VIE March / April 2013

NORTHWEST FLORIDA – COLA 2 COLA®

THE

FOOD & FASHION

March/April 2013

ISSUE

CUISINE MEETS COUTURE

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In this issue:

42 68

86

139

132

For the Love of Food Growing and Eating Local: The Farm-to-Table Movement 19 Locally Grown Greens 20 Health in the Neighborhood 23 Taste the Difference 26 Healthy earth = Healthy Earth 29 The Champagne of Oysters 32 The Table 42 A Culinary Life 86 A New Look for an Old Favorite 106 Couture Jolie & Elizabeth Makes New Orleans the New Fashion Hot Spot 61 Bring Spring to Me 68 People Wattage 78 No Muss, No Fuss! 100 Secrets of an Accidental Style Icon 132

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Perspectives Alden Lagasse Collection: The Art of Living Well 54 A Milestone in the Shopping Industry 92 Health Nut America Rx 111 Voyager Cycling in Surprising Slovenia 126 Discovering St. Augustine, the Ancient City 139 A Sense of Place Pish Posh Patchouli’s 116 Dr. Casi Stubbs: This Will Be & You Will See 122

V IE Z INE .C OM | 11

COLA COLA

®

Primary Targeted Audiences

W

e are thrilled you have picked up a copy of VIE and hope you enjoy reading about the people and places of our coveted region,

COLA 2 COLA®—Pensacola to Apalachicola. We live in a great place where life is good! We have a passion for our area and the people and businesses found here, and we hope that you will share in our excitement.

VIE can be found locally at Tourist Development Council centers, Chamber of Commerce locations, Sundog Books in Seaside, Florida, boutiques, restaurants, bed-and-breakfasts, and special events. VIE’s distribution has branched out to the following airports: Baltimore/Washington International, Houston Hobby, Memphis International, Nashville International, Orlando International, and Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International. In addition to these high-profile locations, VIE is also being added to the shelves of some of the country’s top-selling bookstores, newsstands, and supermarkets, giving our advertisers potential access to millions of people.

VIE is a registered trademark. All contents herein are Copyright © 2008–2013 Cornerstone Marketing and Advertising, Incorporated (The Publisher). All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written permission from The Publisher. VIE is a lifestyle magazine and is published at least five times annually on a bimonthly schedule. The opinions herein are not necessarily those of The Publisher. The Publisher and its advertisers will not be held responsible for any errors found in this publication. The Publisher is not liable for the accuracy of statements made by its advertisers. Ads that appear in this publication are not intended as offers where prohibited by state law. The Publisher is not responsible for photography or artwork submitted by freelance or outside contributors. The Publisher reserves the right to publish any letter addressed to the editor or The Publisher. VIE is a paid publication. Subscription rates: Digital magazine (iPad only) – One-year $11.99; Two-year $17.99 / Printed magazine – One-year $23.95; Two-year $34.95 (U.S. Only – price includes free access to digital magazine versions for iPad). Subscriptions can be purchased online at www.VIEZINE.com.

On the Cover:

VIE Creative Team: Lisa Burwell Publisher lisa@viezine.com

Gerald Burwell Editor-in-Chief gerald@viezine.com

Bob Brown VP of Creative Services bob@viezine.com

Mary Jane Kirby Account Executive maryjane@viezine.com

Tracey Thomas Graphic Designer tracey@viezine.com

James Ryan Account Executive jim@viezine.com

Troy Ruprecht Graphic Designer troy@viezine.com

Scott Sajowitz Account Executive scott@viezine.com

Bill Weckel Web/Project Manager bill@viezine.com

Margaret Stevenson Copy Editor

Benjamin Rosenau Video Producer ben@viezine.com

Mona Lisa meets Ava Gardner Darby Kellum is expertly styled and captured as the classic equestrian beauty by renowned fashion photographer Carlo Pieroni and his wife, Carol Wilson, at Arnett’s Gulfside Stables in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. The rustic elements of the stables and

Tim Dutrow Videographer tim@viezine.com

Shannon Quinlan Distribution Coordinator Eric Shepard Contributing Designer

Jordan Staggs Public Relations Manager jordan@viezine.com

the riding boots played flawlessly off the elegance of the Louis XV settee, the stunning turquoise and pearl jewelry, and the flowing chiffon top. A very special thank-you goes out to hairstylist Brooke Miller and makeup artist Natasha Vaughan.

VIE Contributors:

French settee from Smith’s Antiques in Miramar Beach, Florida: Louis XV settee with original fabric and finish from the mid-eighteenth century, $1600. Boots by Bed|Stü from Mercantile in Seaside, Florida: Kitty riding boots in teak rustic, $260. Chiffon top from The Fuss Boutique in WaterColor, Florida. Jewelry by the Mazza Company from Destin Jewelers: Sleeping beauty turquoise and baroque freshwater pearl pin/pendant in 14k yellow gold, $3,450; 11–12mm freshwater pearl necklace with 14k yellow gold rondelles and toggle clasp, $3,200; 14k yellow gold scroll design ring with turquoise and crystal cabochon center stone, $1,920.

Contributing Writers: Susan Benton Sallie W. Boyles Melanie A. Cissone Kim Duke-Layden

Clark Peters Tori Phelps Ainsley Rogers L. Jordan Swanson

Contributing Photographers:

Published by:

(850) 231-3087

114 Logan Lane, Suite 4 | Grayton Beach, FL 32459 www.theideaboutique.com

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Andrew Alwert Sydney Bassett Randy Brooke Michael Buckner Fernanda Calfat Melanie A. Cissone Mike Coppola Kim Duke-Layden Frazer Harrison Cody Jordan Joe Kohen John Layden Fernando Leon Michael Loccisano Madra Medina McDonald Arun Nevader Carlo Pieroni

Lev Radin Romona Robbins Ainsley Rogers Renee Savary Nata Sha Jessie Shepard Lauren Spring Astrid Stawiarz L. Jordan Swanson Slaven Vlasic Mark Wallheiser Caroline Evans Watts Marla and Shane Photographers Miro Vrlik Photography Ugo Camera Mindlace Media & Photo / Scott Jackson V IE Z INE .C OM | 13

The Local Lifestyle: Discover the Flavors of the Unforgettable Coast

The freshest Apalachicola Bay oysters, homemade key lime pies and some of the world’s best fish tacos are waiting for you in Mexico Beach. Stay for an afternoon or stay for a week, but be sure to bring your appetite, eat with the locals and enjoy our genuine Old Florida charm!

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Publisher’s Note:

The Table

W

Stables in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. Mammoth partitions of large hay bales transformed the oversized equestrian building into an intimate barn setting; charming decorations and furnishings from Smith’s Antiques were the perfect final touches. At the center of it all was the magnificent dining table where the family-style banquet for twenty-eight was to take place.

Lights! Camera! Buon appetito!

hat is so inviting about an enormous rustic wooden table set with Old World–style porcelain dishes and glassware glistening from soft candlelight on the table and sparkling bistro lights strung overhead? That is the question I posed to myself while looking at the beautiful table set for special guests during VIE’s Sea+Farm+Table Harvest Dinner on a magical Friday evening, February 15, 2013.

The harvest dinner celebration took center stage for the feature story and magazine cover of our Food and Fashion Issue. We hope the merging of our cover fashion shoot with a spectacular dinner will delight your senses!

The answer to my question: Anticipation! Anticipation of an exquisitely prepared feast—cuisine of fresh, locally sourced ingredients prepared by Chef Phil McDonald of Table Five—and wines skillfully chosen by Krutz Family Cellars.

A round of applause to all who Anticipation of the camaraderie Photo by Madra Medina McDonald, M Public Relations made this extravaganza possible! with individuals who share similar A special thanks to renowned passions in fare and revelry in the photographer Carlo Pieroni and his lovely wife, Carol Wilson—a model and midst of down-home music performed by the Dread Clampitt trio. Breaking an invaluable contributor to photo styling! Mille grazie! bread with friends and loved ones is a ritual that is still good for the soul.

Paying attention to details and going the extra mile. Having a passion and caring about absolutely everything played a large part in making magic happen that evening. So few people are artisans of perfection, but that is not the case with Cari DeGregorio of Central Idea Agency. She carefully and thoughtfully crafted a fairy-tale setting against an agrarian backdrop at Arnett’s Gulfside

To Life!

—Lisa

V IE Z INE .C OM | 15

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Growing and Eating Local FARM TO TABLE INTRO

Farm to Table Movement Is Making Its Way in America

By Sallie W. Boyles

T

he farm-to-table (or if you live by the ocean, the sea-to-table) idea is hardly revolutionary. The practice has been around since humans learned to plant and grow crops, catch fish, and raise domesticated herds for meat and dairy. But along with the Industrial Revolution came the appeal of mass farming and production.

With a desire for convenience and the need for a long shelf life, processed foods and frozen dinners became staples of nearly every modern household.

In recent years, however, consumerism has made a breakthrough. At last, by turning away from unhealthy options, people are returning to the natural goodness of Mother Earth. Farmers’ markets, such as the one that takes place every Saturday morning in the town square of the New-Urbanist oasis of Seaside, Florida, have popped up in cities across the country. Vendors peddle fresh fruits and vegetables, and local chefs, grocers, and regular Joes alike choose the goodies they’ll take directly to the kitchen to whip up tasty, healthy meals for their families or patrons.

While investigating the farmers, markets, and retailers that are driving the farmto-table movement in Northwest Florida, VIE foraged for some of the freshest

and, arguably, the healthiest fruits of the land—and, of course, the sea. We’re delighted to share a taste of what we gathered from Apalachicola oysters, Dragonfly Fields, Mac Farms, Twin Oaks Farm, and For the Health of It. Yes, we repeatedly heard that local and fresh go hand in hand, but we also gained some intriguing insights about today’s farming methods, along with a better understanding of how this back-tobasics (but certainly not backward) approach fuels economic growth and healthy relationships within communities. It’s no wonder that Americans are now returning to food production and distribution strategies that, from the beginning, were nutritionally practical.

V IE Z INE .C OM | 19

Growing and Eating Local

locations in Walton County, Florida. “We’ve had Mac Farms going and have been selling to chefs for five years,” says Jen, “but we started the LLC and made it a real business in 2009.”

Locally Grown Greens

By L. J or d a n S wa n son Photography by Marla & Shane Photographers As early as 1627, a publication by Francis Bacon described how to grow terrestrial plants without soil. Three centuries later, a University of California professor coined the name hydroponics using a combination of the Greek terms hydro for “water” and ponos for “labor.” Thanks to intensive research over the past few decades by prominent institutions like NASA and even Walt Disney World’s Epcot, the hydroponic system of farming is now a viable method for today’s serious growers.

When Jen and Andy McAlexander first began cultivating herbs and vegetables using a nutrient solution without soil, their pursuit was just a hobby.

As production flourished, however, their pastime turned into a full-time enterprise, entailing the management of three thousand pots between two farm 20 | M A R C H /A P R I L 2 013

“We got into potted farming when we first moved here and realized you can’t really garden in the sandy soil,” Jen says. A friend introduced the McAlexanders to the system and later sold it to them when he moved away. “We just started adding plants in our own yard,” she says, explaining that they expanded their farm to the property they own a short distance down the road. Approximately one third of the produce pots are grown on the smaller farm, which was started first, and the second location, now the main farm, has the rest. Each of the three thousand pots typically holds four plants.

More than a fascination, the hydroponic system presents a superior option for growers dealing with space restrictions or unfavorable soil conditions. Mac Farms uses a drip irrigation system called Verti-Gro that Jen and Andy purchased but assembled themselves. The method feeds nutrients to the plants, which are contained in pots filled with coconut coir fiber and perlite.

Critter control is another benefit of hydroponic farming. Since pests tend to live in the soil, keeping plants out of the ground eliminates the need for heavy pesticides. When necessary, Jen applies biologicals—all-organic natural oils and sprays for pest control. For that reason, Mac Farms is not certified organic, but Jen refers to her process as natural. Both farms are also open-air operations, although shade covers are used when necessary during the summer to protect against the sun’s intense rays.

The main farm cultivates arugula, kale, mixed greens, and fingerling potatoes. Heirloom tomatoes are a major crop in spring and summer. At the smaller farm, Jen grows spinach and, at times, micro greens. Overall, arugula and heirloom tomatoes are her biggest sellers. She makes a point of mentioning the tomatoes, which have a robust flavor and come in a variety of colors with different acidity levels.

Of everything produced, not much goes to waste at Mac Farms. Instead of allowing the runoff from the irrigation system to fall to the ground, the bottom pots catch the water that, in turn, cultivates the growth of fennel, green onions, and chard. Likewise, when greens get too mature, Jen cuts and feeds them to her thirty-nine chickens used for egg laying. She has a wide variety of chicken breeds on the farm, including Ameraucana, Buff Orpington, Wyandotte, and Black Copper Marans. “We’re hoping to have enough eggs in the spring to start delivering to a few of the chefs,� Jen says.

V IE Z INE .C OM | 21

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Primarily, Mac Farms sells to chefs. “We knew a group of chefs locally and talked to them about buying local greens, if they could,” Jen says.

Noting that they were enthusiastic, she explains, “We focused on providing for them.” Mac Farms regularly supplies the area’s signature restaurants, like Edward’s, Bud & Alley’s, and Stinky’s Fish Camp. “If a chef wants something special, I’ll definitely try to do it,” says Jen, who one day hopes to have enough produce to provide for the local farmers’ market.

“Our big thing is just keeping it local—trying to boost our own economy,” she says, “and to decrease the gas used to deliver and distribute.

It takes me a five-minute car ride and I’m there.

I cut and deliver everything the same day, so it’s very fresh. Also, if the chefs need anything last minute, I can just run out here and cut it and quickly get it to them within an hour.”

Mac Farms also sells arugula, spring mix, heirloom tomatoes, and olive oil (sourced from California) online at macfarmsfl.com based upon growing conditions. Local orders are delivered within South Walton County on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Some measure of growth is always on Jen’s mind.

“Future expansion would hopefully include a larger, enclosed space,” she says. The option would enable her to control temperatures to grow spring and summer vegetables—primarily heirloom tomatoes, but also greens—year-round.

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Growing and Eating Local foods. There wasn’t anything like this around, and we were tired of having to drive to Pensacola or Tallahassee to get our food.”

The store’s most popular products include certified organic produce, grass-fed meats, and an extensive line of gluten-free foods, which especially benefits those with allergies. For the Health of It also offers an assortment of honeys, nutritional supplements, custom-ordered juices and smoothies from fresh fruits and vegetables, and more.

With a greater focus on the farm-to-table movement— working with as much local and regional food as possible to avoid shipping and other environmental concerns—area health food stores can be optimal sources for fresh goods.

“It’s a great movement to make fresh, clean food available on an everyday basis,” says Ed.

Health in the Neighborhood Sto ry a n d p h ot og r a p hy by L . Jo rda n Sw a n s o n When people hear the words health food, some might picture blueberries, turkey bacon, and wheat toast for breakfast, and maybe chicken, broccoli, and mixed greens for dinner. Whatever they envision, one thing is certain: most Americans could incorporate a little more health food into their diets. Although vegetables and lean meats are good for the body, few people eat them in their healthiest forms. Many supermarket products, for instance, are grown with the assistance of pesticides and hormones, and then later processed with synthetic additives.

Consequently, consumers with the best intentions to eat well frequently make misguided choices.

To learn a thing or two about health and eating well, VIE consulted Ed Barry and Rachel Morgan, owners of For the Health of It in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.

“We started the store years ago with the idea of bringing fresh, organic, healthy choices to Walton County and 30-A, really out of our own personal need,” says Ed. “We were living a clean, healthy lifestyle, and we were used to eating organic

To support the effort, For the Health of It buys from several local and regional food growers, including Dragonfly Fields, Whittaker Gardens, and Hastings Farm. “We also have many people come to us with food from their garden,” says Rachel, “but we are very particular about what we purchase. We have many cancer patients and others who use the foods for their healing modalities, so we have to make sure we know how the foods are grown.”

“Working with local vendors is about the quality and the freshness of products,” says store manager Peter Lovecchio, known affectionately to Ed and Rachel as Produce Pete. “It also saves on fuel by not having to transport products long distances across the country.” Peter has been working in produce for about thirty years, twelve of which have been spent at For the Health of It. “Sustainable agriculture is about letting the earth take care of us instead of vice versa,” he adds.

In other words, sustainable agriculture allows foods to grow naturally instead of relying on artificial enhancements.

Besides selling organic produce and specialty items, For the Health of It also provides massage therapy. Opening eighteen years ago with the grocery store, the massage clinic—featuring licensed therapists and four treatment rooms—was the area’s first. Further promoting a better sense of individual wellness and health, both inside and out, massage therapy, much like healthy eating, can leave the body feeling rejuvenated.

With some of their customers commuting two and three hours just to get their health food fix, the business has a tremendous following. Ed and Rachel are grateful to those who make such an effort yet maintain that they owe the bulk of their success to the support of the South Walton community. “It’s V IE Z INE .C OM | 23

Photo by shutterstock

all about learning from them, providing those products for them, being on top of the local health trends, and being open-minded,” Rachel says. As evidenced by the way one shopper after another delightedly greets Ed and Rachel as if they were old friends upon entering For the Health of It, the store’s loyal patrons genuinely appreciate the owners’ commitment to serving them. The customer base, in turn, continues to expand.

“Our target market used to be people who were looking for clean alternatives to regular, conventionally grown foods,” says Ed. “Now, they understand what’s going on in the food industry—that growth hormones are added to meats and antibiotics are found in milk now. As people are becoming more educated, our clientele has grown.”

Rachel adds that people make the transition to clean eating for many different reasons. “It might be a mom who has a kid with behavioral issues or food allergies,” she says. “Or, it might be that they heard something on TV.” “We are currently in the process of rebranding right now, using the concept of ‘Your Neighborhood 24 | M A R C H /A P R I L 2 013

Organic Grocery,’” said Ed. “We look at our store as our child. At eighteen, it’s an adult now and going off to college,” he jokes. “We need to spruce it up a little bit.” Working with David DeGregorio at the Central Idea Agency, a local agency in Santa Rosa Beach, the owners hope to unveil the new look by April 8, the official eighteenth anniversary. “It’s a mix of old-school grocer and a modern feel,” Ed describes.

An Enticing New Culinary Experience

No matter how different the store looks, the enduring qualities of the business will stay the same.

“We’ll continue to listen to our customers with the understanding that they have just as much knowledge about what we’re doing as we do,” says Ed, “and we always try to provide the best quality service in a friendly atmosphere.”

For the Health of It, located at 2217 West County Highway 30-A in Santa Rosa Beach, is open for business Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For more information, readers can contact the store at (850) 267-0558 or visit their website at shopforthehealthofit.com.

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two decades ago, she was raised on farmers’ market food.

“Not because it was fancy,” she clarifies, “but just because that’s what you did.”

Taste the Difference Sto ry a n d p h ot og r a p hy by L . Jo rda n Sw a n s o n For Renee Savary, taking care of more than two hundred farm animals is a fulltime job that begins with a cup of coffee and ends with getting the last chicken into its coop. Savary is the owner of Twin Oaks Farm in Bonifay, Florida, a ninety-four-acre spread that’s USDA Certified Organic and 100 percent soy-free.

