Inside the Bubble

The Villages VA Clinic

Ryan Erisman — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 20:25:33 +0000

If you qualify for Veterans health care benefits, then you’ll be happy to learn that there is a VA Outpatient Clinic in The Villages.

The 99,000 square foot facility opened in 2010 and serves thousands of veterans that call The Villages home. Major medical procedures and hospitalization are not provided here as it is an outpatient facility.

If you need a major procedure or more specialized care than this facility can provide, you will be referred (or even transferred, if necessary) to another local facility or the VA Medical Center in Gainesville, which is only about an hour away.

Where is The Villages VA Clinic?

One downside of the facility is the location. It is located about as far north in The Villages as you can go, so if you are a newbie moving in “down south” you’ll have a bit of a hike to get here.

That said, most of the older residents are in the northern part of The Villages, so it’s closer for those who might need more care. The Villages has been built north to south, so a lot of the residents in the northern parts moved in a long time ago, thus they tend to be older.

Anyway, it’s a nice perk having this facility right here in The Villages for those who served.

The Villages VA Clinic in the News

There’s not a whole lot of crime in The Villages, but one pretty famous incident actually occurred here at The Villages VA clinic in 2016 when a 60-year old Villages resident entered the clinic armed with an AM-15 rifle, at least two additional magazines containing 26 rounds of ammo each, and a 9-mm handgun.

After confronting a Dr. in an exam room, a series of struggles ensued. The suspect’s gun was discharged multiple times, but thankfully nobody was hit. The gunman was restrained by clinic staff and patients before being arrested by police.

He was later found guilty and sentenced to up to 17 years in jail.

The Villages VA Clinic Location and Contact Information

Address

8900 Southeast 165th Mulberry Lane

The Villages, FL 32162-5884

Get directions on Google Maps to The Villages VA Clinic

Phone numbers

Main phone: 352-674-5000

VA health connect: 877-741-3400

Mental health care: 352-674-5166 x305166

For more information visit:

va.gov/north-florida-health-care/locations/the-villages-va-clinic/

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Pool Homes in The Villages

Ryan Erisman — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 15:51:37 +0000

With more than 100 pools of various types available for residents to use throughout The Villages, most residents decide against having a pool at their own homes.

But you can certainly buy a house with a pool or have one put in as long as the restrictions and lot size allow.

Here’s a look at some of the pool homes on the market in The Villages right now:

The post Pool Homes in The Villages appeared first on Inside the Bubble.

Barefoot Vlogger Visits The Villages

Ryan Erisman — Sat, 08 Jul 2023 00:28:39 +0000

Another popular YouTuber recently visited The Villages. I’m waiting for the day Mr. Beast comes to town.

At the time of this writing, Barefoot Vlogger is closing in on 400 videos, most of which cover various parts of Florida, and he has about 31,000 subscribers.

As a first time visitor, he doesn’t get everything about The Villages right, but I do think he captures the essence of the place and why so many people decide to live here.

If you’re ready to get serious about finding a place in The Villages, allow me to introduce you to one of my preferred Realtors. Just fill out this form and I’ll connect you:

Fill out my online form.

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Resident Interview #1

Ryan Erisman — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 20:45:43 +0000

Years ago I conducted more than a dozen interviews with residents of The Villages but I only released them for a brief period of time as a bonus ebook for people who bought my book Inside the Bubble.

I think there’s a lot to be learned from them though so I am going to start publishing them here for everyone to read.

I’d love to interview other current residents about their experiences. If you’d like to participate, click here.

On to the first interview!

Can you describe your background?

I was a single parent for much of my adult life. I had dropped out of college when I got married, so being divorced, I had to wait until the kids were more or less able to tend to themselves, to go back to school. For years everyone in the family joked that my oldest son and I would graduate together. They were wrong; I beat him out by a year!

I really enjoyed being an accountant, especially doing taxes. But my true love was teaching accounting. There was nothing more gratifying than seeing the look on a student’s face when he or she finally “got” something that had previously had them stumped. If I ever chose to go back to work, that is what I would like to do again- teach.

Where did you live before moving to The Villages?

I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Then I moved to Massachusetts when my youngest son was accepted to MIT. I lived in the towns of Brookline, Plymouth and Sterling and loved them all. I met my late husband while living in MA, and several years later we moved to Plantation, FL. He passed away while we were living there, and I eventually met my current husband at the Los Olas art fair in Ft Lauderdale. We’ve been together for 4 years (married for 2 1/2 years) and in that time, we’ve moved from south Florida to Dallas, Texas and then to Las Vegas, Nevada, all for his career. This next move from Vegas will be my last- I’m tired of packing and unpacking. My friends say I should be an expert by now!

