Sarasota Polo Club at Lakewood Ranch

The past few weeks have been a complete blur... from the Murder Mystery Night, to the Highland Games, to various work projects that have kept me busy to our car shopping, I've not had very much time to post let alone to sit back and breath. This all changed on Sunday when I took some time out to catch a Polo match with my friend Terri, leaving the guys behind for a girlie day out.

The Sarasota Polo Club at Lakewood Ranch is located at the east end of University Parkway and has been around since 1991. Open to the public every Sunday, for $10 per person you can enjoy the most refined tailgating experience in the area. People in my town take their Polo tailgating very seriously. There are themed menus and contests, we're not talking your average football fare. Terri and I opted for a vegetarian spread of Olives, Goat Cheese, Asian Red Cabbage Salad, Tabbouleh, and Pitas. This kept us going for the first 5 chukkers of action...

... during the sixth, and last chukker, we enjoyed some lovely chilled Pimm's. We weren't toasting victory as our team lost, but it was a very nice day indeed.

Sunset Picnic at the Beach

One of my favorite places to eat in Sarasota is at the beach, about an hour before sunset. As a local, this is something I don't do often enough. There are so many places to dine in Sarasota, but there is something about a picnic on the beach that just can't be beat.

When we don't make our own food, we like to pop in to Morton's Gourmet Market on Osprey Avenue to pick up some of their lovely prepared foods. To complete it, you only need a couple of chairs or a blanket, a bottle of wine (keep in mind that glass is banned on the beach), and a nice spot on the beach to sit back and enjoy the view.

Sietsa Key Beach (voted Travel Channel's "America's Best Beach 2003") is the most popular in the area, but Lido Beach is closer to our house, and less crowded, making it the ideal spot for a picnic.