Category: Josie in Paradise blog

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10 Reasons why MBI is the Great Lakes most Quixotic Spot island romance offline and off the grid

Pictures by Steven Drescher and Ed Gudenas

Accessible via ferry, plane, or helicopter Middle Bass Island is the ultimate destination in the Great Lakes Region for a romantic get-away. This eight-hundred acre island delivers just the correct dosage of intrigue to make an intimate adventure memorable. Once travelers and tourists reach the ferry launch on Catawba Island, or one of the runways, all of the amenities of the mainland disappear, opening the door for flirtation on an island. Here are the Top Ten reasons why MBI is the hottest of the string of islands nestled inbetween Ohio to Canada.

10. Remote hiking trails allow time to explore off the beaten path. Wildlife encounters are a definite possibility.

9. The entire island is pet friendly. So, even if Fido is your only friend the two of you are bound to have a ball exploring, dining and swimming in the freshwater.

8. The cozy Camping Cabins at St. Hazards all have private fire pits. Grab a locally made bottle of wine and bag of marshmallows from The MBI General Store and show your flame they set you on fire.

7. Enjoy the private beach adjacent to the MBI Yacht Club Condos at St. Hazards Resort. This condominium has the perfect boutique unit number 106 to suit the needs of a private party of two.

6. All of the luxury condo units at St. Hazards Resort have private balconies overlooking the lake.

5. This island boasts of a resort that stocks over one dozen rums. Travelers can enjoy everything from Mojitos made with organic mint grown on property to Ti Punch made with the superior aged Rhum Clement distilled in the French Caribbean. This drink consists of a muddled lime wedge, shot of homemade simple syrup and Rhum Clement. An order of this cocktail infused with exotic spices, coconut, banana and fruit, is elegant and impressive.

4. Home to the historic Lonz Winery, visitors can day trip and pack a picnic lunch to eat overlooking the lake. The MBI General Store sells bottles of wine with labels from Pelee Island, the Lonz Winery and 19 Crimes. Stuff a picnic basket, grab a bottle and open with a Swiss Army Pocket Knife to keep this getaway real. Explore the old Prohibition era wine runs, caves and wine barrels where the wine has been fermented.

 

3. An old-fashioned water taxi leaves every hour to take guests island hopping from the MBI ferry docks to the famed and most popular boardwalk of the Great Lakes Region known as Put-in-Bay located ten minutes across Lake Erie on South Bass Island. Head over on the idyllic Sonny S ferry for an enchanting day or evening out. The last ferry leaves SBI at 12:30 am every Friday and Saturday during the height of season.

2. Middle Bass Island is home to an airport, plane and helicopter service. Book a tour through Griffing Flying or Paratus Air (914) FLY-HELI for an enchanting and exciting afternoon seeing the island action and Perry’s Victory Monument from above. This  is the perfect place and opportunity to propose.

  1. The number one reason why Middle Bass Island is the hottest and romantic island the Great Lakes has for everyone to experience (besides, we can’t help but note, the pool and hot tub at St. Hazards Resort NEVER CLOSES) is … internet is spotty at best. Here one is off the grid and unreachable. Giving travelers, lovers, and sweethearts the opportunity to make unpostable memories.

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Manny “The Man” Madruga 1st Annual Manny Madruga Domino Tournament

The moment I first met him was the 2009 graduation night for Leadership Monroe County Class XVII. On the board for LMC, Manny Madruga, Assistant State Attorney. We had all gathered at the Doubletree Grand Tree Resort and were mingling outside when Madruga swept through the doors.

My jaw dropped.

I was awestruck by “The Man.”

He was a dynamic leader among leaders.

As the new Bureau Chief for The Key West Weekly, he took me to a Noon Rotary event and I photographed him at lunch. I emailed the picture to him asking this cosmic Cuban success story in the community to kindly reply and possibly write to tell me who was in the photo with him and did he happen to know their titles.

He picked up the phone and called me.

