JACKSONVILLE Al Letson’s State of the Re:Union • Local Tourist • Liquid Muse Celebrates the River • Free Family Fun free monthly guide to entertainment & more | june 2010 | eujacksonville.com 2 JUNE 2010 | eu jacksonville monthly contents JUNE 2010 join EU on feature facebook! page 4-5 neighborhood vacations page 6 kayak amelia page 7 leisure equipment rental page 7 jacksonville parks page 8 wild adventures page 8 cheap family entertainment page 9 baseball memories page 9 adventure landing follow us on twitter! page 10 savannah getaway Look for @EUJacksonville and on the cover arts + culture @EU_Music where you Poet, playwright, radio host and actor Al page 16 artist series broadway season Letson. Read more about his radio show can get daily music and page 17 theatre & cultural events State of the Re:Union on page 19 and about his involvement with the Riverkeeper Liquid entertainment updates page 18 the performer’s academy Muse Benefi t on page 25. page 19 state of the re:union interview page 20 artist profi le: diane fraser eu staff page 22 artist profi le: madeleine peck wagner music page 23 art events page 24 sound check managing director Shelley Henley page 25 liquid muse benefi t creative director life + stuff page 26 jax beach summer jazz series Rachel Best Henley page 11 the kitchen gardener page 27 music video fi lm fest copy editors page 12 family events page 28-35 music events Kellie Abrahamson page 29 album review: black tusk Erin Thursby page 13 jax stylefi les page 13 local book shelf music editor food editor Kellie Abrahamson Erin Thursby on screen dish page 36 june movies chief photographer Daniel Goncalves page 14 dish update + events page 37 special showings page 14 jj’s liberty bistro page 38 view from the couch contributing photographer Richard Abrahamson page 15 restaurants in hotels page 38 netscapades Ezra Marcos contributing writers Brenton Crozier Anna Rabhan Jack Diablo Shea Slemmer Rick Grant Alina Kodatt Emily Moody Tom Weppel Dick Kerekes Madeleine Wagner Liza Mitchell Liltera Williams Published by EU Jacksonville Newspaper. P.O. Box 11959, Jacksonville, FL 32239. Copyright 2010. Repro- duction of any artwork or copy prepared by EU Jack- sonville is strictly prohibited without written consent of the publisher. We will not be responsible for errors and/ or omissions, the Publisher’s liability for error will not exceed the cost of space occupied by the error. Articles for publication are welcome and may be sent to info@ entertainingu.com. We cannot assume responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. For in- formation concerning advertising phone 904-730-3003 or email [email protected]. eujacksonville.com |JUNE 2010 3 NEIGHBORHOOD VACATIONS For the Hometown Tourist BY ERIN THURSBY ometimes you don’t need to go far to get away from at all. There’s plenty S right here in Jacksonville that can make you feel like you’re a world away from the stresses of everyday life. We’ve taken three local areas and hit the highlights of what you can do with a long weekend. Avondale / Riverside / 5 Points photo provided by Visit Jacksonville WHERE TO STAY If your aim is to be within walking distance of the Cummer Museum, Memorial Park, Riverside Park and the 5 Points shopping district, The Riverdale Inn would be the best place to stay. The Inn also contains an excellent restaurant, The Row, so on St. Johns Street and 5 Points. Although Whiteway shopping you won’t be going hungry. has dwindled somewhat, it’s worth going to because of Southern Atlantic Neptune and This neighborhood has plenty in the B&B department. Crossing. This hodgepodge of vintage and antique stuff makes There’s also the Inn At Oak Street and St John’s House Bed & for fun browsing. For unique clothes, 5 Points is the place to Jacksonville Beach Breakfast, which are close enough (but not as ideal) to be within shop. 5 Points also has a bead store, an antique store, a source walking distance of the same attractions. for yoga supplies and more. Avondale has plenty of upmarket Downing Street Bed and Breakfast and The Jenks shopping, knickknack stores, a toystore and even a bike shop. WHERE TO STAY are closer to the Park and King House Bed and Breakfast Avondale is where we go when we’re looking for a unique gift. All Those who like luxury should stay at Street shopping area, but I’d still recommend using your car One Ocean. Casa of these have great places where you can nibble post-shopping. on Jacksonville Beach is older and it has a sense if