Home Is What You Make it
How do you define home? Is it where you live, where you’re from, or where you wish you were? For me, home has always been the beach, even while living in other states. I was raised on Emerald Coast landscapes,…
Author: Paige Aigret
Cozy at the Cafe
In the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, a homesick Dorothy Gale made iconic a five-word phrase that lives in mainstream use still today: “There’s no place like home.” And she was right. So right that we’ve come to chase…
Anchoring Inland
Living in Florida, there’s no hotter commodity than beachfront property. But it’ll cost you to live Gulf-side. Walton County, including coastal towns from Miramar Beach to Inlet Beach and north to Freeport and DeFuniak Springs, spans a diverse portfolio of…
What’s in Store?
TRIBE KELLY Made for firework nights and chilly mornings, the AMERICANA SWEATER brings bold, timeless energy to your closet. This cozy knit is your go-to for year-round layering. Toss it over denim cutoffs, style it with your favorite sweats, or…
Florida Cocktails
Carrie Honaker was traveling abroad, on board a barge in Southern France, when she unexpectedly received an email from Cider Mill Press. The publishing company was looking to recruit Honaker to author a compilation of cocktails made at bars…
The Garden
A close cousin to the cafeteria and inspired by the nearly bygone era of the mall food court, the dining hall boom has carved out space for communities to gather and for local entrepreneurs to thrive. “You really get the gamut…
Some Kind of Nirvana
Old Florida is synonymous with Sunshine State nostalgia. The phrase indicates a bygone era of small-town coastal living and simpler, less crowded times. Today, the Emerald Coast is a hot spot for tourism—our beaches are bustling, and our economy is…
Local Art Here
Best friends Autumn Johnson and Kasey Caldwell co-worked for years selling their respective artwork out of co-op shops. But they never anticipated graduating their work relationship to co-owners. “We’re like soulmates,” Johnson says. “We know each other very well,…
Remember When
At 33, I feel possibly too young to be contemplating the good old days. Still, I sometimes find myself and friends half-jokingly adding “back in my day” sentiments to our conversations. Already, my 30s have felt like a reflective decade.…
Making of a Mural
One resin artist, two mixed media sculptors, and three painters teamed up in fall 2024 to bring Emerald Coast Magazine’s Love EC signature hashtag to life. The result—a one-of-a-kind mural fit for the best night of the year. “The colorful,…
What’s in Store
Ophelia Swimwear’s signature line, Ophelia Love, has partnered with artist and designer Rebekah Steen of Goldfish Kiss to create an Emerald Coast-inspired 30A Suit. The black and white design highlights all things 30A, from palm trees and beach waves to…
In Preservation of Piracy
Like many locals who grew up in and around Fort Walton Beach, the Billy Bowlegs festival is ingrained in my childhood memories. I can recall the awe I experienced as pirates stormed The Landing, the excitement of hunting for treasure,…
The Art of Self-Expression
While studying creative writing at Columbus State University, I took a class in my senior year that led me to realize art is as repetitive as the history it is defined by. The course was an intensive review of…
A New Tattooing Era
The tattoo industry has long thrived in Pensacola where a perfect combination of military members, locals, and tourists have kept books full at shops throughout town for decades. “I think it’s just a really good, supportive community,” says Carrie Daniels,…
Conservation vs. Consumption
A visit to the sand dunes of Lake Michigan leaves Emerald Coast local hyper-aware of overconsumption
Best of the Emerald Coast Results 2024
Cheers to the 2024 Best of the Emerald Coast winners!
Sunken Sculptures of the Emerald Coast
A Gulf Coast diving hot spot, the Underwater Museum of Art expands with 7 new installations
The Little Theater That Could
Decades-long history proves Pensacola Little Theatre never gives up on big dreams
Consider Community
Dissatisfaction has plagued the attention span; human connection offers resolve
A Star Behind the Scenes
Longtime community educator Heath Carroll has a big heart for theater
To Rise or Not to Rise
As Gen Z falls victim to our most regretted style, this millennial asks — seriously?
Longleaf Art Park at Watersound Origins
A newly planned nature and arts destination will house sculpture by the late Richard Serra
Raise Your Glass to DCWAF
$3.3 million raised for local children’s charities at annual event celebrated by wine and culinary enthusiasts
Slow Your Focus
Emerald Coast photographer enjoys the challenge in seeking the perfect shot
Imagine Living Here
Lucky to claim that home is where the beach is, there’s still more to explore
Raw and Fresh
This season is all about colorful salads, crunchy crudités and fresh summer rolls
ClasSea Couture
Boutique owner Alyssa Jamieson’s childhood dream never went out of style
Pickleball for All
Players of all ages can handle the heat as long as they stay out of the kitchen
Team Effort Brings About a Bank Raising
Capital City Bank Group’s future branch location at the WaterSound Town Center in South Walton is taking shape. Construction workers were on the job Wednesday when Capital City Bank Group (CCGB) and the St. Joe Company joined in a “groundbreaking”…
