Books, Podcasts, Movies, Music, and Products to Make Life Better in 2025

January 1, 2025February 20, 2025Cindy McCain

Here are a few of my favorite things that make life even sweeter … Inspiring memoirs by incredibly talented women who overcame challenges to do what they love. Stories that remind us of the power of human connection. Books that make us laugh. Sweeping sagas that celebrate courage and freedom. Stage and screen moments that make us feel alive. Conversations about what matters most. Travel that connects us to people we love. Practical products that make our children and grandchildren happier. Here’s to more peace, love, and joy in 2025!

This post contains some affiliate links.

Favorite Things: Books

Since 2018, I’ve switched from Kindle and paperbacks to audiobooks. They make commuting enjoyable, are easy on the eyes, and who doesn’t love being told a great bedtime story? Audible, owned by Amazon, has a standard membership of $14.95 per month, which gets you one book each month and access to their library of free selections, such as classics. With a monthly Spotify Premium membership of $11.99, you get ad-free music, podcasts, and 15 hours of audiobook listening.

Memoirs

Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten

Book, Kindle, Audiobook on Amazon

Audiobook included with Spotify Premium

My favorite genre is memoir. When Ina Garten released Be Ready When the Luck Happens read by the author herself, I binged her story in two days. I’ve loved watching her Cooking for Jeffrey since The Barefoot Contessa. She’s been my go-to cook for delicious recipes that never fail and entertaining ideas for twenty years. Her voice is as soothing as her comfort food — but what I loved learning is how tough she is.

Her television/cookbook empire was built by skills in the kitchen, prolific creativity, and her casual, classy style, but there’s more to the story. The book reveals the scope of her smarts, her tenacity in overcoming obstacles, and her wisdom in choosing an amazing partner. She has an MBA from George Washington University School of Business and wrote nuclear energy policy for Presidents Ford and Carter. While she had class/financial advantages growing up the daughter of a charismatic surgeon and shrewd businesswoman who pushed her academically, her parents’ dark sides were traumatizing obstacles to overcome. Her childhood was controlled and miserable by an emotionally cold mother and physically abusive father. If she completed five of six tasks perfectly her father gave her, there was “hell to pay.”

Her life changed at 17 when the stars aligned and she met Jeffrey who has stellar military and business accomplishments of his own. She credits her success and happiness to his telling her to do what she loves and always treating her with respect and kindness. They survived and thrived despite separating briefly and living on opposite ends of the world. She says they’ve always been able to talk, and Jeffrey was right. They could stay connected and both pursue their dreams.

“Two For the Road” was my favorite chapter. After reading Arthur Frommer’s Europe on $5 a Day they did just that. With a pup tent and gas stove, they camped across Europe May – August in 1972. A bonus of the book are photos of that time and other special memories. Ina fell in love with French cooking when a woman in Normandy showed her how to make Coq au Vin. In 2000, Ina bought a Parisian apartment where she still cooks for friends.

Her interest in French cooking renewed mine. Inspired, I cooked Coq au Riesling again. I also read the memoir below and continue reading wistfully my friend’s blog on France. I’d love a return visit!

Ina was the first guest on Oprah’s new podcast that just launched. I love her secrets to success.

My Life in France by Julia Child

Book, Kindle, Audiobook on Audible

Audiobook on Spotify

After Ina’s book, I made a bee-line for Julia’s memoir. I loved the movie Julia & Julia and vaguely remembered the lady my grandmother watched cook with a voice the pitch of a turkey gobbling.

The book’s descriptions of France and French food are luscious. She, too, was a tenacious woman. She wanted to do her part in WWII. When turned away from the women’s navy and army cores because she was 6 feet 2 inches, she worked instead typing secret files for what became the CIA. Like Jeffrey Garten, Child’s husband was in the military and the couple made France a second home. She was the only woman in her class at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. She published her first cookbook at age 49. It took her nine years to complete it.

She became an award-winning public television host and author. In the 1960s, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, had a radical mastectomy, and lived to be 91.

After discussing the memoirs by Child and Garten with my friend, Sally, she loaned me Stanley Tucci’s Taste: My Life Through Food. The award-winning writer/director/actor/tv host played Julia Child’s husband in Julia & Julia and appeared in Ina Garten’s new series, Be My Guest.

My Name is Barbra by Barbra Steisand

Book, Kindle, and Audiobook on Amazon

Audiobook Included with Spotify Premium

I’m enjoying this book because I’m a Barbra Streisand fan and appreciate her dedication to authenticity and details in covering what seems to be every detail of her life. At 48+ hours, this is more an autobiography than a memoir. I confess to skipping some of the showbiz minutiae but appreciate her warm, conversational voice, eccentricities that make her Barbra, and vulnerability. Unlike Garten and Child, she lived in near poverty after her father died. Her mother was emotionally unavailable, and her stepfather was verbally abusive. She was an old soul and a “little adult” from an early age — from taking herself to the dentist as a child to leaving home at 16 to make it in the arts.

Nonfiction Essays

ANYTHING by Dave Barry makes me laugh. A lot. He was a columnist for the Miami Herald from 1983-2005 and has won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary and The Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism. Because his books read like standup comedy, I’ve just included the links to audio versions below of my favorites.

Best.State.Ever.: A Florida Man Defends His Homeland

Audiobook on Amazon

Audiobook on Spotify

I’ll Mature When I’m Dead

Audiobook on Amazon

Audiobook on Spotify

Fiction

A Good Hard Look by Ann Napolitano

Book, Kindle, and Audiobook on Amazon

Audiobook on Spotify

Set in Flannery O’Connor’s small hometown of Milledgeville, Georgia near the end of the iconic southern writer’s life, the novel is a compelling tale of rural life, human connection, and heartbreaking loss. This is literary fiction and beautiful writing at its best.

Oh, William! by Elizabeth Strout

Book, Kindle, and Audiobook on Amazon

Audiobook for Purchase on Spotify

My friend Sara gave me this book three years ago and confidently said, “You’ll like it.” I’m glad I finally read it because it introduced me to William and Lucy, a divorced couple who reconnect as both deal with loss in the present and ghosts from the past. The book description reads: “Lucy Barton is a writer, but her ex-husband, William, remains a hard man to read.” Strout is a Pulitzer Prize winner and darling of Oprah, NPR, and the New York Times. Needing to know more about Lucy and her world, read the two books that followed…

Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout

Book, Kindle, and Audiobook on Amazon

Audiobook Included with Spotify Membership

The pandemic drives ex-couple William and Lucy to flee Manhattan and shelter in a cabin on the coast of Maine. In a small town they navigate big feelings. As the sea churns around them, the world stands still. What’s next?

Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout

Book, Kindle, Audiobook on Amazon

Audiobook Included with Premium Membership on Spotify

Lucy, still living with William in Crosby, Maine meets Olive Kitteridge, the prickly heroine of Strout’s Publitzer-Prize-winning book, and forms a deeper friendship with Bob Burgess from Lucy by the Sea as the town tries to solve a murder.

Still Life With Bread Crumbs by Ann Quinlenn

Book, Kindle, Audiobook on Amazon

A photographer whose career is slipping moves from NYC to a cabin in upstate New York where she finds inspiration and love. It’s not as Hallmark as it sounds — more Virgin River.

Swamp Story: A Novel by Dave Barry

Audiobook on Amazon

Audiobook on Spotify

From the book description because nobody tells a story like Dave…

Jesse Braddock is trapped in a tiny cabin deep in the Everglades with her infant daughter and her ex-boyfriend, a wannabe reality TV star who turned out to be a lot prettier on the outside than on the inside. Broke and desperate for a way out, Jesse stumbles across a long-lost treasure, which could solve all her problems—if she can figure out how to keep it. The problem is some very bad men are also looking for the treasure, and they know Jesse has it.

