November 4th, 2010
No, I have not moved to these towns in North Florida. But, I certainly have enjoyed visiting them; checking out the beaches, restaurants and shops.
I must say that the residents and shopkeepers, wait staff, you name it, have been so nice, so gracious and helpful. It has been refreshing.
The town of Atlantic Beach is small. You can walk it in no time. Lots of little shops and restaurants come alive in the evenings with some of them offering entertainment.
The beach is amazing. I have said it before. Wide and perfect for walking, biking or just sitting. I love the beach houses that hide behind the dunes. People say that the beach houses here reflect Old Florida.
Residents are taking care of the towns of Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach. Everything is clean, brick walkways have been installed. These towns have character. That’s it!!
Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach are right next to each other. So much so that taking one step will place you in one or the other.
The name “Neptune Beach” came about in 1922 when one of the residents in the area built his own train station “Neptune” requiring the train to stop and take him to Mayport every day. Mayport is one of the oldest fishing villages in the U.S.
When I visited the last time I found a cluster of shoppes in Neptune Beach. They are called 200 First Street Courtyard Shoppes. The location of these shoppes is the old Ed Smith Lumber Company.
Now the shopkeepers are all local women; they own and operate these businesses.
Up until October there was music in the Courtyard, sponsored by the merchants at 200 First Street. That will pick again next year in April.
www.200FirstStreet.com is the website you can visit to find out what is going on.
Every Thursday of each month from 5 to 9 p.m. you will find the North Beaches Art Walk. Merchants work in tandem with artists providing a venue to show and sell original art work.
A lot of these artists are sponsored by the shoppes at 200 First Street, and you will find the courtyard all set up with musicians adding to a festive evening.
Some of the stores have the following events at the moment:
Deanne Dunlop Photography – Until tomorrow, November 5th – Spokesmama – 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 Noon. Mom & Baby Photo Parties.
Then from November 6th until the 20th – Quick Takes – for Christmas Cards.
And, on November 18th there is a High School Open House for 2012 Ambassadors.
For more information please visit www.deannedunlop.com or call 904-610-5669.
Later, on November 26th there will be a celebration commemorating the 10th year anniversary of 200th First Street from 4 to 8 p.m. An invitation to share an afternoon of shopping, while enjoying music in the Courtyard, complimentary champagne and cake.
As the holidays approach, the BeachesTown Center will be holding their annual Holiday Celebration on December 4th.
Also in December you will find Santa on the Courtyard every Saturday.
The other shoppes at 200 First Street are:
First Street Gallery – www.firststreetgalleryart.com. Tel. 904-241-6928
Boutique Unique – Casual, fun clothing for women. 904-241-7109
Bali – Furniture, gifts and jewelry – www.balicargocompany.com 904-270-2254
Lillie’s Coffee Bar – Fresh coffee roasted daily opening at 7 a.m. Perkcussion gathering first saturday of the month. www.lilliescoffeebar.com 904-249-2922
Jaffi’s – “Is the go to store fore everything a girl wants”. Effortless styles, comfortable and wearable. 904-249-4030
First Street Gallery – Exhibit “At the Beach – Leigh Murphy” – Local watercolor artist, Leigh Murphy, has been the winner of over 100 awards. She is best known for her realistic and detailed rendering of shells. The artwork will be on display until January 6, 2011. 904-241-6928
One store that I really enjoyed visiting at 200 First Street was Red Daisy. I wrote a post on 8/15/10 and if you would like to see it just click on the month of August under Archives on the left hand side of this website.
Again, I stopped but did not have time to visit too much. The owner is Tracy Raymond. Red Daisy is open Mondays to Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Sundays from Noon until 5 p.m. Tel. 904-339-0137.
Red Daisy offers home furnishings, gifts, jewelry, soaps, candles, lotions and rugs. Tracy likes to combine the “old” with the “new”. She says that it is a contemporary antique shop, with a little funky jazz thrown in.
Red Daisy is ready for the holidays.
Have a great day!!!
