Our Arizona Trip

We left Baltimore last Saturday morning for the IFEBP conference in Las Vegas. We arrived in Vegas about noon and picked up our rental car and headed for Caesar's Palace. Check in was not until 2pm so we had some time to kill. As we were heading down Las Vegas Boulevard we passed the world famous Gold and Silver Pawn Shop as featured on the History channel Pawn Stars. We stopped there and just missed the Old Man and Corry. It was pretty neat browsing the store and seeing some of the things featured on the show. I often watch the show. Afterwards a few blocks down was the Stratosphere hotel. We have always wanted to have a meal there and the opportunity presented itself so we decided to have lunch at the Top of the World restaurant. The view from the restaurant was breathtaking. We arrived about 1PM, which was great because there wasn't any line and we got right in. We were seated right by the windows and could see for miles. The restaurant is in constant motion and the view is always changing at one point we saw bungee jumpers whizz past the windows. I had a 3 course meal with a nice fillet entree and Maureen had a crab cakes. The service was superb and I'd highly recommend the experience. Afterwards we went upstairs and walked around on a viewing platform where there were thrill rides and a spectacular view. We then went to Caesar's Palace to check in but on the way I answered a few adds on Craig's list for Jimmy Buffett show that evening at the MGM. I go t a response back from a guy who had 2 tickets a couple row from the stage for $75 each. I set up to meet him in the lobby of the Caesar's and was pleasantly surprised when he arrived with the tickets which had a face value of $231. He had been comped the tickets and didn't wan to go. We've seen Buffett a number of times but never at an indoor venue and never that close. We had a great time at the show. Our seats were right in front of the stage and we could see the band come and go off the stage. It was pretty cool seeing Buffett jump into a big SUV at the end and leave the MGM via police escort. 

Sunday morning we ate breakfast at the New York New York Hotel. It was American fair and was the best breakfast we had in Las Vegas. Afterwards we wen to the Mandalay Bay to register for my conference and to visit the exhibit hall which allows guest to attend on Sunday only. There are a couple hundred vendors related to health care and pension services. Signa was giving out flu shots, and we each got one. We filled up on little trinkets and candy and got scanned in for all kind of door prizes. The next day I got a call that I had won a "Mean" Joe Green autographed football from Ullico Insurance group. I guess I'll have that on EBay soon. I would of much rather won an Ipad, golf club or some cash. Oh well it's the first thing I've won in 6 years attending this conference.
Rather than go back to our hotel we realized that my conference credentials would get us into the pool at Mandalay Bay. The pool there is one of the best in Vegas, complete with sandy beach and a wave pool. After an hour or so all the chocolate we received from the vendors began to melt. We did our best to consume it and had it all over or face and fingers. Grown ups and chocolate.
That evening we a spectacular dinner at Old Homestead Steak House in Caesar's Palace. One of the most expensive steaks I've had in my entire life, but hey, its Vegas and fine dining is just another one of the expenses in which to indulge. The 24 oz Rib eye was to die for. Maureen had a crab cake and we shared what appeared to be a 1lb potato. Then of to the tables and back to the room with $80 more than we left with by midnight. 

Our room at Caesar's was wonderful. I loved the double bathrooms connected via a double shower in the middle and the Jacuzzi tub made our time in the room very relaxing. We were in the Roman Towers and at the bottom of the elevator was the entrance to the pool. There was pool side black jack and very good pool side wait service. Maureen spent a good bit of time there both Monday and Tuesday while i was attending classes at the conference.
Monday evening we attended 2 separate events hosted by vendors the local does business with. The first was at The House of Blues in Mandalay Bay. There was a nice spread of seafood from Stone Crab, shrimp, and crabcakes along with prime rib and other assorted pasta dishes. There was a hopping blues band playing that reminded me of the old Danny Gatton blues band. We stayed about an hour and a half then went to another reception at Madame Tussauds outside the Venetian Hotel. We arrived there a little late so most of all the food was gone but there was plenty to drink. We had fun doing the tour and taking pictures with all  the wax figures.

