Accent On Tampa Bay Travel Stories - Volume 1

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TRAVELOGUE

Flint Riverquarium

Albany, Georgia — The Good Life

ocated in the Southwest part of the state, Albany has a good rep with industry magazines, who consider it to be a top-tier city with an attractive cost-of-living. The Flint River flows through the city and is a source of beauty and a great location for some new attractions. It wasn’t always so, however, when a devastating flood hit the city in 1994, it required a massive recovery effort on the part of the city and it’s inhabitants. Out of the bad comes good, and much revitalization has taken place since the flood. New museums and art — add in some interesting historical buildings, and you’ve got a really nice cultural base.

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Pebble Hill Plantation

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Meerkat at Chehaw State Park

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relaxing stroll (or jog) along part of the three mile long beautiful Riverwalk takes you past several attractions, including the terrific Riverquarium, which has a 175,000-gallon 22-foot deep outdoor aquarium with carp, bass, gar, sturgeon, and more of the fish you will find in the Flint River, and it follows the path of the river which ends up at the Gulf of Mexico (886 miles).

They have also installed a new bird aviary

rent version dating from 1931. The bridge was built by a slave-born African-American named Horace King, a master bridge builder who bought his freedom by working as a craftsman slave. As well as being a welcome center, Bridge House has some historic city memorabilia and also a hands-on, exact bronze miniature version of the Ray Charles sculpture created so that blind people may appreciate it as well. There is an excellent movie on Southwest Georgia shown upstairs in the building, which is a good way to start off your Albany visit. Oh, and there are also three ghosts who live at Bridge House — one of which apparently doesn’t like women — keeps opening the doors after they close them.

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e stayed directly across the street from Ray Charles Plaza at the Hilton Garden Inn, and so, were able to appreciate the plaza at different times of day and night, always reflecting on the amazing musical contributions of Mr. Charles. The hotel has a Flint Riverquarium exhibit

where they rehab injured birds. Their Adventure Center has changing exhibits and houses Georgia’s only Iwerks movie theater, which is huge at three stories tall and four stories wide .

Albany is the birthplace of the “Genius of Soul”, Ray Charles, and he has been memorialized in a moving (figuratively and literally) bronze sculpture by Andy Davis located on the bank of the Flint River. The sculpture of Ray capturing singing and play-

Ray Charles Plaza

ing the piano is surrounded by a fountain, and revolves slowly, taking 30 minutes for a full revolution, and going 24 hours a day.

Ray’s music is piped in from morning ‘til night, and special lighting creates a particularly soothing ambiance. Sitting on the park bench, listening to his music and the soft sound of the water is like attending a special concert for one.

Steps away from the Ray Charles Plaza is the 1858 Historic Bridge House, which is now Albany’s Welcome Center. It originally served as the toll house for traveling east and west on the Flint River bridge, the cur-

Thronateeska Planetarium

houses a large collection of traditional African art, and has rotating exhibits.

Also under the Arts Council umbrella is the Thronateeska Heritage Center, which includes a history museum, a science museum and a planetarium in a complex that includes an old 1936 train depot. The museum takes visitors through Albany area history beginning with the Creek Natives up to today. The Union Train Station has steam locomotives and rail cars, and an HO-scale model railway exhibit set up inside of the train cars. An impressive planetarium has a “SciDome” high-definition projection system with digital surround sound, and is the first of its kind in the world. You will see the universe as never before in the movies projected.

One of the most important and moving of Albany’s sites is the Civil Rights Museum and the 1906 Mt. Zion Church. The museum is well Hilton Garden Inn laid out, with many photos, stories and memorabilia. We were very great location for touring the area, and cre- privileged to be visiting the church at the ates a home-away-from-home atmosphere same time that the legendary Freedom for guests. Decor is warm, cozy and inviting Singers were performing. Every 2nd throughout the hotel and guest rooms, and Saturday of the month at one PM they come their extremely comfortable adjustable sleep and sing, be it a full house or only two souls. system beds are very welcome after a busy During the early 1960s they performed day. The convenient onsite American Grill hymns and spirituals throughout the country Restaurant serves a free hot breakfast, and is to raise funds for the Student Nonviolent also open for lunch and dinner.

Coordinating Committee (SNCC) for Civil Rights. Today they serve as an important he Albany Arts Council promotes the reminder of what man’s inhumanity to man different art, music and heritage organi- can be, and how far we’ve come, and how zations throughout Albany and is located in far we still have to go. the historic 1906 Neo-classical Rutha Harris leads the Freedom Carnegie Library (one of 2,500 Singers at the Mt. Zion Church. libraries Andrew Carnegie built scattered throughout the world), where they have monthly rotating art exhibits — definitely worth a visit.

The Albany Museum of Art is perfectly designed for displaying art, with great spatial areas and high walls. Their collection includes 19th and 20th century American and European paintings, sculptures, and photographs. The Museum also

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TRAVELOGUE cont...

flowing at 70,000 gallons per minute, with trace sources of radium, and has an extensive underwater cavern system. Back in the 20s there was a casino and resort on the property that attracted folks for the properties of the water which was thought to be healthful because of the radium element.

The water temperature is 68° year round.

The casino was heavily damaged by a flood in 1998 and consequently was demolished.

A botanical garden is currently in the works for the springs.

Southwest Georgia. It is an ideal place to take the family.

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e took a day trip over to nearby Thomasville, a charming city with refurbished historic buildings downtown, and trendy shops and restaurants. The cur-

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ome of you may remember Jim Fowler, the always entertaining wildlife expert from TV’s “Wild Kingdom” that used to appear on the Johnny Carson “Tonight Thomas Drug Store still operating since 1881 in Thomasville

Mt. Zion Church

Rutha Harris is the only original Freedom Singer in the current group, and her voice is the most powerful one we have ever heard. It’s guaranteed to bring chills down your spine. When the group sings soaring spirituals like “Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child”, it’s hard not to weep openly and reflect on our country’s sorrowful past.

Rutha told us about how Martin Luther King spoke from the pulpit in 1961 at the Shiloh Baptist church across the street, and how people who marched for freedom hid toothpaste and soap in their clothing, and wore extra padding under their clothes because they knew they would be arrested and (literally) dragged off to jail. Rutha herself was arrested three times in two weeks and hauled off to jail — dragged, but not beaten. Their music kept them motivated and even had a positive effect on some of the police at the time. Music is indeed a powerful tool for spreading the word.

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ne of the “Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia” is located in Albany — Radium Springs. It is the largest natural spring in the state with deep blue water Radium Springs

Chehaw Park walkway through natural setting

rent shops have plaques outside their building with the name and 1880s date of the original store at that location. The Thomas Drug Store is still operational, and their plaque is dated 1881, and Jerger Johnson Jewelers is still going since 1857, to name a few. A famous landmark in town is not a building, but rather a huge 322 year-old oak tree with a limb span that is wider than A horse and buggy ride around Pebble Hill Plantation.

Cheetahs get ready for their run.

Show” bringing all sorts of unpredictable wild animals with him. Jim is originally from Albany, and designed one of the best Niagara Falls is deep, and one of the largest nature parks we have ever seen, called east of the Mississippi.

Chehaw. Created 36 years ago, it is a 700 There are around seventy-four planacre park, 100 acres of which are a zoo kept tations in Southwest Georgia today, but only in a totally natural setting. You will find 55 two are open to the public. The other planspecies including rhinos, eagles, lemurs zebras, cheetahs, and crowd favorites — The charming city of Thomasville. meerkats. If you go to Chehaw, try to schedule your visit timed to catch the cheetah run — it’s amazing to see them in action.

The animals have plenty of space in which to roam, and the alligators have a huge natural swamp to live in. Jim is still actively involved with the park which has a BMX trail, RV camps, cabin, a fishing pond, a sightseeing train, lake for kayaking and canoeing, and the largest children’s play park in www.AccentOnTampaBay.com

the greatest racehorses of all time, “Man O’ War”. We had a delightful tour of the property via horse and buggy, and could see why it is a favorite place for a dream wedding.

We visited another plantation which is for serious wingshooters.

It’s the Wynfield Lodge, an Orvis endorsed Wingshooting Lodge. It’s a first class operation offering hunters the option of bringing their own dogs and guns, or they have everything available at the lodge.

Wynfield’s dogs include English setters, pointers, cockers, Brittany’s and labs, are from the best bloodPearly’s General Mgr. Carl Mann greets customers lines, get the best training, and are at the famous landmark.

Gorgeous wall paintings adorn several rooms at worth around $6,000 each.

Pebble Hill Plantation.

Wynfield’s accommodations are Riverfront BBQ is less than three years old, tations are privately owned and are either sumptuous cabins, and the main lodge but the crowds come for the great barbecued just being used as residences or are hunting serves fine Southern cuisine. pork offered up with your choice of 4 deliplantations. We visited Pebble Hill, which cious homemade sauces. Wraps, pasta and peaking of great was built in the 1820s. It was used as a great friendly atmosphere can Southern cuisine, resort plantation from the 1870s to the turn be found at Harvest Moon. of the 20th century, where wealthy we found it in abunThe Cheese Steak Sandwich is Northerners would come to spend winters dance during our really tasty! Folks pile into shooting quail. The property can still be Albany stay. The Blackbeard’s Restaurant for leased out for hunting. Pebble Hill is beau- Catch Restaurant had their huge portions, and alltiful, and reminiscent of “Tara” from Gone great seafood and a you-can-eat specials. Their With The Wind. It is set on 3,000 acres, with Cheese Grit Cake to fried seafood is a favorite. an old growth forest, and the home itself is die for. Pearly’s The Sunset Grill’s cuisine is Country now a fabulous museum time capsule of dif- Famous more California than Southern, ferent periods of the home’s life with origi- Cooking is the place The Catch serves great seafood and their and we enjoyed their baconpopular Cheese Grit Cake. nal furnishings. Thirty-six 1st edition to go for breakfast, wrapped scallops and a huge Audubon prints adorn the walls in addition where they serve a delicious full sit down plate of nachos. to some fine American sporting art. Pebble breakfast with the speed of fast food takeHill’s beautiful stables were created after a out. You had better know what you want lbany may provide the good life for design by Thomas Jefferson, and one of the when you get to the counter, or you will be residents, but it also delivers a good horses in the stable is a descendent of one of taken to task! Locals line up for Pearly’s. time for visitors.

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View from Wynfield Plantation Lodge

- www.albanygacvb.com www.albanyartscouncil.org www.albanymuseum.com , Albany, GA www.myspace.com/thecatch229 - www.parksatchehaw.org www.albanycivilrightsinstitute.org - Albany, GA www.hiltongardeninn.com Albany, GA - Albany, GA - www.flintriverquarium.com - Albany, GA - www.thomasvillega.com www.heritagecenter.org www.wynfieldplantation.com

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TRAVELOGUE

Story and Photos by Melissa Wolcott and Al Martino

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isiting the Washington area environs is a wonderful experience with being able to relive so much of our nation’s early history which is preserved for all time.

Getting there from Florida is another story. Driving the I95 north/south corridor is scenic in a few spots, but mostly a tedious and tiring ride. By the time you drive there, you just want to sleep for a few days — precious time you may not have.

Flying is good, but then you have to deal with the airport hassles and renting a car — which is pretty pricey around Washington.

The bus is, well, the bus.

After pondering this dilemma, we decided we would try another alternative — Amtrak’s Auto Train. It turned out to be a wise decision and a really fun time. next morning, we woke up in Lorton, had a nice continental breakfast in the dining car, and were refreshed and ready for sightseeing. lthough Amtrak has 500 stops in 48 states, the Sanford/Lorton route is the only Auto Train in the country. It has been mostly popular with snowbirds, who bring their cars south for the winter months and return north n the spring, but many families are discovering that it brings another dimension to their vacation plans, and kids espe-

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Photo courtesy of Amtrak

he Amtrak Auto Train is nonstop from Sanford, FL (north of Orlando) to Lorton, VA (near Washington, DC).