How long have you lived in The Villages?

We bought our home here in Dec 2008.

Do you continue to work (even if part-time), or are you fully retired?

I am a fully retired accountant and plan on staying that way. As I said, my husband will retire next year. Knowing him, he’ll be eager to do some tax consulting work after a few months here. I have no idea how he’ll fit it in, because we plan on joining about 6 social clubs, plus all the activities we plan to do, some together and others separately.

What originally attracted you to The Villages?

Years ago, while living in South Florida, my late husband and I went to Mt. Dora for a long weekend. While we were there, we took a trip up to The Villages and took the trolley tour. Back then Spanish Springs was the only town square, and the sales dept. was touting the latest type of housing here – villas! We both felt that The Villages would be a great place to retire, but unfortunately, he did not live long enough to retire.

Years later, when I married my current husband, he told me he had heard great things about The Villages, but had never been there. Knowing he would be as impressed with the place as I was, I scheduled one of those week stays for us, telling them I wanted to stay in the smallest home they had available. We had a large home in Dallas at the time, and I wanted to really downsize when we retired. I wanted to see if we could live in a small home without tripping over each other.

We came, we saw, we bought!

What do you like most now about The Villages?

The variety of activities to choose from. I play cards, I play mah jongg, I’ve taken courses in everything from history to photography, to reflexology, to home decorating, to glass etching, to name a few; and that’s just what I can fit in while I’m here part-time. Can you imagine what I’ll be doing this time next year?

I also love that you can be a retired sanitation worker or a retired captain of industry; it just doesn’t matter. Everyone is so friendly regardless.

What do you like least about The Villages?

Hands down, the worst thing about The Villages is the road signage. I have not met a single person here who hasn’t gotten turned around and gone in the wrong direction at least once or twice or more, especially when they were new to the area.

Can you describe an ideal day for you in The Villages?

Unless I have early plans, I love to have a leisurely breakfast and then sit on the lanai with the newspaper and my coffee. Before my knee surgery (and again when it heals) I would love to go to the pool and do some water aerobics. After lunch, there could be a club meeting, shopping, a class, or mah jongg game. I’ve had many a good time meeting friends for happy hour and/or dinner at Mallory, Havana, etc. after that.

Can you describe an ideal evening for you in The Villages?
After a great dinner (out or at home) it’s usually a game of bridge, mah jongg, Mexican train, or Samba at a rec center or at someone’s home. Other times we go to the square to listen to the entertainment or go to a show that one of the theater groups is per- forming. Sometimes I actually prefer to stay home with a good book. That’s what is so great about living here; you can do anything, everything, or nothing at all and have a great time. If you can’t find something of interest to do here, you should check your pulse, because you might be dead.

What clubs or activities are you involved with?

Not to be repetitious, I play bridge and mah jongg and take courses. I love water aerobics and bike riding. I joined the SE Mass. club and plan on joining the Brooklyn club. When my husband is here, we plan on joining the Parrotheads, the FSU club, the convertible club, and a few others if we can fit them into our schedules. He will probably join a biking group and maybe a softball team. And of course, we plan on golfing, and golfing and golfing some more! We also love to play billiards and occasionally bowl.

How often do you venture out of The Villages and where do you go?

Because I am only here about 5 months of the year, I have no desire to venture outside of The Villages very often. I do, however, go to the Marion Flea Market on occasion. Like gypsies, we love to just get in the car and go in any direction we desire and find out where we wind up. I’m sure that habit will continue when we’re here. But for now, I’m sticking close to home. There’s so much to do right here, that I rarely have time to go anywhere.

If someone were limited to one lunch and one dinner in The Villages, where would you tell them to eat?

How can you pick just one with so many great places to choose from? If I must, I’d choose Cody’s for lunch, just because it’s so much fun, the food is terrific and it’s cheap! For dinner, I’d pick one of the country clubs, depending on what night and what kind of food they prefer.

Do you play golf? If so, how many times per week and what is your favorite course?

When asked if we play golf, we say we play AT it. Neither one of us has played since we left South Florida, but we plan on changing that as soon as we’re here full-time. Obviously, I don’t have a favorite course, but I know the executive courses will be fine with me; the easier the better.

Are there any other sports that you participate in?

