Tallahassee Magazine - March/April 2017

INSIDE: THE BIGGEST NORTHWEST FLORIDA WEDDINGS ISSUE EVER!

High-Tech Bicycles 2-wheelers pick up speed

Facing Fears In the trees on a zipline adventure

Notes to Live By

A chaplain’s lost work resurfaces

POET’S WORLD

Masters of verse at FSU explore a universe of words

+

City’s

MUSIC SCENE

comes alive

You’re here.

THERE’S NO NEED TO GO ANYWHERE ELSE FOR ADVANCED HEART CARE Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, recognized as one of the top complex heart and vascular programs in the Southeast, is here. Where the world’s smallest pacemaker is implanted through a simple cath procedure. And 4 of only 75 physicians in the country, trained in this technology, practice exclusively with us.

We’re here. #FORYOURHEART

How old is your heart?

Take a few minutes to find out your risk of heart disease by taking our online heart risk assessment test.

TMH.ORG/Risk TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

March–April 2017

3

4 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

March–April 2017

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6 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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Contents

MAR/APR 2017

FEATURES

74

VERSE-ATILE

Three poets share sources of inspiration

by KIM THACKER HARRIS

84  DRUM ROLL

Tallahassee making noise as a music town

by REBECCA PADGETT

92

Country star Tyler Farr played a sold out show alongside Bobby Bones and the Raging Idiots and Old Dominion at Doak After Dark last November. The concert was so successful that it led to plans for Doak After Dark performances to take place at the stadium.

CHAPLAIN’S NOTES Discovery uncovers timeless sermons

DON JUAN MOORE

by KIM THACKER HARRIS

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Contents

MAR/APR 2017

131 36

IN EVERY ISSUE

27 GREAT OUTDOORS A

novice conquers fears on a zipline course.

Mickey Moore likes the feeling that comes with being put together well.

30 CHARACTERS Jay LaVia

52 FOR HER Bell-bottom

34 CHAMPIONS Food

54 WHAT’S IN STORE

has a fondness for all things feathered.

for Thought Pantry keeps FSU students nourished.

36 HEALTH & FITNESS High-tech bicycles offer low profiles, light frames.

40 RELATIONSHIPS

Doctor-nurse team delivers compassionate care.

42 EDUCATION

Arts curriculum complements science instruction.

PANACHE 45 FOR HIM You may

be glad you hung on to that old pair of “Chucks.”

pants and wide-sleeve tops are back.

Discover what’s new at shops around town.

GASTRO & GUSTO

57 SPRING SALADS It’s

time to toss and dress the products of your winter garden.

60 DINING OUT The

Hilltop Country Store is worth the drive it takes to get there.

64 LIBATIONS Think of

gin as flavored vodka.

57 EXPRESSION

99 STAGE The Southern Shakespeare Festival brings the bard’s works to life.

104 BOOKS Columnist

Gary Yordon is the butt of his own hilarious anecdotes.

106 ART Venvi Art Gallery focuses on color and creativity.

108 MUSIC Honesty is

fundamental to the relationships among The Currys.

ABODES

111 INTERIORS Multi-

functional designs are overtaking the furniture world.

114 DIY Prepare for the

worst with an at-home emergency kit.

116 EXTERIORS Fish add a certain “je ne sais koi” to backyard ponds.

A compendium of self-deprecating humor.

8 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

High-Tech Bicycles 2-wheelers pick up speed

Facing Fears In the trees on a zipline adventure

Notes to Live By

A chaplain’s lost work resurfaces

POET’S WORLD

Masters of verse at FSU explore a universe of words

plants add lush foliage to your landscaping.

DESTINATIONS 131 DESTINATIONS 136 QUICK TRIPS

Migrating monarchs make St. Marks a stopping-off point.

+

City’s

MUSIC SCENE

122 GARDENING Ginger

Canyon’s grandness is a calming influence.

104

INSIDE: THE BIGGEST NORTHWEST FLORIDA WEDDINGS ISSUE EVER!

comes alive

ON THE COVER: Poets are synonymous with the imagery they create.

One thinks of Robert Frost and fences come to mind. Or a snowy wood. Carl Sandberg is inseparable from little cat feet. The name Ezra Pound summons petals on a wet, black bough.

And so it was appropriate for us to marry portraits of poets with other organic elements.

Photo illustration of Kaveh Akbar by Charles Bakofsky.

PHOTOS BY JAMES STEFIUK (57), LAWRENCE DAVIDSON (104) AND SCOTT PROKOP / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM (131) AND COURTESY ELECTRA (36)

50 CITIZEN OF STYLE

323

18 PUBLISHER’S LETTER 20 DIRECTOR’S COLUMN 67 DINING GUIDE 169 SOCIAL STUDIES 285 AGENDA 290 POSTSCRIPT

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March–April 2017

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Contents

MAR/APR 2017

SPECIAL SECTIONS AND PROMOTIONS

48

SOUTHERN COMPASS OUTFITTERS From sundresses

to sunglasses, sunhats to sunscreen, Southern Compass Outfitters has you covered every balmy day this spring.

177

Fish Hippie, Poppin’ Cork Pocket Tee

120 HOME SWEET HOME

Are you feeling the need for something new? Refresh and update your home with key pieces from Pottery Barn in Grand Boulevard that will make it feel brand new.

DEAL ESTATE For those seeking breathing room, an allbrick home in Monticello sits on 13-plus lakefront acres. An exquisite lakefront remodel sells in the Rosehill neighborhood of NE Tallahassee.

↑ NORTHWEST FLORIDA WEDDINGS Plan the unforgettable wedding you’ve always dreamed of with the help of our annual wedding guide. We’ve got ideas for palettes (décor!) and palates (reception food!) as well as tips for organizing every aspect of your big day with the help of bride-friendly apps.

142

139 ↗ FORGOTTEN COAST MAP We orient you to one of the most picturesque and pristine stretches the Gulf Coast has to offer — its merchants, attractions and more.

YOUR GUIDE TO THE 49TH ANNUAL

CALENDAR

Tallahassee and the surrounding area offer no shortage of celebrations, festivals, 5Ks, concerts and other performances. We offer you an expansive menu of things to do.

163

Springtime TALLAHASSEE

FESTIVAL AND PARADE

147

SPRINGTIME TALLAHASSEE

The 49th annual Springtime Tallahassee festival brings together those who have an appetite for delicious food, jammin’ music and unforgettable fun for all ages!

TMH FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER TMH is a premier health care provider making an impact in the community through innovative research, fundraising events, constant support and continued awareness.

Next Issue Pets & Their People ◆ Spring Gift Guide ◆ Best of Ballot ◆ Professional Profiles SPECIAL PROMOTION

10 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

PHOTO BY WOODLAND FIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY (177) AND COURTESY SOUTHERN COMPASS OUTFITTERS (48)

124

TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

March–April 2017

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

Bridal Registry · Personalized Stationery · Home Accessories and Gifts

Feedback

EXCEPTIONAL JOB

FROM THE HEART

The following letter was received by publisher Brian Rowland.

The following note was received by freelance contributor Audrey Post.

Dear Brian: I just finished reading the Tallahassee Business Journal in 850 Magazine and would like to recommend it to all readers of Tallahassee Magazine. Your team did an exceptional job capturing the entrepreneurial spirit and start-up vitality and energy of our community that has been rapidly emerging over the past three to four years.

Going forward, we must be sure never to revert to silos and to instead harness the synergy that is developing among people and organizations working to realize Tallahassee’s potential.

Our strength will be in our ability and willingness to build off of one another while maintaining a spirit of creativity and discovery.

Great job. I appreciate what the Rowland Publishing team does.

Dear Audrey: Your tribute to your mother, “A Connection That Death Cannot Suspend,” was right on! You wrote a terrific piece and one that came straight from the heart. Write on, girl!

STEVE EVANS, TALLAHASSEE

AUTHENTIC ACCOUNT

The following letter was received by senior staff writer Jason Dehart.

Dear Jason: Thank you so much for your heartfelt article, “A Final Salute,” which you wrote about my father last spring. I keep a copy close and read it often. My son, Benjamin Donald, was 18 months old when Dad died. I’m so grateful to have such an authentic and special narrative about Dad to share with him as he grows and learns about “Paw Paw.” It’s hard to believe a year has already passed. As our family and the many friends who loved Dad move forward, your account of his character and the lessons he taught us will remind me that he is always with us.

MELANIE BOWMAN KELLY WINSTON SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA

JAN COLLIER, TALLAHASSEE

CHOMP VS. CHAMP The following letter was received by director of editorial services Steve Bornhoft.

Dear Editor: I hate to take issue with any of your beautiful magazine, but the January-February issue contains a pet peeve that the grammar pedant in me cannot ignore. The otherwise well-done article on area equestrians is titled “Chomping At The Bit.” No, no, no! Horses may “chomp” on something (transitive verb) like oats, but what they do when just harmlessly grinding their teeth is “champ,” an intransitive verb requiring no object. Purists will also say that the “at the bit” is superfluous, but that’s probably a lost battle.

BOB BROWN, TALLAHASSEE

EDITOR’S NOTE: Thanks for writing, Bob. While I will concede that technically you may be correct, I find that, based on Google web searches, “chomping at the bit,” in use in the U.S. since the 1930s, occurs more frequently today than “champing” in published works, never mind everyday parlance.

The reality is that “champing” would have struck most of our readers as a whopping typo.

Such is the always fluid nature of language. I will promise, however, not to confuse either champing or chomping with chimping, a verb that has emerged with the arrival of digital photography.

FEEDBACK SUBMISSION GUIDELINES When submitting a letter

for publication, please supply your full name, physical address, phone number and personal email address. Letters, when published, will appear with the writer’s name and city of residence. We reserve the right to edit letters.

850-681-2824 · 800-983-2266 · ShopMFT.com 1410 Market Street , C3 · Tallahassee, Florida

12 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

Feedback: Rowland Publishing 1932 Miccosukee Road Tallahassee, FL 32308 sbornhoft@rowlandpublishing.com

TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

March–April 2017

13

TALLAHASSEE MAGAZINE

VOL. 40, NO. 2

MARCH–APRIL 2017

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BRIAN E. ROWLAND

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL SERVICES/EDITOR Steve Bornhoft SENIOR STAFF WRITER Jason Dehart EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Rebecca Padgett ASSISTANT TO DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL SERVICES Kim Harris Thacker CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Matt Algarin, Marina Brown, Pam Forrester, Jennifer Ireland, Tisha Crews Keller, Lis King, Audrey Post, Joseph Zeballos-Roig EDITORIAL INTERNS Maria Knight, Alexandra Pushkin, Kirstin Redfield

CREATIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lawrence Davidson DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY Daniel Vitter SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Saige Roberts ART DIRECTOR Jennifer Ekrut PUBLICATION DESIGNERS Charles Bakofsky, Shruti Shah GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Meredith Brooks, Sarah Mitchell DIGITAL PRODUCTION SPECIALIST Chelsea Moore CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Colin Abbey, Ashley Daniell Photography, Betsy Barfield Photography, Bryan Garris Photography, Matt Burke, Lawrence Davidson, Elizabeth E. George Photography, Shannon Griffin, Stefan Höderath, Austin Holm, Scott Holstein, Bob Howard, Lee Howell, Kevin Hubbard, Jeff Kennel, Don Juan Moore, Bradley Mueller, Dr. Beverly Nash, Bob O’Lary, Rebecca Padgett, Bruce Palmer, Matthew Paskert, Paul Wingler Photography, Photophactory, Stacy Rehberg, John Salangsang, Sarah Scott, Phil Sears, Shems Photography, James Stefiuk, Mark Wallheiser

SALES, MARKETING AND EVENTS VICE PRESIDENT/CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT McKenzie Burleigh Lohbeck DIRECTOR OF NEW BUSINESS Daniel Parisi ADVERTISING SERVICES COORDINATOR Lisa Sostre ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Linda Powell, Sarah Scott, Brianna Webb, Lori Magee Yeaton EVENTS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR Mandy Chapman INTEGRATED MARKETING SPECIALIST Jennifer Ireland INTEGRATED MARKETING COORDINATOR Bria Blossom MARKETING AND EVENTS ASSISTANT Mackenzie Ligas MARKETING AND EVENTS INTERN Alexandra Matthews

OPERATIONS ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES/HUMAN RESOURCE COORDINATOR Marah Rhone CORPORATE CLIENT LIAISON Sara Goldfarb CLIENT SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE/PRODUCTION SPECIALIST Melinda Lanigan STAFF ACCOUNTANT Jackie Burns ACCOUNTANT ASSISTANT Lisa Cleaves ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Lisa Snell RECEPTIONIST Alyssa Cunningham TALLAHASSEE MAGAZINE tallahasseemagazine.com facebook.com/tallahasseemag twitter.com/tallahasseemag instagram.com/tallahasseemag pinterest.com/tallahasseemag youtube.com/user/tallahasseemag ROWLAND PUBLISHING rowlandpublishing.com

EDITORIAL OFFICE 1932 Miccosukee Road, Tallahassee, FL 32308. (850) 878-0554 SUBSCRIPTIONS One year (6 issues) is $30. Call (850) 878-0554 or go online to tallahasseemagazine.com.

Single copies are $3.95. Purchase at Barnes & Noble, Costco, Books-A-Million, Walgreens and at our Miccosukee Road office.

1350 MARKET ST. | 850-597-8201

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CUSTOMER SERVICE & SUBMISSIONS Tallahassee 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. Tallahassee Magazine reserves the right to publish any letters to the editor.

Copyright March 2017 Tallahassee Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

Partners of Visit Tallahassee and Member, Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce.

©2016 Porsche Cars North America, Inc. Porsche recommends seat belt usage and observance of all traffic laws at all times.

Spoiler alert.

Literally.

Spoiler alert.

The countdown is nearly over. And what awaits is a strikingly redesigned, reimagined, and reborn Panamera. An impossible-toLiterally.

overlook exterior, a luxurious tech-filled interior, and performance upgrades in nearly every category, it is, in one word, breathtaking. Visit your local authorized Porsche dealer to learn more, and see why there truly is no substitute.

The countdown is nearly over. And what awaits is a strikingly redesigned, reimagined, and reborn Panamera. An impossible-tooverlook exterior, a luxurious tech-filled interior, and performance upgrades in nearly every category, it is, in one word, breathtaking. Visit your local authorized Porsche dealer to learn more, and see why there truly is no substitute.

The new Panamera 4S. Coming January 2017.

Contact Michael Ludes for your demonstration: (850) 205-1710 The new Panamera 4S. Coming January 2017.

Contact Michael Ludes for your demonstration: (850) 205-1710

Capital Eurocars 3963 W. Tennessee St. Tallahassee, Florida 32304 Tel. 850-574-3777 Capital Eurocars capital.porschedealer.com 3963 W. Tennessee St. Sales: M-F 9am-7pm, Sat 9am-6pm Tallahassee, Florida 32304 Service: M-F 7:30am-6pm, Sat 8am-1pm Tel. 850-574-3777 capital.porschedealer.com

TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

March–April 2017

15

In 1943 in the Nazi concentration camp at Terezín, an incredible act of resistance commenced when 150 Jewish prisoners premiered Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem Mass.

Requiem of Defiance

Join us for a retelling of this historic act of resistance.

Saturday, March 25, 2017 s 8:00 p.m.

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall Presented by: The Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra s Florida A&M University Concert Choir Holocaust Education Resource Council s Temple Israel

Keri Alkama, Soprano s Kimberly James, Mezzo-Soprano s Hugo Vera, Tenor s Kevin Thompson, Bass

TickeTs: $37-$80 w w w . Ta l l a h a s s e e s y m p h o n y . o r g s 8 50. 224.0461 “Doing a performance was noT enTerTainmenT. iT was a fighT for life.”

- terezín survivor zdenka fantlova

16 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

presents the legendary

Deborah Brown Saturday, April 29, 2017 8:00 p.m. s The Moon Tickets $18-$38 s www.moonevents.com From Kansas City, Missouri to the farthest borders of Indonesia, renowned jazz soul singer Deborah Brown has been establishing footholds in jazz for over thirty years. Her discography expands 26 albums. Join the Tallahassee Symphony Jazz Orchestra for an unforgettable evening!

w w w . t a l l a h a s s e e s y m p h o n yTALL . oAHASSEEMAGA rg ZINE.COM March–April 2017 17

from the publisher

Recently, I watched a show on HBO hosted by Bryant Gumbel, who was joined by an Ivy League psychologist. Jointly, the two men interviewed two accomplished individuals — a retired Navy SEAL and a former professional football player.

The interviewees were both in their early 30s and, for 10 years, had led high-octane, adrenalin-filled lives before subsequently experiencing severe depression and resorting to alcohol and drugs as coping mechanisms following their abrupt retirements.

Fortunately, the former SEAL and the NFL veteran received interventions at the right time and successfully recovered. In response to questions from Gumbel and the psychologist, they shared what they did to regain a sense of contentment in their day-to-day lives. Most importantly, they talked about learning to actively create a sense of happiness and wellbeing each and every day.

Attaining and maintaining happiness, they said, is a challenge that needs to be addressed and nurtured continuously.

The psychologist explained that every individual has a unique set of five or six daily activities that for him or for her result in a sense of happiness or overall contentment.

My list includes going out on the lake with my wife, Cherie, and catching a sunset over some conversation; going out for dinner; taking a long walk with my dogs; and arriving at the office an hour before others do and having a cup of coffee in silence while strategically thinking about the publishing business.

The psychologist stressed that each of these activities on our lists promotes a sense of happiness even though none is “monumental.”

The SEAL, the football player and all of us, if we are to bring about happiness, need to infuse each day with a few simple things that reliably make us feel relaxed and content. Cumulatively, a series of happy days will result in a general sense of satisfaction that will extend to partners and children.

The psychologist also said that people set themselves up for disappointment or worse whenever they believe that one big achievement will guarantee long-term happiness. We may try to convince ourselves that everything will be grand once we win the job, land the promotion, hit the sales goal, have the baby, buy the house or the dream car, earn the diploma or receive the gold watch from the company, but life doesn’t work that way.

This show inspired me to better appreciate and be content with each and every day. I urge you to assess yourself and consider where you stand on the overall scale of happiness.

Ingredients in a recipe for happiness might be as simple as: something to do, something to look forward to, and someone to love and be loved by.

We have arrived at an inspirational time of the year, the springtime period of renewal. Slow down, ditch the phone, take a deep breath and enjoy what you have.

And be sure to live your own life, not someone else’s.

Until next time,

BRIAN ROWLAND browland@rowlandpublishing.com

18 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

SCOTT HOLSTEIN

FINDING HAPPINESS

UPCOMING PERFORMANCES SPRING 2017

MARCH 7

Rosi Golan

MARCH 23

Manual Cinema: ADA/AVA

MARCH 25

A Movie You Haven’t Seen

MARCH 29

Some Beasts

APRIL 13

Wayne Shorter Quartet with FSU’s Chamber Winds

APRIL 4 Anne-Sophie Mutter

APRIL 19

Works by Saint-Saëns, Mozart & Respighi

Hunky Dory

Stay tuned for the 2017–2018 Season Announcement!

850.644.6500 openingnights.fsu.edu

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19

director’s column

WANNA TAKE IT OUTSIDE?

20 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

I know such anthropocentrists; I could bang on the wall and hail one right now.

Like Wilson, I fall into the biofilia camp. Like him, I am impressed by how little humankind knows about the biosphere in which we live. Wilson estimates that of all the species on Earth, only two-thirds have been cataloged.

He reports that more than 500 species of bacteria live in just the mouth and esophagus of human beings and serve there to protect us from harmful, parasitic bacteria.

Quite apart from religious consideration, it is demonstrably true that the invisible rule the visible.

Like Wilson and Paul Simon, I cling stubbornly to an optimistic outlook and believe that even as we are given as humans to competition, we are capable, too, of altruism sufficient to arrest what the ant expert calls the “ongoing mass extinction of species.”

Heavy stuff, enough to drive me to poetry. Here, then, is a delightful poem titled “Today” and written by Frank O’Hara in 1950 when the aftershocks of World War II still reverberated. Nonetheless, O’Hara found enduring sources of joy.

MATT BURKE

Paul Simon, of all people, turned me on to it, Pulitzer Prize winner Edward O. Wilson’s remarkable assessment of life on our planet, “Half-Earth.” Writing in The New York Times, Simon rates the book “compulsory reading” for all who care about “our children, our children’s children and all of the species alive today.” And, so, I visited the LeRoy Collins Library and checked it out.

Wilson begins by offering his definition of man — “storyteller, mythmaker and destroyer of the living world.” Humans, he writes, arrived with the capacity to “survive and evolve forever” and with the ability to “render the biosphere eternal also.” But arrogance, selfishness and short-sightedness get in the way.

Wilson is a scientist who has devoted his professional career to the study of taxonomy, biodiversity and, particularly, ants. The Biophilia Center near Freeport in Walton County is named after him. (“Biophilia” is a word of Wilson’s invention meaning a love for all living things.) His definition of man brings to mind another such definition written by the communication theorist Kenneth Burke. Dr. Stan Lindsey, who qualifies as a Burkean scholar, was my advisor at FSU when I was in graduate school and introduced me to Burke, who defined man as “the symbol-using (and abusing) animal, inventor of the negative, separated from his natural condition by instruments of his own making, goaded by the spirit of hierarchy and rotten with (the pursuit of) perfection.”

We have, then, two men from decidedly different disciplines, both of whom view humans as selfserving competitors motivated to stay ahead of the Joneses.

“Half-Earth” derives from Wilson’s calculation that if Earth is to survive substantially as we know it, fully half the planet must strategically be set aside and left alone so that its biological underpinnings are adequately preserved and the planet’s “sixth extinction” averted. The fifth, it is said, resulted 65 million years ago when a large meteor slammed into what is known today as the Yucatan Peninsula.

Many dispute Wilson’s view, but general agreement is possible regarding his assertion that the planet has entered upon a new epoch dominated by the influence of humans. Wilson and others call that epoch the Anthropocene. People who subscribe to an Anthropocene world view believe that species other than man should be judged based on their usefulness to man.

TODAY Oh! kangaroos, sequins, chocolate sodas!

You really are beautiful! Pearls, harmonicas, jujubes, aspirins! All the stuff they’ve always talked about still makes a poem a surprise!

These things are with us every day, even on beachheads and biers. They do have meaning. They’re strong as rocks.

I invite you to replace the seven nouns in the first three lines of the poem with seven favorite things of your own. If the majority of them are living things, count yourself a biophiliac and rejoice with me in that familiar Paul Simon lyric …

I’d rather feel the earth beneath my feet/ Yes I would/ If I only could/ I surely would.

Take it outside,

STEVE BORNHOFT sbornhoft@rowlandpublishing.com

PIGTOES, CATSPAWS: Rest in Peace ➸ Coosa elktoe ➸ Sugarspoon ➸ Angled riffleshell ➸ Ohio riffleshell ennessee ➸T

riffleshell

➸ Leafshell

blossom ➸ Yellow ➸ Narrow catspaw ➸ Forkshell outhern ➸S acornshell

➸ Rough combshell umberland ➸C

leafshell

palachicola ➸A ebonyshell

pocketbook ➸ Lined addleton lamp ➸H lack clubshell ➸B usha pigtoe ➸K ➸ Coosa pigtoe ➸ Stirrup shell All of the above species — former inhabitants of watersheds in the American South — are gone, departed before all but a few people knew them, doomed to extinction by the construction of dams. They were filterers of water.

Producers of mother of pearl. Vital links in aquatic ecosystems, according to Edward O. Wilson.

Underappreciated.

And so it goes.

The ivory-billed woodpecker is as familiar as Woody Woodpecker. But invertebrates vanish without fanfare.

Can you name the group to which the species listed above belonged?

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SPECIAL PROMOTION

TALLAHASSEEMAGAZINE.COM WIN BIG ONLINE

EXTRA CONTENT ONLINE ONLY EVENTS » TOP SALON RECAP 2017 Top

Salon was another huge success!

Congratulations to all the models and salons who participated, and thank you to all our sponsors. In case you missed it or want to relive the night full of cheers, tears and shears, head over to our website to read our blog and watch the recap video.

how your pet has changed your life by using #TMagPets on social media, and come see us at Proctor Subaru on March 18 to get your furry family picture taken and enjoy a day filled with four-legged friends.

LET’S GET

Enter to win two tickets to the 2017 SOUTH WALTON BEACHES WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL Saturday Grand Tasting, along with two tickets to the Friday night signature kick-off event, Craft Beer & Spirits Jam. Enjoy breakfast for two at The Bistro and a two-night stay at Courtyard by Marriott Sandestin at Grand Boulevard, steps away from the festival venue.

Value: $768 Offer ends April 13, 2017 Exclusive tickets and prize packages to Tallahassee’s best events are up for grabs! Visit TALLAHASSEEMAGAZINE.COM and look for the Top of the Town logo for your chance to enter to win!

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PHOTOS BY AUSTIN HOLM (PETS & THEIR PEOPLE) AND COURTESY SOUTH WALTON BEACHES WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL

» PETS & THEIR PEOPLE Tell us

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he searched for buried we

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24 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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digitalgraffiti.com

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323

MAR/APR 2017

PROFILING THE PURSUITS, PASSIONS AND PERSONALITIES AMONG US

THE

GREAT OUTDOORS

↗ Rowland Publishing’s Matt Algarin takes to the treetops and faces his fears. Along the way he learns a thing or two about patience, collaboration and trust.

BUILDING CONFIDENCE, DESPITE A SHAKYTreeSTART to Tree Teambuilding



by MATT ALGARIN

CHARACTERS Checking His List || CHAMPIONS Feeding the Need || HEALTH & FITNESS Trend Cycling

photography by LAWRENCE DAVIDSON

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slowly — navigated the course, one uneasy step at a time. I was probably moving at a turtle’s pace, gripping the cables along the course with every ounce of strength I could muster. I could feel my legs shaking beneath me.

I kept telling myself not to look down, but I couldn’t help it. Every slight wobble in my step evoked a sense of panic. It’s amazing how fearful I was of falling, despite the fact that it wasn’t possible, as I was secured to the cables from the course’s start to its finish by a metal carabiner clip that was attached to my harness. But that assurance didn’t matter.

Eventually, I zipped along the last line to the final cushioned platform and descended the ladder that led back to solid ground.

I thought about kissing the earth beneath my feet — but that seemed a bit much.

With my adventure behind me, I can tell you two things for sure: One, I’m not as flexible or as fit as I should be — which was made obvious both the day of my climbing experience and the next morning, when my arms and legs ached; and two, I’m proud of myself. I had pushed my fear of heights aside and had embarked on an adventure. And I TREE-TO-TREE survived. It was a small ADVENTURE AT victory, but it was a vicTHE TALLAHASSEE tory, nonetheless.

MUSEUM It’s not easy to step Soar over cypress outside of your comswamps and conquer aerial obstacles fort level; but if you at heights of up don’t try every once in to 60 feet. There are three courses awhile, you are going to choose from. to miss out on some Ranging in difficulty, TREEmendous awesome experiences.

Adventure, Canopy So whether you have Crossing and Soaring Cypress, which is the a fear of heights or of largest and fastest speaking in front of a of them all. For more information, visit large group (somehow tallahasseemuseum.org.

I ended up with both), don’t let your fear hold you back. Sure, your legs might shake and your palms might sweat, but what’s the worst that can happen?

There are plenty of other activities that I’m not particularly fond of, like exercising and dieting; but with my newfound confidence, perhaps I should give them a go.

I’ll keep you posted on my progress. Wish me luck! TM

↖ Rowland Publishing employee Lori Yeaton glides through the air with ease, passing by live oaks and fellow co-workers.

A

s I stood there with my “C hook” in hand, I couldn’t escape the fear pulsing through my body. Just moments earlier I had, essentially, signed away my life on an iPad. I was already second guessing my decision. How bad would it look if I chickened out before ascending the first ladder? I hadn’t even made it up to The Canopy Crossing’s first tree platform or across the first obstacle, but my palms were sweating inside my gloves.

Strapped into my harness, I knew I would be safe; but the thought of climbing from tree to tree was still intimidating.

Truth be told, I was scared. I stared at the trees above my head, knowing they would be my next destination. My knees began to quiver.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with

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the Tree-to-Tree Adventure at the Tallahassee Museum, The Canopy Crossing is the introductory adult course, wherein you traverse 14–18 treetop challenges and speed across two zip lines, all located 20 or so feet above the ground. For the average person, the course is probably a cinch — which was evidenced by the ease at which my co-workers navigated the obstacles.

But as someone who has a fear of heights, my decision to participate in this group outing during our annual company meeting hadn’t come easily. But I had decided to face my fears, as cliché as that may sound, because I had known I would be disappointed in myself if I left the museum without trying something new. And besides that, everyone else was doing it.

No pressure, right?

So, I slowly — and I mean very, very

photography by LAWRENCE DAVIDSON

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CHARACTERS

Checking His List Lifelong birder has his eyes on the sky

by PAM FORRESTER

H

e recalls spotting a blue jay when he was 8 years old. Tallahassee attorney Jay LaVia’s love of birds has soared ever since.

Not even the impending birth of a first child stops a true birder, and so it was that LaVia, upon hearing reports from South Florida of a stripe-headed tanager (or Western spindalis), jumped in a car with his wife, Jennifer, who was 8½ months pregnant at the time, and drove straight through to Homestead.

Once there, the couple was among the lucky few who were up at 4 a.m. to track down the bird. Joined by birders from Michigan and Texas, LaVia added another species to his impressive “life list,” while those who arrived later missed out.

A bird waits for no birder; this one took flight at dawn.

LaVia had been on wild bird chases before. When he was 18 and living in New Jersey, he and his brother, also a birder, made an overnight trip to Martha’s Vineyard to spot a western reef heron. They saw the bird minutes after the internationally famous birder and field guide author/illustrator Roger Tory Peterson encountered it.

“People are always asking me why I do this,” says LaVia. “I don’t take photos, though many birders are great photographers. I don’t bring home a bird like a hunter might. But I love to get out into the woods or into the jungles. Birding has taken me to all 50 states. I just love to see birds.”

For decades, LaVia, his father and his brother traveled the country and the

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↗ With keen sight, impeccable patience and a passion for feathered friends, bird watcher Jay LaVia always has a bird’s-eye view.

world together to check birds off their lists. Jay’s father allowed his 11-year-old son to skip school when he heard that a rare gyrfalcon was visiting New Jersey.

One of the toughest father-and-sons trips also produced one of the most rare sightings.

“It took my father, brother and me almost two days of travel over some amazing volcanoes and Alaskan wilderness to get to a sliver of land on Attu Island, site of one of the bloodiest battles of World War II,” LaVia recalled. “But it was worth it when I saw the dusky warbler, one of the rarest birds I’ve ever confirmed seeing.” The Attu trip also produced other seldom-seen birds, including a ringed plover and a garganey.

Though LaVia believes he once spotted along the Choctawhatchee River a bird long believed to have been extinct — the ivory-billed woodpecker — he is not positively sure. Birders use American Birding Association lists and adhere to rules and a code of ethics when definitively recording sightings. Some rules are as simple as, “The bird must have been alive, wild and unrestrained when encountered.” Others are more precise: “Encounter means seen and heard live and not remotely; a bird seen on a webcam or other remote

camera cannot be counted.” LaVia strictly adheres to these guidelines. The Association has more than 900 birds listed and LaVia is proud to have checked off more than 800 of them.

The dictionary defines birding or birdwatching as a form of wildlife observation where the person pursues the experience as a hobby or for recreation, observing birds with the naked eye or through binoculars or a telescope. An ornithologist, on the other hand, studies birds’ behaviors, ecology and physiology using scientific methods. Though he explored the idea of making a career of ornithology during his college days as a student at Duke University and even took some courses along that path, LaVia is content to be a hobbyist and one who has learned much in pursuit of his passion.

“I’ve visited almost every one of the top 10 birding sites in America,” LaVia said, “from Mount Desert Island in Maine to Everglades National Park, here in Florida. But just as amazing is what we have right here in our area in places like St. Marks Wildlife Refuge or even Black Swamp Nature Preserve. Our preservation of trees has created habitats for hundred of birds in every season. Even ›› photography by PHIL SEARS

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Brian Barnard’s

2731 Capital Circle NE Tallahassee, FL 850.386.8689

1501 E. Jackson St. Thomasville, GA 229.226.7438

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the parking lot at Whole Foods (on Thomasville Road) is home to a magnificent osprey nest.”

St. Marks and Black Swamp are among the sites described in the Apalachee Audubon Society’s “Great Birding Spots” guidebook. A total of 63 Panhandle locations are listed, including many along Florida’s Great Birding Trail.

Most of the 514 species to be found in the Sunshine State, including birder favorites such as the the scrub jay and the roseate spoonbill, can be seen at points along the trail.

LaVia carries a book, the “National Geographic Birding List,” with him into the field, but out of habit rather than need. He knows off the top of his head the size, wingspan, colors and calls of hundreds of birds.

“The early spring in Tallahassee is a great time to hear the barred owls because they are mating. They have a very distinctive chirp or call during this time. Another favorite bird, the cerulean warbler, is truly a luminous color of blue,” enthused LaVia. LaVia coupled his birding experiences with a knack for storytelling and recounted sitting in a kayak for hours, hoping to spot an elusive Swainson’s warbler, a bird found only in remote swamps.

If you want to know how a red-cockaded woodpecker protects his nest from snakes, LaVia can tell you. “The bird drills hundreds of holes just below the nest,” he explained. “The holes seep out a pungent sap which repels the slithering invaders. They have captured video of snakes literally falling off the tree trunk when they hit the sap.”

LaVia never minds sharing his expertise with area birders and school children, even as he works toward a more complete life list. With many boxes still left unchecked, he has years of birding ahead of him, both in North America and worldwide.

When he winds down his law practice, he hopes to visit Australia, which is home to hundreds of species, such as the emu and the lyrebird, found nowhere else on earth.

And until he spots a huge harpy eagle flying over a Central American jungle in search of monkeys, LaVia will not put up his binoculars for good. TM

COURTESY U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

Swainson’s warbler

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Come visit the Tallahassee Museum’s Winter/Spring Guest Animal Exhibit featuring our six Asian small-clawed otters, the world’s smallest species of otters. treetotreeadventures.com tallahasseemuseum.org 3945 Museum Drive | (850) 575-8684 TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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CHAMPIONS

FEEDING THE NEED

The FSU Food Pantry nourishes students hungry for knowledge and food

by JOSEPH ZEBALLOS-ROIG

D

eep in the bowels of Doak Campbell Stadium is a small, windowless room ringed with shelves stocked with canned goods, cereal, pasta and baby food. In an adjacent room, a donated refrigerator keeps vegetables and other foods fresh for anyone who chooses to grab something for their lunch or dinner.

On weekdays, anywhere from four to just under two dozen needy students stream into the Florida State University Food for Thought Pantry to help themselves to its nourishing contents, one bag at a time.

As the cost of a college education continues to rise, more and more students are foregoing meals in order to make ends meet. As a result, the number of campus food pantries nationwide has exploded in recent years and now number around 400.

All 12 of the universities within the State University System of Florida now operate food pantries.

“What many colleges were finding is that there was food insecurity and students going hungry,” says Vicki Dobiyanski, the Dean of Students at FSU. “But at FSU, we’re a caring and compassionate community, and so when there’s

CHEW ON THIS

a need, we look for an opportunity to fill that need.”

The campus food pantry at FSU was established in 2009, as the recession hit.

Staffed by case managers, the pantry receives its food from donations by faculty and student organizations. To take advantage of the food pantry, students only need to fill out a form — they don’t have to prove they are in financial difficulty. And they can return as often as they need to.

In 2015, 456 students used the pantry, and those numbers were projected to increase to 600 students in 2016. Many visitors to the pantry come back more than once.

“We’re getting the word out there about the food pantry,” says Tyler Shannon, a case manager. Shannon recalled that as a room advisor at “a small, private university” around a decade ago, he saw many students go hungry in order to pay for their classes. There was no food bank to help them.

In recent months, there have been greater efforts by FSU to confront food insecurity among students. On July 1 of last year, a new, yearlong philanthropic initiative, “Round Up for FSU,” was unveiled by the FSU Office of Business

Services (OBS) to help alleviate hunger among students.

How it works: At specific campus retail locations, customers can round up their purchase to the nearest quarter to benefit the pantry. At the end of the year, a check for the total amount donated will be presented to the pantry.

According to Charles Friedrich, the Director of OBS, by Sept. 30, 2016 — the date that marked the end of the campaign’s first quarter — $9,100 was raised for the pantry.

“I had seen a program similar to this at restaurants but never in higher education,” Friedrich says. “Helping students with food insecurity seemed like a good fit for us. The program was developed, and now it’s taken a life of its own.”

The coming year brings new goals for the pantry. In addition to acquiring another refrigerator, a new garden is being created with the hope of growing vegetables for the pantry.

“The food pantry is there to make sure we’re doing everything we can to help students succeed,” Dobiyanski said.

“Students can’t succeed in the classroom or their leadership opportunities if they don’t have food. If we can be helpful where our students’ greatest need is, then we are doing our job.” TM

FSU Food for Thought Pantry is open Monday–Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is located at University Center A, Suite 4100. If you’d like to donate, please call (850) 644-2428. The donation wish list includes tuna and other canned meats, pasta, pasta sauce, macaroni and cheese, spices, rice, dried beans and peanut butter.

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COURTESY FSU FOOD FOR THOUGHT FOOD PANTRY / ERIN SYLVESTER

↖ Students select from a variety of canned goods in the FSU Food Pantry that were donated by generous faculty and organizations.

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TREND CYCLING

The world of two-wheelers is changing at a fast and furious pace — and it’s more inclusive than ever, for just about anyone!

by TISHA CREWS KELLER

↙ Don't sweat it!

The Townie Go!

by Electra is a batterypowered, pedal assisted bike that allows you to cruise breezily. This bike offers four levels of power, allowing you to choose how much work you want to put in.

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SUPER STRONG, ULTRA FLEXIBLE FRAMES 1

Traditionally, bicycles were made of steel or titanium, but these heavier, less-efficient materials have given way to aluminum and molded carbon, which make up 95 percent of the road-bike market today. Whereas aluminum/steel frames alone can weigh up to 30 pounds, carbon frames can be as light as 2 pounds.

In addition to its feather weight, carbon frames are stronger and offer a remarkable absence of vibration — which is important for longer rides and frequent use because of its fatigue-dampening effects. ››

COURTESY ELECTRA

Bicycles are part of just about every community in the world — for transportation, recreation or both. Roger Hawkes, owner of Higher Ground Bicycle Company in Tallahassee, says the area’s cycling scene is mainly recreational; but the training class is a growing segment. “As a competitive, sociable, low-impact, highlevel activity, cycling (including road riding, triathlon and offroad) has been steadily growing as an exercise trend since Lance Armstrong became a household name,” he explains. The options for cyclists today are nearly infinite and can be crafted to fit almost any budget or need. The good news is, the best innovations are now commonplace throughout manufacturers’ lines and are readily accessible via any one of Tallahassee’s boutique cycling stores.

CMS Foundation thanks those who helped make the 2016 Holiday Auction a success.

Proceeds enable our foundation to increase access to healthcare in our community through the We Care Network and provide scholarships to medical students.

Title Sponsor

Presenting Sponsors FLORIDA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

Viralkumar Bhanderi, M.D. · Paresh Patel, M.D. · Scott Tetreault, M.D.

Supporting Sponsors Carroll and Company, CPAs Dr. Walter E. Colón & Marybeth Colón Dermatology Associates Dr. and Mrs. Avon Doll First Commerce Credit Union

Grossman, Furlow & Bayó, LLC Hancock Bank Henry Buchanan, P.A. Hopping Green & Sams, P.A. MagMutual

Messer Caparello, P.A. Pathology Associates Patients First Radiology Associates of Tallahassee Raymond James & Associates

Anesthesiology Associates of Tallahassee Bean Team Big Bend Hospice Campus USA Credit Union Capital City Bank Capital Medical Society Alliance Capital Regional Medical Center

Capital Regional Surgical Associates Carr, Riggs & Ingram, CPAs Desloge Home Oxygen/Hopewell In-Home Senior Care Digestive Disease Clinic Elder Care Services, Inc.

Southern Medical Group SunTrust Tallahassee Memorial Family Medicine Residency Program Tallahassee Pulmonary Clinic

Tallahassee Primary Care Associates TMH Federal Credit Union Vascular Surgery Associates

North Florida Women’s Care Rogers, Gunter, Vaughn Insurance Jennifer Rupert, Wealth Mgmt. Advisor, Merrill Lynch Select Specialty Hospital Solutionreach Southeastern Urological Center

Southern Vitreoretinal Associates Strategic Benefits Group Tallahassee Neurological Clinic Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic The Doctors Company Trulieve Ernesto Umaña, M.D. & Lisa Umaña Waddell & Reed Financial Advisors

Event Sponsors Eye Associates of Tallahassee FMB HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Tallahassee Home Instead Senior Care NAI TALCOR Neighborhood Medical Center

In-Kind Sponsors Betsy Barfield Photography

Gandy Printers

Individual Sponsors Jonathan S. Appelbaum, M.D. Dr. & Mrs. Efren Baltazar Marilyn M. Cox, M.D. Spencer & Linda Gilleon Henry & Susan Gunter Jerry L. Harris, M.D.

Ron Hartsfield, M.D. Tracey E. Hellgren, M.D. Dr. David & Dottie Jones Lynn & Roland Jones Maribel U. Lockwood, M.D. Charles G. Long, M.D.

John & Barbara Mahoney David & Janet Miles Faisal & Nola Munasifi Dr. Manu & Nila Padalia Dr. Joe & Amy Pagano Dr. Raleigh & Gloria Rollins

Wende & Brian Sheedy David & Kathleen Smith Dr. J. Orson Smith & Eleanor H. Smith Dave & Gillian Stewart James Stockwell, M.D.

Dr. D.J. Underwood & Gayle Underwood Dr. Daniel & Patricia Van Durme Frank & Lynn Walker Dr. Mervin Wallace & Daphney Wallace

Dr. & Mrs. Kenneth Wasson Charles & Pat Williams Drs. Dennis & Barbara Williams Kathy & Richard Zorn

Item Donors Ability 1 on 1 Training Allergy & Asthma Diagnostic Treatment Center Alumni Hall AMB Investment Advisors Jonathan Appelbaum, M.D. At Home in Thomasville Ballet Arts Conservatory of Tallahassee and Company Etudes Youth Ensemble Ballet Dr. & Mrs. Efren Baltazar Keith Baxter Bedfellows Fine Linens, Gifts & Accessories Betsy Barfield Photography Big Bend Hospice Foundation Blue Abaco

Andrew H. Borom, M.D. Michael & Shannon Boyle Capital Regional Medical Center Rosalie Carlin Carrie Ann & Co., Inc. Catherine Wood Designs Chicken Salad Chick Costco Wholesale Coton Colors Dash in Thomasville Dermatology Associates of Tallahassee Karen Wendland Dix Edwin Watts Golf Elizabeth Ekk Prissy Elrod

Rosemary Evans Peter & Cecilia Loeb Raw and Redeemed Sweet Grass Dairy Cheese Shop Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic Eye Associates of Tallahassee Nancy Loeffler, M.D. Red Hills Bee Company James Stockwell, M.D. Tallahassee Plastic Surgery Clinic & Physicians’ Skin Care Clinic Fifth & Thomas Loli & the Bean Relish in Thomasville The Bookshelf in Thomasville GI Associates of Tallahassee Long’s Photography Seymour & Joan Rosen The Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Tallahassee Primary Care Associates Center, a Division of Tallahassee Ear, Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra Gynecology & Obstetrics Associates John & Barbara Mahoney Rutabaga Café Nose & Throat Tallahassee Ultimate Gaming, LLC Heartwood Forge Charles F. Manning, M.D. Select Specialty Hospital The Gem Collection Tallokas Road in Thomasville Helzberg Diamonds Mimi’s in Thomasville Signature Art Gallery The Grey Fox Theatre Tallahassee Anne Hempel Mode Boutique in Thomasville Simply Entertaining The Naumann Group Uptown Café & Catering Lucy Ho Bert & Tracy Morales Frank & Karen Skilling The Refinery Fitness, LLC Frank Walker, M.D. India Hicks My Favorite Things Diane Smith The Tallahassee Ballet Scottie & Missy Whiddon Pam Irwin Native Nurseries David & Kathleen Smith The Wine House Wild Birds Unlimited J. McLaughlin North Florida Women’s Care Southeastern Center for Infectious Tallahassee Ear, Nose & Throat Diseases, P.A. Nancy Wright, M.D. Jonah’s Fish & Grits Joe & Amy Pagano Head & Neck Surgery, P.A. Southeastern Urological Center Yellow Dog Jazz Band David & Dottie Jones Pathology Associates Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Stein Mart Dan & Rita Kaelin Publix Tallahassee Nurseries Super Suds Killearn Country Club Radiology Associates of Tallahassee

1204 Miccosukee Road, Tallahassee, FL 32308 • (850) 877-9018 • capmed.org TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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BICYCLE BOUTIQUES

BIRD LEGS BICYCLES Exclusive Trek and Specialized dealer, large selection of adventure bikes 2784 Capital Cir. NE, Tallahassee (850) 422-1075 DAMN GOOD BIKES 652 Capital Cir. NE, Tallahassee (850) 270-3266 GREAT BICYCLE SHOP 1909 Thomasville Road, Tallahassee (850) 224-7461

ELECTRONICS EVERYWHERE 2

Adding electronic components to increase efficiency is a big trend among mid-level cycling enthusiasts, according to Hawkes. Electronics have definitely infiltrated the modern bicycle, from electronic shifting via a computer that senses the sweet spot for gear change and even orchestrates it, to electric drive trains that offer pedaling assistance for commuters and recreational riders.

HYDRAULIC DISC BRAKES 3

Cycling enthusiasts know that while disc brakes became cycling technology about 20 years ago, they are standard on mountain/ off-road and road bikes, today. That’s right: Twowheeled vehicles now have brake fluid, and the innovation makes for a stronger, more

consistent braking action that doesn’t deteriorate the wheel. Especially in off-road applications, where mud is a safety issue, disc brakes are a welcome upgrade to today’s bicycles.

4

AERODYNAMICS

According to Bird Legs Bicycles’ Hank Brandes, the endless quest to reduce wind resistance has occupied race cycling for decades. The Trek Bicycle Corporation’s latest racing machine brings new technology to a whole new level, with its ultra-lowprofile components.

Integration of gearshifts (electronic), hidden cables and built-in power meters make for a sleek, deceptively simple carbon frame.