We left in the afternoon, and woke up the next morning at our destination. In the meantime, the cars were loaded onto the train while we enjoyed a little “happy hour” in the lounge car. We watched the sun set over interesting rural Florida scenery, while enjoying a nice dinner in the dining car. After dinner, we watched a movie that was being shown in the lounge car before retiring for the night. The

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Auto Train dining car.

cially love the experience. The Auto Train handles around 100,000 autos annually, and you might be surprised, as we were, that they take all manner of vehicles including SUVs, motorcycles, boats (up to 24 feet), U-Haul trailers, and Hummers. They can carry 300 autos per train, and 600 passengers in coach. It is the largest passenger train in the world. Although the train is rated for 125 mph, it only goes 70 mph for these trips. Not surprising is that fact that passenger numbers have increased yearly starting with 9/11.

You can choose different levels of comfort for your journey, such as coach seats, Roomettes (share a bathroom with others), sleepers (bedOff-loading a car from the Auto Train. room with bathroom and shower), family rooms, and larger bedrooms the width of the train. All meals are included with the trip, no matter which passage you choose. The Auto Train is the only train in U.S. that has a smoking section, but it has a good filtration system, so you don’t smell anything outside that section. You cannot ride the Auto Train if you don’t have a vehicle with you, and you don’t have access to your car once the train is in motion. hen we arrived at Lorton, we disembarked at a sleek new train station with a gift and coffee shop. We were then on our way to Alexandria, which is only a 20 minute

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1724 Home now the Visitor’s Center.

ride from the station. We started out at the Visitor’s Center, located in the oldest house in Alexandria (1724) and picked up some literature. In his late teenage years as a surveyor, George Washington laid out the city of Alexandria, so a Colonial Walking tour seemed in order. The town was originally inhabited mostly by farmers and sea captains.

Walking down King Street, we were pleased to note that even though there were a few fast food shops, they blended in with the colonial theme, so you only knew what it was by a small hanging flag with a simple logo. Many of the buildings are original to the time and have been turned into galleries and restaurants. The town’s Farmer’s Market is the longest continually running in the country, and Washington himself used to sell produce from his farm there. Prince Street (“Sea Captain’s Row”) is the only original cobblestone street left from colonial times, and is utterly charming. There Fast food restaurants blend has been a slight increase in into Alexandria’s colonial home values since the colonial theme. times, as the average homes are now worth between $2-3M in the old town section.

Even a home in the section that was once considered low income housing is worth about $900,000.

One interesting home still standing is the 1753 Carlyle House (from a prominent colonial family). Apparently, Mrs. Carlyle didn’t want the house to be haunted, so it was rumored she had a dead cat mummified, placed in a little coffin, and buried in a wall. When the house was restored in 1976, they discovered the dead cat in a wall near the front door. It is also reputed that the battle cry “No taxation without representation” began in the living room of this house.

Speaking of haunting (a colonial problem?) Gadsby’s Tavern Museum is reputed to have a resident ghost that appears in the upper left window. The tavern/hotel was often visited by the first three presidents, and has been restored and furnished to it’s The Carlyle House 18th century appearance.

A delightful restaurant is established in an old sea captain’s warehouse, called Union Street Public House. Charming gas lamps flicker against the old bricks, and decor combines the 18th and 19th century feel. We had some unique food combinations that were very tasty. The “Surf n’ Turf Club” was a triple decker sandwich with sliced sirloin, spiced shrimp, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and Remoulade Sauce. The “My Bar, My Rules” Steak was grilled filet mignon, sautéed onions, melted cheddar on an English muffin.

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The Innis House still stands on the site of the battle, riddled with bullet holes.

Serene Sunken Road was once the scene of tragic battles during the Civil War.

e drove over to Fredericksburg and checked in to the Hilton Garden Inn, which is in a developing area of hotels, shops, and a museum. The Hilton has a 24 hour business center, indoor pool and hot tub, and the rooms have microwaves, refrigerators and free internet access.

The complimentary breakfast is deluxe continental, with bacon, eggs, waffles, fruit and cereal.

Fredericksburg was the site of some major battles in the Civil War, and also where George Washington spent his boyhood. There are 40 blocks of a national historic dis-

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Historian Greg Metz describes the battle on Sunken Road.

trict with shops, homes and museums in the area. The 1862 battle is known as “Lee’s most one-sided victory”, and is focused on Sunken Road and the Stone Wall at Marye’s Heights. On site, Historian Greg Metz colorfully took us through the battle pointing out significant points of interest.

A most interesting stop we made was at the Rising Sun Tavern, built by George Washington’s youngest brother in 1760 as his private residence. It became a tavern in 1792 until 1827 when it was turned back into a private residence.

It remained with that family Rising Sun Tavern was once the for 150 years. residence of George Washington’s Restorations were made younger brother to turn it back to it’s tavern days, and it is now a fascinating glimpse into what life was like for travelers in colonial times. We learned that: Upper classes came in through the front door, lower classes in the back; There was one dining room for the men, and one for the ladies; Five men—strangers no less—slept in one bed, sitting up; A “necessary chair” was delivered to ladies on request; Checkout time was 4:00 AM, and at 3:00 AM, ladies were gotten up, dressed and sent off with a picnic basket for the day; cost per night was 1 1/2 shillings (25¢), and consider that $200 per year was the average income for upper class. The tavern used indentured servants who worked for 4 years, and were then free to go their way.

Most were young women age 15-25 who came to this country to find husbands. The tavern owner paid $10 per head for passage for the servants, mostly from the British Isles. It was considered the best hotel for 50 miles around.

Fifty miles equals 14-15 hours in a carriage. It all makes you kind of Docent on the Rising Sun Tavern tour. glad to be traveling in the 21st century.

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Photo courtesy of Half Moon Bay Brewing Co.

currently on display, which will expand to 220 as they add on. Twenty-five of the aircraft are one-of-a-kind left in the world. nother twenty mile ride and we were back at the Lorton Station for our relaxing trip on the Auto Train back home. The sleeper provides comfortable private seating by day, and in the evening an attendant converts the seat into a bed, with an upper bed folding down from the wall. It took a clever bit of engineering to get a toilet, sink, shower and two beds into the compact area.

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olks traveling from Florida without a car use the services of Amtrak’s Silver Meteor or Silver Star. Amtrak even has a guest rewards program (similar to frequent flyers). They also have vacation packages available with rail/ cruise and rail/fly, and work closely with travel agents. Rail passes are available, and a Florida rail pass gives you one year of unlimited travel for Florida residents. There are also attraction discounts for rail riders.

F Gari Melchers home and studio.

mpressionist artist Gari Melchers Home and Studio is located in Fredericksburg, and is a wonderful 18th century estate named Belmont, which houses the largest collection of his works in the world. Melchers purchased the house in 1916, and painted there until he died in 1932. All furnishings and artwork are original to the Melters family.

The grounds are beautiful, and visitors are welcome to stroll around.

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oving up in time, a visit to the area would not be complete without a trip to the Udvar Hazy Museum, which is near the Washington Dulles International Airport. The incredible museum houses thousands of the Smithsonian’s aviation and space artifacts, the centerpiece being the space shuttle Enterprise. Among the aircraft on display are the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird (the fastest jet in the world) the Boeing Dash 80 (prototype of the 707) and the B-29 Enola Gay. The hangar museum has 750,000 square feet of space, is 3 football fields long, and measures 103 feet from floor to ceiling. One hundred twenty eight aircraft are

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hen you’re thinking about heading north with your car — especially with the family in tow — consider the advantages of taking the Auto Train, and become an “easy rider.” You’ll never hear the words “Are we there yet?”

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If You Go...

AMTRAK - 1-800-USA-RAIL; www.Amtrak.com BELMONT - www.GariMelchers.org CARLYLE HOUSE - 703-549-2997 GADSBY’S TAVERN MUSEUM - www.gadsbystavern.org HILTON GARDEN INN, Fredericksburg www.hiltongardeninn1.hilton.com OLD TOWN EXPERIENCE WALKING TOUR, Alexandria 703-836-0694 RISING SUN TAVERN - www.apva.org/risingsuntavern UDVAR HAZY MUSEUM - www.nasm.si.edu/udvarhazy UNION STREET PUBLIC HOUSE www.unionstreetpublichouse.com

Udvar Hazy Museum

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TRAVELOGUE

BEAUTY & FASHION

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iologique Recherche L’Eauxygenante is a protective hydrating, stimulating, toning and oxygenating multifunctional facial spray, which provides a vitamin mist containing high concentrations of A and C. A treatment in itself, L’Eauxygenante is used in several Biologique Recherche facials and skin care regimens. Active ingredients include: natural sources of vitamin C (kiwi extract and orange extract), Biologique Recherche’s exclusive oxygenating complex and edelweiss extract containing a high concentration of natural anti-free radicals.

The fluid is to be sprayed over skin after using cleansing milk and before serum and cream. It is also excellent to use throughout the day to refresh the skin.

You can find Biologique Recherche products in exclusive spas and medical practices, and online at www.biologique-recherche.com

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icrodermaMitts are a 100% natural and chemical free alternative to Chemical Peels and Microdermabrasion. The MicrodermaMitt Face Mitt and Body Mitt are reusable, all natural exfoliating mitts that instantly and thoroughly remove the top layer of dead cells. As they exfoliate, they clean pores of oil, bacteria, lotions, soap and other buildup. Immediately, skin glows and becomes smoother.

Just wet the mitts with warm water and rub. In just a couple of minutes, beautiful and glowing skin looks and feels smoother, younger and healthier.

Visit www.microdermamitt.com for more information.

State-Of-The-Art Hair and Nail Salon “European School of Hair Design”

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ACCENT On Tampa Bay

e had the pleasure of visiting Augusta, GA, during their First Annual Westobou Festival, which turned out to be a great success for the city.

The festival takes place over two weekends in September, and plans for 2009 are well under way. The city collectively opened its hearts and hospitality to all to show off their “goods” — and they have plenty of them.

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inerase Cream with SPF 30 defends skin from the #1 cause of premature skin aging while providing superior moisturization, improving skin tone and reducing the appearance of aging - gently and effectively.

The non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic, fragrance-free and dye-free formula is non-irritating and ideal for sensitive skin including those with dermatosis, eczema, and rosacea.

Key Ingredients are Kinetin, a plant-based technology, that improves the appearance of aging and sun-damaged skin.; Avobenzone, which provides protection against UVA rays; Homosalate, which absorbs UVB rays; and Octocrylene, a chemical UVB sunscreen with strong water resistant properties.

Visit www.kinerase.com for more information.

Westobou Festival and Southern Charm

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evonia Botanica offers a comprehensive line of products to pamper and care for the face, body, hands and feet, as well as a line of products specifically formulated for men and sun care. Each Pevonia Botanica cream is formulated as an advanced microemulsion. This process allows for thorough and even skin penetration and preservation of skin’s natural moisturizing factor, enabling the skin to achieve optimum results.

Pevonia Botanica products are comprised of a selection of the finest natural botanical and marine ingredients including essential oils, hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, caviar and marine collagen, and many other vital components.

Ligne Myoxy-Caviar Caviar & Pearl Timeless Repair Cream is an anti-aging solution that smooths wrinkles, resuraces skin texture, revuvenates, and keeps skin hydrated.