Meanwhile, Ken Bortle of Bortle Brothers Bait and Beer has hatched a scheme to lure tourists to his failing store by making viral videos of the “Everglades Melon Monster.” The Monster is, in fact, an unemployed alcoholic newspaperman named Phil wearing a Dora the Explorer costume head. Incredibly, this plan actually works, inspiring a horde of TikTokers to swarm into the swamp in search of the Monster at the same time villains are on the hunt for Jesse’s treasure. Amid this mayhem, a presidential hopeful arrives in the Everglades to start his campaign. Needless to say, it does not go as planned. In fact, nothing in this story goes as planned. This is, after all, Florida.

Favorite Things: Podcasts

Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus

On Spotify and all podcast platforms

I LOVE this podcast where the wise-cracking actress gets “schooled” by women she admires. My favorite episodes so far are interviews with Jane Fonda, Anne Lamott, Jane Goodall, Ina Garten, Isabel Allende, and Carol Burnett.

In my queue: Sally Field, Amy Tan, Bonnie Raitt, Ina Garten, Gloria Steinhem, Rita Moreno, Nancy Pelosi, and Julie Andrews.

Meaningful Conversations with Maria Shriver

On Spotify and all podcast platforms

Though recorded in 2019, Maria’s topics are timeless. Interesting episodes I’ve enjoyed so far are with Rob Lowe, Martha Beck, Kathie Lee Gifford, and Chelsea Handler. In my queue: Brene Brown, Hoda Kotb, Jon and Dorothea Bon Jovi.

I also follow Maria’s Sunday Paper where she just posted Jane Fonda’s inteverview on CBS Morning on rethinking aging:

Favorite Things: Movies

Gladiator 2

I’ve been waiting to see this movie since I saw it being filmed when I was in Morocco. It was a great sequel to Gladiator, and I’ll never forget sharks — yeah, sharks — in the Colosseum.

A Complete Unknown

Great portrayal of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. Her “Diamonds and Rust” was inspired by their relationship, and though Johnny and June Cash are known for “It Ain’t Me Babe,” I get now why it better fits Dylan, the songwriter.

Favorite Things: Streaming

The Chosen

The Chosen has broken records for crowd-funding, translations, streaming views, and box office. Still, I was hesitant to try it. I’ve been disappointed in Jesus’ portrayal in every other movie. Other actors/scripts made him so otherworldly, so aloof in perfection, so like the adage “too heavenly minded for earthly good.” Son of God came closer to the compassionate Jesus I know. The actor Diogo Morgado was beautiful but like the others, dramatic. Something didn’t ring true.

I finally tried the first episode of The Chosen. Compelling but dark. A few weeks later, I gave the series another try. I’ve been binging Seasons 1 – 4 since. I appreciate that the series fleshes out the people who followed Christ closest — their flaws, fears, faith, and doubt. How intimately he knew each person — choosing them for their diversity and willingness to learn rather than their accomplishments. How often their questions are my questions. Even better, Jesus was fleshed out. He was a down-to-earth teacher and engaging storyteller. He led with grace, strength, and humor. He cared about all people — not just the Jews — as seen in the clip below. Likewise, the actor is gracious, humble, and fun whether speaking with fans in interviews from Fox News to The View.

To me, this is the greatest story ever told — it makes life not just better, but best. Worth living. I’m glad the series does it the justice it deserves. In a time when so many assume the party line/position based on cultural and political definitions of “Christian” formed in echo chambers… at a time when bad things are done under that name… the series reminds me that Christ’s time on earth was fraught with those same things. Seeing a closer depiction of the One I’ve known since middle school as he baffles religious and political leaders — even disciples who are just human — gives me hope. It makes me smile and cry. It helps me remember that though there’s so much I don’t understand, ultimately and forever, Love wins.

The series is now on Prime but rotates between all the major platforms so it’s easy to find. Season 5 of the series is to return — first in theaters — in March-April 2025.

Favorite Things: Theater

Broadway’s Moulin Rouge!

The show was an early birthday gift from my sister and brother-in-law. The Grammy-nominated music — even better than in the movie with additions by Adele, Katy Perry, Sia, Rihanna, and Beyonce — had the crowd on their feet. See tour stops in 2025 here.

Favorite Things: Encore Series Worth Watching Again

Ally McBeal

Streaming on Hulu, Ally McBeal‘s back with courtroom drama, fantasy sequences, and a quirky cast. Calista Flockhart plays Ally, the lead (my Enneagram 4 Soul Sister) whose looking for love and finds it for awhile with guest stars Roberth Downey, Jr. and Jon Bon Jovi. Other guests include Barry White, Al Green, Mariah Carey, Josh Groban, Tina Turner, Sting, Elton John Farrah Fawcett, Anne Heche.

Queen Charlotte

I’ve been enthralled with the storylines, costumes, and sets of Seasons 1 -3 of Bridgerton, but the series’ prequel — the love story between Queen Charlotte and King George — slays me.

Encore Movies to Watch With Children

Mary Poppins

As much as I appreciate Ms. Rachel (an excellent educational program) and enjoy Bluey! (a brilliant Australian cartoon that’s fun for adults, too), there comes a time in every parent or grandparent’s life to slip a Disney classic into the mix. The one that has held my one-year-old grandson’s attention throughout is Mary Poppins. He’s a music fan and watching it again, I understand why it gets a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film, like the main character, t is “perfect in every way.”

**Favorite Things for Babies (From My 1st Year as Nana)**

Playlist for Play or Story Time

Playlist for Naptime

Toys for Little Musicians: Piano with Amazing Sound, Musical Instruments, Allegro: Musical Journey Through 11 Masterpieces, Baby Einstein Musical Mix and Roll

Comfortable Clothes by Kate Quinn

Uber Soft, Absorbent Diapers — available at Target or Amazon.

Perfect for Travel: Designed for sensitive skin with innovative RashShield™ Protection, reducing irritation during long flights or car travel.
Absolutely No Chlorine: Made with ultra-soft materials that are completely removed of chlorine and harsh chemicals, ensuring gentle care for delicate skin.
Eco-Friendly Materials: Sustainable, high-quality materials let parents choose an eco-conscious option.

For Moms or Nanas needing arch support for strolling or running with baby: ASICS Yay Gel Kayano 29 Running Shoes — come in 20+ colors

Favorite Things: Travel Destinations for the Family

Costa Rica

Florida

Colorado

Just One Problem With Destin’s Henderson Beach Resort: I Never Wanted to Leave

June 5, 2024May 6, 2025Cindy McCain

Guests at Henderson Beach Resort and Henderson Inn enjoy a private, spacious beach that runs along the coastline of Henderson State Park. Photo Credit: Destin-Fort Walton
Beach

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Disclosure: I was a guest of Destin-Ft. Walton Beach and partners, including Henderson Beach Resort. As always, the opinions here are my own.

I was invited to be a judge at the Emerald Coast Open Lionfish Tournament Restaurant Week and Festival to learn how we can best fight the lionfish invasion one delicious bite at a time. I grew up fishing with my dad in Kentucky and vacationing on the Florida Gulf. Also, I enjoyed editing articles about sea creatures for A-Z Animals and believe that adults — not just students — should be able to write an essay titled “What I Learned on My Summer Vacation.” So after some research and a Zoom call, my response was a no-brainer. “I’m in!” Now I’m obsessed with lionfish and I’ll explain why (stay tuned).

