My own “home beach” in Ocean Grove looked gorgeous this afternoon once the snow finally stopped and the sun came out. The cold was invigorating… although not quite enough to join the brave soul I saw paddle boarding through the icy surf!
On January 2nd of this year, we made our second trip to this fairly new theme park in Winter Haven, FL. This time I discovered what used to draw people here in the first place… the original “Cypress Gardens.” Opened in 1936, this 30-acre botanical garden was Florida’s first commercial theme park. It is now nestled inside this plastic-piece haven, but still provides a beautiful oasis filled with tropical flowers, incredible trees & peaceful streams.
That’s my mom… She’s tiny, but the tree really is enormous!
The centerpiece of this magical area is a gigantic Banyan Tree. I’m guessing it spreads out over at least a 50-foot span (if not more), with new roots dropping everywhere to form multiple limbs all around. Stand underneath it, in the very center, and look up to see a miraculous web of uninterrupted growth.
The park is bordered on one whole side by Lake Eloise (where the famous water-skiing shows were featured in Cyprus Gardens’ heyday) and where most of the Legoland shows still take place. It’s a beautiful backdrop for the foliage & wildlife that now reside in this section of the garden.
Along the winding paths in this botanical paradise, there are streams & small waterfalls where we saw plenty of birds and fish… we even heard mention of a gator sighting! 
The 3 shades of the Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow plant.
And the flowers were amazing… I was totally fascinated by this “Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow” plant. I had never seen, nor heard of this beautiful flowering bush and was immediately fascinated by it. A native of Brazil, the “Brunfelsia” has lush green foliage, accented by clusters of small flowers that change colors in a 3-day cycle. It first blooms in a purple or violet shade, the next day, that same flower changes to a pale lavender and finally on the 3rd day, the flower turns completely white. With hundreds of blooms on a single plant, it’s absolutely gorgeous!
It was hard not to take a picture of everything I passed… here are a few of my favorites:
Our “Keepsake Photo” from Project X.
Now don’t get me wrong, Legoland itself is still a worthy destination for the whole family (and my son’s favorite park). It has a nice assortment of rides, including a few good coasters (“Project X” is a must do) and plenty of Lego stores, shows and decent places to eat. My son could have spent most of the day in the “Build & Test” section of the Imagination Zone where you can build & race your own Lego vehicles, but he also loved the rides, the mini village and the 4-D movies.
Located just 45 minutes south of Orlando, Legoland provides an easy escape from the mad rush of Disney and easily entertains a wide range of ages. Big news at the park this year is the opening on May 15th of their very own 152-room, Lego-themed hotel. Not sure you’d need to stay more than one day, but the hotel itself looks like it will provide plenty of its own additional entertainment.
In our 2 visits here, we still haven’t ventured into the Legoland Water Park – guess that will be on the list for next time!
I’m currently reading an interesting book called, “Surviving Paradise,” about a young guy who teaches English for one year to the children of a very remote island in the Pacific. First discovered by the Spanish in 1529, “Ujae” is part of the Marshall Islands in Indonesia, and is barely a dot on the map, consisting of only 450 inhabitants. The author, Peter Rudiak-Gould, tells his tale of life among the locals, with the tribulations of trying to fit in, learn the language and adapt to their fascinating, yet simple lifestyle. While reading last night, I came across this passage, and was reminded of my favorite island treat…
My own fresh coconut at the Melia Caribe Tropical in Punta Cana.
“Then there was the coconut. I would be remiss in my duties as a writer of tropical island literature if I did not take this opportunity to describe the perfection that is this fruit. Leaving aside the other uses of the coconut tree – the fronds, the bark, the wood, and the seedlings, without which life on coral atolls might well be impossible – coconut juice is a remarkable beverage. It comes in its own container. It is just the right amount to wash down a meal. It opens obligingly, at a thin part of the shell called the “eye,” making a drinking channel of perfect size. The juice is sweet but not excessively so, and the slight fizz adds a kick. It is nature’s soft drink…”
A lot has been said about the benefits of the coconut recently. You can read about it everywhere… the milk, the oil, the uses seem to be endless. I even have a friend who created the most amazing body salt scrub made with organic coconut oil – it’s fantastic! Check out her web site and order your own at www.aplantbasedlife.com.
I truly enjoy and appreciate this remarkable fruit. However, I should also mention my obsession with the tree that it comes from: The Palm. Seeing them in groves, hovering high in the air, puts my soul to rest. A little crazy, I know. But it usually also means that a gorgeous, tropical beach is right nearby. 😉
Beach view at the Ocean Sand & Blue in Punta Cana.
A perfect way to start your Sunday… $3 for a Bloody Mary or Mimosa and you get a delicious, made-to-order omelette for FREE! Available from 10 am to 3pm every Sunday at Johnny Mac’s in Asbury Park.
What a great time… and such a cool place! May have to try this a little more often… Thanks girls!
A few of the “Ladies of Embury Ave”… L to R: Stacey, Me, Jane and Debi
Welcome to my very first post… I’ve been talking about this for a while and just decided, on this freezing cold day in New Jersey, that today is the perfect time to start! If you love to travel, especially to the Caribbean, please follow along. If you also consider yourself a bit of a “foodie,” I think you’ll enjoy it here as well. 🙂
SO… off we go! Two weeks from today, I hope to be sitting on this beach, in the warm sun, with a cocktail in my hand. I’ll be accompanied by my “sister” Eva, celebrating our “5th Annual Girls Getaway” at the Paradisus Cancun Resort.
Beachfront at the Paradisus Cancun.
After being totally spoiled in the adults-only section of the Melia Caribe Tropical in Punta Cana last year, we’ve splurged yet again on their similar “Royal Service” here. Both resorts are part of the same Spanish hotel chain (Melia) and offer top-notch service, food & atmosphere. I cannot wait to be “waited on” for 5 fantastic days! Our “Annual Girls Getaway” actually started in Cancun, 5 years ago… We sadly left our kids and husbands at home (well… not quite so sad) and headed to the airport for our first adventure.
Fiesta Americana Condesa.
We picked an all-inclusive at one end of the strip, called the Fiesta Americana Condesa and although it was a little chilly that year, we still had an amazing time. It had a beautiful lobby, a gorgeous infinity edge pool and a perfect beach. We relaxed, read books, drank mojitos, played in the ocean and enjoyed 3 nights of kid-free dining. In other words, pure heaven. Here are some pics from that very first trip…
Such a beautiful place… I came to Cancun on “Spring Break” when I was a Senior in High School (big shout out right here to my partner in crime, Brenda Williams!) and didn’t return until this trip 5 years ago. Not sure what I was waiting for… The beaches are gorgeous, the people are friendly and the food is delicious. Can’t wait to get there!
Trips and Tastes 