Mt. Dora, Florida

Today was a day off from the "convention world" we have been part of.  After 9 days of convention activities...time away.  There were things to pack up and put on trucks back to Dallas, but once completed we headed out of town to Mount Dora.

Mount Dora is about 27 miles N.W. of Orlando, Florida.  It's a small town that evokes that quiet and comfortable “Southern” charm and hospitality of a lakefront community.  There are gentle rolling hills and orange groves surrounding the city. At an elevation of 184 feet above sea level, Mount Dora is Florida’s equivalent of a mountain top town.

The large, beautiful lake upon which the City grew is named for Ms. Dora Ann Drawdy (1819-1885), who homesteaded in the mid-1800's.  Ms. Dora befriended federal surveyors with her warm hospitality. In 1846, the surveyors named Lake Dora for her, and years later, in 1883, the small but growing town was named for the lake. Today, Ms. Drawdy is buried in Umatilla.

We began our adventure by looking for a place to eat lunch.

The locals recommended "The Goblin Market"

The entrance was down an alley...

and through an arbor!

You an see there are several umbrellas on the back patio, and there is a courtyard on the other side of the building.

The inside was dark and felt very much like a cozy reading nook.  The food...excellent!  If you are in the area check it out.

The old buildings were in good shape and there was so much to see.

There were also many other options for enjoying the Florida weather.  I love this patio situated under the larger shade tree.

The pub right on the main street had great wooden shutters that opened up to let fresh air and sunlight inside.

The shops were all very quaint and, of course, very touristy...but full of fun and friendly people.

This is one of the best porches I've seen in awhile!

So many wonderful things to see.

For some reason I'm having trouble uploading my pictures, so tomorrow I'll show you some of the shops and art galleries.

We fly home tomorrow...so things will fall back into a rhythm of being home.  I'll also report on some of the reading.  I didn't get a lot read...once people arrived for the convention, I had a lot more company at the pool which meant a lot more time to visit with old friends.

Till tomorrow,
debi