Elite Resorts at Citrus Valley - February

 

In upper right, my location is on the corner of Pine and Sunshine

Greetings and welcome to Elite Resort at Citrus Valley in Clermont, FL. This is my fourth stay at Elite, fifth in the area. This is corner lot 120. I was fortunate enough to make arrangements for the February/March 2024 season. If you care to share some of my past memories here, the links below will call up my blogs from the past.

2015 3 blogs

2016 3 blogs including Ft. Wilderness

2018 

2020 

The fastest month I've ever experienced has just passed and with so many memories, I'm choosing to just list all that stood out as wonderful experiences. This is a recap of friends getting together, dining out, weather and relaxation...total relaxation. This is what this month was all about. Thank you, Roberta for some of the photos.

The passing of comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) on 2/1st was a nice excuse for me to invite friends over to perhaps catch a glimpse of the rare event when it reached perigee. There were ten of us. After all, it took 50,000 years to arrive in our part of the solar system. Only one of our members may have been around to see the last passing. I set up my telescope and was prepared with drinks and coffee for whomever showed up. The moon was approaching its fullness (Sunday, February 5^th) so viewing a green glowing speck in the sky didn’t work but most got view the surface of the moon as it rose overhead, so not all was lost. It was more fun chatting around the fire later in the evening.

Dining Experiences:

While the ladies lunched at The Back Porch Restaurant, we five gents (Ray, Tony, Jack, Ray) visited the Friar Tuck restaurant for a Friday lunch. British in theme with classic English fare. Be sure to check out each website. “We don't serve fast food, we just serve great fresh food."  This was evident as we sat, chatted and sipped our beers. We were there three hours as our freshly made portions of Cottage Pies, Steak and mushroom pie and Chicken pot pie were prepared. The owner, Colin, mentioned their ovens weren’t reaching the proper temperature which caused a delay in the cooking time but, in the end, well worth the wait.  

Cottage Pie:
A classic meal made with slow cooked ground beef and vegetables, baked with a mashed potato topping. Had the meat been lamb, it would've been called a Shepard's Pie.

Bread Pudding:
For dessert, I had a warm bread pudding with a toffee sauce and Devon custard.

Every other Saturday morning, breakfast was at the clubhouse. There, for $6.00, they alternated serving scrambled eggs, French toast, biscuits/gravy, bacon and/or sausage with coffee and orange juice. All proceeds go their Toy Drive.

One Sunday, Ray and Kathy were gracious enough to host a get together at their home just outside the Resort area.

Not really "social distancing" just looks that way.

Bob

Janet

Doreen & Tony

Sharon

  

Noreen, Kathy & Sue

Roberta

The group of nine went into Disney's Boardwalk and dined at Trattoria Al Forno. Prior to dinner, we hopped onto a boat and the Skyline, took in the sights before heading for dinner. 

L.toR. Charlie, Janet, Roberta, George, Vicki, Sue, Ray, Doreen, Tony

Our waiter, Karl

Tony, Doreen, Sue, Ray, Charlie, Roberta, Janet, George, Vicki

Truffle Gnocchi in a Parmesan, Fontina, Pecorino Cream

One Friday, we traveled to Eustis, FL for a Veteran Fund Raiser variety show. First, we dined at the OakWood Smokehouse and Grill.

Pulled pork with baked sweet potato and Sam's slaw and garlic toast. Cinnamon butter is made on premises with butter, cinnamon, brown sugar and honey.

An afternoon lunch at Flippers with Tony, Doreen and Sue

Another evening we visited the Longhorn Steakhouse in West Kissimmee. The group: Noreen/Jack, Roberta/Tony, Sue, Roberta and me. 

Afterwards we watched "A Man Called Otto" starring Tom Hanks.
Promoted as a "Comedy Drama"...it wasn't! Drama, yes; Comedy, no.

