Why So Long Between Blogs?

Hey Neighbors,

So sorry that it's been a year since my last entry.  Been busy.  Some of you know that just about the time of my last blog, I started working at the local CVS Pharmacy.  Had to supplement my interior design & corporate sign businesses that had taken a big hit with the bad economy.  I worked as a pharmacy tech, filling prescriptions for the pharmacists.  

Well, I wasn't there very long when I realized that working for a big retailer these days can be pretty daunting & demoralizing.  It seems to me that the same consultants that advise the fast food chains on efficiency, also consult for the pharmacy chains.  Well, what's the difference? ........Hamburgers versus Life Saving Medications???? Faster, faster, more, more.  It's all about the money.

My most memorable experiences are customers arriving at the pharmacy to pick up their medications, with no idea what they take, or what they need to refill.  "Give me whatever I'm supposed to get"  they tell us, as if pharmacies are in charge of your personal healthcare.  

No one ever walks into a restaurant and says, "Feed me whatever you think I should eat "   Hard to believe but this happens all the time.  It's a pretty stressful way to make $8.50 per hour with no benefits.  

Let me just take a moment to warn everyone that people are taking certain medications that warn against driving or drinking, and people continue to do both.  Sometimes at the same time.  So be careful out there when you're on the roads.............or even on the sidewalks for that matter.

My experience at the pharmacy has led to a new design project.  I was hired to design & outfit an independent pharmacy.  It is directly across the street from The Forest Country Club entrance on 41, near Phantom Fireworks. 

It's called ReVive Pharmacy, and besides providing prescription medications, it will offer home & office delivery, drug testing supplies, & homeopathic medications & supplements to treat what might be ailing you in a more natural form with no side effects. Here is the logo I designed for the business.

LOGO FOR PHARMACY

It's complete except for the outdoor electrical signs  The owner is simply waiting on some final approvals from the Feds before opening.

EXTERIOR OF PHARMACY

We started with a bare bones space.  Some of you may remember that a patio furniture showroom used to be housed in this space.

BARE SPACE BEFORE WE STARTED CONSTRUCTION

With my pharmacy training, I knew what was needed to create an efficient pharmacy space, I drew up a variety of floor plans & perspectives for the owners to consider.  We finally settled on one layout.

PERSPECTIVE TO ILLUSTRATE PLAN FOR PHARMACY

It has some retail space for products, an office for private consultations, & enough space to receive and fill prescriptions.

The design concept for the pharmacy grew out of a chartreuse green & white color scheme created to illustrate good health, cleanliness & life.

PHARMACY WITH PRIVATE CONSULTING OFFICE

  

CONSULTING OFFICE

Here are a few pics of the new pharmacy from the last few days.  Not your usual pharmacy, eh?

WAITING AREA FOR PHARMACY

Times being what they are, and the cost of opening a business so pricey, I was on a pretty tight budget for the build out.  But I love a challenge, & I've tried to be very creative with unusual objects that you wouldn't normally expect to see in a pharmacy. 

Well that's your sneak peek.  You'll have to wait for the Grand Opening in a month or so.

As for Forest Villas, some of us have been busy working to implement the changes to the Clubhouse Pool area.  (more about that in my next posting).  Some of the residents that had old roofs now have new ones.  Only one villa continues to have an old roof.  Possibly the villa is in foreclosure.  It's not posted on the MLS any longer.

LAST VILLA NEEDING NEW ROOF
IT'S ALREADY BEEN SIX YEARS SINCE THE FEW ROOF PROGRAM BEGAN

Some of our roofs, installed back in 2006, are due for a cleaning.  They are really dirty, and that is made apparent by comparison with the newly installed roofs.  A few of us are getting prices for having our villa, roof, walkway & driveway all pressure rwashed for a flat price.  I'll keep you posted on our results.

Another new development is the failure of many for the front lawn Queen palm trees.  The crowns on the palms fail to thrive, they stop sending out new fronds, & the complete tree begins to fail. 

QUEEN PALM WITH COLLAPSING CROWN

The trees are now more than 24 years old.  Their expected life span is 15-25 years.  So the HOA is probably facing an expenditure to develop a plan for replacement parkway trees. 

FAILING QUEEN PALM

The HOA spends about $5,000 every year to trim the Queen & Sabal palm trees.  A program to replace the failing trees with ones not requiring yearly trimming would save money in the long run.  Also trees that would provide some shade to our streets would lengthen the estimated life of the streets.