Helmet-makers are even getting into the action by exchanging vents for a smarter system that delivers more airflow with less air-resistance.

Ultra-lightweight

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designs swap bulk for contour and still offer an astounding level of impact protection.

ADVENTURE BIKES Bird Legs 5

Bicycles showcases Trek’s new line of adventure bikes — think of a cross between road and off-road bikes — that let riders get off the paved road, literally. These slightly souped-up road bikes feature a wider frame to accommodate wider tires and a relaxed body position. These changes allow riders to ride gravel, clay and grass roadways and trails.

Brandes sees this new class of bike permeating the high-end bike market and becoming available in aluminum and carbon.

COMMUTER CYCLISTS Electric 6

(or E-) Bikes are growing in popularity for commuters, because they offer

the pedaling assist for uphill routes. Utilitarian/ cargo bikes are also on the rise, offering a longer “tail” behind the seat to transport family members (children) or groceries and household goods.

More than a couple of Tallahassee families go carless, using these freight-enabled cargo bikes as their exclusive form of transportation.

OFF-ROAD/ MOUNTAIN BIKES 7

Plus-sized tires and what Brandes calls “slacker geometry” are making mountain bikes comfortable to ride and able to power through sand, mud and gravel on the off-road trails. Some mountain bike tires may actually be wider than that of a small motorcycle — up to four inches wide, in some cases — but the width doesn’t prevent riders from performing death-defying off-road shenanigans in all sorts of terrain. TM

JOE’S BICYCLE SHOP AT LAKE ELLA 1637 Monroe St., Tallahassee (850) 222-3855 UNIVERSITY CYCLES Geared toward commuters and campus riders 668 W. Gaines St., Tallahassee (850) 222-1665 Higher Ground’s Roger Hawkes is, perhaps, Tallahassee’s resident cycling guru. He considers this area to be filled with world-class cycling opportunities.

With typical bike ownership for enthusiasts tapping out at just two years, it’s probably time to begin planning your next cycling investment. Whether commuting to work, taking a long group ride or relaxing on a scenic bike trail, Tallahassee’s cycling community has a spot — and the tech — for you. For the best biking locations, visit trailahassee.com.

COURTESY TREK BIKES/JEFF KENNEL

↗ Where the pavement ends is where the Adventure Bike 2017 Trek 920 excels. The 920 is equipped to withstand whatever terrain may await off the beaten path.

HIGHER GROUND BICYCLE COMPANY Offers free, comprehensive fit consultation with every bike 1410 Market St., Tallahassee (850) 562-2453

WE SUPPLY THE VALUE. YOU TAKE ALL THE CREDIT.

Tallahassee Community College offers custom conference and event solutions to fit your budget while meeting your unique event planning needs. With first-rate support services, professional amenities and a variety of venue options, TCC is the ideal choice to host your conference, seminar, banquet, trade show or other event.

444 Appleyard Drive | (850) 201-6058 | www.tcc.fl.edu/conferences TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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↘ If you see Dr. Donald Zorn and RN Jodi Strong while at Tallahassee Memorial’s Family Medicine Residency Program, know you’re in good hands: The two have worked together for more than 30 years.

RELATIONSHIPS

HEALING TOGETHER A family doctor and nurse reveal the secrets of their 32-year working relationship

by JASON DEHART

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T

allahassee Memorial Healthcare casts a giant shadow over the tiny medical office at the corner of Centerville Road and Hodges Drive.

But it’s not big enough to eclipse the doctor and nurse team that have been treating patients here for more than 30 years, at Tallahassee Memorial’s Family Medicine Residency Program.

Actually, Dr. Donald Zorn and Jodi Strong, RN, are more than a team.

They’re more like sidekicks who get the job done but aren’t above an occasional good-natured ribbing.

“We like to make fun of each other,”

said Zorn, 66, a soft-spoken family doc originally from Georgia. “But I think it’s a way for us to kind of cut the tension. We make fun of each other, even in front of patients. I think it helps for them to see that, and I often ask a patient, ‘Do you know any good nurses I could work with?’”

Strong, 61, Zorn’s nurse manager, laughs at the running gag.

“You’ve been trying to trade me off for years. I frighten other nurses away, so you’re stuck with me,” she said with a grin.

The amiable pair has been a team photography by BRUCE PALMER

since Zorn first came to TMH back in 1984. Zorn tends to the patients’ needs while Strong works diligently to make sure everything runs smoothly with schedules, nurses and residents. She was already working for TMH and was assigned to Zorn when he started practicing there.

“My job involves keeping the old man out of trouble,” she said. “He strives to keep me busy and out of trouble.”

Joshing aside, there’s a mutual admiration at work between doctor and nurse. Zorn said Strong’s lighthearted and good-natured personality provides a welcome calm in what can, at times, be a frustrating profession.

“I’m known for my temper, and Jodi is very even-keeled,” he said in a quiet, self-deprecating manner. “So when I’m having a hard day and I get frustrated at certain aspects of the medical system and the regulatory burden that “… No doctor can seems to increase on physicians and nurses … she’s make it through able to smooth that over. the day without a She just stays positive, and good nurse, and she looks for a way out of it.

So we get through it.”

I can’t make it Strong said it’s a great through the day comfort to her that Zorn without this one.” is a knowledgeable, down— Dr. Donald Zorn, to-earth physician. She also Tallahassee Memorial’s said he has a better demeanFamily Medicine or than he gives himself Residency Program credit for.

“When you work with someone that you know is extremely knowledgeable, you don’t have to question anything because you know it’s always right,” she said. “He’s awesome to work with. He’s very human. And he’s forgiving.

“She’s an exceptional nurse,” he said. “I’ve had the opportunity to work with many wonderful nurses both here and elsewhere; but she’s very smart, works very hard — she’s very dedicated.

She’s very loyal, conscientious, and she has this sense about her that just seems so good. Everybody around her senses that too. She has such an optimistic and positive attitude toward life, and a big, caring heart … and a willingness to forgive the doctor she works with. No doctor can make it through the day without a good nurse, and I can’t make it through the day without this one.” TM

• Inpatient Rehabilitation • Outpatient Rehabilitation • Stroke Recovery • Cardiac Recovery • Pulmonary Rehab • Balance/Vestibular Rehab

• Communication/Cognitive Rehab • Prosthetic Training • LSVT Parkinson’s Program • MIST Therapy • Myofascial/Soft Tissue Mobilization • Therapy available 7x/week

Our goal is to maximize physical wellness to promote independence and healing and enhance personal dignity.

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STEAM → IN THE COMMUNITY

FULL S.T.E.A.M. AHEAD!

Curriculum combines arts and sciences by KIM HARRIS THACKER

S

cience, technology, engineering and math.

Since the 1990s, these areas of study, which are often referred to as the “STEM” subjects, have been considered by many educators to be the ideal framework for our nation’s public school curriculum.

Advocates of STEM education cite a rise in STEM-related career opportunities and high salary potential in those careers as reasons for students to focus on STEM subjects from an early age.

However, in an article for the Washington Post, Lisa Phillips wrote, “There is a significant gap between what children are told is important for their future career success and what business leaders actually want from the emerging workforce. … CEOs of some of the largest companies in the world are craving talent who can think creatively, find solutions to challenging problems, build relational capital with clients and partners, communicate effectively and adapt to a constantly changing global market.”

So how do educators in Tallahassee’s public school system teach children the skills they need to thrive in the 21st century? They teach the STEM subjects along with the arts, resulting in a new, expanded framework for education as well as a new, expanded acronym: STEAM. “Art is in everything we do,” says Ahmet

42 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

Temel, the principal of the Children at the Tallahassee School of Math Tallahassee Museum busily and Science. “We are try- construct “animal ing to prepare our students enrichments” for museum’s for life … so we encourage the fuzzy, furry and hands-on learning.” As ex- scaly occupants. amples, Temel points to the school’s garden, which is a student project, and the pallet benches that were built by the school’s third-graders.

Collaborative, hands-on work is also important to Karen Parsons, who has been an educator in Leon County since 1980. Parsons currently works as the gifted programs instructor at Killearn Lakes Elementary School.

“I’m always looking for activities that help students work together,” she says, “and I love projects that integrate multiple areas of study, which is what STEAM is all about. It’s a way of thinking — a unifying of both hemispheres of the brain.”

Parsons is not alone in believing that the STEAM subjects should be taught together.

Zoologist and journalist Steven Ross Pomeroy wrote, “Though many see art and science as somewhat at odds, the fact is that they have long existed and developed collaboratively. This synergy was embodied in great thinkers like the legendary Leonardo Da Vinci.” TM

Kristin Roberts, public relations director at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, says, “At the MagLab, we use the arts to explain our cuttingedge science every chance we get! … We turned fruits and vegetables into pianos to demonstrate circuits, debuted a “singing” magnet, and even featured a one-ofa-kind opera performance at the world’s strongest magnet in partnership the FSU Student Opera Society. … We’ve learned that sometimes, stories of science sound best when played by a symphony, and other times, framing complex research with a famous portrait is the best way to show the whole picture.”

COURTESY TALLAHASSEE MUSEUM AND NATIONAL HIGH MAGNETIC FIELD LABORATORY

EDUCATION

Natasha Hartsfield, Director of Education at the Tallahassee Museum, says, “The Museum uses the arts to teach natural science and history through a variety of means. …

Our STEAM programming tackles real world problems, like water pollution, and provides a platform in which students are able to design solutions through the use of technology, design, engineering and math.”

Visitors to the Tallahassee Science Festival, which has been held for the past five years at Lake Ella, have the opportunity to see STEAM at work. This past September, the FSU Department of Mathematics taught Science Festival guests about fractals — repeated patterns — that are found in nature.

These include pineapples, lightning, seashells and snowflakes. Nearby, Dr. Ronald Williams, a physics professor at FAMU, explained light, wavelengths and the color spectrum.

W E D R E A M O F A D AY W H E N

Every Pet is Wanted

Ending Pet Overpopulation is possible with Spay & Neuter

What's the best way to save 4,200 cats?

It’s simple. Just spay one.

One female cat and her offspring can theoretically produce 420,000 kittens in seven years. With kitten season upon us, Tallahassee will again be brimming with unwanted kittens from litters that could have been prevented. The good news is we CAN do something to prevent it.

With the help of generous people like you, Be The Solution has financed the spay and neuter surgeries of more than 18,000 pets in our community whose owners could not have afforded the procedure otherwise and it’s making a difference. Help us end the cycle of unwanted pets by donating or shopping for gently used items at The Fix Thrift Shop or donating online at BeTheSolution.us.

The Fix

THRIFT SHOP Supporting Be The Solution, Inc.

1210 Capital Circle SE, 32301 Open Tues. – Fri. 11am to 5pm & Sat. 10am – 5pm (850) 298-1129

Our Formula for Creating

LONG-TERM CHANGE $

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DONATIONS TO BTS

SALE OF ITEMS

SURGERY FUNDS

PARTNER VETS

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from Individuals, Grants & Businesses

Donated to The Fix Thrift Shop

for Supplies like Stitches and Medicine

Generously Donate Their Time

for Those Who Can’t Afford to Spay or Neuter

RESULTS: Unwanted pets don’t end up in shelters,abandoned on the streets or euthanized.

TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM March–April 2017 43 LEARN MORE OR DONATE AT: WWW.BETHESOLUTION.US

44 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

panache CITIZEN OF STYLE Mickey Moore || FOR HER Retro Fashion || WHAT’S IN STORE Retail Roundup

MAR/APR 2017

REGARDING MATTERS OF ALL THINGS STYLISH

FOR HIM

↘ The Adidas Superstar sneaker reigns supreme.

The fan favorite launched in 1969 and quickly lived up to its name as NBA players laced into the now-famous shell-toe design. These sneakers have since come off the court and into everyday wear.

RETURN OF THE CLASSICS Retro sneakers have made a comeback

COURTESY ADIDAS

by JASON DEHART

→ MEN’S ORIGINALS SUPERSTAR SHOES $80, ADIDAS.COM

TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

March–April 2017

45

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↘ Adidas Originals transform the classic Stan Smith signature tennis shoe into a limited-edition version for Arthur Ashe. The ‘Arthur Ashe x Stan Smith’ features a stenciled face of Ashe on the tongue.

The concept for the reimagined Stan Smith signature shoe was inspired by the on-court rivalry between the two electrifying players who were also friends behind the scenes.

T

he classics never go out of style.

Sneakers — the casual footwear of choice for just about everybody on the planet — have been with us in one form or another since the first “modern” canvas and rubber athletic shoe arrived on the scene around 100 years ago. Naturally, this kind of footwear has evolved dramatically since then, through the use of spaceage materials and engineering.

But over the past couple of years, there’s been a move by well-known brands to go “back to the future” with new lines of “heritage,” “original” and “reissued” sneakers.

Legendary companies like Adidas, Puma and Nike are leading the way. So, too, is Reebok, with its “Reebok Classics” line.

Meanwhile, the Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars remain an uber-iconic name brand that has been going strong for decades.

SNEAKER HISTORY

Lately, these classic lines have appealed to millennials looking to rock an “old school” look. But whatever names they go by, “retro” sneakers aren’t just some underground movement. There’s big money being made.

According to the Wall Street Journal, retro sneakers were the fastest-growing footwear sector in the United States in 2015. Sales rose more than 50 percent, and “original” styles grabbed 20 percent of the $17 million domestic shoe market.

“It is good news for Germany’s venerable Adidas AG and Puma SE, which are working to reprise their classics. Both companies have struggled to regain their disco-era cool in today’s highly competitive market, and each has seven decades of products to mine,” business reporter Ellen Emmerentze Jervell wrote last June. “Adidas says it sold eight million pairs of its Stan Smiths

↑ Converse are making a comeback in more colors and designs than ever.

last year — compared with about 50 million pairs sold in the past half-century. The company also sold 15 million pairs of Superstars in 2015, with Adidas’s signature triple stripe. Both models average about $70.” TM

The eminently comfortable and versatile footwear we call “sneakers” today have roots in the 18th century, when rubber-soled, straight-laced shoes called “plimsolls” were the “in” thing. The first true “sneaker” came along in around 1892, when Keds were invented by the U.S. Rubber Company. In 1923, an Indiana basketball player by the name of Chuck Taylor endorsed the Converse All-Stars, which were the first sneaker made for basketball players. A year later, in Germany, Adolf Dassler invented a sports shoe and named it “Adidas” after himself. Dassler’s brother, Rudolph, went on to be the founder of Puma.

46 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

EMKA74 (CONVERSE) AND ONSTANTINOSZ (KEDS) / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM AND COURTESY ADIDAS

↗ MEN’S ORIGINALS STAN SMITH SHOES FROM THE ARTHUR ASHE TRIBUTE COLLECTION, RELEASED IN LATE JANUARY, ADIDAS.COM

DARE. DISCOVER. FLY.

Explore Tallahassee Museum’s 52 acres of living history, wildlife exhibits, soaring zip lines and obstacle courses, Jim Gary’s Twentieth Century Dinosaurs, natural trails, historic buildings, animal encounters and more.

3945 Museum Drive | (850) 575-8684 treetotreeadventures.com | tallahasseemuseum.org TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

March–April 2017

47

SPECIAL PROMOTION

PUT A LITTLE SPRING IN YOUR STYLE Wherever your bags are heading for spring break and summer travels, Southern Compass Outfitters has all the essentials to fill them with fresh, sunny looks. Southern Compass Outfitters’ two locations each offer a unique approach to shopping in the Tallahassee market, guiding customers to “find their style” with classic pieces and coveted brands to create the perfect look for all your getaways ... and for the “every days” in between.

1.

TORI RICHARD, KRISTI DRESS Light and airy, this pretty

NAVIGATE FOR A GOOD CAUSE Southern Compass Outfitters is excited to debut its new charitable giving program, “Navigate for a Good Cause.” Each month, customers have the opportunity to “navigate” a nominal donation ($1, $5 or $10) to the designated deserving charity and participate in a Share Day with a percentage of net proceeds benefitting the nonprofit organization. In the first months of 2017, Southern Compass Outfitters customers have shared a little smile with organizations like Boys Town North Florida, Gamma Phi Beta’s philanthropy Girls on the Run of the Big Bend and Tree House of Tallahassee. Let us help you “navigate” a donation in our stores today!

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dress is sure to turn heads. Perfect for a tropical vacation, slip into this dress for a night out. ($140)

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Perfect for running errands or spending a day at the beach, these polarized, reflective lenses will keep your eyes shielded from the bright sun. ($30)

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No break in time needed with these beach ready flip flops featuring a cushioned footbed. Slip on a pair and get ready for a day on the boat or a stroll down the beach. ($65) 3

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new go-to tee! Slip on one of our favorite T-shirts made of 100% ring spun cotton for that super soft lived-in feel. ($35)

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48 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

COURTESY OF SOUTHERN COMPASS OUTFITTERS

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March–April 2017

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panache PERFECTLY POLISHED

➺ Mickey Moore perches on a couch at the DoubleTree by Hilton, reflecting on style, running and a quality haircut.

CITIZEN OF STYLE

Mickey Moore

‘It feels good to be well put together.’

by MARINA BROWN

M

ickey Moore was ready for me when I arrived at his office to talk with him about his sense of style and his tips for gentlemanly grooming. That is, he was impeccably dressed — albeit for a costume party. He wore pressed jeans, a perfectly tied bandana and a white 10-gallon hat, just like Roy Rogers, the “King of the Cowboys,” wore.

But on regular days when Moore, as president of the Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Foundation, meets with donors, administrators and other fundraising professionals, he reverts to tested and true classics that enhance his flawless physique.

“I’m a runner,” he says. “I do between 40 and 60 miles a week and have competed in elite marathons, like Boston and New York.” He enjoys, then, a certain body confidence, which is enhanced when he slips into one of his Tommy Hilfiger or Calvin Klein suits and combines it with his preferred shirt style — “crisp and white.” He completes his look with a polished pair of Joseph Abboud or Steve Madden shoes and, frequently, a pairs of cufflinks.

Moore says it feels good to be “well put together.”

He hasn’t always had the luxury of dressing in high-end attire. He was raised by a single mother, and there were times when even basic necessities were unaffordable. What little clothing Moore had was purely functional, not fashionable.

Moore attended junior college and went on to graduate from Florida State University. It was then that a mentoring couple bought him his first suit. “They actually helped me understand the importance of choosing the right colors and fabric, and that clothing can say something about who you are.”

While Moore, now father to a toddler, admits that he’s most comfortable in soft T-shirts with superhero logos, he also owns two tuxedos — one by Vera Wang — for galas and formal affairs. For the office, his go-to suit is a “bluish, tightly tailored look” (another reason he likes to keep fit), and he favors “neckties that pop” — especially a favorite pink.

“I represent the Foundation, its donors and employees,” Moore says. “When they see me, I want them to think of integrity and attention to detail. Clothes and grooming can articulate that with every encounter.” TM

50 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

photography by KEVIN HUBBARD

PHOTOS BY SZEFEI (SCISSORS), MARGOUILLAT PHOTO (BEER), LEV RADIN (JETER) / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM AND COURTESY CLINIQUE, CALVIN KLEIN AND CHANEL

COIFFURES AND COLOGNES Mickey Moore knows that clothes alone can’t make the man.

“My biggest splurge is on haircuts,” he says.

Running his fingers through his thick, black hair, Moore says he goes to Heather Wightman at Dream State Hair Salon. “Well, it’s a haircut, yes, but you can also drink a glass of beer + and get your head massaged.”

Moore acknowledges that it feels good when other guys compliment you, adding that “as Derek Jeter says, ‘There’s always somebody watching.’”

For Moore, a hint of aftershave or cologne may be the final touch before walking out of the house. “Guys, too, share information,” he says, laughing. A college roommate suggested Moore use Clinique products at the first sign of crow’s feet and to pamper a freshly shaved chin.

Now, Moore’s motherin-law ? buys him a cologne that he likes, but whose name he can’t remember. Seems he doesn’t have to.

TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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

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RETRO FASHION DOESN’T STOP WITH YOUR CLOTHES Winged eyeliner makes us all look like cats. Just ask a 1970s Barbara Streisand.

And although lip color has seen every shade imaginable — including nude — engine-red lipstick has carried us through, from the ’50s ’til today.

RETRO FASHIONS RESURGE Keeping up with yesteryear is today’s trend

L

ucky you, if you’re a “clothes saver” — the kind who just can’t bear to throw a nice piece out. Better still if you wear the size you did 20, 30 or even 40 years ago — and, of course, still have the chutzpah to wear the clothing you wore at that time.

But for most of us, the fashion crazes of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s — the ones that are reemerging as fresh and even haute couture — are delightfully novel and filled with fun.

Lauren Wallace from Cole Couture says that flared pants and bellbottoms have returned! Skipping generations from Ginger Rogers in the ’30s to Ali McGraw in the ’70s and now to us, the typically highwaisted legwear is a playful respite from tight leggings or summer short-shorts. “You can have them in denim or flowing crepe … a flowerchild look or something glamorous,”

says Wallace. And they pair with equally voluminous tops.

At Pink Narcissus, Rigell Toole sees plenty of wide-sleeved tops in soft prints in fabric that flows.

Whether a “cold shoulder,” offthe-shoulder or one-shouldered style, the look that captured a late ’60s-’70s generation who rocked at Woodstock and protested war is back.

And don’t forget the fringes, says Andra Vilcia of Chicos. Fringes on vests, fringes on skirts, fringes on shoes and purses … Let’s face it, fringes are everywhere. Whether on boots or sandals, wrapping an ankle strap or trailing off your heel like the mane on a pony, fringes on shoes are funky and give a serious dress a little kick. And you don’t have to be a flamenco dancer to wrap yourself in a fringed shawl or scarf. Even the act of donning a fringed accessory can become a

52 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

by MARINA BROWN

dramatic flourish that will leave the room smiling.

And while real fur was “in” during the spendthrift ’80s and ’90s, today’s fur comeback is about nature’s preservation, with due homage to the beauty of the pelt.

There are faux and, occasionally, natural fur shrugs, shawls, vests and scarves aplenty. Just don’t expect to see them in colors a woodland fox would wear. Hot pinks, azure blues and gemstone purples look funky and a little daring. Fur is a conversation piece — maybe something to hand down to the next generation.

So revisit those dusty clothes bags. If you find a baggy shift in a psychedelic print, a strappy metallic gown for evenings, a pair of boho pants or some plastic neon jewelry to wrap around half your arm, you’re set for the season — and maybe for another season 20 years hence. TM

Welcoming back Audrey Hepburn’s “swan” brows and Brooke Shield’s “bears,” the full brow has once again replaced the thin brow. Don a pair of what could be called “Buddy Holly glasses,” which seem to be all the rage, and your retro transformation is complete.

From Grace Kelly’s beehives to Mia Farrow’s pixie cut, and from Farrah Fawcett’s layered locks to the not-so-long-ago messy topknots, what was old in hairstyles works today. After all, who hasn’t wanted to put a little ’70s pink or blue streak in their hair? Do it now, and you’re right on trend!

SYDA PRODUCTIONS (GIRL), LEVSKAYAART (EYE BROW0 AND ANNAKU (LIPSTICKS) / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

FOR HER

ALL THE THINGS THAT MAKE A HOUSE A HOME MAKE US MORE THAN A STORE...

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Ralene Panel Bed OPENED

PONDERING PONDEROSA Now located on Thomasville Road, PONDEROSA JUNCTION, a home-furnishing and décor store, specializes in letting the customer completely visualize their decorating space. The hands-on technology allows you to browse thousands of furniture and home décor options via tablet. Select the styles that fit your space and place them in a virtual model that resembles your home. From there you can buy the items in-store.

This experience is simply unique and unparalleled in the area. Owner Alicia Cartwright points to four different styles that are trending right now: boho haven, Hollywood glitz, urban foundry and pastoral charm.

Cartwright selected four distinct pieces that represent each style.

The Clayco Bay Table is the epitome of boho haven, with two-tone black and brown finishes and a farmhouse top. Hollywood glitz is characterized through Ponderosa Junction’s Coralayne cocktail table, which embraces metallic finishes and a tempered glass top. The merging textiles on the Ralene Panel Bed creates the perfect urban foundry atmosphere. And, pastoral charm is present in the Bolanburg display cabinets and Alazne Rug.

A roundup of retail happenings throughout Tallahassee

by ALEXANDRA PUSHKIN

Any fashionista knows that Cole Couture is a staple to Tallahassee closets. Owner Carrie McNeill announced the opening of elle | market {a curated boutique}, which will embody sophisticated, staple styles for both women and men that are lasting and on-trend.

You’ll find only the best lines of tees, tops, dresses, blazers, indulgences (silk pajamas and scented candles) and jewelry box temptations all while sipping on a glass of wine or champagne.

McNeill is especially ecstatic about the denim bar, which will offer an extensive menu of jeans. The buying team is currently shopping to perfect the spring collection while counting down the days until their grand opening on April 1 in Market Plaza.

54 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

LOCAL STYLE

SOUTHERN COMPASS OUTFITTERS is carrying a

new local line which is proving to be a top seller in large part because of those regional roots. The beauty of the Red Hills region inspired Red Hills Clothing Co, which is right here in Tallahassee’s backyard.

Their mission is to promote and preserve this beautiful region for many years to come. With every item they sell, a portion of the sale is donated to Tall Timbers Research Station, which supports ecosystem research and habitat preservation. The T-shirts and hats portray images of the region, such as quails, hunting scenes and local trees.

COURTESY COLE COUTURE, PONDEROSA JUNCTION AND SOUTHERN COMPASS OUTFITTERS

 WHAT’S IN STORE?

SUIT UP

The spring-weather suits at NIC’S TOGGERY showcase two major trends: a new shade of blue and the continuation of the modern, slim fit. “The younger the customer, the trimmer the fit,” says co-owner Victor Gavalas. “For those not as young or trim, you want the same look, but with more comfort.” Under the jacket, dress shirts are seeing some slight changes. “White always dominates in solids,” Gavalas says, but other soft shades of blue, fuchsia, light green and gray are coming into the spotlight.

Check dominates the pattern trend, but stripes are making their comeback.

SPRING F O RWA RD

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3 Locations to Serve you Timberlane Road • 850.893.4687 E. Lafayette Street • 850.877.4687 Miccosukee Road • 850.701.2540

SPRING is in sight.

Brighten up your home with Happy Everything! ™ Visit the Coton Colors Tallahassee Flagship Store for all your celebrating needs.

1355 Market Street | (850) 668-0149 | coton-colors.com P E R S O N A L I Z E D G I F T S | TA B L E TO P | B R I D A L R E G I S T RY H O M E | C O L L E G I AT E | O R N A M E N T S

WREATHS

TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

March–April 2017

55

Friday Craft Beer & Spirits Jam • 6pm–9pm Saturday VIP Tasting • 11am–1pm Saturday and Sunday Grand Tastings • 1pm–5pm

APRIL 27–30, 2017 Town Center of Grand Boulevard at Sandestin® Miramar Beach, FL

A dazzling roster of dozens of celebrity winemakers, distillers, chefs, brew masters and entertainers converge in South Walton, Florida to wine, dine, educate and entertain guests as part of the four-day celebration of wine during the 2017 South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival.

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Attendees enjoy such attractions as Spirits Row, Champagne Lane Tastings,, Savor South Walton Culinary Village, Nosh Pavilions, Tasting Seminars, Craft Beer & Spirits Jam, live entertainment and more than 800 wines poured by knowledgeable wine industry insiders.

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56 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

gastro&gusto DINING OUT Hilltop Country Store || LIBATIONS A Taste of Juniper || DINING GUIDE See Page 67

MAR/APR 2017

FROM THE SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE TO THE PIÈCE DE RÉSISTANCE

↘

Spring has sprung, producing a crop of bountiful vegetables and glorious greenery.

HOME COOKIN’

GARDEN TO TABLE Savor the magic of spring salad season

by AUDREY POST

photography by JAMES STEFIUK

TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

March–April 2017

57

gastro & gusto RECIPE

← Tuna

Over Arugula Susan Steuby Gray is

chef and manager at Indigo Bistro, which specializes in salads, soups and sandwiches using local, seasonal and organic ingredients. Her recipe for Blackened Wild-Caught Ahi Tuna over Arugula Salad is flexible enough for cooks to adapt to their own taste preferences.

INGREDIENTS ild-caught ➸w

Ahi tuna

➸o rganic arugula

W

58 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

magical window when traditional spring vegetables ripen. Fresh green peas, which my grandparents called “English peas,” snow peas, asparagus and kohlrabi are wonderful additions to the spring salad bowl. My mom used to make a salad with iceberg lettuce, asparagus, peas and sliced boiled eggs. A creamy dressing loaded with fresh dill, an herb that does better in cool weather than warm, is a great complement.

Broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, particularly if sliced or shaved thinly, offer both color and texture variety. Throw in some cool-weather edible blossoms, such as nasturtiums or violas, and you have a salad fit for the pages of a glossy cooking magazine. A word of caution: Make sure your flowers are edible, because not all flowers are, and that they haven’t been sprayed with pesticides.

Most restaurants offer seasonal salads, and eateries that emphasize a “farm to fork” or “farm to table” menu particularly appreciate Spring Salad Season.

The menu is determined by what’s available, and creativity reigns. Just like the chefs, you don’t have to limit yourself strictly to what is seasonal; a cucumber, tomato or sweet red pepper can enhance a spring salad. The point is to let the spring crop take center stage and use the freshest ingredients you can find. If your idea of green peas comes from the “push-around peas” of a rubber-chicken banquet, prepare to be amazed and delighted when you use fresh ones. TM

DIRECTIONS

Assemble the salad, using the ingredients listed in the proportion you like. Chop or slice the vegetables, your preference. You can also add other seasonal vegetables.

Sear the tuna over high heat quickly to seal in the juices; let it rest a few minutes before slicing and placing over the salad. Dress with a red wine vinaigrette that you have infused with lemon.



e are fortunate to live in an area where fresh, locally grown vegetables are available year-round. Farmers’ and growers’ outdoor markets provide beautiful, bountiful displays of produce. The number of specialty grocers and food co-ops in the region continues to grow, and mainstream grocery stores have responded to customer demand with more organic produce and locally grown food. Certainly, foods that come out of nearby ground will be fresher and tastier when they land on your plate.

In addition, there are plenty among us who maintain a little patch of vegetables in the back yard — or in my case, the side yard, which faces south. In the summer, it is home to those vegetables that can take the North Florida heat and afternoon downpours: sweet and hot peppers, eggplants and a few cherry tomatoes. But from fall to spring, it’s my salad garden. Lettuces, ranging in color from pale green to dark green to red-fringed bronze; arugula and Asian salad greens in a variety of leaf textures and colors; spinach, kale, and cabbage; radishes, carrots and green onions. It’s a gorgeous palette that can sometimes seem almost too pretty to disturb — almost. Snip a few leaves for your dinner and new ones will grow in their place, providing a steady supply of salad ingredients until the heat of late spring causes these cool-weather stalwarts to set seed and the leaves become bitter.

Before that happens, though, there’s an almost

(she gets it from Strawberry Moon Farm in Monticello) ➸b acon crumbles ➸ avocado ➸ c ucumber ➸ r ed onion ➸ tomato ➸ s unflower seeds ➸ feta cheese crumbles

Located at 1690 Raymond Diehl Road, near Blue Abaco, Indigo Bistro is open for lunch MondayFriday and for breakfast and lunch on Saturday.

photography by JAMES STEFIUK

S e r v in g B re ak fa s t, Br unch & Lu n c h

The Egg Cafe & Eatery 3740 Austin Davis Ave. T – Sun 7 am – 2 pm (850) 765-0703 The Egg Express (R.A. Gray Building) 500 South Bronough, Room G-22 M - F 7:30 am - 3 pm | Sat 10 am - 3 pm (850) 907-EGGS (3447) Lite Breakfast Fare

Great Food Great Friends g Warm & Invitin Atmosphere Upscale Tastes ices at Affordable Pr

Scotty, the best bestie.

One day Scotty called to say, “I’ve been your best friend since kindergarten and you never named a salad after me. Well, you’re going to now and it’s going to have all the things I love. And you can call it Sassy Scotty.”

Only a best friend could do that!

Buy Fresh · Buy Wild

BUY SOUTHERN

BEST SEAFOOD MARKET

1415 Timberlane Road in Market Square 850.893.7301 southernseafoodmarket.com

Sassy Scotty, unapologetically bold.

A zesty blend of ranch, bacon, & shredded cheddar cheese, because Scotty loves these things best. And so will you.

Every chick has a story.

1496 Apalachee Pkwy Phone: (850) 402-0653

1410 Market Street Phone: (850) 894-2502

TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

March–April 2017

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gastro & gusto

DINING OUT

Hilltop Country Store Home cookin’ well worth the drive; it’s all good

by KIM HARRIS THACKER

60 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM



W

hen we were kids, my little sister and I loved to bike to Waltons’ General Store. In Smoot, Wyoming (population 100), Waltons’ was the place to buy everything you needed if you couldn’t make the trek to the big city of Afton (pop. 6,000). The Walton family sold everything from canned goods to barn boots, and they even ran a post office in one corner of the store.

But my sister and I went there for the penny candies.

I’m sure Mrs. Walton groaned every time she saw us skid into the parking lot. It was her fault, though. It all started when I brought a quarter into the store and attempted to buy 25 candies at once, only to be charged 26 cents. Mrs. Walton saw the expression on my face, rolled back her crisp, white sleeves and divvied up my candies into five piles of five. Then she told me to buy one pile at a time. She was like a magician: Now you see the tax; now you don’t.

I get a little nostalgic about old-fashioned general stores, which is why, when I stepped into Hilltop Country Store, tears immediately sprang into my eyes. But one deep whiff of the place knocked the sentimental silliness right out of me.

Where Waltons’ General Store always was given to the warm aromas of chocolate and horse manure (there was ››

HILLTOP COUNTRY STORE

14807 Mahan Drive

Tallahassee (850) 906-0752

HOURS OF OPERATION: Mon–Wed: 11 am–3 pm Thurs–Sun: 11 am–8 pm The kitchen closes at 7:30 pm.

Serving hot sandwiches and burgers, cold delistyle sandwiches, salads, full dinners, plenty of side dishes, and chicken wings, tenders, livers and gizzards. Portions are generous and a kids’ menu is available.

↑ Don Roberts walks to his car with dinner as dusk falls on Hilltop Country Store; Nina Atkinson, who began working for Hilltop’s previous owners in 2011, finishes making a club sandwich with lots of fresh ingredients for a customer. photography by PHIL SEARS

Gadsden Arts Center & Museum • January 13–March 25, 2017

13 N. Madison Street, Quincy / (850) 875-4866 / www.gadsdenarts.org

Presented by Bell & Bates Home Center • FSU College of Medicine Calynne and Lou Hill • Su and Steve Ecenia Anne Jolley Thomas and Lyle McAlister The Pettit Family Fund • Stacy Rehberg Photography

Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.

Funding for this program was provided through a grant from the Florida Humanities Council with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this (publication) (program) (exhibition) (website) do not necessarily represent those of the Florida Humanities Council or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

March–April 2017

Background image: Jimmy Sudduth, untitled; left to right: O.L. Samuels, Ruby; Purvis Young, untitled; Arthur Dial, untitled

Come experience Vernacular Art - increasingly recognized as some of the most uniquely American Contemporary Art to emerge from the 20th Century. Vernacular Art is emotionally charged and expressive, created in relative isolation in economically depressed rural and urban communities in the American South. The artists who made it were so driven to express themselves in visual form that they worked with whatever they had at hand, castoff objects and materials found around them that others considered trash.

Galleries are open Tuesdays–Saturdays 10am–4pm. Call (850) 627-5023 to schedule a guided tour for your group. A self-guided audio tour and exhibition catalog are also available.

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gastro & gusto

a horse pasture next door), Hilltop Country Store smells like Philly cheese steaks and deep-fried chicken tenders.

Yes, Hilltop has all of the wonderful characteristics of an old-fashioned general store — they carry locally made hot sauces, Tupelo honey and plenty of candy — but they are most famous for their mouth-watering lunch fare.

Eric and Misty Brown have been fans of Hilltop cookin’ for years. They are such fans, in fact, that when they purchased the store and café from the previous owners four years ago, they kept everything the same.

“It was a good business when (the previous owners) were running it, and we didn’t think anything needed to be changed,” Eric said. “We did add some of our own things to the menu, but everything else is pretty much exactly the ways it’s always been.”

Hilltop has been in business since 1997, and many of the hungry diners who go there on a regular basis have been doing so since it first opened its doors. Carolyn and Travis Collins, for example.

62 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

“We’ve been eating here four to five times a week since it was opened by the first owners,” Carolyn said. “My favorite is the ham and cheese.”

“I like it all,” Travis said. “I get the chicken tenders, mostly; but it’s all good.”

“And they’re good people, too,” Carolyn said. “After Hurricane Hermine hit, this was the only place within 10 miles where you could come for hot food.

They slept up here at night and kept generators running so folks could get something to eat.”

Mary Graddick and her friend, Tammy Harrison, have been coming to Hilltop every Tuesday for the past two years. “They have the best Cubans ever,” said Graddick. “I call them, and I say, ‘This is Mary,’ and they say, ‘Your usual?’ They get to know you, here.”

Harrison agreed. “This place is a hidden gem.”

“You can tell the regulars from those who haven’t been here before,” Graddick added. “We call in our food, and then we come in the back door to pick it up. People who don’t know this place go

↑ Customers Carolyn and Travis Collins, Marilyn Dickey, Tanyiah Ealey, 9, and Lenora Randolph willingly wait the few minutes it takes for their lunches to come up; co-owner Misty Brown takes customers’ orders; Customer favorites at Hilltop include the cherry cheesecake, chocolate cream pie and Cuban sandwich.

in the front door, and then they stand in line, because it’s always busy here.”

It was good to see how busy an old-fashioned general store can be, because, unfortunately, stores like Hilltop are becoming a thing of the past. In my hometown, Waltons’ is now a computer parts store — which is about as far from what it used to be as a store can get. So it brings me an inordinate amount of pleasure to know that there are still places where I can buy anything from canned goods to barn boots — and, of course, penny candies.

I’m willing to bet that the Browns would let a kid and her little sister buy their sweets five at a time to avoid sales tax, too. TM photography by PHIL SEARS

2017 | TALLAHASSEE TENNIS CHALLENGER USTA Pro Circuit Wild Card Challenge

SEE A TENNIS RACQUET HELP SAVE A LIFE See professional tennis up close and personal as players ranked in the top 200s in the world compete for the $75,000 purse and ATP points. Benefiting Tallahassee Memorial, the 18th Annual Tallahassee Tennis Challenger sponsorships will directly enhance patient care at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH)—Vogter Neuro Intensive Care Unit and home to the region’s only Comprehensive Stroke Center.

TALLAHASSEECHALLENGER.COM

April 22 – 29, 2017 Forestmeadows Tennis Center, 4750 North Meridian Rd. For a complete schedule of events, please visit tallahasseechallenger.com

PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK

The mission of Lighthouse of the Big Bend is to enhance the lives of individuals who live with vision loss in the Big Bend area through direct services, community engagement, and education.

(850) 942-3625 lighthousebigbend.org 3071 Highland Oaks Terrace, Tallahassee TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

March–April 2017

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gastro & gusto

Gin and Tonic

A Gin and Tonic is a highball cocktail made with gin and tonic water poured over ice. It is usually garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. The amount of gin varies according to taste.

Suggested ratios of gin to tonic are between 1:1 and 1:3.

INGREDIENTS ➺ 1 part gin ➺ 3 parts tonic water PREPARATION

A TASTE OF JUNIPER The piney, citrusy taste of gin has lightened the mood for generations by JASON DEHART

G

in, a common cocktail staple for generations, has a rich and complex history. It started out in 17th century Holland as a medicinal brew sold by apothecaries as a remedy for stomach problems. Juniper, a type of botanical or flavoring ingredient, was added to make its taste more agreeable to the user.

It was used to warm the gullet and calm the nerves of Dutch and English soldiers across the battlefields of central Europe during the Thirty Years’ War, grew in popularity and refinement in Britain in the 18th century and crossed the oceans on the fabled Cunard ships.

Today, there are more brands and types of gin than you can shake a swizzle stick at.

Essentially, gin is a clear, alcoholic spirit

64 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

distilled from grain or malt and flavored with juniper berries. According to Cocktail Times, gin “can be described as a flavored vodka.” The word “gin” itself is said to come from “genever,” an old English word derived from the Latin juniperus. Juniper is the dominant aroma common to all gin products, but other flavoring agents include orange peel, lemon peel, nutmeg, coriander, cinnamon and others. According to Ginvodka.org, high-end gin will contain between six and 10 botanicals.

Eater.com says that the most popular gin styles are London Dry, Plymouth, New Wave, Navy Strength, Genever, Old Tom, flavored gin and grape-based gin. TM

In a glass filled with ice cubes, add gin and tonic.

SERVED On the rocks; poured over ice STANDARD GARNISH

A slice or wedge of lime DRINKWARE Rocks or

highball glass

The Martini INGREDIENTS ➺ 1 ½ ounce gin ounce dry ➺½

vermouth

➺ 1 dash orange bitters DIRECTIONS

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass. Add ice and stir until cold. Strain into a chilled martini glass.

Garnish with a lemon twist or green olive.

Recipes courtesy of The Museum of the American Cocktail

IGOR NORMANN / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

LIBATIONS

AMERIS BANK

With You

Our commercial bankers are committed to helping Tallahassee businesses grow and have the expertise to support businesses of all sizes and industries.

We look forward to building our long-lasting relationship with you.

amerisbank.com

A lending team committed to your success, left to right: front row Erin Sjostrom, Vicky Shetty, Jessica Tryon, Robert Vice. Back row Steven Lohbeck, Ryan Wolfkill, Tom Stitely, Michael Brown.

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March–April 2017

65

ni ldo e o G n rlo m Co a C By by To ed apt d A

MEDIA SPONSORS

The Lab Theatre March 31 - April 9 850.644.6500 | tickets.fsu.edu

Big Bend Hospice and Tallahassee Nurseries invite you to a lovely moonlit evening

MAY 18, 2017 • 7:00 - 9:30PM • TALLAHASSEE NURSERIES

all proceeds benefit

Tickets $125 Call 850-878-5310 or visit www.bigbendhospice.org for more information 66 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

dining guide AMERICAN

Fri-Sat 5-10 pm, Sun Closed. 320 E. Tennessee St. (850) 513-1100. $$$ D

DOG ET AL ★

AVENUE EAT & DRINK

This downtown restaurant offers a melting pot of flavors fresh from the South, served in scrumptious dining presentations. Sunday brunch is a not-to-be-missed treat. Mon-Fri 11 am-10 pm, Sat 9:30 am-10 pm, Sun 9:30 am-9 pm. 115 E. Park Ave. (850) 224-0115. $$$ B L D

ANDREW’S CAPITAL GRILL AND BAR

For the ultimate in comfort food, Dog Et Al offers hand-held deliciousness for the “down to earth” and “uppity” dogs in us all. Foot-long and veggie entrees alike grace this award-winning menu. If the entire family is down for the dog, be sure to ask about their incredibly valued family packs. Mon-Fri 10 am-7 pm, Sat

10 am-6 pm, Sun Closed. 1456 S. Monroe St. (850) 222-4099. $ L D

THE EDISON

After 40 years, Andrew’s is still an energetic, casual, see-and-be-seen spot.

House favorites include a popular lunch buffet, hamburgers, sandwiches, salads and pasta dishes. Downtown delivery.

Mon-Thurs 11:30 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat 11:30 am-11 pm, Sun 10:30 am-9 pm.

228 S. Adams St. (850) 222-3444/Fax, (850) 222-2433. $$ B L D

A Tallahassee relaxed fine dining establishment, The Edison is so much more than just a pretty face. Equipped with a beer garden, wine cellar, casual café, open-air alternatives and a gorgeous view, this historic building and restaurant has quickly become a Tallahassee favorite.

BURGERFI

$$/$$$

BurgerFi uses all-natural, free-range beef and is dedicated to sustainable practices.

Tallahassee Magazine’s Best of 2015 winner among hamburger joints, their menu is packed full of tasty, savory and creative hamburger and hotdog creations as well as fresh-cut french fries and gigantic onion rings. Vegetarian options, frozen custard,

Mon-Thurs 11 am-11 pm, Fri 11 ammidnight, Sat 10 am-midnight, Sun 10 am11 pm. 470 Suwannee St. (850) 684-2117.

FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD ★

beer and wine are also available. SunThurs 11 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-11 pm.

1817 Thomasville Road, #7. (850) 629‑4333. $L D

The name says it all! This restaurant boasts a palate-pleasing combination of personalized service, eclectic ambiance and award-winning cuisine and is the Best Desserts winner for 2016.

Tues-Thurs 11 am-2:30 pm, 5:30-9 pm; Fri-Sat 11 am-2:30 pm, 5:30-9:30 pm; Sun 10 am-2:30 pm, 5:30-9 pm. 1950 Thomasville Rd. (850) 224-9974. $$ L D

CHICKEN SALAD CHICK

HOPKINS’ EATERY ★

Chicken Salad Chick exceeds expectations with 15 different chicken salads to choose from, served in a bright setting. There are also deli sandwiches, side items and soups, and a cookie of the day. Multiple locations.

Hours vary. (850) 894-2502. $$ L D

CHRISTOFF’S BISTRO & WINE BAR Christoff’s Southern-influenced menu changes regularly, but it always offers locally sourced items. This warm and uniquely decorated bistro is reminiscent of times when food was fresh, local and simply creative. Christoff’s offers suggestions for food and wine pairings and has a large and unique wine list, with drinks by the glass and bottle. They also serve draft beer. Come check out the market district’s newest bistro and wine bar. Tue-Thurs 5-10 pm, Fri-Sat

5 pm-midnight, Sun-Mon Closed.

1460 Market St. (850) 222-9914. $$ D

CYPRESS RESTAURANT ★

To make a special evening a cut above the rest, bring the celebration to Cypress. Known for its sophisticated take on Southern cuisine, this restaurant won readers’ votes in 2014, 2015 and 2016 as Best Celebration/ Special Occasion and Best Fine Dining restaurant. Mon-Thurs 5-9:30 pm,

Hopkins’, a Best of 2016 winner, provides more than just your average sandwich. Favorites such as the Ultimate Turkey and the Linda Special and a variety of salad meals keep customers coming back for more. And the food is healthy, too! Multiple locations. Hours vary. hopkinseatery.com $ L

ISLAND WING COMPANY

Get baked! Island Wing Company won’t serve you up greasy, fried wings; instead, they bake them and prepare them fresh. They don’t stop at wings, either: Try the mac ‘n cheese, burgers and tacos paired with a cold beer.

