A Festive Night on Sanibel!

Sanibel Island was aglow with lights and visitors on Friday as the Luminary Trail brought many people to the island's shops and restaurants. Here at Sanibel Holiday we threw open our door and celebrated the season along with our neighbors here at the Olde Sanibel Shoppes. The Over Easy Cafe, Suncatchers' Dream, Amy's Something Special, Island Paws and the CROW Gift Shop welcomed residents and visitors with great deals, delicious refreshments and holiday music from the Sanibel School Chorus. Santa and his helper visited the plaza and many pictures were taken with the "jolly old elf". The island was spectacular with holiday decorations and light displays everywhere you looked. If you weren't quite in the holiday spirit before Luminary started, you couldn't help but be after strolling along Periwinkle Way. We took some pictures to share with you, please enjoy!

A Community Project for a Great Cause.

The Sanibel-Captiva Vacation Rental Managers Association and Bailey’s General Store are teaming up to support the Harry Chapin Food Bank and F.I.S.H. to help those less fortunate in Southwest Florida.

Guests of member agencies already donate unopened, non-perishable food to Harry Chapin at the end of their vacation by dropping it off at the office upon checkout; now the opportunity exists for residents as well as guests to donate when they shop at Bailey’s. Simply pick up a donation coupon in the store, present it to the cashier at checkout and a $10 donation will be added to your total. Your contribution will help purchase needed items such as rice, pasta, tuna, canned fruit and vegetables, cereal, peanut butter, jelly, crackers and juice to re-stock the shelves at the Harry Chapin Food Bank and help F.I.S.H. provide meals to people in need on Sanibel and Captiva.


Monetary contributions are also accepted at Bailey’s, and SCVRMA member offices will accept both food and monetary donations. SCVRMA and Bailey’s are proud to be partners in this effort and would like to encourage everyone to join this effort in giving back to the community.


SCVRMA members include Sanibel Holiday, Royal Shell Vacations, VIP Vacation Rentals, Island Vacations, Sanibel One, Cottages to Castles, ReMax of the Islands, Select Vacation Properties and Sanibel Accommodations.

The Beginning of the Holiday Season on Sanibel - Luminary!

Sanibel and Captiva Islands will sparkle with community spirit as the 24th annual Luminary Festival takes place on December 5th and 6th. As you travel the luminary trail you can stop at the many different retail plazas to browse the shops and restaurants, admire the beautiful Christmas decorations and enjoy a fun-filled evening with family and friends.

A tree lighting ceremony, live nativity scene, music and photos with Santa are also part of this proud island tradition. You can park at any of the plazas that have a trolley stop and enjoy complimentary trolley rides along the trail. You’ll conserve a little gas too, which is always a good thing! Sanibel’s Luminary is Friday, December 5th and Captiva’s is on Saturday the 6th.

We invite everyone to visit us and the other proprietors at the Olde Sanibel Shoppes (also known as the Over Easy Plaza) located at 630 Tarpon Bay Rd. In addition to offering complimentary snacks and beverages the center is also a community drop-off site for donations to the Harry Chapin Food Bank, which serves the entire Southwest Florida area.

Monetary contributions and donations of unopened, non-perishable food are accepted everywhere you see the “Feeding Families” poster. You can ring in the holidays and help those less fortunate at the same time; something that’s sure to fill your heart with joy. We hope to see you on Sanibel and Captiva next weekend!

The Rebirth of The Twilight Cafe

It was a sad day when I found out that one of my favorite Sanibel restaurants, Twilight Cafe, was closing. Over the years I had fallen

in love with the menu, the quaint atmosphere and their world famous marinated broccoli. In fact, it was our first choice for Sanibel Holiday staff dinners because all the employees loved it as much as I did!

For those of you who haven't heard I am pleased to announce that the Twilight Cafe is back and better than ever! They are in a new location on West Gulf Drive where the Riviera once was. They have more tables and an updated look but the food is still fabulous. On my highly anticipated first evening back I enjoyed the seared sesame crusted tuna with wasabi mashed potatoes in a warm coconut and sesame reduction which I followed with a warm chocolate cobbler for dessert. The service was impeccable, the food was wonderful and the desire to make a reservation for my next visit was strong! Although I was happy with my choice it would be hard to claim it as a "favorite" just yet because every night Chef Parks offers specials which incorporate the newest and most interesting products on the market. Stop by soon to find your favorite and don't be surprised if it changes with each visit! We promise you won't be disappointed!

