St. Johns Magazine December 2022

ST. JOHNS

magazine Merry Christmas from Pets R Family!

Making the grade in children’s emergency care.

At the Wolfson Children’s ER at Baptist Medical Center South, we’re committed to making your child’s experience — and your family’s — the best it can be!

Patient satisfaction scores* are one way we determine if we are meeting your needs and improving your health care experience.

We’re honored that parents and other caregivers consistently rank our children’s emergency care in the 99th percentile for patient satisfaction.

For all Wolfson ER locations and wait times, please visit wolfsonchildrens.com/ER.

To view the closest ER locations to you, see wait times and get door-to-door directions, download the Baptist Access app by scanning the QR code.

About Us

St. Johns Magazine is dedicated to covering the topics readers care aboutfrom hometown stories and community spotlighs to food, health & business. St. Johns Magazine is designed to engage readers and inspire them to enjoy the good life in Northern St. Johns! All rights reserved ©2012-2022 ©St. Johns Magazine LLC. St. Johns Magazine is published monthly and distributed by US postal Service to select homes in Northern St. Johns. It is free of charge to consumers receiving it in the mail. It is also availalble at many drop points in Northern St. Johns. All material is compiled from sources believed to be reliable and published without responsibility for errors and ommissions. @St JohnsMagazine facebook/ St.JohnsMagazine

On the Cover

PETS R FAMILY

The spirit of giving is something the team at Pets R Family takes seriously, and they do this by devoting themselves to caregiving for our furry family members. Learn about this extraordinary Veterinary hospital in our December issue.

*Cover photo by Ozzy Trevino Photography at Shearwater

In This Issue

New Treatment for Osteoarthritis in Cats 31 by Dr. Kathleen Deckard, Pets R Family

Holiday Brunch Cocktails 16 by ABC Fine Wine & Spirits

Make a Wish & Community Nutcracker 12 by Ali Lindenfeld

Perfect Gifts for Perfect Strangers by Tina Allen, YMCA 18

Holiday Wine Tips from The Sommeliér 17 Steve Terrell, Uncorked Events

Happy Holidays

READ

COVER STORY The Spirit of Giving

Pets R Family

by Ozzy Trevino Photography “

Giving Comes from the Heart, Which is the Soul’s True Compass

The pet industry, on its face, seems that it would be such an amazing effort to be part of based on the true joy of animal care. What could be more fun than to cuddle with a cute little kitten, or to romp around with a playful pup? And it absolutely is all those things! But it’s also an amaz ing dedication to giving. Giving that takes a truly dedicated heart, mind and soul to accomplish the extreme challenges the industry brings. And we aren’t just talking about giving in rela tion to the beautiful pets that fill our days. We are also talking about giving of ourselves to the people we serve every day.

Imagine going to work each day, and the patients you are car ing and providing for, cannot speak to you. Meanwhile these beautiful loving patients have sometimes serious issues that require an all in effort to prevent extreme suffering even death. Now add to that the hurt and suffering of the parents of these patients, along with their mood swings, judgement and fears. These are the challenges of the Veterinary Industry every single day.

We are in a unique situation, as are so many care giving indus tries, where we are the advocates for our patients, even through their suffering. That is why so often, professionals in the Veterinary Industry, suffer along with the pets and clients. It is a transference of the challenges that a voiceless patient experi ences. And those feelings are big and they are real.

So many of us began our focus on this industry as an honest passion to care for Gods beautiful creatures. And that pas sion drove us to Colleges, Universities and institutions where we spent many years studying (8 years to achieve a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine) to learn our craft of animal medicine. Often times, many more years were spent in a specialty or particular line of study. But it was the true love and dedication to giving of ourselves and our talents to help those who cannot help themselves, that drives us all to be those advocates. In the midst of beginning to practice animal medicine, we realize that this is the pinnacle of our passion. Caregiving, saving lives, and providing better health for our furry friends is a noble and wonderful calling.

Dr Kayla Hutton, Dr. Scarlet Motycka, Dr. Kathleen Deckard, Dr. Natalie Hashey, & Dr. Alysha Salapack

Photos

And it is this calling that requires a giving spirit, a giving heart and a drive to “help them all” that is the root of our industry.