QUEEN PALM SHRIVELING UP

NAPLES STREET WITH PARKWAY DAPPLED SHADE TREES

Currently there are only three villas on the market.  Flo Westerman's villa sold recently, to the Wrights, who are transplants from down Island Park Road.

The shopping mall at 41 and Island Park recently sold at auction, so we're all hoping that we'll soon see some new businesses moving in, & the general appearance of the area improving.  I hear the Clam Bake is moving to the larger space formerly occupied by the Chinese restaurant.

Ale Mary's has folded in the other strip mall.  In it's place Cadillac Jack's has opened.  Haven't visited so I have no report on the food or the circus inside.

Across the street from the mall, GOODWILL is more than packed every weekend.  There was no way to get another car in the lot this past weekend.  You'd think that they were giving items away.  I guess it's a sign of the times.  GOODWILL has announced that they are opening more stores.  One will be in downtown Fort Myers.

The work on the 'flyover' connecting 41 & Alico Road to Metro Parkway/6 Mile Cypress continues.  The cost of the extension is $29.8 million, paid for by federal economic stimulus funds from the American Reinvestment & Recovery Act of 2009.

 The bridge over Alico is now complete.  It's hard to see the progress, although the State of Florida has announced that the project will be complete in the fall of 2012.  Don't hold your breath, we're on our second contractor.

BJ

This blog is in no way affiliated with Forest Villas HOA

News to Make Your Day !

Tig, Tallulah & I were at the dog park in Estero Wednesday morning, when we learned from another dog owner that.........

TRADER  JOE'S IS COMING TO NAPLES!!

Now for those neighbors that are familiar with Trader Joe's, no additional explanation is needed, other than TJ's is moving into the building that Borders Books vacated on 41 in North Naples, just south of Immokolee Road.  It's a huge building, about 14,000 sq. ft., and that information is stunning, because in the Chicago area, where I'm from, the TJ's are usually about 3,000 sq. ft. in storefront & maybe bit less space in back, so this looks to be a very large store.

For neighbors not familiar with Trader Joe's and the goodies it sells, here's a YouTube video you can click on that will quickly & cleverly tell you all you need to know about TJ's and how it could change your life.

This is how the local newspaper announced the news of the future store.

Trader Joe’s grocery store coming to Naples

NAPLES — The rumors are no longer rumors about Trader Joe’s coming to Florida.

“It’s absolutely true,” said Alison Mochizuki, a spokeswoman for the trendy grocery store chain.

The chain, with a cult-like following, will open its first Florida store in North Naples, at a former Borders bookstore at 10600 U.S. 41 North, in Granada Shoppes south of Immokalee Road. The 14,000-square-foot grocery store will open later this year. A lease was recently signed.

“There are a lot of foodies in the area,” Mochizuki said. “We consider ourselves a neighborhood grocery store and it seems like a wonderful neighborhood for us to be part of.”

Trader Joe’s, headquartered in Monrovia, Calif., carries the basics, along with exotic foods. Most of the store’s groceries – about 80 percent – are sold under the Trader Joe’s name. Some of the more popular items include a roasted seaweed snack, a truffle mousse pate made out of chicken and a frozen, ready-to-eat mandarin orange chicken dinner.

Store employees wear Hawaiian-themed shirts, as “traders on the culinary seas.”

The chain is also known for its bargain $2 Charles Shaw wine, which the local store will carry.

Trader Joe’s has 360 locations in 30 states. Another one will open Friday in Chicago.

Asked if there would be other locations in Florida, Mochizuki said she had no comment. “We don’t have anything else to announce right now,” she said.

Anything the grocer sells under its own label doesn’t have artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.

“We cut out the middleman whenever possible and we buy direct,” Mochizuki said. “In order to keep our costs down, we don’t do branded television advertising. We don’t do the weekly newspaper advertising. So we do limited advertising.”

A few times a year, the grocer sends out its “Fearless Flyer” to residents near its stores. Each flyer highlights a selection of interesting products. The flyer has been described as a cross between Consumer Reports and Mad Magazine.

A story published in Fortune magazine more than a year ago made it appear that Trader Joe’s was unlikely to expand to Florida because the state is so far from its distribution centers. According to the story, insiders said it would be difficult for the company to efficiently get products to the state. Mochizuki had no comment about that.

Karen Polacek, who lives in Estero, said news of Trader Joe’s coming to Southwest Florida made her day on Wednesday.