“I hope you’re not planning on publishing that photo. Josie it’s blurry,” Manny demanded.

I was a former prima donna anchorwoman. My older brother, publisher of The Weekly Newspapers and Tropical Living Magazine was just as displeased with my work. I expressed in defense of myself to these two big wigs that I was used to being on the other side of the camera and was not accustomed to taking pictures of others.

I said this with ego. I said this with pride.

A few weeks later, I was given the Disney World-esque assignment to visit Madruga in his office on Whitehead Street and interview him. I went into the stately building and marched myself up to his quarters in a Banana Republic two-piece navy blue sheath dress and blazer purchased with money from CBS News.

The interview unveiled a wistfulness the climb up the ladder had cost him. I remember him saying something to this nature, This position isn’t easy. Everyone’s out there having fun, hanging out at the sand bar on the weekend and I don’t get to do that. I don’t have the time. This requires commitment.

I gazed around at the awards on the walls and he pointed the most recent one which had been bestowed upon him the 2009 Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association’s Gene Barry Award. He seemed completely unbreakable.

I told him I was there to photograph him. I was flustered, fortunate and a finished pro all at the same time. Here, in my first couple of weeks on a tropical island was an on-camera woman, having the assistant state prosecutor, the attorney I soooo admired, posing for me.

The results were flawless. They are stunning. The pictures capture the essence of a man and professional who was unflappable and a friend to all of us.

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Later, having joined Sunrise Rotary I was slated to give a presentation to our fellow professionals. The topic: How to use the media to drive your professional reputation and build business. I knew I didn’t exactly have all of the dots connected to really deliver a smash-up presentation. I called up Manny and told him what I was doing and that I needed him to please be there because I needed feedback.

And there he was. At 7 am at the top of La Concha. Dressed crisply in his dress slacks with his tie on and shoes shined. He sat at the front table and gave his undivided attention to a lackluster production, and he let me know about this. You need pictures and you need to involve the people in your audience. Then, you’ve got this down. Let me know when you’re doing this again.

There won’t be an again. Manny Madruga, Assistant State Attorney chose to end his life after a heated campaign season.

Unfortunately, at some juncture, we all lose professional positions. Those of us with a giant “X” on our back go down hard. This shouldn’t stop anyone from putting themselves out there. There isn’t any defeat as the so-called polls indicate. There truly aren’t failures. We are not designed as human beings to mingle amidst the same people carrying out the same professional duties for our entire lives. History shows losing, and sometimes even when you lose everything, you are actually being spun in a new direction where you will reap rewards and bear fruit never possible where previously planted. The universe aligns itself up exactly as it should and we are all placed where we should be and with the people we are meant to be with by design.

We all met Manny. We all encountered Manny and experienced the wonder that is Manny “The Man” Madruga. Prayers and peace to Ani, Natalie and the rest of your loved family.

Tomorrow, Saturday February 11, 2017, marks the 1st Annual Manny Madruga Domino Tournament. According to my LMC XIX Classmate Holly Elomina, social entries include dinner and team entries include dinner and four drink coupons. There will be prize packages for the first, second and third place teams. All proceeds benefit local suicide prevention/awareness programs as well as a scholarship in Manny Madruga‘s name for a KWHS senior who is furthering their education in criminal justice or a law-related major. If you want to sponsor a table, register a team or donate a prize, call 305-509-0001.

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Captivating Cocktail Garnish don't mess with the ocean life

I’m guilty of the crime. In 2004, on vacation at the time in Key Colony Beach, I found a Portugese man o’ war siphonophore (this isn’t a jellyfish) washed up on the beach. I tossed the ocean wonder into a styrofoam cup and posed for this photo op on the private beach at Glunz Ocean Beach Hotel & Resort. The tourists mingling at the bar at what is now Havana Jack’s Oceanside wanted to know what kind of drink garnish I had.