Then there was a breakfast Saturday morning at Tony/Doreen's site. Ray and Tony cooking up eggs, Ray cooking up Kathy's Belgium waffles, Vicki's oatmeal, and Roberta's and Fran's fresh fruit bowls. Along with bacon and sausages prepared by Doreen, Sharon baked chocolate chip and blueberry muffins.

An afternoon lunch with...

...Walter, Ray and Tony

Fish 'n Chips...Outstanding with a mug of Harp

Another "Boys Night Out" at Robata Japanese Steakhouse

Tony, Walter, Ray and Moi. Lots of jumbo shrimp.

If you've ever enjoyed these presentations, you know how he put that fire out.

Some attended the "Sock Hop" as well as "Line Dancing."

You can provide your own captions

We returned to the Oakwood Grill. to celebrate Sue and Ray's last meal here in Florida. They departed for their trip back to Troy, NY, the next day after their one month stay. Our large crowd of fourteen included: Ray/Kathy, Mike/Chrissy, Fran/Walter, Sue/Ray, Tony/Doreen, Jack/Noreen, Roberta and me. This crowd was superbly handled by young Adelyn, our waitress. 

This time around, I enjoyed their half pound Swiss Steakburger with a side of onion rings. A mug of draft Amber Bock was perfect.

Activities:

As for keeping busy during the day, my time was spent:

• Keeping up with my banking, on line ordering and bill paying. Thank you Ray and Kathy for being my "away" address for the many items I've ordered.
• Finally got a haircut at Great Clips in the nearby Publix Plaza.
• Shopped at Walmart's, BJ's and Publix
• Gave Winnie its yearly wash and wax with an on-site visit by Jose, owner of Five Star Detailing.
• Helped Ray and Tony (?) at Ray's home one afternoon as he remodeled the inside of his coach; a huge accomplishment for a man his age. This included laying new carpeting, replacing sofa/recliner, new TV and an electric fireplace console. Big job...considering recent hip surgery. He'll tell you how invaluable my help was.
• 
  As a result of chatting with Walter, I ordered and installed a battery watering system for my 12-volt coach batteries. This will enable me to maintain those batteries and keep the proper level of distilled water without removing the caps and dealing with corrosive, acidic spills.
  
• I had two parts replaced in the rooftop AC/heat pump that will improve the efficiency of the cooling/heating unit.

• Ten discarded pallets were sawed into useable sizes by Tony for use with Walter's Solo Stove. This gave us almost nightly smokeless fires to enjoy...even when it was 80º. The highlight of the days are the "campfires" at night.

• Because of the wear and tear on part of my sofa bed/couch, I had it recovered with Naugahyde by Quality Upholstery in Clermont. I removed the portion to be covered and Fred picked it up on a Monday morning. He returned it Tuesday afternoon.

Yup, I'm okay with it not matching. Otherwise, it would have been weeks to custom order.
(Must be "memory foam.")

And to conclude this month of memories, I must mention the scarcity of "wildlife." I'm sparing you the photos of the ??? dogs that get walked every day. Most folks have two and, like clockwork, they pass by each day. Friend, Nettie, has two beautiful goldens I'll show next month. As for birds, the one Mocking bird is mot delightful.

I'm guessing these are the same pair of Sand Cranes I wrote about last year.

A regular visitor at night.

Flitting from ground to palm tree, a few lizards.

Hmm. This short compilation of memories certainly turned out to be lengthy. If you've reached this far, thanks; hope you've enjoyed it. As the saying goes, "Time flies when you're having fun" and this month proved that. Can't wait to see what March brings. At home, the month is coming in like a lion.

One night it got dicey with high winds and a downpour but,

...that was it for "bad weather." Each day getting warmer and more beautiful.

The moments fly -- a minute's gone;

The minutes fly -- an hour is run;

The day is fled -- the night is here;

Thus flies a week, a month, a year!

(Author unknown)

Stay safe, happy and warm. Next blog at the end of March.

