Museum – Journeys with Eileen Diane

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page ~ St. Augustine

A neat place to visit in the Fort Myers area is the Edison and Ford Winter Estates. They date from 1885 and in addition to the winter homes there is an historical museum, a 21 acre botanical garden plus a gift shop and a garden center where guests can purchase plants and trees. Plan on spending several hours as you explore this beautiful area ~ Check out the web site for additional information. www.edisonfordwinterestates.org

Favorite Restaurants ~ Happy Hours

Matanzas ~ the main restaurant has a fabulous Happy Hour, with good drinks and super appetizers ~ plus a fabulous bartender. The restaurant has a very good lunch & dinner menu ~ best Key Lime Pie! ~ eat inside or outside ~ or choose Petey’s Upper Deck ~ also a marvelous place to relax and enjoy the ambience. The restaurant is located at Matanzas Inn, where I stayed for several days and highly recommend ~ great location ~ short walk to the beach and next to the marina.

Matanzas on the Bay | Waterfront Restaurant on Fort Myers Beach

Matanzas Inn | Fort Myers Beach Bayside Resort & Marina

Courtney’s Continental Cuisine ~ mouthwatering menu, including many terrific Italian entrees and Key Lime pie for dessert ~ the food definitely lives up to your expectations (or surpasses them!). Bon Appetit!

courtneyscontinentalcuisine.com

Lani Kai Island Resort ~ the bar on the top floor has a fabulous Happy Hour ~ terrific drinks and a special menu ~ plus a spectacular view of the beach

Fort Myers Beach Resort | Lani Kai Island Resort | Book Today!

Savor your journeys, near or far, real or imagined

I do not bring back from a journey quite the same self that I took ~ W. Somerset Maugham

A highlight of my recent journey to Florida was a visit to the Dali Museum in beautiful St. Petersburg. It was a short walk from my hotel (The Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown St Petersburg, which I recommend) along parks and the waterway.

I met a friend at the Museum and it was great fun exploring it with someone who had already visited this impressive museum. After a delicious cappuccino at their café, we downloaded the free Dali Museum app for a self-guided tour and set off to explore. https://thedali.org/ .. check for hours and note that at this time, advance tickets are required.

Let me share a few of my favorite Dali paintings (Photos below):

Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea, Which at 20 Meters Become the Portrait of Abraham Lincoln (1976)
Slave Market with the Disappearing Bust of Voltaire (1940)
The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory (1952-54)
The Discovery of America by Christopher Columbus (1958)

The app goes into marvelous detail about all of the exhibited artwork and after touring the Museum, we explored the enjoyable and very well stocked gift shop where you can purchase guide books (which give detailed information about the collection), clothing, magnets, jewelry, puzzles, etc.

Then we walked about the avant-garden, including the wish tree, from the admission bands given when entering the Museum.

Afterwards, we walked back to the town, checking a few restaurant menus and settling on one that is now one of my favorites.

Favorite Restaurants:

Parkshore Grill ~ Home | Parkshore Grill | Saint Petersburg FL | Contemporary American Cuisine | Fine Food Wine & Spirits ~ A terrific place for lunch; especially the “Parkshore Picnic” which includes a salad, main course (salmon was excellent) and a mini dessert. The dessert was exquisite and definitely not mini!
Bacchus Wine Bistro ~ Bacchus Wine Bistro – St. Petersburg, FL (bacchusstpete.com) ~ A fabulous spot for “Happy Hour” and dinner ~ You will definitely want to visit more than once to try items on their extensive menu.

St. Petersburg, with its beautiful beaches, parks, terrific restaurants and shops plus the Dali Museum, is certainly on my list to revisit.

Savor your journeys, near or far, real or imagined