https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/about/instance/homehttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/browse?scope=localhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/mu2L1uoWuG4rJ7YS9Hcii5https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/46b16e2e-cfdd-4ca1-88c3-c0d41fa2f695.jpgCindy Berry - Okaloosa GasCindy Berry from **Okaloosa Gas**, who can tell you exactly where she was the first time she heard almost any song we play. The news out of this one: you no longer have to live in Okaloosa County to get Okaloosa Gas service. They now serve South Walton County, are heading up 331, and are working in parts of Santa Rosa County. And they are already thinking about winter. As Cindy puts it -- they pray for snow. #okaloosagas #fortwaltonbeach #firstfridaycoffee #emeraldcoast #localbusiness --- *The BTeam Morning Show broadcasts live on location from the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce First Friday Coffee, on 100.3 K-Rock.* *Remote coverage sponsored by Okaloosa Gas, Eglin Federal Credit Union, Tammy's Journeys, and Coastal Realty Services.* *Want to sponsor next month? [Get in touch](https://www.emeraldcoastconnected.com/contactus).*https://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/a5e0aec1-5cc4-475f-82fc-f6c447c0920a/185a4345-8671-42cc-b423-2bc46cb4c11d-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/mu2L1uoWuG4rJ7YS9Hcii5197012026-08-10T21:00:00.000ZYESThe BTeam Morning ShowNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/8pGXj61hPaT5Ppc7qas16Khttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/e8eed0ea-3204-45d2-b553-445eedd10299.jpgCoastal Realty Services - Tyler CapelottiTyler Capelotti is the Business Development Manager at **Coastal Realty Services**, this month's sponsor of First Friday Coffee -- and a firm that has been in this community for more than five decades, based on Beal Parkway in the south end CRA district. Tyler grew up here, went away to school, met his wife in Orlando, and chose to come back to Fort Walton Beach to raise a family. His reason is the one you hear from most people who come back: the small-town feel, and people who actually care. Coastal Realty Services does property management and sales, service first. If you have a rental you are self-managing, or you inherited a property and are not sure what to do with it, Tyler would like to hear from you: **850-217-7756**, or [coastalrealtyservices.com](https://coastalrealtyservices.com). #realestate #propertymanagement #fortwaltonbeach #firstfridaycoffee #emeraldcoast --- *The BTeam Morning Show broadcasts live on location from the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce First Friday Coffee, on 100.3 K-Rock.* *Remote coverage sponsored by Okaloosa Gas, Eglin Federal Credit Union, Tammy's Journeys, and Coastal Realty Services.* *Want to sponsor next month? [Get in touch](https://www.emeraldcoastconnected.com/contactus).*https://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/3bff50df-cc46-4036-8d37-bc76a01813ed/c82dc180-2603-463c-86b0-25ed5a5fdde0-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/8pGXj61hPaT5Ppc7qas16K241012026-08-10T21:15:00.000ZYESThe BTeam Morning ShowNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/eY9cGZtFEeeeymap96eDcAhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/56c74c53-5fce-43ad-ae6d-c954e079545f.jpgSeersucker JealousyThird month broadcasting First Friday Coffee live on location, and the show has found its stride -- which today means arguing about whether the opening of "Train, Train" is a harmonica, a piccolo, a flute, or somebody humming. Meanwhile Ted Corcoran has turned up in full seersucker and still has not come near a live microphone, which anyone who knows Ted will tell you is the genuinely surprising part. Want to be a sponsor next month? Reach Skyler at thebteamshow.com. #firstfridaycoffee #fortwaltonbeach #classicrock #emeraldcoast #localbusiness --- *The BTeam Morning Show broadcasts live on location from the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce First Friday Coffee, on 100.3 K-Rock.* *Remote coverage sponsored by Okaloosa Gas, Eglin Federal Credit Union, Tammy's Journeys, and Coastal Realty Services.* *Want to sponsor next month? [Get in touch](https://www.emeraldcoastconnected.com/contactus).