Sarasota's malls feature plenty of places for indoor shopping, dining, and entertainment.

As the months get warmer in Florida, several residents are quite thankful for the respite of air-conditioned shopping. Yet the malls in Sarasota aren't just for shopping. Featuring a variety of restaurants and eateries, as well as entertainment venues, Sarasota malls have a little something for everyone.

Our oldest mall is Westfield Sarasota Square. First built in 1977, Sarasota Square received a 7-million-dollar facelift in 1986, followed quickly by another 15-million-dollar expansion. The mall saw more major renovations when Westfield purchased the property in 2005, instituting a 60-million-dollar remodel.

With its most recent addition of a Costco store,

Since its beginning in 1995, Lakewood Ranch has grown into seven beautiful villages and continues to expand. Beautifully designed and well maintained to allow residents the best in a master-planned community, this neighborhood offers the best in shopping, dining, recreation, and beautiful homes. If you're looking for upscale living, take a look at what's available now.

Let's start with the beautiful, peaceful lake view home at 7107 Whitemarsh Cir! Real Florida Living - stunning lake and sunset views. Dramatic courtyard entry leads to a Formal Living Room/Dining Room with elegant Corinthian columns, stone fireplace surround, 12' ceilings, and 7 1/2' crown moldings. The Kitchen/Family Room is light and bright with aquarium glass and windows over

Golden Gate Point has developed over the last century as one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in Downtown Sarasota.

Like Bird Key, Golden Gate Point is another community that has been built by Sarasota ingenuity, creating residences with some of the most spectacular views in the entire County. Nestled in Sarasota Bay at the east end of the John Ringling Bridge, Golden Gate Point has become one of Downtown Sarasota's most exclusive neighborhoods. It's hard to believe that much of the 22-acre peninsula was still undeveloped only a few decades ago.

When it was first platted on August 31, 1899, the small strip of land was little more than a mangrove swamp. Thick with cabbage palms and other vegetation at the turn of the century, the only building

If you're really looking to embrace the Florida life, there is no doubt that you've entertained the idea of getting a swimming pool. While there are some great benefits to pool ownership, there is also a responsibility that comes along with it. Fortunately, it's not very difficult to maintain a pool, and it's so simple that some people find it sort of meditative.

However, making a few extra steps to ensure that your pool is in good working order makes a big difference. Not properly maintaining a pool can cut its life span in half, or even shorter, and considering that a pool pump can easily account for half of a home's energy bill, it's a good idea to keep it running smoothly. Many Floridians have already invested in solar heating for their pools,

Wherever you live in the Sarasota area, you have year-round access to fresh produce. With snowbirds flying home for the summer months, not all of the area farmers markets are open year long. However, there are still plenty of options to get locally grown and organic produce.

SEASONAL MARKETS

Phillippi Farmhouse Market

Every Wednesday from October to May, Phillippi Estate Park at 5500 South Tamiami Trail hosts a farmers market from 9am-2pm. In addition to fresh produce, more than 40 vendors gather to offer plants for home gardens, prepared food, and other specialty items.

Englewood Farmers Market

Also from October to May, the Englewood Farmers Market takes place on Historic Dearborn Street on Thursdays from 9am-1pm. With over 50 vendors,

The community of Lake Sarasota started around one of the Florida tourist attractions that helped make Florida the destination it has become. From 1955 to 1959, the Sunshine Springs & Gardens offered visitors twenty acres of tropical gardens, complete with swan boat tours, and a water ski show on a 400-acre, man-made lake, featuring water-skiing elephants and the "Aquabelles" female ski tea. What remains of the lake is now the 16-acre Lakeview Park, which features a playground, picnic area, canoe/kayak access to the lake, and a paw park, and parts of Bent Tree Country Club, which borders Lake Sarasota, to the east.

The neighborhood is also bordered by I-75 to the west, Bee Ridge Road to the north, and Proctor Road to the south. Given Lake Sarasota's

There are a number of great places in Sarasota to listen to live music. Over the years, venues have changed hands and changed names, but there are a few standouts that consistently offer places for musicians to share their songs and for music fans to enjoy the experience. If you're looking to either kick up your heels or to sit back and soak in the tunes, these are the places you should most consider putting on your list.

Blase' Cafe - Siesta Key's Blase' Cafe offers upscale dining and live music seven nights a week. Located on Ocean Boulevard in Siesta Key Village, the restaurant features indoor and outdoor dining, where diners can enjoy some of Sarasota's local bands while under the stars. It's also just a few steps away from the Siesta Key

One of the greatest places to live in Sarasota is Downtown. With new condominiums on the rise and some of our classics just as popular as when they first opened, I wanted to feature what is currently available for those who want great views within walking distance to restaurants, shops, theatres, and everything else Downtown Sarasota has to offer.

1990 Main St. #15, Sarasota
Modern two story Penthouse condo on the 9th Floor of Cityscape at Courthouse Centre, right in the heart of downtown Sarasota. This beautifully renovated condo has 20-foot ceilings with floor to ceiling windows along with a balcony to enjoy with city views. Walk out your front door and you are at the foot of the shopping, bars, restaurants, and all the entertainment main

The suburban paradise of Sarasota Springs offers a number of single-family homes, perfect for the health conscious, working family. Houses and condominiums built over the last several decades with a variety of architectural styles, it’s a great location with access to local beaches, shopping, dining, and Downtown Sarasota. Sarasota Springs encompasses 3.6 square miles north of Bee Ridge Road between Beneva and Cattleman. It includes the beautiful Forest Lakes neighborhood, Colonial Gables, and Doctor's Hospital.

Sarasota Springs is largely residential but is surrounded by a number of shopping plazas around the perimeter, full of grocery stores, chain restaurant favorites, and local fare. This includes some of the best pizza in town at Solorzano's,

Sarasota may be most well-known for its beautiful beaches, and since they are an integral part of paradise, I thought you might want to know which ones are not to miss and what to expect from each of them.

Siesta Beach

Having earned a No. 1 rating on Dr. Beach’s annual list of America’s Best Beaches, Siesta Beach is a favorite among visitors and residents alike Having recently received a complete upgrade on its parking, playgrounds, and more, people travel from around the world to feel the 99 percent pure quartz, powder-sugar soft sand between their toes. The amenities are endless, and the upgrade included a 450-foot Mobi-Mat pathway that allows for easy handicap accessibility for pedestrians and users of wheelchairs, strollers, and beach carts.