That is the question, even if the gender is she instead of he. We’re talking dogs, out for a stroll in a new place. Along comes another dog. Naturally both are leashed. Before contact is made one dog owner will ask THE QUESTION:

“Is he friendly?”

It is also code for a question unasked: “Is he up to date on his rabies shots?”

Fortunately, the answer is almost always “Yes”.

And so the two dogs can meet and greet, sniff noses, sniff butts, it is a dog thing.

In search of new adventures, Obi, my Welsh corgi adopted from Sunshine Corgi Rescue, and I traveled to Cedar Key for an overnight stay – it is a tough job, researching places to travel with your dog, but we were up for the task.

We had just gotten out of the car at City Park when along comes a miniature poodle and her two owners. Naturally the question was asked. Her owners rolled their eyes and nodded. The poodle, sporting a pink bow, was quivering with excitement – oh, boy, a new dog! Obi was polite but unimpressed. He was more interested in sniffing and marking the nearest palm tree.

City Park beach in Cedar Key, Florida

For those of you who, like me, are single travelers with their dogs, parks are a blessing. Obi can use a tree but humans need a restroom, especially after traveling an hour and a half. I marched Obi into the women’s rest room and got a laugh from a lady who was exiting. Hey, you do what you have to do.

Cedar Key sits at the end of SR 24. Think about this. Gainesville, the nearest city, is 60 miles away. Everything has to be brought here. So it makes sense that many accommodations have kitchens. Bring your own food. We did. That turned out to be a very good move at mealtime as only one restaurant lets dogs sit outside. We opted for our own meals.

Cedar Key loves its canines and many restaurants would like to be pet friendly. The city passed an pet friendly ordinance but state health law, that must be followed too has many hurdles to jump, including economic, and thus it isn’t easy for small family restaurants to comply.

Faraway Inn (very pet friendly) where we stayed has a number of lovely seating areas on the grounds. The full kitchen in our cottage included a four-burner stove, refrigerator, microwave, toaster and coffee maker. Our little cottage was so cozy we felt at home right away.

We sat outside near our room and along came Turtle, a tortoiseshell cat that is the Faraway Inn office cat. She wanted to be petted and was perfectly fine with Obi. Walking around Cedar Key you will see that felines are very much part of the scenery along with canines.

Obi in the doorway of our cottage at Faraway Inn, Cedar Key

For a listing of lodging and other places that are pet friendly, see the Cedar Key Chamber of Commerce Web site – pet-friendly places have a paw next to the entry. Call to make sure the information is up to date.

Faraway Inn office, Cedar Key

Cedar Key is known for being a laid-back, throwback to a kinder, gentler, less harried time – the relaxed atmosphere, and small area means everyone strolls, especially in the evening as sunset draws near. Sidewalks are few but no matter, walking along the street is accepted. Cars move slowly.

Both locals and visitors walk their dogs. You, as a responsible pet owner, know the drill. Carry poop bags for those events. Cedar Key has stations around with bags.

They are also big into recycling. Every trashcan has a wire enclosure next to it for recyclables like plastic bottles.

At the end of the day, sunsets are spectacular. The Gulf of Mexico is right there at land’s end. Cars line up along the gulf. Walkers stop to wait for “the moment” when sun touches the horizon. At the Faraway Inn where we stayed a whole section of outside seating faces west. Every seat was full as the sun set.

Obi and I walked the beach waiting for the event. A flat rock is the seating choice on the beach but just along the roadway above the beach; look for benches with signs nearby. All the benches face west and are dedicated to locals who liked to come to that spot. This is public seating. We found one bench between two old houses. Perfect.

Here’s a side effect of being in a small, old Florida town – no bright lights. There are few streetlights. When a business closes in the evening, they turn out the lights. No bright neon. No lit up billboards.

Sunset over the Gulf of Mexico, Cedar Key

I thought Obi and I might do a late night walk to see the stars but we folded after sunset and missed the heavenly show. Next time.

An early Sunday morning walk was delightful – the Gulf was still, the surface a mirror, all around us was the hush of Sunday morning quiet mixed with the tangy smell of Gulf salt air. We passed restored old homes and ancient trees and then turned around to head back to the cottage for breakfast.
A local stopped us and asked “Is he friendly?”
The answer was yes.
He reached down to pet Obi and said: “Of course you are, how could you be anything but friendly.”
It was the nicest compliment Obi had all weekend.

We’ll be back.

When one resides with dogs, Valentine’s Day comes every day. What better place to find unconditional love than the world of the pooch? My husband and I currently share our lives with six canines of various heritages. Penny, Bert, Jazz, Pepper, Willy and Lulu are extremely social and we try to go as many places as possible with them. By doing so, we practice what we preach on our web site, FloridaPets.net, which we started in October, 2001.

