The Power of Nostalgia
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TAMMY MASSEY ART
IT'S ALL GOOD
NOVEMBER 2019
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LIFE IS GOOD
THE SMILE OF 30A HAS MOVED TO THE HEART OF 30A! With over 20 years of experience, as well as extensive knowledge of the local market, Linda Miller has been the number one agent in sales since 2015, with over $525 million in career sales along the 18 miles of Scenic 30A. She is thrilled to announce her new brokerage and office conveniently located in Seagrove Beach. “My dream came true, and you can be smilin’ too!”
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In this issue On the Cover
An architect by trade and an artist at heart, Tamera “Tammy” Massey’s new creative venture, Studio SoLo Style, features her colorful mixedmedia artwork. She layers original photography, vintage motifs, typography, and loads of color to create her unique works and a sense of nostalgia that celebrates the joys of yesteryear. This piece, Tropical MoHo, brought a smile to our faces—we hope it does the same for you!
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MANY PEOPLE DREAM OF PACKING UP AND MOVING THEIR LIVES AND WORK TO A TROPICAL PARADISE. WELL, THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT LANCE AND KRISTIN MOSS DID WHEN THEY OPENED SURFARI CHARTERS, A SURF AND FISHING LODGE ON NICARAGUA’S SOUTHWEST COAST. READ MORE TO LEARN ALL ABOUT THEIR LIVE-WORK-PLAY PHILOSOPHY.
FEATURE
84 In the Blink of an Eye: A Survivor’s Story
24 Positive Vibes: Bringing Vintage Back
90 Talkin’ ’Bout Some Generation
VISUAL PERSPECTIVES 23
BON APPÉTIT! 93
30 Moments of Tranquility
94 The Loving Cup: Serving Acceptance at
36 Discover Santa’s Magical World 40 Adoramos a Adaro: Partners in Art and Life 45 L’intermission: Falling for You
Vie is a French word meaning “life” or “way of living.” VIE magazine sets itself apart as a high-gloss publication that focuses on human-interest stories with heart and soul. From Seattle to NYC with a concentration in the Southeast, VIE is known for its unique editorial approach—a broad spectrum of deep content with rich photography. The award-winning magazine was founded in 2008 by husband-and-wife team Lisa and Gerald Burwell, owners of the specialty publishing and branding house known as The Idea Boutique®. From the finest artistically bound books to paperless digital publication and distribution, The Idea Boutique provides comprehensive publishing services to authors and organizations. Its team of creative professionals delivers a complete publishing experience—all that’s needed is your vision.
PUBLISHED BY
46 Creating Connections: Camille Makes Art for Autism
100 Savoring the Sweetness of Life 107 L’intermission: You, Me, and the Sea 108 Good Food for a Great Cause: Emeril’s Annual Bash
110 The Urban Homestead: Planting Seeds
SARTORIAL 51
of Cultural Change
52 The Soul of the Water
Gets a Do-Over
116 Let’s Talk Turkey: Thanksgiving Dinner
LE MONDE 59
VIE BOOK CLUB: THE READERS CORNER 119
60 Riding the Waves: Life, Love, and Surfing
120 With a Human Touch: National Braille Press
66 For the Love of Animals: Alaqua Introduces the Animoré Weekend Festival
Keeps Braille Literacy Near at Hand
124 Murder, Addiction, and Intrigue in the
71 L’intermission: Ancient Architecture
Hamptons
72 Artisans and Creatives: The Heart of
LA SCÈNE 126
a Community
76 The Ripple Effect: Helping Families Thrive 79 Communities of Change: A Poem by Susannah Wright
TheIdeaBoutique.com info@theideaboutique.com
Bitty & Beau’s Coffee
80 The Autism Spectrum: Finding a New Path
THE LAST WORD: GOOD PEOPLE, GOOD THINGS 133 AU REVOIR! 137 V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 9
PROJECT: VIE Magazine Headquarters, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida ARCHITECT: Gerald Burwell FURNISHINGS: Modern Interiors, Miramar Beach, Florida
A MODERN WORK SPACE
114 Logan Lane, Suite 4, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459 BurwellAssociates.com | (850) 231-6377 Florida LIC AA0003613
CREATIVE TEAM FOUNDER / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LISA MARIE BURWELL Lisa@VIEmagazine.com
FOUNDER / PUBLISHER GERALD BURWELL Gerald@VIEmagazine.com
EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR JORDAN STAGGS Jordan@VIEmagazine.com
CHIEF COPY EDITOR MARGARET STEVENSON CONTRIBUTING WRITERS NAOMI ALVARADO, ERICA AVERION, SALLIE W. BOYLES, FELICIA FERGUSON, MICKI KOCH GLENN, SOL ANGE JAZAYERI, ANNA KLEMENT, MYLES MELLOR, TORI PHELPS, SUZANNE POLL AK, EMILY PROCTOR, NICHOL AS S. RACHEOTES, SUSAN VALLEE, MEGAN WALDREP, SUSANNAH WRIGHT
ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY ART DIRECTOR TRACEY THOMAS Tracey@VIEmagazine.com
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS OLIVIA PIERCE HANNAH VERMILLION
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS LUK AS BISCHOFF, MICKI KOCH GLENN, MIKE GLENN, GWEN HORNSBY, BRENNA KNEISS, KURT LISCHK A, LMSPENCER, PRETO PEROL A, ROMONA ROBBINS, SHELLY SWANGER, DAWN CHAPMAN WHITT Y, COLLEEN DUFFLEY PRODUCTIONS, HUNTER BLISS IMAGES, MOON CREEK STUDIOS, SHUTTERSTOCK
ADVERTISING, SALES, AND MARKETING DIGITAL MARKETING DIRECTOR MEGHN HILL ASSISTANT TO THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ABIGAIL RYAN BRAND AMBASSADOR LISA MARIE BURWELL Lisa@VIEmagazine.com MARTA RATA Marta@VIEmagazine.com
AD MANAGER OLIVIA PIERCE Olivia@VIEmagazine.com
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER TIM DUTROW
VIE is a registered trademark. All contents herein are Copyright © 2008–2019 Cornerstone Marketing and Advertising, Incorporated (Publisher). All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written permission from the Publisher. VIE is a lifestyle magazine and is published twelve times annually on a monthly schedule. The opinions herein are not necessarily those of the Publisher. The Publisher and its advertisers will not be held responsible for any errors found in this publication. The Publisher is not liable for the accuracy of statements made by its advertisers. Ads that appear in this publication are not intended as offers where prohibited by state law. The Publisher is not responsible for photography or artwork submitted by freelance or outside contributors. The Publisher reserves the right to publish any letter addressed to the editor or the Publisher. VIE is a paid publication. Subscription rates: Printed magazine – One-year $29.95; Two-year $49.95. Subscriptions can be purchased online at www.VIEmagazine.com.
12 | NO V E MBE R 2019
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Editor’s Note
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IT’S GOOD TO BE GOOD
t a time when we are being inundated daily with stories of gloom and negativity, who isn’t in need of hearing good news? Tales of adversity and mistrust prevail in our media and on the internet, leading to what appears to be a collective angst in the world today. Good things and good people can be found everywhere, and it seems that, now, more than ever, it is important to shine a bright light on them. This month’s issue is filled with stories that will make your heart sing with delight and hope that all is still well with the world.
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. —PHILIPPIANS 4:8
The upheaval on the global stage is unsettling, but I’ve discovered an antidote: we have to proclaim the goodness that is all around us. That has been the purpose of VIE since its inception shortly before the Great Recession in 2008. And we did the unimaginable—we survived. We have continued to tell our stories with heart and soul, and we have had the great fortune of continuing to do the good work we started over a decade ago. This mind-set is founded not on the proverbial head-in-the-sand coping mechanism, but rather on heralding all the good in the world instead of the bad. It’s simply a choice one decides to make—and it works. Walk in gratitude today, and your tomorrow will be much brighter. This issue is rich in goodness, so dive in—and soak it up.
—Lisa Marie Founder/Editor-In-Chief
VIE editor-in-chief Lisa Burwell Photo by Brenna Kneiss V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 15
The Creatives We collaborate with talented photographers, writers, and other creatives on a regular basis, and we’re continually inspired by how they pour their hearts and souls into their crafts. Follow these creatives on social media and don’t forget to check out our account, @viemagazine.
SUSAN VALLEE
THE “ONE” GOOD DEED. HOW DO YOU CHOOSE JUST ONE WHEN SO MANY PEOPLE, PETS, CITIES, AND NATIONS NEED HELP? I FIND THAT IT’S BEST TO FOCUS ON WHAT YOUR GIFT IS AND THEN SHARE THAT.
Writer, “The Autism Spectrum” and “Creating Connections” SusanVallee.com
IN THIS ISSUE, WE ASKED THE CREATIVES: IF YOU COULD ASK PEOPLE TO DO ONE GOOD DEED, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
I’m not sure if it’s technically a good deed or not, but I wish people would show more grace to one another. The elderly lady in front of you at the checkout line might be lingering because this is her one trip out of her house all day long, and she doesn’t want it to end. That kid who cussed at you in the park might be hanging out because he’s afraid of what’s waiting for him at home. The aggravated mom who snapped at her young son in the cereal aisle might be grieving a miscarriage. You don’t know the wounds a person carries. Show grace. Be the moment in their day that lifts them up.
TRISH LAND Artist, “Moments of Tranquility” @trishland
The “one” good deed. How do you choose just one when so many people, pets, cities, and nations need help? I find that it’s best to focus on what your gift is and then share that. If you are an accountant, help someone do their taxes for free. If you are a dancer, donate your skills to the local Boys and Girls Club or nursing home. If you have spare time and love animals, volunteer at the shelter. Give your time. One thing that I have found about donating my time is that it gets me out of my head. It helps take the focus off myself and allows me to contribute wholly to another. I’m a painter; I paint with those who could use a little joy, like my friend Kent who has Alzheimer’s or my pal who has ALS. To witness their spirits shining is just everything! Time. Give it. It could change someone’s life.
HANNAH VERMILLION Senior Graphic Designer @hannahcvermillion
What a broad question! So, I’ll answer it broadly: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:31). No matter what your spiritual beliefs are, I think we all can practice loving our neighbor. Whether you bring a meal to your next-door neighbor who’s just had surgery, take a friend to coffee to help celebrate a promotion, deliver flowers to someone who’s grieving, or write a letter of encouragement to an orphan halfway around the world—it all stems from showing love to your neighbor! It can be the simplest gesture, but it shows you care—and isn’t that the best feeling?
MEGAN WALDREP Writer, “The Loving Cup” @megan.waldrep
To love yourself first. We’ve all heard it many times, but the concept didn’t hit home for me until I heard musical artist Lizzo say on her NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert, “I just want everyone to remember, if you can love me, you can love yourself. Every single day. If you can love my big black a** at this tiny, tiny little desk, you can love yourself.” And she’s right. Here’s an experiment I’ve paraphrased from international yoga teacher Annie Carpenter: close your eyes and think of a person you love unconditionally. Keep that feeling of love in your heart and imagine if that person were no longer here. That amazing love you have swirling around inside of you? Use that energy to move through life, and loving kindness will follow suit. Or, try smiling at strangers—these small gestures could help others love themselves too.
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La conversation
Good News! WE LOVE TO COMMUNICATE AND INTERACT WITH OUR READERS! AND WE LOVE IT EVEN MORE WHEN THEY PROUDLY SHARE THEIR STORIES AND POSE WITH VIE FOR A CLOSE-UP! THAT’S WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT: SHARING, LOVING, AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS. WE THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH AND WE APPRECIATE YOU!
@sallielewislongoria Occasionally, a writing assignment plants a seed from which blooms a new friendship. That was certainly the case when I met the Ukrainian-born porcelain artist Vladimir Kanevsky and his lovely wife and business partner, Edita. My profile on Vladimir is published in the September issue of @viemagazine and at viemagazine.com. @q_tile Check out the new @viemagazine Home & Garden issue! This month is featuring our owner, Suzy, and her personal home!
@jojomonster12 It was so lovely meeting Serena, Hilda, and Jonathan of Peach Creek Blooms at the @seasideflfarmersmarket this morning! This beautiful bouquet came from their small organic flower farm right here in Santa Rosa Beach! Stop by on Saturdays to see them and look for their story in @viemagazine’s Home & Garden Issue!
@fancycamps A little loveliness for your feed today. Dreamy boho vibes from this shoot with @viemagazine and @theideaboutique
LET’S TALK!
@morganajames #tbt to the most glam shoot o’ my life. @viemagazine—Photo: @carlopieroni; Gown: @csiriano
@alysbeachfirkinfete #GIVEAWAY Win a pair of tickets! We’ve teamed up with @viemagazine to give one lucky follower two tickets to attend the Firkin Fête on Friday, October 25 from 6:30 to 9 p.m.!
Send VIE your comments and photos on our social media channels or by emailing us at info@viemagazine.com. We’d love to hear your thoughts. They could end up in the next La conversation!
VIEmagazine.com
V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 19
PHOTOGRAPHIC FINE ART Medium to large-scale artwork focused on the waterways of the Gulf Coast. J o n a h A l l e n .c o m | @ J o n a h A l l e n St u d i o J o n a h @ J o n a h A l l e n .c o m | (850) 739- 0 929
Visual Perspectives
Visual Perspectives
Flower Crown by Kelsey Howard Acrylic and gouache paint on watercolor paper, 11 × 14 inches
EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
There’s nothing gauche about the gorgeous gouache paintings of Wilmington, North Carolina– based artist Kelsey Howard. She holds a degree in nursing along with her studio art degree from Elon University, and her brightly colored world is often filled with flowers, wildlife, and inspiring women. This piece, Flower Crown, has sold, but you can find more of her work on her shop at Etsy.com/Shop/KelseyHowardArt and on Instagram @kelseyhowardart!
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Positive
VIBES
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BY SALLIE W. BOYLES ARTWORK BY TAMERA MASSEY
“I lo v e to create a nd sha re jo y f ul exuberance in a l l tha t I d esign a nd d o,” SAYS ARCHITECT AND ARTIST TAMERA “TAMMY” MASSEY.
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ased in Seaside, Florida, Massey is known for her extraordinary ability to conceptualize projects and effortlessly sketch how structures will materialize, inside and out. She holds dual degrees in architecture and interior design, and expresses her artistic side through graphic design, drawing, watercolor, photography, sculpture, and typography. She also designs highly customized furniture. “Lots of various energies are brewing inside of me,” Massey acknowledges, noting that she incorporates a piece of her art in each of her architectural projects. “I’ll take it upon myself,” she adds, “in many of my projects, to apply specialty finishes to the floors, walls, and architectural elements of the spaces.” Recently, Massey launched StudioSoLoStyle.com to showcase and sell her multimedia artwork. She further welcomes commissions. “This is my therapeutic outlet to allow the other side of the brain to share itself,” she says, explaining that an “irresponsible dream world” is fine for pure art, not for practical blueprints. No matter how far they might push the envelope, architects always face restrictions like budgets and building codes.
Left: Holiday SPLASH! by Tamera Massey Multimedia on deep wrapped canvas, 24 × 24 inches Right: Motel Memories
As much as possible, Massey admits, “I travel to the beat of my own drum.” Her family tree reveals where Massey’s artistic side and independent nature originate, but certain aspects of her DNA remain a mystery. “I can remember, at the age of three or four, understanding things I’d never been exposed to,” she says. “I could sit at the piano and pick out tunes with no effort whatsoever. The same was true with spaces and places.”
When she was only five, Massey proclaimed that she wanted to be an architect. “I felt a close connection to spaces and forms,” she recalls. “I would sit and repeatedly draw plans, which my parents thought was a little bizarre, and I would build houses and floor plans out of pine straw in the front yard.” Searching for a plausible explanation, she offers, “I believe we have many lives, and maybe some of our talents come from a previous life. I was born in 1957, sort of an old soul, a very mature child.”
“I sav or c reating what I t hink w e sho uld happily reme mb er from that time.”
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recocious, she questioned her proper Southern mom’s concerns over “what people think about you.” Massey contends, “I rebelled against that vein of thinking. Why are you molding yourself to be accepted by other people, when it’s not what your true soul is telling you to do?” In response, she shaved her own head at fourteen “as a rebellion to the norm and a poor choice in my experiential hair color journey!” Looking back, Massey refers to her childhood as both “charmed” and “surreal.” Country life entailed “chasing
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crop-duster planes across fields, collecting eggs in the chicken coop, feeding pigs their slop (awful smell), milking cows, birthing kittens, killing snakes with shotguns, fishing at daybreak, gigging frogs at twilight, driving stick-shift vehicles at the age of ten, and being surrounded by homesteads of extended family with party-line telephones (so everyone knew each other’s business and secrets).” The budding artist also fashioned jewelry from dried corn kernels, created tie-dyed shirts using berry juice, wove mats from bamboo reeds, made mud pies, and sewed. While her dad had a more “laid-back” demeanor and passed on the artistic genes, her mom—“an academic” who exhibited “extreme perfection and intellect”—stimulated Massey’s thirst for knowledge. Research is second nature to her. She also has a way of mentally wandering to distant places, possibly from her mom’s reading to her about Robert Louis Stevenson, who, as a sickly child, could only travel in his dreams. Thanks to her parents’ letting her go, Massey enjoyed a real adventure at fifteen when she went to live with her aunt, Marjorie Massey, a renowned designer of interiors and textiles. Working as her apprentice and traveling between New York City and Florence, Italy, Massey not only had a hand in designing textiles, carpet, and wallpaper, but she also experienced her aunt’s glamorous lifestyle.
