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Heading to Tampa for an Evening of Fun.

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 Columbia Restaurant and makes for a great evening out.   We enjoy almost all of the items on the Columbia Menu but Lee and I always start with the 1905 Salad.  Why is the salad called 1905 , well that is when the original Columbia Restaurant was opened on the corner of 22nd St and 7th Avenue in Ybor City.  Columbia in Ybor City now seats 1,700 guests in 15 dining rooms and spans an entire Tampa city block.  It is the oldest restaurant in Florida and the largest Spanish Restaurant in the world.  Since opening, Columbia Restaurant has opened many locations throughout Florida, but in my opinion, the Ybor City Location has a special charm. With a car service we can drink, party, and enjoy the evening without the worry of driving back late.  We may live in a 55 Plus Community and may have forgotten a few things, but we never forgot how to party!

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Disney Food and Wine Fest July – November 19th

Enjoy Globally Inspired foods from around the world. 

Stone Crab Festivals.  Lots of Florida Towns host Annual Stone Crab Festivals and not only are they fun but tasty too. Visit Dunedin for their festival is on October 26

Or

Frenchy’s for their Stone Crab Weekend.  October 28 – 29th.  Clearwater Beach closes Baymont Street for this festival.  Enjoy fresh off the boat claws, live music and fun at the block party from 12 noon to 10 pm on Friday and Saturday.  

Or

Head to Naples and help to Celebrate Stone Crab Season on the waterfront October 28 – 30th. Free water taxis will transport you to all the waterfront locations that participate in the festival in Tin City, Downtown Naples. 

Just in case you missed the Oktoberfest Celebrations, Florida has a sizeable assortment of German Restaurants for you to Celebrate the Bounty of Oktoberfest year-round.  Try Hollerbach’s in Sanford for their official celebration in Downtown Sanford 

Or

Any Saturday or Sunday visit Yalaha Bakery in Howey in the Hills. If you go on a weekend afternoon enjoy music on the patio while dining on an authentic German Lunch from the Deli.  Don’t forget to Pick up a delicious German Pastry to take home and enjoy later in the day.  Self-Serve but worth the wait.

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Welcome to the Weather we wait for Season.

Not cool yet, but in another 5 or 6 weeks we are in for a wonderful warm fall and winter season. Every year I love Florida Weather more and more. No need for a winter coat, boots, or gloves.  Our sky is always blue, but in the cooler weather the air is filled with a fresh, tropical breeze and our skies are evening skies are clear and star studded. I do like the summer but find the fall and winter to be my favorite time of the year. This is the time of year to enjoy outdoor pursuits, walks in the woods and a time in the garden. Our trees and plants take a deep breath too and bloom with abandon in the fall and winter. We are all getting ready to welcome back our snowbird friends and the flocks of birds that winter with us each year.

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Fun Facts about Florida

Florida is the largest producer of citrus fruits in the US and much of our citrus harvest goes into juice making. In addition, Florida leads the world in producing grapefruit.  Interesting, makes you wonder why they are so expensive in our local markets. 

Lake Okeechobee is the largest freshwater lake in Florida and the 3rd Largest freshwater Lake located completely within the US.  For those that are curious, Lake Michigan and Alaska’s Iliamna Lake are one and two.

Florida is the flattest state in the U.S., But I had a feeling you already knew this one.

Florida has the highest percentage of folks over 65 years of age in the US.  One quarter of older Americans live in 3 states; California, Florida, and Texas. If you are a Solivita Resident, you have found the perfect community and state to live a wonderful life in retirement.

Well, now that You Know some additional Florida facts. We invite you to come down and visit to see for yourself how good life can be in Central Florida in the Award-Winning Community of Solivita.

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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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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. 

