Busch Gardens . . . October 2010 photos

The Captain and I have spent quite a bit of time at Busch Gardens this month which means lots of photos.  The following video is more of an overview of the gardens and some of the animals.

More videos are coming on specific Busch Garden themes.

The park in October is one of the most enjoyable months to visit since the weather is starting to get a little cooler, not as humid and for some reason, attendance seems to be lower this time of year.  The only negative is that the park closes early (6:00 pm) since Howl-O-Scream (a night event) runs the entire month of October.  All in all, this is my favorite time of the year to visit Busch Gardens.

Hope you enjoyed the video . . . subscribe to this blog for notifications of new posts!

Happy Halloween! Howl-O-Scream, Busch Gardens Tampa . . . where the vampires come out at night!

The Captain and I have been spending quite a bit of time visiting Busch Gardens lately.  Of course we have taken tons of photos and I have been working on sorting out photos, creating new videos and blog posts that will focus on the different aspects of Busch Gardens in Tampa.


Since it is the season . . . the feature of this post is Howl-O-Scream 2010 . . .


This year's Howl-O-Scream Halloween event has found the theme park decked out in festive ghoulish fashion.  This year has an awesome rock and roll theme featuring Sylvie and her band My X.


As night approaches, subtle changes start to happen in the park . . . red lights light up the night . . . the makeup and costumes are awesome . . . the atmosphere in general is hauntingly energetic and electrifying.


The HOS website in itself is an entertaining creation . . . here is a screen shot of one of the pages . . . on this page, you will find the story of Sylvie and Alex, her ex . . .

My tribute video to 2010 Howl-O-Scream

the sights and sounds of vampires, freaks and awesome music!

EVENT PREVIEW from TBO.com

Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream

WHEN: Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday and through October 31, as well as Halloween Night

WHERE: Busch Gardens, 3000 E. Busch Blvd., Tampa, Florida

TAMPA - The protesters outside the Livingsdoom Theater tried to warn me. They waved hand-painted signs with slogans like "This Music is Killing Our Youth" and "Morality Dies When My X Performs."

But that didn't stop me. I was there to get a sneak peek at My X and lead singer, Sylvie. So I pressed on with my tour of "My X: Revenge Rocks," the featured haunted house at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's 11th annual Howl-O-Scream, the park's popular annual fright fest.

Finally making my way through the blockade, I was greeted by a young man in a tilted baseball cap and No. 13 sports jersey. He had dark, sunken eyes — like the drug dealer from those after-school TV specials.

Promising to get me backstage, he quickly ushered me through a side entrance.

The door slammed behind me. I took a brief second to let my eyes adjust to the darkness, my ears to the blaring music. Immediately, I was startled as a doorman pounded the walls of the ticket booth and demanded to see my credentials.

I carefully made my way down the dark, winding corridors. The walls were covered in torn, weathered concert posters.

From a dank, moldy bathroom with flickering lights, a man cried out for help as his friend hung upside-down from the ceiling tiles, head firmly submerged in a flushing toilet. He was good as dead — and his breath probably reeked of urinal cake.

Before I had time to take in the entire dilemma, a grate high upon the wall was flung open. A bloodied man with a bandaged head emerged and screamed, "Save yourself!"

Twisting farther into the winding labyrinth, I came upon a dressing room, complete with soft-lit, oversize mirrors, makeup counters and clothing racks. A sassy wardrobe artist emerged from the darkness.

"You're late for your fitting, Ryan," she scolded. "The next time you're late, I'm going to turn you into a pair of Sylvie's pants."

I hurried my pace as I tried to avoid strands of curtain weights, then the hallway opened up once more as I was greeted by my less-ghoulish media contacts.

And finally, Sylvie.

Scantily clad in skin-tight, torn, black Lycra, she subtly refused my handshake, opting instead to lean her back against me, contort her neck and gaze longingly into my eyes.

In a manic effort to keep things professional, I asked her about her upcoming shows.

"I'm playing every single night for Howl-O-Scream, so come check it out," she said. "It will be a very killer show."

Two of the haunted houses are new this year: "My X: Revenge Rocks" and "Alone ..." which features a twist: You go through it all by yourself.

Though they tout this year as having more haunted houses than ever, most of them are refreshed repeats from previous years.

Among this year's returning houses are "Nightshade Toy Factory: Son of Nightshade," where you'll be terrorized by possessed playthings; "Delta Epsilon Delta: Extreme Rush (DEDer)," where you'll endure the torture and pain of sorority life and "Deconstruction: The Doctor Is Out of Control," which puts you in the laboratory of a mad reconstructive surgeon whose hobbies include combining flesh, bone and steel in hideous ways.