Above left: Soulful Reflection Multimedia on deep wrapped canvas, 24 × 24 inches Above right: Vivacity
“I
had an intriguing dinner with Salvador Dalí—a friend and colleague of my aunt’s—at the St. Regis in New York,” says Massey. Tagging along to numerous dinners reflecting “the finest elegance with wonderful cuisine and wine” in the company of industry moguls helped Aunt Marjorie dissuade powerful men from hitting on her. “That’s just how things were,” Massey muses, “with women in a man’s corporate world.” That episode of her life left an indelible mark, but the prior decades seem most alive in Massey’s soul. They emerge in her art as flashbacks to “the fabulous 1950s, the golden age of couture fashion,” and “the early 1960s’ Pan Am, Madmen, Doris Day and Jackie O chic, combined with [the Annette Funicello-Frankie Avalon movie] Beach Blanket Bingo.” She says, “I savor creating what I think we should happily remember from that time.” Gulf Coast motifs are also prevalent in her art. Having vacationed in Florida throughout her childhood, Massey fell in love with the nostalgic New Urbanism environment of Seaside and settled there with her young son and daughter, now in their twenties, after her divorce. “My primary sources of inspiration are my two amazing and tolerant kids,” Massey insists. “By no choice of their own, I raised them in the chaotic reality of an adult, artistic, hands-on business world.” The rest, she says, “is stoked by my responsibility to share my Godgiven gifts, my appreciation for the small and happy things in life.” She describes her work as “the visual language of a glamorous era, beautiful women, positive vibes, anything coastal, colorfully classic cars, vintage signs, the beauty of typography, and a touch of architectural imagery.” Each piece has a unique evolution. “I don’t record my processes as steps,” says Massey. “I don’t go by any rules. I’ve never cooked by a recipe. I’m just going to do what my heart and soul and mind say to do next.”
“M y p r ima r y source s of insp ira tion a re m y t w o a ma zing a nd tole ran t kids.” That said, Massey might begin with one of over fifty thousand photographs she has taken. Next, perhaps, she’ll apply a physical collage to the photography, followed by acrylic, marker, or colored pencil accents. When satisfied, she’ll photograph the work at that stage and use Adobe computer programs to add other enhancements. Most digital creations take from one to three days to complete, depending on Massey’s flexibility and her sense of what the work needs. “Sometimes I’ll stop what I’m doing,” she says, “telling myself to breathe for a while. Other times, I’ll immerse myself in my art until it’s finished.”
Above: Seaside Calling! Multimedia on deep wrapped canvas, 24 × 24 inches Left: Artist Tamera “Tammy” Massey
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Left: Color My Wheel Multimedia on deep wrapped canvas, 24 × 24 inches Below left: A Gull Gathering Multimedia on deep wrapped canvas, 24 × 24 inches
er mixed-media productions fall into five series. Typographic Collaging Imaging features collaging typography, photography, images, color, and texture layering. Architectural Illusions Imaging uses handdrawn architectural images, photography, typography, color, and texture layering. Retro Romanticism Imaging incorporates photography, retro couture images, era typography and symbolism, color, and texture layering. Environmental Interpretation Imaging combines natural environmental photography and the manipulation of color and texture layering. 3D Mosaics blends glass, stone, natural elements, clay, color, and textures. While looking into new applications for her digital art, Massey is considering a book of architectural renderings that feature the villages along Scenic Highway 30-A. Credit to the architect and her personal notes on what she finds alluring about each structure, scribed in artistic typography, would accompany her drawings. (Her inspiration is a five-by-seven-inch book, An Architect in Italy, which contains watercolor-washed images of Italian landmarks.) “I love our
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little corner of the world,” she says, revealing that her collection would be a love letter of sorts to the area. Whatever comes next, Massey asserts, “Art is my way of living; there is no end to it.”
To view her current offerings or contact Tammy Massey directly, readers should visit StudioSoLoStyle.com or follow her on Instagram @tameramassey and @t.masseyarchitect. Her architecture websites are MasseyArchitects.com and TammyMassey.co. Sallie W. Boyles works as a freelance journalist, ghostwriter, copywriter, and editor through Write Lady Inc., her Atlantabased company. With an MBA in marketing, she marvels at the power of words, particularly in business and politics, but loves nothing more than relaying extraordinary personal stories that are believable only because they are true.
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Tranquility B y A nn a K l e me n t | A r t w o r k b y T r i s h L a nd
Gratitude is the state of being thankful and appreciative, and achieving that level of consciousness can mean that you’ve willingly forgiven people who have hurt you. That often entails overcoming adversity and reaching peaks you never expected to climb. 30 | NO V E MBE R 2019
Visual Perspectives
s the youngest of four children growing up in the 1960s, Land was predestined to live in the shadows of her older siblings. It was never going to be easy, and as Murphy’s Law states, anything that can go wrong will go wrong—which essentially followed her throughout her school years. Her father was a Vietnam-era soldier whose life was eventually taken by the lingering effects of Agent Orange. Her mother, it seemed, was so busy working two jobs that she didn’t notice her daughter ate cereal for dinner most nights. Despite all that, Land held out hope. She has an old and wrinkled print of a beautiful ballerina with a quote from William Ward: If you can dream it, you can become it. It was her favorite gift ever given to her by her mother, and Land has held onto the tiny dancer long enough to forget the age she was when she first read its inscription. As if it were a retablo, the words on the ballerina always brought her a moment of tranquility wherever she was on life’s journey of high peaks and low valleys.
Above: Fleur d’eau by Trish Land Acrylic on canvas, 48 × 74 inches Right: Flowers and Wisdom Mixed media on canvas, 38 × 44 inches
went to Tallahassee and worked in a luxury gift store. She wasn’t there long before she started the next chapter of her life, which led her to open a dance studio in DeFuniak Springs, Florida, where she taught young girls to prance around in pink tutus and live their dreams through dance. At the time, Land was only twenty-four. Her greatest advantage—and her biggest curse—was that she could never stay in one place for too long.
I had a wonderful teacher who shared all of her travels with her students. I learned about the outside world through her stories. She made me aware of what art is. I’ve been a creative my entire life, though not by choice—by necessity, I guess you could say.
A distant relationship with her family, combined with the typical growing pains of being a misunderstood teenager, wrote the script for lessons Land would come to understand much later in life. She practices gratitude and forgiveness now, but during those years she was mad as hell. Like most people dealing with trauma and strained relationships, she needed a physical and emotional outlet. Dancing was her first choice. “I had a wonderful teacher who shared all of her travels with her students,” Land says. “I learned about the outside world through her stories. She made me aware of what art is. I’ve been a creative my entire life, though not by choice—by necessity, I guess you could say.” She recalls making her first Barbie car out of a Kleenex box and doll clothes out of old fabric and paper towels. “I developed a great imagination and ways to do so many things on my own.” When she was old enough to leave, she took the first Greyhound out of Albany, Georgia. First, she
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Visual Perspectives
very mile traveled taught her to be aware of her surroundings— literally, but also intuitively. The most valuable lesson she learned was to pay attention. To some, change can be uncomfortable, but for people like Land, it is essential for personal growth. She loves the fluidity, uncertainty, and inspiration that comes with life on the road. It seems she was bound to become an artist. Land picked up her first paintbrush about twenty years ago. Since then, she has led destination workshops in Europe, gone on cruises with her muses in the Caribbean, opened a store, and learned how to play the tambourine. What started as a creative outlet to heal the wounds of her past has allowed her to create art that inspires others. Her art is mostly abstract landscapes, reflecting the different moods and attitudes she interprets from her surroundings. “It takes time, but you hope to develop your own language,” she says of her painting style. “It took me several years to find that voice, and I am quite happy and comfortable with where I am now with my work. Every piece I paint is an extension of me, of my current mood, or the color du jour, or where I’ve
It takes time, but you hope to develop your own language. It took me several years to find that voice, and I am quite happy and comfortable with where I am now with my work.
been. I don’t paint from photos; I paint from memory or my broad imagination. I am always growing as a human, so that causes my work to grow as well. I don’t want to jump out of a plane or walk on hot coals, but I am always seeking beyond my creative comfort zone to expand my abilities and learn new techniques.” In her most recent travels, Land has taken on artist residencies in France and Italy. In May, she spent two weeks living in a medieval village called Noyerssur-Serein in France’s Burgundy region. It’s one of the oldest communes in the world and protected as a UNESCO Heritage Site. Its scenery is unrivaled compared to anything Hollywood could try to replicate, and its streets are lined with the same cobblestones that nobility once walked on. “Being in a medieval village so rich with history is much bigger than any thought I have ever had,” Land recalls. “I’m pretty sure the light was born there. It’s pure magic. When the sun is bidding adieu to the day, it seems to turn to golden dust, collecting at my feet only to return the next day with possibility and pure wonder.” She says the French countryside smells like fields of green with a hint of croissant. It’s earthy but not heady. She remembers the panoramic views of lavender fields and sunflowers bigger than her head. They contrasted well with the petit brown-eyed boy who said bonjour to her every morning. Land has plans to return to house-sit in the fall and to host another workshop for seventeen students in the village. She is also contemplating buying a flat there for only thirty-five thousand euros.
32 | NO V E MBE R 2019
Opposite top: Artist Trish Land Opposite bottom: Opera Acrylic on canvas, 39 × 48 × 1.75 inches This page, top: Along the Serein Acrylic on paper, 9 × 12 inches This page, bottom: Land recently took an artist residency in the charming medieval village of Noyerssur-Serein in France, which inspired the above painting.
merica is lucky to have her work, too. Land’s art has been featured in galleries from Denver to New Orleans, her home base in Atlanta, and now the community along Florida’s Scenic Highway 30-A. Her latest collection, inspired by her time in France, is on display at the East End Gallery in Inlet Beach as part of The Storyteller Series from July 27 until October 26. This isn’t her first appearance as an artist in the area—she was a featured artist at the Bluewater Bay Marina in 2015. You might also spot Land and her not-so-hidden talent playing the tambourine with her partner, singer Michelle Malone, at the 30A Songwriters Festival. Beyond just wanting to paint for herself, Land often takes on a teacher role to her “students,” who could be anyone, even a stranger sitting next to her on a plane. She travels with a mini watercolor kit and hosts her Muse Destination Workshops annually in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Next page: This abstract by Trish Land is on display until October 26 as part of The Storyteller Series at the East End Gallery in Inlet Beach, Florida.
I’m pretty sure the light was born there. It’s pure magic. When the sun is bidding adieu to the day, it seems to turn to golden dust, collecting at my feet only to return the next day with possibility and pure wonder. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 33
Visual Perspectives “I love to have something or someone to paint for,” Land explains. “I ask a lot of questions, try to get a sense of what’s important to my client, and paint from their point of view in my style of painting. For me, painting is like having a conversation. Since I’m self-directed, I experiment with colors all the time. I absolutely love an unexpected color. The brain loves it, and it makes the viewer curious. There’s lots of back-and-forth when painting—yeses and noes, more of this, less of that, pauses, time, energy—like when you get together with a friend and you banter back and forth and gather information that forwards the conversation. I paint for others, but it’s through me that the story is told. How long does it take? Until it’s finished, that’s how long.” No matter how long it takes, it’s the scenes she creates that Land’s audiences love. Just like the ballerina print she’s kept all these years, she creates moments of tranquility for those who need them.
Visit TrishLand.com to learn more and see her work. Anna Klement is a freelance magazine writer and editor. She is a Santa Rosa Beach local and has a degree in journalism and creative media from the University of Alabama. She writes profile essays inspired by people, places, and good food for both print and digital media. She strives to write meaningful stories that are enlightening and offer a different perspective.
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Santa’s DISCOVER
MAGICAL WORLD By J O R D A N S TA G G S Pho to g raphy by GWE N H O R N S BY
36 | NO V E MBE R 2019
Visual Perspectives
P
hotographer Gwen Hornsby urges adults to recall their favorite memory of Santa Claus from when they were children. This is step one in her magic-making process as she tells parents and grandparents about Santa’s Magical World, the incredible Christmas portrait production she stages in Freeport, Florida. “Have you ever had a feeling that something is just meant to be?” Gwen asks. “I had that feeling twentytwo years ago when I first met my husband, but when I attended Santa’s Magical Summit workshop for professional photographers last March, I had that same feeling when I personally met Santa. I just knew that this was the perfect missing piece of my photography company that I didn’t even know had been missing up until that point. The beauty of the magical Santa artwork shown during this summit was breathtaking, and I knew I wanted to learn how to create and share those masterpieces as well.” Those colorful, vintage-inspired photos of children meeting Santa Claus spark a nostalgia and sense of wonder not often found in your typical Christmastime photos with the jolly man in red. Internationally acclaimed photographer, storyteller, and artist Larry Hersberger is the creator of the Art of Magic and Light and host of Santa’s Magical Summit workshop, where he imparts his wisdom and demonstrates his unique style of nostalgic portraiture to photographers from around the globe.
A N EN T IR E E XPERIENCE HA S BEEN CRE AT ED : CHILDREN BECOM E PART OF A STORY AND J OURNEY IN TO SA N TA’S WORK SHOP ON CHRISTM A S EVE, WHERE T HEY G ET TO SEE T HE M AG IC HAPPEN AND LE ARN A B OU T IT FROM SA N TA HIMSELF.
lets them speak with his head elf toy maker over the phone, shares cookies made with magic snow, teaches them how to properly “ho ho ho,” and more. Thanks to some behind-the-scenes preparation with Mom and Dad, Santa knows all about each child, and they even receive a personalized gift—a Wish Book and Magic Box—to take home. Gwen’s gut feeling quickly elevated to solid belief that it was fate for her to learn how to create the type of portraits shown at the summit when one of the child models was unable to make it, and her own granddaughter filled the role during a production demonstration.
Below and opposite: Northwest Florida– based photographer Gwen Hornsby founded Santa’s Magical World, a holiday photo shoot experience during which she captures the magic as children meet Santa Claus, learn about Christmas, enjoy cookies, and more.
This concept is simple and yet such a departure from the shopping-mall Santa Claus photo experience with which most parents are probably familiar. An entire experience has been created: children become part of a story and journey into Santa’s workshop on Christmas Eve, where they get to see the magic happen and learn about it from Santa himself—who, by the way, is an accredited member of the prestigious International Brotherhood of Real Bearded Santas (yes, it’s real!). He tells them about Rudolph and the other reindeer,
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Visual Perspectives
“I HA D TO M AK E SURE T HAT OT HER PAREN TS AND G R ANDPAREN TS G OT TO SHARE T HO SE SA ME FEELIN G S OF A M A ZE M EN T A ND PURE LOVE T HAT I HA D FELT A S I WATCHED MY LIT T LE G R ANDDAUG HT ER
“W
ords really cannot describe how I felt as she shyly walked up to Santa, but as soon as he started talking to her, she only had eyes for him. My heart just got bigger and bigger, and my eyes welled up with tears as I watched her innocently and completely become engrossed in Santa for almost forty minutes—and then relive the moments through her continued excitement and joy that has lasted all these months. She shows off the Magic Box she received from Santa during the session and tells everyone who sees her portrait that she met the real Santa. Those forty minutes changed my entire professional life, and I knew right there and then that I would never forget that experience. I had to make sure that other parents and grandparents got to share those same feelings of amazement and pure love that I had felt as I watched my little granddaughter interact with Santa—and so Santa’s Magical World was created.”
Above: Santa’s Magical World works in partnership with internationally renowned visual artist Larry Hersberger, who holds workshops where photographers can learn his techniques for creating a Christmas photo experience that children and their parents will remember for a lifetime. 38 | NO V E MBE R 2019
Gwen, a native of England who grew up South Africa, moved to the US with her son in 1989. “We first lived in Glens Falls in Upstate New York, and I thought we were living in the quintessential Tom Sawyer idyllic American town—until the first snowstorm started in October and stayed until June,” she recalls. “I couldn’t wait to move to Atlanta just to see the sun again.” When Gwen met her future husband, Murray, in Atlanta in 1997, they planned to get married at the
IN T ER ACT WIT H SAN TA .”
beach and fell in love with Destin, Florida. The family relocated permanently to the Emerald Coast in 2000, which Gwen calls “paradise on earth.” She worked for years as a graphic and website designer, then started her photography business, Expressions Beach Portraits, in 2008. Since then, she has photographed around 1,800 families, along with glorious sunsets and the natural landscapes of the Gulf Coast. “I am so excited to add Santa’s Magical World to my photography company and adventures and share it with the Emerald Coast and surrounding areas,” Gwen says. Santa’s Magical World experiences start September 21 and continue each weekend through the end of November. Session dates and times are limited as Santa needs to be back at the North Pole to check on the toy-making progress, so book your children’s magical one-on-one time with Santa as soon as possible!
Book your child’s session by contacting Gwen Hornsby via email at Gwen@SantasMagicalWorld.com or through Facebook.com/SantasMagicalWorldinDestin. All images copyright protected by Gwen Hornsby of Santa’s Magical World and Larry Hersberger.
Right: Francisco Adaro and Brooke Gontarek with their son, Oliviero, and shop dog, Salvador Doggie Photo by Kurt Lischka, Moon Creek Studios 40 | NO V E MBE R 2019
Visual Perspectives
Adoramos a
Adaro
Partners in Art and Life BY ANNA KLEMENT
A WORKING ARTIST AND A SOMMELIER MEET ON THE STREETS OF BUENOS AIRES. TEN YEARS LATER, THEY MEET AGAIN, AND ONE MONTH AFTER THAT, THEY BECOME ENGAGED.
F
ast-forward to today, and Brooke and Francisco Adaro share an art gallery as well as a son, two dogs, a cat, and three squirrels. The pair have been partners in life and business since Brooke purchased her first piece of art from Francisco in Argentina. “He was dressed like a shaman,” she recalls. “His hair was very long and unruly, he had a beard down to his chest, and his hemp jumper was covered in paint.” Francisco is clean-shaven in the present day. He sits shyly as his wife brags on his artistic ability, which he developed as a child. “He was always creating his own world and bringing his friends and family along. He was lost in his head, drawing his imagination—and still is.”
Fran used gasoline mixed with tar from the ground to create ink. A true creative, he is innovative and can see the beauty in virtually anything. When Brooke retreated to Buenos Aires for the first time, Fran was a self-proclaimed starving artist. She was on a wine trip with her mother when she saw Francisco selling his art on the street and decided to purchase an eight-foot
Below: Fully Relaxed by Francisco Adaro Oil on wood 26 × 42 × 2.75 inches
“It was hard for me ever to keep a job because I wanted to always do my own thing,” Francisco chimes in. Tertiary education is free in Argentina, where Fran (Brooke’s nickname for him) studied art at university, but his journey to being a professional artist began with lessons in his elementary years. “My teacher was a true hippie. She introduced me to the Doors’ music and would only teach me at night. I hated the smell of her cigarettes but I learned a lot just from being in her presence.” Throughout his adolescence, Francisco took over empty warehouses to use as makeshift art studios. His canvas might be an old cargo box or the side of a building. “I’d load up my motorcycle with a huge ladder and all of my paint to find an empty wall to paint murals on,” Francisco recalls. He adds with a grin, “The motorcycle was to evade the police.”