As I’ve mentioned before, water aerobics because my chiropractor says water exercises are the best for me with my bum knees and a bad back. I haven’t done archery in years, but I think I might like to try it again. I miss horseback riding and volleyball. I might try water volleyball in the future.

If you had it to do over again, is there anything you would change about your move to The Villages (type of home you chose, neighborhood, etc.)?

Besides doing it sooner? I love my house. It’s half the size of our last one and so much easier to take care of. I love my neighbors that I’ve gotten to know quite well, but I’m not crazy about the neighborhood. Because so many of the people in our area are part-timers, it’s hard getting any social activities going on a regular basis. I have a friend who lives in another village and they are so socially active, that my husband has suggested, more than once, that we sell our home and buy another one in her village. And while we’re at it, he would like it to be larger than our place now and near water. I don’t think he’ll win this one!

What additional advice would you give someone considering retiring to The Villages?

Don’t just consider it; DO it! You won’t be sorry.

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2023 Evening with the Developer Recap

Ryan Erisman — Fri, 26 May 2023 20:38:12 +0000

2023 Evening with the Developer

On May 10^th The VHA hosted their annual “Evening with the Developer” event at The Sharon Morse Performing Arts Center.

Here is a video of the event:

Video Summary

If you don’t have an hour to watch the whole video, here’s what you missed:

District manager Kenny Blocker took the stage with his Deputy District Manager Carrie Duckett and they discussed a few highlights from the most recent annual report and talked about a lot of the upgrades and ongoing beautification projects that go on throughout the year.

Carrie spoke about the executive golf courses being put on a 10-12 year renovation plan rather than the industry standard 15-20 year renovation plan. She mentioned that 2.5 million rounds of golf were played on the executive courses last year.

Mr. Blocker also talked about the process of bringing ambulance service under the purview of the District rather than contracting it out. They acquired 12 ambulances in 9 months and have made more than 1,200 transports since that time. Two new fire stations are coming soon as well.

Another interesting factoid they mentioned is that 65% of District government employees are residents of The Villages.

Next, Mark Morse took the stage with a few other Villages executives to talk about the changes in the works at Spanish Springs, ongoing work to connect those living south of 44 to golf courses and amenities further north, progress at Middleton, Eastport, and more.

There weren’t any breakthrough announcements of new amenities or projects as we’ve seen in prior years, and Mr. Morse spoke a little bit about why that’s getting harder to deliver, but all in all, I thought it was a terrific discussion.

Let me know what you thought in the comments below!

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YouTube Star Peter Santenello Explores The Villages

Ryan Erisman — Fri, 19 May 2023 17:10:11 +0000

In his own words, Peter Santenello makes videos “showing you a world that the media fails to capture”.

At the time of this writing in May 2023, he has more than 1.66 MILLION YouTube subscribers.

On May 13, 2023, he uploaded a video about The Villages, and in just the first five days it had racked up more than 1.5 million views. As far as I can tell, that makes it the most-watched video about The Villages ever!

You can watch the video right here:

Unlike a lot of videos that knock The Villages in an attempt to create controversy and rack up views, Peter avoids that route in this video.

In fact, to close out the video, he says something along the lines of:

“When I told some friends I’d be coming here last week one of them said, “Isn’t that just
a swinger’s cult out there?”. Another one laughed and looked down upon the place as if, “Ugh, those people down there.” So what I’d like to leave you with in this video is we all get used to making labels on things. Say, The Villages is this or whatever is that.

But really there is usually a lot more to it than we think…Are there problems here? I’m sure. Are there all sorts of things going on? Well, you have 140,000 people. Of course. Humans are messy. But take this story today as…Well, maybe things aren’t always what they seem. This could be your nightmare living in an area like this, or your dream. We’re all different. But understanding where people come from is…Well, in my opinion, number one.

I enjoyed it and it definitely opened my eyes up a bit. ‘Cause I didn’t think it would be, well, this positive, this great of an energy. A happy vibe out here, and I think it’s ticking some boxes for people, such as security, community, entertainment, happiness, and I can definitely see the draw to here.“

Well said Peter!

The video doesn’t quite get everything about The Villages right, but pretty close. If you’ve read my book you probably caught a few things they said that weren’t quite accurate. But again, most of it was spot on and I really loved the spirit of the whole video.

