Walk Into the Future

Category: America

  • Running to Savannah

    RnR Savannah

    “The journey is the destination”.

    (Dan Eldon)

    Searched for a clever destination run quote since I have been writing about the 2021 Savannah Rock N Roll Half marathon for months now.  The quote above brings me back to center with the simple concept on the importance of the journey.

    Well, I have been working up to this journey for quite a bit of time.  I was originally scheduled to run in Savannah for the first time back in November 2020.  We know COVID-19 caused havoc and most races were cancelled in 2020. 

    The Rock N Roll folks allowed runners to defer race credits forward to 2021 races—I decided to do a direct swap to the 2021 Savannah half marathon since I have never run in the city.  Please note, I have visited Savannah multiple times to enjoy the culture, food, and sightseeing.  My draw was to be a running tourist in Savannah and take in the sights while running through the city.

    Full disclosure, my running tourist adventures did not happen in 2021 and we cannot blame it on COVID-19 this time.

    Savannah weather in the month of November is normally mild and attracts 15k+ runners from all over the world.  I am sure my fellow runners targeted this race for the mild temperatures, flat course, music, and great food.  Unfortunately, I am not sure many runners experienced any of these things.

    The weather forecast for race weekend identified rain and colder weather early in the week.  The premise was the rain would clear out before race day and keep temperatures cooler than normal.  I was excited to run in cooler weather since I train in Fort Pierce, Florida and experience heat and humidity daily.

    I got on the road on Friday to head up I-95 to Savannah.  The trip was a straight shot up the interstate and took a little over 5 hours to get there.  It rained the entire drive up, but it was never a heavy rain, just steady.  My thoughts heading up was the rain would clear out by race day and things would be great in the morning.

    This concept did not play out and the weather got much worse than projected. 

    I made my way to the EXPO to pick up my race packet and get some shopping in—normal routine.  The rain impacted the foot traffic at the EXPO while I was there so getting in and out was quick.  Most of the folks there had rain gear on, but we all were hoping the rain would be gone by race day.  I was shocked with the number of vehicles still trying to get to the EXPO—I am sure the weather caused delays with runners arriving in town and then to the EXPO.

    Made my way to the hotel to check-in and then look for a place to continue my carb loading program.  Decided to make a quick trip to a local Goodwill store to buy a sweatshirt I could wear in the corral while waiting for the race to start.  Runners routinely drop sweatshirts and blankets prior to racing—these items are then donated to local homeless shelters.  I did not find a sweatshirt at the Goodwill so headed across the street to Burlington and found what I needed for a very good price. 😊

    Headed to Buffalo Wild Wings to complete my carb loading process and watch some college football before going to bed early.  FYI—it was raining the entire time I was out and about, but the hope was the rain would stop before morning—it did not!

    I laid out my race outfit like normal when I got to the hotel.  Decided to dress in layers with a long sleeve run shirt since it was colder than normal.  My sweatshirt would allow me to stay warm prior to the race—in theory.

    Fast forward to race day and it was STILL raining!  The rain was a drizzle when I headed out towards downtown and got a bit heavier the closer I got to the shuttle pickup spot.  My fellow runners were dressed in layers wearing rain gear, trash bags and large coats to stay dry and warm.  This should have been an indication of what was to come but we all got on the shuttle and headed to the start line.  The rain appeared to get heavier the closer we got to our drop off spot.

    Everyone got off the shuttle with full intent to run the half or full marathon.  This intent lasted for about 30 minutes as the rain came down harder and the streets started to flood.  I met a lot of nice people from all over America as we huddled and shivered under a restaurant overhang trying to stay dry and somewhat warm. 

    There was a gentleman who flew in from Seattle two days prior who needed to run this race to complete his goal of running a half marathon in all 50 states.  He was conflicted with the weather but determined to run.  Other runners had similar stories or reasons they wanted to run.  The consensus was none of us expected the weather to be this bad and completing the race in these conditions would be tough.  Some vowed to stay and run while others said to hell with this.  

    I was in the hell with this camp since I rarely train in the rain but have done it.  The temperature at the time was 41 degrees and we were experiencing a downpour with no end in sight.  I decided to call NO JOY and not risk injury or sickness with the current conditions.

