Day 81 – Stop War Sign

Stop War

Came across this special stop sign when shopping today at Office Max on 46 in Sanford. This sign is on their parking lot, right in front of the store and as I walked by it I couldn’t resist and just had to take a picture of it. Kind of sends a clear message, doesn’t it?

I love the contrast of the crisp blue sky with the red of the sign!

Day 69 – The Coffee Cafe at Colonial Town Park in Lake Mary

The Coffee Cafe in Lake Mary

One of the best places for coffee, cakes, and light meals but also a selection of beer and fine wines is The Coffee Cafe at Colonial Town Park in Lake Mary.

If you’re looking for a Starbucks alternative that also has a bit more to offer in terms of food, check it out! Their cakes and pastries are exquisite and you will also find a very good selection of light meals like a breakfast panini, various quiches, soups and salads.

The inside is cozy and comfortable with free wifi access resembling an Italian coffee bar.The Coffee Cafe seems to be a popular spot to enjoy a coffee while working on your laptop. But even if you’re just into relax you will certainly be pleased with the quiet atmosphere. There are even books and games available to spend some time.

On Fridays it’s a great pace to meet up for half price beer and wine Happy Hour from 5pm-7pm. Great for tea lovers is Tuesday Tea Day with the tea of the day half off. I especially like their cute little outside patio.

The Coffee Cafe - simply cozy!

Needless to say, if coffee beverages such as Almond-Rasberry Breeze, Mocha Bianca or Very Vanilla Latte sound deliciously interesting to you, stop by the Coffee Cafe soon. Also available are new health drinks such as Matcha Latcha, a green tea that is very high in nutrients and antioxidants, or Real Fruit Smoothies made with 100% crushed fruits.

Here a the details:

The Coffee Café
Heathrow’s Colonial Townpark
1145 Townpark Ave # 1221
Lake Mary, FL 32746
407-833-0446

Patio of The Coffee Cafe

For more pictures keep reading …

Day 61 – Rubyjuice Fruit and Smooties in Sanford FL

Rubyjuice Fruit and Smooties in Sanford on First Street

A great Smoothie place to check out is Rubyjuice on First Street in Sanford. Especially refreshing on a warm sunny day before you stroll around Sanford downtown or also great for a smoothie dessert after lunch or dinner at one the restaurants in Sanford downtown.

At Rubyjuice you will find a great variety of fresh and healthy smoothies and fruit juices. They also offer light food and healthy snack options. Drink menu items also include enhanced beverages, “Boosters” and organic wheatgrass. If you’re in for a healthy treat in Sanford, stop by next time you’re downtown!

Rubyjuice Sanford Building View

Day 60 – Bishop Block Building in Historic Sanford Downtown

Bishop Block Building on First Street in Sanford, FL

Located on 301-309 First Street you will find the charming Bishop Block building, dating back to 1887.

The building was built for J.N.Bishop after the great fire in Sanford (Fall 1887) in an attempt reconstruct the commercial district in Sanford. The style of the building is categorized as “Romanesque Revival” and was constructed by the New Yorker J.O Northesag. Notice the unique arch over the entrance on First Street. The Bishop Building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and definitely worth a second or third look when you walk by next time. I love the colors, too

Day 55 – Chipotle Mexican Fast Food

When it comes to healthy fast food, Chipotle is definitely one of my top choices (next to Pollo Tropical). I was on my way from one appointment to the next this afternoon and had only about 20 minutes to eat. Luckily I was close to a Chipotle and got in and out exactly within time. I had my food within less than 2 minutes!

Now for those of you who are not familiar with Chipotle and their brilliant concept, here it goes:
Similar to the Subway or Quiznos concept you can pick your own burrito at the beginning of the line and then have it “filled” by one of the restaurant employees. There are several choices available ranging from different types of meats to vegetarian. You can choose beans, vegetables and rice in addition to your meat. Then you pick one (or all, as I often do) salsa, sour cream, cheese, and guacamole to finish up your favorite combination. Then all of the ingredients are (mostly) skillfully rolled into a burrito. In case you don’t like burritos, there are tortilla-less burrito bowls available. Other choices on the menu are Tacos and tortilla chips with salsa. Also available besides soft drinks are delicious fruit juices and even beer. Prices range from $6-$15 for a meal. The quality is outstanding and the food tastes very fresh. The restaurants themselves are very trendy inside and out, featuring an industrial style with concrete floors and modern “Mexican” art. The music is also trendy, mostly modern Latin, even though sometimes a bit loud. On a nice day it’s also very nice to sit outside on the patio which each chain has. There are restaurants all over Central Florida, the closest to Sanford in Lake Mary; yes, as of now there is no Chipotle in Sanford, but I’m confident there will be one here soon
Quick warning: for those of you who don’t like spicy: careful, the steak and spicy sauce are truly super spicy!

