Summer Vacation

The word “staycation” is so overused now, that I almost cringed when I heard it on TV adapted to a moisturizer commercial the other day. Have you noticed that every product from coffee to doughnuts has been playing on the mini-vacation concept? Adopted or adapted the “stay at home and spend less” money idea? So, I’m going back to using my old “playing tourist at home” phrase until they come up with a new buzzword. I have been doing in-state Florida vacations, without any labels, for quite a number of years. One summer I tried to take advantage of my husband’s award points and visit almost every Florida beach/coastal hotel in the program for a weekend.

Now that summer vacation time is upon us, I’ve started thinking about where to go (back to) in Florida. I was reading the June/July issue of City & Shore magazine published by the Sun-Sentinel and fell in love with the “here & now” article written by their editor, Mark Gauert. It so captured warm feelings about a summer vacation in South Florida that I asked Mark for his permission to quote an excerpt in this blog.

The beginning of the article talks about Mark dreaming about going to Provence. He lists all the things he’s looking forward to doing – complete with all the sounds, smells, and tastes, when a “sweet” voice interrupts him to say there’s no way they can go to France this year. Mark answers: “I know there will be no sojourn in Drome Provencale this summer for me. No sunny bike rides down lavender-smoked hills. No croustillant of sea bass with olive tapenade just down the road.”

The article continues: “I am awake now. Fully conscious. Spending my summer vacation in South Florida.

I am gliding past the ocean on A-1-A in Palm Beach County, the sound of crushed seashells popping and pinging the spokes of my bike. The sun of South Florida warms my face. I can see ahead to the Royal Park Bridge crossing the Intracoastal, the blue water glistening beside the City of West Palm Beach. The scent of sea salt and aquatic life drifts up from under the bridge. It’s making me dizzy – or maybe I’ve just waited too long for lunch.

I’m dreaming now of a fresh grilled dolphin sandwich, with fries and coleslaw, at a place up ahead on the waterfront. A beer would be nice with that. Maybe a Cotes-du-Rhones. // I’m about to make up my mind when I hear the sweetest voice. “You must be dreaming” she says. No, I say, Not this time.”

Hey hospitality industry doesn’t this make you wish you could visit South Florida, too? Wait a minute, we live and work here. Why not invite your friends…