 
I had a little hiccup that evening on a video black jack game. Put in $50 and thought I was playing $5 and it was actually $25 then got dealt 8,3, doubled down and dealer hits 20. Lost $50 on one hand. Wound up making that back the next night up on Fremont street.
I wrapped up the conference on Tuesday, while Maureen pampered herself with a Manicure and lazy afternoon around the pool. That evening we had another fantastic meal at  Strip House Steak House, then we drove out to Fremont street and hit a number of the casinos and watched the people. It's quite entertaining.
The next morning we made the mistake of eating breakfast at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, which is across the street from Caesar's. By far the worst meal of the week. Stick to burgers, fries and booze when visiting Margaritaville. The conference was over and this was truly my first day to relax. We had a nice lazy afternoon around the pool and nice poolside lunch. Later that afternoon we decided to check out early and make our way to the Wyndham resort in Flagstaff AZ. It was about a 4 hour drive and since i was beginning to come down with a cold Maureen was nice enough to drive most of the way. We didn't arrive until after 11pm, but easily got our keys and found our way to our suite. It was rather small one bedroom efficiency type unit with a pull out couch. Our plan was to leave early the next morning for the Grand Canyon and then return Friday afternoon to meet our son Jack who was driving in from Show-Lo AZ. for the weekend.

The following morning we drove the 90 minutes to Grand Canyon State park. We had reservations at the Maswick Lodge but check in was not until 4pm. We ventured out on our on and found the Bright Angle trail and made our way into the canyon. It was about a 3.5 round trip hike and we did it in about 2.5 hours. The views were spectacular. The air was wonderfully clear (we could see the San Fransisco Mts over 100 miles away) helping the Canyon colors stand out in amazing clarity. Along the rim, the oaks added a pleasant yellow contrast to the green of the pines and junipers.  We took all kind of pictures but they just don't capture the beauty and immense marvel that was created over millions of year. October was a great time to be there because there were no lines or crowded buses and the temps were perfect. I here it can get brutal there in the summer months.
I still wasn't feeling well so we went to bed rather early that evening and were excited about seeing Jack the next day. Our plan was to do the bus route along the rim and then meet him back in Flagstaff early that afternoon. He called about noon and told us he had arrived and was waiting in Flagstaff. We got back there a couple hours later. After not seeing your boy in 10 months it pretty exciting getting that first hug. He looked good. Tall, clear eyes, lean and smoke free. He seems happy and content with his new home and job but you can tell he misses his family. We sure wish he wasn't so far away. We went out to some organic pizza place for beer and pizza and chatted it up over dinner for quite a while.  We checked out the entertainment building at the resort and played some pool for awhile. Later that evening Maureen and Jack went back for movie night. I stayed behind and rested.

The next Morning we took Jack to Brandi's Restaurant as featured on Diner's, drive-ins and Dives on the food network. We had eaten there Wednesday and new the service and food were awesome and that he would like it. Afterwards we drove to Sedona to go on an 3 hour ATV adventure. We thought he would enjoy that and it was something different that neither of us had done before. It was very dusty out there and we were certainly  covered with dust at the end. It was a little to tame for Jack and I as the guide wouldn't let us to the ATVs over about 25. The trails were quite bumpy and dusty. We rode about 10 miles and then stopped for a pictures like 3 times. The ride was about 30 miles total. The scenery was OK but nothing as spectacular as we saw driving in through Sedona earlier in the day. Afterwards we walked around in downtown Sedona and grabbed dinner at a barbecue joint. I think next time we are out that way we may stay in Sedona.

Ocean City August 2013

Vacation week has finally arrived. I am so looking forward to just have some time away from everything. My job at the local has been very stressful since the ratification of the Pepsi contract on the 4th and with the upcoming open Canteen contract negotiations. September and October should be more of the same.

Anyway kicked off the week Friday night with a card game over at John Kakuk's. We had a full board including, Scott Weaver and Ed Haraway. It was real surprise seeing Ed out with all he is going through trying to beat Cancer. He's just completed Chemo and is shortly having the bone marrow treatment. Big adjustment seeing Ed hairless. He always had the think head of hair and full beard. We played until about midnight. I won $150.

Saturday, Maureen and I did our annual Jimmy Buffett concert at Jiffy Lube live in Manasses. We met our group of friends at the Quality Inn in Manasses VA and spent the afternoon hanging at the pool and at 6:30 we all piled into a 40 passenger bus and rode over to the venue. We've seen Buffett quite a few times and these were by far the best seats we'd ever had. We were dead center about 30 rows back. It was typical Buffett with a good mix of hits and some off the recent album. I like Southern Cross and the Zac Brown tune, "Toes". Traffic was easy in and out and we were back to the Hotel and on our way home shortly after 12. Mo was happy getting a concert T-shirt, something she hadn't done in years.

