FLORIDA WOMAN

📍New Smyrna Beach, Florida

Gorgeous sunset over the intercostal in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

This place will always have a special place in my heart.

Spring Break with my son, March 2022. I spent many Spring Breaks here growing up! I love creating those similar memories with him.

Growing up in Orlando, it was THE beach to go to. If you were in the in crowd or the out crowd, you went.

I went a lot!

My brother was a surfer. So we went more than we would’ve preferred some summers, if we’re being real.

Before he got his license, my mom and I had to go to the beach. All. The. Time.

Ponce Inlet Lighthouse

But that’s the kind of family we are. We’re loyal. We chase happiness. We have each others backs.

My brother was an adventure seeeker. That phrase doesn’t come close to describing him. I’m not sure if any term or phrase ever will.

A collage of some of my favorite pictures of my brother. The bottom right is definitely in Florida. Peep 👀 the alligator 🐊. The rest are in Hawaii, where he earned his Bachelor’s in Fine Arts at the University of Hawaii-Manoa. It was a toss up what he spent more time doing- art, surfing or flirting with the freshmen residents while he was an RA.
One of my all time favorite pictures of my brother. He was truly happy here. Look at that HUGE coconut! 🌴🥥
My mom and Logan, her only grandson, taking it all in.

That’s why, after he died on July 25, 2010, I dubbed the phrase #LiveLikeBentley.

His zest for life was unmatched. He pushed everyone around him to chase their dreams, no matter what the cost. After all, we only have one chance at this thing called life.

Maybe you are starting to understand why I am the way that I am.

Maybe not.

A lot of people don’t. A lot of people never will!

I live my life as full as I can every day to honor my brother and father. I am carrying on their legacy.

I am doing exactly what they want me to do.

Celebrate we will, for life is sweet but short for certain. Memorial Day Weekend 2020. 🇺🇸❤️

He had several near drownings in NSB. That stings. But being there brings me close to him.

It brings my mom close to him, too.

So during the craziest part of Covid-19, what did she do?

She bought a condo there, obviously. It was absolutely stunning.

Minorca Condominiums. The furthest north of the inlet, before Smyrna Dunes Park and the dog beach, all state protected land.

It was like the scene out of a movie set. We may not have had a yard, or a high rise ocean front view, but we had a killer, oversized balcony.

Our dog, Tobey, could play and chase his tennis ball out there. That’s how big it was!

Sunsets felt absolutely heavenly from this exact spot. 🌅

More to come on our many adventures tearing up New Smyrna Beach… We’re just getting warmed up.

Meredith Hoofnagle
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2 responses to “📍New Smyrna Beach, Florida”

  1. Harold Avatar
    Harold

    Wow, I love your blog! You have such a natural writing style, it’s really refreshing to read. Honestly, I’m surprised this isn’t already ranking at the very top of Google search results. With just a few SEO improvements, your site could attract way more readers. I work with bloggers all the time and would be happy to share some tips if you’re interested — feel free to reach out!

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    1. Meredith Hoofnagle Avatar
      Meredith Hoofnagle

      Hello there! I lost access to my blog due to being hacked. I finally got my email back and am going to resume working on it. I do want to reach more people. 🙏

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