*https://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/711d821d-8fa3-48c7-8974-d675c92f196c/25ff3ca7-2819-4da6-9dec-aac9f825e67a-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/eY9cGZtFEeeeymap96eDcA200012026-08-10T21:30:00.000ZYESThe BTeam Morning ShowNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/g9qBjV6KCLYr1JVfeAKxvnhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/47ab8719-4b43-4621-a6b7-d7c3c923400f.jpgI got the AD... Is that a squirrel?More from First Friday Coffee, including Matt Simpson from The Arc of the Emerald Coast and Brooke Johnson from David Scott Lee. Then a full detour into the **All Sports Association** -- founded in 1970, more than $4 million put back into youth athletics in Okaloosa County, $1.7 million of it in the last ten years alone and over $300,000 last year in grants and scholarships, including helping the Niceville 10U baseball team make their run to South Carolina. Coming up for All Sports: Casino Night in October, and Emmett Smith speaking at the February banquet. You may remember him from a semi-pro outfit in Dallas. #firstfridaycoffee #allsports #fortwaltonbeach #youthsports #emeraldcoast --- *The BTeam Morning Show broadcasts live on location from the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce First Friday Coffee, on 100.3 K-Rock.* *Remote coverage sponsored by Okaloosa Gas, Eglin Federal Credit Union, Tammy's Journeys, and Coastal Realty Services.* *Want to sponsor next month? [Get in touch](https://www.emeraldcoastconnected.com/contactus).*https://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/7aa63229-0bd2-4ce9-ab92-188331ad69fb/3f0fea90-a03e-4f35-ae42-225eab824760-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/g9qBjV6KCLYr1JVfeAKxvn282012026-08-10T21:45:00.000ZYESThe BTeam Morning ShowNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/d92tpitq4QXwPunYpK1jHShttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/bde3fdef-0d4c-4458-be96-9ade30c8f5e8.jpgThe Longest Title for FFCLive from the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce monthly First Friday Coffee networking event and breakfast social hour -- a title Skyler is apparently getting paid by the word to say. This one from First Baptist Church on First Street, with Congressman Jimmy Patronis and State Representative Pat Maney in the room alongside a few hundred local business owners and nonprofits. Also in this segment: a trip up to the Crestview Chamber, the All Sports Association, and why the Crestview Bulldogs might be worth watching this season. Area high school football schedules are up on thebteamshow.com under the events tab -- and if you are with a booster club that wants play-by-play, call us. #firstfridaycoffee #fortwaltonbeach #chamberofcommerce #emeraldcoast #localbusiness --- *The BTeam Morning Show broadcasts live on location from the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce First Friday Coffee, on 100.3 K-Rock.* *Remote coverage sponsored by Okaloosa Gas, Eglin Federal Credit Union, Tammy's Journeys, and Coastal Realty Services.* *Want to sponsor next month? [Get in touch](https://www.emeraldcoastconnected.com/contactus).*https://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/624c8581-6516-4691-924c-8f0528c96594/4dade4d9-cef4-4461-b8b5-87b95425464d-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/d92tpitq4QXwPunYpK1jHS369012026-08-10T22:00:00.000ZYESThe BTeam Morning ShowNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/toDaTZ3ycMmm8fcKtxiRPGhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/1fb4a5c1-7f92-4e1e-899e-2279266f99a9.jpgTijuana FlatsLooking for Tex-Mex in a fast-casual spot with some funky vibes? It's Tijuana Flats on Eglin Parkway in Fort Walton Beach -- and here, it's all about the sauces. Something for the sweet tooth, and something to light your world on fire. Off-beat culture, art murals, fresh food, all-around fun. A great place to take the family after practice or the game. What keeps them on this list is what happens off the menu. School spirit nights, fundraisers, turning up for the community again and again -- plenty of places sell a good burrito, fewer of them keep showing up for the schools. 39 Eglin Pkwy NE, Fort Walton Beach #placestoeat #fortwaltonbeach #texmex #hotsauces #localgem #emeraldcoast #shoplocal --- *From the original Local Gems series, filmed in 2022. Hours, menus and details may have changed -- check with the business before you go.