We weren't in an any hurry to get our Sunday morning and didn't leave Crofton until after 10. We arrived at the place on 133rd shortly after 12 and were surprised when the cleaning guy arrived an hour later. The place looked fine so we told him not to worry as we never realized check in wasn't until after 4. Jenna and her friend Jenna Higman arrived with our dog Diesel a little while later. It was cloudy and dreary day, so we just hung out and ordered pizza from Grotto's for lunch.Our daughter Jamie arrived around 4. It was nice she could come for a few days and relax with her family. Her boyfriend Blake stayed home because he couldn't get leave from work. That evening we did dinner at the Bull on the Beach. I had the half rack ribs with chicken. Both the service and the food were terrific.

Monday was another dreary day. The girls all slept in while Maureen and I walked Diesel to Northside Park. Northside Park is a large Sports type complex with a number of ball fields, running track, circuit exercise equipment, playground complete with a climbing wall, and a long pier out into the bay. It's on 127th, so it's not a bad walk at all from our place. I work diesel on the leash until we get there and then would let him loose in one of the ball fields to run. After that we take him over by the pier and let him swim. The dog loves to swim after his stick. he would chase it a good 50 yards out and bring it back over and over as long you'll play. It seems to be a good way to exercise him, as afterwards he rests well for most of the day.

Once the girls got up it was decided to be a shopping day. Of course I wasn't too thrilled with the idea but with school starting next week for Jenna it probably wasn't that bad of an idea. We went to the outlet's in Rehobeth Beach. We spent several hours shopping at many different outlet stores. My favorite being Harry and David were we purchased 3 bags of the Moose Munch Caramel popcorn. We also made a stop at the Philly Pretzel factory and picked up 13 soft pretzels. Later that evening we made our first and only stop of the week at the Candy Kitchen. Jenna was so lucky and got a star on her receipt which won her a pound of fudge. 

I got up early on Tuesday and slipped out for a round of Golf. I played Ocean Resorts in Ocean Pines. It was a decent track for the price. I wound up playing by myself, which was nice because I could practice different elements of my game. I was back at the trailer before anyone was up.The weather was nice and we decided to contact the Gannett family who were staying in South Bethany Beach. We did the morning walk with Diesel and then off to the Beach. Maryanne and Kip had rented a large house about a half block from the Beach. Matt and Lindsay, Marjorie and Jack, Jordan and Emily along with all their kids were there. We had a real nice day on the beach and I think it was nice for Jamie to be around that type of environment. Wonderful family. The funniest thing on the beach that day was the red neck lady next to us with a suit to small her for her. At least half the day she was inadvertently exposing one of her nipples. Kip and I were dying. We returned later that evening to play games. The boys played poker while the woman played Train, a dominoes type game. All had a good time.

Jamie left on Wednesday shortly after lunch. She had to work a double Thursday and I'm sure she wanted to get back and see Blake as well. Maureen, the 2 Jenna's and I spent the afternoon on the beach at 133rd street. It was probably the best beach day of the week, sunny and clear all afternoon. Jenna Higman left for home when we came off the beach. She too needed to work and take care of some back to school responsibilities. 

That evening we had dinner at Nicks House of Ribs on 145th. The 3 of us each had rib combo dinners , Jenna and I with chicken and Maureen had hers with a crab cake. It sure was a lot of food, but after a day at the beach, a large dinner is no problem.

My friend Marty Crossed and his family had a place for the week as well. They were staying in North Bethany so after dinner we went to their place and visited with them for a few hours. His friend Hope and daughter Julia were currently there. His son Joe and wife Lauren would be returning after work on Friday. We had a nice visit and agreed to come and spend the day with them on the beach in the morning. 

Thursday was somewhat overcast again but we decided to head out to Bethany Beach and meet Marty and Hope. When we arrived at their place they had just come back form the beach after a short downpour and were having lunch. We waited a little bit then gathered all the crap together and headed back tot he beach. It lasted about an hour then the rain started again and the lifeguards closed the beach. We carried all our stuff back and again and had to wait it out another hour before we could return to the beach. Finally, the day became sunny but not until around 4 pm. 

