Tonight we are in Sanford Florida, another Comfort Inn.
Today we traveled up A1A where possible and through to Orlando today. Saw many people with green on today, must be John Deer or Packer fans.
A stop at McKee Botanical Garden in Vero Beach FL it was right alongside highway 1. it had been damaged by the last three hurricanes but looked amazingly well kept. Out front was a big cypress the circumference was roughly 16 feet and 20 feet tall. We had seen the live ones at Fairchild and were told they were from the African continent and that elephants used to rub off the bark for moisture. The inside of these trees were mostly water with a wood outside structure. It had a noticeable large reservoir internally. Another good morning walk.
The scenery was pretty, many palms and underbrush. An emperor palm grove was one of the nicest displays of that variety of palm. There were waterways and stone bridges to breakup the greenery. Three or four painters were painting the scenes that we took in visually.
We traveled up the ocean side highway enjoying the big homes and condos. Most painted in the yellow orange shades. We found an out of the way restaurant. We sat outside even though it was around 64 and real windy, but no snow. The waves crashed along the shore giving that rhythmic beating of the surf against sand. The Sebastian Beach Inn by Melbourne FL. Both had a bowl of good chili and a Yuengling beer.
We drove by Patrick Air Force base and it reminded me of my Navy days. We had gone to Cape Canaveral to fire a A3 Polaris missile down range, I seem to remember 1,800 miles and within 100 feet of the target. I digress, we were coming back from the E-Club and cut across an landing strip. All of a sudden there were the Air Patrol telling us we were in a restricted top secret area. The air strip was being used by U2 planes flying over Cuba. We told them who we were and they said OK get back on the road.
Towards Cape Kennedy we went. Found a nice close parking space, got to the gate and saw a 37$ entrance fee for both, I said I thought we paid for this with our taxes? We looked at each other and said we saw this twice already and the second time the kids in their mid teens didn’t think much of it. Back to the car we went. Heading out of the area there was a bunch of cars parked alongside the road all looking toward the Cape. I stopped and ask a guy what’s up. He said there was an air show and it was just about over. He said did you hear about the accident they had here yesterday, one of the planes did a couple rolls and an end over and crashed near by. Reminded me of 1961 when I was in Seattle on the old Blackfin, there was a flyover of 5 or 6 planes and one veered off to the right and crash beyond my sight line.
Off toward Orlando we went. We found Universal Studios Citywalk to find Emeril’s Restaurant. We went to the parking lot and mentioned we were going to Emeril’s to eat, he asked if we had a reservation? No we were just going to try, he gave us a free pass, otherwise 11$. Got to the front door of the restaurant and were told that the only reservation open for two was 11pm. Or we could eat at the bar, first come first served. That was our ticket. Skip to the next paragraph if you don’t want to know what we ate. Sitting down with a couple other couples, one that frequents the restaurant, and said many times during the year they are 4 to 6 weeks out. Shirleen a glass of cabernet Lady in Red I think by Kestrel, frightfully full and rich and I a cosmopolitan and a glass of chardonnay. Shirleen’s dinner was comprised of a Roasted Filet Mignon With a White Cheddar Grit Cake, Sunnyside Up Quail Egg, Serrano Ham and Natural Reduction Sauce and I Andouille Crusted Texas Redfish With a Grilled Vegetable Relish, Creole Meunière Sauce, Toasted Pecans and Shoestring Potatoes. What a treat!! jerr
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Friday, March 16, 2007
March 16 Friday Day 19
Addition to Yesterday March 15 we ended the day by going to the American Orchid Society sight in Delray Beach. The many varieties were overwhelming. We were able to see a chocolate tree with its fruit, situated alongside a vanilla bean - technically an orchid. The vine blooms one day a year, during that day it has to be fertilized. In Madagascar it is done with little brushes. The guide said that it is a male hormone and that if a female does this work she may grow facial hair.We also smelled a number of orchids that the guide asked us too. One had one inch sized brown and white blossoms. It was a real heavy smell of Shirleen thought vanilla and he said chocolate, I thought it smelled very sweet - more than any other blossom of any plant I had ever smelled.