This passion and heart that drives so many of us every day does truly come at a price. Our industry is riddled with burnout, suicide, compassion fatigue and a shortage of dedicated leaders and true practitioners of high-quality medicine because of the heavy weight it bares. It’s an industry that requires a solid sup port system to provide for each others needs. Our people have to learn how to cope with not only the challenges of loss of life of a patient, and lack of complete control over the needs of the pet, but also the results of human abuse and pet parent anger and frustrations toward those in the industry.

Often as we approach Christmas, we think of giving and caring as synonymous with our hearts special attempts to provide gifts and offerings to others. However, in our industry, the true spirit of giving, is a daily dedicated approach to our chosen passion of loving our patients beyond a simple offering. We give our hearts and minds every day to provide a happy healthy life to an innocent animal, who is simply counting on us, to do our very best for them. We give our very best to the pet parent who is suffering along with their beautiful pet, as we comfort, support and educate them in the process of caregiving. And we give to each other, as we support, guide, administer to, and love, our co-workers who need our group help, to overcome the

weight on our souls as we go through each day of work.

You see the true spirit of giving, comes from the heart, which is the soul’s true compass. So in the Veterinary Industry, and certainly within our amazing staff at Pets R Family Veterinary Hospital, we believe that the spirit of giving lives in us every single day we are alive.

We wish all of our amazing clients and each of you in our Saint Johns Community a blessed Christmas season. And may the spirit of giving of ourselves be the commonality we see in us all.

saving lives, and providing better health for our furry friends is a noble and wonderful calling

HOLIDAY FUN!

Make a Wish & Community Nutcracker

Dream a little dream...or dream BIG. That’s what Dreams Come True means to the children they encounter. If you could go anywhere and do anything, what would you like to do? We all hope one day to live our dreams and Dreams Come True, with the help of many partners, does just that. Their particular focus is for children battling life threatening diseases who, in reality, might not get a chance to do so otherwise. Community Nutcracker is one of those partners.

We are truly looking forward to this year’s timeless production of the Nutcracker Ballet. Over 250 dancers of all ages participate, along with their families, to create a part of their magical dream. Performing at the historic Florida Theatre brings that extra dream-like touch as we kick off the holiday season. By donating proceeds to local charities every year like Dreams Come True, we can continue the relationship we have with our beautiful community. Scholarships to senior dancers who are graduating, and a Community Service Night show along with heavily discounted tickets for the school performances, allow us to connect with Jacksonville and all of North Florida to bring them a professional and magical performance every year. This is our 31st year and we are excited for all the changes you will see in this production. The amazing talents of the artistic directors and choreographers and of course, all of our dancers, are sure to please. This Christmas season, please join us as we attend a magical Christmas party, an epic battle, and a chance to explore the new and exotic lands of our beautiful Nutcracker performance.

See you there!

HOLIDAY FUN!

Through January 31, 2023

NIGHTS OF LIGHTS

St. Augustine glows with holiday magic in one of the best holiday lighting displays in the world. Enjoy every evening beginning at dusk. 904825-1004/Free/6:00 PM to 11:30 PM/ 11 S. Castillo Dr., St. Augustine. 904825-1004 www.NightsofLights.com

Dec 2 & January 6

FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK

Free/ 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM https://www.staaa.org/art-galleries-ofst-augustine/

December 3

St. Augustine CHRISTMAS PARADE

LAevents7@gmail.com. Phone: 904824-4997/ 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM

December 5 to 8

FESTIVAL OF TREES AT LIGHTNER MUSEUM

75 King Street/St. Augustine, FL 32084 www.stfrancisshelter.org/festival-oftrees

December 2 & 3

HOLIDAY SHOPPES

AT PONTE VEDRA BEACH

Ponte Vedra Concert Hall from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. each day, admission is $5. 1050 A1A N., Ponte Vedra Beach 904280-0614 www.firstcoastculturalcenter. org

