Flagler Beach Blog

Flagler Beach Vegan Fest comes to the BeachHouse Beanery!

Carol Fisher — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:15:35 +0000

Thirteen years ago, while visiting New York City, I began to see signs in cafe windows saying "VEGAN". I had no idea how to pronounce it, or what it meant. Gradually over the years I heard more and more about it. After Jeff and I opened the BeachHouse Beanery coffeehouse four years ago, people started requesting vegetarian options, and then more recently vegan options. Our Jack and Lu sandwiches is one of our best sellers, and it's vegan! (scroll on down to my January 6 Blog to read about the Jack and Lu).

Our new menu highlights options that are vegan or vegetarian. And now the Beanery is the proud host of Flagler County’s first-ever Vegan Fest! Coming June 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the BeachHouse Beanery courtyard. It is a free event and is a cooperative effort of Vegan by Choice and area businesses, nonprofits and others interested in vegan choices.

Vegan by Choice was founded by Josh and Susie Neimark of Flagler Beach.The Neimarks hope the Vegan Fest will raise awareness of how vegan choices can positively impact people, animals and the planet. In addition to raising awareness about making vegan choices, the Flagler Vegan Fest will showcase area businesses and organizations that are “vegan friendly,” and offer choices for those wishing to integrate veganism into their lives.

Some of the highlights of the event include free vegan food samples prepared by event sponsors and supporters, free musical entertainment by Capt. Nick Jimmy Mason, vegan-friendly exhibitors offering educational information, coupons, recipes and other goodies.

Sponsors include The BeachHouse Beanery, the Turtle Patrol, Tower Garden (developers of a unique aeroponic gardening system), Non-Violence United, Flagler Humane Society, Capt. Nick, Pudbutter Soaps, Words Etc., Organic Sunshine Burgers, Natural Awakenings,Publix, AGP Publishing, Healing Touch Herbals, VegFund and others pending. With the Flagler Beach farmer’s market right around the corner on that same morning, this event is sure to have a great turnout and will be good exposure for area sponsors.

The Call of Mother Ocean.....

Carol Fisher — Tue, 15 May 2012 02:44:41 +0000

"Mother, mother ocean, I have heard you call,

Wanted to sail upon your waters since I was three feet tall."

Okay, I promise not to quote Jimmy Buffet everytime I write, BUT...Some people look at the Rocky Mountains and call it "God's Country", but to me, that wide open sea is where God dwells! I grew up in the desert and maybe that explains the call of the sea to me--but standing on MY beach, looking at that mighty--or sometimes peaceful Atlantic--is HOME. Since my first visit to the Atlantic Ocean (Ocean City, New Jersey) in the late 70's, I have HEARD the ocean's call--but it took me DOZENS of years to actually call it HOME.

Now I've noticed recently (when I was gone on 3 different "trips" for no more than 4 days!) that I CRAVE getting back to MY ocean--just to be reassured that "Life Goes On"!

As I was hurrying back to "my little Flagler Beach", I experienced that feeling---like I used to have after being away from my little children--"I just want to peek in on them as they sleep to know that they are okay". I just wanted to get home and cross the bridge then cross that road to the OCEAN and make sure that it's okay. If this big wide ocean is okay, then All is Right With the World!

And now I'm gone away on another 2 day trip, but I am ON that ocean, on our FIRST cruise-- as Jeff calls it, the "Cruise to Nowhere", but the cruise is on MY OCEAN! See you in a couple of days.

"The Full Flagler". Showing off our little beach town!