Daytona Speedway RV Park

#6 Daytona Speedway RV Park

When I left Georgia, the temperature was a mild 67º with overcast skies. When I arrived in Daytona Beach the temperature was 83º with sunny skies and billowy, cotton puffs of clouds. Needed heat on when going to bed one night and the AC on the next. That was only the first night; the rest of the week...heat needed.

Are you familiar with the idiom, "third time's a charm?" Worked for me today. On my third attempt to pull into a gas station to fill up, I was finally rewarded for the hassles; The first station's pumps would not take credit or debit cards at $4.79. The second had all pumps busy at $4.99. And finally, at my favorite, a BP station with my BP card the price went from $4.77 to $4.62. Something as simple as that makes for a pleasant trip.

Well, pleasant until I encountered the "Nightmare of I-95." As you know, I-95 begins in Houlton, Maine and terminates in Miami, Florida but continues as the Dixie Highway or US 1 which eventually reaches Key West. If there's an accident anywhere along its stretch and you're not near an exit, well, that's it, you're parked for the duration; and everyone who drives the route is sure to encounter one at some point. Today, a car on fire with injuries blocked all lanes and all traffic was forced to exit. That alone took about a half hour. When I passed back over the bridge and looked south, it was a nightmare. As far as the eye could see traffic was at a standstill.  Following back roads that ran parallel to I-95 for miles and miles, I finally reentered the Interstate to complete my trip losing an hour.

Site 133 toward the rear
of the campground.

Aerial View

 

The campground is crowded. RVs are cramped together with only the "premium" sites having a picnic table and a fire ring. Mine had neither which worked out fine because although the weather was conducive for a fire it was not for sitting out. This weekend is the "Rolex 24." If you're a NASCAR enthusiast, check out the link. "From sunrise to sunset and all through the night, witness as both man and machine are pushed to the limit in this twice-around-the-clock marathon, which has welcomed racing legends from across the motorsports universe since 1962. Celebrate the start of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season with the ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA ON JANUARY 28 AND 29!" Now that should be interesting. " As close as I am to the Racetrack, I was not bothered by the noise.

There are 45 Cessna 127 Skyhawks housed
at Emery Riddle's Flight Department

The Daytona International Airport is but two miles east and site of the Emery Riddle Aeronautical University.. On weekday mornings, students take off in one-minute intervals on training flights and head west right over the campground.

Mya & Mark - February 2018

As mentioned in earlier blog posts, this is my sixth stop before settling down in Clermont, FL, for my two month stay. I'll be there for the entire months of February and March. Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach Shores and Port Orange have wonderful memories for me going back almost fifteen years. Primary among them is visiting my long time friend, Mya, who lives in Port Orange. Formerly of Yorktown, she and her children, Zane and Zhani have been here for thirteen years. It's been over a year since I last saw her and Mark, so this week is just as special as all the rest. As none of us had lunch, the first order of business after setting up was to be picked and running over to Ford's Garage for a mid-afternoon bite to eat. And so it begins. Jack (neighbor), hang on to your knife and fork because most of this blog will be about dining with friends. The number of restaurants in this area and Florida in general is mind-boggling. As usual, I urge you to click on any of the links in RED to see themes, menus and what I've enjoyed (while I can). In most cases you're looking at the main meal of my two-meal day.

Yes, the theme is the classic Ford and memorabilia is everywhere.

"Ford's Signature Burger": Tillamook® Sharp Cheddar, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Bourbon BBQ Sauce, Chopped Romaine, Tomato, and Red Onion on a Brioche Bun.

I thought it a nice touch to "brand" the bun with their name.

For Friday night's dinner it was a trip to nearby Stonewood Grill and Tavern. Memories of enjoying Stonewood's petite filet mignon in Boca Raton and Port Orange returned.  

Petite 7-oz. Filet Mignon and Baked Potato with
an Argentinean Malbec, Padrillos.

Florida Orange Cake:
Decadent four layer cake with orange Bavarian
cream, shaved white chocolate and whipped cream
and a fresh orange twist garnish.