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Visual Perspectives
T
he second date was to Francisco’s cousin’s baptism, where Brooke met his entire family. Going to that type of event together so soon in a relationship might seem taboo to some, but it was a normal weekend for Francisco. The couple’s love story is anything but typical—in fact, it would make the perfect plot for a rom-com.
They eventually relocated, returning to Brooke’s roots in Niceville, Florida. Francisco continued to work out of unconventional studios until they opened their first gallery, Adaro Art & Design, in Grayton Beach. “We temporarily lived out of my father’s spare bedroom while Fran would travel to art shows,” says Brooke. “I mean, we were dirt poor. He would work out of unair-conditioned storage units all day and drop me off for work. We knew we wanted a gallery and saved every last dime for it. Fran wouldn’t even rent a hotel for his shows; he would sleep in his car to save money. It took three years of nonstop hustle to get to Grayton Beach.” It was passionate labor that turned into a full-time job for both of them, with Fran’s art being center stage in the gallery amid works and unique items by other artists. When asked, he cites his artistic muses as everyday people, but if you push him a little, he will answer Picasso, León Ferrari, and blues musicians in New Orleans. His style is whimsical and playful, and he often uses mixed media on wood or reverse painting on glass. He also does single-line ink drawings and ceramic sculptures. Each one communicates some form of movement to the viewer.
" WE TEMPORARILY LIVED OUT OF MY
FATHER’S SPARE BEDROOM WHILE FRAN WOULD TRAVEL TO ART SHOWS. I MEAN, WE WERE DIRT POOR. "
Above: Francisco often extends the canvases of his works by adding extra elements, such as the top of the head, arm, and guitar extending from his painting Ramblin’ Mind Reader. The added dimensional elements are made from wooden wine boxes. Photo by Kurt Lischka, Moon Creek Studios Right: Ceramic mugs by Emma Lacey are available at Adaro Art gallery and on AdaroArt.com. 42 | NO V E MBE R 2019
painting of dancers from him for three hundred dollars. The second time they met, ten years later, she had returned to escape the Great Recession in America. Curious and in need of a new beginning, Buenos Aires was the only destination she considered. She wasn’t expecting to see Francisco again, but the stars aligned perfectly, and they were smitten within moments of the reunion. “Our first date was tango dancing with two other female tourists he met the same day,” Brooke says about their first date. “Neither Fran nor I have ever been the jealous or shy type, so it was the perfect date for us. One of the other girls even took a photo of our first kiss. He is an incredibly easy person to feel comfortable with. He has no pretense and is comfortable in his own skin, which is very attractive to me.”
“Francisco doesn’t subscribe to the idea that an artist can only have one style of painting,” Brooke offers. “He does everything from single-line drawings and reverse paintings to cutouts using wooden wine crates and miscellaneous objects such as retired instruments.”
“ FRANCISCO DOES
EVERYTHING FROM SINGLE-LINE DRAWINGS AND REVERSE PAINTINGS TO CUTOUTS USING WOODEN WINE CRATES AND MISCELLANEOUS OBJECTS SUCH AS RETIRED INSTRUMENTS. ”
Above left: Rios Y Mares by Francisco Adaro Oil on canvas 24 × 24 inches Above right: To create his reverse paintings on glass, Francisco lays the glass panel flat and paints it from the foreground backward, allowing the color to take center stage. Then he flips the painting, so the only texture seen is the glass, and mounts it on a wood block frame. His glass heart series is a fan favorite.
A lot of his work is subtly influenced by the beautiful complexity and natural curves of the female body. “I like to paint the shape and confidence of Latina women,” Fran says. He also often includes not-so-subtle pops of red in his creations. “While living next to Eglin Air Force Base, we were struck by the abundance of American flags,” he says. “I’m not used to seeing this much patriotism in Argentina, so it resonates with me.” The influence might show up in his work as a playful pair of red-and-white socks or some stripes painted on an extended canvas. The real signature element, however, is on the backside of his works, where Brooke and Fran’s son, Oliviero, innocently paints his own abstract designs. These serve as delightful surprises to the viewers. The Adaro Art gallery relocated in 2017 and is presently located at the Shops at The Hub in WaterSound, Florida, about five miles down Scenic Highway 30-A from Grayton Beach. In addition to Francisco’s work, the gallery exhibits and sells pieces by internationally awarded artists such as Luciano Polverigiani, Ruben Sánchez, J. Borges, and Eulogia Merle. If you’re not in the market for wall candy, there are ceramics, handcrafted jewelry, T-shirts, books, and unique children’s toys for sale as well. Brooke’s wildlife photography is also showcased. Her mother is a veterinarian, endowing her with a lifelong adoration for animals. “My dream is to live on a farm and take care of cows and other farm animals,” she says as Cookie and Monster, two baby squirrels she is fostering, crawl on her shoulders.
“A lot of people daydream about future plans; I brainstorm names for my future farm animals.” The gallery’s visitors are usually greeted by a different kind of furry friend—Salvador Doggie, the family’s Australian shepherd, who makes for an affectionate welcome mat. Pablo P-Cat-O, their feline, also makes an appearance from time to time. Adaro Art brings a unique blend of art and culture to the small stretch of beach towns along 30-A, and its owners have no plans to leave any time soon, though they still travel throughout the year for art shows. The doors are open and tails are wagging at the gallery every day, so stop in!
VISIT ADAROART.COM TO LEARN MORE OR STOP BY THE SHOP FROM 10 A.M. UNTIL 5 P.M. DAILY AT 21 HUB LANE, WATERSOUND, FLORIDA. Anna Klement is a freelance magazine writer and editor. She is a Santa Rosa Beach local and has a degree in journalism and creative media from the University of Alabama. She writes profile essays inspired by people, places, and good food for both print and digital media. She strives to write meaningful stories that are enlightening and offer a different perspective. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 43
L’intermission
Falling for You
Havasu Falls, located within the Havasupai reservation in the Grand Canyon, is one of our top picks for the most beautiful places in the world! See more on our blog at VIEmagazine. com/most-beautifulplace-in-the-world. Photo by Lukas Bischoff
If you’re planning a visit to Grand Canyon National Park, make reservations well in advance for a side trip to nearby Havasu Falls and take in the view!
Love, VIE xo
V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 45
Camille Butchikas creates cartoon-style artwork every day, and through Camille’s Art for Autism, she and her parents sell her art and hold fund-raisers to benefit autism centers and organizations in Northwest Florida. 46 | NO V E MBE R 2019
Visual Perspectives
creating connections C A M I L L E M A K ES
Art
FO R
Autism
B Y S U S A N VA L L E E | P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y B R E N N A K N E I S S
amille nods politely as I pause midsentence to lean across the table. I crane my neck to study the brightly colored characters coming to life on the page in front of her. She keeps a large bag of assorted Sharpies next to her. As soon as a drawing is complete, she sits back, studies it for a moment, and then flips the page to begin a new one immediately. The pace is rapid. Her art subjects are usually the characters from the cartoons that she loves to watch during the day. At this moment, she’s working on a drawing of the Powerpuff Girls, beloved characters from the cartoon series that ended in 2005.
“Our desire was to help families,” Brenda says. “At first we wanted to buy and give backyard toys—like swing sets or playhouses—to children with autism because being outdoors always had such a calming effect on her (Camille). We had almost finished the paperwork for the State of Florida when we found out we would only be allowed to make donations to other charities.” This shifted their focus away from individual families to larger organizations. Small private schools, such as the Gulf Coast School for Autism, have received the bulk of the donations.
“I listen to music on my phone because sometimes it helps me with things with my cartoons,” she says. “After I watch a cartoon, I draw the cartoon,” she explains. “I want to be an animator. I keep searching for anywhere to go to animation school, but I can’t stop watching cartoons.” Her mom, Brenda Nunnery, comes to sit at the table beside Camille. “She’s always loved to draw. When she was young, before she could even feed herself, she could draw a perfect circle. A perfect circle! I still can’t do that.” Camille, the youngest daughter of Brenda and Phil Nunnery, is on the autism spectrum and is the reason the couple created the charitable organization Camille’s Art for Autism. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 47
Visual Perspectives
ot all children do well in gigantic schools,” Brenda explains. “I’ve found the owners of these small, private schools are passionate about teaching and caring for these children. We also found out about a local family who started the Autism Surfs program in Panama City Beach. I thought this was genius; it fit so well with our original idea for Art for Autism. “Camille used to require so much hands-on attention when we went anywhere, but especially the beach. I love how Autism Surfs keeps your child with autism busy for a couple of hours so families can devote beach time to their other children. The whole family can enjoy themselves.” To raise funds for these organizations, Brenda began to host events and sell Camille’s illustrations and art, such as the pet portraits she creates on canvas and sells for $150. Right: Camille plans to create more “doughnut shoes” like this pair to hold a fund-raiser during National Doughnut Day on June 5, 2020. Opposite left: Camille and her mother, Brenda Nunnery 48 | NO V E MBE R 2019
Camille, a big fan of doughnuts, was also inspired to draw doughnuts on a plain pair of pull-on sneakers for National Doughnut Day. “They turned out darling,” Brenda says, showing me a photo on her phone. “All of our friends immediately wanted a pair.” By June 5, 2020 (the next National Doughnut Day), she says Camille will have created enough “doughnut shoes” to sell for a charity fund-raiser.
“You know, we had thought about creating a charity for years. Susan Lovelace was hosting an event in her store and she said if I started a charity, she’d donate the proceeds to it. That was the impetus I needed to get started.”
wine,” she explains. The Nebbiolo is made from grapes grown in the Bien Nacido Vineyard in California. “We have these magnums and three-liter bottles available for purchase. They’re perfect for a dinner party or to serve at an event. And, the proceeds go to help children.”
By June 5, 2020 (the next National Doughnut Day), she says Camille will have created enough "doughnut shoes" to sell for a charity fund-raiser. To date, Brenda believes they’ve been able to donate around $50,000 to autismrelated charities. She’s excited about how the Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s Chi Chi Miguel Weekend, a popular event that donates proceeds to select charities, will help them raise funds in the future. “Camille created a beautiful mermaid at the Shard Shop in Grayton that was auctioned off. We also auctioned a one-week stay in our new Grayton Beach home. Each night we arranged for a different local celebrity chef to come over and prepare meals. We even arranged for some of the servers from the Red Bar to come and serve.” Brenda hops up from the table and pulls a box out of a spare room in her Seacrest Beach home and proudly holds up a magnum of wine featuring the Camille’s Art for Autism logo that Camille created. “We’re just a mom-and-pop charity,” she says as a way to explain the box at her feet. “We have no staff, but Phil and I worked with Clendenen Family Vineyards in Santa Maria to bottle this limited production of
As I get ready to leave, I realize Camille has completed five entire drawings and is carefully tearing a sixth out of her sketch pad. Brenda insists I take one home to give to my boys. Camille yawns, tired from having to get out of bed earlier than she prefers. As I pack my things, Brenda seals six homemade cookies her son baked the other night into a little ziplock bag for my youngest son. Even though I am here to learn about Camille and Camille’s Art for Autism, Brenda’s focus is on making sure I don’t leave her home empty-handed. My arms are filled with homemade cookies and drawings for my kids. Camille leans back in her seat at the table and smiles at me as I get ready to go. She seems used to her mom rushing around, making sure everyone in the room is comfortable and happy. And maybe this is the real success of Camille’s Art for Autism. It gives Camille and her parents a way to spread joy and love in our world and connect us with one another.
TO L E A R N M O R E A B O U T C A M I L L E ’ S A R T FO R AU T I S M O R G E T I N VO LV E D, V I S I T C A M I L L E S A R T FO R AU T I S M .O R G O R CO N TAC T B R E N DA A N D P H I L L I P N U N N E RY AT (850) 625 -8852 .
Susan Vallee has been writing about Northwest Florida for more than twenty years. She’s the author of the popular guidebook Meet Me on 30A, a certified content creator, and a fiction writer. She is also writing a screenplay, working on short stories, and pitching a nonfiction book in between raising a family. You can follow her projects at SusanVallee.com. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 49
Sartorial
Visit ShopDolan.com to learn more or shop now. Photos courtesy of Dolan / The Laundry Truck LA
Sartorial STRIKE A POSE
What do we love even more than great clothes? Great clothes for a great cause! Jodie Dolan, founder of LA-based Dolan clothing brand, started her company in 2004 by sharing her love of global textiles. With a focus on responsibly sourced fabrics and manufacturing, the brand grew to be carried at Saks Fifth Avenue, Barney’s, Anthropologie, and more. In 2017, Dolan relaunched the direct-toconsumer line and also founded the Laundry Truck LA, her social mission to provide a free mobile laundry service to homeless individuals in the Los Angeles metro area and to build awareness of the cause. This year, the Laundry Truck got rolling, and a portion of each sale from Dolan clothing is donated to the charity so it can continue to provide clean laundry to neighbors in need! V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 51
Sartorial
THE
OF THE
BY ANNA KLEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF ESTHER REL 52 | NO V E MBE R 2019
Most people visit the Gulf of Mexico to see firsthand the beautiful vistas they’ve heard about or saved on their inspiration boards. Some will come here for real estate opportunities. Still others will travel hundreds of miles to stand in awe of the Gulf and see their reflections dancing in the water.
Esther Rel swimwear and lifestyle brand was founded by designer Kayla Rel, a transplant to the beaches along Scenic Highway 30-A in Northwest Florida.
Of course, these are metaphorical reflections—ones that evoke dreams that have been tucked away in the imagination. The wishful thinking and “quit your day job” moments, mirrored in the soul of the water, can be inspiring and scary at the same time. Many see a piece of themselves here, but most will head back home after the vacation ends. A select few will visit Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, return home, and still feel the salt on their lips. Designer Kayla Rel was just such a person, and she knew she needed this place to find herself.
V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 53
Sartorial
Esther Rel’s brand ethos was inspired by her travel-loving aunt, Esther, and a deep love of nature on the Gulf Coast. 54 | NO V E MBE R 2019
I
In 2018, Kayla created her swimwear line, Esther Rel, out of adoration for a beloved aunt and a persistent vision of a brand based on joie de vivre. Kayla’s aunt Esther was a quaintrelle—a woman whose life emphasized passion and pleasure. She was also an avid traveler, and that spirit has greatly inspired the fashion line. Kayla’s first Esther Rel sale was a planned pop-up shop out of the back of her car. On Cinco de Mayo, she set up at the same beach where she first saw her vision—and her designs sold out within hours. At its core, Esther Rel is a resort-wear collection that features hand-stitched swimsuits, hats, bandanas, and straw bags by artisans in Colombia. Kayla’s goal is to make meaningful creations for women of all sizes, skin tones, and styles. The collections are curated to fit an elegant style with a touch of edge. She believes that elegance doesn’t have to be excessive; in fact, her version is more minimalist. Her designs are simple and seamlessly constructed from high-quality fabrics.
“I FIND INSPIRATION IN E VE RYT H IN G. A RT INSPIRES ME. FOR MY LAST COLLE C T IO N , I F O U N D IMAGES AND PAINTINGS THAT I LO VE D , A N D T H E N I HAD SOMEONE MATC H FABRIC S T O T H E C O LO R S IN THEM TO GET THE C REAT IO N S I WA N T E D . ” She believes the Gulf is the ultimate treasure trove of color inspiration for her style, but she also finds beauty in other details of life, such as the color of a brick wall or a woman’s cheeks when she’s talking passionately. “I find inspiration in everything,” Kayla says. “Art inspires me. For my last collection, I found images and paintings that I loved, and then I had someone match fabrics to the colors in them to get the creations I wanted. Sometimes even a great film can V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 55
Sartorial
“ I HAD AN OB SE S S ION WITH S WIM WEAR—SO MU CH SO T HAT I PURCHAS ED M Y OWN SERGER T O CR EAT E SUITS FOR M YS EL F. ” inspire a look. I’ve also had some of my best ideas while driving my car and blaring my favorite playlists.” Like some other designers, Kayla also tries to fill a niche, especially when she is missing a key piece in her own closet. This need inspires her to sew something new. “I have very specific tastes and can be incredibly picky when it comes to clothes. I think, ‘What do I see someone wearing in this setting?’ Sometimes, I can’t find what I want, and I have to create it myself.” She is a self-taught seamstress but gained professional experience to create her samples through another local designer, Nicole Paloma. “I had an obsession with swimwear—so much so that I purchased my own serger to create suits for myself,” Kayla says. “I have expensive taste in suits and thought making my own would save me money in the future. I hope to do the same for others and to create luxurious pieces that sell within a reasonable price range.” Her first creation was a pair of teal high-waisted swimsuit bottoms. She ended up giving them to a friend because they looked amazing on her. “Girls wanted me to make some for them,” Kayla recalls. “Then I thought, ‘This is it; this is how I’ll start it.’ I could sew and create a sample, but I knew I would need help and machinery to create an entire collection, so I started looking for a manufacturer. I went on a trip to Colombia, South America, having heard that the manufacturing industry was thriving there. My boyfriend was born and raised in Colombia, so he was extremely helpful in this process. He translated for me and helped me find the manufacturer I work with now. It is also very important to me to be sure the clothes are made ethically. I’ve only hired seamstresses who are single mothers with dependent children; they can bring their kids to work if they want.” Currently, Esther Rel is sold exclusively through the brand’s Instagram account, @esther.rel, but there are 56 | NO V E MBE R 2019
Kayla works to ensure that the materials and labor used to create Esther Rel are responsibly sourced and sustainable.
plans to launch an e-commerce site very soon. Kayla says she would also like to branch out into local boutiques, but her dream is to open her own brickand-mortar store one day and create items beyond swimwear and accessories. She enjoys having her hands in every aspect of the business, from the conception of a product to its delivery to the consumer. Preserving the quality of the fabric is the most crucial component to her. “I never want to compromise the quality of something that has my name on it,” Kayla explains. “I have a lot to learn. I am still trying to get the swing of the timing of a collection. I know good things take time; I want everything to be of substantial quality, and that doesn’t happen overnight. I now understand that as soon as you turn in the ideas to the manufacturer for that first collection, you immediately send in the ideas for the next.” As a consumer, Kayla knows what it means for her audience to invest in staples for their wardrobes;
they want high-quality pieces that will last. As an entrepreneur in her twenties, she knows there’s a lot of potential for growth and success. And, as a transplant to Florida’s community along Scenic Highway 30-A, she knows the power of the water—it has the ability to inspire creative visions that, with hard work, can transform into reality.
