'First Responders' Appreciation Day on the Waterfront in Tavares

Introducing the all-new Boleros Cigar & Wine Bar in the Waterfront Entertainment District, Tavares. FL

Planes, Trains and Lakeside Lunch for only $79 per person!

The Orange Blossom Cannonball Returns!

The Orange Blossom Cannonball Steam Train returns September 15th.  Get your tickets online NOW to rid the piece of American History!

 

Click Here to Get Tickets -> Online Tickets

 

 

 

The Orange Blossom Cannonball Steam Train Commences Operations September 15th

The new bridge over the Dora Canal and the train tracks through downtown Tavares are complete.  The Orange Blossom Cannonball is ready to roll starting September 15th.

Click Here to Reserve your seat on the many trains departing from the train platform in Tavares. 

Check out the many themed trains running throughout the season:

Click Here to Reserve your seat on the Cannonball Pumpkin Limited pulled by our diesel engine Herbie.

Click Here to Reserve your seat on the Cannonball Christmas Express.

Experience Music Legend Leon Russell Live Tonight!

Headlining the 4th Annual Mount Dora Blues and Wine Festival, Music Legend Leon Russell will take the stage after 9:00pm tonight at Tavares Station Field on beautiful Lake Dora in downtown Tavares.  This is your chance to see the Hall of Fame musician who inspired the career of Elton John and has performed the world over with countless music icons!
Get general admission tickets NOW at www.MDBWF.com for only $25.00!!  VIP tickets are SOLD OUT!  Bring a blanket or lawn chair and enjoy a fabulous musical evening.  The show starts at 6:00pm with several local and regional acts.  See the entire lineup at www.MDBWF.com.

Sunnyland Antique Boat Festival on Lake Dora

Floating Ghosts Seance Tour of Downtown Tavares

Crazy-Fun Attraction of History and Mystery

$20 per adult   and $12 per child (ages 8 – 12)

Buy your tickets online here:  Floating Ghost Seance Tour Tickets

The walk starts just after sundown on Saturday nights. (Start times vary between 7pm and 9pm according to the season)

Brian Arnold Memorial Scholarship

A $500 scholarship will be awarded for the winning essay. 

Eligible entrants are high school seniors currently enrolled in Mount Dora High School, Tavares High School or Eustis High School graduating in May 2010 and slated for college attendance in the summer or fall of 2010.

The format for the contest is an essay of 600 words minimum and 650 words maximum.  Three Finalists will be selected:  One from Mount Dora High School, Tavares High School and Eustis High School.  The Overall Winner will be chosen from among the three Finalists and will receive the $500 Brian Arnold Memorial Scholarship.

Check the web site for Writers One Flight Up (www.writersoneflightup.com), click on the Pulse Magazine bar for topics, rules and how to submit your essay electronically. 

The deadline for entries is midnight, Sunday March 7th, 2010.

Death for Dinner!

August 29th, It's Death For Dinner.

Don't miss this very special event!
A combined progressive dinner and theater experience.

Cocktails: 6:30pm at O'Keefe's
Dinner: 7:15pm at Gracie's
Desert: Later at The Cellar
Murder: Anytime, Anywhere!

Your evening will include:
House or Caesar Salad,
Chicken Cordon Blue or 8oz Prim Rib,
Rice Pilaf and Vegetable Medley.
1 Bottle of wine per couple,
Complimentary Cocktail,
Cordials and Desert,
A Hilarious Good Time,
and . . . Murder.

All For The Ticket Price of $65 plus tax and gratuity.

Seating is limited - call early for your reservations and tickets.
(352)383-5451 or (352)343-0745
or e-mail us at Maggie's.

Rhythm & Blues at Maggie's Attic for the 4th of July.

Join the festivities on the 4th of July at Maggie's Attic where they will feature 15 different brews and a great selection of wines to sample. Ft. Collins brewery (Colorado), Shipyard Summer Selections, Red Brick Brewery along with some other all time favorites will be among the brews available. Brats for $3 and Dogs for $2 with condiments galore and chips and sides available - great live entertainment from Port Barlowe, the Blues Man.

