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Florida’s children need you now more than ever, especially in the Poinciana/Kissimmee area. Volunteers make a difference in a child’s life. The GAL Program is currently seeking volunteers to help advocate for the best interests of abused, neglected and abandoned children in the Dependency Court. With a GAL Volunteer, a child is half as likely to languish in the foster care and child welfare system, and more likely to find a safe, permanent home. Bella Verde Realty is on the team and you can be too. Join our team and make a real difference in a child’s life.

Please reach out to Bella Verde Realty and let us know how you can help. www.bellaverderealty.com

Thank you to all of our friends and clients who purchased and donated back to school clothing for the children in the Guardian ad Litem Program. On August 2^nd Nancy from the GAL Office came by and picked up dozens of outfits, shorts, shoes, shirts, socks, and dresses for the children. We even had a new baby well kit and diaper bag for a new GAL mom. The clothing ranged in sizes for children from kindergarten to high school. What a beautiful gift from the BVR Angels. Thank you BVR Angels for your kindness and generosity –  lots of GAL children will be wearing new clothes and shoes to start the school year.

Contact our office to reach out to GAL and become a volunteer for this great community program. www.bellaverderealty.com Bella Verde Realtors, serving the community with pride and support since 2001! Come join the blessings!

We are early risers, so most Saturdays we find ourselves up at dawn. One Saturday a month we head to the Lakeland Farmer’s Market. Saturday mornings for us are a pleasure as our workday starts a bit later and after a busy week, we look forward to sharing the morning together and reconnecting. Lakeland Farmer’s Market attracts local farmers, bakeries, restaurants, artisans, crafters, cheese makers, Florida honey and jams, beautiful flowers, plants, and entertainment. The farmer’s market takes the month of August off so if you plan to go, please plan your market day in September. The market is open every Saturday (except August) from 8 am to about 2 pm (1 pm in the summer months). We stretch our legs, enjoy the fresh air, do our marketing, and enjoy the sights and sounds around us. A few of our favorite stops are Harmonious Greens, Aqua Organics, Eco Farm, Jay’s Market, Pierogi Hut, Ethos Roasters for Coffee, and Red Roof Farms for honey. We are generally back on the road by 9:00 am to start our typical Saturday workday, but we return to Solivita and to our clients refreshed and ready to work after enjoying an early morning together. If you have a dog, the Lakeland Market is doggy-approved, plus you may even find Fido a few treats. To get to the market, use your GPS with the address of 200 N. Kentucky Ave. We find the best parking for the market is in the Munn Park parking lot. Hope to see you at the fruit stand . . .

Recently we spent an evening with friends and family at B. B. Kings on International Drive. We had out of town company that wanted to hear some good blues and a bit of soul, so we made a reservation for dinner and a show at the home of “The King of Blues.” Lee and I were not expecting a great night, but B.B. Kings was a hoot! The entertainment was fabulous, and the food and service were good as well. Kris Thomas was a showstopper and his talent combined with the all-star band kept the club rocking all night. The band’s eight-man lineup had vocalists, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and horns. Between the blues, the soul, the food and the service we had a grand time. B.B. Kings is a good night out for locals, and an entertaining evening for guests. We found parking with the valet attendant to be worth it, as parking on I Drive is not easy. We pulled up, handed our keys to a parking attendant and walked up the stairs to the club. We are going to watch the upcoming entertainment offerings at B.B. Kings, as we do not plan to wait for visiting guests before we visit the king again.

Lee and I purchased an air fryer a few months ago, after hearing rave reviews from two of our clients while at the closing table. We listened, we purchased one, and now I am passing on a rave review. We love it! It makes food brown and crispy without lots of added oil. Below is a version of a healthy eggplant parmesan that I have made a few times.

2 Eggplants, sliced about ½ thick.

Salt

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Cups Tomato Sauce

12 Oz Mozzarella Cheese Sliced and Drained.

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

Salt the eggplant slices and place in a colander. Allow to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 90 minutes. Rinse the slices and pat dry.

