Summer is definitely in the air! I can feel it when I step outside and get blasted by the heat!  I can really feel it in my children’s behavior. Not to mention, my sweet kindergartner counting down the days until she can officially say she’s a first grader! If you are like me, then all of these signs are pointing us in the direction to figure out what to do with our kids over the summer break. The weekends are full of pool parties and beach trips, but the weeks need to be filled with fun, too!

An option I looked into that is open to St. Augustine residents is camp at Turning Point Children’s Academy. Each week is a different theme. Children will learn about the desert, space, weather, rainforest, etc. Each week also includes Bible lessons, water play, art and other fun activities. Turning Point offers flexibility. Drop off begins at 7:30 a.m. and pick up is by 6 p.m. The cost is $140/week. Call Ms. Carole at 904.824.0477 for more information.

Florida Get Fit is known for helping women, men and children get in shape through boot camp, body sculpting, kick boxing and conditioning. Help your children stay fit through the summer by taking advantage of the many camps they offer. Florida Get Fit is offering football conditioning, gymnastics, tumbling, cheer and baseball camps. Most of the camps are $75-$85 per week; from 9 a.m. to noon. Baseball is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for $175 per week. This is a great way to help your child to be in the best shape possible when school and sports start in the fall.

Our Lady of Good Counsel is doing Vacation Bible School from July 11-15th on SR 16. Camp is from 9-12. The cost is $15 for Parishioners and $25 for non-Parishioners. My daughters did it last year and had so much fun. Contact Amy Sue Long at 599-3080 or aslong99@hotmail.com if you want to sign your children up!!! At the end of the week the children put on a performance. It was soooo incredibly cute. All the children received copies of the music they performed to. They made picture frames and gave the parents pictures of themselves in their camp tshirts.

Another great option for World Golf Village residents is camp at the Swim & Tennis Center. Camp is offered through the summer. The cost is $99/ week from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Go to www.wgvsocial.com for more info.

If your children are into horses, Haven House Ranch has camp for children ages 6-17 to spend the summer hands on with the horses, learning general care, tracking and riding. There are 3 different levels. General camp is for anyone. Bible camp includes life lessons. Advanced camp is for experienced riders. Rates vary but start at $225. Contact www.havenhorseranch.org or call 813.5710 for more info.

If you know of a camp in the WGV area, please post a link on our Neighborhoods of World Golf Village Facebook page.

Native Floridian Craig Hartwig knows a thing or two about Florida landscaping. His company North Florida Landscape has been in business since 1962 and he opened The Grounds Guys franchise in March of this year.  To appreciate Hartwig’s handiwork, check out some of the common areas in World Golf Village and The King & Bear.  Hartwig’s team worked with Davidson Development’s Rick Pariani to implement a rustic pastoral design featuring columns of trees and foliage placement to create natural corridors and framed views in the award winning Jacksonville golf course community. He’s also the “go to” guy for many of the best yards in The Neighborhoods of World Golf Village and neighboring golf course communities.

Here’s what we learned recently when we talked with Craig Hartwig.

Your businesses include North Florida Landscape & The Grounds Guys.  What kinds of services does each offer?
North Florida Landscape offers landscape design and installation of new construction, renovations and existing landscapes in Jacksonville, St. Augustine and throughout North Florida. The Grounds Guys, a national franchise, provides landscape management and maintenance, and we service the World Golf Village and northwest St. Johns County areas exclusively.
 
How long have you been in business?
North Florida Landscape has been in business since 1962. My whole family was born and raised in Florida and we’ve been in the Jacksonville area since the late 50’s.  I worked on the landscape and irrigation infrastructure for World Golf Village back when it all began and I fell in love with the area.  My family and I decided to make the area our home and we still love it here.

We opened The Grounds Guys franchise in March 2011 and we’re excited about this new concept in grounds maintenance – providing top-notch professional service with quality controls and state-of-the-art technology.
 
What trends are you seeing in landscaping in our area?
Both nationally and here in Jacksonville and St. Augustine, there is a movement toward more native types of material and less water use. Along these same lines, we’re also seeing a trend towards larger planting areas and less lawn. 

Environmentally friendly pest control is not a new trend but it’s a technology that has vast improved recently and is a very effective option for Jacksonville and St. Augustine homes.  We’re using some products that are organic ground up plant materials which are natural bug repellents – they are a lot safer for the homeowner and the community.

Photo Courtesy of Kirk Chamberlain Studio

A high-functioning office space is equal parts science and style.  Whether it’s 8,000 square feet or 80,000 square feet, commercial space should help employees work efficiently and comfortably, be inviting to clients, reflect the corporate image and be flexible for future growth or business changes. To learn more, we talked with Connie Turner, a leading commercial interior designer based in Jacksonville who recently completed major corporate projects for Adecco and Rayonier and has worked as a consultant on more than 10 airport design projects around the country.

