The Magazine for Florida’s Historic Coast ®
Volume 8 Issue 3 | MAR. 2014
oldcitylife.com
Celtic Heritage Alive in the Ancient City
Catch ‘em Up
Fishing with Captain Tommy
Day Tripper
Down the road to Flagler County
Count Your Blessings
The beginning of a maritime tradition
Volume 8
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Issue 3
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2014
Castaway Publishing, Inc PO Box 35 St. Augustine, FL 32085 904.461.6773 OCL@castawaypublishing.com Lura Readle Scarpitti
Managing Editor editor@castawaypublishing.com 904-325-5930
Brian Hornung
Art Director brian@rockitinteractive.com
Diana L. Garber
Ad Sales Director oclads@castawaypublishing.com 904-679-1550
Melissa Roby
North Saint Johns County Ad Representative oclads@castawaypublishing.com
Distribution
Warren Macbeth Christianne Mcabeth Truett Yarbrough John Dattoma Publication Distribution Service Dominion Distribution
Old City Life Magazine publishes 12 issues annually subscription $19.95 | 12 issues
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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. All material is compiled from sources believed to be reliable, published without responsibility for errors or omissions. Castaway Publishing, Inc. assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photos.
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Letter from the Editor
D
ear Readers,
Last month, it was all about love. In case you couldn’t tell from the cover, this month is a little less… “girly”, for lack of a better word. The Celtic spirit is justifiably associated with blood, sweat, raw and brute strength (generally thought of as rather “manly” traits.) The people of ancient Celtic times forged their legacy working the earth, fighting for their land, and living their lives with fire and passion. A warrior society, the men were courageous and powerful, the women proud and strong. The sense of brotherhood that ran thru the tribes that made up the seven Celtic nations was undeniable-they would fight to the death to protect their kinsman and their country. It is fitting then, that St. Augustine’s history is deeply embedded with Celtic heritage. We hear much about the Spanish and the English, but the Celtic...? Not so much... at least not until the last few years. I think you will find it surprising how intertwined Celtic history is with the stories of the area’s growth and rise to prominence. Not surprisingly, there are a few sprinkled in that are filled with passion, fire and romance. To help us get more acquainted with our Emerald Isle ties, I asked Albert Seyles, head of St. Augustine’s Arts, Culture and Heritage group, Romanza, to share with Old City Life readers what he calls his “Celtic Tour of St. Augustine” (and I am so grateful that he did.) It should be a real treat to walk through downtown with the magazine turned to his article and experience the places associated with this colorful historical account. You can’t help but let your mind go and imagine the events contained in these pages in such wonderful detail. For many, the month of March is most closely associated with the annual celebration of that guy that chased the snakes out of Ireland, otherwise known as St. Patty’s Day. Exactly why do we observe this holiday....who knows? I just know that, being halfIrish myself, I love digging whatever garment I have that is green, out of my closet and downing a pint (or two) at one (or all) of the wonderful pubs here in town...just because. Apropos then that the St. Augustine Celtic Music and Heritage Festival is held here the weekend before all the “craziness” of that holiday. In its 4th year, the festival is becoming one of the fastest growing events on the city calendar, only to be followed up a few weeks after with one of the signature food events of the Ancient City-the St. Augustine Seafood Festival. The sounds of bluegrass and the delicious aroma that fills the air over Francis Field is a can’t-miss, can’t-resist treat! Of course, the issue of Old City Life which is currently in your hands contains all the latest info and a bit of the history of both of these marquee events on the city to-do schedule. The month of March is also known as the time we say “See ya!” to Winter and “Oh baby, how I missed ya...!” to Spring. Time to open the windows, get outside and enjoy the Sunshine State’s biggest and best commodity-the sun! It also means road trip time is here, especially with Spring Break right around the corner. To help in your planning, Bill Kenyon takes you on a (short) journey south to explore all that beautiful Flagler Beach and the Hammock have to offer. Just 30 minutes and a very pleasant drive away, it’s the perfect day (or multiple-day) getaway, for singles, couples, or an entire family. There’s so much more happening in March that the month is filling up fast! Make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on twitter and check our on-line event calendar for up-to-date listings (and added bonus video features from our production partner, Mummy Cat Productions) for all to see and do in, and around, St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and the Beaches. Be sure to mark your calendars now for the 72nd Annual Blessing of the Fleet, which the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum’s very own Brendan Burke writes about in this month’s issue. Held at the City Marina every year, this time-honored tradition is always a favorite Palm Sunday event. Find your inner Celt, eat seafood till you drop, let the March winds take you where they will...there’s no better month to do all of this...and more(and trust me, you’ll see me and the rest of the OCL staff joining in all the fun with you!) There’s nothing more to say than... Slainte! -Lura Readle Scarpitti 4
OCL
4 letter from the editor 9 from our mayor 12 event 13 community 19 sport 20 waterfront 30 body 39 downtown 40 recipe 47 road trip 51 poetry 55 gardening 56 living 62 calendar 66 travel 69 giving 70 seen
contents The Magazine for Florida’s Historic Coast ®
oldcitylife.com
Volume 8 Issue 3 | MAR. 2014
Celtic Heritage Alive in the Ancient City
Catch ‘em Up
Fishing with Captain Tommy
Day Tripper
Down the road to Flagler county
Cuban Links
The bond between Baracoa & St. Augustine
on the cover On the Cover: The lens of the camera can transform Castillo De San Marcos into the moors of Scotland
Photo of John Cunningham by Gary Leveille Courtesy of the Kilted St. Augustine Calendar supporting Romanza’s scholarship program for the performing arts volume 8
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Reaching Out
St. Augustine - Barracoa connection
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Think Green
Ancient City’s Celtic roots
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Blessed Ventures
The start of a fishing tradition
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Road Trip
Down the way to Flagler Beach
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What Stage Fright?
St. Augustine’s Open mic nights
Photo by Addison Fitsgerald
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from our mayor
Celtic: B
(Is it Keltic or Seltic?)
efore I married my Irish Catholic wife, all I knew about the Irish could be summed up into a few sentences and a joke. First, they don’t like to be confused with the Scottish (they don’t really wear kilts all that much regardless of how “breezy” they make a man feel on a hot summer day!) They certainly don’t tolerate being lumped in with the British (too stuffy and too lightweight in the alcohol tolerance level!) They do love their leprechauns (the pot of gold is the money they make off all the leprechaun themed chotchkies and yard ornaments they sell) and…… The Shamrock was their “National Logo” long before the Boston Celtics stole it (and refused to pay royalties!). The one joke that I knew goes like this: (I heard it at a Rotary Club meeting) An Irish man was on his death bed and he called for his lifelong friend to sit with him until the end. As he was about to step into Glory, so to speak, he pulled his friend close and said to him, “Look in me yonder sea chest and you will find a bottle of 100 year old whiskey. When I die I want your pledge to pour it on top of me grave in memory of all of our good times over the years”. His friend fetched the bottle and sat beside the dying man. “I promise to follow your wishes but I have one small request to make”, the friend said. He leaned in close and said, “Do you mind if I run it through me kidneys first?” Not a bad little joke but certainly plays into the stereotype of the pub crawling, whiskey drinking, rough housing Irishman of John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara fame. But I am now a much more educated man! My education began when I met my Wife Jane Reynolds Masson, note the Reynolds family name. Her Father was Irish, born and bred, and her Mother was half Irish making her almost 100%. I guess that 25% British accounts for her lightweight alcohol tolerance because as I live and breathe the woman is a cheap date! She might make it through two glasses of wine before she starts singing in the restaurant but give her a Tequila and Club Soda with lime and she’s the life of the party. A bottle of champagne will get her to say yes to your marriage proposal which is the only reason we are married, I am convinced! She is from a big Irish Catholic family, (six sisters and one brother, God Bless Him!) I had no idea how connected to each other they all are until we became engaged and I was now about to enter the inner sanctum of “The Family”. I have one brother and one sister. I might phone my brother once every month or so but Jane will ring up all six of her siblings sometimes six times a day! Stir in her Mom and her four kids and it’s a wonder she still has any hearing ability left. (I think one ear is bigger than the other though!) When we planned our wedding reception we had to limit it to about a hundred or so. I made my list of family (3) and friends (43) and Jane made her list as well. We intended to first invite all of our family members then we would equally divide the rest from the friends list! As God is my witness when she finished her family list, we had room for about ten friends apiece, so this is my public apology to those of you who weren’t invited, that probably should have been. Family comes first, and as I tell all of our children, remember you don’t just marry a person, you marry a whole family! I consider myself lucky though because Jane’s family are all
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By Joseph L. Boles Jr.
successful and fun people to be around (not a Honey Boo Boo or a Duck Dynasty in the bunch) and will you all tell Jane when you see her that I said that in case she doesn’t read this for some reason! I did get to Ireland once with my buddy Chris Tasker. We went for the Ryder Cup and sat each day in the pouring rain and watched the Americans get hammered by the Europeans in what is Golf ’s greatest “across the pond dustup”. When you sit in the stands at a golf tournament in Ireland an usher will save your seat for you but only for five minutes. That’s long enough to go for a beer or to the restroom but not long enough for both. So I guess I left my seat about every twenty minutes or so but had the time of my life! We drank Jameson’s Whiskey and real Guinness, ate great food, played terrible golf on wildly beautiful golf courses and met some of the finest people I have ever encountered. (Of course this was before the economy tanked but I am betting they’ve kept their spirits and hospitality up, especially the spirits!) So as we celebrate all things Celtic here in the Nation’s Oldest City, (especially the Celtic Festival and the St. Patrick’s Day parade,) if you can find out if its pronounced “Keltic” as in music or “Seltic” as in the Boston Celtics, let me know. Oh and remember, don’t give my dear Wife Jane a Tequila and Club Soda because the British part of her can’t really handle it! OCL
JOSEPH L. BOLES JR. ATTORNEY AT LAW
ELDER LAW GENERAL PRACTICE • WILLS • TRUSTS & ESTATES • PROBATE AVOIDANCE & ASSET PROTECTION • MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY • REAL ESTATE • BUSINESS LAW “FREE WILLS FOR OVER 65”
NO CHARGE FOR INITIAL CONSULTATION
Joe Boles Attorney at Law Mayor, City of St. Augustine Chairman, Council on Aging
19 RIBERIA STREET • ST. AUGUSTINE
904-824-4278
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An Eastern Brown Pelican enjoys some Northeast Florida sunshine. Photo by Addison Fitsgerald
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event
33rd Annual
Saint Augustine Lions
Seafood Festival
S
t. Augustine is home to many festivals throughout the year, and one of the area’s favorites is the right around the corner. Smells of the ocean will once again fill the air over St. Francis Field as the Saint Augustine Lions Club hosts the 33rd Annual Seafood Festival the weekend of March 21-23. The event features great seafood dishes of every style, over 100 arts and crafts vendors and some of the best bluegrass, Americana and jazz music around. Let’s talk music. Friday is jazz night and will feature the Evans Trio from 4-6 p.m. followed by the Bill Doyle Quartet from 6-9 p.m. featuring Linda Cole, niece of legendary Nat King Cole. Cole, the First Lady of Song, has sung professionally since she was three. Her family’s group, The Singing Coles, are a part of Illinois music history. Saturday will feature Katherine Archer, Brittney Lawrence, the Florida State Bluegrass Band, the WestWend Band out of Tennesse, Lonesome Bert and the Skinny Lizards and more. Lawrence opens the festival on both Saturday and Sunday. This St. Augustine local is on the verge of hitting the big-time and will knock your socks off with her sultry voice, a throwback to a bygone era. For an introduction to Lawrence’s music, check out www.brittneylawrence.com, but don’t miss her live at the festival. Sunday continues the show with Collapsible B, Go Get Gone, Archer and more. Let’s talk food: Gator Skewers, Louisiana Crab Cakes, Catfish, Lobster Nachos, Grilled and Steamed Shrimp, Chowder, Paella, Fried Grouper, Shrimp Tacos….need we say more? Over 15 vendors will be cooking up everything under the sea. It’s hard to pick a favorite here, but you’ll have fun trying. Come hungry and stay late. Pirate and magic shows run throughout the day and over 100 exhibitors are featured at the arts and crafts village. Adult admission is $3, no coolers or pets allowed. Children 12 and under are free and can enjoy the afternoon at the kid zone. Get there early because the Art Village closes at sundown. The event is held at 25 W. Castillo Dr. behind the Visitors Information Center, and is open from 3-9 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Presented by Winn Dixie, sponsors also include RE/MAX, VyStar, the St. Augustine Record, Fresh from Florida, Eclipse Recording Company, Beaver Toyota of St. Augustine, Coors Light, Hasty’s Carpet & Flooring, Money Pages and United Rentals. Proceeds benefit Lions charities, the world’s largest service club organization. For complete details go to www.lionsfestival.com. You can also tweet them at @staugustinelion.
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arts
ROWITA
by Chris Bodor
CELEBRATING WOMAN’S HISTORY MONTH
T
he Dr. Gail Pflaster ROWITA Award honors the contributions women have made to the artistic environment in St. Johns County. The award was established in 2009 by Dr. Gail Pflaster, with the help of Joy D’Elia, former program coordinator of the St. Johns Cultural Council, to help celebrate Women’s History Month. Pflaster passed away peacefully in her home in St. Augustine in May 2012 after a long, brave battle with cancer. A teacher, organizer, writer and friend, she helped to organize the Festival of Muses each March. The Cultural Council renamed the award in 2012 as a fitting tribute to Pflaster’s spirit and her legendary contributions to the local arts community and National Women’s History Month. The ROWITA Award and ceremony recognizes outstanding women in the arts. It is the result of a coalition of six art organizations that worked together to establish a recognition program during Women’s History Month in March. The original coalition consisted of the St. Johns Cultural Council, National League of American Pen Women-St. Augustine Branch, Tale Tellers of St. Augustine, Jane’s Stories Press Foundation, Limelight Theatre and Cyprian Center for Expressive Arts. In an effort to streamline the process and ensure its longevity, the recognition responsibilities have been handed over to the St. Johns Cultural Council. This year’s winners are Kathy Vande Berg for Music, Carolee Ackerson Bertisch for Mixed Media, Sally Ann Freemen for Philanthropy, Phyllis Gibbs for Theatre, Carol Gladstone for Activism, Wendy Mandel McDaniel for Mixed Media, Margo Pope for Literary and Faith Tiberio for Lifetime Achievement. The Junior ROWITA Fellowship originated in 2011 to help graduating high school women develop their artistic skills through continued study and training. “I thought there was a need for an arts scholarship in a county so full of talented and artistic young women,” D’Elia said. “Gail and I also agreed that through this fellowship, we would be nurturing future candidates for ROWITA.” The fellowship consists of three $500 awards, one each in performing, literary and visual arts. In order to be eligible, candidates must have a 3.0 GPA, submit a letter of recommendation, write a letter describing their relationship with their art and provide a DVD of their work. Candidates must also be committed to using the fellowship for a college art degree, summer institute or a specialized art workshop. The applications are reviewed by a panel of past ROWITA recipients. Past winners of the Junior ROWITA Award include Annika Goldman, Hannah Klaus, Anna Styron, Lisa Paper, Hannah Drozd and Jessica Bourgade. The St. Johns Cultural Council will hold the sixth annual Dr. Gail Pflaster ROWITA Awards Ceremony on Sunday, March 30 at 6 p.m. at the Limelight Theatre, located at 11 Old Mission Ave. Winners of the 2014 award and the Junior ROWITA Fellowship awards will be honored and recognized during the program. A short reception will follow the ceremony. The event is free and open to the public. OCL
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Dr. Gail Pflaster ROWITA Award Recipients 2013 Debbie McDade Mary Siess Diane Bradley Wendy Tatter Patty Rang
2010 Carrie Johnson Luba Estes Jan Miller Chris Man Jean Rahner
2012 Shirley Bryce Sister Dian Couture Barbara Minckley Kay Burton
2009 Emma Lee Carpenter Rozelyn Cole Eva Doolittle Karen Harvey Dr. Dorothy Israel Anne Kraft Monika Macbeth Barbara Vickers
2011 Betty Fell Sally Walton Mili Koger JoAnne Engelbert Jean Troemel
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Cuban Links
The Goodwill of the The St. Augustine-Baracoa Friendship Association
F
riendships come in many forms. As individuals, most understand the special bond created by real friendships, and the rewards that come with them. As the numbers grow, and a group of individuals try to befriend another group, it becomes much more challenging. Expanding even further to include different cultures, cities and even countries, the ability to initiate and maintain a friendship is challenged from all fronts, including language, culture, religion, politics, geography and history. Yet, every now and then, there are individuals who are willing to challenge those barriers, just for the sake of doing a good thing. A small group of St. Augustine neighbors have done just that. In the early part of 2000, former city mayor, Len Weeks, Sali Soledad McIntire and Dr. Ron Dixon pursued an idea of creating a link between St. Augustine, the oldest city in the United States, and Baracoa, the oldest city in Cuba. At that time, there had been some rumblings from Washington, D.C. and Havana that channels were opening, or expanding, for people-to-people diplomacy, as well as for humanitarian projects. In May of that year, the three traveled to Baracoa. They met with people involved with art and music, associated with hospitals and medicine, involved with schools and day care facilities and who shared an interest in preserving and detailing the wonderful history of the town and surrounding region known as Guantanamo. No governmental involvement was mandatory or wanted. The overwhelming message from Baracoa was, and remains today, “We need resources, not money.” When the trio returned to St. Augustine, Weeks initiated discussions about formally creating a sister cities relationship between the two. He had already been successful with a sister city proclamation with Aviles, Spain, and felt this would provide the most effective means to further the efforts of support. The national and local Cuban network immediately rose up in opposition to the mayor’s proposal, leading to a withdrawal of any sister city discussions. They had successfully lobbied against any assistance to Cuba, as long as it remained under volume 8
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(more })
story by Rick McAllister photos by Len & Kristy Weeks
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the current dictatorship. In reality, this was a blessing. The St. Augustine-Baracoa Friendship Association was formed as a non-profit organization. They have made significant progress without the bureaucratic red tape that becomes prevalent when governments are involved. Participation grew locally. Each year, one or two delegations are sent to Baracoa to begin, and oversee, humanitarian projects that utilize the talents and skills of the St. Augustine delegations. Projects have included assisting the Cuban Association of the Handicapped and the Blind, aiding local day care centers and dental clinics and providing books and professional assistance to Cuban historians and artists. One touching story is worth sharing. A Baracoa woman named Irania Martinez Garcia took it upon herself to turn the local, toxic garbage dump into a recycling center and garden. With her own hands, the help of a few friends and a little guidance from The Friendship Association members, she started to sift through the acres of bacterial-laced garbage. They learned how to convert some of the usable items into dog food and plantable seedlings. Most importantly, she cleaned an area that undoubtedly had contributed to related disease and health issues. Weeks’ wife, Kristy, also a delegate on these trips, was so impressed with Garcia’s efforts she submitted the story to CNN for their Hero of the Year Award. In 2007, Garcia was selected as one of 61st place winners, an honor that came with a prize of $10,000. Because of the U.S. Embargo, those funds could not be awarded to Garcia. Kristy orchestrated a fashion show held at the Casa Monica Hotel. All of the outfits were made locally from recycled materials and ultimately raised $28,000. Of the proceeds, $10,000 were used to purchase needed supplies and materials in Nova Scotia and Canada. The rest was sent to Garcia in Guantanamo by cargo ship. This past year the association was very active. Heading the list was the successful renewal of their license with the U.S. Treasury Department to take people-to-people delegations to Cuba. Other 2013 accomplishments include: • Continued support of a young Cuban student into medical school. • Encouraged the funding of BUREN: an independent cooperative of artists and artisans who study the Taino roots of pottery making. • Distributed computers to the Cuban Association of the Blind. • Alloted cell phones to people who require communication including bus drivers, doctors, teachers. • Issued crutches, wheelchairs and walkers. • Provided clothing, food, shoes and school supplies. And not everything takes place in Cuba. St. Augustine benefited as well with the following: • Advanced academic forums were introduced to Flagler College by the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art.