The 16th, we started off to the Mounts Botanical Garden in Palm Beach. It was a nice time to walk. This is not a must see but as I said we walked the garden for he exercise.
We then went to the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach. They had an exhibition of Georgia O’Keefe. Last year we went to her home in the Arizona desert and her exhibit in Santa Fa New Mexico, this again was a fun exhibit to view, this was more of her still life portion of her life along with a portion of her pelvic bone collection and one of her favorite mountain in the desert. I am amazed by some of the colors she uses just beautiful. Other exhibits were of some of the masters, Cezanne, Matisse, Picasso and Gauguin. What else should we see but a ceiling made by Chihuly. This could only be viewed from the bottom with the sun passing through from the top which accentuated the colors.
We moved up A1A and Dixie Highway and Highway 1. As we traveled the outside Beach Drive we felt the food urge coming, we traveled a long way until we found something. Most restaurants are on Highway 1 not on the pavement close to the Atlantic. We found Schooners Restaurant – Tavern, they had sold fresh seafood since 1984 but only food now. With the wind blowing through this semi outside seating we had a cabernet and pino grigio, we had fish and chips and dolphin fingers and chips. Down the road we go. This is when we ran into the heavy rains, but no snow or hail.
We did not find a room at the Inn and had to go back south for 21 miles to find accommodations. We then went 11 miles further south for dinner. What we really wanted was a pizza, no such luck. We did find a nice outside seating at St. Lucie FL, where the Mets have their summer camp. We found the West End Grill, we took the outside seating and luck did have it there was a gas fired heater to heat up Shirleen. We ordered a bottle of [yellow tail] - The Reserve - cabernet sauvignon, we did not order the reserve but that’s all they had and compt the price. The flavor was full and flavorful. We did eat light, Shirleen a bacon cheeseburger and I the portabella burger, both with fine fries. Tonight at Comfort Suites at Fort Pierce FL. jerr
The 16th, we started off to the Mounts Botanical Garden in Palm Beach. It was a nice time to walk. This is not a must see but as I said we walked the garden for he exercise.
We then went to the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach. They had an exhibition of Georgia O’Keefe. Last year we went to her home in the Arizona desert and her exhibit in Santa Fa New Mexico, this again was a fun exhibit to view, this was more of her still life portion of her life along with a portion of her pelvic bone collection and one of her favorite mountain in the desert. I am amazed by some of the colors she uses just beautiful. Other exhibits were of some of the masters, Cezanne, Matisse, Picasso and Gauguin. What else should we see but a ceiling made by Chihuly. This could only be viewed from the bottom with the sun passing through from the top which accentuated the colors.
We moved up A1A and Dixie Highway and Highway 1. As we traveled the outside Beach Drive we felt the food urge coming, we traveled a long way until we found something. Most restaurants are on Highway 1 not on the pavement close to the Atlantic. We found Schooners Restaurant – Tavern, they had sold fresh seafood since 1984 but only food now. With the wind blowing through this semi outside seating we had a cabernet and pino grigio, we had fish and chips and dolphin fingers and chips. Down the road we go. This is when we ran into the heavy rains, but no snow or hail.
