Sophie's Circle Golf Tournament

Our favorite pet food pantry is having their very first annual Golf Tournament! It is Saturday, March 31st at Spruce Creek Country Club. There are tons of prizes, raffles, a silent auction. This tourney starts at 12:30, it is a scramble format and includes dinner, music and dancing. Not your typical get up at the crack of dawn golf tournament! It is $75.00 to golf and includes a cart and a dinner ticket. Spruce Creek Country Club Members are $45.00. Each entry gets you three raffle tickets, they have some great prizes. If you bring a pet food donation you will get an extra chance to win!

If you are not a golfer you can still sponsor a hole, donate a prize or purchase a ticket to the dinner for just $30.00.

Please support Sophie's Circle and come on out and golf!

Fishing For Freedom

The Wounded Warrior Project will benefit from Fishing for Freedom! This fishing tournament will take place on March 17th. The tournament is being held at The Fishing Store at 248 North Causeway in New Smyrna Beach. There will be food, entertainment, a silent auction and of course fishing!

Cloth Diaper Party

Cora's Baby Boutique is holding a special event on Sunday, March 4th at 2:00pm. This Cloth Diaper Party will give you an opportunity to check out all the different types of cloth diapers to choose from. There will be giveaways, light refreshments and a whole bunch of local mothers to chat with and get to know. Check out the event page on Facebook.

Take a look at the Baby Boutique's website.They are a baby smorgasbord...they have it all. They even rent baby equipment, cribs, playpens, high chairs and more. They will purchase your equipment in good condition for resale. Clothes, toys, maternity items. This is a one of a kind shop in New Smyrna Beach. 

If you would like to attend the Cloth Diaper Party, give Beth a call at 386-451-1165. You can also RSVP on the Facebook Event Page. Cora's is located at 149 Canal Street. 

Support your local business!

Taste of Home Cooking School Show

Love to cook? Love to Eat? The Taste of Home Cooking School is having a show at the News-Journal Center at 221 N. Beach Street in Daytona Beach on March 1st. The doors open at 4:30 pm and the show starts at 7:00 pm. The cost is $20.00 and everyone gets a gift bag. There will be door prizes, demonstrations, and plenty of exhibits. Tickets are limited so grab them at the News Journal (901 Sixth Street) or call 386-681-2262.

Art Fiesta

The 50th Annual Art Fiesta is this weekend! It is held along Canal Street and throughout downtown New Smyrna Beach on Saturday and Sunday, February 26th and 26th. Starting at 9am and running through 5pm both days. There will be entertainment, art and food. Sissy the Clown will be in front of City Hall from 10am-4pm doing face painting for the kids.

The full entertainment schedule can be found here.

New Smyrna Beach Garden Club Rummage Sale

The New Smyrna Beach Garden Club is holding their Annual Rummage Sale on March 2nd and 3rd. The sale starts at 8am and runs until 2pm both days.

The Garden Club is located at 2000 Turnbull Bay Rd. It is right near the NSB Sports Complex. This rummage sale has a bit of everything, household items, clothes, china, sports equipment, if you can imagine it...they probably have it. This sale also is typically better quality items...I went last year and was amazed by the great selection of nice things. Enjoy!

Volusia County Lifeguard Tryouts

Volusia County Summer Lifeguard tryouts are coming up:

Saturday, February 25th - Port Orange YMCA-10am-2pm
Saturday, March 3rd - Daytona State College Aquatic Center-10am-2pm
Saturday, March 10th - Ormond Beach, YMCA - 12:30pm-4:30pm

Applicants must be 17 years of age and swim 500 meters in less than 10 minutes, swim 50 yards in less than 30 seconds and run a half mile in less than 3:15. There is a background check and drug test and the pay starts at $9.37 per hour. If selected there is a mandatory training class and a 40 hour First Responder/CPR Course.

You can call the county at 386-239-6414 ext. 230 for more information

Mardi Gras Events

If you can't make it to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, then here are some things to do here in New Smyrna Beach!

Tuesday, February 21st from 8:30am - 11:00am there will be a Dixieland Breakfast held at the Coronado Civic Center. The Civic Center is located behind the Shuffle Board Courts at 223 Flagler Avenue. Tickets are $10.00 in advance and are available at Gone Bonkers, Sealand Real Estate and Buddy Davenport Insurance. It is $14.00 the day of the event.

Tuesday is also the Annual Fat Tuesday Parade on Flagler Avenue, there will be food, entertainment and the parade. The fun starts at 7:00 pm. The Budweiser Clydesdale's will lead the parade.

Enjoy and support your local business!

Things To Do

What great weather we are having! A few things to do....Sophie's Circle is having their annual Garage Sale this Saturday from 8am-1pm. The sale will be held at 933 Beville Rd in South Daytona, this is in the Beville Rd Business Park. Come support the Pet Food Pantry! Please bring a Pet Food Donation..

If you live in Edgewater you can come out and meet the candidates for District 4 City Council. This is the Council Seat that is open due to the death of Ted Cooper. The Forum will take place on Tuesday from 6-8pm at the SE Volusia YMCA on Turgot Road.

OceanWalk Condos is holding an Open House and BBQ lunch on Saturday. All are invited, come tour the condos and enjoy lunch. It starts at 11:30am. The Condos are located at 5300 S. Atlantic Ave.

Volusia County Schools are out on Monday. It is not to late to send the little darlings to Marine Discovery Center Camp for the day!

Mardi Gras stuff next week...more on that later..enjoy the day!

Swim Lessons at Aqua Park

The Barracuda Swim Booster Club is sponsoring swim lessons at Aqua Park in Edgewater, They offer Parent/Tot classes, Beginner Swim Lessons, Intermediate and even Private Lessons. The class size is limited so call quickly to register. The prices are very reasonable at about $7.00 a lesson for 10 weeks. Private lessons are more. With so many children drowning each year it is so important to teach your child to swim. This is a great way to do it and support your local business and the swim team.

