Bejeweled & Bedazzled -Beading in Holmes Beach

      

 Looking for some shiny treasure while you are at the beach?  You need to look no further than Creations by L!  Tucked in the little shopping center across from Catcher’s Marina at 5500 Marina Dr.  Suite 2 in Holmes Beach, is a great little shop where you can pick up your own Island treasure.  This lovely little spot has beautiful jewelry hand made by store owner Lois Manza.  If you are looking for something to sparkle in the gorgeous Anna Maria Island sun, you can pick up a ready made piece off the shelf.  If you have something specific in mind, want to create a custom keepsake of your trip, or need a rainy day activity, you can head to the beading table, and create your own masterpiece.  The selections range to fit any budget including glass beads, semi-precious stones, and even Swarovski crystals.  Lois will help you create something to be proud of!  Throughout the year Lois hosts beading classes, so check with her to see when you can come in and learn the tricks of the trade! 

Anna Maria Island Beaches Are Simply Gorgeous!

Our beaches are still clean and oil free.  The sugar white sand is soft as ever, and the wild life is extraordinary!  My children and I were running up the North End beach the other night, and got to enjoy another one of our beautiful sunsets.  There are lots of turtles’ nests getting ready to hatch at this time of the year.  We saw at least five up on the beach near the Sandbar Restaurant.  Last weekend, during an earlier morning trek to the beach, we got to enjoy the crabs crawling all over the beach.   And there is never a shortage of shore birds flitting in and out of the turquoise water.   The breezes are blowing, the water is crystal clear, and the sand is ripe for building a castle fit for a king!

If you are looking for a place to stay (a little larger than a sandcastle!), Island Real Estate is happy to help!  Plan your trip today, and come enjoy all the wonders of Anna Maria Island.  Give us a call at 877-778-6066, and find your perfect  vacation accommodation with our Vacation Rentals team.  You can also get help planning your vacation activities, by checking out all the suggestions on our Top Ten Lists and Attractions section of our site.  Come enjoy the fantastic weather, and glorious clean white beaches of AMI!

Let’s Go to the Movies! The Bradenton Royal Palm Movie Theater shows ‘em all…

Every once in a while, a little rain must fall.  But when you are staying on Anna Maria Island, you still have lots to do, and lots of activities to choose from.   As we’ve mentioned before on our Top Six Things to Do on a Rainy Day blog , going to the movies can be a good way to pass the time away on a rainy afternoon, or a lazy afternoon, or any afternoon, or evening, for that matter.  Just a quick car ride across the Cortez Bridge and out 53rd Ave/SR70 will take you to the Carmike Royal Palm 20 Theater, where you can catch the latest releases on the big screen.  The Royal Palm 20 is located at 5125 26^th Street in Bradenton (map it here).  That’s right, 20 theaters playing the latest shows only a hop, skip and a jump (and about 20 minutes in the car) from the beach!   Check out their website for showtimes.  Their Super Bargain shows start at $6.00 and prices go up from there.  If you are a planner, you can head to Fandango and purchase your tickets to your favorite show online, ahead of time.  They also accept Visa and Mastercard at the ticket counter, and the concession stand. 

The last time we were there, the debate was not over which movie to see, but what to add to the popcorn!  The concession stand has a whole” Personalize your Popcorn” station.  You can add their tasty shakers o’ flavor to your classic movie snack.  They have savory and sweet flavors-including cheese!  But the winner for my crowd was our own purchase, and the old stand by- M&Ms!  It’s the perfect combination of savory and sweet…and it’s always a pleasant surprise in the dark of the theater, to guess how many chocolatey treats you might grab out of the bucket!  If you make it early for your show, there’s a seating area in the lobby where you can nosh while you wait.  There is plenty of signage too, to make sure you know which direction to head to catch your flick.   The theaters are good sized, and the seats are large and comfy, with cup holders big enough for those gi-normous drinks! 

So, if you are looking for a rainy day activity, or date night fun, head in to town to catch a movie.  They are SURE to be playing something you’ll enjoy at the Royal Palm 20!  Oh yeah, did I mention they have 3-D movies as well?  Sorry, these movies are a bit more expensive but they do supply 3-D plastic glasses to enjoy the movie with, and what a thrill!

Anna Maria Island Beaches are Beautiful!

Same old same old, visitors to Anna Maria Island continue to enjoy our oil free beaches.  I was just out to the beach and it was 90 degrees plus and was a perfect day.  A strong breeze coming from the North kept us cool as I built a sandcastle with my son.  Family visited recently as well and agreed, the sand on Anna Maria Island is white, soft and gorgeous. 