Ligne Homme - Spa Care for Him is an age defying Caviar Balm, that repairs damaged skin, renews and restores moisture, and smoothes fine lines and wrinkles.

Ligne Tropicale - Tropicale De-Aging Body Line Saltmousse removes impurities and toxins by gently polishing, energizing and refining the skin.

For more information, visit www.pevonia.com.

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hat does Westobou mean? It is the former name of the Savannah River which runs through Augusta, and was derived from the Westo native American Indians that lived in the area. The Westobou River was important to the life of those early inhabitants, just as it has been to the area occupants down through the years to the present day. Modern Augusta has a beautiful tree-lined Riverwalk running along the Savannah, with museums, a hotel and restaurants. This was also the main site of the Westobou Festival, which gave a nod to the arts, entertainment and lots of good ethnic cuisine from around the world. Actually, the whole city embraced the festival, so there were Westobou-related activities everywhere, with 26 venues and over 200 performances.

One of the festival’s arts features was “Slow Dancing”, a magnificent display of 43 larger-thanlife, hyper slow motion video portraits of dancers and choreographers from around the world displayed individually, but simultaneously, on 3 huge screens. At first they appear to be still photographs, but as you watch you see barely perceptible movements. The photos are shot at 1,000 frames per second, whereas standard film is at 30 frames per second. Quite fascinating and mesmerizing.

Although Westobou was the draw the weekend we were there, we enjoyed a lot more that the city has to offer . . .

ACCENT On Tampa Bay

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Sunday Brunch. Their dinners showcase a sumptuous selection of steaks, seafood, burgers, and sandwiches.

If you’re lucky like we were, you might even get to see Mark Twain pay a visit. Actor Bob Rollins uncannily portrays Mr. Twain at age 70, telling stories and homilies to a rapt audience. Rollins is so well versed in the man, we felt like we were seeing Twain incarnate — Bob Rollins as Mark Twain especially in the Partridge verandah setting which was of his time period, although not his locale.

TRAVELOGUE cont...

The Partridge Inn

Photo courtesy Partridge Inn

e stayed at the beautiful 1836 Partridge Inn, which retains it’s classic Southern charm but has all the modern amenities you could want. Many heads of state and other luminaries have stayed there through the years, and wonderful old photographs in the public

“Slow Dancing” exhibit at the Westobou Festival.

Photo courtesy Slow Dancing

areas attest to the hotel’s history. It is also a favorite hotel of participants and visitors of the Masters Golf Tournament played at the Augusta National every year.

The rooms are spacious with very comfortable beds. Our guestroom had a doorway to the verandah where we could sit and enjoy an evening breeze, or have a cup of coffee in the morning.

The Partridge Inn’s Verandah Grill Restaurant is a popular restaurant in the area, and is especially known for it’s award-winning

trolling along Riverwalk, we stopped at the Morris Museum of Art, which is beautifully laid out and lighted for their over 5,000 pieces of art dedicated to Southern art and culture.

Also on the Riverwalk is St. Paul’s Church, which is the oldest in Augusta, having been established in 1750. The present Georgian Colonial building was completed in 1919, after several churches burned down on that spot St. Paul’s Church through the years. The only relic from the original church is the baptismal font. Located in the church yard is a cannon brought from England in the 1730’s by General Oglethorpe (who founded and named the town Augusta after the then Princess of Wales in 1737.) ugusta has a lot of non-chain restaurants which are always a pleasure to experience. The Boll Weevil Cafe and Sweetery is located in an old cotton warehouse (1840), and they have kept the old brick walls and wood beams for a rustic atmosphere. Their sandwiches are unique and tasty (with quirky names), and their homemade soup delicious,

but it is the giant 10” tall cakes that are the star at this eaterie.

When you first walk in, you see a glass display case with cakes unlike any you have ever seen before. One slice of these heavenly goodies is definitely enough to share with your party. Boll Weevil Another outstanding Cafe’s 10” tall cake restaurant is The Bee’s Knees Tapas Restaurant with a global reach, including Thai, Spanish, Cajun, Mediterranean, Japanese and French cuisine.

We had some incredible and unusual tastes that we are still talking about. One of which is their Avocado Chop Chop, a baked half avocado with crab & Japanese Aioli. Another is the Sesame Tuna Tartare, Diced Sashimi in a Sesame-Soy Sauce with Sticky Rice and Fried Wonton. Tapas is nice for sharing, but you may want to keep these dishes all to yourself. ugusta’s past is brought to life in the marvelous 1996 Augusta Museum of History, which covers 12,000 years of the region. Starting on the first floor you will find exhibits on the early inhabitants, up through the Colonial period, the Civil War, Reconstruction, to WWs I & II, and up to the 50s. Upstairs is the special exhibit gallery, which currently is showing the “Remembering the Augusta National”; “From Ty to Cal: A Century of Baseball in Augusta”; and “The Godfather of Soul, Mr. James Brown.”

James Brown had a desperate childhood in Augusta, but managed to climb up and out of destitution and become an important figure in the history of music. He also changed music.

In 1965, with “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag,” he decided to shift the beat of his band. “I changed from the upbeat to the downbeat,” Mr. Brown said, “Simple as that, really.” He was widely imitated by other performers such as Michael Jackson and Mick Jagger. Things you may not James Brown’s know: James played drums, silk suit at piano, and guitar and wrote Augusta Museum of over 5,500 songs; He was a History life-long Republican and had dinner at the White House during the Nixon Administration. The James Brown exhibit runs through May, 2011.

There is a visitor’s center in the museum, and folks can pick up a pass for more than 50% off all attractions in Augusta. long the Augusta Canal are old cotton mills, and you can take a narrated canal boat ride to learn the history of these old buildings. The Augusta Canal is the longest continuing operating canal in the U.S., and was dug by hand mostly by African American, Irish, Italian and Chinese workers, starting in the 1840s. It connects to the Savannah River. It took five years to complete eight navigable miles, and in the 1880s it was widened, which took another three years. The canal was created to harness energy to run the mills, and used to transport goods between cities on boats that were pushed along by using long poles in Cotton loom display at the the shallow canal.

Enterprise Mill Today canoes and kayaks are available to leisurely enjoy the canal and maybe catch sight of some white tailed deer, otters or beavers. Fishing is also good, with 67 different types of fish in the waterway.

The canal still provides drinking water and electricity for some of the buildings. One of which is the Enterprise Mill, which is now a museum about the canal and the cotton industry. Displays include functioning textile looms, life-sized models of canal construction and mill worker life, giant turbines in action, and other authentic artifacts. Back in the day, there were no child labor laws, and children worked 12 hours a day, 6 days a week alongside the adults in the mills.

concerts along the street. We visited the Zimmerman Gallery, owned by working artist, Lou Ann Zimmerman, who also happens to be one of the elite group of Whiskey Whiskey painter Lou Ann Zimmerman Painters. It is an exclusive club with only 150 members, and they specialize in miniature painting. The name “Whiskey Painter” comes from the first such artist in the 1950s who visit his favorite watering hole with a little pad of paper and paints, and dip his brush into his glass of booze to the amusement of his friends.

His “whiskey paintings” soon became a desired commodity. Today’s whiskey painters just use a few drops of whiskey in their water, more just for tradition. art of the Westobou Festival was a show at the Imperial Theatre, a wonderful old 1918

establishment that has been refurbished to reflect it’s former glory. We enjoyed the Augusta Opera’s presentation of “Sweeney Todd”.

Also part of the Westobou Festival, the eclectic Off-Broad Street theatre Le Chat Noir presented “Forbidden Broadway” which is a hilarious twisted “Forbidden musical comedy Broadway” at Le Chat Noir about familiar Broadway show tunes. The four person cast performed brilliantly with no stage sets, and just a few props.

The showbiz mantra is “Leave them wanting more” and they did. ugusta left us wanting more also. We’d like to go back — maybe in September to see what new delights the city and Westobou have to offer.

n downtown Augusta, art galleries, studios, specialty shops and restaurants have revitalized Broad Street into a charming artsy colony. On the first Friday of every month, on what is known as “Artist’s Row”, the various shops have receptions in conjunction with free

www.delta.com www.augustacanal.com www.augustamuseum.org www.beeskneestapas.com www.thebollweevil.com www.imperialtheatre.com www.LCNaugusta.com www.themorris.org www.slowdancingfilms.com www.partridgeinn.com 2009 dates are 9/1828/09. www.westoboufestival.com www.AugustaArtistsRow.com

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ities’ visitors bureaus like to tout that they have “everything” for the resident and tourist, which is not always the case. Baltimore, however, does have everything.

Maryland’s amazing city located on Chesapeake Bay has much to offer. I spent three days of intense sightseeing there and realize I barely scratched the surface.

Story and photos by Melissa Wolcott Martino

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OT say can you see b early light, What we hailed at the t gleaming, Whose b and bright stars perilous fight, O’er we watched, were streaming? And red glare, the bom he Fairfield Inn & Suites in Baltimore’s Downtown Inner Harbor is the ideal place to call home while visiting the city. The 3-year old eco-friendly hotel is centrally located on the route of the Baltimore Heritage Walk which connects four neighborhoods and four centuries’ worth of historic sites and museums that includes the Inner Harbor, Little Italy, Historic Jonestown, and City Center. Although the red brick hotel is new, it was created to fit in with it’s historic location. Brick walls with indirect lighting and comfy chairs adorn the inviting lobby, and iconic Baltimore photos line the walls leading to elevators and guest rooms. The hotel has all the ameni-

ties one could wish for, with a complimentary breakfast, fitness room, restaurant, and all the modern touches in the guest rooms.

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always start my trip at a city’s visitor’s center, where you can find out all about the area and what it has to offer. Baltimore’s Visitor Center is conveniently located right in the Inner Harbor which is the most visited section of the city.

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altimore’s Inner Harbor is famous for “getting it right” on how best to utilize a city’s waterfront. History and hip blend together to make it attractive to everyone, with shops, restaurants, museums and boat cruises.

A major seaport since the 1700s, you will find the Baltimore Maritime Museum here with four historic ships, including the USS Constellation — the only Civil War ship still floating today; the USCGC Taney, the last surviving warship of Pearl Harbor; USS Torsk submarine, completing over 10,000 dives; and the Lightship Chesapeake. It is fascinating to be able to climb aboard these ships and explore. Children are equally enthralled.

The nearby Maryland Science Center features a planetarium, an IMAX theater and hands-on exhibits.

Baltimore’s National Aquarium houses more than 16,000 creatures in their naturalistic habitats. You will see sharks, sea turtles, and dolphins as well as monkeys, sloths and puffins among all the species. Don’t miss the amazing Jelly fish exhibit — I guarantee you’ll see creatures you didn’t know existed. www.AccentOnTampaBay.com

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O say can you se light, What so pr I twilight’s last gle B stripes and brigh perilous fight, O’e watched, were so And the rockets’ bursting in air, G night that our fla BALTIMORE

learned what the city had at the Visitor’s Center, and now to see it, I chose the Baltimore Sightseeing Trolley 90 minute Tour for a good overview.

Our affable guide, Bob Oliver, pointed out many different interesting spots and gave us some history about them. I made note of what I wanted to go back and explore in more depth later on.

&O Railroad may be known as a spot on the Monopoly game board, but it was a very important railroad in real life, and played a crucial part in the Civil War. I’m not going to go into a history lesson here (not that I am well versed enough to anyway) but if you visit Baltimore’s fascinating B&O (Baltimore & Ohio) Museum, you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about trains and the railroad’s history.

The current exhibit is “The War Came By Train” and it continues through 2015. Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War, the exhibit points out that between April 19, 1861 (The Baltimore Riot of 1861) and April 21, 1865 (Lincoln’s funeral train leaving Baltimore for Illinois), the B&O was a big part of the conflict.