*https://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/ddd00393-a222-4e70-9b2e-a53c77d04c6a/69b02474-4359-4156-9e5c-48b6394adc8a-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/toDaTZ3ycMmm8fcKtxiRPG36002026-08-07T13:00:00.000ZYESLocal GemsNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/ktnP2kZMfgXE3Jn5ib2CVphttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/21500dc5-7c4e-4ee7-9327-6da98f4cc7a6.jpgClark's Barber LoungeJoe has been cutting hair since he was 16 years old. Clark's Barber Lounge on Troy Street is what he built out of it -- a place where you get a proper cut, catch up on what's going on around town, and actually relax while you do it. This is the home store, the original of four shops across the Emerald Coast. You'll find it right behind the Bank of America building on the corner of Yacht Club and Eglin Parkway, where the old drive-up used to be. What sets it apart is the VIP membership. Pay once for the year or go month to month, and you're covered -- regular cuts, edge-ups in between, shaves, beard trims. The idea is to be your barber, not the place you get around to eventually. 237 Troy St NE, Fort Walton Beach Four locations: two in Fort Walton Beach, one in Destin, one in Pensacola. #barbershop #fortwaltonbeach #mensgrooming #localgem #emeraldcoast #shoplocal --- *From the original Local Gems series, filmed in 2022. Hours, menus and details may have changed -- check with the business before you go.*https://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/9db0285d-a1e3-4929-b141-9c5826118511/facf1fab-2bb1-4289-ab79-24875dedafdd-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/ktnP2kZMfgXE3Jn5ib2CVp105012026-08-07T14:00:00.000ZYESLocal GemsNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/pK2qcJLoUwMupWNKnYrhQUhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/1c2fd100-1713-4ba6-bac6-4fb08b50eb55.jpgChicken-n-the-EggRight next to Liza Jackson Park on Highway 98, in a building that's been there forever. The owners were in it before with something else -- in 2019 they made it Chicken n the Egg, built around three things: fresh, local, and family. Nothing on the menu comes out of a freezer. The biscuits are homemade fresh every day, all day long. The chicken is hand-breaded to order. Breakfast, brunch, or lunch -- they close mid-afternoon, so go early. The coffee comes from Veterans Roasters, which means every cup you buy here supports a veteran. That is the kind of thing that puts a place on this list. Highway 98, Fort Walton Beach -- next to Liza Jackson Park Two locations: Fort Walton Beach and Pensacola. #placestoeat #fortwaltonbeach #breakfast #brunch #localgem #emeraldcoast #shoplocal --- *From the original Local Gems series, filmed in 2022. Hours, menus and details may have changed -- check with the business before you go.*https://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/c0440b72-d4cd-400b-b791-d9f2fe28609c/6a604382-c16f-4493-8b68-e176b9345353-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/pK2qcJLoUwMupWNKnYrhQU88002026-08-07T15:00:00.000ZYESLocal GemsNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/qUPea9ieNWA33SNfouGr43https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/ab89b49d-9194-4db5-beb9-7c31efbdc385.jpgFlorida Place Food TrucksThree trucks, one yard, and all the outdoor seating you need on a 78-degree day. Florida Place sits on Miracle Strip Parkway -- Highway 98 -- in the old car wash, right at the front of downtown Fort Walton Beach across from Suds 'n Cinema. **Coffee Avenue** roasts on premises. Ask for the Omara -- cinnamon, creamy, a little like horchata. **Sunset Bowls** -- the Point Break Bowl is the top seller across all three trucks. Acai, strawberries, blueberries, banana, coconut, peanut butter and honey. **Rive Cafe** -- the avocado toast converts people who thought they hated avocado, and the Cuban sandwich holds up to scrutiny from someone who takes Cuban sandwiches personally. Thanks to Tia for the tour. #foodtrucks #fortwaltonbeach #coffee #localgem #emeraldcoast #shoplocal --- *From the original Local Gems series, filmed in 2022. Hours, menus and details may have changed -- check with the business before you go.