For our German friends visit our German Anna Maria Island Informational page.  It is full of tips, ideas for things to do, places to eat, places to shop and lots lots more.  Schedule your last minute trip today!  Anna Maria Island is open for business and Island Real Estate is waiting to answer any questions you have about Anna Maria Island Accommodations or things to do 7 days a week.  Give us a call!  877 778 6066

Sarasota – Lakewood Ranch outdoor Polo Club

If you are visiting Anna Maria Island from December until April and don’t have much to do on a Sunday then you

 should head out to Lakewood Ranch and enjoy a few hours of being outdoors and take in a polo match.  The Polo Club facility is over 130 acres with 9 outdoor polo fields and a covered open air pavilion with open air stadium seating.  When I visited a polo match there was just one match going which was plenty of fun.   If you click the aerial picture to the right you will see the Sunday field and once you get close on University the drive in is pretty obvious where to go and where to park.

The polo club allows for facility rentals and has a gift shop as well.  Most bring pets, lawn chairs, some snacks and beverages while sitting out on the field and watching the horse action.  If you arrive soon enough you can back your car up to pretty close to the field and tailgate while watching the polo match.  The match lasts about 2 hours in all but the play is really for 6 chukkers for seven minutes each.  If you are wondering what a chukker is, a hook, goal, etc then learn the lingo before your visit.  You can sound like a pro and then admit you visited their website.

The outdoor area allows for children to run and play.  During the polo match “half-time” they request everyone’s help to walk out on the playing field and stomp down the divots.  It is neat to walk out on the actual field and participate with everyone else stomping down the divots created by the polo match.  When I visited there was a hay ride during divot stomping that filled up the open time for younger children.   Of course the polo matches are pet friendly and a perfect spot to bring a pet.  Dogs are required to be on a leash at all times.

The Sarasota Polo club is a quick 30 minute ride off Anna Maria Island.   They do have a few special events around the holidays so check the Polo Club website for additional information.  Tickets are around $10 for each person and visiting the club on a Sunday polo match is a great activity for the entire family.  There are a few vendors there offering kettle corn and a few other items and you can contact an event coordinator to supply catering and/or beverages.

Sarasota – Lakewood Ranch Polo Club
8201 Polo Club Lane
Sarasota, Fl 34240
(941) 907-0000

Top Ten things to do with Pets on Anna Maria Island

I am married to a veterinary technician.  Dogs, cats, birds, snakes, lizards and lots of other pets are all part of the family.  So why leave your pet behind when Island Real Estate has so many pet friendly properties.  Let’s get down to business….the best spots to take Fido, the family pet while visiting Anna Maria Island.   Unfortunately, Anna Maria Island does not have any pet friendly beaches but there are plenty of other options.  By the way, not sure if this is the exact order but they are all great things to do!

#10 – Take a walk up in Anna Maria City with an easy to tie up leash.  So many places to visit and so many businesses that are excited to see your pets.  Just walk Pine Avenue or Rudy’s and string them up.  Rudy’s actually has a dog paw wall where you can measure the height of your pet(s).   Last time I was at Rudy’s sub shop they had a dish of water outside.  Don’t forget Ginney and Janie’s, they are pet friendly inside last I was there.

#9 – Go up to Bayfront park in Anna Maria City and enjoy a picnic while you enjoy the bay.  If you have children they can have fun on the playground as well. Grab a sandwich for a quick fun afternoon.

#8 – Go take a walk at Robinson’s preserve.  The park has a wonderful tower that has gorgeous views of the Tampa Bay.  There are miles and miles of walk way’s with pet friendly bag stands as well as paved walkways as well for roller bladers.

#7 – Go to the causeway and let your pet enjoy the beach and the water.  The causeway is the beach you see traveling to Anna Maria Island on Manatee avenue or State Route 64.  It is only about 1/4 of a mile from 75th Street on the mainland of Bradenton, Fl.  Just a short 5 minute drive of Anna Maria.  If you want to grab Google maps type in Anna Maria Island in and move the map East until you see Palma Sola Bay.  That is the spot where pets can play in the water.

#6) - Go visit Sarasota amd St. Armand’s circle.  The Circle in Sarasota is a fantastic shopping area with clothing,

 jewelry, artwork, etc.  Lots of great local gifts and trinkets to grab.  In addition, lots of ice cream shops and restaurants with outdoor seating that allow you to sit outside with your pet and grab a bite to eat.  If shopping is your passion then try Red Barn Flea market in Bradenton as well.  Much of the flea market is outside and there are some indoor areas however sorry, not absolutely sure they allow pets.  Here is a video of the Red Barn Flea market.

