From real estate updates and community highlights to local events and everyday moments, this is where we share what’s happening across Central Florida’s active adult communities.
Some posts will help you compare communities or understand the market, while others give a closer look at the lifestyle, events, and people that make these communities unique.
Looking to change-up the style of your home. Small changes can make a big impact. Add a new statement rug to your dining room, living room or den. Neutral rugs are great, but how about a statement rug that can function as artwork for your floor. Buy a rug in
Summer is the time when Solivita’s Grandparents have time to share with their children and grandchildren. We have lots of pools in Solivita for the kids to enjoy but we also have tons of activities outside our gates. Disney and Universal Parks are always fun and amazing, but are quite
Our Activity Team has been quite busy planning fun gatherings, Wine Parties, Ladies Nights, Concerts, Chef Cooking Classes, Pub Crawls, Pool Parties, and in September we see that the beautiful event JAZZ in the Garden is in the plans. It is hard to keep up with the creative team
Watermelon & Strawberry Margaritas for 4, 2, or one big drink for someone with a powerful thirst. 3 cups packed frozen chopped seeded watermelon 1 cup packed frozen quartered unsweetened strawberries 7 TBSP Tequila 7 TBSP Triple Sec 1/3 Cup Fresh Lime Juice 2 TBSP Sugar Pinch of Salt 4
We celebrated Mom’s 90th Birthday this month with a weekend at the Hardrock in Tampa. We are still working so you can tell we had no big wins, but we had lots of fun and made some nice memories together. We were pleasantly surprised at how lovely the Hardrock is.
It is a Summer slowdown in Real Estate, the summer slowdown is compounded by high interest rates and Very Hot Weather. Homes are selling but they are remaining on the market for an average of 150 plus days. Remember, Interest rates do not only affect the seller’s ability in Solivita
Sales are steady, although existing home sale prices edged a bit lower year over year in May. This is a promising sign for home shoppers, and experts do not expect nationwide price declines anytime soon. In May, although prices elevated in the North and Midwest, prices did fall slightly in
Local, Fresh and Tasty. The Crooked Bass may be new to the Bella Verde Team but it is certainly not new to Babson Park, Florida. The Restaurant was established early in 2016 and is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for Tim and Tammy Bracewell, residents of Babson Park. Tim
This recipe is perfect for a Hot Summer Day. To serve top the ice cream with toasted coconut or toasted Almonds. 4 Ripe bananas, peeled and mashed 1 14 oz can sweet condensed milk ¾ cup whipping cream Combine bananas and condensed milk in large bowl. Whisk in cream. Pour
One of our Bella Verde Team members just recently returned from the Big Apple on a Quick Weekend Broadway Show Tour. Great Adventure, 3 days, 2 Broadway Shows and lots of good food. New York, New York and Some Like It Hot were the show picks for the weekend.
Just want to say thank you to the Activities Staff at Solivita. We are all having a ball at the Great Events you sponsor. The Wine Down Concerts, the Movie Nights, the Innovative Ideas, the Shows, and all The Special Holiday Parties you throw. Each Month when Reflections arrives it
After our delivery of toys in Lake Nona we stopped at Nona Blue for an early dinner. Great Experience, we sat at a table outside on the covered patio and enjoyed a beautiful breezy day, good music from the 70’s, a great menu, and a friendly server. Nona Blue is
Our team is always bragging about the generosity and kindness of the folks in Solivita. Recently we had a neighbor and a friend donate new cases of toys to our GAL Project. Lots of toys, too many toys for one project to handle, but this wonderful problem was solved this
2 Cups Diced Seeded Peeled Cucumber 1 Cup Chopped Celery 1 Cup Chopped Green Onions 1 4 Oz Can Chopped Mild Green Chilies 3 14.5 Oz Cans diced tomatoes in juice 1 slice white bread torn into pieces ¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup capers drained 2 TBSP Red Wine
No Need to Miss the Mountains when we have the best of both worlds in the South, a Georgia mountain get away and warm, tropical weather all year long in Central Florida. If the mountains are calling, the Georgia Mountains are only an 8 hour road trip from Solivita and
Sales are starting to perk again, let’s just hope, America “does not fall off the cliff” with any bad decisions that may be made in Washington for us and our economy. Last month 31 homes sold in Solivita and housing price adjustments were minimal. Again, houses are moving off the
A great stop for a casual, fun dinner on the dock or under the shade of the porch roof. Crabby Bills is located on East Lake Toho in the Lakefront Park Marina and features panoramic views of the marina and lake from both indoor and outdoor dining areas. Enjoy Happy
Recently we broke the Chain of Lakes with the Living Water Boat Cruises. It was fun, interesting, and a great couple of hours out on the water. We travelled through a few of the lakes in the chain, saw alligators, turtles, eagles, herons, anhinga, Ibis, and even a few pelicans.
