Coconut Grove House and Garden Visit

This past weekend we attended a book 

signing in a Coconut Grove bookstore 

and cafe. It's the kind of charming 

neighborhood bookstore we would all 

 want to spend hours in every week. .

My friend David Bethel from waaay back
 in high school had written another
page-turner, Blood Moon,  a crime story
 based on a famous South Florida case.
 He was speaking, along with Ed DuBois, the
investigator that handled the case. Ed also
attended our high school, different class.
Small world indeed. 

Side note: The actor Ed Harris played 

        Ed DuBois in the movie. All-in-all
there were 8 "Red Raiders" at the event.

That's a 50-60 year friendship for some!

After the book signing we were invited back

 to David and Carol's beautiful home in 

the Grove for a celebration lunch.

I wasn't planning on posting about this
day so my pictures are not blog-worthy.
But I will share what I took with my phone. 

Their house is open, rustic-tropical, and filled 

with collected art and treasures from their

 many travels. Wood vaulted ceilings 

and wood floors are a feature. 

Driftwood mirror leans against hall wall.

Hall light fixture

Hallway leading front to back of house.

Family room/Florida room have wood floors,  

white pained wood vaulted ceilings, and

are surrounded by large windows. 

Their house is very energy efficient with

the installation of enough solar panels that 

have reduced their electric bill to $25 even

in the summer with the AC on all the time. 

The back patio is beautiful, but I too busy

enjoying it to take pics. 

This is the front entry of the house.

Living room on left, dining space on right.

There is another patio in the front of the

house and that's where we're headed for

the party.

David with one of the pups. Yes, that's an
armoire on their patio. It's teak wood.
David treats it with teak oil twice a year
for protection. It's been there through years
 of Florida heat, humidity, and storms. 

Carol and David. 

Carol is a sommelier and gourmet chef

for special wine and food pairing events.
She owns Swirl Wine Consulting. 

Books and wine, a great combination! 

Here I am with 2 of my high school girlfriends.

It's amazing to all of us that we have so many 

friends that keep in touch. Either through 

Facebook or local get-togethers for those 

that still live or have returned like I have.  

After lunch we were led through winding 

 secret neighbor's paths by Carol to 

explore the gardens. 

This opened to an impressive garden space
that accommodates many of Carol's
wine and dine events for large groups.

 A Monet inspired garden.

An evening under the palms.

The beautiful garden at night. 

A canopy of flowers.

Onward to the next garden. 

This is their huge neighborhood communal 

vegetable garden.

Carol does all her grocery

 produce shopping here.

Large raised concrete and brick beds filled 

and maintained by a group of friends, and
occasionally hungry peacocks. Beautiful birds,
but a nuisance to local Grove gardeners. 

The pleasure of living in the tropics.

Walking back through their picturesque 

Coconut Grove neighborhood on a
beautiful South Florida day. 

Cheers!

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Between Naps On The Porch