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• Cuban artists and intellectuals were brought to St. Augustine to meet with their peers. • El Sabor de Baracoa, their 15th book focusing on the traditional recipes and cooking traditions of Baracoa, was published. • Four delegations to Cuba were organized. The real focus can be understood through the mission statement of The Friendship Association, “...to establish, promote and foster a spirit of friendship between U.S. citizens and the citizens of Cuba through meaningful people-to-people educational exchanges and participation in meaningful projects that benefit Cuban communities and the environment.” It’s really about friendship. If you are interested in learning more about this St. Augustine endeavor, or are interested in making a contribution to this taxexempt, non-profit organization, please call The Friendship Association at 904-806-1400 or via solesole@bellsouth.net. OCL
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Historic Tennis Tournament Prepares for Second Year
sport
H
arbour Island Tennis Centre of St. Augustine, is proud to announce it will host the Tropical Tennis Tournament for the second year during the first two weekends in March. Proceeds from this tournament will be donated to The Rotary Club of Coastal St. Johns County and will be distributed to charities within the community. This newly revived event is a continuation of a tournament that was once held in the late 1800s. Known in the tennis community as the first annual outdoor tournament of the year, it took place on the wooden tennis courts, now a parking lot behind The Alcazar Hotel and Casino. The warm weather and fancy hotel attracted players from the north and overseas, during a time when the rest of the country was still huddled indoors to escape the cold. But it wasn’t just the warmth and accommodations that attracted tennis players. Many participants came for a chance to win the championship trophy, known as the handsomest tennis prize in the country. Nearly 2 feet tall, the sterling silver trophy is a replica of the city gates and is currently on display at Flagler College in celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Ponce de Leon Hotel. The trophy is engraved with the name of the last Tropical Champion, Oliver S. Campbell, who won back in 1894. The original tournament concluded with dancing and festivities on the wooden tennis courts at the Alcazar. In the years following, Henry Flagler evolved the celebration to include a 25 piece orchestra and gala held at the Ponce de Leon Hotel. While a gala is scheduled to celebrate the 450th, the highlight of this year’s event
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will be an award presentation, dinner and silent auction held at the St. Augustine Yacht Club on March 15. Men’s and women’s singles and doubles will be held March 7-9 and March 14-15. To maintain the historical spirit of the tournament, players are strongly encouraged to dress in traditional tennis whites or attire from the period, men in white trousers and women in long dresses. Heightening the stakes, players will also be required to use wooden racquets. The centre will have some available to rent. Registration is $100 for singles and $150 for doubles, $75 per person. A $10 discount will be applied for players who would like to play in both divisions. The entry fees include refreshments, light snacks and an invitation to the dinner and award presentation. Tickets for the dinner and award event only are $45 per person, $80 a couple. Spectators are also welcome with a suggested $5 donation. If you are interested in participating, please reserve your spot by calling (904) 686-4212, emailing courts@HarbourIslandTennis. com or by visiting our Facebook page. Be a part of bringing history, tennis and tradition together again in St. Augustine. OCL
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waterfront
Catching the Big One story & photos by Capt. Tommy Derringer
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Fishing in St. Augustine
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S
t. Augustine might not be known as a world class fishing destination to most, but those that have experienced it know differently. Most people visit St. Augustine for the historic sites and pristine beaches but more and more people are finding out that the fishing opportunities here are second to none. There are so many different ways to enjoy fishing in our historic town that everyone, from the beginner to the professional angler, will be sure to have the time of their life while wetting a line. We have awesome inshore, backcountry, and offshore fishing in the saltwater as well as some fantastic bass fishing in the freshwater. And all of this can be done on a year round basis. There is literally something for everyone when it comes to fishing in St. Augustine! One of St. Augustine’s most popular gamefish is the redfish. In recent years, fishing for redfish has gained quite a bit of popularity, for a multitude of reasons. They are great fighters and very sporty on light tackle, easily accessible, and make for great table fare. Here in St. Augustine you can catch redfish year round and just about anywhere there is saltwater. Redfish are mainly an inshore fish, which means that you don’t necessarily need a boat to catch them. They live in deep water and in very shallow water. Some of the most exciting fishing for redfish comes in the shallow stuff, and St. Augustine has some of the most beautiful areas in the world when it comes to backcountry shallow water fishing. There is an abundance of creeks and shallow flats that are truly in the Florida old country. Surrounded by lush marshes and wooded areas, it’s quite an adventure to fish these waters. Other species such as flounder, sea trout, drum, and sheepshead, just to name a few, can also be caught in these areas. There’s never a dull moment when fishing inshore in St. Augustine. (more })
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Improve your health for yourself and your family
Call for an appointment with
Christopher J. Zub, D.O. Board Certified Family Practice
If going for the big one is what you’re looking for, St. Augustine also offers some great offshore (ocean) fishing opportunities. There is so much life just off our beaches. You can go trolling for tuna, wahoo, mahi-mahi, or bottom fishing for grouper, snapper, sea bass and more. There are even quite a few huge marlin caught every year in the offshore waters of the First Coast. While many of these fish migrate during different times, rest assured that you will encounter something big out there any time of the year. When Fishing offshore in St. Augustine be ready to have a big fish give you fight of your life. If you don’t have access to a boat, you can also try fishing from the beach or a pier. Quite a few species of fish can be caught within casting distance of the beach. There’s nothing better than having your toes in the sand and a fishing rod in hand. Just a bit to the West lies the St. Johns River and it’s many tributaries. When looking to land a lunker largemouth bass, it’s the place to go. Just about all the regular freshwater species from bass to catfish can be caught here. The river also has some spectacular views with cypress trees adorning its shorelines. It will call to mind a time when steamboats ruled the river and Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings wrote The Yearling and Cross Creek. No matter what you’re looking to catch, St. Augustine’s vast waterways are sure to please. There are quite a few bait and tackle shops around town, all of which are happy to help get you outfitted for a day on the water. St. Augustine also hosts some of the world’s finest Charter Captains and Fishing Guides. Next time you’re in town, give one of us a call and we’ll take you on the fishing adventure of lifetime. OCL
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St. Augustine
Celtic Music
story by Albert Seyels photos by Gary LeVeille & DeeLee Productions
Heritage Festival
&St. Patrick’s Day Parade
T
he St. Augustine Celtic Music and Heritage Festival is arguably the finest collaboration of Celtic artists assembled in the United States. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the city has been recognized internationally by Ireland of the Welcomes magazine as one of the United States seven most remarkable St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. The sounds of the ancient Celtic peoples of Scotland and Ireland are as alive today as ever at the St. Augustine Celtic Music Festival, held March 7-9, 2014 at Francis Field on Castillo Drive. “Find the Inner Celt in You” and take in the sights, sounds and tastes of centuries of European history. Celtic clans from around the world show their ancestral pride, Highland games athletes demonstrate their mind-boggling strength and vendors offer up Celtic cuisine and handmade crafts. But the favorite portion of the St. Augustine Celtic festival is the music. Scottish and Irish bands, playing both traditional tunes and modernized renditions of ancient Celtic music, appear live on stage throughout the two-day premier event. Last year, the festival added a twist, a whiskey tasting on Friday night. A tasting expert educated enthusiastic samplers to the subtleties and history of the various malt-based liquors and was an immediate success. Last year’s tasting sold out quickly so if you’re thinking of attending, book your tickets today at www.celticaugustine.com. The fun for everyone else is kicked off with the festival’s parade. Originating at St. Francis Field, it winds its way past the bayfront, down Cathedral Street and back to the field. Excited crowds line the streets, eager to see the marching bands and musicians, colorful floats, re-enactors, pipe and drum bands and even Star Wars Storm Troopers...in kilts. The festival began in 2011 with five Celtic headliner bands and 24 performers from Europe, including Irish folk legends, The Dublin City Ramblers and Spain’s triple-platinum Asturian-bagpiper and flautist Jose Hevia. Hevia hails from Aviles, Spain, Don Pedro Menendez’s hometown and sister city to St. Augustine. In its second year, the festival attendance grew to 10,000 and introduced headliner Scots-born Albannach and nine other bands. Scotland’s Hall of Fame Tannahill Weavers headlined with a dozen other acts in 2013. The festival grew to 15,000, and became the fastest-growing Celtic festival in America. For 2014, New York’s unblinkingly-political, and thoroughly-Irish Black 47 will reprise their 2011 appearance. But this performance will be special. It’s their final appearance here as a part of their farewell tour. Sensational crowd-pleaser Albannach is returning for its third consecutive year. The perennials, The Dublin City Ramblers and Rathkeltair, who have both been with the festival since the beginning, will return along with many more. Aye, so if you’re thinking about missing this one, yer talking oot yer fanny flaps. 24
Slãinte volume 8
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General Admission tickets are available at the gate for $8 per day. Special VIP packages are available for $50 and include: event admission all weekend, free Festival t-shirt, 2 free beers or glasses of wine, separate VIP seating, bar and restrooms. VIP packages available on-line at www.celticaugustine.com and at Ann O’Malley’s(no VIP will be available at the gate). Kids under 12 and all active duty and retired military get in free with current identification. www.celticaugustine.com
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Take a Tour of the Nation’s Oldest…
CELTIC City-St. Augustine!
Charlotte Street
S
t. Augustine’s history is thought of as a primarily Spanish one, but the significant British Colonial period here, which spanned the American Revolution, only gets occasional attention. In recent years, tens of thousands of heritage tourism visitors have discovered and celebrated St. Augustine’s Celtic roots. Although over half of St. Augustine’s citizens can claim Irish, Scottish or other Celtic heritages, residents are still learning how the Celts are prominent in this fair city’s long and remarkable history. St. Augustine has an amazing Celtic past. Colonial governors and historic vicars were of Celtic descent, there are stories of romance and mystery. Most extraordinary, St. Augustine was founded by Celts. We begin our city tour at City Hall, the Alcazar and the statue of Don Pedro Menendez . Menendez was the founder of St. Augustine and governor of La Florida in 1565. Menendez, Celtic? Menedez and his 800 colonists were from the northern, Celtic region of Spain. The people of his home town, Aviles, and the surrounding regions, Asturias, Galicia and Basque, are of Celtic decent. They have their own language, closer to Portuguese than Spanish. The people of northern Spain are Spanish-Celtic, and share many traditions with the Scots and Irish. They play bagpipes called “gaita,” and wear kilts called “falda escocesa.” Aviles still celebrates its Celtic roots with more than 100 groups, including huge gaita competitions, at its annual festival, Intercéltico de Avilés. This music has more in common with the Celtic nations of Brittany, Wales, Cornwall, Isle of Man, Scotland and Ireland than with Spanish music from Castille or Andalusia. According to former Mayor George Gardner, “Our city’s heritage is more bagpipes than bullfights.” Separated by a range of mountains from the rest of Spain, Asturias and Galicia in northern Spain are different in several ways from the southern parts of the country. The country looks green, and the music sounds familiar to ears used to hearing Irish or Celtic. Music is a compelling reflection of a culture, as is the array of Asturian pipe bands led by the gaita; arguably the forerunner of the Scottish bagpipe.
by Albert Syeles photos by Rick McCallister
St. Augustine was founded by Celts… Spanish Celts
Castillo San Marco - 1784. The Spanish government stationed the Hibernia Regiment in St. Augustine with 460 Irish soldiers. The Spanish military welcomed these Irish expatriates who couldn’t return to their homeland. They came from a militarized society with weak central authority and had a professional reputation for bravery as soldiers. Several (more }) volume 8
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Irish and Scottish military men even rose to the position of governor of Spanish Florida. The arrangement allowed the Irishmen the opportunity to keep spirited, armed and trained men to face any challenge, including the possibility of returning to Ireland. The garrison and its men interacted with the townspeople in many ways and with notable incidents.
Murder Mystery on Charlotte Street On the evening of Nov. 20, 1785, the only violent crime in the second Spanish period disrupted life in St. Augustine. Lt. Guillermo Delaney of the garrison was attacked near the home of his girlfriend, Catalina Morain. Delaney lingered with his wounds for two months, but could never describe his assailants before he succumbed. Apparently he was not the only admirer of this “seductive seamstress.” Two men were jailed, but were later found to be falsely accused. Two other soldiers, known for violent tempers, jealous rages and scandalous conduct with a servant girl, were imprisoned for perjury, and for implicating the two innocent men. One of them was suspected of conspiring with Morain but evidence was scarce. The governor, unable to prove the murder charges, turned to the slow wheel of bureaucracy in Spain. In the interim, some of the witnesses were transferred out of St. Augustine and the case grew cold. The two men were in jail until 1790 when the governor’s term ended. The murder of Lt. Delaney remains officially unsolved.
the Hibernia Regiment comprised of soldiers from Ireland. O’Donovan and Zespedes wanted to marry, but he did not meet the criteria for the noble Zespedes family. O’Donovan was not Spanish and his pay as an officer was not sufficient enough to provide a household that would be adequate in the eyes of her father. On May 29, 1785, the couple used the excitement of a grand party in the governor’s mansion to sneak away from the festivities. Father Miguel O’Reilly was lured to Zespedes friend’s house, Angela, after hearing she had suffered a serious accident. He arrived to find Zespedes and O’Donovan. Instead of giving Zespedes last rites, the priest married them. The couple promptly returned to the grand party and announced the bond. O’Donovan was arrested immediately for marrying without the permission of his commanding officer and was sent to Havana. Officials, and even the King of Spain, examined the case over the next two years, but the marriage was valid. In March 1787, O’Donovan returned to St. Augustine and to his wife of almost two years with whom he had never lived with.
Narrow Streets, Pipers and Bravado Rory McIntosh, captain of the king’s Highlanders, was attended by Scottish pipers and paraded the narrow streets of St. Augustine, breathing out fire and slaughter against the 13 revolutionary whig colonies. During the American Revolution, Florida was the fourteenth British Colony, and remained loyal to the mother land. Old Rory was a most extraordinary character, a kind of Don Quixote, who even in his old age was at all times ready to storm any whig fortress that might present itself. In 1778, the garrison of St. Augustine marched to attack whig-occupied Savannah, Ga. One morning, with the fortification of fine Scottish spirits, Rory decided to initiate an attack on a small whig fort on the route despite the protests of his compatriots. He approached the gate and commanded, “Surrender!” He was promptly hit in the face with a rifle ball and fell, but immediately recovered. Rejecting calls from his own to run for his life, he called back, “Run yourself, but I am of a race that never runs.” Retreating backwards he flourished his sword once safely into the lines, keeping his face to the enemy.
Government House Other than Florida’s first Spanish Colonial governor, Don Pedro Menendez, six more Colonial Florida Governors were of Celtic decent: Brigadeer Sebastián Kindelan y O’Regan of Irish decent in the second Spanish period, Enrique Henry White of Irish decent during the second Spanish period, Gen. Patrick Tonyn of Irish decent during the British period, Maj. Gen. James Grant, Laird of Ballindalloch of Scottish decent during the British period, Adm. John Eliot of Cornish decent during British West Florida, Brig. Gen. Montfort Browne of Irish decent during British West Florida and George Johnstone of Scottish decent also during British West Florida.
Clandestine Romance The Government House includes a little romanza. In 1785, the clandestine marriage of the lovely Dominga de Zespedes, daughter of the governor, upset her family and embarrassed her father, putting him in a delicate position as the head of the Spanish government in Florida. Lt. Juan O’Donovan was posted by the Spanish to St. Augustine with 28
Plaza de la Constitucion St. Augustine celebrated the bicentennial of Spain’s Constitution of 1812 and the unique constitucion monument in the plaza in 2012. This is the only remaining monument to Spain’s Constitution. The rest of the 1812 constitucion monuments have disappeared. The monument was erected by the order of Florida’s Spanish governor, Sebastien Kindelan y O’Regan; his name is still on the 200 year old monument. When Spain’s king returned from exile in 1814, he dissolved the fledging constitucion and issued orders to destroy all monuments to it. Some say that since St. Augustine spent the entire treasury in building it, that it was hid in the church until 1820. Others say no one got the memo.
