We Give Florida a Re-Try: Dr. Ed Iannuccilli

Monday, March 06, 2023

Dr. Ed Iannuccilli, Columnist

 

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PHOTO: File

We had not been to Florida for ten years.  This year, we decided to revisit Naples where we had been in years past.  What we found was something quite different from our previous experiences.

Naples is a boom town. Construction is widespread, so much so that you may well wonder if the weight of its new buildings, homes and cars would sink the state. There are many more activities, a cadre of outstanding restaurants, and of course, the weather, which was perfect for our three weeks.

Perhaps we had not been because we felt we needed more to do and did not appreciate what was there then. I’m not sure. But make no mistake, Florida is a place to wind down, sit back, settle, and soak up the ambiance and the sun. And that we did. But we found something more.

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What at first I thought might be less than exciting was not the case. People had a purpose, even had weekly street parties where they met new people from different walks of life and different areas of the country, or world. Those neighborhood parties reminded me of the block parties of my youth where everyone came to chat, eat, share stories, and even dance on occasion. They lived in the moment.

I have decided that living life in the moment is key to relaxation, understanding your purpose, to mitigate stress. People seemed to be doing just that, living in the moment. The past is gone. Thinking of the future may cause anxiety. They were living where the simple pleasures of companionship predominated, encouraged by conversation, temperate days and evenings, and the blunting of ambition. Comfort was paramount, and they found it in their neighborhoods, their relationships, and the available amenities.

There was a bonus; art and entertainment. We had a chance to revisit Artis-Naples Center, where on one evening, we saw a marvelous concert of Nat and Natalie Cole songs, impressively performed by professional singers Dee Daniels and Denzel Sinclaire fronting the superb Naples Philharmonic Pops Orchestra led by their long-time conductor, Stuart Chafetz.

The Cole songbook was all we expected, recalling the nostalgia of years ago with works of musical poetry, easily understood, likable, soaring over an audience that sang along softly while they absorbed the lyrical messages. Yep, the crotchety old guy understood it and loved it.

In and outside the philharmonic center, we appreciated glassworks by world-renowned Dale Chihuly, complemented the following day when we visited the Baker Museum, also part of Artis-Naples.

The Baker Museum is one of the foremost fine art museums in Southwest Florida.  These days, accompanying a world-class permanent collection were traveling exhibitions. Especially moving and poignant, was that of Mauricio Lasansky, Envisioning Evil: “The Nazi Drawings.” The Baker Museum provides exhibitions and educational opportunities for Southwest Florida’s diverse community. We needed to spend more time in both venues.

Perhaps we were not ready for Florida in years past, but today, theater, museums, art galleries, fine dining, and sporting events will encourage our return. And, oh yes, did I mention the weather?

Dr. Ed Iannuccilli is the author of three popular memoirs, “Growing up Italian; Grandfather’s Fig Tree and Other Stories”, “What Ever Happened to Sunday Dinner” and “My Story Continues: From Neighborhood to Junior High.”  NOW, he has written his fourth book "A Whole Bunch of 500 Word Stories."

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