Local chicken restaurant has new name

Huey’s Nashville Hot Chicken today announced its plans to rebrand its Murray Hill restaurant as Bold Birds Nashville Hot Chicken, effective September 1, 2021.

The fast-casual eatery has seen strong success since its grand opening in May of 2020 at 1173 Edgewood Avenue S. The 3,100-square-foot foodie favorite, voted Best New Restaurant and Best Takeout 2020 by Folio Weekly, is a spicy taste of Nashville that features both indoor and outdoor seating. The menu highlights a myriad of hot chicken dishes — including the classic hot chicken, entrée salad versions and Southern sides, alongside six beers on tap, including local brews from Tabula Rasa and Bold City Brewery.

Nashville native Hughes Brown opened the restaurant to bring a taste of home with him when he relocated with his wife back to her hometown of Jacksonville. The team has grown steadily, bringing more than 25 jobs to the historic neighborhood. The new name is a way to honor their commitment to Jacksonville, by combining its “Bold New City of the South” nickname with the restaurant’s signature dish. This change uniquely positions the popular restaurant for future growth in and out of the market.

“Murray Hill has welcomed us completely, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to continue to grow in this great neighborhood,” said Brown. “We’ve been embraced and want to expand on the success of our little chicken joint. Rebranding to Bold Birds was an easy choice, being in the Bold City, and we can’t wait to invite everyone in to try us out if they haven’t already. For those who have, we look forward to keeping the fire burning. We may have a new name, but we’re still hotter than a mother clucker.”

Hot chicken dates back to the 1930s here in the United States, and the Brown family has perfected their popular offerings over the last year — including the top-selling hot chicken sandwich. Patrons can enjoy heat levels ranging from classic to hotter than a motherclucker, the eatery’s spiciest option. The restaurant also offers classic Southern dessert options, such as banana pudding and key lime pie, to cool you down at the end of your meal.

Bold Birds is currently hiring for both front- and back-of-house staff. Interested candidates can apply by email. For more information, or to order takeout or delivery, visit HERE.

The Cummer Museum and Gardens during September 2021

Now that school has started back, why not take a little time-out for yourself and visit the Cummer Museum & Gardens? You’ll be glad that you did.

“The Journey” now on view at the Cummer Museum: British artist Rebecca Louise Law has created a site-specific installation using both dried and fresh flowers to form an immersive visitor experience that explores the relationship between humanity and nature. It's not to be missed!

Events & Programs: Lecture: Dr. Richard Bell, Hamilton: How the Musical Remixes American History Sept. 22 from 7 to 8 p.m. Virtual Lecture $10 | Registration required.

Culture and Conversation Series Lecture with Artist, Reynier Leyva Novo Oct. 1 from 7 to 8 p.m. Virtual Lecture. Reynier Leyva Novo’s work is currently on view at the Museum. Free | Registration required.

Friday Night Picnics: Friday Nights in Sept. 5 to 9 p.m. Prices vary | Registration required.

Education: Virtual Slow Art Talks Sept. 8: Verifying Value. Sept. 22: Sensing Space Focusing on Rebecca Louise Law from 12 to 1 p.m. Take a fun and mindful break. Free | Registration required.

Art Connection Saturday – Kid-friendly, drop-in activity Sept. 11 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free with Museum admission.

Studio on the Go: Drop-in Art Making Sept. 19 from 2 to 4 p.m. Free with Museum admission.

Friday Night Live Model: Figure Drawing Sept. 24 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Members $60, Non-Members $75. Registration required.

Cummer Shop: Spotlight on Rebecca Louise Law - Trending now are Rebecca Louise Law: The Journey curated and inspired products! The Cummer’s most in-demand items include Law’s five amazing postcard books. Each book contains 13 lithographic prints of a series of her artworks, hand-bound, and signed by the artist. Visit them at the Museum, or from the comfort of home through their online shop.
 

Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
   829 Riverside Avenue
   Jacksonville, Florida 32204
   (904) 356-6857
   Hours of Operation & Admission

Steely Dan tour comes to FL and other areas

Legendary jazz-rock icon - STEELY DAN – has set the “Absolutely Normal Tour ’21,” which kicks off with a four-night stand in Miami, Florida from Tuesday, October 5th, through Saturday, October 9. The U.S. tour will hit 15 cities over 28 concerts before wrapping at the Orpheum Theatre in Boston. Tickets for the tour, which is promoted by Live Nation, will now through Ticketmaster. A full listing of tour dates can be found below.

In album news, Steely Dan’s NORTHEAST CORRIDOR: STEELY DAN LIVE! and a live version of the acclaimed solo album by Donald Fagen – THE NIGHTFLY LIVE – will both be released through UMe on CD & Digital on September 24, 2021. Both albums will be available on 180g-vinyl on October 1, 2021. The first live Steely Dan album in more than 25 years, Northeast Corridor: Steely Dan Live! was recorded across tour dates at New York City’s Beacon Theatre, The Met Philadelphia, & more, and showcases selections from Steely Dan’s extraordinary catalog of slinky grooves, sleek subversive lyrics, and infectious hits. Donald Fagen’s The Nightfly Live was performed live by The Steely Dan Band. A full track listing can be found below.

