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Music and Munchies at the Grove House

Roger Brutus and Corey Greenway playing guitars and singing
Roger Brutus (left) teamed up with Corey Greenway (right) to play sets of country and Florida tunes at the Grove House Restaurant

Sometimes Sandra and I go to a place for the food, sometimes for the ambience – but this time it was for the entertainment. Our friend Corey Greenway from the Outta Hand Band was performing with another band member, Roger Brutus under the moniker “Prime Country.”

Roger Brutus (left) teamed up with Corey Greenway (right) to play sets of country and Florida tunes at the Grove House Restaurant.

I must admit, the screened in room at the Grove House was quite warm on that Florida July afternoon. But it was well worth it, and the music from the duo was as good as our lunch.

We sat in the back (beside a large fan). There was a bar in the corner by the dance floor. They were doing a land office business, as patrons sought drinks to stave off the heat. However, we didn’t have drinks, we simply ordered lunch. I had a Caesar salad, while my wife ordered a burger. Personally, I didn’t expect much of a salad at a bar – but I was pleasantly surprised.

My Caesar salad was large, and Sandra could not finish her burger.

In fact, both our meals were good enough, we’ve decided to return and try some of their other offerings. But next time, we’re going to sit inside – in the air conditioning.

The Layout of the Grove House

The Grove House had a lot of space. As you can see out the back screened window in the photo above, they had a large outdoor area. There were several concrete pads with tables, covered by umbrellas. Several people went outside to smoke while we were there during the afternoon.

On the other hand, we passed through a couple of air conditioned indoor rooms where patrons could enjoy a meal and a wide variety of beverages.

The Grove House has a dining area, dominated by a large TV for those who wish to watch sports while they eat.

When you first enter the Grove House, there is a long bar along the inside wall. Several four-top tables line the outside of the room, for those who want a bit of privacy to chat.

The first thing you see at the Grove House is their bar, with several tables along the outside wall.

As previously mentioned, there also was a bar in their large screened-in area. This allowed the staff to quickly serve all the patrons, with a minimum of steps.

The bar in the entertainment area is as well appointed as the indoor facility, and is a lot closer to the action.
The Real Reason We Went

But we weren’t drinking. We were there to have a bit of lunch and enjoy our friends – Prime Country – and their performance. Corey and Roger apparently have a good following, and the chairs and tables filled up as we enjoyed their first set. They played both classic and modern country tunes ranging from Merle Haggard and Don Williams to some of the more modern country hits of the day.

As the afternoon wore on, more of the faithful took up ringside seats.

As the fans arrived, their tip bucket began to fill up quickly. Some of the money was in appreciation, other of the tips came with song requests.

The music and the food was good, but I must admit, the heat got the better of us. We had to leave earlier than we wanted. The most disappointing part, was that they had just launched into their truck driving set. Country truck driving tunes are some of my favorites.

The Grove House Grill has been described as “cozy,” but as their Facebook page has indicated, they can have some rockin’ bands inside their screened-in area. For those of you looking for it, The Grove House Grill is an unassuming little place on the Scenic Highway, just south of Lake Wales.

You can find their menu online, and we suggest you look to see who might be playing there. Of course, we recommend Corey Greenway, Prime Country and the Outta Hand Band.

 

 

 

 

 

Fort Myers Beach = Pirate Ships, Pelicans, and Parasailers

Moon setting over the Gulf of Mexico behind the Edison Beach House
The picture from my iPhone just does not do this justice. One of my investments this year may be a good digital camera.

Recently, Sandra and I enjoyed a trip to Fort Myers Beach – also known as FMB. Despite some significant remaining damage from last year’s Hurricane Ian, there’s plenty to see and do in the area.

One of our great delights was that the Edison Beach House is again up and running. We spent a week there with our sister and brother-in-law. Because of that, had a week’s worth of entertainment. Much of it was from the vantage point of our fifth-floor balcony.

Longtime readers know that each suite at the Edison Beach House has a balcony that faces the Gulf. That means we were able to lounge and watch activity on the beach, on the water and in the air.

Morning On The Beach

From sunrise until after dark, there was plenty to see on the beach. Starting at first light the early birds arrived. While some came to beat the heat, others wanted to avoid beach the traffic. Then runners and exercisers began the show.

We saw this group of boys running along the beach. Here they’re passing a lady doing her morning yoga.

Later came the joggers and the walkers. There were individuals and couples. Some were walking dogs. The canines gave us reason to watch were we stepped. Also, there were groups of walkers. Additionally, there were numerous individuals picking up shells. It was great to see some who passed by were picking trash up off the beach, though it is a relatively clean beach.

Any way you look at it, it was a pleasant day to meander the sand and hear the sound of the waves.

