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a magazine about interesting people and places in the 850
a magazine about interesting people and places in the 850
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Fall twenty ten
DESTINATIONS ApAlAchIcOlATravelers in the peaceful city
$14.00
MAkINg ThEMOST OF whErE YOu’rE ATLunch with a Yogi
$46.00
pENSAcOlASwINg
$28.00
ThIS IS NOTwET pAINTArt by Chris Merriam
$54.00OFF ThE rEcOrD$34.00
kNOw YOurNEIghbOr
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ThE guYSbEhIND E5
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Table of contents
Fall twenty ten
cOlONIzINgJIllIANExploring the secretlandscape of an author’s process
$64.00 MEETup.cOM$78.00kNOw YOurNEIghbOr
MEET lETA D$74.00
wINE OvErwATEr
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IS IT AllThAT...JAzz?
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YOu cAN cAllME Mr. bAlOOThe P’city kid makes good in Hollywood
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EvENTS IN pANAMA cITY bEAch
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A pANAMA cITY bEAch IcON hAS rEbOrN
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228 Harrison Avenue Ste. 104 | Panama City, FL 32401 | frshnk.com | 850.215.2321
Dustin brysonEditor-in-Chief
letter from the Editor
I have been accused, on more than one occasion, of biting off more than I can chew. I suppose that’s true, as I love to eat but I also love chewing on the creative process. Starting a print publication during the decline of magazines and a recession was, indeed, a big bite.
When we created e5 we were excited to offer something new and fresh to the 850 area code. Our desire to meld great photogra-phy and design with interesting topics about interesting people seemed like a concoction of awesome sauce that couldn’t lose. Our naïvety was the special on the menu and our passion was the soup du jour.
After two issues we were burned out. Ad sales, content manage-ment and distribution didn’t seem all that creative. As a matter of fact they seemed a bit on the boring side. So we did what all cre-ative people do, we found someone else to do it for us.
Our team is now complete and we are excited to continue on with the interesting quick reads we are known for. I want to personally thank you for your support and we are excited to continue making this pocket sized beauty for many years to come.
chris MerriamCreative Director
brycehewettGraphic Artist
DustinbrysonEditor-in-Chief
patrickEngmanPhoto Editor
publishedby
228 Harrison Avenue Ste. 104 | Panama City, FL 32401 | frshnk.com | 850.215.2321
letter from the Editor
PhotograPhy by Chris MerriaM Dustin brysonJason Koertge
PatriCK engMan
Cole SchneiderDana Bethea
Desiree GardnerDustin Bryson
Jack RileyJason KoertgeLeah Bryson
Lindsay PetersonLou Columbus
Mortimus Monk
frshnk.com/photo228 harrison avenue
panama city, � 32401850:215:0009
portrait | wedding | fashion
see our portfolio on page 92
frshnk.com/photo228 harrison avenue
panama city, � 32401850:215:0009
portrait | wedding | fashion
see our portfolio on page 92
Destinations
There’s a quiet spirit draping the town, even as you jaywalk across a relatively busy Market Street (U.S. 98) from one storefront to another.
Fondly referred to as “Apalach,” this formerly bustling port town is now a becalmed community of historic Victorian homes, an-tiques shops, B&Bs and hard working fishermen. Primitive art, sophisticated dining, specialty boutiques and small-town charm combine for a quaint waterfront experience that keeps visitors re-
turning year after year.
In my experience, Apalachicola is a haven for shady courtyard conversations, sidewalk benches under awning shadows, bicycling to grassy parks or historic cem-eteries. It’s a hideaway of artists and art lovers, of family dinners and waterfront views bordered by sawgrass. Here couples walk hand-in-hand along raised side-walks, sleep in restored bed-and-breakfasts, explore, relax, and
by Jack Riley
Photograph by Debbie Hooper for JoeBay Aerials at www.joebay.com
850-229-1215
page 015
photograph the azaleas, tropical courtyard gardens and fishing boats along the docks.
It’s little wonder the early U.S. settlers of the bay area adopted a Native American word to name their new city. Situated where the Apalachicola River meets the Gulf of Mexico, about 60 miles east of Panama City, Apalachicola was established in 1821-22, incorpo-rated in 1829 and named in 1831. The name derived from native words describing a ridge pro-duced by sweeping the ground in preparation for a council meet-ing or “peace fire” — basically, “Peaceful City.”
Apalach was a prosperous hub for exporting cotton by 1836, the third largest gulf cotton port af-ter New Orleans and Mobile, Ala. By the mid-1870s and into the 20th century, the town was inte-gral to the sponge industry. To-day, abandoned and renovated cotton warehouses and sponge exchanges are now small restau-rants, shops and high-end lodg-ings.
WHERE TO SHOP
Chez Funk, 88 Market St., is crammed full of primitive art, fur-niture, wall décor, and gag items. The courtyard outside (marked “Piddler’s Alley”) is carpeted with seashells and dotted with paint-ed furniture and yard art. Try the (non-functional) outhouse on for size.
Across the way at 81 Market St., photo journalist Richard Bickel displays his work, including the series “The Last Great Bay,” a
ApalachicolaTravelers in the Peaceful City
collection of haunting black-and-white photos of Apalachicola Bay and the folks who live and work there. Dramatic, melancholy and spare, the shots have been fea-tured in magazines, newspapers and other media. (RichardBickel-Photography.com)
The Tin Shed, 170 Water St., is a collection of nautical antiques and collectibles housed in, yes, a tin shed. Go in the early morning or evening, as even the industrial-size fans at every entrance can’t defeat the oppressive midday temperature and humidity.
Follow your nose to the Apala-chicola Chocolate Co. in a build-ing that’s currently under renova-tion near the corner of Avenue E and Commerce Street. The scent of cooking chocolate will draw you in, and the variety of hand-made sweets would wow Willie Wonka.
WHERE TO EAT
Enjoy lunch at the Apalachicola Seafood Grill, or “The Grill” for short, home of the “World’s Larg-est Fried Fish Sandwich.” Slurp raw oysters off crackers, chomp
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Destinations: ApalachicolaTravelers in the Peaceful City
by Jack Riley
Bar & GrillLunch, Dinner, Drinks, Friends & Entertainment
850.785.3010 429 Harrison AvenueDowntown Panama City
Bar & GrillLunch, Dinner, Drinks, Friends & Entertainment
850.785.3010 429 Harrison AvenueDowntown Panama City
Destinations: ApalachicolaTravelers in the Peaceful City
shrimp po’boys or oversized burgers. Slake your thirst with gallons of sweet iced tea or beers with international flavors. More than 100 years old, it sits at 100 Market St. “under the only traffic signal” in downtown Apalach.
Again, right across the street, is the Old Time Soda Fountain, where you can get ice cream or play a game of bubblegum pin-ball. There’s also a large selec-tion of souvenirs, books, cards, and candies.
Red Top Café, small family diner rebuilt in recent years, located off U.S. 98 a few blocks west of downtown, features country cooking of the best sort. With seating for fewer than 50 or so, the cafe stays busy (but never crowded), the prices are low, the coffee fresh and rich.