The B&O Roundhouse has the largest collection of railroad equipment in the world including eight locomotives and cars that served during the war, interpretive signage, video presentations, and life-size historic dioramas.

On October 13-14, 2012, the B&O Railroad Museum will hold their annual Steam Days, this year focusing on Civil War period steam power and including a Civil War encampment. Passengers will be able to ride west to the Whistle Stop Gateway located near the Museum’s Restoration Facility where they will be able to leave the train and visit a Civil War camp and see the “William Mason” under steam. Built in 1856, the Mason is the only operating Civil War steam engine in the USA, and pulled President Lincoln’s inaugural train. In camp, members of the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry, Company E and the 1st Maryland Volunteer Infantry will be on hand to talk about the life of Union soldiers during the war and will conduct demonstrations and military drills. Blacksmiths will also demonstrate their craftsmanship.

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ee by the dawn’s roudly we hailed a eaming, Whose br ht stars through th er the ramparts w o gallantly stream red glare, the bo Gave proof throug ag was still there; W

hen one visits Baltimore, one MUST visit Camden Yards, home to the Baltimore Orioles and some notable moments in baseball history. It was here, after all, that Cal Ripkin, Jr. broke Lou Gehrig’s record of 2,130 consecutive games played, and hit a home run. In the walking zone behind the bullpens you can find sculptures of retired jersey numbers and players—the most famous of which has to the “The Babe”, Babe Ruth, a native Baltimorean.

If you are a diehard Ruth fan, just follow the 60 painted baseballs from his statue, and it will take you to the Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum.

A few blocks from the stadium is the Sports Legends Museum where you can review the careers of Maryland sports figures from yesterday’s Johnny Unitas up to today’s Michael Phelps.

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oly heart failure, Batman!” One of my favorite Baltimore stops was Geppi’s Entertainment Museum, a really fun, cool assemblage of pop culture, adjacent to Camden Yards. This is a “must see” for the comic book/action hero fan, as well as nostalgia for games and artifacts from the past (starting from the 17th century to today.) It includes such items as comic books, movie posters, toys, buttons, badges, cereal boxes, trading cards, dolls, figurines, video games and on and on, filling up 16,000 square feet. What makes this astonishing assemblage even more amazing is that it is the collection of one man — Stephen A. Geppi, President and CEO of Diamond Comics Distributors. He started collecting comic books in 1972, and never looked back. Considering the current value of some of these old comics, his collection is priceless.

On display is the 1938 Action comic where Superman makes his first appearance (worth at least $1M), and the Detective comic where Batman first appears, among many, many more. I learned that when Superman first “arrived” he didn’t fly, he leapt — as in “...able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.”

He didn’t fly until Superman became a radio show in 1940.

AND, our favorite couple Blondie and Dagwood had an interesting start. Seems that Blondie Boopadoop was a flapper, and Dagwood was the heir to the Bumstead fortune.

Dagwood’s parents forbid him to marry her, so he gave up his inheritance for love, marrying Blondie in 1933. Their marriage has lasted for 79 years.

Who knew?!

For a diehard comic book fan, Geppi’s alone is reason enough to visit Baltimore. (They also have a pretty good gift shop!)

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or history buffs, there are wonderful free guided and self-guided walking and driving tours of historic areas, that can be picked up at the visitor’s center. Baltimore played an important role in American history, and much of it has been preserved for future generations.

At the Civil War Museum where you can learn about Baltimore’s pivotal involvement in the war, from the first bloodshed to the bloodiest single day battle at Antietam to the story of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad.

The Heritage Walk takes you through Little Italy to the the East Coast’s largest museum of AfricanAmerican heritage, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, which strives to collect, preserve, document and exhibit the contributions of African-American Marylanders from the state’s earliest history to the present and the future. The museum’s permanent exhibition includes three beautifully displayed galleries: Things Hold Lines Connect, Building Maryland, Building America and The Strength of the Mind.

Next door is the house where the Star-Spangled Banner was sewn. There is dispute about whether Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag, but none about whether Mary Pickersgill sewed the Star Spangled Banner that flew over Ft. McHenry and inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the National Anthem. The original flag (now in the Smithsonian as one of it’s most treasured artifacts) originally measured 30 X 42 feet, and it’s current size is 30 X 34 feet. She was assisted in her task by four other people. Her home (now called the Star Spangled Banner Flag House) is set as it was in 1812, and affords a glimpse into the life of the early 19th century Baltimore resident.

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t’s only a few miles to Ft. McHenry to see where the Star Spangled Banner flew during the 1814 Battle of Baltimore. Built around 1798, the fort has played part in all wars up to WWII in some capacity. Today it looks as it did during the Civil War. Cannons (and there are a lot of them) are all original. A self-guided tour of the fort takes one to two hours, and you will see how the soldiers lived and worked during the different eras. On certain days you can catch the Fort McHenry Guard performing drill, musket and artillery demonstrations.

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ee by the dawn’s roudly we hailed a eaming, Whose br ht stars through th er the ramparts w o gallantly stream red glare, the bo Gave proof throug ur flag was still th A replica of the original 15star, 13-stripe flag flies over Ft. McHenry 24 hours a day, and can actually be seen from 9 miles away in Chesapeake. I was privileged to be part of the folding of a 17 X 25 ft. flag during my visit to the fascinating fort.

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altimore dining proved to be a treat as well. There are so many diverse restaurants, but when in Maryland you have to sample what it is most famous for - crab cakes. Woodberry Kitchen was recommended, and it didn’t disappoint. The Tilghman Island Crab Cake was heavenly. Woodberry has an open kitchen and a woodburning oven, and they use local organic produce, sustainable fish & shellfish.

Located in the historic Federal Hill area, Spoons Cafe is the popular place to go for breakfast, with a full menu of benedicts, omlettes, frittatas — eggs prepared every which way, and served by a friendly staff. They are also open for lunch and dinner.

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O say can you see by the dawn’s early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming, Whose broad stripes and bright stars BALTIMORE

B&O Brasserie is located in the old B&O Railway Headquarters, and the restaurant utilized the building’s original Beaux-Arts architecture, cleverly incorporating touches from old RR dining cars into chairs and table lamps. The menu is modern American cuisine, and the fare delicious. My Adobo Braised Pork Shank with smoked black bean risotto and pickled pear-arugula was succulent and tender.

The Lebanese Taverna is a bright Morocco/modern restaurant that has been family owned for 33 years, and is within walking distance from the Inner Harbor. I sampled some new tastes here, and all were successful. Hummus and unique flatbreads started the meal, and my entree was a savory mixed dish of kafta, lamb and chicken with grilled vegetables.

There were a lot of vegetarian choices as well as a gluten-free menu.

In the historic Fells Point district, is Alexander’s Tavern, a lively place with some unique tavern fare. Macaroni and cheese pizza?

Or how about for breakfast French Toast stuffed with cookie dough? I know you’re saying “Oh no you dit’n” but I did. And it was delicious. And I am not sorry. I was on vacation. It doesn’t count.

As I said earlier, I merely scratched the surface of what there is to see and do in Baltimore, which begs for a return visit. I will definitely return, and I might even have some more cookie dough French toast. Really.

If You Go...

Alexander’s Tavern - www.alexanderstavern.com/ Baltimore Sightseeing Trolly Tour www.baltimoretrolley.com/ B&O Railroad Museum - www.borail.org/ B&O Brasserie - www.bandorestaurant.com/ Civil War Museum - www.civilwarbaltimore.com/ Fairfield Marriott Inn & Suites www.greenfairfieldinn.com/ Fort McHenry - www.nps.gov/fomc/index.htm Geppi’s Entertainment Museum www.geppismuseum.com/

Inner Harbor www.baltimore.org/about-baltimore/inner-harbor/ Lebanese Taverna - www.lebanesetaverna.com/ Maritime Museum - www.historicships.org/ Reginald F. Lewis Museum www.africanamericanculture.org/ Spoons - www.spoonsbaltimore.com/ Sports Legends & Babe Ruth Museums www.baberuthmuseum.com/ Star Spangled Banner Flag House www.flaghouse.org/ Visit Baltimore - www.baltimore.org/ Woodberry Kitchen - www.woodberrykitchen.com/

Southwest Airlines has many daily 2 1/2 hour non-stop flights from Tampa to Baltimore, with some very attractive fares (check out the web only fares!) www.southwest.com/ Please visit our photo gallery for many more photos of this trip:

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TRAVELOGUE

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e already knew we liked cruising and the Bahamas, so this clever concept sounded like a fun trip. We chose the one night over cruise, two nights at the resort, and the return one night cruise. Our four night getaway satisfied both pleasures for us.

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he 1,500-passenger MS Bahamas Celebration is a smaller size cruise ship (originally a cruiseferry) that has been totally renovated and updated with a $10 million makeover into an attractive ship with the same amenities you will find on her

supervised and age-appropriate kids clubs with a variety of games and activities. There’s also a kids’ water park area with a 180-foot water slide. Wifi is available in the lobby for a price (not cheap, but that’s true on all cruise ships.)

We found the food to be quite good, and at least comparable to the large cruise ship lines, and in some cases, surprisingly better.

One thing the ship doesn’t have at this time is 110 AC current (they use European 220 DC) so your hairdryers and any electronic devices you bring with you will not work. If you care about this, you should bring a converter with you. arriving in Freeport, pasU pon sengers can enjoy the

Our Lucaya pretty much has everything you could possibly need for a resort vacation, with golf courses, tennis, a spa, casino, dining, steps to shopping, and all sorts of water sports along their 370-acre stretch of soft-sand beach.

excursions they signed up for on the ship, such as snorkeling, horseback riding, glass bottom boat rides or they can spend the day at Our Lucaya Beach and Golf Resort, before heading back to the ship by 4:30 larger counterparts, but scaled down, and less glitzy. A lot of people prefer this more intimate size to the new mega-ships. To our delight, we found our modern outside cabin to be the same size that we are used to on the

PM. The folks that chose to stay over on the island head over when the ship docks to check in to the resort. Hint: Everyone arrives at the same time, so you may want to plan to drop your suitcases with the bellman and enjoy the resort or tool around Freeport for a few hours to avoid the long line at check-in.

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he five-star Our Lucaya Resort is actually two separate hotels on one large property. The Reef Village is a more casual style, and the luxurious Radisson is a bit more posh. We, being more laid back, stayed in the Reef Village, and had a lovely tropical-style room overlooking the pool and gorgeous blue waters of the Caribbean beyond. large cruise ships. (The Bahamas Celebration is not to be confused with Carnival’s ship named Celebration, as it is not associated with Carnival.)

The ship offers four restaurants, a casino, nightclub, lounges, live shows and entertainment, dancing, a spa, pool, and jacuzzis. There’s something going on at all times for those who are interested in a lot of ship activities. For kids, there are three

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his “combo” cruise/Bahama vacation, or any version of it, should satisfy anyone who, like us, enjoys both.

For more information about Bahamas Celebration, visit www.celebration-cruise-line.com and more more information about Our Lucaya Resort, visit www.ourlucaya.com

GAMING SCENE

CityCenter doesn’t just contain art, it is art. The interior and exterior architecture of the buildings is like no other in Las Vegas, a constantly Art fronts 3 restaurants at Aria

changing city of new and unusual concepts. Juxtaposed leaning buildings, areas with no right angles, cantilevered sections, and art incorporated into the designs are what make CityCenter so unique and amazing. Kudos to the eight of the world’s foremost architects chosen for their visions. Strategically displayed throughout CityCenter is $40 million of art, some by long established artists (Henry Moore, Claes Oldenburg), and Chef Julian Serrano some by hot new artists (Maya Lin, Jenny Holzer) and all very captivating. Water plays a big part in the CityCenter scene, with a lot of fountains and water features designed by the creative WET company (responsible for the magnificent Bellagio fountains) — all part of CityCenter’s sustainable design.