*https://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/c9bb1bc4-47c2-4973-bcfb-a7d2af3f8174/ba718ba6-d61e-4f5c-b862-3b5ee2635daf-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/qUPea9ieNWA33SNfouGr43178012026-08-07T16:00:00.000ZYESLocal GemsNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/8PTv3yULJEegLRTax6uXzFhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/5438873a-b498-4955-aa30-53c802409bad.jpgMain Brew CoffeeSheila and Patrick built Main Brew Coffee to be a place you actually want to sit in -- quiet, comfortable, and part of the neighborhood rather than a drive-through with chairs. Patrick spent years in the coffee industry before this, including a long stretch at a certain Seattle conglomerate we are not going to name because they are not a local business. What he brought back is a real list: straight coffee for the purist who wants the aroma and nothing in the way of it, through the flavored lattes and the cold brew. **405 Race Track Road, Unit C** -- corner of Race Track Road and Beal Parkway, in the Wright Plaza shopping center, Fort Walton Beach. #coffee #fortwaltonbeach #localgem #emeraldcoast #shoplocal --- *From the original Local Gems series, filmed in 2022. Hours, menus and details may have changed -- check with the business before you go.*https://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/3f5faa91-8499-43ca-9994-5a4e2bb5732d/af7a263b-b2e1-4058-833a-93773ea6bfba-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/8PTv3yULJEegLRTax6uXzF115002026-08-07T17:00:00.000ZYESLocal GemsNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/wJw9rCdymFMkLcik4UEn81https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/cfea3a51-edbe-4d58-89eb-a74d7f58aa03.jpgLooking For Things To Do Out of the SunSunburned on day two? Here is what to do on the Emerald Coast when you need a break from the sun. Bowling at **Hurricane Lanes** or **Uncle Buck's Fish Bowl and Grill**. Bird watching at **Eden Gardens**, **Topsail Hill Preserve**, or **Henderson Beach State Park**. Local wildlife at the **Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park** or **Gator Beach**. Over 17,000 square feet of air conditioned fun at **Wild Willy's Adventure Zone**. And an afternoon in the local shops. Check the Emerald Coast Connected Event Calendar for what is on while you are here. [emeraldcoastconnected.com](https://www.emeraldcoastconnected.com) #emeraldcoast #destin #fortwaltonbeach #thingstodo #rainyday #visitfloridahttps://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/f8e1f9da-bc29-4b77-8d92-2c13b88c2fda/7528889d-201c-4dbe-9a12-1845a6a349a9-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/wJw9rCdymFMkLcik4UEn8134002026-08-09T17:15:00.000ZYESEmerald Coast ConnectedNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/cF93U1nd1xG8rR6oCLDK51https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/d659f96f-2789-483e-8091-4414ba8bb66b.jpgBeyond the Beach - Exploring the Best of the Emerald CoastEveryone pictures the same thing when they think of the Emerald Coast: roughly 100 miles of green water and sugar-white sand. It has earned that. But plenty of what is worth doing here is not the beach. Locally-owned restaurants. Live music from musicians who actually live here. Small businesses worth a whole afternoon. And the **Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park**, where you can spot dolphins, sea lions and more. Planning a trip? Emerald Coast Connected has the local information. [emeraldcoastconnected.com](https://www.emeraldcoastconnected.com) #emeraldcoast #destin #fortwaltonbeach #thingstodo #visitflorida #shoplocalhttps://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/5e8b7e45-2efc-4ff4-875e-1fb114bb2bfc/8ae95a28-1eac-487b-9bba-aa1132da53fd-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/cF93U1nd1xG8rR6oCLDK5140002026-08-09T17:30:00.000ZYESEmerald Coast ConnectedNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/f8Y7ZFro8HfXcjnouAyoukhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/da1590a2-155f-46fb-985b-1485761fed93.jpgDiscover the Hidden Gem - Destin's Beaches and their Warm Water MagicTwenty-four miles of white sand, and a fair question: what makes this barrier island between Pensacola and Panama City one of the best beaches in the world? Two things. The water runs warmer here than most of the Gulf Coast. And the sand itself is unusual -- finely ground, rounded quartz crystals that washed down from the **Appalachian Mountains** over millions of years. That is why it is blinding white, squeaks underfoot, and stays cool to walk on in August when ordinary sand would burn your feet. Plan your trip at [emeraldcoastconnected.com](https://www.emeraldcoastconnected.com) #destin #emeraldcoast #beaches #visitflorida #whitesand #thingstodohttps://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/727cbbb1-5c76-4221-a967-2dd3d6097823/1cfa3785-e1be-4997-8dbf-045c75af3f69-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/f8Y7ZFro8HfXcjnouAyouk31002026-08-09T17:45:00.000ZYESEmerald Coast ConnectedNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/qnu9gvGyrDVaHNzAvscFQqhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/d2f57f52-4ee8-461b-9e1b-cfb1b7bc5d7e.jpgGet The Most Out of the Emerald CoastEmerald Coast Connected is the go-to resource for anything happening on the Emerald Coast -- upcoming local events, venues, news and alerts, all in one place. Covering Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Navarre, Santa Rosa Beach and 30A. Sign up for the newsletter and never miss a thing. [emeraldcoastconnected.com](https://www.emeraldcoastconnected.com) #emeraldcoast #destin #fortwaltonbeach #localnews #eventshttps://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/c55b4a5c-15d6-4c87-bc78-7b79ef29f4ec/a950e91e-4e10-4fd2-8ef0-1f17180ddae2-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/qnu9gvGyrDVaHNzAvscFQq29002026-08-09T18:00:00.000ZYESEmerald Coast ConnectedNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/9NARSohaYpSovBJA4ritfFhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/9229e33d-3381-4d3a-907b-e5911b0598c9.jpgBlissful Moments PhotographyErica Kearns will come find you -- that is the pitch. Blissful Moments Photography works across the Emerald Coast and out to Pensacola and Panama City, and those banner shots on the Emerald Coast Connected Facebook page are hers. Asked where her passion is, her answer was about memories rather than photographs: *"the memories you have when you're taking the pictures, how you felt in the moment. Every time you look at that picture, you're going to remember how you felt."* Family sessions, and individual portraits she describes as **confidence shots** -- for people who want to feel better about themselves, or need something good and professional of themselves. And she is not precious about staying posed: smoke bombs, holi powder, sparklers, straight into the ocean. [blissfulmomentsphotography.info](https://blissfulmomentsphotography.info) -- and on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. #photography #fortwaltonbeach #familyphotos #localgem #emeraldcoast #shoplocal --- *From the original Local Gems series, filmed in 2022. Hours, menus and details may have changed -- check with the business before you go.*https://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/474ace4a-17b6-4a4b-9709-e6ac83cb04b7/8670657e-1897-4f68-bfe4-c377b670945f-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/9NARSohaYpSovBJA4ritfF155002026-08-08T12:00:00.000ZYESLocal GemsNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/whcaFyP4LfLgTVj9k5MmyGhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/1598a479-615f-4b7c-bee3-6780388befd9.jpgClean EatzSam Popple's line for Clean Eatz is *"the place where health food meets fast food"* -- a fast-food hybrid that also runs as a meal prep company. Around 70 grab-and-go options in the case at any time, plus a weekly meal plan of 60 meals that exists to save people time and money rather than just calories. Dine in, grab one on the way home, or take a week's worth at once. **Eglin Parkway, Shalimar** -- across from the Dollar General. If you get through Shalimar you have gone past it. #healthyfood #mealprep #shalimar #fortwaltonbeach #localgem #emeraldcoast #shoplocal --- *From the original Local Gems series, filmed in 2022. Hours, menus and details may have changed -- check with the business before you go.*https://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/f534f126-1311-4cc3-88c9-b3ee3c4da460/fddc062e-3952-432f-8b5a-77f79d6fa996-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/whcaFyP4LfLgTVj9k5MmyG101002026-08-07T18:00:00.000ZYESLocal GemsNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/kVLfMzGR42fw8TjH5kB1qehttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/de86e274-f705-4141-981f-e77c0ee956bf.jpgFire Thai FusionFull disclosure: Bobby eats here about once a week. Two things to know. The **crab rangoon** is a family recipe -- cream cheese, crab, sugar, a pinch of salt -- and the sugar is why he treats it as dessert. And the **crispy pork**, which almost nobody else in town makes, is the owner's mother's recipe and takes more than a day of steps to produce. You cannot, as she puts it, just get a pork belly and deep fry it. **400 Eglin Parkway** -- across from Goofy Golf, in the old Joe and Eddie's. #thaifood #fortwaltonbeach #localgem #emeraldcoast #shoplocal #placestoeat --- *From the original Local Gems series, filmed in 2022. Hours, menus and details may have changed -- check with the business before you go.