Terrific dinner made better with friends

Thanks to M&M, Saturday morning's breakfast was another treat...visiting one of my old go-to diners in Port Orange, Rossi's Diner. 

Five years ago they opened another in Port Orange, Rossi's Side Street Cafe. Here, the
Rossi's Diner sign met its demise with the recent hurricane and is no longer.
I was hoping to say hi to Bernadette Rossi but was told she took her first day off since the beginning of the year.

My go-to breakfast all done to perfection. My veggie for day?
I chose to have onions in the home fries. I know, wise choice.

And before I knew it, it was Pizza Night. On the shores of the Halifax River is Corleoni's Famous New York Pizza and Gyros Having had terrific pizza in my lifetime, I was eager to see how this compared.

Let it not be said that I don't eat salads.

Passed the test: Thin crust, not soggy; checked bottom, done to
perfection. Grande mozzarella cheese used, not too oily. Excellent.

Sunday's lunch was a new experience for me at Stoked Poke on Daytona Speedway Blvd.. Hawaiian inspired fresh food choices you choose to make up your bowl. This cuisine has been influenced by Japanese and other Asian cuisines. Originally it consisted of seasoned raw fish Hawaiian fisherman sliced (poke)  crosswise and eaten as snacks after completing the day's fishing. Check out the site to see what ingredients you can add to make your bowl. The menu includes a base, a protein, fresh toppings, crunchy toppings and a drizzle. 

My choices included: The base: white sticky rice; the protein: Polynesian grilled chicken; the toppings: sushi ginger and edamame, the crunch toppings: shaved almonds; the drizzle: mango teriyaki.

Mya's daughter, Zahni, traveled down from Jacksonville to visit and joined us for lunch. Another dining experience made more special by the company.

One day, a peek out my window surprised me with this visitor. The next day...

...its friends joined the party.

An impressive entrance
 summoned an angel to
 her wings and so I
 captured the moment.

Monday night was sushi night at Wild Ginger. I'm always ready for some sushi. Having long enjoyed the artistic and delicious presentations of Sakura Garden in Hastings, my all-time favorite sushi restaurant, the expectation bar was set quite high. My last sushi was lunch on January 3rd at Sakura just before my travels began. 

I enjoyed the Peacock Roll:
Shrimp tempura roll topped with crawfish salad, mango, and avocado,
eel sauce, mango sauce and fish egg. Fresh and delicious, it did not disappoint.

The 4-year old restaurant offers a wide selection of authentic Japanese, Chinese & Thai dishes such as Hibachi Steak, Chicken Katsu, Veggie Tofu Ramen, California Roll, Volcano Roll, Kung Pao Chicken, Pad Thai.

Then, in the blink of an eye, my week's visit comes to an end. My "Last Supper" (in Daytona) was at Carrabba's. Another first for me as I've never dined in a Carrabba's. At home, the nearest one is an hour and a half away in Smithtown. My go-to Italian is Cosimo's in Poughkeepsie, NY. Check out the website. My meal tonight was delicious.

A side Caesar salad

A new offering for Carrabba's: Grilled Vegetable Ravioli:
Filled with roasted red and yellow peppers, asparagus, portobello mushrooms, ricotta and parmesan cheese and tossed in a tomato cream-goat cheese sauce.

A perfect meal to end a perfect week. We had a lot of catching up to talk about and be it at the dinner table or back at my campsite, there was never a dull moment. So it is with a great big thank you to Mark and Mya that I share for giving up the time to be with me as well as the driving that brought us to terrific restaurants. As Mya says, "it's only once a year" and so we made the best of it and they provided me with lasting memories. Thank you.

Tomorrow, I pack it all up and head to Clermont, Florida, about 80 miles southwest that should take me 1¼ hours. There, I'll enjoy two months of Florida's warm sunshine, (maybe), and the company of thirteen friends...yes, thirteen. Hope to see you there. Take care, stay warm and stay safe.