March 14 Thursday Day 18

Guess what we are going to do today? Visit a plantation style home, Bonnet House in Ft. Lauderdale. It is a spot, 35 acres, within the city limits in a natural tropical landscape. Prior to the tour we walked round the large pond. There was a beauty of a swan floating through the pond. An outside ----- away from the house. The walk way to the ---- was select fossilized limestone quarried from Palm Beach and partially moss covered. It is one of those nice looking light yellow homes, built with an internal courtyard. The house was built in 1920 by Frederic Bartlett. You walk through the double gate with a large fish sculpture over the top. Centered in the yard is a running fountain with four paths leading to it.

The home itself was designed and built by Frederick and it was decorated by Frederick and Evelyn in the style of a museum. On the courtyard walk areas are tables with carved animals sitting on top an elephant funerary. Pictures from Bavaria adorning the walls, large monkey and giraffe statues in the hallways, painted overhead areas with tortus and fish. The kitchen had dishware made of English Devonshire clay, causing a pumpkin color cast to the hand painted fruit and compote dish set. We spent time in the room the artist painted many pictures. There were pictures of there family and scenery also some pictures of paintings they gave to art museums, like Van Gogh, Cezanne, and others. Both became established painters with completely different styles. Many of there own paintings are hung in major art galleries. The hidden away home must have sat well with Evelyn, as she died at the age of 107.

Up the coast we went, stopping at Sea Watch Restaurant on north Ocean Blvd a fine fish restaurant sitting right on the water on the north side of Ft. Lauderdale. We were seated in the rear side of the restaurant looking onto the beach, could have not been better. With a glass of Rutherford cabernet sauvignon and mine a St. Michelle sauvignon blanc. They gave us some downright tasty pumpernickel bread for starters, I had a bowl of Bahamian chowder and Shirleen had a lobster and I a red snapper with green beans and candied carrots.

We have see Hiway #1 have an alternate name since Kendall FL – Old Dixie Hiway – seen up through Lantana. Gas in Florida has been between $2.53 and $2.78, Key West had $2.87.

I was glad we are staying at a hotel I would not mind washing clothes at, so it was done. Now it is 8:30am and we want a light dinner. We got the address for a local pizza restaurant but it turned out to be a pick up no eat in. Down the road we go, spotted The Station Grill, looked like a quick place to pick something up. Had a bunch of cars around it. We walked in and found linen table clothes, booths down both side and tables in the middle. Toward the kitchen they had a eating bar, which had six people seated there. The menu was $$$$ with options for lobsters from ½ pound to 8 pound for 146$. We ordered, Shirleen, a bowl of French onion soup and I crab cakes with a glass of cabernet each. The waitress said that they normally don’t do just appetizers but she would check. Well they let us outsiders eat. at Lantana Florida Comfort Inn. jerr