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• Tierra Verde Lighted Boat Parade

  Written by Connie Langhorst No Comments
  Last Updated: November 30, 2009

  In honor of the holiday season, boat owners take advantage of Pinellas County’s abundant waterways to “Deck The Hulls” (literally) and participate in one or more of our area’s community-oriented lighted boat parades.

  One such parade in the South Gulf Beaches area of the County is the Tierra Verde Lighted Boat Parade. A longstanding tradition, the event is scheduled to take place beginning at 6PM on Wednesday, December 9, 2009.  Participating vessels, with crew and merrymakers aboard, meet at Marker #10 in the Pass-a-Grille Channel (located at the entrance to the Grand Canal).

  When the boats are lined up, one after the other, with their decorative lights twinkling and holiday music from their respective sound systems rocking the night air, the Parade gets underway.  It is a sight to behold.

  The Parade travels up the Grand Canal, heading north, and returns south, then proceeding along the island’s west shore to the Tierra Verde Bridge.  After passing under the bridge, the Parade travels on, going up and down the canals on the east side of Tierra Verde.

  It’s beautiful to see decorative lights draped up the rigging of sailboats and along the bow of yachts.  Lights shaped as palm trees, animated ringing bells, reindeer, and as green fish and blue dolphins.

  Following the Tierra Verde Lighted Boat Parade, an awards ceremony and party is slated to follow at Billy’s Stone Crab Restaurant, located at One Collany Road, Tierra Verde , FL 33715.

  In true blown out flip flop island style, there is no official sponsor for the event . . . Just a bunch of friendly neighbors and friends getting together to enjoy some of the magic and whimsy of the holiday season.

  Tierra Verde, Pass-a-Grille, Vina del Mar, and Isla del Sol residents who live along the waterfront have the luxury of enjoying the Parade from their own homes.  Others travel to various waterfront restaurants, parks,  and public landings to enjoy the spectacular display of lights.

  It’s not too late to participate.  Anyone who owns a boat is encouraged to participate.  All you need to do is decorate your boat (and it doesn’t have to be fancy) and join in the fun of the Parade.

  More information about the Tierra Verde Lighted Boat Parade is available by phone at 727-458-8512 or call Billy’s Stone Crab Restaurant at 727-866-2115.

  Being from the Midwest originally, when I moved to Florida with my husband in 2002, I worried that I would miss our annual car ride to cruise the neighborhood and look at glimmering holiday lights buried beneath inches of newly-fallen snow.  To my delight, it is equally enjoyable, if not more exhilarating, to see watch the Tierra Verde Lighted Boat Parade and see the reflection of glittering holiday lights shimmering on the water.

  If, during the holidays, the urge to drop to the ground and make a snow angel overtakes me, I need only zip down to North Beach at Ft. De Soto Park and make a sand angel.  I’ll be sure to go when the last light of day is touching the horizon–because sunsets there are glorious gifts in and of themselves!

  Never again having to own a snow scraper . . . just another good thing about life . . . in Paradise Found!

  PHOTOS OF AREA LIGHTED BOAT PARADES COURTESY OF:  Dirk Shadd (Times 2003).  Times 2004.  Coastal Living Magazine.

• Giving Thanks . . . SPYC Christmas Boutique

  Written by Connie Langhorst No Comments
  Last Updated: November 23, 2009

  Thanksgiving is the perfect time to extend a heartfelt thank you to residents, businesses, and organizations throughout Pinellas County for their commitment to charitable events and activities during the holiday season and year-round.  Expressed in donations of time, the sharing of life experiences, and funding support, this commitment defines the meaning of volunteerism and the spirit of community giving.

  On Thanksgiving Day, it’s a tradition in my family to give thanks, while standing around the dinner table, for the blessings in our lives.  We hold hands and each person, in turn, offers a message of thanks.   My husband, Thomas, and I, plan to spend the holiday with my sister and brother-in-law, Lora and Max Fulmer, who live, as we do, in Tierra Verde, FL.  I’m already thinking about the message that I will share.  My words of thanks and gratitude will include them–for the gifts they share and in acknowledgment of their volunteer spirit.

  Lora, as she does each year, plans to host a booth, with her friend, Judy Fielding, at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club Christmas Boutique.

  This tenth annual fundraising event attracts hundreds of shoppers.  It’s festive and fun, and helps SPYC members and their guests get into the holiday spirit.  Proceeds from this activity benefit the St. Petersburg Yacht Club Junior Sailing and Disabled Sailor programs.
  Lora and Judy work (like elves), collecting and making quilts, and embroidering novelty items, to be sold at the Christmas Boutique.  They are talented sewers and quilt makers.  Volunteering at this event is a labor of love for them (owing to the fact that they have both lost a child to terminal illness).

