Non-Beach, Beach Sunsets

While I love watching the sunset ( or sunrise ) on the regular beach like every other person…

…there are some great places around the Bradenton/Anna Maria area that have some pretty spectacular alternatives, and they’re pet friendly too! Skip the crowds and watch the clouds change colors with views that stretch all the way from Anna Maria to St. Pete and the Skyway Bridge.

First there is De Soto National Memorial Park. I go here all the time with Keen…

There are often other dogs running around, so he gets a little social time (Not that he really cares for it. He’s kind of a snob.) It’s much safer than the causeway, because you are nowhere near any roads, just the bay! Plus there’s a lovely boardwalk…

And plenty of places to catch a beautiful sunset..

Best sunset watching spot in De Soto goes to the built up embankment near the visitors center. There are several benches so you can comfortably watch the show….

The major perk that this park has over the others: History. There are several monuments, a visitors center and events/reenactments, from various time periods, held here all year.

Next up is Robinson Preserve. Robinson is surprisingly large. You wouldn’t think there was enough space in Northwest Bradenton for a park this big, but apparently there is since it totals 637 acres. You can rent kayaks or a canoe and there are extensive running and biking trails…

Boardwalks…

… and some of the best birdwatching in Bradenton. I’ve seen everything from Spoonbills to Bald Eagles…

Best spot to watch the sunset in Robinson goes to the watch tower…

Robinsons best perk is it’s size. You can spend hours walking and not cover the same trail twice.

Lastly, is a tiny park on Anna Maria called “Leffis Key.” I’ve lived in this area my entire life, but I didn’t know this place existed until I signed up for a beach cleaning group. This park is definitely the smallest of the three, but still has a boardwalk…

and great bird watching…

(I know it’s just a pigeon, but I still love that picture)

What really makes this place special is the hill in the center of the park. By Florida standards it could almost be a mountain..

From this spot, and a second peak on the same hill, you can get a 360 degree panoramic view of the best sunsets and sunrises that Florida has to offer. Definitely the best spot in the park.

This park is easy to miss, so what little Leffis Key holds over the others, is privacy. You will almost always be the only one taking advantage of the views that the hill baby Florida mountain provides.

I couldn’t pick a favorite, because they all have their perks, so you should really just check them all out. Let me know what you think!

2013 International Coastal Cleanup Day (sort of)

Apparently, September 21th was 2013’s International Coastal Cleanup Day. I missed that memo, so I say International Coastal Cleanup Day is whatever day you want it to be. Be a rebel, do what you want.

There are several benefits to volunteering, like awesome free t-shirts or catching a glorious sunrise.

Apart from the gorgeous scenery, I got exercise that didn’t make me feel like I was exercising. Isn’t that the best kind?

I also recommend keeping a list of what you find. We kept a sheet that totaled all of our haul and seeing everything we picked up was really satisfying.

If you don’t have an official sheet, just make your own! Instagram, Facebook or Tweet a picture of it and maybe it’ll give others the motivation to get out and do some cleanup too. Anyone done any volunteering lately? I’d love to hear about it!

Bucket List Item # 218 Continued…

More Quotes!

(Key West, 2013)

(Anna Maria Island, 2012)

(Desoto Park, Bradenton, FL, 2012)

(Skydiving, 2013)

(New York City, 2013)

I do love a good quote…. I’d love to hear your favorites!

An Excuse for the Beach…

There are two benefits from thrifting for beach equipment. 1. What house doesn’t have a few things that were bought for a family beach trip, used only one time and then stored in the garage for the next however many years? This means you can buy those things, barely used, and at a fraction of a cost. 2. Once you have it, you have the perfect excuse to go to the beach!

For example:

$2 for both of those watermelon umbrellas. They aren’t just regular “Stick them in the ground and hope they stay put” umbrellas.  They’ve got nice clamps on the end, so you can attach them to your beach tables or chairs.

$1.50 for the beach blanket / tablecloth. Much nicer than a towel because you’ll have room too move around and set down your things without covering them in sand.

In the event that the weather turns gloomy while you’re out at the beach, as it did with me, don’t worry. That’ll just give you time to check some of the local thrift stores where you’ll find things like super groovy cowgirl boots…

A large, shaggy, pleather jacket…

Or a nice straw hat for your next beach trip…

Happy Summer!