    Made my way to Forsythe Park since that’s where the shuttles were to drive runners back to their vehicles.  A positive note is the shuttles had heat and provided a dry environment to get us out of the rain.  I have never made it to a race start line and not run but this was the best option for me considering the cold, rain, and race conditions for the day.

    Happily made it back to my hotel, took a hot shower and got back in the bed for a 2 hour nap! 😊

    I normally write about the sightseeing from a race location, but the rain never stopped.  I made my way back downtown so I could visit New Realm Brewery.  My first experience with New Realm Brewery was when I ran in Virginia Beach back in September.  Great food again!  They were out of the Acai Berry cider, but I was able to enjoy another local craft beer which was pretty good.

    That’s about it for my trip—the rain and cold weather was not conducive to exploring so I didn’t.  Made my way back to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch more football and stay dry.        

    Don’t know if I will try to run Savannah again—two tries and two false starts.

    May just take a trip back up in the summer to experience the city as a regular tourist. 😊

    https://www.savannahnow.com/story/sports/recreation/2021/11/06/nasty-weather-forces-rock-n-roll-savannah-marathon-shortened/6300893001/

    RnR Savannah 2

  • Happy Thanksgiving!

    thanksgiving-g944bc9341_1920

    “What if today, we were just grateful for everything”?

    (Charlie Brown)

    Here’s to a great day for everyone who reads this!  Hope you take time to enjoy your family, friends, and great food.

    Continue to Walk into the Future!

    Calvin

    “Be present in all things and thankful for all things”.

    (Maya Angelou)

  • Track Shack UCF 5 Miler

    5 Mile race

    “Every morning we are born again.  What we do today is what matters most”.

    (Buddha)

    Merriam-Webster defines resilience as an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.

    Happy to report there has not been any misfortune for me, but the change has been an adjustment to my training regimen.  I am still putting in work but not able to get the same quality sessions I put in pre-COVID.  This can be directly attributed to my work role in Fort Pierce but please do not think I am complaining.

    We have made some major operational improvements and there is light at the end of the tunnel where we will soon normalize operations and I can get back to putting in more training miles.

    The concept of resiliency reminds me of the old saying:  try and then try again!

    Decided to use shorter races as a bigger part of my training program to get me prepared for the rigors of the half marathon distance.  I have the 2021 Rock N Roll Savannah half marathon in November and the 2021 Track Shack OUC half marathon in December.  My overall goal is to run a half marathon under 2 hours and the Track Shack OUC half marathon is the ideal setup to make this happen.  I need to put in additional training miles to build my endurance back to my 2019 levels. 

    My fastest half marathon was the 2019 Track Shack OUC half marathon with a time of 2:05:51 (two hours, five minutes, and 51 seconds).  2020 was set to be my fastest year ever but of course COVID-19 shut down racing and my training lagged—that’s on me! 😊

    So, what’s my plan to correct my training and speed issues?  Well, I check multiple running clubs to see what races are being offered locally and within driving distance to me in Fort Pierce. 

    I routinely scan the Fleet Feet Stuart and Orlando Track Shack events pages to determine which races are available to help with my training program.  I just shared with my best friend I have a hard time training with race pace—it is a mental thing for me since I do not have competitors or anyone to pace with.  I am sure I may be the only active running with this issue but targeting real races seems to get my competitive nature going.  This may not be the ideal strategy, but I will try this out to get me closer to my half marathon goal. 

    Made my way back over to Orlando for the 2021 Track U Can Finish 5 Mile race to get some speed work in.  I ran this same event when I lived in Oviedo, but this is the first time I tackled the race distance in 8 years. 

    This is an interesting event because it has multiple distances available for runners to try.  The first event is the U Can Finish 2 Mile race and Track Shack has a distance dare.  Runners can sign up to run the 2-mile race and then compete in the 5-mile race right after.  The hook for distance dare runners is the opportunity to collect 3 medals:  2-mile, 5-mile, and distance dare medals.  Runners love their bling and a lot of them took part in the distance dare.  I did not—officially. 😊

    Did something new on race day to ensure I got in extra training miles.  I stay in the same hotel each time I visit the Orlando area and it is down the street from the UCF campus. 

