Summer has always been a travel-heavy season for us. We don’t live near mine or my husband’s family, so we take the boys on a “tour de family” to Alabama and Tennessee every summer. This year looked a little different, but we still spent time with those we loved. It felt more special somehow. It wasn’t spent going from place to place trying to keep the kids entertained, it was quality time telling stories and swimming in my parents pool. It wasn’t eating out at restaurants, it was enjoying my father-in-laws boat on a beautiful lake in TN. It was enjoying the company of close friends and family ..read more

Wine is meant to be enjoyed by all the senses. We’re given wine in a glass and taught to look at it to decide the color, smell to decide the top notes and first impression, taste and swish to determine thickness and balance, and taste again to confirm or deny our first conclusions. It’s a wonderful process that opens the mind. It becomes even better when you can pair a wine with the story of how it came to be, much like a songwriter telling the origin of the song. Craig Collins, Master Sommelier and Italian Portfolio Sales Manager for VINTUS, was our guide for the VINTUS wine dinner, and he w ..read more

This is an exciting time of year on our beaches. It is sea turtle nesting season! During the overnight hours, female sea turtles make their way out of the ocean to lay and hide their eggs. Two months later, the baby sea turtles (hatchlings) emerge and crawl down to the water. Their little flippers are trying to get them to the water as quickly as possible to avoid the barrage of predators like birds, crabs, raccoons, and dogs that are waiting for a midnight snack. There are also obstacles like holes dug by beach goers or driftwood that the hatchlings must avoid. Experts say that at best only 1 ..read more

Times like this can bring the best out in humanity. While we are staying safe at home, we are investing in what matters most, each other. This crisis has taught me so many lessons already, and I know there are more to come. Stillness is not easy to come by in our season of life. With two very active boys, our lives are busy with sports, family activities, school, and travel. This has taught me to be still and listen to them. We have had the best conversations about all kinds of things…from the ridiculous to the serious, I know them better because of this. It’s also refreshed my sense of gratit ..read more

We’re all trying to do our part to take care of one another in this crisis. The leadership team at Sawgrass Country Club are constantly looking ahead and planning to meet the needs of the club in unconventional ways. Sawgrass Eats is a program born out of a desire to serve members, especially those who are most vulnerable. C.W. said it like this, “A doctor at Mayo said that the Sawgrass Eats initiative made him so proud as a member not only because it’s a great initiative but in his opinion, it was also helping to save lives as it is allowing many members in an at risk demographic to easily g ..read more

The term Horse Soldier is used to describe a member of the small teams of Green Berets mounted on horseback who went into Northern Afghanistan just days after 9/11. These brave soldiers embarked on risky missions, and they didn’t know how long they would be there or if they would be coming home. These soldiers were the inspiration for the award-winning Horse Soldier® Bourbon Whiskey we were honored to try at the Whiskey and War Stories event at Sawgrass Country Club. Merrick Mirabella, a First Responder at Ground Zero, and Billy Howell Jr., a retired Green Beret and member of those early team ..read more

There’s something special about seeing the source, doing the hard work, and discovering the people behind the products we enjoy. Outlaw Oysters is dedicated to “growing oysters so shuckin’ good,” and a team of chefs from Sawgrass made the trek over to taste the slurp-worthy oysters. They promise oysters that are tender, salty, and minerally, and according to Michael, they delivered. About the trip On January 13th, Michael Meuse (Executive Chef), Ben Brett (Chef de Cuisine at the Beach Club), Dean Bales (Chef de Cuisine at the Golf Club), and Elia Balas took a drive over to Panacea, FL to visi ..read more

Christmas is here! This is a bustling season for so many. Kids are having programs and class parties while tests and papers due for the older ones. There are dinners, work parties, and various activities going on all over Ponte Vedra Beach. It can be easy to lose the joy in the midst of the craziness. But let’s not. Make sure you take time to do good. This can look different for each of us, whether it’s reaching out to a family member or friend that you’ve lost touch with, baking cookies or taking dinner to your neighbor who is struggling with an illness, or simply offering a smile or helping ..read more

The holidays are here! Are you ready? I must say that I am tackling my list left and right so far. It feels great to get things done early, doesn’t it? Getting things done means I can spend time with the boys when they are out of school instead of last minute shopping and getting stressed out! After all, this SHOULD be a season of rest and spending time with family. But if you do find yourself in a pinch or need some ideas, we’ve got you covered! Your team at Sawgrass has put together a few gift guides to help you start early this year! There’s a gift guide for the man in your life and one fo ..read more

Hunting for shark teeth is a great family activity for both being outside and learning something new! Our beaches have hundreds and hundreds that regularly wash up and are begging to be found. Lacie and her team at the Youth Activity Center planned a family shark tooth hunt recently, and my boys were so excited to participate! There were at least 15 families that came out. Lacie started the night by giving us a time limit of 30 minutes to find as many sharks teeth as possible! Then, afterwards, they lit a bonfire and the kids ate S’mores! Give my kids sugar, and they are HAPPY. Our family fou ..read more