November 20,2020ByDAVID VEGA

Margaritaville Hotel in Jacksonville Beach is now accepting reservations

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OPENING SOON: Margaritaville is now accepting reservations for April 4, 2021! Website Release: Peacefully set on the sands of Ocean Front North, the Margaritaville Beach Hotel Jacksonville Beach is bringing the Margaritaville state of mind to northeast Florida. This brand-new hotel is perfectly situated to welcome visitors looking to enjoy the area’s gorgeous beaches, famous fishing pier, and a wide array of water sports and activities. It’s not uncommon to catch sight of dolphins playing in the waves alongside surfers who are drawn to some of the best waves in the state. Golfers will want to extend their stay to experience the more than 70 courses within driving distance, many designed by some of golf’s top architects. A stay at this tropical getaway can be as laid-back or action-packed as you wish. After all, we’re on island time here. Visit or book online: https://www.margaritavilleresorts.com/margaritaville-hotel-jacksonville-beach Local Hint: If you want an extended experience, take a short 45 min ride down beachfront A1A into St. Augustine, the oldest city in the United States with its historic charm. Special Bonus: Enjoy a party on the water, make a reservation for cycle boat tours with (Old Town Cycle Cruise @ https://www.oldtowncyclecruise.com...

November 18,2020ByDAVID VEGA

Jacksonville Beach – Deck the Chairs is back

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Jacksonville Beach, Florida: Deck the Chairs is back November 21 – January 1! To promote the arts and foster community pride and involvement through a creative display of public art featuring lighted iconic lifeguard chairs. A favorite Beaches Holiday Tradition! There’s Magic in the Chair! Jacksonville Beach Deck The Chairs (JBDTC) is an annual lighted sculptural exhibit using lifeguard chairs. Marking its seventh year in community service, JBDTC gathers the community to decorate and display the Beaches lifeguard chairs during December to promote local business, instill public pride, and share cultural diversity through creative expression. Free and open to the public, the light display aims to provide a wholesome and festive downtown during the holidays. Deck The Chairs, Inc. is a qualified nonprofit organization under IRS Code Section 501(c)(3). Venue — Downtown Jacksonville Beach Latham Plaza Latham Plaza is located in the heart of downtown Jacksonville Beach at the corner of First Avenue North and Second Street North. During JBDTC, Latham Plaza will be home to 22 of the decorated lifeguard chairs. Seawalk Pavilion Area The Seawalk Pavilion area is adjacent to Latham Plaza between First Street North and the beach. Home to an outdoor amphitheater, the area, will boast the iconic 30-ft handcrafted DTC Musical Tree, over-sized decorated displays, the Kids’ Creative Space, as well as Opening Night, Digital Light Shows, Night of Music and Dance, and other performances during the month-long event. Latest Event information: https://deckthechairs.org/...

November 2,2020ByDAVID VEGA

Chicago Restaurants With Cold-Weather Outdoor Dining

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CHICAGO — The continuous targeted towards hospitality and restrictions placed on restaurants due to the China Pandemic in Illinois, as indoor dining and drinking banned, many Chicago restaurants had to improvise. They made heated patios, tents, or other alternatives a priority. Chicago, let’s keep supporting local restaurants. Below is a map showing restaurants around the city that offer heated patios or other cold-weather outdoor dining forms. #protectlocal Note: The above map is a work in progress, and they intend to add suburban restaurants. If you have an addition to make to the list, follow the CBS link and add the info below. https://tridence.link/chicago-outdoor-restaurants...

October 30,2020ByDAVID VEGA

76th ANNUAL TAXSLAYER GATOR BOWL – DATE AND TIME ANNOUNCED – 2020

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla., October 30, 2020 — The TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, TaxSlayer, and ESPN announced today that the 76th Annual TaxSlayer Gator Bowl will be played at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville on Saturday, January 2, 2021, at Noon EST and will be televised nationally on ESPN. “TaxSlayer is excited to be extending our partnership as the title sponsor of the historic TaxSlayer Gator Bowl,” said Brian Rhodes, President and Chief Executive Officer of TaxSlayer. “Now in its 76th year, the bowl represents a rich history and a commitment to tradition. We are truly honored to align our name with such a prestigious event that connects us with college football fans in Jacksonville and across the country.” The 2021 game will be the first in a six-year deal which will feature a team from the Southeastern Conference that will serve as the anchor team and will face an opponent from the Atlantic Coast Conference, which also includes the University of Notre Dame. “We are honored to have extended relationships with our great partners at TaxSlayer, the Southeastern Conference, and Atlantic Coast Conference,” said TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Chairman, John Duce. “The 76th TaxSlayer Gator Bowl game is perfectly positioned to kick-off a strong day of college football programming leading into the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl and culminates with the Capital One Orange Bowl. We look forward to hosting the participating teams and their fans in Jacksonville on January 2nd.” In compliance with city guidelines and following the precedent of the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Florida vs Georgia game, the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl will seat approximately 25% of the stadium capacity for this year’s game. The health and safety of all guests is our number one priority, and as such, face coverings that completely cover your mouth and nose will be required at TIAA Bank Field. To learn more information about tickets or stadium policies and procedures for the 2021 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, visit www.taxslayergatorbowl.com....

