AEvery once in a while, Sandra and I get an invitation we cannot turn down. Such it was in mid-June when we received and invitation to watch the Le Mans 24 Hour sports car endurance race. That was part of an Automobile Racing Club of Florida event at the Sebring International Raceway. It was a natural tie-in, as Sebring was started by creator Alec Ulmann as a tribute to the French classic.
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Watching the 2025 Le Mans 24 Hours at Sebring
The Marine Terrace Resort – A New Experience
Usually when Sandra and I travel, we find a hotel or motel that provides us with lodging and all the amenities we enjoy. However, this time, we scored a Daytona Beach condo. And “scored” is the right word.
It’s known as the Marine Terrace Resort. Due to hurricane damage, the pool has been closed indefinitely, and currently they have no direct beach access. However, because it is December, and because there are multiple access points to the beach – this was not a large scale problem for us.
Living Green Cafe: An Oasis of Flavor in Boca Raton
If you’re looking for a fun and tasty lunch in Boca Raton, we would highly recommend the Living Green Cafe.
We had discovered Living Green on a previous trip to Boca Raton. It was great then, and it was great again this time. Tucked in a shopping center full of different restaurant options, it’s easy to miss this little gem, tucked behind a portico that’s covered with the lush vegetation so common in south Florida.
Pedro’s Bar & Grill – An Unexpected Surprise
Those who follow Florida Fun Travel know that we have eaten at golf course restaurants in the past – like The Sandhill Grille. Generally, we’ve found such establishments to be a cut above – inasmuch as they cater to golfers. We were recommended by a friend to try out the restaurant in the clubhouse at Sebring’s Golf Hammock. So, when we were in the area on other business, Mrs. Funmeister suggested we head on over and give it a go.
Our Breakfast Experience
Because we were there during the early morning hours, breakfast was on the menu. Apparently, most of the golfers were on the course, because there were a lot of cars, but few patrons inside.
We were impressed by the wide range of selections available for the first meal of the day. The menu has everything from a simple bowl of oatmeal or a stack of pancakes, to Pot Roast Hash, Breakfast burritos, Eggs Benedict and more than a half dozen varieties of 3-egg omelets.
My wife got the standard breakfast with eggs, hash browns, bacon and toast. I went with the Greek Omelet. That comes with spinach, onions, diced tomato, black olives and feta cheese. Add to that a side of home fries and some raisin toast and you really have something.
The coffee was great and the service was fast. I must tell you, the quality of our fare was quite good. The omelet had been whipped (not everyone does that), the eggs were done correctly and the bacon was crisp without our even having to ask.
The New Tossits Litter Bags: The Eco-Friendly Essential for Florida Travelers
Longtime readers may remember our first review of Tossits litter bags back in 2019. Well they are back. Plus, they are new and improved – and in designer colors no less.
During our travels around the Sunshine State, keeping the car clean is a constant challenge. Between food wrappers, receipts, tissues, and other debris that seems to magically accumulate, the mess builds quickly. Moreover, we’ve found that Tossits are an innovative, eco-friendly solution that is perfect for all types of travelers.
They call them “car garbage bags,” We prefer the term “litter bags,” Nevertheless, and\ these bags are easy, labor saving devices.
Florida Retirement is Murder, Some Reading in Preparation for Your Trip
If you’re fixing to come to Florida, or have some time while vacationing, we’d like to suggest a bit of light reading – it’s called Florida Retirement is Murder.
Florida Retirement is Murder
He’s a Florida Fun Travel friend, and international Best-Selling author. Kris Courtney – has penned a novel entitled “Florida Retirement is Murder.” This cozy mystery is set in Polk Country. Moreover, it may set the tone for some of the people you could meet in your travels here.
The mythical “Sun-Gate,” retirement community is where the head of the Home Owners Association dies under “questionable circumstances. It fictitiously is located in Lakeland.
Rather than an edge of your chair thriller, it’s a “cozy mystery.” The hero-protagonist, Stewart Johnson, and a motley crew of snowbird residents flush out the perpetrator. They do it in an interesting – albeit amusing – course of events, clues and unusual circumstances.
“Honestly, I have had people ask me if this is based on their park, because some of the people in the book are a lot like their neighbors,” Courtney said. “Having lived in Florida in various places, you simply cannot help but run across people like these characters. They’re chocked full of jovial spirit and hilarious personalities.”
