What’s New in the Nation’s Oldest City?

Has St. Augustine been sipping from its own Fountain of Youth?

Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer and admiral Pedro Menédez de Avilés, St. Augustine is—as everyone in the world must know by now—the oldest continuously-occupied European settlement in the country. So, of course, tourists want to see the Oldest House, Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, Old Drugstore and Authentic Old Jail. But for locals who have been there, and done that, and done it again, wouldn’t it be nice to see something new for a change?We’ve scoured the Oldest City looking for new attractions, new restaurants and anything else new that you might not have heard about yet. We do want to note that the list isn’t intended to be comprehensive and that “new” is relative, especially  in a city that’s almost 450 years old.

New Eats
For a bar with no name, The Bar With No Name (16 S. Castillo Dr., 826-1837)—or No Name Bar to the locals—is making quite a name for itself. Located a block south of the Pirate & Treasure Museum, the place is small, nondescript and easy to miss, but its “no cover, cheap drinks” philosophy, live music and clear view of the Castillo, the bay and random passersby attract locals and visitors alike. As far as munchies, the menu is pretty limited, but they make a darn tasty burger, and don’t even get us started about the lobster bites.

Where Opus 39 was a hoity-toity bistro serving up five-course meals, the new eatery occupying 39 Cordova St. is a bright and cheery bistro dishing out down-home Southern comfort food (think chicken ‘n dumplings) with a healthy twist (think tofu ‘n dumplings). The Floridian (829-0655, thefloridianstaug.com) prides itself on catering to omnivores, herbivores and locavores, which is convenient if you’re dining with a grizzly bear or giraffe who only eats meat or leaves locally-grown and sustainably-produced. And every ‘vore will be fighting over the fried housemade pickles with grassfed buttermilk dressing.

Not only is Haszard’s Open Pit Beef (5633 A1A S., 461-4201, openpitbeef.com) new to St. Augustine, but so is its cuisine. Inspired by their summer vacations in Ocean City, the Haszards are bringing ultra-casual Maryland-style chow to the First Coast—from open pit, top round beef sandwiches and pulled pork to crab cakes and hand-cut boardwalk fries. Other regional “delicacies,” like half smokes, Grandma’s hot beef and dump cake, may be met with some resistance.

New Faces
Catholics in the Oldest City welcomed a new leader last month when Pope Benedict XVI named Felipe de Jesús Estévez bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine (seriously, with “Jesús” right there in his name, how could he not?). Estévez, a native of Cuba who previously served as auxiliary bishop of Miami, is one of only 26 Hispanic bishops serving in the U.S. He succeeds Bishop Victor Galeone.

We’ll have to wait another month or so until we can actually see their faces, but 39 Indian gharials, an endangered species of crocodilian, are waiting to hatch (right) at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm (999 Anastasia Blvd.,  824-3337, alligatorfarmus). The Alligator Farm also added another “first” to its list of accomplishments: Crocodile Crossing is the only zip line course in the world to cross over a zoo.

It’s not widely known outside of the city, but Brad Pitt has been living in St. Augustine for several years. So far he’s been able to keep a low profile by staying out of the limelight, but now that Angelina Jolie has joined him, it’s only a matter of time before the paparazzi figure it out and chase them away. In the meantime, fans are most likely to catch a glimpse of the A-listers at their home at 17 King St, where they’re only too happy to pose for photos. But no autographs, please. While you’re at Potter’s Wax Musuem (800-584-4781 potterswax.com) enjoy some of their other new faces like Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow and Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter (left). By the way, we heard Robert DeNiro is moving in soon! Visitors will notice a new layout and restaged vignettes of the wax figures to encourage interactivity and maximize photo opps. Dance with Austin Powers and Dr. Evil; walk the red carpet with John Travolta and Nicolas Cage; steer the Jolly Mon with Captain Jack Sparrow.

New Deals
All shopping roads in Northeast Florida don’t lead to the Town Center. St. Augustine Premium Outlets (500 Prime Outlets Blvd., St. Augustine, 826-1311, premiumoutlets.com/staugustine) recently added White House | Black Market, Sports Mania and Cotton On to its 80-plus retail shops. Head across I-95 for Peaches ‘n Cream children’s apparel, Hickey Freeman/Bobby Jones and New York & Company—the stores join high-end designers like Gucci, Kate Spade and Michael Kors at St. Augustine Outlets (500 Prime Outlets Blvd., 826-1311, staugoutlets.com).

