Emerald Coast Magazine

20/02/2024

At their gym, Sand Dunes Strength and Conditioning, located near the foot of the U.S. 331 bridge in South Walton County, Rachael and Evan Chelini work to build more than bodies. In addition, they are committed to establishing multidimensional relationships with their clients and becoming a meaningful and engaged part of the community that supports them.

📸: Mike Fender Photography

At their gym, Sand Dunes Strength & Conditioning, Rachael and Evan Chelini work to build more than bodies, including relationships.

16/02/2024

Ranked as one of the top fine arts shows in the nation and as North Florida’s premier outdoor fine art festival, the 2024 LeMoyne Chain of Parks Art Festival will occur April 20–21 along Tallahassee’s Park Avenue, east of Monroe Street. Supporting the careers of artists, providing interactive creative experiences, informative cultural programs and community access to the arts are the main goals for the 2024 event, among the return of fan favorites, such as the Chalk Art Oasis. Read all about this year's festival via the link preview below.

Whether you’re an art aficionado or simply an admirer, LeMoyne’s Chain of Parks Art Festival has sights to behold. April 20-21.

15/02/2024

🎶 Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation Concerts in the Village kick off at the Dugas Pavilion in Destin on Thursday, April 4, 2024, with Postmodern Jukebox promising an unforgettable celebration of vintage music and pop culture.

🎤 This year’s spring lineup also features Wendy Moten from The Voice, a full-length rendition of Prince’s iconic album Purple Rain by Black Jacket Symphony, and the chill sounds of Yacht Rock R***e.

🎷 In May, see fan favorites The Mulligans, the Fleetwood Mac tribute band Rumours ATL: A Fleetwood Mac Tribute, party starters Gotta Groove Band, rock god Mitch Malloy, and gifted pop/jazz/blues and soul songstress Haley Reinhart.

👏 The series caps on June 6 with crowd pleasing Adam Ezra Group, sure to fuse rock energy and soul power.

👉 Bring a blanket or chair and enjoy dinner al fresco from local restaurants and food trucks. Doors open at 6 p.m. and concerts start at 7 p.m. MKAF members enjoy early admission and attend for free. Purchase tickets in advance and save $5 at the door. Proceeds benefit MKAF and its ArtsReach initiatives. Learn more at the link below.

The diverse lineup of the 2024 concerts presented by Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation offers something for every music lover.

15/02/2024

The gentle lapping waters of Draper Lake and the Gulf of Mexico as well as the thriving flora and fauna of a Northwest Florida ecosystem serve as an idyllic landscape. It was only fitting that the homes of Draper Lake Coastal Village were designed with the attributes of turn-of-the-century lake villages and retreats. This single-family residential community of 96 lots for coastal cottages and homes perched atop hills overlooking two wooded peninsulas and a tributary was planned by Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company with Geoff Chick & Associates serving as the town architect since 2019.

Draper Lake town architect Geoff Chick talks about the defining characteristics and features of the homes.

15/02/2024

E F San Juan Inc and partners Weather Shield Windows & Doors and Loewen proudly sponsored the lecture "Creating a Classic: Exploring Timeless Collaborations in Architecture and Design” by the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art (ICAA), Florida Chapter, at Authentic Provence on Nov. 15, 2023.

Photo courtesy of Capehart Photography

E. F. San Juan and partners proudly sponsored the lecture “Creating a Classic: Exploring Timeless Collaborations in Architecture and Design” by the ICAA, Florida Chapter.

14/02/2024

We love what we do because of our readers. Wishing you everything that makes you happy, today and always. 💚 Happy Valentine's Day! 💚

12/02/2024

On March 9 and 10, the Northwest Florida Ballet and the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra will present an original production of Carl Orff’s masterpiece, Carmina Burana, and Afterglow, choreographed by NFB’s own artistic director, Todd Eric Allen. It's sure to be one for the ages with respect to Northwest Florida Ballet's performance season, so grab your tickets now if you have not already done so. You won't want to miss it. Read more about NFB's rendition of Carmina Burana via the link preview below.

Northwest Florida Ballet and Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra are staging a joint production.

09/02/2024

✨ NOW HIRING ✨

🎉 Are you looking to join a collaborative team while working in a fast-paced environment?

🏆 Rowland Publishing, an award-winning publisher, is seeking an account executive in the Tallahassee market to build up market share with our 20-plus print magazines and digital packages!

📍 This position is located in Tallahassee.

