Happy New Year Sanibel and Captiva!

Wow!  Did this year go by fast, or what?

Well, so much has happened on Sanibel and Captiva this past year that I thought I would do a little recap below to remind us of just how blessed we truly are!

In January, we had the First Annual “Dancing with the Island Stars” and in February, we lost a true Sanibel Island inspiration, photographer Ted Cross.  In March, Captiva and Sanibel Islands were voted #8 in Barron’s Magazine for the “Best Place to Build a Second Home” and in April, we put the spotlight on our amazing Historical Village!

May began the nightmare Deepwater Horizon debacle, which we reported on extensively throughout May, June, July and August.  Also in July, we focused on the BIG ARTS Summer Camp and in August, the ordinance for ridding the islands of Brazilian Pepper Trees was approved and the work began.

In September, Sanibel lost an island icon, Sam Bailey.

In October, all of Southwest Florida shined bright, as money was raised from all over the area for Breast Cancer Awareness Month and in November, among all of the festive events going on, the “Taste of the Islands” restaurant competition had another phenomenal year!

Last, but certainly not least, in December, our very own “Island Home Adventures” Tour Van arrived, which takes all of our clients around the islands in style searching for the home of their dreams!  Have you seen it yet?  It’s so beautiful…

So, there you have it!

2010 in a nutshell…

We can’t wait to see you all in 2011… It’s going to be a GREAT year!

Happy New Year!

Be safe and have fun… we raise a glass to you, our dear readers, because without you, life would get pretty boring around here!  LOL

See you next year… 🙂

Sandy and Rob

Southwest Florida Christmas Fun with the Snowbirds

Yep, it’s Christmas…  I can’t hardly believe it!

Well, I thought I would share some holiday cheer (and some definite laughs) this year by sharing a light-hearted video about our beloved “snowbirds” that descend upon Florida over the holidays to get out of that VERY chilly weather up north…

So, sit back and have a chuckle and Rob and I want to wish all of our faithful readers a very Happy Holiday and hope that Santa brings you everything that you asked for…

Until next week… Ho! Ho! Ho!

Sandy and Rob

p.s. What about a new home under the tree?  LOL  Visit Sanibel Beach Homes to see if it will “fit”…

The New Sanibel Island Home Adventure Tours Van Is On the Move!

Island Home Adventures - SanCap One Source Realty Tours

What a GREAT holiday gift!

The SanCap One Source Realty Team has invested in a brand spankin’ new VAN called “Island Home Adventures”, where we take prospective home buyers around to show them the island and the different areas in route to scoping out their new home on Sanibel or Captiva!

This is so exciting and we are having so much fun in seeing our customers’ faces and hearing their awesome feedback after gliding through Sanibel and Captiva in our smooth new wheels!

So, if you happen to see us driving by, be sure to honk and give us a wave, so that we know that you are an avid reader of our blog and that you know the latest and greatest of what’s happening on Sanibel and Captiva…  🙂

Have a great, great week!

Sandy and Rob

p.s.  SanCap One Source Beach Homes on Sanibel and Captiva…

Have We Got an Incentive for YOU!

Well, we’ve been announcing this everywhere, all over the island, so I figured that I better make a note of it here as well!

If you haven’t already heard, Rob and I are super excited about an incentive program that we are coordinating with the amazing Congress Jewelers, right here on the island.

We’ve never done this before, so we are truly open to your feedback on just how great this program is, not only with regards to the “luxury” component, but also the intimacy that we hope is implied in searching for, picking out and LOVING something that is very special and personal in your life.  Jewelry always gives someone that feeling and what we are trying to convey is that buying a home on Sanibel or Captiva will give you that same feeling, but on steroids!

What can be more personal and intimate than a comfortable home that you fall in love with and purchase?

Do call us for all the juicy details because we are not sure how long we can run this program, although we know it will run through February to be sure, which is our high season.

We look forward to your thoughts!