New Discoveries
You’d think a city that’s almost 450 years old wouldn’t have anything left to uncover, but archaeological experts and historians are still discovering pieces of the Oldest City’s past. Earlier this year, archaeological conservators at the St. Augustine Lighthouse attempted to identify a bronze bell recovered from a ship that sunk off the St. Augustine inlet more than two centuries ago. Historians believe the ship may have sailed during the American Revolution.

St. Augustine city archaeologist Carl Halbirt made a revealing discovery when crews were digging on A1A to build a trolley pull-off across from the Castillo de San Marcos. According to Halbirt, the remnants of old wooden posts, post holes and soil stains that were uncovered may show evidence of a fortification possibly built in the 1500s or 1600s prior to the Castillo de San Marcos. Even while building the Pirate & Treasure Museum, crews found numerous centuries-old relics including a sword hanger, knee buckles, a compass, bottles and shards of pottery, all of which are now on display in the museum.

New Attractions
The Oldest City finally has its own thrill ride, and in true St. Augustine fashion, it’s also educational. Well, kind of. El Conquistador Speed Boat Tours (St. Augustine Municipal Marina, 111-E Avenida Menedez, 738-4695, elconspeedboat.com) take guests, who dare, on a high speed expedition aboard a 33-foot modified, v-hull catamaran through Matanzas Bay, the Intracoastal Waterway and, weather permitting, the Atlantic Ocean. The 60-minute tour is professionally narrated and focuses on St. Augustine’s maritime heritage, landmarks and local marine life. Exactly how fast the boat goes they won’t say (so as not to scare off the timid or disappoint adrenaline junkies), but suffice it to say, you’ll lose your hat—but hopefully not your lunch.

“X” marks the spot of the city’s most engaging new addition: The St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum (12 S. Castillo Dr., 877-467-5863, thepiratemuseum.com). Comprised of more than 800 authentic pirate artifacts from the private collection of best-selling author and motivational speaker Pat Croce, the museum takes visitors on a fascinating journey through the golden age of piracy and the lives of colorful characters like Captain Kidd, Blackbeard, Calico Jack and Captain Morgan (yes, they were all real people). History buffs will be captivated by rare treasures like an original Jolly Roger flag, one of the world’s oldest wanted posters (for the capture of Captain Henry Every) and the only authentic pirate treasure chest in the world. Kids will love the interactive exhibits, including cannons, a treasure hunt and spooky binaural sound booth recreating Blackbeard’s final battle. Even fans of fictional pirates like Captain Hook and Captain Jack Sparrow will find items of interest here.

New Looks
The Casa Monica Hotel (95 Cordova St., 827-1888, casamonica.com) got a facelift of its own with the completion of the first phase of a $1 million renovation project. All guest rooms were redesigned with custom furnishings including upholstered headboard in plush velvet and classically-inspired rouge carpet. Oooh, plush velvet…

Guests at Spa Laterra (near King & Bear at World Golf Village., 940-7800, spalaterra.com) are usually the ones getting the make-overs, but the spa, which recently reopened after being closed for more than a year, underwent a complete remodel of the 9,500-square-foot facilities (but don’t worry, the circular lounge, garden sanctuary and floating treatment cabanas didn’t go anywhere). The menu of services was also overhauled and now includes St. Augustine-themed treatments such as the Moor mud cocoon, la Florida body scrub, age-defying Fountain of Youth facial and warm algae wrap.

New Exhibits
No matter how many times you’ve been to the World Golf Hall of Fame (1 World Golf Pl., 940-4123, worldgolfhalloffame.org) or Ripley’s Believe It or Not! (19 San Marco Ave., 824-1606, ripleys.com) you’ll never see everything because the museums are continually adding to their collections throughout the year. World Golf Hall of Fame, for example, supplements permanent exhibits like “Golf Around the World” and the Trophy Tower with rotating featured exhibits such as “Nancy Lopez: Pride, Passion & Personality” and memorabilia from the most recent Hall of Fame Inductees including Ernie Els, Masashi “Jumbo” Ozaki and President George H.W. Bush, which are currently on display.Ripley’s Believe It or Not also likes to keep things interesting by mixing in new pieces amongst its famed shrunken heads and life-size replicas of the world’s fattest, tallest and thinnest men. Among its recent additions are the world’s smallest production car (pictured on page 48), a 131-pound single-seater that measures 4’5″ long, 3’3″ wide and 3’5″ tall; and a 4′ by 6′ mosaic of Tim Tebow as a Florida Gator made out of more than 46,000 white, black, green, blue and red BBs. Nope, not a single one is orange.  ]