We did not find a room at the Inn and had to go back south for 21 miles to find accommodations. We then went 11 miles further south for dinner. What we really wanted was a pizza, no such luck. We did find a nice outside seating at St. Lucie FL, where the Mets have their summer camp. We found the West End Grill, we took the outside seating and luck did have it there was a gas fired heater to heat up Shirleen. We ordered a bottle of [yellow tail] - The Reserve - cabernet sauvignon, we did not order the reserve but that’s all they had and compt the price. The flavor was full and flavorful. We did eat light, Shirleen a bacon cheeseburger and I the portabella burger, both with fine fries. Tonight at Comfort Suites at Fort Pierce FL. jerr
Thursday, March 15, 2007
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
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
March 14 Wednesday Day 17
Today is going to be one of my favorite arts and garden exhibits. So we are headed to the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables with an exhibition of Dale Chihuly: at www.fairchildgarden.org or www.chihuly.com . We arrived and found that today was volunteer appreciation day with a program and luncheon. That did not prevent us from doing our thing. This garden has 3,500 palm trees and over 600 variety’s, to many to list. It spreads over many acres and has ponds, paths and buildings to view. We were greeted by glass bulbs, around two feet in diameter tied to concrete blocks laying on the bottom of the pond, 30 to 40 of them. They were his Walla Walla onions, ideas from his home state of Washington. Then we saw floating free form what looked like ice pieces floating in the next pond. They turned out to be made of poly moldings. Colors of the glass ranging throughout the spectrum of color. His color uses in all his displays are brilliant and deep color not dark. He had found a red he liked when working in Norway, this he used in a desert setting He had hundreds upon hundreds of objects outside and in the buildings. Some mimicked the palms or reeds and hanging plantings. How can one describe his brilliance? One way is to go to the Museum of Art in Minneapolis or The Mayo Clinic Gonda building. There are many chandlers hanging in there entry way.
We followed paths through the park seeing a cardinal, many iguana and small lizards. We also saw a great egret snacking on a lizard. Again I did not find a snake, have been looking especially hard over the last two days. One of the main plantings we wanted to see was the gingerbread palm. Its growth pattern is similar to a bunch of celery with the centers taken out with 5 or 6 individual palms 20 feet tall. We also saw the flowering bush called yesterday, today and tomorrow; this plant has a blossom that is purple yesterday, pink today and white tomorrow. Similar to a tree we saw in Amsterdam.
We ate on the grounds, Shirleen ham quiche and I a Cuban type sandwich, grilled with pickles, ham, mojo pork slices and white cheese.
Mid-afternoon we headed into Miami on Route 1, the same one we started out from at mile zero in Key West. Along the way we turned down route A1A into Miami Beach and traveled through its art deco area. Again the housing was orange, pink, light green and many combinations of those Mediterranean colors. The traffic was not as bad as I had expected, seeing a Lamborghini, Mercedes and BMW’s of many varieties, some never seen before, Bentley’s, Rolls Royce and Ferrari’s. Of course I have noted many Corvettes.
We turned down some of the back streets and saw many great styled and large houses with well trimmed vegetation, both in Coral Gables and Ft. Lauderdale.
We ate at Oasis Café on Seabreeze Blvd in Ft. Lauderdale, Shirleen’s mudslide was not up to expectations. I had a mango margarita which was tasty. Shirleen’s grouper fish wrap and my seafood paella that had grouper, scallops, shrimp and mussels with saffron rice. jerr
We followed paths through the park seeing a cardinal, many iguana and small lizards. We also saw a great egret snacking on a lizard. Again I did not find a snake, have been looking especially hard over the last two days. One of the main plantings we wanted to see was the gingerbread palm. Its growth pattern is similar to a bunch of celery with the centers taken out with 5 or 6 individual palms 20 feet tall. We also saw the flowering bush called yesterday, today and tomorrow; this plant has a blossom that is purple yesterday, pink today and white tomorrow. Similar to a tree we saw in Amsterdam.
We ate on the grounds, Shirleen ham quiche and I a Cuban type sandwich, grilled with pickles, ham, mojo pork slices and white cheese.
Mid-afternoon we headed into Miami on Route 1, the same one we started out from at mile zero in Key West. Along the way we turned down route A1A into Miami Beach and traveled through its art deco area. Again the housing was orange, pink, light green and many combinations of those Mediterranean colors. The traffic was not as bad as I had expected, seeing a Lamborghini, Mercedes and BMW’s of many varieties, some never seen before, Bentley’s, Rolls Royce and Ferrari’s. Of course I have noted many Corvettes.
We turned down some of the back streets and saw many great styled and large houses with well trimmed vegetation, both in Coral Gables and Ft. Lauderdale.