November 2nd, 2010
There are times that you feel so comfortable in a hotel that all you want to do is come back again and again. Just by chance I found One Ocean, back in July. I was looking for a hotel in the areas of Ponte Vedra and Jacksonville Beach. Not knowing about it I booked this hotel on Atlantic Beach. I had not visited this town either.
Wonderfully surprised by the quaint town and accommodations; I have been there 3 times already. I wrote about it on July 18th so all you have to do is go on the left hand side of this website and click under Archives on the month of July, 2010 and scroll down to the 18th.
 Azurea, the restaurant One Ocean Resort Hotel & Spa is located at One Ocean Blvd., Atlantic Beach, FL 32233. Tel. 904-249-7402. They have a great website, www.oneoceanresort.com.
 Azurea's Bar This hotel has the best and easiest check-in procedure. All you do is drive to the front and give them your name and they will hand you the keys to your room with pertinent information. That’s it!!
One Ocean is a signature collection of luxury resorts. You can get as pampered as you want to or not. It is ocean front so all you do is walk out. Want to walk around Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach and check the shops and restaurants? It is all right there. That was an instant attraction for me; not having to use the car unless I wanted to.
 Azurea's Booths I had a room with a view and it was so nice. I never got tired of looking at that beach; north and south. It is so wide and long.
This hotel has captured the serenity of the ocean. Beautiful colors.
At 4 p.m. the lobby bar opens up and there you will find Hugh. Friendly chat and comfortable atmosphere.
Right before I left I had breakfast in the hotel. The service was good and my frittata was very tasty. Fruit was ordered, as well.
The other breakfast was enjoyed so much; the potatoes were delicious and the chorizo gave those eggs a kick.
I did not have dinner at the hotel but I understand that it is excellent under the supervision of Chef Ted Peters. Check the website to learn more about Azurea, its menu and Chef Peters’ bio. You will be impressed.
 Entry to Azurea, the restaurant
Have a great evening!! Talk to you later…
November 1st, 2010
The last time I was in Florida, a couple of months ago, all I saw at restaurants was Mayport shrimp. I wanted to know a little more about it. Then I met Tina who is from Atlantic Beach and her mother was the first woman in Florida to have shrimp boats.
Well, Mayport is a historic coastal village, settled in 1562, east of Jacksonville on the St. Johns River and a few miles from Atlantic Beach, where I chose to stay. On that location is where the St. Johns River meets with the Atlantic Ocean, therefore, making getting out to the ocean and to the shrimp a total breeze.
At the time of my visit, the shrimp boats were already at rest in their berths but they are a beautiful sight to see off the coast, from my hotel room, and south along the coast.
There are 4 types of shrimp that inhabit these waters; brown, white, pink and rock shrimp.
The historic Village of Mayport is also the home of the 3rd largest naval facility in the U.S., covering 3,049 acres.
It is also a busy port for cruises. For years there has been plenty of controversy regarding the pollution these ships bring to the waters, therefore, organizations to save Mayport are very active.
Mayport used to have plenty of seafood restaurants to eat. But, now just a few remain. One of them is Singleton’s Seafood Shack located at 4728 Ocean St., tel. 904-246-4442. It has been there since 1969. Besides being able to eat there, you can also buy fresh seafood.
This past year, Guy Fieri from Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives, from the Food Network visited the restaurant.
I wanted to check it out and this was actually the first place I ate upon arriving at Atlantic Beach.
From the outside it looks just like a shack. As you enter the restaurant, you will see the fresh seafood displayed, except that on that Monday they did not have much.
You can sit outside but we were not able to do so on that day either, which was too bad since it was a beautiful night with the sunset descending on the port. We ate in a screened in balcony. Casual with wooden tables and benches. We could see the shrimp boats; beautiful.
I wanted the fresh fish and decided on King Clip. I had never heard of it but it can be spelled Kingklip, as well. They call it a strange little devil and it is a cross between an eel and a silverfish. Mostly found in South African waters, Chile and Argentina; meaty cod-like texture. The best way to eat this fish was fried. Their suggestion.
Did I like it? I was not wild about it. I thought it was a bit bland. The hush puppies were amazing, though.