‘Merica’s Birthday Celebrations

The U.S. of A. is about to have another birthday which means family time, fireworks and BBQ. Here are a few events happening in the Bradenton/Sarasota/Beaches area that look like they would be pretty fun.

First there’s the Independence Day Celebration at McKechnie Field. Take in a baseball game complete with fan giveaways, fireworks and a post game concert by David Nail.

If baseball isn’t your thing, there are extravagant (and FREE) fireworks shows at Sarasota Bay, Siesta Key, Bradenton and Palmetto. There is plenty of seating in the nearby parks, but get there early because spaces fill up fast! Unless of course you want to take your boat, or a friend’s, and have a little viewing party from the water!

Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key really know how to throw a birthday party. First the city comes together to celebrate with a fantastic parade, followed by music, food and fireworks!

Take your pick and enjoy the holiday! Happy birthday ‘Merica!

Bradenton Flea Market

As much as I wish Bradenton had something like the Nashville Farmers Market, we definitely do not. What we do have is good enough for me, though. The Bradenton Flea Market is the absolute best place to buy produce in town. Great prices and excellent food..

LOOK at those tomatoes! Only $.25 each. If you tried to buy a tomato at Walmart, you’d easily pay double, AND you’d have to actually go to Walmart. I’m not sure which is worse. Also, when you buy something at a produce stand, it’s actually ripe enough to eat that day. You don’t have to leave it sitting in the kitchen for a week, waiting for it to become edible!

Tell me what’s tastier than a ripe avocado? That’s right. Nothing.

The actual Flea Market is only open Thursday-Sunday, but the produce stand in the front is open everyday, except for Monday. Stop in and look around. Your wallet and your tummy will appreciate it.

Reverse Retail Therapy

As of yesterday, Summer is officially here! If you missed the drop on Spring cleaning, like I did, now is the perfect time to make up for it. Go through your closet and get rid of all the clothes that you haven’t worn in a while because they don’t fit quite right, aren’t your style anymore or  because you never really liked them in the first place. Here are my cast-aways..

The white dress with the butterflies? Bought that one in 2009 and haven’t worn it ONCE! All in all, that’s two pairs of shorts, three sweaters, four shirts and eight dresses. I normally rotate donations between my favorite charity thrift stores. This time everything went to the Hope Chest which raises money for abused women and families. Apart from making extra space in your closet and helping to raise money for charity, you’ll also clean out all those extra hangers you have cluttering up your closet…

Well go on then! If you go do it now, you can justify taking that afternoon nap later. That’s reason enough for me!

Latte Luna

What town, large or small, shouldn’t have a locally run coffee house with friendly staff, tasty treats and cozy atmosphere? Bradenton finally got their own a few weeks ago when Latte Luna opened up.

It’s right on Manatee Ave in an old frame house from the 1920’s. There are plenty of comfy places to sit inside. That makes it easy to spend hours socializing and sipping coffee, tea or maybe even a milkshake.

It is always good to support small business. Not only does the company provide jobs in your area, but all the money goes back into the local economy, and not to some big corporate office somewhere else. Latte Luna is also committed to giving back in other ways. All of the tips that they receive go to various charities, and the charity changes each month.. How great is that? So next time you are out and about, skip the Starbucks and stop in Latte Luna for your cup of joe.

Tennessee Video 2013

This is just a glimpse into my trip from last week. It’s one of the best trips I have ever had! I can’t wait to go back to Nashville!

Also, if you haven’t seen my New York or Las Vegas videos, you should!

Step up your game, Bradenton!

It has been WEEKS since we had a good Estate Sale in the area. My thrifty senses are becoming extremely bored! If you look at the pictures for this weekends sales, everything looks like it came straight from Pier 1 in 1997. In honor of my next trip (a road trip with a friend through Tennessee! I’ll post about it later) I decided to do a little “window shopping” of the sales going on in the Knoxville area this weekend. I have to say, I like what I saw, like beautiful vintage cabinets that I will dream about refinishing…

Piles of junk to sort through…

No telling what you’ll find here!

Wooden boxes of all shapes and sizes…

And a fantastic GE fan. The cherry on top…

Hellooooo Tennessee! See you in a few weeks!