Mon-Thurs 11 am-12 am, Fri-Sat 11 am-2 am, Sun 11 am-12 am. 1370 Market St. (850) 692-3116. $/$$ L D

JUICY BLUE

Located in the Four Points by Sheraton Downtown, this cool lobby restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Unique dishes include tapas with a twist, such as the Georgia peaches with caramel. Sandwiches, salads and a nice variety of seafood, pasta and chicken dishes round out the menu. Mon-Fri 7 am-11 pm, Sat-Sun 7 am-midnight.

316 W. Tennessee St. (850) 422-0071.

$B L D

HOME OF THE

THE KEY

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

★2016 Best

B Breakfast/

of Tallahassee Winner

Brunch

L Lunch D Dinner

Outdoor Dining Live Music Bar/Lounge $ Inexpensive

$$ Moderately

Expensive

$$$ Expensive

Killearn Shopping Center • Ocala Corners WWW.KIKUFUSION.COM TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

March–April 2017

67

THE BEST LITTLE STEAKHOUSE IN TALLAHASSEE

KOOL BEANZ ★

Eclectic and edgy, both in menu and atmosphere, Kool Beanz delights in art present both on the walls and your plates.

This offbeat alternative won Best Casual Dining in Tallahassee. Dinner Mon-Sat 5:30-10 pm, Lunch Mon-Fri 11 am-2:30 pm, Brunch Sun 10:30 am2 pm. 921 Thomasville Rd. (850) 224-2466.

$$ L D

MADISON SOCIAL ★

PAISLEY CAFÉ

SIAM SUSHI

Sage’s menu masterfully melds regional influences, including Southern and French. The setting is gorgeous but cozy, and the outdoor patio sets a charming, romantic tone for a relaxed evening. Mon Closed; Tues-Sat 11 am3 pm, 6-10 pm; Sun 11 am-2:30 pm.

3534 Maclay Blvd. (850) 270-9396.

$$$ B L D

VERTIGO BURGERS AND FRIES ★

Vertigo is home to some of the juiciest, funkiest burgers in town. The modern building provides a no-frills setting to enjoy such favorites as the Vertigo Burger — a beef patty served with a fried egg, applewood bacon, grilled jalapeños, sharp cheddar and Vertigo sauce. Mon-Sat 11 am-9 pm, Sun

11 am-6 pm. 1395 E. Lafayette St. (850) 878‑2020. $$ L D

THE WINE HOUSE

Dedicated to providing the best selection of wines and craft beers, the knowledgeable Wine House staff serves by the glass, allowing you to sample before you purchase in the retail outlet. The loft bar is tastefully decorated and available for events. Mon-Sat 10 am-7 pm. 1355 Market St. #A1. (850) 893-2254. $$

THE WINE LOFT WINE BAR ★

Chosen as a Best of winner in 2016, Midtown’s Wine Loft offers a superb wine list, creative cocktails, quality beer and tasty tapas. Mon-Thurs 5 pm-2 am,

Fri-Sat 4 pm-2 am, Sun Closed. 1240 Thomasville Rd., #100. (850) 222-9914. $$ D

ASIAN JASMINE CAFÉ

F

MARIE LIVINGSTON’S STEAK HOUSE

2705 Apalachee Parkway | Tallahassee, FL (850) 270-9506

68 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

OSAKA JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE AND SUSHI BAR ★

Rated Best Hibachi for 2016, Osaka provides dinner and a show, with the chefs seasoning and preparing your meal right in front of you. It’s a meal that’s sure to leave you satisfied as well as entertained. Sun-Thurs 11 am-10:15 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-10:45 pm.

1690 Raymond Diehl Rd. (850) 531-0222.

SAGE RESTAURANT

Our steaks are not only the best in Tallahassee, but USDA choice Midwestern corn-fed beef, specially selected, aged to our specifications and cut daily. We also serve fresh jumbo shrimp and fish — grilled, blackened or fried.

So please join us for lunch and dinner or just meet up for drinks at our fully stocked bar.

In 2016, Masa earned the title of Best Asian in town — and with good reason.

Their menu offers a creative blend of Eastern and Western cuisines. Mon-Fri 11 am-3 pm, 4:30-9:30 pm; Sat-Sun 12-3 pm, 4:30-9:30 pm. 1001 N. Monroe St. (850) 847-0003. $/$$ L D

Whether it’s for a social cocktail, a quick lunch or a place for alumni to gather before home football games, Madison Social offers something for everyone. Madison Social earned Best Happy Hour honors in 2016. Mon-Fri 11:30 am-2 am, Sat-Sun 10 am-2 am.

College Town, 705 S. Woodward Ave. (850) 894‑6276. $$ L D Guilt-free lunch has never been easier now that Paisley serves up food fresh from the bakery and a garden full of wholesome treats. Mon-Fri 11 am-3 pm, Sat-Sun 10 am-3 pm. 1123 Thomasville Rd. (850) 385‑7268. $$ L

Join us for lunch and dinner at our beautiful location on Apalachee Parkway.

MASA ★

In the heart of downtown, you can enjoy artfully crafted sushi rolls, authentic stirfry, specialty salads, shareable appetizers and a well-stocked wine, craft beer and saki bar, all with a view of bustling and beautiful Tallahassee. Eat, drink, hangout and just roll with it. Mon-Fri 11 am10 pm, Sat 12-10 pm. 109 E. College Ave. (850) 681-6868. $$ L D

KIKU JAPANESE FUSION ★

From tempura to teriyaki and from sushi to sashimi, Kiku Japanese Fusion fuses vibrant flavors with fresh ingredients. There’s a reason Kiku was voted Best Sushi in 2016. Mon-Sat 11 am-1 pm, Sun 12-11 pm. 800 Ocala Rd. (850) 575-5458. $$ L D

$$$ D

Thai one on at this fine eatery and you will be left wanton more. An expansive menu includes starters, soups, salads, fried rice, noodles and a host of signature dishes — some ducky, some not — ranging from “Rock the Wok” to Chirashi Sumocombo, a substantial, edible work of art. Mon-Fri 11 am10 pm, Sat-Sun 12-10 pm. 1700 N. Monroe St. (850) 391-9021. $$$ L D

BBQ SONNY’S REAL PIT BAR-B-Q ★

Nothing satisfies a rumblin’ stomach quite like a plateful of hot, savory barbeque; and if you’re looking for the tastiest grilled dishes, 2016 Best Barbecue winner Sonny’s has them in spades. Hours vary. Multiple locations.

$L D

BREAKFAST/ BRUNCH/BAKERY TASTY PASTRY BAKERY ★

The owners of Tasty Pastry have an extensive background in baking and take pride in being Tallahassee's oldest bakery. Working with the finest quality ingredients and using their own family recipes, they excel in making the best cakes, cookies, breads, pies, pastries and casseroles in Tallahassee. Mon-Sat 6:45 am-6 pm. Sun Closed. 1355 Market St. #A5. (850) 893-3752. $

THE EGG CAFÉ AND EATERY ★

When you’re looking for breakfast favorites, even if it’s lunchtime, The Egg is the place to be. Their made-to-order items use the finest ingredients, and they were voted Tallahassee’s best 15 times, including the 2016 award for Best Breakfast. Light breakfast fare is available at The Egg Express, a second downtown location in the R.A. Gray building. Tue-Sun 7 am2 pm. In Evening Rose at 3740 Austin Davis Ave. (850) 907-3447. $$ B L

CAJUN COOSH’S BAYOU ROUGE ★

This Best Cajun Restaurant winner for 2016 brings the best of the Bayou State right to your table. The menu is jam-packed with Louisiana-style dishes, including favorites like jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, po’boys and seafood gumbo. Not in a Cajun mood? Coosh’s also offers classic hamburgers, salads and chicken wings. Mon-Tues 11 am-10 pm, Wed-Fri 7 am-10 pm, Sat 8 am-10 pm, Sun 8 am-9 pm.

6267 Old Water Oak Rd. (850) 894‑4110.

$$ B L D

2-4-1 DRINKS SEVEN DAYS A WEEK SouthWood, 727-0094

Capital Circle NE, 385-9992

North Monroe, 878-0800

Kerry Forest, 668-1002

Crawfordville, 926-4329

32 ND ANNUAL

April 23, 2017 Centre of Tallahassee

EAST MEETS WEST, NOW A FEW BLOCKS NORTH A Fresh Take on Pan-Asian Cuisine and Sushi Join us for Lunch & Dinner Featuring a Full Bar with an Extensive Selection of Wine, Beer & Sake Voted Tallahassee’s Best Sushi & Best Asian Restaurant since 2009

1650 N. Monroe St. | (850) 727-4183 | masatallahasee.com

TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

March–April 2017

69

CATERING ENJOY FRESH SEASONAL

WOOD-GRILLED FISH TONIGHT

Come in today to experience the Bonefish Way with fresh seasonal fish, hand-crafted martinis and our personalized chef coat service.

3491 THOMASVILLE RD. • TALLAHASSEE, FL • (850) 297-0460 FOR MORE DETAILS VISIT BONEFISHGRILL.COM

MENTION THIS AD when purchasing one regular corndog and get one FREE until 4/30/17

BLACK FIG ★

Black Fig proved itself as the premier catering company in Tallahassee by serving up the Best Catering in 2016. Gourmet fare for any gathering or occasion presented creatively and professionally. 1400 Village Square Blvd. #7. (850) 727-0016.

KLASSIC KATERING

The culinary masterminds behind Klassic Katering know how to transform an event from drab to fab. With a ton of flavor and a pinch of panache, they will cater to all of your foodie needs. MonFri 9 am-5 pm, Sat-Sun Closed. 6753 Thomasville Rd. #108. (850) 894-0423.

GREEK SAHARA GREEK & LEBANESE CAFÉ

Sahara’s fusion of Greek and Lebanese cuisines is unmatched in the area. A large menu and friendly staff cater to all tastes. And don’t forget to order the falafel! Mon-Wed 11 am-9 pm, Thurs-Fri 11 am-10 pm, Sat 12-10 pm, Sun Closed.

1241 E. Lafayette St. (850) 656‑1800. $$

INDIAN SINCE 1984

1456 S. MONROE ST. | 850.222.4099

SAMRAT INDIAN RESTAURANT ★

You can smell the fragrant and warm spices as you approach the restaurant, assuring you of an exotic and ethnic experience. Samrat was voted Best Ethnic for their preparation and presentation of delicious, authentic Indian cuisine.

Mon-Sun 11:30 am-2:30 pm, 5-10 pm. 2529 Apalachee Pkwy. (850) 942-1993. $$ L D

ITALIAN/PIZZA BELLA BELLA ★

Take your taste buds to Italy with a trip to Bella Bella, voted Best Italian in 2015 and 2016. This locally owned and operated restaurant has a cozy atmosphere and serves all the classics to satisfy your pasta cravings. Mon-Fri 11 am-10 pm, Sat 4-10 pm, Sun Closed. 123 E. 5th Ave. (850) 412-1114.

$$ L D

MOMO’S ★

After devouring a slice “as big as your head” at this 2016 Best Pizza winner, chain pizza simply is not gonna cut it. From the black-and-white photos to the bathrooms decorated in album covers, the restaurant has an unmistakable and enjoyable “hole in the wall” vibe. Multiple locations. Hours vary. (850) 224‑9808. $ L D

SIP SIP HOORAY! Win a Getaway to the 31st Annual Sandestin Wine Festival One grand prize winner will receive the ultimate spring getaway at the No. 1 resort on Florida’s Emerald Coast, Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. The winner will enjoy a 3-day, 2-night stay in luxurious accommodations at Sandestin and two tickets to the 31st Sandestin Wine Festival Friday evening tasting event. A value of $950!

Enter at: tallahasseemagazine.com/Top-of-theTown/2017-Sandestin-Wine-Festival-WeekendGetaway-Giveaway *Offer ends March 31, 2017

70 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

TIFEO ITALIAN TAVERN

Crisp toppings. Freshly prepared pizza dough. A traditional, Tuscan woodfired oven. What more could you ask for? Formerly Joe Mama’s, Tifeo offers quintessential casual Italian dining.

5-10 pm. 1307 N. Monroe St. (850) 577-1231.

$L D

MEXICAN EL JALISCO ★

In the mood for sizzling enchiladas and frozen margaritas? Make your way to

the 2016 Best Mexican/Latin American Restaurant, El Jalisco, where they do Mexican cuisine to perfection. Multiple locations. Hours vary. $ L D

TACO REPUBLIK

An authentic taqueria, Taco Republik specializes in creating tacos and burritos in abstract and delicious ways. Located in the heart of Midtown, this restaurant is beloved for its bold flavor combinations and wallet-friendly prices. Mon-Thurs 11 am-9 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-10 pm, Sun Closed. 1122-8 Thomasville Rd. (850) 559‑5464. $ L D

SEAFOOD/STEAK CHOP HOUSE ON THE BRICKS

This family-owned, upscale restaurant serves local organic and sustainable meats, seafood, poultry and produce.

Craft beers, fine wines and specialty drinks complement dishes such as the Bone-In Ribeye, Plantation Quail and Chop House Burger. Their Knob Creek Bourbon Bread Pudding is a dessert favorite. Tue-Sat 5-9:30 pm, Sun-Mon Closed. 123 N. Broad St., Thomasville, Ga. (229) 236-2467. $$ D

GEORGIO’S

If George Koikos is in the house, you can count on a visit from him to your table during your meal. His hands-on commitment to quality, food, service and a personal touch have kept his restaurants in business for more than 50 years. Mon-Sat 4-10 pm, Sun Closed.

2971 Apalachee Pkwy. (850) 877-3211.

$$$ D

MARIE LIVINGSTON’S STEAKHOUSE ★

Dining at Marie Livingston’s is upscale yet comfortable and always a special treat. Not just a restaurant that serves up savory cuts of prime rib or marbled steaks, this 2016 Best Steakhouse winner is a Tallahassee tradition, and newcomers owe it to themselves to make it a priority to visit. Mon-Fri 11 am-2 pm, 5-9 pm; Sat 5-9 pm; Sun Closed. 2705 Apalachee Pkwy. (850) 562-2525. $$ L D

SHULA’S 347

The legendary Miami Dolphins’ head coach brings the quest for perfection to the dining table at his namesake restaurant, located in Hotel Duval.

Keep it light and casual with a premium Black Angus beef burger or a gourmet salad, or opt for one of their signature entrées — a “Shula Cut” steak. Reservations are suggested. SunThurs 5-10 pm, Fri-Sat 5-11 pm. 415 N. Monroe St. (850) 224-6005. $$$ L D

SOUTHERN SEAFOOD ★

Whether you’re looking for fish, shrimp, oysters, scallops, crab or lobster, these guys have you covered.

The 2016 Best Seafood Market winner brings the ocean’s freshest choices to Tallahassee’s front door. Mon-Fri 10 am-7 pm, Sat 10 am-6 pm, Sun 12-6 pm.

1415 Timberlane Rd. (850) 668‑2203.

THE BLU HALO

Blue Halo is a high-end culinary experience featuring dry-aged steaks and fresh seafood along with fine wines and a martini bar. The gourmet farm-to-table menu selections include a wide variety of small-plate appetizers and high-end chops.

A private dining room for up to 20 guests is available. Mon-Thurs 4-10 pm; Fri 4 pm-close; Sat 8 am-2 pm, 4 pm-close; Sun 8 am-2 pm, 4-10 pm. 3431 Bannerman Rd. #2 (850) 792-7884. $$$ L D

Visit our comprehensive, searchable dining guide online at tallahasseemagazine.com/Restaurants.

FROM THE FARM. NOT THE LAB.

GREAT SUSHI —DOWNTOWN!

OUR NATURAL ANGUS BEEF IS NEVER FROZEN. FREE OF HORMONES, STEROIDS AND ANTIBIOTICS. FREE OF THE THINGS THAT SHOULDN’T BE THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Espresso Bar with locally roasted coffee, Sushi to Stir Fry, Specialty Salads, Wines, Craft Beers & Sake M–Th 11:30 a.m.–10:00 p.m. | F 11:30 a.m.–10:30 p.m.

Sat Noon–10:30 p.m. | Sun Noon–10:00 p.m.

Wi-Fi | Eat | Drink | Hangout 109 E. College Ave. (850) 681-6868 jasmine-cafe.com

TALLAHASSEE 1817 THOMASVILLE ROAD • 710 850.629.4333

TALLAHASSEE YOUTH ORCHESTRAS IN COLLABORATION WITH Tallahassee Ballet Youth Company

SPRING CONCERT MAY 7, 2017, 3PM | RUBY DIAMOND CONCERT HALL featuring Ellen Taffe Zwilich’S “Ballet 2017” Tickets will be available at the door or in advance at Beethoven & Company and online at www.TallahasseeYouthOrchestras.com.

This program sponsored in part through COCA's cultural grant program funded by the City of Tallahassee and Leon County. Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.

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DOCTORAL CANDIDATES AT FSU DISCUSS THE ART OF POETRY

A

story by KIM HARRIS THACKER // illustrations by CHARLES BAKOFSKY

sk any writer how he became interested in writing, and chances are good that you’ll hear fond reminiscences about life-changing books or teachers.

“I’ve spoken with a lot of poets who have stories similar to mine,” said Kaveh Akbar, a poet in the Creative Writing Program at FSU. “They had that moment when the switch was flipped and they got that clarity telling them that this was what they were supposed to do.”

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“I THINK THERE ARE THOSE FOR WHOM POETRY IS THE GREATEST, TRUEST THING. THE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT BELIEVE IT WITH A TOTAL CONVICTION. I COUNT MYSELF AMONG THEIR RANKS. THIS IS THE THING IN THIS WORLD THAT BRINGS ME THE MOST DELIGHT.” — Kaveh Akbar Akbar was in high school when an English teacher who had been published as a smallpress poet sent him home with a pile of literary journals.

“I got midway through the first one, and it was like I knew with an angels-blaring-theirtrumpets clarity that this was what I was supposed to do,” Akbar said. “I was first published in a literary journal when I was 17.”

“To be a poet is a calling,” said Yolanda J. Franklin, another FSU doctoral candidate in poetry. A Tallahassee teacher, Kathleen L. Rodgers, taught her to love poetry.

“I was in the fifth grade in Ms. Rodgers class,” Franklin said. “(She) designed an ‘Introduction to Poetry’ unit and taught us haiku, tanka and other poetic forms. These poems still hang on the fridge in my mother’s house.”

“I started writing in high school,” said Erin Hoover, who will graduate with her doctorate

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from FSU’s poetry program this spring. “I submitted my work to a literary magazine and was published, and I also won some awards.

In Pennsylvania, where I grew up, there was a state-sponsored summer academy — the Governor’s School for the Arts — and I was accepted into their poetry program. I got a lot of encouragement when I was young, and that becomes really important in whether or not you’re going to continue in something.”

Akbar, whose first poem was published in his hometown newspaper in Oak Creek, Wisconsin when he was in second grade, agrees.

“I’ve had the same email address since I was first published, and just a couple of months ago, I looked at the email I sent out to this poor editor when I was 17, where I talked about how excited I was by poetry and said, ‘So, here are some of my poems.’ She responded very graciously to my email, and she ultimately even took one of the poems.”

The road to success for these three awardwinning poets hasn’t always been easy, but each tends to see challenges as opportunities for growth.

After receiving her master’s degree from the University of Oregon, Hoover spent seven years working in New York City as a public relations director.

“I wouldn’t say that my path is really typical of other writers, but it’s not that unusual,” she said. “There are other writers who have gaps in their writing, where they’re doing other kinds of work. But as a result of spending a lot of time outside of universities, I feel like I’ve had certain experiences that some other writers haven’t had.”

One experience that almost every published writer — including Akbar, Franklin and Hoover — have had is that of receiving a rejection letter.

“The phrase I remember from my first rejection letter went something like ‘not the right fit’ or ‘not at this time, but thank you for your submission,’” Franklin said. “I remember … being surprised by how pleasant (it) was. I imagined that these letters would read like a ‘Dear John’ breakup letter, instead!”

Akbar concedes that he, too, has received his share of rejection letters, but he was “never too put off” by them. “I see them — and acceptance letters — as useful data points and not a whole lot more. My joy is found

LANGUAGE, DISTILLED

in the writing process, itself,” he said. “I think there are those for whom poetry is the greatest, truest thing. The people who believe that believe it with a total conviction. I count myself among their ranks. This is the thing in this world that brings me the most delight.”

Delight. It’s a feeling that was referred to by Robert Frost, the great American poet, when he wrote, “A poem begins in delight and ends in wisdom.” While none of Akbar’s, Franklin’s and Hoover’s poetry necessarily starts — or ends — with the frolicking-through-woodson-a-snowy-evening sense of “delight,” readers can take delight in the absolute craftsmanship exhibited by poets and in the intensely moving experience of reading their work. And, there is wisdom in their writings.

“I’m interested in creating stories and in writing about people and what motivates them, and about the identity of places,” Hoover said. “I’ve been told that I’m good at telling multiple stories or complicated narratives in a concise, meaningful way. People often ask me how I do that. The truth is, none of us really knows what we’re doing.

Think about how boring it would be if we all had it down to some elevator speech. It would be weird. I wouldn’t trust it. For me, writing is often just putting one idea against another and seeing how they relate to each other — being obsessed by multiple things at the same time and seeing what is common between them.”

Juxtaposing dissimilar ideas, situations and people often leads Hoover to write about subject matter that she hasn’t seen anyone else write about. “Like the relationship between the digital version of ‘self’ and the real, material version,” she said. “I also look at gender and how complicated it can be to be a woman. Some of my poems have to do with growing up in a rural and kind of harsh place. Some are about political realizations I had about what we owe each other as community members. Because I often write in

first person, people sometimes wonder if the stories I tell are autobiographical. All of my stuff is persona, written as a perspective on what might be true. The voice of the character — it’s always some version of me, but not the whole picture.”

Hoover’s writing, which tends to consist of longer, free-verse poems, has been called “stichic,” a word that takes its origins from Greek and means, “written in lines.” She explains that stichic poetry often contains social commentary or depictions of social or ethical action — all of which are found in her work.

Akbar’s poetry focuses on “an engagement with the spiritual and the cosmological self.”

The subject is of deep interest to Akbar, who regards himself as “someone for whom poetry is a site for meaning-making and a site for exploring that which aggravates the curiosity.”

The concept of the cosmological self, which, for Akbar, includes what could or might happen after a person’s “cosmic life” ends, tends to dominate his conscious and unconscious mind.

“For me,” he said, “poetry is a way to tackle those big questions.”

Akbar appreciates “the power of the negative spaces in language — the silences in language.” He said, “I think that in a lot of ways, a charged silence can be a way of sonically alluding to the violence that some people suffer — people who did nothing to bring that violence upon themselves. … I think there’s a lot you can do in the spaces in a poem to honor and acknowledge those silences, and I think that’s one of the great responsibilities of any sort of politically engaged poet — to, in some small way, honor those silences and amplify them in whatever way poetry will allow.”

Franklin’s poetry is known for being very musical and very visual. “Being a Floridian and a woman raised in the South is the blueprint of my poetics,” she said. “I love music, sound, synesthesia and creating in a variety of poetical forms.”

Regardless of the form Franklin’s latest poem takes, she is well known for “confronting and conflating the personal, the social and the political” and for paying homage to her Cherokee, Choctaw, Cuban and Gullah roots.

By examining her family history, Franklin also examines Florida history.

“It’s my task to act as a custodian to catalogue this living historical memory,” she said.

“Therefore, I also accept the weight of this history.” In doing so, Franklin models herself after one of her favorite poets, Lucille Clifton, whose poetry was said by the writer James Miller to “confront the chaos, disorder, and pain of human experience to transcend these conditions and to reaffirm … humanity.”

Franklin is also fighting for a better future.

“I plan … to curate the first MFA (Master of Fine Arts) program for writing — especially poetry — at a historically black college or university in the United States,” she said.

“Being regarded as a poet/mentor/teacher who pays it forward and gives back by reciprocating the excellent tutelage and mentorship I’ve received is extremely central to how I see myself in the future.”

Hoover hopes that in the future, when her poems are read, it will be for “something besides the stories.” She said, “There’s usually something bigger going on in my work. I hope it gets people to think so that when they see things happening in the world, they examine how they act. It’s too easy, when something happens, to say, ‘That’s not my problem.’ In our culture, the ability to relate to other people is so important right now. Poetry can help us understand meaningful events in our lives.

Poetry helps us access our shared experiences.

If you don’t read poetry, then you’re missing an opportunity to look through a window into other perspectives and other lives and to have empathy for other people and to invite people to have empathy with you.” TM TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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Florida’s History of Hurricanes after Teresa Cader Because we cannot know— we hide dogwood branches used as switches, snap cigarettes sound as green-beans, not-knowing a lighter lures dogs from fields with its flame.

Her papier-mâché-screens surround the house—there’s a boxed lit-candle where banana tree leaves bend next to the master-locked bike shed where girls weren’t allowed.

LANGUAGE, DISTILLED

Gamma’s second husband, a strapping man palms a Budweiser, escorts her at night through the screened door, a magnolia tree roots the yard’s soot and square-stone tablets in the years she lay legless, cancerous, waiting for the oncologist or endocrinologist, praying. Then in the season of barren dearth and futility it must begin, the season of her casualty. ∞ No southern gospel on the radio, no radio, no choir, no voices rebuking—no voice—fugue of clotheslines, an eye wall.

Because we cannot know, we imagine What will happen to us without you? ∞ Most things I remember— a Category 3 storm pruned oak tree limbs on lawns in Indian-descent Black neighborhoods.

Uncle Randy threatened to ride his bike like the green Witch in the Wizard of Oz daring a police officer to write him a ticket for speeding. ∞ Like months of remission— the eye shifts

YOLANDA J.FRANKLIN

’s debut poetry collection, “Blood Vinyls” will be published

by Anhinga Press in 2018. Her poetry has appeared in “Pluck!,” “PMS:poemmemoirstory,” “Fjords” and “Sugarhouse Review.” Her awards include 2012, 2014 and 2016 Cave Canem fellowships and the 2013 Kingsbury Award at Florida State University.

She was also the runner-up for the 2016 Tennessee Williams Poetry Prize. The former editor of “Kudzu,” FSU’s undergraduate student-run literary magazine, Franklin currently volunteers as part of the editorial staff for FSU’s literary journal, “The Southeast Review,” and as poetry editor at “Kweli Journal.”

She also screens poetry for “Callaloo: A Journal of African Diaspora Arts and Letters.” Franklin was born and raised in Tallahassee.

The papier-mâché-screens are bored behind calm curtains— and how could she learn to drive after that fire, a woman who’d never seen brick return to clay? ∞ Downtown the seventh graders in their Bealls’ Bermuda shorts extol, Science rocks. Black Cloud: The Great Florida Hurricane of 1928.

We all remember one— a speeding train, sheets of rain— all indications that the Panhandle’s obsequious hurricane “Kate Amputates Leon County.” ∞ The sky cannot remember its clouding— around her bed, stolen limbs haunt kneecaps still, troubles a pack, hair hot combed Sunday-straight over a gas stove, urged to slip one between your lips to drag yourself from this life in a smoky halo— I worried you would forget to check the horizon in time.

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Barrier Islands Now and again, you order the steak dinner for yourself at the mahogany bar in this Jersey resort town where your grandparents courted. Here, in the only restaurant open among the shells of Victorian summer homes,

LANGUAGE, DISTILLED

after Sandy’s apocalypse, you want to know if “steak dinner” still means what you think it does, sirloin and a side of potatoes, or did the hurricane change that, too. Most here wait on insurance money, the rare window lit, others gaping as skull’s eyes. It’s been so long since you talked to anyone. It’s as if disaster has tuned you differently, into an ascetic with edges filed sharp enough to need the soft containers of others. So one night you try talking to the couple next to you, a toned man you soon learn is a gym instructor on the mainland, his frizzy, grinning girlfriend who works for a bank. As you swipe through their phone snapshots, their concave roof, tempested balcony, they say they hate out-of-towners. Do they mean you?

Your hurricane left you mostly untouched, your beach cabin roof dinged, a few feet of carpet to replace, that’s all. How uneven circumstance can be, even to people close as neighbors. There’s a TV show now about Amish kids, where teens from farm towns like yours try out being English—as if your coming up boiled down to bad dance music and abundant jello shots. On the show, one kid stands in Times Square and says, I’m a sheep in a pigpen. Now, the bar declines the couple’s credit while you’re off taking a piss. You find they’ve emptied your purse and gone. You left it because you believe in what academics call gemeinschaft—the notion of community ruled by unified desire, where we depend on one another to survive.

But this is the horror show of individual will, gesellschaft, each unto their own. It’s no use expecting more of any evening than to drink our gin, pay the check, and disappear to our cold rooms. He’d told you about his first job here, a boy scooping ice cream at the parlour where decades ago, you begged for a cone. She’d offered to buy your dinner, flashing a wallet of prepaid cards won in a raffle at work. How nice they were, good at being nice. How they seemed like friends.

ERIN HOOVER ’s poems are published or forthcoming in “The Bennington Review,” “Crab Orchard Review,” “Narrative,” “The Pinch” and “The Volta,” and her work has been anthologized in “The Best American Poetry 2016” and “Best New Poets 2013.” She lives in Tallahassee where, as a doctoral candidate at Florida State University, she served as editor-in-chief of “The Southeast Review.” She is originally from Pennsylvania.

Reprinted by permission of the poet.

An earlier version of this poem appeared in “The Nassau Review.”

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LANGUAGE, DISTILLED

Unburnable The Cold Is Flooding Our Lives the prophets are alive but unrecognizable to us as calligraphy to a mouse for a time they dragged long oar strokes across the sky now they sit in graveyards drinking coffee forking soapy cottage cheese into their mouths my hungry is different than their hungry I envy their discipline but not enough to do anything about it I blame my culture I blame everyone but myself intent arrives like a call to prayer and is as easy to dismiss Rumi said the two most important things in life were beauty and bewilderment this is likely a mistranslation after thirty years in America my father now dreams in English says he misses the dead relatives he used to be able to visit in sleep how many times are you allowed to lose the same beloveds before you stop believing they’re gone some migrant birds build their nests over rivers to push them into the water when they leave this seems almost warm a good harm the addictions that were killing me fastest were the ones I loved best

KAVEH AKBAR is the founding editor of “Divedapper.” His poems appeared recently in “Poetry,” “Tin House,” “American Poetry Review,” on the “PBS NewsHour” and elsewhere. Alice James Books will publish his debut collection, “Calling a Wolf a Wolf,” in Fall 2017. The recipient of a 2016 Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Fellowship from the Poetry Foundation and the Lucille Medwick Memorial Award from the Poetry Society of America, Kaveh was born in Tehran, Iran, and now lives and teaches in Tallahassee.

turning the chisel toward myself I found my body was still the size of my body still unarmored as wet bread one way to live a life is to spend each moment asking forgiveness for the last it seems to me the significance of remorse would deflate with each performance better to sink a little into the earth and quietly watch life unfold violent as a bullring the last to be built

the carpenter’s house will always be sometimes a mind is ready to leave

the world before its body sometimes paradise happens too early and leaves us shuddering in its wake I am glad I still exist and Turkish indigo

glad for cats and moss and yet to be light upon the earth

to be steel bent around an endless black to once again be God’s own tuning fork and yet and yet

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TALLAHASSEE MARCHES TO A NEW BEAT AS MUSIC SCENE EXPANDS

MUSIC to our ears

STORY BY REBECCA PADGETT // PHOTO BY COLIN ABBEY 84 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

Light streams from Doak S. Campbell stadium, and thousands of voices erupt in song, not cheers and chants. In a converted feed store, honky-tonk tunes reverberate off of exposed-brick walls, and boots stomp hardwood floors. Under a starlit sky in Cascades Park, couples sit close on blankets, their arms wrapped around each other, as they listen to the soulful croon of Alabama Shakes. Beer glasses clink in a bar on Gaines Street as college students sing along to Top 40 covers and Eagles tunes played by an acoustic and percussion duo. The next morning, mimosas and eggs benedict are enjoyed in the presence of a folk-music trio. On any given weekend, music is in the air in Tallahassee.

Chance the Rapper performs for an enthusiastic crowd at the Civic Center. The artist’s third album, Coloring Book, was nominated for three Grammys and was the first streaming-only album in music history to have been nominated.

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MUSIC to our ears

Tallahassee is known for its hometown-college-town atmosphere, aspect to the community, as well as to visitors coming to the area,” political decision-making and acres upon acres of swaying live oaks. explained Lauren Shoaf Pace, Marketing Communications Director We do not claim to be a Nashville, or New Orleans, but our music for Visit Tallahassee. “Venues of all sizes continue opening and ofscene is ever evolving and is progressing in a notable direction. That fering live music, which speaks to the community’s interest in and is not to say we are a “music town”; but we are being put on the demand for entertainment, as well as expanding the options availmap as a destination not just for local, but also able for local talent and touring entertainers.” national talent.

Brian Durham, a musician who has performed “WITH THE HELP AND Visit Tallahassee’s campaigns have done a superb for many years in Tallahassee with the local band, job at promoting the appeal of this city. Their most The New 76ers, agrees. “With the help and inINSPIRATION OF OTHERS recent goals have involved marketing Tallahassee spiration of others opening appealing venues OPENING APPEALING VENUES in three areas: the food/craft beer scene, the unthat cater to a larger crowd, we are witnessing a THAT CATER TO A LARGER touched nature scene and the arts scene — with growth in the music scene of Tallahassee.”

CROWD, WE ARE WITNESSING music heavily represented. As the state’s capital and Within the past couple of years, an amphitheA GROWTH IN THE MUSIC as a bustling city that is reachable from Northeast ater has risen in a centralized park, a mall has SCENE OF TALLAHASSEE.” Florida and South Georgia, music making its mark transformed into a music scene and Florida State Brian Durham, a musician who has makes sense.

University venues have welcomed national acts. performed for many years in Tallahassee “The music scene here has grown tremendousNotes are now bumping from all quadrants of with the local band, The New 76ers ly over the past few years and is an important Tallahassee.

BRYAN GARRIS PHOTOGRAPHY (THE NEW 76ERS), ELIZABETH E. GEORGE PHOTOGRAPHY (ALICE COOPER) AND COURTESY VISIT TALLAHASSEE (CASCADES PARK)

The New 76ers welcome the vibrancy of the Tallahassee music scene. The band has released recordings including two full-length albums.

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The Sundown Summer Concert Series at Cascades Park celebrated its second year in 2016. The annual event features live music, family activities, and food and beverage vendors.

Cascading Scales

College students throw Frisbees on the green space, a couple picnics by the pond and on sunny days, children splash in the fountains at Cascades Park. In March of 2014, with the addition of the Capital City Amphitheater, the park became a destination for house music.

“We want the public to have a good time, enjoy the music, the outdoors and the beauty of the setting,” said Pace. “The performance might be the entrée, but the ambiance makes it a memorable meal.

There’s something special about a great concert accented with a sunset or a clear, star-filled night.”

The public has definitely enjoyed many great concerts, with acts such as Alabama Shakes, The Avett Brothers, Jason Isbell, The Beach Boys, Boz Scaggs and Peter Frampton taking center stage.

Classic rocker Cascades Park also embraces local and national Alice Cooper, who acts for weekend events, such as the music-cenhas been credited tric Word of South Festival and Southern Shakewith bringing horror imagery to speare Festival. The Tribe, The Marching 100 the heavy metal and high school bands have also joined the ranks, stage, performs proving that all genres, skill-levels and ages are at the Centre of Tallahassee. welcome to perform in the park.

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Matthew Ramsey (lead vocalist) and Brad Tursi (lead guitarist) perform with their band, Old Dominion, for Doak After Dark.

The award-winning band blends oldfashioned country music with rock ’n’ roll to great effect.

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MUSIC to our ears

While a rainy, summer afternoon is always possible in Florida, weather hasn’t deterred ticket sales at Cascades Park. In fact, Mother Nature appears to be on this venue’s side. The air is fresh, the sound is pristine and music can be heard up, out and all around.

Jimmy Buffett, Garth Brooks, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, Usher, George Straight, Corey Smith, Alabama, Bon Jovi and Def Leppard.

“Tallahassee’s music scene has exploded in the past few years,” said Kim Morton, director of marketing at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center. “Tallahassee, itself, has grown immensely over the past five years, which has brought a new generation to this city. We’re in a location that is a desirable stop for touring artists.”

National and international celebrities and stars of the music realm will always attract a crowd and create revenue, but those idols started somewhere — in hometown bars, at county fairs, in writers’ rounds or opening for touring acts.

And while Tallahassee is certainly establishing premier venues with packed seats whose occupants anticipate experiencing the tunes they hear on the radio, the city is also embracing local musicians — those whose names aren’t yet in lights, but who may be well on their way to fame.

Music Alley

Across town from Cascades Park, music drifts from Tallahassee’s most recent music complex. If you didn’t know what you were looking for, you likely wouldn’t expect The Pavilion, one of our largest music venues, to be nestled within the confines of a shopping mall. But don’t be mistaken — the former Tallahassee Mall is now known as the Centre of Tallahassee. With The Pavilion at its core, music acts as the Centre’s heartbeat.

The Pavilion is a spacious covered area that can fit 10,000 seats, has the same sound system that Madonna uses and is cooled with 15 gigantic fans. In its first year of entertaining, The Pavilion hosted performers such as Rascal Flatts, Sublime with Rome, Taking Back Sunday, The Steve Miller Band, Blackberry Smoke and Alice Cooper.

“Tallahassee is fitting for this type of venue, and it was time,” said Molly Lord, a representative from The Pavilion at the Centre of Tallahassee. “We are the capital, and we are a growing, modernizing town with a lot to offer. I recently read an article that concert-goers are said to live longer, happier lives. We want people here to do that.”

A Junction in Time

It’s easy to mistake The Junction at Munroe for a feed store, because that’s exactly what it is — or what it was.

“We have taken an 80-year-old feed store and converted it,” explained Russ Pangratz, owner of The Junction at Munroe. “It was originally a rehearsal space for me and my band and other bands, but the acoustics were too good to not do something more with the place.”

Pangratz has a been a musician all of his life, and he explained that he has always “had a heart for musicians.”

He began the Tallahassee Area Light up the Musicians Guild with fellow board night! Missourimembers Barrence Dupree, Russ born country music singer Tyler Hamby and Margie Bertram. The Farr performs at Guild works as a hub for resources Doak Campbell and music advocacy, providing a Stadium for Doak After Dark. community to encourage, teach,

In early September, Doak S. Campbell Stadium unveiled its much-anticipated renovations, which included the addition of the Champions Club, which brought 5,500 more seats and one of the best scoreboards in the country to the stadium.

With high-quality improvements, more seats to hold bodies and more confidence than ever, the stadium decided to expand beyond football to another experience that would draw large crowds. For the first time since the ’80s, the stadium held a concert.

On Nov. 12, 2016, Old Dominion, Tyler Farr and Bobby Bones and the Raging Idiots played a sold-out show. The success led to no hesitation in booking the next concert on April, 29, which featured Blake Shelton, Jake Owen and Big and Rich.

“We have thought about doing this for quite some time,” explained Jason Dennard, marketing and new revenue director at Doak Campbell Stadium. “We wanted the audience to experience the nostalgia of watching topnotch entertainment in their favorite football stadium.”

On down the road is FSU’s enclosed option for musicians: The Donald L. Tucker Civic Center.

While FSU’s men’s and women’s basketball teams claim the center as home, the center has also welcomed the likes of Elton John, Drake, Eric Church, Carrie Underwood,

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MUSIC

learn and share with one another. A major purpose of the Guild is to provide scholarships, education, mentorships and lessons to those who may not have the means to afford them or to otherwise pursue music.

When Pangratz and his wife, Josie, decided to convert The Junction into a music destination, it was because they wanted The Junction to be “a place where musicians could rehearse and converge but also perform and listen to live music. We charge a cover for a reason. We are a music venue first, but just happen to have a bar inside.”

Performers from throughout the country, including Atlanta, Nashville and New York City, now contact Pangratz just to play in his venue. He kept the building as original as possible, with exposed brick and concrete floors adorned with worn oriental rugs. Fridges with sodas, beer and wine line the back wall, stickers from bands have become ingrained in the bar and an impressive collection of CDs and hot sauces are for sale in the lobby. The Junction is quirky and welcoming: a landing place for locals who come for the music and for bands, such as Tobacco Rd Band, who come to play.

Tobacco Rd’s Rockin’ Roots

Eric Durrance has signed multiple record contracts, has toured with some of the biggest names in his genre and has recorded in almost every notable studio in the U.S. His latest accomplishment includes working with Jake

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Owen and Universal Publishing as a songwriter. You may ask what he’s doing in Tallahassee. It’s simple: He knows his audience, and he knows his roots.

“Tallahassee has a real down-home vibe to it,” Durrance said. “It’s a tight-knit community surrounded by water and trees. I’ve been able to draw from that, and you can hear it in my songs. It runs deep in my blood.”

Currently, Durrance is the front man, lead singer and songwriter for Tobacco Rd Band. His music is gritty and raw — traditionally Southern with rock influences. The subjects of his songs include the joys and trials of his children, the heavy comfort of a shotgun on your shoulder, the smell of freshly tilled earth and appreciation and respect for the U.S. military.

Memorable Tallahassee moments for Eric Durrance include opening a sold-out show for Cole Swindell at The Moon, performing in front of a crowd of 10,000 at the New Year’s Eve Festival and headlining the fireworks show on July 4 at Tom Brown Park. For Durrance, his career is only gaining momentum, as it’s apparent his deal with Jake Owen will be a groundbreaking step in music making. He’s excited, without a doubt, but still humble.

It’s all about his roots.

“I’m forever grateful for the love Tallahassee has shown me,” Durrance said. “I hope I’ve proven Tallahassee is a place that can launch you into your wildest dreams and catch you gracefully if you come crashing down.”

Taller Trees (top left), is comprised of self professed soul rockers Jake Dane (bass), Mike Nivens (guitar), Tyler Denning (vocals) and Stephen Schultz (drums); while attending FSU, Florida native Kurt Stevens (above) gave live performances on a regular basis at Potbelly’s in Tallahassee; Eric Durrance (right) is the frontman for the homegrown, fourmember country music group, Tobacco Rd Band.

PHOTOS BY MATT BURKE (TALLER TREES), MATTHEW PASKERT (STEVENS) AND COURTESY OF ERIC DURRANCE / PHOTOPHACTORY (DURRANCE)

to our ears

Young Dreams

It’s no secret that Tallahassee welcomes a new crop of young adults with each incoming wave of college students. A lot of these individuals have flourishing musical talent, some study the progression of music history, many create rhythms in dorm rooms and a few brave, talented and proactive souls take to the local bars and venues in pursuit of sharing their songs.

Kurt Stevens attended Florida State University and was in a fraternity. Looking at him, you would think he was your average college guy. Hearing him sing, you would understand how he ended up in Nashville. Stevens writes his own music and has performed at the infamous Bluebird Café. He credits his success to Tallahassee.

“When I talk about my career, I never forget to mention how blessed I was to be able to go to school and live in Tallahassee,” Stevens said. “Now I am focusing on my songwriting craft, and I have the performing part down because I was lucky to start my career in a (continued on page 288) place that harbored live music.”

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Born in 1927, Robert Sofge has lived through the Great Depression, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, the Gulf War and the War on Terror.

Perhaps this is why, at 90 years old, Reverend Sofge shares the “gospel of peace” with anyone who will listen.

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CHANCE DISCOVERY SURFACES SERMONS

story by KIM HARRIS THACKER // photography by SHANNON GRIFFIN

THE SOFGE FILES TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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I

f desks could talk, mine would have a Brooklyn accent.

It’s a steel-andoak number — a midcentury behemoth — and someone carved the word, “chump” across the center drawer. On one side of the desk, the red paint has flaked away in the shape of a perfect speech bubble. The whole thing reminds me of old Superman comics in which editor Perry White shouts at reporter Clark Kent in the Daily Planet newsroom.

It isn’t just my made-inMetropolis desk that’s vintage.

On top of it sits a large glass jar that is filled with all sorts of odds and ends: old-fashioned clothespins, enameled pillboxes, assorted arrowheads. It’s a smorgasbord, to be sure, but each item is there for the same reason I allow a battered, ridiculously large desk to take up one corner of my living room: The moment I saw it, it told me a story.

Take the miniature brass notebook, engraved with “Chicago, Ill.,” that somehow makes its way to the bottom of my jar no matter how frequently I write in it. I don’t know anything about its original owner, but I like to think he was a bookie named Bernie who wore a bowler hat, suspenders and sock garters. The downward migration of the tiny notebook leads me to believe he was never very fond of sharing.

My jar is full of stories. Actually, it’s my belief that everything has a story, even if it’s unknown or made up. And stories are remarkable things. The best ones make me laugh or cry — preferably both. They teach me to notice the little details in life. They help me to make sense of a world I sometimes have trouble understanding, and they encourage me to empathize with other people.

Because I love stories and seek them out, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that when I decided I needed to do some organizing, I headed to the thrift store to buy some used file drawers.

“X” Marks the Spot Aaron’s Attic, on North Monroe, is a maze of treasures, and their inventory constantly changes. It’s the perfect place to browse for an hour or two, especially if you’re not sure what you’re looking for. But I was a woman on a mission. For once, I knew precisely what I wanted.

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Feathered hats, more glassware than you could shake a crystal candlestick at, empty picture frames — Aaron’s Attic had everything I didn’t need. After half an hour of searching, I began to despair of ever finding any file boxes, let alone the right ones.

But, then, there they were: two vintage, metal, librarycard-catalog file drawers resting on top of a bookshelf that was surrounded by plastic lawn ornaments, rose-patterned armchairs and, oddly enough, the remnants of an old carpet loom. It was as if a battle had been fought in someone’s great-grandmother’s attic, and the file boxes had dragged themselves through the carnage to safety on high ground.

I charged through the rubble, knocking aside a pair of pink plastic flamingos whose necks crossed to make an x-shape, and, with trembling fingers, raised the file boxes heavenward. “Huzzah!” I cried. Then I set out to find Rodney, who runs the store most days. At the time, I didn’t think much of the fact that the file boxes were full of used index cards. I may have even told Rodney, “There’s all kinds of garbage in these,” hoping he’d knock a few bucks off the price.

It was the file boxes I was after, not their contents.

As a lover of all things vintage, I am also a lover of Clorox wipes. Scarcely 20 minutes passed from the time I left Aaron’s to the time when, thanks to the miracle of lemonscented sodium hypochlorite, the file boxes sat gleaming on my kitchen table. That is, their exteriors gleamed. It was time to tackle the boxes’ innards.

I’m no fool. I’ve opened my share of drawers — “chump”embellished and otherwise — to find dead cockroaches, dirty socks and mysterious pools of dried liquid. Knowing there could be anything inside the boxes I had just purchased, I had cleaned them on the outside. In doing so, I had ensured that regardless of what garbage I found inside of the boxes, I wouldn’t be any less attracted to them. I believe there’s a metaphor in there that can be applied to my college dating experiences.

Wearing a brave face and a pair of latex gloves, I opened the drawers. And that’s when I made a remarkable discovery: What I had referred to as “garbage” when haggling with Rodney was actually a collection of index cards that were covered in … prayers. The prayers were sorted by occasion and were, as far as I could discern, representative of numerous religions. Behind the prayers were more index cards — again, meticulously organized — which proved to be sermon notes.

The file boxes also contained several letters.

As I sorted through everything, I came across a card that was a brighter white than the others, which had aged to a yellowed cream. I blew the dust from it and saw that the spiky, slightly-off-the-vertical handwriting that covered it was the same as that which could be found on most of the other index cards in the boxes. This card, however, listed the names, addresses and phone numbers of several people, some of whom shared the same surname. I recognized the full name of one individual; I had seen it several times while perusing the files.

I was sure, at this point, that I had found the previous

Tallahassee owner of the file boxes — a man named Magazine writer Robert Sofge.

Kim Harris Once I had sorted through all the Thacker began to develop an idea piles, I opened an envelope that conof the character tained a letter that was addressed to of the man whose “Robert Sofge, Chaplain, Florida State sermon notes she found, based on Hospital,” and began to read. I quickly this collection of saw that this letter was of a private nanotes, entitled, ture and contained the kinds of things “This is Me!” you’d tell someone you trust very deeply.

I put it back in its envelope, moved it and the other letters aside and turned my attention once more to the newer index card.

Unlike the letters, which listed Chattahoochee as Sofge’s place of residence, this card said he lived in Tallahassee.

Because most of the letters were postmarked from the 1970s, I did not expect to be able to locate Sofge — if he were even still alive. But, as luck would have it, the index card that bore his contact information had been created recently enough that the phone number was still in service.

I left a brief message on Sofge’s voicemail, explaining who I was and how I had come across his phone number, and then I waited. And waited. And waited. A week passed, so I called again. Then a second week passed. I still didn’t hear from Sofge. I began to wonder if he had died and no one had gotten around to disconnecting his phone.

“This is Me!” Oddly enough, the more time that passed, the more I thought about Sofge. You see, I had discovered, among his notes, a lecture entitled “This is Me!” that he had given to a youth group. Through this lecture, part of which was an autobiographical account of Sofge’s life and how he had entered the ministry, I began to develop a mental picture of the old gentleman. The image was very much like that of my grandpa Harris — a good-natured, spiritual man who had farmed the same rolling hills in Idaho that had been homesteaded by his pioneer ancestors. Grandpa Harris died when I was a senior in high school, but given the information about Sofge that I gleaned through his lecture, I figured he and my grandpa would’ve been about the same age.

The second of two sons born to parents who believed in hard work and discipline, young Robert Sofge followed his older brother into the army during World War II. The elder of the Sofge boys became a bomber pilot who saw the Orient from the skies; Robert became an army infantry bandsman who marched through Europe with a saxophone.

He wrote, “The people I saw at the end of the fighting struck hard at my heart. I was trained to hate them, but their poverty, their hopelessness, their total lack of direction … struck me so hard that I slowly began studying for some way I could be worth something to them or someone.”

Robert set his sights on the ministry.

While in college, he served a church in Lake Butler. The opportunity allowed him to spend one full day each week working at the correctional facility in nearby Raiford. Of his

He wrote, “The people I saw at the end of the fighting struck hard at my heart. I was trained to hate them, but their poverty, their hopelessness, their total lack of direction … struck me so hard that I slowly began studying for some way I could be worth something to them or someone.”

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experiences there, he wrote, “I liked the work with the men and at times could be of help to them even in the limited time I had there.”

The ministry took Robert, then a young husband and father, to Pennsylvania, and afterward, to Ocala, Florida for a few years. He wrote, “The church’s ministry to the unchurched — the need of loving the unloved and the unlovable — I could not dismiss from my mind. I now came to the only conclusion possible for me and that was to find a place to serve those who might be passed by for one reason or another, or who might be served by one who cared less than I care.”

At that point in the lecture, Sofge left off from telling the story of his past and began to talk about what he was doing currently. But I couldn’t stop thinking about what I had just read, even after I put the lecture notes aside and two weeks elapsed. I felt certain that the people he had spoken of — the ones who were “passed by” — were those who had gathered to hear him speak. But who were they?

Sofge’s notes didn’t provide me with all of the answers to my questions, but I felt confident that the answers were out there, somewhere. So I waited for him to call, my mind whirring with images of Grandpa Harris and phrases that wouldn’t stay put on the index cards where they had been written. Then, one evening, during that hectic hour between supper and my kids’ bedtime, the phone rang.

It was Reverend Sofge.

Fate, Providence or Luck The elderly man who waited for me just inside the automatic doors at the senior living center was Sofge. It had to be him. Only this particular elderly man — gentle, polite and dressed in pressed slacks, a button-down plaid shirt and freshly shined shoes — could be the author of the notecards that were in the cardboard box I carried in my arms. He didn’t look much like Grandpa Harris after all; but the moment he spoke, I decided I liked him anyway.

“I hope you found something special in there,” he said, pointing to the box.

I assured him that the entire The notes for Reverend Sofge’s collection was extraordinary and sermons are that I had enjoyed everything I evidence of his had read — especially the diverse religious knowledge; but they are also prayers. evidence of his “As a hospital chaplain, I had the understanding that opportunity of ministering to folks people have different learning styles. of many different faiths: Protestant, Each of Sofge’s Catholic, Jewish and others,” Sofge sermons might be replied. “I endeavored to be propaccompanied by an object lesson, erly informed about each so I could scriptural reference, be prepared to offer the proper sersong, story or poem. vice when it was needed.”

We settled on a couch in a quiet room just off the lobby, and I passed Sofge his notes, which he received almost hesitantly. By the end of our conversation, I would better understand that hesitance: It came from knowing he was about to open doors that had closed — and (continued on page 280) not always softly — years before.

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KEEPING TABS ON ALL THAT MUSES INSPIRE

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↖ Shaking it for Shakespeare!

The festival aims to modernize the plays with entertaining dance acts. Here, Anita Miller performs in “The Comedy of Errors” in 2016.

W

illiam Shakespeare once said, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women are merely players.” This is true, quite literally, for the participants of the Southern Shakespeare Festival, a part of the outdoor Shakespeare festival circuit held in Cascades Park.

The festival breathes life into an age-old subject and gives mostly local actors — with some out-of-town guests — a chance to showcase their talents.

The Southern Shakespeare Festival was modeled after Joseph Papp’s “Free Shakespeare in the Park” concept that was birthed over 20 years ago.

Yet the Southern Shakespeare Company — the company behind the festival — does more than simply provide audiences with performances of Shakespeare’s plays.

“People think of Shakespeare as old and dusty, so we sprinkle it with modern themes,” says Laura W. Johnson, Executive Director of the Southern Shakespeare Company.

Johnson explains that inserting the modern themes into the plays allows the company to reach more audiences and get more people involved in theater, whether on the stage or in the audience. Previous performances,

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Johnson recalls, involved a version of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” that was set in the ’60s and a version of “The Comedy of Errors” that was set at a 1950’s carnival.

The Southern Shakespeare Festival is nothing new to Tallahassee, having started in 1995.

“It was a dream of two people, Dick Fallon and Michael Trout, who had the idea of bringing free Shakespeare to our city,” says Johnson.

Kleman Plaza housed the first festival, where, Johnson said, they erected a stage and performed for as many people as could fit in the venue. Over the years, the audience grew, and so did Kleman Plaza. With community buildings starting to pop up, the festival quickly outgrew its space.

“The Festival stopped performing at Kleman Plaza when they reached capacity,” says Johnson. Without adequate space, the festival would go on a 15-year hiatus. But with the opening of the newly renovated Cascades Park, life was breathed into the shows once more. And it was a whole new type of life.

The company saw great potential in the vast new stage. “When we first saw it, we were ecstatic, if not a bit intimated,” Johnson recalls. Accustomed to a much smaller space, bringing the festival to Cascades Park was as much of an advantage as it was a learning experience.

“We’ve grown more and learned how best to maxi“People think of mize that space. We have Shakespeare as had Florida A&M University’s (scenic director) Ruben old and dusty, Arana-Downs working with so we sprinkle us since the beginning, deit with modern signing our sets. It has been thrilling.” themes.”— Laura Always keeping partnerW. Johnson, Executive ship in mind, the SouthDirector of the Southern ern Shakespeare Company Shakespeare Company seeks to do more than just entertain. As the executive director, Johnson oversees both administrative and programmatic aspects of the company, and she believes in community partnerships and relationships. Of particular note, Johnson said, is the company’s newly established relationship with Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU) and their Artists in Bloom Festival, which brought actor and playwright Keith Hamilton Cobb and his one-man show, “American Moor,” to Tallahassee in January. »

MATT BURKE / ROWLAND PUBLISHING FILE PHOTO

COURTESY SOUTHERN SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL / BOB O'LARY

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Merging theatre and education, “American Moor” explores race in America.

In addition, and in partnership with the Foundation for Leon County Schools, the Southern Shakespeare Company has once again invited Devon Glover, the “Sonnet Man,” to Tallahassee. His hip-hop musical performances of Shakespeare’s sonnets at our Leon County Schools and at Word of South and the Southern Shakespeare Festival will help the Southern Shakespeare Company to fulfill its education mission, which is to inspire both the young and the old through education in our area schools and community.

The Southern Shakespeare Company expects to become Tallahassee’s first Equity Theatre Company, affording local students/actors the opportunity to gain professional experience in performance, design, production and management.

“There really is no shortage of theatrical talent in Tallahassee,” Johnson says. “I feel so fortunate to have so much talent and dedication to the arts, here.” TM

➸ To learn more about the Southern Shakespeare Company and the Southern Shakespeare Festival, visit southernshakespearefestival.org.

COURTESY SOUTHERN SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL / BOB HOWARD (FIRST FAIRY) AND BOB O'LARY (AMPHITHEATER)

↑ The Cascades Park Amphitheater lights up the night with a rendition of the popular Shakespearean play — the 2016 “The Comedy of Errors.” The actors’ costumes are elaborate and interesting, such as the First Fairy Speaks costume above, which features tye-dye and flower crowns. ZaKiya Jas is seen in a 2015 production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

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TALES OF YORDON A humorist inspires us to take life less seriously STEVE BORNHOFT by

G

ary Yordon dedicates “Kidney Stones” to anyone who ever had one.

It is one of 37 columns collected in his book, “Driving the Road of Life With a Flat Tire: Stories from My MistakeFilled Life.”

“If you’ve had one, you get it,” Yordon writes. “If you haven’t, then you can gain a greater understanding of this column if you go to a toolbox, take out a hammer and smack your big toe while you read this.”

I get it.

I’ve had two.

Ol’ Doc McCormack of Panama City was my urologist for No. 1. His treatment plan lacked, well, sophistication. He kept me hopped up on morphine and asked that I simply stay on my feet, drink a bathtub’s worth of water and urinate through a cheesecloth. A day and a half later, there it was, caught in the makeshift strainer, a miniature cocklebur about the size of a hanging chad.

“Hallelujah,” I screammoaned, so soulfully and loudly that Leonard Cohen heard me and was inspired to write a song.

Doc McCormack had retired by the time No. 2 came along.

Neal Dunn, now a Republican congressman, had become my urologist and lived more expensively than McCormack did.

There would be no cheesecloth.

Instead, Dunn went in after that thing that Yordon likens to a “porcupine in a garden hose.”

The operating nurse that day was the comely wife of a good friend of mine. Swell.

In a follow-up visit — permit me here some Yordon-like selfdeprecating humor — Dunn, with a wink, asked me if “everything else” were OK. “I guess you could say it’s like an old lawn mower,” I said. “It starts every time, but sometimes it bogs down in the high grass.”

Dunn roared and immediately made a permanent record of my remark in my chart. If he were to spy me today across a room in the Rayburn House Office Building, he would hail me — there is no doubt – with a hearty “LAWN MOWER!” So, yeah, I get it.

And I get Yordon, a man whose writing career was launched by a serpent reported variously (by Yordon) to have been 10 feet or 5 feet or 18 inches in length. We can safely assume that it measured about a foot.

In “Giant Snake,” Yordon, assisted by a neighbor armored with full catcher’s regalia, succeeds in confining the snake (nightcrawler?) to a hatbox and transporting it to an undisclosed location outside Cleveland.

For a protagonist defined by his awkwardness and his fears, here was a triumph worth celebrating and documenting. Yordon has been sharing his foibles and fumbles ever since.

In the pages of “Driving,” we learn that the sometimes caustic Yordon is — or was — capable of shedding real tears by thinking about Steve Bartman, the infamous fan who interrupted the Cubs’ progress toward postseason glory in 2003 when he prevented Moises Alou from catching a foul ball. (Yordon is probably less able to water up on demand these days, given the Cubs’ 2016 World Series championship.)

In a column titled “Catfishing,” Yordon tugs at our heart strings in describing how he set aside his reluctance about fishing, purchased two Ronco Pocket Fisherman set-ups and escorted his son, then 3, to a dock where, equipped only with salami as bait, he hoped to catch … anything. And he does.

Before he can lower his sandwich meat into the water, he ties into a kitten. Yordon isn’t sure how he managed to unhook the feline, but this became certain: The only thing that he will henceforth dangle at the end of the line is a participle.

← In a column titled “Catfishing,” Yordon discovers a kitten’s affinity for salami.

So, do not be fooled as you approach “Hammerhead.” It has nothing to do with battling a toothy and worthy adversary.

Nor does it refer to an instrument either ball-peen or clawed.

Yordon is talking about his own anatomy above the neck, which consistently fails him whenever he takes on a home-improvement project. Here, we learn how to jettison oneself across a room while attempting to install a light kit on a ceiling fan. We discover, too, how to explode a Wagner Power Painter.

Yordon’s greatest fear is of his own mortality. He cannot mark a holiday without stressing about the possibility that it might be his last. He holds out no hope of perfecting himself, but he would like to live forever. But, Gary, your imperfections are delightful. You know this. Remember that, as Cohen wrote, “there is a crack in everything; that’s how the light gets in.” And you are full of light.

Yordon’s genius is that even as we laugh at him, he leads us to laugh at ourselves. Somewhere in that truth is a tombstone inscription for this man who views himself as a death-phobe.

Call it an epilaugh. TM “Driving the Road of Life With a Flat Tire: Stories from My Mistake-Filled Life.” Gary Yordon. Quill publishing. 156 pgs. $14.99

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photography by LAWRENCE DAVIDSON

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expression ARTISTS RAY BURGGRAF AND MARK MESSERSMITH

ART

One of the artists featured at Venvi is RAY BURGGRAF. Ray is currently an Emeritus Professor of Fine Arts at Florida State University. He often refers to his work as “color constructions,” and it’s easy to see why in pieces such as “HELL’S BELLS.” The contrast between the smooth dark greys and bright oranges shapes creates an enticing conflict for the viewer.

Venvi Art Gallery exhales art

by MARIA KNIGHT

B

right, vibrant colors offer an exciting contrast to the white walls of the gallery. These colors converge into shapes that entice the viewer.

I’m drawn to the shades of blue and green that run parallel to each other in Ray Burggraf’s Jungle River piece. The calm, instrumental music playing in the gallery makes it easier for me to contemplate the meaning of the artwork.

Nearly a year after its inception, Venvi Art Gallery has hosted the work of five different artists and held six exhibits. Owners Brinda and Veernag Pamulapati spent careful time building and designing the gallery. They did ample research in Toronto, where Brinda was trained, and visited as many art galleries as they could.

Veernag, who has an engineering background, paid careful attention to the lightning designs and specifics of the gallery. Not only did the technical aspects take time to understand, but the concept of abstract art did, as well.

“When Brinda started doing abstract art, it didn’t make any sense to me,” Veernag admits. “But after six months of not relating to it, after I kept seeing it, I started picking up what was happening. Eventually, I gave up the idea that art has to have form.”

Veernag’s realization is one that the couple hopes many of their visitors will have, especially younger ones. Brinda encourages parents in the community to bring their children when they visit art galleries, because doing so can spark a newfound interest in or appreciation for art.

Venvi is an especially fitting gallery for children, because its focus is on color, creativity and quality.

The passion for color in all of the exhibits can get audiences of every age thinking about the way humans respond to color.

“The creative energy of the artists brings it all

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↖ Venvi owners together,” Brinda says. “You Veernag and don’t see these pieces anywhere Brinda Pamulapati else.” stand in front of the gallery titled When they first founded “Continuum,” by Venvi, Brinda and Veernag Mary Stewart. were looking for artists who had proven their qualifications and demonstrated their uncommon techniques. They soon found out that artists in the community were looking for just this kind of outlet.

“Talking to initial artists, the enthusiasm they had with the new things they were creating — we weren’t expecting to see that,” Veernag says. “They took to it like water in the desert.”

Venvi gives committed artists the opportunity to keep doing what they love without having to stop and worry about whether or not their work will be seen or appreciated.

“They’re so passionate,” Brinda says of the artists featured in the gallery. “I started this gallery as an artist, and now I’m so excited about how these artists are so involved and ready to show their work.”

In turn, Brinda and Veernag are ready to show the artists’ work to businesses in the community. “Instead of shopping for art in bigger cities or online, businesses can come here and find art,” Brinda explains.

Venvi Art Gallery was built as a space where people can interact with different creative ideas and practices. With the enthusiasm of its owners merging with the enthusiasm of the community, Venvi has quickly become a place where quality meets devotion.

“It’s an entire community celebrating art,” Brinda says. “I’m very honored to have a platform for them.” TM

↑ RAY BURGGRAF Aug–Sep 2016 show “Passion for Color”

MARK MESSERSMITH is also a featured artist at the gallery. Mark’s work focuses on the struggles within the modern world’s natural environment. “WEIGHT OF DARKENING SILENCE” captures this clash in vivid shades of blue and yellow.

Various types of birds are highlighted in gold in the center of the piece and are surrounded by blue animals that soften the brightness.

↑ MARK MESSERSMITH Nov–Dec 2016 show “Beauty and Vulnerability”

PHOTOS BY STACY REHBERG (PAMULAPATIS) AND PAUL WINGLER PHOTOGRAPHY (BURGGRAF AND MESSERSMITH’S WORK)

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expression ↙ The Currys are all about family traditions.

Tommy and Jimmy are brothers and Galen is their cousin.

MUSIC

THE TIES THAT BIND The Currys are a band bound by more than just family ties TISHA CREWS KELLER by



108 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

from Potsdam, NY) via their shared love Politeness doesn’t help a music group of music and performing at family events. grow, the band explains, but they are The trio got into music (officially) at difpretty good about communicating when ferent times and through varying avenues things need more work and keeping hard — orchestra, choir and guitar — but they feelings at bay. Playing and singing the convened in 2010 to record an acoustic EP, songs over and over again helps the band called, “Follow.” refine the sound — and really come to Their latest release is “West of Here,” love or hate a certain song. which was born out of their considerable It’s this commitment to the work and their time spent on the road, touring. true sound that keeps The Currys bound to“We spend a lot of time thinking about gether; but it’s also a love of the process and what a home is and what we want it to be,” a tremendous pride in their work.

Galen explains. “‘West of Here’ is about “It feels wonderful, because it’s our discovering that home.” words, our voices, our sound All of the band members and our expression,” Jimmy write and sing on the albums, says.

WANT TO CATCH and they’ve been able to quit “We built this band and THE CURRYS ON STAGE? their day jobs and commit to our following ourselves,” See them at Word playing and writing full time.

Galen continues. “We didn’t of South festival in The close quarters of a van know what we were doing.”

Tallahassee, April 7–9, 2017 and the fact that none of them But what they did worked, has an official address can be and they’ve gathered a folWANT TO CHECK hard on the trio, but they rely lowing and found their voice.

OUT MUSIC FROM THE CURRYS? on honesty and the close-knit “We write about the conFind them on nature of their relationship to cerns of young men,” Tommy iTunes or online at see them through. says. “Leaving home, being TheCurrysMusic.com.

“Writing on the road is in relationships, losing family DISCOGRAPHY: hard,” Jimmy admits. “We all members, being compelled Follow (2010), write privately, but there is no by current events — it’s all West of Here (2016) personal space on the road.” there.” TM

COURTESY THE CURRYS

G

alen, Tommy and Jimmy Curry talk to me on speakerphone from their van, where they are speeding up the highway toward Indiana. Tonight they’ll do a house concert at Floyd’s Knobs, a clubhouse venue for the private show.

They enjoy these events, because it’s an intimate performance that suits their style.

Galen, Tommy and Jimmy make up the front-porch band The Currys, a band born out of family ties and a mutual love of the arts.

Self-described as “folk rock,” they claim many different influences, from Ray Lemonte to Josh Ritter. The kernel of every song, though, is one man and one guitar.

Their sound would be right at home at the Suwannee Music Park. It’s full of intimate lyrics and standout solos tinged with twang and carried on the strum of folksy guitar music. It’s exactly what you would expect to hear from the wood porch at a modern-day, Southern get-together.

Tommy and Jimmy are brothers, and Galen is their cousin. They come from a big — but close — extended family with roots in the Big Bend and in the performing arts.

The brothers grew up in Port St. Joe and connected with Galen (who hails

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DIY State of Preparedness || EXTERIORS The Joy of Koi || GARDENING How to Grow Edible Ginger TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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W

hen is a coffee table not a coffee table? When it’s a dining table. Or wine rack. Or bookcase. Or hassock. Or dog crate.

Yes, the multifunctional furniture renaissance is here, and designers and manufacturers say that much more is coming.

“Every year, we see more multifunctional designs introduced at trade shows,” says Pat Bowling of the American Home Furnishings Alliance, a national association of furniture manufacturers. “And the reason is clear: Living spaces are becoming smaller. Part of it is an older population that’s downsizing. Another is the second-home market. Those homes are smaller than everyday residences. The third is millennials, who gravitate towards urban areas where living spaces are substantially smaller.”

But designer Karen Waterdield of Sugar Beach Interiors, Miramar Beach, sees still another factor contributing to the multifunctional furniture trend.

“Architect Sarah Susanka’s book, ‘The Not So Big House,’ has changed the concept of ‘home’ profoundly,” she says. “It stresses quality over size, and it literally started a minimalist movement, first in square footage and then in furnishings.” to recognize its talents on a showroom floor. A good example of this is the Casulo System, which can practically furnish an apartment. It’s a cube that brilliantly becomes an armoire, a desk, a heightadjustable stool, two additional stools, a bookcase, and a bed. Similar systems convert a kitchen-appliance-wall that rolls on tracks into a soundproofed guest room with a Tempur-Pedic bed.

Replacing the conventional dining table is especially easy. Designs include sideboards, benches and dressers that can turn

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into dining tables. And the home office was never more efficient. One notable design is for a steamer trunk that looks perfect at the foot of the bed and opens up to become a complete home office.

And then there are the “extras,” such as the low storage cabinet that doubles as bike storage and the ironing board that’s also a mirror. But the Mona Lisa chair beats them all. It’s a chair that folds up to become a framed painting that hangs on the wall.

“It was never easier,” says Waterfield, “to downsize in style.” TM

According to Pat Bowling, Vice President of the American Home Furnishings Alliance, the trendiest piece of furniture at the recent national trade show was the rolling cart. “We call it a bar cart,” says Bowling, “but the fact is that it’s one of the most flexible pieces of furniture ever — perfect for spacechallenged rooms. Designers say that it works in every room in the house and goes outside, as well. With a lower shelf and top, it can hold anything from small appliances and towels to books and plants. And, of course, you can roll them about.” The new bar carts may be made from metals or wood and may feature tops and shelves made from glass, wood or even stone; so there’s a design to go with every style.

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COURTESY LA-Z-BOY AND TURNER’S FINE FURNITURE

SMART AND CHIC Flexible furnishings that combine functions are now readily available for every room in the house, and Waterfield and Bowling marvel at how good-looking they are.

“Sleeper sofas and chairs, for example, are no longer ugly, clumsy things,” says Bowling. “For example, Lee Industries features a super-sleek day bed, and there’s a sofa that converts to double bunk beds — obviously genius for a kids’ room.”

However, the design of a multifunctional piece can be so innovative that it’s difficult

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STATE OF PREPAREDNESS

In Florida, you hope for the best, but prepare for the worst

by JASON DEHART

BOBs and GHBs

Turning now to communications, make sure to charge up your cell phones and your standalone cell phone chargers. Add your home insurance provider and utility provider to your speed dial. Keep a batterypowered weather radio handy.

Put these other items on your prep list, too: folding pocketknife or fixed-blade sheath knife, multi-tool, manual can opener, toilet paper, garbage bags, plastic tarps/ sheeting, duct tape, household bleach (for sterilizing suspicious tap water), Bic lighter, and camp stove with ample propane. Make sure important documents are sealed away and safe.

Now, let’s say you have to evacuate. Your family car or SUV can only carry so much, so you’re going to have to prioritize. Food, water, can opener, pocketknife, important documents, cash and medicines, cell phones and chargers, flashlights/LED headlamps, spare batteries, blankets, first aid kits, fire starter, plastic bags and hygiene items should be at the top of the list. Have an actual map of your evacuation route, a roadside emergency kit and rain ponchos. If you have pets and small children, be sure to bring along their comfort items and something to keep them occupied.

School-aged kids can carry their own survival “gear” in their school backpacks or in special backpacks that are just for emergencies. This gear can include water, snacks, a small flashlight, medicine, an individual first aid kit and any personal possession that could give them comfort and continuity in an uncomfortable situation. TM

EMERGENCY PREP LIST: ❏ Food ❏ Water ❏ Important documents ❏ Cash and medicines ❏ Cellphones and chargers ❏ F lashlights/led headlamps ❏ Spare batteries ❏ Blankets ❏ First aid kits ❏ Fire starter ❏ Plastic bags/garbage bags ❏ Hygiene items ❏ F olding pocketknife or fixed-blade sheath knife ❏ Multi-tool ❏ Manual can opener ❏ Toilet paper ❏ Plastic tarps/sheeting ❏ Duct tape ❏ H ousehold bleach (for sterilizing suspicious tap water) ❏ Bic lighter ❏ Camp

stove with ample propane

In the survivalist world, there are “Bug-Out Bags” (BOBs) and “Get Home Bags” (GHBs). They are not the same thing. A BOB is a full-sized backpack packed with anywhere from 60 to 100 pounds of survival gear that can keep you alive in the field for up to a week. A GHB is a smaller and lighter backpack that you keep in your car or truck that is always packed and ready with the bare-bones essentials, such as a canteen, MREs (“meals ready to eat”) or energy snacks, first aid kit, small tactical flashlight, knife and shelter. As the name suggests, the GHB will get you home if disaster strikes while you’re at work or out of town.

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GLOWONCONCEPT / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

T

he big storm is on its way, but you’re not worried. You’ve prepped for months just in case you are caught in the crosshairs, right? If not, here’s what you should do to prepare for the next Hermine.

If you don’t anticipate being under a mandatory evacuation order and can stay home, you can prep as many supplies as your pantry can handle.

Let’s start with the basic needs: food and water.

The general rule of thumb calls for, at minimum, a three-day supply of non-perishable food and one gallon of drinking water per person per day. (You’ll need more for cooking and washing.) If you have pets, make sure to grab some extra food and water for them, too. It’s also a good idea to store some ice, while you’re at it. During an emergency, these items fly off the shelves rather quickly, so it’s wise to purchase them in advance and to rotate them out as they near their expiration dates.

Your next move will be to refill medication, get some cash from the ATM (small bills) and inventory and restock your family’s first aid kit. You may end up evacuating after all, so gas up the car and fill the spare fuel cans. If you have pets, put the pet carrier and leashes near the back door.

After that, prepare the stuff you’ll need for when the power goes out. Gather your flashlights and lanterns and make sure you have spare batteries. If you plan on using a generator, make sure it has fuel and is set up safely and correctly. If you don’t have a generator, be sure to cook whatever is in your fridge and freezer before it all goes bad — or at least plop it in the cooler where it can help keep other perishable items cold. Frozen bottles of water can also be used as ice packs.

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→ There’s Nothing Coy About Chagoi

THE JOY OF KOI

Colorful goldfish cousins enliven backyard ponds

by STEVE BORNHOFT

B

uz Ireland never has strayed far from his roots.

He lives in the house his grandfather built on 200plus acres purchased in the 1920s.

As a boy, Ireland explored nearby woods and played in streams that run to Lake Jackson. He smilingly recalls fishing trips with his dad and vacations in North Carolina where, he said, “I loved the rocks and the water.”

That love has proved undying.

After a 30-year career spent in the state Department of Banking and Finance’s computer center, Ireland launched Aquafeatures, a business that enhances back yards with ponds and streams and other water works. He’s been at it for 17 years.

“I’m not like a dentist or an

auto mechanic,” Ireland observed. “I get to create something beautiful that people truly want.”

For Ireland, a water feature is like a campfire.

“You sit by it and listen to it and you can’t stop looking at it,” Ireland said. “It’s peaceful.

You have people over and you can just stare at the water if you don’t want to talk.”

(Ireland, as it happens, uses words, even letters, sparingly, as evidenced by the single “z” in his first name.)

About half of the projects

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Ireland builds are without ponds. Streams run into an unseen basin. That arrangement offers advantages. If you are to be away for a time, you merely unplug the stream and start it back up upon your return.

But, for Ireland, a water feature is incomplete unless it includes aquatic plants and fish, typically koi, the large and colorful cousins of the goldfish you brought home in a bowl from the county fair when you were a kid.

“The fish know me,” Ireland said. “I feed them every »

Robin Bateman is good with varieties of koi including kohaku, sanke and showa, but she reserves a special fondness for chagoi.

“Koi are like dogs,” she said. “They have different dispositions, and chagoi are the friendliest of them all.”

Unlike more flamboyant koi that sport spots of red and black on white backgrounds, chagoi, Bateman said, are coincolored — often copper and sometimes silver.

“You should come out to our place and I would let you pet them,” Bateman said.

She and her husband, Michael, operate Seven Hills Koi and Aquatic Plants off Buck Lake Road (850-321-8243). The business, which Robin prefers to call a hobby, developed accidentally.

“We breed the koi and wind up with so many fish that we couldn’t possibly keep them all,” Bateman said.

The Batemans sell koi for about 10 bucks each when the fish reach six inches or so in length.

Probably a good thing.

If Robin were to let her koi get any larger, she’d become attached to them and, at some point, run out of names.

— STEVE BORNHOFT

JAMIE HOOPER AND FILOSOFARTFOTO (CHAGOI) / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

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morning, and they come rushing toward me because they know they are about to get breakfast. I’ve known people who have trained them to eat pellets out of their hand.”

Ireland recommends that people start with small fish when ponds are new. By letting fish mature with plants, they always have cover to hide under, thus escaping detection by marauding owls and hawks. Plus, new systems with low bacteria levels may be overwhelmed by the waste produced by large fish.

Ireland comes by koi at a local supplier, Seven Hills Koi, on Buck Lake Road.

The fish are remarkably hardy and cold tolerant. In Chicago, where Ireland reports for annual training sessions supplied by Aquascapes, a large seller of pond supplies, Ireland has seen iced-over koi ponds.

“There was a small hole in the ice to let gases escape, but otherwise the pond was left alone, and when it thawed out in the spring, the koi came back to life and they were fine,” Ireland said.

Once, he was hired to restore a pond that had been ignored for more than two years.

“No pump, no aeration, no algaecides, nothing,” Ireland recalled. “And there were two large koi in there that had somehow managed to fend for themselves.”

How do you go about creating a water feature? The easy answer is “one rock at a time.” Ireland prefers field stone and mossy rock from Tennessee.

“People will show me a picture of what they want and the best I can do is to tell them I can come close,” Ireland says. “Every rock has its own character and you have to try to visualize how the water will flow around it.”

Ireland loosely stacks rocks, never cementing them.

You never know when you may need to dismantle things for maintenance purposes.

“Features with ponds require a little more work,” Ireland said, “but for me they are worth it.”

And don’t forget the fish.

They add, we must say, a certain je ne sais koi. TM

PAUL VAN DEN BERG / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

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HOW TO GROW EDIBLE GINGER THERE ARE A NUMBER of ornamental plants with the word “ginger” in their common names, but many are not edible and most are not related botanically to true ginger. There are three edible types under the general umbrella of “gingers” — ginger, turmeric and galangal — and each brings a different flavor to your kitchen. All grow well in Northwest and North Central Florida. They don’t have showy or fragrant flowers, unlike most ornamental “gingers,” but each adds lush tropical foliage to your landscape. Ginger and turmeric grow about three feet tall; galangal gets about seven feet tall.

Plant them in part-sun, part-shade. BY AUDREY POST, MS. GROW-IT-ALL® True culinary GINGER is Zingiber officinale. The flavor comes from the root, which is harvested in late fall or early winter, after the foliage has turned brown. The root can be frozen, or it can be peeled, dried and ground into a powder. I keep mine in the freezer and grate it as needed. Some nurseries sell knobs of ginger root, but you can also get it in the produce section of your grocery store. Break off a healthy chunk and plant it in a pot about 2 inches deep. Once it’s growing and looks healthy, plant it in your garden and harvest annually, leaving enough roots to sprout new plants the following year.

Your Monthly Garden Chores MARCH

➸ Start pruning springblooming shrubs as soon as they drop their blossoms. ➸ Plant summerblooming perennial bulbs and tubers, such as ornamental gingers, canna lilies, daylilies and agapanthus. ➸ Sow seeds for summer annuals, such as zinnias, marigolds and torenia. ➸ Wait to fertilize your lawn until early- to mid-April. The soil is still too cool to absorb the nutrients. ➸ Fertilize citrus if you didn’t in February. ➸ Finish pruning roses.

TURMERIC, or Curcuma longa, grows in a similar manner as culinary ginger and is harvested the same way. The fresh root can be grated, or it can be dried and ground into a powder. Its yellow hue is responsible for the color of mustards, curries and pickles. Local nurseries might be able to order it for you, or you can look for it online.

APRIL

➸ Fertilize your lawn

with a 15-0-15 formula. ➸ Plant summer vegetables, such as okra, cucumbers, peppers and squash, in full sun.

GALANGAL, or Alpinia galanga, is common in Southeast Asian food and sometimes in Caribbean food. Roots can be found in the produce section of well-stocked supermarkets or online. Plant and harvest the same way as turmeric and true ginger.

➸ Plant hibiscus, mandevilla, bougainvillea and other tropical plants, treating them as annuals in our climate. ➸ Plant caladiums in shady areas.

Lucky lady Ladybugs are the gardener’s friend, eating aphids

and other small insects that feast on plants. They have small, round, red or orange bodies with dark spots on them. They do not cause damage and can eat up to 50 aphids a day.

You can buy ladybugs from garden supply houses.

Members of the Coccinellidae family, these beneficial insects protect themselves from predators by pulling their legs up under their bodies and expelling a bit of their yellow blood, thus appearing to be dead. Sometimes they gather inside houses when fall turns to winter, to the annoyance of homeowners. Clean the tank of a Shop-Vac and vacuum them into it, then release them outside. You want to keep them on the premises. Also called “lady beetles” or “ladybird beetles,” legend says they got their name after Catholic farmers in the Middle Ages prayed to the Virgin Mary when insects were destroying their crops. “The beetles of our Lady” arrived soon after. Not all of them are ladies, but even the males are also called “ladybugs.”

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

PESKY PESTS

THE LADYBUG

©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.

DNEPRSTOCK (TURMERIC AND GALANGAL), LUERINGMEDIA (GINGER), ALEXANDER RATHS (LADYBUG), JOLOEI (ZINNIAS), AKEPONG SRICHAICHANA (CUCUMBER) / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

GARDENING

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SPONSORED REPORT

DEAL ESTATE

JUST LISTED

Sweeping Silver Lake Acreage Spacious land perfect for private homeowners

by ALEXANDRA PUSHKIN

Private and gated, this all-brick home sits comfortably on 13+ acres of land on Silver Lake.

ADDRESS: 739 Silver Lake Road, Monticello PRICE: $495,000 SQUARE FEET: 2,929 BEDROOMS: 4 BATHROOMS: 3

REALTOR SAYS: “Enjoy fishing, boating and beautiful sunsets from your own … gated, 13+-acre private paradise. This home is a must-see!”

CONTACT: Lori Mattice, Realtor, Mattice & Mattice, (850) 544-0162, lori@matticerealestate.com

124 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

COURTESY MATTICE & MATTICE

FEATURES: Gated, custombuilt, all-brick home on over 13 private acres of lakefront property; 30 minutes from Tallahassee; amazing views; open split-floor plan; hardwood floors in entertaining areas; volume ceilings; gourmet kitchen with granite countertops and custom cabinets; large master suite with private bath and sitting area; large screened porch overlooking acreage and Silver Lake; walkout basement workshop; metal barn; RV/Boat storage; dock and generator; gardens; enough space to keep horses

WE’RE SELLING TALLAHASSEE!

3896 BOBBIN BROOK

930 LIVE OAK PLAN RD 5 BR | 6.5 BA | 7,140 sf

9267 WHITE BLOSSOM WAY

208 ROSEHILL DR W

260 ROSEHILL DR N

5 BR | 5.5 BA | 5,977 sf

5 BR | 4.5 BA | 6,287 sf

5 BR | 5/2 BA | 5,851 sf

5 BR | 4.5 BA | 6,177 sf

$2,350,000

$1,895,000

$1,650,000

$1,395,000

$1,150,000

304 DESOTO ST

4913 HIGHGROVE RD

1438 MITCHELL AVE

814 E. 7TH AVE

4102 FORSYTHE PARK CIR

BR | 6/2 BA | 6.861 sf

5 BR | 4.5 BA | 4,977 sf

3 BR | 3 BA | 2,800 sf

3 BR | 3 BA | 1,856 sf

3 BR | 2 BA | 1,946 sf

$999,900

$509,000

$395,000

$319,900

$269,900

SOLD

217 ROSEHILL DR N

SOLD

SOLD

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SOLD

8092 LANTERNLIGHT RD 4 BR | 5 BA | 4,371 sf

1281 PENNY LANE

6238 BUCK RUN CIR

3949 ROYAL OAKS DR

6 BR | 5.5 BA | 5,261 sf

5 BR | 3 BA | 4,400 sf

5 BR | 4 BA | 3,965 sf

4 BR | 3.5 BA | 3,127 sf

$1,825,000

$810,000

$625,000

$610,000

$370,000

SOLD

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SOLD

1309 LEEWOOD DR

449 SAN MARTIN DR

519 INGLESIDE DRIVE

3 BR | 3.5 BA | 2,4 sf

3 BR | 2 BA | 2,201 sf

2 BR | 2 BA | 1,121 sf

$355,000

$315,000

$243,500

Call us today for a premiere showing or to get a free market evaluation of your home!

Hettie Spooner (850)509-4337 Lindsay Elliott (850)545-2463 Calynne Hill (850)545-6140 2001 Thomasville Road Tallahassee, Florida 32308

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DEAL ESTATE JUST SOLD

Ravishing Remodel

Rosehill home dazzled in recent sale

by REBECCA PADGETT

Coveting thy neighbor seems like less of a sin when a home is this exquisite. The new owners of this home know they are lucky, as they have daily views of a live oak-filled neighborhood, can swim laps in their turquoise pool, feel the coolness of marble floors, smell the distinct scent of fresh carpentry and eat family meals in their professional-grade kitchen.

LIST PRICE: $1,999,000 SOLD PRICE: $1,825,000 ADDRESS: 217 Rosehill Drive N. SQUARE FOOTAGE: 5,261 BEDROOMS: 6 BATHROOMS: 5.5 YEAR BUILT: 1990

REALTOR SAYS: “This is a truly exquisite, one-ofa-kind property. When the owners completed remodeling in 2013, no detail was missed. From the custom design-choice finishes to the high-end finishing appointments, this unique home cannot be replicated.”

CONTACT: Hettie Spooner, Hill Spooner & Elliott, Inc., hillspooner.com, hettie@hillspooner.com, (850) 509-4337

126 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

COURTESY HILL SPOONER & ELLIOT, INC.

FEATURES: 2.84-acre lakefront lot in gated Rosehill community; unique architectural details, including beautiful millwork and custom marble and wood flooring; large, built-in wine cabinets; LED lighting throughout; professionalgrade kitchen with Wolf 6-burner gas stove and Sub-Zero stainless steel/glass refrigerator; luxurious master suite includes expansive hisand-hers walk-in closet with custom shelving; master bath features freestanding bathtub and oversized shower with custom water-jet floor

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DEAL ESTATE SECOND HOME

Your Guide for

Real Estate

A Harbored Home Recently renovated townhouse seeks owner by REBECCA PADGETT

For those who have an affinity for waterfront views — and who doesn’t — this townhouse, which overlooks Destin Harbor will not disappoint. Whether it’s a weekend getaway or a full-time residence, waking up to a cool harbor side breeze will always refresh and revive.

LIST PRICE: $569,000 ADDRESS: 415 Gulfshore Drive Unit 19, Destin SQUARE FEET: 2,136 BEDROOMS: 2 BATHROOMS: 2 FEATURES: Expansive harbor views, four stories, high-quality renovations throughout, granite countertops, stainless steel Whirlpool appliances, decorative wood trim and crown molding, sliding doors that lead to a balcony overlooking the harbor, master suite, walk-in closets, covered deck on lower level, boat dock and boat lift

• Personalized Service from Broker/Owner • Top Producer, Tallahassee Board of Realtors • Certified Residential Specialist • Accredited Buyers Representative

GaryBartlettRealestate.com

8 50.443.5887

APPEAL: “This is one of the nicest townhouses on the Destin Harbor,” said Heather Jenkins of Luxury Estates Realty Group.

“It’s located on a protected canal with beautiful harbor views, complete with boat dock and lift. The townhouse has been renovated throughout with only the nicest finishes.”

CONTACT: Heather and Tyler Jenkins, The Jenkins Real Estate Team/Luxury Estates Realty Group, (850) 699-1836 or (850) 685-3693, contact@ thejenkinsrealestateteam.com SPONSORED REPORT

128 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

COURTESY THE JENKINS REAL ESTATE TEAM/LUXURY ESTATES REALTY GROUP

YEAR BUILT: 1973

For details, contact:

pinedovefarm.com

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BETTON PLACE

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1817 THOMASVILLE RD, STE 520 (NEXT TO WHOLE FOODS) | 850.765.6224

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130 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

• Hair Services for all • Hair Extensions • Skin Treatments

• Nail Services • Bridal Packages • Spray Tans

ONLINE APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING AVAILABLE NEW LOCATION AS OF FEB. 1 2655 Capital Circle NE 850-727-0792 · JSHairLounge.com

GETAWAY Isn’t It Grand? || QUICK TRIP Keeping Monarchs Aloft — St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

destinations

MAR/APR 2017

VISITING NOTEWORTHY PLACES NEAR AND FAR

GETAWAY

DMITRY PETRAKOV / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

ISN’T IT GRAND? ↗ The South Rim extends farther than the eye can see; its accessibility, amenities and stop-and-star views attract countless visitors.

Thousands of visitors flock to the Grand Canyon each year in search of the Great American Adventure

by REBECCA PADGETT

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Sedona is known for its rusted red rocks and massive structures including Cathedral Rock, which reaches for the heavens. The Chapel of the Holy Cross (opposite page), a Roman Catholic Church built into a butte, is a Sedona must-see.

T

he air is brisk and pure — the cleanest my lungs have ever taken in. I steady my breathing, which is labored from the trek that got me to my vista. Inhale, exhale, in through the nose, out through the mouth.

I’m calm — maybe the calmest I’ve ever been — as I look down from my elevation of 7,250 feet.

One slip of my foot and I could fall; but there is an eagle gliding through the wind below me. Oddly enough, the sight brings me comfort.

I could have stood on Yaki Point much longer, my thoughts undisturbed in the solace of that place, but my sister taps me on the shoulder and reminds me that we have to be back on the tour bus in 10 minutes. We begin our descent, and when we reach the place where the slightly-less-adventurous hikers are waiting, I see the look on my mom’s face and know immediately what’s coming.

“You two scare me,” she says. “I saw you out there.”

She knows it’s a pointless battle. She knows the women she has raised. As we amble back to the bus, my grandmother pulls me close and says, “If I could hike that, I would have done it, too.”

132 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

Grandmother and the Grand Canyon We all have a bucket list. Maybe you haven’t written yours down or recited it aloud, but you have ambitions you want to achieve and adventures you want to experience before you die. For as long as I can remember, my grandmother has wanted to see the Grand Canyon. She is the product of a generation who was taught that to view the canyon is to have embarked on the Great American Adventure.

Don’t get me wrong, I was eager to see the Grand Canyon when my mom, grandma, sister and I began to plan our trip. It seemed beautiful from the National Geographic programs I had seen. But honestly, I just love to travel: You can book me a plane ticket to anywhere, and I will go.

I simply didn’t realize that the Grand Canyon could move me so deeply.

It all began with three generations on two different flights to one destination...

From Phoenix, Arizona All the Way to Sedona When flying to the Grand Canyon, you have a few arrival options: The Flagstaff, Arizona airport is small and is the closest to the canyon; the Las Vegas, Nevada airport is

GRAND CANYON SEDONA

ARIZONA PHOENIX

CHRIS THOMPSON / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Bell Rock, below, owes its name to its shape.

The El Tovar, bottom, offers the finest dining in the Grand Canyon from colorful salads to delectable fish and hearty steaks.

REBECCA PADGETT

JAY YUAN / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM ALEXEY STIOP / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

a great choice if you’re not with your grandmother; and then there’s the Phoenix, Arizona airport — our chosen hub. We selected Phoenix Sky Harbor because we wanted to fly into a larger airport, and we wanted to make stops on the three-hour drive to our hotel in Williams, Arizona.

I joined my mom, sister and grandmother in the baggage claim, after which we hit the road to Sedona by rental car. As Florida natives, we had never witnessed the terrain of Arizona. Dusty red clay reflected from the ground onto the buildings we passed. The landscape went from flat and barren to jagged with boulders. We drove winding mountain roads interspersed with jade-green shrubbery and cacti taller than most men I know. The two-hour drive to Sedona passed pleasantly.

We had precious minutes of daylight left by the time we reached Sedona, and I had sights I intended to see, the first of which was the Chapel of the Holy Cross. Although the church was surprisingly easy to find, we arrived to a locked gate. So we settled for a roadside view, which was still spectacular. The giant cross for which this church is famous rises 250 feet in the air and is 90 feet wide. As someone who sees God most presently in nature, it was, in a way, better for me just to view the cross jutting out of the red rocks.

The rugged terrain continued as we stopped to view landmarks such as Cathedral Rock and Bell Rock. Our stomachs were beginning to growl. As foodies, we had already selected our dinner destination. The Hudson presents large windows and an expansive porch for viewing the valley, which is especially pleasant at sunset. We dined on an impressive cheeseboard, the Sedona Quinoa and Brussels Sprout salad, the Hudson Portobello mushroom burger and the salmon prepared with brown sugar fennel butter. Red wine seemed appropriate.

Feeling well fed, we were ready to make the drive to the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel in Williams. What we hadn’t accounted for was the early sunset, which led us into deep valley roads that lacked roadside lighting. It was thrilling for some, not so for others. I suggest making the drive in the daytime so you can enjoy the views.

On a 9 a.m. Train to Williams At the crack of 9 a.m., the Grand Canyon Railway’s train rolls out of the station in Williams on a two-hour pursuit of the Grand Canyon. The train has varying levels of seating, from bench seats and open windows to plush seating and a skybox with 360-degree views. At first, the sights were of rolling planes speckled with windmills; but those changed to conifers and craggy mountains when we began our ascent. The luxury seating also offered a breakfast bar and a libations menu. Naturally, champagne was in order.

The train dropped us off directly in front of Maswik Lodge, which was comprised of cabins much like those you remember from summer camp. Fortunately, there were no bunk beds; instead the inside was modeled after a hotel room. The front desk was very helpful in setting us up on tours that provided stunning views while also being grandma-friendly.

There are various dining options on the Grand Canyon’s South Rim campus, from cafeteria-style to sit-down, and from family-friendly to fine dining. The El Tovar dining room is world-renowned and serves up steak, fish, decadent desserts and a gourmet wine list. Still, you can’t help but let the fork miss your mouth as you steal glances at the massive rock structures outside the restaurant’s windows.

There are multiple modes of transportation, including bus, foot and donkey. For the most part, we took bus tours, and my sister and I hiked. The bus tours were very informative and lasted anywhere from one to four hours, depending on how far you wanted to travel.

The Rim Trail is the easiest to hike for those who are not avid hikers but who want to enjoy beautiful views from some of the highest points. Bus tours also follow along this trail. There are guided hikes into the canyon, or you can make this venture solo. The donkey rides are one of the most popular attractions, as they allow guests to travel on donkey-back either around the rim or into the canyon for an overnight stay at Phantom Ranch.

Although it sounds odd to watch a movie when you could be basking in the great outdoors, I suggest watching the IMAX movie on your Grand Canyon trip. It’s likely that TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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WISANU BOONRAWD / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Seventy feet above the canyon floor, the Desert View Watchtower provides unparalleled panoramic views of the South Rim. The turquoise and ultramarine hues of the Colorado River are seen most beautifully at Horseshoe Bend.

the movie has been used at the canyon for many years, but I left the theater feeling immensely informed and very appreciative of those who realized the canyon’s splendor and facilitated its making into a national park. With this deeper understanding, I was ready to take in the views.

Cindy Padgett, Rebecca Padgett, Virginia Spruce and Katie Padgett enjoy a breathtaking sunset, a memory cherished by all three generations.

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REBECCA PADGETT

A View From the Top The tour guides were some of the most cheerful people I’ve yet to encounter, and they were highly knowledgeable about their surroundings. We were told that depending on the time of day or vantage point, the canyon could look very different. I was skeptical: How different could what was, essentially, a massive hole in the ground, look?

Turns out, the guides know their stuff.

A daytime tour of Yavapai Point offers up impressive views of the Colorado River — a deep turquoise ribbon that cuts and juts through the rocks at the bottom of the canyon. The river slips in and out of sight around mountain corners, making it easy enough for the untrained eye to miss; however, there are times when its appearance is so striking and clear, you can detect white waves of foam splashing against the paddles of fearless rafters.

I watched hikers with trekking poles and passengers on donkey-back navigate the great spiral downward, into the unknown. I watched condors and eagles glide effortlessly below me. I imagined that this was how the higher powers must feel as they watch life unfold, progress and move below.

At one vantage point, I spotted a shack, thousands of feet below me. Although it could have been there for any reason, it made me reflect on Emery and Ellsworth Kolb, the photographer brothers, who captured some of the first images of the canyon and rushed to small shacks to develop and sell the photos. Standing on ledges, propelling from heights and rushing through rapids, these

JOSEMARIA TOSCANO / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

ambitious men often put their lives at risk for the photos they took.

As I pointed to the shack, the striking turquoise and lapis lazuli banded in silver that adorned my left index finger caught my eye. In part, because it was newly purchased from the Hopi House’s impressive Native American jewelry selection. I will never meet the Navajo woman who made my ring, but I could feel her presence within it. I looked across the mesas that stretched for miles on end before me, and I knew that for 10,000 years, members of Navajo, Havasupai, Hopi, Zuni and other indigenous tribes have stood there before me. There is a beauty in making history.

Seeing More Than Red Red dirt, red rocks, red dusted shoes. If states had a national color, this cinnabar shade would be Arizona’s. The canyons are composed of this rusted color, but the layers of rock between their crevices take on chameleon qualities based on the time of day. Sulfuric yellows and algae-tinted greens cast their hues in the morning hours, but the canyon that has inspired paintings for so many years is best viewed at sunset.

We took a bus tour that lasted for three hours, delivered us to the major points along the South Rim and ended at what was promised to be the best sunset-watching vantage anywhere along the canyon. The sun was making its initial descent as we took to the top of the Desert View Watchtower. The valley below was surprisingly lush for an otherwise barren landscape. Knowing my childhood affinity for “The Lion King,” my grandmother whispered to me, “It looks just like the Pride Lands.” She wasn’t wrong.

We boarded the bus in pursuit of our final destination.

I began to fret a little, as the sun slipped further away, thinking we wouldn’t reach our spot in time to see the grandeur of the setting sun. As if sensing our anticipation, the driver accelerated, and we arrived with 15 minutes to enjoy.

Rusted red sunk into deep crimson, brushstrokes of purple and creases of cobalt burst through. The sun, a brilliant yellow, mimicked the colors of the canyon as it set: red to purple to blue to black. My sister, my mother, my grandmother … we didn’t speak. Instead, we held each other. TM TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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QUICK TRIP

Keeping Monarchs Aloft Project promotes milkweed propagation by STEVE BORNHOFT

COURTESY USFWS/JIM HUDGINS

G

ot milkweed?

This is a question that monarch butterflies or, more particularly, their larvae might plaintively ask.

Monarch caterpillars feed exclusively on milkweed plants, and the dramatic decline in monarch populations in the past 20 years has coincided with the loss of millions of acres of milkweed throughout North America due to development and agricultural practices including the use of weed killers.

That is, an 81 percent decline in the monarch population — as measured by the numbers of hectares occupied by the incredibly durable black-and-orange insects when they overwinter in the pine forests of the Mexican state of Michoacán — has been linked to a corresponding 58 percent decline in milkweeds.

There are other factors affecting monarch populations, but the loss of milkweed is chief among them, according to Ranger Scott Davis at the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. Davis, a botanist, is the coordinator of the Monarch-Milkweed Initiative at St. Marks. The project encourages property owners to plant milkweeds to help restore their one-time prominence.

There are more than 100 species of milkweed, so called because of the sticky

↗ Individual monarch butterflies migrate from the Northeastern United States, riding the leading edges of cold fronts, and then overwinter in Mexico. The arduous trip back requires three generations of butterflies. The presence of milkweed along the route is critical to monarch caterpillars.

stuff that oozes from their stems when they are ruptured. Twenty-one species are native to Florida, and Davis has worked to identify those that are most easily grown.

Three species stand out that way — pink, aquatic and butterfly milkweed — and are available at plant nurseries such as Native Nurseries in Tallahassee.

“Restoring monarchs is not a hard fix,” Davis said. “It’s not like trying to save Florida panthers or red wolves and

136 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

finding a way to reintegrate them into the wild. Monarchs are easy. Little acts matter. The milkweeds in your yard make more of a difference than you realize.”

Most of the migrating monarchs that pass through St. Marks in the spring and the fall travel a flyway that extends from the Northeastern U.S. along much of the eastern seaboard, then cuts across South Georgia and North Florida to the Gulf Coast. Individual butterflies, riding the ››

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and possibly snow. They have been attacked by birds, and sideswiped by vehicles. If the weather is right, they may cover 50 miles in a day. That’s quite impressive, but a large number do not make it, which is why it is important that large numbers of them reproduce during the growing season.”

Davis encourages caution about the milkweeds that may appear as volunteers in yards. In Florida, those plants are likely to be non-native milkweeds that harbor yearround a protozoan parasite that infects and kills monarchs.

Native milkweeds die back to the ground each fall — and the protozoans die with them. Non-native invasive plants, which originated in Central America, resist dormancy, even in the coldest of Tallahassee winters, and remain loaded with the nasty protozoans when the monarchs come

↑ Its wings may appear to be made of stained glass, but don’t let a monarch butterfly’s delicate good looks fool you. These gorgeous insects are tough, determined travelers. In fact, some monarchs have been known to flutter more than 1,000 miles in one direction during migration seasons.

through in the spring. So it is that Davis calls upon property owners to cut all milkweeds back to the ground at Thanksgiving.

Milkweeds and wildflowers serve monarchs as aid stations benefiting runners along a marathon course. Their race is long.

“Last fall at St. Marks, we captured a monarch with a tag (a numbered adhesive dot placed on a wing),” Davis said. “We contacted Monarch Watch (a cooperative network of students, teachers, volunteers and researchers with an interest in monarchs) and learned that it had traveled 977 miles.

“It was tagged in Toronto.” TM

CREATURES BEYOND REASON

My parents built one of the first houses that came out of the ground in the suburban Minneapolis subdivision where I grew up. Our place was surrounded by empty lots home to scads of milkweeds. To curious children, they had much to offer. The plants, themselves, were complex and fascinating, and it seemed as if they had been planted expressly for our amusement. We pulled apart their odd pods, revealing countless seeds on threads of silk within. We collected with ease red-and-white milkweed beetles, confining them in mayonnaise jars. And we always found surprising the discovery on the underside of a leaf of a striped monarch caterpillar with its antennae fore and aft. Our mothers told us that the caterpillar would one day become a butterfly, but at the time, that notion exceeded our understanding. And, mostly, it still does. — STEVE BORNHOFT

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photography by LAWRENCE DAVIDSON

CATHY KEIFER / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM (MONARCH CATERPILLAR)

leading edges of cold fronts, complete the entire north-to-south migration. The southbound monarchs hug the Gulf Coast all the way to Mexico, roosting in red cedar trees and sabal palmettos and feeding on salt bush blooms. The more arduous return trip, however, amounts to a relay race requiring three generations of butterflies.

Floridians interested in assisting the travelers should provide egg-laying monarchs with native milkweeds in the spring and native wildflowers for consumption in the fall.

Cultivating milkweeds requires patience.

The native plants don’t flower until their fourth or fifth season.

Monarchs, unlike delicate moths with dust that comes off on your fingers, have evolved to endure long migrations.

“By the time they reach St. Marks,” Davis noted, “they have flown through rain

VISIT THE Forgotten Coast PLAY • SHOP • DINE • STAY CRAWFORDVILLE

4 LIVE OAK POINT Apalachee Bay

PANACEA Ochlockonee Bay

MEXICO BEACH

5a

St. Joseph Peninsula State Park

St. Joseph Bay

PORT ST. JOE

2

3

LANARK VILLAGE

1

CARRABELLE Dog Island

St. Vincent Island

APALACHICOLA Cape San Blas

ALLIGATOR POINT

TALLAHASSEE

EASTPOINT

Apalachicola Bay St. George 5b Island

S

pring on the Forgotten Coast has a lot to offer anyone who just wants to escape city life for a day, a weekend or longer. Along the bays, beaches and byways there are many opportunities to slow down and take it easy. While there, we recommend visiting the following locations: DINING 1

HOLE IN THE WALL

REAL ESTATE | FISHING GUIDE 3

ROBINSON REAL ESTATE | GUIDES

Seafood market and raw bar. Family owned and operated. Serving fresh locally caught seafood.

Open Tuesday through Saturday.

Fishing? Accommodations? Your dream home on the Forgotten Coast? We can do it all — from Alligator Point to Mexico Beach, including Apalachicola, Carrabelle, St. George Island and Cape San Blas.

(850) 653-3222 23 Avenue D, Apalachicola

Guide Service (850) 653-8896 Real Estate (850) 653-1653 44-A Avenue E, Apalachicola

DRIVING DIRECTIONS FROM TALLAHASSEE Head south on South Monroe

Street toward Apalachee Parkway. Turn right onto East Orange Avenue, then take the first left onto South Adams Street and continue onto Crawfordville Road. Turn right onto US-319 South and explore the next 50 miles.

ATTRACTION 2

TAMARA’S CAFÉ & TAPAS BAR Known for flavorful Latin dishes featuring fresh, local seafood, Tamara’s provides a distinctive atmosphere — and the tapas bar offers the best live music in the area!

(850) 653-4111, tamarascafe.com 71 Market St., Apalachicola

4

GULF SPECIMEN AQUARIUM

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SUNCOAST VACATION RENTALS

A unique experience to get up close with sharks, sea turtles, starfish, octopus and other sea life from the Gulf of Mexico. One of the largest touch tanks exhibits in the U.S.

We’ll save you a spot on the beach! Offering family-friendly beach vacations and romantic coastal getaways for 35+ years.

Call or visit us online!

(850) 984-5297 gulfspecimen.org 222 Clark Dr., Panacea

(800) 341-2021 uncommonflorida.com 84 Water St., Apalachicola 224 Franklin Blvd., St. George Island

SPONSORED REPORT

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Events

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. Carra

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Spring

is a great time to shake off the winter doldrums and pack up the car for a trip to the coast. And if you appreciate coastal culture, you’ll love these art and culture-related events happening along Florida’s Forgotten Coast this Spring. For a complete list of events, visit FloridasForgottenCoast.com.

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March 9-11. Camp Gordon Johnston Days, Carrabelle. This annual event was created to honor the service of veterans from WWII and beyond. Located in Carrabelle, Florida, the exhibits and artifacts preserve the heritage of the men who trained at this camp during WWII. Attendees will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with tours of WWII Army vehicles and exhibit displays.

March 11. Carrabelle Fly-In. This inaugural event will feature vintage aircraft, war bird displays, military tributes, helicopter rides, entertainment and food. 9 am - 3 pm. Free admission. March 25-26. Bay Area Choral Society Spring Concert.

This annual concert held in Apalachicola March 25 and Port St. Joe March 26 features the area’s finest vocalists. Concerts are sponsored by the Ilse Newell Fund for the Performing Arts. March 1-25. Apalachicola Center for History, Culture & Art Hosts Classical Art with a Digital Twist. Peter and Licia Berry, classically-trained artists will combine classical art with 3-dimensional digital technology in a series of workshops beginning in March. The couple will be exhibiting their works, demonstrating techniques in workshops and providing lecturesand exhibiting their work. Thursday, March 16. Forgotten Coast Film Festival The Carrabelle History Museum continues its series of movies filmed around Carrabelle and the Forgotten Coast area. The film, on Thursday, March 16, 6 pm, will be “Apalachicola River: An American Treasure”, about the Apalachicola River basin.

Friday, March 24. Dos Blues Guys at Rio Carrabelle. “Dos Blues Guys” are traveling to Carrabelle to perform their harp-blowin’, fretboard-sliding, string-pickin’ Blues Show!

Saturday, March 25. Carrabelle Culture Crawl. Art walk from 11-3 pm featuring art, music and history exhibits in a multiple venues in the heart of downtown Carrabelle. Saturday, April 1. Apalachicola Artwalk Annual artwalk event where artists and musicians will be showing, selling, and demonstrating their talents from 11-6 pm. Saturday, April 15.

Apalachicola Antique and Classic Boat & Car Show. Antique boats, examples of classic and traditional vessels, workboats, and fiberglass and aluminum classics will all be on display. April 21-22. Carrabelle Riverfront Festival. Held along the riverfront featuring arts and crafts, seafood, pet parade, live music, maritime exhibits, a fishy fashion show, food booths, a childrens’ zone and antique car show.

Friday evening there will be live entertainment & dancing in the streets.

April 1-30. Pearls Exhibition. A month long, city-wide, multi-venue event in Apalachicola featuring art exhibits, lectures and demonstrations documenting and advocating the preservation of Apalachicola’s historic housing through the celebration of art and record. Saturday, April 29.

SGI Brewfest. A one day beer tasting festival designed to promote the appreciation of craft beer all while listening to live music and enjoying great food. A fundraiser for the Franklin County Humane Society, the event will be held from 1-4pm at Paddy’s Raw Bar and Journeys of St. George Island. May 5-14. Forgotten Coast en Plein Air Paint-out.

More than 20 nationally acclaimed artists along with several hundred art enthusiasts will gather on Florida’s Forgotten Coast to participate in the 12th annual Forgotten Coast en Plein Air Invitational, America’s Great PaintOut, May 5-14, 2017.

The event will include exhibit venues stretching from Carrabelle to Mexico Beach. The event features daily artist demonstrations, workshops, art sales and a series of public receptions. May 6. Historic Apalachicola Home & Garden Tour. Features a variety of homes ranging from century-old houses to charming bungalows and contemporary homes. Homes will be from 10-4pm Stay in Apalachicola after the home tour Saturday and enjoy the Apalachicola Historic Society’s annual Spring Ghostwalk of the Historic Chestnut Street Cemetery in Apalachicola. History enthusiasts take on the personna of several of the cemetery’s more notable inhabitants to tell of life in Apalachicola more than 100 years ago.

The walk will be held from 6:30-8:30 pm. (ET).

May 11-14. Rock By The Sea Concert on St. George Island. This three night charity music event on St. George Island is dedicated to raising money to assist deserving charities who provide direct services to those in need. The May event held at Harry A’s on St. George Island usually sells out quickly so check their website for details. If you miss the May event, make plans to attend the second Rock By the Sea event held September 21-24, 2017 also on St. George Island. Saturday, May 20. “Look, Listen & Learn” Program Series - The Civil War: Loss & Peril on the Forgotten Coast Noted historian and author Dale Cox will share the stories and artifacts of the loss and perils of the Civil War along the Forgotten Coast. 10-1 pm. Hosted at the Carrabelle History Museum.

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Visit FloridasForgottenCoast.com to enter to win a Coastal Art Getaway this Spring in Apalachicola. The Getaway features a weekend stay in late April or early May to attend one of many upcoming art events on the coast or browse the area’s many galleries and museums. Features two night accommodations in one of Apalachicola’s historic inns, two evening meals at local restaurants and a Gift Certificate for you to bring home your own coastal art!

Scan the code or visit www.FloridasForgottenCoast.com/tm for details.

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MARCH 18

PETS & THEIR PEOPLE

All pets (and their people) are invited to Tallahassee Magazine’s 13th annual event at Proctor Subaru on Capital Circle N.E. Bring your furry friend to get your family portrait taken and enjoy a day filled with pets and fellow pet lovers. This year’s event is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is free to the public. Tickets for the optional brunch and build-your-own Bloody Mary bar and Mimosa bar are available at tallahasseemagazine.com or at the event.

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calendar SPECIAL PROMOTION

MAR/APR 2017 For more events in Tallahassee, visit TallahasseeMagazine.com. compiled by JENNIFER IRELAND,

MARIA KNIGHT, ALEXANDRA PUSHKIN and KIRSTIN REDFIELD

APRIL 22–29

USTA PRO CIRCUIT MEN’S EVENT

→ See professional tennis matches from up close as players ranked in the Top 200s in the world compete for the $75,000 purse and ATP points at Forestmeadows Parks & Athletic Center, at 4750 North Meridian Road.

The 2017 tournament sponsorships will directly enhance neuro-patient care at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare — home of the region’s only Comprehensive Stroke Center and Vogter Neuro Intensive Care Unit.

Daily ticket prices range from $5–$20; a tournament pass is $50. For more information about tickets, sponsorships, volunteering or for a complete schedule of events, visit TallahasseeChallenger.com.

APRIL 7

PHOTOS BY AUSTIN HOLM (PETS & THEIR PEOPLE), © COPYRIGHTS STEFAN HÖDERATH / DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON (MUTTER AND ORKIS), BOB O’LARY (SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL), SOLCAN SERGIU / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM (OSCAR STATUE) AND COURTESY USTA TENNIS CHALLENGER

APRIL 4

ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER, VIOLIN, & LAMBERT ORKIS, PIANO → “Mutter is the undisputed queen of violin-playing … ” — The Times. For over four decades, German-born violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter has been heralded as one of the greatest instrumental virtuosos of our time. Hear her perform works by Mozart, Saint-Saëns, Respighi, and Sebastian Currier with pianist Lambert Orkis in this once-ina-lifetime performance at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall.

The show starts at 7:30 pm. Tickets range from $15–$95 and can be purchased at openingnights.fsu.edu.

SPIRIT OF YOUTH GALA: A CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION → Boys Town North Florida is excited to celebrate Boys Town’s 100th anniversary of service to children and families in the United States with the Spirit of Youth Gala. This special, black-tie event, themed “Old Hollywood — at the Oscars,” will focus on the hard work and dedication that has defined Boys Town since the program’s inception.

Guests will enjoy delicious food, drinks, auctions and entertainment.

The Spirit of Youth Gala will be held at the University Center Club at 6:30 pm. Interested in becoming a sponsor? Please contact Dena Strickland at (850) 504-5007. For more information about this event and Boys Town North Florida, visit secure.boystown.org/NorthFlorida/SpiritOfYouth.

MARCH–MAY

Spring on Stage → This spring, Tallahassee presents Spring on Stage, with great events, festivals and shows. Springtime Tallahassee, Word of South, the Southern Shakespeare Festival and more await you all season long.

Southern Shakespeare Festival

Visit visittallahassee.com for more information and to see a full list of events and dates.

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APRIL 15–16

17th Annual LeMoyne Chain of Parks Art Festival → This fine arts festival benefits the LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts in Tallahassee. Enjoy the work of more than 150 artists from around the country as well as live entertainment, delicious food from local vendors, and craft beers, wine, mimosas and a Bloody Mary bar hosted by Aloft Hotel. Take advantage of BeTheArt photo ops and bring the kids to 10 different pop-up art stations, where they can make and keep art projects. This year, historic reenactors from the Jacques LeMoyne Living History Encampment will tell the story of the first European artist in Florida.

This event is free to the public and runs from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. each day. Festivities will take place in downtown Tallahassee along Park Avenue, between Monroe and Meridian Streets. For more information and to learn more about the artists, visit chainofparks.com.

APRIL 23

32ND ANNUAL CHEFS’ SAMPLER

APRIL 12

TMH FOUNDATION GOLDEN GALA → The Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Foundation is proud to bring Brad Paisley to Tallahassee for the 34th Annual Golden Gala.

Grab your favorite black-tie attire (and maybe a cowboy hat) and enjoy delicious cocktails and dinner at TMH’s premier charitable, entertainment and social event of the year.

The gala will be held at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center and will begin at 5:30 p.m. Tables are available for purchase, and each table includes 8-10 seats. To purchase a table, visit TMHFoundation.org.

REGIONAL

→ Join the Children’s Home Society for a “Taste of Tally” and visit all of your favorite restaurants in one place. More than 35 local restaurants, food trucks and caterers will serve up scrumptious samples of their culinary creations. And if great food wasn’t enough of a temptation, this event will also feature live entertainment, beverages, a beer garden and more! All proceeds will go to helping the Children’s Home Society of Florida to serve vulnerable children who have been or are affected by abuse, neglect and abandonment.

Tickets are $50 for general admission and $100 for VIP admission. The VIP party will start at 5 pm at the Centre of Tallahassee; the main event will follow from 6:30–8:30 p.m. Visit chstallycefs.com to purchase tickets and learn more.

APRIL 27–30

SOUTH WALTON BEACHES FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL → A dazzling roster of dozens of celebrity winemakers, distillers, chefs, brewmasters and entertainers will converge in South Walton to wine, dine, educate and entertain guests as part of this 4-day celebration of wine throughout the Town Center of Grand Boulevard. Attendees will enjoy such attractions as Spirits Row, Champagne Lane Tasting, Savor South Walton Culinary Village, Nosh Pavilions, Tasting Seminars, Craft Beer & Spirits Jam, live entertainment and more than 800 wines poured by knowledgeable wine-industry insiders. Among the headliners are renowned winemaker and CEO of Jackson Family Wines, Don Hartford, and Glenn C. Salva, longtime Napa winemaker with Antica Napa Valley.

This charity event is a fundraiser for Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, which benefits children in need in Northwest Florida. The auction has been named a “Top 10 Charity Wine Auction” in the United States by Wine Spectator Magazine.

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MAR/APR 2017

RED HILLS INTERNATIONAL HORSE TRIALS Grab your saddle and giddy on up to this 4-day equestrian event, where you can show off your skills in dressage, show jumping or cross-country riding. There’s also room to hop on the fence and see the beauty of horse/man companionship. $15–$40.

Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park, 4000 N. Meridian Rd. (850) 580-4020 rhht.org

17TH CENTURY MILITARY MUSTER MAR. 12

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PHOTOS BY LEE HOWELL (CHEFS SAMPLER), JOHN SALANGSANG (HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS) AND COURTESY WILLIAM MORRIS ENDEAVOR, LLC. (PAISLEY), LEMOYNE CHAIN OF PARKS ART FESTIVAL, SOUTH WALTON BEACHES FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL AND FSU CIRCUS

MAR. 9–12

HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS MAR. 1

Bringing comedic routines and jaw-dropping stunts, the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center once again hosts the boisterous and entertaining Harlem Globetrotters.

With 91 years of tricks, twirls and acts under their belt, these basketball wizards have yet to disappoint. $37–$173. Donald L. Tucker Civic Center, 505 W. Pensacola St. 7 pm. (850) 644-7469; donaldtucker.centertallahassee.com

40TH REENACTMENT OF THE BATTLE OF NATURAL BRIDGE MAR. 4–5 In this particular case, history does repeat itself: Enjoy the 40th reenactment of the second largest Civil War battle in Florida. During this 2-day event, you’ll be able to immerse yourself into the battlefield scene. Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic State Park, 7502 Natural Bridge Rd. 9 am–4 pm. (850) 922-6007 visittallahassee.com

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

WILLIE NELSON & FAMILY WITH SPECIAL GUEST DWIGHT YOAKAM MAR. 8 From “On the Road Again” to “Whiskey River,” embrace your patriotism and sing along to the all-American singer, Willie Nelson. With a 60-year career, Willie will be sure to entertain all ages. $39.50–$124.50.

The Pavilion at the Centre of Tallahassee, 22415 N. Monroe St. 7:30 pm. (850) 999-6328 tallypavilion.com

Brush up on your Spanish soldier and Apalachee warrior knowledge at Tallahassee’s Mission San Luis. From feeling the rumble of cannon fire to witnessing the art of blacksmithing, you’re sure to leave this event feeling like a 17th century soldier. Adults: $5; seniors (65 and over): $3; children (6–17): $2; members, children under 6 and active duty military with ID: FREE. Mission San Luis, 2100 W. Tennessee St. 10 am–4 pm.

(850) 322-2903 missionsanluis.org

2017 FRENCH COUNTRY FLEA MARKET, SPRING EDITION MAR. 17–18 Sweet South Cottage French Country Flea Market is warming up with their fresh, Spring Edition market.

Promenade between the many vendors and appreciate the one-of-a-kind treasures that range from antique furniture to hand-made jewelry and accessories for the home and garden. Adults and children 16 and up: $7; 15 and younger accompanied by paying adult: FREE. Tallahassee Automobile

Details of listings can change at the last minute. Please call ahead of time to confirm.

Museum, 6800 Mahan Dr. Fri.: 12 pm–6 pm; Sat.: 9 am– 4 pm. (850) 878-0165

Goodwood Museum and Gardens, 1600 Miccosukee Rd. 5 pm–7 pm. (850) 877-4202

frenchcountryfleamarket.com

goodwoodmuseum.org

NORTH FLORIDA VEGFEST

SPRINGTIME TALLAHASSEE FESTIVAL & GRAND PARADE 2017

MAR. 18 This annual event, which is open to the public, seeks to promote the benefits of a healthy, sustainable and compassionate lifestyle. The event will feature cooking demonstrations, vendors, eco-friendly kids activities, presentations on a variety of subjects, live music and free vegan food samples! FREE. 11 am–5pm. Cascades Park, 1001 S. Gadsden St. northfloridavegfest.com

T.O.U.R. GUIDE — EDWARD BALL WAKULLA SPRINGS STATE PARK

MAR. 31–APR. 1 Help Tallahassee celebrate its 49th annual Springtime festival. The event kicks off Friday night with main stage entertainment in Kleman Plaza. Saturday’s festivities include the Grand Parade, followed by the Kids’ Park and the Jubilee in the Park, where you’ll be able to browse through hundreds of arts, craft and food vendors while relishing the beginning of spring. FREE. Multiple venues.

Fri.: 6–10:30 pm; Sat.: 10:30– 5 pm. (850) 224-5012 springtimetallahassee.com

MAR. 18 Step into spring with a guided nature walk along one of Wakulla Springs’ scenic trails. This state park houses a beautiful freshwater spring, and exploration of the area affords plenty of critter encounters. FREE park admission, this day only. Wakulla Springs State Park, 465 Wakulla Park Dr. Crawfordville. 8 am–6 pm.

(850) 561-7276 floridastateparks.org

‘CLEMENTINE HUNTER’S WORLD’ DOCUMENTARY SHOWN IN THE CARRIAGE HOUSE MAR. 23 Sit back, relax and view the film, “Clementine Hunter’s World,” which depicts the life of African-American artist Clementine Hunter, who grew up on a plantation in Louisiana in the late 1800s. Hunter never learned to read or write and didn’t take up painting until her 50s; now, however, her gorgeous artwork is known throughout the world. $10.

↑ FLYING HIGH CIRCUS MAR. 31–APR. 22 One of two nationwide, collegiate circuses, FSU’s Flying High Circus is not something to clown around about.

With 60 years of experience under the tent, the Flying High Circus has consistently wowed audiences. Come to witness Seminole students fly high, juggle fast and bend backwards during their annual spring showcase. $10–$29.

Florida State University, 269 Chieftain Way. Times vary.

(850) 644-4874 circus.fsu.edu

HAVE AN EVENT YOU’D LIKE US TO CONSIDER? Send an email to rpadgett@rowlandpublishing.com.

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APR. 8

THE TALLAHASSEE SYMPHONY JAZZ ORCHESTRA APR. 29

The TSO’s popular big band with strings, TSO Jazz, returns with the fabulous singer Deborah Brown in a great evening of music under the stars! $10–$15. 7:30 pm. Cascades Park Capital City Amphitheater, 1001 S. Gadsden St. tallahasseesymphony.org

MINGLE WITH THE MASTERS APR. 6 Goodwood Museum and Garden will offer a true Parisian experience — minus the airfare. Sip on a couple of cocktails while you stroll through a “European Grand Tour” and experience all varieties of art-life, right here in Tallahassee. $50.

Goodwood Museum and Gardens, 1600 Miccosukee Rd. 6–9 pm. (850) 877-4202

presenting the ultimate heirloom plant sale, featuring perennials, annuals, herbs, vegetables and much more.

You won’t want to miss out on this greenhouse getaway.

FREE. Goodwood Museum and Gardens, 1600 Miccosukee Rd. 9 am–1 pm. (850) 877-4202; goodwoodmuseum.org

WORD OF SOUTH FESTIVAL Rain or shine, the Word of South Festival will go on.

Combining the written word with musical performances, this festival, held at Cascades Park, commends the balance between the two art forms.

FREE. Cascades Park, 1001 S. Gadsden St. wordofsouthfestival.com

GOODWOOD HEIRLOOM PLANT SALE APR. 8 The early bird gets the worm — or in this case, the rare heirloom plant. Goodwood’s garden volunteers are

tuckerciviccenter.com

JEWISH FOOD FESTIVAL APR. 9 Craving a kosher feast at Temple Israel? Whether you’re a fan of knishes or matzo ball soup, the Tallahassee community is invited to come out and revel in the food, crafts and activities for the whole family.

FREE. Temple Israel, 2215 Mahan Dr. 10:30 am– 4 pm. (850) 877-3517 templeisrealtlh.org

T.O.U.R. GUIDE — THE FSU RESERVATION APR. 15

goodwoodmuseum.org

APR. 7–9

“Come on down” to the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center and get a chance to win cash and prizes galore. From the comfort of your own city, don’t miss out on the opportunity to win big. $29–$49. Donald L. Tucker Civic Center, 505 W. Pensacola St. 7:30 pm. (850) 583-4871

↑ HAVE A HEART FOR HORSES APR. 8 The Triple R Horse Rescue will host its 6th annual Have a Heart for Horses fundraiser. Jam-packed with dinner, dancing, horse demonstrations, a silent auction and a live band, this fun event serves a worthy purpose: All proceeds will go directly to the Triple R Horse Rescue to help horses in need. $50–$65. WC Dover Farm, 534 Dover Rd., Havana. 5–10 pm.

(850) 878-1670 triplerhorserescue.org

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From canoeing and kayaking to sand volleyball and rock climbing, the FSU Reservation will be sure to suit all of your adventure needs. Come enjoy the “Rez” and all the activities they have to offer during this Tourism is Our Ultimate Resource (T.O.U.R.) guide event. FREE for children 12 and under and for FSU students and Campus Rec members with valid FSUCard. The FSU Reservation, 3226 Flastacowo Rd. (850) 644-2449 campusrec.fsu.edu

PEO CHAPTER FP SCHOLARSHIP LUNCHEON APR. 21 The Philanthropic Educational Organization

(PEO) Chapter FP will host its 3rd Annual Scholarship Luncheon on April 21st at Saint Paul’s United Methodist Church. It will feature talks by four local authors: Glynn Marsh Alam, Saundra Kelley, Judge Terry Lewis and Mary Jane Ryals. All proceeds fund scholarships for women.

The event is open to the public. Tickets are required and seating is limited. $25.

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 1700 N. Meridian Rd. Contact Judy at (850) 907-5786 facebook.com/chapterfppeo/

TALLAHASSEE WRITERS CONFERENCE AND BOOK FESTIVAL

PARKINSON’S WELLNESS EXPO AND WALK APR. 29 Walk for a cause and participate in this year’s Parkinson’s Wellness Expo and Walk. In the hopes of promoting awareness and supporting those affected by Parkinson’s, The Parkinson’s Outreach Association looks forward to seeing the Tallahassee community come out to learn about, support and advocate for the cause.

FREE. Southwood Town Center, 3196 Merchant Row Blvd. 8:30–11:30 am theparkinsonsoutreach.org

Jake Owen

APR. 22 Attention, writers of all levels! Come out to Augustus B. Turnbull III Conference Center for the ultimate day of inspiration. No matter the genre you work in, the Tallahassee Writers Association creates the opportunity to mingle with fellow writers, editors and publishers. $75–$140.

Turnbull Conference Center, 555 West Pensacola St. 8:30 am–10 pm.

(850) 644-3801 tallahasseewritersconference.org

LITTLE GARDENERS GROW CLUB APRIL 29 Does your little one have a green thumb? Tallahassee Nursery encourages you to bring your kids (ages 4–12) to the Little Gardeners Grow Club. Here, your children will learn to appreciate the educational and engaging aspects of gardening. The topic for April’s meeting is miniature gardening — perfect for your enthusiastic gardener. FREE. Tallahassee Nursery, 2911 Thomasville Rd. Two sessions, 9:30 am and 11 am. (850) 385-216 tallahasseenurseries.com/kids

DOAK AFTER DARK: BLAKE SHELTON & JAKE OWEN APR. 29 Despite the fact that football season is over, Doak Campbell Stadium can still get loud, crowded and wild on Saturdays. So dig out your cowboy boots and warm up your vocal chords: The boys — Blake Shelton and Jake Owen — are coming to town!

Big & Rich, David Ray and Adley Stump will also take the Doak stage. Ticket prices vary. Doak Campbell Stadium, 403 Stadium Dr. 3 pm. (850) 645-1318; fsukickoff.com

GRIGORITA KO (HORSES) AND DEBBY WONG (OWEN) / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM AND COURTESY TALLAHASSEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

‘THE PRICE IS RIGHT,’ LIVE

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calendar

YOUR GUIDE TO THE 49TH ANNUAL

Springtime TALLAHASSEE

FESTIVAL AND PARADE

WELCOME

INSIDE YOUR GUIDE Springtime Tallahassee Partners... �������������������4 Schedule of Events... ��������������������������������������������� 6 Music Festival... ������������������������������������������������������� 7 A History of Springtime Tallahassee ��������������� 8 Grand Marshal and the Board... ������������������������11 Andrew Jackson... �������������������������������������������������12 Krewes... ��������������������������������������������������������������������12 Belles and Gents... �������������������������������������������������15

PUBLISHED BY:

Rowland Publishing, Inc. COVER PHOTO:

Long’s Photography PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY:

Long’s Photography

Springtime Tallahassee would like to thank Tallahassee Magazine for their time and effort while putting together this year’s Festival Guide. Thank you for your hard work!

2 Springtime Tallahassee 2017

STEVE LASTOWSKI, PRESIDENT & KAREN JAY, GENERAL CHAIRMAN

PRESIDENT AND GENERAL CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME

W

elcome to the 49th annual Springtime Tallahassee Festival. The skyline of Tallahassee has changed quite a bit since the first Springtime Tallahassee parade on Monroe Street in 1968 and our downtown has become a vibrant community.

The theme of this year’s festival is “Living it Up in the City,” continuing Springtime Tallahassee’s founding tradition of celebrating spring in our beautiful city with great music, food, arts and good times with family and friends.

Springtime Tallahassee festival weekend activities will start on Friday night, March 31, 2017, with the third annual Music Fest on Kleman Plaza downtown. Bring your friends and family downtown for a free music concert headlined with a nationally acclaimed entertainer, food vendors and a beer garden. The Grand Parade is Saturday, April 1, and features over 100 entries showcasing our multi-cultured community, marching bands, dance groups, community leaders, elaborate krewe floats and costumes. We would like to welcome our many out-of-town guests from other reciprocal community festivals around Florida and in Minnesota.

We are proud to announce that the 2017 Springtime Tallahassee parade grand marshal will be Florida State University president John Thrasher, an FSU alum who has helped FSU become a top 25 public university. FSU has been an integral part of our city since 1851, and our top-ranked sports teams continue to put Tallahassee on the map across the country.

The Jubilee in the Park goes throughout the day with 250 local and regional arts and craft vendors, community stages showcasing local musicians, dancers and performers and a food court with a delicious variety of local and international cuisine. The ever-popular Children’s Park will offer entertainment for all ages.

Springtime Tallahassee has become one of the top festivals in the Southeastern United States. Over 150,000 people are expected to be in town living it up in our city. Generating a $9 million economic impact to Leon County, Springtime Tallahassee makes a difference in our community!

The Springtime Tallahassee festival events would not be possible without the support and assistance of many people in our community. We would like to thank our many sponsors in the business community, organizations and the media. Please support the businesses featured in this publication. And we would like to acknowledge the tireless efforts and contributions of the 500 members and staff of Springtime Tallahassee who bring our festival to life each year. Many of our members and sponsors have continually supported Springtime Tallahassee for the past 49 years.

If you would like to learn more about how to get involved with Springtime Tallahassee festivities or become a member of one of the five Springtime krewes representing our city’s history, please visit our website at springtimetallahassee.com.

We look forward to seeing you all on March 31 and April 1 under the canopy oaks of beautiful downtown Tallahassee where we will be “Living it Up in the City!”

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Springtime Tallahassee 2017 5

SCHEDULE OF SPRINGTIME FESTIVAL EVENTS 2017

MARCH 15 BREAKFAST IN THE PARK

6:30–10:00 a.m., Downtown Tallahassee, Lewis Park Join us for a delicious old-fashioned breakfast downtown while mingling with old friends.

Tickets are $8 and can be purchased in advance or at the event.

MARCH 31 MUSIC FESTIVAL ON KLEMAN PLAZA

6:00–10:30 p.m., Kleman Plaza Featuring Easton Corbin. Unwind at the Beer Garden as we ROCK the plaza for this free festival event! Beer, wine, spirits, Pepsi products and food will be available for purchase. Make sure to arrive early to enjoy the opening acts as this event will get packed quickly.

APRIL 1 GRAND PARADE

10:30 a.m.–noon, Monroe Street As one of the largest parades in the Southeast, the Springtime Tallahassee Grand Parade needs no introduction. Come see over 100 colorful units and floats, marching bands, dance groups, Springtime Krewe floats and much more!

APRIL 1 NATHAN’S FAMOUS MOBILE TOUR

In addition to providing free Nathan’s hot dog samples, the display will offer lots of Coney Island-style fun and games. Stop by to try bag toss, ring toss, a Zoltar fortune teller machine, and get your picture taken with the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Championship belts.

APRIL 1 JUBILEE IN THE PARK

9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Downtown Tallahassee With more than 200 arts, craft and food vendors from around the country, this event is represented by some of the best. You can expect artists displaying original, handmade masterpieces and find cuisine with international flavors to ignite anyone’s taste buds!

APRIL 1 CHILDREN’S PARK

9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Downtown Tallahassee This fantastic day of fun-filled activities includes face painting, clowns, sirens and a host of other magical experiences that provide culture, education and recreation for the whole family!

This magical area will be sure to unleash the imagination of all ages. Springtime Tallahassee and Tobacco Free Florida are working together to reduce your child’s exposure to secondhand smoke. The Children’s Park is designated a TOBACCO-FREE ZONE. 6 Springtime Tallahassee 2017

MUSICAL GUESTS APRIL 1

COMMUNITY STAGE (MCCARTY PARK) Noon–5 p.m.

• 12:00 p.m.

• 12:25 p.m.

• 12:45 p.m.

• 1:35 p.m.

• 2:00 p.m.

• 2:25 p.m.

• 2:50 p.m.

• 3:15 p.m.

• 3:40 p.m.

• 4:00 p.m.

• 4:25 p.m.

• 4:45 p.m.

The Mobile Dance Co. Dance Electric Dance Academy The Tallahassee Ballet Seminole Tap Troupe Young Actors Theatre Timberlane Arts and Dance Academy, LLC (TA-DA) Excellence Dance Studio, Inc Rockstar Ravens Community Cheer Squad DeSoto Trail Elementary Blazerettes Women’s Belly Dance Center Killearn Kids Dance Troupe Capital Celtic Dancers

TALLAHASSEE MUSIC WEEK STAGE (JEFFERSON STREET & ADAMS STREET)

Tallahassee Music Week is a nine-day celebration of music diversity and the Capital City’s rich musical talent. From a virtuoso string quartet in a coffee shop to a jazz ensemble performing at an open-air concert downtown to a high school student piano recital in a grocery store, Tallahassee Music Week will feature more than 100 performances by local artists in more than 50 locations throughout Tallahassee. Most events are free and open to the public.

The Tallahassee Music Week kickoff concert, held in partnership with Springtime Tallahassee, will be from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 1, on Adams Street at the Springtime Tallahassee Festival.

The concert will feature a diverse selection of Tallahassee’s finest musicians. For entertainment times, please visit Tallahassee Music Week at TALLAHASSEEMUSICWEEK.COM.

GRAND PARADE REVIEWING STANDS

9:30 a.m.

Tallahassee Community College’s Capital City Band

APRIL 1, 6:00-10:30 P.M. AT KLEMAN PLAZA

Join us on Kleman Plaza at the MAIN STAGE for an exciting musical line-up featuring Easton Corbin. Unwind at the Proof BEER GARDEN as we ROCK the plaza for this free festival event!

Beer, wine, spirits, Pepsi products and food will be available for purchase. This is one event you do not want to miss so make sure to arrive early to enjoy the opening acts as this event will be a Friday Night hot spot.

EASTON CORBIN

6:00 pm– Beer Garden Open 6:00 P.M. – Opening Acts 9:00 P.M. – Easton Corbin • Best known for hits such as “A Little More Country Than That,” “Roll With It,” “Lovin’ You Is Fun,” “Baby Be My Love Song,” “All Over The Road,” “Are You With Me” and more.

• Corbin surged onto the music scene winning three Breakthrough Artist of the Year awards followed by multiple CMA, ACM and CMT Music Awards nominations.

Join us on Kleman• Plaza MAINmultiple STAGE for an musical No.the 1 singles, awards andexciting nominations, plus Withat line-up featuring Easton Corbin. Unwind atofthe as performances on some theProof biggestBEER stagesGARDEN in the world, we ROCK the plaza forCorbin this free festival event!

Beer, impression wine, spirits, Pepsi continues to make a lasting on the

AT KLEMAN PLAZA MARCH 31, 6:00-10:30 P.M. products and food will country be available for purchase. This is one event you music landscape. do not want to miss so P.M.makeFireworks sure to Finalearrive live early enjoyPlaza the (Hancock opening 10:30 on to Kleman acts as this event will be a Friday Night hot spot.

Bank logo here; Small)

6 p.m. Beer Garden Open 6 p.m. Opening Acts 9 p.m. Easton Corbin Best known for hits such as “A Little More Country Than That,” “Roll With It,” “Lovin’ You Is Fun,” “Baby Be My Love Song,” “All Over The Road,” “Are You With Me” and more. Corbin surged onto the music scene winning three Breakthrough Artist of the Year awards followed by multiple CMA, ACM and CMT Music Awards nominations.

With No. 1 singles, multiple awards and nominations, plus performances on some of the biggest stages in the world, Corbin continues to make a lasting impression on the country music landscape.

10:30 p.m. Fireworks Finale live on Kleman Plaza

SPONSORED BY

PRESENTED BY

BUICK GMC

CADILL AC

C H EV R O LET

Springtime Tallahassee 2017 7

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SPRINGTIME TALLAHASSEE

SPRINGTIME TALLAHASSEE FROM THEN TO NOW

I

n 1967, serious efforts were made in the Florida Legislature to move the capital from Tallahassee to a more central location in the state. Determined to halt this attempt, a group of concerned citizens joined forces to thwart such a move. Inspired by Tallahassee’s physical beauty and its cultural and historical heritage, a pamphlet was published describing the qualities of the city “Where Spring Begins.”

