by Collette Strickland

As a little girl, one of my favorite summer memories was our family's trip to the Kennedy Space Center a few years after it opened.  We rode the bus for a tour, posed for pictures in front of rocket ships, and got so excited to see a “pretend” launch countdown.  We still talk about it.

If you've lived in the Jacksonville area for any amount of time and haven't made the drive down to Kennedy Space Center yourself, this summer is the nudge you've been waiting for. It's just about two hours south — an easy morning departure, a full day of something genuinely extraordinary, and home in time for dinner. And this July, there's a reason to go that won't come around again for another sixty years.

Kennedy Space Center

Sixty Years of Looking Up

On…

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by Jenn Heller


Having a late November birthday always felt like I got cheated when I was growing up. Without fail, my “special day” ended up doubling as a joint celebration with either my cousin or my dad for their birthdays.  On top of that, it also falls on Thanksgiving every couple of years.  It was like a two-for-one deal I didn’t sign up for. Yes, I know—what a selfish brat. Feel free to roll your eyes; I’ve come to terms with it.

Jenn and Dad celebrating birthday me and Dad celebrating our birthdays in 1990.
Don't I look thrilled?

This year, though? My birthday, my rules. I declared it a "me" day, and my better half (bless his soul) was game for the ride. He survived a marathon of not one but TWO local artisan shops (Atlantic Beach Art Market and Seaside Shoppes), dinner…

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