Carol Fisher — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:55:59 +0000

"The Full Flagler".....a term I heard this week and LOVE! One of our regulars, DP, was having coffee in the Beanery and was telling Jeff and me that he had company coming for the weekend. He had planned "The Full Flagler" for his guests. That would include Breakfast at the BeachHouse Beanery, attending the Fire Fighters' Chili Cook-off at the Airport, a visit to one of our local state parks, the Chamber of Commerce Taste of Flagler, and possibly the Jacksonville Orchestra Pop's Concert in Palm Coast. I LOVED this concept. Then I read that National Travel and Tourism Week is coming up starting Saturday May 5. The first full week of May is annually recognized as such, a tradition first celebrated in 1984. So, I challenge you all to invite friends and family from near and far and show them "The Full Flagler"! My newsletter this week is loaded with ideas, from Flagler Beach First Friday featuring the Navy Band and our own Capt. Nick and his Flagler Songwriters' Stage, not to mention our own local Foods of the World. Read on and learn about other options in the area, from a guided nature hike at Marine Land, a full-moon hike, or a sea turtle talk or a kayak tour at Gamble Rogers State Park. My friend Christine Speno writes a great column for the Jacksonville Examiner and spends Thursdays getting her work done here at the BeachHouse Beanery. Her column often features Flagler Beach and Palm Coast, since this is where she lives. She has lots of great ideas about things to do and people to meet in the area. Check out her column here http://www.examiner.com/neighborhoods-in-jacksonville/christine-speno

Taking a "vacation day" when you live in vacation-land...what to do???

Carol Fisher — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 17:46:46 +0000

Wednesday is usually Jeff's and my day off. More times than not that means our "Ketchup Day"....the day to "catch up" on all the things we haven't taken care of over the last 7 days! But this week was different....We knew that the coffeehouse was in good hands with Marie and Melanie in charge. We knew that we had done the last minute shopping, chopping, muffin making, mixing, stocking, cleaning so that they were ready to face the day. PLUS....the weather finally changed to what we want, expect, even DEMAND in Florida. PLUS....our very good friends finally made their dream come true and MOVED to Flagler Beach! (Okay it's a temporary move, but a move in the right direction and they are HERE!) So anyway, we took the day off! We bicycled, we had lunch with Flagler Beach's newest residents on the top deck at the Golden Lion Cafe, we went to the beach, we read magazines and drank Corona! I just said to Jeff, "You know, it's 5:20 and they're closing up the Beanery, and I feel like I've had an amazing vacation!" I love the simple pleasures of living this life we have chosen! ----Now if I can only finish this blog! ;-)

Make new friends, and keep the old............

Carol Fisher — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:34:06 +0000

I was a Girl Scout leader for several years and we always sang that song, "Make new friends and keep the old, one in silver and the other's gold!" I am reminded of that at this time of year, when we "make so many new friends", with our vacationers traveling through. Often they show up because they've heard about our Free Wi-Fi, or they've heard about our delicious coffee. We've met new friends at the BeachHouse Beanery every single day, since about late December, and love hearing about their travels and their "other" lives. But as much as we love meeting new people, we cherish the ones that come in day after day and really KNOW us. So just a heads up, in case you come in one day and someone is sitting in "your seat", know that it's a brief encounter, a new and interesting story that hasn't been told HERE before. Sit down and visit with them and show them why we love our little town of Flagler Beach. We cherish our new friends, and our "established" friends. We look forward to visits from all of you, and your new stories along with the ones we've already heard and loved. Thank you to our new friends and our "established" friends!

Keeping our Vegan (and all other) customers happy...without nickle and dime-ing!

Carol Fisher — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:01:53 +0000

Recently my friend Josh Neimark, who is a Vegan, commented in his blog about his "beef" with Starbucks, because they charge extra for soy milk. His question was, "Why should I be charged more for my philosophical choices? Do you think it's acceptable to charge those afflicted with lactose intolerance more? How about those with specific religious beliefs that dictate diet?" Read the rest of his comments, CLICK HERE. He goes on to mention that he moved to a small town that has a small local coffee house. One that not only caters to everyone they can…but makes sure that he has choices as a Vegan. A place that cares about his beliefs and accommodates them…and that doesn't charge more because of them. (Guess which coffee house he's referring to? Yep, The BeachHouse Beanery!) We have offered soy milk since we opened over 3 years ago, and recently added the choice of almond milk at our customers' request. Even though we pay more for almond milk and soy milk than we do for our dairy products, we decided not to punish our customers by passing that cost on to them. If we followed the logic that every single cost needed to be passed on to the customer, we would also have to charge extra for customers who preferred cream in their coffee, verses those who prefer their coffee black, and sugar should cost extra, and Splenda even MORE, and let's not even TALK about Stevia! But skim milk would be a little less than cream! What's wrong with just making the customer happy without nickle and dime-ing them to death?? Keeping our vegan customers, and all our customers happy is win-win. They will spread the word and bring friends. If we make the effort to accommodate them, they won't come back, and they'll speak poorly of us. But then Starbucks is much more profitable than the BeachHouse Beanery, so I guess it could be argued that we should follow their lead, but that's not how we roll here at the BeachHouse Beanery.