Cathedral-Basilica
(Across the street from the Constitucion
Monument)
Irish priests Thomas Hassett and Miguel O’Reilly supervised the construction of St. Augustine’s cathedral from 1793 to its completion and consecrated in 1797. volume 8
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Aviles Street: Padre Miguel O’Reilly House Museum Father O’Reilly’s house was the St. Augustine parish rectory. He and fellow Irishmen were the colony’s principal pastors in the second Spanish period. O’Reilly was born in Ireland where the English were still suppressing the Catholic faith. He was trained for the priesthood in Spain and sent to St. Augustine in 1777 to minister to the Menorcans. He became the chaplain of the Hibernian Regiment and vicario of the entire colony. Here, he was the teacher of Felix Varela, the Cuban writer and hero who is now up for sainthood.
Finally, we move to Mission Nombre de Dios The mission is not only the site of Don Pedro Menendez’s first landing, but also the first European settlement in the U.S. With 800 colonists, it is also the site of America’s first mission and parish. Irish priests, fleeting English Protestant rule in their native land, made their way to Spain and its colonies like St. Augustine. The Catholic church in Spain trained and assigned numerous Irish priests to be the colony’s vicars. Other priests were born in Spain or Portugal to Irish parents, and were often engaged by the Jesuits and the Franciscans because they spoke English. Ricardo Artur was one of them. He served in St. Augustine between 1598 and 1606, was one of the first parish priests in America, and of Irish decent. St. Augustine has a long and amazing Celtic history that started at the beginning of 1565. Founded by Spanish Celts, the city is not only the nation’s oldest city, but also the oldest Celtic city Explore this European city, loaded with history, many cultures, beauty and great food. OCL
Government House
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body
Remember the
“10 ‘Gotta do Fitness’ Guidelines” in the January issue of Old City Life?
W
ell, springtime is around the corner. And warmer, nicer, sunnier weather is not too far away. Everyone knows what this means: more skin and muscle tone showing. If you already jump-started your fitness routine, nice job. Just follow this plan to take it up a notch. However, this should be a personal choice. Only you will know if it’s time to step up your training and playing regimen. Guidance and professional advice is always good, but you are the captain.
1 Continue to experiment with various activities. Time and practice are needed to feel competent. Competence is often a precursor to enjoyment of activity. Think process, not perfection, for turning an activity into a lifetime of enjoyment. 2 To gain muscle tone, head to the weight department. Nothing
increases muscle density better than weight training. Increased muscle mass gives the shaped and toned looked that is desired. Not at your ideal weight? Science says that weight training twice a week for 30 to 40 minutes for 10 weeks can increase muscular strength two-fold. You will look better regardless of your current weight.
3 If you are thinking, “I’ve been working hard, but I still feel a little pudgy in the middle,” then step it up in the eating department. Rid yourself of high inflammatory foods such as sugar, flour, alcohol and processed foods. Let your go-to foods be real foods: fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, beans, legumes and seeds. Good luck and keep it going! Listen up to those readers that cite lack of motivation,
30
Story by Kim Miller Photos by Justin Itnyre location courtesy of the Refinery
Only you will know if it’s time to step up your training and playing regimen. Guidance and professional advice is always good, but you are the captain. having too many food temptation triggers or have been preparing too long to make the changes without putting anything into action. Do not compare yourself with how quickly others have changed their own behaviors. This is a sure fire way to have a disaster in the area of self-improvement.
1 Lack of motivation. Solution: Make the behavior easier to do.
The easier it is for you to do the behavior, the less you have to be motivated. If, for example, you are having difficulty in starting an exercise routine, then make it easy to do. Just commit to a single five-minute workout. Climb on a machine or go for a walk. Pick any activity of your choice, but commit ONLY to five minutes.
2 Underestimating the power of triggers. Solution: Be aware that no behavior happens without a trigger.
Are you motivated to be trimmer? More energetic? Keeping a rich dessert in your refrigerator, or dishes of snack food in your TV room can be a powerful trigger for an unwanted behavior. Get rid of them for healthy living.
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3 Believing that information leads to action. Solution: Be cognizant that sometimes humans act irrationally and that now is NOT the time for irrational behavior. I tell clients to say to themselves over and over that reading information does not lead to a behavior change. Stop reading, and get acting. Pick one action and do it. Then do it again and again. Do not make a big deal out of it, and stop thinking so much. You can do this. And maybe you need a little help. I can help you put healthy living into action. Email me at kim@bodysmartinc.com OCL
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worship Abbey of Castle Otttis (Ah-tis) (Interdenominational) Prayer on Sunday Mornings Adults and Mature Children only Vilano Beach | 824.3274
Chapel of Our Lady of La Leche (Catholic) 8:30am, 5pm, Holidays 8:30am, 3pm 27 Ocean Avenue | 824.2809 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Call for Services 500 Deltona Blvd | Shores | 797.4412
Anastasia Baptist Church Sunday 9:30am Contemporary 11am Traditional 1650 A1A South | Anastasia Island | 471.2166
Christ Our Savior EV Lutheran Church Christian Formation 9am Divine Service 10:30am (deaf interpreted) 21 Milton Street | Uptown | 829.6823
Anchor Faith Church (Word of Faith) Sunday 11am, Wednesday 7:30pm 1764 Tree Blvd | St Augustine | 797.6363
Church Of Christ Sunday Bible Class 9am Sunday Worship 10am, 6pm, Wed 7pm 2900 Lewis Speedway | 824.1800
Ancient City Baptist Church Sunday School 9:30am Sunday 10:45am, 6pm Wed 6:30pm Bible Study and Prayer 27 Sevilla Street | Downtown | 829.3476
Church at Vilano (Baptist) Bible School 9:30am, Sunday 10:30am Wednesday Prayer and Bible Services 7pm 121 Meadow Ave | Vilano Beach | 827.0477
Berea Seventh Day Adventist Church Sabbath School 9:15am, Worship 11am Prayer Meeting 7:30pm 151 M L King Ave | Downtown | 824.9145
Community Bible Church Equipping Hour (classes for all ages) 9:30am Fellowship Worship Service10:30am Wed (school schedule) Word of Life Clubs, ages 4 thru High School, Bible Study 6:30pm 3150 US 1 South | St Augustine | 797.3875
Bethany Baptist Church Call for Services 5465 CR 208 | Bakersville | 824.5169 Bethel Baptist Church Call for services 222 Riberia St | Downtown | 824.5304
Corpus Christi Catholic Church Daily Mass Mon-Sat 9am • Sat Vigil Mass 4pm Sunday Mass 8:30am, 9:45am & 11:00am 6175 Datil Pepper Rd | Shores Area | 797.4842
Bible Baptist Church Sunday School 9:30am Worship 10:30am & 5pm 2485 Old Moultrie Rd | 797.3999
Congregation Sons of Israel (Jewish, Conservative) Services Friday 7:30pm & Saturday 10am 161 Cordova St | Historic District | 829.9532
Bridge of Life Christian Center (Full Gospel Assembly of God) Sunday Worship 10:30am Wed 6:30pm Bible Study Lewis Point Plaza | 797.0669
Crescent Beach Baptist Church Sunday School Bible Fellowship 9:30am Worship 11am, Sunday Worship 6pm 885 SR 206 E | St Augustine | 794.7777
Cathedral-Basilica Parish (Catholic) Saturday Vigil Mass 5pm Sunday Masses 7am, 9am &11am, 5pm Daily Mass 7am Monday - Saturday 38 Cathedral PL | Historic Distict | 824.2806
Dawson Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal Sunday School 9:30am, Sunday Worship 110am, Bible Study Wednesday 7pm 225 N Orange St | St. Augustine | 824.8049
Celebration Church-St Augustine 10:30am Sundays St. Augustine High School Auditorium Childcare and Youth Services are provided 3205 Varella Ave | 737.1121 | celebration.org Center for Spiritual Living Call for Services 1795 Old Moultrie Road | 825.3600
Family Worship Center (Christ Centered Worship) Sunday 10am, Thursday 7pm 2040 SR 207 | 819.9970 First Church of Christ Scientist (Christian Science and Reading Room) Sunday School and Service 10am Wednesday Service 5:30pm 2555 Old Moultrie Rd | 797.8882
First Baptist Church Sunday School 9:30am, Worship 10:45am Monday Word and Action Bible Study 6:45pm Wednesday Prayer Service 12 noon 89 St Francis Street | Downtown | 824.6590 First United Methodist Church Sunday 8:15am & 11am - Traditional Worship Sunday 9:30am - Contemporary 118 King Street | Downtown | 829.3459 Grace United Methodist Church Sunday School 9:30am, Worship 8:30am, 11am Junior Church during 11am Carrera St at Cordova St | Downtown | 829.8272 Good News PCA (Christian) Sunday Worship 9am & 10:30am Nursery provided for all services 1357 Wildwood Drive | 819.0064 Heritage Baptist Church Bible Fellowship 9:30am Sunday School 10am Sunday Worship 11am & 6pm Wed 7pm prayer meeting 1480 Wildwood Dr | 824.8888 Hineni Messianic Fellowship (Messianic - Jewish & Non Jewish Believers) Friday Shabbat 7:30pm Tuesday Bible Study 7:30pm 1797 Old Moultrie Road | 827.9731 Holy Cross Charismatic Orthodox Sunday 10am 110 Masters Drive | 810.0535 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of St Augustine 2940 CR 214 | 829.0504 Homeport Christian Church Sundays 9am Traditional 10:45am Contemporary Wednesday 6:30pm 5605 US 1 S | St Augustine South | 797.8921 Hurst Chapel AME Church (Methodist) Call for Services 28-1/2 Bernard St | Downtown | 824.0500 Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall South Cong.- Sunday 4pm & Thur 7:30pm North Cong. - Sunday 1pm & Wed 7:30pm East Cong. - Sunday 1pm & Thursday 7:30pm 735 Kings Estate Rd | 797.7599 Lighthouse Church of God Sunday School 9:30am, Worship 10:30am Sunday Evening 6pm, Wed Evening 7pm 1230 Kings Estate Road | 797.6996
Helping Families and Friends Honor Their Loved One We will assist in every aspect of the funeral or cremation service. As St. Augustine’s only full service funeral home and cemetery, we can handle all the details for you. “Four generations of the Craig family Just one call - one location!
serving the areas families”
1475 Old dixie HigHway • St. auguStine • (904) 824-1672 • www.CRAIGFUNERALHOME.com 32
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Mc Dowell Baptist Church 16 Bayview Drive | St Augustine Call for Services 829-8388 Memorial Lutheran Church of the Martyrs Sunday School Sundays Traditional 8am Contemporary 10:30am 3375 US 1 South | 797.4377 Memorial Presbyterian Church Sunday 8:30am Informal, 9:30am Church School 10:50am Pipe Organ Prelude, 11am Worship 36 Sevilla St | Historic District | 829.6451 Mill Creek Baptist Church Sunday Bible Service 10am, Sunday Worship 11am, 6:30pm, Wed 7pm 6019-A State Rd. 16 | Mill Creek | 940.3130
Saint Photios National Shrine (Greek Orthodox) Monday - Saturday, Sunday Service Friday 11am 41 St George St | St Augustine | 829.8205 San Sebastian Catholic Church Saturday Vigil Mass 4pm Sunday Masses 8am,10am, 12 noon Spanish Daily Mass 8am Tues - Friday 1112 SR 16 | 824.6625 Seventh - Day Adventist Church Sabbath School 9:30am, Worship 11am 555 State Road 16 | St Augustine | 824.5855 Shiloh Baptist Church Call for Services 271 West King St | Downtown | 824.3913
1475 Old Dixie Highway • St. Augustine Tabernacle Baptist Church Call for Services (904) 824-1672 280 Duval St | aigFuner DowntownalHome.com | 829.2041 www.Cr
Temple Bet Yam (Jewish Reform) Services First and Third Friday 7:30pm 2055 Wildwood Rd | St Augustine | 819.1875 The Village Church (Interdenominational) Bible School 9:00am Services 9am & 11am, Children’s 11am Adult Bible Study 10am, Youth 5pm 4225 Pacetti Rd | World Golf Village | 940.6768
Miracle Center Ministries (Non-Denominational) Sunday 10:30am 1797 Old Moultrie Road | 824.9673
Saint Augustine Shores United Methodist Church Sunday School 10am, Traditional 9am Contemporary 11am 724 Shores Blvd | St Augustine Shores | 797.4416
Moultrie Baptist Church Sunday School 9:45am Service 11am, 6pm, Wed 6:30pm 3699 US 1 S | Moultrie Creek | 797.9005
Saint Cyprian’s Episcopal Church Sunday Holy Eucharist 10am Third Sunday 5:30pm 37 Lovett Street | 829.8828
New Life Baptist Church Call for Service Times 346 Varella Avenue • Near SR 16 | 823.9537
Saint Francis In-the-Field Episcopal Church 9am, Sunday 10am 895 Palm Valley Rd | Ponte Vedra | 543.0112
Turning Point at Calvary Baptist Church Sunday School 9:40am Worship 9:40am, 11am, 6pm 3500 SR 16 • 829.9795
New Saint James Missionary Baptist Church Sunday School 9:30am, Worship 10:30am 135 Rodriquez Street | 824.6500
Saint Luke AME Church African Methodist Sunday School 9:30am Sunday Worship 11am 694 W Pearl St | Downtown | 824.6120
Unitarian-Universalists Fellowship of St. Augustine Sunday 10:30am 2487 A1A South | St Augustine | 471.2047
Saint Mary’s Baptist Church Call for Services 69 Washington St | Downtown | 824.1314
Wards Creek Baptist Church Sunday Services 7am, 10:45am 7pm Home Bible Studies Wednesday Youth 6pm - Service 7pm 7730 County Rd 13 N | Wards Creek | 522.0128
Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church Saturday Vigil 4:00pm Sunday masses 8am, 10am, 12 noon Daily mass Tue 8:15am, Thurs 8:15am 5950 SR 16 | 824.8688 Pentecostal Fellowship Center Church Sunday Schoool 10:00am Worship 11am, 6pm | Youth Thursday 5:30pm 1065 Kings Estate Rd | Kings Estates | 797.6040
Saint Paul AME Church Sunday School 9:30am, Worship Services 10:45am Bible Study Wednesday 6pm 85 ML King Avenue | 829.3918
Trinity Episcopal Parish Holy Eurcharist 7:30, 9am Family Service & 11:15am Wednesday 10am Holy Eurcharist and Healing Service followed by Bible Study 215 St. George St | Historic District | 824.2876
Zion Baptist Church Call for Services 94 Evergreen Ave | St Augustine | 826.1424
Pilgrim Church (United Church of Christ) Service Sunday 10am 5880 US 1 South | St Augustine | 797.5187 Radiant Family Church Sunday Worship 10:45am, Wednesday 6:30pm 1515 CR 210 | 808.7390 Saint Anastasia Catholic Church Saturday 4pm, Sunday 8am & 10:30am Daily Mass 9am Monday-Friday 5205 A1A South | Anastasia Island | 471.5364
“Our Family Serving Your Family Since 1915” 4th Generation
1475 Old dixie HigHway • St. auguStine • (904) 824-1672 • www.CRAIGFUNERALHOME.com volume 8
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Irish Beef Stew
Makes 10 servings
Ingredients: 4 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 11/2-inch cubes 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 pinches salt and ground black pepper, or to taste 2 pinches cayenne pepper 1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 yellow onions, chopped 4 cloves garlic, crushed 1/4 cup tomato paste 1 teaspoon water, or as needed 3 cups Irish stout beer (such as Guinness®), divided 2 sprigs fresh thyme 4 large potatoes, chopped 2 cups chopped carrot
Not the only water view in town... ...simply the most spectacular
1. Toss beef cubes with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a bowl. 2. Whisk flour, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a separate bowl. Dredge beef cubes through flour mixture until evenly coated. 3. Heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook and stir coated beef cubes, working in batches, until beef is browned on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer browned beef to a Dutch oven or heavybottomed pot. 4. Cook and stir onions and garlic in the same skillet used for browning beef until lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. 5. Stir tomato paste with enough water to partially dilute; pour into onion mixture. Stir to blend. Reduce heat to medium, cover Dutch oven, and simmer for 5 minutes. 6. Pour half the Irish stout into the onion mixture, and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Transfer entire mixture to the browned beef. Pour remaining half of Irish stout into beef mixture; add thyme. 7. Cover Dutch oven, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 2 hours. Add potatoes and carrots and simmer, stirring every 20 minutes, until potatoes are soft, about 1 hour. Adjust salt as needed; garnish with parsley.
