By Gail Radley

We all love vacation, and what could be better than a nice long one? Still, there comes a point when we start missing home: We want to sleep in our own beds, eat home-cooked meals, hear a friend call our names. Sometimes it’s wearying to be a stranger in a strange town.

When you start feeling homesick before your return flight is scheduled, Moony’s New Day Coffee House just might be the remedy. It’s a little bit of funkiness, a slice of down home, and a whole bunch of friendly.

Nestled in a cluster of shops on Volusia Ave., Orange City’s main drag, Moony’s regular hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Saturday. My pal Cindy and I found them open one Friday night for a special event, a fundraiser for a social service agency. It’s the sort of thing the managers say they’d like to do more of, so it never hurts to give Moony’s a call and ask what’s up.

The first thing we noticed was that Moony’s had overflow seating not only on the porch, but also onto the parking lot. It’s a good thing: Moony’s is TINY! No sooner had we swung open the door and stepped inside than we were greeted warmly by the owners — Moony and Connie — and introduced all around. It was as if we had walked into a cousin’s living room to meet long lost family members.

Miguel invited us to take the last two empty seats at his high, round table. Before we knew it, we’d been tended to by Moony, Connie, and also Becca, whose primary duties seemed to be food prep behind the counter. Since I was practically rubbing elbows with the ladies at the next table, I struck up a conversation with them as we waited while Cindy chatted with Miguel. Boy, did we feel at home!

Although they had a special dinner menu for the event, Moony’s is generally a breakfast and lunch place. Several coffee drinks are offered, a changing selection of sandwiches and bakery goods, salads, peach tea, and smoothies, among other goodies. Cindy and I both jumped at the Taste of the Tropics Smoothie, a cool concoction of pineapple, mango, banana and coconut milk.

The décor is, um, eclectic. Art pieces (for sale) sidle up beside signs like “Fanny Rest Stop; Eat Here Get Gas.” The wall trimmings alone could keep you entertained; if not, there’s free Wi-Fi.

Singer and guitarist Tea Hendricks provided the real entertainment for the evening, though, with early 60’s rock and roll. At one point she left her corner to sing cheek to cheek with Miguel, making him one happy man. Miguel wasn’t the only one who was happy. The whole crowd seemed to have a good time. And why shouldn’t they? Moony’s is as friendly and welcoming as your pals back home.

Moony’s New Day Coffee House: 226 Volusia Ave., S. Orange City, FL. 386-456-0200.

By Gail Radley

“Lake Helen-Cassadaga: Where Mayberry Meets the Twilight Zone.”

This T-shirt slogan offers a pretty accurate assessment. Cassadaga is home of the Spiritualists (for more on this psychic enclave, click here). Tree-lined Lake Helen, with its scattering of mom and pop shops and comfortable old frame houses, looks as sleepy as the comparison to Mayberry suggests. But that doesn’t mean there’s no nightlife.

If it’s Friday night and you’re in the neighborhood, the Lake Helen Coffee & Tea Company is the place to be. Weather permitting, each Friday brings new entertainment — rock, jazz, Celtic, Hang Drum — you name it, it’s happening on the restaurant’s long patio before a full and enthusiastic crowd. Still more listeners are enjoying the music from within the air-conditioned shop. In addition to coffee and tea, the restaurant offers an array of smoothies, sandwiches, soup, and salads, all at modest prices. The tuna melt I had on my last visit was so filling, it almost ruled out a pina colada yogurt smoothie for dessert. (Still, I managed.) My friend Dee was quite satisfied with her tasty chicken salad on a bed of romaine and spring mix greens.

Don’t miss the little gift shop, a room connected to the sandwich shop. You can pick up handcrafted jewelry, gift baskets, floral arrangements, knickknacks — and that Lake Helen-Cassadaga T-shirt. If you’re lucky, you’ll win your favorite item when the door prize is announced toward the end of the evening. Like the drawing, the music is free, so mind the tip jar — the musicians are singing for their supper.

Time passes quickly: The music starts at 6 p.m.; by 8 p.m. it’s over, and the Coffee & Tea Company is locking its doors. Lake Helen tucks itself in for the night and goes back to being a sleepy little village. And if this event was the appetizer for another evening adventure, you’ll still have energy for the main course.