It’s a page-turner, but not because of the tension. It’s because readers cannot believe what will happen next. This snowbird comedy/mystery is a perfect fit into the genre of the Florida landscape. Readers say that Kris has the ability to have you ‘see and feel’ the Florida scenery. It’s so awesome you can almost smell the air and feel the humidity.
These are people you could hang out with.
Dolly’s – a Hidden Gem in Bonita Springs
If you’re wondering where to eat in Bonita Springs, you owe it to yourself to stop for a bite at Dolly’s Produce Patch & Eatery. While the produce patch was gone, a cute little restaurant with some tasty deserts was sitting along Bonita Beach Road just waiting for discovery.
Sandra and I were out seeing the sights, and took our own advice. We asked the locals about the best place for a quick lunch. They suggested Dolly’s.
Dolly’s has been family owned and operated for nearly three decades. You might drive by it at first. It’s an unremarkable one story structure ,that had some tables with umbrellas on front porch. There’s just one 4×8 wood sign at the east end of the property.
Apparently for years, they hosted a produce patch along the front of the building. That was discontinued during the COVID lock down.
The Dolly’s Experience
Once inside, we were greeted with a wonderfully decorated restaurant. They feature a full menu of traditional burgers, sandwiches, salads and deserts. You can see the menu here.
Why We Include Publix In Our Florida Travel Plans
When Sandra and I travel the Sunshine State, there are times we need groceries. And as far as we can tell, no single store or chain screams “Florida” more than Publix.
Sometimes we just need a bottle of water or some snacks. Other times, a “Pub Sub” is on the menu. After all, we love to stop where “Shopping is a Pleasure.”
There are some very interesting and unusual things about this Florida-based chain and their various locations. Many are worthy of a stop by to see as tourist attraction.
The Worlds Largest Publix Cake
For instance, did you know that Publix has a birthday cake shaped water tower? It’s located near the Publix headquarters on Highway 92 in Lakeland, near the famous Silver Moon Drive-In Theater.
The tower top is a beautiful three-tiered cake, complete with eleven candles on top.
Nicknamed “The Hydrocake,” the 147-foot structure was completed in 1982 to support the then-newly opened dairy processing plant, frozen food warehouse, and expanded bakery plant.
The “World’s Largest Publix Birthday Cake,” continues to be as part of the Lakeland skyline.
The Top 3 Ways Travel Will Keep You Young
We all want to retain our youth, and in our travels, we have found the top 3 ways that travel will keep you young.
As our readers know, Sandra and I are a couple of “Boomers” who love to travel around Florida. And in our adventures, we’ve found that a lot of what makes our trips so much fun and exciting, also keeps us young.
1. Keeping Your Mind Active
When we go different places, there are a lot of decisions that need to be made. Where are we going to stay, where will we dine, what points of interest do we want to experience? All of those are just the start of things that we must ponder both while we are visiting and while we’re traveling to and from our destinations.
On more than one occasion, we have seen a place that looks interesting. This may call for “a legal U-turn” as our GPS says, for a circle round to get a better look. Some of our most interesting finds have come from just spotting places as we drove by.
Other times, there are places we have wanted to go, but could not. Perhaps they were closed, or maybe the weather did not cooperate. In any event, we had to make quick decisions on what to do instead.
The point is, traveling has kept our minds sharp. We are always looking and always discussing what we want to do next. This is the kind of thing that helps us stay young and active.
NASGRASS Ready to Sling Sod at Home Opener
The good news is that NASGRASS is ready to sling sod at their home opener, the bad news is, it won’t be until October. Two days before their inaugural race for the 2024-25 season, the track was hit by a massive rainstorm. It left the place waterlogged.
So now they will be racing on the second Saturday of October.
NASGRASS has been racing lawn mowers in central Florida for better than three decades, making them the oldest organization of its kind in the United States. The North American Society of Grass Racers and Sod Slingers (NASGRASS) raced for years at an Avon Park location. It was nationally known as “the birthplace of lawn mower racing in the United States.”
In fact, we have been reporting on this fun and wacky sport since we started this blog back in 2017!
Due to conditions beyond their control, they lost that spot. But they since have found a location at Florida Flywheelers’ Park. That’s at 7000 Avon Park Cutoff Road near Fort Meade in Polk County.
The unfortunate turn of events has led the group to a location that actually is bigger and better. And this year’s opening event is right around the corner.
