This is the Mark Simone show. Mr. New York. 710 W.O.R. Well, Bernadette Castro, of course, a great business name and also a big part of government for years. And one of our favorite guests, Bernadette Castro, how you doing? I'm doing great, Mark. Well, actually, I have a Florida cold. That's how I sound. I hope I don't cough.

How are you doing? It's already March. You're supposed to be back. What are you still doing in

Florida? Well, you know, it's really a great place. Ocala, Florida isn't well known,

except for the World Equestrian Center, a billion dollar facility for horses of every breed, every kind.

It's incredible.

It's the world's most impressive equestrian facility with hotels and restaurants and

luxury shopping and stables that are heated.

And, I mean, it goes on and on.

Well, you know, where I am am right now I can look out the

window I see Fifth Avenue Madison Avenue the most luxury shopping in the world the greatest

restaurants and not a lot of smelly horses around oh there's no smelly horses and what's fun is you can

buy a pair of mucasey boots and wear them all around town and when you want to go black tie you put

on your fancy Gucci's which I know you you own, and you go there. And there's something about the country, right? There's something about pastures and hills and cows and horses. It's a beautiful thing, and the climate is great. I can't wait to get back to New York. Wait. Now, when we go to the black tie ball Ball It's over there in the Plaza Ballroom It's over there at the Pierre Hotel You go, it's in the Ocala Hilton or something It's not the same Well, you know, it's funny you should say that But there's also Golden Ocala Which is an incredible community Controlled also by the people that own the World Equestrian Center,

gorgeous ballroom, they're building hotels.

Ocala is an interesting, interesting spot.

You know, it's dead center in the middle of the state, north, southeast, west.

Yeah, you're going to come here one day.

You're going to be so shocked at the gourmet dining and all kinds of things.

A lot of people from Palm Beach from Wellington, which is another equestrian facility,

are moving north three hours to Ocala to show horses.

So it's really a fascinating, and New York Times has written about it.

I think the heat is getting to you.

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