Flagler Beach Doggy Dining!

Carol Fisher — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:21:54 +0000

The BeachHouse Beanery is pleased to announce the opening of our new DOGGY DINING DECK! We have met the qualifications and the City of Flagler Beach has given us our permit for Flagler Beach Doggy Dining! We've got the required 5 signs, the Clean-up Kit, the hand sanitizer all in place! And now YOU can complete the picture that we've worked so hard to paint. The BACK PORCH ONLY has been approved for your leashed pup to join you for your coffee break! Any of our patrons who do not want to encounter a dog will never have to. They will just enter from the front porch and the front door as they always have. Only if they go out the back door will they meet up with a pooch! Of course no animals will ever be allowed inside, in accordance with State Law.

We have free Christmas Treats for our fido friends
(until they gobble them all up)!

The BeachHouse Beanery...always friendly service, and now one of Flagler Beach's only dog-friendly dining establishments!

Stay tuned for an announcement about our DOG PARTY coming up in January!

Christmas in a little beach town...

Carol Fisher — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:03:53 +0000

Amazing what a little tiny beach town can come up with to put one in the Christmas mood! Since we've moved to Florida from Ohio, I've had a tough time feeling "Christmas-y", with no snow, no cold weather, no fire in the fireplace, no pinecones, no chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Believe me, I'm okay without all those things, but just don't feel very Christmas-y. And going to the mall doesn't help at all. Neither does being force fed Christmas songs on the radio for six weeks. Now, I don't want you to think I'm "bah-humbug-y". I really like Christmas, it just takes me a while to get up for it. Last weekend in Flagler Beach did it! That crowd of people in town, watching the parade and participating in it was like magic for me. Watching Santa parachute onto the beach was the ULTIMATE! We don't have to have fake snow, we don't have to have fake trees, we can just celebrate what we have that's real! Sunshine, sandy beaches, friendly fun people. Adults that dress up like turtles, with pride.....parents that help little ones march, stroll, dance, whatever, for several long miles in a never-ending parade......cheerleaders, marching bands.......Grownups riding in BEDS!.....Parrotheads in all their tropical regalia.........Churches with live nativities. I think I'm over the hump, I've officially caught the "spirit of Christmas"! If you missed it all I'm sorry for you, but you can check out the great photos on FlaglerLive.com, just to get a good smile going, and maybe a lump in your throat.

You are one of the first...

Carol Fisher — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:03:19 +0000

You are one of the first to see the new BeachHouse Beanery website! I am so happy with it and I hope you are too! When Jeff and I started this little BeachHouse Beanery, over three years ago, I knew we needed a website, and I was overwhelmed with the thought of trying to create one, or PAYING for someone to create one! After all, we needed to buy all those "concrete" things, like an espresso machine, refrigerators, coffee grinders and brewers, ovens, YIKES! But, thank GOD, our daughter Amy, was between semesters in college and offered to create our website. And a FINE job she did! It has served us well for over three years, and I have been able to update it all by myself. (Patting myself on the back.) I've learned a lot in these years, about marketing, and facebook, and e-mail newsletters, along with steaming a nice cup of foam for a beautiful latte! I've also learned a lot about YOU, and what you want to know, and what I might be able to offer you, aside from amazing coffee and addictive rum cake, not to mention my Tarragon Chicken Salad and Jack and Lu Sandwiches. BUT now I have come to realize the importance of a better website, with more information. A place to showcase our Friday night musical talent, our beautiful photos of our appetizing treats, our charming setting in this very special little beach town, not to mention all the links to everything you might want to know about our town and our area. So Josh Neimark has built us a brand new website that I believe will do all that for the BeachHouse Beanery. He and I have been working on it for several weeks, and I'm sure you will love it! I hope you want to share this with friends, and ask them to sign up for our emails and "like" us on facebook.