New Year's Eve on Flagler

The party is on Flagler tomorrow night. Ring in the New Year on Flagler Ave at any one of the several bars and restaurants hosting a New Year's Eve Party!



Our friends at the Om Bar are hosting the Black & White Ball....

What's a Black & White Ball? Simply wear black or white or both - or neither if you like red!

There is no cover charge and the evening includes complimentary party favors and champagne toast at midnight. Plus LIVE MUSIC with Shadow Cabinet. VIP Packages available!

VIP TABLE PACKAGES AVAILABLE

Get a complimentary VIP Package with your advance purchase of a bottle of French Champagne for New Year's. If you would like one of the VIP Table Packages, simply call the lounge 386-423-2727 from 11am to 6pm to select and advance purchase a bottle of selected French Champagne and you will receive a complimentary VIP Table. Here is what is included:

Reserved VIP Table for up to 6 people. The table is yours for the night! (Only a limited number of tables available!)

Upgraded party favors, hats, noise makers and streamers
Upgraded champagne toast at midnight
VIP table service
Complimentary taxi ride home (New Smyrna Beachside only)

Whatever you do, be safe!

Around Town~For The Kids

New Smyrna Beach High School will host a six-week Spring Training 2010 baseball program for players in grades 1 through 12 from Jan. 9 to Feb. 13. New Smyrna Beach High School head coach Jose Fernandez will direct the program in conjunction with U.S. Baseball Academy. Sessions are offered in advanced hitting, pitching and catching at a cost as low as $99 for six weeks. Space is limited. Registration is now under way. For more information, visit USBaseballAcademy or call toll-free 866-622-4487.



Jan. 6 marks the beginning of a new round of acting classes at New Smyrna Beach’s Little Theatre for the young thespians in Southeast Volusia. These are held after school on early release Wednesdays. Go to the Wonderland Theatre website for more information.

Happy Day After Christmas

Christmas was a rousing success in our house and now the countdown to back to school starts!! My house looks very similar to a war zone today and no one has any interest in picking it up including me....there are a few things going on next week to amuse the kids.

The Port Orange Public Library, 1005 City Center Cr., Port Orange is holding a childrens film festival, each day from Dec. 28-31. Bring a snack or lunch and enjoy a first run family movie in the auditorium. Movies start at noon.

The theme this holiday season is: “Not Even a Mouse.”

Monday, Dec. 28 – The Great Mouse Detective

Tuesday, Dec. 29 – The Secret of NIMH

Wednesday, Dec. 30 – Mousehunt

Thursday, Dec. 31 – Stuart Little

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ"

Luke 2: 8-11

Merry Christmas Eve!

Have a safe and happy Christmas Eve!

Play Wii at The Library

Head over to the Library in New Smyrna Beach tomorrow at 3pm....children ages 9 - 15 are invited to play Wii sports, Guitar Hero, Dance Dance Revolution and Drop in Jamz. For more information, please call (386) 424-2910, ext. 111. They will do it again next week on December 30th. The event is free.

Mom, I'm Bored

The week before Christmas and two days into vacation the "I'm Bored", has started....there is not much to do this week to amuse the kids but here are a few ideas:

Beacon Theatre - Fandango has daily showtimes, remember you can hit the box office prior to the show and purchase tickets, so no waiting before showtime.

Central Florida Zoo in Sanford is reasonably priced and is just a short distance away. This is a good way to kill a few hours. They are open from 9am-5pm everyday except Christmas.

This is a great week to take advantage of the free 7-day guest pass at the SE Volusia YMCA.

There is also this great place that we go to every Sunday, the Volusia County Public Library. Free movies, books and all kinds of activities for kids. You can find the schedule for your branch on the website link above.

Enjoy the school break and stay sane!

Around Town~Weekend Events

The Nashville-based “Blackwood Legacy” gospel group, featuring former Blackwood Brothers Quartet lead singer and Gospel Music Hall of Fame Inductee Rick Price, will be performing Friday, Dec. 18, 7 p.m., at the Free Will Baptist Church in New Smyrna Beach. Also performing is Luke Yates, a dynamic pianist and vocalist and former Florida Boys Tenor, Don E Thomas. The Free Will Baptist Church is located at 847 Turnbull Street. For more information on this event call (386) 428-4741. Admission is free.

Also this weekend on Saturday, December 18th at 5pm, Coronado Community United Methodist Church invites the community to attend its “Service of the Longest Night.” This special worship service is being held near the winter solstice, the longest night of the calendar year.It recognizes that during the Advent season of joy and celebration many people find it difficult to be “merry” because of circumstances in their lives.

