Snowbird Lifestyle, Cuisine, Entertainment and Travel
Oakwood Resort is a gorgeous Midwestern lakefront resort, an hour’s drive from our home, has beautiful spacious rooms and is dog friendly WEEKEND LAKE GETAWAY For us, there’s a long gap from the winter snowbird season until we begin again, so weekend getaways are an …
I was a little skeptical about an electric grill until I tried the food cooked on our CharBroil® TRU-infrared™ grill and now I’m an enthusiast. Electric Infrared Grill Review Grilling meat, fish, vegetables and poultry is a favorite activity of many snowbirds, including my husband. …
Many wonder how to be a working snowbird in a seasonal southern community. Working snowbirds are increasing in numbers with advances in modern technology that allow easier remote job access via the internet, phone and video conferences and/or returning for mandatory work commitments as needed. Working snowbirds who have full time jobs in their Northern community may not stay an entire season, instead opting for shorter stays such as three to six weeks. Semi-retired and retired snowbirds may work part-time jobs in their warm weather home to offset the added expenses of being a snowbird.
There is one common trait among working snowbirds and that is the ability to keep a laser focus on work rather than allowing oneself to get sidetracked with the beach, mountains, hobbies or other temptations in their southern homes.
Not every business or job can be accomplished remotely, so if you are in a profession or industry that requires being present in your winter community, you may want to postpone your snowbird aspirations into the future. Or consider staying a much shorter time, such as a week or two. In some cases, perhaps consider a career change so it's possible to work remotely.
Seasonal and part-time working snowbirds have to consider the timing, type of employment and distance to their warm weather home. Other factors include pay rate and whether they can work out schedules and sharing a vehicle with their spouse / partner.
Job prospects could include one's hobbies such as the golf course or entertainment industry; retail; food service; delivery; driver; maintenance or office work. Check into online ads, temp agencies and seek referrals. There are many ways to find jobs and many employers are happy to find reliable help to fill openings. Emphasize your qualities, experience and skills and be candid about your availability if it's only intended to be a short term situation. Once established with a place of employment that you enjoy, it's easier to keep the relationship each returning season.
Moving one's home-based company to a southern home can be quite challenging. It takes a lot of forethought and organization to anticipate and prepare for moving everything you might need across the country to set up your business. Accessing cloud-based digital files solves many logistical issues of not having to bring a file cabinet full of paperwork.
Items that will not realistically transport in your vehicle will need to be shipped to/from your destination. Interruption of service to your staff, customers, reps and suppliers is another unavoidable factor to prepare for. Communication is key to keep your company operating smoothly while in the migration process.
Access to shipping packages and reliable high speed wi-fi are two huge considerations for my husband's business. We turned down several housing options because they were too far away from a shipping hub.
My husband informally named his southern company as "Company Name - Florida" to distinguish our warm-weather operations from our Midwestern headquarters. Set up your company address as "Your Company Name - Your Snowbird Home" in your shipping portals to make sure you can quickly and easily distinguish the two to avoid delivery mistakes.
Prior to moving your company to a new seasonal location, think it through and evaluate every worst case scenario that might happen.
Snowbirds who are in a job or profession that allows working remotely are also increasing in popularity. High speed internet, teleconferencing and remote access are key elements.
The same traits of what makes a remote employee successful in their northern home are what will translate to their southern home.
Accessibility to an airport may need to be taken into consideration as well. If travel back to the home office or to meet with clients is necessary, be prepared for the logistical and emotional challenges. No one wants to miss out on time that could be spent in their snowbird home, but it often plays a part of a working snowbird's life.
Snowbirds who are self employed or work remotely need to consider the following:
--Access to needed amenities such as reliable, high speed wi-fi, shipping / receiving, banking
--Space for a desk, computer, files, printer, supplies, equipment / components and product/s within one's southern home
--Use of a vehicle and be willing / able to share it with one's spouse or partner
--Access to an airport, if applicable, to travel for work commitments
--Adjust to and work within a different time zone
--Reliable home team: trusted neighbors, friends and family members who can help out with anything needed while away
--If just one snowbird is working, a supportive spouse / partner is essential to help as needed with the unpredictable situations that will undoubtedly arise
First and foremost, commitment to one's work is absolutely essential to a working snowbird. Working snowbirds cannot allow the warm weather and beautiful scenery to derail their business or job because they are fully aware that working is what finances their time away. They also cannot take much time off during normal business hours because sooner or later it will catch up in the form of slowed sales or less-than-stellar service or job performance.
