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10 Things To Do in South Florida on Valentine’s Day

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Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate love and affection with your significant other. If you live in South Florida, there are plenty of things you can do to make the day special. From outdoor adventures to romantic dinners, there’s something for every couple.

Here is a list of 10 things to do on Valentine’s Day in South Florida:

1. Take a sunset cruise

Nothing says romance like a sunset cruise on a beautiful yacht. South Florida offers several sunset cruises that you and your partner can enjoy while sipping on champagne and watching the sun go down. Sit back, relax, and fall in love all over again.

2. Visit the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Credit: Anzhela Nenkova

If you and your significant other love nature, a visit to the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is a must. With over 83 acres of lush greenery, it’s the perfect place to take a romantic walk and spend the day together.

3. Take a hot air balloon ride

Take your love to new heights with a hot air balloon ride. Enjoy breathtaking views of South Florida from the sky and take your Valentine’s Day to the next level. It’s a day both of you will never forget.

4. Visit the Miami Beach Botanical Garden

Credit: Josh Watilo

The beautiful Miami Beach Botanical Garden is a peaceful oasis in the heart of Miami Beach. Take a stroll among the exotic plants and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. Perfect for reflecting on how much you love each other.

5. Visit the Perez Art Museum Miami

If you’re an art lover, spend the day at the Perez Art Museum Miami. With a collection of modern and contemporary art, it’s the perfect place for an art enthusiast or someone just looking for a unique adventure.

6. Go on a beach day

South Florida is known for its beautiful beaches, so why not spend Valentine’s Day soaking up the sun and playing in the sand? Take a walk, swim in the ocean, or just relax on a beach chair – together. From West Palm Beach to Miami Beach, there are hundreds of miles of options in Florida to choose from. Decide which is most convenient for you and make a special day out of it!

7. Spend the day at the spa

Indulge in some pampering and relaxation with a spa day. South Florida is home to some of the best spas in the country, making it the perfect place to escape for a day of rest and rejuvenation. Many establishments offer couple’s massages so you can recharge together.

8. Have a picnic in the park

Pack a picnic basket and head to one of South Florida’s many parks for a romantic outdoor meal. Take in the scenery, enjoy each other’s company, and share your favorite beverages and treats.

9. Take a cooking class together

Spend the day learning to cook together. South Florida is home to several cooking schools that offer classes in a variety of cuisines. Find a dish you both enjoy and make a special recipe together!

10. Have a romantic dinner

South Florida has some of the best restaurants in the country, making it the perfect place for a romantic dinner. Whether you’re looking for fine dining, Italian cuisine, or sushi, there’s something for everyone.

No matter what you choose to do, spending Valentine’s Day with the one you love is what matters most. South Florida is the perfect place to make this special day even more memorable.

Do you have a good recommendation for Valentine’s Day activities in South Florida? Let us know in the comments or on Facebook!

The 10 Best Florida Winter Memes: Volume II

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Ahh. Another Winter. Another chance to flaunt your Floridian lifestyle to your freezing snowbird friends on Facebook via Memes.

Our first collection of the 10 Best Florida Winter Memes was so popular, we had to make second volume to document the ongoing hilarity. These memes are not owned in any way by I Love South Florida and have been collected from the viral web. A source is not always known, but is documented when possible.

Without further ado, the 10 Best Florida Winter Memes – Volume II:

1. If you’re cold, they’re cold. Bring them inside.

cold-alligator-meme

Don’t be rude! Give your fellow South Floridian neighbor a place to crash in the cold.

In all seriousness though, never open your door for a gator or crocodile.

 

2. 50 Degrees in Florida

50-degrees-in-Florida-meme

New native (or extraterrestrial) species discovered? Nope, just a typical South Florida reaction to 50 degree weather!

 

3.  Spiderman Sitting in Florida

Spiderman-Florida-Meme

Who knew Spiderman hangs out in Florida for the Winter? Makes sense. Spidey sense.

 

4. National Hate Florida Day

Hate-Florida-Day-Meme

This was an actual forecast on the news last year, and it forever became known as Hate Florida Day. The best part of this meme is it can be used on any day that resembles the above forecast. Beach, anyone?

5. First Day of Winter in Florida. First Day of Summer in Florida.

First-Day-Summer-Winter-Florida-meme

They say consistency is key, right? Not a Florida Key though.

 

6. Florida Snowman – Them and Us

Them-Us-Florida-Meme

The snowmen say it all. Them = ice cold. Us = sunshine and smiles

 

7. Will This Winter Ever End?

winter-ever-end-meme

Wait, did it ever begin?

 

8. Come on Down to Florida, and You Will Cease to Freeze!

Cease-to-Freeze-Florida

No, this isn’t from the Oprah 2020 campaign trail where she is attempting to win Florida voters. Just a simple, amusing meme.

 

9. Brace Yourselves. Winter Isn’t Coming.

Winter-Isnt-Coming-Meme

Winter may not be coming, but I’ll still be inside watching Game of Thrones.

