Fun in the Sun in St. Pete Beach, FL

Splash Island Water Park!

2011-04-22T09:24:00.003-04:00

Have we got a surprise for you! TradeWinds has just opened Splash Island Water Park … a 15,750 square foot floating playground for all ages. Located just off our beautiful white sandy beach in the tranquil Gulf of Mexico directly behind the Island Grand Resort, it’s the perfect addition to our popular, three-story High Tide Slide.

Spalsh Island Water Park includes inflatable slides, floating trampolines and more. Kids can whoosh into the water, scale the climbing wall and bounce to wild abandon in the cave of Summit Express, or create their own games in the interior splash zones of the multi-tiered Jungle Joey. For more creative play, the Rockit is an inflatable island where you can rock and roll for team fun, and the Revolution has three routes to the peak and a giant see-saw. The splashmats and water runways connect play stations, allowing guests to splash, run and bounce between all the zones. Beyond the play stations, Fiesta Loungers offer a place to cool off, immersed in the warm Gulf waters, or you can relax, swim and watch all the antics of the younger kids from a floating Island Raft. TradeWinds takes the beach experience to a whole new level with Splash Island Water Park, offering more creative play options for kids of all ages, and floating relaxation areas for adults, too!

Come and join us for some fun in the sun and splash your way to some wonderful TradeWinds memories!

Pciture Perfect Beach Contest

2010-08-05T13:12:00.001-04:00

Share a special memory of your visit to St. Pete Beach and help us showcase our beautiful beachfront by entering the Picture Perfect Beach Contest. Submit your photo or video for a chance to win a complimentary 2-night stay at the TradeWinds and a high definition camcorder or professional camera.

It’s easy and fun – be creative! Then get your friends and family to vote for your entry and you could be a winner. The top photo and video, based on number of votes, will be eligible to win, and all contestants will be invited to the Unveiling Event showcasing the top entries.

For every photo or video entry the TradeWinds will donate one dollar to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (www.seewinter.com) to support their mission of restoring and preserving our marine environment.

The deadline to submit your photo or video is August 24 and voting begins on August 25, so visit PicturePerfectBeachContest.com to enter!

TradeWinds' New Look!

2010-03-15T13:36:00.002-04:00

TradeWinds has a brand new look! Come check our our new website at www.justletgo.com and see all that our slice of paradise has to offer you and your family! With two award-winning gulf front properties on acres of white sand and sun soaked beaches, the classic beach vacation doesn’t get much better than this! The Island Grand and Sandpiper serve as a playground for children and adults alike. With a variety of dining and entertainment options, you won’t have to leave the resort to get everything you could ask for in a vacation. TradeWinds has something for everyone!

Local Spotlight: Egmont Key

2009-07-15T10:55:00.013-04:00

Hello again blog-o-sphere! Long time no speak...er...write. We've been juggling some new and fantastically awesome projects here at the TradeWinds and haven't been able to keep up with posting news about all the awesomeness....
TOO MUCH AWESOMENESS!

As a nice-and-informative return to the blogging business we're getting our toes wet (again) with a feature about nearby Egmont Key. The key is a really great way to catch a glimpse of natural Florida habitats while learning about local history, collecting cool shells and snorkeling amongst the ruins of a Spanish-American War era fort. The marine life surrounding the key is also extremely interesting!

*Please don't hug the manatees! They seem hugable, yes, but they don't like it and we're almost positive it's against the law!*

-------

Egmont Key is a small island about 9.5 miles southwest of St. Pete Beach with a long and rich history. Excursion boats to Egmont depart right from the beach at TradeWinds Island Grand for some of the best snorkeling around.

In the early 19th century the waters surrounding Egmont Key played host to a quickly increasing number of shipping vessels and trade ships. The key is surrounded by shallows and sandbars making navigation of the waters extremely difficult. The resulting number of shipwrecks was enough to make congress take notice and commission the construction of a lighthouse.

The Egmont Key lighthouse was originally constructed in 1848 but was destroyed twice by hurricanes over the next 5 years. The current lighthouse stands 87 feet high and was reconstructed in 1858. Egmont Key was occupied by Confederate soldiers during the Civil War, but they were unable to hold the island. When the soldiers realized their defeat they fled the island and took with them the lens of the lighthouse. The Union navy seized the island to enforce their blockade and launched an unsuccessful bid to retrieve the lost lens that had been taken to Tampa by the Confederate soldiers. The lighthouse was finally repaired at the end of the war and returned to normal operation.

The construction of Fort Dade was completed on Egmont Key in 1906 during the Spanish-American War and functioned as a small community featuring electricity, homes, a movie theater and even a bowling alley. These structures are still standing on the key today!

Egmont Key was designated a National Wildlife Refuge and State Park 1974 and features some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities in the area. Decades of harsh weather and storms have eroded much of the land that once separated Fort Dade and the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Some of the fort's original structures have been submerged and have created artificial reefs in shallow water that are perfect for snorkeling!

