Christine Tarpey, Kelly Curry, Alexis Miller

Harvest Wine and Food Festival Returns to WaterColor, Florida

VIE was thrilled to hear of the return of the local favorite Harvest Wine and Food Festival. The festival is produced each year by Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF). It returned on Saturday, November 6, for its fifth annual event after a year’s hiatus due to the pandemic and raised over $100,000 to help children in need in Northwest Florida. The mission is simple: to connect wine enthusiasts to raise money to benefit children in need in NW Florida. Cheers to all of the distributors, chefs, sponsors, and guests for making the grand tasting such a wonderful event year after year!

Grayt Lights Is Illuminating the Night for Mental Health in Grayton Beach, Florida

The brainchild of Tribe Kelley founder and CEO Brittney Kelley, the residential light show in Grayton Beach, Florida, will support mental health awareness. Grayt Lights is the perfect holiday activity to gather friends and family together, so visitors and locals alike can drive through a magical holiday wonderland by the beach and support a great cause while enjoying the holiday cheer!

Say It Southern Hits the Beach for an Unforgettable Getaway

The Say It Southern Getaway is a must-attend event. For those of you who don’t know, Courtney Goolsby and Sarah Stone Smith are the creators and cohosts of the Say It Southern (SIS) podcast and The Getaway. They are champions of women entrepreneurs who love to tell stories about Southern women and their passions. I knew from the second I listened to my first SIS podcast that I wanted to find a way to be involved in this event and it did not disappoint! The long weekend took place along the beautiful beach towns of Scenic Highway 30-A in Northwest Florida with around forty guests from around the Southeast and beyond. We all left with new friends, renewed energy, and new ideas on how to live our best lives and have fun while doing it.

Find Relaxed Luxury at Oyster Bay Boutique Hotel in Downtown Pensacola

Oyster Bay Boutique Hotel, founded in 2021, is downtown Pensacola’s newest boutique hotel owned and operated by the Studer Family of Companies. After a complete interior renovation led by Bear General Contractors, the hotel has officially opened its doors on Bayfront Parkway. Established in the historic district of downtown Pensacola the property’s concept focuses on local authenticity, modest luxury, and natural design and is the city’s first hotel to focus on sustainability and wellness.

The Effie Experience

The venue of the day is the relatively new and buzzed-about Hotel Effie. Named after the owner’s matriarch, the Hotel has a family element that emanates through the graciousness everyone working here seems to possess. Walking into the bright and spacious lobby, I feel transported to a swanky metropolitan city, minus the ostentatiousness that comes with that. The modern yet breezy design is refreshing from the typical beach casual decor we Floridians are so used to seeing. Perhaps it’s because I am finally off 30-A? Anyone who stays on 30-A knows the running joke of Destin/Sandestin being a faraway “big city.” So take it from me, Hotel Effie came to play.

JoJo’s Beloved Cocktail Lounge Is Your New Favorite Atlanta Hot Spot

Nestled in a secluded interior of Midtown Atlanta’s Colony Square, the lounge boasts cathedral-height ceilings, an all-vinyl soundtrack, and a brooding, romantic vibe. Expect oft-maligned favorites from the era of disco and glam. With a menu curated by mixology expert Sophie Burton and the energy of a new analog-only playlist nightly, you’ll channel a time of roller skates and cassette tapes, when seedy glamour, indulgence, and boogie reigned supreme.

Panama City Beach Announces Packed Calendar of Fall Events

Panama City Beach is situated on 27 miles of sugar-white sand beaches bordering clear, emerald-green waters Andrew Bay converge. With 320 days of sunshine annually and attractions such as St. Andrews State Park and Pier Park, the region has long been favored by travelers seeking an affordable beach vacation with year-round offerings for families, couples, groups, and adventure-seekers. “We are thrilled to be hosting events at the Real.Fun.Beach once again and look forward to welcoming visitors this weekend for our annual Pirates of the High Seas Fest,” says Dan Rowe.

An Eclectic Flatiron Apartment Design by Siriano Interiors

Award-winning fashion designer Christian Siriano knows this better than most and has recently brought his talents from the runways and red carpets to homes, hotels, and more with the launch of Siriano Interiors. The full-service design firm also includes a new line of mid-century modern–inspired bespoke furniture for sale exclusively on 1stDibs.com. Siriano shares one of his newest projects with us here—a New York City apartment in the Flatiron District.

Feed Your Literary Soul at Oscar Wilde NYC

Oscar Wilde NYC opened in 2017, instigating much fanfare and intrigue as locals, tourists, and literature fans alike ogled its over-the-top interiors and 118-and-a-half-foot marble bar (the longest continuous bar in the city). It reopened in March 2021 after being closed for nearly a year due to COVID-19. “Oscar Wilde turns the Victorian era on its head—without relinquishing any of its glamour.”

LAND ROVER INAUGURAL ‘DEFENDER ABOVE & BEYOND SERVICE AWARDS’ WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Inspired by the endless acts of service across the U.S. from extraordinary non-profits, Land Rover launched the ‘Defender Above & Beyond Service Awards’ to celebrate U.S.-based charitable organizations that are making a positive impact in their local community. Navarre Beach Fire Rescue Inc. was recognized for its work providing emergency response to all emergencies on Navarre Beach, Florida, and automatic aid to all departments in Santa Rosa County along with the military.

DIGITAL GRAFFITI AT ALYS BEACH WELCOMES NEW CURATOR, SCAD’S JOHN COLETTE

Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach is pleased to announce the appointment of John Colette as the festival’s new curator. Colette takes the reigns from his award-winning and highly regarded predecessor and colleague, Brett Phares, who curated the festival for 14 years from inception, a contemporary with whom Colette has long worked. To Colette’s mind, Digital Graffiti is a dynamic platform for art to reach people, an abundantly open experience with unlimited opportunities for perceiving art in a conjoining of ideas, creation, space, technology. The 15th Annual Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach festival, underwritten by The Alys Foundation, will be held May 13-14, 2022.

Santa Rosa Golf & Beach Club Holds Hiring Event in preparation for Grand Re-Opening

With the upcoming grand re-opening following a multi-million-dollar renovation, Santa Rosa Golf & Beach Club (SRGBC) is hosting a hiring event to fill numerous positions. The hiring event began on September 20 and will continue throughout the month of October. Applicants are required to make an appointment, which can be arranged by emailing zach@santarosaclub.com. “While it sometimes feels as if these changes have happened overnight, we have been rebranding for a few years now,” said Sarah Brazwell, membership and marketing director for Santa Rosa Golf & Beach Club. The transformation of the course and club is sure to be a hole in one.