Therefore, when well-meaning friends and family say, "Enjoy your vacation" or "How was your vacation?" it's simply more than likely inaccurate. Self-employed snowbirds, especially, do not take true vacations, ever. Maybe a long weekend here and there, but it is almost impossible to shut a business down for a week to take time off, ignore the phone / emails and decompress in the sun. A better question is to ask, "How was your time away?"
Packing and moving is stressful enough, without the added pressure of moving your small business to your southern home. I readily admit, there are times I question the sanity of it all.
The timing begins several months prior to departure. Notifying all vested parties of dates, contact information and location changes takes time.
Keeping everyone on track is a logistical challenge as well. We've asked friends to intercept and redirect packages from vendors and customers that inadvertently were delivered to our Northern location despite our best efforts to prevent it.
Having a solid home team to help at your Northern headquarters as needed is absolutely essential. Make sure you have family and trusted neighbors who are willing and available to locate needed files, supplies, parts and so forth, and able to prepare a package to send. Remember, during the unpredictable winters in your home state, family may not be able to drive across the city to assist with your needs, so you will have no other option than to ask a neighbor for assistance.
Anyone who is self-employed also knows the stress of slower sales is compounded that much more when you're spending a lot of money to pay for two homes. Make sure you are adequately funded to support a down turn due to any number of reasons.
Don't forget to get the basics correct. I was in a hurry to get an online order placed for delivery to our southern home and transposed the street address numbers. The delivery person couldn't find the non-existent address and the package was returned to the sender, causing further delays.
Non-working spouses/partners have to do their part to be supportive. That means doing everything possible to help pick up the work load as needed and making sure you are not demotivating your working spouse. As an example, going to lunch with your friends or golfing with your buddies is fine once in awhile. Don't make a daily habit of sitting in the sun, taking long walks on the beach, socializing with the neighbors and other activities that will make your working spouse either resent you and / or cause them to lose their motivation to stay focused on work. It's hard enough to sit next to a window with a great view and try to accomplish your work without being needlessly tempted by your spouse and your friends.
--Marie Forleo, American Life Coach, Motivational Speaker, Author and Web Television Host
Location, outdoor space and a gorgeous view are all tops on the list of the most sought-after rentals in snowbird communities What to Look for in A Snowbird Rental Figuring out your warm weather rental home is the single-largest factor to being happy when away …
Basic everyday household items such as glassware can easily be repurposed in your snowbird home 40 Snowbird Hacks, Tips No one wants to haul a bunch of limited use household items to/from their snowbird home, nor is it practical to purchase everything while away …
Snowbird menu ideas for 100+ easy, simple, go-to breakfast, lunch and dinner menus that are designed to be flexible, using hardworking basic ingredients without requiring special gadgets and appliances. Shop local, take advantage of access to fresh fish and regional or seasonal specialties in your snowbird home. Oftentimes we mix it up -- breakfast for dinner, leftovers for lunch and a more complicated meal on the weekends. I recommend "snowbird shortcuts" such as buying salad kits in a bag, instant rice, pre-grated cheeses, pre-made dips / spreads / desserts and semi-homemade recipes as much as possible.
