MINI VACATION

PINEWOOD ESTATE CHALET SUZANNE HISTORIC REG.

PINEWOOD GARDEN FOUNTAIN

ENTRANCE AND BOK TOWER

CHELET SUZANNE'S DINING ROOM AND ENTRANCE TO THE INN

The hubby and I went on a mini vacation this weekend to celebrate our 12th year anniversary!! We've been taking mini vacations together without the kids since we first got married, we alway take a family vacation then we take our "real" vacation. I have to say it has been the best thing we have ever done for our marriage and relationship "we time" is always the best. We went to Chalet Suzanne, which is a country inn in Lake Wales, Florida you can check out the website here http://www.chaletsuzanne.com/. We had gone there for part of our honeymoon and decided it was time to re-visit. I love this place, as you drive into Lake Wales which is in the central part of Florida by Lake Okeechobee, you hit the orange grove farms, since it has been unseasonably warm all winter, the groves have blossomed early, what a wonderful sweet smell, of orange blossoms everywhere, it just takes you by surprise. Every time we walked out of our suite we would smell that wonderful aroma, someone should bottle that stuff they'd make a ton of money. We visited Historic Bok Sanctuary http://www.boksanctuary.org/ where there is a 205 ft Gothic and art deco Carillon Tower which has bells in it that is played by a carillonneur. On the property there's a Mediterranean Revival home called Pinewood Estate, it was the winter home for Mr. C. Austin Buck, an early 20th century industrialist. This house was beautiful, (I love old architecture, houses and public buildings) all of the doors and windows were hand made carved by woodworkers, tile brought in from Spain, Italy and Cuba (which is my birth country) Lots of interesting furnishings and history. We weren't allow to take photos of the the interior but boy did I get photos of the exterior and surrounding gardens. The next day we did the real Florida Tourist Trap and went to Universal Studios, I hadn't been there in six (6) years, can't say I would go again anytime soon, way too many people and I didn't feel it was worth the $77.00 /plus tax per person to get in. Well needless to say we enjoyed our anniversary and had a great time, I can't wait to do again!!