There are many wonderful things about living in The Neighborhoods of World Golf Village. Some you can find in many prestigious golf course communities – but most you can only find in WGV! Here are my top 5 favorite things:

5. Even though I don’t play golf, I love riding around in the golf cart watching my friends play…especially when they are playing the back nine of King & Bear. How fabulous is it to spend four hours outside in an absolutely beautiful natural environment without a cell phone to be heard! Add to that a bev cart girl that hands you delicious margaritas as you wander through the ancient live oaks and manicured greens and you have a simply delightful afternoon! By the end of the day you can actually remember what it feels like to relax…

4. I love being able to ride bikes to Caddyshack’s. Although I don’t think it is appropriate for margaritas to be involved in all of my favorite things about WGV, how can they not be mentioned when I am talking about Caddyshack’s? It is great to have a neighborhood restaurant & bar that is right around the corner. And one where it is inevitable that you will run into friendly faces everytime you stop by!

3. I love the nature that surrounds the neighborhoods. It is as if World Golf Village is embraced by a leafy decompression chamber. Driving along the neighborhood streets you exhale as you appreciate the trees – and the wildlife that live among them. From deer to turkey to neighborhood children, World Golf Village provides a beautiful home for us all!

From inception, World Golf Village was developed with a commitment to quality. Quality is the hallmark that distinguishes every aspect of life at World Golf Village, from the beautiful panoramas over undisturbed and protected preservation lands to the greeting of guests and level of care and service from any WGV establishment.
 
The design plan for the communities of World Golf Village in the balance between the built environments and the natural environments. Every aspect of the design plan enhances the existing, natural attributes of the World Golf Village properties. The Neighborhoods of the World Golf Village exhibit a unifying, architectural theme of quality portrayed through the comfortable blend of different styles and preferences of its residents and business owners. The portals to the community are distinctly designed to establish a high-quality, unique image – to set the tone and character of the community upon arrival. World Golf Village employs a Unified Sign Plan, purposefully designed to create continuity of messaging throughout the various neighborhoods and commercial areas. The consistent design expression of quality helps to unite the destination points and clarify wayfinding for both visitors, owners, employees and residents. The infrastructure of World Golf Village was installed with much care and quality so that utilities are safely coursed underground.
 
A major feature of the community – the one that shapes the place-making of World Golf Village – is the landscape and streetscape design quality. Thousands of trees were planted to blend with and compliment the natural setting and Live Oaks were planted on major boulevards and parkways to shelter and shade the roadways and pedestrian pathways. First impressions of World Golf Village are often described as like being in a park – one where the open spaces are shaped and protected by the adjoining forests.

Those of us who have met Ernie the French Bulldog were not at all surprised he won the first World Golf Village Pet Photo Contest. Even though his smushed face, pudgy belly and constant snorting make him seem more pig-like than canine, he’s a great cuddler and full of puppy charm (he’s just 6 months old afterall).  Some might say he falls into the “so ugly he’s cute” category but don’t tell his mother who, like any new Mom, thinks little Ernie is the cutest, smartest, most wonderful dog ever born. Now she has official bragging rights. Congrats Ernie! Enjoy your Petco gift card but don’t blow all the money on treats.

Most real estate professionals, sellers and buyers would agree that home buying has become a more arduous process of late. Says Davidson Realty President Sherry Davidson, “There are quite a few home loans initiated that never come to fruition.  It’s a function of tougher qualifications and more complicated transactions.” Davidson Realty, Inc., based in World Golf Village, hopes to improve the home buying process with an on-site mortgage lender available six days a week, Monday through Saturday. 

Davidson Realty has teamed with three mortgage lenders who will provide on-site consultation for home buyers at its office in World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida. The varied institutions include First Atlantic Bank, a local community bank based in Jacksonville and St. Augustine; Dolphin Home Mortgage, an independent mortgage professional, and Bank of America, the large corporate bank. Rotating on-site at Davidson Realty’s offices, the lenders provide straightforward advice and honest assessments for home buyers and real estate professionals alike. Explains Davidson, “Gone are the days of pre-qualifying for jumbo loans and breezing through closings. Our goal is to help home buyers know from the get-go how much of a loan they can really qualify for in today’s market.”

