Pensacola Magazine dec 2017 web

MERRY & BRIGHT

THE HOLIDAY ISSUE

HOLIDAY SPIRITS

Signature Cocktails that Celebrate the Season

HANDMADE HOLIDAYS

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business climate

Holiday Gifts Made with Love

THE SPIRIT OF GIVING

Giving Back to the Community

ON THE MARKEt

A Special Real Estate Section

DECEMBER 2017 • PENSACOLAMAGAZINE.COM

tArot, PSyChICS, heALerS, ANIMAL CoMMuNICAtorS, hyPNotherAPIStS, ShAMANS

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4 | pensacola magazine

Editor’s Note my two cents on the subject

Kelly Oden Executive Editor

How is it already December? This is the thought running through my mind these days. As a matter of fact, how is it nearly 2018? I remember being young and luxuriating in the slow pace of time. It seemed I’d be young forever—there was no need to rush anything.

And then, almost as though I was transported in time, I am 45, a mother, and a real adult—the in-between is a bit of blur, honestly.

But, wrinkles and all, I’m happy to be here to ring in yet another new year. The holiday season can be frantic and stressful, but it doesn’t need to be. This year, I plan to focus on the fun and the togetherness more than the commercial aspects of the holidays.

When I do purchase gifts, they will be thoughtful, meaningful and, whenever possible, local! And, I am going to as many of the lovely holiday events our community throws as possible. My daughter is nine and I may only have a few more years in which she will actually be interested in attending holiday events with her mom.

In that spirit, we’ve wrangled all of the best holiday and New Year’s events we could find. There’s always something fun going on in December in Pensacola, so we hope you join us at all of these fantastic, whimsical and heartwarming celebrations. Check out our holiday events on page 29 and our New Year’s shindigs on page 32.

If you’re throwing a little party of your own, be sure to add a

signature cocktail to the event. Jackson’s Steakhouse has graciously supplied four delicious holiday cocktail recipes that are sure to put you and your guests in the holiday spirit. Find them on page 17.

Also, if you’re struggling with all of the high-carb, high-sugar meals and treats on offer this season, check out Health Coach Jodi Brown’s no-nonsense advice for keeping healthy eating habits alive during the holidays.

And, speaking of shopping local, Hana Frenette has put together a lovely collection of local handmade items that will make excellent gifts for everyone on your list while supporting local artists at the same time. You can’t shop more local than handmade pieces from local artists!

Happy Holidays to all of our readers! May your days be merry and bright!

Top Left: Lola Oden and Santa at Winterfest, 2016.

Top Right: Lola Oden and Christian Martin at Winterfest, 2016.

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From everyday injuries and illnesses to life-changing care for complex conditions, we’ve been treating children in Northwest Florida for 20 years. And with locations in Pensacola, Fort Walton and Bonifay, we’ll continue to be here for your family for generations to come. © 2017. The Nemours Foundation. ® Nemours is a registered trademark of The Nemours Foundation.

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contents

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26 Features

HOLIDAY SPIRITS 17 Add some signature cheer to your holiday parties with these delicious seasonal cocktails.

THE SPIRIT OF GIVING 20

The holidays are the season of giving and what better way to spread goodwill towards man than giving back and donating to our local communities and charities.

HANDMADE HOLIDAYS 23 Check out the variety of amazing locally hand-crafted pieces available to you this gift-giving season.

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23 In Every Issue

HEALTHY HOLIDAY EATING

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HOLIDAY EVENTS

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Whether you have an autoimmune disease or just want to stay healthy, it's hard to avoid the holiday temptations of overindulgence. Health coach Jodi Brown offers practical tips to keep the holiday gluttony at bay.

Pensacola always delivers on holiday cheer. This year there is no shortage of opportunity to celebrate the season–Pensacola style!

RING IN THE NEW YEAR 32 2017 is almost over, and we've found some of the best places around the city to ring in 2018, whether it be a fancy ball or festive fireworks.

Editor’s Letter 6 Page 10 10 Pensacola 12 Scene Play/Live/Give 35 Our Storied 40 Past

Special Sections Business Climate 43 On the Market: 59 A Real Estate Section

On the Cover:

Photo by Allen Jones Courtesy of the Downtown Improvement Board

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MAGAZINE

DECEMBER 2017 Owners

Malcolm & Glenys Ballinger

Publisher

Malcolm Ballinger malcolm@ballingerpublishing.com

Executive Editor

Kelly Oden kelly@ballingerpublishing.com

Art Director

Guy Stevens guy@ballingerpublishing.com

Graphic Designer/Ad Coordinator Carly Stone carly@ballingerpublishing.com

Editor

Hana Frenette hana@ballingerpublishing.com

Assistant Editor

Tanner Yea tanner@ballingerpublishing.com

Editorial Intern Taylor Purvee

Contributing Writers DeeDee Davis Jodi Brown

Sales & Marketing Paula Rode, Account Executive ext. 28 paula@ballingerpublishing.com Geneva Strange, Account Executive ext. 21 geneva@ballingerpublishing.com

314 N. Spring St. | Pensacola, FL 32501 850.433.1166 | fax: 850.435.9174 ballingerpublishing.com Published by Ballinger Publishing:

magazine

Proud member of the

NW Florida’s Business Climate Magazine and Pensacola Magazine is locally owned and operated. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or use of the contents herein is prohibited without written permission from the publisher. Comments and opinions expressed in this magazine represent the personal views of the individuals to whom they are attributed and/or the person identified as the author of the article, and they are not necessarily those of the publisher. This magazine accepts no responsibility for these opinions. The publisher reserves the right to edit all manuscripts.

All advertising information is the responsibility of the individual advertiser.

Appearance in this magazine does not necessarily reflect endorsement of any products or services by Ballinger Publishing. Š 2017

Page10 with DeeDee Davis

Don’t snicker if you haven’t watched any of their holiday movies. The king of greeting cards stepped it up when they launched this channel.

It’s December. A time when all should be lovely in anticipation of Christmas and possibly a national football championship.

Peace, love, pom poms. But turn on any news and what do you get? Political squabbling, even within each party.

Sexual harassment charges de jour.

North Korea smack talk. It’s enough to make even the happiest among us turn reclusive.

But, there is an alternative. The Hallmark Channel.

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My husband, who comes home from work tired and occasionally grumpy, was hooked long before I was.

You see, there is a wonderful escape mechanism tied into the brilliance of Hallmark.

It’s even better than Disney World.

The stories are all pretty much the same. Winter setting, complete with snow, cityscapes, mountain retreats, gingerbread—you get the picture. All stories begin with a pretty girl who has an unworthy jerk of a boyfriend.

Something happens to put her in a setting where, lo and behold, she meets a great guy.

There is drama and then a happy ending. No violence, other than cookie snatching, no explicit sex, no cursing— and yet, they are wildly popular. I began watching with my husband and honestly didn’t pay much attention at first. I would do my usual multi-tasking during the 2-movies-a night marathon as I folded laundry, checked email, prepared for the next day, etc.

But then it happened. I was reading and heard the most pitiful sounds coming from the chair next to me. I looked over at my beloved, all comfy in his recliner, and saw the strangest thing. Tears were rolling down his face. Over a Hallmark movie. We aren’t talking Gone With The Wind here. We are talking about an evil developer who tried to take down Christmas land and put up condos, only to be outsmarted and overcome by the heir to the tree farm and the developer’s soon-tobe-ex-girlfriend. I looked at him in total disbelief, fetched him a tissue and watched as he feebly tried to recover from his emotional meltdown. Over a Hallmark movie.

I started paying attention and discovered that he was really on to something. Some of them are absolutely hilarious (Hitched for the Holidays) and all of them show relationships as happy, functional, and normal (whatever that is).

They are like taking the Andy Griffith show to a new level.

There is always an issue and it is always solved positively.

They are engaging enough that you don’t think about work or problems or Donald Trump.

You feel good and that is a good thing. There are even at

least two movies that are about football. Cheesy, yes. But who cares? I have gotten use to my husband sniffling away most nights as Candace Cameron Bure tries to share the Christmas in her heart with others. I can’t say that I have boo-hooed over a movie since Sleepless in Seattle, but I can confess that I am a bonafide Hallmark addict.

The Council on Aging will bring Christmas to so many seniors in our area, with heaters and Meals on Wheels.

A lot of this is possible due to the success of the annual Rat Pack Reunion, held at New World Landing. The Rats included Marianne McMahon, Nels Offerdahl, John Peacock, and Roger Webb. Each was roasted and toasted goodnaturedly and all to support the COA. The event, in its seventh year, was chaired by Charlie and Fran Switzer, as more than 350 guests attended the Sinatrastyle gala complete with big band and lots of glitz. Fred Levin; Phillip Morris; Teri Levin; Tom and Katrina Pace; Pete and Angela Moore; Steve Del Gallo and Jenn Cole; Sonya Daniel; John Clark; Lorenzo Aguilar; Flack and Kathleen Logan; Travis and Tara Peterson; and Carlette

Howell were among those at the party. The best charity auctioneer on the planet and CMA winner Brent Lane served as Master of Ceremonies.

It is always a pleasure to see good deeds recognized and applauded and that is exactly what the Association of Fundraising Professions did recently at the annual National Philanthropy Day awards luncheon at the Pensacola Grand Hotel.

The organization chooses individuals and organizations that have made lasting and significant contributions to this community through philanthropic efforts.

Keep Our Friends Safe Adopt-A-Manatee

®

President Shelly Nightengale welcomed the crowd before Mollye Vigodsky took over as Mistress of Ceremonies.

Among the winners this year were the Ambersley foundation, Baptist Health Care, Carol Carlan, Madrina Ciano, Harold Marcus, Pen Air Credit Union, and Sunday’s Child.

Congratulations to all of the nominees.

I hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years!

Call 1-800-432- JOIN (5646) savethemanatee.org Photo © David Schrichte

Could you be our next cover model?

GS IN D ETHD W VENTEEN SE D AN US TWO O IDAL A GUIDE TO BRBLISS BEAUTY &

LOVE REAL CO UPLES

FOUR AREA EIR LOVE, CELEBRATE TH LA STYLE PENSACO L 5 TRADITIONA K RULES TO BREA ON YOUR Y WEDDING DA

2017 WINNER MANISHA AGRAWAL

FEBRUARY

We’re looking for the perfect wedding model for the cover of Pensacola Magazine: Weddings 2018, and that model could be you!

OM AGAZINE.C NSACOLAM E|1 MAGAZIN 2017 • PE PENSACOLA

Submit up to three of your individual wedding photos (high resolution please) to Kelly@ballingerpublishing.com, and you could be featured on the cover of the February 2018 issue.

Editorial-style shots by your professional photographer are preferred.

For more information, visit www.pensacolamagazine.com or email us at the address above.

Please send us the photos by January 22, 2018.

pensacolascene 2017 rat pack reunion @ new world landing Travis + Tara Peterson

Michelle Morrison + Homer Jolly

Tracey + Mark Carpenter, Marilyn + Eric Gleaton

Glenys Ballinger, Gay Carter, Cheryl Stanovich, Gerri McAlpin + Raisa Webb

Esther + Ed Turner

2017 RAT PACK SPONSOR PARTY @ pALAFOX HOUSE

Val + Ray Russenberger, Tammy + Ben Renfroe, Marny + Don Needle, Tom + Martha Richard

Dee Licona + Brian Ranelli

2017 national philanthropy day awards LUNCHEON @ pensacola grand hotel

Martha Richard + Pat Windham

Patti Cantavespre, Lucy McLennon. Jenny + Ben Welu pensacola magazine | 13

FOO FOO FESTIVITIES For 12 days in November, Pensacola was a hotbed of creative activity. Live art, musical showcases, art festivals, the Blue Angels and much more.

Here are a few highlights of Foo Foo 2017.

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FOO FOO HAPPENINGS 1. Birmingham-based artist and Pensacola transplant Sarah Soule Webb at the Great Gulf Coast Arts Festival 2. Artist Jim McGie at work at the GGCAF 3. CUBED artists Veronique Zayas and Somi Choi. 4. James Floyd, Junkyard Luthier plays one of his creations. 5.

Holly Hamner and Hope Walker pose for a photo at the Great Gulf Coast Arts festival. 6.

Lola Oden and Jet Rosburg enjoys the demonstration planes at the Blue Angels Air Show.

7. Jones & Co. performing at the Jazz for Justice event. 8. Michele & FeFe Shamberger 9. Q-tip painter Sharon Cope. 10. Digeridoo Artist Inkalesh performing at the Great Gulf Coast Arts Festival. 11. Capt. Ryan Bernacchi gives a thumbs up to the crowd at the Blue Angels Air Show.

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HOLIDAY SPIRITS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON YOU'LL HAVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO MIX AND MINGLE WITH FRIENDS, FAMILY AND COWORKERS. ADD SOME CHEER TO YOUR FESTIVITIES WITH A SIGNATURE COCkTAIL THAT CELEBRATES THE SEASON. THIS MONTH, WE ASKED THE FINE FOLKS AT JACKSON'S STEAKHOUSE TO SHARE SOME DELIGHTFULLY DELICIOUS HOLIDAY COCKTAILS WITH OUR READERS. THEY GRACIOUSLY SENT OVER THE RECIPES FOR TWO DRINKS FROM THEIR WINTER MENU AND THEY CREATED TWO SPECIAL COCKTAILS JUST FOR OUR READERS. THIS YEAR, SPICE UP YOUR HOLIDAY GATHERINGS WITH A COCKTAIL CRAFTED JUST FOR THE SEASON!

Courtesy of Jackson's Steakhouse Photos by Guy Stevens

pensacola magazine | 17

The Not So Mistletoe ½ oz. Grand Marnier ¼ oz. Cranberry Juice ¼ oz. House-made Rosemary Simple Syrup 1 Sugar Cube 1 dash Angostura Orange Bitters 4 oz. Piper Sonoma Sparkling Wine Garnish: Rosemary Sprig or Orange Peel Glass: Champagne Flute Combine Grand Marnier, Cranberry, and Rosemary Syrup in mixing tin and stir with ice – place sugar cube in bottom of champagne flute, then add a dash of orange bitters – strain the chilled mixture from tin into flute, then top with Piper Sonoma – garnish with a rosemary sprig and an orange peel

Sunset Mule 1 ½ oz. Grey Goose Pear Vodka 1 ½ oz. Pear Nectar ½ oz. House Citrus ½ oz. House-made Peppercorn & Ginger Simple Syrup 2 dashes Bittermen’s Boston Bitters 2 oz. Ginger Beer Garnish: Pear Slice Glass: Tall/Highball Combine all ingredients (excluding the ginger beer) in mixing tin and shake with ice – strain into tall/ highball glass over ice, then top with ginger beer & and roll once – garnish with a pear slice

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The Ol' Saint Croix Swizzle 1 oz. Bacardi Silver 1 oz. St. Germain 1 oz. Fresh Squeezed Citrus 1 oz. Simple Syrup ½ oz. Bitter Truth Golden Falernum 4 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters 7-10 mint leaves (depending on size) Garnish: Mint Sprig Glass: Tall / Highball or Beer Glass Combine mint, citrus, and simple syrup in mixing tin, & muddle - then add all spirits & short shake (with no ice) – pour contents into glass, then gently add crushed ice (fill to top) – add dashes of bitters on top for layered color effect - garnish with mint sprig

Old Pensacola 1 oz. Flor de Cana 7-year Rum ½ oz. St. George Pear Brandy 1 oz. Apple Cider ¼ oz. Fresh Squeezed Citrus ½ oz. House-made Cinnamon Bark Syrup Garnish: Lemon Twist Glass: Rocks Combine all ingredients in mixing tin and shake with ice – strain into chilled martini glass and garnish with a lemon twist

pensacola magazine | 19

The Spirit of

Giving Back

By Tanner Yea

The holidays are a time to reflect back on all we have and all we can be thankful for, but not everyone can enjoy that privilege.