We ate at Oasis Café on Seabreeze Blvd in Ft. Lauderdale, Shirleen’s mudslide was not up to expectations. I had a mango margarita which was tasty. Shirleen’s grouper fish wrap and my seafood paella that had grouper, scallops, shrimp and mussels with saffron rice. jerr
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
March 13 Tuesday Day 16
Today we started our day at the Corkscrew Swamp Wildlife Sanctuary maintained by the Audubon Society outside of Naples. It is an elevated two mile boardwalk winding through woodland, marsh and much wildlife. The first bird we say was a red shoulder hawk, got a picture of it diving toward me to swoop onto a branch above me. We saw blooming iris’s. Shirleen was excited to see an alligator in the wild. I told her if we get separated and one attacks her to holler and I will take a picture for remembrance – not to romantic. We say many ibis, cranes, barred owl, wren and Shirleen’s alligator. It was a mother whom had little ones last year but she still maintains them and is their custodian. We also saw crawl marks in the soft mud, suspect it was her coming to her young. Many people taking pictures, some with lens bigger than my cars trunk. They and Shirleen saw a painted bunting, I almost did. We saw cypress knees, reminded me of Mr. Fellegy’s woodworking in high school. Moss covered trees, 600 year old bark less cypress. We viewed a colored sketch of some birds in a pond that a lady was doing. Towards the end of the trip we started to speed up our departure as the coffee was catching up with us.
Off to Marco Island. This Island is much more populated than Sanibel Island. Many high rises along one side of the Island. Houses on canals with boats and gigantic yachts. We drove all over looking for a spot to eat, we finally found one and we used Shirleen’s old adage and it worked again. We ate at Snook Inn, Shirleen with her grouper sandwich and me with my fried clam strips.
Across alligator alley we go. We stopped at an overlook and saw many sunning alligators, all sizes of fish swimming among the alligators.
This evening we ate at the hotel, a first this trip. Surprising, it was tasty, our lightly breaded onion rings, Shirleen’s dolphin sandwich and my deep fired oysters.
Tomorrow we will go through the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables with an exhibition of Dale Chihuly. jerr
Off to Marco Island. This Island is much more populated than Sanibel Island. Many high rises along one side of the Island. Houses on canals with boats and gigantic yachts. We drove all over looking for a spot to eat, we finally found one and we used Shirleen’s old adage and it worked again. We ate at Snook Inn, Shirleen with her grouper sandwich and me with my fried clam strips.
Across alligator alley we go. We stopped at an overlook and saw many sunning alligators, all sizes of fish swimming among the alligators.
This evening we ate at the hotel, a first this trip. Surprising, it was tasty, our lightly breaded onion rings, Shirleen’s dolphin sandwich and my deep fired oysters.
Tomorrow we will go through the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables with an exhibition of Dale Chihuly. jerr
March 12 Monday Day 15
In Ft. Meyer’s there is a winter home that Thomas Edison and Henry Ford used. Edison had many laboratories here. The one we saw in Greenfield Michigan was moved from here. There was his botanical laboratory but it was closed. The main feature was one of the biggest banyon trees in the US.
Because the Twins website said the game was at 12:05 and Shirleen’s information was 1:05 we decided to leave and get there before time. As I had heard the players are more accessible than at home games. Twenty minutes later we were paying 5$ for parking at Hammond Stadium on Albertson lane two away from Kerby Puckett Parkway. Hunger set in so we got in line for a small and large weenie, chesse, nacho’s and a large beer. So who turns around in front of us but Wally E., the original owner of Eberts Drive-Inn in New Ulm from my high school days. I see him at Burger King in NU when I get coffee and chat. We talked a bite, I mentioned that his BBQ’s were the best. His wife said he still makes her make that same old recipe, Wally said he would give me a copy. She asked whom my mom and dad were but Wally said she would not have known them. He asked if I had a brother or sister in NU. I said my sister was Mary GG, he said the one with the beautiful voice. Of course I said I had taught her everything she knows and we all laughed. Now why was that funny???
We watched the pictures warm up, the batters hit and the fielders catch fly’s. as most know I went to the game for Shirleen, but I’ll tell you what, outside games are great!! I could become a fan. The Marlin’s have this pitcher named Willis, he is long and lanky and throws a neat looking sidearm or what every they call it, but it looked great. Another game inspiring fact is that we have never attended a Twins game where they won. Maybe today is the day. The first inning had us out in front 3:0 and never behind again. Really a fun game. A couple twins players wore there black socks up over the calf mussel, another neat nostalgic item.