October 22,2020ByDAVID VEGA

Chicago will once again shut down indoor bar service.

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Chicago will once again shut down indoor bar service and force non-essential businesses to limit hours as city officials warn a second surge of the coronavirus is underway. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the new restrictions during a Thursday briefing, suspending indoor bar service just weeks after reopening such establishments as colder weather begins to limit outdoor options. The newest restrictions, which take effect at 6 a.m. Friday and continue for at least two weeks, include: Business curfew on non-essential businesses beginning at 10 p.m. In effect nightly from 10 p.m. -6 a.m. Last call for serving liquor at 9 p.m. Take-out and curb-side pick-up at restaurants still permitted Bars, breweries, and tavernswithout a food license are prohibited from operating any indoor service Increasedemphasisof current guidelines Max. 6 people in your personal bubble(e.g., no household gatherings >6 people of non-household members) Face coveringsin all indoor and outdoor public settings Once again, the lack of leadership and mayor’s Lightfoot incompetence will undoubtedly kill the remaining businesses, still trying to operate in already razor-thin lines....

October 20,2020ByDAVID VEGA

Jacksonville’s oldest brewery says it will be shutting down in a month – Engine 15

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In a Facebook post. Engine 15 said,“Today, we have some unfortunate news to share. We have been trying to negotiate an extension of our current lease with our landlord at our beach location, but regrettably, we have been unable to agree with them. Our current lease expired in May, and we were permitted to stay on a month to month while we negotiated a new lease.” Engine 15 is one of the oldest craft breweries on the First Coast, opening its doors in 2010. The brewery is known for its Nut Sack Brown Ale and J ‘Ville Lager. But, due to increasing competition and production down, the china pandemic may shutter another fine establishment. Still, the owners are optimistic about finding a solution. If not, the brewery’s last day will be Nov. 15. Without more demand on the distribution side — where margins are thin, and volume has plummeted during the pandemic — the Engine 15 downtown location might not survive either. Protect local by joining Eat Local Jacksonville in COVID-19 era....

October 19,2020ByDAVID VEGA

Snowcat Ridge Alpine Snow Park, a first-of-its-kind entertainment venue in Florida

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SAY IT AIN’T SNOW! Its hard to believe but Florida will soon have a winter wonderland for families and tourists to enjoy come this November. Tickets are now on sale to the Snowcat Ridge Alpine Snow Park. The attraction located in Dade City, which is about 35 miles north of Tampa, will feature a 60-feet tall snowy slope and a 10,000 square foot arctic igloo snow-dome where families can build snowmen and castles. The igloo will feature a smaller “bunny slope” for children. A pair of Magic Carpet lifts will whisk riders and their snow tubes to the top of the hill. Guests can ride in a single, tandem or family-style tube down Snowy Slopes. Officials said the park will feature magical music and a light show on the slopes nightly which can be seen from the Holiday Market at the park’s Alpine Village. According to the company website, The Alpine Village will have a variety of food vendors offering hot and cold beverages, beer, wine and food. The pre-season sale began Friday and runs for a limited time. Use discount code SNOW10 to save 10 percent off the regularly priced general admission ticket. Tickets start at $24.95. To purchase a lift ticket, click here....

October 14,2020ByDAVID VEGA

Amazon adds 9th facility with Another $15 million in Jacksonville.