*https://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/a15f53d1-b7fa-422a-89eb-2c234ff605e5/cb46b1b7-68bb-41cb-a306-87f9cfad33cb-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/kVLfMzGR42fw8TjH5kB1qe134002026-08-08T12:45:00.000ZYESLocal GemsNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/mmVBsepkXJJwh61LuvZvwEhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/324d024f-ba90-4bee-a27d-4066507c0915.jpgMagnolia GrillOne of the neatest rooms in Fort Walton Beach. Magnolia Grill sits in the old Gigi's French Cottage on Brooks Street, a block off Highway 98 downtown, behind the Ballet Academy. The food is spectacular and the ambiance is better, but the reason to get there early is the history -- the place is full of it, and there is a lot to look at from days past. Thanks to Tom Rice for the time. Open Monday through Saturday, evenings, for dinner. #finedining #fortwaltonbeach #localgem #emeraldcoast #shoplocal #placestoeat --- *From the original Local Gems series, filmed in 2022. Hours, menus and details may have changed -- check with the business before you go.*https://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/a4e2b00d-5d9c-4236-8204-a63e84650f3e/51e22fe8-2f05-4a25-a337-1629b94df700-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/mmVBsepkXJJwh61LuvZvwE56012026-08-08T13:30:00.000ZYESLocal GemsNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/9csKH4S3RUWoThSP4HYiUahttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/a2f3cb50-09ae-4368-a29f-57f4be0cc2f0.jpgPeppersJuan gave a master class in service, and it comes down to one line: *"coming to Peppers, I kind of feel like family."* Ten years in Shalimar, and one of those local establishments people are quietly loyal to. There is a fun atmosphere, and on occasion a margarita may be served. Possibly twice. **Shalimar.** Go see Juan. #mexicanfood #shalimar #fortwaltonbeach #localgem #emeraldcoast #shoplocal #placestoeat --- *From the original Local Gems series, filmed in 2022. Hours, menus and details may have changed -- check with the business before you go.*https://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/4262c73a-52e0-4fa5-b20c-22f1c5519525/6c71b38b-1cba-4b92-bc76-2c9d5565cd70-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/9csKH4S3RUWoThSP4HYiUa50002026-08-08T14:15:00.000ZYESLocal GemsNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/gU12Yjnh9v4YF6ZarxYSoNhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/6ce2a13d-d895-4c21-8ff7-cf6966702a0f.jpgRobinson's Cruise ThruThe only drive-through restaurant in town where you genuinely drive **through** the building -- though you can park and eat outside instead. Around since 1979, with a break in the middle. This was your parents' hangout, and the pre-game stop before Victor's. Shrimp tacos and burritos, and the coldest draft in town -- they keep it at 33 degrees. They will sell it to you by the gallon to go. **Ferry Road, Fort Walton Beach.** #drivethru #fortwaltonbeach #localgem #emeraldcoast #shoplocal #placestoeat #coldbeer --- *From the original Local Gems series, filmed in 2022. Hours, menus and details may have changed -- check with the business before you go.*https://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/80bbc6e1-c08b-4ba5-a494-4ee9f0553242/0c28dd55-d83e-491d-a54d-c29607507bfd-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/gU12Yjnh9v4YF6ZarxYSoN54002026-08-08T15:00:00.000ZYESLocal GemsNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/wx5qqEqUCNSBBmYMuo1o97https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/f2651dff-c192-4061-9de6-f03708b6f899.jpgSabor A MexicanThirty-five years in the same spot on Eglin Parkway, which makes Sabor one of the oldest Mexican restaurants in Fort Walton Beach. Everything is made fresh every morning -- the tortillas, the salsa, the soups, the gorditas. Not prepped, not shipped in. There are specials every day and something going on every day. Fast, friendly, family, and genuinely homemade. When we talk about hidden gems, this is the kind of place we mean. Open **11am to 9pm, seven days a week**. #mexicanfood #fortwaltonbeach #localgem #emeraldcoast #shoplocal #placestoeat --- *From the original Local Gems series, filmed in 2022. Hours, menus and details may have changed -- check with the business before you go.