Send us your Florida questions!

 Cathy and Rick give a whirlwind tour of botanical gardens they have loved, talk about Rick's proposal to his wife and where he hid her ring, how to pronounce anole, and where to find flamingos. 

Links We Mentioned

Florida Botanical Gardens

Harry P. Leu Gardens

Orlando Exploration Gardens

Brown anoles and more about them

Selby Botanical Gardens (and the George Harrison exhibit)

Boiled books 

Botanical gardens at Cypress Gardens

Bok Tower Gardens

Kanapaha Botanical Gardens

Sarasota Jungle Gardens

McKee Botanical Gardens

Sunken Gardens

Wonder Gardens

Growing bamboo in Florida

Yellow trumpet tree

Image by Rick Kilby 

Support the show

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.

Find her on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy; Twitter/IG: @CathySalustri

Question or comment? Email: [email protected].

"The Florida Spectacular" is co-hosted by Rick Kilby.

Get Rick's books at rickkilby.com/ and http://studiohourglass.blogspot.com/. Connect: Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Twitter (@oldfla), and IG (@ricklebee).

Send us your Florida questions!

Jack Davis, the Pulitzer-winning author of The Gulf: Making of an American Sea, joins the podcast to talk about what he thinks of the Gulf of Mexico's nomenclature glow-up. The talk migrates to sea level rise, John D. MacDonald's books, and his "Gulf of Mexico" playlist.

Links We Mentioned

General Jesup and Lake Jesup

Pork Chop Gang

John D. MacDonald and his book Condominium

Cathy's article about paddling with Jack

Brian Woodall's Instagram

Tillie Fowler Park

Kerry McNulty's Florida Totem

Betts Boys Adventure

Brigadier General Thomas Sidney Jesup

Jack Davis' Gulf of Mexico Playlist

All song titles are simply "Gulf of Mexico"

Alabama

Clint Black

Shawn Mullins

Tracey Lawrence

Steve Earle

Larry Foley

Support the show

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.

Find her on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy; Twitter/IG: @CathySalustri

Question or comment? Email: [email protected].

"The Florida Spectacular" is co-hosted by Rick Kilby.

Get Rick's books at rickkilby.com/ and http://studiohourglass.blogspot.com/. Connect: Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Twitter (@oldfla), and IG (@ricklebee).

Send us your Florida questions!

At the Florida Springs Council, the Florida Madcaps podcast host Ryan Worthington and Florida Spectacular host Cathy Salustri taped a crossover podcast in front of a live audience. Their guests are Max Chesnes, the Tampa Bay Times environmental reporter; TJ Fridrich, a biologist with Save the Manatee Club; and Federico Acevedo, of the Florida Wildlife Federation. 

The podcast subjects — a definite variation from either's usual format — ranged from the 2024 "golf courses in the parks" debacle to manatees cavorting (we'd call it reproductive behavior, but according to TJ, the way these sea cows cavort, reproduction isn't possible when they do), and then — logically — to other not-safe-for-work environmental fun facts. Just what are they? Take a listen and learn.

Links We Mentioned

Sign up for Florida Wildlife Federation updates

Florida Springs Council

Florida Springs Passport

Florida Madcaps Podcast

Save the Manatee Club

Image via Florida Springs Council

Support the show

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.

Find her on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy; Twitter/IG: @CathySalustri

Question or comment? Email: [email protected].

"The Florida Spectacular" is co-hosted by Rick Kilby.

Get Rick's books at rickkilby.com/ and http://studiohourglass.blogspot.com/. Connect: Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Twitter (@oldfla), and IG (@ricklebee).

Send us your Florida questions!

Ken Breslauer joins the podcast to talk about collectible Florida ephemera, his annual Floridiana show, and his favorite roadside attractions.

Links We Mentioned

Floridiana Fest (Sarasota, April 11-12)

Florida Attractions History

Atomic Tunnel

Sarasota Jungle Gardens

Bongo Land

Pinecrest Gardens

Sunken Gardens

Silver Springs

Ken's Feb. 19, 2025 talk in Winter Park about Florida souvenirs

Image by Ken Breslauer

Support the show

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.

Find her on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy; Twitter/IG: @CathySalustri

Question or comment? Email: [email protected].

"The Florida Spectacular" is co-hosted by Rick Kilby.

Get Rick's books at rickkilby.com/ and http://studiohourglass.blogspot.com/. Connect: Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Twitter (@oldfla), and IG (@ricklebee).

Send us your Florida questions!

Shana Smith joins the podcast to talk about her book, Islands of Cedars. Shana based the book on actual events, but is a well-researched book of fiction. It's a beautifully written piece of history and Shana talks about what motivated her to write the book, what happened, and what's next. 

Links We Mentioned

Islands of Cedars

FloridaRAMA

The Rosewood Massacre

Voice and Pen nonprofit

Zora Seasonal Events

Image via Shana Smith

Support the show

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.

Find her on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy; Twitter/IG: @CathySalustri

Question or comment? Email: [email protected].