The unique location of Egmont Key exposes its beaches to many types of marine life. An excellent selection of shells can be found on the key that can't be found anywhere else in the area. Dolphins and manatees also frequent the warm waters and sandbars surrounding the park.
Egmont Key is a beautiful example of natural Florida and the rich history that has created the area. The key is only accessible by boat and trips can be arranged by contacting our beach staff or Concierge on arrival at 727-363-2200 or visiting http://www.adventurecruise.net/.

*The information in this article was taken from the Florida State Parks Online Guide. For more information please visit http://www.floridastateparks.org/.

Written By:
Sarah Linthicum
eCRM Strategist
TradeWinds Island Resorts

Rays Watch Parties!

2009-04-27T08:31:00.007-04:00

Hopefully you'll remember that, not very long ago, you were supposed to dust off your giant, foam finger to cheer on the Rays during spring training. Did you manage to find your beacon of team spirit in the closet under the Christmas decorations? We're willing to look the other way while you dig out your blue wig and body paint...but just this once.

We'd love to give you an outlet for all that pent up sports energy. The TradeWinds is hosting some awesomeness-on-the-beach Rays Watch Parties! Rays away games will be shown on jumbo screens directly on the beach! Radio station 620 WDAE “The Sports Animal” will be doing a live broadcast beginning with their pre-game show and continuing throughout the party. They’ll also be giving away awesome prizes including a certificate for a Beach Getaway at the TradeWinds at each Rays Watch Party! Food will be available for purchase including wings, burgers, chicken sandwiches and bratwurst with sauerkraut!

These Rays parties are open to the public and parking is free. Check out the Rays Watch Party schedule below:

Sunday, April 26 – 3:30 p.m. – vs. Oakland Athletics
Thursday, May 7 – 6:30 p.m. – vs. New York Yankees
Sunday, June 7 – 12:30 p.m. – vs. New York Yankees
Sunday, July 19 – 1:40 p.m. – vs. Kansas City Royals
Sunday, August 30 – 12:30 p.m. – vs. Detroit Tigers
Sunday, September 13 – 1:00 p.m. – vs. Boston Red Sox

For more information please call (727) 367-6461

Written By:
Sarah Linthicum
eCRM Strategist
TradeWinds Island Resort

Doing Your Part...

2009-04-02T10:26:00.018-04:00

Going Green. You’ve heard it a lot lately. What exactly does it mean? I’ll tell you what it doesn’t mean:

Chili Dog + Roller Coaster ≠ Going Green
Green Beer + Leprechauns ≠ Going Green
Cleaning out your disgusting fish tank – when was the last time you did that??? ≠ Going Green
Tailgating at a Philadelphia Eagles game ≠ Going Green

“Going Green” is basically doing your part to reduce waste and increase the health of the planet and all the critters that reside on it (including us homosapiens). To give you a better idea, Wikipedia redirected me to the definition of “Environmentalism” when I searched for “Going Green” for this blog.

There is so much pressure these days to live, work and play “green” that we sometimes get a bit overwhelmed. That’s no reason to throw in the organic, all-natural, cruelty-free, pesticide-free, hand-woven-by-local-natives, cotton towel! There are lots of simple ways for you to make a difference without drastically changing your lifestyle. We’ll keep it brief because I know all that refined sugar and processed meat you’ve been eating has affected your attention span:

Compact Fluorescent or energy saving light bulbs: Great things come in small packages! These little buggers last up to 10 times longer than regular light bulbs and use 75% less energy. Based on Energy Star’s calculations you could be saving 543 kilowatt hours of electricity…you could also be cutting down your CO2 emissions by a whopping 833 lbs.!
Turn that tap off: Most people don’t really pay attention while going through their everyday routines like brushing their teeth. If you turn the water off while you brush you could save up to 1,825 gallons of H20 a year!
Change the water temp: By changing your washer from warm to cold you can save somewhere in the range of 90% of the energy used if you had your washer set to just hot. What if everyone is the US made this switch? We could save the equivalent of 100,000 barrels of oil per day!
Polystyrene containers are a no go: People often refer to the material as Styrofoam, though this terminology is incorrect. Polystyrene takes an extremely long time to decompose in a landfill, so opt for more environmentally friendly containers such as recyclable plastics, cardboard, or aluminum foil.
MP3 Downloads: Downloading music is not only fun, it also makes mix CD’s a breeze to burn. About 45 tons of old N’Sync, Janet Jackson, and Alanis Morisette albums (ie obsolete CD’s) make their way into our landfills each month. And these days downloading the album is often cheaper than actually buying it.
How cold is your fridge? The ideal temperature for your refrigerator is between 37 and 40 degrees and your freezer should be between 0 and 5 degrees. To check your fridge and freezer temps, put a thermometer in a glass of water and put it in the middle of your fridge overnight, and do the same for your freezer. You could be cutting up to 25% of your energy use by raising the temperatures.
Dye your toilet water: What? Yep, dye your toilet water. Put some food coloring in the water that sits in the back tank of the toilet, and then wait around for 2 hours. Check the bowl water for any traces of the food coloring. If you see any color it means that the toilet’s flapper is leaking, and wasting water. You can get a new flapper at any hardware store and replacing it can save a lot of water. Toilet leaks are extremely wasteful, and can go through up to a gallon a minute. You could be saving up to 43,000 gallons a month by replacing a leaking toilet!
Let the sun shine in…literally: Open your drapes and blinds in the winter to let in as much sunshine (and consequently heat) as possible. This will cut your heating costs up to 10%. In the summer be sure to block out as much sunlight as possible for the reverse effect – keeping your house dark and cool will save you a nice chunk of change on your air conditioning bill