By RYAN BAUER | TBO.com

Published: September 29, 2010

Updated: 10/03/2010 09:06 pm

Busch Garden's newest attraction . . . Cheetah Hunt

Do you love roller coasters?

If you do, Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida has become a haven for roller coaster enthusiasts.  Just when you think they could not possibly squeeze in another roller coaster . . . here comes another one!

Here is a video on the newest attraction . . . Cheetah Hunt

Thrill seekers will be able to immerse themselves in a new jungle realm inside Busch Gardens soon.

Busch Gardens officials introduced the park's new attraction Wednesday - a new ride called Cheetah Hunt. The centerpiece will be a new roller coaster.

The ride will use repelling magnets to launch riders from 0 to 60 mph in seconds. The ride, almost an entire mile in length, will repeat the launch twice more during the ride.

Enthusiasts will board the ride in the historic monorail station, which will be completely renovated as part of the new attraction.

It will feature an African landscape and animals as well. The adjacent area that formerly housed the Budweiser Clydesdales will now be home to cheetahs and give visitors an up close experience with the animals.

The area and ride is expected to open in the spring.

Source:  Bay News 9

KaTonga @ Busch Gardens to close on September 6

“KaTonga,” an Africa-inspired stage show that celebrates animal folklore which has been staged at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's Moroccan Palace Theater, will end its six-year run on September 6 after 10,000 shows.

“KaTonga” follows African storytellers as they bring you on a magical journey of amazing music and colorful puppets . . . AWESOME!

My boyfriend and I plan on visiting Busch Gardens this week to bid farewell to one of the best stage productions I have enjoyed at the theme park through the years. It is one of those productions that I never tired of and have seen it more times than I can say . . . it will be missed!

“KaTonga” will be replaced by “Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy,” a Broadway hit featuring aerialists, contortionists, acrobats and musicians which was nominated for “best costume design” by the American Theatre Wing will debut sometime this winter.

Clearwater Beach, Florida

My first recollection of "the beach" was Clearwater Beach, where we spent several vacations and holidays every year.

Back in the day, the beach was lined with huge rental beach homes and the smaller mom and pop motels with assorted tourist traps, restaurants and nightly open air auctions. The backdrop was the gorgeous Gulf of Mexico with sounds, sights and smells that nothing else can replace.

The week after school let out was designated "Beach Week" . . . and everyone I knew from school went to Clearwater Beach for that week. Well . . . everyone but me . . . it was not allowed.

As a young adult, it was still my favorite beach and I would load my beloved blue Camaro with friends, brother, cousins . . . whoever wanted to go . . . just about every weekend. I adored the beach and it was my favorite place ever . . .

Many years have gone by and other area beaches and attractions became popular and I wanted to experience "new and different" . . . I had not been back to Clearwater Beach in a very long time.

My boyfriend and I decided at the spur of the moment to visit the beach, so we packed the van, picked up my mom and headed out towards a new adventure and old memories at the same time.

Gone were the mom and pop motels . . . in their place were gorgeous high rise hotels and fancy restaurants. The sadness hit when I knew we were at the beach, but could not see it like we could before all the new development.

It was comforting to see some of the old tourist traps made it through the transformation, although we didn't have time to walk the street and take it all in. Some of my fondest recollections of beach visits past were shopping at the shell shops that sold everything made with shells, loose shells, seahorses and sand dollars . . . I still have some of them!

Anyway . . . today's visit brought back many old memories that made me happy and sad. Sad was the fishing pier my dad and I fished many allnighters at was gone . . . a victim of a recent hurricane . . . we sat on a portion that was made into a seating area. Cool, but way more cool was the fishing pier of days past . . .

Happy was seeing the little boy come out in my boyfriend's eyes when we finally got out to the beach. The gulf beaches hold some kind of magic to kids of all ages . . . and it all came back to me today too. My mom shared her childhood memories of the beach and the way it was back in her day. I could see the little girl in her eyes too . . .

It was unfortunately a very rainy day and we didn't want to get our cameras wet . . . so, only a few photos of the beach for today's visit . . . but we will be visiting again very soon :-)

Some photos from today's visit:

Some vintage postcards from Clearwater Beach:

Riverhills Park . . . Temple Terrace, Florida

Nature is one of God's free gifts that many of us take for granted. Riverhills Park located in Temple Terrace, Florida is one of those gifts that living in Florida provides.