Learn more about Kayla Rel or shop now through her Instagram account, @esther.rel. Model: Kailey Lincke Anna Klement is a freelance magazine writer and editor. She is a Santa Rosa Beach local and has a degree in journalism and creative media from the University of Alabama. She writes profile essays inspired by people, places, and good food for both print and digital media. She strives to write meaningful stories that are enlightening and offer a different perspective.
L I V I N G THE DREAM
55 H O P E T O W N L A N E , RO S E M A RY B E AC H ® 5 Bedrooms | 5.5 Bathrooms | 4,266 Square Feet Recently Renovated Cottage & Carriage House $230,000 Projected Rental Income www.RosemaryBeachRealty.com | 850.278.2000 *ROSEMARY BEACH is a registered trademark owned by Rosemary Beach Holdings, LLC and is used with permission pursuant to a license from Rosemary Beach Holdings, LLC.
De b u t s
2020
SPONSORS American Leather Artistic Tile Beach Group Properties Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights Brown Jordan Charleston Academy Of Domestic Pursuits Cindy McCarley Designs Coastal Elements Construction E. F. San Juan, Inc. Frank’s Cash And Carry Gregory D. Jazayeri Design Grimes Cabinets Isidro Dunbar Modern Interiors Jonah Allen Studio Lovelace Interiors New Ravenna Porcelanosa Q Tile Sicis Sabine Hill Summer House Lifestyle
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Le monde
View this property and more Saint Barts getaways from Villas du Lagon at LuxeStBarts.com. Photo courtesy of Luxe St. Barts
Le monde GOES ROUND AND ROUND
Welcome to Saint Barts! Situated in the private Domaine du Levant at Petit Cul-de-Sac on the tropical island of Saint Barthélemy, the luxurious three-bedroom Villa Lagon Vert is the perfect “gotta get away” destination for those who want to experience the island like a local. With two large swimming pools, panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea, an outdoor dining area, and close proximity to the beach, nature reigns supreme here. The Luxe St. Barts concierge will also provide breakfast and cleaning services daily, fitness club access, airport transportation, reservations for dining and activities, and more—everything you could want in a posh island vacation. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 59
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LIFE, LOVE, and SURFING By Tori Phelps | Photography courtesy of Surfari Charters
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When your days are spent surfing, fishing, and hanging out on the beach—all in the name of helping guests enjoy the adventure of a lifetime—the line between work and play gets pretty fuzzy. Lance and Kristin Moss, owners of Nicaraguabased Surfari Charters, aren’t sure whether their life is all work or all play, but they’re loving every minute of it. rading a comfortable existence in Florida for the rigors of building a life and a business on a remote Central American coastline isn’t for everyone. When the couple first began exploring Nicaragua two decades ago, the universal response from friends and family was, “Are you crazy? Isn’t there a war there?” But witnessing their undeniable success, not to mention their contagious happiness, has a way of changing minds. It’s safe to say that today, nobody who knows the Mosses could imagine them doing anything else. Not surprisingly, the couple’s road to both Surfari and happily ever after started on the sand. Pennsylvania native Kristin turned down a Division I lacrosse scholarship in favor of Saint Augustine’s Flagler College because one was on the beach and one, well, wasn’t. During her freshman year, she tucked a surfboard under her arm and headed to the shore, where she none-too-politely shot down Lance’s offer to give her surfing lessons. She concedes that she could have used the lessons but was wary of the Flagler junior who seemed a little too “freewheeling” for her tastes.
Surfari Charters founders Lance (below) and Kristin Moss, along with their sons Hunter and Ryder, split their time each year between Nicaragua and Niceville, Florida.
Lance did live in a beach house and tear around campus in a pickup truck, but he was also a business and accounting double major who was pretty darn serious about his life plans. Raised in Niceville, Florida, the son of a fighter pilot stationed at nearby Eglin Air Force Base, he had always been into water sports like boating, fishing, and surfing that were simply a part of life on the Florida Panhandle. And though he opted for weighty degrees, he couldn’t imagine life without surfing. So when he recognized a feisty kindred spirit on the beach, he persisted until she agreed to a date. Before long, the two were inseparable, and their 2005 wedding took place—where else?—on the beach. They had already been operating Surfari Charters for a couple of years when they tied the knot. Lance had bought the tract of land while still in college, unable to resist when his landlord mentioned that a friend was selling property in Nicaragua. “I met with both of them, and they showed me a VHS tape of a truck banging through the jungle and pulling onto a secluded beach,” he recalls, adding that a Costa Rican surfing trip the previous year had ignited a love for Central America. “I was sold on the property sight unseen after two waves on a VHS tape.” V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 61
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ith some help from his roommates, he pulled together the five-thousanddollar purchase price and, later that summer, took his girlfriend, Kristin, and her sister, Lauren, to scope out the property. They discovered that the land was, indeed, in the middle of nowhere, with zero transportation, restaurant, or hotel options. They eventually found a local willing to rent them a room in his house and, after a while, got used to the chicken who laid eggs on their pillows. In the meantime, they fell in love with the fantastic waves and the even more amazing Nicaraguan people. By the end of the trip, Kristin and Lance were determined to make it their home. Two college graduations and many nights of waiting tables later, they had saved enough money to start Surfari Charters. Loading up a Toyota Land Cruiser and making the (permanent) drive from Niceville to Nicaragua may seem like an act of blind optimism only the young would dare, but the pair had a number of things working in their favor. For starters, both spoke Spanish; in fact, Kristin had double majored in Spanish and Latin American studies. And their property was located in a perfect spot to launch a company that specialized in surfing and fishing charters. Thanks to reliable offshore winds, their fifty-mile stretch of southern Nicaragua coastline is replete with beach breaks, point breaks, river mouth breaks, reef breaks, and other waves that make it a surfer’s paradise. It’s the most consistent surf zone in the Americas, Lance contends.
Thanks to reliable offshore winds, their fifty-mile stretch of southern Nicaragua coastline is replete with
Right: According to Lance, Nicaragua offers some of the most consistent year-round surfing conditions in the Americas.
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beach breaks, point breaks, river mouth breaks, reef breaks, and other waves that make it a surfer’s paradise. Even so, most vacationers need a little more than great waves and freshly laid eggs on their pillows, so the couple invested in beautiful beachfront accommodations and a lodge where their all-inclusive guests can enjoy meals and a full bar. This combination of an exotic destination, a pristine environment, and a modern-meets-surfer-chic vibe is why Surfari Charters is booked out for months. The demand is so high that they’ve partnered with two neighboring properties to offer visitors a luxury beachfront stay that can be upgraded to include Surfari’s meal plan and charters.
Whether they’re hosting a group of die-hard surfers who also crave some serious fishing time between wave sessions or families looking to make lifelong memories in the surf and sand, all guests receive fully tailored service. Surfari only hosts two groups of three to four people at one time, allowing not only a customized experience but a smooth, seamless holiday. “Surfari takes all of the guesswork out of the equation,” Kristin says. “Our surf guides are great at putting guests on the best breaks for their preferences and abilities, and now that we’ve grown alongside so many of our guests over the years, we know what they hope to achieve during their stay and can make it happen.” She’s not exaggerating when she says they know what their clients want. About 75 percent of their business is repeat customers and, thanks to the quality time the Mosses get to spend with guests on the charters, the relationships run far deeper than vacationer–business owner interactions. It’s like having a group of family members come to stay with them every week, Lance says. They do have some first-timers, too, and part of welcoming them into the Surfari family is introducing newcomers to the real Nicaragua. Contrary to what’s often reported stateside, the country is generally very safe, and the area in which Surfari Charters operates is even more so. The Moss family, which now includes sons Hunter, 4, and Ryder, 2, wouldn’t stay if security was an issue. They believe the area is safer than many US cities.
tweens, womens, gi�s 104 north barre� square RO S E M A RY B EA C H , F L
850.231.1720
Left: Kristin, Lance, Hunter, and Ryder Moss at Surfari Charters HQ in Nicaragua
Le monde
What started as Lance and Kristin’s desire to create something they love with the person they love has turned into a legacy they believe is worth passing on. Sure, they want the business to be financially successful, but they measure the real value of Surfari in the relationships they and their boys have forged with Nicaraguan locals and guests that have become friends. Calling it a lifelong gift, Kristin says they wouldn’t trade those connections for anything.
“Lance and I are big believers that the energy you put out there creates the energy you get back. We try to live our lives as positively as we can for ourselves and our kids, and things sort of come together.”
Top left and right: In addition to lodging and surfing adventures, Surfari Charters also offers deep-sea fishing expeditions. Bottom: Guests of Surfari Charters can enjoy outings along over thirty miles of coastline in Nicaragua. Photo by LMspencer / Shutterstock 64 | NO V E MBE R 2019
hat enchants new arrivals most about Nicaragua, though, is its people, whom the Mosses have found to be extraordinarily kind and humble. “They’ll take the shirts off their own backs to help someone out,” Kristin says. “The Nica people are very family oriented, and many have become our family over the years.” Of course, other members of their family still live in Niceville, where the Mosses return each year from mid-December through April. The annual visit allows the kids to soak up some Americana and to spend time with their grandparents, who live just three doors down from the family’s Niceville house. Both halves of this dual-nation life contribute immensely to the boys’ upbringing, their parents say, and they don’t intend to mess with that model.
With seventeen years in Nicaragua under their belts, Lance and Kristin have spent nearly half their lives in the country, and its culture has seeped into their souls. Both are naturally inclined to laid-back, mindful living, but the time in Nicaragua has strengthened their belief in the power of now. “Lance and I are big believers that the energy you put out there creates the energy you get back. We try to live our lives as positively as we can for ourselves and our kids, and things sort of come together,” Kristin says, poking fun at herself for the seemingly flighty sentiment. “But truly, life is short. We want to run Surfari with all of the people we love, put aside some savings for our kids’ futures, visit family when we can, and keep living in the moment with our awesome little dudes.”
Visit SurfariCharters.com to book your trip! Tori Phelps has been a writer and editor for nearly twenty years. A publishing industry veteran and longtime VIE collaborator, Phelps lives with three kids, two cats, and one husband in Charleston, South Carolina.
Le monde
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Love FOR THE
OF ANIMALS
Alaqua Introduces the Animoré Weekend Festival
Beautiful table settings at the Fifth Annual 100-Point and Cult Wine Dinner in June of 2018 benefiting Alaqua Animal Refuge Photo by Dawn Chapman Whitty
laqua Animal Refuge, Northwest Florida’s largest animal sanctuary, has been rescuing animals of all shapes and sizes since 2007, having helped find homes for over fifteen thousand pets with its mission of “shelter, safety, and second chances.” This year, founder Laurie Hood and her team are thrilled to announce the inaugural Animoré weekend festival, an event “for the love of animals.” This signature event will play a major role in Alaqua’s capital fund-raising drive for the completion of its new one-hundred-acre facility in Freeport, Florida. The first Animoré festival will take place on the grounds of Alaqua Animal Refuge’s future home on October 18 and 19, and the weekend showcases two events—the Sixth Annual 100-Point and Cult Wine Dinner and the inaugural Barn Jam.
The 100-Point and Cult Wine Dinner on October 18 is an exclusive evening for a limited collection of patrons; it will take place in the all-new Alaqua Tipis, a permanent collection of tepees on the property that will be home to many future events and fund-raisers. This one-of-a-kind experience offers guests the chance to be the first in this unique setting. They will be welcomed with champagne and signature Animoré cocktails along with an intimate musical performance, followed by an exquisite fivecourse dinner prepared by Chef Brendan Davey of The Henderson beach resort. Distinctive and stellar wines, specially procured for this dinner, will be perfectly paired with each course. The night will conclude with exciting live and silent auctions featuring incredible prizes and experiences. Guests who purchase tickets for the 100-Point and Cult Wine Dinner will also be treated the next day V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 67
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“
One of Alaqua’s goals for its future home and unique environment is to be an inspiration for creating a kinder, more empathetic, and healthier society by healing both animals and people.
Patrons at the Fifth Annual 100-Point and Cult Wine Dinner Event photos by Dawn Chapman Whitty
to the VIP Patron Lounge, complimentary food and beverages, and prime seating at the inaugural Barn Jam. The Barn Jam on October 19 is shaping up to be a fantastic musical experience in Northwest Florida! Guests will rock out to performances by headliner Eric Lindell along with Jon Nite, Billy Dawson, Aaron Barker, the Pickled Pickers, and the Luke Langford Band. The Animoré weekend benefit was born out of an idea from Alaqua’s founder, Laurie Hood, to create a community event that combines music with excellent food and wine in support of animal welfare. For hundreds of years, music has enhanced our souls and held an extraordinary spiritual power for engaging our senses. Interactions with animals also have powerful effects on the human spirit and body, so it seemed only natural to combine the two! One of Alaqua’s goals for its future home and unique environment is to be an inspiration for creating a kinder, more empathetic, and healthier society by healing both animals and people. Hood and her team believe that this inaugural Animoré festival will do that—bringing people together through music and engagement to help heal and give animals in Alaqua’s care a second chance at life, happiness, and, most of all, love.
VIE is proud to be a media sponsor of the inaugural Animoré weekend festival! Visit Animore.org to learn more or purchase your tickets today!
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2019 Barn Jam headliner Eric Lindell
The Pickled Pickers
The Alaqua Tipis will be a year-round event venue featuring large tents and performance space similar to this.
Billy Dawson
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L’intermission
Ancient Architecture Peru’s Machu Picchu is one of our top picks for the most beautiful places in the world! See more on our blog at VIEmagazine.com/ most-beautiful-placein-the-world. Look for more on this destination in VIE’s January 2020 issue!
Take a trip back in time to the famous Incan mountaintop citadel of Machu Picchu, high above the Urubamba River Valley.
Love, VIE xo
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Artisans and creatives T h e He a r t o f a C o m m u n i t y B Y N A O M I A LVA R A D O
All along Scenic Highway 30-A in Northwest Florida there is a low, persistent hum of happiness and optimism in the air. Each town along the way has a distinct vibe and is filled with smiling visitors excited about the possibilities of the week ahead.
hey are families here for a reunion, friends celebrating a bride- and groomto-be, couples commemorating a special anniversary, or coworkers getting a much-deserved break from the office. But for locals, this is simply home.
Right: Naomi and Chris Alvarado with their son, Hayden Photo by Shelly Swanger 72 | NO V E MBE R 2019
I moved here in 2009, three days after I graduated from college, for a summer job that would serve as a springboard to a career in a bigger city. As soon as I crossed the bridge over the Choctawhatchee Bay, something felt different, and I knew I would never look back. I had only been to the area once when I interviewed for the job, so everything was unfamiliar to me, but it already felt like home. I found new favorite places and made friends, but it wasn’t until a few months later that I discovered what is so special about our area.
I’ve never felt a sense of community like I do here in South Walton. The local population is small but incredibly supportive of its own. We have our differences and issues to be resolved, but overall there is a shared love of the area that unites us. The primary industry around here is tourism, which lends itself to a multitude of opportunities for potential business owners: entertainment, event planning, hospitality,
creative people can explore their passions here, often full-time, rather than trying to squeeze doing what they love into the daily hustle and bustle between paying the bills.
art, fitness, food and wine, and real estate, to name a few. I think a big part of what makes 30-A unique is the community of creatives. When asked how Walton County is different from her hometown, local artist Allison Wickey (AllisonWickey.com) says, “There is a high concentration of like-minded people here—entrepreneurial, outdoorsy, eco-minded—more than anywhere I’ve ever lived.” Whether you are a musician, an artist, an event planner, or a chef, there is an opportunity here for you to explore your passion. We have a broad audience of tourists who frequent our little beach town for most of the year. On vacation, they can slow down and appreciate life differently from the way they do at home. My husband, Chris Alvarado, a musician and luthier (Driftwood-Guitars.com), comments, “When people visit this area, they are most often on vacation. And with that comes an overall attitude of relaxation. People who visit South Walton are more willing to go with the flow and allow you to be a part of their vacation experience. I get to see people at their best, and in turn, this allows me to establish an honest and open friendship with my customers.” There is time to enjoy an after-dinner cocktail and listen to live music or do another lap around a gallery showing. Our visitors have the time for a sunrise yoga session on the beach—allowing that yoga instructor to make a living while doing what she loves. Or they can end the day with a fresh meal of locally sourced seafood (or seafood they caught themselves during a fishing charter), prepared by the local private chef whose passion lies in the kitchen and entertaining his customers face-to-face. Creative people can explore their passions here, often full-time, rather than trying to squeeze doing what they love into the daily hustle and bustle between paying the bills. My husband and I are both self-employed, as are most of our friends in various fields. We fully understand the pressures and risks involved in venturing out on
one’s own. He is a musician and luthier, and I am a blogger, freelance writer, and booking manager. We started working for ourselves about ten years ago. It can be a daily struggle to stay on top of tasks, but it’s how we support our family. Maintaining drive and focus is vital. There is also huge freedom in being able to structure the day as we please. While I treat the business side of things as seriously as I would a “regular” job, I’m able to maintain a focus on the creative side of my work, and that eliminates the mental drain that I used to feel regularly.