Heck we still have some time, lets drive 24 miles out into the hinterland to Corkscrew Cypress park. We arrive exactly at 4:30, that corresponds to the time that the walking path is shut down for the evening. This, as those that know me, irked me to no end. It looked good enough to come back to in the morning.
And again, time to eat, but where? Back into Bonita Springs we go, up the road and back and then up again but not far as I had noticed a Italian restaurant on one of the change of directions. As Shirleen says, if there are a lot of cars in there it has got to be good. Of course I saw the Lexus and Mercedes and thought oh boy it is going to be expensive. She was right I was wrong. After a 20 minute wait at the bar and some fine red wine we ere escorted to our table. We were served Italian bread with olive oil with dried tomatoes in it. I looked through the window and I spy Jim H. and ahead through the next window Marge. They were with friends but I snuck up behind Marge and asked her in a professional voice if I could check her ID card. She turns around and started laughing as to the coincident of us stopping at the same place they were going to eat. Boot’s, there long lasting friend from Burlington had found 5$ coupons and they all decided to eat there. Enzo’s Ristorante Italiano in Bonita Springs is a well thought of Italian restaurant, Shirleen’s shrimp and my grouper in lemon sauce with capers was done to a T. Upon leaving we stopped by their table and wished everyone well.
Tomorrow the swamp, Marco Island, trip back through alligator alley ending up at Kendall FL. Now back to the room for some e-mail correspondence and shut-eye. jerr
Because the Twins website said the game was at 12:05 and Shirleen’s information was 1:05 we decided to leave and get there before time. As I had heard the players are more accessible than at home games. Twenty minutes later we were paying 5$ for parking at Hammond Stadium on Albertson lane two away from Kerby Puckett Parkway. Hunger set in so we got in line for a small and large weenie, chesse, nacho’s and a large beer. So who turns around in front of us but Wally E., the original owner of Eberts Drive-Inn in New Ulm from my high school days. I see him at Burger King in NU when I get coffee and chat. We talked a bite, I mentioned that his BBQ’s were the best. His wife said he still makes her make that same old recipe, Wally said he would give me a copy. She asked whom my mom and dad were but Wally said she would not have known them. He asked if I had a brother or sister in NU. I said my sister was Mary GG, he said the one with the beautiful voice. Of course I said I had taught her everything she knows and we all laughed. Now why was that funny???
We watched the pictures warm up, the batters hit and the fielders catch fly’s. as most know I went to the game for Shirleen, but I’ll tell you what, outside games are great!! I could become a fan. The Marlin’s have this pitcher named Willis, he is long and lanky and throws a neat looking sidearm or what every they call it, but it looked great. Another game inspiring fact is that we have never attended a Twins game where they won. Maybe today is the day. The first inning had us out in front 3:0 and never behind again. Really a fun game. A couple twins players wore there black socks up over the calf mussel, another neat nostalgic item.
Heck we still have some time, lets drive 24 miles out into the hinterland to Corkscrew Cypress park. We arrive exactly at 4:30, that corresponds to the time that the walking path is shut down for the evening. This, as those that know me, irked me to no end. It looked good enough to come back to in the morning.
And again, time to eat, but where? Back into Bonita Springs we go, up the road and back and then up again but not far as I had noticed a Italian restaurant on one of the change of directions. As Shirleen says, if there are a lot of cars in there it has got to be good. Of course I saw the Lexus and Mercedes and thought oh boy it is going to be expensive. She was right I was wrong. After a 20 minute wait at the bar and some fine red wine we ere escorted to our table. We were served Italian bread with olive oil with dried tomatoes in it. I looked through the window and I spy Jim H. and ahead through the next window Marge. They were with friends but I snuck up behind Marge and asked her in a professional voice if I could check her ID card. She turns around and started laughing as to the coincident of us stopping at the same place they were going to eat. Boot’s, there long lasting friend from Burlington had found 5$ coupons and they all decided to eat there. Enzo’s Ristorante Italiano in Bonita Springs is a well thought of Italian restaurant, Shirleen’s shrimp and my grouper in lemon sauce with capers was done to a T. Upon leaving we stopped by their table and wished everyone well.
