Sugar Refined: Cupcakes Take Center Stage in Newberry

In my humble opinion as a food writer, there’s nothing quite like a properly baked cupcake.  And if you add buttercream icing and some sprinkles, it gets even better.  Sugar Refined Bake Shop is located in downtown Newberry at 25345 Newberry Road.  There are always plenty of cupcake and pastry choices in the cases, and …

Welcome to London!…at Gainesville’s Harn Museum of Art, E.O. Hoppé Photos on Exhibit Thru 9/16/15

Now’s your chance to visit London, England while you’re still in Natural North Florida!  The University of Florida’s Harn Museum of Art is showing the work of influential photographer, E.O. Hoppé through September 16, 2016.  This is a “don’t-miss” opportunity to see images of royalty, street life, movie stars, circus performers and everyday Londoners, taken …

Snook On The Big Bend? You Bet–Provided We Have a Warm Winter!

Snook are probably the most fun and abundant gamefish in Florida.  They run, they jump, and if you want to keep one for dinner during open season, they’re delicious to eat.  However, they’re also highly susceptible to cold water temperatures and are some of the first fish to be found floating dead after a hard …

Heading To The Water? Use Florida Boat Ramp Finder For The Best Access

If you’re heading to the Gulf, the rivers or the lakes in our Natural North Florida region, be assured we have plenty of boat ramps with public access for your use.  And the best way to find them is to use the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Boat Ramp Finder.  It’s a complete listing, …

Summering in Simmering Suwannee Sound, Levy County Fishing At It’s Best!

Many anglers write off fishing our Big Bend waters in summer, simply giving in to the crowds of scallopers who invade our coastal ports, boat ramps, restaurants and motels. But we do have excellent summertime fishing opportunities in our less-busy darker waters. And Suwannee Sound, between the towns of Suwannee and Cedar Key, tops my …

Floating Grass Slowing Your Fishing This Summer? Try a Weedless Frog Lure!

On our Natural North Florida Big Bend, floating grass seems to take over our coast during late summer months.  And there are numerous conspiracy theories as to why huge mats of grass clog the intakes of outboard motors and make fishing for redfish and seatrout with topwater lures almost impossible.  It’s not that our grass …

Tips For Successful Scalloping During Rainy Season on Florida’s Big Bend, 2015

In the late summer, water visibility can hinder and slow the harvest of bay scallops.  This year, they’re plentiful along our coastline, but are often hard to see. We’ve had more than our fair share of rain on the Big Bend, too. Mornings have been calm, but with high humidity and high air temperatures, thunderstorms …

Take a Ride in Bicycle-Friendly Lake Butler, in Union County, Florida

If you’re looking for a quiet, low-key place to have a leisurely bicycle ride, head to Lake Butler, in Florida’s Union County.  Union County is small and rural, but there are plenty of sights to see from either the Palatka-Lake Butler State Trail or the not-very-busy city streets.  The trail’s western terminus is in downtown …

“Nothin’ But Good Meat” at Newberry Cold Storage in Newberry, Florida

With two Bar-B-Q joints, a “meat and three” restaurant, a crab house and two Mexican restaurants, there’s plenty of good solid food available in downtown Newberry, Florida.  And there’s also some good things take home and cook.  Newberry’s oldest retail establishment is Newberry Cold Storage, set back from SR26 (Newberry Road), across the street from …

Real Homemade Biscuits, EVERY DAY, at Lynn-Rich Restaurant in Steinhatchee, Florida

Yes, Steinhatchee, like the rest of Taylor County, is busy in the summer months.  That’s when hordes of eager snorkelers invade the small Gulf-side community in search of bay scallops.  Motels are full, boat ramps crowded, marinas busy and the waits at local restaurants can be long.  But despite the bustling tourist season, a hearty …