There were groups of walkers out to enjoy the day at Fort Myers Beach.

It wasn’t long after that, we spotted a treasure hunter combing beach. There were several over the week that came along. Some of them were on the sand, others in the water. There appeared to have been a few finds, but not a lot of excitement.

There were several guys with metal detectors that came by during the week.

Several bicyclists also rode by us on the beach. There were only a few, and they sported the large-tired beach bikes.

One of the bicyclists we saw taking advantage of the early morning cooler temperatures.

The only actual motorized vehicle we saw was that of the beach patrol. We observed them on several occasions. They drove by slowly without incident.

We saw the Beach Patrol motor along. There didn’t seem to be any trash and they issued no apparent warnings.

A bit more stationary were the fishermen. Several of them came out during the course of the week. There were only a few bites. We observed only a few small bait fish landed.

This was one of several fishermen we saw as we sat on the balcony. This guy didn’t land anything.
The Afternoon

As the day wore on, those in for the long haul began to set up camp. We could see a good way down Fort Myers Beach. It was interesting to see the difference in the canopies, umbrellas, pop-ups, tents and other structures. There was one fella that had difficulty with his tent. However, after no small effort, he finally got it assembled.

It was striking to see the different kinds of shelters along Fort Myers Beach.

Beach goers during the day gave us an almost constant show. There was the quintessential ball and Frizbee throwing, and plenty of sunbathers. Some of the girls almost had a swimsuit on. Additionally, there were families showing very young children the big water for the first time.

Special Events

We did see a couple of special events. One day we watched as a number of girls created a giant heart on the beach. They then lined it with sea shells. Later, a guy and his gal showed up, he got down on one knee and popped the question. We missed the moment – but saw the result.

Apparently, she said yes.

Another day, we watched what we thought was a wedding shoot. A young girl in a white hoop skirt spent no small amount of time with several handlers and a couple photographers. I went down to get a better photo. What I found was, it was for a Quinceanera celebration. It took better than an hour. She had a couple wardrobe changes and a drone taking pictures.

A photo shoot for what turned out to be a Quinceanera celebration drew me down to the beach.

On another occasion, we watched an event planner. Wearing a pencil skirt and dragging a beach wagon, she set up what appeared to be an elaborate sunset dinner. The low table was set in an amazing fashion. However, storm clouds were moving in. After what appeared to be an animated phone call, she put it all away and dragged it off the sand. Sadly, the storm never shed a drop of rain.

It would have been a beautiful dinner on Fort Myers Beach.
Evening on the Beach

As the sun started to set, we saw another wheeled vehicle. A local ice cream vendor wheeled his wagon down the beach in search of some hungry beach goers.

This ice cream vendor was the only actual commercial activity we witnessed on the beach during our stay,

When it comes to entertainment on Fort Myers Beach, the sunset is one of the tops on the list. The Edison Beach House never disappoints. We were able to sit on our fifth floor balcony and catch some beautiful sunsets.

Although we sometimes went down on the beach with the crowd, were able to get this shot from our balcony.

Even after dark there were things to see. This was turtle season, so we were asked to shut off our lights and draw our blinds. The idea was not to attract turtle hatchlings back to shore. Nevertheless, plenty of people with flashlights could be seen walking the beach. One night, a young lady came out practicing with her dragon sticks. Again, I was lured down five stories to get a better shot.

 

The Morning Show on the Water

Fort Myers Beach has sunrises and sunsets as well as moonrises and moonsets. We were fortunate to arrive when they coincided. One morning as the moon was going down, we spotted what appeared to be a shrimper. Usually, we see the boats parked by Doc Ford’s. Occasionally we have seen them much further out.

We saw what appeared to be a shrimp boat early one morning as the moon was setting and the sun was rising.

We saw quite a bit of water traffic on the Gulf. In fact, there’s more than on the Atlantic side. While the beach activity starts early, the sailing comes a bit later. Nevertheless, there’s a great variety of different boats that sail by. We were situated where there were swimming buoys. Boats could not sail behind them. However, several sailed close enough for a good shot.

This sailboat cruised by just beyond the swimming buoys

There also was a rather large runabout that motored by slowly. He didn’t even leave much of a wake as he passed.

We also had a good shot at this speedboat. He also had a good shot at us.
Non-Boat Activity in the Water

As the morning progressed, there was some activity closer to shore. As we said earlier, parents had been bringing their kids for a day at the beach. There was one father giving his son surfing lessons. The two-foot waves seemed to be the right height for the young man.

Still a bit young to “hang 10” this young surfer was riding those two footers at FMB

This wasn’t the only surfboard we watched from the balcony. Later we saw one in use as a stand-up pasddleboard. It appeared this slightly older enthusiast had a leisurely tour of the FMB coast in mind.

