Green Garden=Green Thumb

Get a greener garden this year--and I'm not talking about having the greenest grass in the neighborhood. Get all the makings of a true Florida paradise next weekend at the Spring Native Plant Sale. The Morningside Nature Center will host the sale on Saturday, April 17 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. There will be plant experts there who will help you pick those perfect additions to your yard. The great thing about these horticultural treasures is the easy upkeep (no green thumb necessary). These plants are supposed to be in your back yard, so they need less care.

So how does this make a "green" garden? You're protecting the natural environment by not bringing in invasive plant species as well as using less water. Get flowers, shrubs, trees and grass that are all Florida natives. Yes, you can have the greenest grass in the neighborhood by getting "green" grass next weekend.

Orange, Blue and Spring Arts -- A Colorful Splash in Downtown Gainesville Next Weekend!

Circle the date and circle the fun-things-to-do wagons around downtown Gainesville `cause with all the activities on the calendar next weekend Gainesville's the place to be!

Sports fans, it's time again for the Orange and Blue Game at the University of Florida's Ben Hill Griffin stadium --this intrasquad Gator vs. Gator scrimmage next Saturday gives spectators a sneak peek at next Fall's Gator gridiron line-up and hopefully a happy hint of the 2010 season.

Just five minutes east on University Avenue, a different line-up is assembled as more than 250 artists from around the nation will display their works all along NE 1st Street in historic downtown Gainesville for the 41st (wow!) Santa Fe Springs Arts Festival.

The official festival poster created by the ever-talented local artist, Angela Hoppe, was just unveiled this week...and it's fantastic. A fitting foretaste of other masterpieces to be discovered at this year's festival, Saturday and Sunday (April 10 & 11).

Reminder -- It's Census Day Today

Pardon us while we temporarily remove our Visitor and Tourist Hats and replace them with our

Citizens Alert Beanies!

Remember today is no longer April Fool's Day -- now it's the official Complete & Return the Census Form Day -- no fooling.
For those of us who haven't had the chance to complete this important document, it's a quick and easy process.

Really.

Our hats are off to you all!

Eggcellent Easter Eating

We were a little surprised when a recent caller mentioned "I'm having a challenge finding restaurants in Gainesville serving Easter brunch." So pardon the pun, but we hopped right on the holiday brunch search mission.
In no time, and in true champion Easter Egg hunting mode, we found several restaurants that traditionally serve weekend brunches every Sunday and several that are putting on a special spread in honor of the Easter celebration. (And FYI each inquiry to each restaurant included "call for reservations" advice.)
So where to go for a special Easter Brunch in Gainesville?
Here's a sampling of a few we found that are adding a little something extra this Sunday:

• Paramount Plaza Hotel and Suites is serving an elaborate Easter Brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Hilton University of Florida Conference Center is putting out it's Easter finest by serving brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Sweetwater Branch Inn has a very special Easter Brunch from 11 a.m to 3 p.m. Normally, brunch is only open to guests of the Inn, but this Sunday it has opened its doors to the public.
• Sisters , a popular breakfast haunt in the upscale Haile Village in Soutwest Gainesville, is whipping up egg-straspecial Brunch (you just had to know that was eventually gonna show up) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Emiliano's Cafe, where PanLatino cuisine reigns supreme, is spicing up their normal Sunday Brunch to fortify anybunnies appetite (okay, we'll stop).

Of course, bountiful and delectable breakfast spreads are on the Easter Sunday menu at:

• The Jones
• 43rd Street Deli
• Peach Valley Cafe
• Ivey's Grill

Before you hide or hunt for the golden egg, search no more for Easter Brunch in Gainesville.

Got a New and Innovative Idea?

How many times have you "invented" a new gadget, an innovative approach, or a cool concept that you were sure only you had conjured? Then how many times have you simply tucked that great idea away only to discover just a few years later that some other genius thinker took YOUR idea and ran the distance with it?! And is making oodles of money in the process.

Well, no more creative com padres! Because the Cade Museum Foundation -- the organization that's spearheading the building of one of Gainesville's new favorite, as yet, not broken ground 'attractions' is offering the The Cade Prize for Innovation, the first annual prize rewarding all those incredible ideas you kept to yourself.

A whopping $50,000 is the top prize for the top entry submitted by an ingenious and enterprising Floridian. The judging process starts with the first must-do step of submitting a 500-word summary is due Wednesday, March 31. (A complete step-by-step calendar is on the The Cade Prize website.)

The goal of Cade Prize competition is an incredible one indeed - "to strengthen and develop the long-standing culture of innovation in Gainesville and Alachua County and to harness the tremendous job-creating potential of the brilliant ideas spring forth from this region every day."

Sounds like this initiative will make us all winners in the long run.

If you are interested and need additional information, then contact Monika Oli, the Foundation's Program Director by phone: 352-381-7100 or by e-mail: moli@cademuseum.org

Not too long ago, the three R's stood for Reading, Writing and Arithmetic and was synonymous with the basic foundations of education. Call it progress, or simply label it a sign of the times, but if you ask any elementary school student today what the three r's stand for they'll proudly announce REDUCE! REUSE! and RECYCLE! -- with an occcasional "dude" thrown in at the end of the enthusiastic chant.

This earth and environmental friendly wave is riding high here in Gainesville. As a matter of fact, we are the midst of our 40 days of Change celebrating the 4oth Anniversary of Earth Day. The University of Florida Office of Sustainability (sounds official doesn't it?), kicked-off the celebration March 16 and created a comprehensive daily calendar of "green" activities to encourage kids of all ages (yes, that means you too) to learn how fun and moreover, easy it is to be conscious and caring of our planet.

Today, for example, is Meatless Monday -- admittedly some people in Texas or Nebraska probably will balk at this one -- but fear not, there is balance here too as the Chili Cook-off and Springs Celebration was just two days ago.

Walking tours of the incredible and expansive Paynes Prairie State Park Preserve as well as films and seminars on various topics such as raised bed veggie gardening as well as herbal nourishing and healing are also features on the 40 Days marquee. While the celebrations, activities and hoopla officially ends April 24, it is of course the hope that many of the sustainable principles and green practices promoted during the 40 Days campaign will be lifelong lessons.

Catch the green wave, it's coming your way...today.

Gainesville's First Environmental Film and Arts Festival

Eighteen screenings of 12 films in 10 days. The Gainesville Environmental Film and Arts Festival began on March 19 and ends this Sunday, March 28. Subjects of the films range from reducing plastic dependence to the debate on organic, with plenty of areas of interest in between.

On Saturday, there will be an extra showing of DIRT!, a documentary that shows this underestimated (and perhaps under appreciated) resource is much more interesting than we thought (did you know it's made from the same elements as the stars?). It will be shown at the Hippodrome Theatre at 2:30 p.m. Tickets for this show are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and students and $3 for children 12 and under.

Also on Saturday is Ecofest which takes place at the outdoor Sun Center around the Hippodrome in downtown Gainesville. The event will feature special activities and demonstrations for all ages.
There will also be bands playing all afternoon.

1 p.m. to 4 p.m.-- Alachua County Environmental Protection Department will sponsor a project to collect, recycle, treat and properly dispose of hazardous waste and electronic equipment.

5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.-- Marty Henneka will be leading a session of Nia Moving Meditation. Nia is a movement practice that offers a philosophy to enhance your physical potential.