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Lakeside Inn News
February 2013
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Greetings!
As you might expect, I get asked a lot of questions from local residents and guests of the Inn, about the Inn and our restoration efforts. I love answering them and once started, I probably give WAY more information than anyone wants to hear. Probably the most common question asked is "when will you be finished"? The answer to that question has changed somewhat in the past year, with the horizon now slightly further out than I would have guessed even a year ago. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to sound discouraged, because I'm not. However the realities of having to "rebuild the wall" before we can "paint the wall" has somewhat slowed the process. I knew there would be some of that, but I've also experienced more than my fair share of surprises.
When will you be finished? Well... if I were to guess, I would say that we have about another two years of "heavy lifting" remaining. Getting through all of that will certainly be a big deal, as in many areas it is a race against time. It is also very expensive work. After that, we will be able to focus more resources on the fun, "shiny things". Of course, the time line will shorten if our business levels and revenues increase. So please come often for a visit and tell all of your friends to do likewise... think of it as saving an important piece of Florida's history. If you do, I promise to remain broke for at least another couple of years, as every dime we make goes right back in to supporting the restoration efforts. So there you have it... again, probably WAY more than you wanted to know.
There are a lot of fun events and activities planned in the upcoming months, both here at the Inn, as well as in Mount Dora and on Lake Dora. Please feel free to contact us if we can provide any more detailed information on any or all that I have listed below.
Wishing you all the best - hope to see you soon. Cheers!
Jim
 
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All is well at The Gatehouse, following a very busy Mount Dora Art Festival. Stacy has been hard at work searching out new artists and craftspeople to feature in the shop, while Buddy has been doing his part to ensure the squirrels continue to understand their boundaries. When not on security detail, he serves as chief greeter and child liaison. His years of training and experience as a therapy dog have provide him with good job skills for this position.
The featured artist this month is Josephine Leyte-Vidal, a very talented, award-winning, landscape artist. There will be a meet-the-artist reception in conjunction with the Mount Dora Gallery Walk on March 8th from 6-8 PM. We hope to see you then.
Tour The Gatehouse Gallery
Gallery Walk Video
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Certainly one of the big stories for us this year is the celebration of Lakeside Inn's 130th Anniversary. Out of curiosity I did a quick Google search for other businesses established in 1883. There were certainly a lot of names that I did not recognize, but there were also a few that I did. I'm sure you will recognize a few of these names as well.
* Benjamin Moore & Co.
* Bissell
* Diamler AG
* Kroger
* Parker Brothers
* Ladies Home Journal
* Wolverine World Wide
* Waterman Pens... which has an interesting connection with our area. For those that don't know, the name of the hospital serving Mount Dora, Eustis and Tavares is Florida Hospital Waterman and was built in 2004. The original Waterman Hospital was located in downtown Eustis. That original structure was at first an hotel, named the Fountain Hotel. Frank D. Waterman, who had a winter home in Eustis, built the Fountain Hotel in 1923. In 1937, following the Great Depression, the Fountain Hotel was donated to a group of area doctors for conversion in to the Waterman Memorial Hospital.
Okay, okay... maybe not that interesting, but I found it to be kind of a neat connection.
 | | Lakeside Inn - Pictured in 1884. |
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Renovation Update
One of the truly BIG hurdles we face is the replacement of all of the air conditioning units on the property. I say big, because the combination of cost and execution keeps me awake at night. About four weeks ago I went in to "pull" our first permit for our first full in-room replacement. All of the paperwork was complete... load calculations, technical data, a copy of our HVAC technicians licence in-hand, a copy of his EPA licence in-hand... all of it. Not to bore you with the regulation details, let me just say that I'm now working on a plan B. I can never seem to find that "easy button".
Aside from that, the "replacing the railings" on the Sunset Cottage Porch project, turned into the "rebuilding the porch" on the Sunset Cottage project. It is finally nearing completion and is looking great... as is that whole building. But wow... that project really turned into one of those "surprises" I was talking about earlier.