December 3 & 4

Holiday Hallelujah

Performances are Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. in Lewis Auditorium at Flagler College, 14 Granada St., St. Augustine. 14 Granada Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084/ 904-825-1164 Tickets are $28 and can be purchased at www. limelight-theatre.org

December 9

Community

Nutcracker

Enjoy the tradition of joy and giving with this beautiful performance. Dec 9 @7:30pm & December 10th @1:00pm & 7:30 pm. Tickets at Florida Theater Box Office. www.jaxnutcracker.org

December 9

UNF CHORAL ENSEMBLE CAROLS AND MESSIAH

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. the

performance begins at 7 p.m. Unfchoralensembles. Tickets are $15$35. 1050 A1A N., Ponte Vedra Beach. 904-209-0399 www.pvconcerthall.com

December 16

SOUNDS OF THE SEASON

The St. Augustine Orchestra @ 7:30 p.m. at Kelly Farms, 5895 CR 214, St. Augustine, FL 32092. Tickets are $50 adults; $25 ages 3-12; Under 3 are free. www.staugustineorchestra.com

December 17

NOCATEE FARMER'S MARKET

visit www.facebook.com/ NocateeLiving

December 17

JOYFUL CHRISTMAS

10:00 AM to 4:00 PM/Admission is $10 and proceeds benefit Christ's Cupboard Food Pantry, Friends of Alpine Groves Park, and Noah’s Agape Café. 2060 SR13 N., Switzerland. www. joyfullythankful.com/christmas

Dec 17

VILANO BEACH ARTISAN MARKET WALK

Free parking and admission. 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM Vilano Beach Pier, 259 Vilano Rd., St. Augustine. www. vilanobeachfl.com

Through December 30

FANTASTIC FLORIDA AT STAAA

22 Marine St. St. Augustine, FL 32084/904-824-2310. Admission is free and gallery hours are Tuesdays through Sundays from 1-4 p.m. www. staaa.org

Through December 14

THE POLAR EXPRESS

World Golf IMAX, 1 World Golf Place, St. Augustine. www. worldgolfimax.com

December 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17

CHRISTMAS ON THE FARM AT SYKES FAMILY FARMS

Admission is $16 for ages 3 & up, ages 2 and under free. 6:00pm 11:00pm /904-692-1370 www.sycofarms.com/ christmas-on-the-farm

15 www.stjohnsmag.com

4 Holiday Brunch Cocktails

to sip while the kids open presents

by the experts at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits

Remember how magical Christmas mornings were as a kid? Now that we've grown up, we are the magic makers for our kids, but that doesn't mean we can’t have a treat for ourselves on Christmas morning. So, what did Santa leave for the grown-ups? Cocktails, of course! Check out these four delicious holiday brunch cocktail recipes to sip from the sofa as the kiddos tear open their gifts.

Peppermint Bark Mimosa

The mimosa is already a seasoned brunch staple, so we recommend making it festive by doing as the elves do: adding ALL the peppermint and chocolate!

♥ White chocolate, melted

♥ Peppermint candy canes, crushed

♥ 4 ounces Charles Regnier Peppermint Schnapps

♥ 1, 750mL bottle Cupcake Prosecco

♥ Mini candy canes

Rim glass with melted white chocolate then dip in crushed peppermint candy. Add 1 ounce peppermint schnapps to each glass. Top with prosecco. Garnish with a candy cane.

Cranberry Spritz

Bubbles and brunch go hand-in-hand, and this family-sized spritz is perfect to pair with Christmas morning egg bakes, biscuits or monkey bread.

♥ 1 ½ cups Suntory Whisky Toki

♥ 1 cup cranberry juice

♥ ¾ cup fresh lemon juice

♥ ½ cup simple syrup

♥ 2 cups Hi! Prosecco

♥ Cranberries

♥ Rosemary sprigs

In a pitcher or large bowl, add whisky, cranberry juice, lemon juice and simple syrup. Stir to combine. Refrigerate until fully chilled. Add 2 ounces of sparkling wine to individual glasses and top with chilled cocktail. Garnish with cranberries and rosemary sprigs. Serves 8.

