ARCHIVES

May, 2012

NORTHEAST FLORIDA

Turtle Mound Boat Tours is docked at JB’s Fish Camp and Restaurant which overlooks the Indian River at New Smyrna Beach. The boat is a 22' pontoon, and you can choose a covered or uncovered ride. If you’re a bird watcher or nature lover, you’re  in good hands with low-key, soft spoken Captain Pete Mader--who is U.S. Coast Guard Licensed and extremely knowledgeable about this area’s history and animals.

Dr. Andrew Turnbull, a Scottish physician and entrepreneur, established a settlement of more than 1,000 immigrants along the west bank of the Indian River in 1768, making New Smyrna Beach the largest single attempt at British colonization in the US. These coastal plantations grew sugarcane, hemp, indigo, and produced rum. Mosquito Lagoon was the most notorious point of entry for bootleggers on the entire East Coast of Florida. Boats from Scotland, England, the Bimini Islands and Cuba were pulled across a narrow strip of beach land just across from Oak Hill–where bootleggers stashed their bottles until it was safe to transport. These islands were known to have moonshine stills and some were quite famous for their size.

New Smyrna Beach’s intricate waterways and tropical microclimates inspired an Indian River Lagoon with more species than any other estuary in North America and the most diverse bird population in North America. An estuary is formed when saltwater from the sea mixes with freshwater from the land. Mosquito Lagoon is located in the northernmost part of the Indian River Lagoon and has a width that varies from one half mile to five miles. Here giant redfish meander pristine flats year round in these gin-clear shallow back-country waters.

Large gator sea trout, black drum, tarpon, nook, red drum or red fish,  ladyfish, jacks, flounder, spotted or speckled sea trout, snook,  tripletail, mullet, rays, eels, needlefish, seahorses, pipefish, pufferfishes, and tarpon. Mammal species include weasels, panthers, bottlenose dolphin, Mice, muskrats, manatees and raccoons. Alligators, turtles, tortoises, fiddler, horseshoe and blue crabs also inhabit Mosquito Lagoon, with shrimp, clams and oysters an important element of the food chain.

The majority of the islands (home to Timucuan and Ais Indians date back to 10,000 B.C.) were created when mangroves seeded oyster beds. They range from less than one acre to several hundred acres in size with the islands home to old oak trees, many varieties of palms and red cedar trees. The lagoon is a spawning and nursery ground for both ocean-living and lagoon fish. It is nesting home to at least 36 rare and endangered bird species and four species of fish that breed only in the Indian River Lagoon System.

Shipyard Island is the largest island in Mosquito Lagoon. The north tip came to be called Last Chance, which provided the last opportunity to scrape barnacles or make repairs before reaching Hallover Canal. It is said that American Indians stored their canoes there. Confederates used the island to build ships during the Civil War. Island residents planted orange groves there in the early 1900s.Orange Island was named for the largest orange grove in the area at that time.

On the two-hour pontoon boat ride of the Canaveral National Seashore and the serene backwaters of the Indian River Lagoon Estuary, you’ll marvel at the many unspoiled mangrove islands. These dunes, lagoon, salt marsh, islands and hammocks combine with several endangered species to enhance your day of beauty and serenity on the water.

Turtle Mound Boat Tours also offers personalized fishing trips. They provide the bait and equipment and all you need to bring is luck. The Indian River is habitat to red fish, spotted trout, black drum, sheepshead, mangrove snapper, and flounder. Although they are not equipped for hard-core backwater or flats fishing, they do have favorite holes and secret spots. It’s a great way to spend a fun day on the water and wet some line.

You can even create your own boat tour—going anywhere between Ponce Inlet, New Smyrna Beach and the Haulover Canal at Titusville (a 59-mile stretch of natural beauty). Captain Pete offers many options: The sunset cruise is relaxing and beautiful on a clear evening; swimming at “disappearing” island; take your own kayak or canoe and paddle around the islands; have a picnic or camp on an island. Captain Pete is creative and open to suggestions.

