Positive Places, People and Their Passions

A&E Wines...The Dream, the Concept, the Reality .....the Future Our Story:  "Wine has always been my passion. After working over a decade in the restaurant business and learning as much as I can about hospitality and wine programs, I wanted to bring this beautiful beverage to everyone’s home, but not in the same way most of the big box stores do. That's when A&E Wines was born. My first and only priority is your satisfaction, which I bring thru incredible service and years of experience. I believe success will come naturally from this philosophy.  A&E Wines allows me to blend hospitality and the very best of the retail world, creating a perfect shopping experience for you." Cheers, Andrey Kolchurin                                ********************************************** The Young Man.........The Dream After completing college at age twenty and with a degre...

" A farmer's market is a farmer's market!" Not true! Whether located In a trendy neighborhood, off the beaten path, a tourist area or some other location, these markets offer an in-depth look at the local neighborhood.  Location, location, location....perhaps, but some local markets offer less expensive prices, homegrown stories, and often a glimpse into the lives of the vendors and "hawkers" that make these markets unique. Central Florida's Farmers Markets are abundant, with operating hours throughout the week.  A local favorite in Polk County, Market World, just off the Polk Parkway, is somewhat of a cultural phenom.  With numerous vendors vying for your business, it pays to walk the long aisle a few times watching and listening before purchasing.  Most offer all produce currently "in season," others with harder to find items such as affordable turmeric  and ginger root, Lychee fruit and Gooseberries.  Specialty produce such as Japanese...

Minus Ten Degrees Walking to my car in the wee morning hours, surprised at the quickness of my step, but the welcomed coolness of the evening breeze felt invigorating.....and all it took was a ten degree drop in temperature and a manageable humidity level.  The night sky was brilliant, even the heavens were celebrating.   This morning temps again another ten degrees lower,  as was the dew point.  Birds of prey returning from the hunt, super vocal, but settled down in the canopy of the preserve, as the night sky retreated.  Morning foraging animals including a family of Sandhills taking brisk walk, all seemed to have spring in their step! Out at the garden center, newly arrived flowers eagerly awaiting "adoption" also appeared, brighter healthier and ready for minus ten degrees cooler. Freshly watered, droplets shined like thousands of diamonds in the crisp clear morning sunlight....amazing minus ten degrees gets the credit! Heading back home, ...

Southern Grit and Goodness! With shorter days and less relentless sun, the annual migration of snowbirds has begun. An annual Fall tradition.....Peebles BBQ in Auburndale, recently opened for the season.  September through June,  local residents are able to enjoy this cultural cuisine.  To understand just what this third generation restaurant is....understand this southern state, its people, its cuisine...its lifestyle. Some forty miles away from the theme parks, shopping meccas, restaurant chains and whatever else dominates the central Florida landscape, nestled in the heart of one of Florida's older counties, Polk County, is a small seasonal dining establishment named Peebles BBQ and it's about as "local" as it gets.  This gritty little smokehouse, a former chicken coop (according to local yore) is open just three days a week (Thurs. Fri. And Sat.) and packs the customers in.   But what is it that appeals to its patrons?  Nothing better than...

Winter Garden....a Neighborhood Coming to central Florida almost eleven years ago, so much has changed.  Time does not stand still nor does progress.  Soon after we arrived, what became known as the Great Recession spread over the country, Florida was not spared. The ebb and flow of life was quite evident and in what seemed to be a blink of an eye, all things returned to normal.  Real estate is again booming, traffic in the major tourist areas, clog the already too small interstates even though upgrades to the roads are continual.......time to rewind!      With so much to see and do in our lovely area, it's easy to see why so many visit and more are becoming permanent residents. Aside from the major theme parks, life in this area offers variety.  We recently visited a Saturday farmers market in historic Winter Garden. This eclectic market offers a wide variety of organic and conventional foods, interesting ethnic cuisine and entertainment...

A Cup of Coffee: From the tantalizing aroma of freshly ground beans, the many scents of coffee speak peace, calm and comfort!  With the earliest substantiated evidence of coffee consumption or the knowledge of the coffee tree appearing in the middle of the 15th century, this aromatic beverage, primarily consumed in the Islamic world, was connected to religious practices. Sipping a steaming cup of this classic comfort beverage, invigorates the mind, heightens the senses and beckons to be shared with others. With over one and half billion people worldwide consuming coffee daily, coffee houses are appearing everywhere, some countries, more passionate when it comes to "their" coffee than others.  Last year's visit to Barcelona provided, a glimpse, if only for the moment, into the world population's passion for coffee consumption.   Starbucks is Starbucks is Starbucks...what more can I say.  Visiting this small coffee house nestled in between major designer ...