Maple Bourbon Coffee

For the adults who stayed up till 3 a.m. putting together the 200-piece doll house, a caffeinated cocktail is a must. This is the perfect morning brew that gives the gift of Christmas caffeine.

♥ 4 cups coffee, strongly brewed

♥ 4 cups whole milk

♥ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

♥ 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

♥ 9 ounces Cooper’s Mark Maple

Bourbon

♥ Whipped cream & Grated cinnamon

Add coffee, milk, vanilla and cinnamon to a slow cooker. Heat on low for 1 ½ hours. Add bourbon. Serve in mugs and top with whipped cream and cinnamon.

Peppermint White Hot Chocolate

A Christmas morning hot chocolate bar is sure to be a kitchen counter hit, especially when there are boozy options for adults. This spiked peppermint hot chocolate is sweet, spirited and delightfully decadent.

♥ 4 cups whole milk

♥ 4 ounces Charles Regnier Peppermint Schnapps

♥ 1 cup white chocolate chips, plus more for garnish

♥ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

♥ Whipped cream & Mini candy canes

Place milk, schnapps, white chocolate and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Whisk continuously over medium-low heat until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Serve in mugs and garnish with whipped cream, white chocolate chips and mini candy canes.

Grab everything you need for your Christmas brunch cocktail menu at abcfws.com or stop by our brand-new ABC location in St. Johns at 259 Harper Lane.

BELLA NOTTE Prosecco

Sparkling wine is a perfect gift for fussy drinkers or when you don’t know what wine the recipient likes best. This prosecco is crisp and dry with a divine, ripe wild apple flavor.

ZACKARIAH HARRIS Eggnog

With a price and taste so good, you’ll want to grab a few bottles to bring to every holiday get-together this season. Also the perfect gift for the ‘nog lover in your life.

SCAN HERE TO START YOUR ORDER

GIFT SETS

If you know someone on your list adores a certain spirit, opt for a gift set: their favorite bottle plus gorgeous glassware, cocktail accessories and more.

*Arriving at ABC the first week of November.

CUSTOMIZED WINE BASKET

Looking to get something a little more personalized? Build your own wine basket in-store with the help of a team member or grab one pre-made by our wine experts. No wrapping required!

SHANNON RIDGE Cabernet Sauvignon

As the most popular wine varietal, cabernet sauvignon is sure to please any red wine drinker. This one is lush, full-bodied and

PALMS

Coquito Cream Liqueur

This pre-mixed coquito will give your abuela’s recipe a run for her money. Rich, sweet and coconut-y, enjoy this traditional holiday treat minus the work.

Shop online at abcfws.com or in-store at our St. Johns location in Durbin Creek Crossing. Curbside pickup available.

259 Harper Lane, St. Johns, FL 32259

Perfect Gifts FOR PERFECT STRANGERS

By: Tina Allen, Healthy Living Director, Brown Family YMCA

Even though we’ll never have a “winter wonderland” scene here in Florida around the holidays, Christmas is just as special here as it is anywhere, especially for our families. I’ve got two kids and nothing beats seeing their faces light up when they come down and see the presents in front of them on Christmas morning.

Unfortunately, not every parent gets to see that look on their child’s face. Many families here on the First Coast struggle to make ends meet and buying presents isn’t something they can afford. How, then, can we support them to make sure Christmas isn’t just another day?

Through the annual Holiday Giving Tree at all First Coast YMCA locations.

A Christmas tree is setup at every YMCA branch and is decorated with ornaments that detail families and kids who could use a hand around the holidays. Supporters can purchase the gifts listed on the ornament and return

them unwrapped to the Y so that we can distribute them to the families.

Supporting the Holiday Giving Tree isn’t just for individuals. If you’re employer wants to get involved, consider following in the footsteps of Molly Pearce and Westlake Royal Building Products. Molly is a group fitness instructor at the Brown Family YMCA and her husband works at Westlake. Every year, his company brings in employees from across the country for a national sales meeting and this year, they elected to support a local charity during the meeting. With Molly’s recommendation, Westlake employees will gather at a local hotel and assemble 60 bicycles for deserving kids listed on the Holiday Giving Tree.

