Too Do- FL!

Great American Pie Festival- Our 2010 Experience

Marie Antoinette might have said “Let them eat cake”—but that’s only because she never went to the Great American Pie Festival! We found out about this event, ran annually by the American Pie Council, from some of our tweeps (twitter friends). Almost immediately there was a glimmer in my eye—there is a pie council?

It didn’t take too much research to decide that not only should we go to the event—it would be downright un-American not too! This large event actually has two parts—the championship, where some of the best pie-makers in the world compete for bragging rights and prizes, and the festival which is opened to the public.

The 2010 American Pie Festival was held in Celebration Florida. They couldn’t have picked a more perfect spot. As we drove up and down the streets aligned with large American-style baby mansions with perfectly edged yards, for some reason I started to crave apple pie and vanilla ice cream.

When we walked under the big red, white, and blue balloon arches, we got into the mood of the festival immediately—fun and full of sweet anticipation. As with most events, the vendors were right up front. There were some cool local sellers, with everything from homemade soap to kitchen accessories for the everyday Prima Donna. And the food choices were amazing. The smell of roasted corn, sausage, and gyros almost lifted me off the ground by my nose. Maybe, however, they seemed extra appetizing because I was so hungry; I had basically starved myself all day because I was going to try as much from the all-you-can-eat pie buffet that I could. That’s right, all you can eat pie! So I used all the self-control I could muster and kept walking past the food vendors.

However, to show we weren’t completely focused on our bellies, Jay and I headed to the stage that had live entertainment before the buffet. The stage was housed in spot that was built with kids in mind. The area was enclosed by kid-friendly activities—like large bouncing houses, giants slides, a kids-only pie-eating contest, a place to make mini-pies that could be baked at home later, and picture time with the Pillsbury Dough Boy—just to name a few. In the same area the stage was alive with performances that kept the parents happy with variety-show style acts, an Iron Pie Chef contest, and cooking demonstrations. One of the sponsors was even giving away goodie bags, one of which I was happy to snag.

We held off as long as we could before we weaved our way though the crowds and found the ticket counter. We paid our $10 entrance, received our wristbands and walked into dessert heaven: two rows of pie makers that were beckoning people to come over and have a slice. There were well-known and lesser-known companies. Just about every sort of pie you could think of was represented; apple, strawberry, pecan, raisin, you name it they had it. Jay went for the tried and true flavors, and I went to try something new. We both ended up having some great pie. Our favorite companies were:

- Rocky Mountain Pies, who had an amazing apple pie, with a fresh tasty filling, drizzled with caramel

- Publix Bakery, because they might be a large company but they sure can bake! Plus they had the free ice cream, and the Smucker’s was the next tent over so you could kick-up your pie al-mode. Ummm….

- Key Wet Key Lime Co. was an unexpected treat. There was constantly a long line of people waiting for something at their tent, and even though we didn’t know what it was we joined the line. Our reward? Frozen key lime pie dipped in chocolate, served on a stick. I could have died of a diabetic coma, at least I would have went with a smile on my face.

 

We enjoyed our pie with a bit of live music by a great local band called RJ and Company. Jay, being a music hound, even went up and talked to the drummer. I sat under the shade and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the festival.

 

The event planners took their time in laying out the event, down to the music that was being played in every place that didn’t have live entertainment. (It didn’t take us long to realize that every song somehow mentioned pie.) While it may not be an all day event for most, even those who aren’t devoted foodies will agree that it’s a usually sweet treat out of the norm.

Learn more about this event on the American Pie Council’s website.

 

Tips For When You Go

 

1. Though it’s free, parking can be a bit dicey, since the event location is surrounded by a lot of residents. Be prepared to walk. Also, be careful where you park, avoiding mailboxes, driveways, and corners—the police were out in force giving out tickets.

2. Put on blinders and walk right by the vendors. The food looks delicious, but it’s definitely advisable to hit up the all you can eat pie buffet first so you can get your money’s worth!

3. When you arrive, check and see if you can enter and exit the buffet as much as you’d like for the day. If so, go in and have a slice or two, then take a break with some of the other activities at the festival while you let your pie settle; after all, you can always go back for more.

4. Since the event has so much going on at the same time, it’s good to have a game plan. Grab a schedule from the information counter so you don’t miss any of the interesting events or demonstrations.

