Sarasota Livin'

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philaview1.jpg

This is a view from a hotel window.... there are advantages to tall buildings. I have been in Philadelphia a lot lately. Enough so that I can now correctly spell it... Center City Phila is a good walkable diverse place. I am guessing it would score pretty high for walkability .... now if the weather were more like here in the winter.

We were in Gainesville last weekend for Easter and a visit to the University of Florida... I just have to say it's great to be a Gator!!

The campus looks great they are certainly keeping it well maintained ... maybe great sports teams are good for something.

Quick tour to Washington DC, Philadelphia and New York. All three are great cities with a walking scale real neighborhood landscape.


Chinatown in NYC is something... watches and purses everywhere

I am just recovering from the trip back. We had a great time. I don't think India is for everyone but my family enjoyed it.

India is a land of huge contrasts. Rich and poor (the poorest I have ever seen) exist right next to each other. We saw a highend 5+ star hotel near the airport with people living under tarps at the main entrance.

Much more to comment on next week but how about this for a different mode of transportation

We spent last week on a family tour of southern college towns. We went from Sarasota to Winter Park to see Rollins College. Winter Park is a very nice, very upscale town. The College is on a nice lake with the main street in Winter Park leading right into the campus.

As the City of Sarasota contemplates removing one of its finest community gardens...

From The State.com "South Carolina's Home Page"
Foundation wants garden to grow

Posted on Sun, Nov. 26, 2006

BUILDING OUR CITY
Foundation wants garden to grow

Historic Columbia planning to build landscape district near historic homes

By JEFF WILKINSON
jwilkinson@thestate.com

Historic Columbia is embarking on an estimated 10-year, multimillion-dollar effort to turn the area bounded by Calhoun, Taylor, Marion and Barnwell streets into a destination garden district.

Under the plan, the 18 blocks that encompass downtown’s five historic homes would feature landscapes spanning 100 years of gardening, from 1820 to 1920. The project would include interpretive signs, streetscaping and pedestrian walks intended to attract tourists and locals alike.

Also, the new district would be a walkable link between adjacent but disparate neighborhoods: Main Street to the west, Bull Street to the north, USC to the south and Allen and Benedict colleges to the east.

“What we want to do is create a destination area where people can move comfortably from site to site and from neighborhood to neighborhood,” said Robin Waites, executive director of Historic Columbia, which manages the homes.

The effort is significant because city officials, developers and marketers are beginning to “connect the dots” of downtown’s ongoing building boom.

“Connecting the city through green spaces, gardens and parks is very important,” Mayor Bob Coble said. “This could be an excellent connection between areas of the city that have historically been divided. It’s a tremendous step forward and deserves the city’s support. It’s perfect.”

In the Capital City’s sprawling downtown, areas like Five Points, Olympia, the Vista and Main Street are all moving forward — but often separately — with beautification efforts and retail and residential development. Most have separate master plans, advocacy groups, marketing plans and funding streams.