Coastal Companion

Your ultimate guide to the coast

Oscar Party in Jacksonville

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Jacksonville Film Events, the presenters of the Jacksonville International Film Festival is proud to announce it’s 3rd annual Oscar Viewing Party taking place February 22nd 2009 at the newly renovated FIVE POINTS Theatre – 1028 Park Street in Jacksonville Florida. Doors open at 7:00pm. The telecast begins at 8:00pm. Celebrate with us the most important night of the film industry as we watch the Oscars on a giant movie screen!

Walk down the red carpet as the search lights hit the sky and you are greeted by giant Oscar statues. Enjoy complimentary popcorn and soft drinks courtesy of The Five Points Theatre, special cocktails by Bacardi products, beer from Bold City Brewery and great food! Live entertainment by Dance Works with a very special Bollywood performance choreographed by by Rujuta Vaidya (choreographer of the two Slum Dog Millionaire dance performances at the actual Oscars)

Join us and our sponsors, Jacksonville.com / The Florida Times-Union, The Five Points Theatre, Bacardi Products, Brands and Events, Havana-Jax Café, PRI, Toe Photo, Bold City Brewery, and Dance Works.

Advance tickets are available for $25.00 on line at filmfestival.jacksonville.com or by telephone at 904.633.9399. Tickets at the door on the day of the event are $35.00. Five special VIP tables of ten are also available for $35.00 per person or $350.00 a table. Each table will be decorated based on the five nominated films; Milk, Slum Dog Millionaire, Frost/Nixon, The Reader and The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button. (Proceeds will support the Jacksonville International Film Festival).

Prizes will be given for the Most Glamorous Couple, Best Bollywoodcostume, Most Fabulously Dressed Gay and Lesbian Couples, Sexiest Seniors and Best Celebrity Look- Alike. Win DVD’s of Oscar nominated and winning films from the past and the present.

Upcoming Book Festival in Jacksonville – Much Ado About Books

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Much Ado About Books is The Jacksonville Public Library’s annual literary and fundraising event coming up on Friday, Feb. 27, and Saturday, Feb. 28. The book festival takes place downtown Jacksonville at the Main Library, 303 N. Laura Street. Workshops, luncheons and panel discussions are part of the event. Many of the events are free, but some require tickets. Call (904) 630-2665 or visit www.muchadoaboutbooks.com for more info.

Here is a list of participating authors.

– David Baldacci has published 15 suspense thrillers and two young adult novels. His latest title is Divine Justice.

– Janet Cheatham Bell’s latest book is The Time and Place That Gave Me Life. She has published 10 books, including Victory of the Spirit, Stretch Your Wings and Till Victory Is Won.

– Steve Berry has 7 million copies of his books currently in print worldwide. Berry has earned spots on the best-seller lists of The New York Times, USA Today and Publishers Weekly and BookSense. Berry’s seventh novel, The Charlemagne Pursuit, came out in December.

– C.J. Box is the author of nine novels, including the award-winning Joe Pickett series. St. Martin’s Press will publish his latest stand-alone thriller, Three Weeks to Say Goodbye, by the end of the month.

– Tracy Brown has written five novels, a few short stories and numerous poems. Her novels include White Lines, Criminal Minded, Black and Dime Piece. Her latest book, Twisted, is a tale of love, betrayal and redemption.

– Diane deGroat has done illustrations for more than 120 children’s books. Her picture books about Gilbert the opossum include New York Times best-seller Roses are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink and Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet.

– Marisa Carbone Finotti is a journalist and former teacher who lives in Atlantic Beach. The author’s first middle-grade novel, The Treasure of Amelia Island, is published by Pineapple Press. It is about the Kingsley family and plantation and is set in 1813, when Florida was still a Spanish colony.

– Alex Flinn’s novels, Breathing Underwater, Breaking Point, Nothing to Lose, Fade to Black and Diva (a companion novel to Breathing Underwater) have received numerous honors. Her latest book, Beastly, has been optioned for a feature film.

– Anne D. LeClaire is a former actress, radio news reporter and op-ed columnist. Her work has appeared in Redbook, the Boston Sunday Globe, Yankee and the Sunday New York Times. LeClaire’s memoir, Listening Below the Noise: A Meditation on the Practice of Silence, will be published by HarperCollins in early 2009.

– Paul Malmont is a copy director at an interactive advertising agency in New York. He has written for the Cartoon Network, VH1.com, Pfizer and Microsoft. His second novel, Jack London in Paradise, will be published in early 2009.

– Carla Neggers is the author of more than 50 novels, including The Angel, The Widow and Cold Pursuit.

– Lois Simon is a professional artist. Simon formerly owned an interior design company and served as curator of the Cultural Center of Ponte Vedra Beach. The artist and designer-turned-author has written three children’s books. The most recent, Mac (The Story of A Happy Apple), was co-illustrated with her grandson.

– John Stauffer is chair of the History of American Civilization and Professor of English at Harvard University. His first book, The Black Hearts of Men: Radical Abolitionists and the Transformation of Race won numerous awards. Stauffer is also the co-author of Meteor of War: The John Brown Story and the editor of the Modern Library edition of the Frederick Douglass book My Bondage and My Freedom.

-    Adriana Trigiani is a novelist, screenwriter, playwright, producer, director, actor, documentary filmmaker and comedian. She adapted her own novel, Big Stone Gap, for the screen. Trigiani will direct the film version, which went into production in the fall of 2008.

About Much Ado About Books
Much Ado About Books is Jacksonville’s largest literary event, bringing national, regional and local authors together with book lovers. The program supports reading for all community members regardless of age and highlights local resources supporting the City’s literacy initiative.