Michael Smith’s Atlantic Beach home may be a custom build and based on tradition, but there’s nothing customary or traditional about it. Not by American standards anyway.
Designed and built by Mike Phillips of Phillips Builders, the three-story, 3,800-square foot abode was inspired by the homeowner’s travels to Indonesia, specifically Bali. But it wasn’t just the architecture and design aesthetic that Smith wanted to replicate; he also wanted to create a sense of damai (Indonesian for “peace”) throughout the space.
Phillips immediately drew inspiration from the lot itself. Because the property is
situated at the end of the block, and abuts only one other lot, the dense cover of palm trees and shrubs make it feel even more secluded. The ocean breeze and sound of crashing waves in the distance give the spot a tropical feel.

Smith’s vision for the project wasn’t quite as obvious to Phillips.
It’s not that Smith didn’t know what he wanted. In fact, he was very clear about two things: He wanted the house to be unique in every way possible (translation: he didn’t want any materials that could be found at Lowe’s or Home Depot), and he didn’t care what other people thought about the home’s design or decor (in other words, friends and neighbors can keep their opinions to themselves). But unlike many clients who hire a custom builder, Smith didn’t show up at Phillips Builders with a stack of home magazines, paint chips, photo albums, sketches and fabric swatches to elucidate that vision. What he did give Phillips was the challenge of his career.

Before Smith even decided to create his own Balinese retreat, he was picking up artifacts and artwork whenever he traveled to Indonesia, and whatever didn’t fit in his primary residence in Canada or vacation homes, he’d put in storage. Once he made up his mind to build the house in Atlantic Beach, however, his exports increased exponentially. Smith started shipping everything he could get his hands on that he thought might be of use (and could legally be exported, of course): doors, light fixtures, benches, vases, fabrics, tiles, tables, hardware, sculptures and lots and lots of wood.

Phillips, for one, was amazed by the lengths his client would go to in order to find authentic Indonesian furniture and accessories, as well as building materials.
“He wasn’t just going to Bali and walking down the main street [to shop],” Phillips explains. “He would get a canoe and go deep into the woods to buy actual antiques, not just replicas.” On these excursions, Smith found dilapidated wooden buildings that he purchased for the purpose of dismantling and shipping the wood back to the United States.

While some builders may have been uneasy having to work with unfamiliar materials arriving sight unseen, Phillips welcomed the opportunity. “The materials are so unique you have to be creative in how to use them,” he says. “And we never knew what we were getting until we opened [the cargo container].” In addition to not knowing the quality or quantity of materials he would be working with, Phillips had to contend with a lag time of several months between the time the materials were acquired in Indonesia and when they arrived in Atlantic Beach—11,000 miles away.

Virtually every piece that Smith had shipped over was handcrafted in some way or another, from hand-carved wooden gates and objets d’art to hand-hewn wood planks collected from those ramshackle structures. The homeowner was thrilled that each piece was innately unique, so he could fulfill his vision of having a home like no other. For Phillips, however, one-of-a-kind (read: inconsistent) pieces presented a whole new set of challenges.

Take, for example, the hardwood floors. Unlike traditional wood floors, there was nothing uniform about the planks and no pattern for their installation. There were dramatic variations in length, width and color. Phillips didn’t even know what kind of wood some of the pieces were. Truth be told, he says, the process was much more like putting together a series of puzzles than installing hardwood floors.

Finished pieces, like doors, wooden arches and fences, presented their own set of challenges. The thickness of the doors imported from Bali was considerably different from standard doors in America, so the homebuilder had to reconfigure the door frames and jambs and replace the hardware to accommodate them. The heights of the doors, as well as wooden archways and fences, were significantly different than what Phillips is accustomed to working with, too (as a point of reference, the height of the average male in Bali is 5’2”, compared to 5’10” in America).

In addition, Phillips had to ensure that every element met U.S. building codes. Railings surrounding the second story deck, for example, weren’t high enough to meet code and had to be altered; ditto for the staircases, which Phillips had to disassemble, modify and put back together. Reconfiguring 100- to 200-year-old pieces to fit today’s hurricane standards proved challenging, as well.As difficult as the project was at times, especially having to wait on shipments, Phillips welcomed the opportunity to test his creativity and resourcefulness. “As a builder, this is the kind of project you want to work on,” he says. “I learned so much. It really was a dream come true.”