There is nothing like escaping into nature after a stressful day at the office. My boyfriend and I frequently visit after work with a picnic for ourselves and the wildlife who call Riverhills Park their home.

The egrets walk the park in search of visitors with treats for them. We have noticed there are several who hop along on one leg and have summized they are a victim of the resident gator who makes his occasional appearance.

Beautiful Riverhills Park offers access to the Hillsborough River, providing a boat ramp and dock, picnic areas set under the cypress and oaks and a boardwalk that winds along the riverfront.

Additional amenities include a large playground area, two newly renovated tennis courts, and restrooms. Riverhills Park gazebo may be reserved for parties and other functions by calling (813) 989-7180.

Visit my boyfriend's blog for more photos . . .

Gasparilla Eve . . . all about Tampa, Florida!

It seemed fitting to repost this article
on Gasparilla Eve!






TAMPA . . . The word "Tampa" is a Native American word used to refer to the area when the first European explorers arrived in Florida whose meaning is sometimes claimed to mean "sticks of fire" in the language . . ."The place to gather sticks" . . . which also relates to the high concentration of lightning strikes that Tampa Bay receives every year during the hot and wet summer months.


HISTORY

Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon first arrived in the Tampa Bay area in 1513, but the Spaniards focused their attention on settling eastern Florida and left the western areas alone. In 1824, only two months after the arrival of the first American settler, four companies of the U.S. Army established Fort Brooke to protect the strategic harbor at Tampa Bay.

Tampa owes its commercial success to Tampa Bay and the Hillsborough River. When phosphates were discovered nearby in the late 1880's, the resulting mining and shipping industries prompted a boom of growth and wealth that lasted through the 1890's. The Port of Tampa is now the seventh largest in the nation; today phosphate shipping is supplemented by trade in shrimp. A pleasure cruise line operates as well.

In 1886, Vicente Martinez Ybor established a cigar factory in Tampa. From the steps of Ybor's factory, José Marti, sometimes called the George Washington of Cuba, exhorted the cigar workers to take up arms against Spain in the late 1800's. Hispanic culture enlivens Ybor City which covers about 2 square miles between Nebraska Avenue, 22nd Street, Columbus Drive and East Broadway.

The military has also had an ongoing role in Tampa's development. The city was the primary outfitting and embarkation port for U.S. troops bound for Cuba during the Spanish-American War. Today the U.S. Operations Command is headquartered nearby at MacDill Air Force Base.





WHAT MAKES TAMPA UNIQUE . . .
DIVERSITY

One of the things that makes Tampa unique is the Gasparilla celebration, a festival similar to Mardi Gras with a pirate theme . . . best to check out the video . . . click here.

As far as I'm concerned, this is as close as I'm going to get to living in paradise. There are warm breezes, gone is the humidity, the daily afternoon tropical thunderstorms or threats of an impending hurricane and only the occasional cold day and night (what I call cold) . . . this is winter in Tampa, the best time to visit my part of the world. We occasionally get a freeze at night, but it never snows and cold fronts usually move fast and last a day or two, then back to warm and sunny Florida weather.

No matter what you are in the mood for, you can find it here, there is lots to do . . . you can relax and dine at a waterside cafe, take a streetcar ride to Channelside for shopping and back to Ybor City for a delight all to itself.

Ybor City is an experience that takes you back to another era, known as Florida's Latin Quarter, wrought iron balconies, globe streetlights, brick-lined walkways and the majestic architecture of cigar factories, social clubs and other unique buildings. It provides a glimpse into an era rich with culture and history . . . famous for Spanish Flamenco dancers, Cuban sandwiches, hand-rolled cigars, shopping at Centro Ybor by day and when the sun goes down, party at the many restaurants, nightclubs and bars that line the streets of Ybor City that are so reminiscent of New Orleans.

For those into sports, Tampa is home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Lightning and winter home of the New York Yankees and served three times as Super Bowl host.

Tampa is one hour away from Disney World and the home of Busch Gardens, where you can ride world known roller coasters like the Montu, Sheikra, Gwazi, Kumba and many other attractions, one of the most awesome zoos in the world and gorgeous gardens to walk through. Check out all to do at Busch Gardens by visiting their website, which is a treat in itself . . .
Busch Gardens website

Cross Tampa Bay and you will find white, sugar sand beaches, sport fishing, jet skiing, parasailing . . . there is nothing like walking the beach at dawn or watching a spectacular sunset on the Gulf of Mexico.