  

  In addition to their support of the SPYC Christmas Boutique, Lora and Judy also volunteer on behalf of Project Linus, a nonprofit organization comprised of hundreds of local chapters and thousands of volunteers across the United States. Each chapter works together to help us achieve their mission statement:

  . . . To provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer “blanketeers.”

  . . . To provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities, for the benefit of children.

  Project Linus has distributed over three million blankets to children in need since the organization’s inception in 1995.

  I’m proud of (and thankful for) my sister for her support of these great causes and there are many great people doing equally great things in our community.

  In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I urge everyone to pause and give thanks for our individual and collective blessings.  Take a moment to honor and recognize the volunteers in your sphere of influence–family members and friends alike.  Let them know how much you appreciate them.  If you’re not doing so already, consider becoming a volunteer or making a donation to one of your favorite charities.  By doing so, you will make a meaningful contribution to our community and, as a consequence, you will have an opportunity to experience, firsthand, the impact that two simple words can have . . . thank you!

  Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving . . . in Paradise Found!

  ST. PETERSBURG YACHT CLUB CHRISTMAS BOUTIQUE:
  The event is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, December 1, 2009. Shopping begins at 1P and concludes at 7P.  Only 45 vendors are accepted into this exclusive event, with categories limited to retail sales, non-profit groups, artists, and members of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. Raffle items will be on display and proceeds benefit both Junior Sailing and Disabled Sailors.  For information, contact event co-chairs: Char Doyle, Susan Huff, or Beverly Smoak, by phone at 727-521-3822 or via email to spycboutique@tampabay.rr.com.

  ST. PETERSBURG YACHT CLUB YOUTH SAILING PROGRAM
  Based in the Sailing Center, the St. Petersburg Yacht Club Youth Sailing Program is one of the most extensive in the nation. Not only are the facilities first-rate, but the Club maintains a staff of 2-3 full time Youth Sailing Coaches, plus a fleet of 420′s and Optimist Prams.   Many of the children in the program have gone on to become All Americans or Olympic Gold Medal winners. Most notably, Allison Jolly won a gold medal in the 1988 Olympics.  Ed Baird, who coached the New Zealand team to victory in the 1995 America’s Cup, skippered the Young America/New York Yacht Club Challenge. Numerous SPYC junior sailors have gone on to becoming Collegiate All-American athletes.  Youth sailing offers classes open to all community residents. Hundreds of youth have been introduced to the sport of sailing, and the program has produced winning racing teams to compete at both national and international levels.

  ABOUT THE ST. PETERSBURG YACHT CLUB
  Rich in history and tradition, the St. Petersburg Yacht Club is one of the oldest yacht clubs in the United States. Established in 1909 and having been completely renovated in the early 1990s, the Club is located on the beautiful waterfront in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. A gathering place for avid boaters, it is also one of Tampa Bay’s most prestigious social venues. Enjoying a reputation for warm hospitality, world-class sailing and outstanding dining, Club members and guests value and respect this tradition of excellence.  SPYC is located at 11 Central Avenue on the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront. Established in 1909 and renovated in 1992, the club has over 2500 members and is known as the “sailing capital of the south”. SPYC has a 90 year history of hosting regattas and an international reputation for excellent race management and on-shore activities. Many members have achieved great fame in sailing. Boat builder and America’s Cup competitor Charley Morgan is omnipresent in SPYC one-design activities. Yacht clubs nation-wide strive annually to win the coveted “St. Petersburg Yacht Club Award of Excellence in Race Management.”

  

  

  

  

  CREDITS:  Photos & Information for this post courtesy of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club (Sail Expo November 2009), Lora Fulmer, and Yours Truly.

• Quick Facts about the Homebuyer Tax Credit

  Written by MyPinellas.com No Comments
  Last Updated: November 19, 2009

  Earlier this year Congress passed legislation that provided first-time homebuyers a tax credit up to $8,000. As you may have heard, President Obama recently approved the first-time homebuyer tax credit extension, which extends the credit until April 30, 2010.

  Here are the basics of the extended home buyer tax credit for 2009/2010:

  As part of its plan to stimulate the U.S. housing market and address the economic challenges facing our nation, Congress has passed new legislation that:

  • Extends the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit of up to $8,000 to first-time home buyers until April 30, 2010.
  • Expands the credit to grant up to $6,500 credit to current home owners purchasing a new or existing home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010.

