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Tag: <span>florida</span>
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Disney Food and Wine Fest July – November 19th

Author: Bella Verde Realty
Categories: Florida,Food,Local,Restaurants

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.

Author: Bella Verde Realty
Categories: Florida

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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It is Fund Raiser Time. We are proud to state that for the 6th Year Bella Verde Realty is Sponsoring the ONE PLUS ONE Gift Giving Drive for the Guardian ad Litem & Foster Children of Osceola County.

Author: Bella Verde Realty
Categories: 2022,Fundraiser,ONE PLUS ONE Gift Giving Drive for the Guardian ad Litem and Foster Children of Osceola County

Bella Verde Realty will match every gift or gift card donated.  You give One Gift and the Children will get two.  Every year the gift drive gets bigger and bigger.  Last year Bella Verde Donated a check for $3,000.00 plus with your help over 500 gifts.  Please bring an unwrapped gift or gift card to the Bella Verde Offices at 149 Bell Tower Xing in Solivita.

Donations are kindly accepted from 10/16/22 – 12/6/22.    To Date we are proud to say that with your help we have contributed over $20,000.00 in gifts and financial assistance to the Guardian ad Litem Program.  Let’s keep up the good work and help to make the Holidays Bright for these kids.

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The Florida Heat

Author: Bella Verde Realty
Categories: Comfort,news,Sights,Solivita

I always equate July and August in Florida to January and February in NJ. Lee and I lay low in the Florida heat, just as we did in the NJ cold, but still, I think I would rather live with the heat instead of the cold. In the summer, we swim in the pools in the morning and in the evenings. During the day we explore indoor activities rather than outdoor activities. Of course, lots of folks continue to play tennis, golf, bike ride, enjoy the outdoor walking trails, etc. but I would rather take time to enjoy the relaxed lifestyle Florida offers. We tend to visit museums, see an afternoon show, enjoy an art class or a lecture, or sit back in the AC and watch a movie. During this time of the year you can find me walking the indoor temperature-controlled track in Solivita or tending to our potted plants on the lanai. In our lanai we grow all kinds of herbs and tomatoes. Lee has even planted a few pots with pineapples, they have never grown large, but they sure are sweet. It is a pleasure to have fresh herbs and tomatoes growing near the kitchen. Easy to harvest, plus who does not love strolling out to their lanai to pick some fresh mint for tea, or some basil for a salad.
To help beat the heat, summer is a great time to vacation somewhere with cooler summer temperatures. Snowbirds come to Florida to enjoy the warmth in the winter, so why can’t we escape the heat and take a trip to a cooler climate? Alaska, Washington State, Oregon, Up-State NY, Canada, etc. The list of beautiful places, with cooler summer temperatures is endless. It is always fun to plan, and fun to visit another place on the planet. We live in Solivita, so another worry off the list is safety and security. Solivita is a safe and secure community, therefore we need not to worry about our homes while away.
No summer vacation for us this year, thanks to our great clients. Business has been brisk, and I am keeping my “nose to the grindstone” finding homes for lots of folks relocating to Florida or moving from one neighborhood to another. Always happy to help anyone achieve the “American Dream of Homeownership and a Beautiful Retirement.”

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Enjoying a Solivita Summer

Author: Bella Verde Realty
Categories: news,Sights,Solivita

Summer weather is upon us. A bit hot, a bit sticky, but still a great time to kick back and enjoy all that Florida has to offer. Florida fresh watermelon is in season. Watermelon is the perfect fruit for cooling off – it makes a delicious smoothie in the morning with yogurt, a refreshing salad with mint, feta, and a few black olives in the afternoon, and a delicious martini at cocktail time. Florida watermelon is a gift to Florida residents. We can grow it, pick it up in the market, or pick a watermelon at the farm-stand. Our watermelon is as good as it gets: sweet, juicy, and flavorful. A very big summer benefit.

Tomatoes are in season in Florida as well and our Solivita Garden is brimming. I came from NJ, and to me there was nothing better than a NJ tomato, but I also subscribe to the “when in Rome” philosophy. Once I overcame my NJ tomato fixation, I found the tomatoes grown in Florida to be delicious, juicy, sweet when ripened, and wonderful. Tomatoes make a great dinner when paired with a few slices of fresh mozzarella, some fresh basil, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and a loaf of Italian bread.

What I love most about Florida summer weather is the ease of dining as most of our meals in the warm weather are chilled. When we feel the need for meat or fish we just fire up the BBQ. No need to add any heat to the house.

