a driver, mid-range and a putter. And you play as much as you want and play for free.” ec

HIRE A LICENSED CPA

Because every business counts Verify state licenses at www.MyFloridaLicense.com. Unlicensed activity is against the law. Report unlicensed individuals to DBPR by calling the Unlicensed Activity Hotline at 1.866.532.1440, online or on the DBPR Mobile app.

Want more information? There are disc golf courses that can be found from Panama City to Freeport, Fort Walton Beach, Gulf Breeze, Milton and Pensacola. To learn more about the sport, check out the following websites:

» Emerald Coast Disc Golf Club, ecdgc.org » Mango Disc Golf, mangodiscgolf.com » Playground Disc Golf Club, playgrounddiscgolf.com » Southern Nationals Disc Golf Series, sndg.org » Professional Disc Golf Association, pdga.com

CONNECT WITH US

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

going places

Wisconsin,

times three A Trio of Tourist Destinations Offer Summertime Fun for Everyone By Sarah Proctor and Jack Macaleavy

Door County Centuries ago, Native Americans inhabited the area now known as Door County. Surviving on the area’s vast wild and marine life, Native Americans watched as French, British and finally American explorers all claimed the land. Still, much of the Native American history is evident throughout Door County. Located on a Northeastern Wisconsin peninsula that pokes into Lake Michigan, Door County is comprised of many unique small towns and has 300 miles of shoreline, about 20 percent of the lake’s 1,600 miles of shoreline. The hazardous

90 December 2014–January 2015

strait connecting Lake Michigan and the town of Green Bay, previously known to the French as “Porte des Morts Passage,” or simply “Death’s Door,” was infamous for causing explorer shipwrecks. From scenic, serene refuges, to bustling festivals and galleries, each town has its own quirks and personalities. Yet the word “community” comes to mind when describing Door County. To get a feel for the heritage and history, plan to attend an authentic fish boil at Rowley’s Bay Restaurant. A local tradition, this meal features whitefish caught that day on Lake Michigan, close to where you’re

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

Jon Jarosh/Door County Visitor Bureau

Imagine a summer vacation spent outdoors: hiking, kayaking, biking, exploring. Now, pair that with live music enjoyed on the patio while you eat, a plethora of art galleries and museums, and, of course, time spent on the water. Lastly, imagine it without Florida’s summer heat. What you’re picturing in your mind is a summer spent in Wisconsin. Three Wisconsin destinations in particular — Door County, The Dells and Elkhart Lake — make for excellent trips no matter what the size or age range of your group.

There are so many ways to enjoy Door County (clockwise, from far left) including a natural scene at Cave Point County Park, a traditional fish boil that serves up a history lesson along with freshcaught fish, ziplining and an aerial view of Rowleys Bay Resort.

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;January 2015

going places The town of Sister Bay provides ample opportunities to enjoy yourself off the water as well. The largest of the Door County communities, Sister Bay features shops, galleries and a variety of places to eat. Be sure to spend some time checking out all it has to offer. Also unique to Door County is the prominence of lighthouses. A necessity during the 19th and 20th centuries to help sailors navigate the rocky coastline, Door County’s 11 lighthouses are still regal landmarks, and many are open to the public. The most accessible lighthouses include the Cana Island Lighthouse, Canal Station Lighthouse and Bailey’s Harbor Range Light. Door County offers lighthouse tours as well as maps providing information on each lighthouse. The Wisconsin Dells About three-and-a-half hours away from Door County in the south-central part of the state, Wisconsin Dells offers an entirely different atmosphere. Still boasting miles of shoreline and unparalleled beauty, it is a treat for both the kids and parents. Known as the “water park capital of the world,” it will be easy to see how the Dells got this name once you start exploring. Many hotels offer indoor and outdoor water parks, and of those which have neither, many offer an admission pass to another hotel’s parks in their rate.

Waterparks (right) are everywhere in the Wisconsin Dells. And when you’re waterlogged, go to Downtown Dells, where the fun includes sweet treats like the Swiss Maid Fudge Shop (above). 92 December 2014–January 2015

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Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau

enjoying it, as well as an entertaining storytelling of how the fish boil has been enjoyed through the generations. When you are finished at Rowley’s and decide it’s time to explore Door County’s natural side, there are many options. During the day, Rowley’s Bay offers exciting activities such as ziplining, stand-up paddleboarding and even Segwaying. The Segway trips feature a scenic adventure through the woods and then ends up on the beach. But not to worry — the Segways are made to handle off-roading. Boasting five state parks and 19 county parks, as well as beaches, bluffs and forests, the beauty of natural Door County is everywhere. If you’re looking to explore the outdoors, Peninsula State Park is for you. With more than 3,500 acres, the park offers more than 20 miles of hiking and biking trails as well as a golf course, picnic spots and camping areas. Nicolet Bay is located within the park and offers kayak and canoe rentals, as well as a swimming area and a summer snack bar. If you choose to kayak, consider venturing out to Horseshoe Island. A short paddle away, this uninhabited (although people once lived there) island has a short path around the perimeter, as well as scenic views and an intriguing history. If you would like to stay outside or on the water, head to Sister Bay. Sister Bay Marina offers boat rentals and chartered sailing tours, among other amenities. As you sit and relax on your guided tour, you experience Door County from the water and will be awed by the passing limestone bluffs, caves and even part of the beautiful Niagara Escarpment.

One hotel worth a look is Chula Vista. Located just a few miles outside of downtown Dells, Chula Vista offers an indoor water park featuring a lazy river, multiple slides and kiddie area, as well as an outdoor water park with a beach area, cabana rentals, water slides and multiple pools on site. And when you need a break from the water, Chula Vista has many other amenities as well. Enjoy the 18-hole golf course, fitness facility or spa, which includes a nail salon and outdoor hot spring. On its second floor, Chula Vista also offers Kaminski’s Chop House. It will be no secret as to why its slogan is “size matters,” after you order any of the colossal sides or delicious, hefty entrees Kaminski’s features on its menu. While in the Dells, you should try to spend as much time exploring the beautiful outdoors as you can. Wisconsin Dells Boat Tours offers a variety of tours throughout the day, meaning there is one every member of your party will enjoy. It even offers beautiful sunset cruises catered by local restaurants, during which you are offered the chance to get off and explore the natural beauty of the cliffs that brought everyone to the Dells. For a more adrenaline-pumping boat tour, try the Jet Boat Adventure. A high-speed ride, you will definitely get wet — but it’s worth it. Another thrilling water option is WaveRunner rentals at Holiday Shores Watersports. Explore the Wisconsin River at your own pace on a personal watercraft while riding next to breathtaking views of the approximately 515-million-year-old rocks that form the Dells. For a slower-paced, more relaxing water trip, try kayaking in the beautiful, serene Mirror Lake. Located within Mirror Lake State Park, enjoy views of 50-foot sandstone cliffs, a swimming beach and a variety of wildlife as you paddle. This no-wake lake may even be a great place to give stand-up paddleboarding, or SUP, a try. When you’re done on the water, be sure to head to downtown Dells. While there, visit the late, great H.H. Bennett’s photography studio. Bennett, famous for capturing the beautiful images of the Dells, is also credited with much photographic advancement such as the stop-action shutter. His studio features the actual equipment he used as well as personal items and photographs. Many rooms have been left as they were in the mid-to-late 1800s, including ink stains on the wood floors and his actual portrait backdrops. While you’re there, attempt to “jump across” the cliffs to see if you would be able to make the famous Dell’s leap from Bennett’s photographs.

