Widowed surgeon Tom has struggled to raise his two daughters alone following his wife’s death a year ago. Things seem to be on the right track for the family, who live in a gated community, because they have close friends nearby and Tom is in the early stages of a new relationship. But the situation takes a turn for the worse when Jenny, Tom’s oldest daughter, goes missing along with her boyfriend. Tom enlists girlfriend Sophie, a police detective, to help locate the teens, but her new partner is working her own agenda. As the investigation intensifies, Tom unearths dark secrets about the people closest to him in his affluent neighborhood. The drama series was created by mystery novelist Harlan Coben.
Q-tips say: Was just ok. A series – Starts with a murder and a disappearance in episode 1, and every next episode brings new clues (alongside new questions), so that more and more the mysteries get solved.
Told over eight 45-minute episodes, the story went up down and around the town before all was revealed in the final episode. How do so many people with a wide range of careers afford to live in a posh, gated community?
During World War II, Lt. Gen. Leslie Groves Jr. appoints physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer to work on the top-secret Manhattan Project. Oppenheimer and a team of scientists spend years developing and designing the atomic bomb. Their work comes to fruition on July 16, 1945, as they witness the world’s first nuclear explosion, forever changing the course of history.
Q-tips say: Yes we did enjoy it. The movie is 3 hours long. We watched the entire movie one night.
The film not merely captures the splendor of New Mexico’s desert panoramas but contrast the external coolness and internal turmoil of Oppenheimer, a brilliant mathematician and low-key showman and leader whose impulsive nature and insatiable sexual appetites made his private life a disaster, and whose greatest contribution to civilization was a weapon that could destroy it.
Mrs. Q says: “Oppenheimer” rediscovers the power of huge closeups of people’s faces as they grapple with who they are, and who other people have decided that they are, and what they’ve done to themselves and others.
A spiritual journey of compassion, redemption and unconditional friendship between two solitary souls at opposite ends of life.
Aging widow Fall (Partnow) finds joy wherever she goes, from the aisles of the local supermarket to the melody she hears grumpy busker Adam (Jesse Pepe) playing in the park. She offers to pay him for piano lessons, and his desperation leads him to teach her on the Slipaway, the docked boat where she lives. Fall’s happiness is contagious, but Adam’s past threatens to unravel the work she is doing to improve his life in the present.
Q-tips say: Yes, we enjoyed it. Slip away is a simple and sweet film.
Wonderful way to spend an afternoon walk with Chicago neighbors, Michael & Helen, who are visiting FL.
Bradenton Riverwalk – 452 3rd Ave W., Bradenton, FL 34208
Q-tips say: SEE IT! Go and enjoy. You can park for free in downtown Bradenton (by City Hall/police station) and follow the walkway under the bridge to get to the park. There are great pieces of art to look at, sculptures, a pier, a walking dock, benches, covered swings and a playground for children to play in & they can enjoy the water park. It ends at the downtown marina close to city hall and Old Main Street where several restaurants await after this long refreshing walk that passes under the US 41 bridge. Also, you might see a Tropicana train go by.
The playground was very large, clean, a variety of sets that included a jungle gym, swings, fountain, large grass field and lots of fun!!
There is plenty of lightening & while sitting for a few moments enjoy the river breeze, joggers, rollerbladers, bikers, dogs being walked (pet friendly ) and also an out door stage area where it looked like plays or entertainment could be found.
After enjoying the Riverwalk went to Pier 22. ENJOY!
DESOTO Natl. Park – 8300 De Soto Memorial Hwy, Bradenton, FL 34209, (941) 792-0458 Raised walk through the mangroves. Hours: Mon-Sun 9 am – 5 pm
https://www.nps.gov/deso/index.htm
Q-Tips say: Great walk with long time Chicago Friends. A great park, excellent for kids, of all ages, beautiful marked trails to walk, and there are cardboard cutouts throughout, and sign post explaining the history of Desoto Park. A museum and also a movie explaining the history. They also offer a “special event” when they have people dressed in the costumes and the culture of that period.
