“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” – Henry Miller I’m Cindy, an empty nester single mom, writer, editor and educator passionate about travel and culture. My story is here and my biggest move began in the video below. Like a lot of single moms, my children were–still are–my life. I […]
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Are you planning a southern road trip for Labor Day or fall? Do you live in Nashvegas and want to escape the crowds? Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee is worth a stop by or stay over. With the exception of seeing their Christmas parade (which is the ultimate small town holiday experience), I’d never spent time there until last this month. The location was selected for the Scott Kelby’s World Wide Photo Walk, and though it couldn’t have been farther from the one I did in Marrakesh (a city I loved for its creativity and chaos), I enjoyed slowing down in this serene place. Live music fires up later in the day, but the morning was cool and quiet. The town of about 600 has, over the years, moved (literally) folks like Keith Urban, Nicole Kidman, Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton there. I’m really sad I missed To Kill a Mockingbird with Richard Thomas (John Boy of The Waltons) when it was in Nashville, but in Leiper’s Fork, I could hear Atticus reading to Scout on the porch and John Boy telling the family goodnight.
Where to Stay: Pot N’ Kettle Cottages are popular. See photos of a couple of them below.
At the Travel Media Meetup (recently held in Nashville at Fat Bottom Brewery where I’ll take you on a tour soon), I learned about escapes in 10 states. Some of these places I thought I knew. Others I knew nothing about.
Normally I don’t recommend any destination, hotel, restaurant, or event unless I’ve experienced it myself. Plans are in the works to do just that, but in the meantime, I want to share secrets too good to keep so you can explore these ideas when making plans for late summer or fall.
ALABAMA
MOBILE
Mobile, Alabama
Did you know Mobile, NOT New Orleans, is known as The Birthplace of the Original Mardi Gras? Or that you can celebrate Mardi Gras- style anytime and hear the world famous Excelsior Band here? Want to take a kayak or airboat down “America’s Amazon”? Mobile has one of the largest and most bio-diverse wetland ecosystems in the world. In the U.S., it’s second only to the Mississippi Delta. The city is known for the “Three Southern Bs”: bayous, bays and beaches. And the Mobile Museum of Art is the largest museum of its kind from Tampa to New Orleans on the Gulf Coast. Learn more here.
FLORIDA
*I’ve been covering places I’ve discovered on the west coast of the Sunshine State since 2020. Here are 3 new places on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts I plan to explore soon (and one old friend I look forward to seeing again).
AMELIA ISLAND
Fernandina Beach
This place came on my radar when a fellow writer recommended it and I saw that it’s one of the most dog-friendly cities in the state. The fact that it is two hours south of Savannah, Georgia (which I love) was intriguing. Now that I know more, I’m obsessed. I’ll save more reasons for the feature I’ll be writing because I plan to heed the call to “Come Make Memories” soon. I can’t wait to photograph and video my way across the island and on the surrounding Atlantic Ocean, Intracoastal Waterway, Nassau Sound and Cumberland Sound. Then there’s the state’s oldest lighthouse, the historic downtown area of Fernandina Beach, the food. Learn more here and stay tuned…
JACKSONVILLE
Jacksonville, Florida
If you’re into shorelines, this city has 1,100 miles of navigable water and 22 miles of beaches — more than any other in the state. With 10 State & National Parks and more than 400 City Parks and gardens, you’re within 15 minutes of a hiking, biking, fishing, or camping adventure. You got to love a city that has Porch Fest (Nov. 5, 2022), a free festival with food and live music played on porches and in parks in Springfield, downtown Jacksonville. Like Amelia Island, JAX is dog-friendly, and because of the proximity of these two relaxing spots, I plan to do them together.
DESTIN-FT. WALTON
Henderson Beach Sate Park
This area is nostalgic for me. I’ve spent amazing vacations here with friends and family, but it has been too long. I’m excited to return with new eyes this fall after learning about the area’s new offerings. Did you know Destin is called “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village” and has the largest commercial charter fishing fleet in the country? More than 140 vessels bring in thousands of pounds of seafood daily. Deep sea fishing and eating my own catch has been on my Bucket List for a LONG time. A couple of more fun facts: Did you know Destin- Fort Walton has a Greek Festival? Did you know BOTE paddle boards are made here? At the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Virtual Media event one lucky attendee won one. Do you know who? YAY!
A Media Tour is in the works, so stay tuned for features on this area. … For now, learn more here.
PENSACOLA
This one was listed on Trip Advisor’s 2021 Top 15 Beaches in the U.S. My niece — who has beach-hopped across the Gulf of Mexico and recently discovered Pensacola — says it’s now her go-to place. I have a list of reasons from her and other fans I’ve talked to. Hopefully I’ll share them from first-hand experience in a feature soon.
You can still catch Bands on the Beach — a free lineup of regional artists until October 25 at the Gulfside Pavilion on Pensacola Beach. Blues Angel Music’s Blues on the Bay is another free summer concert series held at the Community Maritime Park Hunter Amphitheater on select Sunday evenings through August 21. Learn more here.
GEORGIA
ATLANTA
I took my first solo flight to this city when I was in fourth grade. When my daughter was a young teen, we did a shopping trip to Buckhead for her birthday and ate our weight in sushi. Since then, much has changed. Two recent additions are Illuminarium, a new immersive entertainment setting and event space that features the world’s first virtual safari and an outdoor cocktail bar with ever-changing scenery. Chattahoochee Food Works, located in the heart of the Upper Westside, is a 31-vendor, 25,000 square-foot food hall that opened in mid-May. Whether passing through or making a vacation of it, this town has a lot to offer. See here.
PERRY
I knew nothing of Perry until the Travel Media Meetup. Now I’m impressed with all of their signature events. Having grown up with the Western Kentucky State Fair at the end of my street — the biggest annual event in town — I appreciate a good fair. Perry is home to the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter, the LARGEST fairgrounds in the country. The midway was designed by the same people who designed Disney World. Last year 500,000+ people attended. Catch it in October and see what else is happening in Perry.
KENTUCKY
GLASGOW-BARREN COUNTY
You can see cheesemaking at Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheesein my home state. Oh, and you can take a field trip like I did as a child to an UNESCO World Heritage site. I was amazed then at the size of Mammoth Cave, but having seen UNESCO sites in other countries, I realize how cool the title is. Travel + Leisure recently named Mammoth Cave the most beautiful place in Kentucky. I love that it’s also the longest known cave system in the world. Learn more here.
Mammoth Cave
THE KENTUCKY WILDLANDS
I grew up in Western Kentucky, lived in Lexington, and have seen a handful of other places in the state. When I saw the ancient forests, waterfalls, lakes and more — 14,000 square miles of eastern and southern Kentucky — called The Kentucky Wildlands, I was amazed. The hardest part is choosing which adventure to do first. Stay tuned and I’ll show you what I decided. In the meantime, watch the video below and learn more here.. www.explorekywildlands.com/
Though I lived on a Lexington thoroughbred farm, I had no idea the American Saddlebred Capital of the World was just an hour away. Shelby County has 90 farms and equine facilities. Here you can ride trails or jump off the Kentucky Bourbon trail and stay awhile. I didn’t realize my favorite bourbon and rye whiskey — Bulleit — is made here (my go-to for Mint Juleps and Madhattans.) Here’s to touring the Bulleit Frontier. Learn more about this area here.
LOUISIANA
MONROE-WEST MONROE
Monroe-West Monroe promises experiences “outside the lines.” I see why with the Duck Commander Tour (as in A&E’s hit show Duck Dynasty) where you can track the Robertsons’ adventures; the Biedenharn Museum where you can wander formal English gardens, a Coca-Cola Museum, and a Bible Museum; and the Black Bayou National Wildlife Refuge and more here.
