Florida Spectacular

Send us your Florida questions!

Rick and Cathy welcome Melanie Lentz-Janney, of Authentic Florida fame, to the podcast. They spend the episode talking about some of their favorite Florida kitsch, the difference between Florida collectibles and Disneyana, and their favorite Florida roadside attractions. 

Links we mentioned

Authentic Florida

Presidents Hall of Fame (Clermont)

Sarasota Jungle Gardens

Boyett's Citrus Attraction (and Authentic Florida's day trip there)

Signup link for Authentic Florida newsletter or follow Authentic Florida on Facebook

Tupperware Museum

Find Rick on Twitter @OldFLA and online at RickKilby.com.

Support the show

Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!

This week "The Florida Spectacular" welcomes back Keys historian Brad Bertelli. Brad talks about some little-known Keys history (including a deserted island), but then he talks about where the locals eat in the Florida Keys. To wrap it all up, he talks about some of what he thinks are the most special places in the Keys (hint: get in or on the water!)
 
Headed to the Keys soon? Stop by Robbie's Marina and have Brad mix up a rumrunner for you!

Links We Mentioned

Visit Indian Key (rent a kayak at Robbies if you don't have one of your own)

Brad's Facebook group k 

Square Grouper (Brad says try the peanut butter dessert

Try the conch salad at Geiger Key Marina

Keys Fisheries in Key Largo MM100

El Siboney on Stock Island

All Florida state parks here are amazing, but Brad suggests Dagny Johnson, and Windley Key; Cathy loves Bahia Honda and Long Key.

Support the show

Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!

This week, Cathy and Rick have Florida architecture on their mind. Specifically, different historic homes. From the simple cracker cottages of Florida's first EuroAmericans to the grandeur of Ca'dZan, spend some time taking a virtual road trip across Florida, to the state's most iconic homes. 

Links we mentioned

Ybor City Casitas
Heritage Village

Pioneer Villages
Classic Cracker: Florida's Wood-Frame Vernacular Architecture, by Ronald Haase
Ca’ d’Zan
Vizcaya
Trapper Nelson
Flagler Museum/ Whitehall
Mar-a-Lago Kellogg Mansion
This Flickr album has some fantastic shots of abandoned Florida places
Fort Christmas Historical Park
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park
Miami Beach Art Deco Tours

Find Rick on Twitter @OldFLA and online at RickKilby.com.

Support the show

Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!

In anticipation of the Floridiana Festival on Gulfport, Rick and Cathy talk about  Gulfport: What to do, where to eat, and how to enjoy the small city by the sea.

Links we mentioned

Outside

Kayak Clam Bayou

Hike Clam Bayou

Culture & Live Music

Gulfport History Museum 

Gulfport Arts Center

Art in the Yard

ArtJones

Walking Tour

Blueberry Patch

North End Taphouse

The Tiki on Shore & 56th

The Gabber Newspaper

Shop & Eat

Gulfport Beach Bazaar

Brenda McMahon Gallery

Stella's Sundries

Pia's

Let It Be Ice Cream

Gulfport Brewery (try Disston Lager!)

Find Rick on Twitter @OldFLA and online at RickKilby.com.

Support the show

Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!

This week, The Florida Spectacular welcomes CJ Oliverio, who talks about Florida springs, how to enjoy them, and which ones are his favorites. Cathy and Rick also celebrate the 101st episode and talk about why it's ill-advised to scuba dive with gators. 

CJ Oliverio is the CEO and founder of Play Hard Florida Adventures, a team of tour guides who offer adventures across the state.  His business has a mission to support Florida environmental nonprofits. 

Links we mentioned

Play Hard Florida

Water State Festival

The State of Water art exhibit

Florida Springs Institute

Florida Springs Council

King's Bay

Itchetucknee River

Florida's Most Wasteful Crop

Links we didn't mention but you may like

Current problems

Support the show

Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!

This week Rick and Cathy explore a few "truths" about Florida, from the Seminole Tribe's origins to the real story about Ponce de Leon and the Fountain of Youth. 

Things we mentioned

Seminole Tribe of Florida

Fountain of Youth

Florida: The forgotten colonies during the American Revolution

What does it mean to be a cracker?

Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum.

Find Rick on Twitter @OldFLA and online at RickKilby.com.

Support the show

Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!

This week, Rick and Cathy take a trip to Winter Park, talking about their favorite places, things you should do (and eat!) while you're there, and why, despite all the changes, Winter Park's still a special Florida place.

Links we mentioned

Eat

Bosphorous Turkish Food

Austin's Coffee 

Stay 

Alfond Inn

Experience

Casa Feliz

History

The Langford Hotel

El Cortez Apartments
Winter Park Library

Read what Cathy and Rick have written about Winter Park.

Art at the Alfond

Barnie's (and the historic courtyard)

Dinky Dock Park

Mr. Rogers at Rollins College

Morse Museum

Polasek Museum

Rollins College

Scenic Boat Tour

Sunrail commuter train

Winter Park Farmers Market

Winter Park History Museum

Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival

Support the show

Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!

This week, Florida adventurer, springs advocate, and all-around good guy Ryan Worthington joins Rick and Cathy once again to talk about Florida's springs. The trio talks about challenges facing Florida Springs, how to enjoy the springs without doing any harm, and, of course, a few of their favorite springs.

Find Ryan on Instagram, and check out his podcast, The Florida Madcaps.

Links We Mentioned

The Florida Springs Council 

Has Our Love of Springs Become a Fatal Attraction?

HB 359

Bill Belleville

Springs We Mentioned

Blue Hole

Clifton Springs

Gilchrist Blue Springs

Seminole State Forest Springs (state site to get the code to gain access and a post from Rick about these springs)

Another column from Rick about Florida springs.

Shark's Tooth Spring

Three Sisters

White Sulphur Springs 

Wall Springs

Find Rick on Twitter @OldFLA and online at RickKilby.com

Support the show

Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!

The Angola settlement along the Manatee River lasted for roughly 50 years. Uzi Baram, a professor at New College of Florida, speaks about the enslaved people who escaped to Spanish Florida in search of freedom. They settled near the Manatee River. Here's some of what we know of their stories. 

Want to know more?

Visit Reflections of Manatee, Bishop Museum, and watch this video with Uzi.

Rick's post, Celebrating Sacred Ground

Links We Mentioned

Looking for Angola

Back to Angola Festival

Fort Mose

Prospect Bluff

De Soto National Memorial

Rick Kilby's blog post on Angola.

Find Rick on Twitter @OldFLA and online at RickKilby.com.

Support the show

Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!

Meet Bernadette Reeves, who, as a teenager in Lincolnville, marched for civil rights. Today, she gives tours and talks about the civil rights movement – and how what happened in St. Augustine led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act. 

Links & Places we mentioned

The Corner Market

More about taking a civil rights tour with Ms. B.

Lincolnville Museum

Google map of Lincolnville

Rick's post about the Civil Rights movement in Florida and the Quadracentennial

Find Rick on Twitter @OldFLA and online at RickKilby.com.

Support the show

Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!