This slogan became a rallying cry and the motivating force for forming a citizen’s festival. The first festival, held in March 1968, was called “Springtime Tallahassee: A Capital Affair,” and the Springtime logo depicting dogwood blossoms as a symbol of the beauty that surrounds us was used for the first time.

Now in its 49th year, Springtime Tallahassee has grown from a small but dedicated organization to over 400 participants from all segments of the community. Membership to Springtime is divided among Krewes depicting the state’s five historical periods.

As shown on page 12, each Krewe wears elaborate costumes related to each historical period.

To promote the rich history of our community, Springtime Tallahassee annually selects two members to portray Andrew Jackson and his wife, Rachel, as shown on page 12. They serve, together with the president and the general chairman, as representatives of the organization.

8 Springtime Tallahassee 2017

Andrew Jackson was chosen as a representative of Springtime Tallahassee because of his service to Florida as the first provisional governor in 1821. He later became the seventh president of the United States.

The Andrew Jackson Staff is composed of members of the five Krewes, having been selected by each Krewe for a five-year term. The Staff is a marching unit and participates not only in the Springtime Parade, but also in a number of festivals throughout Florida.

They are also involved with charity events, organizing the well known “Teddy Bear Run” where members dressed in full costume visit local hospitals, children’s units and extended care facilities to distribute teddy bears and beads to both adults and children that otherwise would not be able to participate in community festivals. Throughout the year, they raise funds to support the Lighthouse Children’s Home.

Springtime Tallahassee also features a youth group, the Belles and Gents, featured on page 15, which is made up of young men and women from grades 9 through 12. Throughout the year, the Belles and Gents develop poise, proper etiquette and self-confidence while studying the history and traditions of Florida, Springtime Tallahassee and the city of Tallahassee. Along with learning about our history, the Belles and Gents participate in several community projects that give back to our community. The second youth group within Springtime is the Junior Belles and Gents, which is made up of our youngest membership, grades 5 through 8.

The first Springtime Parade featured many costumes and only horsedrawn units. Today, the parade still includes horse-drawn carriages to provide a bit of nostalgia, but it also boasts elaborately clad characters and spectacular mechanical floats from all over the Southeastern United States.

SPRINGTIME TALLAHASSEE TODAY

S

pringtime Tallahassee is considered one of the biggest Southeastern parades and craft shows, attracting over 150,000 attendees.

While widely recognized for its entertainment value, the Springtime Festival is also an important part of our community’s economic impact. Springtime Tallahassee provides a significant revenue source for local businesses, with the total economic impact of Springtime visitors estimated at over $9 million dollars.

Such visitor spending is referred to as “new dollars” to our community and is calculated based on non-Leon county residents’ spending.

Visitor spending not only benefits certain industries in the Tallahassee/Leon County area; it also impacts jobs and wages.

During the weekend event, over 27,000 visitors from outside Leon County attend Springtime and over 8,500 room nights are filled with Springtime Tallahassee visitors eagerly anticipating the beginning of the festivities. The overall revenue generated during our festival events shows that Springtime Tallahassee is a “powerhouse” in the economic world of our community.

As our festival continues to grow, Springtime holds true to the roots in which it was formed. Be sure to join us in celebrating our natural, historical and cultural assets as we continue to enrich our local community.

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10 Springtime Tallahassee 2017

PARADE GRAND MARSHAL AND THE BOARD

JOHN THRASHER PARADE GRAND MARSHAL

PRESIDENT OF FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY John Thrasher is president and a proud alum of Florida State University, where he earned both his business and law degrees.

His distinguished career includes serving as a U.S. Army officer, businessman, lobbyist, lawyer and state legislator. He served as Speaker of the House in 1998 and was later elected to the Florida Senate.

Thrasher was a key supporter of legislation that brought funding to establish FSU’s College of Medicine, and a building at the college is named in his honor. He is an inductee of the FSU College of Business Hall of Fame and serves on multiple boards, including the Florida Council of 100 and College Football Playoff Board of Managers.

In his two years as president, Thrasher has been a bold champion for Florida State — elevating its reputation as a preeminent research institution, achieving significant progress in becoming a Top 25 public university and closing in on a fundraising goal of one billion dollars.

A passionate public servant, Thrasher and his wife, Jean, support countless philanthropic causes, from FSU’s student-led Dance Marathon and Relay for Life to the local Urban League, United Way and veterans initiatives. In 2015, the Tallahassee Democrat named Thrasher Person of the Year.

SPRINGTIME TALLAHASSEE

BOARD OF DIRECTORS • President – Steve Lastowski • General Chairman – Karen Jay • President-Elect – John Wampler • General Chair-Elect – Stephanie Jansen • Secretary – Whitney Marston • Treasurer – Mike Melder • Andrew Jackson – Tim Jansen • Past President – Jack Diestelhorst • Past General Chair – Carol Leon • Past Andrew Jackson – Dale Heideman Krewe Chiefs: • Spanish – Pete Mabry • American Territorial – Sally Musgrove • Antebellum Statehood – Pam Faulkner • War & Reconstruction – Jerry Kutz • 20th Century – Pat Crowley Board Representatives: • Spanish – Becky Scaringe • American Territorial – Ann Melder • Antebellum Statehood – Joel Jarrett • War & Reconstruction – Don Wilham • 20th Century – Gene Love • Parliamentarian – Fred Varn Springtime Tallahassee 2017 11

ANDREW AND RACHEL JACKSON ANDREW JACKSON HISTORY

ANDREW & RACHEL

JACKSON

TIM JANSEN | ANDREW JACKSON XLV STEPHANIE JANSEN | RACHEL

To promote the rich history of our community, Springtime Tallahassee annually selects two members to portray Andrew Jackson and his wife, Rachel. They serve, together with the president and the general chairman, as representatives of the organization.

Andrew Jackson was chosen as a representative of Springtime Tallahassee because of his service to Florida as the first provisional governor in 1821. He later became the seventh president of the United States.

The Andrew Jackson Staff is composed of members of the five Krewes, having been selected by each Krewe for a five-year active term. The Staff is a marching unit and participates not only in the Springtime Parade, but also in a number of festivals throughout Florida.

PHOTOS BY LONG’S PHOTOGRAPHY

MEET THE

ANDREW JACKSON’S STAFF

RACHEL JACKSON’S STAFF

KREWE CHIEFS

AMERICAN TERRITORIAL

ANTEBELLUM KREWE

RICHARD AND KREWE CHIEF SALLY MUSGROVE

TREY AND KREWE CHIEF PAM FAULKNER

SPANISH KREWE

WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION

20TH CENTURY KREWE

DEBBIE AND KREWE CHIEF PETE MABRY

VERA AND KREWE CHIEF JERRY KUTZ

CONNIE AND KREWE CHIEF PATRICK CROWLEY

12 Springtime Tallahassee 2017

2017 FLORIDA STATE FOOTBALL

LETTER OF

INTENT

Seminole Booster Member Florida State University Athletics has identified you as a fanatic who is skilled in many areas, has strong character and is able to contribute to the Noles on and off the field this season. You have been selected to be a part of Tribe17, our official class of Top Supporters for 2017.

Upon signing this letter of intent to join the team, you become an official member of the Seminole Boosters and a season ticket holder. The Florida State reach expands to millions of people, but you are a select member of this very special class of fans who make a difference. Your commitment to our players, the program and to this university starts here.

The official recruiting period closes on March 17, 2017 and we need your support. Please “sign” this letter today and continue to SeminoleBoosters.com to formally make your commitment for the 2017 season.

Head Coach Jimbo Fisher

Signature:

Date:

MAKE YOUR COMMITMENT TODAY

850.792.6671 • NoleTickets.com

Springtime Tallahassee 2017 13

From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for the overwhelming love and support you’ve shown Cole Couture for the past 10 years. Because of you, it has grown into the successful midtown shop that it is.

As I grow as a wife, mother and business owner, my hopes for the boutique have continued to evolve. I’ve been dreaming, building and tirelessly perfecting an experience and curated collection. And now, the moment I’ve been waiting for has arrived...

Say hello to e l le | m a r ke t ...Market District’s newest apothecary offering an on-trend, sophisticated mix of clothing and gifts for women and men — opening this Spring.

Same people. New building. New dream.

Carrie McNeill & her daughter Elle McNeill

— Carrie McNeill, owner

Visit shopellemarket.com for more details.

14 Springtime Tallahassee 2017

BELLES AND GENTS OF SPRINGTIME TALLAHASSEE 2017

MEET THE

PHOTOS BY LONG’S PHOTOGRAPHY

SPRINGTIME COURT

BELLES AND GENTS

Clockwise from top left: Miss Congeniality, Allie Jahn; Mr. Springtime, Riley Hammar; Miss Springtime, Erika Smith; Springtime Tallahassee Jr. Belles and Gents; Springtime Tallahassee Belles and Gents

Springtime Tallahassee’s Belles and Gents program is made up of young men and women from grades 9 through 12. Throughout the year, the Belles and Gents along with the Jr. Belles and Gents, grades 5 through 8, develop poise, proper etiquette and self-confidence while studying the history and traditions of Florida, Springtime Tallahassee and the city of Tallahassee. Along with learning about our history, the Belles and Gents participate in several community projects that give back to our community. Springtime Tallahassee is very proud of the Belles and Gents and the wonderful way they care about our community.

Springtime Tallahassee 2017 15

850-385-7363 blossomsflowers.com 541 N. Monroe St., Tallahassee (Walker Building) 16 Springtime Tallahassee 2017

TALLAHASSEE’S PREMIER BLACK TIE EVENT

THE GOLDEN GALA FEATURING

BRAD PAISL E Y

TALLAHASSEE MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE

FOUNDATION GOLDEN GALA XXXIV APRIL 12, 2017 – 5:30 PM DONALD L. TUCKER CIVIC CENTER Hosted by the TMH Foundation, this event supports Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare’s mission of transforming care, advancing health and improving lives. Enjoy an evening of good company, dinner and entertainment by three-time Grammy Award winner and country music superstar Brad Paisley.

Purchase your table at TMHFoundation.org

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Tallahassee Tennis Challenger The 18th annual Tallahassee Tennis Challenger will take place April 22-29, 2017 at the City of Tallahassee’s beautiful Forestmeadows Tennis Complex. The tennis tournament is a men’s professional Challenger series event and draws players from all over the world – including several former top 50 players and some of the top doubles players in the world.

The Tallahassee Tennis Challenger benefits Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare’s Vogter NeuroIntensive Care Unit – the only neurological intensive care unit in the Big Bend region. The Vogter Unit cares for patients of all ages who suffer neurological trauma, stroke and other life-threatening illnesses such as brain tumors, aneurysms and spinal cord injuries. In the last 17 years, the Tallahassee Tennis Challenger has raised more than $700,000 for the Vogter Unit.

Tournament passes can be purchased beginning April 10 at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Foundation and include single day tickets, full tournament passes and VIP sponsorships.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.tallahasseechallenger.com or contact the TMH Foundation at Foundation@TMH.ORG or 850-431-5389.

TALLAHASSEE’S NEWEST PARTY WITH A PURPOSE “Pink & Swine,” is set for April 7, 2017 at Goodwood Museums and Gardens.

4R Restaurant Group, in partnership with the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association and Visit Florida, invites guests to grab their boots, dust off their cowboy hats and enjoy an evening of extraordinary food and fine wine under the stars.

Benefitting The Florida State University’s Dedman School of Hospitality and the Tallahassee Memorial Cancer Center, Pink & Swine will boast more than twenty paired stations, featuring delicious small plates from various local restaurants along with fine wines, craft beers and cocktails. After indulging in gourmet food

APRIL 7 LEARN MORE or PURCHASE TICKETS ~ PinkandSwine.com Foundation@TMH.ORG 850-431-5389

and libations, guests will hit the dance floor and enjoy live country music by Tobacco Rd Band.

Tickets are on sale now and start at $75 for general admission, including all food and drink with doors opening at 7 p.m. VIP tickets are also available for $100, and include all food and drink, as well as a VIP hour starting at 6 p.m. for an exclusive meet-and-greet with the chefs.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.pinkandswine.com or contact the TMH Foundation at Foundation@TMH.ORG or 850-431-5389.

164 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

WHY I GIVE Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” For Dr. Elsie Bradwell Crowell, she knew her family’s deep-rooted history of diabetes was a widespread issue that extended past her own family, and that the key to managing this disease that affects nearly 26 million American adults and children would be education.

“When my mother passed away at the young age of 43, we didn’t know the exact cause of it. But as I got older, I began doing some health research and realized she died from diabetes – the same thing my sister died from a year ago,” explained Dr. Crowell. “My brother was also diagnosed with diabetes, but with the right care and treatment, he’s been able to manage it.”

While Dr. Crowell knew that it was too late to help her mother and sister, she realized it wasn’t too late for some, like her brother, and wanted to find a way to help educate others in the community about the symptoms, preventative measures, management and treatment of diabetes.

“I would always think, ‘What if they knew differently? What if they knew simple lifestyle changes could help?’” shared Dr. Crowell. “I knew I wanted to start donating for diabetes education – to help people in the community as much as possible to understand the symptoms and treatments of it.”

During her sister’s battle with diabetes, Dr. Crowell would accompany her to doctor appointments at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare. After seeing first-hand the care and treatment she received, she knew donating to the TMH Foundation for the Diabetes Center was exactly how she would help educate the community.

“My sister and I spent a lot of time at TMH. The care she received was great. The staff and people we met were great. And she always felt comfortable,” said Dr. Crowell.

“We really appreciated everything they did.”

“

I knew I wanted to start donating for diabetes education – to help people in the community as much as possible to understand the symptoms and treatments of it.

“

— Elsie Bradwell Crowell

Through Dr. Crowell’s generous gift, the Diabetes Center is able to continue educating patients and the community on a variety of diabetes related topics, including blood sugar testing, managing high and low blood sugar, and making healthy food choices. To learn more about making a gift to the TMH Foundation, please call 850-431-5389 or visit TMHFoundation.org.

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JOSHUA SULLIVAN A HOME RUN PATIENT While the car ride was full of scared screams and Joshua’s toe turning shades of blue, once arrived the Sullivan family was immediately transferred into a room where Natalie Radford, MD, board certified emergency medicine physician, began the procedure for a venomous snakebite. His toe turned deeper pigments of blue and purple as his entire foot continued to swell. The venom kept spreading up towards his ankle.

Once Dr. Radford and her team had given him a few rounds of anti-venom and felt he was stable, Joshua and his mom were transported to the only Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in the Big Bend, the Tallahassee Memorial Children’s Center. During the ambulance ride, Joshua’s new fascination with snakes quickly turned terrifying as he remembered the specific facts he learned about venom. Joshua began crying, “I’m going to die mommy. I don’t want to die,” between the wailing sounds of the ambulance.

Joshua hit his first home run two weeks after the incident.

“After being in the car for several hours, I figured that the boys needed to play outside and run around,” said Mary Sullivan as she was settling into her mother’s home in Tallahassee for the final leg of their trip on that August evening. “I yelled for the boys to come inside, but when Joshua ran through the door, I could tell something was wrong.” If you ask the Sullivan boys, you may get completely different stories, but the consensus was that Joshua had stepped on a “stick” when running inside. That’s when the “stick” flew forward and stuck two fangs into one of Joshua’s middle toes. “Joshua came in screaming he had been bitten by a snake. After I looked at his toe, it was clear Joshua had two punctures. He had been bitten by a snake,” Mary knew, with the guidance of her sister-in-law, she needed to take him to the Tallahassee Memorial Emergency Center Northeast.

166 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

Upon being admitted to the PICU, Julie Strickland, RN began treating Joshua, “He was very brave and was most interested in finding out what kind of snake bit him,” as his little mind wrestled with the hope that it was not a poisonous snake. As the swelling continued in the PICU, Paul Martinez, MD, board certified pediatric intensivist, addressed spreading of the venom with a few more rounds of anti-venom while nurses kept record. “As the venom continued to spread up his foot, nurses would mark Joshua’s foot with a marker,” Joshua’s father, Dean Sullivan, made it to the PICU in record time from their home in Broward County, FL, after getting the call he will never forget.

During his two-day stay in the PICU, Thomas Truman, MD, board certified pediatric intensivist, cared for Joshua’s recovery ensuring that the anti-venom had stopped the spreading of the poison. Dean watched as his son began to become himself again and recalls, “At one point, Joshua had been getting restless having to lay in bed for some time. A nurse brought in a Nintendo Wii video game which quickly

“

Even after moving away from Tallahassee, I knew in an emergency situation I wanted TMH to care for my son.

— Mary Sullivan

changed the PICU from being a place he couldn’t wait to leave, to a place he was begging to stay.” After two and a half days, Joshua was finally able to be wheeled back into his normal life.

If you ask the Sullivan’s why they chose to come to TMH, they would tell you it was a no brainer. “I was born at TMH,”

Mary accounted. “Even after moving away from Tallahassee, I knew in an emergency situation I wanted TMH to care for my son.” Dean echoed that statement, “They treated my son like he was their own. It is amazing to see how much TMH has evolved since we left Tallahassee in the 90s.”

“

What is Joshua Sullivan up to now? His visit to TMH gave him a scar and a story that he is quick to share with anyone who asks, especially his little league baseball team. Just two weeks after the incident, Joshua made his first home run – proving his snakebite isn’t slowing him down anytime soon.

YOUR HOSPI TA L FOR L IF E

T M H F O U N DAT I O N U P DAT E

For children who are admitted to the hospital, it’s often times an intimidating and scary process. Through Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare’s recent social media campaign, #GivingTuesday, the TMH Foundation was able to raise $6,000 for the Children’s Center to purchase a Vecta Sensory Station – an interactive sensory machine that provides relaxation and distraction to patients during procedures.

Boasting vibrant lights that fill the room with a multitude of colors, a playful bubble column with floating fish and colorful fiber-optic strands, the Vecta Sensory Station stimulates the child’s senses through sight, touch and hearing. As the machine creates a calming, relaxing and reassuring environment for the child, the feelings of uncertainty, stress and fear they were previously focused on begin to quickly fade.

The Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Foundation sends their deepest gratitude and appreciation to everyone who helped spread smiles across the Children’s Center this past holiday season.

Dr. Sammie and Latrelle Dixon

The Vecta Sensory Station creates a colorful and relaxing environment for children.

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YOUR HOSP ITA L FOR L IF E

T M H F O U N DAT I O N U P DAT E

FOUNDATION FOCUS Mickey S. Moore, TMH Foundation President

Golden Gala XXXIV is almost here!

Having been a member of this community for a long time, I certainly knew of THE premiere event in Tallahassee before ever arriving at TMH Foundation. As soon as it was announced to the public that I would be the new President here, I was flooded with both congratulatory notes and Gala inquiries – e.g. “Mickey, way to go…by the way, how can I get tickets to the event?”

So here I am now, working elbow to elbow with our team members, volunteers, partners and others to host Golden Gala XXXIV. I thought now would be a good time to share a few thoughts about my first time through this event’s buildup!

The Date! As you are aware, this community hosts many events throughout the year and there are a few events that all others try to plan around – the Gala being one of them. From a fundraising standpoint, I know our local nonprofits do the very best we can in not scheduling on top of each other – always trying to give each other enough space to maximize revenue potential for their missions. Let it be known friends, we prefer middle of the week near the middle/end of April, but history has shown that we can move into May, if necessary. Fortunately, the Donald L. Tucker Center has proven to be a valuable asset and they understand the necessity for flexibility when it comes to scheduling the artist.

The Act! More than anything else, this is the hottest subject matter for Golden Gala. Music touches so many people in so many different ways – it was obvious that attendance for the Gala is directly tied to the talent. Barbara Mandrell was the first in 1984 and the variety has spanned many genres – from Wayne Newton

and Dianne Warwick to John Legend and Keith Urban.

Of course, we each have our favorite performers who would put on an excellent show for this event, but it comes down to availability, budget and genre.

The Event! The sheer enormity of this event is something to appreciate. I mean, the cocktail reception is in the same place we watch FSU play basketball! Come on! Over 1600 typically attend, over 180 tables are filled, hundreds of civic center staff, TMH colleagues and volunteers work jointly, and imagine all the linens, napkins, flatware, dinnerware and glassware! Have a large dishwasher I can borrow? Fortunately, we have Brian and Cherie Rowland as our Honorary Chairs and John Gandy Events leading our design and decorative efforts, logistics and our fun!

The Purpose! TMH’s mission is “Transforming care, Advancing health, and Improving lives.” Through the TMH Foundation, and events like the Golden Gala, individuals, businesses and organizations come together to bring new medical technology, introduce resources to expand Patient- and Family-Centered Care and increase the expert knowledge of our medical team through on-going education so our community can continue to benefit from exceptional healthcare.

The Gala is a star-studded event that many in our town look forward to each year and we at TMH do as well – for many reasons.

The Foundation Community Report is produced by the Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Foundation 1331 East Sixth Avenue, Tallahassee, FL 32303 | 850-431-5389 | Foundation@TMH.ORG

To make a secure online donation, we invite you to visit TMHFoundation.org.

168 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

SPECIAL PROMOTION

SOCIAL STUDIES Goodwood Jams

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NOV. 5 Three phenomenal bands came to Goodwood Museum and Gardens to play at this 5th annual outdoor music festival. Bands included Honey Island Swamp Band, Tishamingo and The Good Little Chickens. Attendees brought their own lawn chairs and enjoyed foodtruck cuisine and craft beer.

PHOTOS BY SARAH SCOTT

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1 Barbara Harrison and Kathy Cox 2 Doug Smith and Stacy Wessinger Smith 3 Mike Money 4 Cameron Williams, Lauren Graham and Lisa Adams 5 Katherine Viker and Missy Cocke 6 Jenn Bottino and Chad Ryan 7 Jeff and Laura Roberts 8 Jim McKinney, Christie and Mark Richardson with Tony Bursick 9 Rob Clarke, Kirsten Phelps, Connie Clarke and Kyle Phelps 10 Lee Bradley, Brien Schmauch and Savannah Kellog 11 Family fun at Goodwood Jams

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SPECIAL PROMOTION

SOCIAL STUDIES A Fall Affair

1

NOV. 6 Capital City Country Club hosted a fantastic night of food, fun and fabulous auctions, all to benefit Big Bend Hospice. Auctioned items included beautiful artwork, handmade quilts, a guitar autographed by Dan Fender of The Eagles, gift baskets and even a trip to Napa Valley.

PHOTOS BY SHEMS PHOTOGRAPHY

1 Dr. and Mrs. Bert Morales 2 Kay Dick

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3 Scott and Allison Harrell

Women of Distinction Awards NOV. 17 The Girl Scouts of the Florida Panhandle honored seven Women of Distinction during the Awards Gala at the Florida State University Alumni Center. The Pearl Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Clarice Dalton, and Carol Dover received the Diamond Award. Other honorees were Twyla Sketchley, Catherine “Cat” Keen, Dr. Maria Pouncey, Rolanda Jackson and Jackie Wilson.

PHOTOS BY DR. BEVERLY NASH

1 Tari VanWinkle, Catherine “Cat” Keen, Dr. Maria Pouncey, Carol Dover, Rolanda Jackson, Jackie Wilson, Clarice Dalton, Twyla Sketchley and Gigi Rollini 2 Josie Tamayo, Gigi Rollini, Kelly O’Keefe and Twyla Sketchley

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2017 Now available at

Learn more at proctoracura.com TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

March–April 2017

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SOCIAL STUDIES 1

Capital Medical Society Foundation Holiday Auction DEC. 1 This auction is the Capital Medical Society Foundation’s annual fundraising event, held at the University Center Club. All money raised at the event enables the foundation to increase access to healthcare in the community through the We Care Network and provide scholarships to medical students.

2

PHOTOS BY BETSY BARFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY

1 Clayton Rooks, Gabriella Edington, Elizabeth Ichite, Clayton Fuqua, Dr. Jonathan Appelbaum, David Powers, A.J. Rhodes, Brianna Baker and Jarrod Robertson.

2 Patricia Griffin, Tom Harrison and Matt Brown

TMH Foundation Golden Gala Preview Pop-Up Party JAN. 19 The Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Foundation partnered with Tallahassee Magazine in putting together a fun-filled event with an element of suspense.

Guests gathered at Fifth & Thomas in Midtown to mingle, munch on delicious bites and sip the signature cocktail for the night, “The Perfect Storm.” Event organizers permitted anticipation to build to a crescendo before TMH Foundation president Mickey Moore introduced a video that revealed country star Brad Paisley as the performer for the 2017 TMH Golden Gala. The gala, in its 33rd year, is Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare’s biggest fundraising event of the year.

PHOTOS BY LAWRENCE DAVIDSON

1 Tillie Allen, Jackie Mustian, Mickey Moore and Grace Dansby 2 Roger and Donna Champion 3 Brian Rowland, Mickey Moore and Mark O’Bryant 4 Gentle and Dr. Alma Littles 5 Gary Stout and Sam Childers

172 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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Fighting Cancer is hard enough.

When you are fighting cancer, the last thing you need is a road trip.

All too often, fighting cancer turns into life on the road — traveling to this treatment or that specialist or the next procedure. Whether it’s cross-country or across the state, extra miles add extra stress when you’re looking for what works.

Florida Cancer Specialists Medical Oncologists Scott Tetreault, MD • Viralkumar Bhanderi, MD • Paresh Patel, MD

Fortunately, what works is close to home, right here in Tallahassee with two convenient locations. At Florida Cancer Specialists, the same expertise you find at national cancer centers is available locally. As a preferred clinical trial site among leading researchers, Florida Cancer Specialists stays at the forefront of effective treatment options. Our focus on patient convenience means that everything is under one roof. And we’re committed to caring in a way that makes any medicine work harder.

Life on the road is no way to start a journey you never would have chosen. Florida Cancer Specialists makes it a short trip to the best possible outcome.

1600 PHILLIPS ROAD, SUITE 300 | TALLAHASSEE, FL 32308 | (850) 877-8166 2626 CARE DRIVE, SUITE 200 | TALLAHASSEE, FL 32308 | (850) 219-5830

FLCancer.com Proud Sponsor of Florida State Athletics TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

March–April 2017

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SPECIAL PROMOTION

SOCIAL STUDIES Signature Chefs Auction

1

NOV. 29 Local chefs flocked to the Turnbull Conference Center to give guests a taste of their restaurants at this 8th annual event benefiting the March of Dimes and its mission to prevent premature births, birth defects and infant mortality. After enjoying a wide variety of “nibbles,” guests participated in a live auction, followed by dessert.

PHOTOS BY ASHLEY DANIELL PHOTOGRAPHY

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1 Chefs from participating restaurants 2 David Flores, Ryan Siler and Francis Allen 3 Ben and Bambi Gantt 4 David Altmaier and Nick Larossi

The all new Honda now available at Learn more at proctorhonda.com

174 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

luminous

beauty

award-winning doctors, ben J. kirbo, M.D., Laurence Z. rosenberg, M.D. and chris Derosier, M.D., are dedicated to providing outstanding patient care, in a quiet, relaxing environment.

~ breast Enhancement ~ facelift ~ Hair transplants

~ tummy tuck ~ Liposuction ~ Nasal reshaping

results-oriented medical spa treatments, using the latest technology, are also given by experienced professionals at the SPA at Southeastern Plastic Surgery.

Ask us about Breast Enhancement specials ben J. kirbo, M.D. ~ Laurence Z. rosenberg, M.D. ~ chris Derosier, M.D. cErtifiED by tHE aMEricaN boarD of PLastic surgEry

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March–April 2017

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WAKE UP TO WEDDING DAY SKIN EVERY DAY

New tulsara™ wedding masque overnight 97% naturally derived*

*From plants, non-petroleum minerals or water. Learn more at aveda.com

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When the results matter, trust an expert.

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176 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

BOHEMIAN BABE: your guide to this blooming trend

MAKING HAPPY COUPLES EVEN HAPPIER THE BEST VENDORS & VENUES

+

Sip and Savor: creative libation and dining tips

Northwest Florida Weddings

402

WAYS TO CELEBRATE YOUR LOVE STORY

Beachy-keen New waves of beach wedding

trends and honeymoon hot spots

It’s all in our Details!

Every event, should be a John Gandy Event!

Full Service Event Planning & Production Event Design • Furniture and Decor Rentals Be inspired at JohnGandyEvents.com 850.570.5999

South Walton’s Premier Event Space a blank canvas with endless possibilities

On Highway 98, anchoring the east end of 30A in Inlet Beach

850.231.1127 •THIRTYAVENUE.COM

Rae Leytham Photography

SPONSORED REPORT

“The DoubleTree not only arranged everything, but called the best of the best vendors who went above and beyond to make sure our vision was made real. The entire day was a miracle.”

SPONSORED REPORT

Modern, classic sophistication ... The perfect location for all occasions

“We chose The DoubleTree by Hilton because of its location and beauty. It has an elegant style with greenery along the walls, a white cloth tent with white chandeliers hanging down, fireplaces and a beautiful view of the sun setting over downtown Tallahassee.”

-Julianna Kacheris, Tallahassee, Florida

101 S. Adams St. Tallahassee, FL 32301 (850) 224.5000 Tallahassee.DoubleTree.com

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6 NORTHWESTFLORIDAWEDDINGS.NET

contents

issue 4 coastal 19 weddings 20 New Coastal Cool 22 H ilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa 24 WaterColor Inn 26 The Pearl Hotel 28 ResortQuest

33 ALICIA OSBORNE PHOTOGRAPHY

SHANNON GRIFFIN PHOTOGRAPHY

city weddings FSU Alumni Center Tallahassee Downtown Food for Thought Staybridge Suites The Gathering Four Points by Sheraton Creative Craft Cocktails DoubleTree Hotel Hotel Duval

34 36 40 42 44 46 48 50 54

59

country weddings

60 Back to Their Roots 62 Arnett’s Gulfside Farm & Stables

65 PURE 7 STUDIOS

making it happen

On the Cover BOHEMIAN BABE: your guide to this blooming trend

MAKING HAPPY COUPLES EVEN HAPPIER THE BEST VENDORS & VENUES

+

Sip and Savor: creative libation and dining tips

Northwest Florida Weddings

402

WAYS TO CELEBRATE YOUR LOVE STORY

Beachy-keen

New waves of beach wedding trends and honeymoon hot spots

Puppy love turned true love! For our 2017 cover, Luke and Olivia Weaver pose with their pup, Wrigley. This little family was too cute not to fetch our attention. Black & Hue Photography was not lacking in photo opportunities with tender moments between the couple, playful pup outtakes and their gorgeous Tallahassee venue, Goodwood Museum & Gardens. As residents of Tallahassee and Luke as a former pitcher for the Florida State Seminoles (currently pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals), the couple shares an affinity for Northwest Florida. We think they are pitch perfect!

Bridal Party Bounty D ream Gowns Becoming a Blushing, Beautiful and Balanced Bride Andrew’s Catering Fisher’s Flowers Wedding Planning in a Digital Age John Gandy Events Sunshine Shuttles

66 68 72

74 76 79

80 84

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honeymoon destinations

94 Bridal Bon Voyage 96 ResortQuest NORTHWEST FLORIDA WEDDINGS 2017

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creatively

catering

life’s celebrations 228 SOUTH ADAMS STREET ANDREWSDOWNTOWN.COM/CATERING ACHANEY@ANDREWSDOWNTOWN.COM 850.644.2767 | 850.645.2675

from the editor

Your DreamedAbout Day

CHELSEA MOORE

As the editor of a weddings magazine, I’m going to admit something that is likely not expected of me: As a little girl, I did not dream about my wedding day. I cannot recall a time where I was the officiant of a Barbie-and-Ken doll wedding. Even now, I do not have a Pinterest board dedicated to wedding planning. Don’t get me wrong — I have nothing against weddings. In fact, quite the opposite.

I think that love is one of the most powerful and sensational feelings you can express, and I am close to many couples that are inspiring examples of admirable marriages. Marriage, to me, is sacred. For these reasons I would not feel comfortable planning a wedding without fully knowing the man who will be standing opposite me at the altar.

Until I know the man on his knee has both my head and my heart, I won’t plan our wedding. The keyword being “our.” I’ve always felt this way, but I haven’t always known why. It took loving someone selflessly, unconditionally and entirely to know that a relationship is not about me; it’s about us.

If you’re reading this magazine, you likely have a sparkler on your ring finger and no uncertainties about the person who placed it there. You are now ready to plan your most memorable day together.

Throughout these pages, you will meet the most talented, hospitable, knowledgeable and attentive wedding service providers in Northwest Florida. I would know; I’ve spoken with them all, and I would not leave you in less-than-capable hands.

As you read, research and smile your way through all 100 pages, know that each one was carefully assembled with love. I hope an eye-catching advertisement leads you to a service, our stunning photography inspires you and our heartfelt words make you pause and reflect on all that led you to this moment.

I wish for your wedding planning to be an adventure that leads to a wedding that fulfills you both and results in a love story that is more ardent, compassionate and loving than you ever imagined. You can wake up now; reality is better than your dreams.

Best,

Rebecca Padgett, Editor

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850.747.1362 619 HWY. 231 PANAMA CITY, FL SHOPDREAMGOWNS.COM NORTHWEST FLORIDA WEDDINGS 2017

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weddings

online access

NORTHWEST FLORIDA

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER

Brian E. Rowland

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL SERVICES Steve Bornhoft EDITOR Rebecca Padgett CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Maria Knight, Alexandra Pushkin, Liesel Schmidt PROOFREADERS Melinda Lanigan, Kim Harris Thacker CREATIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lawrence Davidson DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY Daniel Vitter LEAD DESIGNER Sarah Mitchell PUBLICATION DESIGNERS Charles Bakofsky, Shruti Shah

weddings.net

NORTHWESTFLORIDA

With your Pinterest board active and your phone full of apps, Northwest Florida Weddings Magazine’s website is a convenient, informative and on-trend resource you should add to your wedding planning toolbox. Scroll, click and search our site for insightful stories, talented photographers, stunning venues, mouthwatering caterers, planning guides and much more. New this year are click-through showcase pages, which provide additional layers of information about each vendor featured within the magazine. From sandy shores to luxurious hotels to oak-shaded plantations, explore the vibrant and romantic wedding scene that Northwest Florida furnishes.

COME SEE US AT WEDDING SHOWS

We love to share the beauty of Northwest Florida. During 2017 we will be attending bridal shows in order to showcase why Northwest Florida could be your ideal wedding or honeymoon location. Check out our events calendar to see if we will be in a city near you.

» DIGITAL EDITIONS In order to have a

copy of Northwest Florida Weddings Magazine everywhere you go, our digital editions provide the exact same pages but clickable! It’s the same magazine you know and love with easy, virtual access.

» WEDDING BLOG We vow to keep you apprised with the latest in trends and tips through our blog section, which features topics ranging from floral décor to budgeting.

Be Featured!

For the hottest wedding trends and updates follow us on all social media.

From your cake tasting to invitations, let us see how your Northwest Florida wedding planning is unfolding by using the hashtag #NWFLWeddings for a chance to be featured on our platforms or in an upcoming issue. facebook.com/NorthwestFloridaWeddings @NorthwestFLWeddings @NWFLWeddings pinterest.com/NWFLWeddings

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»

ADVERTISING DESIGNER Meredith Brooks SALES AND MARKETING VICE PRESIDENT/CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT McKenzie Burleigh Lohbeck DIRECTOR OF NEW BUSINESS Daniel Parisi ADVERTISING SERVICES COORDINATORS Lisa Sostre, Tracy Mulligan ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Julie Dorr, Darla Harrison, Rhonda Lynn Murray, Dan Parker, Linda Powell, Sarah Scott, Brianna Webb, Lori Yeaton INTEGRATED MARKETING COORDINATOR Bria Blossom SALES AND MARKETING ASSISTANT Mackenzie Ligas EVENTS, SALES AND MARKETING INTERN Alexandra Matthews SPECIAL PROJECTS & EVENTS EVENTS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR Mandy Chapman WEB/DIGITAL DIGITAL PRODUCTION SPECIALIST Chelsea Moore Northwest Florida Weddings Magazine is published annually by Rowland Publishing, Inc. 1932 Miccosukee Road, Tallahassee, FL 32308. (850) 878-0554. Northwest Florida Weddings 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. Northwest Florida Weddings Magazine reserves the right to publish any letters to the editor. Copyright March 2017 Northwest Florida Weddings Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Partners of Visit Tallahassee and Member, Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce and Florida Magazine Association.

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contributing photographers

Aislinn Kate Photography

Alena Bakutis Photography

Alicia Osborne Photography

Amanda Howell Photography

Amy Riley Photography

August Paul

Autumn & Melinda Photography

Black & Hue Photography

Brenna Kneiss Photography

Desiree Gardner Photography

J&J Weddings

Just Wright Photography

aislinnkatephotography.com | (850) 912-4888 featured on p. 24-25

amyrileyphotography.com | (850) 819-9037 featured on p. 94

brennakneiss.com | (850) 726-0339 featured on p. 26-27

alenabakutis.com | (850) 778-5370 featured on p. 41, 61

augustpaul.com | (850) 443-4796 featured on p. 50-51

desireegardner.com | (850) 215-8015 featured on p. 69

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aliciaosbornephoto.com | (850) 510-2929 featured on p. 7, 38-39, 48, 60

autumnandmelinda.com | (773) 480-2187 featured on p. 29

jandjweddings.com | (850) 445-4004 featured on p. 42-43

amandahowellphoto.com | (850) 933-1700 featured on p. 36-37

blackandhuephotography.com | (850) 443-4796 featured on Cover, p. 40-41, 60-61, 65

justwrightphotos.com | (850) 628-3293 featured on p. 69

Kiersten Grant Photography

Kylene and Ryan Studios

Lesley Isacks Photography

Mi Amore Foto

Modernmade Weddings

Pure 7 Studios

Sandprints Photography

Sarah & Paul Photography

Sunset Images Photography

SWAK Photography

Tiffany & Lens Photo

Woodland Fields Photography

kierstengrant.com | (850) 867-9456 featured on p. 69

modernmadeweddings.com | (202) 549-6943 featured on p. 21

sunsetimagesphotography.com | (850) 642-0605 featured on p. 22-23

kyleneandryan.com | (850) 778-5197 featured on p. 54

pure7studios.com | (850) 654-6523 featured on p. 7, 93

swakphotography.com | (850) 866-5389 featured on p. 68-69

isacksphoto.com | (850) 687-7027 featured on p. 62, 63

sandprintsphotography.com | (850) 225-5514 featured on p. 30

(850) 321-9554 featured on p. 46-47

miamorefoto.com | (904) 545-0432 featured on p. 7

sarahlynandpaul.com | (850) 888-0432 featured on p. 19, 28

woodlandfieldsphotography.com | (850) 559-1095 featured on p. 20, 21, 33-35, 49, 52-53, 55, 59, 60, 74-75, 80-83

Want More Information?

Visit us online and check out our exclusive Photographers Index. You’ll have access to photographer bios and their work in past issues. It will also send you directly to their blogs and portfolios.

Want to get in touch with a photographer? Their contact information can also be found online.

NORTHWEST FLORIDA WEDDINGS 2017

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Happily Ever After Starts Here

Love and cherish every moment of your wedding, from romantic white beaches to venues overlooking the Choctawhatchee Bay. Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort offers the perfect location for an unforgettable wedding day at the #1 Resort on Florida’s Emerald Coast.

855.274.7664 • Sandestin.com/flwed Photography Credit: HBB Photography

SARAH AND PAUL PHOTOGRAPHY

the coast

When you picture your wedding day, is it on the coast of somewhere beautiful? Northwest Florida boasts unrivaled beaches with sand white enough to match your dress, emerald waves to emphasize your eyes and a bevy of beautiful resorts at your service.

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the coast

New Coastal Cool Couples forsake seashells in a new wave of beach trends

WOODLAND FIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY

By Rebecca Padgett

N

orthwest Florida claims some of the most coveted beaches in the world — beaches that provide beautiful backdrops for weddings that feel like vacations. As far as beach weddings go, you either love them or you would never dare; but it’s clear that beach weddings won’t blow away with the sands of time.

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“Couples will always be drawn to the beach.

I don’t think that will ever change,” said Cheryl Walton, Senior Wedding Sales & Services Manager at St. Joe Club & Resorts. “The views are stunning, the sounds are tranquil and the sunsets are breathtaking. The beach is a happy place for many people.”

With sun shining down upon your ceremony, you’ve already got beauty on your side; but how do you make your wedding stand out in a sea full of shells, seafood and blue hues? The world is your oyster, so open your mind and discover some amazing trends that are perfect for your coastal wedding.

WOODLAND FIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY

MODERNMADE WEDDINGS

WOODLAND FIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY

Rather than the typical Florida beach vacation-style wedding, why not consider a chic fishing village or Caribbean escape? Both allow for unique décor incorporations that are easy to find and execute.

“The trend has shifted, slightly, from beachy to coastal chic,” said Walton. “Think less shells and sand and more driftwood, white coral and sea fans. Bring in things like old fishing carts, and nautical fabrics for the guest tables. Use old vintage postcards from the beach for your guest book, and leave in a vintage beach Jeep or Bronco.”

Typically, the ceremony will take place on the sand, which caters to a relaxed, fun and inclusive atmosphere. Invite guests to ditch their shoes for complimentary flip-flops, and if the vows are said midday, hand out sunglasses, so they won’t be blinded by the sunshine and your love. For a whimsical photo opportunity, allow guests to throw brightly colored beach balls as you exit the ceremony or reception.

If you want the beach vibes but don’t want to risk temperamental Florida weather, the theme is still possible indoors.

“Any beach décor can be brought inside, excluding the sand,” said Carol Juneau, Weddings & Special Events Manager at Hilton Sandestin. “Driftwood, lanterns and bamboo arbors will definitely give ballrooms a beach vibe.”

Buoys, fishing nets and seashells can make their appearances, but let statement-makers like pineapple-and-floral centerpieces, beach umbrella lounge-spaces and sandcastle “cakes” steal the show.

Paddleboards or surfboards, propped up table-style, make for excellent serving stations. Jerk chicken, kabobs, pineapple-cured ham, plantains, poke (a Hawaiian salad made with raw fish), coconut cake and more make for an island-centric menu. But, quality seafood will always be in its best form at a coastal wedding.

“Incorporate seafood as much as possible, with crab cakes, tuna tartare, fish tacos or a stacked raw bar,” said Juneau.

One of the many beauties of a beach wedding is that it promotes leisure and lightheartedness. Crack open a beer from a rowboat that acts as a cooler and head over for some beach bowling, with pineapples as pins and coconuts as bowling balls. For children — or the kid at heart — sand pails and shovels provide entertainment and a takeaway item. Park beach cruisers outdoors and indoors, and fill the baskets with flowers. They can serve as décor, and then the happy couple can speed off on them at sunset.

Long after the color palette has been picked and the dress has been fitted, you will delight in knowing you have chosen a location where many decide to honeymoon. Your guests will be busy noshing on raw oysters and dancing under the stars, so be sure to sneak away with your partner to immerse your feet in sand and your hearts in happiness.

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the coast

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HILTON SANDESTIN BEACH GOLF RESORT & SPA Miramar Beach

“We loved Hilton Sandestin Beach because all of the services were included in one package. Since we are from Texas, that was the easiest and best option for us. The best part was I didn’t have to worry about a thing. Everything we asked for, they provided.

At a Glance ▪▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪▪ OUTDOOR VENUE ▪▪ CATERING ▪▪ PLANNING AND COORDINATION ▪▪ HONEYMOON ACCOMMODATIONS ▪▪ DINING ▪▪ SPA SERVICES

“I was truly able to enjoy the day. That was my main goal — to be calm, relaxed and be fully in the moment. We wrote our own vows, and I still remember every moment and every word. Hilton Sandestin Beach took care of everything. All I had to do was show up and marry the man of my dreams.”

- Emily LaFleur, Houston, Texas PHOTOS BY SUNSET IMAGES

(850) 267-9500 // HiltonSandestinBeach.com 4000 Sandestin Blvd. S., Miramar Beach, FL 32550

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the coast

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WATERCOLOR INN & RESORT Santa Rosa Beach

“We looked at a lot of different places in the area, but to me, Watercolor felt the most warm and welcoming. It was also the most beautiful and natural. When I sat down with the staff I gave them all of my ideas, but they made my vision even better and more beautiful than I had imagined. They understood my vision and enhanced it.

At a Glance ▪▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪▪ OUTDOOR VENUE ▪▪ CATERING ▪▪ PLANNING AND COORDINATION ▪▪ HONEYMOON ACCOMMODATIONS ▪▪ DINING ▪▪ SPA SERVICES

“I received wonderful compliments about all aspects of the wedding. Guests especially loved the area and said they would definitely come back to vacation. The entire day was exciting, but what made it so special was having all of the people we loved most come together in one place.” - Allison Earley Amos, Nashville, Tennessee PHOTOS BY AISLINN KATE PHOTOGRAPHY

(850) 231-7773 // WatercolorResort.com 34 Goldenrod Circle, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

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the coast

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THE PEARL HOTEL Rosemary Beach

“We had been visiting the area and knew that Rosemary Beach was the most special place to us. We wanted to have an out-of-town wedding that was small and intimate. After we toured The Pearl, we knew it was the perfect place to bring our friends and family. We didn’t ask for a whole lot because the architecture is stunning already, but the coordinators made sure everything went smoothly and perfectly. They are completely focused on making brides happy.

“The wedding was held on the cabana roof deck providing gorgeous views of the Gulf at sunset accompanied by an acoustic performance. Everyone enjoyed snacks and drinks while sitting next to the fireplaces. It was breathtaking. I still can’t get over how perfect the day was. I woke up the next day still excited.” - Alexandra Grissim, Nashville, Tennessee PHOTOS BY BRENNA KNEISS

At a Glance ▪▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪▪ OUTDOOR VENUE ▪▪ CATERING ▪▪ PLANNING AND COORDINATION ▪▪ HONEYMOON ACCOMMODATIONS ▪▪ DINING ▪▪ RENTAL SERVICES ▪▪ SPA SERVICES ▪▪ THIRD PARTY VENDORS AVAILABLE ▪▪ DECORATING SERVICES ▪▪ BARTENDING SERVICES (850) 460-9040 // ThePearlRB.com 63 Main St., Rosemary Beach, FL 32461

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SARAH & PAUL PHOTOGRAPHY

PENELOPE L'AMORE PHOTOGRAPHY

PENELOPE L'AMORE PHOTOGRAPHY

SARAH & PAUL PHOTOGRAPHY

PENELOPE L'AMORE PHOTOGRAPHY

the coast

RESORTQUEST BY WYNDHAM VACATION RENTALS Endless Possibilities. Multiple Locations.