I hope this simple list has inspired you to make some small changes around your home and in your life to “go green.” After all, caring about the earth isn’t just for hippies anymore!

References:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/homestyle/10/23/22.go.green/index.html

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/energy-environment-2007/tips_environmental_main_a1.asp

Written By
Sarah Linthicum
eCRM Strategist
TradeWinds Island Resorts

The History of St. Patty's Day

2009-03-03T10:42:00.010-05:00

St. Patty's Day is in two weeks. How about a serious, informational blog about the history of this yearly celebration of green beer, tiny men, crazy parades, and that green river we've all heard so much about? Thank you History Channel (History.com) for your seemingly endless, brain-liquifying database of historical facts... Without further ado:

On March 17th St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated across the United States, Canada, Ireland, Australia, Japan, Singapore, and Russia to name a few. Originally celebrated as a religious holiday, St. Patrick’s Day falls during the Christian season of Lent and has been observed by the Irish for over a thousand years.

This holiday was not always so welcomed in the US until the mid-nineteenth century when the potato famine occurred in Ireland forcing close to a million poor, Catholic Irish to flee from starvation and begin their lives anew in the US. When the first Irish immigrants celebrated St. Patrick’s Day they were viewed as loud, drunken fools by the upper classes and shunned. But the Irish soon realized their strength in numbers and the Irish vote or “green machine” began to be viewed by politicians as an important voting sector that could influence the outcome of elections. In 1948 President Truman attended the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City.

St. Patrick’s Day was still observed as a religious holiday in Ireland up until recently. Even into the 1970’s Irish law prohibited pubs from opening on March 17th. In 1995 the Irish government decided to use the holiday as a catalyst for tourism for the country, and boasted St. Patrick’s Day as a great celebration with only minor religious undertones.

The dyeing of the Chicago River is perhaps one of the most famous examples of the St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the US. The river was originally dyed to locate illegal sewage outlets, but the color was apt for the holiday and the city decided in 1962 to continue to release 100 pounds of green vegetable dye into the river each year. In recent years, with the consideration for environmental hazards caused by the dye, only forty pounds of dye are added – enough to keep the river green for a few hours on St. Patrick’s Day.

Resource: http://www.history.com/content/stpatricksday/history-of-the-holiday

Written by:
Sarah Linthicum
eCRM Strategist
TradeWinds Island Resorts

Rays Spring Training!

2009-02-24T12:09:00.009-05:00

After last year’s so-close-we-could-taste-it loss to the Phillies the Tampa Bay Rays are getting ready for hopefully another insanely awesome season. I’m no sports writer, but I CAN tell you that last year’s baseball season was a nail-biter indeed for Tampa Bay residents. Can we do it again? YES WE CAN!

Dust off those foam fingers people, lets start the season right! We’re not talking about some idle, unenthusiastic clapping here. Just because it’s spring training doesn’t mean you can’t scream like a banshee for our Rays. Here are some tentative opportunities to do just that:

February 25th – April 1st
Charlotte Sports Park
2300 El Jobean Rd.
Port Charlotte, FL 2009

HOME SCHEDULE /subject to change.
February 25: Reds 1:05 p.m.
February 27: Red Sox 1:05 p.m.
March 1: Blue Jays 1:05 p.m.
March 3: Astros 1:05 p.m.
March 4: Puerto Rico 7:05 p.m. *Exhibition vs. Puerto Rico*
March 7: Red Sox 1:05 p.m.
March 9: Twins 1:05 p.m.
March 10: Blue Jays 1:05 p.m.
March 12: Phillies 1:05 p.m.
March 15: Pirates 1:05 p.m.
March 18: Reds 1:05 p.m.
March 19: Cardinals 1:05 p.m.
March 22: Yankees 1:05 p.m.
March 25: Pirates 7:05 p.m.
March 28: Reds 1:05 p.m.
April 1: Twins 1:05 p.m.

http://www.raysbaseball.com/

Written by:
Sarah Linthicum
eCRM Strategist
TradeWinds Island Resorts

Love is on the Beach

2009-01-19T15:47:00.006-05:00

“You know it's love when you want to keep holding hands even after you're sweaty.”
-Anonymous

Are you that committed to your sweaty sweetie? Show them how you really feel - drenched palms and all - with a romantic weekend getaway to the TradeWinds Island Grand this Valentine’s Day.

