So today was 4th July and to be a chilled out pool day, avoiding all the busy shops and jam packed parks. And oh my what a very chilled out day it turned out to be. Apart from a mini driving meltdown caused by me, but more of that later.
I started my day up and out by the pool. What a great place to be rattling up the previous days trip report eh?
I was going to take loads of pictures of the villa but to be honest Randys own pictures on the dibb advert as so true to form there was no need. I did take a picture of one thing. When I booked the villa, the only picture that put me off was of the kitchen with the orange folding plastic chairs. I hate sitting in folding chairs and worried that this would stop us using the dining table. When we arrived I was delighted to see that these have in fact been updated to nice sturdy wooden ones, and the dining table is perfectly comfortable as a result.
Despite Kevin having been saying all week how we really should spend more time at the pool, the very first day we have an opportunity to do just that all day, he cant sit still for 5 minutes. I think in total he spent an hour actually by or in the pool. The rest of his day was split out photographing the wildlife at the back, or shopping with Kieran.
They got some nice pictures
We hadn't seen a dragonfly with such brightly patterned wings before. Kieran said a butterfly must have married a dragonfly and this was how their baby turned out!
The they went shopping. They went to that big shop on the 192 with the massive wizard at the top looking for fidget spinners. This seems expensive to me but Kieran is delighted with it
Then since they were up that way (were they? I think not!) Kevin went back to the converse shop. They now had 50% off sale prices for 4th July and had some new stock in. So here is what Kevin got for $63!
I lay at the pool all day long soaking up as much sun as I can before I go back to cold and wet Scotland. We had face timed my mum this morning and she confirmed the weather at home is rubbish, Surprise Surprise eh? Hannah stayed in her room all day doing whatever it is she does in there.
We got ready to leave just after 4pm, apart from Hannah who still had to try and do her makeup in the car as she wasn't ready when we were due to leave despite being in her room ALL DAY. How is that possible? Anyway. The whole makeup in the car thing is interesting when she starts drawing her eyebrows on. We can usually tell how that is going by how hard Kieran is laughing!
The plan was to drive up the US27, stopping at a big dress barn I was convinced I had seen from the car the day we drove up for the massage (notice here I say convinced I saw, not I saw. Mm hmm) Then to stop at Aldi to stock up on coffee pods to take home, then onto the Tiki Bar and Grill at Lake Minneola that Randy had told us he and wife Barb both love. So this is the section of the day where I caused a mini meltdown.
We drove all the way up and reached Aldi without seeing the dress barn. I couldn't understand this but decided we would do Aldi first. We drive into the Aldi car park, The shop is all lit up but the car park looks quiet. Hmm. Get to the door and its all locked up even though its only 4:40. They must have closed, or closed early, for 4th July. Although there were no signs saying so, and umpteen American women arrived at the door behind me seeming confused that it would be closed. So we get back in the car and I ask Kevin to drive back down the US27 to see if we can see that Dress Barn. A bit of a way down the road he starts questioning whether I did actually see it but Hannah is backing me up saying she saw it too as she had made a remark to me about me looking at it. But no, we could not find this dress barn, so we u-turn again back UP the US27. I suddenly have a bit of a realisation and wonder whether it was actually the drive to Busch I saw it from. Oops. That would mean it is off the I4, not the US27. Mm hmm. So I say to Kevin I am wondering if that is whats happened and Hannah goes "Yeah it was definitely the road to Busch Mum. What? Is this NOT the road to Busch?" So we had indeed been driving up and down for no good reason. I thought the veins in Kevins neck might rupture.
We were still too early for Tiki as we hoped to eat 7:30-8ish so we would still be there for sunset, and we didn't know how busy it would be on 4th July. But by this time Kieran is moaning that his dad made him stop eating his M&Ms saying he would be having dinner soon, and now he was 'totally starving', and we were driving up and down this same road pretending we were going for dinner. "What are we actually doing?" This made us all laugh so eased the mood somewhat. So we decided just to head to the Tiki Bar and if we missed the sunset so be it.
On the way we passed this guy at the side of the road. No billboard no nothing. Just hanging out being Superman.
We found it no problem and parked up. I have to be honest, as we walked towards it I wasn't sure at all. From the back it looks like a wee beach shack, with another wee shack type building at the back housing the restrooms.
When we reached the dock there was lots of folk with their boats and we could see the seating area. It was very pretty and you could see straight away that it would look amazing later.
There were only 8 big round tables but 2 of them were free and there was nobody else waiting. Everyone else was sitting around on deck chairs with picnics or in swimming in the lake. As soon as I saw all the local kids jumping off the pier into the lake I knew what Kieran was going to ask. To be fair he waited until after dinner so did well!
We sat on a bench for a while just enjoying the view before going over and taking the now last empty table. It 6:15pm now and we knew if it got busy we might need to give the table up before sunset, but we could plenty other places to sit later, even if it meant perched on the pier where some people already were.
I promise I have offered and offered for Kevin to have a beer at restaurants and I would drive, but he always insists no, saying he is happy to have his beer once he reaches his favourite place every night. The hot tub. I offered again tonight, particularly as Randy had pointed out a few draft beers Kevin might like here. But no, he wanted to drive. So I made my way through the bottled coolers they serve here. There's not much alcohol in them and they taste gorgeously sweet so perfect for my sweet tooth.
We check the menu
I had Chicken Caesar salad
Kevin had wings (which he said were even nicer than Buffalo Wild Wings)
And both kids had grilled chicken sandwiches with fries.
It was gorgeous sitting here and early in the night the music was very laid back island vibe type stuff.
Later in the night the music got more pop at loads of people turned up and got drinks to sit out on the pier or around the sand at the edge of the lake)
I (don't) apologise for the rest of this being very photo heavy. It was just Beautiful and this is only a fraction of the photos we took. Thankfully there was nobody waiting for a table so we strung dinner out then ordered key lime pie (which is the only dessert they do!). This was yum.
Apologies for the part eaten photo but I wanted to show the almonds under the cream part.
Hannah was selfie happy as apparently GiGi whatsherface takes sunset selfies as the light is good. I had to trawl through millions of these to pick out my photos this morning. Because of course she was using my phone, as hers had been Snapchatted to death by the time the sun actually set!
There was still nobody waiting for a table so we sat on. The waitresses were really lovely and friendly. One of them was chatting to me about liking the coolers saying she loves them too. The she said she was sorry about the $5 price and I should get some in Walmart or Dollar Tree for at home as they sell the for 99c! Had I known about these I would have stocked the villa. Next Year!
As it got darker the sunset was stunning and Kieran was in swimming with a couple of local boys. Their Aunty gave Kieran a burger and sausage from their BBQ on their boat which Kieran thought was fascinating.
Every now and then this speedboat went past booming music out and with girls in bikinis flying this huge American flag and screaming. It was all very God Bless America and cheesy as hell. So I of course loved it!
By 8:30 the whole lake was lit up around it by the twinkling lights of homes and docks around it. Very pretty.
Then at 9pm the fireworks all started. Right around the lake for miles you could see them. My photos are rubbish but I assure you in real life it was just great.
We left soon after this as Kieran was tired and Kevin was ready for his hot tub time. I'm not going to lie. I could have sat here all night!
Paid the bill and I left a very hefty tip as the service had been fab and the waitress so friendly.
Do not go here expecting fine dining. It is very rustic with people barefoot in bikinis eating dinner, and a wee shack at the back as toilets (but clean enough with hot water, soap and tissue so basics all there). But if you love a relaxed beach vibe - just heaven.
We drove back down the road seeing 4th July fireworks everywhere!
Into the villa and straight into the hot tub. We could see fireworks going off all over High Grove for a while. Then the fireflies were out in force out the back. I love watching these as I had no idea they were so bright in real life. I thought they just made them look that way in movies!
I had loved tonight. The atmosphere sitting up there with the sunset and the music was just fab. So relaxing. Next time, we will go early and spend the afternoon by the lake swimming, before eating in there later. Sheer Bliss.
What a way to spend 4th July eh?