Emerald Coast Magazine- October/November 2017

GRAZING THE BAR

Daniel Ryland helps aspiring athletes reach new heights in pole vault

SAVING OUR SHORES

Nourishment projects reverse impacts of beach erosion

2017 ‘BEST OF THE EMERALD COAST’ results are in

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RAISING THE CURTAIN Opera extends its performances to reach student audiences in Pensacola

Bruce on the Loose

Destin Fishing Rodeo weighmaster regales crowds at scales with tales of the Gulf Plus, Meet the Charter Captains

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October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

Contents

OCT/NOV 2017

FEATURES

90

BEST OF THE EMERALD COAST

We salute businesses that rose to the top of our readers’ poll

102

WORLD’S LUCKIEST FISHING VILLAGE

Rodeo unites captains and Destin community

by STEVE BORNHOFT and HANNAH BURKE

PHOTO BY SDBOWER / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

124

BEACH NOURISHMENT Projects combat erosion of precious natural resource

by AUDREY POST

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October–November 2017

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Contents

OCT/NOV 2017

53 158 27 CHARACTERS

Hall of Famer comes home for beach therapy.

32 HEALTH & FITNESS

Champion Daniel Ryland vaults students to success.

36 CHAMPIONS

‘Caring and Sharing’ lifts spirits in South Walton.

PANACHE

EXPRESSION

53 ART Painter depicts coast on 16 doors.

56 MUSIC

Legion of Honor recruits devoted band director.

60 STAGE Curtain time

for Pensacola Opera

64 BOOKS Daughter

inspires first novel Paisley Memories.

GASTRO & GUSTO

41 HIS & HERS

69 D INING IN Forget

44 CITIZEN OF STYLE

72 LIBATIONS At

50 WHAT’S IN STORE

76 DINING OUT The

Select scents are style signatures.

Gary Wakstein fills dad’s shoes at Hy’s Toggery.

New entertainment mecca in Destin

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stuffing; dish up dressing.

gathering’s end, cordials put the cherry on top.

Tin Cow celebrates the divine bovine.

October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

18 PUBLISHER’S LETTER 20 DIRECTOR’S COLUMN 83 DINING GUIDE 178 I T’S NOT ROCKET

76 D ESTINATIONS 131 GETAWAY Savannah is possessed by its haunted history.

ABODES

147 EXTERIORS

She Sheds give a gal a room of her own.

156 INTERIORS Find a

mattress that puts you to sleep.

41

Perfumes and cologne say something special about you.

SURGERY

158 DIY Let your light

shine with handmade candles.

160 GARDENING

Go native with wild beauties.

PHOTOS BY CHASE YAKABOSKI (53), SAIGE ROBERTS (158) AND DMYTRO SKOROBOGATOV / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS (41) AND COURTESY OF THE TIN COW (76)

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Contents

OCT/NOV 2017

SPECIAL SECTIONS AND PROMOTIONS

150 ↑SHADES OF ELEGANCE Inspiring windows deserve impeccably paired coverings that enhance a home’s style, refine light and shade, and protect privacy — with technology operated at the touch of a finger.

McNeill Palm helps fine homes frame their windows on the world.

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VINTAGE TREASURES

Smith’s Antiques Mall, voted “Best of the Emerald Coast” for 18 years, holds a trove of unique and beautiful items that have stood the test of time.

137

66

SACRED HEART FOUNDATION

The “Stories from the Heart” section features heartwarming and inspiring stories from those who impact and have been impacted by The Sacred Heart Foundation. These stories revolve around people helping people.

162

CATCHING AIR ABOVE THE BLUEGRASS Sierra Hull’s roots are in the Smokies but her wings are taking her somewhere new. Opening Nights brings this songbird and mandolin master to Panama City.

DEAL ESTATE

Find European-style ultra luxe in these coastal jewels, one Just Listed and one Just Sold.

166

CALENDAR Events, exhibits and live performances crowd the docket of inviting things to do up and down the Emerald Coast.

Gift Guide and Health & Fitness Profiles NEXT ISSUE Holiday SPECIAL PROMOTION

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PHOTOS BY REZMEDIA.NET (150) AND COURTESY OF OPENING NIGHTS (66)

A special thank you to our wonderful customers for voting us Best Wedding Shop 13 years in a row!

P R I M E

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October–November 2017

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on the cover

Nourishment projects reverse impacts of beach erosion

2017 ‘BEST OF THE EMERALD COAST’ results are in

Bruce on the Loose

Destin Fishing Rodeo weighmaster regales crowds at scales with tales of the Gulf Plus, Meet the Charter Captains

For more than three decades, Bruce Cheves has served as the weighmaster at the Destin Fishing Rodeo, engaging crowds at the tournament scales with stories he has collected in the 40 years he has worked as a mate aboard charter fishing vessels operating from the Destin Harbor. Annually, Destin celebrates Bruce Cheves Day in recognition of his contributions to the success of the rodeo. Cheves never thought of himself as a cover boy, but “Hey, mate,” this one’s for you.

PHOTO BY SEAN MURPHY

↑ Photographer Sean Murphy — that’s him with a gator by the tail — took a turn in front of the camera when he appeared in a commercial for KULA Coolers in 2016.

The shoot took place at an alligator farm in Arcadia. Murphy was joined on location by his kids, who weren’t sure what to make of Dad’s apparent death wish.

Photographer Sean Murphy grew up exploring the swamps of the Florida Panhandle as the son of an Air Force fighter pilot before working as a deck hand and then landing at the New England School of Photography.

These days, he divides his time between Fort Walton Beach and Los Angeles. He is internationally known for creating award-winning campaigns for clients including Ford, Chevy, Old Navy, PlayStation, Walmart and Hard Rock.

Via a current collaboration with Destin-based BOTE, a stand-up paddleboard company, he has helped create and disseminate the voice of the brand throughout the world.

His portraits of charter boat captains and mates (beginning on page 102) are products of his admiration for watermen who lead people to fish and reconnected him with that time in his life when he hustled tips on fishing decks.

CA S CA DE S P A R K TA L L A H A S S E E , F L

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October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

PHOTO COURTESY OF SEAN MURPHY

Opera extends its performances to reach student audiences in Pensacola

Daniel Ryland helps aspiring athletes reach new heights in pole vault

SAVING OUR SHORES

About the Photographer

RAISING THE CURTAIN

GRAZING THE BAR

E V E N

R O U T I N E

D E S E R V E S

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Refresh and rejuvenate with the ultimate indulgence at Serenity by the sea — a full-service spa open to everyone.

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APPOINTMENTS 850.622.9595

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EMERALD COAST MAGAZINE

VOL. 18, NO. 5

OCTOBER–NOVEMBER 2017

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BRIAN E. ROWLAND

EDITORIAL

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or

ing uniqnuues Featurh nig tly me

BEST OF WINNER: 2010–2017

Outdoor Seating Full Bar Lunch menu available 11AM-3PM Open at 11AM • Closing hours vary by season 202 Harbor Blvd., Destin • 837-7525

DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL SERVICES/EDITOR Steve Bornhoft MANAGING EDITOR Laura Cassels ASSISTANT TO DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL SERVICES Kim Harris Thacker STAFF WRITERS Hannah Burke, Erin Hoover CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Matt Algarin, Kari C. Barlow, Jason Dehart, Elizabeth B. Goldsmith, Thomas J. Monigan, Karen Murphy, Rebecca Padgett, Audrey Post, Liesel Schmidt, Zandra Wolfgram, Gary Yordon EDITORIAL INTERN Sara Santora

CREATIVE CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER Lawrence Davidson DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY Daniel Vitter SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Saige Roberts DESIGN DIRECTOR Jennifer Ekrut PUBLICATION DESIGNERS Charles Bakofsky, Shruti Shah GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Meredith Brooks, Sarah Mitchell CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Chuck Arlund, Lucas Barrios, Michael Booini, Jim Clark, Michael Duncan, Kami Giroux, Chris Hermans, Scott Holstein, Jacqueline Ward Images, Sean Murphy, Heather Regan, Rhonda C. Schaefer Photography, Saige Roberts, STM Photography, Shelly Swanger, Janna K. Taylor, Collis Thompson, Chase Yakaboski

SALES, MARKETING AND EVENTS VICE PRESIDENT/CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT McKenzie Burleigh Lohbeck DIRECTOR OF NEW BUSINESS Daniel Parisi ADVERTISING SERVICES COORDINATORS Tracy Mulligan, Lisa Sostre ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES MaKenna Curtis, Julie Dorr, Darla Harrison, Anthony Lopez, Rhonda Lynn Murray, Dan Parker, Linda Powell, Sarah Scott, Lori Magee Yeaton EVENTS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR Mandy Chapman INTEGRATED MARKETING MANAGER Rachel Smith CLIENT SERVICES COORDINATOR Joslym Alcala SALES AND EVENTS ASSOCIATE Mackenzie Ligas

OPERATIONS

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

...overlooking Crab Island

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES/HUMAN RESOURCE COORDINATOR Marah Rhone CORPORATE CLIENT LIAISON Sara Goldfarb CLIENT SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE/PRODUCTION SPECIALIST Melinda Lanigan STAFF ACCOUNTANT Jackie Burns ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT Daphne Laurie RECEPTIONIST Alyssa Cunningham EMERALD COAST MAGAZINE emeraldcoastmagazine.com facebook.com/emeraldcoast twitter.com/emeraldcoastmag instagram.com/emeraldcoastmag pinterest.com/emeraldcoastmag youtube.com/user/emeraldcoastmag ROWLAND PUBLISHING rowlandpublishing.com

EDITORIAL OFFICE 1932 Miccosukee Road, Tallahassee, FL 32308. (850) 878-0554

Open 7 days a week • 11AM -‘Til 9 Calhoun Ave., Destin • 837-7575 BOATERS WELCOME! 16

October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

SUBSCRIPTIONS One year (6 issues) is $30. Call (850) 878-0554 or go online to emeraldcoastmagazine.com. Single copies are $3.95. Purchase at Barnes and Noble in Destin and Pensacola and Books-A-Million in Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Pensacola and Panama City Beach.

CUSTOMER SERVICE & SUBMISSIONS Emerald Coast Magazine and Rowland Publishing, Inc. are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photography or artwork. Editorial contributions are welcomed and encouraged but will not be returned. Emerald Coast Magazine reserves the right to publish any letters to the editor.

Copyright October 2017 Emerald Coast Magazine Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

Hearts.

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Award-winning cardiac care right here in your community.

The Heart Center at Fort Walton Beach Medical Center provides the most comprehensive cardiac care—and the only open-heart surgeon—in the tri-county area. From a catheterization lab featuring the newest technology to highly trained physicians providing the most advanced treatments, this is the place to receive expert heart care.

We deliver complete diagnostic, interventional, treatment and follow-up services for: • Coronary Artery Disease

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from the publisher

AN ENDURING PARTNERSHIP

Over the 18 years since it was first conducted at the historic Gulf View Hotel in Okaloosa County, our Best of the Emerald Coast event has grown to become one of the most anticipated and consequential happenings in the region.

By design, we hold our “Best of” event, which comes as the culmination of our annual readers’ poll, in October, when the summer crowds have subsided and traffic on our highways resumes speeds of more than a crawl. The weather — knock on wood — has been favorable with the exception of just one cold and windy night a few years back.

Best of the Emerald Coast is a high-energy celebration of excellence. Again this year, on Oct. 21, those merchants, service providers and food purveyors who have risen to the top of our poll will line Grand Boulevard at Sandestin with displays that invite the predominantly local crowd to learn more about what makes them outstanding. Restaurants will share food and drink in an atmosphere that is laid-back and friendly.

Indeed, for a night, the “Best of” winners are the Toast of the Coast.

The Junior League of the Emerald Coast has been instrumental to the success of Emerald Coast Magazine since its inception and our strong bond with the organization has spanned many years. The “Best of” event has become a major fundraiser for the league, which immediately redirects the proceeds generated to organizations focused on the needs of children.

Our title sponsor, Grand Boulevard at Sandestin, has gone the extra mile in opening up their street for the event and, in addition, has increased their financial contribution to its success each year. I thank and salute the Junior League of the Emerald Coast, Grand Boulevard at Sandestin, our other supporting sponsors and the many volunteers who make the event a home run.

Indeed, Best of the Emerald Coast has done so well that it has led others to try to emulate our accomplishments. We should be flattered, I suppose. Meanwhile, I know that the “Best of” brand is strong enough, thanks to the efforts of many, to withstand all imitators.

Regretfully, we have discovered over the years instances in which people have skirted the rules for our poll with attempts to stuff the ballot box. In an effort to thwart such conduct, we have decided, going forward, to refrain from offering copies of the Best of the Emerald Coast ballot edition of our magazine at bookstores or our offices. Instead, we will confine voting to the more than 25,000 households from Pensacola to Panama City that receive Emerald Coast Magazine in the mail.

We will strive always to make “Best of” better and always we will be proud to produce an event that unites the business and not-for-profit communities to the benefit of the next generation of Emerald Coasters.

Be your Best,

BRIAN ROWLAND browland@rowlandpublishing.com

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October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

SCOTT HOLSTEIN

BEST OF EMERALD COAST EVENT UNITES BUSINESSES AND CHARITIES

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director’s column

THE NEXT TIME YOU FEEL LIKE TRYING

DRAW STRENGTH FROM THE EXAMPLES OF TWO OUTSTANDING EMERALD COASTERS I consult Aristotle from time to time and his timeless contribution to civic discourse, On Rhetoric. Therein, as part of a discussion of the means of persuasion, he distinguishes kalon (or virtuousness) from shamefulness. Virtue, Aristotle writes, includes justice, courage, self-control, magnificence, magnanimity (producing benefits for others), liberality (generosity with money), gentleness, prudence and wisdom.

If, in trying, our pursuits are virtuous or are aimed at virtuous results, we can gain by failing and by understanding what separated us from success and, then, equipped with what we have learned, reapproaching the goal. If the striving is not virtuous, we can hope to learn only that it does not warrant repeating.

Susan Davis is a virtuous person.

So, too, is Bruce Cheves. Both are testaments to trying.

Newly arrived in Northwest Florida and adrift, Bruce (see story on page 112) landed a job as a greenhorn on a charter boat 40 years ago and made the most of it. He’s been “decking” ever since.

Along the way, he stepped up to an empty microphone at the old Destin Shark Tournament and, with his easy manner and gift for banter, made the weigh-in far more lively than it had ever been before.

Now, given his many years of service as weighmaster at the Destin Fishing Rodeo, Bruce has a day named after him, proclaimed by the City Council. It will be celebrated this year on Oct. 16, midway through Rodeo month, at the docks at AJ’s Restaurant.

All because he stepped up to the mic. All because he had the temerity to try.

And, as Bruce would tell you, if you miss a fish, you don’t put up your rod. You re-bait and try again.

Best, SAIGE ROBERTS

Susan Davis is a product of unlikely circumstances.

She was a child of 4 when her father was awarded custody of her. That, alone, was unusual. Even more so was Dad’s preparedness to serve Susan as both father and mother.

He escorted her to mother-daughter events.

He took a run at becoming a Brownie troop leader, but the local Girl Scouts Council was not ready for that. But he tried, and Susan never has forgotten that.

Dad died Aug. 13. He worked for much of his life making ends meet by performing odd jobs, he taught his daughter about courage, care and compassion, and he instilled in her the belief that “no matter how hard something appears to be, you have to try.”

That advice has carried her a long way. It was powerfully reinforced when Susan was a first-year nursing student. Because she registered for classes late, she was unable to avoid a teacher, Miss Kischak, whose reputation for toughness preceded her. Kischak was retired from the U.S. Army and “could have been, probably was a drill sergeant,” Susan said.

At the end of the term, Susan had an 89.7 average in Kischak’s class and she appealed to her teacher to round the score up to 90, which was good for an “A.” She might just as well have put her shoulder into a skyscraper. Kischak didn’t budge.

Susan recalls that Kischak said to her, “If you had tried just a little bit harder, you would have had an ‘A,’ and our patients deserve nothing less than our best efforts.”

Never again would she stumble for the lack of trying — but she would fail many times for having tried.

Today, she is the president and CEO of Sacred Heart Health System. She has done important work in Connecticut and Florida in the area of patient safety, applying “principles of high reliability,” gleaned from a nuclear engineer, to hospital settings.

And, over time, she has learned not to shrink from taking risks, but “to fail forward and fail often. If you don’t take a risk, you won’t fail and you won’t learn from your failures. And I’ve learned a lot.”

Constructive failures, I will submit, arise from trying for the right reasons and investing honest effort. They result from strivings stimulated by unselfish motives including desires to improve ourselves so that we might better serve others and make a bigger and better contribution to the world we know.

STEVE BORNHOFT sbornhoft@rowlandpublishing.com

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COURTESY OF ATLANTA BRAVES RADIO NETWORK (LOGAN RILEY / BEAM / ATLANTA BRAVES / GETTY IMAGES)

Sutton played 23 seasons in MLB and now is a broadcaster for the Atlanta Braves.

CHARACTERS

HALL OF FAME PITCHER DON SUTTON LOOKS HOMEWARD MLB star returns to beaches of childhood 

by THOMAS J. MONIGAN

HEALTH & FITNESS Raising the Bar || CHAMPIONS Local Food Pantry Looks to Community as Needs Mount EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

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on Sutton grew up in Molino, just north of Pensacola, dreaming about being part of professional baseball. For the past 52 years, he’s been involved at the sport’s highest level — which has meant traveling from coast to coast for at least six months of every year. But Sutton has never forgotten where he grew up or the people who live there.

“When I look back over all the good things that have happened in my life, I’m not sure they would have happened had I grown up anywhere else,” Sutton said. “Every memory I have about growing up there is an important one. If I had to go to one place to find the biggest

SUTTON, BORN IN CLIO, ALABAMA,

collection of friends in my life, then the Emerald Coast is where I’d go. I will always be grateful that I had the opportunity to grow up there and that I have had the chance to return there.”

Sutton was born in April of 1945, in Clio, Alabama, to Howard and Lillian Sutton — teenage sharecroppers who lived in a tarpaper shack with a dirt floor. In ’51, Howard moved his family to Molino, where he used his strong will and ambition to become successful in construction, particularly as a concrete-pouring foreman. ← Don Sutton “When I visit, I spend time struck out 3,574 batters, with my dad — he’s 90, now — achieving an MLB and we try to revisit some of the game record places and relive some of the fun of 324–256. He played 16 of his we had when I was a kid,” Sutton 23 seasons with said. “It usually involves us going the Dodgers. down to the Escambia River, and it usually ends up with us finding a place where you can get ‘three sides and a meat’ at one of those little hole-in-the-wall restaurants. I never leave that area without thinking how fortunate I was to have grown up there. We didn’t have a whole lot, but what we had was priceless.”

At J.M. Tate High School, Sutton played a little football and basketball, but it was baseball that brought him All-State recognition his junior and senior years.

Tate won a state championship in 1962 and was runnerup in 1963. Also in ’63, Sutton’s classmates voted him “Most Likely to Succeed.”

After attending Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City for a year, Sutton was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers, one of the dominant teams in the National League. His debut with the bigtime came at the age of 20, and he eventually spent 23 years in the majors, 16 of them with the Dodgers. Overall, he won 324 games and struck out 3,574 opposing batters.

He was a four-time All-Star and earned the MVP award of the 1977 All-Star game. He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998, and the Dodgers retired his number, 20, that same year.

Sutton’s remarkable career as a professional baseball player came to an end in 1988, and one year later, he made the transition into broadcasting. Since then, for all but two baseball seasons, Sutton has been involved with the Atlanta Braves, who inducted him into their Hall of Fame in 2015. This past season included ››

grew up in Molino, near Pensacola, where a ball field is in named in his honor. He attended J.M. Tate High School, where he helped the baseball team win a state championship in 1962. He attended Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City before going pro with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He also played for the Houston Astros, the Milwaukee Brewers, the Oakland Athletics and the California Angels. A California resident, he continues to work in Major League Baseball, as a broadcaster for the Atlanta Braves.

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October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

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144 games with the Braves Radio Network, which can be heard through three different stations in this area.

Although Sutton lives in Rancho Mirage, California these days, he usually “heads for home” once his broadcasting duties are wrapped up for the season.

“I jump in my car and head down I-85 to I-65, then get off there in Century, and come on down,” Sutton said. “People always ask me why I go there, and I say, ‘I go there for therapy.’ They ask, ‘What doctors do you see?’ and I say, ‘Dr. Pensacola Beach, Dr. Navarre and Dr. Destin.’ … I don’t go back “People always there just to say, ‘I’m going ask me why I go to play golf,’ or, ‘I’m going to go fishing.’ I go there, and there, and I say, something therapeutic always ‘I go there for unfolds for me.” therapy.’ They ask, Some of that therapy involves reconnecting with friends and ‘What doctors teammates from Tate High do you see?’

School; some of it involves and I say, ‘Dr. playing golf or dining out.

“I think a lot of us were .500 Pensacola Beach, and .600 hitters, and we always Dr. Navarre and get back to reliving 1962, when Dr. Destin.’ ” we won the state championship for Tate,” Sutton said. “And — Don Sutton there are always people who put their arms around me.

When I was having a hard time some years ago, one of these people was Sam Montalto. Sam was like a big brother to me. It was almost like he adopted me.”

Montalto, who passed way in 2016, was locally famous for owning and operating Pandora’s Steak House and Pranzo Italian Ristorante on Okaloosa Island, and for the annual Pandora’s Invitational Golf Tournament.

Fred Levin, perhaps Pensacola’s most famous lawyer, is one of Sutton’s longtime hometown friends.

“For years now, I’ve been around great athletes like Roy Jones Jr. or Emmitt Smith, but no one has been more down to earth than Don Sutton,” Levin said.

“The last time he was here, we had dinner at Jackson’s.

I think it was his father’s birthday. He’s so natural and normal around people, you wouldn’t realize he’s a Hall of Fame baseball player.”

So when another long, long baseball seasons ends, Don Sutton knows there’s still one road trip remaining: the trip home, to the Emerald Coast.

“There’s always something to do, rain or shine,” he said. “I always leave there feeling rejuvenated, and that’s one of the reasons I keep going there.” EC

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HEALTH & FITNESS

Raising the Bar World champion pole vaulter Daniel Ryland welcomes curious first-timers and elite athletes to his training center

by ZANDRA WOLFGRAM

D

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October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

 Daniel Ryland coaches Maddy Kish at his training facility in Santa Rosa Beach.

approachable personality have made him a magnet for thousands of hopeful athletes, from novice to masters, who come to Ryland year round to “up their game.”

But this athlete/entrepreneur is quick to explain that he doesn’t do it alone. His wife, Catherine, who has deep family roots in Grayton Beach, also is a vaulter and assists with operating the facility. They have two little girls, Scout Elizabeth and Chapel Grace. Scout, 2, is already sprinting down the runway with a pole in hand.

The success stories that the Ryland facility has churned out since opening in 2012 are too long to list, but clients range from first-timers to established, elite pros.

Armand Duplantis of Lafayette, La., known simply as Mondo, is the only high school vaulter to have cleared 19 feet (19’ 4.25”, to be exact). Ryland is a longtime friend of Mondo’s father, professional pole vaulter Greg Duplantis, who encouraged Mondo to train with Ryland in 2013, when Mondo was 14 years old — a year before he became a world champion.

Now 18, Mondo is a YouTube sensation and has been called “The Tiger Woods of Pole Vaulting.” ››

DANIEL RYLAND’S ATHLETIC RESUME INCLUDES: 11 national championships 2x Olympic Trials qualifier, pole vault 2x Junior National Champion, decathlon World Championship, Team USA ß Pan American, Team USA Louisiana State 100m, 110h, pole vault champion



aniel Ryland’s got “pole position.”

The lean 37-year-old with aquamarine eyes is a world-renowned pole vaulting championturned-coach who now operates the only fully equipped (minus the frills) training facility in the region. This facility, which is nestled on an acre of land just off County Road 283 in Santa Rosa Beach, is quickly becoming a beacon for pole vaulters and athletes from near and far.

Fearless, fast and strong, this self-styled rodeocowboy wannabe developed his formidable combination of skills while growing up on his family’s farm in rural Deville, La. “I grew up working hard. Work was a daily routine.

Riding a horse every day made me strong and durable.

I was unbreakable. I was tough,” Ryland says.

By his freshman year of high school, this roughand-tumble teen suited up as Buckeye High School’s quarterback, but track and field was the sport that would take his skills, resume and, eventually, his life, to the next level.

Ryland holds a personal pole vault record of 19’ 2.25”, and as a decorated pole vault and decathlon champion, his resume boasts dozens of national and Olympic-level accolades.

Having earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Arkansas State University and having honed his coaching skills at the notable Bell Athletic Camp in Arkansas and the prestigious IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., Ryland has earned the right to put his own name on the door of the Ryland Pole Vault center. His smarts, strength and speed combine to create a formidable champion — a winner. And his indomitable spirit, education-based coaching style and

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“I’ve known Mondo’s family my whole life,” Ryland said. “I broke his dad’s all-time Louisiana record, and now Mondo just broke mine.”

Locally, Ryland has worked with numerous schools along the Emerald Coast, including Niceville High School, where Kobe Babin is an incoming sophomore. Babin, who was ranked the No. 1 middle school vaulter in Florida and No. 2 in the nation, was “holding” 9 feet; after he trained with Ryland, he reportedly improved his best by two feet in just two days. In May of 2016, he cleared 11’ 6” to claim first place at the Florida Middle School Track and Field State Championships. Currently, his personal best is 12 feet.

At a recent June training, Ryland hosted several college athletes who were taking turns vaulting from one of three runways.

Among them was 18-yearold Darin Meeker, a graduate of Maclay School in Tallahassee, where he held the pole vault state record his senior year. He is enrolled at Colorado School of Mines, where he’s studying engineering.

He came back for a second time to Ryland to improve his technique, spend a little time in Seaside and, most  Daniel and Catherine Ryland, of all, to “have fun.” both vaulters, are partners in marriage and business.

Ryland works mostly with athletes from ages 13 to 18, but he welcomes all ages and all skill levels to try a twoor four-day camp priced from $200. The camp includes classroom-style lessons before every workout. (One-onone coach consulting is available, but it requires previous camp attendance.)

“All I ask is for an open mind and a willingness to work hard,” Ryland says.

Hard work is Ryland’s key to success. “There is always something more you can do,” he says. “Believe that every one of your attempts is an opportunity to learn and grow.”

Speaking of growing, Ryland is a passionate gardener. His tomato plants tower as high as his polevaulting record. “I really love growing things,” he says. “Every time I start a new garden, I get better.”

Ryland Pole Vault campers can attest to the truth of that statement, since they dine each day on the bounty from Ryland’s on-site organic gardens.

“Grow it, and they will come,” Ryland says, playing off a line in “Field of Dreams,” a film starring Kevin Costner. Then, most fittingly, he dons a straw hat and ventures, barefoot, into his patch of corn. EC

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PHOTO BY CHASE YAKABOSKI

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CHAMPIONS

LOCAL FOOD PANTRY LOOKS TO COMMUNITY AS NEEDS MOUNT

Caring & Sharing of South Walton expecting busy fall

by KARI C. BARLOW

T

his time of year, for much of South Walton, is marked by a slower pace and smaller crowds.

For Kim Hope, director of Caring & Sharing of South Walton, the fall season is peak season.

“The need goes up. We see a lot of folks,” she said. “Many are seasonal workers, and once the summer season ends, a lot of people have their hours cut. They are struggling.”

Tucked into a corner of Lynn Drive, just south of U.S. Highway 98, the

bustling food pantry serves a side of South Walton that often goes unseen: the homeless, seniors on fixed incomes and hourly service workers living in poverty.

“It’s a pretty good mix — a lot of families,” Hope said. “A lot live on that north side of U.S. 98 and some come from Freeport. These folks, if they didn’t come here, I don’t know what they would do. … I think there are still a lot of people we could reach.”

Although Caring & Sharing’s primary service is distributing nonperishable groceries and some fresh food, it added a thrift store a few years ago, the sales from which are used to cover operating expenses.

The thrift store includes an upstairs clothing boutique. ››  Caring & Sharing also distributes gently used clothing.

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October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

PHOTOS BY COLLIS THOMPSON OF MELLOW MEDIA

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Where Healthy, Beautiful Skin Awaits

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“We take pretty much anything that’s in good condition,” Hope said.

“We have a truck that goes out four days a week. You just call us, and we schedule a time to pick it up.”

The nonprofit, which operates with only seven paid employees, currently averages 400 to 600 food clients a month, and it saw a total of 6,681 adults and 8,000 children in 2016.

“What I am seeing, more and more, is children being taken care of by grandparents,” Hope said. “A lot of (the grandparents) are on Social Security and don’t get much.”

The only way Hope can meet the growing demand each fall is to lean on the generosity of the South Walton “I think there’s community. This year still a lot of is no exception. Many people we could local businesses, such as Publix and Resort reach.” — Kim Hope Quest, donate items from their inventories, but the organization is always in need of more.

“Financial donations help the most,” Hope said. These funds allow Caring & Sharing to purchase gas cards and

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 The end of summer means less income for some Walton County families.  Gail Smith and other volunteers ramp up their efforts in fall to meet the greater need for food and household items.

assist a limited number of clients with prescriptions and utilities. “We also need volunteers,” Hope added. “We couldn’t do it without them.”

Volunteers are essential to sorting through donations of clothes, food, furniture and housewares; answering phones; distributing food; running the cash register; and raising awareness of the nonprofit’s mission throughout the community.

Gail Jones, a Santa Rosa Beach resident who received help from Caring & Sharing in the past, volunteers once a week out of gratitude.

“We fell on hard times, and they helped us,” she said. “They do a lot of good for the community.”

Jones is one of about 150 core volunteers, many of whom are retirees.

“We have fun here,” said Midge Drebing of Freeport, who has volunteered for the past 10 years. “I believe in what we’re doing here, and we’re here for the whole county.” EC

October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

Caring & Sharing of South Walton 112 Lynn Drive, Santa Rosa Beach caringandsharingsowal.org Contact: Kim Hope at (850) 267-2866 or info@caringandsharingsowal.org Hours: The food pantry is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The thrift store is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturdays.

WANT TO HELP?

Caring & Sharing of South Walton is in need of volunteers. The organization is also in need of donations for the holiday season, especially for the annual Angel Tree for local children in need.

PHOTOS BY COLLIS THOMPSON OF MELLOW MEDIA AND JO ODOM (JONES)

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ELEMENTS OF STYLE RANGING FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE MORE SUBLIME

HIS & HERS

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October–November 2017

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are invaluable in helping find the perfume, parfum or cologne that best expresses the wearer.

In These Shops & Others Near You RAGTIME CONSIGNMENT BOUTIQUE

➺ Located on West 15th Street in Panama City, Ragtime has been offering women discount prices on designer goods for over 25 years.

Popular lines include Elizabeth Taylor, Chanel, Calvin Klein, Estee Lauder, Armani and Yves St Laurent.

BELLE AME’ BATH & BODY

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Terre de Lumiere is the first Gourmand fragrance from the company, meaning the initial thing one will notice are the sweet, palatable aromatics of the concoction. Aside from those organic Provençal notes, the fragrance invokes the warmth of the setting sun and the cool serenity of a sea breeze.

For men who want to capture the foreign charm of Provence with a little more edge, L’OCCITANE offers the sleek and citrusy L’Homme Cologne Cedrat.

