Issuu

November/December 2014

THE MUSIC ISSUE

CARRIE UNDERWOOD WAS BORN TO SHINE

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In this issue:

Feature

110

156

102

124

Giving Back

Country on the Coast: Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam 2014 26

Alaqua Animal Refuge Is $75,000 Closer to Reaching Its Relocation Goal 44

The Melody of Life

Health

Feelin’ Good: A Musical Soiree with Cheyenne Jackson 37

Discovering the Medical Benefits of a New Cosmetic Procedure 58

Schatzi and the String Boffin 48 A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock ’n’ Roll: Panama City Beach Seafood and Music Festival 2014 82 Name That Tune 94 You Can Go Your Own Way 102 Just What the Doctor Ordered: Right Place Right Time 132 From Beach to Bacchus Part Deux: Music and Wine Continue to Shape Communities 148 A Sense of Place Pensacola Shines Day and Night 110 A Symbol of Hope: The National September 11 Memorial and Museum 162 For the Love of Food

Couture Lights. Camera. Fashion. South Walton Fashion Week Dazzles the Catwalk 72 Voyager Where the Wild Things Are: Glacier National Park and Montana’s Flathead Valley 62 The Great Escape: Get Lost on Little Palm Island 124 Call of the Wild 156 People + Places Tenth Annual Hurricane Party Benefiting CVHN 54 Second Annual Art of Giving 118 A Celebration of Life: Annual Golf Classic Honors Chip Hilton 144

Bodacious about Downtown Pensacola 140 V IE Z INE .C OM | 13

COLA COLA

Primary Targeted Audiences

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 © 2008–2014 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

Abigail Ryan Marketing Assistant abigail@viezine.com

Jordan Staggs Assistant Editor jordan@viezine.com

Mary Jane Kirby Account Executive maryjane@viezine.com

Tracey Thomas Art Director tracey@viezine.com

Scott Sajowitz Account Executive scott@viezine.com

Devan Allegri Watkins Graphic Designer devan@viezine.com

Julie Dorr Account Executive julie@viezine.com

Bill Weckel Web/Project Manager bill@viezine.com

Margaret Stevenson Copy Editor Shannon Quinlan Distribution Coordinator

Robert Wagner Video Producer robertw@viezine.com

Eric Shepard Graphic Designer

Tim Dutrow Videographer tim@viezine.com

She’s a musician, singer, songwriter, actress, American Idol, six-time Grammy Award winner, philanthropist, role model, and—most recently—mother-to-be. We are honored and thrilled to have country music icon Carrie Underwood as our Music Issue cover girl. We were “Blown Away” by her performance at Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam this Labor Day weekend and would like to congratulate Carrie and her husband, Mike Fisher of the Nashville Predators hockey team, on expecting their first child in the spring! PHOTO BY RANDEE ST. NICHOLAS

VIE Contributors: Contributing Writers: Kelly Beasley Sallie W. Boyles Rhonda Cloutier Kim Duke-Layden Demetrius Fuller Colleen E. Hinely Martha J. LaGuardia-Kotite

Kimberly Moskowitz, MS, MD Tori Phelps Anne W. Schultz Chad Thurman

Published by: Contributing Photographers:

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Drew Altizer Brandan Babineaux Susana Bates Kelly Beasley Jill Burnham Cheryl Casey Joe Cloutier Kim Duke-Layden Sheila Goode Nikki Hedrick Alaric Lambert Martha J. LaGuardia-Kotite

John Layden Corky McCollum Rafael Motta David Moynahan Kay Phelan Romona Robbins Randee St. Nicholas Shelly Swanger Bruce Weber James White Chryseis Golden Photography Jacqueline Ward Images V IE Z INE .C OM | 15

Justin Gaffrey is painting at the First Saturday Art Crawl on November 1 at the Tennessee Art League on Fifth Avenue, where his work will remain on exhibit throughout the month. For more information, please visit NashvilleDowntown.com

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Publisher’s Note:

HOW GREAT THOU ART The Power of Music Reigns Supreme

As this issue of VIE is going to press, Carrie Underwood is preparing to cohost the 2014 CMA Awards with Brad Paisley for the seventh consecutive year. Her meteoric rise to fame after winning American Idol Season Four in 2005 has been something to behold. Since then, she has received six Grammy Awards, five Country Music Association Awards, eleven Academy of Country Music Awards, sixteen Billboard Music Awards, and seven American Music Awards, as well as nomination for a Golden Globe in the Best Original Song – Motion Picture category. She was also inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2008, a crowning achievement for someone so young. Carrie is described as an American country music singer, songwriter, and actress in her biography. When I heard Carrie’s rendition of the gospel hymn “How Great Thou Art,” my Lisa Marie Burwell, Publisher opinion of her went from “good” to “great”— with her vocal chops, she delivers this song with incredible power. Carrie’s dance with fame over the past decade has shown that she can gracefully manage the effects of megawatt stardom within her professional and personal life. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to live in the limelight and still stay true to who you are—your roots—with a performance schedule that constantly demands that you be front and center. Carrie has blossomed and grown as an artist, and this beauty was born to shine! We are so honored to have her loveliness shining brightly on the cover of our second annual Music Issue. So, how did we get so lucky to have this bona fide star grace our latest cover? I could say that the stars aligned when the second annual Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam took Panama City Beach by storm. Carrie Underwood was the headliner, opening to a packed house for the three-day music extravaganza, which took place in Frank Brown Park. Perhaps VIE’s being a media sponsor for the festival had something to do with it. But the fact of the matter is, I reached out to her publicist and requested permission to feature Carrie as VIE’s cover girl, and thankfully the answer was yes. Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam is owned and produced by Dave Trepanier, Rendy Lovelady, and Mark Sheldon; they should be proud of the brand they have created in just two short years! This festival is a first-class outdoor concert, and if you have the chance to attend next year, you won’t want to miss it. Next year promises to be even better, if that’s possible, so be sure to save the dates—September 4–6, 2015—and be on the lookout for tickets to go on sale. Dave Trepanier is also the owner of the famed Firefly restaurant in Panama City Beach, and he is one of the best entrepreneurs I know. “I was really proud of our staff and everyone who made it all come together. Most people have no idea what goes into a production like Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam,” Dave said. He then

Carrie Underwood with Elliana Blue Trepanier at the 2014 Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam

added, “I was also really happy for the city. Big names like Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley, and Blake Shelton don’t normally come to small towns like Panama City Beach. Since a lot of our guests were from out of town, we hope we made an impression on them. We’d like them to come back and become regulars—not just regulars to the music festival, but regulars to our beautiful beach as well.” Read all about the event in our article “Country on the Coast.” This is an exciting time for Carrie Underwood: she recently announced that she and her husband, NHL player Mike Fisher, are expecting their first child, and the release of her Greatest Hits: Decade #1 is scheduled for December 9. If Carrie’s newly released faith-based single from the album, “Something in the Water”—currently number one on iTunes country music charts—is any indication of the album’s impending success, all is well! The song, which has been described as a “spiritual heartstring-tugger,” is about faith, fearlessness, and new beginnings! Carrie’s rendition of “How Great Thou Art” is beautiful, and with the upcoming holidays that will be spent surrounded by the love of friends and family, it makes me realize how much I owe my own life to God and His goodness! Happy Thanksgiving, merry Christmas, and happy New Year to all of our readers and advertisers! Thank you for helping VIE spread the good news! To Life! —Lisa V IE Z INE .C OM | 17

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V IE Z INE .C OM | 27

IT WAS A RECORD LABOR DAY WEEKEND IN PANAMA CITY BEACH, FLORIDA, FOR THE 2014 PEPSI GULF COAST JAM. AND BY RECORD, I MEAN IN ATTENDANCE, SWEAT, AND CHEERS! OVER EIGHTEEN THOUSAND PEOPLE FILLED FRANK BROWN PARK TO HEAR THEIR FAVORITE COUNTRY MUSIC ARTISTS AND TO DISCOVER SOME NEW ONES. During the day on Friday, August 29, John Michael Montgomery, Trick Pony, Blackjack Billy, and the Pepsi Southern Original contestants performed beachside at the M.B. Miller County Pier. From late afternoon until midnight, the entertainment was centered at Frank Brown Park, a few blocks north. I let the out-of-towners enjoy the beachside venue while my husband, Joe, and I focused on the main stage at Frank Brown Park. There are many stories that could be told about the festival. In fact, I could write a country song about a hot summer night, a sliver of a moon, drinking, flip-flops, cowboy boots, tank tops, sundresses, guitar strumming, slow dancing, and a catfight that was over before one song ended and forgotten about by the time the next song started. I think I’ll send this idea to Blake Shelton. But I’m getting ahead of myself, so back to the music.

JOHN MICHAEL MONTGOMERY Photo by Jill Burnham

The musicians on the main stage Friday included Andrew Salgado, Jon Pardi, Love and Theft, Randy Houser, and the lovely and talented Carrie Underwood. On Saturday, Laura Bell Bundy, Casey James, Lonestar, Big and Rich, and Dierks Bentley performed, while the final day, Sunday, featured Kirstie Lovelady, Neal McCoy, Cassadee Pope, and the weekend’s finale, Blake Shelton.

DIERKS BENTLEY AND HIS BAND 28 | N O V E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 014

Though country music is evolving and blending with other styles these days, there is still a strong traditional core. All bases were covered at Gulf Coast Jam—we heard just plain country, country blues, country rock, country rap (yes, that’s right), and even country reggae. If you can’t find something country to love here, well then, you ain’t country!

The openers had the toughest schedule in the sweltering afternoon sun, but they brought their energy and were troopers. Many fans came early and camped out in their chairs to hear a full day and night of music.

Here are some of the highlights and surprises: Kirstie Lovelady, who inspired me to buy her CD right after her set, took the crowd to church with a song titled “Meet Jesus.” American Idol finalist Casey James debuted new music from his second album, which is due to be released this fall. “Fuel” is a very catchy tune and hopefully his next hit single. “Crying on a Suitcase,” his biggest hit to date, got the crowd singing along, as did “Let’s Don’t Call It a Night,” which elicited several screams from the ladies. “Bulletproof,” a driving country rock cut, got even the men to head bop along. The line to buy James’s merchandise was a mile long and filled mostly with ladies waiting for a chance to meet him and get his autograph. He patiently signed every request, putting smiles on the faces of many and consequently blowing up social media sites. Casey released his single “Fall Apart” at the end of September. Neal McCoy, whom I hadn’t heard of (yes, I was schooled), captured my heart not only with his rollicking “Hillbilly Rap” but also with his love of performing for the military and his sign-off: “One nation under God!” Big and Rich, Cowboy Troy, and DJ Sinister’s set was the most fun I have had in a long time! They brought the hype, the moves, and the crazy and kept the crowd on their feet. Cowboy Troy and DJ Sinister had a dance-off to “Drink Drank Drunk,” which whipped the crowd into a frenzy and primed the stage for Dierks Bentley. The ladies were waiting for Dierks—and he didn’t disappoint. He had the most crowd interaction, pulling several fans on stage, taking selfies with them, drinking with them, and having fun. Of all the performers, he seemed to enjoy himself the most, and he gave the crowd what they wanted: a good time! “I Hold On” and “What Was I Thinkin’” were favorites, but “Drunk on a Plane” brought down the house.

BIG KENNY OF BIG & RICH V IE Z INE .C OM | 29

nd a b e h t n e h w t i t I los ” e s o o l t o o F “ g n i y a started pl cing n a d e h t d e t r a t s and t o n d i d I — a e in our ar . d e d n e t i l i t n u stop I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Lonestar singing “Another Brick in the Wall.” Surprisingly, I loved it!

BLAKE SHELTON

Blake Shelton’s promo, which was repeated several times, said they would be filming and if you didn’t want to be filmed, you should leave. No one left that I could see—but really, who would have wanted to? Blake brought out the largest crowd and he thanked everyone. His set was long and worth every second in the sardine-packed media area. It was the only set where no one left his or her spot. If the people surrounding you danced, you did too. If they reached up into the air to snap a photo, you went airborne as well. Blake had every single person in the palm of his hand. He trotted out old favorites from before he was “famous”: “Ol’ Red,” which I have loved for a long time; his first hit, “Austin,” which he performed acoustically; and his newer hits, including “Hillbilly Bone,” “Honey Bee,” and the brand-new “Neon Light,” which was filmed by his crew. I lost it when the band started playing “Footloose” and started the dancing in our area—I did not stop until it ended. I’m saving Carrie Underwood for last, even though she performed on the first night. This was my second time seeing Carrie, so I knew a little bit of what to expect. I had seen her in Pensacola at the Civic Center during her Play On tour. I was in awe then as her voice filled the entire arena and she moved grown men to cry when she sang “How Great Thou Art.” I couldn’t wait to see and hear her perform under the stars at Frank Brown Park. “Somethin’ Bad,” her latest hit with Miranda Lambert, started playing and the heat was turned up a notch! As Carrie hit the stage, families gathered their kids and hoisted them up on their shoulders to see the

NEAL MCCOY 30 | N O V E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 014

CARRIE UNDERWOOD Photo by Bill Weckel V IE Z INE .C OM | 31

reigning Queen of Country Music. She sang all of her chart-toppers, including “Jesus, Take the Wheel” (her first big hit single from her debut album, Some Hearts), “Blown Away,” “Good Girl,” “See You Again,” and many other beloved songs. She closed with “Paradise City” and “Before He Cheats.” My favorite song of the night was “One Way Ticket,” which has a reggae flair. Carrie called out Panama City Beach during this song about flip-flops and heading to our heaven, the beach! Carrie is known not only as a vocal powerhouse but also as a trendsetter in country music for her outfits, both on stage and off. It was noteworthy to me that she was wearing a loose-fitting, draped-in-thefront, sleeveless blouse on one of the hottest nights in Panama City Beach. She usually does several outfit changes during shows, but she stayed in the same outfit for the entire set. At the time, I attributed this to the heat, which made sense. Her CASEY JAMES

I can tell you right now that next year is going to be even bigger! RENDY LOVELADY FESTIVAL ORGANIZER

loose blouse was paired with cute denim shorts and cowboy boots. But the reason for staying in the same outfit and the need for a flowing blouse came out during her announcement on Labor Day. There was a collective whoop of joy across the music universe when Carrie broke the news through Twitter that she and her husband, Mike Fisher, are expecting their first child. Congrats to Carrie and Mike!

RANDY HOUSER BAND Photo by Bill Weckel

Another note of congratulations goes to Carrie as she released a new song, “Something in the Water,” on September 29. This song is another testament to her faith and has already made it to number one on iTunes. A new album is scheduled for release in December, just in time for the holiday season. Next year’s concerts have a lot to live up to—this Gulf Coast Jam has set the bar very high! I asked Rendy Lovelady, festival organizer, if he could summarize his thoughts on 2014 and he said, “Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam 2014 was more than I imagined! There was a moment I had Friday night right before Carrie Underwood went on stage. Her preshow music kicked in and that’s when all the emotions hit me and I knew this was it—the moment I had been waiting for. The energy was so high, it literally gave me goose bumps, and that moment is why I do this event; it sums up 2014 perfectly.”

Meetings have already started for Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam 2015, according to Rendy. “This past year we brought Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley, and Blake Shelton, but I can tell you right now that next year is going to be even bigger! I am currently working on booking the artists for 2015 and the lineup announcement should be coming sometime in March,” he says. “You don’t want to miss this, so keep an eye out for presales to get your tickets at a discounted price.” Presales will be available November 28 through December 1 on www.gulfcoastjam.com. Why don’t you take Carrie’s advice and get that “One Way Ticket” to heaven in Panama City Beach? After experiencing Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam 2014, I bet there are several thousand more who won’t want to miss out on our paradise and some of the greatest music around. See you Labor Day weekend 2015!

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Feelin’ Good A MUSICAL SOIREE WITH CHEYENNE JACKSON BY CHAD THURMAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAY PHELAN

V IE Z INE .C OM | 37

tall and unassuming man strode in through the dimly lit vestibule of the restaurant. He moved with purpose through to the bustling dining room floor, where the sold-out crowd in attendance was finishing dessert, and made his way to the piano that was set stage right. He sat on the bench, adjusted his jacket, perfected his posture, stretched his fingers, and began to play a ghostly rhythm. From the piano came melancholy chordal harmonies that, even without words, spoke volumes to those who were about to hear the plangent baritone that suddenly, and without corporeal being, began to resonate within the room. Those present looked around the restaurant for the source of the voice.

Birds flying high, you know how I feel. Sun in the sky, you know how I feel.

Then there were the sounds of excitement and applause as the audience spotted actor and singer Cheyenne Jackson, wireless microphone in hand, moving toward the stage. Exuding charm and confidence, he sang as he sauntered, following the path his pianist had taken to the instrument.

