Florida Mermaid Musings

I have no intention of camping out Thanksgiving night to be the first one in to a big box, I prefer to sleep in after giving thanks and gorging myself. And I much prefer to shop local in Mount Dora! The quaint little town has a ton of amazing shops of all kinds - no chains! I wish I could mention all of them but you probably need to go baste a turkey or something. Here are eight of my favorites: CHECKERED MOON 237 W. 4th Ave., Suite 3 CheckeredMoonSouth on Facebook On your shopping journey in downtown Mount Dora you're going to see shoppers everywhere carrying the signature yellow bag from Checkered Moon. The sign on the door says "Color Makes People Happy." Checkered Moon is definitely a happy place full of eclectic gifts for everyone on your list. Adorable baby clothes, books and toys, wine-themed gifts, apparel, décor, hand-poured candles, and so much more! Their inventory is constantly ebbing and flowing so you're going to want to stop in here more than onc...

When you think "Florida kitsch," what is the first thing that comes to mind? As a native I think of the roadside attractions we used to visit on road trips when I was a kid. I remember a chicken that would play the piano for a nickel. Taxidermic "World's Largest" alligators. Little treasure boxes covered in seashells. Most of those magical and tacky places were eaten up by interstates but a few still remain to fuel our nostalgia. Like Weeki Wachee . About 45 miles north of Tampa, the City of Mermaids, whose photos graced thousands of postcards sent all over the world. This is real Florida, folks, this is the breathtaking miracle of nature with fearless girls in silicone tails thrown in. In 1946 Newt Perry, "The Human Fish," constructed an underwater theater in Weeki Wachee Springs. He recruited pretty girls and taught them how to perform underwater using air hoses filled with compressed air - a contraption Perry invented. Perry was also the pioneer...