According to Prymula, the cologne’s creator wanted to provide a “Mediterranean escape” for an adventurous and confident man. This is now the most popular line purchased in the store, which Prymula attributes to the way the cologne captures elements of a seaside paradise such as the Emerald Coast.

Despite being distributed in a simple, silver bottle, the scent is multi-dimensional, distinguished by far more than its fruity namesake and the salty sea air. Any bitterness you may associate with a cedrat, or citron, is soothed by lavender and violet, then spiced with ginger and black and pink peppercorns. Though you won’t see any Florida longleaf pines in Provence, you will find cedar, which is blended with musk and amber to top off the natural scent.

Turn heads with these new fragrances, allowing your scent today to waft into someone’s memory tomorrow. EC

October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

PISH POSH PATCHOULI’S

➺ Patchouli’s apothecary has served up scents for 25 years in the Rosemary Beach area, stocking its shelves with beauty products not typically found elsewhere.

Showcasing both men and women’s fragrances, Patchouli’s provides resources for shoppers to customize their scents; or buy from unique designers, including Carner Barcelona, Antica Farmacista, Laila and Jack Black.

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hile fashion fads come and go, a person’s signature scent is always in style.

Every once in a while, a passing fragrance will overwhelm you with nostalgia. Perhaps it once lived in one of the crystal perfume vials that adorned your mother’s vanity, or on the neck of a former lover. Particular aromas also have the power to transport you forward, invoking characteristics of locations dreamed of but not yet visited. Whether it’s the floral sweetness of a woman’s perfume, or the earthy musk of a man’s cologne, a scent that resonates on the wearer becomes a part of his or her presence.

For women who want to radiate an ethereal beauty this season, fragrance experts suggest L’OCCITANE’s Terre de Lumiere. As this translates to “land of light,” the company’s newest eau de parfum cloaks its wearer with the enchanting aura of a French twilight.

“Combined with a mixture of almond, honey and lavender, this crispy parfum will capture a very special time of day known as the Golden Hour in Provence,” says Grand Boulevard’s L’OCCITANE Retail Manager Kolton Prymula. This is the time of day when the landscape becomes a real-life Monet painting, rich in hues of red, purple and orange. Much like the radiance of the sunset’s final rays, says Prymula, this perfume basks its wearers in its unique formula.

➺ For those looking for handcrafted scents, Belle Ame’ of Pensacola is a locally owned fragrance boutique that features delicious spritzers for gals on the go.

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CITIZEN OF STYLE

ROYAL FAMILY OF FASHION Hy’s Toggery reflects three generations of style

by HANNAH BURKE

W

Gary Wakstein’s closet ‘must-haves’ Gary Wakstein lives for comfort and class. These are the top items that won’t be leaving his closet any time soon. ➺ Vineyard Vine shorts and shirts in bright, coastal colors ➺ Aftco Fishing Apparel, a staple for boats and parties ➺ Ventilated Patagonia hats ➺ Fish Hippie light-weight, stretch polos

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➺ Colombia Blood and Guts shirts, which are pre-treated with a stain blocker ➺ Olukai Flip-flops, which have a molded arch support ➺ Costa Sunglasses, which are the top lenses and styles on the sunglass market

October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

ALL AVAILABLE AT HY’S TOGGERY 700 Pier Park Drive, Panama City Beach; Open Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–9 p.m.; and Sunday, 12 noon–7 p.m. For more information, call (850) 235-1177 or visit hystoggery.com.

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hile shopping in Panama City Beach’s Pier Park, you will no doubt be drawn to an establishment called Hy’s Toggery. Hy’s has family roots going back to 1969, when Hy Wakstein, a World War II veteran, set up shop.

Carrying on his father’s legacy, Gary Wakstein currently operates Bay County’s oldest family-owned clothing store, where sporty meets splendor.

“He was the fashion icon of our world,” Wakstein says of his late father. “He led by example. What he wore, the way he wore it … his taste was exceptional. We have these pictures of ››

photography by MICHAEL BOOINI

↖ Gary Wakstein inherited appreciation of fashion from his father, Hy Wakstein, and keeps his sense of style contemporary, thanks in part to younger members of the family.

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

October–November 2017

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panache him from the ’30s and ’40s, where he grew up in New York, and he always looked like he had just stepped out of a fashion magazine.”

The generational experience is perhaps the most rewarding part of running the business.

With two sons — the youngest of which helps Wakstein run the store — and three grandchildren, Wakstein is grateful to have his family succeed him, just as he “I was accused of succeeded his father. After sleeping in a suit all, younger generations influence the ever-changing and tie for about merchandise of Hy’s 30 years. We got Toggery and are responsible our start selling for shaping Wakstein’s own sense of style. three-piece suits.

“I was accused of sleeping And we still do — in a suit and tie for about only that’s come 30 years,” says Wakstein.

“We got our start selling to mean Bermuda three-piece suits. And we shorts, a T-shirt still do — only that’s come and flip-flops.” to mean Bermuda shorts, a T-shirt and flip-flops.

— Gary Wakstein We’ve reinvented ourselves throughout the years, and it’s nice to wear what you sell. My son has been helpful in teaching me how to dress more leisurely.”

This has cemented Wakstein’s personal fashion philosophy of embracing evolution and being adaptable in terms of brand and style. For his interview with Emerald Coast Magazine, he wears a pastel, button-up shirt made from a fabric that resembles cotton, but is, in fact, a “performance fabric” that is impervious to wrinkles and stretches easily to accommodate most body types.

“There’s so much technology going into clothes now, like SPF features and shirts that come out of the dryer looking like they’ve been pressed. It’s comfortable for me and gets me to try new things, but it also demonstrates valid brands that people respond to.”

The response has been so overwhelmingly positive that Wakstein is opening a second location of his business in Daytona Beach, set to debut in April of 2018.

“I wear our products because it’s my job to determine the fit and style that will make people the most confident. Making them happy — that’s what matters.” EC

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October–November 2017

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PROMOTION

ANTIQUARIAN DELIGHTS Make something old into something new with the vast variety, volume and quality found just inside the doors of Smith’s Antiques. A favorite with locals, decorators and tourists for 24 years, Smith’s 90 vetted dealers bring in fresh merchandise on a daily basis. The nirvana experienced in finding the perfect chair for your living room or delightful teacup as a gift, is one of the many reasons Smith’s has been voted “Best of the Emerald Coast” for 18 consecutive years.

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STEAMPUNK LAMP

($295) A one-of-a-kind handcrafted lamp incorporating a mix of industrial machine parts — a delightful mixture of technology and aesthetic design.

In addition to lamps, Smith’s has tables and chests in the same “steampunk” genre.

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October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

PHOTOS BY CHASE YAKABOSKI

($1,200) One of many modern, sophisticated, one-of-a-kind lucite pieces at Smith’s: They create their own distinctive addition to your home.

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

October–November 2017

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panache

LIV PIES BAKERY SWEET TREATS



Just in time for Thanksgiving,

A roundup of retail happenings throughout the Emerald Coast

by HANNAH BURKE

SEASCAPE TOWNE CENTRE is the

newest retail complex to hit Destin, offering a little something for everyone.

Located on Highway 98, in the foreground of Seascape Resort, this family-friendly entertainment district features unique activities like the Thrills Laser Tag and Arcade, Aerial Entertainment rope course and live music scenes. The Acme Oyster House, Mezcal Grill and Moo La-La Ice Cream are just a few places to sate your appetite after a day of shopping among the coastal-chic boutiques and market shops the plaza encompasses!

Southern Living magazine has long been a Southerner’s go-to guide for home décor, delicious country cookin’ and fashion advice. Its pages come to life in the Destin Commons, where SOUTHERN LIVING opened its second store. In addition to the magazine’s own brand-named goods, shoppers can enjoy product lines from Lamon Luther, 1818 Farms and Natural Life.

Whether you’re looking for a special gift or redesigning your home, Southern Living will keep you on trend.

Autumn has arrived at Pensacola’s

PINK MARKET, providing women with the season’s must-have fashions. Bellsleeved Buddy Love dresses are contemporary and comfy, designed to be dressed up or dressed down. Owner Brooklyn Melton suggests layering a Sugar Lips cropped jacket over your favorite top, worn with slim-fit jeans and booties for an instant fall upgrade.

OFF TO THE MARKET

LIV PIES BAKERY

now serves the Destin area. Though pies may be their specialty, don’t let the name fool you!

Liv Pies showcases delectable displays of cakes, cookies, and pastries of all varieties to satisfy your sweet tooth.

The Market Shops of Sandestin is now serving as a second location for CHARLIE’S DONUTS. Charlie’s Donut Truck has developed a huge local following in Alys Beach, where patrons line up to nab one of the glazed, flavor-filled donuts before they’re all gone. The same rules apply: Get there early, because Charlie’s only remains open while supplies last!

New to Panama City Beach is LUCKY’S MARKET, a health-conscious grocery store that found its home in Albertsons Plaza. Its origins are in Boulder, Colorado, where two chefs combined the freshness found in farmer’s markets, butcheries and bakeries all into one place. Lucky’s wholesome quality caught on, and the store has now expanded to 11 different states. This is a store that places a huge emphasis on procuring local vendors’ wares; so you’ll never be left wondering from where your goods come!

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October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

PHOTOS BY JANNA K. TAYLOR (SEASCAPE TOWNE CENTTRE), HEATHER REGAN (LIV PIES BAKERY) AND BROOKLYN MELTON (PINK MARKET) AND COURTESY OF LUCKY’S PCB

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October–November 2017

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Mount ain Ret reat 30A’S FAVORITE

Located just 25 minutes from Asheville, N.C. and easily accessible from the airport and Interstate 40, Laurel Ridge Country Club remains a preferred seasonal destination for 30A residents. For decades, residents of the Emerald Coast have headed north to experience one of Western North Carolina’s timeless mountain retreats. Offering the region’s premier golf course, first-class dining in a rustic, mountain lodge style clubhouse and full service amenities designed to appeal to the entire family, Laurel Ridge delivers the complete lifestyle experience.

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October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

expression OCT/NOV 2017

CREATIVE WORKS LAND ON PAGES, CANVASES AND STAGES

ART

CREATIVE OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS Artist David Hansel paints 16 doors with coastal scenes

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID HANSEL

by ZANDRA WOLFGRAM

↗ Hansel and others covered a Grayton Beach beach house with local art.

MUSIC

Crescendo

|| STAGE

Pensacola Opera Hits The High Notes

Pensacola Opera Hits The High Notes

|| BOOKS

Everything’s Coming Up Paisley

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ties. It’s fitting that he named this passionproject/dwelling Grayton Station.

As you enter Grayton Station, a familiar local landscape scene greets you: the stand of cypress trees on the edge of Western Lake. Hansel’s meticulous mural wraps around a corner and spans three doors. It’s so detailed, you can almost hear the breeze through the treetops.

Hansel’s childlike sense of wonder is on display in a child’s bedroom, which has been fitted with saloon-style swinging doors.

Going into the room is like diving into an underwater world that puts you nose-tonose with a giant, majestic sea turtle. The adventure continues on the other side of the same door, which is splashed with fun sea life that resembles the likes of fishy friends such as Disney characters Nemo and Dory.

Another playful bedroom door showcases a fun-in-the-sun day on the emerald shores of 30A. When you close this door, the very same beach scene is now depicted at the magic hour of sunset, which is captured in paintings on the walls and in matching rosy-orange bed linen.

The list, or art gallery tour, as it were, goes on and on.

Hansel, 57, is soft-spoken, with spectacled gray-blue eyes and salt-and-pepper hair. Originally from Roseau, Minn., he has lived a nomadic life: “I attended 15 schools by the time I reached 15,” he says.

Hansel received a degree in theology and is a pastor; but his recent relocation, from

October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

Toccoa, Ga. to the Emerald Coast, is to answer a different calling. As he says, “I’m literally filling a blank canvas with a fresh start as an artist.”

Hansel is a self-taught painter. He was first inspired to create art as a child of 5, when his grandmother gave him books of animals that he practiced drawing and soon after began to paint.

Beyond traditional canvases, Ryland has found a home for his lively artwork on wooden signs, T-shirts, home décor, furniture and holiday ornaments. His work is vivid and playful. And as a beach lover — he’s lived in both Hawaii and the Virgin Islands — he is endlessly inspired by the sea, sun and sand.

“For me, the beach is a place that takes your cares away. It’s therapeutic. You get a sense of being content in life,” he says.

Hansel has a gallery space within the Artists at Gulf Place collective on 30A, and he sells his work at a few retailers along the coast.

Looks like the door of opportunity is already cast wide open for this talented Emerald Coaster. EC



DAVID HANSEL

To view examples of David Hansel’s work, or to contact him for information regarding custom commissions, visit davidjhansel.com.

photography by CHASE YAKABOSKI

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID HANSEL (DOOR)

hey say that when one door closes, another one opens. For Panama City artist David Hansel, you could make that 16 doors.

Hansel is one of → David Hansel, photographed 10 local artists who in his gallery were commissioned within Artists to paint coastal-inat Gulf Place, is a self-taught spired scenes and sea painter seeking life on the doors of contentment in his a cheery, two-story, art and the beauty of the coast. six-bedroom beach house, located just a few steps from The Red Bar at 255 Garfield, in Grayton Beach. Hansel painted 16 of the home’s doors, and the other artists painted the remaining two dozen. (There may have been more; the artists stopped counting at 40 doors.)

The home’s owner, Len Herndon, who hails from Abbeville, Ala., relocated to the Emerald Coast after retiring and lives next door. He bought what is known by locals as the “house of doors” as an investment and invited local artists to “jazz it up” to ensure that it “wasn’t another boring vacation-rental home.”

He succeeded. The eclectic home brims with vibrant art, artisan furniture pieces from The Zoo Gallery and, yes, painted doors galore. Herndon’s love of trains is evident in the many railroad-themed design touches, such as iron railroad ties that have been repurposed into hardware and a dining table fashioned from aged railroad

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MattieKellyArtsFoundation.org · 850-650-2226 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

October–November 2017

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expression

↖ Daviel Wooten convenes the Niceville High School 2017-18 Eagle Pride band.

MUSIC

CRESCENDO Band director’s love of music and teaching hailed in ‘Legion of Honor’

by MATT ALGARIN

A

s an educator for more than 30 years, Daniel Wooten’s career has taken him from coast to coast and from the Midwest to the Deep South.

And while he’s loved each stop along his journey, Wooten has always felt most comfortable along the Emerald Coast.

An accomplished musician who has performed with the Cincinnati Brass Band, the Kentuckiana Brass and Percussion Ensemble, the Louisville Orchestra and the Pensacola Symphony — just to name a few renowned performance groups — Wooten spends his days as the band director at Niceville High School. There, he shapes and molds students who have a passion for music in the same way that his parents, who were heavily immersed in the Pensacola arts and entertainment scene, shaped and molded him.

“I grew up in a family where it was a little bit Norman Rockwell,” Wooten says. His mother was a pianist and organist who sang in the Glee Club

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with Wooten’s father, a sporting-goods salesman. “We sat around the piano at holidays and sang, and routinely my father would be singing at church or at someone’s wedding,” Wooten says.

But it was the rhythmic sound of a snare drum that caught his attention as a young man. And the rest, as they say, is history. ›› photography by CHASE YAKABOSKI

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“There was a family across the street, and they had twins and an older boy, whose name was Dick,” Wooten recalls. “Dickey was out there in the driveway and he had a snare drum hanging off his shoulder. I heard it, and I ran outside to see what it was.

At that point, I knew that I wanted to do that. I thought he was cool. He was in the ninth grade and had a five o’clock shadow, so I wanted to be like him.”

Soon after, Wooten found himself a member of the middle school band at Brentwood. By the time he was in high school, he knew he had found his calling. As an adult, he would spend time at Tate High School before taking a position at the University of Louisville as the assistant band director at 24 years old.

“I just had a blast,” he recalls. “I got to be out there in the rolling hills of Kentucky, which was beautiful. But I missed being out there on the podium.”

After six years of teaching, Wooten turned down a job offer from the University of Iowa to return to his Pensacola roots and take over the band at Woodham High School.

“It was time for me to get out there and run my own program,” he says.

After teaching at Woodham, he took over the Niceville High School band in 2003. He explains that the arts culture at the high school is, in general, very strong. Between them, Wooten and the choir director at the school share more than 700 musicloving students.

“People don’t realize we have this art-school culture,” Wooten says. “The fine arts and music … wow. We’ve just been able to have really good people, and we are making the most of it.”

Success seems to follow Wooten, no matter where he calls home. He was a Grammy nomination semifinalist for education in 2013-14, and even more recently, he was named to the Legion of Honor by the John Philip Sousa Foundation. The Legion of Honor was established in 1989 to honor a select few of the finest band directors in the nation. To be honored, an individual must have taught for at least 15 years, maintained a quality concert band program and contributed significantly to the profession through his or her dedication to bands and band music.

“When you grow up as a scrawny little drummer from Pensacola, you don’t ever expect something of this nature to happen to you,” he says. “It’s been positive, and it has brought some great publicity to the community and the (high school’s) program.” EC

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expression

↖ Madama Butterfly will be performed in Pensacola Jan. 26 and 28. The opera, set to Puccini’s beloved score, tells the story of Cio-Cio-San, a Japanese wife hoping against hope for the return of her husband, Pinkerton, an American serviceman who may have discarded her.

STAGE

Pensacola Opera Hits The High Notes

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and drama — has been central to Pensacola Opera since it formed in 1983.

“We are celebrating our 35th year,” said Shannon, who also serves as the musical director and principal conductor. “When art organizations around our country are closing or retreating, our company continues to flourish. We’re very excited and proud about that.”

The 35th season is something of a bittersweet milestone, because it marks the final season of longtime artistic director Kyle Marrero, who has been with the company for 17 years. Formerly a faculty and administration member at the University of West Florida, Marrero is now president of the University of West Georgia.

“He and his wife, Jane, a professional opera singer who has sung many roles with our company, have made immeasurable contributions to our company ››

October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM



T

he Pensacola Opera’s winter and spring MainStage productions at the Saenger Theater are certainly its crown jewels, but a passion for community outreach makes this company shine all year round. From performances at local schools and libraries, to free pop-ups on downtown streets, to formal fundraising galas, the opera has made the cultural enrichment of Northwest Florida a top priority.

“It is essential that children — and their parents — have untethered, free access to programs that exemplify art and the artistic experience,” Executive Director Jerome Shannon said. “For us, it is music — and primarily, vocal music. The power of musical storytelling through singing is an important part of our nation’s culture.”

That enthusiasm for what has been called the ultimate art form — that perfect blend of music, dance

by KARI C. BARLOW

GET YOUR OPERA ON!

You can catch the Pensacola Opera this fall at Pensacola’s 2017 Foo Foo Fest. The company will take the stage to present Astor Piazzolla’s tango opera Maria de Buenos Aires at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 10 and 2 p.m. on Nov. 12, at Pensacola State College’s Ashmore Auditorium.

For more information about Pensacola Opera, visit pensacolaopera.com or call (850) 433-6737.

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL DUNCAN

35th season features Madama Butterfly and Man of La Mancha

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

October–November 2017

61

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October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

and our community,” Shannon said. Marrero will leave on a high note, with Pensacola Opera staging productions of Madama Butterfly on January 26 and 28, 2018, and Man of La Mancha on March 16 and 18, 2018.

On an annual basis, the opera’s calendar is packed — with the artists-in-residence arriving in September and starting school appearances, downtown holiday caroling in December, MainStage productions and more school visits through the spring, the annual Operazzi Ball fundraiser in April and Family OperaTunity Day in May. National auditions and summer opera camps, held in June and July, wrap up the season.

“Our various programs are like our children: We love them all equally,” Shannon said. “The opera has always been committed to not only present“When art ing opera productions, but also to providing programs that enhance the organizations quality of life for its communities.” around our Opera Board Member Emeritus country are Jan Miller has watched the company improve its craft through the years closing or to become a selling point for the city. retreating, “The staging is magnificent. The our company voices are magnificent,” she said.

“I know for a fact that some of the continues to companies here have used (Pensacola flourish.”— Opera) as a recruiting tool.”

Jerome Shannon She is especially proud of the opera’s partnerships with local schools and the Pensacola Children’s Chorus. “The education program is first rate,” she said. “It gives young, artistic children the chance to be on the stage.”

Elise Quagliata, a former artist-in-residence with the opera, said local patronage is a huge part of the company’s success. “It’s such an enormously supportive community,” said Quagliata, a mezzo-soprano who most recently starred in the Pensacola Opera’s March production of Dead Man Walking.

“They have this wonderful orchestra also. … It’s an exciting place to be, artistically speaking.” EC

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL DUNCAN

expression

2017-2018 SEASON Tickets on SALE NOW! Giselle

The Nutcracker

Oct. 14 @ 7:00pm Grand Boulevard

Nov. 17 & 18 @ 7:30pm Nov. 19 @ 2:30pm Mattie Kelly Arts Center

Presented as part of Grand Boulevard’s Coastal Culture Series

The haunting love story of a peasant girl that dies of a broken heart and is summoned from her grave.

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Lightwire Theater:

Peter Pan

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A Very Electric Christmas

A magical and captivating tale with electroluminescent lighting set to timeless holiday hits.

Presented by Emerald Coast Magazine

Let your imagination take flight on this spectacular journey to Neverland with live music by the NFB Symphony Orchestra.

BACK THIS SEASON... The Northwest Florida Ballet Symphony Orchestra, led by NFB Music Director David Ott, provides live musical accompaniment for The Nutcracker and Peter Pan.

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

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expression BOOKS

EVERYTHING’S COMING UP PAISLEY Tale takes mother and child on journey across Emerald Coast

by KIM HARRIS THACKER

Paisley Memories: The Beginning of Me tackles heavy themes without becoming ponderous.

The story follows Tess Cooper, the young mother of baby Paisley, who has Down syndrome.

Ready to strike out on the search for a new life, Tess packs up a suitcase and her daughter and leaves her Alabama home in a 1957 Thunderbird. The road is rough — sometimes literally — but after a year of traveling across the Emerald Coast, trying to make a new life in one small town after another, Tess and Paisley wind up in a tiny Gulfside town. Tess sees it as a pit stop on the road to somewhere better, but her neighbors are ready to welcome Tess and Paisley as new residents … if Tess will give them a chance.

ECM: How did your writing career get started?

MA: I’ve always wanted to be a writer and finally found time when my children were teenagers. It actually started out as notes scribbled on a small scrap of paper. My husband found the scrap while cleaning and asked what it was. I hadn’t yet told anyone what I was doing. He and our daughter, Sarah, have been supportive all the way and have had more confidence in my writing than I’ve ever had, myself. My son, Dylan, rescued me several times from a computer-driven meltdown. Without the never-ending encouragement of my family, this book wouldn’t have seen the light of day.

ECM: Where did you get the inspiration for Paisley Memories?

MA: The inspiration behind Paisley Memories was our daughter, Sarah, who has Down syndrome. When she was born, I was 19 years old and completely unprepared. I had a “pity party for one” for about two weeks, and then, when I realized that this little human was 100 percent dependent on me, I grew a backbone. There wasn’t much in the way

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of reading material back in the ’80s about Down syndrome — at least, nothing encouraging. Everything I came across made me feel like I was reading a textbook and didn’t at all prepare me for what to expect as Sarah grew.

When I wrote Paisley Memories, I basically wrote the kind of book that I would have loved to read at that time in my life: a book that would make you laugh, cry, laugh again and expect the unexpected.

While Sarah was the inspiration behind my novel, the book is fiction. The main character and I have entirely different backgrounds and experiences in life. Though I have included a few funny events that actually did happen to me, which I may have elaborated on a smidge.



Emerald Coast Magazine: You go by Mary Andrews, but your pen name is Zelle Andrews. Why did you choose to use a pen name, and why did you choose Zelle?

Mary Andrews: There is a famous author that has a name similar to mine. I realized I had to get creative and come up with something different. Initially I chose my middle name and decided to do a Google search to make sure there wasn’t another author using that name. Well, a Hugh Hefner playmate popped up on my screen. I’m sure I would have scored big on the search engine, with lots of hits — but not the kind I wanted. I was very close to my grandmother and always loved her name, so I “stole” it, as my daughter, Sarah, would say, and added an “e” on the end. Thus, Zelle Andrews was born!

MARY “ZELLE” ANDREWS

ECM: Paisley Memories contains some beautiful, vivid descriptions of the Gulf of Mexico. What areas, in particular, inspired the settings of this book?

MA: As a teenager, with no responsibilities, I frequently spent my weekends slathered in suntan lotion, soaking up the sunshine on the sugary white sands of Panama City Beach. Even though I was surrounded by people, I felt it was a peaceful place to calm the soul and sort things out — much like Tess does in my novel. The beach was the perfect setting for her to find herself. As a native-born Floridian, I can't think of a better setting for a novel than the beach.

I don’t get to enjoy that carefree lifestyle as often anymore, but this month, several friends and I will get together for a weeklong writers retreat at a beachfront house in Panama City. I’ll be working on the third novel in the series, hoping inspiration strikes while strolling the beach on those cold

Mary Andrews, whose pen name is Zelle Andrews, resides in Crawfordville with her husband and daughter.

Her first book, Paisley Memories, was published in 2015 by Southern Yellow Pine Publishing. In 2016, Andrews won a bronze and a silver medal from the Florida Authors & Publishers Association (FAPA) for Paisley Memories.

ECM: What are you working on now?

MA: I have submitted the second novel in the Paisley series, Dancing with Dandelions, to my publisher, and the third book is in the early draft stage. Both books feature Emerald Coast locales. EC

Learn more about Andrews on her website, zelleandrews.com, or visit her on Facebook at facebook.com/ ZelleAndrews.

mornings while watching the sun rise.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ZELLE ANDREWS

Q&A WITH MARY “ZELLE” ANDREWS

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PROMOTION

SIERRA HULL New music rises from old and takes flight Presented by Opening Nights at Florida State University to make mandolin strings cast spells, she says she must diverge from the old form, or be a fraud.

“That is what they lived. I live in a different time period. If I just recreate what they did, it’s not authentic,” Hull says.

She invokes the originality of Bill Monroe, the father of bluegrass; the experimentation of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, who advanced the form; and the pure sincerity of Loretta Lynn, who sang unabashedly about her own life.

Hull, a lil darlin’ of the Grand Ole Opry, wants to be that authentic, too. Her new album, Weighted Mind, ventures out — notably in the company of genre-leaping banjo master Béla Fleck, who produced the album, and

the voicings of Grammy winner Alison Krauss and Rhiannon Giddens of the former Carolina Chocolate Drops.

Hull and bass player Ethan Jodziewicz bring her new songs and older favorites to Panama City Dec. 9 in an Opening Nights performance at the St. Joe Community Foundation Lecture Hall on the Panama City Campus of Florida State University.

Want to catch Sierra Hull on tour?

Sierra Hull, on tour, performs in Panama City December 9 at the St. Joe Community Foundation Lecture Hall on the FSU Panama City Campus. It is one of two performances hosted in Panama City by Opening Nights. For more performances visit openingnights.fsu.edu/events

Tickets to Sierra Hull are priced at $45. To get yours, visit openingnights.fsu.edu or call (850) 644-7670.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF OPENING NIGHTS

S

ierra Hull is one part Loretta Lynn, one part Chris Thile and many parts musical invention.

Who knows what she will have summoned forth by the time she performs in Panama City on Dec. 9?

Hull’s expertise on mandolin, as one would imagine, springs from her upbringing in Tennessee. “I’m very grateful I grew up doing that,” she says in an accent true to her Smoky Mountain pedigree.

Her innovative playing of the instrument and her wizardry with lyrics demonstrate she pines for more than the bluegrass of home.

Crediting neighbors and kinfolk in Byrdstown, Tennessee, for teaching her when and how to take the lead, how to fold in harmonies and how

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gastro&gusto OCT/NOV 2017

DINING, IMBIBING AND LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST

PHOTO BY STEPHANIEFREY / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

DINING IN

STUFFING (OR IS IT DRESSING?) In the bird or in the dish, it’s delish!

↖

SWEETAND-SAVORY

by KIM HARRIS THACKER

see page 70 for recipe

LIBATION

Cordially Yours

|| DINING OUT

Bow to the Cow

|| DINING GUIDE

See Page 83

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F

irst, allow me to set the stage (or table, as it were) with a couple of Thanksgiving Day dinner jokes. Fair warning: They’re groan-worthy.

But they teach a valuable lesson … and they might just entertain your younger houseguests.

Q: What happened to the turkey when he got in a fight?

A: He got the stuffing knocked out of him.

Q: Why did the cranberries turn red?

A: Because they could see the cornbread dressing.

The valuable lesson:

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bread stuffing is delicious. If you’re looking for a unique dish to serve with your turkey dinner, you can prepare this dressing without the white bread cubes and bake it in acorn squash “bowls” (halve the squash; remove the seeds).

This dressing is delicious made with a mixture of white bread and cornbread, or you can use just white bread or just cornbread.

INGREDIENTS ➸A palachicola Bay oysters ➸C hopped vegetables: celery,

yellow (sweet) onion

➸ S pices: sage, thyme, Old Bay

INGREDIENTS ➸G round sausage

(mild or maple-flavored)

➸C hopped yellow (sweet) onion ➸D ried fruits: Craisins, golden

raisins, apricots, prunes ➸ F resh fruits: apples, pears (chopped and toasted): ➸ Nuts

pecans, walnuts, almonds ➸ S pices: rosemary, sage ➸ S hredded parmesan cheese (use only with acorn squash)

The Nor’easter Pay tribute to the East Coast Pilgrims (and use better-than-East-Coast oysters from Apalachicola Bay) with this seafood-lover’s dressing. Don’t put this one in the bird; the oysters may affect the taste of the turkey.

October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

Cajun Cornbread If you’re ready to add a little kick to a sometimes-bland dish, look no further. This stuffing uses fresh ingredients that you might more expect in your favorite jambalaya recipe. Serve with a sprinkling of shredded cheddar cheese, and your guests will beg for more.

INGREDIENTS ➸A ndouille sausage ➸C hopped vegetables: green and

red peppers, yellow (sweet) onion, celery, garlic chili powder, cayenne ➸ Spices:

pepper, black pepper, thyme, ground mustard, celery salt, garlic salt

‘I’M GLUTEN-FREE.’

When your dinner guest tells you he or she is “gluten-free,” that means that the white bread in your old-fashioned stuffing recipe is a no-go.

Does that mean you have to give up on making stuffing altogether? Nope.

Try rice in place of bread. It’s like a gourmet pilaf.

STUFFINS

It’s all the rage: stuffing made in muffin tins. Add a couple of beaten eggs and a splash of milk to your mixture — just make it moist — and bake. Is it a muffin? Is it stuffing? Is it quiche?

You decide. And then you eat ’em.

PHOTO BY BHOFACK2 / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

Chef Alton Brown said, “Stuffing is evil. Stuffing adds mass, so it slows the cooking. That’s evil because the longer the bird cooks, the drier it will be. … If you really love stuffing, wait until the turkey comes out of the oven, add some of the pan drippings to the stuffing and bake it in a dish. That’s called dressing, and that’s not evil — stuffing is, though.”