Both albums are available for pre-order today. Fans who pre-order Northeast Corridor: Steely Dan Live! will instantly receive a digital download of “Reeling In The Years” and those who pre-order The Nightfly Live will instantly receive a digital download of “I.G.Y.”

Pre-order Northeast Corridor: Steely Dan Live!, HERE. Pre-order The Nightfly Live, HERE.

Concertgoers can expect a hefty draft of the inimitable Steely Dan sonic experience this summer, showcasing selections from Steely Dan’s extraordinary five-decade plus catalog as well as Fagen’s masterpiece, The Nightfly. Each ticket purchased online comes with a CD copy of Northeast Corridor: Steely Dan Live! or The Nightfly Live.

Steely Dan – Northeast Corridor: Steely Dan Live!

Donald Fagen – The Nightfly Live

STEELY DAN helped define the soundtrack of the '70s with hits such as "Reeling in the Years", "Rikki Don't Lose That Number," "Peg," “Deacon Blues,” “Babylon Sisters,” and “Hey Nineteen,” culled from their seven platinum albums issued between 1972 and 1980 (including 1977's groundbreaking Aja). Both their sound and their notoriety survived the '80s despite Becker and Fagen's only occasional surfacing for a solo project. They reunited as Steely Dan in the early '90s, touring successfully throughout the decade and releasing a live album in 1995 (Alive In America). In 2000 they released their multi-GRAMMY® winner, Two Against Nature, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

For more information, visit www.steelydan.com and www.donaldfagen.com.

“ABSOLUTELY NORMAL TOUR ’21” DATES
Tue Oct 05      Miami Beach, FL       Jackie Gleason Theater
Wed Oct 06     Miami Beach, FL       Jackie Gleason Theater
Fri Oct 08        Miami Beach, FL       Jackie Gleason Theater
Sat Oct 09        Miami Beach, FL      Jackie Gleason Theater
Tue Oct 12       Orlando, FL               Dr Phillips Center
Wed Oct 13     Orlando, FL                Dr Phillips Center
Fri Oct 15        St. Petersburg, FL      Duke Energy Mahaffey Theater
Sat Oct 16        St. Petersburg, FL      Duke Energy Mahaffey Theater
Tue Oct 19       Jacksonville, FL        Times-Union Center Moran 
Wed Oct 20     North Charleston, SC Performing Arts Center
Fri Oct 22        Charlotte, NC             Ovens Auditorium
Sat Oct 23        Richmond, VA          Altria Theater
Mon Oct 25     Baltimore, MD           Hippodrome Theatre
Wed Oct 27     Philadelphia, PA        The Met Philadelphia
Fri Oct 29        Philadelphia, PA        The Met Philadelphia
Sat Oct 30        Philadelphia, PA        The Met Philadelphia
Mon Nov 01    Red Bank, NJ             The Count Basie Center
Wed Nov 03    Morristown, NJ         Mayo Performing Arts Center
Thu Nov 04      Morristown, NJ        Mayo Performing Arts Center
Sat Nov 06       Morristown, NJ         Mayo Performing Arts Center
Sun Nov 07      Morristown, NJ         Mayo Performing Arts Center
Tue Nov 09      Port Chester, NY       The Capitol Theatre
Wed Nov 10    Port Chester, NY       The Capitol Theatre
Sat Nov 13       Wallingford, CT        Toyota Oakdale Theatre
Sun Nov 14      Bethlehem, PA         The Wind Creek Event Center
Wed Nov 17    Boston, MA               Orpheum Theatre/Citizens
Fri Nov 19        Boston, MA              Orpheum Theatre/Citizens
Sat Nov 20       Boston, MA               Orpheum Theatre/Citizens

Due to the popularity of the artist and/or the event, this show is being posted early on “Around Town With Ms. “V”; so that patrons, in all areas, may purchase tickets ad guarantee their seats. COVID protocol a change by the time this event is scheduled to take place.

There’s a new CFO at the Cummer

The Cummer Museum of Arts & Gardens has appointed Kimberly Noble as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO), a newly created position that will oversee strategic and tactical matters related to budget management, forecasting and cultivation of new revenue opportunities. She began her position in June.

Her primary responsibilities include collaborating with the Museum’s Director and CEO to develop and implement cross-department programs, guiding the Museum’s short- and long-term financial performance strategies, identifying and mitigating institutional risk, leading the annual budgeting and planning process, liaising with the Chief Investment Officer and providing regular updates to the Museum’s executive team and Board of Trustees.

“Kimberly’s attention to detail, spirit of collaboration and seasoned knowledge of the field have already proven to be an asset to the Museum,” said Andrea Barnwell Brownlee, Ph.D., the Cummer Museum’s George W. and Kathleen I. Gibbs Director & Chief Executive Officer. “As we focus relentlessly on our mission, build upon our historic successes, grow our audiences and infrastructure, and expand our donor base, it is abundantly clear that Kimberly is an exemplary addition to the Museum team.”