Even in our own communities, poor and underprivileged people of all ages will go hungry, cold and sick in a season that should be a time of plenty and happiness. The holidays are also the season of giving, though, and what better way to give than to help the less fortunate have a happy holiday? We’ve listed some great organizations—both local and national—for charitable giving that will help make sure everyone has a warm and happy holiday season.

Ronald McDonald House Charity Auction The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Florida spend the whole year aiding sick children and their families, but this year they are doing something special for Christmas. On Dec. 9, Ronald McDonald House will be hosting a charity auction to raise money for the organization.

The auction will feature over 40,000 pieces of classic McDonald’s memo20 | pensacola magazine

rabilia—from Happy Meal toys to bedsheets to life-size statues of McDonald’s characters and everything in between. The collection, valued at around $200,000, was collected by Bill and Pat Poe up until Bill’s death in 2008.

Lauren Stimmel, the event manager of Ronald McDonald House, said she is glad the expansive collection landed with them, as the owners both loved the House and this gives the House an opportunity to honor them. The event is open to the public, and will be held on Dec. 9 at 6 pm at the De Luna Winery, located at 116 E. Gonzales St. For more information, visit rhmc-nwfl.org.

Tree of Lights Arc Gateway Arc Gateway is holding their 18th Annual Tree of Lights Ceremony on Dec. 14. Every year, more than 300 lights are lit on Arc Gateway’s massive Christmas tree – each one bought with a donation to honor, thank or remember a friend or loved one. There will also be cookies, hot cocoa and a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. Caroling will be provided by The Arc Gateway Choir, featuring members of the Pensacola Children’s Chorus.

This event and all its proceeds go towards benefiting The Arc Gateway, whose continuing mission is to provide services and aid to provide the best possible life experiences for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Tree of Lights Ceremony will take place on Dec. 14 at the Pollak Training Center. For more information, visit arc-gateway.org.

Right: A sampling of the items on offer at the Ronald McDonald House charity auction on Dec. 9 at De Luna Winery.

Toys for Tots Foundation Toys for Tots is one of the biggest and most wellknown charity organizations to appear during the holidays. The program is sponsored by the US Marine Corps Reserve, who collect new, unwrapped toys leading up to Christmas to give as gifts to less fortunate children in the community. Originally started in 1947, the program has grown expansively, distributing over 15.6 million toys to 7.2 million children in their 2013 season through 760 local campaigns across every state, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Pensacola’s program has eight drop-off locations across the city, making donating as easy as buying a toy or two and dropping it in their signature bins to be collected. You can also choose to make a direct donation to Toys for Tots to help in their mission. Toys for Tots will be collecting toys from October to December, and even the smallest toy can make the biggest difference. For more information on Pensacola’s drop-off points, visit toysfortots.org.

Manna Food Pantry Manna Food Pantry is another well-known charity that allows you to help your local community. Their mission is “to offer emergency food assistance, service the food-related needs of vulnerable populations, and engage the entire community in the fight against hunger,” throughout the Escambia-Santa Rosa area. In 2016, Manna Food Pantries helped 21,129 people, with the majority of the recipients being children, seniors and military service members. They’ve helped through their programs such as their pantry services, backpack programs and Gulf Coast Kid’s House. You can choose to donate food, pick from a list of their most needed items on their website, or directly donate money to their cause. Nearly a quarter of children in Escambia-Santa Rosa do not have enough to eat, and Manna Food Pantries helps ensure that everyone will have full stomachs this holiday season. For more information, visit mannahelps.org.

One Warm Coat Florida has a reputation for its warm weather, but the cold winter nights creep up unexpectedly and the chill of the water can leave many shivering without warmth. One Warm Coat, a national non-profit organization, hopes to alleviate that. Formed in 1992, One Warm Coat is dedicated to providing a free, warm coat to any person in need of one. Since its original formation, over 27,000 coat drives have provided 5 million coats to those in need across the US and North America. Even if you just donate monetarily, every $1 helps provide two coats for those in need. Sims Orthodontics in Pensacola, in partnership with One Warm Coat, will be holding their coat drive throughout the end of December, so be sure to drop off any new or gently used coats there to aid our local residents in need. For more information, visit onewarmcoat.org.

GiveDirectly East Africa sadly remains one of the poorest regions on the planet, and sometimes funding to aid organizations does not reach those who need it the most. GiveDirectly goes around this, however, by giving funds directly to a person in need and monitoring how it is spent. Operating in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, GiveDirectly targets areas of extreme poverty and wires funds directly to their residents. Each recipient household receives around $1000—enough for a year’s budget—and GiveDirectly monitors exactly how that money is used to make sure it goes to projects to help

improve the lives of the beneficiaries. This charity accepts donations year round, but now is a great time to give to those who truly need it. For more information, visit givedirectly.org.

Holiday for Heroes Holiday for Heroes, hosted by the American Red Cross, offers a chance to bring cheer and hope to both active service military and veterans. Originally known as Holiday Mail for Heroes, the focus of the event has changed— both to better target local communities and because, thankfully, less and less of our troops are being deployed overseas. That said, the classic postcard to a veteran or active service member is always an option. These cards can be delivered to the Red Cross Northwest Florida Chapter at 222 N Baylen St. These will go towards our local servicemen and women to let them know how much we appreciate what they do for our community. For more information, visit redcross.org.

Council on Aging The holidays can be especially tough on seniors in the Pensacola community, as many may not have the ability to visit their families or support themselves. The Council on Aging of West Florida helps solve this problem by offering a wide array of services for seniors. Monetary donations go towards supporting Meals on Wheels, providing in-home companionship with a Senior Companion, maintaining their Adult Day Health Care or educating primary caregivers. If you want to take a step up, volunteering allows you to get a hands-on experience not only helping Pensacola seniors, but bringing joy and excitement to fill their lives. Council on Aging is always looking for donations and volunteers, so consider signing up today. For more information, visit coawfl.org.

Rotary Tree of Remembrance Rotary International is dedicated to bringing together professional and business leaders together to help with humanitarian aid, and this year Pensacola’s chapters will be putting on the Rotary Tree of Remembrance. From Dec. 3 - 24, you can visit the Rotary Tree of Remembrance at Cordova Mall, and with a small donation, can place a name or message on the tree in remembrance or in honor of a loved one. Each donation will benefit organizations like The Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart, Gulf Coast Kid’s House and Covenant Hospice. Not only does this event allow you to improve the Pensacola community, but it also creates the opportunity to pay tribute to those dear to us in a dignified and honorable way. For more information, visit pensacolarotaryclub.org. pensacola magazine | 21

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Handmade Holidays Looking for a special gift for that special someone? Don't worry, we've got you covered.

Curated by Hana Frenette Photography by Guy Stevens

When you're out and about searching for the perfect gift for your loved ones, don't forget about the variety of amazing local handcrafted pieces available to you. Pensacola is an eclectic and artistic city filled with artists, makers, and crafters who provide a wealth of gifting options around the holidays. We've compiled a spread of some of our favorite pieces from local painters, potters, screen printing and letter press printers, jewelry makers, wood carvers and beauty product creators to bring you a handmade holiday gift guide. Grab one of these items at the Palfaox Market, the artist's studio or their Instagram account and rest assured your gift was made with love by the hands of a fellow Pensacolian.

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1. Darling Concepts, hand painted sign, $32.50. 2. Letterpress Holiday Gift Tags (set of 6), Charlotte Mason Print Co., $10. 3. Modern neutral tone round plates, Soft Earth, $22. 4. Facial toner and french clay mask, Lacuna Botanicals, $18 and $22. 5. Hand painted Florida ornament, Yesternow, $14. 6. Gold hammered hoop earrings, 24 |Muffy pensacola and Trudy,magazine $32. 7. Porcupine Quill Hoop Earrings, Keep Away From Cats, $25. 8. Custom Painted Christmas Ornament, Darling Concepts, $18.50. 9. Screen

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16. printed Mini Prints, Workweek Studios, $7. 10. Floral painted dish with gold rim, Yesternow, $17. 11. Bronze wheat necklace, Keep Away From Cats, $25. 12. Hand painted bee ring dish, Yesternow, $14. 13. Gold and Crystal Earrings, Muffy and Trudy, $62. 14. Duly Noted notebook, Charlotte Mason Print Co. $12. 15. Porcupine Quil pensacola magazine | 25 Earrings, Keep Away From Cats, $25. 16. Letter Press Christmas Card, Charlotte Mason Print Co., $6. 17. Hand carved large wooden cutting board, Pensacraft, $67.

Healt hy Holiday Eating by jodi brown

I have an autoimmune thyroid disease called Hashimoto’s. What I eat can either make or break my ability to function on a day-to-day basis. While many folks look at me and think I “look” great (weight loss is a major bonus when you remove inflammatory foods from your diet), I still struggle many days to make sure I keep things in check by not eating foods that will trigger an inflammatory cascade in my body.

With a preponderance for all things inflammatory (food, booze, stress), holiday celebrations and the foods that come with them can be tough to navigate. Family and work related events will be plentiful. There are three major threats to your success: Parties, parties and parties…

WORK There are likely going to be a lot of work-based holiday events. It’s an important time to network and connect outside of the traditional dayto-day environment. Don’t miss these opportunities to shine. When you have a glow on because you are taking care of yourself, people will notice.

The American Autoimmune Related Disease Association estimates that 50 million Americans have an autoimmune disease and that 75 percent of those afflicted are women (aarda.org). That’s close to one in five Americans. Autoimmune disease occurs when the body mistakenly identifies healthy cells as foreign invaders and attacks them.

FAMILY & FRIENDS Those closest to you may not be crazy about “your diet,” but they are usually the most understanding—or at least you’d hope they’d be. Call whoever is hosting this year’s events and quell their fears about what to prepare for you. Tell them you’ll gladly bring a dish to contribute to the dinner and that you’ll also be bringing along a salad for yourself to enjoy with whatever meat they are serving for their planned meal.

Inflammatory foods are a major trigger for those of us with any one of the over 100 classified autoimmune diseases. Many people don’t clearly understand that their specific disease is, in fact, autoimmune. Some examples of well known autoimmune diseases are lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s, Graves, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s Disease, IBD and celiac disease.

No one wants to be worried about preparing food for you unless they are getting paid to do so. Planning a gathering is a big enough hassle and having to prepare a separate dish for you won’t be a welcomed extra task.

Be the bigger person and make the call ahead of time.

Many of us trying to calm down the inflammation in our bodies follow the autoimmune protocol (AIP), a diet and lifestyle program designed to reduce inflammation in the body. The food component requires that we remove inflammatory foods in order to calm the immune system and to keep the body from attacking itself. What are the foods that cause the most inflammation in the body? Gluten, dairy, soy, corn and processed foods—basically, the foods that are the backbone of the standard American diet (aptly referred to as SAD).

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Here are some tips for getting through the muck and mire that looms during the holiday dining season.

Always have food packed and ready to go. The holidays are a time of general indulgence and healthier food options are usually scarce. At the very least, have a cooler on hand with a few snacks. A green smoothie, apples, jerky, or carrots and guacamole can beat back a case of “hangry.”

Cranky is never pretty.

Healt hy Holiday Eating Never go to an event hungry. Ever. That’s just setting yourself up for disaster. Depending on logistics, you can eat beforehand or bring your own food. Sometimes offices will bring in sandwich platters, starchy salads and desserts. On days like this, you can break open your cooler and enjoy your food with everyone else. If you aren’t comfortable carrying your own meal, eat before you go and have a snack in the car or under your desk for later on. You’ll need it, trust me.

Workplace pot lucks Make one of your favorite compliant dishes. Show people that your dietary restrictions might seem complicated but that you enjoy some great and tasty options. Have a salad packed just in case. Many folks are curious about what we are doing and times like these are great educational opportunities. You never know who has an autoimmune disease and might gain benefit from hearing your story. If necessary, Pinterest is chock full of AIP friendly holiday recipes.

Restaurants Go online and check their menu options. As a chef, the last thing I want to do when ordering out is to throw a wrench into what’s happening in the kitchen. If you are going someplace that takes reservations call ahead and let them know you are coming. Find out what their offerings are and ask them to make note of your food preferences on your reservation. The kitchen staff hates being caught off guard trying to accommodate one unexpected person when they are already busy trying to get food into a dining room full of guests.

Don’t be that guy or gal. You’ll always get a better meal if they can plan ahead for your needs.

Parties Table after table of bad food choices lurks behind the glitter and glitz of the holiday season. Stick to the crudités, green salads, fresh meats (not cold cuts), fruits and vegetable side dishes. Remember, eating before you go always helps.

Booze Sparkling water with a splash of juice and a wedge of fruit is my go to holiday beverage. Not drinking is not as big a deal as it used to be.

There’s always enough to beat ourselves up with during the holidays.

Try not to make yourself feel worse by making bad food choices.

You've got this—I know you do.

About the Author Jodi Brown helps people with autoimmune disease improve their health outcomes through dietary and lifestyle changes.

She does one-on-one coaching and group education. You can learn more at AutoimmuneCEO.com.

SautÉed Kale 2 tbsp. organic coconut oil 1 medium onion – diced 1 tbsp. minced garlic (more if you love it as much as I do) 2 bunches of kale, leaves pulled from stems, palm sized pieces – approximately 16 cups 2 tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice (1 – 2 lemons) 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar 2 tbsp. water ½ tsp. sea salt Black pepper to taste Heat a large pot to medium and add coconut oil and onion and sauté until almost soft, clear and slightly browned. Toss in the garlic about 3-4 minutes after starting the onion.

Cook for 2 minutes then add 8 cups of the kale and stir the greens every 30-60 seconds until wilted and reduced by half.

Add remaining kale, and repeat tossing as above until reduced by half. Finish with lemon juice, vinegar, water, sea salt and pepper to taste. Cover and turn on low until it reaches your desired texture. I like mine with a little bite in it. Others like their greens softer. Enjoy hot or cold.

pensacola magazine | 27

OWA’S DOWNTOWN DISTRICT

NOW OPEN A WORLD CLASS DEVELOPMENT BY

28 | pensacola magazine

Christmas Events

T

is the season to enjoy the mirth and merriment of our wonderful community. Pensacola goes all out for holidays, so I all of our community should go out and enjoys the shows. As an added bonus, mosy of these beloved events support local charities and nonprofits.

Happy Holidays TO YOU AND YOURS!

By Taylor purvee

A Christmas Carol

University of West Florida’s Theatre Department is putting on its 11th annual production of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” Jerre Brisky, Director at the Center for Fine & Performing Arts at UWF, noted, “This theatrical and spirited version puts the phantasmagoric qualities of Charles Dickens' classic tale center stage. A swirling, dancing chorus of ghosts weaves through this uplifting holiday story of redemption, magic and hope.”

The Theatre Department will be performing Dec. 1, 2, 8 and 9 at 7:30 pm and on Dec. 3 and 10 performances will run at 2:30 pm. For tickets and information call 850.857.6285 or visit uwf.edu/cfpa. Tickets are $18 for adults, $14 for Seniors/Active Military, $12 for NonUWF Students and $6 for Youth (18 and under). UWF students get in free with a valid Nautilus Card. pensacola magazine | 29

Ballet Pensacola: The Nutcracker

Ballet Pensacola is bringing the enchantment of “The Nutcracker” to the Saenger Theatre Dec. 15, 16 and 17. Ballet Pensacola invites you to come along with Clara as she dreams of her Nutcracker Prince. Based on a story by E.T.A. Hoffmann, with music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, this holiday favorite includes a cast of over 125 people. Richard Steinert, the production’s Artistic Director and choreographer, noted, “Each year brings new surprises and changes as Clara begins her journey though the magical Land of the Sweets. “The Nutcracker” is a great way to get into the holiday spirit!” Tickets are available for purchase for through Ticketmaster or in person at the Saenger Theatre Box Office. For more information, visit balletpensacola. com or call 850.432.9546.

