Top 10 Healthy Living Things to do in Tampa Bay

Top 10 Healthy Living Things to do in Tampa Bay

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I found it is important to make your health a priority. Without health what else really matters? “If you have health, you probably will be happy, and if you have health and happiness, you have the wealth you need, even if it is not all you want.” –Elbert Hubbard.

#10 Visit Nearby Beaches
We are so lucky that Tampa Bay has picturesque scenery almost 365 days of the year! Most of the beaches are within driving distance and are a perfect place to take a walk or run. Check out these locations: Fort De Soto Park, which was recently named America’s “Best Family Beach” by USA Today, Clearwater Beach, which was named “Best Beach Town” in January 2013 by, USA Today and Caladesi Island State Park which was named “America’s #1 Beach” in 2008 by Dr. Beach.

#9 Take a run on the Fred Marquis Pinellas County Trail

This is 38 miles of paved trail going from St. Petersburg to Tarpon Springs. The trail is a wonderful place to go for a sprint or if you are up for it, a marathon.

#8 Play Sports

We have so many places you can go to play a round of golf or a game of tennis. You can also go for a swim. Try out a country club or join an intramural league.

#7 Check out your City Recreation Center

City recreation centers are a great place to help you get healthy this year. Some recreation centers offer free gym memberships to their residents. Most centers have pools and fitness classes and usually the prices are pretty reasonable.

#6 Join a Gym

Gyms and fitness centers are all over. Find the right one that works for you. You can workout just with women or just with men or both. Some provide day care if you have little ones. There are even 24 hour gyms.

#5 Eat at Healthy Restaurants

We are fortunate that restaurants throughout Tampa Bay are popping up serving nutritious menu items. Here are a few to check out including: Rollin Oats Cafe and Market in St. Petersburg, which has been around since 1994. Another on in St. Petersburg is Locale Market, recently opening in St. Petersburg’s Sun Dial with celebrity-chefs Don Pintabona and Michael Mina.

#4 Indulge in Healthy Desserts

I love delicious desserts that won’t put on the pounds. If you are looking for a great dessert place, D’Lites Emporium has awesome ice cream and other wonderful healthy foods. D’Lites ice cream is low in sodium, sugar, fat, and carbohydrates. It is cholesterol free, and a healthier alternative to regular ice cream. There are several locations around Tampa Bay.

#3 Buy from Local Farmers Markets

If you like to cook at home, local farmers markets are fun to visit and offer lots of fruits and vegetables. Juicing and making smoothies from fruits and vegetables is a great way to get vitamins and nutrients in your body. There are several markets around Tampa Bay. Largo offers a local market on Fridays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Largo Central Park, located at 101 Central Park, Largo.

#2 Pamper Yourself at a Wellness Center or Spa

It is also important to pamper yourself as a reward for all your hard work! Take advantage of some of the wonderful wellness centers and spas we have in Tampa Bay, including the Safety Harbor Resort and Spa. This historic facility has a 50,000 square foot spa and fitness center. It is important to take time and relax. This will also benefit your health.

#1 Relax, Rejuvenate and Revitalize with Nature

Relax, rejuvenate, revitalize and reconnect with Florida’s great outdoors. The sun’s rays are proven to strengthen the immune system. The sun can help us with our mood and improves our cardiovascular system. The sun also eases the healing of swollen joints. What better way for us to top off our list of healthy living than by taking in a little sunshine!

Hopefully you are excited about making 2015 a healthy one!

Thinking about selling or buying a new home in 2015?

Thinking about selling or buying a new home in 2015?

creative colorful new year 2015 greeting design with home themeExciting news for both buyers and sellers this coming year. Forecasts predict a boost in 2015 on groundbreakings of new single-family homes. Realtor.com predicts that existing or previously owned home sales will grow 8% in 2015.

It seems like the housing market is getting its equity back after the loss in 2006 to 2007. Over the past year, home prices rose in 246 of the 277 cities tracked by Clear Capital. If you are selling, you can expect to get more for your home this year.

If you are looking to buy a home and are a first time homebuyer this is a good year for you. There are more favorable conditions than there have been in years for first-time home buyers.

Earlier in December, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac put in place new lending guidelines and started offering 3% down payment mortgages that will make it easier for buyers to qualify for a mortgage.

Mortgage interest rates are still near historic lows. You can get a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage for less than 4 percent. The Federal Reserve said they would not raise the Federal Funds rate until the summer of at least 2015.  Even then it should be more than 5%.

Other good news is that builders are building homes that are more affordable for first-time homebuyers.

If you want to put your home on the market or are looking for a home give me a call. I am happy to help you with whatever your goals are for the upcoming year.

If you are interested in finding out the home prices in your area I would be happy to send them to you. What I am offering is a complimentary email sent to you every time a home is put on the market in your neighborhood or is sold in your neighborhood. The email notification will include the listing, photos and home tour.

