Southwest Florida
Southwest Florida
Day 1
Starting in Arcadia, in De Soto County, we are checking out some of the Southwest portion of Florida. Arcadia is a small historic town that once had saloons, noisy cowboys, rustlers, and a wild and rowdy Oak St. Today Oak Street is lined with antique shops and small cafes. The Old Opera House Museum is on Oak St. with movie reels, projectors, props, and other memorabilia from the 1920s and 30s. We were drawn to The Fudge Shop by the bubbles floating in the air. The Fudge Shop is a 1950s themed café and ice cream shop, with an old Coke Soda Fountain, juke box, and popcorn maker. We each chose the Maryland Crab Sandwich. The sign advertised “made by an authentic Baltimorean.” It was a delicious sandwich, containing chunks of crab and a delightful flavor. It came with a drink choice, pickle spear, lettuce, tomato, and chips. Karla (Carla), the co owner, makes the crab cakes herself! The two lunches were $9.50 each. For dessert, we had homemade ice cream at half price! The special comes with lunch. Flavors included mud pie, mint chocolate chip, and peanut butter fudge. That was our choice, and it was scrumptious. Even the whipped cream is homemade. For $1.25 each, it was a bargain. We’d recommend this little café to anyone wanting good food at a good price in a fun atmosphere. Allow a couple of hours to wander, more if you want to do some serious antiquing.
Continuing west on Rt. 70, we paid a visit to the Rosa Fiorelli Winery and Vineyards, between Myakka City and Verna. For $5 a person, a tour of the vineyards in offered. We opted for the free wine tasting instead. Our host was Paul Brochu, a quite knowledgeable and entertaining man who gave us some ideas for drinking the wine. Our favorite was dipping the wine glass rim in melted chocolate, letting it chill in the refrigerator, and then pouring the wine into the glass, drinking it a la margarita. Sounds delicious, doesn’t it? We especially enjoyed the Conquistador and Aurora Muscadine wines, and bought several bottles to take home for the family. Paul graciously filmed us at the tasting, so some of the footage is his! Allow about an hour for the tasting. Tours last about 30 minutes, and meals are served afterward if desired. http://www.fiorelliwinery.com/
We enjoyed the drive past ranches, clusters of houses, and woods until reaching Sarasota. We stopped for the next two nights at AmericInn. There is a heated pool, fitness room, and continental breakfast. The room we chose is called a Pure Room, named so because it has a hypo-allergenic filter system and other features designed to keep the air as clean as possible for allergy sufferers. Rates for our room are $119 per night, a little high.
We had supper at Madfish Grill on Cattleman St. I had the whitefish with a citrus-soy glaze, served with a choice of two sides. I chose the Madhouse salad and plantains. Greg ordered the Seafood Martinique, a combination of lobster, scallops and shrimp in a vodka sauce, over penne pasta. We each had a glass of wine. The meal was very tasty and service was friendly and prompt. Total for the meal, $38. www.madfishgrill.com
We made a discovery today! Most people have heard of the Amish. They are fairly common in states such as Ohio and Pennsylvania. There are also Amish in Florida! A small population lives in the Sarasota area. Several restaurants serve Amish food and employ Amish and Mennonites.
Day 2
Are you ready for another good day? We decided to explore the Amish-Mennonite neighborhood this morning. We know them from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and other states in the north as well as from Canada. We were astounded to learn that Amish and Mennonites lives here in Southwest Florida! They are called the ”plain people” for their simple and hardworking lifestyle. They come here to escape the harsh winters of ice, snow, and freezing temperatures, apparently. Like so many other Northerners!
The Amish and Mennonites live in the Pinecraft neighborhood. It was a nostalgic feeling seeing so many signs of Amish and Mennonites, since we lived in Pennsylvania and Ohio! There are several restaurants, gift shops, and furniture stores featuring Amish goods. We saw signs in the community advertising such cottage industries as saw sharpening. Mennonite and Amish were eating and working in the restaurants, shopping and working in the farm market, riding their bikes and strolling along the street. We saw Mennonite churches. In the north, the horse and buggy are evidence that the Amish are nearby. Here it seemed that the bike or trike has replaced the horse and buggy. We bought some jellies in the Yoder Market, bought something in the gift shop, and lunched at the restaurant. Janet, in the gift shop, recommended the fried chicken with house dressing. She said it was wonderful, and she was right! We shared one order, and had so much, we packed up the remainder for a snack later. It came with two sides. Greg picked the home made mac and cheese while I favored the pumpkin pancakes. Melt in your mouth good! The meat was tender and juicy, the mac and cheese creamy, and the pancakes crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. The mint tea and lemonade were refreshing. Our total was $22 before tip. Good deal, right! There are many menu items, all hearty. The gift shop has some very nice Amish items such as dolls, toys, and books. Many other items, including Thanksgiving and Christmas items were on display. The farm market had all kinds of produce, such as persimmons, oranges, tomatoes, potatoes, avocados, and apples. Fresh baked goods, jams and jellies, pickles. Granola and more are available. We had a great time! If you go, allow an hour, and more if you eat, which we recommend!
Janet recommended seeing the statue representing the famous 1945 photo of the sailor kissing the nurse at the end of WW II. It’s downtown; we detoured there. She was right again. It’s 33 feet tall, dominating the beachfront park outside the marina. The statue is named “Unconditional Surrender” and it’s worth a look!
Venice is to the south. That’s the direction we drove. We found a place to light at the Veranda Inn in Venice. We have the mandatory coffee maker in the room, along with a microwave and fridge. There’s wireless. The building forms a courtyard with a heated (yes, heated)pool and seating areas. Rooms have French doors opening onto the courtyard, and a front door to the parking lot. A small café on site serves breakfast and lunch. Our king bed room was $64! Suites and 2 queen bed rooms are available.
Did you know there are warm springs in Florida? After settling in, we headed to the only warm springs in Florida! They are in the North Port area, about 10 miles away. Water temperature is 87. There are 54 minerals in the water, giving it a sulphur smell and green cast. The center of the round pool has a depth of over 200 feet, but near the shore, it’s walking depth. Soft music plays over the grounds. People walk around the pool in circles. It’s quiet, almost Zen like. Tiny minnows dart about the surface of the water. Fountains, huge trees, and gardens are plentiful. Spa treatments are offered. A café serves light fare, including organic wines and beers from around the world! After swimming in the warm mineral water, we were feeling very relaxed! I was ready to sleep, but it was only 4:00! This could be a terrific daycation! Admission is $20 per person.
Where can you find lobster rolls outside of New England? We had built up an appetite, so Sharkey’s on the Pier fit the bill for excellent food and great views. Lobster rolls for two, with cabo calamari as an appetizer. The lobster was mounded high, came with fries, and was tasty. The calamari was tender. Sunset views were fantastic! It’s a very casual atmosphere. Tab for dinner with wine was $56.
A leisurely swim in the heated pool was a good way to end the day!