Have a great week,

Sandy and Rob

p.s.  We’re also updating our website… any comments on our OLD website over at SanCap One Source Realty ?

Take a Pet Home For the Holidays – Gulf Coast Humane Society

 

Being animal lovers ourselves, Rob and I wanted to plug the Gulf Coast Humane Society this year for the holidays, hoping that a few of you locally may be thinking about a pet in your future and will head over and “make some dog or cat’s day” by giving them a loving home!

The Humane Society (located at 2010 Arcadia St in Ft. Myers) does such a great job of taking care of lost or abandoned pets and preparing them for adoption, that someone just needs to do a shout-out to them and thank them for their caring efforts…

Right now, their website showcases 44 adorable dogs of all sizes, shapes and breeds, as well as 9 cuddly cats… all just waiting to meet YOU!

So, make someone’s day and at least go have a look… a new best friend and companion could be in your future…

Have a great weekend,

Sandy and Rob

p.s. If you’re buying or selling property on Sanibel or Captiva, be sure to give us a shout or visit us at Sanibel Beach Homes!

The Luminary Festival on Sanibel and Captiva Gets Better Every Year!

Photo courtesy of AdventureInParadiseInc.com

Goin’ 26 years strong, Sanibel and Captiva Islands continue to delight locals and tourists alike, with one of the most anticipated events of the year – The Annual Luminary Festival!

Starting at dusk this Friday evening, Dec. 3rd, on Sanibel Island (specifically Periwinkle Way), this family-friendly, trail of lights “joyfest” will kick off… with a repeat performance the following evening, Dec. 4th, on Captiva Island (specifically in The Village).

The purpose of this great event has evolved over the years… starting out in the late ’80s as a way to keep the islands in the forefront of peoples’ minds as a “true holiday destination” in between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday dates, when it tended to get pretty quiet on the islands and local businesses’ coffers got pretty low.

As the years went by, the festival evolved and expanded into a full-blown “excuse” for tourists to plan to be there in order to experience the beauty of the islands all lit up and glowing, in addition to taking part in a real “tight community” atmosphere that personifies locals supporting local businesses and the truest sense of comradery.  The islands shine with personality during this festival and show anyone lucky enough to be there, exactly how great it is to live on and be a part of the Sanibel and Captiva “family”.

Three miles of paper lanterns will light the way to beautiful storefronts, live music and great food!  Don’t miss out because it really is a once-a-year festivity well worth the wait!

If you’re interested (as I was) in the history of this unique event, you can read more about it right here:  History of the Sanibel-Captiva Island Luminary Festival

We will see you there, no doubt…

Have a great week,

Sandy and Rob

p.s.  Home sales ARE happening… check out Sanibel Beach Homes

Put Your Sanibel Shopping Shoes On… Black Friday is Upon Us!

Soooo, apart from preparing all the great recipes I left you last week, are you ready for the “day after” when the shops all lure us through their doors with the best sales of the year?

I know I am!  No one knows how to save money better than me!

My problem this year is in the choosing of just the right gift for each person, so as to make it really special and not just something meaningless (and probably too expensive) that has some wrapping paper slapped on it.

I’m going for sentimentality and fun this year… What about you?

How long is your holiday list of people to buy for?  Mine’s decent, not too short, not too long…

I really enjoy this time of year… the energy in the air… everyone’s moods are racheted up a notch (which is always nice!) and the anticipation of good food, good friends and family… and good FOOTBALL!  🙂

So, have a wonderful Thanksgiving this week and some well-deserved time off and I’ll probably see you shopping on Friday!

Enjoy and don’t eat too much,

Sandy and Rob

p.s.  Still lots of great homes available, if you, or someone you know, are/is looking… check them out over at Sanibel Beach Homes

What’s For Thanksgiving Dinner on Sanibel Island?

Hi all!

I cannot believe that Thanksgiving is only a week and a half away, can you?