Tomorrow the swamp, Marco Island, trip back through alligator alley ending up at Kendall FL. Now back to the room for some e-mail correspondence and shut-eye. jerr
March 11 Sunday Day 14
Well it is off to Sanibel Island this morning. We checked out of the Baymont motel in Bonita Springs. Went up a couple miles to the Comfort Inn and they were packed for that evening, went back to the Baymont and got the next two nights for less than last night, still to much but the traffic bears it.
Again the scenery is European as to home styles and plenty of palms and flowering red, pink and white bougainvilleas. As we are headed up over the bridge a two tone purple and pink 55 Chevy was in front of us. It had a bad sounding engine, like in fast, but kicked out some engine oil. We turned onto the Island and it takes 6$ to cross onto the island, suspect they want to keep out the riffraff but I sunk through. It is like much of this area, large waterfront homes, two to three stories high with guest accommodations. Yards are kept immaculate, I am sure not by the occupant. We stopped by the info center and picked up another 5 pounds of material. Our adventure was headed to the northern tip of the island called Captiva Island, Shirleen found a restaurant that caught her attention, Keylime Bistro at Captiva Island Inn. She quickly found a Keylime Melon Martini on the menu and I a Margarita of the Sea before lunch. As we ordered lunch I noticed a Shrimp to Shore bloody Mary, two shrimp, a skewer of three green olives, two asparagus and a root vegetable I forgot to ask the name of, I hope I should have ate it as I did. Lunch was ordered my appetizer fried shrimp with orange marmalade with horseradish and Shirleen’s fried grouper sandwich with aioli sauce. Some unique trees were found on Sanibel but never found out what they were.
Off to visit Marge and Jim H. in Bonita Springs, this was found easily with the directions Jim gave us. We sat out on their veranda and looked directly onto the gulf, what a beautiful apartment they are renting. They have had this location for the last 12 years, and I can see why. We had some snacks with beverages before we went to dindin.
We went to Marge’s favorite, although full we found the last parking space. We ate at The Fish House, after a couple of Key West ales, we ordered. My grouper tacos were right on along with Jim and Shirleen’s coconut shrimp, Jim said we should try the Outback ones as they are his favorite, Marge had a quesadilla.
We went back to their apartment and watched the sun set slowly in the gulf. Maybe a little clouds but that made it really different. The apartment that they used is for sale, if anyone has over half a million for 950 sq. ft. and a beautiful sunset step forward. Said our do’s and told them we would see them in Burlington next. jerr
Again the scenery is European as to home styles and plenty of palms and flowering red, pink and white bougainvilleas. As we are headed up over the bridge a two tone purple and pink 55 Chevy was in front of us. It had a bad sounding engine, like in fast, but kicked out some engine oil. We turned onto the Island and it takes 6$ to cross onto the island, suspect they want to keep out the riffraff but I sunk through. It is like much of this area, large waterfront homes, two to three stories high with guest accommodations. Yards are kept immaculate, I am sure not by the occupant. We stopped by the info center and picked up another 5 pounds of material. Our adventure was headed to the northern tip of the island called Captiva Island, Shirleen found a restaurant that caught her attention, Keylime Bistro at Captiva Island Inn. She quickly found a Keylime Melon Martini on the menu and I a Margarita of the Sea before lunch. As we ordered lunch I noticed a Shrimp to Shore bloody Mary, two shrimp, a skewer of three green olives, two asparagus and a root vegetable I forgot to ask the name of, I hope I should have ate it as I did. Lunch was ordered my appetizer fried shrimp with orange marmalade with horseradish and Shirleen’s fried grouper sandwich with aioli sauce. Some unique trees were found on Sanibel but never found out what they were.
