Southwest Floridians were able to enjoy cool, evening temperatures, take in fabulous art displays and enjoy an evening outdoors at the downtown Fort Myers Art Walk last Friday. Scheduled for the first Friday of each month, the turnout is almost always good. As Southwest Florida approaches our 2012-2013 tourist season, that monthly turnout will flourish!

If the lovely and fun time among friends doesn't keep you coming back, then the variety of exhibits, plays, gallery showings and even music will! 

While Art Walk is a fantastic social opportunity for local residents, some gallery owners wish it were more of a shopping event for them. Given the wealth of fantastic artwork, illustration and paintings that can be found within the downtown galleries, the few locals who are buying art from local artists and galleries are amassing a treasure trove of priceless, southwest Florida work. But, if you think that under priced, breath-taking artwork is the only worthwhile 'take-away' from Art Walk, you, clearly, have yet to attend! 

 A beautiful, sunny afternoon with a mild breeze made a nearly ideal setting for the recent Peace Day in the Park celebration at Jaycee Park in Cape Coral. Hundreds of attendees enjoyed strolling, browsing and greeting their friends as the day progressed. Given that this was the fifth celebration of Peace Day locally, it was a greatly anticipated event for many. With a variety of local SWFL vendors, performers, and organizers, the event provided fun for persons of all ages....and even their pets!

I had the pleasure of attending a conference on beekeeping last week. Despite knowing very little about bees, I was compelled to attend, in an effort to further my knowledge about these very industrious creatures. The Florida State Beekeepers Association Conference was held last week in southwest Florida at the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium in Fort Myers. It was attended by a variety of individuals and companies, most of whom are either beekeepers, honey makers, agricultural specialists or just individuals and families interested in finding out more about beekeeping. Not only what I learned, but, especially, the people I met, made this event one that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Skies were cloudy Sunday morning, but temperatures were only slightly cooler than usual as the first annual Love Fest 4 Pets got underway at Sunsplash Family Waterpark in Cape Coral. A wide variety of vendors participating in the day's activities set up their tents and displays. Both spirits and energies were high as the day got underway.

 This premier event was an opportunity for locals to come out and bring their pets to enjoy the festivities and learn about adoption groups, local pet services and suppliers, too. The event really offered something for all pet lovers!

Sunday was a more beautiful afternoon than many I recall. The weather could not have been more perfect. There was a steady breeze, warm sunshine and temperatures hovered in the 70s to 80 degree range. I had planned on trying to attend the Taste of Fort Myers on this day, but did not guess that I would enjoy it quite as much as I did. It wasn't so much the weather as it was the relaxed and pleasant atmosphere that seemed to merge so well with the unmistakable smells of some great local cuisine. Families of all sizes seemed to be the predominant attendees. But for the Junior League of Fort Myers, the event will certainly be recorded as a success!

You walk with anticipation and trepidation to the door. Your heart starts to flutter, partially from excitement and partially from fear of the unknown. You know that you only get to ask one question, possibly two, so you think and rethink of what questions you want to have answered. You want to get it right, as the answers will be life altering and, quite possibly, rock you to your very existence!

The China Moon Festival is a tradition rich in history, beauty, and romance. Monday night's event fit the bill and paid tribute to this amazing tradition with no stone unturned and no detail sparred. The beautiful details coupled with the sun setting behind the trees overlooking the Bowditch Park made this night truly magical. I am so happy to have been a part of it, and I am sad for those who weren't able to attend.