Due to Twilight Cafe's popularity it is highly recommended that you call ahead for reservations otherwise you might miss out on one of Sanibel's best restaurants!

A New Season at Sanibel Island's Schoolhouse Theater

As Sanibel’s seasonal residents and guests begin to arrive back on the island, the Schoolhouse Theater’s 2008-2009 opened to rave reviews on October 16th with “We Love a Piano”, featuring the music of Irving Berlin. This season promises to delight theater-goers with a good dose of comedy, a bit of drama and great musical revues. Under the direction of theater veteran Victor Legarreta, The Schoolhouse Theater delivers performances that will have you saying “Bravo!” every time. Located at 2200 Periwinkle Way across from the Sanibel Community Center, the theater itself seats 160 and there isn’t a bad seat in the house, literally. Tickets are just $30 for adults and $20 for children age 16 and under; group tickets are also available for parties of 11 or more. The next show, “Play On”, opens November 13th and runs through December 6th. To get the scoop on all the upcoming shows, visit the theater’s website.

We are fortunate to have great cultural venues like The Schoolhouse Theater right here on Sanibel Island. With all the island has to offer, we can’t think of a single reason to leave once you’ve crossed the causeway and settled in to your piece of paradise!

Sanibel's Agricultural Past & the Arrival of the Seasonal Vacationer

Stark Sanford Carraway and Belton C. Johnson at
work in a tomato field on Sanibel, January 1912. *

Imagine driving along Sanibel-Captiva Road or East Gulf Drive and seeing acre upon acre of citrus groves and fields of tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, watermelons and radishes. I would find it rather interesting, wouldn't you? You wouldn’t know it by driving around the island today, but Sanibel was a thriving farm community in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. The fertile soil and lure of living on an island “paradise” was quite appealing to many people; many of the island’s pioneer families were farmers and became quite successful in their endeavors. Homes were built from lumber milled from native trees and even from palmetto fronds; several of these historic structures are still standing today at their original locations.


One of Sanibel’s most notable families, the Bailey’s, arrived in the mid-1890s. Harry, Frank and Ernest Bailey began farming soon after they settled on the island with their mother. They started the Sanibel Packing House in 1899 where they packed and loaded island produce onto steamboats bound for other parts of the country and points beyond. The packing house became Bailey’s General Store and it is still in operation today, located at the corner of Periwinkle Way and Tarpon Bay Road. You are likely to meet native sons Sam and Francis Bailey at some point when visiting the island; they are true gems full of many tales from Sanibel’s past.


As people were settling on Sanibel to farm, other entrepreneurial spirits saw the island as a mecca for travelers who longed to escape the harsh winters of the Northeast. Several lodging establishments were built to cater to visitors who arrived by ferry to enjoy the warm temperatures and clear blue Gulf waters.


The Matthews, now the Island Inn, opened in 1895 and is the oldest continually operating hotel on the island, having celebrated their centennial in 1995. Other early lodging establishments include the Tarpon House, Palm Lodge, Reed’s Landing and The Sisters, which is known today as Casa Ybel Resort.


The hurricane of 1926 flooded the island with tons of saltwater, putting an end to the agriculture industry. Farmers turned to other professions including innkeeping, commercial fishing, building trades and charter boat services as they began a new era of their lives on Sanibel.

As the popularity of wintering on Sanibel grew, condominiums were built for "snowbirds" and vacation rental agencies like Sanibel Holiday were born, providing travelers an "all-inclusive" way to find the perfect accommodation to meet their needs.


*Photo courtesy of the book Images of America: Sanibel Island by Yvonne Hill and Marguerite Jordan, copyright 2008.

Sanibel Island Economics 101

Being in the vacation rental business on Sanibel Island I often think back to my childhood vacations and wonder how we ever survived as a family of four in a hotel room. Even the most spacious hotel rooms lack the space required to allow each family member to claim their own private space, not to mention the fact that many hotel rooms don't have kitchen areas. I fondly remember a trip to Myrtle Beach where my brother realized my parents had been "tricking" him out of one meal a day. I still haven't figured out if this was done to save money since eating out was a necessary evil due to our room not offering a kitchen, or if it was a time restraint situation since we were trying to pack as much fun into a day as possible. In any event I'm sure it's a conundrum that many families find themselves in when staying in a hotel versus a fully equipped condo. Eating out is not only expensive but it takes up time that is better served soaking up the sunshine at the beach.