There is also an abundance of state parks, botanical gardens . . . a nature lover's paradise.

Famous people from Tampa . . . Ray Charles, Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys, his brother Aaron Carter, Hulk Hogan, Lauren Hutton, baseball players Dwight Gooden, Gary Sheffield and Steve Garvey, singer/songwriter Stephen Stills . . . and me!

Change of seasons, Central Florida style

Living in Central Florida doesn't give one a sense of changing seasons. The weather has wild fluctuations that could have winter-like conditions one day and summer-like weather the next.

However, the biggest indicator of the changing season in my part of the world is returning humidity. For at least a month or two, it has been trying to come back and stay, but cold fronts bring back those springtime "open windows" days with the crisp air and mild temps.

This is my favorite time of the year!

Although I spend way too much time sitting behind this computer, I have managed to get out a bit to start tidying up the carport jungle. It is where I hang out on my breaks where I can enjoy nice breezes and nature unfolding before my eyes.

My desire to garden is coming back strong this year and I even bought some seeds to start my veggie/herb garden. I should have started last month!

Bear with me as I restructure my web spaces . . .

In the meantime, I will be writing about some area attractions like Busch Gardens and Disney World . . . I have photos from years past that I would love to share.

What's blooming in your garden?

My paradise jungle is colorful with blooming Kalanchoe

I've written about these plants in my new blog . . . come by
and discuss what is blooming in your garden this month.

Florida gardeners webpage

It has been ages since I've posted any entries on this blog . . . I've been busy reorganizing my life, taking care of a nasty computer virus that took me over a month to conquer and way too much to go into again as everything has been covered in my other blogs . . .

My latest project is updating my personal website, DonitaWorld.com, which is mainly devoted to gardening and soap operas . . . much more coming soon.

In the meantime . . . I have updated my Florida gardening webpage . . . click here to go there.

Have all of my Florida gardening buddies thawed out by now?

My paradise is a bit crispy, but better than I expected. We were supposed to get down to the 20's in Tampa, but it didn't happen in my area. This Florida girl is still bundled up in many layers of clothing as my bones have not thawed out sufficiently :) I absolutely HATE cold weather . . .

With the economy as it is and my internet endeavors taking a huge financial hit, my unsuccessful attempts at joining the real world with a "real job" haven't worked out . . . well, I'm looking at all areas of my life that need cutting back.

One of them is food that I can grow myself and I intend on at least clearing out a section of my paradise and devote it to growing tomatoes, peppers and herbs to start off with . . . even if I have to grow them in containers . . . that works better for me anyway!

I've begun a series on my food blog, Gina's Italian Kitchen, on saving money on groceries, including recipes for cheap meals. There have been times in my life where I have gone through some serious financial struggles, I know how to adapt and still eat well.

You can really save money when you grow your own herbs and veggies . . . especially from seed . . . I'll start a series on growing your own food.

Collectors of Disney memorabilia

Click on the 1st Disneyana Convention
Mickey Mouse Christmas Ornament to go to my eBay store . . .
I've just begun listing my collection of collectible Disney stuff.

There are hundreds of items in my collection that I am ready to let go of . . .
I've been collecting this stuff since Disney World first opened!

Where did the summer go?

It didn't hit me until today that summer is over. Labor Day crept up on me like all the other holidays and special events that have come and go.

Since my husband passed away, I've found it difficult for anything to seem normal. Even my biggest passion, gardening in my Paradise, has been a dreaded reminder of my happy past. But you know, circumstances don't go away if you ignore them, and untended gardens turn to jungles. My biggest promise to myself has been to get my Paradise back to where I can enjoy it again. Summer marked its beginning which never really started. My Paradise was not to be the jumping off point to my new "normal". An overwhelming task that needs professional help . . . and lots of money!

All is not lost though . . . it seems like this summer has marked my way back to "normal" in many different positive ways. My other blogs have chronicled these incremental changes that have brought me to this place in life that feels like the beginning of many new changes.

I just wanted to check in and let everyone know I'm still around, but have not been very active in the garden and have not gotten out to enjoy the Florida sunshine like I will be doing very soon. I've spent most of the summer getting my online stores going again and getting myself ready to get back into the "real world" and getting another job. I haven't worked since April and I miss getting out . . . it is time!

Don't most hermits hibernate during the winter?

:) Happy Labor Day!

Organic pest control

Someone left a comment on one of my posts asking the question . . .
"how do I keep bugs from eating my basil?"

I'm an organic gardener and don't use chemicals in my garden, especially on herbs and vegetables.

