“The icing on the cake!” There is a reason this phrase is so over-used. Is there anything better than icing on a cake, after all? No, not really. When we think of any occasion that requires a cake, automatic joyful images gather in our heads and emotions well up in our hearts. If it calls for cake, there is probably a birthday, wedding, or, even a new baby involved. Or, better yet, maybe the baby’s gender will be revealed with a pink or blue batter, covered with a neutral colored fondant as to not spoil the surprise inside. We may not remember our first dance, but we can sure recall the taste of that wedding cake we spent hours making decisions over. Which flavor, and should it be tastefully decorated with a simplistic design, or “Cake Boss” this thing all the way to the banquet table? Cakes equal love, don’t they? They equal joyful times, meaningful moments, and, in the end, they make the most wonderful events just a bit more special. And that is why we all love cakes.
Now that we have spoken of our infatuation with this scrumptious concoction of flour, sugar, and flavorings, the next issue to tackle is, “Who has the best cakes?” This, my friends, is an important question to answer. If you have had an amazing piece of cake, flakiest cookie, or most delicious dessert while you were dining out, either on the Island or in the Bradenton area, chances are you were eating something created by Hometown Desserts. With well over a dozen popular restaurants on its wholesale distribution list, they are fast becoming the area’s benchmark for fine, freshly baked sweets. And, with two retail locations, one on Anna Maria Island and the other one situated in Bradenton, word-of-mouth praises and an active Facebook page are making drop-ins the norm. In fact, according to owner, Cindy Tutterow, “We are the first stop for a lot of tourists and they always stop by at the end of the season.” Whether they are there for the Key Lime Coconut cupcake or a crispy sugar cookie fashioned into a beautiful mermaid, guests cannot get enough of Hometown Desserts.
For Cindy Tutterow, transitioning from a schoolteacher to a baker was not that far of a stretch. Afterall, she had grown up in the kitchen surrounded by her mother, grandmother, and sisters doing what they all loved – baking. After a period when people were requesting her baked goods and turning her hobby into a side business, she knew her passions really revolved around creating beautiful and tasty treats. These days, Hometown Desserts, in addition to handling amazing dessert lines at multiple restaurants, also does specialty wedding cakes, birthday cakes and treats, and even corporate events with hundreds of attendees.
As a member of IBE for the past six years, Hometown Desserts is a perfect match for other merchants wanting custom cakes, beautiful desserts for an event, or just a monthly stockpile of freshly baked cookies. As a result, Cindy has been able to accumulate her barter points to get two large and very costly freezer and display cases, something her business needed to grow but that she could not have been able to acquire without IBE. And, because people really do love cake, Cindy has also been able to put in an entire security camera system in her stores, all through the money-saving magic of International Barter Exchange.
Golfing in Southwest Florida is a treasured pastime for generations of people. Unlike the greens you find in other parts of the country, or, even other parts of the state, there is something a bit more polished about the courses you find in our neck of the woods. Am I biased? Of Course! But, so are you. That is why every chance you get, you are meeting guests and important clients at your coveted tee time. “Anyone in for a quick round at a championship course followed by a five-star meal?” Has anyone ever turned that down? What the locals and snowbirds are looking for is one comprehensive source to direct them to the best courses with the most pristine greens. Throughout Southwest Florida, Golf Coast Magazine is the publications golfers trust most.
In the world of golf, there is always something exciting taking place. Exciting tournaments, lavish grounds and beautiful club houses supply the perfect backdrop for large-purse extravaganzas. Just the essence of a golf course with its pristine natural beauty, manicured to the umpteenth degree is so inviting and relaxing. And the actual sport of golf has grown immensely, probably because anybody with a good swing and calculating mind can play a good round. When golfers want to know how the courses are rated, price and tee time information, tournament details, or just want to immerse themselves in a gorgeous, high-quality golfing publication, they simply cannot find anything more comprehensive than Golf Coast Magazine. And, the best part is they scour Southwest Florida, looking for only the most elite courses in the area. All the vetting is done before you even show up for your tee time.
