Matlacha, FL and Leoma Lovegrove

Bealls is a department store known and founded in Bradenton, Florida. Although the department store is known throughout Florida, Bealls Outlet and Burkes Outlet is known in 16 of our states, notably in the sun belt but as far from Florida as Nevada and New Mexico. What is cool about the store is they have Leoma Lovegrove on their team making her designs into the most incredible clothing, accessory and household designs for the tropical feel.

This is one of her designs that I bought as a purse. I wanted to carry one of her designs to her shop in Matlacha, Florida, when I visited. She has this design as a painting, so, many of the designs that you can buy at Bealls also can be seen as an original Leoma Lovegrove or a giclees, a type of paint of her original.





Since I finished the book and was taking a week off from my writing, a friend and I decided to visit her gallery in Matlacha, (pronounced mat - la - shay). What a great day! This small community is off the coast of Cape Coral on Pine Island Road, and it easily accessible and small enough to really look around and enjoy the day.

The map below is a general idea of where Matlacha is in Florida.








What you find in the small community is a number of colorful buildings  (shown above) where you find funky dresses and accessories.



But, we were on the quest to see Leoma's gallery (shown at the right), and OMG it was incredible. I fell in love with a number of her paintings, and I really need to add her feel-good style to my walls. I just don't know which one. That is the question. I wish I could show you a sample, but I don't think that is allowed. If you go to her website, though, it will give you an idea of her paintings. It is leomalovegrove.com. The samples she shows on the website is simply that, a sample. She has literally hundreds of different paintings in her gallery from the smallest to the largest. And it appeared that when she paints, she paints in themes or colors so you could easily put a few together to make a larger display. I could have stayed there all day looking at her paintings, loving the feeling of the sea creatures and tropical feels, but we became hungry and asked where to eat. We were directed to the Blue Dog Bar and Grill a few doors away.

What a treat.




My friend went wild when she saw they had smoked mullet on the menu, so she asked for an appetizer and I tried an unfamiliar fish. It was good, and definitely had a zing to it. We both had a grouper sandwich, but there was a number of sandwiches, wraps, and salads to choose from. And the inside was the decor of old Florida. I loved it.

The picture to the right is of the bar area (and if you notice the guy in the far right corner that is the owner -- great guy). The picture above is the dining area. I could tell there are a lot of good times in this restaurant. And our waitress, Sophia, was outstanding. I felt like I was at home in the company of good friends. A definite go-back-to restaurant. And I will try the smoked mullet again.

All in all, a great way to end the week, and a definite must for those who are going to travel in the Ft. Meyer area, that is if you like the small artsy communities which are all around Florida.

Until tomorrow...have a great day...