Thursday night Jim and I headed out to One Ocean Resort for the re-opening of the resort's art gallery. It had rained earlier in the day, and the rain brought with it the first real chill we've had in the air for the Fall.
"It's about time we've had some cooler weather!" I mused as we zipped up 9A in Jim's Honda Accord. "I mean, its almost the middle of November for chrissake and up until now, it's been 80 degrees out every day!"
Jim changed lanes quickly while barely touching his blinker. My life flashed before my eyes for the tenth time on the trip. "Jim, I actually want to make it to One Ocean alive," I whined.
"You said we were running late, so I'm trying to make up for lost time..." Jim mumbled as the odometer needle edged close to 80mph.
I was pretty keyed up for the evening, and it wasn't just the multiple near-death experiences.
Not only was I excited about seeing the new photography exhibit, but I would also get to meet the featured photographer, Shepherd Boggs, as well as the general manager of One Ocean, Sileshi Mengiste. Mostly, I was excited to see the resort again. I'd been before, back in March for their "Fashion First Thursday" event. During that evening, I'd gotten a tour of the gorgeous resort and wrote all about it in detail. You can read about that evening here.
Finally we headed into the ADORABLE little area of Neptune Beach, and cruised right up to the front entrance of the resort. The resort has complimentary valet, so Jim and I hopped out, thanked the very polite valets, and headed into the lively party right in the lobby of the resort.
One Ocean is so breathtaking. (http://www.oneoceanresort.com/) It's hard for me as a writer to give you an idea of what it is like. I'm going to give a shot at describing it, but there are only so many adjectives like "gorgeous", "beautiful" and "breathtaking". You just need to trust me and go for a visit. You don't need to be a guest there to see it either. There are several areas of the resort you can go experience without having to book a room. They have several bars, and a restaurant called Azurea. Also they have a spa that I promised myself I'd get a chance to try soon. I got a complete tour of the resort during my last visit to One Ocean and described all of it in detail, if you want to read about it here.
The entire resort is made to look like elements of the beach are brought indoors. The floor is a pearl, sandy color, made of tiles that have crushed seashells in them. Complimentary shades of pearl, teal and brown are everywhere, and everything from the light fixtures, to the fountains and artwork are made to look like bubbles, or to have the illusion of being suspended in midair.
There was a lively well-dressed crowd of maybe 100 people filling the lobby and spilling out of the small art gallery that is situated on the outer edge of the lobby. After I took a second to get a look at the gallery, the lobby and the crowd, I set about looking for Nancy Click, a PR professional from the Mayfield group, which handles public relations for the resort.
Nancy was really warm and friendly, and looked dazzling in a brown and teal dress. After quick introductions, she started telling me all about tonight's event. "The photography we used to have featured in our gallery here at the resort was the work of local artist/photographer Sherri Ebert. Several months ago, the resort put together a panel of judges that would select a new artist's work to display. Ms. Ebert was actually on that panel, so she helped pick the next artist. So we put out the call to local artists to submit their work. There was something very special about Shepherd's submission. The way he displayed his photography was on a sort of interesting canvas... it's hard to describe but it definitely got the attention of everyone in the room. Shepherd is a surfer and photographer, and his love of the water, surf and sand is evident in his photography. This makes his work really perfect for One Ocean."
Next, Nancy whisked me over to meet none other than Sileshi Mengiste, the general manager of One Ocean. He was tall, with a dark complexion, and wore a nice suit. He smiled and shook my hand, and then took ten minutes out of what I'm sure was a very busy time for him to treat me like I was the only person in the room and answer all of my questions. In short, he was everything you'd expect the general manager of a huge, opulent resort to be... polite, charming, very articulate, and passionate about the resort.
"Is this your first time to One Ocean?" he asked me.
"Oh no, I came here earlier this year for 'Fashion First Thursdays'."
"Oh wonderful, welcome back. Would you like a drink?"
"Sure!" I replied, quite impressed. He turned and headed toward a different room that housed some appetizers and drinks. I've done maybe a handful of interviews since starting this blog almost two years ago, and I've probably never interviewed someone as "high profile" as the manager of a resort, and I've certainly never had someone stop the interview to see if there was anything I needed or wanted.
We walked up to a table of wine glasses and a server expertly showed me the various wines they had available. I opted for a glass of chardonnay, and it was swiftly handed over, chilled to the perfect temperature. I didn't catch the name of the chardonnay, but of course it was perfect. In fact, everything about the resort seemed perfect. It occurred to me that everyone working there was probably an expert at providing impeccable service.
