Sarasota Archives - Woman on Her Way

April 20, 2015 City Island Park, Sarasota

O’Leary’s Tiki Bar and Grill on City Island Park in Sarasota

City Island Park in Sarasota is becoming one of my favorites places in the city. Today we met friends for lunch at O’Leary’s Tiki Bar and Grill. We sat under the thatched roof near the water watching the pelicans land on the wind-swept waves. It was balmy and the breeze was soothing. We each ordered something different to eat, and we were all satisfied with our selections. Like in England, you have to go the to bar to place your order. We would have sat there a long time waiting for service if our friends Dave and Judy Helgager weren’t in on the QT.

Scapegoat panel at the Embracing Our Differences Exhibition

Paint Your One Picture panel at the Embracing Our Differences Exhibition

After lunch, we explored the “Embracing Our Differences Exhibition.” Believing that diversity is one of the world’s greatest assets, the exhibit tries to honor diversity and inclusion while teaching the importance of being an “up-stander,” not a “by-stander.”

There are 39 billboard-size images created by local, national and international artists, writers and students. Two of my favorite student quotations are:

“Destroy discrimination. Be like a Panda. They’re white, they’re black, they’re Asian, and they’r chubby.” Dylan De Wulf 5th Grade, Wilkinson Elementary School
Sarasota, Florida

“The path of your life JOURNEY is made more memorable and colorful by the cast of characters your encounter” ~ Grace Carlson, Sarasota, Florida

In addition to the exhibit, there are permanent statues, the children’s fountain, walking paths with benches and swings—nice calming place to spend a few hours.

I miss the Season of Sculpture exhibits that were on the bay front. I hope they return.

January 31, 2015 Visiting Sarasota

A Ann and Jane Lido Beach nne’s visit is coming to an end. Luckily the weather has warmed enough (60s) to enjoy outdoor activities. We started our day with a walk on Lido Beach, enjoying the late morning sunshine, the soft sand beneath our feet, and easy conversation as we walked the shoreline. I love the beaches in Sarasota and wonder why I don’t visit them as often as I would like.

“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” ~ John Burroughs

The beach was mostly empty, except for the sun-burned snowbirds and a group of fully-clothed Amish. Only a few intrepid children braved the 62°F waters. Seagulls and terns also enjoyed the sunshine. The birds did not seem to mind being in mixed company. Of course, curious Ann wanted to know what species they were, but I could not identify them.

At the Old Salty Dog, we continued to take in the sunshine and the view while we ate fresh fish for lunch. We topped off the meal with Chocolate Explosion, a rich dessert made of fudge, caramel, pecans and chocolate mousse. Out on the deck, guest sat with their dogs, and I was reminded of the pubs in England that cater to the canine pet owners.

Following the meal, we went to the Marietta Museum of Art & Whimsy, one of Sarasota’s little known gems. The parking lot gardens are filled with gaily painted sculptures. There are animal statues made from horseshoes and flowers made from painted beer bottles.

All this fun stuff fit perfectly in the afternoon’s frivolity. We were carefree and enjoying ourselves, the sunshine, and the museum. The front of the pink building is decorated with a mismatch of flags, lights, flamingos, flowers—even a cement snowman.

As we entered, I saw Art, an ultra-realistic sculpture created by Marc Sijan. At first glimpse, I thought he was a security guard, which was most likely the desired effect. I saw the docent smile at me as I took a second look. I’m sure I wasn’t the first to be fooled by this creation. The docent told us that museum founder and curator, Marietta Lee, was a graduate of the Ringling College of Art and Design. She created the museum to display women’s artwork, humorous art, and works of living artists.

The indoor collection includes bright, light-hearted paintings, sculpture and stained glass. One room has a light show on the ceiling. Every nook and cranny has something to catch the eye.

The outdoor gardens feature a spinning ballerina, a stainless steel rocket ship, and a bathysphere. Gaily painted chairs and benches invite you to sit under the canopied oak grove . Cascading water adds to the garden’s tranquility. Everywhere there is something to see.

We spent several hours appreciating the art, the gardens, and the creativity. The docent returned to ask us our opinion of the museum and to tell us that it was expanding to include a room for featuring local artists, an art storage area, and more gardens. I am glad so many Sarasotans enjoyed this light side of the arts and donated for its maintenance and expansion.

Leaving the museum, we headed downtown to Bay Island Park. As usual this time of year, finding a place to park took time. The park is an excellent place for recreational fishing, scenic viewing, and people watching. We enjoyed seeing the pelicans swoop down to catch a meal—they are such clumsy but effective divers. We marveled at the amount of boats moored there, and what it would be like to live on a house boat. We sat on a bench, soaking in the late afternoon rays, looking at the Ringling Bridge, and having quiet conversation. Today was a good day. Visiting Sarasota can be a lot of fun.

Thurs. 29-Jan-2015 Red Bug Slough and Turtle Beach

Yesterday, my friend from Massachusetts and I walked through the Red Bug Slough Preserve. Since this park is near my home, it is a favorite of mine. This 72-acre preserve has several miles of hiking trails to walk and spend time with each other and with nature. We were even lucky enough to see an otter in the pond. Once inside the park, it is hard to image that this area is completely surrounded by development. It truly is a haven.

