I was looking forward to meeting Attorney Christopher W. Adamec, P.A. because I was aware of the generous support he has provided to our local schools, including Mill Creek Elementary, Ward’s Creek Elementary and Pacetti Bay Middle School. Adamec set up practice in the World Golf Village area about two years ago and in October he will move The Law Offices of Christopher W. Adamec, P.A., Attorney and Counselor at Law to a storefront location at The Shoppes of Murabella for better visibility. “Most of our business has been word-of-mouth which is a great testament to our service and value, but we want more of our neighbors to know that they don’t have to go to Jacksonville for excellent counsel or representation,” said Adamec.

Adamec’s services include family law, personal injury and criminal defense. His rates are more affordable than people might expect, starting at $75 per hour for consultation in family law and other matters, and no fee for personal injury consultation. Adamec explains, “Fees are definitely one of the biggest misconceptions about seeing an attorney.  For example, I recently helped a couple divorcing who had agreed on their marital settlement. I was able to take care of all their paperwork and get everything finalized in about two weeks so they could get on with their lives and the fee was under $2,000.” He added, “Unfortunately we’re seeing divorce really bog down the court system right now and create major headaches for people who are ready to move on. There’s a lot of paperwork and if it’s not handled correctly, it can result in multiple courthouse visits. An attorney can ease some of the hassle, worry and frustration in a situation that’s already stressful.”

Time is flying by and the first month of school has almost passed.  As a parent of one elementary and one middle school student, I have to stop and be grateful for the blessing of living in St. Johns County. 

It’s a fact that many people move here because of our highly rated schools.  With that said, St. Johns County residents couldn’t be more proud to hear that for the second year running, the Florida Department of Education has ranked us the No.1 school district in the entire state of Florida.   That is quite an honor.  It is comforting  to learn that 81% of elementary schools and 100% of middle schools in St. Johns County were rated an “A” school by the Florida Department of Education.  This compares to 44% of elementary schools in neighboring Duval County and 39% middle schools receiving an “A” grade.  Although, high school grades are still pending at this time,   it’s worth remembering that in 2008, Newsweek printed an article on the best high schools in the country with three St. Johns County schools being in the top 500: (Nease High School, 91st;  Bartram High School, 327th; and St. Augustine  High School 421st).  That is certainly something to celebrate.

You may also be interested to know that the letter grades also mean additional money for schools.  If a school  receives either an “A” rating or improves by one letter grade, the school  receives an additional $75 per student for education funding.  We all know that with the recent budget constraints, that extra “achievement” money is vitally important to each and every school.    There is a great interactive map at www.fcatmap.com that depicts the data of the overall scores for each school in addition to the reading, writing, math and science scores.

Every month, we introduce you to one of the neighbors at World Golf Village. This month we are pleased to introduce you to Vanessa Eskolin. She and her husband, Matt, along with their two-year-old son, Max, have lived in WildWood for the past two and a half years. Her favorite thing about the Jacksonville golf course community is how beautiful and peaceful it is. She also loves seeing the wildlife, especially the deer and turkey that play in her backyard. Meet Vanessa…

1. If you were to have your friends, in private, attribute a single quality to you, what would you want it to be?

A good sense of humor.

2. If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?

Take a trip to Italy with my family.

3. If you could keep only one home appliance, which would you keep?

Washing machine.

4. If you could give your parents one gift, what would you give them?

A trip to Japan to visit my brother. And if I still have lotto money leftover, I would go with them!

Among the oak trees, around the golf fairways and to the gates, the first-ever Neighborhoods of World Golf Village Photo Scavenger Hunt begins this month.  From September 15th to November 15th, grab your friends, family or neighbors and let the hunting begin. Find four locations within World Golf Village, snap pictures with a ‘team member’ in them, and submit them with the entry form to Davidson Realty.  Four winners will be selected in a random drawing to win an Apple iPad. What better way to spend an afternoon than some quality family time on a picture-perfect fall day in Florida that could win you the must-have tech toy of the season? Visit www.wgvcontest.com for full details and the entry form.

The Neighborhoods of World Golf Village Photo Scavenger Hunt features four World Golf Village locations, each beautiful representations of our St. Augustine, Florida golf community. A majestic oak, a stacked stone gate, a park fountain and a bronze golf statue are the special spots. Photos of each spot can be viewed at www.wgvcontest.com. Teams must find each location and snap a photo with one team person in the shot.   Having trouble finding the photo opp spots?  Watch for hints on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/WorldGolfVillage. All photos must be submitted with the entry form and turned into the Davidson Realty office located at 100 East Town Place, just across from the Publix at World Golf Village by November 15, 2010.  Office hours are 9 AM – 5:30 PM. Winners will be selected on November 16, 2010 and they will have seven days to claim their prize: an Apple iPad.

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.