June 15th, 2009

WHO IS PROFESSOR BEACH?

Improve Your Health with a Beach Vacation

December 22nd, 2009

There are many reasons why a beach vacation can improve your health.   Relaxation and sunshine have a  good effect on most people!

Check this link to see the benefits of a beach vacation.

http://www.worldsbestbeachresort.com/can-a-beach-vacation-improve-your-health

If you are thinking about a beach vacation, make sure to check out our website  World’s Best Beachtowns where you will find information on over 400 beachtowns all over the world!

See what people are saying about Beach Vacations on Twitter

Professor Beach Meets Anthony Bourdain

November 21st, 2009

Last night I had the pleasure of meeting Anthony Bourdain.   Anthony is the host of the Award Winning Travel Channel show No Reservations. Tony travels to the far reaches of the world (often to my favorite exotic beach towns) in search of odd food and drink. His show is a mix of travel log and food adventure. I’ve had my share of odd food including Peking Duck brains to seahorse on a stick in China.  Goat and who knows what in Haiti.  I had a great time meeting Anthony Bourdain and hearing his opinion on exotic travel and eating.

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Douglas Doebler and Anthony Bourdain

Anthony stated “Real cooking is not about doing simple things with the best ingredients, like filet mignon, it’s about turning the inexpensive and ugly and yucky things like organs and tongue and brains into something delicious and interesting”.

If you are not familiar with Tony, click here to visit Tony Bourdain’s  Website

Click here to see Tony Bordain’s Blog

How did I happen to meet  Anthony Bourdain?    I was reading the paper yesterday and saw an article by Jack Garner. Jack was staff film critic at the Democrat and Chronicle for 30 years before he retired in June, 2007.   He continues to write for the paper as a freelancer.   This is article he wrote yesterday about the upcoming appearance. http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009911200310

I read that and off to get tickets!

Name the New Panama City Beach Airport

September 21st, 2009

I just received an email from an associate of mine in Panama City Beach, Florida.  I wanted to share it with you as it is about the new International Airport under construction.

“I normally don’t send out emails like this to our pcbdaily folks, but I wanted to let you know that at tomorrow’s board meeting, the Airport Authority will be considering new names for the new airport that is under construction right now. This is a huge move on their part and frankly a smart move as well.

This airport will change the face of Panama City and it’s surrounding areas forever and will bring people that would have never considered traveling here before in the past.  In addition there is huge international possibilities in the near future.

A new name is essential to be sure that future travelers and potential travelers alike receive the right impression about Northwest Florida. Other area airports have changed their name in the recent past to reflect similar goals and it is time for us to do the same.

So, I’ve just posted an article: Name the New Panama City Airport – Submit Here

In this article you can post your name suggestion and you can also get the email address to send it to the Airport Authority. I’m sorry for the late notice on this, but the board meeting is tomorrow morning at 10am, so submit your name suggestions now!

We look forward to all the awesome name suggestions!”

President Obama & family are vacationing in Oak Bluffs this week

August 25th, 2009

Click for more information on Farm Neck Golf Club

Day 2 of the Obama vacation. Courtesy of http://blogaboutobama-thefamily.blogspot.com/

The President played golf again today. This time it was at Mink Meadows in Vineyard Haven. The First Golfer played 9 holes at Mink Meadows. He will be happy to know the residents who live on the course were counting his strokes.

Click for more information about Mink Meadows Golf Club

My friend, Deon Thomas is a Chef in Oak Bluffs.  Deon has cooked for the Clintons and several other politicians and celebrities on Martha’s Vineyard.  I hope he cooks a dinner for Pres Obama and his family.

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I met Deon at the Ku Resort in Anguilla.    He invited me to visit him in Oaks Bluffs - visit my post from June when I spent a weekend in Martha’s Vineyard.  http://professorbeach.com/2009/06/what-a-weekend-in-marthas-vineyard/

Panama City Beach is hosting the 2009 EVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour

August 21st, 2009

Boardwalk Beach Resort at Royal American Beach Getaways has teamed up with the EVP Tour to host a televised beach volleyball event to be held on Labor Day Weekend.