Stuffing … dressing … no matter what you call it, it’s an essential part of any holiday meal. Which means it can easily become “sameold, same-old.” Why not shake things up a bit and try a few new ingredients this year? EC

Sweet-and-Savory This take on the traditional white-



Stuffing is cooked inside of a bird; dressing is cooked outside of it.

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o you wrap up your evening meal with friends, and somebody pulls a bottle of Baileys Irish Cream from the fridge and points to the coffee maker. Another friend takes out a bottle of Kahlua and a box of hot cocoa mix. Yep, the evening’s not quite over yet.

“Cordials” are traditional afterdinner beverages that are hard to pass up. These liqueurs are essentially sweetened and flavored distilled spirits. The term “cordial” is most often used to refer to “dessert” spirits that are chocolaty or creamy in nature, such as the aforementioned Kahlua or Baileys.

The whole idea behind a liqueur is to add extra flaINGREDIENTS vor to certain beverages, and ➸ ¾ oz. dark rum there are many flavors and ➸¾ oz. coffee flavored liqueur types to choose from. Ac➸ 1 cup brewed coffee cording to mixologist and ➸ 2 tbsp. whipped cream writer Colleen Graham, ➸ 1 chocolate covered coffee bean writing for TheSpruce.com, liqueurs can have a single Pour rum and coffee liqueur into a coffee glass. Fill glass specific flavor, or consist of with hot coffee. Top with a a blend of different flavors. dollop of whipped cream Orange-flavored liqueurs in and garnish with a coffee bean. (Allrecipes.com) particular are very popular, and many orange liqueurs exist. The ones most commonly seen behind the bar are triple sec, curaçao, Cointreau and Grand Marnier.

“Then, there are propri➸½ oz. amaretto etary blends protected by almond liqueur ➸ ½ oz. rum specific brands and known ➸ ½ oz. peach schnapps only by that brand’s name. ➸ 2 oz. cranberry juice Recipes involving some of ➸ 1 oz. cream ➸ 2 oz. orange juice these liqueurs, like Averna, ➸ 1 oz. sweet and sour mix Benedictine, Chartreuse and Frangelico, date back Put everything into a blender. Blend and add ice centuries and are as popuuntil smooth. Serve in a tall lar today as they ever were,” glass. (drinksmixer.com) Graham wrote. “Due to their sweet nature, many liqueurs can be a considered digestif and are great when served straight with dessert.” EC

Jamaica Coffee

LIBATIONS

CORDIALLY YOURS Dinner’s over. Time for dessert (drinks).

by JASON DEHART

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PHOTO BY AKAYARDA / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

Amaretto Cruise

Consistently Delicious since 1995! www.cafethirtya.com

3899 E. Co. Hwy. 30A, Seagrove · 850.231.2166 Open Daily At 5

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PROMOTION

Gamble Family Vineyards brings their farming legacy to Harvest Wine & Food Festival

G

CAFÉ THIRTY-A

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HarvestWineandFood.com

NOV. 2-5 IN SOUTH WALTON Tickets to the Nov. 2 Celebrity Winemaker Dinners, pairing various restaurants with celebrity vintners, are $150.

Tickets to the Nov. 3 Al Fresco Reserve Tasting are $200.

Tickets to the Grand Tasting main event on Nov. 4 are $150 for general admission and $300 for VIP.

Michael Kasper in the Gamble Vineyards

“These are carefully constructed wines made from exceptional grapes grown at select sites in the Valley,” Kasper said. “The 2012 Paramount is perfectly balanced and will be splendid with the main course.”

Gamble Family Vineyards, founded by third-generation farmer Tom Gamble in 2005, is one of three vineyards headlining the new festival hosted

by Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation. Wine Spectator magazine ranks the foundation’s long-running spring auction No. 3 among the “Top Charity Wine Auctions in the U.S.” The 2017 event raised $2.7 million for 15 children’s charities.

The Harvest festival features Celebrity Winemaker

October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

Dinners at select restaurants in the region (Nov. 2); Al Fresco Reserve Tasting of library wines and rare vintages at WaterColor Beach Club (Nov. 3); and the Grand Tasting — an extravaganza Nov. 4 at WaterColor’s Cerulean Park of creative cuisine, celebrity chefs and tasting stations presenting more than 150 fine wines. A silent auction of rare wines, staycations and unique experiences opens Nov. 3 and ends Nov. 5 at noon.

To purchase festival tickets and learn more, visit HarvestWineandFood.com.

All proceeds from the festival benefit the mission of Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation to help children in need in Northwest Florida.

FEATURED WINE

The Gamble Family Vineyards 2012 Paramount red is a blend of grapes from select Napa Valley vineyards. The composition is nearly equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, with 5% Petit Verdot. This wine is aged for 20 months in French oak barrels. The winemaker describes it as satisfyingly medium-full bodied, with cocoa tannins, finely balanced between juicy fruit and savory notes.

Dates, figs, soft strawberries and peppery red currants rub shoulders with tobacco, leather, pine needles and anise. The blend’s moderate alcohol, firm acidity and silky-smooth tannins frame a delicious flavor-packed finish.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF GAMBLE FAMILY VINEYARDS AND CAFÉ THIRTY-A

amble Family Vineyards, based in Oakville, California, will bring its super-premium wines to South Walton this fall for the Harvest Wine & Food Festival, a showcase of fine wines and fine dining.

The boutique, Napa Valley vineyard is sending its national sales manager, Michael Kasper, to pour high-end wines at Café Thirty-A in Seagrove Beach on Nov. 2. The “Celebrity Winemaker Dinner” will feature the vineyard’s 2012 Paramount red, a bold blend of fruits harvested from distinguished Napa Valley vineyards in a very good growing year. The wine was aged in French oak barrels for 20 months.

Kasper, a wine industry veteran for more than 15 years, also will pour Gamble Family Vineyards’ 2013 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon and its 2015 Sauvignon Blanc, while speaking to patrons about the farmfriendly history of the vineyard and the unique structure of Gamble’s wines.

HARVEST WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL

FRESH FROM the gulf SUNDAY FUNDAY // NIGHTLY SPECIALS // HAPPY HOUR // CATERING VOTED BEST OF THE EMERALD COAST CRAWFISH, STEAMER AND SEAFOOD RESTAURANT!

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850.460.8900 // 210 HARBOR BLVD., DESTIN // BROTULAS.COM // OPEN DAILY AT 11 A.M.

INTRODUCING

A CULTIVATED EXPRESSION OF

creativity, cuisine and community SUSHI SHAREABLES CRAFT STYLE COCKTAILS AND MORE Social Hour Nightly Specials Thursday Night Ladies Night

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MON–THURS 5–10 P.M. | FRI + SAT 5–11 P.M. | 36120 EMERALD COAST PARKWAY, DESTIN | 850.460.2909 | CUVEEKITCHEN.COM | EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

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gastro & gusto Even crab cakes can anchor a burger at The Tin Cow, where customers can create their own.

At The Tin Cow, quality is prime … and that’s no bull

by LIESEL SCHMIDT

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he idea of opening a burger joint is far from a novel one, but the concept behind The Tin Cow took things to another level. The focus at The Tin Cow is on premium meats and fresh ingredients, resulting in a menu that fully glorifies the divine bovine — both on the bun and in the cup.

Having successfully sliced into the pizza scene by opening Hopjack’s Pizza Kitchen & Taproom back in 2008, Joe Abston could have easily sat back on his barstool and let his restaurants continue to rise; but a suggestion from a customer to mix things up by tossing burgers onto the menu gave him an idea — one that came to fruition in 2012, when he and his buddy Mike Weeks decided to partner up and launch a burger joint.

But it wouldn’t be just any burger joint; it would be one that combined an array of ground-up ingenuity with canned craft beers, adult-minded milk shakes and sides that are far from ordinary. They don’t just shake out some pre-cut frozen fries into a deep fryer and call it a day, nor do they toss factory-made chips onto a plate. No, The Tin Cow demands excellence in everything: They hand-cut potatoes each day for their fries and potato chips, tossing them in truffle oil and parmesan cheese … or infusing them with bacon.

October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

“Nearly two thousand pounds of potatoes are peeled and cut by hand each week for our menu,” says Abston. “That’s a lot of potatoes.”

It may, indeed, be a lot of spuds; but the high number is exemplary of how high they’ve set the bar for every aspect of their food — right down to the ketchup. Their signature burgers offer fistfuls of flavor to satisfy any craving, whether you go mad for Angus or love a legume; and the listing of proteins, cheeses, toppings, sauces and breads packed onto the “Create Your Own” menu is a veritable stampede of spectacular ways to take your burger bliss beyond imagination. ››

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE TIN COW

BOW T TO THE COW DINING OUT

Thank you for, once again, voting

HARBOR.DOCKS Destin, BEST SUSHI ON THEFlorida EMERALD COAST

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(in the 98 Pa lms Shopping Plaza)

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gastro & gusto CHAIN REACTION BURGER

Thank you for voting us...

BEST OYSTERS!

Discover everything we have to offer...

Seafood Specialties, Amazing Steaks, Pasta Dishes, Salads and So Much More!

34761 Emerald Coast Pkwy, Suite 104 Destin 850.842.4788 Visit our website for a full list of locations

www.HalfShellOysterHouse.com 78

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PHOTO COURTESY OF THE TIN COW



All of those decisions can be a bit staggering; so if you feel better following the herd and ordering straight off the menu, try out one of their top sellers, like the Classic, the Greek or the Chain Reaction. Each is a perfect pairing of patty and bun, reimagined to go beyond the grind of so many burger restaurants that trot out their boring offerings with the enthusiasm of cows out to pasture. The menu at The Tin Cow is a work of wit and passion, with creativity at play in the flavors and the names of every item. There are truly talented culinary artists behind the ideas, and they’ve milked their experience and their genius for all they’re worth.

They’re obviously doing something right, as The Tin Cow now has three locations in the area. Across the board, they maintain their brand of excellence — and their excellence is something they use for the good of others, as well.

“We created our Chain Reaction Burger because we wanted a unique way to give back to the community,” Abston explains. “We asked local teens involved in a teen development program called ‘Chain Reaction’ to design a burger whose partial proceeds would be donated to the organization; and so far, we’ve been able to contribute nearly $8,000.” This half-pound service-oriented burger is loaded up with Angus steak, melted cheddar, romaine lettuce, fresh-cut bacon-infused potato chips, thick-cut bacon and a slathering of ketchup and Caesar dressing on a cornmeal-dusted Kaiser bun.

From appetizers like freshly made pork rinds and pickle chips to kimchi-laden burgers and creamy milkshakes spiked with booze, Abston and Weeks have brought their vision to life and have proven that burgers and shakes can stray far from the expected.

The Tin Cow has branded itself as a cut above — or a THE TIN COW cow of a different color. And is located at 102 that’s something they take South Palafox Place, in Pensacola; 204 East extreme pride in.

Nine Mile Road, in “We set ourselves apart by Pensacola; and 5070 using the freshest ingredients Hwy. 90, in Pace. Open daily, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. and using local sources for For more information, those items whenever possivisit thetincow.com, or ble,” says Abston. “And that’s call (850) 466-2103. a difference you can taste.” EC

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chefyi

Back Beach Barbecue Pitmaster Shane Kirkland

How would you describe the cuisine?

Back Beach Barbecue offers a delicious menu highlighted by 12-hour slow cooked meats, simple homemade sides and sauces which are made in-house. An ode to its unpretentious, old-fashioned affection for the classics, Back Beach Barbecue’s menu is simple yet refined with six sides, homemade desserts, wine and beer options, and classic sodas such as Topo Chico and Grapico.

What is your favorite dish and why?

My favorite dish is our Texas Style Brisket Sandwich. Brisket has a nice layer of delicious fat that really ads to its depth of flavor.

How do you measure success?

Success is measured by the happiness of my customers. I like to see their smiles and laughter. If we can introduce our menu to one new customer a day and they enjoy it — that’s a win.

What made you want to pursue this career? When I was attending college in Panama City, Florida, I was toying around with four majors, one of which was culinary.

I never believed I could make a career out of my love for cooking.

What inspires/influences your career? My dad was the original inspiration for my career. He was the first one to show me you could make different things with a variety of ingredients.

Do you have a mentor that inspired you? Chef Sandor Zambori was a great mentor for me during my time at Gulf Coast State College.

Pitmaster Shane Kirkland, Chef/Partner Mark Eichin and Pitmaster Chris Mack

BACK BEACH BARBECUE 19714 Panama City Beach Parkway, Panama City Beach | (850) 249-0822 | backbeachbarbecue.com

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ALISSA ARYN PHOTOGRAPHY

What is the most important item in the kitchen? For what we do at Back Beach Barbecue, our smokers are our most important item. We rely on our Lang BBQ Reverse Flow Smokers for almost every dish we make. Outside of the smokers, my number one item in the kitchen would be my knives.

THANK YOU FOR VOTING US BEST HIBACHI

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ASIAN | HIBACHI

HIBACHI

18 Hibachi tables | Sushi bar Private dining | Large parties welcome Open daily for lunch and dinner

DESTIN | 34745 Emerald Coast Parkway | 850.650.4688 TALLAHASSEE | 1690 Raymond Diehl Road | 850.531.0222 PANAMA CITY BEACH | 15533 Panama City Beach Parkway | 850.588.8403 OSAKAHIBACHIANDSUSHI.COM

C The Tradition ontinues AD Best Italian 2013, 2014, 2015 Best Restaurant Okaloosa County 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 Best Service, Food & Beverage 2015 Best Locally Owned Restaurant 2017

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Restaurant Spotlight

Cuvée Kitchen + Wine Bar “The new concept is poised to once again redefine the standard for Destin’s restaurant scene,” asserted Ruyan.

“We use only the freshest ingredients available,” Jarvis adds.

“Our chef-driven menu boasts something for everyone, featuring everything from local seafood, wood-fired steaks, shareable small plates and sushi.”

The newly renovated space houses a modern coastal feel with white quartz tables, comfortable booth seating and an open chef ’s

kitchen. Adorning the restaurant’s interior walls are handcrafted, acrylic art pieces by 2017 South Walton Artist of the Year, Marisol Gullo. Gullo created the pieces to incorporate wine bottles from the restaurant’s long history of celebrations.

It is this blend of historical traditions and modernist trends that drives the core vision behind Cuvée’s most recent iteration.

“The entire culture of restaurants is vastly different now than it was even just 10 years

ago,” remarks General Manager Zach Bingham. “We work diligently to mark those changes, and we believe that you can find comfort in the festive energy of our menu, our team and most importantly, our hospitality.”

For guests interested in hosting a celebration or private event, Cuvée Kitchen +Wine Bar offers the intimate Cellar Room, framed with world-class wines, which seats up to 14. For those looking for a larger space, the Hearth Room is ideal for larger groups up to 40.

CUVÉE KITCHEN + WINE BAR 36120 Emerald Coast Parkway, Destin | (850) 460-2909 | cuveekitchen.com

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF CUVÉE KITCHEN + WINE BAR

For residents of the Emerald Coast, the word “Cuvée” has a ubiquitously personal meaning. The East Destin eatery holds within its walls an unparalleled legacy of exceptional standards and heartwarming memories. Local entrepreneurs and restauranteurs Tyler Jarvis and Christopher Ruyan spent six months working tirelessly with their team to make the transition from Cuvée Destin to Cuvée Kitchen +Wine Bar as comfortable and inspirational as possible.

dining guide AMERICAN THE BEACH HOUSE

Casual, beach-front dining. Open daily 11 am–10 pm. 4009 S. Sandestin Blvd., Miramar Beach. (850) 267-4800. $$ L D

BUFFALO’S REEF ★

Hot wings and cold beer. Tues–Sat open at 10:30 am, Sun open at noon.

116 Eglin Pkwy., Fort Walton Beach.

(850) 243-9463. $ L D

THE CRAFT BAR ★

Craft brews on tap along with artisan cocktails and elevated bar fare. Open daily 11 am–midnight. 4424 Commons Dr., Destin.

Also in Grayton Beach and Pensacola.

(850) 460-7907. $$ L D

CUVÉE KITCHEN + WINE BAR ★

Classic Italian, French and Asian-inspired dishes. Open daily 5:30–10 pm. 36120 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W., Destin. (Also at 30Avenue, 12805 Hwy. 98 in Inlet Beach) (850) 460-2909. $$$ D

DHARMA BLUE ★

Atmosphere and service match expansive menu including everything from sushi to pork tenderloin. Lunch Sat–Sun 10 am– 1 pm. Dinner daily from 5. 300 S Alcaniz St., Pensacola, (850) 433-1275. $$ L D

EVERKRISP ★

Farm-to-table salads, rice bowls & other health-focused American bites in modern, brick-lined digs. Open daily 10:30 am–9 pm.

4463 Commons Dr W #10a, Destin.

(850) 460-8881. $$ L D

GEORGE’S AT ALYS BEACH

Seafood, burgers and sandwiches. Open daily 11 am–3 pm and 5–9 pm. 30 Castle Harbour Dr., Alys Beach. (850) 641-0017. $$ L D

JACO’S BAYFRONT BAR & GRILLE Waterfront restaurant serving burgers, salads, seafood and brunch daily. Open Mon–Wed 11 am–9 pm, Thurs–Sat 11 am– 10 pm and Sun 10 am–9 pm. 997 S. Palafox St., Pensacola. (850) 432-5226. $$ L D

JOHNNY O’QUIGLEY’S

Steak, seafood and barbecue. Mon–Thurs 11 am–midnight, Fri–Sun 11 am–1 am.

34940 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Destin.

(850) 837-1015. $ L D

JOHN WEHNER’S VILLAGE DOOR BAYFRONT RESTAURANT & NIGHTCLUB

Dinner and dancing, serving barbeque and seafood. Open daily 5–9 pm. The Village of Baytowne Wharf, 126 Fisherman’s Cove, Miramar Beach. (850) 502-4590. $$ D

LOUISIANA LAGNIAPPE ★

THE KEY ★ Best of the

Emerald Coast 2017 Winner

LULU’S ★

Lucy Buffett’s funky hangout features cocktails, burgers & seafood, plus allergyfriendly menus. Open Sun–Thur 11 am–9 pm, Fri–Sat 11 am–10 pm. 4607 Legendary Marina Drive, Destin. (850) 710-5858. $$ L D

MAGNOLIA GRILL

Steak, seafood, pasta, soups, salads and desserts. Lunch Mon-Fri 11 am–2 pm, dinner Mon–Sat from 5 pm. Closed Sun. 157 SE Brooks St., Fort Walton Beach.

(850) 302-0266. $$ L D

MARIE’S BISTRO & BAR ★

Seafood, steak, pasta and sushi. Lunch Tues– Fri 11 am–2 pm, dinner Tues–Sun from 5 pm.

2260 W. County Hwy. 30A, Blue Mountain Beach. (850) 278-6856. $$ L D

MARINA BAR AND GRILL

Seafood, po’ boys, burgers and salads.

Open daily 11 am–7 pm, breakfast Sat–Sun 8–11 am, kitchen closed Mon–Tues. Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, 9300 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W., Miramar Beach. (850) 267-7778.

$B L D

MARINA CAFÉ

Gourmet pizzas, Creole and American cuisine. Open daily 5–10 pm. 404 E. Hwy. 98, Destin. (850) 837-7960. $$$ D

NICK’S BOATHOUSE

Serving a wide variety of seafood, steaks and flatbreads by the waterfront.

Open daily for lunch and dinner from 11 am–9 pm. 455 W. Main St., Pensacola.

(850) 912-8775. $$ L D

THE RED BAR ★

Live music and a menu of varied options including pastas, seafood, salads and cocktails. Lunch and dinner daily 11 am– 10 pm. 70 Hotz Ave., Grayton Beach.

(850) 231-1008. $ L D

SUNSET BAY CAFÉ ★

Chef-inspired twists on classic dishes.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner or cocktail.

Open daily 7 am–2 pm. Tiki Bar open noon to sunset. Linkside Conference Center, 158 Sandestin Blvd. N., Miramar Beach.

(850) 267-7108. $ B L

VIN’TIJ WINE BOUTIQUE & BISTRO Seafood, salad, chef specials. Open daily 11 am–midnight. 10859 W. Emerald Coast Pkwy., #103, Miramar Beach.

(850) 650-9820. $$ L D

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Best Mexican, Best Margarita

ASIAN KHON'S ON PALAFOX

Modern sushi spot with Pan-Asian salads, stir-fries and creative sake cocktails. Lunch

The restaurants that appear in this guide are included as a service to readers and not as recommendations of the Emerald Coast Magazine editorial department, except where noted.

B L D

Modern FieSta

A taste of New Orleans hits the coast through Louisiana-style favorites like shrimp and grits and Cajun seafood gumbo. Open daily from 4 pm. 775 Gulf Shore Dr., Destin. (850) 837-0881. $$ D

LENNY’S ★

Outpost of a chain specializing in Phillystyle cheesesteaks & submarine sandwiches.

Open daily 10 am–9 pm. Crestview, Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Mary Ester, Nicevville. $ L D

make it a

Outdoor Dining Live Music $ Inexpensive

$$ Moderately

Expensive

$$$ Expensive

plan

your

party

Book private event Space and make Catering arrangements

Grand Boulevard

Get 10% off holiday event over $100 booked by 11.30.17* EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

Sandestin 850.654.5649 cantinalaredo.com

*does not apply to events already booked. excludes tax, gratuity & bar services.

October–November 2017

83

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Restaurant Spotlight

Vue on 30a

Vue on 30a’s Private Event Director, Kristi Rustin, shares the restaurant’s secrets to event planning using the five senses.

Sight – The most important sense of all! The main room should be the emphasis with inviting and festive décor. Also consider areas like the entrance or walkway. The entryway helps set the mood, as first impressions are everything.

Smell – Smell is the sense linked to memory, so it is important not to overlook.

Enticing scents can be created by including flowers, food, candles, incense, diffusing essential oils and more.

Sound – Set the mood and continue the theme with the appropriate music. Be creative by alternating between nature sounds and music.

Feel – This can be achieved through the décor of the party with fabric, furniture and accessories. For example, for a football-themed party, place football jerseys or referee jerseys

fitted over the back of the dining chairs and throw team blankets on bench seating. Another fun idea is to add artificial turf to the buffet table or centerpiece design.

Taste – The menu for the party should coordinate with the theme. Have a signature cocktail ready to greet your guests, and pair with welcoming appetizers, which are always a hit. The “main” course can be kept simple, but offer something for everyone.

Finish off with dessert as a fond farewell to end the perfect party.

VUE ON 30a 334 Golf Club Drive | (850) 267-2305 | vueon30a.com

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KRISTI RUSTIN, PRIVATE EVENT DIRECTOR

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SANTA ROSA GOLF AND BEACH CLUB

For nearly five decades, Vue on 30a (formerly The Beach Club) has been a staple in South Walton for its exceptional Gulf-front dining service. From carefully crafted cocktails to perfectly prepared dishes, Vue on 30a knows a thing or two about not only providing its customers with an award-winning dining experience, but also setting the stage for some of the best weddings and private events in town.

Tues–Fri 11 am–2 pm, dinner Tues–Sat from 5 pm. 34 S Palafox Place, Pensacola, (850) 912-6762. $$ L D

OSAKA ★

Known for its sushi but serves a variety of dishes, including chicken, steak and seafood.

Lunch 11 am–2:30 pm, dinner 5–10:30 pm.

34845 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Destin.

(850) 650-4688 or (850) 650-4689. $$ L D

THAI DELIGHTS ★

Traditional dishes in a casual atmosphere.

Open daily 11 am–9 pm. 821 Harbor Blvd., Destin. (850) 650-3945. $$ L D

YIOTA’S GREEK DELI

Traditional Greek food made from family recipes. Order at counter. 10 am–5 pm.

130 E. Miracle Strip Pkwy., Mary Esther.

(850) 302-0691. $ L

DESSERT BRUSTERS ★

Ice cream selections made fresh on-site, daily. Noon–7 pm. 4655 Gulfstarr Dr., Destin.

(850) 269-2920. $

BBQ 98 BAR-B-QUE

Award-winning barbecue, gumbo, sandwiches and salads in a casual atmosphere. Dine in, take out, catering.

Mon–Sat 11 am–8 pm. 5008 Hwy. 98, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 622-0679. $ L D

BUCK’S SMOKEHOUSE ★

Brisket, ribs and pulled pork sandwiches and plates in a casual, rustic atmosphere.

Open daily 11 am–8 pm. 303 Harbor Blvd., Destin. (850) 837-3600. $ L D

BREAKFAST/ BRUNCH/BAKERY ANDY’S FLOUR POWER CAFE & BAKERY

Lively brunch/lunch destination known for its French toast, rolled omelets and cheery ambiance. Open Tues–Sat 7 am–2 pm, Sun 8 am–2 pm. 2629 Thomas Drive, Panama City, (850) 230-0014. $$ L D

ANOTHER BROKEN EGG CAFÉ ★

Breakfast all day, plus sandwiches, patty melts, specials, soups, salads and desserts.

Open daily 7 am–2 pm, closed Mondays.

979 E. Hwy. 98, #F, Destin (Also in Miramar Beach, Panama City, Pensacola, Sandestin and Grayton Beach). (850) 650-0499. $ B

BON APPETIT FRENCH BAKERY & CAFÉ ★

French pastries, croissants, crusty breads, soup, salads and sandwiches. Mon–Fri 7:30 am–5:30 pm, Sat 7:30 am–2 pm, Closed Sun. 420 Mary Esther Cutoff, Fort Walton Beach. (850) 244-2848. $ B L

DONUT HOLE BAKERY CAFE

IRISH JOHNNNY MCTIGHE’S IRISH PUB

Easygoing pub providing Irish and American eats, a game room for kids and deck seating. 11 am–2 am. 2298 Scenic Hwy. 30A, Blue Mountain Beach. (850) 267-0101. $$ L D

MCGUIRE’S IRISH PUB ★

ITALIAN/PIZZA AMICI 30A ★

Offering authentic Italian cuisine with a flair for celebration. Open daily 11 am–11 pm.

12805 US Highway 98 East, Suite R101, Inlet Beach. (850) 909-0555. $$$ L D

ANGELINA’S PIZZA & PASTA

Authentic homemade pizza pie and Italian dishes in a casual atmosphere.

Lunch and dinner daily 11 am–9:30 pm.

4005 E. Hwy. 30A, Seagrove Beach.

(850) 231-2500. $ B L D Classic Italian. Wood-fired pizza, private dining, cooking school. Multiple award winner. Lunch Mon–Fri, dinner Mon– Sat. 75 Eglin Pkwy., Fort Walton Beach.

(850) 243-0707. $$ B L D

FAT CLEMENZA’S ★

Classic Italian. Wood-fired pizza, specialty desserts, fish Fridays. Multiple award winner. Lunch Mon–Fri, dinner Mon–Sat 5–9 pm. Holiday Plaza, Hwy. 98, Miramar Beach. (850) 650-5980 $$ L D

MAMA CLEMENZA’S EUROPEAN BREAKFAST ★

MIMMO’S RISTORANTE ITALIANO

AEGEAN RESTAURANT ★

Authentic Greek restaurant. Breakfast 8– 11 am, lunch 11 am–4 pm, dinner 4–9 pm.

11225 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Miramar Beach (and Shalimar). (850) 460-2728. $$ B L D

ALA BABA GRILL CAFÉ

Casual spot for familiar Turkish and Greek recipes offered à la carte and at a buffet, plus beer and wine. 10 am–9 pm. 550 Mary Esther Cutoff, Fort Walton Beach. (850) 986-5555. L D

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

CLEMENZA’S UPTOWN ★

GRAFFITI

GREEK

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

Burgers and pub grub and the famous 18-cent Senate Bean Soup. Open daily 11 am–2 am. 33 Hwy. 98, Destin (Also in Pensacola). (850) 650-0000. $$ L D

Eat breakfast all day with fresh-baked donuts and hearty comfort food. Open daily 6 am–10 pm. 635 Harbor Blvd., Destin (also in Inlet Beach and Santa Rosa Beach).

(850) 837-8824. $ B

Old World family recipes. Multiple award winner. Brunch Wed–Sun 8 am–1 pm, seasonal hours Labor Day to Memorial Day. In season open 7 days. 12273 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W, Miramar Beach. (850) 424-3157 and 8am-1pm on Sundays at 75 Eglin Pkwy, Fort Walton Beach (850) 243-0707. $$ B

2008 - Best Italian 2009 - Best Pizza 2010 - Best Pizza & Best Chef 2011 - Best Pizza, Best Italian & Best Chef 2012 - Best Italian 2013 - Best Pizza & Best Walton Restaurant 2014 - Best Pizza, Best Walton Restaurant & Best Chef 2015 - Best Pizza 2016 - Best Pizza 2017 - Best Pizza & Best Chef

Traditional, Italian house specialties, such as seafood pizza. Mon–Thurs 5–9 pm, Fri–Sat 5–10 pm. 707 E. Hwy. 98, Destin.

(850) 654-2764. $$ D Italian dishes. Open Mon–Fri 11 am–10 pm, Sat–Sun 5–10 pm. 979 Hwy. 98, #5, Destin.

(850) 460-7353. $$ L D

THE PIZZA BAR AT BUD & ALLEY’S Artisan cheese, fresh salads, antipasto dishes, homemade soups, seasonal vegetables, hearty pastas and homemade wood-fired Neapolitan pizza. Open daily from 11 am. 2236 E. County Rd. 30A, Seaside.

(850) 231-3113. $$ L D

TRATTORIA BORAGO

Pork tenderloin or pan-seared grouper from the open kitchen. Open daily from 6 pm. 80 E. Hwy. 30A, Grayton Beach. (850) 231-9167. $$ D

MEXICAN CANTINA LAREDO ★

A gourmet twist on Mexican favorites.

Sun–Thurs 11 am–10 pm, Fri–Sat

Magnolia Grill fort walton beach

tom & peggy rice, proprietors

(850) 302-0266

www.magnoliagrillfwb.com bridal luncheons • wedding rehearsals unique receptions EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

October–November 2017

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Restaurant Spotlight

Clemenza’s at Uptown Owner Dominic Damiano has been serving up his delicious, traditional, Italian family recipes for the past six years, providing guests with amazing lunch and dinner options.

Clemenza’s menu features daily specials, signature pasta dishes with a selection of homemade sauces, appetizing antipasti and wood fired pizza prepared the way they do back in Italy.

“Clemenza’s is like an Italian ‘Cheers,’ where everybody knows everybody and you can DOMINIC AND TAMMY DAMIANO relax while enjoying delicious food,” said Damiano.

The walls are covered in Dom’s family photos. been working there since day one, so you really are Clemenza’s features a full bar and a 50-person eating with family when you come to Clemenza’s! private dining room along with a cooking Mama Clemenza’s has also been a winner of school. Clemenza’s at Uptown Station in Fort multiple “best of ” awards. For 2017, Mama Walton Beach creates a comfortable, authentic Clemenza’s is the recipient of BEST Brunch and atmosphere. In addition, a majority of the staff has BEST Restaurant in Walton County.

CLEMENZA’S 75 Eglin Parkway | (850) 243-0707 | clemenzasatuptown.com

SERVING

Bruster’s of Destin

4655 Gulfstarr Drive 850-269-2920 86

October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

34876 Emerald Coast Pkwy. / (850) 654-5251

PHOTOS BY ROLAND MORIARTY

This year’s recipient of the BEST Locally Owned Restaurant and the BEST Restaurant in Okaloosa County, Clemenza’s has won over the hearts of the Emerald Coast — along with many other “best of ” awards.