When You Go Door County

Elkhart Lake Tourism

Rowleys Bay (920) 854-2385 rowleysbayresort.com Seaquist Segways Steve Seaquist (920) 421-4111 steve@SeaquistSegway.com

After Bennett’s studio, cross the rent a bike. The town is relatively street and watch the creation of small, and biking is a good way to One of Elkart Lake’s premier fudge at Swiss Maid Fudge Shop. see the family-owned restaurants accommodations is In addition to classic fudge flavors, and picturesque inns and explore the Osthoff Resort. the store carries many creative seatree-lined streets. Look around … maybe you’ll find a sonal flavors as well. Don’t go in During Prohibition, gangsters secret speakeasy. with an empty stomach, or you may from Chicago relaxed in Lake not be able to leave! If you’re still Elkhart with their families. Because in the mood for sweets and snacks, head across Elkhart is a family-friendly vacation spot, there the street to Oodlesmack popcorn factory next. was an unspoken rule that hostilities ceased at Oodlesmack offers more than 40 types of gourElkhart Lake. Although the main building was met popcorn flavors from plain to habanero lime completely reconstructed a decade ago, the and everything in between. secret rooms for clandestine casinos and speakDowntown Dells also boasts many unique easies were preserved. You feel the history of boutiques, restaurants and local bars and pubs the place as you enjoy the modern amenities like with a wide variety of beers on tap. Showboat the spa, the five-star restaurants and Osthoff’s Saloon, sitting right on the main drag, pairs a Cooking School. great choice of craft beers with a fun and invitElkhart blends its colorful history with its ing atmosphere. bright and busy future. The Historic Race Circuit is still marked with quirky signs to denote the Elkhart Lake bends and bumps in the road. You can just picIn between Wisconsin Dells and Door County, ture the cars zipping through the streets and the Elkhart Lake is a town bursting with history and thousands of people cheering them. charm. For 50 years, this Wisconsin retreat has The town is conscientious about preserving been a premier vacation destination for families its local history, but contemporary attractions, in Middle America to explore the relaxing and like Road America, capture the spirit of the adrenaline-pumping activities that make the old races. This legendary course draws tourists place famous. from around the world, as well as movie producThe history of Elkhart Lake can be traced to ers. You may see the track as the backdrop in Native American tribes, but the town became Hollywood films and TV shows. known for its road races in the early 1950s. During a recent visit, motorcycles whipped Like New York’s Watkins Glen races, the early around the track at 150-plus miles per hour. The road races took place on public roads. Imagine track hosts NASCAR, Formula 1 and vintage car cars barreling through the Main Street, separaces. Check its website for upcoming events. rated from spectators by only a few bales of Road America also has a mini-track, where you hay. This was reality for the wealthy visitors in are able to race high-speed go-karts. While it’s the town’s heyday. not an F1 racer, the kart does give you a feel for Families still come from Chicago and actually competing on a real track. Minneapolis to occupy their quaint summer After passing people on the go-karts, a visit homes along the lakeshore, but with top-quality to the tranquil lake is in order. A five-mile accommodations the town is more than welcomwalking path encompasses the lake, perfect ing to tourists from across the country. for a relaxing stroll. Consider travelling in the The Osthoff Resort is adjacent to the beautishoulder seasons, the months of May and June, ful, green lake. After parking your car, you are and September and October. Not only will you within walking or biking distance of almost avoid some of the hottest and coldest weather, everything. To explore the town, you can simply you’ll also miss the big crowds. ec

Peninsula State Park (920) 868-3258 dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/ peninsula Door County Shoreline Charters (Sister Bay) (920) 854-4707 shorelinecharters.net Wisconsin Dells Wisconsin Dells Jet Boat Adventures (608) 254-8555 Holiday Shores Water Sports (608) 254-2878 holidayshoreswatersports.com H.H. Bennett Studio (608) 253-3523 hhbennett@wisconsinhistory.org Swiss Maid Fudge (608) 254-7771 Chula Vista Hotel (855) 388-4782 chulavistaresort.com Elkhart Lake Osthoff Resort (920) 876-3366 osthoff.com Victorian Village Resort (920) 876-3323 vicvill.com Road America (800) 365-7223 roadamerica.com Ecology Outfitters (920) 452-9555 ecologyoutfitters.com Wade House Historic Site (920) 526-3271 wadehouse.org

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

ms. grow-it-all

Deck the Walls

Let Nature Help When It’s Time for Holiday Decorating By Audrey Post

Q: I’d like to go with a more natural holiday décor this year, but I have no idea where to start or what the best plants are to use. What do you suggest? A: There are quite a few trees, shrubs and flowers — ornamental and edible — that can contribute to a festive atmosphere in your home during the holiday season. For December holiday decorations, which often include candles, various kinds of holly can be arranged to showcase the leaves and berries and accentuate the candlelight. On a fireplace mantle or a side table in the living room or dining room, solid green holly or a variegated variety announces the season. There’s also a variegated saw-toothed tea olive, Osmanthus fragrans, which resembles a holly but retains the delightful fragrance that distinguishes tea olive. Most any holly works well with leaves of the Southern magnolia, Magnolia grandiflora. The smaller, more distinctly ribbed leaf of the loquat tree, Eriobotrya japonica, is another option. Both heavenly bamboo, nandina domestica, and coral ardisia, Ardisia crenata, have

become pests and are classified as invasive, but if you have stubborn plants in your yard, take advantage of their distinctive foliage and bright red berries in your decorating. One of my friends swears that by cutting the branches with berries for her Christmas decorating, the birds don’t have a chance to spread them and the plants stay under control in her yard. Plus, she gets a beautiful display of green and red in vases she can place around her home. Camellias, which grow so beautifully in our area, make beautiful cut flowers for the holiday. The stems are usually too short to display in bud vases, but they look lovely floating in a bowl of water and come in a variety of colors. The bloom season for most Camellia japonica varieties coincides with the holiday season. Citrus, usually a winter-ripening fruit, offers both leaves and fruit for decorating. Kumquats, in particular, make great additions to mantels and wreaths because

of their glossy green foliage and colorful small fruits. Persimmons, apples and pomegranates work well, too. Rosemary sprigs provide color as well as fragrance. A bowl of winter fruits makes a great centerpiece. Tuck a few sticks of cinnamon in any arrangement for a burst of Christmas smell. Pinecones of various sizes, either left in their natural state or sprayed with gold or silver paint, can accent the greenery. If you have grapevines or Chinese wisteria, Wisteria sinensis, an invasive vine with purple flower clusters in spring that people either love or hate, you can use the stripped vines to make wreaths. Alone, the vine wreath makes a striking silhouette, or you can adorn it with ornaments, natural or not. You don’t have to limit yourself to what’s in your own yard. Local nurseries sell wonderfully full and fragrant evergreens that don’t survive here — firs and spruces that grow in the mountains of North Georgia and North Carolina. You can get garlands, swags and wreaths — as well as Christmas trees — and then build upon that evergreen base with what you have to create a holiday theme. ec

© 2014 Postscript Publishing, all rights reserved. Audrey Post is a certified Advanced Master Gardener volunteer with the University of Florida IFAS Extension in Leon County. Email her at Questions@MsGrowItAll.com or visit her website at msgrowitall.com. Ms. Grow-It-All® is a registered trademark of Postscript Publishing. 94 December 2014–January 2015

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DEAL Estate

in the neighborhood

Go to emeraldcoastmagazine.com for REAL ESTATE listings

Facts and Stats

The Town of Shalimar

All statistics listed below pertain to sales in August 2014 and are provided by the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors, Florida Realtor and the National Association of Realtors.

An Early Gamble that has Paid Off for the Military and More By Zandra Wolfgram

LOCAL The Emerald Coast closed 502 single-family home sales in August 2014 — 118 of which were paid in cash. 407 were traditional sales, 81 were foreclosures and 14 were short sales.

Matt Burke

Okaloosa County closed 170 townhouse and condo sales — 82 of which were paid in cash. 150 were traditional sales, 12 were foreclosures and 8 were short sales. On average, the EC’s closed townhouse and condo sales received 92.6% of their original list price.

halimar is a beautiful word with mysterious origins. Some locals say it means “abode of love,” while others insist it means “by the water.” Either moniker is apt for the quiet, waterside town in Northwest Florida. In an area originally called Port Dixie, the town “sprang up out of the woods” in 1943 as a community of 160 houses to be used as housing for military officers by local developer Clifford Meigs, who also served as the town’s first mayor until his death in 1960. Badly needed new homes were constructed beginning in 1942 for the rapidly expanding Eglin Field, immediately north of what was initially referred to as “Shalimar Park.” The first 50 homes were almost complete by May, with another 25 underway, with the entire project costing approximately $350,000. Today, many of the nearly 700 residents are military officers and retirees who enjoy proximity to Eglin Air Force Base and the many conveniences off of Eglin Parkway, the town’s main thoroughfare.

96 December 2014–January 2015

Some thought Shalimar would simply die This beautiful waterfront home on out after the war, but Senner Court fronts not Meigs. He had Lake Lorraine, which opens to the great ideas for the beaubay. For $949,000 tiful town on the bay you can enjoy this and bayou. On Dec. 4,491-square-foot home featuring a 31, 1944, The Atlanta pool, private dock Journal wrote about the with boat lift and golf car garage. members of the armed forces settling in the area: “I am glad they can have its peace and quietness, its unique charm … to help salve the mental wound of battle.” In Shalimar, military figures are much more likely to be lauded as celebrities. One of the most notable residents is surely George E. “Bud” Day, who died in July 2013. Day was a war hero who was taken as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. He earned the Medal of Honor for his valiant service and retired from the U.S. Air Force with the rank of colonel. He was befriended by many national political figures, including Arizona U.S. Sen. John McCain, a fellow POW.