Well, I thought it would be fun to track down and compile some easy, fast Thanksgiving recipes that you can prepare prior to the big day and not feel so rushed as the turkey is cooking!

So, take a peek below at what I found by clicking here:  Fun, Fast Thanksgiving Recipes — YUUUM!  (You can even download the entire thing by clicking the download button at the top, above the document)

Oops, the only thing I forgot to do is include the name of each recipe on top of the ingredients, so the list below shows what recipes are in the booklet that I complied:

1. Rosemary Pecans
2. Goat Cheese Spread
3. Cannellini Bean, Scallion, and Prosciutto Dip
4. Tender Greens with Champagne Vinaigrette
5. Lettuce, Orange and Pecan Salad
6. Cranberry and Orange Relish
7. Chilled Pineapple-Cranberry Relish
8. Cranberry Sauce
9. Green Bean Salad with Walnuts, Fennel and Goat Cheese
10. Autumn Cabbage Slaw
11. Fennel and Apricot Stuffing
12. Baked Spinach and Gruyere
13. Spiced Sweet Potato Wedges
14. Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Golden Raisins
15. Cider-Roasted Vegetables
16. Mashed Sour Cream and Scallion Potatoes
17. Roast Butternut Squash Puree
18. Pumpkin Cheesecake
19. Sweet Potato Pie
20. Pressed-Crust Pear Tart
21. Pumpkin Bread
22. Chocolate Silk Pie
23. Gingersnap Pear Cheesecake
24. Citrus Pound Cake with Cranberry Syrup

A HUGE thanks to the folks over at RealSimple.com who have the originals of these recipes and you can click their link as well!!

Ok, you enjoy yourselves and we’ll see you next week,

Sandy and Rob

p.s. Sanibel Beach Homes still available

The 29th Annual “Taste Of the Islands” on Sanibel Island is Just Around the Corner!

Yessirree, it is that time of year again when Sanibel Island’s best-of-the-best chefs compete for the highly sought after “Taste of the Taste” Award signifying that their dish has won the 29th Annual “Taste of the Islands” Top Honor!

Make sure you mark your calendar for Sunday, November 21st from 12pm to 5pm at the Sanibel Community Park on 2231 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel Island.

You better get there early and definitely bring your appetite because it will be an action-packed 5 hours of sampling every kind of delicacy that you can imagine.  A new twist this year is that the judges have asked that each chef include one indigenous ingredient in their dish to give it a more “local” flair…  this should be really interesting!

You can get even more details and the long list of different awards being given out by category right here at:  29th Annual Taste of the Islands on Sanibel Island

Of course, this is all for a great cause, as half of the restaurant proceeds and all of the entry fees go to our beloved C.R.O.W. Wildlife Refuge!!

So, we will definitely see you there!

Have a great weekend,

Sandy and Rob

p.s. psssst, SanCap One Source Realty (that’s us!) has some awesome beach homes on sale, wanna see?

Are You Ready for Another Great Halloween on Sanibel and Captiva Islands?

 

Halloween is such a great party on Sanibel and Captiva!

And nothing tops Captiva Island’s ‘Tween Waters Inn party each and every year… Around 800 very creative folks (adults only) get all dressed up in the best costumes known to man to compete for the top prize and it is unbelievable just how great some of these costumes really are… 🙂

As you can see in the photo above, Rob was a fanciful Dr. Seuss last year and I was a curly-haired pirate girl! Fun stuff!!

We had a great time and are really looking forward to tomorrow night (SATURDAY!) when we will surprise you all with our latest inventive disguises…

Remember, the party is on Saturday night, the 30th, this year, rather than on Halloween night itself, from 8pm until 2am with a cost of $15 at the door, so don’t be late!

You can get all the details here:  ‘Tween Waters Inn Halloween Party 2010

Be sure to track down Rob and I to say “HI” and if you mention this post, we have a free gift for you in our office next week!!

Can’t wait to see you there!!

Sandy and Rob

p.s.  SanCap One Source Realty is always on your side!