Sunset Royale Breeze

Cooking is fun and I learned a long time ago secrets that make a recipe outstanding. A chef friend in Michigan, Chris Angelosante,  onetime told me the secret to many of his dishes was basically “reduction”. The richness of the sauce not only added character to the main entree, but would also bring those sauce ingredients into the vegetable and starches that shared the plate. He knew his sauce was a favorite when the dishes were returned to the kitchen wiped clean by the bread from the basket, which was also left empty.

This tip has not only brought nice compliments … Continue Reading

One of the things I had always meant to do when we moved to Florida, but never seemed to find time or the determination to follow through with was to spend some time fishing. As a kid in Michigan my dad used to take us kids fishing and we always caught something, from blue gills and rock bass in small inland lakes, large mouth bass and perch in larger lakes or lake trout, whitefish and walleye in the Great Lakes. When I was about 14 years old a friend took me up to Lake Nipissing in Ontario where I caught … Continue Reading

I learned early in life that the 3 key tips to a successful business were location, location, location. This statement is almost not arguable, but a second tip and one that guarantees continued future success is, “Always listen to your customer.”  I have followed this second tip religiously in every business I have ever been involved in including running our vacation rental condo the Penthouse at Sunset Royale. Many of the changes in our  condo and the operation of our … Continue Reading

Siesta Key Competition

Don’t know about you, but I have always enjoyed a game of volleyball. I’m talking about participating and trying to win. Pure amateur participation and I’m talking company picnics, family get together or just an occasion at the park or beach. I am now 66 years old, overweight and under exercised. Have not always been 66, but for the most part, have always been overweight. Living at Siesta Key Public … Continue Reading

Tropical Wood Carvings

Every year after spring break Siesta Fiesta takes over the village of Siesta Key for a weekend of fun, art, crafts and sidewalk foods. This year Siesta Fiesta was “stridin” with the new look of Siesta Key all around the vendors booths. This is the 31st annual Siesta Fiesta and is the same date as the original Siesta Fiesta. The weather is perfect for this fun weekend and locals, visitors and downtown shop owners are all smiling…. Continue Reading

Sandcastle from July 2004

The Siesta Key sand, as mentioned in previous posts, is ideal for making into forms and characters. Since Nann and I moved to Siesta Key and have been able to view the beach everyday and walk it regularly (not regularly enough) and we often see where someone has taken the time to form this incredible sand into a sandcastle, figure or character. Some of these are very simple and … Continue Reading

Every now and then Nann and I look out our front windows and see the Sarasota County Sheriff’s  Mounted Division’s sheriff patrol riding along the beach. How neat to see these graceful animals work their way through groups of people and along the shore line of Siesta Key Public Beach. You can’t help but feel like it’s you on the horse and the invigoration of this momentary thought brings a smile to your face and a rigid straightening of your back, but suddenly you are back to reality, still smiling though realizing you’re not riding horseback along the beach. Incredible … Continue Reading

When you go the Sunset Royale website you will notice we have added a new page under About Siesta Key called Sarasota Culture. When Nann and I first explored Sarasota almost 20 years ago, we noticed this community was different from other Florida communities we had visited. Certainly the beach on Siesta Key was spectacular and the community was friendly and diverse. We noticed the art galleries, similar to what we had seen in West Palm, Tampa, Miami and Naples. Museums such as the Ringling were a nice find usually only found in larger

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