Lakewood Lifestyle

Outdoor activities spell bliss to Florida residents. And for this lone reason, half of Lakewood Ranch, one of the most famed unincorporated master planned communities in the United States, has dedicated its land for parks, recreational areas and hiking trails. An active hiker will certainly be stunned with 150-mile long stretch of trails within in […]

Florida Golf

Florida is home to more than a thousand golf courses scattered throughout the state. Each year people come from all over the globe to enjoy these courses, some are the most beautiful in the world. There are tough courses and easy ones, courses by the surf and courses in rolling green hills. Wherever you live […]

Ringling Museum of Art

Sarasota was the winter home for many of the Ringling family, dating back to 1911. A visit to Sarasota would not be complete without a visit to the John and Mabel Ringling museum of Classical Art. In 1925, John Ringling engaged architect John H. Phillips to design the art museum. The Museum was established in 1927 as the legacy of Mable and John Ringling for the people of Florida. In October 1931, “The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art” was officially opened to the public.

The Fine Art of Sarasota

Exploring Sarasota’s fine arts community is like attending a fabulous costume ball. It introduces you to a visual dance where you can open the imagination and see the creativity of artists who have helped to build the facade of Florida’s Cultural Coast. Today, many fine artists call Sarasota home, participate in local associations, and support the city’s unique art-oriented retail districts, which provide residents and visitors with unique first-hand opportunities to learn about the people who contribute to the creative force of this community.

Sarasota’s Rich History Pt.2

By the early 1900s Sarasota welcomed a steady flow of prestigious residents who made a mark on the development of Sarasota as a city and cultural center, and left a legacy of historic sites that continue to impress locals and visitors alike. These wealthy entrepreneurs helped define the personality of the region and usher in an era of wealth and prosperity that continues to this day. Among the first was Bertha Honoré Palmer, an early 20th Century socialite and the widow of multimillion dollar estate developer Potter Palmer, whom she married in 1871.

Sarasota’s Rich History Pt.1

Before it was Siesta Key, the small barrier island off the coast of Florida was known by several other names: Sarasota Key, from the Amerindian word Zarazote, Clam Island, “Muscle” Island, Palm Island and Little Sarasota Island. European cartographers referred to it as Sarasota Key when exploration began in the year 1513, and maps dating back to the earlier part of the 18th century, including local maps dated earlier than the 1920s use the name Sarasota Key. It wasn’t until this time—the 1920’s—that Sarasota Key was renamed Siesta Key.

The Painful Past of Paradise

Most people think that Juan Ponce De Leon discovered Florida in 1513 but it was actually settled up to 14,000 years ago by the indigenous peoples of North America. Of course, the area was quite different back then due to the huge amounts of water being stored in glaciers. Because of that, the sea level was as much as 300 feet lower than it is now and Florida had about twice as much land as modern times.