jubilada

Since we arrived at our cottage by the Tampa Bay, overlooking the Sunshine skyway bridg, we have been mainly warring at the water and the plethora off birds We have a great Blue Heron who stands on our deck and keeps us company. Although everyone has been apologizing for the weather, we have found it lovely:in the seventies, varying between bright sunlight, fog, clouds, breezy, still, windy. Because I am a hearty northerner I have swum in the bay.
we stopped at Whole Foods in Tampa on our way and between that food, ithe Bradenton Farmer's Market ,

,
And a wonderful fresh foods store in Holmes Beach has supplied us with fish for dinner each night: amberjack, hog snapper, gulf shrimp.
we have been to bothbRod and Reel pier and city pier for grouper sandwiches (prefer city) ,village cafe for bagels.
We drove down to Lido Beach to check out thenbig public pool there, as our house has

none, but it was closed on Mondays.aargh! I really do not like the traffic in Sarasota, but we are going out to a resto there, Indigenous, tonight.
And we have seen a manatee right in from our beach, so I am a happy woman.
Yesterday my partner met up with a woman she went to school with and has not seen in 35 years to play tennis. feeling unsociable, I hid.

santamonica

What a nice place to hide! Indigenous looks very chic. I enjoyed the drive to Sarasota, sorta like driving through time, passing those 50's motels on Rt. 41, thinking what florida was like, what it meant to people. It's history, crumbling before your eyes. OO will be very happy to hear about the manatee.

starrs

I am also happy the manatee appeared. Looking forward to hear about your "doing nothing at all" holiday.

santy, do you remember all of the postcards sent back from those 50's motels? As a child, shuffleboard seemed so exotic. We didn't have shuffleboard at home but every motel in Florida seemed to have a picture of one on their postcard.

santamonica

I liked the little cellophane packages of postcards and letter paper in the motel desk drawers.

We played shuffleboard in north hero vt this summer before we dropped ds#2 at college. I don't remember seeing shuffleboard at ami, but that would be a good thing to do when you're not doing anything.

How was Indigenous? Just as good as the Starfish in Cortez?

Here's a bunch of old florida motels:

http://www.flickr.com/search/groups/...94%40N00&s=rec

jubilada

Indigenous was wonderful, much different than Starfish, which I also love. Indigenous was very elegant but not pretentious at all. We had shrimp with lobster edamame succotash,very creamy but light somehow,served on a crisp baked rectangle of grits, reminiscent of polenta.
Our plan for this morning is to draw near the piers, which is always an adventure as my partner is a professional artist and I am ,ahem, an amateur. In the afternoon some friends we met last year are coming over to hang out and then out to dinner at Mr. Bones for ribs.
we always drive to Sarasota down Longboat Key but perhaps next time we will try 41. That way we could avoid St Armand's, which I consider the perfect example of how to ruin a beautiful place!
Santamonica, there is indeed shuffleboard in Holmes Beach where the pirate ship climbing structure is, as well as tennis courts which are free, and we will certainly do that , as well as mini golf. You are getting the drift of our vacation style, at least at the beach.

OO

Yay for manatee sightings! I apologize for the weather too, but glad you are happy with the warmth and the sun peeking through. You are very brave to actually get IN the water Jubilada. Just checked the water temp and it's 69. Actually though, as I grew up in MA, that was probably a pretty normal water temp so I guess you would be ok with it...at least to be able to say you did swim! I'm looking forward to hearing more!

Santamonica, can hardly believe you mentioned North Hero. My family and I started going to a family camp in South Hero in 1948. I was 5. Continued going every year for 3 weeks, then when I turned 16 I worked summers there. My brothers and now their children with their own children still go every summer. My ex Sis in law is visiting us currently and trying to convince us to go up next summer for a reunion. She suggests staying where she now does, Shore Acres in North Hero, rather than the tents at camp. I would be willing to bet my bottom dollar that's where you were too. I see they have shuffleboard. (Eagle Camp does too...and croquet as well....it's an anachronism and people love it for that!)

santamonica

We drove through Holmes Beach several times but never stopped to shop or explore. So we missed shuffleboard. Our route to Sarasota (I think) was to drive to Holmes Beach, then across the bridge on 64 to right on 75th, then right on 41. If you go that way you can explore the Ringling Museum, which is just off 41. Or you could stop and draw or paint pictures of some crumbling 50's motels. Your dinner at Indigenous sounds wonderful.

OO, you were right about the poinciana but wrong about where we stayed in North Hero. We stayed at the North Hero House. Starrs has probably been there too. She's been everywhere.

http://www.northherohouse.com/

starrs

Excited about the manatee. The place we stayed at in the keys had a manatee that visited every day. They would give him water from a garden hose. shhhh! Don't tell anyone, I think that's illegal. But when you have a manatee swimming up and hanging around the dock waiting, it's hard NOT to give him a drink of fresh cool water.

