Gasparilla Inn - Part 2 of the Boating for Food Blog Series

Dubbed “the Preppiest Place on Earth” in a touristy article about Old Florida, by Sara Clemence, in the Wall Street Journal last year, Boca Grande is frequented by Useppans for its many dining opportunities. Not for the Preppy part (well, maybe a few of us) because we are coming from the anti-preppy but truly Olde Florida Useppa Island. But, we will go anywhere for food.

Not that we are short of very good and sometimes great dining at the Collier Inn on Useppa, but one has to have a change of venue from time to time. And who really minds a short boat ride to find it? This time, it is off to the Gasparilla Inn for dinner and fine dining-so fine that they have a dress code. Other than a couple of yacht clubs in the area, this is the only restaurant I know with a dress code. Check their website for the appropriate attire: No comply-no eat!

This is a dinner trip, and on a clear night it is truly a lovely way to travel. The stars are bright due to the minimal light pollution, and the phosphorescent waters leave a bright wake behind the boat. Most importantly for those not used to navigating at night, the Intracoastal Waterway beacons are easily visible along the entire 13-minute route, making navigation simple and comfortable for all. All you need is a compass.

So, the 4 of us set out for a 7PM reservation and 13 minutes later were tied up to the Pink Elephant dock, just a 200 -yard stroll to the Inn. Seated in The Main Dining Room, our friends Kim and Aimee checked out the wine list, with the cellar once again recipient of Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for 2015. I checked the vodka and rum lists. Vodka supply was OK, but the available rums were an insult to pirate Jose Gaspar, the namesake of Gasparilla Island: much better at our house.

The menu, which can be found at www.the-gasparilla-inn.com/dining is imaginative and everything that came from the kitchen to our table was outstanding. Our grazing included the braised oxtail ravioli, squash soup, roasted beets, Caesar salad, red snapper, black grouper, sea scallops and beef tenderloin. The bread pudding, apple tart tatin and the peach cheese cake finished it all off nicely. Throughout the evening the wait staff was attentive and informative.

After a slow walk back to the dock and a soft idle out of the Boca Grande Canal into Charlotte Harbor, we turned south into the ICW for the short cruise home, Useppa Island lights in the distance. We were treated to a bright three quarter moon along the way, a perfect finish to a perfect dining experience.

SECRET PLACES TO BE... ON USEPPA ISLAND

Wandering Useppa....

In the summer, is truly both a relaxing and a rejuvenating thing to do. So many pretty places to be...secret places where you can quietly sit and contemplate the beauty of the Island -- the colors of the water, the abundance of foliage and enjoy just how special the Island truly is.  

Sit by the playground

...or by the beach.

At home, on your back deck.

Find a swing in someone's garden.

or a "tandem swing" in the Butterfly Garden.

You can find a quiet private place to sit

or a more public, perfect place to sit.

As summer comes to an end, we look forward to seeing "Useppa People"...all our neighbors, friends and their friends... back, playing on the beach, swinging, sitting in the shade, enjoying all that we've come to love. 

That time is upon us!!  Yay!!  We are waiting for you!

SECRET PATHWAYS....AND A PRIZE FOR IDENTIFYING THEM!!

NAME THESE SPOTS !!!

WIN ONE OF ROXANNE'S 

FAMOUS TROPICAL  DRINKS

FOR YOU AND SOME FRIENDS AT

THE HISTORIC COLLIER INN BAR!!

Time's a tickin' - So...if you've been to Useppa or even LIVE on Useppa, I'll bet you think you "know" the island.  We'll see....

What and where is this???

and this...

...this

or this??

    What about this...

                                    This one...

   

or any of the following...

    There are 11 photos...some are pretty easy! 

Name and place 6 or more...

It's Drinks for You - Up to a Party of 4!!

THE FIRST WITH THE MOST - GETS THE PRIZE!!!

Here's to ya!

