Merry Christmas

On behalf of our entire Solara team,

We wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas

and a prosperous New Year.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

While some of you are dealing with blizzards we here is Sunny South Florida are basking in the sun. Well, not exactly. It's been COLD these past couple of days. I know 40 degree weather for some of you is a Summer day but for us it is freezing but looking on the bright side, it puts right into the Christmas mood.

For those of you planing on joining us during the Holidays, here are a few things going on that you might be interested in:

DANCE
Miami City Ballet: George Balanchine's The NutcrackerDecember 17-19 & 21-23, 2010Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Downtown Miami

MUSIC
Handel's MessiahDecember 18, 2010Adrienne Arsht Center, Downtown MiamiHandel's most enduring classic and a timeless holiday tradition, becomes a part of The Arsht Center's end-of-year holiday celebration.

Mannheim SteamrollerDecember 26, 2010Adrienne Arsht Center, Downtown MiamiInfusing new life into traditional Christmas music, Mannheim Steamroller presents selections from their award-wining holiday album.

Destination Holiday! MGMC Holiday ConcertDecember 10 & 11, 2010Lincoln Theatre, Miami BeachMiami Gay Men's Chorus presents this holiday concert.

FUN FOR FAMILIES
Santa's Enchanted ForestNovember 4, 2010 - January 9, 2011Tropical Park, West MiamiExperience this Christmas wonderland anytime from early November through early January.

Tropical Holidays at Miami Childrens MuseumDecember 1-31, 2010Miami Childrens Museum, MiamiEvery Saturday and Sunday brings a new activity celebrating winter and the holiday season.

Snow Days at the GroveDecember 4, 11 & 18, 2010Between CocoWalk and Mayfair and on Commodore Plaza in Coconut GroveKids can build snowmen and make snow angels during the Snow Days celebration. This free event will take place the first three Saturdays in December.

Story Time & Kids Crafts with SantaDecember 11 & 18, 2010 from 10:00 am - NoonDeering Estate, Cutler RidgeThe Deering Estate welcomes guests of all ages for story time with Santa, plus arts and crafts.

Zoo LightsDecember 17-23 & 26-30, 2010 from 7:00 to 10:00 pmZoo MiamiZoo Miami will open at night for a special holiday event with bright animal shaped lights, hot chocolate, holiday songs and more.

Winter Wonder IslandDecember 18, 2010 - January 2, 2011Jungle Island, MiamiJungle Island gets into the holiday season with a magical snowfall, photos with Santa, and holiday-themed shows, games and treats.

Winter Nights & LightsDecember 18-30, 2010Miami Seaquarium, Key BiscayneThis annual holiday extravaganza transforms Miami Seaquarium into a Winter Wonderland.

With the Christmas rush, don't forget that New Year's Eve sneaks up on you after the holidays. Cross one more to-do off your list by making reservations at one of these bashes. With the number of celebs in the city, you're bound to see some out waiting for the ball (or orange) to drop, and here's where some will be- call for prices and packages, but most parties include party favors, an open bar and champagne at midnight.

Mansion Nightclub: Ring in the New Year at one of Miami's hottest nightclubs. Tickets are $200 for guys and $50 for girls for open bar until midnight, with VIP and table rates available. 1235 Washington Ave, Miami Beach. (305) 695-8411.

SET Nightclub: Tickets are $200 and include a three-hour open bar; table packages are available. 320 Lincoln Road Miami Beach. (305) 531-2800.

SOBE Live: If you're looking for a hip hop NYE, you'll find it at SOBE Live. Tickets include a 3-hour open bar, buffet, champagne toast and balloon drop. 1203 Washington Avenue. (305) 725-3353.

If clubbing isn't your thing, there are plenty of other events going on around Miami for New Year's!

King Mango Strut: The King Mango Strut is an offbeat parade taking place on the last Sunday of the year in downtown Coconut Grove.

Miami Beach New Year's Eve Party: The city of Miami Beach offers a free fireworks celebration at midnight. Gather on the beach near Ocean Drive and 8th Streeet. (305) 673-7400

Bayfront Park Amphitheater: This free even features live performances by various bands. There's a countdown at midnight for the dropping of the Big Orange, followed by fireworks. This is a great family outing, if you're kids are old enough to make it until midnight. 301 North Biscayne Blvd, Miami. (305) 358-7550.