904-824-8008 4100 Coastal Highway St. Augustine, FL 32084 thereefstaugustine.com
Fresh Seafood, Wild Game Exotic Specialties Offering Daily Chef’s Specials
Lunch: Tues-Sat: 11-3 Dinner: Tues-Thur 5 - 9 Fri-Sat 5 - 10 Open Holidays! Sun 5 - 8 Sunday Brunch 10-3
904.824.3282 • 58 Charlotte Street www.LaPentolaRestaurant.com 34
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Dining Guide Symbol Key Beer and Wine breakfast Courtyard/outdoor Dancing Diner Entertainment Full Liquor Bar Happy Hour Kids Menu Late Night Menu Lunch Organic Ingredients Parking Party/Banquet Facility Raw Bar Reservations Required Sunday Brunch Take Out Tiki Bar Waterside Dining
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n Amici
1915 A1A South • Saint Augustine, FL 32080 904.461.0102 • amicistaugustine.com Amici is one of the true Italian restaurants in northeast Florida, where ambience and cuisine are authentically Italian. Vito Arena has been sharing his family’s old-world legacy of remarkable Italian dishes to fall in love with, while he and his sister, Benedetta make each dining moment and private party unforgettable. It is no wonder that Amici has been voted “Best Italian Restaurant” consecutively, year after year by the residents of Saint Augustine.
n The Raintree Restaurant & Steakhouse
102 San Marco Avenue • Saint Augustine 904.824.7211 • raintreerestaurant.com Enjoy casual dining at its finest at The Raintree Restaurant & Steakhouse, recognized nationally and internationally as one of Florida’s top destination restaurants. The Raintree is renowned for consistent, award-winning menu, wine list and full bar served in the warm, intimate atmosphere of a restored 1879 Victorian home with live music in our courtyard.
n The Reef Restaurant
4100 Coastal Highway • Saint Augustine 904.824.8008 • thereefstaugustine.com The Reef, originally called Comptons, was built by the Usina family on a beautiful piece of oceanfront property in tranquil North Beach, three miles north of the Usina Bridge, on land owned by the family for generations. Comptons opened in 1989 and enjoyed great success for the next ten years. It closed in 1999 due to the ill health of Mr. Compton and hurricane damage. The Reef was opened in 2002, under the direct ownership of the Usinas. Since that time the restaurant has worked hard to produce fine food and beverages, professionally served, all accompanied by unsurpassed views of the magnificent Atlantic Ocean. It has steadily built a reputation as one of the most popular dining destinations in Saint Augustine.
St. Patrick’s Day Special MONDAY, MARCH 17TH also serving our regular menu
Corned Beef & Cabbage - $19.95 With All the Trimmings
Lunch for $9.95
4010 US1 South - St. Augustine, FL 794-9449 • www.conradsteakhouse.com
n South Beach Grill
45 Cubbedge Road • Saint Augustine Beach 904.471.8700 • southbeachgrill.net “Fresh local seafood and aloha service since1997” This popular restaurant is one of only three direct oceanfront eateries in Saint Johns County. While the oceanfront location is unique, one thing that sets the restaurant apart is the absolute resolve to source and procure 100% fresh fish. All fish arrives at the restaurant “on loin” where it is skillfully skinned, weighed and cut into fillets. The promise of fresh is evident not only in the fish selection but across the entire seafood menu as well. South Beach Grill is open 7 days a week. Lunch 11-4:30, Dinner from 4:30 to 9:30, serving breakfast Saturdays & Sundays from 7:30-10:30.
n Sunset Grille
421 A1A Beach Blvd • Saint Augustine Beach 904.471.5555 • sunsetgrillea1a.com Most Award Winning Restaurant in Saint Augustine Beach, 29 time winner of The Great Chowder Debate. Have won Awards for our Datil Pepper Wings, Baby Back Ribs, Coconut Shrimp, Crab Fondue, Lobster Ravioli, Shrimp and Grits and Brownie Volcano Dessert. Our Key West atmosphere and kids menu makes us fun for the whole family. Celebrating our 22nd Anniversary!
n The Tasting Room
25 Cuna Street • Saint Augustine 904.810.2400 • thetastingroomfl.com A contemporary Spanish restaurant. Vibrant splashes of art complement a colorful array of “Tapas,” delectable little dishes designed for sharing and socializing. Iberianaccented entrées infused with fresh, local flavor and created with ingredients imported directly from Spain sail hot to your table. From curvy sofas cozying up to a Flamenco red fireplace, award-winning Wines lining an entire wall, and live Latin music nights, The Tasting Room is fueled by a passion for authentic Spanish food and wine. Reservations are not required, but recommended. Courtyard Dining, Private Dining Room available that seats up to 20. For more information please email us or call, make online reservations at tastetapas.com. 36
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n Conrad’s Steakhouse
4010 US1 South Saint Augustine, Florida 904.794.9440 • conradssteakhouse.com Conrad Martin, from Spain, was recently voted one of the best chefs in America. Conrad’s Steak House is known for their outstanding service and generous portions, along with keeping a Spanish flair in Conrad’s cooking. Conrad’s paella and codfish in green sauce are delicious. The restaurant also offers chicken, seafood, pastas and salads. Conrad is in is the kitchen, Mary, his wife, controls the front of the house. This “gem” of restaurant is a “Feast of quality and taste” with great food and hospitality. Lunch 11:30am-2pm Wed. thru Mon., Dinner 5pm-9pm Wed. thru Mon. Closed Tuesday
n 386 A Fusion of Fine eating
Nestled among the majestic oak trees in “The Hammock” alongside scenic A1A, lies 386, A Fusion of Fine Eating. Residing in a building reminiscent of “Old Florida”, 386 embodies the local spirit while invoking a worldly feel with cuisine. The menu boasts a fusion of American favorites from East to West, local fresh seafood in Southern favorites like shrimp-n-grits, aged steaks as one would find in the West, and scallops recalling time spent on the North Eastern shore. The menu is complimented by a wide selection of wines from around the globe and a generous selection of beers on tap. 386 is the realization of a dream for a husband and wife team who are committed to serving the freshest of ingredients and living by the motto “do the right thing” for our patrons. Experience Palm Coast’s very own culinary escape www.threeeightsix.com 5949 N. Oceanshore Blvd, Palm Coast, FL, 32137 (386) 246-0070
n Captain’s BBQ
Offers some of the best TRUE SOUTHERN BBQ, we only use the best quality meats and ingredients. Our meats and side dishes are slow cooked in our special wood burning smoker. Although smoking is a very slow, time consuming process it is worth every second. The result is moist, juicy meats, infused with a delicious smoked wood flavor. Come try Captain Chris’s almost famous Ribs, Chicken, Pulled Pork, Turkey Breast and Brisket which are available daily with exciting additions of daily specials. All of our side dishes are homemade, Macaroni Salad, Sweet Corn Bread, Baked Beans and Cole Slaw. on beautiful and scenic A1A at Bing’s Landing in the Hammock of Palm Coast. Captains BBQ is also accessible by water (29.615°N 81.205°W) just south of channel marker red “108” captainsbbqbaittackle.com 5862 N. Oceanshore Blvd.Palm Coast, FL 32137 386-597-2888
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treats
St. Peppermint Patties by Colleen Messner
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ure the Leprechauns to your party or dinner this St Patty’s Day! Another wonderful time of year is upon us with Celtic Music Festivals, Jig Dancing, and celebrating the Luck o’ the Irish! Ingredients: From the Spice & Tea Exchange: 2 TBS (0.1) TSTE Peppermint Leaves available from the Spice & Tea Exchange 3 TBS (1.5 oz) TSTE Peppermint Patty Sugar available from the Spice & Tea Exchange 2 tsp TSTE Madagascar Vanilla available from the Spice & Tea Exchange From the grocer: 11/2 cup flour 1 cup confectioners’ sugar 1/4 tsp salt 2 stick butter, very soft 1/4 tsp green food coloring 2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 2 TBS shortening Preparation: Grind Peppermint leaves into powder with mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Mix with flour, salt and confectioners’ sugar. Beat butter, Madagascar vanilla extract, and food coloring with electric mixer until creamy. Add flour mixture and beat on low until a dough forms. Place dough on a sheet of plastic wrap, ROLL into a log, about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. WRAP log tightly in plastic wrap. PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees. SLICE log into 1/2 inch thick discs. PLACE 2 inches apart on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. BAKE until edges are just brown, 8-12 minutes. Cool 5 minutes then TRANSFER to wire racks. MELT chocolate chips and shortening in saucepan over very low heat STIRRING often. DIP room-temperature cookies half-way in chocolate. PLACE on parchment paper. SPRINKLE TSTE Peppermint Patty Sugar onto chocolate. COOL completely. Yield:25-30 cookies Kitchen Time: 1 hour plus chilling dough Enjoy these treats~~~~May the Luck of the Irish be with you! Colleen Messner is the proprietor of The Spice & Tea Exchange of St. Augustine at 59 Hypolita Street or 167 San Marco Avenue. She invites you to stop in for some wonderful smells and Enjoy! 38
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downtown
View from the “Porch”
One of the best gifts I’ve ever gotten was from downtowner Becky Greenberg when she asked me to take over the job of writing the Downtown Neighbors column for the St Augustine Record. We’ve all grown accustomed to a steady stream of troubling news coming at us from every quarter, so I resolved to make my focus a positive one and to inform the readers about all the good things and great people who make this town hum every day. This past December the paper decided to sunset all the Neighborhood columns and it was a sad day for me and apparently to a number of you because I’ve had so many people write, call or come up and tell me how much they miss the local buzz. So now a new door has opened and a new column will evolve, so let’s see where this road leads us.
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ongratulations to the St. Augustine Art Association which just recently celebrated its 90th year with a gala and programs that enlivened the month of February. Diane Bradley, president of the StAAA was rightfully proud of this momentous occasion. Founded in 1924 by a handful of artists and writers under the direction of Nina Hawkins, first woman editor of the St. Augustine Record, the Association has showcased a multitude of artists and shows for our edification and enjoyment. Next up for the Association are plans for a new TOUCH St. Augustine Art Garden. The garden project developed by Marquis Halback will be the focal point of a new city-wide statuary “Braille Trail.” Designed to engage all of the senses, there are water gardens, a coquina courtyard, Braille markers and enhanced ADA accessibility for one and all. Find out how you can help by calling 904.824.2310 or visiting www.staaa. org/touch. And be sure to make time to stop by 22 Marine Street to appreciate this long-standing group of art advocates working work hard to enrich our lives. The National Society of the Colonial Dames was recently recognized for their 75 years of service as the keepers of the Ximenez-Fatio House at 20 Aviles Street. Not only have the Dames been faithful stewards of this treasure but the museum was ranked as the number one attraction in St. Augustine by Trip Advisor. It is an honor well deserved by the Society with its rich history and a series of grants which will continue to preserve the property. To keep up with the 75-year celebration, go to ximenezfatiohouse.org. Jan Miller and company recently celebrated the 15th anniversary volume 8
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by Irene Arriola photos by David Youngblood
of the Butterfield Garage Art Gallery at 137 King Street. Artists converged on the gallery to honor the occasion and to share a meal with each other. There’s always something exciting to see at Butterfield and the diversity of the art and artists assure that it’s a visit worth making time and time again. The 2014 ROWITA (Recognizing Outstanding Women in the Arts) award winners have been selected from a long list of candidates and this year’s honorees are: Kathy Vande Berg for Music, Carolee Ackerson Bertisch for Mixed Media, Sally Ann Freeman for Philanthropy, Phyllis Gibbs for Theatre, Carol Gladstone for Activism, Wendy Mandel McDaniel for Mixed Media, Margo Pope for Literary and Faith Tiberio for Lifetime Achievement. To learn more about ROWITA please look for Chris Bodor’s article on page 13 for his story about this celebratory event and to see how you can be part of the effort for the Junior ROWITA Fellowship that helps graduating high school women continue their study and training. Festival season is upon us so mark your calendars for the Saint Augustine Lions 33rd Annual Seafood Festival being held March 21– 23 at Francis Field. Boatloads of seafood to eat, arts and crafts and a host of kid activities not to mention a talented lineup of musicians are guaranteed to make for a good time. The St. Augustine Sunrise Rotary is hosting their annual fundraiser April 4-6 with Rhythm & Ribs. All proceeds go to charity while you get to sample award winning barbeque, continuous live music and all sorts of fun for the kids. Both organizations give freely of their time to host these favorite events so be sure to support them. Leslee Keys reminded me that Leonard Pitts, Pulitzer Prize winner and journalist, will be presenting “Roots, Chains and Wings” at the Lewis Auditorium at Flagler College on March 25 at 7pm. 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights movement and St. Augustine will be host to many programs devoted to telling the stories that bring us forward to today. One of my heroes passed away recently and we will not see the likes of Pete Seeger again. A celebration of his life and music is planned for Earth Day and will be held at St Cyprian’s Episcopal Church at 37 Lovett Street. Stay tuned for more info. Let me know what you’re thinking. See you on the street.
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food
Mardi Gras King Cake
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ardi Gras has been celebrated in Louisiana since March 3, 1699 after brothers Iberville and Bienville LeMoyne were sent to defend France’s claim on the territory by King Louis XIV. Bienville founded New Orleans a few decades later. Notorious and unmatched, Mardi Gras is a two-week celebration of debauchery and fun. A religious holiday, Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is the day before Ash Wednesday, and is marked as the last hurrah before the advent of Lent. Epiphany is the period that begins Carnival. The tradition of serving King’s Cake began in 12th century France, a bean or coin baked into the cake to represent baby Jesus. Louisianans have since added the plastic baby or dried bean. Not only a sign of good luck, he or she who receives the baby or bean also hosts the next gathering. As a New Orleans native, this cake holds a special place in my heart and soul. Growing up in the tradition of Mardi Gras, I marched and played the clarinet, twirled the flag and
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by Chef Sheery Gaynor photos by Tammy Harrow
had sandwich picnics at the parades. I went wild in my older years, and into my married years, finally allowed to celebrate in the French Quarter. No one could have been more elated at the presentation of a King Cake as I was when mine was presented to me on my wedding day. My husband and I eloped in a tiny chapel in the mountains of Gatlinburg, Tenn. in our late 20s. Our plan was to honeymoon at Mardi Gras in New Orleans, celebrating our announcement with my family there. The chapel owners, a married couple, whom we’d never met before, surprisingly served us a King Cake after the ceremony. I knew at that moment the deal was sealed. This King Cake recipe is derived from the legendary Louisianan food chronicler and historian John Folse. A soft and rich coffee cake, it can be filled with cream cheese, apples, cherries or plain cinnamon. It’s a perfect balance of lightly sweet delicate texture and sticky sugary topping. It’s one of my all-time favorite treats that can be enjoyed any time of day. volume 8
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Sweet Dough
8 oz. milk, scalded and cooled ½ oz. dry yeast 10 oz. bread flour 8 oz. butter or margarine 4 oz. sugar 2&1/2 tsp. salt 5 oz. eggs 10 oz. bread flour Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tsp. milk)
Filling
2 lbs. powdered sugar Pinch of salt 1 Tbsp. almond extract ¾ c. water 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 plastic baby or dry bean
144 KING STREET • ST. AUGUSTINE, FL 904 . 827 . 1707 • www.57TREASURy.com
Glaze
1 lb. powdered sugar, give or take ¼ c. water or milk 1 Tbsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. vanilla ½ tsp. almond Purple, green, and gold sugars 1. Make a sponge with the first 3 ingredients. Ferment until double. 2. Cream butter, sugar, and salt until well blended. Blend in eggs. 3. Add the sponge. Mix to break up the sponge. 4. Add the flour and develop the dough. Mixing time: about 3 minutes. 5. Brush stainless steel bowl with melted butter until coated and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow dough to proof in a warm place until double in size. 6. Preheat oven to 350˚F. 7. After dough has proofed, roll out onto a well-floured surface into an 18”x12” rectangle. 8. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. 9. Brush top of dough with melted butter, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. 10. Cut dough vertically into 3 even sections. Pinch together the end of each strip. Starting from the joined end, form into a basic 3-strand braid. 11. Shape braid into a circular or oval shape and pinch together to hold form. Place onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. 12. Brush dough with egg wash and proof in a warm place until double in size. 13. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. 14. Sift powdered sugar and mix in water or milk, cinnamon, and flavoring agents, mix until smooth and thick. Adjust consistency by adding sugar or liquid. 15. Drizzle or brush glaze over entire cake and alternate sugar sprinkles, purple, green, and gold, around cake in 2” sections.
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The 68’ fiberglass Gulf King 71 is captained here by Ed Long and served as the company representative for DESCO in the 1979 Blessing of the Fleet.
The Blessings of a Fleet
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ined up like soldiers impatiently awaiting orders to march, dozens of shrimp boats milled in Matanzas Bay on Palm Sunday, 1946. With their bows all pointed east into the onshore breeze, it seemed as though they were ready to head to sea. Instead, their gaze was landward, to the municipal marina, to the coming ceremony. Commercial fishermen live and work on the edge. Their offices are often far offshore where the world seems empty, where danger lurks in every task, and where the sea doesn’t care who lives and who dies. Facing a beautiful but cruel sea requires guts and no small amount of luck. For as long as people have fished the seas, their breaths have been baited with hope for fortune and divine protection. Anything helps at sea. That’s probably why mariners were, and are, some of the most superstitious people around. Long ago in Europe, churches took a role in protecting their seagoing flock by blessing local fleets. At the beginning of a fishing season, boats were blessed by the local padre to bring them luck and safety for the coming year. Despite St. Augustine’s early Euopean roots the Ancient City’s fleet was without this ceremony until after Wolrd War II. By 1946, St. Augustine had grown a fishing fleet of a size and nature never seen before in the nation’s oldest port. Northeast Florida was the capitol of commercial shrimp fishing and was home port to a large and still-growing fleet. World War II had a unique effect on the city, while most industries were re-tooled for war production, St. Augustine began building fishing boats in earnest, a trend that continued for another four decades. When the war ended, all of the dimmed lights along the coast came back with renewed intensity. With families reunited and the workforce flush with labor, the nation was ready to get back to work. volume 8
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The beginning of a fishing tradition story by Brendan Burke photos courtesy of Ed Long and the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum
“Facing a beautiful but cruel sea requires guts and no small amount of luck.”
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It was a great time in commercial shrimping, fleets were growing as fast as the boats could be built, new and vast shoals of shrimp were discovered, and profits steady. The post-war years were a time to celebrate. On Saturday, April 13th 1946 the town was abuzz. The hottest place to be was the Coronation Ball. As part of traditional Easter celebrations each year, St. Augustine crowned a new Royal Family. The morning after the ball, a special service was held in the Cathedral Basilica and was immediately followed by a procession down to the water. Out on the Matanzas, shrimp boats turned, one after the other, to form their own parade. With solemn purpose, the procession headed out onto Cathedral Place, censer waving and robes fluttering. Down Marine St. and left into the municipal marina, the procession headed to the outermost dock. With holy water at the ready, the priest was ready to receive. The first boat, the Ave Maria, throttled up and passed down along the Bridge of Lions and her skipper put the wheel over hard to port, swinging her head towards the marina. Along the bridge, hundreds of people watched and cheered. These boats were the pride of the town. They gleamed with new coats of white and black paint. Their crews were well dressed, the gear neatly ordered. Pride described the moment. With a flick of the aspergillum, the blessing began. Each boat filed by the pier, as close as the skipper dared, and was anointed and blessed by the priest. It was not without wonder that the Ave Maria received
Taken in 1946, the Ave Maria boat leads the very first Blessing of the Fleet in St. Augustine. Owned by the Salvador family and built by the Xynides family, note the dignitaries onboard for the occasion and people watching from the Bridge of Lions.