For over a decade, solo travel has been my go-to when I need to rest and reset, but I knew that returning to a place with so many memories of vacationing with family and friends would be bittersweet. After many years away, I wasn’t surprised that Destin is off the chain with so many locally owned businesses, but it’s also now a major hub for global brands. Destin Commons alone has over 85 stores and restaurants. See where to eat and drink — iconic hangouts and new finds — listed at the bottom of this post. In the next post, I’ll share my adventure on the World’s Largest Charter Fishing Fleet in the World’s Luckiest Fishing Village and “Little Adventures” with a Mom Squad to help parents choose what’s age-appropriate and of interest to their children. Orlando may be the “Magic Kingdom” with Disney and Universal Studios, but Destin-Ft. Walton Beach is Florida’s kid-centric beach “Wild Kingdom.” As a new grandmother, I love that.

I also LOVED Henderson Beach Resort. Its location makes it a great home base to explore all that the area offers but be warned. It’s like Hotel California (in a good way). You can check out anytime you like, but you may never leave.

Smitten at First Sight

My 72-hour stay was booked from Thursday through Sunday. My flight was scheduled to arrive by noon, giving me the afternoon to unwind at the resort. After finishing my 43rd year of teaching (I’m also a caregiver of a parent), I couldn’t wait to splash in the pool, hot tub, and Gulf, then nap on a beach lounger under an umbrella. Sadly, my Thursday morning flight was canceled due to storms and rescheduled for Friday. Thankfully, my prayer was answered. I switched airlines and got the last seat on Southwest (they have the fastest route from Nashville to VPS). I arrived at the property five hours later than originally planned — only an hour before I’d need to Uber to our group dinner — but that was long enough to fall in love! Cue Etta James!

A lounger and umbrella on the private beach of Henderson Beach Resort is my idea of paradise.

Below is a quick tour of Henderson Beach Resort’s private beach, adult and family pools, hot tub, lazy river, vintage photography, and suite overlooking Henderson State Park and the Emerald Coast. Staff members, like Crystal Wisdom in the video at the rooftop bar and Gabby Armijos at Henderson Inn (the resort’s sister property where you access the beach), give a Southern-sized welcome that makes you feel at home.

Where To Be When Blue Skies Turn Gray

Sadly, the theme song of the weekend changed to another Ella Fitzgerald classic.

I remembered nothing but blue skies over Destin on previous trips, but on Friday, there was a tornado and flash flood watch. Storms loomed the next morning, so my beach yoga class was canceled. The Lionfish Festival scheduled for Saturday was rained out. Conservation and Cocktails was moved to Sunday when I’d be on a plane headed home. And yet, I had amazing new experiences on and around the water with Captain Josh and Anna Calhoun of Destin Inshore Guides; the Destin-Ft. Walton team and other guests at Harbor Tavern and AJs; Heather and Chris Thomas, owners of The Edge Restaurant and SkyBar; and artist Harley Van Hyning — all of which I’ll share in the next post.

I’m energized by new adventures and nice people. When bad weather created an itinerary plot twist, I powered on in the rain Saturday afternoon. I planned to return to AJs on Saturday night after a bubble bath. It was my last night — last chance — to dance to the band as I’d done with friends for years. The rain had stopped, and I might meet someone interesting.

From the tub, I could see the city skyline in the distance beckoning. From the wedding reception below, I could hear the band playing Whitney Houston’s, “I Want to Dance With Somebody.”

I wrapped myself in a robe and took my glass of wine to the balcony. Straight ahead was the lush, green park. To my left, waves crashed along the coast. Below, under a big white tent, the wedding party was in full swing. Above, the sky was painted by a beautiful sunset. I stayed on the balcony in the dark, enjoying the music and glow of a bonfire beneath me. Rather than go out, I indulged in guilty pleasures.

I slid under cool sheets and toasted the new season of Bridgerton. I popped another chocolate truffle into my mouth. Who did I think I was, Queen Charlotte, the Queen of England, lounging about eating bon bons? I remembered the phrase Dolce far Niente that Italians taught me twenty years ago. Ah, “the sweetness of doing nothing,” I relaxed to the rhythm of the tide, breathed in the salty air, let go of doing, and enjoyed just being.

Barra pinot noir, chocolate truffles at Henderson Beach Resort — Welcome gifts — California wine, the chef’s chocolate truffles, and San Pellegrino — were waiting at Henderson Beach. Resort. There’s a station with my favorite Starbucks coffee in the room and across the hall where there’s also sparkling water on tap.

A Sunny Sunday Kind Of Love

On Sunday morning, Ella was singing a new song in my head.

I walked on the beach, then journaled and had breakfast on the wraparound porch at Henderson Park Inn just steps from the water. I met a couple who had returned to celebrate their 40th anniversary. Later I relaxed on the softest, whitest sand to the sounds of waves and children laughing in the surf. I had an 11 AM Uber to catch. I made a wish. Please let all departing flights be canceled today …

Henderson Beach Resort was the sum of my favorite things. New England-style seaside elegance. A safe community with onsite events, a fitness center, a spa, great restaurants, two bars with live music, and bikes included with the resort fee. White sand and Caribbean-colored waters on a private beach off Old Florida’s Highway 98.

They made everything so easy. Lingering over coffee on the balcony. Going up for a rooftop drink and live music. Going down for big breakfasts and dinner at Primrose where I had a luscious fillet of beef. My massage was so soothing I fell asleep. Kirstin is amazing!

Breakfast at Henderson Beach Resort is served in the Primrose dining room or you can opt for room service and eat on your balcony.

Henderson Beach Resort has an adult-only pool but the result is family-friendly.

Organic Kerstin Florian oils used at Henderson Spa — The massage by Kirstin at The Henderson Spa began by choosing from quality oils (I always choose Neroli Blossom which reminds me of living in Morocco) and ended with Tibetin chime (needed because I was so relaxed I fell asleep).

Henderson Park Inn is an adults-only getaway where couples honeymoon and return for anniversaries.

200-acre Henderson State Park separates Henderson Beach Resort and Henderson Park Inn from high-season crowds.

Emerald waves on Destin, Florida coast — There’s nothing like Florida’s Emerald Coast.

When I did leave the resort, my favorite spot was the sister property, Henderson Park Inn, a beautiful place to journal and watch waves over breakfast.

Check out Deals on Henderson Beach Resort’s website or book here.

See all the area offers in the Destin-Ft. Walton Beach Guide: request print or get a digital version here.

Some Family, Friend, and Local Favorites with Links Below

Eat-Drink-Be-Merry-in-Destin Download

Thanks for the memories!

Why Pier House Resort Key West is the Ultimate Solo Retreat

January 26, 2023May 6, 2025Cindy McCain

*Thanks to Pier House for reviving my mind, heart, body, and soul. As always, the following opinions are my own.

Wishing you could just ride (or sail away) into the sunset?

Sick of winter or overwhelmed by a longer season of taking care of business, children, grandchildren, or parents?

Recently I found the port in the storm I needed.

Sure, Pier House Resort and Spa in Key West is a destination for dream weddings, honeymoons and anniversary celebrations. But it’s also PARADISE if you need a Solo Soul Retreat. A safe harbor of beauty and a launchpad for adventure. A place where I enjoyed some solitude and experienced the kindness of strangers.

If one of your resolutions this year is to take better care of yourself, this is the place. Put it on your Bucket List — not in spite of but because of loved ones depending on you.

Take a quick look at just a few reasons why Pier House Resort & Spa is the #1 place in Key West to rest and reset.