See our pictures from the Great American Pie Festival in

our Facebook album!

 

 

Jay gives his take (in American Sign Language) on the Great American Pie Festival!

 

 

 

 

See the English Version of our take on the Great American Pie Fest on our You Tube video!

 

 

Video: Ormond Beach Seafood Festival

Check out a sneek peek of what we found that the Ormond Seafood Festival in our video entries--one in English, one in American Sign Language!

English Version

 

 

American Sign Language (ASL) Version

 

 

Video: Epcot Food and Wine Festival flashbacks are getting me excited!

I am so excited about the Epcot Food and Wine Festival. I have never been--either it was lack of time or funds that got in the way. This time, I nothing is going to stop me. I've been reading every blog article, and watching every You Tube video that I can find about it. Here is one of my favorite finds!

 

 

Have you been to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival before? What was your favorite part? Any tips? Tricks? Warnings? Please, let me and everyone else know in the comment section!

Short Funnies: A tourist couple from Minnesota

Here’s a funny dedicated to technology-challenged tourist! Dangerous combination!

A couple from Minnesota was tired of the cold weather, so they decided to come to Florida to enjoy the beach. They tried to schedule their flight together, but the wife couldn’t get off work on the Friday. On his wife’s insistence, the husband left before her. He checked in, got things planned for the couple to enjoy during the trip, and walked on the beach. 

He went back to the room and emailed his wife—or at least he thought he did. Due to a misplaced underscore he emailed a recently-widowed woman in Texas, who on receiving the strange contact immediate dropped dead. His email read:

“Hello darling,

I’ve arrived down here today just fine—it sure is hot though! Thanks for sending me along early. I’ve been busy making plans for you when you get down here. I can’t wait for you to arrive here tomorrow!

Loving Regards,

Your Husband”

This joke was submitted by an unnamed colleague of Yvonne’s. If you have a joke that mentions or relates to Florida, email us! If we use it we will give you credit, and a link-back!

 

Image from free-clipart.net

You haven't read these six blog post? And I thought you were cool!

The internet is full of bloggers and social media feeders—I’m one myself. On a daily bases I consume a lot of information, and read a lot of blogs. Some articles just stand out though, and I feel the need to stand on a box and point at them with a flashing neon-lit arrow so that my readers don’t miss something that might be of interest to them. Below are six blog posts that I came across recently that you might be interested in.

1. We recently got a “Sneak Peek at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!” through three in-depth and fun blog posts by Bess at Central Florida Top 5. As wizard-fever is about to hit again, readers heard about some things to look forward to during their first visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Just remember your coat for the snow. What snow you ask? Read the post series!

2. Ben has been off traipsing around South Africa, right before the World Cup no less! His job must be the coolest in the world. Now that he is back he is giving his readers a personal view of South Africa. There are lots of blog entries about his experience. My favorite post? I really enjoyed the one that highlights South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup Stadium Attractions.

3. Sometimes I need to step away from travel/experience related blogs and read about other things. That’s when I found this new blog called “The Travel Mommy”. The blog seems to be written by a former teacher who now has a baby with autism. She has this funny list called “My Summer Vows”, which caught my eye since Jay posted about five things he wants to do this summer, and I wrote my wish list for the summer also. Travel Mommy’s list is too cute! I think she should put Star Wars memorabilia all over her house this summer!

4.  In case you’re new to our blog or a fresh twitter follower, you probably don’t know how much I push people to buy locally, and greenly, as much as possible. One of the ideas that I’ve been tossing around for my household is joining a CSA. (A CSA is basically when a local farmer sells shares of it’s crop to locals, and divides shares of whatever they harvest.) A Miami food blog, Food for Thought, had a great reflective article from the blogger who was looking back at this past season, which was the first time she participated in a CSA. She gave the good points about joining, and some things she wished was different. She even hashed out figures, helping me to decide if it was fiscally practical for me. It was an interesting read that even gave me some ideas for upcoming articles!

5. You think your mall is cool because it has a little play area for the kids? Well this blog post shows that at this Florida mall kids can walk on water. Literally walk on water. I remember when malls were just about clothes, now they are like little amusement parks.

