Life In Bonita Springs

Zoe’s Kitchen Estero Florida | 325/365 Things to Do

The other day, I was visiting some friends who stayed at the Hyatt. The four of us decided to go out to get a quick bite to eat. We all agreed (amazingly) to go to Zoe’s Kitchen in Estero. The restaurant was close by and I had heard of their delicious basil hummus. I was anxious to try it for the first time. Zoe’s Kitchen Restaurant is based on Mediterranean flavors and uses fresh delicious food such as vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts, and beans.

Zoe’s Kitchen is comparable to the style of Jason’s Deli were you go up to the counter and order your food. When it was my turn, I ordered the Basil Pesto Hummus and Salad Plate. Since I love pesto and had never tried basil pesto before, I was pleasantly surprised. I love hummus and I love basil and here are the two ingredients combined which certainly enhanced the flavor of this meal. This combination between the two tastes was perfect. The hummus was served with a side of tzatziki, pita bread, and a side salad. When it was brought to our table it looked delicious.

One of my friends ordered the Cauliflower Rice Bowl. The bowl had chilled cauliflower rice with house-made tzatziki, feta, cucumbers and fresh dill. He enjoyed his meal very much as it was a good vegetarian alternative. At my previous visits to Zoe’s Kitchen, I had several of the pitas. My favorite Pita is the Greek Chicken Pita. Pita’s are also very tasty. If you are in a hurry to grab a quick bite or you don’t want to wait to get seated in a restaurant, I suggest Zoe’s Kitchen as a good alternative.

Zoe’s Kitchen is located across the street from Coconut Point Mall at 22941 Lyden Dr. Suite 110, Estero, FL 33928

Festival of Lights Celebration Park | 324/365 Things to Do

Welcome to the First Annual Festival of Lights complete with a tree lighting and entertainment that includes dance performances, live holiday music and more.  The Festival of Lights is held at Celebration Park in Naples, Florida.

Other activities at the Festival of Lights include snowball fun and face painting.  The Festival of Lights is both kid friendly and pet friendly so if you are looking for fun things to do with the whole gang, come on down.

For the adults there will be holiday cocktails featuring Absolut Vodka and free swag, samples and giveaways of Absolut Vodka, too.

Botanical Garden Lights Naples Florida | 323/365 Things to Do

Take a stroll through the Botanical Garden in Naples!  The 170 acre garden that has plants from all over the world while light up with thousands of lights for the holiday season. The Naples Botanical Gardens is celebrating 10 years of Night Lights in the Garden from November 29-December 23 - 26-30 2019 and January 1-5 2020 6:00pm-9:00pm every night. There is live music every night and specialty menu and cocktails available for purchase.

You can purchase your tickets ahead of time online at www.naplesgarden.org or in person at Naples Botanical Gardens. You will not want to miss out on this spectacular event this holiday season.

Naples Botanical Gardens is located at 4820 Bayshore Drive, Naples, FL 34112.  If you are looking for fun things to do in Naples this event is good for all ages and levels of mobility.

True Food Kitchen Naples Florida | 322/365 Things to Do

Last Sunday, after church, I decided to have lunch with my friend Denise at True Food Kitchen. I always wanted to try True Food Kitchen since several friends had spoken about their wholesome food. The restaurant was pretty busy due to the after church crowd, however our wait was not too bad. After a short while, we were seated in an open space close by the window. We had a choice to sit at a table, outside, or to sit at the bar.

The reason for choosing True Food Kitchen for lunch was because I heard that their food is modeled after Dr. Andrew Weil suggestions on healthy food. Dr. Andrew Weil wrote several books regarding optimal health. I had seen Dr. Weil several times on TV and I had read his book: “Eating well for optimum health”. I was very intrigued to try the food at the restaurant. Originally, I believed that Dr. Weil had opened a restaurant in Naples, but after speaking to our waiter, I found out that their menu was based on the principles of Dr.Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet.

Finally after studying the menu for a while it was time to order. We ordered Hummus, Kale Guacamole, and a Margherita Pizza from the vegetable menu. We decided to order several dishes so we could try as many different foods as possible. The Herb Hummus was garnished with cucumbers, organic tomatoes, feta, olives, and we received a side pita bread. Everything was very fresh and tasty. Additionally, we ordered Kale Guacamole which was made of kale, avocado, cilantro, roasted sunflower seats, and came with a side of pita chips. And to top off our experience we ordered a Margherita Pizza with fresh crushed tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil. Everything tasted delicious! I am sure that I will go back very soon to try their Butternut Squash Pizza.

True Food Kitchen is located at the Waterside Shops (5375 Tamiami Trail, Suite 15, Naples, FL 34108)

Read also: Ringling Museum Sarasota Florida John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art | 286/365 Things to Do 

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About the author.  Gisela Chamberlin is a Bonita Springs resident and an art enthusiast.