Owl Café at 15 Ave. D is steeped in local history. The current build-ing was constructed where the original Owl Café burned down in 1910. Its “Panhandle Chow-der” recipe was featured in Food & Wine magazine a few years ago. Seafood is the specialty, of course, but I have enjoyed the fi-let mignon.
A warning: The local water can be hard on a visitor’s stomach, and the iced tea can be, too. You may prefer to order a soft drink or bot-tled water with your meal.
WHERE TO STAY
The Gibson Inn, 51 Ave. C, stands like a sentinel at the foot of the bay bridge on the corner of Mar-ket Street. A three-story Victorian inn dating from 1907, the Gibson
Oysters being shucked at Hole In the Wall Seafood - 23 Avenue D
by Jack Rileypage 019
page 021
has full modern baths, telephone and cable TV in every room, as well as a full-service restaurant and bar located off the lobby.
The room we stayed in had a hardwood floor and comfortable, king-sized, four-poster bed and a daybed. The blinds were wooden and the view was one of the bay and the arc of the bridge. Watch for “Capt. Woods,” who suppos-edly died of pneumonia long ago and now keeps a ghostly eye on visitors; on cold nights, he may pull the covers snuggly around sleeping guests so that they don’t catch their death of a chill. More info: gibsoninn.com
Coombs House Inn, 80 Sixth St., is an elegantly restored Victorian just north of the historic district. Recently the Big Bend Ghost Trackers headquartered in Mon-ticello investigated the inn and deemed it “officially haunted.” More info: coombshouseinn.com
Witherspoon Inn, 92 Fifth St., was constructed of heart pine walls, floor and ceiling in 1871 as a resi-dence for the family of a ship’s captain. Formerly the Wither-
spoon Boarding House, it is now owned and operated by Ken and Sandy Kenniston. Ken is a former art professor at Florida State Uni-versity, and the inn doubles as a gallery for his stark, vibrant, ag-gressive paintings. Info: Wither-spoonInn.com
“When Ken bought the house in 1993, you could stand on the
Destinations: ApalachicolaTravelers in the Peaceful City
by Jack Riley
Lynn Wilson - Interior Designer & Owner of the Coombs House Inn
Destinations: ApalachicolaTravelers in the Peaceful City
ground floor and see the sky through the roof,” Sandy told me.
Talking to Sandy is an introduc-tion to everyone in town and a review of the economic impact of Tallahassee politics. She’ll tell you where to hang out on a Fri-day night, who is renovating the old houses — even where to avoid the gators lurking in dark water beside public sandbars.
THINGS TO DO
Go for a stroll in Lafayette Park, where young families walk with their dogs and weddings are common in the gazebo. Traverse the newly restored park pier and fish, take pictures, or watch for stray manatees.
At the north end of Market Street, past the National Estuarine Re-search Reserve educational center, is a marina where shrimp boats float at docks. The Reserve covers a quarter-million acres in Apalachicola Bay, and the educa-tional center has exhibits on local flora and fauna, an aviary and fish tanks.
Visit Chestnut Street Cemetery at dusk, where wrought-iron fenc-es lean one way and headstones cant the other. On the northern shoulder of U.S. 98 between Sixth and Eighth streets, Chest-nut welcomed its first permanent occupant in 1831; now stones tell the town’s history — the resting places of Confederate soldiers,
by Jack Rileypage 023
families who perished together in a yellow fever epidemic, or chil-dren lost to childhood diseases.
Honor fallen American heroes at Veterans Memorial Plaza, 230 Market St., where a bronze replica of a detail from the sculpture of the “Three Servicemen” stands. (The original is across from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C.) Known as the “Three Soldiers Detail,” the replica was forged from the origi-nal molds at Eliot Gantz Studio in Farmingdale, N.Y. Apalach is the only city outside of Washington to feature a partial replica of the bronze original.
Dixie Theatre, 21 Ave. E, opened in 1913 with a proscenium stage flanked by private boxes, a sunk-en orchestra pit and horseshoe-shaped balcony seating 500. In 1915, Alex Fortunas converted it to a movie house. It was shuttered in 1967, then reopened in 1998 for musical and theatrical perfor-mances. See dixietheatre.com for more info.
Dr. John Gorrie State Museum, 46 Sixth St. at the corner of Av-enue D, houses a replica of the ice machine Gorrie developed to ease the suffering of yellow fe-ver patients. From this machine came the ice and air conditioning industries.
PLACES TO GO
Visitors can stroll through refur-bished relics of the Victorian era during the annual Apalachicola Tour of Historic Homes, a fund-raiser for the Trinity Episcopal Church held in May. Some of the locations are open year-round, and others by appointment. Har-rette Kennedy founded the tour decades ago when Trinity, one of Florida’s oldest churches, was in financial straits.
Raney House Museum, on the corner of Market Street and Av-enue F, is a stately Greek Revival house built by David G. Raney and his wife Harriet, native Virgin-ians, in 1838. A successful cot-ton merchant, Raney was one of Apalach’s earliest leaders, instru-mental in founding Trinity Church, starting a theater for traveling troupes, and building a racetrack. The house made the National Register of Historic Homes in 1972 and the city purchased it in 1973, spending $200,000 on ren-ovations. The museum is leased to the Apalachicola Area Histori-cal Society, which gives tours on Saturdays.
Orman House State Park, 177 Fifth St., was built in 1838 by Thomas Orman, a cotton mer-chant. The wood was cut to mea-sure in New York and shipped to Apalach in the early 1800s, then assembled on the bluff overlook-ing the Apalachicola River.
Trinity Episcopal Church, on the corner of U.S. 98 and Sixth Street, is a draw itself. Built in 1838 in up-per New York state, the original white pine structure was floated
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Destinations: ApalachicolaTravelers in the Peaceful City
by Jack Riley
Service Times8:159:30
11:0012:155:00
Nobody’s perfect, everyone’s welcome,anything is possible.
www.northstar.cc
Service Times8:159:30
11:0012:155:00
Nobody’s perfect, everyone’s welcome,anything is possible.
www.northstar.cc
in sections by schooner around the Florida Keys and then along the Gulf Coast to Apalach, where it was put back together using wooden pegs. In the Civil War, the tower bell was melted down to make a cannon. Cushions and rugs were used for blankets and clothing. An 1859 Erben tracker organ is still in regular use.
FISHING
Protected by a chain of offshore barrier islands and sporting some of the nation’s most pristine beaches, Apalach is renowned for fresh seafood, particularly the oysters harvested from the Apalachicola Bay. Seafood is inte-gral to the city. The annual Sea-food Festival, held each autumn, is one of the biggest such bashes in Northwest Florida, regularly drawing more than 10,000 people to Franklin County and the down-town Battery Park.
Fishermen will tell you that June is the month to look for gulf tar-pon, and the West Pass just south of Apalachicola is the sweet spot. Bait of choice: Large pilchards,
which can be found in the Pass and the St. Vincent Island shore-line.
But if you’re castnetting, watch out for sharks in the muddy shal-lows. The large population of bull sharks in West Pass is daunting, and the low visibility of the wa-ter makes it a perfect hunting ground for sharks.
Destinations: ApalachicolaTravelers in the Peaceful City
by Jack Rileypage 027
SALON FXs a l o n f x i n c . c o m
850.785.2766851 Jenks Avenue
Panama City, FL 32401
Haircuts | Hair Styling | Hair coloring | StraighteningWaxing | Make-up | Wedding Services | ManicuresPerming | Pedicures | Scalp Treatments | Extentions
by Desiree Gardner SwingEvery Friday night at American Legion Hall Post 33 in Pensacola you’ll find the largest swing danc-ing event along the Gulf Coast. An expansive room with beauti-ful hardwood floors becomes the place to be, to dress up in your swing attire, and the place to get your feet moving.
Dancers of all ages travel from over 100 miles and multiple states to take part in the experience, and sometimes just to watch the pros show of their moves. There are kids under 10 dancing with their traditional zoot hats on, and even some dancers that re-member the style before it was a time period memory and just the norm. There is a large high school age following, teens choosing to spend their Friday night learning how to woo their fellow peers with some suave moves. It is a show well worth the drive, and a lesson worthy of the $5 entrance fee.
The evening starts off around 8:30 PM with a beginner’s les-son taught by Travis and Meagan Glover, the couple who met at
one of Travis’ lessons nearly 10 years ago. The crowds part, girls facing the boys, just like the mid-dle school dance from everyone’s youth. Once the basic steps are practiced, the circle forms and
pE
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SALON FXs a l o n f x i n c . c o m
850.785.2766851 Jenks Avenue
Panama City, FL 32401
Haircuts | Hair Styling | Hair coloring | StraighteningWaxing | Make-up | Wedding Services | ManicuresPerming | Pedicures | Scalp Treatments | Extentions
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Pensacola Swing by Desiree Gardner
everyone gets a chance to prac-tice their moves with others in the lesson. This lesson continues for about an hour, until the dancers have enough under their belts for a little free dance. Meanwhile, in the basement of the building there is an advanced lesson tak-ing place for those who have at-tended the beginner’s lesson a few times.
Once the lights dim, the music turns up. Traditional pop and shag style tunes fill the room, and those waiting for the free dance quickly grab a partner and get on the floor. If you happen to get stuck on a move, you can ask the instructors or the person next to you to give you a hand. Everyone is happy to help, happy to learn, and happy to be dancing.
By word of mouth alone, Pensac-ola Swing has recently reached 1,000 members on facebook.com. A feat that a member quickly replied to saying, “Rocks, swings, jumps, jives, shakes, rattles, rolls, moves, grooves, and is just frea-kin’ awesome!!!!” They send out weekly newsletters, and upload
the pictures from the lesson to their website within days. Even once the evening is gone, the
interaction doesn’t stop. A good deal of the dedicated go-ers will change their default photo to one captured from the evening, and comment about the fun they had.
The Gulf Coast could use more regular events of this nature, ap-pealing to all ages and walks of life, while promoting exercise and a sense of community. Hopefully Pensacola Swing will set an ex-ample to those looking for some-thing to start up in their commu-nity, all the while having a good deal of fun.
For more info visit:www.pensacolaswing.com
The crowds part, girls facing the boys, just like the middle school dance from everyone’s youth.
Fashion
Clothing Courtesy of: Deja VuCover & Fashion Model: Mallory Forest
Makeup: Christina EngmanHair Styling: Lydia Woosley
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Don’t pack away your favorite sum-
mer outfits just yet! You live in the
south so take advantage of the
warm weather by adding some cute
boots to that summer dress, and a
sexy little black dress can be worn
any season! Just pair it with some
close toed pumps to make it feel a
little more like fall!
My life has always had a soundtrack. My earliest memories are accompanied by music from my dad’s record collection. The living room battles between my plastic army men were played out to the soothing sounds of Frank Sinatra, Luciano Pavarotti and Connie Francis. Then came the time when I was ready to purchase my first record album. It was Elvis’s Greatest Hits and my mom bought it for me. I still remember the feeling of tearing the plastic wrapping off and that wonderful cardboard mixed with vinyl smell that wafted out from the sleeve. When I laid the needle
on the first track and heard Elvis singing “Don’t Be Cruel” it felt like I had just discovered a new world. Many other music artists joined Elvis in my record collection during the years that followed and I spent countless hours singing along with them, while standing in front of my bedroom mirror. Since that day I’ve gone on to purchase music in many other formats: reel to reel tape, cassette tape, eight track tape and of course, compact disc (CD). But nothing else feels, sounds, and yes, even smells, as good as a vinyl record.
Off The record
by Lou Columbus
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What makes vinyl records so great? For one thing, a vinyl record album cover is 12×12 inches, a CD cover is roughly 1/4 that size. The larger size of the vinyl album cover makes for some fantastic artwork, as a matter of fact you can go to your local craft supply or framing shop today and buy frames made specifically to hang album covers on the wall. Some vinyl records also come with neat bonus stuff inside, like posters, or stickers and photos. Plus, almost all vinyl albums have the song lyrics written out on the inside sleeve containing the record, so you can read along as you listen to your favorite artist’s new tunes. Sure some CD booklets have lyrics printed on them, but c’mon, it’s like reading the fine print on a credit application. While I love the convenience and durability of CDs, I still miss the days when vinyl ruled.
So imagine how stoked I was when I discovered a vinyl record store had opened in the Eight5ifty area! Tek Records is located in
the historic St. Andrews section of Panama City, just down the street from Hunt’s Oyster Bar. Owner Ryan Burkett stocks a nice selection of used and new vinyl, as well as some CDs and even books. The store has a huge warehouse like building attached to it, that at one time housed Panama City’s first roller rink. Today Ryan occasionally uses the space to host live music events with local musicians. When I was browsing in the store the other day, I was amazed to see so many young people flipping through the used vinyl albums. It warmed
my heart to see my old round plastic friends are still being appreciated.
Yes, vinyl is making a comeback. In an interesting turnaround, vinyl sales have doubled over the last couple years, while sales of compact discs have continued to fall. Amazon.com now has a dedicated vinyl records section. Many current artists like Radiohead, Wilco, Iron and Wine, Metallica and many more are releasing new albums on vinyl. Even in this day and age of music downloads, some indie bands are only releasing new music on
vinyl and MP3 formats. I’ve even gotten back into collecting vinyl. My latest purchase is a double live album by The Cars, one of my favorite groups from the 1980s. I found it while searching the bins at Tek Records. When I got it home and played it, I felt like I was hearing an old friend’s voice from long ago. The faint pops and clicks in between tracks were like kindling, bringing those early childhood feelings back to life.
For info about tek records visit:www.myspace.com/tekrcrds
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Off The Record by Lou Columbus
700 PIER PARK DRIVE SUITE 115 | PANAMA CITY BEACH FLORIDA 32407W W W . S H O P W I T H D E J A V U . C O M
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700 PIER PARK DRIVE SUITE 115 | PANAMA CITY BEACH FLORIDA 32407W W W . S H O P W I T H D E J A V U . C O M
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behind e5T
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by Mortimus Monk
This is our third issue and we think it’s about time for a formal introduction. We are FRSHNK (pronounced Fresh Ink) a team of designers, photographers, web architects and semi professional ping pong players, who love to create things out of nothing. We are pixel pushers.
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FRSHNK was founded in 2005 by two creative misfits named Dustin Bryson and Chris Merriam. One legend has it, Dustin lost a hand of blackjack and had to take Chris on as his business partner. Another, that Chris saved Bryson from a burning building so he de-cided to be Chris’ man slave for life. I’m sure the truth is a mixture of the two.
Most of our work could be con-sidered client work, but once a year we put our heads together to try and create something new
and awesome. Sometimes we succeed and sometimes, not so much. We’ve had many an idea:
The solar powered vending ma-chine/bus stop/digital billboard. It was killed when we figured out it would cost over $25k for the prototype.
Or the “Shade Brigade” which was a mobile sun glass store powered by a coed and a bicycle, this idea is still viable so please don’t steal it or we will have to sue you.
The Guys Behind e5pa
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Our 2007 brainchild was Pcity-Live.com, a social network we thought would bring people of Panama City together on the web. Turns out there is this little site called Facebook that everyone is raving about and it crushed our early web dreams. It took us awhile to pick ourselves up off the floor but when we did we re-alized PcityLive.com would make for a great print publication and e5 was born.
e5 started out as eightfifty maga-
by Mortimus Monkpage 041
The Guys Behind e5pa
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zine, but great minds think a like and Brian Rowland, of Rowland Publishing, was also in the cre-ative process of bringing 850 magazine to the world. No big deal, we just shortened ours to e5 and the raddest little pocket mag this side of the Rio Grande was born.
We currently print five thousand copies quarterly which are distrib-uted to coffee shops, car washes, doctors offices, and cigar bars all over the eight5ifty. Our goal is to enhance any waiting experience and give you, the reader, some-thing you can easily slide into your purse or pocket.
We are excited to announce we will be available at the point of sale at three Starbucks locations in Panama City and we will soon be available in book stores from Apalachicola to Destin as well.
We are excited that you picked up e5 and we truly hope you dig it. You can also find us on the web at www.eight5ifty.com where you can read the magazine in it’s en-tirety.
by Mortimus Monkpage 043
Everybody is passionate about something. Some of us are passionate about cheeseburgers, some shoes, but few people turn their passion into help for the community like Tony Williams has. Many children in our community are better basketball players, not to mention better people, because of Coach Williams and his basketball camps. All of the kids whom he coaches invariably learn his interesting life-story, positive messages for their lives, and top-notch basketball instruction.
Growing up in a military family, young Antonio moved around a lot. He can remember learning the game and falling in love with it when he was an eight year old boy in Osburg, Germany. During High School in both Tampa and Texas, Tony excelled on the track, the football field, and on the basketball court. However, his grades would not allow him to continue after his freshman year and in 10th grade his step-father was incarcerated. Tony had to get his life in order; he was the man of the house now. He picked up a job at McDonald’s in order to support his family and started focusing on being a role model
for his younger brother Javell. His final two years of school
he was able to juggle his job, the classroom, and three demanding sports. He even set a Texas state record for the triple jump that still stands to this day.
After High School, Tony enlisted in the Air Force. His eye
never wandered far
by Cole SchneiderNeighbor:k
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from basketball, though, and he played for the Peterson Air Force Base Team for three years before moving to Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach. Here his life’s plan changed forever when he met his wife and became a father. Basketball was now secondary to his family. His military commitment ended in 2005 and he earned a contracting job with BAE Systems in Panama City Beach.
After his daughter’s first year of basketball at Frank Brown Park, Tony saw that he had to step in and take over coaching the next year. They would go on to win the championship. Parents from other teams started requesting that Coach Williams coach their kids. In 2008, he finally started looking for the means to start his own basketball camp for local children. He recruited other coaches and sought financial support from various sponsors and fundraisers. His first camp was hosted by the Boys and Girls Club and was an overwhelming success with 83 kids in attendance. Shortly afterward,
Coach Williams was asked to organize a girl’s Junior Varsity league for Bay County Middle Schools. It was also a success.
My love for cheeseburgers and your shoe fetish probably will never aide the community, but Coach Williams has managed to package his passions for both basketball and kids and he has managed to turn it into a difference maker for so many local kids. It was a tough road, but now Coach Williams can look at the community and see that this is was what he was destined to do.
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You’re At:M
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As I entered Paparazzi Pizza & Pasta, I was bathed in the warmth of freshly-baked bread and the tang of garlic sautéing in olive oil. I had come to interview Paul Zipes, a local yogi and the owner of Yoga for You (yogaforyoupc.com). I’ve been practicing yoga with Paul for almost two years so this was to be a fairly casual lunch.
Married for 14 years, when he
spoke of his family, his blue eyes twinkled and he smiled freely. He began to tell me of their upcom-ing vacation to California. They plan to hike in Joshua Tree Na-tional Park. “Nature is an impor-tant part of our life.” He’ll soon add a photo of him performing a headstand among giant cacti and boulders to his already long list of head-standing photographs (see the Facebook group The Head-standers).
by Dana Bethea
page 047
Lunch with a Yogi
Paul met his wife in Hawaii while on active duty. An enlisted Deep-Sea Diver in the Navy, he enjoyed surfing but hadn’t given yoga a second thought until she dared him to try it. He immediately loved it, touting it as the ultimate cross-training activity. Twelve years since, Paul is now an Experience Registered Yoga Teacher (E-YRT), having attained more than 200 hours of yoga training through programs accredited by Yoga Al-liance.
After some time teaching pri-vate and corporate yoga lessons, Paul opened Yoga for You in May 2009. He strives to make the stu-dio as earth-friendly as possible. Before opening, he reused the base boards from knocked-out walls, re-painted with non-toxic, organic paints, and re-finished the floors with sustainable cork. He keeps the thermostat at a comfortable level and has fit-ted the two lamps in the studio with compact fluorescent light bulbs. He uses tea light candles to imbue the room with a gentle
glow. From the moment you en-ter, you are welcomed with an atmosphere of comfort and calm sure to inspire a productive yoga practice. No mat? No problem. The studio supplies eco-friendly mats, props, and towels.
“I want everyone in Panama City to take at least one yoga class,” Paul says. And how does he plan to do that? In December 2007, he founded the Panama City Yoga Group (meetup.com/pcyoga/). This group meets before lunch on the first Saturday of every month and is aimed at discussing, prac-ticing, and enjoying yoga. The group is open to all ages and skill levels, and, best of all, it is free! “Our first meet-up had 10 people in attendance,” Paul says. “The one last month in McKen-zie Park had 70.” Locations and teachers rotate, meeting at local gyms, yoga studios, the beach, and even in the gallery at the Vi-sual Arts Center downtown. With 360 active members, Paul says its size exceeds groups in some larger cities like Atlanta or Tampa.
Paul’s most passionate creation is Yoga for Vets (yogaforvets.org), a non-profit organization designed to help soldiers and veterans cope with the stresses of combat. Also founded in 2007, Yoga for Vets is an online direc-tory of gyms, teachers, and vet-erans’ hospitals that offer at least four free yoga classes to combat veterans. He firmly believes in the healing capabilities of yoga and has seen first-hand how yoga can help soldiers deal with mental and physical injuries related to deployment. “No matter how the yoga community feels about war, we want to be clear that we care deeply about our vets and that we support our troops.” Through Yoga for Vets and KulaeTM, Paul recently sent 20 yoga mats to sol-diers overseas in Iraq.