Within a few years of her transatlantic move, however, she became really sick and couldn’t figure out why. When she finally realized it was because of the food she was consuming, Savary turned to organic foods. Like most people, she noticed the price was a bit steeper than for nonorganic foods, and, thanks to her new career, she understands it’s simply because food costs more to produce organically. For example, the feed she gives her chickens costs three times more than regular chicken feed because it’s certified organic and soy-free. “I’m very proud of the quality produced here,” she says.

“I don’t cut corners, and you can taste the difference. It’s what I call real food.”

That acreage is used mainly for raising chickens and ducks, but it is part of a larger mission to promote environmentally friendly practices through the organic cultivation of nongenetically modified vegetables and fruits, the production of all-natural goods, and the breeding of heritage livestock and poultry in an effort to support their conservation. And except for a twiceweekly helper, Savary tackles that agenda alone.

Savary’s list of animals and their duties is both impressive and entertaining.

About 150 chickens and fifty ducks of all ages and stages of egg laying roam the farm (it takes six months before chicks lay their first eggs). Among her assortment are Colored Range chickens for meat and Rhode Island Reds for eggs. Her chickens are protective of their farmland and coops, often growling at unsuspecting visitors, but when they need protection from the real threats—dogs, coyotes, foxes, and other predators—Savary’s seven donkeys act as security guards. Two of the donkeys are also learning how to pull carts full of fencing, feed, trash, and anything else that needs to be moved around the farm.

Savary was inspired to start her own farm four years ago, when processed foods began affecting her health. A native of Switzerland who moved to Miami Beach

The small herd of Gulf Coast sheep relaxing in the pasture is good for meat and wool. Twelve geese that hang out in one of the three ponds are egg

26 | M A R C H /A P R I L 2 013

Photo by shutterstock

Growing and Eating Local

Photo by renee savary

layers—and serve as an effective alarm system when anything out of the ordinary occurs, including the presence of intruders. Last but not least are Savary’s eight cats, which keep mice away from the chicken feed, and the bees she raises for honey.

When it’s time to distribute the wealth that comes from her farm animals, Savary welcomes customers who want to buy directly from the farm. She also sets up shop at Seaside Farmers Market—the only farmers’ market she frequents. “For me, it’s important to be organic, but it’s also very important to keep the local label,” she says.

Savary has been a Saturday morning fixture at the market since 2008, offering eggs, chicken, and seasonal treats. “Depending on the season, I have duck meat, turkey, and a whole line of preserves.

Besides the jams and the jellies, I also have tomato sauce and what I call a ‘meal in a jar.’ I do chicken in curry sauce and chicken in mushroom cream sauce—things that people can just warm up and put over rice.”

V IE Z INE .C OM | 27

Photo by shutterstock

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Though she has a long list of goodies, eggs are Savary’s main staple. She collects them twice a day in the winter and three times a day in the summer. “Every day is an Easter egg hunt,” she laughs.

Another popular product is her preserves, which Savary makes in the farm’s commercial kitchen. Her preserves are prepared with fresh, organic fruits either straight from her farm or purchased from a small local grower. Unlike what’s on grocery store shelves, Savary’s preserves are made without pectin, citric acid, ascorbic acid, dyes or fillers. And, of course, she only uses local products such as blueberries, strawberries, peaches, lemons, oranges, and mandarins.

Her farm and the products that come from it are more than a way to make a living; Savary is trying to make a real difference in people’s lives by encouraging them to get closer to the foods they eat. “Let’s face it—what you find in a supermarket today is a pretty scary thing,” she says.

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Perhaps because of her own experience, she’s a firm believer that most of the health issues we face in this country could be resolved with a change in diet.

Noting that food choices can be life-or-death important, she cringes at the apparent apathy she sees. “People know more about the technology of the latest gadget than the food they put in their mouths,” she marvels.

It may cost a little more to eat better food, but the payoff, as Savary knows, is priceless.

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To learn more about Twin Oaks Farm, visit www.twinoaksfarm.net or find it on Facebook at facebook.com/TwinOaksFarm.

Growing and Eating Local markets, where you’ll find answers that are as plain as the tomatoes in the basket. In fact, Charles Bush and his wife, Shueh-Mei Pong, owners of Dragonfly Fields, a small seventeen-acre farm in DeFuniak Springs, Florida, will tell you that freshness starts the way anything else does—from the ground up.

“When we do something, it’s natural,” Charles says. “There are many labels you can put on it, but our main concern is feeding the soil and maintaining freshness that way.”

Healthy soil equals healthy plants. The idea is simple enough, but plenty of work goes into making sure the earth is in the best condition for growing produce. “It means putting organic material and trace minerals back into the soil, composting, and doing soil tests to see what needs to be added, like lime, boron, or potassium sulfate.”

No matter the requirements, the soil and produce at Dragonfly Fields are treated with tender loving care. The owners cultivate only one or two acres of the farm at a time, and they use only natural or organically approved fertilizers and pesticides when needed. “We don’t use any conventional fertilizers. Everything we do is natural,” Charles says. “That makes a big difference in our food, and you can tell it in the flavor, the richness, the texture, and even the appearance.” Looks are important. “Everything should look good along with tasting good and holding up well.”

Healthy earth = Healthy Earth

Food for Thought from Dragonf ly Fields

By Jor d a n S t a g g s Photography by Marla and Shane Photographers

Consumers appreciate quality, which is why Dragonfly has become a staple at the Seaside Farmers Market. Although Charles and Shueh-Mei must travel about forty miles from the farm to participate in the event on Saturdays, they say the trek is worthwhile. The biggest advantage, according to Charles, is allowing customers to put a face on the Dragonfly name. Buyers further learn the origins of their food. “They know what the source is,” he says, “and if they have a problem, they can come to us directly.”

It’s easy to read these words on packages in the supermarket and think, “This is healthy.” The sad truth: Many products on the shelves have traveled hundreds, if not thousands, of miles by airplane, truck, or ship to get there. At times, they are not only shipped weeks before arriving, but some foods that are vulnerable to spoiling are also shipped in substandard (as in too warm) conditions.

Over the past several years, the farmers market has contributed to building a healthier community. “We work with six local restaurants and chefs,” Charles explains. “It’s to their advantage to buy local produce because it’s going to be fresh and flavorful; they don’t need to do a lot or create a complicated sauce to go with it. They are creative with recipes, but tend to keep them fairly simple.” With produce straight from the farm, a quick rinse is often all the preparation needed.

“We’ll sometimes be out picking and eating right in the garden,” he says, “so you know you’re getting a wholesome, fresh product.”

How can you ensure that the products you’re buying are the freshest, healthiest options out there? Venture into the magical land of small farming and fresh

By making locally grown food available to the community, the farmers market, restaurants, and stores, such as For the Health of It, are also more intimately

Organic. Pesticide-free. All natural.

V IE Z INE .C OM | 29

connected to one another and consumers. “They might buy our tomatoes at the market on Saturday, so when diners then see them on the menu at Fish Out of Water, they’ll know where their food came from,” Charles says. “Or if they’re looking for something at the market and we just sent out a big shipment, we can send consumers to the restaurants or the health food store. I think everybody is interconnected. This is something being reborn from how it used to be,” Charles says, referring to the rebirth of farmers markets and the farm-to-table movement.

Charles and Shueh-Mei began farming with a restaurant background. Both traveled to Grayton Beach in the eighties to work at Paradise Café, where they met, and later opened Basmati’s Asian Cuisine in Blue Mountain Beach. Their experience is an asset when dealing with chefs and consumers. “We know what they’re looking for and what fits into their menu,” Charles says, “so we can talk to people about how to prepare things and what goes together.”

As much as they love farming and serving up recipes to accompany their produce, Charles and 30 | M A R C H /A P R I L 2 013

Photo by shutterstock

TASTE THE MODERN SIDE OF MEXICAN CUISINE

Shueh-Mei also look forward to traveling and visiting restaurants. Although keeping abreast of cuisine and farming trends is part of the job, the two certainly enjoy the tasty perks experienced along the way. “That’s our business and we like doing it,” Charles says with a laugh.

Above all, they feel good about the arugula, strawberries, and tomatoes grown at Dragonfly Fields that land in the hands and mouths of those who desire the healthiest, freshest foods. “We’re trying to do the right thing,” says Charles, “and the way we farm seems like a natural fit for the way people want to eat.”

Dragonfly Fields 1600 County Hwy. 192 DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433 E-mail: dragonfly1600@embarqmail.com

Sip the finest margarita Taste guacamole made fresh at your table Savor fresh seafood and steaks with authentic sauces

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Growing and Eating Local What’s a bivalve, you ask?

For those who normally mistake bivalves for brachiopods—naturally confusing, of course, because of their similar lifestyles and sizes—bivalves are marine and freshwater mollusks with compressed bodies enclosed by a two-part hinged shell. Clams, oysters, mussels, and scallops (the swimmers in the bunch) fall into the bivalve category. The majority of bivalves have neither heads nor radulae (ribbon-like structures used for feeding) and therefore are filter feeders. Most bivalves hang out under the sediment level of a seabed, usually in the general vicinity of where they were born, and away from predators of the nonhuman variety.

Oysters filter water by drawing it over their gills, trapping the plankton and other particles in the mucus of the gill, which they eat, digest, and expel. An individual oyster can filter up to one and a half gallons of water per hour, and thriving oyster beds are responsible for filtering excess nutrients, like unwanted algae, and mitigating pollutants from massive volumes of the waters where they live. Oyster reefs provide an extraordinary and unique habitat for many other marine species. Basically, oysters keep the neighborhood clean and tidy. You asked, didn’t you?

the Champagne of Oysters

By Mela n ie A . C isson e Photography by Mark Wallheiser “We’re … on our … way to AP-A-LA-CHI-COLA … F-L-A.” That’s what Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters sang in the 1947 film Road to Rio, costarring Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. Part owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team at the time, Crosby asked one of the players, Jimmy Bloodworth, where he was from. Amused by the name Apalachicola, Crosby committed to using it in a song. While the catchy tune may have been entertaining, the hidden treasures of Apalachicola Bay—its oysters—were never even mentioned. Perhaps it was better that the mildly salty, plump bivalves from this rich estuary were kept under wraps back then; as it turns out, they are some of the most sought after in the country.

32 | M A R C H /A P R I L 2 013

In Apalachicola and Eastpoint, generations of oystermen, or “tongers” as they are sometimes called, continue to harvest most of the oysters by hand, something that is unique to Apalachicola Bay compared to other parts of the country, where oysters are mechanically dredged. The 19,300-square-mile area that drains into the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basin near the town of Apalachicola winds its way through north Florida along the Apalachicola River, the most bio-diverse river in the United States. The basin itself is between six and nine feet deep at low tide, and wild oysters there must be at least three inches long to be legally harvested. Achieving that size takes two to three years. “Oystering” is generational and approximately a thousand of the 11,500 residents of Franklin County are employed by the multimillion-dollar industry, which provides 90 percent of Florida’s oysters and 10 percent of the supply nationwide.

For enjoyable and informational reading on the subject of oysters, A Geography of Oysters is essentially a guided tour of North American oysters. The Los Angeles Times describes it as follows: “There may be no more pleasurable food than a raw oyster, there almost certainly is no better guide.”

Author Rowan Jacobsen takes his readers on a journey through the varieties, harvesting, culling, and eating (raw or cooked) of North American oysters. On his corresponding website (oysterguide.com), the James Beard Award–winning author writes about food, notably oysters; the environment; and the intersection of the two. Jacobsen peppers the book and blog with historical perspective, touches on long-held myths about oysters, theorizes on the reasons why oysters

Photo by bob br own

get lumped into the category of aphrodisiac, and offers personal experiences and recipes collected while researching the book.

In a recent interview, Jacobsen said, “I think Apalachicola oysters are wonderful.”

Last April, after a day of oyster tonging with third-generation oysterman Kendall Schoelles, Jacobsen wrote on his blog, “It’s blissful to be out there, no other boats around, culling oysters, whacking your thumb, smelling the wind and water, listening to the catfish sloshing around the surface, and popping open the occasional oyster and eating it on the spot. (Best I’ve ever had.)”

Photo by carlo Pieroni

If Jacobsen puts anything on his oysters at all, he prefers citrus to vinegar in making his mignonette (a condiment for oysters usually made with vinegar, shallots, and pepper) and stresses how essential the zest of the citrus is as an ingredient. He writes in Geography, “… the acid will counteract the saltiness … so citrus and mignonettes help to balance excessively briny oysters. They also enliven a dull oyster … I prefer nothing on the best oysters.”

Phillip McDonald, owner and chef of Table Five – Personal Chef and Catering, uses oysters from 13 Mile Oyster Company, a part of Buddy Ward & Sons Seafood & Trucking, Inc. The oysters, referred to locally as “13 Mile Brand,” are harvested by the owners, brothers Tommy and Walter “Dakie” Ward, in oyster beds thirteen miles west of Apalachicola. 13 Mile Brand owns more than half of the leased beds in the bay at a time when leases are no longer being given. Chef McDonald said, “For the sea-and-farm-to-table dinner for VIE, I was inspired to create a seasonal menu fr.om what we grow, raise, and harvest locally and by what the Gulf offers. The clams for the dinner were from Alligator Point and the Apalachicola oysters from 13 Mile Brand.”

V IE Z INE .C OM | 33

Photo courtesy of Me lanie cissone

He continued, “The oysters from Apalachicola and 13 Mile in particular are so fresh and delicious. I don’t like to do too much to them because they’re so flavorful. I’m a purist who doesn’t like anything on my oyster; the oyster does all the work.”

McDonald personally enjoys scalloping in Cape San Blas and prepares them for catered events; however, he didn’t add scallops to the VIE dinner menu as they are not in season.

Nonetheless, at events where McDonald serves freshly shucked, raw oysters on a half shell, he usually puts lemon wedges on the side and whips up either a Meyer lemon mignonette or a cucumber mignonette as an option, which, used sparingly, enhances the oyster’s flavor.

To prepare McDonald’s cucumber mignonette, peel and core a cucumber and then julienne it on a mandoline (this makes long, skinny strips). Mince the julienned cucumber. McDonald combines sparkling wine, champagne vinegar, and freshly ground black pepper and adds the cucumber to the mixture. His advice: prepare this mignonette a day in advance so that the flavors blend.

Apalachicola oysters never go dormant, although they do become a little less productive in winter. The winter bars to which local oystermen refer are beds where Apalachicola oysters can be harvested from October to June. The bay water is cold, the wind bites, and the oysters are full of spats (babies). Other oyster regions of North America lack the distinction of an appellation. However, just as champagne can only be called such if the wine comes from the 34 | M A R C H /A P R I L 2 013

Makeshift 13 Mile br

and sign at apalachico

la oyster cook-off

Champagne region of France, only oysters from Apalachicola Bay go by the Apalachicola name.

Speaking of champagne and oysters, the two together create a food and wine pairing that is unmatched. Perhaps it’s the sharpness of the bubbles against the buttery, briny oyster that makes the combination perfect, or perhaps it’s the long-held belief that oysters are an aphrodisiac. There is something adventurous, artful, and sensual about eating oysters. Just refer to Anthony Bourdain’s memoir Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly. Bourdain’s first experience eating oysters was in France when, as a pubescent boy, he was on a family vacation.

He writes, “… and with one bite and a slurp, wolfed it down. It tasted of seawater … of brine and flesh…and somehow…of the future.

“Everything was different now. Everything.

“I’d not only survived—I’d enjoyed.

“This, I knew, was the magic of which I had until now been only dimly and spitefully aware. I was hooked. My parents’ shudders, my little brother’s expression of unrestrained revulsion and amazement only reinforced the sense I had, somehow, become a man. I had had an adventure, tasted forbidden fruit and everything that followed in my life—the food, the long and often stupid and self-destructive chase for the next thing, whether it was drugs, sex or some other new sensation— would all stem from this moment.

“Expensive” Oysters Recipe Fried Oysters with Lemon Butter Cream Sauce Oyster Cook-Off contender John Solomon representing Team Retsyo (oyster spelled backwards). Solomon, a corrections officer, is the head of the annual Florida Seafood Festival in Apalachicola, which is held in early November.

Oysters In a bowl, combine equal parts flour and cornmeal with Cajun seasoning to taste. (Amounts will depend on the number of oysters being breaded.)

Dredge fresh oysters in the mix.

“I’d learned something. Viscerally, instinctively, spiritually—even in some small, precursive way, sexually—and there was no turning back. The genie was out of the bottle. My life as a cook, and a chef, had begun.

Deep-fry the oysters in peanut oil (enough to brown the outside but keep the inside tender—about 1 minute).

“Food had power.”

Place each oyster back on a half shell.

Raw oysters on the half shell alone or with a dollop of homemade sauce accompanied by champagne or prosecco are sure to impress, especially a date. An oyster-tasting party with a variety of East and West Coast oysters or a Gulf Coast oyster-and-beer party are both great ways to entertain. Either way, consider the following from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services when preparing oysters to serve at home: • Buy oysters fresh (on the day of event, if possible).

• Make sure the only thing you smell is a sea breeze scent.

• In storing them, don’t place oysters directly on ice or immersed in water.

• If purchased in advance, refrigerate in a container with a lid slightly open for up to seven days and drain excess liquid daily.

• Live oysters should close tightly when the shell is tapped; discard any that do not close.

• Keep shucked oysters refrigerated for up to five days.

When it comes to shucking, hire someone or have these tricky-to-open mollusks shucked for you. Shucking on your own? Buy the proper gloves and knife and learn how to do it by watching a pro at a local fish store or at a restaurant.

At the third annual Apalachicola Oyster Cook-Off in January, oystermen and others competed for a trophy, the prize for the best-tasting oyster preparation.

The extremely popular local event benefits the Apalachicola Volunteer Fire Department. Concerned-citizen-turned-coordinator Marisa Getter developed the event to raise funds for repairs to hydrants and to purchase equipment that saves lives. The cook-off grossed approximately $33,000 this year. About the winning dish prepared by the Eastpoint Volunteer Fire Department (EVFD), Getter said,

Lemon Butter Cream Sauce Ingredients: 3 lemons 1 1/2 sticks butter 2 cups white wine 2 shallots, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced 2 pints half-and-half 5 medium to large shrimp, peeled and deveined

In a small saucepan on medium heat, melt a tablespoon of butter and add the shallots and garlic. Cook until slightly caramelized. Rough chop the shrimp and combine with shallots and garlic, stirring constantly, until the shrimp turns pink. Add 2 cups of white wine and squeeze the juice of 2 1/2 lemons into the mixture. Turn heat to medium until mixture starts to simmer and allow it to simmer for a few minutes. Add half-and-half. Reduce heat to low and add the rest of the butter in small portions and whisk until each piece has melted.

Once the butter is melted, allow mixture to cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring slowly and consistently. Strain the shallot/garlic cream sauce into a separate saucepan and finish with the juice of the remaining half lemon.

Drizzle the cream sauce over the fried oysters in their shells and add a dollop of caviar to top it off.

Song Link “Apalachicola, Fla.” (Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters) http://tinysong.com/1aP3t

V IE Z INE .C OM | 35

“It was delicious.”