Lake Helen Coffee & Tea Co.: Mon.-Thurs. 7 a.m.-3 p.m., Fri. 7 a.m.-8 p.m., Sat. 7 a.m.-3 p.m. 386-951-4486; 360 S. Lakeview Dr., Lake Helen, FL 32706. lakehelencoffee.com.

By Gail Radley

No trip to Lyonia Preserve and Environmental Center would be complete without a stop at their anchor attraction: the Deltona Regional Library. And if you’re an aficionado of fine libraries, this is one for your list.

Once you’ve hiked though the preserve, studied the exhibits in the Environmental Center and Gallery and packed in a tasty lunch at Bagel King Café, follow the hallway at the back end of the café into the library. On your right, a sign announces “The Teen Zone,” a large room housing not only the young adult collection of books and materials (including Wii games!), but also a bevy of computers, study nooks and lounge seating.

A real jewel in the Deltona Library is the children’s section. Kids light up when they see the floor-to-ceiling tree (artificial) complete with hideaways for birds and squirrels. This area’s collection includes backpacks full of book-related toys and a wide variety of intriguing puzzles and concept toys. While some of these cannot be used in the library, visitors can purchase a 6-month library card for $30 dollars.

Much of the library’s 25,000 square feet is devoted to the adult collection. Notable in this area are cushy individual seats wired and ready for your laptop. There’s also the Book Nest, a used bookstore. Here you can beef up (or as I like to say, tofu up) your home library of books (plus puzzles, CDs and DVDs). Prices start at 10 cents, and the collection includes donated items (often read/used/viewed only once). Come early and you may score the latest best seller. If you're looking for something to do, the Deltona Regional Library's events calendar is abundant with free classes and activities for the young and old. In the summer months, a reading program for children k-8 is in full force, with puppets, storytellers, and more. Naturally, the teens have their own menu of intriguing programs. July, for example, offers Paper Pizaaz, Murder on the Beach-Live Clue, Sand Art, and Beach Party.

Let’s face it: Florida’s extended summer is hot. You can only play in the sun so long before you start feeling like a rotisserie chicken. Our unique library is great place to escape the heat or hide out from the rain. And mark your calendars for the mellow month of October — the 9th is the Library’s first Authors Book Fair. They’ve hardly let the word out and already 10 authors (yours truly included) have signed up. (Drop by my table, check out my books, and let me know you read about it on www.vacationplanning.net!)

By Gail Radley

After your hike through the Lyonia Preserve, step into the refreshing coolness of the Environmental Learning Center, which opened in October 2009. The learning center, which occupies 4,000 square feet of the Deltona Regional Library complex, is dedicated to educating the public about Volusia County’s various ecosystems.

Most prominent is the exhibition room. Chances are you’ll find school or day camp groups excitedly lifting flaps and pushing buttons as they explore the many hands-on displays. Scrub habitat, of course, is featured, along with its popular resident, the Florida scrub jay, but the other Volusia County environments are not neglected. One wall is dedicated to showing how water connects all the habitats. Probably most popular with children is the 3-D manatee that seems to be swimming right out of the wall.

A Florida black bear (stuffed) guards the entryway to the Lyonia Gallery, a changing hallway display of photographs on loan from the Southeast Museum of Photography. The displays are related to environmental land use, local history and regional culture. On my visit, it was an entertaining tour of rural Florida, contemporary photos of roadside signs, businesses, and byways that appear unchanged since the 1930s.

Various special programs — summer camps as well as educational programs for children and adults — make use of the classrooms in the back. In this case, classroom does not equal rows of desks and a chalkboard. Think laboratory plus artists’ den, packed with all sorts of intriguing environmental artifacts. An environmental specialist leads these many of these programs. Modest fees will save you a spot for the special programs, but the visiting the Environmental Learning Center is free of charge!

Head in the other direction and you’re in the gift shop, a small but well-stocked area where you might pick up art and nature projects for the kids, jewelry, fine teas and greeting cards or a souvenir of your visit.

By now you’ll be hungry so step into the next area, the Bagel King Café. Yes, you could have made that a breakfast stop before your hike, but the café also offers great sandwiches on a variety of utterly delicious homemade breads, tantalizing desserts, and various drinks, so maybe a before and after visit is the best way to go. The café, as well as the Environmental Learning Center, Lyonia Gallery, and the gift shop and café are all open seven days a week.

On the far side of the café, a hallway connects to the Deltona Public Library — but that’s another story!