The tentacles contain stinging nematocysts, microscopic capsules loaded with coiled, barbed tubes that deliver venom capable of paralyzing and killing small fish and crustaceans. While the man o’ war’s sting is rarely deadly to people, it packs a painful punch and causes welts on exposed skin, NOAA

I just returned from another South Florida vacation and a group sitting next to us on the beach had a bucket with one of these ocean beauties and its long strands of tentacles floating atop the saltwater. They told me they didn’t want the children to get stung, and they are correct. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration beachcombers need to beware: a man o’ war can still sting for weeks after being washed ashore. For those of you planning a beach vacation remember the life and wonder that surrounds you is best viewed in the water with a mask and snorkel. If you’re fascinated consider a snorkel trip or SCUBA certification to view the marvels at the reefs.

 

 

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GIVEAWAY: MBI Resort Jewelry Collection Captures Island Essence wear love for Lake Erie escapes

Aerial Photos Edmund Gudenas

Photos Steven Drescher and Josie Koler

“My dad says, ‘you came to the island with me and you went home with your mom'”, Danielle Nawrocki shared sweetly across the indoor bar at Saint Hazards on Middle Bass Island. “I was conceived there (Put-in-Bay). The island is going to be my home forever. South Bass Island has a huge part of my heart.”

Nawrocki splurged in the gift shop on a round seashell with a stainless steel cutout of South Bass Island jewelry piece to wear above her heart during a day of island hopping via the Sonny S with her beau’s best friend Johnny Martens.

Nawrocki and her new necklace.
Nawrocki and her new necklace.

“I found some of the best jewelry,” explained the employee of two well-known island joints, The Roundhouse and The Blue Luna Ristorante Italiano, “one would pay a lot of money for these cutouts on Put-in-Bay and this is awesome.”

“(The jewelry has) way better quality here. Not to harp on my island, but yes,” observed Martens who was born on South Bass Island, grew up on South Bass Island and lives on South Bass Island. He’s part of the family that started E’s Put-in-Bay Golf Carts.

“I currently work for them and I play a lot of guitar gigs around the island at The (Old) Forge (Cafe and Creperie), the Reel Bar, Topsy’s, at Joe’s and what not,” Martens gave up his island haunts.

“…and I’m Nicole Beachy now,” a new bride filled us in on her new gig in life.

“Because two weeks ago she married my son,” Loretta Beachy and her new daughter-in-law Nicole, announced to everyone the reason for their island gift shop excursion at Saint Hazards on Middle Bass Island.

Loretta (left) and Nicole Beachy.

“We are buying the Middle Bass cut out (necklace). The piece is unique and different from anything else we’ve seen on the island,” Nicole offered.

For thirty-seven years the Beachy family from Plain City, Ohio has been vacationing to MBI. Every weekend from March through November they catch the ferry to cross the lake from the mainland.

“His family would always come up two weeks out of the year. He introduced me to the island, and then we got married, this is what happened. We bought a place up here years ago,” Loretta let on.

For part-time Floridian and Marblehead, Ohio resident, Marcie Hoerig visits a different Lake Erie Island every year along with her girlfriend who lives in Port Clinton.

Hoerig shows off her South Bass necklace outside.
Hoerig shows off her South Bass Island necklace outside.

“We try to hit at least one island every year to come over and visit… and we found this little (Saint Hazards) place,” Hoerig described the flow. “I’m more into the stones. A lot of stones and natural pieces like seashells, abalone, I have a lot of that plus mother of pearls, pearls and sometimes I am attracted to the beading.”

“They’re handmade in Bali. They’re stainless on seashells,” Ed Gudenas proprietor of Saint Hazards Adventures offered of the gift shop treasures. “We have Put-in-Bay, Middle Bass and a couple of Kelleys, and ‘The Monument‘. Other places don’t have these pieces and they’re a lot less expensive.”

