Enough that Rosamond Parrish is an accomplished artist, instructor, and writer, in Lincolnville: A Sketchbook Journal she's combined creative design skills to take us through "the historically unique and beautiful neighborhood that I found as I painted it."

   Sketchbook, published in partnership with the St. Augustine Art Association, gives one the feel of a leisurely stroll as it combines narrative text with script-style notes on the variety Rosamond has found in each district of Lincolnville - architecture and people, presented through "watercolor pencils, mechanical and Cheap Joe's #2 drawing pencils, Uniball pans, Pentel Color Brushes, sumi ink and a bamboo pen," as she describes in a note to artists.

   It's a significant contribution to the historical record of St. Augustine. A writer of many articles, this is Rosamond's first book. She says her "visual tour" of Lincolnville was inspired by historian David Nolan's Red Train tours.

   Find copies at the Art Association, along with many of her works, and the Worley Faver Gallery on Aviles Street. Expect other locations as Rosamond makes contacts. Reach her at 217-3485.

 

Fundraising in tough times

   Creative efforts are afoot for needed funding in tough economic times. The Homeless Coalition and St. Paul School of Excellence don't have familiar annual fundraisers, but each has found sponsors for support.

Robinson

   Amistad's Susan Herrera of the San Marco Avenue gift shop says of a recent Homeless Coalition fundraiser, "our mission is to make a difference both at home and around the world, focusing on alleviating poverty and human suffering.  We will be having three fund-raisers this fall with that focus."

   And Limelight Theatre Board President Scott Bartosch says, "Limelight Theatre is extremely pleased to support St. Paul School of Excellence with not only our Kidzfactory program, but also with the musical talent of one of our veteran talents, Patric Robinson."

   Robinson will present a Sam Cooke Tribute concert to benefit the school Saturday from 7 - 9 pm at the Galimore Center. Tickets $15 through Limelight Theatre and St. Paul School of Excellence, or at the door.  

City 'Tourist Trap' with charisma

   St. Augustine makes Folio Weekly's current "Best of Jax" list as "Best Staycation/Tourist Trap," but not without some good points. Says the paper:

   "When Juan Ponce de Leon explored the region in 1513, he wasn't planning on it becoming a tourist trap filled with fake pirate ships, rubber alligators and rows of T-shirt shops. But that doesn't mean Northeast Florida's best tourist trap and best staycation is null of character, culture and charisma.

   "Sure, you can walk up and down St. George Street - visiting the different shops - or climb the Lighthouse, but do what the locals do and dine at one of the amazing restaurants, take in a show at the Amphitheatre or Café Eleven and go for a stroll through Anastasia Park. St. Augustine is more than just a chart-topper on national 'Best of' lists."

   Others making the list: Best Pizza in St. Augustine - Pizzalley's Pizzeria, Best Neighborhood Bar - Scarlett O'Hara's, Best Vegan or Vegetarian Restaurant - Present Moment Café and Market, and Best Place to Attend a Concert - St. Augustine Amphitheatre.

 

   

In 1937 the Carnegie Institution of Washington, with the Smithsonian Institution, the American Council of Learned Societies, the Social Science Research Council and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, embarked on a historical restoration of St. Augustine, "...the cost of which is expected to reach or exceed $9,000,000." The vision faded with the onset of World War Two.

Seventy-five years later, the University of Florida is restoring and interpreting 34 state-owned historic properties here, while entrepreneur Pat Croce is transforming the Colonial Spanish Quarter into a tableau of centuries of the city's existence. Excerpts from a 1930s report:

The plan of the project is not to restore one period by itself, but to telescope the centuries, bringing the life of the aboriginal Timuquan Indians into clear focus side by side with all the succeeding centuries, the arrival of the Spanish, the French and the English and their struggles for supremacy over each other and over the wild land to which they had come and its savage inhabitants.

The plan of depicting history "in the round" is to be carried down to the present day, thus making St. Augustine, the city itself, an epitome of American history from its beginning, as veritable a reproduction of a slice of our national past as the Rockefeller beneficence has made of Virginia's ancient capital city of Williamsburg.

The means for the accomplishment of this project is a revolutionary venture in the field of history and science, for rather than relying on written records to reconstruct the story, as is the usual procedure of the historian, the pan-scientific method will be used; that is, all the arts and sciences will contribute their findings in this region to make a scientifically as well as historically accurate whole.

The archaeologist, architect, engineer, geologist, astronomer, botanist, the student of cartography, physical and human geography, languages, medicine, agriculture, plant ecology, anthropology and paleontology will enlarge and enrich the story by their findings.

The restored St. Augustine will tell its own story, and the town will not be "frozen" into any period of its history, but all stages of its development will be represented. There may be a few instances where buildings representing one period of history will be reconstructed in detail, but the general plan is to give the visitor the feel of succeeding centuries.

Therefore, in one house may be represented the story of the Spanish and the English occupation, flavored with the personality that is American. It is that blending of old civilizations with the distinctively American flavor that gives St. Augustine a personality which is unique.