The other fish ordered was the Triggerfish, which is found in shallow, coastal habitats, especially at coral reefs; oval shaped and compressed body.
The choice of cooking was blackened. It also came with black beans and rice and hush puppies.
I had a taste and I thought it was good, but I think we all thought that the restaurant was just okay. We were happy to have gone but, not rushing back to it.
Looking around the other tables, the majority of patrons were eating their food fried. Once in a while is good, actually very good, but I also like to be able to experience the taste of the food.
Note: They had interesting sauces. I could not resist and bought the Colon Cleaner. I have a friend that might get a kick out of it.
Anyway, have a great Monday….chilly out there, don’t you think?
October 28th, 2010
I have been visiting this small and quaint town named Atlantic Beach. It is also known as part of the First Coast. I was here a few months ago when the town was still very crowded with the summer visitors enjoying the beaches.
Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach and Ponte Vedra have wide and beautiful beaches. Very popular with surfers and windsurfers as the swells seem to be ever present in these waters.
When I arrived here I thought it was pretty quiet but this is progressively changing as the Florida vs. Georgia game takes place this coming Saturday at the Everbank Field in Jacksonville. For years this game has been held in Jacksonville and residents will tell you that college football is definitely more popular here than the NFL.
There are a lot of activities at the Sports Complex; they started on Wednesday. This celebration attracts fans from all over. For more information on the schedule of events, please visit http://www.makeascenedowntown.com/Events/Georgia-vs–Florida-Weekend-Festivities.aspx.
They say that “Anyone who says it’s just a game, has never been!!”
In the meantime, Atlantic Beach is open. Tonight the town was hopping and music was in the air. What a difference a few days make!
Have a great time and talk to you later…..
July 19th, 2010
Beach eateries; don’ you love them? Those come as you are small eateries that are found in all coastal towns. Their food is usually pretty good and the establishments are dependable.
We saw one on Neptune Beach this past week; The Atomic Flying Fish. Neptune Beach is right there with Atlantic Beach. Of course, we needed to try it. Had not read anything about it.
The owner, very friendly and the food was very good.
Michael had the Marvelous Mahi-7, seasoned and served with shredded cheese, pico, sour cream, and black beans.
Pico de Gallo is an uncooked condiment used in Mexican cuisine made from chopped tomato, onion and/or jalapenos or serranos, lime juice, cilantro, cucumber and even mango. Perfect for tacos and quesadillas.
I had the Super Grouper-8, which was blackened and served with cheese and pico. Fresh grouper!!
All tacos were served on shredded lettuce on 8″ flour tortillas with tortilla chips.
Atomic Flying Fish is located at 309 Atlantic Blvd., Neptune Beach, FL. Tel. 904-372-0882. Opened Tuesdays through Sundays at 11:00 a.m. You will find them on Facebook, as well, so check them out to see what is going on.
Some of the other tacos on the menu were:
Pineapple Shrimp-6, which was marinated wild-caught shrimp with cheese and pineapple.
Cali Fish-5, which was seasoned fresh-water catfish with shredded cheese and pico.
Alligator-7, also blackened with cheese, pico and spicy remoulade.
Soups: Served with oyster crackers.
Stewnami which was a spicy squid and scallop bisque, sund-dried tomatoes and jalapenos. Supposedly, creamy and delicious.
Neptune Beach Clam Chowder, with corn and blue crab.
It was so good that we went back again for more!! Well, Michael did.
Have a great day!!…Talk to you later….
July 18th, 2010
This is one of those experiences that are unexpected but leave you pleasantly surprised.
I was looking for a different type of hotel while I was staying in the Jacksonville area. I made a reservation at One Ocean Resort Hotel & Spa because it was in a small beachtown and it was ocean front. Little did I know that this hotel is known for its individualized service. It exceeded my expectations; location, service, rooms, and of course, the beach.
“Luxury is not just a lifestyle. It is an art form, and only the most skillful of artists can bring it to light. One Ocean is the first masterpiece in a collection of individualized luxury resorts known as The Gallery.”