I’ve been a YMCA employee for more than 18 years and I can honestly say there’s nothing like seeing the joy on a child’s face when they see a shiny new bike waiting for them. There’s always a need for bikes at every Holiday Giving Tree location. Thirty of the

bikes Westlake assembles will go to children new to this country at our New American Welcome Center in the San Jose neighborhood.

Of course, not every gift on the tree is as big as a bike (although, given that we promote healthy living at the YMCA, we sure do love a good bike ride.) Any type of gift or support you can provide will go a long way into making Christmas special for someone. For most of the children, those items on the ornament is their Christmas list. We have more than 800 kids that we’re supporting this year through the Holiday Giving Tree and if we all help out a little, we can give each one of them the Christmas they deserve.

If you’d like to support local families through the Holiday Giving Tree, visit your local YMCA branch and look for the tree setup in the lobby. You can also donate through our website at fcymca.org/donate. Thank you for your support.

care

When you need care right away

Timely ER care is important — some types of care just can’t wait. Doctors and care teams at Ascension St. Vincent’s listen to quickly understand and care for your needs.

Our fully staffed ER is open 24/7 and is conveniently located at I-95 and CR210. And we’ll connect the dots to any follow-up care, including lab, imaging, follow-up specialty care and Ascension Rx or your preferred pharmacy.

Find your nearest Ascension ER at ascension.org/StJohnsFL

Ascension St. Vincent’s St. Johns County 205 Trinity Way, St. Johns, FL 32259

If you’re experiencing a life-threatening emergency, go directly to the ER or dial 911.

Wine Tips from the Sommeliér

by Steve Terrell, Sommeliér Uncorked Events

“most wonderful time of the year,” the wine lovers in the world start fretting about the perfect wine to pair with their holiday foods. Here are a few ideas to keep your palate happy and reduce your stress! Most of these wines can be purchased at wine retailers and shops.

Beaujolais is a classic wine pairing with turkey. The combination of tart red fruit flavors, elevated acidity, and balanced tannins (that finish smooth) pair really well with turkey. Try Jadot Beaujolais Villages or Debeaune Special Selection Beaujolais Villages 2020 for your turkey day!

Grenache is a versatile and exciting red wine! An explosion of cherries, dried cranberries, and raspberries with hints of cinnamon and clove mean you won't need cranberry sauce. Pair with smoked ham, grilled meats and vegetables. Garnacha from Calatayud offers insanely good value. Paso Robles Grenache will knock you off your feet. Schiava is a juicy powerhouse from Alto Adige in Italy. It has enough sourpower to cut through those dry turkey bites. Try Elena Walch Schiava, 2021.

For many wine lovers, the holidays would be incomplete without a delicious, fizzy sparkling wine. Uncork a bottle of Champagne or Prosecco to bring a sense of celebration to your dinner parties, wine tasting events and, of course, New Years’ Eve toasts. Pair with fish, meat, grilled vegetables, or appetizers.There are plenty of options available from the popular Veuve Cliquot to the relatively inexpensive Borrasca Prosecco.

Our family loves a good Viognier with our turkey or enjoy with appetizers. This white wine is typically rich and spicy with perfumed aromatics of apricot, and honeysuckle, and flavors of stone fruit such as peach, apricot, and pineapple. We love Viognier from Jefferson Vineyards in Virginia. A lush alternative is from Darioush in Napa, CA. You really can’t go wrong with either one!

Whatever you decide, just follow your taste buds! If you like any of these wine ideas, awesome. If your taste runs towards red, rosé, or white, drink one you love. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s wrong or a bad idea to drink what you love to drink. If it turns out that your choice this time isn’t your favorite, oh well… you learned something and you can always go back to the wine store for something else!

As you celebrate with friends and family, uncork a bottle, raise a glass, and appreciate all the good people and things in your life.

Happy Holidays from Uncorked Events!

