Reflections

Reflections fascinate me. It's like a big puzzle - can you find all the pieces that make up 2 completely diverse pictures? Like this one, taken of an art gallery in Key West.


Or this one, of a funky art gallery in downtown Naples.


And my favorite, yet another art gallery in...can you guess where?

Passages

Small alley behind a garden shop, downtown Naples.

At first glance

Another participant in the Third in Bloom competition

When I first came upon C.W. Smith (seen in the background), I mistook it for W.H Smith, the English Bookstore on the Rue de Rivoli in Paris (that's the place to get English newspapers and The New York Times, best sellers and a wide range of English paperbacks).

This Smith, however, is "a direct importer of 17th, 18th and 19th century antiques from China and the former British, Dutch and Portuguese colonies in Asia".

That's a whole different kettle of fish, isn't it...

Quirky

This fellow would not give up his seat for me...What happened to chivalry?

And this place opted out of the "Third in Bloom" competition. I don't blame them - exactly what kind of gardening would go with ''Bad Ass Coffee"?

Canine oasis

John Craig Clothier, downtown Naples, consistently wins top honors for their "timeless menswear for the sophisticated man".


I would like to bestow on them one more - my own Animal Lover award.
See that doggie water dish in front of the entrance?
From what I could see, it was very much appreciated on a hot, sunny day.
A lot of happy tail wagging...And I don't mean me ;-)

The town is jumpin'

There's been a lot going on downtown Naples lately. Like the "Third in Bloom" festival, where the Garden Club judges the best decorated merchant' windows on Third Street South. I will show you some of them this week.

Also, the ever popular Naples Art Festival on Fifth Ave South.

All you need is some comfortable walking shoes and a bottle of water. Baby, it's hot out there!

Naples own

"You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time."
Abraham Lincoln (attributed)16th president of US (1809 - 1865)

Most of you guessed my April Fool's joke in yesterday's post : it was one of the famous fountains from the Gardens of Versailles, France. Bravo Olivier, you were the first to identify it!

It's not like Naples lacks in that department - this fountain from the Third Street South even has some horses - but it does not pack the same punch, does it?

Day 2

For the past 2 weeks we hosted our good friends from Germany. We knew that they were both athletic and adventurous, but they totally wore us out!!! For the next few days I will show you just some of the things we did on their vacations!


Early one morning we piled into our friends rented convertible (cabriolet, as they call it) and took a day trip to Miami.
We spent most of the day ogling the beautiful people on South Beach and the beautiful Art Deco buildings off the beach.



Around midday, we had a scrumptious meal at Oriente - a Cuban and Asian influenced restaurant inside the Cardozo Hotel, owned by Gloria Estefan.

And yes, we enjoyed some mojitos before the meal ;-)

Theme day - graffiti in your town

5th Avenue South

The Naples (commercial) gangs strike again!

Since the definition of graffiti is lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property, I think this fits today's theme, don't you?

Almost 150 City Daily Photo blogs participate in today's theme day. Please pay them a visit below:

Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, Aliso Viejo (CA), USA by Rodney, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, Arradon, France by Alice, Ashton under Lyne, UK by Pennine, Athens, Greece by Debbie, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Bandung, Indonesia by Guntur Purwanto, Baziège, France by PaB, Belgrade, Serbia by BgdPic, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Boston (MA), USA by Fenix, Boston (MA), USA by Sarah, Whit, & Leyre, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Brighton, UK by Harvey, Bucaramanga, Colombia by Fernando, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cape Town, South Africa by Kerry-Anne, Chandler (AZ), USA by Melindaduff, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chicago (IL), USA by b.c., Chicago (IL), USA by U R us, Christchurch, New Zealand by Michelle, Clearwater (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Clearwater Beach (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Cleveland (OH), USA by iBlowfish, Cologne, Germany by April11, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Detroit (MI), USA by Taittems, Dunedin (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, Evry, France by Olivier, Forks (WA), USA by Corinne, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Guelph, Canada by Pat, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hyde, UK by Gerald, Inverness (IL), USA by Neva, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Joplin (MO), USA by Victoria, Juneau (AK), USA by Gwyn, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Le Guilvinec, France by ds2944, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lisbon, Portugal by Jsaltao, Lodz, Poland by ritalounge, London, UK by Ham, London, UK by Mo, Mainz, Germany by JB, Maple Ridge, Canada by Susan, Mazatlan, Mexico by Kate, Melbourne, Australia by Mblamo, Melbourne, Australia by John, Memphis (TN), USA by SouthernHeart, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico, Mexico by Poly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Montréal, Canada by Douber, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Mumbai, India by MumbaiIteanu, Naples (FL), USA by Isabella, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK by Cassie & Chris, Niamey, Niger by Dinabee, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Nottingham, UK by Gail's Man, Ocean Township (NJ), USA by Josy, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Petrea, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia by Murphy_jay, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Vila, Vanuatu by Mblamo, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Quincy (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Radonvilliers, France by Deslilas, Riga, Latvia by Prokur, Rome, Italy by Giovanni, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation by Lark, San Antonio (TX), USA by Kramer, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Diego (CA), USA by Zentmrs, Santa Fe (NM), USA by Randem, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Seguin (TX), USA by Thien, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Sharon (CT), USA by Jenny, Silver Spring (MD), USA by John, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, St Francis, South Africa by Sam, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Terre Haute (IN), USA by Zann, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, The Hague, Netherlands by Lezard, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Torun, Poland by Torun Observer, Toulouse, France by Julia, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Wassenaar, Netherlands by Rich, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Wrocław, Poland by Loompi, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn

Give me a break...please!

From the storefront of "The lady from Haiti" boutique downtown Naples.

This is exactly how I feel today...well, maybe not so chipper ;-)

Let me explain. For the past 2 weeks we were hosting our good friends from Germany. We knew that they were both athletic and adventurous, but they totally wore us out!!! For the next few days I will show you just some of the things we did on their vacation!

(BTW - this was their first visit to the States and with the euro at an all-time high, they were...well, like kids in a candy store! Our food, gas and clothing seemed ridiculously inexpensive to them!)

Naïf

There is a funky Caribbean art gallery and gift boutique in the heart of downtown Naples, called "The lady from Haiti".

This painting is just one of many vibrant works by the artist E Jean-Louis.

To see more paintings (and read about "the lady" herself), you can visit here.

Fancy this?

Do you have some extra cash ly(on)ing around?

Is your den large enough to house a bronzed horse?

If the answer is yes to both, you might want to visit the American Art & Antiques downtown Naples.

Don't worry - they deliver ;-)

Have a seat

Fifth Avenue South, Naples

Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits.

~ Satchel Paige

However you do it, enjoy the weekend!

What's in a name?

Guess what I found growing in the bushes - a Lotus. Well, not exactly. This is a Toyota MR2 Spyder, a nifty looking sports car, built based on the Lotus design.



When said in French, the name MR2 [em er 'dø] sounds like est merdeux (fr: is terrible, sh.t and hell). Thus, the car was sold there only as the MR. In English, the MR2 is frequently called the " Mister Two." (just an amusing tidbit I found on Wikipedia).

Which reminds me of another urban legend, where GM introduced their Chevy Nova to the Latin American market. They could not understand why the car was not selling well there. Apparently, nobody told GM that "no va" in Spanish means "no go" ;-)

The colors of Naples - 6

Sadly, not even upscale Naples remains unaffected by the current economic downturn. This is Fifth Avenue South, the heartbeat of the city, in the height of the season and, as as you can see, pretty deserted.

You might debate whether or not US is in a recession, but this photo speaks for itself - any other year, Naples in January is the happenin' place ;-)

Are you noticing any negative economic effects where you are?

Casual affair

The Village on Venetian Bay

Since I left the corporate world, I no longer wear high-heeled shoes. For one, I am tall enough, and two, I am not a masochist!


As a matter of fact, that's one of the things I like about living in Naples - its casual lifestyle.
What you see here is our daytime "uniform": polo (shirt), capris (pants) and flats (shoes).

Evening wear? That's a whole other kettle of fish ;-)

Box Step

Molino's Ristorante at the Promenade of Bonita Bay

This photo makes me smile. And it's not only because of the "Dancing Santa"...

Happy weekend!

Waterworld

Weekend on Venetian Bay in Naples. Boating, shopping, dining...

And just so you know, this condominium complex is firmly planted in the middle of the Bay. WaterCar mandatory ;-)

The colors of Naples - 5

The Village on Venetian Bay, Naples

If you've been to Paris, you are undoubtedly familiar with the stereotypical French mademoiselle - very thin, dressed in black, cell phone in one hand and cigarette in the other.

This is the Florida's version - more rounded, wearing bold colors, with latte instead of cigarette, but with the ubiquitous cell phone ;-)

(BTW - did you notice the bead store motto: "Don't worry. Bead Happy"? )

Le dejeuner au bord de la mer

One of the perks of living in a vacation destination and thus hosting a slew of visitors, is that they often insist on taking you out to eat. Whether they are grateful for lodging or just tired of my "healthy" cuisine - why look a gift horse in the mouth?

We enjoyed this delightful lunch at Marie-Michelle's - a French bistro, right on Venetian Bay in Naples. Warm, sunny day, the sight of dolphins frolicking in the water and a slightly fruity Chardonnay...need I say more?

Every dish was finger-licking good, but I personally recommend the Saumon Poche aux Fruits Tropicaux - Poached Alaskan King Salmon served with a mixture of exotic mango and papaya, laced with lime ginger Beurre Blanc.

Oh, I almost forgot: halfway through the meal, Marie-Michelle herself, came out and double kissed all the diners. The French way ;-)