The Sargassum Blob, a 5,000 mile long mat of seaweed will be washing ashore this summer. The Blob, is actually a Bloom, with an estimated weight of 6-10 million tons. Like all seaweed, sargassum supports an amazing amount of life, from baby sea turtles to shrimp, crabs, fish and even
This month we are arranging a Solivita car service for 12 to drive us to Ybor City for dinner and a flamenco show at Columbia Restaurant. Locally we have a Columbia Restaurant, and we have enjoyed quite a few meals there, but Ybor City is the home of the Original
The Interest Rates, The Banks, The Job Market, The Housing Market, What to do and Where to Live in retirement. Lots of these concerns are age old worries, some like the bank worry and the interest rate concern, are old worries that have recently re-emerged. However, you view the state
3 Cups Strained Fresh Orange Juice ½ Cup Campari ½ Cup Sugar PLUS 2 Tbsp sugar 3 Nectarines, halved, pitted and cut into 1/3 inch thick wedges. Fresh Mint Sprigs Stir OJ, Campari and ½ cup sugar in medium bowl until sugar dissolves. Transfer to a 13 x 9 x
Solivita is a beautiful place to live. Lee and I have lived in Solivita for over 20 years, and we still feel lucky and joyful to live in the Paradise that is Solivita. We are “pioneers” as we built our first home when Solivita was in the planning stages. We
Ridge Island Groves, 6000 Polk City Road, Haines City A short ride and a fun stop to take the grand kids. Local and family run. You can pick oranges, peaches, or blueberries when you visit the farm. Check to see what is in season before you go. The best time
Steep Canyon Rangers are playing. You may not recognize the name, but I am sure you have heard them play. They are Asheville North Carolina’s Grammy Award Winning Band who perennial Top the Billboard Chart and frequently collaborate with my favorite comedian Steve Martin. Bring your blanket, or a chair,
This recipe is easy, delicious, and the resulting bread Freezes Well. After baking and cooling, I slice the loaf up and wrap individual slices in cello and freeze them. Lee loves this for breakfast or a snack. I have made this with nuts and for dried fruit, this loaf is
Savannah is the oldest city in Georgia and is only a 5 hour drive from Solivita, but a world apart. Worth the visit, the Downtown Historic district has cobblestone streets and walks lined with moss covered trees, amazing wrought iron fences, gates, and stunning red brick homes that feature interior
Well for the first time in many, many months we have a good quantity of homes in Solivita for sale and the inventory of homes for sale in Central Florida is again on the rise. Good News for Home Buyers, mixed news for Home Sellers. More homes on the market
It has been a few months since my office wrote our monthly newsletter and we want to apologize for this delay and explain what happened. Our dear sweet mom, Angela, had a slight stroke on Election Day and has kept us hopping, leaving this letter writer with little extra time
Lee recently took me to the Chop House for my Birthday Dinner, and we had a Delicious Date Night Out. Steak, lamb chops, signature cocktails, a good wine list, creamy garlic mashed potatoes, sauteed mushrooms, and grilled asparagus. The restaurant is a relaxed, comfortable space and while dining we enjoyed
The current housing market is still strong but is showing signs of cooling off, driven by climbing interest rates. The number of active listings and the length of time homes are on the market are climbing along with the interest rates, but homes are still selling at fair prices. Predictions
Have you ever entered someone’s home and immediately felt relaxed and comfortable? What is it that makes the difference between homes that exude an immediate sense of welcome and hospitality, and those that may not? Is it the home environment, or the host? In my experience, both play an important
