Hammock and Dune Fence Set by Christine Triebert 20"x20" Art Print Poster

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Lakefront Property For Sale

Lakefront Property For Sale


Lakefront property for sale is a highly valuable commodity. A life at the lakefront is just like your own personal heaven. A lakefront property cannot be compared with any other property. Hence, the delight of living next to lake can be experienced only by owning or renting lakefront property.

Today a huge number of lakefront properties are available for sale. Some are along the world's most beautiful lakes, while others are on small and quiet ones. Lakefront property is common in the USA and Canada, since they have about 3,000 lakes.

Some lakefront properties set themselves apart from the rest. Less than a 4-hour drive from the areas of Washington, DC, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New Jersey is a village at the Bear Trap Dunes, which was given the "2002 DevelopMent of the Year" award for some of the best lakefront property in the area. Near Delaware, elegant lakefront property is available next to the Indian River Bay.

In Florida, the Hammock Beach, situated at the Palm Coast, is enclosed by very old oak hammocks and the Atlantic Ocean. Here one has a chance to obtain pre-construction pricing. Then, moving towards the Southeast, there are beautiful lakefront properties in the Mississippi, such as the Pickwick Pines Resort in Iuka and the Old Waverly in West Point. These provide an amazing experience of stylish living. A lakefront property on Lake Wylie, near Charlotte, North Carolina, is "The Sanctuary," which is a natural reserve society of less than 200 home sites. "The Goodfield Landing," Decatur, is in Tennessee.




Sunday, December 4, 2011

Palm Beach - A Little Known Secret

Palm Beach - A Little Known Secret


What We Already Know
Palm Beach is an island, chic and quiet. It thumbs its old bluenose at Miami's glitzy South Beach. It shrugs off L.A.'s Rodeo Drive with its exclusive Worth Avenue, where art galleries are pricier and polo players spicier. The privileged winter residents shop at smart boutiques, never carry cash, and Party on yachts the size of HMS Queen Mary. Dinner at home is akin to an evening with the Queen at Buckingham Palace. You can pass it on the highway and never know it's there.

Best selling author James Patterson enjoys living on Palm Beach thanks to the regular folk who buy his books. The Kennedy estate has become the Palm Beach Historical Society, not yet open to the public. And while Donald Trump cannot be called old money, no one ever told him that, and no one ever will.

Culture
There are the standard but good culture spots: the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum, the Hibel Museum of Art, the Royal Poinciana Playhouse, and the coveted Palm Beach Invitational International Piano Competition each spring.

It Ain't Just For The Rich
Palm Beach has elegance and grace, secret places and quiet places. How beautiful are its hidden gardens, how welcome its refineMent and tranquility to visitors from the hectic mainland. Crossing the Flagler Street Bridge from West Palm, the first thing you'll do is slow down and breathe. Directly to your left is a haughty sounding entity called The Society of The Four Arts. Palm Beach likes titles that include society and royal, but we don't care. The Four Arts is a nonprofit cultural organization founded in 1936. Every season, from November through April, it presents notable Speakers, concerts, films, educational programs, and art exhibitions. If you go there in May you can enjoy it without the crowd.

The Four Arts
When you walk into the silent library there's no one there but a lady at the front desk; she barely nods. You take the elevator to the second floor and you are in the Children's Library, which is hosting a rare photography show of the Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan in the Himalayan Mountains. There's no one there. In mere seconds photographers Tom Sterling, Kathleen Sweeney and Dr. L. Samuel Wann whisk you to one of the remotest places on earth.

Cloud Kingdom
You are no longer in sun-drenched Palm Beach. You are in "The Cloud Kingdom" of the Drukpa people. You are in the presence of lamas. You hear the constant flapping in the wind of prayer flags. WoMen weave multicolored blankets for winter, children's faces are red as apples. Glassy-eyed yaks gaze at you from medieval hill towns where red robed monks till the soil. You are in what is now called, "the last Shangri-la." And yes, it's quiet and you're breath is slow and even.

The Garden of Oriental Delights
Across the lane from the library building are countless concealed gardens, one merging into another. You walk through an exquisite wrought iron gate. There's some activity in the temple garden of the Chinese female Buddha of Mercy and Compassion, Kuan Yin. A live photo shoot is taking place in and around a sacred pool with a blond model posing for the cameraman. Watching over the action are sculptures of Kuan Yin looking beautiful and serene while the unfortunate model wilts in the sun.

Other than the camera crew, no one else is there. Splashing fountains and murmuring pools are surrounded by hundreds of species of tropical plants that attract chirpers on the wing. A multi-colored mosaic tile bench is waiting for someone, and shady walkways lead to secret gardens within gardens.

