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Lakeside Inn News
January 2013
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Greetings!
WOW, what a busy, fun December it was with all of the holiday parties, family gatherings, Christmas lights and festivities. The eggnog and good cheer were in great abundance throughout the month... it was indeed an enjoyable time to visit Mount Dora. In addition to all of the traditional holiday activities happening here at the Inn, we also had the opportunity to sponsor and host the first Mount Dora Marathon, which attracted over 1200 runners from 27 states and 5 countries. That was certainly a very exciting day. We then rang in 2013 with a night of music, food, champagne, noisemakers and collective hopes for a year of peace and prosperity. Oh... and for a successful playoff season for the Green Bay Packers.
So picture this... three local, and reasonably successful individuals, sitting around around one afternoon when one of them says "hey... lets build a hotel". The three agreed, plans were drawn up, materials were ordered and work began. The year was 1883, Mount Dora was still called Royellou, Chester Arthur was President, and it would still be several years before the railroad would make its way in to town. I wonder, if in their wildest dreams, these three had ever imagined that what they would build, would one day become the oldest, continuously operated hotel in the State of Florida. We will be celebrating the Inn's 130th Anniversary throughout 2013 with a number of special events and celebrations. I hope you will have the opportunity to join us for one or all.
Call me crazy, but I'm very optimistic about 2013. We'll certainly work hard, and do our best, to ensure a successful and memorable year. I hope you will have the opportunity to visit us soon and reconnect with the Inn and the rich history of this unique part of Florida... and make Lakeside Inn your tradition.
Wishing you all the best.
Cheers!
Jim
 
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All is well for Stacy, Buddy and The Gatehouse. Buddy may have enjoyed one or two treats too many over the holidays, but then I suppose we are all probably a bit guilty of that. The cooler weather has made enjoying the warm fire gathered around Puff, The Gatehouse chiminea, an early morning and evening spot. It has become a fun way to meet guests of the Inn as well as the many day visitors to the area who pass through our gates.
The featured artist this month is Harry Gary. There will be a meet-the-artist reception in conjunction with the Mount Dora Gallery Walk and Mount Dora Center for the Arts Art Stroll on January 11th from 6-8 PM. We hope to see you then.
Oh... and since I have so often pictured Buddy sleeping or wearing a silly hat, it is only fair to show the other side... when he is at attention and hard at work. I think he looks pretty good for a 10+ year old retired therapy dog.
Tour The Gatehouse Gallery
Gallery Walk Video
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130th Anniversary
Talk about guts... deciding to build a 10-room hotel in a town with a total of 16 families, and no railroad service. The country was still working to recover from the Civil War, and yes, many people were once again traveling for pleasure, but the trip from the northeastern states down to Central Florida would take about a week. However, back then as today, the allure of sunshine, warm weather, fresh oranges and possibility of enjoying a "Cheeseburger in Paradise" were enough to entice someone to throw a few things in a steamer trunk and head south the moment the first snowflake hit the ground.
Throughout 2013 we will be celebrating the Inn's 130th Anniversary with an array of events and promotions. The most significant of which we envision as a BIG PARTY later in the year. We still have a lot of work to do to pull everything together, so I will keep you posted as each event develops. The first event will be our Victorian Tea on the 12th of January.
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Renovation Update
Work continues in the Sunset Building, as we look to restore more of the original character of this building and enhance its cottage-like feel. We are also redesigning the railing system to allow us to screen the porch area fully, thus making it a much more comfortable space during the more bug-prone months.
The interior corridor colors are bright and cheery and are complemented by rich new carpeting. In addition, we took the time to expose, repair and refinish the wood on the ground floor and will use custom runners, instead of wall to wall carpeting, to allow a border of this original wood flooring to be seen. Work in the guest rooms also continues. No question, the "snags" we encounter slow our progress, but we continue to tackle and work through them, one snag at a time.
Landscaping work is ongoing around the property, as one by one, old planting beds and hedges are replaced and refreshed. We also over-seeded all of our lawn areas again this year with northern rye grass to ensure that we can enjoy lush, green lawns all winter long.