There are several recipes that I've used to control pests, but the one that is very simple . . . a squirt of dishwashing liquid in a gallon of water (do not use Dawn or any other grease cutting dishwashing liquid). You can also add a teaspoon of cooking oil to make it stick to the leaves of the plant.

Something else I have learned is spray the plant with plain water with the spray nozzle on the hose . . . the spray of water will knock the bugs off the plant.

The key is to keep the leaves clean and check your plants often.

Screening with container plants

Container gardens can add a green privacy screen to a balcony or an open area.

A trellis gives vines a structure to grow on and stakes added to the bottom of the trellis help support it on the outside of the planting box. Trellises and stakes should be attached to the containers with galvanized bolts.

Water-sealed redwood and cedar are good choices for planter boxes. To help them last longer, line boxes with landscape fabric which has the added benefit of preventing soil from washing out the drainage holes. After the fabric is in place, add a mixture of half potting soil and half compost. Fill the box to within 10" from the rim.

Select a fast-growing evergreen vine to cover the trellis. Once you've selected a vine, remove it carefully from the nursery container, and place the back of the stake supporting the vine against the trellis. Cut away the plant ties from the support stake, and disentangle the vine. Tie each stem to the trellis, fanning out the stems as you go.

If you like, add other plants to your container for additional color and interest. Make sure the additions have growing requirements similar to those of the vine.

Disney to close Pleasure Island nightclubs

PLEASURE ISLAND NIGHTCLUBS CLOSING SEPTEMBER 28, 2008

After nearly 20 years in operation, Disney's Pleasure Island is undergoing a major overhaul, including the closure of the Adventurer's Club, Comedy Warehouse, 8 Traxx, Motion, Mannequins and BET Sound Stage . . . The Rock 'n' Roll Beach Club closed as of February 3, 2008.

Pleasure Island is a section of the Walt Disney World Resort within the Downtown Disney shopping, dining and entertainment district. Pleasure Island officially opened May 1, 1989, and will officially close on September 27, 2008.

From 1990 through New Year's Eve 2005, Pleasure Island celebrated New Year's Eve with a fireworks show every night at midnight.

On June 27, 2008, the Walt Disney World Resort announced that over the next two years, Disney will replace all of Pleasure Island's nightclubs with new stores and restaurants.

Disney denied rumors that the changes are due to a drop in attendance at Pleasure Island, stating instead that the company is responding to guest feedback asking for more family friendly experiences.

Although it has been a very long time since I have visited Walt Disney World, there was a time when JR and I visited at least twice a month. As annual passholders of Walt Disney World, we wanted to get our money's worth . . . and we did!

Since JR passed away, I have not had the desire to visit and I had no idea that the concept of "every night is New Year's Eve" had been abandoned. Pleasure Island had to be the most festive party atmosphere I ever experienced.

Mannequins was my favorite dance club and many fond memories came back to me when I read that it still exists . . . at least until September of this year. Being the dance music freak that I am and a huge lover of dance clubs, Mannequins was the ultimate place to dance, enjoy music and be entertained.

The name "mannequins" set the scene for live mannequins staged throughout the club. One minute you would swear they were a mannequin and the next minute they would come to life, complete with a spotlight on them as they danced to the music. At least that was how it was back in the day when we partied there quite often.

Pleasure Island was also the home of one of my all time favorite restaurants on the Disney property . . . Fireworks Factory, which has been long gone. The comfort food served there was among the best that I have ever had . . . BBQ pork ribs that would fall off the bone, the best fresh cornbread ever and the most to die for brownie hot fudge sundae ever. Even if we were visiting on a budget and brought food from the grocery store to eat, we had to visit Fireworks Factory at least for dessert and coffee.

While most of my memories are on video and in my head, I know I have a ton of photos from Pleasure Island that I will scan and post. It brought tears to my eyes to think the place that holds such beautiful memories of awesome times JR and I shared will only be a memory after September.

I'm sure the new stores and restaurants will be as spectacular as everything else on the Disney property, but will not have the memories of those awesome days gone by . . .

If you can visit before it closes and you have never experienced Pleasure Island and the eccentric nightclubs, experience it before they are gone . . . even though every night is no longer New Year's Eve.

Disney's Grand Floridian Hotel turned 20

Walt Disney World's Grand Floridian Hotel turned 20 on July 1.

It is one of my favorite places in the world!

I'll post some photos of the Grand Floridian Hotel
from my vast photo collection from Walt Disney World.