The Island Jazz performs in the BIG ARTS Bolar Garden on Sunday afternoons at 3:00 during the winter months. They regularly draw over 200 Jazz enthusiasts to their free concert. The band, comprised of talented amateur, semi-professional, and professional musicians, performs Big Band and Dixieland-style music.. In case of rain, the concert will move to the Gainer Veranda. Bring your own chair and arrive early as Jim and Mary Lou Lewis did this past Sunday. These wonderful concerts are provided free, so be sure to stop by and enjoy the music!

That’s Right! The Ocean’s Reach Osprey babies have arrived! Tune in and watch them on the Osprey Cam. We were notified by a viewer yesterday morning that she had spotted them and sure enough, they are here!

We feel so lucky to have this beautiful pair back for the fourth year in a row, and now to be ale to watch them live anytime of the day. The female laid the first egg on Christmas day, the second egg on the 26th and then finally a third. Now we have babies to watch! Tune in and feel the thrill!!

BIG ARTS now presenting live, “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”!! If you have not seen this performance currently playing at the BIG Arts Herb Strauss Theater, you have until February 11th to reserve your ticket to see an absolutely wonderful, laugh out loud show.

The cast of 13 are all professional performers with a wide array of credits to their resume. To quote one New Yorker “I saw this play in New York City, and this was a much more professional and entertaining performance than I saw in the big city”. As I left the theater all I could hear were comments about how great the cast is and that this is the best show to ever be done on the island! Reserve your tickets now and don’t miss one of the highlights of the year!

I am reserving a spot again to make sure I see it a second time before it ends. Pictured above are a few of the Ocean’s Reach gang during intermission!

Andy

It is with a great deal of sadness that I share with you the passing of a very special friend of Ocean’s Reach, Manny Toyos of Coral Gables, Florida. Manny, along with his adopted brother and best friend Herman Irizarry, patriarchs of a large group of family and friends, called Ocean’s Reach their home away from home. Pictured is just part of the group taken last summer, along with a picture of Manny and Herman.

From all of your friends at Ocean’s Reach, our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Toyos family.
Andy

Attention Sanibel foodies: “Geppetto’s Beach Foodies”, a gourmet “to go” store opened Friday, January 27th, next to Pinocchio’s ice cream shop located on the east end of the island. Picnic at the adjacent Lighthouse Beach, refresh your palette at home, or at a bike stop with their delectable goodies.

Foodies can also visit the popular and crowd pleasing Pinocchio’s homemade Italian ice cream shop with double and triple scoop offerings of luscious ice cream and gelato flavors that change seasonally. Take a ride, grab some gourmet and give us the taste test!

Immediately following this release of the review below, I understand that crowds were lined up outside the door waiting for a table. Many were first timers from Fort Myers.

It is rare to get such an excellent review from this famed food critic. Cip’s and island residents are very proud of this distinction.

Learn about shells and more at this month’s beach walk sponsored by The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum. Meet at Gulfside City Park/Algiers Beach (east side of Ocean’s Reach) on Tuesday, January 31 at 9 a.m. at the parking lot. Leave your car at Ocean’s Reach and walk or bike next door to start your tour. Fun and fascination for the whole family. You can never learn enough about our special island’s trove of shells and eco-treasures.

The Sanibel Steakhouse on Periwinkle Way is now open for lunch!

The popular steak and seafood restaurant will be a welcome addition to the repertoire of other island lunchtime favorites Doc Fords, Lazy Flamingo, Cip’s Place, Corner Grill and others.

Many of our guests take a break from the sunny beach by shopping and lunching with others in the middle of the day. Others enjoy the outdoors all day long and refresh themselves with a unique dining experience in the evening. Take your pick or mix it up!!

On Thursday, January 19th, Ocean’s Reach hosted 30 staff and volunteer guest service representatives of the Sanibel Chamber of Commerce. We all met in the Grove for a brief presentation before giving them a tour of the complex.
Our own Lisa Williams, who works at the Chamber two days per week, led the tour. We were told by the Chamber that of all the complexes that they visited ours was rated at the top!
They toured the Grove, the shell cleaning station, viewed the Osprey nest, our new web cams, the grounds, the units and the proximity to the beach of every unit, and gave us rave reviews, listing our complex as best on the island!

Taking a 3 1/2 mile walk from Ocean’s Reach to the Sanibel Lighthouse is a cake walk when you can rest your legs half way along on this beach bench. Look for this long, innovative bench constructed in front of the A frame condos.