This young man was headed out to cruise the shore on his paddleboard

One non-human attraction we saw in the water were several dolphin sightings. More than once people fled to the shore after seeing a fin. Once they realized it wasn’t jaws, they came back into the water to catch a glimpse of nature’s beauty. And yes, we could see them from our fifth floor perch. Perhaps better from our vantage point.

We spotted several Dolphin during our trip. This was the best capture.

We also saw a group of swimmers making circles around the buoys. We could see them making laps – but they were too far out to get a good photo.

Some Special Vessels on the Water

We  caught a number of other watercraft sailing by us. Hurricane Ian did significant damage to the nearby Sanibel and Captiva islands. We took a ride over. There we saw a lot of dredge work being done along the causeway. One afternoon we saw one of the dredges on its way over to help out.

We had seen a lot of water traffic along FMB. This was the first dredge we’d viewed.

The Key West Express is one of our favorites to watch when we visit Fort Myers Beach. In the morning we’d see her in the sunlight, at night she was highly recognizable by her lights and fast movement through the water on the return trip.

The Key West Express caught our attention and the attention of a paddleboarder.

Finally, we always were glad to see Salty Sam’s Pirate Cruise come sailing along. They run twice a day. First there’s the kid’s cruise, later one for the adults. We’d be sitting on the balcony when the pirates would let go a round from one of their cannon. It was always fun to watch the beach goers jump from the sound of the boom!

Salty Sams sailed by the Edison Beach House twice a day – it was one of the highlights of our visit.
In the Air

We have told you about all the activity we were able to see on the beach and in the water. But wait, there’s more. There were several aerial activities we spied while sitting on our lovely fifth floor balcony. Every day there were parasail boats pulling brightly colored parachutes across the Gulf. For the most part they were pretty far out. But once in a while they’d come close enough to get a photo.

This yellow, smiley-faced parasail group did quite a bit of business while we were there.

We also had some drones fly about during our stay. It was hard to figure out for what they were searching. It appears they were just looking for people enjoying the beach and the Gulf.

There were a few drones that flew by us during our stay at the Edison Beach House

But that wasn’t the only air traffic. We had periodic passes by jet airliners. Apparently, they were on their way to, or from the Southwest Florida International Airport. From the number of planes we saw, it seems to be a pretty busy place.

One of the many airliners that flew over us. That air traffic was only during the day.
Overnight

Finally, one of the best instances of aerial entertainment, was a moonset. It occurred on the last day of our stay. But, I sneaked out early in the morning and got a shot across our balcony from the living room. It was a beautiful end to our stay, at one of our favorite places in FMB.

The picture from my iPhone just does not do this justice. One of my investments this year may be a good digital camera.

While the Edison Beach House itself is up and running, the damage at Fort Myers Beach and at the Sanibel & Captiva islands remains significant. Still, there’s plenty to do at the beach. Nearby Times Square is coming back, and there are restaurants open on Old San Carlos Street.

We’ll do more on that later. Still to come are reviews on some great nearby restaurants such as the Wisteria Tea Room, La Cassita, and Dolly’s.

 

 

 