By Gail Radley

Go back about two million years and Florida was an underwater gift waiting to be delivered. An occasional sandy island emerged, hinting at its future as Florida scrubland. These arid patches resemble nothing more than deserts relieved by a tangle of low-growing vegetation. To a developer’s eye, they might seem ripe for shopping malls and residential communities. Fortunately, Volusia County Land Acquisition and Management and the Volusia County School Board had other ideas for a certain patch in Deltona.

They restored 360 acres and designated it Lyonia Preserve, a place where visitors can experience ancient Florida scrub habitat and the threatened and endangered species that rely on such a seemingly inhospitable environment. Located on the Deltona Public Library property, the preserve offers three walking trails of .4, 1.2, and 2.4 miles, each an expansion of the one before. As the trail begins, you’ll see signs naming the various plants and trees, including a spate of oaks, shiny blueberry, deer berry, saw palmettos and the rusty-leafed lyonia shrub for which the preserve is named. Nearly 300 species — flora and fauna — have been verified. Among the latter, you’ll probably spot the threatened Florida scrub jay. A threatened species, this lively, inquisitive cousin to the blue jay is enjoying a resurgence at Lyonia.

Tread lightly and quietly and you may catch a glimpse of some of the shyer inhabitants, among them the cottontail rabbit, gopher tortoise, fox, diamondback rattlesnake, and bobwhite quail. If you arrive when one of the many school, Exploritas, or day camper groups are making the trek, you may want out-pace them in order to really experience the buzzing, twittering solitude of this other-worldly environment. Avoid the searing, mid-day heat if you can and wear sturdy shoes for the deep sand. Aside from a pavilion and occasional signs and benches, the land is au naturel, so pack up some water, and perhaps binoculars, camera and trail mix (be sure to pack out your trash unless you find a receptacle). Were it not for the trail markers, you might feel you’ve gotten lost on a Florida island, two million years back.

(P.S.  Guided tours are available for a nominal fee.)

By Gail Radley

You can stop studying Michael Phelps’ technique. No more grueling sloshing up and down the swim lanes. Tell your coach to pocket her whistle. I’m going to let you in on a four-word secret that will have you swimming like a champ: Blue Spring State Park. But if you want to sound like a local, just call it Blue Springs.

Just $4 ($6 for a carload of two to eight) gets you into this 2,600-acre state park in Orange City. Nestled on along the St. Johns River, it’s famous for its large spring, home to numerous West Indian Manatees during the winter months. These gentle, multi-ton “sea cows” lumber into the spring run to enjoy the 73-degree warm water to escape the chilly St. Johns. At that time, the swimming hole is theirs alone, so bring binoculars and cameras and join the nature lovers at the overlooks if you come then.

But from April through early November, it’s generally clear swimming for the humanoids. You can climb into 73-degree water in the crystal-clear, roped-in swimming area or jump from the dock if you prefer a fast and cooling dunk. The more adventurous stroke their way up to the “boil” (that’s the cave from which the water bubbles up; don’t expect warmer waters). Along the way, soak in the beauty of natural Florida — no cement siding here. Overhanging trees shelter you from the sun, scrub jays and herons flit to and fro overhead. You will be one with nature. One thing you probably won’t see is fish: the closer to the boil, the less oxygen is in the water, so they stay closer to the St. Johns. (P.S. You will need a strong stroke & a good kick to make this swim.)

Many forego the long swim and wade in at the landing just below the boil. (Follow the boardwalk through the hammock to find the landing.) From this point, you may swim a little, but will probably wade most of the way. Water shoes are an asset because of the rocky bottom and—because rangers try not to tamper with Mother Nature—there may also be submerged tree trunks.

Soon enough, you’ll be at the basin-like springhead. It’s plenty deep there and wide enough for some fun swimming. The cave below is difficult to make out, but you can locate it by the swirling water above. Snorkeling is permitted, and certified scuba divers can register and explore, buddy system required.

What about swimming like an Olympian? That’s for the trip back! You can practically float all the way, letting the current carry you to the roped area, if you wish. But why not make like Michael Phelps in slow-mo? Focus on your beautiful stroke as you effortlessly race to the finish line. The birds will cheer you every kick of the way.

By Gail Radley

The Cassadega Camp Bookstore, housed in the Andrew Jackson Davis Building, is more than a bookstore. Set in the center of the Cassadega Spiritualist community, the bookstore is information central and the heart of this unusual little town established in 1894 and dedicated to all things otherworldly.