Orange Drive South Beach New Year's FestivalThrough January 2, 2011Ocean Drive will officially be renamed Orange Drive for this exciting 3-day New Year's Celebration. The streets and beach will become one big block party with events leading up to the Orange Bowl Game.

Junior Orange Bowl ParadeJanuary 2, 2011Coral GablesA parade through the streets of Coral Gables featuring floats and marching bands. The parade begins in front of Coral Gables City Hall and travels down Miracle Mile.

A few got Lucky at Solara...Casino Month

In celebration of Casino Month, we held a contest to see who could guess how many glass pebbles were in the jar. The guest seemed to really enjoy it and some had some pretty close guesses but none came as close as our winners:


Week 1
Mr. & Mrs Burrows


Week 2
Teresa Thomas
(No picture available-guest had checked out)



Winner's received the following voucher:

Congratulations Guys!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving

From our family to yours

Thanksgiving is the appointed time
for focusing on the good in our lives.
In each of our days,
we can find small blessings,
but too often we overlook them,
choosing instead to spend our time
paying attention to problems.
We give our energy
to those who cause us trouble
instead of those who bring peace.
Starting now,
let’s be on the lookout
for the bits of pleasure in each hour,
and appreciate the people who
bring love and light to everyone
who is blessed to know them.
You are one of those people.
On Thanksgiving,
I’m thankful for you.
Happy Thanksgiving!

By Joanna Fuchs

Back to Business at Solara...We've Officially Reopened

It's official, Solara reopened it's doors on Saturday, Oct. 23rd. After a grueling 2 1/2 months of construction (and delays) we were all excited to getting back to business of making vacation memories. Mr. and Mrs. Christenson were our very first guests to arrive and 11 other families followed throughout the day. So far everyone has had only great things to say about the resort and that is all thanks to the wonderful Solara Team that gave 110% to ensure the resort was immaculate.

Mr. and Mrs. Christenson

For those of you not fully aware all the wonderful changes that took place during our closure, here is a brief list:

* Concrete restoration on exterior of the building
* Sealing and painting the exterior of the building
* All windows and exterior doors were replaced with Category 5 Hurricane Proof Glass
* All bed linen will be replaced to Bluegreen's New Bedding Standards
* Bedbug mattress and box spring protectors were installed in all the full beds
* Dining room and leisure chairs were reupholstered
* All new pool and balcony furniture
* ALL units, hallways and social rooms were deep cleaned and have full maintenance completed.
* Pool and pool deck was resurfaced
* Activities room was completely redone with fresh paint, new desks, foosball table and carpet tile.
* Fresh Landscaping was installed.
* Brand new Iphone alarm clocks were installed in all the master bedrooms with several soothing music options available.

* Brand new pavers at the main entrance

Check out the pictures:

Miami Spice

Miami Spice 2010 is a mouth-watering summer restaurant promotion showcasing the very best of Miami cuisine.

During August and September, Miami’s top restaurants offer three-course meals (Lunch $22, Dinner $35) featuring signature dishes created by world-renowned chefs. Discover the tropical fusion of ingredients that makes Miami dining so wonderfully out of the ordinary. An epicure’s paradise awaits you in Greater Miami and the Beaches! For more on these restaurants and fine dining in Miami go to www.ilovemiamispice.com

I for one will be trying Gotham Steak at The Fontainebleau on Miami Beach. Alfred Portale, chef and owner of perennial New York City favorite Gotham Bar and Grill, is among the culinary leaders featured at Fontainebleau Miami Beach. Gotham Steak encompasses two levels with indoor and al fresco dining. Portale’s menu expands beyond modern American steakhouse fare to include fresh seafood, specialty cuts of meat and 500+ wines from around the world. Design highlights include a brilliant chandelier of hand-blown glass, an open exhibition kitchen and a two-level, glass-enclosed wine tower.

Just reading the menu is making my mouth water...

