Your Florida Dream Life- Tarpon Springs

This Weeks Community: 
Tarpon Springs is a wonderfully unique city in Pinellas County. The city had a population of just under 24,000 in the 2010 census. Tarpon Springs has a larger percentage of Greek Americans than any other city in the U.S. and it's Historic Greektown District was recently added to the Register of Historic Places. The Epiphany Celebration (an Orthodox Christian Celebration) has been celebrated in Tarpon Springs since 1903, in the same way as it is in Greece. Nowhere else in the U.S. is it celebrated like it is in Tarpon Springs. Learn more here Epiphany. Tarpon Springs is north of Palm Harbor bordered by the Gulf on the west and extends east past Highway 19 to Lake Tarpon. The Anclote River (which is popular with boaters and kayakers) runs through Tarpon Springs and the Sponge Docks and flows into the Gulf. The popular Pinellas Trail which welcomes, bikers, walkers, and rollerbladers starts in the southern end of Pinellas County (Saint Petersburg) and ends in Tarpon Springs crossing the Anclote at one point. 

Tarpon Springs has numerous wonderful restaurants and two popular dining options are authentic Greek dishes or  fresh seafood. A popular place for seafood is Rusty Bellies which is at the end of the sponge docks on the water. At one of the local Greek restaurants (Mamas Greek Cuisine), you can even enjoy a belly dancing performance. If you're looking for meals made from the freshest ingredients currently in season check out Currents Restaurant. You will not be disappointed. If you enjoy water views while dining, you can choose between Davidson's Dockside in the Port Tarpon Marina, Captain Jacks, across the Anclote from the Sponge Docks (just off of Alternate 19) or the Tarpon Turtle which is on Lake Tarpon on the East side of Highway 19.  In downtown Tarpon Springs craft beer lovers (and those who enjoy dining with their four legged kids) will appreciate the Tarpon Tavern. They have 30 craft beers to choose from and are located along the Pinellas Trail. If wine is your beverage of choice check out Wine at the Docks of Tarpon-Springs. They serve a fabulous Sangria.

In addition to all of the wonderful restaurant options in Tarpon Springs there is shopping and more. In the Sponge Docks area on Dodecanese Boulevard you can find the Sponge Exchange Shopping Center. You can also still enjoy the  Konger Tarpon Springs Aquarium at the end of Dodecanese, Check it out before they build and move to their new location further north. Other things to enjoy in this area include chartered fishing, dolphin tours and sponge diving exhibits. In the downtown of Tarpon Springs you can find many antique stores and the shopping here is always a fun adventure. Museums include the Leepa Rattner Art Museum as well as the Safford House Museum,  Heritage Museum. and the Cultural Center. Enjoy live performances at the Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center. Every Spring held on Spring Bayou is the not to be missed Tarpon Springs Fine Arts Festival which is one of the best in the area. There is also a smaller arts and crafts festival held on Dodacanese Boulevard on a regular basis as well as the popular "Night in the Islands" with music and live entertainment. Like many of the communities in the area Tarpon Springs celebrates an October Festival, and in December you can enjoy a lighted boat parade which takes place in Spring Bayou. On the first Thursday of every month from 7-9 November through February enjoy concerts at Sunset Beach.

When you're ready to relax and enjoy a beach day you have numerous options including Sunset Beach (mentioned above) and Howard Park (described below). If your idea of a relaxing time is sharing beverages with fellow boaters at a sand bar, Three Rooker Island (part of the Anclote Preserve) located between Palm Harbor and Tarpon Springs, is an Island which can only be reached by boat and is always a fun time. For a small beach away from the crowds, try Anclote River Park. I've had dolphin swim near me in the water here and almost every time I've gone I've at least caught a glimpse of a dolphin. Also, the nearby Anclote River Power Plant is a good place to see Manatee. The Manatee also come into Spring Bayou in the winter months.

To learn of upcoming events in Tarpon Springs go to Happenings, Events, and Sponge Docks. To learn more about Tarpon Springs go to Tarpon Springs. To learn about other communities in the Tampa Bay area see my previous post or go to Communities.