TurtleMoundTours is located at New Smyrna Beach, and docked at JB’s Fish Camp and Restaurant. Two-hour tour/$100/6-8 people on Indian River Estuary or along the coast. Call 286-409-9325 or go to www.TurtleMoundTours.com

Angell and Phelps Chocolate Factory Tour – Daytona Beach

Now you can travel to the sweetest destination for a Willy Wonka-esque experience. The Angell and Phelps Chocolate Factory was founded in   1925 by two industrious women, Riddell Angell and Cora Phelps.  Their time-tested recipes are still used. Family-owned and run, this fifth generation continues the old-fashioned virtues of homemade quality and fast with friendly service.
    
The best part of a visit here is their free tour to watch chocolate being made the old fashion way—by hand. A knowledgeable guide leads the 20-30 minute tour, and the sights, sounds, smells and tastes will overwhelm your senses as the chocolate is molded, decorated, mixed, shaped, and packaged.

Whether you like chewy caramels, crunchy nuts or rich creams, their large selection of boxed chocolates use only the freshest ingredients available. Whether unique molded chocolates such as beautiful conch shells, gators, sea turtles and many other souvenirs, chocolate assortments, or delicious chocolate truffles, chocolate-covered potato chips, cherries, or pretzels–there’s something to entice and please every chocolate lover. Their gift shop tempts with confectionary concoctions to take home. Your only caveat during this sweet experience should be self-restraint.
 
The Angell and Phelps Chocolate Factory is located at 154 South Beach Street in Daytona Beach. Store hours are Monday thru Saturday 9:30am-6pm. Factory tours are given Monday-Saturday at 10 and 11am, and at 1, 2, 3, and 4pm. They are closed on Sundays. Free samples and discounts given AFTER the tour. Call 1-800-969-2634 or 386-252-6531 or go to www.angellandphelps.com.
           

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

                  Florida Railroad Museum in Parrish

My view of traveling on trains has always has always been one of romanticism, although, I must have acquired that feeling from watching old movies, because it certainly didn’t come from personal experience. Until I visited the Florida Railroad Museum my only riding of the rails was by Amtrak, which falls a little short on the sentimental scale.

Still, that era in which railroads were the most affluent means of travel was a desirous time in American history, and if you want to get a hint of that bygone, saccharine period, the museum in Parrish is a good place to invest a little time.

It’s different than most museums—as they like to point out—here you “ride the exhibits.” There is memorabilia in the stationary rail car/ticket office and you can wander through an old Pullman car, the deplorable condition of which is excusable since it was rescued from the scrap heap and is slated for restoration. If romanticism correlates to closeness you will feel it in the old Pullman. Compartments are tight, but illustrate the luxury or the golden era with the red velvet upholstery private beds and baths plus the ability to flick a switch that summoned a porter to cater to every personal need.

The Museum is in possession of several locomotives and cars that have been donated or purchased from all over the country. The ex-U.S. Army diesel #1835 is the primary road engine, while a General Electric diesel electric engine that was donated by the Navy after its use at the Jacksonville Naval Air Station is their switch engine. And, there is the little 1919 steam locomotive used until 1963 in a Brooklyn rail yard that has been cosmetically restored and on display.

The two passenger cars regularly used for excursions are 1930 iterations used by a railroad commuter service out of Hoboken, New Jersey until 1983, plus a ‘50s lightweight air conditioned Union Pacific coach with a concession stand added. Bringing up the rear is the proverbial little red caboose retired by the Texas and Pacific system in 1981. It was purchased by a museum member, later donated, and is now used as the party caboose on weekend outings.

The excursions take you several miles out and back on the 1 ½-hour-ride, past truck farms, pastures, and a few isolated homesteads—scenery that’s not too exciting unless you were unaware that Florida exists beyond the glamour of beaches and theme parks. But the real entertainment is the train itself and the special events coordinated with the rides.  