    I decided to leave my vehicle parked at the hotel and ran the 2-mile distance to the UCF campus for the start of the 5-mile race.  Figured this was a great way to warmup and stretch my legs before my race and ensured I would get in a long training session—it was just broken up into segments.

    Toed the line for the 5-mile race completely warmed up and excited to run on the UCF campus again.  The race village was setup directly in front of the Career Services building where I worked for 4-years prior to moving to Tallahassee and the FSU Career Center.  Great being back on the old stomping grounds. 😊

    My goal for the 5-mile race was simply to test my endurance and consistently run miles splits with a 9 on the front of them (9:05, 9:10, etc.).  Mission accomplished.

    The UCF campus is completely flat which helped a lot.  Went out with the intent to run my race based on feel and then push myself when I could. 

    Mile-1 went by at an 8:44 per minute pace and I felt good with the effort.  Mile-2 through 5 were:  9:15, 9:33, 9:57, 9:42 which got me to the finish line at 47:29.  Targeted 45 flat but happy with my results considering I put in a 2-mile run before my race. 

    Collected my 5-mile medal and took some pictures to commemorate the race and my time back at UCF.  Got some refreshments and stretched a bit before heading out.  I tucked my race medal away and began my 2-mile journey back to my hotel—yes, I ran back for a total of 9 training miles for the day.  Felt great every step of the day!

    I will look for additional races to help me prepare for my next two half marathons.  Still have some speed in these legs, just need to release it in my unique way.

    FYI—I am still on pace to meet my 2021 goals of 1,000 training miles.  Imagine my mileage if I could stay consistent with my training.

    Irie!

    How do you display resilience in your daily activities?  Thanks!

    “Life does not get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient”.

    (Steve Maraboli)

  • Two Americas—Right before your eyes!

    USA

    (Image by Mediamodifier from Pixabay) 

    “The worst form of justice in pretended justice”.

    (Plato)

    Dictionary.com defines white privilege as inherent advantages possessed by a white person based on their race in a society characterized by racial inequality and injustice.

    Merriam-Webster defines bias as a tendency to believe that some people, ideas, etc., are better than others that usually results in treating some people unfairly.

    So, where am I heading with these definitions? I will get to the point but need to ask you a few questions.

    Who is Gabby Petito?  Who is Brian Laudrie?

    I am sure you did not need to run a Google search to provide an answer to either of those questions.  We have learned more about both individuals on the morning, afternoon, nightly and cable news shows almost daily since September. 

    We know she was a travel influencer and they traveled out west to hike and camp while documenting the trip.  We also know there was an incident during the trip and police were called in to investigate and/or deescalate the situation between the couple.  No arrests were made, and the couple continued the journey without a warning from the police. 

    I will not dive much deeper into the situation because it has been covered extensively by the news media.  We know where they were before Gabby went missing and Brian decided to return to his parent’s home in Florida.  The media set up outside the homes of both families and conducted interviews with them.  The media spoke with local law enforcement, FBI agents and experts on finding missing people. 

    The media coverage for this ONE case was 24/7!  We got in-depth and breaking news coverage to let us know every time something new was identified in the case.  Bravo to the news media for being so aggressive providing us with these vital updates.

    Next question.  Who is Jelani Day? I am going to wait so you can go Google his name.

    He disappeared the month PRIOR to Gabby but no round the clock coverage to inform us of updates in the investigation.  We did not get updates on a person of interest, circumstances surrounding his disappearance or background information about him.

    I found an article on USA Today in the News category—it was not listed as Breaking News or a Top Headline.  I am happy his story was listed at all but why the disparity in how both cases were covered by the media?  Another question I must ask is how many other people went missing during the same time frame, but we heard nothing about them on the national news either.  This is what media bias looks like!

    People of color are missing right now but there appears to be only one story the media is interested in covering.  I am fine with the media covering this case but why do they completely ignore everyone else?  It is hard to not see the media bias in the coverage, but the sad thing is multiple networks/outlets are all doing the same thing.

    Would we know more about Jelani Day’s investigation IF the media put as much interest in his case as the one we all have been hearing about since September?  Don’t answer that—I know the answer!

    Jelani Day and all missing people should be afforded the same coverage and investigation we have seen for the disappearance of Gabby Petito—nothing more or less!

