Winter Wonderland 2008 The NEW St. Augustine Amphitheatre offers great events such as concerts and movie nights for the kids through out the year.  However, now thru January 4th it is transformed into a Winter Wonderland.  Admission is FREE (we love FREE events) and each evening you may enjoy: Snow - yes, snow....Florida's Blizzard is presented twice each evening. Elf Village - See where Santa's little helpers live and Lighted nature Trails Visits from Santa  For a small fee you may:  Real ice skating - skate rentals and lessons are available Ice Slide - Speed down 100 feet of Ice Ride a Horse drawn sleigh thru lighted nature trails. Live Theatre - "The Quilt Maker's Gift" is presented Friday and Saturday evenings Reindeer Games - Test your skills with Polar Pong, Candy Hunt, Alpine Tos... 11/28/2008

At the North Shores Improvement Association meeting on Monday, November 10, 2008, Farid ("Fred") Ashdji presented his conceptual plans for a Wyndham Hotel in place of his Town and County Motel. It will feature a "new" art deco design, meaning he hopes future architects will emulate his design. He hired an interior decorator, too to ensure the interior has a French Art Deco décor to establish a warm feeling. He plans to break ground in 2009 with completion 18 months later. Below is a conceptual drawing. He will be changing the entrance.   All of the 72 rooms are nicely sized with 10' ceilings. They are located on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the hotel, and all will have balconies with views. All rooms have walk-in closets. Twenty of the rooms will have Jacuzzi's which will be located on the... 11/15/2008

  St Augustine Florida deals of the week will now include additional Incentives found only on AR and thru Mitchell Jamel e-PRO Realtor with Brite real estate professionals in St Augustine Florida Closing cost paid - up to $8,000 with approved lender Home owners Insurance paid (First Year) HOA Paid or a one year American home Shield warranty Donation in your name to a Local no kill shelter 3567 SF of living / 5/3 / $319,990   Under $90 a Sq Foot Brand new Construction This house is ready and price to sell, Lower then Bank Foreclosures, Closing cost paid, HOA Paid, Insurance paid makes this my real estate deal of the week. 11/09/2008

Interested in St Augustine Florida real estate? Bank owned real estate is a great way to purchase your first home and or second home Bank Foreclosures are Priced right 3br 2 1.2 bath townhouse on the Island for $139,000! wow Homes, Condos & Townhouse in some of the best communities in St Augustine Inventory is updated If saving money sounds like a good idea, please contact me to discuss your housing needs, in addition to REO, I have builder closeouts that fit your budget from $80,000 - $1,000,000 Call or e-mail me for the deal of the week   11/05/2008

On Monday afternoon, November 3rd around 5 p.m., we watched a seaplane taxi up the Intracoastal around Porpoise Point and up to Vilano. It had just landed after having flown over the area. Here's a photo I took.   Seaplane in Vilano 1 I now learn that the seaplane had an accident yesterday, November 4th just north of the Usina (Vilano) Bridge. I have not seen this seaplane before and it was exciting to see him in the St. Augustine area. I am glad the pilot is well and hope to see him again soon.  Here are some news reports: Seaplane Overturns in Water, No InjuriesFirst Coast News - Jacksonville,FL,USA   Pilot uninjured when plane flips in IntracoastalBy dana.treen 11/05/2008

FREE SAINT AUGUSTINE FLORIDA SHORT SALES  EXPERTS (904)635-8822 Stop Foreclosure FREE www.firstcoastre.com/professional589.shtml Our St. Augustine FL Short Sales help avoid and stop foreclosure of homes! You DO NOT have to be in default to do a short sale!  This is a common myth in the industry.  Many Realtors in St. Augustine Florida are not even aware of this fact.   What exactly is a short sale??? Almost unheard of until recent times, a "short sale" or "short pay" happens when a home owner is in financial hardship, and the lenders and lein holders agree to accept a payoff amount lower than what is owed to them.    How can the Mike Linkenauger Team help??? We are a team of experienced Short Sale Real Estate Agents in Northeast Florida who are specialists in working Jacksonville and St... 11/04/2008