The Boardwalk Beach Resort on Panama City Beach, Florida, will host the 2009 EVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour on September 5th and 6th, 2009.

The top players from across the nation will bump, set, and spike and compete for $6,000 in prize money.   There will also be a juniors division tournament with Under 21 College, Under 18, Under 16, and Under 14 divisions.

For more information on the event, please go to www.evptour.com

Check out this Video from Gulf Shores Alabama EVB Tour to see what’s coming up in Panama City Beach!




This video from Panama City Beach
While you are at PBC, check out the Sea Turtles!

The hatching season began Sunday, August 9 when 99 loggerhead hatchlings emerged from nest #3 at the Coral Reef Condo at 8 pm.  Many crawled east toward lights of an adjacent condo and were rescued by Turtle Watch volunteers with assistance from local residents and tourists.  The disoriented hatchlings were collected in coolers and released on a dark beach in western Bay County.

From http://www.turtlewatch.org

If you see nesting or hatchling turtles on Panama City Beach, immediately call 888-404-3922 (24-hr hotline).  Please remember not to crowd or shine lights on nesting turtles or hatchlings.

Contact  Turtle Watch for more information about their program.

10 Fun things to do under $10 on Panama City Beach

Check it out and see some fun and inexpensive activities in Panama City Beach!

Top 10 Exciting Things Under $10 on Panama City Beach

Watch out for the Vervet Monkeys in the Caribbean!

August 19th, 2009

The Vervet Monkeys, in the Caribbean, have developed a taste for alcohol. They can be spotted stealing cocktails from humans on the beach. This is a brilliant wildlife video from BBC animal show ‘Weird Nature’.

Happy 4th of July from Montauk, Long Island, NY

July 5th, 2009

My Buddy, Mark Evans, DM sent me this video from Montauk wishing me a Happy 4th!

For more information about Montauk, please visit Professor Beach’s Worlds Best Beachtowns.

Click here for more Mountauk photos.

Romero Britto and Keuka Lake

June 25th, 2009

For many years I’ve enjoyed the art work of pop star artist Romero Britto.   I started collecting his paintings about 5 years ago.   I love the artistic expression he creates with pulsating, vibrant colors using pop themes.   He has become the premier contemporary Artist of our generation.

south-miami-print-by-romero-brittoThis print by Romero, was a poster for the South Miami Art Festival in 1997, is hanging in my Lake House.

Because of my love for his style, I have visited his gallery on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach, Florida many times when I worked there.   I have followed his work and his TV appearances including Donald Trumps Apprentice (working with Kendra Todd), Martha Stewart and other high profile shows.

Last night I had the honor of meeting the star pop artist Romero Britto at the Nan Miller Gallery in Rochester, NY.  I attended a “Meet the Artist” there last night.  There was a large crowd and many of his works were on display.

nan-miller-gallery-rocheste

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to chat with Romero and have my photo taken with him.  What I didn’t know is that Romero has spent summers on Keuka Lake, near my home, for many years.  He is familiar with the Fingerlakes!

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He must have painted this when he was relaxing and enjoying his stay on Keuka Lake.

romero-britto-and-douglas-doeblerRomero Britto and Professor Beach

Romero lived a very modest lifestyle growing up with 8 brothers and sisters in Recife Brazil.  His creativity allowed him to fill his life with images and colors of a beautiful world.  Today Romero is world wide art star.  I will continue to follow Romero and hopefully more meetings will follow.

This video is Janet Lomax from local TV coverage interviewing Nan Miller prior to Romero’s appearance last night. The WHEC News Cast is in the top left corner

Click here to link to the local news story coverage from last night.

