Pursue the Artist in You
Wednesday, May 11th, 2011
Pursue your artistic abilities at Ocean’s Reach. There is inspiration everywhere!
These two ladies have promised me photos of their completed work.
Let’s wait and see.
Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Yahoo the Weehoo!
Wednesday, May 4th, 2011
The new Weehoo is the bike trailer that has it all! It has an adjustable seat for riders age 2-9 and offers increased stability for the child and is easier for the adult to balance.
Additionally, it has an enclosed crank and chain, 3 point safety harness seat and storage bags on the rear wheel.
It’s becoming very popular on Sanibel! The weekly rental price for the Weehoo attachment only is $65.
Email us at beach@oceansreach.com to reserve this bike attachment during your upcoming stay at Ocean’s Reach.
Sanibel bike rentals are the most fun means of transportation on the island!
And The Winners Are…
Thursday, April 28th, 2011
The first ever photo contest sponsored by Ocean’s Reach Condominiums Resort on Sanibel Island received over 100 photo entries from 25 Ocean’s Reach guests. We knew we had several award winning photographers as guests but Wow, you really knocked us out! The up-close wildlife and nature photos, inspiring sunset and sunrise images and your fond and fun family photographs. This is exactly what we were looking for and it allowed us to expand our planned 3 postcard designs to 5!!
Please congratulate our winners, Deborah Dalfonso, Don Thompson, Liz Pyke, Scott Norris, Amber Grumbles, Nancy Gage, Chris Gilbride, Dan & Vicky Sullivan, Debbie Thompson, Susan Demarest, Cecilia Crosbie, Alan Maltz, Laura Welter and Jack Ruebensaal.
See The Winning Photos Here!
See All The Contest Entries Here – Absolutely Amazing Photos – Thanks To All!
The 2nd Annual Edible Mollusk Festival and Oyster Eating Contest
Wednesday, April 13th, 2011Following is a press release from The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum announcing The 2nd Annual Edible Mollusk Festival and Oyster Eating Contest. The photos are from last year’s event just to give you an idea of how much fun is ahead on this coming Saturday. You do not want to miss this wonderful Sanibel event!
The World Was His Oyster – How He Ate His Summer Vacation
SANIBEL, Fl. – (March 28, 2011) Fascination with oysters began at an early age for local restaurateur Matt Asen. While other six-year -olds were busy munching chocolate chip cookies it was visions of oysters that danced in Matt’s head. Curiosity led to challenge but in time eating oysters produced pure unadulterated pleasure.
He remembers the day it all began as if it were yesterday. The place was Lundy’s in the Sheepshead Bay section of Brooklyn. It was the largest restaurant in the country with seating for over 2,500 and a clam and oyster bar 100 feet long housed in the middle of a concrete castle with a Middle Eastern feel. “While my Dad bellied-up I chinned-up to the oyster bar.
“My dad would order a dozen clams, finding the smallest one for me, urging me to try it. Like most 5 year olds the thought of putting a raw, chewy, smelly thing that I could find dead on the beach into my mouth was not very appealing. After much coaxing from my father and other patrons, I relented and loaded my mouth up with oyster crackers, topped it off with cocktail sauce and put it in my mouth. After much chewing and I am sure many grotesque faces, I swallowed what was stored in my mouth much to the delight of the crowd. This generated a round of applause. That got me hooked, the attention of the crowd, not the clams. When asked how I liked it, I answered honestly. It was chewy and stinky but aside from that it was okay. It was with that response that the shucker suggested that my dad have me try an oyster. The shucker selected a small oyster as I reloaded my mouth with crackers. When it was place I topped it with the sauce and tossed it back. To my delight, it wasn’t smelly and not chewy at all. As a matter of fact it sort of just slipped down my throat. I smiled and asked for another and the crowd went wild! I don’t remember how many I ate (probably 4 or 5) but that was the start of what would become a long and glorious oyster-eating journey,” reports Asen.
Next came the realization that there was more to the world of oysters than just Blue Points.
Timber’s sponsorship of the first Edible Mollusk Festival and Oyster Eating Contest initiated a quest to save the shells of oysters eaten, carefully label the specimens and deposit them in baggies. Matt’s summer became a virtual scavenger hunt. Equipped with zip-lock bags, sharpies and an appetite, he began a voyage that kicked-off in New York. Matt was like a kid in a candy store. Visiting The Oyster Bar Restaurant, The Aqua Grill, Dock’s Oyster Bar, and The Mermaid Inn .
Maine and Massachusetts required patience as oyster purveyors were further apart but, “there is nothing like a Glidden Point oyster just as it is pulled from the Damariscotta River,” reports Matt.
