Pine Island is located west of Cape Coral. In addition to excellent fishing, talented artists and ancient archaeological sites ... There are also some absolutely unique "Old Florida" can not miss the experience. Foremost among these is the Tarpon Lodge Sportsman Inn, Restaurant, Bar and on the northwest coast of Iceland in Pineland Pine.
Cape Coral, is a scenic and relaxing Pineland. A shot straight on Pine Street in front of Iceland I pass a thick native vegetation.Fischer bump shoulders with artists and photographers and eco-tourists, including the psychedelic colors of Matlacha. So it's a fast ride around the tranquil landscape, and high leverage of the restoration of the Little Pine Iceland wetlands.
From the four-way stop at the center of Pine Island, I turn right onto Stringfellow Road. Built To Spill large inputs more than half of the subdivisions in a panoramic area, threatening the future of long-term street retailers and lush vegetation,desolate labyrinths of palm nurseries. The onward journey to push bigger, better, faster, more visible, even here.
A fish-emblazoned sign at the corner of a side street pointing the way to the Tarpon Lodge. Magnificent raise the bottom shell mounds on the right side of the road. Sparkling Pine Iceland sound arrives soon in view on the left. Nearby is the imposing Tarpon Lodge Sportsman Inn and Restaurant. It is across the street from the Calusa Heritage Trail andvirtually next door to the home page of the New York Times best-selling book, Randy Wayne White.
The main building was originally built in 1926 by the Wilson family. It was later owned and operated by IB and Mary Hunt Jones as Pine-Aire Lodge. In 1986, an additional dormitory building of the former Pine-Aire Lodge property was added. For the next 10 years the property as The Cloisters, a rehabilitation center for drug and alcohol use was known. It was not until 2000, when Robert and PhyllisWells (also the restaurant at Cabbage Key) complex acquired. They renovated the main building and dormitory into a restaurant and hotel ... Tarpon Lodge today. It opened in June 2001. When Hurricane Charley hit land on August 13, 2004 Pine Island, has severely damaged the roof of the main building, flooding large dining room. Most of the windows were broken and all the docks were destroyed. After the storm was followed by work, and propertyrestored. The restaurant, reopened Dec. 15, 2004. The Inn at New Year and once again opened a family reunion for former President Jimmy Carter and his family hosted.
Royal Palms and banana leaves shade the main entrance. Bright red flowers and green leaves gently in the breeze, as I of them on the way to go and check in for a night in the room. A short walk and warm hospitality are now offered by the kind woman behind the desk. In myTarpon Lodge orientation, is sufficient to collect the car and the effects of the woman ... We are officially on Island Time.
Pineland is back how it goes. This is not glitzy, neon Florida. This is not sweaty South Beach, or chic Worth Avenue, Panama City or sticky, plastic, or Orlando. Sanibel and Captiva also pleased crowded and frenetic than in Pineland. The people who visit the Tarpon Lodge in the accident does not end here ... Usually they come here in search of one of the few things: fishing,History, nature, romance or solitude. If you are lucky, they get a mixture of all.
There are different types of rooms available at the Tarpon Lodge, but space is limited ... especially in the tourist season and tarpon. The small number of rooms available adds to the charm of the lodge, and allows employees to the target, hands-on, personalized service for each guest host.
The historic 1926 house has nine rooms. Although the building has been renovatedseveral times, I'd never know. Many traditional materials are still available. Most rooms have original wooden floors. Some of the rooms in the main building overlooking the sea. All of them have easy access to the restaurant and lounge. Another great advantage is that these spaces to be so distinctive a part of the history of Iceland Pine, offering a stay in one of the oldest buildings on the island during the night.
There is a cottage and a restored 1926Dock. Both are equipped with kitchen, covered terraces and a fantastic view of the water. These options are perfect for planning longer stays.
Our room is in Iceland House, a building behind the main building stilts. There are twelve rooms in this building. Six of them have a view of water. All water-view room house in Iceland have a small balcony to the west, so that blows a one-of-a-kind perspective of the spirit, Pine sunsets Audio Iceland. We are fortunate to have brought home one of theWater view room, although our visit in mid-season tarpon.
The room is a comfortable bed, a lamp, a closet with a small television and private bathroom. The most important feature is the balcony overlooking the swimming pool, manicured tropical grounds and Pino Sound Iceland. There is no telephone in the room. There is no access to wireless internet, either. These two may have in the main ... But I'm here from the bonds electronically, come!bind me anywhere.
Once everything is dragged out of the car and we ended, it appeared on the balcony with a new bottle of red wine and two glasses. A pair of wicker chairs and a table waiting for us, along with all the glory of pristine Southwest Florida.