On weekends throughout the year the museum presents various themes to amuse before, during, and after the jaunt over rails. On different weekends you can participate in the Train Robbery with the Hole in the Head Gang, the Murder Mystery Dinner Train, a Hobo Campfire Cookout, and the Rock & Roll Railroad.   In October there is the Pumpkin Patch Express, and in December the North Pole Train.

And what about operating one of those mega-ton locomotives yourself? If that has ever been a dream, you can realize it at the Florida Railroad Museum. You will receive hands-on training for an hour behind the controls, chugging one of those monstrous engines up and down the tracks.

For May and June, Mothers Day and Fathers Day are the big events, with Moms and Dads riding free on their respective holidays. It would be a great time to rent the caboose for a private party.

On our visit the diversion was a Civil War Re-enactment. It was entertaining as well as educational—especially the hospital tent with the original medical equipment and explanations of care.  The Confederates and the Union soldiers skirmished before the train pulled out, and the Johnny-Rebs waylaid us on the way back, but were whipped both times, and we made it home safely.

The Civil War subject won’t be repeated for a while, but it was great fun and we can only assume that all the events are just as enjoyable. For a different kind of weekend escapade this nostalgic exhibit is worth investigating.

The Florida Railroad Museum is located at 12210 83rd Street East in Parrish. The museum operates only on Saturdays and Sundays. For information on future events and reservations, call 941-776-0906 or visit www.frrm.org.


  The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art  -  Sarasota

John Ringling derived a fortune from his circus, real estate, oil and railroad investments. When he died in 1936, he left his art museum and palatial estate on 66 acres of Sarasota Bay to the people of Florida. Today The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, the State Art Museum of Florida encompases the Ca d’Zan mansion, Museum of Art, The Circus Museum, Tibbals Learning Center, Museum of Art Library, grounds and gardens, Gift Shop, Banyan Café, and Treviso restaurant.

This was the last of the Gilded Age mansions to be built in America. Ca’ d’Zan--(meaning “House of John”)—was John and Mable Ringling’s tribute to the American Dream. This graceful Venetian Gothic palace exudes grandeur. Construction began in 1924 and was concluded before Christmas, 1925 at a cost of $1.5 million. It is 200 feet long, encompassing about 36,000 square feet with 41 rooms and 15 bathrooms. It is five stories and has a full basement. The pinnacle of the structure is the 81-foot Belvedere tower with an open-air overlook and a high-domed ceiling. It is constructed from terra cotta “T” blocks, concrete, and brick, covered with stucco and terra cotta, and embellished with glazed tile. The original roof was made from imported 16th century Spanish tile. Its bayfront terrace is made of domestic and imported marble. A 6-year, $15-million restoration was completed in 2002, restoring it to the grandeur of the era.

The Italian Renaissance-style Museum of Art was built in 1927 by John Ringling to house his personal collection of masterpieces. Construction slowed because of the collapse of Florida’s land boom, and then Wall Street’s stock market crash. Financial misfortune and Mable’s death in 1929 could have ended the dream, but Ringling borrowed money and gained a new resolve, completing and opening the museum to the public in October, 1931.

Today the Museum features paintings and sculptures by the great Old Masters including Rubens, van Dyck, Velázquez, Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese, El Greco, Gainsborough, as well as the Ringling’s Art of Our Time, a growing collection of contemporary art. The European, American and Asian masterworks available here make the Museum of Art an awe-inspiring retreat. The Courtyard features casts of original antiquities and renaissance sculptures, including the towering David by Michelangelo.  The Courtyard features two fountains - Fountain of Tortoises, one of three replicas from the Piazza Mattei in Rome, and the Oceanus Fountain, copied from the 16th century original by Giovanni Bologna in Florence’s Boboli Gardens. Special exhibitions are featured in The Ulla R. and Arthur F. Searing Wing, which opened in 2007.  The galleries mirror the original Museum of Art's exterior, but makes available expansive exhibit space for major traveling shows.

