2.24.08

Last night, dinner was back at High Tides. Gotta’ love that place! The weather was perfect for sitting on the beach and eating steamed shrimp 🙂 After picking up a host of real estate booklets [just dreaming] it was back to the hotel and another long walk on the beach.

This morning we are now at the airport awaiting the 10:36 flight back to ATL. The temp here today is suppose to be 78, in ATL right now it looks like 38– what a shock that’s going to be! I packed a sweatshirt and jacket in the outer zipper portion of my luggage. I’m sure I’ll be whipping that out as soon as I claim my luggage.

Before going to the airport this morning we made a quick stop at KK– the “Hot Now” light was on. mmmmmmm….

The flights out today don’t look very good. This next one only has 3 seats available, if all the booked passengers check in, and there are 3 standbys with higher priority than us. The remaining flights for the rest of the day don’t look too much better. I’m sure if we do get on it won’t be first class like it was coming down– we might not even get to sit together 😦 Maybe we’ll get to stay an extra day. If so, I sure hope they don’t put our bags on the plane. I hate it when that happens.

Well, we made it on the first flight, even got to sit together. It wasn’t as cold as I thought it would be in ATL afterall. It’s good to see Sari Beri and the cat really, really missed us. It’s good to be home. I am so thankful for a bff that works hard at a job that allows us to pick up and fly wherever whenever. Perry’s we’ll miss you… at least until June or whenever.

Our next adventure… The girls go to MOA [first of June I hope]!

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2.23.08

Well, the FleA Market was… interesting to say the least.

We got lost in a maze of isles, rows, buildings and stuff from China. We probably didn’t see everything but I’m sure we saw some of it more than once.

I didn’t buy any sunglasses- just couldn’t bring myself to do it, couldn’t even talk BIGGER Tom into a pair. However, we did buy a small bag of kettle corn which I wasn’t expecting to find. I had thought maybe funnel cakes but kettle corn never crossed my mind.

There was lots and lots of junk, knock-offs from China and what not and a little bit of interesting stuff too. The best part were the isles of FRESH fruits and veggies! VERY FRESH and delicious smelling and looking. I wish I had somewhere like that to shop back home!

Our timing was impeccable. The morning was cold and drizzly and just after we entered the confines of the FleA Market it poured. By the time we left the sun was coming out, it had warmed up and now it’s a beautiful, beautiful day.

I’m sitting on the balcony of our hotel room watching the ocean and blogging away. It’s early afternoon. The sun is out and I’m wishing I’d bought those sun glasses… he he he he….

Next weekend begins Bike Week ’08 and bikers have already begun to arrive. I’m watching 8 now just below me on the putting green and it’s quite amusing. I’m guessing golf is not their normal game.

The tide is way out; the white sandy beach is wide. There are bikers, runners and walkers on the beach… children chasing birds, cars driving by, jet skis in the ocean, people swimming, even a couple of surfers in the ocean as well. Families are picnicking on the lawn below me. The sun is out, there is a gentle breeze and the sound of the ocean roaring fills my ears. I smell the salt water. The waves are big today. Life is good 🙂

Brand Recognition at it’s Very Best!

We have been programed in so many ways– ways we don’t even realize, to recognize brands. It’s a HUGE part of marketing!

Seeing this in action is a favorite pass time of mine. So, it has been of much interest to me over the past couple of years to see many of the upscale restaurants come out with sugar and sugar substitutes in these neat little “color coded” packages.

Now, the sugar and sugar substitutes have always been color coded, however, they also said their names clearly on the packets – Sugar, Equal, Splenda, Sweet ‘n Low, etc., etc., etc.

I guess going WAY back, Sweet ‘n Low was the first I can remember being associated with a color. The little PINK packets have adorned tables across the states [quite possible the world] for decades now. Actually, sugar was probably the VERY FIRST – the white packet. Then after sugar and Sweet ‘n Low came Equal quickly followed by Splenda — blue and yellow respectively. And then there is the raw sugar symbolized by a brown packet.

The interesting part now is that as these 5 distinct colors representing 5 different sugars and sugar substitutes sit atop tables in many fine eating establishments, they no longer have their names printed on the packaging. In many cases only the color of the packaging is an indication of what’s inside. Many times the name of the establishment is printed on the packet in place of the name of the product it contains.

HOW VERY INTERESTING! Brand Recognition at it’s Very Best! Not a logo or a symbol but quite simply… a color!

2.22.08

Today has been a long day. I can hardly remember all we’ve done.

I did not run this morning as I have aggravated my plantar fasciitis (fashee-EYE-tiss) in my right foot– that’s the one that always gives me the most trouble. However, we did walk down to the pier [and Starbucks] and back mid-morning. Ah… the Starbucks at the pier in Daytona… about the only Starbucks I know of where you can walk in in just your bathing suit and nobody thinks anything of it. Try that in McDonough – HA!

A 3 mile walk back to the resort and then we sat and I got some work done on the beach for a couple of hours AND got some sun– almost too much sun. FREE WIFI on the beach– that’s nice!

Tonight for dinner we ate at Bonefish Grill. http://www.bonefishgrill.com It was a good dinner- lots of ambiance and the smell of a wood fire. We took our time, had an appetizer, bread, the main course AND a wonderful dessert with coffee. We like NEVER do that. Usually it’s just the main course and we’re in and out in under 45 minutes or so.

After dinner it was back to the resort and another nice, long walk on the beach at sunset- this time in the opposite direction.

Tomorrow we will go to breakfast here at the hotel. They make these homemade [northern] cake donuts and it’s FREE. I don’t really like them, but if you dunk them in enough coffee they’re eatable. They really are good, I just don’t like that kind of donut. Then we are going to the Flea Market- something we’ve never done here. There’s not too many things we haven’t done here but that’s one of them. I’m in the market for some cheep sunglasses 🙂

2.21.08

3+ fast miles on the BEACH this a.m. Not too early, about 7-8ish. Ran to the Starbucks at the boardwalk – that was SO nice! Got down there in about 26 minutes. Walked back to the resort with coffee in hand AND a piece of no sugar added banana walnut bread… mmmmmmmm……..

Our time here has been so relaxing. We got to sit in first class on the trip down. That’s always so nice. Last night, dinner was at High Tides at Snack Jack.  http://www.snackjacks.com  It’s one of our favorite places to eat down here – maybe our favorite. It’s right on the beach– what a view! And, they valet park your car– it’s a space thing, not any indication of the nicety of the restaurant because the restaurant is really just a hole in the wall that’s been there since 1950, but the food is SUPERB! It’s was a crab cake night. Afterwards, we were able to see some of the eclipse from the balcony of our hotel room. It was quite cloudy so we weren’t able to see much but what we did see was beautiful with the moon eclipsing over the ocean.

Today we ate lunch on the beach and then went into town to the historic district and walked around. We visited some antique shops [beginning to sound like old people] but didn’t buy anything. Then, we took a tour of the Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory. http://www.angellandphelps.com We got our free sample and then bought a 1 lb. box of handmade dark chocolates. mmmmmmm……. can’t wait to get into them after dinner!

Dinner tonight will be at Bubba Gumps at the boardwalk. It’s going to be shrimp 😉

2.19.08

5 fast miles on the mill w/the heat ON and still no fan– mid a.m. WHEW! Felt good and strong.

2.18.08

4 fast miles on the mill. Got to get a fan!