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The Christmas Lights Boat Parade

Saturday, December 12th was a perfect evening for the Christmas Boat Parade of Lights in Sarasota Bay. With balmy temperature and a mild breeze, it was comfortable for hundreds (thousands?) of people to gather on lawn chairs and picnic blankets on the grassy areas of Bayfront Park.


A few vendor tents offered appetizers and comfort food. The air was full of anticipation as everyone waited for the first bejeweled boats to come into view.
There were lots of oohs and aahs as the lead boats approached the marina.

We may not have snow in Sarasota, but we surely have beautiful light displays during the holiday season.

Walking in Siesta Village

I've always chuckled at the quote on a t-shirt in the window of the Beach Bazaar gift and apparel shop on Ocean Boulevard in Siesta Village: "A quaint drinking village with a fishing problem." Well, Siesta Key is more than that, of course, but it does offer lots of opportunity to eat, drink, and be merry.

In addition to the food and libations, many of the restaurants in the Village hire local musicians to provide entertainment, which gives a tropical soundtrack to your walk along the street. Here's The Hub Baja Grill, which is across from the Beach Bar. Both are very popular with vacationers.


The Lobster Pot reminds me of the fish shack restaurants familiar on Long Island and in New England. It's a long-time fixture on the corner of Ocean Boulevard and Canal Road. To the right is Siesta Key Market, an outdoor laundromat, and Siesta Key Hardware.











Last year, as part of the village-wide sidewalk redesign and landscaping project, Siesta Village added a brand-new gazebo for sitting and watching the world go by.


At the end of Ocean Boulevard, where it curves into Beach Road, you can walk onto Siesta Beach at Beach Access #5. Here's the sidewalk leading from Siesta Village up to Access #5, with lovely native grasses to the left.














In addition to restaurants and bars, Siesta Village offers lots of casual shopping, including jewelry stores, gift boutiques, a used bookstore, and ice cream shops.

Walking on Siesta Beach

The sands of Siesta Beach, on Siesta Key, in Sarasota FL, are 99% pure crystal. They are world-renowned for their soft, powdery texture.

Every day, Siesta Beach is groomed, to fluff up the sand for another round of beachgoers.


In contrast to beaches in other parts of the country, Siesta Beach parking is free and public, so everyone has access, via 10 different entry points.
















People of all ages enjoy walking along the blue-green surf, swimming, building sand sculptures, picnicking, riding their bikes, or quietly napping or reading a book.














In recent years, the small-scale wooden beach cottages that used to line Beach Road have been replaced by 3-4 story beach mansions in some places.
Siesta Village is an easy walk from any of the beach access points. Once you've had your fill of sand and surf, you can amble over for a meal at the numerous cafes and restaurants, stock up on basics at Siesta Key Market, or shop for beachwear, jewelry, and gifts in Village stores.

Island Park at the Sarasota Bayfront

Downtown Sarasota's Island Park is a beautiful multi-use greenspace that follows the arc of the shoreline at the west end of Main Street.


It's one of Sarasota's many delights that one minute you're walking along a city street with shops and restaurants, and the next minute you're ambling along the water's edge, surrounded by yachts,

small craft,
walking paths,
a playground, and numerous spots to read or rest under the shade of a banyan tree.


The panoramic view towards the John Ringling Bridge, which connects downtown to Lido Key, is not to be missed.
And, Sarasota being the artsy town that it is, you can enjoy permanent sculpture such as this exuberant dolphin fountain
and the very interesting "Season of Sculpture", a biannual temporary outdoor exhibit of large-scale creations that follows the curve of the bayfront. This year's selection is now installed, so make sure to schedule an amble along the Bayfront to see the artwork up close.

Sarasota Best Place in the News

If you live in Sarasota FL, you already know it's Paradise. Although, it's taken a drubbing in the real estate market the past couple of years. Now, from at least two national media sources, it's being recognized as the jewel it is.

On the Today Show a few days ago, Sarasota was named one of the top undervalued places in the U.S. to buy real estate. According to expert Barbara Corcoran, Sarasota tops the list because its home prices, which dramatically declined in recent years, have seen a sharp rise in the last 3 months. She said the median home price is now $175,800, up 13% this quarter. As a friend of mine likes to say, "Woo-hoo!" for anyone who owns an upside-down property or anyone who wants to buy a house in SRQ.

This is the same message that appeared in a July issue of U.S. News & World Report, which included Sarasota in its own list of 10 most undervalued places to buy. From that report:


"Sarasota, Fla. Another alluring option for those looking to buy into the depressed Florida housing market is Sarasota, McCabe says. Like Naples, Sarasota is a relatively upscale community along the state's west coast. "Sarasota has got a lot of culture to it—a lot of art, a lot of art festivals," McCabe says. "It's a nice boating community, and they have got a lot of beautiful homes there." And after home prices plunged 44 percent from the first quarter of 2006 to the first quarter of 2009, the market presents would-be buyers with some attractive opportunities. IHS Global Insight considers the median home price in Sarasota — $141,000 — to be 28 percent undervalued.

America's 10 Best Undervalued Places to Live: (Percent of undervaluation, according to IHS Global Insight.)

1. Las Vegas: 41 percent
2. Houston: 37 percent
3. Naples, Fla.: 33 percent
4. Oklahoma City: 29 percent
5. Sarasota, Fla. 28 percent
6. San Francisco: 25 percent
7. Atlanta: 24 percent
8. Omaha: 23 percent
9. College Station-Bryant Texas: 21 percent
10. San Diego: 21 percent"

Like the real estate folks always say, "Location, Location, Location." The economy may have its ups and downs, but the beauty of Sarasota's natural features and its convivial lifestyle continue to draw people to visit and relocate.

Selby Library, An Oasis Downtown

Sarasota has a habit of making things beautiful (well, with a few architectural exceptions downtown!). Selby Library looks like a graceful, gleaming mothership floating across from Five Points Park on First Street.


With columns that look like elephant legs, reminiscent of its circus heritage, the building offers shady relief from summer sun outside, and a 21st century research and reading facility inside.
On the first floor, you'll find the children's library, with a delightful entrance archway that's a real aquarium! On this floor are also new books, videos, books on tape, DVDs, and CDs. Also, a large magazine reading area and fiction collection.
Upstairs are numerous study pods with Internet computers. That's also where you'll find non-fiction, periodicals, quiet-rooms, and reference. There are meeting rooms on both floors. The facility has free wi-fi and work carrels, too. During Season, there are exhibits mounted on the mezzanine facade and in the center of the main floor.

Are you Ready for Season?

Walking east on Main Street in Sarasota FL during Season. Shopping, cafes, tra la.

Private Views from Public Places in Sarasota FL

Under the protective canopy of Selby Library in downtown Sarasota FL, a contemplative view with a boy and his dog for company. Across the street is a leafy park. To the left is Starbucks. Further down the street is Whole Foods Market Centre.

Sarasota is a small city that feels like a small town. Once you're downtown, you can walk to everything, including the expansive Sarasota Bayfront Park.