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2nd Annual Lakeside Inn Big Bass Tournament
We are pleased to host the 2nd annual Lakeside Inn Big Bass Fishing Tournament over the upcoming January 28th weekend. The 2-day tournament will feature a daily weigh-in, a barbecue and live Bluegrass music. A specially discounted room rate is available to all participants and may be made by calling the Inn at (800) 556-5016.
We call it "Big Bass", because the bass caught in this area are indeed BIG. The winning fish in last years tournament weighed in at a whopping 8 lbs.,14 oz's. We look forward to one skilled angler topping that number this year. In case you're wondering, following the weigh-in, all fish are released back in to Lake Dora. Even if you don't expect to enter, the weigh-ins are a lot of fun to watch, so plan a trip and see for yourself.
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Back Again!
We were glad to see the return of John Justad from his short holiday break and to see 'the Beav" once again overhead. If you are not aware, John operates a daily seaplane ride service from here at the Inn. In addition to the thrill of the actual ride in his classic, fully restored 1957 Dehavilland Beaver, John provides a very thorough and informative narrative on the our Central Florida Lakes Region.
For more information about John and his plane, please visit Lake County Air Service, or just go straight to his video. Reservations are not required, but may be made by calling John at (218) 682-2006. The cost is still just $50 per person.
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Florida Lakes Symphony
Now in its 8th season, the Florida Lakes Symphony, under the leadership of director Audrey Sanders, continues to bring a host of world class musicians and carefully planned programs right to our doorstep. Without a permanent home, the effort to pull together every performance is monumental. Audrey and her team of volunteers must coordinate everything from rehearsal schedules, to travel and accommodations for the 60 musicians. They also produce all of the literature and marketing materials, sell tickets, seek out sponsors, and of course, answer all of the questions. Wow... and I thought I had a lot on my plate. The next performance will be on January 10th and a salute to Vienna and is entitled, Some Enchanted Evening. Please visit Florida Lakes Symphony for more information.
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Florida Highwaymen Return
Many of the legendary Florida Highwaymen Artists will be returning to Mount Dora over the January 12th weekend for an exhibition and sale of their work. This is a rare opportunity to see and meet many of these talented artists who created a style of art that uniquely depicts the natural beauty of Florida. Please visit Mount Dora Art to learn more about the schedule of their activities that weekend.
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Lakeside Inn History
The Railroad Comes to Town...
When the Inn opened in 1883 one of the more popular ways of traveling to Mount Dora was by lake steamer. While the arrival of the railroad in to Mount Dora in 1885 was an exciting event and made the trip easier, it did come with a cost. Completing the Tavares to Leesburg portion of the line required a bridge be built over the Dora Canal. The bridge prevented any further lake steamer traffic from entering Lake Dora. Lake steamers continued to transport people and freight throughout the Harris Chain of Lakes here in Central Florida for decades - just not to Mount Dora.
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Save the Date!
January 10th
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January 18th-20th
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January 26th & 27th
Lakeside Inn Big Bass Fishing Tournament and Bluegrass Concert
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February 2nd & 3rd
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February 14th-17th
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February 14th
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February 15th-17th
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February 28 - March 2nd
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March 1st-3rd
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The 2nd weekend of every month American Ghost Adventures will be conducting investigative tours here at the Inn. If you have been wanting to do something like this, now is your chance.
Lawn Concert Series
Our Lawn Concerts will resume this spring. We are pleased with the enjoyment they have brought to guests of the Inn and a great many local residents. We sincerely appreciate the contributions made to The Lake Cares Food Pantry and look forward to the 2013 series.
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For the most up to the minute information on events and activities here in Mount Dora, visit:
and/or
Herbie Update
All is well down along the lakefront. There were a lot of visitors over the holidays venturing down the dock, so Herbie certainly got the opportunity to pose for a lot of photographs. Those that timed it right were also treated to a real wild bird in nature show, in which Herbie would catch... but not release.
