I am fortunate to live in one of the most beautiful places in the US...

[1monster]

Come visit us (September and October are best because there are less people ere then)...

http://vimeo.com/99421496

[OriginalGeek]

1. We stayed at the Casablanca

a couple years back for our 26th anniversary. We love visiting St Augustine but that was the first time we splurged on a B&B right up front. Had a second floor room with a balcony looking right out onto the Matanzas. Cigars and booze and hot tub in the room and all the great restaurants - it was a wonderful time.

[1monster]

3. I rented a place on the Bayfront south of King Street one summer back many years ago back

when I was in college (two bedrooms with a shared balcony $225 per month which was $75 per roommate including electric!). It's great on the Bayfront. Glad you enjoyed.

[NightWatcher]

2. and be sure to come up to Jacksonville for.... um.... um

There's a nice place to eat...um, no that was in Savannah.

There's always the... no, it closed.

There's a traffic light with a long yellow near my place. That's pretty cool right?

[1monster]

4. Well, we used to go to Jax for the shopping. Now we just go once in a while for the Costco...

I tried living in Jax once in the mid seventies. I lasted three weeks and ran back to old St. Auggie.

[OriginalGeek]

5. The best thing I remember about Jacksonville

was Mrs. Henry, my third grade teacher at Hyde Grove Elementary.

Then again, we moved to Texas in the middle of that school year so I can't say I've really experienced Jacksonville as an adult.


Well, except for that kick-ass weekend when me and my girlfriend (now wife) went up there with another couple for a weekend to party and see the Firm at the coliseum. First time seeing Jimmy Page live so it pretty much kicked ass.

[A HERETIC I AM]

8. Hyde Grove Elementary?!? LOL...I am a mile away from there as I type this.

I'm on the other side of the golf course, on the creek.

Huh....whaddya know.

[OriginalGeek]

9. Small world!

And to emphasize the "Small World" I lived on Pinnochio Dr.

[A HERETIC I AM]

10. Huh (again!)

Right down the street!

I've been working in the Jax area since late 2011, but have only been renting here since a year ago last November. I haven't done a whole lot of exploring, as I am on the road a lot, but I really like this neighborhood and the Riverside area reminds me of Coconut Grove in Miami.

I like it here just fine!

[OriginalGeek]

11. Some of my favorite Halloweens

were on that block. This would have been 1969~70ish. EVERY kid in the neighborhood was running around like crazy in our K-Mart superhero costumes gathering up tons and tons of candy. I remember the adults all being into it and everyone was out to scare us and then dump candy into our bags. My brothers and I were stuffing pillow cases so full we had to go get my little pedal fire truck to carry it all.

something like this with me driving holding bags of candy and my brothers pushing...lol, good times

[retread]

6. Was born and raised there. Couldn't wait to leave. Very red area.(John Thrasher).

http://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/232403

[1monster]

12. Well, every Eden has its serpent (or a whole nest of them: Thrasher, et als).

[retread]

14. I take it you didn't play the videos.

[1monster]

15. I am well aware of the Civil Rights and counter activities that took place in St. Augustine in the

early '60s. I even met the infamous Col. Brock who threw the muriatic acid into the pool where civil rights activists were swimming. I t hought he was an absolute jerk... he wasn't just racist; he was an equal opportunity bigot. There were lots of different groups on his list of "undesirables." St. Augustine was a very small town in the 1960. There are more than 20 times the population her now than then... and most came from up north somewhere.

My post wasn't political, BTW. I loathe John Thrasher and his ilk, BUT the PEOPLE OF this area backed him into a corner a few years back on a bill he was trying to push through without any scrutiny or time for anyone to organize opposition (I think it was SB 6). The people here did quickly organize information and protest and Thrasher backed down really fast.

I've lived here for forty years and things have changed, believe it or not, for the better. I was stunned, shocked, and appalled at the overt racism that existed here when I first moved here. It is much, much better now. Does racism still exist? Yes, but not any more than you'll find anywhere else. I'm amazed at how little the kids of today know about what it was like such a short while ago.

You don't want to live here? Fine. There are way too many people living here already.

[retread]

16. I worked for Brock at the St. Augustine Record. If you moved there 40 years ago you came after my

time. You are certainly welcome to that "beautiful" city.

[rug]

7. I would but I don't want to end up in Weird News.

[1monster]

13. So don't visit. Your loss, not mine.

[shenmue]

17. It does look beautiful

My parents go there a lot. I've always wanted to see the old churches.

[JCMach1]

18. Flagler College alumni here... :)

lived there (in St. Aug) for a total of 7 years and visit there when I can... I know it like the back of my hand...

[1monster]

19. Flagler College is what brought me here. And I stayed.