We all decided to meet at our place after dinner around 8:30 PM.  Marty and his brother Tony and Hope got there about nine. We decided we would walk to a few local establishments and have a few drinks. We wound up going to Duffy's Tavern, the Blue Ox, some Tequila Bar and then finally ended up at the Crab Bag which we closed down at 2am. It was a fun evening and we ran across quite a bunch of characters along the way.

I was quite the hurting pup 6 hours later when I had arranged to play Kip Gannett in a tennis match at 8:30. I struggled through but did manage to beat off a couple set points and force a tie breaker\. I took a long nap after that and we went back to the Gannetts and spent the afternoon with them.  The beach was being replenished with sand in Bethany and there was this large vessel right there pumping sand onto the beach with all this equipment and men working. It kind of made the beach not so nice. It didn't really faze the kids thought they just played and had a great time. That evening we ate dinner at the Fenwick crab  house. I was somewhat disappointed as my Flounder was served fried. The crab cakes were very good. After that we meet with the Crossed family over at Tony and Shannon's. Sue and Brian as well as Joe and Lauren had arrived to spend the weekend at the beach. We had a nice visit, watched the ballgame and agreed to meet them at the beach in Delaware Seashore State park the next morning.

Saturday was another beautiful beach day. We got to Key Box Road in the State park around 11. We took Diesel along because it is one of the few beaches that you can bring a dog too. For the most part he was pretty good,. He didn't want to have anything to do with the Ocean. I think it was the sound that scared him. He was funny, digging in the sand. He wound dig a big hole under my chair and then climb in there and rest. Supposedly, because the sand was cooler underneath was the reason he was digging in the sand.

On the way back  Maureen dropped my off at Mitch Wielert's place and I had a nice visit with him. He had a recent scare with some chest tightness and spent a couple days in the hospital but overall is doing well. I so enjoy visiting Mitch every summer when we're in Ocean City. 

we went to dinner at Perucci's, a quaint little Italian place in Millville recommended by Sue and Brian. We all really enjoyed the food, especially Maureen. I think the 2 of us will need to go there again.

What a great week we've had in Ocean City. It was so nice having family and friends to share our time with. Can't wait to do it again next year,

  

Books Reveiw: James Patterson: Four Blind Mice

New York Times bestselling author James Patterson has long been hailed as a superb storytelling craftsman, and his latest hardcover is no exception. A gripping, action-packed thriller, it also packs an emotional wallop to match the speed and complexity of its plot twists. Detective Alex Cross is planning to resign from the Washington, D.C., police force, and he's got a lot on his mind: he's eager to be a more involved parent, worried that he's asking too much of his ailing grandmother, hoping to see where his relationship with San Francisco homicide cop Jamilla Hughes is headed, and considering a job offer from the FBI.

The last thing he needs in his life is another complication. But when his close friend and partner John Sampson asks for help, Alex can't refuse -- even though that means taking on the whole U.S. Army. A friend of Sampson's from his days in Vietnam has been arrested for a brutal multiple murder on a military base, and the evidence against him is overwhelming. Sampson believes his friend was framed -- but if he and Cross can't prove it soon, despite military obstructions, the wrong man will be sent to the gas chamber. Unfortunately, while Cross and Sampson quickly become certain that the frame they're investigating is only the tip of an iceberg of deceit and death, the hard evidence they need proves maddeningly elusive. The danger grows as they begin to draw closer to the real killers (a frighteningly skilled team of military assassins known only as the Three Blind Mice) and the shadowy, deadly mastermind who's been calling the shots.

4 out of 5 stars.

Phil Mickelson says technology played major role in British Open win

Phil Mickelson, who during the British Open awards ceremony thanked Callaway technicians for developing golf clubs to fit his game, said Friday that state-of-the-art technology was critical to his victory at Muirfield.

"Math and science is huge for me and my success," Mickelson, who will top off his post-Open media whirlwind by ringing the closing bell Friday at the New York Stock Exchange, said on CNBC's Squawk on the Street. "Winning this championship, I look at the one thing that has really changed my game and it's been the 3-wood that I have been using.

"I'm a high-spin player and this 3-wood takes off half the spin that I was putting on it, which gets the ball boring through air. Consequently, I hit the two best 3-woods of my life on the 17th hole to win."

The five-time major winner is a long-time advocate of motivating elementary school children to study math and science and recognizes that both disciplines have been a boon to the game of golf. For the ninth consecutive year, Mickelson is hosting an academy at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City to help third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade math and science teachers keep students interested in their subjects.

