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PACE 6B THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 2008 Features JAGUAR EXHIBIT The Range of the Jaguar is an exciting exhibit recreating a neo-tropical rainforest on nearly four acres of zoo grounds. JACKSONVILLE LANDING Jacksonville Landing offers a variety of shopping, dining and entertainment options. Outdoors, culture and the arts — Jacksonville has it all OCEAN ONE RESORT AND SPA Ocean One Resort and Spa is the newest accommodation option on the beach. This resort offers spa services, fine dining, and exceptional hospitality. BY SHERRY LEWIS Watching the dolphins off in the distance, listening to the sound of the waves coming ashore, and strolling along for miles on a beautiful beach are wonderful ways to pass the days away on the coast. When you add museums, Broadway theatre and the zoo—-Jacksonville, Florida, stands out as a very unique place to visit. It affords the opportunity to blend the outdoors with culture and the arts. On a recent trip to Jacksonville, I was almost breathless when I arrived at the newest resort on the beach- -One Ocean Resort and Spa. The landscape and resort decor compli mented the tranquility found only at the ocean. The room, the view, and every thing in between was wonderful, but what truly set this resort apart was the personalized service I received from my docent, Debra Nearbin. She attended to my every need. I highly rec ommend Ocean One Resort and Spa as the headquarters for your Jacksonville vacation. For more information, visit www.oneoceanresort.com Also located in this area, where Adantic Beach and Neptune Beach come together, there is plenty of venues for live music, quaint shops and more. I wandered the Town Center, steps from the ocean, for a taste of local flavor. There are restaurants to satisfy every appetite. Here you’ll also find Pete’s Bar, where noted author and frequent visitor, John Grisham, found inspira tion for his 2000 best-seller, “The Brethem.’’ Jacksonville is a city surrounded by water with a stretch of the Adantic coast line and the St. John’s River making its way through town. The Jacksonville Beach Fishing Pier offers ample access to fishing. The 1,300 foot pier features a 20-foot wooden deck and it is a great spot to watch fishermen reel in their latest catches. Besides all the great fish ing, the pier also provides a great view of Jacksonville. Hours of operation are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission to fish is $4 or $1 to take a scenic stroll along the pier. Children under 6 are admitted free. The pier includes a concession area, bait shop and restrooms. Visit www.jacksonvillebeach.org for more information. After checking out the pier, I head ed further south on the beach to the Sea Walk Pavilion, located along the oceanfront and home to festivals and events throughout the year. Also, on 1st Street, I found the American Red Cross Lifeguard Station—the oldest volun teer lifeguard corp in the country. I also recommend the Beaches Museum and History Center located nearby. From pre-Columbian times through wars, land booms and depres sion, the beaches of Northeast Florida boast a colorful past. The history of Jacksonville’s beaches, from salty Mayport to luxurious Ponte Vedra, are brought to life through pictures, first-hand accounts and artifacts at the Beaches Museum & History Center. For more information, visit www. bm-hc.com Be sure to make time to head into the city and check out the Museum of Contemporary Art. MOCA Jacksonville is the largest modem and contemporary art museum in the Southeast. The permanent collection consists of more than 700 works in a wide range of media, representing prominent national and international artists of the 20th and 21st century. It houses changing exhibition galler ies, a children’s interactive center, edu cation studios, MOCA Theatre, Cafe Nola, Museum Shop and a light-filled Atrium Gallery. When I visited the featured exhibi tion was Paper Cuts: Contemporary Works on Paper. Los Angeles artist Chris Natrop used cut paper to trans form the gallery into free-form patterns featuring nature and landscape. The paper cuts along with the shadows from the lighting make this an awe some sight. Another collection that caught my eye was Memphis Wood who is deemed “Jacksonville’s First Lady of the Arts.” I learned that she was a Georgia native, bom in Dacula, and that she received her master’s degree at the University of Georgia. Wood made an astonishing contribution to art and art education in Jacksonville, teaching and influencing many of Jacksonville’s most successful artists. In her honor, MOCA Jacksonville offers the annual Memphis Wood Excellence in Teaching Award for outstanding contributions to arts in education. After leaving MOCA, I strolled along Hemming Plaza Market which has a great history of its own. During the Great Fire of 1901 in Jacksonville, resi dents piled furniture and other belong ings in the park, hoping to escape the wrath of the fires. In the 1960s, the Civil Rights straggle played out at the plaza as the era of segregation was brought to an end in Northeast Florida. I made my way to the waterfront, the home of Jacksonville Landing. I strolled along the Northbank Riverwalk to see the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts, home of the Jacksonville Symphony and numerous theatrical productions. My next stop was Jacksonville Landing, which offers a variety of shopping, dining, and entertainment