Winter Wonder Ride

If you’re looking for something athletic this holiday season, the 2nd Annual Winter Wonder Ride is right up your alley. Winter Wonder Ride is a five mile slow bike ride through downtown Pensacola and all the money raised from the ride will be used to purchase bikes for children in need in Northwest Florida. There is no age limit on this event and the purchase of a ticket allows you access to the post-ride celebration in Seville Square following the ride. For more information on this event, visit their Facebook or find them at eventbrite.com.

Harry Potter Yule Ball

Vinyl Music Hall and Pensacon are partnering to bring this magical Christmas event to Pensacola. The Harry Potter Yule Ball will be held at Vinyl Music Hall on Dec. 16 at 7 pm for Potter fans 18 years and older. Guests can expect a costume contest, wizarding world inspired drink specials, photo ops and a video DJ. Vinyl encourages visitors to come in their best Hogwarts attire whether that is full formal wear or simply a Harry Potter t-shirt. For entertainment, the live band Dumbledore’s Army will perform, as well as live painters, Marcy Moon and Gabe Smith. Chris Wilkes from Vinyl stated, “Our live painters always add so much to the event. And the fact that they both let us auction off those paintings at the end of the night to raise money for Manna Food Bank—even more amazing.” Whether you’d live out your Hogwarts dream or donate to a good cause, the Harry Potter Yule Ball is the perfect event this Christmas. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to vinylmusichall.com.

Winterfest

Of course, Winterfest is one of the biggest holiday events of the season. From Polar Express mini tours and caroling trolley rides, to hanging out with Santa and experiencing snow in the streets, Winterfest is the ideal place for children, visitors and locals this holiday season. Activities for the event will take place from Nov. 17 to Christmas Eve on select dates—check out the Winterfest schedule on pensacolawinterfest.org for more details on when and where to go for specific activities.

30 | pensacola magazine

Pensacola Children’s Chorus: Christmas on the Coast Pensacola Children’s Chorus will once again perform their seasonal favorite “Christmas on the Coast” on Dec. 8, 9 and 10 at the Saenger Theatre. Alex Gartner, Artistic Director of PCC says, “It’s a Broadway-style production, complete with sets, costumes, lights, sound, and the lot. The sound audiences experience will be far beyond the stereotypes the label of ‘children’s choir’ denotes.” This performance brings a mixture of classic holiday carols and new favorites to audiences. Gartner noted “Christmas on the Coast” is often among finalists for Best Annual Event and is the perfect holiday event for the whole family. For more information, call 850.434.7760 or visit pensacolachildrenschorus.com.

Wonderland of Lights

The Pensacola Interstate Fair is hosting the Wonderland of Lights this year from Nov. 23 – Dec. 30. This event is sure to get you in the holiday spirit with almost a mile drive of stunning Christmas light displays and Santa’s village—an indoor holiday market with activites and treats for the whole family. In Santa’s Village, visitors can ride ponies and camels, get photos with Santa, and of course, there will be a ton of holiday treats available as well.

Tickets for the Wonderland of Lights include admission to Santa’s Village Holiday Marketplace and can be purchased at the event or online. For more on prices or to purchase tickets, visit thewonderlandoflights.com.

2017 Cox Pensacola Christmas Parade

Blue Angels; 50,000 people; 90 parade entries and bands from all across the tri-state area—The Cox Pensacola Christmas Parade is one of the biggest Christmas events in the area and it is one you do not want to miss. All profits of the Cox Pensacola Christmas Parade go to local high school band booster organizations. The parade will be held on Dec. 9 at 5:15 pm, immediately following the Christmas Parade Dash sponsored by the Pensacola Runners Association. The event is free and open to the public.

pensacola magazine | 31

RING IN THE NEW YEAR

By Tanner Yea

Ella Fitzgerald and many others famously asked “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” In Pensacola, that can be quite a conundrum.

Between the private parties, dinner reservations and fireworks shows, the Gulf Coast has a wealth of choices when it comes to ringing in 2018. We’ve gathered a selection of standout events for New Years, ranging from the casual and familyfriendly to black tie decadence and elegance. Any of these will help you ring in the New Year right, just make sure you have your resolution written down and a kiss when the clock hits midnight.

Happy New Year!

Pensacola Symphony Orchestra Presents: Celebrate the New Year Swing into 2018 with the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra as they perform "Celebrate the New Year" on New Year’s Eve. Legendary vocalist Dee Daniels will be accompanying the orchestra as they perform some of the hits from greats like Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Ray Charles.

The early showing allows you to experience the grandeur and excitement of the orchestra, and still have time to ring in the New Year 32 | pensacola magazine

and raise a toast at midnight. The show starts at 7 pm at the Saenger Theatre, with tickets starting at $23. For more information and to buy tickets, visit pensacolasymphony.com.

New Year ’s Eve Fireworks A holiday celebration would not be complete without the traditional New Year’s Eve fireworks show. For Pensacola, not much beats the Pensacola Beach fireworks, put on by the Pensacola Beach Chamber of Commerce. Launched from Casino Beach and starting at 8 pm, the awesome light show can be seen as far away as downtown Pensacola.

Whether you are watching from a blanket on the beach or out from across Palafox Pier, the show will be sure to dazzle. For more information on the fireworks, visit pensacolabeachchamber.com

The Gatsby Girls Annual Speakeasy & Charity Event The Krewe of the Gatsby Girls is set to hold the Fourth Annual Speakeasy Ball and Charity Event at the Museum of Commerce.

Described as a ‘black tie affair with a laissezfaire attitude’, the event is sure to dazzle the senses and bring in the New Year in style.

Featuring local DJs, outside entertainment, open bars, signature drinks, and of course hours of dancing. There is also an exclusive private party area for VIP ticketholders only.

A portion of the proceeds for the event will go towards supporting the Gulf Coast Kids House, which helps fight child abuse in Escambia County. Attendees must be 21 years or older to attend, and tickets start at $85.

Jackson’s Steakhouse Celebrates New Year ’s Eve Sometimes the best way to celebrate the New Year is a subdued, elegant evening of delicious food and fine wine. Jackson’s Steakhouse will bring in the New Year with style as Chef Irv Miller presents a decadent three-course meal and bottomless champagne. The meal begins with appetizers like Anjou pear roasted with Gorgonzola cheese or a Gulf Coast seafood stew featuring the best of our waters.

Entrees follow with Gulf red snapper, boudin-stuffed veal or New York prime strip; and the evening is topped off with chocolate stracciatella gelato or a sweet potato and pecan tart. The event has two seatings at 7 pm and 9 pm, so make sure to reserve a table as each year’s celebration has sold out. To reserve your table, visit jacksonsrestaurant. com.

Flora-Bama New Year ’s Eve Bash Flora-Bama knows how to throw a party, and their annual New Year’s Eve party will not disappoint. Featuring music on all three of their stages, the good times and champagne are set to flow all night. A ticket to the event gets an all-you-can-eat buffet, free breakfast sandwiches after 12:30 am, free champagne split, party favors, a souvenir huggie and surprises all night long. The party begins at 7 pm and lasts until midnight, but it will be a night to remember.

Tickets start at $40, with an additional $10 door charge for partiers between 18 and 20 years old. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit floabama.com.

Reelin’ in the New Year At The Wharf If you’re headed towards Alabama for New Year’s Eve, why not get in on the street party at The Wharf in Orange Beach? The Reelin’ in the New Year Street Party is an all day event at the intersection of Main Street and Marlin Circle.

Starting at 5 pm, DJs and activities for the kids will kick the party off right. From 6 to 9 pm, the Live Oak Band will rock the stage, followed

by Creativity from 9 pm to midnight. Once the clock strikes 12, enjoy the Marlin Drop and a dazzling fireworks display! Admission to the event is free, though some kids activities have a modest admission. Make sure not to miss out on one of the best street parties around. For more information, visit alwharf.com.

New Years Eve at Skopelos Skopelos has always known how to put on a lavish party, and New Years Eve will be no different. The event will feature an open bar and champagne toasts, as well as The Red Field band performing for all the revelers on the dance floor. After midnight, stick around for a midnight breakfast buffet by the awardwinning Skopelos culinary team. Pre-sale tickers start at $125, but VIP tickets are parties of six or more are $175 per person and include a private table, hors d’oeuvres and an open bar.

The party starts at 9 pm and goes all night. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit skopelosatnewworld.com.

pensacola magazine | 33

with Tracy Silverman, electric violin

with Westwater Arts:

Symphonic Photochoreography

BARBER Overture to The School for Scandal

SAINT-SAENS Piano Concerto No. 5 “The Egyptian”

R. STRAUSS Suite from Der Rosenkavalier

CURIALE Awakenings

RAVEL La Valse

Dvořák Symphony No. 9

COPLAND Suite from The Tender Land

CELEBRATE ALL YOU THE NEW NEED IS LOVE A BEATLES YEAR!

TRIBUTE with Classical Mystery Tour

2.10.18 7:30PM

GINASTERA Dances of Estancia BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5

The Classical Mystery Tour returns to perform the legendary music of the Beatles, live in concert with the Pensacola Symphony.

BERLIOZ Symphony Fantastique and more to be announced

Te Deum for the Empress Maria Therese Symphony No. 100 “Military”

RUSSIAN

4.7.18 7:30PM

with Gil Shaham, violin

For Season Tickets Call 850.435.2533

34 | pensacola magazine

with Guest composer

SILVERMAN The Kiss and the Chaos Incidental Music for Il Distratto KENJI BUNCH Cello Concerto Embrace in C Major

with Dee Daniels, vocalist Dee Daniels brings her swing, soul, and blues inspired program celebrating Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Peggy Lee, and more to ring in the New Year with us!

4.28.18 7:30PM

Scott Kluksdahl, cello & UWF Singers

HAYDN Depiction of Chaos, from The Creation

MARQUEZ Danzon No. 2

OPTIONAL ADD-ON

BERLIOZ Roman Carnival Overture

12.31.17 7:00PM

1.13.18 7:30PM 7:30PM with

11.4.17 7:30PM

TCHAIKOVSKY Romeo and Juliet STRAVINSKY Symphony in Three Movements TCHAIKOVSKY Violin Concerto

SPECTACULAR

POPS!

with Santiago Rodriguez, piano

AWAKENINGS

MASTERWORKS

10.7.17 7:30PM

SYMPHONIE

BEETHOVEN PAPA & BLUE HAYDN JEANS 3.3.18

FANTASTIQUE

OPENING NIGHT!

SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE NOW INDIVIDUAL CONCERT TICKETS AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 2017

www.PensacolaSymphony.com

play/live/give UMBRELLA SKY PROJECT

THROUGH DECEMBER As a continuing part of November’s Foo Foo Fest, the sky over historic Intendencia St. in Downtown Pensacola will be filled with colorful umbrellas as part of the Pensacola Umbrella Sky Project. Originally implemented in Portugal, this three-month long project will light up the sky with dazzling colors and a whimsy that will last throughout its run. Every Saturday between 8 am and 6 pm until the New Year, this section of Intendencia will be closed off so you can fully enjoy the experience!

Pensacola Ice Flyers Throughout December Come and cheer for our local team as the Pensacola Ice Flyers gear up for their 2017-2018 season. With a new coach and new energy, they are determined to continue their dominance in the Southern Professional Hockey League. All games listed below are home games. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit pensacolaiceflyers.com.

Dec. 1: vs. Macon Mayhem Dec. 8: vs. Knoxville Ice Bears Dec. 9: vs. Knoxville Ice Bears Dec. 15: vs. Evansville Thunderbolts Dec. 26: vs. Mississippi RiverKings Dec. 30: vs. Macon Mayhem

Fear and Folly: The Visionary Prints of Francisco Goya and Federico Castelo at Pensacola Museum of Art September 1 – December 31 Despite living in different centuries, Francisco Goya's (1746-1828) and

Federico Castellon's (1914-1971) body of work often draws sharper relationships to one another than to their contemporaries in their attention to the darker and complex side of the human condition.

Many artists have been drawn to the dark and the fantastic, but few have probed the human condition with the insight and truthfulness found in these images. For more information, visit pensacolamuseum.org

Rebels With a Cause: American Impressionist Women at Pensacola Museum of Art September 8 – December 31 Women. Rebels. Artists. "Rebels With a Cause "presents a selection of works by female artists active between the mid-19th and mid-20th centuries who rebelled against the conventions of their day by exhibiting alongside their male counterparts, receiving awards, and clearing a path for future artists. The collection of paintings embody the early

influence of French impressionism and its precursor, the Barbizon Style. For more information, visit pensacolamuseum.org.

Pensacola Winterfest Nov. 24 – Dec. 24 The holiday season is here, and Pensacola is set to get into full swing with Pensacola Winterfest. Throughout the month long celebration, experience downtown Pensacola lit by over 400,000 lights, meet Santa, play Reindeer Games and ride the Winterfest Trolley. Rated a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society, get ready to jingle your bells and dash all the way downtown for memories you’ll never forget. For more information, visit pensacolawinterfest.org.

Wonderland of Lights December 1-3 The Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds will come alive this season with Wonderland of Lights, a special drive-through light show open to all ages. Enjoy dazzling displays of holiday scenes, and make pensacola magazine | 35

play/live/give Pensacola Children’s Chorus: Christmas on the Coast Dec. 8–10

Get ready to ring in the season as Pensacola Children’s Chorus presents Christmas on the coast! A Pensacola tradition for over 25 years, this holiday extravaganza held at the Saenger Theatre includes seasonal music, explosive dancing and dazzling costumes.

The performers include some of Pensacola’s most talented young performers, raging in age from 8 to 18. Tickets start at $25 dollars, but make sure to get your tickets while you can, as this spectacle is sure to sell out. For more information on show times and ticket prices, visit pensacolasaenger.com.

sure to stop by Santa’s Village to meet Kris Kringle himself and enjoy all kinds of holiday fun. Admission starts at $20 per vehicle, and the merriment starts at 6 pm. For more information, visit thewonderlandoflights.com.

Chamber Music Recital Dec. 6 The University of West Florida Department of Music will present an afternoon of chamber music on Dec. 6 at noon at Old Christ Church in Historic Pensacola, located at 405 South Adams St. December’s performance is “Celebrate the Season”, which celebrates the holiday season with merry melodies from the works of Bach, Handel, Mozart, Grieg and more. Every performance is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact the CFPA Music Office at 850-474-2147.

Clutch – Psychic Warfare World Tour Dec. 6 Legendary stoner metal band Clutch is coming to Vinyl Music Hall. Touring for 36 | pensacola magazine

their 11th album, Psychic Warfare, Clutch has been a mainstay in the rock music scene for over two decades. Now, they are brining their unique blend of metal, hardcore, blues, funk and psychedelia to Vinyl Music Hall. Supporting them will be Devin Townsend Project and The Obsessed. Make sure to pick up an issue of Downtown Crowd to read our interview with the band’s guitarist, Tim Sult. For showtimes and to purchase tickets, visit vinylmusichall.com.

RadioLive Dec. 7 Back after a two-year hiatus, RadioLive returns as WUWF’s popular acoustic concert series, held every month at the Museum of Commerce. December’s artists include Jonathan Byrd and The Pickup Cowboy, Corin Raymond and Rod Picott.

Tickets are $10 per person, with seating being first-come-first-serve. Doors open at 5 pm and the show begins right at 6 pm.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit wuwf.org/radiolive.

A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas Dec. 1–2, Dec. 8-9 The University of West Florida Department of Theatre will celebrate its 11th annual production of “A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas,”- the classic play by Charles Dickens adapted by Michael Wilson. This adaptation pushes the fantastical elements of the story to the forefront, as magic and macabre help Ebenezer Scrooge on his journey of redemption and hope. Tickets start at $18 for adults, $14 for seniors and service members, $12 for students and faculty, and $6 for high school students. For more information, showtimes and to purchase tickets, visit uwf.edu/cfpa.