ChampCar Under the Stars at Sebring

car on pit road in Sebring
  As many of you know, Sandra and I love racing. The Sebring International Raceway is a favorite venue.
   This weekend the Champ Car Endurance Series will be in Sebring. This race will be a bit unusual. It’s to be an overnight affair. The green flag will fall at 6:00pm Saturday evening June 29, with the checkers to come out Sunday morning June 30 at 6:00am.
   There have been races that have run into darkness – both for the ChampCar series and a Sebring. It appears that this will be the first ever exclusively overnight race to be run on the historic circuit.
A Unique Event
   “It’s the toughness of the Sebring track, combined with darkness,” said ChampCar Director of Operations, Bill Strong.
   He said that there will be some lighting at the most dangerous curves. However, drivers will have to rely on the most powerful allowable headlamps. They will light their way for the bulk of the 3.72 mile circuit.
   The stories of cars losing their way on the dark Sebring circuit during the early years of the race are legendary.
   The cars are less expensive, but the series has been aided by new technology.
   Helping drivers through the night will be use of the new Flagtronics system. This new racing software allows race officials to be aware of anything that’s happening on track at any time so they can respond accordingly.
   Race control can monitor each car’s location and speed. They have lap time and pit time information as well as track conditions. Drivers also will know if or when a major impact occurs on the raceway.
   “We’ll have lighted LED boards at each of the flagging stations so drivers will be aware of what’s going on,” Strong said.
A Stout Field
   Nearly 60 cars already have signed up for TheTireRack.com Sebring Under the Stars event. Competitors such as 4 Paws racing with their Toyota FRS, The Average Joes in a 2006 Mazda Miata, and the Rosary Rocketeers fielding a 1990 Mazda RX7 all have registered to run the event behind the headlights.
   One of the Florida Teams to run will be Team Infinity out of Palm Beach County. The entry is a favorite, due to the illuminated shark fin on on its roof.
   “We have a lot of professional drivers who show up periodically to race with us as well,” Strong said. “We’ve had both current and former IMSA, NASCAR, IndyCar and even F1 drivers who come in to do a stint with one of the teams.”
Who is ChampCar
   The series began in 2009 as the ChumpCar World Series. The name was changed in 2017. In ChampCar the slogan became “Real Racing, Real Tracks, Real Cheap Cars.”
   Like the 24 Hours of LeMons cars that ran at Sebring recently, these vehicles are valued at no more than $500. Unlike the LeMons cars, the Champ Cars put the emphasis more on racing, and less on decorations, costumes and themes.
   “Our mission is that it’s all about racing. We are trying to tear down the high dollar roadblocks that in the past have restricted people from getting fully involved in motorsports,” Strong said.  “It’ about enjoyment and bringing road racing back to where it was 50 years ago.”
   ChampCar’s Sebring Under the Stars is not a spectator event per se, people are allowed to come out and purchase a $20 “weekend pass,” to see the operation and view some racing action.
   “We’re hoping there are some fans who look at what we’re doing and want to build a car and join the series,” Strong said.
    Others can watch the action via live stream on the Champcar.live YouTube channel.

An In-Town Gem at Boca Raton

Boca Raton Holiday In Express sign
   Usually when Sandra and I pick a hotel room, it’s at or near a beach. Perhaps we get a lodging near an event we plan to attend. This time, we were down in Boca Raton on business and we discovered an in-town gem. It’s the Holiday Inn Boca West on Glades Road.
A Quick Check-in
   This wonderful little lodging facility is just off the Florida Turnpike, giving visitors easy travel in any direction. It’s also ringed with a myriad of shopping opportunities in the event you need some retail therapy.
   When we arrived, it was pouring down rain, but the main entrance was tucked back in the corner of the overhang, giving us plenty of shelter from what was a typical Florida frog strangler.
   Stephanie, the front desk manager, could not have been nicer. She could see that we’d had a long trip and were ready for some downtime. We were checked  in quickly and easily.
   One of the few issues is, this two-story facility had no elevator. I must say, the stairs were not steep, there were a couple of landings, and the whole thing was a lot less challenging than some of the places we’ve stayed.
Nice Accomodations
   When we arrived at the room, it was spacious, well appointed, and set up for business. There were a couple of desk areas, and I was sad that I had not brought our laptop. It would have made the perfect vacation office.
   The bathroom also was large. One of the luxuries was a mirror that had it’s own special light. One thing we missed were the soap and shampoos. Instead of the normal individual personal items, there were dispensers of the necessaries mounted on the wall.
   There was also a nook with a Keurig coffee maker, microwave and small refrigerator. Longtime readers know we generally carry our own water for a better coffee experience.
   An amenity we had not expected was a balcony. You might think that a commanding view of the parking lot would not be that much of a plus, but it turned out to be a great place to have coffee and a breakfast treat.
   The king-sized bed was both large and comfortable. It had a well-stuffed duvet. This cover would be great for a northern winter. However, this was summer in Florida. On the other hand, the air conditioner worked really well. So, it kept us warm in a room that was well cool enough for sleeping.
   Being near the intersection of two busy roadways, and with a lot of guests, you’d assume the Holiday Inn Boca West would have been noisy. But that would be incorrect. There was no traffic noise (although we were on the road side). We slept well and other than a couple of guests leaving early in the morning, we never heard any talk in the hallway.
   One habit Sandra has gotten into makes a great travel tip. She always counts the number of doors from us to the stairs. She also makes note of fire extinguisher locations.
Good Eats
   Earlier, I noted that we were ringed with shopping opportunities. One, was a Greenwise Market. It was in the shopping plaza right next door. A subsidiary of Publix, it is a great place to find a wide range of snacks and foodstuffs that are both tasty and good for you.
   The Holiday Inn Boca West still has something a lot of properties no longer offer – breakfast. They had a wonderful offering of eggs, bacon, cereals, fruit and a great selection of bread products. There was toast, bagels and muffins. Additionally, they had a pancake machine that would turn out one or two flapjacks at the push of a button.
   In addition to a fruit juice dispenser, they had an entire coffee and hot tea station.
  So we enjoyed a light breakfast, then adjourned upstairs. When we got to the room, we went out onto the balcony had coffee and a light breakfast snack before taking off.
Our view from the balcony of the Boca Raton Holiday Inn on Glades Road.
Business Amenities
   Our stay at the Holiday Inn Boca West gave us a new appreciation for in-town lodgings. Although we didn’t need them, there were plenty of amenities for companies should they want to do business there. For instance, there was a small office space featuring a computer and printer.
  They also had a great meeting room with a TV screen, dry-erase board, and a long table. It could accommodate a dozen or so participants for a presentation or roundtable style discussion.
They had a great facility for board meetings complete with TV screen
  All in all, it was a great stay and we can thoroughly recommend the Boca Raton Holiday Inn West on Glades Road.