  
  Who Qualifies for the Extended Credit?
  

  • First-time home buyers who purchase homes between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010.
  • Current home owners purchasing a home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010, who have used the home being sold or vacated as a principal residence for five consecutive years within the last eight.

  To qualify as a “first-time home buyer” you, and your spouse, may not have owned a residence during the three years prior to the purchase.

  
  Which Properties Are Eligible?

  The Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit may be applied to primary residences, including: single-family homes, condos, townhomes, and co-ops.

  
  How Much Is Available?

  The maximum allowable credit for first-time home buyers is $8,000. The maximum allowable credit for current homeowners is $6,500.

  
  How is a Buyer’s Credit Amount Determined?

  Each home buyer’s tax credit is determined by tow additional factors:

  1. The price of the home.
  2. The buyer’s income.

  
  Price

  Under the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit, credit may only be awarded on homes purchased for $800,000 or less.

  
  Buyer Income

  Under the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit, which is effective on November 7, 2009, single buyers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000-may receive the maximum tax credit. These income limits have changed from the 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit limits.

  
  If My Income Exceeds These Limits, Can I Still Get a Credit?

  Yes, some buyers may still be eligible for the credit. The credit decreases for buyers who earn between $125,000 and $145,000 for single buyers and between $225,000 and $245,000 for home buyers filing jointly. The amount of the tax credit decreases as a buyer’s income approaches the maximum limit. Home buyers earning more than the maximum qualifying income-over $145,000 for singles and over $245,000 for couples- are not eligible for the credit.

  
  Can I Still Qualify If My Home Purchase Closes After April 30, 2010?

  Under the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit, as long as a written binding contract to purchase is in effect on April 30, 2010, you will have until July 1, 2010 to close.

  
  Will the Tax Credit Need to Be Repaid?

  No. You do not need to repay the tax credit, if you occupy your home for three years or more. However, if you sell the property during this three-year period, the full amount credit will be recouped on the sale.

• Market in the Park

  Written by Connie Langhorst No Comments
  Last Updated: November 16, 2009

  

  Discover Paradise in Pinellas County!

  It’s that time of year again . . .

  . . . Market in the Park is back!

   

  The 3rd Annual Market in the Park at Heritage Village sponsored by the Pinellas County Historical Society.

  This family-friendly event takes place from 9AM to 1PM on Saturdays from Nov. 7, 2009 to April 17, 2010.  The November schedule is included below and more information is available online from the Heritage Village website.

  Admission is free!

  Market in the Park features farm-fresh produce, and natural products and gardening items.  On-site restrooms and plenty of room to roam make Market in the Park attractive to everyone. Food and beverages are also sold. Plans are in the works to introduce other special events and promotions.

  Heritage Village is located at 11909 125^th Street North in Largo, FL.

  For more information, call Heritage Village at 727-582-2123.

  November Schedule

  Just another fun activity . . . in Paradise Found! 

  About Heritage Village:

  Hours of Operation:
  Wednesday – Saturday
  10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  Sunday 1 – 4 p.m.
  Closed Mondays, Tuesdays and on all Pinellas County holidays.

  Heritage Village features exhibits, a Museum Gift Shop, a Native Plant Trail, and Guided Walking Tours.  Current exhibits include:
   
  The Structures at Heritage Village: As you walk through the pine and palmetto landscape, you are really walking through the museum! The buildings and other features make up the Village’s largest “artifacts” and are part of the museum’s “collection.” Inside the buildings, you will find period rooms and displays depicting life ways, culture and early industries that shaped the Pinellas peninsula.

  Pieces of the Past: Some of the living history demonstrations and hands-on activities you might encounter during your stroll through the Village include pine needle and palm frond weaving, laundry day, working in the heritage garden, rope making, net mending, blacksmithing, traditional fiber arts, and pioneer cooking.

  Pinellas Passport: Your Ticket through Time illustrates major areas of development in Pinellas County, including coastal living with a focus on the sponge industry; agriculture featuring citrus industry artifacts; community life through newspapers and a printing press; and tourism, showcasing souvenirs and once-popular roadside attraction icons. In the Roy Helms Gallery.

  Link to Heritage Village Photos 

  

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Press release and Market in the Park logo courtesy of www.PinellasCounty.org.

• O Wave in Downtown St. Petersburg

  Written by Bob Horn No Comments
  Last Updated: November 6, 2009

  

  I love public art!  I can be out in the world, just moving along through life, and I might be anywhere at all, and suddenly I come upon something that was placed there, just for me to look at, to study, to question, to enjoy, or maybe to laugh at.  Okay, maybe it wasn’t placed there just for me.  You can look at it, too.  But the point is that it’s there for all to see and to take in, if you like, or to ignore if you so choose.  

