letter from the Associate Puublisher
PUBLISHER
GREG ALEXANDER
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
VERLA PRICE
MANAGING EDITOR
STEVE BARBER
PRODUCTION EDITOR
JESSICA GRAÑA
ADVERTISING
BETH MANGUM
ERIC SANDERS
TRICIA WIBLE
SENIOR DESIGNER
PRISCILLA ATKINS
DESIGN
SHEILA MACDIARMID
CONTRIBUTING
WRITERS/PHOTOGRAPHERS
ALEX MASON
CATHERINE ROWAN
LIESEL SCHMIDT
KRISTINA WRIGHT
VIP FOUNDER
JEFF WATSON
VIP PENSACOLA MAGAZINE
EVENTS: Steve@VIPMag.com
INFO: Verla@VIPMag.com
WWW.VIPPENSACOLA.COM
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/VIPPENSACOLA
VOLUME III • ISSUE 11
10 | VIPPensacola.com
I cannot start this issue without
expressing the ways in which I have been
humbled by the generosity witnessed
recently as the people of Pensacola
and surrounding communities have
united to help our neighbors recover
from Hurricane Michael. The people of
Panama City and Mexico Beach areas
will be affected for a very long time. I look
forward to continuing to support them
physically, fi nancially, and prayerfully
and I know that many of you will too, as it
takes them a long time to rebuild.
For our November issue, we feature
tasty menus from local eateries reminding
us of the vast variety of dining options from which we have to choose. Images of
steak, shrimp, fi sh, chicken, crab cakes, and many other mouthwatering bites cover
the pages as restaurants feature their specialties. I am always amazed when I am
fortunate enough to watch a chef working in his domain. For example, at Pot Roast
and Pinot, during our VIP Pensacola Cover Reveal Party, Joe Abston whipped up
marshmallow from scratch as a line of us watched and waited for our taste. I might
have been seen in that line twice.
With this issue’s extra focus on dining, festivals, and fundraisers, I started
thinking about how food drives our social interactions. Our calendars are planned
around eating as each day’s meetings take place over coffee, lunch, or dinner.
Weekly, I attend events ranging from intimate dinners at people’s homes to galas
at lavishly decorated venues, all of which revolve around food specifi c to a season,
holiday, or theme. A plethora of invitations cross my desk fi lled with details of
wine, cocktails, music, silent auctions, dancing, and entertainment. Each one
different in its own way, yet there is one common thing. Food is always invited to
the party.
Some events I attended this month will certainly be notable for my calendar next
year. A lazy Friday evening turned into an unimaginably good time as we crossed
the lawn of the Hilton to an array of booths lining the water of Pensacola Beach.
WSRE-TV presented this fundraiser as local chefs prepared their best, from
appetizers to desserts. Our group could be heard jovially bantering as we discussed
where to cast our votes for favorites. Scenic Hills Country Club changed my vision
of a pig roast. How Chef Jesse kept a roasted pig juicy and tasty on a buffet was
my question as I cleaned my plate. I also found myself at the Ever Arrogant Steak
Cook-Off on Palafox one evening in a crowd of carnivores. Going from booth to
booth tasting the very best steak the city has to offer is my idea of a very good time.
Keep this issue on your coffee table so your friends and family can use it to make
the age-old decision easier… Where are we going to eat tonight?
Verla Price
Associate Publisher
photo by Zhalman Harris
Verla Price - Associate Publisher, Greg Alexander - Publisher,
Steve Barber - Editor
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10/29/18 4:39 PM