Patricia and three of their rescued dogs

We are passionate about traveling with our canine crew and equally excited about sharing with others all the pet friendly information we can find, including where to vacation, play, dine, live, and shop around Florida without having to leave any member of the family home.

I’m frequently asked my most important tip about traveling with dogs. The answer is simple: if your dog poops, you must scoop. More than a few once-pet friendly beaches have recently started saying no to dogs, with canine waste being the most common reason given for the change. We can turn this trend around. There are many types of portable pet waste solutions online; pick a scooper and plenty of bags and keep them handy everywhere you go.

To get started on your own dog friendly adventure, visit Pet Friendly Place to Play where you can find dog parks, beaches, and other outdoor locations organized by city and county. We also have pages for vacation planning, a list of restaurants that offer doggie dining, and more. Browse our information and write us if you need us to research something for you.

Saturday, Feb. 18 from 9-noon, Pups at the Point - dogs welcome on the third Saturday of each month at Spanish Point south of Sarasota. Must be leashed.

The Florida Pets newsletter carries a list of dog parks around Florida (more are being added!) and recently updated their Port Charlotte page, lots of good places to go.

In my book “50 Great Walks in Florida,” a total of 32 walks are all or partly dog-friendly.

Sand hill pine trail at Silver River State Park, Ocala

A fact of life – the first one down the trail sees the wildlife, which promptly vanish now that humans have arrived. People who come along later are left saying “What? Did someone see something? What?”

One early morning we saw something quite wonderful – three white-tailed deer came out of the woods about 50 feet ahead of us.

Here’s what happened next: All three bounded into the air at the same time, legs bent, their white tails flashing straight up. With that leap in unison they looked just like Lipizzaner Stallions. Running for a few steps, they crossed the trail and leaped up into the air again all at the same time. I’m thinking they had secret walkie-talkies tucked somewhere and a director giving dance directions.

My dogs sat down to watch the show. The three deer leaped again in unison and disappeared into the trees. I felt like clapping.

It was a “you had to have been there” moment. You only get those moments by venturing into the trees, walking trails in the woods, hanging out in wildlife habitat.

A walk in Silver River State Park can be found in Chapter 26 “Two Rivers Run Through It” in my guide book “50 Great Walks in Florida.”

gnarled trees at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

There are plenty of opportunities to go where the trees are. Florida has 35 state forests , 151 state parks, 11 national parks, 28 national wildlife refuges and three national forests ( Ocala, Apalachicola and Osceola). Add to this city and county parks, Greenways, plus the Florida Trail and the possibilities get really interesting.

Right now forests are in winter mode. Leafy trees are pretty bare, their naked branches opening up sky vistas not seen before. Some late fall color shows in the leaves fallen to the ground.

Pine cones are scattered everywhere. Pine trees show off green needles against a cloudless blue winter sky. A breeze kicks up. Late fall leaves spiral down to the ground. We walk on a carpet of pine needles and leaves.

Ah, big plus coming up – the cooler weather means no deer flies and no mosquitoes. No bugs? That is a reason to lace up your walking shoes and get going.

One warning – national forests and conservation areas allow hunting in certain areas in winter months, always check their Web sites or phone before you go. I do not advise walking in any area open to hunting.

The dogs and I walk all seasons of the year. It never fails to surprise me that you can get just a short way down a forest trail and the thickness of trees blocks out the city sounds of traffic. So quiet at first then the forest sounds take over.

I’ve come to appreciate that forests are a huge part of this simple statement – everything is connected.

At Silver River State Park, for example, all of the park, and the land on which we walk, is a water recharge area for the Silver River. In Ocala National Forest the “jewels of the Ocala” – Alexander Springs, Juniper Springs, Salt Springs and Silver Glen Springs are vital natural resources protected by being part of a national forest.

Canoes at Horseshoe Lake, Marion County

Forests are diverse ecosystems with diverse recreational activities. Walk, bike, use the OHV trail system, go where there are horse trails, take a canoe to the water’s edge and start paddling, swim, camp, scuba dive, snorkel, picnic, bring your paint box and paint a stately oak tree, fish, sit quietly and commune with nature. Pick one or more.

Whew! What a great way to start 2012.

