By Loretta Lynn Bell First Published by St. Johns Magazine September 2013 I must say upfront that I am filling in for my owner who usually does the writing. She has been gracious enough to let me write this month, so that the article would be more personal and authentic. Let me tell you, I was thrilled to find out there are so many places in St. Johns County for me to go and socialize with my peers. Not only are there special dog parks, made just for our enjoyment, but there are many other parks where we can also mingle with the public. Our first visit was to Veterans Park, which is on Veterans Parkway, so that makes it easy to remember and find. I get excited when I see the white fence and huge fountain because I know we’re almost there! This place has two sides; one for large dogs (I guess that’s me though I’m really medium sized and very fit), and one for the smaller dogs. With a total of three acres, there is room to romp and party! There is even a shelter with a picnic table if your owners want to sit and socialize with their own kind. On my recent visit on a Friday morning I met Cupid and Toby. Toby brings his owner, Cindy, to the park two or three times a week. We hit two parks on one Saturday and I was overjoyed! First was Trails for Tails in the Community Park at Nocatee. When we arrived there were lots of little kids in football uniforms. I was relieved to find out my owner had not signed me up for football! At the dog park across from the football fields there is a paved path that goes around a pond and our owners seem to like that. We dogs wander on and off the path. I met a shepherd named Major and siblings Happy and Bashful. And, no, they weren’t dwarves. We were on our way out when I spotted a familiar face. It was Ice Cream! I’d seen him at Veterans Park the day before! Our owners began to chat, so I got to hang out with him for a while. Next, we went down the road a short ride to Davis Park. It’s on Davis Park Blvd. (again, so easy to find). This one has a nice, big pond with a fountain in it and lots of dogs swimming and splashing around. I had a lot of fun playing with Ellie. We raced around together, down to the little wooden bridge and back. Her owner, Amanda, brings her there a lot, so I hope I get to see her again! I also met Lola, who is tiny but full of pep, and George, also tiny, who is kind of shy but seemed to be making friends. On another Friday morning, we traveled in St. Augustine to check out parks there. First we went to Joe Pomar Park on Masters Drive. This one has a special name: The Kids Care Canine Corral. There is a lot of space to run, with shade trees on one end and a gazebo on the other. The morning we arrived it was empty, but the grass had been freshly mown, so we decided to enjoy a few minutes there. Soon afterwards, Diego arrived so I had someone to run with. According to his owner he comes up there nearly every day. It was his owner that suggested we take a look at the pier/kayak launch and pointed the way. It was a spectacular view! The small creek there goes into the San Sebastian River. Our last visit was to Paws Dog Park (love the name!) inside the Treaty Park Complex. In this ¾ acre park there is a park for the small doggies and one for us “larger” dogs. Our side is way cooler, with several watering holes and a mock fire hydrant. There’s plenty of room to run around, plus there’s a shaded area with benches for owners. Here I met Samson, a handsome greyhound, who was there with his grandowner. By this time I was pretty tired, so we just exchanged pleasantries while our people talked about us. By the way, all my friendships are strictly platonic; my originals owners made sure of that. The rules in these places are pretty simple. We don’t need a leash once we’re inside the fenced area. Our owners must clean up after us, but, hey, that’s what owners are for, right? I’m so glad I live in such a dog-friendly county. And I can wait to hit the parks again!
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by Casey Chin, The Tutoring Club When I reflect back on my college days, I think about football and basketball games, sorority events, the countless hours spent hanging out in dining halls, and the joy I felt from being independent for the first time in my life. As much I loved my time in college, I am aware that a large 4-year university is not suitable for everyone. College education is expensive, and if a student is not socially or academically ready, the downfall could result in thousands of wasted dollars. I also firmly believe that education and training beyond high school is imperative! What are the options for those students who perhaps can’t afford a large University or struggled a bit in high school? I did some research and came across several great options for Florida students! These options allow for significant cost savings while offering the same experiences of large university living – it’s the best of both worlds!