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FLORIDA Florida closed 21,742 singlefamily home sales — 8,394 of which were paid in cash. 15,816 were traditional sales, 4,611 were foreclosures and 1,315 were short sales. Florida closed 8,900 townhouse and condo sales — 5,744 of which were paid in cash. 6,822 were traditional sales, 1,698 were foreclosures and 380 were short sales. NATIONAL Existing home sales decreased in August. The total sales for existing home sales was 5.05 million in August, down from 5.14 million in July. This represents a 5.3% decrease from August 2013. The national median existinghome price for all housing types was $219,800 in August, up 4.8% from August 2013. Compiled by Lynda Belcher

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in the neighborhood

Shalimar offers a range of options from townhomes and condos to single and multi-family homes. And if you want to build there are land and lots to be had. Average listing prices (at press time) are running $153 per square foot, making a typical 2,000-squarefoot single-family home just over $300,000. On the higher end, a three-bedroom, three-bath, 3,070-square-foot home overlooking the water on Lake Clyde is one of the highest listings at $899,950. This mid-century home features 330 feet of prime waterfront, a deepwater boat slip, custom dry sauna and the privacy of many shady live oak trees and lush shrubs. And, for those looking for a deal, there are still a number of distressed properties and government-owned properties for those seeking affordable housing. For our money, if you’re looking for a quiet life in small town USA, Shalimar is a safe bet. ec

Matt Burke

Shalimar incorporated in 1947 so that its residents could gamble legally at the Shalimar Club, but just as a major industrial complex was not to be near Garnier Bayou, gambling turned out to be an unlucky wager. Still, Meigs’ instinct to capitalize on proximity to Eglin turned out to be a safe bet. Today, Shalimar is home to hundreds of active and retired military. And though it didn’t become the “Las Vegas of the South,” Shalimar attracts couples and families to its many well-manicured neighborhoods because of its low-key, familyfriendly feel. Covering less than one square mile, Shalimar isn’t a large town. But with Shalimar Drive overlooking both the scenic Choctawhatchee Bay and several large, languid lakes, and with the town’s proximity to the newly revamped Shalimar Pointe Golf Course, the close-knit neighborhoods and well cared-for homes are appealing to a range of buyers.

Go to emeraldcoastmagazine.com for REAL ESTATE listings

Matt Burke

DEAL Estate

35 Senner Court, Shalimar

BEACHYBEACH.COM 850.231.3060

98 December 2014–January 2015

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John Cook/Coldwell banker United REaltors

DEAL Estate

just listed

79 Vista Bluffs Drive, Destin

Mediterranean-Style Home, Lakeside Appeal

By Lynda Belcher

n the Emerald Coast, the oft-quoted appeal of homes on the market centers on proximity to — or at least views of — the Gulf. There are also many other ponds and lakes situated just off the beaten path that offer comparable views. Then, there is the home that combines the best of both worlds — lakeside charm on one side and stunning Gulf views on the other. The home at 79 Vista Bluffs Drive in Destin is just such a gem. The Mediterranean-style structure has been custom-built to offer a wide range of creature comforts. The exterior of the home offers about as many amenities as the interior. Hurricane shutters provide protection from the storms that make their way up the Gulf every now and then. There is also a hot tub, in-ground heated swimming pool and covered patio. Moving inside, there are conveniences aplenty. There is a formal dining room with a Quick Look List Price: $1,450,000 butler’s pantry attached, replete with Square Feet: 4,436 wine cooler. The gourmet kitchen Bedrooms: 4 offers granite counters with a large Bathrooms: 5 breakfast bar, center island, upgraded Contact: John Cook stainless steel appliances, Wolf gas Coldwell Banker United range, two Fisher & Paykel dishwasher Realtors, (850) 582-0874 drawers, warming drawer and a large walk-in pantry. The kitchen space opens up into a casual dining area and large family room, which has cathedral ceilings, built-in bookcases and crown molding. The grand master suite is situated on the first level as well. There is a sweeping circular staircase that leads to the second floor, where another master suite is located. Spanning 17x14 feet, this room offers an attached bathroom with separate shower and garden tub. There are two additional guest rooms on this floor, as well as a room perfect for bunk beds and a media room in which to entertain. The media room also has a small wet bar, complete with sink, cabinet space and wine cooler. Despite the sheer number of features inside of the home, it is the lake views that truly add the sparkle. Situated a stone’s throw from Lake Destiny, this home has a span of stairs just off the lanai that lead directly to the lake’s edge. There is also a deck right on the lake. It works as a primary residence or even as a second or investment home option. ec

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DEAL Estate

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Mary Ann Windes/Real Estate Professionals of Destin

For a home that lasts, call us fast! Wet or Moldy Crawl Space?

4456 Clipper Cover, Destin

Beach Access + Quiet Street + Upgrades = Quick Sale at Full Price

By Lynda Belcher

hen the right home is matched with the right buyer, a home can sell in a matter of days (sometimes even hours). In this case, the home at 4456 Clipper Cover in Destin was sold within five days of its initial list. According to listing agent Mary Anne Windes of Real Estate Professionals of Destin, this happened for a few reasons. “As soon as we put it on the market, we received several offers,” she said. “A full priced offer procured the winning offer, and we closed the house 45 days later.” According to Windes, the home sold quickly for several reasons. “We did our research and priced it competitively,” she said. “The seller listened to our advice, made repairs in advance and had the home immaculate before we marketed it; and quite possibly the most important, when you first list a home, there are multiple buyers out there looking who haven’t found what they want yet. Most have already made offers, didn’t win and have gained wisdom from past failures. Quick Look When they see what they want, they act List price: $345,871 quickly, make offers close to or at asking Sale price: $345,871 Square footage: 1,371 price and they minimize the contingenBedrooms: 3 cies to make the offer more attractive.” Bathrooms: 2 Part of Phase Two of Crystal Beach Contact: Mary Ann Cottages, this home is situated on a quiet Windes, Real Estate street with no through-traffic. The beach Professionals of Destin, walkover nearby allows for easy access to (850) 837-2211 the beach; however, there is also a community pool within the neighborhood (with secure access for homeowners). Exterior features of the home include an outdoor shower with which to rinse off after a jaunt to the beach. There is also a wrap-around porch and plenty of large windows that allow lots of natural light into the home. The three-bedroom, two-bathroom space spans 1,371 feet and has had a number of upgrades in the last few years. These upgrades include new weather stripping, door bumpers, refrigerator, flooring and more. The home is also situated on high enough ground to avoid mandatory weather evacuations in most instances. The landscaping has also been revamped to be more low maintenance. ec

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101

habitat

Why Hire An

Interior Designer? A professional interior designer can create your dream home and in the process save you time, money and stress By Lis King

Locating Designers There are many ways to find a designer and form an impression of their work. Many have websites with photos of their work, and even on national sites like Houzz and the American Society of Interior Design, it’s easy to zero in on local designers. You can also visit show houses and model homes and read local home and garden magazines. Keep in mind that training varies. An interior designer typically has a degree in interior design and must be state certified. They can collaborate easily with engineers, contractors and architects. That’s important, warns the 102 December 2014–January 2015

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

randy lee photography

t looks so easy on those TV shows. First you see this dated, boring, cluttered or just plug-ugly room, or even a whole house. Then a designer comes to the rescue, and within an hour you see a transformed space: updated, everything in its place and wow factors galore. Wouldn’t you love to have someone like Vern Yip or Genevieve Gorder give your home a makeover? Well, you can. Hiring a professional designer isn’t just for the rich and famous or those selected for HGTV, and you don’t have to look far. There are plenty of excellent designers at work in the Emerald Coast area, and you may well find that hooking up with a professional designer can be very good for your budget. A designer can save you from making costly mistakes, explains the American Society of Interior Design, and he or she will help you find reliable contractors, selecting products and materials that meet your budget and design requirements. Rosanne Painter-Mass, ASID, an interior designer with the Tamarind Group, Miramar Beach, agrees. “Let’s say you’re building a house and just let the builder do the standard installations of electrical outlets,” she says. “Then when you place the sofa away from the wall, you realize that there’s no way to plug in a lamp near it. Correcting such mistakes will add up. This is why you need a furniture placement plan right from the beginning, plus a designer will keep an eye on contractors as the building progresses and visit showrooms for you. Think of the time and stress you’ll avoid.”

