OPEN DOOR

from Grandeur Magazine Summer 2020

DINING

COZY, BEACHY, PERFECT STORY BY ANDREA STETSON

Lee Ann and Tom O’Toole open the door to their Caribbean-style home on Sanibel Island.

The pool is tucked at the side of the home between the spacious lush gardens, the wrap around porch of the home and a large lake.

ABOVE: The home sits on one acre along a large lake surrounded by lush greenery. This secluded enclave on Sanibel Island has only five homes on the lake, making it very private. BELOW: The living room has a quaint charm. It combines comfortable couches with a white piano and a dark antique brown cabinet to give the room a lot of character. A picture window opens the space to the kitchen.

ust sitting in the living room gives people a sense of what makes this house so special. There’s a feeling of comfort, of being in a picturesque, welcoming cottage. There’s a homey feeling. There are also sweeping lake views seen through several sets of glass French doors. A white, hand-painted piano and an antique dark brown cabinet give the room character. A chandelier that looks like it’s made with round, white fish scales hangs from a ceiling of white nickel board. Just this one quaint room gives you a taste of how different this house is from others on Sanibel Island.

The house, built in 1997, sits on one acre along a wide lake surrounded by lush greenery. There are only five homes on the entire lake, making this a very private place to be. Towering trees and thick mature bushes obscure the home from the road, making it even more secluded. It’s close to the beach and shopping yet sheltered from the crowds and traffic.

Lee Ann and Tom O’Toole love their Caribbean-style home.

ABOVE: The hand painted piano in the living room is one of the focal features. But the eye is also drawn through the glass doors that overlook the lush gardens and the lake.

RIGHT: The round dining room table sits in a room with windows and glass doors on three sides giving the room lots of light and great views of the outdoors.

“There is a lot of privacy,” Tom O’Toole says. “We can walk right down to Traders and Sweet Melissa’s. Those are two of the best restaurants on the island. We can walk to the bank. Everything is right down here. The beach is less than a mile away.”

It’s not just the location, it’s the house itself that they love. Lee Ann O’Toole loves walking through the rooms and the gardens showing people each special place.

Just inside the entrance is a hallway with a ceiling painted light blue with puffy white clouds. Lee Ann says it was there when they purchased the home four years ago and she liked the look so she didn’t change it. That leads into the pale pink living room.

“I love this room,” Lee Ann says. “This is where I hang. We kept the decorating toned down because what speaks here is everything outside the windows.

Besides the view through the glass doors, the eye is also drawn to the white piano with its hand-painted teal and brown swirl design, the dark wood cabinet and the chandelier.

“That’s a really cool, vintage chandelier,” Lee Ann says. “We had a ceiling fan up there, but when you walk through the door, I wanted something really cool.”

A large picture window opens the living room to the kitchen. This window has pocketing mirror doors that close to hide the kitchen.

PHOTOS SPECIAL TO GRANDEUR

“We can walk right down to Traders and Sweet Melissa’s. Those are two of the best restaurants on the island. We can walk to the bank. Everything is right down here. The beach is less than a mile away.” — TOM O’TOOLE

“If you are having a party and don’t want people to see the kitchen, you can close it off,” she explains.

Just beyond the kitchen is a round table in a room with windows on three sides.

“The views are awesome from everywhere,” Lee Ann says. “We love the landscape. It changes all the time.”

The O’Tooles enjoy having guests visit, and the design of the home makes that convenient. The master suite is on one side of the house and the guest rooms are on the other.

The king-size bed in the master bedroom faces double glass French doors that lead to a porch that overlooks the pool and lake. Two big chairs and a little table form a cozy spot in the bedroom around a propane fireplace.

“We do use it when it is cold,” Lee Ann says.

The master suite has his and her bathrooms. The office is just off the master bedroom. There are lots of doors and openings between each of these rooms.

“It is all connected, so the flow is fabulous,” she says.

Glass doors lead to a front terrace that overlooks all the greenery.

The other side of the house has guest suites. One bedroom is set up as a TV room. The pale-yellow room has glass doors to the lanai.

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TOP: The owner of the home loves the flow of the rooms. This master bedroom has doors leading to the bathroom and an office. There are several doors and openings between the rooms making everything connected. The bedroom has double glass French doors that lead to a porch that overlooks the lake. • From the pool there are sweeping views of the lake and the gardens. The owners enjoy sitting on the wraparound porch enjoying all the views. • When the O’Tooles moved into the home, the ceiling in the entryway was painted like a sky. They liked the uniqueness enough to keep it that way.

The hallway bathroom has wallpaper that looks like palm tree leaves. It is one of the only rooms that Lee Ann decorated. She saw the wallpaper at the Gasparilla Inn, fell in love with it and got the same design for that room. The hallway between the TV room and guest room has a tall section of ceiling with a skylight. The guest room has glass doors that lead to a porch, a king-size bed, and walls done in pale yellow.