The package really is romantic…with champagne, chocolate dipped strawberries and coveted alone time. And don’t worry, it’s not one of those cram-the-cupids-down-your-throat kind of getaways (they aren’t going to raise your room rate to cover the cost of hiring a fat guy in a diaper with a plastic bow and arrow set to skip around throwing glitter in your face…plus that kind of sounds like a safety issue).

The package includes 2 nights accommodation (up to 60% off normal rates) at the Island Grand, a bottle of champagne delivered to your room with chocolate dipped strawberries and two champagne glasses to take home.

To get more info on the Valentine’s Day package (sans fat guy in cupid attire) go to www.justletgo.com/valentine or call 1800.360.4016 or 727.363.2212.

Written by:
Sarah Linthicum
eCRM Strategist
TradeWinds Island Resorts

St. Pete Beach Classic - January 17th

2009-01-12T15:49:00.007-05:00

It’s almost 2 weeks since the end of 2008. Your bodies have hopefully had a chance to detox from all the booze and fruitcake – people don’t actually eat fruitcake do they? Well, from all those pastries and egg nogs anyway. What better way to get rid of the rest of those holiday season slip ups than a good run?

The St. Pete Beach Classic is being held on January 17th at the Sirata Beach resort in St. Pete Beach. The event will include competitive 10k and 5k races, as well as a 1 mile fun run for the little ones (they have shorter legs so it’s only fair), and those of us that partied a little to heartily throughout the month of December.

The 2-day event will also feature a Health and Fitness Expo for you to learn about your body and how you can make up for all the abuse you’ve put it through. As a reward for your steps towards better health the event will include a community beach party and bonfire the night before the races (no, there’s no pie eating contest…don’t even ask).

For more info or to register ahead of time please visit the St. Pete Beach Classic website at http://www.stpetebeachclassic.com/ or call 727-367-RACE

Written by:
Sarah Linthicum
eCRM Strategist
TradeWinds Island Resorts

TradeWinds Christmas Buffet

2008-12-23T11:23:00.009-05:00

Christmas is back, and you’ve managed to make it almost all the way through the month of December without being electrocuted, trampled by Christmas shoppers foaming at the mouth, or receiving 2nd degree burns from the blazing inferno that was – at some point – your Christmas tree. Congratulate yourself.

The TradeWinds is having its annual Christmas buffet on…you guessed it…Christmas. While they’re leaving out the figgie pudding this year, they ARE including some delicious holiday favorites good enough to reanimate Jimmy Stewart. Here’s their spread:

Beginnings
Shrimp Cocktail and Jonah Crab Claws
House Smoked Salmon, Tuna, Trout, Oysters, Shark
Lobster, Shrimp and Corn Bisque
Assorted Seasonal Fruits, Melons and Berries
Poached Egg Benedicts and Crab Florentine Benedicts
Fluffy Scrambled Eggs till 2:00p.m.
Assorted Brunch Breads
Fluffy scrambled eggs till 2:00p.m.

Salads
Holiday Winter Green Salad Bar
Cucumber and Yogurt Salad
Fresh Mozzarella with Tomato and Basil White Balsamic Vinaigrette
Holiday Waldorf Ambrosia Salad
Roasted Winter Vegetable Salad

Entrees & Vegetables
Potato and Crab Crusted Grouper with Lemon Butter Sauce
St. Andrews Chicken Roulade with Roasted Bell Pepper and Mediterranean Cous Cous
Roast Tom Turkey with Giblet Gravy and Traditional Stuffing
Slow Roasted Prime Rib of Beef, Yorkshire Pudding and Au Jus
Apple Cider Glazed Salmon with Butternut Squash Risotto
Sliced Honey Glaze Ham with a Champagne Fig Sauce
Citrus Smoked Pork Loin with Boniato Matchsticks and Spiced Bourbon Sauce
Candied Sweet and Buttery Mashed Potato
Seasonal Vegetables with Sauvignon Blanc Butter

Pasta Station
Wild Mushroom Agnolotti with Garlic Scented Cream and Sweet Peas
Ravioli Pastas with a Shrimp Fra Diavolo
Penne Pasta with Roasted Eggplant, Dried Tomatoes, Olive Oil and Kalamata Olives

Desserts
Succulent Chocolate Fountain with Melon, Pineapple and Strawberries
Buche de Noel, French Pastries, and Petit Fours
Apple and Pumpkin Pies
Holiday Assorted Cakes and Fruit Tarts
Christmas Cookies, Brownies and Fudge

To get tickets for the Christmas buffet go to
http://www.justletgoshop.com/ps-234-31-christmas-buffet.aspx