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The island entrepreneur, former politician, and globe-trotting photographer received inspiration to bring the jewels to Middle Bass Island through swanky jewelers who share pages with his photographs in publications such as Harbour Magazine Ile De Saint Barthelemy – Port de Gustavia.

diamondgenesisA glimpse through the pages of the luxury life magazine from the French Caribbean shows the models of Diamond Genesis draped in diamonds, gold and sapphires showcasing the beloved island of St. Barth’s. The craft spans nearly three decades and is a chic and elegant way to celebrate Lake Erie Love. Gudenas’ collection includes bracelets, necklaces, earrings, key chains, and accenting beaded necklaces.

middlegraphicJewelry, any jewelry, whether made of diamonds or purchased during a cruise ship stop on a Caribbean vacation is used to mark momentous occasions. Perhaps the most notable – an engagement to be married, bringing a new baby into the world, to celebrate a professional milestone, or in this case a distant destination in Lake Erie, which is now a destination marking married life for Nicole Beachy.

“We’re going to rock it out today. We’re just going to wear the pieces today. Loretta was looking for a Middle Bass gift piece. There are not a lot of places that have the little island cut-out,” the new bride gushed.

The memories are just beginning, and now they’re marked around her neck with a seashell cut-out of Middle Bass Island.

The prices are worth gushing over as well. During the off-season which is now through May 31st travelers can pick out any piece for just ten dollars, which is a mere fraction of the forty-thousand dollar price tag of The Saint Barth Collection by Diamond Genesis in the far off French Caribbean. Saint Hazards Waterfront Resort can also, and is willing to, ship anywhere in the world so the love for Lake Erie’s paradise islands can spread. To order call 419-285-6121, email [email protected], or visit the gift shop this summer.

 

Josie handles Public and Guest Relations and vacation sales at St, Hazards. She can also sometimes be found behind the bar muddling Mojitos and pouring champagne for guests.

 

 

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Bowl of BOLD Broccoli Soup va va voom vegetable classic

Sometimes I quit working and the clock typically reads well past eight o’clock. Last night the hands were more past ten… I believe this is due to the evening anchor schedule where the whole crew always ate late.  At our desks nonetheless. Ordering a pizza isn’t an option these days. I did uncover a regular sized Ziploc bag full of broccoli. Clearly labeled 8/12/16 Broccoli for Broccoli Soup -Cooked-.

I did an internet search, improvised and the results, taste and consistency are delectable and decadent. Here is what I used.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees if you are making your own croutons. Simply take bread crumbs and season with olive oil, fresh cracked pepper and sea salt. I used a small portion from one of Kroger’s ten for ten dollars Italian loaves.

I chopped up the onion and green pepper and sauteed in a sauce pan with two tablespoons of butter. Once the onion and pepper were softened I dropped in the broccoli and poured about one-quarter to one-third of a box of Kroger’s Simple Truth Organic Free Range Low Sodium Chicken Broth on top. I simmered for about ten minutes.

I then poured the soup ingredients into the Nutri Ninja 900 Watt Pro Blender twenty-four ounce container and added one to two cups of Simple Truth Coconut Milk and four tablespoons of cheese aged in a cave! This is starting to get savory. Murray’s freshly shredded Parmigiano Regianno Cheese from the Kroger Deli is a barrage of sweet, salt, spice and nuttiness … with a caramel finish! The brand combines modern technology on Long Island New York with Old World knowledge. We know there isn’t any thing so true in that I am all about the Old World.

Blend for about twenty seconds and place the bread crumbs into the oven. Begin melting three tablespoons of butter in the sauce pan the soup ingredients were sauteed in. Drop in all of the flour and start slowly pouring the mixture of milk, cheese and vegetables into the saucepan while stirring with a spoon. The soup will begin to form and the ingredients bind together. Begin to whisk in fresh cracked black pepper, the truffle oil and sea salt.

I picked up a container of Falksalt Natural Crystal Flakes recently from the gourmet food section. This staple is from Sweden’s premium salt manufacturer dating back to the 1830s. Falksalt’s crisp, shimmering sea salt flakes are extracted from Mediterranean Sea water … Pure, clean seawater is simmered in open pans for extended periods of time until the water evaporates and pyramid-shaped salt crystals are formed. 