Pier House Resort and Spa, a destination in its own right, is located on Fantasy Island, a.k.a Key West. If you’ve heard that all the beaches are manmade and that deters you, don’t let it. An island in the largest living coral reef in the Continental U.S. (and 3rd largest in the world) where you can play in the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico is something to behold. Key West is a three-hour scenic drive from Miami, a ferry ride from Fort Myers, and accessible by commercial airlines.

Key West feels like the Caribbean where I lived for a year minus the worries of what can happen if you leave the resort. The town is the best of Old Florida with a twist of New Orleans quirk. But members of The Conch Republic pride themselves in being different from the rest of the state — or anywhere — for that matter. You have to love rebels with a cause who are celebrating over 40 years of Fun-dependence since they staged a kind-of-coup in 1982. They’re an inclusive bunch, inviting you to celebrate this historic moment with them in April and every sunset year-round.

From the moment I saw from my plane fleets of sailboats bobbing below on emerald, turquoise, aqua, and midnight blue waters, I was smitten. I loved walking down the ramp and across the tarmac to the tiny airport (4 gates) as if in some classic movie. If you’re a romantic, too, I advise you to experience the Key West International Airport before the completion of the expansion in 2024.

Getting around couldn’t be easier. The Lyft driver met me at the pickup point a few steps from Arrivals within 5 minutes of my call. I paid $20 for the 15-minute drive to Pier House, and other than hitching a ride in a Pedicab and sailboat, I enjoyed walking everywhere during my 3-day stay. You can also rent a bike, Vespa, or go-cart to explore the 2 by 4-mile island.

Riding along the Malecón took me back to The Dominican Republic. The temperature was 75, 40 degrees warmer than the temperature in Nashville when I left. Palm trees, oh, how I love palm trees! waved a welcome as did the waves, clear and blue as the sky.

We rode through the Historic District of Old Town Key West where homes and churches circa 1800s – early 20th century line the streets. Pretty in pink, yellow, and blue hues, they have shuttered windows, verandas, and gardens with white picket fences. Similar to architecture in New Orleans, there are stately two-storied, white- columned homes, Spanish Colonials, and Queen Annes with gingerbread trim and whimsical gables, turrets, and towers. The single-storied conch cottages or “cigar houses” built by Cuban cigar makers are charming.

My plan was to drop my bag off at the resort and explore until my room was ready. I’d caught the Allegiant red- eye flight at 6 AM to get the $150 roundtrip deal. Allegiant flies to and from Nashville on Fridays and Mondays only, so I was happy to get an early start on my weekend. I got up with the chickens so I’d decided to have breakfast with the roosters at Blue Heaven built on the site of the Key West Arena in Bahama Village where Ernest Hemingway refereed open-air boxing matches.

Normally I like getting my bearings in a new place with a low-key food tour where I also get a local’s tip on where to eat. This trip I was THRILLED that I’d be eating meals at the resort not only because the menu looked amazing but also because I was too tired to make decisions. I’d left the house at 3:30 AM, but, to be honest, I arrived weary from becoming a full-time caregiver last April. As I often felt as a single mom from the time my kids were tiny, I just wanted someone to take the wheel. I was armed with a map and directions, but when a pedicab driver with big personality and a cute little friend named Oliver offered me a ride and impromptu tour in his pedicab, I hopped in.

In our short ride I learned about “South Vegas,” saw The Harry S. Truman Little White House Museum, the former home of Kelly McGillis (Top Gun, Witness actress who moved to Key West in the early ’90s to raise her family in the friendly, small town), banyan trees, roaming chickens, termites, Mile Marker 0 (end of Highway US 1), and “the best people on the planet.” It was a joy ride.

The Lobster Benedict, live music, and roosters lived up to the hype at Blue Heaven. The wait was over an hour, but you can eat at the bar straight away if there’s an empty chair. I like doing this when alone because it’s a way to meet locals and other travelers who’ll give you their must-sees and don’t-dos. Trey from Ohio who often comes to Key West with his sailing friends sat down beside me and did just that.

Quick Travel Tale for Caregivers on Why Getting Away is Important

As I started breakfast, the lady I’d hired to care for Mom called. I couldn’t hear her questions over the band or understand her text. Afraid something was wrong, I said I’d call her from outside as soon as I paid the check. Trey saw that I was shaking, told the waitress (who was slammed) to add my tab to his, and insisted that I go. He said, “My dad passed away a few months ago. It’s a good thing you’re doing.” I told him I haven’t been doing it so well lately.

I actually felt like a failure. I share this story because 1) there are kind people in the world and plenty of them in Key West, 2) if you’re a caregiver to the elderly and feel isolated, know that you’re not alone. According to the CDC, 80% of people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia are receiving care at home. Approximately two-thirds of dementia caregivers are women… and approximately one-quarter of dementia caregivers are also caring for children under age 18. 3) Give yourself a break. Mom and I have had fun together and share moments I’ll treasure forever. But some days I’ve felt depressed, irritable, and frustrated, then guilty because I can’t imagine how hard many days feel to her. A social worker told me that no matter what we do, don’t do, or how we do it, when our parents are gone we feel we should have… could have… done more. She said burnout is real, and if we don’t put on our own oxygen mask we can’t care for others. My mom knew this when my kids were little. She’d take them once or twice a year while I went alone to a Tennessee B & B. I returned a better mother. After Key West, I returned a better daughter.

Beautiful Place

By the time I returned to Pier House, my room was ready. As the video shows, the property is a tropical hideaway in the #1 location in Key West. The address is literally 1 Duval (Duval being the main artery of town pulsing with restaurants, bars, and shopping all the way to the Southernmost Point in the US. Steps from the front door of the resort are Sunset Pier and Mallory Square where folks from everywhere on the 2 x 4- mile island migrate daily to toast the sunset. Everyone is invited to the party. I met new friends there and on the property. Pier House Key West is the perfect place to retreat or engage as needed.

These 2 photos are courtesy of Pier House Resort and Spa Key West

There was room for a party on my balcony, but I enjoyed relaxing to the rhythm of the Gulf below. The view from my comfortable bed in my one-bedroom suite was stunning. Pier House also has two-bedroom Ocean View Suites and a Presidential Suite, which encompasses the entire top floor of the building overlooking the harbour.

The property has 119 rooms, 23 suites, a private beach, pool and hot tub, an award-winning spa, a beach bar and One Duval on the Gulf of Mexico. Pier House was listed #1 Best Hotel in Key West by Southern Living magazine in 2022, received the Experts’ Choice Award in the 2022 Trip Expert Awards, and was voted Top 13 Resorts in the Florida Keys in the 2021 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards.

Great People

People who Make Pier House Home

The resort and spa staff took such good care of me I was tempted to never leave. I immediately bonded with Thekla who has been working in the spa for over twenty years. She says Pier House feels like a family. She is from Salzburg, The Sound of Music city I adore and was intrigued about solo travel. I loved hearing about her journey from Austria to the Keys. By the time we were finished, she said she is going to take her first solo trip to her Dream Destination, and I had a podcast episode I’ll share with you soon.

Other staff members who made me feel at home were Roman from The Czech Republic, Joko at the beach bar, Naz and Cristina at One Duval, Marc, a bartender at The Chart Room, and Lee, the Concierge who gave me tips to chart my course when I arrived. Turns out, even when I went rogue, he saved the day. Literally.

I saved 2 Bucket List items for last — deep sea fishing and The Hemingway Museum. I planned to call the post, “The Old Lady and the Sea.” Being a do-it-yourself, bargain-hunting kind of girl, I booked a fishing charter online with my go-to tour company. I bought a sunblock shirt at CVS on the corner, a pair of shorts at a $5 shop a local lady volunteered to take me to, and a pair of wraparound sunglasses. I grew up fishing with my dad on lakes in Kentucky. A Hemingway sort himself, he’d caught a sand shark the one time he fished in Florida. I was soooo excited to finally fish on the high seas.

