While most of the country is experiencing frigid temperatures, wearing long-johns and sipping on something hot to warm them up, we in Northeast Florida are experiencing some spring-like weather and the fishing reports are screaming the news that the speckled perch are beginning to spawn in the beautiful brackish water of the St. Johns River.  What a great place to live!  Being a resident of St. Augustine, FL, you have access to the St. Johns River, which is the only river that flows north, the Intracoastal Waterway, and the Atlantic Ocean.  All are a quick and enjoyable destination when planning your day on the water.

Don’t get me wrong Gentlemen, it is nice to have a guy to go fishing with, especially when it is time to take that big fish off the hook, but girl’s can fish too!  As a matter of fact, there is a Women’s Fishing Clinic scheduled for March 19th in Jacksonville, FL.  I plan on heading out so that I can get some pointers for my next fishing excursion and of course, I plan on taking my new Penn rod and reel.  You can get all the details on the clinic, along with all the latest fishing tips, on Jim Sutton’s Fishing Report located @ Jacksonville.com.

For all of those people who have had enough of winter, put down your snow shovels and take a look at this homesite in the prestigious King & Bear neighborhood in our St. Augustine golf course community.  I have to tell you, this is the first time I’ve done a short video (well that I know anyway!) and the more I talked about its wonderful features – the more I realized – how much of a gem it really is! 

The pie shaped size for one thing (almost a full half acre in size) allows so much flexibility in the type of house that can be built and how it can be oriented to take in those beautiful views of the King & Bear fairways.  Imagine yourself with a nice glass of wine or a cold beer sitting on your upstairs balcony, in front of the exquisite oval landscaped cul-de-sac  watching the sun go down over the last remaining golfers of the day;  or sitting in your private and secure back garden with your guests,  surrounded by a full 220 feet of conservation along the rear.  Either scenario is one of the reasons why the lucky person who buys this lot is going to enjoy year round outdoor activities and be the envy of their friends!  So put those Uggs away for good and come and experience how you can live life to the fullest with your new home on a St. Augustine golf course lot.

This spectacular lot is priced at $119,000. Check out the St. Augustine homesite video!

It is true, December 2010 went down as the coldest December on record in many parts of Florida – at least according to some of the weather experts and as reported by a host of weather-celebrities vying to be the next Wolf Blitzer or Anderson Cooper. Evidence abounds in everyone’s garden – massive amounts of winter-burn and die-back has occurred in both ornamental and foundation plantings. Folks have had to pour hot water over their windshields a few early mornings for de-icing and actually wear their coats to work, in their cars, no less. But – if truth be told – the episodes are very short lived and interspersed with beautiful blue sky days with the freshest air anyone could breathe – perfect for enjoying the out-of-doors.

I actually like winter – but definitely on my own terms – not on a daily basis. My daughter works in Manhattan and has had to experience severe ice, snow and winter-wind events – some of the worst on record in New York City. In fact, the New York / New England winter of ‘10/’11 may yet go down as the most fierce on record. Allison wrote the other day to say that when she stepped outside in the morning to walk her 5 blocks to the subway station it was 5 degrees outside. She says that one of the most difficult things to traverse is each street intersection and pedestrian crossing – because it is sometimes impossible to tell how deep or liquid the standing slush is up against the curb (you want it to be more solid to support your steps and to stay dry). The occurrence of black ice is another worrisome hazard. Dressing for the day requires many layers – which have to be adjusted each time she ventures out or returns inside. Using the subway system, as most folks do in Manhattan, means bundling up for the walk – then sitting damp and wet (from the snow, ice and sludge) inside of over-heated train-cars. Once everyone piles in – the cars get all fogged up. People leave all of their coats, layers, gloves and hats on since they have to depart back out into the cold for the next walk to their destination. When you re-enter a heated building you have to immediately take off all the winter gear – only to discover that your internal layers are damp with sweat and now you are cold again. It is almost impossible to regulate your body temperature and ward off colds and the flu. Yes, on a daily basis, winter can be a real drag.

I think all of us who live in the World Golf Village area are already a little spoiled having more than 80 outlet stores less than 10 minutes away!  But who doesn’t want to spoil loved ones at least a little bit on the sweetest day of the year?  Between the “mall shops” at St. Augustine Premium Outlets on the west side of I-95 and the higher end designer Prime Outlets on the east side, there are countless ways you can show the love this Valentine’s Day without breaking the bank.  Here are a few of our favorite gift ideas for all your sweethearts from the St. Augustine Premium and Prime Outlets:

For your man: A comfy pair of cotton boxer shorts from J. Crew, in an amusing print (red with white polar bears, for example) or conservative plaid is an affordable choice.  Or, if you’re ready to splurge, a pair of high-quality headphones from Bose will make his heart (and ears) sing.

