Anna Maria Island restaurants and shops open Easter holiday

Anna Maria Island is a great place to visit all year around.  If you happen to be visiting during a holiday, finding a spot to have breakfast, lunch or dinner could be a frustrating process if you don’t know before hand what restaurants are open.  Hopefully this information will help during Easter and there is a fairly good chance that if these restaurants and stores are open for Easter, they will be open for other Anna Maria Island holidays as well.  Have a happy holiday and

here is to doing no dishes this year!

ANNA MARIA ISLAND RESTAURANT’S OPEN EASTER HOLIDAY

Beach Bistro – Dinner – Holmes Beach, Florida
Gulf Front elegant dining with casual dining available

Beach House – Lunch & Dinner – Bradenton Beach, FL
Gulf Front casual dining – you can eat right on the beach

Da Giorgio – Dinner – Holmes Beach, Florida
Italian business casual dining with live entertainment

Euphemia Haye – Dinner – Longboat Key, Florida
Elegant dining, huge assortment of desserts

Moveable Feast – Lunch and Dinner – Holmes Beach, Fl
Casual dining with plenty of holiday seating

Paradise Cafe – Lunch – Holmes Beach, East Bay Plaza
Order take out or small availability for dining in

Rod  and Reel Restaurant – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner – Anna Maria City
Bay front dining – casual – live sea-life daily

Sandbar – Lunch & Dinner – Anna Maria City, Florida
Gulf Front dining – walk right in from the beach!

Sign of the Mermaid – Three meals – Anna Maria city, Florida
Business Casual dining.  National award winning key lime pie.

Sunhouse restaurant- Late Lunches, Dinner – Bradenton Beach, Fl
Floribean cuisine with Gulf Views and plenty of window shopping nearby

Waterfront restaurant – Lunch and Dinner – Anna Maria City, Florida
Bay View business casual dining.  Reservations strongly suggested

OTHER BRADENTON STORES OPEN HOLIDAY’S

Albertson’s Supermarket – Bradenton, Fl

Sweetbay Supermarket – Bradenton, Fl

Walgreens – Bradenton, Fl – Open 24 hours

Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce – February Music Festival

The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce is firing up their Friday Festivals right on schedule.  If you have never made it to a Friday “Fest” you are missing a real treat.  The first Anna Maria Friday Festival of 2010 is scheduled for Friday February 19, 2010.   The time starts at 3 PM and the Music and vendors stop at 10 PM.

The Festival is held up on Pine Avenue in Anna Maria City at the EAST end by the public pier.  Most folks park on Pine Avenue as they find a spot traveling EAST along Pine Avenue.  There is some serious parking at the church and the market across from the Roser church on Pine Avenue.

The Friday Festivals held by the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce are always a good time because there are lots of arts and crafts booths as well as food booths to wet your appetite with our local flavors of food.  The Chamber offers alcohol to patrons.  I have been told by many it’s the coldest beer you can find on a Friday night at just $3.00 for a good size beer.  There is also white and red wines available as well as in the past a mixed drink like a rum-runner.  While you are having some great eats you can listen to some great local bands with live music.  The best of all – the EVENT is FREE.  Yes, it is FREE.

So if you are an Anna Maria Island Visitor or live here year long it is a fabulous event for young and old.  Go check out some great live music outside with the Tampa Bay in the background at the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce Friday Festival.

Be careful, if you are a visitor you may never go back and don’t worry, if you have to miss the Friday festival in FEB there are plenty more throughout the entire year!

The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce presents:
Island Music Festival    FRIDAY FEST
Date: Friday February 19, 2010        Time: 3pm to 10pm
Location: Pine Ave & Bay Blvd     Village of Anna Maria

Featuring: Koko Ray & The Soul Providers and Bootleg

Proceeds to benefit The AMI Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Fund; Participating Island Businesses and Local Not for Profit Agencies.  If you are interested in participating in future Friday Festivals as a music venue, craft booth, or eatery just email the Chamber of Commerce.

For a location of the event see the map below and it is on the NORTH WEST corner of Pine Avenue and Bay Blvd.

View Friday Festival in a larger map

Anna Maria City Beaches

Anna Maria City offers very quiet beaches and the sand is a mix between sugar and flour.  If you are not renting in Anna Maria the search for parking can be a little frustrating.  Of course locals can tell you about a few special spots however we suggest bicycling or walking up to the North End if you are interested in checking out that side of the island.  A very special spot in Anna Maria City just off Linda Lane is a small sand bar that has been formed in the Gulf of Mexico.  This provides great fun for all!

