What I Saw on My Amelia Island Walk Today

Sweet Little Pocket Park

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 20:10:00 +0000

Over the last couple of years, Fernandina has been putting in a few "pocket parks" - little vacant spits of land between buildings that have been a bit of an eyesore in the past but are now quite lovely. They've added grass, trees, benches and sometimes sculpture by local artists. This one on Centre Street is between Christmas On the River and Lemongrass, a new clothing and accessories store "radiating a vintage surf shop motif". (for those of you a bit familiar with the area, this shop has replaced Last Flight Out.) This little park is actually shaded most of the day so it's a great place to take a break from shopping... with an ice cream cone in hand. Nice job, Fernandina.

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

The Flowering Baskets of Centre Street

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Tue, 31 May 2011 23:50:00 +0000

Most of the lovely flowering baskets on Centre Street have recently been updated with the change of season. This particular one outside of the Marina Seafood Restaurant caught my eye - and you can see why. Nothing says "summer" like blazing orange impatiens. I'm not sure how long they'll hang in there in that direct sun but they're certainly a welcome sight right now. Just beautiful.

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

Memorial Day 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Tue, 31 May 2011 02:05:00 +0000

We remember.

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

The Egret and Me

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Thu, 19 May 2011 23:12:00 +0000

This beautiful egret and I were the only ones out during my early morning walk. It's such a peaceful time: before Fernandina rises for work, before the tourists get up from their sleep-in and before any cars have hit the street. There's also no traffic on the water - or the docks - so the birds are still wallowing in their time to enjoy the river, as well. There are lots of early morning beachwalkers but in town, its just the egret and me.

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

The Easter Egg Cottage in Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Thu, 12 May 2011 00:05:00 +0000

From time to time, I like to check in on the Easter Egg Cottage (my name for it) to see what garden treats they have on display for the season. As expected, a glorious abundance of pastels is being featured for your eye-candy pleasure this Spring. A basket here, a birdcage there, a chair, a flowering basket, a shrub or a fence post topper; if there's a place for color, she's got it covered.

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

Big Fish - Little Girl

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Sun, 08 May 2011 01:29:00 +0000

I love to watch the little kids when they discover the koi "pond" in front of the Ship's Lantern on Centre Street. They get so excited that I've seen a few of them almost take a header straight into the moat. And, if truth be told, lots of the parents are pretty excited to see these big, friendly fish up so close too. One of the joys of being in a small town is that there are ample opportunities like this to remain innocent just a little bit longer.

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

Sounds on Centre - May Version

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Sat, 07 May 2011 01:13:00 +0000

What a crowd for Sounds on Centre tonight! Tonight, Big Vic and the Screaming Deacons played "sock hop" music for the First Friday Concert on Centre Street. Poodle skirts, bobby socks, cats-eye glasses and more were on display at this event sponsored by the Doo Wop Diner. For those of you who don't know, this street party takes place every first Friday of the month from March through October. As you can tell by the crowd, this free event is definitely worth putting on your calendar.

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

Pepper's - New Fernandina Mexican Restaurant

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Thu, 05 May 2011 23:49:00 +0000

Downtown Fernandina now has two Mexican restaurants: Pablo's, a guest favorite, and now Pepper's, a resstaurant that has relocated from the center of the island. Many of our guests will remember the old Bank of America building at the corner of Centre and Sixth, but this is what it looks like now. Local businessman, Don Shaw, bought the building a couple of years ago, put a good bit of money into bringing it in line with bricked look of the rest of Centre Street, and split it into two sections that now house some fine casual eateries. The General Store deli opened late last year, and now Peppers has opened featuring casual Mexican dining inside and out. We're grateful to all investors for their efforts and our guests are happy that they now have two more choices within a couple of blocks of Fairbanks House. And the neighborhood smells sooooo good. We now have nine restaurants within two blocks of the inn. Yum.

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

The Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival 2011!