EVFD Deputy Chief Jim Joyner said, “It’s a variation of Oysters Rockefeller.”

There is some disagreement among food historians about whether the original recipe for Oysters Rockefeller had spinach in it. Anyone familiar with the dish, however, knows that it was a rich topping created by the son of the founder of Antoine’s of New Orleans and named for the richest man in America at the time, John D. Rockefeller.

The Eastpoint Fire Department’s twist on the oyster classic layers a casserole dish with softened cream cheese, spinach, oysters, toasted breadcrumbs, bacon bits, and smoked Gouda cheese. The team repeats the layering and then bakes the dish on a grill.

A stroll around the waterfront where competitors’ tents were pitched revealed conversations about the anger and frustration oystermen feel over the control of freshwater into the Apalachicola River basin on the part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It’s a topic that can’t be ignored when talking about Apalachicola oysters.

Former oysterman Joyner said, “Everybody’s angry. At this time of year, tongers are capable of hauling ten to fifteen bags per day, twenty-five to thirty when the salinity and freshwater ratio is correct. We can handle what Mother Nature brings. But, now that they [U.S. Army Corps of Engineers] have cut our water supply, oystermen are hauling five bags a day.”

The Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers of western Georgia and eastern Alabama meet at Lake Seminole in the southwestern corner of Georgia where it borders Florida.

From Lake Seminole, water flows into the southbound Apalachicola River through northern Florida to the Apalachicola Bay and into the Gulf of Mexico. Deputy Chief Joyner was referring to the controversial control of water from the reservoirs north of Atlanta that not only affects the livelihood of hundreds of oystermen and thousands of families tied to the industry but also the biological productivity of the previously sheltered estuarine complex. It carries the highest ranking for shellfish harvesting and is really quite unique in the world. What happens north of Atlanta to satisfy the drinking water needs of one of the largest cities in the U.S. influences what happens in the Apalachicola River basin and bay.

According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, “… it [the estuary] is influenced strongly by the amount, timing, and duration of freshwater inflow.” Actual drought conditions north of Apalachicola coupled with reduced freshwater flow from the ACF have increased salinity and created an artificial drought in the basin. Such a reduction in freshwater compromises productivity and can kill oysters. It is a delicate balance.

Equally important, the Apalachicola oysters, known and revered for their yearround consistent flavor that is mellow, mildly briny, and hints at a melon taste, are affected. EVFD Chief George Pruett summed it up, saying, “We are half seafood and half tourism here. When the bay and the Gulf aren’t doing well, half of us in this area aren’t doing well.”

For such a pleasure-filled and delicious food, the controversial issues surrounding the production and harvest of oysters are complex and disquieting. The disputes are well into their second decade as a matter for the courts. Comparing the water issue to other challenges Apalachicolans have overcome, like hurricanes, Jim Joyner settles on a thought: “We’ll get by this.”

36 | M A R C H /A P R I L 2 013

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The Sea+Farm+Table Harvest Dinner – Friday, February 15, 2013

The Table A Recipe for Good Food and Conversation

By Jordan Staggs Photography by Carlo Pieroni Illustrations by Justin Lyons

The rustic antique tables were lined with simple yet elegant settings as the band set up nearby. Dread Clampitt, local musical talent best known for performing at the famous funky hot spot, the Red Bar, tuned up the guitars for an evening of fun and food at Arnett’s Gulfside Stables in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.

The inspiration for VIE’s 2013 March/April cover shoot was drawn from several places: the classic equestrian fashions by designers such as Ralph Lauren and Tory Burch, the rustic charm of the stables and surrounding grounds, and the camaraderie that blooms from a group of people while breaking bread together.

V IE Z INE .C OM | 43

When it came to selecting a chef who possessed both the firsthand experience with executing large family-style dinners and the mastery of cuisine that was needed for our farm-to-table event, there was one obvious choice. Seven years ago, while holding the executive chef position at Onano Neighborhood Café in Rosemary Beach, Florida, Chef Phillip McDonald channeled his culinary enthusiasm into conceiving and launching his own labor of love. “Customers at Onano would sometimes ask me to cater private events at their beach houses,” he explains. “This was back before the market crashed and it got slow down here for a while. But then one customer asked for more of a family-style dinner, and it just clicked.”

This became the driving force behind his launching Table Five Private Chef + Catering—the perfect outlet to pour his passion into preparing culinary creations to be shared with and savored by those with an elevated appreciation for food.

McDonald began marketing his services to renters and second-home owners with sizable groups or families vacationing at the beach in the larger homes.

He and his small staff would prepare classic Southern comfort foods, such as fried chicken with buttermilk biscuits, served buffet style so guests could help themselves as they pleased. “You sometimes have two or three families staying in one home— maybe up to eighteen or twenty people. Our service is about quality and convenience. They can have dinner as they come in right from the beach—with shoes off and sand between their toes.”

The only thing better than not having to shower, primp, and then argue about where to go out for a meal? The food itself. A firm believer in the farmto-table movement, McDonald strives to use the freshest locally grown and harvested ingredients when preparing these family feasts or catering special events for local businesses and out-of-town guests. “It’s great because we’ll all lead better lives from it,” he says of the movement. “I think of it as health care; everything you put into your body is going to affect you.”

Thanks to the higher demand for healthy and organic options, farmers are earning the attention, respect, and profits they deserve. It takes a lot of dedication

Left: Cover model Darby Kellum and Kyle Lage Right: Chef Phil McDonald and Emeril Lagasse with Apalachicola oysters as the main attraction

to raise the finest produce, and most farm owners do it because they are passionate about building a healthier community. Farmers’ markets have become an outlet for people to discover their local growers and build relationships with them. The same goes for local chefs and area retailers, such as For the Health of It located in Blue Mountain Beach, Florida.

“But the main objective is getting the freshest produce into the hands of the person who is going to prepare and eat it,” McDonald says. “If the consumer has a relationship with those growing the food, they’re more likely to use the produce to the fullest potential instead of tossing half of it. I like to use the example of catching fish: you’re more likely to eat it because of the effort you put into catching and cleaning it— and you know where it came from.”

Any advocate of healthy eating habits will tell you that when it comes to taste, there is no substitute for fresh, wholesome ingredients. Arugula straight from the patch needs no heavy salad dressing, and red snapper caught from the Gulf of Mexico that morning is even better if it is not drowned in a heavy butter sauce. This was the philosophy behind McDonald’s menu for the Sea+Farm+Table dinner party.

Guests mingled over French 75 cocktails and hors d’oeuvres—Apalachicola oysters, sweet potato purée on toast, and Alligator Point clams—until time for the main event. Starting off the meal: a salad of fresh arugula from nearby Dragonfly Fields topped with fried carrots, spicy pecans, Belle Chevre goat cheese, and country sorghum vinaigrette, all paired with a crisp Martinelli Road Chardonnay donated by

Krutz Family Cellars. The main course featured delectable wood-grilled red snapper, buttermilk cornbread muffins, and a succotash of Dragonfly Fields sweet potatoes, pink-eyed peas, sweet peppers, broccoli, spinach, Allan Benton’s bacon, citrus butter, and chervil. The wines served were Akins Family Vineyard Pinot Noir and Stagecoach Vineyard Syrah.

After such a healthy meal, guests didn’t have to feel guilty about eating dessert—which was good, because McDonald prepared a mouthwatering final course of homemade buttermilk biscuits topped with Plant City strawberries, vanilla cream, and toasted pecans. Yum! Of course, there are some challenges when it comes to prepping meals from seasonally available ingredients, as McDonald clearly expresses. “It teaches you to V IE Z INE .C OM | 45

The sounds of Dread Clampitt

be a better cook and to improvise,” he says. “It has definitely shaped me and how I run my business. For example, tomatoes are a summer thing, and as far as seafood goes, you’ll never see salmon or anything like that on my menu. If it doesn’t swim locally, we don’t serve it.”

What it all boils down to, according to McDonald, is being passionate about living a healthy lifestyle and experiencing meals that are not only good for you but are just plain good. “I’ve been cooking in this area for fourteen years. I’ve traveled around to some of the best restaurants in the country and worked in the kitchens for free, just to see what 46 | M A R C H /A P R I L 2 013

Dennis Peters

“It has definitely shaped me and how I run my business.

For example, tomatoes are a summer thing, and as far as seafood goes, you’ll never see salmon or anything like that on my menu. If it doesn’t swim locally, we don’t serve it.”

The chef

“I feel like I’m living the best of both worlds ...

I can afford myself a double lifestyle of the outdoors and cooking.” other chefs were doing and to learn from them. Back when I worked as part of a kitchen staff (before becoming a chef ), it wasn’t uncommon for me to work thirteen-hour days, and then come home to look through a cookbook.”

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48 | M A R C H /A P R I L 2 013

Dinners and catering events keep McDonald and the Table Five staff busy six to seven days a week during the peak season, but that hasn’t stopped him from taking full advantage of beach living. When he isn’t in the kitchen, he spends his days surfing, fishing and paddleboarding. “I feel like I’m living the best of both worlds,” he says with a grin. “I can afford myself a double lifestyle of the outdoors and cooking.

Sure, there were several sacrifices in the early days of Table Five, but it’s definitely evolved since then. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that you have to be able to take a leap of faith. I’ve grown to appreciate the fun days and even the stressful ones.”

From farm to table, or from beach to kitchen, healthy is back in a big way. With farmers’ markets and an abundance of healthier options appearing in restaurants and supermarkets, it’s never been easier to say good-bye to those frozen or packaged dinners and take a leap of faith to a healthier life!

For a behind-the-scenes video of Sea+Farm+Table: An Intimate Gathering, visit viezine.com/vietv

Top: Strike a pose. Above: Team VIE

Photo courtesy of Madra Medina McDonald

Photo courtesy of

Photo courtesy of Madra Medina McDonald

Good food. Good company.

Revelry was enjoyed by all.

Photo courtesy

50 | M A R C H /A P R I L 2 013

of Madra Med

ina McDonald

Madra Medina M

cDonald

Cover Model: Darby Kellum • Model and Wardrobe Stylist: Carol Wilson Videography: Ben Rosenau • Creative Direction: Lisa Burwell, Tracey Thomas Set Styling: Cari DeGregorio • Makeup Artist: Natasha Vaughan Hair Stylist: Brooke Miller

Photo by Romona Robbins 54 | M A R C H /A P R I L 2 013

Alden lAgAsse ColleCtion – At the beACh

the Art of living Well by susAn benton photogrAphy by romonA robbins And sydney bAssett

Fashion is a form of art—a medium in which you live your life.

Alden lagasse was looking for clothing that she could really live her life in—fashion that would fit her coastal lifestyle. After many failed attempts to find sophisticated resort wear, she was inspired to bring together an assortment of beautiful garments and accessories that are suited to life on the emerald Coast. the result: the Alden lagasse Collection – at the beach.

In the past, resort wear was about clothes you bought only to wear at a resort. But today’s resort wear, like a lot of fashion, has to be versatile and almost seasonless. Coco Chanel was known for saying, “Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it’s not luxury.” Alden Lagasse is offering a new hybrid of luxury basics.

Lagasse grew up in Gulfport, Mississippi, and studied journalism at Ole Miss. During our conversation, she fondly recalled memories of her college days when she would visit her cousin Sparky Lovelace and his wife, Susan, in South Walton.

Lagasse’s collection made its official debut in December 2012 to rave reviews.

The special event was held at Lovelace Interiors in Destin, Florida, and attendees were thrilled with Lagasse’s handpicked, sumptuous clothing and one-of-a-kind jewelry, hats, and accessories.

Upon graduation, Lagasse moved to New Orleans, where she later met celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse; they were married in 2000. Lagasse related, “We continued to visit the local area, not just to stay connected to family, but also because Emeril loves to fish. He is happiest when he’s on a boat in the beautiful Gulf.”

When asked where she got her inspiration, Lagasse said, “I was inspired when I went on buying trips with Susan Lovelace. Over the years, I would shop for effortless things to wear by the pool or on our boat while Susan was making selections for Lovelace Interiors. I have enjoyed collecting these pieces and I wanted to share them with friends and others seeking similar lifestyle clothing.”

After losing their vacation home in Pass Christian, Mississippi, to Hurricane Katrina, the couple decided to move their family to South Walton, where

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Opening page photo: From Alden Lagasse on her outfit at VIE’s Sea+Farm+Table Harvest Dinner: “The cobalt dress is from Mermaids and my long necklace is from my collection. It is by Roni Blanshay. It is a custom piece. She is a cool lady from Israel. I love her pieces. The other jewels were given to me by my hubby and kids. The cobalt dress is by Dreams of Hazel.”

This page: 1. Destin Mermaids boutique, located in The Village of Baytowne Wharf 2. Susan Lovelace and Emeril Lagasse during the Alden Lagasse Collection debut at Lovelace Interiors 3. A collection of colorful tops and dresses selected by Alden Lagasse Next Page: 1. Freshwater pearls with gold-plated multilink chain necklace, $295 2. Flora Bella embellished raffia hat, $135; 100% wool scarf, $145 3. Double-stranded pearl and semi-precious stone necklace, $85; 43-inch pearl and Swarovski crystal necklace, $425 Last page: 24k gold-plated cuff bracelet, $210; 24k gold-plated cross necklace $325; Flora Bella suede handbag, $225 3

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“this is A CreAtive outlet For me And i Am hAving A lot oF Fun With it.

Lagasse more than ever sought stylish clothing that could be worn to school events and at home, or packed quickly for a trip.

Angie Nemecek, the owner of Mermaids, an upscale women’s boutique in the heart of Sandestin’s Village of Baytowne Wharf, appreciated Lagasse’s line and approached her about partnering. As of February 2013, the Alden Lagasse Collection – at the beach can be found on display in the newly updated space. Lagasse recounted, “Angie told me she loved my collection and wanted me to share it in her store.

We partnered and gave the boutique a fresh look, adding new furniture as well.”

Nemecek is excited about traveling to New York with Lagasse to shop for the upcoming season and said, “I am thrilled to have Alden’s collection in Mermaids. Customers can expect to see cool and chic new lines in the store this spring.”

With a keen eye, Lagasse carefully selects elegant pieces with indulgent fabrics and textures that can easily be tossed in a suitcase for weekends

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away yet are appropriate for wear at casual social events. Though some of the tunics and kaftans are stunningly beaded and require dry cleaning, most of the pieces are machine washable. A complete ensemble can be selected in minutes, from skinny jeans to handbags, sandals, and unique jewelry.

Much of the collection is sized from extra small to extra large and is age appropriate for the twentyfive-and-over market.

Favoring muted palettes, Lagasse has just begun carrying a line of exquisitely soft loungewear with hooded jackets and tanks trimmed in satin.

Commenting on the new line, Lagasse said, “It feels so good and does not require dry cleaning. It is perfect to wear in the morning while enjoying a cup of coffee.”

I asked Lagasse how she juggles motherhood, a celebrity lifestyle, demands for travel, and commitments to so many charitable organizations. Lagasse replied, “Very carefully! There has to be a balance.

We have a very busy life with Emeril’s schedule alone. We are never apart from each other for more than three days, and I keep a consistent calendar. I can tell you where I will be six months from now.

With all of our obligations, it is a juggling act, and I am lucky to have my parents and family nearby to help us out as well.”

Although Lagasse currently has no plans for expanding, it is not out of the question. As for the present, Lagasse stated, “This is a creative outlet for me and I am having a lot of fun with it. With all the foot traffic in Baytowne, I am really looking forward to meeting new customers.”

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Jolie & ElizabEtH

Makes New orleaNs

the New FashioN

Hot Spot it’s not your typical love story, but it’s a love story nonetheless. in this version, two like-minded fashion designers discover a shared passion for style that won’t make your mother blush and for bringing the “Made in america” label back into vogue. By all accounts, it’s the feel-good story of the year.

By Tori PhelPs P h oTo g r a P h y By a n d r ew a lw e rT

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Photo by Gerald Burwell

sisTers of The souTh Like any good fashion story, this one begins in New York City—at BCBG, the largest women’s contemporary apparel design company in the world, to be exact. It was here that New Orleans natives Jolie Bensen and Sarah Elizabeth Dewey met, worked together for the first time, and eventually discovered they had more in common than an ability to sew a straight line. Bensen, whose job at BCBG included a lead role in the internship program, immediately felt a connection to new intern Dewey. “I loved recruiting girls from the South, as they seemed the most dedicated and hardworking,” Bensen admits.

“One of those girls was Sarah Elizabeth. She left quite an impression because she stayed late to finish projects and was very detail oriented in her work.”

Dewey says their first meeting left quite an impression on her as well. “After my interview, one employee came running up, saying, ‘Is this the intern from Louisiana!’ That was Jolie.”

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During the internship, the two worked together closely but eventually went their separate ways.

Dewey returned to LSU to finish her degree, while Bensen signed on at Alice + Olivia, a smaller dress design company that provided her with a different perspective of the industry.

York-or-bust design mindset. “After graduation, I traveled back to New York City for interviews, but something just didn’t seem right about being there,” Dewey says. “I truly wanted to stay in the South, to move to New Orleans, and be part of all the amazing things that were happening there.”

Though they received the education of a lifetime in NYC, each felt a similar dissatisfaction with the New

Bensen could have told her that would be impossible— if she wanted to stay in fashion design, that is.

New orleans is practically the third partner in Jolie & elizabeth. minutes of that lunch with Sarah Elizabeth, the idea was born.”

That idea became Jolie & Elizabeth.

It was an eyebrow-raising move, to be sure, but it felt right because the former coworkers immediately clicked—again—from their similar experiences in wholesale, retail, and design to their proud Southern roots and their assessment that there was something missing from the fashion landscape. “Eighty percent of women’s contemporary apparel comes from New York or Los Angeles,” Bensen explains. “We wanted to offer dresses of better quality, with a Southern sophistication. And seersucker—definitely seersucker.”

New Orleans is practically the third partner in Jolie & Elizabeth. Whether it’s the attitude and outlook embodied by the city’s residents or their wholehearted support of new entrepreneurs within their community, it’s the perfect fit for Bensen and Dewey. “We always say we would never want to or could do what we do in any other city,” Dewey says.

Bensen frequently returned to New Orleans to give speeches at various fashion programs, knowing full well that, if they didn’t move to New York or Los Angeles, most of the fashion students to whom she was speaking had few job prospects other than retail.

A catch-up lunch in 2009 between two old friends and colleagues would forever change that

reality—as well as the course of their lives. Both in New Orleans for the first time in years, Bensen and Dewey discussed disappointments from their experiences in New York City and their frustrations with the nonexistent apparel industry in New Orleans, and then they kicked around the outrageous notion of launching their own line— in New Orleans. Whoa. “I had no intention of starting my own label,” Bensen says, “but within

Bensen and Dewey pride themselves on having one of the only—if not the only—vertically integrated fashion houses in the South, meaning they design, create, work, and ship from the same place. Even the factory is only thirty minutes from their office.

“We’re inspired by New Orleans and the South: the parties, the climate … everything about it. You can see this inspiration in all of our designs, so it only made sense to do our production here,” Dewey adds.