6. Oh, I wandered onto a new site, trying to read up on Jacksonville and found this video post “Hilarious! Hitler in Jacksonville”. Whoever made this is creative and funny! This social satire piece must be made by a local; it’s taking a jab at Jacksonville’s local leaders and residences for not encouraging more culture and art in the city. My favorite part is when Hitler turns to his posse and tells all the people who like “football, monster trucks, or the confederate flag” to get out. Too much! Maybe it's only funny because I don't live in Jacksonville. Might not be the views of most of the residents, but it's funny. What was your favorite part?

Have you come across a good article recently? If so, don’t be selfish!  Let everyone else know about it in the comment section.

 

Image from dreamstime.com

5 practical things you can do to help Florida’s coast post- BP oilspill

The Gulf Coast’s recovery from the BP oil spill will be a long process, especially since the extent of some of the damage won’t be manifested for years to come. This ecological disaster has brought a new urgency to the need for more ecologically sustainable way of existing. This is especially in the forefront of the minds of those who love Florida’s shores.

 

As I mentioned in a previous post, most of the current BP protestors make little sense to me, and I’m sure there are more practical ways to help the environment here in Florida, and aboard, that are more practical. Here are 5 things everyone can do to assist in the long recovery, and to continue to be a force for ecological good in the years to come.

 

1.Give, then give some more later

I leave that phrase kind of general, because sometimes in America we throw large amount of money at problems when they first happen, then as other things in the world grab our attention, we forget. However, in this instance, it’s all about the long haul. In addition, money might not be the most practical way to help. Giving time, by volunteering with organizations on the front lines of the cleanup is great way to donate. Also, don’t forget about organizations that are rescuing animals from the Gulf. I’m sure they’ll appreciate donations of time and money. In addition, if you reach out to the world through new media, like blogs and social networking, give a voice to this problem, and keep your readers and followers conscious of any needs that might arise.

 

2. Walk it out

Using your car less is just an obvious way to help the situation long-term. The less people depend on oil or gas for most of their transportation, the better. Try consolidating trips so you drive less, look into carpools to get to work and school, walk or use human powered means of transportation if possible; and yes, perhaps even take public transportation if feasible.

 

3. Don’t turn your nose up at “alternative” solutions you hear about

When you are buying a new energy powered item, like a car or appliances, or purchasing items that will affect your consumption of energy, like a roof, don’t turn your nose up at solutions that are labeled alternative or hybrid. There are advances in technology everyday; you might find that these options aren’t just the “greener” ones, but the smarter financial ones in the long run. Besides, if everyone says they want to be less dependent on oil, but don’t by the products that can help accomplish that, companies won’t invest in continuing to put them on the market.

 

4. Be willing to change

We’re probably all a bit more reliant on oil than we think: it’s in a lot of products you probably don’t even realize—everything from crayons to cosmetics. If every person switched from one item they use regularly to a greener option, it would help the environment.

 

5. Act locally, think globally

Always remember that Florida’s shores don’t exist independent of the rest of the world. Floridians who love the beautiful natural environment they live in should be the most vocal about ecological disasters caused by large corporations around the world. Remember the oil spill originated off Louisiana’s coast, but it’s threatening the ecology and economy of Florida’s coast. Don’t be a fair-weather advocate. Stay aware of disasters like the one in the Gulf no matter where they occur, and realize that it affects everyone. 

 

 

References

http://environmental-activism.suite101.com/article.cfm/oil-spill-recovery-how-can-i-help

http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/hot_topics/environment/oil_spill_cleanup.html

http://www.greenecoservices.com/16-ways-to-reduce-oil-dependency-save-on-gas/

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/work-connect/reduce-dependency-oil.html

 

Picture from dreamstime.com

Why most BP oil spill protestors don’t make sense

I don’t understand the surge of “BP protestors”. Maybe I’m just thinking about the whole thing the wrong way, but here is a scenario:

In a beautiful neighborhood there is a lawn care guy who is letting his dog loose everyday when he comes to cut my grass. And every day that dog goes and craps on the lawn of my neighbor, who lives in the poorest, most unattractive house on the block. I’ve heard about it, I’ve seen it, but the guy cuts my grass great, and hey, it’s not my lawn! I look over at the neighbor’s dying yard and shrug because my grass is nice and green. But then one day that dog runs into the middle of my yard and cops-a-squat near my prize-winning rosebush and kills it. The lawn guy’s reaction: “it’s just a little bush”. Now all of a sudden we have a problem. I rant and rave, tell the guy how rude he is, and insist on him paying to clean up the mess, and pay damages for the priceless rosebush. But I go a step future: I’m so mad that I tell everyone not to hire him, and on my word alone I just about put the guy out of business.

