A weekend in Amelia Island
Amelia Island is one of those under-the-radar gems that you can’t believe you’ve never heard of before–or, at the very least, I couldn’t believe that it took me so long to hear about it. Located off the coast of Northeast Florida (about a 45-minute drive from Jacksonville), the island is a mix of Florida beaches and Southern charm. As someone laughingly told me: the farther north in Florida go, the more South you get. Think plenty of fried chicken and sweet tea, with a canopy of Spanish moss trees.
Amelia Island 2016 from Christine Amorose on Vimeo.
I headed down for the inaugural Cocktails + Canvases event at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort–and tacked on an extra day to explore the resort’s 1350 acres with my boyfriend. I was blown away by the gorgeous natural setting, the variety (and deliciousness) of the food options, and the fact that it was all located just a 2.5-hour flight away from NYC.
Apparently Amelia Island is a pretty standard family vacation option for people in the South, similar to how families in the Northeast flock to the Jersey Shore every summer. Being that it’s Florida, there’s also a pretty solid older demographic interested in the mild weather and golfing opportunities. As a young couple flying in from New York City, it felt like we might be a little out of place–but honestly, the resort is big enough to cater to all types!
Although the weather didn’t completely cooperate with us all weekend–it was a little overcast and blustery on Saturday afternoon–it was so amazing to be outside in so much space (7 miles of basically empty bike trails! 3.5 miles of private beach!) but still have all of the amenities of a hotel (aka room service and a hot tub). 
Also, a quick word on Southern food: although I grew up in California surrounded by fresh fruits and veggies and I try to stick to my acai bowls and mostly vegetarian diet in NYC, I have such a soft spot for fried chicken and cornbread with honey butter and basically all stick-to-your-bones Southern food. So I was in heaven at the Omni! I actually tried cheesy grits for the first time ever at the breakfast buffet, and while I don’t think I’ll be special requesting them up north, they were surprisingly delicious. Although I have to admit that my breakfast buffet-ing was overwhelmed with my joy at the line-up of homemade jams and made-on-property honey: I think I could have easily had five different types of butter-jam-toast combinations and been perfectly content! And the lunch was basically my Southern Thanksgiving plate: I took a little bit of everything so that I could try it all (thank goodness for jumpsuits with elastic waistbands). There are a ton of restaurants on property–we also loved Natural Slice, which is a pizzeria featuring saltwater crust!–so it’s not like you’re doomed to only eat Southern food, but if you had to here, it wouldn’t be the worst thing. 
And onto the fun stuff: the Cocktails + Canvases event! The weekend was basically designed to pair up amazing art with delicious drinks and food. First up was a painting demonstration with free-spirited Charli Leniston. She chatted about her process (or lack thereof) and showed us some really cool techniques, like using lace as a stencil on the canvas. What was really cool was the collection of amateur artists in the crowd–they all asked such interesting questions! 
Next up was mimosas and a hands-on painting class with local painting instructor Allison Watson. Although I’m certainly no Van Gogh, I have realized just how relaxing it can be to put paint to paper–it’s almost therapeutic (especially with a mimosa!). 
After our Southern feast for lunch, we had a whiskey blending 101 class that was followed by a glass blowing demonstration. I’ve started to dabble in some whiskey tasting, although I usually stick to Manhattans–but this was a really helpful breakdown of the difference between rye-based whiskey and corn-based bourbon. Although I didn’t manage to snag any great photos of the glass blower, there are some crazy clips in my video of the weekend. It was insane to see a big blob of hot material turn into a beautiful glass bowl! The Cocktails + Canvases event wrapped up with an incredible dinner: each course and cocktail was inspired by a different local artist, including painters Charli and Allison. The presentation was also super creative, with one course served on a palette and another course served on a canvas! 
On Sunday afternoon, we rented bikes and rode all around the property: to the wide open salt marshes and the oldest oak tree on the property and next to the two golf courses. Although we bike plenty in New York City, this was the first time in a long time that it felt like we had all of the roads to ourselves–even on the park loops in the city, you’re always sharing with other cyclists and runners. Bonus: it was nice and flat, and the Spanish moss trees provided a nice canopy to shade from the sunshine overhead! We biked over to the spa at one point, where I indulged in a facial and David had a massage: we both emerged SO calm and ready to relax for the rest of the day. 
Have you ever heard of Amelia Island? What would you be most interested in doing there?
Many thanks to the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort for kindly offering us a complimentary stay; however, all opinions are my own.