Let us know....TheUseppaPeople@gmail.com

DEADLINE - September 25, 2015

Increase Your Storage Without Building A New Closet

No matter the size of your home or the number of closets you have, everyone is always looking for more storage space. And, while you may think getting the storage you need means moving or turning an entire bedroom into a new closet, there are effective ways to maximize the space you have.

Use Space Bags

The idea of vacuum-sealing your linens and winter clothes may seem strange, but it actually works. Does that mean you should go out and buy a dozen more down comforters? Probably not, but at least you’ll have a way to store them if you do.

Create an eat-in alcove

Not only does it give you a cozy place to sit for dinner, but also adds two great places to store your dishes and linens.

“Two tall built-in cabinets on either side of this kitchen window create an instant alcove that’s perfect for a comfy window seat banquette for eat-in convenience,” said houselogic. You’ll need 20 to 24 inches of depth to create a window seat with enough room for cushions along the back.”

Go up top

The top shelf of a closet often remains empty simply because it is hard to access for most people. That’s what step stools are for. Slide one under your clothes or lean it against a wall so it’s always there when you need it. Then, line the shelf with zippered or lidded boxes that can house your things while keeping them dust-free.

Rework your closet

Yes, you could spend many hundreds of dollars on a custom closet, which would help create more space for your stuff. You can also do it yourself for considerably less. Or, go to your local building supply for a closet rod that you can easily install halfway up to double the amount of hanging space for just a few bucks.

Create a home office in a closet

Yes, relocate seasonal items using those Space Bags! Plus, now have a dedicated place for the printer, computer, papers, and files that are hanging out all over your home.

When the work is done, close the doors and it all disappears.

Under the bed

The space under the bed is prime real estate when looking for storage solutions.  For rarely used or seasonal items, use something with wheels for easy access.  Great place to store toys and seasonal shoes too.

                 

Organize your kitchen cabinets

Kitchen cabinets can easily become cavernous messes without any built-in shelving or slide-out drawers. Perfect for boxes and jars – turn your cabinet into a pantry.

Improve your pantry storage

This small pantry with glass doors provides big storage in tight quarters.

FLORIDA CONSUMER ADVOCATE QUESTIONS CITIZENS’ RATE HIKE

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Sept. 3, 2015 – Florida's new insurance consumer advocate wants Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty to "strongly consider" the large amount of reinsurance purchased by the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance – and to do it before the Florida-owned firm makes a decision about its requested 3.2 percent rate hike.

Consumer advocate Sha'Ron James also asked McCarty in a letter Monday to review Citizens' debt financing and water-loss claims before setting rates for 2016.

Reinsurance is essentially backup coverage purchased by insurers – an insurance policy for insurers.

"The purchase of additional reinsurance has led to the need for increased premiums, despite the decrease in the number of policies and the significant reduction in reinsurance costs worldwide," James wrote to McCarty. She questions whether the level of reinsurance Citizens carries "exceeds the level of adequacy needed to fulfill its obligation to its current policyholders."

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation is currently reviewing the rate hike request. The new rates would vary by county and depend on a property's location, the home's style, and the type of policy.

Yesterday, the chief risk officer for Citizens Property Insurance sent a letter back to James defending the proposed rate hike.

"Citizens has secured enough reinsurance, at historically low rates, to blunt the possibility of assessments even in a benchmark severe event, known as the '100-year storm,'" Rollins said in his letter. "Better yet, much of this $6.9 billion in protection kicks in more often for smaller storms, such as a named storm with a 10 percent chance of striking each year, and it covers the case of multiple storms in a season."

According to Rollins, Floridians would have paid $11.5 billion in assessments if a 100-year storm hit four years ago, but today they would likely pay nothing.

Citizens President and CEO Barry Gilway contended last month that a "disturbing" rise in water-damage claims in South Florida has driven the need for the proposed rate increase.

Florida Realtors Sept. 2015