Have you ever noticed how groups of women who have been friends for years and years tend to fall into certain “roles”? Like on Sex in the City, if I said “the smart one” or “the romantic one” you would probably know exactly which characters I was talking about. If you watched The Real Housewives of Orange County, I bet you know which lady is “the ditzy one” and which lady is “the professional one”.  My group of long time girlfriends definitely have our roles within our group too…it is an interesting dynamic to watch.

The reason all of these thoughts popped into my head is because Limelight Theatre’s final play of their 18th season is the Dixie Swim Club. Guess what? It is about five women who became friends in college and who continue to meet each year at the same beach house and share their lives together over the next six decades. Of course, the “roles” ebb and flow through their lives, but for the most part there is the successful one, the sexy one, the tragic one, the caregiving one and the innocent one. Watching how they share and grow and stumble and get back up makes you consider the value of your own friendships and your own identity. Along the way though you laugh quite a bit – and cry just a little too. So grab your group of girlfriends and head to Limelight Theatre this weekend. Because of the show’s huge success during its original run, the Limelight Theatre is offering “held over” performances this Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and this Sunday at 2:00 p.m. After the show, share a glass of wine or two with your friends and try to figure out which “role” you play in your own group! And, if your group is especially interesting just let me know, we may be able to start a Real Housewives of World Golf Village!

Times are good for First Atlantic Bank. A little over three years old, the local bank was unscathed by the recession.  With no bad loans, First Atlantic enjoys a 4-star rating from Bankrate.com – the second highest rating in the Jacksonville/St. Augustine area.  According to Luciano Noir-Jones, St. Augustine Market Executive Vice President, the rating means, “Depositors money is safe with us.” 

Perhaps even more surprising in today’s environment is that First Atlantic Bank is lending. “Our capital is strong,” said Noir-Jones. “We’re actively lending to local businesses, from retail stores and restaurants to service-oriented companies, in Jacksonville and St. Augustine.  We anticipate doing about 20 SBA loans this year,” he added. 

First Atlantic is also strong in residential home lending. First Atlantic is one of the few lenders still doing construction to permanent loans and lot loans. Says Noir-Jones, “We underwrite and keep residential loans on our books, instead of selling them off.  This allows us to be more flexible for cases where a borrower, or the home they are buying, do not fit in the ideal box – recent examples are a high loan-to-value situation and a condo loan.”  First Atlantic recently teamed with Davidson Realty to have the bank’s Residential Mortgage Officer Jay Pardue onsite at Davidson’s office in World Golf Village two days a week.  Says Davidson Realty President Sherry Davidson, “This is a great opportunity for homebuyers since they can get expert advice on home loans on the spot.”

First Atlantic Bank has two locations in Jacksonville and two locations in St. Augustine – at Palencia and at Cobblestone Village. It has local investors and local board members. It’s tuned into the Northeast Florida market. Sherry Davidson recently joined First Atlantic’s Advisory Board. “We’ve been a very happy customer of First Atlantic, so I welcomed the opportunity to join fellow business owners on their Advisory Board. Rare is a bank that never fails to treat you like a valued customer,” said Davidson.

What do you have going on Thursday nights? I bet it doesn’t compare to the great music and atmosphere of Concerts in the Plaza! Have you heard about this? Thursdays at 7 PM up until Labor Day you can listen to a wide variety of music in St. Augustine’s Plaza de la Constitucion for FREE! All you have to do is bring a lounge chair or a blanket to sit on. You can even have a nice picnic dinner with your family while enjoying blues, bluegrass, jazz, country, swing, folk, or pop rock.

There is even a concert tonight, August 12th – Big Pineapple will be playing some Hawaiian Jazz!

Ok, so coming up:

August 19: Mischief Express (Popular American Jazz Standards)

August 26: Rob Peck & Friends (Acoustic R&B/Classic Rock)

 September 2: Skin ‘n Bonz & The Big Hungry Boys (Old-Time & Bluegrass)

September 6: The St. Augustine Jazz Society

This is a great way to spend a date night or a night on the town with the family and who could ask for more when it’s free! And, what better place than downtown St. Augustine with all the beautiful oak trees and quaint little shops. It’s the perfect place to relax or get up and dance. Go out and try something new on a Thursday night and let us know what you think!