Yoga is about being present in the moment, a philosophy central to his other passions: motorcy-cling, stand up paddle-boarding, sailing, and skiing. “There is something very Zen about be-ing out there, feeling all the ele-ments.” In fact, he is constantly brainstorming about ways to in-corporate yoga into these pas-
sions. “I’ve been in contact with a yoga teacher in Pensacola who is also into motorcycling,” he says, amused. “And we’ve been talking about getting together a weekend bed and breakfast slash yoga motorcycle tour on the Gulf coast.” Imagine this: waking to the sound of seagulls and waves, walking out onto the sugar-white sand of Mexico Beach, practic-ing yoga with the rising sun, then getting on your bike, wind in your hair, off to have fresh oysters for lunch in Apalachicola. Sounds like paradise to me.
Paul chartered the 50-ft. Bene-teau sailboat, Fair Trades, for a yoga cruise to Shell Island last spring with the help of his friends Joan and Mike at Fair Trades Charters. Unfortunately, the ex-cursion had to be cut short due to weather, but Paul says he plans to book another one this June and, if interest piques, make it a regu-lar outing. He also muses about getting together local yogis, stand up paddle-boarders, and kayakers for a combination yoga practice and water workout on St. Andrew Bay.
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048
Making the Most of Where You’re At: Lunch with a Yogi
The leg plugs into the wall. The computer buzzes and beeps and makes noises. It was distinctly different from any other leg I ever had,
by Dana Betheapage 049There is something very Zen
about being out there, feeling all the elements.
boutique servicesat fab prices
{ w e l o v e w a l k - i n s }8 5 0 . 4 8 1 . 1 7 1 9
424 West 23rd StreetPanama City, Florida 32405
B l i s s P e d i c u r e S p a . c o m
For either long-time enthusiasts looking for regular yoga sessions or novices curious to see if yoga is right for them, be sure to check the Yoga for You and Panama City Yoga Group websites for class schedules and details on upcom-ing events. Or, stop by the stu-dio. It is located at 2629 W. 23rd Street (Unit H) in Panama City.As for our lunch, we concluded with strong coffee and a deli-cious homemade Tiramisu, deliv-
ered by the proprietor of the res-taurant, John, a former New York City Policeman who helped run the fire boats during 9-11. More on that in the next issue …
For more info visit:yogaforyoupc.commeetup.com/pcyogayogaforvets.org
Making the Most of Where You’re At: Lunch with a Yogi
by Dana Betheapa
ge 0
50
51
boutique servicesat fab prices
{ w e l o v e w a l k - i n s }8 5 0 . 4 8 1 . 1 7 1 9
424 West 23rd StreetPanama City, Florida 32405
B l i s s P e d i c u r e S p a . c o m
52
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The format of Eight5ifty is unique in many ways but one
that gets advertisers excited is the psychology behind the
size. The publication's calculated ergonomics leads the
viewer on a page by page exploration. All of their
attention is focused into a concentrated 4" x 10" zone
proportional to that of a television. This holds the user's
attention longer and if they don't finish browsing in one
sitting, they can easily fit the publication into their
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All full page ads fall next to content, not other ads. This is
just smart design.
BACK COVERThe back cover ad space
is the same size as a single
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lot more eyes. This ad
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The format of Eight5ifty is unique in many ways but one
that gets advertisers excited is the psychology behind the
size. The publication's calculated ergonomics leads the
viewer on a page by page exploration. All of their
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proportional to that of a television. This holds the user's
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sitting, they can easily fit the publication into their
pocket and take it with them.
All full page ads fall next to content, not other ads. This is
just smart design.
BACK COVERThe back cover ad space
is the same size as a single
page ad but viewed by a
lot more eyes. This ad
space comes with the
same incentives as the
double page ads. 4.25
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The format of Eight5ifty is unique in many ways but one
that gets advertisers excited is the psychology behind the
size. The publication's calculated ergonomics leads the
viewer on a page by page exploration. All of their
attention is focused into a concentrated 4" x 10" zone
proportional to that of a television. This holds the user's
attention longer and if they don't finish browsing in one
sitting, they can easily fit the publication into their
pocket and take it with them.
All full page ads fall next to content, not other ads. This is
just smart design.
BACK COVERThe back cover ad space
is the same size as a single
page ad but viewed by a
lot more eyes. This ad
space comes with the
same incentives as the
double page ads. 4.25
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I have been doing this creative stuff for a long time. I was a compulsive creative growing up. Markers on walls and fingers in wet cement graduated to graffiti in public spaces and oil paintings on canvas.
The first business I started was called the “Don’t Try This At Home Company”. I manufactured and wholesaled juggling products to head shops with a couple of bud-dies of mine. During that time I developed a steady weed smok-ing habit. Not a wise business de-cision but it was a lot of fun.
I returned to college the following fall and took a job as a custom picture framer at Michael’s Arts & Crafts. Getting fired for blurting obscenities over the store inter-com was the best thing that ever happened to me. It was a kick start to my entrepreneurial spirit. It was affirmation that working a corporate job was just not the route for me.
I started painting more and more. I found myself cranking out
art like a madman and making enough money to live on.
Then, I found a fascination with graphic design + web develop-ment. The concept of having user interaction with design intrigued me. I studied the basics of flash, html, css, asp and sql. I learned just enough to start creating sim-ple websites for small companies and civic organizations. This was the start of my freelance design company; merriamdesign.com.
The small jobs turned into big jobs. Word of mouth and shaking hands went a long way. I part-nered with other companies and networked. This was the key to my success.
I got so busy that I started drop-ping the ball left and right. I re-alized that it was time to grow. I met my business partner, Dustin Bryson, at the art gallery I owned at the time. We formed FRSHNK and the rest is history. To see what we are up to these days, check us out at www.frshnk.com
Th
IS I
S N
OTwet paint Art by Chris Merriam
This is not wet paint
This Is Not Wet Paint
Hossenfeffer
Art by Chris Merriam
23 Chairs
This Is Not Wet Paint
Atticus’ Tricycle
Art by Chris Merriam
The Wiggle
This Is Not Wet Paint
The Fluff
Art by Chris Merriam
This Is Not Wet Paint
Marie Motel
Art by Chris Merriam
There’s more than meets the eye that links author Jillian Weise and the protagonist of her new novel (The Colony), young Anne Hatley. Both walk with aid of a prosthetic leg, but that’s just the obvious. Both imagine conversations with famous geneticists, philosophers and poets, but that‘s just literary license.
Deep inside, the same questions lurk in their thoughts: “How can you think that I am not whole? Not good enough as I am? Why do you want to fix me?”
Jillian, 28, is a graduate of Ruth-erford High School in Panama City and formerly wrote a student column for The News Herald. She’s now an associate professor at Clemson University, where she teaches poetry.
She’s also (in her own words) a cyborg — a cybernetic organ-ism, a human being enhanced by computerized prosthetics. Jillian was born with a bone displace-ment disorder, severe scoliosis, a bad lung and other health prob-lems. She suffered through mara-thon surgeries, the implantation of metal rods, and a leg amputa-tion in childhood.
