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The Southwest Orl, ando Bulletin reported the Best of Southwest 2009 in its January 8-21, 2009 issue. The Best of Southwest 2009 was the feedback of hundreds of Southwest readers. This bulletin is published semimonthly with an emphasis on local content within Southwest Orlando area and has a circulation of 43,000 households. Bold text reflects the winners in each category.
So, here are some of the results for your reference:
Best place to live in Southwest - (1) Dr. Phillips, (2) Windermere and (3) Bay Hill
Best Southwest Park - (1) Dr. P. Phillips Community Park, (2) Bill Frederick Park and Pool at Turkey Lake and (3) Shadow Bay Park
Best Golf Club/Course - (1) Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge, (2) MetroWest Golf Club and (3) Shingle Creek Golf Club
Best Fine Dining Restaurant - (1) Seasons 52, (2) Vines Grille & Wine Bar and (3) Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine
Best Lunch Locale - (1) Press 101, (2) Panera Bread and (30 Season 52
Best Fitness Facility - (1) Gold’s Gym, (2) Dr. P. Phillips YMCA Family Center and (3) Lifesytle Family Fitness
Best New Business - (1) Whole Foods Market, (2) Massage Envy Dr. Phillips and (3) Cold Stone Creamery
Most Needed Improvement in Southwest - (1) Traffic congestion at Sand Lake and Turkey Lake roads, (2) Crime reduction in communities and (3) Better public transportation
For more of the Best of Southwest 2009, please visit www.southestorlandobulletin.com.
This information is helpful for those of you who are in the process of deciding where to buy or rent in Southwest Orlando. Depending upon your lifestyle, ease of access to major roads, shopping, dinning, work out facilities, etc, there is always something for everyone in Southwest Orlando.
If you have a favorite in Southwest Orlando that you would like to share, please shoot me an email!
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Universal Studio guests will be treated to 2 Mannheim Steamroller Christmas concerts on December 6th, 2008 in celebration of the Holidays. The concerts, staged in the New York area of the park will be at 6 and 8 p.m. Concerts will include music from that Grinch show, Steamroller hits and selections from the group’s new CD, Christmasville. The concerts will be included in regular theme-park admission.
Many Olrando residents are annual pass holders and enjoy the convinence of visiting the theme-parks during special events like the one above. For those who live in the Southwest Orlando area, its even better because Universal Studios is within a short driving distance to the theme-park.
Orlando real estate near Universal Studios would include the areas of Dr. Phillips, Windermere and Metrowest.
For Orlando real estate listings, visit www.ThumbsUpOrlando.com
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The United States presidential election of 2008, scheduled for today, Tuesday November 4, 2008, is the 56th consecutive quadrennial United States presidential election and will select the President and the Vice President of the United States.
Today marks a special day for me because this is the first time that I have voted since becoming a USA citizen. I voted at the Southwest Orlando Dr. Phillips Library which opened at 7am with approximately 40 or so people in the line. However, by 8:15am there was hardly any voter in the line.
Is it imporant to recognize that besides choosing our next president and vice president, there are some important choices to be made that will impact our Orlando real estate. For example, there is Amendment 3 which prevents home improvements that make your place more hurricane-proof or energy-efficient from raising your taxable value. You also get to vote for your Orange County property appraiser. All of these choces impact our Olrando real estate.
Vote early and good luck with your choices. Visit www.ThumbsUpOrlando.com for Orlando real estate.
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The Orlando Sentinel reported today that with condominiums selling for less than single-family homes, the condo-heavy MetroWest area racked up more new residential closings than any community in Metro Orlando during the first half of this year. MetroWest is located in Southwest Orlando, a part of the Orlando real estate.
Baldwin Park in northeast Orlando was the second-busiest for closings between January and the end of June, with 81 properties — condos and single-family homes — sold, for an average price of $441,600 apiece. Balwdwin Park, a planned Florida community is located a little over two miles from downtown Orlando. Its convenient location to the city’s workplaces, restaurants, cultural attractions and entertainment and sports venues makes it a very popular community.
Of the 20 communities with the most new-home or new-condo closings in Orange, Seminole, Lake and Osceola counties and part of nearby Polk, 12 were in Orange County, with two in each of the other counties.
For Orlando real estate listings, visit www.ThumbsUpOrlando.com
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Yes, its that time of the year again!
This Halloween, take your kids to the Marketplace at Dr. Phillips (Dr. Phillips Blvd and Sand Lake Road) for trick or treating. This Southwest Orlando event is a must for everyone with kids. The event will take place on Saturday, October 25th from 11am to 2pm.
Here’s the agenda for the event -
- Wear costumes
- Go store to store trick or treating
- Festive characters will be present
- Free balloons and crafts
- Free snowcones and cotton candy
- Spooky music
The Marketplace at Dr. Phillips is home to two of Orlando’s premier restaurant’s, Morton’s Steakhouse and Christini’s Ristorante Italiano. Other anchors include Office Depot, Steinmart, and Home Goods.
Its going to be fun!
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Move over Winter Park, SouthWest Orlando will soon have it own Farmer’s Market right in Dr. Phillips. How cool is that?
Every Saturday, beginning November 1, 2008, there will be a Farmer’s market at the Phillips Crossing shopping center (corner of Sand Lake and Turkey Lake). Whole Foods is located in this shopping center as well. Since this a fairly new shopping center, many of the store
Sand Lake Farmers Market
s are still not open hence there will be lots of open and free parking. By the way, this farmer’s market is being called the Sand Lake Farmer’s market.
As with any farmer’s market, one can expect fresh produce and farm ripe fruit, great coffee, goat cheese, flowers, cool people, live music, cooking demonstrations and much more. This will be a great way to spend Saturday mornings. It always gives me a warm fuzzy feeling to see families and kids and dogs and happy people everywhere.
See you bright and early on November 1st. Come early for the best selection. Enjoy.