👉 Apply here: https://www.rowlandpublishing.com/careers

The ideal candidate:
✅ Is willing to go the extra mile to serve current customers and earn new ones.
✅ Has previous sales and marketing experience (both print and digital media preferred).
✅ Self-motivated, able to work independently and detail-oriented.
✅ Must be willing to attend area events.
✅ Excellent interpersonal, communication and organizational skills.
✅ Is comfortable handling multiple tasks and changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

🤝 Rowland Publishing offers competitive benefits, including:
✨ Base salary plus commissions
✨ Expense allowance
✨ Health, dental, vision and life insurance
✨ 401k

09/02/2024

If your face is lacking the luster it once held or you wish to plump up your pout a bit, dermal fillers have become an increasingly popular option. “Dermal fillers help to turn back the clock on aging, making the patient’s appearance fresh and youthful,” said Lindsey Watford, nurse practitioner at the Fort Walton Beach office of Dermatology Specialists of Florida’s Aqua Medical Spa. Find our more about dermal fillers and what Dermatology Specialists can do for you via the link preview below.

The experts at Dermatology Specialists of Florida and Aqua Medical Spa fill readers in on the benefits and procedures of dermal fillers.

08/02/2024

Associate publisher Kenzie Burleigh reflects on her friendship with Hillary Glenn in light of February being Women's History Month.

Glenn, who holds a doctor of nursing practice degree, is the co-founder and executive director of the Point Washington Medical Clinic. She and the volunteers who have joined her in bringing about her vision combine to save lives, reduce demand at area emergency rooms and save countless dollars in health care expenses.

"Fundamental to everything Glenn does is her light and her love for humanity, which have moved many people including me," says Burleigh.

📸: Sean Murphy Photography

Clinic reflects founder’s selfless vision

07/02/2024

Opening Nights at Florida State University intends to connect diverse communities through song, spoken word, dance and other artistic expressions performed by world-class acts. For the second half of its 2023–24 season, an exciting slate of performances, including Ruthie Foster, Mandy Patinkin, and Terence Blanchard and the E-Collective with the Turtle Island Quartet, is sure to enthrall attendees. Read all about the second half of the Opening Nights season via the link preview below.

With something for every audience, Florida State University’s Opening Nights features acclaimed artists, musicians, dancers, singer-songwriters, comedians and more during their upcoming season.

06/02/2024

✨ Crescendo!, the season’s annual cultural event extravaganza presented by Sinfonia Gulf Coast, returns to Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Miramar Beach on Sunday, March 3.

👉 Get your tickets at https://bit.ly/3RLv1rp

🎼 This energy-infused experience will celebrate the cultural and culinary arts by showcasing world-class vintners, expert spirit purveyors, amazing auction items, and a live musical performance.

Enjoy reserved table seating, hors d'oeuvres, a seated lunch and an all-inclusive afternoon of incredible fun. Proceeds benefit Sinfonia Gulf Coast and its music education and community engagement initiatives.

Tickets are $195 per person (includes reception, lunch, gratuity, wine and live entertainment/performances).

05/02/2024

The Emerald Coast Theatre Company presents Crimes of the Heart Friday, Feb. 16 through Sunday, Feb. 26.

💔 Beth Henley's Pulitzer Prize-winning play centers around three eccentric sisters from a small Southern town rocked by scandal when Babe, the youngest, shoots her husband.

🤣 Humor and pathos abound as the sisters unite with an intense young lawyer to save Babe from a murder charge.

👉 Get you tickets today!

01/02/2024

🚨 New year, new issue, the February/March issue of Emerald Coast Magazine is HOT OFF THE PRESS. This issue focuses on health, both mental and physical. And, in time for Women's History Month, profiles of local business women in the community are included.

📍 Read the digital edition: https://bit.ly/3ezStm4

📸: Mike Fender Photography

31/01/2024

A panel discussion at Seacoast Collegiate High School brought together students and community leaders. The South Walton charter school, which graduates its students with associate degrees, has plans for expansion to include an incubation center for training, mentoring and collaboration.

📸: From left to right: Megan Harrison, CEO of the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce; Jennifer Conoley, president and CEO of Florida's Great Northwest; Rhea Goff, senior vice president and chief administrative officer at The St. Joe Company; and Uriah Matthews, executive director of the Walton County Economic Development Alliance.

A panel of four community leaders addressed students at Seacoast Collegiate High School (SCHS) in Walton County on Friday, Jan. 26.

30/01/2024

❤️ The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County Valentine Tour of Homes is back!

Enjoy a self-guided tour Feb. 10 and 11 through some of Walton County's most unique homes representing diverse architectural styles.

This fundraiser supports the Cultural Arts Alliance's Art for All program, which provides much-needed funding for arts educations initiatives.

👟 Put on your walking shoes, grab your friends and come see the beautiful homes that call Walton County home.

👉 Learn more and get your tickets today: https://bit.ly/3RY1URF

Photo courtesy of Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County

29/01/2024

🏨 For over 115 years, the Gibson Inn has stood as a cornerstone of the Forgotten Coast, a testament to its rich history, Southern hospitality, and architectural grandeur.

📌 A cherished landmark in the heart of Apalachicola, the Gibson Inn has announced an exciting expansion project that will further enhance its legacy as a destination of choice for current and future travelers seeking timeless elegance and modern comfort.

The iconic Gibson Inn, in the heart of Apalachicola, announces an expansion that will further enhance its legacy as a destination of choice.