Last year, Jillian traded her old artificial leg for a space-age “C-leg” with a rudimentary artificial intelligence. Unlike previous legs she has used, this one has servos and sensors. It moves when she walks. She wrote about the expe-rience for The New York Times.
“The leg plugs into the wall. The computer buzzes and beeps and
Jillianc
OlO
NIz
INg
by Jack Riley
makes noises. It was distinctly different from any other leg I ever had,” she said during a recent telephone interview. “I went to Wiki and that confirmed it for me. The definition of the cyborg is in-dividuals who have C-legs. That was really exciting to me. I hadn’t read anything about it.”
Her novel’s heroine, Anne, de-scribed as “a 25-five-year-old spitfire from the South,” was born with a genetic mutation: She has only one leg and walks with a computerized limb. In the novel, she goes to a research colony in Cold Spring Harbor, NY, to make easy money off her genes. Sci-entists there want to develop a ground-breaking “cure” and make Anne the first patient to generate a new, living leg where her second one should be.
Cold Spring Harbor is a real place, home of a private lab founded in 1890 to conduct research into genetics, cancer, neuroscience, plant biology, and much more. (It’s also the former home of Lind-
say Lohan, if that’s not strange enough already.)
Anne feels fine the way she is, but “years of casual cruelty” at the hands of her peers, and three
page 065Exploring the secret landscape
of an author’s process
page
066
Colonizing JillianExploring the secret landscapeof an author’s process
by Jack Riley
months of observation by callous doctors playing on her insecurity leads her to capitulate.
“She agrees to this experimental so-called cure, to grow a leg on her body. The question, ‘Wouldn’t you rather have two legs,’ is al-ways lurking in the background,” Jillian said.
The other catalyst in the equation that produced The Colony was Jillian’s study of eugenics history.
She has done “a lot of research” about handicapped, disabled or differently-abled persons and how they‘ve fared throughout his-tory. Some of her classes in Tal-lahassee focused on little-known facts about the Holocaust.
“Learning that disabled people were the first people to go, it’s something that not really well known,” she said. “And there’s a precedent in the U.S. of euthaniz-ing ‘degenerates’ — that is their word, I’m using their language — I’m reading all these texts, and we don’t acknowledge this part of U.S. history. I wrote to Cold Spring Harbor and requested the PR packet to see if they acknowl-edge it, and they did not. I was steamed.”
The Second Step in the Process
For all its thematic familiarity, writing a novel was a creative departure for Jillian, as she was probably best known in literary circles for her poetry. Her chap-book, Translating the Body pre-ceded her full length collection, The Amputee’s Guide to Sex.
THEY DO.Copyright of ISR., 2009, all rights reserved
ISR is nationally recognized asthe safest provider of swimming lessons for
children 6 months to 6 years old.
The Sooner, The Safer
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The leg plugs into the wall. The computer buzzes and beeps and makes noises. It was distinctly different from any other leg I ever had,
THEY DO.Copyright of ISR., 2009, all rights reserved
ISR is nationally recognized asthe safest provider of swimming lessons for
children 6 months to 6 years old.
The Sooner, The Safer
Call Me Today!
Susannah St. Peter - Certi�ed Instructor
(386) [email protected]
Do You Know How ToSave A Child From Drowning?
Bits: Bits make great conversation starters for the socially inept.
A Hungarian bank lost more than $28,000 in cash after a security van was rammed - by a prison van carrying convicted bank robbers. While rescue personnel saved the prisoners from their burning van, a small fortune disappeared from the security van as bags of money spilled out onto the streets of Budapest. By the time law enforcement arrived the money was gone and there was no trace of those that had taken it.
Steve Tether parked his car in Lime Street (Hull) and when he returned to his car he was shocked finding a £30 fixed penalty ticket on his car. Factory worker, Jason Morrow, opposite the parking place watched as the workmen bounced the Nissan Micra away from the kerb, put down the yellow lines, pushed the car back and carried on painting down the road. Fortunately Hull City Council discussed the matter with Humberside Police and agreed to cancel the penalty ticket.
Send your bits to:[email protected]
“The title helped it get reviewed,” she said. “So many poetry collec-tions don’t make it on anyone’s radar. That title’s pretty fearless. The reception also has given me confidence in writing this novel.”
After the debut of TAGTS, Jillian was contacted by an unexpected population of readers who sent her “random e-mails,” she said. “The book uncovered a group of fetishists I didn’t know existed, this set of people who are into sex with amputees. It was really invasive and not so fun.”
There’s a false sense of intimacy between the reader and the poet, she said. With a novel, there’s more distance understood be-tween them, and more distance assumed to lie between the au-thor and subject matter.
“I wanted a hot, sassy alter-ego to confront this,” she said of cre-ating Anne. “I guess she’s sort of my fantasy of who I would like to be, I think. Writing a novel also al-lowed me to remove myself from it.” So while The Colony was ob-viously about subjects and emo-
tions with which she is intimately familiar, still, “It clearly was not about me,” she said.
That doesn’t mean the experi-ence was any easier, though it took her only eight weeks to pro-duce the first draft. During that time, she had to visit some places in her head that made her uncom-fortable.
“I kept saying, I can’t stay in this emotional space too long. It’s re-ally difficult,” she said. “I was un-der a lot of pressure from myself to get out of that emotional space as quickly as possible.”
She is kept well distracted by her job, she added.
“I teach a couple of classes and have plenty of time to write. It’s much more conducive to stability and to being happy.”
FIND OUT MOREJillian’s Publisher: SoftSkull.com
Jillian on MySpace: Myspace.com/jillianweise
Colonizing JillianExploring the secret landscapeof an author’s process
page 069by Jack Riley
who done it?
Source: newsherald.comWriter: Tony Simmons
blotterJoseph Guzzardo Sr., 57, of 5507 Thomas Drive, was arrested about 9 p.m. on May 8 after a deputy took statements from Jo-seph Guzzardo Jr., 33, who was outside the residence awaiting EMS. Guzzardo Jr. had a burn on the left side of his back and two burns to the back of his left arm, according to an incident report. He said the burns were caused from boiling water that his father threw on him during a verbal altercation.
According to the report, Guzzardo Jr. was asleep in bed when his father woke him. They went into the kitchen area and argued about a light bulb. Guzzardo Sr. threatened to throw the water he was boiling onto his son, and Guzzardo Jr. said “Go ahead.” The father picked up the pot of water and threw water onto his son’s back. Guzzardo Jr. retreated to his room and called 911.
Guzzardo Sr. “appeared to be intoxicated or under the influence of some type of drug” when questioned, the report said. He stated his son attacked him and “I threw water on him because he told me to.”
Guzzardo Jr. was taken to Bay Medical Center for treatment and his father was taken to the Bay County Jail.
by Jason Koertge
Events in panama city beach
When you think of the fall, you pic-ture the leaves changing, cooler weather, orange and brown col-ors, and turkey. In Panama City Beach, we enjoy warm weather, warm Gulf waters that are emer-ald green, crystal clear and flat as glass, no lines at the grocery and EVENTS!
Years ago, it was realized to help a heavily based tourism-
driven economy during non-peak months, special events draw peo-ple away from their desks and down to the beach for a getaway to spend money. The Panama City Beach Convention and Visi-tor’s Bureau, for a long time only financially supported events dur-ing what is is called the ‘shoulder season”. This year, there are a few events that you won’t want to miss.