The first option is offered through Tallahassee Community College (TCC). The programs offered by TCC are called TCC2FSU, TCC2FAMU, and TCC2UWF. Each respective program guarantees admission to Florida State University, Florida A & M University or University of West Florida after obtaining an AA from TCC through the Golden Guarantee Program. The exciting part is that TCC is located right next to FSU and close to FAMU and there are great housing options that allow TCC students to gain a full college experience! The housing complex is called Southgate Campus Center. It is located on FSU’s campus right next to sorority row and houses FSU and TCC students. It’s privately owned, but set up just like a regular dorm! It has a full dining hall and lots of social activities for students including monthly social gatherings and tailgating for FSU’s football games! Southgate does accept financial aid as a form of payment as well! You could save lots of money by attending a community college but still get the FSU college experience by staying at Southgate! North Florida not the place for you? Fly further south and check out a community college that offers on-campus housing - Florida has three! The first is Florida SouthWestern State College located in Ft. Myers, FL. FSWC offers on-campus housing with a dining hall, fitness center, Rec room with pool tables, basketball and volleyball courts, BBQ grills, etc., giving students a full college experience. Students can easily transfer to Florida Gulf Coast University (also located in Ft. Myers), or with an AA, all students are guaranteed admission to one of the 11 Florida state universities. However, it may not be the one of choice unless you go with a guaranteed program. The second community college that offers on-campus housing is Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, FL. HCC offers students apartment style housing in their Hawks Landing Complex. The apartments come fully furnished and include internet and cable, washer & dryer, fitness center, computer lab, game room, resort style pool, and 24 hour video surveillance for safety! The third community college that offers on-campus housing is Florida Keys Community College – that’s right – Florida Keys! The dorm, Lagoon Landing, features suite-style dorms, has many great amenities, and is situated so that every room has beautiful views of the water. If you are interested in Marine Science, this could be a perfect fit! With so many options available to students now, it almost seems silly to pay full price for 4 years of university tuition! For more information about these schools, or others please give me a call! 904-230-2855. ANCHORING YOUR FUTURE, CASEY APRIL 2ND LIVE MUSIC, FOOD, CRAFTS AND FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES Palencia Realty LLC, the marketing and sales arm of Hines’ master-planned community of Palencia in St. Johns County, will host the annual Palencia Market Street Festival on Saturday, April 2, featuring live music, crafts and family-friendly activities.
The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place on Market Street within the Palencia community located on U.S. 1 North at the intersection of International Golf Parkway. The main stage of the festival is at 605 Palencia Club Drive in St. Augustine, with adjacent streets lined with vendor booths offering arts and crafts, jewelry and food. Entertainment will include live music by Take Cover! and local dancers, gymnasts, craft and food vendors. For the kids, there will be bouncy houses, rock walls, bungee jumping, face painting, balloon artist, and plenty to see around Palencia’s bustling Village Center, the retail and activity hub of the community, just 20 minutes south of Jacksonville and five minutes north of historic St. Augustine. Proceeds from vendors’ fees will benefit The StarLight Project, a not-for-profit organization partnered with the Down Syndrome Association of Jacksonville that creates custom bedrooms for children in Jacksonville and St. Augustine with special needs. The StarLight Project was founded in 2011 by Craig, Cherie, Eden and Elle Sussman. They are committed to enhancing the lives of children with all types of special needs; Down Syndrome, Autism and Cerebral Palsy. Please visit their website at: www.thestarlightproject.com for more information on this deserving charity. About Palencia Located 10 miles north of St. Augustine in central St. Johns County, Palencia is a 1,450-acre master-planned community featuring attractive homes, family-friendly amenities and a town center set along the natural landscape of Florida’s Intracoastal Waterway. The community offers a variety of home styles, retail and office offerings and more than 33 acres of parks and open areas. A 40-acre Village Center contains an eclectic mix of shops and offices, as well as the Palencia Golf Clubhouse, swim facilities, tennis and fitness centers. An Arthur Hills-designed championship golf course is woven through Palencia’s coastal oaks with spectacular views of the Tolomato River. Palencia has been developed by Hines, a privately owned real estate firm involved in real estate investment, development and property management worldwide. More information about Palencia is available at www.VivaPalencia.com or by calling (904) 810-0500. by Chris Shee, Mastercraft Builder Group As the old saying goes, “The only thing constant in life is change.” That’s certainly the case for those of us that call St. Johns “home.” It seems impossible to drive anywhere around here for more than five minutes without seeing new development occurring. While the common uninformed naysayer is grumbling under their breath after reading that, if you take a good look at what’s going on here in our community and the bigger picture of how our area is shaping, it’s actually really exciting to see how many wonderful new changes are coming our way. 9B / 2209 Extension If you’ve driven along the areas of St. Johns Parkway (2209) and Race Track Road over the last couple months, you’ve seen many trees being cleared over a very long swath of land. What you’re seeing is the new 2209 extension that will run from 210 through the Durbin Creek National property (see map) and connect to I-95, 9B, and 295. It’s part of the same roadway construction you see from I-95 just south of Old St. Augustine Road. Once Silverleaf begins development, you’ll see 2209 continue south of 210 crossing through the new Outer Beltway (which creates another connection