New Year's Eve 2008

2008-12-17T12:03:00.011-05:00

What? You don’t have plans for New Year’s Eve…lame. No, it’s okay if you want to have a quiet one this year. Just you, Dick Clark (how old is he now?), Ryan Seacrest, and the looming stroke of midnight spent in front of your television with your cat. Changed your mind? Here’s a snapshot of events around the Bay Area that’ll be sure to get you off your keester and out with a hundred of your closest acquaintances, all attempting to remember the words to Auld Lang Syne:

Aqua-Eve at The Florida Aquarium
9:00 pm – 1:00 am
701 Channelside Dr, Tampa, FL‎ - (813) 273-4000‎

Splash in the New Year at The Florida Aquarium by celebrating at Aqua-Eve! Enjoy fantastic live music, complementary food, beer and wine along with a champagne toast and the best view in town for an amazing fireworks display over the channel at midnight!

Swingin' the New Year
8:00 pm – 1:00 am
Coliseum, 535 Fourth Ave. N., St. Petersburg, FL

Swing Time and Swing Gang present Swingin' the New Year, a New Year's Eve celebration for all ages! The evening features music, dancing and celebration. There will be a midnight countdown and balloon drop with party favors and chocolates, prize giveaways and a cash bar, champagne bottles and toasts available, no coolers please!. Vintage costumes are encouraged (but optional) and all ages are welcome.

Five-Hour Firework Frenzy at First Night
5:00 pm – 12:30 am
Downtown St. Petersburg

This bay area celebration features entertainment, fantastic fireworks, food, and games at 35 venues in Midtown and Downtown from 5:00 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. The alcohol-free event for children and adults is FREE for those age 5 and under. Adult admission is $10 and $5 for ages 6 to 12.Fireworks on the Hour 8 p.m.: See the First Sparks Ignite the Night! 9 p.m.: The Family Show – The Early Birds Get the Fire Bug! 10 p.m.: Countdown - Minus Two Hours! 11 p.m.: Countdown - Minus One Hour! Midnight: Fireworks 2009!Click here for a complete schedule of events: http://www.firstnightstpete.com/schedule.html

New Year’s at Busch Gardens
9:00 am – 1:00 am
3000 E Busch Blvd, Tampa, FL‎ - (813) 987-5524‎

Busch Gardens is celebrating the New Year with special entertainment and fireworks nightly, December 27-31. You can give 2009 the ultimate "wild" welcome with coasters in the dark, including SheiKra — America's only dive coaster. Hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. (until 1:00 a.m. on December 31). This event is included with daily park admission or a Passport membership.

Sister Hazel New Year’s Eve Bash
8:00 pm – 1:00 am
Jannus Landing, 200 First Ave. N., St. Petersburg, 727-896-1244

A NYE show by Gainesville adult contemporary rockers Sister Hazel with party favors, a champagne toast at midnight, and a buffet provided by Harvey’s 4th Street Grill.

Rockin' in the Midnight Hour New Year's Eve Party
9:00 pm – 1:30 am
TradeWinds Island Grand, 5500 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach

Come ready to rock in the New Year - TradeWinds Style! The Greg Billings Band will be setting the tune as we dance the night away. We'll have an open bar all nightlong and a heavy hors d'oeuvres buffet to keep you nourished. And no party is complete without a dance contest! When midnight strikes we'll have a chance to champagne toast, blow our noisemakers, and watch the balloon drop. Don't miss the most exciting event of the year. For details visit http://www.tradewindsresort.com/Aview.asp?ID=1064 online or call 727-363-2212.

Fun New Year’s Links:

“What Does Auld Lang Syne Mean?”
http://www.howstuffworks.com/question279.htm

“Top Ten New Year’s Resolutions”
http://pittsburgh.about.com/od/holidays/tp/resolutions.htm

New Year’s Eve Humor
http://www.guy-sports.com/humor/christmas/new_year.htm

“Top Ten Most Returned Gifts”
http://listverse.com/humor/top-10-most-returned-gifts/

“Darwin Awards: New Year’s Eve”http://cgi.darwinawards.com/cgi/search.pl?keywords=new+years+eve&maxresults=40&swishindex=darwin.data&swishindex=stupid.data&swishindex=legend.data&show_description=yes

The content of this blog (excluding the event descriptions and links) was provided by:
Sarah Linthicum

MagicJack St. Petersburg Bowl

2008-12-09T14:58:00.011-05:00

St. Petersburg bowl game? Yeah, we’ve got one! St. Pete-ians (St. Petersburg-ians? St. Pete-ites?) finally have a stake in the “spectaculawesomeness” that is college football – for the definition of spectaculawesomeness please see 4 posts down.

These two teams are going head to head on Saturday, December 20th at the Trop for the title of 1st-ever-winners-of-the-1st-ever-St. Petersburg Bowl.