Work in the rooms and corridors continues. Whenever I need to feel happy, I take a break and go look at the colors we have selected. Seeing them cheers me up immediately.
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Florida StoryFest
We are extremely excited to be welcoming the Florida Storytelling Association to the Inn and Mount Dora for their 39th Annual StoryFest. Storytelling has probably been around since the first caveman had to come back to his clan one day and describe how the "big one got away". Stories told to us when we were young, we still remember today. More and more, sitting around the campfire seems to being replaced with sitting in front of the television or the computer or fiddling with the smartphone. The Florida Storytelling Association is all about reconnecting. I am thrilled they will be here and can't wait to sit and listen.
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Boating the Lakes
A first visit to Mount Dora, that doesn't include time on the water, is understandable, as there is plenty of great shopping and there are things to see and experience. However, your second, third or fourth trips will not be complete without experiencing that which initially drew visitors to this area - the lakes themselves. Here are my top three recommended options for getting out on Lake Dora and experiencing the amazingly pristine Dora Canal. Option number one, bring your own boat and tie up overnight at our dock. Option number two, hop on boat for a Premier Boat Tour cruise of Lake Dora and through the Dora Canal. It takes about two hours, they are docked here at the Inn and the guides are quite knowledgeable and informative. Option number three, is to rent a boat from our nextdoor neighbor, Mount Dora Boating Center & Marina for either a half or full day of fun. I actually did so a couple of weeks ago and had a ball. The pontoon-style boat (aka... party barge) was in great shape, fuel was all included, all we had to do was drive away. There you have it... three distinct options to get out and experience these beautiful lakes.
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Ghosts... ?
I think that when many of us think of old and historic hotels, in the back of our minds the question exists... "I wonder if there are any ghosts in this place"? Personally, I've not really seen or experienced anything unusual during the two years that I have lived in the Inn. I take that back. I have definitely seen and experienced a lot of "stuff"... none of which I could label as ghost related. However, I do respect that others may see and experience things that I do not. If you want to experience personally a bit of the fun and excitement, here are the two organizations that have our permission to poke around. The first is American Ghost Adventures. This group is definitely meant for those that are more serious about ghost "hunting". The second is Mount Dora Ghost Walks. This tour is much more about entertainment and storytelling than investigating. The ghost walks are loads of fun and definitely worth the cost of admission... but I'll leave it up to you to filter the truth from the lore. Pick one or the other, then you may answer for me... are there any ghosts in this place?
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Florida Audubon Academy
We are very pleased to be hosting the Florida Audubon Academy this April 12th-14th. The Audubon Academy is supported by the Florida Audubon Society and is designed to help provide leadership development and other important skills. These skills allow members to lend support actively and to communicate clearly the Florida Audubon goals with regard to conservation related activities within their respective communities. There are a total of 44 Audubon Chapters within the State of Florida. Birding has a long and storied history in Florida... some good, some bad. I am certainly excited about the North Shore Restoration Project currently underway on neighboring Lake Apopka as well as complimenting efforts underway here in Lake County to protect and enrich our extensive natural habitats and to encourage visitation to these areas. Hopefully, one day soon, visitors and active bird watchers will again be able to come to this area and record upwards of two hundred species sightings within a few day period... as visitors did in the late 1800's.
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Lakeside Inn History
Painting the Inn pink for the filming of the movie Honky Tonk Freeway was not the only time the Inn was pink. Following a renovation project that went from 1949-1950, the Inn was painted Bermuda Pink. As part of that renovation, the wooden Verandah railings were replaced by then-fashionable wrought iron. Though the Inn is no longer pink and the railings along the Verandah have been restored to wood, the then-fashionable wrought iron hand hails are still in use on the front entry stairs.
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Save the Date!
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.
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March 23rd-24th
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April 6th-7th
60th Annual Sailing Regatta - hosted by the
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April 26th-28th
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May 17-19th
Mount Dora Blues and Wine Festival
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
We had quite a scare a few weeks ago, as it appeared that Herbie had become a bit entangled in some fishing line. Though certainly annoying, it didn't appear to slow him down too greatly. The good news is that he has since shed himself of that encumbrance and is now doing just fine.