If you do need a great Anna Maria City, Holmes Beach or Anna Maria Island Holiday rental, visit Island Real Estate’s vacation rental website for on-line accurate availability with plenty of pictures to make your vacation rental choice – EASY.

For properties close to the sandbar mentioned in this article…
101 Linda Lane, Anna Maria City Vacation Rental
Sundance, Anna Maria city Rental
207 Coconut just a short Stroll to the Beach

Historic Anna Maria City pier

The Anna Maria City pier is a great site to see when visiting Anna Maria Island, Florida.  Grabbing an ice cream at Two Scoops and walking the pier is a great thing to do while visiting Anna Maria Island.  Another great past time is swing over to Two Sides of Nature and do some shopping or stop in at the Waterfront restaurant for a great bite to eat.   At the end of the pier you can grab dinner, lunch or pick up some hand made jewelery.  If you like fishing then stop in to gab with the fishermen on the pier and see what is biting.

The sign at the entrance of the Anna Maria City pier says it all.  “The Anna Maria Development Company built this pier and wharf in 1911-1912 to provide dockage for ships from St. Petersburg and Tampa.  It has since withstood hurricanes and lesser storms too numerous to mention.  Although parts were damaged in storms in 1918, 1935, 1974 and 1988, it has each time been restored to its approximate  original form.  It is 678 feet long.  The wharf extends another 58 feet into Tampa bay.

Over the years it has nurtured the hopes of fisherman and the dreams of lovers…provided roosts for pelicans and other sea birds and has been a friend to residents and visitors alike.

Over the center of the tin roof, from the third shore bench to the south of this marker, on clear nights can be seen the North star, guardian of the mariners since the first sailor looked up for guidance of the night sea.

Come walk these planks…

Beneath the Roof of this City Pier is the Place to Sit with Shrimp and Beer, While Lightening in the Distance Plays And Thunder Rumbles Across the Bays…                                “Summer Storm”…CMV ”

Anna Maria City trash guidelines

Anna Maria City has always had code regarding the time and placement of trash cans at an owners curb.  Anna Maria City is beginning to see trash cans sitting out at the curb for days.  The city has focused on short term rentals as well as absentee property owners that come out to Anna Maria Island and leave their cans out for the week.

The city of Anna Maria says no more.  The Islander newspaper reported on this topic in August and quoted code enforcement officer Gerry Rathvon, “These containers sit there for days.  They often get blown over by storms, and I go out and pick up the trash.”   It’s an ugly situation, trash cans sitting out everywhere for days.

The city on Anna Maria Island is compiling a list of repeat offenders.  Code

allows fines of up to $250 per day.  There is an easy solution, Waste Management offers a back door pickup service for $3 per month.  Waste Management employees will retrieve your trash at the back door on the assigned trash days.  Seems like a no-brainer.  One fine could be $250, that is 80 months of back door pick ups to pay for one fine.  Wow, what a pay back.

From the Islander, “City code states: Residential containers and garden trash shall be placed out for collection no earlier than 5 PM of the day prior to the scheduled collection and shall be removed from curbside not later than 9 PM of the day of collection.”  All residential containers, garden trash and recycle containers must be on the owners property.

Currently for 2009 the Anna Maria City the trash pick up days are

Monday – Trash/Garbage and recyclables
Wednesday – yard waste
Thursday – Trash/Garbage

Not sure why everyone does not sign up for back door service with Waste Management? One thing is for sure, if an Anna Maria Island property owner is renting their home out seasonally with or without property management the back door service is a no-brainer.

Silhouettes at Sunset 8~16~09 Anna Maria Island Turtle Hatchling

Turtle season has moved into full swing on Anna Maria Island and we are seeing hatchlings taking place almost daily. As fate would have it, I walked up on a hatchling and was fortunate enough to help escort about 45 baby Loggerheads safely to the water. The crowd of about 60 other onlookers were well informed of the rules in order to participate. Most were visitors from all over. Absolutely no camera flashes are allowed, only infra-red lights although only when necessary. After standing over a nest that had begun to cave in due to the rumblings of turtles cracking through their eggs, the ground began to “boil”. What is so amazing is how this happens for the most part simultaneously where all at the same time the sand moves and out over their nest these little guys scramble to embark towards the water. It is as though they are all wearing a compass as they march like an army to their new environment. There is usually one leader and a few stragglers that seem to be a bit weaker than their brothers and sisters. You could feel the emotion of this crowd as we urged them toward safety with words of encouragement. When the last little guy hit the water the crowd broke out in cheers. We had all just shared a beautiful act of nature.