Breeze driftin’ on by, you know how I feel. It’s a new dawn, it’s a new

day, it’s a new life for me. And I’m feeling good…I’m feeling good…

Jackson and his musical director, Ben Toth, began the Sinfonia Gulf Coast–presented night of cabaret music with the song “Feeling Good,” made popular by Nina Simone in 1965. Jackson quickly let the audience know of his immense vocal range and the power of his projection; those fortunate enough to be in attendance were mesmerized by the sound with the first verse. After the opening number, the audience warmed up to Jackson as he told anecdotes about his expectations of performing in the Deep South on the “Redneck Riviera” and how it was not what he had anticipated. He spoke of a nice Southern lady that he and Toth had met at a convenience store earlier in the day. He offered a respectful impersonation

38 | N O V E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 014

of her that was followed by heartfelt and jovial laughter with the audience, setting the mood for the rest of the performance. Jackson certainly knows how to charm. When the duo began to perform “Something’s Coming” in homage to the character of Tony in West Side Story, Jackson transformed into the stage actor he is. All the while, his vocal control continued to impress, as did his ability to showcase vocal chops finely tuned over many years of performing leading roles in some of Broadway’s most popular productions. For the next hour and a half, Jackson and Toth would continue to woo the crowd with the theme of the evening: the Great American Songbook. The Great American Songbook is a name given to the most revered and influential popular songs produced in the United States during the early to middle part of the twentieth century. The songs in this body of work are considered by many to have been influential in the shaping of American culture for more than a century. Composers and songwriters such as Duke Ellington, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Hoagy Carmichael, and Cole Porter crafted melody, rhythm, and harmony in ways that were theretofore unknown in music theory and history. The lyrics of these songs speak to the essential, spiritual nature of being human through the use of themes and circumstances beyond the constraints and confines of time—namely the vicissitudinous nature of love. An Evening with Cheyenne Jackson: Music of the Mad Men Era was presented by Sinfonia Gulf

Coast and hosted by Seagar’s Prime Steaks and Seafood at the Sandestin Hilton. Sinfonia music director and conductor Demetrius Fuller says, “Sinfonia is the region’s only fully professional symphony orchestra that consistently presents the highest quality concerts and guest artists in the industry. The organization is engrained in the community and provides significant music education initiatives throughout Okaloosa and Walton Counties, as well as a continued partnership with Sacred Heart Hospital of the Emerald Coast’s Arts in Medicine program. To date, Sinfonia has impacted nearly fifty thousand school children and eight hundred families in both counties.” The impact was felt this night, too, as Jackson and Toth continued to perform songs from the Great American Songbook and inspired by the hit AMC television series Mad Men, and the audience responded. From the Latin hit “Besame Mucho,” which Jackson called “ a very romantic tune, one of the most romantic tunes I know,” to the jazz standards “Old Devil Moon,” “I Get Along Without You Very Well,” “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” and “Luck Be a Lady,” the singing actor kept the crowd engaged and smiling. When the duo launched into a lively version of “A Little Less Conversation”—a number which Jackson showcased during his first leading role on Broadway in the 2005 Elvis-inspired musical All Shook Up—complete with the gyrations Jackson had perfected during his award-winning Broadway debut, the audience had to take a few moments to settle down. The two also performed original compositions such as Jackson’s “Red Wine Is Good for My Heart” and “Mr. Lonely Boy,” and Toth’s

“Mad Girl’s Love Song,” which Jackson explained to the audience as “a melody set to words by the poet Sylvia Plath.” Sinfonia’s guest artists also put a spotlight on the future of the Great American Songbook by performing the contemporary popular song “Falling Slowly.” During this performance, Jackson and Toth gave an emotionally satisfying rendition of the 2008 Oscar-winning song through perfected vocal harmonies and substantive delivery. It’s been remarked that “writing about the sound of music is like dancing about architecture,” but Jackson and Toth’s harmonic sonorities can only be described as two leaves in autumn—one crimson, the other auburn—dancing with the wind while floating along a clear river with a white-sand bottom. The show’s set ended with the soulful, blues-infused “A Change Is Gonna Come,” and a standing ovation and requests for an encore ensued. As a final number, Jackson and Toth presented “The Rainbow Connection,” made popular by Kermit the Frog in the 1979 musical comedy The Muppet Movie.

Someday we’ll find it, the

rainbow connection, the lovers, the dreamers, and me…

Before saying goodnight, Jackson remarked to the still-applauding crowd of the event, “This was really amazing; this was really special.” Demetrius Fuller says, “Sinfonia will continue to present stellar events for the patrons of Northwest Florida, as well as continue to raise the bar on the level of guest artists and programming that our audiences have been accustomed to. The 2015–2016 season marks Sinfonia’s tenth anniversary, so there are already some very exciting items both confirmed and in the works.”

Learn more about the events of the upcoming Sinfonia Gulf Coast season, such as the world premiere violin concerto by American composer Nico Muhly, by visiting www.sinfoniagulfcoast.org.

CHEYENNE JACKSON, ACTOR AND SINGER, ANSWERS QUESTIONS ABOUT MUSIC OF THE MAD MEN ERA VIE: OF ALL OF THE COMPOSERS REPRESENTED IN

I just did a film last year that comes out in December with

TONIGHT’S GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK, NAME

Kevin Pollak and Christopher Lloyd; it’s called The One I

YOUR FAVORITE AND TELL US WHY.

Wrote for You, and I played a singer-songwriter. I had to learn

CJ: Leonard Bernstein’s “Something’s Coming” because I got to sing Tony (from West Side Story) with the San Francisco Symphony just last spring with Michael Tilson Thomas conducting. It was the first time it’s been fully produced and fully recorded live in forty years. So the critics are going nuts for it, and it was obviously the last time I’m ever going to play Tony. I just had such a love affair with it at one time. I first played Tony when I was nineteen or twenty, and then I played him again when I was thirty-eight.

guitar for that. I ‘m not great; I can play maybe six or seven chords but that is most of the songs. The role I play, he’s a singer-songwriter; it’s more country, so it’s basically G, C, and D chords. For this next year, my goal is to get good enough to where I can pull it out and not sound terrible. I have a Gibson acoustic guitar. Although when I played Elvis on Broadway, Priscilla gave me one of his guitars from the estate. VIE: DO YOU COMPOSE MUSIC OR WRITE SONGS? CJ: In the show tonight, I’ll sing two that I wrote: “Red

VIE: WHICH SONG ON TONIGHT’S SET LIST IS THE

Wine Is Good for My Heart” and “Mr. Lonely Boy.” I have done

MOST FUN FOR YOU TO PERFORM?

two albums; one is all of my stuff that came out last year, and

CJ: “A Little Less Conversation” because my first big break in New York was when I played Elvis on Broadway, so I’ve always liked to pay homage to that show, but also a lot of the other songs are just slower, and jazzier, and so that’s kind of one to just really go crazy. It’s just fun to sing. VIE: WHICH SONG IN YOUR PERFORMANCE TONIGHT DO YOU FEEL SHOWCASES YOUR FOUR-AND-A-HALFOCTAVE VOCAL RANGE?

my second one will be out next summer. I write with Sony/ATV Music Publishing. I started out mostly like everybody, most songwriters. I went through a horrible divorce, and I got sober. I mean it was a rough and wonderful—but rough—three years, and when finally songwriting was mostly just for me, I thought, “Why don’t I do something with this?” So I showed the songs to a couple of my friends. One of them, Sia, is a huge songwriter who has songs on the radio—I showed her some stuff and she thought it was really good and said we should write together, and so she kind of gave me the strength, the

CJ: Yeah, it’s kind of become my thing which is great; my last

confidence to show my stuff, and then I met some people from

song “A Change Is Gonna Come,” the Sam Cooke song.

Sony. It’s been an ongoing, really wonderful outlet.

VIE: DO YOU PLAY ANY INSTRUMENTS, OR ARE YOU

I love collaborating. I have a couple of guys who are just

LEARNING TO PERFORM WITH AN INSTRUMENT IN

the perfect yang to my yin because if I get stuck on a

ADDITION TO YOUR VOICE? DID YOU RECEIVE FOR-

bridge, maybe they’re really good at that, or somebody’s

MAL MUSICAL TRAINING?

a really great lyricist, and I’m not feeling very wordy

CJ: I didn’t go to school; I’m from a teeny little town in Northern Idaho—about 1,200 people. Outhouse, no running water. I just learned to sing at home, and then over the years I learned by doing, by listening, and by singing with great people. It forces you to step it up. I also take really good care

that day. My weaknesses are his strengths and vice versa. There’s also a girl I write with who’s such a great songwriter. Charlotte Sometimes, she was on The Voice, I think in Season 2. Mostly poetry just spits out of her mouth and I’m like, hang on!

of my voice; it’s really important to me, and I warm up. I have

VIE: CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR FUTURE AS

great people that I’ve coached with. I didn’t have training

A PERFORMER/SONGWRITER/MUSICIAN/ARTIST?

necessarily—on-the-job training, actually.

WHAT STYLISTIC DIRECTION DO YOU MOST WANT

I play piano, though I haven’t played and sung in these shows

TO EXPLORE FURTHER?

yet because my music director, Ben Toth, is so proficient and

CJ: This show has become my wheelhouse. My very first choir

amazing. Sometimes we’ll do this show twice in one day and

teacher said, “Cheyenne, you were born in the wrong era!”

it’s really taxing not only vocally but also for him—he’s like a

because I didn’t sound like the guys on the radio, and I just

one-man band. He has to soak his hands in between shows;

had a different style. I loved Billie Holiday, Lena Horn, Ella

he has to ice them.

Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Nina Simone, and Nat King Cole.

V IE Z INE .C OM | 39

My song “Red Wine Is Good for My Heart” is straight-up jazz, but I think because I’ve done a lot of Broadway and I have that in the back of my mind as far as theatricality, a lot of things are in minor keys. I’d like to write a musical. Ben Toth, my music director/supervisor, does a lot of composing and he’s written a couple of musicals. It’s been fun to watch his process, and I don’t see any reason why I can’t do that. This next album is half-written, and it’s more up. At first, I was in the thick of the darkness I was in, and now it’s more celebratory and fun and light. I have five movies coming out by the end of next year with some really great folks, so it’s been a busy year. VIE: A LAST QUESTION REGARDING ONE OF YOUR POPULAR TELEVISION ROLES. WHAT WAS IT LIKE WORKING ON THE SET OF GLEE? CJ: Glee was chaotic because it was the second year, and it had just exploded in the first year. So it was the most popular show,

and such a pop-culture zeitgeist, and being in the throes of that was very chaotic—exciting—but chaotic. I think a lot of the kids on there were just coming to terms with their fame, so they didn’t quite know what to do with all of the attention. I got started late; I moved to New York when I was twenty-seven. So I started working professionally when I was twenty-seven instead of seventeen like most of these kids. Even so, I had worked a lot and it wasn’t my first time at the rodeo, but it was great, it was a learning experience. Ryan Murphy (writer for Glee) has been wonderful to me. He’s cast me in a few things; he saw me in Xanadu and offered me Dustin on Glee—it was great. I got to seduce Gwyneth Paltrow. Come on, there are worse things! It was a lot of fun.

3 40 | N O V E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 014

1. DEMETRIUS FULLER, GLENDA AND DR. DENNIS LICHORWIC, AND DR. STEPHANIE BAYA 2. DENISE STEGNER, VELIA LALA, AND ELAINE TUCKER 3. LYNN AND STEVE DUGAS. PHOTO BY GERALD BURWELL 4. DEBORAH HENRY, JENNIFER HOWARD, AND KAY PHELAN 5. JOSEPH ROGERS AND DEKE LEE 6. CHEYENNE JACKSON, DEMETRIA AND RICHARD MCNEESE, KIM POLAKOFF, BEN TOTH, AND KEEN POLAKOFF

. Not just a letter or closed circle a simple line presents a way in or out a solution. Find a way. –Suzy, Owner

introducing

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17-2 Uptown Grayton Circle, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida 32459 • 850.213.0000 • Q- tile.com

A portion of heart necklace proceeds go to benefit Food for Thought.

7 7. JILL CADENHEAD AND TIM KRUEGER 8. RAY HITCHELL

ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN

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ALAQUA ANIMAL REFUGE Is $75,000 Closer to Reaching Its Relocation Goal By Kelly Beasley

•

Photography by Alaric Lambert

Walton County, Florida, just got a little closer to getting an incredible new addition to boast about. It is the dream of Alaqua Animal Refuge founder Laurie Hood to expand her current mission into something more than simply rescuing animals in need: her vision is to stop human-induced animal suffering and abuse before it happens. She plans to accomplish this through exposure and education. Her plan entails relocating the current facility to an eighty-five-acre property where, in addition to the refuge, there will be hands-on, interactive learning opportunities and close-up animal experiences for children and adults alike. Laurie’s dream was assisted with its financial needs on September 29 when the Rosemary Beach Foundation held a wine dinner and charity auction for Alaqua’s relocation program, Project ARC. Fifty guests were treated to a beachfront reception complete with dragonflies dancing across the sunset, a fantastic fivecourse meal created by renowned chef Tim Creehan, and excellently paired wines from Sanglier Cellars. A live auction followed with generously donated items.

The Foundation board president, Zuma Banks, stated, “We are thrilled with the results of our inaugural wine dinner. It was a pleasure to partner with Alaqua Animal Refuge and help them move closer to their relocation goal.” A generous grant from the Dugas Family Foundation will match every dollar raised for Project ARC through December 31, 2014, up to $500,000. Also getting into the mix of the new center is a little celebrity power. Renowned zoologist Jim Fowler, former host of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, will be assisting with the concept and design for the new location. The cost for relocating and developing the new refuge is estimated at about $1 million. Thanks to the Rosemary Beach Foundation and the matching grant, Alaqua is $75,000 closer to reaching the financial needs for the project.

Through the generosity of local businesses and individual animal lovers, almost $40,000 was raised. This sum included a $10,000 pledge from VIE magazine from the advertising proceeds of its September/ October Animal Issue, which featured Alaqua Animal Refuge. After the auction, Laurie Hood spoke of her appreciation to all who contributed and about how the funds will help expand what the refuge can do to end the atrocities of animal abuse in our area. “We are blessed to have such an incredibly supportive community and appreciate the ongoing relationship we have with the Rosemary Beach Foundation,” said Laurie. “This dinner enabled us to share our vision for the future of the refuge and helps us reach our goal for relocation.”

44 | N O V E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 014

“This dinner enabled us to share our vision for the future of the refuge and helps us reach our goal for relocation.”

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: 1. TAGLIERINI BOLOGNAISE WITH SHAVED ROMANO CHEESE PREPARED BY CHEF TIM CREEHAN 2. HOSTS CARL AND TAMARA TRICOLI 3. DELICIOUS SEARED SCALLOPS WITH KEY LIME BUTTER SAUCE 4. GLENN ALEXANDER WITH DEMETRIA AND RICHARD MCNEESE 5. TAYLOR AND LAURIE HOOD, FOUNDERS OF ALAQUA ANIMAL REFUGE 6. LISA BURWELL AND SANDY WEINER, Photo by Kelly Beasley 7. CHEF TIM CREEHAN OF CUVEE BISTRO V IE Z INE .C OM | 45

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Schatzi & The StringBoffin By Colleen E. Hinely Photos by Chryseis Golden Photography

48 | N O V E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 014

schatzi [shaht-see] noun. German slang. darling; sweetheart Her spirit is palpable, ambient, and wise. Dannica Lowery, a.k.a. “Schatzi,” is the transcendent darling of the duo Schatzi and the String Boffin. Born and raised in Pensacola, Florida, Dannica inherited a lyrical virtue from her raconteur mother, Kathy, a published poet and storyteller. Her instrumental prowess is the propagated legacy of her musician father, Mark Lowery. Dannica Lowery’s early life was fortified by music and nurtured by her parents and other talented family members, including several aunts, uncles, and cousins. Schatzi’s early exposure to various genres of music, including rock, blues, and folk, triggered her hunger to pursue a musical career.

boffin [bof-in] noun. British slang. scientist; technical expert Ben Parsons, the “String Boffin,” began playing guitar at the age of eleven. Impelled by his love of blues guitar, Ben spent his formative years mastering various techniques and the artistry of classical guitar. Later, Ben would whet his musicianship as a music theory and composition major at Florida State University, expanding his string acumen with study of classical guitar, mandolin, and piano. Ben’s early exposure to the various genres of music, his later course of study in music theory, and his unwavering lust for perfecting his craft actuated the “String Boffin” and prompted his dedication to melodic creativity. High atop an oceanside bluff in Playa Maderas, Nicaragua, a dream crystallized. In the spring of 2013, Dannica’s then fiancé, a boat captain, was out to sea on another prolonged trip. She recalls, “The wind was blowing. I had never felt so alive. I had never felt so free, and I realized at that moment that I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to play music.” Dannica recalls looking at her engagement ring: “I felt at that moment that this huge rock represented shackles almost, and that I was not wanting to skip seasons in my life—I wanted to bloom properly.” Upon return to the United States, Dannica began planning a nationwide tour, and her first order of business was to find a mandolin player. “I had shopped around Nashville for one, but I just wasn’t able to find anyone that I jibed with,” recalls Dannica. Feeling discouraged after her diligent quest, Dannica came across a picture on Facebook taken at Topsail Hill Preserve’s weekly concert series, Americana Under the Stars. This particular photo

showed Ben Parsons playing the mandolin. It so happens that Ben is Dannica’s stepbrother—a familial alliance created by the marriage of Dannica’s father, Mark, and Ben’s mother, Paula. According to Dannica, “I had always known Ben to play the guitar; I didn’t realize he had learned the mandolin.” Without delay, Dannica contacted Ben and asked him to accompany her on the impending U.S. tour. In August of 2013, Schatzi and the String Boffin began touring the nation; their first show was in Taos, New Mexico. During their very first rehearsal, it was plain to see that Dannica’s and Ben’s respective musical styles meshed perfectly. The synergetic alchemy between Schatzi and the String Boffin, as it happens, is a deep-rooted and organic arrangement. Though they may not share DNA, Ben and Dannica do share a parallel, twinlike telepathy. Whether experimenting with an impromptu riff during a live performance or collaborating on a new song, there is a discernable, unspoken harmony of thought patterns exchanged between them. This telepathic communion enables Dannica and Ben to expand upon shared musical objectives. It is palpable on stage and divulged through their folk and Americana-styled songs. Schatzi and the String Boffin’s newly released single, “Creek Don’t Rise,” showcases Ben and Dannica’s unity as collaborators. It also underscores their individual musical strengths: Dannica as masterful songwriter and storyteller, and Ben as proficient instrumentalist. “Dannica is an amazing lyricist,” Ben reveals. “I tend not to focus my attention too much on the lyrics. I’m more focused on

Whether experimenting with an impromptu riff during a live performance or collaborating on a new song, there is a discernable, unspoken harmony of thought patterns exchanged between them.

V IE Z INE .C OM | 49

“We strive to be genuine in our music and let it come naturally.” the lead-line that I’m going to write in or how far I am going to bend the string.” The recent release of “Creek Don’t Rise” has been a lofty accomplishment for the duo. The song was penned by the dim, auxiliary dashboard lights of Dannica’s Jeep, though the listener may imagine the songwriters drifting across a barren western landscape in a virgin ’60 Chevy. Snaking through the desolate canyons and tabletop mesas, Ben and Dannica wrote the song as a soulful, lyrical tale about emancipation and a newfound moxie for leaving an unwanted past behind. Redolent of James Dean’s iconic wanton abandon, “Creek Don’t Rise” is a combination of deep, fiery lyrics and effluxes of pungent leaded gasoline. The folked-up, progressive rock duo is admittedly awestruck by the musical journey thus far. Ben and Dannica acknowledge their continued growth and development as singers, songwriters, and performers.

“There was a lot of controversy over this photo. I’m not a smoker, but I still got an interminable number of insolent comments about how this photo is trashy. Sanctimonious opinions, it would seem. But, this—this is art—and this particular photo shoot was meant to portray the dark romanticism of our music and our upbringing. We grew up in the South in a derelict town. We weren’t particularly well-off. We are musicians of humble roots. We have flaws, vices. We are rough around the edges. We are real. Our music is real. We try to stay true to our roots and always remember where we came from, in our music and in our souls. This photo wasn’t meant to please anyone, or to upset the ‘morally superior.’ It was meant to depict an iconic, indomitable Southern Gothic reality. It was meant to parallel the grit, dirt, blood, sweat, tears, smoke, whiskey—whatever it is that people need after rolling up their sleeves and busting their tails on a hard day. That’s what we’re about.” —Dannica Lowery 50 | N O V E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 014

They’re humbled by the music industry’s early embrace, which has dexterously advanced the duo to perform recent preshow acts for headliners such as Rascal Flatts and Sheryl Crow. “We strive to be genuine in our music and let it come naturally,” Ben declares. Dannica chimes in, “Yeah, we are pretty much on the same page; we want to stay true to our roots and ride the divine flow.” The banding of this pair was a seemingly spontaneous union, yet consideration of their analogous upbringing affirms a predestined and ethereal intervention. They admit becoming stepsiblings at a young age must have been a predetermined fate that would unite their individual and organic talents. Dannica’s lyrical aptitude results in soulful and intimate passages. Her songs are calculated journals of her experiences and her neo-hippie insights. Ben, characterized by Dannica as “brilliant, gifted, and unwavering,” is the architect and designer of the duo’s fundamental melodic uniqueness. Together, Schatzi and the String Boffin exuberantly forecast the design and recording of their first full-length album. Meanwhile, they build on an already firm foundation, an infrastructure designed by family and by fate.