ASID, because interior design doesn’t just involve color, fabric, furniture and accessories. There are also practical and technical considerations such as lighting, acoustics, space planning, organization and storage, scale, fire safety and compliance with building codes. An interior decorator typically works with decoration, such as wallpaper, paint colors and furniture arrangements, and it’s possible that their style will suit yours perfectly, but he or she probably won’t have as much training as a designer. Compatibility Counts Keep compatibility in mind when you interview designers. Cassidy Lyons-Pickens, a designer with Lovelace Interiors in Destin, compares it to a good marriage. “The relationship between designer and homeowner is about

communication, trust and respect,” she says. “Homeowners should seek out a designer who makes them feel comfortable. Remember, you’re letting this person in to your personal space so, along with vetting the work, make sure your personalities mesh.” “And couples should work out disagreements before sitting down with the designer,” adds Ashley Harkins of Design Avenue, Destin. “We can be good sounding boards, but we don’t want to take sides in a battle.” She recommends that homeowners do their homework, such as combing through websites and magazines, so they can show the designer what they have in mind. “Also make a list of things in your home that you want to keep,” she says. “A good designer can absolutely incorporate the old with the new. Some people fear that they’ll end up with this crazy room that just isn’t them, but that

before

When Cassidy Lyons Pickens’ clients asked for a show house, they got it. The Lovelace Interiors interior designer transformed the out-of-date Santa Rosa Beach beach home by streamlining disjointed flooring, updating the lighting, and lightening the walls and cabinets with a fresh coat of paint. Commissioning an artist to design custom glass knobs, adding a shell fringe to the drapes and repurposing a rowboat into unconventional storage are just some of the specific design choices Pickens made to give the home the feel of a coastal retreat, which is exactly what the Texas homeowners hoped for. EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

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randy lee photography

habitat

fear will subside if they take the time to choose someone they trust and respect. “Do homeowners ever present an idea that doesn’t thrill me? Of course, and I might try to talk them out of it gently, but ultimately it’s their home, and while we designers hope they’ll allow us to ‘stretch’ them at least a little, it’s our job to make the most of their wishes.” Painter-Mass urges homeowners to ask for referrals. “Talk to previous clients to find out if they’re happy with the designer,” she says. “Was the project finished on time and within budget?” What Does It Cost? Interior designers and decorators may charge a fee based on the size of the project, an hourly fee of from $35 to $250 an hour, a percentage of the project cost or the wholesale price of a project plus markup. Free decorating and design services are available from many furniture and home remodeling stores when you buy their products. Home Depot, for example, provides a comprehensive kitchen design if you buy cabinets there. Ethan Allen is another retailer offering gratis design services. 104 December 2014–January 2015

A true bargain is hiring a designer for a consultation. For around $200, you can get a professionally conceived color scheme, learn how to place the furniture to the best advantage and what new pieces to add when the budget permits. Painter-Mass feels that one of the smartest things that homeowners on a limited budget can do is hire a designer to create a plan for them. “This way they can phase in their projects intelligently,” she explains. “That means they won’t make costly mistakes along the way.” Keep in mind that designers and decorators often receive trade discounts on the products they buy for your project, and while some will pass on part of the savings to you, others may mark up the costs despite the discount. So insist up front that you want to know what you’ll be charged for furniture and other items before they’re purchased. And, of course, make sure all budget details are included in the contract you sign before the work begins. Clarify what services the designer will provide, how you will be billed and the projected time frame. ec

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

before

Pickens’ relishes the opportunity to rethink a room. This bathroom received a total makeover. New plumbing made it more functional, while streamlining the wood flooring and color palette connected the space to the rest of the home; and incorporating carrera marble both behind and on the tub helped to create a “cleaner look” that better fit her clients’ needs and personalities.

NOW OPEN!

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;January 2015

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f.y.i.

Your Online Afterlife What happens when you’re gone?

By Domonique Davis

eeping online account information protected is a must in a technological era where personal and confidential information can be easily accessed virtually. However, you can’t take those eight-character, clever passwords with you when you go. Estate planning can be a difficult task, especially when determining what is actually considered an asset. In today’s cyberoriented society, online or digital assets, may be just as important to a person’s estate as a stock portfolio or homestead are. Digital assets include social media accounts, digital photos, email and online banking accounts and records. Many online companies have been known to honor contracts with users even after death. They will not release account information to a deceased person’s friends or family in an effort to maintain the terms and agreements established when the account was created. Automatic bill pay, for example, can theoretically keep tapping your bank account long after you’re gone or, at least, until your money is. “It’s important to make sure your online bank and shopping accounts, even your social media, can be closed out, or that your loved ones are authorized to access them,” said Hillel Presser, author of “Financial Self-Defense.” “You may ask, ‘Why would I care if I’m gone?’ I can tell you from experience: because it can create real headaches, and more heartache, for your family.” According to Terrance Dariotis, an Emerald Coast-based wills, trusts and estate attorney, some online accounts such as bank accounts and investment accounts are treated as probate assets. To determine the rightful heirs to these assets, the deceased person’s estate will be subject to a probate court proceeding. “If it is an online bank account or online investment account, that account would most likely become a probate asset unless the

106 December 2014–January 2015

account was a joint account or allowed a ‘pay on death’ beneficiary,” Dariotis explained. He added that though it is possible for the state to be given access to your accounts during probate proceedings, it is highly unlikely. Often, family members gain access to a deceased relatives online bank accounts and investment accounts. “If you have an online banking account it is very rare that the state will get it during probate. Depending on your situation — whether you’re married or have children — your assets will probably go to someone in your family,” Dariotis said. Recovering other digital assets, however, may be a more challenging ordeal for living relatives. If a person’s passwords were not made readily available to others before they

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

die, recovering his or her account information could be impossible. In some cases, a court order may be granted that allows a family the rights to a deceased family member’s possessions, which would include all of the person’s assets and records. Things get complicated, however, when trying to determine if the deceased person wanted their online accounts to be accessed. For that reason, various companies implement different policies for dealing with a deceased user’s account. Hotmail will provide relatives with a CD of all the messages in their loved one’s account given they provide a death certificate and proof of power of attorney. Google launched a product called Inactive Account Manager that allows users to

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108 December 2014–January 2015

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f.y.i. specify what happens to their data — which includes email from Gmail accounts, videos in YouTube, pictures in Picasa and documents on Google Drive — after they have been inactive for various lengths of time. After three, six or 12 months of inactivity, users can request that their data be deleted. However, with social networking accounts things work a little differently. Facebook, for example, will follow a family’s wishes to take down a deceased user’s profile or “memorialize” it by removing features like status updates and letting only confirmed friends view the profile and post comments. Twitter will deactivate the account of a user who has died if a confirmed immediate relative can provide proof of death. Most of the headaches that may arise from trying to access a loved one’s account after they’ve died can be prevented by discussing their wishes beforehand. Legal experts now encourage people to specify in their wills what they would like to happen to their online accounts after they’re gone. Presser suggests that perhaps the simplest way to ensure your online life is taken care of is to appoint a digital executor — a tech-savvy person who will be willing and able to carry out your wishes. Authorize the person to access your inventory of log-in information and spell out what you want done with each account, whether it’s providing access to loved ones or business partners, or deleting it. As an estate attorney, Dariotis advises people of all ages to specify in their wills whom they would want their assets to go to, even if the asset is simply a password. “If you die without a will, you’re single and your assets go to your parents it might not be a big deal,” Dariotis said. “However, when you’re married and you want someone other than your spouse to receive assets, How to Manage it’s important to have your Digital Afterlife a will because you can name the beneficiary.” >> Understand the procedures He added that when that the various online accounts you use will creating a will people implement after you die. can be as specific or general as they’d like. Using >> Take advantage of features generic terms that will on your accounts that allow you to specify what entrust a person with happens to accounts. your accounts would suffice in most situations. >> Discuss with loved ones “You don’t have to be what you’d like to be done with your online accounts really specific. You can beforehand. use generic terms in your will that name someone >> Name a beneficiary to your a beneficiary of various online accounts in a will. assets, including online accounts,” Dariotis explained. “A young or unmarried person may or may not need to have a will, depending on different factors. But it never hurts to have one.” The digital world has grown and transformed so rapidly, the law hasn’t kept up, which makes managing your digital afterlife challenging, Presser added. “Until there are more consistent laws and procedures governing this area, it’s best to plan ahead, leave clear instructions and be sure you have a list of accounts where your estate lawyer or a loved one can find it and access it,” he said. “It will make a world of difference to your survivors.” ec

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flavor

The Magical Root Spicy and Soothing, Ginger Puts a Zing in Your Family’s Meals By Chay D. Baxley