CityCenter

Crystals

Still to open are the Veer Towers, 2 residential 37 story high-rises that are built at a five-degree incline; and The luxurious Harmon Hotel and Spa which will feature a pool deck perched 100 feet above the strip and elite retail shops.

We stayed at the CityCenter’s beautiful new boutique hotel, Vdara, which is a nosmoking, no-casino hotel and condos.

This is a great find for folks like us who don’t smoke, but still enjoy what Vegas has to offer with dining and entertainment. The modern decor guest rooms are all suites decked out in everything stateof-the-art. The 42” Digital LCD TV even addressed us by name when we turned it on. Vdara’s beds and pillows are the most comfortable we have ever slept on — we even ordered their pillows for our home. The hotel has an attractive lobby bar, and the atmospheric Silk Road Restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Vdara’s spa has a highly qualified staff and quality salon products, and a full fitness center. The hotel is connected to the Bellagio Hotel/ Casino and just steps away from CityCenter’s Aria Hotel/Casino.

Photo courtesy of CityCenter

Aria guest suite

rituals, wellness center, and yoga studio. People will be pleased to now be able to experience this in Las Vegas.

The 4,000 room Aria is the centerpiece of CityCenter, with distinctive accommodations, brand new Vdara lobby casino games, many innovative restaurants, spa, pools, you name it, it’s there. Guestrooms have advanced technology, and spectacular floor-to-ceiling views of either the strip or mountains. Suites have separate living and bedroom areas and are very roomy at 920 square feet. For dining, options range from casual to fine fare by celebrity chefs. Making his debut at Aria is Chef Masayoshi Takayama, who is bringing his Japanese cuisine to Barmasa Restaurant. Some other celebrity chefs are Shawn McClain at Sage, Julian Serrano at Julian Serrano, JeanGeorges Vongerichten at Jean Georges Steakhouse, and Michael Mina at American Fish.

You may be surprised at the high percentage of people who come to Las Vegas for shopping rather than gambling. They will be very pleased with CityCenter’s elite shopping collection at Crystals, as well as the interactive water art which is part of the mall’s unique layout. Choose from brands such as Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Cartier, Tom Ford, Caroline Herrera, Roberto Cavalli, Versace, to name a few. Crystals is also home to art galleries, and restaurants such as Wolfgang Puck’s “Puck”, and Eva (“Desperate Housewives”) Longoria & Todd English’s “Beso” and several other dining spots. Above Eva & Todd’s restaurant is her nightclub, Eve, which was really rocking at the Grand Opening.

Speaking of rocking, the highly anticipated new Cirque du Soleil show, “Viva Elvis” is in preview performances (as of this writing) at Aria. We were privileged to see some numbers from the show at CityCenter’s Grand Opening.

Priscilla Presley was in attendance, as she had a lot of input into the show. They’ve incorporated the life of Elvis using large image film pieces infused with the grace and athleticism of the Cirque performers with dazzling sets and costumes. The sound system in the specially built theater is incredible — we can’t wait to return to see the show in its entirety.

Viva Elvis, and Viva CityCenter!

The exclusive Mandarin For more information, visit Oriental Hotel is a 47www.citycenter.com. story, non-gaming hotel For more photos on and residential tower at CityCenter, please visit CityCenter, and offers Pricilla Presley the Mandarin’s legendary brand of exclusive service. Guest rooms are plush and beautifully designed with oriental touches.

The Spa at Mandarin Viva Elvis Oriental is, of course, renowned for its holisAccentOnTampaBayMagazine.com, tic therapies and spa and click on Travel & Event Photos.

Daytona Beach Rocks ...and Rolls, and Soars, and Dives!

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Several miles down the road is Ponce de Leon Inlet, a place with many points of interest. The 1887 Ponce Inlet Lighthouse and outer buildings are quite fascinating. One of the best preserved — and tallest — in the country, the lighthouse is a challenge to climb at 175 feet. And climb I did — all 202 steps. I am not as much afraid of heights as I am of ladders or open stairs. I never thought I’d do it, but I was determined, and finally made it to the top — white knuckles gripping the handrail all the way, while young kids scampered by me forcing me to let go of the handrail for terrifying brief moments. The view from the top was magnificent, and worth the fear-factor. Getting down was just as bad, but I was proud of myself when I hit the bottom stair. The outer buildings are part of the museum and one of the more interesting ones houses the Fresnel lenses, which were the best lighthouse lenses made. This is one of the finest collections in the world, and includes the lenses from the Cape Canaveral lighthouse and the original Ponce Inlet lighthouse.

The nearby Marine Science Center will fascinate the kids (and we adults too) with interactive marine ecological displays. They

have sea bird and sea turtle rehab labs, where you can watch them working with these wonderful creatures with the intent of returning them to the wild.

Although we had planned to go deep sea fishing, the weather gods weren’t cooperating, and made the seas too rough for the outing.

Critter Fleet is located right at Ponce Inlet, and takes folks out on half and full day trips, providing rods, reels, bait — whatever you need for the “big catch.” The boats are large, and normally take 50-60 people to fish for Snapper, Grouper, Sea Bass, even Shark. Next time.

Another activity quashed by the rough seas was the Daytona Beach Surfing School. I looked forward to “hanging 10” (do they still say that?) like I did 40 years ago. Actually, I never hung 10, I rarely got up on the surfboard, but it sounds cool. The school offers one to three-hour lessons, private or group. Next time.

Canoeing was also off for the day, due to rough waters, but Cracker Creek Canoeing takes you on Spruce Creek, a natural black water stream — one of only a few left undisturbed in Florida. Next time.

Upping the adventure ante, next came the Richard Petty Driving Experience at Daytona International Speedway. It’s pretty heady stuff to find yourself strapped in and riding shotgun with a professional driver in a stock car that’s going around 160 mph and taking those 31° banks at the speedway. The 3-lap event was enough for us to get the feel of what it’s like, and have tremendous appreciation and respect for the professional drivers that do 400-500 miles.

We took a walk through the Daytona 500 Experience (an attraction dedicated to NASCAR) enjoying the exhibits, and had to try out our skill at “Acceleration Alley”.

Guests are pitted against each other in 80% size stockcars, and race with NASCAR simulators. If/when you hit a wall, you get gently bounced and jostled, for a realistic ride.

Still in racing mode, we drove over to Speedpark Motorsports where Al tried his

prowess at the drag racing attraction “Nitro Alley”. Four dragsters are lined up against each other and put pedal to metal to see who’s the fastest. You start off at 2 G-forces and almost 3 at the brakes. The track is 196 feet and you are stopped in about 35 feet. Al said it was a really fun, adrenaline pumping experience. www.AccentOnTampaBay.com

When I was twenty years old, I wanted to go skydiving, but couldn’t get anyone to go with me. I didn’t want to go alone, so that was that. Fast-forward 40 some years, and I find myself with an opportunity to go skydiving at Skydive Deland. I wrestled with the thought and decided it was now or never. Once I heard it was a tandem jump, it was a no-brainer — I was really just going to be along for the ride.

Melissa’s first tandem skydive at SKYDIVE DELAND.

Even though some of my other planned activities had been canceled due to the weather, this one was not. Although it was very windy, a little window of opportunity came when the wind died down just enough to allow for the flight and jump.

I was more excited than frightened while hanging around the airport waiting for the wind to be right. Mostly because my tandem skydiver, Ray Pope, was a seasoned veteran with 24 years worth of jumps and had never even sprained an ankle. I figured he had at least one more good jump in him. When you go tandem, the “guest” is strapped tightly to the front of the skydiver, and he tells you what to do once you leave the plane. Simple instructions, so no worries there. I asked Ray how old the oldest person was he ever tandem jumped with. When the answer came back “94”, I didn’t feel so old doing it anymore.

You must be at least 18 to jump.

Unlike my terrifying trip up and down the lighthouse stairs, I was inexplicably as calm as can be on the plane ride up to 13,500 feet. The only brief moment of “OMG” was when we were teetering in the doorway of the plane ready to jump. From then on it was “Whoo Hoo” all the way down.

Skydive Deland offers a video package on Tampa Bay

Photo by Marat Leiras

Our Daytona Beach adventure began with a visit to the historic Jackie Robinson Ball Park (since 1914, renamed from City Island Ballpark), where the Daytona Cubs were playing the Vero Beach Devil Rays. In keeping with their Tampa Bay namesake’s current stats, they won! The ballpark was the first site to host a racially integrated game in 1946, and the park was renamed after Jackie Robinson in 1990.

Moving on to a less sedentary activity, we checked out the Daytona Beach Jet Boats at Aunt Catfish Dock (a popular local restaurant) at nearby Port Orange. After donning our slickers (we were informed we WILL get wet) we rode out four miles into the Halifax River spinning 360° and sliding over our own waves.

Lots of fun and laughs.

with your jump, which I highly recommend.

You can relive your dive over and over, and regale your friends and family with your incredible bravery. The photographer jumps out ahead of you on his back, and the camera is attached to his helmet, so he maneuvers himself to be close to you. The DVDs are impressive, with music, slow-motion, and interviews. Plus, they amazingly hand it to you within a few minutes of your dive. [This is where I get you to visit our website and view my skydive video by photographer Marat Leiras - www.accentontampabay.com, click on TRAVEL & EVENT PHOTO & VIDEO GALLERY, click on FLORIDA TRAVEL, click on DELAND, SKYDIVE DELAND VIDEO] Skydive Deland is well respected in the Skydiving world, and a lot of parachute testing goes on there. They have the most up-to-date parachute equipment in the world, as the tandem parachute system used everywhere is made right in Deland.

If I have an opportunity to skydive again, I would do a few things differently. I would wear something to cover my ears - the wind is very strong when you’re free-falling at 120 mph. I would also take one half of a Dramamine tablet to quell the queasiness I felt during the loops and soars that Ray did on the way down. All-in-all it was a thrilling life-time experience!

After all the exciting adventures in Daytona Beach, one must relax and unwind.

And what better way than a nice spa treatment.

Near our hotel was the Ocean Waters Spa, a world away from speed and adrenaline. This oasis is a European-style spa, with lovely serene earth tones, located in the Plaza Resort, and overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. You are already unwinding by the time you hit the massage table. Bliss.

Dining in Daytona Beach was a treat, with non-chain dining opportunities all over.

There are several musts for breakfast in Daytona Beach — The Dancing Avocado Kitchen, and the Daytona Diner. The Dancing Avocado is a very quirky/funky little place which concentrates on healthy food, and is

ecologically-friendly. The restaurant, located on historic Beach Street, is open for breakfast and lunch. The Daytona Diner’s decor reflects Daytona speed, with the 50s nostalgia feel and icons all over the place, and it’s located right next to the big Harley Davidson store. But the biggest draw are their delicious big dinner plate size pancakes. Even though they have a varied menu, this is the “gotta” order at the diner. Plain, Blueberry Hill, Pecan, or Banana — you can’t go wrong.

We had lunch one day at the 1940 Inlet Harbor Marina and Restaurant, a Caribbeanflavored spot overlooking the intercoastal. The Barbados Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp was very tasty, and the atmosphere was fun.

Dinner at The Cellar was memorable, with Italian cuisine served amidst a Tuscan-style decor. We really enjoyed our choice of Ravioli Sauteed with Mixed Olives, Light Tomato Sauce and Goat Cheese. The restaurant is located in the 1907 winter residence of President Warren G. Harding, and is on the National Historic Registry. Current owners/ hosts, Sam and Lina Moggio are a warm and welcoming couple.

