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Good Solivita friends of ours rented a house in Matlacha (MAT-la-shay) for a week, right on the water, with a pool and a dock for fishing and crabbing. Sounds like a peaceful, quiet spot on the Florida Coast. Where is this spot you ask? Matlacha is a tiny town west of Fort Myers and it is tethered to the mainland by the “fishingest bridge in the U.S.A.” over Matlacha Pass – according to the tourist info. Now I am very interested, this sounds like an ideal habitat for fish and anglers, but also for kayakers, hikers, and seekers of peace and quiet. A Perfect Spot for a few days.

After all, there are only so many days I can stay away from the action. Lee could probably stay a few days longer, as long, as he had his golf clubs, but me, I love the action of selling Solivita and helping folks find their perfect place in the sun. They report they relaxed, enjoyed each other’s company, ate fresh caught crabs and fish, plus nightly witnessed Spectacular Sunsets. If you are a birder, this is a great place for you too, as daily our friends enjoyed osprey, egrets and the dolphins play in the water. Now where to stay, well I can’t tell you their secret hide out, as they wouldn’t tell me, but I have tiptoed through the literature on the area. From my research, I know Lee and I would love the Tarpon Lodge on Pine Island, about 8 miles from Matlacha. It looks like a great place to visit for a few days. The Lodge is on the water, has a full-service restaurant, and a very nice menu. You see, I am not into fishing but, I am into relaxing in a pretty place with a lounge chair and a good fish restaurant on site. The Lodge does have some history, rumor has it that Jimmy Buffet wrote Cheeseburger in Paradise while hanging out at the Tarpon Lodge. We have not stayed here yet, but we surely will next time we have a few days away. Another destination to add to my Florida Bucket List.

The Winter Park Autumn Art Festival is always a great weekend and worth a visit. Now that you can take the train to downtown Winter Park, the day will not only be fun, but the commute easy from Solivita. Remember to bring a backpack or a bag to easily transport your purchases.

The Winter Park Autumn Art Festival features musical entertainment, food, and children’s activities along with artworks by over a hundred artists. It is the only juried fine art festival that exclusively features Florida artists. All this combines for a great weekend of family fun and entertainment. A children’s hands-on art workshop is held on both days. The two-day festival is held annually in the Beautiful Central Park in Downtown Winter Park located along Park Avenue. Admission to the Festival is free. The Winter Park Chamber of Commerce is proud to host the festival on the second weekend in October each year. The 46th Annual Winter Park Art Festival is held on Saturday, Oct 12th and Sunday, Oct 13th from 9:00 AM to 5 PM on both days.

From Solivita we can now take the train to Winter Park so you can truly enjoy a relaxing art filled day and avoid the traffic.

Bella Verde is proud to sponsor The One Plus One Giving Program for the Guardian Ad Litem and Foster Children of Osceola County

The Guardian ad Litem Program advocates for the best interests for all children in the program. Children become involved in this program when they are removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment. The GAL Program becomes familiar with each child’s individual case and helps to ensure a safe, caring and permanent environment. The GAL Team consists of professional program staff, attorneys, and dedicated volunteers.

Bella Verde Realty is proud to again sponsor the One Plus One Giving Program. Bella Verde Realty’s commitment to these children is simply to give the GAL children the best holiday possible. You give one gift, and BVR will match your kind gift and double it, giving the children two more gifts!

All donations are kindly accepted and most appreciated. Please bring your unwrapped gifts to the Bella Verde office from 10/15/2019 to 12/3/2019

Let’s make it a happy holiday season, and please give generously. Santa’s Sleigh (the BVR Team) delivers the gifts to the Offices of Guardian ad Litem and the Elves (AKA Social Workers and Volunteers) sort and deliver the presents to the children for the for the holidays.

Currently over 500 children are enrolled in the Voices for Osceola’s Children Program and gifts at this time of the year are especially appreciated.

“We can all work to pave a positive path to a child’s future of hope and emotional security. Making a positive difference in the life of a child is one definition of legacy,” says Alan Abramowitz, Executive Director, Florida Guardian ad Litem Program.

Good friends served this salad during dinner at their home a few months ago; and since that evening, Lee and I have been making and enjoying this salad. Refreshing and delicious!

6 cups Watermelon Cubed

½ cup good quality feta cubed or crumbled

¼ cup thinly sliced red onion

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint

3 cups arugula

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Toss, Serve, and Enjoy

The last year has gone by very quickly, it is hard to believe it has been 12 months since Magical Dining Month but, here it is again. This year Magical Dining begins on August 23^rd and runs to Sept 30, 2019. Each participating restaurant publishes a special 3 course menu at a discounted price. Lee and I always look through the menus and choose two or three restaurants to try during the 5 weeks of Magical Dining. Our goal is to find a few new restaurants to add to our list and during the next year enjoy the new restaurants we discovered.

Since Solivita is a Resort Style Community, surrounded by beautiful ponds, lush conservation, wildlife, golf courses, gyms, pools, restaurants, and a plethora of activities, living in Solivita is life on vacation; but it is still fun to plan and experience a new place, even if only for a few days. Florida offers lots of spots to make a quick escape to. Do you enjoy hiking, the natural environment, beaches, or are you a lover of cites? However, and wherever you like to vacation, Florida offers something for everyone.

If it is a cityscape you are looking for, a trip to Miami may be your ticket. Miami is a great place to spend a few days and now you can hop a train to Miami. Grab a cab to the Poinciana Train Station and in Kissimmee change from the Sun Rail to the Amtrak Train and ride to Miami. A direct train from Kissimmee will land you in Miami after 6 hours of train travel. No driving, no traffic, just an enjoyable day of riding the rails. When you arrive in Miami, a quick cab to your hotel will have you enjoying dinner and a cocktail before sunset. Miami is fun, lots of nightlife, restaurants, and people watching. After a few days in the city you can hop back on the train and return to the beauty and peace of Solivita. If a city escape is not your thing, how about a camping trip to a Florida dark sky park to view the stars.

Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park is surrounded by 54,000 acres of prairie and is located about 25 miles north of Okeechobee, FL. This park is internationally recognized for its lack of light pollution, the night sky above the prairie is inky black and campers can spot the milky way without using telescopes or binoculars. If you wish to star gaze, you will need to make camping reservations. Camping in the Park is not glamorous, and sorry to say but, GLAMPING accommodations are not available here. Camping at the Prairie Preserve State Park is basic, but a beautiful night gazing at stars, planets, and other celestial bodies in incomprehensible numbers, will make for an amazing experience. Jupiter and Saturn are both clearly visible in the night sky, or you may witness the International Space Station making its orbit around the earth. In my book, a beautiful evening dominated by a dark starry sky is an unforgettable experience and worth one night of sleeping in a tent. Of course, if camping is not your idea of a night away, visit the park in the daylight and enjoy the largest remaining tract of Florida dry prairie that exists. Many rare, threatened, and endangered species call this park home and you will have ample opportunity to catch sight of a grasshopper sparrow, crested caracara or a burrowing owl. During the fall and winter, the park offers ranger led prairie buggy tours to the remote areas. You will see spectacular scenery and abundant wildlife on the 2 – 3 hour adventure. Tours are offered from the first weekend in November to the end of March on Weekends. To avoid disappointment, please call ahead to reserve this tour.

After an evening in the woods, it is time to hit a hotel, enjoy a nice hot shower, and lay my bones on a beach. Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park is not too far from the east or the west coast beaches of Florida, so you have lots of options. There is just so much to do in Florida, I hope I do not run out of retirement and my adventurous spirit before I have ticked off every box on my Florida Bucket List.