"The Florida Spectacular" is co-hosted by Rick Kilby.

Get Rick's books at rickkilby.com/ and http://studiohourglass.blogspot.com/. Connect: Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Twitter (@oldfla), and IG (@ricklebee).

Send us your Florida questions!

Looking for things to do that most people miss in Ormond Beach? Historian Randy Jaye has a lot for you to explore.

Links We Mentioned

Tomoka Mound Complex

Legend of Tomokie (and that ridiculous statue Rick loves)

Old Kings Road

Three Chimneys

Dummett Plantation

The Loop Scenic Drive

McRae Plantation and Addison Blockhouse

The Ormond Hotel

Fortunato Park

Birthplace of Speed

Anderson-Price Memorial Building

The Casements

The Casemente Annex

The Dix House

The Lippincott Mansion (aka Melrose Hall)

Ormond Fire House

Ormond Yacht Club

The Porches

Talahloka

Joy Postle murals at Rowallan

Florida Bucket List Scratch-Off Adventure

Image by Rick Kilby

Support the show

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.

Find her on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy; Twitter/IG: @CathySalustri

Question or comment? Email: [email protected].

"The Florida Spectacular" is co-hosted by Rick Kilby.

Get Rick's books at rickkilby.com/ and http://studiohourglass.blogspot.com/. Connect: Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Twitter (@oldfla), and IG (@ricklebee).

Send us your Florida questions!

Joy Wallace Dickinson, author of the old Florida murder mystery, Secrets of the Flamingo Café, joins the podcast to talk about her book, the history in which she grounded it, and her writing process. There's a rare snowfall in North Florida as we taped this podcast and of course Cathy has some big feelings about that.

Links We Mentioned

About Joy Wallace Dickinson

Secrets of the Flamingo Café: An Old Florida Mystery

John D. MacDonald

Support the show

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.

Find her on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy; Twitter/IG: @CathySalustri

Question or comment? Email: [email protected].

"The Florida Spectacular" is co-hosted by Rick Kilby.

Get Rick's books at rickkilby.com/ and http://studiohourglass.blogspot.com/. Connect: Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Twitter (@oldfla), and IG (@ricklebee).

Send us your Florida questions!

Ever heard of a zero-magnitude spring? It's a spring that has "historic flow" — meaning it doesn't have any water anymore (usually — some get water during times of heavy rain). Rick and Cathy talk about some of Florida's lost springs.

Links We Mentioned

Mosaic Peace Park

Wakulla Springs State Park

Daytona's Atomic Tunnel

White Sulphur Springs

Hampton Springs

Newport Springs

Suwannee Springs

Worthington Springs

Benjamin Dimmitt: An Unflinching Look

Around Enterprise, Florida Jan. 18? Come see Rick!

Image of White Sulphur Springs via Suwannee River Water Management District

Support the show

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.

Find her on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy; Twitter/IG: @CathySalustri

Question or comment? Email: [email protected].

"The Florida Spectacular" is co-hosted by Rick Kilby.

Get Rick's books at rickkilby.com/ and http://studiohourglass.blogspot.com/. Connect: Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Twitter (@oldfla), and IG (@ricklebee).

Send us your Florida questions!

Cathy and Rick talk about their favorite parks that aren't state parks.

City and County Florida Parks You Need To Visit

Fort De Soto (St. Petersburg)

Greenwood Cemetery (map showing GAR) (Orland)

Mead Botanical Gardens (Winter Park)

Boyd Hill (St. Petersburg)

Moss Park (Orlando)

Shingle Creek (Kissimmee)

Princess Place Preserve (Flagler County)

Brooker Creek Preserve (North Pinellas County)

Weedon Island (St. Petersburg)

Clam Bayou (Gulfport)

Juan Ponce de Leon Landing (Melbourne Beach)

Sand Key Park (Clearwater)

Venetian Gardens Park (Leesburg)

Links We Mentioned that Aren't Parks

Lake Placid

The Florida Excursionist

Pictured: Fort De Soto

Support the show

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.

Find her on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy; Twitter/IG: @CathySalustri

Question or comment? Email: [email protected].

"The Florida Spectacular" is co-hosted by Rick Kilby.

Get Rick's books at rickkilby.com/ and http://studiohourglass.blogspot.com/. Connect: Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Twitter (@oldfla), and IG (@ricklebee).

Send us your Florida questions!

Rick and Cathy talk about Florida adventures for the new year and talk about kayaking. They also look ahead to 2025 and some possible new benefits for podcast subscribers. 

Links We Mentioned

Earth Kinship bioluminescence kayak tours

Florida State Parks camping reservations

Harvest Hosts

Florida Bucket List scratch-off adventures 

Keaton Beach

Support the show

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.

Find her on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy; Twitter/IG: @CathySalustri

Question or comment? Email: [email protected].

"The Florida Spectacular" is co-hosted by Rick Kilby.

Get Rick's books at rickkilby.com/ and http://studiohourglass.blogspot.com/. Connect: Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Twitter (@oldfla), and IG (@ricklebee).