Besides the fact that the TradeWinds is offering a pretty cool package deal for the game, they’re also offering PRIMO tickets (we went all 70’s mob on you) that can’t be purchased through Ticketmaster, as part of their Beach Bowl Package.

The days leading up to the inaugural game are jam packed (think, Jabba the Hut in a wet suit) with entertainment that is all included in the package deal. Not to mention the $15 roundtrip shuttle to/from the game on Saturday. We know you’re watching your carbs, but if you really want that second beer then it’s okay with us…we’ll be your D.D. and we won’t even complain about it. But you’ll have to stay with us next year for the game, because you owe us dude. Remember that time we were your D.D. for the St. Petersburg Bowl Game?

But I digress.

If you want more info about the packages or events that are being offered by the TradeWinds, just go to www.justletgo.com/bowl.

For more info on the MagicJack St. Petersburg Bowl and/or the teams go to http://www.stpetersburgbowl.com/.

Written by:
Sarah Linthicum
eCRM Strategist
TradeWinds Island Resorts

Super Bowl XLIII???

2008-11-26T14:33:00.022-05:00

Super Bowl XLIII is coming…

Go [insert-team-name-here]!

Okay, so we don’t actually know the teams that’ll be playing in the Super Bowl. That doesn’t mean we can’t cheer for “Team X” when they descend on the Tampa Bay area next year! Will you be ready? Have you been working on your killer game face and experimenting with full body paint? Have you figured out where the heck you’ll be staying during the Superbowl?

Enter: TradeWinds Island Resorts. They’re offering some very cool packages over Super Bowl weekend and their staff have a huge supply of tissues on hand just in case your team drops the ball (literally and figuratively). And don’t worry…rainbow afro wigs are optional.

To check their package rates and availability for Super Bowl XLIII call them direct at 1800.360.4016 or 727.363.2212.

GO [MASCOTS] GO!!!

Sunscreen Shmunscreen

2008-11-26T11:31:00.000-05:00

It's amazing how many Floridians know so little about sunscreen. I mean, we live in the SUNSHINE STATE! Here are some facts about sunscreen and how it can keep you from becoming a deep-fried wrinkle factory:

● The only way to determine if a sunscreen protects against UVA and UVB radiation is to look at the ingredients. A good broad-spectrum sunscreen should have an SPF of at least 15 and contain avobenzone, titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide

● Sunscreen should be applied liberally enough to all sun-exposed areas that it forms a film when initially applied

● It takes 20-30 minutes for sunscreen to be absorbed by the skin, so it should be applied at least a half an hour before going out in the sun

● Reapplying sunscreen 20-30 minutes after being in the sun is more effective than waiting 2 hours to reapply.

● Sunscreen should be reapplied after swimming, excessive sweating, or toweling off.

● Insect repellents reduce the sunscreen’s SPF by up to one-third so when using insect repellent be sure to use a higher SPF than usual.

● The higher the SPF the more protection you’ll get, but after you reach about SPF 30 the protection of higher SPF’s will become very similar.

● According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 'everybody, regardless of race or ethnicity, is subject to the potential adverse effects of overexposure to the sun.

● Using sunscreen will block your body’s ability to make vitamin D, but if you’re drinking enough milk this shouldn’t be an issue. It usually only takes a few minutes of sun a day for your body to generate the amount of vitamin D it needs.

● Clouds do not block harmful UV rays, so you can get a sunburn on a cloudy day.

● Since UV rays can be reflected off of water, sand, snow, and concrete, you can even get a sunburn in the shade

Yeah, you've heard it before and you know what to do...APPLY AND REAPPLY!!!

References:

http://pediatrics.about.com/od/sunscreen/a/sunscreen_myths.htm

http://dermatology.about.com/cs/skincareproducts/l/blsunscreen.htm?p=1

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/258996/how_to_make_the_most_of_your_sunscreen.html?cat=5

Thanksgiving Pizza

2008-11-19T10:58:00.005-05:00

Thanksgiving is a week away. That’s right. You’ve got one week left to get to the grocery store and elbow your way to the front of the almost barren turkey freezer to pay through the nose for an extremely small turkey that looks suspiciously like a Cornish game hen.

So, not a lot of meat on that bird? Sick of the same, old, dry, bland, blah Thanksgiving Spread? Here’s a new take on turkey…

Thanksgiving Pizza -

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups turkey gravy (it can be fat free from a jar or your favorite gravy)
1 lb turkey sausage, cooked and crumbled (or your favorite sausage)
2 cups turkey breast, cooked and shredded
1 cup celery, finely sliced
24 inches thin pizza crust (two 12-inch already baked or prepared crusts)
2 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread half of gravy over top of each pizza. Arrange half of sausage, turkey and celery over each pizza. Sprinkle half a teaspoon of each spice over each pizza. Evenly spread one cup of cheese over each pizza. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

*This recipe was taken from Recipezaar.com. You can view this recipe online at http://www.recipezaar.com/Thanksgiving-Pizza-265701

Beach Bowl Bash = Spectaculawesomeness

2008-11-11T15:06:00.000-05:00

The TradeWinds is obviously trying it’s darnedest to make sure you get lots of sand where the sun don’t shine with its 1st annual Beach Bowl. The four day event is chock full of college football revelry, from the tried and true classic Tailgate Cookout to the sure to please “Coaches Sexy Legs Contest” where you decide which coach is officially taking sexy back.