After a hatchling occurs, the faithful Turtle Watch volunteers go back to the nest to record shells, eggs that did not hatch and perhaps rescue some that were unable to hatch or just left behind. On a different night I happened up on an excavation. Glenn was elbow deep digging through the remains as Cindy assisted in sifting through the sand. There were 10 babies found still alive that were rescued and taken to safety. Bless these folks that donate their time to endless walks on the beach checking nest and assuring that as many Loggerheads as possible are given their best shot at survival. The work is very rewarding and you all deserve our praise for a job well done!

Written by Melinda Bordes  ~941-705- 0146~melinda@annamariasunset.com~ Whether buying or selling real estate on Anna Maria Island or surrounding area please contact me for all of your real estate needs. Please enjoy the sunset!

Anna Maria Island Free Wi-Fi Wireless locations

Anna Maria Island is known as “old Florida” on the Gulf Coast however we have plenty of businesses that offer Wi-Fi hot-spots.   Hopefully you need internet for visiting Island Real Estate’s Anna Maria Island’s informative websiteand it is not for WORK.  If you need internet most of the day then I would suggest grabbing one of Island Real Estate’s vacation rentalsthat offers wireless internet.  We have a criteria option to search for vacation rentals that offer internet to make the search even easier.

Now to the good stuff, where is wireless offered free?  Most of the list currently encompasses Anna Maria City and Holmes Beach but we will continue to add to the free wireless access list.  Please comment if you are aware of more locations and will modify our listing.

Ginny and Jane E’s which is located in Anna Maria City *

Melinda’s restaurant located in Holmes Beach

Holmes Beach Island Branch Library *

* Locations have computers available if laptop is not available.  

One last note, some vacation rentals offer Internet with a computer provided.  The search via the Internet is more difficult and I suggest calling Island Real Estate’s fantastic reservationists to talk through properties that will meet your computer expectations.  (877 778-6066)

Just remember….your on vacation to relax.

Historical Society is a must visit while vacationing on Anna Maria Island, Fl

If you frequent Anna Maria Island or if it’s just your first visit, the history of Anna Maria Island is quite staggering.  The Anna Maria historical society is located on Pine Avenue in Anna Maria City, Fl.   It’s free and is a great spot to visit for half an hour to an hour to learn Anna Maria Island’s journey to the 21st century.  Most of the information that follows below is thanks of the Anna Maria Island Historical Society.  The Historical Society offers a phenomenal book named “The early Days” which offers more fascinating facts about the Anna Maria Journey from 1893-1940.  Thanks to the author Carolyne Norwood who wrote the book.

The first settler of Anna Maria Island was George Emerson Bean who built on the island in 1893.  George settled in Anna Maria City and his son and associates developed roads and a water system to support homes on Anna Maria, Fl.  One of the partners was Charles Roser.  Charles invested a great deal of money on Anna Maria earned by selling his invention of the Fig Newton to Nabisco.  The same business group built a pier at the end of Pine Avenue in 1911 to draw visitors from Tampa and St. Petersburgh.  The pier allowed for steamers to make daily stops to let visitors fish, bathe in the Gulf of Mexico, and enjoy the sunshine and sand.

How did Anna Maria Island get it’s name?  Well officially in 1943, Washington made the name official.  Unfortunately there are several stories that could explain the name.  One story is the name was taken from the mother of Christ, Mary and her mother, Ann.  Or…One of the early Spanish explorers of Anna Maria Island had a mother named Anna Maria.  We probably will never know for sure but there are more stories that could explain the Island’s name and of course plenty more can be learned by visiting the Anna Maria historical society.  

In the back yard of the historical society the “old jail” can be found.  Traditionally the jail offers a fabulous photo opportunity for visiting friends and family.  The jail was built in 1927 originally to handle late disturbances from a newly formed bar on the West end of Pine Avenue.  Anna Maria City needed a spot to hold tavern goers when they created disturbances and needed time to cool off.   The jail had a wooden roof with bars that left jail goers open to a night of mosquito swarms and plenty of bites.  The jail caught fire in a wind storm in the 1940’s and ever since has been used as a popular Anna Maria City photo opportunity.

