Florida Gulf Coast Living Gulfscapes

KEY WEST, Florida Keys -- The long-awaited new terminal building at Key West International Airport opened Wednesday to serve departing passengers.

Its opening marks a milestone in the $31.6 million construction and renovation project that will more than double the size of the previous airport.

The new building measures approximately 30,000 square feet and is elevated over parking. It features second-level ticketing, baggage and security areas for departing passengers, restrooms, concessions, a second-level walkway, an escalator and elevator. A restaurant with huge windows offers views of arriving and departing aircraft, and artwork by local artists is to be installed.

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Posted by gulfscapes magazine at 02:04 PM | Permalink

From Home-Grown Produce to Freshly-Caught Seafood, Local Cuisine Reigns on Florida’s Paradise Coast

Naples, Fla. (February 18, 2009) – As Americans grow increasingly conscious of their ecological responsibilities and consume more locally-grown produce, wild seafood, dairy, and meats, Naples, Marco Island and Everglades City restaurants serve up mouth-watering fare with ingredients found less than 150 miles away.

Florida stone crab, which begins its season October 15 and runs through May 15 each year, is a typical ingredient chefs are using locally. These delectable claws find their way to area restaurants and also are shipped to other Florida and national locations. One claw is harvested from each crab, and the crab is then placed alive back in the Gulf of Mexico . Stone crabs typically regenerate new claws within one to three years. Favorite places to savor a serving of stone crab claws, served cold with a mustard dipping sauce, include the waterfront seafood markets in Everglades City , known as the Stone Crab Capital of the World. Try unique culinary creations such as the mahi mahi dish with Florida stone crab, papaya and Vidalia onion relish served at Handsome Harry’s Third Street Bistro in Naples.  Or savor the stone crab ravioli at Naples Tomato, which pairs perfectly with Perrier Jouet champagne.

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Posted by gulfscapes magazine at 09:10 PM | Permalink

It all started with a hurried phone call from a magazine editor in 1989. Dr. Stephen Leatherman, better know to America as Dr. Beach, was on his way to China for a stint as a visiting professor at Peking University. The editor quickly asked for his favorite beaches. Dr. Leatherman rattled off ten, got on his plane, went to China, got caught in the Tiananmen Square massacre aftermath, “borrowed” a Peking University van, evaded tanks and convoys on a harrowing journey to the airport, slept on the floor for a couple of days, and eventually was able to flee to Japan. Needless to say, the brief conversation with the journalist was forgotten. Until a few weeks later, when he got a copy of a magazine in the mail. There, in a story, was his list of beaches, ranked one to ten. That’s when the phones started ringing in his office at the University of Maryland.

Continue reading "Florida's Own Dr. Beach" »

Posted by gulfscapes magazine at 09:12 PM | Permalink

Caladesi Island State Park takes the number one spot in the 18th Annual Top 10 Beaches ranking produced by Dr. Beach, also known as coastal expert Dr. Stephen Leatherman, Director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research. Caladesi is a pristine getaway beach in the Clearwater/St. Petersburg area, only 20 miles west of bustling downtown Tampa. Traveling to this island is an experience itself as it is reached by pedestrian ferry, complete with old salts telling interesting tales, or by private boat. The bayshore is a mangrove forest interlaced with kayak trails and is a bird lover’s paradise. The only mode of transportation on this lovely island, dominated by palm trees, is by foot over the super fine white sand. There is a great snack bar and other creature comforts to enhance your island experience, and both the grounds and landscape are well maintained. Lifeguards are on duty during the summer beach season, but the waves are generally only measured in inches so don’t bring your surfboard.

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Posted by gulfscapes magazine at 09:09 PM | Permalink

What is the lure of Sarasota? Is it the 35 miles of pure white sand beaches adorning six barrier islands? Is it the legacy of legendary circus founder John Ringling, who left an art museum, a hotel and a Venetian-style bay front home? Is it the upscale shopping? How about the warm, iridescent Gulf waters?

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Posted by gulfscapes magazine at 12:52 PM | Permalink

Gulfscapes Magazine is a lifestyle magazine for those who live or vacation along the Gulf coast. The magazine emphasizes home design and travel. Articles offer information on home interiors and building materials; coastal recreation; food; travel destinations; style; and real estate concerns.  www.gulfscapes.com

Posted by gulfscapes magazine at 05:13 PM | Permalink