Emerald Coast Storytellers, a local creative writers group, is launching a series of Story-Pairing Dinners in 2023. The first event will be held on Tuesday, February 7 from 5-8 p.m. at Hotel Effie, located within Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.
The sold-out, ticketed event will gather a limited number of people to the luxury hotel’s signature restaurant, Ovide, for an intimate three-course meal prepared by executive chef Matthew Krueger. The menu features snapper, short ribs, seasonal gnocchi, salads, and a decadent key lime pie to round out the meal.
Throughout the courses, local writers, including Ali Diamond, Kristy Gustafson, Lindsey Hagood, Jennifer Howard, Solange Jazayeri, MaryAlayne Long, Sharon Vaughn, and Sarah Young, will each share their creative stories with the crowd. Their individual stories will center around Emerald Coast Storytellers’ February theme, “Lifelines”, and tell the story about a time they or someone they know got by with a little help from a friend.
The evening will conclude with a featured storyteller and marquee speaker, Laura Quick, founder and CEO of Good Grit Magazine. In the process of launching the magazine, which celebrates stories of the South, Quick uncovered her talent for storytelling. She followed with the launch of her own branding agency and now helps companies discover and define their stories and better communicate with their audiences. She’s now head storyteller at Good Grit Agency
Tickets for the first dinner have sold out, however, to be added to the waitlist, please email emeraldcoaststorytellers@gmail.com. The next Story-Pairing Dinner, in partnership with Olive & Bee Creative, will be held in Nashville on April 5 with a menu prepared by Chef Johnny Haffner. To learn more about the Story-Paring series, visit www.emeraldcoaststorytellers.com, or follow Emerald Coast Storytellers on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on future creative meetups and events.
In honor of the launch of the series, Hotel Effie will be offering an exclusive rate, including 20 percent off their ‘Best Available Rate’ for stays during the entire month of February. Guests looking to book should use code “Story” at checkout to take advantage of this special offer.
Emerald Coast Storytellers would like to thank the local sponsors that have helped make their most recent events possible including Beachy Blooms, Brenna Kneiss Photography, Escape to Create, EX VOTO Vintage, Fonville Press Market & Café, Hotel Effie, Isacks Imagery, Jared Herzog, Ovide, Proffitt PR, and the Seaside Institute.