ABOUT ME

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Hi, I’m Jess, a local Central Floridian who grew up Snowbird, who decided 18 years ago to make the Sunshine State my permanent home.

Living here with a mindset that’s a little bit resident, and a little bit tourist, I’ve been in search for accessible, affordable adventure for almost two decades.

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  • Dayventure: Treasure Hunting, Chowder, and a Bookshop Cat in Mount Dora, Florida
    This Dayventure sends you within easy driving distance of Orlando for one complete, unhurried day — a destination worth lingering in, a meal worth sitting down for, and a final stop that feels like a reward. This edition heads northwest on US-441 to Mount Dora, a lakeside town draped in Spanish moss and stacked with…
  • The Story of Tony’s Chowder: Cedar Key
    The Story of Tony’s Chowder House Cedar Key sits three miles out into the Gulf of Mexico at the end of State Road 24, a two-lane road that cuts west from Gainesville through salt marsh and scrub until the pavement simply stops at the water. The town has fewer than 800 full-time residents, no traffic…
  • Lil’ Bit of Life Farm: A Full Year of Wonder in Mount Dora
    Updated March 2026  ·  2920 Robie Ave, Mount Dora, FL  ·  Reservations Required Tucked along a quiet road in Mount Dora, Florida, Lil’ Bit of Life is the kind of place that stays with you. It’s not a theme park. It’s not a petting zoo with a parking lot. It’s a working family farm with miniature horses,…
  • Sip Local: The Central Florida Indie Coffeehouse Revolution: 5 Local Cafes Reshaping How the Region is Waking Up.
    Five counties. Five standout independent cafés reshaping how the region wakes up, one cup at a time. Orlando may be famous for theme parks, but there’s another kind of magic brewing here — and you don’t need a wristband to experience it. Over the past several years, a vibrant wave of independent coffeehouses has taken…
  • DayVenture: 24K Mills50 Magic in the Air
    Tasty Wok \ Kawaii Nekko \ Burrow \ Bakery 1908 School was out, and it was a cold, dreary afternoon in the Sunshine state – this felt like a perfect day to wander Mills50 without a plan. Directly north of downtown, the Mills 50 District is one of those Orlando pockets that rewards curiosity—artsy without…