Pensacola Magazine April 2014

Pensacola • Your City • Your Magazine

April 2014

GET FIT

THE HOT EXERCISES TO GET YOU READY FOR SUMMER

KEEP YOUR BRAIN HEALTHY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES PENSACOLA PARKS A ROYAL VISIT SLEEP TIGHT

YOUR GUIDE TO A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP

AT

editor’s note > my two cents on the subject

Kelly Oden Executive Editor As we were going to print with this issue, the health rankings for our county were published and the results were far less than ideal. A study by the University of Wisconsin and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ranked Escambia 57th among Florida’s 67 counties, down two spots from its previous ranking and still holding the title of the worst urban county in the state. The study examined more than 30 health and quality of life factors While some factors showed improvement, the overall assessment for our area was disappointing. So, how do we turn this around? Well, there are a lot of ways to be healthy and there a variety of stops on the spectrum, but the three main components ring true for everyone—eat well, sleep well and be active. Barring outside factors like environmental pollution and genetic issues, it really is that simple. We all have a great degree of control over our individual health and as a community we can support a wide variety of health and wellness initiatives to carry healthy lessons to kids’ classrooms, adult workshops and more.

In this issue, we feature a number of informative articles to help you with your progress toward better health. From brain health to the benefits of sleep and from great local fitness ideas to the grand opening of Ever’man (where you can find all the healthy food and personal products you’ll need), this issue has you covered.

We hope you enjoy this issue and we hope it inspires you to take steps toward a healthier lifestyle. Here’s to your health!

Pick up any of our magazines at one of these fine locations: Barnes and Noble Ever’man Natural Foods Bookseller 315 W. Garden St. 1200 Airport Blvd.

Pensacola, FL 32501 Pensacola, FL 32504 850-438-0402 850-969-9554 Varona’s Airport Gift Shop Family Christian Stores Area Books-A-Million 1520 Airport Blvd.

Area Walmart Stores Pensacola, FL 32504 850-474-9324

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Subscription Expiration Date is printed on the address label. Renew your subscription now online at www.ballingerpublishing.com: One year $14.95 and two years $22.75.

CONTENTS FEATURES 16. Keep Your Brain Healthy 25. Unique Opportunities at Pensacola Parks 29. A Royal Visit 33. Sleep Tight Your Guide to a Good Night’s Sleep 39.

39. Get Fit Hot Exercises to Get You Ready For Summer

DEPARTMENTS 8. PLAY Events & Adventures

13. GIVE 13.

22.

Nonprofit News

18. LIVE Art, Music & Culture

22. BOOKS UWF Book Club

46. REPEATS Pensacola Scene

16.

25.

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On the cover: Priscilla Leibig of Zumba With Priscilla Cover photo by Jessi Field

April 2014 PUBLISHER

MALCOLM BALLINGER malcolm@ballingerpublishing.com PM EDITOR

KELLY ODEN • kelly@ballingerpublishing.com ART DIRECTOR

RITA LAYMON • rita@ballingerpublishing.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER & ADVERTISING COORDINATOR

GUY STEVENS, II • guy@ballingerpublishing.com EDITOR

EMILY LULLO • emily@ballingerpublishing.com BUSINESS EDITOR

JOSH NEWBY • josh@ballingerpublishing.com EDITORIAL INTERNS

JEANESSA GANTT LARSEN LIEN CONTRIBUTING

WRITERS

WENDY BURT-THOMAS • REGINA SAKALARIOS ROGERS CATHERINE MERCHANT SALES & MARKETING

SHARYON MILLER, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE EXT. 28 sharyon@ballingerpublishing.com BECKY HILDEBRAND, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE EXT. 31 becky@ballingerpublishing.com

OWNERS

MALCOLM & GLENYS BALLINGER PUBLISHER

MALCOLM BALLINGER • malcolm@ballingerpublishing.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR

KELLY ODEN •kelly@ballingerpublishing.com ART DIRECTOR

RITA LAYMON • rita@ballingerpublishing.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER & ADVERTISING COORDINATOR

GUY STEVENS II • guy@ballingerpublishing.com EDITOR

EMILY LULLO •emily@ballingerpublishing.com BUSINESS EDITOR

JOSH NEWBY •josh@ballingerpublishing.com SALES & MARKETING SHARYON MILLER, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE EXT. 28 sharyon@ballingerpublishing.com SIMONE SANDS, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE EXT. 21 simone@ballingerpublishing.com BECKY HILDEBRAND, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE EXT. 31 becky@ballingerpublishing.com WEBSITE:

WWW.BALLINGERPUBLISHING.COM

EDITORIAL OFFICES 41 NORTH JEFFERSON STREET, SUITE 402 PENSACOLA, FLORIDA 32502 850-433-1166 • FAX 850-435-9174

PUBLISHED BY BALLINGER PUBLISHING:

Member of:

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. © 2014

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PLAY

A Healthy Community Ever’man Grand (re)Opening

Ever’man Natural Foods, a Cooperative Grocery store in downtown Pensacola, has announced the grand opening of its newly renovated store beginning on Thursday, April 10 and running through Saturday, April 12. The footprint of the store has expanded by over 5,500 square feet. This project has provided 25 new jobs with more to come and over $4.6 million in land purchases, infrastructure and construction improvements to the 315 W. Garden Street location.

The grand opening will begin on Thursday, April 10 at 10 am with a ribbon cutting, sponsored by the Greater Pensacola Chamber and a sign reveal. Dignitaries, including Mayor Ashton Hayward and Jewel Cannada-Wynn, will be on hand to address the crowd. The store will open immediately following the event.

On April 11 Ever’man will continue the celebration with downtown business professionals. “Sadie Blu,” a local blues singer/songwriter, will provide a lunch concert on the outside lawn from 11 am – 3 pm.

Saturday, April 12 will be a family day with “The Budz,” a modern and classic acoustic rock duo, performing from 12 pm – 4 pm on the lawn. Families can enjoy face painting, a bounce castle with slide, a seed planting area, an arts and crafts tent, a Humane Society adoption, Pensacola Blue Wahoo’s mascot “Kazoo,” Pensacola Ice Flyers mascot “Maverick” and more.

Each day of the grand opening the first 50 families entering the store will receive a free gift bag. Product demonstrations will also span the entire event as well as special product discounts and promotional items from Ever’man vendors.

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“We first want to thank our customers for putting up with the inconvenience of construction; and secondly, we want to show the community our beautiful new space,” said William Rolfs, Ever’man General Manger. “I think people will be impressed with what we have to offer. Now, we truly are a complete downtown grocery store.”

Work at Ever’man began in December of 2012, transforming the store into a modern, community-friendly area that added 33 percent more retail space to the current building at 315 W. Garden Street. The addition allows Ever’man to provide fresh, sustainable meats and seafood, new cheese and dairy items, greater organic produce offerings, expanded beer and wine areas, a completely new cafe with a hot and cold food bar, a bakery and more bulk food items.

Ever’man, dedicated to serving the Gulf Coast, renovated the space on the corner of Garden and DeVilliers Streets to provide a 1,900 square foot area for community education. The goal of Ever’man is to empower the community to make better food and lifestyle choices, which can now be taught in the new educational center.

About Ever’man: Ever’man began as a not-for-profit in 1973, and today has over 10,000 members. As a not-for-profit, modeled on cooperative values, Ever’man is member-focused and strives to provide the city of Pensacola and the greater Gulf Coast area—with education about health, nutrition, and environmental issues; access to healthy, natural foods and products at the lowest possible price; support for responsible, local agriculture and small businesses; and provides an example of green business practices.

Earth Day Penacola April 19

By Larsen Lien

2014

When you think of important days throughout the year, Earth Day may not immediately come to mind. It’s not the largest celebratory day; it doesn’t inspire themed parties; and it doesn’t require gift giving. It does, however, remind us all of the effect our actions have on the environment – an environment we’re meant to preserve for future generations.

Environmental effects may not sound as entertaining as green drinks for St. Patrick’s Day or playing pranks on April Fool’s Day, but that’s why you’ll have the chance to attend Earth Day Pensacola and see just how much fun it is. The daylong event will feature a number of entertaining and educational experiences.

While Earth Day falls on April 22 this year, Earth Day Pensacola will debut its first fashion show and Earth Day celebration on April 19. It’s starting off small, but Mary Gutierrez, event director for Earth Day Pensacola, said she has high hopes for growth in the coming years. The show, aptly titled “Trashion,” will feature a handful of models wearing the latest trends in recyclable and sustainable materials. The show will kick off the event in style, beginning at 10:15 am.

As you sit back and soak up the hopefully warm and beautiful weather, you’ll also be able to enjoy live music throughout the day. All the bands in this year’s lineup are local, since community support is something the organization tries to promote. Gutierrez said they try to partner with people and vendors who truly believe in Earth Day and the event.

“They’re not getting paid,” she said. “They’re performing because they’re passionate about the event. They’re taking time out of their schedule to be a part of it.”

Keeping Earth Day Pensacola local extends past the

performers. The majority of vendors are local as well, including End of the Line Café, Pensacola Coffee Party, First City Art Center and Ever’man Natural Foods.

If you don’t know much about Earth Day or how you can start to help out in small ways, take the time to enjoy the collection of guest speakers. They were all specifically chosen for their knowledge of and experience with the environment and how to sustain it, Gutierrez said.

For those restless kids who need something more to do than hang out and listen to bands and speakers, there will be a children’s area for them to enjoy. The fun-filled area will include activities geared toward environmental awareness. Don’t let the description fool them, though. The area will include a number of activities, including making art. Gutierrez joked that everything in the children’s area will include some aspect of environmentalism, except for the bouncy house, which is simply there for the kids to let loose.