The Hemingway Museum was amazing. (More on that in another post.) When I stopped by Lee’s desk to ask where to catch the boat for the 2:30 fishing excursion I’d booked, he looked worried. He called the captain. There was no 2:30 trip on Sunday, just one at 8 AM. The captain offered to take me on Monday, but I told him I was leaving the next morning. I wanted to cry.

“Let’s get you on the water,” Lee said kindly.

It was too late to book a fishing charter, but he had many other options. I said a sunset cruise with food, drinks, and live music would be great. I mentioned a rambunctious crew I’d heard on a party boat my first night, but he steered me away. I listened because I’d learned a lesson. Let local pros handle your stay. They truly know best. He broke down several cruises by company, type of ship, food and drink, music, and number of passengers.

Lee’s expertise can also help with parasailing, biking, scuba diving, reef snorkeling, dolphin swimming, jet skiing, rain and trolley rides as well as:

Red Barn Theatre
Fort Zachary Taylor
Harry S. Truman Little White House
Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square
Mel Fisher Maritime Museum
Hogs Breath Saloon
Sloppy Joe’s Key West
Fort Jefferson and Dry Tortugas National Park
Key West Aquarium
Ernest Hemingway House

Don’t Miss The Chart Room

Pier House was actually built around this institution. Check out photos of Jimmy Buffet starting his career here and other celebrity sorts. Great drinks and free popcorn, peanuts, and hot dogs nightly.

The Key West Effect

Poets, pirates, parrot heads, and painters…bikers, hippies, cowboys, and sailors. Boomers to Zoomers … animals with attitudes … in Key West, fun is had by all.

In reel below, I learned at Island Cigar Factory all about Alvin’s Doggy Speed Dating and wedding. And at the Hemingway Museum, cats spread their paws in boredom knowing tourists are searching for that 6th toe. Pets are welcome at Pier House Key West. For a Pet Fee you get bowls for food and water, a luxury pet bed, a flashlight and waste bag holder and Pier House treats.

Fun Fact: The Hemingway Museum consulted a cat therapist to be sure the growing number of descendants of Snow White, a gift to Hemingway’s son, were doing ok. A couple of the cats were enjoying the bed during my tour of the home. Obviously, all is well.

Happy Sails to You, Key West, Until We Meet Again…

Something about the sun melting into the Gulf of Mexico makes everyone happy.

I met Dennis and Teri the first night. They had a rental for a month and had biked to Sunset Pier for the Sundown Celebration. Though retired, they help their daughter by caring for grandchildren. Thanks for the Rum Runner!

I met Jane and Joe on the last night on a sunset cruise celebrating Joe’s 75th birthday. They said they aren’t into partying, but found so much history to enjoy in Key West.

Pretty ladies from California enjoying the cruise, too.

By the time we glided into the port that last day, I was a different person. I’m still smiling. My administrator noticed it at our spring semester kickoff meeting, marking my 80th semester of teaching. Last August, I’d started this 40th year clearly exhausted.

“You seem so calm,” she said.

“I am,” I grinned. “I just got back from Key West.”

Any time you need a break is the right time for Key West, but also check out special events, like The Key Lime Festival,Parrot Heads in Paradise, and Fantasy Fest here. Stay tuned for a post on Key West literary events and homes of two guys I stalk —Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams.

Feedspot Names Southern Girl Gone Global a 2022 Top 35 Baby Boomer Travel Blog

February 6, 2022July 24, 2022Cindy McCain

Feedspot Names Southern Girl Gone Global a Top 35 Baby Boomer Travel Blog for 2022 (Made List 2020 and 2021 too)

Big thanks to YOU readers and to FEEDSPOT who named Southern Girl Gone Global a Top 35 Baby Boomer Travel Blog for the 3rd consecutive year!

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.

Work Your Way Down Florida’s West Coast

Sarasota Sol o on Florida’s Cultural Coast

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.

Tarpon Springs

I caught up on the podcast with former colleague, Dr. Vincent Huth, who has retired in Tarpon Springs Florida, a Greek village and home of the largest Epiphany Celebration in the Northern Hemisphere.

Captiva Island Media Tour and Mother/Daughter Getaway

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 of Cuisineist. 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.

Anna Maria Island Empty Nester Moms Getaway

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 Ho lmes 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.

Downtown Fort Myers

Also in December, I featured The Luminary Hotel and F ord 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.

Also meet Rosa Candela, tour guide on the Amalfi Coast (listen here) and the lady who taught me how to make a mean limoncello for the bridal party at my niece’s wedding.

Walk the Red Carpet on The French Riviera (or Côte d’Azur)

If you’ve ever wanted to walk the Red Carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, Toni Thompson tells you how here.

And if you’re looking for a new exercise resource that will sweep you away, check out Silver and Fit options here.

For more adventures in Morocco, Spain, Oregon Wine Country, Canada, France, Switzerland, Asia, and The Middle East, check out Travel People: Living Authentic Lives, Finding Kindred Spirits, Fulfilling Dreams with photos and videos or listen on the go here.

Trailers…

Pompeii, Naples, Amalfi Coast and Beyond with Italian Archeologists, Wine Experts, and Walking Guides

A Tale of 2 Teachers… one in Dubai and one in Vegas. Both will inspire you to do what you love and see the world.

Again, much thanks to you, the readers, and to you, Feedspot. Here’s to more adventures in 2022!

Fort Myers, Florida Offers One of the Best River Districts in the US

December 28, 2021March 11, 2025Cindy McCain

The post below was first published in December 2021. Since then, Fort Myers has rebuilt after Hurricanes Ian, Helene, and Milton and welcomes us back!

Fort Myers, Florida, “The City of Palms,” is worth fanfare. If you’ve joined my two-year expedition down the southwestern coast of Florida, you know that I’ve fallen in love with the southwest coast of The Sunshine 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. Fort Myers offers much more than a beach. The River District has a beautiful marina and charming downtown with cool restaurants, shops, historical sites, and events.

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

Why Fort Myers River District?

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.

Finds in The Franklin Shops on Main Street reminded me that travel inspires us to…

Inspiration found in Franklin Shops, Main Street, Fort Myers

The 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.

You 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 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

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 a couple, family, friend, or solo getaway 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 celebrating Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s Gift from the Sea, then ended the week solo in downtown Fort Myers at Luminary.

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)

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)

Luxury Stay: The Luminary Hotel & Co.

Luminary Hotel & Co. is 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. They converted the area 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 sunsets 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.

Planning Your Trip

To plan your trip, start here.

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/River District.

Art and Festival Lovers

Florida Rep

Gulfshore Opera

Broadway Palm Dinner Theater

Gulfcoast Symphony

Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival and Parade

Fort Myer Film Festival

Captivaville

More here

Edison and Ford Winter Estates Lighting Up the Holidays and Inspiring All Year

December 20, 2021December 21, 2021Cindy McCain

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.

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.

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 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.

Living the Dream on Anna Maria Island

September 18, 2021April 19, 2022Cindy McCain

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.

First, a big thanks to Morgan Henderson who invited me to check out her new property 400 steps from the beach. (https://www.floridarentalbyowners.com/listing/2222). Summer 2020 I featured AMI and rented her Bradenton Beach bayside condo (https://www.floridarentalbyowners.com/listing/1321) with my friend, Traci. Morgan was also a guest on my podcast where she educated us on how to own, manage or book (safely) a Florida property. She also showed us how she made remote learning at the beach an amazing educational experience for her kids. Download/stream here or watch here.

