Watermelon & Strawberry Margaritas for 4, 2, or one big drink for someone with a powerful thirst.
Puree first 7 ingredients in blender until smooth. Pour into chilled Margarita Glasses. Garnish with watermelon wedges.
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 some birds. This stinky pile of seaweed is double in size of what scientists deem as “normal” and is even worse than Science Fiction Writers could have ever imagined. Most of the beach communities already have plans in place to mitigate the stench, as decomposing sargassum emits ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, creating air that is far from salt water fresh.
Already Key West is starting to see sargassum on the beaches. The coastal areas of Florida expect to see and smell this blob/bloom over the next few months. This bloom, an already huge pile of stinking seaweed, is likely to increase in size as it is fed by high levels of nitrogen from fertilizers and wastewater that run from our rivers into the oceans. What to do? Well, this is just a suggestion, but don’t head to the beaches for vacation, instead come to Central Florida and enjoy all the sights, sounds and fun we have to offer. Enjoy the activities in our amusement parks, play golf or tennis, swim in our seaweed free pools, see a show in our many professional theatres or any of our local theatres, enjoy BOK Tower, visit our museums, take in an Art Show, take a boat ride or go fishing on our beautiful lakes, visit Kissimmee for a great slice of pizza and delicious wine at the wine bar, Visit International Drive, I Drive for the locals, and have some fun. The possibilities are endless for a great vacation in a beautiful spot. While in town, don’t forget to visit Solivita for a look at life in Central Florida. Solivita is a 55 Plus Community. Directly across the street from Solivita our builders have just begun building a Multi-Gen Complex of homes and condos that when complete will have parks and a school. No homes or condos are up yet, but keep your eye out, they will be up and ready to view by 2024. A new home in a new location is the perfect place for a family, especially if mom and dad are Solivita Residents. Now you can enjoy life in paradise with your family right around the corner. Easy to live in Florida, low taxes, good schools, great jobs, and best of all for me – NO SNOW.
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.
Cook Pasta according to package directions, drain and place on a sheet tray and toss with olive oil to cool
Once pasta is cooled place in a large bowl and fold in the rest of the ingredients.
A Summer Escape for the Day, the Weekend, or a few weeks, any of these choices or all are fun. Below are a few suggestions for a Fun Florida Adventure.
Visit the Museum of Art and/or take a walk through Historic DeLand and enjoy a collection of more than a dozen sculpture installations. Two of the pieces you will enjoy are the Continuation and Jeugo, they are located prominently near City Hall and in front of the Bank of America Building at 230 North Woodland Ave. Both the Sculpture Walk and Public Art is a collaboration between the museum and the city of DeLand. The artwork changes annually and features a variety of styles and media including concrete, aluminum, stainless steel, PVC, bronze, and cooper. Enjoy the Public Art in the Utility Box Art Wrap Program which features vinyl wrap installed onto the utility boxes.
After taking an art walk or enjoying the Permanent Collection and exhibits at the museum enjoy a meal at one of the many restaurants in town.
Truly a weekend away from it all, casual, comfortable, and fun. Wakulla Springs is about a 5-hour drive north, near Tallahassee, but away from the typical tourist crowds. The area is beautiful with over 6,000 acres of pristine forest. The Wakulla Springs Lodge is known as the “Castle of North Florida” and was built in 1937 by Edward Ball, an industrialist. You can stay in one of the twenty-seven guest rooms at the lodge, or you can stay in the area and enjoy the nature, history and the comfort surrounding Wakulla Springs State Park.
Wakulla Springs is largest, deepest freshwater spring in the world. In 1937 Ball purchased 4,000 acres surrounding Wakulla Springs and built the Lodge as a guest house. He imported marble and tile and hired craftsmen and artisans who built everything on site. The lodge has 27 unique guestrooms, each with a voluminous marble bathroom, walk in closet and period furnishings.
After taking a walk, hike, or a boat tour in Wakulla Springs State Park be sure to stop at the Soda Fountain. The fountain is an old Marble Soda Fountain known as the “longest marble soda fountain ever built.” The marble soda fountain is 70 feet plus 6 inches long and serves Root Beer Floats, Cherry Phosphates, Ginger Yips, and Sundaes. Soda Jerks man the counter and serve guests 7 days a week with ice cream treats, hot dogs, chili, sandwiches, and chips. A flash back to the fountain service you may have enjoyed “back in the day.” When I was a child, My Aunts and Uncles had a Soda Fountain in Little Ferry NJ and this fountain brought back many happy memories of sitting at the counter, legs dangling from the stools that spun around sipping Chocolate Egg Crème Sodas.
Enjoy a walk in Fort Sam Marcos de Apalache State Park, you can take a self-guided interpretive trail that will walk you through the historic ruins or book a ranger guided interpretive tour a few weeks in advance of your visit. The rangers will make every effort to accommodate your request. When Lee and I were last in town, we stopped at one of the local markets, picked up a picnic lunch and enjoyed a quiet afternoon in the parks’ picnic area. Head over to Tucker’s Point for a scenic view at the water’s edge where the St. Marks River joins the Wakulla River and flows out into Apalache Bay.
The park’s museum displays pottery and tools that were unearthed near the fort. Stop and stay to view the short video recounting the days the Spanish, English, American and Confederate forces occupied the site. The video is informative and will tie all the periods of the fort’s history together for you.
There are lots of small towns in the area to stop and enjoy that “away from it all” feeling. Enjoy a Stay in a B & B, a Motel, the Lodge, or a hotel, but take time to enjoy the quiet beauty that surrounds you.
If the Wakulla Springs Trip sounds like your “cup of tea” then why not make this weekend destination into a road trip and extend your stay a few more days. Simply continue your road trip to Cedar Key, it is on your way home to Poinciana, travel south and head to the Gulf Coast to enjoy Florida, the way it was before Disney Moved into town. If you love Florida fresh seafood, you have arrived in paradise. Book a fishing charter, take a walk along the hidden Gulf Coast, and enjoy the sweet, salty air. Tourists, like the condominiums outnumber the fishermen these days, but the tourists are laidback as the beaches are not the main draw. Instead, these beaches are quiet little strips of sand hidden away from lots of beach goers. Grab a book, blanket, a chair, a hat for sunshade, and find the perfect spot to spend the day.