“We shop at the Trader Joe’s in Minneapolis and also are fans of their counterpart Aldi’s - still hoping they will bring one of those to the area,” she said in an email.

She said Trader Joe’s will get an instant following from all the people who moved to the Southwest Florida from other areas where there are stores.

“They are usually small stores with great products. They package for both families, but also in a small quantity for one or two,” she said.

Jean Cochrane, an East Naples resident, said she’s eager for the store to open.

“I’m very happy,” she said. I’m from outside of Chicago and we love it. We like Aldi’s too.”

Cochrane said she’ll still shop at her nearby Publix because it’s so convenient, but she’ll go to Trader Joe’s for specialty items.

“They have such a variety and good products, very nice,” she said.

Now, the nearest stores are in Georgia.

Trader Joe’s Company started out as a chain of convenience stores in southern California, known as Pronto Markets, in 1958. In 1967, Pronto Markets became Trader Joe’s, which at first operated as small wine and cheese shops.

Over the last 40 years, Trader Joe’s has evolved and grown as a national grocer. It offers more than 2,000 unique grocery items under its label. The company does not sell its products online.

An opening date has not yet been set for the store in North Naples. Look for an announcement soon.

© 2011 Naples Daily News. All rights reserved.

I realize that there are plenty of residents here at Forest Villas that don't venture further south than the Walgreen's at Alico Road for their prescriptions.  I assure you there is a whole HUGE & BEAUTIFUL world that awaits you if you will gather all your courage and venture south a bit.  

Now there's not much chance that you'll head there for a carton of milk, but maybe, a few neighbors might want to make an impromtu 'Field Trip' once a month.  Have one neighbor drive, so you dont' get lost, & hit the store when you're looking for some FREE excitement, fresh bread, produce that doesn't cost a fortune, and lots of private label foods made without preservatives.


I've been writing Trader Joe's, trying to entice them here since Publix left their Island Park Road location.  I thought TJ's would be a perfect complement to our neighborhood.  Maybe it will still happen, if they do well in North Naples.

Their fresh made salsa is one of my favorites, along with their char-grilled balsamic vinegar marinated chicken breast. I seem to recall being able to purchase small sized desserts like New York Style cheese cakes for $5 in the frozen food aisle.  In comparison, I purchased a coconut cake at The Fresh Market for my brother-in-law's birthday & it set me back $19 !!  


I use their huge bars of Lemon Verbena French Milled soap in my shower that cost about $1.  Purchase soup stocks, chips and crackers that are a fraction of the price at the big chains, and I purchase treats for Tig & Tallulah when I'm up north and can stock up.

You're not going to find 12 pork chops in a package at TJ's, but for families of one or two people, you'll find great fresh foods, cheeses to die for, & did I mention WINE?

Before I moved to Florida, TJ's provided me with the very best Pinot Grigio I ever purchased for $3.99 per bottle.  Believe me when I tell you that Total Wine & Spirits, not to mention Publix, The Fresh Market, Whole Foods & SweetBay are NOT pleased with the news that TJ's is moving into their neighborhood.

The atmosphere is very laid back & the employees are very friendly & helpful.  Let's just say that you won't ever see a Publix employee performing in the manner captured on this Trader Joe's Dance-Off video.  These boys know how to have some fun, even if their ability to actually dance could be questioned!

http://www.traderjoes.com/

This blog is in no way affiliated with the Forest Villas HOA

Hurricane Irene & FV Street Status

Not much is happening down here in Forest Villas this week.  I feel fortunate that we dodged a bullet with Hurricane Irene.  No real effects from the storm.  We had one day where the breezes picked up & the temperature dropped a few degrees.  Just enough to make it feel like summer was on the wane, and then BAM!!!  We're back into the mid 90's again and sweltering heat & humidity.

HURRICANE IRENE

There was a FV Board Meeting this week. One of the items discussed was the report from the Paving Committee, which I was a member of along with Ed Hargedan, Paul Schierberl & Ben Bubala. 

Center Road Seaming Popping Open

The streets seemed to have hit a tipping point in their condition this year.  There has been cracking & some minor openings in the asphalt surface.   But this summer, when you walk the streets, the intersections are covered in pea-sized gravel covering the surface.  The asphalt appears to be decomposing.  The oil product that glues the gravel together in the asphalt has just evaporated & worn away due to our severe weather.  Street conditions like this cant' t be repaired with a layer of seal coat.  The roads seem to require a more comprehensive solution.

