A Fun Getaway at the Lakeside Inn in Mount Dora, Florida

Lakeside Inn, Mount Dora, Florida.  Please click on any photo to enlarge for easier viewing.

The MacMillian Dictionary defines a 'getaway' as:  1. a place away from home where you can relax and 2. a short vacation.  My husband and I recently spent a lovely three day getaway in Mount Dora.  It was just a two and a half hour drive from where we live in St. Petersburg but it was as if we had taken a trip back in time.  The historic downtown area of Mt. Dora is picturesque with wonderful old buildings, antique stores, restaurants, gardens, and oak trees dripping in Spanish moss.

We stayed at the Lakeside Inn, which was originally founded in 1883 and was very popular in the 1890's and early 1900's.  In fact, President Calvin Coolidge and his wife were on a month long vacation at the Inn in 1930 and participated in the dedication ceremony for the Terrace Building.  President Coolidge had a very special birth date for a president of the United States:  July 4, 1872! We were there over the July 4th weekend and a banner hung over the railing of the porch wishing President Coolidge a Happy Birthday.   

The first picture at the top left is of the front desk.  Notice the wooden mailboxes for each room!  The bottom left and right photos were taken in the lobby. The center photos are of the main building of the Inn and the front porch. The center picture at the bottom is one of the other buildings housing guest rooms.

Having more fun and planning for fun were part of my New Year's Aspirations this year.  (Check the post HERE for an explanation of the Aspirations.)  When my Tim came home from a business trip in late June and suggested going to Mount Dora for a mini vacation, I had mixed emotions.  I was happy to be going away to relax but sad, too.  This would be the first trip without our children (now 20 and 21 years old).  Both of them had work and/or other social commitments.   A family milestone had been reached before I was ready for it:  a happy era had come to an end.  On the other hand, it would be nice to get away, just the two of us.

I am so glad that we went!  We had a wonderful time.  It was so relaxing just doing whatever we felt like and eating wherever and whenever we wanted.  

One side of the enormous front porch of the Inn is a dining area.  Tim had breakfast there each morning (and brought me tea in bed).

The other side of the porch has a long row of rocking chairs.  Heaven!

The Gatehouse: A Gift Gallery of Regional Art on the Lakeside Inn property.

Tremain's Tavern is on the ground floor of the main building in the Inn and has nightly entertainment.

Beautiful etched glass in Tremain's Tavern.

The Beauclaire, the Inn's dining room.  We had a delicious southern style dinner here one night.

The pool with both covered seating with tables and chairs and a sunning area with lounges.

Another picturesque guest house.  Notice the porch swing!

One of the best things about the trip was the July 3rd fireworks over the lake bordering the Inn.  We went out to the end of the dock to watch the wonderful fireworks display.  People came from all over town and sat on blankets on the sand and grass to enjoy the fun.

Lakeside Inn beach, boat and sun decks.  Chairs were set up at the very end of the dock for a great view of the fireworks.

The very long deck had side sections

The gardens are exquisite at the Lakeside Inn.  Everywhere you turn there is another gorgeous view.

This quiet little spot just charmed me!  I sat and enjoyed the swing and contemplated the gardens.

I hope you enjoyed the photos and information about the Lakeside Inn.  It really is a beautiful and relaxing spot:  a perfect getaway.  We are not affiliated with the Inn in any way nor have I been compensated for my 'review' of our stay.  I just wanted to share a 'rare find'.

I am linking this post to Mosaic Monday HERE.  There are so many gorgeous photos to enjoy at the party.  Please drop by and check them out.
I am also linking up to Make it Pretty Monday HERE.  Please visit and see all the 'pretties'.

Have a joy-filled day!

Busy in August!

This is the only smocking I have done in weeks!  I'll post pics and patterns soon.

 Hellooooooo out there!  It has been a hectic couple of weeks here but I am back to give you a little taste of a little of what I have been doing.

My mother died about twenty months ago and my sister and I have been slowly going through all her things and deciding what to do with them.  We recently closed on her waterfront condo and had to scramble to complete the last of the sorting and deciding.  Much of the furniture was stored for my nephew and his wife who have been living in Asia as missionaries.  They will be here in the States soon to spend about a year to establish his wife's citizenship in this country.  My sister and I also saved some pieces for ourselves but much of the oriental vintage pieces have been taken to a consignment shop.  (That was a job in and of itself!)

Our mother had beautiful oriental furnishings.

 School started for teachers in Pinellas County, Florida on August 12.  I was lucky to have a 'smartboard' installed over the summer break.  Unfortunately, that meant that two walls were reworked and the entire classroom's furnishings were relocated to get the job finished.  With the help of my husband, children, and one of my son's friends, my room was almost back to normal and set up for 'Meet the Teacher' on the morning of August 16.