I've never been to the North Hero House, santy. I was a road warrior for years, but not in the NE - other than regular trips to NJ (and side trips to NYC). But I DID think of jubilada today in the post office. Crossed paths with a woman from Mass. We talked a bit about the Cape. The conversation started with Truro (due to some stamps) and she was from Brewster. Made me want to go back to Ptown and the cape even more. Well, not right now. The first time I went it was March and that's too cold for me.

jubilada

We did spend time with friends here yesterday.They are trying to convince us to winter here when we retire which might be compelling if we could afford to do in this lovely cottage right on the bay with the shore literally 15feet from our door. dinner at Mr. Bones was quite good as usual. restaurants are very crowded this year. Locals say more visitors as last winter so bad up north.

Santamonica, Holmes Beach has some interesting lot timey beach stores and the only fish store on the island. And shuffleboard, to which we will shuffle off later today.It is densely foggy this a.m. As it was yesterday. My partner went off to play tennis early and I was sure she would be right back because I cannot imagine they can see the ball, but nope.
we await a rainy day to go to the museum, but I think we will go down Longboat to get there as our local friends say it is much quicker, though you do have to drive by hundreds of gated communities with names like Positano and Vizcaya instead of cool old motels. the bridge crossing between AMI and Longboat is gorgeous, though, over a beautiful channel filled with dolphins and herons often.

aside from shuffleboard, a trip to the fish store for shrimp to make scampi, long walk on the beach, and another good swim, no plans today. Yesterday's swim really felt warmer and I was able to swim for a half hour and never get cold, so I am psyched!
I am having trouble learning how to edit on this iPad so please forgive errors. Above I meant old timey, not lot timey!

OO

jubilada, Some of the auto-correct stuff makes for fun reading!

It's beautiful and warm, bordering on hot today, so hope you are in the water. You would love FL west coast for retirement at least part of the year. I've just been trying to convince my ex-sister-in-law of the same thing. She lives in Monson, her home was damaged in the tornado this past year, and she is ready to get out of dodge at least part time. Think of it...days and days of sunny weather. It does wonders for ones outlook! Ice pellets were in the forecast for central MA today...who needs that!

santamonica., I avoid Vegas like the plague for good reason. Your link didn't ring any bells, but it looks lovely. Is he at UVM?

santamonica

I like bordering on hot, even hot is good. Bad news: apparently I didn't win the drawing for the sailboat at the maritime museum in cortez. So I won't have to retire immediately and go back to ami to claim my boat. Darn. DS#2 is at Middlebury. Another reason not to retire immediately. Jubilada, I hope you were able to shuffle into the ten space and avoid the ten off space. It's raining here, it hurts not to be there.

jubilada

Samtamonica, I truly do wish you were here. we are off to shuffle in a few, waiting for shade and a little coolness. It is actually quite warm today and a small blue heron walked along as I swam. locals clearly think I am nuts but the swimming is grand IMO.
we have been thinking about a visit to North Hero this spring and now I know there is shuffleboard I am sure.

santamonica

Next year we should plan a GTG for all of us AMI fans. Rascat can tell us about trees; oo about skimmers and other sea birds; starrs will discuss nightlife and manetees; you and your partner could be in charge of art education and shuffleboard; Tdu will handle sailing excursions; 321 will bring us warm weather; travelsolos our ice cream outings, Lindain political intrigue; and LI the cultural history of the area. DW and I will listen attentively.

jubilada

Alas, next year no ami for us as we have other plans, which at this moment seem a poor substitute.

today is incredibly windy on the bay, huge waves on this generally tranquil body of water.
We explored flamingo key where we saw a huge flock of the wonderful pink birds which give the place it name, as well as roseate spoonbills and you usual assortment of herons, ibis and egrets. We found yet another home to buy when we make our fortune. We proceeded on to Palma Sola harbor where we saw many manatees at play, covered with barnacles. After a fabulous lunch at Starfish in Cortez and reconnaisance for painting locations we hit a few galleries and called it a day.

DebitNM

You know where you really want to retire to....

Glad you are warming up and having a nice restful, relaxing time.

jubilada

Debit, I don't know, ABQ has been pretty cold!
today it is windy and coolish here so we are considering going to the movies after spending some time painting @a sheltered beach.

DebitNM

Actually, we have had a very mild winter. No snow to speak of, sunny days and spring seems to be on its way already.

jubilada

Not mild enough for us. our problem is that we have decided we want to stay where we are for most of the year, because it really is perfect for us besides winter, so we need a really warm winter destination. Not easy to find to our liking and affordability. Also, it is hard to leave a state where we are married to one where we are not.

DebitNM

Got it; sorry you won't be out this way. Do come for a visit in Sept or Oct; it is near perfect.

jubilada

We will still come for a visit next feb or march. We never leave new England in the fall and need to be in Tucson around then.

back to trip report.
Today we beachcombed finding many wonderful shells, saw dolphins, had milkshakes for lunch at Tyler's and then went to the movies to see Iron Lady, which we enjoyed. We,re meeting friends at Sign of the Mermaid for dinner, where we have never been. Tomorrow we plan to take the nature explorers boat ride from the Mote Aquarium explore there's and then look at a condo before we hit the beach.