Take Me Away

Well, I just got back from Naples, Florida. It’s such a different world down there, with sunny days and breezy nights and everything outdoors! I’ve always known that being near water soothes my soul and walking along the beach raises my mood. Of course, we can do that here in Connecticut, but there’s something exhilarating about Florida’s sandy beaches filled with colorful umbrellas and people who seem to be on holiday year-round. 

Yes, I’m vaccinated … but my mask is always with me.

Design is everywhere. Downtown is a mecca of idyllic shops surrounded by a myriad of restaurants that spill out onto the sidewalks – all of which are trimmed with greenery and tiny lights that create a magical scene at night. It’s the perfect place for people watching and car gazing. The weather opens possibilities for types of cars you just don’t see here or wouldn’t mix well with our harsh winters. And the people are native Floridians, as well as transplants from across the country or internationally.

In fact, one night we met and chatted with another party at dinner who was a Florida designer out with two of her clients for whom she’d designed triplex condos. We ended up exchanging numbers as one of the clients lives part-time in Connecticut and we agreed to connect at home.

Though I’m vaccinated, I still err on the side of caution with this evolving pandemic. But somehow Naples’ open-air lifestyle allowed me to breathe more freely and feel less anxiety.  It was a joy to walk on the sidewalks and see full faces, even if masks were still worn in stores.

Staying with my sister at their Naples home probably added to my sense of normalcy while I was there. But it was our late afternoons on the beach followed by lingering dinners downtown that really gave me that “Ahhhh” feeling of being away.

I feel very fortunate to have had this experience which was like a reset button for me after so many months with limited mobility. I’m still cautious, but I’m going forward with a brightened outlook now that I’m back at home. Cheers, everyone!