19/01/2024

Dr. Chesley Durgin, a distinguished orthopedic surgeon specializing in knee and hip joint replacements, has achieved a significant milestone by completing 1,000 successful cases with the MAKO Surgical Robotic System with Touch Surgery at Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic (TOC).

Dr. Chesley Durgin has completed 1,000 successful cases with the MAKO Surgical Robotic System with Touch Surgery at Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic.

19/01/2024

Emerald Coast Magazine executive editor Steve Bornhoft recounts conversations he has had with his neighbor, Jim, a navy veteran. As Bornhoft describes, "I have come to regard Jim as the neighborhood pamphleteer, a latter-day Thomas Paine."

👉 Learn more: https://bit.ly/41k3T74

18/01/2024

Emerald Coast Theatre Company presents "The Play That Goes Wrong," Jan. 26–Feb. 4, 2024.

Called "the funniest play Broadway has ever seen," this classic murder mystery by award-winning Mischief Theatre is chock-full of mishaps and madcap mania!

Emerald Coast Theatre Company (ECTC) presents The Play That Goes Wrong, “the funniest play Broadway has ever seen,” Jan. 26–Feb. 4, 2024.

17/01/2024

For long years, Liesel Schmidt battled an eating disorder that resulted in irrational behavior and resisted the best efforts of doctors and therapists to reverse its hold on the patient.

🏃 For a time, Schmidt was an elite runner on the Emerald Coast, but she became so depleted by the ravages of anorexia that she was banned from competitions. She had fallen into a trap whereby she figured the lighter she was, the faster she would run. Her weight fell to that of a kindergartner. Her bones became brittle.

💪 🙌 But a prayerful recovery has her back running again and traveling the world.

👉 Read her story: https://bit.ly/48OPz9i

Photo by Sean Murphy Photography

17/01/2024

🔥 Riani Pokipala inherited a passion for Polynesian dance from her parents. She manages a troupe of performers who introduce Emerald Coast audiences to an honored form of storytelling.

📸: Mike Fender Photography

Riani Pokipala manages a troupe of performers who introduce Emerald Coast audiences to Polynesian culture through performances.

15/01/2024

Restaurant Paradis' eighth annual Prohibition Repeal Wine Dinner raised $16,000 for Neurodiversity Resource of the Panhandle.

The eighth annual prohibition repeal dinner raises $16,000 for Neurodiversity Resource of the Panhandle

15/01/2024

✨ M&P by Farrington Foods opened to the public for dinner on Jan. 10. The culinary artist behind this new 30A restaurant is Chef William Farrington of Farrington Foods.

Voted Best Chef in the 2022 Best of the Emerald Coast readers poll, Farrington Foods and M&P's vision is to present food to people that they are familiar with, but elevate it in ways that showcase the ingredient in its simplest form and in its most versatile. Farrington will create an American Omakase menu each night.

During the winter season, there will be a single dinner service at 7 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. Beginning in the spring, there will be two seatings per evening, times are to be determined. Follow M&P to learn more!

M&P by Farrington Foods is the newest restaurant to open in 30A and will serve an exclusive menu in an intimate setting.

15/01/2024

Before mass production, candles made from the berries of wax myrtles were found in many Emerald Coast homes. Today, the trees are used in patio plantings and as landscape screens. 🕯️

Before mass production, candles made from the berries of wax myrtles were found in many Emerald Coast homes.

12/01/2024

Led by a retired member of the U.S. Army’s special forces, a dedicated cadre of volunteer laborers and fundraisers intervened to save storied Roberts Hall in Lynn Haven from the wrecking ball.

Photo by Andrew Wardlow Photography

A dedicated cadre of volunteer laborers and fundraisers intervened to save storied Roberts Hall in Lynn Haven from the wrecking ball.

11/01/2024

Sinfonia Gulf Coast "redefines the symphony experience” once again with Music of the Knights. This entertaining celebration of UK music legends is set for Saturday, Jan. 20, at 7:30 p.m. at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center on Okaloosa Island in Fort Walton Beach.

Tickets to Music of the Knights are $30–$55 per person. Preferred seating at tables of 10 is offered at $55 per person. Discounts are offered for students and active-duty military with valid ID.

Get your tickets today by following the link below.

Sinfonia Gulf Coast “redefines the symphony experience” once again with Music of the Knights

11/01/2024

The Junior League of the Emerald Coast recognizes that new clothing is often inaccessible for many children in Okaloosa and Walton counties. Their Child Clothing Project works to bridge that gap. “I hope anyone attending a JLEC event or working with us is met with a group of passionate, dedicated women who are driven to give back to the community,” said Waverly Garnand, 2023–24 JLEC president. Learn more about JLEC's Child Clothing Project and how you can get involved by clicking the link preview below.

The Junior League of the Emerald Coast's Child Clothing Project recognizes that new clothing is often inaccessible for many children.