After our walk we went for an lunch/dinner before theBig Game – The Super Bowl.
Mrs. Q says: Entrance Fee: FREE. FREE is good. Yes, you may bring your dog, but doggie must be on a leash at all times. Also, a Hugh Monument to remembering the Priests of the period. Don’t forget to see the Gumbo Limbo tree – you can’t miss it. It is over 200 years old. The Gumbo Limbo tree is also called Gumbo, the tourist tree, because it get red from the sun and peels. Unfortunately, the tree is gone due to a hurricane. Go & enjoy, we always do.
History & Culture – Hernando de Soto was born around 1500 in the Extermadura region of Spain. De Soto was the second born son to a minor country noble or Hidalgo. He would learn in his youth the skills of horsemanship, reading, writing, and armed combat, but due to the laws of inheritance he would have to look outside of his estate for wealth and glory. At the age of 14, Hernando de Soto would leave Extermadura for Seville and enlist in an expedition set for the New World. He would arrive in present day Panama at the colony of Darien founded by his childhood hero Alviar Nunez de Balboa. De Soto would serve Balboa and the governor Pedrarias Davila as soldier of horse, where he would quickly distinguish himself.
Pedrarias named El Furor Domini the scourge of God by his men would quickly strike out and eliminate many of his chief rivals within the colonial government, including Balboa his Son-in-Law. He would wage a brutal conquest over the native people of Central America conquering Panama and Nicaragua. De Soto would carefully navigate the time of political upheaval and executions and would rise to a position of prominence in the colonial government under Pedrarias. De Soto would game wealth and fame due to his partnerships with several men. Entering into a compania or partnership with Hernan Ponce de Leon, and Francisco Companon, De Soto would make a decent fortune ranching horses and trading and shipping Indian slaves.
Cajmarca -Atahualpa’s capture at the battle of Cajamarca.
A Chance for Immortality In 1530 on a failed expedition into South America, a down on his luck conquistador named Francisco Pizarro stumbled upon evidence of a rich and culturally advanced society in Peru called the Inca. Pizarro would fail in his petition to Pedrarias to lead expedition of conquest into Peru. Pizarro would call on Hernando de Soto and Hernan Ponce de Leon to lend horse cavalry and ships for the expedition as well as influence on Pedrarias to approve the expedition. In exchange for his services, De Soto would be named second-in-command of the expedition and receive a lions share of the spoils of conquest. The largest obstacle would prove to be De Soto’s old mentor Pedrarias who would stand firm on his decision to not allow the expedition. De Soto would attempt a coup to unseat Pedrarias’s power and would be thrown in prison and possibly executed. Fortunately for De Soto Pedrarias would die in March of 1531, freeing De Soto and Ponce to outfit Pizarro’s expedition. 1532 Pizarro and De Soto would lead 300 soldiers into Peru to conquer an empire of millions. Fortunately for the Spanish the Inca empire was experiencing a bloody civil war between two brothers Atahualpa and Huascar, in which Atahaulpa would win and become the Sapa Inca Emperor. Showing contempt for the Spanish, Atahualpa would meet with Pizarro at the Inca town of Cajamarca. Atahualpa would come un-armed and ultimately be captured by Pizarro in a bloody takeover. Atahaulpa and De Soto would become friends during the Inca Emperors captivity passing time playing chess and teaching him Spanish. Pizarro would offer Atahualpa a chance at freedom for a great ransom in which the Inca Emperor would fill three rooms with gold, silver and precious gems totaling 90 million dollars in today’s money. For his troubles Atahualpa would be tried and executed by Pizarro. De Soto in disagreeing would be sent away to put down a false rebellion during the trial. De Soto would bitterly leave the expedition in 1535 after being denied governorship of Cuzco by Pizarro. He would then travel to Spain and marry Donna Isabella de Bombadilla a daughter of his old mentor Pedrarias. In 1537 Hernando de Soto would meet with the Emperor Charles V and impress him with his tales from the indies. Charles would later approve De Soto’s request to govern and conquer a portion of the New world, a place named La Florida. De Soto would depart Spain in September 1537 to travel to Cuba were he would claim his title of Governor and begin forming his expedition to La Florida. May 1539 De Soto would depart Havana and sail for a selected bay on Florida’s west coast to begin the expedition that would cost him his fortune and his life.