    I wrote about The Two Americas last summer—this is another example.  You be the judge.

    Research:

    https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/09/23/jelani-day-illinois-state-university-missing-body-river/5837256001/

    https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/09/23/gabby-petito-mourned-search-continues-brian-laudrie/5825006001/

    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/fbi-releases-video-of-10-rioters-who-allegedly-committed-most-brutal-assaults-on-police-officers/ar-BB1eJ4Dl?li=BBnb7Kz

    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/grim-list-of-deaths-at-police-hands-grows-even-after-verdict/ar-BB1fUUsL?li=BBnb7Kz

    https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/10/26/kyle-rittenhouse-victims-shooting-trial-judge-ruling-travesty/8560336002/

    “Freedom is a road seldom traveled by the multitudes”.

    (Public Enemy)

  • Paisley Park (Repost)

    “Paisley Park is in your heart”

    This is a lyric from the song titled Paisley Park on Prince’s Around the World in a Day album.  It’s not one of his most well-known songs but the title was translated by the artist to name his artistic palace in Chanhassen, a suburb of Minneapolis.

    Paisley Park is a combination of residence, recording studios, sound stage, video editing and party spot (concerts, DJ’s, etc.) designed by Prince in the late 1980s.  This is a place where he churned out hit after hit from his own recording platforms.  It afforded him the opportunity to create new music and concepts right where he lived.  Simply, come downstairs and walk into a recording studio to lay down some tracks that would one day become a #1 hit.

    Paisley Park is a place I always wanted to visit to experience the place responsible for the soundtrack of my life.  I grew up listening to Prince from the very early stages of his career and wanted to Walk into the Future and see Paisley Park first hand.

    Wow…what an experience!  I decided to make a visit to Minneapolis and then venture over to Chanhassen to tour Paisley Park.  They have multiple tour formats to select but I decided to reserve my spot for the General Admission (70-minute tour) and was not disappointed.  There were roughly 20 other Prince fans along for my tour timeframe.  We’re talking people from all over the world who decided to make the Paisley Park journey to reconnect with Prince, his music and the place where he created magic.

    The tour started with a brief history of his music, why he wanted Paisley Park and what happens there now.  The tour’s most emotional moment for me was when we stepped into the foyer at Paisley Park.  Prince’s ashes are encased under glass overlooking the foyer.  Didn’t expect the ashes to be there but it was a goose bump moment for a lot of us on the tour.

    We were provided free time to explore multiple rooms dedicated to specific albums/tours (LoveSexy, 1999, For You, etc.) and his personal office.  The tour guide identified the office was intact just as Prince left it.  Of course, it was a very cool set-up to include video, music and a sitting area to entertain visitors.

    The tour then took us directly into Studio A where most of his hits from the 1990s were recorded.  Very cool place to see and experience the sound system and unreleased music that will be coming out soon! Sounds great and you will love the concepts! LOL.

    His numerous awards (Grammys, BET, MTV, etc.) were displayed in hallway cases.  The effect of seeing these awards put a smile on most of our faces as we remembered watching Prince receive these awards on TV over the years.  Fantastic opportunity to actually see history.

    Prince’s movies/soundtracks had separate areas at Paisley Park.  The Purple Rain display included the motorcycle from the movie, his iconic purple trench coat and the Grammy awarded for the soundtrack.

    Under the Cherry Moon with the black and white theme provided a unique contrast to his other movies.  Graffiti Bridge, Sign ‘O the Times and RAVE were displayed, and all were shot on the sound stage at Paisley Park. 

    Speaking of the sound stage, our tour took us into the enormous space used by Prince and others for tour preparation, make videos and shoot movies.  Prince allowed other musicians to use this area to help them get ready for national tour dates.

    The tour ended in the New Power Generation (NPG) club which is still used to host dance parties for Prince fans.  This area was used by Prince to host fans and sometimes play live shows for the few lucky folks in attendance.  It was noted Prince normally didn’t start playing until 2 am in the morning so you would have to be an extreme night owl to catch one of these impromptu shows.

    Cameras are not allowed at Paisley Park so the memories from this experience must be lived and not streamed out.  I believe this enhanced the overall experience for me.

    Very happy my Walk into the Future led me to Paisley Park!