For Lefty, his putting, the key to which he figured out but would not divulge before last week’s Open Championship, and technology were critical to his ability to lift his first Claret Jug, which he shared with Callaway employees on Thursday.

"It all comes down to technology. What's happened is as the heads of drivers have gotten bigger and bigger, the center of gravity gets moved back and it causes an increase in spin," Mickelson said, according to CNBC. "To counteract that I've been decreasing the loft where it's harder to hit the driver. This new technology on the interior of the club takes the spin off of it, which allows me to have more loft and make my normal swing.

"Using the engineers and the science and technology of it,” he said, “I've been able to improve my game and hopefully play some of the best golf of my career, not just at the open but in future years.”

Phil Mickelson has represented the sport and the game of golf as well as just about any of his contemporaries competing the PGA Tour today. He has carried himself with a tremendous amount of class, sportsmanship and true determination.

I think if the Players Association and all of the great golfers still around today, were polled as to what current pro golfer has represented the game the to best standard of excellence, and done so with a high level of achievement and graceful attitude, they'd tell you Phil Mickelson.

This win was well deserved, and a long time coming for a man who has put it all out there to inspire others, remain highly competitive, and pursue greatness through demonstrating a truly great style.

July 4th Lake Gaston NC

We spent the July 4th weekend at Mark and Kimberly's lake house on Lake Gaston. We we're joined by Mike Pfeffer and his significant other Joan along with the Dick family and Jenn and Eric's family.
We left home early on the 4th and made decent time as we arrived 4 hours after we left with a stop for breakfast included. The weather was perfect for the 3 days we were there. Sunny and warm with a slight breeze on the water. It's so nice to get away and just try to relax for a couple days with family and friends. Jimmy had smoked a turkey and a pork butt on his green egg smoker the day before and brought it along for dinner the first night. He prepared some sort of sauce that was very good served with the meat.
Later that evening a bunch of them went out on the pontoon boat to watch fireworks around the lake. Mike, Maureen, Joan and I decided to stay behind just to visit and catch up. We stayed up late that night playing games.
The next morning we surprisingly slept in a bit. For me that would mean about 8 AM/. After everyone got moving we headed out on the boat for some water skiing. In my late teens, early 20's I learned to water ski on the Wielert family ski boat. I have many found memories of afternoons spent with my late friend Marty on the South River water skiing. I found myself thinking of him often that weekend when we were out boating or skiing. He would have loved it too.

Jim, Denise Mike and Joan left Saturday morning. They missed the main fireworks show that was held that evening. We went out on the pontoon boat to enjoy the show After the show we road around the lake for a little while and took in some more fireworks that people were displaying from the shore. My nephew Max does a real nice job driving the boat,. It nice to have a captain along whose not into the refreshments as much as the rest of us.
Looking forward to our next visit to Lake Gaston.

Las Vegas Unity Conference

Jamie and I left last Friday afternoon for Las Vegas Nevada. I was attending the Teamsters Unity conference and then playing in the James Hoffa Scholarship golf tournament the following Monday - Wednesday. We had initially thought Jack Sminkey would be meeting us there but due to work travel he was not able to join us. Therefore Maureen flew out on Saturday morning to join us. After We picked up the rental car we went by the Famous Welcome to Las Vegas sign and had our pictures taken. Later that evening we went across the street to Caesor's Palace and had a nice dinner and took in some of the sites. Half the fun in Vegas is people watching. You see all kinds in that town.

The next morning we set out on a drive to Red Docks Canyon it's about 45 minute ride north of Vegas. Very scenic drive. I miscalculated the time change and inadvertently forgot when Maureen's plane was scheduled to arrive. I received a text from her that her plane had landed and when I put the airport address into the GPS it said 1 hour 20 minutes. We quickly finished the scenic ride and hustled to the airport which I made in about 45 minutes. 

Once we got Maureen settled in we had a nice relaxing afternoon at the Paris Pool. I really like the Paris hotel. It is centrally located and the pool is really nice. The staff is always quite helpful. My only disappointment was that I was unable to upgrade our room as I had done in the past. That evening we decided to go uptown to old town Vegas. We wanted to show Jamie as much as we could in the 4 days she was there. We had a great time gambling that evening. I did real well playing 4 card poker and I think the girls did pretty well playing black jack. 

