Greetings from Venice, Florida!

If you haven't been in lately, you may have missed our custom-designed line of "Greetings From Venice" gifts.  Venice was such a small town during the 1940s and 50s that it didn't have the ubiquitous "GREETINGS FROM..." postcard that all the states and larger cities had (even Sarasota had one). So we decided to design one of our own. Reflecting the designs of the period, this image is now placed proudly on matted prints, coffee mugs, postcards, keychains, shot glasses, dish towels, bookmarks, boxed notecards, refrigerator magnets -- even barbeque aprons! A unique gift for yourself this holiday season -- or for a Venice fan that can't be around year 'round! Prices range from $3.95 to $21.95, available ONLY at Nifty Nic Nacs!

Iron Chef 2012

This will be the fifth year for the Iron Chef and Bartender Competition. As an added twist, celebrity bartenders, Venice Mayor John Holic, Venice Chamber President John Ryan and local Seratoma Club member Don Hay, will compete to see who comes up with the most off the wall and tasty cocktail. 

Food is king during this competition, and we have some exciting newcomers added into the mix this year. The newcomers, Chef Alan from Blu' Island Bistro and Chef Anthony from Bridgetown Delicatessen and Market will face off against seasoned veterans; Peter Prokopiak and Anthony Petralia from Upper Crust Cafe and Bakery, and Marc Alton of Sharky's on the Pier.

To purchase tickets ($25), visit Sharky's on the Pier, Blu'Island Bistro, Upper Crust Cafe and Bakery, or Bridgetown Delicatessen and Market.

Cash Mob: History!

A quick "THANK YOU" to all of those who came out for Venice's first Cash Mob! We couldn't be happier to see so many locals supporting small businesses! A big thanks to Melinda Mudge and HarborChase for taking the lead in this movement! 
Join the fun on July 27th at the SECOND ever Cash Mob starting at 3:30pm at Simple Elegance Under $20 in the 100 block of West Venice Avenue, and then heading to Venice Wine and Coffee. Bring $20 to spend and you'll get a free t-shirt! It's a great way to support your local economy -- and you'll meet a lot of nice people, too!

It's "Christmas In July" at Nifty Nic Nacs!

Tomorrow and Saturday only, everything at Nifty Nic Nacs is 20% off regular prices!  This is the first-time we have ever held a store-wide sale and we are doing it as part of the downtown Venice savings celebration known as "Christmas In July"! All the shops and restaurants bring you huge savings and specials -- COOL, huh?! Nifty Nic Nacs will stay open until 8pm for all of our friends who may be working during the day. (We usually don't run "sales" -- other than regularly discounting items for clearance -- so that you know you can come in at any time and get our best price. We just thought we'd make it extra tempting for this one time in the middle of the summer, as a nod to our local customers.)

Stop in to Nifty Nic Nacs on Friday, July 20th and Saturday, July 21st, 2012, for 20% off all regularly-priced items in the store! (Clearance items and Kit Cat Clocks not included. No shipping, special orders or layaways.) We accept cash, check, Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express.

While you're here, be sure and register for the giveaways of 4 HUGE gift baskets FULL of donations from local businesses.  Santa will be available for Florida-style photographs downtown, too! Santa! The Holly Trolley will also be running on Saturday for free rides around downtown.

Operation Cash Mob: Success!

We are happy to report that the very first Cash Mob on Venice Island was a HUGE success! Thanks to our friends at HarborChase for putting it together!

What is a Cash Mob? A Cash Mob is when a group of people organizes ahead of time to show up and spend at least a set amount of cash (in this case $20.00) per person, giving a local small business a quick infusion of cash, and also helping locals find out about new, fun locations.

Of course, we always encourage local shopping, but this was a particularly fantastic occassion!

Here are some photos from the event!

Famous Birthday: Audrey Hepburn

Today would have been Audrey Hepburns 83rd birthday.