    Where have you always wanted to go but never made the time?  How can you leverage a trip to help you decide to walk into the future?

    Paisley park outside

    Paisley Park inside2

    FYI–I plan a return trip to Paisley Park in 2022.  Who is going to meet me there? 🙂

  • Track Shack Celebration of Running 5k

    celebration 2

    “Someone who is busier than you is running right now”.

    (Nike)

    The quote above speaks to me on multiple levels.  There is always something happening in our daily lives and skipping a training run can become a habit.

    I continue to look for ways to motivate myself to stay consistent with my training.  It would be easy to blame COVID-19 since the racing world and protocols have changed.  Again, that would be an excuse because we do not need a start or finish line to get a run in.  My goal for the rest of the year is to maintain training consistency and get out and run.

    I have written previously that running is my therapy.  Running gives me an opportunity to clear my head and gather my thoughts after a long work week.  This sport also helps me maintain a healthy body weight while I continue to eat without counting calories.

    Decided to find a start line and signed up for the Track Shack Celebration of Running 5k.  This race served two purposes:  helped me determine my fitness level and got to shop in a great city.

    I ran this race multiple times when I lived in Oviedo, so it was an easy decision to get over to Winter Park for another Track Shack race.  I did not get in town early enough to visit Track Shack, so I do not have an in-store shopping experience to share this time.  I am pretty sure I own every color of the Track Shack training shirts—will add more to the wardrobe in the future. 😊

    Got off work early on Friday afternoon and drove over to Oviedo.  I normally get into a race town early the day prior, but this was a 5k and I did not need the extra prep time.  Guess that’s what real runners say when they show up not knowing how well they will run the next day.  My goal was to toe the line and run with enough intensity to determine what I needed to do to complete my half marathon training. 

    Happy to report physical distancing at races is still a thing.  People were respectful of spacing and did not crowd together at the start line.  Made my way to the 8 minute per mile area with the intent to avoid the crowds behind me and minimize bumping into other runners.  I recognized quite a few runners from my days living in Oviedo.  I smiled when a few of them recognized me too—guess runners never forget! 😊

    I started with a controlled pace to ease into the race and to determine if there were any runners I wanted to pace with.  Orlando has a great running community and there were several runners available to tag along with during this race.  Somehow, I did not get my music playlist set prior to the race and ended up running without music.  This is not normal for me during races or training so had to create my own rhythm listening to my breathing and feet pounding the ground.  Not as interesting as bobbing my head to T.I.’s Motivation.  I will have my music situation corrected before heading to Virginia Beach for the Rock N Roll Half Marathon.

    My miles splits:  Mile 1:  8:45 / Mile 2:  9:20 / Mile 3:  9:40 / Mile .1 / .59 = 9:13 pace.

    Not bad for a training run.  Decided not to push too hard and enjoy stretching my legs while getting in some extra road work.

    Laughed a few times during the race when several Orlando runners complained about the HILLS on the course.  I have experienced the Tallahassee and Nashville hills during training and races—the Orlando hills were simply sidewalk inclines.  I did not even break strides to get up those big, bad hills the Orlando folks dreaded.  I had to control myself and not give folks a hard time for walking up these very small inclines—guess hills are subjective to runners.

    Crossed the finish line with a smile on my face and gas left in my tank.  Made it over to the vendors and got pizza as an after-race snack.  Yes, runners eat horribly once the race is over. 

    Happy with my efforts during the Celebration of Running 5k.  Will continue to work on my conditioning as I prep for my visit to Virginia Beach in September.  My goal is to enjoy the course and my time on the beach.  I do not have a goal time for this race but will finish and enjoy the grind.

    I’m sure I will have an article to discuss my race weekend! 😊

    Irie!

    “Long distance running is 90% mental, and the other half is physical”.

    (Rich Davis)

  • The Wonder Years

    art artistic blank page book
    Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

    My how the time flies

    When you look back and wonder

    How did we get here?

    When did that happen?

    The promise that was promised

    Had diminished over time

    And left the wonder of why

    And can the path be adjusted

    To fulfill the destiny of the wonder

    That was first wondered by me

  • Half Marathon training (South Florida)

    Celebration of running

    “Life is short…running makes it seem longer”.