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the first splash of holy water. Her owners, the Salvador family, had been in the industry from its very first days. Mike Salvador, long passed, was the industry’s paterfamilias. On board the boat were members of the Coast Guard, Navy, and other dignitaries visiting for the celebration. Behind the Salvador boats, many more trawlers streamed by. People waved and yelled from bridge to boat, from boat to the sea wall; this was the one moment when St. Augustine’s fishing community was not scattered to sea. It was a family reunion. For those in the family who had never returned from the sea, a wreath was cast on the river to flow out with the tide in memoriam. When the last boat was blessed, many captains anchored in the bayfront or cruised up and down the river. Onboard, picnic baskets of fried chicken, Menorcan chowder, and pilau(pronounced per-loo) made for a distinctly St. Augustine feast. Folks on shore often went to the Boating Club for a fish fry; an occasion noted by its excellent seafood. As the afternoon wore on, boats returned to their docks. Bunting was rolled up, flags taken down, and nets ordered to go fishing. The blessing ceremony marked the beginning of a new season of shrimping. Fishermen returned to their fleet in the next few weeks with a renewed optimism. All of the money spent on repairs and maintenance during the past weeks had to be made up first before profit was even part of their equation. But, the return of roe shrimp in May often brought a smile to their faces as box after box of iced shrimp were unloaded. In 1946 the fishermen of St. Augustine started a tradition that lives on today. This year, it is scheduled to take place on April 13th at the Municipal Marina. Today’s host of the Blessing is the St. Augustine Yacht Club and few, if any, commercial fishing boats take place in the procession. In their place, several dozen pleasure craft circle the bay front each year to receive the blessing. If you go, and it’s certainly fun to watch or join, think of our old fleet. They were our home team, made with our own hands, fished our own waters, and certainly blessed the city with their own history. OCL volume 8
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www.kpacpa.com
1200 plantation island drive, suite 230 • saint augustine, florida • 904.460.0747
let Us Inspire Your Surroundings!
Furniture & home Décor
www.peacelovehome.net
904.217.4150
400 cBl Drive, Suite 101. St. augustine, Fl 32086 located in cobblestone village
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Ashley & Jared June 22, 2013
Beverly Bennett Photography
Marsh Creek Country Club offers an exclusive, unique and unforgettable location to host your wedding ceremony, reception, or rehearsal dinner. Imagine your wedding day framed by pristine marshes and accented by a spectacular sunset. Your dreams can become reality at Marsh Creek Country Club. Combine our gracious service, delectable food and professional wedding coordination with this breathtaking natural setting and your wedding day will be an event to be treasured forever! Contact our Catering Manager, Pirkko McKenna for available dates and packages
904.461.1101 ext 234
Finally, a culinary destination has come to the Hammock
Marsh Creek Country Club 169 Marshside Drive • St. Augustine, FL 32080 www.marshcreekweddings.com
for reservations call 386-246-0070
Catering@marshcreek.com
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5949 N. Oceanshore Blvd. Palm Coast volume 8
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road trip
Flagler Beach by Bill Kenyon photos by Addison Fitzgerald and Larry Mingledorff
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oday we take you on a short road trip south of St. Augustine, to the idyllic surf community of Flagler Beach. Roughly 30 miles south of the Old City and lying between the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway, Flagler Beach has remained relatively undeveloped compared to its mainland neighbor, Palm Coast. The population of Flagler Beach is just under 5,000 and the city was recently voted one of the top retirement destinations in Florida as well as a finalist in the “America’s Coolest Small Towns” contest by Budget Travel Magazine. We start our journey on A1A in Crescent Beach, passing Devil’s Elbow Fishing Resort. Devil’s Elbow is a family owned waterfront resort, bait shop and boat ramp operated by the Miles family. Some of the best fishing in the area is found here, and Devil’s Elbow can provide anglers with everything needed to land a trophy. Newly constructed and impeccably appointed cottages are available for rent as are pontoons, fishing boats and skiffs. Some of St. Johns County’s most luxurious and unique residences are located along this stretch of highway A1A, with a celebrity home or two in the mix as well. Our first stop is Matanzas Inlet and Fort Matanzas State Park. The inlet itself offers one of Florida’s most beautiful vistas somewhat reminiscent of the Overseas Highway of the Florida Keys. Beach Parking is available, and we hear tell that the surf fishing here is some of the best in the state. Be prepared to walk however, as the beach at Matanzas was closed to vehicular traffic a few years ago. Fort Matanzas National Monument is found here and consists of a 1740 Spanish Fort and over 100 acres of salt marsh and barrier islands. The fort was built to protect Matanzas Inlet and River which was once used as a rear entrance to the city of St. Augustine. A stop
here is highly recommended. Just over the Matanzas Bridge we can’t help but make a quick left turn onto Old A1A, right at the entrance to the convenience store. Old A1A is a short ½ mile stretch of beachfront highway featuring a world-class surf break and has recently become home to a large contingent of Kite Boarders. It’s worth taking the detour for the view of all the beachfront activity here. As we approach the Flagler County Line the unmistakable (more })
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outline of Marineland Dolphin Adventure is straight ahead. Marineland Park’s history, for the uninitiated, dates to 1938 as the “Worlds Oldest Oceanarium”. It started as a movie and film studio decades ago by Ilya Tolstoy, grandson of Leo Tolstoy, and has attracted such notables as Earnest Hemingway and Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. Several feature films including Creature From the Black Lagoon and Return of the Creature were filmed here. Today the park is an interactive dolphin park and research center operated by the Georgia Aquarium. A highly recommended stop on our trip, Marineland visitors can choose from a variety of admission options from simply touring the park and viewing the animals to getting completely immersed and swimming with the mammals. For the history, beauty and fun, don’t miss this true Florida Landmark. Washington Oaks State Park is our next stop and is most famous for its formal gardens and unique shoreline of coquina rock formations that line its beach. Coquina stone from this area was used to construct the original gates to the city of St. Augustine. Shoreline coquina formations of this type are not found anywhere else in the world except for here and the west coast of Africa. Visitors can picnic and fish from either the Intracoastal side or the beachfront area of the park and a number of short trails provide excellent hiking, bicycling and birdwatching opportunities. OK, we’re getting hungry. As we enter the area locally known
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as “the Hammock” we’ll pull into Bing’s Landing and find one of the finest boat launching areas around. Operated by Flagler County, the park consists of 8 acres of picnic and playground facilities, state of the art boat ramps and interestingly, an archeological dig of the Mala Compra Plantation. Also at Bing’s we’ll find Captains BBQ serving up mouthwatering southern delicacies slow cooked on a special wood burning smoker. Ribs, chicken, pulled pork, turkey breast and brisket are all infused with a delicious smoked wood flavor. World famous “Cheesecake Mike’s” deserts are not to be missed. As we pass under the Hammock Dunes Bridge and pass by some of the largest homes in Flagler County, the landscape begins to change. Soon we are zooming alongside the Atlantic Ocean. Could Pacific Coast Highway in California offer such a view? As homes give way to beach, the lungs fill with salt air and the mind begins to clear. Flagler Beach is like a step back in time. Founded in 1909 it’s proximity to the ocean and ICW along with a total area of 4.1 square miles has limited the city’s commercial development. Here lies the small, uncrowded beach community right out of Florida’s past, our destination. We hope it never changes. Flagler Beach, pink in hue thanks to it’s makeup of crushed coquina shells is one of the best in the state. Public access walkovers and picnic facilities dot the beachfront highway. Beach access here is easy and readily available. In fact, we brought our lunch from Capts BBQ volume 8
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and enjoy it at an oceanfront picnic spot. The focal point of Flagler Beach is it’s iconic fishing pier. The pier offers great fishing, surfing and has gone through a bit of rebirth as of late. The newly opened Funky Pelican offers some of the best fresh seafood around, an oceanfront outdoor bar and great atmosphere. Again, access to the beach is easy here with whale sightings and turtle nestings common. Some of the best surfing waves in the state are found adjacent to the pier. Ecclectic shops and restaurants line A1A as well as the quiet backstreets of the town. A huge farmers market takes place every Friday morning on the square featuring local produce art handicrafts. One can spend an afternoon strolling the streets and beaches of this little slice of paradise. The famous Golden Lion restaurant, overlooking A1A and the Atlantic, is a favorite of locals and don’t miss Sally’s Ice Cream, beachside for a sweet treat. Flagler Beach’s proximity to Daytona beach insures a steady stream of motorcycles into town and Finn’s Beachside is a favorite destination. If you make your trip on two wheels, be sure to check out Finn’s. After some shopping, including a stop a Z-Wave Surf Shop, founded by four-time surfing champion Frieda Zamba, we load back up and continue south. High-Tide Snack Jack, on the ocean a few miles south of Flagler Pier is not to be missed. Opened in 1947, this place is a landmark and a local favorite. Almost destroyed by hurricanes in
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in 2004, Snack Jack, with help from the community refused to give in. The place is back and better than ever. Fresh seafood amid an openair, oceanfront atmosphere is what you’ll find here. We love the old jukebox, blasting oldies and reggae tunes and the beer doesn’t get colder. Valet parking is mandatory here as space is limited, so be prepared. Our southernmost stop today is Gamble Rogers State Park. A couple miles south of High Tides Snack Jack, Gamble Rogers is one of only a couple State Parks in Florida offering direct oceanfront camping. The beach is right out your camper door, and High Tides Snack Jack is within walking distance on the sand. The facilities here are newly refurbished and well maintained. The park straddles A1A with a boat ramp and basin on the ICW side. Make reservations well in advance as Gamble Rogers Park is small and popular. As the sun sets we’ll retrace our route back up scenic A1A and stop at the newest dining spot in the Hammock, 386 for our evening meal. “386” is the area code for Flagler County. The restaurant opened only recently but has become a Flagler County favorite. Much like the old TV series Cheers, 386 is known for adressing their repeat customers by name and making you feel wlecome as you come through the door. Their Thursday, “Prime Rib Night” has become a huge weekly event and other specials are offered as well. We are especially fond of the Petit Filet Mignon served atop goat cheese mash with cream spinach and sauteed mushrooms. Regardless of what you choose, your dinner at 386 is the perfect way to wind down your day and your road trip to Flagler County. As you head north back across Matanzas Inlet you’ll witness one of the most glorious sunsets Northeast Florida has to offer. We are glad you joined us and enjoyed a little change of scenery today. Our goal in the weeks ahead is to reintroduce St. Augustinians with the treasures that lie just across our county lines. Next month, we head to Welaka and Crescent City and fun on the St. Johns River and Cresecnt Lake. If you are new to St. Augustine and haven’t made this trip, or a long-time resident who hasn’t ventured south lately, you owe it to yourself to visit Flagler Beach. Spend a day or a weekend. It’s a true getaway from the crowds and traffic of the city. Best thing is, it’s right on our southern doorstep. For more information on the area, go to www.palmcoastandtheflaglerbeaches.com OCL 50
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Ancient City Poets
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hink of a woman who is inspiring. In the United States, Women’s History Month traces its beginnings back to the first International Women’s Day in 1911. March is Women’s History Month, a time when the St. Johns County arts community recognizes the countless contributions that women have made to literature, the spoken word and fine arts. Go to the nearest public library and check out a book on a woman who has contributed to history, or celebrate by writing a poem about an inspiring woman, like Palm Coast poet Robert Waldner did. The Ancient City Poets will present their March Plant-aPoem workshop on the last Sunday of the month, Mach 30, at the Gallery Café of St. Augustine, Fla. located at 1974 U.S. 1 South in the Staples plaza. Arrive with a poem seed and learn how to cultivate it into a presentable poem in an hour. A small fee of $10 pays for bottomless coffee and sweet treats. Registration is at 1:45 p.m. and the sessions run from 2-3 p.m. For more information check out the group’s website, www.bodor.org, or find Ancient City Poets on Facebook. After the workshop, take a short trip up U.S. 1 North to join poets and poetry fans for St. Augustine Speaks, a community open mic gathering at City Coffee Company, located at 1280 N. Ponce de Leon Blvd., near Village Inn. Share a poem about a woman who is inspiring. The reading will celebrate Women’s History Month and will also kick-off National Poetry Month in April. The
Poetry by Chris Bodor
March 30 reading starts at 3 p.m., and is held in renga style; there is no emcee or sign-up sheet and ends when everyone has had an opportunity to share. Two months ago, writer Armand Rosamilia started collecting fellow author’s books to send to troops stationed in Kuwait and Afghanistan. After the first four weeks of collecting, nearly 100 authors showed support and over 800 new, signed books were donated. “The armed forces love to receive signed books from authors to read and pass around to others while they’re over there,” Rosamilia said. Authors, please contact Rosamilia if willing to contribute extra, unused, signed copies of books. If not an author, and still want to help, please consider making a cash donation to help defray the massive overseas mailing costs. Email armandrosamilia@gmail. com or “like” his Authors Supporting our Troops Facebook page for the address to mail copies to. Over 400 authors have asked for the mailing address so far. If interested in participating without spending hard-earned money on postage, the Ancient City Poets have agreed to serve as a point of contact for authors who want to drop off copies to either the Ancient City Poets workshop or to the open mic poetry reading in St. Augustine on March 30. OCL
Maya Angelou by Robert Waldner Maya, Few voices carry The inspiration of yours to my ears, Few words absorb Into my heart as the written words of you, You speak not In a voice of anger, You write not words Of an adversity worn soul, The ink from your pen Flows with the power Of a mighty river that broke the dam That tried to hold you back, You are like a clear valley lake Where weary souls can stop to take a drink, And continue to fight for all that is good, Thank you Maya Angelou.
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Hookey Hamilton
Joel Bagnal, Goldsmith
Fine Art and Portrait Photographer
11 Aviles Street, St. Augustine, Fl 32084 Phone: 904.614.4706
11B & 11C Aviles St St. Augustine, FL 32084
Email: jbagnal@joelbagnalgoldsmith.com Web: joelbagnalgoldsmith.com
Phone: 904.728.4957 Email: hookey@hookeyhamiltonphotography.com
Web: hookeyhamiltonphotography.com
Commemorating life’s special occasions and relationships with custom designs in precious metals and gemstones. Complete client design and production involvement by email from any location.
Hot Shot Bakery and Cafe
Open for breakfast and lunch daily freshly-baked goods, coffee, catering and custom wedding/all-occasion cakes
8 Granada Street - Saint Augustine (904) 824-7898 52
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Marching
history by Ashley Bates photo by DeeLee Productions
Through Time
D
ressed in 1740 Spanish Colonial costumes, carrying muskets, playing drums and wearing vibrant tricorn hats, the St. Augustine Spanish Garrison doesn’t lack grandeur or intrigue. If you have seen the Garrison marching the cobblestone streets of St. Augustine then you know they are truly living the history of 1740 Spanish Colonial settlers through their military demonstrations and interpretive programs. This month, the Spanish Garrison will offer a unique event, perfect for the whole family on March 28 and 29 in the Colonial Quarter. The Grand Muster is the assembling of troops for preparation into battle, or for inspection of Spanish troops and allies. They practice military maneuvers, offering educational programs and demonstrations, and finish with the Grand Torchlight Parade. This year the public has the chance to celebrate the Garrison’s 30 year anniversary of serving and educating the residents and visitors of St. Augustine with the militia. “The Spanish Garrison started in 1984, so it’s been around a while now,” Spanish Garrison president, Bob Alvarez said. “I’m in my second year as president. It’s a lot of fun and I really enjoy it. I’m actually new to the reenactment community, going on a little over two years now. I got involved because I went to the Castillo de San Marcos one day and thought I would like to fire the cannons. So, I got involved shooting them and became certified by the National Park Service in muskets and cannon firing,” the retired police lieutenant from New Jersey said. “My wife Ria is involved too. She went to cannon school and said ‘Now I get it.’ It’s a social thing, and a lot of fun.” According to the Garrison’s website, it was created in July 1984 by the Historic Florida Militia, Inc. Their mission is to foster an understanding of military history of early Spanish Florida through military demonstration, interpretive programs, portrayals and publications, and to provide visitors of the Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas a trip back into time of 1740 Spanish St. Augustine. Members of the St. Augustine Spanish Garrison are all volunteers and provide their own costumes, crafts and weapons at their own expense. Membership is open to men, women and families. “We’re always looking for new members and are very family oriented. We have boys and girls from eight and nine, to those who are in their 70s and 80s in the organization,” Alvarez said. “Once someone is 16 years old they’re able to take the certification course at the Castillo with the National Parks Service. We don’t let anyone fire weapons that aren’t certified, so therefore no one under the age of 16 fires weapons.” Since all Spanish Garrison members are volunteers, they fully believe in volunteerism and giving back to the community.