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Thu, 05 May 2011 02:12:00 +0000

What a perfect weekend it was for the 2011 Amelia Island Shrimp Festival! There was a threat of rain for the parade Thursday evening but it cleared up the instant that things got underway. After that it was blue skies, pirates, shrimp, art, music and 150,000 people

We always have a great crowd for Shrimpfest but this year we had five couples who had stayed with us before and five couples who used to live in Fernandina. We've always felt that Shrimpfest is Amelia Island's Homecoming, but this year the evidence was clear. And you're all welcome to join them next year.

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

What a Perfect Amelia Island Weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 03:38:00 +0000

A military elopement, a perfect sunset, a Fairbanks House favorite couple three-peat, a warm sunny farmers market, a "hot" chili cookoff, and another great girls' weekend. It just doesn't get any better than that.

Amelia Island Lights of Love

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 00:47:00 +0000

It's Valentines weekend, time for the Amelia Island Lights of Love. For the past several years, when we've taken down the Christmas lights, we've left the red ones up just so we can have one more show for our island Valentines. When we started, I think that everyone thought that we hadn't taken down our Christmas decorations yet but now they're getting the hang of it and we have lots of folks driving by just like they did during the Christmas season. After all, who doesn't like a light show? Happy Valentines Day, everyone.

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

Pelican at Sunset in Fernandina Beach

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 01:25:00 +0000

Ahhh...another perfect Fernandina Beach sunset. We were fixated on the horizon when a pelican flew right into the shot, perfectly on cue. We met a couple from Michigan on the docks tonight who had just moved to Amelia Island and were mesmerized by their first Fernandina sunset and were filling their entire memory card in their camera with photos of it. And they were practically weeping at the beauty. They asked if we'd ever seen anything like it, and we got to give them the happy news that the show goes on every evening here - no ticket required. We're lucky, lucky, lucky.

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

Anyone's Thoughts Turning to Gardening?

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:13:00 +0000

With all of the snow and ice up north this week (month, year), I thought that you guys might want to see a little bit of edible greenery in the form of these nice raised beds at Lulu's at the Thompson House (formerly Lulu's Bra and Grill). So many of our restaurants in Fernandina are putting in chef's gardens these days and we're all the better off for it. Very fresh greens and produce year-round; we love it. When we lived up north I used to get through this time of year by drooling over the seed catalogs and planning out the vegetable and herb gardens. I grew several kinds of tomatoes, red/green/yellow peppers, zucchini, crookneck squash, Silver Queen corn, sunflowers, watermelon, cantaloupe, sugar peas, bush beans and about twenty different kinds of herbs. In fact, we bought almost nothing at the store. I've got a few herbs growing here, but I'm afraid that I've never been able to master growing fruits and vegetables in sand and blazing summer sun. Any suggestions? Who wants to put me back on the right track? Volunteers are welcome.

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

8 North Clothing Company

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 00:53:00 +0000

There's a new shop in Fernandina called 8 North Clothing Company. Located next to Pablo's on Second Street, they feature lots and lots of fun stuff including these cowboy boots that I spied through the front window. They opened at the end of the year and seem to be offering a unique variety for the area. They've got several items from their inventory pictured on their Facebook page if you want to check them out. We've seen several new stores come into town recently and our guests - and locals - are loving every minute of it.

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

The Pubs of Fernandina - Indigo Alley

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 00:29:00 +0000

Ahhh... Indigo Alley: speakeasy, wine bar, coffee house, hippie bar, jazz club. All of these monikers fit one of my favorite (if not THE) favorite pubs of Fernandina. Mike and Sherry Garbarini have done a fabulous job of creating a pub with a really great vibe. Just about every night, you can wander in for some great music by local musicians, easy conversation and a nice selection of beer and wine. There will be an occasional film or CD release party too, and it will always feel "just right". You can find their entertainment calendar for upcoming events here. If you're a musician or a cigar enthusiast, you'll find a small retail area inside to cover your cagar and guitar needs too. When you go, save a seat for me at the bar and have them pull me a Killian's Red.