Pappas Fresh Greek – A Fun Find in Bradenton

   Greek food was not on the list Sandra and I took the funmobile off to Sarasota. We actually were in search of some bargains and fresh produce (more on that later). We had just arrived at Bradenton. So, we decided to get off at the University Town Center to see what we could find. At the end of Cooper Creek Blvd. we spotted a big beige building. On the side was a large sign announcing Louis Pappas – Fresh Greek.
   Well, we were hungry and we like Greek cuisine, so it wasn’t a tough decision.
A Lot of Selections
   The tough decisions came later, once we got a look at the menu. There were so many options ranging from salads, flatbreads, pitas and sandwiches to a wide array of appetizers, Mediterranean Spreads and cafe entrees.
    After perusing the menu, (and looking around the dining area to see what others were having), I opted for the Pappas Traditional Salad. After all, how can you go to a new place and not try their signature dish.
   I ordered the regular portion and not the large, figuring I could always go back and get more. But the regular size was more than enough. It was a bowl stacked with lettuce and ringed with large wedges of cucumber, tomato and pepperoncini. There was a giant scallion in the center, anchored in a large dollop of potato salad underneath.
   My lovely wife opted for the “Pick 2” where she had a cafe salad with a chicken slouvlaki on the side.
Fresh and Delicious
   Wow,  there certainly was a lot and the dining room was quiet. It was a very pleasant place to sit down for a meal. Moreover, the hostess came by several times after learning it was our first visit.
  For both of us, the salads were fresh, and the pita bread was warm and fluffy.
  Sandra wanted a bit of a dessert, so we grabbed an order of “Greek Fries.” These really are homemade potato chips with a large garnish of tzatziki sauce. Now, we have had some great homemade chips in the past, most notably at the Wild Turkey Tavern in Avon Park. But hands down, these were absolutely the best.
A Lot More to Try
   After our meal, we sat around and looked at their takeout menu. We agreed that there are lots of reasons to return. For instance, I did not try the spanakopita. But there are so many more things to sample.
  I’d like to try the chopped version of the Pappas salad, there’s a spinach & pita flatbread that looks pretty good, not to mention their Traditional Mousaka, their Greek-A-Dillas or some of their many soups.
   The good news is, the Bradenton location is just one of a half dozen locations scattered throughout central Florida. There are Louis Pappas restaurants in Tampa, Clearwater, Lakeland and New Port Richey as well.
A Brief History
   Ironically, there’s not one in Tarpon Springs – where Louis M. Pappamichalopoulos got his start. The Greek native established the Louis Pappas “Riverside Cafe” there in 1925.
   He reportedly began the tradition of putting a scoop of potato salad at the bottom of his Greek salads during World War I, while serving in France as an Army Chef in General John J. Pershing’s “Wildcat Division.”
   The business is now into its fourth generation, continuing the family tradition of simply prepared foods using high quality and locally-sourced products.
   In addition to their dine in restaurants, the Louis Pappas Fresh Greek chain also offers catering services. In addition to complete entrees, patrons can order Fresh Greek in a Box, Greek Spreads and Appetizers, Seasonal Fruit, Fresh Salads, and of course, the Louis Pappas Famous Greek Salad.
   For those needing more information anytime of the day or night, there’s http://www.LouisPappas.com  plus social media locations on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter.)
    We know that we’ll be back, and we’ll try and be hungrier. LOL

We’re Back

After quite a lengthy absence, Barry and Sandra are back to talk about their travels around the Sunshine State. We’re also ready to give hints to others who also might be going around some of the more fun places in Florida.

As you know, we had been traveling regularly for quite some time. However, we were overtaken by events. Now, we once again we’re ready to hit the road and share our experiences with the many readers who love Florida as much as we do.

If you have any thoughts, ideas or suggestions, feel free to drop us a line at [email protected]

We always are looking for new ideas for adventures, and new places to review. Our hope is to find locations on and off the beaten path, where folks can have a great time at reasonable prices.