The Stonewood Grill & Tavern is an area favorite, and is packed most of the time.

Although there are 16 Stonewood Grills in

Delicious chops at the Stonewood Grill.

Florida and one in North Carolina, the Daytona one is the original eatery. Delicious hand-cut steaks cooked over an oak burning grill may be the secret to their great success.

Set in a wooded area, is Martini’s Chophouse, which is created in highstyle and rich woods. An outdoor garden area with waterfall is also a dining option. Truly fine contemporary American cuisine is served, along with absolutely fabulous desserts.

great adventure? A 5:00 AM drive to a field, where we climbed into a hot air balloon and watched the sunrise while floating above the earth. The trees below were shrouded in a mist,

Bob Wilamoski of Bob’s Balloons

with just their heads peeking through.

Eventually, the mist wore off and we could see the Florida landscape for miles. It was so quiet, we could hear dogs barking below, cows mooing as we passed over farms. We were in very capable hands with our pilot Bob Wilamoski, who’s been flying since 1981.

Bob’s Balloons operates 7 days a week, all year.

At the end of the lovely journey, when we landed in a field, we were treated by Bob and his crew to cheese, fruit and a champagne toast for another successful flight, and for us, the end of a very memorable 4-day Daytona Beach adventure.

If You Go... www.bwcastillodelsolhotel.com www.bobsballoons.com www.thecellarrestaurant.com www.oldfloridapioneer.com www.critterfleet.com www.avocadokitchen.net www.daytonabeachjetboats.com

What could be left for us to do on this

www.daytonasurfingschool.com www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com www.marinesciencecenter.com www.martinischophouse.com www.oceanwatersspa.com www.ponceinlet.org www.1800bepetty.com www.daytonacubs.com www.skydivedeland.com www.speedparkdaytona.com www.stonewoodgrill.com

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daytona beach t

TRAVELOGUE

Story and photos

by Melissa Wolcott Martino & Al Martino

Way More than Very Fast Cars

Thoughts of Daytona Beach conjure up the world famous Daytona Speedway and also Bike Week when all sorts of motorcycles and attending characters converge from all over the country. The mind pictures cars driving along the beach (which is fun, by the way) and a lot of water sports. However, there is a lot more to the area that has an even broader appeal. We discovered another side to Daytona and the drivable nearby towns.

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The Plaza Resort & Spa

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ne of the best, and centrally located resorts, is the Plaza Resort & Spa in Daytona Beach.

This beautiful ocean front property has a rich history, having been built in 1895 and catering to the posh crowd. It originally had a casino, and stables for horses and carriages. Guests were treated to exhibitions and airplane rides in the 20s. But, not to worry, it has been thoroughly modernized through the years, yet kept it’s historic charm. You will find interesting old photos from “back in the day” in the hotel.

Our ocean front room was spacious and had everything one could need, including a full-size refrigerator, stove top, kitchen sink and utensils — not to mention a very, very comfy bed. The room’s sleep-sofa will come in handy if you bring your family with you. A balcony overlooking the pool, resort grounds and ocean is icing on an already tasty cake.

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As I mentioned, the resort is centrally located and only a few minute walk to the Ocean Walk Shoppes with restaurants, and a movie theater. Daytona Beach’s family friendly boardwalk, pier and amusement rides are also a short walk away. Did you know that Florida only has 6 wooden piers left in the whole state? Two of them are on Daytona Beach — the Daytona Pier and the Sunglow Pier, both of which we visited.

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he Daytona Pier is next to the amusement area, and houses Joe’s Crab Shack Restaurant, with a great rooftop deck on the ocean for cocktails and kicking back.

The Sunglow Pier is a well-known fishing pier since the 1960s where people can catch a wide variety of fish (king, pompano, flounder, trout, tarpon, shark, etc.) And, it has Crabby Joe’s Restaurant on it, where we had a delicious breakfast — we highly recommend the Shrimp & Grits with cheese grits, andouille sausage, grilled shrimp & chive garnish. Mmm mmm! Crabby’s opens at sunrise every day and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Stroll down the pier and watch the fishermen/women (fisherpeople?) or rent a pole right there and go fishing yourself.

Another stroll from the Plaza takes you to the Oyster Pub Sports Bar & Grill, Daytona Beach’s largest oyster bar. It has a full menu, but you definitely want to taste one (or some) of their delicious variety of oyster dishes, preferably while taking in some sports action on the 45 TVs spread throughout the place. A few other popular spots to check out in the area are Riptides and Beach Bucket.

Daytona’s Museum of Arts and Sciences (MOAS) has a large collection of Cuban and Florida art, also American and European fine and decorative arts, pre-Columbian and African artifacts, Pleistocene fossils, Florida history and regional natural history, and a state-ofthe-art Planetarium. The impressive Cici and Hyatt Brown Florida art collection is the most extensive in the world. A museum within the museum is the Root Family Museum with a large collection of Coca Cola memorabilia. Another addition to the museum is the Visable Storage Museum with a glass-front peek into some of the museums treasures that are in storage until there is more display room. Definitely worth a visit.

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The Sunglow Pier

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The Daytona Pier

Downtown Daytona has a bunch of shops and restaurants, but one must-go-to place is the Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory, which has been making candy since 1925, and still uses the recipes created by the two ladies (Riddell Angell and Cora Phelps) who started it all. Homemade and fabulous. It is a fun place to visit, as you can take a tour of the candy making process and get free samples. They even have a video playing of the famous Ethel and Lucy candy making scene from “I Love Lucy.” No way you walk out of there without buying something!

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Crabby Joe’s Shrimp & Grits

Oyster Pub’s oysters with bacon and melted Monterey Jack cheese.

Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory

Museum of Arts & Sciences

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The Brickyard Restaurant’s Renny Miles and his delicious hamburger

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Daytona Speedway

Racing’s North Turn’s magnificent view

f course, even though there are many things to do in the Daytona area, a visit to the Daytona Speedway is a must. Even if you’re not a big race fan, it’s still fascinating. If you are a race fan, then it’s nirvana.

The Speedway was built in 1958 by Bill France, and it’s the crown jewel of NASCAR. During the year, there are 8 or 9 big races held, with the Daytona 500 being the biggest in the world. Fifty percent of the attendees are from out of state. They did a $400M renovation a few years ago to make it more comfortable for spectators. Seats went from 146,000 to 101,000, and 40 escalators were installed, as well as more modern facilities. We got a kick out of the fact that the seats are different colors so that even if they are empty, it will look like it’s full on TV — and it does!

Tours of the Speedway are available, so, of course we took one. You can experience the 31-degree high banks as the tram drives along turns 3 and 4, and then step on the podium in Victory Lane for a photo op. You end the tour by standing next to the car of this year’s DAYTONA 500 champion, Denny Hamilton (who won by a hair — the closest race in Daytona 500 history.) Pretty cool.

When we finished our visit at the Speedway, we were all fired up with racing, so we headed over to the Brickyard Restaurant, a favorite hangout of racers and fans since 1961. Kind of fun and funky, there is racing memorabilia galore all over the place, and they are known for having the best burger in Volusia County.

For dinner we went to Ponce Inlet to Racing’s North Turn which sits on the location where racing began literally on the beach in 1936. That was until 1958, when NASCAR relocated to the Super Speedway (now the Daytona Speedway.) This is a really fun place with old beach racing photos, great food, live music, fun cocktails, and a spectacular ocean view, especially as evening approaches.

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ome places of interest beyond Daytona, but close by, are DeLeon Springs, DeLand, New Smyrna Beach, and Ormond Beach.

DeLeon Springs State Park is a 625 acre park featuring a clear spring that maintains 72° year round. The depth of the center spring is deceiving at 28 feet. There are Native Americans burial mounds, and a 6,000-year-old canoe sunk in the spring. Swimmers and snorkelers are welcome, and folks can rent canoes, paddleboats and kayaks to skim across the lakes and creeks of the 22,000 acre Lake Woodruff National Refuge.

We took in the beauty of the spring, but then headed to the main reason for the visit, the Old Sugar Mill Restaurant in a 100 year-old replica of the original 1830s sugar mill. There you can get a great breakfast either by ordering off the menu, or do-it-yourself cooking on the griddle that is in the center of all the family style tables. Best pancakes I ever made (with a little help from their homemade pre-mixed batter and fixin’s.) The restaurant is open until 4 p.m., so you can also get salads and sandwiches.

DeLeon Springs State Park and Old Sugar Mill Restaurant

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DeLand is known for skydiving and hot-air ballooning among other outdoorsy things. Lots of weekend festivals and events. They have a Bike Rally the same weekend as Daytona’s, but more family friendly. It is actually a charming, artsy community with ethnic restaurants and mom & pop shops. DeLand is considered one of the top 100 art towns in USA. Artisan Alley is where old warehouses have been turned into art event spaces. We took a DeLand Historic Mural & Sculpture Walk, which were all completed by Florida artists, and, if viewed chronologically, follows history.

The 1929 Volusia County Historic Courthouse also displays four hundred years of Florida’s history with beautiful paintings by Jackson Walker.

DeLand murals and sculpture walk

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New Smyrna Beach Museum

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Artist at work in the Hub Art Gallery

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EW SMYRNA BEACH’s claim to fame was they had the oldest English colony in the country, established in 1768. Now the (dubious) claim to fame is that it’s #1 for most shark attacks in the world. But for fishermen, it is the redfish capital of the world. It is also a place of art. The Hub Art Gallery on Canal Street has 24 studios for local working artists, and over 40 wall exhibit areas.

The artists work in varied mediums including painting, ceramics, photography, glass, jewelry, fiber arts, and sculpture.

Canal Street has even more art, restaurants and the New Smyrna Brewing (NSB) Company. NSB is a micro-brewery and taproom, and they get their hops from all over the world. We stopped in for a beer tasting and sampled 4 of their most popular brews, with titles like Shark Attack IPA, Inlet Amber, Old Fort Coffee Stout, and Disappearing Island Apricot. We both liked the Disappearing Island Apricot’s taste best.

New Smyrna Beach Museum is just off Canal and houses interesting exhibits mostly pertaining to the history of the area.

We drove over to Flagler Ave for lunch at the Grille at Riverview for their reputed great food (voted best outdoor dining in Volusia County.) We were not disappointed. If you go, do try the Grille’s delicious Crab Cakes — blue lump and claw crabmeat with onions, peppers and herbs, panko breaded and flash fried — and served with rice pilaf and mixed vegs. All this with a great view of the Indian River. We then strolled down the street and popped into a few of the attractive shops and boutiques before heading back.

New Smyrna Brewing Company www.AccentOnTampaBay.com

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The Grille at Riverview’s Crab Cakes ight miles north of Daytona is Ormond Beach, once the winter playground for the mega rich. Built in 1913, it was home to the world’s richest man, J.D. Rockefeller. His home called “The Casements” is modest by billionaire standards, and can be toured for free. Interesting note, J.D.’s worth today — adjusting for inflation — would be $340B. Yes, that’s B for Billion. He makes Bill Gates (the current richest man) look like chump change.

Across the street is the Tomoka State Park with a scenic loop, nature trails and a canoe launch.

If you visit Ormond Beach between December and March, you may catch a glimpse of the North Atlantic right whales and their calves. That’s on our to-do list.

New Smyrna Beach shops Ormond Beach is also home to a delightful Italian restaurant, Frappes North, under the helm of Chef Bobby Frappier. Dishes are made with all fresh ingredients, with organically grown produce. Chef Bobby has fun and informative cooking classes and wine tastings. For our last night of our Daytona trip, we had a wonderful dinner of Lemon Basil Shrimp at Frappes. After which we took a short stroll down the street to the huge outdoor Kona Tiki Bar with live music, lively people and plenty of tasty drink concoctions.

