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Spring has arrived and with it, St. Patrick’s Day.  
My Niece, Michele and her Mom will be visiting from New Jersey again this year over the St. Patrick’s Day Weekend and we have a nice visit planned.  I am cooking Birthday Dinner for Michele on Friday and we will Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on Saturday. Included in our Weekend Celebration is the Solivita St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Street Party.  Solivita put on a great Street Party for Mardi Gras this month; the Parade was fun, the Street was packed, and the weather was beautiful. Seems like the Solivita Parties just get better and better. It is always fun to Party in Solivita, we have No Driving Worries, We Party with our Golf Carts, We are Close to Home, and We Have Fun in our Own Community with Our friends and neighbors.  Time to tiptoe through my closet to find something Green to wear.
My Mom and Sister are turning their Lanais into Gardens of Green for St. Patrick’s Day.  The Clover has been planted in Pots, the Dining Tables will be covered in green, the good china, and lace napkins will come out of the cupboard and we will sit down to our Annual Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner.  My favorite part is always the next day, when I make a Corned Beef Sandwich on Rye Covered with Spicy Mustard.
In our Family we are all Irish for one Day and We share the following Irish Blessing.
May the Good Lord take a liking to you…..but not too soon!  
We then share a cocktail.  Some of us drink wine, some of us beer, and one of us water, but there is always a Signature Drink.  My brother-in-law is the Bartender at most parties and he has been busy mixing and testing recipes and it looks like the winner is an Apple Ginger Martini.  Gregg has provided us with this year’s Signature Drink Recipe here: https://bellaverderealty.com/greggs-recipe-for-a-green-apple-ginger-martini/
Part of our Holiday Weekend with the family will be spending quality time together. Michele is a Graduate of the University of Miami, and has been an Event Planner with the NBA for over 10 years, she is a world traveler and always on the road.  A few days of R & R in Solivita will be a welcome break for her. Although most of our family is up North, we do seem to spend more quality time with family now that we live in Florida. When family and friends visit Solivita we have Pajama Parties, we share leisurely meals, and spend afternoons together at the pool, we do a bit of sight seeing, or we play some golf.  Entertaining is Easy in Solivita, there is so much to do. Seems that we have Much More Time to be together now that we live 1,000 miles apart. A nice bonus to living in Central Florida; everyone wants to visit.
See you at the Street Party   I’ll be wearing Green!
From Our Family to Yours Happy St. Patrick’s Day:
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sunshine be warm upon your face
May the rains fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.

4 Oz of Ginger Infused Vodka

4 Oz Fresh Green Apple Lime Juice

2 TBSP Honey Simple Syrup

For the Ginger Infused Vodka take 1 Cup of Vodka and infuse a 2” slice of fresh ginger peeled and grated.

For the Green Apple and Lime Juice slice 2 Large tart green apples, add ½ cup water, and the juice of 4 limes.

Infuse the Vodka for about two hours.  The longer you infuse the stronger the ginger flavor will be. Strain the Vodka.

Take the Green Apple Mix and blend on high speed. Strain through a mesh strainer pressing the liquid through the pulp. Reserve the liquid. Dispose of the Pulp, all the flavor will be in the liquid.

Add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously till frosty.  Strain and Enjoy.

“A Good Green Cocktail with the Power of Antioxidants plus the Power of Vodka”.

Bella Verde Realty is the Sponsor for the 6th Annual QCAACF Queen’s College of Guyana Golf Tournament.  
This Tournament Benefits Queen’s College and is Always a Great Event and a Fun Time.   We have fielded a team and are looking forward to sharing a great day with great folks in Solivita.  If you would like to sign up for the Tournament you can do so on line at www.qcaacfgolf.com and at the same time you can also pay for the outing.   Questions, please contact the tournament director, Walé Omawale, at 407-414-1577
 
Advice for Finding a Good Listing Agent

1. Word of Mouth.  Advertising is great, but the best recommendation is that of a friend or family member.  Ask Your Friends for the Recommendation of a Realtor they have used and have had a positive experience with.  
2. Always Use a Local Realtor, A Realtor who knows the area, knows the clients, and has a good relationship with other local real estate agents.   A Realtor who has a local office. A realtor with an out of town office not only does not know the area, but most likely does not have any relationships with other realtors in your neighborhood.
3. How local is local?  In most towns and communities, agents cover a few towns and districts.   If a Realtor comes from too far away, that realtor may not be your best choice.   
4. Experience Counts.  There is No Doubt About It.  You need an experienced professional who has sold many homes in your neighborhood.   Your home will sell faster with an experienced realtor who can guide you through this process.  How? Experienced Realtors have the inside scoop on homes, recent sales, and already have a client base to show your home to.
5. Honesty Counts.  Choose a Realtor with a personality that works for you. And always choose a realtor that has a reputation for being honest.  Like most important life decisions, you likely will have a gut reaction to people and situations. Let your gut be your guide.  The Right Listing Agent will most likely be busy, but a Good Agent is Busy for a reason. As Lucille Ball famously said “If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it”.