PEOPLE + PLACES Tenth Annual Hurricane Party Benefiting CVHN Photography by Brandan Babineaux On September 26, Bud & Alley’s restaurant in Seaside, Florida, hosted the Tenth Annual Hurricane Party benefiting Children’s Volunteer Health Network, Inc. (CVHN), which helps local uninsured and underinsured children gain access to medical and dental care. With $81,000 raised, the evening turned out to be a recordbreaking success. A silent auction consisting of jewelry, art, aesthetic treatments, and more was a popular attraction as guests began their evening. Guests bid on their mobile phones and iPads in hopes of winning items that had been donated by more than forty local businesses. Guests who were not bidding danced to live music by

Bobby Moore and the Rhythm Aces, had fun in the photo booth, or indulged in the great food and experience that Bud & Alley’s always provides.

The event featured a robust silent auction with donated items from generous businesses and sponsors.

Donated artwork by Gordie Hinds of Seaside, Florida

Sandy Weiner and Kim Isham

Hillary and Chad Farnum

Silent auction items donated by local boutiques

54 | N O V E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 014

PEOPLE + PLACES The evening’s festivities led up to the live auction, where bidding frenzies were created over trips to the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas, private dinners with local chefs, and more! Bidders even raised their paddles to help CVHN purchase a much-needed dental camera for the CVHN Dental Clinic. Just when the live auction was coming to a close, the Alys Foundation, unbeknownst to the crowd, prepared to give CVHN the surprise of the evening. A guest began to bid up a live auction lot from $10,000 to $20,000 and all the way up to $40,000! Members of the Alys Foundation then came on stage to reveal their secret: a gift of $40,000 for CVHN! “This evening was already special to us because it was our tenth annual Hurricane Party,” said Zach

Billingsley, CVHN’s executive director. “The

unbelievable support from Bud & Alley’s, the Alys Foundation, our sponsors, volunteers, everyone who donated auction items, and all who contributed means so much more than I think people realize. Witnessing so many people get behind our mission means everything to our board and staff, who work so hard every day to carry out our mission. We are extremely pleased about the amount raised; however, the real reason we are so excited is

because we know what this funding is going to do

for our local kids. This night is going to change the lives of nearly a thousand kids right here in our own backyard.”

Anna Comer and Shelli Allen Roberts

Silent auction items donated by 30A.com

Dave Rauschkolb and Eric Isham

Jane and Greg Bahr

Silent auction items donated by Grayton Beer Company V IE Z INE .C OM | 55

Putting together such a grand event was a tall order!

Desirable auction items included something for everyone.

Funds from the event will be used for ongoing operations and to sustain the CVHN mission, which includes three major programs: the Just for Grins Mobile Dental Clinic that visits local elementary schools; a network of volunteer providers; and the CVHN Dental Clinic located in Santa Rosa Beach. To learn more, visit www.cvhnkids.org.

FRESH SEAFOOD?

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

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

check our website to find out which restaurants sell certified Gulf-to-Table fish from harbor Docks Seafood market. DES TIN , FL | 850. 837. 2506 | h a r b o r D o c k S .co m S E A F O O D & C O C K TA I L S

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

Discovering the Medical Benefits of a New Cosmetic Procedure:

SMARTLIPO NONSURGICAL NECK REDUCTION TIGHTENS THE NECK AND REDUCES SNORING PERMANENTLY By Kimberly Moskowitz, MS, MD | Photography provided by Cosmetic Vein & Laser Center If you feel like your bedroom is bedlam when the lights go out and snoring fills the room like the shrill of a freight train, there is a life-changing nonsurgical treatment on the horizon that may help restore silence and restfulness to your nights. Snoring is a common problem among all ages and both genders. It affects approximately ninety million American adults—thirty-seven million on a regular basis. It plagues men more often than women, increases with age, and is more likely to affect people who are even slightly overweight. Snoring is more than just annoying: it causes sleep deprivation in snorers and those around them, which translates into poor daytime functioning, irritability, lack of focus, and decreased libido. It has also been shown to contribute to hypertension, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and stroke in most population studies. While you sleep, the muscles of your throat relax, your tongue falls backward, and your throat becomes narrow and “floppy.” The narrower your airway becomes, the greater the vibration and the louder 58 | N O V E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 014

effective but compliance is problematic, and most studies show the actual usage of CPAP is only approximately 50 percent, as the patient usually has difficulty wearing a tight mask throughout the night and dealing with high-pressure air blown into the nose.

Before

After

your snoring. Sometimes the walls of the throat collapse, causing complete occlusion and creating a condition called apnea (cessation of breathing). Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious condition that requires medical attention. About half of all people who snore loudly have obstructive sleep apnea. More than three hundred devices are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office as treatments for snoring, but nightly use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask is the current standard of care. The pressure generated by CPAP overrides the weight and bulk of the neck tissue, forcing the airway open while we sleep. CPAP is

Most people who are unable to tolerate the CPAP must turn to surgical treatments, which cost large sums of money and require extensive downtime without guaranteed benefit. The very fact that there are so many treatments and devices for snoring/ OSA is evidence that most of them do not work very well or consistently for everybody. Over the past eighteen months, selective cases of Smartlipo laser liposuction have been performed for excess fat removal from the necks of men and women with both snoring problems and heavy necks. The results surprisingly show that the snoring of all treated patients was lessened dramatically following Smartlipo neck reduction. Several of the treated patients were diagnosed with OSA by a sleep study and wore nightly CPAP prior to treatment. All of the OSA

patients and their spouses reported that snoring was dramatically reduced after the Smartlipo neck reduction procedure. These patients reported improvements in their sleep quality, daytime functioning, and mood, as well as a reduction in the need for CPAP. It is no coincidence that striking improvements in both sleep apnea and snoring have been observed in people who lose weight. In fact, most causes of obstructive sleep apnea are related to extra weight in the neck and throat that compresses the airway during sleep. Because many people genetically carry a few extra pounds in the neck area, the ideal first step in treating OSA should focus on weight loss. Unfortunately, a disproportionate amount of weight loss in the neck is required to completely eliminate snoring and obstruction. This excess weight can be easily and permanently removed from the neck using the Smartlipo laser in about an hour under local anesthesia. The Smartlipo TriPlex™ harnesses three specific laser wavelengths that gently and safely liquefy unwanted fat and stimulate collagen to tighten and lift overlying skin. This creates a slimmer neck, softer jowls, and a contoured jawline, making the face and neck appear healthier and more youthful. The results are permanent because the liquefied cells are gently suctioned out of the area and the body never regenerates them. Downtime is minimal, and most patients return to work in a few days with only mild bruising and soreness, which last less than a week. Smartlipo is also designed to tighten and contour the abdomen, arms, thighs, knees, and back, as well as the neck.

iPhone • Android • iPad • 30Aradio.com

Smartlipo is the new cutting edge of medicine, where we learn to accept and enjoy and the symbiosis between medical and cosmetic benefits. It is life changing to think that a simple onehour procedure may reduce or eliminate snoring permanently. Don’t let snoring take your breath away!

Kimberly Moskowitz, MS, MD

For locations or to learn more about Cosmetic Vein and Laser Center, visit www.skinandveins.com. V IE Z INE .C OM | 59

WHERE THE

WILD THINGS ARE Glacier National Park

Montana’s Flathead Valley

Nicknamed the Switzerland of North America, Glacier National Park in northwest Montana rivals its Swiss lookalike with majestic glacial peaks, high alpine meadows, and pristine woodlands rich with rivers and lakes. But Glacier’s riveting scenery isn’t the only thing worth yodeling about. This million-acre refuge also teems with wildlife: bald eagles, elks, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, lynx, moose, mountain lions, wolverines, wolves, black bears, and approximately three hundred grizzlies—the largest population in the lower forty-eight states. A few summers ago, my husband, John, and I dared to answer the call of the wild as we traveled to this remote wilderness.

62 | N O V E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 014

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

earing wet suits and helmets, John and I braced ourselves as the bow of our inflatable kayak—coined a “divorce duckie” by some—plunged beneath the churning turquoise water that was so cold it took my breath away. John received a similar invigorating introduction as the icy spray arched above me and slapped him with a loud “Whack!” So far, the famed Middle Fork stretch of the Flathead River, located near Glacier National Park’s west entrance, was living up to its wicked depiction in the blockbuster film The River Wild starring Meryl Streep. Our paddling skills—not to mention our marriage— were tested when we neared the notorious Bone

Crusher rapids in the heart of scenic John Stevens Canyon. My adrenaline spiked as our kayak ricocheted off protruding boulders, spun around like a top, then plunged backward down the gushing falls— miraculously without flipping over! Reputable outfitters such as the Montana Raft Company in Columbia Falls provide knowledgeable, experienced guides and all your gear for excursions on tamer rivers, also. Glacier is America’s third-oldest and fourthlargest national park. Massive glaciers sculpted it 170 million years ago and named for the 150 glaciers that graced this wilderness in the late

1800s. Sadly, only twenty-six glaciers remain and scientists predict that they will also fall victim to global warming and disappear by 2030. Glacier’s untamed terrain is sandwiched between Montana’s Flathead National Forest to the west, the Blackfeet Indian Reservation to the east, and Canada’s Waterton Lakes National Park to the north. In 1932, the two parks were officially linked, creating the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, the first of its kind. Visitors may cross back and forth between parks without paying additional entrance fees, but passports are required.

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The Flathead Valley The lush Flathead Valley is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise, offering white-water rafting, fly-fishing, boating, kayaking, biking, hiking, and cross-country and downhill skiing, plus numerous charming towns to explore. Both Columbia Falls and Hungry Horse make convenient bases for exploring the Flathead Valley and West Glacier. Hungry Horse’s quirky name dates back to the harsh winter of 1901 when two freight horses, having strayed from their sleigh, were found nearly starved after a month in the wilderness. Hungry Horse’s claims to fame are its gargantuan dam, which was once the fourth largest in the world, and the Huckleberry Patch, a local institution that has been making homemade huckleberry specialties such as pies, fudge, and jams since 1949. Originally a logging town, Whitefish, located on Whitefish Lake, which is filled to the brim with— you guessed it—whitefish, is roughly thirty miles northwest of Hungry Horse and a visitor’s delight. Its downtown exudes a Victorian-meets-Old West appeal with quaint shops and eateries, like the Red Caboose Diner, a repurposed railcar serving all-day breakfasts and huckleberry martinis. Other notable pit stops include the Great Northern Brewing Company, one of Montana’s renowned microbreweries; Pescado Blanco, known for its bison enchiladas and elk chorizo; and Sweet Peaks Ice Cream, a 64 | N O V E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 014

Glacier’s hiking is unrivaled and features over seven hundred miles of maintained trails traversing remarkable scenery, from alpine meadows and forests to snow-capped peaks with iceberg-laden lakes. purveyor of homemade ice creams that loves to show off what Montana has to offer, including huckleberry ice cream. Time your visit to coincide with Tuesday night’s lively farmers market and enjoy live music, yummy treats, and great people watching. Whitefish Mountain Resort, located several miles north of town on Big Mountain, offers downhill skiing in winter and myriad summer activities such as Walk in the Treetops, rock climbing, mountain biking, alpine sliding, and zip-lining. We rode the gondola to the summit and then hiked the popular Danny On Trail. Midway down, John and I caught “huck fever,” which runs rampant in August and September when ripened huckleberries bejewel area woodlands. Huckleberries are similar to blueberries in taste and appearance, yet they only grow wild and cost four times as much, making them a seasonal delicacy. Our fevers finally broke at the Hellroaring Saloon, a ramshackle chalet on the slopes of Big Mountain, where we drank in a breathtaking sunset and a few Trout Slayer ales.

Flathead Lake Sprawling Flathead Lake is a short drive south of Kalispell and Glacier Park International Airport. Although Flathead is northwest Montana’s largest lake, it can be driven in one leisurely swoop. Nestled on the rugged northwestern shore, Lakeside has a smattering of shops, cafés, and bars overlooking a picturesque marina that hosts a vintage wooden boat show each August. Flathead’s flat southern tip, near the sage-colored prairies of Flathead Indian Reservation, is home to the oldest lake town, Polson, where numerous festivals, rodeos, powwows, and boat races are held. The lush eastern shoreline is famous for its ruby-red Flathead and yellow Rainier cherry trees. Acres of orchards slope down lush green terraces to Flathead’s sapphire shores. In summer, roadside cherry stands appear around every bend, so stop and treat yourself to this mouthwatering ambrosia. Mmmmmm. Bigfork was our pick for most charming town. Tucked between verdant mountains and Flathead Lake, this

friendly resort hub is also where animal specialist and television personality Jack Hanna chooses to hang his hat. Trendy Grille 459’s upstairs deck makes a perfect perch for lunch before you mosey down to Riecke’s Bayside Gallery to shop for pottery and paintings created by local artists. Conclude your tour at nearby Flathead Lake Brewing Company, where on Sundays you can enjoy live music on the deck while sampling delicious microbrews.

West Glacier and Lake McDonald Glacier’s hiking is unrivaled and features over seven hundred miles of maintained trails traversing remarkable scenery, from alpine meadows and forests to snow-capped peaks with icebergladen lakes. One of our favorite hikes was on West Glacier’s Sperry Trail, which starts near pristine Lake McDonald, Glacier’s largest lake. The challenging six-and-a-half-mile round-trip trail, which some trailblazers travel by horseback, passes some of Glacier’s waterfalls and streams before unfurling upon an ice-scoured, craggy basin that’s home to historic Sperry Chalet (and numerous mountain goats). Trekkers who stay overnight can savor breathtaking sunsets and sunrises in solitude. We were tempted but retreated instead to the historic Lake McDonald Lodge, which offers scenic boat tours, quaint accommodations, rustic yet refined dining, and a hunting-themed lobby with a large

stone fireplace that’s perfect for Glacier’s chilly summer nights.

The North FoRk and Polebridge We drove away from West Glacier’s pristine environs, where smooth pavement abruptly became bumpy dirt, and headed to the North Fork, one of Glacier’s most isolated regions. The crooked route winds past miles and miles of charred trees and stumps—sober reminders of the fierce fire of 2003 that torched over 13 percent of the park. Upon closer view, we spotted sprigs of fireweed, signifying that a rebirth is under way. The fire-ravaged terrain transitioned to dense green woodlands with abundant lakes, rivers, and floodplains near the British Columbian border. Roaming freely around this no-man’s land are mountain lions, wolves, bears, birds of prey, and one of America’s rarest mammals—not to mention Glacier’s smallest predator—the pygmy shrew, which weighs only three ounces. With an enviable metabolism and a respiratory rate twenty-five times greater than a human’s, this molelike eating machine devours up to three times its body weight daily.

Huckleberries are similar to blueberries in taste and appearance, yet they only grow wild and cost four times as much, making them a seasonal delicacy.

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Barely on the grid, Polebridge abuts Glacier’s northwestern boundary and is the North Fork’s only real civilization, albeit with very limited services and no gas stations. You know you’ve reached Polebridge when you see a sign that says, “Slow down—people breathing.” Just ahead is a two-story red-planked institution, the Polebridge Mercantile, built circa 1914. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the “Merc” sells sundries, camping supplies, groceries, and melt-in-your-mouth baked 66 | N O V E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 014

goods. The rustic setting reminded me of the 1990s television series Northern Exposure, and at any moment I expected to see a moose amble by. Next door is the North Fork’s most popular (read: only) restaurant, the Northern Lights Saloon, which occupies a cozy log cabin and serves up tasty dinners daily in summer and on weekends in winter. Patrons relax outside under huge tree canopies at weather-beaten picnic tables and on stumps. A sign

warns, “Unleashed dogs will be eaten.” After hiking Polebridge’s bearinfested backcountry surrounding picture-perfect Lake Bowman, we realized that those weren’t necessarily just joking words. In fact, after noticing numerous telltale signs that we “weren’t alone,” John decided to try what wilderness experts advise, which supposedly helps ward off surprise encounters with bears and other potentially dangerous animals. As we trekked through waist-high huckleberry brambles, John clacked his hiking sticks together and called out, making our presence known. However, his shouts of “Hello, Mr. Bear” sounded more like he was greeting Boo-Boo with a pic-a-nic basket than a formidable force to be reckoned with. Needless to say, the next day we bought bear spray.

The Continental Divide and Going-to-the-Sun Road Revered as one of the world’s most spectacular drives, Glacier’s fifty-three-mile Going-to-the-Sun Road is an engineering marvel carved into majestic mountainsides and clinging to cliffs. Only open a few months of the year, the breathtaking Sun Road crosses the snowcapped peaks of the Continental Divide at Logan Pass,

an elevation of 6,646 feet. The popular visitor’s center has exhibits, including a grizzly paw print that is as large as a dinner plate. Behind the visitor’s center, boardwalks lead to Hidden Lake at the foot of majestic Reynolds Mountain, a playground for mountain goats and bighorn sheep. Across the road is the trailhead for the more challenging Highline Trail, which skirts rugged ridges and squeezes past wildflower-carpeted meadows dotted with grazing bighorn sheep. Around every bend, intrepid trekkers are rewarded with some of the most spectacular panoramas I’ve ever seen, but you don’t have to venture far to see wildlife. Hovering on the ridge above the parking lot, John spotted several shaggy white mountain goats. Vintage Red Buses, familiar sights on the Sun Road, provide tours of the park and give passengers exquisite views from their open roofs. Called Jammers locally, these beloved icons from the 1930s were named for the gear jamming that occurred when drivers shifted gears on the mountain roads. Today the nostalgic Jammers have automatic transmissions, so the jamming noises are gone but the nickname remains.

