Work Trips to FL

I've been traveling to Orlando for work quite a bit this summer. Although the airports wear me out (see one of my previous entries), and it would be nice if I was going in February as opposed to July, it's really not all that bad. I can get a nonstop flight from PVD on Southwest (best airline EVER, by the way), and there's quite a bit to do in the area. In fact, the hotel that I stay at is about 5 minutes from Universal Studios and about 10 minutes from Disney World. It does get a bit depressing when when I am at breakfast getting ready for a long day at work and 99% of the people around me are in their shorts and tank tops getting ready for a long day of fun at the theme parks. Here are some pictures I've managed to take of the area so far. I'm on a bit of a hiatus for now, but in September and October I'll be going back for 3-4 more weeks.


Block Island from the plane


Shadow of the plane as we land (look closely)


Much bigger!


Intersection in Dr. Phillips - one of the nicest neighborhoods in Orlando


Atrium of the my hotel - the fabulous Embassy Suites on I-Drive


Thunderstorm moving in from the left - a daily occurance


Sitting on the deck at the restaurant across the street. I guess there could be worse places to travel for work :)


Yum. Guess what I am drinking?

Little Obsessions

I've had an obsessive personality for as long as I can remember. I'm never just interested in something...I'm completely engrossed. First it was whales. Then hurricanes. Oh and let's not forget Keanu Reeves. Wait, maybe we CAN forget about that. Anyway, once I become interested in something, I will read everything I possibly can get my hands on regarding that subject, and you can only imagine how much easier this has become since the internet has become so easily accessible. Here's a rundown of what I'm currently "interested" in:

1. Chowhound.com
This website is a godsend to anyone who enjoys food and/or dining out. It's basically a forum too discuss any food topic you could possibly imagine. One can discuss the dining scene in New England...or switch boards and talk about BBQ and Mexican in Texas. One of my favorite guilty pleasures is talking about the previous night's episode of Top Chef on the Food Media & News board. And I can't forget to mention that there are boards for wine, spirits, and beer.

2. Provincetown, MA
No, it's NOT just for gay people. It's one of the most stunningly beautiful places you will ever see. It has old, narrow streets filled with traditional New England homes. Some of the friendliest people in the world reside and work here. There is a mingling people like you will see nowhere else. More than anywhere else I've ever been, this town embodies acceptance.

3. Blogs
It doesn't matter who - friends' and acquaintances' blogs, or ones I've randomly run across in my internet travels. I love to hear what other people have to say and what is going on in their lives, and adore picturing what it's like to live in other areas of the country and the world. It's a glimpse into everyday life that was never possible before this trend began. Among my favorites are Caitlin's and KJ's. They always manage to make me think or put a smile on my face.

4. Restaurants
Whether I'm home in RI or on vacation, I will do extensive research to find the best dining options. Ironically, my two top methods of obtaining informations about these restaurants are other obsessions - Chowhound.com and the various food blogs that have recently begun popping up across the country (thankfully, Providence has quite a few). Some of my favorite RI restaurants - Tucker's Bistro in Newport, CAV and Ten in Providence.

5. Unique Inns
Not hotels. I'm talking about small B&Bs and old houses converted into inns. Places that are independently owned and provide character and hospitality that no big hotel could. I used to be scared of these places (must be my anti-social nature), and I'm still not a fan of having to share a bathroom, but set me up in one with a private bath, and I can actually have an enjoyable breakfast with the company of perfect strangers.

6. HG TV
Oh, where do I begin? House Hunters, Flip This House, Hidden Potential, and Get it Sold are just some of the many shows on this channel from which I cannot tear myself away. It's probably an unhealthy obsession, and it certainly aggravates my husband when I watch these shows over and over again...but I say life is short...do what makes you happy :)

I'm sure I could think of some others to add to the list, but I suppose it if doesn't pop into the brain immediately, then it's not quite an obsession and more of a traditional "interest". TTFN!

Airports

I've been subconsciously pondering the many types of people that I observe or interact with at the airport. Since I've been traveling for work a lot lately, I've been spending far too many hours of my life in airports, and it really is quite the place to people watch. Here's a rundown of the many "types" of people that I typically see.

The important business man - comes in many forms. He can be so important that he simply cannot get off of his phone (usually in the form of a bluetooth), and some are so important that they are constantly talking about something very stressful, to the point that they need to pace back and forth nervously while talking loudly on their phones. Many of these species have clear separation anxiety when they are forced to turn off their blackberries before the plane takes off...they frantically type emails up until the last second, and resume the madness the second the wheels touch the ground. Maybe I'm just not career driven enough, but I don't understand how every interaction can be seemingly life or death.

The talker - no definition needed. You know who I'm talking about...the one who sits next to you and immediately makes small talk. Only it's not just small talk...it turns into real talk, and if you're extra lucky, it can last the whole entire plane ride. You get to hear all about her husband Bill and her son Donald. You get to hear stories about dear Lucy's wedding. From my experiences, most talkers especially love to talk about themselves, and rarely ask for input from you. Maybe that's why it's so easy for the conversation to continue on far longer than it should. Being of an unsocial, taciturn disposition (bonus points to anyone who can identify where that quote is from), I dread sitting next to these people. Would it be rude to put a sign on my forehead that says "Planning to listen to Ipod and sleep"? Yeah, I thought so.

The clueless traveler - this is the person who clearly flies about once every 5 years. He/she has no clue that a license is required, along with boarding pass at the security checkpoint. They argue with airport personnel about removing their shoes. It's news to them that they can't take their extra large Dunkin Donuts coffee through security. They have no clue how the boarding process works on their airline and constantly try to board at the incorrect times. They sometimes bring carry-on bags that are far too large to fit in the overhead bins. Overall, these people are extremely talented at driving us frequent travelers insane.

The "very late" traveler - typically a businessman. He is shocked to discover that, at 5:40 am on a Monday morning (probably the busiest time at TF Green), there's a rather long security line. He begins loudly saying that, at this rate, he'll never make his 6:05 flight to Philadelphia. He clearly feels that he should be able to skip the entire security line in order to not miss his flight. The lines of separation between the very late traveler and the important businessman can often be blurry.

I could probably write about 5 more "types" of people, but I'll end it here. I'm thankfully flying home tomorrow and I'm sure I'll find some extra inspiration at some point in my travels.

Simple Pleasures

Last night we had a birthday party for my mom, dad and Arron (since my sister and her boyfriend were gone on a road trip for all of them). Sometimes there's nothing more fun than relaxing with family with some good drinks and conversation.


Here's a delicious red, white and blue sangria that my mom made.



Here's a better shot since the pictures I took were terrible. It had white wine, citrus vodka, triple sec, simple syrup, and strawberries, pineapples and blueberries. Even Arron loved it (and he hates wine).



We had a fire on the deck and made smores.



Rissy (my sister) and her boyfriend sang some songs for us.

I'm off to Orlando again for work tomorrow. Hopefully I will finally have some pictures of the tourist paradise to share.