Presently On Exhibit (Searing Wing): Peter Paul Rubens: Impressions of a Master – through June 3;  Luminosity – through August 12;  Sanford Biggers – through August 19; From the Vaults: John Ringling's Asian and Cypriot Art- through September 21. (In Gallery 13): Fashion Forward: A Focus on Dress in the 1700s – through June 10.  Sunset and daily hours available for viewing Joseph’s Coat, the Skyspace created by James Turrell.

The Circus Museum, established in 1948, celebrates the American circus, its history, and unique relationship to Sarasota.  On exhibit is the Wisconsin, the 1905 private rail car of John and Mable Ringling. There are colossal parade and baggage wagons, sequined costumes, and a sideshow banner line, memorabilia and artifacts of The Ringling Family Circus, John Ringling, and the greatest circus movie, The Greatest Show on Earth, which was filmed in Sarasota.

At the Tibbals Learning Center  is a permanent exhibition of colorful circus posters. The cornerstone is the world's largest miniature circus, The Howard Bros. Circus Model, a replica of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1919 – 1938.  It was created over a period of more than 50-years by master model builder and philanthropist Howard Tibbals. Exhibitions celebrate circus performers. On the second floor the history of the American circus from ancient times to the present is documented. The Interactive Galleries are fun and provide many photo opportunities. On Exhibit through May 14: Whirling Wheels: Bicycles in the Big Top.

The grounds and gardens are also treated and cherished as works of art. The fragrant 37,225 sq. ft. Rose Garden was completed in 1913 and is patterned after a traditional Italian circular garden design.  While none of the original rose bushes planted by Mable survive, many of today’s 1,200 rose plants are of the same types planted by Mrs. Ringling.  Today the garden consists of roses introduced between 1867 and 2002.  There are Tree Roses, Hybrid Teas, Floribundas, Grandifloras, miniature roses, shrubs, and Old Garden Roses.
 
Just north of the Ca’ d’Zan Mansion is Mable Ringling’s Secret Garden, derived from plants given to her during her winters at Cà d’Zan. There’s also the Dwarf Garden Millennium Tree Trail, and 13 historic banyan trees with paths and picnic areas to enjoy. More than 200 trees and 40,000 plantings have recently added to the landscape.

The Ringling Museum of Art Library is open to researchers, students, and the public Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1- 5 p.m. The Library is located in the Johnson-Blalock Education Center on the south side of the Ringling Museum estate off Bay Shore Road.  

It contains more than 85,000 volumes, exhibition and sale catalogs, and more than 100 current periodical titles. The Library conducts and supports research on the Museum's collection of Italian and European Baroque art, 20th Century Art, Decorative Arts, Peter Paul Rubens, Contemporary Art, and Photography. The Library collects research materials encompassing the entire history of art, art education, and conservation and houses a collection of rare books from the 16th - 20th centuries, including the personal library of John Ringling.

Because you could spend the whole day here viewing everything, take time out for lunch or a pick-me-up. Located between the Circus Museum and Mable’s Rose Garden, the Banyan Café features a family-friendly self-serve and outdoor seating daily 11am - 4 pm. Treviso offers fine indoor dining daily 10am-5pm, and on Thursdays from 10am-8pm.

The Ringling also is emerging as a center for the study, practice and presentation of contemporary art. The Ringling International Arts Festival (RIAF) showcases a variety of contemporary art at the Ringling Center for the Arts in Sarasosta. A continuum of the Ringling Museumm’s Art of Our Time, the fourth annual Festival features music, dance and theater in its intimate theaters, galleries and gardens by well-known and emerging artists. RIAF is produced by Sarasota’s The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art and New York’s Baryshnikov Arts Center. The artists scheduled to perform are hand-picked by the legendary Mikhail Baryshnikov. The 2012 Festival takes place October 10-13.