APPETIZERS
LOCAL HEIRLOOM TOMATO SALAD
Minus 8 Vinegar, Feta Cheese & Mandar in Orange Oil

YELLOW FIN TUNA TARTAR
Shiso, Lime & Ginger

SUMMER CORN AND JUMBO
LUMP CRAB RISOTTO
Pequillo Pepper s, Fine Herbs & Lemon Zest

ENTRÉES
GRILLED PRIME HANGER STEAK
Roasted Finger ling Potatoes, Caramelized Shallots,
Bearnaise Sauce

MISO MARINATED BLACK COD
Bok Choy, Shiitake Mushrooms, Sticky Rice
Soy Lemongrass Ginger Sauce

BERKSHIRE PORK RIBS “TEXAS STYLE”
Barbeque Haberno Sauce, Corn Bread

DESSERTS
PASSIONFRUIT MOUSSE
Kiwi Sauce & Coconut Sorbet

TIRAMISU BROWNIE
Mascarpone Mousse, Lady Finger & Espresso Gelato

MILK CHOCOLATE CANDY BAR
Peanut Butter Ganache & Salted Caramel Sorbet

So if you are making your way down to Miami some time during August or September, be sure to check out a few of the famous and now affordable South Beach eateries, you will not be disappointed.

The Magic City Celebrates 114 Years

The City of Miami is celebrating its 114th birthday today and what's a birthday without a birthday bash! The City of Miami will celebrate by giving back to the community by unveiling a statue of Julia Tuttle, "Mother of Miami." Julia Tuttle is being recognized as a visionary and the only woman to found a major city in the United States. She made outstanding achievements in spite of the limitations placed on women in 1896. To read more about Julia Tuttle, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Tuttle

The 10-foot bronze statue will be unveiled at 9:30 a.m. in Bayfront Park in downtown Miami. The event is free and open to the public.

The celebration continues in the evening, with the City of Miami's Birthday Celebration at 6:00 p.m. at the American Airlines Arena. The event will capture all the sights, sounds, and tastes of the Magic City with live musical performances including Miami's own Jon Secada singing "Happy Birthday" and tastings from local restaurants, complimentary cocktails and much more. Tickets are $25 per person with all proceeds going to community charity organizations including Allapattah Community Action, Best Buddies, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Centro Mater, CHARLEE House, Downtown Miami Partnership, Friends of Gusman, Friends of Marine Stadium, Friends of Miami-Dade Public Library, Hands On Miami, Switchboard Miami, Voices For Children, YMCA.

It's never too late...June's Employee of the Month and Star Performer

As you can see, I am a bit behind in keeping you up to date. Sorry about that, things have just been so busy but without further adieu may I present to you Fanny Salcedo, Solara's June 2010 Employee of the month...

Fanny has been a part of the Solara family since Dec. 2002 and is a valued member of our Housekeeping team.

Another worthy person on our team is Cebert "Junior" Wedemier and he has the honor of receiving June's Star Performer Award.

Junior started with us as a Temp in our Activities department during the summer of 2008 and came back to work with us on a full time bases as our Activities Director in Aug. 2009. He is in charge of organizing all the activities here at Solara. Let's just say that he is a perfect fit for us and without him this would not be as fun (or interesting).

4th of July at Solara was a BLAST

This year Solara had the BEST 4th of July ever. How could we not, we had Uncle Sam on our team!

Did you pay your taxes???

Our very own Jonathan Berney, the newest member of our activities team dressed up as Uncle Sam to entertain our guests and staff alike. Here are some pictures of our staff having some Dress Up fun before the event.

And here are some of the best pictures from the BBQ and Picnic Games.

(Click on the picture to enlarge)

We had bobbing for apples, pin the beard on Uncle Sam, Potato Sack races and a Water Mellon eating contest with winners in both the kids and adult "division".

It was truly a BLAST and can't wait till the next big event.

Dog Days of Summer

Ahhh, the dog days of summer are upon us and we are already feeling the heat. The weather may say that it's only 85F but step out side and it feels like a sauna. Luckily we have the ocean (Tar Free) and what better way to spend your vacation than enjoying the water or participating in some our our July Activities like Water Mellon eating contest, Paper Boat race, S'mores Night or Beans and Franks lunch plus so much more...

(Click to enlarge)

Did you also know that July is Hot Dog Month? Well it is. Here's a brief history on one of America's favorite foods...

• July 23rd is National Hot Dog Day
• In 1904, the hot dog was introduced to America at the St. Louis World's Fair.
• That same year, George J. French introduced his French's mustard.
• In 1916, Nathan Handwerker started his own Coney Island boardwalk business, 'Nathan's', to sell hot dogs for a nickel. This has become an America tradition at ball parks and picnics.
• Joey Chestnut holds the world record for eating 68 hot dogs in 10 minutes!
• Americans eat more than 16 billion hot dogs each year. America eats about 150 million hot dogs on the 4th of July (about 2 billion for the whole month of July).