2017 Cox Pensacola Christmas Parade Dec. 9 Drawing nearly 50,000 people each year, the Cox Pensacola Parade is a great way to kick off the holiday season. With nearly 90 entries and eight bands in the parade, it will be an event you will not want to

b a l l e t p e n s a c o l a ’s

miss. The parade will also feature the world-renowned Blue Angels flight team and a host of other organizations from around the region. All profits for the parade go towards local high school band booster organizations. The parade begins at 5:15 pm at Spring and Garden Streets, so make sure to get a good spot!

A R C C KER T U N

Jackson’s Presents Deck the Halls: A Holiday Brunch Event Dec. 9, 16, 23 In celebration of the holidays and back by popular demand, Jackson’s will present three special brunch events: “Deck the Halls,” on Saturday December 9; Saturday Dec. 16; and Saturday Dec. 23 at Jackson’s Steakhouse. Jackson’s has once again teamed up with the Pensacola Opera to present a brunch filled with holiday cheer featuring costumed carolers strolling from table to table singing all of the traditional carols. Two seatings are available each day at 11 am and 1 pm.

To make your reservation, call 850-4699898.

tickets

starting at $25

pensacola saenger theatre

|

15 DEC

16 DEC

17 DEC

7:00 PM

7:00 PM

1:30 PM

ticketmaster.co m

|

8 00 .7 45.3 0 0 0 ETALCRAFT

of Pensacola, Inc.

Richard Steinert Artistic Director

Est 1994

Zoo Lights Dec. 15-30 Come see some dazzling lights as well as the beauty of nature at Gulf Breeze Zoo’s annual Zoo Lights. Thousands of lights line the park and the railway, allowing to get in the holiday spirit whole viewing exotic animals from around the world. Gulf Breeze Zoo is also accepting donations for Toys for Tots in order to give underprivileged children a happy holiday. The lights turn on at 5 pm and last until close. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit gulfbreezezoo.org.

The 2nd Annual Christmas Holidays With Al Martin & Friends Dec. 3 Come out to this spirit filled, classical, relaxing and sophisticated holiday

Chris�m�s on the Co�st

One World, Many Voices

From toys to tinsel and snowflakes to Santa, the Pensacola Children’s Chorus knows how to celebrate the season. Your family won’t want to miss Christmas on the Coast, where we’ll transform sunny weather into a winter wonderland.

You’ll experience all the sights and sounds of the holidays that will have you humming through the New Year!

December 8, 9 & 10, 2017

A Celebration of Diversity Through Song

One World, Many Voices is a celebration of music’s rich cultures and how we can achieve oneness through song. Guest conductor and renowned composer Andrea Ramsey will take the podium to bring her own style and flavor to our eclectic program. Join us as we bring a global message to our small town home.

Show�ime Do you like Broadway? Get your ticket. Country, rock, or even disco? Then Showtime is right for you! Join us for a celebration from music across all genres, featuring our amazingly talented PCC singers. From lights to sound and costumes to choreography, you’ll leave dazed and amazed. Don’t miss this musical extravaganza!

February 18, 2018

May 4, 5, & 6, 2018

TICKETS ON SALE TO THE GENER AL PUBLIC BEGINNING: October 25, 2017 January 16, 2018 March 21, 2018 WWW.PENSACOL ACHILDRENSCHORUS.COM pensacola magazine | 37

community event, located at DeVilliers square. Bring a friend, the love of your life, or just simply bring someone who needs some holiday cheer. Show up, come ready to mingle, and listen to the holiday musical stylings of Al Martin and his friends.

Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served.

The show starts at 6 pm and tickets start at $18. For more infrormation, call 850-261-4218.

Holiday Lantern Tours Dec. 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16 Historic Pensacola's Holiday Lantern Tours, led by living history interpreters dressed in Victorian finery, will take you inside the Lavalle, Dorr and Lear/Rocheblave houses, each decorated in keeping with the holiday traditions of the Colonial, Victorian and Edwardian periods. Tickets for opening night on Friday, Dec. 1 are $50 per person and include access to a hospitality room throughout the evening. Tickets for the remaining nights are $15 for adults and $8 for children younger than 12. For more information, visit historicpensacola.org.

RadioLive Featuring

Lara Herscovitch

LARA HERSCOVITCH WILD PONIES SCOTT COSSU MARK RUSSELL

38 | pensacola magazine

Broadcast LIVE on 88.1 FM

01/04/18

6:00 p.m.

Doors 5:00 p.m.

Of Montreal at Vinyl Music Hall Dec. 14 Known for their wild stage shows, electropop beats and progressive outlook, of Montreal brings its flair and excitement to Vinyl Music Hall. Now on their fourteenth album, the band has sprawled over genres from disco to darkwave to EDM. Make sure to get a ticket, as their shows and theatrics are something that should not be missed. They will be supported by Christian Schneider’s Genius Grant. Tickets are $20 and doors open at 7 pm. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit vinylmusichall.com

Tickets $10

available at wuwf.org 850.474.2787

Feminist Iconography at Pensacola Museum of Art Nov. 28 – Dec. 11 The Women Studies Collective in partnership with the Pensacola Museum

of Art and the UWF Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program invites you to "Feminist Iconography," a special pop-up exhibition held with the traveling exhibit "Rebels with a Cause: American Impressionist Women" organized by the Huntsville Museum of Art. "Feminist Iconography" will feature an interdisciplinary lecture by UWF faculty, and an opening reception on Dec. 1. This pop-up exhibit will showcase feministminded art from UWF students, staff, and faculty.

Sowell’s North Pole Christmas Light Display December 1 – 27 Sowell‘s North Pole Christmas Light Display is an annual Christmas light show put on by the Sowell family at 7650 Sowell Road in Milton, Fla. The display opens on Dec. 1 and the last day will be Dec. 27, 2017. They will be open every night including Christmas Eve and Christmas night. The hours each night are 5:30 pm -9:00 pm. The display is a drive thru display and the cost is $10 per car to get in. They are also offering train rides for all ages at an additional charge of $2/person. Children 2 and under are free to ride the train.

Give History & Art For The

Shop UWF Historic Trust museum stores for unique Pensacola and mission-specific gifts including apparel, artwork, books, jewelry, children’s games and activity books, home accessories and more.

T. T. Wentworth, Jr. Museum Pensacola Children’s Museum Tivoli High House Pensacola Museum of Art

HISTORICPENSACOLA.ORG PENSACOLAMUSEUM.ORG

Holiday Makers Market December 15 This month’s “@rt at the @nnex” celebrates the makers of Pensacola! Featuring local and regional vendors, the focus is on handmade and custom gifts. Along with being able to speak with the artists and artisans one-onone, you can enjoy free hot cider, cookies, music and holiday movies while you shop locally and support Pensacola artists, businesses and start-ups. The market will be open from 6 to 9 pm on December 15 at the cowork annex, located at 13 Palafox Pl.

H P

Holiday Lantern Tours Join us for an enchanting evening tour through Historic Pensacola and the historic Lavalle, Dorr and Lear/Rocheblave houses, each period-appropriately decorated. Guides dressed in Victorian finery will share holiday traditions of the past.

O N D 1 (includes hospitality room) •T: $50 per person

D 2, 8, 9, 15 & 16 •T: adults $15, children age 12 & younger $8

*All tours depart from the Tivoli High House, 205 E. Zaragoza St., at 6:30, 7:00 & 7:30 p.m.

L . T      .   850.595.5985 . 111. pensacola magazine | 39

Our Storied Past

Photos courtesy of UWF Historic Trust

1 North palafox

40 | pensacola magazine

The Northwest corner of Palafox and Garden Streets was home to the Methodist Church until 1908, when the property was purchased to build Pensacola’s new premier hotel, the Hotel San Carlos, which opened in 1910. The building was demolished in 1993 and the new United States Court House was erected on the property in 1998.

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49

Philip Levine: The Interview

Philip Levine, the Mayor of Miami Beach, discusses his time as mayor and his upcoming run for Florida Governor.

· OTHER STORIES ·

45

Pensacola Wins APA Award The American Planning Association Florida Chapter recognized downtown Pensacola as a “Great Place of Florida.” Business Climate explores the process of winning this award and what it means to Pensacola.

53

55

Business Climates talks with District 2 State Representative Frank White about his first term in the Florida House, his bid for Florida Attorney General, and his love for Pensacola.

Find out what is happening in business, government and cultural news in the greater Pensacola area and northwest Florida.

Frank White Q + A

Around the Region

nwflbusinessclimate.com | Business Climate | 43

PREMIERES SUN JAN 14 8PM

wsre.org

Community

By Tanner Yea

Pensacola Receives Great Places in Florida Award Over the past few years, Pensacola has seen exponential growth. From the downtown shops, bars and restaurants to the expanding neighborhoods, the city is gaining attention as a beacon of progress and expansion.

As a result of this, the American Planning Association (APA) Florida Chapter has awarded downtown Pensacola with the Great Places of Florida 2017 People’s Choice Award. While this is a great honor and garners recognition for the city, it may be confusing on how the award was won and what it represents.

The APA itself is a non-profit organization of professionals and students who provide leadership for the future development and redevelopment of Florida communities. Working in both the public and private sector, the APA specializes in urban planning of all varieties in order to help create the most efficient and beautiful spaces for people to live, work and play in.

Brandon Henry is the chair of the APA Florida Chapter Youth Planner’s Group, and he said the Great Places in Florida competition is designed to “celebrate local places that highlight what great urban planning and design is all about.” The Florida Chapter’s initial competition was held in 2014, with Mt. Dora taking home the prize.

Since then, the annual event has honored Downtown Fernandina Beach in 2015 and Cascades Park in Tallahassee in 2016.

The initiative was modeled after the Great Places in America initiative held by the APA parent organization. Pensacola has also previously won in that competition, with Palafox Street being named one of the top 10 streets in America in their 2013 competition. That

competition promoted Palafox because of its historic character, planning accomplishments, classic architecture and its myriad events, celebrations and festivals.

The APA Florida Chapter’s competition was open to all submissions, with around 20 being submitted for the 2017 contest.

Henry said these submissions are ranked by a team of judges consisting of practicing planners and representatives of other professional organizations that promoted urban welfare.

The submissions are judged on four criteria: safety, like how the city is maintained while remaining welcoming and accommodating for all; unique character, which reflects the local culture and nwflbusinessclimate.com | Business Climate | 45

Community history; community involvement, which helps promote social interaction and activities; and design and compatibility, meaning the city is visually interesting while relating well to surrounding areas.

like pedicabs, trolleys and Segways. Factors like holiday festivities, the Blue Wahoo stadium, historic and cultural sites, shopping, food and entertainment all combined to help downtown Pensacola secure the win.

Once the scores are ranked and averaged, the top five entries are then voted on by the public. Aside from Pensacola, the other finalists included the Ancient Spanish Monastery in North Miami Beach, Beachwalk in Clearwater, downtown Winter Park, and Mizner Park & downtown Boca Raton. The voting for the contest started on October 17, and the results were announced on October 27.

“The award means all this passion, commitment and dedication to making downtown Pensacola the absolute best place to live, work and play are paying off, and that we are making the right decisions,” said Lissa Dees, the event coordinator for Pensacola’s Downtown Improvement Board. “Recognition like this incentivizes and encourages us to keep reaching higher, becoming even better, dreaming bigger and doing more.”

“This year, we had approximately 3,900 total votes cast, and about half of those voted for Pensacola,” said Henry. All the voting was done exclusively online and shared through the APA Florida Chapter’s website and social media.

Much of the recognition can be attributed to the growth Pensacola has experienced over the last several years. According to population estimates from the US Census Bureau, as of 2016 the Pensacola metro area saw a population growth of 1.6 percent since the previous year. This ranks the city in the top fifth of US locations that witnessed have growth, ranking 65 out of 400 metro areas.

Forbes also notes a 2 percent annual job growth, as well as real estate market growth and a high quality of life.

According to the APA website, the reason for Pensacola’s designation as a finalist is a result of many factors. They site the 450-year history of the city as the United State’s first European settlement and its various possessions by Spain, Britain and France, allowing a mixed and diverse culture.

They also site the walkability of downtown’s 44-block area, as well as alternative transport

Though major metropolitan areas such as Jacksonville, Miami and Orlando are open to be submitted for the competition, Henry said

the focus is on small communities. “When starting Great Places in Florida, we wanted to focus on the hyperlocal places that make Florida such a great place to live,” said Henry.

“Florida has so many great places that are often shadowed by our larger cities and major destinations. These smaller places form the fabric of our communities and thus are worth highlighting and celebrating.”

Henry said being namde a “Great Place” shows the world that downtown Pensacola is open for all to enjoy. He also noted that organizations often use the Great Places designation as a tool to communicate to the public that their city is a step above the others—“as a point for community pride or as marketing to businesses and tourists alike.”

Henry said this competition is meant to help actively encourage smaller communities like Pensacola to grow and flourish by recognizing those places as exceptional. As a result of the win, Henry said that downtown Pensacola could truly say it is a remarkable example of what makes Florida such a special place.

For more information on the Great Places of Florida competition and the American Planning Association Florida chapter, visit floridaplanning.org.

“The award means all this passion, commitment and dedication to making downtown Pensacola the absolute best place to live, work and play are paying off, and that we are making the right decisions.”

-Lissa Dees

46 | Business Climate | nwflbusinessclimate.com

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48 | Business Climate | nwflbusinessclimate.com

Philip Levine:

A Vision for Florida

By Hana Frenette On Nov. 1, Philip Levine, Mayor of Miami Beach. formally announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for governor of Florida.

While he isn’t a household name—yet–the 55-yearold entreprenuer, businessman, and politician has steadily gained recognition across the state for his stance on sea-level rise, climate change, AirBnB

rentals, a higher statewide minimum wage and the actions of the GOP. The unconventional Boston-born cadidate sat down with Business Climate to discuss his overall vision for Florida if elected Governor, the resilience of the American dream, and the challenges he faced during his two terms as Miami Beach mayor. nwflbusinessclimate.com | Business Climate | 49

Government even though I’d never done it before, and they really needed someone, so next thing I knew, I was on a a cruise ship.

My cabin was below the water line, I was terrified, and I thought I had made a terrible decision. All I could think was, how do I get off this ship? Maybe I could call the Coast Guard?

I kept going and prepared to give my first lecture. I thought there probably wouldn’t be many people there anyway, Mayor Levine in Pensacola with Fred Levin. Mayor Ashton Hayward and Levine’s Fiance Carolina Murciano and daughter Mica and when I walked out to begin speaking there were You’re originally from Boston, what brought over 1,500 passengers in the room for the lecture. you to Miami Beach?

For me, that was a turning point. I became pretty Well, I moved to South Beach when I was 10 good at speaking publicly from that job and I fell years old. My family said they were moving and into an amazing industry.

I worked for several I decided I would go with them. I grew up in months on board the cruise ship, and shortly after Hollywood, Florida, and went to public school that experience, I started my own company in from the fifth grade on.

1990. Eventually, we merged with a partner to create OnBoard Media and we became the largest You earned a degree in Political Science from partner in the world to the cruise ship industry. the University of Michigan—what initially We created everything from Onboard Media, TV drew you to politics? What did you plan to do advertisements, and port marketing. In 2000, I with the degree? sold the company to Louis Vuitton. After that I I always loved international affairs and history, began acquiring and dealing in commercial real and I felt that political science could be a good estate, and helping to restart companies in South mix of those things. I thought it was a fun Florida. degree—I never thoughts I’d actually use it, and thank god, I finally did.

What did you do once you graduated college?

I’ve always been an entrepreneur. I started working as a little boy when I was 8, shoveling snow off the front porches of houses in Boston. I made one dollar per porch and I’d get these wet dollar bills, take them home and put them on the radiator until they got crisp.