Being “Made in America” isn’t a nice quirk of fate: it’s something the Jolie & Elizabeth founders planned from the beginning. Rather than just making pretty dresses, they were determined to stand for something; they wanted to create a business that was about more than just a garment and that would funnel dollars right back into the V IE Z INE .C OM | 63

local and national economy. Unfortunately, not many fashion companies can say the same anymore.

While other lines outsource to keep costs down, the duo believes this “irresponsible” approach is beginning to wear thin with the American public.

Much like the movement to eat locally, there’s a growing awareness that buying apparel made close to home eliminates the sweatshop-or-not uncertainty that is inherent in overseas products. After all, it’s tough to enjoy a new dress if you’re concerned about the working conditions of the people who made it. “We’re very proud to be at the forefront of this shift to Made in America,” Bensen says. “We hope to continue being pioneers in this movement.”

sTyle wiTh r-e-s-P-e-C-T If designer duds have one flaw, it’s their lack of wearability. Haute couture may be fun to look at, but can you imagine actually wearing it? For most women, the answer is a resounding no. Your first clue that Jolie & Elizabeth is different should have been the word “seersucker.” They did indeed launch the company with seersucker, and even now, with the debut of the line’s fourth spring/summer collection, that material remains its key fabrication.

The simple reason, according to Bensen: “We aim to design dresses that both your grandmother and your boyfriend will approve of—and that won’t trigger a feeling of regret years later.”

It’s almost impossible to create something genuinely different in the fashion world, but Jolie & Elizabeth has introduced legions of fans to something the designers call “respectful wear.” Rather than upto-here hemlines and down-to-there necklines, it’s about a little more sleeve coverage or a to-the-knee hemline—features mandatory in a garment that can be worn absolutely anywhere.

That versatility is essential for today’s crazy-busy women, a lifestyle to which Bensen and Dewey can relate. Lots to accomplish? Check. Still want to be stylish? Oh, yeah.

With a brand philosophy that’s feminine yet confident, classic yet inventive, it’s no wonder they’ve struck a chord. “We’re inspired by women of all ages and want to make them feel beautiful,” Dewey says. “We don’t pay attention to trends; we only incorporate elements you can wear season to season and event to event.”

Because their designs are timeless, some receive only small tweaks from season to season and keep 64 | M A R C H /A P R I L 2 013

flying off the racks to happy customers. These are the designs that, as Dewey puts it, “will just not quit”—styles that buyers and direct customers beg to be brought back, styles that some women have in four different colors.

Perhaps because they believe each dress has a persona of its own, each dress gets a name of its own. But before the next Adelaide, Kennedy, or

Jackie gets a moniker, inspiration has to strike. That flash may come from a sketch or a bolt of fabric or a conversation between the two designers. “Sarah Elizabeth has an incredible eye for color, while my strength is in the overall design of the dress,” explains Bensen.

When the design is finally sewn, the head seamstress at their factory patterns the garment, and then it’s

Photo by Gerald Burwell

it sounds like a simple prospect, but it’s usually about six months from a collection’s design to its debut.

produced in mass quantities for wholesale accounts and website stock. It sounds like a simple prospect, but it’s usually about six months from a collection’s design to its debut, which means the Jolie & Elizabeth duo experience constant whiplash. With a strict schedule that includes not only design, but also production, photo shoots, and more, Bensen and Dewey scramble between two or even three seasons on any given day.

It’s certainly hectic, but their shared work ethic has led to some pretty big things in the three short years since the line’s launch—like a feature on Forbes.com that spotlighted the highs and lows of their entrepreneurial adventure. Quite an honor, Bensen and Dewey agree. “When it first came out, we read it and then sat back and marveled at how much we’ve accomplished,” Bensen says. “When you’re in the middle of the day-in, day-out grind,

you rarely think to look around at all you’ve done; you just keep moving forward. To have such a prestigious publication acknowledge our hard work is an incredible feeling, but it’s even better to have an amazing business partner and friend to share it with.”

Not surprisingly, the design team is big on setting goals, and their five-year plan includes having an instore presence in every state, as well as in countries V IE Z INE .C OM | 65

Jolie & elizabeth dresses flatter many different figures, come in classic shapes, and are well made and well priced.

such as New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. They also hope to hold more workshops for young, aspiring designers.

Their recent foray into bridesmaids’ dresses may be part of the long-term picture, too. What started as a favor for one of Dewey’s friends caught on like wildfire, with newly engaged friends of the designers—as well as complete strangers—lining up to request their services. If they’re surprised, they shouldn’t be. Jolie & Elizabeth dresses flatter

many different figures, come in classic shapes, and are well made and well priced. For once, bridesmaids really will wear their dresses over and over after the wedding.

Their “little company that could” now has a welldocumented record of success, and the founders’ profiles have never been higher. But the accolades aren’t what motivate Bensen and Dewey. Rather, their goal today is the same as it was the day they sat down to lunch and then stood up as partners: to

create timeless, high-quality pieces that customers will have in their closets for years. The rest, says Dewey, is just icing. “Seeing women in our dresses is still the greatest feeling in the world. That’s when I feel most successful.”

A special thanks to Sucré, The Roosevelt Hotel New Orleans, and Domenica Restaurant for their cooperation with VIE to grant photography at some of Jolie Bensen and Sarah Elizabeth Dewey’s favorite places in New Orleans.

With our range of selections in furnishings, rugs & home décor we can transform any space into your own personal oasis.

Visit us at our new, expanded Shop & Design Studio 12555 Emerald Coast Pkwy, Suite B Miramar Beach, FL 32550 • 850.650.9292

All Spring Flings are Not Created Equal by ainsley rogers

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Spring is in the air and all seems right with the world. Newness. Freshness. Sunsoaked days and warmer temps. Spring fever spreads quickly—isn’t that what the season is all about?

Last September, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2013 debuted what’s in store for spring this year at Lincoln Center in New York City. Style icons and designers unveiled new looks that revisited past trends. The sparkle of gold and the shimmer of silver sashayed down the runway, while neon continued to pop up in a modern interpretation of a popular eighties trend. Monochromatic looks and strikingly crisp black-and-white ensembles took center stage on many a runway.

Bold prints, chiffon, and leather and lace all have their place for spring as well.

Spring 2013 is a smorgasbord of staples gone by, but with a fresh, new attitude and presentation. Liven up your wardrobe with a few of these new additions for an updated look you can wear right now—and we’ll even tell you how.

It’s shades of silver, too! For spring 2013, it’s time to shine and not be afraid to have the spotlight cast its magic on you! Metallics—based on the precious metals of copper, gold, nickel, platinum, and silver—have often been paired with rich, jewel-toned colors or featured as accents. But for 2013, the scintillating alloys were featured with neons or stood completely on their own in statement pieces. Lela Rose showed ethereal gowns featuring opulent metallic patterns. The Custo Barcelona collection featured eccentric metal accents paired with bright neons and luxurious black and metallic combos. And Milly models walked the runway in futuristic silver snakeskin pencil skirts.

MILLY Photo by Slaven Vlasic

RACHEL ZOE

Carlos Miele

Wear it now: Known as the “new neutrals,” metallics are simple to incorporate into any existing wardrobe. For those skeptical of pulling off the trend, try it first with an accessory. A handbag, shoes, or even a belt in pewter or rich gold will give a face-lift to a surprising number of outfits. And don’t just pair your metals with neutral colors—try a fresh duo, like turquoise with gunmetal or emerald with rose gold. If you decide to take the dive headfirst into the trend and add a metallic statement piece to your closet—such as a top, skirt, or dress—darker metallics often look especially luxurious.

Photo by Nata Sha / Shutterstock.com

aphy / Shutterstock.com Photo by Miro Vrlik Photogr 70 | M A R C H /A P R I L 2 013

What’s Black and White and Chic All Over?

Fashion’s most classic color combo is back, as evidenced by the number of blackand-white ensembles that walked the runway at Lincoln Center. From Calvin Klein to Rachel Zoe to Milly by Michelle Smith, black, white, and combinations of the two were the showstoppers. The new twist on the otherwise classic trend is the use of geometric-inspired lines—Rachel Zoe featured asymmetrical tops and hemlines, Calvin Klein incorporated defined necklines, and Emerson featured a stunning chiffon frock with black intersecting lines in the center of the skirt.

Wear it now: We’d be willing to bet every closet has its fair share of black and white. Wear it from head to toe in a monochromatic fashion for a look that is très chic and superslimming (just make sure your blacks match). Or, if you can’t leave color alone, incorporate the two together with your favorite hue, as Milly designer Michelle Smith did with her black-and-white geometric-inspired skirt paired with a casual lime sweater.

CALVIN KLEIN MILLY

Photo by Mike Coppola

Photo by Slaven Vlasic

MICHAEL KORS Photo by Frazer Harrison

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One dazzling mini dress featured it all—lace trim, fringed cap-sleeve shoulders, and beadwork that detailed the bodice.

One of our favorite trends at Fashion Week was the luxurious detailing popping up in the ready-to-wear lines—showing us that luxe isn’t just for couture anymore.

The use of exquisite detail in interesting and unexpected places will not appeal to the minimalists out there, but the fashion forward will rejoice in this lavish and indulgent trend reminiscent of the attire on PBS’s hit show Downton Abbey. The glamorous details came in almost every form—from Jenny Packham and Naeem Khan’s fully beaded frocks to Supima’s unexpectedly sexy cutouts. Ralph Lauren showed a cocktail jacket featuring rich brocade—another new and noteworthy trend that is taking spring by storm. But the master of luxe details was notably Custo Dalmau of Custo Barcelona. The designer gave his audience everything at once—color, pattern, beadwork, and texture were all accounted for. One dazzling mini dress featured it all—lace trim, fringed cap-sleeve shoulders, and beadwork that detailed the bodice. Some may say “less is more,” but it surely isn’t as much fun as this extravagant new trend.

Custo BarCelona Photo by Ugo Camera

JENNy PACKhAm

Wear it now: Luxe details aren’t for the timid. However, if your tastes

CzAr CoLLECtIoN

by CEsAr GALINdo

Photo by Lev Radin / Shutterstock.com Photo by Frazer Harrison

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lean more to the minimalist, try easing into this trend by adding a ritzy accessory to an otherwise simple outfit. Studded smoking loafers with jeans and a silk blouse, a brocade blazer atop a simple sheath dress, or an arm piled high with vintage-inspired bracelets all help to define what the luxe trend is all about. For those seeking to make a bigger impact, consider adding a luxe statement piece to your wardrobe. A fully beaded tank looks chic underneath a blazer with jeans for a night on the town or tucked into a pencil skirt for a dressier affair. A cocktail jacket with intricate details—such as beading, jeweled accents, feathers, or fringe—can also be dressed up or dressed down. By adding a luxe piece that can transition across multiple looks, you’ll be able to wear it repeatedly.

Style critics were surprised when neon hues emerged on the runaway of MercedesBenz Fashion Week for 2012. But more of us were surprised when the trend reemerged for 2013. From the sweeping chiffon gowns at Badgley Mischka, J. Mendel, and Diane von Furstenberg to the daintiest of details adorning blouses and hemlines as shown by Carolina Herrera and Custo Barcelona, neon elements are back for a second season.

Wear it now: This hot-hued trend is surprisingly versatile in an everyday wardrobe. Try mixing tiny neon details with an otherwise neutral palette, just as Carolina Herrera, Custo Barcelona, and Chado Ralph Rucci did with their surprising pops of neon on an otherwise understated palette. Or, make a bold statement by dressing in monochromatic neon, like the coveted maxi dresses shown by Diane von Furstenberg.

Whatever suits your taste, remember to keep the variety of neon hues to a minimum—the key is to look chic, not like a cast member from Saved by the Bell.

Chado Ralph RuCCi J. Mendel

Photo by Frazer Harrison

Photo by Frazer Harrison Diane Von Furstenberg Photo by Frazer Harrison

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Consider leather and lace the two hottest trends in texture for spring 2013. The abundance of feminine lace and tough leather on the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week runway left attendees believing that you really can be sugar or spice for spring.

Traditional lace accented many a runway model’s attire, such as Custo Barcelona’s flirty tops and the stunning magenta lace dress shown at Arise magazine’s show. But it was the new laser-cut approach— the technique of cutting fabric with a laser for a modern, lace-like appearance—that dominated the runway.

Laser cuts are a modern approach to a completely classic look, like Reem Acra’s ladylike sheath featuring an expansive laser-cut design or Custo Barcelona’s traditional khaki shorts with laser-cut details along the hem.

But don’t get too swept up in the sweetness of the season—leather is sticking around for spring, paired with delicate chiffon and on dainty sundresses (as in designer Jackie Fraser-Swan’s spring collection for Emerson) to toughen up even the prettiest look.

Custo BarCelona Photo by Ugo Camera

rEEm ACrA Photo by Frazer Harrison

RACHEL ZOE

ArIsE

Wear it now: Both leather and lace are so versatile that it’s hard to

Photo by Michael Loccisano

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nail down just a few ways to wear the trend. But, for a fresh take on the two, try making your lace edgy and your leather feminine. A lace dress (laser-cut or traditional) would be a great addition to your spring wardrobe—pair it with chunky booties, spiked bracelets, or a statement necklace to keep it from looking too demure. Or, add a leather skirt to your wardrobe—paired with a delicate chiffon tank or silk blouse, you’ll be surprised at how quickly it will become one of your favorite pieces. For the perfect expression of sugar and spice, combine the two—a leather jacket in black or camel (a staple piece for any wardrobe) toughens up a cream lace dress. But be wary of faux leather— stay away from those with too much shine.

This season, bold screen-printed patterns and abstract designs are hot off the runway! Making a statement is easy, thanks to the designers that debuted these eye-catching trends. Nicole Miller and Rebecca Minkoff both showed original, screen print-inspired patterns reminiscent of digital designs that were entirely modern. And CZAR by Cesar Galindo, Emerson by Jackie Fraser-Swan, and Custo Barcelona used their pieces as canvases to feature bold, abstract prints in a completely artistic way.

Nicole Miller and Rebecca Minkoff both showed original, screen print-inspired patterns reminiscent of digital designs that were entirely modern.

Wear it now: Pattern can seem like a tricky trend to make work effectively. Luckily, a few simple rules for these new patterns featured on the spring 2013 runways will have you flawlessly flaunting them for all to see.

First, let the patterns speak for themselves—big, bold prints should take center stage in your attire and be paired with dainty accessories. And while mixing patterns is another interesting trend recently made popular, it’s difficult to effectively execute with the new screen-printed or abstract patterns. Next, know your body. If you’re larger on top, wear your bold patterns on the bottom by adding a digital print skirt or cropped pant to your wardrobe. And vice versa—pear-shaped figures should stick with wearing these bold patterns in a blouse or jacket. The same rule should apply when selecting printed dresses.

For athletic builds, the large, bold patterns will create interesting depth to your look. If yours is a curvier figure, stick with the smaller screen prints or digital designs that are all the rage for spring.

J. mENdEL EmErson

Photo by Lev Radin / Shutterstock.com

Photo by Randy Brooke

Nicole Miller Photo by Fernanda Calfat

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LeLa Rose

Photo by Arun Nevader

Fashion Designer Jewelry and Accessories

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S SIRENS at the beach lingerie. loungewear. bath and body.

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Of course, no matter how hot the trend from Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2013, no look can truly be mastered without one crucial addition— confidence. So, select pieces that are uniquely you and use them to portray your distinctive style. And that is the hottest look of all.

Vineyard Vines • Freepeople • Island Company • Ella Moss Splendid • 7 for all Mankind • Britt Ryan • Southern Tide • Southern Point • Robert Graham • Peter Millar • Southern Proper and more!

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PeoPle Wattage Star PoWer IllumInateS FaShIon Week 3

1. Clover Canyon at her own Spring 2013 presentation.

Photo by Fernando Leon 2. Designer Yohji Yamamoto with David Beckham at the Y-3 10th Anniversary Collection

Photo by Joe Kohen 3. Project Runway team Heidi Klum, Michael Kors, Jennifer Hudson, and Nina Garcia on the runway of their final competition. Photo by Frazer Harrison

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4. Ivanka Trump. Photo by Astrid Stawiarz 5. Makeup prep at the Custo Barcelona Spring 2013 show. Photo

by Ugo Camera 6. Alexis Welch. Photo by Astrid Stawiarz

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7. Shoe details at David Tlale Sun Spring 2013. Photo by Ainsley Rogers 8. Chado Ralph Rucci models sport monochromatic looks. Photo by Tracey Thomas

9. Amy Adams. Photo by Michael Buckner 10. Custo Barcelona presents patterned separates. Photo by Ainsley Rogers

11. Braids reigned supreme for Spring 2013. Photo by Ainsley Rogers

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17. A striking strut down the Custo Barcelona runway.

Photo by Ainsley Rogers

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18. A model waits in the wings of the Reem Acra fashion show. Photo by Ainsley Rogers

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19. Model Iman. Photo by Astrid Stawiarz

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CuLinary Life One Man’s Quest

By Melanie A. Cissone | Photography by Gerald Burwell

His sometimes searing posts on topics tHat range from price gouging of bottled water by restaurants to His opinion of attire tHat is considered “acceptable” for dining out tHese days migHt lead a reader to conclude tHat EsquirE magazine’s Eat LikE a Man columnist JoHn mariani is a real curmudgeon. not so. autHor, food and wine critic, and Journalistic observer of all tHings Having to do witH tHe culinary world and its History, JoHn francis mariani is every bit as cHarming, tHougHtful, and knowledgeable as He expects tHe epicureans and oenopHiles wHo read His books and columns to be.

The author of twelve books about food, Mariani is not a chef turned critic but a lover of literature, history, and film who parlayed his passions into a writing career that has spanned some thirty-nine years. Most notably, Mariani wrote The Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink (Lebhar-Friedman) which, nearly thirty years after it was first published as The Dictionary of American Food and Drink, will be released in its fifth edition in late 2013 by Bloomsbury Publishing. With a PhD in literature from Columbia University, he has authored stories for some of the top general interest, travel, and food and wine magazines. These days he focuses specifically on writing for Esquire magazine, Bloomberg News, and his own newsletter, Virtual Gourmet.

In addition to his books—three more are currently in negotiation—and magazine articles, Mariani has produced for the last twenty-eight years the Best New Restaurants of the Year for Esquire, where he is listed under the masthead as Food and Travel Correspondent—not a restaurant critic. He dines out all over the world—rarely incognito, which is standard for a formal newspaper restaurant reviewer— and says, “Restaurant owners and their senior staff know who the reviewers are anyway.”

“The reason I do not go incognito is the same reason a reporter does not when researching a feature story,” says Mariani. “I want to speak to the chef, confer with him, and learn about his culinary views and especially about his region.”

Discussing The Italian-American Cookbook: A Feast of Food from a Great American Cooking Tradition (Harvard Common Press), which Mariani cowrote with his wife, Galina, draws him out personally. He says of the woman he married thirty-five years ago, “She is a very good cook and she prepared every recipe in the book.”

Of his courtship of the half-French, half-Russian woman whom he has described as “an exotic creature” who reminded him of Jean Seberg in Breathless, he said they connected over food. Together they worked their way through Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking long before Nora Ephron’s screenplay adaptation of Child’s memoir and Julie Powell’s blog was made into the hit film Julie & Julia. Mariani tells a charming story of a bygone era when couples took long honeymoons: “After Galina and I got married, we traveled across the country, crisscrossing it for fourteen weeks. That was how we learned how to eat and how to cook.”