Stick around for the fireworks in Gilbert Park at Mount Dora's "Old Fashioned 4th of July" celebration or head on over to the Cellars at Tavares Station to see the "Color of Freedom" fireworks display in Wooton Park.

Wine club members get in free, non-members cost is only $15 and includes a Brat or Dog of your choice.

Planes, Trains & BBQ

From 10:00am to 6:00pm today in Wooton Park the City of Tavares presents, Planes, Trains & BBQ. Bring the family out for some fun, BBQ, train rides and sea planes.

Every hour from 11:00am to 4:00pm Inland Lakes Railways presents, "Train Robbery" for only $5 admission.

Free sample BBQ from the competition teams.

See you in Wooton Park.

The Cellar at Tavares presents T. Scott Walker & Greg "Fingers" Taylor

For two shows only on Friday, March 6th at 7pm and 9pm. Only $10.00 per person which includes one beer or glass of wine from "house selections".

Don't miss Florida Monthly Magazine "Entertainer of the Year" T. Scott Walker well known for his tropical flair side by side with an original "Coral Reefer" band member still touring with Jimmy Buffett, Greg "Fingers" Taylor.

VIP seating is still available. Contact:
The Cellars at Tavares
124 S. Joanna Ave.
Tavares, FL 32778
352-383-5451
cellarmaster@thecellarattavares.com

Hankerin for BBQ

No body does bbq like the south. Case in point ... last time we were vacationing in Colorado, we had a craving for some hot and spicy bbq to warm us up from the cold. So, we went downtown to the local joint to grab a bite to eat. The service was slow, the meat was dry, the bread was stale, the sides had no flavor and there was only one choice for bbq sauce. The only redeeming factor is that the beer was served in a glass the size of your head.

Here we're lucky to have, not one, not two, not even three, but FOUR bbq joints in town!!! And then if you're still hankerin' for more sweet and sassy bbq there are an additional five more barbeque joints within a short drive. All with their unique flair and flavor.

Tonight we tried the new Oakwood Smokehouse & Grill in Eustis, which is only a short 10 minute drive. And like any good Southern barbeque place, the food was fresh & quick with a multitude of different sauces to choose from and a fabulous blackberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream to top it all off. Hmmm Mmmm.

The Florida Bar B Que Association will be holding a "Planes, Trains & Barbeque" festival in May if you want to have a taste.

--Rachelle

Eat Fresh. Buy Local.

I've mentioned before that I love a good farmer's market. With all of the talk in the media about organics and buying locally grown food, it seems more and more people are looking for farmer's markets in their area.

We have a new farmer's market that just started in Tavares and the quality of vendors here REALLY impressed me. You've got your open market standards such as fresh produce, plants, homemade organic soaps and jewelry. In addition, there is a gourmet pasta company offering unique and interesting flavors such as basil spelt linguine and dark chocolate pasta. Yes. I did say dark chocolate pasta. I tried a piece and it is delish! There is also a local company called Joe's Oat Patties that creates 100% vegan meatless burger mixes. I purchased their Organic Sunrise Sausage mix to try.

This farmer's market meets every Tuesday (today) from 9:00 to 1:00 p.m. behind the courthouse by Lake Dora. So grab your cash and your market bags and check this one out!

--Rachelle

Top 8 Tips for the Antique Boat Show

We ordered up some perfect weather for this weekend's boat show ... sunny with highs in the low 80's. Should be a fabulous time out on the water. Here are some tips to make the most of your weekend at the Antique Boat Show:



1) The Antique Boat Festival is being held in TAVARES this year at Wooten Park. There will be a water taxi operated by Lake County Waterways that you can catch to take you from the shopping, restaurants & lodging in Mount Dora to the boat show in Tavares. I can't think of a better way to experience the boat show then to arrive by boat! The water taxi is located at the end of 4th Avenue next to the Mount Dora Yacht Club.

2) If you decide to drive to the boat festival, Lake Shore Drive will be the most scenic route from Mount Dora. If you're not a local, Lake Shore Drive can be easily missed, so look carefully. If you are driving on 5th Avenue/Old 441, the turn for Lake Shore Drive will be immediately on your left after curving around the lake. If you pass the Dairy Queen, you've missed it. Just take a left at the light and head to Tavares on Old 441.