To cut through the coconut-y taste I began drizzling in Extra Virgin Truffle Oil by Grand’Aroma. I had picked up a bottle at Downtown Heinen’s Cleveland Grocery Store during a quest to recreate Ziggie & Mad Dog’s Truffle Mac & Cheese. That was a favorite dining and gathering spot when I lived on the Island of Islamorada. Deemed a superlative enhancement when drizzled over risotto and potatoes this imported ingredient truly is the ultimate liquid enhancement to having hauntingly rich flavor. I kept whisking and adding drizzles and sprinkles of these three ingredients and then tossed in a little more Parmigiano until the flavors were full.

Simply serve in a bowl and top with a sprinkle of cheese and homemade croutons. Being exact or measuring really isn’t necessary. This makes either two large bowls for dinner, or three to four to serve as an appetizer. Using real milk versus coconut will most likely change up the amount of salt flakes, truffle oil and butter you would then use.

I choose Bellitti Prosecco as an apertif, a sparkling white wine from northeast Italy showcasing soft and fruity peach and pear notes, with breezy apple peel and lemon zest. Pairs well with … cream sauce … The gold label screams glam as if one is right back in the studio lights. Perhaps finish with a sip of Limoncello which is always a nice touch after a rich meal.

 This is a Josie in Paradise original! Sperro ti piaccia!

 

 

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My Founders Park Palace for Sale for $.5M for sale after renovations

All pictures by Travis Yednak and my personal iPhone

This home is where I first caught on that the universe gives one everything that they need. I left public life in 2012 and at the end of the year rode my bicycle around the island of Islamorada and happened upon this gem. A four-bedroom, four-bathroom home with another living room and kitchen in the downstairs enclosure, plus, a loft office. The house has been renovated since I lived here in 2013 before moving into the luxury City Loft in Cleveland. Here is a slideshow. The furnishings and furniture are atrocious and this is not what the space looked like when I occupied the rooms. But the open-floor concept and location, in a sweet little neighborhood halfway between Miami and Key West, is a seller.

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Don’t you love the aquarium feature in the staircase? This place is where I met the Olympic-medal draped swim coach, Jon Olsen, at Founders Park.

The same park where I revisited my love affair with the tennis courts.

.. and swimming in the open ocean.

Unexpected, lifelong friendships were formed.


and many, many Morada Bay Full Moon parties were attended.

I designed a dress or two…

…and immersed myself into the study of theology and Catholicism.

The master bedroom was actually my yoga and fitness studio where my massage therapist would also set up.

How can you not want to live here? Get yourself a convertible and start Living the Dream! The place is for sale and needs a stylish touch to match the vibe of this posh island paradise.

Why would I ever leave…? This is also the home where I learned some believe that its ok for others to do ok, just not better than them. Success is for everyone. As I’ve just shown you there is an abundance in the universe. Go get some.

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Cannellini Bean Salad Per Favore lattuga e mancanti

When I come across a recipe, or a rendition of a recipe, I can no longer live without I must share the secret. Recently on a Martha Stewart Cooking School Episode she had a bean expert on as her guest. I don’t know about all of you but I prefer beans ninety-eight percent out of the time to meat. I’ve searched and I can’t find the exact recipe published online so I’ve come up with what I remember off of the top of my head.

Start with some freshly colored peppers. Orange, red and yellow are what I’ve been using and about two and a half slices of Italian Sub Rolls. Before you begin cubing the bread and slicing the peppers preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the cubed bread on a cookie sheet and bake for twelve minutes. Place the sliced peppers into a large salad bowl and add half of a container of organic grape tomatoes. Once the bread is toasted add into the bowl and start stirring while splashing in olive oil and sea salt. The idea is to coat the homemade croutons thoroughly with oil and salt before adding the beans.

I love this recipe because I simply can never eat enough beans. The Cannellini Bean is the white Italian kidney bean. They have a silky texture and nutty flavor. Every half cup contains seven grams of protein and six grams of fiber. Simply strain and rinse the contents of one can.