For some homeowners, the decision to open their private residence to the general public is a matter of pride. They put their time, energy and money into making their home beautiful and want to share it with others. Mark Macco, whose Ponte Vedra Boulevard house is featured on The Legacy Trust Ponte Vedra Beach Home and Art Tour benefiting The Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach this month, certainly fits into that category. But he also has a more altruistic motivation. As president of Abode Residential Design Solutions with nearly 20 years of experience in the field of architecture, Macco believes it is incumbent on him to educate the public, not only about architecture but space planning and interior design.

Lesson one: “The ‘McMansion’ era is over.”
At 3,815 square feet, Macco’s house is modest compared to many homes on Ponte Vedra Boulevard, but he says good design is more about how you use a space than how much space you have.
“Our house isn’t the biggest on the block,” he says of the residence he shares with his partner of 11 years, Sam Hall, “but it’s well thought out.” For starters, the home’s purposeful design eliminates wasted spaces. Instead of a “gigantic foyer to nowhere,” guests enter through a smaller, more welcoming vestibule painted in warm yellow and given a sense of drama with stately white columns. In lieu of an elaborate, industrial-size kitchen, the house features a galley that is compact, yet efficient, an important quality for a couple who entertain as often as Macco and Hall do. (Speaking of efficiency, how ingenious was it to situate a walk-through closet between the master bedroom and laundry room?)
Further demonstrating the trend toward doing more with less is the home’s U-shaped layout, which creates a defined outdoor living space that functions like another room and allows for privacy around the pool and spa.

Lesson two: “Be colorful.”
“People agonize about what color to paint their walls. They’re frozen by having to make a decision so they paint everything white,” he says. “But paint is not
permanent. If you don’t like the color, you can always paint over it.”
In Macco’s endeavor to bring color into the home, he wound up choosing paint with equally colorful names such as Sunrise, Rainy Day and Hemp.

Lesson three: “Give every space purpose.”
Due in large part to heightened environmental consciousness, consumers are looking for ways to simplify their lives, starting at home. As a result, Macco says, homeowners are moving away from overly ornate décor—or as he likes to call it, “frosting”—in favor of a more contemporary style that focuses on clean lines, minimal accessories and sustainable materials.
This evolution in design is apparent throughout Macco and Hall’s home. The family room, for example, contains only four pieces of furniture—a curved
sectional sofa, two leather ottomans and a square coffee table—and a selection of glassware displayed in a custom-made wall unit in cherry wood that Macco designed himself. The living room is similarly composed with a few key pieces of furniture and two maple built-ins that showcase a limited selection of objets d’art.
With furnishings and accessories kept to a minimum, the couple’s art collection is the center of attention of each room, which Macco says was their primary goal. “We built the house around art. Everywhere you look there’s a focal point,” he says, whether it’s an Inuit jade sculpture or a vibrant botanical painting. “It’s all about taking spaces and giving them purpose.”

Lesson four: “Good design doesn’t have to be expensive.”
Just as bigger isn’t necessarily better, filling a house with pricey furniture, costly fabrics and high-end amenities is no guarantee of a beautiful home either.
For that reason, Macco advises homeowners to follow the basic tenets of architectural design such as proportion, rhythm, placement and purpose when building or decorating their home. Incorporating feng shui principles into the floor plan and interior design also serves to create a sense of balance, flow and energy, which affect a home’s overall atmosphere.
Recognizing that some people may not have the time and/or inclination to research these subjects, Macco suggests working with a design professional. Oftentimes, hiring an architect or interior designer can actually save homeowners money since his or her expertise can help reduce the need for construction change orders and avoid decorating mishaps.
Another cost-cutting tip, Macco says, is to choose less expensive finishes. “People hem and haw about it, but if [a material] is ‘of the earth,’ then you can’t go wrong.” For instance, quartz has a similar look and feel to granite but is generally less expensive. Chances are homeowners won’t even notice the difference between a quartz countertop and granite countertop, and their guests won’t care.
Macco incorporated a variety of materials into the home’s design including slate
surrounding the fireplace in the family room, Brazilian cherry flooring in the kitchen and dining room, clay tiles on the roof and river rocks that adorn the pool and hot tub.

Lesson five: “Your home should be a comfort zone.”
As the Macco-Hall residence demonstrates, practicality, sustainability and efficiency
certainly have their place in home design, but relaxation should be the guiding force, as
evidenced by the master bedroom.
With its tranquil color scheme and soothing view of the pool, the room is immediately relaxing. Clerestory windows provide natural light that is subtle but also rejuvenating.
Macco welcomes the spa-like atmosphere of his bedroom as a much-needed respite from the stresses of life, and he is eager to share the peace and serenity with home tour visitors. So long as they don’t expect a massage or
pedicure.