Bagel with Neufchatel / cream cheese / flavored cream cheese and for special occasions, add lox, capers and red onion
Beverages: Coffee / tea / filtered water
Biscuits and gravy
Biscuits with sliced berries, jelly, jam, preserves or honey
Breakfast burritos: ground meat or egg, cheese, tomatoes, salsa and Greek yogurt
Bread: muffins / cinnamon rolls / biscuits / banana bread / croissants / toast and chutney or preserves / English muffins
Breakfast bars / Granola
Breakfast Casserole: with eggs, cheese, milk, sausage, mushrooms over a crust
Cereal with fresh fruit
Eggs: hard boiled / sunny side up / fried / poached / scrambled
English muffin with Canadian bacon / sausage patty, fresh spinach, egg and cheese
Fresh fruit: bananas / oranges / grapes / mango / strawberries / blueberries / blackberries / raspberries / cherries / stone fruits / apples / grapefruit / pears / specialty fruits
Grits with cheese topped with any of the following: bacon / shrimp / ham / sausage / nuts/ mushrooms and spinach
Juice: Orange / apple / grapefruit / tomato
Meats: bacon / sausage / Canadian bacon / chicken
Omelette: eggs, cheese, bell peppers, meat / poultry, onions, mushrooms
Pancakes* French toast or waffles* with blueberries and syrup
Pastries: Coffee cake / cinnamon rolls / donuts / biscuits / scones / muffins / banana bread
Parfaits with fresh berries, honey whipped cream and toasted oatmeal
Potatoes: Home fries / hash browns / pan fried
Quiche: Lorraine / ham / sausage / mushroom / seafood
Smoothies: fruit / green smoothie's
Yogurt: plain / fruit / Greek
Salads:
Caesar with Romaine, homemade dressing, shaved Parmesan cheese, black olives and croutons
Caprese salad: with Romaine, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, sliced tomatoes and balsamic vinegar
Greens with blue cheese, Ranch or red wine vinaigrette homemade salad dressing and vegetables, olives, avocado, cheese, nuts, croutons
Greek salad with greens, black olives, tomatoes, Feta cheese, cucumbers and homemade dressing
Layered Chop Salad: Romaine, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, black olives, shredded cheese and scallions
Mayo Salads: Egg salad / ham salad / chicken salad / seafood / imitation crab / tuna with croissant or fresh bread
Pasta salad with nuts, onions, red bell pepper, traditional or turkey pepperoni, Parmesan cheese
Potato salad: traditional or variations such as green olive, sour cream and hard boiled egg
Salad kits from the grocery (an essential snowbird short cut)
Slaw: traditional or Asian style
Spinach salad with red onions, diced eggs, strawberries, nuts and warm bacon dressing
Taco Salad: with Romaine, ground meat, cheese, onions, black olives, tomatoes, salsa, smashed chips
Sandwiches:
Burgers: Seasoned steak cheeseburger / hamburger / turkey burger / veggie burger and Parmesan aioli
Club: Bacon (turkey or pork), avocado, tomato, lettuce and mayo on fresh bread or lettuce cup
Crab melts with lump crab, melted Swiss and scallions
Crackers: with lunch meat, cheese, avocado or cream cheese / Neufchatel cheese / flavored cream cheese
Deli meat and cheese: ham / turkey / chicken / roast beef either chilled or Baked Cheesy Deli Sliders with butter sauce, olives and mayo
Fish fillets* with cheese, lettuce, mayo, Sriracha mayo, aioli or tartar sauce on a fresh bun
Grilled cheese with tomato and Canadian bacon
Hot dogs / kielbasa / brats: plain with traditional condiments or chili-cheese style with chili, onions, cheese, Dijon mustard on a fresh bun
Meatball: with sliced cheese and marinara sauce on a fresh bun
Muffuletta with a variety of deli meats, cheese and olive tapenade on crusty bread
Open faced versions of your favorites: such as mini Lump Crab Melts
Peanut butter and jelly (or peanut butter and honey) on fresh bread
Pulled pork with barbecue sauce on a bakery bun
Reuben: Corned beef with sauerkraut and Thousand Island sauce on pumpernickel, swirl or Rye bread
Sloppy Joe's with pickles on a fresh bun
Wraps: Deli meat with Ranch, cheese, lettuce and julienne-sliced vegetables or your favorite combination in a flour tortilla or lettuce cup
Entrees:
Burritos* or soft / crunchy tacos (fresh or frozen) with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, onions, black olives, salsa, Greek yogurt
Chili-Spaghetti: Angel hair pasta topped with chili (from a can), diced onions and shredded cheese
Egg rolls* with Dijon mustard, apricot or sweet / sour sauce
Mac 'n cheese (from a box) with seasoned ground beef or ground turkey
Quesadillas with chicken or beef, cheese/s, grilled onions, tomatoes or salsa, Greek yogurt
Sides:
Applesauce
Baked beans
Chips, plain or with optional dip such as Fire Roasted Salsa or New England Clam Dip
Cottage cheese
Fruit: fresh or canned
Fries: white potato / yam
Hummus
Parmesan Crisps: with Kosher salt, fresh rosemary or bacon and bleu
Pickle spears
Vegetables: crudite with optional dip or grilled
Soups/Stews:
Refer to dinner menu
Salads: refer to the lunch menu
Sandwiches: refer to the lunch menu
Entrees:
Baked spaghetti with cheese, green olives, onions, mushrooms and Parmesan cheese
Beef and noodles
Broccoli Con Capellini with fresh steamed broccoli, baby bella mushrooms, pasta and Parmesan cheese
Casserole: Broccoli, rice, cheese, chicken and mushroom sauce
Casseroles -- send your favorite casserole recipes to me!