Nearby another bedroom is made into a library. Lee Ann calls it the Kentucky room because it’s where she displays items from her hometown in Kentucky. Glass doors in this room also lead to the porch.

On that porch, stairs lead to a private guest suite with its own entrance. This suite has a bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette. The bed is covered in a white blanket with pops of bright coral color. The bathroom has a skylight. The private guest suite is located over the two-car garage.

Lee Ann also loves showing people around the property. She takes her daily walks among the flowers and trees and by the lake.

“I just love to walk the grounds every day,” she says.

She walks past bright pink bougainvilleas that frame the garage area, past towering palm trees, plumeria flowers, pink cordyline plants, ginger and more.

“I love my home,” she says. “I am a homebody. I like to be at home”

Now she wants that home to be someplace else.

“We are going to downsize,” she explains. “We want to spend some more time in Kentucky. We are looking here or in Fort Myers for a condo.”

They are selling the four-bedroom, five-bathroom home that spans 4,210 square feet under air for $2.449 million unfurnished. Furniture is optional for an additional price.

“Everything sells, but we want the right buyer,” Lee Ann says. “We want someone who loves it.”

THIS PAGE FROM TOP: The walk-in closet in the master suite is spacious and has a sitting area in the middle. When the owners were asked if their closet was always this neat, they replied “yes.” • This set of stairs off the side of the house leads to a private guest suite with its own entrance. The suite has a bedroom, bathroom, sitting area and kitchenette. • The kitchen and living room are separated by a window. There are pocketing mirror doors that pull out from the sides to close off the kitchen when desired.

THIS PAGE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: This bedroom was made into a library and sitting room. The O’Tooles are from Kentucky and used the built-in wall unit to display many things from their hometown. Glass doors in this room lead to a porch. • The home has porches that wrap around the house. Many of the rooms have glass doors that lead to the various porches. This is an area of the porch that the owners enjoy sitting on since it has great views of the lake. • This bedroom was made into a TV room. Since the home has five bedrooms, the O’Tooles decided to use some of them for other uses, thus the library and the TV room.

We’ve rounded up mixology tips and recipes sure to impress your guests.

CREATIVE COCKTAILING

HOME AT

STORY BY GINA BIRCH

Headwind Spritz • 1 1/2 ounces Headwind Vodka • 1 ounce Aperol • 1/2 ounce simple syrup • Soda • Slice and squeeze of lime

Combine Headwind Vodka, Aperol and simple syrup in a tall glass with ice. Mix and add a squeeze of lime. Top with soda and a slice of lime for garnish. Add an umbrella for good measure and enjoy.

heltering at home this year has had many Southwest Floridians rediscovering happy hour in their home bars, causing craft cocktail confusion for some but igniting the inner mixologist in others.

While it might not be realistic to have the jars of shrubs, rows of tinctures and dozens of liquor selections found at your favorite cocktail bar, you can still manage to make a mean drink at home with a few basics.

At the very least, a home bar should include vodka, rum, gin and tequila. These staples can be mixed in a myriad of combinations. We’ve rounded up a few brands to try that are relatively new to or have recently increased distribution in Florida.

We’ve also collected some recipes to impress your guests and refresh your palate in the Southwest Florida heat.

Vodka

Vodka has a more neutral flavor when compared to most other spirits. That’s one reason why it is so good for mixing. Its flavors can be smooth and light (good for a classic martini) or have a slight bite depending on the distillation process and ingredients used such as corn, potato or wheat.

Headwind Craft FWD uses a corn-based grain, which is distilled six times and filtered through Pacific Northwest timber. Made in Portland, Oregon, the bottle is wrapped in birch wood and hand-labeled with information that includes batch number and bottling date. It’s smooth and clean enough to shine on its own but with enough body to stand up to quality mixers.

A spirit that conjures up beachside retreats and tropical islands, rum is quintessentially Florida. While a majority of rums you’ll find in local retailers comes from the Caribbean, Koloa Rum is made in Hawaii from local cane sugar. Koloa produces White, Gold, Dark, Spice, Coffee, and Aged Reserve rums, however, we’re highlighting Koloa Kaua’i Coconut Rum.

PHOTOS SPECIAL TO GRANDEUR

Sparkling Salty Dog • 1½ ounces Headwind Vodka • Sparkling grapefruit soda • Slice of lime (for garnish) • Pinch of salt

Combine vodka and grapefruit soda in a glass full of ice. Stir. Add lime and a pinch of salt.

Unlike many coconut rums, this one doesn’t taste the way suntan oil smells. It has highly concentrated coconut compounds and has an intriguing greenish tinge, from the young coconut flesh used in the distillation process. It is delightfully tropical with lingering flavors of toasted coconut and lime zest.

It might be a bar staple but choosing and using gin can also be tricky due to its wide range of flavorful profiles. Some are herbal, some are flowery, some are piney, so selecting one for your home really depends on your tastes and what you will be mixing it with; quality tonic such as Fever-Tree is essential.