Disintegrating Parking Lot Surface

Ed Hargedan prepared a brief presentation regarding the conclusions & recommendation from the Paving Committee that met over the spring & summer.


The committee requested proposals from a number of paving contractors, & interviewed some finalists to ask questions & ascertain how the work would be accomplished.  Ajax Paving came back with the lowest bid, but also the best crew to do the work.  They can do the work in about 3-4 days, as compared with 7-8 days from other contractors.  And because they have large scale equipment, they can install the asphalt without the typical center seam.  Cracked asphalt will be milled off, & new asphalt will match the level of manholes & gutters.


Last year's quotes for this work were $10-$20k higher.  Asphalt prices are low right now because of a drop in the per barrel oil price, and it was recommended by the committee that this was the right time to take advantage of a season without hurricanes & that lower asphalt price.

The HOA has saved for 23 years for road resurfacing. In 1988, a barrel of oil was $14.90.  Who could have predicted that it would be more than $85.85 per barrel 23 years later?  The HOA will have almost enough paving funds saved towards the resurfacing at the end of the year, & will only be required to kick in a small amount from the HOA reserves to get the project paid for.

The committee recommended the work be done between October & November, after hurricane season, but before most of the part-time residents arrive.


It will be nice to have everything look nice at the same time.  New streets, new mailboxes, new coach lights & grass that looks better than it has in the last 5 years I've lived here.

Crispers restaurant in Bonita Springs has closed it's doors.  Carl's Patio is moving into the storefront that formerly housed Robb & Stucky Patio in Fort Myers on 41.

Clive Lubner, the former CEO of Robb & stucky, has announced he & his son, Daniel, are opening a new home furnishings venture in the old R&S Naples store called Clive Daniel Home in October.  At the same time he announced that the Naples showroom would no longer have that "Tuscan Feeling" because "that is just not the style Southwest Florida is looking for".  Aren't you glad you didn't spend $$$ on the Tuscan furniture that R&S pushed for years?


Bye for now, & have a great week. 
 bj, tig & tallulah

   

This blog is in no way affiliated with the Forest Villas HOA. 

Mid August Update - Rising Prices, Groceries, Roofs & Diseased Palms

Gas prices going up again down here.  It was $3.65 per gallon for 87 grade at Hess last Friday.  Why are the prices going up?  I hear there are tankers full of oil not pulling into port, waiting for the prices to rise again.  I'm taking comfort that gas is not as high has my sister is paying outside Chicago.  Their gas is back up to over $4 per gallon.


But my little car is a gas guzzler.  I'm going to have to switch to this 

to get me back & forth to Publix, which is also no bargain.  Publix has very little competition to keep prices from rising, now that Albertson's is gone. When I visited up north last year, I noticed prices for grocery items were about 20-30% cheaper than what we're paying down here.


The new Publix at Alico Commons doesn't have nearly as many customers as some of the other Publix in the area.  Because there are so few customers, the stock doesn't move as quickly.  I've noticed that goods on shelves are often near or past their expiration dates.  Be careful when you shop there.

Many of us had our roofs replaced in 2006.  I'm very happy with the results,...... but thought I'd report that for the 2nd time this year, there is a leak in my new roof. 

  

The first leak was discovered in January, in my guest room, when my sister & her husband came to visit.  Called Dr. Goodroof, & they were out the next day to fix the problem, which involved a broken tile (?) & coating some flashing with tar.  


What is disturbing is that both leaks have occurred in the EXACT SAME SPOTS where the old roof leaked.  Perhaps I'm not the only resident with leaks in their new roof.  Anyone who has had a leak fixed since the new roofs went on, please email me with your info so we can keep track of these occurances.  If there are enough of these leaks, we might have to call a PowWow to discuss our options.

Finally, sorry to report that yet another one of my palm trees has contracted Ganoderma Butt Rot.

Queen Palm with "Conk" Fungus at base of tree trunk

Here is a description of the tree disease found on-line.