FAll
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For more info about local events visit: PCBDaily.com/fall-events
1.) Thunder Beach Motorcycle RallyTwice a year, Thunder Beach comes roaring through Northwest Florida, sometimes bringing as much as 30,000 bikers and their rides to the beach. They come in all shapes and sizes with their bikes to match. Two wheelers, trikes, hybrids, bikes with engines bigger than most cars, you can see it all at this eclectic mix of icono-clast road warrior. Of course, one thing that many overlook is the fact that most of these bikes are worth more than their family sedan and the rough looking dudes that ride them are doctors and lawyers in the real world.
The fall rally comes this year on the first weekend of October, just one weekend short of the next event.
2.) The Panama City Beach Seafood Wine and Music FestivalKnown in years past as the Indian Summer Music Festival, this events roots came from locals wanting to celebrate getting their city back af-ter a summer of tourism. The fes-tival was typically held in October, which has been historically one of the most pleasant months in North-west Florida. This is a time of year when the Gulf is still warm enough to swim in, the weather is usually perfect and the temperature is a
very reasonable mid to high 80’s during the day. All of this makes for a perfect recipe for fall festivals.
The Panama City Beach Seafood Wine and Music Festival got it’s name a few years back when new promoters were awarded the event by tourism officials. The new pro-moters then changed everything, making it more organized and successful than it has ever been. Last year they brought in Styx who performed hits like Mr. Roboto, Lady and Show Me The Way, and this year they are bringing in REO Speedwagon, Lori Morgan and a special surprise that has yet to be announced as of this writing. The event is from October 8th through the 10th.
3.) Emerald Coast Cruizin Car ShowWith just about anything cars from rat rods to classics to newer mus-cle cars, the Emerald Coast Cruizin Event has it all. The weather dur-ing years past has been perfect, warm and clear, and this year, they are expecting more than 2500 cars to attend. Located on the festi-val grounds of Frank Brown Park in Panama City Beach, spectators can see an endless sea of shining paint, huge exhaust pipes and old fat men that are proud of their cre-ations. This event takes place on the second weekend of November.
Meet leta D
Passion is beauty. Up and coming fashion designer, Leta Daniels, truly illustrates how to turn pas-sion into, not only beautiful cloth-ing, but art.
The young artist discovered her gift early in her life. Whether she was painting with her father on the front porch or learning a new stitch from her grandmother on the family’s sewing machine, Leta has surrounded herself with art since elementary. The designer’s calling was obvious when she al-tered new clothes to create piec-es she could call her own.
Dare to be different. Daniels has always followed this ideal. The woman’s strong independence and fearless attitude continued to shine through her adventurous teen years. The young designer ventured from Florida to Maine,
by Lindsay Peterson
all the way to Panama and back to Panama City. Whether it was sew-ing industrial size sails or working on a large cruiser’s upholstery, Daniels took on any project that crossed her path, gaining experi-ence and culture in the industry.The designer describes her clothes as, “edgy but elegant and crazy yet conservative.” Now, you may be wondering how this com-bination is possible. Well, check
out the Leta D. line, and see for yourself. You may set your eyes on a slimming, vintage silk cock-tail dress or you will fall in love with a light beach top created from a patchwork of the artist’s own patterns.
page 075
The designer’s calling was obvious when she altered new clothes to create pieces she could call her own.
wineOver water
by Dana Bethea
2010 Wine Over Water FestivalGrand Wine TastingSaturday March 14, 2010Market Street Carillon Beach
page 077Festival go-ers battled the wind on Market Street to get a taste of over twenty-five select wines from across the globe at the Grand Wine Tasting of the 2010 Wine Over Water Festival in Carillon Beach this Saturday. Serenaded by local musicians from Ed Williams Guitar Studios in Panama City, happy patrons mingled among local artists like Dominique Williams while sip-ping from pours as light and fruity as Italy’s Mommy’s Time Out Pinot Grigio to as bold as Chile’s De Martino Cabernet-Malbec.
Meetup.com
We live in an age where most of our relationships are either started or maintained through technology. With Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, blogs, etc. our lives are filled with faceless interaction! Over the last year I’ve become familiar with a website growing in popular-ity called, Meetup. Think, inter-net dating, but for friendships. When you first arrive at Meetup, you type in your zip code/city in order to find all of the groups in your area. If you don’t find one you like, you can start your own group for a fee of up to $72 per year; and the promise, ‘to create a real, face-to-face, community.’ Some groups are open to anyone
and some are private, meaning; if you want to join, you send a message to the ‘organizer’ who accepts you, or doesn’t. There is also an option for businesses to ‘sponsor’ a group. The business agrees to provide anything from a meeting place for the group, to discounts for services, and could be used as a great ‘free’
by Leah Bryson
advertising tool for the business. I am a member of two “mommy and me” groups both of which are ‘private’ and one of which re-quires dues of $5 every 6 months to help maintain the cost of the site. Because of the popularity of the group and the desire to keep it at a manageable size, it also requires regular attendance or you’re kicked out to make room for new members. The organizer has also changed hands several times so it’s up to the groups to determine their particular ‘rules’. Once you join, it is much like any other social networking sight where you have your own page with background information, and the ability to upload pictures, start conversation threads, leave messages etc. The organizer maintains a calender of activities with RSVPs, thereby taking your faceless interaction to a relation-ship with unbridled potential for face time! There are currently over 20 Meetup groups within a 25 mile radius of Panama City ranging in themes from religious, political, social, or business. If you’ve been tucked inside your
cubical for too long and are ready to step back into the world of ‘real’ relationships, this is the site for you! Type in your zip code or city, find a group who shares your interests, and you just may end up surrounded by people you love, and as the kids say, live hap-pily ever after!
page 079
by Dustin BrysonMr. balooThe P’city kid makes good in Hollywood
YO
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E
The latter involved blood coming from my ears and lots of panicked running. Good times.
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You Can Call Me Mr. BalooThe P’city kid makes good in Hollywood
e5: What’s your full name?BD: Brandon Kyle Davis, The First. I added the First.
e5: Where were you born?BD: Midland, Texas
e5: Where did you grow up?BD: See, now this one just gets people all in a tizzy. I lived in Texas until I was six, then “grew” up in the wild of Colorado until my family moved to Florida when I was 15. Florida is where I spent High School and College. Can a person be from three places? I say yes.
e5: How long did you live in P’city?BD: About six years.
e5: What high school did you go to?BD: J.R. Arnold High. Go Big Blue. Yea I said it, Mosley.
e5: What were your inter-ests in high school?BD: I just wanted to be my own per-son. I found a lot of excitement in traveling with service foundations on the summers to places like Fiji, and South America. I also liked art class, and giving my teachers a hard time.
by Dustin Brysonpage 083
e5: What made you decide to move to Hollywood?BD: You know when you’re a little kid and you think you can do or be anything? That feeling is what made me move. That, and the amazing support of my family.
e5: What have you been in since you moved there?BD: I did a comedy pilot for FOX, a commercial by strike anywhere films, and got to play a terrorist at-tack victim in a movie called ‘Dead Air’. The latter involved blood com-ing from my ears and lots of pan-icked running. Good times.