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Q-Tips & our long time Chicago friends had: We had a good time & walk at the Spanish Point. After we had dinner at Rosebud.
A great place to visit for a few hours or the day. You will learn about some of the history of Florida and how Bertha Potter Palmer made Florida famous. The butterfly exhibit is awesome.
Experience Mrs. Potter Palmer’s Jungle Walk, lush Sunken Garden, and the Butterfly Garden, one of the largest on the Gulf Coast. At Guptill Boat Yard, enjoy maritime tales.
Explore all 30 acres of this beautiful outdoor museum, they close the site gates promptly at 5:00 p.m. Generally, it is recommended to allow a full two hours for your visit. Wear comfortable walking shoes and appropriate clothing and suggest you wear sunscreen. Strollers and wheelchairs are welcome, keep in mind that some of the paths are made of crushed shell, so sturdy wheels are advised. (Call ahead to 941-966-5214 x210 to request one of the two wheelchairs, if you need one.) Historic Spanish Point is a smoke-free environment. Pets are not allowed except for service dogs or on Pups at the Point days. Please keep to the designated paths. Picnic tables are available, so bring a lunch or snack! Because Historic Spanish Point is an environmental museum as well as an archaeological site, we invite you to take many photos and leave only footprints. TOURS: Docent-Guided Tours (no additional charge) if you take the boat tour, there is an extra fee. Allow at least two hours for a tour and call ahead to 941-966-5214 x210 on the day you plan to visit for departure times.
Self-Guided Exploration – Brochure-map, available at the Visitors Center, makes self touring easy. There is a lot to see and do here; explore at your own pace!
Continuous-Loop TramsDocent-Guided Tram Tours – For visitors who can’t easily walk the mile-long tour, a tram tour is available by advance reservation. There is still some moderate walking involved, and passengers will want to climb on and off at certain points of the tour as appropriate. (The tram tour is not recommended for people in wheelchairs. The paths can accommodate most sturdy wheelchairs and electric carts.) Tram tours (each for up to seven guests per tram, seats available on a first come, first served basis) must be reserved at least two days in advance so we may schedule a volunteer Docent-tram driver. Please call 941-966-5214 x260 for reservations.
Docent-Guided Group Tours – Available by previous arrangement for groups of 15 or more at a discounted rate. Trams are available. For more information, please call: 941-966-5214 x260.
The Palmers and the Webbs and the history of Spanish Point
Bertha Honore Palmer
The Palmer name is ubiquitous in Sarasota County. Everywhere you look, there are streets, parks and subdivisions named after the wealthy Chicago family who came here in 1910 to develop this lush subtropical paradise on the Gulf Coast into housing, ranches and citrus groves.
The matriarch of the Palmer clan, socialite Bertha Honore Palmer, was the widow of Potter Palmer, prominent Chicago real estate developer and co-founder of Marshall Field and Company.
Eight years after her husband’s death, Bertha Palmer purchased more than 80,000 acres of land around Sarasota, including 30 acres belonging to Florida pioneers John and Eliza Webb, who had established a farm on the site in 1867 and named it Spanish Point.
The name was derived not from Spanish explorers, as you might expect, but rather after a Spanish trader the Webbs had met in Key West while looking for a homestead to settle in Florida.
The trader told them of an idyllic coastal location that rose high above what is now Little Sarasota Bay.