4th of July at Solara

Are you planning on joining us during the 4th of July weekend? If so, make sure to make it down to our BBQ. Below is the flyer for the event. It will be a fun filled afternoon for the entire family.

Looking for a place to watch the fireworks? This year, the choices for a fun Independence Day are better than ever. No matter what your speed, there are celebrations for you. Here is a list of some of the more popular places to see the rocket's red glare.

City of Miami Beach Fourth of July Celebration: This is a truly unique, touching demonstration of our independence. Beginning at 7:30 PM, music will bring the crowd to its feet. Fireworks will start at nighfall. I can’t think of a more patriotic or more purely Miami way to celebrate! Festivities will be on the beach at 8th Street and Ocean Drive. For more information, call the Miami Beach Tourism Center at (305) 673-7400.

America's Birthday Bash at Bayfront Park: Enjoy live multicultural music while eating delicious food from one of the many booths. Stay until dark for the fireworks, the highlight of the celebration. While most spectacular here in the ampitheatre, the display should be visible throughout most of downtown and over the water. The festival begins at 3PM and concludes with fireworks at 9PM. The Bayside Ampitheatre is located at 301 Biscayne Blvd in downtown Miami. For more information, call (305) 358-7550.

City of Aventura: Show starts at 9:00pm and can be viewed anywhere along Country Club Drive. For more information please call the Community Services Department at 305-466-8930 or visit www.cityofaventura.com.

City of Hollywood: Come celebrate our nation’s 234th birthday on Hollywood Beach & Broadwalk on Sunday, July 4th. Hollywood will be holding its annual Star Spangled Spectacular. There will be entertainment throughout the day and evening at the Hollywood Beach Theatre, plus a dazzling offshore fireworks display beginning at 9:00 pm. Music, games, a fruit pie eating contest, a corn cobbler eating contest and a Limbo challenge are just a few of the events. There will be fun, dancing and games for the little ones at Charnow Park at Garfield Street on the Beach at 12:30 pm and will run until 7:00 pm. And the best part is that the intracoastal bridges (Dania Beach Blvd, Sheridan Street, and Hollywood Blvd) will remain in the down position from 8:00 pm to 11:30 pm to allow traffic to exit the beach. So no stress getting back home.

Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July!

Swimmer saved by good Samaritan

Luis Soto from Beach Time Max, our beach concession company, was featured in the Miami Herald this weekend for his heroic rescue of a rip tide victim last Friday on Surfside Beach.

Luis states he saw the woman struggling in the water and quickly reacted grabbing a boogie board from one of the kids laying out by the water and jumped right in to save her. He says it took a while to get back in since the current was so strong but he managed to be released from the rip tide and swam with the woman in tow to shore where he was met by Beach Rescue and they took the woman to the hospital.

Great job Luis, you are definitely a hero!

Here's the article.

SURFSIDE, Fla. (WSVN) --

A worker is being hailed a hero after he saved a woman in distress. The struggling swimmer was unable to keep her head above water near 95th Street and Collins Avenue Thursday. That's when a Good Samaritan, who was selling umbrellas nearby, grabbed a boogie board and jumped in the ocean to save her. "I took off my shoes and socks and went right in, and I said please relax," said Luis Soto. The woman was brought to shore exhausted but otherwise OK.

Having Fun Delivering Fun

It's never a dull moment at Solara.

We're Closing...For Renovations

It's official. Solara will be closing it's doors for 2 months on August 14, 2010 for some major renovations. What's going to be done?? Well, this is what's on the list:

• Concrete restoration on exterior of the building
• Sealing and painting the exterior of the building
• All windows and exterior doors are going to be replaced with Category 5 Hurricane Proof Glass
• All window drapes will be replaced
• All bed linen will be replaced to Bluegreen's New Bedding Standards
• Dinning room and leisure chairs will be reupholstered
• All new pool and balcony furniture
• ALL units, hallways and social rooms will be deep cleaned and have full maintenance completed.
• Elevator Modernization which is to include replacement of our 45 year old equipment to new state of the art equipment
• Pool resurfacing

We can't wait. By the time it's all done we will be looking at a brand new building. Our Grand re-opening is scheduled for October 9th, 2010. Will you be among the first to walk in through our doors?

You've got to Moo It Moo It

June is Dairy Month here at Solara (and all Bluegreen Resort) and things have been Mooooing all over.