Steve Terrell

Twas the Night Before Christmas at Bartram Dental Center

T’was the night before Christmas, no more services to render Not a creature was stirring at the Bartram Dental Center The patients’ teeth had been cleaned and taken good care Thankful that our amazing hygienists had been there

Our team went to their homes, and snuggled in their beds While visions of healthy patients danced in their heads My wife in her hoodie and I in my sweats We had just settled down to cuddle with our pet

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter I sprang from the couch to see what was the matter As I jumped in the air, I knocked off a big pillow And looked out the window to see Dr Barlow

“Dr Lewis”, he yelled, “We didn’t make the holiday calls!” Call the girls from office, gather them all When can send out one message, a video to boot, Our patients will smile, it will be such a hoot.

We all smiled and waved, and blew air kisses Then sent the video immediately so there would be no misses We wanted our patients to feel our genuine love There is no one we hold higher, no one above

As we left for the night, I gave my team a wink and a whistle We returned to our homes, left nothing but thistle The holiday lights, they twinkled so bright, As I yelled

“Merry Christmas, St Johns, and to all a Good Night!”

Bartram Dental Center BartramDental.com

Watch our video message

Dr. Jason Lewis & Dr. Royce Barlow

pets r family

Pets R Family is a full-service 11,000 square foot Veterinary Hospital nestled in a private and serene wildlife preserve. Family-owned and operated right here in St. John’s, we are NOT a corporate veterinary facility — no pre-designed packages or sales tactics here! We believe in treating all pets with love, care, and compassion. Our large team of doctors, technicians, and customer service members are at your service to provide you with the very best care and experience.

Masks are not mandatory at Pets R Family. Our entire facility is sanitized and air purified by the ActivePure® System.

Take advantage of 2-way texting, rewards, appointment scheduling, reminders, and more! Download the app to start earning rewards today!

by Dr. Deckard, DVM, Pets R Family

New Treatment for Osteoarthritis in Cats

In the United States, over 42 million people have a cat in their household compared with 63 million having at least 1 dog. Cats are very popular pets as they are generally lower maintenance than dogs, they have long life spans, and are very quiet (at least most of them). They are beautiful, smart, majestic animals that can be very smart and independent, but also snuggly and playful. Due to their dislike of travel, strange places and change in general, only 50% of cats make it to the veterinarian at least annually versus 80% of dogs. This makes them the least likely to get the newest, greatest advancement in treatments that are developed for pets that are species specific. Most new drugs, at least at first, are aimed at their counterpart, the dog.

The great news is that the latest advancement in treatment of osteoarthritis has been developed for our feline friends. Arthritis is generally underdiagnosed in cats. Nearly 40% of all cats have osteoarthritis with about 90% of cats older than 12 years of age being affected. Cats do not show the obvious signs of pain that dogs typically demonstrate and can live in varying levels of pain that can dramatically affect their quality of life. Signs of pain in cats can be vague such as slowing down, being less playful, and not jumping up on things, but can also be shown in other ways such as lack of grooming, urinating outside the litter box and being less social. Most cats are also more difficult to medicate orally

and tend to get more side effects from pain medications, making pet owners less inclined to consider long term treatment.

The great news is that the newest treatment for osteoarthritis in veterinary medicine is an injectable medication

injection increased with each subsequent injection and must be given monthly long term to continue to see pain relief. This treatment will greatly improve the quality of life for many of our feline friends.

This new treatment was just approved for use in the United States,but has been used in Europe for over a year with great success. Our hospital has it in stock and we are offering 2 cats to get 3 free injections one month apart. Anyone who thinks that their cat could benefit from this treatment can scan the QR code, fill out the questionnaire, and email your form to our hospital at reception@ petsrfamilyvet.com. Two winners will be selected from all the entries in a random drawing on January 2nd, 2023. The winners will be contacted, at which time an appointment will be made to have an exam by one of our veterinarians to determine if the injection would be beneficial for your cat. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions in regard to this product or the promotion.

called Solensia that lasts for an entire month and is made only for cats. It is a very specific drug aimed at the treatment of pain associated with osteoarthritis and is a monoclonal antibody that does not get processed through the liver or kidneys, making it very safe. The injection is given under the skin by your veterinarian and is not painful. 77% of pet owners in the studies reported improvement in their cat’s mobility during a 3 month period of using Solensia monthly. The benefits of the

Visit to learn more about Osteoarthritis in Cats