I’ve had just about every job you can think of— scooping ice cream, parking cars at hotels, restaurant dishwasher, and washing cars. I was always encouraged to work since I was little, and I’ve worked my entire life. I found that working is a great way to understand people.

In the early 90s, with only $500 in start up capital, you started a media company called Onboard Media, in a studio apartment, which ended up being a very successful portmarketing company. Tell me about the decision to create that company.

After college, I still hadn’t found what I really wanted to do. My life changed when I answered an ad in the Miami Herald, for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line— a tiny company with 3-4 cruise ships. They were looking for someone to go on board their ships and give lectures on what they could expect at each port, where to shop, where to eat. I told them I was a great public speaker—

I made a lot of direct contact with the people. I knocked on 6,000 doors, met the voters, talked with them, went directly to them through social media, and ran a really fun TV commercial. In the commercial, I was paddling down one of our main streets with a yellow slicker on and my dog with me, and I said, “Some people want to be the mayor of Venice—I want to be the mayor of Miami Beach.” Water was pouring on his head and I’m telling Earl, my dog to paddle faster.

As Mayor of Miami Beach, you’ve publicly called for action on issues relating to climate change. What current or recent climate change initiaves are you working on or been successful with in the past? What do you plan to work toward next?

Since the election, we’ve become an international leader on fighting sea-level rise and resiliency; we’ve put $500 million toward the project of raising the sea wall, raising the street levels and creating a great water pump system. We’ve had incredible success with the project. Since we started the project, I’ve been able to speak about the topic in several documentaries—one with Leonardo DiCaprio and National Geographic called Before the Flood, and another called An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power, by Al Gore.

One of our major achievements was not only helping bring national attention to the issue, but becoming the first coastal city to successfully build resiliency against sea-level rise.

In 2013, you were elected Mayor of Miami Beach. What issues did you focus most on during your fist term? What have you continued to focus your attention on?

It was a very interesting election. One of our biggest issues here and all across the state, especially in coastal cities, is seal-level rise. And, one of the things I really pushed was that if I was elected mayor, I wanted to attack that problem immediately. It was a four-way race, I won in a landslide with over 50 percent of the votes, and I believe it’s because everything I’ve done is different.

What are some of your biggest accomplishments as Mayor of Miami Beach during your two terms?

We’ve done a lot. After these two terms, we’ll be completing a new convention center. Before I took office, we had a police force that many would describe as the “tail wagging the dog,” with international headlines that were not positive.

We had horrible shootings involving our police department, and we were able to recruit one of the great chiefs of police to our police force and were able to change the culture of a police force with a troubled past. We were the first city in the state to pass a minimum living wage. The minimum wage was $8.25 and we have passed a new minimum wage law that will have minimum wage starting at $13.31 by 2021. We’ve been sued by Publix and by the State of Florida—we believe this issue will go all the way to Supreme Court. We’ve also connected the entire city with a free trolley system, which was a pretty monumental task. We have an area in Miami Beach, called North Beach, which was a very depressed and underserved area.

Over the last several years we’ve been able to turn this area into a really hip, happening spot with significant vibrant growth. Another thing we’re very proud of is the fact that we’ve received a perfect score from the Human Rights

What were some of the things you did differently than the other candidates?

Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index, along with only a few other cities in the country.

How did you become involved in politics?

It had actually begun early on when I became friends with the young mayor of Miami-Dade County, Alex Penelas. I became involved in supporting him and we formed a friendship.

Through Mayor Penelas, I met this gentleman named Bill Clinton.

Bill Clinton and I built a wonderful relationship and friendship. After I sold my company and he was no longer president, I was fortunate enough to travel with him and to mentor with him—one of greatest political leaders of our time.

“If you try and make your community a place you actually want to live and work, you’ll actually get people to continue opening up operations here. We’re trying to create ecosystems of culture in Florida— and we’re not doing that through corporate incentives, we’re doing it by creating a culture of excellence. ” —Levine I think the biggest challenge I’ve encountered as mayor is making sure that the other folks sitting with you will follow you. You have to not only listen to them, but to your constituents—that is always going to be a challenge to anyone in a political position. Treat your constituents as vested interest; figure out a way to get everyone moving in the right direction for the community. We did have a big challenge here, and we were able to really convince people this new thing called “Climate Change” is real and the resulting sea level rise was something we needed to take action on immediately. We explained to people that their livelihood and their futures are depending on investing in resiliency. That was a major communications campaign we had to run to get the buy in from our community.

You’ve helped establish a number of successful Miami Beach-based businesses. How were you able to make this happen, and how much of an impact has it had on the local economy? Do you believe Pensacola or Florida as a whole can make similar strides in order to find economic success with job growth?

If you take some of the leading Fortune 500 companies like Amazon and Boeing, and you read their HR manuals, you’ll see one of the main things they believe in is treating their people really, really well. If you treat people well and offer them educational opportunities, healthcare and childcare, they’ll actually work harder and the company will prosper more.

If you try and make your community a place you actually want to live and work, you’ll actually get people to continue opening up operations here. We’re trying to create ecosystems of culture in Florida—and we’re not doing that through corporate incentives, we’re doing it by creating a culture of excellence.

We want to have the best universities that turn out the best graduates who are then able to handle these

great positions, while possibly committing to work in Florida for a certain time period. We need to have the most state-of-the-art public transportation throughout the state available for everyone. We need to create an environment that is pristine and be a state that is concerned and forthright in maintaining and keeping our environment and waterways clean.

GE is moving their world headquarters to Boston— and they did it because Boston has all the right stuff: the finest education, incredible pubic transportation and infrastructure, which helps create a great environment for these companies.

Our current governor believes that $8.25 an hour service jobs are the way to go here—and if you want a state of Wal-Marts and McDonalds, then that’s great, but my vision is very different. I’d like to see more opportunities for more experienced positions, higher paying jobs, and innovation. And we have NASA— I call NASA our Silicon Valley. We need to build upon NASA, and take advantage of what we can create there for Florida.

You’ve announced that you will run for Governor in 2018. What’s motivated you to run for this role?

I’m running for Governor because I love helping people. I truly believe in the American dream, and I think the Florida dream is the same. I could run for a third term, but everything I said we were going to do, we’ve either done or it’s in process of being done.

Change is good. I’d rather take my sills and abilities to the state level and help the entire state. I’ve enjoyed meeting people in other towns all across the state, listening to the customers, the voters, residents, and hearing what they have to say. I have a vision for the entire state.

If you’re elected Governor, what are a few of your top tasks you plan to tackle once in office?

One of the first things I plan to address is making sure we have the best sea-level has plan in place.

With my experience in Miami Beach I can roll out a plan statewide and make sure we have a chief resiliency officer. We will work with the local communities to make our state is the leader in resiliency.

The second issue I’d focus on is that of local elected officials being dictated to by Tallahassee.

They have this preemption in Tallahassee, where they want to preempt the ability of local communities. Government is best closest to the people. Communities should be able to decide what cable company they want, or how they feel about AirBnB—on a local level.

One big issue I heard about from a lot of people who were working service jobs, was that they felt like they needed to make more because they cant survive, even with two, sometimes three jobs. So minimum wage is something to discuss statewide.

I’ve also heard from a lot of folks that we need to invest more in our pubic schools—that needs to be a

major priority with the state of Florida. If you don’t like the idea of your kid leaving and going to work in another city, we need to create an ecosystem here that includes great education for everyone and great opportunities for everyone.

Folks are a little flipped out over their healthcare these days. We don’t think the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is the greatest thing on earth, but it’s better than using the ER as our healthcare system. Why don’t we make it better and make it so everyone has the chance to have health insurance? That’s something I heard from everyone—going backwards is not the answer.

Tell me about your time on the board of directors for Best Buddies International? Why have you chosen to spend your time with this organization?

I got involved with Best Buddies International through a friend, Anthony Kennedy Shriver, his mother was Ida Shriver who started the special Olympics. Anthony started this in college and as I got to know him, I saw the incredible work this organization does and how they help folks with developmental disabilities. I saw first hand how amazing it is and how they make people feel like they really do have a friend. The organization is a great example of the Kennedy legacy: doing good for people.

You recently chartered a flight with 7,000 pounds of supplies to help San Juan following a hurricane that devastated Puerto Rico. Why did you feel the need to help and how did you make it happen?

My expression as mayor was “just get it done.”

I felt very frustrated by how inept and paralyzed Washington was in aiding a part of our country, Puerto Rico, and felt it would be a great example to get a plane, fill it with life-saving supplies, coordinate with the mayor of San Juan, and say, ‘look what I’m doing—you can do it too.’ The White House took note of it and it spurred dozens of other relief flights. These are Americans and they are in need, how in the world could we not help them? I was incredibly disappointed in the reaction of our federal government.

What advice would you give to citizens who are eager to make their community and economy better?

I think the most important thing is to get involved.

When I ran for mayor of Miami Beach, I had friends who said ‘you’re crazy, you don’t need it.’ But I wasn’t doing it for the money or the recognition.

I’m doing it because if folks like me don’t do it, who is going to do it? I wanted to make the city better. I would encourage anyone who wants the same to get out there and get involved. Volunteer at a charity or find a way to become active in your community— and getting active doesn’t meet sitting on your couch and making comments on Facebook or Twitter.

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52 | Business Climate | nwflbusinessclimate.com

Government

Representative Frank White makes a bid for Attorney General

BY KELLY ODEN in the state legislature, I jumped in, ran, and won.

This is your first term as a State Representative. What has made you switch gears now and throw your hat in the ring for Attorney General?

It’s really about the opportunity.

The role of the State Representative is very important; it’s a role that involves policy debates. On the other hand, the Attorney General role is an executive role, it’s an executive function. And it’s a perfect fit for my skill set and my interests.

Conservative Lawmaker Frank White recently filed to run for Florida Attorney General.

White is currently serving his first term as a State Representative for District 2. Business Climate spoke with White about his political perspective, his work ethic and why he believes he is a perfect fit for the job.

Could you tell me a little bit about your personal background and how you ended up in Pensacola?

I’m originally a Texan. Mom was a high school English teacher and dad was a chemical engineer.

I went to Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas as an undergrad and then for a year I worked in Washington, D.C. for congressman Mac Thornberry (he’s now chairman of House Armed Services). I worked for him for a year in Washington, but knew I wanted to go back to law school. I went back to SMU and got a dual JD/MBA degree. Along the way, I met my wife, Stephanie.

She was a Pensacola girl in law school as well. We quickly joined the same study group and started dating and got engaged. We were married our last year of school.

We both started to practice law in Dallas in 2007 and life was great. We liked life in Dallas and both of us were pursuing our careers when we decided to start a family. Right out of the gate she was expecting twins, so that was the trigger in life to think about where we wanted to be long term.

We both grew up around a lot of family. She has a lot of family in Pensacola, I have some family still

in Texas but they are really kind of scattered a little bit, so in that debate we just decided Pensacola was the best place to be. We moved to Pensacola and we now have three little boys. Our twins, Henry and Clayton, are 7 and in the second grade. Our youngest is Wesley and he is 5. Since we moved here in 2010, I’ve worked for the Sansing Group as General Counsel and CFO. What inspired you to get into politics?

I guess it was just the passion to serve. I want to make a difference.

I’ve been on several boards in the area. I’ve been on the Baptist Hospital Board, Pensacola State College Board, and the Mess Hall Board. I was also involved with Junior Achievement, Leadership Pensacola, and a number of community organizations. I really have a passion to make a difference. I’ve always had an interest in public policy and politics, so when a seat opened up

What would it mean for Pensacola if you were to win Attorney General?

It would be the first Attorney General elected from Pensacola since 1913. I think for the area, it just means our voice is heard. It means that we have someone who knows the Panhandle’s perspective involved at the cabinet level of the third largest state in the country and arguably one of the most politically important—both as a purple state that’s growing and as an influencer in national affairs.

What are some of the most pressing issues that you see facing Florida and our region and how would you address those as Attorney General?

I think the role of the Attorney General is the chief legal officer for the state. So, it’s really about being dedicated to managing the office efficiently. The office has over 400 lawyers, 2,000 employees and a 300 million dollar budget.

So I’ll use my background as part of the management team of the nwflbusinessclimate.com | Business Climate | 53

Government Sansing organization to ensure that the office is run well. Issue wise, my first priority will be protecting Florida’s seniors and families from bad actors in the state. The Attorney General has a lot of authority and discretion to go after bad actors in the market place who are taking advantage of Floridians. Another priority will be defending our constitutional structure. That means if there’s federal overreach or overreach by a state agency, being the one who stands up against it to restore the balance of power and the rule of law.

What do you see as some of the most pressing issues for our region in particular?

The biggest issue is insuring that the Triumph Gulf Coast funds are invested wisely by the Triumph Board. Triumph is the entity that determined how the BP oil spill settlement funds will be distributed. We secured the last 75 percent of the settlement in the last session to be dedicated to eight counties across Northwest Florida that had oil on the beaches. We laid out a way that those funds should be invested in our region to diversify and strengthen our regional economy. I’m optimistic. There are experienced people on the Triumph Board and they’re taking their jobs very seriously, as legislators in the Panhandle will of course be watching and if any changes need to be made, we’ll be ready to do so. I think our region is primed for growth.

If you look at the rest of the state, the cost of living is higher and long term we face a major challenge in access to fresh water. We have plenty of land in Northwest Florida and fresh water. The future of Florida’s growth, I believe, will be in Northwest Florida.

The President’s commission on combatting drug addiction and the opioid crisis recently issued its final report. What current laws do you believe can be better enforced to deal with this and what new initiatives would you propose to help treat those with addictions and also how would you work with other states in multi-state trafficking?

The primary way we battle the opioid crisis is coordination across law enforcement agencies and healthcare providers. That communication will be key in stopping this growing trend of opioid abuse. Across the country, states are pushing a lot of different policies to try and make a difference and we’re doing the same in Florida. I was a part of some legislation this last session that enhanced penalties and pushed for more coordination. At this point we need to keep trying different things to try and fix the problem. President Trump’s and Governor Scott’s leadership on the issue is timely and helpful.

Human trafficking is a big challenge for Florida, what do you think contributes to 54 | Business Climate | nwflbusinessclimate.com

the epidemic and how can law enforcement on all levels be proactive about prosecuting perpetrators and protecting victims?

I’m very passionate about fighting human trafficking. I’ve helped with legislation on the last session and we’ll be debating some this week in Tallahassee in committees. Human trafficking is a scourge of humanity and it’s sad that it’s still around in 2017. It’s modern slavery. Florida is a growing and very diverse state so it seems to happen here. All of society’s problems will manifest themselves at some point here. It’s a growing state and kind of a crossroads, too. It’s a place a lot of people move to. So, like with the opioid crisis, communication and training of law enforcement and healthcare providers is needed.

I think a lot more people are aware that there’s a problem. There are a lot of non-profits involved in directly intervening, so I think more of that is needed.

You mention that you’re a champion for the elderly. Governor Scott’s order that the nursing homes quickly install generators recently lost in court. Do you feel like this kind of humanitarian issue is best handled by the legislature or the governor?

I think each has its role to play. Right now in the legislature we’re debating how utility companies prioritize restoration of service after a storm.

Personally, I think preserving the flexibility of local emergency management to provide input in those determinations is probably the right approach rather than a one-size-fits-all mandate from the legislature in Tallahassee.

Let’s talk about immigration law. What is your take on states enforcing federal immigration law?

I don’t know if there’s a direct role for Attorney General in that debate, but I do believe in the rule of law. And society is a fragile construct and when parts of government at any level stop following the law, society breaks down into chaos. In the debate over sanctuary cities, I was a cosponsor of the bill that would’ve stopped local municipalities from declaring themselves sanctuary cities, which would not be enforcing federal law. Even if a government official disagrees with the law, he or she still has to enforce it.

