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Category Archives: Food

New Smyrna Beach – Night Swan Bed and Breakfast

P1040032AMERICAN PRESS TRAVELNEWS, Bob, Barb & Terry, “On the Road Again” and “Stopping to Smell the Roses” this time in New Smyrna Beach, FL. When we popped off I-95, heading for New Smyrna Beach, that the National Geographic Magazine folks voted as “the Worlds Top Surf Towns” and Dr. Beach rated New Smyrna  as “Florida’s Top 10-Beach Towns” ,we knew that we’d be on the Intracoastal Waterway with dolphins feeding and playing, just about 200 feet away from our lagoon view window. We weren’t wrong! We enjoyed the frolicking marine mammals seen from our Manatee Viewing Suite, at the Night Swan Bed and Breakfast, before heading to the beach, after lunch with Terry at the Dolphin View Seafood Restaurant. Night Swan Owners, Matt and Betsy Baker, bought the business in 2013 and lovingly placed their experience and tastes in all upgrades, and you will see this in everything about the B&B, that consists of twin vintage, but thoroughly updated houses, 16 room, with 6 rooms dedicated to be dog friendly and a dog friendly cottage too! On a historical note; “Smyrna” comes from the word purported to be Myrrh, one of the special fragrances brought to the manger by one of the 3-wise men during the time of Jesus’s birth! There are other thoughts on the name, but from a historical prospective we are offering this theory! The other side of the B&B besides the bed, you also get the breakfast. We enjoyed the fruit, blueberries and seasonal strawberries.  The scones, and the really great waffle, with real maple syrup and sausages. The coffee, tasted like coffee! Its not every place you go that you run into the real thing, “baby.” So many times, at too many other locations I have had dishwater called coffee, not at the Night Swan, it was real and good! There was all Breyers ice creams, cookies and drinks anytime you were in the mood for a snack, and we met some fine folks visiting from all parts of the east coast! The one thing that stands out for a great B&B is that the personalities and conviviality you find at a high quality B&B, is found no where else in the accommodations business, with the exception of cruising the oceans of the world!  Some of the items and amenities found at the Night Swan:  no charge boat dock, flat screen TV’s, private baths, elevated dock (we even watched a NASA launch from it on our last day at the B&B) lovely front porch, free WiFi, all kinds of meeting space for up to 40, great family reunion location, and wedding receptions in the great outdoors and so much, much more! You can come by boat, auto or any way you wish to this B&B—-Go: www.nightswan.com or call 386-423-4940 Check out the myriad of events you can attend weekly, for months in New Smyrna Beach and surrounding enclaves by going: www.nsbfla.com 

Stay tuned 3 more posts coming at you from Smyrna Beach, trips, restaurants and a nature boat excursion as well.

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Water to land view of the Night Swan B&B with the sailing charter double mast schooner on their end dock!

 


 

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Bob and Barb with Terry at the Dolphin View Seafood Restaurant located at 107 N. Riverside Drive on the Mosquito Lagoon. One of the many pet friendly restaurants in New Smyrna Beach! We saw sea food and we all enjoyed it!
Just one of Dolphin's treats for lunch; stuffed mahi mahi with shrimp and crabmeat, oh, what a luncheon treat!
Just one of Dolphin’s treats for lunch; stuffed mahi mahi with shrimp and crabmeat, oh, what a luncheon treat!

 

Peace River Seafood & Crab Shack Local Seafoods and Fish

Peace River Seafood & Crab Shack where writers who travel on their stomachs "know" they've gone to heaven!
Peace River Seafood & Crab Shack where writers who travel on their stomachs “know” they’ve gone to heaven!