Yes, that’s where I ended up and at the end of my stay I hated to leave. But, soon I will be back.
The hotel is owned by Remington. This is an independent hotel management company. They build hotels, operate them or perform asset management duties. The company is based in Dallas, Texas and for more information, please visit www.remingtonhotels.com.
The Gallery, under which One Ocean Resort falls under, is a signature collection of luxury resorts. They have world class accomodations, dining, spas and recreation.
The One Ocean Resort Hotel & Spa is located at One Ocean Blvd., Atlantic Beach, FL 32233. Tel. 904-249-7402. They have a great website, so if you want more info. please visit www.oneoceanresort.com.
The feeling I got when I entered this hotel was of serenity, the one brought by being in touch with the ocean.
I believe the hotel only has about 6 floors. It is, really the only high rise, if you consider that a high rise on Atlantic Boulevard. The valet guys were great and friendly, just like the staff I encountered. My room information was ready as I gave the valet my keys; no need to stop at the reception counter.
They want to cater to all your needs. One of the things that caught my attention was the Pet Menu. Yes, you heard me. Your pooch or cat might want to accompany you on this vacation. They have appetizers, entrees for either one and beverages. Plus, walking services can be arranged, as well.
Here goes the menu. I had to blog about it.
Appetizers: Science Diet Canned Selections, Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Paw’s Kitten Treats. Price? $3 and $4.
Entrees for Dogs: Schnauzer Spinach Salad with Corn and Chopped Beef, Chihuahua Chicken and Rice, which is diced chicken and steamed rice, and Open Faced Beagle Burger. $10 each
Entrees for Cats: Feline Tuna Carpaccio which is thinly sliced Ahi grade tuna, Siamese Salmon Filet, that being medium rare for the finicky feline, and last but not least, the Foie Gras Pate, made for only the finest breeds. Those entrees fluctuate from $8 to $14.
Beverages for both: Voss or Pellegrino waters. Or, milk.
I am not kidding you, it is true.
For the humans they have a great restaurant called Azurea. This restaurant is able to cater to all your needs, as well. You may dine indoors, outdoors, by the pool or in the privacy of your own room.
I hope you have had a great week-end. Too hot, isn’t it? Talk to you later…
Note: I think my Addy and her friends, Tucker, Bay, Mizzen or Aaron would love it here.
July 18th, 2010
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I have been moving around a bit this summer; Delaware Beaches, Boulder, Colorado, Puerto Rico, South Florida and for the past few days I have visited Atlantic Beach, Florida.
Atlantic Beach is the first town in the First Coast. It is located in Duval County, next to Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach. Around 13,500 people reside in this unique beach town.
The city of Jacksonville has the esteemed honor of having the largest urban park system (over 80,000 acres) in the U.S. Approximately 50,000 acres have been acquired and placed into conservation parklands. Local communities, like Atlantic Beach, and Jacksonville Beach have partnered in order to secure the acquisition of vital salt marshes that meander through the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.
Atlantic Beach exudes small town charm and intimate seaside tranquility. The beach is unbelievable; wide and gorgeous, never ending.
Throughout that northern coast I could not believe how accessible the beaches were to the public.
Atlantic Beach is really small; the center of town is just a few blocks long. Restaurants, shops and bars welcome its visitors. Guess what? No parking meters.
As I walked around the streets of this beach village I could not help to think of the term I hear people mention that have resided in all these coastal towns of Florida; “it was like old Florida used to be”. I finally saw what they meant.
The towns is simple and attractive. The ocean front homes on Atlantic Beach are classic beach homes. Life along the coast; “laissez faire” kind of living. Breathing that salt air, early morning walks, riding bikes, getting a suntan; just thinking about it puts me in that kind mood.
I met Sophie on the beach. She was just strolling with not a care in the world. Sophie was a ferret. She was so friendly and definitely, cute.
I am back in Delaware now, but cannot forget the feeling that Atlantic Beach gave me.
Talk to you later…..you know I will…
Note: Some information for my post was taken from www.preserveflorida.org.
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