I grew up in the GREAT state of Florida and remember sitting in 3rd grade learning about Ponce De Leon, the Seminole Indians, and Henry Flagler. While I did take in some of this history, I was much more focused on my teacher's feet. My teacher, Mrs. Jones, would slip out of her "work" shoes and put on her "I Dream of Jeannie" slippers in the classroom. What 9 year old wouldn't be amused by such a sight?! Needless to say, my recess was taken away fairly often since I couldn't stop the laughing when I saw the darn slippers. St. Augustine proved to be that refresher course in Florida history that I so desperately needed.
Where to stay: Bypass the Hilton and high priced beach hotels and head straight for the Casa Monica Hotel. Located directly in the old town center, this hotel was originally opened in 1888 by Henry Flagler but it was shuttered for decades until 1997 when a wealthy American businessman purchased and rehabbed the entire hotel. The hotel is 5 stories tall and features a lovely outdoor pool, updated gym, and a 5 star restaurant that was recently featured on The Food Network.
What to do: St. Augustine has 2 outlet centers that offer decent shopping (unless you have been to Woodbury Commons or Riverhead in NY then this will feel like amateur hour). While there weren't a ton of shops I liked, most were offering 60% off and the selection was pretty good (note: I am now doing Lean Cuisine for an extra 2 weeks to cover what I spent).
Aside from the shopping in St. Augustine, history is the attraction for this international tourist destination. The town was founded in 1565 and remains the oldest continuously occupied city in North America. St. Augustine is also the oldest port city in the USA. Betsy (a.k.a. Mom) and I started out walking from our centrally located hotel towards St. George's street where we came upon the old Spanish Gates and the oldest wooden schoolhouse in America (pic of Mom in front of school). St. George's is a pedestrian only street and is lined with shops, restaurants, and many historic homes.
The next tourist attraction we hit (and the reason everyone should come to St. Augustine) was the Castillo de San Marcos. Founded
in 1695, the fort served as the northernmost outpost of Spain's vast New World empire (pic of Betsy on the top of the Castillo with the Matanzas Bay behind her). The walls of the Castillo are all original (1695 friends!!!) and made out of coquina rock that was cut & set by hand.
Handy links:
www.collagestaug.com
www.casamonica.com
What to do: St. Augustine has 2 outlet centers that offer decent shopping (unless you have been to Woodbury Commons or Riverhead in NY then this will feel like amateur hour). While there weren't a ton of shops I liked, most were offering 60% off and the selection was pretty good (note: I am now doing Lean Cuisine for an extra 2 weeks to cover what I spent).
Aside from the shopping in St. Augustine, history is the attraction for this international tourist destination. The town was founded in 1565 and remains the oldest continuously occupied city in North America. St. Augustine is also the oldest port city in the USA. Betsy (a.k.a. Mom) and I started out walking from our centrally located hotel towards St. George's street where we came upon the old Spanish Gates and the oldest wooden schoolhouse in America (pic of Mom in front of school). St. George's is a pedestrian only street and is lined with shops, restaurants, and many historic homes.
The next tourist attraction we hit (and the reason everyone should come to St. Augustine) was the Castillo de San Marcos. Founded
in 1695, the fort served as the northernmost outpost of Spain's vast New World empire (pic of Betsy on the top of the Castillo with the Matanzas Bay behind her). The walls of the Castillo are all original (1695 friends!!!) and made out of coquina rock that was cut & set by hand.The last tourist stop we made was at the St. Augustine Lighthouse. Lovely from a distance but I was feeling too cheap to pay the $9 buck admission fee to see it up close.
Where to eat: I was doubting myself about the restaurant I selected for our ONE dinner in St. Augustine. When we checked into the hotel the concierge told us how good their restaurant, 95 Cordova, was and how The Food Network recently did a profile on it. When I was doing my dinner research, I read their menu and wasn't impressed. I thought the dishes were ordinary and the prices were more like Manhattan and not Florida. 95 Cordova is cozy but very DARK and I was convinced my original choice was the better.
I picked a WONDERFUL restaurant called Collage. Located 2 blocks from the hotel (walking distance so we could have a few glasses of wine and not worry) on a historic street this restaurant was all that and more. We arrived just before a major downpour and were seated in a darling little dining room that wasn't too crowded. Mom and I started with a glass of champers to celebrate our little trip and then went right to the menu. I decided to start with the Crab & Wild Mushroom Cheesecake while Mom opted for the Curry Vegetable Soup. My cheesecake appetizer was moist, full of flavor, and just the right size. Mom's soup was very spicy. One spoonfull and I needed a Kleenex. Next, our server brought us warm homemade bread and a whole roasted garlic bulb with basil infused olive oil (two of my favs!) We both had their house salads with a vanilla bean vinaigrette that was so interesting I couldn't stop thinking about recreating it when I got home. For our entrees, I picked the Shrimp and Scallops All' Imperiale and Mom picked the Veal Orleans. My dish was one of the best pastas ever! Shrimp, Scallops, Sundried Tomatoes, and Artichokes tossed in a peach brandy and then finished with cream and served over linguine. Mom's Veal was sauteed with sherry and finished with a beurre blanc and then topped with 2 large shrimps and artichokes. Our plates were licked clean!
Dessert was not an option for us after this feast!
Handy links:
www.collagestaug.com
www.casamonica.com
Bottom Line: Check out St. Augustine if you find yourself in Northern Florida. I highly recommend both the Casa Monica Hotel and Collage.
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