Your Own Walking Tour
You'll find more local flora in the botanical Pan's Garden on Hibiscus Avenue, where a beautiful bronze of Pan playing his pipe guards the entrance. But it's the many gardens you'll want to discover. Some are hidden behind homes of residents; others will surprise you in unexpected courtyards that lead to shops and galleries and more gardens. The architecture of the town is old refined elegance, strongly influenced by 20th century architect Addison Mizner and his Moorish-Mediterranean-style.

A Town Dedicated to the Pursuit of Green
The local folks and enormous capital devoted to maintaining nature and the environMent, as well as the cultural enrichment of the population, are what continue to make Palm Beach a treat to be enjoyed by every visitor. But it is the ocean and sparsely populated, well-maintained beaches that continue to lure me here.

Pristine and magnificent, fringes of sand dunes with hammock flora line the powder white beaches. The frothy dark blue pounding surf turns languid teal in summer. Unlike some other cities and towns on the coast, the road that runs along the beach front is residential-no shops or restaurants clutter the natural splendor. Palm Beach has strict codes that even the Donald finally agreed to when he succumbed to moving his Mar-A-Lago flagpole inward from the oceanfront; big news here.

Time to Dine
Now that you've fed the soul without spending a dime, you can follow me back across the Flagler Street Bridge and head west by northwest to Palm Beach Gardens and some of the best restaurants for people who work for a living. In addition to P.F. Chang and Seasons 52, there are many restaurants costing more and many for less, including the ever-popular vegetarian Sweet Tomatoes, 1900 West Palm Beach Lakes Blvd.

In case you've won the lotto and want to remain on the island, I've listed a few Palm Beach suggestions for the upper crust palate.

Café Boulud
The Brazilian Court (attended a conference here; fab place)
301 Australian Avenue
Palm Beach, FL 33480

Four Seasons Resort
2800 S. Ocean Blvd.
Palm Beach, FL 33480

Bice Ristorante
313 1/2 Worth Ave.
Palm Beach, FL 33325

Nightlife
Taboo (sort of expensive)
221 Worth Ave
Palm Beach, FL 33480

McKenna's Place (sort of nice sports bar)
4636 Jog Road South
Palm Beach, FL

If you can get in for just a peek, visit The Breakers Hotel on Palm Beach. Established in 1896, it is THE Florida landmark from the pioneer days of Henry Flagler. The Sunday Brunch will have you shell out a mere per person. Ouch! Just think of all you've enjoyed without spending a dime.




Thursday, November 17, 2011

Popular Florida State Parks

Popular Florida State Parks


There are over 100 options you have when you are looking for Florida state parks, most of which are there for families to visit. If you are looking for a nice place for a family outing Florida is where you want to be. A few of the parks that are available for you to visit include;

Amelia Island State Recreation Area - This state park can be found south of the residential areas and tourist areas of the Island. This park offers fun activities for the whole family to take part in like Fishing, bird Watching, hiking and sunning. Take some time out to visit the Kelly Seahorse Ranch where you can take wonderful horseback rides along one of the most fantastic beaches.

The Blue Spring State Park - At this park you can enjoy long activities like going camping and staying in one of the beautiful cabins. Some other activities include exploring the nature trails, canoeing, scuba diving, swimming, boating, Fishing and picnicking. These are all wonderful activities for the enTire family to take part in and spend some quality time together.

The Bahia Honda State Park - If your family is very active and isn't interested in sitting on the beach all day they might be interested in visiting this Florida state park as it is one of the best hiking spots in Florida. There is the very popular trail at the end of the Sandspur Beach on the Oceanside that follows the stunning shore of the tidal lagoon, and then from there it twists right through the more interesting coastal strand hammock and then back along the beach again.

Anclote Key State Preserve - There are animals at this park that people come from all over to see. The endangered and rare species tend to find shelter here and find it peaceful. There are about 43 different bird species. Some of these birds include the Piping Plover, Bald Eagle and the American Oystercatcher. There are six well known biological communities that can be found on the Anclote Key. These are swap, beach-dune, mesic flatwoods, maritime, hammock and tidal marsh.

The Big Talbot Island State Park - This park is situated on the sea island that is unique to the country. It is popular for its wealthy and varied habitats. Enjoy canoeing through the stunning waters of the salt marshes, take a Fishing trip and sunbathe on the Nassau Sound shoreline, or be more daring and choose one of the historic hiking trails to take up some time. Or if you prefer the calmer activities, you might be interested in the photography side, bird Watching or nature study.

Cedar Key State Museum - If your family is interested in more historical events and information, then this is the park you want to visit. Here you will see the Cedar Key area in three different states; before the Civil War, during it and after it. You can also view an old shell collection by the infamous Saint ClAir Whitman.

These are just a few of the Florida state parks that you can visit. There are many more that are sure to intrigue you and your loved ones.