For the first time, children will get a special treat the day before Earth Day Pensacola. The Bayview Senior Center will play host to everyone’s favorite environmentalist: the Lorax.

From 5:30-8 pm on April 18, kids and parents can come to the center and watch the movie The Lorax, which is filled with entertaining cartoon lessons about caring for the world we live in. The first 25 kids to arrive will receive a signed booked from the Lorax himself, as well as a picture with him.

All are encouraged to join the fun-filled cause at the Bayview Center on April 19 from 10 am-4 pm. Gutierrez hopes everyone can take away some important knowledge from the event. She encourages everyone to help the environment by doing simple, non-time consuming things you can learn during Earth Day Pensacola.

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PLAY

Annual Play Pensacola Easter Egg Hunt and Carnival April 12 Join the fun at the Roger Scott Athletic Complex for the Annual Play Pensacola Easter Egg Hunt and Carnival on Saturday April 12 from 10 am to 1 pm. This year, snap a photo with the Easter Bunny, the Chick-Fil-A Cow, or the CAT Country Cat. They’ll all be on-site for the festivities. Kids enjoy hunting for Easter Eggs, carnival-style games with great candy and toy prizes, and activities. While you’re there don’t miss the bubble station, face painting, bounce houses, obstacle courses and gigantic slide, all free of charge! There will also be a candy jar guess benefiting Play Pensacola’s Scholarship for Kids.

Hunt Schedule as follows: 10:30 am: 0-2 & 3-4 year olds 11:00 am: 5-6 year olds 11:30 am: 7-9 year olds 12:00 pm: 10-12 year olds Don’t forget your basket!

This event is open to the public. Admission is free with a donation of non-perishable food items to Manna Food Pantries (look for the Manna Pantries van on-site to drop off your food items).

The Roger Scott Athletics Complex is located at 2130 Summit Boulevard behind the Vickrey Resource Center and the Roger Scott Pool. Please call (850) 436-5670 or log on to www.PlayPensacola.com for more event information.

Atlas Beverage Classes at the Fish House Deck

UWF to host 14th annual Festival on the Green

April 3 Atlas Oyster House presents the next installment of Atlas Beverage Classes (A.B.C.). This semester will feature handcrafted beers, two featured spirit brands, and now cocktails with beverage director Josh Goldman, each paired with small plates. Classes are held on the Deck Bar the first Thursday of the month and will feature a presenter for four tastings. Classes begin at 6 pm and cost is $20 per person (plus tax and gratuity). The April 3 class will feature Goose Island Vintage Ales. Reservations are required. Call 516.2324 to reserve a seat.

April 4 & 5 The 14th annual Festival on the Green will return on April 4 and 5 at the University of West Florida. The free event draws crowds of more than 20,000 people of all ages, as they celebrate Pensacola’s rich history and diverse culture. The Festival features more than 20 different venues, including a motorcycle enthusiast show; a fine arts show; a Native American village; a children’s festival; an international and diversity showcase; a campus life expo; festival dining and more. All festival events and times are subject to change and rain plans. For a complete, updated schedule of events, visit uwf.edu/festival.

Blue Wahoos Home Games The third season of Blue Wahoos baseball kicks off this month!

Take yourself out to the ballgame to cheer on Pensacola’s newest home team, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos at the glorious Maritime Park baseball field. Home games for this month are listed below. For more information and time for games, check out bluewahoos.com.

April 3-7 vs. Tennessee Smokies April 24-27 vs. the Mississippi Braves

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Area Poet presents Carl Sandburg and Me

UWF Professor Pens Scholarly Book on the Freak Show and Avant-Garde

April 15 In celebration of April’s National Poetry Month, West Florida Literary Federation’s third Tuesday open mic will feature Gulf Breeze poet Jack Brooking (who writes under the pen name Jack Beach) presenting Carl Sandburg and Me on Tuesday, April 15 at 6:30 pm, second floor of the Pensacola Cultural Center. Brooking, who shares his hometown of Galesburg, Ill., with the Pulitzer-prize winning poet, will discuss poetic things he learned from the works of Sandburg, tell anecdotes about meeting Sandburg and seeing him perform, plus read from the works of Sandburg. The short program is followed by an open mic where area writers read original works. Come to listen or to read. Refreshments at 6:30, readings begin at 7 pm. 400 S. Jefferson, downtown Pensacola. For more information visit wflf.org or call 932-6812.

Robin Blyn, University of West Florida associate professor of English, recently released The Freak-Garde Extraordinary Bodies and Revolutionary Art in America. Since the 1890s, American artists have employed the arts of the freak show to envision radically different ways of being. The result is a rich avant-garde tradition that critiques and challenges capitalism from within. The Freak-garde traces the arts of the freak show from P. T. Barnum to Matthew Barney and demonstrates how a form of mass culture entertainment became the basis for a distinctly American avant-garde tradition.

Exploring a wide range of writers, filmmakers, photographers, and artists who have appropriated the arts of the freak show, Robin Blyn exposes the disturbing power of human curiosities and the desires they unleash. Through a series of incisive and often startling readings, Blyn reveals how such figures as Mark Twain, Djuna Barnes, Tod Browning, Lon Chaney, Nathanael West, and Diane Arbus use these desires to propose alternatives to the autonomous and repressed subject of liberal capitalism. Blyn explains how, rather than grounding revolutionary subjectivities in imaginary realms innocent of capitalism, freak-garde works manufacture new subjectivities by exploiting potentials inherent to capitalism. Defying conventional wisdom, The Freak-Garde ultimately argues that postmodernism is not the death of the avant-garde but the inheritor of a vital and generative legacy. In doing so, the book establishes innovative approaches to American avant-garde practices and embodiment and lays the foundation for a more nuanced understanding of the disruptive potential of art under capitalism. For more information, visit upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/the-freak-garde.

Disney on Ice Presents Rockin’ Ever After at the Pensacola Bay Center April 24-26 Mickey and Minnie have searched the globe for the hippest and hottest acts to perform in the most sensational talent showcase to rock the ice in Pensacola. Disney On Ice presents Rockin’ Ever After will hit the Pensacola Bay Center April 24-26. In a new twist on fairytale fun, favorite Disney characters compete to be the next superstar in comical segments leading up to the tales of show stopping princesses – Ariel, Rapunzel, Belle, and Merida from Brave in her ice debut! Shows will be April 24, 25 and 26. Tickets are $13 to $54.50 and are available at the Pensacola Bay Center box office or pensacolabaycenter.com.

Pensacola Civitans Host Picnic in Seville Square Cooking Demonstrations & Wine Pairings with Chef Irv Miller April 16 Enjoy a Cooking Demonstration and Wine Pairing at Jackson’s Steakhouse with Chef Irv Miller. For the April 16 demonstration Chef Irv will present “Flavors of Texas.” Tickets are $45 and there will be two seatings at 5 pm-6:30 pm and 7:30 pm-9 pm.

For reservations call 217-2347.

April 19 The Pensacola Civitans will host a public picnic in Seville Square Saturday, April 19 from 11 am-2 pm to honor and entertain citizens with developmental disabilities. Activities will include performances by John Wheeler and the Pyramid Show Choir. Pyramid will have artwork on display and for sale and Junior Civitans from Catholic High School and Pensacola High School will be doing face painting. Hot dogs and hamburgers will be free. The event is free and the public is invited to attend.

The Pensacola Civitans is a group dedicated to serving the community with an emphasis on helping those with developmental disabilities. For more information visit pensacola.civitan.net.

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G IV E

The New Junior League Empowering Women to Make a Difference

By Jeanessa Gantt

For over 50 years the Junior League of Pensacola has been easy ways to make healthy choices, thereby reducing childhood an organization dedicated to seeking out and servicing the needs obesity and its harmful effect on our community,” said Kris of the community. Established in 1956 as the Junior Service Thoma, the current volunteer president of Junior League.

League, the group continues to be committed to developing and Not only does the organization make an impact in the lives of empowering women leaders and making the community a better others, but also within the lives of its members. According to place. Though as times have changed, so have the number of Yancie Gentry, the newly-elected volunteer president for the obligations women have taken on in their daily lives. The “new” upcoming year, one of the League’s most notable Junior League is all about empowering today’s women to make a accomplishments is that it gives women the opportunity to difference, even with all the other responsibilities they have on develop their leadership potential in an accessible environment. their plates.

“To me, our most important and noticeable impact is the fact “Junior League organizations have been building women that many of our current and past members have gone on to leaders while building up communities since 1901. With a current serve in key leadership positions within their workplace and membership of nearly 200,000 women worldwide, we are proud within other volunteer organizations, taking the volunteer training of that tradition, however, our leadership today Junior League members participating in the annual Bowl for does look different,” said Meghan McCarthy, Kids Sake event to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters Healthy Lives Director at Baptist Medical Center and member of Junior League’s Community Impact Committee. “We are busy, talented women with responsibilities, families and careers who still find a way to make volunteering a priority.”

Junior League of Pensacola is comprised of more than 400 volunteers and seeks out women of all races, religions and national origins who demonstrate an interest in and commitment to volunteerism and leadership. The group has a long history of philanthropy and endeavors to continue inspiring others to give back to the Pensacola community.

“In my 25 years working for the League, I’ve seen our members work passionately to make a difference in this community while keeping up with the ever-changing needs of our membership and community,” said Executive Director Lexie Thorsen.