Nocatee’s Farmers Market in Spring

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Nocatee’s Market growing in popularity! Here you can find everything from fresh, local produce, to baked goods, flowers, and a variety of creations by local artists.

Nocatee Farmers Market is now open from Noon until 4 pm.You don’t need to worry about missing out on lunch. Instead, come hungry and enjoy pulled BBQ, local crab cakes, British meat pies, hummus or tabouli, and much, much more.

Vendors will setup at the roundabout at Crosswater Parkway and Preservation Trail (take County Road 210/Nocatee Parkway east from US 1 or west from A1A to the intersection of Crosswater Parkway and travel south. The market will be on the left side of the roundabout).

The Nocatee Farmers Marke is open on Saturday, February 21st, March 21st, April 18th, May 16th and June 20th. For more information on upcoming events visit Nocatee.com.

The Body Within

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Do you have a hard time explaining how the heart works, or the blood flows or the million other things kids will ask about the human body? For most parents, this is a bit of a struggle.

On February 13th, MOSH opens a new permanent exhibit, called The Body Within. It sounds like this fun and interesting exhibit will become a new favorite for both curious kids and parents. The best way to learn is to experience, and The Body Within let’s you almost take a fascinating journey through the human body.

Visitors will enter through a mouth and then be able to see the skeletal system above, and organs and body systems below.This realistic, and humorous look at the human body, will help visitors gain knowledge about how different organs, for example the heart, function within the body. We can’t wait to experience this one ourselves.

Valentine’s Day in Savannah

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Savannah is probably one of the most romantic cities you’ll find on the coast with beautiful squares, live oaks with hanging moss and a bustling river front. Savannah is the perfect destination for a romantic getaway weekend. There’s always a lot to do and see in Savannah, and also a variety of great restaurants.

Here are a few suggestions of what to do for Valentine’s Day in Savannah, Georgia.

Cool Down with Ice Cream for Your Sweetheart
Who wants ice cream in February? Well, normally, this would be a treat saved for the warmer summer months, but Savannah has one of the most unique ice cream parlors – Leopold’s Ice cream on 212 E. Broughton Street. The place is owned by Stratton Leopold, a known movie producer, and contains lots of fun memorabilia. Stratton actually closed the place to pursue his career in Hollywood, but in 2004 Leopold’s re-opened in a new location. The place has been around since 1919, and so has many of the recipes. The place is designed by Academy Award winning designer Dan Lomino and still contains many of the original features such as the soda fountain, Philco radio and malted milk dispenser. For Valentine’s Day try February’s special flavors; Rose Petal Cream or Chocolate Cherry Cordial.
Leopold’s Ice Cream, 212 E. Broughton Street, Savannah
www.leopoldsicecream.com

Valentine’s and All That Jazz
The best way is to say the three words “I love you” might be with food, wine and jazz.

On Valentine’s Day, February 14th 2010, the Savannah Stompers Jazz Band (SSJB), Savannah’s premier good time band is ready to help you out to make this day special.

The SSJB plays traditional jazz, from New Orleans, Chicago and Memphis to the West Coast Revival movement of the late ‘30s and early ‘40s. For more information 912.920.1317 or visit www.coastal-jazz.org
February 14th, 5 p.m at The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort and Spa. Admission is $10 for non-members

Savannah’s Own Love Boat
One of the best ways to experience Savannah is from the water. How about a Valentine’s Day Dinner Cruise? It could be the perfect way to end a perfect day.

Watch the glittering lights from the city reflect in the water. Relax in the cool ocean breeze. This Valentine’s Day package includes a dinner cruise, complete with dancing, entertainment, and bottle of house wine or champagne, balloons  and a plush bear.

Valentine’s Day Cruise on Saturday February 13th or Sunday February 14th
Call 912.232.6404 for more information or visit www.savannahriverboat.com

Something Old, Something New
Of course, if you’ve already decided to “take the big step” on this special day you could do so on the coast. One of the most romantic choices is a Valentine’s Day Weddings in the Davenport House Garden in Savannah. Here you can get married on Sunday, February 14, 2010  from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Have your wedding in the beautiful courtyard garden of the Davenport Museum! Ceremonies will be offered every 10 minutes. Judge Hamrick “Rick” Gnann, Jr. will officiate. $100 donation to the museum is requested. The Davenport House is located on  324 E. State Street in Savannah. Call 912.236.8097 for additional information or visit www.davenporthousemuseum.org

Tie the Knot on Tybee
Tie the Knot on Tybee is a unique and romantic Valentine’s Day tradition on Tybee Island outside Savannah, Georgia. The event is a group wedding ceremony and vow renewal celebration open to the public.

This event takes place on Sunday February 14th, 2010, At the (indoors) Tybee Island – AMERICAN LEGION Post 154. The doors open at 6:00 pm. For more information visit www.tietheknotontybee.com or call 912.786.5319.

And remember, Tybee Island also celebrates Mardi Gras with a festival on February 12-13, 2010, so plan to come early and participate in the fun.

The Luck of the Irish
Weddings and renewing your vows might not be your idea of how to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Maybe the Irish Festival in Savannah is more your cup of tea…or should we say mug of beer? Savannah offers one of the best Irish Festivals around. The 17th Annual Savannah Irish Festival will take place February 12-14, 2010 at the Savannah Civic Center in historic downtown Savannah. Four stages of continuous entertainment bring fun for the entire family throughout the weekend. This is your chance to enjoy the largest Irish Festival in the South with plenty of Irish dancing, Irish music, culture, food and fun. For more information visit www.savannahirish.org or call 912.232.3448