The Roser church still stands on Pine Avenue where it was originally built in 1913 and saved in the early 1930’s from the jungle taking the church over.   The church still stands on Pine Avenue today and is still used to this day.  In fact my son sings with other children every few Sunday’s.

The first bridge to Anna Maria Island began construction in the mid-summer of 1921.  A significant storm wiped out half the bridge however the bridge prevailed against all odds and was finished in 1922.  The bridge spanned the bay to now Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach to the fishing village of Cortez.  Bridge Tenders pulled a series of cranks to lower vehicle gates and moved to a larger crank which created a gap in the bridge to allow boats to pass by.  Once the boat passed by the bridge tenders would reverse the order to close the gap and allow cars to pass again.  The wooden planks would sometimes slam up and down making very loud noises. 

With the help of a bridge more people visited the beach and several business men started the Bradenton Beach Pavilion in the Winter of 1922.  The pavilion had hundreds of lockers, a dance floor, eating facilities and owner luxury apartments on the second floor.  The beach pavilion burned down about a year after opening and the owners rebuilt.  It burned down a second time in 1929 after the Florida Boom and was never rebuilt.

Jack Holmes first arrived on Anna Maria Island in 1925 and it was love at first site.  He served on the city commission for several years.  Jack moved away from the island first to work on a project in New Jersey where he met his wife.  Returned to Anna Maria to leave again during World War II to assist in building camps for the US Army Corps.  Finally after the war Jack returned to Anna Maria Island to purchase 350 acres in the middle of the island and began the transformation of swamp land to bay homes.  A few years thereafter, citizens held a meeting and decided to incorporate the area and name it in his honor, Holmes Beach. 

Now skipping ahead 80 years, Anna Maria Island has become more popular, sees more visitors, but much of it’s simplistic nature has stayed in tact due to several zoning guidelines.  No drive thru’s allowed and no construction over 37 feet are a few of the guidelines that have helped keep Anna Maria Island special.  For more information visit Island Real Estate’s blog where there is a ton of information on Anna Maria Island.  If you have never visited, what are you waiting for?  Be careful, one visit can end up being a lifetime but then again, there are worse places to live than paradise.

Ho ~ Ho~ Ho~

Look who arrived early in the city of Anna Maria, FL. We were all just minding our own business when there arose such a clatter on Pine Avenue that we sprang from our desks to see what was the matter. When suddenly appeared Santa and his helper on a bucket-truck with not a single reindeer! Only on Anna Maria Island would you see such festive attire simply to hang our seasonal banners for our locals and visitors alike. Thanks to our Anna Maria city workers, Bobby Reynolds (Santa) and Gary Thorpe (Santa’s Helper), who made my day. It is always so exciting to see Santa all suited up and it seems to bring out the “kid” in everyone! The entire Island lights up at night with tiny white and colored lights with a typical Island flair! You can only smile and feel the excitement of the holidays. From Island Real Estate we wish you a wonderful holiday and may peace be the magical word for 2009.  

Written by Melinda Bordes ~ 914-705-0146~ Whether buying or selling on Anna Maria Island or surrounding areas  I can assist you with all of your real estate needs. A slice in paradise would make a wonderful gift for any age!! It is time you thought about being a part of this wonderful community!   

Personal fitness training on Anna Maria Island – relax and get fit all on Anna Maria

Relax, your on an Anna Maria Island Vacation.  Most relax on the beach but it is always a great time to get back in the “saddle” again to get your physical activity on the right track.  Walking or jogging the beach is a favorite past-time but another option that most don’t consider is a personal trainer. 

Jeff Levine will take you to one of several Anna Maria Island fitness centers and take you through a routine sure to get your heart pumping or assist your body-part that may need strengthening.  With over 30 years of personal and fitness training, Jeff will be sure to get you back on the right track or help you mix up your fitness training while staying on Anna Maria.  Jeff prides himself in offering fun highly productive fitness. 

Another great option is to work out on the beach.  It’s more common than you think but it offers great relaxation as well as productive fitness.  After all, what better way to break a sweat than having an expert in their field show you new and great ways to keep yourself healthy and happy, all while doing it on the beach!

Another great idea is to have Jeff train your family, multiple couples, or multiple groups.  Jeff can help with groups and the best thing of all is your price per person will reduce as the group becomes larger.  If your family is like most families everyone could use a little help burning calories from all the great restaurants on Anna Maria Island. 

Jeff Levine
(941) 744-6883

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