In the current economic climate we felt it might prove helpful to point out the advantages to renting a Sanibel Holiday fully equipped condo or home while vacationing on beautiful Sanibel Island.

1. You can save hundreds of dollars during a one week trip by preparing most of your meals in your home or condo rental. A family of four could spend on average $70 a night just for dinner at a restaurant, which adds up to $490 for the week!


2. Most condo and home rentals provide in-unit washers and dryers which allows you to pack less. This saves you on those pesky luggage fees that many airlines are charging these days.


3. Many condo and home rentals have weekly rates versus nightly rates which can add up to huge savings. Nightly hotel rates are normally inflated to cover cleaning and turnover costs.


4. With the extra space that a condo or home provides a family can really spread out and have fun. Most two bedroom units provide two, if not three, televisions which means the adults can watch a movie of their choice while the kids watch what they want. Plus, the dining room table is a great place for family game night.

Think of all the money your can save by spending a few fun nights “in” while you are vacationing. It’s also a great way to reconnect with your family and friends, something most of us don’t have enough time for these days. Sanibel Island is the perfect place to have a fun, affordable vacation. Visit us today and see just how great a retreat to paradise can be!

How to Live on an Island....Sanibel Island That Is!

"I think that there’s no truer place than an island. Whether it’s a sandbar or a bubble-up of volcanic rock or a jut of tropical coral, an island stands only by some whim of fate, given a chancy foothold among the chaos. When I go to an island, I know that I’m in that state of grace in which anything can happen.”
— from How to Live on an Island, by Sandy Gingras

There is a popular book for Islanders called How to Live on an Island, written by Sandy Gingras. Whether you live on Sanibel or simply visit here often it is likely you have seen it around. How to Live on an Island gives it's readers an opportunity to reflect on the simpler things in life and acts as a gentle reminder to enjoy them.

Island living takes practice. It's not easy to slow down in today's hectic, fast paced world but Sanibel (and Sanibel Holiday) make it easy. We often hear at check-in that people actually feel their blood pressure go down once they pass the toll booth. As you drive down Sanibel's picturesque main drag, Periwinkle Way, you finally realize after a long days travel that at last you are on a well deserved vacation!

One of Sanibel's most attractive features is it's slower pace. With this in mind, we feel there are several things that visitors to Sanibel MUST do to have an authentic island experience:

Dine out at any one of the eclectic eateries that abound on the island. They offer something for everyone including fresh local seafood, fine European cuisine, boardwalk style hot dogs, homemade ice cream and decadent desserts. Some of Sanibel Holiday's favorites are Traders, Timbers and the Mucky Duck.

Leave your car in its parking space and explore the island on two wheels. Biking is the preferred mode of transportation on Sanibel. Twenty-five miles of bike paths wind their way alongside the main roads, allowing you to easily get from one end of the island to the other.

Be sure to visit the "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge and see the many species of birds and animals that call Sanibel home. Bird watching is a national past time and there is no better place to do it than Sanibel Island!

Grab a good book from the Sanibel Island Bookshop, a comfy beach chair and an umbrella then stroll down to the Gulf and spend the day reading. You may even see some dolphins frolicking close to the shore. (Don't forget your sunscreen!)

Take a kayak tour with Tarpon Bay Explorers. There is nothing more peaceful and serene than kayaking with a naturalist through the mangrove forest. Learn about Sanibel's unique back-bay ecosystem while surrounded by the wildlife that Sanibel is famous for.

A Sanibel sunset is the perfect ending to a perfect day! The best way, in our humble opinion, to witness this majestic moment is on a sunset cruise with Captiva Cruises. The Sunset Serenade Cruise offers live music and a full service cash bar.

At Sanibel Holiday our goal for our guests is the perfect island experience. This of course starts with helping pick the perfect accommodation for you and your family but we don't stop there! Allow us to make recommendations and even reservations as part of our concierge style services to help make your vacation unforgettable!

Sanibel Sunsets

Crimson, golden, pastel hue,

Sinking into waves of blue.

Bright, brillant arrayed in glory,

Much too short-like a perfect story.

Photos capture the fleeting light,

but warmth only felt when you witness the sight.

Awed by the moment. Sad it couldn't last,

Beauty only realized once it's past.

Judging by the joy they give,

Sunsets mimic a life well lived.

Rent & Relax with the Pros at Sanibel Holiday

Your vacation is our business!