Stay tuned! The best is yet to come!

Our 10th Anniversary Trip

There was a lot of room in our suite and the bed was comfortable,

Recently, Sandra and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary. We wanted to do something fun and special, so we went to one of our favorite places – The Prestige in Vero Beach.

As long-time readers know, this is an older property. But the good news is, it’s well kept, it has a lot of amenities and it’s within a 60-second walk from the ocean. This time, we did not get an ocean-view room. That was OK, inasmuch as we didn’t spend a lot of time there. The room was spacious and it had a great walk-in kitchen/dining area. The bed was quite comfortable as well.

There was a lot of room in our suite and the bed was comfortable,

A Great Lunch

We didn’t do a lot of exploring this time. Because it was our anniversary, we stuck with the tried and true.

When it comes to Vero Beach, there are some places we love to dine. It was an easy decision to have our dinner at TooJay’s. We first discovered this chain in Lake Worth. During our travels, we’ve had the occasion to eat at many of their locations, and the one in Vero is as good as any.

Sandra had a chicken salad sandwich with the beef/cabbage soup. That slow cooked soup in a word is delish. I, of course had the Classic Reuben. How could you not? We both got an order of their signature coleslaw (with a big half pickle.)

Boy were we filled up!

A Bit of Exercise

We had a chance to walk off a bit lunch in a wonderful way. When we returned to the Prestige, we headed down to the shore. This was an opportunity to enjoy the sea breeze and the sound of the waves. It was delightful. The beach was all but deserted. Sandra found a few shells as we enjoyed the crashing water. A few waves made it far enough up the beach to wet our feet as we walked.

Full Moon Over Vero

Heading back to our room, Sandra noticed the full moon rising. It was the first of a number of atmospheric attractions we would enjoy on this trip.

Surprise in the Skies

So, as we were sitting around just before bedtime, I got an alert from my Space Launch Schedule Facebook Group. A Falcon 9 rocket was getting ready to blast off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station just up the coast. According the the alert, we had 2:34 to get out of our room and down toward the beach to see it.

We made it as far as the patio area. Standing in our lounging clothes, phones in hand, we saw a spectacular launch! Starting with a bright orange glow on the northern horizon, the rocket headed straight up. It then perfectly arc’d southward, and just by us over the eastern Atlantic.

 

An Early Morning Favorite

When we travel to the coast, the sunrises and sunsets are a main attraction. There are not nearly as many people who get up early to watch the sun come up. However, we are some of those who get a start on the day with that beautiful view.

Our tenth anniversary sunrise did not disappoint. We didn’t even need an alarm. At first light, we headed back down to the patio area with our cups of coffee in hand. It was like a a double header. The sun first broke the horizon then disappeared behind a bank of clouds. A few minutes later it re-emerged, to signal the start of a new day.

First Watch Breakfast

Like I said, we didn’t take any chances this trip. When it comes to breakfast, First Watch is always a good choice. They have fresh offerings, and the cooks pay attention to each order. Generally, they also have a good waitstaff. It’s a step up, without a great increase in price.

I went with the works omelet, while Sandra took the standard breakfast with eggs over, bacon, home fries and toast. Save for the home fries, which were cooked on the surface of the sun, it was a great breakfast and a great end to a short trip to Vero Beach.

Other Vero Attractions

While we did some shopping in Vero Beach, there are other attractions. In the past we’ve written about McKee Botanical Gardens, and the Indian River Citrus Museum. There still are places we have yet to visit. We’ve not experienced the Vero Beach Museum of Art, the Vero Beach Outlets, or Dodgertown.

Just a reason to head back. What’s your favorite in Vero? We recommend it for a fun trip for a day – or for a week.

 

Dinner in the Treetops – Dining at Norwood’s

Norwood's is one of the most interesting dining experiences we've had to date.

If you have ever wanted to have dinner in the treetops – dining at Norwood’s is for you. Having found this gem in New Smyrna Beach several years ago, we’d wanted to get around to blogging it. But seeing as how this year will mark there 75th anniversary, we just couldn’t wait any longer.

Norwood’s is one of the most interesting dining experiences we’ve had to date.

The location has been one kind of a business or another since 1929, but began as a restaurant back in 1946. Since that time it has been through several owner changes. It now is billed as a seafood restaurant, but has impressive beef and other selections as well.

One of our favorite parts, is that Norwood’s does all their own smoking in a small smokehouse right in the middle of the parking lot.

Norwood’s smokehouse was working hard the day we were there.

 

 

 

Oscar Scherer State Park

There were some nice benches on which to relax if we'd gotten tired of walking the trail.