“It’s very important, especially in St. Augustine, because it’s the volunteers who keep the history alive in our town. More often than not, any events that are historical in context, like Drake’s Raid, are all volunteer-based,” Alvarez said. “No one gets paid for that; it’s a dedication to the history of St. Augustine, and people just want to continue it. It’s amazing how many locals don’t know the history of the city until they go to our events. Visitors are always surprised when they come to town, it’s important to keep the history alive,” he said. Preserving the history and stories from the 1740s is a responsibility that the Garrison takes very seriously, which can be seen from the beautiful costumes and weapons that are showcased. Period wear from 1740 isn’t available in many places, but St. Augustine has found a niche in providing costumes. “There are different tailors and seamstresses in St. Augustine but I get a lot of my clothes from my wife, she sews my uniforms,” Alvarez said. “You can’t really go online and find 1740 Spanish period clothes. It’s a niche, and people here make them.” The events throughout the weekend of the Grand Muster include family friendly activities. Best of all, they’re all free. “We will represent Spanish Colonial St. Augustine during 1740. We portray the Spanish military, and the council, through encampments and educational programs,” said Alvarez. “This particular event on March 28 and 29 will include military drills. We do musket firings, have civilian events with crafts from the period and things like that,” he said. “It will be held this year at the Colonial Quarter.
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St. Augustine’s
#1 STATION Join us weekdays 7am - 9am
GOOD MORNING ST. AUGUSTINE
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They were gracious enough to make it a free event. The Grand Torch Light Parade is in the evening, and will be lead by the soldiers, followed by what we call dispatch, or the civilians. The public is more than welcome to follow behind us.” The procession will begin at 8 p.m., and includes Changing the Guard at the city gates, a procession down St. George Street, the blessing of the flag at the Cathedral Basilica, the governor’s speech and a musket salute honoring the governor. “We carry torches in the front of the parade from the Castillo, down St. George Street and to the Plaza de la Constitucion,” Alvarez said. “We’ll have the honorary governor, usually the mayor, give a speech and talk to the crowd. The Cathedral Basilica is also involved, the priest blessing the flag. The whole event probably takes about 30 minutes.” The Garrison’s website explains that the Changing the Guard happens several times throughout the year on St. George Street, and is a tradition that began in the 1740s. When the armed guards were relieved at the governor’s home, they would discharge their muskets and march back to their quarters. During this time, St. Augustine was a remote outpost on the fringes of the Spanish empire. The troops were used to protect Spanish fleets on the east coast of Florida. Life were treacherous with attacks from Indians and harsh living conditions. The conditions of the 1740s have taken a turn for the better. Today, St. Augustine is celebrated as one of the most historic and beautiful seaside destinations. These are the exact reasons why Alvarez is committed to keeping Spanish Colonial history alive through the reenactments of the Garrison. “We’ve only lived here for three years. We just fell in love with the city and history and got involved right away,” he said. “We knew when we retired we wanted to move somewhere warm. The north Florida area really is one of the best kept secrets.” For more information, visit the Garrison’s website, www.staugustinegarrison.com, or Facebook page at www. OCL Facebook.com/StAugustineGarrison
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“Spring”
gardening
Into Action
I
By Kimberly Leonardi
Getting Your Garden Ready for the New Season
f you haven’t already done so, it’s time to trim off the dead foliage and clear out all of the winter damage so you can get some spring color planted and get your spring on! It’s an ideal time to plant your holiday seasonal plants like poinsettias, as well as new tropicals such as hibiscus. We’re in sort of a cross over period with annuals because petunias, snapdragons and pansies are still thriving, yet we are now seeing all of the beautiful spring color such as marigolds, vinca, blanket flower, angelonia & bush daisy. Of course it’s always a good time to plant cold hardy and evergreen shrubs including Ligustrum, Viburnum, Holly, Wax Myrtle, Pittosporum, Podocarpus, and Indian Hawthorne...just to name a few. When making plant selections always alert your horticulture expert to any conditions that may exist in your planting area, such as deer, high salt content, compacted soil, sandy soil, etc. Keep a keen eye for insects, and that’s not limited to your plants as your lawn is not exempt, fungus may also present a problem due to the heavy early spring rains. Speaking of lawns, this is also an ideal time to fertilize. Florida Friendly lawn fertilizers generally consist of organic nitrogen and are slow release and do not contain Phosphorus, which can run off and damage our waterways. Another ideal treatment for lawns, which does not meet the Florida Friendly criteria is a weed and feed type lawn fertilizer that is slow release as well. Protecting our waterways is of the utmost importance so if it doesn’t need it, don’t fertilize it! Keep a check on your weather and ensure you don’t fertilize prior to a heavy rainfall, as you wash your money down the drain, you also may inadvertently cause damage with the runoff. With a little effort from all of us we can all help sustain a brighter future for the next generation! You can adjust your sprinkler system to twice a week with Daylight Savings on March 9. As you begin planting new shrubs keep them watered daily or every other day for the first few weeks of establishment, ideally at the base of the plant. It’s also a great time to plant warm season fruit and vegetables, especially tomatoes and peppers, so you can assure good production before heat stress occurs. Other warm season fruit and veggies suggestions include beans, cantaloupe, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, peas, peppers, pumpkin, squash and watermelon. It may be necessary to apply dormant oil spray if scale insects are present on Camelias or Holly and especially, Sagos. A lot of people don’t realize that white, flaky powdery substance is actually infestation of insects sucking the life out of their plants. Check the undersides of foliage first because that’s where it initially begins, especially on sagos. An aggressive treatment is the only effective way to treat scale. Plants such as fruits, vegetables and flowering plants need regular fertilizer because they are production plants. Production plants have specific fertilization requirements that contain supplemental nutrients that are specific to the produce. If you’re going to use an all purpose fertilizer, we prefer the slow release 14-14-14 or 6-6-6. Slow release fertilizers are less likely to burn or damage plants, so remember, you have to fertilize and replenish if you want to get good production. volume 8
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home
story by Barbara Hunt Hanrahan photos by Justin Itnyre & David Youngblood
Davis Shores Waterfront Estate Exudes Old Saint Augustine Style and History
SaintAugustineLiving
The Jones Home
“I
t’s been a labor of love and we love doing it,” Bonne Jones said of her 8000 square foot Mediterranean estate home located in Davis Shores. In 1992, Bonne and her architect husband Greg, purchased the then 2300 square foot bungalow from the Akras family who had it built in 1959 out of 4-inch concrete block by Foxworth and Parker as a home for Mrs. Akras and her daughter Helen. Built on 155 feet of the Intracoastal waterway, the simple three bedroom, one and a half bath one-story bungalow had a continuous concrete poured lentil around the house and loadbearing walls. In 1993, Bonne and Greg Jones purchased the lot to the west of the home and so began their labor of love-the building of their dream home. In 1994, together with builder Henry Bos, the Jones’ constructed an addition to the home consisting of a family room, first-floor Lanai room and outdoor living area complete with a bar, full bathroom, pool and spa. As in the original home, the addition was built with concrete block and had a poured lenil.
“We focus more on historical furnishings & decorative pieces” “We kept the footprint of the original downstairs in the home,” explained Bonne Jones. The Lanai room ceiling was made of structured cypress beams and the columns were poured out of solid concrete and tied into the header as one solid structure. Outside, a concrete privacy wall was erected around the perimeter of the garage and a concrete floating dock with a 7000 lb.lift was added on the water. The outdoor living area includes a kitchen outfitted with a refrigerator, grill and dishwasher. From 2000 to 2002, the Jones’ got busy again right away with the drawings of the next addition to their home-the second floor. “In June of 2003, the roof came off,” told Bonne, “and we did not move back in until November of 2005 when this addition was finished.” In keeping with the original construction, all lenils and columns were poured with solid concrete and all ceilings, again, were made of solid cypress beams. At this time, a mother-in-law suite with a sun porch and an 8- foot wide galley style professional chef ’s kitchen with a (more })
powder room, walk-in pantry, pot room and 2500-3200 bottle wine cellar were also added. “I grew up in the house that became the original Cortesses Restaurant,” Bonne added. “When the new owner did not want the wine cellar, I took it with me.” The ceilings and beams are solid cypress on the second floor as well and all door and window surrounds in addition to any exterior trim that are made of hand-cut coral stone from the Philippines. The windows and exterior doors are all made by Pella and the interior doors are made of carved mahogany, except for the front door, which is solid cypress with Baldwin hardware. The floors throughout the home are all made of either tongue- andgroove oak, granite or stone. The exterior walls are hand-applied stucco over a water barrier with custom tint so that it appears to have been there for many years, giving it an antique feel. The eaves are fashioned after the Flagler College buildings, with cypress wood trim and brass screens. The bulkhead is the same that covers all of Davis Shores, constructed by Davis in the 1920s, sunken deep into the bottom of the riverbed and supported by deadmen on it’s land side. The interior is decorated in ecclectic Mediterranean style, according to Bonne Jones. “ We focus more on historical furnishings and decorative pieces.” Many items in the house are a part of history from St. Augustine and things the Jones have collected during their travels. For
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instance, the Jones’ staircase is made of 100 year old pine stair treads milled from a beam they acquired from a historic Flagler building. The side trim of the staircase is hand cut and applied coral and the railing is hand milled by a local craftsman. The Pillasters on each side of the indoor entryway and in the cellar and the 12 foot long beams above the entryway are from the Flagler railroad building. The wall sconces in the gallery entry are solid bronze with natural alabaster shades. “The iron chandeliers are from the Ponce Hotel and were imported from Spain and never used,“ said Bonne Jones. “ The chandelier in the breakfast room is from the Boca Club.” The four bedroom, six and a half bathroom home also has a 18 by 30 foot game/billiard room with a half bath and a 14 by 21 foot movie theater room. “The etched glass in the billiard room is a signed Schneider piece, commissioned for a gentleman in the early 1940s for a South Florida mansion,” explained Jones. “Schneider is known most for his artistic glass pieces.” The game room also houses a 1945 anniversary edition Brunswick pool table and a six-seat bar acquired from the Mizener Mansion in South Florida. “We search for the unique to incorporate into our decorating,” Bonne Jones commented. “The light in the cellar dining room was actually a skylight from the Ripley’s Believe It or Not building.” OCL
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NORTH of The Plaza 1. LOVE’S ART EMPORIUM: 8 CATHEDRAL PLACE 2. TRIPP HARRISON GALLERY & studio: 22 CATHEDRAL PLACE 3. ST. AUGUSTINE PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS: 35 HYPOLITA #105 4. METALARTZ: 58 HYPOLITA STREET 5. HIGH TIDE GALLERY: 51A & B CORDOVA STREET 6. THE STARVING ARTIST: 28 CUNA STREET 7. #7 ROHDE AVENUE GALLERY: 7 ROHDE AVENUE
SOUTH of The Plaza 8. GALLERIA DEL MAR: 9 KING STREET 9. BRILLIANCE IN COLOR: 25 KING STREET 10. PLUM GALLERY: 9A AVILES STREET 11. AMIRO ART & FOUND: 9C AVILES STREET 12. GEORGIA NICK GALLERY: 11A AVILES STREET 13. JOEL BAGNAL GOLDSMITH: 11B AVILES STREET 14. AVILES STREET GALLERY: 11C AVILES STREET 15. PASTA GALLERY: 214 CHARLOTTE STREET 16. ST. AUGUSTINE ART ASSOCIATION: 22 MARINE STREET 17. LOST ART GALLERY: 210 ST.GEORGE STREET #C-1 18. GRACE GALLERY: 47 KING STREET 19. GRAND BOHEMIAN GALLERY: 49 KING STREET 20. SPEAR HOUSE GALLERY:149 CORDOVA STREET 21. ABSOLUTE AMERICANA ART GALLERY: 77 BRIDGE STREET
Art Galleries of St. Augustine is an association of many diverse and eclectic galleries located in the city. From local artist owned businesses to exhibition halls and museums, these galleries offer collections of local, regional, national and facebook.com/artgalleriesofstagustine international artists.
EAST of Downtown 22. SIMPLE GESTURES: 4 WHITE ST. E. & ANASTASIA BLVD. 23. THE ART STUDIO OF ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH: 370-A A1A BEACH BLVD. 24. ISLAND FRAMERS AND GALLERY: 4106 A1A SOUTH
The ART GALLLERIES of St. Augustine is an association of the many diverse and eclectic art galleries located in the nation’s oldest city. From local artist-owned businesses to elegant exhibition halls and museums, these galleries offer outstanding collections of local, regional, national and international artists.
WEST of The Plaza 25. LIGHTNER MUSEUM: 75 KING STREET 26. CRISP-ELLERT ART MUSEUM: 48 SEVILLA STREET 27. 130 king fine art: 130 KING STREET 28. BUTTERFIELD GARAGE ART GALLERY: 137A KING STREET. 29. space:eight: 228 W.KING ST.
First Friday 5-9 pm On the first Friday of each month the galleries offer new art exhibits and lively receptions to the public. Start your FREE self-guided tour at any of the Art Galleries, most within walking distance to each other. Hop aboard the FREE Art Walk trolley that runs throughout downtown. For more info, visit us www.ArtGalleriesofStAugustine.org
NORTH OF THE PLAZA 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
LOVE’S ART EMPORIUM: 8 CATHEDRAL PLACE TRIPP HARRISON GALLERY & studio: 22 CATHEDRAL PLACE ST. AUGUSTINE PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS: 35 HYPOLITA #105 METALARTZ: 58 HYPOLITA STREET HIGH TIDE GALLERY: 51A & B CORDOVA STREET THE STARVING ARTIST: 28 CUNA STREET ROHDE AVENUE GALLERY: 7 ROHDE AVENUE
SOUTH OF THE PLAZA 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21.
GALLERIA DEL MAR: 9 KING STREET BRILLIANCE IN COLOR: 25 KING STREET PLUM GALLERY: 9A AVILES STREET AMIRO ART & FOUND: 9C AVILES STREET GEORGIA NICK GALLERY: 11A AVILES STREET JOEL BAGNAL GOLDSMITH: 11B AVILES STREET AVILES STREET GALLERY: 11C AVILES STREET PASTA GALLERY: 214 CHARLOTTE STREET ST. AUGUSTINE ART ASSOCIATION: 22 MARINE STREET . LOST ART GALLERY: 210 ST.GEORGE STREET #C-1 GRACE GALLERY: 47 KING STREET GRAND BOHEMIAN GALLERY: 49 KING STREET SPEAR HOUSE GALLERY:149 CORDOVA STREET ABSOLUTE AMERICANA ART GALLERY: 77 BRIDGE STREET
EAST OF DOWNTOWN 60
22. SIMPLE GESTURES: 4 WHITE ST. E. & ANASTASIA BLVD. 23. THE ART STUDIO OF ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH:370A A1A BEACH BLVD.
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Facebook.com/ArtGalleriesofStAugustine
GALLERIES
904.824.8460 • amiroartandfound.com
11C Aviles Street • 904.823.860
904.824.2310 • staaa.org
904.819.9512 • staugphotogallery.com
904.826.8530 • flagler.edu/crispellert
904-825-4577 • ButterfieldGarage.com
904.827.9997 • simplegestures@live.com
ArtGalleriesofStAugustine.org
904.342.2186 • GeorgiaNickGallery.com
904.824.6322 • metalartzgifts.com
P.A.S t . A Art Ga l l e r y
volume 8
904.824.0251 • pastaartgallery.net
904.829.5003 • NeffJewelers.com
904.827.1899 • ArtfullyGraceGallery.com
904.829.6880 • grandbohemiangallery.com
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poetry
SEE THE LIGHT
March Sunday
Monday
St. Augustine Orchestra
On the Matuza Mainstage: A Southern Comedy by Beth Henley
02
The Orchestra marks the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Civil Rights Act 400 San Juan Drive, Ponte Vedra Beach
staugustineorchestra.org
Celtic Music and Heritage Festival
09
Tuesday
City Walks
03
Mardi Gras Pub Crawl Celebrate Mardi Gras with the original, world famous St. Augustine City Walks Pub Crawl!
StAugustineCityWalks.com The St. Augustine Art Association presents 10 CANVAS, CLAY, COLLAGE, & CUTTING EDGE
March 7-9 Francis Field, St. Augustine
MAR 7 - 30 22 Marine Street, St. Augustine
celticstaugustine.com
staaa.org
16
Sunset/Moonrise at St. Augustine Lighthouse 81 Lighthouse Ave. St. Augustine
staugustinelighthouse.org Marc Cohn Duo
Directed by Tracey Gallagher Produced by special arrangement w/Dramatists Play Service
coming soon
Florida’s community theatre premier of
Other Desert Cities A Contemporary Drama By Jon Robin Baitz
23
January 20 -July 30 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily Visitor Information Center 10 W. Castillo Drive
EMMA Concert
30
Karkowska Sisters Duo - Piano, Violin and ...Humor
EmmaConcerts.com
Open Mic Poetry Reading City Coffee Company, St. Augustine
bodor.org
Flagler College Tours
23 Orange Street 7pm
annomalleys.com Navigating By Sail
11
Board the Schooner Freedom for a two-hour cruise and discussion of how waterways influenced the history of St. Augustine.
18
Open Mic Night with Smokin Joe at Ann O’Malleys 23 Orange Street 7pm
annomalleys.com
24
Tour the former Hotel Ponce de Leon, daily from the main lobby (Rotunda) at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. 74 King St., St. Augustine
legacy.flagler.edu/
Spring Women’s Exchange Luncheon
25
143 St. George St., St. Augustine 10:30 am
PenaPeckHouse.com
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01 Spring Women’s Exchange Luncheon 143 St. George St., St. Augustine 10:30 am
PenaPeckHouse.com
April 18~May 11 Preview: April 17 Terrific Tuesday: April 22 11 Old Mission Ave., St. Augustine 904.825.1164 | limelight-theatre.org 62 FACEBOOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
04
schoonerfreedom.com
Journey: 17 450 Years of the African-American Experience
StAugustine-450.com
Grammy Award winning singer-songwriterperforms The Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, 1050 A1A North, Ponte Vedra 8pm PVConcertHall.com
Open Mic Night with Smokin Joe at Ann O’Malleys
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City Calendar 2014 For a complete listing of area events, go to OldCityLife.com
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday Searle’s Sack of St. Augustine Authentic re-enactment of Captain Robert Searle’s 1668 attack on St. Augustine. searlesbucs.com
05
Guided Trail Walk at River to Sea Preserve
06
Carolina Chocolate Drops in concert Ponte Vedra Concert Hall 1050 A1A North 8 p.m.