*https://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/f748f0f8-03d0-44d7-a80c-509df7e8c30e/4b21ec23-c384-4689-bf81-35c3edaa0a15-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/wx5qqEqUCNSBBmYMuo1o9786002026-08-08T15:45:00.000ZYESLocal GemsNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/2dQ8U2Pgw4521asBRbxgoPhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/72cd8cd9-10b5-4817-b447-530a777b18ca.jpgSt. Michael's Brewing CompanyMike is a retired military veteran, and he named the brewery for **St. Michael, patron saint of the military and law enforcement** -- then named every beer after a military unit or a first-responder profession. In a community this heavy with service members, that is not a marketing angle, it is the point. He describes himself as an artisan and a craftsman, and the comparison he reaches for is baking: *"grain to glass -- we take grain and create this beautiful beer out of the grains and the hops and the water and yeast."* All of it brewed on site, in the stainless you can see from the bar, with a beer garden out back. Veteran-owned, in Navarre on **Florida 87**. #craftbeer #brewery #navarre #veteranowned #localgem #emeraldcoast #shoplocal --- *From the original Local Gems series, filmed in 2022. Hours, menus and details may have changed -- check with the business before you go.*https://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/09e3ba96-9bac-419a-9998-e4fa9353c41f/2cdf82ff-1c47-4514-99af-c71e2a4c09c7-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/2dQ8U2Pgw4521asBRbxgoP170002026-08-08T16:30:00.000ZYESLocal GemsNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/uRifTwVnRTUw7uF2mNfjz5https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/2429105f-fc47-46b9-92fe-43337b91adbe.jpgVANLI BeautyTwo businesses under one roof in Niceville -- VANLI Beauty and the wax and facial bar alongside it -- run by Lisa and Kayla, about four years in at the time of filming. Between them: facial rejuvenation, microneedling, the platelet-rich facial, semi-permanent and permanent makeup (they are an established tattoo facility, which is what makes the permanent work possible), and body waxing. **Appointment only, on purpose.** They want to be your permanent esthetician rather than a walk-in counter, and the one-on-one time is the service. Two words came up more than any others while talking to them: **self-love** and **confidence**. As Lisa put it -- when a client says she feels comfortable in her skin, that is the whole return on the work. #esthetician #niceville #skincare #localgem #emeraldcoast #shoplocal --- *From the original Local Gems series, filmed in 2022. Hours, menus and details may have changed -- check with the business before you go.*https://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/e9a1f647-7599-4a4f-8c62-ae03b5936b56/8c8a296c-f45b-491f-ba57-cf331d16062c-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/uRifTwVnRTUw7uF2mNfjz5187002026-08-08T17:15:00.000ZYESLocal GemsNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/w/3tQeBNEUuMME6hg9gj46N3https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/lazy-static/thumbnails/2614c03c-c36f-41b2-8fba-ca6438c0d266.jpgYoyo's Thai Food TruckOne of the only places in town doing **Northern-style Thai**, and only a few months old when we stopped by. Ask Yoyo what to get and the answer comes fast: **pad thai**, or **pad kaprow** -- the stir-fried basil, with chicken. **Corner of Eglin Parkway and 12th Street, Shalimar** -- across from the Fairfield Inn. If you end up on the base you have gone way too far. Open 11 to 8, Monday through Friday. Sometimes weekends, depending on how tired they are. Tell Yoyo and Steve you saw them here. #thaifood #foodtruck #shalimar #localgem #emeraldcoast #shoplocal #placestoeat --- *From the original Local Gems series, filmed in 2022. Hours, menus and details may have changed -- check with the business before you go.*https://video-cdn.emeraldcoastconnected.com/streaming-playlists/hls/141515b8-be06-4bc6-9d69-cca7f4f4db9a/8a9f713f-f821-4ad6-bd9e-2a58ba8fd594-master.m3u8https://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/videos/embed/3tQeBNEUuMME6hg9gj46N382002026-08-08T18:00:00.000ZYESLocal GemsNOhttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/c/root_channel/videoshttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/c/emerald-coast-connected/videoshttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/c/local-gems/videoshttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/c/bteam-morning-show/videoshttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/a/root/video-channelshttps://video.emeraldcoastconnected.com/a/ecc/video-channels