Okaloosa Island

Weathering the Storm





We are just back from a week on Okaloosa Island, Florida. http://www.destin-ation.com/okaloosaislandflorida/index.htm . Travel to Florida was it's usual bore with more traffic on Interstate 10 than usual because of the Spring Breakers. Once the Snow Birds ( northern winter renters) go home, we have to attend to our condos. Cleaning carpets, replacing missing items and just checking things out. We were met by a wet and wild Wednesday. The storm that blew in brought 40 mile per hour winds and very agitated Gulf water. The massive waves collided with the sand beaches and reshaped them at it's will. Gulls attempted flight but were ground as the wind pushed them down to their sandy perches. The roar of the wind muffled the gulls' call for relief. A few brave souls ventured on to the beach but were left with little dry cloths or self pride.










































What a Diffrence a Day Makes




Thursday was a day of dreams. The temperature was a mild 72 degrees, the wind had reduced to barely a fat man's breath and the sun was not veiled by even one cloud. By the afternoon I had finished my chores around the condo so I headed to the beach. Okaloosa Island is known for its sugar white sand beaches and fortunately not much damage had been done to them the day before. There can be some very strong rip tides along this beach especially since Hurricane Ivan reshaped the coast line. Several surfers attempted to catch the perfect wave, but most of the beach goers sat on their perfectly aligned beach chairs catching the sun's rays. What is so great about Okaloosa Island is that there is a building height restriction so no condo can build higher than seven stories, unlike Destin and Panama City which build to the heavens. This translates to less people on the beach and real estate keeps its value , even in slow times.

Food for Thought

On the second night we had dinner with friends at an excellent Italian restaurant called Pranzo. http://www.destin-fwb.com/Activities/Restaurants/.

The restaurant is located on Santa Rosa Blvd. to the north of the Brooks Bridge. Most people on the island use this Bridge as the anchor for directions to most any other place on the island. As we entered this classically styled restaurant the aroma of garlic tantalizes your nose. The smell was so thick in the air that I could actually taste it. Our friends are a local developer and a real estate agent who were just back from a sailing around the Baja Peninsula. Small talk of the trials and tribulations of sailing for a month and singing the praises of new grandchildren led to more intense discussions of new development on the Island. Although I can not discuss the specifics, the information has not been made public yet, I am enthusiastic about the new development that will be changing the Island for the better. No new condominium projects will be beginning any time soon. This should be good news to anyone who owns a condo along the Emerald Coast.


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RICK-DA SCALE
Here I will give my humble uneducated opinion of the places I have been. On a scale from 1-10 where 10 is nirvana and 1 is equal to having your right eye stuck with a hot poker while the left eye is forced to watch book reviews on C-Span.





Location____________ Rating_____________ Comment


Okaloosa Island________ 8 _______________ Best time to visit is October



Pronzo Restaurant______ 7_______________ The calamari is the best



Island Beaches_________ 8_______________Sugar white sand

Fireworks at Fort Walton Beach

Ft Walton Beach, Florida

We traveled to Fort Walton Beach, Florida on New Year's Eve. Yea, I know it's more than two months since the new year but there was more pressing things to write about the last couple of months. So you get the low down now.

A north wind slapped across my face as I looked down to Choctawhatchee Bay. It was clear but for a few clouds in the southern sky stacked like book cases above the Gulf of Mexico. I almost tripped walking up the spiral stairs to the private roof top sun deck of our penthouse. Oklaloosa Island can get down right cold this time of year http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okaloosa_Island . I thought Florida was the sunshine state, at least that is what the local chamber of commerce and vacation hucksters claim. As I tried to shield myself from the wind I felt so fortunate to have such fantastic views in all directions. I believe we have about the best on the island. New Year's Eve night the view of Destin to the east, Ft Walton to the west with multiple firework displays at each location gave our condo a magical feel. In addition many home owners on the north side of the bay put on some very extravagant displays of their own. Some probably have to take on a second mortgage just to pay for the pyrotechnics.