Food + music + contests + comedy + FOOTBALL = Spectaculawesomeness (yes, I just made that up…but it’s justified!)

Here’s how all this spectaculawesomeness will pan out over the four-day bash:

Participate in all of the Team Games to earn points for your team.
The winning school will be presented with a trophy at the St. Pete Bowl Game.

Wednesday, December 17th
Team Beach Bash
Team Talent Show
Coaches Sexy Legs Contest
Dunk Your Teammate
Mascot Sandcastle Contest
Tailgate Cookout
SharkTooth Tavern for evening drinks and live music

Thursday, December 18th
Beach Bowl Challenge
Paddle Boat Races
Putting Contest
Tennis Skill Drill
Ping Pong
Belly Flop Contest
Pool Games
Punt, Pass & Kick Contest
Sunset Celebration – munchies, drink specials, and live music

Friday, December 19th
Battle of the Bands Pep Rally
Sand Sculpture Contest
Team Beach Olympics
Blow Up Special – Inflatable boxing ring and bouncy castle for the kids
Eating Contest hosted by Beef’O’Brady’s
Alumni Flag Football Game
Battle of the Bands
Cheerleader Tug’o’War (over a water pit!)
Tailgate Cookout
Live Band!
Coconuts Comedy Club at the Sandpiper – national touring comedians!

Saturday, December 20th
Game Day
Game Day Breakfast Buffet
Shuttles from TradeWinds to Tropicana field ($15 round trip!)
Kick Off at 4:30, ESPN2
Sharktooth Tavern will be offering live music after all the excitement

To check the availability and spectaculawesome rates for this package go to www.justletgo.com/bowl

Who's Cooking the Turkey???

2008-11-10T15:43:00.000-05:00

Does slaving for several hours over a hot oven, stovetop and microwave (yep, it’s 2008) on Thanksgiving Day sound appealing to you? How about setting the table for umpteen chatty relatives who have trouble passing the potatoes? And I know you’re looking forward to getting stuck in a corner with “Uncle Lou” who’s going to tell you the same stories he told you at the last 12 Thanksgiving dinners despite your increasingly insistent reminders that you’ve heard them countless times before.

Well let’s start a new tradition…or at least take a break this year! Luckily the TradeWinds banquet staff love to cook all your Thanksgiving favorites, are very good at sharing, and have never heard Uncle Lou’s stories and would be happy to lend an ear! Not to mention your option to let the post-feast nap take a hold of you in a pool side lounger or on the beach.

The kids would probably prefer the TradeWinds K.O.N.K. (Kids Only No Kidding) club over the rickety kiddy table of years past.

The staff are great and the food is even better! They are offering a no-hassle package deal to take some of the stress away from this VERY stressful holiday. To check their rates and package details you can visit them online at:
www.justletgo.com/together

What are YOU thankful for this season?

Garrrrr…The Florida Pirate Festival is here!

2008-11-06T16:36:00.000-05:00

The sixth annual Florida Pirate Festival is descending upon Vinoy Park!

November 21st, 22nd and 23rd, 2008 Friday 4pm – 8pm Sat 10am – 8pm Sun 10am – 6 pm

The Festival will offer games, live entertainment, authentic pirate artifacts and more!

Lucky for you scallywags the TradeWinds Island Resorts is offering a $50.00 room rate during the entire Festival! In conjuction with All Childrens Hospital, from Nov 21 - Nov 29, 2008 Tradewinds Resorts is honoring a $50.00 room rate for the first night and Tradewinds will donate $35.00 to All Childrens Hospital, and $79.00 special rate for additional nights for Island Grand Standard Parlor Rooms, Sandpiper Standard Hotel Rooms, and Sandpiper Courtyard View Rooms. Please note that the $50.00 first night room rate cannot be used back to back with another reservation.

If you would like more information regarding this package or other offers please contact our reservations department directly at 1800.360.4016 or 727.363.2212 (pssst…ask the reservations agent about the TradeWinds’ own in house pirate – RedBeard!)

For more information about the Florida Pirate Festival please visit http://www.piratefair.com/.

Come, stay, pillage, and be merry at the sixth annual Florida Pirate Festival!

Gaaaarrrrrrr!

The Freedom to Choose...

2008-11-04T14:21:00.000-05:00

Vote Vote Vote!