John Morgan recently filed a marijuana lawsuit against the state. What are your thoughts about that?

I think the lawsuit is a waste of taxpayer money in defending it. Voter’s intent, as I saw it, was clear: voters believed medical marijuana was a part of compassionate care in Florida. Anytime we’re talking about medicine, we have to be able to control dosage. It’s fundamental in medicine that the provider must be able to control dosage. John Morgan’s lawsuit is about

smoking marijuana. You cannot control dosage when you’re smoking marijuana. We heard extensive testimony that dosage control is best with pill form, that it is okay in edible form and in vaping form, but there’s a very little ability to control dosage with smokeable marijuana.

If you’re smoking marijuana, you’re not taking medicine because you can’t control how much the body absorbs. Floridians consider marijuana to be a medicine and we voted to provide that right in our constitution to have access to medical marijuana as part of compassionate care.

To fulfil that right, we need to ensure that the product in the marketplace is actually medicine and can be controlled.

We live in a very divided political climate.

How do you bridge that divide amongst your constituents?

Personally, I reach out to everybody, to all voters. I do a variety of community events and neighborhood days where I go into the community and I just hear what’s on their minds, irrespective of party label. That’s one way—just being open and accessible. Also, reading my emails. I certainly get a lot from people of all kinds of views. Also, just listening to people—listening to different ideas. I think I’m a reasonable guy and I’m interested in meeting people of all kinds of backgrounds and different views, and if we disagree, we disagree in respectful way.

You seem to be very driven and to take your work very seriously. What drives you to be that focused?

I guess my time and the privilege of serving this role in the office is limited and I want to use it to make a difference. If my boys will not have their father full time, if my wife will not have a full time husband because I’m travelling, if my employer won’t have a full time employee, then that time away is going to matter. I’m going to use it to make a difference for our area.

What do you love about Pensacola? What are some of your favorite places to go to enjoy the outdoors? What’s your favorite meal?

I love Pensacola. I love everybody’s usual list of favorite places like McGuire’s and The Fish House. Jerry’s Drive-In is a favorite on the weekends—I love their gumbo. Scenic 90 Diner is a favorite. We love the beach. We also enjoy going out to Perdido with our family. My wife and I are both joggers, we exercise through groups at Running Wild quite a bit. We go to First Baptist Church and have some wonderful friendships through there. Pensacola’s fantastic.

It’s beautiful, we have great people and we have a lot of history and culture.

Around the Region

IMS To Receive EntreCon’s 2017 Best Medium Business of the Year Award EntreCon, an annual business and leadership development conference hosted by the Studer Community Institute, recently selected IMS ExpertServices as the 2017 Best Medium Business of the Year. This award recognizes the achievements and economic impact entrepreneurs and businesses have on our community and is awarded to a business, with 50 or more employees, that has shown resilience and fortitude in overcoming obstacles and adversities to ensure the stability of the organization and growing success. IMS will receive the award on November 15th, during EntreCon’s annual two-day business conference in Pensacola, FL. This exciting announcement comes at an opportune time for IMS as the Pensacolabased business is celebrating its 25th year as a preeminent provider of expert services. While the company initially focused on delivering interim executive talent for telecommunications companies, when requests for unique expertise began to emerge from Fortune 500 clients involved in high-stakes litigation, founders Mike Wein, Bill Wein and Ted Gorder saw an opportunity to shift the business and expand its horizons to provide top-notch expert delivery services to litigators nationwide on a wide array of high-stakes cases. Since its inception in 1992, IMS has remained an entrepreneurial spirit and voice in the community, always willing to share lessons learned in launching and growing its business and always striving to engage and support the community in which it lives, works and plays.

Founder Bill Wein shared: “The entire IMS team thanks the EntreCon judges for this honor and recognition. Our culture of servant leadership and service excellence, both within IMS and within our community drives us as we work to strengthen and improve the quality of life for our teams, clients, experts, and neighbors.”

The founders and staff at IMS ExpertServices are humbled and honored to be selected for this award and are excited to be a part of the Nov. 15th event. The EntreCon conference and awards ceremony will provide yet another opportunity to place a spotlight on our community of leaders and emerging companies as they come together, exchange ideas and grow as a community.

IMS ExpertServices is the nation’s premier provider of experts and consultants for top law firms and Fortune 1000 companies. We excel at partnering expert witnesses with the attorneys who need them, connecting elite industry experts with attorneys in the midst of high-stakes business litigation. By focusing on this niche legal market, we are able to find more qualified experts in less time than it would typically take an attorney.

Since its inception in 1992, IMS ExpertServices has been delivering hard-to-find subject matter experts to attorneys at top law firms. Visit us online at www.ims-expertservices.com.

Japanese Delegation to Host Panel Discussion at UWF With the goal of strengthening the U.S.-Japan alliance and bringing Japanese experiences to the people of Florida, the Cabinet Secretariat of Japan, the University of West Florida (UWF) and the Consulate-General of Japan in Miami present “Walk in U.S., Talk on Japan” on Tuesday, November 28 from 2 to 4 p.m. in the UWF Conference Center, located at 11000 University Parkway in Pensacola.

“Walk in U.S., Talk on Japan” is a delegation consisting of five members from Japan, who will present opinions on Japan’s foreign policy, military service, economic policy, culture and more.

Delegation members include former Japanese diplomat Ken Shimanouchi, retired Lieutenant General of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force Toshimichi Nagaiwa, university student Takashi Nishikawa, female business owner Hitomi Wada, and Eri Ozaki, wife of a Self-Defense Force officer.

Following a speech by the delegation leader, Shimanouchi, the event will include presentations

from each of the delegates and a Q&A session.

“Walk in U.S., Talk on Japan” is free and open to the public.

“Since I joined Japan’s Foreign Ministry in 1971, I have seen the U.S. and Japan forge one of the strongest partnerships in the world,” Shimanouchi said. “I look forward to sharing my views on the present U.S.-Japan alliance and how the countries can address global issues going forward.”

Visitor parking permits are available free of charge at the Visitors Center (Building 81). The Visitors Center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. After hours, visitor’s parking permits may be obtained at the UWF Police Station (Building 94). Visitors may park in designated visitor spaces. If visitor spaces are unavailable, visitors may park in any commuter space. Visitor spaces are designated by signage and are located in lots A, B, H, K, P, Q and BB.

How One Vineyard is Helping Warriors All Year Long, Especially During the Holidays This holiday season there will be millions of bottles of wine sold. According to the Wine Institute, there are 11,496 wineries in the country, and each year there are around 949 million gallons of wine consumed. Many people like to give wine as holiday gifts, take a bottle to holiday dinner parties, or keep some on hand for when company stops by to celebrate the season. Of those wineries, there is one, Tackitt Family Vineyards, that has made the commitment to help warriors with every bottle sold.

“This holiday, people can easily help our warriors by opting for EOD Cellars wines when selecting a wine to drink or give,” explains Nicole Motsek, executive director of the EOD Warrior Foundation. “We are honored to have the support of Tackitt Family Vineyards, who give back so much. They truly appreciate all that these warriors have done for our country and make it easy for people to give back simply by purchasing their wines.”

Leon and Cindy Tackitt, owners of Tackitt Family Vineyards, offer a line of wines called EOD Cellars, and a portion of every bottle sold goes to the EOD Warrior Foundation. That money is put to good use helping warriors and their families who are in need. The foundation provides financial support to warriors who need financial assistance with everything from college scholarships for their family members to picking up the tab for therapeutic treatment to help with such conditions as post-traumatic stress disorder.

The EOD Warrior Foundation is an organization that helps the families of the 7,000 people in our military who are Explosive Ordnance Disposal

(EOD) technicians, and perform bomb disposal duties. Engaging in the most dangerous job in the military, EOD technicians often sustain serious injuries, lose limbs, or are killed in action.

EOD Cellars wine collection includes four varieties of red wines and two types of white wines, and they are available in boxed gift sets and 6-packs.

The wines are available for purchase online, as well as in select stores. The wines range in price from $21 per bottle to $32 per bottle. They have all been specially bottled to support the EOD Warrior Foundation. Tackitt Family Vineyards is a small, family-owned winery that is located in Paso Robles, California. They specialize in premium wines and offer several varietals for the EOD Cellars Wine.

Specific wines in the collection include The Keeper, Basic Blaster Red, Senior Blaster Red, Master Blaster Red, Willie Pete White, and Det Cord White.

“We appreciate everything these warriors have done, and are pleased to be able to help give back,” added Leon Tackitt, winemaker and owner of Tackitt Family Vineyards. “This holiday season, every time they opt for an EOD Cellars wine, they will not only be getting a great tasting wine, but they can feel good knowing that they are also helping warriors. It’s an easy way to help others with every wine purchase.

The EOD Warrior Foundation helps this elite group by providing financial relief, therapeutic healing retreats, a scholarship program, care of the EOD Memorial Wall located at Eglin AFB, Fla. and more. Their work is supported by private donations and the generosity of those who support the organization. nwflbusinessclimate.com | Business Climate | 55

Around the Region

National Grant to Fund Research Experiences for Transfer Students A $278,880 National Science Foundation grant awarded to three University of West Florida professors will provide research experiences to help acclimate transfer students and enhance undergraduate research in the Department of Biology.

The grant was awarded to Dr. Peter Cavnar, assistant professor of biology, Dr. Hui-Min Chung, associate professor of biology, and Dr. Claudia Stanny, director of the Center for University Teaching, Learning and Assessment.

“It’s a unique grant because it combines novel research questions within the context of the classroom and laboratory settings,” Cavnar said. “This grant helps students to gain research skills and contribute to the research part of the University’s mission. The grant’s design is especially helpful to transfer students. About 40 percent of the incoming students in the Department of Biology are transfer students.”

The three-year grant will fund a four-week bridge program in Summer 2018 for transfer students to get acclimated to the University and develop research projects heading into the fall semester. The students’ research will be

focused on coquina clams, commonly found on Pensacola beaches.

“They’ll learn research skills developed around looking at the genetics and the cell biology of the coquinas,” Cavnar said. “Basically, no one knows anything about the genome of the coquina at all. The genome has never been sequenced. So, we’re probably going to be the first ones to sequence that genome and analyze the cellular processes of the coquina clams.”

The grant will also fund the transformation of genetics and cell biology labs at UWF into Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences, known as CUREs. “CUREs are different from traditional lab experiments,” Cavnar said. “CUREs are much less structured. We’re going to basically ask novel hypotheses that no one has been looking at and have the students do the experiments as best we can.”

For more information about the UWF Department of Biology, visit uwf.edu/biology.

UWF announces Suspension of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity and Temporary Suspension of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Today, University of West Florida President Martha Saunders announced measures taken with two Fraternity & Sorority Life organizations.

The Tau-Psi chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity has been suspended for a minimum five-year period following the conclusion of an investigation into hazing as well as riskmanagement and alcohol-related misconduct.

The activities occurred at an unregistered, off-campus bid day party hosted by the organization and included hazing, underage drinking, risk management violations, drinking games, common source container and coerced consumption of alcohol.

Additionally, the Nu Eta chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. has been temporarily suspended, pending the results of an investigation into allegations of hazing and risk-management violations. This is an active investigation.

Both of these measures were taken yesterday, Nov. 16, 2017, and are effective immediately.

PSC listed in Military Times Best: Colleges 2018

“The University takes this type of behavior very seriously,” Saunders said. “It is unacceptable and is not reflective of the overall culture of fraternity and sorority life on our campus.”

Military Times names Pensacola State College in its Military Times Best: Colleges 2018 list, formerly known as Best for Vets. The rankings are an editorially independent news project that evaluates a comprehensive survey of veteran and military student services and rates of academic achievement along with other factors that make colleges and universities a good fit for service members, military veterans and their families.

“Almost 70 years ago, Pensacola State was founded, in part, to meet the educational needs of veterans returning from World War II, along with our region’s active duty service members and their families. We are proud of our decades of support for military men and women, and we are honored to receive this national recognition,” said PSC President Edward Meadows.

UWF provides a variety of resources and trainings to equip members of sororities and fraternities to safely engage in their organizations. The University will continue to work with students, advisors and other stakeholders to identify opportunities to further support students in these areas. There will be meetings and events to discuss these in the coming weeks.

According to Military Times, the rankings were more competitive than ever this year, as a record number of schools participated in the survey, and less than half made the cut. “Of the hundreds of schools that applied, fewer than half received the Military Times Best: Colleges designation this year. Only the best made the cut,” said George Altman, the Military Times editor in charge of the rankings.

Military Times’ annual survey asks colleges and universities to meticulously document an array of services, special rules, accommodations and financial incentives offered to students with military ties and to describe many aspects of veteran culture on campus.

“Although we remain committed to the growth and success of the fraternity and sorority community at UWF, we must hold all our student organizations to the standards set forth by the University in the interest of our students’ safety and success,” Saunders said. “I expect our fraternity and sorority chapter members to take all appropriate measures to ensure that chapter activities adhere to University standards and regulations.”

This is the third consecutive year PSC has made the Best Colleges list.

Military Times also factors in data from the Veterans Affairs and Defense Departments, as well as three Education Department sources: the IPEDS Data Center, College Scorecard data and the Cohort Default Rate Database.

For additional information on Fraternity & Sorority Life, visit uwf.edu/fsl.

56 | Business Climate | nwflbusinessclimate.com

Around the Region

UWF Peer Educators present, earn awards at national conference The University of West Florida Peer Educators presented at a national conference for the fourth consecutive year, and received two awards.

“The peer educators consistently earn honors at this National Conference year after year,” said Dr. Rebecca Kennedy, assistant vice president and director of counseling and psychological services.

“Dr. Cambron guides them all year, and each year at the conference other campuses pack the rooms to see what we’ll present. Congratulations to our amazing students, Dr. Cambron and all the Wellness Services team for their creativity and commitment to excellence that earned them this great honor.”

UWF students Jasmine Lee, Tori VanScyoc, Davis Wood, Taylor Brownlie and Delaney Anderson, along with faculty advisor Dr. Alicia Cambron, attended the 2017 NASPA National Peer Education Bacchus General Assembly Conference from Nov. 16-18. Lee and VanScyoc presented “Love Like You,” a program on healthy relationships, while Wood and Brownlie presented “Bear Necessities of Sleep.” Anderson and Wood also presented “Get it Right: MAP Your Night,” an alcohol harm reduction program. Out of more than 100 programs presented at the conference, Lee and VanSyoc received the peer-selected Best in Show award for “Love, Like, You.”

VetCV Announces the Launch of Their Newest Web Application for Veterans VetCV announces the launch of their newest web application designed to provide veterans with a secure online home base. VetCV gives veterans, their families and their caregivers a safe place to store and share important documents, medical event history, search for jobs and job training, tell and share their story, connect with important resources and contacts, and record their life events.

VetCV provides a secure, user-friendly environment where veterans and their families can track and manage their healthcare activities, make appointments, request status on those appointments and even rate their medical experience. The web application is a powerful tool to help plan and manage veteran’s successful transition and integration to civilian life, to help choose a career path that matches their skill set and interests, and even build a personal support network with other VetCV members.

In addition to providing a secure home for important documents, VetCV integrates Artificial Intelligence technology to help manage a user’s progress, health and well being, and to make a world a better place for our veterans and families.

This has a variety of advantages to veterans from finding the best career path to helping reduce suicide among our veterans, which is core to the VetCV mission.

VetCV is an idea based on the belief that we can create a holistic solution for veterans wrapped in advanced technology solutions to deliver relevant resources, tools, education, life experiences and jobs to enhance and even save someone’s life.

VetCV is where veterans can take control of their lives all in one, safe, secure online environment.

It’s time veteran voices are heard. VetCV delivers that voice.