I can usually find out this information before a home goes on the market, so you will be one of the first to know.

If you would like to receive this information send me your first and last name, address and email.

Send it to Jodi@JodiAvery.com

Happy New Year!


Jodi Avery’s Top Picks for Mouth Watering Restaurants in Tampa Bay

Jodi Avery’s Top Picks for Mouth Watering Restaurants in Tampa Bay

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Are you looking for some fantastic restaurants that will make you want to lick your plate? I love going out to eat and finding places my family and friends enjoy, and that have the best food around.  I thought, I would give you a sneak peak of seven of my favorite restaurants from St. Petersberg to Tampa. These are part of a group of restaurants featured in my latest version of Jodi’s A-List.

Here they are:

Favorite Breakfast Place

La Creperia Café in Ybor – This is our family favorite place to go after Sunday morning church. Chef Dino has perfected the French art of crepe. We watch as he pours, twirls, flips using the freshest ingredients, which are cooked to perfection. Croque Madame #68 is my personal favorite, which is a La Parisienne sandwich with ham and an egg on top.  My daughter Lily’s favorite is Marie Antoinette #21. It is a sweet crepe that has nutella, banana, fresh strawberries and Bailey’s. Yummm!  www.lacreperiacafe.com

Favorite Food Truck

Wicked Wiches – I love everything pumpkin and that is why I love the Pumpkin Spiced, Maduro-Battered Monte Cristo. Literally and actually a mouthful, this pumpkin battered sandwich with turkey comes with cranberry sauce for dipping. This is definitely a coma-inducing treat for me!   www.wickedwiches.com

Favorite Romantic Date Place

Ciro’s Speakeasy and Supper Club in Tampa – This restaurant atmosphere is discreet, romantic and trendy! You feel you are in a time machine to the 1920’s with it’s private cozy booths and curtains. Don’t forget your password! Perfect restaurant for celebrating a special occasion!  www.cirostampa.com

Favorite Italian Restaurant

Casa Ludovico  in Palm Harbor – One of my favorite places to travel is Italy because of it’s cuisine. This authentic Italian restaurant makes me feel I am back there. Make sure you order the tiramisu, with it’s luscious ladyfinger in whipped cream, mascarpone and bittersweet cocoa. It is to die for! www.eatatcasa.com

Favorite Mexican Restaurant

Red Mesa Cantina in Downtown St. Petersburg- Their Mexican-Southwestern cuisine is always authentic fresh, fun, and flavorful. I love the hip ambiance on the outdoor courtyard and fountain and of course their live music.  www.redmesacantina.com

Favorite Vietnamese Restaurant

La V in downtown St. Petersburg- I have an addiction to the distinctive Boba Tea which consists of black tea, condensed milk and sugar. Boba Tea has the tapioca balls, which have a consistency like gummy candy balls that are made from the potato cassava plant that sit at the bottom of the cup. There are over 60 flavors with Taro being my favorite. Yummy! La V spring rolls have fresh ingredients, minimal use of grease, as they rest on herbs and vegetables. You must go to!  www.lavfusion.com

Favorite Bakery

Pane Rustica Bakery and Café in Tampa- I love to go to Pane Rustica! They are a wholesale retail bakery and restaurant specializing in traditional, hearth baked artisan breads of Italy and France. They make 7000 pounds of bread a week. My favorite bakery items are their blueberry scones, chocolate croissants and oven roasted vegetable sandwich.  www.panerusticbakery.com

These are just a few of my favorites. If you want to see the rest grab a copy of Jodi’s A-List. You can also log onto my website at www.Jodiavery.com or give me a call at 727-238-9660!

Welcome!

Welcome!

Hi! Welcome to my latest endeavor blogging. I am so excited about this blog. I have so much information I want to share with you about purchasing and selling your home. What better way than to put the information in a blog. I plan on giving you information you can use with tips and ideas to help you, including my top 25 restaurants in the area and Jodi’s A-list.

First of all, I would like to tell you a little bit about myself. I am a Real Estate Agent. I specialize in representing both Buyers and Sellers in Clearwater, Safety Harbor, Oldsmar, Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs, New Port Richey, and Trinity.

I am a mother of four wonderful children. I grew up in the Tampa Bay area and attended Countryside High School. I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Marketing from the University of South Florida. I started in Real Estate in 1993 and received my Brokers license in 1994. I am a member of the National Association of REALTORS, the Florida Association of REALTORS, and the Pinellas Realtor Organization. I am a designated certified distressed property expert (CDPE) and a designated certified investor agent specialist (CIAS).

I am passionate about what I do and forward to utilizing my talents, gifts and skills to work with you and for you.

Please enjoy and let me know what you think about my blog. I would love to have you comments.