Sarasota Discoveries

Discoveries, day trips and viewing homes can make one hungry.  It’s time to begin to explore just a few of the many wonderful restaurants in the Sarasota area.  Starting where everyone wants to go – to the waterfront. Right at the Gulf’s edge – right on the sand – are 4 good choices.  On the north end of Anna Marie Island is the Sandbar and more toward the south end is BeachHouse.  Both have a large outdoor dining area for enjoying those special sunsets and a pleasant indoor dining room.  For me, the only reason to dine inside is if the weather is a little too chilly or too wet.  Right near the end of the bridge entering Anna Marie Island is the Gulf Drive Cafe which seems a little more laid back but offers good food as well.  Polishing off the choices right on the sand is the Lido Cafe and Tiki Bar on Lido Beach.  Pick any one of these great places and you’ll have a good meal.

In a very small little area called Ona several miles east of Sarasota is a whimsical attraction called Solomon’s Castle.  It’s a fun trip to a one-man’s dream castle made entirely from recycled materials, namely, used printing plates from a local newspaper.  That is only the beginning.  His sense of humor and his artistic skills are quite enjoyable.  Many of the items on display started as lawn mower engines, beer cans,  old tools, etc.  He has created displays of statues, framed art work that are copies of the master’s works, and operating displays – all from discarded materials.  He and his family live on the property and he is usually accessible in his workshop/barn when you visit.  The grounds are open to the public October thru June and it is a lot of fun to visit.  Guides take you thru each room and recite the witty and entertaining dialogue that was all composed by Mr. Solomon himself.  While there, lunch at the ‘boat in the moat’ is a must.  It is exactly as it sounds, a boat he built with a moat surrounding it.  The food is home cooked and delicious.   It’s not easy to get to with many winding country roads, but worth the trip.

Wildlife live freely in the Lakewood Ranch area feeling welcome with abundant conservation and preserve areas for their homes.  You will spot white tail deer, eagles, otters, sandhill cranes, alligators and many types of beautiful birds.  Common are cardinals and red wing blackbirds that can’t help but attract your attention with their vibrant colors.

Several weeks ago, sandhill crane parents built a nest in a wetland area.  The mother devoted herself to sitting the nest through the daytime, nighttime, rain, cold and even higher than normal temperatures for the spring, leaving her watch only to seek food.  She and her partner were rewarded with 2 adorable babies this week.  The babies seem to be thriving and growing quickly.  Less than a week old, they were spotted searching for food with their dedicated parents along a roadway near their home.  They certainly caught the eye of passing motorists who couldn’t help but see how very cute they are.

View of Marina and Bay

What a way to wake up

When you are looking to live and play in a waterfront location, the view is top priority.  Second is the proximity to the beaches and the waterways.  Living in downtown Sarasota offers the best of both.  Just minutes from the beautiful white sand beaches of the Gulf of Mexico  are many condos from which to choose.  If you lived in one of the buildings on Gulfstream Avenue, the photo above shows you a typical view.  A marina, Island Park  or a short drive over Ringling Causeway to Saint Armand’s Circle are right there for you.   Downtown Sarasota with it’s charming shops and great restaurants are a short walk away.  Find your place with a view – call or email Joyce Marie Steward, Real Estate Broker – 954-472-5335, joyce@jmsteward.com

Milking process

Dakin Farm off SR 70

When you begin to explore the Sarasota area, you discover there are many types of interesting spots and many types of homes offered.  The agriculture businesses are very prominent in east Sarasota and Manatee Counties.  Nestled in the rural space are many families that own large tracts of land, 2 to 20 acres and up where they have custom built the style of home that suits their lifestyle.  Maybe they have horses that meant a barn or stalls were built to house the horses and all the gear necessary to enjoy that pasttime.  Or maybe they wanted to pursue the life of a dairy farmer such as the Dakin family did.  A trip to the Dakin Farms is a real eye-opener for the process of producing fresh milk.  During the winter season (November thru April) tours are offered of this great modern day farm.  Watch the process as the cows move from feeding stations to washing to milking and back.  All year the market is open and fresh milk can be purchased.

In the spirit of exploring, I travelled north to Clearwater beach to lunch with a longtime friend.  It’s a bustling area with many condos and little shopping areas with some restaurants mixed in.  The parking is a problem though with meters everywhere that have a 1 hour limit.  Makes it inconvenient for finishing a meal, shopping or crossing the street for the beach.  As I left the area, I drove south along the coast and went from small town to small town until the road ended for that particular barrier island.  And there was Passa Grille, a quaint, quiet little village with interesting history dating back to the 1700s.  Great ice cream shop right across from the beach and plenty of benches along the intracoastal waterway to enjoy boats passing by.  Prices for this wonderful area range from $96,000 for a 1 bdr 1 bath condo to $3,900,000 for an estate home right on the beach.

What could be better than being in the Florida sun in February, feeling the breeze waft across your face and listening to great music?  Not much could be better. 

 There is a county park, Phillipi Estate Park, in south Sarasota that offers music at the gazebo each Thursday during February and March.  Bring your own lunch and a lawn chair to enjoy a different musical talent each week.  The surroundings are quiet and peaceful and it can be a nice break in a busy day.  The park is nestled between south Sarasota and Osprey and a side trip to Siesta Key could complete the day.  The area offers golf course communities with many homes of various price ranges and waterfront homes for those looking for boating or fishing.  Call Joyce at 941-840-1295 for details

 For more information and the history of the park, click below. ttp://www.scgov.net/parksandrecreation/RecreationCenters/PEPHistory.asp

When the weather cooperates, nature has an awesome display each evening.  The sunset is an event where people come to the beach 30 minutes or so before the scheduled sunset.  They settle in at their favorite restaurant or bar or just stand on the edge of the sand where the waves break.  The display changes constantly as you watch with the artistic formation of the clouds and the variety of colors that are painted in the sky.  Whether you live near the beach or in the east side of Sarasota, the anticipation of what you will see and the romantic feel of the sun sliding behind the horizon all make the jaunt worthwhile.

Would you like to live right where you could see this every day?  Email me for information on places to live or have a second home. joyce@jmsteward.com

Blustery but beautiful

It was a great morning for the Y and a huge crowd turned out.  There were 2 parts – a 4 mile run across the Ringling Bridge and a 1 mile fun run along the bayfront.

The runners and their supporters

Some of the participants live in town and are able to run or walk over the bridge and the bayfront daily.  There are some great condos available for sale with the bayfront view.  Email me for more information joyce@jmsteward.com.

Finding new areas and taking a new turn in a familiar one are the way to discover.  I’ll take you on a journey from the white sand beach to the rural farms and ranches.

This is the welcoming committee