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.

To rent Morgan and Dan Henderson’s Holmes Beach condo featured in the video, go here: https://www.floridarentalbyowners.com/listing/2222

To rent the Bradenton Beach condo ( most searched on the Florida Rental By Owners Site in 2020), go here: https://www.floridarentalbyowners.com/listing/1321

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.

I don’t like to wait… to wonder when I’ll know for sure what’s next or how I’ll get it. But in the case of moving to Morocco, I see now that moving there was a dream planted in my heart when I was a child, too. These things I believe…

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?

Swept Away by Captiva Island’s South Seas Island Resort

April 27, 2021October 16, 2022Cindy McCain

In 2021 I had two of the best Florida stays of my life. One was on Captiva Island with my daughter, and the other was on Sanibel Island with a group of amazing women at The Gift for the Sea Writing Retreat and Community Celebration. Rebuilding efforts of both are ongoing after the devastation left by Hurricane Ian. To help rebuild, the Captiva-Sanibel Chamber posted this link:

https://gofund.me/67e6e290

Below is the post after my stay in April 2021:

Disclosure: A huge thank you to South Seas Island Resort and The Beaches of Ft. Meyers & Sanibel for their hospitality during our sponsored stay. As always, the opinions below are my own.

Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link to Amazon with no additional cost to the customer.

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.

deserted beach — Deserted beaches at South Seas Island Resort Photo Credit: Taylor McCain

Blue house and palm trees — Captiva 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).

A short drive or ride away are area attractions including J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Lighthouse Beach and the spring training facilities of the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins. In addition, the resort is half a mile from downtown Captiva with its shops and restaurants, including the Bubble Room and Mucky Duck.

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.

South Seas Island Resort Credit: Taylor McCain

On the bay behind us were rooms overlooking the Yacht Harbor.

For a large family, there are vacation rentals and uber luxurious two-six bedroom Homes of Distinction. Family portraits are available and fantasy wedding venues.

MUST- DOs, MUST- EATS, and A DON’T MISS

Excursion to Cabbage Key

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 Cruises

Guests 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 water

Cabbage Key Inn’s Cheeseburger in Paradise

The Planter’s Punch, Red Snapper, Their Special of the Day, and slaw-Delicious

After 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.

MUST EAT

The Harborside Bar and Grill

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.

hammock and palm trees — Sunset Beach, South Seas Island Resort Photo by Taylor McCain

Beach dinner by Tacos and Tequila followed by S’mores

Jalapeno 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.

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Behind-the-Scene Tour of The Ringling, Crown Jewel of Florida’s Cultural Coast

February 6, 2021April 8, 2021Cindy McCain

Disclosure: Thank you, VisitSarasota.com and partners, for the hospitality, education, and fun. Readers, as always, the opinions here are my own.

This last feature of a 3-part series celebrating Florida’s Cultural Coast pays tribute to Sarasota’s crown jewel, The Ringling. The 66-acre complex of world-class art and circus museums, an educational center, a glass pavilion, historic theater, arboretum, gardens, and palatial mansion is a place where lovers of all kinds can wander away from crowds. More a destination than an attraction, The Ringling alone is worth a trip to Sarasota County. It’s also a cultural center for local members and a dream venue for romance and weddings.

I took a three-hour private tour with Virginia Harshman, Ringling Public Relations Head, M.A. Harvard University in Museum Studies. She gave me a behind-the-scenes look, unlocking secret areas with keys, masterful storytelling, and passion for the property and the people who built it. I left wishing that I’d explored this hidden gem and national/global treasure a long time ago and looking forward to a future visit.

The Ringling is beautiful in any season. It’s not too late to plan the perfect Valentine’s, Spring Break, Remote School, or Summer Getaway.

Who loves The Ringling?

I Do! I Do! And if you’re one of these 10 Kinds of Lovers, you will, too…

1) Lovers of Love Stories & The 1920s American Dream

Even before I heard the love story of John and Mabel Ringling, American Royalty who owned the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus, I fell in love at first sight with their home. Ca’ d’Zan transported me to my favorite era, the Roaring ‘20s, and two of my favorite places on earth. Its Moorish arches took me back to Morocco

and its overall design to Venice where I started another new year. Inspired by the Doge’s Palace on the Grand Canal, the five-story Venetian Gothic Revival mansion overlooks Sarasota Bay.

Ca’ d’Zan Photo Courtesy of The Ringling

The exterior’s stucco as well as many glass windows and bedrooms are pink hues. My favorite color, the breathtaking property, and John Ringling’s story reminded me of one of my favorite characters, Jay Gatsby, and his pink suit. John Ringling, like F. Scott Fitzgerald’s protagonist, had humble beginnings and both tenaciously pursued The American Dream. I could imagine Jay Gatsby’s Rolls-Royce, called a “circus wagon,” parked in the driveway beside John Ringling’s Rolls-Royce, now on exhibit in the Sarasota Classic Car Museum.

Walking the grounds, I could imagine legendary ‘20s parties around Gatsby’s and on the Ringling terrace. John and Mabel frequently entertained celebrities, like Will Rogers who had his own guest room, movie directors, politicians, and actresses, such as Billie Burke, better known as Glenda the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz.

Jay was “The Great Gatsby”and “John was King of The Greatest Show on Earth.” Both built romantic palaces for the women they loved, but here the parallels end. Daisy rejected Jay and his new money. John and Mabel had similar values–maybe because she, too, came from a modest family. They were kindred spirits in their shared love for culture, art, and travel, as well as their desire to give back. Their legacy is now the State Art Museum of Florida administered by Florida State University.

Though Ca’ d’Zan means “House of John” in the Venetian dialect, it has been called John’s “love letter” to Mabel. They built it together, getting ideas as they traveled the world for twenty-five years buying art and new circus acts. She collected in an oilskin portfolio photos and sketches of architecture, gardens, and design. See the video below of my behind-the-scenes tour where I learned more about Mabel and why everyone at The Ringling adores her.

2) Lovers of Architecture and Design

In 1911, John and Mabel began spending winters in Sarasota on 20 acres of waterfront property they purchased. They continued buying real estate and at one time owned 25% of the town. In 1924 they hired architect Dwight James Baum to design and Owen Burns to build the 36,000 square-foot Mediterranean Revival of their dreams. In addition to the Doge’s Palace, Ca’ d’Oro and the Grand Hotel d’Italie Bauer-Grünwald inspired the plans.

Ca’ d’Oro, Venice taken New Year’s Day, 2016

The roof was made of 16th century tiles John found in Barcelona and sent home in two cargo ships. The marble bayside terrace –now used for weddings, yoga classes, and other gatherings– was used by the Ringlings for entertaining. The orchestra played for guests from their yacht, Zalophus, beside Mabel’s gondola which bobbed in the bay. Their dining room table seated 22, and cocktails were served in style at parties and in John’s Man Cave.

Virginia gave me a look at the upper floors of the house which were closed due to Covid. I felt like I was a kid again–Nancy Drew on a snoop–when she showed me the secret Playroom. Overlooking Sarasota from the 82-foot tower is a moment I won’t forget. (See video below.)

Everywhere you look there is regal beauty. John Ringling’s bedroom

Mabel and John painted on The Playroom ceiling

Some guest rooms, such this one where Will Rogers often stayed, were closed due to Covid

Everyday feels like a holiday at Ca’ de’Zan

3) Lovers of Art and History

After Ca’ d’Zan was completed, John built a 21-gallery museum modeled from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. In the courtyard stands a cast bronze replica of Michelangelo’s David purchased from the Chiurrazi Foundry outside of Rome, Italy. It’s now the symbol of the City of Sarasota on Florida’s Cultural Coast.

