Downtown Bradentuky is Down in the Dumps

Every now and then, I start to feel really bad about referring to my current hometown as "Bradentucky." But it certainly may be true that this name--derived from a reputation as the culture-free, hick stepchild of its posh southern cousin Sarasota--is well deserved.

Today, husband and I took a vacation day and decided to spend part of it on a walking trip through the streets of downtown Bradentucky. The most interesting things we came across were a patchouli-drenched incense store and a ginormous congregation of minnows swimming near the water's surface at the river front. While enjoying the tiny fish, we did get to witness the background conversation of three relaxed city employees spending over 30 minutes propping up a 2 foot tall, 1960's style Christmas ornament on the lawn.

Despite my (perhaps overly harsh?) assessment of downtown Bradentucky, there are a few things I'd recommend: The South Florida Museum, Art Center Manatee, and Mattison's Riverside. But if you seek people, culture, a cup of coffee in a bookstore, excitement (or basically anything a downtown might typically have), better check Sarasota or Anna Maria Island....um, or even Arcadia or Palmetto.