A constant cool breeze caresses our skin and flirt with our hair. New patterns of sunlight and cloud shadows mingle on the manicured lawns stretching to the water. A few misguided SeagrapeLeaves blowing across the lawn. Love bugs mate mid-air. A green anole extend his dewlap and bobs colored. Our vision is of an idyllic paradise, and everything nice ... Palms, giant watercolor sky and the vastness of the Pine-Iceland-Sund.
The horizon is occupied by islands and keys firmly and uncelebrated. Key wood. Black key. Part Iceland. Inaccessible by foot or by car, play this unsaid, places of imagination. Whose is it? Is there anyone living?Thoughts wander to the ancient Calusa heritage of this area, filling in those empty islands with the colorful past and plans. Shell mound. Indian art not found. Holy graves. Untold secrets.
Birds break below the water surface, diving to hunt for fish. Fish break the surface of the air, jumped to record errors. Small boats leave the border areas, touching the rough surface of the sound pine Iceland, sometimes landing at Tarpon Lodge, sometimes in the direction ofPineland Marina is located nearby.
A pair excited, just in his forties, on a balcony a few rooms have. You are on vacation, and have just checked in the Tarpon Lodge. In a few minutes, they pool in bathing suits, all big smiles. This is the place they were looking forward to welcoming you, scoring big black X on their calendar each day, an agonizing countdown. Now I'm finally here, and deepen the experience ofSouthwest Florida is not just dive into the pool. This is all you need. A commitment to relax.
I like, I marvel at the view around wide-eyed about the novelty of it. With the curiosity of the child, grew from the womb of his normal life in the wonderful world from a place so different. Their heads rotate in wide arcs, where the landscape a. If you find yourself staring at the sky in honor of you know, you began to relax. Wild eyes recordmoments tropical, romantic, writing to memory. Among playful splash in the pool that can in a way that only a change of scenery in order to connect.
The appeal of the landscape is strong. It was not long before we receive from our chairs and explore the reasons Tarpon Lodge on foot. We go under the flowers and leaves, falling leaves and flowers tickle our bare skin. Rejuvenating the scent of salt water is ubiquitous, we massage with aromatherapy. The material of a shady hammock hungryHandles on the corners of our body as we sway gently back and forth. Then you go to an appointment with the Virgin in White Hall. We miss the sun fronded long-term coconut palms. We look at their clusters of exotic fruit and ran her hands along the rough terrain of the strains of hard rock. Out on the pier, has tongues of water lapping on wood, birds singing songs evocative sketches and fish mating frenzy ... everything from scraps of cloth under the clouds of Egyptian cotton. In lesshalf an hour, you get intimate with nature.
The Tarpon Lodge dining room and lounge, it has come as you are or how you want to be. This is a Sportsman Hotel on Pine Island. It can be a colorful melting pot of a deal at times. It 'a place where millionaire boat enthusiast bumping shoulders with young couples looking for romance. Vegan eco-activists in the same room as fishermen and archeology professors crispy dinner. Several types of dress and language are the background of the socialScene at the Tarpon Lodge. Some of the guests willing to engage in polite conversation, others just want to be left alone with their books and thoughts.
The staff adds its own tone for the vibrant and lively mix of sounds different places, who have ventured out to end here the tones of high quality service expected by the administration that they offer. Known for a place off the beaten path, and on an island for the carefree nature of the service staff, General ManagerRob Wells III has amassed a staff that can really be proud of. Already seen in all our interactions and requirements were followed, mostly with amazing accuracy.
The hall at the Tarpon Lodge remembers an old pub in New England, something from days of the Revolutionary War. Beautiful dark wood floors lead past a bar in a cavernous brick fireplace primitive. Good taste tall vases with sand and shells filled with lightning whelk serve as holders for large whiteCandles that glow a little 'every night. Trophy fish mounted on the wall, along with a small tooth sawfish bad seen (now a protected species in danger of extinction). Simple clicks of the achievements of the old village of fishermen abound. Sack-back Windsor chairs and tables from all different personalities online Pine Iceland are to indulge in libations and cuisine.
Three men with long beards, just back from a day in water, the amount of small business stories emphatic fish bar. A married couple,Bokeelia enjoy up close, go to the room. Across the room attacking my wife in a conversation ... life on the island, travel to Hong Kong and Dubai, the presidential race. Among the twists and turns of a lively discussion, the wife and the Caribbean share a shrimp, mushrooms and spinach dip appetizer. Topped with Monterey Jack cheese and served with toasted bread seasoned, subtle taste of curry dip was a pleasant surprise.
The hostess shows up and explainsas head of the Tarpon Lodge, Jethro Joseph, is from Grand Cayman. Southwest Florida loves fresh ingredients mixed with Caribbean spices for the preparation of menu items only. The end result is a part of the region's most innovative food. Classical tradition in a special area of South Florida upgrade Share menu with dishes fresh fish, exotic flavors, while the Cayman Islands to reveal itself in surprising and unexpected places.
