A Staycation, for a Change

Yes, this gypsy just completed a staycation and it was wonderful! My daughter, Gypsy-In-Training, just left to return to Phoenix after spending a week with her Momma!

The very first thing we did was go to Seabreeze in Redington Shores for dinner. My girl has been waiting, over a year, for an order of raw oysters and some coconut shrimp! She had both and we enjoyed catching up while sitting outside overlooking the Inter Coastal Waterway. I had my go-to meal of blackened grouper. YUM

I didn't make a lot of plans GASP! I know---not even 1 sticky note.

Sunday was spent at the community pool. Reading and Lounging (her) Water aerobics (me). We did some grocery shopping because one of us eats very clean and needed specific items to make various smoothies.

The next several days involved hitting up Barnes and Noble for some bargain books, eating more oysters, crab legs and some delicious prime rib!

On Wednesday, I put into action the one plan I did have. I surprised my daughter with a trip to the Dali museum in St. Pete! It was amazing. Well worth the price of admission. There were many areas to interact with Dali holograms. The app you can download has some great features as well. For some of the more 'famous' paintings, the app had areas to click on in the painting and it gave some insight into what was being depicted and the meaning of various elements in the painting.

 What surprised me most about the painting above was it's size. It's only about 14x16. I always pictured it much larger.

In this painting, I loved how Dali used the technique to make the horse almost seem embossed. There is so much detail and symbolism in his work. The app we used was very helpful deciphering the meaning of various elements in his work.

 This painting is one of my favorites.

The painting above is titled The Average Bureaucrat. And if you see what's in his 'brain' it makes total sense!

We probably spent the most time at this painting, listening to the information on the App and looking at all the symbolism. I just love how, depending how far you stood from the painting, different things were visible!

The biggest surprise was a virtual reality tool that allowed you to go inside the paintings. You put this headset on and when you lined up the 'dots' you were whisked into the painting. For example, is the one area of a painting, there was a castle, the virtual reality allowed you to go inside and see the interior. You could look up and down and all around (the chairs spun). I was absolutely mind blown

This is the virtual reality area. While waiting in line, you could see what the person was seeing--except they were viewing it in 3D. 

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The view from the gardens. 

Dali's moustache!

Even the little bird has a Dali moustache

 A lot of Dali's work incorporated the Fibonacci spiral. It was used in various places in the museum. The steps from the main floor to the exhibits was a spiral.

Dali believed the Fibonacci spiral was nature's most perfect form. He even styled his mustache after it!

There is a lovely gift shop and also an outdoor garden with many Dali references to spot.

The Fibonacci spiral in the Avant Garden!

The Girls hangin' out with Sal!

Shenanigans in the gift shop!

When Thursday (4th of July) rolled around we realized we had not been over to the beach. After dinner, we went over to Indian Rocks Beach to dip our feet in the sea and watch the fireworks!  Mother Nature decided to give us one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen!

 

Fireworks at Indian Rocks Beach. We could also see them to the north in Clearwater and to the south at Redington Beach!

And so ended our week together. Friday was all about packing and getting to the airport. Sigh. I missed her as soon as I dropped her off at the Southwest Airlines check-in. She is back in Phoenix now, safe and sound. I won't get to see her until Thanksgiving...................Sigh.  But I am very grateful we had this past week together.


tata for now!
jilly