Florida Favorites
In my Florida travels I meet fantastic people who are travel writers, residents, newcomers, guides and entrepreneurs, all are digging into the Florida places they love and finding treasures worth keeping. Here is Joan Landis, a Florida Audubon member who is just starting out her writing career. Her bio is below with an e-mail address to comment on her contribution to this month’s forest theme:

About Joan:

Joan Landis grew up in Texas spending summers fishing in South Padre Island, exploring the seashore and imagining the adventures the sea and world would bring her. Her career in sales brought much travel and new trails to explore. Fishing, Scuba Diving, Hiking and now Birding, Joan has spent her life enjoying nature and learning from it. Joan has experienced a wide variety of wilderness habitats from living in the Florida Keys to the Inside passage of Alaska. While living in Juneau, Alaska she joined the sisterhood of “Becoming an Outdoors Woman” learning skills that led to wonderful adventures and people that will be forever friends. Camping has been one of her passions and over the years, she has taken multi-day trips in the Alaskan back country where there are more bears than people and paddling trips through the 10,000 islands in the Everglades. Along the way discovering, experiencing and meeting some of the most interesting people and places one can only imagine. Joan’s passion for the wilderness and conservation has been a thread throughout her life and now she’s sharing some of her wonderful and life-changing experiences. You can reach Joan at: JCLandis@hotmail.com

A Symphony in the Woods

Tourists swarm like mosquitoes come January in the Everglades. Craving relief, I decided to try the Pineland Trail. As soon as I ducked through the big gate, I knew I’d found my sanctuary.

I was overtaken by the silence of the woods. An old logging road jutted through the forest, barely visible under a thick carpet of pine needles. The brown needles muted my footfalls and provided a dramatic contrast to the riot of green under story and the tops of the slash pines above. Through the open canopy, I could see the sky gathering clouds.

A few steps in, I entered the world of the forest and the outside world disappeared. Seemingly silent at first, I soon became aware of my surroundings and began to hear the woodland sounds. A giant striped dragonfly skimmed right in front of me, its wings softly fluttering as it worked the tall grasses. The sound of its wings was rhythmic. A crunch and rustle got my attention next and I followed the sound to a small squirrel darting across the forest floor. As it raced away, the skittering sound faded and created a backdrop to the cadence of the dragonfly wings.

Each step further into the forest, I heard more of the melody the forest played for me. The raspy sound of leaves moving across a limestone formation introduced another layer to the riff. Studying its ancient fissures, I wondered what might live there now when so long ago this rock was caressed by the Atlantic. Mesmerized, I stepped further into the enchanted forest.

I saw a standing dead tree and the forest symphony grew louder as it played back the cacophony of a ravaging lightning fire that ripped its bark and threw it in chunks to the ground, gnarling its crown. The rattle of wind through a stand of pines that were leaning but not toppled lent percussion to the verse describing Hurricane Wilma’s blustery visit.

The sounds that the forest gave up were its signature opus. The symphony I heard that day had been evolving over eons, with all the changes in the forest both subtle and grand tuning and refining its chorus. No two-day’s songs are ever the same. So the next time you’re looking for a retreat, go out and listen to the sounds of the forest. It will play for you its newest notes.

UPCOMING IN JANUARY

Jan. 13-15 – Eighth annual Southwest Florida Nature Festival
Jan. 13-15 – 35th annual Art Deco Weekend, Miami. Read about taking an Art Deco walk in North Miami Beach in Chapter 44 “The Delight of Deco” in my book “50 Great Walks in Florida” available on my Web site.
Jan. 14 - Edison Day of Discovery 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Florida Gulf Coast University, free, Fort Myers
Jan. 28 – Gasparilla Pirate Festival, Tampa

Coming in SMM in February – Travel with Fido

Did you know? My new book “Florida Gardens Gone Wild” is available on my Web site with an option to contribute $2 towards one of two non-profits – Audubon of Florida and the Ocala Public Library. Go for it!

The moment is now! Lucy Tobias’ 29 years of professional non-fiction writing and publishing experience can give your dream wings to fly.

For a limited time Lucy is offering coaching services for a select few people who want to make their dreams a reality. It’s easy to sign up and start bringing your writing to life. After reviewing your ideas, you and I will plan out your non-fiction book, article or project together. Then we will meet once a month using the internet and mentor you toward writing sucess. You can do it all from home in complete privacy.

Why wait any longer? Click and tell me about your project.

As you end your travels down US 17 in Punta Gorda you may notice some of the 24 beautiful murals scattered throughout the city. Behind each mural is a tale of a person or event that helped shaped the City.

For example, when the Florida Southern Railway was deciding where to end the western rail line, Punta Gorda’s Founder, Isaac Trabue persuaded the Directors to build their southern most terminal in his largely uninhabited town, of Trabue. As an inducement he gave Florida Southern half of his land for construction of a waterfront hotel.

Construction of the Punta Gorda Hotel (Mural 23) began in 1886. It opened in January 1888.

The regal hotel brought with it business and prosperity, although it was only open during the winter.