110 December 2014–January 2015

ou might not know it, but ginger — yes, shimmering, grossly bulbous, wonderfully pungent ginger — has a pretty spicy history. Indigenous to southern China, ginger came to the western world on the carts and ships of exotic spice dealers roughly 4,000 years ago. Boasting fanciful tales of their aromatic bounty, merchants were able to charge a premium for the dried and often powdered root, attributing its rarity to the cruel dispositions of the “winged beasts” who guarded it. Not surprisingly, the delicious combination of intrigue and tingling flavor quickly catapulted ginger into the hearts of many, establishing it forever as the darling of the spice trade. After a few centuries, the Spaniards figured out how to cultivate the stuff, and voilà (or, more appropriately, ¡y ahí está!) — today, we’re able to have year-round access to this warming, spicy treat. But despite residing in our pantries for eons, many domestic cooks still view this mysterious, lumpy root as nothing more than an accent to Asian cuisines. “Ginger is a very flavorful and fragrant ingredient

EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

to use in some things,” explained Chef Ruston Johnson of Destin’s Ruth’s Chris Steak House, admitting that its powerful zing might not be to everyone’s liking. “But I love ginger.” If considering incorporating fresh ginger into an upcoming meal, look for a long and relatively smooth piece with minimal nubs. The smoother the exterior, the easier it will be to peel and slice. Remember to slice against the grain (or lengthwise) for a cleaner cut. In addition, please note that all ginger is not created equally. As a result, sometimes improvisation is required. Ginger isn’t just fun for our taste buds. Recent research proves it’s actually good for us. And health care professionals are taking notice, too. “Certainly the known benefits (deal with) nausea, morning sickness in pregnant women and motion sickness,” explained Heather Fisher, a dietician with Florida State University’s Health Promotion. “Those are commonly known. The ones that are receiving more evidence in literature would be for improvements with symptoms from osteoarthritis pain, rheumatoid arthritis and muscle and joint pain in general.”

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A good alternative to many of our more disadvantageous seasonings (yes, salt, we’re talking about you), ginger is often recommended for people subscribing to a dietary approach to stop hypertension plan (commonly known as DASH diets) to boost their flavor factor without ginning up their sodium intake. For the calorie conscious, ginger is also an easy substitute. The root’s hot, almost peppery flavor tends to weaken as it’s cooked. Once reduced, the softer texture lends itself to variety of recipes — from artisan libations to seafood entrees, vegetarian and vegan dishes and gourmet desserts. “Green smoothies are very, very popular now,” added Cristin Burns with the New Leaf Market Co-op. “People are using it to get more of their daily fruits and vegetables, specifically leafy greens. A lot of green smoothies incorporate greens, fresh ginger and lemon juice. It’s real bright and refreshing … and the ginger adds a little kick. And there’s certainly a digestive component to that.” ec

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Chef Shawn Higgins

Marlin Grill

Chef Ruston Johnson

Ruth's Chris Steak House

Chef Jack McGuckin

Bistro Bijoux Destin

Pastry Chef Denise Wilson Highlands House Doors open at 6 p.m.

$30 per person

Social Hour, Hors d' oeuvres, Dessert Tasting and Voting, Awards, Silent Auction and Entertainment by Shades of Blue All attending can vote for their favorite dessert.

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Gingered Beet and Apple Salad Ingredients 1 pound beets, peeled 1 apple ¼ cup carrots, peeled ½ cup fresh parsley, minced 2 tablespoons apple cider 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced 2 tablespoon olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Directions Using the shredding blade of a food processor or a grater, shred the beets, apples and carrots. Mix well with the remaining ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or refrigerate to let flavors blend. Recipe courtesy of New Leaf Market and strongertogether.coop

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Restaurant

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112 December 2014–January 2015

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dining Alys Beach

George’s at Alys Beach American. Seafood, burgers and sandwiches at the perfect beachy-casual spot. Open daily 11 a.m.–3 p.m. and 5–9 p.m. 30 Castle Harbour Dr., 850-641-0017. $$ l D

Blue Mountain Beach

The Key The restaurants that appear in this guide are included as a service to readers and not as recommendations of the EC Magazine editorial department, except where noted. ★ B l D

Best of the Emerald Coast 2014 Winner Breakfast Lunch Dinner Outdoor Dining Live Music

CELEBRATE DELICIOUSLY give generously

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Inexpensive Moderately Expensive $$$ Expensive

Grecian Gardens Restaurant Mediterranean. Traditional Greek cuisine served in an open-air atmosphere perfect for special occasions or parties. Open daily 11 a.m.– 9 p.m. 3375 W. Hwy. 30A, 850-267-3011. $$ l D Marie's Bistro & Bar Mediterranean. Enjoy made-to-order seafood, steak, pasta as well as sushi in a casual atmosphere. Dine in, carry out, drive through and catering. Full bar. Serving lunch 11 a.m.–2 p.m., Tues–Fri and dinner at 5 p.m. Tues–Sun. 2260 W. County Highway 30A, 850-278-6856. $$ l D Blue Mountain Beach Creamery Ice Cream. Homemade ice cream, sorbet and frozen yogurt treats. Open daily 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Cash only. 2129 S. County Highway 83, 850-278-6849. $$

Destin

AJ’s Seafood & Oyster Bar ★ Seafood. Choose from fresh local seafood, sandwiches, pasta, chicken or specialty dishes like the oysters Eugene or Rockefeller. Open daily 11 a.m. 116 E. Hwy. 98, 850-837-1913. $$ l D Another Broken Egg café ★ Breakfast. Breakfast all day, plus sandwiches, patty melts, specials, soups, salads and desserts. Open daily 7 a.m.–2 p.m. Closed Mondays. (Open Memorial and Labor days.) 979 E. Hwy. 98, Suite F, 850-650-0499. $ B Boathouse Oyster Bar Seafood. Discover Destin’s best-kept secret. Come here for ice cold beer, raw oysters, award-winning gumbo and a great view of the Destin Harbor, and leave with a signature T-shirt from the gift shop. Open daily 11 a.m.–2 a.m. 288 B Harbor Blvd., 850-837-3645. l D Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House ★ Seafood. Located on the beautiful Destin Harbor, this seafood spot will spoil you with spectacular sunsets, sensational Gulf-to-table Southern cuisine (including award-winning oysters!) and family-friendly service all in a fun, relaxed, casual atmosphere. Open daily at 11 a.m. 414 Harbor Blvd., Destin, 850-424-7406. $$ l D Callahan’s Restaurant & Deli ★ American. Voted Best Locally Owned Restaurant 2008–2013, Callahan’s serves up great sandwiches, seafood specials and prime rib. Mon–Sat 10 a.m.–10 p.m. 791 Harbor Blvd., 850-837-6328. $ l D CRAB ISLAND CANTINA Mexican. Latin-inspired Mexican cuisine in a casual waterfront dining atmosphere offering the best views of Destin Harbor. Mon–Thu 11 a.m.– 10 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.–9 p.m. 2 Harbor Blvd., 850-424-7417. $$ l D Destin Ice Seafood Market & Deli ★ Gourmet Takeout. Everything you need for a fresh and delicious meal. Choose from fresh fish and seafood items, pastas, salads and side dishes, Buckhead meats, decadent deserts and an assortment of wines, cheeses, spices and more. Open daily 8 a.m.–7 p.m. 663 Emerald Coast Pkwy., 850-837-8333. $$ l D Dewey Destin’s HarborSide ★ Seafood. One of Destin’s most popular restaurants serves up charm and award-winning seafood in a quaint house overlooking the scenic Destin Harbor. Open daily 11 a.m.–8 p.m. 202 Harbor Blvd., 850-837-7525. $$$ l D

