Sunday, August 1, 2010

Saturday Spotlight ~ Where does the book you're reading take place?




Welcome to the Saturday Spotlight, where each week we will have a chance to showcase something new.  It will be the place to gather, talk and shine the “spotlight” on all things book related.  Not to mention a place to discover new to us authors, characters, series and places. 

 Each week I will pick a new theme for us to share our favorite of, and every once in a while I’ll make it a “readers choice” week where you can spotlight whatever you want.

  Some of the different things we’ll be spotlighting are our favorite book, author, female/male character, location, murder weapon, series, other book blogs, giveaway sites, places to get our books and just about anything else book related.

This week my spotlight is shining on my......
Where does the book I'm reading, Pretty Little Things by Jilliane Hoffman, take place
 Coral Springs, Florida


Coral Springs, Florida is located in Broward County, approximately 20 miles northwest of Ft. Lauderdale and 10 miles southwest of Boca Raton.


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Coral Springs was just named the BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN FLORIDA by Money Magazine.
Maybe it was the covered bridge.

Or perhaps the Sportsplex, which has an ice rink so state-of-the art that the Florida Panthers train there.
But Coral Springs, which not so long ago was a partially drained swampland, has charmed itself onto a top spot: Money Magazine's No. 1 Place to Live in Florida.
``We're always looking for family-friendly places,'' said Money reporter Beth Braverman. ``It's not just about work. People need to be able to get out and do something.''
Money analyzed data from 800 U.S. cities with populations between 50,000 to 300,000 and ranked them on housing affordability, economy, quality of schools, arts and leisure, diversity and government.
Nationwide, Coral Springs ranked 44th, behind such golden spots as Eden Prairie, Minn., and Amherst, N.Y., and just ahead of Ann Arbor, Mich.
Founded in 1963 on the fringe of the Everglades, the city now boasts a population of 126,000.
The covered bridge was built in 1964 to celebrate the first home sales. Today middle-schoolers gather at the ice rink at the Sportsplex for their first date and families flock to ``The Walk'' for a cup of frozen yogurt.
``The city has basically everything you need,'' said Cathie D'Amron, a resident for 25 years. ``Restaurants, shopping, parks. A lot of things for kids.''

DIVERSE ACTIVITIES

That range of activities is one of the things Coral Springs Mayor Scott Brook loves about his city.
``I can go coach my son's soccer team and then go out to eat sushi nearby,'' Brook said. ``We've got amazing programs and facilities.''
Besides its recreational activities, Coral Springs rated high on Money's list for safety, air quality, education and diversity.
This is the third time Coral Springs made the list and the second time it's been ranked the best city in Florida.
Fluttering not far behind was the Butterfly Capital of the World, Coconut Creek, which took the No. 2 Florida spot.
Money rated Coconut Creek No. 48 in its top 100 for its dedication to preserving and promoting green living.
``People really want to be able to enjoy nature, and that's something that boosts the quality of life there,'' Braverman said.
The city is lush with trees and more than 150 butterfly gardens that dot everything from roadways to developments. Coconut Creek was designated Florida's first Community Wildlife Habitat by the National Widlife Federation. It's home to the world's largest butterfly aviary, and its residents get free trees on Arbor Day if they complete a lesson in tree care.
``The environment defines us to a great degree,'' said Coconut Creek City Manager Dave Rivera. ``We've got greenways everywhere that give people a break from the cement roadways with pockets of nature.''

`CLOSE COMMUNITY'

Like Coral Springs, Coconut Creek received high marks for its recreation and leisure choices and air quality. Plus, Rivera said, most of the city's 50,000 residents live in a 12-square mile area, which makes for a tight bond.
``We are a very close community. We've got families and senior citizens and all of them seem to work together,'' Rivera said. ``They appreciate what the city provides. We don't need to go looking for awards like other cities, but this award shows them we're on the right track and will continue our growth.''

Fun things to do in Coral Springs

Butterfly World
Seminole Casino Coconut Creek
Tradewinds Park
Coral Springs
Aquatic Complex

Laser Fun Zone

Coral Springs Museum of Art












1 comment:

rbooth43 said...

OUT OF THE DARKNESS by Lilly Gayle takes place in Clarksville, Virginia