Sheils Writes

I arrived in Florida!

We decided we wanted to live here for warmer weather & a better quality of life.  Not yet retired, but we’ve downsized, simplified & are slowly learning a more relaxed style of living.

“They” said, “you’ll miss the change of seasons”, not really.  “They” said, “but it’s so hot”, yes, that’s true.  Bikram yoga enthusiast, eh, just do some postures here & there, no studio necessary.   “They” said “you’ll miss pizza & bagels”, well, ok, you got me there…although Colony Grill in St. Pete has given me a Connecticut bar-style pizza fix when I need it.

Culture, this state has plenty of culture…any Friday night trip to WalMart has got that covered!  Acapulco Tropical just down the road, empanadas aplenty right there!  Bunker Hill vineyard & winery in Duette appropriately located in, well, a bunker, in the middle of nowhere.  A must visit for all new to the area!  Need I go on.

Hurricane prep, been there, done that.  Stocked up on dry snacks at the Dollar General and got the “it won’t be so bad” from the cashier.  Ran with that and we were OK, thank goodness!

A few other faves that need a mention:

LECOM Park in Bradenton — Spring training! ⚾️

Anna Maria Island —

– The Beach Hut, best ice cream on the planet! 🍦

– The Porch!  Best fine dining in the world! 🍷

Scavengers Marketplace in Palmetto for treasure hunting!  💯 A few faves here are:

– Paper & Twig! (best handcrafted bookmarks & journals!)

– Shuffle Furnishings (best custom made chairs!)

– BB’s booth!  Grab some nostalgia and trinkets to spruce up your home!

However, my favorite place to be in Florida is in my home.  I’m comfortable & relaxed, sitting on my porch, doing absolutely nothing at all.