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PIZZA ANYONE?

Lee and I came from NY and NJ and have had Pizza from Rome to Florida with many slices in between. Fact – each time we are up north we cannot leave without taking a trip to Connecticut to visit Frank Pepe’s Pizza or Sally’s in New Haven. Pepe’s for the Clam Pie and Sally’s for the Tomato Pie. We have had a few good slices in Florida, but now we have found some great slices at Pizza Bruno, a delicious out of the way spot in the Hourglass District of Orlando. Casual, Delicious, bubbling hot wood fired pizza, with a tasty crust, a nice craft beer selection on tap, decent wine, and the perfect spot to spend an easy weekend afternoon. The restaurant is comfortable, industrial with concrete floors, high ceilings and long wooden tables but it is the smell of the wood-fired pizzas cooking in the oven that grabs you first. The pizza is done my favorite way, thin crust, well done, with a bit of char and smoke. Pizza Bruno has some interesting and creative flavors, Lee’s personal favorite is the Peach Pie, a bubbly hot pie with fresh peaches, artisan made cheese, Nueske’s bacon and topped with arugula. My favorite is the Ninety Two with fresh mozz, Italian sausage, roasted red peppers, mushrooms, red onions, olives, oregano, chili flakes and pecorino. But I do not think there is a pizza in the oven here you will not enjoy. Of course, Bruno’s cooks up traditional pizzas too, or you can always create your own. Pizzas are not the only items on the menu, but I cannot imagine a reason you would want to order anything else. In fact, Pizza Bruno makes so many pies, that they have two wood fired ovens burning. Interesting menu, great concept, and a nice experience. On our first visit we were greeted like old friends and that welcome has continued to this day. They do have dining outside, but not in the rain, as the patio roof currently has a leak. Insider Tip – If you go on Monday, the Pizza Margherita is on special.   You can visit Pizza Bruno 7 days a week, dinner only Monday to Friday but open from 11 -10 on weekends. Pizza Bruno is at 3990 Curry Ford Road, Orlando. If you have tickets for a show at the Plaza Live Theatre on Bumby Ave., Pizza Bruno is a good spot to enjoy dinner before the show. Drive time is about an hour and ten minutes and the good news is you do not even have to take I4 to get there. Mangia!

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Current Housing Market

Good News for Seller’s – We are Still in a Seller’s Market and Home prices are holding near record highs, but sales have slowed slightly. Nationwide, Redfin Reports that roughly 60,000 home purchase agreements fell through in June or about 14.9% of homes that went under contract in June. In our brokerage we have been fortunate and only had one contract cancel recently but this could be an indicator of things to come. Redfin reports this number of cancelled contracts is the highest percentage since March and April 2020 when Covid 19 ground the housing market to a halt.

There are a number of reasons that contracts fall through, inspection issues, a life event, and now the main reason, rising mortgage rates are forcing some buyers out of the market. If rates were at 5% when an offer was made but reached 5.8% by the time the deal was set to close, the buyer may no longer be in a position that allows them to qualify for a loan.Since the housing market has cooled in recent weeks, as the Federal Reserve has boosted interest rates to quell inflation, house hunters have a bit more freedom to seek concessions from sellers, but higher rates also make housing less affordable.

Bottom Line, if you find a house you love, make an offer, and joyfully enjoy your new address. Historically home values hold and if you remain in a home for over 5 years, and you love living in it, you cannot go wrong. 

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Weekend or a Week in Vero Beach

Time to Take a Trip to the Beach. In Florida we have great beach choices, we have 825 miles of accessible beaches and an extensive coastline. Lee and I always choose an East Coast Beach in the Summer and a Gulf beach in the Winter. August is a great time to plant your umbrella in the sand on the Atlantic Ocean and Vero Beach is a good place to start. Vero Beach is only about 80 miles from Solivita and a fun destination. This beach community is nestled on the Indian River Lagoon along Florida’s Treasure Coast and is a great Old Florida Escape, casual and fun with beautiful natural surroundings, museums, beaches, gardens, and art. 

