VACA 2011...Part 11

This is too funny. D said, with a little hesitation, that I'm up to Part 10 of VACA 2011. Like that is a bad thing. Does he not notice that Part 10 was day two of our VACA? I still have the rest of day two and day three. And, if he had truly been paying attention, he would know that it is all in chronological order! So. Dear. Bear with me through the rest of VACA 2011!! Off to the rest of day two.

I forgot to mention on the last post, that we lunched at Bud & Alley's on the beach. It was soooo good! Those crab cakes. Just when I thought they couldn't come close to the ones we had at the Red Bar, they did.

This was our view from the upstairs dining area where we enjoyed lunch.

VACA 2011...Part 10

After the movie in the park, we gathered our chairs and headed back to our room. We were tired after a long day and settled in.

"But, enough of that for now. Let’s get lost again in the starry night."
¸.•*´¨`♥ William P. Young (The Shack)

VACA 2011...Part 9

The walk continues. I circled around and back to 'downtown' Seaside.

Seaside bicycle

VACA 2011...Part 8

I continued my walk through Seaside. It was a warm evening, but wonderful for a stroll...and apparently a wonderful night for a party on a front porch.

"Life will be a party for you, a grand festival, because life is the moment we’re living now."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Paulo Coelho (The Alchemist)

VACA 2011...Part 7

After eating that fantastic dinner at the Red Bar, we went back to Seaside for the evening. There was a movie in the park which we were going to watch. We picked our place in the park and I walked around a bit to take some pictures.

This is such an interesting building. I have always liked the doors. And the burnt orange color wall color is so eye catching.

VACA 2011...Part 6

I left D sitting by the tower by the sea. And I walked by the little shops along the boardwalk. They always have such pretty things. Expensive. But pretty.

VACA 2011...Part 5

After getting acquainted with our new surroundings we headed to Seaside. And we mosied around.

I always love the line of Airstream vendor trailers. #1 I have a huge love for food from a trailer. My reasoning:  if you have something really good and you feel you have to take it to the streets, it has to be awesome. #2 I have often played with the idea of my own rolling food trailer...home-made burritos. Right down to home-made refried beans and hand rolled tortillas. But. I digress.

VACA 2011...Part 4

The Library. Or common area. It had a couple of old rattan chairs with funky zebra covers. There was a wall of glass cabinets holding the book collection and CD's. I found out later that the extra toilet paper was in the cabinets below...sorta self serve. A really nice old piano was against one wall with some sort of homage to elephants on top of it. A sign on the piano read:  Don't play the piano before 9AM or after 9PM. I think it disturbs the elephants.

Here is an overall view of that room with the cabinets of books, the chess table and the rattan chairs. Note the floor...the painted green was the flavor of the day. The stairway led downstairs to the dining room.

VACA 2011...Part 3

Up in the library was a little nook. Complete with two rattan chairs dressed in zebra print and polka dots. The arms were painted forest green. They were beside a window facing the North. I enjoyed those chairs a couple of times.

"A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Mark Twain

VACA 2011...Part 2

We stayed at the Hibiscus Coffee and Guesthouse in Grayton Beach. I really don't know where to begin with this place. Retro without trying. We described it as Florida Kitschy. The Urban Dictionary defines kitschy as so tacky or lame that it has a certain ironic appeal. That really sums it up. D said that a younger him would have turned around and walked out. The new more enlightened him just enjoyed it for what it was.

I said it was like a cross between staying at my Aunt Effie's and Grandma's house. I think the Hibiscus Coffee and Guesthouse was channeling my Aunt Effie. She was a trend setter.

It was not about pampering. None of that nonsense. That where the similarities to my Grandma came in. She was old school German. No pampering there either. And definitely no nonsense. (But she had a warm and loving heart.)

I'm not even sure if it was about clean. It was what it was. And they served a good breakfast. Don't be misled by "Coffee" in their name. This was not a coffee house coffee...more like a truck stop coffee. But, I don't judge. It was coffee.

As soon as we got in I started to take pictures of our room.

There was a matching one on the other side of the bed. (Do you see that bedspread? circa 1950.)

VACA 2011...Part 1

We took a little vacation before D has to go back to school. This is his week between classes, so we went to Grayton Beach. I'm going to post the pictures that I took...as I took them. So it will be planned randomness. A photo journal of our vacation in a timeline. Exciting!

Grayton Beach is, in the scheme of things, relatively close to us. Perfect. Not a long drive. And beautiful. Also close to Seaside. It all works in our favor.

First stop was en route to our lodgings. It was a little area by the road with a beautiful view of an inlet. We had always wanted to stop. This time we did.

I adore the 3 beach umbrellas on this sign

Watching the clouds...

"Dear friend, let me lie beside you watching the clouds until the earth covers us and we are gone." ¸.•*´¨`♥ Jeanette Winterson (Written on the Body)

pelicans in paradise::4

Another addition to my Pelicans in Paradise series...PeliJoc Doc. He lives in the Andrews Institute in Gulf Breeze. He is adorable!

"Creativity is intelligence having fun."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Albert Einstein

The Gulf Coast

Just a few images from Pensacola Beach and up Fort Walton way...some of the Gulf Coast. Only the most beautiful stretch of heaven around!

"Sister. She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Barbara Alpert