11 am–11 pm. 585 Grand Blvd., Miramar Beach. (850) 654-5649. $$ B L D

CRAB ISLAND CANTINA

Latin-inspired Mexican cuisine. Mon– Thurs 11 am–10 pm, Fri–Sat 11 am–11 pm, Sun 11 am–9 pm. 2 Harbor Blvd., Destin.

(850) 424-7417. $$ L D

THE TACO BAR AT BUD & ALLEY’S

Baja fish tacos, homemade guacamole, burritos and top-shelf margaritas. Open daily from 11 am (in season). 2236 E. Country Rd. 30A, Seaside. (850) 231-4781. $$ L D

HARBOR DOCKS ★

A surf-and-turf restaurant. Breakfast, lunch and dinner and the best sushi on the Emerald Coast. Open daily 5 am–11 pm.

538 E. Hwy. 98, Destin. (850) 837-2506. $$

THANK YOU FOR VOTING US BEST HEALTHY MENU OPTIONS AND BEST SALAD

B L D

HIGH TIDE RESTAURANT & OYSTER BAR ★

Casual eatery featuring an oyster bar. Open daily 11 am–9:30 pm. 1203 Miracle Strip Pkwy.

S.E., Fort Walton Beach. (850) 244-2124.

ORDER ONLINE! EVERKRISP.COM DESTIN 4463 Commons Drive W.850.460.8881 MIRAMAR BEACH 625 Grand Boulevard 850.842.4504

$$ L D

JACKACUDA’S SEAFOOD & SUSHI

SEAFOOD BOATHOUSE OYSTER BAR

Ice cold beer, raw oysters, award-winning gumbo. Open daily 11 am–2 am. 288 B Harbor Blvd., Destin. (850) 837-3645. L D

BONEFISH ★

Contemporary grill chain offering a seafoodcentric menu, plus steaks & cocktails. Open Mon–Thur 4–10 pm, Fri 4–11 pm, Sat 11 am– 11 pm, Sun 10 am–9 pm. Destin, Panama City, Pensacola. $$ L D

BOSHAMPS SEAFOOD & OYSTER HOUSE ★

Gulf-to-table Southern cuisine.

Open daily from 11 am. 414 Harbor Blvd., Destin. (850) 424-7406. $$ L D

BROTULA’S SEAFOOD HOUSE & STEAMER ★

Fresh steamed and boiled seafood dishes. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Sunday brunch. Destin Harbor, Destin.

(850) 460-8900. $$$ B

BUD & ALLEY’S WATERFRONT RESTAURANT

Sea-to-table dining, serving fresh seafood, steak and vegetarian dishes. Open Mon– Fri 11:30 am. Roof bar open in summer 11:30 pm–2 am. 2236 E. Hwy. 30A, Seaside.

(850) 231-5900. $$$ L D

CAPT. ANDERSON’S RESTAURANT

Since 1967, offering traditional seafood items, flavorful salads and soups with a view of the marina. Open Mon–Fri at 4:30 pm, Sat–Sun at 4 pm. 5551 N. Lagoon Drive, Panama City Beach. (850) 234-2225. $$$ D

DEWEY DESTIN’S HARBORSIDE ★ Award-winning seafood in a quaint house.

Open daily 11 am–8 pm. 202 Harbor Blvd., Destin. (850) 837-7525. $$$ L D

DEWEY DESTIN SEAFOOD RESTAURANT & MARKET ★

Outdoor setting, fresh seafood. Open 11 am–8 pm. 9 Calhoun Ave., Destin.

(850) 837-7575. $$ B L D

THE FISH HOUSE

Seafood, sushi, salad and sandwiches.

Open daily from 11 am. Sunday brunch at 10 am. 56 Harbor Blvd., HarborWalk Village, Destin. (850) 424-3507. $$ L D

OLD FLORIDA FISH HOUSE ★

Airy eatery is a family-friendly destination for seafood, with a sushi bar & frequent live music. Open Sun–Thurs 11 am–10 pm, Fri– Sat 11 am–midnight. 5235 E County Highway 30A, Santa Rosa Beach. (850) 534-3045. $$ L D

POPPY’S SEAFOOD FACTORY

Fresh seafood, steak and poultry dishes.

Open daily 11 am–9 pm. The Village of Baytowne Wharf, Miramar Beach.

(850) 351-1996. $$$ L D Crab, oysters and grouper sandwiches in a casual beach bar & grill with steps onto the sand. Open daily at 11 am. 14521 Front Beach Road, Panama City Beach, (850) 634-4884. $$ L D

TAKE OUT Fresh fish and seafood items, pastas, salads and side dishes, Buckhead meats, decadent desserts, wines, cheeses, spices and more. Open daily 8 am–7 pm.

663 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Destin.

(850) 837-8333. $$ L D

BIJOUX RESTAURANT & SPIRITS ★ Fine dining coastal cuisine with a New Orleans flair, Gulf seafood, prime steaks.

Open daily 4–10 pm. The Market Shops, 9375 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W., #22, Miramar Beach. (850) 622-0760. $$$ D

BEMYSHOPPER.COM

JACKSON’S STEAKHOUSE

High-end steakhouse cuisine with fine wines. Local seafood is hand-selected and artistically prepared to perfection.

Lunch Tues–Fri 11 am–2 pm, dinner Tues– Sat 5:30 pm–10:30 pm. 400 S. Palafox St., Pensacola. (850) 469-9898. $$$ D

FISH OUT OF WATER RESTAURANT

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE ★

HALF SHELL OYSTER HOUSE ★

BEST PERSONAL SHOPPING/ CONCIERGE SERVICE

STEAK & SEAFOOD

MARLIN GRILL ★

Upscale-casual Southern seafood restaurant & bar serving oysters & po' boys, plus steak & cocktails. Open Sun–Thur 11 am–10 pm, Fri–Sat 11 am–11 pm. 34761 Emerald Coast Pkwy #104, Destin. (850) 842-4788. $$ L D

1203 Miracle Strip Pkwy SE, Fort Walton Beach (850) 244-2624 At the foot of Brooks Bridge next to Adventure Marina HightideRestaurant.com

DESTIN ICE SEAFOOD MARKET & DELI ★

Fresh seafood cuisine and Southern specialties in a setting overlooking Pensacola Bay and the Seville Harbor. Open daily from 11 am. 600 S. Barracks St., Pensacola.

(850) 470-0003. $$ L D Southern coastal cuisine with an Asian flair. Open daily 5:30–10 pm. Located in the WaterColor Inn, Santa Rosa Beach.

(850) 534-5050. $$$ D

BEST GUMBO BEST OYSTERS

RUNAWAY ISLAND

Seafood, steaks, salads and appetizers.

Open nightly from 5 pm. The Village of Baytowne Wharf, Miramar Beach.

(850) 351-1990. $$$ D

“LIVE LONGER, EAT LIKE THE GREEKS”

Steak and seafood. New Orleans-inspired.

Mon–Sat 5:30–10 pm, Sun 5:30–9 pm. Silver Shells Resort, 1500 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Destin. (850) 337-5108. $$$ D

SHALIMAR 1259 EGLIN PARKWAY (850) 613-6120

SEAGAR’S PRIME STEAKS AND SEAFOOD ★

Premium steak, fresh seafood and caviar. Open daily from 6 pm. Hilton Sandestin, 4000 S. Sandestin Blvd., Miramar Beach. (850) 622-1500. $$$ D

MIRAMAR BEACH 11225 US HWY 98 (850) 460-2728 2012–2017

MEDITERRANEAN

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

AEGEANFL.COM

October–November 2017

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CONSIGNMENT/ RESALE SHOP

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SPONSORED REPORT

............................................................................................................

SPONSORED REPORT

Warren Averett Members - Gene Barker, CPA; Kelley Chamblin, CPA; and Lori Kelley, CPA

With over 800 employees and 350 CPAs, Warren Averett is one of the region’s largest accounting, tax and advisory firms. We provide services that span beyond audit and tax to include corporate advisory, technology and risk solutions, HR solutions, finance team support and personal services.

WHAT DOES WARREN AVERETT DO? We help you sleep better at night. If you’re wondering why we didn’t just answer “tax and audits”, it’s because there’s so much more to it than that. Warren Averett provides you with the assurance you need to trust the numbers, have faith in the data and make decisions with confidence – for your business, your family and your future. Our goal is to help you thrive and accomplish more of what’s important to you. When you know the important things are handled, you sleep better at night.

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WHO IS WARREN AVERETT?

Fort Walton Beach Office

45 Eglin Parkway, N.E., Suite 301 Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548 850.244.5121

Destin Office

36474C Emerald Coast Pkwy, Suite 3301 Destin, FL 32541 850.837.0398

Panama City Office

1904 Wilson Avenue Panama City, FL 32405 850.785.6808

Pensacola Office

316 South Baylen Street, Suite 300 Pensacola, FL 32502 850.435.7400

OFFICIAL 2017 BALLOT COUNTER FOR BEST OF THE EMERALD COAST October–November 2017 89 www.warrenaverett.com

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

BEST of the

EMERALD

COAST THE VOTES HAVE BEEN TALLIED AND HERE ARE THE WINNERS

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T

PHOTO COURTESY OF GRAYTON BEER COMPANY

he Emerald Coast lifestyle is brought to you by the people who deliver goods and services here. For the enjoyment of residents and visitors, they serve up delicious food, trendy clothes, stylish furnishings, beautiful art, health care, financial services, premium building supplies, fine automobiles, entertainment, timely repairs and much, much more.

Each year, Emerald Coast Magazine thanks them by inviting our readers to identify the businesses they have found in their own experience to be the best in their fields.

Readers’ top choices are awarded the accolade “Best of the Emerald Coast.”

In the pages that follow, see which businesses readers say make the Emerald Coast lifestyle one to be envied.

Get to know the people who operate these top businesses at the “Best of the Emerald Coast” extravaganza Oct. 21 at Grand Boulevard in Sandestin. Nearly 200 “Best of ” winners will gather to exhibit their products, demonstrate their services and share their stories with new friends and old. Fine food and beverages, live entertainment, high fashion and dancing under the stars are part of the celebration.

General admission tickets are $40 in advance and $50 the day of the event. VIP tickets are $75 and include early access to the VIP lounge, featuring exclusive food and beverages and complimentary swag bags. Purchase tickets at EmeraldCoastMagazine.com. Proceeds benefit the Junior League of the Emerald Coast.

We thank you, readers, for participating in the “Best of the Emerald Coast” poll and giving top businesses the recognition they deserve.

Brewery

Place to Read a Book

graytonbeer.com Santa Rosa Beach (850) 231-4786

Seasidefl.com Seaside (850) 231-6179

GRAYTON BEER COMPANY

Online Category

SEASIDE COMMUNITY

Personal Shopping/ Concierge Service

Social Media to Follow

BeMyShopper.com Destin (855) SHOP850

fun4emeraldcoastkids.com Santa Rosa Beach (904) 200-1609

BE MY SHOPPER

FUN 4 EMERALD COAST KIDS

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

↑ BEACH BLONDE ALE, GRAYTON BEER COMPANY

October–November 2017

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Entertainment Local Artist/Art Gallery

G&CO.

gandcogallery.com Destin (850) 650-0779 Best Place for Kids Birthday Party

BLAST ARCADE AND LASER MAZE

blastfunandgames.com Miramar Beach (850) 654-3333 DJ

ROCK THE HOUSE TIE

rockthewedding.com Santa Rosa Beach (850) 582-9725

DJ

DJ VLADI

Local Event TIE

djvladi.com Lynn Haven (850) 217-4339 Golf Course

KELLY PLANTATION GOLF CLUB

kellyplantationgolf.com Destin (850) 650-7600 Local Attraction

THE VILLAGE OF BAYTOWNE WHARF baytownewharf.com Miramar Beach (850) 267-8186

SANDESTIN WINE FESTIVAL

sandestinwinefestival.com Miramar Beach (850) 267-8186 Place for a Date

MARLIN GRILL

marlingrill.com Miramar Beach (850) 351-1990 Place to Go Dancing

AJ’S SEAFOOD & OYSTER BAR ajsgulfcoast.com Destin (850) 837-1913

BEST Musician/ Vocalist/Band

HERITAGE heritageband. com Destin (850) 368-1533

Place to Take the Kids

BIG KAHUNA’S WATER & ADVENTURE PARK bigkahunas.com Destin (850) 837-8319

Place to Watch a Sunset

HILTON SANDESTIN BEACH GOLF RESORT & SPA

hiltonsandestinbeach.com Miramar Beach (800) 559-1805 Radio Personality

WOOFY RAMONE, 99ROCK

WKSM.com Fort Walton Beach (850) 243-3699 Resort

THE HENDERSON

hendersonbeachresort.com Destin (855) 741-2777 Tennis Facility

TOPS’L BEACH & RACQUET RESORT

TopslTennis.com Miramar Beach (855) 896-4952

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Food & Beverage Appetizer

BONEFISH GRILL bonefishgrill.com Destin, Panama City, Pensacola (850) 650-3161* Asian

Beer Selection/ Craft Beer

PHOTOS BY SCOTT HOLSTEIN / ROWLAND PUBLISHING FILE PHOTO (BIG KAHUNA’S), SHELLY SWANGER (HERITAGE) AND COURTESY OF SUNSET BAY CAFÉ AND HERITAGE

OSAKA JAPANESE HIBACHI STEAKHOUSE & SUSHI BAR

THE CRAFT BAR

osakahibachiandsushi.com Destin, Panama City Beach (850) 650-4688* *Destin location

thecraftbarfl.com Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, Miramar Beach, Panama City Beach, Pensacola (opening 2018) (850) 460-7907*

Cajun/Creole

LOUISIANA LAGNIAPPE

thelouisianalagniappe.com Destin (850) 837-0881 Chef

CLOVIS DASILVA/FAT CLEMENZA’S

fatclemenzas.com Miramar Beach (850) 650-5980

*Destin location

Bloody Mary

Atmosphere

CUVÉE KITCHEN + WINE BAR cuveekitchen.com Destin (850) 460-2909

ANOTHER BROKEN EGG CAFÉ

anotherbrokenegg.com Destin, Grayton Beach, Miramar Beach, Panama City Beach, Pensacola (850) 424-3416*

Bagel Shop

BAGELHEADS

*Miramar Beach location

bagelheads.com Pensacola (850) 444-9661

Breakfast

Bakery

BON APPÉTIT FRENCH BAKERY AND CAFÉ bonappetitfrenchbakery. webs.com Fort Walton Beach (850) 244-2848 Bar/Tavern

ANOTHER BROKEN EGG CAFÉ

anotherbrokenegg.com Destin, Grayton Beach, Miramar Beach, Panama City Beach, Pensacola (850) 424-3416* *Miramar Beach location

Brunch

thecraftbarfl.com Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, Miramar Beach, Panama City Beach, Pensacola (opening 2018) (850) 460-7907* *Destin location

BUCK’S ALMOST FAMOUS SMOKEHOUSE buckssmokehouse.com Destin (850) 837-3600

*Destin location

THE CRAFT BAR

BBQ

MAMA CLEMENZA’S

mamaclemenzas.com Fort Walton Beach, Miramar Beach* (850) 424-3157 *Miramar Beach location

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

↑ Chicken & Waffles

SUNSET BAY CAFÉ

SunsetBayCafeSandestin.com Sandestin (850) 267-7108 Chinese

DYNASTY CHINESE CUISINE

TIE

dynastydestin.com Miramar Beach (850) 837-6675 October–November 2017

93

Chinese

Gumbo

LIN’S ASIAN CUISINE

HIGHTIDE RESTAURANT AND OYSTER BAR

TIE

linsasiancuisine.com Miramar Beach (850) 424-5888

hightiderestaurant.com Fort Walton Beach (850) 244-2624

Coffee

BAD ASS COFFEE badasscoffeestore.com Miramar Beach, Pensacola and Santa Rosa Beach (850) 269-3997*

Hamburger

MCGUIRE’S IRISH PUB

*Miramar Beach location

BEST Crawfish, BEST Steamer and BEST Seafood Restaurant

BROTULA’S SEAFOOD & STEAMER brotulas.com Destin (850) 460-8900

mcguiresirishpub.com Destin, Pensacola (850) 650-0000*

Crab Cakes

THE RED BAR

*Destin location

theredbar.com Grayton Beach (850) 231-1008

Happy Hour

CUVÉE KITCHEN + WINE BAR

Dessert

MARLIN GRILL marlingrill.com Miramar Beach (850) 351-1990 Fine Dining

cuveekitchen.com Destin (850) 460-2909

Locally Made Product

On-site Catering

Restaurant in Bay County

Healthy Menu Options

Thehoneyhutch.com Santa Rosa Beach (850) 499-6528

mariesbistro.com Blue Mountain Beach (850) 278-6856

fireflypcb.com Panama City Beach (850) 249-3359

everkrisp.com Destin, Miramar Beach (850) 460-8881*

Margarita

EVERKRISP

SEAGAR’S PRIME STEAKS & SEAFOOD seagars.com Miramar Beach (850) 622-1500

*Destin location

Hibachi

OSAKA JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE SUSHI & HIBACHI BAR

Food Truck/Airstream

BIG RED TRUCK destinfoodtrucks.com Destin (850) 737-1185

osakahibachiandsushi.com Destin, Panama City Beach (850) 650-4688*

French

BIJOUX

bijouxdestin.com Miramar Beach (850) 622-0760

*Destin location

Gourmet/Food Shop/ Specialty Food Store

Frozen Treat (Ice Cream, Yogurt, Gelato, Snow Cones)

modicamarket.com Santa Rosa Beach (850) 231-1214

brusters.com/destin Destin (850) 269-2920

MODICA MARKET

BRUSTER’S

JACQUELINE WARD IMAGES

Italian

↑ Grouper Sandwich

DEWEY DESTIN’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT destinseafood.com Destin (850) 837-7575

94

AMICI 30A ITALIAN KITCHEN amici30a.com Inlet Beach (850) 909-0555

Locally Owned Restaurant

CLEMENZA’S AT UPTOWN STATION

clemenzasatuptown.com Fort Walton Beach (850) 243-0707

October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

HONEY HUTCH

CANTINA LAREDO

cantinalaredo.com Miramar Beach (850) 654-5649 Martini

BONEFISH GRILL bonefishgrill.com Destin, Panama City, Pensacola (850) 650-3161*

MARIE’S BISTRO Outdoor Bar

Restaurant in Escambia County

lulubuffett.com Destin (850) 710-5858

dharmablue.com Pensacola (850) 433-1275

LULU’S DESTIN Outdoor Dining

BOSHAMPS SEAFOOD & OYSTER HOUSE

*Destin location

boshamps.com Destin (850) 424-7406

Mediterranean

Oysters

AEGEAN RESTAURANT GREEK CUISINE

aegeanfl.com Shalimar, Miramar Beach (850) 460-2728* *Miramar Beach location

Mexican/Latin American

CANTINA LAREDO

cantinalaredo.com Miramar Beach (850) 654-5649 Mojito

CUVÉE KITCHEN + WINE BAR

cuveekitchen.com Destin (850) 460-2909

FIREFLY

HALF SHELL OYSTER HOUSE TIE

halfshelloysterhouse.com Destin (850) 842-4788 Oysters

HIGHTIDE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT AND OYSTER BAR TIE

hightiderestaurant.com Fort Walton Beach (850) 244-2624 Pizza

FAT CLEMENZA’S fatclemenzas.com Miramar Beach (850) 650-5980

DHARMA BLUE

Restaurant in Okaloosa County

CLEMENZA’S AT UPTOWN

clemenzasatuptown.com Fort Walton Beach (850) 243-0707

Restaurant in Walton County

MAMA CLEMENZA’S

mamaclemenzas.com Fort Walton Beach, Miramar Beach* (850) 424-3157* *Miramar Beach location

SEAGAR’S PRIME STEAKS & SEAFOOD seagars.com Miramar Beach (850) 622-1500 Salad

EVERKRISP

everkrisp.com Destin, Miramar Beach (850) 460-8881* *Destin location

Sandwich Shop

LENNY’S SUB SHOP lennys.com Crestview, Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Mary Esther, Niceville (850) 269-1152* *Destin location

Seafood Market

DESTIN ICE HOUSE

destinice.com Destin, Rosemary Beach (850) 837-8333* *Destin Location

Sports Bar

SHADES BAR & GRILL shades30a.com Panama City Beach (850) 231-9410 Steakhouse

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE

ruthschrisdestin.com Destin (850) 837-7884 (RUTH)

Sushi

HARBOR DOCKS

harbordocks.com Destin (850) 837-2506

Service Providers

Thai

THAI DELIGHTS Destin (850) 650-3945 Tuna Dip

OLD FLORIDA FISH HOUSE

Acupuncture Clinic

oldfloridafishhouse.com Santa Rosa Beach (850) 534-3045

Auto Repair/Body Shop

EMERALD COAST COLLISION REPAIR

TORTOISE CLINIC OF CHINESE MEDICINE

Wedding Caterer

SANDESTIN WEDDINGS

Emeraldcoastcollisionrepair.com Fort Walton Beach (850) 664-3762

thetortoiseclinic.com Santa Rosa Beach (850) 267-5611

sandestin.com/weddings Miramar Beach (850) 267-6736

Bank

FIRST FLORIDA BANK

Aesthetician

EMERALD COAST MED SPA & WELLNESS

Wine List/Wine Bar

CHAN’S WINE WORLD

emeraldcoastmedspa.com Navarre (850) 939-5413

chanswineworld.com Destin, Panama City Beach, Pensacola, Santa Rosa Beach (850) 269-2909* Wings

BUFFALO’S REEF

buffalosreef.com Fort Walton Beach (850) 243-9464

*Miramar Beach

Carpet Cleaner

SANDOLLAR CARPET CLEANING Miramar Beach (850) 585-5712

Charity/Nonprofit

ALAQUA ANIMAL REFUGE alaqua.org Freeport (850) 880-6399

Charter Boat/Watersports

ONE SHOT FISHING CHARTERS oneshotcharters.com Fort Walton Beach (850) 585-9436

LEGENDARY MARINE

Cheerleading/ Gymnastics Facility

flyvps.com Eglin Air Force Base (850) 651-7160

legendarymarine.com Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City Beach, Pensacola (888) 843-0532

Architect

Builder/Contractor

usgoldgymnastics.com Miramar Beach, Crestview (850) 654-3124*

DESTIN-FORT WALTON BEACH AIRPORT

*Destin location

firstflorida.bank Destin,Miramar Beach, Niceville, Mary Esther, Freeport, Panama City Beach (850) 269-1201*

Boat Sales and Service

Airport

DAG ARCHITECTS INC. dagarchitects.com Destin, Pensacola, Panama City, Tallahassee (850) 837-8152* *Destin location PHOTOS BY CHASE YAKABOSKI (BROTULA’S AND FAT CLAMENZA’S)

Romantic/Special Occasion Restaurant

Audio/Visual Provider

INNOVATIVE SIGHT & SOUND beinnovative.com Santa Rosa Beach (850) 654-5383

CARTER BUILDING COMPANY

carterbuildingcompany.com Destin (850) 978-2106 Cardiologist

FORT WALTON BEACH MEDICAL CENTER fwbmc.com Fort Walton Beach (850) 862-1111

Automobile Dealership

Car/Limo/ Shuttle Service

ZTdealers.com Fort Walton Beach (850) 863-2161

654limo.com Destin (850) 654-5466

ZT MOTORS

654LIMO

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

U.S. GOLD GYMNASTICS & CHEERLEADING *Miramar Beach location

Chiropractic Practice

PAYNE CHIROPRACTIC WELLNESS CENTER destin-chiropractor.com Destin (850) 654-8770 Commercial Real Estate Group

CENTURY 21 BLUE MARLIN FINE HOMES AND ESTATES C21BlueMarlin.com Destin (850) 837-7800

October–November 2017

95

Computer Services/ Tech Support

CRC DATA TECHNOLOGIES crcdatatech.com Destin (850) 654-7262 Contractor

TADLOCK ROOFING

tadlockroofing.com Panama City, Pensacola (850) 785-7777* *Panama City

Cosmetic/Plastic Surgery Practice

DESTIN PLASTIC SURGERY

theplasticdoc.com Destin (850) 654-1194 Credit Union

EGLIN FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

eglinfcu.org Crestview, Destin, Eglin AFB, Fort Walton, Hurlburt Field, Mary Esther, Navarre, Blue Water Bay (850) 862-0111 Dance Studio/ Ballet Company

LUNA BALLROOM

lunaballroomdestin.com Destin, Gulf Breeze (850) 714-1669

Dental Practice

GREAT FLORIDA SMILES & ORTHODONTICS greatfloridasmiles.com Santa Rosa Beach, DeFuniak Springs (850) 622-5888

*Santa Rosa Beach location

Dermatology Practice

COASTAL SKIN SURGERY & DERMATOLOGY

coastalskinsurgery.com Fort Walton, Miramar Beach, Niceville, Panama City Beach (850) 654-3376* *Miramar Beach location

Electric Cart/Golf Cart Dealership

DIXIELECTRICAR Dixielectricar.com Santa Rosa Beach (850) 269-0011 Event Venue

SUNQUEST CRUISES, SOLARIS

sunquestcruises.com Miramar Beach (850) 650-2519 Eye Doctor Practice

O’DONNELL EYE INSTITUTE greatfloridaeyes.com Santa Rosa Beach (850) 622-4000

BEST Customer Service and BEST Heating and Air Service

GULFSHORE AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING

gulfshoreair.com Niceville (850) 897-6540

Family Physician/Practice

Holistic/Alternative Health

Martial Arts/Karate

white-wilson.com Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Navarre (850) 863-8100*

foundationsmedicalcenter.com Destin (850) 269-9000

CMADestin.com Miramar Beach (850) 585-6153

WHITE-WILSON FAMILY MEDICINE

FOUNDATIONS MEDICAL CENTER

*Fort Walton Beach location

Home Cleaning

Massage Therapist

Financial Planning/ Investment Firm

sowalclean.com Sandestin Resort to Blue Mountain Beach (850) 687-2077

meritagespa.com Miramar Beach (850) 837-6772

EDWARD JONES Edwardjones.com Santa Rosa Beach (850) 622-1009 Flooring

INFINITY FLOORING

infinityfloors.com Miramar Beach (850) 650-1039 Florist

GG BLOOM ggbloom.com Miramar Beach (850) 460-2078

Gym/Health Club/Fitness Center/Studio

SANDESTIN FITNESS CLUB

sandestin.com/memberships Miramar Beach (850) 267-6464 Hair Salon

AVANTGARDE SALON SPA

avantgardeaveda.com Destin, Niceville (850) 654-5057* *Destin location

SOWAL CLEAN

Homeowner’s Association

KELLY PLANTATION

kellyplantation.com Destin (850) 650-7600 Insurance Agency

INSURANCE ZONE

Media Provider (Cable, Internet, Phone)

COX COMMUNICATIONS cox.com Crestview, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Pensacola (850) 796-1269* *Destin location

*Miramar Beach location

Interior Design Firm

LOVELACE INTERIORS

lovelaceinteriors.com Miramar Beach (850) 837-5563 Landscaping/Lawn Service

EDWARDS LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT INC.

teamedwardslandscape.com Fort Walton Beach, Shalimar, Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, Panama City, Pensacola, Gulf Shores (850) 391-8675 Law Firm

WARD & KETCHERSID, P.A. flaattorney.com Destin (850) 837-5507 Lighting Store

BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS beautifullights.com Destin (850) 650-9417

DESTIN LOCKSMITHING

destinlocksmithing.com Miramar Beach, Panama City Beach (850) 654-9910* *Miramar Beach location

October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

MERITAGE SPA

ins-zone.com Miramar Beach, Santa Rosa Beach (850) 424-6979*

Locksmith

96

CENTERLINE MARTIAL ARTS

↑ Medical Center/Hospital

SACRED HEART HEALTH SYSTEM sacredheartemerald.org Miramar Beach, Pensacola (850) 278-3000* *Miramar Beach location

Medical Practice

WELLS VISION AND LASER EYE CENTER wellsvisioncenter.com Destin (850) 424-6677 Medical Spa

MERITAGE SPA meritagespa.com Miramar Beach (850) 837-6772 Mortgage Lender

BANK OF ENGLAND MORTGAGE engfwb.com Fort Walton Beach (850) 362-6488 Nail Salon

SPA SANDESTIN sandestin.com/spa Miramar Beach (850) 267-6466

New Business

PROFFITT HOME SERVICES facebook.com/ ProffittHomeServices Destin (850) 797-8673 On-Site Dry Cleaner

BANGKOK CLEANERS

easycoinwash.com Santa Rosa Beach (850) 912-WASH Oral Health Care Specialty Practic

GREAT FLORIDA SMILES & ORTHODONTICS greatfloridasmiles.com Santa Rosa Beach, DeFuniak Springs (850) 622-5888*

*Santa Rosa Beach location

Orthodontist Practice

STUBBS ORTHODONTICS PHOTOS BY JACQUELINE WARD IMAGES (PROFFITT PR) AND CHASE YAKABOSKI (GULFSHORE AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING) AND COURTESY OF SACRED HEART HEALTH SYSTEM

stubbsortho.com Niceville, Destin (850) 678-8338

Orthopedic Surgical Practice

WHITE-WILSON MEDICAL CENTER

white-wilson.com Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Navarre (850) 863-8100* *Fort Walton Beach location

Pediatric Practice

WHITE-WILSON MEDICAL CENTER

white-wilson.com Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Navarre (850) 863-8100* *Fort Walton Beach location

Personal Trainer

DESTIN HEALTH AND FITNESS

destinhealthandfitness.com Destin (850) 842-4612 Pharmacy

EMERALD COAST COMPOUNDING PHARMACY eccpharmacy.com Santa Rosa Beach (850) 622-5800

Photo Booth Company

EPIC PHOTO CO. epicphotoco.com Santa Rosa Beach (850) 213-4434 Photography

ROLAND MORIARTY rolandmoriarty.net Santa Rosa Beach (850) 358-0764

Physical Therapy Practice

PT SOLUTIONS

ptsolutions.com Panama City Beach, Santa Rosa Beach, Destin, Pensacola, Niceville, Navarre (850) 622-0842* *Santa Rosa Beach location”

Plumbing Fixtures/Service

EMERALD BAY PLUMBING

emeraldbayplumbing.com Destin (850) 837-1979 Pool Building/Service Company

COX POOLS

coxpools.com Panama City Beach, Destin (850) 650-9138*

BEST Event Planning Firm and BEST PR/ Advertising Agency

PROFFITT PR proffittpr.com Miramar Beach (850) 460-7777

*Destin location

Printing/Copying Services

ELOQUENT SIGNS eloquentsigns.com Destin (850) 460-2425

Property Management Group

NEWMANDAILEY RESORT PROPERTIES, INC. destinvacation.com Miramar Beach (800) 225-7652

Prosthodontics Practice

GREAT FLORIDA SMILES & ORTHODONTICS greatfloridasmiles.com Santa Rosa Beach, DeFuniak Springs (850) 622-5888

*Santa Rosa Beach location

Real Estate Auction Company

LUXURY ESTATES AUCTION COMPANY leauctions.com Destin (850) 460-8877

Residential Real Estate Group

REALJOY PROPERTIES

RealJoyproperties.com Destin (850) 424-3094 Security/Alarm System

WESTCO PROTECTION

westcoprotection.com Mary Esther (850) 664-6464 Spa Services

MERITAGE SPA meritagespa.com Miramar Beach (850) 837-6772

Specialty Fitness (Pilates, yoga, etc.)

DESTIN HOT YOGA

destinhotyoga.com Miramar Beach (850) 547-6133 Specialty Pet Services/ Products

GOOCHIE POOCHIE SPA RESORT

goochiepoochiesparesort.com Destin (850) 460-7460 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

Specialty Surgical Practice

DESTIN PLASTIC SURGERY theplasticdoc.com Destin (850) 654-1194 Title Company

HALL & RUNNELS PA hrlaw-destin.com Destin (850) 337-4600

Tutoring/Learning Center

THE TUTORING CENTER

sandestin.tutoringcenter.com Miramar Beach (850) 424-7935 October–November 2017

97

RESORTQUEST

BY WYNDHAM VACATIONS RENTALS

WyndhamVacationRentals.com Fort Walton Beach (main office) Rentals throughout Northwest Florida (844) 475-2098

Shopping Antiques Shop

SMITH’S ANTIQUES MALL smithsantiquesmall.com Miramar Beach (850) 654-1484 Beachwear Retailer

ISLANDERS COASTAL OUTFITTER ↑ Veterinary Practice

AIRPORT VETERINARY CLINIC

islandersoutfitter.com Fort Walton Beach, Pensacola Beach (850) 243-4362*

*Fort Walton Beach location

Eyewear Store

Locally Owned Retailer

Sporting Goods Retailer

greatfloridaeyes.com Santa Rosa Beach (850) 622-4000

thezoogallery.com Grayton Beach, Destin, Miramar Beach (850) 837-9233*

halfhitch.com Destin, Panama City Beach, Port St. Joe, Navarre (850) 234-2621*

O’DONNELL EYE INSTITUTE Furniture Retailer

SUGAR BEACH INTERIORS

sugarbeachinteriors.com Miramar Beach (850) 837-5157

sunsetshoesonline.com Miramar Beach, Destin and Panama City Beach (850) 837-5466* *Miramar Beach location

DESTIN WEDDING COMPANY

Weight Loss Facility

EMERALD COAST WEIGHT LOSS

emeraldcoastweightloss.com Niceville (844) 441-8446

98

shopsandestin.com Miramar Beach (850) 351-1806

SUNSET SHOES AND LIFESTYLES

Wedding Planner Company

sunquestcruises.com Miramar Beach (850) 650-2519

Wedding Shop

ISLAND CLOTHIERS

Men’s Shoes

landairseaproductions.com Destin (850) 499-4366

SUNQUEST CRUISES, SOLARIS

Men’s Accessories

shopsandestin.com Miramar Beach (850) 351-1806

LAND AIR SEA PRODUCTIONS

Wedding/Reception Venue

*Panama City Beach location

ISLAND CLOTHIERS

Videography

Outdoor Furniture Retailer

↑ Children’s Clothing Retailer

COCONUT KIDZ CHILDREN’S APPAREL & TOYS shopsandestin.com Miramar Beach (850) 351-1800 Consignment/ Resale Shop

AVA’S ATTIC

avasatticindestin.com Miramar Beach (850) 424-6767

October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

Gift Shop

THE ZOO GALLERY thezoogallery.com Grayton Beach, Destin, Miramar Beach (850) 231-0777* *Grayton Beach location

Jewelry Store

MCCASKILL & COMPANY

mccaskillandcompany.com Miramar Beach (850) 650-2262

HALF HITCH TACKLE

*Miramar Beach

Men’s Apparel

airportvetdestin.com Destin (850) 837-3227

destinweddingcompany.com Destin (850) 685-0190

THE ZOO GALLERY

BAY BREEZE PATIO

baybreezepatio.com Miramar Beach (850) 269-4666

↘ SMITH’S ANTIQUES MALL

SIMPLY ELEGANT BRIDAL

sebridals.com Fort Walton Beach (850) 862-3334

Women’s Accessories

TODAY’S BOUTIQUE

todaysdestin.com Destin (850) 837-5565 Women’s Boutique

TODAY’S BOUTIQUE

todaysdestin.com Destin (850) 837-5565 Women’s Shoes

SUNSET SHOES AND LIFESTYLES sunsetshoesonline.com Miramar Beach, Destin, Panama City (850) 837-5466* *Miramar Beach location

PHOTOS BY CHASE YAKABOSKI (SMITH’S ANTIQUES) AND COURTESY OF SANDESTIN GOLF AND BEACH RESORT AND AIRPORT VETERINARY CLINIC

Vacation Rental Company/Service

Thank you for your vote!

Proud winners of 2017 Best of The Emerald Coast

Best Vacation Rental Company/Service

Best Tennis Facility

844-510-8592 | BestVacationRentalCo.com

Finest Tennis Club

Š2017 Wyndham Vacation Rentals North America, LLC. 14 Sylvan Way, Parsippany, NJ 07054. Wyndham Vacation Rentals and related marks are registered trademarks and/or service marks in the United States and internationally. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

October–November 2017

99

See it.

Taste it. Sip it.

O N E T I C K E T, O N E N I G H T, A L L T H E B E S T.

OCTOBER 21

Grand Boulevard at Sandestin® 6:00 PM TO

9:00 PM

Come sample the wares of premier businesses that readers named Best of the Emerald Coast for 2017. Winners will show off their products and services in this 18th annual extravaganza featuring the Emerald Coast’s best food, fashion, boats, gear, live entertainment and more.

TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE: ADVANCE: $40 GENERAL / $75 VIP WEEK OF: $50 GENERAL / $85 VIP

EMERALDCOASTMAGAZINE.COM/BESTOFEC #BESTOFEC P R E SE N T E D BY

SPO NSO RED BY

FundsFunds

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October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

BRIGHT FUTURES BRIGHT FUTURES SCHOLARSHIPS

SCHOLARSHIPS

BENEFITING

ORTHODONTICS

Thank you for voting us Best Orthodontist for two years STRAIGHT! (just like our patients’ teeth!)

TWO LOCATIONS: Braces for children and adults! Most Insurance Accepted.

850-678-8338 | STUBBSORTHO.COM

NICEVILLE 4633 E. Highway 20 Niceville, FL 32578

SOUTH WALTON 11394 US 98 W. Miramar Beach, FL 32550 (next to the Melting Pot)

COASTAL OUTFITTER

BEACHWEAR RETAILER

Islanders is the shop locals prefer for their beach attire and accessories — swimwear, tank tops, tees, flip-flops and more — including our world famous pig T-shirts.

You can live aloha anywhere and you will find it at Islanders Coastal Outfitter.

The Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island • 850-243-4362 The Boardwalk on Pensacola Beach • 850-916-0454 IslandersOutfitter.com

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

October–November 2017

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Magna Charters Acclaimed photographer Sean Murphy and editor Steve Bornhoft capture the essence of a Rodeo that annually unites Destin’s fishing community and profile the personalities that make it unique.

BY STEVE BORNHOFT // PHOTOS BY SEAN MURPHY

HARRY CARAY WAS TO THE CHICAGO CUBS AS BRUCE CHEVES IS TO THE DESTIN FISHING RODEO. Cheves, for three decades, has served as the tournament’s weighmaster, promoter and play-by-play announcer, all at once.

When a gag grouper or a mahi-mahi or a wahoo is brought to the Rodeo scales, Cheves (see story beginning on page 112) will recite its natural history, noting one’s hermaphroditic nature, another’s freakish growth rate and the third’s prodigious speed. He knows what he’s talking about; he’s been making his living as a mate aboard charter boats for 40 years throughout which he has gotten to know some of the best fishermen ever to have plied the Gulf of Mexico.

These are men who have put customers on catches ranging from bluefish to blue marlin to bluefin tuna, to choose a color. They are drawn to the Gulf ’s capacity for moving from buttoned-up beauty to high adventure in a matter of minutes.

They respect factors they cannot control — the vagaries of wind, current and weather — and wish, as a group, that they could better control the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council whose decisions dramatically affect their livelihoods.

We invite you to meet eight among their number in the pages that follow. To each, we tip our caps. If they were to disappear, there would be big holes left in the water.

102

October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

THE CAPTAINS › p. 104

//

THE WEIGHMASTER › p. 112

//

THE RODEO › p. 116

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

October–November 2017

103

TAINS THE CAP

Capt. Ed Shields BOAT: SILVER LINING YEARS SPENT FISHING: 32 If I had not become a charter boat captain, I probably would have been: A retired Air Force fighter pilot. I was last stationed at Eglin Air Force Base and my retirement ceremony was held at Hurlburt Field. I got started in charter fishing after my retirement from the military. (Shields served in the Air Force for 30 years, completing two tours in Vietnam and logging 511 hours of combat time. The last aircraft he flew was the F-4.)

I was darn near shocked the day we reeled in a … sailfish. We were trolling for king mackerel just three miles offshore and we had a strike and a jumping fish. I had just two customers on board that day and we released the fish.

I release all the billfish I catch.

When I hear the words, “the one that got away,” I immediately think about … another sailfish that I lost.

The mistake that most people make while bottom fishing is … They leave their thumb off the spool and the lead hits the bottom and the spool keeps spinning and you get a big backlash.

The most important quality I look for in a deck hand or a mate is: Well, I guess I would look for someone a lot like Ed Quaranto. I am the captain on the Silver Lining and Ed is the mate, but Ed now owns the boat. So, he used to work for me and now I work for him. He is reliable and punctual, and he knows what needs to be done. We have been working together for 20 years, so I have been very fortunate. No turnover.

If I could run the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council for a day, I’d … try to fire half of them, but they are appointed by governors, so that wouldn’t work. I would ask that they work to get better data on fish stocks, so that they can make better decisions. They have closed the triggerfish season, but there are so many of them out there, they are a nuisance. You can’t even get your bait past them to fish on the bottom.

Word association. If I were to say Bruce Cheves, how would you respond? Best weighmaster in the world.

Absolutely superior.

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October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

Capt. Brady Bowman BOAT: BOW’D UP YEARS SPENT FISHING: 28

Who tells more stories: fishermen, politicians or golfers? It would be a tight race between fishermen and politicians.

I was darn near shocked the day we reeled in a …

400-pound tiger shark.

We had been snapper fishing on July 5 of this year and we put out a high-speed trolling lure on the way back in. We had a huge strike and I was sure it was a marlin or a big tuna. Turns out, we had somehow foul-hooked the

shark doing 12 knots in the middle of the Gulf.

Honestly, I thought I may have bought the farm the time that … I was commercial fishing with Gary Jarvis on the BackDown II. We were snapper fishing and we had 1,700 pounds on board at dusk. The trip limit was 2,000 pounds, and the captain decided that we would stay out overnight, catch another 300 pounds in the morning and then head in. We put an anchor down and tied off to an oil

rig. During the night, when we were all asleep, the line tied to the rig chafed through and, dragging the anchor, we drifted 20 miles before anyone realized what was happening. It was a heavy sea and we were lucky that the boat didn’t turn broadside before we discovered what was going on.

The mistake that most people make while bottom fishing is … trying to set the hook when fishing with a circle hook.

The most important quality I look for in a deck hand is: Punctuality, first of all. And he has to be able to take care of the customers.

You have to be able to get your point across without being rude.

If I could run the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council for a day, I’d … have them get some current data on triggerfish and have them listen to what people on the water are saying.

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Capt.

Tommy Browning Sr. BOAT: FINEST KIND YEARS SPENT FISHING: 63 AS A CAPTAIN If I had not become a charter boat captain, I probably would have been: Career Air Force.

I was a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne for twoand-a-half years.

I would never, ever call him a liar, but I have a hard time believing … the weatherman.

I was darn near shocked the day we reeled in a … record-breaking, 1,046-pound blue marlin at the Bay Point Invitational Billfish Tournament in 2001. It broke the Gulf and Florida records at the time. The Florida record still holds.

Honestly, I thought I may have bought the farm the time that … I was commercial fishing off Mississippi and I was knocked off the boat by a boom into shark-infested waters. It took 20 or 30 minutes before the boat got turned around and found me.

When I hear the words, “the one that got away,” I immediately think about … fishing another tournament after I caught the record blue marlin and we hooked a blue that would have weighed more than the record. We fought it nine hours before it broke the line.

If I had to choose one word to describe Destin, it would be: Great.

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Living the Hi Life

Capt. Brantley Galloway of Hiliner Charters began fishing at age 5, catching bait from piers.

He fished with local captains as a deck hand and now owns his own boat, the Full Draw. He has competed in fishing tournaments throughout the Gulf of Mexico and internationally.

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Capt.

Frank Davis

Who tells more stories: fishermen, politicians or golfers? Fishermen.

BOAT: ANASTASIA YEARS SPENT FISHING: 49

I was darn near shocked the day we reeled in a … marlin that had died on the line and sunk to the bottom and stuck in the mud. We had to send a snatch hook down the line and bury it in the fish and then we used two reels to winch it to the surface. We were fishing in 350 feet of water and it weighed about 500 pounds.

As an occupation, charter fishing, like doctoring, lawyering and undertaking, tends to span generations within families. Capt. Ed Davis and Capt. Tony Davis (following profile) are father and son.

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For too long, too many charter boat captains and anglers were guilty of … keeping too many fish. It

doesn’t happen anymore, but you would have people fill the backs of pickup trucks with king mackerel and then toss the fish onto the side of the road on their way home. We used to call them “garbos.”

Honestly, I thought I may have bought the farm the time that … we had been commercial fishing for three days and we got caught in a nor’easter. There were five of us on board. We tried to come in at Orange Beach and couldn’t make it. Later, we tried to come in to Mobile and that didn’t work either.

We were low on fuel and the

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hold and the filter kept filling with trash. Our last night at sea, the wind was blowing 60 miles an hour and seas were running 27 feet. There was no Coast Guard vessel in the area.

Finally, we got pulled in by a crew boat.

My favorite boat name is: Well, Anastasia, of course.

It’s the name of my wife’s grandmother. I had a hard time getting a captain’s license because I am one-eyed and anastasia means “resurrection” in Greek. (Davis lost an eye in a deer-hunting accident in 1956.)

I’m on my fourth Anastasia.

My first was a 45-foot wooden

Harkers Island that I purchased in 1968. I had three wooden boats and now I’ve got a fiberglass one.

The most important quality I look for in a deck hand is: Reliability. They have got to be able to take care of the people, keep the boat up, see to the bait and the ice.

Good help is hard to find. You couldn’t count the number of deck hands I’ve had on 10 pairs of hands.

If I had to choose one word to describe Destin, it would be: Best, as in the best fishing place in the world.

Capt.

Tony Davis BOAT: ANASTASIA YEARS SPENT FISHING: 45

If I had not become a charter boat captain, I probably would have been: A biologist of some sort. I do a lot of hunting, and I enjoy letting things go (passing on shots) so they can grow.

Who tells more stories: fishermen, politicians or golfers? Politicians. They’re good liars.

I was darn near shocked the day we reeled in a …

1,034-pound black marlin that I caught fishing in Australia. And I have been surprised by the size of some of the blue marlin we have in the Gulf. Fishing in the Gulf, I have had four blues

on the line that were bigger than the black I caught. But I hooked all of them in the days before we have had the tackle we have today, especially twospeed reels. Back then, you could get those big fish to a point and then that was it.

make it back. One other time, I encountered a freak sea that came up out of nowhere. We came through one rogue wave OK and then a second one right behind it swamped us and blew out our windows. The mate got cut pretty bad.

Honestly, I thought I may have bought the farm the time that … I hit a whale shark and it pushed the rudder through the floor of my boat.

Had a hole in it about this big. (Davis forms a circle with his arms about two feet in diameter.) We were about 35 miles from Destin and I wasn’t sure we were going to

The mistake that most people make while bottom fishing is … They crank too fast. They’re in too big of a hurry.

If I could run the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council for a day, I’d … relieve us of some of the regulations that we have to live with on a day-to-day basis without doing

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harm to the fisheries. There was no need, for example, to close the amberjack season in March.

We have as many amberjack around today as we have ever had. The fish I was catching early this year mostly ran between 55 and 70 pounds. And if an angler catches just one of those during a trip, his day is made. With all the regulations and season closures today, we’ve gone from 225 fishing days a year to about 150 or 160.

If I had to choose one word to describe Destin, it would be: Spectacular. But I do love New Zealand, too. I would like to spend more time over there.

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Venerable Captain

Jim Westbrook has been fishing out of Destin for more than 30 years. He owns the charter boat, Suzy Q, and two party-fishing vessels, the American Spirit and the New Florida Girl, a fixture in Destin since 1970.

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Greg Myers, Mate BOAT: BOW’D UP YEARS SPENT FISHING: 30

If I had not become a professional fisherman, I probably would have been: In marketing or public relations. I got a degree in marketing from the University of Maryland — go Turtles — and working on boats was just supposed to be a summer job, but here I am all these years later.

Who tells more stories: fishermen, politicians or golfers? Fishermen by far.

When a fisherman goes to tell me a story, I ask for numbers.

If he’s got a weight or a length or a photo, I’ll let him go ahead.

Otherwise, I’m not interested.

I was darn near shocked the day … we hooked what I thought was going to be a very big swordfish. We were fishing at night and got a bite about 2 in the morning. Big storm.

Lightning crashing all around us. I had the fish figured for a

sword of about 400 pounds. We fought that fish for three hours and when we got it to the top, it turned out to be a 200-pound shark. Another time, my wife and I went marlin fishing with another couple. My wife, believe it or not, is a tree hugger, but she is OK with marlin fishing because we release all the billfish we catch. We hooked a fish about 45 miles offshore and we were struggling with it. One of us would fight the fish for 40 minutes or so and then pass the rod to the next person. In the middle of all of this, a blue whale covered in barnacles surfaced not far from us. I’ve seen it all out there. I’ve seen killer whales.

Anyway, I was afraid the line was going to get in those barnacles and we’d get cut off. Everyone else had pretty much forgotten about the marlin and was focused on the whale. It moved off and we still had the fish on,

but when we brought it alongside the boat, it was just 80 or 90 pounds. We had hooked it in the tail and that was why we had such a hard time with it.

If I could run the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council for a day, I’d … regionalize management. In the eastern Gulf around Tampa, they catch lots of tarpon and zero red snapper. In the central Gulf, we catch grouper and we catch red snapper. In the western Gulf, they catch no grouper and lots of snapper. But the regulators try to apply the same regulations to the entire Gulf.

When I hear the words, “the one that got away,” I immediately think about … the time I was white marlin fishing with Gary Jarvis on the BackDown II. We were fishing with light tackle — two spinning rods, 30-pound test, and a couple of 50-wides — because you never see a white of more than 100 pounds. We saw what looked like a submarine surfacing and got bit on one of the spinning rods and we jacked him up. The fight couldn’t have lasted more than 15 seconds. I can still see that marlin jumping in the sunset. It must have weighed 800 pounds. Ever since then, I have never trolled offshore without tackle capable of handling an 800-pound fish.

What makes Destin special?

My wife is the head bartender at the Crab Trap. She was dealing with a couple of visitors from Venice, Louisiana, who ordered Louisiana Crab Cakes and complained that they weren’t the real deal. Well, where would you rather be, looking out at the prettiest scenery in the world eating a fine crab cake or swatting mosquitos in some backwater and eating a crab cake that might be slightly different or better? Me, I’ll take Destin.

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MIRROR IMAGE Bruce Cheves appears somber in this reflected image, but the extroverted weighmaster won’t stay there for long.

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TER IGHMAS E W E H T

Off the Scales DESTIN FISHING RODEO WEIGHMASTER BRUCE CHEVES IS ONE OF A KIND

BY STEVE BORNHOFT // PHOTOS BY SEAN MURPHY

BRUCE CHEVES’S HEAD IS TOPPED BY A PAIR OF SUNGLASSES, A TATTERED bandana and a visor to which various objects, including a pink breast-cancer awareness ribbon and a “My Vote Counted” sticker, have attached themselves like barnacles. He wears a Bob Marley T-shirt, shorts in good repair, New Balance sneakers and black socks that are pooled around his ankles. His beard, bushy and unkempt, is one a pirate might have worn, and his voice, two octaves below gravelly, completes the buccaneer effect.

But Cheves’s eyes reveal that he is a good guy. Turns out, he is equal parts public relations expert, educator, entertainer, carnival barker and fisherman.

For 40 years, since trading the Pacific Coast — he grew up in Monterey, California — Cheves (pronounced cheevz) has been decking aboard charter boats.

“I never wanted to drive,” he said. “I always wanted to be with the people fishing.”

(And, sure, the role of captain involves more responsibility than that of mate.)

Cheves will abide non-fishing customers if he has to, but however aloof about fishing they may be when they board, he is likely to change their minds.

“We had a lady one time, all she wanted to do was sit on the bow in her beach chair,” Cheves recalled. “Very sophisticated. Had a Cosmopolitan book with her.

Every so often, I would go check on her, bring her some ice to keep her wine chilled.

Back at the stern, fishing was good, but she was not paying any attention.”

Then, as he was approaching the sea buoy, the captain spotted a big mahi-mahi — about 35 pounds — and threw the boat in reverse, splashing the decks. The captain alerted Cheves, who came forward with a baited rod and reel. Cheves bounced the bait off the buoy, and the big bull dolphin engulfed it as soon as it hit the water.

Feeling the sting of the hook, the fish leaped 15–20 feet in the air again and again before it streaked toward the stern. Cheves followed the fish and the sophisticate followed Cheves, who tried, at one point, to pass the rod to the lady.

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She declined and Cheves landed the mahi, whereupon the woman, as Cheves tells the story, abandoned all pretense and proclaimed, “That was the f---king coolest thing I have ever seen.”

She was hooked. You could almost envision her passing up Cosmo in favor of Saltwater Sportsman.

Cheves knew little about offshore fishing in 1977, when he moved from Monterey, California, where he grew up, to the Florida Panhandle, where his parents had retired.

Nonetheless, his mother suggested that he see about catching on with a fishing boat in Destin. The second captain he spoke to decided to give him a chance, and Cheves has been a waterman ever since.

“Being a mate isn’t a job; it’s a lifestyle,” Cheves offers.

“Seven days a week during the season, and when the boat isn’t running, you’re working on the boat. Always, there is something that needs to be done. Now, a lot of guys go from the deck to the bridge and put on 100 pounds. But I never had an interest in taking the wheel.

“I love what I do,” Cheves enthuses. “Anything can happen out there, from A to Z, and sometimes, you go through half the alphabet in one trip.”

Just a couple of years after arriving in Florida, Cheves discovered that he had a talent for infecting people on the hill with the type of excitement that often develops offshore.

Cheves had taken a job at a Destin restaurant, shucking oysters, washing dishes, doing barback work. Behind the restaurant at the marina, at what is now HarborWalk Village, weigh-ins for a shark tournament were being conducted.

Cheves observed that the weighmaster, with whom he was a friend, didn’t say very much and didn’t attract

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much attention. So, on the tournament’s last day, Cheves asked for a turn at the microphone. With his rambling, enthusiastic style, he drew a crowd of 100 people and a pile of unsold souvenir shirts disappeared.

He took the 10 bucks he was given for his trouble to a nearby pub and discovered that he was an instant celebrity.

He never broke the sawbuck. People competed to buy him drinks.

He would serve as the Destin Shark Tournament’s weighmaster for a total of 17 years.

In 1991, he was summoned by Bill Sherman, who had been serving as weighmaster for the Destin Fishing Rodeo. Then, before the advent of digital scales, weighing a fish involved suspending the fish, climbing a pole and operating a beam scale. Sherman’s pole-climbing days, he conceded to Cheves, were over.

From that point forward, Cheves has been the voice and the face of the Rodeo. For a time, he volunteered his services. When the Rodeo decided to make the position paid, it accepted applications. But tournament officials knew whom they wanted to hire; the job went to Cheves and will remain his for as long as he wants it.

In conversation, Cheves is a trail with a lot of switchbacks, an undulating, curvy stream. He moves seamlessly from fish that are warm-blooded to lobe-finned coelacanths to the black eyes of great white sharks to a faith healer who caused a boy’s leg to regenerate (like a starfish arm) to the wrenches and chains and other items “usually found in hardware stores” that were discovered in fish weighed in at the Rodeo before a requirement that fish be gutted prior to being placed on the scales was imposed to a trip taken with three anglers, all with health issues that prevented them from reeling in a large fish.

But then Cheves hits a straightaway and tells a longer story about a mentally compromised fellow named Michael from Kentucky. Cheves noticed Michael and members of his family years ago at the Rodeo scales. It was early in the day, and only about 40 onlookers were around at that hour.

“Why don’t you come back around 5?” Cheves suggested to the family. “I’ll make it worth your while, and there will be a big crowd here by then.”

When the family returned, a crowd of more than 500 people had gathered. A boat approached the scales, and Cheves asked the mate if he had any fish on board that were not going to be weighed. The mate had a bonito, a bloody muscle-fish that few people eat; it is often used for shark bait.

“I got a 6/0 reel and rod and I clipped that bonito to the line with a snap swivel,” Cheves fondly remembers. “I told Michael’s brother to have him look away from the water for a couple of minutes. The mate heaved the bonito as far as he could into the harbor and gave the rod back to me.

“When Michael turned around, I was winding in that fish and I had turned the reel’s clicker on so that it was making a lot

Bruce Cheves of noise. I yelled toward Michael and told him (seen here in to ‘come get this fish.’ He came about halfway, Dr. Seuss socks) is always around and then he turned around and looked at the the action when crowd behind him and everyone — hundreds of catches are people — were cheering him on.” brought to the Rodeo scales at Michael reeled in the fish, had his picture AJ’s Restaurant. taken with his catch and the Rodeo queen and was presented with a certificate and a dip net as a prize.

“That brought the house down,” Cheves says, apologizing for becoming emotional. “His sister came up to me and asked me, ‘You know what you just did?’ I told her I thought I had made his day, and she told me I had given him a memory he would never forget.”

Michael et al. have been Rodeo regulars over the years, and they were likely to return this October for the 69th Rodeo.

Assuming Michael does return, he will seek out Cheves as he has many times before. And, no matter that red snapper and triggerfish and amberjacks will not be coming to the scales this year, Cheves will be there.

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An Enduring Fishing Tradition When the Destin Fishing Rodeo was young, onlookers at the weigh-in used Brownie Starmite cameras to capture images of a big kingfish hanging from the scales. Today, a far different device, which would have been thought impossible when the Rodeo was first staged in 1948, prevails. Once, people thought populations of Gulf fishes inexhaustible, you know, like passenger pigeons, but now they are governed by many fluid regulations.

But the Rodeo is more remarkable for what has not changed.

It remains a delightful reflection of our fascination with the Gulf of Mexico and Gulf-farers and the special species who live there, some red fish, some blue, others of many other hues.

BY STEVE BORNHOFT // PHOTOS BY SEAN MURPHY

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DEO THE RO

In Destin, long deemed the World’s Luckiest Fishing Village, October is reserved for the Fishing Rodeo, a month-long derby that may be among the most inclusive anywhere, given the many divisions of competition it involves. Some entrust their luck to veteran captains, other go it alone, but for all, the Rodeo is an occasion fit for raising a glass.

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Fishing vessels depart Destin Harbor carrying fishers who cannot know just what to expect. But, with any luck at all, they will return with catches that warrant weighing in, sufficient perhaps to bring a broad smile to Rodeo royalty, big enough to create a lasting impression. It’s all a matter of being in the right place at the right time with the right lure.

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Myriad Events Fill Rodeo Month Calendar COMPETITION EXPANDS TO INCLUDE NEW DIVISIONS

DEO THE RO

BY HANNAH BURKE // PHOTOS BY SEAN MURPHY

For decades, a sole billboard has stood at the foot of the Marler Bridge, welcoming visitors to “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village.” A majestic billfish decorates the sign, riding a wave that arches over Destin’s logo. Within the wave, bold letters proudly announce that you are entering the home of the Destin Fishing Rodeo, a month-long competition that invites anglers to experience the city’s motto. Now in its 69th year, the event reels in thousands of fishermen who participate in divisions of competition ranging from paddleboards to party boats and compete for more than $100,000 worth of prizes.

And, even if you’re not trying your luck on the water, there are plenty of events that rock the docks all month long.

DFR 10TH ANNUAL KID’S WAGON BOAT PARADE OCT. 1, 2 P.M. The first day of Rodeo is a festival for little minnows.

A parade of wagons disguised as everything from pirate ships to motor yachts roll through HarborWalk to reach AJ’s Restaurant, the site of face painting, crafts, and other entertainment kids are sure to love. This event is free to the public and makes for a fantastic family Sunday fun day!

39TH ANNUAL DESTIN SEAFOOD FESTIVAL OCT. 6–8, TIMES VARY. For an opportunity to taste all those deepsea delicacies being wrangled up at the rodeo, the Destin Seafood Festival presents the area’s most anticipated food fair of the year.

Free general admission allows folks to celebrate the community, sample seafood from a variety of local vendors and enjoy live music with friends and family. destinseafoodfestival. com/destinfestival.htm

and walkers join in a breezy 5K to benefit local charities and the Miss Destin Scholarship Fund.

To register for the race, visit active.com/destinfl/running/distancerunning-races/destin5k-rodeo-run-2017

SHARK SATURDAYS OCT. 7, 14, 21, 28, WEIGH-INS AT 7 P.M. Shark week? It’s Shark Month at the Destin Fishing Rodeo. Saturdays focus on especially toothy predators as anglers weigh in hammerheads, blacktips, bull sharks and more in hopes of winning the weekly $250 biggest shark prize.

KIDS FALLFEST OCT. 9, NOON–2 P.M. With the kids out of school for Columbus Day, AJ’s Fallfest is the perfect mid-week reprieve. Kids will love getting into hands-on crafts, pumpkin carving, and reveling in all things autumn. While you’re there, why not stick around for some grub while the family watches boats return for weigh-ins?

DESTIN 5K RODEO RUN OCT. 8, 8 A.M. Beginning at Clement Taylor Park, runners

BRUCE CHEVES DAY/ RINGING OF THE BELL OCT. 16 If this ain’t your first

Rodeo, then you’re well acquainted with weighmaster Bruce Cheves. After officially serving in that role since 1991, it’s only right that he has his own day!

Gather as Cheves tells some of his renowned sea tales, educates you on the many species of fish in the northern Gulf of Mexico and rings a bell at 5 p.m. to recognize captains and others who are no longer with us.

with baited rods and reels and a tasty lunch afterwards. Registration is limited, and can be completed at eventbrite. com/e/2017-rootintootin-rodeo-round-uptickets-34725586163 HALLOWEEN ON THE HARBOR OCTOBER 31, 5 P.M. With the last day of the rodeo falling on Halloween, the 31st is a big day for Destin!

Mermaids, pirates, ghosts and ghouls are invited to dress up for a Halloween bash as trick-or-treating and the final weigh-ins take place. As soon as night falls, fireworks light up the sky to wrap up the rodeo. Adults head over to AJ’s at 10 p.m. for an annual costume contest and the chance to win a delicious prize!

ROOTIN TOOTIN RODEO ROUNDUP OCT. 21, 8–11 A.M. Though they may not be big enough to participate in the rodeo just yet, children 10 and under are invited to gather on the Okaloosa Island Pier for some funfilled fishing off the dock.

Kids will be provided

List of Rodeo Awards Expands With more than 30,000 anglers participating in the Rodeo each year, rewards have gotten bigger and better, extra divisions have been created, and rules have been modified to make each experience better than the last.

Here’s a glimpse of what’s new in 2017.

AJ’S BONUS AWARDS » Largest Wahoo of the Tournament — $3,000 » 2nd Largest Wahoo — $2,000 » 3rd Largest Wahoo — $1,000 BIG MAC CLASSIC DAILY AWARD This new award requires at least 31 boats to participate with a $100 buy-in daily. The angler who catches the largest king mackerel of the day gets his $100 for that day back. The pot continues to grow throughout October and the angler who snags the biggest king mackerel at the end of

the tournament earns 25 percent of the prize money, while the remaining 75 pecrent benefits local charities.

ODDBALL DIVISION This category is for any species (excluding sting rays, red snapper, amberjack, and triggerfish) that doesn’t figure in other categories. First place for the largest legal entry at weigh-in earns a $200 Centennial Bank Visa gift card and trophy, while second earns a $100 Centennial Bank Visa gift card and trophy.

EXTENDED VOYAGE DIVISION To qualify for this category, anglers must be out at sea for 18 hours at the least. There, they reel in the big catches, such as grouper, tuna, and wahoo. Like the Oddball Division, winners will receive cash prizes sponsored by Centennial Bank.

RECORD BREAKERS A $500 Centennial Bank Visa gift card will be awarded to anyone with a catch that sets a tournament record in for amberjack, dolphin, gag grouper, king mackerel, wahoo or Warsaw grouper.

NEW RODEO RULES » 1.16 “Fish which have spoiled, been mutilated, frozen, or appear to have been frozen or chemically treated are not eligible for competition.” » 1.25 “HMS permits are required to weigh any sharks in the Destin Fishing Rodeo. All sharks brought to the weigh-in station must qualify based on federal regulations, regardless of state regulations. » 3.2 “DAILY prizes must be claimed within 48 hours of the close of scales the day of catch.”

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Keeping

Beach nourishment pumps sand — and tourism dollars — onto Panhandle beaches

by AUDREY POST

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T

hink “Florida” and what comes to mind?

Is it Orlando and its family-friendly theme parks? Trendy and quirky South Miami Beach, where clubs hop around the clock? Perhaps something more pastoral, like tubing along springfed rivers? Swimming with manatees?

Boarding a charter boat in Destin for a day of fishing in the Gulf of Mexico?

Those delightful places and activities are part of Florida’s attraction as a vacation destination, but they’re not the primary draw. For most people who aren’t fortunate enough to live in the Sunshine State, the word “Florida” conjures visions of just one vista: sandy beaches and palm trees.

The state boasts 1,197 miles of coastline, with 825 miles of it sandy beaches along the Atlantic Ocean, Straits of

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Florida and Gulf of Mexico. Visit Florida, the state’s tourism marketing agency, promotes 227 miles of Panhandle beaches, stretching from St. George Island off Apalachicola westward to Pensacola.

Florida Panhandle beaches are magnets for visitors from throughout the central and eastern Midwest. They’re beautiful, warm and require a lot less driving to reach than the Gulf beaches of Tampa Bay and southwest Florida, or the Atlantic beaches of Jacksonville, Daytona, and Fort Lauderdale. Adding to the allure is its Southern charm, with its rich history, laid-back atmosphere, great shopping and a culinary scene that offers vibrant fusion next to retro Mom-and-Pop diners.

Tourism is the economic engine of the region and the beaches are its primary fuel, but that fuel doesn’t come without a cost. Beach erosion is a constant and ongoing concern.

PHOTO BY SDBOWER / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

at Bay

Pelicans glide along the shoreline, which is ever in motion, shaped by wind, waves and tides. Structures and other obstacles accelerate erosion.

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FORCES OF NATURE The term “shifting sands” may be used to describe loose political alliances and other situations in flux, but its origins lie in the ebb and flow of the tides and how they affect the sands both on the beach and offshore.

Tidal movements shift sand along the shoreline and out to sea, and periodic storms dump it back on shore. It’s not a swift process, but it’s normally not a problem unless the sand can no longer follow a natural course because of construction or other development. If the waves crash into obstacles instead of gradually running up on shore, the sand they carry is not deposited and instead recedes with the wave, lost beyond offshore sandbars. The result is beach erosion.

According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, which monitors and maps beach erosion around the state, the length of critically eroded beachfront increased by 70.7 miles from 2000 to 2010, from 327.9 miles to 398.6 miles. The length of non-critically eroded beach decreased slightly, by a total of 12.1 miles, largely because of nourishment operations.

“Overall, the total length of eroded beaches — critical and non-critical combined — increased by 58.6 miles,” the DEP report said. “Of the 825 miles of sandy beaches in Florida, 494.5 miles are considered either critically or non-critically eroded.”

In order to reduce beach erosion, some coastal communities have halted new development along the shoreline.

Likewise, insurance companies have added regulations that forbid rebuilding in the same location in the event of heavy damage or destruction.

Dr. Stephen Leatherman, a professor of coastal sciences at Florida International University known as “Dr. Beach” for his study of beaches for more than 25 years, says that beach sand is not a renewable resource, nor is it easily reclaimed. Not all sand in the ocean is the same, and it’s not all suitable to augment eroding beaches.

Hurricanes, tropical storms and even strong thunderstorms can increase beach erosion. Storms, development and rising sea levels compound the problem. As of 2010, the DEP reported a level of beach erosion that threatened “substantial development, recreational, cultural, or environmental interests.” While some of the erosion was due to “natural forces and imprudent coastal navigation, a significant amount of coastal erosion in Florida is directly attributable to the construction and maintenance of navigation inlets.”

Many of those inlets have been artificially deepened, and jetties have been added, which were intended to prevent sand from filling the inlet channels. However, the jetties interrupt the natural flow of sand along the beach, causing sand to pile up at

Of the 825 miles of sandy beaches in Florida, 494.5 miles are considered either critically or non-critically eroded.

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PHOTO BY CHRIS HERMANS

Panama City Beach and other coastal towns in Florida annually budget funding for beach nourishment to keep beaches attractive to tourists. The state supplements the funding.

the mouth of the inlet, as well as on one side of the jetty. As a result, sand has been lost on the beaches on the opposite side of the inlet.

Replenishing sand lost to inlets, coastal development, storms and the natural cycle of tides is necessary to continue attracting visitors to the region, say tourism officials and businesses dependent on tourism.

Some of those same officials shun the term “Panhandle” as too “rustic” and “country,” preferring the geographical description “Northwest Florida.”

Replenishment critics, however, say the erosion problem stems from buildings too close to the water, interfering with the natural movement of sand and water. They say taxpayers shouldn’t be saddled with the cost of maintaining coastal property only the wealthy can afford.

As the argument rages, the impact of beaches on the state’s economy continues to increase. A Visit Florida study showed out-of-state visitors spent $108.8 billion in 2015, a combined $300 million a day and $2.4 billion more than the previous year. While not all of that money was generated on Florida’s beaches, the beaches are the main draw for the Northwest Florida Panhandle.

Becky Coleman of LaGrange, Kentucky, said she and her family have spent a week at Miramar Beach every summer for the past six years.

They take advantage of many activities and attractions, but they come for the beach.

“It doesn’t have as many shells, so you can walk on it without cutting up your feet, and it’s a nice, white, sandy beach,” she said. “But I can tell that the beach is getting smaller. I don’t know if it’s erosion, but it’s smaller.”

Although Coleman, a medical assistant, and her husband, Peter, a computer engineer, and their two sons stay at a relative’s condominium, they said they easily spend $3,000 during their weeklong stay.

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“Most people spend that much just for rent for a week,” she said.

Karly Denes with Harmony Beach Vacations has seen the impact of the beaches on both the hospitality industry and the real-estate market.

“Most of our visitors come from Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio,” she said. “The beach is the big draw.”

With real estate, proximity to the beach is a huge factor in determining price.

“A one-bedroom condo within walking distance of the beach, onequarter to one-half mile, will list for around $198,000,” Denes said. “That same condo right on the beach will list for $435,000.”

The Destin Chamber of Commerce is working to diversify the economy and bring in more technology jobs, she said, to enable the economy to withstand factors such as oil spills and hurricanes, but beaches will continue to be the No. 1 economic factor for a long time.

A slurry of water and sand gushes onto Pensacola Beach. When the water dissipates, front-end loaders spread the sand across the beach.

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Given the strong link between the beaches and the Panhandle economy, most people believe failure to maintain the beaches would be tantamount to economic suicide.

HOW BEACH NOURISHMENT WORKS Beach nourishment projects take sand from offshore sites beyond the sandbars and dump it onto eroded coastal shores. The harvest areas, called “borrow areas,” have to be thoroughly checked by coastal engineering experts to make sure the harvest won’t cause additional problems, and the sand to be harvested is made up of grains of the appropriate size and color to blend with the area where it will be placed.

Companies harvesting the sand must obtain state permits before dredging can begin.

If the “borrow area” is close enough to shore, the dredged sand is dumped directly into a submerged pipeline that runs up onto the shore. The pipe

from offshore connects to another pipeline on the beach, which runs laterally along the shore. The watery sand, called a slurry, is discharged onto the beach and moved around by bulldozers to create the beach design — width and depth — called for in the beach management plan.

If the “borrow area” is farther offshore, far enough to make a direct pipeline unworkable or inefficient, the dredged sand is deposited into a hopper dredge, a barge-like vessel with a holding compartment for the sand. The hopper dredge then carries the sand from the borrow area to a pipeline closer to the project site.

Once the sand is in the pipeline, the process is the same.

Because of the “shifting sands,” beach management is an ongoing process. Long-term beach management plans call for restoration, then periodic nourishment of the shoreline. The beaches are monitored to evaluate how much sand remains

Healthy beaches protect public infrastructure and private upland development, provide critical habitat for many endangered and threatened species and secure recreational and economic interests along the state’s sandy shoreline.

PHOTO COURTESY OF OLSEN ASSOCIATES, INC.

each year. With this information, the next nourishment project can be anticipated and planned for, although a large storm event can significantly erode beach sand and push forward the schedule.

HOW BEACH NOURISHMENT IS FUNDED The state of Florida launched its beach nourishment program in 1986, when the Legislature adopted a comprehensive beach planning and protection program. The Florida Beach Management Funding Assistance Program combines the efforts of local, state and federal government entities to protect, preserve and restore beaches. It provides up to 50 percent of project costs to local governments, community development districts or special taxing districts.

Since 1998, when the Legislature funded the program by dedicating a portion of the Ecosystem Management and Restoration Trust Fund for beach management, more than $626.6 million has been appropriated for projects including beach restoration, project design, environmental studies and monitoring, inlet management, sand transfer management, and dune restoration, said Dee Ann Miller of the DEP’s press office. Each level of government usually pays one-third of the cost of the entire program.

As of 2016, the program has funded restoration and follow-up maintenance of more than 225 miles of critically eroded beaches since its inception. Maintaining beaches keeps them

attractive as vacation destinations for tourists, according to the DEP, but there are other benefits, as well: “Healthy beaches protect public infrastructure and private upland development, provide critical habitat for many endangered and threatened species and secure recreational and economic interests along the state’s sandy shoreline.”

These beach nourishment projects are funded through partnerships among various levels of government.

Some projects qualify for federal funding under national coastal management programs; almost all qualify for partial state funding, with local costs paid for by “bed taxes,” sales taxes that tourists pay on short-term hotel, motel and condominium rentals.

The state’s beach management program helps pay for various steps in the process, including feasibility and design studies; building and installing erosion-control structures; and monitoring and documenting the effectiveness of the project and any potential effects from it. “Beach restoration” involves rebuilding a beach that has been severely eroded.

“Beach nourishment” is the routine maintenance necessary to keep that restored beach healthy so it can weather storms, provide recreational space and protect wildlife habitat.

Both involve dredging sand offshore and pumping back onto the beaches.

DEP requested almost $73 million in coastal management funding for fiscal year 2017-18, about $50 million

for beach management projects and the rest for inlet projects. The request list was compiled based on requests from local governments and prioritized by DEP based on a number of factors, including status of permits, readiness to proceed and whether the amount requested seems to be in line with the proposed project.

The compromise budget negotiated by the Florida Senate and House in early May and signed by Gov. Rick Scott in June allocated $63.3 million for coastal management projects, including $13.3 million for restoration of beaches damaged by Hurricanes Hermine and Matthew. Although $50 million for all beach and inlet restoration projects was less than the DEP had requested, it was more than it had received in the previous 10 years.

CURRENT AND RECENT PROJECTS Of the beach restoration and nourishment projects for which DEP requested 2017-18 funding, the St. Joseph Peninsula Beach Nourishment project in Gulf County and the Panama City Beaches Shores Protection Project in Bay County ranked 2 and 3, respectively, on the DEP priority list, and both were funded at the requested levels. On the inlet list, the East Pass Inlet Management Feasibility Study in Okaloosa County was funded, but at less than (continued on page 176) requested.

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↘ The Kehoe House, where young twins died in a chimney, summons visitors spirited to the site by Old Town Trolley Tours.

VISITING NOTEWORTHY PLACES NEAR AND FAR

GETAWAY

POSSESSED

Savannah reveres its dead men’s tales

PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

by KAREN MURPHY

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alking down the historic, cobblestone streets of “America’s Most Haunted City,” I’m not sure if it’s really a ghost or just my overactive imagination raising the hair on the back of my neck.

In the quiet twilight, the moss-draped, majestic oaks and the centuries-old homes and buildings lining Savannah, Georgia’s river and city squares certainly seem to whisper to me to discover their stories.

Annually, nearly 800,000 tourists hire one of the city’s 20+ ghost tour companies to hear Savannah’s macabre tales — and learn a little history. Their goal is to be

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completely entertained — and, sometimes, a little scared.

On this misty evening, I joined their ranks.

I chose to see the city’s spooky sites by horse-drawn carriage. Others are led on walking tours or trolleys, while the more adventurous hitch a ride in a hearse.

In 2002, Savannah received the designation as the most haunted city in America from the American Institute of Parapsychology. Erica Backus, Visit Savannah’s director of Public Relations, said the designation adds a level of uniqueness to the travel experience.

“Every day, we celebrate the mystery

October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

of Savannah’s ghost culture,” she said with a laugh.

The tour guides will tell you, though, that the designation is more than just a tourism ploy. To them, there is no doubt that an abundance of spirits haunt Savannah.

“It is the most haunted city in the U.S., hands down,” swore Spooky Steve, a former Florida State University student and current guide with Hearse Ghost Tours.

He continued, “Very few cities have such a calamitous past. Every bad thing that could happen to a city has happened here.”

In fact, over its nearly 300-year history, Savannah has seen yellow fever, three wars, famines, slavery and natural disasters.

PHOTOS BY SEAN PAVONE PHOTO / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS (CITY SCAPE) AND RAULUMINATE / ISTOCK EDITORIAL / GETTY IMAGES PLUS (WRIGHT SQUARE) AND COURTESY OF GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (GROUP TOUR)

← The city’s historic downtown district encompasses 24 public squares, many etched with graves marked and unmarked. → Wright Square is nicknamed “the Hanging Square.”

Death, devastation and destruction are as much a part of Savannah as its river and Southern charm.

“It’s a necropolis — a city built upon its own dead,” Spooky Steve said. “If human remains are found in Tallahassee while digging a sidewalk, everything stops, forensic teams are called and the newspaper covers it. In Savannah, it happens all the time. There are children’s playgrounds built on graves, and streets and sidewalks are built right over the top of human remains.”

Tim Nealon, founder and CEO of Ghost City Tours, said that Savannah “definitely has an aura about it.”

Unlike many large cities, Nealon explained, Savannah gets really quiet at night, with most of its citizens heading indoors. River Street closes down, giving the tourists and poltergeists a chance to get to know each other.

Shannon Scott, owner of Shannon Scott Tours, said, “Talking about ghosts in Savannah is like talking about the weather in other towns. Everybody has a story. I was standing in line at the grocery store the other day, and the guy behind me was talking about the ghost in his house.”

So where are Savannah’s most haunted spots?

Topping the lists are Savannah’s public squares. According to Ghost City Tours website, “Savannah’s Historic District is home to 24 squares. Some were laid out during the city’s founding years when General Oglethorpe settled the area, while others are more recent additions from a century or so ago. But all have a story to tell — beneath the grass, the benches, the picturesque landscape, some were old burial grounds or execution places.”

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Wright Square is ranked as one of the most haunted of Savannah’s public squares. It was one of the first four squares constructed in the city. With the original courthouse and jail located across the street, Wright Square was known as the “Hanging Square.”

On my tour, the horse’s feet clopped, clopped along East York Street and East State Street as our guide told the story of Alice Riley.

In 1734, Riley and her husband, Richard White, were Irish servants, serving William Wise, a harsh, prominent member of the community. Wise was found dead on March 1, 1734, in his house, with his head resting in a large bucket of water. He had been drowned. Riley and White were reported missing from Wise’s farm and suspected of killing the cruel man who had, allegedly, raped Riley, repeatedly.

Riley and White were found, charged and convicted of murder. White became the first person hanged in Savannah.

Riley was discovered to be pregnant with Wise’s child. The magistrate decided to wait until the birth of the child before hanging Riley. Shortly after the baby’s birth, in January of 1735, Riley was hanged at the gallows at Wright Square. The baby boy, James, died two weeks later. Riley and her baby were buried near the square on York Street.

Legend has it, Riley professed to be innocent until her very last moments.

Over the hundreds of years since her execution, there have been numerous reports of a woman in old-fashioned clothing stopping visitors to the square, asking for help finding her baby.

Riley’s apparition has reportedly appeared to more people than any other ghost in the city of Savannah.

Our tour guide pointed to the graceful oaks of Wright Square and said, “If you notice, these oaks have no Spanish moss.

They say, Spanish moss will not grow where innocent blood has been shed.”

Another spot that most tour guides rank as the “top most-haunted” is the home at 432 Abercorn Street.

“Officially, 432 Abercorn Street is so evil, it is only known by its address,” said Spooky Steve.

Nealon described the residence as

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“sinister,” and said that one of his guides reported being scratched down his back during a visit to the house and that other visitors have reported being pushed or shoved or having their cameras knocked out of their hands.

Scott called the Hampton-Lillibridge House the most haunted in Savannah. He insists it was once studied by Duke University, which ranked it a “level three or four” for poltergeist activity.

Luckily, I didn’t find out until after I had checked out of my hotel, the River Street Inn, that Nealon considers this former cotton warehouse; the alleyway beside it, called Factor’s Walk; and nearby Tondee’s Tavern to be some of Savannah’s most haunted locations. If I had known, I probably would not have slept a wink.

Maybe the eerie feeling I’d had earlier wasn’t just my imagination playing tricks on me after all.

Scott says that even the most skeptical in Savannah usually become believers in the paranormal.

He challenges anyone moving to Savannah, “Give it six months. You’ll have your own ghost stories to tell.” EC

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↑ The Mercer-Williams House (top), site of a murder and featured in the film Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil, is one of the most visited sites in Savannah, along with the River district, where the author lodged at the River Street Inn.

PHOTOS BY LEEANN WHITE / ISTOCK EDITORIAL / GETTY IMAGES PLUS (RIVER STREET INN) AND COURTESY OF VISITSAVANNAH.COM (MERCER-WILLIAMS HOUSE)

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Stories from the

Heart I NSPI R ING STOR IES OF PEOPL E H EL PING PEOPL E The life-changing care Sacred Heart Health System provides has touched the hearts of many who strive to ensure that this incredible mission of care continues for future generations. Sacred Heart Foundation is proud to be a partner in this endeavor. Please enjoy these “Stories from the Heart.”

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Stories

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PHOTO COURTESY OF CORTLANDT ROCES PHOTOGRAPHY

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Reagan and Reese Mason Miracles Do Happen

“The whole experience changed our lives forever, but I think it has made us better parents, more patient with our children.”

– JENNA MASON

W

hen Jonathan Mason came running across the finish line as the winner of the Everyday Hero 5K Run/Walk on May 13, 2017, the crowd roared and cameras flashed. But the applause perhaps wasn’t for him as much as it was for the baby stroller he had been pushing in front of him for the entire run. It held identical twins: 2-year-old sisters who were enthusiastically enjoying the experience that day as much as their dad was.

However, when Reagan and Reese Mason were born at The Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart, their parents Jonathan and Jenna could hardly envision how their babies would become so healthy and robust. The twins came into this world several months premature, with Reagan

138 October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM 2 SApril–May ACRED HEART N | FOUNDATION.SACRED-HEART.ORG 2016 FOUNDATIO EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

weighing 2 pounds, 10 ounces while Reese was but 1 pound, 12 ounces.

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) became their lifesaving home, each provided with care in separate, state-of-the art isolettes that would protect them and enable them to grow.

The NICU at The Children’s Hospital provides the area’s only Levels I, II and III Trauma care for babies. After their birth, Reagan and Reese were treated in the Level III NICU for intensive medical care of critically ill and premature newborns. They were in separate isolettes, in separate rooms.

But when the sisters graduated to Level II NICU, they were cared for in isolettes next to each other.

“Then for the first time we got a family picture,”

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Jonathan says. “That was one of my favorite memories.”

More than 1,000 babies are admitted to The Children’s Hospital NICU each year, with about 80 percent born prematurely, defined as coming into this world between 2 and 16 weeks early. The NICU is staffed 24 hours a day by neonatal nurses, developmental specialists, therapists and technicians, along with seven of this country’s best neonatologists (pediatricians with specialized training in the care of critically ill infants). The average stay in the NICU is around 24 days, with Sacred Heart’s unit of 67 beds often at capacity.

Fortunately, the new and expansive four-story Children’s Hospital currently under construction will ease the community’s growing demand for specialized pediatric care. “Our new Children’s Hospital will strive to provide one consolidated healthcare home that is designed with a child’s needs in mind,” says Susan Davis, CEO of Sacred Heart Health System. It will also feature a larger, even more advanced NICU to provide care for extremely premature neonates such as Jonathan and Jenna’s daughters.

Jonathan participated in that 5K run pushing his daughters because the event was being held in honor of Sacred Heart’s “Everyday Heroes”: the doctors, nurses, parents, caregivers, service members, first responders, donors and volunteers such as those who provided care for Reagan and Reese. Moreover, proceeds from the run benefited The Children’s Hospital, your local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.

Miracles do happen, as Jonathan and Jenna can testify to. Reagan was able to come home after six weeks and Reese was discharged after eight weeks.

“Today,” Jon says, “we really enjoy trying to contain the energy of our children.”

Jenna adds, “But for the most part, they are really easy kids. They like doing anything outside and go crazy for their water pool in the backyard. They like singing in the car, any form of playground and slides — oh, and Sesame Street.”

Though identical twins, Jenna describes how their

personalities are different. “Reagan runs the show, but Reese simply enjoys life. Her name means, ‘having a zest for life,’ and I hope she does. She has overcome a lot already.” And Jonathan adds, “She is just excited to be alive.”

Jenna met Jonathan, a Navy lieutenant, eight years ago when he was participating in a training program aboard NAS Pensacola. Soon, they will celebrate their sixth wedding anniversary. They are thankful to have Jenna’s family close by in Cantonment where she grew up, serving as a great support system.

The couple was introduced to the care provided at Sacred Heart early in Jenna’s pregnancy when she saw a maternal fetal specialist and found out that she was high risk. From that point on, Jenna says, “Absolutely, we felt we got the specialized care we needed.

There was always somebody to answer our questions.

Staff went above and beyond to make sure we understood what we needed to do and what was happening.

“We were completely okay with leaving our babies in the NICU until it was time to bring them home.

They were in the best place, where they needed to be to get better and stronger.

“It was very traumatic to go through. The whole experience changed our lives forever, but I think it has made us better parents, more patient with our children.”

They feel it is important for young families to know that the best possible neonatal specialized care is available right here in our community. They were thankful that they did not have the added stress of transporting their babies to Birmingham or Gainesville for care.

While the Daughters of Charity, who founded Sacred Heart Hospital in 1915, made sure it had a pediatric ward, they would hardly recognize the state-of-the-art pediatric care available to this community today. But they would be gratified to know that their mission will continue on by serving the future needs of sick and injured babies and children in a new, larger, even more advanced Children’s Hospital — Northwest Florida’s only hospital dedicated solely to the care of the young, turning away no one in need.

Quint Studer cheers on the winners Jonathan, Reagan and Reese.

A message from Carol Carlan A battle with cancer. A fight against heart disease. A struggle with diabetes. These are the same types of journeys our patients face at Sacred Heart Health System every day. One day, it’s a visit with a doctor. The next, it’s being poked with needles. And the next, it’s waking up after surgery.

Thousands of patients are treated at Sacred Heart Health System every year, with each one experiencing their own journey. Whether they are in need of specialists, the latest diagnostics, or state-of-theart equipment, these vital components of healthcare are always available — thanks to the support of our donors!

In this issue of Stories from the Heart, you will read about donors like John Roche, Justin Beck and Susan Davis, who are generously giving of their time and treasures to ensure the best technology, equipment, facilities, and expertise are available for our patients.

Patients like the Mason family, who never expected to be the recipients of care in our Neonatal Intensive Care Units. However, when their twins entered the world several months premature, they were grateful the best specialized care was available right here in our community.

From all of our patients to you, thank you!

Carol Carlan President, Sacred Heart Foundation

EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM October–November 2017 139 FOUNDATION.SACRED-HEART.ORG | SAC R ED H E ART FO U N DAT IO N 3

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John Roche

Lifeguarding the Children

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“Sacred Heart has the resources, the facilities and the expertise — and I want to do everything I can to help that along.”

– JOHN ROCHE

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rowing up in Navarre, as a kid John Roche would go on fire and medical calls with his father, the volunteer fire chief. It proved to be a powerful influence on the line of work that would become his calling: emergency medical services.

Early in his career, he worked for Escambia County as a paramedic, also working part time on Sacred Heart’s neonatal transport team. He was recruited in 1986 by another area hospital to set up a fixed-wing air-ambulance program, which was the beginning of Lifeguard. But it was several years before John had an opportunity to buy it and begin bringing his entrepreneurial vision to life.

His new company had two employees — John and his wife Deborah. He marketed Lifeguard to social service departments in every hospital from Jacksonville to Miami, traveling the state in his little Toyota pickup truck. Deborah took the 800 calls from their home and sold the medical flights that he staffed, using a chartered aircraft.

After a few years, he purchased his first plane with the only aircraft grant ever awarded by the state of Florida. The many flights he had taken with Sacred Heart’s neonatal transport team had shown him a great need to convey neonates and pediatric patients in a pressurized airplane. Sacred Heart, which supplied the letter of need for the grant, subsequently awarded John his very first contract for that specialized plane.

From there, “The company just kept growing and growing,” John says. In 1997, Lifeguard expanded into the ground-ambulance service, and both divisions became highly successful throughout the Southeast.

When John sold Lifeguard three years ago, it had grown to 900 employees. “The key to its success,” John says, “was treating everyone with respect and never asking someone to do something I wouldn’t do myself. To me, humbleness is the most important quality anyone can have.”

Today, he is in the manufacturing business with a hurricane shutter company. He also gives of his time and talent to Sacred Heart, currently serving on its Gulf Coast Ministry board and formerly the Sacred Heart Foundation board.

He supports the new Children’s Hospital because of its importance to the future of our region. “The Greater Pensacola area has grown significantly year after year, and there is a tremendous need to take care of our children. It’s time that our children’s hospital has its own campus with all services in one place and is identified as such,” he says.

“I want Pensacola to be that source of high level care that drives other cities to bring their patients to us. Sacred Heart has the resources, the facilities and the expertise — and I want to do everything I can to help that along.”

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Justin Beck

Committed to the Community’s Future J

ustin Beck has numerous ties to Sacred Heart, but there is one in particular that had a profound affect on his life: His wife was a pediatric nurse at The Studer Family Children’s Hospital when he first met her years ago. Working with babies was what she always wanted to do, and from her he learned the value of expert pediatric care and the difference it can make in lives. “I kind of adopted my passion for what Sacred Heart does from my wife,” he says.

Justin is a strong proponent of the new Children’s Hospital and what it will mean for the community. It will serve as a vital foundation for the future, providing additional specialized care needed for our area’s children and eliminating travel to Gainesville and Birmingham for those resources. But it will also attract patients from outside the local area because of the high-tech services that will be available. As chief executive officer of Beck Partners, a real estate and insurance company, he says that from an economic standpoint, the new hospital will be a “big regional generator.”

Justin and his sister, Autumn, both were born at Sacred Heart. His father, who was born at the old Sacred Heart hospital on Twelfth Avenue, founded Beck Properties the same year he was born — in 1981.

Justin attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham on a baseball scholarship. When Hurricane Ivan devastated Pensacola, he returned to help out his family and ended up staying, getting married and later taking over the company. He and his wife, Kristin, have a daughter and two sons.

He is very engaged in community matters, early on getting some sage advice from mentors: “You need to get involved and find out what you are passionate about, and the only way you are going to do that comes from doing it.”

He encourages others to give back to the community. When he sees them hesitating, his advice is, “Be open to things and say ‘yes’ to the opportunities that are presented. You will learn so much more.”

He serves on the Chamber of Commerce board and the Boy Scouts’ district council, as well as giving generously of his time to Sacred Heart Foundation’s board. He is slated to serve as the board’s incoming treasurer.

Justin hopes that Sacred Heart Health System will continue to stay connected to the community in the future. As the demands of healthcare change, it will be important not only to treat illness but also to respond holistically. “Disease prevention, quality of life, helping educate and making sure that kids are ready to learn — how can Sacred Heart have a part in that?”

“Be open to things and say ‘yes’ to the opportunities that are presented.

You will learn so much more.” – JUSTIN BECK EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM October–November 2017 141 FOUNDATION.SACRED-HEART.ORG | SAC R E D H E ART FO U N DAT IO N 5

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Susan Davis

Earns National Award from the Catholic Health Association “Without a doubt, Susan Davis is a woman of passion and compassion, vision, energy, creativity, dedication and deep commitment to healing. Susan has always put patients and her community first, and the passion she brings to each project inspires colleagues and staff to join her.” – PATRICIA MARYLAND, DR.PH

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he Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA) has named Susan Davis, RN, EdD, FACHE, CEO of Sacred Heart Health System in Pensacola, as a recipient of the 2017 Sister Concilia Moran Award. One of two major honors to be presented at the annual Catholic Health Assembly this summer, this award recognizes “trailblazing leaders” and “innovative ideas and achievements by which these leaders have taken Catholic healthcare in new directions.”

Named for the first post-Vatican II superior of the Sisters of Mercy of the Union, the Sister Mary Concilia Moran Award celebrates the memory of

a woman who was a leader both in religious life and as a hospital administrator and health system executive. Sister Concilia pioneered the development of a new relationship between the Catholic Church and Catholic-based health systems. The processes and systems built under her leadership enabled a new era in Catholic healthcare.

This award recognizes the transformative initiatives done under Davis’ leadership at Sacred Heart and at Providence Hospital in Mobile. Sacred Heart and Providence are part of Ascension — the largest nonprofit health system in the U.S. and the world’s largest Catholic health system. Davis was selected to lead Sacred

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Heart and Providence in 2012. The award also recognizes Davis’ contributions to healthcare during her eight years in Bridgeport, Connecticut, at the helm of St. Vincent’s Health Services, another Ascension hospital.

