We live on the edge of the Everglades, really the edge... (if you look at the map of the Everglades linked to the left, we are just North of Chekika just South of US 41)  walk about 300 feet up the road and there you are, prarie and hammocks of the Everglades Park, (per Websters - a hammock is a fertile area in the southern United States and especially Florida that is usually higher than its surroundings and that is characterized by hardwood vegetation and deep humus-rich soil)... At night, after the mooing of the cows going home for the night or the whinny of the occasional stallion, things are pretty quite here.  The other night however, late into the night, the dogs started to bark, and bark...and bark.  The neighbors dogs were barking, our dogs were barking, we couldn't sleep.  My h... 05/06/2007

On Sunday, May 13, 2007, Mother's Day, Miami Mothers can get a free breakfast entree at participating McDonald's Restaurants.  This promotion is probably taking place throughout the continental United States but I'll let your local REALTOR® let you know if you're not in Miami.     Mothers must be accompanied by a child in order to qualify for the free breakfast.  Now we all know you're not going to let the poor kid go hungry but it's still a pretty neat thing McDonald's is doing.  The breakfast you do pay for shouldn't cost you more than 3 times the free one.  =) Free breakfast is available only during regular breakfast hours and only on Mother's Day 2007. 05/05/2007

The possibilities to enjoy your horse in Florida are almost endless.... There is almost an endless list of ways you can have fun with your horse(s).  No matter what your lifestyle, budget, etc, you will find something that you enjoy.  Due to the wonderful year-round pleasant weather, we can enjoy our horses in all seasons in Florida.  Many disciplines cross over one another, you do not need to do just one.  Follow the links to connect with other people in your area and enjoy! Trail Rides and Camping Dressage Jumping Hunter/Jumper Eventing Rodeo Paso Fino Polo  Steeplechase  Arabian Endurance Reining Natural Horsemanship  Vaulting When selecting your horse property, the type of riding that you do (or intend to do) is important because it will dictate many aspects of your land layout and ... 05/03/2007

My friend Gwendolyn graduated with high honors today.  Today she achieved a dream she has had for many years.  She's not one to rest on her laurels.  She's now working on the next one. I met Gwendolyn a few years ago at church.  She had just moved to Miami from Trinidad & Tobago.  I would see her walking to church with a smile on her face.  Considering that almost everyone drives in Miami, that smile was worth more than most.  Gwendolyn has no car.  She takes the bus everywhere, including to the senior home where she would volunteer regularly, as well as school and work.  Anyone who has ever had to wait for a bus in the Miami heat can tell you it's no fun.  But I've never heard Gwendolyn complain about it. Gwendolyn has 4 grown kids back home.  She misses them terribly and hopes to be a... 04/28/2007

Although the Home Show in West Miami started last night at 6:00 PM, you still have the better part of the show to enjoy all it offers to homeowners and dreamers.  The West Miami Home Show continues today and tomorrow, 4/28 & 29 to bring you the latest in home ideas. Planning a renovation of your Miami Home?  Concrete driveway?  Kitchen Remodel?  Spiffy new landscaping?  Relaxing Koi pond?  Too many ideas to decide what to work on first?  Come to the West Miami Home Show this weekend and leave with tons of ideas, as well as contact information for capable contractors who can help you with your project.  For a complete list of exhibitors click here. When: Fri. 4/27 6PM - 10PM           Sat. 4/28 Noon - 10PM           Sun. 4/29 Noon - 8PM Where:  Miami Dade County Fair & Exposition Center,... 04/27/2007

AGRICULTURAL CLASSIFICATION  DISCLAIMER: your tax attorney and lawyer should be consulted for any actual applications, the info below is merely additional resources to use in planning. One of the biggest mysteries surrounding horse properties in Florida is who, and under what circumstances, can claim an Agricultrual Classification for their horse properties, thereby greatly reducing their property taxes.  The short and simple answer is that your use for the horses must be for "bona fide agricultural purposes" for commercial use. In other words, you must have the horses with the real intent to earn an income from them.  Examples would be breeding, boarding, etc.  Each property is considered on a case by case basis and top factors include: the size of the parcel, records and books of the... 04/27/2007

