[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by ambrozia

Planning to retire. I've lived in a tropical climate and many other places so I'm not worried about most of the negative things people say here about Florida....except the food. I'm not picky but I do want organic milk and eggs and produce. Is it true that those items are not easily available in Florida? Thanks.

Organic foods are available almost anywhere in Florida these days. I buy most of my organics from Super Target - great prices and quality. Publix has a lot, also.

[Mike1306]

You can get organic milk, eggs, produce etc. in the more rural counties so you certainly can get them in the more populated counties and in just about any grocery store.

[ambrozia]

That great news. Whew! Thanks so much for your quick answers.

[ChrisA70]

Even Walmart has organic foods.....

[randian]

Organic isn't hard to find. Spicy hot, however, is. Publix, for example, doesn't carry any brand of salsa designated as "Hot". You can buy Pace's Mild, but not the Hot (which isn't, in the scheme of things, all that hot). In Southeast Florida, I couldn't find a single Chinese or Thai restaurant that will serve you dishes with real heat, even if you specifically ask for it. Fresh chili peppers and spices are hard to find, other than the standard jalapeño. Even Datils, which are native to Florida, don't seem to be available retail.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by randian

Organic isn't hard to find. Spicy hot, however, is. Publix, for example, doesn't carry any brand of salsa designated as "Hot". You can buy Pace's Mild, but not the Hot (which isn't, in the scheme of things, all that hot). In Southeast Florida, I couldn't find a single Chinese or Thai restaurant that will serve you dishes with real heat, even if you specifically ask for it. Fresh chili peppers and spices are hard to find, other than the standard jalapeño. Even Datils, which are native to Florida, don't seem to be available retail.

Are you sure about that? In swFlorida you can find pretty much every fresh and dried hot pepper that is produced including the fiery habenero. I would suspect with the even larger Hispanic population it would be equally easy on the other coast.

I do agree that Asian restaurants are really becoming timid with their spices. My husband has pretty much given up on trying to get them to add some hardcore spice. I guess they don't believe westerners. Maybe there's some sort of lawsuit story - real or mythical - making the rounds.

[Mike1306]

Originally Posted by randian

Organic isn't hard to find. Spicy hot, however, is. Publix, for example, doesn't carry any brand of salsa designated as "Hot". You can buy Pace's Mild, but not the Hot (which isn't, in the scheme of things, all that hot). In Southeast Florida, I couldn't find a single Chinese or Thai restaurant that will serve you dishes with real heat, even if you specifically ask for it. Fresh chili peppers and spices are hard to find, other than the standard jalapeño. Even Datils, which are native to Florida, don't seem to be available retail.

I get all kinds of hot peppers, hot salsa's, etc up here. When I lived in SE Florida I used to get Jamaican Hot Peppers all the time, which are just below Scotch Bonnets as far as hot peppers, and just about any other pepper I wanted.
My Chinese buffet here does a Mongolian BBQ and they make it very hot for me. Maybe you didn't ask nicely?
The state has many nationalities that spicy foods are part of their culture, if you can't find it you just aren't looking.

[P Andrews]

[quote=MartinEden99;20052634]It's all pretty relative, honestly. Try going 3-4 months without seeing the sun in much more than small doses & the 9 months isn't such a problem...its what they make sunglasses for.

Also, if you really believe Florida's weather is too hot for 9 months, then I am sorry...you just aren't cut out for hot weather and should know your body tolerances better. With certain rare exceptions for people with health/respiratory issues...you really aren't trying to acclimate to the weather if you aren't outside. You can't go from a northern climate down to FL and think you'll just adjust in 6 months while sitting in the AC. You have to get out into the weather & lose your previous hangups. Yes...sweating is a normal body function, and yes...you will sweat less & less the more you are in the weather. To the point that you will get "cold" in 72 degree AC environments just like the natives. When that happens...your electric bill will go down as well!




I've known people who have lived in FL for 10 or 20+ years but complain about actually being outside under a covered porch even. Sure, you aren't always interested in sweating...and its hard not to in the 95+ degree days...but 87? 84? In shade...you should be able to feel reasonably comfortable with a fan or breeze if you are acclimating properly. And sitting inside a 72 degree AC environment will not help you acclimate.




