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July 17, 2011 Seeing St. Augustine in Style
This past week I had the opportunity to join seven other dynamic women from my place of employment at the Florida Society for Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing’s annual meeting in what I consider to be one of Florida’s most beautiful destinations: St. Augustine. Situated in the Casa Monica Hotel, the convention was educational and a great bonding time for co-workers. But the real treat was the location.
- Casa Monica Hotel
The Casa Monica Hotel is a beautiful four-star hotel that reflects the heritage, culture and architectural history of Spanish-inspired St. Augustine. With walls lined with incredible artwork, a stellar location across from Flagler College and incredible amenities, this hotel exceeded my expectations. As is the entire city of St. Augustine, the Casa Monica was like stepping into an old European city.
An added bonus is that the hotel is one of the city’s greatest haunts. In fact, it’s stated that the original owner, Fred Smith, is known to roam the halls of the fourth floor. Thankfully, I was not treated to an introduction to Mr. Smith, but there were some strange noises in the middle of the night that did have me questioning whether ghosts do exist.
As breakout sessions wound down, I immediately left the hotel to venture out into historic St. Augustine. (The pristine beach will have to wait for another visit.) Founded by Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles in 1565, St. Augustine is probably best known for Ponce de Leon’s quest to find the Fountain of Youth in the same region. Everything in St. Augustine reflects the dynamic Spanish culture, as well as the incredible wealth that the city once possessed. Although the shopping has become much more touristy, with many of the artisans I remember from years ago now gone, the museums, tours and decor make up for the loss of these talented artists.
- Flagler College in St. Augustine
Finally, because the convention I was attending provided our meals, I only had one opportunity to get out and sample the local fare. May I strongly, highly, emphatically urge you to visit Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grille. A two-story restaurant situated on the Intracoastal, the restaurant boasts a beautiful outdoor courtyard, as well as fantastic vistas of the city and water.
Although the wine list was a tad limited, the menu was incredible and definitely had a New Orleans vibe. I started with the She Crab Bisque, followed by Pasta Chicken Louisianne, blackened chicken over pasta in white mushroom cream sauce, per the recommendation of our gracious waiter. I concluded the meal with a gorgeously flavored Bananas Foster. All in all, a grand slam conclusion to a great three days in this wonderful town.
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Tags: architecture, art, banans foster, beach, Casa Monica Hotel, crab, Flagler College, Florida, ghosts, Harry's Seafood Bar & Grille, haunted, Intracoastal, menu, shopping, Spanish, St. Augustine, travel, vacation
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