East Glacier and Swiftcurrent Lake Glacier’s eastern environs proved to be even more rugged and wild. Many of the upcountry trails are coated in crumbly sedimentary rock that can be especially precarious underfoot when navigating

Steep switchbacks zigzag around surviving glaciers like the majestic Grinnell Glacier, which appears just out of reach and towers above goatstudded cliffs and milky-jade pools flecked with icebergs. jagged ravines while being distracted by moose and hoary marmots. Steep switchbacks zigzag around surviving glaciers like the majestic Grinnell Glacier, which appears just out of reach and towers above goat-studded cliffs and milky-jade pools flecked with icebergs. The tundra’s fingernumbing temperatures don’t seem to bother the hordes of relentless ground squirrels, which resemble weasels and will practically jump in your lap if you stop to picnic. We spent our first two nights at Glacier’s nostalgic Swiftcurrent Motor Inn and Cabins, located near Swiftcurrent Lake and smack-dab in the middle of one of the park’s prime grizzly bear habitats. In fact, several trails near our cabin were temporarily closed due to bear activity. Luckily, during our stay we saw four grizzlies—a sow and her three cubs. These were spotted from a safe distance in the motor inn’s parking lot, where rangers set up grizzly viewing stations each evening with highpowered binoculars mounted on tripods.

I anxiously waited my turn, my eyes glued to the green hillside meadow where Mama Bear foraged around a big rock for food while the playful trio scampered about. When I finally peered into the lens, what I saw flabbergasted me. The sow raised her front paw and in one nonchalant swat, flipped the behemoth stone over on its side! Even in summer, northwest Montana’s weather can be far from mild and sometimes swings to extremes in a matter of hours. Days can range from warm and sunny to chilly and drizzly, and on occasion, it even snows. During our four-day stay on the eastern side of the park, we experienced all of the above. Thankfully, the really nasty weather didn’t roll in until after we moved from our modest cabin with off-site communal showers and bathrooms to the nearby Swiss-style Many Glacier Hotel. Built in 1914 by the Great Northern Railway and billed as the Showplace of the Rockies, this historic chalet features rustic yet comfortable rooms with claw-foot tubs and carved balconies overlooking Swiftcurrent Lake and Grinnell Glacier. V IE Z INE .C OM | 67

Guests congregate in the überatmospheric lobby with spectacular lake and mountain views, while lederhosen-clad bellmen hoist logs into the huge suspended fireplace, stoking them with a shepherd’s crook. The coziest seats are on comfy cushions that cover the wraparound hearth and are best enjoyed while sipping a glass of wine or mug of hot cocoa. On-site dining includes the lively Interlaken Lounge with an Oktoberfest feel and pub menu, and the gargantuan

Ptarmigan Dining Room, which overlooks the lake and serves fresh trout and fruit strudels. Along with Jammer tours and boat cruises, guests can take a fascinating historical tour of the hotel and attend evening shows, such as Grammy Award–winning singer/songwriter David Walburn’s multimedia presentation about Lewis and Clark’s explorations, a must-see highlight for anyone staying here.

The weather had still not improved by our last day. The board in the lobby read: “Today’s Weather: Don’t even ask!” So, we ditched our hiking boots, grabbed umbrellas, and set off to visit another of Glacier’s famed historic lodges a few hours’ drive away. We headed farther north over a powder-dusted pass, stopping briefly for a snowball fight before continuing across miles of sloping prairies to East Glacier Park. Glacier Park Lodge is located a stone’s throw away from the park’s east entrance on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Hotel guests can still arrive by railway, as they have since 1913 when the lodge opened, though these days it’s aboard Amtrak. The Western-themed lodge features an impressive lobby supported by sixty massive Douglas fir pillars. It’s no wonder the Blackfeet named the hotel Omahkoyis or “Big Tree Lodge.” We returned to our cozy lodge in time to attend Sunday night’s Hootenanny, a tradition at Many Glacier from the 1960s through the 1980s that was revived in 2006. In the packed lobby, talented staffers from across the globe sang, danced, and played

music, dazzling the enthusiastic audience. Following the finale and several rounds of thunderous applause, Mother Nature delivered an unexpected encore. The ominous, billowy curtain of clouds that had shrouded the park for days miraculously lifted, revealing a dramatic sunset over Swiftcurrent Lake. We watched as the sun, like many glaciers past, slowly melted behind the jagged horizon.

Writerâ€™s note Glacier National Park is open year-round, although its lodges and most park services only operate from late May to mid-September, so book very early. Also, Wi-Fi connectivity does not exist within the park and cellular service is limited.

速

photography | Dawn Chapman Whitty

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LIGHTS

CAMERA FASHION South Walton Fashion Week Dazzles the Catwalk BY JORDAN STAGGS PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHEILA GOODE

The sleek white runway stood out in a sea of chairs topped with exclusive swag bags. Lights flashed in time as the bass pumped. The energy was almost palpable as tensions and butterflies rose among models and designers backstage. The same could be said of anticipation levels out front; the impeccably styled members of the audience, the media pit, and the esteemed panel of judges anxiously awaited the first look to saunter down the catwalk. It cannot be denied; thereâ€™s nothing like fashion week.

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Couture connoisseurs from around the country flocked to Grand Boulevard at Sandestin’s Town Center in Miramar Beach, Florida, for the area’s most fashionable event of the year, South Walton Fashion Week 2014 in early October. The second annual event was preceded by a week of designer trunk shows, special shopping events, and preview parties, not to mention months of hard work put in by the featured runway designers and stores, hair and makeup specialists, event organizers, and models. 1. Presented by Visit South Walton, South Walton Fashion Week (SWFW) was produced by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County in conjunction with Briane O’Dell and Hillary Fosdyck of Monark Events, and Grand Boulevard at Sandestin.

In addition to events and runway shows put on by local boutiques, SWFW featured runway shows by Nicole Paloma, 51INC, and Mychael Knight, as well as the Emerging Designer Competition, during which designers from around the country vied for a cash prize, a spread in VIE’s 2015 Food and Fashion Issue captured by renowned photographer Sheila Goode, and his or her own featured runway show at SWFW 2015. America’s Next Top Model Cycle 2 winner Yoanna House emceed the main event. The competition was fierce between these emerging designer finalists: Maria Bailey (MZK Designs), Quieesha Fanesse Burns (Bodii Bii Corii), Andi Eaton (Hazel and Florange), Annie Etzel (Annie E. Apparel), Nayoung Grace LaPerriere (Amazing Grace Couture), Nikki Manuel (American Prep Clothing Company), Tara Skelley (Dilettante Collection), Caroline Smith ( Janie G. Couture), and competition winner Romey Roe, whose collection, Retrospect Introspection, beguiled and impressed the three judges: Project Runway alumnus Mychael Knight, New York City designer Jin Seo of 51INC, and VIE publisher Lisa Burwell.

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1. ROMEY ROE, THE 2014 SWFW EMERGING DESIGNER COMPETITION WINNER 2. STUNNING DESIGN BY ROMEY ROE ON THE SWFW RUNWAY 3. DESIGN BY EMERGING DESIGNER COMPETITION CONTESTANT NAYOUNG GRACE LAPERRIERE 4. DRESS BY ROMEY ROE 5. CHIC LOOK FROM FEATURED DESIGNER AND DESIGN COMPETITION JUDGE MYCHAEL KNIGHT 6. DESIGN BY FEATURED DESIGNER AND COMPETITION JUDGE JIN SEO OF NYC’S 51INC 7. DRAMATIC FEATHERED SKIRT BY NICOLE PALOMA

6. 7.

IN ADDITION TO EVENTS AND RUNWAY SHOWS BY LOCAL BOUTIQUES, SWFW FEATURED RUNWAY SHOWS BY NICOLE PALOMA, 51INC, AND MYCHAEL KNIGHT, AS WELL AS THE EMERGING DESIGNER COMPETITION. V IE Z INE .C OM | 75

2014 MODEL COMPETITION WINNER MALEENA PRUITT WEARING MYCHAEL KNIGHT Photo by Chip Kennedy 76 | N O V E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 014

And no runway would be complete without the models. South Walton Fashion Week’s Model Competition was full of beauty, grace, and talent, enhanced with hair and makeup provided by Vivo Spa Salon and MAC Cosmetics at Belk in Destin Commons and Pier Park. The winning model, Maleena Pruitt of nearby Niceville, Florida, won a cash prize and an interview with Click Models of Atlanta, will be the face of South Walton Fashion Week 2015, and will be modeling Romey Roe’s designs in the photo shoot with Sheila Goode for VIE’s next Food and Fashion Issue. Model judges included America’s Next Top Model Cycle 19 winner Laura James, photographer Sheila Goode, makeup artist Yvette Nation, and VIE art director Tracey Thomas.

Outside the runway, the SWFW Style Lounge featured pop-up shops, signature cocktails, a beauty bar, and the VIP lounge for guests to enjoy while they waited for the main event, all presented by dedicated local sponsors. Congratulations to all on making SWFW 2014 a success, and VIE can’t wait to see you again next year!

1. MEMBERS OF THE ESTEEMED JUDGES PANEL LOOK ON: (LEFT TO RIGHT) LISA BURWELL, JIN SEO, MYCHAEL KNIGHT, AND LAURA JAMES. 2. AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL WINNER YOANNA HOUSE WAS THE EMCEE FOR SWFW 2014. 3. SWFW ORGANIZER HILLARY FOSDYCK OF MONARK EVENTS WATCHES AS THE RUNWAY MAGIC HAPPENS. Photo by Chip Kennedy

Look for an in-depth story on SWFW featuring Romey Roe and Maleena Pruitt, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to be an SWFW model, coming up in VIE’s March/April 2015 Food and Fashion Issue!

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Panama City Beach Seafood and Music Festival 2014 BY JORDAN STAGGS PHOTOGRAPHY BY NIKKI HEDRICK

V IE Z INE .C OM | 83

he salty breeze held a trace of fall chill but the stage was red hot as music lovers and foodies from far and wide converged upon beautiful Panama City Beach, Florida, for the annual Seafood and Music Festival held at Aaron Bessant Park October 17 and 18, 2014. Each year the festival has stepped up its game, bringing both locals and visitors to the coast for award-winning national musical acts, fresh Gulf seafood, and what are known as some of the world’s most beautiful white-sand beaches. The Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, Visit Panama City Beach, and Visit Florida presented this year’s festival, and it saw great success. “I was very pleased with our staff and the countless hours they put in both leading up to the event and for the event itself,” said Lance Allison, president and CEO of the PCB Chamber. “It’s amazing that seven dedicated professionals managed over three hundred volunteers, ten food vendors, and twentyseven retail vendors.” The delicious aroma from the tents of favorite Panama City Beach restaurants wafted through the crowd as they lined up for a selection of culinary creations featuring everything under the sea such as grouper tacos, she-crab soup, ceviche, shrimp boil, gumbo, and fried seafood baskets, as well as fair favorites like funnel cakes and the unique wine ice cream from Wine Not Florida. Other participating vendors this year were Firefly restaurant, Cabin Creek Catering, Fishale Taphouse and Grill, Hammerhead Fred’s, Marina Cantina, Sharky’s Beachfront Restaurant, Shipwreck Island, Fahrenheit Grill and Lounge, Race City, and Smok’n Butts Barbecue, with libations provided by MillerCoors and Jack Daniel’s. Across Aaron Bessant Park, the grand stage cast a glow on the crowd as they gathered to hear national music acts throughout the weekend. Friday’s concerts set the bar high with the Dylan Altman Blues Band opening for headliners Foghat, the Outlaws, and Blues Traveler. Fans young and old bobbed their heads to classic rock tunes such as “Slow Ride,” “Green Grass and High Tides,” “Run-Around,” and a Blues Traveler rendition of Sublime’s “What I Got.”

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“The Band Perry put on an amazing show,” Allison said. “The festival was a huge success from Friday night on, with Aaron Bessant Park Amphitheater as a star. Each act brought with it an incredible light and sound display. The crowd was always engaged and really enjoyed the whole event.” In addition to the main event, a festival 5K run/walk was held the morning of October 18 with runners weaving through Pier Park, and the preceding weekend was packed with special festival waterfront activities at Capt. Anderson’s Marina on Grand Lagoon. Capt. Anderson’s presented a historical exhibit of Bay County’s fishing and seafood industries and information on the recent changes to the red snapper fishing season, which has been dramatically shortened over the past couple years. Their motto for the weekend was “Everyone get a line in the water,” with free kids’ fishing clinics and a free Grand Lagoon Fishing Classic tournament.

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By Chad Thurman Photography by Romona Robbins

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If you’ve watched a television in the last decade, or lingered for a moment on any of the major TV networks, or made it a standing date with a friend or partner to tune in to any of the myriad TV shows viewers fervently claim as favorites these days, then you’ve probably, albeit unwittingly, heard the music of a composer whom you’ve most likely never heard of by name—James Kernick.

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top off these tracks perfectly, and makes it ready for a dramatic scene change, a cut to commercial, or an episode ending. I have two directions I compose in—composing in a specific musical style or composing freely through improvisation; although usually I’m still leaning towards a TV-friendly piece of music even if it’s experimental, bizarre, or just plain vacuous. You never know when a more “off the wall” piece is going to become a heavily played TV piece. A bit of trial and error, I suppose.

many different acoustic instruments including, but not limited to, banjo, ukulele, and guitar. The options for instruments and sounds is almost unlimited these days, so, depending on the project, I make an effort to either keep the track “pure” to the style or create a hybrid of styles. Right now, hip-hop rhythms with orchestral elements are in big demand. A big epic, orchestral, techno-hybrid ending will

If I’m composing a requested or “high demand” specific style and/or mood, I often listen to snippets of successful or inspiring examples of the style I’m going for. Once I feel I have a good idea of the vibe and the instrumentation needed, I’ll find an appropriate tempo. If I’m writing in an orchestral style, I’ll use a click track (for tempo) and start trying ideas with pizzicato strings and bass. This usually is enough to create a good backbone for the track. I’ll then usually work in a melody idea with a clarinet, celesta, or other bright instrument. Once there’s a harmonic base and good melody to develop on, I’ll start an arrangement and see what elements should go where. It’s usually a build up from the most simple, catchy elements, to a full interplay of all the elements. Dynamic variations are very advantageous when placing music to video. And, most

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importantly, I try to build up to a nice solid, proper song ending. Having a good dramatic or fun “sting” ending is very important for visual scene changes and “act outs” for commercial breaks. Kernick spends approximately two months every year in Europe at his family farmhouse in the tiny village of Vysočany, in the Czech Republic. He has composed in Jena, Germany; Prague and Pilsen, the Czech Republic; Almería, Spain; Paris, France; and Amsterdam, the Netherlands, as well as in Montreal, Quebec. When traveling, I have to cut my studio down to very basics. I’ll have a laptop, a very small keyboard, headphones, and a guitar. It’s limited compared to my home studio, but being limited and out of my element often brings out some very good results. This is all possible because of the truly amazing music software available. It’s incredible what you can create inside the computer. And you can keep that warm organic, human sound if you treat it just right. Of course, when traveling, I miss my real acoustic instruments. I can travel and write. I write a lot on the road. I once composed a piece on a keyboard and laptop in the bulkhead of a plane! I write better in different settings; the music does not necessarily always reflect the area. For example, we have a renovated farmhouse in Vysočany in western Bohemia in the Czech Republic—the former Sudetenland. It’s at the end of the road, out in the middle of nowhere, very quiet and peaceful. I’ve written music there that was not reflective of the surroundings; it was harsh and certainly not peaceful. Sometimes the less you have, the better the stuff you come up with; getting out of your element is good for you.

Being a professional composer in today’s digital world means that for the artist to find success, he or she often ends up taking on more than one role in the creative process. This is something that Kernick accepts and uses to his advantage. Writing, arranging, and orchestrating the music is only half the battle. Having professional-sounding music is a must. This puts me in the position of composer, producer, and studio engineer—a veritable one-man band. In this age of incredible music software, I find it nice to keep my music on the warm, analog, organic, and human side. That’s an art in itself. There’s a place for cold, digital machine music, but generally people are going to lean towards more natural and ubiquitous sounds. I don’t see a good-sounding piano or guitar going out of style any time soon. The next time you are watching TV, take notice of the sounds that are an integral part of moving the action or dialogue forward. Notice how prominent yet inconspicuous this music is. What some call “background music” will now suddenly come to the foreground of your awareness, and you’ll have a newfound frame of reference for enjoying your favorite TV shows. And now back to your regularly scheduled program.

To hear some of Kernick’s music, visit

www.soundcloud.com/james-kernick-music

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By Tori Phelps Photography courtesy of Lindsey Stirling

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somehow they found the money, and their sacrifice motivated the young musician even more. “I knew how much my parents loved us and wanted us to succeed,” Stirling recalls. “That made me realize I needed to take advantage of the gift they were giving me so willingly.”

There are dozens of names for musical genres, all designed to pigeonhole musicians and their songs by sound. Once in a while, though, someone appears on the scene who defies labels, a rare voice that stands out in a crowd of “been there, heard that.” Lindsey Stirling is one of those voices. Hers is an impossible-to-brand fusion of Celtic folk, classical, and dubstep, a subgenre of electronic dance music. It doesn’t seem like a combination that should work, but in Stirling’s talented hands, the effect is a mesmerizing, soul-stirring extravaganza of music and dance that has attracted millions of fans and sold out concerts all over the world. And it all started with a violin. The instrument has been both companion and salvation since grade school, providing solace during painful periods and later helping to cement Stirling as an international music sensation. Her love affair with the violin started at home— in Gilbert, Arizona— where her father, a passionate devotee of orchestral music, played Borodin and Rimsky-Korsakov on the family’s old record player. Money was in short supply, but her dad managed to turn up free orchestra tickets for Stirling and her siblings. “It didn’t take me long to recognize who the stars of the orchestra were,” she says of the violinists. At the age of six, Stirling began petitioning her parents for violin lessons, a seemingly impossible request for the cash-strapped family. But 104 | N O V E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 014

It was apparent almost immediately that her talent matched her interest level, and years of classical training shaped her natural gift into a skill set most musicians never achieve. While she now says it’s crucial for any violinist to have classical training, her high school self believed differently. “I started losing interest in violin because I felt classical music was too constrictive,” she says. “I wanted more freedom of expression—to write and play ‘fun’ music.” For the first time since she could remember, Stirling was uninspired by the violin. Instead, she developed an interest in fiddling and joined a rock band, where her passion for music roared back to life. It was the first “crossover” experience for Stirling, who eventually would make genre crossovers her signature. Looking back, it seems one style was never meant to pin her down. Her favorite artists growing up ranged from the female string quartet Bond to indie rockers Weezer and King of Pop Michael Jackson. Other than country-western music, which she admits isn’t a favorite despite her stint as a fiddler in a country band, she loves it all. “There isn’t one style I prefer over another,” she insists. “If it gives me chills, energizes me, and makes me feel uplifted by listening to it, I like it. If it doesn’t do that for me, I don’t.” Among the most recognizable elements in Stirling’s music is Celtic folk, a sound to which she’s been drawn since Riverdance swept onto the world stage during her youth. “I’ve always loved the energy and, of course, the dancing in Celtic folk

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music,” she says. “It’s one of those unique mediums somewhere between violin classical and pop; I guess that’s why I gravitated to it from the beginning.” The realization early on that she wouldn’t be happy following a traditional path created a dilemma for Stirling. She was a classically trained violinist with no intention of playing only classical music. She wanted to explore everything on the musical spectrum that inspired her in an industry that preferred simple labels. She faced nothing less than a question of her musical identity. The answer was both easy and insanely difficult: chart her own course. “I searched for opportunities to create and perform music I enjoyed playing,” she explains. “I made my own music videos with friends, I wrote simple pop songs, I taught myself how to dance, I dreamed, and I set goals.” It was the dreams and goals, she says, that kept her going when she wanted to give up—like when she was voted off America’s Got Talent. She first gained widespread exposure during the reality show’s 2010 season, making it to the quarterfinals. Despite her apparent viewer appeal, then-judge Piers Morgan told Stirling the world had no place for a dancing dubstep violinist. He was wrong. Though she felt “terrible” after her elimination from the show, she used the experience to strengthen her resolve and ultimately soar to new heights. “I learned that it’s moments like these that really define us,” she says. “Do we cave, or do we do the impossible? I decided that if I was supposed to become a professional musician, I was going to do everything in my power to make it happen. And if it was meant to be, I knew God would open the door.” The door did open, but it took quite a bit of shoving. While she says a competition like America’s Got Talent can be a fantastic springboard for an entertainer’s career, hers fell flat after the show. No one seemed interested in promoting her, so she promoted herself, funding her first three singles (“Spontaneous Me,” “Song of the Caged Bird,” and “Transcendence”) on her own. But sales were mediocre at best, as were the gigs she booked. Everything seemed to be a dead end—until she met filmmaker Devin Graham. “He offered to collaborate to help me make my first professional video for YouTube,” Stirling says, “and my career finally started taking off.” In 2012 she released a self-titled album that included “Crystallize,” a hit single that almost didn’t make it to the public. Fearing backlash from the dubstep community over the song’s very different sound, Stirling once again had to fight through doubt and take a leap of faith. “When the song took off like it did, I was totally dumbfounded,” she admits. “It was the most incredible feeling to finally see my dream becoming a reality.”