I have lived here since the early 60's and I must say:
I love these posts and I really love Florida, and all it has to offer including the weather. I truly hate watching a lot of it's natural habitat disappear as we encroach on its natural scrub lands, and wipe out it's long beautiful open beaches, and build strip malls and condos everywhere the eye can see. And then we try so hard to get the feeling that we are relaxed in Florida with so much going on and the fact we are all so busy we actually have to find time to enjoy ourselves we have actually eliminated the laid back life style atmosphere, and replaced it with with a faster commercialized version, that has a price tag.
Why do we always feel we have to improve on nature....??

[ChrisA70]

[quote=P Andrews;20093757]

Originally Posted by MartinEden99

It's all pretty relative, honestly. Try going 3-4 months without seeing the sun in much more than small doses & the 9 months isn't such a problem...its what they make sunglasses for.

Also, if you really believe Florida's weather is too hot for 9 months, then I am sorry...you just aren't cut out for hot weather and should know your body tolerances better. With certain rare exceptions for people with health/respiratory issues...you really aren't trying to acclimate to the weather if you aren't outside. You can't go from a northern climate down to FL and think you'll just adjust in 6 months while sitting in the AC. You have to get out into the weather & lose your previous hangups. Yes...sweating is a normal body function, and yes...you will sweat less & less the more you are in the weather. To the point that you will get "cold" in 72 degree AC environments just like the natives. When that happens...your electric bill will go down as well!




I've known people who have lived in FL for 10 or 20+ years but complain about actually being outside under a covered porch even. Sure, you aren't always interested in sweating...and its hard not to in the 95+ degree days...but 87? 84? In shade...you should be able to feel reasonably comfortable with a fan or breeze if you are acclimating properly. And sitting inside a 72 degree AC environment will not help you acclimate.




I have lived here since the early 60's and I must say:
I love these posts and I really love Florida, and all it has to offer including the weather. I truly hate watching a lot of it's natural habitat disappear as we encroach on its natural scrub lands, and wipe out it's long beautiful open beaches, and build strip malls and condos everywhere the eye can see. And then we try so hard to get the feeling that we are relaxed in Florida with so much going on and the fact we are all so busy we actually have to find time to enjoy ourselves we have actually eliminated the laid back life style atmosphere, and replaced it with with a faster commercialized version, that has a price tag.
Why do we always feel we have to improve on nature....??

What are the rules to getting aclimated if you have been here 18 years, and work outside, but still nothing works as far as getting used to it? I guess I am screwed...

Everywhere I look around here farm pastures are now malls, or will be soon, the land is for sale, and undoubtedly, they will become strip malls. I agree. Really? How many strip malls with the same stores in all of them do we really need???? Overgrowth got us where we are, they never learn....

[MartinEden99]

[quote=ChrisA70;20093971]

Originally Posted by P Andrews

What are the rules to getting aclimated if you have been here 18 years, and work outside, but still nothing works as far as getting used to it? I guess I am screwed...

Chris...what type of work do you do outside, if you dont mind answering? I sometimes hear people say they work outside but it really means they walk outside from their AC vehicle for 20 feet at a time and then back into the AC building again. Not that you necessarily do this...but everybody has a different definition outside of "construction" being an outside job mostly. What I consider outside work is where you physically exert yourself on a semi-regular basis.

What is your diet like? High in salt? Do you eat a lot of fruit? Do you drink a TON of water? The types of foods you eat, and when you eat them, will certainly play a part in how your body adapts. High starch & high salt foods on a regular basis will drive up your body temperature.

You also don't have to be a marathon athlete (I certainly am not) but you should make an attempt to physically exert yourself outside. Whether that be mowing the lawn or gardening, or swimming in the ocean or a pool...or jogging if that is your thing. Pace yourself by how you feel, not how much you are sweating, drink more water than you feel like you want (trust me), but do NOT push it in 95+ temps(or even 90 if that feels bad to you even while in the shade).

Also, I don't mean to infer that everybody should love 95+ temps and all dance outside in the sun. I'm saying that 95+ is more like 3 months that you can certainly learn to deal with and even enjoy if you take advantage of the ocean, a pool, etc. And the more you try & acclimate to hot weather, the more you will enjoy being outside in 85 or even 90. As always...access to shade is helpful as well.