As I sipped the chardonnay, I asked Mr. Mengiste what events the resort had planned for the coming holidays. "Well, each year we do a different 'gingerbread house' that we set up in the lobby. Last year we made a castle, one year we even did an igloo! We're talking about 400 pounds of sugar and flour.. We do it every year for the kids. I think this year we're going to have a train running around the outside of the gingerbread house. We're still working on the plans for all of it, but it's going to be really awesome. Also, each year we do a 'high tea' here at the resort at lunchtime for several weeks during the Holiday season." (To read a brochure with all of One Ocean's Holiday menus click here.)
"So tell me a little about the art gallery," I asked him.
"Well, the art gallery is just another way to communicate luxury. That's what everything at the resort is intending to do. People really appreciate art. Also, choosing a local artist is just another way our resort strives to stay connected with the community. Then there's the way Shepherd's work fits in with the design of One Ocean. Everything about the design of the hotel, from the colors, to the fountains, sculptures and artwork is all about bringing the beach and the ocean in. We want the artwork displayed in the gallery to be a part of that. Shepherd Boggs' photography has lots of wonderful scenes from the ocean."
Since we were talking about the design of the hotel, I had something I was dying to ask. "So, I got the chance to have a tour the last time I was here. There are a lot of interesting features of the resort, from the meditation lounge overlooking the beach, to the gym, to the bars and restaurant. And you probably know this place better than anyone. What is your favorite part of the hotel?"
An amused smile lit up his face, and Mr. Mengiste actually took a few moments carefully considering his answer. I thought this was interesting, since its a question I thought he'd probably been asked before.
After a few moments of consideration, he gave me this glowing, descriptive eloquent answer: "My favorite part of the resort, is the deck right outside Azurea (the restaurant), on a beautiful day, when it's 70 degrees outside. Sitting there, listening to the ocean, sipping a nice drink when it's quiet. That area is absolutely perfect."
Soon, it was time to meet the artist/photographer whose work was being celebrated for the evening, Shepherd Boggs. http://www.shepherdboggs.com/ Nancy appeared at my side again in a flash, and brought me over to a couch in the lobby where the affable, surfer/photographer sat, sporting a tan, shoulder-length blond hair, a suit, and a contagious smile. Here's what I already knew about him from some Internet research: He's 27, graduated from UNF with a degree in photography in 2006 but has been working in photography for 8 years. Currently, he was being interviewed by a woman wearing a black cocktail dress and taking notes on a notepad.
"Who's she?" I leaned over and asked Nancy.
Nancy explained that the girl currently interviewing Shepherd was a travel writer from a website with 'travel" in the name, but now I can't remember the name of the website she told me.
Shepherd and this other girl wrapped up their interview soon after I arrived, and it was my turn to sit down with the hero of the hour. I introduced myself and told Shepherd a little about "Out and About in Jax". "Clearly, I'm a far better journalist than the girl you were just talking to," I added with great importance, "I use a voice recorder instead of a notepad."
We both laughed. I started off by asking him about his opinions about the state of the field of photography today. "Isn't it true that it's a little tougher to make a living in the photography business because now everyone thinks that just because they own a digital camera they can be a photographer? I've heard that a lot of people think any friend with a nice camera can do pictures for their wedding."
"The way I look at it," Shepherd told me, "Is that nowadays, there are a lot more photos out there, but the quality just isn't as good. In order to be able to consistently take really good photos, you need the proper training and lots of experience."
Right then, we were interrupted by some adoring fans that were constantly coming up to congratulate Shepherd and praise his work. He was mildly apologetic about us being interrupted, but I reassured him. "This is your night. Don't worry about it."
Besides, I had a cold glass of chardonnay in my hand and a great seat for some fabulous people watching in a gorgeous resort. And we had a sitter watching the kid at home. At that particular moment, I was certainly in no hurry.
After the brief interruption, I sensed my time with the featured artist may be shorter than I expected, so I decided to skip to my best questions. Since I'd had such success with this question with Mr. Mingiste, I asked Shepherd "Do you have a favorite photo that you've taken?"
He also seemed lost in thought considering the answer to that question. "Well, I don't know if I actually have a favorite. Each photo I take is a representation of an experience I've had. So it ends up not just being about that particular photo but my actual experience. So for me, each photo is special in its own way."
"What is life like as a professional photographer?" I asked. "Is photography your hobby, or your full-time job?"
"Its a full-time job, but more than that, photography is my whole life," he answered happily, "And I absolutely love it. I travel, follow my passion... I'm a very lucky guy."