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

Windows Across America Window Cleaning is Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 00:33:00 +0000

Our favorite window cleaner, Sean Allison, is back! Every year around this time Windows Across America - in the form of Sean - arrives on Amelia Island to clean all of our many, many windows (and our chandelier) inside and out. There is no window too high and no space to small for Sean to work his magic. He actually cleans the windows of most of the B&B's here and has been doing so for many years. Some of the local residents have also hired him for their Victorian houses, large and small, but you should check out his website to see some of the more unusual structures that he's worked on. He's been cleaning our windows for six or seven years now. He travels with the seasons, tries to stay warm and dry, and works a region for a couple of months. If anyone is interested, he tells me that he'll be in Florida through the middle of February - and we can give him an unqualified recommendation.

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

The Pubs of Fernandina - O'Kane's Irish Pub

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 02:23:00 +0000

Where can I get a drink in this town? Ahhh... the mantra of the weary - or worldly - traveler. Fear not; the pubs of Fernandina await. As I was thinking about all of the new things that have opened in our 12+ years here, I realized that we've got lots of great options to just kick back with friends or your significant other. O'Kane's is certainly a favorite and has been here for quite some time. It's not the oldest - that would be the Palace Saloon - but it's the second oldest in town. They've got a great selection of beers and a full liquor license if you're looking for a mixed drink.And if you're in the mood for pub food, I recommend the cream of potato soup. You can get is served in a French bread bowl so you can hear it land.

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

Amelia Island Artist Co-op

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 01:23:00 +0000

Our Amelia Island artist co-op had added a nice new extension, complete with garden and grand entrance gates. If you haven't been by yet to see it, circle your calendar for this Saturday when they'll be a featured stop on the monthly Second Saturday Artrageous Artwalk. We have so many great and diverse artists here that you can find great art thoughout several galleries downtown.

While you're at it, you can circle your calendars for some other great upcoming events:

January 23-30 Restaurant Week
February 4-5 Amelia Blues Fest
February 18-19 Book Island Festival
February 24-27 Amelia Island Film Festival

See you soon?

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

January Blooms

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 02:28:00 +0000

How are these for January blooms? A little Rudbekia, anyone? These plants really, really struggled to get established over our extremely dry summer but just a little bit of winter rain and mild temperatures seem to have done the trick. And, yes, those are Christmas lights - proof of timing.

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

The First Sunset of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 00:37:00 +0000

Happy New Year everyone. Let's make it a good one, shall we?

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

Winter Baskets Abound

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 00:31:00 +0000

The flowering baskets of Centre Street change with the seasons, and the winter baskets are currently featuring ornamental cabbage, capsia, a few pansies and a bright red bow. They'll all last through surprise freezes like last week's through the seasonal 70's that we'll be enjoying starting tomorrow. Okay, the bow might get changed out after Valentines Day but everything else will most likely be standing fast.

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

Christmas at the Fernandina Courthouse

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:40:00 +0000

Our Fernandina (Nassau County) courthouse is so beautiful that it's always a treat to linger over the architectural details, but the extra touches of garland, wreaths and bows makes the lingering last longer.

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

An Amelia Island Christmas Comes to a Close

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 00:56:00 +0000

Bill and I, and our staff, Peg and Stephanie, would like to wish all of you a very happy holiday season and thank you all for supporting us throughout the years. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, hoping to see you all very soon. If you'd like to see the rest of the photos from our Fairbanks House Christmas celebration, you can go to our Facebook page (no need to be a member), and if you want to see the rest of the videos, you can check out our YouTube Channel.

Cheers!

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island

Christmas Breakfast at Fairbanks House

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 01:49:00 +0000

Our Christmas breakfast was quite the feast. Even though some of our guests were still a bit sleepy, they were wide awake by the end of the meal. Bill's pumpkin pancakes are worth the price of admission alone. Come find out next year.

We Have the Best Christmas Guests on Amelia Island

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa the Innkeeper) — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 01:54:00 +0000

With holiday spriit like this, whou can doubt that Fairbanks House guests are the best Christmas guests on Amelia Island? Can't you just feel the happy? I don't know how we get so lucky every year but Father Christmas has smiled on us again. And those of you who closely follow my blog, you may think that I'm just running last year's photo, but we're lucky enough to have several returning guests from prior years. And... based on this group's chemistry, we're hoping for a full return next year. There will be a fuller report of the festivities tomorrow. Merry Christmas everyone.

Fairbanks House - Amelia Island