Another Beautiful Day on the Beach at Seacoast

These photos were taken at my favorite time of the day on the beach.  My family loves this time of the day on the beach.  Even though we love being there at any time and many days we go out in the morning and stay all day.  Our absolute favorite is late afternoon after 4:00pm.  We can stay out until 7:30pm or 8:00 pm and have a wonderful time.

The beach is not as busy and not as full at this time.  The sun is not as strong, therefore the temperature is more tolerable and pleasant.

We have more freedom to explore, play, run and do as we please at this time.

Try it out, I'm sure you will love it too!

Enjoy your evenings at the beach...

Fabulous Sandbars

We always enjoy the beach so much more when there are sandbars.  We can rest a little easier and feel less threatened by the possibility of rip tides or other dangers.  Although one should never let their guard down when it comes to ocean safety, its hard to imagine anything but beautiful thoughts of fun and relaxation when sandbars are out there. 

The children have more freedom and the adults can relax a little more.  Thankfully we have an abundance of sandbars on the beach at Seacoast.  I'm not sure why, but we have them almost all the time and we LOVE them.

This group even took their chairs and coolers out to enjoy the water.

I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

At the beach

"At the beach, life is different.

 Time doesn't move hour to hour but mood to moment.

We live by the currents, plan by the tides, and follow the sun."

- Anonymous                     

                                             

Fun in the Sun

 It's been years since we spent so much time in our condo in Miami Beach as this summer.  Usually my children have so many social obligations and extracurricular activities that we can hardly spend any time there.  This summer we made it a point to stay at the beach and enjoy our condo as much as possible.  We've had a wonderful time! 

We were able to do minor updates and renovations which will prove beneficial and convenient to all who use the space.  We've also had so much fun and enjoyed each other's company tremendously.    Some friends have come over to spend time with us and enjoy the beach, but mostly we enjoyed spending time together.  We wake up leisurely in the morning, have breakfast and make beds, etc.  Then we pack up our "Wonder Wheeler" with towel, coolers, boogie boards, and anything else we might need that day and head to the beach.  On the weekends, when family and/or friends come over, we take the 12 x 12 pop up canopy and set it up with all the comforts of home.  The only thing we are missing is a bathroom and a/c.  During the week,  there are plenty of umbrellas to go around so we grab some beach chairs and an umbrella or two, and lay by the ocean to read.  That is one of my favorite things.  The children read for awhile and then go in the ocean to swim, play catch, ride waves on boogie boards, catch fish with their nets, or anything else they can think of. 

We stay out for hours.  We take lunch, snacks, and plenty of water.   We go back to the condo around 5 p.m. for a little bit, we have dinner and then we go back for our evening walk and kickball or soccer game on the beach.

Since the sun sets so late we stay out for 1 to 2 hours.  Afterwards we head back, take showers and then spend the evening playing board games. 

As simple as this vacation has been, I'm sure we will remember this summer fondly.  I look forward to many more summers of enjoying the beach and our condo with my family.

Another beautiful day in Miami Beach

What a beautiful, sunny day here in Miami Beach.  The water is warm and there are sandbars throughout, which are great for the children.  Usually, the water is tranquil and good for lounging, however,  today its a bit rough.  There are quite a few waves, so the surf boards and boogie boards are out for added entertainment. 

A sight to be seen and enjoyed!!!!!!

Today was a "red flag" day...written Friday, June 25th, 2010

Todd Taubman

Today was a red flag day in mid-Miami Beach.  Florida has a warning flag system.   The purpose is to allow all of us to enjoy the beaches while helping us be aware of potential dangers in the ocean.

The warning program uses flags in four colors along with signs to explain the meaning of each color:

Green: Low hazard, calm conditions, exercise caution.

Yellow: Medium hazard, moderate surf and/or currents.

Red: High hazard, high surf and/or strong currents.

Red over Red (2 flags, one on top of the other): Water closed to the public.  The lower red flag in the "red-over-red" illustration shows a no swimming logo in white.

Purple: Dangerous marine life."

For additional information, please visit:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/cmp/programs/flags.htm

Hope there are many "green flag" days on your vacation.

Visit Miami Beach

Miami Beach with its fabulous people, fabulous beaches, fabulous shopping and fabulous restaurants is a great place to spend your vacation.

The Atlantic Ocean has warm, clear waters and it’s a wonderful place to swim, take on water sports, or participate in numerous enjoyable activities. There is plenty to do for people of all ages and activity levels.

The beach is perfect for flying a kite as the sun is setting, picking up a game of beach volleyball, football,  badminton, boogie-boarding or wake boarding, snorkeling, jet skiing, parasailing, kayaking, swimming or sun-bathing (with appropriate sun protection of course).

Another enjoyable activity for children of all ages is fishing with a hand-held net. You’d be surprised at the amazing little creatures you pick up in your net.

From South Beach to Mid Beach we have a tree-lined boardwalk which offers the possibility of walking, running, biking or rollerblading while still taking in the sites, literally surrounded by the ocean and trendy hotels and restaurants as you move along the boardwalk.

Visit our fabulous city and enjoy all it has to offer.

Van Dyke Cafe in Miami Beach, Florida

In the middle of Lincoln Road, Miami Beach's premiere pedestrian mall full of name-brand shops, small boutiques, and restaurants, Van Dyke Cafe (sister to News Cafe on Ocean Drive) is at 846 Lincoln Road.  Sitting on a corner with plenty of outdoor and indoor tables, it's also home to a live music bar upstairs and offices for the top modeling agencies in the city. 

From your typical breakfast fare to sandwiches to fish dishes, Van Dyke's has what you are craving.  When we go, we always like to eat outside as you feel like you are in the South of France. If you close your eyes and just listen to the conversations around you, you will most likely NOT hear English.  From the Spanish to the French, this cafe sitting in the middle of a beautiful tree lined street transports you to another time and place.  This is why we love Van Dyke.

Many years ago, we had a Mother's Day brunch which is always a treat on Sundays at there is Farmer's market steps away from the cafe.  We were a large group celebrating this special day and we drove almost 45 minutes to be able to share this with the family. Most of them had never been to Van Dyke, but remember Lincoln Road in the late 70s and early 80s when we would spend one week a summer on Ocean Drive.  Lincoln Road has changed and Van Dyke gives it that special touch. 

Fridays and Saturday nights you can enjoy live music upstairs.  For the latest menu and events, please go to www.thevandykecafe.com.