When tough financial time struck the nation in 1896, the hotel closed, reopening in 1902. The hotel closed for good in 1914 and was sold in 1924 to Barron Collier and Cornelius Vanderbilt. They renamed it the Hotel Charlotte Harbor (Mural 24) and over the next three years invested in a magnificent renovation. A floor was added as Collier’s private apartment along with A glassed-in ballroom. The hallways were narrowed to make space for private baths for each room and a sprinkler system installed. Originally, the hotel sported just 4 baths per floor. The wood structure’s exterior was stuccoed and amenities including a gigantic swimming pool and pavilion were added.

The grand re-opening was celebrated in January 1927. Collier promoted his new enterprise by giving cost-free vacations to sport celebrities and recruited both local and established golfers to foster competitions at the hotel’s 18-hole golf course east of town. In 1930, specially-constructed tennis court was added for tennis phoneme “Big Bill Tilden” and his rivals.

The Great Depression cut short the hotels success.

The Collier heirs sold the hotel to G. Floyd Alford in 1944. Subsequently, Martin Flieschman took over in 1956 and spent a great deal converting it into a health retreat. A “mineral bath” wing and shore side “cabana club” were added. He renamed it Charlotte Harbor Spa.

The hotel met a fiery end on August 14, 1959. The fire was so spectacular that it was visible from more than 25 miles.

The Punta Gorda Historic Mural Society is a 501c (3) non-profit organization. The Society depends upon the generosity of the public for funding of projects and encourage you to become a Friend of the PGHMS by visiting us @ http://puntagordamurals.com. Learn more about the murals, the mural process, and much more including an interactive “Walking/ Bicycle Guide.”

- Ron Norsell

Got crabs? The Peace River Seafood Market & Restaurant in Punta Gorda does. Lots of them. Stone crab claws in season along with whole blue crabs that turn from blue to an outrageous shade of orange when they’re steamed.

Waiter Chris Molinet serves a container of blue crabs at Peace River Seafood

Ah, to me a meal in this old cracker house turned restaurant is heaven unfolding. A bucket of steamed blue crabs arrives. Let the serious eating begin.

From the water to your plate, the seafood here is that fresh. After dinner, surrounded by blue crab shells, blissfully full and impressed with a friendly, efficient staff (they keep the crabs coming) – I realized this meal inside an off the beaten path restaurant spoke volumes for the city of Punta Gorda itself – a vibrant, energetic, off the beaten path place that hums with friendly people who care about their community plus, and this is a big plus, Punta Gorda has a full catch of delights from waterfront walks and gallery walks to serious fishing, elegant places to stay and fresh seafood.

Historic Downtown Punta Gorda has this motto: “It’s happening on the Harbor.”

Indeed it is happening on Charlotte Harbor. Devastated by Hurricane Charlie in 2004 that caused $3.2 billion worth of damage in Punta Gorda and Charlotte County, the spirit to rebuild includes the theme of connectivity.

One result: The Punta Gorda Harborwalk is a long walkable/bikable connection. It goes from the west end of Gilchrist Park next to Fishermen’s Village east about 2.3 miles and ends near a medical center.

Punta Gorda Harborwalk

What a great promenade – the Harborwalk has winding wide sidewalks, trees, benches, overlooks. On some parts you can walk your dog, other parts are a no-no. Watch for signs.

Plans are to eventually have a Ring Around the City, about 18 miles of bicycle and pedestrian trains and paths connecting Punta Gorda’s neighborhoods, parks and commercial areas. Super!

While cars whiz by overhead on two bridges (US 41 going north and south) walkers, joggers, and bikers can go under the bridges in style. For those who like a bit of uphill, there are walkways on the bridges. Left your bike at home? Not to fret. There are free canary yellow bicycle loans with three locations on this walkway – Fishermen’s Village, Four Points by Sheraton and Dockmaster’s building at Laishley Park.

Punta Gorda has a free bike loaner program

I stayed at Four Points by Sheraton and literally walked right out the front door, turned left, and there was the bike rack and the Harborwalk. Perfect.

Everyone I passed on my early morning stroll, walkers, joggers and bikers, said “Hello” or “Good morning”. What a great way to start the day. A crabber had a full bucket of crabs. Wading birds worked the shoreline. Dolphins swam in the Harbor.

breakfast at Elena's, Punta Gorda

Later I had breakfast at Elena’s, 615 Cross Street, phone (941) 575-1888, a friendly, family place with funky turquoise and purple booths. Located in the Cross Trails Shopping Center, it came recommended by locals and I can now add my two thumbs up, especially the hash browns.

Punta Gorda is the kind of place where you come across it by accident or design, take a look around, and end up staying for the next 20 years or more.

“I sailed into Charlotte Harbor 20 years ago to see my brother and stayed,” said Charles Peck, a fine artist who turned his talents to murals. He has just finished a mural of the old hotel in downtown Punta Gorda, and has others to his credit.
“We are in a transient society,” Peck said. “These murals create a sense of social continuity.”