Art Walk on Flagler

The Art Walk on Flagler is being held on the third Saturday, December 19th, instead of the usual 4th Saturday this month. This gives you one more chance to shop our local artists and vendors for that special Christmas gift. It starts at 10am on Saturday and runs til 5pm. Several restaurants are holding wine tastings and offering food samples from 3pm-5pm. There will be over 120 resident artists displaying and selling their arts and crafts.

Support your local business.

Open Hanger Day

This Saturday from 10am-2pm head over to the New Smyrna Beach Airport for Open Hanger Days, you can check out what American Aero Services is working on. They have been restoring these old birds for over 28 years. There are some fantastic old planes available to check out, and it is all for a GREAT cause. They are collecting donations for the Southeast Volusia Humane Society. So bring a big bag of pet food or feel free to donate cash! The shelter pets need your support!

It Is Not To Late To Give

There is still time to give to members of our community who are in need this Christmas.

Operation Christmas Cheer is in its 19th year. Run by the New Smyrna Beach Police Department. They are collecting thru December 22nd and welcome toys, canned goods and clothing. Collection Boxes are at Fire Station 50, 103 Faulkner St. Fire Station 52, 500 E. Third Ave, and at the Police Department 1400 N. Dixie Freeway. They are collecting until December 22nd.

Edgewater Fire-Rescue is accepting donations of new unwrapped toys, wrapping supplies, non-perishable food items and personal care items. No deadline for donations and they can be dropped off at Station 55, 1605 S. Ridgewood Ave.

Halifax Urban Ministries feeds our community year round. The New Smyrna location is at 715 Canal Street, with the help of several local churches they serve a hot meal daily to those that need it at the First Presbyterian Church on Magnolia St. They need donations year round but especially this time of year. Here is a list of what they typically need.

All three of these groups keep the donations right here in this community. If you are able please consider donating to one or all of them this Christmas season.

Christmas Eve Services

Hard to believe there is less than two weeks until Christmas, below is a list of some of the services that we have been made aware of at our local churches. If we missed any please comment and we will add it.

Crossroads Christian Church - service begins at 6pm and is held outside, in the event of rain it will not be held.

Edgewater Alliance Church - three services 4pm, 530pm and 7pm.

Coastline Christian Church - one service at 630pm

Coronado United Methodist Church - two services 5pm and 11pm

First Baptist Church of New Smyrna Beach - one service at 5pm

Bed & Breakfast Tour and Taste

Looking for something to do on Sunday, December 13th? The Bed & Breakfast Tour and Taste beings at 2pm and runs until 4pm. Start at any of the following B&B's in New Smyrna Beach:

Longboard Inn - 312 Washington St

Night Swan - 512 S Riverside Dr

Nuns & Roses - 213 Washington St

Coquina Wharf - 704 S Riverside Dr

Riverview Hotel - 103 Flagler Ave

Each location is decorated for the holidays and will have a unique food/drink event for your tasting pleasure.

Samsula Tractor Parade - Watch It Here

So I went to the Samsula Tractor Parade this afternoon. My daughter was riding in it. That is her and her horse. Below you can watch an entertaining slide show of the days entries. It was actually quite entertaining. I learned a few important things, there are alot of old tractors that still run and look great. Open container is not an issue in Samsula and there are those that still fly the Confederate Flag (sad but true). Click on the slideshow to watch it in fullscreen.

Happy Friday!

It is the weekend! Finally! Things to do this weekend:

Flagler Ave:

Light Up Flagler tonight at 530pm

Santa Run tomorrow at 6pm on Flagler

Flagler Avenue Christmas parties all along the street all evening

Edgewater Christmas Parade starts at 10am tomorrow

Samsula Tractor Parade and Lasagna Supper tomorrow at 3pm

Farmers Market on Canal Street starts at 7:30am on Saturday

I am sure there is more, comment or email me with your events!

Samsula Tractor Parade

If you don't have any plans Saturday afternoon you have to head over to Samsula.....The 9th annual Samsula Tractor Parade will be held along Samsula Road at 3pm. The SNPJ Lodge sponsors the parade each year for the community. It is pretty much anything goes including animals and pets. Horses and riders will follow at the end of the parade (yes my daughter is riding in it on her artfully decorated horse with her fellow Marcody Ranch riders.)

Lineup for parade entries begins at 1 p.m. and the parade route leaves the lodge at 3 p.m., travels south on Samsula Drive and makes a turn at S.R. 44 onto the corner lot and returns back to the lodge for dinner and prizes.

The parade is open to the public and spectators are welcome to line up along Samsula Drive to watch the parade. After the parade, a lasagna dinner complete with salad, green beans and dessert will be served buffet style at $8 for an adult meal and $5 for children through age 12. Travis Stratton and Salt Water Bluegrass will play for dancing. The lodge bar will also be open, I imagine after this one might need a cocktail. I hear it is quite something and I am looking forward to it!!