you aren’t an avid walker. (Downing Street isn’t taking any Marina Inn of history, as well as an excellent tapas bar upstairs. But if your reservations until the start of June). budget is tight and you’re just looking for a place to rest your , which has gotten rave reviews The House on Cherry Street WHAT TO DO head at night, try the . It’s a local favorite. If you from friends, is a little closer to the Avondale neighborhood, but Seahorse Inn stick to one particular beach, you can ditch your car for most of still within the bounds of Riverside. The neighborhoods are fairly When you aren’t shopping or eating, you can catch a fl ick your time and you can rent a bike or scooter while there. walkable or you can bring a bike, effectively ditching your car for at the indie 5 Points Movie Theatre or stroll through Memorial, the weekend. Boone or one of the other parks in the area. Many of the houses are historic, so you’ll be able to see some great old houses if you walk in Avondale. The Cummer Museum in Riverside is a WHERE TO EAT treat that should not be skipped! If you’re there on a Saturday, WHERE TO EAT don’t miss the , under the Fuller Warren While dining choices are scattered all over these three Choices for food aren’t limited in this area and there’s Riverside Arts Market Bridge on Riverside Avenue. It’s not just a market- they have Beaches areas, if you can’t quite decide what you’re in the mood plenty besides what we’re mentioning. 13 Gypsies a tiny entertainment there every weekend. for, head to which is on the dividing neighborhood bistro with amazing food, was just featured the Beaches Town Center, As for night life, that can vary widely, from speakeasy line between Neptune and Atlantic Beach. The restaurants are on the TV show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives (so make a hipster bars complete with tree house for the DJ ( ) dense enough that you can walk to them and they range from reservation in advance). There’s fancy eats and fab cocktails Underbelly to belly dancing at a hookah joint (Casbah) and from smoker casual (Al’s Pizza and Joseph’s Pizza) to fancy (Azuera in the at Avondale’s Orsay. The Row is always a solid choice for friendly bars (West Inn) to outrageous drag shows (The Metro). One Ocean Hotel). Jacksonville Beach also has a district with upscale dining, and if you want premium Italian- go for Primi Since you might never fi nd it, Underbelly is the semi-secret places to eat, the focus is more on nightlife than on excellent Piatti. You can go hip instead of fancy at the late-night hookah wine bar and art lounge tucked in the back of the clothing shop food. I’m hard-pressed to think of a single restaurant in the lounge Casbah or you can knock back a pint at O’Brothers. in 5 Points. They’re open Wednesday and Thursday Beaches Town Center that doesn’t have quality food. For a During the day you can lunch at the neighborhood classics: Anomaly 3-10 pm, plus Fridays and Saturdays till midnight. There’s also late-night nosh, I like the diner Sun Dog. Beyond the Center, Biscotti’s or The Fox. For something new, try Town in and the if you’re itching for a we recommend on Atlantic for Irish bar food, Avondale. Walker’s Wine Bar Lomax Lounge Culhane’s Roy’s place to chill with a glass of something. In Avondale try the new (Jacksonville Beach) for a swanky Hawaiian dinner and the Salt Elevated Avondale above the Blue Fish Restaurant (formerly Life Food Shack (Jax Beach) for a taste of Jacksonville’s beach Sterling’s). If you feel like more of a neighborhood bar, try the culture. If it’s barbecue you want, don’t miss Mojo’s Blues WHERE TO SHOP Starlite and the West Inn Lounge & Package Liquor Store. For Kitchen, it’s the best in the area! But don’t limit yourself to our There are three shopping districts in the area: Whiteway some less wholesome entertainment you can always see if The picks- the beaches area is fi lled with culinary treasures from Thai (at the intersection of Park & King), The Shoppes of Avondale Metro is doing a show. to amazing subs! 4 JUNE 2010 | eu jacksonville monthly Riverdale Inn, photo by Erin Thursby HOMETOWN TOURIST CHECKLIST It may seem a shock, but there are people who have lived here all their lives and have never gone to the Jacksonville Zoo or spent time at the MOCA. Have you been to all the places and events on this list? 5 Points Theatre Adventure Landing The Alhambra WHERE TO SHOP Art Walk While shopping isn’t the main attraction at the Beach, it is surprisingly good.