We shall return soon since there’s plenty more to see and do in Volusia County.

Kona Tiki Bar

Frappes North Lemon Basil Shrimp

IF YOU GO...

ANGELL & PHELPS CHOCOLATE FACTORY - www. angellandphelps.com/ BRICKYARD LOUNGE & GRILL - www.brickyardlounge. com/ CRABBY JOE’S DECK & GRILL - www.crabbyjoesdaytona. com/ DAYTONA SPEEDWAY - www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/ DeLAND - www.discoverdeland.org/ DeLEON SPRINGS STATE PARK - www.floridastateparks. org/park/De-Leon-Springs

FRAPPES NORTH RESTAURANT - www.frappesitaliangrille.com THE HUB ON CANAL - www.thehuboncanal.org/ KONA TIKI BAR - www.grindgastropub.com MUSEUM OF ARTS & SCIENCES (MOAS) - www.moas. org/ MUSEUM OF ART DeLAND - www.moartdeland.com NEW SMYRNA BEACH BREWING COMPANY - www. newsmyrnabrewing.com/ THE OLD SPANISH SUGAR MILL - (386) 985-5644 OYSTER BAR - www.oysterpub.com/menu PLAZA RESORT & SPA - www.plazaresortandspa.com RACING’S NORTH TURN - www.racingsnorthturn.com/

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Story by Melissa Wolcott and Al Martino Photos by Melissa unless otherwise noted Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay David Roark, photographer

The Dream atrium lobby

What

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a Wonderful Dream!

ave come a long way, baby. Every new one that rolls out brings ew to the table. Some try to be “one size fits all”. Some are ome are not. Some are tailored to appeal to a certain crowd or Disney’s newest cruise ship, the 2,700 passenger Disney Dream crowd, but they have actually succeeded in creating a wonderful r all ages — with or without children. med folks may have is that a Disney ship will be too “cartoony”. wrong. The Dream, which, like it’s sister ships, The Magic and orgeous throwback to the classic lines of the early 20th century with absolute state-of-the-art technology. Decor is a lovely Deco with a little Art Nouveau thrown in, with quiet colors, and ndeliers in various public areas. are attractively decorated in a nautical theme, and the bedding table, but one of the most appealing innovations is the split One side has a sink and toilet, the other side has a sink and

children of all ages, Disney characters can be found all around l be thrilled to encounter one of their favorite princesses; and c encountering Goofy or Donald; but If you’re just not into seeing e are plenty of places they don’t frequent. Instead of creating just an “adult” section, Disney has segmented the age groups to cular interests. Something you rarely - if ever - see, is a nursery months to 3 years that is available for parents to leave their of skilled caretakers while they enjoy a quiet dinner or movie—or hours. A youth area is themed to “Toy Story,” “Monsters, Inc.,” d more. A forgotten group on most cruise ships is the tween/ eam they have their own clubs with hi-tech entertainment. g restaurants are all quite elegant, and based on different classic ries. The food is some of the best we have ever had on a cruise me of Disney’s finest restaurants were consulted for the menus.

Dream Pool area with AquaDuck encircling the area.

Royal Palace Restaurant inspired by favorite Disney classics.

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Animator’s Palate Restaurant with Crush the turtle entertaining guests.

Jimmy DeFlippo, photographer

Remy French Restaurant for fine dining

What a Wonderful One of the Broadway-style stage shows Gene Duncan, photographer

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isney has gone out of its way to please adults w perhaps only for a few hours) and created exclus that are quite varied, so there is definitely somethi is a nighttime entertainment area with five uniq cocktail lounge; Skyline is an intimate “sky bar” with chan skylines; Evolution is a hip night club; District Lounge is a pub. Senses Spa & Salon has private and couples treatm quiet cove pool. Adult-only dining is featured at two spec Northern Italian cuisine, and the French-inspired Remy. restaurants is truly fine dining, with an additional charge and There is an adult’s only section on Disney’s private isl set-up for families is terrific, with water play areas, water areas just for kids and teens, and tasty island cuisine serv The one thing lacking on Disney’s cruise ships that most oth is so much top-notch entertainment, Broadway-style show not missed on Disney ships. A lot of the stops the ship passengers can go to.

Adult District area Preston Mack, photographer

www.AccentOnTampaBay.com Oceanview stateroom with verandah Matt Stroshane, photographer

Interior stateroom with HD porthole Matt Stroshane, photographer

Palo’s rich decor

Palo’s Northern Italian cuisine.

Dream!

without children (albeit some sive spaces and experiences ing for everyone. The District que venues. Pink is a chic nging views of different city a piano lounge; and 687 is a ment rooms, spa villas and a cialty restaurants: Palo with y. Again, the food in these d reservations a must. land, Castaway Cay, but the r sports, animal interactions, ved by an enthusiastic staff. hers have is a casino. There ws and first run movies, It is ps make have land casinos

Teen club, Vibe Diana Zalucky, photographer

www.AccentOnTampaBay.com Oceaneer Club - Andy’s Room Jimmy DeFlippo, photographer

Captain Jack Sparrow makes an appearance at nighttime entertainment at the pool.

Enchanted Garden Restaurant

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Service with a smile at the Enchanted Garden Restaurant

What a Wonderful Dream!

he technology aboard ship is astonishing. Framed pictures on the wall come alive when you walk up to them.

In the Animator’s Palate Restaurant, Crush, the turtle from “Finding Nemo” comes alive on screens throughout the restaurant and talks to the children. In the kids’ play areas are plenty of immersive gaming experiences. Perhaps the cleverest innovation of all is the “Magic porthole” in the inside cabins. Some travelers find inside cabins to be a bit claustrophobic, since you can’t tell if it’s day or night. Disney’s “Imagineers” have solved the problem by installing a porthole that is actually an HD TV which transmits real time video of what’s happening outside the ship, plus the added feature of an occasional Disney character floating by in a hot air balloon or little boat. Dream’s inside cabins are outselling outside ones, which is rarely the case on cruise ships.

Another of the many “firsts” on board the ship is the AquaDuck water coaster. This is a high-speed flume ride with twists and turns that is 765 feet long and wraps around the pool area — very cool! Speaking of the pool, there are actually three of them, one for children, one for families, and one for adults only. There is also a sports deck with a miniature golf course, and different sports courts.

We went on the two-night inaugural, and it just whetted our appetites for another “Dreamy” cruise. The Dream’s current itinerary consists of three, four, and five night Bahamian cruises leaving out of Cape Canaveral with stops at Nassau and Castaway Cay. Disney offers package deals which include the cruise plus nights at DisneyWorld. For more information, visit www.disneycruise.com.

For more photos on this story, visit www.accentontampabay.com, click on TRAVEL & EVENT PHOTOS, click on CRUISES.

www.AccentOnTampaBay.com The Dream’s flume ride, AquaDuck Todd Anderson, photographer

The couples room in the Senses Spa & Salon

Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island

Castaway Cay with the beautiful Disney Dream docked in the background

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Shopping on Castaway Cay

Wisconsin Getaway to

DOOR COUNTY Story and Photos by Melissa Wolcott Martino

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Asian Brown Rice Salad with Grilled Chicken at The Cookery.

The Beachfront Inn in Bailey’s Harbor has wonderful sunset views.

Ephraim 1934 firetruck

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Scenic stop on trolley tour www.AccentOnTampaBay.com

Ephraim Moravian Church

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With a change of seasons comes thoughts of getting out and traveling. A lot of folks travel from Wisconsin to Florida in the winter, so I, as a Floridian, decided to travel to Wisconsin for a getaway last fall. Where to go? Ask a Wisconsiner where they travel to in their home state. Door County is the popular answer. It has charm, history, a beautiful coastline, and yes, cheese.

Door County is a peninsula in the northeast part of the state, named after the strait between Door Peninsula and Washington Island. Actually, the original name from both French explorers and the native Potawatomi Indians was a lot more sinister — Death’s Door. It was shortened somewhere along the line for obvious PR reasons. It was aptly named originally due to some violent history that happened in the area, with many ships foundering in the treacherous waters of the strait, and territorial Indian wars, both of which claimed many lives. But that was then. Now peace reigns over the area, although the strait can still be a tough travel at times for some boats.

Door County can be reached by flights into Green Bay or Appleton airports. I flew on Delta from Tampa to Green Bay, then it was about a one hour, twenty minute drive to my first destination, Bailey’s Harbor. I checked in to the Beachfront Inn, a cozy two story inn with a private beach and incredible sunset views. In the evening, Beachfront’s accommodating hosts set a bonfire on the beach surrounded by Adirondack chairs and offerings of s’mores.

Some of the most popular attractions in Door County are the lighthouses, and the Cana Lighthouse in Bailey’s Harbor is probably the favorite. Its French hand-crafted Fresnel lens has been in continuous use since it was first lit in 1870, making it one of the few lighthouses in the U.S. whose original lens is still functioning as an active navigational aid. The distance the light can be seen is 18 miles, limited only by the curvature of the earth.

Visitors can climb the 97 steps to the top for a fabulous view of Lake Michigan, and an appreciation of a

lighthouse keeper’s job back in the day ascending those steps every night. Now the light goes on and off automatically at dusk and dawn. The keeper’s living quarters have been turned into exhibits and memorabilia about the lighthouse.

Only 20 minutes away from Bailey’s Harbor, in the laid-back lakeside town of Fish Creek, the 77-year old Peninsula Players Theatre was presenting the comedy “God of Carnage”. This gem of a theater is the oldest professional resident summer theatre in the USA. High quality plays are presented in this wonderful state-of-the-art theater located in the woods along the lake. My traveling companions and I enjoyed the show before heading out to dinner at a Fish Creek favorite, The Cookery, a family owned restaurant serving creative American cuisine. Their produce as well as meats are locally outsourced for the freshest possible fare.

As a visitor, I always like to experience an area by doing an overview tour when available. Door County Trolley Tours have a lot to choose from. My group chose the Scenic Tour, which started at the Orchard Country Winery in Fish Creek, and took us to some breathtaking scenic overlooks, while we learned the lore of the land — some true, and maybe some legend.

The Orchard Country Winery & Market, which is where the trolley tours originate, is a wonderful destination in itself. The winery is housed in a 100-year-old dairy barn, and their award-winning wines are mostly made from fruit grown right on property. With over 100 acres of fruit bearing trees and grape vines there is a diverse selection of varietals and blends. Visitors are invited to sample six complimentary tastes before purchasing wine.

I was particularly fond of the Honey Crisp Apple, which was sweet and smooth. A 30-minute walking tour of their orchards and vineyards is available as well.

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Cherries are a big deal in Door County. Back in the 1950s the county was known as “Cherryland USA”, so you will find a lot of cherries in this area made up in ways you never thought of — and all mighty tasty. Mid-July is cherry-picking time, and people can pick their own at Orchard Country. Apple season starts up mid-September. The Orchard Country Market is full of flavorful dressings, artisan cheese and homemade jams and jellies among other treats.

Voted “the Best Small Town in Wisconsin”, Door County’s Egg Harbor has a beautiful panoramic view of the bay, and lots of interesting shops and restaurants. Located in the shopping area of Liberty Square is Galileo’s Italian Steakhouse, featuring mouth-watering steaks, seafood and pastas. I enjoyed a very flavorful grilled pork with a cherry sauce, served with fresh asparagus and bistro potatoes.