Above: Artist Allison Wickey Above left: Chris Alvarado not only plays guitar—he also creates one-of-a-kind handcrafted ones in his Driftwood Guitars workshop. Photos by Shelly Swanger
Because of the size of our area, you don’t get lost in the shuffle here. Your word has value. News, both good and bad, travels fast, and we have found that V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 73
our homeowners make original art a priority in their homes, and our visitors love to take a ‘piece’ of our town home with them in the form of original art. Above left: Artist Andy Saczynski’s studio and gallery is located in Grayton Beach, Florida. Photo by Brenna Kneiss Above right: Lindsey Thompson and Tim Jackson make music and perform in and around Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. Their album And Then the Rain was released earlier this year. Photo by Romona Robbins 74 | NO V E MBE R 2019
even small things go a long way, like recommending other artists for shows we can’t book or helping new musicians in the area find gigs. That is the kind of help we received when we were starting out, and we owe that level of respect to others. Countless people guided us to new opportunities and ideas for growth. Erin Bakker, the owner of The Hive Creative Consulting, says, “Because of the nature of our work, The Hive has the unique opportunity to bring businesses together on a daily basis. Through events and marketing campaigns, we continuously find ways to cross-promote with other local businesses. The Emerald Coast has a tight-knit group of business owners, and we all look out for each other.”
The artists around here are generous with their time and assistance; there isn’t a sense of holding anything close to the vest, and nobody is too worried about competition. Jeff Margaretten, whose unconventional business combo is designing buildings and making sushi (SushiByJeff.com), has found the perfect way to connect with other locals. “Sharing ideas and talking shop with colleagues is a great pastime,” he says. “Frequently, you’ll find me nestled up to the local sushi bar, ordering omakase, drinking sake, and marveling at the skills of the local culinary greats.” The 30-A area has room for everyone to make their mark, and because we have such a diverse group of visitors, there is always a chance to connect with new
audiences. Tourists appreciate our work, and they take that work home. Wickey has experienced this with her artwork. “Our homeowners make original art a priority in their homes, and our visitors love to take a ‘piece’ of our town home with them in the form of original art,” she says. Those visitors spread the word for you, and new clients come to see you because they have already heard about your business. You can have a more regionally focused business, thanks to the uniqueness of South Walton. I’m so appreciative that I found this area! I moved homes a lot as a kid, and don’t feel a real sense of connection to anywhere from my childhood. My son, however, is going to grow up in this fantastic community of people who have known him from the time he was a baby. He has special needs, and I love that there will always be people keeping an eye on him and looking out for him. Our fellow locals have not only watched him grow, but they’ve also watched us grow as parents. The amount of encouragement we have received is staggering and has helped us through a lot of difficult times over the years. Chris adds, “There is a great sense of, ‘If you do well, we all do well.’ That makes me want to be successful and help others to do the same.” If it weren’t for our South Walton community, we wouldn’t be where we are today. In business and in life, this town has done so much for us and many others like us. If there is a field you have always wanted to work in, you can find a way to start your own business here and thrive—your neighbors will be here to support you!
Le monde
THE
RIPPLE EFFECT H E LPI NG FA M I LI E S T H R I V E
The mission of Communities of Transformation is to move families from surviving to thriving by helping them develop personal leadership skills and build authentic relationships. Chapters hold weekly meetings and programs in communities throughout South Alabama and Northwest Florida.
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ER IC A AV ER IO N and EMI LY PROCTOR Photography courtesy of COMMUN I T I ES OF T RAN SFORMAT I ON By
Here are three statistics to consider:
1.
Sixty years ago, the average dinner time was ninety minutes. Today, it is less than twelve minutes. A national survey done by Eckrich some years ago revealed nearly half of American families ate dinner together fewer than three times a week or not at all.
2.
Research by Shelly Gable and Jonathan Haidt, published by the American Psychological Association, suggests that we actually have three times more positive experiences than negative and that discussing positive experiences and good news leads to heightened well-being, increased overall life satisfaction, and even more energy.
3.
According to Professor Norihiro Sadato, the study lead and professor at the National Institute for Physiological Sciences in Japan, “To the brain, receiving a compliment is as much a social reward as being rewarded money. We’ve been able to find scientific proof that a person performs better when they receive a social reward after completing an exercise. Complimenting someone could become an easy and effective strategy to use in the classroom and during rehabilitation.” What do these statistics about families sitting down at the dinner table, giving compliments, and sharing good news have in common? They are all reasons to pay attention to a relatively new and growing not-forprofit organization in Alabama and Florida called Communities of Transformation. The mission of Communities of Transformation (COT) is to move families from surviving to thriving by developing personal leadership skills and building authentic relationships. From its initial launch in 2013, COT has grown to include ten sites—nine in
Alabama (Brewton, Dothan, Eufaula, Evergreen, Mobile, Montgomery, Phenix City, Pine Hill, and Selma) and, as of March 2019, one in Santa Rosa Beach (South Walton), Florida. Each site, with its own local leadership team and in partnership with local 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organizations and churches, meets weekly, offering dinner, a program, and childcare to anywhere from twenty to fifty volunteers and participants. After dinner, attendees circle up to share their “good news,” and the evening concludes with each person receiving a compliment or “affirmation” from someone else. Classes and programming are designed to nurture healthy, supportive relationships, increase self-awareness, and equip individuals to set and achieve their life goals. After an initial twelve-week “Awaken” class or volunteer training program, relevant programming continues while everyone continues to receive support and encouragement in “matched groups” consisting of one to two Awaken graduates and three to four volunteers.
Communities of Transformation is a place where, no matter what the celebrations or challenges are in your life, there is an abundance of authentic people open and willing to meet you exactly where you are and support you. One thing that distinguishes Communities of Transformation from other “helping” initiatives in our community, many of which are transactional in nature, is its philosophy. For its Awaken curriculum and essential practices, Communities of Transformation partners with Think Tank, Inc., a not-for-profit whose mission is to “alleviate poverty by equipping communities to embrace mind-sets and practices that restore the social fabric of society” (ThinkTank-Inc.org). At Think Tank and COT, poverty is defined holistically, with reference to five interconnected dimensions: spiritual, relational, physical, intellectual, and financial. Attention is paid to the impact of individual choices, life circumstances beyond one’s control, and systemic challenges and injustices. Volunteer training utilizes resources such as Toxic Charity by Robert Lupton and When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert. At the heart of it all is the importance of relationships. For me (Erica), as a volunteer and a member of the leadership team in South Walton, Communities of Transformation is a place where, no matter what the celebrations V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 77
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When the site coordinator in South Walton, Florida, Emily Proctor, was asked what she has found to be most true about Communities of Transformation, she responded with this: “What I have come to learn is that Communities of Transformation is the kind of place where no one gives up on you. Simply put, it’s the kind of place where we each hang in there with each other and with ourselves until true transformation happens. It was a not-to-be-missed opportunity for our local partner Caring and Sharing of South Walton, which had long provided relief for families in crisis but, until now, offered no clear path to selfsufficiency and thriving.”
or challenges are in your life, there is an abundance of authentic people open and willing to meet you exactly where you are and support you. Need a friend? A break and a deep breath around a dinner table once a week? Help with brainstorming how best to accomplish a dream or goal? A mentor? Guidance on how to navigate a new or difficult season in life? You can find it at Communities of Transformation, where more is caught than taught.
Above: Communities of Transformation leaders are dedicated to taking the church into the community and building bridges across racial, economic, social, and cultural boundaries. Members receive support and guidance with a variety of topics such as banking and debt management, building strong relationships, earning college degrees, and securing jobs.
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On any given Tuesday night at COT, we may sit at the table with a public health graduate student, a single mom struggling to make ends meet, a woman in recovery, a teacher’s aide and education enthusiast, a new grandma, and a retired small business owner. There may be three or four different churches represented and an agnostic. And the more we get to know each other, the more we begin to admire and learn from one another. Is it always sunshine and rainbows? No, because these are real, authentic relationships built in a diverse community. We try to be honest with ourselves and with each other. We practice vulnerability. We all have strengths, but we all have growth areas as well. But is it one of the best things to ever happen to me? Yes. For many of us, COT is starting to feel an awful lot like family—in a good way. But don’t just take my word for it. In the words of a recent Awaken graduate in South Walton: “the model teaches people to be leaders in their own lives, which in turn creates a positive domino or ripple effect in the community.” In effect, we are creating the change we wish to see in the world, starting with ourselves and fanning outward, one relationship at a time.
If you are interested in learning more about Communities of Transformation, supporting this organization financially, or starting a similar program in your community, visit CommunitiesofTransformation.org or contact the conference director, Katy Wrona, at k atywrona.cot@gmail.com. Erica Averion lives in South Walton, Florida, with her husband, Carl. She was the cofacilitator for Communities of Transformation’s first Awaken participant class in Florida. She is an advocate, speaker, writer, and communications strategist who lives in the solution and focuses on the underdog. Her life’s work is centered on social impact and social responsibility for those with criminal backgrounds, and she’s especially passionate about restorative justice and traumainformed care. Visit EricaAverion.com to learn more. Emily Rose Proctor is a pastor and poet who grew up vacationing in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, where she now lives with her husband, Richard, and their two young children. In addition to serving as the site coordinator for Communities of Transformation, she also serves part-time as the SoWal Community Chaplain (SoWalChaplain.org) and preaches monthly to the “Metho-Bapterians” at Red Bay Presbyterian Church. Emily is an alumna of Williams College and Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia.
of Change A poem by S U S A N N A H W R I G H T
Scrooge had a very bad night And was changed the very next day; Not to contradict Mr. Dickens, But change doesn’t happen that way. Everything goes through changes: Every living thing on this earth— From a drop of water from the sky To an animal that has just given birth. As human beings, we desire change Whether we admit to it or not. When we have curly hair, we want it straight; When we’re cold, we would rather be hot!
Your eyes are the only parts of you That do not change as you grow up; Remember this as you decide To drink from the “things can’t change” cup.
You can choose to make changes— A change of mind or a change of heart. No matter what change you need to make, Starting is the hardest part.
The good news about change Is that it’s completely up to you; No one can make you change a thing Unless you want that change too.
My advice to you is this: Take baby steps. Start small. Remember, as a child Before you ran, you had to crawl.
Some changes are inevitable; Like the caterpillar to a butterfly, We also go through metamorphosis As the years go by.
The process of change is more like a circle Than it is one straight and final line, Which means that, if it gets to be too much, You can try again at any time.
From my own personal experience, Change is not an easy thing to do; But the best part about change is It’s completely up to you. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 79
Autism THE
S PECTRUM FINDING A NEW PATH
By S U S A N VA L L E E | P h o t o g r a p h y c o u r t e s y o f W E S T ON WO OD R A NC H
80 | NO V E MBE R 2019
Le monde
Lindy Wood’s dream of creating a sustainable future for adults on the autism spectrum has come true with the opening of Westonwood Ranch, a farm-based learning program for young adults on the spectrum. The determined mom of four was not satisfied with the options she saw for her young son Weston, who is on the autism spectrum, so she set out to create a better future for him and others like him. The school is now accepting applications for full-time fall enrollment in its day program. Kelly Thompson, the executive director, explained the educational approach: “All students must complete a set of core curriculum classes before we individualize their educational track,” she says. “So, let’s say that a student’s end goal is to work in a restaurant kitchen as a line cook; the program track would be geared more toward our kitchen and developing the skills they need to succeed. We still are teaching those core educational concepts such as math, reading, and writing, but we then practically apply them to a skill that students will need for their future.” The core curriculum at the ranch includes home life skills, community skills development, health and social skills, prevocational skills, peer interaction, healthy living, and technology courses.
Left: Now accepting students, Westonwood Ranch in Freeport, Florida, offers a unique learning curriculum for young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to help them improve life skills and prevocational skills.
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Le monde he ranch currently provides a range of services in various programs for more than fifteen individuals with developmental differences. At capacity, the full-time program would be able to educate forty students at a time. The students attend year-round, Monday through Friday, and follow the Walton County School District schedule of 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with one week off in the summer.
Thompson says the team is devoted to providing the highest-quality and best instruction possible to their students. “Our lead educator develops daily lesson plans and runs the instruction. She has her master’s degree in education with a concentration on instruction and curriculum. The student to teacher ratio is three to one. We have three students to one Registered Behavior Technician (RBT). The entire full-time program is overseen by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).” Thanks to the generosity of donors and local foundations, Westonwood Ranch is now able to offer an in-house financial scholarship that families may apply for. The ranch also accepts McKay and Gardiner Scholarship funding and self-pay for the annual tuition. The ranch has a 3,200-square-foot aquaponic greenhouse, a 5,800-square-foot educational building, an equine center, and a small menagerie of animals, including alpacas, rabbits, pigs, and goats. There is a state-of-the-art sensory room with fiberoptic light tubes, sound-dampening chairs, color-shifting lights, and an integrated music system. There’s also a separate exercise room, an art studio, a kitchen, a technology center, and a life skills classroom.
Above: Kelly Thompson, Lindy Wood, and Megan Harrison at the grand opening of Westonwood Ranch on August 20, 2019 Right: In addition to life skills classes, Westonwood Ranch also offers therapeutic equine activities and other animal-assisted therapy programs.
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In addition to the school curriculum, the ranch has begun offering therapeutic equine therapy sessions and an after-school art therapy program. Thompson says she and Wood plan to add a calendar of bonus after-school programs so younger children on the spectrum may participate. Wood’s original goal of creating a world where her son and many others on the spectrum could potentially learn to live more independently and earn a paycheck is the focus of what they do. “We hope that if our students’ goal is to be able to obtain a job in whatever field they are interested in, then we can make that happen,” says Thompson. “If that happens to be here on the ranch, either in our greenhouse or in our other micro-business ventures, then we will provide them a comparable paycheck just like any other business.” She continues, “If they aren’t interested in working on the ranch, we are gathering community business partners who are interested in providing jobs to our
We hope that if our students’ goal is to be able to obtain a job in whatever field they are interested in, then we can make that happen.
students. St. Joe Club and Resorts is one of those businesses. If our students are interested in hospitality, lawn maintenance, the restaurant industry, golf course maintenance, or something along those lines, then we would work to get them placement within St. Joe. We are always looking for other businesses who would be willing to employ some of our students upon graduation.”
V I S IT W E S TO N WO O D.O RG TO L E A RN M O RE .
Susan Vallee has been writing about Northwest Florida for more than twenty years. She’s the author of the popular guidebook Meet Me on 30A, a certified content creator, and a fiction writer. She is also writing a screenplay, working on short stories, and pitching a nonfiction book in between raising a family. You can follow her projects at SusanVallee.com.
FABULOUS KIDS’ FASHIONS & TOYS 62 main street ROSEMARY BEACH,FL gigisfabkids.com 850.231.0110
Le monde
IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE A Survivor’s Story
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By M I C K I K O C H G L E N N
I
wasn’t just scuba diving for fun. I was one of about twenty guests aboard Sea Dancer, a 120-foot liveaboard dive boat, and we were on a mission: to observe and photograph sharks off uninhabited French Cay in the Turks and Caicos Islands. I was forty-one years old, a former radiology director, and by 2002 I had been managing my husband Mike’s orthopedic surgery practice for several years. Among the others living on board the Sea Dancer were a vascular surgeon and an ICU nurse. We were relaxing after the first dive of the day when I decided to join several friends snorkeling during our surface interval. Drifting at the surface, clad only in a gold lamé bikini, I was not surprised to see a seven-foot female shark just beneath my flippers. Mike, still in scuba gear, had swum deeper to take photographs in the cathedral-like beams of light that fell through the bright blue water and faded to dark purple and then black. Five days into the trip, we had become accustomed to having sharks nearby. This shark stopped abruptly and changed direction. She moved slowly upright, aligning her body vertically with mine, and made full contact with me, so that I was sandwiched between her dorsal and right pectoral fins. Slowly and deliberately, she slid all the way up my body. I stared into her eye, inches away—a beautiful gray-green orb with a vertical pupil. I saw the slit of her closed mouth. I thought in that moment that I was the luckiest person in the world. Suddenly, the shark bent her head to the left, flicked her tail gently, and glided away. I began to exhale, then suddenly a powerful surge of water hit me just before the shark slammed into the right side of my upper body. Her upper rows of teeth
raked across my back all the way to my spine and took the posterior half of my armpit and my entire triceps, almost completely stripping the flesh from my upper arm. Her lower jaw sliced through my breast and my biceps. She began thrashing with such force that I suffered whiplash. Finally, she glided away and slid beneath the boat. It was about eight o’clock in the morning on a beautiful sunny day—November 14, 2002. The water was deep crimson. Looking around, I saw four other sharks. I also saw my ragged flesh and bare humerus. What I felt was beyond terror. I began kicking as hard as I could toward the boat, paddling with my uninjured left arm. I glanced behind me, and the water was so red, I couldn’t see my right arm. Then I saw a chalky white creature jerking along behind me, and I stopped for a second. As it drifted closer, I realized that it was my own limp right hand, which had been paralyzed by the attack. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 85
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N
ancy Birchett, who had been snorkeling nearby, reached me and helped propel me to the boat. I climbed two ladders to reach a platform large enough for people to help me and then collapsed. As I lay on the stern in the bright sunshine, the chances that I would survive were fading fast. I began screaming for Mike. I heard his tank drop heavily on the platform a deck below, and within seconds he was kneeling beside me. Mike reached into my shoulder and groped for the torn end of my brachial artery, which was ejecting the fountain of blood I had seen in the water. Randy Samberson, the vascular surgeon, compressed the vessel Mike held between his fingers with a hemostat. Blood still pumped out. Mike worked his way deeper into the wound to grip my artery higher up. That’s when the pain hit. It was surgery without anesthesia. I began to scream. Meanwhile, nurse Libba Shaw started an IV. 86 | NO V E MBE R 2019
Quickly, I developed a mantra: Pain is my friend. My mantra carried me through the excruciating journey to the hospital by dinghy, police boat, helicopter, ambulance, and, at last, Coast Guard jet. Over the next twelve days, doctors operated on me six times, and I required thirteen units of blood. I survived the attack that should have killed me, but the more profound drama—the ordeal of trying to reenter the world—was just beginning. I needed to focus on something every minute, because as soon as I relaxed, the hospital walls would turn into the sea, and I relived the shark attack over and over. I would wake screaming, with my mother standing over me saying, “Honey, it’s just a nightmare.” The day before Thanksgiving, Mike and I returned to our home in Destin, Florida. Mike grew up in the Niceville area, and I’ve lived in Okaloosa or Walton County since 1985. We were overwhelmed by the outpouring of love, concern, prayers, flowers, cards, food, and support we received from hundreds of local friends and acquaintances. After the shark attack, I felt as though I’d been cleaved into two identities: the Micki I knew and loved was loud and clear in my head, but the new Micki—injured,
Above: Micki Koch Glenn and her husband, Dr. James Michael “Mike” Glenn
frightened, and timid—emerged as the dominant me. To my dismay, she controlled my feelings and my body. When I had flashbacks in the middle of the night, I’d retreat into my closet and curl up in a ball, pressing my back into a corner so that I could see anything approaching, and I would cry. Flashbacks are an all-out assault on the emotional system. I was frightened to my core, disfigured, and in a tremendous amount of pain—and narcotics made me throw up. Simple tasks such as dressing myself, inserting my contact lenses, preparing food, washing dishes, tying my shoes, and learning to write with my left hand felt overwhelming. I had the sensation that pieces of me were scattered in the ocean, and they were; physical pieces of me were missing. But it was more than that. I felt like I had lost who I was. I had reveled in my life and my fearlessness. Things I did, such as stepping off the Okaloosa Island Pier into an eighteen-foot crest in a
hurricane surge or galloping on my big Swedish Warmblood horse, Gent, in the woods on Eglin Air Force Base reservation at night while watching the tracers from gunships doing night ops—those aren’t just things I do. That’s who I am. I developed a strategy. Each morning when I woke with a cloak of fear and despair suffocating me, I chose to smile. Sometimes tears were streaming down my face, but I forced my lips into a big smile, and I made a decision to be positive. It was powerful and one of the few things I could control. Had I chosen to give in to despair instead of forcing myself to smile, I would have slid into self-pity.