MISSISSIPPI
MERIDIAN
This city claims to have the oldest live-music scene in Mississippi. After the Civil War, railroads made Meridian the largest in the state. Between 1890 and 1930 touring musicians stopped to play in clubs on their way to New Orleans. Music is still the heart of Meridian. Here’s what it offers Music Lovers now. (I’d love to see EmmyLou Harris at MSU Riley Center December 9). At WelArts + Entertainment Experience (THE MAX) learn how Mississippi was muse to William Faulkner, Eurdora Welty, Jimmie Rodgers, Elvis, B.B. King, Jim Henson, and Oprah Winfrey.
NORTH CAROLINA
One of my favorite authors, Jill McCorkle, is from a small town in North Carolina. If your coming-of-age story is in the U.S. South, too, take Ferris Beach, The Cheer Leader, or one of her other novels with you when you vacation below.
BRUNSWICK ISLANDS
Coastal Living Magazine named Southport “America’s Happiest Seaside Town.” I can’t wait to explore where some of my favorite movies were made for an upcoming feature. Stay tuned…. On Brunswick Islands you can photograph and video sunrises and sunsets over the sea without moving your beach chair. And if you’re an oyster lover, too… this year is the 41st anniversary of the North Carolina Oyster Festival which will be held October 14 & 16. More info here.
BRYSON CITY
Fontana Lakeview Bath
Ever soaked in a tub above a lake? Or slept in a chicken coop? A floating house? A tiny home? Bryson City offers unique ways to enjoy the Smoky Mountains. On both Deep Creek and the Oconaluftee River you can rent tubes. There’s also whitewater rafting, Fontana Lake swimming holes, waterfalls, and the PolarExpress® (record scratch) on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. Whether you visit in water-sport season or the holidays when the town transforms into a Hallmark movie, you’ll have a unique experience in Bryson City. See more here.
PolarExpress® on the Great Smoky Mountains RailroadGREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS
CURRITUCK
I’ve wanted to get to the Outer Banks for a LONG time. I’ve wanted to see Corollas — descendants of Spanish mustangs — in my dreams. Knowing what Currituck offers, I fear that once I get there, (sing it like Mick J.) “wild horses couldn’t drive me away.” If you’re with me, start making plans here.
PINEHURST, SOUTHERN PINES, ABERDEEN AREA
If you’re a linkster, you should love this area which is said to be “The Home of American Golf.” If you’re not, there are other things to do … especially eat. This destination appeals to foodies and those who would love a Sandhills of North Carolina Pour Tour Passport. Learn more here.
WILMINGTON AND BEACHES
Wilmington Riverwalk
Wilmington, recently named one of the “South’s Best Cities on the Rise” by Southern Living, offers a Riverwalk, historic downtown, coastline, and Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park — one of Live Nation’s only music venues located by the water. . In addition to Carolina, Kure, and Wrightsville beaches, you can enjoy museums, a water park, farm and sea-to-table restaurants, and live music. Grab a bite at Zombie Fresh Kitchen indoors or outdoors on the dog-friendly patio. At Catawba Brewing Co. choose from 24 craft beers and hard seltzers on tap, or at Panacea Brewing Company, have a hard and non-alcoholic Kombucha. Learn more here.
SOUTH CAROLINA
OLD 96 DISTRICT
On trips to the Gulf as a child, my family would always stop in Georgia at roadside stands to buy peaches. Did you know that South Carolina produces more peaches than Georgia… that Georgia is the 2nd largest producer of the fruit behind California… and that SC peaches are DELICIOUS? While sampling one, I learned that peaches were first documented in China in the 10th century, and that Titan Farms in Edgefield, SC is the largest peach grower on the East Coast with over 6,000 acres of peaches in production.
I also learned that this area — Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, and McCormick — loves hosting girl getaways. There are bed and breakfasts. I’ve done Charleston and Hilton Head with friends, but going off the beaten trail would be fun, too. Abbeville, where Julia Roberts filmed Sleeping with the Enemy, has colorful buildings like those in Charleston and Dublin. Learn more here.
If you’ve seen the sign “See Rock City” your whole life but never have, the 90th Anniversary of this attraction may be your year. Summer Music Weekends are part of the celebration if you’re passing through. Here’s a playlist to take you there.
CLARKSVILLE
I grew up in Hopkinsville, Kentucky less than 30 miles up the road from Clarksville. As a kid, I’d cross the border to eat at Shakey’s Pizza; as a teen, to go to a club called Water Works; and as an adult, to attend a Fort Campbell officers’ picnic at Beach Haven Winery.
Beachaven is still going strong. Their Jazz on the Lawn summer series is scheduled for August 20 and October 22. On non-Jazz weekends, you can enjoy live acoustic music on the lawn Saturdays and Sundays through October. But as for the rest… I had no idea how much Clarksville has changed!
Downtown @ Sundown is a concert series featuring local and regional music. Held on the first and third Fridays from May through October, their lineup includes Hot Lanta, Beatles VS Stones, and The Eagles Project on August 19 I hope to see.
Old Glory is now a small-batch artisan distillery. Star Spangled Brewing Company claims to be “The Most Unapologetically Patriotic Brewery in America.” It turns out there’s a lot to say “Cheers” about with all the new craft beer breweries in town. I also took for granted Clarksville’s location. Check out these day trips. And I’m looking forward to a night trip to The Mail Room opening in August in Clarksville’s historic federal building. They’ll be serving Korean and South American cuisine and bringing people together on their outdoor deck with fire pits.
GATLINGBURG
Mount Le Conte
I have some wonderful memories here — a girl getaway on a mountaintop, romantic escapes, and day trips from Knoxville with my son… but I’ve barely started exploring all this area offers. If you’re into outdoor sports, nature, chalets, hot tubs, artisans who give you “Create Your Own” experiences, power shopping, Christmas decor on steroids, comfort food, and/or areas so beautiful they can’t be described with words… the mountains are calling. Join me in Gatlinburg soon.
KNOXVILLE
I love this town. If you have a Lego fan in the house, the Brickuniverse Lego Fan Convention will be here August 13-14.
MEMPHIS
See the new Elvis movie, then celebrate The King during Elvis Week 2022 August 9-17. Go all- in by staying at Graceland or go all- out on Beale Street and stay at Caption by Hyatt , a new tech-forward hotel using recycled and repurposed materials.
I am soooo looking forward to an upcoming Staycation here. With accolades from US Today, Conde Nast and local publications like The The Tennessean, Nashville Lifestyles and more, The Union Station Nashville Yards is proud to be named “Best Southern Boutique Hotel,”“Best Haunted Hotel in the South,”“Sexiest New Restaurant in Nashville” and more. Plan your stay here.
RUTHERFORD COUNTY
Earth Experience
Have you seen the new Jurassic Park movie? It was a wild ride. Did you know Tennessee has Frank, our own r 38-foot-long T. Rex skeleton? At Earth Experience, the first natural history museum in middle Tennessee, you can see a working paleontology laboratory where dinosaur bones are cleaned and repaired as well as archeological relics from as far away as Antarctica. Drop by. I will. Though I’m a member of the English Department at Middle Tennessee State University (and you’re welcome to drop by campus, too), I didn’t know we had such a cool interactive attraction like this one. See more the area has to offer here.
VIRGINIA
VIRGINIA’S BLUE RIDGE
Here you get the best of many worlds – city amenities in Roanoke and Salem — outdoor adventures on the Appalachian Trail, and Virginia’s Blue Ridge Parkway. I’ve driven it and understand why some call it America’s Favorite Drive . Actually, the road itself is a national treasure. See why here.
Twelve summers ago, I did a blog series on staycations in Nashville, my home of 30+ years. While there’s no more Pangea, Jackson’s, Las Paletas, Hermitage Cafe, or Rotier’s, sadly, we still are known for our “Music Under the Magnolias.” National Geographic named us the #1 City in the World to visit in June for the CMA festival (June 9-12), nearby Bonnaroo (June 16-19), and Full Moon Pickin’ Parties. Check out the calendar for live music at Nashville Scene.