At that point, we were mobbed by some fans, including one guest who immediately offered to buy one of Shepherd's photos. There was something about this guy (the one who offered to buy the photo) that made him seem powerful and influential. It wasn't just that he was approaching an artist at the opening of his exhibit and confidently offering to buy a piece of artwork, but also the way this guy seemed to be flanked with an entourage, and the way he made a point of introducing himself to me with a firm handshake, stating his first and last name, as if I should know who he was. I didn't. As I glanced around at the crowd at the resort that night, I bet that there was more than a few powerful, influential types.
Just then, a friend of Shepherd's named Gary Denman sat down and introduced himself to me, piquing my interest by promising to tell me a funny story about Shepherd. (A promise he never really did deliver on). Although he did let me in on the interesting piece of trivia that Shepherd is the son of a prominent local physician.
I was relieved that Gary had come over to talk to me. Shepherd was surrounded by an ever growing crowd, and I sensed that our interview was pretty much over, so it was nice to have someone else to chat with, sparing me any awkwardness. Gary explained that he owned "The Photoshop" a Jacksonville Beach digital print and camera store. http://www.clickprintshare.com/ . Gary told me that he teaches photography classes at the shop, as well as classes in various photography software programs.
We chatted for awhile and he even offered to take my photo in front of one of Shepherd's masterpieces. Which, by the way were awesome. There were several large photos in the gallery, including pictures of sea life like large swordfish and small starfish, taken underwater, and several beautiful pictures of glittering waves taken from a surfer's viewpoint -- the inside of the breaking, rolling wave, a huge glittering tunnel of water and sunlight. You have to check out these works of art. If you can't make it to the art gallery at One Ocean (which you should of course make every effort to do) at least check out Shepherd's website http://www.shepherdboggs.com/ .
After checking out the gallery and mingling for a few minutes, Jim and I headed over to Azurea to have a drink at the opulent bar. We were tempted to have dinner in the restaurant, but we'd eaten before we left the house, and we didn't want to push our luck with the sitter. So we ended up finishing up our evening at One Ocean in the place Mr. Mingiste had told me about. Out on the deck behind the resort, Jim and I looked out at the rolling surf under the moonlit sky and felt the sharp cool breeze blowing in from the water.
It was, in fact the perfect place to be.
"It's about time we've had some cooler weather!" I mused as we zipped up 9A in Jim's Honda Accord. "I mean, its almost the middle of November for chrissake and up until now, it's been 80 degrees out every day!"
Jim changed lanes quickly while barely touching his blinker. My life flashed before my eyes for the tenth time on the trip. "Jim, I actually want to make it to One Ocean alive," I whined.
"You said we were running late, so I'm trying to make up for lost time..." Jim mumbled as the odometer needle edged close to 80mph.
I was pretty keyed up for the evening, and it wasn't just the multiple near-death experiences.
Not only was I excited about seeing the new photography exhibit, but I would also get to meet the featured photographer, Shepherd Boggs, as well as the general manager of One Ocean, Sileshi Mengiste. Mostly, I was excited to see the resort again. I'd been before, back in March for their "Fashion First Thursday" event. During that evening, I'd gotten a tour of the gorgeous resort and wrote all about it in detail. You can read about that evening here.
Finally we headed into the ADORABLE little area of Neptune Beach, and cruised right up to the front entrance of the resort. The resort has complimentary valet, so Jim and I hopped out, thanked the very polite valets, and headed into the lively party right in the lobby of the resort.
One Ocean is so breathtaking. (http://www.oneoceanresort.com/) It's hard for me as a writer to give you an idea of what it is like. I'm going to give a shot at describing it, but there are only so many adjectives like "gorgeous", "beautiful" and "breathtaking". You just need to trust me and go for a visit. You don't need to be a guest there to see it either. There are several areas of the resort you can go experience without having to book a room. They have several bars, and a restaurant called Azurea. Also they have a spa that I promised myself I'd get a chance to try soon. I got a complete tour of the resort during my last visit to One Ocean and described all of it in detail, if you want to read about it here.
The entire resort is made to look like elements of the beach are brought indoors. The floor is a pearl, sandy color, made of tiles that have crushed seashells in them. Complimentary shades of pearl, teal and brown are everywhere, and everything from the light fixtures, to the fountains and artwork are made to look like bubbles, or to have the illusion of being suspended in midair.