e5: What have you audi-tioned for?BD: All kinds of stuff. The TV show, Cold Case was a fun audi-tion though. It was on the Warner Brothers lot and was for the role of this mild genius. I came in full char-acter, dressed odd, and speaking to everyone like I was a little bit off (not totally untrue already), and the casting director loved it! Sadly I did not look enough like the older version of my character who had already been cast.
e5: Is Mel Gibson really a massive jerk?BD: I’ve never met him. I’ve got plenty of first hand stories about him — but, yea, let’s just remember him as the guy who made Bravehe-art. Life’s easier that way.
e5: What are your aspira-tions/dreams?BD: So many. I would really like to be someone who has influence for positive change in the world. I want to continue to travel the globe. I’d like to fall in love, and stay in love.
e5: If you were a kind of in-sect what kind would you be and why?BD: A Praying Mantis. Have you seen Kung Fu Panda?!
e5: What are your favorite roles to play?BD: I really like to take on roles that force me to be a versatile and dis-tinctive actor. I also love adventure movies and playing characters that are passionate, who have to make order from chaos. Interest-ing villains are also fun to play. They force you to see things from a totally different perspective.
e5: Is it all glits and glam or is it a struggle?BD: Glitz and Glam. Wait. What was the question?
e5: Have you given yourself a window of time in which to “make it” and if so what is “plan B”?
BD: I will stop acting when it is no longer what I see for my life. Until that day comes, I’m here. But act-ing is just what I do, not who I am. So I stay focused on things that fill my life rather than waiting for some moment of “success”.
e5: Soft or hard taco’s?BD: Soft.
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You Can Call Me Mr. BalooThe P’city kid makes good in Hollywood
e5: If you weren’t an actor what would you be?BD: An Inventor. Or maybe a photo journalist.
e5: What’s on your iPod right now?BD: My iPod is consistently on shuffle, but playing now is Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. If you haven’t heard of them, look ‘em up. Folksy Amazingness.
e5: How’s the dating scene in Cali?BD: There are a lot of girls who think they’re already celebs because they did an episode of ‘That’s So Raven’ back in 2004. Weed out those and you’ll be left with some pretty ambi-tious and strong women.
e5: If you could be one car-toon character from the 90’s which one would you be and why?BD: Easy. Baloo the Bear, From Tale Spin, because he’s awesomeness wrapped up in a plane flying bear. Rocko, from Rocko’s Modern Life was pretty cool, too.
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The smell of fresh fish, salt in the air, smiling faces, warm breeze, children laughing - these were all common elements found in decades past at what had been dubbed the “City Pier” on Panama City Beach. Located a couple miles east of Highway 79, the City Pier used to be called Dan Russell Municipal Pier, but has since found a new name. But, we’ll get to that in a moment.
The Dan Russell Pier was home to many exciting summer memories,
thousands of plates of fish and stood as an icon for decades. In 2004 and 2005, the active hurricane seasons ravaged the structural components, all but closing it down completely. Portions at the end of the pier were so badly damaged that permanent gates were built to keep pedestrians away. The pier remained in this tattered state for a few years while a plan was formulated to make this a destination worth visiting again.
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Fast forward to summer 2009 - the “City Pier” greeted Panama City Beach with another Grand Opening for the Fourth of July weekend that was written in spectator’s memory books as the greatest July 4th celebration ever. Tens of thousands congregated in Pier Park, right across Front Beach Road for live music, entertainment and a whole mess of food and shopping. The pier was back, with a new name, the Russell Fields Pier, and it extends more than a quarter mile out into the emerald green waters of the Gulf. But, the pier was just one component, one part of the memories. Sure, it was the landmark, but there was still something missing.
One year after the grand opening of Russell Fields Pier, for July 4th weekend, the “amenities” at the foot of the pier was open and ready to host concourses of spectators for the Pier Park Star Spangled Spectacular fireworks show. The pier alone was a source of enjoyment, memories, spectatorship, but without the
amenities, it was just a pier, not a destination. The plans all along included a cafe, bait shop, beach services, restroom facilities, and a huge deck, and now it’s here.
As you walk onto the expansive dark red-stained deck, you notice the vibrant colors, reminiscent of the adjacent Pier Park architecture. The smell of fresh grouper sandwiches drifts through the air, luring you into Hook’d, the beach-front cafe with gulf-view dining. With a full bar and a menu that rivals that of a full blown restaurant, your appetite is sure to be pleased here.
Memories of old can be memories of new. Generations have been coming to the beaches of Panama City Beach for as long as there have been roads. Grandparents and grandkids alike will surely ponder the time they spent at this Panama City Beach icon for years to come. For more pictures, visit PCBDaily.com/pcb-icon
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by Jason Koertge
That...Jazz?
You might have the perception that “jazz music is for snobs and old people”. You probably have visions of folks sipping wine and eating finger foods while some Kenny G. clone plays a mind numbingly boring saxophone solo. Well, that scene may exist, but it’s not really jazz in it’s tru-est form.
If you consider yourself an art lover you might be interested to know that jazz music is one of America’s few original art forms. It was started by black musicians in and around New Orleans at the beginning of the 20th cen-tury. I won’t get into where the
word “jazz” comes from, because there is much debate and little evidence to say for sure. What I will say is that since its begin-nings, what we call “jazz” music has grown and taken on many different forms. However, what this article is concerned with is jazz music in its truest, original form. The music I refer to in the first paragraph and that prob-ably conjures up that snobbish image for many people, is what’s called “smooth jazz”. Now, I’m not knocking smooth jazz, there are many great musicians who cre-ate music in that genre. My mis-sion here is to introduce you to the root form of the music and
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explain what makes it so amaz-ingly cool.
One of the basic elements in original jazz music is improvisa-tion. Most conventional music and even most “smooth jazz” consists of musicians playing the music note by note exactly how it was written by the composer. In pure jazz the musicians may follow the score initially or ten-tatively, but will often improvise and interpret the music on their own. They will also use “call and response” where one instrumen-talist will play a section and an-other will answer back. Watching a live band playing in this classic style is one of the most exciting musical experiences there is. As a matter of fact, some of the most exciting musicians in any style of music use these methods. Take Jimi Hendrix for example; he is recognized as one of the great-est guitarists ever and when he played live he often improvised. Jazz music influences can be found in almost any genre of mu-sic including hip hop and country.
It’s complexity and spontaneity keep it exciting and fresh, allow-ing you to hear new things each time you listen.
If you live in the eight5ifty and want to experience pure jazz live, I recommend you check out the Gulf Jazz Society. They are a non-profit organization consisting of local jazz lovers who promote “America’s Music”. They sponsor regular music events and in Oc-tober of each year they hold their “Jazz By The Bay” festival in his-toric St. Andrews. The festival is held in Oaks By The Bay park, is always free and features national
and local jazz artists. Visit their website at www.gulfjazzsociety.org to learn more. We also have several local groups and musi-cians that regularly play around town. For your private listening pleasure I would recommend picking up some John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Dave Bruebeck, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Charlie Parker, or just do a search for great jazz artists using your favorite Internet browser. Origi-nal jazz music was started by the young and adventurous, it’s a true American legacy that deserves to be re-discovered.
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