The Ringling, Sarasota, Florida’s Cultural Coast

Ringling Courtyard Photo Courtesy of VistSarasota.com

Inside are collections of Classical and Modern Masters. In 1931, two years after the death of Mabel, John opened the museum to the public to promote “education and art appreciation, especially for our young people.” In 1936 he left it to the state of Florida upon his death. See the video above on the Rubens Gallery, the family crest John had designed, and Modern Art exhibits, such as the photography series, A Girl and Her Room . A world-class cultural center, The Ringling Art Museum was just awarded another grant–this one from the Andy Warhol Foundation.

At the Museum of Art and Education Center budding artists, Artists in Residence, and teachers find resources, professional development, and inspiration.

4) Lovers of Theater/Performing Arts

The Historic Asolo Theater itself, once in the castle in Asolo, Italy of Queen Caterina Cornaro, Venetian-born widow of the King of Cyprus is a MUST-SEE.

It has been restored and moved into the John M. McKay Visitors Pavilion, designed by Yann Wemouth, architect for the Pyramide du Lovre, East Wing of the National Gallery in D.C. and the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida. See performing arts schedule here.

5) Lovers of Glass Art

Grouped by country of origin, works of art from the studio glass movement from the 1940s to the present are in the Glass Pavilion here.

5) Lovers of Gardens and Gorgeous Landscapes

In the 66-acre paradise are waterfront gardens and a Level II Arboretum with 100 different species of trees to hug. John and Mabel are buried in the Secret Garden below.

6) Lovers of Cinderella Stories, Business, and Finance

The Ringling family story is fascinating. In 1927 John Ringling, one of the wealthiest men in the world, made Sarasota the winter headquarters for the circus. In addition to owning “The Greatest Show on Earth” he invested in oil, railroads, Madison Square Garden, and his community. When he died his estate appraised at $23.5 million, and he had $311 in the bank. Business Insider gives an in-depth analysis here.

7) The Circus and Circus Movies

Ok, I admit it. I’ve saved the best for near-last. One of my favorite movies as a child wasThe Greatest Show on Earth which I watched again this week while writing this piece. Director Cecil B. DeMille traveled with the circus for research and John North, John Ringling’s nephew, plays himself in the film as he tries to save the show in changing times. I loved seeing Sarasota where it was filmed–especially the parade down Main Street which included locals as extras. When it was made, there was no Walt Disney World; time under the Big Top was the premiere happy place for children. The movie was the highest grossing film of the year. Though some critics didn’t agree with it winning Best Picture, I’m with Stephen Spielberg, another fan. He said it was the first movie he ever saw and it inspired his film career. Since my mom’s generation, kids would say, “I’m goin’ run away and join the circus!” Swinging from a trapeze in sequins and feathers still looks pretty fun to me.

Check out Sarasota’s Circus Legacy and Circus Museum here. Don’t miss the world’s largest model circus (see video) and special exhibits, like Circus and Suffragists.

9) Lovers of Visionaries, Dreamers, and Muses

John was one of eight children of a German immigrant. Mabel grew up in a small farming community in a family of eight. John began in a small circus as a clown.

After making his fortune, he bought Saint Armand’s Key to develop it into a center for shopping, restaurants, and art. Though the Great Depression deferred his dream, it was fulfilled later by others. Today his statue overlooks Saint Armand’s Circle, a global destination. Here statues he donated to the city transport visitors to other cultural centers, like Rome and Athens. Other plans he had for Sarasota were thwarted by the times, such as a residence for a U.S. President and a Ritz-Carlton on Longboat Key. The statues today in The Ringing Art Museum Courtyard had been purchased for the hotel. One thing is for sure. He shared his love for mythology and was a muse and myth maker himself.

10) Lovers of Photos Ops

If you are vacationing with teens and they aren’t convinced yet to do The Ringling, tell them it’s Instagram heaven. You can also book professional portraits here.

MORE OPPORTUNITIES

Until you can visit in person, virtual options are here:

https://www.ringling.org/events/virtual-talks-lectures

https://www.ringling.org/events/learn-home-anytime

Valentine Celebration

Spring Break Treat April 1–my favorite artist on the Big Screen here.

Florida’s Cultural Coast: Part 1

Part 2

Sarasota County, Florida’s Cultural Coast, Is Strong and Beautiful as Ever

January 14, 2021March 9, 2025Cindy McCain

Unconditional Surrender Statue, Photo Courtesy of VisitSarasota.com

With every visit, I fall more in love with Sarasota County. Rising above flood and storm damage, the community welcomes us back. See latest on recovery efforts here. Nowhere else in Florida — or, perhaps, in the US — do you get the whole package. A close and cosmopolitan community brimming with Performing and Visual Arts. A world-famous beach on the gorgeous Gulf. First-class cuisine. A vibrant health and wellness scene. Since I wrote this 3-part series based on my 2021 visit, I’ve been back because I’m passionate about this place. Sarasota County continues sweeping awards:

Trip Advisor’s Travelers’ Choice 2025 Award for Best Beach, Siesta Beach #1 US, #4 World
U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best Places to Visit in Florida, Sarasota #1
U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 and 2021 Best Places to Retire in the U.S., Sarasota #1

I wanted to start 2021 in this sunny place for a brighter year. I especially looked forward to returning after quiet holidays when my family couldn’t gather as usual because Nashville was too cold for us to meet outdoors.

Snowbird friends nest in this area yearly. My sister and brother-in-law spent their honeymoon in Sarasota, and we hope to gather our adult children, cousins, and moms for a multi-generational reunion there one day. Since I was a child, Florida has been my Happy Place. My children loved it too. The Destin area is only 7 hours by car from Nashville so many families from here make it their go-to vacation spot. But over the last couple of years, I’ve been working my way down the west coast. Sarasota County truly offers the best of all worlds—the most beautiful beaches in the country, a welcoming community of locals focused on health and fitness, AND a big city art and culinary scene.

When planning a vacation, we can feel forced to choose between two types we love — exploring a new city or relaxing on a beach. The liberal arts instructor in me likes to nerd-out in artistic centers.

I’ve been moved by paintings in Paris, Amsterdam, Rome…

**The Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, Florida**

ballet in St. Petersburg and Bratislava… theater in New York and London…

**Venice Theater, Photo Courtesy of VisitSarasota.com**

sculptures in Athens and Florence…

**The David at The Ringling Courtyard, Sarasota**

palatial architecture in Marrakesh, Venice, and Rome.

Ringling Museum of Art Courtyard, Sarasota, Photo Courtesy of VistSarasota.com

Sarasota County offers all of these experiences.

Sometimes the free spirit in me just wants a dozen raw oysters and live music, a transcendent sunset, days spent gathering seashells and crashing on powdered sugar sand.

Siesta Key Beach, voted #1 in the US, is that place, too.

If you enjoy walking or biking to patios of locally-owned coffee shops and cafes …

checking out craft beer breweries …

Big Top Brewing Courtesy of VisitSarasota.com

…or having a cocktail on a rooftop looking down on city lights and an ocean bay…

Art Ovation Rooftop Photo Courtesy of VisitSarasota.com

Sarasota County is your place.

Family members have different interests and priorities… shopping vs golfing, playing beach volleyball vs working out, eating vegan vs grilling steak or seafood, exploring nature vs hopping beaches, watching dolphins vs watching the Braves. Here everybody gets to do his or her thing.