There was a lively well-dressed crowd of maybe 100 people filling the lobby and spilling out of the small art gallery that is situated on the outer edge of the lobby. After I took a second to get a look at the gallery, the lobby and the crowd, I set about looking for Nancy Click, a PR professional from the Mayfield group, which handles public relations for the resort.
Nancy was really warm and friendly, and looked dazzling in a brown and teal dress. After quick introductions, she started telling me all about tonight's event. "The photography we used to have featured in our gallery here at the resort was the work of local artist/photographer Sherri Ebert. Several months ago, the resort put together a panel of judges that would select a new artist's work to display. Ms. Ebert was actually on that panel, so she helped pick the next artist. So we put out the call to local artists to submit their work. There was something very special about Shepherd's submission. The way he displayed his photography was on a sort of interesting canvas... it's hard to describe but it definitely got the attention of everyone in the room. Shepherd is a surfer and photographer, and his love of the water, surf and sand is evident in his photography. This makes his work really perfect for One Ocean."
Next, Nancy whisked me over to meet none other than Sileshi Mengiste, the general manager of One Ocean. He was tall, with a dark complexion, and wore a nice suit. He smiled and shook my hand, and then took ten minutes out of what I'm sure was a very busy time for him to treat me like I was the only person in the room and answer all of my questions. In short, he was everything you'd expect the general manager of a huge, opulent resort to be... polite, charming, very articulate, and passionate about the resort.
"Is this your first time to One Ocean?" he asked me.
"Oh no, I came here earlier this year for 'Fashion First Thursdays'."
"Oh wonderful, welcome back. Would you like a drink?"
"Sure!" I replied, quite impressed. He turned and headed toward a different room that housed some appetizers and drinks. I've done maybe a handful of interviews since starting this blog almost two years ago, and I've probably never interviewed someone as "high profile" as the manager of a resort, and I've certainly never had someone stop the interview to see if there was anything I needed or wanted.
We walked up to a table of wine glasses and a server expertly showed me the various wines they had available. I opted for a glass of chardonnay, and it was swiftly handed over, chilled to the perfect temperature. I didn't catch the name of the chardonnay, but of course it was perfect. In fact, everything about the resort seemed perfect. It occurred to me that everyone working there was probably an expert at providing impeccable service.
As I sipped the chardonnay, I asked Mr. Mengiste what events the resort had planned for the coming holidays. "Well, each year we do a different 'gingerbread house' that we set up in the lobby. Last year we made a castle, one year we even did an igloo! We're talking about 400 pounds of sugar and flour.. We do it every year for the kids. I think this year we're going to have a train running around the outside of the gingerbread house. We're still working on the plans for all of it, but it's going to be really awesome. Also, each year we do a 'high tea' here at the resort at lunchtime for several weeks during the Holiday season." (To read a brochure with all of One Ocean's Holiday menus click here.)
"So tell me a little about the art gallery," I asked him.
"Well, the art gallery is just another way to communicate luxury. That's what everything at the resort is intending to do. People really appreciate art. Also, choosing a local artist is just another way our resort strives to stay connected with the community. Then there's the way Shepherd's work fits in with the design of One Ocean. Everything about the design of the hotel, from the colors, to the fountains, sculptures and artwork is all about bringing the beach and the ocean in. We want the artwork displayed in the gallery to be a part of that. Shepherd Boggs' photography has lots of wonderful scenes from the ocean."
Since we were talking about the design of the hotel, I had something I was dying to ask. "So, I got the chance to have a tour the last time I was here. There are a lot of interesting features of the resort, from the meditation lounge overlooking the beach, to the gym, to the bars and restaurant. And you probably know this place better than anyone. What is your favorite part of the hotel?"
An amused smile lit up his face, and Mr. Mengiste actually took a few moments carefully considering his answer. I thought this was interesting, since its a question I thought he'd probably been asked before.
After a few moments of consideration, he gave me this glowing, descriptive eloquent answer: "My favorite part of the resort, is the deck right outside Azurea (the restaurant), on a beautiful day, when it's 70 degrees outside. Sitting there, listening to the ocean, sipping a nice drink when it's quiet. That area is absolutely perfect."
Soon, it was time to meet the artist/photographer whose work was being celebrated for the evening, Shepherd Boggs. http://www.shepherdboggs.com/ Nancy appeared at my side again in a flash, and brought me over to a couch in the lobby where the affable, surfer/photographer sat, sporting a tan, shoulder-length blond hair, a suit, and a contagious smile. Here's what I already knew about him from some Internet research: He's 27, graduated from UNF with a degree in photography in 2006 but has been working in photography for 8 years. Currently, he was being interviewed by a woman wearing a black cocktail dress and taking notes on a notepad.