Relaxing. Refreshing. Rejuvenating. That's the kind of vacation you get when you rent from the professionals at Sanibel Holiday. You tell us what you want. We give you options. Lots of options. The following Q&A section helps show how our experience, knowledge and expertise will give you the perfect worry-free and surprise-free vacation:
Q: How long have we been in the vacation rental business?
A: We have been exclusively renting properties for over 20 years on Sanibel and Captiva Islands.

Q: What are Reservation Specialists?
A: Friendly, trained, and knowledgeable staff ready to assist you in booking your vacation. Each Reservation Specialist is intimate with every unit in our rental program so that we can accurately and honestly recommend a property. Our goal is to find the “best” fit for your group and for your budget.

Q: Where do the rental properties come from?
A: All properties are privately owned. Every unit needs to meet our high standards before they are accepted in our rental program.

Q: What are your standard check-in procedures?
A: You will check-in at our office conveniently located in the heart of the Island. There you will be greeted by one of our staff that is ready to assist you in the easy check-in process. We will have your keys, arrival information, maps to the unit, and all other pertinent information ready for you when you arrive.

Q: What if I am arriving after your office hours?
A: Don’t worry about being late; we have an after-hours lock box located just outside our door with all of your check-in information and most importantly your keys in a large envelope.

Q: Are the units clean and have linens?
A: Our properties meet the highest standards for cleanliness and quality. Our linens are commercially sanitized and each unit is inspected prior to your arrival.

Q: If there is a problem who do we call?
A: We respond to problems immediately and are open 6 days for your convenience. We have aligned ourselves with licensed professionals to service our properties in a timely and professional manner. We are available 24/7 should you encounter any issues after normal business hours.

Q: Do you offer Travel Insurance?
A: We do offer optional travel insurance and send the information when you book your travel plans. We highly recommend the travel insurance as it protects our clients in the event of an unexpected cancellation due to an emergency situation.

Have you found "it"?

I enjoy plants and gardening quite a bit. It’s fun to go to a garden center and look at all the different varieties of flowers, vegetables and herbs that are on display. I usually go with the intention of buying something to add to my garden but sometimes I just go to look around. Inevitably that’s when I round a corner and the most gorgeous plant is sitting there looking at me. It seems to be saying “you know I’m the one, please take me home.”

It’s the same way with shelling here on the islands, sometimes you’re just walking along the beach and you happen upon a shell that you know is “it”.

People the world over know Sanibel Island is one of the most famous shelling beaches on the planet. Currents from the Gulf of Mexico bring a variety of unique and rare shells to our shore, and the curved shape of the island helps keep them here. While there are a lot of shells on the beach today, there were many, many more back in the 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s.

A documentary on Sanibel Island produced by WGCU shows pictures of beachgoers searching through mounds of shells that look to be 2-3 feet high. Can you imagine doing that? The “Sanibel Stoop” probably wasn’t as strenuous as it can be today!

One of the rarer shells that can be found on the island is the junonia (Scaphella junonia). This shell is white to pinkish white with brown square spots that encircle the shell. If you find a junonia while you’re shelling you have found a real gem!

Joanne and Fred Brauns, guests of Sanibel Holiday, have found THREE - yes three - junonias since their arrival on October 1st.. You might think “oh, it’s just a shell”, but it’s so much more… you’ve found “it” and that’s a great feeling!

Top Ten Reasons to Vacation on Sanibel Island... David Letterman Style

10. You can become locally famous if you find a rare junonia seashell.

9. You don’t have to pack a winter coat to go on vacation in February. (The average high temperature is 77 degrees!)

8. You can fish all day long and then have your fresh catch cooked for you at the Lazy Flamingo.

7. Where else can you attend a craft fair devoted entirely to seashells? (The 72nd Annual Sanibel Shell Fair and Show will take place March 5-7, 2009)

6. You might run into someone from your hometown who’s here vacationing too.

5. You don’t have to worry about running a red light. (Sanibel Island doesn't have any traffic lights and our speed limit is a relaxing 30 miles per hour)

4. There’s more wildlife per capita than people on the island. (For close-up encounters with the critters, visit the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge.)

3. You never know when you’ll run into someone famous. (Famous weatherman Willard Scott and celebrities including Kevin Nealon, Wilford Brimley and Chris Berman have all been seen on the islands and luckily for them, we don't have a map showing you where the stars' homes might be located.)

2. You can amaze your friends and co-workers when you get home by showing them the Sanibel Stoop.

AND THE #1 REASON TO VACATION ON SANIBEL ISLAND.....

You don’t have to stand in line to ride the flying teacups on the Mad Tea Party ride at that big theme park in the middle of the state!