In the scenario above, I think the guy shouldn’t cut my lawn anymore; he has shown reckless disregard in controlling his animal, and little respect for my property. I think he probably should be run out of business, and he definitely needs to pay for the rosebush! But here’s the catch: ethically shouldn’t I have stepped in long before this incident, when he was letting his dog disrespect the neighbor’s property? Shouldn’t I have expected that eventually I’d get the same treatment? Since he was there working for me, why didn’t I exercise a bit of that power for the benefit of my neighbor and myself (who wants to live next to a neighbor with a dead lawn that smells funky?) and tell the guy to control his dog?  And how do I really expect him to pay for my damage when I’ve ruined his business? In a way, it’s kind of my fault too—so my new zeal for justice might register a bit hypocritical.

Let me be frank: I think that the BP oil spill off America’s coast is an ecological disaster, the affects of which will be felt for years to come. It saddens and angers me. I worry about the wildlife, environment, and impacted industries like fishing and tourism. I applaud those who long before this BP spill have been tirelessly working on encouraging and creating alternative energy options, and those who have called for tightened reigns on off-shore drilling. And I have always personally been against drilling off Florida’s ecologically delicate coast.

However, the bandwagon folks who are just recently crying foul, and demanding justice from BP are both puzzling, and well, annoying. I recently rolled my eyes at the Central Florida protestors who stood outside a Cocoa Beach BP station, scaring away customers with signs. Really? Not only is the independent owner of that store far removed from the boardrooms where lax decisions allowed this disaster to happen in the first place—but the folks who turned away from BP because of the protestors are just going to go to another station. I mean, they need gas. Is Exxon better than BP somehow? I think not.

One of the protestors carried a sign that read “Stop killing our ocean”. I went from rolling my eyes to sucking my teeth. “Our ocean” isn’t just off “our “state’s shores—it part of a larger global system that has been raped by large industry for years. In the not so distant past Nigeria experienced an oil spill that was much larger than the one in the Gulf Coast. During May of this year Exxon leaked over a million gallons of oil into the waters of Africa over a 7 day period before it was fixed. In fact, Nigerian officials estimate that there have been over 7,000 spills in that country from 1970-2000. (And even those calculations are admittedly incomplete. Environmental organization can’t even estimate how many millions of gallons of oil have been allowed to escape broken pipes). When is that last time that those oil spills made the news? Even though it didn’t happen on our coast, it happened on our planet, and in our ocean. Where was that lady with the sign then? As a tweeter aptly said in less than 140 characters, “We say we care about the world, but really we just care about our bits of it.”

I wonder if those protesters, standing in hot sun so determined to run BP out of business, expected to collapse the company’s income structure but still force them pay out the millions to assist in the long process to fix the problem. Or maybe they think that the semantics of economics don’t apply to this particular situation.

I think people should get their feathers ruffled by this disaster. I think we should change because of it. However, I think there are some practical, and impractical (i.e.- running local gas stations out of business) ways to do so. I’ve thought of a few that I’ll share with you in an upcoming post.

References:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/30/oil-spills-nigeria-niger-delta-shell

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latest-news/africas-oil-spills-are-far-us-media-glare

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/02/gulf-oil-spill-pales-in-c_n_597934.html

http://www.theroot.com/buzz/nigeria-s-agony-dwarfs-gulf-oil-spill

 

 

Picture from Dreamstime.com and Dreamstime.com

There are a dozen things to do in Miami this June, and we can prove it!

We dedicate this list to one of our Tweeps, cheekymonkey8, who is going to Miami this month. We’ve compiled a list events that are going on throughout the month of June that might be interesting if you happen to be passing through the M-I-A!