“The fact that the ‘Love Like You’ program was chosen for Best in Show made me immensely proud of our team,” Cambron said. “During the presentation, there was standing room only and all participants were engaged and interested in the topic. Hearing that so many peers and advisors voted for the program and wanted to implement it on their campuses made it seem like all of the students’ hard work was worth it.”

Additionally, Cambron was named Outstanding Advisor of the Year.

“Many people who I strive to be like in the field were also nominated, so it was a privilege to be in the running with such great professionals,” she said. “What means the most to me, though, is that my students took the time to nominate me. Being selected made me want to come back to UWF and continue to work even harder for my team.”

The current UWF Peer Educators program model was launched in 2012, with most students selected for part-time, paid positions after completing a semester-long course and application.

Peer educators assist in the development and implementation of campus-wide health promotion campaigns designed to prevent health problems among college students by encouraging healthy lifestyles. They help coordinate various health awareness activities, generate health promotion marketing campaigns and facilitate presentations in residence halls and classrooms.

For more information about UWF Peer Educators, visit uwf.edu/peereducators.

nwflbusinessclimate.com | Business Climate | 57

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Contact an Emerald Homes sales representative for details on available home and community details. Š 2017 D.R. Horton, Inc. 58 | pensacola magazine

On the Market A Real Estate Section

Neighborhood Spotlight

In This Section

North Hill

page 60

Neighborhood Spotlight: North Hill page 60

The Power of Solar page 70

Three Ways to Protect Your Credit Score During the Holidays page 64

Room by Room Renovations page 76

pensacola magazine | 59

NEIGHBORHOOD SPOTLIGHT NORTH HILL

Pensacola holds a special place in American history, as it was the first European colony established in the United States. This has given it a depth of history not many other American cities have, and even now you can visit—and live in—neighborhoods and homes that date back to as far as the 19th century.

That’s why we are shining our Neighborhood Spotlight on North Hill.

One of the city’s oldest neighborhoods, it’s even been declared a US historic district. Its mix of architectural styles and proximity to downtown make it a perfect place to mesh the old and the new.

History of the Neighborhood North Hill is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the entire city. The subdivision was originally the home of historic Fort George—which was built to repel attacks from the north, as the southern end of the city was protected by Pensacola Bay. This fort was integral to the American Revolution in 1781, when Spanish army general Bernandro de Galvez defeated the English here, helping America in the war effort.

Throughout the 19th century as the city expanded, residents saw the rising slope of North Hill as a perfect place to expand the city.

Combined with the lumber boom of local yellow pine, North Hill became full of houses of myriad architectural styles and designs. Finally, in 1973, the City Council approved the boundaries of the North Hill Preservation District, allowing these myriad historical homes to be protected and repaired to promote the history of Pensacola.

Properties and Prices North Hill’s boundaries include Blount, Palafox, Wright, Belmont,

60 | pensacola magazine

Reus and DeVilliers Streets. This roughly two-and-a-half square mile area contains over 425 historic buildings alone, and crosses paths with some other historic neighborhoods such as BelmontDeVilliers.

According to Trulia, the average price for North Hill is around $289k, though some of the larger and older houses can reach $750k and higher. Since the neighborhood is considered a historic district, many of the homes are classic or Victorianstyle homes, built well before the 1950s, with some even dating back to the 1800s. Most have around 1,500 square feet of space for single floor homes, but the neighborhood is full of multi-story homes with upwards of 3,500 square feet. Three beds and two baths are common, but some multi-story units have upwards to six beds and five baths. There are quite a few rental properties as well, with rent hovering around $2k a month.

One of the most distinctive parts of the neighborhood is the variety of architecture. Queen Anne, Craftsman Bungalow, Colonial Revival, Neoclassical, Tudor Revival,

Art Deco, Victorian and others all make an appearance in the neighborhood’s diverse construction.

No matter what your tastes, there is a house that will accommodate it.

North Hill is a diverse neighborhood, most of its residents being working age adults between 25 and 55 – with a little more than half of the residents living in a family household, though most do not have children. The neighborhood has a slow speed limit and plenty of well-maintained sidewalks, and due to its proximity to downtown allows for many opportunities to walk and bike to your destination. Utilities are the standard for Pensacola, with Gulf Power for electricity, ECUA for water and garbage, and AT&T, Cox or DirecTV for internet/cable.

Local Attractions Pensacola High School is nestled right near the edge of North Hill, allowing for an easy commute to school. There are also several Christian academies located around the neighborhood that are focused on adolescents and preteens.

North Hill is a very close-knit community socially. The North Hill Preservation Association often holds events for the whole neighborhood.

This includes neighborhood-wide yard sales, Christmas parties, outdoor film showings at Alabama Square Park, and much more. There is always a way to get involved and feel welcome throughout the neighborhood.

Several small grocery stores are right outside of North Hill, such as Ever’man Cooperative Grocery and Café.

The neighborhood has no real retail spaces available to visit, but much of the appeal of the area is its proximity to our burgeoning downtown.

Whether you want to talk a short walk down Palafox Street to visit its cafes and small shops, or you want to head deeper into downtown for a taste of Pensacola nightlife, the easy access and proximity of the city is part of what makes North Hill so great. It also makes Uber rides home inexpensive.

Summary North Hill is not only a quiet and convenient place to live, but it plunges you right in the center of Pensacola’s long, multi-century history without leaving your backyard. Its close-knit community, proximity to everything and slow pace allows North Hill to be a sanctuary for families and individuals alike who want the true Pensacola experience.

For more information on North Hill and the surrounding areas, speak to your realtor or visit historicnorthhill. com to find out why people have called North Hill home since the 19th century.

pensacola magazine | 61

magazine IN THIS ISSUE: COOL EATS • SECRET GARDENS • CAPTURED MOMENTS

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Hot Hair, Cool Summer

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PREMIERE EDITION

ON THE MARKET

A REAL ESTATE SECTION

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Iconic Campers in Pensacola

Wonder Women

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A look inside the home of Ashton + An Hayward six incredible local ON THE

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REAL ESTATE EXPERTS

Is Now a Good Time to Buy or Sell Residential Property in Pensacola?

The market does tend to slow down during the fall/ winter months since many buyers and sellers prefer to move during the summer months when school is out Bruce Baker, MBA of session. This fact doesn’t mean fall/winter is slow, rather, not as robust as during the spring/summer market. Following are some positive reasons to both buy as well as sell during the fall/winter months.

BUYING: 1. Not as much competition - though not slow by any means, the number of active buyers within the market tends to drop during the November to February time-period, meaning you are competing with fewer buyers for the available properties.

2. Inventory is low but growing – it’s true that

fewer people decide to sell between November and February, however, because there are fewer buyers within the market, inventory tends to sit a little longer, creating more supply.

3. Fewer buyers mean fewer multiple-offer situation – this is beneficial to buyers since multiple-offers tend to drive prices up.

winter will help you take advantage of the January relocation frenzy.

Though the fall/winter tends to benefit buyers and the spring market benefits sellers, this doesn’t negate the benefit of selling your home now if personal circumstance necessitates a move this time of the year because prices are up over previous years.

SELLING: 1. Fall/winter buyers tend to be more serious than at other times of the year. Yes, you may end up with fewer showings, but those buyers tend to be readier to make a quick move as opposed to other times of the year, 2. Seasonal decorations, music and a cozy fire add warmth to homes, and sellers can take advantage of this by creating an inviting/enticing atmosphere for buyers throughout the various fall/winter holidays, 3. The lawn/landscaping grows less or stops entirely this time of year, so spruce it up once, set out a few decorations and enjoy not having to mow the yard and trim the hedges on a weekly basis, 4. Since inventory is typically lower during the fall/winter months, sellers face less competition, 5. January is one of the largest relocation months of the year, so listing in the late fall/early

To submit a question or for more information contact Bruce Baker, MBA at 850.449.0365, Bruce@BruceBakerMBA.com or Kathy Batterton at 850.377.7735, Kathy@KathyBatterton.com.

AskPensacolaRealEstateExperts@gmail.com

Kathy Batterton pensacola magazine | 63

3 Ways

to Protect Your Credit Score During the Holidays

By Shellie Isakson-Smith Mortgage Loan Originator Synovus Mortgage Corp.

With the recent Equifax data breach that affected 143 million consumers, protecting our credit scores has risen in importance in our minds again—and it should. As you probably already know, your credit score determines whether or not you can qualify for loans and how much borrowing that money will cost you. These days it also affects your rates for car insurance, whether or not you can easily sign up for a new cell phone plan, and even if you'll have to slap down a chunky cash deposit when switching on new utilities.

The list goes on, but with these in mind, here are three ways you can protect your good scores during these times when out of the ordinary spending is something most of us do.

As we get close to the holidays, it's easy to start swiping credit cards online or at the department stores without realizing how much it can affect our credit scores. For most people, holidays mean spending money outside of the usual budget for family entertainment, meals, airline tickets, and gifts.

1). Be careful about running up credit cards.

This probably sounds like something your grandfather would tell you, but it's true. If you have to use revolving credit, it's wise to spread out your purchases over a few different card accounts to keep the balances under 30 – 50 percent of your available balance.

Exactly how the major credit bureaus calculate your credit scores is a matter of high math.

Many of the factors aren't easy to understand, but there are a few of them that we know for sure-and with some care, you can sail through the holidays without any negative hits.

2). Avoid unnecessary credit inquiries.

You will get a lot of offers for discounts or zero-percent financing if you “just sign up for this card now” during the holidays. That's one way retailers entice you into making purchases that you would otherwise avoid or consider very carefully. If you really need to make a purchase on credit, go ahead and apply, but remember that inquiries on your report can have a temporary negative effect to the tune of 10 – 20 points in some cases. This isn't a long term problem if you don't apply for credit frequently, but being aware of this impact will help you protect your score.

Important Day-to-Day Credit Score Factors: •Payment history. On-time payments are key.

Your payment history accounts for 35 percent of your score in most models.

•Amount owed. Your entire indebtedness accounts for 30 percent of your credit score.

•Mix of credit. A high number of revolving accounts (credit cards, department store lines, etc.) with balances over thirty percent of the available credit is another critical factor.

64 | pensacola magazine

"The plain truth is that many of us will use credit during the holidays. We may even exceed the optimal percentage of available credit."

3). Have a plan to pay down balances.

The plain truth is that many of us will use credit during the holidays. We may even exceed the optimal percentage of available credit.

Here's the thing: have a plan to get those balances down as quickly as possible. Since your credit profile is re-assessed every 30 days, you can bring scores back up quickly if you plan ahead for paying these accounts down after a period of using the credit. It takes a little discipline and forethought. Do you have a bonus or tax refund coming up soon? Are you getting extra overtime or taking on side work?

There are ways to handle this intelligently and enjoy high quality gift giving experiences with your loved ones-without jeopardizing your valuable credit resources.

I have touched on just a few of the overall factors that affect your credit in this article.

There are many other things to consider in addition to those I've mentioned. If you are planning to start shopping for a new home, or refinance your existing loan in the next few months, it's a good idea to make sure that your credit score is as good as possible.

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pensacola magazine | 65

Sydnee Johnson Going above and beyond to find your next home.

SYDNEE JOHNSON Realtor 22A Via DeLuna Pensacola Beach, FL 32561 sydneejohnson.cbintouch.com (850) 712-6772 Cell sydnee.johnson@floridamoves.com Follow me on

Š2017 DBA. All Rights Reserved. DBA fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Operated by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. 66 | pensacola magazine

TANI GODFREY, REALTOR® Broker/Owner Pennacle Properties Inc.

850-723-8140 Pennacle Properties

Residential & Investment Real Estate

tani@pennacleproperties.com pennacleproperties.com

Emerald Isle Pensacola Beach

22 Via DeLuna #707

MICHELLE CURRY 850.221.8795

6050 E Cambridge Way

5 Bedrooms - 3.5 Baths - 3881 SF MLS 518034 $449,500

Grand Pointe Manor

Pace, Florida

Lot 13A Manor Circle

KELLEY AMOS 850.417.5779

Hammersmith

2 Bedrooms – 2 Baths – 1135 SF MLS 527151 $499,900

105 x 35 .33 acres Gated Community MLS 524803 $128,000

KATHY TANNER 850.982.0755

6004 Enfinger Rd – Pace Schools 165 x 525 1.98 acres MLS 478769 $48,900

STunning and SPaCiouS Sound-fronT BeauTy 39 e galvez Court Pensacola Beach, fl 32561 | $1,499,000

Tanner realTy of nW fla, llC 421 e. ZaragoZa ST. PenSaCola, fl 32502 “In The Heart of Old Seville Since 2003” 850-435-9007

Let Gulf Winds help you finance your dream home.

Our mortgage professionals are right here in our branches. That means you talk with a real person (not an 800 number) who lives in the community and understands our market. You get all the loan options those big box financial institutions offer AND the personal service you deserve.

Experience the difference a credit union makes.

Come in and see us today to start your journey toward your dream home.

Visit your local branch or learn more at:

GoGulf Winds.com/Mortgage

Federally insured by NCUA.

pensacola magazine | 67

Now Building Huntington Creek Just West of the Equestrian Center

Free Design Service Build on our lot or yours!

Parade Winner 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 Builder of Dream Home 2015 Builder Of The Year 2015

The Outstanding Home Award Winner for 2016!

Come visit our furnished model homes M-Fri 10 to 5pm, Sun 1 to 5pm

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T: (850) 944-6805 • E: chopllc@yahoo.com • classichomesofpensacola.com

FROM buying OR selling TO bORROwing AnD clOsing, My expeRience cAn TAke yOu FROM beginning TO enD.

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Towana Henry

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68 | pensacola magazine

Pam Heinold Real Estate Experts

Luxury Living In Marcus Pointe!

3421 Marcus Pointe Blvd.

4 Bedroom / 3.5 Bath / 4,200 sq ft / $749,900

Beautiful Lakefront Home in Marcus Pointe.This Custom Built Home is great for families with it’s Four Spacious Bedrooms plus a Study that could be a Nursery or 5th Bedroom.This Gorgeous Home also features an Inground Pool and Spa. Call Pam today because this one won’t last long!

Looking To Sell Your Home??

I

f you are thinking of selling your home, you need the skills, expertise, and experience of a true Expert, to get the job done right. Quickly, and with No Hassles. Call Pam today for a Complimentary, No Hassle Consultation.

You’ll be glad you did!

850-232-2332

Pamela S. Heinold, Broker Associate Home Marketing Expert

pensacola magazine | 69

The Power of Solar

By Doug Herrick Florida Certified Solar Contractor (CVC56921), owner of SunFarm Energy

How would a solar installation benefit my home and family?

How much does solar actually cost me? How durable is a solar system? How does a solar system handle the interaction between my home and the grid?

These are some of the questions which prospective clients ask SunFarm Energy when they begin the process of switching their homes over to solar power. Given the relative youth of large scale solar systems (the technology is about 50 years old), it is understandable that many people have questions about the idea of putting a system on their property.

While questions about solar may differ between clients depending on their particular goals and interests, two points are abundantly clear: serious interest in solar is at an all-time high, and almost everyone agrees that solar is an important part of our energy future.

There are no questions too big

or too small when it comes to making the switch to solar, as it is an important investment with long term returns, and it is important for consumers to be educated about this addition to their property. SunFarm Energy, a NABCEP accredited and state certified solar contractor, uses their technical knowledge and practical understanding to walk their clients through the switch to solar, answering all questions and ensuring that the process is turn-key. Rick and Tammy S., a local couple who made the decision to go solar earlier this year, provide a wonderful example of the typical solar experience.

Rick and Tammy called SunFarm

Pamela L. Smith, Realtor

CRS, PMN, e-Pro (850) 516-7809 | www.pamlsmith.com Real Estate Counselors, Inc.