Marineland 9 a.m gtmnerrmarinelandtrail.eventbrite.com
1st Friday Artwalk, 07 Downtown St. Augustine Celtic Music and Heritage Festival
pvconcerthall.com
12
St. Augustine Yacht Club Wednesday Night Race
Races are open to anyone interested in fun and friendly competition on the water.
5pm
staugustineyachtclub.com St. Augustine Yacht Club Low Tide Bike Ride
19
Bring your bike to the club and ride with other club members through St. Augustine, then return to the Club for drinks and dinner.
staugustineyachtclub.com Wednesday Market at the Pier
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St. Augustine Pier, 350 A1A Beach Blvd, St. Augustine
St. Augustine Yacht Club Wednesday Night Race 5pm
02
three PHRF sailboat races covering over 100 miles of offshore sailing
fcoc2013.com
124 Charlotte St. St. Augustine, FL 5-8pm
tradewindslounge.com 904-829-9336
Woman’s Club of Palatka 15 Cherokee Rose Vintage and Azaleas for the Community Sale
14 14 22
Mar 14-16 The Cultural Center 50 Executive Way Ponte Vedra Beach
ccpvb.org
A guided walking tour of the beautiful monuments in the city’s historic Plaza de la Constitucion
Delicious seafood, affordable arts & outstanding live music March 21-23 Francis Field, St. Augustine
Open Mic Night at Tradewinds Lounge 124 Charlotte St. St. Augustine, FL 5-8pm
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904-826-3388
Spring to the Beach Festival
33rd St. Augustine Lions 21 Seafood Festival
StAugustineCityWalks.com
31 St. Francis Street, St. Augustine 11 a.m. - 3 p.m
Steve Miller Band Concert St. Augustine Amphitheater staugamphitheatre.com
Plaza Stroll 20 Historic Walking Tour
tradewindslounge.com 904-829-9336
staugustineyachtclub.com First Coast Offshore Challenge April 2-5
13
Minorcan Heritage Celebration 08
March 7-9 Francis Field, St. Augustine
celticstaugustine.com
Open Mic Night at Tradewinds Lounge
01
lionsfestival.com
Historic Weapons 28 Demostrations at Castillo De San Marcos Rangers and volunteers demonstrate the weapons and relate the experiences of the colonial Spanish soldier of 1740s St. Augustine
600 S. 13th St. in Palatka 8am
gfwcpalatka.com
EMMA Concert
Southwest Florida Symphony All Mendelssohn Program Flagler College Auditorium, 14 Granada Street, St. Augustine 7:30pm
22
EmmaConcerts.com
Uptown Saturday Night 29 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine 12th Regional Mustang and Ford Show at the St. Augustine Outlets 10am-3pm
StAugOutlets.com
April oldcitylife.com
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Open Mic Night
by Fond Kiser photos by Tucker Joenz
Where the Stars Come Out to Play in The Oldest City
C
oming back to St. Augustine Florida from Austin Texas, I wasn’t sure “......sit what to expect of the Ancient City’s music scene that I’d left 15 years back, have a ago. Ten years as a full time musician in the self-proclaimed “Live Music Capital of the World” had been an incredible musical journey. I opened sandwich, a for comedians Ron White, Billy Joe Shaver, The Mother Truckers and The Band of Heathens, and I was the longtime lead guitarist and sideman for Texas legend beer and listen Jimmy Lee Jones. I was hoping the scene in St. Augustine was as vibrant and to some great diverse as I remembered. It had once given my band and I, Jocko Graves, some music” great opportunities. I hosted open mic nights in Austin, including at Willie Nelson’s stage manager’s place, Poodie Locke’s Hilltop Roadhouse, for two years. I knew the best place to get into the heart of a city’s music scene is at its open mics. I think I’m the only host who’s had Billy Bob Thornton and Dennis Quaid perform on an open mic stage. What I found in St. Augustine was an extraordinary amalgamation of incredible talent, a rich scene of musicians with a deep passion for their craft. Not only are they professional entertainers at the Oldest City’s plethora of live music venues, but they also come out to throw it down just for the fun of it, and to support their hosting peers. But the prize in the box of Cracker Jacks are the local folks, who love to play and sing. They come out to put their toes in the water and see what it’s like to be on stage, to enjoy a few moments in the spotlight or to hone their chops. You hear everything from classic rock psychedelic jamming, 70s folk harmonies with massive choral brawn, classic and modern country with a soft southern twang and contemporary singersongwriters mixing in some counterculture verve. The oldest and longest-running open mic night is at the world famous Trade Winds Lounge in the epicenter of downtown St. Augustine. Once a haunt of Jimmy Buffet, the atmosphere is tropical old Florida and they have live music every night of the week. Started by Colleen Murphy and her brother Pat, the open mic has been a Thursday night fixture for 16 years. Six different hosts, Fre Gordon, Keith Godwin, Wade Swarthout, Paul Shandon, Joe Davis and Robert Williams rotate duties, providing a distinctive experience each week. The talent is superb and the audience heavenly.
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music
Smokin’ Joe Schaur, who calls himself “the ham behind the microphone,” took over the open mic night at Ann O’Malley’s five years ago. It immediately became a hit with local musicians. The venue is as cozy as a living room, and is perfect to sit back, have a sandwich, a beer and listen to some great music in. The O’Malley’s open mic is so well-known that during St. Patrick’s Day Irish and Celtic performers show up. At various times in the year performers from Maryland, Connecticut, and upstate New York make a point to stop in to pick out a few tunes too. As Smokin’ Joe says, “It’s simply just cool.” The newest open mic is at The White Lion, and is hosted by St. Augustine music matriarch Amy Hendrickson. The place is packed with college students and tourists, shoulder to shoulder, digging on some of the most unique performers in town. The music is smart, catchy and downright funny at times. The vibe is way cool, with a marriage of hipness and a touch of geekiness. Expect an impromptu jam to break out at any given time if the groove is right. Open mic can be one of the most magical, musical evenings one can experience. Anything can happen on any given night. You may see the next contestant on The Voice, or find the next members of your new band. One of the biggest perks of performing on open mic night is getting in front of the person who’s booking the talent at the venue, a great opportunity for an impromptu audition. The key word to open mic is “open.” Everyone is welcome, whether you’re a beginner, professional musician or a music lover. OCL Support local live music. It’s where stars are born.
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Being an open mic night host is not as may think, just ask Amy Hendrickson, White Lion. It takes a special personality One must be a combination of master sound engineer, psychotherapist and
easy as one host at The to be a host. of ceremony, cat herder.
Check our monthly events Calendar for local Open Mic Night Dates & Locations
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travel
Cruising Through Time
by Tom Bartimus
The Eastern Mediterranean & the Greek Isles
L
ong ago, the Mediterranean was the center of the known world. Even after the seafaring Phoenicians ventured beyond the Pillars of Hercules, the Mediterranean remained the cradle of Western civilization. Today, it offers cruise passengers a rich variety of destinations spanning 5,000 years of human history. Nowhere else in the world is there such a concentration of architectural wonders and artistic masterpieces. Cruising is the ideal way to revisit the past while thoroughly enjoying the here and now on a modern cruise ship. Cruising from grand cities to idyllic islands you can explore ancient ruins, renaissance palaces, golden beaches, quaint cities with outdoor cafes and chic boutiques by day. Then return to your luxury ship in the evening to enjoy fine dining, dancing, and superb entertainment while cruising to the next day’s adventure without ever wasting time packing and unpacking, changing hotels or traveling from place-to-place by plane, train, car, or motor coach. When you wake the next morning a new adventure awaits you ashore while you have breakfast in your stateroom or one of the ship’s excellent restaurants. Most ports of call offer the option to explore on your own, or select an organized shore excursion offered by the cruise line. You can totally plan your trip in advance by previewing and booking the shore excursions online or through your travel agent. If you prefer, you can simply wait until your cruise begins to attend the on-board presentations and book with the ship’s shore excursion experts. By booking with the ship or your travel agent you save precious vacation time, and alleviate the risk of a bad or even unsafe excursion, and
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you won’t miss the boat if the excursion runs late because the ship will wait for you if it is their excursion. Now let’s take a look at an 11-night Eastern Med and Greek Isles cruise. The best time for this cruise is early fall or late spring when the temperatures are moderate, the rain is scarce, and the vacation crowds are less. We’ll start our adventure in Rome, the Eternal City. There are direct flights from most major US cities and we choose to fly in a day or two early to explore the city where there is so much to see you can’t possible see much on a one-day stop over. In addition, Rome’s port is the city of Civitavecchia which is about 50 miles from the center of Rome so you will probably not want to waste your time traveling to and from the city by motor coach; do it first before you board the ship. Most ships offer easy transfers to the ship from Rome with some sight-seeing along the way. The first morning we wake in the beautiful bay of Naples dominated by the sight of Mount Vesuvius in the background. The historic town center is easily explored by foot or take an excursion to the Isle of Capri or excavated city of Pompeii which was shocked by an earthquake and buried by an eruption of Mont Vesuvius in 62 AD. The next day the ship docks at Valletta, Malta which has the largest and best naturally-protected harbor in the Mediterranean. Visit the Grand Master’s Palace built in 1580, the Upper Barraca Gardens which were originally the private gardens of the Italian Knights of St. John in the 16th and 17th centuries, or check out the local crafts of ceramics, glassware, wrought-iron goods, embroidery
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and lace. After two days of touring, the following day at sea provides a welcome rest and relaxation onboard the ship enjoying the pool, the spa, lectures, shopping (yes, there are great shops onboard the ship), playing botchi ball on the acre of grass on the top deck, or try your luck in the casino. The next five days you will visit some of most beautiful and fascinating islands in the Mediterranean. First there is Mykonos with its Cycladic village built in a maze of narrow lanes to defy the winds and Pirate raids. Be sure to visit the excellent Folk Museum built on part of an ancient castle wall. Next we visit Ephesus which although it is in Turkey today, it was first a Greek City in 1000 BC. Today is one of the greatest cities of ruins in the Western World. Many of the ruins that we will see are from the 4th Century BC by Alexander the Great successor, Lysimachus. But it was under the Romans that Ephesus became the chief port on the Aegean with a population of around 250,000. Don’t miss the ruins of the Library of Celsus, a 24,000 seat amphitheater where St. Paul preached, the Fountain of Trajan built in AD 114 in honor of an emperor, the Temple of Hadrian dedicate in AD 118 and numerous shops and private house finely decorated with mosaics, frescoes and courtyards with fountains. The next morning we cruise into Athens which has been a city for 3,500 years. Of course you will want to see the Acropolis, the ruins of the Parthenon and wonderful museums or art, costumes, and handicrafts. The next day it’s the stunning island of Santorini with its picturesque white villages, black-sand beaches, interesting archaeological sites, local wineries and small volcanic islands. Next we visit Chania, Crete with more impressive ancient ruins, museums and unique shopping. Now we’re ready for a day of sea and rest! The last two nights of our cruise are spent in Venice, Italy where the Grand Canal snakes through the beautiful city that was a world power from the 12th to the 14th Century. Venice is showcase of history where most sights can be reached on foot or by water taxi. Piazza San Marco, the Palazzo Ducale, St. Mark’s Basilica, the Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, the University of Venice, the still active Opera House, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and the Island of Murano are just too much to see in two days! Not to mention that shopping is a dream! You may want to spend a few extra days in one of the charming small hotels before boarding your plane home. What a glorious cruise! It just so happens that I’m escorting a group on the Celebrity Silhouette from September 12-22, 2014. If you would like to cruise the Eastern Mediterranean and the Greek Isles contact me: TBartimus@CruisesInc.com or (904) 392-1703. Let’s go Cruising! old city life
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s op ‛ e e Mik me Sh Fra
“We Frame Anything” Moultrie Commerce Park 3440 US 1 South St. Augustine, Fl 32086 Phone: (904)794-9992
mikees.frameshop@gmail.com
Family Owned and Operated David and Carol Kosko
Procedures Offered: Non-Surgical Ultherapy Botox, Dysport & Xeomin Restylane, Radiesse & Juvederm Fillers Fractional Laser Non-Surgical Face Lift Surgical Face Lift Neck Lift Eyelid Surgery Facial Implants Brow/Forehead Lift Dental Implants Aesthetician Services Customized Steam Facials Microdermabrasion Chemical Peels Skin Rejuvenation Analysis Available Product Lines: Skin Medica, Obagi, Neova
Dr. Douglas L. Johnson Board Certified Maxillofacial Surgeon Fellowship Trained in Facial Cosmetics
Harbor Island Executive Center 1301 Plantation Island Dr • Suite 101 • St. Augustine
904-460-0505 • www.FloridaFaceDoc.com
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All American Air Table Tennis Classic
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f you attended the 5th Annual All American Air Table Tennis Classic recently, you understand why it’s become such a popular annual event. This year’s sold out Classic was held on Saturday February 8th at The River House in St. Augustine and raised $55,000 for two carefully selected local charities- Epics’ Big Brothers and Big Sisters program of St. Johns County was presented with a check for $15,000 while the remaining $40,000 went to Epic’s newly opened Detox Recovery Center. The Junior Service League of St. Augustine, Wildflower Clinic, Emergency and Homeless Coalition, the Players Championship Boys and Girls Club, Limelight Theatre, Children’s Museum of St. Johns, St. Johns County Center for the Arts at SAHS, and Community Hospice of Northeast Florida and the Bailey Family Center for Caring have all been recipients of the Table Tennis Classic benefit in them past. The event is held thanks to The All American Air Charitable Foundation who donates 100% of the funds raised to help the local community. The mission of the foundation (AAACF) is “to provide direction and beneficiary selection of charitable giving and to organize/operate fundraising activities intended to sustain and grow philanthropic support of selected agencies and causes.
event by OCL Staff
Once again Dr. Tom Searle took home the trophy for the open division at this year’s Classic, along with All American Air’s own Steve Chapman who walked away as the undefeated Legends champion. Local attorney, Melissa Kautte was the winner of the Women’s division. In addition to the competition on the tables, the 350-plus attendees also enjoyed a silent auction featuring fabulous items donated from local businesses, outstanding food by Culinary Outfitters and dancing. Music and lighting were provided by D.J. Wayne Westburry. The first tournament was held at the Chapman home in October 2009, and its wild success demanded that it would become an annual event. As has been stated before, what originally started as a simple suggestion for a fundraiser has grown into an event involving the entire community of St. Augustine. There are those who come to play, others that come to cheer their favorite contestants and those who come to socialize, young and old. Please see our pictorial of the event on the following pages. Old City Life magazine is proud to have been a supporter of this year’s Classic. If you were unable to attend, we hope that you make plans to join us next year for this very worthy and enjoyable event for a great cause.
Winners of this year’s All American Air table Tennis Classic included Steve Chapman in the Legends Division, Melissa Kauttu in the Women’s Division, and Dr. Tom Searle in the Open Division. Derek May, an original founder of the event, served as Competition Director, along with his father Pete May, a six-time Georgia Table Tennis Champion (Not pictured).
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Photos by: Melissa Roby
ALL AMERICAN AIR TABLE TENNIS CLASSIC
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his year marked the 5th anniversary of this increasing popular event. A standing room only, sold out crowd enjoyed food, drink and dancing as well as fierce competition and laughs from local business leaders and celebrities as the evening played on. Over $55,000 was raised for charity. A full re-cap of the event can be found in this issue of OCL. Photos: Left to right from top: Allison & Lee Barlow, Jenny Burnett • Casey & Barbara Van Rysdam, Todd Neville • Theresa Floyd, Jennifer Tesdari, Sir JJ & Heather Murray, Laurel Madson • John & Robin Hoffman, Karen & Ken Yarbrough • Katie & Dr. Douglas Johnson • Sabrian Abara, Tabitha & Hal Gatewood • Bo & Lettie Bozard • Bill Abare, Patti & Rick Greenough • Drs Carlos Sanchez, Mike Look & Chris Zub • Dr. Bert Tavery, Lisa Studivant, Candy & Edison Burney • Stacy McLemore, Kim Yselonia • Nicole & Robert Nettles, Jason Forrest • Donia Carr, Collette Platt, Sharon Maguire, Stacy Gaines, Valerie Lee, Candice Logan 70
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Photos by: Melissa Roby
Photos: Left to right from top: Elli Bottomly & Mary Morgan Clukey • Kathy Nelson & Mark Nusbaum • Dr and Mrs Soroka, Tom & Jen Reed, Mark Bailey photobombs • Debbie Alexander, Dan Alexander, Dr. Mike Versaggi • Sherri Anthony, Mary Pastori • Lexi May, Brooke Strickland • Nicole & Eddie Drozd • Sven & Beate Schroeder • Paul Madson, Dr. Stephen Strout, Rob Metzer, Erika Metzgar, Robin Cooksey • Melissa Corneal, Megan Zub, Alison Purde, Nicole Nettles, Teri Perreira, Beth Forrest • Mark & Alecia Bailey • Amy & Jimmy Newman • Ted McLemore, Kimberly Sutton, Donia Carr, Candace & Nat Shave • Steve Chapman, Melissa Kauttu, Derek May, Tom Searle volume 8
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Photos by: Bill Kenyon
epic center EPICrecovery Recovery Center
seen
hosted a grand opening of its new 16-bed facility to treat drug and alcohol dependent patients in crisis on January 22nd. The facility will operate 24/7 with 12 detoxification beds and four residential treatment beds, and will consist of a team of nurses, trained substance abuse professionals and doctors.