American Press Travel News-Bob and Barb May 1st,–Punta Gorda, FL.--Lunch time and all was well with our world! We found the place to quench our fire-lust to go hard on soft-shelled crabs, chew on fresh, firm shrimp, eat a piece of fish that no one had to make excuses for, and slide some lobster bites past a very excited palate on the way to a happy belly! We had a Corona, good chat, appetizers of Calamari with aeoli, and really enjoyed our al fresco meal and beautiful servers, friendly attitudes, both men and women. Great place to “go seafood” all the way-no excuses-

Everything was perfect here!!!!!!!call em at:  941-505-8440

Shrimp Creole was a bit beyond great!
Shrimp Creole was a bit beyond great!
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Soft shell crabs when done correctly and are eminently fresh can’t be beat!
Barb said, don't worry if you forgot your wallet. There's plenty of money hanging on the walls!
Barb said, don’t worry if you forgot your wallet. There’s plenty of money hanging on the walls!
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Delicious lobster bites, best appetizer ever!

The Worden farm in Punta Gorda, FL.; A Testament to Earth-Living with Knowledge & Passion

 

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The Worden’s: Specialists in making things grow organically! Experts in making great friends and neighbors. Experts in feeding thousands with fresh, healthy produce!

APtravelnews-Punta Gorda, FL. April 22nd, Bob and Barb “Stopping to Smell the Roses, Sunflowers and gathering organic produce. It can really come together for the residents of a community, when truly dedicated, knowledgeable, people and earth caring folks move into their neighborhood. One of the high-benefits of being a travel communicator is that occasionally, you meet a person or a couple who really are deeply immersed into what they do, and do it “well.” The husband and wife team of Chris Worden, Ph.D and wife Eva Worden, Ph.D are the Co-Founders of the organic Worden Farm. Eva said she and her husband bought approximately, 80-acres in 2003 and put their education and training into the realm of reality through a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm membership program (we met several of the thousands of people that have been faithful students of the Worden’s at the weekly market for members, and there was a lot of love and respect in the air).

The workshops, farm tours, university courses, conferences and community greening projects within the United States and internationally, are hallmarks in the lives of the Worden’s, and the thousands who have learned how to create and respect their own agricultural organic plots, as well! The joy we felt, and the drive and engagement of the Worden’s and helpers, were able to be seen reflected in the faces of the many folks who came to pick out their vegetables for their part of their farm membership. Farmers markets and their (CSA) farm membership program, has become a healthy and integral part of the Punta Gorda and surrounding communities. Check the Worden Farm out at www.wordenfarm.com

 

The Quest for Best Ice Box/Cooler Led to Techniice The Rolls Royce of All Coolers

APtravelnews-April 9th,-Port St. Lucie, FL Bob & Barb “On The Road Again” searching for the best ice box/cooler in the world! Looks like we found it! The Techniice unit, based on our trial between all others, including every Yeti Model held 50-percent of its ice over 24-hours sitting on a hot pavement. All the rest bled out their waters.

Early ice boxes / coolers / chilly-bins / Ice chests were made from mostly metal and sometimes wood. The Early Esky brand Ice Boxes were made from galvanized sheet metal on the inside. A lot has changed since then. Techniice™ Chilly Bins / ice boxes / coolers / chests employ the best of modern technology, are made using commercial grade UV stabilized High Density Polyethylene and manufactured using Rotational Moulding and then injecting high performance multi compound insulation under extreme pressure to the walls and the lids of our ice boxes/coolers. There are several models some have wheels, some do not! We wanted the unit without wheels for our boats. 

Techniice™ ice box coolers , Ice chests and Reusable Dry Ice packs are recognized around the world for their legendary ability to retain temperature in the world’s harshest climates. Techniice Products are built to full commercial specifications for transporting perishables over long distances for extended duration’s. Techniice™ iceboxes & Reusable dry ice packs are used by some of the world’s largest companies and government organisations including Qantas (Jet star), Meals on wheels, McDonald’s, BHP, Air France and of course the Atlanta and Beijing Olympics to name a few. Believe me, I had so many different so-called coolers, ice chests, etc. The best, the very best “promise” is the Techniice units! See: customerservice@techniice.com  Go: www.techniice.com