 

10. That Cold Front Gone Yet?

Gator-Cold-Front-Meme

More like, is that gator gone yet?

 

And there it is, the new 10 “best” Florida memes circulating the internet making fun of winter to the rest of the world.

Have a Florida Winter Meme that you didn’t see on the list? Share it with us in the comments below! Then, stay tuned for Volume 3!

How To Grow A Lemon Tree

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Lemon-Tree
Grow a lemon tree and this could all be yours.

The benefits of incorporating lemons and lemon juice into your diet are astounding. I personally started drinking lemon water, a combination of lemon juice and water, instead of sodas, and I’ve never felt better! At the very least, I’m drinking more water because it tastes good.

If you didn’t know, lemons are a superfood that provide many benefits. Here is a small list of things lemons do once inside your body:

  1. Aid in digestion and detoxing
  2. Carry high amounts of Vitamic C
  3. Alkalines the body
  4. Relieves constipation
  5. Burns fat and aids in weight loss Experts recommend drinking lemon water at a warm temperature to aid in the absorption process.

I’ve seen conflicting reports about whether or not bottled lemon juice is just as effective as fresh cut lemons. Some say lemon juice loses important enzymes within minutes of being cut, and others have claimed that bottled lemon juice has had just as a healthy effect on their lives as regular lemons.

How To Grow a Lemon Tree from Seed

There are several ways to plant a lemon tree using seeds, instead of having to pay for a full-price for a full-grown plant. One way is to collect the seeds from the lemons that you already eat. The literature on using this method notes that you should plant them immediately after you take them from the lemon. The reason for this is that they are not supposed to dry out like common garden seeds. For more detailed instructions on this, refer to Lemon Tree from Seed published by New Mexico State University.

I prefer to buy pre-packaged lemon seeds. Since this was my first attempt, I didn’t want to botch it. You can find seeds on Amazon for extremely cheap, which will make any errors in the process more tolerable. That’s what I did anyway! Make sure you read the comments in the product reviews to make sure there isn’t consistent problems with any one seed provider.

Here are a few things to remember when planting:

  • Lemons grow well in full sun or part shade, W or SW exposure is best.
  • Put indoors when conditions are freezing, outdoors when not.
  • Plant the seeds about 1/2″ deep in well drained soil. (Potting soil is fine)
  • Do not over water
  • Place a plastic bag over it for about a week to help germinate.
  • Some claim putting a nick in the seed’s outer layer will help it germinate
  • Germination takes 10 – 30 days

lemon-tree

Follow these steps to start enjoying all of the benefits of lemon consumption, without the supermarket price. Have your own lemon tree or plan on starting one? Take a picture and submit t to us so we can share it with the community on our Facebook page!

South Florida Surf Cameras

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Whether it be surfing, snorkeling or just lounging, before I head out to one of our many South Florida beaches, I always check out Surfline’s Beach Cameras to find the best spot for my day’s activities.

Below, I have listed South Florida’s available beach cameras for easy access:

Bathtub Beach ->

Boca Raton Inlet ->

Deerfield Beach ->

Delray Beach ->

Hobe Sound Beach ->

Jenson Beach ->

Juipiter Inlet ->

Lake Worth Beach ->

South Beach ->

 

Bookmark this page so you can always come back and find the right beach for your day’s adventures!

How To Make Natural Pesticide Spray

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homemade-natural-pesticideSouth Florida in the summer can be full of bugs and pests that will eat all of your precious plants and make you want to stay indoors.

As a result, most people resort to pesticides that can be harmful to them and the environment. Few people know that it is possible to make your own homemade pesticide spray – free of chemicals!

 

Here is how:

1.  Finely chop up a head of garlic and place them in a dish.

2.  Pour in 1 1/2 cups of mineral oil or any oil you may have available, then mix with the chopped garlic.

3.  Pour in a tablespoon of mild liquid soap, then mix the 3 ingredients.

4.  You may add hot peppers, hot sauce, or onions to strengthen up the mixture. I would not add in more than 4 tbsp of hot sauce, hand full of chopped onions, or 4 hot peppers.

5.  Pour the mixture into a sealable container and let it sit over night. Some let the mixture sit for 72 hours in room temperature.

6.  Add 3 to 4 cups of water into a spray bottle and then add the mixture and shake. You may want to sieve the mixture to remove chunks of vegetables that may cause blockage.

Too lazy or don’t have the time to make your own natural pesticide spray? You can always get a 32oz bottle of Orange Guard on Amazon for less than ten bucks, which uses orange peel extract as one of its main ingredients.

See Also: How To: Make a Homemade Mosquito Trap

 

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How To: Survive Shark Week in South Florida

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Shark Sneak Attack

In South Florida, every week is shark week. In fact, Florida led the United States in shark bites for the year 2011. If  you were attacked, would you be prepared to defend yourself in a deadly shark encounter?