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SPARKLING WINE DECEMBER 18

dining Dewey Destin Seafood Restaurant & Market ★ Seafood. True local charm in an outdoor setting and some of the freshest seafood around. Open 11 a.m.– 8 p.m. 9 Calhoun Ave., 850-837-7575. $$ B l D Graffiti Italian. Traditional Italian favorites and house specialties like seafood pizza. Mon–Thu 5–9 p.m., Fri–Sat 5–10 p.m. 707 E. Hwy. 98, 850-654-2764. $$ D Harbor Docks ★ American. A local’s favorite, this family-owned and operated surf-andturf restaurant overlooking the Destin Harbor offers breakfast, lunch and dinner and the best sushi on the Emerald Coast. Open daily 5 a.m.–11 p.m. 538 E. Hwy. 98, 850-837-2506. $$ B l D HARRY T’S ★ Seafood. Lounge on the beautiful patio and watch the passing boats as you enjoy an endless variety of delicious dishes. Mon–Thu 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Sun 10 a.m.–10 p.m. 46 Harbor Blvd., 850-654-4800. $$ B l D Jackacuda’s Seafood & Sushi Seafood. Fresh seafood, sushi, salad, sandwiches and more served in a casual atmosphere overlooking the Destin harbor. Enjoy live music and Sunday brunch. Open daily from 11 a.m. Sunday brunch at 10 a.m. 56 Harbor Blvd, HarborWalk Village, Destin. 850-424-3507. $$ l D Jim ’N Nick’s Bar-B-Q ★ Barbecue. Southern smokehouse barbecue. Beer and wine. Open daily 11 a.m. 14073 Emerald Coast Pkwy., 850-351-1991. $ l D Johnny O’Quigley’s American. Award-winning steak, seafood and barbecue in one of Destin’s favorite sports bars. Mon–Thu 11 a.m.–midnight, Fri–Sun 11 a.m.–1 a.m, Double Happy Hour Mon–Fri 3–6 p.m. and 10 p.m.–close. 34940 Emerald Coast Pkwy., 850-837-1015. $ l D Margaritaville American. Escape to Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville for island-inspired food, fun and the “it’s five o’clock somewhere” mentality. Open daily from 11 a.m. 76 Harbor Blvd., HarborWalk Village, Destin. 850-460-7700. $$ l D Marina Café American. Gourmet pizzas, Creole and American cuisine. Open daily 5–10 p.m. 404 E. Hwy. 98, 850-837-7960. $$ D

rbor

...on the ha

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Mimmo’s Ristorante Italiano Italian. Mimmo’s is the new hot spot in Destin for authentic Italian dishes bursting with flavor and color. Enjoy happy hour at the full bar serving authentic Italian cocktails. Catering available. Open Mon–Fri 11 a.m–10 p.m., Sat–Sun 5–10 p.m. 979 Highway 98, Suite 5, 850-460-7353. $$ l D Osaka ★ Japanese. Known for its sushi but serves a variety of dishes, including chicken, steak and seafood. Lunch 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m., Dinner 5–10:30 p.m. 34845 Emerald Coast Pkwy., 850-650-4688 or 850-650-4689. $$ l D Pepito’s ★ Mexican. Voted Best Mexican on the Emerald Coast, locals love Pepito’s for its authentic Mexican cuisine and mouthwatering margaritas. Happy Hour specials all day Mondays, including small rocks margaritas and all beer and well drinks for $1.99. Open daily 11 a.m.–10 p.m. 757 E. Hwy. 98, 850-650-7734. $$ l D

ing uneiqnuues Featurh nig tly m

Gum

ts bo • Sandwiches • Steamed Seafoo d • Fried Seafood Baske

...overlooking Crab Island

Ruth’s Chris Steak House ★ Steak and Seafood. New Orleans-inspired appetizers, desserts and award-winning wines. Mon–Sat 5:30–10 p.m., Sun 5:30–9 p.m. Silver Shells Resort. 1500 Emerald Coast Pkwy., 850-337-5108. $$$ D Sarah k’s gourmet Gourmet Takeout. Chef-crafted, ready-to-heat cuisine. Jumbo lump crab cakes and fresh chicken salad are the house specialties. Open at 11 a.m. 34940 Hwy. 98, 850-269-0044. $ l D Tuscany Italian Bistro Italian. Northern Italian cuisine featuring choice meats, fresh seafood and garden vegetables. Tues–Sun 4 p.m.–close. 36178 Emerald Coast Pkwy., 850-650-2451. $$ D

Open 7 days a week • 11AM -‘Til 9 Calhoun Ave., Destin • 837-7575 BOATERS WELCOME! EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

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a taste for ...

Ingredients 2 cups black beans 3 cups of water, or enough to cover beans plus 2 inches ¼ teaspoon oregano ¼ cup of olive oil 1 onion, diced 1 large green pepper, diced small 1 small jar finely diced pimento 6 cloves of garlic, minced 1 bay leaf 2 teaspoons salt ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper ¼ cup dry sherry ¼ cup of red wine vinegar

Saige Roberts

Preparation: Can be made in pressure cooker or Dutch oven.

Nochebuena

A Cuban Take on Christmas Eve Dinner

very family has its own way of enjoying the holiday season. Celebrations can vary across cultural backgrounds, religions and even television preferences. (Festivus, anyone?) My family still observes the traditional Cuban Nochebuena dinner on Christmas Eve, albeit modified a little. Traditionally, the meal centers around a lechón — pork roasted whole over hot coals. Since there are only three of us, my family goes for a smaller pork roast. Side dishes and desserts vary, and there are numerous options to choose from, including tostones (small discs of fried plantain with salt), amarillos (sweet plantain, baked to tender perfection), yucca and flan (a baked, syrupy custard). But my family’s favorite is a big, traditional plate of frijoles negros — black beans, served over rice. Nochebuena is celebrated throughout a large portion of Latin America and Spain. Common features are the midnight Mass and a post-Mass feast (for those who maintain the religious side of the holiday). Nochebuena fare can vary by region: Peruvians often serve turkey and tamales, while the Spanish often finish their meal with turrón (toasted sweet almond nougat). Here’s my family recipe for the lechón’s side dish, black beans, which actually makes a tasty, nutritious meal any day of the year. — By Laura Bradley

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The night before: Rinse the beans, removing any that are shriveled and making sure there are no stones (some beans have not been prewashed). Soak the beans in enough water to cover the beans, plus 2 inches. Add half of the green pepper (remove pulpy center and seeds). The beans should soak at least 8 hours. If you’re in a time crunch, you can bypass the soak by boiling the beans for 30 minutes without the green pepper, but it’s not the best. Before cooking, drain the beans, setting the inky water aside. Keep the green pepper and dice with remaining half to use as indicated below. Heat the pressure cooker or Dutch oven and, when hot, briefly toast the oregano in bottom. Be careful to not let it burn. As soon as it is toasted, add olive oil, onion and garlic. Sauté. When onion begins to look translucent, add green pepper and cook until tender, then add the pimento. Stir briefly. Add the beans into the sauté mix, stir for a few minutes and then add the water. The reserved water may need to be added to make a full 3 cups for pressure cooker, OR enough to cover the beans plus 1 inch in a Dutch oven. Add the bay leaf, dry sherry and vinegar. Mix well. Pressure Cooker: Cook at 15 pounds pressure

for 35–40 minutes. Turn off heat and let the pressure go down on its own.

Dutch oven: Bring to boil and simmer for

2 hours or until tender. Let beans rest awhile before serving.

Note: It’s preferable to make the beans the day before, then reheat. Just prior to serving, add a little red wine vinegar and olive oil and stir. Serve atop rice with chopped onion and cilantro, if desired. It’s also great on yellow rice or served with avocado.

dining Fort Walton Beach

Aegean Restaurant ★ Greek. Savor the flavors of the Mediterranean at this authentic Greek restaurant. Mon–Sat 10:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m. 1259 Eglin Pkwy., Shalimar, 850-613-6120. $$ l D Benjarong Thai Cuisine & BBQ Thai and Barbecue. Barbecue, chicken, ribs, steak and spicy Thai food. Lunch and dinner Mon–Sat 11 a.m.–9 p.m. 251 Mary Esther Blvd., 850-362-0290. $$ l D The Black Pearl Steak and Seafood. Dig into some coconut shrimp and a juicy steak while enjoying a lovely view of the Gulf. Located in The Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island. Open daily 4 p.m. 1450 Miracle Strip Pkwy., 850-833-3016. $$ D Bon Appetit French Bakery & Café ★ French. Delicious made from scratch French pastries, croissants and crusty breads. Soup, salads and sandwiches served 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Mon–Fri, Sat 7:30 a.m.–2 p.m. Closed Sun. 420 Mary Esther Cutoff. 850-244-2848 Buffalo’s Reef Famous Wings ★ American. This restaurant is famous for hot wings and cold beer. Ask about the daily specials. Tue–Sat open at 10:30 a.m., Sun open at noon. 116 Eglin Pkwy., 850-243-9463. $ l D Clemenza’s Uptown ★ Italian. Award-winning classic Italian cuisine and wood-fired pizza. Parties, special events and private dining. Full-service bar and espresso bar. Open Mon-Fri for lunch, Mon-Sat for dinner. 75 Eglin Pkwy. 850-243-0707 $$ B l D Helen Back Pizza. The world’s finest hand-tossed pizza and cold beer in a sports bar atmosphere. Locations in Pensacola, Navarre, Crestview and Valparaiso. Open daily 11 a.m.–4 a.m. 114 Amberjack Dr., 850-796-1451. $lD Magnolia Grill Steak, Seafood and Italian. Steak, seafood, pasta, soups, salads and desserts. Lunch Mon–Fri 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Dinner Mon–Sat, open at 5 p.m. Closed Sun. 157 SE Brooks St., 850-302-0266. $$ l D Mama Clemenza’s European Breakfast ★ European. This award-winning breakfast is culinary perfection. Enjoy a diverse menu of authentic Old World family recipes. Sat 8 a.m.–noon, Sun 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Clemenza’s Uptown, 75 Eglin Pkwy. 850-243-0707. $$ B Pandora’s Steak and Seafood. Early evening specials weekdays 5–6 p.m. Happy Hour weekdays 5–7 p.m. Weekdays 5–10 p.m. Weekends 5–11 p.m., 1226 Santa Rosa Blvd., 850-244-8669. $$$ D Pranzo Italian Ristorante Italian. The Montalto family has been serving classic and contemporary Italian cuisine in Fort Walton Beach for nearly 30 years. Dinner Mon–Sat, 5 p.m. 1222 Santa Rosa Blvd., 850-244-9955. $ D Sealand Steak and Seafood. Serving American cuisine as well as Thai offerings in a homey atmosphere. Lunch Sun 11 a.m. until. Dinner Tues–Sat from 4:30 p.m. 47 SE Miracle Strip Pkwy., 850-244-0044. $$$ B D