In response to this shift in needs, the organization has made some changes in recent years to provide more flexibility for current and future members. Such changes include lessened time requirements, a shifted community focus and new strategies for fundraising and operations, all with the they have received in the League and using it in many other ways object of keeping the modern woman involved. to better our community,” Gentry said.

Because of this more flexible approach, Junior League has The Junior League of Pensacola is currently accepting been better able to cater its efforts to the needs of the applications for its 2014-15 New Member Class. Being a part of community. One such initiative is children’s health. Although the Junior League could be a great opportunity for women who children’s wellness has always been important to the have a heart for service, enjoy networking, and are looking to organization, recent statistics about life expectancy and lifestyle build their leadership skills. choices that predict children will not live longer lives than their “Membership in the Junior League is a fun and meaningful parents did has inspired the League to focus on fighting way to invest time. It’s a great way to meet new friends, learn childhood obesity. Kids in the Kitchen is a program designed to new things and get involved in the community,” said Gentry get kids excited about preparing healthy meals and has already To learn more about membership, visit reached hundreds of communities among Junior League groups. juniorleagueofpensacola.org/join-julep, email “Our goal with this project is to teach children and families info@juniorleagueofpensacola.org, or call (850) 433-4421.

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GIVE

The Arc Gateway Celebrates 60 Years

The Arc Gateway is celebrating 60 years of serving children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the greater Pensacola area. With the support of its members and volunteers, The Arc Gateway has provided a variety of programs – from pediatric therapy and recreation to residential support and vocational training – to help the people they serve realize their dreams. The non-profit agency will hold several events throughout the 60-day celebration.

Anniversary festivities kick off Tuesday, April 29 from 10 am to 1 pm with The Arc Gateway Open House, featuring lunch on the grounds, board of directors’ induction and guided tours of the main campus at 3932 N. 10th Ave. in Pensacola. Dove Garden Shop and the Plant Nursery will offer a “member for a day” 10 percent discount in honor of the anniversary. The event is free and open to the public.

On Saturday, May 17, the Pearl Nelson Center Reunion will be held from 11 am to 3 pm at 916 E. Fairfield Dr. Celebration activities will include games for both adults and children, a sensory room, bounce house, one-float parade with Krewe of Lafitte, live band, face painting, therapy dog and more. This event is also free and open to the public.

The celebration concludes with the Arc Gateway Anniversary Dinner Gala on June 27 from 5:30 to 9 pm at the Pensacola Yacht Club. The evening will feature dinner, a brief program and special guest performance by Rion Paige, a 13-year-old country singer from Jacksonville, Fla. Rion, who has a rare condition called arthrogryposis, finished fifth in the third season of X Factor USA in December 2013. Tickets to the event are $60 per person and available by calling The Arc Gateway, 850-434-2638. For more information about any of The Arc Gateway anniversary events, call 850-434-2638 or visit www.arc-gateway.org.

Paddle for a Cure May 3 Join FITNESS ONBOARD™ on Saturday, May 3 for Paddle For a Cure, a benefit to raise money for patients battling pancreatic and colon cancers.

Participation directly benefits local patients currently receiving treatment and all proceeds will remain in the Pensacola area.

From 10 am to 12 pm a paddle course will be set up in Little Sabine Bay where participants can paddle as little or as much as they would like. This event is open to anything that floats and can be paddled! For all those enthusiasts who like to play games, have fun, partake in water contests for an all around great time! FITNESS ONBOARD™ will provide FREE stand up paddleboard techniques for beginners. Participants are encouraged to bring their own boards, however a limited number of paddleboards will be provided for sharing. From 10 am to 1 pm, participants can enjoy an amazing silent auction and enter to win a new Kona stand up paddleboard and carbon fiber adjustable paddle. Stay for the after party featuring a fish fry, adult beverages, children’s beverages, Trunk Monkey Band and much more. For more information, visit FITNESS ONBOARD at www.fitnessonboard.com.

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The Choral Society of Pensacola’s “Lyric Libations” Gala April 25 The Choral Society of Pensacola is jazzing up their annual “Lyric Libations” gala in a big way this year with performances by The Uptown Trio and vocalist Angie Powers. This popular evening of entertainment, food and wine takes place on Friday, April 25 from 5:30 pm to 8 pm at Dollarhide’s Music Center, located at 41 South Palafox Place in downtown Pensacola. Lyric Libations patrons will also be treated to a tasty variety of heavy hors d’oeuvres and fine wines, several enticing silent auction items, a 50/50 drawing, and ticket give-aways for the Choral Society’s performance of the magnificent Bach Mass in B Minor on May 10, 2014. The public is cordially invited to enjoy a fun-filled evening with the Choral Society of Pensacola - Northwest Florida’s premier symphonic chorus, now in its 78th season.

Reservations for Lyric Libations are $25 per person. Reservations can be made online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/612727, or by calling the Choral Society office at 850-484-1806. The Choral Society’s e-mail address is csop1@juno.com. Visit the Choral Society web site at www.choralsocietyofpensacola.com.

Blue Morning Gallery Scholarship Award Winner & Gallery Night Through April 25 Blue Morning Gallery and the University of West Florida are proud to announce the recipient of the 2014 Blue Morning Gallery Scholarship Award. Jane Hatcher, a junior in the Fine Arts Program at UWF, was named as winner of the $1,000 scholarship.

Hatcher, born in Valdosta, Georgia, grew up in Nairobi, Kenya and Nicosia, Cyprus. She recently received her A.A.S degree in Photographic Technology from Pensacola State College, where she received the coveted Transfer Scholarship to University of West Florida. As the scholarship recipient winner, Hatcher’s photography will be on display at Blue Morning Gallery through April 25. A reception for Hatcher, which is open to the public, will take place on April 11, 5-8 pm.

Bud Light Challenge Golf Tournament Benefits Arc Gateway and Pensacola Sports Association April 24 The Arc Gateway Foundation and the Pensacola Sports Association are teaming up again for a tee-rrific golf tournament on Thursday, April 24 at Scenic Hills Country Club. The afternoon of golfing fun includes a course tour of snacks and spirits, unique door prizes, ditty bags of great goodies and cash awards! A cookout lunch/registration kicks off the event at 11 am followed by a shotgun start at 12:30 pm with a four-man scramble format. The day concludes with sunset cocktails, appetizers and awards. Entry fees are $125 per player and several sponsorship opportunities are available. All proceeds support the programs at Arc Gateway and Pensacola Sports Association. Arc Gateway provides services and support to more than 800 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Pensacola Sports Association enriches our community by creating and supporting sporting events for both amateurs and professionals - and encouraging physical fitness and health, active lifestyles for everyone. For registration or sponsorship opportunities, email Megan McLemore or call 850-434-2638.

Gulf Coast Kid’s House Chocolate Fest April 26

Gulf Coast Kid’s House and Sandy Sansing Dealerships present the 11th Annual Chocolate Fest, a dessert extravaganza held at Cordova Mall, on Saturday, April 26 from noon to 3 pm.

2014 Chocolatiers include: Chrissoulas Cheesecake Shoppe, The Grand Marlin, Hilton Pensacola Beach/H2O, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Olive Garden (Darden Restaurants), and Texas Roadhouse, with more still to come. More than just a delicious dessert, this chocolate is for a cause. Restaurants, sponsors and attendees of the 11th Annual Chocolate Fest help raise funds that ensure child victims of abuse and neglect receive timely, effective and streamlined treatment. Gulf Coast Kid’s House facilitates a collaborative response to abuse cases, ensuring that medical exams, recorded interviews, prosecution and mental health counseling occur in one child-friendly facility. This “one-stop” concept greatly reduces the trauma children experience and leads to better case outcomes. In 2013, GCKH provided services to nearly 2,100 child victims of abuse in Escambia County. Tickets cost $10 in advance or, if available, $15 at the event, which takes place throughout the corridors of Cordova Mall. There, attendees will sample mouth-watering chocolate treats from dozens of popular local restaurants. A special area for children, the “Chocolate Factory,” will feature activities, games, and prizes.

Tickets can be purchased from Gulf Coast Kid’s House, Sam’s Club or online at www.pensacolachocolatefest.com.

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Keep Your Brain Healthy 4 Steps to fight cognitive decline

By Wendy Burt-Thomas

Until recently, scientists believed the brain was stagnant, that is, incapable of change. If you damaged your brain from drugs, alcohol or even a car accident, there was little hope for improvement. For those with age-related cognitive decline, the prognosis was even worse: NO hope for improvement.

But in the 1990s, researchers learned the truth about plasticity – the brain’s ability to birth new neurons at any age.

Where once brain researchers had focused on repairing old cells, they now turned their attention on the importance of creating newer, healthier ones. The research made its way to the public relatively quickly. Despite the hype, legitimate sources like the Alzheimer’s Association agree that there are four realistic approaches to maintaining a healthy brain. They include: • Mental activity • Social activity • Physical activity • Proper diet Mental activity In recent years, media coverage of the brain’s ability to change has lead to sudden sales of crosswords, Sodukos, and other cognitive improvement-related books, magazines, puzzles and electronic games. It’s something that most long-time brain experts are happy to see.

“The fact that these neurosynaptic connections can be developed with cognitive skills training means that we can literally transform the process of learning by improving a person’s ability to retrieve information, analyze variables, and apply logic and reasoning,” says Dr. Ken Gibson, author of Unlock the Einstein Inside: Applying New Brain Science to Wake Up the Smart in Your Child.

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Gibson is a fervent believer that cognitive skills can be improved – both at home, and with clinical cognitive training.