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End the Summer at the Pensacola Seafood Festival – September 23 – 25th

The Seafood Fest has lots to offer and is a nice way to spend the afternoon or the evening.  The seafood is local and fresh from the Gulf of Mexico and served by local restaurants.  You can enjoy shrimp, crab, scallops, grouper, alligator, crawfish, and for the folks who don’t love seafood you will find a large assortment of food including hot dogs, burgers, chicken, and nachos.  While enjoying festival goodies you can wander around and check out the local artists selling paintings, photography, ceramics, etc.  Enjoy the live bands, the chefs are doing cooking demonstrations, and as always the Florida Sun is shining.  What more could anyone want from a day.  The beauty of a festival in Pensacola is the beach.  You can stay in Pensacola, Fort Walton, Navarre, or any of the beach towns in the area that you love.  This is a great vacation stop and a nice celebration at the end of the summer.  Cool weather is coming, and I for one can’t wait.

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Too Hot to Cook, Why Not Enjoy Gazpacho with a Twist

  • 5 Cups cubed watermelon
  • 1 Cup Seeded and diced tomato
  • 2 cup peeled, seeded, and diced cucumber
  • ¼ cup chopped red onion
  • ½ jalapeno chili, seeded and minced.  If you like hot leave a few seeds
  • 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Tsp Kosher salt.

Process watermelon, tomato, cucumber, onion, and jalapeno in a blender until smooth. Stir in last two ingredients. Cover and chill for 2 hours and serve chilled in bowls or glasses.  Chilling this soup in the fridge for a few hours gives the flavors a chance to mingle.   We enjoy this soup topped with a dollop of sour cream or crumbled feta, chopped cilantro or avocado.

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Road Trippin

Time to Plan an End of the Summer Trip.  Awhile back, Lee and I enjoyed a trip to the “Sippin Safari “ held at  Zoo Atlanta on September 17th. The whole zoo becomes uncorked for everyone over 21.  This event is always fun and features wine sampling and delicious bites from the best Restaurants in Atlanta. 

VIP Hour: 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. |    Main Event: 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Tickets go on sale in June. https://www.zooatlanta.org

Tickets go on sale in June, and although it seems that September is a long time away, we all know that time flies by when you are having fun in Solivita. 

The Sippin Safari is a great event to plan a road trip around.   Last time we attended this event we did a short but fun road trip.  Our first stop was Valdosta, GA where we enjoyed a delicious meal and wandered through the area before checking into a hotel for the night.  Well rested, the next morning, we were up and out on our way to Atlanta.  Atlanta is a great city with lots of interesting neighborhoods to enjoy.  Lee and I like to stay in Buckhead or in the Inman Park Neighborhoods of Atlanta, but there are lots of nice places to stay and great attractions to visit while in Atlanta.

If a few days in the city is not your thing, spend a few days out in Clearwater Beach.  Tons of great things to do beside hanging out at the beach or pool.  Take a boat cruise, watch the dolphins frolic in the sea, go fishing, go shelling or take a ride to Dunedin.  Dunedin is an out of the way, cool little town with nice dining, a few interesting stores to wander around in, plus there is a sheltered beach with a good vibe.  

Whatever you do in Florida you can count on the sun shining and nice weather.  We are heading into Hurricane Season so watch the weather before you take off for the beach.

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Cool Down with an Ice Cream Cone

Summer is here and a great way to cool off is with a delicious ice cream cone. A short road trip to Frostbite, Florida can solve your ice cream craving, and a car ride to Frostbite is an easy, traffic free trip. The location of Frostbite Ice Cream & More is not a location you would normally pass by, as it is on a country road nestled in the farmland of central Florida.  This spot was recommended to us by two separate clients, two weeks apart, so we thought we would give it a try.

Frostbite Ice Cream & More is a true throw-back to the “Happy Days” of poodle skirts and D.A.’s , a true retro feel. You can pick a table inside or choose a table outside under the awning and revisit the happy days when eating a cheeseburger, drinking a shake, or enjoying an Ice Cream Cone did not raise your cholesterol or your glucose.

Frostbite Ice Cream and More is located at 801 N. Scenic Highway, Frostproof. FL 33843 and is Mom approved. Mom and our family friend, Marilyn were the first ones hopping in the car to try out Frostbite Ice Cream & More, and they both loved it.

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