In northeast, Florida we all talk about "Mayport" shrimp. Mayport is a coastal village north of St. Augustine and east of Jacksonville on the St. Johns River right where it meets with the Atlantic Ocean. That makes getting out to the ocean and to the shrimp a breeze. It is home to about 20 of the state's shrimping boats. However, St. Augustine is located on the Intracoastal (called "the river" by the locals) at the St. Augustine inlet. In fact, I believe you can get to the Atlantic faster from St. Augustine. The difference between Mayport and St. Augustine shrimp---the port the shrimp boat comes into to unload the shrimp. All the shrimp boats in the area troll off the coast, so they are covering the same area. They are a lovely sight to see off the coast along A1A from Jacksonville to P... 10/30/2008

Who knew living in St. Augustine could be this affordable? Several new homes, condos and town homes at unbeatable prices. New construction and resales. This is the time to buy. 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths Brand new town home with over 1000 sq. ft. All appliances including washer and dryer only $107,000. Paloma, a beautiful new community of town homes located just outside downtown St. Augustine. Situated just off SR16 across from the Prime Outlet Malls, Paloma is the perfect location. Enjoy your weekend in downtown St. Augustine strolling the streets window shopping and learning the history and culture of this magnificent city. As if that wasn't enough, Paloma is also close to Flagler College, features a community pool and play area, and is just minutes to I-95 (exit 318) for an easy trip to w... 10/23/2008

This is your friendly reminder that tomorrow, October 17th from 4-7:30 p.m at the Vilano Beach oceanfront pavilion will be a celebration of the completion of the streetscape. Please come and invite your friends as the public is invited. Dignitaries include Congressman Mica, St. Johns County commissioners and commissioners-elect, representatives from Callaway Contracting, RS&H Engineering, and others. The Chamber Singers from the St. Johns Performing Arts Center, S. Augustine High School will be singing the National Anthem. Restaurants participating with samples are The Reef, Caps, Kingfish, Creekside and Crab Grabbers. 10/16/2008

Many homeowners are concerned and confused about everything within the mortgage industry these days. But at least there is a little relief concerning the tax liability on the forgiven debt in a short sale or foreclosure. There is tax relief available to struggling homeowners. H.R. 3648, the "Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007" will ease some of that stress and worry about paying income tax on that amount of forgiven debt. But there are a few guidelines and qualifications within this "Act". APPLIES ONLY TO FEDERAL TAX OBLIGATION!!! You may still owe your State Income Tax. It must be your primary/principal residence. Primary/principal residence means: go back 5 years from the date of the sale/foreclosure and if you lived in the home for a total of 2 years, it qualifies as a prim... 09/22/2008

Dog lovers, please take note!  On August 1st, a city ordinance began that permits dogs in designated outside sections of restaurants. City Attorney Ron Brown stated it is part of a 3-yr pilot program. All breeds are allowed in designated outside sections of restaurants Participating restaurants will need to obtain a city permit Employees of the restaurant will not be permitted to pet the dogs.Sanitary soup will be placed on the tables where dogs are allowed. Restaurants must provide doggy bags for bathroom accidents, and employeed must clean the area immediately with disinfectant. So next time you are going out to eat...... bring Fido along! 09/22/2008

ABC News' Good Morning America listed St. Augustine as the program's number-one selection of places Americans could go "to feel as though they had jetted across the Atlantic without breaking the bank". Titled "Exotic Vacations on the Cheap: No passport required," the nationally broadcast news segment was prepared in cooperation with Travel & Leisure magazine and was designed to show Americans that, evein in tough economic times, they can experience European atmosphere without leaving the borders of the USA or spending a fortune. For a Spanish vacation without buying a plane ticket to Madrid, try St Augustine, Florida,"said ABC News. "It's the nation's oldest city and is filled with Spanish-colonial architecture. It feels like Old World Spain complete with cobblestone streets, courtyards... 09/22/2008

