Florida Travel Guide

KEY WEST, Florida Keys — An exhibition of 50 original painted wood carvings by the late Key West folk artist Mario Sanchez, comprising a pictorial chronicle of the island’s history, is to debut Friday, Oct. 10, in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Sanchez’ Oct. 7 birthdate.

Titled "100 Years and Better Than Ever," the exhibition is presented at the Key West Museum of Art & History at the Custom House, 281 Front St. An opening reception is planned for 5:30 to 7 p.m.

"Mario Sanchez has been looked upon by curators and historians as the most important Cuban-American folk artist of the 20th century," said Nance Frank, guest curator and author. "The exhibition speaks directly to how Mario’s geopolitical background influenced the philosophy and artwork of this national treasure."

The exhibit’s title refers to the work of the self-taught Sanchez, created during a career that spanned some 70 years, and the island he depicted with intricate detail and affectionate humor and a lover of Duval Street in Key West, Sanchez was influenced by the Florida Keys lifestyle.

Sanchez’ scenes record his impressions of daily life in Key West during the early 20th century. His subjects are street vendors and shopkeepers peddling their wares, dancers and musicians, gossiping women and chicken thieves, mischievous children and cigar makers — all portrayed in bas-relief carvings, known as intaglios, painted with brilliant primary colors.

His pieces are peopled with creative renderings of real Key West inhabitants who shaped the landscape of his boyhood. Sanchez’ work portrays structures that were then and still are island landmarks, including Ernest Hemingway’s one-time home, the Key West Lighthouse and the San Carlos Institute.

According to Claudia Pennington, executive director of the Key West Art & Historical Society that operates the museum, the historical accuracy of Sanchez’ work is as remarkable as his artistry.

"The artist portrays everyday events and showcases many of the same buildings that stand today," said Pennington. "In addition to Mario’s carvings, archival and present-day photos will help visitors recognize these neighborhood places that are visual reminders of our history and part of our island’s character."

The exhibition also is to include Sanchez documents, photographs and a film clip of the artist at work. In addition, visitors can view his paint box and a brush he purchased in Cuba for a dime in 1948 and used until he stopped painting shortly before his death in 2005.

Ticket price for the opening reception is $10 per person. Following the reception, the Sanchez exhibition is to be on display from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through March 31, 2009, at the Key West Museum of Art & History.

Museum admission is $10 per person for adults, $9 for local residents and seniors over age 62 and $5 for children and students. Children under 6 are admitted free.

For more information, contact the museum at (305) 295-6616 or visit www.kwahs.com.

For lodging information in Key West, contact the Key West Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-LAST-KEY (800-527-8539) or visit the Keys Web site at www.fla-keys.com.

Orlando, FL - In Orlando both Universal Studios and Disney’s Hollywood Studios will both be featuring some of the biggest names in contempary Christian Music.

Night of Joy at Walt Disney World, regarded as one of the top contemporary Christian music events in the country, will feature a 16-act lineup Sept. 5-6 that includes Gospel Music Association Dove Awards winners such as current Artist of the Year Chris Tomlin, Group of the Year Casting Crowns and New Artist of the Year Aaron Shust plus 2004 Artist of the Year MercyMe and enduringly popular tobyMac and Rebecca St. James.

Universal Orlando Resort unleashes Rock the Universe 2008 on September 5th and 6th. Rock the Universe 2008 features a powerful lineup of music ranging from contemporary Christian and hip-hop to punk.  On Friday, September 5th, the event features Grammy-nominated alternative rock band Switchfoot, pop/punk rock group Relient K, contemporary Christian band Newsboys, hard-rock group Skillet, hip-hop groups Grits and Group 1 Crew and up-and-coming artist New Method. On Saturday, September 6th, internationally-acclaimed group Third Day, singer/songwriter Jeremy Camp, Grammy Award-winning band Jars of Clay, pop-punk group Stellar Kart and rock bands Leeland, This Beautiful Republic and Special D will take center stage at the event.

Cocoa Beach, FL - Starry Night Lights is proud to announce its sponsorship and participation in the third annual Sea Turtle and Lighting Workshop, which will take place in Cocoa Beach, FL. This event is to take place on Saturday, July 12th from 9am to noon at the Cocoa Beach Holiday Inn.