We found Oscar Scherer State Park almost directly across the street from Bentley’s Boutique Hotel in Osprey. We’d seen the signs on previous visits, but hadn’t had the time to visit. It was not our first Florida state park. In the past, we explored Highlands Hammock State Park – a sprawling facility in Highlands County.

However, at almost 1400 acres Oscar Sherer State Park is much more compact. This was great for us. We could access their features more quickly. And our walk around Lake Osprey was easy and fun.

Like other parks we have visited, the rangers were quick to hand us a fistful of brochures about different opportunities for fun.

At Oscar Scherer State Park, we arrived and were presented with plenty of options from hiking to bird watching.

The Trip In

We first arrived at the ranger station, paid our fees, and received a brace of documents telling us about the park. Among the brochures were a checklist of birds we might (or might not) see, an outline of the nearly dozen trails we could hike and a general brochure about the park (complete with map).

So we looked for a place to park for a minute and do a bit of research. Quickly we located a parking lot. It turned out to be the South Creek Picnic Area. There we found a playground, pavilions, the early stages of the Lester Findley Hiking trail, a kayak and canoe launch and of course, picnic facilities.

The kayak launching facility at Oscar Scherer was reminiscent of one we saw on our trip to Crystal River,

We decided to take a stroll and look around for a while. Sadly, we saw a lot of signs saying that due to the Covid, the park was not renting watercraft. However, had we wanted to paddle down the South Creek, there was a private company who would have rented us a kayak, canoe or paddle board.

After walking around a bit, we headed back to the car and drove up the road to see what else we might discover.

Lake Osprey

As we traveled up the main road, we got a glimpse of beautiful Lake Osprey. We soon located the designsted parking lot and pulled in for a better look.

Lake Osprey is a beautiful little place, complete with beach, amenities and a hiking trail.

Here we found a playground, picnic facilities a beach for swimming and a visitor’s center. Sadly, again, the visitor’s center was closed due to the Covid situation. However, we were delighted to find a wonderful little hiking trail that circumnavigated the lake.

It was more of a stroll than a hike as we walked the third-mile trail. Signs encouraged us to look for different kinds of birds and to beware of alligators. In the end we really didn’t see much wildlife (both sadly and happily). However, we  had a great walk and some wonderful views of the lake.

There were some nice benches on which to relax if we’d gotten tired of walking the trail.

Our Next Visit

We really didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy as much of Oscar Scherer as we would have liked. We vowed to come back again and perhaps do a picnic. Their facilities are quite nice. In addition to the lake, there are nearly a dozen walking trails – ranging from the short trek around Lake Osprey to the five mile long “Yellow Trail,” that goes through everything from Hardwood Hammocks to Pine Flatwoods.

We also hope to see more wildlife next time. Although we saw one little turtle, the brochures promise that the place is abundant with birds. In addition to the imperiled Scrub Jays, there usually are lots of heron, swifts, woodpeckers, kingfishers and even storks and warblers.

We can recommend this little place. Our advice is bring a picnic lunch, some comfortable walking shoes and be ready to take some photos of this picturesque little getaway.

It’s a pleasant drive through Oscar Scherer State Park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Travels in 2020 (Part II)

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I’d like to continue the review of our travels in 2020 where we left off in June. That’s when Florida began to re-open. Restaurants and bars were allowed to have inside operations, some of the attractions opening their doors and even some shows and activities started up again.

We treated ourselves to an ocean view room at Vero Beach’s Prestige Hotel.

In late June we headed to the Prestige Hotel in Vero Beach where we booked a room with an ocean view. The third floor balcony easily is one of the best vistas we’ve enjoyed – especially on the Atlantic Coast.

We found some great little places to eat in the area as well. We revisited Mrs. Mac’s Fillin’ Station with it’s automotive decor and great breakfast selections. We also stopped back at the Vero Beach TooJay’s Deli and of course we hit an old favorite at Waldo’s in the Driftwood Inn.

One of the nicest discoveries in Vero was the Indian River Citrus Museum where we got a private tour and a sneak peek at a new citrus label poster program. It really only got its start at the end of this past year. As part of the review of our travels in 2020 we’d say this was a gem.

July

Our July travels continued to take us to many new and interesting places. We had ice cream at the Venice Avenue Creamery in Venice as well as The Frost Bite in beautiful downtown Frostproof. We enjoyed wonderful dinners at Nokomo’s Sunset Hut in Nokomis and The Krazy Greek in Winter Haven.

At the Milking R Dairy you have a chance to view your ice cream on the hoof, before enjoying the finished product.

Also in July we took a run over to cattle country in Okeechobee and enjoyed the Milking R Dairy. Not only are their products superb, we had a chance to look at their operation. There’s also a fun little play park for kids. Following our ice cream treat, we stopped in at the Center Mass gun range. It’s state of the art – with facilities for young, old, experienced and inexperienced shooters.