Classic Country Estate - 5.66 Acres

Craftsman Style Custom Built in 2014, 4BR, 3BA 3,139 Sq. Ft. in ground pool, large front and back porch, open plan, hardwood floors, granite, imported tile, natural stone, top quality throughout. MLS# 522869 $449,000

4090 SunShine Ridge CouRt 70 | pensacola magazine

Energy in April of 2017, simply curious about what it would take for them to go solar and how much it would cost them. After explaining to them the basics of solar and breaking down the costs and benefits of making the switch, which include a 30% Federal tax credit and the ability to sell back power to utilities for a retail credit in a process called net metering, Rick and Tammy were excited to receive a quote for their home. After they sent in their power bill, it turned out that they would need an 11.02 kilowatt (kW) system to offset their yearly consumption of 15,000 kilowatt hours (kWh).

A sales representative performed a site inspection of Rick and Tammy’s home, and after making a few tweaks to fit their needs they came to an agreement to install a system on their property.

They were given an estimated install date about 4 weeks after contract signing, but with scheduling flexibility, their work was started ahead of schedule. After the install was complete, the local building inspector came out to approve the installation, followed shortly thereafter by Gulf Power.

The technicians for Gulf Power reprogrammed the meter on the home so that it could read both the amount of power used by the home and the amount of power sent to the grid, which allows for solar users to only be charged for the net difference of power used (hence, net metering). After reprogramming, the technicians performed their final inspection and approved the system.

With all of this work completed,

Rick and Tammy had their system fully functioning on May 24th.

Their involvement with SunFarm didn’t stop there, as they began telling their friends about the company, which led to one of those friends making the move to solar as well.

While receiving their referral bonus, Rick and Tammy mentioned to the company that they had already seen great success with their system, as their October power bill dropped from 1,644 kWh and $220.88 last year to 11kWh and $22.38 in 2017 – a drop of almost 90 percent!

Rick and Tammy are the ideal solar success story, as their install was fast, the process was efficient, and their benefits could be seen immediately.

They have become model solar ambassadors, and tell everyone who will listen about how much they love their system and all of the good it has done for them. Anyone else interested in making the decision to go solar can see from their story that the process is painless, the returns are tangible, and the benefits – both environmental and financial – are worth the move.

SunFarm Energy is a veteran owned and operated, state certified and NABCEP accredited solar contractor based in the Pensacola area, servicing the entire state. They install commercial, residential, and industrial solar PV systems as well as solar thermal pool systems, solar hot water heaters, and electric vehicle charging stations. For more information, please call 850-4720341 or send them an email at info@sunfarmenergy.net.

PARADISE COASTAL REALTY

Exceeding Clients’ Expectations

907 ARIOLA DR MLS#519644- $470,000

4170 MADURA FOUR MLS#518084 - $349,990

1667 BULEVAR MENOR MLS#526027 - $474,000

3 BEDS 2.5 BATHS 2,000 SF

4 BEDS 3.5 BATHS 3,140 SF

1111 FT PICKENS RD MLS# 503618 - $618,000

1708 ENSENADA UNO MLS#520229 - $515,000

701 VIA DELUNA DR MLS# 525272 - $399,900

815 RIO VISTA MLS#520548 - $1,100,000

975 GRAND CANAL ST MLS# 526158- $310,000

211 VIA DELUNA DR MLS# 526025 - $410,000

00 BERMUDA DR MLS#526430 - $325,000

0 BERMUDA DR MLS# 526429 - $475,000

0.29 ACRES

4 BEDS 4 BATHS 2,396 SF

4 BEDS 3 BATHS 2,180 SF

3 BEDS 2 BATHS 2,055 SF

3 BEDS 2.5 BATHS 1,900 SF

3 BEDS 2 BATHS 1,053 SF

Kimberlee Bell

Agent kimberleebell@yahoo.com

(850) 375-8792

1307 ARIOLA DR MLS#517679 - $1,100,000

4 BEDS 2 BATHS 1,769 SF

0.213000 ACRES

Fred Simmons

0.42 ACRES

0.371200 ACRES

Owner/Agent fsimmons@paradisecoastalrealty.com

Jennifer McCrary Agent jennsellsfl@yahoo.com

(850) 501-7738

The Luxury Home Group of Paradise Coastal Realty consist of a team of highly experienced and wellseasoned veterans with outstanding career achievements. We have adopted a unique marketing niche... and we focus on providing our Buyers and Sellers superior service to meet their needs. We are a small boutique group on The Emerald Coast. The Luxury Home Group was created to address the needs of clients who demand top-notch service. Our clients never get “Lost In The Crowd” of buyers and sellers.

29 VIA DELUNA DR PENSACOLA BEACH, FL 32561 | PHONE: 866-749-3732 | LOCAL: 850-932-0067

231 Bayshore Dr ImpeccaBle, custom-DesIgneD home wIth pensacola Bay vIews | $1,138,000

See ALL HomeS for SALe in tHe PenSAcoLA AreA www.PensacolaHomesnow.com Robin Sherman, MA, CRS Broker Owner

331 N. Reus Street Pensacola, FL 32501 850-516-8185

In today's real estate market it is easy to make bad decisions.

Having a Seasoned Professional matters!

If you Know me YOU know I am...

EARNEST HONEST HARD WORKING GET RESULTS HAVE SATISFIED CLIENTS & AS A NATIVE, I KNOW THE MARKET

Bill Chavis, SRES 850-501-0771 Bill@EastHillBill.com www.EastHillBill.com

1335 Creighton Rd., Pensacola, Florida 32504 850.476.6000 Each Office Independently Owned & Operated

72 | pensacola magazine

Mike DOlleN Military Relocation Professional Florida Military Specialist

Proudly serving Northwest Florida.

Your Satisfaction is my Number One Priority.

Mike DOlleN CMDCM USN (Ret.) ReAlTOR ® 4475 Bayou Blvd, Pensacola, Fl 32503 (850) 207-1191 mike.dollen@floridamoves.com

Sharon Jones

REALTOR® Coastal Realty Experts Phone: (850) 341-9216 Fax: (866) 855-4557

Residential Real Estate “There’s no place like home.”

sharonwithcoastal@yahoo.com www.coastalrealtyexperts.com

pensacola magazine | 73

Alexis Bolin Group • Ranked Amongst the Top 1/10 of 1% of all Real Estate Agents Nationwide • Over 5,100 Closed Sales • "Who's Who" in Residential Real Estate Alexis Bolin-Broker Associate Lisa Mix-Realtor Associate • One of the Most Influential Agents in Florida • One of the Most Awarded Agents in the Nation Cell (850) 777-0275 Cell (850) 572-4102 • International Hall of Fame - 2013 Office (850) 478-5446 Office (850) 478-5446 • Real Estate Experts Hall of Fame - 2013 alexis.bolingroup@gmail.com lisa.bolingroup@gmail.com • CRS - Certified Residential Specialist • ABR - Accredited by a Representative • MRP - Military Relocation Professional

Here’s to home.

And financing solutions for yours.

Call us today.

Mortgage Loan Originators: Shellie Isakson-Smith 850.436.7846 Carmen Handrahan 850.436.8921 Synovus Mortgage Corp. is a subsidiary of Synovus Bank. Loans subject to approval, including credit approval. Shellie Isakson-Smit, NMLS 440325. Carmen Handrahan, NMLS 583328.

74 | pensacola magazine

Gulf Breeze Custom Waterfront Residence on a 1+ Acre lot 608 Fairpoint Drive, Gulf Breeze, FL 32561 MLS# 526662 | $1,990,000

This waterfront residence is a custom, architecturally designed, contemporary home on a 1+ acre lot. Property has excellent elevation, well above the flood zone w/130+/- ft. of Pensacola Bay frontage, affording an exceptional view to the downtown Pensacola area. Lushly landscaped drive w/natural shrub fence along Fairpoint Dr. The canopy of Oaks, Magnolias, Crepe Myrtles & an other mature species provide a lot of privacy.This home sits on one of the largest waterfront estates listed in Gulf Breeze. The home has been continuously updated over the years including new kitchen cabinetry along w/all new stainless steel appliances. All marble & granite countertops. Wet bar in kitchen, dumb waiter & large pantry w/built ins. Lighting & audio systems are networked throughout the home w/programmed mood lighting & multiple choices of audio. Antique imported marble fireplace is natural gas & has a remote control. Narrow plank, gloss finished, real oak floors lead from the front entrance to the upper level & throughout common areas. The master bedroom includes custom, ornate carpeting & many custom built ins.

Huge walk in closet in master bath. The upstairs guest room includes custom hardwood flooring, multiple levels & hobby area. The downstairs area would make a great mother-in-law suite or additional kids bedroom. Includes bonus room/play area/gym. Complete with kitchenette and ice maker. Also includes bedroom & bath, 1/2 bath w/rosewood paneled walls, & a big home office w/a garage entrance. Side entry 3 car garage w/dedicated equip. room.

Gail Green

850-380-1193 gailcgreen@yahoo.com

G. Daniel Green & Associates Inc. 103 Baybridge Drive Gulf Breeze, FL 32561

pensacola magazine | 75

ROOM BY ROOM RENOVATIONS

I

f your favorite room is outdated and dingy, a renovation may be all you need to make the old feel new and to fall in love with your home all over again.

Upgrading your home can be a big job, and unless it’s part of a pre-move-in plan, few homeowners find it practical (or even possible, from a budget standpoint) to execute a largescale project. However, tackling the updates one room at a time and focusing on small changes that bring big returns can put those overdue enhancements well within reach.

Kitchen It’s the heart of the home, and it’s where many homeowners sink big money to make upgrades. Kitchen renovations don’t have to require a second mortgage though. Re-facing rather than replacing cabinetry can bring about a whole new look for a whole lot less money. This is a good option when the existing cabinets are still in good working condition and you’re just looking for an aesthetic change. Other small-scale options include swapping out the countertop and sink, changing the lighting fixtures and updating tired floors with contemporary wood or tile.

Bathroom When plumbing is involved, project costs can skyrocket, but there are some relatively simple ways you can give your bathroom a facelift on a modest budget. For starters, swap out all the fixtures from lighting to faucets. A new vanity is another instant upgrade, whether

you opt for an updated version of the original or select a whole new style for a completely fresh look.

Also consider upgrades that can increase natural light and fresh air without compromising privacy, such as the addition of skylights to your ceiling, or “fifth wall,” which can completely change the lighting dynamic of the room. In addition to balanced, natural light, skylights like those from Velux can open to help refresh your space and keep it odorand moisture-free.

For extra style and light control, consider complementing the room’s decor with skylights featuring colored blinds, which are available in more than 100 colors and styles, and also offer remote control operation for convenience in raising and lowering the blinds and opening skylights to let in fresh air. Learn more about making the fifth wall part of your renovation plan at whyskylights.com.

Living Room A common space where the family gathers is likely to sustain the greatest wear and tear, and because you spend so much time there, it’s also a room where you’re likely to find a list of things that irk you. Creating a new color scheme is a simple fix that transforms the space, but changing the palette of the walls is just the beginning. Also consider taking your redesign to the ceiling with vibrant colors, creative wallpapers or even exposed beams.

Round out the room by swapping out lamp shades, adding vibrant throw pillows, replacing old curtains or blinds, or tying the color scheme together with a new area rug.

Bedroom In your private sanctuary, all the typical options for updates apply for sure. However, this is a space where the furnishings can be an especially impactful way to influence the ambiance, especially if a construction project in the room where you sleep is impractical.

Changing out the style of the bed frame and complementary pieces creates a whole new vibe for the room. Then bring in a new collection of textiles for the bedding and drapery to help round out the pseudo-renovation.

76 | pensacola magazine

Courtesy of Family Features

Laundry Room If you’re looking for modest ways to update your home, be sure to consider spaces like the laundry room. Although you likely use this space less frequently than common spaces like the living room or kitchen, plenty of essential activity happens in the laundry area. Practical features like added storage space, cheerful color on the walls and easyto-clean flooring can all make this room’s tedious tasks more enjoyable.

Which Skylight is Right?

Skylights can serve multiple functions, both aesthetic and practical. Understanding the different types of skylights can help you choose the right fit for your home.

Solar-powered skylights rely on the sun’s energy to open and bring both air and natural light into your home.

Some models, such as those offered

by Velux, feature a rain sensor that automatically closes the skylight at the first sign of precipitation. They’re also easy to operate with a touch-screen remote control.

Electric skylights are wired into your home electrical system and open and close via a radio frequency, touchscreen remote control.

Manual skylights open with a hand lever; a control rod is generally available for out-of-reach installations.

Fixed An economical choice for visually expanding areas such as hallways, stairwells and other closed-in, dark spaces, these static skylights are intended to fill a room with natural light.

Energy Performance Adding a solar blind to a skylight results in more savings via potential tax credits as well as reduced energy usage. The blind functions to block heat penetration when closed, but during cooler weather it can stay open to allow warm, sunny rays to supplement the home’s climate control system.

Build your dream home – Lots From $45,000 Contract by end of 2017 and receive a 25% discount plus 5% selling realtor bonus

E

ventide Estates is quaint NW Florida outdoor living, peaceful and private nestled in scrub oak and pines off of Trout Bayou. Local school system is Santa Rosa County which is rated one of the best in Florida. Enjoy miles of low traffic roads to stroll and see the osprey, eagles and natural beauty of nature on Garcon Point a state estuary area.

www.EventideEstates.com

Brian DeMaria

QUALITY INVESTMENTS & BROKERAGE, INC 850-470-0961 | www.qibrealestate.com

THE GUTHRIE TEAM

$170,000

$260,000

5582 Esperanto Drive

9714 Hollowbrook Drive

Steve (850)450.4639 Annie (850)748.6659 MyHome@TheGuthrieTeam.com www.TheGuthrieTeam.com

$185,000

$260,000

10000 Huntsman Path

3115 Windermere Drive

1313 Creighton Road Pensacola, FL 32504 Office (850)912.4123 | Fax (850)912.6919

pensacola magazine | 77

Steven D. WarD Vice President/Broker

850.380.7946 steve607@cox.net

Residential Real Estate and Property Management Sandra J. Ward realty 224 E. Garden St., Ste. 1, Pensacola, FL 32502

850-432-5678

Merry Christmas From Supreme Lending Our Name Says It All! At Supreme, we pride ourselves on being one

of the leaders in the mortgage industry. Through our ethics, policies, practices, technology and support, the home buying experience will be Supreme.

Supreme Lending Pensacola 850.483.0910

NMLS#920258 24 N. Tarragona Street | Pensacola, FL 32502 EQUAL HOUSING

OPPORTUNITY

EVERETT FINANCIAL, INC. D/B/A SUPREME LENDING NMLS ID #2129 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) 14801 Quorum Dr., #300, Dallas, TX 75254. 877-350-5225. Š 2017. This is not an offer to enter into an agreement. Information, rates, & programs are subject to change without prior notice and may not be available in all states. All products are subject to credit & property approval. Supreme Lending is not affiliated with any government agency. Intended for Florida consumers, Florida Mortgage Lender Servicer License MLD909.

78 | pensacola magazine

We want your business!

Small Enough to Listen, Big Enough to Deliver.

Call today to learn all that we can offer you!

Vacation Rental and Long-term Management Services

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913 Gulf Breeze Pkwy Suite 18, Gulf Breeze, FL 32561 P 850.343.2255 | F 850.343.7368 www.pensacola-property.com

UpsideRealtyFl.com Tammy Bohannon Broker/Owner

850.982.7128 Tammybo4you@gmail.com

4550 La Jolla, Pensacola, FL 32504 • 4 Bedroom • 3 Full Baths • Executive Pool Home • Call to Schedule Your Showing!

Upside Realty LLC • 913 Gulf Breeze Pkwy. Suite 18 Gulf Breeze, FL 32561 pensacola magazine | 79

FOR ALL T H AT YO U ARE

5033 N 12th Ave, Pensacola (Next to Bonefish Grill) • (850) 477-6818 209 Gulf Breeze Pkwy, Gulf Breeze • (850) 934-2688

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