Another Door County area oozing charm, is the village of Ephraim, which is proud of it’s Scandinavian heritage, and has preserved many of it’s historical sites. All Ephraim homes are white or natural — no colors.

We took a self-guided walking tour of Ephraim, passing by some lovely historic homes, such as the 1853 Iverson House. Out first stop was the historic Anderson general store built in 1858, and operated by the Anderson family for 100 years until it was turned into a museum. Store contents are mostly dated at the turn of the century.

Next to the store, an historic warehouse sits on Anderson dock with graffiti covering it’s surface. However, this graffiti is welcome as it is made up of signatures created by the many folks that have docked in Ephraim.

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Across the street is the Fire House Museum with 1934 and 1927 firetrucks, as well as old equipment.

Enthusiastic volunteers gladly answer any questions visitors may have.

Walking up the street we found the original one-room Pioneer Schoolhouse used for K through 8th grade from the 1880 through 1948.

It is disheartening to see the same kind of school desk I used as a child in a museum.

Lunch at Wilson’s Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor is a must. This Door County landmark has been operating since 1906, and family-owned since 1950. It has managed to maintain it’s original charm with it’s oldfashioned soda fountain, juke box and knick knacks.

The restaurant’s large portions of tasty hamburgers and sandwiches were impressive, but it was the homemade rootbeer and amazing fried cheese curds that put it over the top for me. By the way, Ephraim is the only dry municipality in Wisconsin.

We ventured via ferry across the waters of Death’s Door to Washington Island, located about 5 miles off the Northern tip of the Door County Peninsula. No boating mishaps! It is one of the earliest immigrant settlements in Wisconsin dating back to 1865, by people of mostly Scandinavian descent. Tourists go to Washington Island to “get away from it all”. With 700 year-round residents, it swells to 3,000 in the summer. The Island has unique stone beaches, parks, and soil that is particulary kind to apples, cherries and other fruits and vegetables. You will find a lot of deer, pheasant, and quail, but no poisonous animals of snakes — my kind of place! To keep the island rural, you have to own 5 acres of land before you can build a house.

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Fish Boil at Square Rigger Restaurant

Cana Lighthouse walk

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Fish Creek Shops

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Making jewelry in the Hands-On Studio

Cana Lighthouse site manager, Dwight Zeller, displays the tiny bulb that runs the lighthouse Fresnel lens today.

Maritime Museum’s John Purvis tugboat originally built in 1919, restored to 1960s look.

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Maritime Museum’s ship’s wheel display.

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Visitors can catch the Cherry Train open air tram right at the pier for a 2-hour narrated tour of Washington Island, and if you would like to stay overnight, you will not find any chain hotels or motels. All accommodation are refreshingly unique.

Exploring the island via the tram, we found some interesting places, such as The Ostrich Farm, and the Farm Museum, which exhibits farm life as it was in the 1880s, with home, barn, farm tools and animals. Did you know that an ostrich lives about 50 years, and the males sit on the eggs for 1 1/2 months?

The Schoolhouse Beach stop was intriguing, as there are only 4 such beaches in the world. Instead of sand, the beach is all limestones — looking lovely, but not great for bare feet.

Perhaps the most interesting stop for me was the architecturally striking Stavkirke Church.

Constructed in 1991 by local carpenter/ members of the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, it is patterned after a medieval Norwegian style church, using Viking shipbuilding techniques — tongue and groove joinery, ship frames and shaped masts.

Set in the woods surrounded with only the sounds of nature, the church is a great place for reflection.

Keeping with the Scandanavian theme, we stopped in for lunch at The Danish Mill, which is not hard to miss, as the building looks like a windmill. Inside are Dutch knick knacks, locally made preserves, fresh sandwiches and, yes, cherry pie.

It was back to the mainland and time for a change of scenery, so I checked out of the Beachfront in Bailey’s Harbor and into the Door County Lighthouse Inn B&B in Egg Harbor. I felt at home the minute I walked in the door. Hosts Claire and Frank Murphy couldn’t be more

accommodating, and have created a most comfortable and cozy environment for their guests. Each room is named after one of Door County’s lighthouses. My room (Eagle Bluff) had a queen bed, private bathroom, fireplace, and balcony overlooking the harbor in the near distance.

The breakfasts are delicious, and are changed daily. When I returned to my room on a chilly evening, I turned on my fireplace, even though the room had it’s own thermostat. (Living in Florida, it’s something I rarely see or get to use.) A cozy room, a lovely pouffy comforter, and I was off to dreamland in no time. the Lighthouse Inn offers some enticing packages all year long during different seasonal events.

A very popular dining highlight in Door County is the Authentic Fish Boil from May through October, at the Square Rigger Galley in Jacksonport, on Lake Michigan. Going on for 30 years now, they cook locally caught whitefish in a huge pot over an open fire outside the restaurant. Back inside, they serve the fish with new potatoes, onions, coleslaw, rye bread, cherry pie ala mode, vegetables, and beverages. This is definitely a fun and tasty experience.

In Sturgeon Bay, located on the waterfront, is the Door County Martime Museum, created to celebrate and preserve the county’s maritime history. This would actually be a good place for a tourist to start, as you get a good overview of the whole peninsula. Ship building in Sturgeon Bay made it what it is today. Folks at the museum build a small wooden boat every year to keep boat building alive. Inside are maritime displays, ship models and the information and history of Door County’s lighthouses. Outside is the 1919 Tug, John Purves, in fantastic shape after years of loving restoration to the look it had in the 1960s. You can explore the boat (which was also used in WWII) along with volunteer guides.

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The utter charm of Door County seems like a natural for inviting artists to work and be inspired, and so it does.

In Fish Creek there is the Woodwalk Gallery, a wonderful contemporary art gallery housed in an 1890s barn. It features the work of 42 regional artists, as well as a venue for concerts, theater and events. The strawbale construction studio creates the perfect ambiance for viewing the art.

Some great fun was had by all at the Hands On Art Studio also in Fish Creek. This large complex (8,000 sq ft) of different art media rooms has something of interest for everyone, from children to adults. They supply the tools and help, you supply the talent.

And talent is a relative term here, since it’s all about having fun. Visitors can try their hand at fused glass, lampworking, metal, jewelry, ceramics, glassware, wood, and mosaics.

No reservations, just drop in. I tried glass fusing on a small scale — a jewelry pendant. I could get hooked. It’s pretty cool wearing something you created yourself.

With all the lighthouses and the unfortunate history of “Death’s Door,” you know there have to be ghost stories floating around. And so there are, and you can hear them all on the Trolley Of the Doomed which takes you around to different “spiritual” points of interest. We heard tales of unusual murders, haunted buildings and maritime frights. We stopped at the historic 1875 Noble House, which during the day is an interesting home furnished as it was “back in the day”, but at night with only 88

a flashlight by our goulish guide, going through it is downright creepy. A visit to an old overgrown gravesite using only a flashlight was also pretty spooky. Our driver was just the right mix of humor and fear. Everyone on board thoroughly enjoyed the trip.

Some Wisconsiners enjoy getting away to Florida in the winter, and I found plenty of reasons to visit Door County in the spring, summer and fall.

If You Go...

Bailey’s Harbor: baileysharbor.com Beachfront Inn, Bailey’s Harbor: 866-2510750; beachfrontinn.net/ Cana Island Lighthouse: dcmm.org/cana-island-lighthouse/ Cherry Train Tours, Washington Island: cherrytrain.com The Cookery: cookeryfishcreek.com/ Door County Lighthouse Inn: dclighthouseinn.com/ Door County Martime Museum: dcmm.org Door County Trolley Tours: doorcountytrolley.com/ Delta Airlines: delta.com Egg Harbor: eggharbordoorcounty.org Ephraim: ephraim.org Fish Creek: visitfishcreek.com/ Galileo’s Italian Steakhouse: libertysquareshops.com Hands On Art Studio: handsonartstudio.com Noble House: historicnoblehouse.org Orchard Country Winery & Market: orchardcountry.com/ Peninsula Players Theatre: peninsulaPlayers.com Square Rigger Galley: squareriggergalley.com Stavkirke Church (Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church): washingtonisland-wi.com Trolley Of the Doomed: doorcountytrolley.com/ Washington Island: washingtonisland-wi.com/ Wilson’s Restaurant & ice Cream Parlor: wilsonsicecream.com Woodwalk Gallery: woodwalkgallery.com

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Orchard County Winery

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Delicious Cheese Curds at Wilson’s Restaurant

trolley tour view.

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The New Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World’s Golden Oak is Now Open Experience Some Innovative Dining Options

Photos by Melissa Wolcott Martino Four Seasons luxury resort hotel at Walt Disney World Resort features several dining venues including a rooftop restaurant with views to the Magic Kingdom, a 14,000 square foot spa, fitness center, three pools and a “lazy river” sports and recreational area, as well as meeting and event space, and a business center.

This is the first Four Seasons in Central Florida, and is located within the Golden Oak residential community, master-planned by Disney.

Four Seasons is located in a lushly landscaped area with many mature trees, lakes and wetlands. Guests can choose from 443 guestrooms, including 68 suites, with nine different configurations tailored for couples, individuals, and families and friends travelling together.

The Resort’s rooms are the largest in Orlando. The Golden Oak View guestroom can sleep three adults, or two adults and two children. At 500 square-feet plus a spacious furnished balcony, the guestroom includes

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a king bed plus a queen-size sofa sleeper, and a 5-piece marble bath complete with in-mirror television and Bose surround-sound. Guests of Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort will have complimentary transpor‑tation to Disney parks.

A highlight of Four Seasons is the five-acre “Explorer Island” water park, including a winding lazy river complete with a rapids section, two water slides, an interactive splash zone with water cannons, and more.

The Kids For All Seasons program offers organized activities for children ages 4-12, and is complimentary.

Adults will enjoy the adult-only pool, 18-hole Tom Faziodesigned Tranquilo Golf Club, and The Spa at Four Seasons. Spa at Four Seasons has been designed for ultimate relaxation, whether attending to muscles weary from walking the Parks or playing golf and tennis, getting ready to be photographed on your wedding day, or simply indulging in a few precious hours of bliss.

With 18 luxuriant treatment rooms, including the ultra

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Chef Fabrizio Schenardi

Lickety-Split’s Panna Cotta

Ravello’s Pan-seared tuna

private couples’ bungalows; the Experience Showers - a journey through water, scent and light effects; the Aroma Design Bar for custom fragrances for treatments or to take home; and a hair, nail and beauty salon, the Spa is a must during a stay at the Four Seasons.

In addition to PB+G on Explorer Island and Plancha at the golf clubhouse, Four Seasons includes three additional on-site dining venues. Ravello is a modern Italian restaurant and bar on the hotel’s main floor and garden level.

Executive Chef Fabrizio Schenardi takes full advantage of Ravello’s pizza oven and Florida’s fresh produce and seafood to craft seasonally changing menus. There’s also a show kitchen for private cooking demonstrations and special events. Lickety-Split is the Resort’s gourmet coffee shop with amazing pastries and housemade gelato. PB&G (Pool Bar & Grill) is the Resort’s casual BBQ restaurant with a twist, helmed by Executive Chef Gerald Sombright, master of all things BBQ. Capa is a contemporary Spanish steakhouse on the 17th floor with premier views of the nightly Magic Kingdom Park fireworks as a backdrop for exquisite meals in a romantic setting.

For more information, visit www.fourseasons.com/orlando/

PB&G’s Chicken, Beef Brisket, and Oysters Roc a Fella, with signature refreshing drink made with Absolut Peach Vodka, Peach and Raspberry Grand Marnier, ginger tea, fresh cut peaches and thyme. www.AccentOnTampaBay.com

Chef Gerald Sombright

Friendly PG&G server.

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