Off to visit Marge and Jim H. in Bonita Springs, this was found easily with the directions Jim gave us. We sat out on their veranda and looked directly onto the gulf, what a beautiful apartment they are renting. They have had this location for the last 12 years, and I can see why. We had some snacks with beverages before we went to dindin.
We went to Marge’s favorite, although full we found the last parking space. We ate at The Fish House, after a couple of Key West ales, we ordered. My grouper tacos were right on along with Jim and Shirleen’s coconut shrimp, Jim said we should try the Outback ones as they are his favorite, Marge had a quesadilla.
We went back to their apartment and watched the sun set slowly in the gulf. Maybe a little clouds but that made it really different. The apartment that they used is for sale, if anyone has over half a million for 950 sq. ft. and a beautiful sunset step forward. Said our do’s and told them we would see them in Burlington next. jerr
Sunday, March 11, 2007
March 10 Saturday Day 13
Well today is our last partial day in Key West. Yesterday we heard about the local Flower Society’s garden tour. Four houses are on the itinerary. We pickup the tickets at the orchid show at Fort Martello, where I almost backed over a little MG, but his hollering stopped me and it became a near miss.
The first house was a beauty; it sat on the corner and had a butterfly garden that surrounded that corner. There was matronly lady of age whom recognize Aunt Vi’s name, we will take that at face value. If the last house was being sold for 2.7 million, this one was 5 million. Many full grown palms of semi-rare status and plenty of orchids. A swimming pool of good size, an outside eating and sitting area that was out of a fashion magazine. If we could all pool our money we could buy it and I would maintain it!!
The second house was designed and built by the Fairchild’s whom have a botanical garden in Coral Gables which is where we are headed too in two days. They had a real unique ginger palm tree, supposedly one of two in the country, the other at Coral Gables. There was a royal palm from Cuba that differs from the local by the bulging of the trunk in multiple spots not just a smooth upward trunk. Supposedly a sign of lack of water.
The third house had more of the same, palms, ferns, orchids, and neat pots for plants. We have noticed that most pots are the dark blue.
The last house was the 2.7 million dollar one, small by the other standards but managed to have a swimming pool in it. They had a little cabana alongside it for what looked like a guest lodging. Again many plants, on the neighbor’s mango tree was a gecko that was eating one of the fruits. Again, I could manage this.
We were given an address for a pottery place, after cruising the blocks they mentioned we came up empty handed. Come to think of it, the only planters we ran into are for orchids.
Oh yes, time for lunch. We headed down to Mallory square with the thought that we would eat at the Conch Republic Seafood restaurant. It was shown on the Paula Deen boy’s show a couple months ago. Turns out it was a good place. We started the heavy noon lunch with two key lime pie margaritas, smooth with a bite and a graham cracker crust around the lip of the glass. We then split a 10 oz lobster with a vanilla bean infused drawn butter along with rice, and steam vegetables accompanied by an order of deep fried conch that was accompanied with a orange marmalade with a hint of horseradish. Off the open air seating area we watched the pelicans being fed fish from a local. Again three foot tarpon’s were cruising the area. We walked slowly to our car as Shirleen drove out and off the island.
The trip through the Key’s was uneventful, but we did notice the old train bridge that had had the old road that we had taken built on top of it, now viewed from the new causeway. Along many of the bridges were people fishing from purposely built or old highway concrete abutments. Along with the people mergansers waiting to spot fish for lunch.
Well we got back to the town of Florida Keys and that is when the fun began. We had intended to go to the alligator alley again, but the turn I should have made was not and I thought we could pick it up later. Thoughts are not actually. We got off on a turnpike and asked the attendant for directions, which we followed twice because of 6 lane confusion with two turn off’s. We got another attendants directions and low and behold we were headed north out of Miami. I notice a sign Pembroke Pines, I said to Shirleen, isn’t that where your cousin Jerry S. lives, we were there two years ago. Now I know we are far north out of Miami and not where I thought we should be, but out of the gloom rose a sign that said hiway 75 to St. Petersburg, that’s the way we are headed. By this time it is dark and the alligator crossing signs make you wonder how it feels to run over one? Half way across the state we see what appears to be a long drawn out fire line. As we got closer we could see the swamp burning viciously for many miles into the swamp. One TV camera on a boom truck and a fire vehicle further up were the only sign of emergency vehicles. Looked like they were waiting to see what was happening.