Knowing this research shows us that we can fight the toll of the aging process, so why shouldn’t we.”

Social activity According to the Alzheimer’s Association, research shows that regular engagement in social activities helps maintain brain vitality. Social activities include emotional support, work, volunteering, travel and participation in clubs.

A 2001 study seems to corroborate the theory. The study analyzed the impact of professionally conducted cultural programs on adults over 65, and found that opportunities to participate and attend ongoing cultural activities (singing, painting and poetry reading, for example) had healthy and encouraging benefits, including: • better overall health • fewer visits to their physician • rate of need for medication decreased • fewer falls • vision problems diminished The general consensus? Maintain your friends, relationships and activities and you’ll maintain your brain health.

Physical activity You already know that staying physically active is good for the body. But research now shows that even light to moderate aerobic exercise improves oxygen consumption, which helps the brain to function better. In the elderly, aerobic exercise – such as walking, bicycling or yoga - has actually been found to reduce brain cell loss.

Ask a friend or family member to join you and you’ll be adding the benefit of social interaction.

Proper diet No real surprise here: What’s good for the body, is good for the brain. But what may be surprising is exactly how far science has come in identifying the compounds that are beneficial for the health and function of our brains. That body of research is growing daily, and supports the idea that along with proper sleep and exercise, many different types of foods are necessary for optimum mental functioning, including fluids, complex carbohydrates, proteins, beneficial fats, and various vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Just look at these brain facts: • The brain uses 20 percent of the body’s metabolic fuel, but makes up just 2 percent of our body weight • The brain can’t store carbohydrates like muscles can so it requires a constant supply of glucose • Eating regularly ensures that the 100 billion nerve cells in the adult brain remain active Like many body organs, the brain operates best when blood glucose is stable. Lack of concentration and other mental lapses can readily occur when blood glucose levels dip or surge.

To metabolize glucose, our brain cells need oxygen. Other vitamins like vitamin C, B-1help enable the metabolism of glucose. Zinc is important for concentration and memory and protein boosts attention.

Water is vital for proper brain function. Nutrients can reach the brain in adequate amounts only if the body gets enough fluid. Studies show that even slight dehydration slows the rate nutrients can enter the brain, producing short-term memory deficits and other cognitive problems.

Although you may not be able to completely stave off the effects of agerelated cognitive decline, incorporate mental, social and physical exercise, as well as a balanced diet may be your best route to maintaining brain health.

AP Place lac l ce for for You You in Pensacola Peensacola Pen Busine Business e

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Pensacola Do Downtown ownto w ow wn

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700 East Chase Street 850-439-3330 courttya ardpensacoladowntown.com

Airport/Cordova Airport/Cordo ova Mall

2187 Airport Boulevard 850-478-1123 hamptoninnpensacolaairport.com

1144 Airport Boulevard 850-479-8900 hiltongardeninnpensacola.com

5049 Corporate Wo oods Drive 850-474-3777 homewoodsuitespensacola.com

About the author: Wendy Burt-Thomas, a full-time freelancewriter. www.WendyBurtThomas.com Resources: 1. The Alzheimer’s Association offers a free PDF of “The Healthy Brain Initiative; A National Public Health Road Map to Maintaining Cognitive Health” at www.alz.org 2. To find a cognitive skills training center near you, visit www.LearningRx.com 3. AARP offers links to free online brain games at http://games.aarp.org

Pensacola Beach

16 Via i DeLuna 800-934-3301 850-934-3300 dayysinnpensacolabeac s ch h.com

850-932-9314 • Hiighpointe.com

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LIVE

Hangout Fest

By Larsen Lien

May 16-18

It has the same screaming fans, blazing heat and incredible bands as other summer music festivals, so what exactly makes the Hangout stand out? Director of the festival Sean O’Connell knows exactly how to answer that.

“We create an experience, not just a concert,” he said. “While you’re looking at the bands, you’re seeing these beautiful palm trees and breaking waves and open skies.”

Some festivals merely give you a show, but the Hangout Festival and those involved do their best to go above and beyond to give their attendees the weekend of a lifetime.

“While we spend a lot of money on bringing in the best bands in the world to the beaches, we also spend a lot of effort making sure that every experience you have is world class,” O’Connell said. “It’s a combination of vacation meets festival.”

The festival, which will take place May 16-18, is in its fifth year.

Although it is young, the Hangout Fest is already one of the most anticipated summer music events. This year, the festival will include a large cast of well-known artists, including headliners Jack Johnson, The Black Keys, Outkast and The Killers, along with dozens of other new and returning artists. As of now, the lineup this year consists of 75 bands performing day and night over three days overflowing with sun, excitement and bathing suits.

It comes as no surprise that preparation for the festival and booking acts is a year-round job requiring a dedicated team.

O’Connell said he even began contacting artists more than a year

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ago. Though he may make the final decision on which artists perform, fans inspire the initial process via social media outlets and surveys the festival puts out. Some acts, though, need no explanation.

“Jack Johnson on the beach, it’s just a no-brainer,” O’Connell said.

Though it is the first time for the other headliners to perform at the Hangout, this will be the second year for The Black Keys.

Returning bands are nothing new to O’Connell, who said they begin to feel like family after a while.

One such band is Portugal. The Man. The alternative rock band previously played at the festival in 2011 but is returning this year, filled with anticipation. Their first visit to Hangout was quite the pleasant surprise, Zach Carothers, bassist for the band, said.

“Anytime anyone tells you something is ‘right on the beach,’ they never mean that,” Carothers said. “It’s always like, ‘Oh yeah, our house is right on the beach,’ when really it’s like half a mile away. It’s never right on the beach. So we got there, and this festival is actually right on the beach. I couldn’t believe it. I was watching dolphins jump while we were sound checking. It was unbelievable.”

The festival is not only known for its popular headlining acts, but also its ability to welcome new talent. And unlike the majority of outdoor festivals where a certain time of day might be desired to play during, the Hangout Fest and its loyal attendees are always ready to rock.

“It doesn’t really matter to me when we play at a festival like

that. [The Hangout] is one of those festivals where the vibe is all day,” Carothers said. “It’s one of those where people are having fun and ready to party all day.”

Carothers said that while Portugal. The Man focuses on playing their own songs and letting people hear their new album, they also love to play covers of songs, which tends to be a crowd pleaser at festivals. In that moment, 35,000 people can become connected on a different level, even in such a large setting as the Hangout Fest.

“That’s one of my favorite things about festivals in general is the covers,” Carothers said. “Just taking the ego out of artists and recognizing that there’s things bigger than you, those things that everybody loves that we all gained inspiration from. That’s why we’re all here.”

Other than the music, attendees also spend weeks anticipating the variety of amenities the Hangout provides, even for its non-VIP ticket holders, as well as new additions every year. The first exciting change for the weekend-long event will be the expanded partnership with Alabama Gulf Seafood. Rather than the normal seafood tent festival-goers are used to, there will now be a larger courtyard area.

Another addition to the Hangout Fest this year will be luxurious and relaxing oases with limited beach access.

Attendees will be able to dip their toes in the water, relax in lounge chairs and escape the fast-paced festival life for a moment of serenity.

“People will really be able to escape from the festival under dozens and dozens of palm trees and beautiful green grass, and [it’s] almost a French-Mediterranean style, where you’re able to get away for a while and relax,” O’Connell said.

One major change this year will be the addition of a sixth stage. Those involved in the Hangout are grateful and excited for the new stage – just as festival-goers will be come May – because the extra space has allowed them to bring in more bands, making this “by far the best lineup we’ve ever had,” O’Connell said.

The Thursday Night Kickoff Party may not be new to the Hangout’s set up, but it is most certainly a very popular aspect of the festival. With artists such as Girl Talk, Iron and Wine, and Wolfmother, it’s no struggle to see why the prefestival party is so popular. Tickets are only $40 for Thursday night, and more artists will be announced in April.

Not only is the festival beneficial to young adults ready to throw down their books for a weekend to party on the beach, but also it is exciting for the city of Gulf Shores and the connecting northwest Florida area. O’Connell said he and his team hear positive feedback from local realtors saying many who come down for the festival are returning later in the year for vacations.

“Fifty percent of our fans plan on coming back to the Gulf Shores area for vacationing outside of the music festival, which is an absolutely amazing statistic,” he said. “On average, our fans are staying two to three days more in the area than just the music festival, so that’s really making an impact on restaurants and the tourism industry.”

Whether they’re partying with the bands or relaxing in palm tree shade, attendees are advised to wear lots of sunscreen, bring a beach towel and take advantage of the shuttle system provided by the festival, since parking will be extremely limited. Even if you don’t know where you are staying yet, you can still purchase a shuttle ticket, as long as you select your official route by April 15. Tickets are limited, so O’Connell said those interested should hurry; however, if tickets last, sales won’t officially end until May 16.

UWF Music Department Chamber Music Concert April 2 The University of West Florida Department of Music will present an afternoon of chamber music on the first Wednesday of April at 12 pm in the Old Christ Church in Historic Downtown at 405 South Adams St. On April 2 the concert “Spring is Here” will be filled with happy music for singers and instrumentalists. In addition to well-known pieces, members of the UWF Chamber Music Class will present some musical surprises, including rarely performed repertoire for various chamber ensembles and vocalists. For more information contact Jerre Brisky at jbrisky@uwf.edu.