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The original, award-winning wood-ﬁred pizza and classical Italian cuisine

Grayton Beach

Another Broken Egg café ★ Breakfast. Breakfast all day, plus sandwiches, patty melts, specials, soups, salads and desserts. Open 7:30 a.m.–2 p.m. Closed Mondays. (Open Memorial and Labor days.) 51 Grayton Uptown Cir., 850-231-7835. $ B Pandora’s Steak and Seafood. Warm, traditional steakhouse with early evening specials. Weekdays 5–10 p.m. Weekends 5–11 p.m. 63 DeFuniak St., 850-231-4102. $$ D Picolo’s restaurant Seafood. Dine on delicious fresh seafood while listening to live music. Open daily 11 a.m.–3 p.m. and 5–10 p.m. 70 Hotz Ave., 850-231-1008. $$ l D

fatclemenzas.com 850.650.5980 Lunch M–F 11–2 · Dinner M–Sat 5–9 12273 US Hwy 98, Miramar Beach EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2014–January 2015

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dining

Red Bar ★ American. A favorite among locals, visitors and celebrities and a must-visit when in Grayton Beach. Kick back on the funky furniture and listen to live music while enjoying great food and cocktails — especially the award-winning Bloody Mary. Breakfast 7–10:30 a.m., Lunch 11 a.m.–3 p.m., Dinner 5–10 p.m. Bar open 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–midnight. Cash or check only, no credit cards. 70 Hotz Ave., 850-231-1008. $$ B l D Trattoria Borago Italian. Enjoy a balsamic-laced pork tenderloin or pan-seared grouper from the open kitchen. Open 6 p.m. daily. 80 E. Hwy. 30A, Grayton Beach, 850-231-9167. $$ D

Miramar Beach

Aegean Restaurant ★ Greek. Sip an ouzo at the beautiful stone bar before savoring the flavors of the Mediterranean at this authentic Greek restaurant. Breakfast 8–11 a.m., Lunch 11 a.m.–4 p.m., Dinner 4–9 p.m. 11225 Emerald Coast Pkwy., 850-460-2728. $$ B l D Another Broken Egg Café ★ Breakfast. Award-winning breakfast all day, plus sandwiches, patty melts, specials, soups, salads and desserts. Open daily from 7 a.m.– 3 p.m. Two Sandestin locations: On the Bay (next to the LeCiel at Sandestin) and in The Village of Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin, (in the Village) 850-622-2050. $ B Bistro Bijoux ★ Steak and Seafood. Coastal cuisine with a New Orleans flair. Fresh seafood daily. Featuring our signature dish — “Black Skillet” filet mignon topped with a tempura-fried lobster tail. Open daily 5–10 p.m. Village of Baytowne Wharf, 850-622-0760. $$$ D Cantina Laredo ★ Mexican. Boasting a contemporary décor and fiery flavor, the new addition to Grand Boulevard offers gourmet twists on Mexican favorites. Save room for dessert, and check out the Sunday brunch. Sun–Thu 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–11 p.m. 585 Grand Blvd., 850-654-5649. $$ B l D Elephant Walk ★ American. Enjoy attentive service, excellent continental cuisine, a dynamic wine list and panoramic views of the Gulf. Serving lunch seasonally and dinner daily 5–10 p.m. Beachside at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, 9300 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W., 850-267-4800. $$$ l D Fat Clemenza’s ★ Italian. Feel like part of the family as you enjoy homemade classical Italian cuisine. Lunch Mon–Fri 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Dinner Mon–Wed 5–9:30 p.m., Thu–Sat 5–10 p.m. Holiday Plaza/Hwy. 98, 850-650-5980. $$ l D Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar ★ Steak and More. This award-winning restaurant offers prime steaks, chops, chicken, seafood, fresh salads and a variety of unique sides and desserts served in a comfortable but elegant atmosphere. Featuring 100 wines by the glass. Open Mon–Thu 5–10 p.m., Fri–Sat 5–11 p.m., Sun 4–9 p.m. 600 Grand Blvd., 850-269-0830. $$ D John Wehner’s Village Door Bayfront Restaurant & Nightclub ★ American. Rock your evening with dinner and dancing on the best dance floor on the Emerald Coast. Village Door Smokehouse with seating on deck overlooking the bay serving barbecue and seafood daily 5–9 p.m. The Village of Baytowne Wharf, 126 Fisherman’s Cove. 850-502-4590. $ D Marina Bar and Grill American. Seafood, po-boys, burgers, salads overlooking the Baytowne Marina and Choctawhatchee Bay. You catch ’em we cook ’em service. Open daily 11 a.m.–7 p.m., Breakfast Sat–Sun 8–11 a.m. Kitchen closed Mon–Tue. Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, 9300 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W., 850-267-7778. $ B l D Marlin Grill ★ Steak and Seafood. Fresh seafood, steaks, salads and appetizers served inside or outside. Open nightly at 5 p.m. Village of Baytowne Wharf, 850-351-1990. $$$ l D 118 December 2014–January 2015

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dining P.F. Chang’s China Bistro ★ Asian. Sample crunchy lettuce wraps or Chinese favorites like Kung Pao Chicken in a chic atmosphere. Open Sun–Thu 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–11 p.m. 10640 Grand Blvd., 850-269-1806. $$ l D Pepito’s ★ Mexican. Voted Best Mexican on the Emerald Coast. Authentic Mexican cuisine, delicious margaritas and weekly specials. Open daily 11 a.m.–10 p.m. 11225 Hwy 98, 850-269-7788. $$ l D Poppy’s Seafood Factory Seafood. Enjoy fresh seafood, steak and poultry dishes with a view of the bay. Open 11 a.m.–9 p.m. daily. Village of Baytowne Wharf, 850-351-1996. $$$ l D Royal Orchid ★ Thai. Escape to Thailand at this authentic Thai restaurant. Sink into a traditional sunken table surrounded by pillows or dine American style at a table or booth. Thu–Tue 11 a.m.–9:30 p.m. Closed Wed. 11275 Emerald Coast Pkwy., 850-650-2555. $$ l D Seagar’s Prime Steaks and Seafood ★ Steak and Seafood. Premium steak, fresh seafood and caviar. Open 6 p.m. daily. Hilton Sandestin. 4000 S. Sandestin Blvd., 850-622-1500. $$$ D Tommy Bahama’s Restaurant & Bar Caribbean. Get a taste of the islands with jerk spices, fresh fish and the best desserts on the coast as voted by readers of Emerald Coast Magazine. Open Sun–Thu 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–midnight. 525 Grand Blvd., 850-654-1743. $$ l D Vin’Tij Wine Boutique & Bistro American. Traditional favorites and unique house dishes. Open daily 11 a.m.–midnight. 10859 W. Emerald Coast Pkwy., Suite 103, 850-650-9820. $ l D