Download my updated Nashville Guide below for staycations and vacations in my city, and read on for more ways to take a staycation in Nashville or wherever you live.
In the last 9 years, I’ve lived in six homes in three countries. Now I get up with the fishermen and my neighbor’s rooster. to see the sun rising on the Cumberland River/Old Hickory Lake. For the first time, I can see the sunrise, sunset, and moon from my outdoor space.
Summer (sing it like Andy Williams) is “the most wonderful time of the year.” Since I was five, I’ve started a new school year in August. Since I was five, I’ve been more excited about summer break. I love teaching at a university, loved teaching abroad, and have great memories of teaching in Nashville, Tennessee before that. But summer has always felt like FREEDOM because it provides TIME… to learn, to explore, to reconnect, to rest. Summer calls me to come out and play, to experience wonders at whim. I collect them …like lightening bugs in a jar…and see all that glows.
Traveling provides adventures and new perspectives. So can staying home.
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands but seeing with new eyes.” ~ Marcel Proust
A different perspective can make this summer or any season good.
Summer can provide a respite. With war abroad and at home, shootings, inflation, gas prices, and work/financial/health and/or relationship challenges, we need peace. Seeing your hometown in a different light (literally) can be surprising. Over the last couple of years, I’ve spent a lot of time watching sunsets with locals and other travelers who gather on Florida’s western coast. Seeing the golden orb dip into the ocean, melt into the sea, and vanish from the horizon is magic to me. One day I hope to live near the ocean, but after living in Nashville 30+ years, I’ve realized over the last six weeks how beautiful sunrises, sunsets, and summer moons are here, too.
Here are 7 easy ways to slow down in Nashville or wherever you live this summer. DO try this at home.
1. Watch sunrises, sunsets, and full moons whenever, wherever possible.
In a world of so much flux, knowing the sun will rise and set daily is comforting. No two sunrises or sunsets are the same, a reminder that change in the hands of the Creator can be a beautiful thing. I’m reminded that the One who paints the heavens has got this. I pray for answers… miracles I need. Until answers come… even if they never come… I feel childlike wonder again and peace.
Other places to watch the sunrise and sunset in Nashville: Pedestrian Bridge, Acme Feed & Seed rooftop, Love Circle, Westin, Natchez Trace Bridge.
The higher the altitude, the better, but you may meet a scary bird with a a wingspan of more than 3 feet that lands on the branch of a giant oak and eyeballs you with a Meet the Parents Circle of Trust stare.
A student in my literature class,” The English Romantics and their Legacy: Sustainability, Social Justice, and Self-Discovery,”researched how walking in nature — particularly the UK’s Lake District — not only inspired the subjects and themes of William Wordsworth’s poetry but also charged his brain with the creativity needed to write it. Transcendentalists Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and other writers at Brook Farm considered walking crucial for creativity. So did Charles Dickens. Psychology now supports the theory.
In my “Travel Tales” course I encourage writers do Photo Walks. I did my first Photo Walk in Marrakesh. With so much stimuli, it was a way to focus (literally). Walking and shooting arouses curiosity, jumpstarts creativity, and provides a way to remember details when writing later.
I checked out my new neighborhood in Old Hickory Village (below) just as I did when I moved to Marrakesh and Santo Domingo. Like always, I enjoyed finding historical homes, gorgeous gardens, and quirky yard and window decorations.
Other historic neighborhoods for a photo walk in or near Nashville: 12th South (see tea party below), East Nashville, Downtown Franklin. Best nature walks at Radnor Lake, Edwin Warner Park, Percy Warner Park.
3. Create a relaxing outdoor space (patio, porch, deck, balcony) or claim one (in a park or sidewalk cafe) for a staycation/home office.
Colorful fabric or pillows make me happy. Bird feeders invite fine feathered friends. Watching them makes me smile.
Grow something that looks, smells, and tastes good.
When the kids were little, we had three gardens and fifty roses in our yard. Apartment living meant downsizing to container gardens in Morocco, my cabin in the woods/cottage in the shire, and now. My last apartment was tucked away in a hollow in the hills, Ella and I were 5 minutes from walks at Edwin Warner Park and less than 10 minutes from Percy Warner Park and Cheekwood Botanical Gardens. Deer, Canadian geese, ducks, chipmunks, and woodpeckers were regulars around our patio. But with all the trees, sun-loving plants didn’t do so well. This summer my garden has plenty of sun with a balcony facing east and north/west. So, I went a little crazy…
Life of rhe Party RoseBougainvilleaJasmineCalla LilyMint for Mint Juleps and MojitosMoore and Moore Garden Centerhttps://www.mooreandmoore.com/Moore and Moore Garden CenterSweet Smelling Stock
I begin visiting nurseries like Moore and Moore Garden Center in February and by March stalking the garden sections of Lowe’s and Home Depot. In Tennessee, my list starts with herbs for cooking that didn’t make it through the winter. Sing it like Simon & Garfunkel:
Parsley (Italian)
Sage
Rosemary
Thyme
Oregano
Lavender
Basil (when weather is warmer)
Cilantro
Mint
*My never-lets-me-down-drought- resistant-reminds- me- of-Switzerland-all-time- favorite: pink geraniums. They even survived last winter.
Morning sun…
Hydrangeas (Blue, White)
Shade
Boston Fern
Aromatherapy
Jasmine
Gardenia tree (needs intense morning sun, afternoon shade)
Roses
Petunias
Stock
Tribute to Morocco
Bougainvillea
Lime tree
Lemon tree
Olive tree
4. Invite friends over.
Whether serving burgers straight from the grill, Aperol Spritzes on a balcony while planning a trip to Italy, or cucumber sandwiches at High Tea on the terrace, making time to catch up with people who feed your soul makes life richer. Walking with friends to my favorite neighborhood restaurant works, too. Anywhere outside.
Nachos, pizza, fish tacos, and the best baby back ribs I’ve had at Sam’s at Turtle Bay. The cocktail list will transport you to the beach
Southern hospitality comes in many forms. My friend Beth makes the best summer dishes from her backyard garden. Nora extends invitations to swim in her creek in Watertown and camp out on her farm for an anniversary throwdown.
In my summer newsletter (subscribe in popup on Home Page), I share recipes for outdoor gatherings. Carol Ashworth, Airbnb property owner (recommended in my Nashville guide), world traveler, and hostess of her much-loved Daffodil Tea Party, shares her mother’s Italian Cream cake recipe and more. Her soirées have included tributes to Queen Elizabeth who made history this year with 70 years of service. Celebrating the Platinum Jubilee, magnolia blossoms in bloom, or just the season for sitting in the shade and sipping Earl Grey, wine, or whisky from a teacup… Carol’s hosting tips are useful for all kinds of outdoor parties. I’ll also share tips on tea parties for children.
5. Make your bath a spa.
Scented candles, bubbles, essential oils, music, ocean sounds, or meditation … a glass of wine (or coffee which I did when my kids were little and the only quiet time I had was before school). Certain scents (and rose petals in the water) transport me back to Moroccan baths in riads known for relaxations like this one.
Note: There are affiliate links to Amazon products below (at no cost to the customer), and I only recommend what I’ve used and been pleased with myself.
And if you aren’t in Nashville or are and want a private experience, you might try “Swimply.” I can’t recommend what I haven’t done myself, but this “Airbnb of pools” idea sounds interesting.
While the pandemic continued to make travel abroad challenging, I continued working my way down the western coast of Florida. Along the way, I met some amazing women who have reinvented their lives in the Sunshine State which they now call home.