to I-95) and connecting to 16 at 16A. As the major north/south corridor for our part of the county, 2209 will provide relief to many of the bottlenecks we’ve become so used to hating. St. Johns’ Town Center…and not the one you’re thinking If you remember the article I wrote last year, you’ll remember me mentioning these new roadways on the horizon and how 2209 will tie into the Durbin Creek National property, which will be “our ‘St. Johns’ town center.” Durbin Lakes, the name of this exciting new development, is expected to break ground on Phase 1 in early 2017 and will eventually bring a total of 2.4 million square feet of retail, 2.8 million square feet of office, 350 hotel rooms, and nearly 1,000 multifamily homes. Durbin Lakes will provide wonderful new opportunities for us to shop, dine, work, and even live right here in our own backyard. It will also provide a nice boost in property tax revenues and hopefully help St. Johns County gain some much needed employment centers. Real Estate It doesn’t seem that long ago that “real estate” was a bad word. As we all know, location will always be the most important variable influencing the value of real estate. Being in the best location is always the safest place to weather the economic cycles affecting real estate. I don’t know about you, but there’s not a better place to live in my opinion than St. Johns County. As one of the fastest growing counties in the nation, I’m not the only one to share this opinion and it shows. The supply of homes for sale in our market is ridiculously low, even causing bidding wars in some instances. Values are and have been on the rise for a few years due to both the higher demand and lack of supply. Homeowners are able to sell their homes quickly and for great prices. Magnificent new communities like Shearwater (see map) are developing and not only welcoming new homeowners to St. Johns County, but also welcoming large numbers of neighbors that are selling their older homes in the 210 and Julington areas to move into a new home with the latest and greatest in design, energy efficiency, community amenities, etc.—but the important point is that they (you) are staying right here. by Lori King-Kocsis “My great pleasure is the marking of special occasions with my clients. We brainstorm and sketch ideas that can only spark from the creative collaboration of craftsman and patron. And then I bring those visions into the reality of precious metals and gems. It doesn’t get much better than that. “ ~Joel Bagnal, Goldsmith
Entering the quaint workshop which doubles as a storefront on historic Aviles Street in St. Augsutine, one finds exquisite works of art made of sterling silver and real gold beneath the glass cases. Each piece is unique unto itself and was created by the Master Jeweler who owns the shop, Joel Bagnal. Bagnal has been bringing quality craftsmanship to St. Augustine’s locals and visitors since 2001. A Business is Born It all began with his love of design and art. Bagnal graduated from Stetson University with a Major in Art. Stetson was followed by a Master of Education from Boston University and a Master of Fine Arts in Metalsmithing from the University of Georgia. It was after Bagnal received the National Endownment for the Arts Craftsmen’s Grant, at Cedar Crest College, Allentown, PA., that he left teaching and opened his first shop in Wellesley, MA in 1978. He began offering distinctively handmade designs in gold and silver, commemorating marriages, partnerships, and any special occasion or relationship with collaboratively designed objects of adornment. Romeo, Romeo…. What are Joel’s most romantic or favorite pieces? He couldn’t say just one individual piece. The pieces he enjoys the most are wedding rings. Working with clients to custom design their wedding rings has become his specialty. It’s no wonder that wedding rings are Bagnal’s specialty. He recalls a romantic story about the first time he met his wife-to-be, Nancy “Hookey” Hamilton, a prominent St. Augustine photographer. He was staying in an apartment in Old Town when, one night, as he sat on his balcony enjoying a nightcap, a woman appeared directly across from him, on her balcony. Conversation ensued and the rest is history. The Cedar Crest College Mace A Mace is a large rod with ancient origins symbolizing authority. Bagnal was commissioned to create a Mace for Cedar Crest College as the gift of the senior class of ‘73 to honor the faculty. The ceremonial academic mace was made in silver and rosewood during over 300 hours of work at his bench. A Collaborative Approach “The design chemistry between jewelry designer and client is the creative breath that brings the piece to life. With PDFs and JPEGs, I routinely scan my color originals and email them anywhere. So, with the combination of a very old discipline and very new technology, we are not bound by geography.” Bagnal provides progress shots of each stage of the creative process provided to the client and expert advice in diamonds and gemstones. Joel Bagnal is at heart an artist with an eye for beauty, depth and history. Just like the stunning landscapes and photography by local artists that adorn the walls of his shop/workshop, his art is representative of something unique and special that has evolved in St. Augustine over many years, and is a gift to our community. Hines, the international real estate firm, announced today that award-winning builders have broken ground on the first of six new model homes at Markland, its signature, master-planned community in St. Johns County, FL. The home builders for this community will include Arthur Rutenberg Homes, Cottage Home Company, Riverside Homes, Providence Homes, Drees Homes, and Dream Finders Homes. These six builders are all privately owned and have consistently operated with the highest levels of customer service. Buyers will be able to select from a diverse, yet complementary offering of architectural styles and floor plans. Initial home pricing will range from the $300K’s to over $600K with numerous home plan options by multiple builders available at each price point. “From our experience at Palencia, we know that buyers respond well to choice and value a commitment to quality from their home builder as well as the community developer,” noted Hines managing director, Walter O’Shea. The six spectacular model homes will open in March and the first offering of inventory homes will be completed in the second quarter of this year.