I SURVIVED THE ATTACK THAT SHOULD HAVE KILLED ME, BUT THE MORE PROFOUND DRAMA—THE ORDEAL OF TRYING TO REENTER THE WORLD—
I celebrate November 14, the day I survived. I WAS JUST BEGINNING. typically do something fun like horseback riding followed by a two-hour massage. Then I soak in a hot bath and sip a nice red wine while listening to classical music or jazz. Then I dress up and go out to dinner. I don’t suppress my memories; I review what was happening to me hour by hour. It’s not bad or sad—it’s just remembering and feeling blessed to be alive.
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P H OTO BY JON AH ALL EN
D e b u t s
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Le monde
TALKIN’ ‘BOUT SOME GENERATION BY NICHOL A S S. RACHEOTES 90 | NO V E MBE R 2019
U
nless you’ve been a houseguest among extraterrestrial relatives in a distant galaxy or have been immunized against American pop culture, the fiftieth anniversary of Woodstock has flooded your consciousness this year. Who played, who didn’t, who should have—and the Who did. Standing for the millions of us, sons and daughters of the Greatest Generation, the audience managed to get us labeled as the Woodstock generation. Side note: with no disrespect to those who survived the rain and mud of the two World Wars, I tried to ask George Washington, Alexander of Macedon, and Genghis Khan which one they considered to be the greatest generation, but I couldn’t find them on Facebook. The big question, which sophisticated Millennials and post-Millennials must contemplate because I said so, is, “Does labeling generations obscure more than it explains?” In Lloyd C. Douglas’s novel The Robe, the hero, Marcellus (Richard Burton in the movie), is traumatized by witnessing Christ’s crucifixion. Now and then, he cries, “Were you out there?” From this, we might imagine that a generation identifies with having witnessed a defining event. Remind me how many patriots froze with Washington at Valley Forge (one of the most inappropriately named landmarks in US history). Bringing matters up to date, how many stuck-in-the-sixties Woodstockers couldn’t wait to get a warm shower after three days in Bethel, New York? Most of the Woodstock generation wasn’t even at Woodstock. So, the answer to Marcellus could have been, “No, none of us were out there!” At the turn of the twentieth century, the so-called fin de siècle, the labelers across Europe had an unplowed field day writing about the decadence besetting Western civilization. Here, I’ll spare you the sophomore reading list except to say this scribbling was covering pages while Einstein was discovering spacetime, modern genetics was being refined, and more people were living longer. That statistic is proof— between eighty and ninety proof, that is, given the alcoholism prevailing among public intellectuals of those times—that decadence is in the eye (and the glass) of the beholder.
MY PERSONAL FAVORITE AMONG LABELS IS BRANDING THE COLLEGE-AGE AMERICANS OF THE 1950S AS THE SILENT GENERATION. LET’S SEE—CAMPAIGNING FOR RACIAL EQUALITY, RALLYING AGAINST NUCLEAR WEAPONS, SPEAKING OUT IN FAVOR OF ELEVATING WOMEN ABOVE BEING “THE SECOND SEX,” AND CONDEMNING THE EXACTIONS OF GLOBAL COMMUNISM SOMEHOW DOESN’T SOUND PASSIVE TO ME.
My personal favorite among labels is branding the college-age Americans of the 1950s as the Silent Generation. Let’s see—campaigning for racial equality, rallying against nuclear weapons, speaking out in favor of elevating women above being “the second sex,” and condemning the exactions of global communism somehow doesn’t sound passive to me. Let’s increase the flow of the current and turn to our Millennials. I’m confused as to what the term even means. Since the Greatest Generation, we supposedly have had these generational designations: Baby Boomers: born 1946–1964 (54–72 years old) Generation X: born 1965–1980 (38–53 years old) Millennials: born 1981–1996 (22–37 years old) Post-Millennials (Gen Z): born 1997–present If I weren’t running out of space, I’d have a few things to say about Generation X for being kissed off by the arbiters of labeling. Instead, while the Who are promising that this is the last of their unending farewell tours, we’ll t-t-talk about this g-g-generation. By word association, post-Millennials have been participation trophied, helicoptered, overfed, indulged as no prior generation, undereducated, and permitted to live in a virtual reality created by the heroes and villains of social media. They don’t watch baseball because it’s too slow and they download musical porn, which their elders can’t understand because it’s too fast. They’re privileged and passive. They might not even be trusted to run a warming planet, beset on all sides with dangers
imaginable and unimaginable. What is the defining event with which they associate—9/11, the advent of texting, or Alexa, everyone’s imaginary friend? These put-downs fly, or should I say drone, in the face of what hasn’t changed over twenty-five centuries. Given the number of them who serve in the armed forces, what makes anyone think that post-Millennials do not value freedom and valor? What convinces us, as those of the fin de siècle convinced themselves, that things have deteriorated? Our youth still believe that “…the bravest spirits who, having the clearest sense both of the pains and pleasures of life, do not on that account shrink from danger,” and that when doing good, “we are unlike others; we make our friends by conferring, not by receiving favors.” When Pericles was saying these words to the Athenians in the midst of war, he wasn’t talkin’ ’bout “getting back to the garden.” Instead, like the best in all generations who got us here, he was talking about cultivating the garden we have. In the end of one age, which is the beginning of the next, we needn’t “cause a big sensation” by putting down the next generation.
Nick Racheotes is a product of Boston public schools, Brandeis University, and Boston College, from which he holds a PhD in history. Since he retired from teaching at Framingham State University, Nick and his wife, Pat, divide their time between Boston, Cape Cod, and the rest of the Western world. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 91
Bon appétit!
Vanilla Latte Coffee Cupcakes by Julián Ángel Photo courtesy of Historias del Ciervo
Bon appétit! THE ESSENCE OF LIFE
There’s no doubt that the culinary arts are just that—art. Perhaps one of our favorite examples of this creative penchant for cooking is Historias del Ciervo, the phenomenon founded by Julián Ángel. The Colombian cake designer has taken the baking scene by storm with his incredibly beautiful confections. This year he is touring the world to host workshops in Medellín, Bogotá, Barcelona, Paris, Jakarta, Abu Dhabi, Buenos Aires, San José, Singapore, Bangkok, Miami, New York, Monterrey, Mexico City, Lima, Santiago, Dubai, and more. We’re in love with these vanilla latte coffee cupcakes—visit ElCiervo.co to find the recipe! V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 93
Bon appétit!
Amy Wright with her youngest children Jane (Bitty) and Benjamin Jr. (Beau), both of whom were born with Down syndrome and inspired the Wrights to found Bitty & Beau’s Coffee. 94 | NO V E MBE R 2019
SE RVI N G AC C E PTA N C E AT B I T T Y & B E AU ’ S C O F F E E
loving cup
BY M E G A N WA L D R E P
P H OTO G R A P H Y CO U R T E S Y O F B IT T Y & B E AU ’ S
ow would it be if we met our neighbors with the same spirit of curiosity we have when traveling abroad? What if we were willing to learn what others think and feel without judgment or fear? Visiting Bitty & Beau’s Coffee isn’t a trip to Europe, yet the experience will leave you with a meaningful and lasting impression that no historical structure, cherished piece of art, or rare vintage wine can replicate. In a simple yet profound way, one cup of coffee at Bitty & Beau’s can change your life for the good.
“Good Morning! Welcome to Bitty & Beau’s!” a greeting that echoes many times in the two-story, black-and-white space of the Wilmington, North Carolina, location. That is, until the greeting appropriately changes at noon. What makes Bitty & Beau’s Coffee unique is its employees—almost all hires are adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (or IDD). By creating jobs for adults with IDD, Bitty & Beau’s Coffee becomes a conduit for change not only for their hires, but also through challenging social norms of how we value, accept, and interact with other people.
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Bon appétit! ife-and-husband team Amy and Ben Wright, both with backgrounds in show business, traded scripted film for an unscripted life when they moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, to start a family. Daughters Lillie and Emma Grace were born before welcoming their son Benjamin Jr. (Beau), and five years later, a baby girl named Jane (nicknamed Bitty); both Beau and Bitty were born with Down syndrome. Having two children with IDD thrust the Wrights into a world that many outsiders don’t understand—and, until then, one the Wrights didn’t understand either. What they learned was that less than 20 percent of adults with IDD have jobs, and the rest are left without many options.
so moved by the Wrights’ mission that they donated their former Hummer dealership building for the new Beau’s Coffee shop. Five hundred square feet became five thousand, which now features a roasting room, a variety of tables and seating (including a community table), administrative offices, and a cozy library section with couches to enjoy an afternoon with friends.
Wanting more for their children, the Wrights opened a five-hundred-square-foot coffee shop in 2016 and hired nineteen highly capable adults; they named the business Beau’s Coffee. “We don’t want people to come in and leave and go, ‘Man, they totally figured it out—people with IDD can work in coffee shops,’” Ben Wright said in an interview with Fatherly.com. “What B U T B E AU H A D O N E F I N A L we want to show is that people with IDD C H A N G E TO M A K E T H E B U S I N E S S can be interacted with and do a good job and CO M P L E T E : FO R H I S B I R T H DAY, be part of a viable business. And if you can H E R E Q U E S T E D T H AT H I S get businesses to just begin to tuck in one or SISTER’S NICKNAME BE ADDED two people [with IDD], you start to have a TO T H E CO M PA N Y ’ S T I T L E TO O . substantive impact on the unemployment rate. You can change the culture.”
Your vibe attracts your tribe, and their tribe quickly spread to Hollywood. For example, Bitty & Beau’s Coffee is now the official coffee of the talk show Rachael Ray and has been nationally recognized on
With customer lines wrapping the building within the first six months of business, the Wrights searched for a new space and eventually found one through a few admiring neighbors: the family owners of a local Cadillac dealership, who were
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But Beau had one final change to make the business complete: for his birthday, he requested that his sister’s nickname be added to the company’s title too.
NBC’s Today, Good Morning America, Harry, a syndicated talk show by Harry Connick Jr., and more. On top of that, just one year after opening the first shop, CNN honored owner Amy Wright with CNN’s 2017 Hero of the Year Award. In Amy’s acceptance speech, she explains her mission to change the way people value other people: “I am bringing this home to the forty employees who work at Bitty & Beau’s because they are my heroes. And, most of all, to my two youngest children, Bitty and Beau, who are my inspirations, I want you to know, because I know you are watching, that I would not change you for the world, but I will change the world for you.” Since opening the first store in Wilmington, Bitty & Beau’s Coffee has grown into three other locations: Charleston, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; and the newest, Annapolis, Maryland. “When we first opened, we had nineteen employees,” Amy said. “Once our shop in Annapolis comes online, we’ll have over one hundred employees with disabilities on staff. Remarkably, most of them have never had a paying job before.”
This page and opposite: The mission of Bitty & Beau’s is to employ and support adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Since 2016, the coffee shop has made a home in four locations: Wilmington, North Carolina; Charleston, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; and (coming soon) Annapolis, Maryland.
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Bon appétit! f you know someone who would like to be a part of the Bitty & Beau’s Coffee community, you’re in luck. “We’re always looking for great people to join our team. Anyone with a great attitude and willingness to learn new things is a perfect fit for us,” Amy said. “We look at someone’s skill set, figure out what they’re good at, and plug them in! We believe everyone deserves a chance at meaningful employment.” When asked why the Wrights chose Annapolis for the next location, Amy reflects with enthusiasm. “We’ve found great success in Wilmington, Charleston, and Savannah due to wonderful community support and high tourist traffic. We’re hoping to capture both in Annapolis too,” Amy said. “And we love the idea of expanding to the north and reaching more people with our mission!” It’s Tuesday, late morning, and people are still trickling into ONCE OUR SHOP IN ANNAPOLIS the Wilmington location. The CO M E S O N L I N E , W E ’ L L H AV E OV E R O N E vibe is joyful and uplifting, a H U N D R E D E M P LOY E E S W I T H D I S A B I L I T I E S reflection of those who work O N S TA F F. R E M A R K A B LY, M O S T O F T H E M at the shop. As one customer H AV E N E V E R H A D A PAY I N G J O B B E FO R E . pays for her coffee, the kind employee behind the counter strikes up a conversation. “Do you know Bethany Hamilton? The surfer with one arm?” he asks. “She wins lots This page: The of awards and surfs all the time, even with one arm!” He paused for a moment brand started with while counting change. “She can do a lot, and she’s disabled too!” The customer nineteen employees and has now grown smiled, looked up from her coffee, and said, “You’re right. And so can you.” to employ over eighty across its three current café locations. Bitty & Beau’s celebrated the grand opening at its Charleston location on historic Church Street in February of 2018.
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Visit BittyandBeausCoffee.com to learn more or to order your coffee!
Megan Waldrep is a freelance writer who recently traded life on a thirty-four-foot sailboat in Mexico for a vintage twenty-foot Airstream in Carpinteria, California. She also writes a relationship column under the pen name Elizabeth Rose. What does all this mean? Find out at MeganWaldrep.com.
Bon appĂŠtit!
Extra Ordinary Delights founders Aaron and McKayla Hale 100 | NO V E MBE R 2019
e f i fo L BY FELICIA FERGUSON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROMONA ROBBINS
aron and McKayla Hale are partners in love, life, and candy. But their entrance into the world of candy making wasn’t fueled with work experiences in the Lindt or Ghirardelli kitchens. Instead, it was the result of a positive mind-set and a determination to overcome the unthinkable. While on patrol in Afghanistan in 2011, an IED exploded in Aaron’s face as he was attempting to secure another bomb. The explosion robbed him of his eyesight and his military career. Months later, a bout with bacterial meningitis stole his hearing. Though he would never see again and restoring his hearing would occur only after several painful surgeries, succumbing to the depression many wounded vets experience was not an option. Aaron harnessed an inner strength and chose a positive outlook. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 101
Bon appétit!
to keep his mind off the difficult times. However, as McKayla watched his excitement grow, she knew Aaron was on to something. Drawing on their innate perseverance, love, and dedication, he and McKayla built a new business and created a life that inspires. Extra Ordinary Delights combines his talent and imagination with her skills in brand development and marketing. “We started Extra Ordinary Delights out of our home kitchen, originally doing each box to order,” Aaron says. “The business has since grown out of its humble birthplace into a commercial kitchen.” Each box is now made within two days of shipment and placed in airtight containers, so customers receive the freshest candy possible. The Hale family kitchen has become the couple’s R&D lab, where old recipes are perfected and new concoctions may be envisioned and tested.
rior to his career with the EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) unit, Aaron was a chef in the Navy. There he cooked for the commander of the US Sixth Fleet, dignitaries, royalty, and everyday sailors. But it was a Thanksgiving meal for friends and family in 2015 that changed his life and restored his purpose. Aaron began cooking weeks before the holiday. His return to the kitchen rekindled his first love and sparked his innate creativity. He experimented with imaginative additions to the traditional recipes, creating combinations that tantalized with their flavor and ingenuity. The possibility that his cooking would bring joy to others lifted his heart and, after months of questioning, purpose and delight returned to his life. Thanksgiving arrived, and the evening was a rousing success. Their guests savored the dinner, relishing the food and the company. But it was a small dessert, almost an afterthought in the cornucopia of offerings, that stole the party: Aaron’s fudge.
Above and far opposite: Photos by Colleen Duffley Productions 102 | NO V E MBE R 2019
Bolstered by the feedback, Aaron continued to work in the kitchen. In the beginning, making fudge was simply therapy, an outlet for his creativity and a distraction
Aaron began cooking weeks before the holiday. His return to the kitchen rekindled his first love and sparked his innate creativity. “I had been tinkering with my basic fudge recipe over the holidays for years,” Aaron says. “To be honest, I never really liked traditional fudge. I’d tried the recipes and methods of other candy-making masters only to find them far too cloying. I wanted my fudge to be decadent but not leave you desperate for a glass of milk to wash each bite down—though, our fudge does go nicely with ice-cold milk." Candy making in its essence is about balance. Sugar, cream, and butter must be added in amounts that enhance the whole, entrancing the consumer’s imagination and taste buds. “Once I’d found that balance, I only had to dream up different flavor combinations,” Aaron said.