For your lady: Bling of course! Saks OFF 5th has choices for every budget, from fine designer jewelry, such as David Yurman, to beautiful faux selections and sparkly crystal accessories by Swarovoski.  Or you could surprise her with a stunning diamond pendant or diamond tennis bracelet from Ultra Diamonds and watch her jaw drop.

For your young man: For the little guys, check out Book Warehouse for books or Calendar Club & Go Games for sure-to-please toys like a magic kit, board games, rockets and airplanes. You’ll find on trend baseball caps at Aeropostale and skater tees at Vans for the older boys.

For your little princess: Young girls will love pj’s from the Disney Store or a Valentine’s Webkinz from Justice.  For older girls, check out the accessories at Claire’s or grab a cute scarf or bag at Guess Factory or Gap.

This year with Valentine’s Day falling on a Monday it gives you more options to plan a wonderful evening or even a weekend. No longer are you tied to just that one day, you can have the weekend before or the weekend after to truly enjoy each other’s company. So today we’ve selected a wonderful restaurant and inn to make this Valentine’s Day the best one in years.

Take a trip down the old cobblestone streets and venture into the Old World that is St. Augustine proper. Allow yourselves to enjoy the historic beauty that awaits you around every corner. The place we suggest this year is the Old City House Inn and Restaurant.  They are located at 115 Cordova Street, St. Augustine FL 32084. Old City House has many awards to their credit all of their accomplishments and full menus can be found at their website www.oldcityhouse.com

Spend a few evenings here and wake up to a breakfast that is near unbeatable in St. Augustine. The breakfast menu includes such treasures as stuffed French toast, Belgian waffles and my personal favorite the Southern Benedict. Pick a table inside or if the weather is nice sit outside and enjoy a beautiful view of the Alcazar Hotel.

If you’re more of an evening person then this is still the place for you. Enjoy award winning soups and chowders as you prepare yourself for a menu that includes duck and lamb, as well as ever changing specials. However, to really take it over the top, I suggest a little planning ahead. With a little planning you can make the dinner continue past the table. Steal away from your partner for a second during the day and make your way over to the bay front where the horse carriages are staged. Pick the horse and carriage you like and approach the driver. After a quick talk let them know what restaurant you will be at and pick a time for them to pick you up. Imagine your partner’s surprise when you walk out the doors and there is a horse drawn carriage waiting at the end of the walkway to carry you into the moonlight.

We hope you have the best Valentine’s Day whichever day you celebrate!

Three of my friends and I decided to spend the day in historic St. Augustine. Originally, our idea was to spend the day like a tourist might. So often people take the attractions of their home town for granted and simply don’t appreciate them. We were determined not to let that happen! So, our plan was to visit Potter’s Wax Museum, Castillo de San Marcos, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, the Fountain of Youth, and St. George’s Street. There really are so many fun places to visit within 15 minutes of our St. Augustine golf course community!
 
We met in front of a historic hotel on the bay front. Within five minutes, one of my friends suggested we stop for a glass of champagne. Since we were acting like we were on vacation, it sounded like a great idea! And it was. We sipped champagne in a beautiful courtyard and enjoyed the warm Florida sunshine. Our conversation turned to a quaint little street not far from where we were that was home to local art galleries and boutiques. We decided just to peek in a few before heading to the attractions.
 
After a couple of wonderful hours aimlessly wandering in and out of the shops, we were starving. So we decided to have a late lunch on the balcony of A1A Ale Works, which overlooks the bay. We chatted about all the fine art and fun trinkets we had found. We considered going to the attractions right after lunch, but we were having so much fun, we decided to let the day continue on haphazardly.
 
After lunch, we wandered throughout Old Town admiring the architecture and courtyards. We even stumbled upon the Oldest House! Then, we headed back towards King Street and wandered through some of the larger art galleries. We ended the day with another glass of wine in yet another quaint courtyard. Although we didn’t see a single attraction, I would encourage tourists to spend one of their vacations days in St. Augustine just the way we did! To see more about our day in St. Augustine, view the video blog!

The World Golf Hall of Fame IMAX just re-opened.  The theater upgrades include a new digital 3D projection system, state-of-the-art sound system and a new screen. The screen is actually the largest IMAX digital 3D screen in the Southeast.  One of the perks of working for Davidson Realty was being invited to the private opening last Thursday night for World Golf Village employees. I interviewed a few of our Jacksonville Realtors to see what their experience was.