Here are a few ideas to help you enjoy a Solivita Summer:

  1. Walk the Solivita indoor walking track. It’s temperature controlled!
  2. Break Out The Blender. It’s time to enjoy a frozen favorite.
  3. Enjoy Some Indoor Activities. Stay cool in the AC and kick back with a good book.
  4. Take a Swim. Solivita has 14 pools to choose from, and they are all refreshing.
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Our visit to the Center for Great Apes

Author: Bella Verde Realty
Categories: news,Sights,Solivita

We were fortunate to be invited to share an afternoon with some friends at the Center for Great Apes in Wauchula, Florida. What an amazing afternoon at an amazing sanctuary! The Center provides a safe environment in a small community with over 100 acres of peaceful tropical forest. The apes and chimpanzees in residence were all raised in captivity by humans and as a result, lack the basic survival skills their chimpanzee or orangutan mothers would have taught them in the wild. Unfortunately, apes and chimpanzees raised in captivity can never be successfully released back to the wild, and this is where the sanctuary steps in.
The sanctuary provides permanent lifetime care to all residents. In fact, Bubbles, who was the late Michael Jackson’s pet chimpanzee, is one of those residents! In tropical forest surroundings, the chimpanzees and orangutans live and play in large three-story high domed enclosures, the largest being about 70 feet long and 34 feet tall. The enclosures are connected by elevated tunnels giving these great apes the freedom to explore, and in the evening, the residents have “Night Houses” located in high nesting areas. With hammocks and bed shelves, and heating for the winter, they’re strong enough to withstand a hurricane. Additionally, the Center provides for the unique needs of handicapped and older apes as well.
How did the apes come to this sanctuary? Many apes raised in captivity come from the entertainment industry, and once they are done performing, they come to reside in this peaceful environment surrounded by orange groves and away from human development. The Center for Great Apes does not breed, as it would be irresponsible to continue to breed apes for captivity, but focuses on providing the residents with the potential for a safe, healthy, long life.
When living in New Jersey, it was a short trip over the bridge to the Bronx Zoo where the animals were well cared for, but nevertheless I always felt a bit sad for them, as they had lots of street and air traffic noise to contend with. After visiting the Center and enjoying the quiet surroundings, I feel that these apes are lucky to be so well cared for in such a beautiful, tropical spot. The sanctuary has wonderful keepers, all of whom were happy to share the background of each of the residents with us. It was a beautiful day shared with beautiful group of animals and their supportive and knowledgeable caregivers. Please visit the website and meet the apes at: www.centerforgreatapes.org

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They helped me accomplish what I thought was impossible

August 27, 2024

My dad had moved out of his Solivita house and I, being his financial decision maker, was left to manage it from my home in CA. The house sat uninhabited for a while, as the gargantuan task of emptying it out and figuring out if & how I could sell it, weighed like 1000 tons of bricks on me. This is where Pat Plumstead and Boots Julian stepped in. Boots is a trusted family friend and Pat had knowledge of how to handle similar situations. Pat consulted attorneys and title agents and found a way for me to handle the entire sale without having to go to FL. These two women were like angels sent to help me. I cannot thank them enough. Some people may grumble about realtor’s fees but I was happy to pay for such a valuable service. They worked hard for it, being present for pre-sale repairs, finding trusted contractors, and much more. They were always patient and optimistic, and I completely trusted them. I can’t say enough good things about them, but I want them to know how eternally grateful I am to them!

Sylvia L.

I give Lorraine 10 stars!

October 20, 2022

Lorraine was exceptional to work with. She was so diligent and responsible in handling a very stressful time in our lives in selling our home. I can only say the best about Lorraine Valdes and Bella Verde Realty, she was terrific to work with! I give Lorraine 10 stars!

Rose Rivera

I would highly recommend Lorraine and Debbie to anyone looking for the very best realtors for their home sale...!

September 7, 2022

We could not have chosen better real estate agents than Lorraine & Debbie! From initial contact to the final closing, they were always available, responsive, thorough and professional! Since we were out of town throughout the listing and sales period, their experience, assistance with every detail and communication were invaluable, providing us a fast sale at the price we had hoped for! I would highly recommend Lorraine and Debbie to anyone looking for the very best realtors for their home sale or purchase!

Dave & Denise

You gave us an excellent service and we will certainly recommend you and Bella Verde Realty to any of our friends!

March 4, 2022

Dear Lorraine,

We just wanted to thank you so much for all the help you gave us during our recent house sale. You were on the ball from start to finish, and we really appreciate that you made what could have been a difficult time in our lives, relatively easy. We are somewhat surprised that have still heard nothing from “Titlesmith” to inform us that the sale has gone through – but hey – maybe that is different in the USA. As we realized when money appeared in our bank this must have happened. Again you gave us an excellent service and we will certainly recommend you and Bella Verde Realty to any of our friends. With all best wishes for 2022.

Shirley & Simon Nicholls

Outstanding Service

February 23, 2022

Lorraine Valdes just sold our house and I must say, that in all my years, I have never had a more knowledgeable, experienced and well prepared agent handle the sale of our home. Lorraine keeps you informed, responds promptly and handles all issues without hesitation. She is a skilled professional and I recommend her without reservation.

George Trim

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