Niceville/Valparaiso

Compass Rose Restaurant and Bar Caribbean. Waterfront dining overlooking Tom’s Bayou. The cuisine is coastal with a Caribbean-West Indies flair. Enjoy Happy Hour, daily specials and Sunday brunch. Tue–Thur 11 a.m.–9 p.m.,Fri 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Sat 4–10 p.m., Sun 10 a.m.–3 p.m. 303 Glen Ave., 850-389-2125. $$ l D One 20 A Modern Bistro American. Modern American cuisine specializing in seafood, steaks and local fresh produce. Lunch Tue–Fri 11 a.m.–3 p.m., Dinner Tue–Sat 5–9 p.m., Brunch Sun 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Closed Monday. 120 Partin Drive N., Niceville, 850-729-2120. $$ B l D Pepito’s ★ Mexican. Locals love the authentic Mexican cuisine, margaritas and all-day Monday Happy Hour special. Open daily 11 a.m.–10 p.m. 4585 E. Hwy 20, Suite 100, Niceville, 850-279-4949. $$ l D TradeWinds Italian. A cozy favorite among locals serving heaping portions from old family recipes. Enjoy a number of pasta variations as well as seafood, chicken, veal, steak and thin crust pizza. Expansive wine and beer list. Reservations required. Open Tue–Sat 5 p.m. 205 Government St., 850-678-8299. $$ D

Santa Rosa Beach

Basmati’s Asian Cuisine & Sushi Asian. Asian dishes and full sushi bar. Open 4 p.m. daily. 3295 W. Hwy. 30A, 850-267-3028. $$ D Café Bolo ★ American. Gourmet coffee, sandwiches, soups, pastries and cakes on beautiful Scenic 30A. Open daily from 7 a.m. 4368 County Road 30A, 850-267-2060 $ B l Café Tango American. Seafood, poultry and pasta served with specialty sauces. Homemade desserts. Open Tue–Sun 5–10 p.m. 14 Vicki St., 850-267-0054. $$$ D Fish Out of Water Restaurant Continental. Southern coastal cuisine with an Asian flair: tuna, 120 December 2014–January 2015

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crab cakes, shrimp and scallops. 5:30–10 p.m. daily. Located in the WaterColor Inn, 850-534-5050. $$$ D Louis Louis American. The only thing that isn’t over the top at Louis Louis is the menu pricing. The Moulin Rouge-inspired interior décor is outrageously wonderful. Dine outside or in. The menu has six tasty items, including crab cakes, panned chicken, blackened fish and a few pastas. Mon– Sun 5–10 p.m. 35 Mussett Bayou Rd., 850-267-1500. $ D The Marigny ★ Creole. Enjoy authentic New Orleans-style cooking inside at linen covered tables or poolside on the covered patio lounge. Serving lunch and dinner daily 11 a.m.– 9 p.m. Enjoy the bar until midnight. 306 Bald Eagle Drive, 850-622-9101. $ l D VKI Japanese Steak House & Sushi Bar Asian. Using the freshest ingredients this Japanese gem serves up tasty Hibachi-style stir-fry meals of steak, seafood and chicken prepared at your table as well as artfully prepared sashimi and sushi rolls. Open daily. Lunch 11 a.m.–3 p.m., Dinner 4:30–9:30 p.m. 4552 Highway 98, Santa Rosa Beach, 850-267-2555. $$ l D Vue on 30a American. Seafood, beef, poultry, lamb, veal, pastas, soups and bisques. Open Tues–Fri 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m., Wed–Sat 5–9 p.m. 4801 W. Hwy. 30A, 850-267-2305. $$ l D

Seaside & Seagrove Beach

Angelina’s Pizza & Pasta Italian. Authentic homemade pizza pie and Italian dishes in a casual atmosphere. Lunch and dinner daily: 11 a.m.–9:30 p.m. 4005 E. Hwy. 30A, 850-231-2500. $ l D

Ft. Walton Beach’s Favorite Wings Since 1990!

BEST WINGS 2010–2014

Bud & Alley’s Restaurant American. A pioneer of farm- and sea-to-table dining serving fresh seafood, steak and vegetarian dishes. Famous bell ringing tradition with Happy Hour specials daily at sunset overlooking the Gulf. Open 11:30 a.m. Mon–Fri. Roof bar open 11:30 p.m.–2 a.m. in summer. 2236 E. Hwy. 30A, 850-231-5900. $$$ l D

Café Thirty-A Seafood. Seafood, lamb, duck, filet mignon and pizza. Open daily 5 p.m. 3899 E. Hwy. 30A, 850-231-2166. $$ D Crush American. Crush features an extensive wine menu, sushi and small plates. Open daily for lunch and dinner, noon–10 p.m. 25 Central Sq., 850-468-0703. $$ l D

Classic Italian & Wood-Fired Pizza Lunch & Dinner Monday through Saturday

European Breakfast Saturdays & Sundays

Great SOuthern Café Southern. Jim Shirley serves up Southern comfort food with a twist. Open daily for breakfast 8–11 a.m., lunch 11 a.m.–4 p.m., dinner 4–11:30 p.m. 83 Central Sq., 850-231-7327. $$ B l D La Botana Tapas. Small plates of Latin-inspired cuisine served in a casual but elegant atmosphere. Wine bar. Lunch and dinner Mon–Fri 4–11 p.m., Sat–Sun 11 a.m.–11 p.m. 4281 E. Hwy. 30A, 850-231-0716. $$ l D La Cocina Mexican Grill & Bar Mexican. Traditional Tex-Mex with a coastal twist. Open daily 11 a.m.– 3 p.m. and 5–9 p.m. Bar open until 10 p.m. 10343 E. Hwy. 30A, 850-231-4021. $$ l D Old Florida Fish House and Bar Seafood. Rustic seafood restaurant featuring a new take on old seafood favorites. Full bar. Dinner daily 5 p.m. 5235 Hwy. 30A, 850-534-3045. $$ D V Seagrove Restaurant Seafood. Chef David Cunningham serves up fresh seafood and produce that is locally sourced in a resort casual atmosphere. Open Tue–Sat at 6 p.m. Closed Sundays. 2743 E. County Highway 30A, Seagrove, 850-468-0973. $$$ D Seagrove Village Market Café Steak and Seafood. Enjoy surf-and-turf and a glass of wine, then shop for gifts and souvenirs in the adjacent gift shop. Open 10:30 a.m.– 8:30 p.m. daily. 3004 S. County Rd. 395, 850-231-5736. $$ l D ec

The Tradition Continues (850) 243-0707 • 75 Eglin Parkway, Fort Walton Beach

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the last word

Shop ’Til You Drop

(A Few Unwanted Pounds) By Katie Johnson

Hoof it. Park your car as far as possible from the store of your choice and get moving. There are approximately 4,750 linear feet of sidewalk stretching from one end of Silver Sands Premium Outlets to the other. If you power walk from end to end and back, it’s almost two miles. Keep up a 3-mph pace and you could potentially burn an extra 400 to 600 calories during your shopping extravaganza. Plus Silver Sands Premium Outlets has 110 designer and name brand stores, so you’ll burn even more just walking through a few of them. The more you buy, the more you burn. The holidays are the ideal time to shop with so many amazing deals to be found. Not only do stores have holiday sales, you can always find other ways to save even more. For example, many shops and centers have sign-up programs that provide free access to exclusive online offers or coupon books that will yield you still more savings. With all this

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extra cash, you can afford to buy more, which means you’ll get a better workout carrying all those bags. Instead of putting your bags into your car after each purchase, opt to carry them along the way to give yourself a better workout. Try a few bicep curls while you’re traveling from one store to the next, all the while thinking about that extra slice of pumpkin pie you’ve earned. Burn, baby, burn. Why waste money on a baby sitter when you can use those extra dollars to shop? You can enhance your shopping workout and enjoy some bonding time by wearing or pushing your baby. To maximize your workout, strap your little bundle of joy into a baby carrier and burn an extra 400 to 500 calories during your two-hour shopping excursion. If you’re looking for something a little less intense, opt to push a stroller, but keep those bags on your arms! Squat while you wait. Waiting in a long line to check out? These precious minutes can be used for squats. Remember, if you are holding all of your shopping bags or carrying your baby these count as weighted squats and are even better for building your quads, glutes and calves. Now that you know how to shop your way into those favorite pair of jeans, who’s ready to upgrade to a new pair? ec

Illustration by Rebecca Sumerall

inding balance around the holidays can be tough as you juggle work, family, parties, cooking, decorating and shopping, and all the while you want to stay fit. As a new mom, I have embraced the art of multi-tasking and a new motto that I recently saw on a T-shirt — Shopping is My Cardio — by shopping my way slim this holiday season. Use these easy tips to stay fit while you cross everything off your holiday shopping list.

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