Tag Archives: Florida

Olde Englewood and the Elusive Mermaid

Take a walk down Dearborn Street today through Olde Englewood, and sadly about a third of the shops will be closed with signs in the windows that state “See you in October!” Since the season in South Florida runs contrary to most other destinations in the country, the shop owners there head back, we are told, to sister stores in destinations with a more traditional “season” in places like Mackinaw City, Michigan. That is what we heard about the owners of Mermaid Cache, a whimsical looking beach shop with items in the windows including handmade jewelry, colorful dresses, beach wraps, and other finer quality looking gifts and collectibles. The passerby wasn’t a hundred percent sure about the locale of the sister store, but she said if her “memory served” it was Mackinaw City. That is one store, we hope to find open on our next trip to the area.

Luckily, we did find Girlieman Chic’s doors open year round. Girlieman Chic is a women’s consignment store that packs a ton of bargains into a tiny space and is opening in a new larger location down the street October 1. I would highly recommend starting from the back and working your way to the front since I discovered a Chico’s brand dress in the Final Clearance room in the back for only $3 that fit me like a well worn glove and was in like new condition! In addition to clothes they have a very funky collection of shoes and handbags and some rather amusing buttons, cards and trinkets. The owner’s sense of humor shows through in her store, a trait we greatly appreciate!

Additionally, the Life is Good store: At Home with Style is open year-round and is full of all the neat items that make that brand so fun. They also have a variety of upscale home decor items that would make planning for your next cocktail party a blast! Another section of the retail shop includes pampered pet specialty products like bowls, leashes and outfits for your 4-legged companion and carriers for the smallest of the species deigned to resemble couture handbags.

After checking out a few other beachy shops, some open and some not, and making notes of the ones we hope to explore on the inside during our next stop over in sunny, (and HOT!) southwest Florida, we decided to make a stop in a local eatery for a snack and cold libation. It was late afternoon and as they say “five o’clock somewhere!” so we decided a cerveza and some chips and salsa might be a nice snack. We had spotted Compadre’s Mexican restaurant when we first arrived on Dearborn Street and thought the front porch there looked like a beckoning spot to sit and take in the scenery while cooling down with a cold one. The staff was friendly and we enjoyed the authentic chips and salsa along with a couple of Coronas and decided that while Englewood is certainly on the sleepy side, it was a very relaxing stop in our tour around South Florida. 

Welcoming Guest Blogger


Liza Chisholm, travel blogger at large, will be submitting posts from interesting destinations.  Recently relocating to Florida from Alaska, via Montana, she and her family spend their free time exploring their new home state.

We are excited to publish work from this well-traveled experienced writer and photographer! Thank you, Liza!

Submissions from guest bloggers are welcome.  Do you have something for the Humanity, Community, Marvels or Milestones topics in International Show and Tell?

Beachcombers Defined

True beachcombers might be recognized by the rich burnished hue of their sundrenched skin, by their love of all things coastal or by their perpetual happy nature derived from loving life.

Carroll and Dori Pensinger split their time among three homes while traveling up and down the East Coast. At 82 years of age, the beachcomber lifestyle suits them fine. They spend summers in their Waynesboro, PA ranch home which they have owned for 58 years.

Upon retirement they got the “Keys disease” and went to Key Largo where they spend winters. Between those homes, especially during the glorious fall season, is their favorite large home in a quiet upscale Myrtle Beach neighborhood with private access to the beach.

Their love of the coast has spanned their lifetime together.

“We grew up going to the beach,” Carroll said as he recounts buying a car with friends when they weren’t old enough to drive and had to hire someone to take them to the beach.

“We started courting in high school,” Carroll tells of the life he and Dori share which has just passed the milestone of a 60-year marriage.
He went into the service after high school, being sent to Germany in 1945 and 1946, and they married when he returned.

Their square dancing passion took them throughout the East Coast for events in the 1960s, and they continue to square dance, round dance or participate in ballroom dance clubs at any opportunity.

Driving their Born Free camper, they visited every state except Hawaii and many of the eastern Canadian provinces.

It doesn’t occur to them that they are old, because they have never had complaints, although Dori did admit that “A few things started falling apart at 80.”

At either of their coastal locations, the Pensingers might be found soaking up rays while reading and relaxing on the beach, although they are often busy helping others.

In Waynesboro, he drives a friend to the hospital, delivers meals on wheels and volunteers wherever there is a need. Upon their retirement, she also volunteered for secretarial assistance at their local hospital.

If you see Carroll and Dori, you’ll recognize his straw hat and she will be wearing bright sunny colors to complement her tanned skin and her sunny smile. They’ll be talking to passersby, and you will know you have found the definition of a beachcomber family.