Audrey Hepburn was born Audrey Kathleen Roston, in Brussels, Hepburn started as a dancer, and was discovered in Gigi, and went on to play some of the most famous roles in history; Sabrina (Sabrina), Eliza Doolittle (My Fair Lady), Princess Ann (Roman Holiday), and, probably most well-known, Holly Golightly (Breakfast at Tiffanys).

Especially in her later years, Audrey Hepburn was a great activist for childrens causes, and worked for UNICEF.

Audrey Hepburn passed away in 1993, at age 63. She has one son, Sean.

For Audrey Hepburn memorabilia, especially Breakfast at Tiffanys, click here.

Top Ten Tuesday: The End

*This week it's Nifty Gianna's turn to share her favorite things to do in Venice*

When I moved to Venice I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of things there are to do for free or cheap in the area. Lucky for me, my husband grew up here, and knows about all sorts of things to do. Here are the things that we love to do in Venice.

Nifty Gianna's Top Ten Things To Do In Venice (other than shopping at Nifty Nic Nacs, of course!)

#10. Take my dogs to the dog beach: One great thing about Venice in general is how dog-friendly it is. There are 2 dog parks, a dog beach, and most of the stores on the Island are dog-friendly, and there is plenty of outdoor seating at restaurants for you and your furry friends. The beach is our favorite spot in the summer because my pooches get their exercise and stay cool by playing in the water. It's very clean, and everyone is always super friendly!

#9. Taking kids to the Intergenerational Fountain in Centennial park: Many of our friends and family have kids and sometimes it's hard to think of things to entertain them that don't cost a bundle! One of our favorite things to do is to take them to the fountains to cool off and play in the water! There are benches and tables for adults, public restrooms right next door, and the water shooting out of the ground is a great way to tucker out some toddlers!

#8. The Triangle Inn: The Triangle Inn is one of the many historic buildings in Venice. It also hosts the archives so there is a ton of information on Venice to learn here!

#7. Venice Train Depot: This is another cool museum, which is in the old train depot. It is also, conveniently, the Sarasota County Area Transit bus depot, so if you need to get to Sarasota for cheap, this is where you go! The train depot also runs along the Intracoastal Waterway and is very pretty. There are a few weddings here, among other events, every year.

#6. Old Venice Pub: This is a quaint little pub, where locals can be found on any given evening, enjoying the breeze on the balcony, with a nice cold beer.

#5. The Venice Pier: On the beach by Sharky's, is a long pier over the water. There are usually sunset-watchers, photographers, and a few fishermen here. A visit to Venice simply is not complete without a stop on the beautiful pier for sunset.

#4. Sharky's on the Pier: Once the sun sets, or perhaps before, stop at Sharky's for a basket of beach fries (ask for extra dip!) and a frozen rum drink or a margarita. It's the perfect way to end a long warm day. There is often live music too, so call ahead!

#3. Upper Crust Cafe and Bakery: This is one of my favorite restaurants in Venice. They have decadent and healthy options, breakfast and lunch, and bake pies, cakes and other pastries to order. My favorites: Queen Anne Wrap, Loaded Turkey Sandwich, and a Hot White Chocolate with whipped cream.

#2. Venice Farmer's Market: Every Saturday morning on Tampa Avenue you will see lines of tents, with people selling produce, plants, baked goods, oils, fresh fish, crafts, jewelry, pickles, jellies and olives, and  more. Some of the local animal rescues bring animals who need homes, or you can donate to them right on the spot. It's a great way to spend a morning or even pick up some fresh apples and carrots before heading to the beach.

#1. Venice Theatre: My husband and I love to see the extremely well done shows at Venice Theatre. They do a good mix of something for everyone and the prices can't be beat! You can get two tickets to a fantastic play for the same as a movie and popcorn!



While the city limits of Venice have a plethora of things to do, remember that there is even more going on right on the outskirts! Oscar Scherer State Park is a few miles north, and the State College Of Florida, with their cultural and civic events, speakers, and student-led events, is a few miles south.

-Nifty Gianna