At Markland, the Hines’ design and development team has developed a community theme that will pay homage to the 19th century classic architectural styles of the grand homes of St. Augustine. The Markland Manor House, the amenity centerpiece of the community, will be designed in a classic, Greek Revival style and will be accompanied by formal gardens linking indoor and outdoor spaces at the amenity center and then meandering out into the community through a trail and park network. Formal landscape themes will also accent the classic architectural detailing of the community’s homes to create a distinct and elegant new home community. Markland will provide residents with resort-quality amenities including a zero-entry pool framed by lush landscaping, cabanas and pergolas, a fitness center and yoga studio, a gathering and entertainment room, tennis courts, an innovative explorer dome playground, and an interconnected network of neighborhood parks. Additional information regarding Markland can be obtained by visiting and registering at the community website, www.markland.com or calling (904) 513-5740. Hines is one of the largest and most-respected real estate organizations in the world. Visit www.hines.com for more information. by Casey Chin, Local Admissions Expert from The Tutoring Club If you’ve got a student who is currently a senior in high school and has been applying for college admissions for the past few months, you’ve probably heard of the FAFSA form! What is FAFSA? FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA is a form that should be completed sometime between January and early March and is used to determine the amount of money each family is expected to contribute towards college fees. Additionally, the results of the FAFSA are used in determining awards for certain scholarships, grants, work study opportunities, and loan amounts. Completed FAFSA forms are typically due to the schools by March 15th, but awards are given out on a first-come, first-serve basis which is why I suggest submitting the form in January! Tax returns are helpful to complete the form because the FAFSA questions will refer to specific lines on your most recent tax return, but do not have to be finalized – estimated amounts can be used for the initial form. Many families choose to opt out of completing the form because it can be a long process, and they don’t think they will qualify for aid from the government. However, it is my opinion from personal experience as a former Scholarship Coordinator at a university that ALL families should complete the FAFSA. Academic Administration use the information on the FAFSA forms to award their own scholarships and grants and the criteria for “need-based” could be different at the university level than what is required by the federal government. Before completing your FAFSA form, contact a financial advisor with college planning experience to discuss asset management in order to maximize your full eligibility potential for federal aid. If you are not familiar with the FAFSA form, or if your advisor has not offered assistance in this area, contact Chris Morrison with Investment Management Group. His knowledge and expertise in the financial business can help guide you through the steps of the FAFSA and beyond with additional financial college planning assistance. The entire college planning and financial aid process can be very overwhelming! Taking it step-by-step will help alleviate some of the stress! If you have any questions or need additional help, please be sure to consult with a college planning specialist or guidance counselor. Step by step:
by Nancy Cohen What is a chakra? The word chakra comes from Sanskrit meaning : “spinning wheel”. In a sense it explains the meaning of the role of the chakras - rotating energy centers of incoming and outgoing energy. They continually receive and transmit energy and other information from the different parts of your body. During February, the month of love, we focus on our hearts, love and feelings of caring and warmth. Why not learn how to open our heart chakras and bring ourselves into harmony? The Heart Chakra sits between the breasts. It is the center of your enlightened consciousness and connects yourself to all of the gateways of your other energy bodies (physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies). By opening the heart chakra you connect more fully with your divine essence and hold your heart open to all that is. It is through your heart chakra that you may connect with the heart of your soul and have a more expansive and fulfilling relationship with yourself and others. When open and activated, the heart chakra is the chalice of your joy. You see and hear people through the loving nature of your heart gateway. When your heart chakra is closed you will hear others through judgement and fear. It is your heart chakra that assists you to open to receive unconditional love and share that with others as well as the rest of your physical body and other chakras. When your heart chakra is closed or out of balance you might experience heart ailments, breathing issues, blood pressure issues, fear, inability to love or unable to love nourish and support the self. When this chakra is balanced you can experience peace, harmony and love. Try the following activities daily and keep your heart open to love!