He continues, “The food was terrible in almost all the restaurants where we ate morning, noon, and night.

It was frozen, overcooked, and lacking flavor, and nothing about it resembled fresh and local. Interest in food and the culinary arts for pleasure was burgeoning at that time in our country. We didn’t have a lot of money in the beginning, but we had a great apartment and willing neighbors. My wife and I cooked ethnic foods like Thai and Indian, and I began writing and sending articles to New York magazine, Town & Country, and Travel and Leisure.”

EsquirE columnist and acclaimed food writer John mariani with the cover of his most recent book, How italian Food ConquErEd tHE world

Photo courtesy of John Mariani

V IE Z INE .C OM | 87

“it was never CaLLed red sauCe in Our hOuse, aLways”—he prOnOunCes it in itaLian—“Marinara.”

It comes as no surprise that a literary man like Mariani portrays the food and wine in his reviews as just two of the characters of a grander story. He is three-time nominee for the James Beard Foundation Journalism Award who looks for and describes the richness of the whole dining experience. He talks to the chef and takes into account the design of a restaurant, the service, the prices, and the staff ’s familiarity with what they serve as strong factors in what he writes. For Mariani to thoroughly enjoy dining out, the experience entails an ensemble cast so much so that some ten years ago he added a category to his Best-Of list: hostess.

But, when it comes to those go-to foods and people and places that are familiar and not demanding, Mariani drifts toward the sentimental. To him, few foods satisfy like a pizza and a beer or the memory of his mother’s hand-rolled gnocchi Bolognese. He points to his youth in the North Bronx and Mario’s Restaurant on Arthur Avenue.

He says, “I just sink into that place.”

In his most recent publication, How Italian Food Conquered the World (Palgrave Macmillan), Mariani takes readers on an entertaining and thoroughly researched journey through the history of Italian food and its influence around the world today. In the introduction, he pays homage to his mother by recalling a time when he brought four friends home from college one evening.

He said, “My mother was in a mink stole, and she and my father, a podiatrist, were just about to go out for the evening.”

Despite her son’s insistence that she not prepare anything for his friends, she donned her apron and began to make a spaghetti alla marinara sauce for five—from scratch. Mariani adds, “It was never called red sauce in our house, always”—he pronounces it in Italian—“marinara.”

The details of the book are inviting and the modern history unfolds like a novel that begins in the late nineteenth century, when the scale of Italian immigration to the United States was unprecedented. He writes, “Between 1880 and 1920, one out of every four U.S. immigrants was Sicilian.” He continues, “… 97 percent of the Italians came through Ellis Island …”

The book describes individual foods that are easily recognizable now as Italian. According to Mariani, pizza was a favorite street food that Neapolitan immigrants brought to the U.S. He writes, “… they ate [pizza] with crust folded over as a kind of sandwich or snack.” The first pizzeria opened in the U.S. in 1905. Lombardi’s was located on Spring Street in the Little Italy section of New York. Even as late as 1939, though, most Americans had not yet heard of pizza, and it did not really gain popularity as an inexpensive fast food until after World War II.

l–r: John mariani; robert davis—founder of seaside; dave rauschkolb— owner of bud and alley’s restaurant

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Mariani gives equal time in his book to the evolution of olive oils and Italian wines and recalls a time when one of the only wines available to early adopters of Italian-American cuisine was sweet, fizzy Lambrusco. He takes a jab at one of the derogatory terms used to describe Italian immigrants and their food when he titles a chapter about wine “From Dago Red to Super Tuscan.” Today, Italian wines are ranked among the best in the world by leading wine experts.

John Mariani was the guest speaker at the first of what Seaside is planning as a regular event: A Taste of Seaside. Last October’s “Taste of ” with Mariani was held for the benefit of the Seaside Neighborhood School Garden (SNSG). The first school garden, planted in 2007, could be found on Tupelo Street at the home of town founders, Robert and Daryl Davis. Having known restaurateur Alice Waters of Chez Panisse fame and being thoroughly aware of the success Waters was having with the Edible Schoolyard Project she founded, the Davises were enthusiastic about having an organic school garden in Seaside. They offered their grounds to get it started. The garden has grown into a regular part of the sixth grade curriculum and, when space became available, the garden moved to its current location behind the western buildings of Central Square on Quincy Circle.

Interim school principal Kim Mixson described some of what the sixth grade garden curriculum entails. She said, “Each garden class is comprised of about ten of the thirty-nine sixth grade students in school and the class runs for nine weeks.

It culminates in a student-led garden tour. Students are graded on their ability to convey such information as what they’ve planted, why certain plants are chosen as companions to others, and how they manage the care of the garden.” chef Jim shirley with his layered butter and bacon cornbread masterpiece at a taste of seaside

In a most conclusive manner about the way in which Italian food, wine, and restaurants have influenced the world’s culinary landscape, Mariani says, “The most popular restaurants in London, Berlin, and Tokyo, just to name a few cities, are Italian.” He says, “The Times of India in Mumbai wrote, ‘Nobody is opening up French restaurants here.’” It is clear to him that Italian food and trattorias have overtaken French and other world cuisines in popularity.

Mixson continued, “We’ve had some wonderful guest speakers, including Emeril Lagasse, to speak to students about gardening, the food they are growing from seeds, and how their fruits and vegetables compare in taste to big-crop grocery store produce. The garden is a great classroom.” She concluded, “Seaside really helps support the school and we are so pleased that the garden was selected as the beneficiary of A Taste of Seaside.”

The eating establishments that donated food to last October’s A Taste of Seaside included Amavida Coffee and Tea, Barefoot BBQ, Bud & Alley’s, Great Southern

Mariani has dreamt about but never really wanted to open his own restaurant. When he thinks about that really wonderful feeling that a delicious meal, good wine, and fine conversation deliver, his wife, two sons (both of whom are in the food business), and their girlfriends are always at that table. On reflection, he would add to the mix some of his favorite writers and film directors. He says, “I think I would get along with Gore Vidal, H. G. Wells, H. L. Mencken, Frank Capra, and John Ford.”

Mariani muses aloud, “I would have liked to talk to Capra about the dance scene in the pool in It’s a Wonderful Life. I would ask John Ford if it was his idea or John Wayne’s idea in the final scene in The Searchers for Wayne to hold his right elbow with his left hand.” If this was some sort of tribute to Western film star Harry Carey, Mariani wants to know whose idea it was.

a taste of seaside was hosted by bud and alley’s restaurant and benefited the seaside neighborhood school garden.

V IE Z INE .C OM | 89

Café, Heavenly Shortcakes, Raw and Juicy, and the Shrimp Shack. Guests enjoyed, among other delicious samplings, pulled pork sliders and champagne at the welcoming reception in Bud & Alley’s herb garden while John Mariani mingled with the crowd and later spoke about being in Seaside for the second time. The first was nine years ago when he did a review of Bud & Ally’s for his newsletter.

Guests retired to long tables in two different rooms at Bud & Alley’s where they were served a three-course meal with family-style side dishes and braided bacon cornbread that, before it was sliced, looked like a giant layer cake.

guests from new york to miami and everywhere in between gathered for this exclusive event celebrating the culinary prowess of seaside with town founders robert and daryl davis.

Mariani said of the evening, “I dined well but I didn’t really get a good sense of what each of the seven chefs and their food were all about. I will come back.”

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A Milestone in the Shopping Industry

Destin Commons expanDs for 2014

By L. Jordan SwanSon Architectural renderings by JPRA Architects Aerial shots by Scott Jackson of MindLace Media & Photo

F

or almost ten years, Destin Commons has been providing locals and tourists alike with the latest in fashion trends from stores like Aldo Shoes, Hollister Co., Express, Brighton Collectibles, and many more. These stores have brought customers glamorous jewelry, hip clothing, and stunning accessories to achieve any and every stylish look desired—all within a town that has developed exponentially in the past decade.

Destin Commons, marking its tenth anniversary on November 6 of this year, is celebrating this milestone in the fashion industry by introducing more than twenty new stores to their property in 2014.

Destin’s popular outdoor shopping center is growing to bring more tenants and entertainment to the area for everyone to enjoy. Destin Commons, owned

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and managed by Turnberry Associates, seeks to enhance its reputation as the premier shopping destination along the Gulf Coast by complementing its local and regional draws. “We’re more focused on bringing national, well-known brands to the area,” said Kristina Trujillo, director of marketing at Destin Commons. “Another major focus for the expansion is the entertainment factor.”

Set to unveil May 23, 2014, the expansion will add approximately 100,000 square feet and include twenty to twenty-five new tenants with three to five casual eateries and restaurants. The center is currently under major negotiations with many high-profile, national retailers to bring them on board. The front corner of the center, near the intersection of Highway 98 and Danny Wuerffel Way, will host a new venue with an entertainment concept.

Raising the number of stores to a hundred plus is a major benchmark in the industry and is significant for a shopping center. “In this industry, a shopping center of this size can be considered a regional center. This means that its reach radius has expanded out of the immediate vicinity, and it has the potential to draw customers from expanded areas,” Kristina elaborated. After the construction is complete, the total space at Destin Commons will reach approximately 520,000 square feet of fun, fashion, and family time.

Destin Commons has already begun expanding to appeal to a broader clientele.

The shopping center introduced its revamped children’s playground in September of 2012, incorporating a new theme of “ahoy mateys” and “yo ho hos”—or in simpler terms, pirates.

“It’s a very expensive playground. We redid the floor, which is a PebbleFlex rubber floor, so the kids don’t get hurt on it. We eliminated some of the significant height elements because there were some issues with bigger kids playing that would injure or affect some of the other children. We also added some softer benches for the parents to sit on while they’re out there,” said Bob Perry, general manager at Destin Commons.

The layout for the 2014 expansion will create a new, broad avenue from the center fountain circle southwest toward the corner of Highway 98 and Danny Wuerffel Way. “It’s basically to provide our customers with new places to go to and things to do while they’re here throughout the day,” said Bob. “Right now, many of them hang around for the movie theater after shopping, but I certainly think this other entertainment component we’re negotiating will keep them around even later into the evening. One of the other venues we’re working with will have significant live entertainment, so we’ll have bands here late into the evening, which will upgrade our overall nightlife. We’re focused as a family center, but this will add a different element to the property and to the area.”

Over the next few months, the building construction will begin and the center will gradually start to take shape—looking more and more like a shopper’s

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a maJor reaSon For the expanSion iS to Bring more nationaL BrandS to the area. paradise every day. The buildings are expected to be completed with streets ready for traffic by the end of October this year, although the streets may not be opened until stores are open. This will be followed by a four- to six-month period of tenant build-out, during which the tenants will come in and fill their spaces with merchandise and decor in preparation for unveiling to the public. “There’s been a lot of focus and attention given to avoiding fragmentation and keeping the center free-flowing,” said Kristina, adding that the streets will be maintained as pedestrian-friendly.

“The design intent is to make this really look like it was always part of the original center,” said Bill Frank, the Turnberry employee contracted to be the project

manager on the expansion. “The buildings will look and feel a lot like what we’ve got out here now. They’ll be a little bit lower on the front side, which will let you see everything that’s in the back from 98 and from Danny Wuerffel Way.” And for those curious about the status of the current stores at Destin Commons—they are operating at their regular hours. Stephen Smith, account executive with The Petermann Agency handling the publicity on this project, added that the events going forward at Destin Commons would not be affected by this construction. “Everything is business as usual during construction—with just a little bit of parking displacement,” Kristina said, laughing. But right now, the parking garage located behind the buildings is being used more than ever.

Forty percent of the parking at the shopping center is located in the garage.

Once the construction is complete, there will be a total of 2,250 parking spaces for shoppers to find their perfect spot.

Kristina said she is most excited to announce the new tenants to the public— an announcement many are anticipating. Bob is looking forward to seeing the goals of the project accomplished: provide more variety to the center, help energize the overall atmosphere, and give people the opportunity to hang out more at night with additional nightlife options on scene.

Destin Commons expansion project will add up to 100,000 square feet of retail/restaurant space to the center.

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Destin Commons is located at 4300 Legendary Drive in Destin, Florida. It is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information, please call 850-337-8700 or visit destincommons.com.

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Spring Look Book A Sneak Peek

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2. ChrisTa louise shawl: It’s a Wrap! thIs shOWstOpper sIlk and WOOl felt scarf Is frOm the rOmantIc cOllectIOn by chrIsta lOuIse. ½ The pink and orange Puerto Vallarta pattern is handcrafted in Mexico; $159.

3. armenTa Designer Jewelry: JeWelry that merges the Old WIth the neW—and then gIves neW meanIng tO the term “statement pIece.” ½ The Armenta model on the opposite page is a vision to behold! The rings on this page range in price from $3,145 to $4,300.

4. skywaTCh: a Watch that dOesn’t Just tell tIme—It tells the stOry Of the fabulOus WOman WhO Wears It! ½ This white and rose gold 38mm Skywatch with white sailcloth band is water-resistant to 100 meters; $295

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nMuoSS,

No

Fuss!

Style MavenS take on FaShion Week A Q&A with FAshion stylists lAuren spring and CAroline evAns WAtts of the Fuss BoutiQue

PhotograPhy by Lauren SPring and CaroLine evanS WattS

For anyone intereSted in FaShion, neW york’S MercedeS-Benz FaShion Week proMiSeS exhilaration, FaScination, and Wonder. So it caMe aS no SurpriSe that local FaShioniStaS With the FuSS Boutique in Santa roSa Beach, Florida, juMped at the chance to attend the Spring 2013 ShoWS. oWner lauren Spring and Manager caroline evanS WattS had long dreaMed oF experiencing the acclaiMed MercedeS-Benz FaShion Week, and their WiSh WaS granted laSt SepteMBer When they Were invited to Be part oF VIE’S entourage.

aS BuyerS For the FuSS Boutique, lauren and caroline Sought to experience FirSthand Where Many a FaShion Fairy tale BeginS. the tWo StyliStS too k oFF For the Spring 2013 ShoWS arMed With their preSS paSSeS— iphoneS and noteBookS in toW. With their oWn chic, rock Star–inSpired Style, the charMi ng and quirky duo WaS hard to MiSS—evidenced By the entourage oF Street-Style photogS enthuSiaStical ly clicking aWay at theM outSide lincoln center.

Lauren and Caroline sat down with VIE for a firsthand account of the stylists’ first Fashion Week experience.

VIE: the first question is simple: Why do you love fashion so much?

VIE: how did you come up with the name of your boutique—the Fuss?

Lauren: It came to me in a dream. I really didn’t question it at all because I feel so led to do what I do. I opened our first location in Port St. Joe, Florida, in 2007, and then we opened our second location in WaterColor, Florida, in 2010. We also have our online store at thefussboutique.com. We’ve been incredibly blessed.

VIE: you mentioned before that you’ve both always dreamed of attending Fashion Week, which is what landed you your assignment with VIE in the first place. Why this particular dream?

Caroline: We’ve always wanted to attend Fashion Week because it is the most authentic way to ensure that we, as stylists, are bringing the best trends to our clients for the upcoming season. It’s incredibly rewarding to go behind the scenes where new trends begin and then see them in The Fuss the next season— we’ve always aspired to see that process. A long time ago, we taped a collection of photos on the bottom shelf of our boutique’s counter to remind us of who we are and where we want to go with our work. In this collage, we have a photo of the tents from Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. I would often look at that picture and say, “One day, we will be in that very place. I’m not sure when that will be, but I am sure that it will happen.” And that ended up being sooner than later!

Caroline: Fashion is an expression of our selfperception. Lauren and I were born dreamers, and we encourage one another and our clients to speak out through experimentation with fashion. We believe there is real joy that comes from fashioning a new perspective of yourself, which is what you do when you select what you are going to wear to accomplish a certain mood or attitude.

VIE: how does your opinion of fashion relate to your life as buyers, stylists, and owners of the Fuss Boutique?

Lauren: We believe shopping and styling should be about featuring a woman’s true beauty and celebrating with her as she begins seeing herself in a new way. We follow our most fundamental goal in all of our work with The Fuss: to clothe our customers in joy, beauty, and truth. To do so, we strive to treat shopping at The Fuss as a gratifying experience and bring that “I feel fabulous” feeling to our clients. This is a treasured process for us, and it brings a total liberation for our clients from negative self-perception as they begin to see themselves in a new light. It’s powerful, not indulgent.

It’s true and appropriate, not false and vain. Our stores are a real-life fashion show, and we strive to constantly maintain that feeling for anyone who walks in.

the FuSS girlS

V IE Z INE .C OM | 101

it’S incrediBly “ reWarding to go Behind the SceneS Where neW trendS Begin and then See theM in the FuSS the next SeaSon.

”

with excitement. But we had no time to waste before our next show, so we headed back inside and were immediately pulled aside and asked to do an interview. “Sure, that’s cool,” we replied. But in our heads, it was more like, “Are you kidding? YES!” W118 By Walter Baker

VIE: As fashionistas, were you starstruck at all during Fashion Week?

Caroline: Oh, did I mention that my gorgeous red lip stain was far from glamorous at this point in the day? It was only on half of my lips, and the other half had migrated to form a quarter-inch halo around my mouth. Perhaps the interviewer thought I was replicating the late McQueen’s “King of Plenty” show to start a new trend.

Lauren: Oh, yes. Being seated behind Nicky Hilton, Olivia Palermo, Kenza Fourati, and Cory Kennedy at one runway show was a surreal experience because we are such fans of their style and their work. The paparazzi went crazy over them, and we saw stars as the cameras fired off in front of us over and over.

VIE: What were your favorite collections?

And what trends will you watch to buy for spring 2013?

Lauren: We had so many favorites, and all the collections were beautiful in different ways. For our purposes, Noon by Noor, Emerson Fry, Mara Hoffman, and Nina Skarra were our absolute favorites. We actually picked up Mara Hoffman’s line for the boutique, and it arrived in February.

VIE: What was your first show experience like?

Caroline: Our first show was CZAR by Cesar Galindo and we were undoubtedly eager, as we arrived entirely too early. But that paid off—we were among fifteen people who were let in, I think accidentally, twenty minutes before general admission. We had barely taken our original third-row seats before being escorted by a runner to section B on the second row.

For us, this was our first test in “playing it cool,” which was difficult because the luxurious VIP gift bags lying on our seats were only afforded to the first and second rows—not where we were originally supposed to be.

The show was incredible from this vantage point.

Lauren: When we left The Studio, where the CZAR show took place, we walked to the “Press Only” section of the main lobby to jot down a few notes and recharge our phones. We read to each other what we had written, giddy 102 | M A R C H /A P R I L 2 013

Caroline: Brocade is going to be huge for spring. Neon is still around in a big way, and the leather trend is going to carry into spring but in different colors and lighter textures.

VIE: how do you decide which of these new styles or trends you’re going to feature at the Fuss each season?

g lauren Spring, oWner oF the FuSS, poSin .

ShoW a re BeFo razzi papa MBFW the For

Caroline: I believe that decision is 50 percent instinct and 50 percent relationally knowing your customer. What is her lifestyle? Is she a mother? Does she have a career? What are her interests? What’s her personality like?

