To Hell in A (Sweet) Hand Basket

Central Florida in June. It's hot as hell. In the sweet and sweltering town of Mt. Dora, it was a little difficult to sit more than an hour in the lakeside shade...even in comfortable wooden chairs with a full view of fledgling moorhens picking insects out of the grass. Still, we had a grand 'ole time. It's so worth a weekend trip.

Now I'm not a prissy girl, but I love beautiful things that weave nature-inspired patterns into light, magical rooms. I've never seen one quite like this--the site of my sis-in-law's baby shower. There was so much joy and excitement around the occasion, and every girl was wishing she had seen the likes of this space for her one and only Sweet 16 or wedding shower. The attire of the hostesses in our tea room was even planned to the finest detail. They wore ballet slippers and flowing, lacy sort of dresses in soft colors (not that oldie moldie Elizabethan clothing that would make you want to puke or expect paintings with heads on platters in the background.)

In fact, the locale choice was so supreme that if I had to be locked in a room for the rest of my life (I'm not asking for this, Great Spirit), this one would be my choice.

On a different note, I have a bit of sad news for those who aspire to make the Mt. Dora trip. I'll tell you, my previous fave (the historic Lakeside Inn) is in the midst of a slow demise. We waited over an hour past the 3 pm check in for our room to be ready, and after hearing it would be another sixty minutes, we asked for a different room. Evidently the place is for sale and the shrewd management team is cutting down on housekeeping with the slow economy. My gift to them for the unapologetic wait: some nice exposure on Gropius. We heard that this B & B is the bomb. We're staying there next time.

Despite the LakeSLIDE Inn, the trip was magnificent, restful and really special. How often do you see your favorite people carrying a child? I can't wait for Gropius to have a new neice!