YOU & YOUR HONEY.... in St. Johns... enjoy our list of ideas!
By Darren Rosenbaum
Every time I’m in St. Augustine, I travel through time. Whether I’m visiting the Castillo, walking by the Bridge of Lions, the Government House or a Flagler hotel, every corner of the ‘Ancient City’ seems alive with history. I didn’t think it could get any better than that until I met Philip McDaniel, co-founder and CEO of the St. Augustine Distillery since it opened for business in 2014. Located about ¼ mile south of the intersection of King and Riberia Streets, the St. Augustine Distillery has become ‘the’ favorite place for visitors near and far, even ranking #1 on TripAdvisor.com! As a business, destination and museum, a visit to the St. Augustine Distillery is certainly memorable. Upon arrival, guests are asked if they’d like to be part of the tour, which begins at the museum. In a nod to history, each guest stamps their own time card as if they were laborers clocking in for a shift early in the 20th century! As you enter, prepare to be surrounded by local history with a contemporary, eco-friendly twist. Lining the walls are pictures of the Distillery circa 1917, as a plant that produced 300 lb. ice blocks from ‘brine water’ for delivery to local eateries and Flagler’s hotels! As you walk the room, it’s hard not to gaze at the period memorabilia filling the glass topped display cases. Explanations of the distilling process abound as well. Whether it’s the importance of ‘head, heart and tail’, how humidity plays a role in ‘seasoning’ the barrel’s oak staves or how sugar, yeast, nutrients and other variables play a critical role in fermenting and distilling fine spirits, learning has never been so enjoyable! Just before the tour heads into the production area, focus your attention on the south wall. That’s where you’ll see numerous sign boards detailing the role the St. Augustine Distillery plays in the local economy. While Philip believes the St. Augustine Distillery will be the Southeast’s premier distiller within 18 months, that kind of expansion doesn’t worry him. ‘As we grow, we will work with our farming partners, vendors, environmental engineers to solve whatever challenges we face.’ That said, he’s justifiably proud of the local crops used in the distillation process. Not only does it create and sustain local jobs and job growth, but by ‘recycling dollars’ through the purchase of locally made products, ‘the revenues and proceeds remain in the local economy’. This promotes an eco-friendly footprint as ‘locally made products require less transportation’ and ‘helps keep our little piece of the world just a bit cleaner and greener’. In fact, almost nothing in the distillation process goes to waste as even the spent grains from the mashing process are available to local farmers as feed for cattle. As we entered the production area, Philip explained how grains, sugar cane and other raw materials are transformed into rum, gin, vodka and whisky. Along with some trial and error, distilling spirits involves mashing, boiling, reading hydrometers, condensing and separating product from ‘co-product’, in other words, chemistry. In fact, as Philip discussed formulas, percentages and proof, I felt like I was back in 11th grade, struggling to keep up in Chemistry class! His interest and knowledge seemed infinite but even he admitted it was complicated and requires the employ of an experienced head distiller. For me though, standing next to the beautiful copper Vendome stills, one a 750 gallon pot still for mashing and the other a 500 gallon spirit still for bourbon, rum and vodka, made my day. Nearly 20 ft. tall, these industrial works of art were custom built for the Distillery and, at full production, allow for bottling up to 120 cases per day! It’s after distillation that certain variables play a role in how a fine bourbon or rum will taste. According to Philip, the type of oak used, the amount of charring and even the size of the barrel account for up to ’60-70% of the taste of a whisky’. Currently, the Distillery has ‘batch’ produced four distinct rums as part of their Discovery Series and is nearly done aging their first batch of whisky, which should be ready summer or fall of 2016. It’s clear that the ‘Ancient City’ has another gem to add to its list of wonders. Not only have Philip McDaniel and the staff at the St. Augustine Distillery transformed a forgotten part of town, they have created a thriving business with a great future. Stop by soon to see history come alive. |
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