Do you know anything better than a warm fresh cookie with some ice cold milk?? How about eating a warm cookie, having your milk AND winning an Ice Cream Sunday !!! That's exactly what you can do every Wednesday here at Solara. All you have to do is take part in our “Milk Mustache” Contest EVERY Wednesday from 3:00pm to 4:00pm during our Cookie Frenzy and the best “Milk Mustache” will win a free Ice Cream Sunday. Snap a photo of your family or friends with a milk mustache at a Bluegreen resort, Dairy Month event, submit your picture to www.colorfulplaces.com/milkit and a panel of lactose-tolerant judges will choose finalists based on each photo's relevance to Dairy Month and publish them for you to vote and pick the winner! One grand-prize winner will receive a 3-night stay in America's Dairy Land! But hurry and don't be left out to pasture, the Bluegreen Resorts 2010 Milk Moo-stache Photo Contest ends July 7, 2010.

Here are some of the winners of the past two weeks...

And here are all our runner's up..

We are also celebrating Dairy Month by holding a MooooOff contest and Leaky Milk Carton Game. Here are some pictures for the Leaky Milk Carton game.

And here are two videos from our MooooOff Contests.

May Day

Boy, things have been bussssyyyyy here at Solara. So much that I have fallen behind on this blog. Well, let me catch you up on all that's been happening.

We started the month by celebrating Mother's Day and all the Mother's on our team received a rose. This is a tradition here at Solara and they all love it.

We were also very please with Eric Maupuy's return to our Maintenance Department. Eric had taken a leave for a few months and we are so happy to have him back on the Team. Eric we had missed you!

As you already know, Claudia's birthday was in May and one of our guest surprised her is a cake and bocadito's (Cuban Pastries). What a nice thing for them to do. Claudia was ecstatic.

                                    

and last but not least, we announced our Employee of the Month and Star Performer's for the month of May.

Those that stood out in the month of May with the most mentions in our comment cards were......

Miguel Gomez (Front Desk Associate) and Junior Encarnacion (Front Desk Associate). Great Job guys!! Keep up the good work.

                                   

and the employee who received the most mentions by his fellow employee's is and walked way with this month's Employee of the Month nominations was...

Rudy Perez. Rudy has been with our company off and on for several years and is currently our part time night Auditor. He is the man that is seldom seen but heard because of the wonderful job he does.

Rudy, thank you for everything you do and congratulations!

                                                

Celebrating a Birthday in June is Fanny Salcedo from our Housekeeping Dept. Fanny's birthday was on June 6th. Happy Birthday Fanny, hope it was a great one.

                                                 

Guests having fun...

Cookie Frenzy (Every Wed. and Friday in the Lobby)

Our very first Build  A Bear

(Fun activitiy for all- Only $17.00 a Bear)

Memorial Day- A day of Remembrance

"Although no sculptured marble should rise to their memory, nor engraved stone bear record of their deeds, yet will their remembrance be as lasting as the land they honored "

Quote from Daniel Webster.

Memorial Day is a special occasion for every American, as it reminds us of the brave men and women who died while serving the United States of America. It is important that the sanctity of the traditional observance of Memorial Day is respected by every individual. So even if we are all out "celebrating" our day off, take a few minutes and remember why. We must find a way to honor any and all war-dead. It is also necessary to re-educate and remind everyone the true meaning of Memorial Day, and teach every child the significance of one's country and its independence. To ensure the sacrifices of America’s fallen heroes are never forgotten, in December 2000, the National Moment of Remembrance resolution was passed by the U.S. Congress. It encourages every American to voluntarily and informally observe the Memorial day at 3 p.m., pausing from whatever task they are doing. It is a token of respect for those honorable men, who sacrificed their lives for the country. As Moment of Remembrance founder Carmella LaSpada states: "It’s a way we can all help put the memorial back in Memorial Day."

Have a safe day and enjoy time with your friends and family!!

Breaking News

Claudia has just announced that she is having a Baby Girl.

Congratulations Claudia and Family!!!!!

This little bundle of joy is expected to arrive in October.

Interesting Facts about Miami

Miami is the only United States city to be planned by a woman, Julia Tuttle.

Miami in 1896

Benjamin Green, a Miami Beach pharmacist, invented the first suntan lotion by cooking cocoa butter

on a stove in 1944.

And that Miami is also the only city bordering two national parks: Everglades and Biscayne.