August

In August we also took a few day trips, stopping n at the Egg City Diner and Surf’s Up in Haines City, The Pantry in Auburndale and the Crooked Spoon restaurant in Clermont. One of the coolest things we found in Clermont was the Showcase of Citrus.

From a giant store, to swamp buggy rides, to grove upon grove of citrus – there’s a lot more to the Showcase if Citrus than meets the eye.

This place is a compendium of what really is Florida. There’s grove after grove of u-pick citrus. Also on site is a petting zoo, a playground, swamp buggy rides, a giant store, a restaurant and more. It was easy for us to loose ourselves there in just strolling the grounds, people watching and soaking up the sights.

September

September included more day trips for us. We discovered the Amazing Grace Tea House in Wauchula and all of their accompanying operations. Another great find was Morty & Edna’s in Lake Placid.

Near the end of the month, our travels in 2020 took us back down to Vero Beach where we revisited the Prestige Hotel. Although this time we did not have that magnificent ocean view. That area is becoming a favorite place for us to enjoy the ocean and the many things to see and do.

When in Vero Beach, McKee Botanical Gardens is a great stop. The old stone bridge is one of it’s original features.

On our September trip to Vero, we took a tour through the McKee Botanical Gardens. Although fairly small by comparison to other such facilities we have toured, it was packed with wonderful natural and man-made features. The day we were there, dozens of sculptures made from melted-down flip flops were the featured exhibits.

October

The month of October took us into the central part of Florida and Desoto County. There, in Arcadia, we found a couple of unexpected gems. First, was Martin’s Country Market. I thought it was Amish but was corrected -apparently, they are Reformed Mennonite. Regardless, the food was terrific and there also was a great little market where we stocked up on baked goods and other delectables we had not seen in the past.

Martins’ Country Market has a wonderful collection of baked and other goods – as well as a great little restaurant.

Another find in Arcadia was the Bizarre Bazaar. Arcadia is famous for its antique stores, but this is one with attitude. Located upstairs in the Arcadia Opera House, it is a compendium of small shops and themed rooms with everything from vinyl records, to clothing, games, toys, clothing. housewares and collectables.

In addition to the antiques and collectables, there are a number of displays. We never knew what we would see next at the Bizarre Bazaar.

We took another quick getaway back down to Nokomis in October and also had a new adventure. Our travels in 2020 took us up into Crystal River. We found a great little lodging at the Crystal Manatee. Not only was it comfortable, but it was quite convenient for us to walk to the Heritage Village shopping area.  The area was lined with restaurants and specialty shops. It’s the kind of place we love.

St. John’s Tavern was one of the places we just did not have time to visit. But it’s one of the reasons we plan to head back to Crystal Springs this year.

Sadly, we did not have an opportunity to explore half the places we wanted to see. But gladly, that means we’ll be headed back this year to make up for lost time. One great treat was The Biscuit Barn, where we found actual cat head biscuits cooked to perfection. They have rated our top biscuits so far in Florida.

We also had the BubbaQue experience in the Heritage Village district. It was fun place with some great barbecue – and a wide variety of sauces.

November

November brought us a new experience as we headed down to Casey Key. Located just north of Nokomis Beach, the Gulf Shores Beach Resort truly is a fun and funky lodging. Our room was located just off the Venice Inlet, where we watched the sun come up and enjoyed some early morning water traffic.

The Venice Inlet, where traffic was headed to, and back from, Blackburn Bay,

Across the street, we had access to a large tiki hut where we could watch the Gulf. Or, we could take a path down to the beach and enjoy the water for ourselves up close and personal. This was a great little retro resort that really gave us the feel of old Florida.

We also found A Good Day Cafe, where we had one of the better breakfasts we’ve enjoyed in Florida.

December

Finally, in December, problems with our web page hampered our ability to post many of the places we have visited and experienced.

However, we did go to the Surf Coast and enjoyed New Smyrna Beach. We found some great restaurants like Norwood’s and The Garlic. There’s also a great little distillery called Sugar Works. One of our favorite experiences came at the Little Drug Company which really is a hidden gem.

The Little Drug Company is a true hidden gem in New Smyrna Beach.

Our travels in 2020 literally took us thousands of miles around the Sunshine State. We went to the Gulf and the Atlantic as well as interior areas of  Florida. And yet there still are so many places we have to visit.

Stay tuned, as we take the month of January to catch up on some places we have not yet shared, and plan some new getaways your can enjoy with us. Our thanks to you for enjoying Florida Fun Travel and we hope that the coming year will be the best yet.

 

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