Reggae Festival at Seville Quarter April 4-6 The spirit of Jamaica returns to the End of the Alley Courtyard and on the Main Stage in the Party Plaza. The three-day Festival will be jammin’ with Reggae inspired music and food. Headlining the Reggae Festival are six local and nationally known acts. The Reggae Festival will flow into streets in front of Seville Quarter with the third annual Seville Quarter Average Joe Boat Show, a special showcase of local boat owners, showing and selling their displayed boats. Seville will also feature many festival merchandise booths, filled with tie-dye, hair braiding, hair feathers, festival art and jewelry and much, much more. For more information visit sevillequarter.com.

Pensacola Symphony Orchestra Presents Russian Spectacular April 5 The Pensacola Symphony Orchestra invites you to enjoy a Russian Spectacular, a performance of compositions from Russian composers at the Saenger Theatre on Saturday, April 5 at 8 pm. The performance will feature Tchaikovsky’s Suite from Swan Lake, as well as works by Stravinsky, Rachmaninoff and more, and will also showcase solo pianist Sofya Gulyak. Tickets range from $22-$84 and are available at pensacolasaenger.com.

Pensacola Opera Presents Opera in the Park April 5 Join Pensacola Opera for the inaugural Opera in the Park at the Community Maritime Park April 5 from 9 am to 12 pm. This event will feature arts and crafts, story time, and other activities designed for kids and families. The day will also include a special performance by Pensacola Opera’s Artists in Residence of the educational children’s opera Little Red’s Most Unusual Day by John Davies. Admission is free. For more information call 433-6737.

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LIVE

PLT Presents The Hobbit April 4-6; 10-13 Have you ever wanted to travel to the Shire or conjure the spells of a wizard? Take a trip with PLT. Performances of Patricia Gray’s adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit are coming to Pensacola Little Theatre April 4-6 and 10-13. Thursday, Friday and Saturday Performances are at 7:30 pm and Sunday matinees are at 2:30 pm. For tickets please call the PLT Box Office at 432-2042, or visit pensacolalittleyheatre.com. The show is proudly presented by Andrews Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Center and is rated G.

Artel Gallery Presents Homage to the Past Through April 11 Artel Gallery presents Homage to the Past, a juried exhibit on display through April 11.

Works in this exhibit were selected by juror Denise Quirk Vowell. The Award Alcove is a space in the northwest corner of the gallery reserved for previous Artel best of show winners. The Award Alcove currently features Bricolage by Sandy Ford, a selection of mixed media works that include found objects, prints, altered photography and altered books. Artel is a notfor-profit educational gallery located 223 Palafox Pl. For more information call 432-3080 or visit artelgallery.org.

First City Art Center Gallery Show: Inspiration Through May 6 Visit the First City Art Center Studio Artists and Gallery through May 6 to experience the new show Inspiration.

See how inspiration is expressed in two dimensional and three dimensional works created by the 12 studio artists working on site. The Gallery hours are Monday - Friday from 9 am – 3 pm and Saturdays from 9 am - noon. For more information, 429-1222 or visit firstcityart.org.

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Sacred Landscapes: The Photography of Kevin Boldenow at the PMA April 10 – May 31 Artist and fellow Floridian, Kevin Boldenow is bringing part of his photography collection to the Pensacola Museum of Art. The exhibition will focus on Boldenow’s black and white landscape photography. Sacred Landscapes is on view from April 10 to May 31. An opening reception will be held at the museum Thursday, April 10, 5:30 to 7 pm. For more information visit pensacolamuseum.org.

HIVevolution Broadway & Art at Artel Gallery April 11 Please join HIVevolution at the Artel Gallery for an HIVevolution Broadway & Art fundraiser Friday, April 11 at 7 pm, with show starting at 8 pm. This fundraising event will feature local artists, The Coastal Cabaret Ensemble and members of Ballet Pensacola. Enjoy complimentary drink and dessert while spending an evening immersed in local arts with a Broadway theme! Tickets are $35 and proceeds benefit HIVevolution.

HIVevolution provides HIV stigma reduction, testing and education which encourages early diagnosis and healthier lives.

To reserve tickets call 429-7551.

The Saenger Presents Million Dollar Quartet April 19 Million Dollar Quartet is the Tony® award-winning Broadway musical, inspired by the electrifying true story of the famed recording session that brought together rock ‘n’ roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for the first and only time. On Dec. 4, 1956, these four young musicians were gathered together by Sam Phillips, the “Father of Rock ’n’ Roll” at Sun Records in Memphis for what would be one of the greatest jam sessions of all time. Million Dollar Quartet brings that legendary night to life on the Saenger stage April 19 at 7:30 pm. This irresistible tale of broken promises, secrets, betrayal and celebrations features timeless hits including “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Fever,” “Sixteen Tons,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “I Walk the Line,” “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” and more. Tickets are $58 and $78 and are available at pensacolasaenger.com.

UWF Department of Theatre presents God’s Country April 11-13 & 17-19 The University of West Florida Department of Theatre will present God’s Country by Stephen Dietz on April 11-12 and April 17-19 at 8 pm and April 13 at 2:30 pm. All performances will take place in the Mainstage Theatre of the Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Building 82, on the main UWF Pensacola Campus. Following the performance on Friday, April 11, a talkback with playwright Stephen Dietz will be held. This highly theatrical docudrama is based on the death in 1984 of Allan Berg, an outspoken, controversial Jewish talk radio personality based in Denver as he covered the growing white supremacist movement in America – those dedicated to violent revolution and the expulsion from God’s Country of non-Aryans. The story follows the trial of a paramilitary group called The Order, the career and death of Berg by The Order, and the hate-filled career and death of The Order’s founder, Robert Matthews.

This play contains adult content and may not be suitable for all audiences. Ticket prices are $16 per person for adults, $12 per person for senior citizens and active military, $10 per person for non-UWF students and UWF faculty and staff and $5 for high school students. UWF students are admitted free with their Nautilus cards. For more information or to reserve tickets, please contact the CFPA Box Office at 857-6285 or visit uwf.edu/cfpa.

Merle Haggard Live at the Saenger April 24 The man behind country music’s working man’s anthems, legendary troubadour Merle Haggard has hung his soul on the line with dozens of songs that tell tales of hard living. From his first national hit, “Sing A Sad Song,” to classics like “Okie from Muskogee,” “Big City” and “Silver Wings,” Merle Haggard has brought a lyrical depth to country music. His chart-toppers include “Lonesome Fugitive,” “Hungry Eyes,” and “Working Man Blues.” He continues to tour with one of country music’s finest road bands, The Strangers, who have eight times won the Academy of Country Music’s Touring Band of the Year Award and the group comes to the Saenger stage April 24 at 7:30 pm.

Tickets are $59 and are available through pensacolasaenger.com.

PLT Presents [Title of Show] April 25-27; May 1-3 Pensacola Little Theatre’s Studio 400 Production Series brings [Title of Show] to the M.C. Blanchard Courtroom Theatre.

Performances will run April 25-27 & May 1-3. [Title of Show] tells the story of two struggling young artists who decide to write an original work for a musical theatre competition even though the deadline is just three weeks away. Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances at 7:30 pm and Sunday Matinees are at 2:30 pm. Ticket prices are $10 for general admission and $17 for café seating. For tickets and more information call 4340257.

Pensacola Opera to Present Cosi Fan Tutte April 24 & 25 Pensacola Opera will present Così Fan Tutte as its 2014 Artists in Residence Showcase at the Pensacola Opera Center on Thursday, April 24 and Friday, April 25 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, April 27 at 2 pm. This condensed version of W. A. Mozart’s Così fan tutte will be performed in an intimate, black box theater setting with musical direction by Artist in Residence, Nick Place. As a fun twist, Director A. Scott Parry has set the opera circa 1986 in Naples, Florida. The Artists in Residence Showcase is a fantastic way to indulge your interest in opera beyond the mainstage, so don’t miss this innovative opera experience! Tickets are $30 per person. Call 433-6737 today to reserve your seats.

Pensacola Symphony Orchestra Presents Mozart & Mahler April 26 The Pensacola Symphony Orchestra invites you to enjoy Mozart & Mahler, a performance at the Saenger Theatre on Saturday, April 26 at 8 pm. The performance will feature Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante and Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, “Titan” and more. The performance will highlight solo violinist Leonid Yanovskiy and solo violist Brian Brown. Tickets range from $22$84 and are available at pensacolasaenger.com.

PMA Presents: Figures to Fur: Passions of a Private Collector Through April 30 The Pensacola Museum of Art is pleased to present selected works from the Peyroux, Gillmore, and Meacham Collection. This exhibition serves as a public glimpse into a private love story between the collectors and their passion for European and American oil paintings, sculpture, and portrait miniatures from the 18th through the 20th century. For more information visit pensacolamuseum.org.

Quayside Gallery Presents Nature’s People Through May 2 Quayside Gallery presents its latest featured artist show, Nature’s People, on display through May 2. Nature has much to offer and this new feature show bids a salute to natural life forms through the work of artists Heather Mitchell and Scott Melville. Mitchell is very passionate about her drawing portrayals and Scott Melville favors egg tempera as a medium for painting animals. Join the gallery and meander nature’s lively path through the eyes of these artists. For more information about Quayside visit quaysidegallery.com.

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BOOKS UWF BOOK CLUB

About the author: Carl Hiaasen

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On top of being an incredibly accomplished writer, Carl Hiaasen is also a Florida native.

He has written countless novels for both adults and younger audiences and has received numerous awards for his literary accomplishments.

