LA SCALA NEWS

2nd Quarter 2010 from Andrew Fentiman (603)

That’s our beach → at high tide (May 2010). No further news from PLCA yet on remediation; presumably the committee will reconvene this coming fall/winter. As you may have discovered, our beach staff will not open up the shade umbrellas if there is a stiff breeze. But on neighboring Lover’s Key, they rent vented shade umbrellas that withstand quite strong winds, so you can be shaded even if it is windy.

HURRICANE SEASON - Leading hurricane forecasters are once again predicting above-average activity for the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season. N.O.A.A. projects a 70% probability of 14 to 23 named storms (top winds of 39+ mph), including 8 to 14 hurricanes (top winds of 74+ mph), of which 3 to 7 could be major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5, with winds of 111+ mph). 

The most active tropical storm season in recorded history occurred in 2005, with a total 28 named storms, including 15 hurricanes – seven classified as “major” hurricanes. A record five of those 2005 hurricanes made landfall on the U.S. mainland, including the disastrous hurricanes Katrina and Wilma, which caused major property destruction and devastation to livelihoods of millions of Floridians. Read a fact sheet on hurricanes/oil at www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/hurricanes_oil_factsheet.pdf

OIL - Keep abreast of the Louisiana oil spill’s impact on our Gulf Coast, by watching for breaking news at: www.leeeoc.com/pages/default.aspx and also at www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/site/2931

QUICK NEWS – Welcome to new owners John & Rose Fowler (801) and Charles & Amelia Manning (903) ☺ New Social Committee officers: Jennifer Nocito (President), Jackie Blanchard-Fentiman (Secretary & Treasurer) ☺ 3 decorator-ready units are left at La Scala ☺ FACT: The Gulf Coast of the Florida peninsula gets an average of 100 thunderstorms per year, mostly from May through October, and is #2 in the U.S. for the annual number of thunderstorms (Central Florida is #1, and Tampa Bay area gets the most lightning strikes in the U.S.) ☺ Some residents have had trouble with the photo I.D. card readers at our beach bathrooms (uh-oh), but new card readers will soon be installed ☺ ‘Stop’ signs (partially obscured by signs warning of ‘golf carts crossing’) suddenly sprouted on Pelican Colony Boulevard outside Merano. Is this the start of the slippery slope for ‘Stop’ signs at every neighborhood entrance? ☺ 

HOUSEKEEPING – Interesting to know that, in each ‘stack’, only one trash chute door opens at a time. It’s a safety precaution. So if the trash chute door seems locked, just wait a minute ☼ If you lost it at La Scala, remember to ask at the front desk, for Lost & Found ☼ Joseph Waddell has completed his probationary period as Maintenance Person, and is doing a great job ☼

REMOVING DENTS FROM STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES – One of the decorator-ready properties had three dents in the refrigerator door, so I called Dentech to see if they could help, since they specialize in minor cosmetic repairs. The owner of Dentech, Jason Dorr, said he had done around 15 stainless steel appliances previously. He came by with his tools and he carefully removed the stainless steel skin of the door. Then I watched him work his magic, tapping with his tools. The result: absolutely no trace of the former dents (check out the before and after photos), and the cost was $150.

FYI, a replacement stainless steel door for a G.E. fridge/freezer costs $999 delivered (installation is extra). You can contact Dentech at (239) 542-3368 (main number) or alternatively at (239) 677-1994 (Jason Dorr’s cell). E-mail: dentechpdr1@yahoo.com. Website: www.dentechflorida.com

TOM JAMES CUSTOM CLOTHIER – If reincarnation is viable, I want to come back as a ‘standard size’. Off-rack clothing seldom fits me: too short in the legs and arms. So, I was interested to discover that the local Tom Jones representative, Lindsey Smalls, has a showroom just a few doors down from Comcast, at 24830 S. Tamiami Trail, Suite 3300. I recently had six shirts custom made and I am very pleased with the result. Lindsey meets by appointment. She will come to you at La Scala, or you can meet her in the showroom. Tom James is the largest custom clothier in the world and they offer evening/weekend casual, business casual, business and formal wear for men and women. Long-sleeve shirts, for example, start at just over $100. Contact Lindsey Smalls on (239) 947-2156 (office) or (239) 404-4620 (cell). E-mail: l.smalls@tomjames.com

HYATT DEALS - Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort has reactivated its special Pelican Landing rate of $139 per room per night (not including tax and the $15 p.p.p.day Resort Fee), valid through 9/30/10. See the following website for details: www.pelicanlanding.org/document/213517hyatt.pdf

Hyatt Place also offers a discount to Colony owners. Call them on (239) 495-1395, ask for Reservations, and ask for The Colony Discount, found under “WCI Communities”: $73 per room, instead of $109.

