(^74) – SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 everythingzoomer.com
familiar in that old movie Zorro
sort of way.
From here, there are also gar-
dens to visit, a view of San Diego
Bay and, further on, La Jolla. The
area was the home of Theodor
Geisel (that’s Dr. Seuss to you
and me), RuPaul (of DragRace and
MAC Cosmetics fame) and Grace
and Frankie (the characters that
Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin play
in the hit TV show of the same
name).
Back at street level, my mis-
sion: to look for the new. Liberty
Station, San Diego’s just-mint-
ed arts district, is just the ticket.
In one small space, a silver-
haired beauty and her paint-
ings have caught my eye. Peggy
Fischbeck’s saturated land-
scapes, ballerinas in the throes
of a pose and children frolicking
in the waves of the Pacific line
the walls. Her painter’s apron is
nearly as white as her hair, free
from the paint smears I’d expect.
Travel is her inspiration, and she
doesn’t hide the joy that paint-
ing brings to her life. She speaks
easy about it all, a pride in her
work that gives her purpose.
San Diego may be 250, but
Peggy makes time simply age-
less. http://www.sandiego.org;
http://www.sandiego250.com
FOUR NEW THINGS TO
EXPERIENCE NOW / FLORIDA
1
For the eco-conscious, try Crystal
River, the manatee capital of
the world, on the Gulf of Mexico
The Three Sisters Springs refuge is
part of the Crystal River National
Wildlife Refuge, operated by the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service. It offers land tours where you can
spot wild manatee as well as super-
vised swims with these gentle
“sea cows.” http://www.threesist-
ersspringsvisitor.org; http://www.
plantationoncrystalriver.com
2
If you’re an avid birder, try
the Sports Coast An hour’s
drive north of Tampa and
a couple of hours west of
Orlando, there’s a bit of the
Gulf of Mexico coastline that
offers up two state parks,
great for birding and hik-
ing or, if you’re looking to go
off-piste, you can paddle to
Anclote Key Preserve State
Park for seven miles of the
sandy stuff and more than
8,000 nesting shore birds.
In other words, you’ll need
your binoculars.
http://www.flsportscoast.com
4
For forest bathers and nature seekers, try
Ocala in Marion County, north of Orlando About
a half hour from Ocala (a.k.a. the horse capital of
the world) lies the Ocala National Forest. The
largest sand pine scrub forest in the world is a
hiker’s and cyclist’s dream, with everything from
brief boardwalk jaunts to 100 miles of trails that
criss-cross this natural phenomenon. Reward
yourself with a refreshing dip in the forest’s
Juniper Springs, where the water stays a bracing
72 F year round. Heck, the Scandinavians do it for
health. You should, too. ocalamarion.comIf you’re a history buff who likes
the water, try Florida’s Panhandle
On the curve of the coast, where
Pensacola meets the Gulf of
Mexico, there’s treasure to be found
under the sea. Follow the Florida
Panhandle Shipwreck Trail, where a
dozen wrecks can be found, perfect
for divers or snorkellers. Among
them, 22 miles from Pensacola, is
the purposely sunken USS Oriskany.
As a result, the site is the largest
artificial barrier reef on the planet.
Dive in. visitpensacola.com3
PHOTOGRAPHY,^MARDIS^COERS/GETTYIMAGES(PELICAN);^ MICHAELWARRENPIX/GETTY^ IMAGES^(OCALA);WESTEND61/GETTYIMAGES(WOMAN)FOR MORE TRAVEL INSPIRATION AND IDEAS, GO TO
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