Toby 2 Update
It appears that our little feral friend may have moved on less hectic surroundings. The loading dock and employee parking area can at times be a pretty busy place. Though the food was plentiful, the relaxation factor may have been wanting. We'll keep a light on... maybe Toby 2 will return when things slow down a bit, after the winter season.
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Upcoming Events
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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.
March 1st - 3rd
Thundering Spirit Pow Wow
A weekend of native crafts, food, dancers and music on the grounds of Renningers Twin Markets here in Mount Dora. Visit Thundering Spirit Pow Wow for complete information.
March 7th - 8th
31st Annual FANtastic Quilt Show
Presented by the Lake County Quilters Guild. Please visit the Quilters Guild for complete information.
Every Sunday Beginning March 10th
Acoustic Jam
Join us in Tremain's Tavern every Sunday afternoon from 4-6 PM for lively Bluegrass music preformed by John French and friends.
March 15th - 17th
Spring Thunder
The Classic Raceboat Association returns to Lake Dora for a weekend great racing and more.
March 16th - 17th
Antiques Fair at Renninger's
A weekend of many more dealers and many more antiques.
March 21st
Florida Lakes Symphony Orchestra: Bella Italia
Please visit Florida Lakes Symphony for complete concert information.
March 21st - 24th
Wooden Boat Festival
Lake Dora will be teaming with classic wooden boats of every size and style, each meticulously restored and maintained. Please visit Wooden Boat Festival for complete information.
March 23rd - 24th
Mount Dora Spring Show
The downtown streets are lined with the booths of artisans, craftspeople, antique and collectibles dealers. Please visit Mount Dora Spring Show for complete information.
March 31st
Traditional Easter Brunch
Join us for our bountiful Easter Brunch Buffet. Reservations are required and may be made by calling (800) 556-1516. To view the menu please visit Lakeside Inn Easter Brunch.
March Concerts
Since its recent multi-million dollar renovation, The downtown Mount Dora Community Building is becoming an increasingly popular venue for shows and concerts. Here is what is scheduled in this March.
April 5th - 6th
Central Florida Dragon Boat Festival
Dragon Boat teams from across the country will compete on Lake Dora in what has become a fun, annual event. If you are unfamiliar with Dragon Boats, please visit Dragon Boat Festival and watch the short video under history.
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Time to Appreciate
Some days it's hard for me to appreciate the progress we've made in restoring the Inn. I have the tendency of "forward tunnel vision". However, once in a while when I am walking around the property, something will grab my attention and it is usually then that I truly appreciate the beauty of the Inn and this community. I know it sounds cliche to say "this is a special place", but more and more I'm realizing the truth in those words. For the past 130 years visitors have enjoyed the lake views, relaxed in a rocker and leisurely strolled around the downtown. I can't count how many times I've heard, "it reminds me of... ", when referring to the Inn and/or Mount Dora. Maybe that is part of what makes these two so special. The "it reminds me of..." is generally then described as a place that evokes good memories for that person.
One of the things I am appreciating more and more is the simple, yet elegant, design detail that has been incorporated in so many of the Inn's bends and turns. The right-sized window in the proper place. The simple detail of a balustrade. The labyrinth of small stairs in the Terrace and Gables Buildings that keep you guessing about whether you are upstairs or down. Oh, and the toilet location in one the rooms that provides anyone seated, a wonderfully expansive view of Lake Dora. Those that have stayed in that room know exactly what I am talking about.
I know we have a long way to go in restoring this great old place. In so doing, I hope to appreciate the journey a bit more. I heard somewhere... "it's not the destination, it's the getting there". The "getting there" needs to be fun.
One thing for which I am very appreciative is being awarded the 2012 Business of the Year by the Mount Dora Chamber of Commerce. That was indeed a very pleasant surprise. Thank you.
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
Special Newsletter Early Booking Rate for May and June of just $89. 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: March 31, 2013 |
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