At a Glance ▪▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪▪ OUTDOOR VENUE ▪▪ HONEYMOON ACCOMMODATIONS

“I love listening to what each couple envisions for their wedding and what ambience they would like.

From there, we can share options that cater to their vision. We offer a wide variety from condos to homes that are wedding friendly. We cater to everyone’s style and budget.

“It comes down to the happiness of the couple and being able to hear them say their wedding day was exactly what they wanted. Each couple is unique, but the success is knowing that we helped to make their day the best from start to finish. It all starts with a wedding, but we hope they continue to visit ResortQuest as a family tradition.” - Kristen Cagadas, Wedding Sales Manager PHOTOS BY PENELOPE L'AMORE PHOTOGRAPHY AND SARAH & PAUL PHOTOGRAPHY

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(888) 412-6408 // NWFLWeddings.com 546 Mary Esther Cutoff NW, Suite 3 Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548

the coast

SUNDESTIN MANAGED BY RESORTQUEST Destin

“As a bride to be I was nervous to invest in a destination wedding at first. I knew it would be a beautiful wedding, but I thought it would be stressful being 1,000 miles away. I felt a sigh of relief when I met with ResortQuest and knew I needed to look no further. From the day we met until I walked down the aisle they put us first and assured us everything would be perfect. It was!

“Every person on the staff made us and our guests feel at home rather than just people who were vacationing at their resort. Everyone had the time of their lives. I will forever be grateful to ResortQuest for making it a magical and beautiful day.” – Amandalynn Combs, New Lennox, Illinois PHOTOS BY AUTUMN AND MELINDA PHOTOGRAPHY

At a Glance ▪▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪▪ OUTDOOR VENUES ▪▪ CATERING ▪▪ HONEYMOON ACCOMMODATIONS ▪▪ DINING

(888) 412-6408 // NWFLWeddings.com 546 Mary Esther Cutoff NW, Ste. 3 Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548

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the coast

TOPS’L BEACH & RACQUET RESORT MANAGED BY RESORTQUEST Destin

“We aren’t from Florida and booked Tops’l completely online. We had the opportunity to come visit when taking our engagement photos and knew we made the right decision. The staff walked us through the grounds and provided us with all of the details. We opted not to have a wedding planner, but we didn’t even need one — the staff was that helpful.

“On our wedding day, the sun was out and there wasn’t a cloud on the sky. My favorite part was when Jake and I were walking on the beach taking pictures. There’s a nature preserve next to the property, which made it beautiful and private. It was an unforgettable day on the beach with our friends and family.” – Megan Kendall, Nashville, Tennessee PHOTOS BY SANDPRINTS PHOTOGRAPHY

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At a Glance ▪▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪▪ OUTDOOR VENUE ▪▪ CATERING ▪▪ HONEYMOON ACCOMMODATIONS ▪▪ DINING

(888) 412-6408 // NWFLWeddings.com 546 Mary Esther Cutoff NW, Suite 3 Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548

Tallahassee’s best kept secret...

Staybridge Suites

1600 Summit Lake Drive Tallahassee, FL Staybridge.com/Tallahassee (850) 219-7010 NORTHWEST FLORIDA WEDDINGS 2017

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the city

Bright lights, big city going to your head? Whether it’s the heart of your hometown or a beloved city that draws you in, contemporary hotels, industrial inns, downtowns brimming with history and glittering skylines all “put on the ritz” for citycentric couples.

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the city

FSU ALUMNI CENTER

At a Glance

“My husband and I both agree that our first dance was the most special moment because it was right after we were introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Miller and we were surrounded by everyone we love.”

- Erin Miller, Tallahassee, Florida

▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪ OUTDOOR VENUE ▪ CATERING SERVICES ▪ PLANNING AND COORDINATION ▪ RENTAL SERVICES ▪ DECORATING SERVICES ▪ BARTENDING SERVICES ▪ DESIGN AND DÉCOR INSTALLATIONS ▪ PRODUCTION/EVENT DESIGN ▪ LINEN RENTALS

PHOTOS BY WOODLAND FIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY

(850) 645-9255 // Alumni.FSU.edu 1030 W. Tennessee St., Tallahassee, FL 32304

Tallahassee

“Originally, we were hesitant because I graduated from FSU, but my husband graduated from Clemson so, there’s a big rivalry. But, once we went in and saw the venue we knew that was where we wanted to hold our reception. There’s this gorgeous outdoor area with these big oak trees that hang over everything, and that’s what did it for us.

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the city

TALLAHASSEE DOWNTOWN Tallahassee

“Tallahassee downtown is rich in history with modern influences, which perfectly cater to every brideto-be. There are four churches and plenty of parks surrounded by hotels, spacious banquet halls and countless amenities. The churches offer tradition, the hotels are modern, the parks provide nature, The Edison reveals history with a contemporary twist and The Challenger Learning Center allows you to get married in a planetarium under the stars.

At a Glance ▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪ OUTDOOR VENUE ▪ DINING ▪ HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS

“The biggest appeal of a downtown wedding is the availability of conveniences all in one area. Guests can dine at a variety of restaurants, be fitted for tuxedoes at Nic’s Toggery, walk to the wedding in a nearby park and continue the reception in the hotel in which they are staying.” - Paige Carter-Smith, CEO of Tallahassee Downtown PHOTOS BY AMANDA HOWELL

SayIDoDowntown.com // TallahasseeDowntown.com 106 E. Jefferson St., Tallahassee, FL 32301

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the city

TALLAHASSEE DOWNTOWN Tallahassee

“Christopher and I live true to the motto: live, work, play. It was the most natural selection for us to choose everything that was in the area that we live in and work in: downtown. It’s a lovely atmosphere, and everyone in that area does a great job of working together, from the Governor’s Inn to the Governor’s Club to Aloft Hotel.

At a Glance ▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪ OUTDOOR VENUE ▪ DINING

“We wanted a New Orleans-style, and we chose the vendors that locally embody that ‘let the good times roll’ attitude. Having it on New Year’s Eve gave everyone a reason to party.

We were totally overwhelmed with love and support, and then at the ceremony my grandpa tripped. It was moments like this that made it all so perfect.” - Elizabeth Emmanuel, Tallahassee, Florida PHOTOS BY ALICIA OSBORNE PHOTOGRAPHY

SayIDoDowntown.com // TallahasseeDowntown.com 106 E. Jefferson St., Tallahassee, FL 32301

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the city

Food for Thought Food bars and creative presentations allow couple to express themselves

By Alexandra Pushkin

BLACK AND HUE PHOTOGRAPHY

P

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erhaps one of the most anticipated aspects of planning a wedding is sampling and selecting the perfect foods and libations to dazzle the guests and complement the theme of the celebration. While buffets and traditional sit-down dinners are timeless, incorporating non-traditional foods and build-your-own bars into a celebration creates an alternative to the predetermined menu.

“Weddings have become so much more personal these days,” explains Amanda Morrison, managing partner of Social Catering & Events in Tallahassee. “Instead of selecting a traditional meal, couples are really looking for ways to infuse their personalities, memories and favorite things into their big day, and the menu is no exception.”

The food bar and buffet concept can be tailored to reflect the personalities of the bride and groom and surprise any guest expecting something standard. The couple may choose to pick items they ate on their first date or foods that reflect their cultures. A “food for thought”style menu incorporates dishes that transport guests through taste and there are no boundaries.

“We’ve done Indian cuisine, paella stations, whole pigs, Italian feasts, family-style with passed dishes, jazz brunches, blues and barbeques, seafood stations, oyster bars, low country boils, sushi rolled to order and more,” said Todd Rogers, corporate executive chef of St. Joe Club & Resorts in Watersound. “There really isn’t a limit anymore to what can be done for food at a wedding.”

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Many couples now turn to organic, locally sourced foods. Alison Chaney of Andrew’s Catering in Tallahassee says local traditions are bringing about their own themes.

“We’ve noticed a lot of new Southern food, and raw bars are becoming increasingly popular due to our proximity to the Gulf,” Chaney says.

“Bringing two stations together is common, such as incorporating something Southern into a sliders bar. It’s about taking something that people like and serving it in a different way.”

Providing one-of-a-kind local finds will give guests a taste of local culture, connect the

wedding with its surroundings and create an event exclusive to the wedding’s destination.

Chaney emphasizes using elements of the location to complement the food and spotlight the wedding’s backdrop. The presentation can influence the perception of the food.

“Signage makes the table feel more elegant,” Chaney says. “Look for alternatives more appealing to the eye than a chafing dish.” Vintage desks, farm tables, wooden barrels, ornate dressers and pretty pedestals are just some of the options for displaying food. Or set aside tables completely in favor of food trucks — a noteworthy way for

couples to showcase their beloved snacks.

“Fun, creative food stations are a happy medium that allow guests to still feel at ease, but enjoy a great meal and sample a little taste of everything,” Morrison says. “It goes back to breaking tradition and incorporating things that are special to the couple.”

Regardless of whether you choose to stick with tradition or go with a unique dish or two, keep in mind that it’s a busy day, and not just for the happy couple. Throughout it all, there is one key ingredient to keeping guests energized: great food.

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the city

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STAYBRIDGE SUITES Tallahassee

At a Glance ▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪ OUTDOOR VENUE

“Staybridge was convenient for us because they allowed us to use our own vendors and helped us set up everything we needed. The staff went above and beyond to make sure the outdoor space we used was perfect.

“Our guests enjoyed the atmosphere and feel of our wedding. The live music and fireworks set the perfect stage for the night. There was a distinct moment while everyone was dancing when I looked around and saw smiles on everyone’s faces. The music was perfect, the sun was setting over the lake and everything was gorgeous.” - Taylor Anne Short, Tallahassee, Florida

PHOTOS BY J&J WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

(850) 219-7000 // Staybridge.com/Tallahassee 1600 Summit Lake Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32317

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the city

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THE GATHERING Tallahassee

“The space reminded us of our apartment when we lived in Washington D.C., the industrial look, brick walls, concrete floors and the exposed duct work. We just loved the look and style of it. When we first went and looked, there were a few changes we wanted made, and the team with The Gathering made those changes. In fact, they made it look even better than before. They were very accommodating and worked well with our planners. They even let us use a nearby apartment as a bridal suite, which was wonderful.

“The most special part though was our vows. We wrote our own. My husband had admitted before that has was nervous to write them. So, I said we can make them short. The day of, he unrolled a scroll.

Everyone cried and clapped.” - Melissa Jaacks, Tallahassee, Florida PHOTOS BY NINA NICOLE PHOTOGRAPHY

At a Glance ▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪ OUTDOOR VENUE ▪ CATERING SERVICES ▪ PLANNING AND COORDINATION ▪ DINING ▪ THIRD PARTY VENDERS AVAILABLE ▪ DECORATING SERVICES ▪ BARTENDING SERVICES ▪ DESIGN AND DÉCOR INSTALLATIONS ▪ PRODUCTION/EVENT DESIGN ▪ LINEN RENTALS (850) 228-6817 // GatheringTallahassee.com 705 S. Woodward Ave., Unit 201, Tallahassee, FL 32304

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TIFFANY & LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

the city

TIFFANY & LENS PHOTOGRAPHY REKINDLE PHOTOGRAPHY

REKINDLE PHOTOGRAPHY

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FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON TALLAHASSEE DOWNTOWN Tallahassee

“Four Points was a wonderful compromise. I wanted an outdoor wedding, but my family wanted it to take place at a hotel. If it was going to be at a hotel, it had to be the most unique hotel in Tallahassee. It is ecofriendly and very progressive. We just knew!

“The staff was incredible. When we had our wedding, Hurricane Hermine had just hit Tallahassee. They were so accommodating despite being short staffed. They made sure every guest got there and was safe.

There was so much stress leading up to it, but as soon as we arrived, they handled everything from the rehearsal dinner to the ceremony to breakfast the next day. Walking down the aisle, I forgot everything.

It was just me and my husband in that beautiful room.” - Deidre M. Barnes, Tallahassee, Florida PHOTOS BY TIFFANY & LENS PHOTOGRAPHY AND REKINDLE PHOTOGRAPHY

At a Glance ▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪ OUTDOOR VENUE ▪ CATERING SERVICES ▪ ACCOMMODATIONS ▪ DINING

(850) 422-4200 // FourPointsTallahasseeDowntown.com 316 W. Tennessee St., Tallahassee, FL 32301

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the city

Creative T Craft Cocktails Your drink menu shaken, not stirred

By Maria Knight

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here’s no doubt that an exceptional cocktail selection adds some spirit to your wedding reception. You and your guests can unwind with a traditional whiskey-based New York sour or shake things up with a pineapple-rum-tea punch. Either way, the cocktails at your wedding can be a worry-free addition with a little resourceful planning by a talented bartender.

When it comes to cocktails, simplification can make a sophisticated statement at your wedding. “Drinks with six, seven, eight or nine ingredients can be great, but there’s something to be said for three-ingredient cocktails made with high-quality ingredients and impeccable technique,” says Terry Logue, head bartender of The Blu Halo in Tallahassee.

There’s no shame in shaking up your beverages by adding in an unexpected twist. “One of the simplest things you can do is change the spirit, as long as the flavor still works,” says Eric Pounders of Madison Social in Tallahassee. “For example, the French 75 is a classic cocktail with gin, lemon, sugar and champagne. By replacing the gin with a

An easy, fun fix for drinks is to “batch” your cocktails. Have your cocktails prepped beforehand, pour them into eye-catching serving containers with glassware nearby, and you’re bartender-free. Logue recommends batching your cocktails to save money and time, especially for larger weddings. Have more on standby, though: Serve-your-owns will pour out and pass around, fast.

Presentation can be just as valuable as the stuff you’re sipping on. Cut-glass crystal goblets, gold adorned champagne flutes or colored highball glasses make the drink all the more fun to carry around. Your ingredients can also serve as décor: an edible orchid for spring, bright citrus for summer, a sprig of rosemary in the fall and cranberries for your winter wedding.

A creative cocktail theme that many couples are embracing is individualized libation options. The bride may be a lover of gin, while the groom is loyal to whiskey. Each concocts a beverage option that is served, and then the guests choose which drink they like best.

Glasses will clink in a toast to the newlywed couple, so make sure your libation is something that goes down easy and welcomes further toasting!

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ALICIA OSBORNE PHOTOGRAPHY WOODLAND FIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY

nice whiskey or bourbon, you have a great modern twist on a very traditional cocktail.”

In the world of weddings, straightforward ingredients and natural presentations are an up-andcoming trend. One-of-a-kind drinks can be as modest as a La Rosette, a champagne cocktail with a little St. Germain and pansy or fresh fruit garnish. This trouble-free cocktail is refreshing and smooth with a fruity tang — perfect for guests who want a relaxing bubbly to sip on while they mingle.

Making the drinks at the reception should be a fairly quick, easy task. “It is always smart to avoid anything that requires muddling or several steps,” Pounders says. “Guests at a wedding want to get drinks as quickly as they can, and several-step cocktails or muddling can slow the bar down.”

Corey Jernigan, bartender at The Pearl Havana Beach Bar & Grill in Rosemary Beach agrees about keeping it simple.

“Some of the best cocktails I have created for weddings were three to four ingredients,” said Jernigan. “Use seasonal ingredients and be mindful of your location. Keep it fresh, keep it simple, and yet be creative.”

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the city

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THE DOUBLETREE BY HILTON TALLAHASSEE Tallahassee

“The DoubleTree was already our favorite venue in town. At our first meeting, the catering and events team left us with the feeling that they would provide the highest quality of professionalism and service to not only us, but our family and guests. They made the planning process smooth and worry free by always providing open lines of communication.

“Our wedding was very modern with a little bit of glam thanks in large part to the architecture and décor of the DoubleTree. It was an enthusiastic and unpretentious celebration full of personal touches and really loving moments.” - Asia Roper, Tallahassee, Florida PHOTOS BY AUGUST PAUL

At a Glance ▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪ OUTDOOR VENUE ▪ CATERING SERVICES ▪ HOTEL PLANNING AND COORDINATION ▪ HONEYMOON ACCOMMODATIONS ▪ DINING ▪ RENTAL SERVICES ▪ THIRD PARTY VENDORS AVAILABLE ▪ DECORATING SERVICES ▪ BARTENDING SERVICES ▪ LINEN RENTALS (850) 224-5000 // Tallahassee.DoubleTree.com 101 S. Adams St., Tallahassee, FL 32301

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the city

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THE DOUBLETREE BY HILTON TALLAHASSEE

At a Glance

“Our guests loved the band, which was from Atlanta, the food and of course, the alcohol. It was an elegant party, exactly as I’d wanted.” - Dana Brooks Cooper, Tallahassee, Florida

▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪ OUTDOOR VENUE ▪ CATERING SERVICES ▪ HOTEL PLANNING AND COORDINATION ▪ HONEYMOON ACCOMMODATIONS ▪ DINING ▪ RENTAL SERVICES ▪ THIRD PARTY VENDORS AVAILABLE ▪ DECORATING SERVICES ▪ BARTENDING SERVICES ▪ LINEN RENTALS

PHOTOS BY WOODLAND FIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY

(850) 224-5000 // Tallahassee.DoubleTree.com 101 S. Adams St., Tallahassee, FL 32301

Tallahassee

“The DoubleTree fit the look we were going for and it was the nearest hotel to the park we got married in.

I wanted an elegant, outdoors evening wedding. They had recently remodeled, and they were the only hotel in downtown Tallahassee that could accommodate my vision. They worked very closely with my planner and anticipated all of my needs, making everything happen seamlessly and with no anxiety.

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KYLENE AND RYAN STUDIOS

the city

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DAMON TUCCI PHOTOGRAPHY

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COURTESY OF HOTEL DUVAL

COURTNEY MICHELLE PHOTOGRAPHY

HOTEL DUVAL Tallahassee

“They were the first venue that we went to visit. We just loved the look of the hotel, the cleanliness, the staff was on point and we really had our minds made up after that. We didn’t need to look anywhere else.

They were very accommodating to everything we needed and wanted to do.

At a Glance ▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪ OUTDOOR VENUE ▪ CATERING ▪ PLANNING AND COORDINATION ▪ HONEYMOON ACCOMMODATIONS ▪ DINING

“The vision of our wedding was Chicago themed. They let us bring in Chicago-themed snacks, a steel drum band, huge pictures and they even let my grandmother, my aunts and friends bring in homemade pies. We hung thousands of orchids in their chandeliers — that was something they had never done before. All this was in my vision and they said, ‘Yes! Let’s do it!’ ” - Jaimie Roberts, Chicago, Illinois PHOTOS BY COURTNEY MICHELLE PHOTOGRAPHY, DAMON TUCCI PHOTOGRAPHY, KYLENE AND RYAN STUDIOS, WOODLAND FIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY AND COURTESY OF HOTEL DUVAL

(850) 224-6000 // HotelDuval.com 415 N. Monroe St., Tallahassee, FL 32301

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Weddings Duval by

... exactly like nothing else

HOTELDUVAL.COM WEDDINGSBYDUVAL.COM 415 N. Monroe St. · Tallahassee 850.224.6000

THE DONALD L. TUCKER CIVIC CENTER Where every detail is carefully planned and executed to make your special occasion a treasured memory

For over 30 years, the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center has earned a distinguished reputation for exquisite cuisine, friendly service and outstanding budget planning for thousands of clients. We realize how important your wedding day is to you, your family and friends.

Not only can we offer you the very finest in food and beverage selections, but also the very best in service, quality and products.

From your first meeting with one of our highly acclaimed Event Mangers, to every last detail of your event. We assure you that your expectations will be met in the most professional manner.

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Arnett’s Gulfside Ranch Weddings • 20-acre horse farm one mile from the beach • Comfortably accommodate up to 150 people plus a band and catering space with plenty of parking • Indoor and outdoor spaces available • Horse-drawn carriage services for bride arrival.

DestinFarmWeddings.com | EventsAtGulfside@gmail.com 613 County Highway 393 South | In Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459 | 850-208-3114 Photos courtesy of Lesley Isacks Photography

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the

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country

She’s She’s gone gone country, country, back backtotoher herroots! roots!With Withrolling rolling hillshills andand swaying swaying oaks, oaks,Northwest NorthwestFlorida Floridapresents presents an an atmosphere atmosphere of of rural ruralbeauty beautywith withrustic rusticbarns barns and sprawling sprawling plantation plantationhomes homesjust justaround aroundthe the bend. bend.

Dust Dust offoff your yourboots bootsand anddance danceunder underthe thestars. stars.

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ALICIA OSBORNE PHOTOGRAPHY

the country

Back to

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Branch out by embracing the bohemian trend

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I

By Rebecca Padgett

n many ways, love is a metaphor for nature. It blooms and blossoms, birds sing about it, it flows in the air and it roots, grows and branches out, much like a tree. Emphasizing the link between romance and nature has become increasingly popular — to the point where couples are quite literally becoming one with nature.

It could be claimed that the bohemian trend stemmed from flower crowns adorning the heads of bridal parties; but while flowered headgear can certainly be incorporated into the theme, the primary purposes of bohemian weddings are nonconformity, free spiritedness and a appreciation of nature.

“Clients are drawn to bohemian style because it allows for an unconventional style,” said John Gandy of John Gandy Events.

“I think the bride and groom see it as their opportunity to create their own vision and express themselves in a more modern and nontraditional way. There are no rules!”

While the qualifications may be lax, ceremonies and receptions of the bohemian variety typically occur at outdoor venues and incorporate natural décor. If you could find it in a forest, it’s a go.

Berry-and-herb-infused bouquets; garlands of mosses, vines and flowers as streamers or table runners; unique stones and textured wood pieces as table toppers; feathers strung through trees and antlers as candleholders … all answer the call of the wild.

“Anything you see outdoors is perfect for this theme,” said Kristi Sanders, floral event designer with At Last Florals. “Brides often choose foliage mixed in with greenery, using statement blooms like peonies or garden roses and small, whimsical flowers for their bouquets.”

The bohemian bride feels most comfortable in flowing lace dresses, with loose curls or fishtails braids and a flower or two tucked in. The

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makeup is minimal: Dewy complexions and nude lips replace heavy eye makeup and bright lips.

“There are so many lace and flowing options that it makes it easy to find a gown to fit the boho theme,” said Lindsey Matthews, owner of Dream Gowns in Panama City. “The different vine and flower headpieces are a great way to incorporate the theme along with unique foot jewelry.”

Many delight in the idea of an informal reception that focuses of conversations, music and, most importantly, fun. Gandy explains that such a reception may include lounge areas that incorporate soft seating, vibrant colors and a variety of textures.

Think velvet cushions piled on top of oriental rugs, vintage sleigh couches, slouchy pillows, teepees and wooden swings, all under string lights. Instead of a sit-down dinner, guests can grab food from a farm-table spread and make their way to a lounge or gather at stand-around tables.

Incorporate a Volkswagen van as a photo backdrop, then drive away in it at the end of the night. Guests can leave with thank-you gifts, such as local honey, dream catchers or seeds they can plant. A bohemian-style reception is freeing, yet inclusive, exuding love to all.

“I think the laidback atmosphere of bohemian events appeal not only to the couples creating them, but also the guests attending them because of the casual, fun and loose environment it creates,” explained Cara Dollinger, event manager at Pebble Hill Plantation.

Weddings are monumental and important occasions, but that doesn’t mean they have to be sedated or even formal affairs. The bohemian bride would rather munch on food-truck fare while mingling than sit at a bridal table for a plated meal. She might be seen swaying on a wooden swing or dancing the night away, shoes peeled off long ago (if she wore them at all).

Whether you are a full-on flower child or just want to add a touch of the trend to your wedding, the theme is liberating, as you truly get to spread your wings, creatively. Let your imagination take root, and watch your love bloom.

ALENA BAKUTIS PHOTOGRAPHY

Their Roots

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the country

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ARNETT’S GULFSIDE FARM & STABLES Santa Rosa Beach

A tranquil sanctuary nestled into the Point Washington State Forest, Arnett’s Gulfside Farm & Stables sits just one mile from the beautiful beaches along Scenic Highway 30-A, offering peace and seclusion.

This 20-acre horse farm in Santa Rosa Beach provides a picturesque backdrop and setting for rustic ceremonies and receptions. Guests mingle and celebrate while horses graze nearby and towering pine trees sway in this untouched, natural landscape.

The accommodating staff can provide full wedding planning services allowing the bride and groom to fully cherish the importance of their day. Multiple horse-drawn carriages are available to deliver the married couple off into the sunset.

PHOTOS BY LESLEY ISACKS PHOTOGRAPHY

At a Glance ▪ I NDOOR VENUE ▪ O UTDOOR VENUE ▪ P LANNING AND COORDINATION ▪ R ENTAL SERVICES

(850) 208-3114 // 30AFarmWeddings.com 613 S. County Highway 393 Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

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making it

PHOTO BY BLACK AND HUE PHOTOGRAPHY

happen

Any way you want it, that’s the way you need it! From caterers to cake-makers or planners to paper products, we know the top-notch service providers throughout Northwest Florida.

Share your ideas and they take it from there, allowing you time to focus on what’s most important: each other.

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making it happen

Bridal Party Bounty Couples are taking to showering their friends and family with gifts

By Alexandra Pushkin

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T

he purpose of bridal parties — that group of specially designated individuals that stands near the bride and groom at the wedding — wasn’t always to have your best friends by your side in matching attire. The Western tradition actually stemmed from the need to have witnesses present. Today, however, a bridal party is much, much more: It’s a representation of a bond, a steadfast support system and a symbol of lifelong friendships.

Couples today commonly bestow gifts upon the members of their bridal party, which also includes groomsmen, to convey gratitude. Current trends call for giving a gift as unique as the person for whom it is intended, with a variety of items ready to be personalized.

Many brides will honor their bridesmaids with jewelry. Take this tradition one step

further by customizing the jewelry with each bridesmaid’s name, or, for a cleaner look, just use the first letter. As an alternative to names, try giving a necklace with a message.

Kimberly Waller of Hearth & Soul in Tallahassee suggests a Morse Code necklace, featuring gold dipped dots and dashes on a silk thread, that conveys positive messages and sentiments.

Lockets are timeless and treasured. Placing a picture of the bride and her bridesmaid in the locket creates a piece that is elegant on the outside and sentimental on the inside.

“Another great benefit of jewelry as a gift is, it’s one of the few items the wedding party can wear on the wedding day to perfectly complete their wardrobe whether its cufflinks, a watch, earrings, a bracelet or a necklace,” said Carolyn Brigman, vice president of McCaskill &

LAWRENCE DAVIDSON

Sweetly pop the question with a “Will you be my bridesmaid?” box by Sugarfina.

Cheers to your best gals with matching Tervis cups from Coton Colors. Say it in code through a friendship necklace by Pettina. Sip in style out of a customized groomsman flask.

Show the parents you’re thankful for their support with a keepsake Coton Colors ornament.

Company Finest Jewelry & Watches in Destin.

Bridesmaid proposals have become a prewedding tradition, where the bride “proposes” to those she wants for her bridal party. “It’s customary to give gifts at the bridal luncheon a day or two before the wedding,” said Kyle Johnson Smith, Coton Colors’ Design Manager.

“Something that is becoming increasingly popular is giving gifts when asking bridesmaids to be in your bridal party.”

Personalized accessories that can be used to prepare on the wedding day, such as monogrammed totes, makeup bags and water bottles, are becoming popular.

“You can create a gift box with a wedding party Tervis (insulated bottle) paired with a festive drink, along with some other wedding day necessities and accessories to use throughout the day,” explains Johnson Smith.

“Plus, a Tervis is something they will be able to use during the wedding and will pull together those details that make the day so memorable.”

Needless to say, candy will always be an excellent choice. “We love all things Sugarfina,” said Waller. “The wonderful, ‘Will you be my bridesmaid?’ candy box, filled with gourmet candies, is both clever and unique.”

To take a more do-it-yourself approach, some brides craft candles for each bridesmaid, with customized scents. The handmade element certainly makes for a personalized keepsake.

Expressing thanks to more than just the bridesmaids has become commonplace. Now, brides and even grooms are bestowing gifts upon parents, groomsmen, flower girls and ring bearers. Much like the bridesmaids’ gifts, thoughtful touches make all the difference.

While liquor and liquor accessories are ever

popular among groomsmen, personalized ties are trendy, as well.

For the parents of the bride and groom, a treasured gift should evoke memories.

The style should reflect the tradition-filled moments of the occasion. Be sure to include a handwritten note as a personal and direct thank you to the recipient.

For any guest, Johnson Smith says a personalized ornament, with their name or a message to remember the wedding day, is an especially heartfelt present.

Bridal party gifts go beyond trinkets. They mark a significant occasion in the lives of the happy couple that took place alongside friends and family. Gifts should be whimsical yet useable, time-honored yet distinct and, as always, intimate and unforgettable.

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making it happen

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SWAK PHOTOGRAPHY KIERSTEN GRANT PHOTOGRAPHY

DESIREE GARDNER PHOTOGRAPHY JUST WRIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY

DREAM GOWNS Panama City

“I knew Dream Gowns would make it a special occasion, and they did. Honestly, I didn’t even try on very many dresses and when I put the dress I chose on, I just knew. It was perfect for me, but it was completely different from what I said I would choose. Everything I said I wouldn’t pick ended up being what I went with — very simple, romantic and clean.

At a Glance ▪ BRIDAL GOWNS ▪ BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES ▪ BRIDAL ACCESSORIES

“Everyone I came in contact with was super helpful. Whether it was putting back dresses I already tried on or bringing me dresses they thought I might like, they just went out of their way. On my wedding day, I felt like a bride should. I felt beautiful.” - Haley Lewis, Panama City Beach, Florida

PHOTOS BY DESIREE GARDNER PHOTOGRAPHY, JUST WRIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY, KIERSTEN GRANT PHOTOGRAPHY AND SWAK PHOTOGRAPHY

(850) 747-1362 // ShopDreamGowns.com 619 Highway 231, Panama City, FL 32405

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Providing creative catering, mobile craft cocktails, and exceptional service to make your wedding day as truly unique as you are.

SOCIALCATERINGANDEVENTS.COM

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(850) 228-6817

|

TALLAHASSEE, FL

Photo Credit : Sarah Stephens Photography

#WedAtLast

Flowers | Design | Decor Custom Events That Make A Statement & Reflect YOUR Style!

• Florida Based, Destination Ready •

850.519.2305 | AtLastFlorals.com

MAKEUP AND HAIR TANIA CRAWFORD

MAKEUP AND BRIDE HAIR TANIA CRAWFORD BRIDESMAIDS HAIR DANI BERTRAM

OUR TEAM loves styling brides for THEIR BIG DAY 36150 Emerald Coast Parkway Suite 104, Destin, FL 850.424.3935 pureandcouture.com

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making it happen

Blushing, F Beautiful and Balanced Bride Ditch the diet fads and impossible workouts and aim, instead, for happiness!

by Rebecca Padgett

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irst, you need to know that you are wonderful and beautiful just as you are. Your partner put a ring on your finger because he loves every ounce of you, and every teary-eyed, smiling guest at your ceremony shares that love.

Those same people will support you in any endeavor you wish to pursue and will be your biggest advocates in helping you to achieve your goals.

A wedding is unlike any milestone you will experience in your life. You invite those who live near and far, whose friendships are close or newly rekindled, to take part in a day where all eyes and cameras are on you. As exciting and blissful as that is, it’s also, to be transparent, nerve-racking. For a day that you will remember and reflect upon, you want to feel and look your best. A momentous event is just the time to put your ambitions into literal motion.

JACOB LUND (LEFT), TORWAISTUDIO (RUNNING) AND SYDA PRODUCTIONS (YOGA) / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

The first step is to set goals and evaluate if you will be able to achieve them in realistic and healthy ways. This doesn’t mean crash diets to fit into the dress or workouts so strenuous you dread them. The overarching objective is to create a lifestyle that fulfills your wedding day wishes and is sustainable for many years of wedded bliss.

“The goal isn’t always to lose weight; it’s to be healthy and mentally stable,” said Lena Shields, Studio Manager of Pure Barre Tallahassee. “A wedding is for both of you, and you’re working to be happy and healthy together. In the grand scheme, you’re adapting your lifestyle to prolong your lives together.”

Until death do you part, your other half is your accountability partner and motivator, making it ideal to join in on the fitness journey together. Find a workout that you both enjoy, take turns doing each other’s favorite fitness activity or pay a trainer for a couples class.

“Many times your training coach becomes your life coach because they’re someone who is unbiased and can be there to support you mentally as well as physically through this journey into your marriage,” said Matt Staver, owner and founder of Blueprint Health Studio in Destin.

At home or in the gym, you can use each other for resistance training or for partner workouts, like tossing a medicine ball back and forth. Make it even more enjoyable by turning workouts into dates. Run, hike, bike, canoe or walk together to a location where you can enjoy a healthy picnic as a reward.

“Active people tolerate stress better, suffer from less illness and enjoy the benefits of more energy and stamina,” said Kim Bibeau, owner and founder of Sweat Therapy Fitness. “These benefits can really help a relationship flourish.

Whether partners workout together or use their gym time as ‘me time,’ fitness is an important part of a self-care routine.”

If solo workouts are more your speed, fully commit. Put down the guest list, turn off the cellphone and submerge yourself fully in your workout routine. High intensity classes present the perfect way to blow off steam, long runs give you clarity and yoga calms the mind.

“Fitness classes keep your energy up and keep you focused,” said Adam Christiansen, certified personal trainer with BeachFit Studio in Seaside. “A fitness routine teaches you how to push through stressful situations and difficulties. Ultimately, it shows you respect yourself and the other person.”

All professionals in the fitness realm agree that eating healthily and relaxing is beneficial to

your overall well-being. Take time together, on a Sunday evening, to plan and prepare healthy meals for the week ahead, or join cooking classes that promote nutritious eating.

Of the most importance is having a sound mind. Amidst all the color swatches, cake tastings and seating charts, take a break and focus on the person who got you to this moment. A smile releases endorphins that trigger happiness, and kissing burns calories.

Strengthen your relationship through exercises that challenge you both.

Get a head start on your partnership, by pacing each other toward total health with a running routine. Try yoga to connect mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally.

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making it happen

ANDREW’S CATERING Tallahassee

“We decided on Andrew’s because they are the best in town. They were always on point, accommodating and attentive. Even though we only met with them in person once, we never had to worry because we trusted them that much. We talked about menu options and services that perfectly fit our wedding.

They were able to accommodate my husband’s food allergies and create a menu that pleased both our vegetarian and meat-eating friends.

At a Glance ▪ INDOOR VENUE ▪ OUTDOOR VENUE ▪ CATERING ▪ PLANNING AND COORDINATION ▪ BARTENDING SERVICES ▪ LINEN RENTALS

“Everyone bragged about and complimented the food. There was a wide variety and the tenderloin was a hit, especially with my husband. The food might have even been the highlight of the reception!”

- Jacqueline Blackburn, Tallahassee, Florida PHOTOS BY WOODLAND FIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY

(850) 645-9255 // AndrewsDowntown.com 229 S. Adams St., Tallahassee, FL 32301

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making it happen

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FISHER’S FLOWERS AND EVENTS Santa Rosa Beach

“Fisher’s Flowers’ versatility was especially important to us since we had three big events to plan: an Indian ceremony and reception, a rehearsal dinner/beach bonfire and a traditional Western ceremony and reception.

“Grove with Fisher’s is an extremely kind, creative, down-to-earth and hardworking designer. She’s not simply a florist — she works to understand the personalities of the bride and groom, plus their families, to make sure the event’s design feels unique and true to them. Fisher’s understood the combination we wanted — warm, festive and elegant. Guests loved the dance floor, the beautiful beach and the joyful spirit. More than a year later, our friends continue to rave about how wonderful each of our events was.”

- Meera Rennicke, New York, New York PHOTOS BY HARDY KLAHOLD

At a Glance ▪ FLORAL SERVICES ▪ RENTAL SERVICES ▪ DECORATING SERVICES ▪ EVENT DESIGN

(850) 622-0056 // FishersFlowersAndEvents.com 416 S. Co. Highway 393, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

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making it happen

fishersflowersandevents.com . 850.622.0056

416 South County HWY 393 • Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459 • Adam and Grove Fisher • 78 NORTHWESTFLORIDAWEDDINGS.NET

Wedding Planning for the Digital Age Apps that make it easier to get to iDo

by Maria Knight

ONEINCHPUNCH / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

F

rom trying on dresses until you find “the one” to designing invitations that will adorn a fridge delightfully, there are a million things a bride has to keep track of when planning her wedding. With today’s modern means, planning could not be easier or more accessible. Apps for wedding planning are helping brides stay organized, in touch and upto-date, all with the touch of a button.

With everything brides have to do and remember, it’s easy to forget a thing or two along the way. WeddingHappy is an app that tracks the tasks you have completed, the tasks you still need to do, your vendor details and how long you have until your wedding. Not only can you track details like sending your save-the-date notices, you can also keep a close eye on your expenses and payments so you and your fiancé can stick to your budget. This free app makes it easy to see how the little things are adding up to create the big picture.

If you’re looking for an app with a social side that provides opportunities to engage with your guests and wedding party, Appy Couple is a

savvy option. The photo gallery feature allows guests to easily snap and post pictures, all of which are saved directly to your gallery. Guests can mingle with each other via the app with instant messaging. Your shyer guests will thank you later. And who knows? Your wedding could result in romance for another happy couple.

To make the wedding gift process easier on you and your guests, Zola has an online registry that exhibits simplicity at its finest. This app lets you combine multiple brands to your registry, choose from a variety of “couple experiences” and build cash funds for your future plans, all in one account. If it turns out you don’t actually need that set of mallard duck dishware from your uncle in Kentucky, Zola gives you the option to swap gifts or convert them into credit.

Having trouble finding your dream dress?

Follow local bridal stores on Instagram as they often feature the latest dress trends. If you’re open minded or don’t have a particular style in mind, this is the best way to learn what you may want.

Dream Gowns has an excellent selection that is consistently updated on their Instagram account.

Our very own, Northwest Florida Weddings website, social media accounts and monthly newsletter are on-trend with bridal movements throughout the nation while providing localization through vendors, venues and services.

Whiles these apps and websites are definite time-savers, they can’t do it all. As John Gandy from John Gandy Events explains, there’s a human element to wedding planning that you can’t get online. “Sending invitations virtually is great if all of your guests are young and always online,” Gandy says. “Otherwise, you should stick with traditional mail.”

Some tasks are best completed in person for the sake of the ceremony, such as selecting vendors and tasting cake samples. Some of your best visual sources are magazines, and your best audible sources are talking with brides who have already taken their walk down the aisle.

For decades, brides have successfully planned beautiful weddings; and just think — you are planning in the best-equipped decade yet. It’s a great time to be a bride!

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JOHN GANDY EVENTS Tallahassee

“I’m a wedding photographer so I had previous experience working with John Gandy and watching him make things gorgeous. His team knows how to make the day completely flawless. He walked me through his warehouse, but I told him that I had seen what he could do and I trusted him. It turned out absolutely perfect. An elegant, relaxed dinner party with a lot of candles, metallic and greenery.

At a Glance ▪ P LANNING AND COORDINATION ▪ RENTAL SERVICES ▪ DECORATING SERVICES ▪ DESIGN AND DÉCOR INSTALLATIONS ▪ DÉCOR RENTALS ▪ PRODUCTION/EVENT DESIGN ▪ LINEN RENTALS

“Since my husband and I found each other later in life, we don’t take for granted what got each other to this point. We are soul mates. My three-year-old daughter was wrapped up in my veil, walking beside me up the aisle to my best friend. It was so loving and special. There were a lot of happy tears.”

- Dawn Fifer, Tallahassee, Florida PHOTOS BY WOODLAND FIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY

(850) 570-5999 // JohnGandyEvents.com 3463 Garber Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32303

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making it happen

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JOHN GANDY EVENTS Tallahassee

“It was a no brainer to use John Gandy. I had seen some of his work and had a lot of friends that had used him. I knew from the get-go that I would choose his services because of his reputation for quality.

I never had a clear-cut vision of what I wanted, but I did know I wanted a lot of natural colors with white and champagne tones. He helped me describe my vision and made it come to life. He called it Southern elegance, which was perfect.

At a Glance ▪ P LANNING AND COORDINATION ▪ RENTAL SERVICES ▪ DECORATING SERVICES ▪ DESIGN AND DÉCOR INSTALLATIONS ▪ DÉCOR RENTALS ▪ PRODUCTION/EVENT DESIGN ▪ LINEN RENTALS

“Our special moment was surrounded by giant chandeliers hanging from oak trees as we had our first dance. That was our time to ourselves to do what we do best.” - Madeleine Friddle, Milton, Florida

PHOTOS BY WOODLAND FIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY

(850) 570-5999 // JohnGandyEvents.com 3463 Garber Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32303

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making it happen

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SUNSHINE SHUTTLE & LIMOUSINE Santa Rosa Beach

At a Glance ▪ T RANSPORTATION

“There were so many reasons we chose Sunshine Shuttles. They actually did the whole weekend. They started with the airport pickup of wedding guests all the way from the rehearsal dinner to the wedding night. It was a chance to have everyone together, so we actually did larger buses so everyone could spend time with one another.

“Donovan was one of my favorite drivers. He’s very witty and funny. He had water and to-go food ready for us in the vintage Rolls Royce and made everything easy. I can’t say enough great things about Donovan and Sunshine Shuttles. They went above and beyond to make it all perfect.” - Sara Shipp, Nashville, Tennessee PHOTOS BY DEAR WESLEYANN PHOTOGRAPHY

(850) 650-6333 // SunshineShuttle.com 323 Lynn Drive, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

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making it happen RUSSELL RAINEY, DMD Say, “I Do” to the perfect smile. Dr. Russell B. Rainey and his caring team provide Tallahassee’s most exceptional dental experience. Dr. Rainey’s practice provides a wide range of services including anxiety-free, cosmetic and restorative dentistry. Whether it is your big day or the big day of a loved one, let Dr. Rainey’s team give you a smile to be proud of.

COSMETIC DENTISTRY

(850) 385-3700 DrRainey.com 221 E. 7th Ave. Tallahassee, FL 32303

HAMPTON INN AND SUITES TALLAHASSEE Convenience and comfort is key when planning a wedding stay, whether it is for the happy couple or the guests. Hampton Inn and Suites is centrally located just off of I-10 in Tallahassee making it an easy drive to nearby wedding venues and downtown. The luxuriously decorated hotel features cozy beds, an outdoor pool, fitness room, a welcoming staff and ultimate comfort for a wedding weekend.

HOTEL

(850) 574-4900 TallahasseeI10ThomasvilleRdSuites.HamptonInn.com 3388 Lonnbladh Road Tallahassee, FL 32308

COTON COLORS Conveniently positioned in Tallahassee’s Market District, and with simple online registry access, Coton Colors is the perfect stop for celebrating blushing brides. Make every moment even happier from your engagement to your wedding day with Coton Colors — from the “Will You Be My Bridesmaid?” asks to hostess gifts and presents for future mother-in-laws.

BRIDAL GIF TS AND REGISTRY

(850) 668-0149 Coton-Colors.com 1355 Market St. Tallahassee, FL 32312

THE BLUES FACTOR BAND The award-winning Blues Factor Band is a group of elite musicians that provide professional entertainment for weddings, private events and corporate functions. Known for their incredibly polished, high-energy shows, these experienced and versatile musicians are available to pack the dance floor at your wedding. Comprehensive entertainment packages are available at surprisingly affordable prices that include the wedding ceremony, cocktail hour, professional MC/DJ services and videography.

M U S I C & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

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(904) 349-8307 TheBluesFactorBand.com 2132 Sand Dune Court Tallahassee, FL 32308

TALLAHASSEE AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM – BANQUET ROOMS The Tallahassee Automobile Museum is a community treasure that offers up history and engaging experiences. For a reception or ceremony that’s outside of the box, the museum is equipped with a variety of banquet rooms ranging in size and style in order to fulfill the needs of your wedding. Your own caterer and decorations are welcome, while facilities, tables and chairs are on-site to drive your wedding day to blissfulness.

VENUE

(850) 942-0137 TACM.com 6800 Mahan Drive Tallahassee, FL 32308

OPPENHEIM SIGNATURE SMILES THOMAS E. OPPENHEIM, DMD, FAACD

You are sure to be smiling on your wedding day, and photographs will capture that smile as a memory for years to come. Dr. Oppenheim specializes in smile designs that are known for their strikingly natural appearance and lasting beauty. His promise is to deliver cosmetic and restorative excellence, which results in a signature smile for each client.

AMY RILEY PHOTOGRAPHY

COSMETIC DENTISTRY

(229) 226-1631 SignatureSmiles.com 207 E. Jackson St. Thomasville, Georgia 31792

EMERALD COAST AUDIO VISUAL SOLUTIONS Seaside

Flawless audio and eye-catching visual services will ensure that your guests hear and see the magic of your most special day. Emerald Coast Audio Visual Solutions employs only the most competent technicians and consultants to advise you on the most effective and cost efficient options for your venue whether it be indoors or outdoors. They have years of experience in providing exceptional services to weddings, leaving you well prepared and stress free on your dreamed about day. The sound will be as clear as your crystal glasses and the spotlights will be on you.

PHOTOS BY AMY RILEY PHOTOGRAPHY AND COURTESY OF EMERALD COAST AUDIO VISUAL SOLUTIONS

At a Glance ▪ INDOOR WEDDING AUDIO/VISUAL ▪ OUTDOOR WEDDING AUDIO/VISUAL ▪ CREATIVE LIGHTING ▪ DANCE FLOOR RENTALS ▪ VIDEOGRAPHY (850) 630-3032 // EmeraldCoastAV.com Multiple Locations NORTHWEST FLORIDA WEDDINGS 2017

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making it happen 850 EVENT RENTALS 850 Event Rentals knows that the beauty of an event is all in the details, whether it be a grand gathering hall or an intimate ceremony. Offering a comprehensive inventory of tents, chairs, arbors, tables, linens, lighting, décor and lounge furniture, 850 Events is well-equipped to create your envisioned wedding day. If you’re warm on the idea of a beachside wedding, they provide beach bonfire services along the Emerald Coast.

E V E N T R E N TA L S

(850) 399-1660 850EventRentals.com Santa Rosa Beach, FL

BELLAGIO NAIL & DAY SPA Escape stress into a world of total comfort, relaxation and rejuvenation. Treat yourself to a luxurious experience, pick the perfect polish for your tips and toes and indulge in refreshments from the spa’s fully stocked bar. Our friendly and professional staff will pamper and perfect all of your beauty needs. Kick off the bachelorette party or bridal shower with our private room complete with music, drinks and complete relaxation.