OM Bar Holiday Party

After the Santa Run, head on over to the Om Bar for their annual Holiday Party, they are offering buy 1 get 1 drinks from 8pm-10pm. Live music starts at 9pm, their very own Santa (I am kind of frightened to imagine who this might be) will be prancing around like Dasher and Dancer giving out free drink tickets to unsuspecting patrons. You can get your picture taken with Santa or even enter to win prizes in the Santa Contest.

They are also now serving food daily from 1130am - 1am on Friday and Saturday night, weekdays til 11pm.

Lots to do this weekend, more to come!!

Pearl Harbor Day

December 7, 1941, the day the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Take a minute today and remember this horrible day. I was fortunate enough to visit the Memorial to the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor when my brother was stationed there. It is an amazing memorial and pictures do not do it justice.

National Geographic has an excellent section on this on their site.

Santa Run~Toy Drive & Pub Crawl

Don't miss the 2nd Annual Santa Run, Toy Drive & Pub Crawl on Saturday, December 12, 2009 at 6PM. The Santa Run & Toy Drive is a great way to share the joy of the holidays with children in need and have fun doing it! Here is how it works…

Meet at the Flagler Avenue Beach Ramp at 6pm on Saturday, December 12, 2009. Come dressed as Santa (or related holiday character).

Don't have a Santa Costume? NO PROBLEM!!! Present a completed registration form along with your unwrapped toy and receive a free Santa Hat and Souvenir Santa Run T-shirt. This is limited to the first 1,000 Santas.

RUN, WALK or CRAWL to the finish line at Cooper and Flagler Street, it is only a block and a half so everyone should survive......drop your toy in the toy bin. Toys benefit Toys for Tots and The Boys & Girls Club of Volusia.

Then stay for the Christmas Cheer one of the parties at your favorite pub! Bud & Bud Light specials at all the pubs for those first 1000 Santas all night!

Support Toys For Tots~if you cannot make the Toy Run please bring your unwrapped toy to Mullinax Ford in New Smyrna Beach, they are a local drop off location.

Light Up Flagler - Do Over!

Light Up Flagler was a wash out last night and will be held next Friday, December 11th at 5:30pm.

The Christmas Parade and the Boat Parade will go on as scheduled today at 4pm.

Have a great weekend! Support your local business!

Christmas Parade & Boat Parade

The annual Christmas parade will march down Flagler Avenue this Sunday, December 5th at 4pm. It starts at the Flagler Beach Ramp parking lot and proceeds down Flagler, across the North Causeway and on over to Canal Street. We attend this event every year and it is worth the walk over to Flagler. It usually concludes at about 6pm. Then you can make your way over to Riverside Park and enjoy the Boat Parade, which starts in Edgewater and winds it way to the Riverview Hotel where it turns around and heads back.

Both events are an excellent way to start off the holiday season with your family!

Be sure and bring a bag for candy for your smaller children!

Light Up Flagler

Light Up Flagler is this Friday, December 4th from 5:30pm-7:30pm. The Grand Lighting is at 6 pm. There will be live entertainment by school groups, choirs, strolling carolers, light displays and Santa and his sleigh.

Many of the merchants will have an open house, serving refreshments and most will be decorated for the season. Merchants will be competing for the “Best Window Display” and “Best Building.” The winners will be announced at 6 p.m. at the gazebo.

The Dream-A-Wish Foundation will be at the corner of Flagler Avenue and Cooper Street with Santa, his helpers and his big bright red sleigh. It will be the perfect place to take some festive holiday photos of family members.

Flagler Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic from Peninsula Avenue to Atlantic Avenue from 5-8 p.m.

Please support your local business!

Just Don't Put It In Writing.......

I received the monthly newsletter from my son's school today, imagine my delight when I saw he was on the Dean's List. So he came home from school, I told him he came over and looked at it and said "wow" and walked away. OK WHAT!! He was thrilled when he got straight A's so this was NOT the reaction I expected.....

So.....I said "Curt, come here, are you not happy?"

Curt - "yes Mom I am happy, but look at those kids on the list, they are all smart and good kids"

WHAT!

"Curt, you are smart and a good kid, what are you talking about???"

"Mom, I know I am smart, you know I am smart, but having it in writing is going to ruin my social reputation."

Please deliver me.....

Norwood's Holiday Wine Festival

This weekend is the 14th annual Norwood's Holiday Food and Wine Festival.

This wonderful event brings in wine and food lovers from all over Florida. Complete details can be found on their website.

Support your local business!!