This is a very exciting event for both animal and environment lovers, because it aims to protect sea turtles and the night sky. It will include various presentations from both marine life and lighting experts. The event is designed to bring awareness to the various plights that improper outdoor lighting causes to sea turtles and their young. By bringing awareness to this unfortunate situation, it is hoped that event will help reduce light pollution, which has very negative effects on the mating and hatching cycles of sea turtles.

The Cocoa Beach event will again be sponsored by Starry Night Lights, a company founded on protecting the night sky and saving the environment, by providing night sky friendly lighting fixtures. President and founder of Starry Night Lights, Anthony Arrigo, has made the preservation of the night sky his main priority. By providing night sky friendly outdoor lighting fixtures, Mr. Arrigo hopes to slow the "relentless spread of light pollution" which "threatens to eradicate the night sky for much of the world’s population".

In some areas, over "50% of sea turtle hatchlings can die" as a result of light pollution, says Mr. Arrigo. Thus, Starry Night Lights has pushed to expand its turtle-friendly outdoor lighting options, "we want to make sure that people have every opportunity to do the right thing so that these beautiful creatures can recover and be around for future generations" said Mr. Arrigo.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the effects of light pollution are some of the greatest issues affecting sea turtles. This is because they affect the nesting and survival of turtles. However, by using only sea turtle friendly lighting fixtures one can be guaranteed the safety and survival of the precious animals.

Unfortunately, many species of sea turtles are in trouble. In fact, all sea turtles in Florida are classified as either threatened or endangered. Thus, in order to ensure their survival for future generations, we must take action and light our homes and businesses with lighting systems which are sea turtle friendly. Turtle friendly lights illuminate the ground beneath them and do not shine harmfully onto nearby beaches used by nesting sea turtles.

Starry Night Lights will be attending this event to answer any questions individuals or businesses may have about sea turtle friendly lighting options. Also, Starry Night Lights will be displaying a portion of its large selection of turtle friendly lighting fixtures, in order to help individuals find the best form of lighting for their specific needs.

"Starry Night Lights. Saving The Night Sky One Light At A Time." For more information, visit StarryNightLights.com or call 1-877-604-7377.

Siesta Key, FL - Siesta Key beach earns the number three spot in the 18th Annual Top 10 Beaches in the United States by Dr. Beach, Dr. Stephen Leatherman. Siesta Key has been a constant on the Top 10 Beaches in the United States for the past two years, last year taking the 10th spot. Recognized for its powdery, white sand, the crystal quartz keeps the sand cool even on the sunniest Florida day. Unlike most beaches, when the Siesta Key sand is packed near the water’s edge, you can easily jog, ride your bike or push a stroller.

50 criteria are used to evaluate Florida beaches, including water and sand quality, as well as facilities and environmental management, as part of the National Healthy Beaches Campaign (NHBC). The NHBC is dedicated to creating a balance between the recreational use of our nation’s beaches and maintaining the environmental quality and safety of this prized resource.

ResortQuest Siesta Key vacation rentals offers numerous homes and condominiums on or near Siesta Key beaches. Other ResortQuest vacation rentals include: Bradenton, Sarasota, Longboat Key, Lido Key, Anna Maria Island, Venice, Fort Myers, Captiva and Sanibel Islands and Naples. Choose to stay in a five-bedroom estate on the beach, a bay front condominium or a resort-style property. Each vacation rental is fully furnished and vacation ready. For more information log onto ResortQuestSWFL.com or call 800-237-9505.

Marco Island, Florida — As Florida vacation season comes to an end, off season discounts are soon to appear. Late spring in Florida can mean excellent travel prices for those on a shoe string budget. For Marco Island, one popular Gulf Coast destination, lodging rates are 30 to 70% below winter rates during May through December.

May is a great month to travel to Marco Island, Florida. Accommodations are 30 to 70% less expensive than high season, the weather is still fine, and the Spring Break crowds have gone home for the year.

For visitors with school age children, May is often not an option as Spring Break is over and summer vacation has yet to begin. However, for the rest of us, this means fewer people and fewer children to share the beach with. Cheaper lodging expenses and the absence of crowds is a win-win for the budget traveler looking for some peace and tranquility. And although the summer season is often unbearably hot in Florida, May is still acceptably and even ideally warm for enjoying the surf and sand without suffering heat stroke.

Marco Island is located on the Gulf Coast of Florida just south of Naples and Fort Myers. The island is conveniently reached by bridge from the mainland. Horizons Rentals is a good option for finding Marco Island resorts and vacation rentals.