Rub a little oil over the eggplant and arrange a few at a time in the air fryer basket, in a single layer. Cook at 390 Degrees for 6-7 minutes. Repeat till all the slices are cooked.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of a medium baking dish, then layer the eggplant on top so they overlap each other slightly. Grind some black pepper on top and add some mozzarella. Repeat the layering with sauce, eggplant and cheese, till all ingredients have been used. Bake for 20 minutes or till cheese is melted. Serve warm with some freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Lee and I were originally from NJ, about 3 miles on Route 4 and over the GW Bridge, so it goes without saying, we are also pizza fans. Our favorite pizza is pizza margherita and we both enjoy it well done, with a thin crust, extra garlic and finished with fresh basil. I make pizza, when time permits, and I must say it is quite good, but we do miss being able to walk to our local pizzeria and pick up a slice. Finding pizza we love in Central Florida has not been an easy task, at least it has not been easy for us. We are happy to report we have found two places that make pizza almost as good as the pizza of our NJ/NY Youth and are happy to share both locations with you.

Lee and I enjoy the flatbreads served at the Solivita Bistro; they are fresh and crispy plus, are always served with a salad. Convenient to order and pick up in our golf cart. When we are local, we run to the bistro for a quick lunch or dinner. The Bistro makes it easy for both of us and it is nice to have this convenience in Solivita. Now, when we want pizza reminiscent of our youth, we head to downtown Kissimmee for Broadway Pizza. You can order pizza your way, thin crust or regular, well done and crispy. The pizza is always fresh and flavorful with lots of topping choices. In addition, Broadway serves up fresh salads and has wine and beer on tap. Our other favorite is Bistro Pizza (Arabella’s Casual Dining Establishment) in Winter Haven. We like the pizza, but we love the crispy delicious calzones and stromboli Bistro serves. The dough and fillings are delicious, and the food comes to your table hot and crusty. Bistro Pizza has a brick oven and hand tosses their pizza dough, plus they have a wine list, beer on tap, and serve a delicious cappuccino for dessert. At this moment our search for good pizza has ended, but now the search begins for a good Thai Restaurant. If you know of any in our area, please let us in on your secret. Visit us on facebook at Bella Verde Realty or email me at lorrainevaldesrealtor@hotmail.com

Yes, the entire family wants to visit Disney, Universal, Sea World and Legoland, but do you really need to go broke buying tickets when the family is in town? We say, pick the one park you want to visit, spend a day and share the rest of what Florida has to offer with friends and family outside of the theme parks. It is wonderful to visit the parks and fun to spend a day or two, but it is also fun to spend quality time together; enjoy a swim in the pool, visit Gatorland in Orlando, take a Swamp Boat Tour, or a trip to one of the local farms to pick produce, or hit the coast and take a dip in the ocean. We took our grandchildren to Explorations V Children’s Museum in Lakeland and they loved it. Last year we got lucky while viewing the schedule at Painting with a Twist and found an art class for one of our 8-year-old guests. We all went together and had a blast; plus came home with the artwork to prove it! Pack a picnic and visit Bok Tower’s Children’s Garden; or take the family for a horseback ride at Lazy H Ranch in Kissimmee. Our grandchildren are city dwellers and are still quite young, so any outdoor activity we share with them is fun. Last year, the big hit of their visit was blowing bubbles, swimming in a blow-up pool and riding the tricycle we had purchased in advance of their visit. All fun, healthy activities and good diversions from the theme parks.

Lee and I were lucky enough to see Newsies on Broadway during one of our trips back home to visit friends and family in NJ, but I must say, we are still looking forward to this summer’s production of Newsies at the Osceola Playhouse. Although the Osceola Playhouse is not Broadway, we have seen lots of wonderful shows at this local family friendly theatre. It is a treat to have a Community Theatre with so many offerings that’s so close to Solivita. Osceola Playhouse focuses on the creative arts and promotes, cultivates and fosters interest in the arts by providing good entertainment at an affordable ticket price; thereby making the arts accessible to most. Today Osceola Arts produces over 150 performing and visual arts events each year and we are proud to sponsor our local playhouse and participate in their offerings. We encourage you to see a show, visit their gallery to view the artwork, volunteer, share your talents, purchase one of their offerings, and enjoy the benefits this wonderful playhouse offers. If you wish to visit the Osceola Playhouse on the web their address is http://osceolaarts.org. One of the benefits of life in Central Florida is that your expenses are greatly reduced. In fact, you can buy a season of tickets at Osceola Playhouse for less than the price of a single ticket to one show on Broadway.