Born in 1953, Hiaasen began his long journey to be a writer at a very young age. He continued to write throughout his schooling and eventually enrolled at the University of Florida, where he wrote for the school newspaper. Hiaasen graduated with a degree in journalism in 1974. By 1976 he was hired to write for The Miami Herald, which he still contributes to today. While he was a reporter, he received several awards for his journalism and commentary.

During his time as a journalist, Hiaasen also began working on his novels. His first few were mystery-thrillers co-written with William Montalbano, but in 1986 Hiaasen wrote his first solo novel, Tourist Season. After its success, he went on to write over a dozen more novels for both adults and young readers. His first book for the younger audience, Hoot, received a Newbery Honor from the Association of Library Service to Children.

Hiaasen’s novels have reached wider audiences than ever imagined. Altogether, his books have been translated into 34 different languages. In 1996, he reached a cinematic audience when one of his novels, Strip Tease, was turned into a film, starring actress Demi Moore. Additionally, in 2006 the film version of Hoot was released, adding to Hiaasen’s film resume.

Throughout his career, Hiaasen has decidedly stuck with themes of environmentalism, issues with rapid growth within cities, corrupted government and many others within the broader crime and mystery genres.

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Florida: Fertile Ground for Satire in Carl Hiaasen’s Tourist Season

By Regina Sakalarios Rogers, Instructor, UWF Department of English

The simplest compliment to give Carl Hiaasen’s first novel Tourist Season would be that it is a funny book. As a journalist in South Florida, Hiaasen is surrounded by the uncanny, bizarre, and eccentric, all of which permeate the novel and contribute to its humor. However, when I first read the book years ago, as a still impressionable 18-year-old, it was the setting and the emotional, proprietary, and protective relationship of the characters to the setting that captured me.

Hiaasen’s novel woke me up to the idea that the state I lived in and loved so much needed protection.

The novel’s main character, Brian Keyes, reporter turned private investigator, becomes involved in the investigation of the bizarre deaths of a Shriner on vacation in Miami and the head of the Miami chamber of commerce. The latter is found dead with a toy alligator stuck in his throat, and Keyes is soon involved in preventing the deranged efforts of a small and bumbling gang of halfway committed eco-terrorists.

Unfortunately, all of the incidents that make Hiaasen’s novel funny also make it disturbing for those of us who value the natural richness of Florida. In a New York Times article by Hiaasen, “Real Life, That Bizarre and Brazen Plagiarist,” he says, “Sharp-edged humor relies on topical reference points.”

In Florida one of the most pressing topics continues to be the tension between the environment and the ever-increasing human population. Hiaasen’s novel does not take sides or offer solutions. Instead, it does what all great satire should do. It shows the ridiculousness in the current approaches to the problem.

The United States Geological Survey indicates that only 50 percent of the original Everglades remains since draining for agriculture and development began in 1900. Eighty percent of wading bird species have been lost since the 1930s and the Florida panther faces near extinction. Beaches in Florida have endured rapid development since the mid-twentieth century.

The leader of “Las Noches de Deciembre,” the bungling ecoterror group in Tourist Season, sees only the need to scare people out of Florida. Brian Keyes, however, reflects the more complex nature of the issue, the one more familiar to those of us who live in Florida.

The novel is not a solely an environmental tale. The complexities of the environmental debate are reflected in the attitudes of all the characters, even the most fervently devoted leader of the eco-terror group. The desire to protect what one loves – human, animal, or natural – permeates the tension in the interplay between characters. At the novel’s end, who or what wins is not quite so easy to discern. The only clear winner is the reader. Rereading the book today brought me as much enjoyment as it did when I was 18. An experience not always true, particularly with humor. Tourist Season holds up after 27 years because the subject of the satire remains relevant.

Dark Season: Tourist Season and Film Noir

By Catherine Merchant, English Capstone, Spring 2013

Carl Hiaasen’s Tourist Season is simultaneously a parody of and homage to the great film noir movies of the 1940s and 50s. Most of these films were crime thrillers, famous for a visual style luxuriating in shadows and shades of gray. Their plots were motivated by a delicious blend of sexual desire and greed. Forget clear-cut good guys and bad guys. Here, moral ambiguity is the rule. The detective/protagonist is hardboiled, brimming with rugged masculinity. He is a man armed with a wisecrack and a gun, and he gets things done, one way or another. Think Humphrey Boggart.

In Tourist Season, you will find all of these signature features of noir, but adapted to hilarious ends. The novel is, at its heart, a pure crime thriller, and while the crimes performed are of a very typical nature for the genre—murder, abduction, seduction—they are patently ridiculous. Take Sparky, the novel’s first victim. He has his legs chomped off by a crocodile and chokes on the kind of rubber alligator you can buy at a souvenir shop in the Everglades before his murderers stuff him into a suitcase and throw him into the ocean. It’s a grisly scene, certainly, but given that Sparky has made the success of the Florida’s tourist industry his life’s work, it is brilliant black humor.

Film noir’s moral ambiguity pervades the novel, as well.

Skip Wiley forms a revolutionary group for the purposes of driving tourists out of south Florida and returning the land to a state of nature. He is a committed environmentalist, and this gives a certain kind of gravity to Wiley’s crimes. Even detective Brian Keyes, hot on his tail, wrestles with the fact that Wiley isn’t necessarily wrong in his aims and cause, but he knows that his role in this noir novel is to hunt him down, and this he does, in his own fantastically bumbling way. While most film noir movies have assured, capable masculine protagonists, Tourist Season gives readers a P.I. who becomes faint at the sight of blood. At every turn, he battles with his masculinity and others’ perception of it. In fact, Wiley seems a better fit for the old noir heroes—apart from his willingness to murder, of course. Ultimately, however, Keyes becomes a man in the eyes of his fictional world when he learns to use his gun, a not so subtle satire of the rules of manhood that noir exploits.

At once, Tourist Season is throwback, homage, and affectionate parody of those dark crime thrillers, and it pulls off its effects with style and aplomb. Even if you peeled away all of those references to film noir, however, you would still be left with an exciting tale of murder and mayhem in south Florida that is hard to resist.

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Northwest Florida’s Business Climate Magazine For Business Today and Tomorrow www.nwflbusinessclimate.com

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Unique Opportunities at Pensacola Parks

By Emily Lullo

Photo courtesy of Pensacola Paddlesports

When people think about going outside to play the nearest park often springs to mind first. The perfect spot for a pickup game or to bring the kids to expend some of that neverending well of energy, the parks maintained by Play Pensacola Neighborhood Services add mightily to the quality of life of local citizens and they offer a bevy of activities and programs. The City of Pensacola actually has 98 parks, open spaces and recreational facilities, each with its own slate of offerings and amenities.

With so much going on in our local parks, there are unique opportunities for children and adults alike that many locals don’t realize are offered.

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Weight Rooms Cobb Community Center, Fricker Community Center, Gull Point Resource Center, Sanders Beach Corinne Jones Resource Center, Vickrey Resource Center, Woodland Heights Resource Center If the cost of a gym membership is standing between you and regular strength training for physical fitness, several resource and community centers have gym equipment available for use and the price is very right. Open during their respective facilities’ regular hours, these fully equipped weight rooms are available to anyone 16 years or older. A visit to a weight room will only set you back $1 per visit or $10 for the month. For people over the age of 50, use is free. The Vickrey Center even boasts fitness classes like pilates, yoga and spinning and it has its own personal trainer, Billy “The Kid” Lewis, who is available for one on one or group training.

Bayview Park in East Hill offers many amenities like tennis courts, playground equipment, sheltered picnic areas, dog parks and more, all in the sprawling grounds overlooking Bayou Texar. You can also leave the shore and explore this waterway with the help of Pensacola Paddlesports. Provided by an independent company headquartered in the small building adjacent to the Bayview Community Center, the business rents out kayaks, pedal boats and paddleboards for affordable prices, giving families the perfect way to get a fun workout on the waves or just have an adventure exploring the area by water.

Open by appointment until the spring, Pensacola Paddlesports opens for full hours in May, and offers Saturday evening kayak Torchlight Tours. For rates, hours and more information, visit pensacolapaddlesport.com.

Dance Classes Gull Point Resource Center, Cobb Community Center, Sanders Beach Corinne Jones Resource Center, Vickrey Resource Center, Bayview Resource Center Community and resource centers throughout the city offer plenty of dance classes for both children and adults, whether you’re looking to learn a new technique to take to the dance floor or just a fun way to get moving. Gull Point offers beginning to advanced levels of belly dance classes for anyone looking to work their abs while learning the unique art of this Middle Eastern dance technique. For a Latino-inspired flavor, five different centers offer Zumba, a mix of cardio and dance that has taken off in the exercise world as a fun way to get in a workout. Classes range from $3 to $5 per class.

There are also line dancing and square dancing classes at the Bayview Senior Center.

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Photo courtesy of Pensacola Paddlesports

Pensacola Paddlesports Bayview Park

Disc Golf Course Hitzman Optimist Park Have you ever wanted to try your hand at disc golf, the most laidback sport of all time? At Hitzman Optimist Park, located in the Scenic Heights area, a nine-basket course weaves through the pines offering a short but challenging course. Played with similar rules to regular golf, disc golfers throw Frisbeelike discs toward metal chained baskets, hoping for a par. Just pick up some discs at a local athletic store and stop by the park and find a sign by the first tee with a map of the course and basic instructions.

Relaxing Practices Bayview Community Center, Gull Point Resource Center, Sanders Beach-Corinne Jones Resource Center and the Vickrey Resource Center.