If you missed any of these posts, check them out for inspiration and info for making 2022 travel plans. If you have never traveled solo and want to try it …if you need to reconnect on a getaway with family or friends, here’s some ideas.
I brought in 2021 on the Art Ovation Hotel rooftop thanks to a solo trip hosted by Visit Sarasota County where I met new friends. In the video above, see clips of interviews with Luisella from Milan and Claudia from Boston at Pineapple Yoga and Cycling Studio which I featured here. Learn more on my Travel People podcast where I interviewed Owner Claudia Baeza about the inclusive community she has built and serves. At The Ringling Museum of Art, Virginia Harshman gave me a tour of The Cultural Coast’s Crown Jewel. She also inspired me with her story of adding to a MBA in Business Administration a Harvard Master’s Degree in Museology/Museum Studies.
In April, my adult daughter, Taylor, and I had a chance to reconnect when I was invited on a Media Tour on Captiva Island at South Seas Island Resort. There I met a fun group of journalists from across the US, including Sommeliers Elaine and Scott Harris ofCuisineist. From their Las Vegas home the share insider info on what to eat, drink, and see in New Orleans, California Wine Country, Switzerland, Ireland, and beyond. They also give tips for travel journalists (or anyone wanting to break into travel media) in Parts 1 and 2. As always on Travel People, they share how they have created a happy life.
In August, Morgan Henderson who hosted me in her Bradenton Beach condo in 2020 invited me back to Anna Maria Island to live the dream in her new property, Seaduction, on Holmes Beach. My empty nester friend, Alba Gonzalez-Nylander of AJ Media Services, joined me. I learned that Alba has also been scouting places to land on Florida’s West Coast. Thanks to Beach Bums, we biked and golf carted around the island, filmed some epic sunsets, and met two ladies who moved to AMI and say it’s now forever home. If you’re considering a relocation to Paradise, meet business owners on Pine Avenue — Rebecca Preston of Shiny fish Emporium and Cindy Tutterow of Hometown Desserts.
Captiva Island Writers Conference and Celebration
I was thrilled to be invited back in to Captiva Island in December as one of a dozen female writers invited by Francesca Dolan of Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel and Lee County Tourism. Francesca planned the Writing Retreat and Celebration of the 65th Anniversary of Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s Gift from the Sea which was for her (and all of us) a dream. A huge fan of the book, I’d placed writing on Captiva Island where the book was inspired on my Bucket List years ago. Doing so with the amazing women I met, one of whom was Kristina Lindbergh, Anne’s granddaughter, was an honor I never expected. Kristina was the guest speaker at the community celebration hosted by the Captiva Historical Society. She is a gifted writer herself and one of the most gentle and humble spirits I’ve eve met. I’ll be posting more on this incredible experience soon.
Also in December, I featured The Luminary Hotel and Ford and Edison Winter Estates in Downtown Fort Myers. I’d been to Fort Myers Beach in 2020 but fell in love with the River District. If you’re in the area, don’t miss having a cocktail on The Luminary Rooftop at sunset, shopping, and eating your way down Main Street.
I love Florida palm trees. I miss waking up with palm fronds rustling outside my apartment windows in Morocco and Dominican Republic. Brandon Hall loves them, too, so he moved Florida north. Check out his Palm Spa here. His customers in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Massachusetts choose from many varieties of palms and tropical plants to rent or buy for homes, restaurants, weddings, and other events. Go here for a chance to win a palm tree, learn about the many varieties, and see how he brought the beach to the New York Jets.
Do a Bluegrass Retreat
Stanford, Kentucky Retreat
In addition to authors I met on Captiva Island, I spent an amazing weekend with Author Angela Correll in my home state of Kentucky. In Stanford I enjoyed the hospitality of Wilderness Road — another perfect location for a writing retreat. See more on this getaway and hear my interview with Angela here.
Work Your Way Down Italy’s West Coast
Also on the podcast, I spent the summer virtually in Italy with three amazing travel guides. Meet Raffaele Romano and Riccardo Bilotto, Archeologists, Wine Experts, and Guides at GrandTourExperience.com. Learn why Naples should be on everyone’s travel list and hear their Must-Sees, Must-Dos in their Campania region. Full interview is on YouTube here and here.
After the rush of the holidays, winter is a time to slow down, to get still, to sit by a fire in a quiet place where we can listen to longings and hear our hearts speak. For many of us, this requires getting away. We need a respite to reflect, recharge, reset. And if there’s been a stirring in our souls, if we’re seeking something different, a place to consider new possibilities. A place to ask, “What if?”
In mid-December, I drove into a town that had inspired the book I was reading. It looked like the set of a Hallmark Christmas movie and the community described sounded Hallmark-close and friendly, too. I couldn’t wait to meet the author who has created a one-of-a-kind experience. I did. After the weekend I drove out of town feeling rested and inspired to take on whatever the new year brings.
In a new year when we try to focus on the positive,she inspires us to see problems as possibilities, to create something for our souls and others, to remember what matters most, and to embrace our roots and spread our wings.
We met in Stanford, Kentucky where she lives on a farm with her husband, Jess. The novels of her May Hollow trilogy – Grounded, Guarded, and Granted– are based largely on life in this small town with a big heart. She and Jess are the creators of the Wilderness Road Hospitality Group that has built a stronger sense of community here. In Part 1 of the interview she explains how they went from milking goats to saving and renovating historic homes. How they built two restaurants, an Inn, and are building another. Angela talks about the importance of close community not only in Kentucky but in a Tuscan village, Montefollonico, where she and Jess have a home and are renovating rentals for retreats and vacations.
Like Annie and Jake in her trilogy, Angela and Jess have quite the love story. Their travel experiences are the stuff of fairytales, and they enjoy the best of all worlds with homes in Kentucky and Tuscany. What I love most is that while she was still a single woman who lived in Lexington with good friends and a job that provided amazing travel experiences, she felt a pull toward another life. She wanted to live on a farm. She knew that nature feeds her soul. She says she knew God was turning her in a new direction, but had no idea how she’d get there. God fulfilled the desires of her heart in ways she didn’t expect.
Lisa, our mutual friend who is also a writer and Italophile, introduced us by email because she though we had a lot in common. Angela and I both went to The University of Kentucky, lived in Lexington, and lived on farms. Our grandfathers were farmers. We grew up in small Kentucky towns. For her, it was Danville. For me, Hopkinsville. She strives to write about the “good, true, and beautiful” for a mainstream audience. No matter how much we love travel and exploring other countries, we recognize our native language — SouthernSpeak.
Angela’s books have been adapted to the stage for sold-out performances at the Pioneer Playhouse, Kentucky’s oldest outdoor theater. Their themes — navigating family, romantic love, purpose and passion, our need for community— are universal. Like Thornton Wilder’s classic, Our Town or Jan Karon’s Mitford series, her books are timeless.
We’re not super easy to get to. We’re an hour south of Lexington’s small airport but we think that’s part of the charm. When you come you’re going to pull away from everything. You can let your blood pressure drop, be fully present, and receive peace. –Angela Correll
I finished Grounded while I was on her stomping ground. Spending time with her characters felt like Old Home Week (a southern church tradition of my childhood that meant dinner on the ground or potluck in the fellowship hall). I recognized some of Annie’s grandmother in both of mine – one that fried country ham, then simmered it in water to make it tender every Christmas morning. Another who watched Billy Graham specials and tucked me in under quilts. I recognized generational struggles over the need for dishwashers, cable, and the internet. Over expressions like “You can’t expect a man to buy the cow if he is getting the milk for free.”
Her grandmother’s farmhouse with its creaking floors took me back to the homes in the country of 3 great-aunts. They, too, gathered eggs from ornery hens and didn’t lock their doors. Stripping tobacco, guns and gardens, Blue Willow China, Bluegills and the Farmers’ Almanac. “Widow Women,” “young folk,” “up North,” “down South”… all reminders of my childhood. The comfort food sent me back to Nashville on a mission to make break green beans, cook them with new potatoes, fry up some crappie, bake a chess pie, and chase it all with sweet tea.