Chicken and noodles
Chicken alfredo with fettucine / linguini
Chicken parmesan with marinara sauce and noodles
Chicken wings with celery, buffalo sauce or blue cheese sauce
Crab cakes with fresh herb sauce
Crusted fish or chicken with Parmesan-panko-garlic-pecans
Eggplant parmesan with marinara sauce
Fish fillets: broiled / baked Tilapia whitefish / pan fried / grilled Amberjack from the fish market or frozen / Salmon / Mahi Mahi en papillote
Grits with shrimp, bacon, Canadian bacon and/or mushrooms / spinach / white wine sauce
Gumbo: seafood, kielbasa and chicken, bell pepper, onion, celery with rice
Jalapenos stuffed with cheese, ground meat
Jambalaya with rice
Kielbasa / brats / sausage with grilled onions and pierogies or fresh bun and condiments
Lasagna: frozen or homemade with noodles, marinara, seasoned ground meat, ricotta and Parmesan cheese
Mac 'n cheese (homemade) baked with two+ cheeses and creamy sauce
Meat: grilled / pan fried / baked poultry / pork / beef
Meatballs with angel hair pasta and Parmesan cheese
Meatloaf / ham loaf
Nachos with poultry / ground meat / seafood and tomatoes, lettuce, olives, cheese, Greek yogurt
Pierogies* with kielbasa and grilled onions
Pizza: frozen / homemade / flatbread with pesto, fresh mozzarella and roasted chicken
Poblano peppers stuffed with meat / cheese and chili releno sauce
Pot pie: beef / chicken / turkey with fresh vegetables, sauce in a crust
Pulled pork and mashed potatoes / pasta / bun and barbecue sauce
Scottish Mashed Potatoes with Sausage and Whiskey Gravy
Seafood: fish fillets / salmon / cod / white fish / shrimp / scallops / mussels / clams / crab / lobster
Seafood en papillote (in parchment paper)
Shrimp scampi with angel hair pasta
Stroganoff: ground meat with mushrooms, onions, sour cream with rice or egg noodles
Stuffed cabbage with green olives and tomato sauce
Stuffed pasta shells with ricotta, mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce
Stir fry: chicken / pork / beef / seafood with fresh vegetables
Salmon patties with fresh herb sauce
Sides:
Bread: Sour dough / rolls / garlic / cheesy / popovers / biscuits / croissants / pumpernickel / focaccia and specialty breads
Legumes / quinoa / hummus
Pasta: angel hair / spaghetti / fettuccine / egg noodles / shells / tortellini / linguini / gnocchi / pierogies / couscous / orzo
Potatoes: mashed / baked / twice baked / hash browns / home style / cheesy potato casserole / pierogies / latkes
Rice: White / brown / wild / basmati / jasmine / Caribbean / Tex-Mex / sunset style / risotto
Stuffed Baby Bella mushrooms with Parmesan cheese, panko bread crumbs, mozzarella and fresh rosemary
Vegetables GREEN: Avocados / green beans / peas / asparagus / broccoli / brussels sprouts / lima beans / zucchini squash / bell peppers / poblano peppers / Jalapeno peppers
Vegetables YELLOW/WHITE: Corn / potatoes / cauliflower / bell peppers / yellow squash / mushrooms / onions
Vegetables ORANGE/RED/PURPLE: Tomatoes / yams / sweet potatoes / egg plant / carrots / bell peppers / onions / butternut squash / acorn squash
Soups/Stews:
Beer cheese with popcorn
Bisque: Seafood / shrimp / crab / lobster
Butternut squash
Chicken noodle
Chili with cheese and onions
Chowder: clam / fish / seafood / corn
Cream of fresh broccoli / mushroom / chicken / shrimp / leek / potato
French onion with crusty bread, grilled onions and cheese
Potato and bacon
Seafood gumbo
Vegetable soup
Brownies / cookies / bars: semi homemade or from the bakery
Cheese cake: semi homemade or from the bakery
Cobbler: fruit with vanilla ice cream
Fruit: salad with whipped topping / tart / parfait style
Ice cream: plain or with chocolate, caramel or strawberry syrup, chopped nuts, whipped topping
Parfait: with fresh berries and whipped cream
Pudding: semi homemade or from the canned food section
Pie / cake: semi homemade or from the bakery; Bourbon Chocolate Nut pie
White Chocolate Popcorn: with peanuts, chocolate and butter
* denotes from the freezer section
Contact me with your favorite snowbird recipes and casseroles!