1. Mira Que Lindas: A series of #free events (concerts, parties, and workshops) to help promote culture Now thru 6/19 http://ccemiami.org/

2. 2^nd Saturdays at ArtSouth’s artwalk 6/12 3-7pm #FREE entry, refreshments, and parking! http://www.artsouthhomestead.org

3. TapDogs “fast and fabulous theater-dance spectacle that combines the strength and power of hunky workmen…” I was sold at “hunky workmen”  June 30^th-Jult 10^th http://www.arshtcenter.org

4. Coral Gable’s Restaurant Week spans June 7^th-20^th http://www.coralgablesrestaurantweek.com

5. International Cinema buzzed film “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” is being shown in Miami Beach June 11-13^th. http://www.mbcinema.com/

6. Coconut Grove Peacock Tour is a community art project. Sponsored glass peacocks are decorated by local artist, and placed on display throughout the streets of Coconut Grove. http://www.coconutgrovepeacocktour.com

7. Friday Nights at Schnebly Redland’s #Winery boast live music, tropical wines for tasting, in a beautiful setting. http://schneblywinery.ning.com

8. Design District Gallery Walk 6/12 7-11pm It’s just one of many artwalks that’s planned for the month of June… http://www.artcircuits.com

9. Tobacco Road hosts The Rock Thursdays 6/10 (Enjoy original music by local artist. $5 cover: http://www.myspace.com/therockthursdays), Super Fridays 6/11 (98cent drinks 6-7:38pm, cover bands, DJ…. No cover before 9, $10 after), and One Love Reggae Sundays (for ”island heads” 6/13 @ 7pm $5 cover) These are 21+ events that reoccur, so check the website for more dates. http://www.tobacco-road.com

10. Under Shorts  6/4-26^th “late-night series of short plays that are provocative, irreverent and hilarious”. For adults only: includes adult contest, nudity, and language. But hey, it is Miami! http://www.arshtcenter.org

11. Miami Children’s Museum and Target June 17^th invite families to enjoy and learn for #free! 3-9pm Interactive activities, crafts, storytelling and more! Extra awesome because most events are bilingual (English/Spanish)!Q Learn about arts, culture, community and communications! http://www.miamichildrensmuseum.org

12. Redland Summer Fruit Festival is a great event for the whole family. Food, wine and rare fruit tastings. June 19-20 $8pp entry, kids 11 and under free. It’s the ultimate farmer’s market! http://www.fruitandspicepark.org

Are you going on a trip to a location in Florida? Want us to dedicate a list like this to you? Just contact us on Twitter and we'll see what we can dig up!

Video: You can go tree zip-lining in Florida? YEAH!

You don’t have to go far to have adventure here in Florida. One thing that I’ve been dying to do ever since I heard about it is tree zip-lining. But I’d have to go to some “exotic” location to do it, like Belize, right? Wrong! Florida has a few zip-lining options; people are having fun in Florida’s treetops everyday! I found this video that’s got me super excited!

 

 

Video's link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypzPfLpBt94&feature=youtube_gdata

Want to go zip-lining? Here are two options for zip-lining in Florida?

http://www.zoomair.us

http://www.floridaecosafaris.com/ZiplineSafaris

Yvonne's Summer "Too Dos": 2010 Top 5

By- Yvonne

 

Wow, this was hard, because there is just so much to do in Florida! Being asked to pick just five? Very hard! However, if money and time was no object, what 5 things would I do to make this the perfect summer? Well, if I had to narrow it down I’d say…

 

1. Make it to Amelia Island. I don’t know why, but I find it intriguing after I’ve done my research to find what’s going on around Florida. Plus I’ve read some interesting blog articles from others that makes it a must do. One I’d like to highlight comes from The Preppy Life.

2. Cozy up with my hubby on Honeymoon Island’s super romantic beach. Talk about getting away from it all! Want to read up more about it? Check out this blog article on Bruce’s Blog.

3. Party it up on South Beach. Yes, I’ve been to Miami’s Party Strip, however it’s summer—and you can never party too much!

4. Stay at Mount Dora’s historic Bed and Breakfast, eat at Mount Dora Sushi, and just chillax for a weekend. I mean I hear about all these awesome events that they are having, and I never get there! I think it’s time to change that!

5. Eco-Safari baby! I’m so ready to zip-line and horseback ride! I need some thrills! Some adventure! So excitement! I’ll be doing a post about this soon, so stay tuned!

 

Some other things that I considered adding to the list are: going to the Kennedy Space Center, Airboating, swinging into Pensacola Florida, and getting to at least one food festival.  I’ll come back at the end of this summer and see how I did grabbing hold of these experiences; I might do all, I might get to none—but either way I’m planning for fun!

 

If you had to make a list of five local things to do in your area/state—what would it be?

Picture from Dreamstime.com