The John and Maple Ringling Museum of Art is located at 5401 Bay Shore Road. Allow 3 hours minimum. Hours: Grounds open daily 9:30-6pm. Museum open daily 10-5pm and Thursday 5-8pm. Guided tours depart daily on the hour from 11am-4pm. Cost (also includes Ca’ d’Zan, The Circus Museum and Tibbals Learning Center) $25; $20-ages 65+; $15(ages 6-17 and active military, college students and Florida teachers with ID). Call 941-359-5700 (recorded info); 941-358-3180 (advanced ticket info) or go to www.Ringling.org.

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA

                         Crandon Park-Key Biscayne

Crandon Park was at one time part of the largest coconut plantations in the country—obviously requiring a tremendous amount or work—now it’s all for pleasure.

It’s one of those places that sounds too good to be true, but it doesn’t take long after arriving to discover that there is nothing misleading about the marketing that lures literally millions of people every year. It’s 2.5 miles of white sand forming a lagoon-style, low-surf impact beach that is so gorgeous that many visitors simply rent one of the cabanas, watch the surf, and never venture any farther.

This beach is rated among the 10 best in the nation with a gradual slope into the water and close patrol by lifeguards making it also one of the safest. You’ll discover more fun for the kids at the Amusement Area featuring a carousel, outdoor skating rink, splash fountain, playground and soon to be featured petting zoo. In addition, there are landscaped picnic areas. Beyond that are the Crandon Gardens, complete with diverse botanicals and lakes offset by a tropical forest of overhanging vines and ferns.

The gardens per se are only one of the various ecosystems of the key that include the dunes, mangroves, and coastal hardwood hammocks. Seagrass beds provide a home for marine life and the island is also the habitat of rare and beautiful plants like the Beach Peanut, Biscayne Prickly Ash and the Coontie—with an abundance of butterflies always flittering about.

The transformation from coconut grove to a recreational facility began in 1940 when the Matheson family who operated the plantation donated more than 800 acres to Dade County (now Miami-Dade). The agreement was that the park land would be in exchange for a causeway built to Key Biscayne. Not a bad deal, even though the Big War prevented the over-water connection until 1947.

Now, only 10 minutes from downtown Miami, its convenience equals its excellence. The county has not skimped on any of the amenities beginning with parking that accommodates 3,000 vehicles. The two major sports facilities match the class of the surrounding environment with eminence that lures top-name professionals.

The Crandon Golf Key Biscayne (the only public course on the bay) is a championship 18 holes that has hosted a regular Senior PGA tour event for the last 18 years. It is without question one of the most beautiful golf courses in the state and rated in the nation’s top 75 upscale courses by Golf Digest. If you forget your clubs, they can be rented and you can sharpen your game on the driving range before starting.

The same is true for the tournaments held at the Crandon Park Tennis Center. Since 1987 the leading players in the game have contended in the Key Biscayne competition known presently as the Sony Ericsson Open, and under several other sponsored names over the years. When the pros aren’t stroking the ball, there are 26 courts available for reservation.

For those whose aquatic preferences extend beyond the beach there are rentals of Kite-Boards and Kayaks. And, when an activity cool-down is desired, a guided historical tour or a leisurely stroll through the Bear Cut Preserve is recommended. It’s a designated National Environmental Study Area exhibiting the island’s natural elements at their best—a window to the wilderness that was once South Florida—so it is said. That could be, but with the merriment surrounding you at Crandon Park it’s hard to imagine that it was once inhabited by Indians and soldiers, plundered by pirates, and covered in coconuts. Some think the pirates left treasures there. That could be too, but really the whole place is a gem.

Miami-Dade’s Crandon Park is located at 6747 Crandon Boulevard and is reached via the Rickenbacker Causeway over Biscayne Bay-toll $1.50. Hours are 8 am to sunset. Cost is $5 per private vehicle (weekdays); $6 per vehicle (weekends and holidays); $15 per bus or RV(every day). Go to www.miamidade.gov/parks or call 305-361-5421.

