When thinking of Orlando the last thing to come to mind is probably ice. But each year at this time the Gaylord Palms brings in two million pounds of ice and world renowned ice carvers from China to create a winter wonderland in the tourism center of the Sunshine State.  Their ICE festivities have become a winter tradition for many families.

Shrek on Ice

Shrek the Halls

A few months ago I wrote that the Gaylord Hotels and DreamWorks® had formed an alliance, which would bring popular DreamWorks® characters into the resorts. The “kick off” event of the alliance is the spectacular ICE, held at each hotel. At the fabulous Gaylord Palms the theme this year is Shrek the Halls, a magical story told in 4 ½ acres of spectacular ice sculptures. Read More »

Heavenly Ice Cream in Seaside, Florida. Couldn't have picked a more fitting name.

Those who know me are aware of my love complete and utter obsession for ice cream. And not just during summer. So, when temperatures did this stuff last week during my stay in Seagrove/Seaside, Florida, I set out on a mission to find an ice cream store. Preferably a gelato shop. Or both.

At the time, it seemed like a great idea to take a short stroll around Seaside and admire all the adorable pastel colored homes and quaint streets. After about ten minutes of walking around, though, my smile started to fade and my desire to photograph waned considerably. It was H-O-T. I needed ice cream, and I needed it STAT.

Lo and behold, a blue awning became visible though the humid haze. I wiped my sweaty brow and tried to make out the name — did it say Heavenly ICE CREAM?! Oh, my. It’s remarkable how fast I can move when dessert is involved.

Once inside, I fought the urge to throw myself on the display counter’s cool glass. The air conditioning was cranked on full blast, and it was deliciously cold inside. Look at all of those flavors! And was that gelato I spied? Yes, yes it was. Read More »

The Shops of Ruskin in Seaside, Florida

Seaside, Florida, is a brilliantly laid out, planned beach community on Highway 30A in Florida. The entire town speaks to a different time, when there was time to spend drinking iced tea on porches and when it was important to always say hello to your neighbor. At Seaside’s core is a central square that surrounds the community amphitheater. This square houses a collection of shops, cafes, and ice cream parlor and the like which afford beach-goers some air conditioned relief from the very sunny days. Chances are you’ll duck inside these stores every ten minutes or so during the very hot days of July and August, but during the rest of the year, the trees provide enough shade and encourage more lazy wandering. All sorts of shops can be found here — art galleries, clothing stores, restaurants and funky stores that are difficult to categorize. Read More »

View of kitchen from Chef's Table at Salt

At the most basic level, a meal out provides you with food that someone else shopped for and cooked. Of course, basic restaurant meals don’t get talked about or written about on travel blogs. What does get talked about – and remembered for a lifetime – is the rare dining experience that is an entertaining experience from beginning to end, like that which you’ll enjoy at Salt’s chef table in Amelia Island, Florida.

Read More »