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Amazon.com Inc. continues its Jacksonville expansion with a 477,946-square-foot package delivery hub in North Jacksonville that is being built-out for $15 million. Amazon is bringing 1500 additional jobs to Jacksonville It is the Seattle-based online retailer’s ninth identified facility in Northeast Florida. The city issued a permit Oct. 13 for the Threecore LLC in Sarasota to build-out a new warehouse at 250 Busch Drive E. in Imeson Intern Industrial Park. Baker Barrios Architects Inc. of Orlando is the architect. Plans show the project is an Amazon.com package delivery service with employees in two shifts days and evenings and a possible third seasonal shift. No job count was stated. It is labeled DJX3, an Amazon code. Packages arriving at the facility will be labeled for shipping within local neighborhoods and surrounding areas by vans. The city approved construction of the shell building in May 2019 for Webb Southeast Construction Corp. to build the distribution center on 30.69 acres at a construction cost of almost $13.7 million. No tenant was specified, but utility JEA’s description in a service availability letter called it a “478,000-square-foot warehouse with 200 employees and 102 loading bays, 337 parking spaces, and 133 spaces for trailer parking.” Amazon operates two area fulfillment centers, JAX2 at Pecan Park Road in Northwest Jacksonville and JAX3 in Cecil Commerce Center in West Jacksonville; the JAX5 Westside sortation center; and the AMXL HJX1 facility in Westside to handle heavy bulk freight. The JAX7 fulfillment facility is under construction in Imeson Park, not far from the new package delivery center. Another, DJX6, is planned in St. Johns County. Amazon has also pledged to invest over $700 million to provide upskilling training for 100,000 U.S. employees for in-demand jobs. These programs will help Amazonians from all backgrounds access training to move into highly-skilled roles across the company’s corporate offices, tech hubs, fulfillment centers, retails stores, and transportation networks, but they can also choose to pursue career paths outside of Amazon. “Florida is a great state for business, and building this site in Jacksonville gives us the opportunity to better serve our customers in the region,” said Alicia Boler Davis, Amazon’s vice president of global customer fulfillment. “We are excited about our growth and remain committed to creating a positive economic impact in the region with job opportunities that come with great pay and industry-leading benefits.” Amazon said that since 2010, the company has created more than 30,000 jobs in Florida and invested more than $9.5 billion in the state, including infrastructure and compensation. Also, these investments created 29,000 indirect jobs from jobs in construction and logistics to professional services....

October 13,2020ByDAVID VEGA

Chicago newest bar and restaurant on Jewelry Row

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There’s a new gem in the area after all the destruction and mayhem. An Upscale sports bar called Row Tavern featured Mama’s Kitchen as its home cooked dining specials. This is not your typical sports bar! All class and their very own home cooked meals from mother’s kitchen brings a tasty experience like no other – food just like your mama or grandma used to make. And if the delicious, home cooked meals aren’t enough to entice you, The Row Tavern’s extensive tap and bar menu and 50 televisions including 2 big screens should do it! With 12,000 square feet of space available, there is plenty of room to spread out and catch your favorite team’s win, celebrate with friends and family or simply enjoy a drink or two after work. Personally, a great local addition to watch all sports games and mingle with business professionals. Website: https://therowtavern.com/...

October 13,2020ByDAVID VEGA

Puttshack’s new Social Mini-Golf venues are first of many to come stateside

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The world’s first super-tech mini golf experience ⛳️. Tee Up | Eat Up | Drink Up – This Mini golf concept Puttshack is coming to Oakbrook Center and has its River North HQ in Chicago. Puttshack is part of a ground-breaking social entertainment brand founded by Adam Breeden, founder of Acebounce and co-founder of Flight Club, and Steve and Dave Jolliffe, founders of Top Golf. Chicago’s Oakbrook mall space in the city’s western suburb will be the first of many of 25k+ sq ft fun, with another in the works in Miami and Atlanta expected to open in 2021 as more plans for others in the same year. Puttshack uses space-age technology called Trackaball™, so it knows exactly who the ball belongs to, how many times it’s been hit, how far it has traveled, and so on. Your scores will then immediately appear on the leaderboard, so you can see how your skills compare to your mates’, your work colleagues’, and random strangers who played last week. Puttshack offers a full kitchen, a cocktail menu, and refreshments. While the menu has yet to be released for its coming US locations, the company promises edible options “from vegans to omnivores to craft cocktail connoisseurs.” LinkedIn profile, Puttshack launched in June 2018, bringing the world’s first super high-tech indoor mini-golf course and ultimate social entertainment venue to West London. Brought to you by the brains behind London and Chicago’s favorite ping pong venues, Bounce, dart venues of Flight Club, and the founders and tech whizzes behind global phenomenon Topgolf. Puttshack is the world’s first mini-golf venue to feature sophisticated ball tracking and scoring technology, Trackaball™. The brand-new technology means pencils and scorecards can be thrown away and you’ll never get away with cheating again! Puttshack features four interactive and innovative nine-hole courses alongside a 750-capacity rum bar and restaurant, which boasts a refined, hand-crafted menu curated by Richard Edney. Puttshack has further plans to expand across the UK and the US within the next 24 months. Visit the locations on their website: https://www.puttshack.com/...