We had So “ Many FavoriteS, and

all the collectionS Were BeautiFul in diFFerent WayS.

”

VIE: Did attending give you any new insights into the world of fashion?

Photo by Frazer harrison

© getty images for Mercedez-benz 2012

Caroline: To visit that world, to walk into what we had dreamed about for so long, is hard to put into words. We’ve always loved keeping up with Fashion Week online and in our favorite magazines, but to actually experience it was such a validation that our life’s work is exactly right. Everyone has gifts, and Lord knows we’re not good at many things, but we are good at predicting what’s about to happen in trends and how that relates to the everyday woman—and our work at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week verified that.

noon By noor

Photo by Frazer harrison

Mara hoFFMan

VIE: What are your parting thoughts on this particular new york experience?

Lauren: We found a lot of truth in our mission as stylists and trendsetters at Fashion Week. That truth is simple: dreams are real, so adjust your view of reality to achieve them. Whatever that dream may be, it is silly to never reach for the things you deeply desire. So, despite being afraid, do it anyway. We believe style is what gives you the confidence to acknowledge this truth and go claim it. Style sets you apart—even if it seems like the most trivial of ideas—and can empower you. To be in the company of so many others at Fashion Week whose life work revolves around this idea was an incredible blessing.

© getty images for Mercedez-benz 2012 V IE Z INE .C OM | 103

Go Fuss YourselF...

Caroline: There is no other event in the world that can gather a more diverse, talented, and inspiring group of people than Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.

These people are linked by their great desire to champion individuality and creation. For us, to be a part of that elite group was beyond amazing, and we’ve never felt more honored. It was truly a dream come true, granted to us by VIE publisher, Lisa Burwell—our fairy godmother who fulfilled one of our deepest desires. And for that, we’ll never be able to view her without a wand and wings.

the Fuss boutique is an online boutique selling women’s fashion clothing and accessories. they feature refreshingly chic, fashion-forward designer dresses, tops, shoes, denim, and seamless wear from popular boutique brands and some new exciting lines. if you’re looking for the perfect dress, blouse, or skirt to complete a perfect outfit, they invite you to take a look around and find out what the Fuss is all about! they have two locations in our CoLa 2 CoLa region:

port St. joe 110 good Morning Street, Suite 102 Port St. Joe, Florida 32456 phone: 850.227.7555 Fax: 850.227.7556 hours: Mon–Sat 10–6 CSt

Santa roSa Beach – Watercolor 6 WaterColor blvd., Suite 101a Santa rosa beach, Florida 32459 phone: 850.231.2000 Fax: 850.231.9400 hours: Sun–Sat 10–7 CSt

MArA HoFFMAN

you can shop their website at WWW.theFuSSBoutique.coM.

Water C o l or

W indMark

6 Watercolor Blvd, Suite 101A Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

110 Good Morning St, Suite 102 Port St. Joe, FL 32456

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850.227.7555

ww w.f ussb o uti que.c om |

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A New Look foR an old favoRiTe dininG ouT aT Se aGa R’S

By L. Jordan Swanson | Photography courtesy of Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa

I

f Extreme Makeover had a restaurant edition, Seagar’s would be a shoo-in for the best in the series. For its fifteenth birthday, the fine dining icon inside the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa gave customers one heck of a gift: a $1 million renovation that transformed both its decor and its menu. With a new emphasis on seafood and a fresh aesthetic, Seagar’s is ready to “wow” diners all over again.

Since its launch in 1998, the restaurant has cultivated a sophisticated, throwback-era vibe embodied by the selection of more than a hundred fine cigars, which it once offered before state regulations prohibited smoking in restaurants. Along with a superb wine list and prime meats, Seagar’s take on a refined New York steak house has always been spot on. And like any good steak house, it all starts with the beef. Hilton Sandestin General Manager Gary Brielmayer confirms that every steak—from rib eye to filet to New York strip—is prime, the only real choice for a restaurant with a “best of the best” approach to menu creation. “The food is inspired by a collection of the top steak houses in the United States,” Brielmayer explains.

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Customers who didn’t think there was room for improvement at Seagar’s will be pleasantly surprised by the new focus on seafood. The menu, which still emphasizes spectacular steaks, now includes entrées like pan-roasted halibut, broiled rock lobster, herb-coated tuna with Alaskan king crab, and South African coldwater lobster tails. And forget about working for your dinner at Seagar’s. They do all the peeling and de-shelling (while maintaining the visual appeal, of course) so you can get to the good stuff faster.

Much of the credit for the revamped menu goes to Executive Chef Dan Vargo, a talented up-andcomer whom Brielmayer praises as a breath of fresh air. “He’s creative, passionate about food, and just a pleasure to be around.”

One menu element Vargo didn’t touch was the phenomenal array of wines—six hundred different labels at last count. The method of selection, however, has gone twenty-first century. The impressive wine list, including vintages from South Africa, Australia, Europe, America, and other regions, is now available tableside via iPad. The innovative system allows guests to browse bottles more

organically, viewing wine by color and description before choosing the perfect pairing.

Perhaps inspired by this new era in wine selection, Seagar’s will soon begin hosting vintner dinners.

During these small, reservation-only events, winery owners will share their library wines—bottles kept on reserve for VIPs—which will be paired with a custom dinner menu. Winery owners will also discuss their featured wine and why it’s special, as well as the latest industry trends.

Along with fresh additions to its menu and event schedule, Seagar’s is unveiling completely updated interiors. This isn’t the first time it has invested in updating; in fact, the restaurant closes for a week every year to address regular maintenance issues. But a $1 million face-lift required shutting down for the entire month of January. Although the downtime may have irritated frequent guests, the results speak for themselves. The face-lift started just outside the restaurant’s entry doors with two water features and a cozy fire display that offer a grand sense of arrival.

Pass through the opulent doors to find new carpet, fresh paint, updated light fixtures, and the extension

THiS exTReme makeoveR iS exTRemely SaTiSfyinG.

V IE Z INE .C OM | 107

of mahogany wood flooring. Next up were major renovations, like adding a semiprivate dining room with an exterior glass wall that doubles as a wine rack. And, no longer just a place to sit and wait for a table, the lounge was refitted with plush sofas and tables for comfort, transforming it into a genuine oasis of stylish relaxation.

Inspirememories

Seagars.com Enjoy a fabulous evening at Seagar’s which boasts a private reserve wine list featuring over 600 labels and the finest prime beef and fresh seafood on the Gulf coast.

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Of course, in an area like the Emerald Coast, which boasts more than its fair share of exceptional food and gracious interiors, restaurants need to have another draw. Seagar’s staff members, some of whom have been there since the day it opened, fit the bill nicely. Diners are treated to multiple staffers who are familiar with the lost art of unobtrusive service—service that’s anticipatory rather than reactive. “There’s no ‘How is everything?

Do you need more bread?’” says Brielmayer. “You don’t have to ask for things; they’re just brought to you.”

Soon after Seagar’s reopened to the public, I decided to put the new menu and decor—as well as the trademark service—to the test. My dinner companion and I enjoyed jumbo lump blue crab cakes for the first course and slow-cooked pork belly served over stone-ground grits for the second. The main course consisted of the rack of spring lamb with a side of sautéed mushrooms and a custom-cut, ten-ounce filet mignon with a side of truffle fries. After two hours and three courses, all we could do was rave.

It’s a reaction Seagar’s should get used to. This extreme makeover is extremely satisfying.

Seagar’s is located at 4000 Sandestin Boulevard S. on the resort property of the Hilton Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort in Miramar Beach, Florida. The restaurant’s main dining room is open from 6 to 10 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday; the lounge is open from 6 to 11 p.m. The restaurant will reopen on Sundays and Mondays beginning Memorial Day weekend. Seagar’s accepts walk-ins, but reservations are highly recommended. For more information, please visit seagarsdestin.com or call (850) 622-1500.

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ameriCa

Rx

By Clark Peters

F

requent readers of this magazine and, hopefully, this column will know the focus of these articles revolves around health—specifically, human health. This discourse addresses a different issue of health—the health of our country. I am writing this column one week before the November 2012 election, so by the time you read it, we will have elected a president and members of Congress (House of Representatives and Senate) for the next four to six years. Having watched the speeches, debates, ads, and so forth, that accompany the election process and marveled at the monies spent to influence voters (an

estimated $6 billion for the various elections), I am convinced the country (or at least its management) is very sick indeed and needs a prescription to change the group of legislators who have created the illness and continue to make it worse. Notice that I have not mentioned political parties. It may shock you to learn that, as an independent (and therefore one of the coveted “swing voters”), I have concluded that it doesn’t much matter which candidate is elected president. Neither will get anything done without the support of Congress. And I think Congress is where the illness began and still resides.

V IE Z INE .C OM | 111

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ConsIdeR ouR massIve debt.

I have never heard any of the members of Congress come out in favor of either deficits or the national debt they engender. Yet we have the largest annual deficit and national debt in history. The president doesn’t create these problems alone. He proposes a budget. Congress then approves it or not. If unapproved, things continue as before. So it follows, if we have deficits, Congress must want them. Similarly, every politician decries war. Yet, we have been at war continuously since Vietnam. Back then, the bogeyman was Communism, now virtually nonexistent. At present, of course, we have terrorism—an amorphous enemy who seemingly cannot be defeated, only contained. And so, our military spending (larger than that of the next sixteen countries combined) continues—to “ensure our safety.” You and I do not set fiscal policy, national security goals or budgets, tax codes, federal budgets, monetary policy via the Fed, and so on. Congress determines all these and more.

I

don’t pretend to know huge numbers of people, but everyone I talk to is very concerned about the state of the nation and upset about our leadership. In fact, approval polls are at an all-time low (approximately 10 percent) for politicians in general, regardless of party affiliation. How did this happen? How do we fix it? I believe the answer lies with the old adage “Follow the money.”

I have never understood the appeal of being a politician. The salary, by today’s standards, is not bad—$175,000 annually for a member of Congress and, of course, more for the president and vice president—but it’s certainly not a fortune. There are other perks—housing, staff, travel, and entertainment allowance, etc.—but again, nothing extraordinary for a major executive. In return, a politician’s life, both personally and professionally, is subjected to intense public scrutiny. The package is, I think, not a hugely attractive career choice.

There is the power angle; I suppose that appeals to some. But, upon further investigation, the major appeal turns out to be money, after all. Our founding fathers saw serving in the capital as a privilege and expected civic-minded citizens to go to Washington, propose their ideas for consideration and legislation, and then return to their private lives. Now, however, becoming a politician at the national level is almost a guarantee of accumulating enormous wealth—a very different incentive indeed!

This is because our governing bodies have been co-opted by companies, industries, lobbyists, and special interest groups who flood our legislators with cash. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court has sanctioned contributions as a matter of free speech—a legal way to influence opinion on issues facing the nation. The lobbyist population now numbers more than thirty-five thousand persons who come to the Capitol, loaded with money. These monies are funded by special interest groups and the “contributions” are usually “for the next election campaign.” But, make no mistake, there is always a “quid pro quo” for these “donations”—not just implied, but understood by both participants in the transactions. The “contributors” represent for-profit organizations and expect favorable votes and opinions toward their special interests.

to insider trading restrictions like the rest of us, so decisions they make or vote into law inform their investment decisions—a license to coin money.

Some people I have talked to suggest that would-be politicians are well intended and go into the political arena with hopes of changing things for the better.

Perhaps this is true, but it is the rare individual who can resist the kind of money we are talking about. Again, gifts in the millions of dollars are made by people who fully expect to get many times those amounts in return. As well, the reelection rate for incumbents is 97 percent, so once they are in office, there is little turnover, which prevents an influx of new blood, ideas, and idealism.

It has been said that the first casualty of war is the truth. The same might be said about a political campaign—a reelection war, if you will. Certainly, it has been difficult for those who tried to find the truth in these campaigns amid all the sound bites, zingers, posturing, and half-truths. I believe this is because politicians simply cannot tell the truth if they wish to be reelected. Their attitude, perhaps accurate, is that “you can’t handle the truth.” Here is the truth: our current budget shows income of $2.5 trillion dollars—a huge amount principally derived from taxes.

Unfortunately, our spending totals $3.8 trillion dollars—thus the deficit spending of a trillion or so annually for the period beginning with the George W. Bush administration. The accumulated debt has reached $16 trillion, and interest on the debt alone is $225 billion of the outflows. During my career as a businessman, I never found an enterprise that could survive very long with a lot more going out than coming in. The major part of the outflow is, of course, spending for the military and entitlement programs.

If this is unsustainable (and it most certainly is), then we are facing some very bitter medicine in the future, and maybe the near future. Now, consider the politician’s plight. Consider the chance of reelection if the platform states truthfully that he or she will have to “raise your taxes and cut programs you rely on for your standard of living, and, oh, by the way, will have to cut deeply into one of the sacred cows— the military.” Simply stated, chances of another term would be nonexistent. So we continue to hear empty rhetoric, distortions, and deflections that allow the pols to “kick the can down the road,” thereby prolonging the gravy train for themselves.

There is little or no concern for future generations—they will have to sort it out for themselves, at enormous cost and pain.

No one, from my research, seems to know or track where all these monies end up, so a tidy portion may mysteriously fall into the recipients’ pockets. That may be one possible explanation why persons who enter the public arena with only modest means leave as it has Been said that the first Casualty of war is the truth. multimillionaires. Another is that they are not subject the same might Be said aBout a PolitiCal CamPaign...

V IE Z INE .C OM | 113

Current PraCtiCe allows sPeCial interests to “Buy” our government. this must Change.

Well, how do we change this culture and get turned toward a more reasonable future? The answers, I think, revolve around changing the rules for Congress. Sorry, folks, the party is over. The following list is not mine alone—several smart people (Warren Buffet and others) have suggested some of these:

TeRm lImITS

ComPeNSATIoN

Our founding fathers never intended representing a constituency to become a career. Their attitude was that it was an honor to serve the country for a while and then return to one’s regular life and job. The idea was that concerned citizens would go to the Capitol to present ideas for making the country better for all people. By limiting a representative’s tenure in Washington, we will allow them to focus on the common good rather than having to say or do things to get reelected.

I don’t think current pay levels are out of line. But I would restrict their ability to vote themselves pay raises or any other form of compensation. Salary adjustments should be limited to 3 percent or the CPI, if lower. Any existing contracts with past or present Congress members will be void. The American people did not make these contracts and indeed were unaware of them.

Fringe benefits will befit the job—an important one, to be sure. Office, staff, a reasonable travel and entertainment budget, etc., are to be expected.

BudgeTS

CAmPAIgN FINANCe ReFoRm

Any time a national budget is unpassed or is passed with more than a 3 percent shortfall, members of Congress will not receive their salaries until they can agree on a balanced budget. Independent auditors will be charged with assuring us that the numbers and math are correct and reasonable—in other words, no playing with the numbers.

This one has been bandied about for years without progress. Current practice allows special interests to “buy” our government. This must change. I realize it takes money to run for office, but surely we can get the job done competently for much less and without the strings attached. An independent agency/ consulting firm could formulate practices for approval by American voters.

PeNSIoNS

TAx ReFoRm

You would be angry to learn what pension programs our leaders have voted for themselves—after they leave office, they receive pensions of up to three times their salary for life. This is outrageous, and since they will, in the future, be limited to one or two terms—not enough time to vest in any pension plan—they will not receive one. Congress will participate in Social Security along with the rest of us and monies now set aside for congressional retirement plans will be transferred to Social Security. In this vein, Congress members will pass no law that doesn’t affect them as well as the rest of the nation. Medicare, Medicaid, and Obamacare would fall within these guidelines. Congress will participate in the same health care programs available to the nation.

This is another problem that has been around for decades. We now have a system so complex and riddled with loopholes that only the rich can hire the tax experts to pay the minimum and avoid audits. The rest of us wade through the nearly incomprehensible forms and instructions in the hope that we are close enough to avoid trouble. This is ridiculous and enormously expensive, not just for individuals, but for the country as well. The IRS is a huge, expensive elephant in the room. Again, an independent and competent panel or consulting group should be able to find a workable solution. A flat or value-added tax on sales seems simple and fair to me—admittedly I’m not an expert, but perhaps this would be a starting point for discussion.

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W

ell, it has been cathartic for me to vent. I hope my anger is evident and infectious. Of course, the reader will quickly discern a major problem. If you agree with any or all the above, the next challenge is to change laws to reflect the proposed solutions.

And the legislators are the ones who created all this. So, we are asking for change in legislation against their interests. This is possible, but hardly likely.

I don’t know how to cause a national referendum to address these kinds of issues, but I would hope an overwhelming vote for change on any of the above could not be ignored by the legislators without the risk of people taking to the streets in earnest.

I will close with a quote by a nineteenth-century Scottish professor, Alexander Fraser Tytler. He was talking about the fall of the Athenian republic some two thousand years ago, but his words resonate today: “A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government.

A democracy will continue until that time when the voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment, the majority will always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship.”

I hope and trust we can prove Professor Tytler wrong. It is time to end the relentless posturing, political theatre, and sound bites. It is time for the two parties and the entire population to work together for some meaningful change to ensure a better tomorrow. Maintaining the status quo simply will not stand.

A PoSTSCRIPT (January 2013) Now we are well past the election, and another opportunity to act in the country’s best interest (the fiscal cliff) has come and gone, with the usual result—a halfway measure that only succeeds in postponing the hard decisions required.

And, we have several more (the debt ceiling, etc.) coming during 2013. unfortunately, I have little confidence that any meaningful change is imminent. Hopefully, the ideas above will start a groundswell of public indignation that cannot be ignored, forcing some meaningful changes in the rules for our “leaders.”

T

The bathhouses of ancient Greece, Rome, Turkey, and Japan reveal that rituals for cleansing and pampering the body have existed since the beginning of civilization and continue to inspire modern home spas, so hotly demanded over the past few decades.

Considering all the components that create a personal sanctuary, from elaborate to minimalist, the most defining elements seem to be the soft touches— the soaps, lotions, oils, perfumes, candles, and textiles—chosen to indulge the senses and facilitate various therapies. All kinds of stores, therefore, have cropped up to satisfy our yearning for relaxation and rejuvenation, but many retailers have retreated to online-only positions or have failed during the economic downturn. Despite poor odds for survival, one of the original independent shops in Northwest Florida specializing in bath and body products, Pish Posh Patchouli’s of Rosemary Beach, is celebrating twenty successful years of helping customers escape the daily routine.

Patchouli’s (a name that pays homage to the flowering aromatic herb), has purposely become more sophisticated over time while retaining characteristics that distinguish the retailer as exceptional. “When my girlfriend first started the business in 1992, the store was a respite,” says Lynn Dugas, who bought the original establishment in 2005. “We’ve continued to cultivate an atmosphere that feels like a sanctuary.”

From the moment they step inside, customers unwind, leaving their worries outside. Taking advantage of a custom build-out when she acquired the space at Rosemary Beach, Lynn, who is an architect and interior designer, endeavored to create a spa-like environment. The wood, concrete, and exposed brick she has chosen emit an organic essence that harmonizes with the array of natural products. At the same time, crystal chandeliers and antique accent pieces add elegance and introduce an expectation of special treatment.