“Without a doubt, Susan Davis is a woman of passion and compassion, vision, energy, creativity, dedication and deep commitment to healing,” said Patricia Maryland, Dr.PH, President, Healthcare Operations and Chief Operating Officer, Ascension Healthcare. “Susan has always put patients and her community first, and the passion she brings to each project inspires colleagues and staff to join her.”

SPONSORED REPORT

Stories

Heart from the

Join us for our largest fundraising event, Cordova Mall Ball, where more than 2,500 people across Northwest Florida dance the night away to live entertainment from three bands. Browse the silent auction including vacation packages, jewelry and so much more, and enjoy a taste of Mardi Gras with food samplings from more than 25 area restaurants to raise much-needed funds for The Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart.

January 27, 2018 at 8:00 p.m.

Cordova Mall, Pensacola, Florida Tickets go on sale October 30th.

Purchase tickets at cordovamallball.com.

Over the next five years, proceeds from this event will be used to purchase a new state-of-the-art Pediatric CT scanner. This new addition to The Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart will be the first and only of its kind in our region completing a scan in less than two seconds, which means children will no longer have to be sedated for scans.

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Stories

Heart from the

SP O NSO R ED R E P O RT

16th Annual Charity Golf Classic The 16th Annual Charity Golf Classic included not only a sought-after golf tournament boasting the pairing of a golf professional with each team of four, but also a Spring Bash tournament pre-party that featured live music and food on the evening prior to the tournament. The tournament featured 100 golfers and 25 golf professionals from all over the country, and more than 300 attendees enjoyed an evening of fun and philanthropy at the Spring Bash.

We extend our thanks and gratitude to all who sponsored, played and participated in this year’s event, helping us raise more than $236,000 in support of our Emergency Department expansion at Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast.

A special thanks to our presenting sponsors Silver Sands Premium Outlets, Howard Hospitality, Howard Group, Grand Boulevard, Emerald Bay, Wind Creek Atmore, Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, and ProfittPR.

Back Row: Bill Lavery, Bryan Whitehead, Gary Bowman, Marie McKenna, Michele Auter, Joe Dunn; Front Row: Lynn Wesson, Sara Hill, Wenda Bacon, and Roger Hall

Everyday Hero 5K

Honorary Chairman Drew Barefield, our 2016-2017 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Florida Champion, overcame great odds to walk again.

He is now running and once again showed his determination with an official time of 25:41 in the 5K!

Our inaugural Everyday Hero 5K raised more than $44,000 for The Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart, your local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital!

Thank you to everyone who sponsored, participated and volunteered in honor of our “Everyday Heroes” — the doctors, nurses, parents, caregivers, service members, first responders, donors, volunteers and patients who exemplify courage and determination in their own lives and for others. Thanks for being a hero for the kids!

Hit-A-Thon Hits it Out of the Park!

Landon and Braden’s hearts are as big as their swing! At ages 9 and 7, these amazing kids used their love of baseball to help the thousands of children in our care at The Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart. After weeks of batting practice, Landon and Braden hosted their first Hit-A-Thon where friends and family members made donations to our Children’s Hospital for each baseball they hit. These wonderful kids and their parents are now looking forward to hosting their second Hit-A-Thon next May. We extend our thanks and gratitude to Landon and Braden for their kindness and generosity for the kids!

Back Row: Cat Outzen, Dr. Rob Patterson and Adrienne Maygarden; Front Row: Braden Roberts and Landon Roberts

A BOU T TH E SACR ED H E A RT FOU NDATION Since 1915, Sacred Heart Health System has been at the heart of healing for Northwest Florida and South Alabama. Like our founders, the Daughters of Charity, Sacred Heart is dedicated to providing quality, compassionate healthcare to the citizens of our regions, regardless of their ability to pay. This steadfast commitment to our community could not have been achieved without the support and generosity of the thousands of individuals, businesses and organizations that have donated to Sacred Heart Foundation.

Through this charitable giving, Sacred Heart Foundation has been able to provide millions of dollars of free and low-cost healthcare to the poor, uninsured, under-insured and low-income families. With the help of generous donors, we are proud to partner in Sacred Heart’s mission of care along the Gulf Coast.

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Abodes

OCT/NOV 2017

TRENDS FROM FLOOR TO CEILING, FRONT TO BACK

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EXTERIORS

PHOTO COURTESY OF COOL SPRINGS PRESS / M­BUCK STUDIO LLC

A ROOM OF YOUR OWN

A little imagination can turn a backyard shed into a private escape



AD

Oui, oui, mesdames et messieurs! The French farmhouse-style of decorating is tres chic worldwide and is particularly suited to transforming a backyard shed into a potter’s paradise.

by ELIZABETH B. GOLDSMITH

INTERIORS

Sweet Dreams

|| DIY

Set Your Home Aglow

|| GARDENING

Landscapes Go Wild With Flowers

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abodes

←

A shed is transformed into a stylish office space with simple features, well-designed lighting and thoughtfully placed windows.

W

hen you look at that shed or out-building in your backyard, do you imagine turning it into a personal haven? Do you become a painter, a fitness guru, a gardener — even a writer — with a room of your own? Perhaps you simply need a place to sip a glass of iced tea or wine and get away from it all. If creating the retreat of your dreams sounds good to you … then let’s get started.

The purpose of the remodeled shed determines its design. Traditionally, sheds hold a jumble of rusting mowers, cast-off sports equipment and household discards. The new, retrofitted versions go beyond that: They are organized by theme and offer inviting, clean, comfortable, stay-a-while spaces. Variations include man caves or pub sheds complete with bars and stools; creative nooks with art supplies and weaving looms; offices with desks and reading chairs; elegant garden or greenhouse sheds; pool cabanas with guest-ready towels, floats and sunscreen; party sheds with speakers and a disco ball; havens for music practice; workout places with fitness equipment; and the ultimate “she shed” or personalized place to escape.

Sheds need an entry door and, if possible, windows. French doors allow in natural light. When placing the doors and windows, consider the view, airflow and privacy. Most sheds are positioned with doors facing the house. They may need insulation and electricity for fans or lights.

A few more practical points: A tiny entrance area,

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with rocks, stepping-stones or decking will keep the interior from getting muddy. For interior flooring, vinyl is probably best for paint spills and gardening messes. For comfort, make sure the shed is tall enough to stand in. It should be sturdy and watertight. For art projects and gardening, water access from a garden hose or nearby spigot is necessary.

Depending on the function of the shed and who is going to use it, décor styles include vintage, classic, whimsical, rustic, shabby chic and modern. A “she shed” could have lace curtains, wicker and pastels or wildly colored paintings. The mix is what makes it unique. A gardening shed could have a rustic, green theme with hooks and tools neatly displayed above a table or countertop used for filling pots. A bin full of potting soil would also be helpful. Most sheds need shelves, cabinets, surfaces and a place to rest and reflect.

To make it your own private escape, decorate with things you make or collect. Here is the place for that crystal chandelier or the rope-seat stools and antlers for the walls. Finish with landscaping, such as small palm trees or plants in brightly colored pots, and window treatments — maybe Bahama-style shutters for those tiny windows. Displaying before- and after-renovation photos would be fun, too.

Whatever you do, don’t let your personal haven become a center for discarded objects, harking back to the old shed it once was. Creative, retrofitted sheds are expressions of the soul. EC

October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

The same impulse that leads men to claim family dens as their own is driving women into their backyards: the wish for personal space where one autonomously calls the shots, whether in the course of work, play or quiet reflection.

Erika Kotite writes about this in her book She Sheds: A Room of Your Own. “The typical man cave is either in the garage or the den/bonus room. Both are part of the main house.

So men are in a sense returning to the house.

Women, on the other hand, are getting outside and away, creating their own ‘club’ that is well away from the home,” Kotite observes, musing, “What does this signify? Perhaps a cosmic balancing act encouraging men to nest and women to wander.”

Kotite also speculates that she sheds may be an adult echo of girls’ fondness for playhouses and tree forts where they were the queens of their castles. For certain, they present opportunities for creative self-expression and, like man caves, provide respite from the daily duties of managing family life.

↑ Ann Possis’ rustic she shed

was once a tool shed. Refurbished, such structures are at home in the mountains and in North Florida backyards.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF COOL SPRINGS PRESS / DOMINIC BONUCCELLI (INTERIOR) AND ANN POSSIS (EXTERIOR)

MAN CAVE, MEET SHE SHED

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SPONSORED REPORT

EXPOSED Light and shade dance through gracefully covered windows

W

indows are inspiring. They connect one to the outdoors, allowing light to create ambiance with minute by minute transitions. Often framing astonishing views, architects intentionally position windows to maximize inspiring settings. Imagine a space with no windows, no natural light. It is a dark concept. Windows are the soul of our homes.

An elegant home must dress the part, setting a welcoming scene.

As a window covering expert, Brenda Hamrick, owner of McNeill Palm, has tools much like a painter. Your home or office is her canvas. With every canvas there are new opportunities to “shed light” using tools from her trade.

“The window covering must be functional; regulating light and darkness, reducing glare, protecting furnishings and providing privacy.

Elegant window coverings should enhance the architecture and design elements of your home,” says Hamrick. “This is what every fine home deserves.”

Motorization of window shades and treatments made its debut many years ago, but as with all technology, vast improvements have increased motorized shade demand. Demand has also

increased resources, making customization much more affordable than in the past. Textures, colors, varying opacities, all the newest materials and options make window coverings limitless.

With today’s technology, one can simply turn to their mobile device and alter window light with a tap of the fingertip. Long gone are the days of pulleys and strappy distractions.

When building a new home or remodeling, you should consult a window treatment specialist early in the process. McNeill Palm has over 30 years of experience in interior design.

“It is simple to avoid what can be costly problems if a collaboration of homeowners and other professionals takes place while building plans are underway. By planning ahead, the client will have the result they envision,” says Hamrick.

McNeill Palm can help you whether you are planning a new home or redesigning your existing home. Download their online guide at McNeillPalm.com. With limitless possibilities, allow the experienced team at McNeill Palm to dress your windows as you envision.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MCNEILL PALM AND THEIR PROJECTS, VISIT MCNEILLPALM.COM STORY BY KERRI PARKER // PHOTOGRAPHY BY REZMEDIA.NET

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SPONSORED REPORT

ABOVE: Subtle tones in shades of white and grey accentuate lively colors of the Gulf, draping the windows with an imported linen characterized as subdued lustre. Timeless design and fabric of the chamber make a welcoming guest retreat for visiting family. LEFT: The grand salon leads to a pristine kitchen, creating the perfect backdrop for warm gatherings. The custom woven shade of Palm and Ramie fibers allows the sunlight to filter through the space, creating a flawless setting.

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SPONSORED REPORT

BELOW AND RIGHT: For this impressive Alys Beach home (62 Sea Venture), the choice is a simple clean drapery design of textured sheer Swiss Linen with glazed Belgium Linen. Draperies are cleverly designed allowing sheer and drapery to share a single German engineered track.

Architecture by Doug Bock, Interior Design by Michael Habachy, and Draperies and Shades designed by McNeill Palm combine to create an exquisitely understated ambiance. The nuances of pale neutrals interplay with white, creating a calm atmosphere.

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INTERIORS

SWEET DREAMS Choosing the right mattress

by ELIZABETH B. GOLDSMITH

W

e spend a third of our lives sleeping. Knowing this, isn’t it worth finding the most comfortable mattress? With all of the choices that are out there, such a task can be daunting.

Rest assured, however, that once you’ve equipped yourself with a little knowledge, you will be well on your way to a good night’s sleep.

Let’s start with mattress sizes. Conventional beds come in single or twin (39” x 75”), twin extra-long (39” x 80”), double

NIGHT COMFORT 156

or full (54” x 75”), queen (60” x 80”), king (76” x 80”) and California king (72” x 84”).

Two twin beds can be put together to form a wider king-sized bed, and this might be the solution for the couple that wants to sleep together but prefers different levels of firmness in their mattress.

Many people choose to place a mattress on a box spring. Most king-sized beds don’t come with king-sized box springs, because they’re almost impossible to fit through a doorframe; rather, two smaller box springs are laid side-by-side beneath the mattress. A box spring necessarily raises a bed’s height — as does a bed frame, which keeps a bed off the floor — and it’s important to remember that bed height matters. Some people enjoy climbing a couple of stairs to get into their fairy-tale-height bed, but such a bed is not recommended for older people or those who get up and down in the night. It’s not petfriendly, either. On the opposite end of the bed-height spectrum is the college-apartment classic, which is to place a mattress directly on the floor and simply roll out in the morning.

Now let’s talk about mattress type. Think of a mattress as a large, upholstered pad

that consists of a core or “support layer” surrounded or topped by a “comfort layer.”

Today, many mattresses are made entirely from high-density foam; other types of mattresses have a layer of springs at their core. Spring-core mat← For some, a tresses sometimes boast a good night’s sleep is an pillow-top surface, which elusive dream. is just what it sounds Buying the right mattress can like: a soft layer attached help the dream come true. to the face of a mattress.

All-foam mattresses are generally more expensive than spring-core mattresses, with some king-sized models costing a thousand dollars or more. They also tend to be firmer and have less bounce than mattresses with springs.

If you’re unsure whether you want a soft, medium, firm or extra-firm mattress, lie down on a few beds in a mattress or furniture store. For a couple with differing needs, two-sided king-sized beds offer firmness controls and adjustable height levels to suit each person.

Many mattresses come with cooling gel inserts or are topped with memory foam. Some may be upholstered in luxury plush fabric or organic latex or cotton. Whether or not these features are desirable depends on your idea of what makes for a good night’s sleep.

A removable, washable mattress pad is recommended for use with just about any mattress, because it prevents stains and protects the sleeper from allergens and irritants, such as dust mites or bed bugs. Pads range from thin and inexpensive to thicker, more substantial options that offer yet another layer of softness to a bed.

How often should you replace your mattress? For a while, the general rule was every 10 years; now, one hears eight years or sooner if the mattress sags in the middle or becomes damaged.

Get the right mattress and transform your bed into a haven. The expense is worth it. If you think it’s time for a new mattress, it probably is. EC

Getting good rest every day often requires thoughtful planning and good purchases. The right kinds of evening routine can help prepare your body for sleep, such as steadily reducing noise and activities and dimming ambient lighting as bedtime approaches. The temperature of your bedroom and the volume of air flow from fans can improve or impair your sleep. Also, keep pillows and sheets in fresh, comfortable condition.

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PHOTO BY VALERIYLEBEDEV / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

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abodes SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR THE PROJECT ➸ Clean glass containers

Small (4-oz.) jelly jars work really well.

➸ * Candle wax, preferably in

granulated or grated form You can grate it yourself with an old cheese grater.

DIY

SET YOUR HOME AGLOW

➸ Double boiler Try using a

saucepot filled with water in which you place a few canning rings that can support a quart mason jar. The jar will hold the melting wax.

➸ Candle dye Optional

Make candles with favorite colors, scents

➸ Aromatherapy oils or

essential oils Optional, but you may want to try a few drops of clove, orange and eucalyptus for a fresh, outdoorsy scent.

by KIM HARRIS THACKER

➸ Wicks with metal bases

(tabs) Make sure the wicks are long enough for your containers.

They lend a cheerful glow to a jack-o’-lantern’s grin and cast a homey light over a Thanksgiving Day dinner. They’re candles, folks — and they’re super easy to make.

➸ Hot glue gun and hot glue

A drop of hot glue on the metal base of your wick will secure the wick to the inside of your candle container.

➸ Barrel of a Bic pen This will

help you to press the wick into the bottom of the container (see images 1 and 2).

➸ Clothespins You’ll use one on

each candle to keep your wick upright while the wax solidifies (see image 3).

➸ Wooden kebab skewer

STEP 1 Thread a wick down the barrel of the pen (see image 1). Put a drop of hot glue on the metal base of the wick and use the pen to press the wick to the bottom of your candle container (see image 2). When the glue is dry, pull the wick straight and clip it with a clothespin that can rest across the opening of the jar (see image 3). There should be no slack in the wick. Repeat for all containers.

STEP 2 Melt the wax in the double

boiler, then remove the jar of wax from the heat source. Add the scented oils and dye and stir with the wooden skewer. For strongly scented candles, add 10 drops of oil per candle.

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STEP 3 Carefully pour the melted wax into each container a little more than ¼ inch from the rim, reserving enough wax to “top off” the candles after they’ve cooled (see image 4). Allow the candles to cool. (This will take several hours.)

2

➸ Hot pads They’ll help you

handle your hot wax container.

4 5

and pour it into the concave dip that will be in the center of each candle (see image 5). Pour enough wax to fill the dip and to just cover the entire surface of each candle (see image 6).

October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

➸ Scissors Trim your wicks to

¼ inch taller than the top of your candle.

3

STEP 4 Re-melt the wax you reserved

STEP 5 Trim the wicks to ¼ inch.

This is for stirring your wax once you’ve added the scented oils and dye.

6

fill to here

*There are many types of candle wax, but for glass container candles, a wax with a low or medium-low melting point is essential, or your container will shatter when you pour in the hot wax. Paraffin wax is great for container candles, but it’s also petroleum based and a non-renewable resource. Soy wax is a renewable resource, but it does not hold scent very well. Beeswax candles last a long time and carry their own scent (but you can also add scent to them). Beeswax is a limited resource, which means it’s expensive. photography by SAIGE ROBERTS

ILLUSTRATION BY SAIGE ROBERTS

→ Make It!

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abodes GARDENING

LANDSCAPES GO WILD WITH FLOWERS

Your Monthly Garden Chores OCTOBER

➸ Plant strawberries this month for a tasty spring crop. Choose varieties for our region. If space is limited, plant them in a large container. ➸ Plant cool-weather annuals, such as snapdragons, foxgloves, pansies, petunias and alyssum.

Larkspur, sweet peas and poppies can be grown from seed quite easily.

ADDING WILDFLOWERS to your landscape

reaps a multitude of benefits: It provides a habitat for bees and other pollinators; it reduces the amount of water needed to maintain your garden, eliminating the need for fertilizers; and, of course, it beautifies your property. Choose a location with good drainage that gets at least six hours of sun a day, and stick with native plants.

➸ October is usually a dry month, so check to see if supplemental watering is needed.

TAKE YOUR PICK Create a new flowerbed using native wildflowers, or add them to an existing bed. You might already have some of these natives in your garden: Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), Leavenworth’s coreopsis (Coreopsis Leavenworthii), Blanketflower (Gaillardia pulchella), Blazing star (Liatris), Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), Southern bee blossom (Gaura augustifolia) Tropical sage (Salvia coccinea) and Threadleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata).

SEED OR SEEDLING Some native wildflowers are available as bedding plants, but others will need to be grown from seed. The best time to sow wildflower seeds in North Florida is in September and October.

Check out the wildflower seed grower cooperative’s website, FloridaWildflowers.com, for lists and pictures of wildflowers for your specific area. The Florida Wildflower Foundation website, FlaWildflowers.org, offers lots of practical advice, too.

GO NATIVE Make sure you’re using the native plant and not one of its non-native relatives.

For example, Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) does not die back in winter; thus, it encourages monarch butterflies to remain in our region rather than migrate south, where they can survive the winter. Native wild petunia (Ruellia caroliniensis) is a well-behaved perennial; non-native Mexican petunia (Ruellia simplex, R. brittoniana, R. tweediana), often available in big-box stores, grows three feet tall and is invasive.

BEE KIND Stop using pesticides, which kill bees and other pollinators.

Most bees and wasps are not aggressive and will avoid you.

NOVEMBER

➸ Plant greens of all kinds this month: collards, turnips, kale, Swiss chard and spinach, as well as lettuces and salad greens. ➸ Refrigerate tulip and hyacinth bulbs now, so they’ll get the minimum six to eight weeks of chill time before planting in late December or January. ➸ Use your raked leaves for mulch under trees and in planting beds to help build the soil.

Threat to lawns Tropical sod webworms (Herpetogramma phaeopteralis Guenée) are caterpillars that chew on blades of grass, resulting in a lawn that looks ragged, thin and brown.

Despite their name, they are not limited to the tropics and have been found throughout the Southeast. The larvae of a tiny brown moth (Lepidoptera Crambidae), sod webworms live in the thatch that accumulates just above the soil in turf grasses. According to the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the peak season of infestation in North Florida is fall. A number of organic products will kill sod SOD WEBWORM webworms, including products containing Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) and spinosad, which won’t harm birds, bees or mammals. It’s important not to use a broad-spectrum insecticide, because it would also kill other insects that are beneficial and that attack webworms, including ladybugs and Trichogramma wasps. The best option for keeping your lawn sod webworm free, however, is prevention. The main cause of caterpillar infestations is overuse of fertilizer. Keep your lawn mowed to the appropriate height, and use fertilizer sparingly.

If you must water your lawn, water it deeply once a week. Shallow watering leads to thatch, which provides a home for the pest.



PESKY PESTS

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©2017 PostScript Publishing LLC, all rights reserved.

Audrey Post is a certified Advanced Master Gardener volunteer with the University of Florida/ IFAS Extension in Leon County. Email her at Questions@ MsGrowItAll.com or visit her website at msgrowitall.com.

Ms. Grow-It-All® is a registered trademark of PostScript Publishing. illustrations by SAIGE ROBERTS

PHOTOS BY PICHEST (LETTUCE) AND KAZAKOVMAKSIM (SNAPGRAGONS) / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

BY AUDREY POST, MS. GROW-IT-ALL®

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PROMOTION

DEAL ESTATE

JUST SOLD

World-class Living

Luxury, French provincial estate in Regatta Bay sells at auction

by SARA SANTORA

It may be located on the Gulf Coast of Florida, but this exquisite estate oozes European luxury. A 12-person Italian dining table, marble fireplace and Venetian plaster walls help to transport homeowners and guests to a world across the pond.

SOLD PRICE: $1,155,000 ADDRESS: 434 Captains Circle, Destin SQUARE FEET: 7,974± BEDROOMS: 4 BATHROOMS: 6 full, 2 half baths FEATURES: Bayou-front living in Destin’s highly desirable Regatta Bay community; private dock; paved, circular driveway with central fountain; limestone clad home; hand-carved mahogany front doors; two-story foyer with double curved staircases and solid marble columns; Venetian plaster walls throughout; second floor bedrooms that feature Juliet balconies, electric privacy screens on windows, hardwood flooring and en suite bathrooms; slate flooring in other areas of the home; open concept kitchen, dining and great room with hardwood floors; kitchen that features large breakfast bar, center island with gas cooktop, granite countertops, custom cabinets and walk-in pantry; secret door leading to office; living room fireplace that features marble mantle, custom built-ins and a second hidden door that leads to a second office with marble columns, custom cabinetry, wood paneled walls and coffered wood ceilings; covered patio located off dining area; two 2-car garages; elevator; master bedroom with gas fireplace, private balcony and private “his and hers” master baths with (his) heated tile floors, marble walk-in shower and private sauna and (hers) wood floors, air jet tub and glass sink; Smart House panel controls CONTACT: Chris Camp, owner/ auctioneer, Luxury Estates Auction Company, 850-460-8877, chris@leauctions.com

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF LUXURY ESTATES AUCTION COMPANY

YEAR BUILT: 2006

We’re very excited to be chosen once again as the Emerald Coast’s

BEST REAL ESTATE AUCTION COMPANY

LUXURY ESTATES AUCTION COMPANY

850.460.8877

LEAUCTIONS.COM

4507 Furling Lane, Suite 113 • Destin, Florida 32541 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

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PROMOTION

DEAL ESTATE

JUST LISTED

That’s Amore

Fall in love with this Santa Rosa Beach home

by REBECCA PADGETT

There is no better name for this home than “Casa Amore,” because as hard as you may try not to, you will fall in love with it. This sprawling, beachfront home listed in the exclusive, gated community of Gulf Dunes is currently the most expensive home on the Emerald Coast. A private beach,Gulf views from every room, lavish suites and outdoor space complete with a resort-style pool and swim-up bar. Are you swooning yet?

LIST PRICE: $13,000,000 ADDRESS: 139 Gulf Dunes Lane, Santa Rosa Beach SQUARE FOOTAGE: 12,167 BEDROOMS: 6 BATHROOMS: 7 YEAR BUILT: 2005

APPEAL: “Casa Amore is one of the most architecturally unique homes I have ever set foot in. It’s three stories of true luxury, Gulffront living,” says Broker Associate Hannah Martin. “This home was built out of love: love of family, love of friends and love of life. The amenities make you engage in an active life. This home is not just a home; it’s a lifestyle.”

CONTACT: Jimbo Holloway, Realtor, and Hannah Martin, Broker Associate, The Premier Property Group, (850) 792-4302

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE PREMIER PROPERTY GROUP

FEATURES: Private, gated community; 90 feet of Gulf-front property; custom Italian tile; saltwater aquarium; gourmet kitchen; wine room; floorto-ceiling windows offering 360-degree views; balconies; luxury master suite; sauna; indoor basketball court; exercise room; outdoor, commercialgrade kitchen; poolside swim-up bar; two fountains; hot tub; translucent bridge walkway; fire pit overlooking the Gulf of Mexico

Celebrating 10 Years of Excellence A DECADE OF DISTINCTION

FEATURED LUXURY LISTINGS

New Construction

New Construction

The Brownstones #D-2 KELLY PLANTATION

Miller’s Landing on Lake Powell #B109 3 Bd | 2.5 Ba | 1,580 Sq Ft | $309,000

3 Bd | 2/1 Ba | 2,384 Sq Ft | $585,000 Offered by Grady Elder c: 850.259.9236 | grady@theppg.net

Offered by Dan Johnson c: 850.624.5055 | dan@theppg.net

Offered by Keith Flippo c: 850.543.5187 | keith@theppg.net

T

ON

R FF

L

GU

103 Kingston Road ROSEMARY BEACH

5 Bd | 5/1 Ba | 4,399 Sq Ft | $3,000,000

New Construction

53 Caliza Lane ALYS BEACH

4 Bd | 4/1 Ba | 2,922 Sq Ft | $3,100,000 Offered by Keith Flippo c: 850.543.5187 | keith@theppg.net

Thirty-One Unit 105 SEAGROVE BEACH 3 Bd | 3/1 Ba | 2,458 Sq Ft | $2,150,000 Offered by Oliver Robbins c: 850.533.9161 | oliver@theppg.net

The Crossings #B422 WATERSOUND BEACH 3 Bd | 3/1 Ba | 2,164 Sq Ft | $1,995,000

Offered by Dale Stackable c: 850.699.1885 | dale@dalestackable.com

Destin & South Walton’s Premier Real Estate Brokerage SEACREST BEACH | WATERCOLOR | GRAND BOULEVARD

ThePremierPropertyGroup.com

This advertisement is not an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy, to residents of any state or province in which registration and other legal requirements have not been fulfilled. This advertisement is not intended to solicit properties currently listed by other real estate brokerages. All advertised square footages should be verified by the buyer. Obtain the Property Report required by Federal law and read it before signing anything. No federal agency has judged the merits of value, if any, of these properties.

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PROMOTION

NOVEMBER 2–5

Harvest Wine & Food Festival PRODUCED BY DESTIN CHARITY WINE AUCTION FOUNDATION

New to the South Walton area is the Harvest Wine & Food Festival produced by Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation. Thursday’s Celebrity Winemaker Dinners will be hosted in a variety of locations along the coast. Friday’s Al Fresco Reserve Tasting, held at WaterColor Beach Club at sunset, will feature rare wines and light bites. Saturday’s Grand Tasting, on WaterColor’s Cerulean Lawn, will highlight harvest season at the beach. Seafood, barbecue and provisional stations manned by celebrity chefs and supplemented by Gulf Coast restaurants will combine with tasting stations featuring over 150 wines from around the world, plus craft beer and spirit tents. Proceeds benefit DCWAF’s mission to help children in need in Northwest Florida.

Tickets: Thursday, $150; Friday, $200; Saturday, $150 general admission and $300 VIP. Two-day passes are $350 general admission and $500 VIP. harvestwineandfood.com.

↘ Back Beach Barbecue, famous for its slow-cooked meats, is one of the select Gulf Coast restaurants serving culinary delights at the festival.

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Best of the Emerald Coast PHOTOS BY RHONDA C. SCHAEFER PHOTOGRAPHY (SAVOR THE SEASON), JIM CLARK (BEST OF EC), ALISSA ARYN (HARVEST FESTIVAL), DINOFORLENA / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS (BLOODY MARY) AND COURTESY OF SANDESTIN GOLF AND BEACH RESORT (BEER FESTIVAL) AND THE MATTIE KELLY ARTS FOUNDATION

compiled by KIM HARRIS THACKER

and LAURA CASSELS

Savor the Season

→ The Taylor Haugen Foundation’s 8th Annual Savor the Season

Fundraising Event is a must-attend happening on the Emerald Coast.

It features 10 of the area’s finest chefs creating custom dishes, accompanied by select wine pairings, live entertainment by national recording artist Michael J Thomas, and an eclectic assortment of auction items. Enjoy stunning sunset views on the Captain’s Deck of the Emerald Grande at HarborWalk Village. All funds raised benefit the Taylor Haugen Foundation and its programs.

→ The 2017 winners of the Best of the

Tickets are $40 in advance, $50 the week of the event, and $75 for VIP passes purchased in advance. emeraldcoastmagazine.com/bestofec

For more events in the EC, visit EmeraldCoastMagazine.com

OCTOBER 27

OCTOBER 21

Emerald Coast will be on display at Grand Boulevard, showcasing why our community awarded these restaurants, businesses and services with “Best of” accolades. The public is invited to an extravaganza of food, fun, fashion and entertainment, all to benefit the Junior League of the Emerald Coast.

OCT/NOV 2017

Tickets are $100 and are limited. Purchase online at thfsavortheseason.org. Find updates on the event’s Facebook page. Learn about the foundation and its programs at taylorhaugen.org.

OCTOBER 7

OCTOBER 13–14

BLOODY MARY FESTIVAL

BAYTOWNE BEER FESTIVAL

→ The Market Shops present the 3rd

Annual Bloody Mary Festival, a tasty benefit for Habitat for Humanity of Walton County. Guests will decide which competing restaurants and bars make the “Best Bloody Mary on the Emerald Coast.”

Plus live music by the Luke Langford Band, craft brews from Grayton Beer Co., photo booth by Epic Photo Co., a Bubbly Bar, Hilton Sandestin Beach & Golf Resort Hydration Station, food by Back Beach Barbecue and The Hub, and more.

Tickets: $40 in advance, $50 at the door. VIP tickets are $100, with valet parking and exclusive entry including elevated bites, cocktails, TVs streaming SEC Football. Purchase online at TheMarketShops.com and follow The Market Shops on social media.

→ The 10th Annual Baytowne Beer Festival, known as the “Best Beer Fest on the Coast,” features more than 200 craft beers, on-site craft brewers, samplings, live music and more. Beer aficionados may sample domestic and international options, including specialty, seasonal and not-yet-released beers.

Hosted at The Village of Baytowne Wharf in Sandestin.

Presale tickets are $25, general admission tickets at the event are $35 and VIP passes are $55.

The Baytowne Beer Festival is also a “pitcher perfect” reason for a getaway. Stay at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, near the action, to enjoy savings of more than $50 off your tickets and deluxe accommodations starting at $119. Use code BEER17. Call (877) 496-1026 or book online at sandestin.com/beer.