Charles Peck, artist, with hotel mural, Punta Gorda

All murals, 22 and counting, have a historic theme and are presented by the Punta Gorda Historic Mural Society that has its office at 715 Monaco Drive, Punta Gorda, phone (941) 575-0785.

Cattle Drive down Marion Avenue mural section, Punta Gorda

In a different vein, for a look at wildlife rescue, visit Peace River Wildlife Center at 3400 West Marion Avenue, phone (941) 637-3830, inside Ponce de Leon Park.

With each new find it became obvious that Punta Gorda can’t be seen and experienced in a day or overnight, give yourself several days to soak up the vibes and the smiles.

Note: Many thanks to the Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau for coordinating our trip and to the Four Points by Sheraton Punta Gorda Harborside for providing accommodations.

Jennifer Huber, Tourism Public Relations Manger for the Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau sums it up well:
“There are lots of reasons to be here, very active in the wintertime from November to Easter. People here care about conservation. They care about each other. People have specifically chosen to live here and they bring their values with them.”

Upcoming in Punta Gorda:

Annual Christmas Light Canal Tours, Friday, Dec. 2-Saturday, Dec. 31, call (941) 639-0969.

Annual Peace River Lighted Boat Parade (941) 639-3720, begins at dusk on Sunday, Dec. 11, free. Location: Charlotte Harbor.

Festival of Lights, Fishermen’s Village, through Dec. 31

COMING IN JANUARY SATURDAY MORNING MAGAZINE – “Where the Trees Are . . .”

Who: Lucy Beebe Tobias, Florida writer and Ocala resident
What: Slide show/talk/book signing of “Florida Gardens Gone Wild”
Where: Marion County Public Library, 2720 East Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, phone (352) 368-4507
When: Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011, at 2 p.m.
Admission: Free. Refreshments will be served
Sponsor: Friends of Ocala Public Library

Ocala writer Lucy Tobias has taken her love affair with the Sunshine State to another level. The prize-winning journalist who took us along as she explored the historic and downright quirky nooks of our state in 50 Great Walks in Florida now has a book for eco gardeners. It’s a combination of both inspirational and practical advice for gardeners.
“Florida Gardens Gone Wild unfolds the story of my down and dirty life with gardening,” says Tobias. “There are moments of infatuation, days of frustration, and light-bulb moments, like discovering natives, and organics and connections with nature. I had no idea so many things were so connected. Along the way I found resources, and places to visit that will surprise even seasoned gardeners.”
Tobias will show slides of gardens, flowers, rain barrels, butterflies and much more. A book signing follows the talk. This book is perfect for Christmas giving.
For this event the book, normally $15.95 will be $12. For every book sold a donation of $2 goes to the Friends of Ocala Public Library.

For more information: Lucy Tobias (352) 816-1251 or use the contact form.

by Lucy Beebe Tobias

Susan Becker is a Street Concierge in Naples, Florida. Say what? Naples may be the only place in the country to have Street Concierges, located at the Third Street Concierge, an outdoor kiosk on Third Street South – part of an historic area also called the birthplace of Old Naples.

Planter on Third Street South, Naples

The concierge service is open seven days a week from 10-6 and Thursday and Fridays hours are extended from 10-9 p.m. Thursday is Becker’s day to work. She answers question, hands out maps, brochures and restaurant menus and loves every minute of her 12-hour shift.

“I came from a helping profession, a college professor, I was used to helping several hundred people a day, this continues that,” said Becker.

With the holidays coming on Becker grandparents who have family coming want to know what there is to do with children of all ages.

“The best thing is free – the beach!” Becker laughed. “They can run, play, build sandcastles, swim, ride boogie boards.”

The beaches, and the historic Naples Pier, are just a few blocks from Third Street South. Walk or ride a bike to any free access point to the beach. Within the city limits every avenue (streets that go east and west) ends in a public beach walkover access. Arriving by car to the beach means feeding parking meters or having an annual beach-parking sticker.

One access point to the beach is the historic Naples Pier. There is no admission fee to the Pier. I found free parking lots just off Third Street South then took an easy walk for two blocks down tree-lined streets past old homes to the Historic Pier, a delightful walk with a great sunset view.

Open 24 hours a day, no fishing license is required. Fishermen come equipped

with food and chairs for a long stay on the long pier.

On the beach, stretching left and right of the pier, a parade of umbrellas in bright colors testify to beach popularity. Other signs of sun and fun: blankets, outdoor chairs, sunbathers, Frisbee throwers, surf swimmers and sand castle builders.

