We watched with heavy hearts as Hurricane Hermine bore relentlessly toward Cedar Key, feeling as helpless as onlookers of a multi-car pileup on the other side of the highway. “NOT CEDAR KEY!” we cried out, as if it would be okay if the hurricane devastated a nearby town not as beloved to us. You’ve seen on the news the bleak,...
A beautiful uncrowded beach; a charming downtown with shops and restaurants; waterfront watering holes; locally owned places to stay; friendly people: all you need for your Florida vacation. Jensen Beach is one of the coolest towns we’ve seen in awhile. Well, except for Matlacha... and of course Indian Rocks… and also there was Flagler Beach… If you drive into Jensen...
Classy and crazy can live on the same street, right? Think about your own neighborhood. There’s you, and then there’s that guy who rollerblades every summer evening, singing Christmas carols at the top of his lungs. And it’s fine! He’s happy! And, he has a beautiful voice. And so it’s the same for houses. Especially truly old houses, well kept,...
The funky is always with us here in Florida; just like the poor in the Bible. If we can’t stick totem poles, pink flamingos, or plastic flowers in it, we’ll just paint it up real bright. From gorgeous, breathtaking murals painted by truly unbelievable talent, to murals I swear were painted by your four year old, if you drive down...
With the closest beach being Ft. Myers beach, which sounds pretty crowded and touristy (no offense, Ft. Myers, I’m not sure you’re our kind of place) we were happy to settle in for a few days of R and R and exploring in the boating community of Cape Coral. You probably didn’t know that Cape Coral has more canals than...
Somehow we just know it’s going to be a great beach bar. Perhaps it’s the years of practice: scoping out, arriving, and feeling that indescribable “YES” as we walk through the door. Is it okay to admit we’re such seasoned bar samplers? Another resounding “YES” is my answer! Captain Hiram’s Sand Bar, Honkytonk on the Riverfront; Bar Sampling in...
Beautiful furniture made from old boat wood is a growing trend you’ve probably seen online and in exclusive shops. The wood comes from afar – Africa, Bali – from boats that are no longer useful. Talented artisans craft unique pieces of furniture that are all the more lovely for the faded or banged-up layers of paint that often show many...
Some of you will be saying “Aww, how cute!” while others “That is freaking weird” and the rest “Git my gun, that there’s DINNER!” For us, having a squirrel as a pet is the coolest thing ever. I love him. My daughter’s then-boyfriend found him alone, curled into a dog-poo sized ball by the side of...
Completely changing a room’s look and function may not give you that kick-ass rush that I get. It might even be a bit peeving to you that some people get so much of an actual high rehabbing a room that they proselytize to all the nations. BEFORE: The best room in the house was a peaceful, neutral study AFTER: Not...
Wait… is anything secret in the Florida Keys? With an estimated 4 million visitors each year, and land that is less than a third of a mile wide at most points (and mere feet wide occasionally) how can anything be off the beaten path? You practically see the entire path from your car window as you drive through the...