By Sallie W. Boyles

116 | M A R C H /A P R I L 2 013

As much as they appreciate what they see, patrons tend to comment first on the soothing aromas that greet them. “It’s a calming place,” says longtime store manager Lesley Hoover. “Customers, typically the men, are always saying, ‘You must be very relaxed working here.’”

As much as they appreciate what they see, patrons tend to comment first on the soothing aromas that greet them.

“The olfactory sense is strong,” says Lynn, “It distinctly reminds us of times and places, explaining why aromatherapy is so powerful.” Accordingly, customers enjoy exploring Patchouli’s extensive selection of scented products.

“One of my favorites is almond body oil offered in custom scents,” Lesley says. “Customers who like to change their fragrances seasonally love the option of choosing coconut, for example, in summer and switching to spicy in winter.”

Likewise, she reveals that vacationers often visit the store seeking a signature scent that they would not come across in their department stores or boutiques back home. “Both men and women want to find their new scent at the beach,” she says. A seller of highly exclusive perfumes like Santa Maria Novella of Italy and Carner Barcelona of Switzerland, Patchouli’s is prepared to please its most discriminating clientele.

For those who’d like to take their vacation memories home, Lesley recommends LAFCO candles and diffusers in the store’s best-selling home fragrance, Beach House. “It has a salty and—I know this sounds odd—a sandy scent that reminds me of driftwood and a little spice.”

Patchouli’s further features local vendors, such as The Soap Peddler, a line that includes shea butter soaps, lotions, bath fizzes, salts, and oils. “Everything is all natural and freshly made to order in small batches,” says Lesley of the store’s top-selling soaps. “The ingredients are so important,” injects Lynn, who loves customizing products. “We make requests, and The Soap Peddler develops what we want with the best ingredients.”

Both Lynn and Lesley, who seize opportunities to represent small independent firms, carry a number of

indie brands. Besides promoting emerging lines in the store, the two provide strategic advice to their fledgling vendors. “We’re here to help them get their businesses going,” says Lynn. Branché, one of her personal favorites, makes silk pillowcases. Silk, while feeling soft and cool against the skin, naturally contains eighteen amino acids and a high copper content that restore hair elasticity and luster. “Sleeping on silk can also reduce fine facial lines,” she says.

Patchouli’s also features brands that appeal particularly to male customers. Kneipp medicinal bath products, for instance, remedy sinus, stress, and sleep concerns. Additionally, Patchouli’s carries preferred men’s lines, including Malin + Goetz, Jack Black, and eShave.

Sourcing a wide assortment of premium brands not available on every corner, much less in every town, requires travel that goes well beyond the trade shows.

“I just returned from a show in New York,” Lesley says, “and made a point of visiting a fabulous handful of stores there that are havens for me. I view them as a customer would, starting with the window displays, to see the unique products they have from different parts of the world. We’re always on the hunt for new things. Lynn and I both travel, and Patchouli’s is always on the brain.” A self-proclaimed magazine and product “junkie,” Lesley regularly tracks down the makers of intriguing items and requests samples. “I’m just a beauty girl,” the seasoned buyer teases, “with a soft addiction to products.”

“As a team, everyone who is part of the store brings something to the table,” Lynn adds. And everyone includes customers. “Customers often tell us about the best new thing,” she says, “and then we all want to look at it.”

The system wouldn’t work if Lynn and her staff didn’t genuinely care for their customers, vendors, and one another.

The system wouldn’t work if Lynn and her staff didn’t genuinely care for their customers, vendors, and one another. “I really love the personal relationships I’ve formed,” says Lesley.

“We don’t have much employee turnover,” Lynn notes. Her key managers have been with her for an

average of eight years, and teenagers who work parttime during their high school years often return to their jobs while home from college.

Meanwhile, just as its employees, customers, and suppliers have matured, so has the business.

Consequently, Lynn is exploring opportunities to

grow beyond Rosemary Beach. “No matter how much we grow,” she concludes, “we will maintain our neighborhood feel by making relationships our priority.”

Store Hours Monday through Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Sunday: 12:00–5:00 p.m.

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Dr. Casi Stubbs:

THIS WILL BE & YOU WILL SEE

By Sallie W. Boyles photography by romona robbins

A

nyone who plays an ongoing role in a child’s life becomes acutely aware of the passage of time and the seemingly rapid pace at which boys and girls grow up. As a mother of two little girls and a busy Northwest Florida orthodontist with many preteen and teenaged patients, Dr. Casi Stubbs appreciates the immense value of spending quality time with a child.

In her first book, This Will Be & You Will See, she endeavors to leave an enduring message as well as to foster tender parent-child moments.

122 | M A R C H /A P R I L 2 013

The Picture book,

noted for its captivating illustrations of Florida’s Emerald Coast by children’s book author and illustrator Gina Ricci, takes readers on a beach day excursion shared by a mother and her daughters.

Involving sand castles at the shore, bikes along a sea grass trail, and ice cream with new friends, the day unfolds with sweet memory-making discoveries.

Although written to engage children as young as two, This Will Be & You Will See offers words of wisdom that resonate with older audiences. In fact, just as Oh, the Places You’ll Go! has become a popular gift for high school and college graduates, Dr. Stubbs, a longtime fan of Dr. Seuss, believes her story is similarly appropriate for young adults about to embark on their own.

“The book is about meeting life’s challenges and successes—how to deal with them—by maintaining a belief in oneself and a willingness to trust others,” says Dr. Stubbs. “One thing I’ve learned in life is to listen to others instead of talking. If someone speaks, take a moment and take it in. Be open minded but be true to who you are,” she says.

Another message is to be a friend. In her position as an orthodontist, Dr. Stubbs safeguards the unique relationships of trust that develop over time with her young patients. “At first, they won’t say or smile much, but as their teeth straighten out, they lose their insecurities and gain confidence.”

Eventually, many begin to confide in her. “I’ll ask

Illustrator Gina Ricci was inspired by the calm, airy colors of the Gulf Coast for the artwork in This Will Be and You Will See.

Dr. Casi Stubbs with Liberty Press publisher, Tami Hottard, and VIE’s Scott Sajowitz

how school was that day, and it’s not uncommon for the girls to respond with tears. I remember feeling that way,” says Dr. Stubbs, adding that she strives to be accessible. “I’m around children all day long,” she remarks. “I’m in the midst of watching them grow.”

While the children in her practice fueled her ambition to be an author, Elle and Brycelyn, Dr. Stubbs’ own girls, inspired the sentiments expressed in her book.

“As a mother,” she explains, “one of my greatest fears is not being here for my daughters. No one is promised tomorrow. By writing them down, if I were not around, the messages from me would be available to them.”

Dr. Stubbs has kept separate leather-bound journals for her daughters, but the writing process for This Will Be & You Will See began on her iPhone during a church service. “My mind was in a good place, so I started typing,” she reveals.

“People will think I’m texting, but I often make notes to myself that way.” Writing couplets at first rather than full sentences, she put the work aside but returned to it numerous times to compose and edit. “Thinking about my life, I made the book come to life.”

Intending to publish it, Dr. Stubbs and her husband, Zachary, who is also her practice manager, gathered from their research that landing a publisher in the

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While the children in her practice , fueled her ambition to be an author, Elle and Brycelyn, Dr. Stubbs own girls, inspired the sentiments expressed in her book. fiercely competitive children’s book market would require a miracle or incredible luck. One way or the other, Dr. Stubbs, however, met Tami Hotard, an author and publisher who owns Liberty Press, at a social event.

Only briefly hesitating before grasping the opportunity, she told Hotard about her story. “I felt Tami was heaven sent,” Dr. Stubbs says.

Selecting an illustrator would come next. Hotard recommended Gina Ricci, who worked from photographs of Brycelyn and Elle and local beach scenes to capture the essence of what Dr. Stubbs envisioned.

She delighted the author and the girls, who loved seeing themselves in their mother’s story.

This mother’s story, expressed in the life she has created for herself, best conveys what Dr. Stubbs wants her daughters, young readers, and other mothers to take away: they possess the power to determine what their lives will be.

“You can be a professional and a mother and pursue other activities,” she says, while crediting her husband for helping her dreams reach fruition. “Zachary has strengths that I don’t, and it’s reassuring to know that he’s my partner taking care of those matters so that I can focus where needed.”

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With her family’s support, writing remains in her sights; in fact, Dr. Stubbs and Hotard have already begun another book project. “I’m going to continue to put myself out there and try new things,” she affirms.

To learn more about or to purchase This Will Be & You Will See, please visit the website http://drstubbsbooks.com

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CyCLing in SurPriSing SLovenia a TaSTe for aDvenTure

(A continuation of “A Walk on the Wild Side” published in the November/December 2012 issue of VIE)

Story by Kim Duke-Layden Photography by Kim Duke-Layden and John Layden

VieW of TrieSTe, iTAly, AND The ADriATic coAST from The Alpe ADriA TrAil

Part 2 SurrounDeD aS iT iS by iTaLy, auSTria, Hungary, anD CroaTia, PoCKeT-SizeD SLovenia iS an irreSiSTibLe bLenD of THe beST of THeSe CuLTureS. Join my HuSbanD, JoHn, anD me aS we Savor a “SLow-Journ” of THiS unfamiLiar CounTry’S many unexPeCTeD PLeaSureS anD weLL-KePT SeCreTS.

picTureSque couNTrySiDe NeAr ljubljANA WiTh The juliAN AlpS iN The bAckgrouND ljubljANA’S chArmiNg meDieVAl builDiNgS AloNgSiDe The ljubljANicA riVer

INTRO After a glorious week spent soaking up northwestern Slovenia’s alpine heaven, John and I switched gears and headed to Ljubljana (Lyoob-lyee-AH-nah) for a brief “city break” before starting our weeklong bicycling trip. The late August morning was postcard perfect. As we vamoosed from Lake Bled and veered southeast on the autoroute, the jagged Julian Alps slowly disappeared behind us. Within an hour, we arrived at the quaint Pri Mraku Guesthouse (www.daj-dam.si), conveniently located in the “Land of Frogs and Dragons.”

When the weather turned chilly and wet, we decelerated and savored our surroundings. During a drizzly walking tour, we strode through centuries of Ljubljana’s history, learning about its most revered citizens: the prolific architect Jože Plečnik and nineteenth-century bad-boy poet France Prešeren.

After exploring Ljubljana’s grad (castle), we lingered over steaming bowls of hearty mushroom soup and venison stew at atmospheric Gostilna Sokol (www.gostilna-sokol.com).

Ljubljana is Slovenia’s centrally located capital and largest city, despite its modest population of 300,000. Ljubljana is situated on the Ljubljanica River and features an atmospheric Old Town. With a dragon befittingly as its modern-day mascot, Ljubljana has a history deeply steeped in legends and myths. In fact, once upon a time fire-breathing dragons allegedly roamed the swampy countryside devouring innocent people. Some twenty-first century “dragon debunking” theorists attribute the fiery sightings and mysterious disappearances to methane-fueled pyrotechnics, sinkhole-prone limestone soil, and spontaneous combustion. Poof!

Despite Saturday morning’s soggy conditions, Ljubljana’s riverside market bustled.

Food stalls brimmed with unique Slovenian specialties: honey brandy; repas (turnips); groats, a muesli of hulled buckwheat, barley, and corn; and žrebičkov zrezek (horse steak), considered a delicacy. Like many, we noshed on tasty street food washed down with pivo (beer). But for our twelfth wedding anniversary dinner, we splurged at award-winning Špajza (www.facebook.com/spajza-restaurant). Our monkfish risotto in a velvety saffron and champagne sauce, herb-crusted lamb chops, and braised rabbit au jus with capers, olives, and pea puree all tasted superb, as did the red wine from southwestern Slovenia.

Lively Ljubljana resembles a miniature Salzburg with a Slavic slant: neoclassical architecture; a medieval castle hovering above winding, cobbled streets; and a lazy river that bisects its city center.

Yet, with sixty thousand college students, Ljubljana exudes a younger, edgier vibe.

Enticing is its eclectic array of old-world and contemporary cafés, bars, boutiques, and gelato stands that hopscotch endlessly along the riverside promenade, crisscrossing many a most (bridge) and trg (square).

On our third day, we transferred to modern Hotel M (www.m-hotel.si/hotel-ljubljana) on Ljubljana’s outskirts, where our Emerald Group Cycling Tour began. Our tour outfitter, Helia Travel Agency (www.cyclingslovenia.com), had also expertly arranged our previous week’s self-guided Julian Alps trek. We chose a guided trip in hopes of making friends with fellow cyclists while exploring Slovenia’s top attractions and off-thebeaten-path hideaways.

Luckily, our visit coincided with Ljubljana’s end-of-summer festival, a continuous block party stretching along both banks of the willow-fringed river. Savory aromas of grilled sausages and meats filled the air. Promotional kiosks offered free samples of Slovenia’s retro-but-recently-hip-again Cockta drink, which tasted like cherry cola and was originally created as a substitute for Coke during the Iron Curtain era. Under a full moon, international bands played jazz, rock, and classical music. Our favorite group was a yodeling Austrian folk quartet. The festive evening ended on a creamy crescendo—a sladoled (gelato) crawl. Ljubljana’s gelato is renowned for being Slovenia’s best.

During orientation, we met Helia’s charismatic owner, Sašo Skalic, who was standing in as tour leader for a sick employee. The multilingual Sašo transitioned seamlessly between German, Russian, and English, accommodating our group of seven. He joked that many people confuse Slovenia and Slovakia—even their own citizens— and that each year several tons of misaddressed mail are swapped between these former Yugoslavian countries. At age fifty, Sašo said he preferred a relaxed cycling pace, breaking often for kava (coffee), pastries, sightseeing, and leisurely lunches. With raised glasses of Slovene “bubbly,” we toasted to kindred spirits and drier weather!

we arrived at quaint Pri Mraku Guesthouse, conveniently located in the “land of froGs and draGons.”

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olD mill AND former Abbey oN The grouNDS of VrhNikA’S iNDuSTriAl muSeum

Day 1 Ljubljana to vrhnika (ver-nee-kah) / Distance: 36 miles At breakfast, we sat with two fellow cyclists: Günther, an engineer who spoke English fluently, and his girlfriend, Martina, an office manager, who both lived in Münster, Germany. When their friends from Berlin—newlyweds Klaus, a recently retired engineer, and Sabine, a scientist— joined our table, Günther became chief translator. Ironically, John and I were the “old married couple,” although we had seen the fewest birthdays of the group.

Outside Hotel M, ominous clouds hovered while Sašo fitted us with twentyone-speed bikes and collected our luggage. Driving Helia’s “sag wagon” (support car) was the same petite brunette who had taken us to Triglav’s trailhead after dismantling her trunk and cramming in our luggage. After seeing me, she immediately smiled. Bless her heart! Sašo introduced her as Oksana, his Russian-speaking significant other, who would shadow us most of the trip.

With the arrival of Andrea, a married, information systems technology consultant from Moscow who spoke English flawlessly, we set out, pedaling single-file toward Ljubljana’s historic quarter.

Sašo, a natural-born storyteller, entertained us with an interesting city tour sprinkled with historical factoids and amusing asides, providing us greater insight into Ljubljana’s culture. Miles away, the countryside’s vast pastures transitioned into forests dotted with crumbling stone farmhouses, colorful flower boxes, and slowly churning waterwheels on trickling streams.

Surrounded by nature, we ate lunch at a rustic restaurant known for grilled meats.

Sašo ordered for us, choosing several huge platters of delicious pork kebabs, cutlets, and sausages served with potatoes, polenta, and ajvar, a piquant eggplant and red bell pepper condiment.

After miles and miles of rural back roads, we stopped at a “technical” museum near Vrhnika. Its former abbey’s grounds featured an old flour mill and picturesque pond, plus numerous Industrial Revolution–themed displays, such as vintage cars and textile making from nettles. Minutes later, we arrived in quaint Vrhnika, where we enjoyed a group dinner and a good night’s rest.

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oNe of mANy mAmmoTh chAmberS iNSiDe poSTojNSkA jAmA

Day 2 vrhnika to Postojna (Pos-toy-nah) / Distance: 21 miles My hearty breakfast and the morning fog burned off quickly as we pedaled higher up the steep road that wended around dense woods with plunging overlooks. At a roadside café, we reunited for a midmorning break and reminisced about the trip’s first hellish hill. Grinning, Sašo reiterated that day two’s course was “undulating”; I soon discovered that our definitions of “undulating” differed somewhat.

As I tackled the next big ascent, Sašo asked me why I didn’t shift down to a lower gear. My explanation was simple: “No pain, no gain!” After powering ahead to the top, I blissfully breezed down the other side. As we roller-coastered along, Sašo said Slovenia is Europe’s second most forested country—Norway ranks first.

He added that since Slovenia’s government began protecting brown bears decades ago, there are lots of bears in them thar woods! Nowadays, Slovenia controls its bear population by often giving these furry critters as “gifts” to visiting dignitaries and by allowing limited hunting.

Bear hunting licenses cost a whopping $7,800 annually, so many Slovenes eat this delicacy at affordable gostilnas (taverns), which is what we did for lunch. Surprisingly, Portus Gostilna and Pizzeria in the tiny settlement of Unec (Oo-neck) prepared delicious medved (bear) that tasted like tender slices of roast beef. Equally unexpected, tipping isn’t customary in Slovenia. No wonder our servers from the previous week liked us so much!

By midafternoon, we whizzed down the final hill of the day and landed in Postojna, nestled in the verdant knolls of southeastern Slovenia. We quickly checked in to centrally located Hotel Kras (www.Hotel-Kras-Tripzen.com) and then trotted down the steep road for a guided tour of one of Slovenia’s top attractions. Astounding Postojnska Jama (cave) was the largest and coldest cave I had ever visited. Brrrrrrrrr!

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TerAN grApe ViNeyArDS iN SouThWeSTerN SloVeNiA NeAr iTAly’S borDer WiNe TASTiNg hoSTeD by grcA’S WiNemAker iN hiS cellAr

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Day 3 Postojna to Stanjel (Shtan-yel) / Distance: 34 miles On a chilly, overcast morning, we rode into the surrounding hills toward Predjama Grad (Cave Castle), Postojna’s other star attraction. My aching legs felt like rubber as I pedaled harder. Then I remembered my recent conversation with Sašo and shifted from the highest gear to the lowest—although I refused to dismount and push the bike.

The payoff was well worth the effort. Ahead, carved dramatically into limestone cliffs, perched jaw-dropping Predjama Grad, whose cave labyrinth extends six miles back to Postojna. Dating from the Middle Ages, the castle had many noble tenants, but the most notorious owner, Erazem, hid out in the impenetrable fortress between pillaging and plundering forays. For me, exploring the intriguing medieval maze of secret passageways, torture chambers, and exhilarating bird’s-eye views was a trip highlight.

Day three’s route was the most diverse and undulant thus far. We maneuvered up rugged paths bordering fertile farmlands and along stretches of busy highways.

Most exhilarating was a white-knuckled descent down a pebbly, pothole-riddled road with an 8 percent grade! Midway down, the asphalt unfurled, gratifying my “need for speed.” Afterward, Oksana rewarded us with a delightful picnic lunch, including wine and homemade cake from Sašo’s mom.