--Carrie Latet
Take inventory of your refrigerator and freezer and focus on using those items up first during the last two to three weeks of your stay Snowbird Meal Planning In the past, I didn’t truly understand what the concept of meal planning entails. I had heard …
Fonville Press and Alys Beach, Florida were a 2019 destination thanks to social media Find the Best of the Best with Social Media Impact of Social Media on Snowbird Communities Social media is defined as the specific ability to share opinions, photos, places, events and …
Ice bowls are a festive way to make a big impact for your snowbird style entertaining. Not only are they unique and beautiful, they're easy to make with items you already have. No special equipment is needed and it's a great way to prolong the life of your garden flowers, fruit and greens. Ice bowls are fun for all ages and abilities, and they make a very memorable gift or party feature.
Consider making an ice bucket cooler for New Year's Eve as a standout centerpiece. Ice bowls are also ideal for a cocktail party, brunch, holiday or celebration of any kind. Bottles, ice cubes or chilled appetizers such as shrimp cocktail are all lovely in an ice bowl.
Make your project days or a week ahead of time to reduce the last-minute time crunch, but keep in mind they don't last forever. When stored in the freezer, the ice will deteriorate over time, which is why ice bowls are rather impractical, yet individualized works of fleeting beauty. Allow at least twelve hours for the ice to freeze, especially for larger bowls.
Practice truly does make perfect. Key considerations include removing any blemished parts of your flowers, citrus or greens because "what you see is what you get" and take care not to crack your ice bowl when removing it from the mold. The prettiest surprises are the flowers and fruits that pop out of the top of the bowl during the freezing process. Have fun with experimenting with sizes, shapes and uses for your ice bowl. Don't forget to photograph your creations, they truly are one-of-a-kind artworks.
-If you are freezing a bottle filled with alcohol, the alcohol will not freeze. If you are serving another type
of beverage, such as water or juice, use a clean empty bottle and don't fill it until just prior to displaying the ice bucket. The bottles really aren't practical for serving, they're more for visual effect than anything.
-Select and gather your choice of items to freeze. Thinly sliced citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons and limes work well. Cranberries are colorful and freeze nicely, but they will float to the top during the freezing process. Hearty leaves, greens, evergreens, petals and garden flowers are also excellent choices. If using evergreens, scale back the size so they aren't too unwieldly. Trim stems back a bit if more than a few inches long.
-Arrange your items in a bowl, container or orange juice carton with the top cut off. Smaller, flat items work better for lining the bottom of the bowl.
Variation One:
-Add a clean bottle. There should be plenty of space between the bottle and the container. Add water to the bowl, leaving at least an inch from the top of the container.
Variation Two:
-Fill the bowl about half full of water. Place a smaller bowl within the larger one and use an object such as a smaller bowl to weight it down. Use tape to hold the top bowls in place so there's an even amount of space all the way around. Carefully add more water until there's about an inch from the top.
-Place entire ensemble into the freezer on a level shelf where it won't be disturbed.
-Allow at least twelve hours to freeze solid, especially for larger bowls.
-When ready to display, remove the container from the ice cooler by letting it sit out a few minutes. If you use water to loosen it up, be cautious you don't crack your ice bowl.
-Display on a flat bowl or plate with a cloth napkin or small towel underneath the ice bowl to catch the melting ice water.
-Take photos of your creations for lasting memories.
--Coco Chanel, French fashion designer, Businesswoman
The beautiful Champagne Poinsettia is lighter, easy to make and perfect for a festive holiday party or brunch Snowbird Style Four Classic Holiday Beverages Snowbird holidays, whether in your Northern or Southern home, are extra special with the following four classic holiday beverages. Nothing says …