jogging – DOWN THE BLOCK, AROUND THE CORNER

Cortez, Florida: ANNIE’S BAIT & TACKLE; Minnows, food, Heineken & cigars

Annie’s Bait & Tackle, Cortez, Florida (Bradenton Beach); An inter-coastal bait shop offering Heineken & cigars.

Why this place appeals to me

Annie’s explains their dining as EXTREMELY CASUAL – it is.

“What time do you open shop?” I asked Bruce Shearer, owner of Annie’s Bait Shop for the past 18 years.

“6 am, used to open at 5:30, but no reason any more, not busy in the morning,” Bruce said.

“How come you’re not busy at 6 am, that’s when fishermen like to head out?”

“They died,” the owner of Annie’s Bait Shop said.

“The fish died out,” I asked.

“No, the fishermen,” Bruce explains. “The old guys, down from Michigan, used to charter a boat for the entire season, one day a week, all winter December through April. Now, an occasional old guy brings his grandson by once a year to show him what a rod and reel looks like.”

Florida, bait, intercoastal, cigars, Grouper, Cortez, dockside, on the water, Anna Maria Island, Bradenton Beach, cold beer, locals, cheap meals, undiscovered, hidden, jogging, running, restaurant, bar, cheap meals, beer, price — Annie’s sign from out front

Annie’s Bait & Tackle is local, but with a surprising touch of class.

Nancy pulled a cool Heineken from the cooler as I selected a Macanudo cigar from the humidor atop the bait counter.

“Need a cutter?” she asked.

Nice touch; a $7 cigar does not offend my yearning to go local.

How Far Down the Block? From McKechnie Field spring training home field for the Pittsburgh Pirates it’s a nine mile drive.

From mid-crossing on the Sunshine Bridge spanning the entrance of Tampa Bay it is 37 miles to Annie’s Bait & Tackle.[mappress mapid=”8″]

Why you might be nearby? Social demands on Longboat Key have you seeking somewhere local to sip on a cold beer. Grab the tender from somebody’s yacht and zip north to the Cortez Road Bridge, following the channel into Annie’s immediately northeast of the bridge.

Lesser Known Facts Bruce Shearer once sold 15,000 bait shrimp daily to the fishermen pushing off from Cortez into the Gulf of Mexico. Fishing in 2014 isn’t the same as the 1980’s, Bruce moved with the money. Annie’s Bait Shop now serves cold Heineken with their signature Grouper Sandwich on the ten bar stools, four indoor tables or dockside on their … well, it’s just a dock..

Bruce, a refugee from Michigan – now proprietor of Annie’s Bait & Tackle, headed south in the late 1970’s with a stash of $1,800. He stands the afternoon watch at Annie’s these days

Local Recommendation

“What’s the specialty?” I asked.

Nancy, who came down from Cincinnati, was on duty at Annie’s. She said, “The Grouper Sandwich, 100%.”

Nancy was right.

Something for Nothing Park your car, lace up your running/walking shoes and head over the bridge towards Anna Maria Island. Round trip from Annie’s n the east side to the base of the bridge on the West side and back is 1.5 miles. Continue on the Gulf, extend your exercise routine and return to Annie’s thirsty.

Fort Lauderdale: SNOOZE; a boutique hotel featuring just the essentials

SNOOZE; a BOUTIQUE hotel featuring just the essentials.

Fort Lauderdale, FL

“Who owns Snooze?” I asked,

“I do,” Robert said from his stool behind the small check-in counter. Robert, once a London-based

real estate investor focused on hospitality, had become an Owner/Registration clerk. No uniform

required.

“Nice place, great location, a bang for the buck,” I said.

“Bang for the buck is our target. Provide upscale essentials, just the essentials,” Robert said.

Snooze is located on the A1A strip in Fort Lauderdale Beach, far enough from the

Snooze, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, beach, undiscovered, hotel, A1A, deck, on the beach, beach, kitchen, boutique, waking path, jogging, ocean view, price, locals, — View from room 301

honky-tonk strip that only traffic sounds and Atlantic waves can be heard through your open window. A 2^nd floor deck offers box seats to view the fruit of A1A; the morning parade, afternoon bikinis and the stream of classic cars.

Why this place appeals to me. The view, the refrigerator, the cleanliness and the walking options.

Snooze is the best of the Roger Miller’s 1960’s tune, “No phone, no pool, no pets …” But Roger didn’t sing about offering the essentials; wine glasses, a corkscrew, refrig/freezer and three tables – one for work, another for vitals, and a 3^rd for stuff!

How Far Down the Block? [mappress mapid=”7″]

A 1.1 mile walk south on A1A to the Bahia Cabana bar on the inter-coastal.

Just step outside to join the A1A parade.

Far enough down the block to be out of range from the Spring-breaker throngs trying to resurrect the Elbow Room.

Why you might be nearby?

You’ve stayed at the Fort Lauderdale Ritz Carlton and this time you want to go local.

The Pillars is too wonderfully serene.

Lesser Known Facts

Snooze was formerly the eighteen room Ocean Holiday Hotel, distinguish by its flamingo pink exterior. A 360 degree view roof-top deck is planned for summer 2014.

Local Recommendation Upscale local, walk two blocks to the Pillars for an evening glass of wine.

Consider a cab ride to Casa D’Angelo for an Italian dinner.

Local, local; See if Jimmy Buffett stopped at the Bahia Cabana for a beer and takes the stage.

Something for Nothing

Snooze supplies free WiFi, free beach chairs, beach towels and umbrellas. Each morning God and Mother Nature provide the A1A parade. Two of everything joins the parade just after dawn. It is not possible to feel uncomfortable or out-of-place strutting on A1A at 9 am on a March morning.