Villa Happy Gator - 5 star-rated Pool Villa in Venice Florida

Celebrate Downtown Venice Day – August 11th 2019

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The Venice Downtown Beaufication Project is finished. Come and enjoy the beautiful result on Downtown Venice Day, Saturday, August 11, 2019.

The event starts at noon with a free trolley tour of the city. You will be accompanied by Harry Klinkhamer, Manager of Historical Resources. Learn interesting and amusing facts about the history of the “City on the Gulf”. One lap lasts 45 minutes and starts at the kiosk of the Centennial Park. The trolley will go until 3 pm in the afternoon.

Be active

If you like to be active, bring your bike! At 12.30 pm and at 4 pm, a guided tour will start at the Gazebo in Centennial Park. The bicycle experts from “Bicycles International” will bring you on a leisurely trip to and from the Jetties. For those interested, there is also a free “Fix-a-Flat” workshop where you will learn how to easily and quickly mend a flat tire yourself. The workshop starts at 3:30 pm at the Gazebo.

Local businesses

How about visiting a full-face-painting artist at work? You will meet him by the kiosk between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Or relax with with Afternoon High Tea – at 2 pm at “Café 124” and at 3 am in the “Upper Crust”. Other restaurants and shops along the roads offer specials, raffles and appetizers, such as the famous Rum Punch of the “Down Island Way Boutique”.

Moving into the evening, downtown goers will be able to enjoy extended Happy Hours at “Daiquiri Deck”, “TJ Carney’s”, “Made in Italy”, “Abby’s on Miami”, and “Ciao Gelato” (Wine & Gelato Floats) from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Are you a wine lover? “Café Longet” between 5 and 7 pm, to “Olive Grove Wine Bar” or the “Zebra Piano Bar Lounge” welcome you for a wine tasting.

Organizers

Celebrate Downtown Venice Day is organized by Venice Newcomers Club and Newcomers of Venice Alumni.

Happy World Chocolate Day!

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Today, July 7, is “World Chocolate Day”!

We love chocolate in all sorts and variations: as a bar, in ice cream, as spread and cake icing, in cereal or even as a face mask – the ideas für using are endless.

Here are some sweet facts about our favorite treat:

The earliest known cocoa bean cultivation regions were Mexico and South America, where Inca, Aztec and Maya people mixed ground seeds with spices to a drink they called “Chocolatl”. The chocolate from the beans was considered a luxury commodity and was reserved for wealthy people.

Among the Aztecs, cocoa beans were even common as a means of payment. Taxes could be paid with them. For 100 perfect beans you could buy a slave!

In 1550, the first cocoa beans appeared in Europe, but it took until 1847 that the first chocolate bar was produced in England.

The worldwide most chocolate is cosumed in Germany and Switzerland: an impressive 10 kg per person per year. That’s almost twice as much as in the US. By the way: Women are much more likely to be a chocolate lover than men.

Happy World Chocolate Day!

You are in Venice Florida these days? Be sure to stop by at Kilwin’s on W Venice Ave, their choices are simply delicious!

Alligator vs Crocodile – What is the Difference?

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Florida and the Alligators – or are they Crocodiles?

Have you ever asked yourself what is the difference between alligators and crocodiles? Don’t they look alike? Well, they may look similar, but there are some differences.

Read more about those fascinating reptiles you can meet in the wild here:

Where to Eat in Venice: “Made in Italy” – Restaurant & Martini Bar

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Are you a lover of the authentic Italian cuisine? “Made in Italy” is the right place for you!

This little Italian restaurant & martini bar is only serving the freshest ingredients. Guests enjoy homemade pastas & bread, wood burning pizza oven & delicious handcrafted cocktails.

The magnificent food and the excellent service truly deserve a 5 star rating. Be sure to reserve a table as “Made in Italy” is very popular. For a view of their menu go to their website madeinitaly-venice.com.

Made in Italy is located on 117 W Venice Ave Venice, Florida.

Rothenbach Park in Sarasota – only ½ hour from Venice Florida

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This beautiful community park with about five miles of paved recreational trails that are perfect for walking, jogging, or cycling is only a short 30 minutes drive away from our lovely pool vacation home Villa Happy Gator in Venice (VillaHappyGator.com).

2 playground areas are very much loved by the little ones. Runners, walkers and bikers enjoy 2 loop trails around a lake through tropical vegetation. You will see a lot of wildlife, even an alligator lives in the lake.

Rothenbach Park was built on an old county dump and is a true example of “recreational recycling”.

Address: 8650 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, FL 34241