What’s the scope of commercial interior design?
In my practice, it can mean a soup-to-nuts build out where I create the space plan, present CAD drafted floor plans and elevations, develop construction documents and get city approvals, create the furniture plan, present color palette selections, supervise the build-out and deliver a move-in space.  Or, I often work as a consultant alongside building managers, architects, construction managers and other professionals to provide space planning and design.

Do only large corporations need professional design services?
Actually, I work with both medium and large companies – any business that’s looking to maximize its space and ensure it’s going to work well for their specific needs.  I’ve done spaces as small as 1,500 square feet and as large as 150,000 square feet.

When should a company seek your help?
Occasionally I help companies rethink their existing space and rework it to better meet their needs and update the design.  More and more, companies come to me very early in the process – when they are outgrowing space or they are thinking about moving for better lease rates.  I help them determine their “shopping number” – the amount of square footage they need to meet their current requirements and ensure they have room to grow. 

In the case of Davidson Realty, I worked with them very early on which was a unique opportunity because we actually developed a space plan that the building was then designed around.  Jim and Sherry Davidson wanted to rethink typical work cubicles and create a space where both clients and employees would feel “at home”. The result was this residential inspired U-shaped space with several small “living rooms” where clients could meet with agents or builders in a relaxed, inviting environment.  The courtyard at Davidson was Rick Pariani’s inspiration and is a real standout – it extends the building’s public space, reflects the residential feel, marries the outdoors with the interior space and epitomizes the quality lifestyle inherent in The Neighborhoods of World Golf Village where Davidson Realty makes its home.

At the gateway to our St. Augustine golf course community there is a remarkable property – amazingly, still available. The parcel, #8.1, is 4.31 acres in size, located at the terminus of Town Center Court. Featuring three sides interfaced with forested, high-quality Conservation Lands, the parcel offers a beautifully serene environment for most any office use.

I encourage you to imagine what it would be like to have this premier location for your business. The arrival to your building starts with the tailored and manicured entranceway to World Golf Village, just off of the very-safe-and-easy-to-negotiate World Golf Village I95 Interchange (Exit 323).  At the intersection of International Golf Parkway and WGV Boulevard your arrival sequence unfolds with magnificent vistas over the #3 Fairway of the Slammer & Squire Golf Course. Turning into the Village, you proceed over the signature, stone-clad and illuminated arrival bridge. You then immediately encounter the graceful, shady canopies of the street tree Live Oaks framing WGV Boulevard. You follow the ingenious, unified signage designs that help direct and clarify your path. In a moment, you arrive at the first right turn into East Town Center. Continuing between the Double Eagle Building and the landmark, arts and crafts inspired, Davidson Realty Building, you turn onto Town Center Court, which leads you directly into your private realm.

Thor, the latest Marvel Comics film, is an experience like no other at the World Golf Village IMAX! From the picture clarity and definition to the 28,000 watts of sound, you will feel like you are taking part in Thor’s exile to Earth and triumphant return!

The action sequences in this movie are unmatched on our IMAX’s 60 ft by 80 ft wide screen! Imagine watching Chris Hemsworth take on the Frost Giants on a 6 story high screen! You will be so captivated you won’t even care what you look like in those silly 3D glasses.

Thor is only one of five movies playing at the World Golf IMAX right now, so if Thor isn’t for you, then be sure to check out Born to be Wild 3D, The Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D, Under the Sea 3D, or Hubble 3D! Also, you can buy your tickets in advance right now for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides an IMAX 3D Experience, which opens May 20th! See all the films coming up here: http://worldgolfimax.com/coming_soon.php

Have you heard of the IMAX Annual Pass Programs? There are two great options to get your fill of great movies, priority seating, awesome snacks, and fun on the 18 hole putting course – The Power Pass is $69 and the Discovery Pass is just $39! Read more here: http://worldgolfimax.com/movie_club.php

So, come watch Thor on the largest IMAX Digital 3D screen in the Southeastern United States! Experience the highest possible definition on a great film!

Betsy Wilson and her husband, Bryan, live in WildWood with their two “children” – Bandit who is a Jack Russell and Cicero who is their cat. They moved to our St. Augustine golf course community earlier this year from Tampa. We are pleased to have Betsy in the WGV Resident Spotlight this month. Meet Betsy!
 
1.Who has inspired you as a mentor and why?
 
My mother. She was a woman before her time.

2.Where would you most like to travel?
 
South Africa. To be one with nature would be incredible.

3. Which language would you like to speak fluently?
 
French. It sounds so romantic.
 
4.What does your perfect day look like?
 
Sitting on the beach with a good book.

5. Do you believe in coincidence or synchronicity?
 
Life is 1/3 WHO you know, 1/3 WHAT you know and 1/3 WHEN you know it.