This picture is an aerial view of Lake Jackson, Sebring, Florida!
I should Never never never trust a Tomtom ((yes, even my new one)) to get me to somewhere I’ve never been before!
Well, or….maybe only trust it as far as you can throw it. And then…..double check with google maps to be sure!
Yesterday morning, after my fiasco with nary a hotel luggage cart in sight to help me load my “way too much needed stuff” back into my car….I keyed in the address for the Women’s Center where the guild meeting was being held, and headed on my way.
((Yes, it is a HUGE pet peeve when people take the carts and keep them in their rooms over night....Other people NEED them TOO, ya know? GRRRR!!))
I had no idea WHERE Sebring was on the map, really….just that it was about 90 miles from Brandon, and off I went. It was pretty much an easy jaunt, out into the countryside! I’ve never seen much of the agricultural side of Florida, and this was so fun seeing cattle, horses, fields, orchards…very different from the high rises and sprawling beaches of the gulf coast!
And I let Tomtom take me…..16 miles PAST where the meeting really was, on a DIFFERENT Lakeview drive, out in the middle of nowhere! And I was at this point nearly running late.
In desparation, I pulled out my trusty iphone, googled the women’s center……and used the GPS on google maps to get me where I was REALLY supposed to be. And all was well. And we had a great time!
It was SO stinking hot, my car thermometer registered 100…I was SO glad when temps dropped as a storm rolled in right after our dinner!
I am staying at the NEATEST old hotel-- You know how I love historic places, right? Well…get a load of the Kenilworth Lodge in Sebring, FL!
This is a post card from 1940….
This is the picture I took today!
Other than the parking lot, it hasn’t changed much!
The hotel was built around 1916. It’s like stepping back into time as you climb the steps and see the chairs on the veranda…
It was SO SO SO hot though, that I couldn’t wait to get into the lobby for a bit of “COOL!”
Beautiful stair case! My room is on the second floor, so I’ve been up and down these stairs a few times already. The sewing stuff? I left most of it in the car. I did bring the hexagons in with me, and a couple quilts to bind should the mood strike, but after the storm, I decided to put on my running shoes and go pound some pavement…
On my way back out I took these pictures in the lobby as well:
Do you know who else has stayed here? There is historic memorabilia all over the walls, and I found THIS list while exploring:
You may have to click it to biggie size it. And I admit I didn’t know many of the names in the left column, but as I followed the time line into the right hand column, these names caught my eye:
Very cool!!
So out I went to enjoy the cooler evening temps after the rain…in a bit of a hurry because sunset was quickly approaching! Down the side walk, along the lake…and found a public beach access!
Lonely empty shore of Lake Jackson! I loved the look of the pier going out over the water, so I wound my way around and found how to get onto it…
Evening colors are so brilliant!! There was still some rumbling of thunder going on in the clouds across the lake, but here the rain had stopped and it was just beautiful out.
This is the view from the end of the pier back toward shore…just catching the last rays of the sunset reflecting here! It was a great evening to squeeze in 5 miles…..come back to the hotel, take a shower, relax in the room, take care of email, and get ready for today’s Star Struck workshop!
looks beautiful, and coincidently my hubs and i went to a place here in oz called Kenilworth just a few miles from home on the weekend, and my gps wouldnt pick up a place we were trying to visit on the way, thank god for google!
ReplyDeleteI'm starstruck by the guest list, looks like they'll be adding your name to that list after you leave. What a gorgeous old hotel!
ReplyDeleteTerrific hotel - thanks for posting the pics - esp. that veranda with the rocking chairs! what a great place to stay!
ReplyDeletegood to know other people's gps's don't know where they are going, either! Mine couldn't find the hotel address last month in a pouring down rain and we couldn't read the street signs... found we had gone right past the hotel several times but the gps never noticed!
What a beautiful hotel Bonnie. Although I love your quilty posts, I also love it when you show us America in all it's glory. I would love to come visit one day..... Thanks
ReplyDeleteWhen we arrived in Orlando on Sunday evening I started my Tomtom, entered the address of the Holiday Inn near Universal and it told me 1759km / ~ 1000 miles !!!! you should have seen my face ;-) till I realized it had planned from the "last known location" which was JFK airport.....
ReplyDeleteThis hotel looks beautiful ! do you know the movie "Somewhere in time" with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour ? could have been there !!!! xxx
wow Bonnie what a great place!!
ReplyDeleteHey have to tell you how pleasantly surprised I ws to open my Homespun Mag here in Aus to find your smiling facing and and feature..great stuff...
maybe a few of us will work on getting you out here????? And bring that Nancy with you..lol
cheers
I am so thankful for the navigator on my phone. I pay a little extra for it, but it is accurate and it get's me where i am going. It even talks to me turn by turn so I don't have to constantly look at it which I am thankful for, and it doesn't bing at me like the tom tom did when I was driving over the speed limit.. which of course didn't happen often.
ReplyDeleteRumor has it....That hotel is haunted. Any interesting stories?? I used to love hearing what people say about their stay. Highlands Hammock State Park is nearby.
ReplyDeleteI've stayed at that hotel...can't understand why they my name isn't on the plaque?!
ReplyDeleteA nice thing about reading your blog---I get to see the country WITHOUT needing to have the hassle of taking my own wrong turns :0)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful place! As Lisa said, it looks like "Somewhere in Time" could have been filmed there. If you ever go to upper Michigan you need to check out the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island where the movie was filmed. And if you haven't seen the movie, I highly recommend it!
ReplyDeleteSince I don't get to travel much, I really enjoy following your adventures through your blog!
What a gorgeous place to stay bonnie! Wish I was there to go for a walk with you. I can't believe how empty the beach is!
ReplyDeleteYou should drive through there when all those orange groves are in bloom.....unbelievable smell.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful country we live in...thanks for sharing these lovely pictures Bonnie.
Have fun spreading your quilting joy on everyone!
Happy Sewing
I agree...your name should be on the plaque now! I share your frustration with the luggage cart hoarders. I suggested to the desk staff once that they needed to put GPS transmitters on the carts so they could "arrest" the culprits. They said they had already requested some sort of tracking system themselves but to no avail!
ReplyDeleteWhat a very cool hotel. I've only been to Sebring once but never saw this grand place. I love Florida sunsets. The sky is painted in such gorgeous colors. I received the wonderful magazine today. Thank you once again!! I think your project was the best one featured. Have a great week, and enjoy the rays :-)
ReplyDeleteJocelyn
It's really great to look at your pics, like travelling from one's chair... I can't get enough of the beach pictures (with or without your legs !), we haven't been on a beach for a while now... might plan our next holiday accordingly.
ReplyDelete