Day break on the beach is fantastic. After staying up until the fireworks stopped we enjoyed some breakfast and headed to the beach. Watching the sun break through the morning clouds is worth missing your beauty sleep. Even though I really do need it. On this morning several sea snakes sat lifeless on the beach. Did they come for the New Year's celebration? An older man walked from the opposite direction. A metal detector in hand and a head set perched cockeyed on his head. Please, put me out of my misery should you see me like this on the beach, missing the sun rise and the sounds of gulls perchance to find trinkets in the sugar white sand.

Eating at Sunset

There are a surprising number a very good restaurants around the Fort Walton area. One of my favorites is Rick's Crab Trap. No, this is not my restaurant. http://www.mytravelguide.com/restaurants/ctrestaurants-7400801-United_States_Florida_Fort_Walton_Beach_restaurants.html_Fort_Walton_Beach_restaurants.html. Located at the foot of Brooks Bridge it has the atmosphere and the food that make this a don't miss place. The sunsets dance on the still bay waters while you sit outside sipping margaritas and munching on fried shrimp and oysters.

Just down the street is a unique Italian Restaurant. You may not want to go there during the day. The outside is poorly maintained and decorated in sort of an eclectic style of old Italy on acid. Even the inside decorations are fascinating to be polite, but the food is very good. The last time we were there a Mexican musical group was playing a mix of mariachi and Sinatra music. Go figure!

Orlando

Orlando, Florida



Travel to Orlando on a recent business trip was rather fun on a Delta Connection, Freedom Airlines' ERJ plane. Only three seats wide and over head bins about the size of my SUV's glove box. Given the choice of placing my carry on under the seat in front of me or having it checked, I opted to have my knees to my chest for an hour and fifteen minutes. If you are over 5'11'' this plane is not for you. I really can't complain since my tab for this trip is being paid for by another company.



Airport Transportation



The Orlando International Airport has lush tropical landscaping on it's expansive grounds. It would only be better if some of the money allotted to the landscaping would be used to better coordinate ground transportation. I realize the Airport Authority has little control of private transportation companies but Mears Shuttle service should be reconsidered as a transport company. Two hours from the airport to the hotel, 15 miles away, is a huge waste of my time. Each of the people at the business meeting had the same experience. Get more drivers and shuttle buses, Mears or turn in your airport passes. A taxi ride is about $50.00 but it may be worth the money.



Hotel


The Carib Royale Hotel is isolated and located a distance from anything that matters in Orlando, but it is very nice accommodations with every room being a suite. Plus, as I mentioned, I am not paying for this , so I really can't complain. I was able to turn on the TV in the living room and the bedroom at the same time and not miss a word on CCN ( as if this really matters) as I walked from the bed to the computer. There is some very nice landscaping on the hotel complex but it gets lost to the dark of night with little emphasis on lighting.

The first night I ate a Jeffery's Restaurant and Piano Bar on Sand Lake Road, which is owned by Bar Harbor Seafood Company. We had a group of 15 which the restaurant staff accommodated well. The food was very good. The menu was a little thin on seafood and fat on pricing.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/orl-dining0807apr08,0,50718.story



If you are looking to keep your expense account low the Carib Royale has a take out cafe open 24 hours per day on the first floor of the main building. It is very inexpensive, under $10.00 for a hot meal. This may not be what you want to do if you are trying to impress clients.








Illicit Animal Body Parts Trade





After visiting several souvenir stores I was appalled to see multiple animal body parts being displayed for sale. One counter had tails of mice and dogs and there was a full section of the store that had row after row of mice ears. Even more disturbing was the fact that after an individual purchased the mice ears they would allow their child to place them on their head. What are we teaching our children? The black ears are mounted on skull caps and after the child would make a few steps the ears would flop to one side. When questioned why the stores had such horrific items for sale, most answered that this was standard practice in and around Orlando. I, also, saw dozens of shrunken mouse heads for sale with a red bows, as if it was a gift wrapped present. This entire trade of animal parts was sickening to me, even though I come from a state where alligator heads are taxidermied and sold next to hot sauce. I tried to investigate this further but to no avail, so instead I buckled to tourist-du-souvenir pressure and bought a pair of those ears which now sit next to my alligator head and a copy of the "Best of Orlando".