CIAO AMELIA !

As usual, a weekend wander downtown and - a discovery. Our two favorite restaurants here happen to be ethnic.  One was now open for lunch!  Ciao is truly a taste of Italy.  We had yet to discover how much of an "Italiano" day it was going to be though when we decided to take a breather from errands.

Luca, owner with his wife Kim, greeted us personally, as always, and soon we were seated at our  table. As we entered a sweet space of relaxation we noticed that the young couple seated behind us were chatting happily in Italian. The sound was delightful and the music of it brought us back to memories of our trip to Italy long ago.

Ciao is a place where one can enjoy wonderful food, friendship and, in general, people watching. As readers know, that is one of my pastimes. Always a joy…Ciao.

                                                Luca welcoming us to his restaurant

We have known Luca since we came to the Island, eight years ago.  We watched him as he and his wife planned their career until finally: CIAO was born.  They are good friends.

I do not usually make endorsements but in this case, along with another restaurant, I will do so.

  Stay tuned for the other….

                                              http://www.ciaobistro-luca.com/default.html

But, my Italian sojourn was not yet over.  Typical of Amelia Island to have another 

surprise up its sleeve.

The next morning, I went to my favorite consignment shop. I needed to find some winter clothes to warm me during an unseasonal cold spell.  Here below is Barb. owner of BUY GONES, a delight of a shop in many ways.  Others think so, too, as you can see:

                                               Best Amelia Consignment Shop 2013!

There I was wandering through clothing goodies when in walked a couple shivering on this cold day.
When I looked up: lo and behold, the couple from Ciao! They commenced to speak Italian to Barb, imagine: also Italian!  Turns out they were in Amelia to be married that afternoon!  Good wishes all around.  I even found lots of lovely clothes on top of it all!

Barb is a great fundraiser, too, another reason to frequent her shop.  All part of the unique experience of Amelia Island on a cold Saturday morning.  Thanks, Barb, I will be back!

                     

                                                         buygonesamelia.com

Amelia Island is a place for dreaming. Laid back and slow, a day or two like the one I described is only an Island dream a hop, skip and jump away….

.

HAPPY 2014

Wishing all who read and enjoy this little island blog a wonderful 2014.  Amelia Island continues to surprise and welcome all who come to its shores.  But, wherever you may be the Island Mentality is there for you….close your eyes and take a deep breath, and imagine you are on your own special Island.  Come on it, the water is fine!!!

We have just returned from a very big city with its inherent noise and traffic.  A huge sigh as we return to our home and listen to the surf sing us to sleep at night.




                                                           Thank you Pinterest for this photo

CELEBRATING THE REASON FOR THE SEASON

'Tis the season on the Island.  Every weekend there is something to see, to enjoy.  Last weekend was the well known Christmas Home Tour, many of our victorian beauties decorated in period finery with innkeepers to match.  We wandered down to the Farmer's market on Saturday morning.  Parking right in front of the imposing Methodist church we noticed some doings there.

                                                           United Methodist Church
                                                                 601 Centre St.
                                                          Downtown Fernandina Beach
                                                                  Amelia Island

 Sure enough there was an incredible collection of Nativity Sets on display and called

"No Room at the Inn".  

Admission was free, donations for the homeless of our area.  

Nearly 100 nativity sets were arranged all around the Church interior, the little chapel and the parsonage next door.  What a delight !!!  How have we missed this other years?  This is just a sample of what we enjoyed.

  

 All was surrounded by Christmas flowers.  Each set had been donated by Church members.  Out on the victorian porch a group of church members serenaded with their carols.

The display began with the utterly simple.

             

                  To more elaborate ones like this one was set into an old stereo speaker which made a perfect sanctuary for it.

Here is an African set….

This was one of my favorites….

or was it this one, set on the window sill of the lovely tiny Chapel in this historic Church.

A wonderful Native American set

This beautiful set  below is indeed different.  I do not remember its origins.

There were many more, some very elaborate with shepards and Wise Men 

and Angels and landscaped settings.  

All of it within the victorian architecture of wood we no longer see. 

This historic Church is a beautiful edifice all on its own.  It was built in 1926, finally finished in 1952.

Its lovely Chapel  was dedicated in 1938.  

1927 cover of The Saturday Evening Post

my favorite photo for this Christmas

found on Pinterest

The No Room at the Inn display as well as the lovely card of the Madonna and Child

reminds us of the true Christmas meaning.

This Island has not forgotten it.

May this Christmas be full of its real meaning for you and yours

from this blogger and hers…

CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS

PAJAMA PARTY DOWNTOWN!!!!

The day after Thanksgiving…unseasonably cold here yesterday,  but warmer today.

Perfect as today was downtown Amelia Island PJ party.  It is always a hoot and a holler and no different this year.  The sun was shining and smiles were everywhere. Also some neat music making…complete with our former mayor sporting pjs and his signature eye patch! 

 Foot stomping' music, too, down by the harbor.

Red and green and holly….and laughter…no matter your age.

If you are wearing pi's you get a discount in the shops.