From the outside, the Andrew Jackson Davis Building is old and nondescript —the sort of structure you might expect to see in a camp. (But make no mistake: There are no campers in this camp; the term is a carryover from the old religious revival “camp meetings.”) The wooden steps lead directly into the bookstore, a lavender and teal shop that boasts “the area’s largest selection of books on traditional spiritualism and metaphysics.” From the sign announcing that you are “Entering the Spirit Zone,” to the Native American crafts to the Buddhas, faeries, and wizards; to the incense, oil, and Tibetan singing bowls, you’ll know that Borders, this is not.

A small lounge area adjoining the bookstore is known as the Welcome Center. There you’ll find white board with the menu of certified mediums and healers ready for patrons that day so that you can arrange an appointment. The racks of flyers announcing various camp activities and offerings rival any truckstop’s collection. But instead of historical sites, hotels, and Disney discount coupons, you’ll find healing circles, mediumship development, and meditation groups.

I imagine at other times, spiritualists and seekers alike might stop to chat there or thumb through the latest book on connecting with the world beyond, but on Saturday, the room fills at 1:00 p.m. for the free, hour-long mini-seminar. “Starting Your Psychic Development” was the topic du jour when I visited; other seminar features include crystals, pendulums, and healing. There is no schedule, so if you’re particular, check the local paper or call the store at 386-228-2880.

From his portrait on the wall, Seer Andrew Jackson Davis gazes over us as the session begins. The leader passes out envelopes containing animal likenesses, and invites us to picture a rainbow during a brief meditation and intuit our envelopes’ contents. The remainder of the seminar is for sharing our experiences and the leader’s interpretation. Some report strong images and feelings and envelopes that suddenly felt warm in their hands. A few even saw animals similar to the one pictured their cards. As for me, I was too busy taking in my surroundings for much inner travel. However, the card I drew was the crow, symbolic of renewal, transformation, and abundance — and I’m all for each of those!

We haven’t connected with the other world, but perhaps some of us have become a little closer to the noble beast within us. Who knows where next week’s seminar will take us?

By Gail Radley

In golfing, I’m told, a Mulligan is a do-over — an unofficial extra shot the golfer can claim when unsatisfied with the first. But lack of satisfaction has nothing to do with Mulligan’s Tavern & Grille. Tucked away in one of DeLand’s newer housing developments, Victoria Hills, this little gem of a restaurant is easy to miss. Although road signs lead you to the spot, no outdoor signage announces you’ve arrived. When you see a parking lot, park; you’re there. Mulligan’s is inside the “house” with the rockers and chalkboards out front. (You’ll also discover a Pro Golf and clubhouse inside.)

The tavern side of the restaurant, with its mixed table and bar seating and large screen televisions, looked lively and popular. However, my friend Gayle and I chose the casual elegance of the dining room, with its subdued yellow and beige décor, old paintings, and earth-tone tile fireplace.

The real eye-catcher, though, is the panoramic view of Victoria Hills Golf Club. Yes, hills in Florida — rolling hills! An 18-hole, par 72, public course that draws golfers from all over, this course has been named one of the best by Golfweek, Golf Magazine, and others. More importantly to us, it’s beautiful!

No need to spend hours pouring over the menu. It’s short and inviting, with entrees running from the $19 Wasabi Rib Eye or Neptune Seafood Bowl to the vegetarian selection, Tri-color Cheese Tortellini at just $11. Gayle and I not only share names, but tastes, it seems: we each zeroed in on the three 2 for $20 specials and chose tilapia — spicy, blackened for Gayle and mellow, un-blackened for Gail.

We waited briefly, enjoying tender, warm rolls. Our parsley-flecked plates soon arrived with ample portions of delectable fish swathed in roasted corn salsa with sides of not-too-spicy Mexican rice and mixed vegetables. (Not the multi-colored formerly frozen cubes by the same name, but whole green beans, yellow and zucchini squash, and carrots. They looked — and were cooked — just right!) Our waitress drifted over enough to keep our drinks filled without being intrusive. This is a civilized dining room, a place for leisurely conversation. (If you want elegantly rowdy, go to the Tavern.)

