Home + Design

Hometown HVAC

Jeff Bowen of JefCo shares his humble beginning and HVAC tips for homeowners Article by Savannah Vasquez | Photography by Robert Young, Forever Young Images Behind every reputable company are hardworking founders, and Jeff Bowen, and his wife Connie of JefCo Air Conditioning and Refrigeration fit the bill. An Air Force veteran, Jeff branched into the civilian world in 1988, and along with his wife Connie founded JefCo in 1995 right in the heart of Destin.   “I went into the Air Force in 1982...

Home + Design

Zhuzh Your Windows

Trendy window covers from Made in the Shade Article by Savannah Vasquez | Photography by Robert Young, Forever Young Images Donna Godwin didn’t know her house was missing something, not until she and her husband installed custom window coverings to their house in St. Andrews. That’s when everything changed for Donna. Just the slight act of optimizing the light and privacy by using trendy shutters, shades and blinds made her house feel like home.  “I just loved it so much, they changed the...

Home + Design

2024 Home Renovation Trends

Meet the Experts of Renovation Flooring & Elite Cabinet Designs Article by Savannah Vasquez | Photography by Robert Young, Forever Young Images Bronwyn Landis, Cabinet Specialist   DCL: Where are you from and what brought you to the Destin area?   Bronwyn: I am from here! My family and I moved here when I was 8 after my dad was stationed at Eglin Air Force Base. My husband and I moved to Santa Rosa Beach in 2012.  DCL: What got you into the home design/flooring industry?    Bronwyn: I...

Arts + Culture

Velia's Life

Meet Local Realtor and Artist Velia Lala Article by Savannah Vasquez | Photography by Shanna Magnuson with Davista Photography Who said success comes from sticking to one career? Certainly not local Realtor, Artist and Philanthropist Velia Lala. Life would be boring if there wasn’t a little flair, and where Velia is concerned, that means more color, more travel, more design, more living and more surrounding herself with good people.   “I want to go anywhere I’ve never gone and do everything...

Life + Culture

Go Big Then Go Home

Local Carmel Ceravolo talks success and homecoming Article by Savannah Vasquez | Photography by Global Films 17 Carmel Ceravolo comes from a strong Italian family that values hard work, success, a strong work ethic and above all family. A world-renown turntablist Dj/Music producer turned film Director; Carmel has proven that family trumps all in his recent choice to leave his massively successful career to raise his son.  “I worked hard my entire life to get where I am now,” he said. “But now...

Life + Culture

Inspiring Generations

Bobby Wagner & Bekah Manley talk love and future ambitions Article by Savannah Vasquez | Photography by Shanna Magnuson with Davista Photography Everyone in Destin has heard of Bobby Wagner, as the youngest Mayor to serve the city, he created quite a stir with his renewed energy and fresh eyes in a city that is relatively young itself. But to Bobby and his fiancé Bekah Manley, the city position just took what they were already doing and amplified it to the next level.  Bobby wants to use his...

Life + Culture

Making Destin Sparkle

Local Window Cleaning Company Reflects on Last Decade Article by Savannah Vasquez | Photography by Robert Young, Forever Young Images It’s not something most people think about, but crystal-clear windows put forth the best image of a business or home. Taylor Wood of Optimum Window Cleaning in Destin knows the value of a correctly cleaned and pressure-washed building and has more than 20 years of experience in the window cleaning business to prove it. Better yet, Taylor and his fiancé Kaitlyn...

Local Services

A Local's World

Sign shop stays fresh and local for over 20 years Article by Savannah Vasquez | Photography by Robert Young, Forever Young Images It all started with a love for art and custom cars. Kevin Marler, a born and raised Fort Walton Beach local, said he found his passion quite by accident as an 18-year-old fresh out of high school.    “A friend of mine got a job at a little sign shop in Destin,” Kevin said. “I walked into that shop and I noticed that every type of customer in town was coming in...

Real Estate

Become A Sharkpreneur™

Get to know your business value with Gerard Perillo Article by Savannah Vasquez | Photography by Robert Young, Forever Young Images and Kristie Bulach with Dolce Vita Photography Ever heard of a Sharkpreneur™? Gerard Perillo of Shark Team EXP in Destin has just trademarked the term following his recent Amazon book launch of the same name; Sharkpreneur: Bite-sized Strategies For Selling Your Business with The Shark Team.   “My book is a roadmap for business owners to prepare their businesses...

Health + Wellness

Future of Dentistry

Dr. David Hanle shares his whole-body health approach to dentistry Article by Savannah Vasquez | Photography by Robert Young, Forever Young Images Dr. David Hanle of Complete Health Dentistry of the Emerald Coast will be the first to tell you he takes a different approach to dentistry than traditional dentist offices. While every dentist cares about the health of your teeth, gums and mouth, Dr. Hanle seeks to bring his patients to the root cause of their health problems by informing them of...