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Her latest album, Shatter Me, features collaborations with Lzzy Hale of the Grammy-winning band Halestorm and The Voice runner-up Dia Frampton, formerly of Meg & Dia. Stirling wrote all twelve songs on the album, drawing inspiration from her successes and failures, as well as the people and relationships that have made an impact on her life.

B A S M AT I ’ S

The album, which she says she “poured her heart into,” is a very personal collage. Which also made it a very big risk. Fortunately, the risk paid off. Shatter Me debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 album chart when it was released earlier this year. Oh, and did she mention this was all accomplished without the help of a major label? The music industry has been forever changed because of social media sites like YouTube that allow performers to attract fans—or not— based on their talent. And that’s a good thing, according to Stirling. “It used to be that you absolutely needed a major label to pick you up, promote you, and get your music on the radio to become successful,” she explains. “I couldn’t get any major label interested in me, let alone willing to sign a contract with me, but I was able to promote myself through YouTube. I collaborated with other successful artists, and when I released ‘Crystallize’ and it went viral, everything changed. I found a manager, I had the fan base to go on my first tour, and everything snowballed from there.”

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Even traditional radio play isn’t crucial to charttopping success, thanks to Pandora and other Internet radio providers. Perhaps that’s why Stirling still isn’t in any rush to sign with the labels that wouldn’t take a chance on her until she’d already started selling out concert venues. She’s adopted a “never say never” position on the question of labels, but today’s position is no. “I haven’t needed one so far,” she points out. Instead, she’ll continue to make music and enjoy her success the same way she does everything else: on her own terms.

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Pensacola Day and Night

By Anne W. Schultz â€˘ Photography by Cheryl Casey

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Exceptionally clear w ater splashing powd ery-white sand beaches, a dee pwater bay, luxuriou s forests, spring-fed rivers ca rving rugged bluffs, prairies of blooming wildflower s, and a mild, sunn y climate: the same natural elem ents that lure visito rs to the Pensacola, Florida, they tote a bottle of wine and a picnic to the weekly region today are wha t enticed concert at the park.” Five high-ceiled, spacious Spanish settlers here in 1559. However, ba ck then, rooms along with the pool and hot tub make Noble choosing the right loca Manor the perfect retreat after a busy day. tion meant more tha n fun and sun: it made the diff erence between life and death. Sounds like a good strategy to follow. With its Carrying few provisi warm climate and plenty of sunshine, the area has ons, and without bo ttled water always been fun by day, and now that nights twinkle or supermarkets ha ndy, these early sett lers relied brightly with downtown city lights, it’s a joy to excompletely on the bo plore both day and night. unty of sea, rivers, a n d la nd for their very survival. By Day For the twenty-first-century traveler, a getaway to a slow-paced outdoor destination like Pensacola means survival of a different sort. Today’s visitor flocks to these natural havens for relief from tech-driven, stress-filled days to kick back, relax, and take time out for emotional and spiritual replenishment. Pensacola’s abundant natural assets, coupled with a richly layered history, make for a wellrounded vacation of recreational activities, urban pleasures, and historical and cultural enrichment. Although Pensacola has been around for 450 years—longer than the United States has been a country— you’d never know it. The once slumbering downtown now pulsates with energy as the result of a recent revitalization movement. A few nips and tucks here and there, and in some cases major facelifts, have restored its youthful glow. Instead of demolishing old buildings like some cities do, Pensacola restores early nineteenth- and twentieth-century structures for new purposes to preserve historical integrity. An art gallery flourishes in a former jail and a historical museum takes up residence in what once was city hall. Traces of Spain still linger in lacy wrought-iron balconies and courtyards, street names like Palafox, and leafy plazas with splashing fountains. While tapas served at some area restaurants reflect Spanish cuisine, shiny beads flung on trees from a past Mardi Gras parade recall the Catholic heritage spread throughout the Gulf Coast by Spanish missions. “Europeans come for this history, warm climate, and outdoor activities. They prefer staying here and making day trips to the beach,” says Bonnie Robertson, who with her husband, Bob, owns and operates Noble Manor, a 1905 bed-andbreakfast located in the historic North Hill district. “They like coming back here after the beach. They swim in the outdoor pool in the summer and enjoy the hot tub in winter. They love walking downtown from here and sometimes I’ll suggest

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Amble down Seville Square streets laid out by the British and renamed by the Spaniards to learn about the early Spanish colonial era at places like the T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum and the Historic Pensacola Village. Reconstruct Pensacola’s rich and tumultuous past from artifacts collected at the city’s museums. Whether it’s a rusty anchor recovered from a shipwreck or a fragment of armor retrieved from the sand, these found objects bring the past to life. They help you visualize Spanish galleons sailing to shore with massive sails billowing in the breeze and to imagine the terrified reactions of Native Americans as they gazed at strange-looking white men invading their lands, clad in metal armor and sporting beards and long hair. The natives called the gray moss trailing from live oak trees Spanish moss, as it resembled the gray beards of conquistadors. Head to the Historic Pensacola Village to visit some of the twenty-seven buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. They border Seville Square, a spacious green used by the Spaniards for parade grounds, where their horses pranced beneath the shade of massive-limbed live oak trees. A walking tour led by a costumed docent takes you inside some of these homes dating from 1805 to the

1. NORMA’S AT DUH IS A CHARMING OUTDOOR CAFÉ FEATURING SOUPS, SALADS, WINES, AND MORE IN THE COURTYARD AT DUH FOR GARDEN AND HOME. 2. CHEF IRV MILLER OF JACKSON’S STEAKHOUSE GRILLS UP FRESH GULF CUISINE AT THE JAMES BEARD HOUSE IN NEW YORK CITY DURING VISIT PENSACOLA’S SOUTHERN INSPIRED EVENT. PHOTO BY GERALD BURWELL 3. DOWNTOWN PENSACOLA IS BUSTLING WITH LIVE MUSIC, ART, AND MORE EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK. 4. THE HISTORICAL SAENGER THEATRE ON PALAFOX STREET OFFERS BROADWAY SHOWS, CONCERTS, AND CLASSIC FILMS. 5. THE T.T. WENTWORTH, JR. FLORIDA STATE MUSEUM IS A DOWNTOWN LANDMARK.

1890s and representing styles from French-Creole to Victorian. End the tour at Old Christ Church, one of Florida’s oldest surviving churches. After the tour, eat lunch at Dharma Blue, located in a charming vernacular cottage across the square. Try one of their specialties, such as Dharma’s Chef Salad loaded with goodies like grilled chicken, feta cheese, and crunchy almonds, or a Fried Green Tomato Club with applewood-smoked bacon and Creole honey mustard. At night they serve Gulf seafood and some of the finest quality sushi around. Head downtown for more history at the T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum, housed in

an imposing Spanish Revival building that once served as city hall. The Pensacola: City of Five Flags exhibit displays artifacts from a sixteenth-century shipwreck thought to be from the original colonizing expedition. Another exhibit explains how the little-known Battle of Pensacola contributed greatly to America winning its freedom, as it prevented the British from gaining control of the Gulf of Mexico. The Quayside Art Gallery on Zaragoza Street showcases the artistic endeavors of over sixty local artists in one of the largest artist co-ops in the Southeast. Individualistic talents are expressed in everything from oil, acrylic, and watercolor paintings to photography and creations of glass, fiber, and wood. All

are artfully displayed on walls of the old Germania Steam Fire Engine and Hose Company building. Since Pensacola is referred to as the Cradle of Naval Aviation, no visit would be complete without spending several hours at the National Naval Aviation Museum. Even the most earthbound will be impressed at what happens when the Navy takes to the skies in a museum that draws the largest attendance of any kind in Florida, according to the Lonely Planet Florida guidebook. At 300,000 square feet, it’s the largest naval aviation museum anywhere, displaying over 140 restored aircraft from Navy, Marine, and Coast Guard aviation. Follow the evolution of flight from primitive cloth biplanes to streamlined fighter V IE Z INE .C OM | 113

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4 1. AL FRESCO IS A FRESH NEW FOOD TRUCK OASIS LOCATED ON MAIN STREET AND PALAFOX. 2. NO TRIP TO PENSACOLA IS COMPLETE WITHOUT A LOOK INTO THE NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM. 3. THE DOWNTOWN AREA BUZZES DAY AND NIGHT. PHOTO COURTESY OF VISIT PENSACOLA 4. BEAUTIFUL GREENERY AND CHARMING ARCHITECTURE MAKE SEVILLE SQUARE PERFECT FOR AN AFTERNOON STROLL. 5. WHETHER YOU LIVE ON THE GULF COAST OR ARE JUST VISITING, FRESH SEAFOOD IS A MUST! 6. AS A SPECIAL TREAT, TAKE A SIGHTSEEING CARRIAGE AROUND THE DOWNTOWN SHOPS, GALLERIES, RESTAURANTS, AND NIGHTLIFE.

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jets, and marvel at how such a boxy contraption as the NC-4 flying boat made it as the first to cross the Atlantic. To test your own wings, buckle up in a new 3D MaxFlight Simulator for a one-of-a-kind aerial adventure. Not to be missed is the Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show. In November, this precision flying team ends its tour with an acrobatic extravaganza in the skies above its Pensacola home base. On September 20, the museum hosted a gala to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Naval Air Station and the fiftieth anniversary of the Naval Aviation Museum.

FOR FINE DINING IN A RELAXED YET ELEGANT SETTING, VISIT JACKSON’S STEAKHOUSE, NAMED FOR ANDREW JACKSON HIMSELF.

Wander the paths of what resembles a Spanish village of white stucco buildings with clay tile roofs and discover why Duh is a shopping experience unlike any other—anywhere! The Pensacola Digest describes it as a “lifestyle destination.” “People ask me all the time about the name,” says Jim Rigsbee, who, along with partner Quinn Stinson, created Duh for Garden and Home on Ninth Avenue fourteen years ago. “Even though we have elegant, high-quality furnishings, we wanted to keep everything laid-back, so we came up with a playful, unpretentious name.” The original store has

transitioned to four separate buildings containing two clothing boutiques, a stationery shop, a floral design venue, and a dual restaurant, where, after longtime city favorite Norma’s serves lunch, Chef Blake Rushing steps in and whips up dinner at Type. It’s a sensual experience walking through courtyards and arched doorways past lush landscapes of exotic flowering plants and greenery, where garden accessories spill out into the main courtyard with a circular fountain imported from France. Inside, senses are soothed by a sea of furniture and accessories, all in calming neutral colors that mimic a coastal seascape. Picture muted grays as clouds and beiges inspired by wet sand, all accessorized by natural materials like driftwood, shell, stone, and linens. “People stop by here often just to browse,” says Rigsbee. In their store, the owners practice what they suggest customers do: they surround themselves with things they love.

elegant, “Even though we have gs, we high-quality furnishin rything e ev p e e k to d te n a w up with laid-back, so we came s name.” a playful, unpretentiou

By Night Start with a handcrafted martini at Jackson’s Steakhouse, located in a refurbished 1860s building that once housed a mercantile store. Considered Pensacola’s finest, the nine-time consecutive recipient of Florida Trend’s Golden Spoon award is also ranked as one of Florida’s top twenty-five restaurants. With its impeccable service, elegant yet understated decor, and attention to detail both in presentation and quality ingredients, it’s like dining in France, where cooking is considered an art form. Yet it’s homegrown American, as its Chef Irv Miller, one of the pioneers of New Florida

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Cuisine, pays homage to Florida seafood and local produce year-round. He coaxes the maximum flavor from traditional Gulf Coast specialties by using innovative techniques and unique flavor combinations. He features the region’s finest local seafood, like Apalachicola oysters and Destin red snapper, and also supports small local growers and producers of artisanal foods. Patrons look through the original glass windows and see what inspired the restaurant at Plaza Ferdinand across the street. There, a bust of Andrew Jackson commemorates the site where Spain relinquished control of Florida to the United States in 1821, and the American flag first flew over Pensacola. The restaurant’s founders named it in honor of Jackson and use his signature as a logo. Chandeliers bring the park inside with ironwork handcrafted to resemble the roots of live oak trees. Another stellar restaurant is the Global Grill, which occupies a former downtown shoe store. This upscale bar and restaurant gives the city a taste of Spain with its selection of tapas along with main restaurant items. Two signature favorites are succulent lamb lollipops and the applewood-bacon-wrapped lobster tail. Chef Frank Taylor and his wife, Jane, have won numerous awards, including the Golden Spoon twice, since opening in 2003. He employs special French and Creole culinary skills that he perfected as a guest chef under Chef Jamie Shannon at Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. For lighter fare in a casual atmosphere try Carmen’s Lunch Bar, known for its creative soups, salads, and homemade sandwiches. Tapas are served in the evening, when cooler temperatures and coastal breezes invite sitting outdoors and mingling with locals and visitors. The weather is also ideal for outdoor casual fare at Al Fresco, where Airstream trailers offer a choice of diverse cuisines such as Mexican and Thai. Cultural buffs applaud not only performances at the Saenger Theatre but also the building itself—a dazzling beauty after its recent $15 million renovation and expansion. The theatre has hosted ballet, opera, symphony, and stage productions since it opened in 1925. Continue on late into the night as the city buzzes with sounds of conversation and the laughter of crowds hanging around the infusion of new wine bars, brew pubs, and music venues. An occasional melody floats up from one of the pianos placed around sidewalks for anyone to play. 116 | N O V E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 014

BEAUTIFUL HOME FURNISHINGS AND MORE ARE AVAILABLE TO BROWSE AND BUY AT DUH FOR GARDEN AND HOME.

Seville Squa re concert ever hosts a free y crowds gath week, where er and picnic . Seville Square hosts a free concert every week, where crowds gather and picnic. On one Friday each month, Gallery Night draws from ten to fifteen thousand participants who crowd downtown sidewalks, sampling food, drink, and music as galleries open their doors to the public. And if that’s not enough, there are ongoing special events, parades, and festivals scheduled every month. Day or night, a visit to the recently opened Vince J. Whibbs, Sr. Community Maritime Park is sure to please. Sports fans cheer on the Pensacola Blue

Wahoos baseball team at the multipurpose stadium. This waterfront complex includes the stadium, an amphitheater, and multiuse park festival grounds offering thousands of square feet for accommodating large-scale events. And don’t drive away without an ice-packed cooler brimming with local seafood from Joe Patti’s Seafood Market. A tradition since 1931, they sell only the freshest, most reasonably priced seafood in the Florida Panhandle.

Having evolved over centuries, Pensacola anchors the Gulf Coast region, lending a depth, authenticity, and character often lacking in the tourist-obsessed resort communities that seem to spring up overnight. All of these attributes keep people coming back, and many choose to stay. “I moved here from upstate New York to be with my daughter, who is an Air Force pilot, and I love it,” shares Joanne Bobb, a server at Carmen’s Lunch Bar. “I feel safe and the people are so friendly. It’s easy to get around as so much is in walking distance.” Bobb makes a great case for settling down here. After all, Pensacola is like a fine vintage wine: it only gets better with age.

Log on to www.visitpensacola.com and www.downtownpensacola.com for updates and more details.

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PEOPLE + PLACES Second Annual Art of Giving Event Raises over $48,000 for Food For Thought Outreach, Inc. Photos by Jacqueline Ward Images On September 18, with beautiful weather and the Choctawhatchee Bay as the perfect backdrop, the Second Annual Art of Giving took place at Churchill Oaks. The fund-raiser featured an art auction with pieces donated by Chandler Williams of Modus

Photography, Allison Wickey, and Justin Lyons.

Presented by Southern Fashion House and Summer House Lifestyle, the event raised over $48,000 for Food

For Thought Outreach, a local nonprofit that provides

easy-to-prepare meals to students in Okaloosa and Walton Counties. “We couldn’t have asked for a better turnout,” says Food For Thought’s executive director and founder, Tiffanie Shelton. “The generosity of the artists, our sponsors, and everyone who attended made this event a success. We’ll use this money to fund our school programs.” And the money could not have come at a better time.

The organization has seen a substantial increase in

participation across the ten schools they assist. Last year at this time, the enrollment was three hundred. That has expanded to over 670 students. Shelton made

sure to highlight this growth at the event.

Donated original art by Allison Wickey

Guests mingle in the beautiful new Churchill Oaks clubhouse.

