Features Index
People Profiles
The purpose of communication is to bridge the gaps in our understanding. We have so much to learn from the lives of others, and I have always looked for the heart and soul of the human connection in every story I write. In this section you will find stories of people from all walks of life: culinary experts, professional singers and athletes, historical figures, community leaders and the everyday individual. Some are about life’s twists in the road (“Unchained: The Bucky Heard Story”) while others focus on the impact of hard work translating into success (“Scouting Champions: Travis Coleman”). I’ve found there’s a story to tell with every person I meet.
Hotels Magazine
I have contributed articles to Hotels Magazine for print and digital publication since January 2023. My work covers how the use of design and architecture creates the unique atmosphere of each property, as well as profiling new hotels and more.
Food and Drink
The quickest way to learn about a place or region’s history and culture is through its food and drinks. How the native community sources and interprets its resources, outside influences and own resourcefulness is crystallized in its gastronomy. In this section are stories about Tampa’s recent culinary renaissance, regional culinary hotspots and more, as well as interviews with chefs and bartenders of all kinds. There’s looks at avant-garde coffee brewing (“What’s Brewing, Tampa?”) as well as a primer for pairing fine cigars with equally finer cocktails (“Kindred Spirits”), if you’re interested.
Travel
To experience a place is more than seeing the sights: it’s understanding the history, the confluence of cultures and the evolution of people over time. Seeing is only part of the journey. In this section are features on the only Cuban soil in the United States (“Ybor City, Florida: The Cuban Connection”), or experiencing nature and the rustic life without getting your boots dirty (“The Grand Outdoors: Glamping in Central Florida”).
History
History is something I’m naturally drawn to — wondering about the origins of something, the feet that tread the ground beneath me, the effect one important period had (or did not have) on another. Working as a journalist has enabled me to learn about my home state of Florida’s rich history of conquistador exploration (“On the Shores of History”), as well as the debauchery-laden past of my alma mater’s beloved mascot (“Our Tiger”). There’s still plenty of historical digging to do.
Technology
The advancements of the modern age are around us in a variety of ways, from controlling your bar tab from your phone (“Tab X”), or turning restaurant dining into live entertainment (“Kitchen Wizard: Ken Schwartz”).
Community & Recreation
In every town, regardless of size, you can find industrious, constructive, forward-thinking doers and dreamers pursuing their own goals and contributing to the positive evolution of their communities. It might be something as far-reaching as a BBQ fundraiser to cure a rare disease (Cooking for the Cure) or as close-to-home as a family training for a 15k race together (Family Crosses the Finish Line) there are plenty of fascinating stories just around the corner.