When people hear that I came from Southern California, I've been asked the question, "What brings you to Bradenton?"
The answer is very simple:
Bradenton.
Yes, Bradenton is what brings me to Bradenton.
My wife, Jennifer, and I had not previously visited the beautiful Gulf Coast of Florida before joining the McClatchy Company and the Bradenton Herald.
When we previewed Bradenton, we were sold immediately. Our number one "need" when choosing a place to live is warm weather. As native Californians who spent most of our lives in the Los Angeles area, we just don't "do" cold. I haven't owned a real winter coat for years. Yes, we had to get used to the humidity and almost daily rain and lightning in our first summer, but the rest of the year has been just about perfect.
And the only hurricanes (knock wood) we've seen so far are the tremendous athletes at Manatee High School.
But there's more to Bradenton than the weather. What a great place to live. The nature and wildlife are abundant. For outdoor and water sports enthusiasts, this has to be one of the best places in America.
Despite the best efforts of the Manatee County Commission to stall development by stalling traffic, it still isn't that bad compared to L.A. And I know this is counterintuitive for many of you, but as Randy on "American Idol" says, "Let's keep it real" - Housing in Manatee County is a bargain.
Restaurants with entertainment and water views are plentiful.
North Longboat, Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach and Anna Maria are quaint, inviting beach hamlets. There are concerts, sports, culture and big city activities available in nearby Tampa and St. Petersburg.
We have an occasional evening out in Sarasota, and it's a nice town to have as a neighbor. But don't tell me about Sarasota. Bradenton should stop fretting about whether downtown Sarasota is fancier than downtown Bradenton. (Although downtown Bradenton is resurgent.) Beyond downtown, many proud Bradenton residents feel this is the better place to live.
Sarasota doesn't have the South Florida Museum, Bishop Planetarium or Parker Manatee Aquarium. Sarasota may have snooty, but not Snooty the Manatee.
Sarasota claims the Ringling Museum as its own, but it's really on the county line and they have to share it with us.
Bradenton has the Pittsburgh Pirates and beautiful McKechnie Field. Sarasota has Ed Smith Stadium, which doesn't hold a candle.
Manatee Community College? Ours.
They have Mattison's. We have Mattison's on the Manatee River, which they do not have.
There are some nice restaurants in Sarasota but there are quite a few great places in Bradenton, and Sean Murphy's Beach Bistro is world class.
Rodgers and Hart wrote the lyrics "I'll take Manhattan." Me? I'll take Bradenton, thank you very much.
Bradenton also has the Bradenton Herald, a hometown newspaper whose staff and management are proud to serve this community.
That's why we're "Celebrating Bradenton" with this inaugural series of events and special publication. We'll keep celebrating Bradenton each year around the same time, and we hope you'll join us.