 Ganoderma zonatum

Description
Ganoderma butt rot is a relatively new and lethal disease of Florida palm trees. It is caused by a fungus, Ganoderma zonatum, which invades the base or butt of palm trees up to a height of three to four feet above the ground. The disease was first discovered in Florida in 1994 and in only a few years it has spread to infect palms throughout the state. At this time, it cannot be said with certainty that there are any palm trees resistant to ganoderma butt rot.
The ganoderma zonatum fungus most often invades a palm tree by means of a wound at the base of the tree. The fungus then begins to rapidly work its way through the tree’s butt area essentially rotting the wood. Once the fungus has worked its way through the centre of the tree to the surface, it forms a fruiting body called a ‘conk’, a spongy, whitish mushroom-like growth which grows to form a horizontal disc extending out from the bark.
Treatment
Unfortunately, there is currently no effective treatment for ganoderma butt rot. By the time the conk has appeared on the bark, the tree is effectively dead and must be removed. While the wood above the butt area can be safely mulched, use extreme care when disposing of the butt wood in order to avoid spreading the fungus to other palms. Wrap the wood in plastic and dispose of it by incineration or take it to a landfill. Sterilize all tools and even be careful with clothing and gloves.
While there is no sure-fire way of preventing ganoderma butt rot infestation, the danger can be reduced by avoiding injuring the trunks of the palm trees on your property. Be especially careful when using lawnmowers and other gardening implements. Should you suspect a ganoderma butt rot infestation on your property, consult with your local forestry officials for information and advice.

Close Up of "Conk" Fungus

My stand of Areca Palms, on the side of my villa, are dying a slow death, and now I'm about to lose this 40' palm in the side/front of the villa.  


In the last year or so, there have been at least 3 other trees in Forest Villas that had to be removed due to this disease.  Once this fungus has invaded the soil around the tree, you cannot replace the dying palm with another palm.  The disease will simply make it's way to the new tree.  If you find you have a palm with this disease, it's a good idea to report it to the FVHOA.

Sorry, this posting is kind of a 'downer'.  The good news is that it's sunny & warm every day, & the mosquitoes seem to have called off their offensive for the time being.


Have a great weekend, bj

This is my personal blog, not affiliated in anyway with the FVHOA.

A Luncheon & Benefits of the Summer

Ibis in my pine tree

Two weeks ago I received an invitation to attend a luncheon given by Pauline Stabile. I hesitated at first, thinking that I shouldn't take the time away from work.  (For those of you who don't know what I do, and think that I am merely a "lady of leisure", I assure you, that concept could not be further from the truth.  I sell & design sign & display systems.) But I finally decided to take a time-out from business and go to the luncheon.

Pauline is a fabulous cook!  She treated the women who attended to home-cooked items, & made "from scratch" baked desserts.  The luncheon had a good turnout with lively conversations, & I came away thinking about what really nice women live here in Forest Villas.

Thanks again, Pauline.  It was a delightful way to spend a few hours during the summer!

Summer Rain & Heat

Now for one of the best benefits of the hot & wet summers down here.   Here are 2 pictures of the same Royal Poinciana tree that was planted in the Nature Preserve Area between my villa & the Simone's villa in 2009. Look at the difference in the size of the tree.  The first picture was taken in June 2010, the second July 2011.

Tree in June of 2010

The only disappointment is that the tree didn't bloom this year.  Early in the spring, Andy Simone & I thought the tree might not make it after the cold winter. But it rallied in May, & has been full & lush ever since.  

In the next few years, I expect the tree to spread to almost the full distance between the two villas.  The trees grow to 40 feet in height & 60 feet in width.

If you travel through the older portions of Fort Myers proper, you'll see ancient Royal Poinciana trees usually placed on the west side of many of the older homes. These trees were considered natural "air conditioning" for homes.  They provide dappled shade, and do well in hurricanes & wind storms due to their broad yet lacey growth pattern.  The trees bloom May - June, & can have either yellow or red-orange blossoms.  

Old Royal Poinciana in Fort Myers

And for a bit more comment on trees close to me.  Here is a picture of the Live Oak tree that my roofmates, Paul & Sandy, planted in their backyard back in 2006, & another picture of the tree today.

The Live Oak is that small tree on the far left of the picture

The Live Oak is that big tree on the far left of the picture

Really remarkable growth when you have pictures to compare.  The first picture was taken about 6 months after Hurricane Wilma blew through, so you can also see how the pine tree flourished after the damage of the storm.


Paul tells me that he always has little live oaks in his nature preserve area sprouting from the acorns the trees drop.  He's offering the small Live Oak saplings to anyone willing to do the transplant.  These trees would be great sun buffers for those villas exposed to that intense western light in the late afternoons & for those owners looking to put more "FOREST" into the Forest Villas.


Wishing you a great week!  bj

This is my personal blog NOT affiliated with the FVHOA