    (Baron Hansen)

    September 5, 2021 is coming!  This date may only be circled on my calendar, but it has importance to my Walk into the Future.

    The Virginia Beach Rock N Roll Half Marathon will take place on 9/5/21.  This year’s race marks the 20th anniversary of the Rock n Roll series in Virginia Beach and will also be the last time this race is run.  Received an email last week stating the city of Virginia Beach and the Rock n Roll series agreed to make this the last hoorah.  This is my first visit to Virginia Beach, and I will have to make the most of it.

    The date of the half marathon is significant to me due to my training program.  I did not have a huge half marathon training focus in 2020 due to COVID-19.  I got miles in but never found my training pace because most races were cancelled due to COVID protocols.

    Fast forward to 2021 and races are slowly coming back and the running tourist in me is excited to hit the road again.  I am looking forward to exploring new locations and testing myself against courses I have only read about or seen pictures.

    So, what’s the problem you may ask?  Great question and thanks!  The problem is:  it is HOT down here!!! 😊

    I will not get into the concept of climate change, global warming, etc. but this south Florida heat and humidity is impacting my training program.

    I officially launched my half marathon training on 6/28/21.  This put me two months out from the Virginia Beach Rock N Roll half and should be plenty of time to get mentally and physically prepared to run.  I am getting my runs and bike rides in but struggle to extend my miles due to the heat and humidity in my current location.  My long runs top out at 7 miles because I want to be mindful of the impact the heat has while training. 

    I get up earlier for my weekend runs but the temperature hits the mid-80s by 9 am and only goes up from there.  Not complaining because most of my runs on done close to the water so I can always stop and make it a beach outing when I am done with my runs.

    I did not think the four-hour drive from Tallahassee to Fort Pierce would make much difference on my running program but there is a different level of heat down here.  Again, not complaining but stating a fact.  This is a fact I must come to grips with soon to keep preparing for future races.  I targeted several local 5ks to keep my competitive juices flowing but need these short races to get me race ready. 

    I added more bike rides (gym and outside) to get more miles on my legs to build up the threshold needed to run and complete a half marathon.  This is a new approach for me but a safe way to extend my training without having to deal with the south Florida heat.

    I recently added treadmill runs to my training program.  I am not a fan of running on a treadmill, but this equipment allows me to log miles and push myself to get ready for the actual process of running a half marathon.  My new training routine consists of morning miles on my regular route near the beach and then a treadmill session with equal miles.

    The one treadmill trick I started using is to cover the time/distance/speed display.  Running on the treadmill is a mentally draining exercise for me and I believe it is because the display does not match what I THINK I’m accomplishing.  Simply put, it feels like I have run further than the display shows so I get frustrated with the process.  Covering the display allows me to forget about the distance and time and just put in the work.  I see multiple people who appear to enjoy their time on the treadmill, and I am amazed watching them.  I need to get over my treadmill DREAD and just put in the work. 

    Looking forward to cooler weather so I can get back to longer outside runs again.  Did I mention it is hot in South Florida? 😊

    “Don’t be a jogger.  They are the ones who find dead bodies”.

    (RuntotheFinish)

  • Winter Park, Florida (Park Avenue Adventures)

    “To travel is to live”.

    (Hans Christian Andersen)

    Happy to report the Walk into the Future adventures continue.  I am excited to get back to regular excursions again with more and more people being vaccinated.  COVID-19 put a halt to most outings, but I am getting comfortable being out and about again.

    Decided to explore a familiar area recently and ventured back over to Winter Park, Florida to spend a day on Park Avenue.  Park Avenue has an eclectic feel and provides multiple places to shop, dine and entertain yourself without having to get in and out of your car.

    My day started with a trip to my favorite run shop, Track Shack.  I make a point to visit Track Shack whenever I’m in the area because the staff makes me feel at home.  They also update their running gear selections, and I am always looking for new training ideas and gear.  I wear Track Shack gear during my races and wanted to see if they had new color schemes to add to my wardrobe.  I did not buy new gear on this trip but picked up some CBD gel caps. 

    I added CBD to my training program last year to help with soreness and inflammation from running.  My run friends recommended CBD and I finally decided to add to my program to keep me running.  CBD has allowed me to continue to train hard and not miss sessions due to soreness—it also helps me relax and sleep better.  Give it a try!

