Twins

Posted in Weekend Reflections.

Black and White

But not really black and white.  Looking down from the second floor at the outdoor dining area of Ridgway Bar and Grill on 13th Avenue South in Naples. 

Books on Third

Naples has a new independent bookstore, Books on Third.  It is on the second floor, above a popular and busy restaurant on Third Street South.  I like independent bookstores and try to support them, but I thought this would be a difficult location to survive.  I was very pleased to see that Books on Third is well stocked and had lots of visitors on an otherwise quiet midweek morning.

They have a big area for children's books, including an array of girls' fantasy costumes to keep the girls entertained while Mom shops for books.

 In another area, comfortable seating was offered.  This area had numerous mouthwatering travel books and photography books.  Needless to say, I spent some time here.  

I hope this store is a success.  They will have to overcome the triple problems of a difficult location, expensive inventory, and a city population that empties out in the summer.

Veterans Day

 Today is Veterans Day, when America honors those who served their country.

The Veterans Memorial Park in Cape Coral has numerous monuments honoring soldiers and sailors.  

None is bigger or more impressive than Iwo Jima Monument, celebrating a 1945 flag raising on a Japanese island in World War II.  It is adapted from a famous photograph by Joe Rosenthal.

A bit further away a soldier and a child salute veterans.

Dennis Goodman Gallery

Dennis Goodman is a fine arts photographer with a gallery in the arts district at the edge of Olde Naples.  He focuses on large scale images of wildlife and seashore scenes.  I see Dennis often at the outdoor art shows in southwest Florida.   I photographed this through the window when his gallery was closed.

Tacos

 I'm glad to see another fast food shop trying to make a go of this old Dairy Queen store on Route 41.

Over the past few years, one store after another has tried.  Ice cream.  Hot dogs.  Burgers. Wings.  Shakes.  Who knows . . . maybe tacos will be the one that succeeds.

Kinsale Golf Club

Kinsale Golf Club is a new golf club being built in Naples.  It is a mile south of me, across the street from Kalea Bay (shown yesterday), and by the same developer.  To create the golf course, they tore up a big forested preserve that the developer had previously committed to leave in a "forever wild" state.

 The clubhouse might fit in with Dutch architecture, but it sure doesn't fit in with southwest Florida. 

 For a $450,000 initiation fee and $26,500 annual golf dues, this is what you get.