There have been a total of 637 recorded shark attacks in Florida since 1882, with only 11 of them resulting in death, so don’t be too worried. Fortunately for South Floridians, most of these attacks (242 of them) took place in Volusia County, which is well north of Orlando. But Palm Beach County has the third highest attack rate (60), so don’t get too comfortable!

Florida Shark Attack Graph
Source: Florida Museum of Natural History

Should you find yourself about to become prey, try to remember these tips that might save your life:

Remain calm

Try not to let the shark sense your fear, but don’t play possum either. If you panic, you will become prey!

 

Defend Yourself

Remember, the shark can swim faster than you. That sort of eliminates the whole “Fight or Flight” aspect from this situation and forces you to defend yourself while submerged in water. Since most shark meals don’t ever fight back, even the slightest sign of resistance on your part can be enough to make the shark leave you alone. Chances are you will be unarmed, so make sure to aim for the nose/eyes/gills, avoid the teeth, and never lose sight of where your attacker is.

 

Get Out!

Don’t ever assume you are safe until you reach dry land. A shark may leave you alone temporarily just to sneak up on you from behind. As you swim back to shore, do your best to avoid splashing the water or acting erratically, since this will make you appear wounded and tempt the shark to continue its attack.

 

If you are wounded when you reach the shore, seek medical attention immediately. The wounds will only get worse with time and can cause other problems if left untreated. It is also important to keep remaining calm at this point since panicking will cause blood to pump faster throughout the body.

Some people, like surfers, are more prone to an attack than others. That doesn’t mean it can’t or won’t happen to you. In June 2012, a 6-year-old boy was attacked by a shark while playing in waist-deep water at the beach in Jupiter, Florida.

I promise, I’m not trying to scare you. I am just trying to keep you safe (by scaring you) so you can enjoy some fun in the Sun on more than one occasion.

Do you have any cool shark stories to share? Leave a comment!

 

“Move Over” Law Targets Slow Drivers

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move-over-lawA new law that will come into effect on July 1, 2013 states that any motorist in the left lane driving 10 mph or more slower than the posted speed limit must get out of the way of someone trying to pass – or face a $60 ticket.

The “Move Over” bill was signed into law by Governor Rick Scott as a supposed way to reduce road rage on the highways in Florida.

Governor Jeb Bush vetoed a similar bill called the "Road Rage Reduction Act" in 2005, claiming he didn’t understand why the state would punish a motorist who was not speeding.

I usually don’t side with a lot of new laws, but this is one I can support.

I’ve always said that slow drivers can be more dangerous on the highway than faster ones because people need to switch lanes quickly to avoid slowing down behind them, thus more chances for an accident to occur when cars weave into each other’s lanes.

Then again, I also believe the act of pulling someone over on the highway creates dangerous traffic conditions as well.

New Florida Law Bans Texting While Driving

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Texting-Driving

A new law signed by Florida Governor Rick Scott on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 will ban manual texting and e-mailing while driving as of October 1st, 2013.

The first offense will get you a $30 fine plus court costs and a second offense will cost $60.

"As a father and a grandfather, texting while driving is something that concerns me when my loved ones are on the road," Scott said in a statement after signing the bill.

A preliminary report from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles recorded 257,912 reported crashes in 2012, but only 196 involved drivers who said they were texting at the time of the crash. Those crashes resulted in nine serious injuries and one death.

The ban will make the act of texting while driving a secondary offense, which means you would need to be pulled over for another reason in order to get a texting ticket, and you will still be able to text at stop signs and in stopped traffic.

How To: Make a Homemade Mosquito Trap

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homemade-mosquito-trap

In South Florida, especially in the summer, the mosquito can wreak havoc on the population.

Mosquitos reproduce by laying their eggs in stagnant water, which makes the Everglades a perfect breeding ground for them.

To make matters worse, they go beyond just being annoying. The relative of the fly can transmit certain viruses including yellow/jungle/dengue fever and malaria.

Here is how to make a Homemade Mosquito Trap:

Items needed:

1 cup of water
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 gram of yeast
1 2-liter bottle

How:

1. Cut the plastic bottle in half.
2. Mix brown sugar with hot water. Let cool. When cold, pour in the bottom half of the bottle.
3. Add the yeast. No need to mix. It creates carbon dioxide, which attracts mosquitoes.
4. Place the funnel part, upside down, into the other half of the bottle, taping them together if desired.
5. Wrap the bottle with something black, leaving the top uncovered, and place it outside in an area away from your normal gathering area. (Mosquitoes are also drawn to the color black.)

Change the solution every 2 weeks for continuous control.

This is just one method you can use for combatting mosquitos. Having bug repellent on hand is always useful also.

Too lazy or don’t have the time to make a homemade mosquito trap? You can always buy the Flowtron 80-Watt Electronic Insect Killer from Amazon for about $65, which will obliterate every mosquito within an acre of you.

See Also: How To: Make Natural Pesticide Spray