Surprising weekend Capers

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This past weekend was full of adventures. On Friday evening it all began when the Colonel and I drove a little more than an hour away to Sarasota to visit a restaurant we had seen featured on a program full of unhealthy eating called, Man Vs Food on the Travel Chanel.

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The host, Adam Richman, attempts to eat vast amounts of food in various challenges. Often I end up feeling ill just from watching him consume all manner of fatty, salty, sweet concotions.

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We went with empty stomachs to an Amish restaurant called Yoders. The food was delicious and the staff were very nice. They were all in full Amish dress, and outside there were Amish people in traditional dress and long beards, riding around on 3 wheel bicycles. It was such a treat having the chance to eat the yummy food and witness these unique people in Florida.

Adam and Mr.s Yoder, she makes fabulous pies. We had the red raspberry pie and it was scrumptious.

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Yoders famous pies.

Saturday morning we were up way too early, robbing me of much needed beauty sleep, and headed off to the airbase as the Colonel was parachuting out of a plane. Off he went to complete his jump while I waited, and waited and waited. In fact, the morning could be characterised as thus, hours of mind numbing tedium, punctuated by seconds of intense interest as the plane circled overhead dropping the jumpers.

The Colonel is the one closest to the plane.

Sunday we visited a Museum and Mansion in Sarasota, the former glittering home to a Circus mogul. The magestic mansion emulates a luxurious Venetian Palazzo. It's extremely sumptuous and quite an astonishing sight to see sitting on Sarasota Bay instead of the Grand Canal.

The interiors are furnished with original items. Impressive antiques and treasures accumulated during the owner's lifetime, often from travels to Europe. The great chandelier in the main drawing room is the original one from the Waldorf hotel which was knocked down to make way for the Empire State building.

There were so many beautiful things in the house. Murano Chandeler in green glass, golden furniture, Delftware birdcages and splendid sculptures.

This couch was originally owned by a Sicilian Prince.

In the master bedroom there was a painting by Johannes De Witt with a golden, sculptural clock sitting elegantly in front.

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Everywhere were lovely things, with intricate and magnificent details.



The vast gardens were beautiful also. There was a rose garden, Banyan trees which had originally been given to the owners by Thomas Edison, and even more sculptures and lovely things.



The owner built a Italianate style museum to house his vast art collection. I was enraptured by the magnificent artworks displayed. Who would have thought that some place in Flori-duh would contain such splendiferous gems. The first room I walked into contained three gargantuan Rubens paintings. I had to sit on the chair in the middle of the room to regain my breath and take in the effulgent beauty.

"Art should astonish, transmute, transfix."

Bret Whitely

I was ensorcelled by the lion in one of the paintings. Lions in art are a favoured subject of mine. Just look at the expression on his kingly face, what exquisite rendering of his leonine features.



The rest of the museum contained a veritable bounty of significant works by some of the greats, Titan, Tintoretto, Veronese, Velazquez, Tiepolo, Rembrandt, Joshua Reynolds, Gainsborough, Duchamps and a sculpture by Gustave Dore that I have decided I absolutely want for my birthday. Wink.



What a treasure trove of great Art. All those great artists were astounding enough, then I found a whole section dedicated to Canaletto, that Venetian master of light and beauty. Ensconcing myself on a chair provided I was prepared to spend the rest of the afternoon in a mesmeric trance, transported back to the canals and calle's of Venice.

Alas the Colonel was having none of that. He had already exceeded his tolerance levels after my perching before a Tintoretto in some kind of blissful altered state for a lengthy period of time. So lengthy in fact, it almost made me appear certifiable, but the radiance and sheer genius of the artist had me completely enthralled.

Close up details on a Rubens painting. I love how he painted the flowers and the butterfly's.

Rubens, Danae and the shower of gold.

We ended the day by having dinner at another Man Vs Food find. This time it was called The Old Salty dog. It may have been literally an old salty sea dog that was served up on my plate too. It made me feel unwell. We had a nice crab and prawn dip to start with then ordered the specialty, which was basically a battered Saveloy on a bun.



I ate only the very tip of the hotdog, and left the rest of it and have been feeling ill as a result of that small morsel.

All photos, except for those of Yoders, are my own.