Empress 1908 Gin is not only tasty but also fun to play with. It comes mixed with butterfly pea flower, which produces vibrant colors that include blue, purple and pink, depending on the acid level of the mixer used. It has some floral notes along with spice, herbs and citrus.

Previously featured in Grandeur, it was such a big hit we could not resist passing on another recipe.

Tequila

It helps to know the classifications of this spirit before buying.

Blanco or silver is clear, the purest form of tequila, and provides a base that allows mixers to shine. Joven or gold tequila is often blended, with color and flavor additives, and is ideal for margaritas or mixing with citrus.

Reposado means “rested.” It is aged in oak barrels for at least two months; the wood mellows harsh alcohol notes and adds flavor.

Anejo tequila spends a minimum of a year in oak and extra anejo, three years. While sometimes used with mixers, aficionados often frown upon it. These tequilas are more complex and are best appreciated when sipped like a fine bourbon or cognac.

As in many things in life, you often get what you pay for in the world of spirits. Don’t skimp on quality at the risk of waking up with a headache the next day. Have fun trying these recipes and experimenting with some of your own.

Ted’s Montana Grill Jalapeno-Infused Huckleberry Margarita

• 1½ ounces tequila or homemade jalapenoinfused tequila* • ½ ounce Cointreau • 2 fresh jalapeno slices, 1/8-inch with seeds • 2 ounces sour mix (Ted’s sour mix is made in house) • 1 ounce Monin

Huckleberry Syrup • Garnish: Salted rim, jalapeno cap, lime wheel and stir stick

Add 2 jalapeno slices to a shaker tin. (Skip this step if you’re using jalapenoinfused tequila.)

Add Monin Huckleberry Syrup and muddle well.

Fill shaker tin with ice and add remaining ingredients. Shake Vigorously 10 times.

Rim highball glass with salt and fill with ice. Strain contents from shaker tin into highball glass.

Garnish with a scored lime wheel and jalapeno cap skewered with a stir stick. * Jalapeno-Infused Tequila: Thinly slice 2 fresh jalapenos into 1/8-inch rounds, discarding the stems. Place slices and 1 liter of Jose Cuervo tequila into a 6-quart container and let infuse for 24 hours — no more or no less to ensure correct flavor profile.

Empress & Elderflower • 2 ounces Empress 1908 Gin • 3-4 ounces Fever-Tree elderflower tonic • Grapefruit slice

Build in a copa glass on ice. Garnish with a grapefruit slice.

Coconut Pineapple Daiquiri • 1½ ounces

Kōloa Kaua’i Coconut Rum • ½ ounce Kōloa

Dark Rum • ½ ounce pineapple liquor • ½ ounce pineapple juice • ½ ounce simple syrup (1:1)

Add all ingredients together with ice. Shake and strain into a coupe glass.

Garnish with fresh pineapple wedge and pineapple leaf.

Headwind Grapefruit • 2 ounces

Headwind Vodka • 2-4 ounces fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice • 1 egg white (or 2 tablespoons egg white)

Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Shake. Add ice, shake again. Serve in a coupe or your favorite “up” glass.

LaPlaya Beach and Golf Resort’s Blood Orange Jalapeno Margarita

• 1 1/2 ounces jalapeno-infused Don Julio tequila • 1/2 ounce triple sec • 1/4 ounce Grand Mariner • 1 ounce blood orange puree • 2 ounces fresh sour mix

Shake all over ice. Strain into a cocktail glass filled with ice. Garnish with a dehydrated orange wheel.

Pineapple & Coconut’s Golden Layered Piña Coladas

Makes 2 Cocktails

GOLDEN PUREE LAYER: • 1 cup frozen pineapple • 1 cup frozen mango • ½ ounce Kōloa Kaua’i Gold Rum • 1 ounce pineapple juice

COCONUT PUREE LAYER: • 1 cup coconut milk • 1/4 cup cream of coconut (sweetened, such as Coco Lopez brand) • 1 1/2 ounces Kōloa Kaua’i Coconut rum • 2 teaspoons lime juice • 2 teaspoons pineapple juice • 2-3 cups ice

In a blender combine the frozen pineapple, frozen mango, Kōloa Kaua’i Gold Rum and pineapple juice. Blend until smooth but still very thick and frozen. Pour into a large glass or jar and keep in freezer until ready to assemble drink. Rinse the blender, then make the coconut layer. Combine all the coconut layer ingredients in the blender and puree until smooth but still thick and frozen. Add more ice if needed. In a piña colada hurricane glass, divide the golden puree then top with the coconut puree. Stir slightly for a swirled look, leave as is for a layered look. Top with whipped cream sprinkled with a little ground allspice and some freshly shredded coconut. Garnish the glass with a slice of pineapple and a few pineapple leaves. Get creative and add whipped cream, allspice, and/or freshly shredded coconut.

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN

A fisherman throws a cast net just past sunset at Bunche Beach on February 28.

PHOTO BY ANDREW WEST

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