#5) – Go visit the Sarasota Bay and water park, Bay Front park.  There is a great park over by Marina Jack’s.  I am sorry we do not yet have a blog on this but hope to write one soon.  While there go grab a special treat for your pet in downtown Sarasota.  Grab a snack at Max’s dog bakery on main street in Sarasota.   Walk up and down main street window shopping, maybe even grab yourself a snack then stop in at Max’s dog bakery for a treat!

#4) - Fort Desoto Park in St. Petersburgh.  There is a very large dog park that allows for dogs to swim in the Ocean.

#3)  Just bringing your pet on vacation is a big treat.  Grab one of Island Real Estate’s pet friendly properties with a pool and let us know a pet will be using the pool during your reservation.  Many of our pool properties can be pre-arranged to be cleaned twice during your stay for no extra charge!  Island Real Estate’s vacation rental website allows you to search for only pet friendly vacation rentals!  They have made the process easy!  

#2)  Visit Lakewood ranch and take in a Polo match.   Horses and lots of spectators taking in the Polo action.  Polo matches are open to the public on Sunday’s and they typically start matches in December and they go until April.  The kids can take a hay ride on one of the breaks and your pet will love you for it.  Get out in the sunshine on their over 140 acres and spend some time outside where the entire family including your pet will create memories for a lifetime.   Check out the polo match video below.

#1)  Drum roll…. All dogs love to run and play take them to GT. Bray Park in Bradenton, Florida.  This is a fenced in park where dogs can run and have fun with lots of other dogs.  Of course you need to have a mild mannered dog as there are lots of dogs inside the area.

Oil Spill Visitor update and Tropical Depression Bonnie

Last night Tropical Depression Bonnie flew by on Anna Maria Island.  Frankly it was not much an event here, we see harder rains with most normal rain storms.  While I am not sure when the peak occurred I drove home around 6:45 PM EST last night which had to be close to the peak and it was sprinkling.  I am on the bay side of Anna Maria Island and our office is more in the middle of the island and not much happened yesterday except a little rain. 

This morning it looks like the sun is already peaking through at 7:30 AM and our Anna Maria Island Beaches are ready for visitors.  If you are lucky enough to be visiting Anna Maria Island today it looks like it is going to be a clear day at the beach!   Of course our normal late day shower is forecasted but come out and enjoy the beaches of Anna Maria !

I hope this update helped as a few comments revolved around concerns with Bonnie on the oil spill or their upcoming vacation.  We are in the clear, come out and enjoy Anna Maria Island.  If you delayed your plans to come to Anna Maria then visit our vacation rental accommodation website or call Saturday or Sunday 877 778 6066.  We have a few properties left for the next 3-7 nights.  Don’t forget our short stay special’s page which could help with a quick get-away.

 Thanks goes out to Troy Morgan for the great Aerial photo above. 

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Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Tampa Fl

Just a short drive over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge brings you to the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg. It is the permanent home of the world’s most comprehensive collection of the renowned Spanish artist’s work. With over 2000 pieces compiled by the private collector A. Reynolds Morse and his wife Eleanor Morse over a 45-year period, it is celebrated for its 96 oil paintings.  In addition to the 96 oil paintings, the collection includes over 100 watercolors and drawings, 1,300 graphics, photographs, sculptures and objects d’art, and an extensive archival library. Periodic rotations of the collection and special exhibitions allow museum goers to view new work on repeat visits.

Columbia Restaurant on St. Armand’s circle, Sarasota

 The Columbia restaurant is mainstay in Sarasota as well as Tampa.  If you are looking for fine dining with some shopping before or after the Columbia on St. Armand’s circle is a great choice.  They serve elegant dinners and lunches all year around.  Located on St. Armand’s circle the restaurant makes for a great day trip from Anna Maria Island.  Grab a lunch at the Columbia, walk around and go Shopping on St. Armand’s circle and pick up an ice cream as a mid afternoon snack.

The Columbia restaurantoriginally started in the Tampa area and you can find the Columbia in Tampa, St. Pete, Clearwater and several other Florida locations.  As soon as you walk up to the restaurant you feel a positive vibe.  There is limited seating outside of about 25-30 seats with at least 100 inside.  The elegant restaurant has a large interior bar and the exterior is made to feel like an extension of the interior.

Oil update for Anna Maria Island 7/15/2010

 

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