We work hard on our amateur photography when we go out—all for you! So make sure you check out some of the most recent additions to our Facebook albums!
2010 Art of Sand Event offical album: Be sure to check some photos of this event. You won't believe artist used sand to create these!
Check out pictures from our recent trip to the Florida Keys.
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
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. 2nd 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 30th-Jult 10th http://www.arshtcenter.org
4. Coral Gable’s Restaurant Week spans June 7th-20th http://www.coralgablesrestaurantweek.com
5. International Cinema buzzed film “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” is being shown in Miami Beach June 11-13th. 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 6/4-26th “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 17th 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!
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
By- Jay
With all there is to do in Florida it is pretty hard to think of 5 things to do when I want to do 50 things, but here it goes:
I want to…….
These are a few of many ideas to accomplish over the summer. Wish me luck gang and don’t forget to follow us on twitter for daily funnies and updates.
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
There are tons of reasons people should support farmer’s and open-air markets. Here are just five.
Shopping can be an event!
Farmer’s and open-air markets can allow you to enjoy Florida’s beautiful weather and scenery while shopping. Goodbye sterile shopping aisles—hello palm trees! Plus, many markets provide free entertainment, serve food, alcohol (if you’re an adults), and are pet friendly. Markets aren’t just about fruit—they’re about fun!
Buy that squash—help save the world
When produce, or other items, have to be shipped into a location before you buy it, that transport (by bus, train, airplane—or er, truck) will result in carbon emissions. When you choose to buy locally produced items that take less transport to get to you, you’re actually helping to lower carbon emissions—and thus your carbon footprint. And shrinking your carbon footprint helps the whole planet!
Fresh, fresh, fresh!
Don’t you hate buying produce that’s locked behind saran wrap? Makes you a bit suspicious about what you’re really buying. There is nothing like being able to pick up that apple and turn it around, see if it looks as delicious from every angle, and give it a sniff. Almost all vendors at farmer’s markets want you to see how fresh their produce is. They usually carry fairly local options that are in season, which means they should be on the top of your shopping list. Fresher fruits and veggies are good for your health!
Support your local economy
Most of the vendors at farmer’s and open-air markets are local. By spending your money with them, your dollars are most likely to circulate back into the local economy, instead of being shipped off to another city where a corporate office is located. So you’re helping your neighbors in your local economy, which in a way helps you. Which brings us to the next point…
Support your personal economy—with flare!
Farmer’s markets, in my experience, tend to be cheaper for some items; plus you can find some unique items; by discovering some of the creative locals that are out to share their wares, you can walk away with some great personal, edible, or decorative items that you can afford on any budget.
Check out our list of Farmer's and Open-Air Markets around the state of Florida!
Times are tight! So here are ten events that are coming up around Florida that can fit into everyone’s budget because they are F-R-E-E! These events are in no particular order.
1. #Gainesville Barnyard Buddies - interact w/farm animals Free- kids & adults every WENESDAY (til 5/26) & SUNDAY (til 5/30) INFO (352)393-8171
2. Eustis Fl- (THIS) Friday Night Jam @ 7:30pm. County Music. $7 entry or FREE if you participate! Info: http://www.fsopry.com
3. Okaloosa: Annual Family Fun Arts Fest May 22nd @ Henderson Beach State Park, 10am-5pm. FREE! Info? Contact Amy at info@okaloosaarts.org #art
4. St. Pete Dance! Free music and dancing at The Pier. May 31st, 4:30-9:30. Family friendly! http://bit.ly/9I9ToC #salas and more!
5. Orlando- Eco 5/22 @ Tibet-Butler Preserve @ 10am Tons of FREE diverse programs for all ages Must register! 407-876-6696 #outdoors
6. Fernandina Beach: 2nd Saturday Artrageous Artwalk – 5/15 FREE! 13 galleries offer a diverse selection of art. More info: 800-226-3542
7. Live in St. Augustine? Check out the schedule for the FREE Summer Concert Series. First event is May 31st http://dld.bz/W7m
8. Polk: Kids Fishing Derby May 15th 7am #FREE. Ages 4-15 Provided 4 kids: lunch, rods & reels. Info & register: Alisha Glasscock 863-534-6911
9. Fort Walton Beach: #FREE movie night 5/15 @ Uptown Station. Recent movies. Check site for movie title/cancellation http://bit.ly/czqLsN
10. W. Palm Beach Library: Learn Belly Dancing 6/9 @ 6pm. FREE, no RSVP needed. More info: 561-868-7701
I feel like Charlie when he unwrapped that Wonka Bar in the 11th hour of the contest. All his hopes had long since faded when he saw that glimmer of gold foil—that wonderful golden ticket that would open the door to an amazing experience.
I received my golden ticket via email last night—I’ve been selected attend the NASA Tweetup in Florida on May 13th and 14th. I’ll have two days of special events and a behind the scenes look at the launching of the Atlantis STS-132 on its last mission to the International Space Station.
Of course I'll be sharing my experiences with you! So be sure to follow our Twitter and subscribe to our blog (see the upper right corner of the blog) for updates. Our Facebook page will be where I put my pictures. Jay and my life sure can get exciting in a bat of an eye--we haven't even kicked off the summer yet!
I am truly “geeked up”! Got to go do some research!