Some of you have commented about "Miami's safety" and it is a subject I would have never come up with on my own.  I remember living in Tallahasse, Florida my first year of college and people asking me with a look of shock and surprise "You are from Miami?  Wow, that must be scary!", or "The furthest South I have been in Florida has been Orlando, I would never go to Miami". We even had a customer call us from our website, looking for waterfront property with Marina for his 60' yacht ask us if the buildings we were recommending were in a "safe neighborhood". (oh...with 60' slips you're safe.....you really need to worry about those prime waterfront condos with slips 40' and under). I have to admit that I always found those remarks not only funny, but quite strange.  I used to even think th... 04/26/2007

We are moving from our 1,400 square-foot space on Brickell Key to 2,600 square feet in Mary Brickell Village by Mid August. Mary Brickell Village is the only multi-use, urban lifestyle center to be located in the heart of Brickell's financial district. Starbucks, P.F. Changs, Perricones and more are all right here and we are so happy to be part of this exciting new area. "We have a lot of seasoned associates in the marketplace who are looking to make a move, and we need a place for them to work and we are surrounding ourselves with literally thousands of new condos".Little history....Just north of Brickell Point where the Miami River flows into Biscayne Bay, you can see the statue of a proud Tequesta Indian. It stands as a homage to the indigenous people who first settled this area. And... 04/26/2007

"Urban living at it's finest". Prestigious, secure, calm and exclusive community located in the heart of Coral Gables. Mansion style single-family homes and townhouses with beautiful gardens, water views, numerous amenities and a top of the line club house make this community an urban paradise. 04/24/2007

Often referred to as "The Grove", Coconut Grove is located adjacent to Coral Gables and is characterized by lush, tropical vegetation and a rich cultural heritage. This "cosmopolitan" village offers a great variety of condominiums, single-family homes and town houses. 04/24/2007

My office is in Coral Gables and I live in the protected area of the East Everglades called the 8.5 Sq. Mi. Area, which is west of Krome Ave and west of what most Dade County residents consider the boundary of civilization.  Most sound surprised when I tell them where I live, they do not realize the people actually live here! This drive is a 45 min. drive on an early Sunday morning and easily 1 1-1.5 hour drive in normal traffic.  I gladly make it every single day. The moment I turn off of Krome time and civilization slip away.  The first mile brings a few homes ane rows and rows of crops and planted trees.  There is the bevy of crazy guinea that run around and the same ol local dogs.  Depending on the time, I might have to pass a local farmer on his John Deere to go on home.  After jus... 04/22/2007

                              Horses in Dade? You Bet!   Although Florida has the THIRD largest horse population in the country many Floridians do not know all that Miami-Dade has to offer horse and rider.  There are even beach dwellers and urban residents who live in Miami-Dade and do not know we have horses here.  Whether your interest in horses is professional or your passion, you will find the variety and unique opportunities Dade has for the equestrian refreshing.  Take a stroll with me through our county and you might just be surprised. Several Miami-Dade areas are horse friendly, each having their own character and unique attributes. Horse Country Miami's "Horse Country" is the closest to dense population, located just west of the Turnpike between Bird Road and Sunset Drive.  Mad... 04/22/2007

 Let's all remember to keep personal fitness one of our priorities. This helps us feel better, look better and be more productive in the workplace and in our personal lives. Use fitness as a motivating tool for yourself and your co-workers, because a healthy employee makes a healthy company...and fitness can be fun!Come join a very large group of highly motivated, successful, talented and fun-loving people at the 2007 Miami Corporate Run.  Last year over 20,000 people participated in this event.  Proceeds go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The fun begins at 3pm on Thursday, May 3, 2007.  You can come and mingle at Bayfront Park and meet some of the other participants.  The race begins at 6:45pm and is a 3.1 mile walk or run.  Although there are some serious runners in th race, the... 04/20/2007

1640 NW 113 TE.Miami,Florida 33167.Beautiful! CHARMING 2BR/1BA HOME IN NICE AREA. FEATURES AN EXTRA  LARGE BACKYARD AND OPEN PATIO. SHED IN BACK OF HOUSE.Offered @ $216,000Contact The Scott Daniels Real Estate Group@ 954-275-0200.Visit our web site @ www.browardbesthomes.com.View our FREE MLS search.  04/19/2007