Who could have imagined all this back in the 1800s? Back then General John S. Williams and Water N. Halderman sailed into the bay. Williams thought it looked like the Bay of Naples in Italy and thus Naples was named. The two men brought families from Ohio and Kentucky. The first two homes were built in 1887 and the first pier, a freight pier with railroad ties, was built in 1889.

Walking tours of Naples Historic District are popular. Design your own with help from the Third Street Concierge or visit Palm Cottage, built by Halderman, and take one of their walking tours, $16 for non-members, on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. from November through April. Reservations required.

View of The Norris Gardens through a gate at Palm Cottage

For ardent fans of GPS, Out’nBack Nature Tours has a walking tour of Naples using hand-help GPS and clues along the way. They also offer bicycle tours.

Bicycling is another popular way to see Old Naples.

“I am a citizen of Old Naples, live just a few blocks from Third Street South and I ride my bike to and from work,” said Becker. “Bicycling is very popular. The roads are all flat.”

Sculpture on Third Street South, Naples

For strolling along, and thinking of food, Third Street South has small, unique boutiques and off-the-usual-beaten path restaurants including Jane’s Café with organic and natural food and Sea Salt where Chef Fabrizio Aielli uses organic and local produce along with wild caught seafood.

Being addicted to coffee, I soon found Bad Ass Coffee, a shop whose name raises eyebr

ows. But it is all good – Bad Ass was founded in Hawaii and serves Hawaiian coffees. Really super coffee.

The day of the week matters on Third Street South and also along Fifth Avenue South, an upscale shopping and dining area along with places to stay like the boutique Inn on Fifth Street.

Live entertainment throbs on Thursday evenings at Third Street South from January through May. Called Thursday on Third, stores stay open, you can dance in the street, have dinner, enjoy all kinds of music. During the summer, June through December, the music happens every third Thursday.

Along Fifth Avenue South enjoy Evenings on Fifth the second Thursday of each month. And in November Fifth Avenue South has added a special Evening on Nov. 25 during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Walking along Fifth Avenue South, Naples

On Saturdays check out the Third Street Farmers Market from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Grownups, children and well-behaved dogs are all welcome. The market happens all year long.

Shop-till-you-droppers will appreciate that you are not done yet. Tin City in the Naples Waterfront district has shopping and entertainment. And right across the street is Bayfront with shops that take the word “upscale” to a whole new level.

If you can extract yourself from Old Naples, nearby attractions have plenty of outdoor appeal.

Here are a few: Naples Botanical Garden is breathtaking, with gardens devoted to different areas of the world.

The Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens has a boat ride through primate islands on a large lake. Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary features a 2.25-mile long boardwalk through the county’s last old growth bald cypress forest.
Whew! Time to head back to the beach and relax. Need a bathing suit? I’m sure the Third Street Concierge can help with that too.

FLORIDA FAVORITES
In my Florida travels I meet fantastic people who are travel writers, residents, newcomers, guides and entrepreneurs, all are digging into the Florida places they love and finding diamonds. Here is Brian E. Holley, Executive Director of the Naples Botanical Garden telling in his own words how this amazing garden came into bloom:

Creating a new botanical garden requires a remarkable alignment to take place – you need dreamers to create a vision; pragmatists to assemble a viable plan from the vision; artists to create a design that sings to the soul; philanthropists to share and support the vision; land, lots of land; and worker bees – staff, board, volunteers, ecologists, engineers, contractors, plant nerds (I take pride in being one), artisans, educators, gardeners – who can merge their skills and energy into the team that makes it happen.

This amazing alignment has taken place in Naples, Florida and the result is the 170 acre, Naples Botanical Garden. The Garden started as a dream in Naples’ downtown library in 1993 when a group of a dozen or so plant people got together and agreed that it was important for the community to have a botanical garden.

In the ensuing years the group expanded and turned the dream into a plan for a major new garden that would combine urban renewal of Naples’ poorest neighborhood, a dynamic visitor attraction, great design, a venue for the arts, education, extensive documented collections of plants, research and restored natural areas.

The plan was compelling and attracted the attention of philanthropist Harvey Kapnick. Harvey agreed to purchase 170 acres of land in East Naples for $5 million in 2000. The Garden started slowly but with great innovation – they hired a very talented designer Gary Smith to turn a parking lot into a one acre garden so the community could see the potential of this endeavor.

In 2005, what the Miami Herald called “The Dream Team” – noted landscape architects Raymond Jungles, Robert Truskowski, Herb Schaal, Ellin Goetz and Balinese landscape designer Made Wijaya -agreed to join the project and create a new master plan for the Garden. There was a huge risk for the Garden in having five firms work on the plan but the mutual respect and excitement about the opportunity to work on a once in a lifetime project brought these brilliant minds together to work as one cohesive team. Shortly thereafter, Ted Flato of Lake/Flato Architects in San Antonio, Texas brought his sense of place and passion for sustainable design to the project.