LibaTionS anD LaugHTer fLoweD freeLy THrougHouT our firST nigHT from “HaPPy Hour” in THe HaCienDa-STyLe CourTyarD

Day 4 optional rest Day / Distance: 7 miles If we were in Moscow, our breakfast at Grča would have cost several hundred dollars. Andrea told us that a palm-sized portion of prosciutto, or pršut, the Slovene equivalent, would cost around $150! Since Grča produces its own air-cured hams, we enjoyed this delicacy several times during our stay.

Rested and rejuvenated, we zigzagged near southwestern Slovenia’s Italian border, which is known for its Mediterranean climate and highly acidic Teran, a red wine that tastes best with food. The scrubby, rolling terrain resembled the Texas Hill Country. By 5:00 p.m., we arrived in teeny Hrusevica near tiny Štanjel, where we spent two nights at Grča (Gork-a) Tourizem Kras (www.grca.si), a charming, family-owned inn and winery.

Rather than chill out or cycle to neighboring villages, John and I day-tripped to Italy. Following Sašo’s instructions, we biked to Štanjel’s nearby train station, hopped aboard a colorful commuter train, and thirty-five minutes later said “Buon giorno!” to Nuova Gorizia. Opposite the tracks lies the city’s newer, lesscharming Slovene half, Nova Gorica, which was separated by border walls until WWII ended.

Libations and laughter flowed freely throughout our first night, from happy hour in the hacienda-style courtyard to a private wine tasting with the charming vintner in his cellar, followed by a delicious home-cooked dinner under the stars. The convivial company and camaraderie were icing on the cake!

Limited by time, we looped the city’s historic center, hiked its castello with sweeping vistas, shopped, and savored la dolce vita at a sidewalk café. After a side trip to explore Štanjel’s medieval hilltop village, we returned for a delizioso Italian-style dinner at Grča.

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vineyards and olive trees flanked our way while we ascended up what saso promised—for the final time—was the “last hill.” <

Day 5 <

Stanjel to Lipica (Lee-pee-za) to Divaca (Dee-va-cha) / Distance: 29 miles Our fifth day began with a leisurely midmorning departure. Sašo promised us a mostly flat course with one progressive incline toward the end. Yay! The word “undulating” was not mentioned. True to Sašo’s word, we encountered few hills as we cycled by vineyards and picturesque farmlands, though the wind whipped about. Astonishingly, the region’s bora winds have been clocked at speeds up to ninety miles per hour, which is ideal for curing pršut.

Several miles outside bustling Lipica, we passed rolling, verdant pastures with white paddocks, similar to the horse farms in Ocala, Florida. Initially, I was not excited about visiting the Lipica Stud Farm and Riding Center, where prancing Lipizzaner horses have been bred since 1580. However, it quickly became my favorite experience of the day.

As we cycled along the tree-lined lane toward the stately entrance, several snow-white thoroughbreds grazed gracefully near the railing. We quickly dismounted our bikes and seized a rare opportunity for an up close and personal visit with these highly intelligent, regal creatures. Our guided tour included a visit to several stables and a small museum. When WWII ended, Slovenia credited General George Patton with returning their renowned Lipizzaners from the Czech Republic, where the Nazis had relocated them. Before leaving, we enjoyed a relaxing lunch at the resortlike complex, which also includes a hotel, a casino, and a golf course (www.lipica.org/en).

Our quirkiest stop was at the privately owned Tabor Military Museum near Divača. Every millimeter of the circular, three-story stone tower was chock-full of memorabilia from both world wars. Numerous displays included ghoulish mannequins and alien dummies dressed in military uniforms. Minutes away, we coasted down into Divača, where Hotel Malovec (www.hotel-malovec.si) welcomed us with comfortable rooms and a delicious sea bass dinner.

Day 6

Ahead, we veered off onto a dusty, gravelly trail called the Alpe Adria Trail. The former railroad track ran along a scenic, upper ridge that skirted the Adriatic coastline. The bumpy path meandered through lush woods and dark tunnels before dazzling us with spectacular sea views and a sneak peek of Trieste, Italy. My adrenaline spiked like a double shot of espresso after turning onto a headbobbling, cobblestoned street that spiraled sharply down to the sprawling city below. From there, we scooted along perilous stretches of highway to Trieste’s coastal outskirts and Muggia’s petite port, where we “braked” for luscious gelato at Jimmy’s. Mmmmmm.

Along Italy’s coast-hugging scenic route, we glided past shimmering turquoise ripples and topless sunbathers draped over rocks. After crossing the border back into Slovenia, vineyards and olive groves flanked our way while we ascended up what Sašo promised—for the final time—was the “last hill.” In quaint Ankaran, we turned off at a seaside campground, where everyone relaxed and enjoyed the pine tree–shaded beach. That is, except for Sašo and Oksana, who graciously insisted on driving back to retrieve my travel journal that I had accidentally left on a table—in Italy! They deserve a big “hvala” (thanks)!

During the few remaining miles, we skimmed by the gritty, industrial outskirts of Koper, which is the largest seaside port along Slovenia’s sliver of shoreline that adjoins Croatia. Once inside Koper, we discovered a delightful medieval heart and lively harbor lined with cafés and shops. Beckoning from across the street was Hotel Koper, our bittersweet finish line!

An hour later, we gathered on the hotel’s terrace for a farewell drink, which included an unexpected touch—a certificate presentation ceremony. Between rounds of Slovene sparkling wine, we autographed each other’s diplomas and took photos.

As I glanced fondly around the table at my comrades, my initial thoughts following the first night’s orientation came to mind. Assuming our language barriers would prohibit us from creating a true kinship, I had had misgivings regarding our upcoming adventure. However, seven days and several miles and hills later, I felt saddened to say good-bye to my traveling companions, who truly enhanced my amazing experiences and broadened my perspective about their respective homelands and cultures. After all, is that not why we travel?

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Divaca to Koper / Distance: 37 miles On our last day, we awoke to ideal biking weather—crisp and sunny. Since we would be crisscrossing down the Italian/Slovene coastline, Sašo suggested an alternate route that would feature more natural scenery and include a beach break. We unanimously agreed and were off! During our customary midmorning break, Sašo explained that the surrounding region was primarily bilingual because this area of Slovenia had been northeastern Italy until WWII ended.

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Kim Duke-Layden is an international adventurer with insatiable wanderlust, who lives at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort with her husband, John. In between frequent excursions, she is a Realtor® for The Premier Property Group at Grand Boulevard. For travel tips, contact her at kim@theppg.net; or www.kimsellsdestin.com

eNDleSS ViNeyArDS AND oliVe TreeS AloNg our fiNAl rouTe To SloVeNiA’S coAST

Secrets of an Accidental

Style

Icon

By Tori PhelPs P h o T o g r a P h y c o u r T e s y o f r a c h e l Pa r c e l l

At just twenty-two years old, Rachel Parcell has turned Pink Peonies into a must-read style blog for thousands of similarly fashion-obsessed readers. She popped up on VIEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s radar long before new York Fashion Week last September, but after meeting her there, we were seriously hooked. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why.

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Most high school students just want to blend in, but even back then, fashion blogger Rachel Parcell didn’t mind standing out in what she calls “outlandish” outfits—which she now admits were hit and miss. The Utah native has always adored fashion. In grade school, she remembers being at the ballet barre, appearing to be focused on her pliés, while her real thought was on assembling her next day’s outfit.

The dance world’s loss is the fashion world’s gain.

In just a few short years, Parcell’s Pink Peonies blog (named for her favorite flower) has become a style bible for women all over the country.

Ironically, Pink Peonies had nothing to do with fashion in the beginning. Parcell launched the blog when she was engaged to her husband as a tool for sharing their first year of marriage with friends and family. After the two vacationed in Greece, Parcell naturally blogged about it. “When women googled ‘what to wear in Greece’ for their own vacations, my blog popped up,” she explains. “They asked me to share where I got each article of clothing, and that’s what sparked the idea to create what is now Pink Peonies.”

Today, the site is a repository for Rachel’s style adventures, in which she documents her daily outfits and provides little glimpses into her personal life. “Mainly, it’s a space where I can share what inspires me, with hopes of inspiring other women,” she says.

Mission accomplished. In fact, some of the fashion industry’s biggest names have taken note of Parcell and Pink Peonies. Celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe named Parcell her “blogger crush of the week,” and she’s been mentioned everywhere from the online pages of Glamour and Elle magazines to top designer Tory Burch’s Facebook page. Parcell’s intuitive

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approach to fashion has also netted collaborations with names like Ann Taylor and WhoWhatWear. com. In addition, she recently hosted a style night out at J.Crew in Salt Lake City, which allowed her to meet some of her readers in person.

So where does the woman with inspirational style find her own inspiration? Parcell depends on fashion magazines like Vogue and InStyle, as well as trips to Fashion Week, to help shape her personal style, which she describes as “feminine and classic with a little edge.” But she, too, has a long list of favorite blogs, with Cupcakes and Cashmere and The Glamourai getting the most play lately. “I can feel their passion and the love for what they do, and that, to me, is what makes a blog interesting and exciting to read,” she says.

Each season provides a fresh new canvas of ideas, too, and for spring, emerald-hued items are topping her list of must-haves. “It’s always been one of my favorite colors, so I’m excited to experiment with unique color combos,” she shares.

Another swoon-inducing trend: interesting geometric prints, like the square print she fell for in the Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2013 show.

The problem, as always, will be finding time to restock her closet. Parcell, who is based outside Salt Lake City, is working toward her bachelor’s degree while also serving as head jewelry designer at local clothing company DownEast Basics. Oh, and did we mention that she blogs? She fits it all in by committing a serious beauty don’t: skimping on shut-eye. “I don’t sleep, or at least not much,” she confesses. “It would be really easy to put my blog on the back burner with everything else I have going on, but it’s truly my passion. It keeps me sane.”

A devout Mormon, Parcell also relies on her faith, opting not to hide what she considers the most important thing in her life from view within an industry where sometimes-sinful headline-grabbing

behavior is not unexpected. “My faith has taught me to seek anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report,” she says. “For me, blogging and fashion fall into that category. The industry possesses both vice and virtue; I look for the virtue.”

Whatever she’s doing is certainly working. Parcell is still in awe of Pink Peonies’ enormous success, marveling at how her little space on the Internet has opened so many doors and introduced her to people she wouldn’t have met otherwise. Perhaps because of its meteoric rise, it’s difficult for her to predict where her blog will be in five years. Her own future is a little clearer, however. She hopes kids are in the picture within a few years (she envisions them spilling apple juice down the front of her Alexander Wang dress) and that her career both satisfies her and stokes her passion.

Not one to sit back and congratulate herself on everything she’s achieved at such a young age, Parcell is much more interested in what’s next. “I have so many goals to check off that it’s hard for me to appreciate what I’ve accomplished,” she says. “By the time I’ve done everything I’d like to, I’ll be an old woman.”

In a stunning outfit, no doubt.

“I don’t sleep, or at least not much. It would be really easy to put my blog on the back burner with everything else I have going on, but it’s truly my passion.

It keeps me sane.”

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PInk PeonIes’ rachel Parcell Breaks down some of her allTime favoriTe ToP-Three lisTs: rules for accessorizing: 1. Less is more—most of the time 2. A statement lip pulls together any look 3. A woman’s dress is only as good as her shoes and handbag

can’t-live-without-’em fashion and beauty items: 1. YSL lipstick 2. Chanel flats 3. Diamond stud earrings

suggestions for aspiring fashionistas: 1. Be true to who you are 2. Wear what you feel most confident in 3. Let your style evolve and grow with you

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Ponce Was Here

Discovering St. Augustine, the Ancient City

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Photo by Jordan Staggs

Photo: Shutterstock

F

ive centuries ago this year, famed Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de Léon landed on the shores of what he named La Florida. Legend says he found the longsought Fountain of Youth after his arrival in the New World, and the people of St. Augustine insist it isn’t merely a legend. This timeless city on Florida’s northeast coast—the oldest continuously inhabited settlement established by Europeans within the United States—doesn’t seem to be affected by the march of years. And with its 450th anniversary approaching in 2015, I found the pull of St. Augustine stronger than ever.

A Royal Welcome As I navigated the historic downtown section of the city to find the Casa Monica Hotel, I couldn’t peel my gaze from the buildings that lined the streets.

The architecture of the city spans centuries. From the colonial charm of the oldest house in America to the Spanish, French, and American influences in its churches and museums, St. Augustine is a feast for the eyes. One jewel in its crown turned out to be my very own hotel.

After a couple of wrong turns and a trip down the narrowest backstreet I’ve ever driven, I pulled into Casa Monica’s parking facility. Its location beneath the hotel encouraged the feeling that I’d just driven back through the centuries, as did the sconces and 140 | M A R C H /A P R I L 2 013

lanterns illuminating the tunneled parking structure. As a valet took my bags, I stepped onto the cobblestones and then ascended a flight of stone stairs I thought would lead to the lobby. Instead, I was surprised to find a private courtyard oasis with a chaise-ringed swimming pool, stone patio, and covered, arched lanai. Though tempted to linger, I knew my group was waiting for me. Now, if only I could find the lobby…

peruse artwork and jewelry, we took the short walk to another gem in the shops adjacent to the hotel.

The Ancient Olive is a boutique and tasting room featuring an extensive array of infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars. The friendly experts on staff showed us around, made flavor recommendations, and even introduced us to an olive oil cocktail. It was a little strange but very tasty, in case you were wondering.

The valet directed me through heavy wooden doors into a different kind of sanctuary: a large, inviting room with carved wooden beams overhead and a charming tiered fountain of Italian tile. Ornate wooden chairs, deep leather sofas, more elaborate wall sconces, and hand-painted murals done in the traditional Moorish style completed the lobby’s aesthetic.

On our way to a five-course meal in 95 Cordova restaurant’s luxe Sultan’s Room, we encountered millions of sparkling white holiday lights lining the trees, buildings, and nearly everything else outside. Nights of Lights, which runs annually from November through the end of January, is a beloved tradition that has earned St. Augustine a spot on National Geographic’s list of the world’s top ten places to see holiday lights. Our eyes sparkling in wonder, we heartily concurred with that appraisal.

Next, it was time to inspect my room. Each of Casa Monica’s guestrooms and suites is individually decorated, though they all combine traditional elements like rich woods and velvet headboards with modern conveniences such as single-serve Verismo brewers.

Upon opening the door, I immediately noticed two things: a charming view of the palm-fringed park and jazz tunes emanating from the Bose sound system on the nightstand. The details? Perfect.

After meeting up with the rest of my entourage in Casa Monica’s Grand Bohemian Art Gallery to

Over a succulent dinner paired with delicious wines, we learned that Casa Monica’s history includes incarnations as a courthouse, a civil rights landmark, and a warehouse. It was rescued in 1997 by Richard C. Kessler and restored to its former glory, becoming a member of the prestigious national luxury hotel group known as The Kessler Collection. Casa Monica is also St. Augustine’s only AAA FourDiamond hotel.

SHOPPI NG Aviles Street, St. George Street, and King Street are all pedestrian friendly and jam-packed with shops, cafés, and art galleries.

Photo: Shutterstock

The Ancient Olive Gourmet infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars can be found here in almost every flavor imaginable!

Perfect for choosing unique gifts or spicing up your own cooking. www.theancientolive.com

The Grand Bohemian Gallery An elegant and unexpected mix of art and jewelry is available in the Grand Bohemian, the eclectic chain of acclaimed galleries that have become a staple of The Kessler Collection hotels. www.grandbohemiangallery.com

DI NI NG The Ancient City has an impressive array of cafés, restaurants, and pubs in the historic downtown area.

Sample everything from traditional Spanish fare to mouthwatering burgers and brews.

Photo Courtesy of The Kessler Collection

95 Cordova Restaurant Casa Monica Hotel’s premier dining experience, where a seasonally inspired new world and eclectic menu provide flavors that are sure to please. www.casamonica.com/dining

The Floridian Fresh regional Southern fare for “omnivores, herbivores, and locavores.” Enjoy favorites such as cornbread panzanella and grit cakes while taking in the charming country kitchen atmosphere. www.thefloridianstaug.com

Columbia Restaurant This Spanish villa, known as Florida’s oldest restaurant, is famous for its seafood, steaks, and traditional paella, as well as signature cocktails and sangrias. www.columbiarestaurant.com

Photo Courtesy of The Kessler Collection

San Sebastian Winery Guests can tour the building of this winery, one of Florida’s finest, and enjoy wine tastings, a gift shop, and The Cellar Upstairs rooftop bar. It just doesn’t get any better than live jazz and a glass of vino under the stars. www.sansebastianwinery.com

HISTOR Y The Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park www.fountainofyouthflorida.com

Castillo de San Marcos www.nps.gov/casa

St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum www.piratesoul.com V IE Z INE .C OM | 141

A Trip Back in Time Not surprisingly, history was the recurring theme of the trip. We were in the Ancient City, after all, so why not journey back to where it all began? Our first stop the next morning: the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park. Before Europeans descended on the New World, St. Augustine was inhabited by the Timucua Indians. Visitors to the Fountain of Youth can get a glimpse into what the natives’ lives were like through re-created campsites and expert demonstrations of their hunting techniques. We even got a tour of the park from the founder of St. Augustine himself, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, who looked pretty good for being half a millennium old. Obviously, that water is working for him.

“Small sips every day,” he recommended. You can sample the fountain’s water for yourself and even grab a to-go bottle from the gift shop.

The next stop on our journey through history was Castillo de San Marcos.

Originally constructed in 1672, it is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States, although, like many grandes dames, it’s had a face-lift or two over the years. Following a history lesson from a park ranger, we climbed to the top of the battlements to watch the weekly firing of the cannons into Matanzas Bay, performed by local reenactors in full period costume.

Across the street from the Castillo is another St. Augustine must-see, the Pirate and Treasure Museum. A fan of pirates long before Johnny Depp donned the Jack Sparrow dreadlocks, I was practically giddy as we received treasure maps to guide us through this amazingly cool, interactive museum. Each room is a new place to

explore, from the streets of the infamous pirate island of Tortuga to the decks of a buccaneer ship. We even journeyed into the dark cargo hold of the Queen Anne’s Revenge to relive Blackbeard’s final battle, a thrilling virtual reality sequence created by Walt Disney Imagineering.

After finding every secret stash of booty in each of the rooms and marveling over one of the world’s largest collections of authentic pirate artifacts, I reluctantly followed my group outside to the construction site beside the museum.

The three-story guard tower overlooking the privacy fence intrigued us enough to prompt a walk around what’s sure to be St. Augustine’s new star attraction, the Colonial Spanish Quarter. Just in time for the Viva Florida 500 celebration, the city will unveil a hands-on exploration of its growth throughout the centuries. It’s part living museum, part time machine. With building and craft demonstrations, two authentic restaurants, and live entertainment, visitors can step right into the past.

I could recount many more sights, tastes, and tales of my sojourn in St. Augustine, but this is a place best experienced for yourself. No matter how often you come, each visit is an opportunity to create a new story in a city that defies time.

To start planning your trip or to learn more about the area, visit floridashistoriccoast.com.

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