Currently, Extra Ordinary Delights offers six fudge flavors, but Aaron has created fifty or more varieties. McKayla’s favorites are the sea salt caramels and the strawberry white fudge. Aaron’s nine-year-old son, Cameron, likes anything with sugar in it, but he loves his dad’s triple threat fudge. “Every flavor requires time in the production schedule, different boxes and labels, and so on.” Those logistics and the practicality of a limited selection are also supported by consumer demand. “Of course, we’d like to offer every treat that we can dream up, but the real purpose for Extra Ordinary Delights is to make the customer happy. No matter what new candies we choose to offer, it will be with our customers and the growth of EOD in mind.” Aaron’s days are filled with more than cooking and testing. “Becoming entrepreneurs is a constant exercise in learning,” McKayla says. “We have had to learn the ins and outs of web design, social media marketing, procurement, production, and so on, all while designing each process for scale. We are constantly asking ourselves whether our systems would still be viable at twice the demand, at ten times the demand, or one hundred times the demand.” No matter how busy they become or how large they grow, Extra Ordinary Delights will always have its roots in Aaron’s love of cooking and the happiness he has found in the kitchen.
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rowth, however, seems to be their new normal in business and in life. Extra Ordinary Delights has added a second luxury line to their candy offerings. Positioned and marketed as corporate gifts or for turndown service in luxury hotels, these caramels and truffles possess decadent flavor combinations for the most discerning of taste buds. Ganaches of green tea, toasted caramel, and bourbon drenched with dark or milk chocolate and caramels crusted with sea salt are the perfect treats to promote goodwill or sweet dreams. Available in packs of two to twelve candies, these tiny delights can be made to order with optional corporate branding. Judging by their success with past corporate clients like Blue Buffalo and Boeing, the luxury line is certain to expand. At some point in the future, McKayla would love to add these confectioneries to the main product line.
In April of 2019, the Hale family grew by two as Aaron, McKayla, and big brother Cameron welcomed twins Owen and Wyatt.
The expanding product line is only part of their growth as a couple. Twin boys, Owen and Wyatt, recently joined Aaron, McKayla, and Cameron as the newest members of the Hale family. Balancing the company’s progress and a growing family has become the couple’s latest challenge. Aaron still travels around the country sharing his story as a motivational speaker for corporate events. His most recent appearance was as a part of the Advance Auto Parts annual meeting in September. While the pair once traveled and worked together, they now split duties, as they are partners in parenting as well as candy making. “One of us will answer emails or phone calls while the other takes care of diapers and feedings, and then we switch,” McKayla says. But, just as before, Aaron and McKayla are thriving in spite of the challenges. “It’s not impossible; it just takes a lot of planning and strategy as a team,” she adds. They both have the luxury of working from home, so they are hands-on parents, and Cameron is thriving in his role as big brother. “He loves feeding and holding them, and he’s really good at making them laugh.”
No matter how busy they become or how large they grow, Extra Ordinary Delights will always have its roots in Aaron’s love of cooking and the happiness he has found in the kitchen.
Adversity, love, and the sweet reward of perseverance. Aaron, McKayla and Extra Ordinary Delights embody all of this and more. They are proof that a positive 104 | NO V E MBE R 2019
outlook can overcome the darkest of journeys, that joy can be found after devastating trials, and that good will ultimately prevail.
For orders and more information, visit EODFudge.com. Felicia Ferguson holds master’s degrees in healthcare administration and speech-language pathology but is currently a freelance writer and author. She finds inspiration in lakes and gardens and is blessed to have both at her home in Destin, Florida. More details can be found at FeliciaFergusonAuthor.com.
L’intermission
You, Me, and the Sea
Krabi province in Thailand is one of our top picks for the most beautiful places in the world! See more on our blog at VIEmagazine.com/ most-beautiful-placein-the-world. Photo by Preto Perola
Nature lovers, grab a long-tail boat and head for the gorgeous sights along southern Thailand’s west coast.
Love, VIE xo
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G O OD F O OD F OR A GR E AT C AU S E
EMERIL’S
ANNUAL BASH
P H OTO G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F E M E R I L L AG A S S E F O U N DAT I O N
Grab your tickets for the Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s Boudin, Bourbon & Beer 2019, the annual outdoor food and music festival that will take over Champions Square in New Orleans on Friday, November 8. Each year, BBB brings together the best of food, drink, and entertainment for the ultimate Louisiana-inspired celebration with a cause. The event allows the foundation to support its culinary and nutrition education programs throughout the year. 108 | NO V E MBE R 2019
Bon appétit! hef Aarón Sánchez (owner/chef of New Orleans eatery Johnny Sánchez, author, and MasterChef judge) will cochair Boudin, Bourbon & Beer this year along with founding cochairs Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski. “It’s an honor to cochair Boudin, Bourbon & Beer and support an organization that impacts so many young people in New Orleans and beyond,” Sánchez says. “It’s inspiring to see chefs from all backgrounds come together for this event every year and donate their time, food, and energy for such a valued cause.” The music lineup for this year’s Boudin, Bourbon & Beer at Champions Square is sure to bring the New Orleans flavor to the stage as well. Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Grace Potter, Fruition, and Motel Radio have been confirmed to rock throughout the evening as guests mingle and try over seventy dishes from top chefs around the US. Chef Emeril Lagasse, Donald Link, Stephen Stryjewski, and Aarón Sánchez will host the evening, and guests will enjoy food by chefs Nina Compton (Bywater American Bistro, New Orleans), Jimmy Bannos (Heaven on Seven, Chicago), Kerry Seaton-Stewart (Willie Mae’s Scotch House, New Orleans), Carey Bringle (Peg Leg Porker, Nashville), Leighann Smith (Piece of Meat, New Orleans), Beau MacMillan (Elements, Arizona), Tory McPhail (Commander’s Palace, New Orleans), and more. In addition to top music and culinary talent, Boudin, Bourbon & Beer will feature open bars stocked with a variety of local craft beers from Abita Beer and bourbon cocktails from Buffalo Trace. The bars will also offer premium spirits, fine wines, and more provided by sponsors Au Bon Climat, JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery, Landmark Vineyards, and FIJI Water. What’s more, guests can enjoy a cigar-tasting tent hosted by sponsor Nat Sherman, as well as a silent auction curated by the featured chefs. The 2018 event boasted a crowd of almost five thousand guests, many of whom traveled from across the country to partake in the one-of-a-kind boudin bash. Boudin, Bourbon & Beer kicks off the foundation’s two-night signature fund-raising weekend and is followed by the nationally recognized wine auction and black-tie gala Carnivale du Vin, which celebrates its fifteenth year. The 2018 fund-raising weekend raised $3 million for children’s charities.
Since its inception, the foundation has granted more than $10.5 million to children’s charities to support culinary, nutrition, and arts programs.
The mission of the Emeril Lagasse Foundation is to create opportunities to inspire, mentor, and enable youth to reach their full potential through culinary, nutrition, and arts education with a focus on life skills development. Since its inception, the foundation has granted more than $10.5 million to children’s charities to support culinary, nutrition, and arts programs. Its most recent signature program, Emeril’s Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen, is a national education initiative created to enrich the lives of elementary and middle school children through a fun, fresh perspective on food.
To learn more about Bourbon, Boudin & Beer, the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, and its beneficiaries, visit BoudinBourbonandBeer.com and Emeril.org.
Above and opposite: Each year in New Orleans, the Emeril Lagasse Foundation hosts its biggest fund-raising weekend with Boudin, Bourbon & Beer and Carnivale du Vin. Both events feature top chefs and vintners from around the country. Proceeds from the food festival and charity gala go to the foundation’s programs that help children and teens through culinary, nutrition, and arts education. Left: Celebrity chefs Emeril Lagasse and Guy Fieri at Boudin, Bourbon & Beer 2018 V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 109
Bon appétit!
THE
URBAN HOMESTEAD P L AN T I NG SE E D S O F C U LT U R AL C HANG E
TORI PHELPS Photography courtesy of the URBAN HOMESTEAD By
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ne California family is inspiring a (non)grassroots shift by reviving lost skills for a new generation. Most yards produce patchy grass, weeds so hearty they’ll survive the apocalypse, and perhaps a few flowers. Then there’s the Dervaeses’ modest Pasadena yard, which yields seven thousand pounds of organic produce every year. Raise your hand if you want to switch yards! As pioneers in the urban homesteading movement, the Dervaes family—including dad, Jules, who passed on in 2016, and grown children Justin, Anais, and Jordanne— has spent the last forty years redefining what it means to be self-supporting in the modern world. Food, of course, is an essential component, but their brand of homesteading encompasses nearly every element of life, from making soap to cultivating herbal medicines for humans and animals.
This page and opposite: Jules Dervaes and his family founded their Urban Homestead in Pasadena, California, in 1985.
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A
t first blush, it may sound needlessly old-fashioned (Can’t we just buy these things at the store?). But a closer look reveals that the ideas are undeniably timely. Fear of drug-resistant infections and side effects that can be worse than the original condition have put alternative medicine in the spotlight. And reducing one’s environmental footprint is more in vogue than ever. The problem is that most of us need to be “reskilled” in things like sewing, making candles, drying herbs—even growing plants. And that’s where the Urban Homestead comes in. Sparking a revolution wasn’t on Jules’s mind when, as a college graduate in the late 1960s, he found himself unable to stomach the violence and unrest that permeated the era, as well as the consumerism that seemed to be feeding it. Those convictions prompted him to forge a simple life of self-sufficiency, homesteading first in New Zealand and then in Florida.
Right: Today, the Urban Homestead hosts tours, educational programs, and speaking engagements to help “reskill” the world in sustainable homesteading.
In the first fifteen years, Jules, who was a single, homeschooling father, mastered everything from beekeeping to installing a rainwater system that served as the family’s water supply. The kids learned right alongside him. And when they moved to Pasadena in 1985, downsizing to one-fifth of an acre, they brought that lifestyle with them. On just a sliver of land, they turned homesteading into urban homesteading. Bit by bit, they transformed the small property into a model of urban sustainability that provides 90 percent of the Dervaeses’ vegetarian diet. Still with no grand plan to conventionalize homesteading, the family didn’t advertise any of its steps. If anything, they did their best not to call attention to things like smothering the front yard, fearing censure from the city. The backlash
never came, though, because the Dervaeses gave the neighbors no reason to complain. “We kept the transformation from yard to food beautiful,” recalls Anais, the family chronicler. “My dad always asked himself, ‘Would I want to live next to me?’” The city did come calling eventually, but it wasn’t to complain. Pasadena had begun offering efficiency rebate programs to encourage residential conservation, and administrators noticed that the Dervaes family had taken advantage of pretty much all of them. They wanted to know more about what was happening at 631 Cypress Avenue. The Dervaeses happily obliged the city’s curiosity, and soon the family became a valuable resource for additional program ideas that could benefit both the residents and the city. Media attention wasn’t far behind. And after they were written up in the local paper, a teacher who worked with inner-city kids from Compton asked to bring her class to the homestead. Witnessing the wonder on the children’s faces as they saw—and tasted—everything the homestead had to offer was a game changer for the Dervaes kids. They realized that their idea of normal was utterly foreign to the vast majority of Americans. And they wanted to change that.
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Anais took up blogging, a little-known endeavor in the early 2000s, and through her writing, she made the Dervaeses synonymous with modern homesteading. Individuals and groups flocked to the property, aptly dubbed the Urban Homestead, to learn about and participate in the movement. This sharing of both physical and intellectual materials is central to homesteading, Anais insists. “Not everyone can do it by themselves,” she says of being entirely self-sustaining. “It’s up to us to band together and help each other out.”
to do with produce and herbs they’ve never used, and much more.
In the first fifteen years,
Reskilling, too, is a significant piece of the Urban Homestead’s mission, and the Dervaes siblings regularly offer workshops on topics like canning, wine making, solar cooking, beekeeping, and knitting. The activities are a not-so-subtle reminder that homesteading is, at its core, about reaffirming home as the place you nourish your family, gather with friends, and share the abundance in your life.
homeschooling father,
One key way the Urban Homestead does so is through a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program in partnership with two other farms. The result is that neighbors who don’t grow their own produce can purchase local organic fare directly from those who do. Receiving the weekly boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables not only fills bellies but also expands minds. Thanks to supermarkets that import out-of-season produce year-round, today’s city dwellers are largely unfamiliar with crop cycles. CSA customers get a weekly education on seasonality, how local weather patterns impact crops, what
A clear rebuttal of the notion that one person—or one family, in this case—can’t make a real difference, Anais has seen that the pebble they tossed into the water in Pasadena has rippled throughout the world. The Dervaeses have accepted invitations to speak in places like Greece and India, where breakneck “modernization” is devouring not only cropland but also centuries-old knowledge and traditions. “We were giving a presentation in India, and Dad was up there telling our story,” Anais recalls. “One of the girls raised her hand and said, ‘Thank you for bringing our ways back to us.’ That hit me.”
Jules, who was a single, mastered everything from beekeeping to installing a rainwater system that served as the family’s water supply.
It seems counterintuitive for an American to speak to global citizens about living closer to the land, she admits, but the lesson is half tutorial and half warning: don’t lose your connection to the community, to each other, and to where your food
Above: The Urban Homestead yields seven thousand pounds of organic produce per year from just 484 square yards, thanks to careful planning and tending by the Dervaes family. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 113
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Above: Anais, Jordanne, and Justin Dervaes
comes from. Anais hopes the “been there, lost that” message will, in some small way, help topple the idea of urbanization at any cost. But with 80 percent of the world’s population living in urban areas, urban homesteading is as essential as it is relevant.
Reskilling, too, is a significant piece of the Urban Homestead’s mission, and the Dervaes siblings regularly offer workshops on topics like canning, wine making, solar cooking, beekeeping, and knitting.
The Dervaeses prove every year that it takes just 484 square yards to grow seven thousand pounds of produce (structures occupy half of their property, leaving only one-tenth of an acre for gardens). Clearly, it’s possible. And it’s becoming #goals for people, both online and in real life, even if they have to do it in window boxes or on the roof. Converting just a small fraction of folks to this way of thinking can have far-reaching impacts, Anais says, using her block as an example. If the thirty homes in her neighborhood transformed their yards the way the Dervaeses have, she estimates they could provide a substantial amount of produce for the entire city.
The key is changing the mind-set from grass as a landscape to food as a landscape. Grass is the number one “crop” in the United States, she says, which sucks up water, chemicals, and time. In return, you get—something to mow? Anais, for one, would rather get something for dinner.
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Raising grass is as foreign to Anais and her siblings as trashing eggshells instead of composting them. Homesteading is simply part of who they are. But it’s also a conscious choice. With their dad gone, each of his children has elected to carry the legacy into a new generation, making it their own as they encourage peers to hop on board. “It changes you as a person,” Anais promises. “It drowns you in an awareness of, What are we going to do with this time on earth?” What she doesn’t promise is that homesteading is easy. The Dervaeses know better than most that Mother Nature will refuse to cooperate, experiments will fail, and bees will sting. But the rewards extend far beyond what can be measured in pounds and pints. “Do what you can with what you have and where you are because even the smallest steps can have a big impact,” Anais encourages. “If we all journey together, we’ll make the world a better place.” .
Visit UrbanHomestead.org to learn more about the Dervaes family, their projects, and educational programs.
Tori Phelps has been a writer and editor for nearly twenty years. A publishing industry veteran and longtime VIE collaborator, Phelps lives with three kids, two cats, and one husband in Charleston, South Carolina.
GROWING A HEALTHIER ATLANTA Fast-food joints crowd the landscape of most metropolitan areas, yet many urban dwellers live in a virtual food desert. With no farmers’ markets or supermarkets—and no means to travel to them— inner-city populations are especially vulnerable to a lack of fresh produce. The City of Atlanta is fighting back through projects designed to make healthy foods readily available to millions of residents. Its umbrella program, AgLanta, is focused on solutions like rideshares to markets and supporting a seven-acre urban food forest in southeast Atlanta. A main component is AgLanta Grows-A-Lot, which invites individuals, nonprofits, and businesses to adopt a vacant, city-owned property to start a new urban garden or urban farm. The endeavor aims to position 85 percent of Atlanta residents within a half mile of healthy food by 2022.
Photo courtesy of AgLanta
So far, so good: just a few years in, fresh produce is being grown everywhere from rooftops to energy rights-of-way and making its way to those who need it. That progress is celebrated annually at AgLanta Eats, a fund-raiser and festival where attendees sample dishes made from ingredients grown in urban Atlanta spaces. None of AgLanta’s success would be possible without public-private sector collaboration, says the city’s urban agriculture director, Mario Cambardella. Teamwork has led not only to healthier people but to a healthier city. “Gardens, farms, and food forests provide an amazing experience of sharing fresh food and connecting with nature, which can immeasurably enrich our sense of community,” he says.
Visit AgLanta.org to learn more or get involved.
THE ZOO GALLERY since 1979
Grayton Beach Grand Boulevard T h e Z o o G a l l e r y. c o m s t a n d o u t f r o m t h e h e r d
HANDCR AF TED JEWELRY BY ARTISANS IN BUENOS A IRES
Bon appétit!
