Cape Coral in the 1950's

I recently came across a booklet called The Florida Buyer's Digest, which was intended to draw young families to blossoming Cape Coral. An interesting glimpse into the early development of this planned city, the booklet cites the success of the Ft. Myers development as an example of how successful this community could (and would) become. 

With many affordable home styles to choose from...

And investment properties for burgeoning real estate moguls. (By the way, this is the coolest duplex I've ever seen!)

 With so many fun activities right at one's fingertips, who wouldn't want to be there?

It's crazy seeing aerial images of the suburban lots, which used to be wetland area...

Here are artist's renderings of the Cape Coral yacht club, which still retains it's original architectural character and is a hub of activity in the city to this day.

According to the booklet, 45% of the newcomers to Florida (at this time) were in the 18 to 44 age bracket. To woo those who might be enticed to settle in West Palm Beach or Miami instead, we are told that visitors "have found that while the East Coast has all the glitter and glamour that one usually seeks during a short vacation, the West Coast abounds in picturesque native beauty, the peace and serenity that are so desirable in a permanent residence."

Real Estate Sampler: A Deal in Mount Dora

Today's real estate sampler features a charming 1880's home in historic downtown Mount Dora, Florida. The home sold last year (a great short-sale deal at $269,000), however I feel it is still worth sharing regardless because...well...just look at it. 

The palette is certainly not for everyone, though I do love a turquoise exterior when it works, as evidenced by my favorite home of the seven that we have owned/renovated.  

While I'm impressed with the last owner's fearless use of bold color, I do find the wall color to clash terribly with the kitchen, which is quite suburban-bland and out of character with the style of the home. 

Suggested kitchen fix for the new owner: a couple of coats of white paint on the cabinets and soapstone  countertops would make it quite lovely. 

More photos and information available here.

Goodbye Summer

Goodbye Summer 2010. We had fun...
Watching Sailboats at St.Augustine Beach...
Camping in Florida in record breaking 98 degree weather...
On lookout for bison, wild horses, and alligators at Payne's Prairie...
Lovely lazy days and sunsets in Cedar Key...


A weekend of kitsch in Cherokee, North Carolina...
Teaching a nephew to ride a bike...
Good times, summer. See you next year.

A Big Surpise in little Micanopy

Micanopy is a small town a few miles south of Gainesville, Florida. The town is rich in history, charm, and natural beauty, and is the second oldest U.S. settlement in Florida. This was our third visit to Micanopy (we like to camp at the nearby Payne's Prairie State Park and ride our bikes into town). I imagine the view of the town's main street is quite lovely viewed from this turret.
This screened portico looks like a wonderful little place to hide away for an afternoon and read.
Amazing handmade brickwork. This large building has been vacant for as long as we've been visiting the town, about five years. But the outside looks well-maintained.
I love this scene, and keep taking pics of this old car from different angles each time we're in town.
Pretty old church shaded by the Live Oaks and Spanish Moss.
The Herlong Mansion, now a Bed & Breakfast, and the only place to stay in Micanopy other than one divey chain motel near the highway, or camping at Payne's Prairie. Rumored to be haunted by a friendly ghost.
The Garage - one of several good antique stores in the historic district.
Another antique store, I can't recall the name of this one.
And the surprise I mentioned in this post's title? Signed Charley Harper prints from the 70's! We were delighted to find that O. Brisky Books was open on a Monday (the store generally opens now only on Saturdays and Sundays). The shop owner just happened to be there, shipping a package. This is an amazing, quite large, bookstore filled with new, used, and rare books. His selection of Florida books can't be beat. The Charley Harper prints were at the back of the store, tucked away as if they were quite unimportant.
Unfortunately, the cardboard that the prints were backed with is not acid free, and three of the four prints had condition issues. They were priced at $250 each (except for the one which was heavily spotted, it was $125) - a fair price for the large print, a little high for the smaller ones. We just weren't in the position to buy them at the time. I can't stop thinking about the print below. I almost hesitated to share these with you guys, because I selfishly want the prints to be mine one day. However, I realize that they just need to go to a good home as soon as possible before their condition declines further in the not-so-well-conditioned store.
Are you enjoying the journey through Florida? I'll take a break to share some interiors, and resume with Cedar Key pics in a few days.

Island Grove: Florida Ghost Town

We did quite a bit of driving around the old small towns south of Gainesville, which really give one a taste for what it was like to live in Florida in the early part of the 20th century. I had read about a "ghost town" called Island Grove. While there are still occupied homes and the town still has a post office, there are quite a few dilapidated cracker homes and old churches that made me downright snap-happy, even though getting the pics meant quickly jumping out of the car in the middle of the road, and being chased by a yippy little dog.
We actually drove quite a ways into the country on a dirt road to find an old cemetery, though when we got there my husband saw newer headstones and thought it wasn't worth getting out in the oppressive heat to look around. When we were 10 miles up the road, I read that writer Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings was buried in that cemetery. She lived one town over, in Cross Creek, and immortalized the area in her books The Yearling and the autobiographical Cross Creek.
On a future trip (when the temperature is not 100 degrees), I'd love to explore this town further. The area actually was an island, before the water changed course, and home to some of Florida's first orange groves. While the groves moved south long ago because the chance of winter frost and freeze was just too great, The Orange Hut still stands in the area, where you can buy citrus fruits in season. This place had the best fresh squeezed grapefruit juice ever - perhaps the best thing I've ever had to drink in my life. It was a happy accident - my husband meant to pick up a quart of orange juice. The pic below is actually from last year (I may have posted it before).
More Florida pics to come...

P.S. Today is my big Sis's birthday, and she's flying in for a visit later this week. Yay!

Eames Chair Madness Part V

I apologize for leaving you for a few days my lovelies. I promise to make it up to you this week with lots of cool pics from hot & sunny Florida. We do consider "the hunt" to be as much playtime as it is work, so even on vacation we searched for gems, and brought back some great stuff including this pair of Eames school desks (pictured on the dock behind our Cedar Key vacation rental).



In addition to the desks, we also have some other gems that will be available soon, they just need a little cleanup (a fabulous 1960's Olivetti typewriter, a teak Dansk ice bucket, and more mid-century gems). I can't wait to catch up with everyone, please forgive if I'm a lurker this week, as I have a super-busy week ahead of me: Company in town much of the week - and the housecleaning that goes along with it - and I'll be in Nashville for a couple of days.

P.S. Is it insanely hot where you live? Florida had record-breaking high temps much of last week, and it is crazy-hot here in TN too.

Florida Polaroid

I heart Florida.















All photos via flickr search "Florida Polaroid" . Be forewarned - if you go click the link, be prepared to lose yourself for a few hours...

Although I dream of lounging in some sunny environs, I have a weekend of estate sales, house chores, and blog reading ahead of me. To get a tiny Florida fix, my husband and I plan on gorging ourselves on gulf shrimp and Landshark this weekend. What are your plans?