Vacation Is Harder When You Live in Paradise

I just got back to Sanibel from vacation and I have to admit working at Sanibel Holiday and being on the island has spoiled me. For instance while on vacation I needed to use the Internet -that's not too much to ask is it? In our modern age using the Internet once or twice during a week long vacation does not make me a Webaholic!

Anyway, I was shocked to discover that it cost me $0.75 per minute in addition to a $3.95 activation fee to use a computer terminal with Internet access. Needless to say I didn't do much surfing on my little hiatus since I didn't have any arms or legs to spare.

This price tag came as a rude awakening for me since at Sanibel Holiday not only do we offer WiFi and high speed access in a large number of our rental units, but we also offer these same services to all of our guests with our in-office Internet access.

Sanibel Holiday's guests are also welcome to use our office fax machine, copier and printer-all at no charge. If only all vacations were so user friendly!

Actually come to think of it one aspect of my vacation was easier since I moved to Sanibel-the coming home part!

Indians, Pirates and Vacationers, OH MY!

This wonderful place we call paradise has been here for centuries.

Sure it looked different than it does now, but it was home to a few other folk before it was “settled” in the 1800’s. Who were these early inhabitants? The Calusa Indians (Calusa means “fierce people”) were the first documented inhabitants of our island and their influence can be found all over Southwest Florida, including the Mound Key Historic Site near Fort Myers Beach and the community of Pineland on Pine Island.

The Calusa that survived diseases such as yellow fever and measles carried by the European settlers eventually left the area for Cuba and other points south, and the tribe ceased to exist by the late 1700’s. Legend says that Sanibel and its surrounding islands then became a haven for pirates, most notably Jose Gaspar. Who knows what pirate bounty is buried beneath our shell-strewn beaches?

So when was the island “officially” settled? Technically speaking, not until the 1870’s but, as early as 1833, pioneer settlers were on Sanibel and petitioned the U.S. Government to build a lighthouse at Point Ybel, known today as Old Town on the east end of the island. This wouldn’t materialize until after the Civil War; and the decades in between saw the Seminole Indians making their home on and around the island; keeping fisherman and would-be settlers from putting down roots. In 1870 Sanibel Island was deemed a lighthouse reservation by the federal government, and in 1884 the Sanibel Lighthouse began to light the way for ships sailing the Gulf of Mexico. It has remained in continuous operation since then and still provides direction for maritime travelers around the island.

Stay tuned for Part 2 - “Sanibel’s Agricultural Past and the Arrival of the Seasonal Vacationer”.

Sanibel Holiday Employee Nominated for E-Award

Have you ever met a person that goes above and beyond in everything they do? People like this are rare, but I know someone exactly like that and I am proud to call her my friend. I’d like you to meet Jolene Young, Housekeeping and Maintenance Supervisor for Sanibel Holiday. Jolene was nominated for an E-Award, a prestigious honor bestowed upon a few select individuals by the Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau. Employees from all areas of the hospitality industry are eligible for nomination, and hundreds of entries are submitted every year. Jolene, being the shy and humble person that she is, was very surprised when she got the call telling her she was nominated; and we were all elated when we found out!


What makes Miss Young so special? It could be that she always has a smile on her face no matter how many crises she has handled before lunch. She has been known to help a guest with their luggage when moving between units or make an extra trip to check on a vacant home although she just inspected it three days beforehand.


Sanibel Holiday guests know that the things Jolene does are far beyond what others with similar responsibilities do; both they and our owners frequently tell us how appreciative they are for everything she does for them. To her, it’s not just about making sure a unit is clean and has everything it needs; it’s about ensuring that every guest has a memorable vacation. She views our guests and owners as part of her extended family, and her co-workers truly respect and admire her. She’d do just about anything for us, and we would do the same for her. As one owner so eloquently told me recently “she’s good people”. Congratulations Jolene on your nomination, you’ve earned it!!

Sanibel's Friendly Fin Sightings

Have I mentioned I love dolphins! They are my favorite creature-hands down-aquatic or land loving. Not only are dolphins extremely intelligent, beautiful and acrobatic, but they strike me as so friendly. Of course you cannot approach a wild dolphin by law both for their protection and yours; however, on Sanibel you can watch them frolic in the waves in just about any Gulf side location. Actually I was in one of the rental properties that Sanibel Holiday manages just the other day and saw a dolphin moseying along in the water not far off of the beach. I thought to myself how cool is it to work for a company that requires it's employees to see the properties. Sanibel Holiday's goal in this requirement is that all of the agents in our office are educated on each individual property. The advantage to an employee like me is that we get to experience in a small way the same wonder that a guest feels when they spot their favorite animal floating by right from the living room of their vacation accommodation!