With publications in well over 1,000 locations throughout Florida, you can bet that if your favorite top-notch golf course is up to par, it will be featured in Golf Coast Magazine, and getting loads of advertising and attention. With an understanding that only the top courses make it into the publication, local courses are upping their game in hopes of making the cut. For news inside the tight-knit but global golfing community, there simply is no better source for “everything golf” including who is on top, educational and fundraising aspects of golf, and the scoop on tournaments everywhere, including details on nearby shopping and dining. Whether you are staying abreast of all the latest industry news through their paper-publications, online, or through their emailed newsletters, chances are if it is relevant and golf-related, you read it in Golf Coast Magazine.
When it comes to IBE, the leaders at Golf Coast Magazine have always found bartering to be beneficial in many ways. Agreeing with many other IBE members, they see it as a way to free up capital and to procure items and services they would not otherwise be able to get. But they also look at it as a means to give purpose to underutilized inventory or services that really cost the company little to provide in the way of bartering. So, allowing other members to use their “barter bucks” to advertise when space is available is a solution where everyone benefits. For Golf Coast Magazine, IBE is the barter organization that keeps on giving in new ways all the time.
“Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun, please shine down on me.” There are so many songs, poems, prayers, and homages written to our brightly burning, ever-healing sun. We cannot survive without it. There is simply nothing sustainable without our sun. As centuries have passed, civilizations have gone from worshiping its undeniable powers to understanding the harmful effects it can have on humans, intent on playing under it for too long. But now we are living in a time when we can harness a fraction of its energy to power anything. It is sustainable, affordable, clean and the reason many business and homeowners are making modest accommodations to tap into what energy today looks like. Always on the forefront, forever changing the lives and comfortability of thousands of Floridians – Solar Direct is “bringing renewable technology down to earth.”
If you are one of the millions of Americans worried about Mother Nature and our consumption of her valuable resources, there are ways in which you can lessen the burden. And, in doing so, you can also save thousands of dollars every year, with an added benefit that when the hurricanes roll in with excessive storms and downed power lines, your lights will stay on and you’re AC will continue to keep you comfortable. Sound good? Every day, people are turning toward options that make them better stewards of our planet. Are you ready to join them?
In the past, solar-powered heating meant mammoth structures had to be mounted to your roof and the payoff was less than impressive. Today, sleek, and minimalized equipment with revolutionary technology taps into the sun’s immense powers, so that the only thing you notice are your lowered or non-existent electric bills. Their mission, “Inspiring others to discover environmentally responsible solutions,” has been the battle cry for a trove of Suncoast citizens who are tired of the excessive electric bills inundating them every month. From electric, to pool and spa water heating, to energy and space saving systems, Solar Direct has an impressive lineup of products and services that can start saving you money today.
And, speaking of money – – who would like to save some? Several rebates and incentives are in place to make the transition to solar energy even more attractive and necessary. The Renewable Energy Tax Credit provides credits to offset the costs associated with turning to solar. Specifically, a 30% tax credit is given for individuals converting to solar electric and solar water heating. Let us look at that in terms of real dollars: A solar water heater which retails for $5500 ends up costing you just $3850 thanks to that 30% tax credit. For whole home Solar Electric systems, that rebate can be as high as $9000 or more depending on the size of the system. Additionally, there are $0 operating costs associated with it after the first purchase and your energy bills can be reduced by up to a whopping 100%! And the greatest part of this equation is there is absolutely no pollution created. Why in the world are you not on the solar energy bandwagon? There is room for more environmentally conscious individuals; come on board!
Solar Direct and IBE share a common financial trait: Solar Direct saves the consumer real dollars with an exponential effect over time, and IBE does the same thing. This organization saves merchants thousands of dollars, if not more, over the course of a year through mutually beneficial bartering. For Solar Direct, IBE has always been an avenue to save funds around the office by bartering for cleaning, supplies and employee appreciation gifts. With the money saved through IBE, Solar Direct can pass those savings directly back to their customers.