Photos: Left to right from top: Dr. Joe Joyner, Beverly Slough • Dr. Todd Broder, Catherine Heymsfeld • Eddie Creamer, Mark Bailey Jr., Jim Roberti, Polly Andrews • Lorna McDonald, Gay Bailey, Jessica Clark • Lynnette Horwath, Gregory McLeod • Richard Hardy, George Gardner • Sheriff David Shoar, Patrick Canan • Sen. John Thrasher & Beverly Slough • Travis Hutson, Melissa Nelson, Ron Sanchez. • Nancy Dahl, Dr. Dawn Allicock, David Hoak • Jamie Weld, Dr. Eric Pulsfus, Dr. Shelby Cline • Sean Kelley, Patti Greenough • Ashley Firrantello, Corina Guglielmo, Sharrell Halverson, Sarah Gholam, Frances Colon 72
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Photos by: Melissa Roby
seen
dancing with Dancing with thestars Stars
Local “Celebrity” dancers were paired with professional dancers from the Arthur Murray Dance Studio. recently to raise funds for Kids Bridge and Students of Performing Arts. Danceers included Phillips, of WFOY 1240 AM ; Dawn Chapman, President of the St. Johns Education Association; Colleen Messner, owner of the Spice and Tea Exchange; Bill McClure, St. Johns County Commissioner; Joe Williams, owner of The JW Salon; and David Hinkley, owner of Hinkley’s Home Preservation.
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Photos left to right - Lela Dennis Peter Beckwith Annette Danielson • Lisa Eva Gold Linda Brandt Scott Pilny • Jake Lukic Jim Paige Peer Kelderhouse Bill McClure • John Ruggeri Manu Ruggeri Chris McClure Sarah McFee Paula Stowell Angela Carr Shelli Sauer • Mike and Carrie Allegretto • Oksana and Oscar Alvarado • Julie Basham Heather Harris • Jim and Peggy Barnes • Linda Brandt Kris Phillips Aubrey Geddings Angela Martin • Bob Rousseau Brenda Balara Jill Rousseau • Caitlin Lindquist David Hinchley • Sean and Christine Wilson • Tina Verduzco Cary Martin • Kathy Millecan Sandy Acuff Lauren Millecan
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Photos by: Bill Kenyon
Photos by Tammy Harrow
Limelight Theater
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The Lightner Museum played host to the Pre-Theatre Party for “The Best of Limelight’s Celebrity Cabaret” Gala. Guests were treated to a light dinner buffet, silent auction and open bar before the production, which was held across the street at the Lewis Auditorium. The popular annual fundraiser featured various local celebrities performing acts that showcased the wealth of hidden talent within the St. Augustine community, along with a tribute to the late George McClure, former Mayor and City Commissioner of St. Augustine Beach and an active member of the community. Photos: Left to right from top: Chuck & Honey Norlander • Lou & Sue Agresta • Connie McMullen, Betty Weissler Kim Fader • Ty Merritt, Ruth Wolffberg, Pat Merritt, Ilan Wolffberg • Karen Glenos, Carol Mandel, Karen Selig, Mimi Selig • Kathy Dodd, Larry Dodd, Connie? (Lura) • Len, Claudia, JoAnne Weeks • Wes & Cathy Scovanner, Matt & Carolyn Scovanner
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Photos by Justin Itnyre Photos by: Bill Kenyon
seen Journey: 450 450 Yearsyears of the African-American Experience Journey: of the African
Exhibition was officially opened in mid-January with a grand american experience reception at the St. Augustine Visitor hosted a grand opening of its new 16-bedInformation facility to treatCenter. drug and Dignitaries from allpatients over the North attended the event, alcohol dependent in crisis on Florida January 22nd. The facility will operate 24/7 withthe 12 detoxification beds four residential which celebrated installation of theand historic exhibit. treatment The beds, and consist of a team of trained exhibit runswillthrough mid-July of nurses, this year andsubstance tells the abuse previoulsy professionals doctors. untold story ofandthe African experience and contributions in St. Augustine History.
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Photos by Justin Itnyre
FIRST COAST OPERA The First Coast Opera performed at the home of Jane Mathis on January 24th. A lovely evening was enjoyed by all in attendance. For more information of the First Coast Opera and it’s upcoming presentations, please go to www.firstcoastopera.com
Flagler HealtH Foundation
T
seen
he Flagler Health Foundation held their 4th annual Oyster Roast on January 26 at the St. Augustine Boating Club. The event was coordinated by the North Shore Connectors for Flagler Hospital, a group of cencerned residents committed to making a difference in the community’s health care by increasing support for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Flagler Hospital.
Photos by: Melissa Roby
Photos Left to Right: Barbra Bromberg, Greg Kemp, Carol Kemp • Cindy Campbell, Cheryl Thigpen • Diane Morris, Georgia Katz, Karen Taylor • Lynda Kirker, Tom & Linda Bartimus • Cindy & Jeff Campbell, Charles and Becky Hill, Gayle Logan • Bill Colman, Gray Matuza, Katherine Batenhorze, Todd Batenhorze • Thomas Willis, Cooper Willis • Rita Claire, Jane alba ugh, Kevin Albaugh, Mike Claire
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events
A One Man Show
Transplanted Irishman brings humor and personality to Saint Augustine
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ther than spending what he called “one very odd year in Mississippi,” Derek Coghlan, a Castlepollard, Ireland native, has been a St. Augustinian for 19 years. When asked what originally brought him across the pond at 21 years old, the Irishman comedian said, “a big airplane.” Though true, it was visiting a fellow he had grown up with who had moved to Jacksonville Beach that lured Coghlan across the pond. He never left after a visit to St. Augustine.
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Coghlan doesn’t come from a family with a background in preforming. “It wasn’t a formal background, let’s just say that,” he said. “But we were fond of telling stories and creative lying.” Seven different stories, one in which he defines the art of funerals, will comprise Coghlan’s next show, Irish to the End, a two-night performance on March 14 and 16 at The Pioneer Barn on San Marco Avenue. “The stories are about my family,” Coghlan said. “The marvelous, odd, mean-spirited, dysfunctionality of an Irish family, everything is fair game.” The weekend of St. Patrick’s Day will be a busy one for Coghlan. In-between his standup performances he’ll be an MMA ring announcer for Rumble in the Ancient City on March 15 in the Ketterlinus gym. He picked up the gig by accident a few years ago while emceeing an Irish festival in Jacksonville. When the announcer didn’t show up for the wrestling demonstration that followed, a promoter asked Coghlan to announce the first fight. Afterwards, he was asked if he’d be interested in announcing MMA fights. “I said ‘well, are you interested in paying me?’” An English teacher at Allen D. Nease High School for two years, Coghlan has taught in the county altogether for 17 years. The father of two sons has another trick in his back pocket. He’s a wedding officiator. When friends of him and his wife, Julie, couldn’t find someone to marry them in the way they wanted, she suggested he became a notary. “I thought, OK, I’ve never done that. It sounds like fun,” Coghlan said. To date he’s married about 15 couples, and has one scheduled for April. “It’s amazing the number of people who have something for me to read that no one else will do,” he said. “I’ve done Lord of the Rings themes and other bizarre things. It’s kind of scary because you suddenly realize that you’re really, really responsible.”He’s even married a manager of his favorite bar in town, Reggie from Meehan’s Irish Pub & Seafood House. It’s usually where you can find Coghlan on St. Patrick’s Day when he’s in town. “If I’m in Meehan’s I’ll drink either Heineken or Guinness” he said. “It depends on the time of year, but I primarily drink beer.” Coghlan will head home to Ireland later this year to visit his parents and brothers. Trying to make it home every year and a half, he confessed: “If you don’t show up they’ll guilt you into all sorts of things.”
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last call
Know your Bartender Chris Akins - Tini Martini Bar 1) How long have you been a bartender?
Q: What is your favorite thing about St. Augustine and why?
Q: Do you have a specialty drink?
A: I’ve been a bartender for six years. Q: Where did you get your start?
A: My favorite thing about St. Augustine is the weather. I enjoy being able to be outside as much as possible.
A: I started in Cape May, N.J., where I’m from. Q: What is your favorite part of the job?
Q: Where do you hang out outside of work?
A: My favorite part of the job is meeting new people. I’ve met many interesting people along the way.
A: Outside of work we hang downtown at some of the local bars and enjoy going to dinner.
Q: What is your least favorite part of the job?
Q: What’s the best thing about working at the Tini Martini?
A: My least favorite part is to have to give directions.
A: The best thing about working at the Tini Martini Bar is the view of the Intracostal.
Q: What are your interests outside of work?
Q: What is your favorite cocktail to make?
A: When I’m off I enjoy fishing and other outdoor activities.
A: My favorite cocktail to make is an English martini. People who know what they are
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talking about can appreciate them.
A: The best drink I make is an old-fashioned. We probably make more than anyone else in St. Augustine. Q: How about your favorite cocktail to drink? A: My favorite cocktail to drink is Scotch whisky on the rocks, simple. Q: Do you have a favorite local band? A: Vinny Jacobs is the best musician in St. Augustine. Shout-out to Vinny!
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St. Jude Gala
by Tammy Harrow
Thursday April 3rd at The White Room
J
Beauty Appliances
Great Gift Ideas
Original lithographs by Chagall, Miró, Dali & Picasso. Original paintings of Marine and St. Augustine Scenes.
Antiquities to Contemporary Art MUSEUM QUALITY AT AFFORDABLE PRICES
210 St. George Street
oin us at the White Room for the inaugural Miracle on the Bayfront Gala, Thursday, April 3rd, from 6:00-9:00pm to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Guests will be treated to a gourmet dinner, cocktails, live entertainment, and both silent and live auction. Special guests will include families from St. Jude who will share their heartwarming stories of hope and survival. Some facts about St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital: • Families never receive a bill for treatment, housing, or food. • Thanks to St. Jude Research, overall many childhood cancer survival rates have increased from 20% to 80%. • St. Jude has the worlds best childhood cancer survival rates and is where doctors from all over send their most difficult cases. • St. Jude sees almost 70,000 patients per year. • The hospitals operating costs average about $1.9 million a day and are covered primarily by public donations. Interested in sponsoring the event? Opportunities are still available. Silent auctions donations are also still being accepted. Contact Linda Mignon 904-669-9169 For more information or to Purchase tickets: www.stjude.org/miracleonthebayfront Or contact Veena Shrestha, Tampa ALSAC/St. Jude office (813) 868-2700
Romance & Adventure!
(South of the Plaza off King St.) fineart@lostartgallery.com
904.827.9800
www.lostartgallery.com
Enjoy the beauty of our historic waters on your Private Sunset Sail! • Captained charters • ASA Sailing Classes • Sailboat Rentals • Small boat Sailing Club • Sail time Memberships • Fleet of 22 to 49ft !
St. Augustine Sailing Enterprises www.sta-sail.com • 904.829.0648
3076 Harbor Drive, Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor St. Augustine, FL 32084 photo: Addison Fitzgerald
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contributors Joseph L. Boles, Jr. moved to Saint Augustine with his parents in 1967. He graduated from Saint Augustine High school in 1970 and went on to the University of Florida, where he earned a degree in Law and a degree in Design. He has seven wonderful children and a beautiful wife named Jane. He serves as Mayor of the City of Saint Augustine and is also a member of Memorial Presbyterian Church. His hobbies are golfing, fishing and painting.
Tammy Harrow is an avid world traveler, photographer and writer. She loves to journey around the globe searching for beauty and inspiration. She has created portraits throughout the US. Since relocating to St Augustine, Tammy has expanded into commercial photography and has a special place in her heart creatively photographing culinary dishes for local restaurants. She has a degree in Journalism, is nationally published and has trained with some of National Geographic’s top photographers.
Sherry Gaynor is a Certified Executive Pastry Chef (CEPC) and Certified Culinary Educator (CCE). She is a long-time resident of Saint Augustine and serves as a Chef Instructor for First Coast Technical College who is assigned to teach at Florida School for the Deaf and Blind. Sherry is from New Orleans, attended culinary school through Delgado Community College’s apprenticeship program and recently acquired her bachelor’s degree in Career and Technical Education: Workforce and Program Development, from the University of West Florida. She was recently awarded Teacher of the Year 2013-14 Ashley Bates is a professional writer and social media manager. An Orlando native, Ashley graduated from the University of Central Florida. and then moved to Saint Augustine from Gainesville, Ga. She got her start in journalism writing sports articles for The (Gainesville, Ga.) Times and moved onto writing arts and entertainment, food and religion features. She was lucky enough two receive two awards from the Georgia Press Association for “Writer of the Year” in religion reporting. Today her hobbies including spending time with family and enjoying good food and wine.
Originally from Hagerstown Maryland, Justin Itnyre’s photographs have been featured on several covers of local magazine Old City Life. His architectural photography has been published in Homes & Land Jacksonville Magazine, Unique Homes, and the book, Historic Sites of St. Augustine and St. Johns County. Internationally arete images hit the press for Volvo Powertrain, New Beauty Magazine, and Blue Green Corporation. www.justiniphoto.com
Capt. Tommy Derringer is a North Florida native and owner and operator of Inshore Adventures Fishing Charters. He is a full time U.S.C.G. certified charter captain and tournament angler fishing the waters from St. Augustine to Flagler Beach, including Palm Coast. Capt. Tommy specializes in super shallow water fishing for redfish, trout, and flounder, as well as nearshore fishing for tarpon, cobia, kingfish, and more.
Jeanne Maron, owner/operator of The Gifted Cork, has been at her location for two years, specializing in fine wines from around the world. Maron is the Vice Charge-de-Presse of North Florida Chapter’s Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. She also serves as Chairman of the Board of Children’s Home Society, Buckner Division, in Jacksonville. To have Jeanne answer your questions about wine call 810.1083 or visit thegiftedcork.com.
Tommy Addison is an international & national award winning photographer who has resided in Saint Augustine for the past 25 years. His work is widely published throughout the world and has been a long time contributor to Old City Life Magazine. Addison is an avid world traveler who has traveled around the world (4) times on countless overseas adventures. He is the owner of Photographic Arts Inc. (Commercial and Fine Art Photography) and is currently the Photographic Manager for Leonard’s Studio. Dr. Douglas L. Johnson of the Saint Augustine Oral & Facial Surgical Center is a Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon. He completed a certified fellowship in Facial Cosmetic Surgery before starting his own practice here over eight years ago. He resides in Saint Augustine with his wife and four children. For more information on procedures offered please visit floridafacedoc.com or call 904.460.0505.
Chris Bodor moved here in 2003, after working in New York City for ten years. He received the Board of Education Creative Writing Award from Weston (CT) High School in 1985 and had his first poem published nine years later. A founding member of Ancient City Poets, a group that has been holding poetry reading in the Nation’s Oldest City since August, 2009, Chris runs his own book imprint, Poet Plant Press, with his wife Mary Beth. Their latest title is Florida Speaks, featuring thirty writers musing on the Sunshine State. David Youngblood is the President and CEO of Virtual Tours Inc and JAX Virtual Tours, providing High Resolution Photography and Video for Real Estate Agents throughout the NE Florida Region. Understanding the Real Estate Business and working with the top producing agents in the State of Florida, David has been able to visit and photograph some of the most amazing homes in St. Augustine and throughout US. www.jaxvirtualtours.com Kate Gardiner a seasoned photojournalist, turned her camera towards weddings and families after leaving a job at a major daily newspaper in Connecticut to move to Florida in 2007. Her eye for story-telling shows in her style of photographing couples and the joy they are share Kate’s fashion work has been published in Old City Life Magazine as well as Jacksonville Bride Magazine and editorial work in newspapers and magazines world wide. She has also been the proud recipient of the Best of St Augustine award for Best Photographer for 4 years running. 82
Kimberly Leonardi and her husband Kevin have run Leonardi’s Nursery for more than twenty years and strive to give back to the community that has supported Leonardi’s for the past 48 years. They are members of the Florida Nursery Growers Association and the Florida Native Plant Society. Please feel free to send any questions or comments to leonardisnursery@msn.com.
Fond Kiser recently moved to St. Augustine from Austin, TX. and is a professional singer/songwriter and guitarist. He’s written music for PBS and Ford Motor Company. Fond’s music has been featured on XM/Sirius radio and Indy-Americana stations across the U.S. He’s performed with comedian Ron White, The Mother Truckers, The Band of Heathens, and was the lead guitarist for Texas legend Jimmy Lee Jones. He’s written and produced advertising campaigns for the ad agencies TBWA Chiat-Day, Cramer-Krasselt, and the Jacksonville based St. John & Partners. Rick McAllister spent 20 years in the corporate world of New York City, a year on a Congressional program in the U.S. House of Representatives, has owned several small businesses, managed and taught scuba diving in the Florida Keys and most recently was an assistant at World Golf Village. Throughout this varied career and travels around the world, Rick has developed and honed his photographic and writing skills. A Vietnam Vet, he continues to enjoy traveling, kayaking, golf and time with his daughter Lauren and her family in New Jersey. Rick’s photography can be seen atfotowurks.com and he can be contacted or at 904.501.7777. Barbara Hunt Hanrahan is a writer/journalist/editor as well as a nurse. Barb earned her Master of Arts Degree in Communication from Emerson College in Boston, her Bachelor of Science Degree from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, and her Nursing Certification from First Coast Technical College. She has been a writer/journalist/editor for 20 years. She also teaches and coaches group exercise classes, gymnastics and horseback riding. Following a faith filled life is her greatest passion in life. Kim Miller has been in the health field her entire adult life. A full-time personal trainer and wellness coach, she holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Physical Education, certified as a personal trainer through the American Council on Exercise and a certified wellness coach with Wellcoaches. She is owner of Bodysmart Inc, and blogs on health and wellness on her Bodysmart Fitness Through The Ages site bodysmartinc.com or 904.501.6002. Originally from Virginia, Brendan Burke has been working with the maritime history of the First Coast since 2007 as an archaeologist at the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum. He has worked both abroad in Ireland as well as along the Atlantic seaboard and Florida’s Gulf. In 2013, Brendan and Ed Long published a book ‘Shrimp Boat City’, that documented St. Augustine’s shrimping industry. He holds a B.A. from Longwood College and an M.A. in anthropology from The College of William and Mary as well as a U.S. Coast Guard masters license.” volume 8
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sameday crowns
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Hunter Conrad • Julie K. Kurtz • Patrick T. Canan • Andrew Morgan volume 8
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