With the stress of modern life comes the need to slow down and indulge in some relaxing and stress reducing practices that center the mind and balances the body. Yoga classes, available at the Bayview Resource Center and Sanders Beach-Corinne Jones Resource Center, encourage flexibility and strength through a series of poses. T’ai chi is also known to be a stress-reducing practice that involves moving through a series of standing martial arts stances at a slower pace to build mobility and balance. It is available at Bayview Community Center, Gull Point Resource Center, Sanders BeachCorinne Jones Resource Center and the Vickrey Resource Center. For more mental and psychological stimulation, there are even weekly guided meditation classes available at the Sanders Beach Center.

Roger Scott Pool Roger Scott Athletic Complex On a hot day the Roger Scott Swimming Pool off Summit Boulevard beckons with the promise of a refreshing dip in the cool water and with its brightly colored tower of water slides. Amenities resembling a small water park include the aforementioned twisting tube slides and a splash pool for smaller children complete with playful elements like the “Pensacola Kid Wash,” where kids can splash through sprays and scrubbers like a car wash. There is also a deeper area with lines denoted for lap swimmers.

Admission is only $4 for adults and $3 for children.

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A ROYAL VISIT Maria Davis, Honorary Vice Consul of Spain and Galvez Celebration Chairman recently returned from Spain with a group of Pensacolians who share a passionate interest in Pensacola’s historic connections to Spain. The group was headed by Davis, who was joined in Madrid by Molly Long de Fernandez de Mesa, and also included Jaime Moreno, Mercedes Sanchez, Dr. Diane Buck, Jose Alguilar, Ana Lia Gálvez, and Mayor of Macharaviaya, Antonio Campos Garin. Pensacolians Diane Appleyard, Nancy Fetterman, Nina Fritz, Norman Fritz, Ann Breitenstein, Mary Parks, John Brannan, Theresa Brannan, Nan Harper, Philomena Madden, Lipo Davis, and Joe Gilchrist also traveled with Vice Consul Davis.

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1. The delegation receives an audience with Her Royal Highness, Queen Sofía de Bourbon. From Left: Lipo Davis, Norm Fritz, Nina Fritz, Nan Harper, Dr. Diane Buck, Mayor Antonio Campos, José Alguilar, Her Royal Highness Queen Sofía de Bourbon, Ana Lia Galvez, Vice Consul Maria Davis, Anne Breitenstein, Jaime Moreno, Mary Parks, Molly Long, Nancy Fetterman, Philomena Madden, Theresa Brannon, Dr. John Brannan, Mercedes Moreno, Diane Appleyard, Joe Gilchrist.

ROYAL AUDIENCE AT PALACE ZARZUELA Pensacola’s quest to recognize General Bernardo de Gálvez was rewarded with an audience with Spanish sovereign Queen Sofía at the Royal Palace La Zarzuela. Zarzuela Palace is located outside Madrid, surrounded by royal forests, populated by deer and other wildlife. Her Royal Highness Queen Sofia greeted the Pensacola-Málaga-Madrid-Macharaviaya guests cordially, before recounting her experience in Pensacola for the 450th Anniversary. Then she gave a review of the historic connection between General Bernardo de Galvez, Pensacola, and Macharaviaya.

Gálvez was born in a small town in Spain named Macharaviaya, outside of Malaga. Macharaviaya’s Mayor, Antonio Campos was also received by Queen Sofía. Inhabitants of Macharaviaya are so proud of their native son Gálvez, the town celebrates American Independence day on July 4 every year with fireworks, barbeque, hamburgers and hotdogs.

Macharaviaya is an official sister city with Pensacola, Florida.

Each guest was greeted individually, and the queen graciously accepted gifts from Nan Harper, a commemorative ornament from Florida Governor’s Mansion Foundation recognizing the discovery of Florida by the Spanish 500 years ago; from Nancy Fetterman, a map from the Basilica of St. Michael depicting the Pensacola of 1780; from Nina Fritz a painting of the royal children, “Las Meninas.”

“Queen Sofía welcomed us with grace, warmth and enthusiasm.

2. The Countess of Romanones’ most recent book, The End of an Era. On the cover: The Countess with her husband, Luis, and Ava Gardner.

Recounting her memories of visiting Pensacola with King Juan Carlos in February of 2009, Her Majesty expressed her encouragement and gratitude for our efforts to recognize a great military hero, General Bernardo de Gálvez,” stated Lipo Davis, the son of Maria Davis.

As the group departed, several aides stopped to speak and to share their experiences as they had been in pilot training at N.A.S. Pensacola and in Milton: small world.

LOS ARCOS Los Arcos is a well-known finca located in Escorial, about an hour from Madrid where champion, purebred Spanish horses are raised.

Owner Jaime Moreno and his wife, Mercedes Sanchez hosted the delegation and friends from Madrid, including historian-author Carmen de Reparaz, who wrote the definitive record of the Battle of Pensacola, Yo Solo; Kit Pinto-Coelho; former Spanish Ambassador Eric Martel, who founded the Granaderos de Galvez; Duke of Veragua, Christopher Columbus XX; Molly Long de Fernandez and her mother, Maryann Long.

After a sumptuous luncheon accompanied by Spanish and American music, the group was treated to an incredible equestrien demonstration, showcasing the champions of Los Arcos and their skillful riders. The music and the dramatic performance of the gorgeous animals was thrilling and inspiring.

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3. An Equestrian rides at Los Arcos. 4. Nancy Fetterman, Mayor of Macharaviaya Antonio Campos Garin, Nan Harper and Joe Gilchrist at Toledo with the Alcázar in the background. 5. The delegation at Los Arcos. 6. The delegation enjoys a luncheon with the Countess of Romanones. 7. Estimado XV and the colt named Pensacola. 8. Moses, the first prize in the Fallas in Valencia.

The colt that was born the day the group arrived at Los Arcos was sired by the champion, Estimado XV, and be will be named Pensacola in honor of the historic connection between Spain and Florida. Jaime Moreno has placed this name in the official Register of Horses. We can proudly note that there is a champion horse of pure Spanish blood that carries the name of our city.

THE ACADEMIA DE LA INFANTERIA: THE MILITARY ACADEMY IN TOLEDO The Military Academy is another example of Spain’s incredible architectural feats. General Bernardo de Galvez was a military student here and is one of the storied alumni. General Fernarnando Aznar Ladrón de Guevara met us along with Lt. Col. Claudio Sanchez and conducted the group through a tour of the facility.

THE MILITARY MUSEUM The Alcázar of Toledo is a stone fortification located in the highest part of Spain. Once used as a Roman palace in the 3rd century, it was restored under Charles I and Philip II in the 1540s. In 1521, Hernando Cortes was received

by Charles I at the Alcázar, following Cortés’ conquest of the Aztecs.

Now the home of the Military Museum, The

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Alcázar displays artifacts of Spain’s history that are beyond belief. Armor, of course, plays a large role in the reflection upon methods of defense, as well as maps and paintings, which resonate with the victories and trials of Spanish warriors. The collection includes the British battle flag, captured by General Galvéz in the victory at the Battle of Pensacola During the Spanish Civil War, Colonel José Moscardó Ituarte held the building against overwhelming Spanish Republican forces in the Siege of the Alcázar. The incident became a central piece of Spanish Nationalist lore, especially the story of Moscardó’s son Luis.

The Republicans took 16-year old Luis hostage, and demanded that the Alcázar be surrendered or they would kill him. Luis told his father, “Surrender or they will shoot me.” His father replied, “Then commend your soul to God, shout ‘Viva Cristo Rey’ and die like a hero.”

Moscardó refused to surrender. Contemporary reports indicated that the Republicans then murdered Moscardó’s son.

THE COUNTESS OF ROMANONES The elegant, lovely Countess of Romanones, World War II Secret Service Agent and author, entertained the Pensacola delegation in her home, where she delivered a brief recount of some of her experiences before

fielding questions from the visitors. Her books include The Spy Wore Red, The Well-Mannered Assassin (which includes Carlos the Jackal, well known dark figure from the 70’s); El Pascuelete; and her most recent release, The End of an Era. She signed books and shared anecdotes in her garden, and was presented with a Secret Service Challenge Coin from a former Secret Service Agent, and a painting of herself, which was a gift from artist Nina Fritz.

EL RESTAURANTE BOTIN The Restaurant Los Hermanos Botin in Madrid, is the oldest, continually operated restaurant in the world, and is a favorite of visitors from Pensacola.

After crossing through the famous Arco de Cuchilleros in the Plaza Mayor, the group was entertained by La Tuna, a roving group of university students dressed in medieval costumes who traditionally serenade for tips and “recuerdos,” small pins, ribbons, and memorabilia given them by admirers. As the owner, don Antonio, is a personal friend of Vice Consul Maria Davis, she and her guests always receive special attention. He feels that she and her husband Jud adopted him when he was in Pensacola for flight training, and we again observe the military thread that binds us across generations and continents.

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9. At the Academy of the Infantry. From left: Diane Applyard, Nina Fritz, Mayor Antonio Campos Garin, Ann Breitenstein, Mary Parks, Dr. John Brannan, Theresa Brannan, Nan Harper Lt. Col. Claudio Sanchez, General Fernando Aznar Ladrón de Guevara, Joe Gilchrist, Maria Davis, Dr. Diane Buck, Nancy Fetterman, Philomena Madden, Norman Fritz. 10. With Ana Botella, the Mayor of Madrid: From left: Mayor Antonio Campos Garin, Dr. Diane Buck, Ana Lia Galvéz, Maria Davis, Joe Gilchrist, Mayor Ana Botella Nan Harper, Jaime Moreno. 11. The delegation at the Naval Operations Museum. 12. In the Museum of Fallas in Valencia. From left: Ann Breitenstein, Nina Fritz, and Nan Harper.

