Louise Bolger | SUN\
Brittany and Justin Sauveur welcome you to
Two Scoops for breakfast, lunch or ice cream treats.
BY LOUISE BOLGER |
SUN STAFF WRITER
If baseball is the all American game and hot dogs are the all American food, then ice cream must be the all American treat, and at Two Scoops in Anna Maria you'll find two out of the three.
This is the 10th year that Two Scoops, located in Bayview Plaza in Anna Maria across from the city pier, has been owned by the LaBelle family, and I say family because it is truly a family affair. Dave and Mary LaBelle, who also own Two Sides of Nature the clothing store right next door for 20 years, started running Two Scoops 10 years ago. Now their daughter, who worked at Two Scoops through college, and son-in-law, Brittany and Justin Sauveur, currently run Two Scoops on a full time basis. Even Dave LaBelle's mother still comes in to work a few days a week.
And if that isn't enough family, add Ruth, Bonnie and Sheila the "Golden Girls" into the mix, all of whom have been part of the LaBelle family between seven and nine years. Add in their other 13 employees, and you can have quite a family reunion.
The menu at Two Scoops is nothing if not varied, and don't just think about their 32 homemade unique flavors of ice cream like blueberry pie, birthday cake, Superman, almond joy, gator tracks, muddy sneaker, as well as traditional flavors. You can taste your favorite flavor on a cone, in a scoop, in a shake or float or on an awesome sundae or have it hand packed to take out.
And since Two Scoops has a breakfast menu, sandwiches and lunch specials, it won't be hard to find something that will appeal to everyone in your family. One of Two Scoops' specials is the Scoops Dog, an all beef hot dog with chili, cheese and onions, all for just $1.99.
Some breakfast choices are French toast, fried egg sandwich and the two scoops muffin with egg, cheese and a choice of meat. The sandwiches and lunch specials range from BLTs and wraps to club sandwiches, grilled cheese and more. They also serve coffee and espresso and a variety of soft drinks. In addition, Two Scoops has a gourmet section with special sauces, jellies, syrups, banking mixes and ice cream toppings.
Everything is homemade and cooked right in Two Scoops' kitchen, and the pricing is one of the best features – an ideal place to bring the family without breaking the bank. And while you're there, check out the very popular Two Scoops T-shirts for the whole family. You also can get a gift card to pass on to visiting guests, arrange for an on-site or off-site private party or call ahead for takeout orders.
Dave and his family want to thank all of their very loyal customers down through the years, especially the year 'round every Saturday group. He appreciates everyone's patience in season when the line for ice crème is sometimes out the door.
Two Scoops has been recognized by TripAdviser receiving its Certificate of Excellence for seven years as well as the Sun's Reader's Choice award. They are active participants in Food & Wine on Pine and are a three-year sponsor. This summer Two Scoops will resume its popular movie night series and stay tuned for special 10-year anniversary celebration events.
Brittany says that Two Scoops has become a staple of the Island and a traditional stop for families year after year, some people even call the beach across the street the "Two Scoops Beach."
Bring your family in to meet the Two Scoops family and enjoy some all American food and ice cream. If it's Anna Maria, it's Two Scoops where everyone has a smile on their face, including the Two Scoops pup.
TWO SCOOPS
Ice Cream Parlor & Coffee Café
Bayview Plaza
101 S. Bay Blvd.,
Anna Maria
941-779-2422
Open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
7 days a week
www.twoscoopsami.com
All major credit cards
accepted
Taking chances
with long-term care
Investment Corner By Tom
Breiter
On Monday, October 24, 2005, Hurricane Wilma caught many Floridians by surprise. Strengthening when it was supposed to weaken, Wilma brought gusts of wind up to 123 mph and several inches of rain. Six million people were affected when a record 3.2 million homes and businesses lost power and many lost water service as well. Mobile homes disintegrated, hospitals were evacuated and a sinkhole even opened up in Interstate 95. The most severe storm in half a century in Broward County, Wilma took the lives of 25 people statewide.
If a storm warning were issued today, and they said there was a 70 percent chance of a hurricane of similar magnitude, what would you do? Would you sit back and relax? Most likely you would make preparations to protect your family and property.
There is another area of life with the same probabilities, but most people respond differently. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, someone turning 65 today has almost a 70% chance of needing some type of long-term care services in their remaining years. However, with over 41 million Americans over age 65 in 2012, only 8.1 million people of any age had long-term care insurance. When it comes to hurricanes, some people have to live through one in order to take the warnings seriously. Unfortunately, usually with long-term care you only get one chance.
Does everyone really need long-term care insurance, though? Can't someone with a few hundred thousand saved pay out of pocket and be just fine? Long-term care can be much more expensive than many people realize.
LONG-TERM CARE COSTS IN FLORIDA
The most basic component of long-term care is homemaker services. This is needed when you are no longer able to perform day-to-day household duties like housekeeping, laundry, grocery shopping and meal preparation. Here in Florida, this costs $10-$29 an hour, averaging out at $41,184 a year. A higher level of in-home care is home health aide services, which average $43,472 a year in our state. Sixty-five percent of people need home care for an average of two years. For many people who saved and invested well during their working years, a cost of just under $90,000 for two years of home care may sound affordable. However, 37 percent of people must leave their home and be cared for in a facility.
Once you leave home, the cost of long-term care sky-rockets. The rate for a single occupancy one-bedroom unit in an assisted living facility averages $37,800 a year in Florida. However, there is a very broad range of prices, and it can cost up to triple that. Nursing homes are much more expensive than assisted living facilities because of the level of care provided. A semi-private room in a nursing home averages $87,600 a year and a private room is $96,725.
Statistics show that 20 percent of 65-year-olds will need over five years of long-term care support. Now, if all you need are homemaker services that will cost you about $206,000. But, if you need to be in a nursing home and you'd like a private room, you're looking at a bill of over $480,000.
SHOULD I BUY LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE?
When deciding if you need long-term care insurance, you need to know how much wealth you have and how much you would be willing to spend on care, look at the statistics and address your family health history. For example, if you have family members who have suffered from Alzheimer's or dementia, you may be at a higher risk which would most likely involve spending several years in an assisted living facility or nursing home.
As with any insurance, long-term care insurance protects you against an unsure future. None of us knows what the future holds; once we know for certain it will be too late. It is important to have a long-term care strategy and a plan in place before you need it.
Tom Breiter is president of Breiter Capital Management, Inc., an Anna Maria based investment advisor. He can be reached at 778-1900. Some of the investment concepts highlighted in this column may carry the risk of loss of principal, and investors should determine appropriateness for their personal situation before investing. Visit www.breitercapital.com.
