Restaurant and Lounge is to blame for my latest food addic- tion the Eggplant Tower! Located in the downtown Hilton www.hiltonhistoricstaugustine.com, the eatery lends a global twist to traditional fare. Another must–do spot (open for lunch only) is Café Alcazar, located on the ground floor of the Lightner Museum building. Chef Jesse Espinosa draws raves for his visually stunning good food! For fine dining, the dimly lit 95 Cordova Restaurant www.casamonica.com gets my vote. A Moroccan facade gives way to exceptional cuisine spiked with exotic Middle Eastern and Asian flavors. In Ponte Vedra Beach, reward yourself with dinner at the Seahorse Grill in the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club. Imagine feasting on Lobster Bisque, followed by Coconut Strawberry Baked Alaska while under the spell of an ocean view.
The Power Palette: A lunch meeting at Avilés
indulge the ultimate Cloud 9 experi- ence? The exhilaration of touring oceanfront properties and vistas in a bi-plane is the perfect way to spice up any itinerary. www.staugust- ineairtours.com For a pampering perk that's every bit as soothing as the blue skies, book services at the uber-opulent 30,000 –sq. ft. Spa at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, the region's largest and ritziest spa. After a morn- ing of flying, I grounded myself with an Orange Blossom Body Facial, and left walking on air! http://www.pontevedra.com/activi- ties/florida-spa-resort.aspx
VIP Treatment: Want to
ous outdoor enthusiasts there's guided boat excursions and kayak tours. As I paddled the waters of historic St. Augustine in a kayak, I marveled over the beauty of the old Spanish fortress on shore and natural wonders like peli- cans, dolphins and manatees. http://staugustineeco- tours.com
Crowd Pleaser: For adventur-
Quinta A.Martin, St. Augustine was the perfect destination for the Network to Freedom Underground Railroad Conference to explore how freedom seekers seized oppor- tunity to escape slavery in Spanish Florida.
In Good Company: According to meeting planner
ings and group travel. Publicist/travel writer Regina Lynch- Hudson has developed articles, destination marketing and meeting concepts for various venues and tourism boards. www.thewritepublicist.com
Doing Biz In™examines ideal destinations for meet-
Fort Matanzas which guarded St. Augustine inlet in the 1700's Photo Credit: Jon Adair
Black Meetings & Tourism May/June 2012: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 33
Ponte Vetra Island