MAYOR OF MADRID ANA BOTELLA The gorgeous, white, confectionary building, formerly the post office, now houses the office of Ana Botella, the charismatic Mayor of Madrid. The mayor graciously received the delegation and bantered with some regarding the figure of General Galvéz.

She complimented the delegation on their initiative of making General Galvéz a familiar, historic figure in his own country.

ATOCHA STATION FOR THE AVE TRAIN TO VALENCIA The train ride was smooth, clean, and comfortable, and the group was enthusiastically received in Valencia by our host, the winning artist, Jose Aguilar (in authentic Valencian period dress). Our greeting party is important, as all had been present in Pensacola for the Galvéz Day celebrations in 2014. They included Francisco Lorca, Carmen Munoz, Mercedes Martín, Eric Thompson, Maria Pinto, Rosa Paloma and husband Antonio Gaitan Cabrera, Baltazar Bueno, Mari Luz Gonzalez Gallardo, and one of the Fallas Queens, dressed in traditional costume. José Alguilar awarded first prize for his image of

Moses, which is located in the place of honor in front of El Ateneo. The Ateneo is a landmark building, center for cultural and intellectual activities, and had some of the paintings by Valencia native, Sorolla’s paintings among other priceless works of art and rare volumes.

Here, Vice Consul Davis signed the Book of Honored Visitors.

LA DESPERTA (THE WAKE UP) Sounds of vibrant bands begin in the early morning, and processions fill the streets: girls, children, and women of all ages dressed in period costumes all aimed for the Plaza of La Reina, where flowers were offered to the Virgin of the Downtrodden, the patron of Valencia.

Here, the aroma of flowers is refreshing, and pilgrims from all over the world meet strangers and form new friendships.

THE MESCLATA (THE FIREWORKS BURSTING THROUGHOUT THE CITY) The Fallas tradition emerges from a pagan tradition of fire: here, discarded, useless items were destroyed by fire as symbols of ill will released, and hope for a clean slate for the future.

Fireworks are the medium for entertainment during the Fallas: large displays rivaling Fourth of July extravaganzas occur nightly, and can be heard all hours of the day.

The actual burning of the huge structures occurs with tremendous fanfare. They have been expertly created with interior ribs of fine slats that allow air to promote the production of flames. Even the direction of the flames is engineered through the constitution. Moses’ fire began first to emanate through the horns!

As Sorolla is the native son of Valencia, a large section of the Museum of Fine Arts is dedicated to the artist. Malvarrosa Beach is the site of many of Sorolla’s works: he painted living scenes on giant canvasses set directly on the sand. One dramatic piece features oxen pulling the fishing boats through the surf to land, typifying his skill with sunlight and flesh tones.

The Lladró factory is also located in Valencia, and the classic figures, sculpted by hand defy the imagination, as each is prepared individually: fingers, hands, arms, head, etc., and painted by hand before firing.Those figures which are no longer in production enjoy an astonishing increase in value.

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Sleep Tight

Your Guide to a Good Night’s Sleep

By Jeanessa Gantt

As our daily lives become more and more hectic, usually one of the first things to suffer is our quality of sleep. At times it may seem we are too busy to get adequate sleep, but by depriving ourselves of sleep, we are actually losing out on mental and physical health benefits that can make our days better overall.

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With places like the Mayo Clinic, Harvard Medical School, and National Institute of Health weighing in on sleep, it should come as no surprise that what may seem like an obvious necessity has an even broader effect on personal well-being. In fact, sleep impacts your quality of life in some ways that are obvious and others that you may not have expected.

Most people have experienced the connection between quality of sleep and mood first hand. Sleep deprivation often leads to feeling cranky, irritable, and stressed, while being well rested can promote an overall sense of well-being. And it doesn’t take much change for sleep to improve your mood. In studies where subjects were limited to less than five hours of sleep a night, they reported dramatically improved mood states once they resumed normal sleeping patterns.

Similarly, sleep has a strong impact on memory and learning. A person who has had adequate sleep can focus on learning new information more efficiently than someone who is sleep deprived. Also, sleep plays a big part in memory consolidation. During sleep, the information learned throughout the day is reorganized and “committed to memory.” So without adequate sleep, it may be more difficult to recall some of the things you learned the day before.

Trying to drop a couple pounds? Weight loss is also affected by sleep. Because sleep duration influences the hormones that regulate hunger, getting less than five hours of sleep a night increases the likelihood of weight gain.

Similarly, people who are not sleeping well tend to experience fatigue, which can decrease physical activity or the desire to exercise.

Getting adequate sleep can help increase productivity at work. People who do not get enough rest are more likely to experience general fatigue, lack of motivation, and even nodding off while trying to complete occupational tasks. For some professions these effects may be merely bothersome and inconvenient, but for more physically demanding jobs this can become a safety hazard. Although the media seldom makes a direct link between major industrial accidents and sleep deprivation, experts agree that fatigue and attention loss due to inadequate sleep often play a big role in these events.

Being well rested can help you stay safe on the road as well. Drowsy driving can impair a driver’s reaction time, alertness, and judgment skills. It is especially important to have a good night’s sleep if you plan to be driving at night or early to midafternoon, as these are the times when our biological clocks make us feel sleepy.

So what exactly is “normal” when it comes to adequate sleep? Experts say adults should be getting approximately seven to eight hours of sleep each night, while school-aged children need around nine to eleven hours of quality sleep.

At times there can be barriers preventing us from getting enough sleep. Things such as background noise, temperature changes, and changes in surroundings can disrupt your sleeping pattern and result in what is called problem sleepiness, or feeling sleepy at inappropriate times.

The best remedy for short-term problem sleepiness is getting more sleep to make up for the sleep deficit, or what is otherwise known as “catching up on sleep.” However, if problem sleepiness persists, this could be a sign of larger sleep issues that may require medical treatment.

The Sleep Diagnosis Center at Medical Center Clinic

Stage 1 Interim between consciousness and sleep

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Stage 2

Eye movement, BP, heart rate, breathing and temp. increase

Heart rate and brain activity slows

SLEEP CYCLE

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Stage 3

Body temperature and blood pressure decreases

Body makes repairs

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specializes in treating daytime sleepiness, snoring, restless leg syndrome, insomnia, REM Behavior Disorder, narcolepsy, idiopathic hypersomnolence, shift work syndrome, jetlag, and other conditions. It may be time to seek medical attention if bed partner is concerned by sleep behaviors like kicking, stopping breathing, gasping or bothersome daytime symptoms occur, says Dr. Ruth Henchey, a physician at the center. One of the biggest complaints Dr. Henchey gets at the Diagnostic Center is that patients have a hard time falling asleep.

“Delayed sleep onset can often be improved with working on improving sleep habits or ‘sleep hygiene’” said Dr. Henchey. “However, sometimes sleep testing is needed.”

Other problems patients mention are snoring, which can be remedied by sleeping off your back and losing weight, and early-morning waking, that can be managed with increasing evening bright light. Dr. Henchey says that earlymorning waking can also can be an indicator of depression that may need treatment.

And while getting adequate sleep is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, sleeping too much may be a sign of larger health issues that would require medical care.

“Too much sleep can be seen with depression, narcolepsy, idiopathic hypersomnolence, and other medical conditions,” Dr. Henchey said.

With all the benefits sleep provides, a good night’s rest is one way to ensure you are getting most out of your day. So whether you’re someone who simply needs to work on your sleep hygiene, or someone who could benefit from visiting a sleep specialist, don’t miss out on the great rewards that come from great sleep.

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Z - TIPS FOR BETTER SLEEP Z Try sticking to a sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends, holidays and other days off.

Z Don’t go to bed too hungry or too full; the discomfort could keep you awake. Also limit the amount of liquids you do drink before bedtime to prevent trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Z Create a bedtime ritual that you do every night to let your body know it’s time to wind down. Avoid using electronics as a part of this ritual, as the bright light may keep you awake.

Z Limit napping during the day to about 10-30 minutes. Taking long naps can interfere with your sleep pattern, especially if you have problems with insomnia and quality of sleep.

Z Engage in physical activity every day. This will help you fall asleep faster and get deeper sleep.

Try not to exercise too close to bedtime to avoid feeling too energized to sleep.

Z Melatonin supplements may be helpful for correcting minor sleep issues, but the supplement is not intended for long-term use. Be sure to talk to your doctor if you are taking prescription medications before adding melatonin to your sleep regimen.

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Location: Pilates Core Training Model: Kimber Lee

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Location: Pilates Core Training Models: Kimber Lee and Jessica Fiesta George

Location: Riviera Fitness Models: Kimber Lee and Jessica Fiesta George

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Location: Zumba with Priscilla Models: Kimber Lee and Priscilla Leibig.

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Location: Gracie Jiu Jitsu Models: Kimber Lee and Jessica Fiesta George

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Location: ROXO Wellness Model: Dr. Sam Graber

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PENSACOLA SCENE

...at the PLT fundraiser Cabaret Circus Nouveau

Josh and Caitlin Newby

Malcolm Ballinger and Celeste Southard

Megan Brantley and Samantha Wofford

Nancy Ligon and Meg Peltier

Justin McCoy and Emily Gold

Wendi Summers and husband Bob Beargie

Damien Cordle, Sara Gillianne, Ryan and Erika Thomas

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Christina Leavenworth and Milan Brunet-Sabastia

Jessica Jensen, Rick Noonan, Leah and Kevin Smith

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