Today I started thinking about art in Miami and the first name that came to mind was Romero Britto.  It's very difficult to drive around Miami without seeing one of his works.  So who is this guy anyway?  Romero Britto is an extremely talented pop artist born in Brazil in 1963 who now lives in Miami.  One of the best articles I found is by Alex Williams of the New York Times, who describes how Britto's work is found everywhere, including Gloria Estefan's home in Star Island, Fort Lauderdale Buses, Miami Children's Museum, housing complexes, parks, and Metro-Rail stations, to name a few.  (I even have a signed lithograph in my dining room! - but Alex doesn't mention that in his article).OctoberGallery.com  makes great mention of Britto including his numerous charitable donations "marked ... 04/14/2007

from our friends at CondoHotelCenter.com - Two-day Conference Offers Opportunities to Capitalize on the Rapidly Growing Trend of Condo Hotels MIAMI, April 4, 2007 – Condo Hotel Center is pleased to announce the third annual Florida Symposium on Financing, Developing & Operating Condo Hotels (http://www.condohotelcenter.com/industry-news/in77.htm), taking place April 19-20, 2007, at the Hilton in the Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. It is ideal for developers considering building a condo hotel or converting an existing hotel or resort into a condo hotel. As the largest conference of its kind, the Condo Hotel Symposium brings together hundreds of luxury hospitality industry players, with over 100 speakers and 40 individual sessions, roundtables, and workshops. *See entire release... 04/04/2007

In just a few weeks, at Tamiami Airport the 24th Annual Sunrise Community Hot Air Balloon Race will take place.  The Sunrise Community is an organization that helps people with developmental disabilities.  Their mission statement is as follows: To provide people with disabilities the assistance and supportnecessary to enable them to live valued lives in the community. On this very special weekend, you can arrive early to see more than 35 hot air balloons being launched.  Parking at the airport begins at 5:30 and the launching is scheduled for 6:30AM.  Have you ever stood by as a 7-story hot air balloon goes airborne?  Here's your chance to see not one, but many.  The crowd whoops it up and cheers as they take off.  There will be events scheduled throughout the weekend.  To get full deta... 03/30/2007

Limewood Grove is a community of homes in Southwest Miami-Dade County.  It consists of 239 homes.  Most of the homes were built between 1990 and 1993.  The majority of the homes have the typical Spanish feel with stucco and barrel tile roofs.  Limewood Grove is a desirable, quiet community which has appreciated steadily and held it's property values.  The westernmost boundary is on SW 147 Avenue with SW 144th Court on the East, SW 160th Street on the North and SW 166th Terrace on the South. There are presently 11 homes for sale in Limewood Grove and they range in price from $375,000 to $485,000.  Five of the homes for sale in Limewood Grove have swimming pools and the lots range in size from 7,500 sf to 12, 407 sf. There is 1 home under contract in Limewood Grove and it was listed at $3... 03/17/2007

A trip to Miami is incomplete without a visit to the spectacular Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.  If you happen to be visiting now, you get the added treat of experiencing Chihuly at Fairchild, an exquisite exhibition of the blown glass art of Dale Chihuly and his team in addition to the fabulous tropical flora Fairchild is known for.  The exhibition has been here since December 9th and will end on May 31, 2007. In addition to being able to see the exhibits during the day, every Thursday night, from 6:00 - 9:30, you can experience the magic of Chihuly at Fairchild after dark! Admission for Tropical Nights: $20 for Fairchild Members, $15 for Member Children 6-17 / $30 for non-members, $20 for non-member children 6-17.  5 & under FREE Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Open 9:30 - 4:30 ... 03/17/2007

This is exciting news for me and thought I'd pass it along.  If you're not aware of what the Biscayne-Everglades Greenway is (or will be, rather) here it is in a nutshell:  when fully developed, it will be a multi-purpose trail and greenway loop that will link south Miami-Dade communities, including the Miami Redlands, Homestead and many more with Biscayne and Everglades National Parks.  There are two events coming up next week I thought I'd share with everyone. The first is a community workshop being held on March 22, 2007 from 6:00-8:00PM at the Miami-Dade College Homestead Campus.  500 College Terrace in Homestead, Florida, Aviation Building F, second floor in Room F222-F223.  The City of Homestead, Miami-Dade County, the Florida Office of Greenways and Trails, National Parks Service... 03/17/2007