Coconut Point Farmer’s Market | 321/365 Things to Do

Fall and winter in Southwest Florida brings with it many outdoor events and fun things to do such as visit our local farmer’s market.  Nearly daily there is a local farmer market and Coconut Point Mall hosts a farmer’s market on Thursday mornings.  The farmer’s market is located across the street from Marsh Landing near the big roundabout near Panera Bread and The Olive Garden.

Local vendors of both fruits and vegetables and other crafts and foods are available and selling their wares.  It’s an open air market and easy to get to.  Parking is free. The market moves around all week but is in Estero on Thursday.

Turkey Trot Bonita Springs | 320/365 Things to Do

The Springs of Bonita Church hosts it’s second annual Turkey Trot in downtown Bonita Springs, Florida at Riverside Park this Thanksgiving Day.  The Turkey Trot begins at 9:00 a.m. and is 5K in length. All levels of walkers are invited to participate, regardless of fitness level or speed.  You can even elect to only walk a part of the course.

This Turkey Trot begins near the Band Shell and goes to the USPS on Old 41 Road and back. If you’re looking for a way to burn a few calories in advance and also fun things to do with your family be sure to join in the walk!

Thanksgiving Day at 9:00 a.m!

Farm City Barbecue Collier County  | 319/365 Things to Do

For over sixty years the Farm City Barbecue brings businesses and agriculture, literally the city to the farm, in the Naples, Florida area – Collier County, Florida. The annual event is very popular and a great way to enjoy the best farm to table offerings in the area and, of course, network with many of the local businesses owners and farmers.

There is an entry fee to attend, of course.  You can learn more about becoming involved with, sponsoring or attending future Farm City Barbecue events at their official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/FarmCityBBQ or visit their website www.FarmCityBBQ.com.

Christmas at Disney in Orlando | 318/365 Things to Do

If you are having a hard time getting into the Holiday Spirit this year head on up to Disney World! Disney into a winter wonderland from early November through the end of the year. Every resort decorates with various wonderful decorations like huge gingerbread houses, large trees and endless beautiful Christmas decorations.

Disney Springs has a wonderful Christmas tree trail that has 22 different trees with each one themed as a Disney movie. And don't forget about seeing Santa Claus as he is there daily until Christmas.

The biggest highlight though is going to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. There is an extra charge for going to the party but you can arrive at 4 PM and stay until after Midnight with limited crowds. Most rides are open and with the crowds going to meet the Special Characters and shows there is usually no wait at all. The parade takes place 2 times each night and is a treat to see everyone dressed in holiday attire. My favorite is the marching toy soldiers!

There are all sorts of meet and greets with all your Disney favorites in special Christmas outfits. They serve cookies, hot chocolate, apple cider, Fanta soda all you care to eat and drink all evening. To end the evening Disney puts on a special fireworks show that will have you looking to the sky in amazement. Disney is almost a 3 hour drive from Bonita Springs but this trip could be easily done with just one overnight. The party runs on select nights until Dec. 22 if you’re looking for fun things to do that are holiday related.

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About the author: Melinda Cochran is photographer and Southwest Florida resident. You can find more of her images at: https://www.facebook.com/journeythroughmyeyes/.  If you know of a great place for Melinda to capture wildlife in action send a message in the comments section of this post.

Similar stories, read also: John C. Yarbrough Linear Park | Fort Myers, Florida

and Ding Darling National Refuge Sanibel Island

Food Truck Fridays Babcock Ranch | 317/365 Things to Do

Food Truck Fridays are back! Through the end of tourist season at Babcock Ranch the Food Truck Friday events continue. The party starts at 5p EVERY Friday at Babcock Ranch in Founder’s Square. Food Truck Fridays will be featuring exciting new food trucks every week with live music and lots of fun!

Stay tuned to find out what new food trucks will be arriving each week. You can follow the updates on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/babcockranch

Bonita Springs, FL Real Estate Update Oct 2019 Stats

Can you believe that seventy percent of our closed sales are under the price point of $400,000?  It’s true. It’s that time of the hear year when home buyers are running from the northern states. Those who can not find a vacation rental often purchase affordable home or condos so they can winter over in them.

If you’re searching for a Bonita Springs home or condo to purchase in this price point you need to know that you have competition.  If you see a quality property by comparison to other know that there are other buyers looking at the same selection and if they’ve had even a few days more experience than you they will know to strike like a rattle snake and scoop that property out from underneath of you.

We have few foreclosures and short sales. I had someone tell me just a few days ago that they’d love to find a foreclosure …  that is not the norm and the banks don’t negotiate.  The days of scoring a foreclosure below value are long gone.

We are just under 50% of home sales in Bonita Springs being funded with cash, second place goes to conventional mortgage financing.

If you’d like to learn more about purchasing a home in Bonita Springs or listing your home for maximum dollar and the fastest list to sales contract status give Chris a call or text at 239-273-7430.