The Aqua Park is located at 600 Eaton Rd in Edgewater and you can reach them at 386-689-4068.

Be Nice!

The last two days I have shopped in the Publix on the beach. On both occasions the Girl Scouts have been selling cookies outside the store....today in the wind and cold. Yes, I bought Thin Mints both days...my kids love them (I might have had one)

So I have to tell you, I was surprised and dismayed by the number of people who ignored these little girls, turned their heads to avoid eye contact or were just plain rude. Really? How about "No thank you, but thanks for asking." It is my belief that these little girls will certainly grow up to have better manners than the adults I saw today. 

As a parent who has had to raise funds (this means beg for money) for woefully underfunded athletic programs in our schools. I ask those of you that don't have to beg for money to be mindful that none of us wants to do it, if we want equipment, uniforms, coaches, blah blah blah, it costs money. 

The girls scouts, the baseball team, the swimmers, runners, the band and the debate team all have a pretty good chance of staying out of trouble, graduating and going to college. Those little girls you ignored this morning are the doctors, lawyers and community leaders of tomorrow. So..be polite and respectful. Please.

Around Town-Weekend Events

Raining, and going to get cold! Still plenty to do this weekend at the beach! Farmers Market's are being held on Saturday - Old Fort Park and Norwood's in NSB and Hawk's Park in Edgewater.

There is a Job Fair tomorrow at Babe James Center from 10 am until 3 pm. 201 N. Myrtle Ave. This is free!

There is a low cost pet shot clinic being held at Kitty's Critters on Sunday, from 9am until 12 noon. They are located at 624 N. Dixie Freeway in NSB. Dogs must be leashed and cats in a carrier.

Black Heritage Festival is this weekend at Pettis Park.

East Coast Cruisers Car Show is Saturday at 4pm on Canal Street...the only surviving 9/11 Fire Truck will be there on display. It's entire crew was killed in the terrorist bombings of the World Trade Center.

The Daytona Beach Vegetarian Society is holding a screening of the movie "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead" at the Port Orange Library. It is tomorrow at 2pm. The library is located at 1005 City Center Circle in Port Orange. There will be vegan food samples and literature available.

First Church of the Nazarene will hold a Southern Gospel Concert at 6pm on Sunday night. The concert will feature Buddy Liles. The church is located at 201 Orange Street in New Smyrna Beach.

Whatever you do this weekend, support your local business!!

So Napa Grille

Happy Friday! I attended a Cat Party, gathering of my friends last night and we decided to try SoNapa. I had not been there since they moved to their new location at 3406 South Atlantic Avenue.

We had a party of five, enjoyed appetizers, wine and a couple of different items off the menu, the flat breads are excellent, two of us had steaks, they were cooked perfectly and delicious! Our server was Ariel and she could not have been better! The atmosphere is wonderful and a great time was had by all.

Our not so quiet group was seated upstairs with several other boisterous gatherings and everyone in the place seemed to be enjoying themselves. If you have not been it is definitely worth a trip. They are open 7 days a week beginning at 5:00 p.m. They have an excellent Happy Hour from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m daily.

Support your local business!

All Local!

A quick shout out to a couple of local businesses very worthy of a visit!

Red Dog Surf Shop - we hit Red Dog yesterday for a new backpack for my son. Walked out with a backpack and he got a watch he has had his eye on. Great service, backpack was less than the online price and the watch was a bonus! Great Visit!

Thai Mango - had lunch there today with a friend. Great lunch, good price, great service!

Taco Shack - Dinner for myself and two teenagers tonight - $18.00 - awesome service, great food. Super nice people! You have to go eat there!

Please support your local business! 

Things to Do

Happy Tuesday! Looks like a dreary day, would love to enjoy some rain. My truck is scheduled to be cleaned today so it WILL rain. It always does. T's Service are the ones to call to get your car detailed in your driveway! They are great. 386-405-8539.

Here are some random things to do this week around town!

The Black Heritage Festival is this weekend (correction on earlier post). It is at Pettis Park all weekend long.

The East Coast Cruisers Car show is this Saturday in Canal Street beginning at 4:00pm. This month one of the 9/11 Fire Trucks will be on display throughout the show. 

The community is invited to a Snow Festival at the First United Methodist Church at the corner of Palmetto and Douglas Streets in New Smyrna Beach. The even runs from 9am-5p. There will be free children's games, food, a craft fair and various snowy features to enjoy!

Pet Shot Clinics

The SPCA is sponsoring two pet shot clinics this weekend. They are at Family Dollar on US 1 in Edgewater, that one is Saturday from 4:00-5:30 pm. There is also one at the K-Mart Plaza on SR 44 in New Smyrna, it is also Saturday from 11:00 am-1:00 pm. These clinics are open to everyone and there is a veterinarian performing the shots. They only take cash at the clinics. If you need more information call 386-748-8993.

Open House in Oak Hill - Victim's Advocates Needed

The Sheriff's Office is holding an Open House for the public at their Oak Hill substation. It is located in the City Hall Complex at 234 US 1. There will be hot dogs and snacks served, residents can meet the deputies that are covering their city. The Open House is today from 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 pm.

New Smyrna Beach needs victim advocates. This is a volunteer position, if you have free time and want to help victims of crime this is the gig for you! Call Robbi Lachanel or Debbie Warning at 424-2232.

Black Heritage Festival

The 21st Annual Black Heritage Festival is this weekend. Starting Friday at Pettis Park in New Smyrna Beach. Tour the Black Heritage Museum, eat some great food and enjoy the entertainment. Pettis Park is located at 314 North Duss Street in New Smyrna Beach.