Check out Romero’s online gallery & learn more about him, check out his website at   http://www.britto.com/

What a Weekend in Martha’s Vineyard!

June 16th, 2009

One of my buddies, Deon Thomas, a restaurant owner in Oak Bluffs, invited me to Martha’s Vineyard.  He lives on the the island and invited me to check it out.  I met Deon in Anguilla where he operates the bar & restaurant at the KU Resort in Anguilla.  The last time I was on Martha’s Vineyard was 25 years ago.   I was only there for a day when I was visiting Cape Cod.  I love to travel so how could I say no?

Living in the Fingerlakes Region (grape country) of New York, I’ve often wondered if there were grape vines in Martha’s Vineyard?   Martha’s Vineyard is an island off the coast of Massachusetts.  I took the one hour fast ferry from New Bedford, Massachusetts direct to Oak Bluffs in Martha’s Vineyard and walked from the ferry dock to my hotel.  I spent the weekend exploring the entire island.  I was searching for grape vines but found much more…

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Because of my love for history, I had to visit the Flying Horses Carousel

Flying Horses Carousel

Flying Horses Carousel

The Flying Horses Carousel in Oak Bluffs is the oldest operating platform carousel in America. It is listed as a National Historic Landmark.

flying_horses_carousel_plac

What are people saying about Oak Bluffs on Twitter?

Oaks Bluffs Cottage Campground Historic District - Dates back to the 1800’s

The first camp meeting in what became known as Wesleyan Grove was held in 1835.   In subsequent years the congregations grew enormously, and many of the thousands in attendance were housed in large tents known as “society tents.”   A congregation from a church on the mainland would maintain its own society tent.   Conditions were cramped, with men and women sleeping dormitory-style on opposite sides of a central canvas divider.   Society tents were arranged in a semicircle on Trinity Park.
Over time, families began leasing small lots on which to pitch their own individual tents.   In the 1860s and 1870s, the family tents were rapidly replaced with permanent wooden cottages.   At one time there were about 500 cottages; today there are just over 300.
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Many eminent members of the clergy from across the country have preached at the campmeetings in Wesleyan Grove.   That tradition continues today, although services are no longer held day and night as they were in the early years.

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Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association

The founders of the MVCMA were Methodists, and the original bylaws of the Association stipulated that all members of the Board of Directors had to be members of a Methodist church.   However, the MVCMA has always been an autonomous organization and was never formally affiliated with the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church.   Historical records document the participation of many non-Methodists at the early campmeetings, both in the congregation and in the pulpit.

The founders of the MVCMA were Methodists, and the original bylaws of the Association stipulated that all members of the Board of Directors had to be members of a Methodist church.   However, the MVCMA has always been an autonomous organization and was never formally affiliated with the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church.   Historical records document the participation of many non-Methodists at the early campmeetings, both in the congregation and in the pulpit.

Over time the MVCMA has become increasingly interdenominational, and the current members of the Board of Directors are affiliated with a wide variety of Christian groups.   The religious services and special programs of the Association all have a strong ecumenical spirit.

Today the Campground is a community of summer residents and a smaller number of year-round residents who value the intimacy created by the crowding of cottages on small tent lots.   Many of the cottages have been owned by the same families for generations.   The residents of the Campground have a keen appreciation for the special traditions of which they are a part.

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I couldn’t leave without a picture of the beach.  It was a cloudy day and the beach was pretty much empty.  The temperature was only in the 60’s when I was there… typically when I visit a beachtown, the weather is gorgeous but every one in a while Mother Nature sends a cold front through.  Maybe it’s to remind us to be thankful for the nice sunny days that we have.

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Oak Bluffs Public Beach

By the way, I never did see any Grapes or Vineyards - someday I’ll find out why this island was named Martha’s Vineyard.  One thing I do know, is that I had a great weekend and looking forward to my next visit!

Make sure to visit Professor Beach’s Worlds Best Beachtowns Website for more information about  Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts.