10 minutes after opening and we were not the first one. Efficient and good service, it’s pretty quiet (great). One diner has his lap top up -:)
The chicken feet is wonderful – ok someone might find it unappetizing, and it was me when I first encountered it in Hong Kong many moons ago, but very quickly, I come to enjoy it.
Two rice rolls dim sums are thick thinned and totally tasteless. The crullers should be crispy but theirs were mushy – a no no. Funny, I ordered it the last and the server made a comment as if to agree with me, said “it’s so crunchy …” oh well, better luck next time.
Will return: a small museum with a huge collection.
On the Sarasota Bay, this is a good and manageable museum/gallery, which I don’t feel guilty for not walking 100 miles to cover portion of it -:). It’s a little surprise to see their vast and high quality exhibits, from ancient to contemporary. Not too shabby, compares to the oil and railroad barons, it sure gave them a good run for their money.
Larger part of the ground is closed at the moment, due to two recent hurricanes: Helene and Milton.
It was the home to Mable Burton (1875-1929) and John Ringling (1866-1936), of the Ringling Bro traveling circus fame. They were married in 1905, no children.
I’ve taken my kids to Ringling Bro and Big Apple at the Lincoln Center. But now to think of it, both are dated. Cirque du Soleil (1984-) seems to be the one to go to. So is the cycle or circle of life.
Among so many exhibits, (paintings, photographs, modern arts, …) I found Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) five large oil paintings by his workshop the most impressive.
The Triumph of the Eucharist by Peter Paul Rubens
These galleries feature five immense oil paintings by the Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) and his workshop. The paintings reproduce a series of tapestries on the theme of the Triumph of the Eucharist that Rubens designed at the request of his patron, Isabella Clara Eugenia (1566- 1633), the ruler of the Spanish Netherlands. Isabella commissioned the tapestry cycle in 1625 for a convent near Madrid, Spain, known as the Descalzas Reales, which held special importance for her and her family (the original tapestry cycle is still preserved there). Why Rubens and his workshop also reproduced some of the tapestries at full-scale in oil on canvas-highly unusual for the time-is not entirely clear, but it is thought that Isabella may have wanted the paintings for her palace in Brussels, as a way of remembering her beloved convent from afar.
John Ringling purchased four of the canvases now in Gallery 2 from the Duke of Westminster in 1926, while the canvas on view in Gallery 1 was purchased by the museum in 1980. Gallery 1 also displays a 17th-century tapestry woven after one of Rubens’s designs for the series.
We got to visit the glass exhibit and the main hall/house. This orchid on bamboo, titled Paphiopedilum Bamboo is by Debora Moore (1960-), done in 2002. The painting grabbed me, but has no plaque to know more about it. It’s displayed in the man cave room, a coupe of room down from the Rubens’.
The green boxy structure – Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Center for Asian Art, (趙廷箴/赵廷箴 1921-2008; a petrochemical & plastic industrialist, born in Suzhou, went to Taiwan before 1949 …) is eye-catching but contained very little interesting exhibits.
Dish w/ Two Unglazed Carp was from Southern Song, (12th-13th centuries). It was a gift from Ira and Nancy Koger in 2001.
Chinese body, late 16th-c. style, and European mount,
19th c.
Porcelain, gold washed mounted in Europe
This piece is a blue-and-white bowl with a lobed rim placed in a double-handled silver mount. The European practice of mounting oriental porcelain has a long history, but was particularly prominent in the eighteenth century as part of the interest in Chinese objects in France.
Gift of Ira and Nancy Koger, 2001, SN11122.60
Iznik Plate with Grape Vine Decoration Turkey, Mid 16th c.
Great view. Comfortable seatings. Very good service and great food.
The Beer Wall is cool (no we didn’t order it) – all you can drink but beer in the can is warm. The pizza is wonderful so is the buffalo bowl. However, Wine is served in the plastic tumbler – da beer is in the real glass -:)
Courteous staff. Wooden tables and decors (a little too busy). Fresh flowers. High ceiling. Spacious bathroom
The warm slice breads are to die for. Hummus is bit salty but yummy. Nuts are warm but the ones with akin are soft – not crunch (esp almonds – ok I’m picking bones among eggs … a Chinese proverb), which seriously discounted the taste.
We only ordered one French salad and they served in two bowls (I wasn’t going to have that … too healthy for this pig!) – guuuush that forces me to eat greens -:) – it’s yummy.
The chocolates – Italia amaretto ganache and Mayan chili truffle are yummy – they purchase them fresh.
We stopped by this cute shack off 301 at Ferraro’s. It opens on weekdays – the tomato farm opens on weekends. We had our lunch but stopped by for some take out.
It’s a family business but the sweet girl said he’s not her father.
The mullet is pretty good. The crab cakes are ok – only bec I made a few two weeks ago myself, with less breadcrumbs (?) more crab meat.
I’ve no green thumb. My only time ‘gardening’ is during my supermarket trips, when I see a pretty orchid (have you seen an ugly orchid or flowers?!?) I buy it or them, start of my many gardening -:) journeys.
This place is kind of hidden, lovely. They’ve many plants that you won’t find elsewhere. No a/c (pls no hate here …) One bathroom.
A resounding yes to return, for the skipper (?) who’s from Nicaragua, has two children in the army and the youngest (17 y/o) is in training here. They’ve another one in Sarasota.
Nicaragua is the only Central America country I’ve visited, in 2009. The skipper wanted to know where we were from … New York isn’t going to do for him … so I said Beijing China. He said that’s where he wants to visit … call me If you need any inside tips.
The decor is simple and clean. The food is delicious and the house wine is sublime.
Love their Riedel glasses.
So just as we’re about to leave for our Rays game, they rolled out their Tuesday prosciutto $35 for 2 oz … do I hate him – come back another Tuesday!