Good Friday Florida Style

The texts and photos were flying fast and furious on Good Friday, between our friends in Michigan and our group here in Florida.  For close to ten years we have all observed Good Friday as only Catholics would,  with food, faith and a bit of bar hopping.  Now that a few of us live in Florida, we have kept the tradition; just put a Florida spin on it.  Instead of a fish fry, we were eating fish tacos.  Instead of a Good Friday vigil, we attended Stations of the Cross.  And, instead of starting with Bloody Marys and pitchers of beer, we enjoyed a few Margaritas and Frozen Daquaris.

We intended to bar hop a bit more around Siesta Key Village, but a tropical storm blew through and luckily we had an inside table and just ordered another drink to wait things out.  We miss our big group of friends and loved seeing what they were up to via text, but are also happy to start new traditions.  (To see our Good Fridays through the years, just click on the faith label below)

Happy Thursday!

Coastal Decor Updates - Florida House Tour

We are approaching 2 years in our new home, and have been very deliberate in adding decor.  We went with a neutral palate and have added pops of color, texture and a variety materials to give warmth and interest, all the while sticking to a coastal (not tropical) feel.  There is decor made of wood, glass and rope, as well as many natural elements like seashells and driftwood.  The colors are the many colors of the Gulf of Mexico; blue, green, aqua and turquoise.

I took photos yesterday of some of the additions since my last series of posts, right after we moved in.  (To see these posts, look under the Florida House Tour label).  The additions include a wicker side table for the sunny part of the lanai, a reclaimed wood shelf with a seashell inspired vignette, a rope inspired poof that lends so much texture, as well as being practical, a new large clock for the dining room, brightly colored wood buoys on top of the kitchen cabinets, new bedside lamps in the master bedroom and native plants including a magnolia tree, a snake plant and a bromeliad.

It's easy to keep adding, because in addition to Home Goods, there are many, many great shops with coastal decor and art fairs to browse almost every weekend.  But, slow and steady will keep our home simple and somewhat minimalist.  It's also very different from our Michigan home; light, bright and definately no doubt you are near the coast.

The next project is happening soon (crown molding in the master bath) and I will post photos when the room is complete.  Happy Thursday!

Weekend in Pittsburgh

I had a lovely visit with our  newlyweds this past weekend and I miss them already.  Pittsburgh is such a fun city, with so many interesting and unique neighborhoods and even though I have been there several times, we always find a new place to explore.

This visit, we enjoyed a couple of fabulous brunch spots (Sewickley and the Strip District) that also included shopping.  My daughter cooked dinner one night, making a Lemon Basil Salmon that was so good.  We watched the MSU basketball game and my two favorite Wolverines were good sports, when the Spartans ultimately lost to Texas Tech.

But, perhaps the two best parts were all the catching up time with my daughter and meeting their new puppy.  She is a Cavapoo and sweet as can be. They are over the moon to welcome her to their life and there were lots of puppy kisses for me.

It was so good to see them and Pittsburgh too.  It's always good to remember that though it seems we are far away from each other, we are really just a short plane ride away.

Happy Wednesday!

Visitors from the North

Having visitors from the cold weather states is one of my favorite ways to spend a Florida day.  They are in vacation mode and so happy to soak up the sun, drink some tropical drinks and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.  They notice how pretty everything is and it helps me remember how lucky I am to live in Florida all the time.

First, I met a good friend in Naples for the day and what a beautiful city.  It was my first time there, but she was very familar with the best spots.  We started with lunch at Miramare, then margaritas at The Dock, some pool time and finally, dinner at Coconut Jack's in Bonita Springs.  It was a lovely day and an easy drive south for me.

The next day, my brother in law and sister in law spent the day with us in our area and we had a great time catching up and showing them our new home, new city and taking them to a few of our favorite spots; Sharky's in Venice and St. Armands Circle in Sarasota.

Life is good in Florida!

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that my Alma Mater, Michigan State, is going to the Final Four 

after a thrilling win over Duke on Sunday night.  We had friends over to watch the game and I'm sure my neighbors thought we were crazy with all the screaming at the end.  To say we are excited is an understatement and we are looking forward to the next game against Texas Tech on Saturday. 40 years ago, when we were college students at Michigan State, the Spartans, lead by Magic Johnson, won the national championship and I have a good feeling that it may happen again. 

 Go Green!