A week in Vero will fly by, spend a few days at the beach, and sprinkle in visits to various spots Vero Offers. Visit the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge. The Refuge is home to more than 300 species of birds, including pelicans, egrets, herons, and ibises. Enjoy kayaking, fishing, and hiking at the refuge and even if you are not a bird watcher you will enjoy being surrounded by the diverse bird population that is attracted to the area. Of course, in the summer months not all birds visit the Refuge, but if you love the Refuge, plan to return in the fall and winter months to enjoy the white pelicans when they make their annual pilgrimage to the Refuge. 

The Vero Beach Museum of Art is internationally recognized as one of the top cultural attractions for its superb art collection. This museum has over 50,000 Feet of Floor space and offers something for everyone, a good respite from the sun. Much of the art on display is contemporary, but the museum does have a good selection of older pieces on display as well. 

Visit the Environmental Learning Center in Vero Beach, it is a great place to learn about the local ecosystem while soaking in the fresh air available in abundance throughout its 64 acres. This is a great spot for a family outing or a day trip. Explore the center’s miles of trails winding through lush vegetation and enjoy the views of the Indian River Lagoon and/or take a pontoon boat tour. The Environmental Learning Center is on Live Oak Drive in Vero and is open 7 days a week. 

We always love to go to McKee Botanical Gardens, but August is hot, so my suggestion is to wait until the weather cools down. McKee Gardens is a lush, tropical oasis and a hidden gem in the sunshine state. it is a beautiful place to spend a day exploring. McKee Botanical Gardens are beautiful and showcase a wide variety of plant life, as well as a large array of sculptures and fountains. 

Vero has so many diverse activities including The McLarty Treasure Museum, The Hallstrom Farmstead, the Riverside Theatre, the Farmer’s Market in Oceanside, the Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area, the Heritage Center & Indian River Citrus Museum, not to mention some great restaurants, delicious seafood, and awesome beach hangouts.  

We like Vero for the activities, the beautiful natural surroundings, and the “get away from it all” feeling a few days on the beach offers.

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Watermelon Granita Recipe

When it is hot the last thing any of us want to do is turn on the oven, but Lee and I have the fix for dessert on a Hot Summer Day, Watermelon Granita. This recipe makes a cool, refreshing dessert and no special equipment required. Only a few ingredients, and a tasty way to beat the summer heat. We have even served this granita in a glass with a shot of rum, tequila or vodka. So, it can be a summer sun quencher for adults or a dessert after dinner for all to share.

  

Recipe:

7 cups cubed watermelon

The Zest of One Lime 

3 medium limes, juiced  (zest the lime before juicing)

1/3 cup sugar. Taste the watermelon, if sweet you can reduce the sugar. 

 

Place the lime juice, zest, watermelon, and sugar in a blender. You may need to do this in a few batches. Blend until pureed.

 

Pour the pureed watermelon juice into a 9 x 13” casserole dish and place in the freezer. Cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for 1 hour, remove the granita from the freezer and use a fork to scrape the granita. Return the dish to the freezer for another hour, do this once every hour until the granita is frozen, approx. 4 hours till done. When done Use a fork to scrape the granita into fine fluffy crumbles. Easy, Delicious, Refreshing. Serve and enjoy.

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Fun Facts about Florida.

Did you know that Florida has the longest coastline in the contiguous US. We have 825 miles of accessible beaches, and the coastline is 1,197 statute miles.

Did you know that Florida has more than 700 freshwater springs.

Did you know that Florida has 7,700 lakes, 11,000 miles of rivers, and 2,276 miles of tidal shoreline.

Did you know that Florida’s largest river, the St. Johns River, is one of only a handful of major rivers that flow from south to north.

Did you know that Florida has produced more than 900 world fishing records, more than any other state or country.

Did you know that wherever you are in Florida, you are never more than 60 miles from the nearest body of salt water. I always say Living in Central Florida puts you Center to all Florida has to offer. 

Well Now that You Know more about Florida, come down and visit, and see for yourself how good life can be in Solivita.