Key insights from Peter:

Golf carts have their own roads in The Villages, Florida, making them a popular mode of transportation for residents.
The Villages is not a lonely place, with plenty of communities and social events like driveway parties with food trucks and live bands.
The Villages feels like a Hollywood movie set, with its abundance of restaurants, gift shops, and other amenities.
The sense of community and happiness in The Villages is unparalleled: “If you’re not happy here, you can’t be happy anywhere.”
“Imagine if you can’t really drive anymore. But you can handle a golf cart.” – The Villages offers a unique lifestyle where golf carts are the primary mode of transportation.
The Villages has live music and dancing every night of the year.

Do you really need two agents?

At around the 36-minute mark Peter and his guide Heather talk about the fact that when you are buying a home in The Villages, it’s advised that you have not one but two real estate agents.

And that’s exactly right. New home sales are handled only through the developer, but when buying a resale, you’ve got two options:

1. You can work with the developer’s sales team to look at resales listed with them,

or…

2. You can work with an outside Realtor to see resales that are not listed with the developer.

I suggest you do both. Why?

Well, in each scenario, you’d be seeing about 50% of resales available, so in order to see everything available, you, unfortunately, have to work with two different people:

… one of the developer’s agents and an outside Realtor.

If you don’t have an outside Realtor yet and you’d like to connect with the one I send all of my readers to, just fill out the form below.

Fill out my online form.

The post YouTube Star Peter Santenello Explores The Villages appeared first on Inside the Bubble.

Million Dollar Homes in The Villages

Ryan Erisman — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 14:01:32 +0000

When you consider that The Villages started out as a mobile home park, and for years used the phrase “Live like a millionaire on a retirement budget” in their marketing, it might be surprising to some that you can now find homes for sale priced at more than $1 million in The Villages.

The truth is, that’s been the case for years, and each year we see more and more million-dollar listings hit the market.

So what does a million bucks or more get you in The Villages?

Take a look:

Thankfully for the rest of us, there are still plenty of homes available priced well under the million-dollar mark.

You can check out all the latest homes to hit the MLS here.

The post Million Dollar Homes in The Villages appeared first on Inside the Bubble.

The Villages Featured on German TV Show Galileo

Ryan Erisman — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 12:37:37 +0000

The Villages was recently featured on the German TV show, Galileo. The Galileo YouTube channel alone has more than 3 million subscribers.

You can watch the video as it aired in Germany right here:

The narration is in German, but if you don’t speak German you can click the gear icon in the lower right-hand corner of the video, then click Subtitles/CC: German (auto-generated), then click it again and it should give you the option to auto translate. You might have to mess with it a bit to get it right.

There is also an English version posted here without any of the German narration.

The post The Villages Featured on German TV Show Galileo appeared first on Inside the Bubble.

Visiting The Villages with Kids

Ryan Erisman — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 15:02:43 +0000

Whether visiting over winter, spring, or fall break, enjoying a longer summertime stay, or just dropping by for a few days on the way to Disney or the beach, most kids get a kick out of visiting The Villages.

In this guide, I’ve put together some helpful information if you’ve got youngins coming to town.

How Long Can Kids Visit The Villages?

Contrary to what you might have read on the internet or heard from someone that doesn’t know what they’re talking about, kids are totally allowed in The Villages!

There is however a limit on how long anyone under the age of 18 can visit, and that is 30 consecutive days.

Can Kids Drive Golf Carts in The Villages?

That depends. I know the tendency is to think of golf carts as big toys, but the state of Florida says otherwise, and so they have strict rules about how old the driver has to be.

In a regular (non-street legal) golf cart that age is 14 or over.

For street-legal golf carts, kids must have a valid state-issued driver’s license, just like if they were to drive an automobile.

At On Top of the World Communities, active adults will find all they dream about and so much more. Located in beautiful Ocala Florida, On Top of the World residents can enjoy any schedule that suits their tastes – from activity packed to unhurried.

Leisure amenities include 54 holes of golf on three courses, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, a private R/C flying field, bocce, racquetball and basketball courts, fitness center, health club and spa, restaurants, cultural venues, and much more.

There are 23 floor plans available with prices ranging to suit every budget starting from the $200k’s.

Get more info. from On Top of the World

Fun Things To Do With Kids in The Villages

Camp Villages

Camp Villages is a Recreation & Parks sponsored program offering year-round activities for visitors between the ages of 3-16. It’s a great way for grandparents and their grandchildren to spend quality time together, participating in fun activities such as arts and crafts, swimming, sports, games, and more. The summer and winter programs are the biggest draw, but Camp Villages also offers special sessions for individual holidays like Easter.