Many folks coordinate their outfits….yep, there is a prize for best outfits!  I particularly

like the color scheme with these four.

Often whole families get into the act….

This is when we fall in love with our island all over again.  I somehow cannot see this happening up in a mall somewhere.  This is all about family time, slow time, laughter time and
you can get good Christmas shopping done to boot! 

All up and down the town, everyone is different and whimsical

Shop keepers dress up and offer tantalizing goodies, and snacks, and one even offers mimosas!  No crowds, no parking problems, no traffic jams….  This wonderful lady below has a decorated walker, she has no fear of anyone knocking her over in a rush to get to some bargain.  She and her neighbor get up early, and take the ferry from Jacksonville Beach, it is an annual trip for them.
When she hit a button on her hat,

 it started gyrating and jingling a Christmas tune.  

Sparkling pj's. bunny slippers and light-up hula hoops.

Bill, just released for the day?

Have a great after-turkey day from lil' ol' Amelia Island where the living is easy and sweet.  Just ask our pirates that can be found anywhere and everywhere on the Island….

On The Road to Discovering other roads….

After an unusual spate of rain and gloom, a hint of sun appeared yesterday. On the spur of the moment off we went on an off-island driving adventure.  It was determined that we would head along the old road to St. Augustine.  Not having been there for a good bit, and never taking our time, we set off to see what we could see.  The sun managed to follow.

Going to St. Augustine, one thinks only of that historic town and not the fascinating nature path you can take to get there.  Between the ocean and the intercoastal pathway lies one of the

few estuaries along the East Coast:

The Guana Tolomato Mantanzanas Reserve

We drove along with the estuary on one side and the ocean on the other.

National Ocean and Atmospheric Agency partners with the National Spatial Reference Agency to protect and study this precious waterway that has been here since Native Americans called it home.
Other researchers gather here as well to study this precious place, one of few estuaries left in the U.S.


For us it was educational, but it was also peaceful.  As you can see this pier was crowded with all kinds of wild life.  We were not allowed to get closer but you can see from the silhouettes what they are. Across the bay there were nesting eagles one could see through a telescope.

Eventually we reached St. Augustine and lunch with a walk-about. Another of our destinations was the chapel of Our Lady of La Leche there in the city.  Leche means milk in Spanish, and most are familiar with the La Leche league which promotes breast feeding for infants.  The Catholic Chapel itself is named after the nurturing qualities of Our Lady.  There has been a chapel here since the Spanish landed in 1565.  This first mission in the U.S., the Mission Nombre de Dios, includes the Chapel which is visited by over 200,000 pilgrims a year.  The site borders the river and is settled peacefully within groves of cedar and pine. Clusters of historic grave markers surround it.  We found it a quiet and restful place to sit and pray after our long day.  There are always so many things to pray for in our lives and also, for which to be thankful.  

                                        The little wooden statue of Our Lady of La Leche

                                 

Goblins and Hoblins and Witches…oh my!!!

Halloween is a BIG DAY on the Island….this morning we headed downtown for the very special extravaganza.  Every year on Halloween eve morning come herds of preschoolers and their parents or sitters.  They have come to trick or treat all the shop owners who are often also in costume.  It is a delight.  We went by one two story brick building and the owners had lowered a rope with goodies in it for the kids.  Everyone has a great time…you can see that from this little unicorn's delightful smile.  We love it. Another of our Island traditions we try not to miss…  My little red camera was busy, as I asked Moms and Dads if I could photograph. They all agreed and each child obliged with a smile, 

it was a treat for the heart!

                             Even the littlest are arrayed, along with a pirate sibling too tired to walk.

                  Another precious Halloween moment as Wonder Child and her veggy buddy
                                                      reach for fallen goodies..

   As I said, shop owners get into it, like this fantastic clown.  

Note the blue skies today, it would dare rain.

                         

Now, we have come to the end of our tale…

what was your Halloween eve like?

FIND YOURSELF AN ISLAND!

Find yourself an island, inside or out.  Everyone needs a place to go, to center, to appreciate. It does not have to be spectacular.  

Well, we found one that is spectacular, in its own simple way.  

 Here on Amelia Island we found such a place.  Now everyone knows it! This week in our local biweekly newspaper The News Leader we find out that we are #24 of 25 of the best Islands IN THE WORLD to visit!! This according to Conde Nast Traveler's Choice 2013. In the world, folks!   For the seventh consecutive year it was also voted among the top ten U.S. Islands in the Reader's Choice Awards along with Maui and Kauai, Nantucket,MA and Hilton Head, S.C.  

As I may have said earlier in this blog, we are only 12 x 3 miles in size with two not very long bridges that connect us to the "mainland".  Before we found Amelia, we had never heard of it.  When we visited friends here, our connection, we fell in love.  I guess a lot of other folks fall in love with it, too.

We are always discovering new little corners.  Just taking a short ride around or walking downtown or off the beaten path we get a sweet time-out.

I found this photo on Pinterest, it was not taken here.  But, I love the spotlight effect on the sea...and it works for me!  It tells the story pretty well. 

 So where is your island?