Evolving From a Sanibel Guest to a Native

Having vacationed on Sanibel and now working at Sanibel Holiday (a vacation rental agency on the island) has given me a different perspective on accommodations.

Of course since I was a guest in the past I know what I need and want in a rental. Working with Sanibel Holiday has made me realize that achieving those desires is not only possible, but varies from person to person.



I think across the board every person requires a clean, comfortable rental at a fair price. Yes, these do exist! In my experience one of the biggest obstacles to procuring the perfect accommodation is the actual search process.

This can be an exhausting endeavor, but working at Sanibel Holiday has enlightened me to the fact that it does not have to be. One key to simplifying the process is a user friendly website.

Guess what-Sanibel Holiday has one (okay, okay no more shameless plugs). Seriously, though I hate websites that require a guest to enter dates before allowing them to see properties. Not only does this block a guest from browsing all of the properties an agency offers, but it also indicates that a vacation is planned before discovering desirable accommodations.

Isn't that the most important part? If you are like me and enjoy a completely frustration free vacation planning process check out Sanibel Holiday's website at http://www.sanibelholiday.com/.

Let's Go Outside on Sanibel!

Two of the things that I love most about Sanibel is the emphasis placed on conservation of our natural resources and the ability of the island to nurture quality family time. In a world where both are becoming extinct Sanibel offers a refreshing change of pace.

All of Sanibel is abuzz with excitement for the upcoming celebration of "Ding" Darling Days which will be held during National Wildlife Refuge Week October 19th-26th.

The theme for this much anticipated event is "Let's Go Outside!". "Ding" Darling Days will offer a variety of activities which will mesh family fun with the spirit of wildlife conservation. Throughout the week visitors can experience narrated birding, biking and kayaking tours as well as nature cruises.

The week culminates with Family Fun Day and will feature games, crafts, a touch tank and free refreshments from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. In honor of National Wildlife Refuge Week, Sanibel Holiday (the company I work for) is offering 10% off of any reservation during October.

Several of the properties that are in Sanibel Holiday's rental program are a short walk or bicycle ride away from "Ding" Darling, so let's go outside on Sanibel and enjoy the companionship only family and nature can provide!

To learn more about "Ding" Darling Days please call 239-472-1100 or visit http://www.dingdarlingdays.com/.

To view Sanibel Holiday's properties nearby "Ding" Darling visit http://www.sanibelholiday.com/ or call the reservations department toll free at 1-800-572-6423.

Mail from Sanibel-Postcard or Coconut?

I love everything about mail! Sending mail, receiving it, checking it-absolutely everything. Which is why mail is my chosen topic for this blog.

There is something special about the anticipation I feel when I open my box everyday. I know the possibility exists that someone out there has been thinking about me! In my case it is mostly people I owe money to, but let's keep this positive.

Mail on Sanibel; however, is extra special. Sanibel being a tropical island and all offers the opportunity to not only mail a large variety of postcards, but also coconuts!

That's right-just like a letter you can present your addressed coconut (just a tip-a regular pen will not suffice for this job-you need some type of paint) to the local post office, they will weigh and ship your little taste of paradise to whomever it is intended!

A P.S. for my mom-I will send you a coconut eventually-I promise! P.S.S While visiting Sanibel stop into Suncatcher's Dream to pick up your very own mailing coconut and other unique island gifts!

Sanibel is My Most Interesting Feature

I am so excited, this is my very first blog! Since my desire is for people to actually read what I have written I have decided to talk about my most interesting feature-the fact that I work on Sanibel Island in beautiful Southwest Florida. The move to Sanibel was shockingly a rather smooth transition. Let's just say it was love at first sight. Four vacations and a job interview later, here I am. I have to say I will be forever grateful to Sanibel Holiday (the vacation rental agency I work for) since they brought me here. My commute to work involves a warm breeze, sparkling blue waters and trying to keep my eyes on the road when I spot dolphins playing in the waves. If traffic is backed up it is probably because a turtle is crossing the road. I hear people talk about a gas crisis, but honestly I don't worry. I know I can always bicycle on Sanibel-even to work. How cool is that! Thanks for checking out my blog and be sure to watch for my next entry-what do a letter and a coconut have in common on Sanibel Island?