Day 45 – This was Halloween 2008 in Sanford

Halloween on Magnolia Square

So Halloween is over and here are some pics of Halloween 2008 in Sanford that I took during the day. As you can see everything was well prepared for the big night and it turned out to be a big success.

For more info please click here to visit the Halloween in Sanford posts of this blog and feel free to bookmark the page so you are well prepared for next year’s Halloween events.

We took it a bit slower this year but had a lot of fun handing out candy and admiring the creative costumes of the kids (and adults!) in our community.

Halloween on Magnolia Square

Day 41 – Sanford Riverwalk

Sanford River Walk

Here are some pictures of the beautiful Sanford Riverwalk just by Sanford Downtown. If you walk North from First Street you will get to it easily (within a couple of minutes). This beautifully landscaped walkway along the shores of Lake Monroe is about 1.2 miles long and makes a great place for all kinds of activities with or without your family. You will see people walking, riding their bicycles or rollerblading along the Sanford Riverwalk. Especially when the temperatures “cool down” a bit (say 80s and below) this is one of the most relaxing, yet fun places to spend a morning or afternoon. Along the Sanford Riverwalk you’ll also find benches and romantic swings to enjoy the idyllic view of Lake Monroe.

During and after tropical storm Fay this year (August 2008) the Riverwalk was closed due to flooding, but fortunately no damage was caused and everything is back to normal now.

Sanford River Walk

Day 39 – Largest Bookstore in Sanford is Books A Million by Seminole Towne Center

Books a Million in Sanford FL

In case you are in need of a larger bookstore that carries all of the current bestsellers but also magazines/newspapers, text books, and other book related items, here is the largest one in the Sanford area as of today: Books-A-Million by the Seminole Towne Center Mall at 200 North Entrance Road, Sanford, FL 32771. They’re open until late but if you want to double check you can call them at 407-328-4700.

I love American bookstores (even though I am what you would call a “reluctant reader”), because you can actually site down and test read books in a cozy atmosphere – and you can even walk to the coffee shop inside (!) the bookstore and enjoy a cup of coffee while reading anything you can find in the bookstore. That’s just the perfect setting for a relaxed evening at the bookstore…

Day 36 – A Book For Reluctant Readers Like Me

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

This picture/post is really not related to Sanford or living in the Sanford/Central Florida area, but just a personal entry related to my 365 project itself (therefore in category Personal), the challenge of taking a picture a day and what is currently important or just happening in my life. So unless you want to know about that part I suggest you just skip to another day (Really!)

Day 30 – Terra Mia has become a popular Italian restaurant at Parkplace at Heathrow

Terra Mia Italian Restaurant at Parkplace at Heathrow in Lake Mary

After a long day at the office on Friday we were ready for a late lunch (it was already 5pm) so we decided to walk down the street at Park Place at Heathrow and enjoy some delicious Italian food on the patio of Terra Mia. Our timing was bad though because this quaint little Italian Trattoria and Wine Bar which has soon become one of Lake Mary/Heathrow’s most popular Italian restaurants, was just in the middle of “rush hour”, so the waiting time would have been too long (even though only 20 minutes) for two starved, food craving individuals. Even though we didn’t dine at Terra Mia this time, I still wanted to mention it here because we have dined/lunched here before and loved it! No wonder: they were voted one of Orlando’s Best Kept Secrets by Seminole Magazine! (There is another location in Altamonte Springs; the one in Lake Mary opened this summer 2008)

What makes Terra Mia in Lake Mary so special is definitely the unique atmosphere. It is only a small restaurant but always busy. In fact, you might think you are in a typical Italian trattoria in Chicago or New York. No wonder Terra Mia is so successful – if you’re looking for big city dining and atmosphere in Lake Mary, this is the place to go! Apart from that, their food and wines are excellent and it is a great place to meet with friends for some wine and fresh Italian specialties. BTW, Panninis make for a great lunch.

Terra Mia is located at Parkplace at Heathrow, the plaza facing Colonial Town Park on the other site of H.E. Thomas at the corner with International Drive in Lake Mary. Visit them online at TerraMiaUs.com