options. For more information, visit www.jacksonvillelanding.com That is where I hopped on the S.S. Marine Water Taxi and traveled across the St. Johns River for lunch right on the waterfront. I highly recommend a local favorite, the River City Brewing Company. They offer a wide vari ety of food to please any appetite. Appetizers include a variety of shrimp and crab dishes, fried gator tail, and fresh bruschetta. For my entree, I had seared cod topped with lump crab meat, fresh asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes. I finished off my meal and found that the dessert choices were too good to miss. I finally decided on the apple cobbler alamode: the perfect way to end lunch. It was a mouthwatering meal, and when you add the riverfront ambience, you can’t go wrong. After lunch, I stepped into the Museum of Science and History (MOSH), a local favorite known for educating First Coast residents and visitors alike on the topics of physical science, history, astronomy, and natural science through exciting and educa tional exhibits, events and programs. Check them out on the web at www. themosh.org. FORT GEORGE ISLAND While in the area, I also visited Kingsley Plantation on Fort George Island. It is the oldest remaining planta tion house in Florida. At this National Park, check out the remarkably pre served slave quarters, bam, plantation house, kitchen house and interpretive garden located on the waterfront. Be sure and talk to the park rangers to learn the rich history of the area and the plantation’s past. Then I stopped by the historic Ribault Club. This historic landmark also serves as a gateway to the Timucuan Trail, with interpretive displays and an Eastern National book store, orienting visitors to Fort George Island’s rich his tory stretching back to its exploration in the 16th century by French sea captain Jean Ribault, the club’s namesake. The comprehensive museum, complete with video and interactive displays, details the island’s ecology, history and geog raphy. The Ribault Club is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a true step back in time. Visit www. theribaultclub.com to learn more. JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS Next, I escaped to the wild side at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens for the only walking safari in Northeast Florida. Don’t miss the Range of the Jaguar, an exciting exhibit recreating a neo-tropical rainforest on nearly four acres of zoo grounds. While you’re there, enjoy lunch at the Palm Plaza Cafe, where you can gaze through three enormous windows looking directly into the jaguar exhibit. The Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens features over 1,400 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species. Don’t miss new features like the Play Park, the expansive botanical gardens and the new giraffe overlook. Check them out at www.jaxzoo.org THEATRE IN JACKSONVILLE The Alhambra Dinner Theatre is a must when you visit the area. I consider it to be a gem at the beach. I was swept away by the performance of The Sound of Music. The cast was a group of well- seasoned professionals and I highly recommend your taking time to visit. The theatre has been a local favorite for over 35 years. With a family-friend ly performance schedule, the Alhambra delights audiences of all ages with every season. Before the show, I dined on a full buffet with a variety of dishes including chef carved roast beef and ham, seafood Newberg, an array of vegetables and desserts. Visit www. alhambraddinnertheatre.com for more information. So when you are ready to get away from it all, the Jacksonville area will surely be a hit. This destination has it all. There’s plenty of sand and surf, with culture and the arts as well. To start planning your Jacksonville vaca tion, log onto www.visitjacksonville. com. Now Open in Downtown Commerce! The State Street Boutique Contemporary Women's Apparel and Accessories Our winter sweater line is arriving this week! Reductions on all late summer/fall dresses! We are located at: 39 State Street in Downtown Commerce Next door to Cherished Treasures (706) 336-6520 Closed on Sundays FORTSON Well Drilling & Environmental Services, Inc. Residential & Commercial Services • 6” Drilled Wells • Water Filtration and Purification • Water Conditioning Systems Irrigation Systems • Monitoring Wells • Remediation Wells Customer Satisfaction Is Important To Us. We Invite You To Check Us Out. PHONE 795-2717 FAX 795-3713 Located 5 Miles North Of Danielsville On Hwy. 281 Danielsville, Georgia We Buy All Gold & Silver Nee ( / / Including: • Class Rings • Wedding Bands ► • Coins • Broken Jewelry >rJ • Dental Gold XfainC'Soif/e 770-532-2592 1020 Jesse Jewell Pkwy. • Gainesville, GA Mon. -Thurs. 10-6:30 • Fri. - Sat. 10-7 Town of Homer NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS The Town of Homer Mayor and Council will have a public hearing, Tuesday, August 26, 2008 at 6:00 P.M. at Town Hall. This hearing will be to consider the Community Agenda portion of the comprehensive plan and the Solid Waste Management Plan. The Mayor and Council will have a called meeting immediately following the public hearing to consider action on the Community Agenda portion of the comprehensive plan. All citizens are encouraged to attend. WJJC LIVE \ 1270 AM / WEBSTREAMING \wjjc\ 7:00A — 7:ooP ) 50 YEARS f / COMMERCE, GEORGIA J Listen to all your favorites over the Internet Beginning September 5, 2008 www.WJJC.net 706-335-1270