We are home as of 5:20 today from our whirlwind trip to Bradenton/Tampa. Today started out with the sun streaming thru our hotel room windows on the 6th floor. This lovely building (formerly the Manatee River Hotel) was built in 1926 and was quite upscale back in the day with many celebrities staying here - Herbert Hoover, Greta Garbo, Babe Ruth, Clark Gable, Al Capone to name a few. The building architecture is really cool (7 stories) and has sooo much history, After falling on hard times, it was bought and sold in 1966 and since that time, has been a senior home, assisted living, luxury boutique hotel and on November 18, 2013, opened as the downtown Bradenton Hampton Inn and Suites - nicest Hampton we've stayed in!!!
Slept in this morning and then walked to the Orange Blossom Cafe for our coffees and shared a warm orange scone. Packed up the car and off to Tampa. We met friends Linda and Richard from McPherson, KS whose son Lance was a pilot with Ryan (Blues) for 1 year. They are spending 2 months in Dunnellon, FL so Tampa was a good meeting place. We had a great lunch at Wright's (excellent deli and bakery that my friend Claire had recommended and their "go to" place when in Tampa). We visited for awhile, finally ordered lunch and yakked some more! Sooo good to see them......their grandchildren are 8 (boy) and 9 (girl) with a new baby boy coming in March - so happy for them! Said our good byes and headed south!
Stopped in Arcadia to see Joan and Joe and check on Joe's really bad burn. We took him his favorite - Bud Lite and he's a happy camper. Their friends, Steve and Sue from near Port Clinton, OH were there and so good to visit again - they all came to Catrina last August!
Good to be home but sure enjoyed our little getaway - tired nomads tonight!
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