The two for $20 specials run every Thursday night, with varying selections. (Thursday is also ladies night, with reduced prices on beer, wine, and cocktails. There was a wine-tasting special that night too, but neither Gail nor Gayle imbibed.) Wednesday is the $13 special with salad, a choice of entrees and dessert. Speaking of dessert, we must have looked as full as we felt; the waitress didn’t suggest it, so be sure to ask. We could have managed one of the $1.50 Dessert Shooters. I’m thinking of taking a Mulligan — maybe lunch plus shooter this time. Or maybe a slice of that “decadent chocolate cake with layers of chocolate mousse and chocolate chip icing …”

Gayle, shall we make that two?

By Gail Radley

Okay, culture will cost you a little — $8 ($6 for seniors) at Stetson University’s Stover Theater. But compare that to perhaps $85 at classier venues. True, the actors you see will be university students, but that doesn’t mean they can’t give a great performance. Stetson has been offering plays since 1896, so the theater has had plenty of time to brush up its acts!

And you may just be seeing tomorrow’s stars. Ted Cassidy — the memorable Lurch of TVs “Addams Family” earned his stripes at Stetson. So did five-time Emmy award winner (and 21-time nominee) Ret Turner. When Michael Yeargan designed sets for Stetson plays back in the mid-60s, his audiences were so wowed by them that they applauded before the show began. No surprise, then, that he went on to be a Broadway designer and, in 2005, won a Tony for scenic design.

The theater itself is flash backward in time. A two-story brick and masonry structure built in 1930, it was Florida’s (and perhaps the south’s) first building dedicated to collegiate theater. The ticket window is bookended by double French doors that lead into a cozy lobby where snacks — frequently including homemade brownies, I’ve noted — are offered during intermission. While you’re partaking, you can see rehearsal photos past and present. Take the stairs on either side of the suit of armor (donated by a fraternity) and enter the 300-seat theater. The stage is a standard proscenium arch, framed by black velour curtains. There’s a small balcony, unavailable to the audience.

Originally, the building was known as the Women’s Assembly Hall, in deference to those who feared drama was synonymous with sin. Stetson’s President Lincoln Hulley (1904-1934) challenged the notion by offering his own plays for production, and so the building claimed its true identity as the Little Theater. Finally, students insisted on renaming it for one of the theater program’s prime champions, Professor Irving Stover. (It’s his portrait you’ll find in the lobby, along with reserved seats for both him and Mrs. Stover.) Theater is steeped in honored traditions and superstitions, and a university theater is not exempt. After the actors leave their final rehearsal and the lights are shut off, the stage manager invites the ghost of Dr. Stover to return to his beloved theater.

Maybe you’ll see him on opening night. Or maybe you’ll meet Broadway’s yet-unknown star hurrying backstage before the show begins. If so, whatever you do, don’t wish the actor good luck! A heartfelt “break a leg” will do — and then get ye into the theater for an entertaining night of low-cost culture!

By Gail Radley

Because this is a one-of-a-kind convenience store: the nation’s first environmentally friendly 7-11.

Even outside, you’ll notice something is different about this 7-11. A cypress pergola provides semi-shade to the benches in front, and nestled beside it is a carefully tended garden bed of native, drought-tolerant plants. Of course, 7-11 grabbed a primo spot, on the corner of Woodland Boulevard and Ohio Street, next to Stetson University. The local bus stops at that corner. Bicyclists can lock their transportation at the rack by the picnic table on the side. Or you can park your energy-efficient car in the spot reserved for such responsible vehicles.

Within the store, the white, well-lit interior fairly shouts clean and bright. I asked Mike, the cheerful clerk, and he confirmed that this 7-11 is brighter than others. (He should know; he was transferred here after 3 years at an old-style store). It’s the four skylights, he explained, plus the sensor-driven lighting that is reflected on the large white floor tiles. But you won’t have to find Mike to get the scoop (though all the clerks, I’m told, are versed in the basic features of their green workplace); signs posted around the store document its environmental friendliness. The increased natural lighting, I read, has been “proven to boost morale and even reduce sickness rates.” What’s more, the air quality is monitored to reduce airborne illnesses. I feel good just walking around the place.

Using local materials & recycled steel in the construction not only helped the local economy but also cut down on transportation costs and pollution. Even better, the store has five-inch thick poured concrete walls. Why is that important? Well, West Volusia does get the occasional hurricane — but don’t let that scare you. You can weather the storm in this sturdy 7-11.

Of course, the downtown DeLand 7-ll has its traditional array of unnaturally good treats. Simply buying a wild cherry Slurpee or a bag of the new coconut M & Ms feels like you’re doing your bit for the environment!