Play Golf

If you’ve got a budding Scottie Scheffler or Nelly Korda in the family, your job could not be any easier! You can and should take them to play your favorite courses, but you should also take them to someplace like the Marsh View Pitch & Putt or the Fenney Putt & Play which might be a fun change of pace from the courses they’re used to playing back home.

Enjoy the Town Squares

Depending on the age of the kids, they might think the nightly live entertainment in the squares is good fun or a total bore. Either way, they’re out of the house and hopefully off the phone or iPad.

Lake Sumter Line Boat Ride

The Lake Sumter Line boat tour gives passengers a unique view of Lake Sumter Landing from out on the water of Lake Sumter. The tours last between 20 and 25 minutes and kids of all ages seem to enjoy.

Go to a Concert or Show

Show them the schedule of ticketed performances at The Sharon, The Studio, or Savannah Center and see if anything catches their eye.

Fun Things To Do With Kids Outside the Villages

Airboat Tour

There are a couple of places near The Villages that offer airboat rides, and odds are this is not something most kids can experience back home. Some nearby options include Swamp Fever Airboat Adventures, Tom and Jerry’s Airboat Rides, and Wild Bill’s Airboat Tours.

Eaton’s Beach

Ok, it’s not a beach on the ocean, but Lake Weir will have to do. Eaton’s Beach does have a “beachy” vibe though and can be great fun. There’s a restaurant on the water and they offer watersports/beach rentals like jet skis, pontoon boats and more.

World Equestrian Center (Ocala)

Whether they are into horses or not, this place is a sight to see! They have all kinds of events going on here throughout the year so check the schedule before you go.

The Canyons Zip Lining (Ocala)

If cruising the streets of Florida’s Friendliest Hometown is too tame for them, The Canyons Zip Lining and Adventure Park in Ocala is sure to get their blood pumping.

Silver Springs

Silver Springs is one of America’s largest springs and the glass-bottomed boat tours here are something everyone should experience at least once.

Sky Zone Trampoline Park

Located in Ocala, Sky Zone is a great way for kids to bounce around and burn off some energy. Don’t be afraid to jump in yourself

VIA Entertainment

Located at the back of the Lake Square Mall in Leesburg, VIA Entertainment has bowling lanes, an expansive arcade, an indoor go-kart track, Virtual Reality games, a sports bar and grill, laser tag, an escape room, black-light mini golf, and axe throwing.

Over To You…

Have a suggestion for something fun to do with kids when visiting The Villages? Let our readers know in the comments down below!

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Sprouts Farmers Market in The Villages

Ryan Erisman — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 18:37:45 +0000

Trader Joe’s, Costco, Whole Foods, and Sprouts Farmers Market are the names of businesses I hear residents hoping will open in The Villages most frequently.

While the first three will have to wait, Sprouts recently opened their 37th Florida location at Laurel Manor Plaza, offering organic, keto, plant-based and gluten-free foods.

What is Sprouts Farmers Market?

Sprouts Farmers Market is a healthy grocery store that focuses on offering fresh, organic, and natural foods at affordable prices. The retailer, which was founded in 2002 in Chandler, Arizona, has since expanded to over 350 locations nationwide.

What sets Sprouts Farmers Market apart from other grocery stores is its commitment to providing high-quality, minimally processed, and sustainable foods. The retailer sources products from local farms and food artisans, promoting the farm-to-table movement and helping to support local economies.

The store’s produce section is a standout feature, offering a wide assortment of fresh and organic fruits and vegetables at reasonable prices. Sprouts Farmers Market also has an extensive bulk foods section, where customers can purchase items like grains, nuts, dried fruits, and snacks by the pound, reducing packaging waste and allowing for greater customization.

In addition to its fresh produce and bulk foods, Sprouts Farmers Market carries a variety of natural and organic products, including meat, dairy, and bakery items, as well as supplements, personal care, and household products. The store’s private label products, such as Sprouts Brand and Simply Organic, help customers save money without sacrificing quality.

The grocery store also offers plenty of education and resources to its customers, with a focus on health and wellness. Sprouts Farmers Market hosts cooking classes, nutrition seminars, and tasting events to help customers learn about healthy eating and cooking techniques. The retailer also provides resources like recipe collections, online ordering, and mobile apps to help customers make informed and healthy choices.

Where is Sprouts in The Villages?

Sprouts Farmers Market in The Villages is located at 330 Buena Vista Blvd, The Villages, FL 32162 which is at Laurel Manor Plaza at the corner of 466 and Buena Vista Blvd.

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