Learning

Remember being nine? Third grade was a magical time of discovery, before the rigors of fractions in the fourth grade, when butterfly wings wore straight pins and quartz crystals shaped many girl’s wedding imagination. It’s a building time that should be in every child’s educational experience. You can still lasso rainbows when your eyes are wide open. The has welcomed third grade students from Duval County schools for field trips for many years. These students get a hands-on experience of the work they do in the classroom. They get to investigate and see, first hand, concepts such as the difference …

Slow Food First Coast is hosting their biannual Tour de Farm November 19th from 12pm to 5pm. The event gives over 15 North Florida farms a chance to open their (barn) doors for a day. Each farm has a restaurant or an artisan food and beverage partner along with fun events for all ages. President of the , , encourages all visitors to bring their adventurous spirit. “Consumers shape the future of local food through the choice they make. We want to spread the word about all of the delicious, beautiful foods being grown and produced right here in our area, …

CIVIC CINEMA AT THE FLORIDA THEATRE The brisk fall air drifted through the streets below the sparkling Florida Theatre marquee before the theatre’s Civic Cinema debut. Patrons gathered in line after work, conversing about the state of relations between politics and the media ahead of the first movie of the series, All the President’s Men, with a panel discussion to follow. Florida Theatre President, , opened the evening with a brief speech thanking sponsor Community First Credit Union for the season, and Times Union Media and AVL Productions for making the night possible. The audience settled into their seats with …

Tis the season of sugar and flour in abundance!  Let the emotional eaters and food addicts beware! The shelves of our local grocers and retailers are overflowing with cheaply priced candies, caramelized popcorns, and frosted pastries. The sugar and flour fest begins in October with the fall festivals, Halloween parties and trick or treating. Then, continues on with Thanksgiving, Religious Holiday dinners and ends with . But, does it really end? No, we have birthdays and the rest of the observed holidays for the remainder of the year. There is always a good reason to have sugar and flour but …

JACKSONVILLE – Imagine traveling back two thousand years to a time of mighty heroes and powerful emperors. Now imagine having the opportunity to use mighty Roman war machines, sundials and water clocks, grinding mills, pottery wheels and much more. That is what is coming to the on September 23, when the acclaimed and award-winning Italian exhibition, Ancient Rome: Epic Innovators and Engineers, opens to the public and runs through January 28, 2018. The interactive exhibition explores an epic period during which Rome conquered much of the ancient world through military ingenuity, oversaw significant feats of construction and pioneered technological innovations that affect our lives today. It features …

The vision of Tree Hill Nature Center is to, “promote environmental stewardship through hands-on educational programs and low-cost access to natural spaces.” Let’s unpack these ideas a bit, and explore the kind of education that helps to promote environmental stewardship. Environmental stewardship is about using and protecting natural resources through conservation and sustainability. This is predicated on the age old tenet of protecting resources to ensure they are available for future generations. As our understanding of environmental science, ecology, and the connectedness of Earth’s systems have broadened, natural resources are, increasingly, appreciated for their intrinsic value. Together these ideas inform …

LOVE IS THE MOVEMENT Growing up my Mom always expressed to both my sister and me that kindness is a way of life and I had always heard the expression “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. So be kind.” Today, on this special day of awareness for World Suicide Prevention Day (9/10,) this expression holds a deeper meaning and carries more weight than just a simple phrase. Over the years the suicides of famous musicians and actors who seemed to have it all have taken over the news, while social media has allowed for a …

Amelia Island Downtown Tasting Tours holds mixology tours every Friday and Saturday from 5:30pm–7:30pm. Priced at $45, each tour includes four local bars (different every outing), where attendees (no more than 14 per group) sample one cocktail per venue. For more information and to book, visit ameliaislanddowntowntastingtours.com. You know that mixing vodka, gin, and rum may not be a smart idea. But you do not let that thought linger; you are about to have a good time. You stroll into the homey (www.holacubancafe.com) in downtown . The owner, Marisol—last names are a needless formality in this tight community—beams from behind …