Check out this website to see a map to the Plaza or to get any more information: http://www.staugustinegovernment.com/sites/concerts-plaza/index.cfm or call (904) 825-1004

If you weren’t able to make St. Johns County School Superintendent, Dr. Joseph Joyner’s very informative presentation at Davidson Realty’s Davidson Speaker Series a couple weeks ago, you might not be aware of these very impressive facts. Here are 5 reasons parents should choose to send their kids to our schools:

1. St. Johns County Schools ranked in the top 14% of the nation in “What Parents Want” in public schools.
2. Our schools received first overall ranking out of 67 counties on FCAT scores
3. On the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (compared to other districts in the state) Grade 3, 4, and 5 took first place in both reading and math. Grade 9 and 10 took first in reading. Grade 11 took third in science. The list goes on and on!
4. The School System has received an A grade eight years in a row (one of only 10 school districts in the state)
5. And, lastly, we are lucky enough to have Dr. Joseph G. Joyner as our Superintendent. He was the 2009 Florida Superintendent of the Year!

Dr. Joyner also explained how selective the process is in choosing teachers for your children. He listed future plans to expand the schools to accommodate more children. He talked about how even with budget cuts, the children’s activities and fun have not been sacrificed. The schools still provide art and PE, which a lot of schools can’t say. These really are only a few reasons why our school system is excellent. For more information go to www.stjohns.k12.fl.us

The World Golf Foundation recently announced that the next World Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held at the World Golf Village on Monday, May 9, 2011.  The ceremony’s date is very fortunate and strategic, as it is targeted to kick off the week of festivities and competition of The Players Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.  The direct tie-in between the world-famous, globally-broadcast Players Championship and the sport’s Hall of Fame and Shrine induction should be of great benefit for all aspects of the game, the region and our community.
 
The announcement was made on July 22 by Jack Peter, World Golf Foundation COO and Tim Finchem, PGA TOUR Commissioner. Jack Peter said, “Staging the annual Induction Ceremony in the heart of the golf season, just before one of golf’s most thrilling events, is a great opportunity for the Hall of Fame.” The World Golf Foundation is also keen about developing and scheduling other related events and activities, wrapped around that timeframe, that can extend the appeal and relevance of the induction
 
A few years ago, the PGA TOUR was successful in moving the famed Players Championship from March to May. Doing so, created a stand-alone platform for the event and eliminated any interpretation that it was a warm-up to the Masters. Now, the golf season features a 5 month series of showcase, major tournaments, from April to August, comprised of; The Masters in April, The Players Championship in May, The US Open Championship in June, The Open Championship in July and The PGA Championship in August.

Every month, The Neighborhoods of World Golf Village selects a resident from the Jacksonville golf course community to be featured in our blog. Then we ask them a series of random questions so all the neighbors get to know them better! This month we are pleased to introduce you to Eunice Johannesen. Eunice and her husband, Tom, moved to the King & Bear at WGV about five years ago. Since their children are grown and live out-of-state, they recently adopted two Jack Russell puppies, Maggie and Patrick. Meet Eunice…

1. What is your favorite thing about living in WGV?

The beautiful landscaping and overall beauty/impression one gets of the developer’s diligence to the environment.  Other important things are security and the protection that the deed restrictions provide homeowners.  WGV allows us to be active in many ways — golf, walking, biking, swimming and easy access to the beach.

2. What makes a house a home?

A house is a home when it’s filled with comfort and love, good neighbors and friends, which includes many visits from our out-of-state families and friends.

3. What’s your favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner?

The best part of Thanksgiving dinner is having family join our table and cooking all the traditional Thanksgiving foods.  I am especially fond of the stuffing!

4. How will our culture change in the next 100 years?

1.  I believe there will be a decline in population growth. 2.  The greenhouse effect will cause a dying earth with drastic changes in climate affecting all of the people of the world, as well as wild life.  The Arctic and Antarctic ice caps will melt.  3.  I believe space exploration will eventually lead to solar power for the world in the future, decreasing our dependency on oil.  4.  People will continue to feel compassion and love, and have the desire to help each other in times of need. 5.  I can envision the future way wars will be fought will not involve humans being put in harms way, but rather technology will be sophisticated enough by that time to fight wars with robots operated from a safe environment with strategic goals being much more realistic. The ravages of war  will continue.  6.  Hopefully there will be a cure for cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, etc.  In fact, research may very well have developed vaccines for these diseases, and other serious diseases, by that time!