                      Homestead-Miami Speedway

If you’re under the impression that every racetrack is visited only by hardcore NASCAR types (as Seinfeld would say; “not that there’s anything wrong with that”) you should check out the track on Speedway Boulevard in Homestead—you might even decide to get down on that 1.5 mile asphalt oval and show your own stuff. Yes, you can actually do that, or if you prefer to be just an observer, this is the place to visit, because in track lingo, it’s “hot” more than 280 days a year.

Unlike some race facilities that host only a few races a year and are ghostly quiet for the remainder, the Homestead-Miami Speedway satisfies the yearnings of race enthusiasts and/or plain thrill seekers with more event time than the average person spends at work.

Rising out of the rubble after Hurricane Andrew flattened nearly everything in Homestead twenty years ago, the speedway has steadily improved and attracted diverse racing and buffs until it has become one of the premier tracks in the country. The track’s history includes being the first venue to host every major North American Motorsports Championships: the IZOD IndyCar Series, GRAND-AM ROLEX Sports Car Series; and NASCAR’s Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series.

When there is not a sanctioned race, fans are drawn by activities such as manufacturer testing, car-club events, driving schools, ride-along programs, product launches, and charitable events topped off by movie and photo shoots. This is motorsports for the family—you’re even allowed to bring your own cooler of favorite cold drinks (check the rules for gate entry). Better yet, you can bring your own car for the competition. Take a look at the May calendar:

May 4, 18 (6 pm-midnight) Test and Tune on the 1/8th mile pit row. Open to the public for dragging down the strip instead of the street to see what the family buggy will really do.

May 5-6 (9am-5pm) Motorcycle Racing - Championship Cup Series - Practice on Saturday and GT and Sprint races on Sunday. Visit www.ccsracing.us.

May11-13 (9am-5pm) Ride & Drive - Richard Petty Driving Experience-This one is a blast for the wannabe racer. You can ride shotgun in a 2-seat NASCAR-style stocker driven by a professional instructor, or take the wheel yourself for an experience most fans will never get in a lifetime. Visit www.1800bepetty.com.

May 18-19 (9zm-5pm) Karting – South Florida Rotax Max Challenge Series Races 3-4 – Karters of multiple classes compete on full-course layout at Homestead Karting Center, located on the grounds of Homestead-Miami Speedway. The Rotax MAX Challenge collects racers via a feeder system of local, regional, national and international events, with the top drivers from each class in each region invited to the Grand Nationals. Visit www.rmaxchallenge.com.

May 19-20 (9am-5pm) Car Club - National Auto Sport Association-Florida Region - A high performance driver education for entry-level drivers & practice time/races for experts on the road course in race or street cars. Visit htpp://www.drivenasafl.com or call 386-227-7795.

May 26 (9am-5pm) Diving School - Hooked on Driving - A high- performance driving experience held on a closed road course with managed passing rules. You can enjoy a full day program where most participants bring their own cars and are allowed to drive on the course in conjunction with focused instruction, monitoring, and grouped by ability and experience. Visit www.hookedondriving.com

May 27 (9am-5pm) Car Club - Equipe Rapide Sports Car Club - This is an autocross. Amateur racers are timed as they run through a cone-lined course (one car at a time/best time wins) on a road course built in the blue lot adjacent to 336th Street. Visit www.erscc.com.

The May calendar is typical of the year long schedule. This is one of the few tracks where you can test your skills against the same challenges faced by the pros. You can inhale the intoxicating fumes from the stands at any track, and there is always a good view on TV, but for the fan who wants to really get up close and personal with his favorite sport there is not a better place to be in the state of Florida than Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The Homestead-Miami Speedway is located at One Speedway Boulevard in Homestead. Call 866-409-RACE or go to www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com.