Noble brings more than 17 years of executive-level financial leadership to the Museum. Most recently, she served as the CFO of St. Johns Country Day School; earlier in her career, she held financial management roles with Regency Centers, Southeastern Grocers, Johnson & Johnson and CSX Transportation. She served as the treasurer for The Florida Theatre’s Board of Directors and provided financial consultation services to the Board of Trustees of Grace Episcopal Day School. She holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance & Security Analysis from the University of Florida, where she also earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She holds the Certified Financial Manager designation from the Institute of Management Accountants, as well as the Certified Green Belt distinction from Lean Six Sigma.

“As a lifelong resident of Jacksonville, I have long admired the Cummer Museum and the vital role it serves in the community,” said Noble. “I am honored to join the Museum during this milestone year, as we prepare to celebrate our 60th anniversary, and I look forward to working with Dr. Brownlee and the Board to broaden the Museum’s role as a cultural resource for our community today and generations to come.”

About the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens: For 60 years, the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens has been committed to engaging and inspiring through the arts, gardens, and education. A permanent collection of more than 5,000 objects and historic gardens on a riverfront campus offers nearly 150,000 annual visitors a truly unique experience on the First Coast. Nationally recognized education programs serve adults and children of all abilities, and is committed to ensuring that diversity and inclusion are woven into the fabric of the Museum. For further information, including hours, visit www.cummermuseum.org.

Small Businesses celebrate ‘904 Day’

Civic and community leaders from across Northeast Florida have joined together to support “904 Day”, a campaign to rally support for local businesses on Saturday, September 4, 2021 (9/04).

Residents and visitors alike are encouraged to support all things local over Labor Day Weekend — from one-of-a-kind shops and independent restaurants, to attractions and destinations that contribute to Northeast Florida’s unique quality of life.

904 Day has been celebrated as a grassroots movement for several years, with Northeast Florida residents, organizations and companies alike showing their support by tagging posts with #904Day on September 4.

Melissa Ross, host and producer of “First Coast Connect” and “The Florida Roundup” on WJCT Public Media, saw an opportunity to expand the concept’s visibility after witnessing widespread support for similar campaigns in other Florida cities, such as Orlando (407 Day) and Miami (305 Day).

Additional campaign partners for 904 Day include Downtown Vision, the nonprofit Business Improvement District for Downtown Jacksonville; the JAX Chamber, the not-for-profit chamber of commerce that serves members across Northeast Florida; Visit Jacksonville, the city’s official Destination Marketing Organization (DMO); the First Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, which connects and promotes Hispanic-owned and operated businesses; and Wingard, a Jacksonville-based marketing and communications agency.

“The conversation started on social media, which has become an even more important way for people to find information about local businesses during the pandemic,” said Ross. “Our collective goal in launching the 904 Day campaign is to shine a light on these businesses in a fun, celebratory way. Whether you are a longtime resident or just visiting for Labor Day weekend, we hope you’ll seek out local businesses on Saturday, September 4.”

904 Day celebrates all local businesses, especially small ones. According to the Small Business Administration, Florida has more than 2.7 million small businesses — representing 99.8% of businesses across the state. As Northeast Florida’s population continues to grow, these independent ventures are critical to creating jobs on the First Coast.

“Local businesses are the heartbeat of our community, as well as our economy,” said Ben Johnson, President of Martin Coffee Company and the JAX Chamber’s 2020 Overall Small Business Leader of the Year. “Supporting independent shops, restaurants, destinations and organizations on 904 Day — and every day — is vital to maintaining Northeast Florida’s reputation as a great place to live, work and play.”

Business owners, residents and visitors can participate in the campaign by tagging their social media photos and posts with #904Day. Campaign graphics are available for download at bit.ly/904Day2021.

About Downtown Vision: Downtown Vision is a not-for-profit organization revitalizing Downtown through clean and safe initiatives, experience creation, marketing and information management. Created by commercial property owners through a self-assessment and governed by a board representing Downtown property owners, DVI administers a 90-block Business Improvement District. For more information, visit dtjax.com/dvi.

About Visit Jacksonville: Visit Jacksonville is a Destinations International accredited Destination Marketing Organization contracted by the Duval County Tourist Development Council (TDC) to champion the growth of business and leisure tourism in Jacksonville. For a closer look at all there is to see and do in Jacksonville, go to www.VisitJacksonville.com or contact 800-733-2668.

About the JAX Chamber: The JAX Chamber is the business membership organization dedicated to driving quality economic growth in Northeast Florida to make this region the best place to live, work and play. Membership provides the opportunity to connect with and buy from other Chamber members. The connections result in business growth and a more prosperous economy.

About the First Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce: The First Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is Northeast Florida’s premier Hispanic Chamber. We strive to establish and encourage better Hispanic-owned and operated businesses by looking for opportunities to foster an understanding of Hispanic heritage on the First Coast. For more information, visit fchcc.com.