The Webb family farmed the land for more than 40 years before it was purchased by Bertha Palmer in 1910.
“Window to the Past” at Historic Spanish Point.
Between 1959 and 1962, scientists started digging around Spanish Point, excavating burial mounds and shell middens, a landfill of sorts for domestic discards. There are shell middens all over Florida, but this is the only one that was cut in half, enclosed in glass and put on public display.
This “Window To The Past” is enclosed within the walls of a small museum where ancient history is exposed in words and pictures. And then you look through the glass and imagine what life was like thousands of years ago.
Mary’s Chapel at Historic Spanish Point.
Bertha Palmer selected the Webb farm as the anchor of her 350-acre winter estate, where she could live while overseeing the development of her other lands in Sarasota County.
She left largely intact the shell middens and burial mounds on the property, as well as the Webb homestead, outbuildings buildings and chapel, while building her own home and gardens on a ridge above the bay.
Palmer developed the gardens in keeping with the layout of the original homestead, incorporating the farms buildings into a tropical landscape punctuated by pergolas, classic Greek columns, lawns and flower gardens.
An early aqueduct that transported water for the Webb homestead and farmlands can still be seen among the rich foliage and flowers that Palmer added to the property, which she called Osprey Point.
Bertha Palmer’s Sunken Garden at Historic Spanish Point.
Meadow Sweet Pastures is now part of Myakka River State Park
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MYAKKA RIVER STATE PARK 13208 State Rd 72, Sarasota, FL 34241 – (941) 361-6511 myakkariver.org
Q-Tips say: $6.00 per car is the entrance fee for the entire day!
Had a wonderful time with Chicago long time friends.
The only turtle we saw were at Phillippi Creek oyster bar that day:
THINGS TO DO AT MYAKKA: A VISITOR CENTER: w/ displays, movies and information. AIR BOAT RIDE/ TRAM TOUR, CONCESSION:, CANOE/ KAYAK/ BIKE – rent or bring your own. CANOPY WALK, GATOR WATCHING, BIRDING, BIRDWALK, NATURE TRAILS, HIKING, NATIVE TREE WALK, FISHING (Fresh water license required), PICNIC (picnic areas w/tables, grills – bring your own or buy charcoal at the concession stores), PLAYGROUNDS, JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM, RANGER PROGRAMS AND SPECIAL EVENTS, OVERNIGHT CAMPING or LOG CABINS – reservations needed).
Due the Holiday Season & snow-birds returning – very busy – many more people with younger families at this time visiting.
Mrs. Q says: A GREAT PLACE to spend the day for children of all ages. What fun to see Deer, Alligators, Birds, and listen/ or look for Feral Hogs, and maybe a Bobcat. Bobcats are nocturnal but often rest during the day in trees. Did see a few animals this time and the water level was fine.
When family visits they have fun walking the Canopy Walk.
Animals we saw the last visit: Alligators, raccoons in a cage, beautiful birds, and several two legged animals 🙂
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL & FUN PLACE. Go and enjoy!
Canopy Walkway
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Based on a true story, a couple’s adulterous affair leads to an unexpected pregnancy. They leave their spouses to begin a new life together, but their daughter, Katelyn, is born with a birth defect. While her dad believes Katelyn’s condition is God’s punishment for the affair, Katelyn, with only one fully developed arm, defies all odds with an incredible gift for softball. “I Can” is a story about Katelyn overcoming adversity, and her dad eventually finding genuine forgiveness.
Q-tips say: Yes, see it.I Can is a faith-based sports biopic about young Katelyn Pavey (Danner Brown), who was born with one arm and becomes a star athlete who doesn’t see her disability as something that holds her back. Katelyn’s father and grandparents are positive role models who are encouraging and supportive.
Mrs. Q says: It would have been nice to see more of the relationship between Katelyn and her mother, as well as Katelyn and her sisters (not to mention Eric (the father) interacting with his other daughters).