By 2008, the Garden had raised $30 million toward building the project, led by a $10 million gift from Harvey’s son and daughter-in-law, Scott and Kathleen Kapnick, and in June of that year construction began.

In November 2009 Naples Botanical Garden opened its first new gardens – The Vicky C. and David Byron Smith Children’s Garden, The Brazilian Garden, The Kapnick Caribbean Garden and the Mary and Stephen B. Smith Family, River of Grass. In January 2010 another dream of Harvey’s became a reality, The Kapnick Education and Research Center, in partnership with Florida Gulf Coast University, opened and gave the Garden excellent facilities for education. The expansion continued with the opening of the Marcia and L. Bates Lea Asian Garden, the Karen and Robert Scott Florida Garden and the Water Garden in November 2010.

Today the Garden welcomes over 100,000 people a year and hosts an extensive array of classes and events. Check us out at www.naplesgarden.org and watch for our free mobile app for iPhones and Androids in January, 2012.

GET OUT AND PLAY

November – Celebrate the Arts month presented by the United Arts Council of Collier County (where Naples is located) see their Celebrate Calendar for events.
Nov. 11-13 – St. Johns River Blues Festival in Palatka with 16 regional blues bands.
Nov. 12 – Second Saturdays at ArtSouth in Homestead. Browse four galleries and open artist studios. Children welcome. Hours: 3-7 p.m.
Nov. 21 – Annual Celebration of Festival of Lights happens from 6-9 p.m. on Third Street South, Naples. Santa arrives, lots of entertainment, and promptly at 7:30 p.m. snow will fall. I am not making this up. Lampposts have snowmaking machines; they all turn on at the same time.
Snow falls at 7:30 p.m. every night that week (except Thanksgiving) and continues on Thursday nights during December.

Come to the second annual Authors Book Fair!

Admission is free. Parking is free.

Saturday, Oct. 15 from 11-3 at the Deltona Regional Library.

It is an event so full of energy and creativity you will come away inspired and hopefully loaded down with new books.

I’ll be there with my new book “Florida Gardens Gone Wild”.

Stop by my table!

There are authors reading, classes, a sweet lunch place, lots of authors to meet and all this happens inside a library!

How cool is that?

See you!

IN FOCUS
A feature story from Lucy

Fresh Energy Paints Walls and Benches in Englewood

New energy. That is exactly what blew into the Englewood art scene five years ago and quickly fanned new expressions – exhibits, galleries, an arts learning center, murals and fantastic benches – this outdoor seating is both lovely to look at and even comfortable for sitting – a rare combination.

Twenty benches are installed in Olde Englewood Village on Lemon Bay. Twenty more are on the way. These benches are original from the ground up.

These benches were designed and built structurally to last, with a normal bench look in the front and reinforced metal structure in the back. Artists paint the benches while words are embedded on the sides – there are quotes from famous people and quotes from locals too.
Benches cost about $700 each, the money coming from donations and development funds.

Historic Dearborn Street, the main drag for Olde Englewood Village, is a good venue for this public art. The street is lined with old buildings from fishing village days, now housing antiques, art, boutiques, dining and that vital ingredient for caffeine addicts like me, a really good coffee shop called Roasters Coffee Bar.

Roasters is across the street from the Arts Alliance of Lemon Bay, a big exhibit and learning center, and you could say this is where the new breeze originated.

“It always takes a couple of people to come in with new energy and make things happen, ” said Stephanie Borchard, president of the Arts Alliance of Lemon Bay. Founding members five years ago include Borchard and Diane Davidson.

In addition to bright benches, check out the murals on Dearborn Street and nearby. Just a two block walk from historic Dearborn Street takes you to the Tiki Bar at the Royal Palm Marina in Lemon Bay, right on the Intracoastal (ICW Marker 30).

Over the course of a month different artists painted twenty murals. Using large slabs of seawall as their canvas, the themes were either nautical or historical Florida. It is well worth a walk around to see them all.

The new arts wind in Englewood found easy acceptance in a town that likes its artists and says so on street signs.

Just drive along and check out the street signs with names like Artists Way or Van Goth. You get the idea.

Artist Lois Bartlett Tracy painted masterpieces here and her legacy continues at Artists Acres in Englewood. Her grandson Todd Tracy and his wife Mary Tracy, a residence designer carries the artist community spirit, including residence cottages, forward. Her vibrant, tropical homestead is preserved along with her studio, which can be visited by appointment.

It comes as no surprise to see the street outside Artists Acres is named Artists Avenue.

I know you are going to ask – where is Englewood? Definitely off the beaten path, Englewood is one hour south of Sarasota and one hour north of Fort Myers. It is well worth a visit.