Pauline and Woody Cake made a family night out the event. In her own words, she said “We went to the NEW 3D IMAX experience and I thought it was awesome before…….but WOW, it is even more AMAZING now.  It was really funny to see our boys’ hands waving at the screen as if they were trying to touch the fish and the sharks as they were swimming around in the ocean.  “The Ultimate Wave” which was filmed in Tahiti, gave a great story of Kelly Slater, a pro-surfer who holds his 10 yr title as the youngest and oldest world champion surfer. He and his friends travel to the French Polynesian Island to meet their friend and surf guide and showcase their passion to ride the biggest waves in the world.  The film was enjoyable, but we all agreed that any film on the 3D IMAX screen would be epic!”

One of the perks of my job is that I get to do “research” at places I write about and this time it is the awesome neighborhood shopping destination: PGA TOUR Stop at World Golf Village.  I’m not a golfer but the TOUR Stop is like having a boutique department store around the corner, complete with men’s women’s and kid’s departments.  In other words, there’s a variety of stuff here whether you golf or not. The Tour Stop is located just a few steps down from the Renaissance Resort and Caddyshack Restaurant in World Golf Village.  And it’s huge. According to Vice President, General Manager Tom Carberry, “PGA TOUR Stop is the biggest golf store in Florida.”

For golfers, the TOUR Stop is nothing short of a mecca.  There’s a huge equipment department featuring the latest and greatest golf clubs.  Knowledgeable staff help golfers find the perfect club to improve their game. In fact, golfers will want to mark their calendars for the TOUR Stop’s Spring Demo Day on March 26th at the Slammer & Squire golf range.  Golfers can try out a variety of clubs – more than 15 vendors will be on site to answer questions and special pricing will be offered.  Customers who pre-register either on the website or in person at the store will be eligible to win one of the 50 $50 gift cards to the TOUR Stop!

Each month we introduce you to a resident of our St. Augustine golf course community. This month, we are introducing you to Rick Rawald. He is the President of Sysco Jacksonville. (Sysco is the largest food service distribution company in the United States.) Rick lives with his wife, Robin, and their two Persian cats, Bebe and Brandie, in the King & Bear. Their relocation to St. Augustine from Orlando about 10 months ago brought them closer to their daughter, Kim, and their two beautiful grandchildren, Dane who is 23 months and Kendall who is 11 weeks old. They also have a son, Doug, who is engaged to be married and is a lawyer working for the Pentagon after serving our country as a Jag in the Air Force. Meet Rick!

1. What’s your proudest accomplishment?

I am proud of the fact that I have been able to watch my children grow into adults and recognize the important things in life through the influence of my wife while watching over a 300 million dollar company.
 
2. What song evokes the strongest memories for you?

 America the Beautiful. When I hear this song it reminds me of my deceased father whose patriotism was second to none.
 
3. What’s the most beautiful place you’ve ever seen? 

The breaking waves on the Saint Lucia shoreline.
 
4. What’s your favorite movie?

West Side Story due to the fact that I had a role in the movie riding a bike through the park setting the scene for the movie at age 7.
 
5. Where did you go on your last vacation?

Las Vegas at the M resort off of the congestion of the Vegas strip.

Dorothy had it right when she said “There’s no place like home” and that’s how I feel every time I pull into my driveway in Turnberry at World Golf Village!  The ambiance of the neighborhood is a perfect mix between country living and city charm. 

Purchasing a home is a very difficult decision to make.  There are certain criteria, which come into play when you pick the location and type of residence that is perfect for you.  I made the decision to purchase in Turnberry five years ago and am extremely happy to be located in a beautiful Florida golf course community between the cities of St. Augustine and Jacksonville – and bordered by some of the east coast’s prettiest shorelines.

I was recently asked to do a video describing the top five reasons why I chose to call World Golf Village home and I had a great time doing so with friends Dottie Lay and Alayna Oram.  We began our journey at the entrance of Turnberry to do the introduction to the video. A thoughtful neighbor stopped when he saw our car parked beside the road with its flashers on and wanted to know if we needed help.  That’s just the kind of neighborhood it is! From there we moved over to Royal Pines to visit Dottie’s home. Then, we climbed into a golf cart and rode down to Caddyshack for a glass of wine and dinner. 

The great thing about living in Turnberry at World Golf Village is that it is almost as simple as clicking your heels together to return home after a fun day or evening out! Hope you enjoy the video!