The Red Bug Slough (slow) is a water channel that flows from Phillippi Creak down to Beneva Ave., about 1.5 miles. Historically this was a series of marches connected only during heavy rainfall, but it has since been deepened and the water now flows year-round.

The Slouch is a habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. There are alligators, river otters, freshwater turtles, and a variety of waterfowl. We saw egrets and ducks. Overhead birds of prey glided on the air thermals.

There are live oak, laurel oak and water oak, though I am not adept at identifying each. The closed canopy from these trees is ideal for the plants and animals that prefer the shade cover. There are reports of raccoons and blue jays, but we saw neither.

We did encounter several dogs out for a walk with their masters. The stopped for a scratch and sniff, and then continued on.

After our visit at the preserve we went to Turtle Beach. The sand is not as softer there as as Siesta Key, but it is not as crowded. I was surprised to see how much winter erosion there was. The beach was not very wide and there was a steep drop to the water’s edge.

We walked south for about a mile. One Sandhill Crane stood immobile. It watched me as a walked close to it, but did not move. Most of the shore fisherman had a disappointing catch.

On our return trip, we walked past the entrance to the beach. I just did not recognize the walkway to the parking lot because of the beach’s changed appearance. After about a quarter of a mile, we turned around. Prior to leaving the beach, my friend sat and enjoyed the Gulf view.

In all, visiting Red Bug Slough and Turtle Beach was a wonderful way to spend a morning in sunny Sarasota.

Friday, July 4, 2014 Paddleboarding in Sarasota

Several years ago, an author friend Gina Greenlee told me about paddleboarding and how much she enjoyed it. At the time, I was writing Women of the Way and did not take time to try this new sport. Today, Elizabeth Chandler, Dennis and I slathered ourselves in sunscreen to try SUP, stand up paddleboarding. Gulfside Padddleboards had a special introductory price that included a brief lesson, board rentals, and a convenient location for us.

Wanting to beat the holiday beach crowd and the glaring Florida sun, we arrived at the boat launch at 9:30 A.M., just as the truck with the boards and kayaks was pulling in. We wore boat shoes, but since shoes are not required, we decided to go “naked,” at least on our feet. Nate Dunn, the proprietor, showed us how to get on the board and basic paddling techniques. He offered us a waterproof bag for our shoes, water bottles, etc. In the excitement of getting started, we forgot the camera, so no pictures of us on the water.

At first, I was a little shaky but I quickly learned how to keep my balance. For some reason, my stroke on the left side is stronger, so I had to make an effort to stroke deeper and more often on my right to prevent from going in circles. It didn’t take long for Elizabeth and Dennis to leave me behind…I am a slow paddler. Without them near me, I enjoyed the quiet and took time to look around. I imagined what it must have been like for Huck Finn to paddle down the Mississippi. Unlike him, I was paddling past mansions, condos, and hotels, but it was still an adventure. I loved the way the water lapped the board with little smacking sounds.

From the dock, we floated down the canal, past Midnight Pass, and then into the Jim Neville Wildlife Preserve, a 35-acre protected area that surrounds Midnight Pass in Little Sarasota Bay. There are a lot of possible paths through the mangroves. We chose one that dead-ended and had to turn around. From there we paddled over oyster beds, stopped at a sandy beach, and then walked across the dunes onto Turtle Beach. Today, the water was picture-perfect green and, for the bay, surf was up. This is so unusual that I could not resist a quick dip before returning to our boards and back to the rental place.

Though we were on the water for a little over an hour, we saw a manatee swimming slowly and then surfacing with a snort, schools of large, medium, and small fish, and jumping mullets. I experienced wakes from boats and ski-dos, the latter almost threw me off the board, and felt my paddleboarding skills improve. Though I enjoyed paddleboarding, next time, I might rent a kayak to better explore the wildlife preserve.

September 7: Sarasota

We left Amsterdam for the US via Aer Lingus. We had a short stopover in Galway, Ireland, and then a 8.5 hour flight to Orlando, FL. There were many babies on the flight. and it seemed as if they were in a crying competition–the din gave Dennis a headache.

There was a pre-clear US Customs and Immigration in Galway that eliminated Customs in Orlando, making disembarking from an international flight so much easier there than in Miami, where, in 2011, we spent more than an hour in line to go through Customs; the non-citizen travelers were delayed even longer in queues that did not move quickly.

Thanks to the streamlined Customs, we drove out of the airport in a rental car within minutes of arriving. Two-and-a-half hours later, we surprised my parents. As the unknown car pulled into the yard, my mom wondered who was visiting. When she saw us, she started crying–shocked, but as delighted to see us as we were to see them.

After 140 days away, it felt wonderful to return to our Sarasota home.

Thank you all for following Dennis and me on our journey. It was a pleasure writing for you and receiving your comments and words of encouragement.