This is the most exciting election in recent memory and St. Pete residents are turning out in record numbers to cast their vote for the next President! Don’t forget to get yours in at your local precinct by 7pm tonight!

To get an idea of what to expect at your local voting location please click here, or visit http://www.votepinellas.com/ for more information.

Let’s get out and take advantage of this most important freedom…the freedom to CHOOSE!

St. Pete Goes Pink!

2008-10-28T11:09:00.000-04:00

This Friday morning, October 31st (yes, we know it’s Halloween, but we can all think pink no matter how scary our costumes are) kicks off the St. Petersburg 3-Day walk benefiting the Susan G. Komen Foundation. The opening ceremonies are being held at Ft. DeSoto Park at 7:15 am and everyone is encouraged to send the walkers off with a warm and heartfelt, “YOU ROCK!”

You can also continue to support the walkers throughout St. Pete at various cheering stations along the 3-day route. Grab some markers, paint and posterboard and come down to cheer!

Cheering Stations:

Friday, October 31:

11:00 am - 2:30 pm
Dolphin Shopping Center
4655 Gulf Blvd.St. Petersburg, FL 33706

12:45 pm - 5:45 pm
Azalea Park (South)
Corner of 72nd St. N and 13th Ave. N
St. Petersburg, FL 33710

Saturday, November 1:

9:30 am - 12:30 pm
John's Pass Village
150 Boardwalk Pl W.
Madeira Beach, FL 33708

12:45 pm - 4:45 pm
Blessed Sacrament School
11501 66th Ave. N
Seminole, FL 33772

Sunday, November 2:

9:00 am - 11:45 am
Woodlawn Park
1450 16th St. N
St. Petersburg, FL 33704

85% of the net proceeds generated from this event will go to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The remaining fifteen percent of net funds goes to the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund, which provides ongoing support to breast cancer initiatives.

So THINK PINK this Halloween!

Spooky Happenings!

2008-10-26T15:42:00.000-04:00

With Halloween only 5 days away, St. Pete is gearing up to celebrate All Hallow's Eve this frightful Friday. Here are some creepy events to scare up a good time this week:

Thursday, October 30th 7pm
Arthritis Foundation Creaky Bones Dash and Trick or Treat Trot
Location: The Pier, 800 2nd Ave. NE, St. Petersburg
Arthritis Foundation family fundraiser with 5K run! Costumes encouraged in downtown St. Petersburg and Trick or Treat Trot for ages 6-12. Plus games, costume contest and refreshments. Registration begins 6pm, event starts 7pm.

Ghost Tours of St. Petersburg
Location: The Ghost Tour departs from the Full Monty Cafe, 119 2nd St. N, St. Petersburg
From the historic 1880s hotel with a debonair 'Captain' from long ago, to a beautiful waterfront resort home to a mysterious 'Lady in White,' discover what lurks in the shadows of Florida's Sunshine City on the Downtown Ghost Tour of St. Petersburg! Peer into the mysteries of the city's most haunted locations on a 90 minute candlelight walking tour of downtown, and experience fascinating tales of ghostly hauntings and quirky characters from St. Petersburg's unusual past!
www.ghosttour.net/stpetersburg.html

Animated Halloween Light Show
Location: 133 NW Madison Cir. N, St. Petersburg (Three houses from 4th St. N, across from the Wing House)
Get in the Halloween spirit by visiting the Decorating Elves Halloween Light Show! Decorating Elves will be featuring a new state-of-the-art animated light show with music throughout the month of October.

Friday, October 31st 9pm
B-Movie Halloween Party
Location: 10820 Gandy Blvd, St. Petersburg, FL, 33702
Join Julie Black and her band at an officially haunted juke joint for Ghouls Ghost & Girls, a B- Movie themed Halloween Party! Come Friday, Oct. 31 dressed as your favorite B- movie character.

Let's get out there and enjoy this, the scariest of all holidays... HALLOWEEN!

2008-10-22T12:47:00.000-04:00

The Rays have made it to the World Series!!! Can you believe it? Our own Rays are beginning the battle for the title tonight, and the city of St. Petersburg and surrounding areas will be pretty crowded for a while. The TradeWinds Resort in St. Pete Beach is about 15 minutes from the epicenter - Tropicana Field! The good news keeps on comin' because the TradeWinds still has plenty of space for those of you who want to return to a tranquil beach paradise after the excitement of a World Series game.

According to www.stpete.org, the official page for the city of St. Petersburg, FL, traffic near the field will be...well...downright nasty and they're recommending visitors use alternate forms of transportation to the game. More good news? Yep! The TradeWinds offers a sedan service right on property for Rays fans to take advantage of come game time. The transportation company is Studio Sedan and you can reach them at 1866. 403.3303 or 1.727.363.2362, or by email at studiolimo@yahoo.com for rates.

If you want to check out the TradeWinds' rates for this awesome piece of sports history in the making, visit www.justletgo.com.

GO RAYS! MORE COWBELL!