Her reference to Genuine Risk, the 1980 Derby winner the year I married, took me back to Lexington when I lived on a horse farm. So did this description of Wildcat Mania.
The restaurant walls were covered with black and white pictures of local celebrities. Featured prominently were the University of Kentucky basketball and football coaches, and some of the players, both past and present. Even Hollywood stars like Ashley Judd, George Clooney and Johnny Depp were proudly featured Kentuckians. The fare was fine Angus steak, grass-finished and locally grown, served in an atmosphere of dark paneled walls and white table linens.
A romantic, I cried and was satisfied at the end of her first book, but I appreciate that the story didn’t stop there. She wrote a trilogy as if to ask, “What if … a fairytale ending of boy gets girl isn’t the end of the story? Aren’t relationships more complicated?”
Career struggles, abandonment issues, financial troubles, gossips, family secrets, depression… it’s all here. But there’s something about this place that is so familiar and comforting that I listen to the Audible versions as bedtime stories. Maybe because I spent a weekend in the world of the novel where people care for each other, stop and talk on the street, remembered my name. Maybe because in a world of troubles and negativity, I need to stay grateful and focused on the positive this year.
The Stanford Inn includes the cottages but in the works are additional lodging spaces including more hotel rooms (larger than the current Inn rooms) on Main Street.
If you need to finish an artistic project– book, painting, documentary–on your own or want the direction/support of a group, listen to Part 2 of the interview where Angela discusses her writing journey and options for retreats and creative community in Stanford and Italy.
May Hollow Trilogy by Angela Correll in her Soaps and Such Store, Main Street, Stanford, KentuckyEsther’s WellhouseAmy at Esther’s Wellhouse gave me a great massage. See her in video. She drives an hour from Lexington to work because she loves it here.I grew up on Rutland’s Barbecue in Hopkinsville, KY. My dad brought it home from work. I’ve been partial to Western Kentucky Barbecue but this at the Bluebird Restaurant was AMAZING. Sara, House Manager of Bluebird, who made me feel at home every time I dropped in.Savannah was my sweet server at Bluebird. She lives in Pulaski County but drives to Stanford. Since the renovations of the Wilderness Road Group, the town has changed. She said there wasn’t much here when she was a kid, but now “everything is in Stanford.” Sarah with Hot Cider at Kentucky Soaps and SuchThe store was full of people of all ages gift shopping and catching up.Many books by Kentucky authors (and many selections from Italy)The weekend lives on… loved my coffee cup from this collection and the soaps at Kentucky Soaps and SuchAngela tends to every detail to make a stay perfect for families, romantic getaways, artist retreats. Solo travelers, writers, and other artists find this to be a perfect place to work . I wrapped these soaps from Kentucky Soaps and Such and used them as decorations/gifts on my Christmas table. Inside each, I placed a question the recipient asked the other family members and answered. We all learned new things about each other.
Thank you Angela and Wilderness Road for incredible hospitality. As always, opinions on this blog are my own.
Do you have post-holiday letdown or New Year’s Eve dread? Do you feel deflated — like a Christmas yard decoration lying in a heap upon the ground?
There’s a way to flip your mood, stretch yourself like a starfish, and feel happy as a clam. Ok, cliches aside…
Courtesy of The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel
Even if you’re not a beach person, celebrating the new year on the southwest coast of the Sunshine State has many benefits. Booking a stay in Fort Myers, Florida, “The City of Palms,” is a really great plan.
If you’ve joined my two-year expedition down the southwestern coast of Florida, you know that I’ve fallen in love with this area of the state. Here I’ve found the white sand and clear aquamarine waters that I played in as a child on the Panhandle’s Emerald Coast. But I’ve also found educational, historical, and cultural treasures. I’ve felt welcome in a community that still marvels at manatees and dolphins and salutes sunsets with bagpipes, conch shells, and guitars.
Built in 1901 as the Bradford Hotel, The Arcade Theatre opened in 1914 as a Vaudeville house and in the 1920s became a movie theater.
Why Travel?
If wellness is a goal for the new year, multiple studies have shown that merely planning travel gives our mood an instant boost. Amy Blankson, author of The Future of Happiness and authority on health and wellness in the digital era, explains in Psychology Today:
The anticipation and sense of hopefulness for better times can keep us motivated and excited for the delayed gratification of a getaway. This ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ often has a long-term mood-boosting effect and can help us relax as it puts us in the mind frame of a more soothing future.
And about that light…
Sunlight provides Vitamin D and releases higher levels of serotonin which lowers anxiety while elevating mood, focus, sleep, and immunity. (I can attest to the power of perpetually sunny skies. While living in Marrakesh, Morocco, I felt happier and had more energy year-round.)
Travel is also a way to reconnect with people we love as we create shared memories of precious moments. Solo travel provides opportunities to reconnect with ourselves and Creator as we discover (or remember) our passions and purpose. It can also push us to make new friends.
A getaway provides escape into a new world where we can try on another life, explore, learn. It provides not only adventure but also perspective. Miles create distance from our problems, sadness, or stress. We can rest, recover, rethink, and reset when we see the Big Picture. Sometimes this means rising above obstacles and changing our focus literally. I’ll never forget the beauty I saw and gratitude I felt looking down from a balcony on a Spanish hillside or out from ramparts on the African coast. Morocco taught me the gift of rooftops whether places to gather or to be alone. I started 2021 by looking down on the lights of Sarasota from a rooftop New Year’s Eve party at Art Ovation Hotel. I ended it by looking down on Fort Myers from Beacon, the appropriately named rooftop of the luxurious Luminary, another hotel in the Autograph Collection® of Marriott International. (No surprise that their 2022 Rooftop NYE Party quickly sold out, but you can still see fireworks and the Ball Drop at the New Year’s Eve Downtown Countdown. )
View of Fort Myers Bridge from Luminary Hotel Rooftop
Finds in The Franklin Shops on Main Street, Fort Myers, reminded me that travel inspires us to…
Inspiration found in Franklin Shops, Main Street, Fort Myers
Why Fort Myers?
If you like winters with sunny skies and 70 degree temperatures… a walkable downtown with eclectic shopping and dining outdoors on rooftops, by the river, or along a red-bricked Main Street… art galleries, live music, museums, theatre, symphony, opera, or ballet… Spanish Floridian, Art Deco, or Modern architecture… inspiring and beautiful places like the Edison & Ford Winter Estates, … then this is your place. Seriously, the downtown area is one of the prettiest I have seen.
Main Street Fort Myers, FloridaThe original Ford’s Garage (located on Main Street just a few blocks from the Edison and Ford Winter Estates) is the place for craft beer and a burger. Vintage Fords and gas pumps give it a 1920s service station feel while the copper bar recalls the Speakeasys.And speaking of Speakeasys, Capone’sYou could make a day of exploring vintage and consignment shops here.
Other Reasons to Choose Fort Myers for a Getaway
Location
Approximately 20 miles from downtown Fort Myers are Fort Myers Beach located on Estero Island, Sanibel Island, and Captiva Island with world-famous shelling, wildlife preserves, and an “Old Florida” feel. And if you’re up for a vast adventure, The Everglades, an UNESCO World Heritage site, is only two hours away.