View from the doorway of one corner of the room.

Smartboard!  

A tea party was planned for the weekend before Victoria-Rose was to return to college.  Such fun!  More on the party to come.

Teacups set out for the girls to choose their favorite for the party.

A little bit of sewing was squeezed in to this very busy month.  Two little sundresses were made from vintage pillowcases and will be blogged about soon.

And....we managed to get almost a week's holiday in Orlando!  Our hands-down favorite activities were Disney related.  We went to Disney's Hollywood Studios and the Magic Kingdom.  We all LOVE the Magic Kingdom.

Son Logan

The Family

We had dinner one night at Beast's Castle.  It was truly a magical experience.  The food was delicious and the ambiance, service, and the special touches were just amazing.   (It was snowing outside the windows of the ballroom!)

Another highlight of the trip was high tea taken at the Grand Floridian.  Again the attention to detail was so special and appreciated.

Grand Floridian lobby as viewed from the second story promenade. 

Marble mosaic floor outside the tearoom.

I couldn't resist 'singing in the rain' at Hollywood Studios.  It was a 'glorious feeling'!

A Visit With My Heart Sister

Karen and Jana, June 2013

 I recently spent a wonderful little vacation in Georgia with my dear friend Jana.  Although my family adores her and would like to come, as well, I go alone and soak up the goodness of being with someone who is one of the sweetest, most thoughtful, people on earth!  We have been friends since we were in ninth grade and she knows my entire life story almost as well as I do.  This little 'retreat' is a gift we give each other every summer that we can.

We don't schedule very much and just take each day as it comes.  In fact, we make sure that we have time to nap every day and the 'tea parties' begin as soon as I arrive.   I usually schedule my flight to arrive just before lunch time and Jana has all kinds of goodies made up ahead to put together a quick gourmet organic luncheon when we get to her house.  But first, we have tea...beautifully brewed loose black tea that is perfectly timed so that no trace of bitterness can be found.

We talk...a lot...and then it is time for a nap under quilts and flannel sheets and pillows with hand-embroidered pillowcases.  On the bedside table is a lamp, a small vase of flowers from the garden, a stack of books and magazines that Jana thinks I might like (some with pages marked), and copies of things that she has read/researched that she thinks that my family or I might need/want to read.  There are often little wrapped presents on the table as well (dark chocolate candy, tea themed note cards, notebooks, etc.).  To put it simply, Jana spoils me rotten!  When it is time to get up, Jana brings in a pretty tea tray with tea for two and we prop the multiple pillows up at both ends of the bed and talk some more.  Now, I must tell you that tea comes to me on a tea tray in the morning, too.  Yes, I know....VERY spoiled.

We do go out on errands and often have one lunch and one dinner out at a fancy restaurant.  This time we ate dinner at a middle eastern place that was amazing.  We ordered seven different dishes and they arrived on little serving dishes to serve ourselves and share.  Wow!  Very yummy.

I made the Christmas stocking below to match the one I made for Jana last Christmas.  (See HERE.) I had made her stocking and filled it with little things for her present.  She was tickled with it and suggested that I make one for myself but leave the decorations of the stocking to her.  I was to bring this stocking with me on this visit and return with the one I made her last year.  We will now have a new tradition:  filling and sending the stockings to each other.

The stocking is made from two different (damaged) hand-made small tablecloths, linen for lining, and a holiday print for the back of the stocking.  Aren't those scallops on the edge of the finer linen tablecloth beautiful?  Every stitch was hand done!

Jana gave me her waffle maker when I told her that I had some wonderful Belgian waffles at a P.T.A. breakfast the last week of school.  Oh, my!  Who knew waffles could be so good?  I have already used it twice!

The waffles are very pretty, too, with roses on one side.

 It makes a very large waffle.  (It fills the center of a dinner plate.)  We had ours with fresh fruit, butter, and maple syrup.  Delicious!

One of the things that we make time for every year when I visit Jana is an afternoon of visiting antique shops.  I always come home with lovely vintage linens to use in my home and in my sewing creations.  The photo below is a small sample of the things I found on this visit.  (I'll be doing another post on my 'finds'!)  Aren't the two sets of matching pillowcases pretty?

Just click on the photo to enlarge.

Needless to say, I always feel that time has flown and that our visit is too short.  I look forward to this time with Jana all year.  I leave the end-of-the-school-year madness and stress and take deep, rejuvenating breaths, basking in a precious friendship with a cherished friend.  

Thank you, Jana!  

Linking up with Thrifty to Nifty Thursday at:  http://www.ajennuinelife.com/2013/07/thrifty-to-nifty-thursdays-24.html