B E A U T Y & S PA

(850) 912-4488 BellagioDaySpaPensacola.com 5010 Bayou Blvd., Suite 103 Pensacola, FL 32503

HILTON GARDEN INN TALLAHASSEE The Hilton Garden Inn Tallahassee welcomes you and your guests to their hotel for your wedding celebration. Our desirable location right off of I-10 and nearby local attractions, allows you to make the most of your time in town. We offer many amenities to create a “home away from home” atmosphere guaranteeing complete comfort. In addition to reserving a block of rooms for you, we feature a banquet room ideal for an intimate rehearsal dinner of up to 48 guests.

H O T E L A C C O M M O D AT I O N S

(850) 385-3553 Tallahassee.StayHGI.com 3333 Thomasville Road Tallahassee, FL 32308

PAUL JOHNSON PHOTOGRAPHY

SANDESTIN GOLF AND BEACH RESORT Make memories to cherish for a lifetime at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.

Offering the largest selection of luxurious venues on Northwest Florida’s Emerald Coast, Sandestin is the perfect backdrop for your special day. From sugary white sand beaches and lush green lawns to elegant stately ballrooms and serene bayfront terraces, Sandestin will make your wedding all you dreamed of and more.

VENUE

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(866) 748-7863 Sandestin.com/FLWed 9300 Emerald Coast Pkwy W. Miramar Beach, FL 32550

MY FAVORITE THINGS When your guests first see the invitation to the most special day of your life, you can be certain that they will give it more than a passing glance. Be sure to choose an invitation that reflects your taste and style. Let My Favorite Things be your personal stationer. Their trained consultants can assist with all your etiquette questions while helping to create an invitation that will perfectly set the mood and tone of your wedding.

S TAT I O N E R Y & R E G I S T R Y

(850) 681-2824 ShopMFT.com 1410 Market St., C3 Tallahassee, FL 32312

TOM & THE CATS Tom & the Cats are wedding reception legends that get the party going. With catchy dance music and a guaranteed night to remember, no matter the theme of your wedding Tom & the Cats has the music to match. A 2015 Best of Tallahassee winner for Best Local Band, their smooth vocals and dynamic instrumentals captivate guests — leaving them no choice but to make their way to the dance floor. The band’s motto says it all, “It ain’t nothing but a party, baby!”

M U S I C & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

(850) 566-3018 TomAndTheCats.net richardbevis@embarqmail.com

WEBER & WEEKLEY BRIDES, BEAUTY & BLING Accomplished in both traditional and airbrush makeup, Melody Weber and Lorie Weekley are professional makeup artists and licensed estheticians.

Their passion is helping brides capture the glow of their individuality by personally customizing their skincare and makeup preferences. From their hands and into their beloved’s arms, each bride shines with confidence as they joyfully walk down the aisle feeling relaxed and radiant.

B E A U T Y & S PA

(850) 764-6629 WeberAndWeekley.com 4305 Spanish Trail Pensacola, FL 32504

CG PHOTOGRAPHY

A GRANDE OCCASION WEDDING ARTISTRY A Grande Occasion Wedding Artistry is the wedding team of The Posh Daisy Salon Spa, which offers on-location and in-salon services to make your day perfect. As part of an award-winning salon, this team takes pride in providing stunning hair and makeup services all along the Florida Panhandle. Brides and their bridal parties can rejuvenate with a day of relaxation including a fresh manicure or pedicure, beauty boost facial or deep conditioning hot oil scalp treatment. Let your inner beauty blossom!

S A L O N & S PA

(850) 533-0321 ThePoshDaisy.com 128 Eglin Parkway SE Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548

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making it happen HILTON SANDESTIN BEACH GOLF RESORT & SPA Kissed by the warm, salty breezes of the Gulf, Hilton Sandestin Beach is the perfect choice for the couple in search of a timeless beach ceremony and an overall experience highlighted by unprecedented customer service on the beautiful Emerald Coast. Wedding guests will adore this spot for its understated glamour and gorgeous amenities. This resort can deliver it all, from pre-wedding rituals to post-nuptial relaxation. For the one moment when you say,“I do” there is only one Hilton Sandestin Beach.

RESORT & VENUE

(850) 267-9500 HiltonSandestinBeach.com 4000 S. Sandestin Blvd.

Miramar Beach, FL 32550

SERENITY BY THE SEA SPA Be sure to include a visit to Serenity by the sea Spa when planning your wedding weekend activities. The full-service spa at Hilton Sandestin Beach is the perfect place to relax away those pre-wedding jitters with a menu of massage, facial and body treatments. The entire wedding party may enjoy a spa-style bridesmaid’s luncheon in the lounge while beautifying together with hair services, manicures and pedicures in the spa’s adjoining salons.

B E A U T Y & S PA

(850) 622-9595 SerenitybytheseaSpa.com 4000 S. Sandestin Blvd.

Miramar Beach, FL 32550

BALLROOM AT THE BEACH With 60,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor venues Hilton Sandestin Beach presents a plethora of spots for your ceremony, reception and various wedding gatherings. All of the ballrooms feature an open-ceiling concept that can be transformed into a splendid backdrop for nuptials. If the beach is your ideal venue, three boardwalks lead down to sugar white sands and three decks overlook the emerald green waters lending to picturesque scenery.

RESORT & VENUE

(877) 705-6641 HiltonSandestinBeach.com 4000 S. Sandestin Blvd.

Miramar Beach, FL 32550

SEAGAR’S PRIME STEAKS & SEAFOOD When only the best will do, treat your guests to an event at Seagar’s, the only AAA-Four Diamond-rated steakhouse on the Emerald Coast. Private rooms are available for groups of all sizes, making the New York-style steakhouse perfect for everything from small family gatherings to elegant rehearsal dinners. Chef Dan Vargo will create a menu to suit your style, featuring Prime beef and fresh-from-the-Gulf seafood. Seagar’s also features the largest wine list on the coast, with more than 600 labels to choose from.

R E S TA U R A N T & C AT E R I N G

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(850) 622-1500 Seagars.com 4000 S. Sandestin Blvd.

Miramar Beach, FL 32550

SAY

“I Do”

TO A BRIGHT NEW SMILE.

FOR TEETH WHITENING AND OTHER DENTAL SERVICES CALL TODAY. ASK FOR YOUR COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION. 850.385.3700 | 221 E. 7TH AVE | DRRAINEY.COM

@YOUR WEDDING SHOWER AND REHEARSAL DINNER Call (850) 999-1696 to book today.

/TheBluHalo

TheBluHalo.com

3431 Bannerman Road, #102, Tallahassee, FL NORTHWEST FLORIDA WEDDINGS 2017

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PURE7 STUDIOS

honeymoon destinations

Vacation: all I ever wanted!

The moment you’ve both been waiting for arrives after the vows have been said and the bouquet has been thrown. Unwind and unplug in Northwest Florida with sensational views, romantic sunsets, adventuresome attractions and total tranquility.

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honeymoon destinations

Bridal Bon Voyage Honeymoon essentials for the coast

by Liesel Schmidt

A

offices, suggests bringing Mr.- and Mrs.themed travel mugs or cute drinkware to enjoy some sunny sips on the beach.

Aside from packing the obvious necessities, like your swimsuit, a cover-up and sunscreen, think outside of the box a little. Pack a beach blanket to take on picnics or for those dreamy nights of Gulf-side stargazing.

Stretching out for a lazy day on the sand or at the pool is the perfect time to break out a book you’ve been dying to read or listen to some relaxing music, so pack some reading material and your headphones. Even newlyweds need a little downtime from gazing into each other’s eyes.

This is a coastal vacation, so dress the part.

Bring beach bags, hats, sunglasses and flipflops to keep you looking cool and breezy in your post-wedding glow. Plan to celebrate at least once in high style by having a dressy date. Bring cocktail-worthy attire, and you’ll be prepared for any dress code.

Keep a record to look back on, and remember even the details that, at the time, may seem

insignificant. Pack a cute honeymoon journal and a pen to document the day’s adventures.

Flip through the pages and relive it a year later.

Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort Marketing Manager Brooke Scholl has a few suggestions of her own for honeymooners who head to the coast: “Bring along a camera to capture all of your special memories at the beach and anywhere fun you go together.”

The proper footwear, she explains, can really make or break your day; so be sure to have the right shoes — not only flipflops for the beach or at the pool, but also shoes that are comfortable enough to wear on sightseeing excursions, leisurely strolls or bike rides. If you’re staying at a resort, Scholl advises checking their amenities to see what may be available to you as their special guests.

Although it’s not quite “packable,” remember to bring an adventurous mindset, too. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and it’s the ideal time to try new things and to have exciting adventures together.

AMY RILEY PHOTOGRAPHY

h, the honeymoon. It’s the perfect start to your new life together: a time to relax after all the stresses of the big day, to connect in a new place and make memories that you’ll cherish long after the dress is packed away and the photos have been looked at hundreds of times.

No matter how picture-perfect the locale may be, if you haven’t packed properly, those beautiful memories can get a little smudged by the headaches that result from being ill prepared. Make sure that your honeymoon is one you’ll remember for all the right reasons by taking a few tips from experts.

Some of the most popular honeymoon getaways chart a course for the coast, where postcard-worthy beaches await and sunlit skies make everything shine a little brighter.

The only worry you should have is applying enough sunscreen.

You’re on your honeymoon, so celebrate as often as you can, and pour on the cocktails!

Sarah Ralph, Marketing Manager at ResortQuest’s Northwest Florida Region

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Simply Inspiring.

Distinctly Southern.

BEACH

WEDDINGS

3 0 A / S O U T H WA L T O N , N O R T H W E S T F L O R I D A

Forever Starts Here...

When you choose St. Joe Club & Resorts for your wedding, rehearsal dinner or anniversary, it will be more than just the scenery that will inspire you. Our team of Wedding Experts will make your event unforgettable. Enjoy upscale accommodations, exceptional amenities and the comforts of southern hospitality—the ultimate wedding experience.

WaterColor® Inn | The Pearl Hotel | 30A Vacation Rentals 25 Miles West of the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport

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#FollowUsToTheBeach 2013, 2014 & 2015 Fla. Seller of Travel Reg. No. ST-38182. Washington Seller of Travel Reg. No. 603118961. 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 U.S.A. 14 Sylvan Way, Parsippany, NJ 07054 ©2016 Wyndham Vacation Rentals North America, LLC.

Life is a blessing, memory a treasure.

We remember those we miss beyond measure.

Tree of Remembrance 2016 We pay tribute to those we have loved and lost by remembering and reliving the joy once shared. Sincere thanks to everyone who made a contribution to the Big Bend Hospice Tree of Remembrance; in memory of the deceased dear ones and, in honor of their families. Every gift we receive brings us closer to achieving our vision- that no one should face death or bereavement without the care and support they need. In the last 33 years, Big Bend Hospice has never turned anyone away for financial reasons.

Thanks to your generosity and kind support, we never will.

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We honor here the names* of those remembered

Frances Galloway

Albert L. Henderson, Jr.

Huey & Edith Galloway

Albert L. Henderson III

Lucina Geiser

Sam & Florence Henry

Ito & Ita Gelabert

Cecelia Herb

Chris Georgiades

Bill Herring

Gertha, Edward, Jean,

R. Eugene Herring

Alvin, and “The Girls”

Bucky Hester

John & Dorothy Gillan

Sue S. Hester

Lowell & Roderick

Normand Hevey

Gillispie

Joe & Peggie Adams

Beloved Family

Charles Graham

Jim Drake

Agnes

Members Lost

Carothers, Sr.

Ursula Hevey

John & Opah Givens

Lori Hevey

“GNO friends” & their

Bailey Hildebrandt

loved ones

Otis M. Hill

Patsy Peeper Driver

Ernest Goddard

Harold Hillard

Orin D. Albin

Julia Betancourt

Franklin H. Case

Robert G. Dunphy

Gloria Goddard

Linda Hillard

Dr. Herbert Alexander

Florence & Harold

Margaret & Hansel

Raymond Dupree

Elizabeth Goldwire

Jim Hisey

Joanie Durham

Raymond Lewis Golz

Searcy & Sandy Holley

Stanley J. & Genevieve

Tommy Hollifield

Jacob Alexander

Benzenberg

Cavanaugh

Walt Alexander

Dick Berkshire

Cy & Mary Ceci

Clark & Gladys Durrance

John Alford

Madeline Berne

Alicia Chase

Sharon Dutschke

Gontarski

Steve Hooker

Annie Louise Alford

Jane & Bob Besserer

Norene Olson Chase

Charles A. Dyal

Mitchell Graham

Wade Hopping

Dr. Jim Alford

Claudell Bethea

William C. Christie

Sara G. Earl

Barbara Grant

Annie Nell & Charles

Joan R. Ali

Bethel AME Church N.Z.

Ouida & Clyde Chumney

John Eaton

Louis J. Grattet, Jr.

Roslyn “Meme” Clark

Peter Eberhard

Louis J. Grattet, Sr.

Betty & Ernest Howard

Houston

All Dedicated Nurses

Graham Pioneers

All Our Loved Ones

Lorene & James Biddy

Jack Clarkson

Dr. Robert Eder

Shelton Graves

Edward Howard

E.C. Allen

David & Dusty Binns

Rosemary Clemente

Robert (Robby) Eder, Jr.

Eddie Gray

Dick Howser

Leon C. Allen

Tom Bintliff

Marsha MacDonald

Dr. Steve & Helen

Harriet Greenberg

Carol Hubert

Tenilla Lynes Allen

John Paul Bivens

Edwards

Bruce Greenwood

Nancy Huelsman

William M. Allen

Bo, Daddy, Bussy,

Charlie Coe

Ed Embry

Jackie Gregory

Gwendolyn K. Humphrey

Click

Wayne L. Allen

Mama, Granddaddy

Shirley F. Cogburn

Brian Engles

Daisy Gregg

Ellie Foley Husum

Buddy Alley

& Rocky

Loren Robert Cole

Phyllis “Mom-Mom”

Larry Gross

Chuck Husbands

Anna Bell Johnson

Monk Bonasorte

Mitzi Colvin

Engles

James “Jim” Grosvenor

Jean Hutto

Gus, Marc, & David

Jack Booher

Genevieve Conner

Allen & Mariam Evans

Erlene Guffee

Rosey Ilic

William & Ella Booth

Christopher Cook

Jimmy Everett

June Rice Gunn

Tom Ilic

Betty B. Arnold

Frances Bowers

Louis H. Cook

Peter Everett

Ira Mae Hajduck

Travis Miller

Burl J. Arrington

Minnie Bowen

Edmond C. Council, Sr.

Randy Everett

Mr. & Mrs. C.L. Hall

Roger Inman

Opal & Myron Lytton

Carolyn Bridges

Eugene C. & Orlene J.

Joe and Matt Fair

Bobbe W. Hammond

Randal & Joey Jackson

Ruth Farran

Emma Hancock

Joe Jefferson

Ansley

Ashmore

Hope Brim

James Ashton

Bill Brown

Luther E. Council, Jr.

David Fertig

The Handverger Family

James C. Jenkins, Sr.

June Ashton

Ethel Brown

Luther E. Council, Sr.

Francis Fesperman

Bill & Ida Hankinson

Snookie Jenkins

Boyd Astin

Jennifer Brown

Barbara Cramer

Kathleen Fesperman

Lauren Hannon

Norman Jensen

Billy Astin

Sharon Ashmore Brown

Thomas Crozier

Shay Filer

Joe & Mary Jo Hargrove

Allor M. Perry Johnson

Mattie Lee Astin

Charles Bruce

Evelyn Cuppy

G.G. Winnifred Fischer

Grace V. Harrison

Donald W. & Rosalie J.

Elizabeth Atkinson

Charles J. Bruce, Jr.

Eugene H. Czajoski

Reverend Jerry Flanigan

Kendrick E. Harrison

Aunt Jean

Lois Bryan

Ernest Daffin

Stuart S. Fletcher

Kermit Harrison Sr.

George K. Johnson

Aunt Martha & Uncle

Herbert L. Bryant, Jr.

Eunice Dalton

Van Fletcher

Jim Harrell

Katherine Johnson

Chip Buck

Austin O. Davis

John Fletcher

Linda Harrell

Lloyd Johnson, Jr.

Fenton Garnett Avant

Denny Bunn

Donald Michael Davis

Bud & Joan Flynn

Bill Hart

Page W. Johnson

John L. Baker

John Bunn

Nancy Davis

Wilma Fong

Lee Hartnek

Mildred & Sam Jolly

Barbara & LPR

Kay Bunn

George Demetree

August S. Fontaine

Bobbie Hartsfield

Michael F. Jones

J.D. Barefield

Ann Ryan Burke

Pat Denmark

Jeanette Fraser

Yolande Harvey

Ruth Jones

Robert L. Barrett

Darrold Burlison

Judy Deverling

Lawrence U. Friedlander

Brooks Hatton

Ted Judd

Frank Bass

John Burleigh

George & Betty Dewrell

Rhett Lee Frisbie

Eugene “The Hawk”

Ingrid Kaehler-

Rubye & Guy Battiste

Lee Burleigh

Max Disbennett

Alan Fulcher

Hawkins

Bettye Beasley

Karl & Henrietta Butzin

Helen Disbennett

Ezekiel & Mavis Fulcher

Joan Haworth

Dr. Alan Kagan

Willela B. Beaty

Jean Byrd

Geraldine Dobson

Phillips B. Fulcher

Les Heath

Jeremy Kapnek

Lillian Bell

Michael W. Cain

Dodie

Sherry Lynn Fulcher

Sandy & Mary Lou Heath

David Kelleher

M. Quentin & Elizabeth

Duane & Anita Campbell

Charles & Ellen Dollinger

Clark & Carol Fuller

Alex Heleman

Charles S. Kelly

Peggy Carlson

Bobby Donovan

Dick Fulton

Annie Lou Helms

Nava Kemp

Henry & Rebecca Dover

Genie Gaddis

Kathleen Henderson

Hattie M. Kennedy

Ernie

Bell

Council

278 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

Johnson

Baughman

*Leon *LeonCounty County

Snook & Corriveau

Joyce Victory

Rosemary & Mark

Jesse W. Maxwell

Leona Partin

Christy Riffle

Kennedy

Gladys Mayo

Patricia, Mildred, Frank,

Louise Ringwald

Suzanne Kennedy

Chris Mazza

Joe, John, Beulah,

Martha Ringwald

Martha Snowden

Grandma Wadriski

Cheryl Kennison

Dehryl McCall

Dale, Jack,

Marianne Ringwald

Susan Maige Sparks

Charles Walker

Colonel Robert B.

Bob & Alline McCathern

Bill & June

Rudolph Ringwald

Eddie M. Speight

George Walker, Jr.

Steve & Barbara Roady

Gwendolyn D. Speight

John Walker

Alma Roberts

Ronald S. Spencer, Jr.

Dr. Judith Clay Walker

Kenyon

Shollie McConnell

Mary “Gamma Sid” Patrick

families

Glenn Waddell

Iva Marie Kigore

J. P. McCroan

James Kilbane

Jean & Al McCully

Carl & Elinore Paulsen

Haydn Roberts

Adele Spiccia

Anita Walton

James L. Killette

Tom McCullion

Charles Paul

Richard & Edwena

Bill Spiccia

Dorothy Wann

Floreace Kinard

Tom & Anna McCullion

Burl S. Peacock

Robertson

Louise Spivey

Pamela Allen Warmack

W.O. Kinard

Carrie W. McDaniel

Pauline Peaden

Tommy Roberts

Martha Spivey

Barbara, Lawrence, &

Jack & Ruth Kinney

Edward D. McDonnell

Allen Pearman

William Albert Roberts

Johan & Helena Spook

Von Allen Klink

Ken McGuire

John Pederson

Lillie Robinson

Lloyd H. Spradlin

Edwin G. Knight

Jean McGonigal

Kamma Pederson

Gloria Rounsaville

Lincoln Stanton

John C. Knight

Maurice McKenzie

Albert W. Peebles (Wes)

Terry Rouse

April Athey Staples

Robert Weatherly

Patricia Knudson

Leslie & Dorothy McLean

Sara L. Pena

Edna & Richard Rubado

Don Stephens

Willer-dean Weekley

Joan Kraft

Anna Meadows

Carmen Perkins

Patrick Ruiz

Fred Stephens

Judith Weeks

Virginia Larkin & Scott

Bill Meals

Bob L. Peters

Eden Rush

Bob Stewart

Grey Weldon

Richard & Hilda

Judith & Carl Meisner

Lynda M. Peters

Paul & Judy Ryan

Eugene Stinson

AB Wells

Laszakovits

Maybell Melett

James Phillips

Noble & Mary Ryor

Linda C. Stine

Edwin N. West

Laura

Wanda Merriam

Virgil & Julia Pittman

Ellen Gandel Sachs

Lester D. Stolarz

Gertrude West

Rhona Mae Layfield

Edward L. Messer

Hal Pitts

Hollie Skelton Sanders

Marjorie J. Stolarz

John West

Richard R. Lee

Jean J. Midyette

James. H. Pitts, Sr.

Lagran Sanders &

Addie L. Stoutamire

Gus Wheeler

Ernesto LeFranc

Charles Miller

Mary Poling

Ben Baldwin

Pauline Stradley

Nick Wheeler

Jim Legel

Betty Jo Miller

Anna Isabelle Pomeroy

Elaine Sasser

Don Straubinger

Palmer Wheeler

Lelia Lehman

Nancy L. Miller

Art & Amanda Porter

Andrew Scally

Carol Strickland

Chad Whetsel

Emily & Stanley Lenz

Julia & Dick Mills

Phyllis A. Posey

Luke Scally

Gene Strickland

Bertie Mae White

Frank & Wynette

Carl & Elsie Misener

Deette Preacher

Pegg Scally

Sandi Strickland

Janie Whitehead

Leverette

Billy A. Mock

Lisa Harbolt Price

Roy Schmidt

Christine Stubbs

Albert Wiggins

George Levy

Frank Mock

Ruth Prisutti

Therese Ann Schmidt

Glenn Stubbs

Fred Wiggins

Mary K. Lewis

Marie Mock

Sandy Pritzl

The Schofield Family

Hugh M. Stump

John Henry Wiggins

Mimi Nugent Lewis

Fred Mohler

Myrtle, Manual, &

Susan Schroeder

Sam Summerlin

Louise Wiggins

Karolyn “Karie” Cole

Mom

Lucille Scott

S.T. Sweat

George & Rossie Wildern

Randall Prosser

Kip Watson C. Emory & J. Gail Watson

Momma & Poppa

Jeff Prumatico

Ron Scott

M.J. Tankersley

John D. Williams

Larry Lindsey

Lizanne Moncrief

Annie V. Pullen

Carl Scruggs

Opal Tankersley

Diane Carter Williamson

Nancy E. Lindstrom

William H. Moncrief

David Punda

Christine Seay

Jessee & Cleo Taylor

George R. Wilcox

Lisel, Jimmy, & Kathie

Kathryn “TicTac” Moore

Stephen Punda, Jr.

Barbara Senf

Shirley Tellander

Ann Wilson

Caroline Little

Joan Morris

Stephen Punda, Sr.

Joseph & Irma Seria

Bill & June Terrell

Melba Wilson

The Long, Wommack &

Dorothy Jones Morrison

Bill Purvis

Perry W. Shankle

John A. Tessein

John E. Wimberly, Jr.

Mother

Nancy Lee Pushor

Joe & Annie Sharman

Fred Thigpen

Jason Wolf

Eunice Long

Mother & Dad

Alice Raggett

Lamar Shaw

Louise Thigpen

Rose Woodham

Terry Longerbeam

Anthony J. Mujica

Marty Raggett

Dr. Brian Sheedy

Ted & Helen Thomas

Florence Wright

Gordon Long

Martha Joe Mull

Jennie Francis Raker

Joseph Sheehy

Edythe Thompson

Patty Wright

Laura Hopkins Long

Alvin Neely

Thomas Raker

Thelma & S.B. Sheffield

Jean Thompson

Mary L. Wylie

Loved Ones

Clara M. Nelson

Thomas G. Raley

Tom & Judy Shipman

Betty Tamm

James Sheldon Wynn

Loved ones who are with

Thor A. Nelson

Kathy Ray

Maureen Shoemaker

Peter J. Tola, Sr.

Shelda Gayle Wynn

Elizabeth Nesmith

“Red Hat” friends & their

Ramon, Candace,

Giles C. Toole, Jr.

Yaya & Papu

Olga Torress

Edward Yenyo

Lewis

Bishop Family

the Lord

loved ones

& Jerry Shook

Lawrence & Lola O’Dea

Samuel Redmon

Edgar H. Simpson

Bette & Gil Tougas

Leaner Bell Yon

Ray Lucas, Sr.

Moses Odhara

Eliza & Alonzo Register

Sybil Simpson

Claude & Naomi Tribble

Martha Ziegler

Kenneth Ludwig

Bill Oetting

Nana Rembiesa

Barbara Singletary

Jack & Dot Turner

Brian Zorn

Emery Maddox

Cecelia O’Leary

Remembering Friends

Charles & Mary Lou

William Robert Turner

George Zorn

Tony Magill

Tom & Betty Jo Oldham

Frances Restifo

Skinner

Evelyn K. Tuten

Sarah Zorn

Williams Hardee

Patrick O’Leary

Trina Rhoney

Annie J. Skipper

Uncle Donald Mallory

Mahoney, Sr.

Carolyn Rose Brooks Lovel

Joe Nosari

Russell C. Owens

Rick Rice

Diana C. Slaughter

Uncle Pierce

Julian & Naomi Mapp

Buddy & Eloise Palmer

Elizabeth Richardson

Davis D. Smith

JB Sonny VanBrunt

Raymond Marky

Gwen Palmer

Bobby Richter

Gail Smith

Clair & Jean Varner

Buddy Martin

Juanita K. Parramore

Kimberly Richter

Jimbo Smith

Wade H. Vaughn, Jr.

Terran Matlock

William G. Parrott, Jr.

Jack Ridner

Joel G. Smith

Vic & Eva Vaughan TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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(continued from page 97)

FRIDAYS 7:15 A.M.

Born in 1927, Robert Sofge has lived through the Great Depression, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, the Gulf War and the War on Terror. Perhaps this is why, 90 years later, Reverend Sofge shares the ‘gospel of peace’ with anyone who will listen.

FREEDOM

93.3

CHANCE DISCOVERY SURFACES SERMONS

story by KIM HARRIS THACKER // photography by SHANNON GRIFFIN

THE SOFGE FILES 90 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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280 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

TALL AHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

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91

I told him how I had come across the notes, which, he explained, his children had accidentally donated after cleaning out his shop.

“Lucky I found them,” I said. But if it was luck, it was the most fateful, providential luck I’ve ever been a party to. You see, not being from Florida, I had thought before meeting with Sofge that the hospital where he had worked for 32 of his 50 years in the ministry was a Veteran’s Administration hospital.

I hadn’t known it was a mental hospital. And the minute I came to that realization, everything about our meeting changed.

I have had clinical depression for most of my life. It hit me hard as a teenager, but at that time, I refused to even consider mental illness as the culprit, since only weak people couldn’t control how they felt.

There is still some stigma associated with mental illnesses, but people understand them better and are talking more about them than they did when I was a teenager. And they are so much better understood than they were in the 1950s, when my great-grandpa, who suffered from severe headaches and injury-related depression, was treated with electroshock therapy in a state-run mental hospital.

I haven’t always been as healthy as I am now. So Sofge’s stories of his time working at the mental hospital in Chattahoochee deeply affected me.

He had witnessed the segregation of white and black patients, but he had also been instrumental in their integration. He had helped a man who had been wrongly placed in the hospital’s maximum-security facility for 28 years be released to the general men’s ward. He had needed a pianist for his services and had been able to coax a patient to play. He had required a secretary and had found one from among the hospital’s female patients. He had comforted those whose families had sent them away out of shame because they were “slow learners.”

In short, he had stood up for those with no legs and spoke for those with no voices. He had helped people like me. And that was balm to my scarred — but healing — soul.

#TMAGPETS

SATURDAY, MARCH 18

AT PROCTOR SUBARU 1707 CAPITAL CIRCLE NE

9 AM–2 PM

All Pets (and their people) are invited to Tallahassee Magazine’s 13th annual Pets & Their People event. Have your photo taken by Tallahassee Magazine with an opportunity to be featured in the July/August issue! But that’s not all....

PRESENTING SPONSOR

Start your morning with complimentary morning strength yoga at 9 a.m. (donations appreciated). Then, enjoy the build-your-own Bloody Mary bar, Mimosa bar, brunch, entertainment, giveaways and more starting at 10 a.m. tallahasseemagazine.com/Pets-and-Their-People This event is FREE and open to the public with options to purchase brunch.

BENEFITING

SPONSORED BY

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March–April 2017

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* Those who participate in the Bloody Mary Bar and Mimosas will not be allowed to test drive a vehicle

A SOUTHERN MASTERPIECE

TALLAHASSEE’S PREMIER BLACK TIE EVENT

THE GOLDEN GALA XXXIV FEATURING

BRAD PAISL E Y

APRIL 12, 2017 – 5:30 PM DONALD L. TUCKER CIVIC CENTER

o ste d by t h e T M H Fo u n d at i o n , t h i s event supports Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare’s mission of transforming care, advancing health and improving lives. Enjoy an evening of good company, dinner and entertainment by three-time Grammy Award winner and country music superstar Brad Paisley.

Purchase your table at TMHFoundation.org

282 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

A bedrock of our community since 1963.

The Gift The notes from Sofge’s lecture about how he entered the ministry say, “No one can sit comfortably in his church and worship the living God who has not gone out to the highways, to the less fortunate neighbor, to the alcoholic, and offered to take him with him into the house of the Lord. … Our church’s ministry is to the lost, the unloved, the unlovable by the world’s standards.”

I can’t help but think that regardless of whether or not we choose to make religion the basis for our treatment of one another, we can extend kindness and dignity to each other — something Sofge has done relentlessly throughout his life. His unfailing belief in the innate worth of each patient he met at the state hospital changed those patients’ lives. In fact, he was still changing lives when he met with me in that quiet room off the lobby of the senior living center. By the time we finished chatting, I felt that this man whom I didn’t really know and who didn’t really know By the time me actually cared we finished about me, deeply. It chatting, I felt was a stunning realthat this man ization. I don’t think I had ever really felt the whom I didn’t love of a stranger. really know After Sofge and I and who didn’t said our goodbyes, I really know returned to my car, where I allowed my me actually emotions to overcared about whelm me. I sat in the me, deeply. It visitor parking lot and was a stunning grieved for my greatgrandpa and for every realization. I person who was instidon’t think I tutionalized in mental had ever really hospitals when those felt the love of places served as little more than prisons and a stranger. people like Sofge were few and far between. I grieved for myself — for the fact that I’ve had depression for most of my life but didn’t know it and didn’t seek treatment for it until about five years ago.

I also cried tears of gratitude for what felt like a wonderful gift: I had met a remarkable old man, and while he would’ve been remarkable whether or not I had tried to find him, I had tried to find him. Because I’m me, a person who likes well-worn treasures and the stories they tell, I had just had a life-changing experience. I felt like I had been given a stamp of approval that said, “You’re okay, just the way you are.” TM

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Fully Accredited

agenda ▪ Karen B. Moore, founder and CEO of Moore Communications Group, was recently honored as Communications Partner of the Year by the Big Bend Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Moore was also recently inducted into the TCC Alumni & Friends Hall of Fame for her years of philanthropic work.

▪ Julian Dozier of Thomas Howell Ferguson recently received the 2016 American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Dozier Forensic and Valuation Services Standing Ovation recognition. He is a director in the firm’s assurance services department.

We all have an idea of what the perfect healthcare experience should be.

Responsive yet friendly.

Technologically advanced yet compassionate. At Capital Regional, our physicians strive to be the very best every day.

And we think it shows.

To view our Physician Network of Care, visit CapitalRegionalMedicalCenter. com/physicians/affiliatedpractices.dot Accepting appointments at all locations.

OOnline Appointment Scheduling

INTERNAL MEDICINE Rick Damron, MD J. Roberto Mendoza, MD Terence Murphy, MD Andrea Randell, MD Richard Thacker, DO Leonard Waldenberger, MD 850.878.8235

We all have an idea of what the perfect healthcare experience should be. Responsive yet friendly. Technologically advanced yet compassionate. At Capital Regional, our physicians strive to be the very best every day. And we think it shows.

▪ Linda England, the sales and marketing director for Harbor Chase of Tallahassee, recently received the Sales & Marketing Director of the Year Award from Florida Argentum. Florida Argentum

▪ Cascades Park, a 24-acre park in downtown Tallahassee, recently received a Great Places in Florida Award from the American Planning Association.

The park was nominated based on its ample amenities and creative use of public land. It features multi-use trails, a large amphitheater, children’s play areas and a commemoration of the Smokey Hollow neighborhood. It also serves as a significant storm water management facility.

P HYS IC IAN NE TW OR K O F C AR E

▪ Leon County commissioners recently honored Commissioner Jane G. Sauls’ longstanding service to the community by dedicating the Jane G. Sauls Ft. Braden Branch Library in her honor. Commissioner Sauls has been at the center of many of the county’s key projects and initiatives, including the Ft. Braden Branch Library, Ft. Braden Community Center, Woodville Branch Library and the Public Safety Complex.

SOUTHWOOD Shamil Castro, MD William Kepper, MD Paul Modafferi, ARNP 1910 Hillbrook Trail, Suite 2 Tallahassee, FL 32311 850.878.2637

Rohan Joseph, MD Rodolfo J. Oviedo, MD Anthony Wright, MD

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▪ The Council on Culture & Arts recently announced the recipients of the 2017 COCA Cultural Grant Program. Twenty Leon County-area non-profit arts and cultural organizations have been awarded a total of $992,440 for fiscal year 2017 programming. The recipients are: 621 Gallery, $10,387.80; African Caribbean Dance Theater $41,775; Artist Series of Tallahassee, $28,790; Challenger Learning Center $101,593; FSU Museum of Fine Arts, $15,000; and FSU Opera Outreach Program, $14,000.

iGrow was chosen by an expert panel to be one of just 50 cities and counties across the U.S. to participate in a new program to test how communities can improve the health of their populations.

▪ Tallahassee-Leon Federal Credit Union was recently awarded a $1.768 million grant from the U.S. Department of Treasury to help revitalize the local economy in the Big Bend Region. The Community Development Financial Institution Fund issued grants to 23 financial institutions in the country, three of which are in Florida.

▪ FL Aviation Center has once again been honored with a spot on the 2016 Flight Training Excellence Awards Honor Roll by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. The AOPA evaluated 789 flight schools, but of that number, less than 10 percent earned this recognition.

The award recognizes the best pilot training schools in the industry. FL Aviation Center was founded by Faith Drewry and Lacey Smith in 2012.

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▪ Tallahasee’s iGrow Enhancement and Expansion program was selected out of hundreds of communities nationwide to participate in a national health challenge.

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Brian Allen, MD Maci McDermott, MD Lynn Steele, ARNP 3445 Bannerman Rd., Suite 100 850.894.2401

▪ Aegis Business Technologies has been named to After Nines Inc.’s ChannelE2E Top 100 Vertical Market MSPs list and research. Aegis Business Technologies is a managed services provider in Tallahassee and provides technical support for organizations of any size.

NEW BEGINNINGS ▪ Ben Wolf is the newest Tallahassee team member of ISF, Inc. In his new role

FAMILY PRACTICE Erin Ayers, ARNP Jennifer Russell, ARNP Molly Seal, ARNP 850.878.8235 CRAWFORDVILLE Robert Frable, DO Aida Casto, ARNP-C 2382 Crawfordville Hwy., Suite C Crawfordville, FL 32327 850.926.6363

Michelle Bachtel, MD Joseph Baker, MD 2631 Centennial Blvd., Suite 200 850.656.7265 Carey Dellock, MD Niraj Pandit, MD 2770 Capital Medical Blvd., Suite 109 850.877.0320

Michael L. Douso, MD, FACOG 2626 Care Dr., Suite 105 850.402.3104

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agenda as client partner, Wolf will focus on business development, executive management and client relations as ISF continues its commitment to helping businesses and government operate smarter, better and more efficiently.

LOCAL HAPPENINGS

▪ Erin Sjostrom has joined Ameris Bank’s Tallahassee location as a commercial banker.

Sjostrom Sjostrom will be responsible for new commercial business development and maintenance of commercial banking relationships.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF INDIVIDUALS

▪ Ted Frazee has been appointed president and Sean Githens has been appointed vice president/chief operating officer of Redwire.

▪ Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. recently welcomed Seth Grantham and William Groom Grantham to the firm.

The firm also announced that Christopher Howell has been admitted as a shareholder Groom and will join the eight other shareholders as owners of the CPA Firm. In other THF news, the firm recently welcomed the Blackburn return of Paola Blackburn.

Blackburn, now a senior in the tax services department, took a brief break from THF to work in the accounting department of a manufacturing company. Matt Walker has been promoted to manager in the assurance services department, Kavisha McCranie has been promoted to manager in the tax services department and Catherine Carver, Myroslava Bune, Ryan Barnes and Trevor Godfrey have been promoted to senior positions in the Assurance Services Department.

▪ Five Tallahassee businesses have been selected to participate

in PowerUP’s inaugural 2017 class. PowerUP is a 12-monthlong incubator program for local entrepreneurs who are ready to expand the market footprint of their existing small businesses by delivering new products and scalingup operations. The 2017 PowerUP class includes Nic’s Toggery, Chop Barbershop, Catalina Café, the FL Aviation Center and Secure Records Solutions. The program is made possible by a partnership between Domi Station and First Commerce Credit Union.

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▪ Joshua Brian has joined Broad and Cassel’s Tallahassee office as an associate in the commercial litigation practice Brian group. Brian previously served as an assistant regional counsel in the Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel in Tallahassee.

▪ A $20,000 grant from Comcast means Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Big Bend will continue its efforts to help Godby High School prepare students for college and career success. This grant will help students participating in a technology-enhanced mentoring program that focuses on college and career readiness.

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▪ Tallahassee’s Target Print & Mail recently acquired Modern Mailers.

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▪ International law firm Greenberg Traurig P.A. recently announced the addition of Dudek former Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration Secretary Liz Dudek as Director of Healthcare Affairs. Based in the Tallahassee office, Dudek will join the firm’s state and national Health & FDA Business Practice, as well as the Government Law and Policy Practice.

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TALL AHASSEEMAGA March–April 2017 287 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, its affiliatesZINE.COM and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors do n tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation an

(continued from page 91) TALLAHASSEE MARCHES TO A NEW BEAT AS MUSIC SCENE EXPANDS

MUSIC commercial and residential

to our ears

Light streams from Doak S. Campbell stadium, and thousands of voices erupt in song, not cheers and chants. In a converted feed store, honky-tonk tunes reverberate off of exposed-brick walls, and boots stomp hardwood floors. Under a starlit sky in Cascades Park, couples sit close on blankets, their arms wrapped around each other, as they listen to the soulful croon of Alabama Shakes. Beer glasses clink in a bar on Gaines Street as college students sing along to Top 40 covers and Eagles tunes played by an acoustic and percussion duo. The next morning, mimosas and eggs benedict are enjoyed in the presence of a folk-music trio. On any given weekend, music is in the air in Tallahassee.

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Crowd shot - Chance the Rapper at the Civic Center Em. Quid ea estio quo occaest occumeni corepta quiatur sum net re intotaquam reriae nonserisiti imus apit acculpa rchillo quis aut

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When Stevens arrived in 2012, he was surprised to find that live music wasn’t as popular with his peers as he thought it deserved to be. He wanted them to take a break from electronic music in dance clubs and tune into live music. He set out to make this happen by approaching a place he and his friends frequented: Potbelly’s. For four years, Stevens brought crowds to venues such as Clydes, Bullwinkles, The Strip, The Moon, Pockets Pool Hall, College Town and more.

One of those listeners was Zan Frett, who plays bass for several local bands and performs solo acoustic acts. Frett asked Stevens for an audition and was soon playing all over Tallahassee and the rest of the state.

“Because of Tallahassee, I’ve met mentors and am performing alongside artists who will one day be the face and future of music,” said Frett. “The venues and opportunities they provide are growing and becoming more of a professional atmosphere.”

Tyler Denning, seen strumming and singing in Tallahassee’s bars on any given weekend, had a similar start, walking into bars and asking to play. He also struck a sweet note of success.

“Tallahassee has been the foundation of my entire musical journey,” explained Denning. “I played my first acoustic shows here, formed my band here and we’ve recorded both of our albums here. I’ve received opportunities here that would be extremely hard to come by in larger cities.”

Those opportunities have included weekly gigs at the likes of Fifth & Thomas, The Moon, Side Bar, Fire Betty’s and opening for the Steve Miller Band.

“Our music scene is the best I’ve seen in my nine years here, and it’s poised to get exponentially better.”

Ryan Raines is a talented drummer who studied jazz drums at FSU and plays for a handful of regional acts.

“The audience here is super receptive, which is validating and encouraging,” said Raines. “I think the Midtown music scene is best, with great-sounding venues and distinctive atmospheres. They are automatic draws.”

Nestled in the heart of Midtown is the haven

musicians and those who love music and food have been craving: Fifth & Thomas. Their concept is exceptionally composed: Don’t make the food, the cocktails and the music compete; instead, have them merge together, forming a beautiful symphony. A true masterpiece doesn’t go unnoticed and, more often than not, begs to be copied.

Competition cuts both ways, of course, and Fifth & Thomas is part of an explosion of new restaurants and other music venues that have popped up in Midtown and beyond. “The live music scene is taking the city by storm, which is awesome,” a Fifth and Thomas employee observed.

Music Makes The World (and Tallahassee) Go ‘Round

Bill Wharton, affectionately titled, The Sauce Boss, has been making music in Tallahassee since the late ’60s. His on-stage gumbo making would come later.

Throughout the years, he has witnessed Tallahassee change and evolve. Through it all, he always returns.

“Tallahassee has always been a retreat for me,” said Wharton. “The kind of place where you can write and explore a creative performance. A great town for an artist. I’ve seen a lot of creative spirit here. It feels good jamming with the young ‘uns as well as old friends, and welcoming new faces and new venues make for a hoppin’ scene. We keep growing and creating.”

Music grows within us, and because it does, it creates emotions. It transports us to a time with someone you love, a loss or even just a fall day when the sun “THE AUDIENCE HERE shone a little brightIS SUPER RECEPTIVE, er than usual. Music WHICH IS VALIDATING AND enhances our intelENCOURAGING. I THINK THE ligence, as seen in MIDTOWN MUSIC SCENE IS the test scores and BEST, WITH GREAT-SOUNDING creative abilities of those who study it.

VENUES AND DISTINCTIVE It soothes those in ATMOSPHERES. THEY ARE need of a smile, and AUTOMATIC DRAWS.” it heals. Take, for Ryan Raines, talented drummer who instance, stroke vicstudied jazz drums at FSU and plays for a tims whose voices handful of regional acts have been taken, but who suddenly and unexplainably find their words, thanks to music.

Music is meant to be heard, yes, but also to be felt.

When the stage lights have dimmed, the equipment has been cleared and the musicians are on their way home or to the next show, they hope that they’ve struck a chord that will resonate long after the last note is played. TM

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postscript

LLOSA, NOT LOST, IN PERU

Sorting out the ‘land of every blood’

by JOSEPH ZEBALLOS-ROIG

W

290 March–April 2017 TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM

↑ Writer Joseph Zeballos-Roig with a collection of Mario Vargas Llosa’s work on a recent trip to Peru.

From Llosa’s books, Zeballos-Roig gained an even deeper appreciation for his home country.

come to know Latin America as a land not made up of “only revolutionaries, dictators and catastrophes,” but as a land “capable of producing artists, musicians, painters, thinkers and novelists.”

His place in Latin American history was cemented in 2010 when he won the Nobel Prize in Literature. The Swedish Academy praised his “cartography for the structures of power and his trenchant images of the individual’s resistance, revolt and defeat.”

One early afternoon, I took a walk with some friends to explore Lima’s historic center, built in the mid-16th century by Spanish conquistadors as the “City of Kings.”

We ventured to Quilca Boulevard, a street so famed for its abundance of bookshops it’s been called “Peru’s largest library.”

There, I wanted to get my hands on a Vargas Llosa novel called “The Dream of the Celt.” It’s a mostly fictional account of a real Anglo-Irish human rights pioneer named Roger Casement. As a British diplomat at the turn of the 20th century, Casement traveled through the jungles of the Congo and

the Peruvian Amazon to investigate abuses of indigenous peoples by “men driven by greed and base instincts in a lawless world.”

Casement confronted the challenges of his work and personal life with bravery, until a twist of fate brought about his execution for treason by the British government in 1916.

I had read “Dream” in English weeks prior to my arrival in Peru, but I wanted to reread it and other Vargas Llosa works in the original Spanish. I felt a desire to learn more about Peru as the land of “every blood,” as one author described its cultural diversity — and to be inspired to care more about the nation where my mother rests in peace.

A twist of fate brought me to Quilna Boulevard, where I found a cheap copy of “The Dream of the Celt” and other Vargas Llosa novels, as well as a collection of essays chronicling life, history and culture in Peru, Madrid and Paris. Through Mario Vargas Llosa, Peru and the world are within my grasp.

Boom. TM

PHOTO BY DAVID ZEBALLOS

hen Tallahassee was plunged into darkness by Tropical Storm Hermine in the early days of September, I was safe from harm. I was thousands of miles away from American shores, in Lima, Peru — a city that a third of the country’s population calls home.

It wasn’t the forces of Mother Nature, however, that brought me to Peru’s bustling capital on short notice. Instead, it was the calamity of illness in the family.

As the American son of Peruvian parents, I have grown used to shuttling between Florida and Peru over the years. We often visit to revel in the holidays and usher in the new year alongside my aunt and uncle.

Though I had been to Peru more than a handful of times, this visit was different.

Over the course of three days, I found myself reflecting on life’s unexpected turns. With my graduation from FSU nearing, I had grown anxious about what may be next. Despite all my planning, what twists would the future bring?

To soothe my rattled nerves, I took solace in the writings of Peruvian author Mario Vargas Llosa. Years ago, I discovered him through my parents, having asked about the intriguing name on several book spines in our small library.

For more than 50 years, Vargas Llosa, a member of the Latin American literary “boom” of the 1960s and ’70s, has written about history, politics and the range of human experience in Peru and Latin America. Through the work of boom writers, Vargas Llosa once said, the world has

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