Fort Myers Beach Photo Courtesy of Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel
Alligators in Fort Myers Six-Mile-Cypress-Slough Preserve (Photo Courtesy of Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel)
(Aerial shot courtesy of Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel) ‘Tween Waters on Captiva Florida (more on this “Old Florida” property in a later post)
Art is everywhere. (Photo Courtesy of Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel)
Shelling (Photo Courtesy of Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel)
Roseate-Spoonbill at Fort Myers Beach (Photo Courtesy of Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel)
Attractions for All Kinds of Travelers in All Seasons
In 2021, MSN, Travel & Leisure, HGTV, Fodor’s Travel, Fishing Booker, Country Living, U. S. News & World Report, Yahoo Life, Coastal Living named Fort Myers, Sanibel, and Captiva as top getaways for many reasons, such as uncrowded family-friendly beaches and outdoor spaces, tropical beauty, charm, island living, wildlife, shelling, fishing spots, and other hidden treasures. And I can vouch for its allure for couple, family, friend, or solo getaways because I’ve experienced all of them there myself.
My romance with Fort Myers Beach started in 2020. In April 2021, my daughter and I recharged and reconnected on Captiva Island. In early December 2021, I returned for an unforgettable writing conference and community event (more on that later), then ended the week solo in downtown Fort Myers at Luminary.
Photo Courtesy of Fort Myers & Sanibel
Photo Courtesy of Fort Myers & Sanibel
Photo Courtesy of Fort Myers & Sanibel
Shelling (Photo Courtesy of Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel)
Located In the historic Downtown River District on the Caloosahatchee River, the AAA Four Diamond luxury property — the first in the area of the Autograph Collection® of Marriott International — first lit up the waterfront and city in late 2020. The hotel, decor, and restaurants are named for visionaries and innovators (such as Thomas Edison and Henry Ford whose winter estates are within walking distance) who converted Fort Myers from a cattle town to a historical, cultural center. Today snowbirds, locals, and tourists flock to the 12th floor rooftop bar nightly to do what’s customary in these parts, watch legendary sundowns with a drink or meal. My room was perfect. I felt like Kate Winslet in The Holiday when she raised some fancy window shades with a remote, read in bed, and took a dip in the pool below. The shower/bathroom was the largest I’ve seen in a hotel suite and the branding throughout was very Gatsby.
Florida Rep
Morning walks along the docks
Fritto Misto at Beacon Social Drinkery, Luminary’s Rooftop Bar
Southern grits, eggs, sausage and gravy at Luminary’s Ella Mae’s
Sidney and Bernes Davis Arts Center
Julie Obney’s oil painting Glasses on display at the Sidney and Bernes David Arts Center
At Oxbow I had fresh oysters and a Grouper Sandwich.
Virginia Newsome, Sean Royal, Hillary Ekwall, Leeds Hill, Jackie Schram, Gary Troy, Haley Clay, Julia Rifino, Ysabel Jasa, Dillon Feldman, Andrew Hubacher, and Alexis Fishman in “Cabaret” at Florida Repertory Theatre. Photo Courtesy of Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel
Fort Myers is the class of a cosmopolitan city and the heart of a small town. The Edison Festival of Light Parade kicking off the holiday season Photo Courtesy of Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel
Island Hopper Songwriter Fest 2021, presented by the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau, Cat Country 107.1 and BMI. Photo by Brian Tietz Courtesy of Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel
Sincere thanks to The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, Luminary Hotel, the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, for your hospitality. You fed my mind, body, and soul with art, beauty, random roaming, and coral skies of hope.
I’ve used Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) twice and Dolphin Transportation and Punta Gorda Airport (Allegiant Air) once, both about a 30-minute drive from downtown Fort Myers.
When you arrive, you can also pick up the Southwest Florida Guide to the Arts: Gulfshore Life with a listing of events and coupons in the back with discounts.
Just a few of Hundreds of Happenings in 2022
Florida Rep‘s A Doll’s House, 2 and Driving Miss Daisy
We celebrate the holidays with light, a symbol of hope that dispels darkness. This month as I walked the grounds of the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, I felt the restorative and illuminating power of light and beauty. As I listened to waves lapping the shore and watched the sun casting a golden glow on the Caloosahatchee River, I felt peace and renewal.
I’m not alone. From now until January 2, 2022 (closed Christmas Day), locals, resident snowbirds, and guests will continue to gather at the 46th Annual Holiday Nights Celebration at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates. If you can’t join them this year, put the event on your calendar for next, but plan a trip to Fort Myers, Florida now where abundant beauty illuminates and rejuvenates visitors all four seasons. Located 11 miles from the Southwest International Airport, the Estates are a global destination, but if you want to stock your garden with plants propagated on the property, make it a road trip. There are also lectures and workshops on a variety of gardening topics.
‘There is only one Fort Myers in the United States, and there are 90 million people who are going to find it out.”
Thomas Edison
His words have proven true as Edison’s winter estate is one of the most visited historic home sites in America and named #1 of the 10Best attractions in Fort Myers by USA Today.
I admit it. Until recently I did not know the scope of Thomas Edison’s genius or his connection with Fort Myers. Until 2020, I knew little about the southwestern coast of Florida — its beauty, abundance, and power that inspires and restores. I didn’t know that Edison was one of the first snowbirds who not only spent winters in the Sunshine State but also created a retreat that fueled his passion, fed his genius, and sustained his work.
Thus before he created the first home phonograph in 1896, the first office dictation machine in 1908, the first disc record and phonograph in 1909, or most of his other accomplishments, Thomas Edison knew he needed a place to feed his soul. In 1885 he found a cattle town where he bought a 13-acre property for $2750 where he built a lab and home which he named “Seminole Lodge.” A widower with three children, he married Mina Miller. They honeymooned there and had three children of their own.
He died in 1941 in New Jersey. Ford sold his estate in 1945 for $20,000, the amount he paid for it. In 1947 Mina deeded the estate to the city of Fort Myers, and in that year she and Ford died. Below are photos of the home and guest house decorated as they were when the family lived there.
13 of Edison’s lights are in the home.
Edison built the pier first so materials from Maine could be shipped via river to build his new home. There was no train here until 1904 or good roads until after 1910.
“It is the marriage of the soul with nature that makes the intellect fruitful, and gives birth to imagination.” — Henry David Thoreau
On the 20 acres are more than 1,700 plants of 400 species from six continents.
I agree with Lisa Wilson, Marketing & Public Relations Director and my tour guide. The Moonlight Garden is my favorite space, too. In 1928 Edison built it behind his new study. (See video.) Photo: Courtesy Edison Ford Winter Estates
Edison built the first residential swimming pool in Fort Myers. The only other pool was at a hotel.
Almost as large as the Banyan tree (thought to be the largest in the continental US) planted in the late 1920s (located outside the museum) is Mysore Fig this one near the River. See both in the video. The roots are as tall and thick as park benches. Under its shade many couples have wed.
Palm trees are not only ubiquitous on the property but along McGregor Boulevard where the Estates are located. Once cattle were driven here to Punta Rassa to be shipped to Cuba. where the Estates From Central Florida, cattle drives went right through town and down the river to the port at Punta Rassa, where cattle would be shipped to Cuba.
Stroll by roses, coconuts, citrus trees, lilies, succulents, and flowering shrubs.
Darth Vader Tree Under the Stars at the Edison Ford Estates
Edison cared about making his inventions affordable and accessible as well as his estate. This year at Holiday Nights nearly 60 local schools are participating in the 13th annual Edison and Ford Winter Estates Children’s Tree Trail. Students created ornaments from recycled materials with stipends from the Estates. The Estates host children and their families —some who wouldn’t be able to do so otherwise —to see the decorated trees and Estates.
The Lilly Pond was added in 1929
The Luminary Hotel is where I stayed just a short Uber or Lyft ride or walk away.
I love that Edison didn’t spend all of his time in a lab but was curious about so much of life around him. He loved to travel, camp, and fish with friends and their families. He loved Florida’s warm temperatures, natural resources, and people which is why he named his estate “Seminole Lodge.”
Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone who formed the Edison Botanic Research Corporation (EBRC) in 1927. Photo courtesy of Edison Ford Estates
In 1896 Henry Ford meets Thomas Edison at a Detroit Edison Illuminating Company conference where Ford worked. In 1912 they worked together to improve the storage battery for the Model T. In 1901 Ford began spending winters at his Florida home. Famous guests included President Herbert Hoover, Colgate and Kellogg families, Harvey Firestone. In 1910 Edison did renovations to his Queen Anne home. In 1914 the Ford family first visits the Edison in Fort Myers for a camping trip to the Everglades. In 1916 Ford purchased The Mangoes, a Craftsman home next to Edison.
I love his story– a man with little formal education who was bored with school where the mode of learning was rote memory (difficult because he was partially deaf). Like many of the brightest people I’ve known, he would be diagnosed today with ADHD for his boundless curiosity and experimentation. Today he might be called “all over the place” for his interest in so many diverse projects where he used the skills of a writer, chemist, and inventor.
Most of all, I love his resilience. While known for his 1000+ patents, he also had 500-600 patent applications that were rejected or never finished. — which earned him the credibility to be an encouragement today.
Judy, one of many passionate volunteers, shared fun facts for music lovers of all ages.
In 1931 Thomas Edison spent 6 months in Fort Myers working on rubber research.
When you leave, take some beauty home with you. And if there are goals you hope to reach in the new year — old dreams that don’t die but you’re not sure how or when they’ll materialize — take some advice from Thomas Edison…
“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
“I have not failed. I’ve just found ten thousand ways that won’t work.”
“If I find 10,000 ways something won’t work, I haven’t failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.”
And my favorite as I look ahead into the new year…
“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.”
Getting There
The short drive to Sanibel Island and Fort Myers Beach Approximately 30 minutes from Southwest Florida International Airport ADA accessible with wheelchairs available Free parkingThe Edison and Ford Winter Estates are located approximately 30 minutes from the Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) and near Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island, and Captiva Island. (More on Downtown Fort Myers and Captiva next). There are guided tours, self-guided tours, and maps in English, French, Spanish, German and Chinese. Narration in English, German, French or Spanish is available with the new app and through a phone number. For more info go to http://www.edisonfordwinterestates.org.
Thank you so much to Edison and Ford Winter Estates and The Beaches of Ft. Myers and Sanibel and Lee County for the tour and hospitality. As always, the opinions here are my own.
What’s your Dreamscape? Is it an island surrounded by emerald green under a sky of cumulus clouds and blue?
Is living the dream working remotely somewhere over the rainbow where sunsets turn electric in kaleidoscope hues?
When my children left the nest, I fulfilled an old dream of living abroad. Before the pandemic, I discovered the Clearwater/St. Pete area thanks to my son. He has since fulfilled his dream of moving to the Colorado mountains, and I’ve remembered an even older dream. When I was a child, I wanted to live on the Gulf of Mexico. After the pandemic closed borders, I continued scouting Florida’s western coast (see the series). It turns out that other empty nester/single mom friends have been doing the same. When I learned that Alba Gonzalez-Nylander of AJ Media Services –a friend for over a decade– is one of them, I asked her to join me on this 2nd getaway/project to live like a local on Anna Maria Island and explore what it offers.
If you’re looking for a home-away-from- home for spring, summer, fall, or winter break on a beautiful island… or a new place to land… please watch the video.
I hope, more than anything, you’ll be inspired to remember dreams you’ve deferred and go after them.
The ladies I interviewed have created new lives. So did Alba. I’d interviewed her years ago so I knew of many of her career awards. I also knew when she was 19, she won 2nd place in the Miss Pond’s Cream Prettiest Face in Venezuela and became the first female radio engineer. What I didn’t know until this trip is that while working at the radio station she worked two other jobs– in a production company and media program. Later she worked for a presidential candidate as an audio engineer which allowed her to afford a US university education. Moving here was her dream, and she has been home ever since.
Alba and Cindy: Empty Nesters Trying On a Beach Home Dream
I learned more on my summer vacation…
I tried to replicate recipes for The Waterfront’s Hearts of Palm Salad, Columbia’s 1905 Salad, and Marina Jack’s Watermelon Cosmo. Though the ambience wasn’t the same, all turned out well.
But as is always the case with coming “back to reality,” there were challenges waiting. I started a new semester of teaching, had a second eye surgery, and my Mom made a second trip to the ER that led to a week in the hospital. It helped to remember something I’d learned on AMI…
While working on the lanai, I had looked out at the neighborhood houses– pistachio and apricot colors and surrounded by green, green, green. But another afternoon storm was brewing. Palm fronds were twitching in the breeze. I noticed for the first time so many species of palm trees– from the squatty Palmettos to 80-foot Cabbage Palms topped with short shaggy fronts– tufts that look like poodles’ heads. As I Googled more varieties (thanks Susan!), the sky darkened. I hoped the thunder and lightening would pass quickly, but the coconut palms had started gyrating in an apoplectic dance. Remembering a storm that took down a giant oak in our yard years ago, I wondered how palms weather tropical tempests. Then I read that when the wind blows hard on a palm tree, its roots just stretch and grow stronger.
*By the way, if you’re into palm trees, too, see Brandon Hall’s Palm Spa and how he moved Florida north. On his site, learn more about them, and — depending on your location — rent, buy, or store palms and tropical plants for your home and special events.
Later we walked to the beach where sunbeams shot from the bruised clouds. Beauty pierced the black and blue. Light always pierces the dark.
Mom is doing so much better now. Family and friends celebrated my niece’s fairytale wedding. Postponed by the pandemic multiple times, the dream finally happened and was the most perfect ceremony and reception I’d ever seen.
Dreams come in a size too big so that we may grow into them. —Josie Bisset
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.–Henry David Thoreau
I share what I look for in a dream beach vacation or home below because AMI and nearby Sarasota have all. What does your heart desire? What’s your checklist for finding/creating the life you imagined?
Don’t know what gifts to buy for the holidays? Do you wish you could travel NOW?
My grandmother told us every year not to give her gifts. What she wanted was us at her table every Sunday for lunch. As a mom, I don’t want things from my adult children either. I want experiences with them. I’ll never forget the Christmas we spent together in London…the trip Taylor and I did to Captiva Island…the ride cross-country with Cole when he moved to Denver .
And if you’re looking for a way to bond beyond one experience on one day, I have more unique ideas… they are in this month’s newsletter along with suggestions for summer entertaining, travel planning, and other May fun.
Thanks to the subscribers on the blog. Thanks to the followers on WordPress, and if any of you or anyone else reading this would like to receive the monthly newsletter, please enter your email list below. Cheers!
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“What has made the day so perfect? To begin with, it is a pattern of freedom. Its setting has not been cramped in space or time. An island, curiously enough, gives a limitless feeling of both. Nor has the day been limited in kinds of activity. It has a natural balance of physical, intellectual and social life. It has an easy unforced rhythm.”
Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Gift from the Sea
Never underestimate the healing power of a room- with- a- view of sea and sunrises. Of island sunsets that make strangers friends. Of connecting with family after an unimaginable year. On making a wish on a seashell and feeling like a kid again.
Sunrise seen from our balcony at South Seas Island Resort
Not since we spent a month together on another island in 2016, had Taylor–my adult daughter–and I had a chance to get away together. Because she cares for the elderly, we couldn’t see each other for months in 2020. We’re both vaccinated now, but getting our school and work schedules together–as it is for most families– is a perennial problem. We needed some island time, so we took it. At the South Seas Island Resort on beautiful Captiva Island, we discovered within the U.S. borders a breathtaking part of Florida we’d never seen. Though I did work-by-day and she did school-by-night, our sharing an office with the view and exploring 330 acres of natural nirvana (and beyond) was an escape we’ll never forget. Here’s a few reasons why South Seas Island Resort was named a Top 10 North American Island by Conde Nast Traveler and families return year after year…
Manatee at crystal river in Florida
(Photos in Gallery Above Courtesy of South Seas Island Resort)
Nowhere else in the US have we stayed this close to the water and seen so much wildlife and sea creatures. The sanctuary has 230 species of birds, such as egrets and the white ibis, bottle-nosed dolphins, rabbits, Cuban anole lizards, and West Indian manatees.