Come to see the vibrant art scene, stay to put some sand between your toes at their great beaches.

©2011 Lucy Beebe Tobias

FLORIDA FAVORITES

In my Florida travels I meet fantastic people who are travel writers, residents, newcomers, guides and entrepreneurs, all are digging into the Florida places they love and finding diamonds. Here is Jennifer Huber, Public Relations Manager, Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau, telling about her job in her own words:

Jennifer Huber – Telling the Story of Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf Islands

Navigate a kayak through a mangrove tunnel. Whack a steamed blue crab with a wooden mallet while sitting in a Florida cracker house. Cheer on the Tampa Bay Rays during spring training. These are some of the stories I tell as public relations manager for the Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau.

“You have a difficult job,” a travel journalist once told me. Why? “Because Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands is geographically large and diverse,” she said.

Three days was not enough to experience all there is to do. During her stay, I arranged for her to enjoy the serenity of Don Pedro Island, a beach getaway only accessibly by car ferry or boat, and see the renaissance of Punta Gorda.

She rode a swamp buggy with Babcock Wilderness Adventures (www.babcockwilderness.com), ogled over one man’s affinity for speed at Muscle Car City (www.musclecarcity.net), viewed where many retired circus and abused exotic animals live out their lives at Octagon Wildlife Refuge (www.octagonwildlife.org), and saw tender care administered to native wildlife at Peace River Wildlife Center (www.peaceriverwildlifecenter.com). A boat tour up the Peace River and a self-guided mural walking tour of Punta Gorda rounded out her trip.

My job is to connect with travel journalists and encourage them to visit then share their Charlotte Harbor stories with their audience. I work with a variety of electronic and traditional print travel journalists and pitch story ideas, plan itineraries to fit their story needs, and stay connected through old fashioned means and social media.

It’s a great sense of accomplishment picking up a newspaper, magazine or guidebook or opening a website link and reading a travel journalist’s Charlotte Harbor story. It means we’ll soon be welcoming more visitors to our part of Florida.

Jennifer Huber
Public Relations Manager, Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau
www.CharlotteHarborTravel.com
Facebook.com/charlotteharbor
Twitter.com/chgiflorida
jennifer.huber@charlottefl.com

GET OUT AND PLAY

October 2-9, 2011 — Amelia Island Jazz Festival. The Amelia Island Jazz Festival always kicks off with a FREE concert for the community and visitors. During the week long festival, music fans enjoy a diversity of styles ranging from traditional New Orleans jazz and big band swing to bebop and contemporary. Presenting a full slate of established jazz recording artists, past festivals have featured Grammy Award-winning musicians like saxophonist, David Sanborn and pianist Ramsey Lewis. The 2011 Amelia Island Jazz Festival features Grammy Award-winner Buckwheat Zydeco plus Nicole Henry. Expect a full roster of talented musicians and venues at Amelia Island’s Jazz Festival in 2011. Check out the official Amelia Island Jazz Festival website for all details or call 904-504-4772.

14th annual Greek Festival
Friday, Oct. 7 – Sunday, Oct. 9, 2011

St. Augustine, FL 32084

Local Phone: 904.829.0504

Website: http://www.stauggreekfest.com

Come join the fun and experience St. Augustine’s fascinating Greek Heritage at the 14th Annual Greek Festival hosted by Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. Enjoy a delicious assortment of Greek foods, pastries and beverages along with nonstop entertainment with live Greek music and performances by Greek dance troupes. Location: Francis Field Hours: 4 to 9 p.m. on Friday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission: $2, children under 12 are free.

La Florida Festival
Saturday, Oct. 8 – Monday, Oct. 10, 2011
Paul Morris Park , 1401 South River Road , Englewood
941-270-2040
La Florida Festival

Forgotten Coast Black Bear Festival
October 15, 2011
Sands Park, Carrabelle, Florida
The festival is an opportunity for Floridians of all ages to learn about wildlife and the environment around them. This years’ celebrations will include favorite programs such as the “Procession of Species” parade produced by Carrabelle Cares, bear and bird field trips to Tate’s Hell State Forest and a workshop on living with bears and bear-proofing your trash. We are adding some terrific new programs such as our “Bear Banners” created through a program with local school children. We will be giving a nice prize for the best home baked pie brought to the festival. Prizes will also be offered for the best original painting and sculpture displayed at the Festival. The festival will have live music, stories and tall tales told and read by local residents and authors. There will be food, arts and crafts for sale, a raffle and lots of fun for all.

BRING IT HOME

check out the Upcoming Events page for Lucy Tobias and pick a book signing event that fits your schedule. FREE terra cotta pots to all who buy the new book “Florida Gardens Gone Wild”, while the pots last. Let’s get potted! Oh wait, that is a chapter in the book . . . .