The Ritz at 25
Celebrating Our Past, Present, and Future By Mitch Hemann, Archivist at the Ritz Theatre and Museum On the northwest corner of Davis and State Streets in Jacksonville’s historic LaVilla neighborhood, there stands a marquee. A bright red sign that has become an icon in the community. It has stood there in various states of repair for nearly a century, towering above the box office of the Ritz Theatre like a beacon. A reminder of a...
Pesca Vilano: Coastal Cuisine at Its Best
Fine Dining, Fine Wines, and Fine Times By Buzz Thomas Experienced travelers can likely recall one of two experiences when the term hotel restaurant is mentioned. It’s either a bland, disappointing, no-name bar and grill, or it’s a memorable culinary journey (akin to Salt at the Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island). Pesca Vilano most definitely falls into the latter of those two categories. Allow me to introduce you to Chef Michael...
The Gilded Age: Treasures from the Lightner Museum
Opens June 7 This major reinterpretation of the museum’s permanent collection celebrates the opulent art and furnishings of America’s Gilded Age. A dynamic era that shaped modern America, the Gilded Age witnessed the sudden rise of a new millionaire class whose wealth derived from emerging industries including railroads, oil, and steel manufacturing. These titans of American industry expressed their high status by building...
Mellen C. Greeley
THE DEAN OF FLORIDA ARCHITECTS By Wayne W. Wood Mellen Greeley walked with a cane, but his stride was brisk. He had a full head of snow-white hair, and, despite the warmth of the afternoon, he was wearing a tie. He had just set a bowl of dogfood in the grass twenty feet away, so he and I would be able to watch as the racoons emerged from the marsh grass. First one, then two, now four or five, enjoying their daily handout. Greeley...
Conversation with Linda Purl
Actress, jazz performer, and cofounder of Duffy’s Dough Photo: Kevin Alvey In August, the Florida Theatre and Theatre Jacksonville, two of the oldest premier historic art establishments in the region, are coordinating their first show together—a staged reading of Mame, starring Linda Purl in the role of Mame Dennis. Brought here through a friendship with Theatre Jacksonville’s Executive Director Sarah Boone, Purl will join several...