  St. Petersburg has a LOT of public art installations scattered around the city and I still discover new ones every now and then.  This post is about a new public art installation that was installed a couple of months ago in downtown St. Petersburg.  I realize that this is a subjective opinion, but it’s my post so I get to state my opinion: The sculpture is absolutely stunning!

  This sculpture is called “O Wave”.  Not “O-Wave”, as I’ve seen in some places, but just “O Wave”.  It was created by artist/sculptor Gordon Huether, and it was commissioned by JMC Communities, the developers of the new luxury condominium, Ovation, in downtown St. Petersburg.  The sculpture is a sixteen foot tall curving arc made of stainless steel and dichroic glass.  The glass reflects and refracts and generally plays with the light, and it changes according to the angle that you view it from. 

  The artist, in a recent statement about the new sculpture, said, “With curves that evoke nearby waters and Ovation’s own undulating lines, glass that simultaneously transmits and reflects light, and reflective surfaces that capture ambient activity of nearby trees, sky and passersby, the fixed sculpture takes on a distinct animated character, creating a passively kinetic sculpture.”

  I am posting two photos, just to give a little feel of the different look that it takes on.  Please click on the photos to bring up a full-size version for a better look.  But for the best look, head downtown and see this beautiful work for yourself!  You’ll find it on Beach Drive, at the corner of Second Avenue North.  

  

• Veterans of Tierra Verde

  Written by Connie Langhorst No Comments
  Last Updated: November 3, 2009

  As a military veteran (U.S. Army & Army Reserves) and proud member of Veterans of Tierra Verde, I pause, as I do every year, on the occasion of Veterans Day, to remember the brave men and women who serve in and support our nation’s Armed Forces. Honoring the service of active duty military personnel, their sacrifice and that of their family members, as well as remembering those who have made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our country, are the reasons why we celebrate this day of remembrance.

  Aside from Veteran’s Day, which occurs on November 11, members of Veterans of Tierra Verde meet regularly and are committed, year round, to supporting veterans.  Members, representing a wide age range and all branches of the service, support each other and share inspirational, firsthand accounts of WWII, D Day, VJ Day, Pearl Harbor, Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf War conflicts.

  The organization is committed to supporting community events and charitable organizations, too.  They organize donation drives and ship personal items overseas to active duty troops serving in the Middle East and around the world.  Members have donated military memorabilia to the Armed Forces Museum.  They provide POW (Prisoner Of War) flags to area fire stations and conduct flag raising ceremonies at various locations, including Ft. De Soto Park.  They assist with the proper disposal of tattered and worn out U.S. flags, serve as members of Color Guard ceremonies and processionals, host public speaking events, and mount an annual holiday drive, collecting toys and needed supplies for local families of active duty military personnel.

  On December 6, 2006, Bill Allen, Tierra Verde resident and President of Veterans of Tierra Verde, was nominated (and later selected) to receive a community service award presented by Pinellas Realtor Organization at PRO’s annual dinner and awards ceremony.  It was a great honor for Bill and his wife, Helen, who was present for the event, as an acknowledgement of the good work Veterans of Tierra Verde has been doing for many years on behalf of our nation’s military veterans and active duty personnel.

  Veterans of Tierra Verde meet for breakfast each month at Bob Evans Restaurant on 34th Street North (U.S. 19).  Veterans and their guests are welcome to join the group for their monthly dinner meeting, which takes place at Isla del Sol Yacht & Country Club on Sun Boulevard in south St. Petersburg.

  Military veterans, whether stateside or combat, are encouraged and welcomed to join.  More information is available online at www.VeteransofTierraVerde.com.

  The below photos feature members of Veterans of Tierra Verde and their spouses.  Their work is a labor of love . . . and a duty (to always remember).

  I hope that you will pause to remember our nation’s military veterans on Veteran’s Day.  If you are a veteran and live in the South Gulf Beaches area of Pinellas County, consider attending a Veterans of Tierra Verde event.  I guarantee that you will be inspired and make a new friend, or two, or three . . .

  Happy Veteran’s Day to my brothers and sisters in arms.   YOU are my heroes!

  To the men and women of our nation’s Armed Forces, and their families, who paid the ultimate price so that we can experience the freedoms we enjoy in this country, I shall honor you by pausing to say “Thank You” on November 11.

  Remembering and honoring our veterans with pride . . . in Paradise Found.

  Photos courtesy of Veterans of Tierra Verde.
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