COCONUT POINT TOWN CENTER MAP & DIRECTORY – A map of the whole mall, and a directory of stores with their telephone numbers (useful for you and for your guests at La Scala), is available at:

www.simon.com/mall/MallDirectoryPrint.aspx?id=1202

PELICAN LANDING SECURITY - In April, the PLCA Board unanimously approved contracting with an outside firm, Securitas, for privacy services. This decision was based primarily on cost savings. PLCA Privacy has now completed its transition to Securitas, a company known for experience and professionalism. Existing PLCA guards were given the opportunity to stay on and be recruited by Securitas. Ryan Morris will stay on as Privacy Manager and he can be contacted at (239) 947-8563. Residents can expect the same high standards as before, if not higher.

YOUR PLCA GATE-ACCESS PROFILE – This is the secure website location where you add/delete guests (temporary and permanent guests), check your guest-entry log, input emergency contact information, etc. Go to https://gateaccess.net. Type in ‘PL’ under Community Code. Your User Name consists of the numbers on your Pelican Landing photo I.D. card (not any letters, just the numbers). Your Password is the pin number you created and gave to PLCA; if you don’t have one, contact PLCA to establish one. Login and make the necessary changes. At present, adding/deleting vehicles can only be accomplished by calling PLCA direct.

TIP FOR IPHONE USERS – Enable an e-mail to come to your IPhone, every time one of your visitors enters The Colony, as follows. Go to https://gateaccess.net/login.aspx. Under ‘Community Code’, select PL from the drop-down menu. Your User Name is your Pelican Landing Member Number (on your photo I.D. card): numbers only (no letters). Your Password is the security code you created with PLCA, when you bought your unit. Click on ‘Login’.

PELICAN LANDING WEBSITE – The PLCA website at www.PelicanLanding.org has a wealth of information. Make sure you sign up for the e-mailed newsletter. A useful Quick Guide for using the website, is found at: http://www.pelicanlanding.org/document/241614website.pdf

NEW COLONY MANAGEMENT – You should have received a letter from Castle Group, announcing that Castle Management is The Colony’s new property management company (replacing United Community Management), and advising your new account number for payments. Meanwhile, the old U.C.M. website page for The Colony is still up at www.unitedcommunity.net (Services For Residents, and then My Association’s Web Site). In their letter, Castle do not mention creating a new website for Colony residents to find documents and information.

LOCAL RESTAURANTS DEAL FOR BUSINESS – I called Chops the other day and got a “5:30 or 9?” response to a reservation request: in June? Well, it seems the summer restaurant deals are bringing in the diners. Chops (239/992-4677) has a two-course 2 for $39 early dining menu (5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.), meaning that two people get two courses for $39 total. Ruth Chris *239/948-8888) has a 3-course dinner for $39.95 per person. The Grill Room (239/390-9081) has $3 beer and wine and $5 appetizers from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Not to be outdone, our Bay Club (239/992-2100) has a $25 prix-fixe dinner menu with a $9 bottle of wine.

PANTHERS & BOBCATS – I am sometimes asked about panthers and bobcats, since they are both seen in the locality. Panthers are significantly larger, as you can see from these silhouettes at left. Both can have faint spots, although bobcat spots are small and panther spots (if they have them) are larger. Bobcats have short tails and panthers have long curved tails. Panthers are 23-27 inches at the shoulder, live 10-15 years and eat white-tailed deer, wild hogs, raccoons, rabbits, armadillos and birds. Males average 130 pounds, 7 feet from nose to tail tip. Females average 75 pounds, 6 feet from nose to tail tip. To the left is a panther and cub. Bobcats are 17-23 inches at the shoulder, live 12-13 years and mainly eat rabbits, rodents and birds. Males average 16-28 pounds and just over 3 feet from nose to tail tip. Females average 10-18 pounds and just over 2 feet from nose to tail tip. Though only about twice the size of a housecat, a bobcat can bring down an adult deer nearly ten times its own weight. To the right is a bobcat. Rub your eyes and put your cocktail down, if you see one of these →

LA SCALA WEBSITE & WEB FORUM – Don’t forget to frequent the web forum at www.LaScalaAtTheColony.com/smf and also consult the website at www.LaScalaAtTheColony.com.

Have a great summer……

Andrew