"Who's she?" I leaned over and asked Nancy.
Nancy explained that the girl currently interviewing Shepherd was a travel writer from a website with 'travel" in the name, but now I can't remember the name of the website she told me.
Shepherd and this other girl wrapped up their interview soon after I arrived, and it was my turn to sit down with the hero of the hour. I introduced myself and told Shepherd a little about "Out and About in Jax". "Clearly, I'm a far better journalist than the girl you were just talking to," I added with great importance, "I use a voice recorder instead of a notepad."
We both laughed. I started off by asking him about his opinions about the state of the field of photography today. "Isn't it true that it's a little tougher to make a living in the photography business because now everyone thinks that just because they own a digital camera they can be a photographer? I've heard that a lot of people think any friend with a nice camera can do pictures for their wedding."
"The way I look at it," Shepherd told me, "Is that nowadays, there are a lot more photos out there, but the quality just isn't as good. In order to be able to consistently take really good photos, you need the proper training and lots of experience."
Right then, we were interrupted by some adoring fans that were constantly coming up to congratulate Shepherd and praise his work. He was mildly apologetic about us being interrupted, but I reassured him. "This is your night. Don't worry about it."
Besides, I had a cold glass of chardonnay in my hand and a great seat for some fabulous people watching in a gorgeous resort. And we had a sitter watching the kid at home. At that particular moment, I was certainly in no hurry.
After the brief interruption, I sensed my time with the featured artist may be shorter than I expected, so I decided to skip to my best questions. Since I'd had such success with this question with Mr. Mingiste, I asked Shepherd "Do you have a favorite photo that you've taken?"
He also seemed lost in thought considering the answer to that question. "Well, I don't know if I actually have a favorite. Each photo I take is a representation of an experience I've had. So it ends up not just being about that particular photo but my actual experience. So for me, each photo is special in its own way."
"What is life like as a professional photographer?" I asked. "Is photography your hobby, or your full-time job?"
"Its a full-time job, but more than that, photography is my whole life," he answered happily, "And I absolutely love it. I travel, follow my passion... I'm a very lucky guy."
At that point, we were mobbed by some fans, including one guest who immediately offered to buy one of Shepherd's photos. There was something about this guy (the one who offered to buy the photo) that made him seem powerful and influential. It wasn't just that he was approaching an artist at the opening of his exhibit and confidently offering to buy a piece of artwork, but also the way this guy seemed to be flanked with an entourage, and the way he made a point of introducing himself to me with a firm handshake, stating his first and last name, as if I should know who he was. I didn't. As I glanced around at the crowd at the resort that night, I bet that there was more than a few powerful, influential types.
Just then, a friend of Shepherd's named Gary Denman sat down and introduced himself to me, piquing my interest by promising to tell me a funny story about Shepherd. (A promise he never really did deliver on). Although he did let me in on the interesting piece of trivia that Shepherd is the son of a prominent local physician.
I was relieved that Gary had come over to talk to me. Shepherd was surrounded by an ever growing crowd, and I sensed that our interview was pretty much over, so it was nice to have someone else to chat with, sparing me any awkwardness. Gary explained that he owned "The Photoshop" a Jacksonville Beach digital print and camera store. http://www.clickprintshare.com/ . Gary told me that he teaches photography classes at the shop, as well as classes in various photography software programs.
We chatted for awhile and he even offered to take my photo in front of one of Shepherd's masterpieces. Which, by the way were awesome. There were several large photos in the gallery, including pictures of sea life like large swordfish and small starfish, taken underwater, and several beautiful pictures of glittering waves taken from a surfer's viewpoint -- the inside of the breaking, rolling wave, a huge glittering tunnel of water and sunlight. You have to check out these works of art. If you can't make it to the art gallery at One Ocean (which you should of course make every effort to do) at least check out Shepherd's website http://www.shepherdboggs.com/ .
After checking out the gallery and mingling for a few minutes, Jim and I headed over to Azurea to have a drink at the opulent bar. We were tempted to have dinner in the restaurant, but we'd eaten before we left the house, and we didn't want to push our luck with the sitter. So we ended up finishing up our evening at One Ocean in the place Mr. Mingiste had told me about. Out on the deck behind the resort, Jim and I looked out at the rolling surf under the moonlit sky and felt the sharp cool breeze blowing in from the water.
It was, in fact the perfect place to be.
0 comments:
Post a Comment