Monday, February 27, 2012

Gulf Coast


We've crossed over the Florida Everglades, stopped by Naples for lunch and an overnight before heading north for Longboat Key, which is across the bay from Sarasota. At one point Longboat was a part of Sarasota, but incorporated when the state threatened to make public some beaches. We unintentionally booked an accessible room. Guest services accommodated us with another room on a higher floor with a balcony overlooking both the pool and the Gulf. The hotel has an island feel with wooden decking and walkways. The beach is at our feet. Overall, it is much more informal than Casa Marina on Key West. Nevertheless, it is better managed and the restaurant is superb. While we waited for our room to be prepared we returned to St. Armand's, the first key in Sarasota. According to Wikipedia, visionary circus magnate John Ringling purchased the St. Armands Key property in 1917 and planned a development which included residential lots and a shopping center laid out in a circle. As no bridge to the key had yet been built, Ringling engaged an old paddle-wheel steamboat, the "Success," to service as a work boat.
St. Armands Key features a large roundabout with a small park in the middle. This roundabout is known as St. Armands Circle. The area is largely commercial, boasting more than 130 stores and restaurants, and is particularly famous for its home-made chocolate, fudge and ice-cream shops. There are many restaurants, tobacco shops, clothing stores as well as other retail outlets in the circle. We had a nice lunch at a sidewalk eatery. So far we are much more enamored of the west coast. Everyone is more at ease and the drivers are far less aggressive. One can actually use a crosswalk without fear of being run over. For more pictures visit my flicker