Pine Island

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We're home in Ballston Lake, NY.

Fall 2010 Florida trip is but a memory; a very awesome memory.


Great "last night dinner" at Pine Island at Tarpon Lodge. Casual, comfy and slightly elegant! Would love to ride out a hurricane hunkered near the fireplace. Witty Irish lass, Sister Sue, at the piano in the lounge - jazz, standards, songs of the sea, and wicked satire. Also met up with the "Pine Island Hookers" who want me to join their philanthropic group.

Other hits re: entertainment during the week: raunchy Jay Crawford at Woody's where we also caught one of
"Yard Dog," Charlie Kutcher's "Mardi Gras Monday's." Very young percussionist (high schooler), Tiffany, burned up the wash board. Also loved singing along with The Fiddler & I at the Raggedy Butt.


Road trip to the northern part of Pine Island, Bokeelia, beautiful, as always. Jug Creek Marina seemed very quite but we understand it will open again for "the season." Next time we have to rent kayack's from Jug Creek or Matlacha and do the water trails. Fave Bokeelia gallery "Crossed Palms" might be for sale They rep great artists.


Best surprise lunch at a Mexican fruit stand near where Veteran's Highway and Pine Island Road collide. One Cuban sandwich, big enough for two, and a quart of fresh squeezed OJ for $11. Best surprise bar, "Ragged Ass" Saloon where we met up with Barefoot Dancin" Bob. He is still a great dancer (even tho' he now wears white sneakers).


Tie (with Tarpon Lodge) for best dinner, Macelli's at sunset! Love that calamari! Second best surprise lunch - Mexican Feast - every Thurs. at the VFW. Stroooong Margaritas! Very inexpensive. Best art surprise, the "Clothesline" separating Wildchild Gallery from Lovegrove Gallery on Matlacha. Two artists, former friends, have an issue about using an artistic clothesline on the boundery line.



Great Pool at the KOA. Interesting people, book talk, chatty, fun women!


RV and Jeep safely stored on Pine Island - stay tuned - we start up again in Feb.

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Photos

Joanne at the Pine Island KOA Pool
The weather has been fantastic. Nothing like last year's big chill. New cover up from Patchington's at Renaissance Village, Naples - sale rack!

The BEST Cuban Sandwiches
A fruit stand near the corner of Pine Island Road & Veteran's Highway has ONE menu item, Cuban sandwiches. We shared one washed down with a quart of fresh squeezed orange juice. $11 and so delish!

Fantasy Snake - Bokeelia
Everyone is so creative here - must be something in the air!

Crossed Palm Gallery
Note the print of a silk screen "Anhinga" on the far wall!

Ikki Motoyama
Ikki's genre is silk screening - these are prints - beautiful, beautiful prints!

Jay is One Raunchy Guy
Jay Crawford at Woody's - Did you ever laugh and laugh and then say to yourself - gross!

Stork at Pineland Marina
There is a Lazy Flamingo at this Marina.

Pineland Tropical Garden
Only locally grown, organic fruits and veggies - occasionally fish - also potted orchids, palm trees, citrus trees! Agriculture is big on Pine Island!

Joe's Crab Shack, Fort Myers
A terrible explosion knock out natural gas to all between Fort Myers and Naples. Even Joe's had to close! It was Boat Show weekend - big loss to those in the restaurant industry.

Boaters Camping at Woody
Could we do this? Like an RV - we have the land yacht; how about a nice, comfy DeVoe trawler?

Tarpon Lodge, Pineland, Pine Island
Moon Dance

The Disputed Clothesline
Later on it will sport artist embelished bras for breast cancer awareness, neck ties for prostate cancer, etc.

The Real Pine Island
Sunset from the dock at Tarpon Lodge.

Sunset Dinner Micelli's
Love this table!

Sunset
A German couple took this and we took a sunset shot for them. Pineland on the way to Tarpon Lodge - the sun was going down and we hopped out of the Jeep to capture the moment.

Comments

[Don Ackerman]

Gorgeous
Good grief - this area looks and sounds so great, we have to experience it ourselves.