It’s a tough job to choose who’s at the top, especially when contenders are so varied and good at what they do. That is why this year we expanded the list to encompass 75-plus restaurants. We chose the top five in 10 different categories: Asian, Dives, Eclectic, French, Hotels, Italian, Mediterranean/Spanish, Seafood, Steaks and White Tablecloth. We induct five restaurants to Northeast Florida’s Dining Hall of Fame and mention a whole lot more.

Sometimes interior designers do their best work outside, and by bringing the outside in. Choosing a beach theme for their clients’ new construction home on the Intracoastal Waterway near St. Augustine was a no brainer for Julie Schulte and Alicia Weaver of Schulte Design Associates. The coastal architecture lent itself to a relaxed, beachy atmosphere, and most importantly, it fit in perfectly with the homeowners preferred color scheme and their lifestyle

By attending Caring Chefs, you help the community’s most fragile children. Through the years, Caring Chefs has raised more than $2.2 million for Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS) from the generosity, time and talent of the area’s chefs, sponsors, volunteers and supporters. Each year, sell-out crowds of more than 2,000 flood the Avenues mall at the chance to sample the best cuisine from more than 50 of the finest kitchens in Northeast Florida.

The kitchen is full of women preparing fruit and cheese spread, waffle muffins, heirloom tomato salad, lettuce wraps with crunchy cole slaw, and homemade mocha filled cream puffs with raspberries and whipped cream. The mood is lighthearted but the cooking serious. These ladies don’t cook to follow a trend. They, like other supper clubs, do it because they love cooking, eating, and spending time together.

From the Constitution to the Enterprise, the roster of heroic U.S Navy warships is long and legendary. Missing from that list is the USS Columbine. On May 23, 1864, she was defeated on the water and captured by a Confederate cavalry unit under Capt. John Jackson (J.J) Dickison, who then had it burned. Thus, after a 48-minute battle near Welaka on the St. Johns River, Columbine became the only U.S Naval warship in history to be destroyed by cavalry.

High cholesterol increases the risk for heart disease or stroke. Since September is Cholesterol Awareness Month, it’s a good time to have those cholesterol levels tested. This is particularly important because of a common, yet little known genetic condition called familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), which affects one in 500 people. Unfortunately, many people don’t find out they have FH until they have a heart attack at an early age.

Hoping to send 1-year-old Mikey to college in Florida? At the rate things are going, good luck. Current budget issues have public schools like the University of Florida and the University of North Florida adopting stricter admission guidelines while private institutions like Flagler College and Jacksonville University are letting up on the reigns. This month, we help you sort through the budget mayhem and increased competition for college admittance.