From the lodge living room and dining room common area (and from my room) the views of Lake Pukaki and the mountains were impressive. Aoraki Mount Cook (one of the country’s most iconic mountains) was under cloud cover during my entire stay, making it impossible for me to gaze at the naked peak. Despite that I enjoyed my stay in large part thanks to its picture perfect direct lake and mountain views.
Lunch was artfully presented and “modern” in style, eliciting mostly sighs of pleasure and satisfaction. We liked the well prepared dishes, each one cooked in a way that brought out the natural flavors to their best advantage.
Our meal was worth repeating thanks to warm and attentive service, a pretty setting, including a side view of the Seine River from our table, and not least, a tasty and well served meal. Maison Blanche will be on our neighborhood shortlist for an informal yet upscale ambiance.
We enjoyed our spring visit to the waterfront John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in part because at times it felt almost like a stroll in the park. We anticipated that the 66 acre estate was too large to explore in a single day so we had narrowed our selection to fit into the morning. Once we were there we liked it so much we spent the day.
The biggest surprise was AG, a bar and steakhouse that specialized in fine wines and whiskey, which would not normally be our fare, but thanks to the guidance of those serving us, we thoroughly enjoyed. We would return.