September afforded a whirlwind tour with ports-of -call in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia. These whistle stops were followed by Australia, France, Ireland, and China. Matt returned to Florida with a Noah’s Ark of oyster shells, 199 different types of oysters – all pairs. “Best of all, I had personally eaten every one of them,” Matt reported with a wide grin and genuine sense of pride.
What impact will the 2nd Annual Edible Mollusk Festival and Oyster Eating Contest have on Matt’s Oyster journey” Only time will tell. Stop by the Shell Museum and see Matt Asen’s oysters on display.
The 2nd Annual Edible Mollusk Festival and Oyster Eating Contest will be held on Saturday, April 16th from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Timbers Restaurant and Fish Market, 703 Tarpon Bay Road, Sanibel, Florida. Admission is free. The event is sponsored by The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, Timbers Restaurant, Lily & Co. Jewelry Gallery, Times of the Islands and Caloosa Tent & Rental. All proceeds will benefit The Shell Museum exhibits and educational programs. Activities will include face painting, games and crafts for children, cooking and mollusk workshops, food and drink vendors, oyster exhibit, raffle, and oyster eating contest. Contestants will be given 60 seconds to eat as many oysters as possible. Contestants and sponsors must pre-register. For additional information go to The Shell Museum website.
Practicing for the Blue Angels?
Monday, February 21st, 2011
Couldn’t resist one last photo submission for the Ocean’s Reach Photo Contest. More on the winner coming soon! These three are in what appears to be almost perfect formation!
Bob’s Mega Grouper Catch!
Saturday, February 5th, 2011BEFORE
Inside the 42′ boat where it all happened!
Catch of 6 people; 24 fish!
2 14.5 pound groupers, 1 red and 1 black
BG and BG (big grouper)
AFTER
After, we were treated to a fresh fish dinner, compliments of Bob Groninger and his wife Judy. BG took his mega Sanibel grouper catch, and off we all went to the Lazy Flamingo on Periwinkle to have it cooked by the best grouper cooks on the island!
Laura, our favorite smiling waitress presents the “after” grouper fixed your way–blackened, fried, mesquite or grilled.
Shelby’s Latest Ocean’s Reach Video!
Wednesday, January 12th, 2011Shelby Allee has launched a new video titled “Sanibel Island Condos at Ocean’s Reach”. If you click on the link to the blog, you will be able to enjoy her latest production! Wonderful job, Shelby!
SANIBEL SHELL MUSEUM ANNOUNCES PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST WINNERS
Monday, December 13th, 2010The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum held the First Annual Live Mollusk Photography Contest to commemorate the Museum’s 15th Anniversary. “The strong first year response was very encouraging, The judges did not have an easy assignment,” reports Diane Thomas, Public Programs Specialist. The Shell Museum plans to hold the event annually.
Henry Domke, M.D., John Carney, and Bill Frank served as the judges for this year’s competition. Domke, a Missouri resident, left family practice medicine in 2007 to pursue art full time. Domke’s shell images serve as the foundation for the Shell Museum’s branding campaign. John Carney is a Sanibel resident who has been teaching and judging photography for 40 years in Michigan, New York and Florida. Bill Frank retired from the Air Force, settling in Jacksonville, Florida. For the last 12 years his avocation has been digital shell photography. Bill’s work has been published worldwide and he has developed and maintains over 7,000 website pages devoted to mollusks.
2010 Winners
First Place: Submitted by Adrián González Guillén of Quito, Ecuador. Drymaeus cf petasites photographed in the Tandapi Cloud Forests, Pichincha Province, Ecuador.
Second Place: Submitted by Anne DuPont of Delray Beach, Florida. Micromelo undatus photographed in Lake Worth Lagoon in Palm Beach County, Florida.
Third Place: Submitted by Adrián González Guillén of Quito, Ecuador. Drymaeus sp. photographed in Maldonado, Carchi Province, Ecuador.
Fourth Place: Submitted by Jeff Schroeder of Bardstown, Kentucky. Mesodon sp. photographed in Bardstown, Kentucky.
Honorable Mention: Submitted by Anne DuPont of Delray Beach, Florida. Hydatina physis photographed in Lake Worth Lagoon, Palm Beach County, Florida.
Meet our Sanibel Library Director, Margaret!
Monday, November 29th, 2010
Meet the Sanibel Public Library Director Margaret Mohundro (she’s from Indy, too). The library just earned top honors from Library Journal.
Bicycle your way to the library for a variety of programs for adults and children. You can also sign up for a library card for those juicy reads on the beach. Ocean’s Reach also has a small library on-site!!
What a Way to Travel on Sanibel!
Sunday, November 28th, 2010
A Sanibel scooter parked just outside Ocean’s Reach Guest Services is a very cool means of transportation on the island. What a way to travel and I do love the classy basket attached on the back! Nice ride!! If you don’t have one of your own, get in touch with Billy’s Rentals and he will be happy to arrange one for you to rent.
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