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Public Information office just announced the following detour on King Street which will affect most of us in our Nation's Oldest City. "Traffic on eastbound King Street at the U.S. 1 intersection near the Seabreeze Carwash will be routed onto a new detour that will be in place for approximately six weeks beginning September 24.  The detour will route eastbound King Street traffic north onto U.S. 1 returning to King Street at Cordova Street. This will allow construction crews to realign the turn lane at the southeast corner of the intersection and replace the signal. All eastbound King Street traffic will be detoured north on U.S. 1, east on West Castillo Drive, south on South Castillo Drive, west on Cathedral Place, south on Cordova Street... 09/19/2008

As President of the Friends of A1A, I am proud to announce that the International Coastal Cleanup is scheduled for Saturday, September 20th.  This annual event, taking place in seventy-five countries around the globe, will see Friends of A1A doing a cleanup of the beach  and dunes at Porpoise Point from 8AM until noon.   We will be at the beach access located at Porpoise Point Drive and Genoa Street. Call or e-mail me and I will send you directions if you need them.   There will be a number of trash ‘grabbers' available and ice water for all volunteers. You should wear closed shoes, gloves, and sun protection. An adult must accompany volunteers under sixteen.      Please join us and encourage your neighbors and friends to assist in keeping our community and beaches a wonderful and clean... 09/13/2008

There are many benefits to being a St. Johns County resident.  We enjoy a wonderful lifestyle, beautiful sights, and great attractions. Many new (and some old) residents to our county don't realize they can take advantage of many of St. Augustine's attractions at a discounted rate and in some cases free simply by showing their driver's license. When I have guests visiting me, I take them on the trains and I get to ride free (I think it's a two for one charge, but I like to think I ride free). The St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau wants you to know that: St. Johns County residents with a valid ID are always admitted free of charge to Government House Museum, the Lightner Museum, the Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum, the Fountain of Youth, the Ximenez-... 08/27/2008

The streetscape is complete in the Vilano Beach Town Center. So, that means a party, right? Right! October 17, 2008 from 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. at the Beach Pavilion on the beach end of Vilano Road, the community is invited to celebrate the completion of the road and streetscape improvements to the Vilano Beach Town Center. The Ribbon Cutting ceremony will be held at 4:30 p.m. with music and food from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. If you wish to help plan this event, please attend the next meeting on Wednesday, September 3 at 4 p.m. at the North Shores Improvement Association's building at 120 Meadow Avenue. Please contact me if you would like to be a sponsor. The community has much to celebrate. We look forward to seeing you on the 17th of October! 08/26/2008

If any of you know who the winner is, please let me know. A man bought a lottery ticket at the Kangaroo Express in Vilano Beach on A1A and verified his winnings yesterday. But, alas, his name has not been released. See, we live in a very nice and lucky place! A kind reader told me who the winner was and I know him! Well, I guess he's about to become my new best friend. No, I'm not telling you who he is as I don't want you to become his new best friend. 08/12/2008

Finally! And yes, I am saying this as an impatient person that lives in the area and am tired of the "speed bumps".  The roads in the Vilano Beach Town Center are now being paved. The work should be done within a week. So, we will now be able to drive over the roundabout that is really a drive-over at the intersection of Coastal Highway and Vilano Road.  It should all be obvious to us soon. Thanks to St. Johns County for all they have done for us! 07/30/2008

Vilano Beach Town Center's fountains are now operational effective July 16, 2008. If you haven't seen St. Augustine's new "attraction", please stop by soon. The fountains are nice during the day, and incredible at night with the lights! Paving is supposed to start tomorrow, July 24, 2008 and take 4 to 5 days. So, hopefully by the end of the month, Vilano Beach Town Center's roads will be paved. 07/23/2008

We all dream of the day when we buy our first home. Whether it is a townhouse in the city, a high-rise condominium with a fabulous view, or that famous cottage in suburbia with the white picket fence, homeownership is a goal that many Americans strive towards during their lifetime. Once you have established that you possess the desire to become a homeowner, the next logical question should be: “Am I ready to be a homeowner?” Get Your Finances in Order To answer this question, it is best to first thoroughly analyze your financial situation. Ask yourself the following questions: Do I have a steady job and steady income? Do I plan to stay put for at least the next few years? What is my credit card debt? Do I have enough money for a down payment and for closing costs? After examining your f... 07/21/2008