Sarasota County also makes the ideal remote classroom. It’s why some parents working from home have moved their children’s virtual learning to Florida’s west coast. Here family bonds over all kinds of field trips–opportunities providing education and wellness for mind, body, and spirit.

Selby Butterfly Garden Photo Courtesy of VisitSarasota.com

Research shows that just planning a trip makes us happier. Even just a long weekend away can reduce stress. Sarasota is only a 2-hour flight from Nashville and much of the southeast. I flew Allegiant as I’ve done in the past and been very pleased. Last fall Allegiant added 8 new cities with flights to Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport. Other departures include Asheville, NC; Fairfax, VA; Louisville, KY; and Knoxville, TN.

Below is my 3-day itinerary. Please check out highlights in the video below.

Day One

Arrive in Sarasota County at SRQ Airport

Check In Art Ovation Hotel, Autograph Collection

Art Ovation Hotel is located in downtown Sarasota, the heart of world-class culture and cuisine. Florida Studio Theatre, Sarasota Opera House , other venues and Main Street are steps away. The boutique hotel itself celebrates and inspires creativity with exhibits of contemporary artists throughout. I felt at home the minute I stepped out of the taxi when I heard salsa music playing throughout the lobby and Overture Bar where rotating art exhibits represent global cultures. Cuban art was in the spotlight while I was there– inspiring workshops, the menu, and the playlist.

Upon arrival I was given a guide inviting guests to ten events over the weekend including the New Year’s Eve party on the rooftop, tours led by cultural curators of art galleries throughout the property, live musical performances by Motown and jazz artists, and the weekly Vino Y Arte class where a local artist paints live, then teaches participants her/his techniques as they sip wine and create masterpieces of their own.

Art Ovation Hotel Photo Courtesy of VisitSarasota.com

Sarasota Opera Production of *Romeo & Julie*t Photo Courtesy of VisitSarasota.com

Florida Studio Theatre, Photo Courtesy of VisitSarasota.com

The hotel provides courtesy bikes and beach chairs. After the New Year’s Eve party I was tempted to grab a cabana poolside but instead took a bike to my yoga class, to lunch, and to check out the neighborhood.

The staff are consummate professionals. They were gracious and helpful with ordering a quick breakfast in the room, scheduling rides, and and providing insider tips on venues for Latin dance. My King Guest Room was on the 6th floor with a view of the city lights. In addition to luxurious bedding, walk-in shower, and bath products, in each room is a ukulele for find your musician within. Their commitment to inspiring creativity extends to all ages, even after you’ve returned home.

9 pm Dinner at Columbia Restaurant

Since taking a quick spin around St. Armands Circle last summer, I was on a mission to eat at this award-winning institution. Being there on NYE was a real treat. Columbia’s, founded in 1905 by Cuban immigrant Casimiro Hernandez, Sr., has additional locations in Tampa, St. Augustine, and Clearwater. It has been owned and operated by 5 generations and is known as Florida’s oldest restaurant, the largest Spanish restaurant in the world, and was named one of the most historic restaurants in the country by USA Today. Like the food and service, the guest list is stellar– Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey, Marilyn Monroe, Liza Minelli, Bruce Springsteen, Steven Tyler, and George Clooney.

After living in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic I miss favorites enjoyed in my Piantini neighborhood and at Pat’s Palo in the Colonial Zone . Columbia’s has empanadas, croquettes, paella, sangria –oh my!–and so many other choices on the dinner and wine menus choosing is difficult. My server, Roxy, helped with this. I had the Ybor City Devil Crab Croquettes, the Original 1905 Salad, the Filet Mignon, and a glass of Don Cesar 2011 Ribera del Duero Spanish wine. Roxy recommended for another day one of their most popular dishes, Salteado . Was I pleased with my experience? See the highlight video above. Reservations recommended, and they offer catering.

Roxy, my amazing server, is new to Sarasota and loving it. She makes me want to move here, too. Another server stopped by to say he grew up in Budapest and has been to all 50 states. He settled in Sarasota and says, “I know it’s a cliche, but this IS paradise.”

The Original 1005 salad is worth the hype. It would also be perfect for lunch with a dessert.

I can’t believe they share recipes for their signature salad (above), popular Cuban sandwich, Mojitos and more here! Columbia’s makes not only guests happy but also servers and management who stay. Manager Richard Appelgren told me he came here from Chile in 1984: “It was my first job and I never left. I love it here.” When I asked how Covid-19 has affected business, he said they adhere to all safety measures and fill tables at 50%. He added, “People trust us, and that’s why they keep coming back.”

NYE Party for Guests on Art Ovation Rooftop–See story on Instagram Highlight.

Day Two

11:00-12:00 AM Pineapple Yoga + Cycling Studio

(In this outdoor cycling/yoga class we wore masks unless on our mats or bikes, and class size was restricted to follow social distancing guidelines. More about Yoga and Lila in Part 2.)

1:00 Lunch at Lila

Afternoon on Lido Beach

Dinner at Element. Steak. Seafood. Pasta.

Around here exceptionally talented creatives aren’t just found on stages. They are found behind-the-scenes making magic. I love the stories of Executive Chef Nils and Chef Michelle. These culinary artists, a top-tier staff, an extensive wine list, and gorgeous setting make Element a favorite of local foodies and out-of-town guests. The modern dining rooms and candle-lit terraces make this restaurant a haven. Manager James Harries makes sure all feel welcome. My fun server, Phillipe, suggested the scallops. They were served on Parmesan farro risotto with a citrus herb crumb topping and cucumber mint relish. The dish was incredible, and so was the white wine he turned me onto– a Sancerre named for the Upper Loire Valley in France. See highlights in video above. Recommendations recommended.

I loved the terraces at Element for their quiet, private spaces.

Day 3

Morning Check out of Art Ovation Hotel

Private 3-hour tour of The Ringling with Virginia Harshman

An incredible behind-the-scenes look at the museums and Ca’ d’Zan will be featured in Part 3 of this series.

Check in at Sarasota Surf & Racquet Club

My condo was spacious–perfect for a family vacation. As always, my favorite room was the screened in lanai overlooking the pool, beach, and sea. I wasn’t there long enough to buy groceries or grill out, so for lunch I took a trolley a couple of miles down Midnight Pass Road to Siesta Key Village for oysters. (See video for highlights.) The sunset behind the Club was beautiful as expected, and I hear there’s a drum circle on Siesta Key Beach on Sundays at sunset. Check out other things to do here.

Nightlife in Siesta Key Village, Photo Courtesy of VisitSarasota.com

8:30 Dinner Ophelia’s on the Bay on Siesta Key

Ok, this is a Must-Do. Please see the video above with highlights. I understand why Ophelia’s on the Bay has received recognition from magazines such as Gourmet and Food and Wine. And why it is a popular wedding venue. In fact, a ceremony had just ended before I arrived. Owner Daniel Olson started working in his father’s restaurant in Maryland at age 14. In 2000 he moved to Sarasota and in 2004 became Executive Chef. His passion and creativity sustains a loyal following of locals and of tourists who always come back.

I loved eating under twinkling lights and a full moon reflected on the bay. I was thrilled to learn that my server, Cassy Belliveau. lived in Nashville six years and worked at one of my favorite restaurants there. She recommended what I believe was the best salad I’ve had in my life. The lobster and pasta made in-house are perfection. The creamy Champagne sauce made the dish so rich and delicious that I saved a bit to carry away for breakfast. Other recommendations are the Maryland Crab Cakes and the Eggplant Crepes, made with Mascarpone, Ricotta, Fontina, spinach, basil, and San Marzano Pomodoro Sauce–staples on the menu for twenty-five years. Reservations recommended.