A Favorite Place in Tarpon Springs:
A favorite place in Tarpon Springs is Howard Park, In fact this is one my favorite places in all of Pinellas County. On vacations prior to moving to Florida I would envision moving here and living within walking distance of this gorgeous park. It is one of the most peaceful places I know and I have frequently seen dolphin here. It includes a sandy beach on the Gulf at the end of the causeway, picnic shelters, two playgrounds, canoe and kayak launching, fishing, and an area for windsurfing. Watching for dolphins and watching the windsurfers are a couple of my favorite things to do at this park. I would love to share your favorite place in your community. Email me at Susan@susandsorensen.com

For the Locals:  

Technically it has a Holiday, Florida address but I always associate Miss Vicki's with Tarpon Springs because a fun day of boating in Tarpon Springs always includes a stop by boat at  Miss Vicki's on the River  for a lunch that includes a cold beverage, She-Crab Soup, and a Blackened Shrimp Wrap. There is often live music playing outside and you can't help but to have a great time when you're dining with friends, enjoying cold beverages, listening to live music and gazing out at the water. Go and enjoy a cold one for me. Another for the locals destination is in the city of Tarpon Springs but is only for those in search of a dive bar that is truly a dive bar. It's difficult to find and is hidden behind the Tarpon Springs Animal Hospital on U.S. 19. You can also reach it by boat. The bar is called the Anclote River Boat Club. And you may want to check out the link to the Facebook page for fair warning as to what you're walking into. It was scheduled to be demolished at one point and there is still a boat in a tree from the no name storm. The regulars love the drink prices, the graffiti on the walls, and the option to arrive by boat.

Your Perfect Florida Day: 

Thank you to Lucy for providing some gorgeous photos for this week's post. Lucy's perfect Florida day usually includes an opportunity to take stunning pictures. Lucy is a portrait photographer originally from Poland who has fallen in love with Florida. As you can tell from these images she takes stunning photos of  natural and man made landscapes as well her beautiful portraits. I would love to share your pictures and your experience of a perfect Florida day. Please mail me at Susan@susandsorensen.com and if you have any portrait photography needs (including headshots, senior, maternity, bridal, and more) you can contact Lucy at  Lucyna Aleksandra Tampa Portrait Photographer. (Look for more of Lucy's fabulous images in upcoming blogs).

Real Estate Statistics:

For the month of September the average sale price for a condo in the zipcode of Tarpon Springs was $104.352, the average days on the market 83, selling at 94% of list price with an average price per heated square foot of $93. The average price of a single family home was $295,063, the average days on the market being 107 and selling at 97% of list price with an average price per heated square foot of $127. (This information comes from the Suncoast Multiple Listing Service (MLS)).If you are interested in seeing what you can get for your money in your favorite neighborhood you can search for properties via my free Keller Williams Mobile App My KW App  Or you may go to my website at susandsorensen.com

Creating Relationships:

The Tampa Bay area, which is ideal for small business owners/entrepreneurs, people looking to reinvent themselves, and people starting their second chapter in life, has many options for developing new friendships and business relationships. I mentioned in a previous post that there are groups for every interest you may have and there are groups specifically for newcomers to the area. The Tampa Bay area has not only a lot of Northerners and Midwesterners but also a lot of International visitors and residents. There are local Meetup groups specifically for these folks International Friends of Tampa Bay and European and International Meetup are two examples. If you are originally from Germany there is a group specifically for you Fun-Germans-in-Pinellas. For Northerners (including Boston, Delaware, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maine, etc.) in the age range of 40-59 there is New-York-South-Northern-transplants-in-Florida/. For New Yorkers specifically, there is New Yorkers Living in the Tampa Bay Area. For Millennials there is Tampa New In Town 20s/30s. There is even a Meetup Group specifically for people living in the St. Pete zip code of 33716 (The-Neighborhood-at-33716) to meet their neighbours. For sports lovers who want to cheer for their favorite out of state teams with other fans there are groups such as Pinellas-County-Chicago-Bears-Fans. These are just some examples. Just put some parameters in the Meetup search bar and see what you find. You can always start a group of your own to meet other newcomers.  

Your Florida Dream Life- Oldsmar

This Weeks Community: 
Oldsmar is a fabulous community in Pinellas County named for automobile pioneer R. E. Olds, founder of Oldsmobile. It is centrally located on the Northern End of Old Tampa Bay and convenient to many destinations. The 2013 population was 13,796. The residents take a lot of pride in their community and many get involved in promoting as well as attending their numerous festivals. They also support Oldsmar Cares, an organization that meets community needs through a food bank, community closet, employment assistance, and some financial assistance for helping residents in need with utilities and mortgage/rent payments. Oldsmar has numerous festivals including the upcoming Top Of The Bay Oktoberfest. It's residents love it's numerous parks (over 10) including R.E. Olds Park which is the location for numerous events including Oldsmar Days and Nights, a festival that has been a tradition in Oldsmar for over 50 years now and includes live music, carnival rides, a water skiing show and numerous vendors.To learn more about Oldsmar's parks (including the Molbby Bayou Preserve which consist of over 396 acres of land) go to Oldsmar Parks. Oldsmar is also home to the Tampa Bay Water Ski Show Team. The team entertains the public with free water ski shows on Tower Lake. Shows are Saturday evenings at 6:00 p.m. with the exception of the last show of the season, the Holiday show which is performed at 4:00 p.m. the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Learn more at Tampa Water Ski. Oldsmar also has a BMX Supercross track. Learn more and review the schedule at Oldsmar BMX. The The Oldsmar Flea Market has been in existence for over 30 years. There are over 450 vendors on over 20 acres selling items from Antiques to Kayaks. The flea market is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 - 5:00 p.m 