Food for Thought founder Tiffanie Shelton with contributing artists Justin Lyons, Allision Wickey, and Chandler Williams

Will and Amanda Edson with Rebecca Sullivan

Roux 30a prepared delicious food and drinks for the event. 118 | N O V E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 014

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PEOPLE + PLACES “It’s important to us that our donors and supporters understand how this money directly affects the lives of these students in need,” Shelton says. “Their donations and sponsorships give us the opportunity to accept more children into our program. We’re grateful for every dollar or food item we receive, and this $48,000 will make an immediate difference in our community.” The event was catered by Roux 30A and Jackacudas, and McNeese Distributing provided the beer and wine. Attendees were also treated to a new ready-to-serve signature cocktail, CHASTE No. 850. Sponsors included SmartBank, Dunlap & Shipman, Beachy Beach 30A Real Estate,

Grinkmeyer Leonard Financial, Destin Shines, ShoFar Productions, and Fishers Flowers. For more information on how to help Food For Thought Outreach, visit www.foodforthoughtfl.org or e-mail info@foodforthoughtfl.org.

Justin Gaffrey, Shelby Schuler, and Tiffanie Shelton

Donated original art by Justin Lyons

Donated original art by Chandler Williams of Modus Photography

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The Great Escape Get Lost on Little Palm Island BY LISA MARIE BURWELL PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF LITTLE PALM ISLAND RESORT AND SPA

The island’s remoteness is definitely part of the charm and gives it an exclusive ambience—one where relaxation and anonymity reign supreme.

The drone of the diesel engine was mesmerizing, sending a familiar and comforting vibration through the mahogany hull. As The Truman splashed through the light chop of the bay waters on a balmy Sunday afternoon, the wind gently tossing my hair, I stared with glorious anticipation toward the final prize of my journey. Who hasn’t fantasized, at least once or twice in their life, of being whisked away by private plane to a remote tropical island? Daydreaming of wonderful places and experiencing new adventures is part of my DNA, but even so, it was difficult to believe it was happening as I set foot on the welcoming planks of the boardwalk at Little Palm Island Resort and Spa in the Florida Keys. Little Palm Island has seen a long and interesting history, having as many different incarnations as it has had owners: it was a regular retreat for President Harry S. Truman and a setting for the filming of PT-109, the Warner Brothers 1962 film starring Cliff Robertson in his role as John F. Kennedy. Its latest reincarnation is the brainchild of the Noble House Hotels and Resorts, which purchased the property and reopened it in 1995 following a multimillion-dollar renovation. The island is actually only an islet—a coral reef that has slowly gathered sand, vegetation, and wildlife to become the five-acre tropical wonder that it is today. But don’t let the small size fool you. In its current configuration, this little gem can deliver a weekend experience that other, much larger resorts only wish they could live up to. This brings me to the purpose of my trip: I was on a forty-eight-hour getaway jaunt with my husband, which is partly the reason I endearingly call this story “The Great Escape.” It was a surprisingly short period of time, but because it was so magical, it felt much longer—and that is always the sign of a good respite! We departed from Panama City Beach, Florida, aboard a Cessna 206 with our capable Island Air Express pilot, Ron Jarmon, at the controls and arrived at Key West International Airport after a picture-perfect three-hour flight (it seemed shorter; Ron is a good conversationalist). Little Palm Island’s mainland welcome center, only a thirty-minute drive away is where the The Truman—the resort’s classic wooden motor launch, named after the former President—departs from on its regularly scheduled excursions to Little Palm Island. The trip out takes around fifteen minutes. Pulling up to the dock, all guests were warmly received by their designated Little Palm greeter. While our luggage made its way to our bungalow via an electric cart, our gracious host gave us a personal walking tour of the property, pointing out important highlights, interesting tidbits, and other good things to know—such as the use of mobile phones is prohibited on the island. The staff at Little Palm does everything it can to provide guests with a stress-free zone, which includes a guarantee that guests will not be accosted by the insensitivity of others scrambling for ringing phones or the inappropriate behavior of telephone conversations in public. For adult travelers seeking blissful peace and relaxation, this is an adults-only getaway, so this is one vacation destination where children (even the four-legged variety) are not allowed.

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Photo by Gerald Burwell

There are a total of fifteen thatched-roof luxury duplex bungalows; this allows for no more than sixty guests on the island at a given time. Accessible only by boat or seaplane, the island’s remoteness is definitely part of the charm and gives it an exclusive ambience—one where relaxation and anonymity reign supreme. Freely roaming Key deer unabashedly greeted strolling guests while the birdcalls from a hundred tropical bird species lilted through the air. Taking in the sights and sounds of the island, I realized that this was a “South Seas meets Swiss Family Robinson” retreat. I had never experienced anything like it before—it was perfection! As is the custom for all guests, our surname graced the rustic wooden marquis at the base of the steps to our quarters. This small detail added to the excitement of the special weekend we were about to experience. From the exterior, our quarters for the weekend could best be described as a very modestly crafted thatched-roof bungalow on an elevated pile foundation. However, once inside, we were greeted by champagne and hors d’oeuvres in an upscale West Indies interior: vaulted ceilings, a sitting room with woodwork and furniture of rich mahogany, colorful woven rugs and fabrics, and vintage accessories and fixtures. The bedroom boasted an elegant four-poster adorned with white gauze fabric to emulate mosquito nets from days gone by. The bathroom was equally impressive with a freestanding porcelain soaking tub, old-world chrome fixtures, and all-stone flooring, vanity, and shower surround. Wooden-slatted window shutters added an authentic tropical detail as well as privacy.

With Little Palm being just ninety miles from Cuba, the food is influenced by Cuba’s zesty Caribbean flare.

Televisions and Wi-Fi are purposely absent from the bungalows to encourage guests to fully partake in all that Little Palm has to offer—which is everything you need (or might wish for) while on a tropical island retreat. If the open water is your style, call the marina to schedule a fishing charter. The beach activities include sailing, stand-up paddleboarding, or just relaxing on a chaise lounge and overlooking the serene Straits of Florida. After spending time on the beach or on the open water, cool down at the intimate and inviting lagoon-style pool, which is naturally shaded by large tropical tree canopies. While there, quench your thirst at the convenient tiki bar. Since absolute self-indulgence is condoned, try a selection of packages at the full-service SpaTerre, which also has a well-equipped fitness center. And if you don’t see anything that interests you, don’t be too shy to ask the island concierge—chances are there is an activity just perfect for you. My favorite of all the amenities on Little Palm Island is the restaurant—simply named “the Dining Room”—with Executive Chef Roly Cruz-Taura at the culinary helm. The Dining Room’s rustic ambience looked like Ernest Hemingway himself might have inspired it. The walls were tastefully adorned with beach life memorabilia, fine art, and photographs from Little Palm’s past lives. The covered veranda is particularly cozy and relaxing. With Little Palm being just ninety miles from Cuba, the food is influenced by Cuba’s zesty Caribbean flare in a style called “Floribbean”—a gourmet fusion

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of Floridian, European, Asian, and Caribbean flavors. Since the menu changes nightly, indulgence is recommended: that mouthwatering temptation may not be there the next day. Cuban-born Luis Pous, the restaurant’s former executive chef, now oversees all of the kitchens within the Noble House Hotels and Resorts family. On the second night of our stay, the Dining Room was to play host to a big highlight of our trip. We were on assignment to cover a private beach concert by the legendary Dr. John, part of the resort’s Sandbar Sessions—a musical event series that is truly unparalleled. Another fabulous meal on the island was ours that evening as we dined on the porch overlooking the beach and the empty stage, which would soon be filled with a legend and his band. I know enough about Dr. John and his music to know that I like his style (Who hasn’t heard “Right Place Wrong Time”?) and to respect his longevity. What I didn’t know was his mystical-meets-voodoo stage vibe, complete with a skull placed prominently on his piano. His sound has been described as a musical gumbo composed of blues, rock, R&B, zydeco, jazz, and standards. This eighttime Grammy Award winner and his megatalented band, the Nite Trippers, was off the charts as they jammed under the moon and stars for an intimate audience of about a hundred people. Watching Dr. John move from playing piano to a solo on guitar to sticks and chicken bones was something to behold! Read more about this legend in the article “Just What the Doctor Ordered – Right Place Right Time.” We must have been in the right place at the right time because we were sitting with our toes in the sand a mere four feet from the band. This surreal experience only added to what already felt like a dream.

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I can’t thank the staff at Little Palm Island enough for making a memory that will last a lifetime for my husband and me.

During our dinner prior to the concert, I noticed the slowly blinking red light of a buoy off in the distant waters. I let my imagination run away with me and conjured up a story that it was a sign to me that we had reached the end of the earth and were not to proceed any further, because this was exactly where we were supposed to be during those forty-eight hours. I can’t thank the staff at Little Palm Island enough for making a memory that will last a lifetime for my husband and me. If you are in need of pampering, wanting to spend time in a piece of paradise, or wishing to get lost and decompress, I urge you to run (or fly) to Little Palm Island as fast as you can. I know that I’ll be back.

For more information on Little Palm Island, please visit their website at www.littlepalmisland.com. If you are interested in arranging a flight to Little Palm Island (or to any location within the continental United States or Europe), please consider contacting Morris Jarmon or Ron Jarmon at Island Air Express, located at the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport in Panama City Beach, Florida, at (850) 814-6407.

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Just What the Doctor Ordered

Right Place

right Time By Chad Thurman Photography by Gerald Burwell

To say that Mac Rebennack, better known by his stage name, Dr. John, is a musical legend is at best an understatement—the man’s fifty-plus-year career is a display of nonstop musical talent, and he’s no lightweight in the music history of the United States of Americana. Dr. John has played or been a prominent part of the formation of jazz, zydeco, blues, pop, funk, and rock ’n’ roll. His shows are known to be theatrical, Creole swamp spirit–invoking, good-time events that are decidedly flavored with an element of New Orleans Mardi Gras spice and a hint of ceremonial voodoo.

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Dr. John is the distinguished recipient of six Grammy Awards and countless other accolades, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011, and in 2013, he was presented an honorary doctorate of fine arts from Tulane University while sharing the stage with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He has recorded over twenty albums and his most recent offering, Ske-Dat-De-Dat: The Spirit of Satch, is an album inspired from beyond the grave. Dr. John states, “Louis Armstrong was the most famous guy who ever came out of my neighborhood. So it was special to me when he came to me in a dream and said, ‘Do my music, but do it your way.’” Dr. John and the Nite Trippers are currently touring the U.S. and Europe in support of this album and Dr. John’s storied career. The sound of the Nite Trippers is a manifestation of Dr. John’s early years, the 1960s; it is a gleaming shadow on a crescent moonlit night told through the tongue of Miles Davis, the ears of the Aquarium Rescue Unit, the fingers of Professor Longhair, and the eyes of Sun Ra Arkestra—but you know how voodoo can be. The current incarnation of the Nite

Trippers showcases Dr. John on vocals, keyboards, and guitar, Dwight Bailey on bass, Reggie Jackson on drums, Dave Yoke on guitar, Ben Alleman on organ, and musical director Sarah Morrow on trombone and vocals. Morrow has been working with Dr. John in various capacities for the last three years. “I’m overseeing everything that has to do with his band,” she says. “Even when we do big shows like his Louis Armstrong project, I’m directing, I’m conducting, I’m arranging. I write for him and we write together. As his musical director, my job is to make his vision for the Nite Trippers come to life.” Morrow further explains, “Interestingly, Dr. John’s very first band was called the Nite Trippers when he did his Gris-Gris album. So he brought that name back, and the idea for the Nite Trippers is it’s a retrospective of Dr. John’s work, covering everything from the Gris-Gris period to today. In the past almost two years, the band has learned close to a hundred songs from his catalog, and we’re still adding new material. This allows the Nite Trippers to

play different shows every night; we never play the same set twice.” Morrow says, “For those who may not know much about Dr. John, they probably know his two big hit songs (from his 1973 album In the Right Place): ‘Right Place Wrong Time’ and ‘Such a Night.’ The latter was performed as part of the Band’s iconic farewell concert, The Last Waltz. Whoever your favorite bands are, or whoever your favorite musical artists may be, every single one of those musicians has looked to Dr. John for inspiration. Without a doubt, he’s at the root of all music that people listen to. He may not be the most popular musician, but every great musician that exists in the world today not only knows who he is, but refers to him for inspiration and for guidance to develop what they do. Wherever we play around the world, musicians show up—like various Rolling Stones have shown up, Elton John, Cher; actors like Robert De Niro, John Goodman. I can’t even begin to remember the number of great and famous artists, musicians, painters, writers, and actors who have been influenced by Dr. John.”

every great musician that exists in the world today not only knows who dr. john is, but refers to him for inspiration and for guidance to develop what they do.

DR. JOHN AND THE NITE TRIPPERS PERFORM AT LITTLE PALM ISLAND RESORT AND SPA IN LITTLE TORCH KEY, FLORIDA, DURING SUMMER 2014.

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VIE writer Chad Thurman was granted an exclusive interview with Dr. John and his music director, vocalist, and trombonist, Sarah Morrow. CT: Dr. John, you’re known for your own style of playing the piano; it’s part of the sound of Americana music. But in the past two years you’ve been playing your keyboards and guitar a lot during Nite Trippers shows. Is there a reason for that? DJ:

That’s my first instrument. Over in Jacksonville, that’s where I got my finger shot. That’s what stopped me from playing the guitar a little bit—but that was a long time ago, in 1960.

SM:

Hey Mac, we’re flying into Jacksonville for our first show in Florida! Dr. John chuckles.

SM: We have to have some kind of celebration when we arrive that night in Jacksonville. Bring your finger! The two share a good laugh.

SM:

We’ll thank the heavens, though, because, you know, thank goodness he turned to piano—it’s amazing that he couldn’t play guitar after he got shot but could still play piano the way he does. It’s amazing how he plays piano anyway, but to hear him play guitar, he has this feel and this bend like I’ve never heard from anybody—it’s so cool. The thing is, with the mysticism that permeates the man and his music, his aura onstage, and the allure of all within the spell of his auditory company, it’s hard to discern whether Dr. John and Morrow are joking about bringing the finger to Jacksonville. After two nights in Florida, the band is off to Europe this November to play a few shows supporting the Satch album.

CT: What guitar do you play on at a Nite Trippers show? Do you have a favorite?

DJ: Whatever guitar they got for me at the gig, that’s what I’ll play. It don’t matter to me. We used to endorse Fender guitars, but then, after I got shot in 136 | N O V E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 014

PHOTO BY BRUCE WEBER

SARAH MORROW IS A TRIPLE THREAT AS MUSIC DIRECTOR, TROMBONIST, AND VOCALIST FOR THE NITE TRIPPERS.

my finger, I endorsed Gretsch guitars for a little bit. Now, I briefly borrowed a guitar from Bobby Hebb, who wrote “Sunny.” It was a Gibson Byrdland, and that was my favorite guitar. I have one but it’s a little weirded out, but it’s OK. I can’t really play it on a gig ’cause it’s got problems with it.

CT:

Working with Sarah and the band, what’s it like having a music director of her magnitude who not only plays trombone in the band, but is also a composer and arranger—plus having the spirit of an A-team roster of musicians in the Nite Trippers coming together to showcase over one hundred songs from the catalog of your life’s work?

DJ: Hey, we easy; we roll. I dig it; it’s something that I really dig. I love what she does with it; that’s the hippest part of it all. She can cook all kind of ways. Listen, I think the band slams, and I think everybody in the band’s cool, but I think also that I feel in my spirit that all of the cats (Nite Trippers) is doing something that brings stuff out of me that’s really positive, you know? I think that’s a good thing; it’s great, it’s a blessing to me for the ones who could feel that. Recognizing the power of Dr. John’s mystical melodies, we’d be remiss to forget the many times any of us may have been infected by a Nite Tripper earworm that left us no choice but to hum incessantly through the night: …Such a night, it’s such a night; sweet confusion under the moonlight… …If I don’t do it, you know somebody else will; if I don’t do it, you know somebody else will... Like any properly infectious motif, the melody can go on for days as if guided by some otherworldly choir. It keeps those words humming within the mind like bayou crickets harmonizing as the swamp sings its song on such a night. But with Dr. John, one notion separates the power of his compositional prowess—there may be other forces at work.

To learn more about the over fifty years of musical legacy of Dr. John and the Nite Trippers or for tour dates, visit his official website at www.nitetripper.com.

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BODACIOUS about Downtown Pensacola By Sallie W. Boyles Photography by Cheryl Casey

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Bringing a smile to the lips, the word bodacious speaks volumes. Along with saying that something is remarkable and bold, the adjective further conveys the exuberance of the person who chooses such an expressive word. Without question, bodacious aptly describes one of downtown Pensacola’s most recently cultivated businesses, The Bodacious Olive, as well as the store’s founders. The creation of owners Rishy and Quint Studer, The Bodacious Olive, which opened during the summer of 2012, has rapidly made a name for itself as a habit-forming epicurean market. Featuring more than fifty olive oils from around the world, the gourmet shop boasts all kinds of delectable varieties—from Cilantro and Roasted Onion extra virgin to Whole Fruit Lemon—plus an array of infused, spiced, and traditional balsamic vinegars to complement them. Finishing salts—unique in their textures, flavors, and origins—and all kinds of spices further please the palate. Alongside numerous flavor enhancers, The Bodacious Olive also sells its signature pasta, handmade each day, and mouthwatering sauces. The shop’s irresistible options continue with freshly baked bread and a thoughtful selection of wines. Awakening their customers’ taste buds, the Studers have also (thankfully) opened So Chopped, a salad bar overflowing with garden-fresh selections, as well as Bodacious Brew, a coffee shop café that serves premium caffeine fixes and good-for-you yummies. Plans for So Sweet, a soda shop, are also under way. For those who love cooking as much as eating, So Gourmet, situated above The Bodacious Olive, sells top-quality kitchen accoutrements and conducts a professionally stocked and staffed cooking school. Lunch and dinner classes are available to the public and for private events, and all patrons savor So Gourmet’s views of downtown Pensacola from its porch balconies.

“Traveling, I would see vibrant downtowns,” says Quint, who is known worldwide as CEO of the Studer Group, a private health-care consulting company he founded in 1999 after serving as president of Baptist Hospital in Pensacola. By 2002, Modern Healthcare, the health-care industry’s go-to resource, named Studer one of the “Top 100 Most Powerful” in the field. In 2004, the Studer Group’s success, based upon instilling accountability and measuring results, caught the attention of Gallup CEO Jim Clifton. “As Jim and I got to know one another,” explains Quint, “he shared a study of why some cities grow and some don’t.” Gallup found that a flourishing downtown contains various components, starting with something to attract a high number of people to the area. “Office buildings will follow,” Quint says. Residential comes next, as people decide they like where they work and want to live close by. “Most of the time retail comes last,” he continues, “because people won’t invest unless

Incidentally, “So” is short for South—a nod to the SoGo District. Nicknamed by the merchants, SoGo, a colloquial for “south of Government,” refers to a stretch along Pensacola’s historic Palafox Street that begins south of Government Street. Evolving as the place to shop, dine, work, and soon live, SoGo and the rest of downtown Pensacola credit the early adaptors—bold business owners who moved into abandoned spaces—as well as philanthropic investors, namely Rishy and Quint Studer, for breathing new life into an area that not so long ago seemed lost to the past. Like many cities, Pensacola’s downtown fell into decline when businesses and homeowners moved to outlying neighborhoods. Hurricanes Ivan in 2004 and Dennis in 2005 could have hastened the destructive path, but the Studers endeavored to turn the tide.