    Made my way over to Park Avenue after leaving Track Shack.  The Winter Park Farmer’s Market is a huge Saturday attraction, and I made a stop to see what the vendors had for sell.  The kettle corn vendor was the most popular vendor of the day—it is amazing to see folks buy the huge bags of kettle corn.  I like kettle corn but could not make myself buy the supersized bags the vendor had. 

    There was a vendor at the Winter Park Farmer’s Market selling jerky—this is not a revelation but was surprised with the selection available.  Most people know about beef, turkey, and alligator jerky.  The surprise for me was this vendor had kangaroo jerky.  I had no idea people ate kangaroo and did not expect it as a jerky selection.  I am not a huge jerky fan but wondered all day why anyone would eat kangaroo jerky—may have to try it next time I am at the Winter Park Farmer’s Market.

    Took the short walk over to Park Avenue to explore the shops and dining options available.  Track Shack hosts multiple races in this area so I am familiar with Park Avenue—the races start and end in the heart of the entertainment district here.

    Found a corner breakfast spot that I had never visited before.  The Croissant Gourmet Bakery has a great menu and provides the perfect spot to dine, and people watch at the same time.  This spot is right off Park Avenue but gets a lot of foot traffic.  Most people came in for baked goods, but several stayed for breakfast and the coffee.  The Croissant Gourmet Bakery layout reminds me of a New York style bakery—the staff was friendly and got people in and out.  I had a traditional breakfast (two eggs, potatoes, bacon, toast with coffee).  They had a fantastic raspberry jam I would recommend if you visit the Croissant Gourmet Bakery—well worth the trip.  I plan to visit this spot again when I am back in Winter Park.

    One of my reasons to visit Park Avenue was to venture into the Wine Room again.  The Wine Room provides a unique experience where you can purchase a wine card and then explore wines from around the world.  Insert your wine card and then decide if you want a sip, half glass or full glass.  This is a great way to try multiple wines and not commit too much money if you decide you are not a fan.  I strategically visited the Croissant Gourmet Bakery first to ensure I ate something prior to exploring wine options. 😊

    I am a novice wine drinker, so the Wine Room allows folks like me to try different wines without committing too much to the process.  I favor the sweeter wines but experiment with others by purchasing by the sip.  This process helps me determine if I like the wine and not waste time or money if I do not.  I tried multiple wines that caught my interest, and most were very good. 

    I made my way back to the sweet Italian wine section and found one I really enjoyed.  Decided to go all in and purchased a full glass to enjoy.  The Wine Room is a great place to enjoy wine and get some people watching in.  There were several folks there who really knew wine and it was interesting listening to them describe the wines to each other. 

    Will leverage their knowledge on my next visit to the Wine Room and explore additional wines—one sip at a time.

    The most talked about wine during my visit was the Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon.  It was very good, and I will try it again when I am back in the Wine Room: 

    https://www.abcfws.com/caymus-cabernet-sauvignon/234305

    Left the Wine Room and got some window-shopping in.  There were a lot of people out for the afternoon, and everyone had smiles.  This was a fantastic way to spend the day and I enjoyed every minute of my time on Park Avenue.  Look forward to additional adventures on Park Avenue—this may turn into a monthly getaway for me. 😊

    Where have you wanted to visit?  Give Park Avenue a try if you are in the Orlando area—highly recommended.

    Irie!

    https://orlandodatenightguide.com/2016/09/guide-perfect-afternoon-park-avenue-winter-park/

  • Waxing Poetic!

    Jetty

    Really?

    Black Lives Matter you say

    Is that real or just a cliché?

    Cannot believe we have to scream this everyday

    Just to be heard, seen, and protected

    From the brutal society trying to stamp us out

    The daily body counts continue to rise

    With no end in sight, we fall

    Does not matter if it is a southern thing

    Northern thing or western thing

    Black lives continue to be extinguished

    With no end in sight

    So, I ask again, do Black Lives Matter?

    When will you step up to make this true?

    Simply saying it with no action makes it a hollow cliché

    Something woke to say?

    Time for action, some type of display

    Marching is fine but there cannot be additional delay

    Let us put more meaning to Black Lives Matter

    Do it today!