 To learn of upcoming events in Oldsmar go to Events To learn more about Oldsmar go to Oldsmar. To learn about other communities in the Tampa Bay area see my previous post or go to Communities

A Favorite Place in Oldsmar:
A favorite place in Oldsmar is City Fish Grill which was the 2014 Gold Winner for Seafood in the Best of North Tampa. Inside the restaurant the ambience is stylish and warm. You also have the option to eat outside in a fully screened in seating area. There is an outdoor bar in addition to the indoor bar. The menu provides a lot of options made from the freshest and finest ingredients. In addition to a large variety of entrees there is a nice variety of salads and sides that includes Black Truffle Oil Mac N Cheese. The restaurant has a fabulous Sunday Brunch which includes a build your own (with all of the fixings) Bloody Mary Station (unlimited) and all you can drink Mimosas, Margaritas, and Sangrias. The food options include a carving station for salmon, ham, turkey,and roast beef, a waffle station, and a taco station, as well as sushi and crab legs, and numerous other offerings. To top it off is a chocolate fountain for dipping fruit and cake. I would love to share your favorite place in your community. Email me at Susan@susandsorensen.com

For the Locals: 

The Oldsmar Tap House is a nice local hangout located in the small downtown area of Oldsmar and has a great relaxed atmosphere. You get to explore a wide variety of craft beers and enjoy a happy hour Mondays through Fridays from 4 - 7 p.m. There is a Ladies Night (Wednesdays) and a Trivia Night on Thursdays. At times they have live entertainment and you can enjoy NFL Ticket on Sunday Nights and Monday Night Football Specials. The wait staff is friendly and they serve up some yummy bar food which includes fries that can be ordered with their famous sassy sauce and blue cheese crumbles and their most popular Mojo Sliders, slow cooked pulled pork with garlic and mojo sauce. Check them out.

Your Perfect Florida Day: 

Thank you to Patti Webster for providing these fabulous photos for this week's post. Patti's perfect day is a day on the water kiteboarding with friends. She loves to kite at Sunset Beach, Fred Howard Park, the Dunedin Causeway, Anclote, and Three Rookers in North Pinellas. In South Pinellas County kiteboarders enjoy kiteboarding around the Skyway Bridge and Fort DeSoto on windy Days. Patti's favorite instructor is Sean Buell. I would love to share your pictures and your experience of a perfect Florida day. Email me at Susan@susandsorensen.com (If you have any life insurance needs you can contact Patti at Webster Life Insurance.

Real Estate Statistics:

For the month of August the average sale price for a condo in the zipcode of Oldsmar was $111.436, the average days on the market 73, selling at 94% of list price with an average price per heated square foot of $86. The average price of a single family home or townhouse was $242,686, the average days on the market being 72 and selling at 96% of list price with an average price per heated square foot of $118. (This information comes from the Suncoast Multiple Listing Service (MLS)).If you are interested in seeing what you can get for your money in your favorite neighborhood you can search for properties via my free Keller Williams Mobile App My KW App  Or you may go to my website at susandsorensen.com

Creating Relationships:

The Tampa Bay area, which is ideal for small business owners/entrepreneurs, people looking to reinvent themselves, and people starting their second chapter in life, has many options for developing new friendships and business relationships. I mentioned in a previous post, joining clubs that revolve around an interest you have as well as looking for opportunities to volunteer. You can do both if you have an interest in the theatre by becoming a "Gargoyle" (volunteer) at the Tampa Theatre. You can volunteer for Mad Theatre (voted best community theatre by Broadway World Tampa) and become a part of the Tampa Bay Time Bank. (I'll share more about this in another post.) Carrollwood Players Theatre uses volunteers for everything from lights and makeup to ushering in guest as does West Coast Players. Throughout the year you may get an opportunity to greet, take tickets, and usher at The Palladium Theater. To learn more about opportunities with Stageworks go to Stageworks Theatre. You can apply for volunteer opportunities with Free Fall Theatre by following this link Volunteer to fill out a form. In Safety Harbor you may volunteer with Eight O'clock Theatre. And to volunteer for next years Tampa Bay Theatre Festival go to Festival Volunteer.