LET’S TALK By Suzanne Pollak
TH A NKSGI V ING DINNER GETS A DO-OV ER In November, the big white elephant—oops, I mean turkey— stands in the middle of the month representing feast and family with a meal often fraught with fissures, fatigue, and frustrations. And no wonder! We read advice everywhere about everything: fourweeks-ahead lists, “Thirty Ways to Cook a Turkey,” how to carve (well, at least that’s useful) . . . 116 | NO V E MBE R 2019
Have you noticed how in all the blather, nothing is new, noteworthy, or life changing— it’s all copycat material? Enough with unreal expectations and instructions about one day and one big bird! Thanksgiving is just one meal in a thirty-day month! Let’s consider November from a different angle; instead of announcing trifle piffle (thanks) at the Thanksgiving table, let’s be thankful for what is happening every single day. It’s time to elevate the ordinariness of the daily dinner. My experience from marriage and mothering, from listening to Charleston Academy students, and from accepting invitations to other people’s houses, is this: If you never use your dining room or you do so infrequently or only on big occasions, and if your family only grazes according to their individual schedules with eyes attached to a screen and not on each other, then you will be sorely disappointed. This goes not only for Thanksgiving but also for decades later. The nightly meal is a small but mighty vehicle of opportunity. Your table can be jam-packed with inspired learning—a classroom for watching and doing—and realizing what to be thankful for: manners, nutrition, and bonds, among other things. Eat enough dinners at the table, and you and yours will become aces at many social skills.
his type of expertise is open to anyone with a kitchen table and a stove. Knowledge and enjoyment come from the daily cooking, communicating, connecting, menu planning, table setting, handling of fork and knife, washing up, behaving, knowing what to talk about, knowing how to listen, and knowing when to be excused. The whole shebang of learning how to be a functioning human being takes place naturally around the table. You don’t need to overthink this; you need only to organize family dinner several times a week. If your existence does not include this ritual, then good luck at producing Thanksgiving. Holiday occasions need scaffolding, not just stuffing. Big events run smoothly and everyone has more fun when know-how is the foundation, and that comes from the experience and repetition of multiple little events. Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers popularized the belief that ten thousand hours of practice makes you an expert at whatever you’re practicing. The Charleston Academy calls BS on this. Our “scientific study” proves that to become proficient in domestic pursuits, thousands of hours are not necessary. The goal of family dinners is not to produce a James Beard Award–winning chef or a chief protocol officer at a foreign embassy—although these are possibilities. The Academy’s equation is this: fifty-two weeks per year times four home-cooked dinners around a table per week times fifteen years equals 3,120 hours. That’s more than enough hours to award every family member a PhD in soft skills—useful, practical, and necessary for life. There are two steps to making sure learning happens at an ordinary dinner. First, make the family want to sit down four times a week without devices. Next, make it a habit. Looking back years later, you will feel satisfied with a life well lived, knowing you provided yourself and your family with the nourishment of good food
and one-on-one conversations—cornerstones of success in personal and professional relationships. Small daily habits add up to tremendous rewards. My holidays were remarkable because I was an outsider who wanted to produce idyllic Thanksgivings (as someone who was not raised in this country does to fit in). It was what I learned from feeding my family every night that taught me how to manage the holiday cooking for a crowd. I did not enter marriage as an accomplished cook; birthing children ignited my cooking skills, and they improved because I had to feed the kids every night. I took that job seriously—not for a reward, because there is no daily reward for an everyday dinner, no matter how organized or delicious. Let’s consider November from We must develop thick skins and great a different angle; instead of belief in cooking for a family, because we will be barraged with a steady announcing trifle piffle (thanks) at the stream of complaints before, during, Thanksgiving table, let’s be thankful and after the meal. We need to brush for what is happening every single day. off the whines, repeated in millions of households the world over: What, that again? I don’t want that! I am not hungry for that! So-and-so doesn’t have to eat that at her house. Can I be excused? You might even hear all of this within five minutes of sitting down! The two words “Thank you” are rarely uttered or even thought of, despite the thousands of trips you made to the store, the hours wondering how to feed the flock and what they might want to put into their mouths, the effort of preparing healthy meals, the mentoring in manners and the art of conversation, and so on. The rewards and thanks come years later, not as a whisper from a loved one but as a realization deep inside your brain of your unique accomplishments when you watch your children teach these mighty lessons to their offspring. While waiting for that moment to arrive, be thankful for the goodness you spread four nights a week, fifty-two weeks a year. The Academy bestows upon you a PhD and an Academy Award for the most important job in the world.
Suzanne Pollak, a mentor and lecturer in the fields of home, hearth, and hospitality, is the founder and dean of the Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits. She is the coauthor of Entertaining for Dummies, The Pat Conroy Cookbook, and The Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits: A Handbook of Etiquette with Recipes. Born into a diplomatic family, Pollak was raised in Africa, where her parents hosted multiple parties every week. Her South Carolina homes have been featured in the Wall Street Journal “Mansion” section and Town & Country magazine.
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Start a FUN Family Tradition
Thanksgiving Weekend 2019
Start a FUN Family Tradition
@Aaron Bessant Park Amphitheater
HOLIDAY CONCERTS HOLIDAY CONCERTS
featuring Scotty McCreery and LIGHTING the Panama City TREE POPS Orchestra
Thanksgiving Weekend 2019
CHRISTMAS CAROLERS TREE LIGHTING CHRISTMASCAMPFIRES CAROLERS WITH S’MORES
& MRS. CLAUS @Aaron Bessant CAMPFIRES SANTA WITH S’MORES Park AmphitheaterSANTA & MRS. FIREWORKS CLAUS FIREWORKS
Find out more at visitpanamacitybeach.com/beach-holiday Find out more at VisitPanamaCityBeach.com/holidays
BOOK CLUB THE READERS CORNER
Visit Stuttgart.de/Stadtbibliothek to learn more or plan a visit. Photo by Hunter Bliss Images / Shutterstock
As we celebrate another pick for the VIE Book Club with a peek into the murder, mystery, and intrigue of Jason Allen’s debut novel, The East End, we continue our celebration of incredible reading spaces across the globe. The Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart (Stuttgart Public Library) central building at Mailänder Platz in Stuttgart, Germany, opened in 2011 and was designed by Eun Young Yi of Yi Architects. The modern cube-shaped building’s heart includes the four uppermost floors of bookshelves punctuated by an almost Escherian series of staircases, a pyramid-shaped gallery hall, learning studios, and more. The stark white and gray palette is brought to life by the library’s colorful collection of over five hundred thousand books and other media. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 119
The Readers Corner
WITH A With a Hu UM H m Aa N n TOU CH To uch NATIONAL BRAILLE PRESS KEEPS
BRAILLE LITERACY NEAR AT HAND
By NICHOL AS S. RACHEOTES Photography courtesy of NATIONAL BRAILLE PRESS
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Another September has come to the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston. There, in a historic building, situated within earshot of Symphony Hall and Northeastern University, a special group of people has gathered. Bankers, lawyers, educators, public relations specialists, retired corporate leaders, and other experts in their fields have all volunteered around a single purpose. They are committed to keeping persons with no or limited vision informed, enriched, and entertained through braille and other tactile products. As print and braille documents are passed around the table, one can hear the heartbeat of the organization churning out pages in four-four time. It is the big embosser that makes NBP (National Braille Press) one of the few manufacturing enterprises remaining in the city. The press has occupied several facilities before arriving at this site, which formerly housed a piano factory. It is somehow fitting that the address is Eighty-Eight Saint Stephen Street. Those deliberating as trustees during this late afternoon are in a tradition stretching back more than nine decades. It began with Francis B. Ierardi, the Italian immigrant whose goal in founding the National Braille Press was that blind people be able to read the newspaper. He realized this dream in the Weekly News with the assistance of Christian Herter and Richard E. Danielson, the publishers of Independent Weekly. They supplied carbon copies of the Week in Review to be transcribed into braille. Owing to its quality and the scarcity of such materials, issues of the Weekly News and its women’s journal, Our Special, were passed from hand to hand across America and internationally. In appreciation, Helen Keller wrote, “I am particularly glad to have the foreign news and the economic and political notes.” She continued on behalf of a truly underrepresented audience, the deaf-blind: “Above all I am happy that these two periodicals are finding their way to an increasing number of the deaf-blind. They mean more to us who are doubly handicapped than to others who only lack sight. Their enlivening pages restore to us as it were the aspects, colors, and voices
of the light-filled world. They bear us over sea and land wherever we will, and we are free. Gone is the crushing weight of immobility and tedium! Our spirits rise light and glad in the thought that we can still think, read, write, and sometimes fill our hungry hands with useful work.” These sentiments prove timeless despite the profound change. At this point, we can pose heavy philosophical questions: Is reading the same as being read to? Is hearing text, even in a familiar voice or the most sophisticated artificial vocalizer, the same as processing text through the internal voice with which we have all been born? No matter where you might stand on these and related questions, at a minimum braille affords a choice, an agency, and the possibility that a person with no or severely limited vision can read to others rather than always being read to.
The National Braille Press, headquartered in Boston, empowers the blind and visually impaired with programs, materials, and technology supporting braille literacy and learning through touch.
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The Readers Corner
“Gone is the crushing weight of immobility and tedium! Our spirits rise light and glad in the thought that we can still think, read, write, and sometimes fill our hungry hands with useful work.”
Meanwhile, before the trustees begin putting final touches on plans for the annual gala, their chairperson is sharing a letter. The mother of a blind child is writing with gratitude and surprise after receiving a free ReadBooks! bag containing print/braille books, a braille primer for parents, braille alphabet cards, bookmarks, and other braille literacy tactiles. Living in a world of words where one’s hands are one’s eyes requires lifelong learning for parents and children alike. As mom watches, her toddler is exploring a “bumpy book,” the same as the commonly circulated board books, but with braille labels so that the habit of touching text can be instilled. Later, there will be popular picture books using a multisensory approach—songs, tactile play, picture descriptions, body movement, engaged listening—all designed to promote active reading. And what of the blind parent or grandparent—should they be denied the treasured experience of bedtime story reading to a sighted child? Not at all! Because among the many reasons for so meticulously preparing for the annual fund-raising gala, A Million Laughs for Literacy, is what its proceeds fund— the Children’s Braille Book Club, which offers popular children’s books in a print/ braille format for the same price as the print edition. “Off to school” means standardized tests, math, geography, science books, and the French we took. As the trustees listen, the staff is making a series of presentations— on tactile graphics, tests produced, and maps acquired—all intended to maximize independent learning and minimize the demand for sighted assistance. After that, with the completion of formal education, other realities confront the blind at 122 | NO V E MBE R 2019
home, on the job, and in public. Am I really going to ask an overworked server to read me the menu when I’m dining alone? Am I always going to require directions when my industrial campus could be mapped? Am I going to eat a varied and healthy diet of my own creation, learn to use my iPhone, master the demands of a talking computer, enjoy the intimacy of reading good poetry to myself, compete in a poetry contest for braille readers of all ages, enjoy the playbill at a drama, and follow the text in a Mahler symphony? Can I send a valentine to a blind friend, perform on the job at the required level, and enjoy the leisure pursuit of good reading?
The trustees of National Braille Press have formally adjourned after strategizing around answers to all such questions, but they’re taking time to trade stories of the past summer, to talk about local charitable foundations and the friends and associates who will be contributing handsomely to fund-raising at the gala, and to congratulate staff on their innovative thinking that keeps braille far from joining the ranks of dead languages. Outside the boardroom, the traffic is crawling in both directions on Huntington Avenue and Storrow Drive, but the pace of keeping braille relevant is relentless within these walls and beyond.
Material from the website of National Braille Press was used in preparing this article. Visit NBP.org to learn more. Thanks go to President Brian A. MacDonald and the staff of the press for their assistance and work on behalf of its clientele. Nick Racheotes is a product of Boston public schools, Brandeis University, and Boston College, from which he holds a PhD in history. Since he retired from teaching at Framingham State University, Nick and his wife, Pat, divide their time between Boston, Cape Cod, and the rest of the Western world.
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The Readers Corner
Jason Allen’s debut novel, The East End, proves he has a distinct and dynamic voice with staying power. There are books that need pairing with a box of Kleenex with which to wipe away your tears. Reading The East End, however, requires a bottle of Visine for your unblinking eyes. Allen’s cinematic style reads like a high-intensity TV series worth binge-watching all night. His narrative brings with it poetic gravitas but at a thriller’s pace. From its suspenseful start to its explosive end, The East End traps all your senses in a state of high alert—and it doesn’t let you go until you’re through reading (and maybe not even then).
BY SOLANGE JAZAYERI
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llen’s characters reside in the Hamptons, his old stomping grounds, where he illustrates the polar realities of the 1 percenters and the townies who serve them. In my interview with Allen, he says, “Growing up there as a teenager, it felt so intense all the time. Someone else’s perspective would be, ‘You live in such a calm and peaceful place; what could you possibly be so full of tension about?’” Told through multiple points of view with a psychologically complex cast, The East End showcases that tension by exposing our human need for being acknowledged and understood.
The story begins on the eve of Memorial Day weekend. The night before the Sheffield family and their guests are due to arrive in the Hamptons, Corey Halpern breaks into the family’s estate to deploy a prank on his mother’s employers. Anticipating a vacant manor, Corey is shocked to find he is not alone. The palatial estate is, in fact, housing several guests, including Leo Sheffield, the billionaire owner, who is entertaining an unknown guest. And before Corey has time to sneak out, a Growing up there poolside accident ensues. Now an inadvertent witness to a tragedy, as a teenager, it Corey must decide whether he’ll felt so intense all the time. also become an accomplice.
Someone else’s perspective would be, ‘You live in such a calm and peaceful place. What could you possibly be so full of tension about?’
Allen does not shy away from strong scenes that take the reader down the dark tunnel of addiction, saying it is an important theme throughout the book. “Really, all the main point-ofview characters have issues with substances as coping mechanisms,” he explains. “It was very important for me to humanize that, or to give it multiple faces, so people could identify or connect with these characters, if only through someone that they know— maybe someone from their family or a friend. They would be able to understand that person just a little bit more after reading the book.”
ABOUT AUTHOR JASON ALLE N
Jason Allen grew up in a working-class home in the Hamptons, where he worked a variety of blue-collar jobs for wealthy estate owners. He writes fiction, poetry, and memoir and is the author of the poetry collection A Meditation on Fire. He has an MFA from Pacific University and a PhD in literature and creative writing from Binghamton University. He currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia, where he teaches writing. The East End is his first novel. Visit VIEmagazine.com/article/jason-allen-the-east-end to listen to Solange Jazayeri’s full interview with Jason Allen for VIE’s Book Club – The Readers Corner! V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 125
2019 MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS It was a night of sparkle, shine, and awesome music as the hottest stars gathered at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on August 26. Sebastian Maniscalco hosted the thirty-sixth annual VMAs, and performers included Taylor Swift, Shawn Mendes, Lizzo, Missy Elliott, the Jonas Brothers, and many more. Swift, Ariana Grande, and Billie Eilish each won three awards, while Elliott received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award for accomplishments in music and film. Photography courtesy of MTV
Taylor Swift performs
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Missy Elliott and Cardi B
John Travolta and Bebe Rexha
P. K. Subban and Lindsey Vonn
Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello
The Jonas Brothers— Nick, Kevin, and Joe
Lizzo and Sophie Turner Jonas ?? Lenny Kravitz
Miley Cyrus
H.E.R. and Monica
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Scarlett Johansson and Alberto Barbera
Lily-Rose Depp
Zazie Beetz, Alberto Barbera, and Kristen Stewart
Brad Pitt
Laura Dern
Meryl Streep and Gary Oldman
Alberto Barbera and TimothĂŠe Chalamet
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Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix
Elisa Amoruso and Chiara Ferragni
La scène
Shane Paul McGhie, Milauna Jackson, Nate Parker, Spike Lee, and Theo Rossi
Jude Law
Candice Swanepoel
VENICE FILM FESTIVAL 2019 The Seventy-Sixth Annual Venice International Film Festival was held from August 28 through September 7, 2019, at the Palazzo del Cinema in Lido, Italy. The star-studded juried event included screenings of twenty-one new films in the main international competition. Joker, directed by Todd Phillips and starring Joaquin Phoenix, took home this year’s Golden Lion award, while Roman Polanski’s An Officer and a Spy was awarded the Grand Jury Prize. Photography courtesy of Venice Film Festival
Johnny Depp and Olga Segura
Penélope Cruz and Edgar Ramírez
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La scène
DCWAF 2019 Each year, the award-winning Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation holds a series of wine-centric charity events whose proceeds go to help children’s organizations in Northwest Florida. Recognized as the fourth-largest charity wine auction in the country by Wine Spectator, DCWAF donated a record $3 million to sixteen local charities on September 4, marking the foundation’s biggest charitable distribution to date. Coming up October 24–26, 2019, the Third Annual Harvest Wine & Food Festival will take place in WaterColor, Florida, with a stellar lineup of vintners and chefs from around the country. Visit DCWAF.org to learn more or get tickets! Photography courtesy of DCWAF
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The Last Word
Solution on next page
GOOD PEOPLE, GOOD THINGS BY MYLES MELLOR
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Nun who spent a lifetime providing help to the poor (2 words) Superman actor who was paralyzed and then spent his life helping disabled people He taught a philosophy of peace and enlightenment that spread throughout the world Hospital units where lives are saved every day (abbr.) Polynesian carving that is thought to bring good luck Norm (abbr.) Land of a fictional wizard Bring back to life ___-do attitude “Thanks a ___!” “___ Wiedersehen” What nurses provide daily (abbr.) Visits, with on They follow the Hippocratic Oath (abbr.) The Civil War’s Angel of the Battlefield and founder of 15 Down It conquers all Part of a relay race First name of the British leader who led his people to victory against the Nazis in WWII Have concern
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First name of a great African American humanitarian who fought and won against injustice, using nonviolent means Starting point for many a charity golf game Smooth Happy result for a QB (abbr.) Meeting that brings together old friends Entrée add-ons The good wizard in The Lord of the Rings President who brought about the abolition of slavery Land of the free and home of the brave International humanitarian organization (2 words) City with a famous arch (abbr.) He freed South Africa from apartheid and achieved real democracy in his country Vitamin measurement (abbr.) Marching band instrument The Queen’s favorite dog breed Robert the Bruce, e.g. Wise philosopher Approval word It provides help for people in dire medical need V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 133
The Last Word
“
No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it for anyone else. — Charles Dickens, Our Mutual Friend
”
Au revoir!
Visit Alaqua.org and AnimalWellnessAction. org to learn more, donate, or get involved. Photo by Dawn Chapman Whitty
Au revoir! BEFORE YOU GO . . .
In Northwest Florida, philanthropy has gone to the dogs in the very best way possible. Laurie Hood, founder of Alaqua Animal Refuge in Freeport, is excited to announce not only the first AnimorĂŠ weekend festival fund-raiser at the brand-new Alaqua Tipis venue but also the rescue of around two hundred dogs from hoarding cases this summer. Hood has also been named the Florida state director for Animal Wellness Action, a national nonprofit organization founded by Wayne Pacelle. Its mission is to work with and advocate for elected officials who are committed to preventing animal cruelty; promote the enactment and enforcement of good laws for animal welfare; and create change that will protect the rights of both wild and domestic animals in the United States and beyond. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 137
The Nutcracker Tickets On Sale Now! November 22 & 23 @ 7:30pm November 24 @ 2:30pm Mattie Kelly Arts Center The 40th annual production of the classic holiday fairytale with live music by the NFB Symphony Orchestra.
Box Office Ticket Prices: Adults • $40 Children 12 & Under • $20
Sponsored In Part by:
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nfballet.org
Signature Season Co-Sponsors:
Inspiring 50 Years of Excellence...
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