Tarpon Lodge Restaurant is consistently ratedwith four stars, visiting food critic. Live music, easy listening series, is scheduled for a couple of times a week. It is an exquisitely decorated dining room, but the tables you want here on the terrace dining overlooking the sunset postcard projected on Pine Island Sound.
The hostess seats us at a corner table on the terrace overlooking the sea unhindered. The live musical guests tonight are David Sarchet trio. Their mix of jazz, classical and modernStylings mix with the fresh Florida air and weather provide the perfect backdrop for a magical dinner.
Within moments, our right to professional servers on the bottle of wine service, we must choose from a limited selection of wines and affordable. Steele Pinot Noir is full of glasses for a toast raised at dusk. Clink of crystal, and we begin our meal enjoyable.
Salads, larger than life, appear before us. My wife goes with a leaf of green salad with baby spinachSpinach and mushrooms seasoned with roasted peppers, warm bacon vinaigrette, finished with a sweet. The range of temperatures plays with our senses. Crisp fresh spinach collides with warm bacon dressing ... absolutely breathtaking.
Mine is a Heart of Palm Salad Asian. Hearts of palm and sweet pepper served with mixed field greens snowpeas fried wonton strips and crunchy, extra crunchy texture to salads. All this is easily smothered in a vinaigrette AsianSesame and ginger tones. Magnificent.
My wife Iceland Pine Crab Cakes at the legendary sound is definitely mouth-to mouth, the state has gained in recent years. Jumbo lump crab meat with a unique combination Chief Joseph Jethro blend of spices, formed into two gigantic crab cakes and sauté until cooked. You are wise with a garlic aioli which complements the flavors of the crab cake paired well. This is Southwest Florida food done well.
My choice is afresh fish special area that is difficult to trace, but oh-so-worth it, when he found ... Local tripletail skipped. I was so glad to hear, our server the court verbally at the beginning of our meal. Tripletail is something of a closely held secret fishing here in South Florida ... tender, flaky, pearly flesh with a mild, meaty taste unique easy-to himself. The Tarpon Lodge is one of the few restaurants that offers this fish regularly. If you have ever seenavailable - do not be disappointed.
Chief Joseph was right, again with the tripletail ... only a delicate sauté and season with salt and pepper. This is all I ask. This is a fish that does not need to hide under the sauces. And 'better enjoy the open, on their merits, minimalist and pure .... and I love it!
Somewhere along the line of the sun below the horizon and the explosion sprayed into a pastel sky. Long shadows fall under the palm trees and the playfulJazz stalks in the darkness of the night air on the coast. One after another, leaving the other guests on the patio until we projected in the last two people there, our only business, a few sips of red wine and the remnants of a decadent chocolate dessert. Iceland-induced bliss.
Back in my room, my wife takes a hot shower. I decide to wait for her on the balcony. At night, resplendent in full bloom and a wall of spotlights illuminating the ground from the bottom of several palm treesThe trees and the gazebo. The pool closed to shine against the darkness. Is there anything more beautiful than the computer-blue glow of a swimming pool at night?
Within seconds, I stripped my shorts and jogging on the floor House Iceland. I have a flight of stairs and surreptitiously slipped behind the door to the pool. I am nervous, but no one is looking. I break the rules neon hotel closed in a pool of refreshing waterNight.
My living room is like a pleasant dream and supernatural. Magnificent spectacle dark silhouettes of palm trees against the night sky-high tide. The tropical air cooled dramatically. A smell of chlorine from the water is soft, then disappears every time the light breeze attracts the pure air. Fresh air. Pine-Aire.
In the distance, dancing purple and white power in the form of lightning in silence. Riding sparkling, white Christmas lights to the extent ofhistoric inn, which cover the entire length of the gutter. The blue-colored haze half-watching television screens from the windows of the room where the steaming night tired adventure comes in the direction of travel dreams.
The pool reflects the light that create soft waves and hot all over my skin in stripes and spots. The only sound is the deserted island of palm fronds rustling in the wind and the hum of an invisible electric ceiling fan on the porch of a false balance 'IslandHouse.
I ease back and let the water support me. Weightless, I float on the surface directed his eyes to heaven. The stars in the sky light up with a ferocity and brightness I have never seen before, they had huge balls of fire floating in the sky, swim in the pool.
I look up and see back in time to witness the light antique finish their incredibly long way to the ground. The starlight I see tonight began its long journey before the Tarpon Lodge was. Before the Cloister.Before the Pine-Aire Lodge. Before the Wilson family built this house and the land cleared. The light of the stars we see today was evening, when the Calusa Indians ruled this land, if the only other light was thrown on the fire and the stars were sought guidance and miracles.
Tonight they are in an old place, come and see the light of old, like the old saw .... and it is so quiet, it's almost like I'm the last person on earth.
Then the sound of a door breakssilence, and I see the silhouette shadow of my dear wife on the balcony waiting patiently for me to get back in the room.
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