Stir together with the ingredients coated in olive oil and toss with shaved Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves. The result looks and tastes exquisite. My dinner party guests could not stop raving over this savory salad that doesn’t contain a shred of lettuce. I’m attaching a recipe card. I think you’ll agree this plates up beautifully. Plus, is perfect for picnics because the flavors will become more pronounced the longer the mix sits. Enjoy!

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Trapper Hat Tests the Temperatures snowy-essentials fur lined trapper hat

Headgear for the cold needs to be hot! The trapper hat isn’t a trend and is indeed all about the fur dating back to the first fur trappers. They’ve been deemed a stylish statement to keep not just the head, but the face, warm and protected from a biting wind. Today with a feels like zero temperature reading, and a windchill of fifteen mph, I leaned on the look. I went sporty versus high-fashion and picked up a Nikey ACG Fur Lined Hat with Straps in shock white. This item, with different designer twists, finds its way into every fashion show under the sun every fall. The accessory is actually an essential and screams I’m raging into the snow en vogue.

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Toes in the Salt city spa amenity in Sandusky

To usher in 2017 I changed into a Spa Kalahari robe and dipped my perfectly pedicured peds, colored in Rouge Rouge, four inches deep into Himalayan salt. The Halotherapy Salt Room at Spa Kalahari in Sandusky is one of three salt rooms in Ohio. Salt is used to detox the body from the inside out and also to enliven the energy field around one. I quickly flipped through three magazines to decompress and then sat back and inhaled the salt vapors.

Rebekah Shalne Wellness Coordinator offered, “I personally think it’s a great addition to our spa. We have a lot of guests who come multiple times during their stay because they find it works; so, they come and access the room a couple of times more.”

During the time inside I cleared my conscious mind and did some introspection about some elements which were possibly holding me back and looked intently at the year ahead. This session is a perfect add-on to any spa service. I plan to re-enter the room after a favorite workout session, followed by a massage so my mind is completely clear of clutter. I also would attempt this with a calendar afterwards cleared of errands and business to maximize benefits of the energy field. Sessions are only twenty dollars when added onto another spa service.

 

Josie is on the Coastal Ohio Trail for Holiday 2016 – 2017 proving The Great Lakes Region is great indeed

Don’t forget to swing over to Josie Style for the Home. In JK Design the Let it Snow holiday 2016 spectacular Christmas on the River continues. Remember the three wise men don’t deliver gifts until January 6 marking the Epiphany.

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December’s Sine qua non Made in the USA boots socks, moisturizers and fur fashion

Besides my 1st Generation iPad from Holiday 2010, loaded with Kindle and The Chester Josie Style for the Home faux fireplace, (that story here) there are several fundamentals which have made my holiday on glacial ground splendrous.

For the perfect cup of cocoa I am spooning up heaping servings of Godiva Dark. I took off on nearly all of my evening hike’s with a cup. Dark chocolate is a powerful source of antioxidants. Underneath one of four pairs of boots I’m rotating I went with Made in the USA boot socks from Amelia’s Organic Legwear from The Kroger Co. They’re super soft and offer the right amount of added warmth, plus stay up! I picked a pair up in every color. 

On my face I have been applying a coat of Sarah McNamara’s Skin Transformer Miracle balm on at night and again in the morning. The soothing scent is described as a warm botanical aroma. When the winds are whipping up I apply another layer of Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream on top; namely as a protective shield on my cheeks.

Note: This ointment is safe to rub on the bottom of your pup’s paws to shield from ice scrapes.

These items keep me healthy and happy when the elements have the potential to wreak havoc on an otherwise healthy system. Plus, I could never wait to get home to curl up under The Chester faux fireplace in layers of down. I added the Pedastal Space Heater by Lasko that provides 1500 watts of comforting warmth. 

All this and don’t forget the fur.

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Josie is on the Coastal Ohio Trail for Holiday 2016 proving The Great Lakes Region is great indeed!