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“We’ve always known what an incredibly beautiful and historically interesting place this is, but the Studers have made my job of marketing to tourists easier.” they know the business can be viable. Since 2004, we have been putting these little pieces together for downtown Pensacola.” Certain pieces, like the main attraction, would be significant. Quint and Rishy, in fact, purchased “twenty-seven acres of environmentally toxic land and cleaned it up” in order to erect a baseball stadium. Yielding incredible sunsets on the bay and earning accolades like Ballpark of the Year from Ballparks. com, the Pensacola Bayfront Stadium is home to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, a Double-A baseball team the Studers also purchased. Consequently, Quint proclaims, “Each year over the past three, we’ve drawn over three hundred thousand fans to downtown. On

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seventy nights per year, we have over four thousand people coming to downtown.” While the stadium was under construction, the Studers knew they had to address the neighboring vacant buildings and lots. “How could we attract investors if they came downtown and saw that?” Quint poses. Thus, the Studers began buying up partially empty and abandoned properties, including the building occupied by The Bodacious Olive. By restoring existing buildings, the Studers preserve Pensacola’s cultural history; by investing in people, they foster a new generation of entrepreneurs. The acclaimed Five Sisters Blues Café, for instance,

celebrated for its Southern comfort food, occupies a building with historically significant ties to Pensacola’s African-American music industry. Likewise, renovations and affordable rents have helped launch a floral shop, a hair salon, and Carmen’s Lunch Bar. Before opening its doors, Carmen’s already had a fan base, having won the Pensacola Business Challenge, a new business initiative both conceived and sponsored by the Studers. Offering a $50,000 prize (subsidized rent and capital), the competition required applicants to complete a business plan with the help of the University of West Florida’s College of Business. “One hundred people attended the first meeting,” says Quint. In the end, thirty-three business plans were

submitted and judged by local businesspeople. With a solid plan in hand, other participants have also launched their dreams. Many more have attended the nonprofit Studer Institute’s leadership classes, which help prepare entrepreneurs for the challenges ahead. “The Studers have given talented people so many more avenues through which to express themselves,” says Brooke Fleming, a Pensacola native and communications manager for Visit Pensacola. As it so happens, she also worked in sports broadcasting for the Wahoos upon returning to her hometown in 2010 after graduating college. “I’ve been awarded so many opportunities, thanks to them.” In addition to fostering downtown business growth, the Studers are tackling the housing component, primarily by taking advantage of idle space in the Pensacola News Journal building, which sits on nearly six acres, to construct between 200 and 260 affordable residential apartments. Although high-end condos are going into other buildings above retail space, the Studers contend that the heart of a city must be viable for all. “We can’t just have wealthy people in condos,” says Quint. Yet another project, Maritime Place, entails a 77,000-square-foot office building, the first of its kind in thirty years. “We’ll add 250 employees to downtown Pensacola and generate $250,000 more in property tax revenue,” Quint proclaims. “People should know that we didn’t just buy office buildings to make money off the rent. Investing in private businesses that will make a difference is what Rishy and I do. We like watching people have a better quality of life.” “We’ve always known what an incredibly beautiful and historically interesting place this is,” says Brooke, “but the Studers have made my job of marketing to tourists easier. People of all ages and interests want to spend time here because there’s so much to do. Also, one of the great things about downtown Pensacola,” she adds, “is that all of this is within walking distance. Because everything is so close, you need only one parking spot, and if you arrive in the evening, parking is free.” As the pieces come together, the Studers know from experience that success results from instilling structures that hold people accountable. “We always tell the middle managers in health-care organizations that they are the solution,” Quint says. “They stay, but executives come and go.” For similar reasons, the Studers invest in private businesses—the stakeholders who are committed to long-term success—rather than politicians. Belief in the human spirit certainly influences their commitment. Before entering health-care management, Quint, who is hearing impaired, was a special education teacher. “I learned to maximize the potential in others,” he says. Now sober for thirty years, he also battled alcoholism, and his ability to turn his life around has given him empathy for others. “You learn to believe in people,” he confides, “even when they’re not doing so well.” If the Studers and others continue to be bodacious about downtown Pensacola, people from all walks of life should do quite well there.

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PEOPLE + PLACES A Celebration of Life Annual Golf Classic Honors Chip Hilton Photography by Corky McCollum The Chip Hilton Celebration of Life Charity Golf Classic was a huge success again this year; the golf tournament raised more money than in any previous year—and all for a wonderful cause. The two-day event, filled with camaraderie and fun, featured a reception on September 22 and the tournament,

held at Shark’s Tooth Golf Club in Panama City Beach, Florida, on September 23. The pretournament reception was held at Charles and Lela Hilton’s residence on Scenic Highway 30-A, one of the most iconic and architecturally dazzling homes in Northwest Florida. Friends, family members, and business partners of the Hiltons all gathered together on the pool deck to enjoy incredible food provided by Executive Chef Shane Quinlan of WaterSound Beach Club and the staff from Shark’s Tooth Golf Club, a beautiful atmosphere, live entertainment, and the company of respected

members of the community, all in honor of the Hiltons’ beloved son, Loyd Charles “Chip” Hilton III.

Joe Yochem and Lee Jermon on the green at Shark’s Tooth Golf Club

Sushi rolls prepared by WaterSound Beach Club

Executive Chef Shane Quinlan and the WaterSound Beach Club Staff

The stunning and unique Hilton home in beautiful Alys Beach, Florida

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PEOPLE + PLACES Chip Hilton was an avid golfer and believed in the values that could be learned through the game. For this reason, the Hiltons chose the First Tee of Northwest Florida as the benefiting charity for their annual event. The mission of the First Tee is to positively impact young people by promoting character development and life-enhancing values through a teaching curriculum called Life Skills Experience and the game of golf itself. These core values include honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy, and good judgment. The First Tee of

Northwest Florida strives in particular to reach young people who otherwise might not have an opportunity to learn and play the game of golf and to learn its inherent values. Find more information at www.thefirsttee.org. The sold-out tournament was proudly held on the beautiful and challenging course at the Sharkâ€™s Tooth Golf Club in Panama City Beach. This year the weather was as impeccable as the course itself. The event started off with a nice breakfast hosted by the Hiltons, and then it was off to the course for the shotgun start. After the game, the teams enjoyed

lunch and the awards ceremony.

Julie Hilton, Joe Yochem, Lela Hilton, Cody Khan, Charles Hilton (seated), Jim Carlisle, Brian Barth, and Lee Jermon

Julie Hilton and Marty Stanovich

Julie Hilton thanks all who supported the tournament

There was a great turnout in support of the First Tee and the memory of Chip Hilton.

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The pool deck at the Hilton house is the perfect place to watch an Alys Beach sunset.

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In its first three years, the Chip Hilton Celebration of Life Charity Golf Classic raised over $40,000 for the First Tee. This year they were able to add $20,000, for a total of over $60,000 in four years! The Hilton family is already looking forward to the fifth year and hopes to raise even more for this great cause. To join the Hilton Family as they pay tribute to their beloved son in 2015, be sure to check the website, www.chipstournament.com, for dates and ticket information next summer.

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FROM BEACH TO

BACCHUS PART DEUX

Music and Wine Continue to Shape Communities b y de m et r iu s f u l l e r

This story is a follow-up to the article of the same name in VIE’s January/February 2014 issue.

Wine and music have been a harmonious pairing for centuries. When wine, sometimes called the nectar of the gods, is served with music— the universal language—it makes for a heady combination that often yields incredibly fruitful results.

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TY TAYLOR OF VINTAGE TROUBLE PERFORMS AT THE TWENTIETH ANNUAL MUSIC FESTIVAL FOR BRAIN HEALTH ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2014, AT STAGLIN FAMILY VINEYARD. Photo by Rafael Motta/Flying Pig Studio V IE Z INE .C OM | 149

Enter stage left: philanthropy. The word alone is daunting yet soft, formal yet sentimental. Combine philanthropy with wine and music and you have a cross-cultural trifecta that can successfully orchestrate events across the country. What is born in California wine country transcends far past the peaks and valleys to make impactful differences for charitable causes across the country. While a plethora of existing events continue to thrive year after year, newcomers are utilizing this concept to make a difference in their own communities. Three such entities are the Staglin Family Vineyard’s Music Festival for Brain Health in September, the Napa Valley Festival del Sole in July, and Sinfonia Gulf Coast’s version of Napa-based Wine Women and Shoes in February, which will benefit the organization’s music education initiatives. This past September, Grammy-nominated Jewel and hard-hitting blues rock recording stars Vintage Trouble joined a star-studded cast of culinary luminaries, plus over seventy-five wineries, to wow attendees at the Twentieth Annual Music Festival for Brain Health. Cohosts Shari and Garen Staglin, along with their children, Shannon and Brandon, welcomed approximately fifteen hundred supporters, scientists, and friends over the two-day festival to celebrate life and raise awareness of the causes and cures for physiological brain disorders. While this year’s event raised more than $2 million, the overall impact of the Staglin Family’s charitable endeavors is staggering. “‘Great wines for great causes’ has been an important motto of our business and personal lives,” stated Shari and Garen Staglin. “Since we began farming our vineyard in 1985, we have donated and raised more than $800 million to support charities, including our main cause, the Music Festival for Brain Health, which has surpassed the $200 million mark.” The festival, whose proceeds benefit the IMHRO/One Mind Institute, the One Mind nonprofit organization, and the Tug McGraw Foundation, began with a scientific symposium followed by a tasting of some of the world’s best wines in the Staglin Family Vineyard winery caves. And by acclaimed, I mean cult treasures of Screaming Eagle and Scarecrow lore, as well as Tusk, Continuum, and Fleury wines, plus soon-to-be gems like Adamvs Cabernet (yes, with a “v”), a stunning debut by world-renowned winemaker Philippe Melka and proprietors Denise and Stephen Adams. Next, Vintage Trouble took the stage for a lively concert, which was followed by a four-course dinner prepared by Chef Jan Birnbaum and an all-star team of chefs, all of whom were alumni of previous festivals. Sunday’s festivities began with the popular Food Truck Fest and culminated with an acoustic set by Grammynominated singer Jewel at the historic Lincoln Theater in Yountville, Napa Valley. Jewel’s performance was stunning! Her versatility as a musician and

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songwriter shone brightly throughout her performance as she weaved personal stories related to the weekend’s cause in with many of the songs that have made her famous. Her vocal range and technique are extraordinary; from the breathy lower textures to the crystalline highs and pureness of sound, she had the entire audience captivated. And her encore— yodeling—wow! (Do yourself a favor and find a recording or video of this!) Perhaps the most notable example of Napa’s music, wine, and philanthropy is the Napa Valley Festival del Sole, which blends world-class music, theatre, and dance with the region’s fine wines and cuisine in a celebration of the art of life. The festival features performances by renowned artists and emerging talent, gala events at stunning venues, free community concerts, and a wellness series promoting healthy living. Proceeds from the festival help to support year-round arts education initiatives. Since 2006, Festival del Sole has presented more than three hundred artists and ensembles in venues throughout Napa Valley and has partnered with more than two hundred wineries, hotels, and local businesses. The festival, a nonprofit public benefit organization operated by Napa Valley Festival Association, attracts over ten thousand audience members and visitors each season. Its founding wineries include Bouchaine Vineyards, Blackbird Vineyards, Darioush, Far Niente, PlumpJack, and Robert Mondavi Winery. To indicate that I was thrilled to be invited to participate in the 2014 festival is an understatement. Aside from covering the numerous wine and music activities, I was especially honored to assist Jamie Bernstein in the festival’s production of her father’s eclectic operetta Trouble in Tahiti. The performance featured the Sphinx Orchestra and an all-star cast of vocalists, and the outdoor amphitheater of Castello di Amorosa served as the unconventional but stunning setting. As an added lagniappe, rising star soprano Julia Bullock debuted on the festival stage in the iconic surroundings of Opus One’s vineyards. The wine train was tooting out of tune in the distance, but the performance was pitch-perfect. Other highlights from Festival del Sole 2014: vocal performances by Matthew Polenzani, James Valenti, and Nadine Sierra; violinist Joshua Bell’s performance

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Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa 4000 Sandestin Blvd. South, Destin, FL 32550 1. ACCLAIMED RECORDING ARTIST JEWEL PERFORMS AT THE LINCOLN THEATER IN YOUNTVILLE AS PART OF THE 2014 MUSIC FESTIVAL FOR BRAIN HEALTH. Photo by Rafael Motta/Flying Pig Studio 2. GUESTS GATHERED UNDER SHINING LIGHTS FOR THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL DEL SOLE PATRON DINNER AT HALL ST. HELENA WINERY. Photo by Drew Altizer

of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons; three performances by renowned violinist Pinchas Zukerman; and the Dance Gala: Polina Semionova and Friends. As one might imagine, the performances, when paired with the most coveted labels and wineries throughout the Napa Valley, were astounding. Festival del Sole takes it to the next stanza, incorporating brilliant music and musicians in nontraditional, stunning settings at each of the partner wineries: singer Monica Mancini under the draping trees at Gargiulo Vineyards, limitless vines in the distance; young artists’ debuts in the private galleries at the Hess Collection; and a perfectly centered stage within the interior courtyard of iconic Opus One, where the upstairs rotunda provides a 360-degree view of Napa Valley. Each venue is special in its own right; however, two evenings stood out as truly magical, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. The annual festival gala, this year at the fabled Meadowood Napa Valley, raised $1.45 million to support arts education and the festival’s innovative programming. The Concord Jazz All Stars, headlined by Cuban jazz legend and ten-time Grammy Award winner Arturo Sandoval, treated the 330 guests to a private performance. Meadowood’s events team offered a superb dinner and fine wines from Boisset Family Estates and Gallo Signature Series. Beneficiaries of the proceeds include the Napa Valley Youth Symphony, the arts and music departments of Napa County schools, and other arts education and community programs. In fact, the festival was able to fulfill all donation requests from the Napa County schools.

TIDBIT: Julia Bullock, winner of the 2012 Young Artists competition, was awarded the inaugural Sinfonia Gulf Coast prize that same year; she will grace the Sinfonia stage during the 2015–2016 season. JULIA BULLOCK PERFORMING AT UNDER THE STARS AT OPUS ONE. Photo by Susana Bates for Drew Altizer Photography

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If the gala wasn’t impressive enough, the stars (literally) most assuredly aligned for Bella Italia! A Tribute to Sophia Loren. Far Niente Winery provided the backdrop to this early birthday party for Ms. Loren, whose eightieth birthday was actually in September. As celebrity chef Michael Chiarello was fastidiously preparing the evening’s multicourse meal, the LA Virtuosi, conducted by Sophia’s son Carlo Ponti, serenaded the audience in the world premiere of Sinfonietta per Sofia by American composer Daniel Brewbaker. Following the concert, guests transitioned to what has to be the most luxurious tent, replete with elegant linens, carpet, and Swarovski crystal chandeliers. Whoopi Goldberg, the emcee for the evening, introduced a video tribute to Ms. Loren that included taped salutations from Robert De Niro and President Bill Clinton. Margrit Mondavi and Francis Ford Coppola each spoke before Napa resident and festival supporter Robert Redford introduced the movie icon. When Ms. Loren took the stage, she excitedly spoke in Italian for what everyone thought was a touching introduction, but she kept going. Her son Carlo had to interrupt her and ask her to speak in English. Laughter erupted—she clearly didn’t realize she had been speaking Italian. Ms. Loren described the evening as “one of the most beautiful nights” of her life. For the rest of us, it was a chance of a lifetime—full of great wine, friends, and celebrities.

BELLA ITALIA! A TRIBUTE TO SOPHIA LOREN AT FAR NIENTE WINERY. Photo by Drew Altizer

Inspired by the classic country ballad “Wine, Women and Song,” Napa-based Wine Women and Shoes (WWS) is a unique concept that offers charity clients the opportunity to leverage a successful fund-raising platform. Now in its tenth year, the WWS team has produced over 175 events, helping net an astounding $20 million for charities across the United States. Sinfonia Gulf Coast will present its third annual WWS event February 13–15, 2015. Sinfonia’s second annual WWS was a sipsational success with eight chef partners, twenty-four retail partners, and fourteen wineries coming together for an amazing weekend of vintner dinners in private homes and restaurants, trade tastings, and the signature event for nearly five hundred well-heeled women in Northwest Florida. Proceeds from the annual event

benefit Sinfonia Gulf Coast and Sinfonia’s music education initiatives throughout Northwest Florida. Sinfonia Gulf Coast was founded in 2005 with the mission of redefining the symphony experience. Notable guest artists have included Broadway legends Bernadette Peters and Patti LuPone; R&B icon Roberta Flack; Mary Wilson of the Supremes; Chris Brubeck; classical-crossover sensation Time for Three; Epic recording artist Morgan James; Tony Award–winning vocalists Gary Mauer and Debbie Gravitte; Grammy-nominated violinist Caroline Goulding; Grammy Award winners John Pizzarelli, Howard Levy, the Parker Quartet, and New York Voices; and iconic big band Pink Martini. Since its founding, Sinfonia Gulf Coast has presented more than four hundred concerts and events, and has reached more than forty-seven thousand children through its Sinfonia Guest Artists in the Schools

program and music education outreach initiatives. Proceeds from Wine Women and Shoes events have raised more than $350,000 and have enabled Sinfonia to significantly increase its educational impact and awareness to many deserving students in a region that the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs has designated as underserved in arts and culture. More than eight hundred families have benefited from Sinfonia’s Students4FREE program, which provides complimentary tickets to live orchestral performances and musical events. Sinfonia also supports a sixty-member youth orchestra program, led by music director Liz Aylor, and maintains a partnership with Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, enabling third through fifth graders to participate in the Link Up program. Sinfonia Gulf Coast is also a proud collaborator throughout the Northwest Florida community and continues its partnership with Sacred Heart Hospital along the Emerald Coast

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Photos by Kay Phelan TOP: ENTHUSIASTIC PATRONS AT SINFONIA’S WINE WOMEN AND SHOES SIGNATURE EVENT TO BENEFIT MUSIC EDUCATION BOTTOM: SINFONIA’S WINE WOMEN AND SHOES COMMITTEE MEMBERS WITH MUSIC AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR DEMETRIUS FULLER

in their Arts in Medicine program. Without the funds raised by Sinfonia’s Wine Women and Shoes event, these programs would be limited in scope—or possibly nonexistent. Regardless of scope and size, these events are made possible by the generosity of a host of people in the wine industry who come together for the greater good. Once again, we lovingly lift a glass and toast “Sip, sip, hooray” to everyone in the wine industry and in communities throughout the country who work tirelessly and give generously of their time, talents, and resources in order to make a difference.

Demetrius Fuller is the music and artistic director of Sinfonia Gulf Coast and also serves on the board of directors of the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation.

DEMETRIUS FULLER

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By Anne W. Schultz Photography by David Moynahan

A yearning for outdoor adventure must be in our DNA.

hy else would we scale Mount Everest, ski black-diamond slopes, raft treacherous white-water rapids, or bungee jump? “Adventure is something that has an uncertain outcome,” says Jack Sanborn, founder and owner of Adventures Unlimited, an outdoor adventure resort near Milton, Florida. His definition for adventure could also apply to life experiences. Perhaps the challenges of an outdoor adventure develop character traits like courage, resiliency, and endurance: just what we need for overcoming the difficulties life hurls our way. Or maybe it builds the self-confidence required to take risks, to venture out into new frontiers where we expand and grow. The best way to answer these questions for yourself is to do just that—jump in, take a risk, and find out. Sanborn feels it makes life itself a more thrilling adventure as he still remembers the joy in exploring the wilds of North Central Florida around Gainesville as a young boy. “I grew up around nature. My uncle and grandfather built the first nature trail at Alexander Springs in Ocala Forest,” he says. “Our family spent free time hiking and camping.” He recalls the freedom of playing outdoors all day without adult supervision. “We made up our own games and rules. Friends and I explored creeks and woods on our own, encountering all kinds of wild creatures like alligators and snakes. Parents didn’t expect to see their kids home until dinnertime.

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“Today’s children don’t have that same kind of freedom, with their tightly structured and overly supervised schedules. They spend free time mostly indoors glued to computers and other electronic devices. Children are mainly spectators of adventure, experiencing it vicariously by staring at video games or action-packed TV programs or movies. I’d like to see kids participate in the real thing, where the heart starts thumping, adrenaline surges, and you feel an endorphin rush. It’s a thrill you never forget.” So, when Sanborn retired as a helicopter instructor at Whiting Field near Milton, it became his mission to get kids and adults outdoors. “During active duty, I’d been looking for something for retirement where I could work outdoors, work with people, and be my own boss,” he explains. “Creating an outdoor adventure center satisfied all those needs and helped people get back into the wilds again. Its unlikely adults will head out for outdoor adventures if they didn’t experience those activities as a child. Here we not only build memories, but also create future environmentalists.” 158 | N O V E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 014

“Here we not only build memories, but also create future environmentalists.”

– Jack Sanborn

Sanborn didn’t want anything resembling an amusement park ride. “When you go on an amusement ride at Disney, millions have gone before you and everyone knows exactly what to expect. But paddle a kayak down a wild river or fly free as a bird on a zip line over treetops and you have no idea what to expect,” he exclaims. He couldn’t have been stationed near a more advantageous site for an outdoor center than the dense forest and meandering creeks he discovered bordering Blackwater River State Forest. The region is described by the Nature Conservancy as “one of the most biologically rich areas in the United States.” The forest hosts three hundred species of birds and 2,500 species of plants, for starters. It is part of the largest contiguous longleaf pine forest in the world, a type of forest that once blanketed the entire southeastern United States. Now only 3 percent remains.

He bought some property as a Marine flight student and later added more when he returned to the base as a helicopter instructor. Upon retirement he opened the resort for full operation in 1976. Today, this unique place attracts over 45,000 visitors a year from all over the United States and many foreign countries. The way the various lodgings are discreetly tucked into eighty-eight forest acres at the confluence of Wolfe and Coldwater Creeks evokes more of a spiritual retreat than a resort, where privacy and peacefulness abound. Everything—the rustic cabins and cottages; the elegant rooms of the School House Inn; and the latest addition, the Lorax Loft, a modernistic tree house of glass and reclaimed wood perched above the stream—blends seamlessly into the forest to highlight nature as the shining star. “We are completely unplugged,” says Sanborn with

over fifteen platforms for an unbeatable aerial thrill. The resort’s high and low rope challenge course is one of the finest in the southeastern United States. In case you’re tired of floating or flying sky-high, come down to earth and stretch your legs on one of the hikes around the region. A three-mile interpretive nature trail winds along Wolfe Creek right on the property. Or if you wish to explore further, pick up directions and a map for major area trails at the office. These include the Juniper Creek Trail (a segment of the Florida National Scenic Trail), the Jackson Red Ground Trail (a twenty-one-mile forest trail tracing an early trade route used by Native Americans and settlers), and the Sweetwater Trail, which originates at either Krul Lake or Bear Lake.

pride. “No telephones, no TVs, no clocks or radios. There is nothing to connect with except yourself and others while relaxing in rocking chairs, hammocks, and porch swings. “Here people actually talk to each other face to face,” he laughs. “On many family vacations, people go their separate ways. Dads play golf. Moms shop. Not much interaction goes on. But here they are all brought together in one activity in one place. They all work together paddling down the river, and if the canoe turns over, everyone pitches in to right it. These shared experiences are topics of family conversations for many years to come.” With the Blackwater River and its tributaries of Coldwater, Sweetwater, and Juniper Creeks offering so many miles of canoe trails, along with the resort’s extensive services, Sanborn coined the nickname “Canoe Capital of Florida” to describe it. And he initiated the process with state legislators to make the title official. Paddle down Coldwater Creek on a sunny fall day when you have the river all to yourself and you’ll see why. Sunshine glints on water

colored golden amber from the tannins leached from decomposed vegetation. The water sparkles like a topaz jewel as it travels over a white-sand bottom mostly free of vegetation. Only a few feet deep, the water is exceptionally clean and clear because the Conecuh National Forest north of the river in Alabama means no development or agricultural activities interfere with the water’s purity. Coldwater is swift and narrow enough, and has enough obstructions like cypress knees and fallen logs, that navigating it keeps you challenged and alert. Even so, it’s still easy and fun for all levels to traverse. Wide sandbars tempt paddlers to pull over for a picnic lunch, take a break, or cool off with a refreshing swim. The resort provides a fleet of two hundred fifty canoes, a hundred kayaks, five hundred tubes, and ten stand-up paddleboards to ensure everyone gets on the water during the peak summer season. Visitors from sixty-eight countries have gone on the Zip Adventures Canopy Tour since it opened in 2010. They zoom over treetops and above Coldwater Creek on a mile of zip lines forty feet in the air spread

Several years ago, Sanborn read an enlightening book that validates the importance of his work that brings people, especially children, back into nature. Recipient of the 2008 Audubon Medal and expert child advocate Richard Louv wrote the book Last Child in the Woods about children’s disconnection from nature. That disconnect results in what he calls “nature deficit disorder,” which is linked to rising trends of obesity, attention disorders, and depression. A video on the book’s website reminds us that children have played outdoors since prehistory; this is the first generation that spends more time indoors than out. It’s the first book to report the new and alarming research that “confirms a direct exposure to nature is essential for the physical and emotional health of children and adults.” Those who already love being outdoors will savor more opportunities at Adventures Unlimited, while those who are estranged will soon feel right at home again. After all, nature is our home. It’s the beautiful

“These shared experiences are topics of family conversations for many years to come.” – Jack Sanborn V IE Z INE .C OM | 159

earth God created for all living creatures to share. Renewing that ancient bond with earth restores joy and a sense of wonder in children. In his book, Louv writes often about wonder “the source of spirituality.” Sanborn reassures us that once children get out on the river, they absolutely love it. “And later on, they want to protect it,” he adds. “As it seems you only protect what you love.” This affinity for nature appears to be an instinctual part of us, as Louv asserts, “We are genetically wired

to be in nature.” Prominent American scientist E.O. Wilson coined the word biophilia to express the innate love of life he believes is implanted in all people. Thanks to people like Sanborn, Wilson, and Louv—along with a growing international movement to get people outdoors—the future looks brighter for children and also for nature, as it will be in the hands of those who have been touched by a wild river or shady forest. Could it be that God placed an innate love of life and a need for nature in our hearts so we not only value and preserve it, but also allow it to thrive and flourish?

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Visit www.adventuresunlimited.com or call (850-623-6197 for reservations or more information about Adventures Unlimited. Visit www.richardlouv.com to learn more about his book Last Child in the Woods.

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story and photogr aph y by

Martha J. LaGuardia-Kotite

My memory of what happened on September 11, 2001, begins the evening before: Monday. My motherin-law, sisters-in-law, and closest girlfriends filled a table for my baby shower at Swifty’s, a restaurant on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Dining across from us was Dominick Dunne, the best-selling novelist and Vanity Fair investigative journalist, who observed the scene through his large, round glasses. We toasted the anticipated October arrival of my son and our life dreams while laughing at each other’s stories. We parted with hugs and kisses on cheeks before going our separate ways. During the eighth hour of Tuesday, September 11, our lives were altered and shattered. The new National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York City marks that day and the hours of anguish people experienced worldwide. Worth visiting, the museum’s style is cold and spacious, creating a space to contemplate, to educate, and to remember the day’s effects on our world.

Like many, I remember. That morning, one of the girlfriends who had attended my shower was driving north, leaving the city. After the first hijacked airplane struck, she witnessed in her rearview mirror the trail of smoke from the burning World Trade Center tower rising into the clear, blue sky. Around the time the second hijacked airliner crashed into the South Tower and exploded, I was walking home after dropping my third-grade son at Saint Ignatius Loyola School. When I opened my apartment door on East Seventy-Fifth Street, my brother was leaving an urgent phone message from Florida. “Do you see what is happening? Turn on CNN,” he said. The images of the World Trade Center Towers standing but engulfed in flames nearly six miles from me were horrific. My husband worked as a commodities trader in Four World Trade Center, part of a cluster of shorter buildings that surrounded the towers. My heart raced. Where was Peter? Was he okay? V IE Z INE .C OM | 163

A few minutes later, Peter entered. We watched in disbelief as the news channel broadcast images of a huge plume of smoke erupting from the Pentagon after a third hijacked commercial plane crashed there. Minutes later, the South Tower of the World Trade Center crumbled. A massive cloud of dust and debris rose and enveloped Lower Manhattan. Then we heard the news that another hijacked plane had crashed in Pennsylvania. Shortly thereafter, the World Trade Center’s North Tower collapsed from the top down. In the days that followed, the city was dark and disturbed. A smoky smell from the rubble and ash drifted north into our neighborhood. An eerie, unnatural silence hung over the streets and avenues. New York City’s yellow cabs had left town. Many people also sought sanctuary outside the city. Fighter jets soared above the skyscrapers. Their engines screamed with the sound of freedom. The lifestyle we had known had departed. When school resumed the following week, I walked my son to school every morning and home each afternoon. We passed the Church of Saint Ignatius Loyola on the corner of East Eighty-Fourth Street 164 | N O V E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 014

and Park Avenue, and on most days, funerals were taking place inside. The beautifully somber sound of bagpipes honoring the fallen cascaded onto the street. Black limousines were parked at the curb. Recently, Peter and I returned to the World Trade Center site with our now twelve-year-old son, John. He was born a month after the towers fell. We wanted to visit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum; it had opened the month before and we were curious. Before going in, Peter wanted to grab lunch at one of his old haunts, O’Hara’s, an authentic Irish pub within steps of the memorial. O’Hara’s had survived the falling rubble. Red and blue first-responder patches adorned every inch above the wooden bar and around large wall-length mirrors. A waitress with an Irish brogue took our order, and we nourished ourselves as if in preparation for what we were about to experience across the street. After navigating the lines of people outside, we found where to wait for a timed entry ticket. Passing through security, we were directed down a long hallway toward an escalator. It slowly descended below street level. The lights dimmed. A lump rose in my throat. I listened to a soundscape of voices of

The Foundation Hall reveals the scale and magnitude of the World Trade Center buildings and their destruction.

The exhibitions and education center include the Memorial Hall, which occupies the space between the footprints of the two towers that once stood over 1,360 feet tall.

those remembering their experiences of 9/11. At the bottom of the ramp, the space opened into the original foundation, the bedrock of the Twin Towers. The Foundation Hall reveals the scale and magnitude of the World Trade Center buildings and their ultimate destruction. Remnants from the original construction of the sixteen-acre complex, which began in 1966, include the slurry wall and the Last Column. This large, underground arena’s raw slurry wall segment shows part of the barrier that prevents the Hudson River from seeping in and flooding the site. There are exposed support beams. The site required tons of structural steel—more than the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, according to a placard. The Last Column was freed from its footing on May 28, 2002. Draped in an American flag, it was driven out of the bedrock level of Ground Zero as bagpipers played “Amazing Grace” and “Taps.” The column honors the rescue, recovery, and relief efforts after the disaster. “It can take three hours to go through some of the artifacts,” a tour guide, who requested anonymity, said.

“Touches your heart. A lady came through and found a note written to her on the missing-person wall.” The exhibitions and education center include the Memorial Hall, which occupies the space between the footprints of the two towers that once stood over 1,360 feet tall. The Survivors’ Stairs, an escape route used by hundreds, is adjacent to an escalator carrying visitors to the lowest exhibit level. The In Memoriam exhibition honors each of the nearly three thousand people killed in 2001 in the towers, at the Pentagon, and in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, and the six victims of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. A multiscreen film experience, “Rebirth at Ground Zero,” uses time-lapse footage and interviews to show firsthand views of the renewal of the site and personal journeys of some of those directly impacted by the attacks. Fixed above and across a wall in a rectangular shape is an installation of thousands of blue squares, an artist’s re-creation of the color of the sky that September morning.

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New York City Fire Department’s Ladder Company 3 truck rests in the Center Passage. The East Village unit lost eleven members who entered the North Tower. The thousands who responded “formed the single largest dispatch of nonmilitary emergency personnel in the history of NYC and the nation,” a sign notes. Also on display are an elevator motor and a section of twisted, gashed steel from the North Tower’s facade. As visitors exit by riding the escalators back up, light fills a glass atrium. Here, the historic Twin Tower tridents rise skyward, reflecting the sunlight. These seven-story steel structures had been part of the distinctive Gothic-arch motif at the base of the original skyscrapers. Through the museum’s atrium, the tridents are visible from the Memorial Plaza. The Memorial Plaza is breathtaking and serene. Two pools were formed in the footprints of the original Twin Towers and surrounded by a plaza of trees. Thirty-foot waterfalls cascade into twin pools. The water then descends into a center void. The names of the victims are inscribed in bronze parapets around the tops of the pools. Architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker designed

it offers a glimpse of the past and recounts the gravity of the catastrophe so we will never forget. the Memorial and succeeded in providing a muchneeded sense of restful peace there. The World Trade Center towers were once the tallest buildings in New York City, and as a young girl, I rode the ear-popping elevator to the 107th floor of the North Tower and looked at the view from the Windows on the World restaurant. Now, where the towers once rose skyward, both the skyline and the footprint of the city have changed. The museum that rests in their place cannot replicate the enormity of the loss, nor does it try to shock visitors with the horrors of the chronology of terror. Instead, it offers a glimpse of the past and recounts the gravity of the catastrophe so that we will never forget.

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The Cosmetic Vein & Laser Center Leads the Way to Healthier Legs NON-INVASIVE LASER TECHNOLOGIES FOR TREATMENT OF VARICOSE AND SPIDER VEINS RESTORE THE HEALTH & BEAUTY OF YOUR LEGS Don’t let unsightly and uncomfortable varicose and spider veins rob you of your energy and natural beauty. Dr. Kimberly Moskowitz is one of the Emerald Coast’s only Board Certified Vein Specialists. As a leading expert in vascular disorders, she has helped pioneer the safest and most up-to-date treatment options for varicose and spider veins. Today, these options include state-ofthe-art non-surgical techniques that allow patients to return normal activities the same day.

“I am so truly grateful that my education, experience, and technology allow me to spend every day doing exactly what I love to do. I place enormous emphasis on my relationships with my patients and do my best to help them look and feel young, natural, and healthy. I want everyone to maximize the beauty they were born with.” Untreated, varicose and spider veins can lead to serious health risks like blood clots, phlebitis, cellulitis, and leg ulcers. Expert treatment of varicose veins dramatically improves symptoms in the legs such as aching, swelling, discomfort, cramping, fatigue, and restless legs syndrome. During the initial consultation, Dr. Moskowitz will perform a diagnostic ultrasound of the leg veins to accurately assess the severity of vein disease and determine the most appropriate treatment plan. Dr. Moskowitz has been performing and training other physicians to perform EVLT (Endovenous Laser Treatment) aka EVLA since its FDA approval in 2002. During this 30-minute, safe, non-surgical, outpatient procedure, an ultrasound is used to guide placement of a thin laser fiber into the abnormal Saphenous vein/s in the leg. Laser energy causes the abnormal vein to immediately collapse and redirect blood flow to the normal healthy channels in the leg. The body then reabsorbs the abnormal vein, resulting in improved circulation and symptoms. Local anesthesia is used to numb the area around the vein making the procedure virtually painless. EVLT has a 99% success rate, and has eliminated the need for painful surgical procedures such as vein stripping. Contrary to what many physicians believe, spider veins often cause the same symptoms as larger varicose veins. Also, because 55% of spider veins are associated with underlying larger vein abnormalities, it is often considered medically necessary to treat them. Because of this, most spider veins will dramatically improve during treatment. Sclerotherapy (tiny injections of a solution that

Kimberly Moskowitz, MS, MD closes the veins) is the most effective and least painful treatment for spider veins and blue veins under the skin surface called reticular veins. Skin lasers are used to treat small veins on the face and chest; however, for leg veins, they are less effective, more painful, and often lead to scarring and hyperpigmentation. The Cosmetic Vein & Laser Center provides the most advanced non-surgical treatments for skin, face, legs, neck, and cellulite reduction. Also a Skin and Laser Medicine Specialist, Dr. Moskowitz offers today’s most advanced treatments for Cosmetic and Medical Dermatology, Skin tightening, and Cellulite reduction: Fraxel™, PDT for skin cancer and acne, Botox, Injectable fillers, IPL, laser hair removal, Smartlipo, Velashape, and Thermage for non-surgical body contouring and skin tightening. Dr. Moskowitz also offers the very best in Anti-aging Skincare products.

BOARD CERTIFIED, VENOUS AND LYMPHATIC MEDICINE *BOARD CERTIFIED, INTERNAL MEDICINE *SKIN AND LASER MEDICINE SPECIALIST *AMERICAN COLLEGE OF PHLEBOLOGY *AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR LASER MEDICINE AND SURGERY *AMERICAN SOCIETY OF COSMETIC PHYSICIANS *MEDICAL DEGREE: GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY *RESIDENCY: GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

WWW.SKINANDVEINS.COM 651 Grand Panama Blvd., Panama City Beach, FL 32407 • Telephone (850) 233-0264

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