Toby 2 Update
It had to happen sooner or later... Buddy, The Gatehouse shop dog met Toby 2, the feral cat. They didn't fight, but I think our feral friend made it very clear to Buddy, in terms that I'm sure Buddy had no problem understanding, how the two of them were NOT going to become friends anytime soon.
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Upcoming Events
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January 10th
Florida Lakes Symphony
A Salute to Vienna - Some Enchanted Evening. Please visit Florida Lakes Symphony for complete information.
January 11th
Mount Dora Center for the Arts Art Stroll
A fun way to visit many of the downtown art galleries and studios from 6-8 PM. Please visit Mount Dora Art Stroll for complete information.
January 12th
Victorian Tea at the Inn
A Victorian Period Tea and fashion show of Victorian clothing. The cost is $28, which is inclusive of taxes and gratuities. Reservations are required and may be made by calling us at (800) 556-5016.
January 12th & 13th
Florida Highwaymen Art Show and Sale
January 12th
Doors Alive - A Musical Trip
The leading Doors tribute band stops in Mount Dora for an evening of music and memories. Please visit Doors Alive for ticket information.
January 18th - 20th
Renninger's Antiques Extravaganza
Hundreds of antique dealers from across the country will be in Mount Dora for the January Antiques Extravaganza at Renninger's Twin Markets.
January 26th & 27th
Lakeside Inn Big Bass Tournament
A weekend of great fishing and cash prizes. Please visit our website for more information, or call us at (800) 556-5016.
February 2nd & 3rd
38th Annual Mount Dora Arts Festival
One of Florida's leading juried fine arts festivals. Hundreds of artists from across the country will fill the downtown area. Please call us at (800) 556-5016 for information, or visit Mount Dora Arts Festival.
February 14th - 17th
16th Annual Mount Dora Music Festival
Join us for a weekend diverse music throughout the downtown area. Please visit Mount Dora Music Festival for complete information.
February 28th - March 3rd
29th Annual Florida Storyfest
Three nights of concerts, two days of workshops and a weekend of fun. Please visit Florida Storyfest for complete information and schedule.
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2013
This past month marked the second anniversary of our purchase of the Inn. I don't think I could have ever imagined how quickly two years could pass. Would I do it again? Absolutely! Oh, there have definitely been moments when I had to dig pretty deeply to find something about which to smile. Thankfully, the pain of those moments generally passed quickly.
I certainly have learned a lot along the way. I came into this adventure with a career's worth of big hotel and resort experience and a pocket full of confidence. But, all of that doesn't mean much when your head is stuck down a hole and you're trying to figure out where all that water is coming from. As we have worked through two years of restoration and have gotten into the many nooks and crannies, I have seen things that have left me with thoughts of "what were they thinking", but I've also been left with thoughts of "wow, that was a great idea". I would like to think that I have laughed more than I have yelled. I think I have only had one real meltdown... for which I apologized the next day. I found that early morning and end of day walks are quite therapeutic in that regard. I now know more about cash flow management than probably half the controllers out there and I've learned that it is indeed possible to hang from your fingernails, while holding your breath, often for months at a time.
Along the way I have also learned what a deep love and appreciation so many people, from around the country and the world, have for Lakeside Inn. How important this place truly is and how many lasting memories have been created within these historic buildings and on these grounds. Would I do it again? Absolutely! 2013 is going to be a great year.
I hope to see you soon.
Jim Gunderson
Keeper of the Inn
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130th Anniversary Rate
Throughout 2013 we will be celebrating the 130th Anniversary of Lakeside Inn. To help kick things off, we decided to feature a special rate $130, including a commemorative Lakeside Inn keepsake, to be available throughout the year. Availability, room type and additional inclusions could will vary by month and by season. Please click on this link, 130th Anniversary, to check the availability of this, or any of our other great rates and packages.
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| | Offer expires 12/31/13 |
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Newsletter Special Rate
Throughout the month of January, we are extending a special January Getaway Rate, starting at just $89 to all of our readers. To check availability, simply click on Newsletter Special Rate and enter the code enews in the promotional code box.
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| | Offer Expires: January 31, 2013 |
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