Check out this beautiful rainbow sunset we saw on August 29th on Siesta Key Beach!

It is not everyday a reality television show calls to rent your vacation home! TLC's Breaking Amish: A Brave New World was filmed at Bentley Street this past February. If you are a fan of the show come and stay at our vacation home!! 

Man and his dog at Sunset Point Siesta Key enjoying the sunset from their paddle board. 

I video taped this alligator during my visit to Myakka River State Park. This park is one of the largest and oldest state parks in Florida. The park is located at 13208 State Road 72, Sarasota, Florida 34241. Check out the park's website at www.myakkariver.org for hours and additional information!  

Check out this photo of Egrets walking across the Bentley Street lawn (photo taken on October 15th 2013)! 

We went to Marina Jack's Portside Patio on August 22, 2013 for lunch. They are located at 2 Marina Plaza in Sarasota right on the bay. The views were breathtaking. As you wait for your meals you are able to look out and see fabulous views of the bay, the park, boats arriving and departing, yachts, buildings, and a dolphin fountain. The service was wonderful and the waitresses were very friendly. We sat in the front left corner under the shade but close enough to the water to have great views. We highly recommend their raspberry iced tea, buffalo chicken sandwich, avocado wrap, and mango daiquiri. It is a great place to get a great meal and then walk around the area and get photos. After the meal we recommend walking to the park with the fountain that you can see from the patio. It is a circle walkway where you pass boats docked and there are swings, seats, a playground, many cool trees, a fountain, and great picture opportunities. We recommend going there in the afternoon to enjoy the patio and sights before the rain in the late afternoon. We were there during the rain but we waited it out and then we were able to walk over to the park afterwards, since the rain lasts such a short time. Marina Jack also offers an indoor dining room, a deep six lounge, live music, a banquet hall, Marina Jack II lunch/dinner cruise, and a gift shop.   

These pictures were taken on 8/20/2013 and 8/23/2013 at Siesta Key. The beaches have quartz sand that is soft on your feet and never gets hot from the sun. The beaches are very clean and the water is crystal clear. There are four lifeguard stands at the beach each a different color which can be seen pictured above which make it easier to locate your spot on the beach. We were in the water up to our shoulders and were still able to see our feet through the water. While in the ocean we could see schools of fish swimming by and fish jumping out of the water. The water was the perfect temperature. It is best to get to the beach early in the morning because daily between 3-6pm there is usually a downpour storm for a short time due to the weather in Siesta Key. Get out there and enjoy these beaches. There are plenty of public access points to the beach and there is also a main beach area that has a parking lot and snack pavilion with public restrooms. There are volleyball courts on the beach, lifeguards on duty all year round, picnic tables, tennis courts, and a soccer field. If you are bringing a cooler on the beach you are not allowed glass containers but it is legal to bring alcohol on the beach as long as it is in aluminum or plastic.  

We went to St Armand's Circle on 8/21/2013. St Armand's Circle is located on 300 Madison Dr #201 Sarasota, Fl 34236. This Circle is filled with shops, restaurants, scenery, and statues. This is a great place for picture opportunities, shopping, and dining. We got there around 10am and walked around to all the shops and then had lunch at the Columbia restaurant.   

During our time at St Armand's Circle we walked in all the shops, ate ice cream, ate at the Columbia Restaurant, and took lots of photos. There were many neat shops at the circle including Pepper Place, a wooden map store, a gallery, an olive oil store, and a variety of souvenir shops. We highly recommend going to Pepper Palace where you can sample a wide variety of bbq sauces, hot sauces, dips, and seasonings. We sampled a few of the hot sauces, salsas, and bbq sauces. We asked the owner what bbq sauce would be the best for pulled pork and he recommended a customer favorite called the Honey Chipotle Run BBQ sauce. I would have never tried it if he would not have suggested it and it was the best bbq sauce i have every tasted. We bought a bottle to take home as a gift and the manager informed us that we could place orders by phone or online to be shipped to our home if we wanted any more in the future. 

The Columbia Restaurant has amazing Spanish food. They have a very classy restaurant set-up with an outdoor patio area. We ate there around 1:00 p.m. and the place was the most crowded restaurant on the circle by far. The lunch menu had a wide variety of Spanish dishes and the restaurant gave great portion sizes for the money. They give you hot bread before your meal that was delicious. The waiter was very nice and accommodating. We recommend the key lime pie for dessert. Don't miss this fine dining opportunity while visiting Bentley Street. We provided dinner and lunch menus in Bentley so be sure to check out the menus!      

This week we went and ate at the Daiquiri Deck in Siesta Key. They have off street parking in the back of the restaurant, an outdoor deck, an indoor eating area, a raw bar, and a bar area. They have a wide variety of alcoholic drinks. I ordered the Kryptonite daiquiri and it was very good! It is pictured below. The service was fast and the waitress was very friendly and accommodating. We ordered the siesta burger and a salmon wrap, both were very good. You get a choice of fries or coleslaw with your meal. We also ordered a strawberry smoothie which was very refreshing after a good day at the beach! Overall a very positive and welcoming atmosphere to eat in. For more information visit their website at www.daiquirideck.com this restaurant is a short ride from Bentley street on 5250 Ocean Blvd, Siesta Key. A menu can be found online or in house menu drawer. Check out the daiquiri deck on your next visit!!

Here are pictures and a video of Sarasota Bay Park. The Sarasota Bay area is home to Marina Jacks, O'Leary's Tiki Bar and Grill, beautiful views, walking paths, beautiful picnicking spots, boat rentals, fishing opportunities, and much more. The Bay Park is located at One Marina Plaza, Sarasota, FL 34236 which is about a ten minute drive from Bentley Street.