Only in paradise would bunnies live in bushes just around the corner from the bird who lives here. (Unless otherwise noted, photos and videos by Cindy and Taylor McCain).
We loved hopping beaches and cruising shady paths. Sunny Island Adventures offers bicycle rentals for a few hours or the length of your stay to enjoy 20 miles of bike trails.
Taylor and Cindy McCainDeserted beaches at South Seas Island Resort Photo Credit: Taylor McCainCaptiva Island Photo: Taylor McCain
This area and neighboring Sanibel Island, which since 1937 has hosted the largest and longest running Shell Fair and Show in the United States, is famous for shelling. It was the inspiration for one of my favorite books, Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s Gift from the Sea where the Gulf of Mexico delivers over 250 types of shells which you can learn more about here. Sanibel Island was featured on the April 2021 cover of Southern Living by the editors as one of The South’s Best Beach Towns. Children love the Sanibel Sea School where every day is a field trip. I eavesdropped on a group exploring the beach by my balcony and not only learned a lot but saw a boy find a starfish in the the few minutes they were there. Offerings for children and adults are here.
We flew into Fort Meyers on Southwest Airlines at the Southwest Florida International Airport located 35 miles from the resort. I’ve been a fan of Southwest for years but because of open seating the fee for early boarding is worth it–especially during high season or if you have a connecting flight and need to get off quickly. We had a great experience with Dolphin Transportation, the largest independently owned fleet of luxury vehicles serving Fort Myers, Naples, and Bonita Springs, who picked us up in a Suburban where I met a fellow writer based in Atlanta and returned us to the airport in a Lincoln Continental. They have bus and van options as well. We didn’t need a car with the trolley and bikes, but the property is so massive–20 tennis courts, 2 community pools (and 17 private ones), 9 dining locations, and other attractions the first day or two you’ll need to use a map and/or the App (which has a Trolley Tracker).
South Seas Island Resort Trolley Time Photo by Taylor McCain
There are 434 guest rooms, villas, and waterfront private homes. We stayed in one of the 30 newly renovated waterfront suites at North Pointe Village overlooking Pine Island Sound. We appreciated the huge marble bathroom with closets and mirrors– great for two women :), the espresso machine, the wood-inspired floors, comfortable bedding and seating, but forgot to turn on the huge television because we were too busy watching an even bigger world of turquoise waters…coral, blue, and pink skies…boaters, fishermen on the dock, and wildlife from our balcony.
Just 10 miles south of the resort is a tiny island that is old, old Florida at its best. There are no cars or roads–just a few rental cottages where anglers and artists can get inspired. Boaters stop in for breakfast, lunch, or dinner so if alone time gets old, there are always new people to meet. The restaurant is known for its food, a famous customer, and a tradition dating back to the days when fishermen wrote their names on dollar bills and tacked them to the wall for times when they might have no luck and need credit. Behind the bar is Jimmy Buffett’s bill.
You can board the Lady Chadwick of Captiva Cruises at the Yacht Harbor for a one-hour sail to the island. I loved the 70s music and 80s music I heard as we disembarked and headed up the hill.
Dolphin Watch on Lady Chadwick of Captiva CruisesCabbage Key Aerial Shot Photo: Cabbage Key, FloridaGuests have attached dollar bills to the walls of the main dinning room of the Cabbage Key Inn.Cabbage Key Inn is hopping, so put in your name upon arrival and explore while you wait.Loved eating on the terrace overlooking the waterCabbage Key Inn’s Cheeseburger in ParadiseStone Crab ClawsThe Planter’s Punch, Red Snapper, Their Special of the Day, and slaw-DeliciousAfter lunch, I explored on my own which included climbing to the top of the tower seen here in the background. See the video above for my bird’s eye view.Ok, when I saw the sign below I decided to take the road less traveled AFTER I went back and grabbed a couple of friends. For someone who considers herself a mermaid, I sadly also have a thing for shark and gator movies 🙂
We learned a lot on the cruise from the ship’s captain. There’s said to be $75000 on the Inn’s ceiling and the $10-$15,000 that falls off each year is donated to charity. I learned that the back bay waters are estuaries for wildlife, fish, crab, oyster beds, and stone crabs which fishermen catch, declaw, and throw them back. Their claws regenerate. I saw where Captiva was split by a hurricane in 1921, destroying farmland there. Other history pertaining to the Native Americans on the barrier islands, to English, then Spanish rule, to Cuban fisheries and cattlemen, some of which is here. I learned the namesake of our boat, the shopping center on Captiva, and some of South Seas Island Resort’s origin. The area was bought in the 1920s by Clarence and Rosamond Chadwick, inventor of the check watermarking process and an opera singer, who made it one of the most successful key lime plantations in the world. In 1961 the Captiva Island Company bought the property for $225,000.
The islands between Cabbage Key and South Seas all have a story–North Captiva which has 11 vacation homes and uses solar power, La Costa with homes run on propane and solar, Pine Island which exports palm trees and has off-the-grid art galleries, and Useppa, base for the CIA during the Bay of Pigs and once vacation escape for Theodore Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, Shirley Temple, and Mae West. Captiva Cruises offers options for exploring Useppa, other islands and types of excursions.
YOGA
I LOVED doing sun salutations on the Kings Crown Lawn as bunnies bopped in and out of the bushes behind me and boats bobbed past. Ambu Yoga was the best way to start the day and warm up for kayaking later (though Taylor did most of the rowing). If you’re not into yoga, the seaside golf course looked amazing.
If you didn’t see the video above, check it out. Our meal there was the event-of-the-week from the Cucumber Smash to the champagne toast to the crème brûlée served beside a fire pit glittering with sea glass. The mixes of their artisan cocktails are hand-pressed and blended, and the spirits infused in-house. A Tennessee girl born in Kentucky, I loved that their focus isn’t rum– as is the case with most island drinks–but bourbon and whiskey. The most impressive presentation I’ve seen was of the The Captain’s Smoked Old Fashioned I had to try. Our server said she did her nails especially for it. 🙂 Another surprise was that the hit of the starters was the Yacht Line Candied Bacon–torched tableside. Other delicious dishes were the Romesco Garlic Shrimp, Kung Pao Calamari, the Cuban Bread, and always my favorite–Spanish Octopus. I had the Mahi Mahi and Taylor enjoyed the Lobster Tacos.
Also the oysters and scallops at Doc Ford’s (see video) are great.
DON’T MISS
THE #1 thing to do at South Seas Island Resort is their signature Sunset Celebration at Sunset Beach. In the video above, singer songwriter Danny Morgan who has toured and played with about everyone from Jimmy Buffett to The Beach Boys, visited the area in the 80s and has been playing to multi-generational crowds since. Rather than wish upon a star, we wished upon a shell as the sun melted into the ocean.
Sunset Beach, South Seas Island Resort Photo by Taylor McCainFinal Sunset with New FriendsBeach dinner by Tacos and Tequila followed by S’moresJalapeno Margarita Toast on Sunset Beach
I have only two regrets: One, that a regatta pulled the sailboats from the island. We were excited about taking our first sailing lesson.
Next time. Two, that our time at South Seas had to end.
Anne Morrow Lindberg’s Gift from the Sea
Stay tuned for the Anniversary Celebration of Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s, Gift from the Sea, one of my favorite memoirs. I am excited and grateful to be one of the writers invited to work on my memoir on Sanibel Island for this event where she was inspired to write hers–a dream come true.