We arrived in Bonita Grand Crossing and found a place to sleep and eat. We ate at a local plaza pizza house, Marsala Pizza Bonita. A nicely made crispy but thickish crust toped with tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil, accompanied with a glass of Chianti and cabernet. jerr
shoould you want to respond and do not want to set up an account with the blog sight email me at red73vet@hotmail.com
The first house was a beauty; it sat on the corner and had a butterfly garden that surrounded that corner. There was matronly lady of age whom recognize Aunt Vi’s name, we will take that at face value. If the last house was being sold for 2.7 million, this one was 5 million. Many full grown palms of semi-rare status and plenty of orchids. A swimming pool of good size, an outside eating and sitting area that was out of a fashion magazine. If we could all pool our money we could buy it and I would maintain it!!
The second house was designed and built by the Fairchild’s whom have a botanical garden in Coral Gables which is where we are headed too in two days. They had a real unique ginger palm tree, supposedly one of two in the country, the other at Coral Gables. There was a royal palm from Cuba that differs from the local by the bulging of the trunk in multiple spots not just a smooth upward trunk. Supposedly a sign of lack of water.
The third house had more of the same, palms, ferns, orchids, and neat pots for plants. We have noticed that most pots are the dark blue.
The last house was the 2.7 million dollar one, small by the other standards but managed to have a swimming pool in it. They had a little cabana alongside it for what looked like a guest lodging. Again many plants, on the neighbor’s mango tree was a gecko that was eating one of the fruits. Again, I could manage this.
We were given an address for a pottery place, after cruising the blocks they mentioned we came up empty handed. Come to think of it, the only planters we ran into are for orchids.
Oh yes, time for lunch. We headed down to Mallory square with the thought that we would eat at the Conch Republic Seafood restaurant. It was shown on the Paula Deen boy’s show a couple months ago. Turns out it was a good place. We started the heavy noon lunch with two key lime pie margaritas, smooth with a bite and a graham cracker crust around the lip of the glass. We then split a 10 oz lobster with a vanilla bean infused drawn butter along with rice, and steam vegetables accompanied by an order of deep fried conch that was accompanied with a orange marmalade with a hint of horseradish. Off the open air seating area we watched the pelicans being fed fish from a local. Again three foot tarpon’s were cruising the area. We walked slowly to our car as Shirleen drove out and off the island.
The trip through the Key’s was uneventful, but we did notice the old train bridge that had had the old road that we had taken built on top of it, now viewed from the new causeway. Along many of the bridges were people fishing from purposely built or old highway concrete abutments. Along with the people mergansers waiting to spot fish for lunch.
Well we got back to the town of Florida Keys and that is when the fun began. We had intended to go to the alligator alley again, but the turn I should have made was not and I thought we could pick it up later. Thoughts are not actually. We got off on a turnpike and asked the attendant for directions, which we followed twice because of 6 lane confusion with two turn off’s. We got another attendants directions and low and behold we were headed north out of Miami. I notice a sign Pembroke Pines, I said to Shirleen, isn’t that where your cousin Jerry S. lives, we were there two years ago. Now I know we are far north out of Miami and not where I thought we should be, but out of the gloom rose a sign that said hiway 75 to St. Petersburg, that’s the way we are headed. By this time it is dark and the alligator crossing signs make you wonder how it feels to run over one? Half way across the state we see what appears to be a long drawn out fire line. As we got closer we could see the swamp burning viciously for many miles into the swamp. One TV camera on a boom truck and a fire vehicle further up were the only sign of emergency vehicles. Looked like they were waiting to see what was happening.
We arrived in Bonita Grand Crossing and found a place to sleep and eat. We ate at a local plaza pizza house, Marsala Pizza Bonita. A nicely made crispy but thickish crust toped with tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil, accompanied with a glass of Chianti and cabernet. jerr
shoould you want to respond and do not want to set up an account with the blog sight email me at red73vet@hotmail.com
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