OCTOBER 28–29

MATTIE KELLY CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS → This 22nd Annual Festival of the Arts is a celebration of

art, music, food and family fun, showcasing original artwork by more than 100 artists. The festivities include live musical performances, food bistro, wine and beer garden, art activities for kids, souvenir posters and t-shirts, art raffle drawing and more. Hosted at Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village in Destin.

Admission $5; free for children 12 and younger. Convenient parking and motor coach shuttle are available.

Learn more at MattieKellyArtsFoundation.org

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OCTOBER 8

WATERSOUND ORIGINS PORCHFEST

NOVEMBER 2-13

FOO FOO FESTIVAL → Embark on an artistic journey at the fourth annual

PorchFest is free and open to the public, from 3 to 6 p.m. Learn more at Watersoundporchfest.com or on Watersound’s Facebook page, or call (850) 231-6428.

Foo Foo Festival in beautiful Pensacola. The festival offers 12 days of art, culture, cuisine and music, including Big Green Egg cook-offs with John Besh, a high-end scotch and oyster event, a sky full of umbrellas, a Busker Festival of street performances, Naval Air shows, ballet, opera, culinary events, songwriter showcases, concerts, and art installations.

REGIONAL

OCTOBER 28

St. Marks Stone Crab Festival and Butterfly Festival → The St. Marks Stone Crab Festival

brings thousands from far and wide to the tiny fishing village of St. Marks for a parade, live music, children’s activities, handmade goods and a bounty of stone crab. On the same day, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge hosts its annual “Bring Back the Monarchs” Butterfly Festival, featuring rare monarchs on their migratory route from Canada to central Mexico. Both events are free.

The Stone Crab Festival is held near St. Marks City Hall, 788 Port Leon Drive. Find details at stmarksstonecrabfest.com.

The National Wildlife Refuge visitor center is at 1255 Lighthouse Road. Find details at fws.gov/refuge/st_marks.

Find the schedule of events at FooFooFest.com and updates at Facebook/FooFooFest.

OCTOBER 20

CENTURY 21 BLUE MARLIN GOLF TOURNAMENT → Get into the swing of things at this annual tournament held at the beautiful

Regatta Bay Golf & Yacht Club. Proceeds benefit Alaqua Animal Refuge, Lighthouse Family Retreat, Special Olympics — Okaloosa County, Trees on the Coast, and Youth Village. All tournament players receive complimentary meals and cocktails.

An after-party and awards ceremony will follow the tournament at the Regatta Bay Clubhouse. The tournament and after-party are open to the public.

Tournament registration begins at 11 a.m., followed by a shotgun start at 1 p.m. Entrance fees are $150 for individuals, $500 for a foursome. Register at Century 21 Blue Marlin’s Destin office, 607 Harbor Blvd., or at the Regatta Bay Clubhouse. For more details, visit C21 BlueMarlin.com or call (850) 837.7800.

FEBRUARY 24

NIGHTS COMES TO PANAMA CITY BRIA SKONBERG IN CONCERT OPENING → In one of two performances hosted this season in Panama City, Opening

Nights Performing Arts in association with Florida State University presents vocalist, trumpeter and songwriter Bria Skonberg in concert. The Wall Street Journal describes Skonberg as “poised to be one of the most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation.” Vanity Fair calls her a millennial “shaking up the jazz world.” Check out her cool and confident vocal style and her sleek and timeless jazz chops.

This performance, presented by the St. Joe Community Foundation, will be held at FSU Panama City’s Holley Academic Center. Tickets are $45. To purchase and for more information, visit openingnights.fsu.edu.

PROMOTION

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REGIONAL

OCTOBER 28–29

FLORIDA JAZZ AND BLUES FESTIVAL → In its second year, the Florida Jazz

and Blues Festival brings renowned jazz and blues performers to Tallahassee’s Cascades Park for a weekend festival curated by Grammy winner Scotty Barnhart, director of the internationally acclaimed Count Basie Orchestra, and blues aficionado Gary Anton, co-owner of the historic Bradfordville Blues Club.

The festival includes tributes by FSU and FAMU concert bands to Tallahassee’s jazz and blue heritage, which includes jazz royalty Nat and Cannonball Adderley.

Tickets are required for featured headliners.

Find updates at fljazzandblues.com and on Facebook.

PHOTOS BY ALEXCRAB (CRAB), THAWATS (BUTTERFLY) AND PAPA42 (JAZZ FESTIVAL) / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS AND COURTESY 0F FOO FOO FESTIVAL, WATERSOUNDS ORIGINS CENTURY 21 BLUE MARLIN TOURNAMENT AND OPENIN NIGHTS PERFORMING ARTS)

→ Front porches become stages and strangers become friends when Watersound Origins hosts PorchFest, an afternoon of live music and neighborly fun. Local bands will perform on front porches and in parks throughout the Watersound Origins community, in Inlet Beach. Win prizes during the cornhole tournament and enjoy tasty food available at local food trucks throughout the day.

Lawn chairs and coolers are welcome.

Capt.on Dave’s the

SERVING LOCAL FLORIDA SEAFOOD AND STEAKS Dinner 4pm UNTIL …

For more information visit captdavesonthegulf.com

Gulf

Casual Gulf Front Dining The locals’ favorite since 1968!

B e st O

n-si te C

Enjoy cocktails on the deck for sunset Happy Hour: 4–6pm Open 6 days a week (closed Tuesdays) Live Music

3796 Scenic Hwy 98, Destin 850.837.2627 captdavesonthegulf.com

a te rin g

Marie’s Bistro - on 30a!

Lunch • Dinner • Sunday Brunch • Live Music • Happy Hour Drive-Thru • Catering • Events • Ask about our Locals Card

MariesBistro.com · 850.278.6856 2260 W Hwy 30A, Blue Mountain Beach EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

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ADVERTORIAL

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ONGOING WINDOW DISPLAY OCT. 1–31 Thalia Newton will present her mosaics and garden stakes for a very special and colorful display. Newton’s works will be in the studio windows of the Art Center, which fronts First Street in Fort Walton Beach, throughout the month of October. artsdesignsociety.org

DESTIN FISHING RODEO OCT. 1–31 The Destin Fishing Rodeo, based in Destin Harbor, is held each October, all month long. Nightly weighins are held on the docks behind AJ’s Seafood and Oyster bar from 10 am to 7 pm. Kids are encouraged to participate, with significant prizes offered to all who weigh-in a fish. All Destin Fishing Rodeo events are free for viewing and open to the public. destinfishingrodeo.org

30A FARMERS MARKET OCT. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 The 30A Farmers’ Markets in Rosemary Beach and Grand Boulevard at Sandestin feature local farmers’, bakers’ and artists’ goods. Fill your basket with fresh, high-quality produce and delicious prepared foods, and shop for specialty items that can only be found along the Emerald Coast.

30afarmersmarket.com

‘STEAMPUNK’ ART SHOW VEZZANIPHOTOGRAPHY / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

OCT. 3–20 The works of the artists who participate in the “Steampunk” art show, held in Fort Walton Beach, can be in any medium; however, all must reflect the Victorian Era, with its steam-powered and clockwork-inspired technology. Artists must

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

turn in works on Sept. 5, from 1–4 pm; or on Sept.

6, from 9 am–noon. Visit the website for submission guidelines. artsdesignsociety.org

FIRST FRIDAY ARTWALK IN SEASIDE OCT. 6 From Rolland’s Beauty Bar to Anne Hunter Galleries, First Friday Artwalk in Seaside will appease everyone strolling around Central Square. Sip on a cocktail as you enjoy art, jewelry and fashion exhibits from local vendors. sowal.com

FLORIDA SCALLOP & MUSIC FESTIVAL OCT. 6–7 The annual Scallop Festival is a family-friendly event that draws huge crowds to Port St. Joe for live music, arts and crafts, a kids’ zone and, of course, the ultimate seafood treat: local scallops.

Try ’em steamed, fried, grilled, blackened or tossed into a traditional Southern dish. It’s all good. This year’s festival features awardwinning artists such as Love and Theft and Tobacco Rd Band and includes a 5K race, scallop cook-off and educational exhibits. Ticket prices vary; see the website for more details. scallopfestfl.org

GULF COAST BLUEGRASS & FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL OCT. 12–14 Benefitting the Boys and Girls Club of Bay County, the Gulf Coast Bluegrass and Folk Music Festival is coming again to “Under the Oaks Park” in Panama City!

Featuring talented bands and singers from all over, the festival lets folks enjoy music, food, entertainment and craft vendors. facebook.com/ gulfcoastbluegrassandfolkmusicfestival

INAUGURAL STRUMMIN’ MAN UKULELE FESTIVAL OCT. 13–15 If the sound of a ukulele striking a chord gets your heart racing, come out and support the Inaugural Strummin’ Man Ukulele Festival, held at the St. Andrews Marina in Panama City. This event hopes to showcase the wonder of the ukulele through workshops, concerts and local ukulele groups.

7TH ANNUAL GUMBO THROWDOWN

standrewsukes.org

OCT. 26

EXPLORE WALTON OUTDOORS

The Gumbo Throwdown is Fort Walton Beach’s biggest event of the year, when local restaurants compete to see who makes the best gumbo in town. Attendees sample a huge variety of gumbos, as well as beer, wine and beignets. Ticket sales benefit Fresh Start for Children and Families. destinchamber.com/events/details/7thannual-gumbo-throwdown-19085

OCT. 14 Walton Outdoors hosts its eighth annual Explore The Outdoors Festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the waterfront Live Oak Landing Outdoor Destination, 229 Pitts Ave., in Freeport Activities such as fishing, kayaking, archery and wildlife viewing will introduce children to exploring nature and enjoying outdoor experiences. The water activities are for children at least 6 years old.

publication, “Life's a Beach.”

All works must be twodimensional, and they must have a beach theme and feature a palm tree. Artists must turn in their works on Oct. 21, from 1–4 pm; or on Oct. 23, from 9 am– noon. Visit the website for submission guidelines. artsdesignsociety.org

waltonoutdoors.com/explorefest

ADSO LUNCHEON

FALL JUNK FEST

OCT. 25

OCT. 14

Take a break mid-week and join other art enthusiasts at the Art Center in Fort Walton Beach for lunch and a speaker, to be announced.

The deadline for reservations, which are required, is Oct. 23.

Antiques vendors, artists and DIY-ers are among the merchants who sell an assortment of treasures at the annual Fall Junk Fest in Fort Walton Beach. Items available for sale include furniture, antiques, jewelry, vintage decor and handmade items.

Live music and great food are part of the fun. fwbchamber.org/events/FallJunk-Fest-2017-4511/details

‘LIFE’S A BEACH’ ART SHOW OCT. 24–NOV. 2 As part of this exciting art show, held in Fort Walton Beach, local artists will compete for a cover spot and inside bio in the

Details of listings can change at the last minute. Please call ahead of time to confirm.

artsdesignsociety.org

THUNDER BEACH AUTUMN MOTORCYCLE RALLY OCT. 25–29 Enjoy the crisp air as you head to Panama City Beach’s Thunder Beach Autumn Motorcycle Rally. Join others who enjoy hopping on their bikes and letting their worries get deafened out by the engine. This friendly rally will surely heat up your fall. thunderbeachproductions.com

BARKTOBERFEST AT GRAND BOULEVARD OCT. 26 While this festival won’t take place in Germany, Barktoberfest at Grand Boulevard in Sandestin will be one to remember. Bring your beloved pup and help support this 1st annual event. Offering treats for both parties! sowal.com

AUTOS & OYSTERS AUTO SHOW OCT. 28 An event that brings autos and oysters together?

What’s not to love? Bring your family and your appetite to this fun event, held on Water Street in the historic fishing village of Apalachicola. downtownapalachicola.com/ event/autos-oysters-auto-show

ONGOING WINDOW DISPLAY NOV. 1–31 An art display, artist to be announced, will be in the studio windows of the Art Center, which fronts First

HAVE AN EVENT YOU’D LIKE US TO CONSIDER? Send an email to ec-calendar@rowlandpublishing.com.

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days of art and culture in our charming Gulf Coast City.

Pensacola’s Foo Foo Festival is for the traveler who seeks to be inspired. Enjoy a vast range of Music, Dance, Traditional, Visual, Performing and Culinary Arts and much more. Join us for another big, bold and transformative Foo Foo Festival this fall.

NOVEMBER 2ND–13TH | PENSACOLA, FL

TRANSPORT YOURSELF WITHOUT LEAVING

FOOFOOFEST.COM

pensacola

Visit

HOWDOYOUFOO.COM for a

chance to win a 3 night Foo Foo Fest prize package.* No purchase necessary to enter. Must be 21 to enter.

Limited to residents of the continental U.S. Winner subject to complete official rules. Official contest rules found at howdoyoufoo.com.

2018 NOMINATE YOUR SALON TODAY! Is your stylist a shear genius? Is your favorite salon on the cutting edge of the hottest hair trends?

If so, nominate them today to compete among the best of the best in Emerald Coast’s premier salon competition!

Nominations are open October 1–25 | EMERALDCOASTMAGAZINE.COM/TOP-SALON PRESENTED BY

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Street in Fort Walton Beach.

Drive by at any time to see these works.

ART WEEK

artsdesignsociety.org

Art Week, the Arts and Design Society’s annual celebration of the visual arts, is open to all. During this special event, held in Fort Walton Beach, artists can attend a number of two-hour classes that offer instruction for a variety of mediums. An art competition and an art party, in which the work of students will be showcased, will bring the week to a close.

FIRST FRIDAY ARTWALK IN SEASIDE NOV. 3, DEC. 1, JAN. 5 From Rolland’s Beauty Bar to Anne Hunter Galleries, First Friday Artwalk in Seaside will appease everyone strolling around Central Square. Sip on a cocktail as you enjoy art, jewelry and fashion exhibits from local vendors. sowal.com

FLORIDA SEAFOOD FESTIVAL NOV. 3–4 The 54th annual Florida Seafood Festival is a celebration of all things seafood, held in historic Apalachicola’s Battery Park, at the mouth of the Apalachicola River.

Festivalgoers will enjoy oyster-shucking and oystereating contests, a parade, the 5K Redfish Run, the Blessing of the Fleet and renowned musical talents performing on the outdoor stage. floridaseafoodfestival.com

NOV. 4–10

artsdesignsociety.org

TAKE-A-KID FISHING DAY NOV. 5 Harbor Docks will treat 350 underprivileged children to a day of fishing on local charter boats. Through the efforts and generosity of volunteers, boat captains and crews, children and their chaperones will be treated to breakfast, a day of fishing in the Gulf of Mexico and a fish fry. Each child will take home a rod and reel and a T-shirt. harbordocks.com/22nd-annualtake-kid-fishing-day

30A FARMERS MARKET

PHOTOS BY LUCAS BARRIOS (IRONMAN FLORIDA) AND) COURTESY OF VISIT PENSACOLA (BLUE ANGELS)

NOV. 5, 12, 19, 26, DEC. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, JAN. 7, 14, 21, 28

↑ IRONMAN FLORIDA NOV. 4 The biggest challenge of the year is back, ready to be conquered by only the most adept triathletes. Participants are given 17 hours to swim a 2.4-mile course in the Gulf, bike a 112-mile trail that loops once and run a two-loop, 26.2-mile course on foot. The race cuts through locations like Grand Lagoon and St. Andrews State Park, near Panama City Beach, making it one of the most beautiful Ironman competitions. ironman.com/triathlon/events/ americas/ironman/florida.aspx#/ axzz4oVkhhCOz

Held each Sunday, the 30A Farmers’ Markets in Rosemary Beach and Grand Boulevard at Sandestin feature local farmers’, bakers’ and artists’ goods. Fill your basket with fresh, high-quality produce and delicious prepared foods, and shop for specialty items that can only be found along the Emerald Coast.

30afarmersmarket.com

EMERALD COAST CRUIZIN’ NOV. 8–11 A night of classics — show off your old-school pickup truck, your hip low-rider or your redhot hot rod at the Emerald Coast Cruizin’ fall event, held in Panama City Beach. Browse through the vendors and

many vehicles while jamming out to classic rock. emeraldcoastcruizin.com

JUNIOR LEAGUE OF PANAMA CITY HOLLY FAIR NOV. 9–12 While it is certainly a unique shopping experience, Holly Fair, held at Edgewater Golf and Beach Resort, is also a holiday tradition that helps to fund the Junior League of Panama City’s many community projects. Over 90 merchants will set up booths at the fair in order to sell apparel, jewelry, home goods, holiday items and loads more. Guests will also enjoy live music and great food. jlpanamacity.org

SEEING RED WINE FESTIVAL NOV. 9–12 The Scenic Highway 30A community of Seaside hosts a four-day wine festival that includes reserve wine tastings and a brunch with guest winemakers. Each evening, wine aficionados enjoy some of the finest cuisine the Gulf Coast has to offer, as Seaside restaurants showcase their best offerings, paired with featured wines. seeingredwinefestival.com

VINTAGE MARKET DAYS OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA NOV. 10–12 Vintage Market Days, held at Frank Brown Park in Panama City Beach, is an indoor/outdoor market held twice each year in varying communities across the U.S. Marketgoers will have the opportunity to shop for original art, antiques and vintage items, clothing, jewelry, handmade goods, decor, food and much more, all in plenty of time for the season of gift-giving that is right around the corner. vintagemarketdays.com/market/ nw-florida

BLUE ANGELS VETERANS DAY WEEKEND AIR SHOW NOV. 10–11 The NAS Pensacola Blue Angels, performing 70+ shows per year, go all out for Veterans Day with a “Homecoming” air show. For two days, experience the thrill and adrenaline of watching the precision maneuvers of the U.S. Navy’s elite flight-demonstration squadron. The show also features the U.S. Navy Leap Frogs parachute team, Shockwave Jet Truck, and some of the best civilian aircraft performances in the nation. Head to the Gulfside Pavilion in Pensacola for a great view of the aerial action. naspensacolaairshow.com

ENTRECON NOV. 14-16 Studer Community Institute presents EntreCon, a business conference in Pensacola for entrepreneurs, professionals and leaders.

Themes are: starting and growing a business, building leadership and operating cultures that attract and retain talent. Keynote speakers are Dan Heath, co-author of Made to Stick, Decisive and Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard; Liz Jazwiec, author of Eat THAT Cookie: Make Workplace Positivity Pay Off, Kevin Sheridan, author of Building a Magnetic Culture; and Bert Thornton, longtime CEO, mentoring advocate and author of Find an Old Gorilla: Pathways through the Jungle of Business and Life.” entreconpensacola.com

ADSO CHRISTMAS ART MARKET NOV. 14–DEC. 15 The ADSO Christmas Art Market and Sale-a-bration EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

in Fort Walton Beach is the perfect opportunity to buy unique holiday gifts for loved ones. Offerings include an assortment of jewelry, paintings, clay works, photographs, note cards and even plant and food specialties, all created by members. artsdesignsociety.org

ADSO LUNCHEON NOV. 15 Take a break mid-week and join other art enthusiasts at the Art Center in Fort Walton Beach for lunch and a speaker, to be announced.

Please note the early date of this month’s event.

Reservations are required. artsdesignsociety.org

GULF PLACE THIRD THURSDAY WINE WALKABOUT NOV. 16, DEC. 21, JAN. 18 Join us at Gulf Place for the Third Thursday Wine Walkabout. Check in at October–November 2017

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OCT/NOV 2017

5 pm with the Artists of Gulf Place to receive your complimentary glass and a merchant map. gulfplacefl.com

NATIONAL SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION FALL WORLD SERIES NOV. 18–20

We are locals. We live here, our families live here, our friends live here. We frequent and support local businesses. This is our community, and we are dedicated to protecting it.

In Panama City Beach, late November is the perfect time of year for softball, which is why the National Softball Association is headed to Frank Brown Park for the Fall World Series. Anyone for a hotdog and some popcorn?

THANKSGIVING DINNER AT HARBOR DOCKS NOV. 23 y / A l a r m Sy

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Harbor Docks will host a delicious Thanksgiving dinner, with all of the traditional trimmings, on Thanksgiving Day, from 11 am-7 pm. All of the proceeds go to Habitat for Humanity and Destin Harvest. harbordocks.com/thanksgivingday-feast

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October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

SNAPPER BOWL NOV. 23–25 The Snapper Bowl is a youth football tournament that welcomes teams from all over the country to Panama City Beach.

The teams (classified according to age) feature players ages 6–17 who compete in a threeday-long playoff to determine the ultimate champion! 2017 marks the Bowl’s 49th year running, making it the oldest premier, postseason tournament in the United States! Check out the action starting on Thanksgiving Day.

visitpanamacitybeach.com/holidays

CRIMES OF THE HEART DEC. 1–7 In Beth Henley’s tragic comedy, “Crimes of the Heart,” presented

by Kaleidoscope Theatre in Lynn Haven, three sisters and their priggish cousin gather in their hometown of Hazlehurst, Mississippi, to await news of the death of their grandfather. Each sister has committed a “Crime of the Heart,” and each must deal with the repercussions of that crime — to hilarious effect. kt-online.org

PANAMA CITY BEACH MARATHON DEC. 2 The PCB Chamber of Commerce is proud to host the Panama City Beach Marathon! The 26.2 mile race attracts thousands of residents and visitors alike to this beautiful area of the Gulf Coast.

Other races include the halfmarathon, 5K and Kids’ Fun Run. Any participants in the 2017 PCB Marathon who run a qualifying time (see Boston requirements), will be eligible to register for the 2019 Boston Marathon. pcbmarathon.com

snapperbowl.com

BEACH HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

↑ TRAVIS TRITT AT THE SAENGER THEATRE

NOV. 25–26

JAN. 20

Thanksgiving Thursday may be the time for turkey, but that weekend, Santa Claus is coming to town!

Beach Home for the Holidays waves goodbye to fall and sets the stage for the most magical month of the year. Aaron Bessant Park in Panama City Beach serves as the site of carol-themed concerts, an appearance by Santa and

The unstoppable Travis Tritt has performed his Southern rockinspired country music across the globe for almost three decades.

This winter, he’ll hit the stage at the gorgeous Saenger Theatre in Pensacola for an unforgettable show. It will definitely be “a great day to be alive!” pensacolasaenger.com/events/travis-tritt

PHOTO BY CHUCK ARLUND

At Westco Protection, our mission is simple: keep you, your family and your business safe.

activities for the kids. The main event is the annual Christmas tree lighting, illuminating the spirit of the season!

Featuring PBS Celebrity Chef Lidia Bastianich of Lidia’s Kitchen Music by:

Save the Dates!

October 20–22, 2017 Hilton Pensacola Beach wsre.org/wineandfood

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2017

(850) 424-6979 • INS-ZONE.COM EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

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(continued from page 129)

Keeping

by AUDREY POST

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Ken Harrison

REALTOR®, Licensed Real Estate Agent (850) 714-3037 ken.harrison@kw.com bestbeaches.kwrealty.com 36008 Emerald Coast Pkwy., Destin, FL

Your dreams are within reach

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hink “Florida” and what comes to mind?

Is it Orlando and its family-friendly theme parks? Trendy and quirky South Miami Beach, where clubs hop around the clock? Perhaps something more pastoral, like tubing along springfed rivers? Swimming with manatees?

Boarding a charter boat in Destin for a day of fishing in the Gulf of Mexico?

Those delightful places and activities are part of Florida’s attraction as a vacation destination, but they’re not the primary draw. For most people who aren’t fortunate enough to live in the Sunshine State, the word “Florida” conjures visions of just one vista: sandy beaches and palm trees.

The state boasts 1,197 miles of coastline, with 825 miles of it sandy beaches along the Atlantic Ocean, Straits of

October–November 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM

Florida and Gulf of Mexico. Visit Florida, the state’s tourism marketing agency, promotes 227 miles of Panhandle beaches, stretching from St. George Island off Apalachicola westward to Pensacola.

Florida Panhandle beaches are magnets for visitors from throughout the central and eastern Midwest. They’re beautiful, warm and require a lot less driving to reach than the Gulf beaches of Tampa Bay and southwest Florida, or the Atlantic beaches of Jacksonville, Daytona, and Fort Lauderdale. Adding to the allure is its Southern charm, with its rich history, laid-back atmosphere, great shopping and a culinary scene that offers vibrant fusion next to retro Mom-and-Pop diners.

Tourism is the economic engine of the region and the beaches are its primary fuel, but that fuel doesn’t come without a cost. Beach erosion is a constant and ongoing concern.

PHOTO BY SDBOWER / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

at Bay Beach nourishment pumps sand — and tourism dollars — onto Panhandle Beaches

Pelicans glide along the shoreline, which is ever in motion, shaped by wind, waves and tides. Structures and other obstacles accelerate erosion.

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Of the Beach Restoration and Nourishment projects for which DEP requested 2017-18 funding from the Florida Legislature, the St. Joseph Peninsula Beach Nourishment project in Gulf County and the Panama City Beaches Shores Protection Project in Bay County rank 2 and 3, respectively, on the DEP priority list, meaning both are likely to commence.

Gulf County requested $4.95 million in state funds toward a $13.95 million beach nourishment project along 7.5 miles of shore, and includes the first year of monitoring.

State records show that a beach restoration project was completed at St. Joseph Peninsula in 2009, but damage from Tropical Storm Gustav in 2008, while the project was ongoing, and subsequent erosion make nourishment necessary. Local government will kick in $9 million.

Bay County requested $4.6 million in state funds to design and nourish “hotspots” of erosion along 17.7 miles of coastline, as well as monitor the work for the first year afterward. The area includes the Panama City Beaches and St. Andrews State Park and is part of a long-range federal shore-protection project that is partially eligible for state funding. The local contribution is a little over $9.2 million.

As with most beach management programs, the Bay County project builds on previous restoration and nourishment projects in 1998-99, 2005-06 and 2011.

The significant damage from Hurricane Opal in 1995 spurred the initial work that began in 1998, and state officials credit the program with preventing substantial inland damage from Hurricane Ivan in 2004.

The inlet project in Okaloosa County asked for $262,500 of a $350,000 project to study the feasibility of a sand trap in East Pass, and was awarded $191,402.

Strategies for inlet management include stabilizing Norriego Point, so the Corps of Engineers can place more sand from dredging the channel onto adjacent beaches.

The trap, officials believe, would capture sand more suitable for beach renovation and nourishment.

Several other Panhandle beach projects were on the DEP list but didn’t make the cut. Given both the governor’s and the legislative leadership’s stated commitment to continue to fund beach restoration, it seems likely all will be funded next year in the 2018-2019 budget.

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“The beaches are always there, as long as you don’t try to stop the beach from moving. But, then you run into houses.”

Veterinary Practice

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» Escambia County asked for $4.2 million in state funds for Perdido Key Beach Restoration, estimated to cost $12.7 million. The project involves designing and restoring a dune, and constructing a protective berm over three miles of shoreline, as well as monitoring the project for a year afterward. The local contribution comes to just over $8.5 million. » The city of Mexico Beach requested $183,680 toward a $410,000 project to design and build a beach restoration project slightly less than a mile long, with a local contribution of $226,320. A 2008 feasibility study recommended increasing the sand bypass at Mexico Beach Inlet and placing the restoration sand farther from the inlet. The DEP’s Miller said Mexico Beach currently has a $465,750 allocation to help pay for designing and building a mobile sand bypassing system at the inlet.

Two Panhandle beach projects were completed last year, she said, one at Pensacola Beach and one at Navarre Beach.

The Pensacola Beach Nourishment project was completed in July and involved placing 1.6 million cubic yards of sand over a little more than eight miles of shoreline. The project, which was regularly scheduled beach nourishment, cost $16 million, and the state paid for half of it.

The Navarre Beach Nourishment also was completed in July. A more intensive project, it involved placing 1.3 million cubic yards of sand over 4.1 miles of shoreline. The state paid $7 million of the $14 million total cost.

With each of these projects, monitoring is important and the process will have to be repeated, sometimes sooner rather than later, to keep the beaches in good condition. As Courtney Hackney, director of coastal biology and professor of biology at the University of North Florida told the Florida Times-Union in 2015, “The beaches are always there, as long as you don’t try to stop the beach from moving. But, then you run into houses.”

“That’s where the problem comes in,” he said, “not from erosion, but from humans liking property to stay where it is.” EC

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postscript

IT’S NOT ROCKET SURGERY

NO WORKABLE ANSWER

Question has confounded men for centuries

make seeing that woman again with your wife present completely awkward. You’ll try some polite conversation, but no matter what you say, your wife will be thinking, “So, he finds her sexy.”

Too much time is passing with my silence. I need to say something to buy more time. So I try the old reverse-question-stallfor-time pivot and ask, “Which one of MY friends do YOU find sexy?” As I suspected it would, it failed.

She knows my silence means there are indeed some of her friends that I find sexy. Names are racing through my head like a dinghy trying to find a safe harbor. Saying none of them is not plausible, so which name will cause her the least grief?

Now the passing moments are getting uncomfortable. I’m starting to feel like a mouse in an owl cage. It’s only been 20 seconds, but I’ve developed hives. She’s waiting for an answer; time is not my friend.

Suddenly, I realize that I may be able to buffer my answer with a qualifier by finding an unacceptable flaw in the person whose name I utter. “Well, Penelope (no way am I putting a real name in this column) is kind of sexy, but I could never be with a woman who saves her toenail clippings.” My male brain is thinking that with that disclaimer I can avoid a clumsy confrontation when we next see Penelope.

Somehow, in a moment of clarity, I remember Rule 127 in the How to Be a Man handbook: “If your wife ever asks you which one of her friends you find sexy, try to say something enlightened about all women.”

I mumble, “Well, in their own way, all women are sexy.” Berneice looks over at me like I’ve got cauliflower growing out of my forehead. She didn’t need to say a word. I sheepishly looked away and played my last card. “I’ll go fix dinner.” EC

Gary Yordon is president of the Zachary Group in Tallahassee, hosts a political television show, The Usual Suspects, and contributes columns to the city’s daily newspaper, the Tallahassee Democrat. He may be reached at gary@zgroup.com.

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t was a perfect Sunday. Berneice and I had just come back from an inspiring walk in the woods and were lying on the bed having some sweet pillow talk. Those are the moments I cherish.

Just the two of us — no agenda — reconnecting after a busy week and unconcerned about the world outside our cocoon.

And then it happened. I would say that it caught me off guard, but that would be an understatement. There is no “on guard” for what happened next.

Men have feared it for centuries. It is the inquiry that caused the term “blank stare” to be uttered for the first time. The question for which there is no plausible answer. Einstein couldn’t solve it.

Cavemen thought it was smarter to go fight a tiger. Freud withered under its weight. Ghandi stopped eating. Custer left the house and headed for Little Big Horn. Van Gogh hacked off an ear.

Berneice wasn’t even looking at me when she asked the question. We were both lying on our backs, looking up at the ceiling, and then she dropped it on me like a hydrogen bomb: “Which one of my friends do you find sexy?”

Many things happen in the moments that follow — all critical.

You immediately realize that honesty is the worst option, yet your answer must contain enough truth to be credible. Only three seconds have passed; it seems like a month.

You quickly run through the checklist of bad options, your thought process interrupted by the faces of her friends passing through your brain like water through a spaghetti strainer.

Do I actually spit out a name? What are the consequences of more than one name? Is she thinking close friends or just acquaintances? Is there any chance that she would believe “None of them”?

What name could I say that would be someone we won’t see for a long time? Can I convincingly fake a seizure? How will I decorate my new apartment?

There are many good reasons why men have feared the question for ages. You understand that whatever name you utter will

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