3) Bring cash. As the boat show is growing and becoming bigger & better ... there is now a small admission charge of $5. Definitely worth it to see this museum on water.

4) This may sound kind of obvious, but don't forget your sunscreen! Sometimes we think, "oh, I won't be outside for that long ... I'll find some shade." Believe me, you're going to be having a fabulous time and will not even realize how much sun you're getting. In case you forgot to pack it, I recommend going to either Noni Home & Bath or Walk In The Woods to get sunscreen. They even have some eco-friendly options.

5) Along that same thought, remember to bring your hat and sunglasses. The glare from the water can be bright and you'll see a lot more detail if you're not squinting. If you forgot your hat, I recommend Whispering Winds on Donnelly Street. They have a collection of hats to choose from and a unique water bottle holder so you can string your H2O around your shoulder for convenience.

6) If you are looking for a quick drink to cool off, Mount Dora has several quaint coffee houses that can quench your thirst with an iced coffee or smoothie. They are: 5th Ave Cafe, One Flight Up, Village Coffee Pot & Mount Dora Coffee House. If you're looking for a bit of a stronger drink, then check out the bar and deck at Pisces Rising where you can order up a cold one and watch the sun set on the lake.

7) If you end up dropping your cell phone in the water ... borrow your friend's phone. Sorry, but I can't help you there. BUT, if you end up getting your shoes wet, Donnelly Euro Footwear is having a trunk show and shoe sale this weekend. Check it out.

8) HAVE FUN! Email us your pictures and comments about the show!

Fire & Water

This past weekend was the Dragon Boat Festival. I couldn't imagine a more perfect day to be a spectator ... 78 degrees, partly cloudy with a cool breeze. I would say it was the kind of day that makes you want to get outside to enjoy it. However, I imagine it was a little bit different for the racing teams as the wind made the water choppy and difficult to navigate. But, like any other sport, it's always more fun to watch when there is a little "danger" in the air.

The turnout was fantastic. I love to see so many people out supporting their community and friends. There were teams from all over Florida, the US and Canada competing and they each had their own cheering squad.

One of our good friends is very involved in Dragon Boating. Here are a few comments from the Coffee Goddess herself, Grace:

"The overall champions were the Toronto Outer Harbor Team. They're a very dedicated group who paddle year round and have competed in last years' World Championships in Sydney, Australia taking several medals. I had the good fortune to train with their coach and knew we were all gonna get slaughtered!

Our team, Wun Fun Cru, won the Measle Cup for the 2nd year in a row for best community team. But better yet, we were able to upset Tampa's TECO who were unbeatable last year (FYI...We're the only team to ever beat them in any race).

We also beat the infamous Puff and Hydroblades teams whom we chased here in Tavares and Tampa last year. This year is pivotal for Wun Fun Cru as we are poised to take the overall championship in Tampa (provided we don't have to compete with any Canadian teams! HA!) After the "high fives" and "that a girls," they all would like to know the secret of our success. I just smile my humble smile." ~Grace

For more information about Dragon Boat Racing, click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_boat

Mi Casa es Tu Casa

Some rainy nights you just want some fantastic comfort food to warm you up inside and out. And if you can't make it at home, at least go somewhere that makes you "feel" at home. We've had a consistent string of windy and rainy storms this week and comfort food was exactly what I was in the mood for.

Comfort foods are different for everyone. My palate usually craves red wine and cheese. No style of food does that better than tasty Italian. So, we drove up to Casa Mia and made a mad dash through the torrential down pour from the car to the entrance where our droopy wet moods where instantly lifted as we were greeted with a warm smile and friendly welcome.

Chianti, prosciutto, mozzarella, & tortellini all finished off with a warm cup of cappuccino. The meal was the closest I've had to real Italian since I was in Italy. As it should be, since the restaurant is owned and operated by an Italian family that makes you feel as if they are inviting you in to their home for a special occasion. And that occasion could just simply be ... that it's Friday. Because in Italy, anytime you sit down to eat it is treated like a celebration. And tonight we were celebrating good food and wine on a rainy night.

--Rachelle