That evening we went to see Carrot Top at the Luxor. Carrot Top is one of the funniest comedians, of any sort, I have ever seen. We laughed so hard through the entire show. He is a multi-media comic. He uses sound, video and of course props, along with just plain old stand up comedy. The bottom line is that he is hilarious and well worth the cost of admission at almost any Vegas price. The bonus is that the tickets were very reasonably priced an the venue is relatively small with no bad seats.
Monday before I left to play golf Jamie says, "Me and Mom are going to win some money today and go see the Chippendale's tonight." When I got back to the hotel that evening they have got their tickets for the 8pm Chippendale show at the Rio Hotel and Casino. We decided to head over early and do the world famous Rio Seafood buffet. I think it was a little overrated but there sure was every kind of seafood you could imagine. I just hung out in the casino while they went to the show. I did pretty well again playing 4 card poker. The girls had fun at the show and said it was really well done. The men were fun to watch and they were impressed with the interaction with the audience. The Chippendale's even stay around after the show and mingle with the attendees.
Tuesday was the first official day of the tournament. I was paired with a fellow from YRC trucking and we really complimented each other well. We shot a net 5 under fro gross 62. We won 3 place for the day and received $225 price money. That evening I went to the reception and had drinks with Rudee from 922.

Will Kimbrough at Tove's

Last Saturday, our friend Steve Tove hosted a house Concert featuring Will Kimbrough in Ellicott City, MD. Our friends Sue and Brian came along. Everyone had a great time. Will put on a great show.

Kimbrough started his musical career as a founding member of Will & the Bushmen,a popular college band in the eighties that produced a handful of albums and singles and made it to MTV. He then went on to form the Bis-quits with long-time friend Tommy Womack. The Bis-quits produced an eponymous album which was released on John Prine’s Oh-Boy label. Kimbrough is also a producer and has produced albums for Adrienne Young, Rodney Crowell, Todd Snider,Kate Campbell, Kim Richey, Garrison Starr, Matthew Ryan, and Josh Rouse. His songs have been recorded by Jimmy Buffett, Little Feat, Jack Ingram, Todd Snider and more. Kimbrough has also collaborated with many artists including Rosanne Cash, Guy Clark, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle, Gomez, Emmylou Harris, The Jayhawks, Mark Knopfler, Buddy Miller, John Prine, Toumani Diabate, Kim Richey, Josh Rouse, Matthew Ryan, Billy Joe Shaver, Todd Snider, Mavis Staples, Garrison Starr, Adrienne Young, and others. Kimbrough was recognized in 2004 as the Instrumentalist of the Year by the Americana Music Association – an award that had previously been awarded three years in a row to Dobro ace Jerry Douglas. His songs demonstrate a literate facility that he pairs with guitar playing so fluid that his fans created a t-shirt suggesting he's an alien. Kimbrough teamed up with Tommy Womack, John Deaderick, Paul Griffith and Dave Jacques in 2005 to create the five piece band, Daddy. They recorded a live album in Frankfort, Kentucky Daddy at the Women’s Club and later an album called For a Second Time. In 2007, Kimbrough released EP – his solo studio recording that revealed a hint of what would develop on his next full-length release. Kimbrough has released several solo albums to date, and has collaborated on many more, as well as serving as a session musician and sideman. Kimbrough was one of the guest artists at Jimmy Buffett's Live from the Gulf Coast Concert on July 11, 2010. In March 2012, it was announced that Kimbrough had joined Trigger Hippy in place of guitarist Audley Freed.

Here is a video of one of the tunes he performed that night.

Marco Island Lakeside Inn

Maureen and I recently returned from a sunny week in Southwest Florida. This past Saturday we took a late day flight into Ft Myers Fl, picked up a 2012 Ford Mustang GT and were on our way to the Lakeside Inn on Marco Island. Here's an overview. The Marco Island Lakeside Inn sits one mile from Marco Island beaches and boasts a sparkling heated pool and affordable rates year round. A cozy island getaway, the 19 suite Marco Island inn offers 2 two-bedroom suites, 10 one-bedroom suites and seven studio suites. The spacious and comfortable suites have been recently remodeled and decorated with a cottage chic decor reminiscent of Old Florida and Key West. Wicker cottage style furniture tastefully completes the setting for an island atmosphere. Imagine French doors, private decks, lake views, tropical breezes and blue skies....you are at Marco Island Lakeside Inn. Lakeview Suites offer a screened in balcony overlooking the Marco Lake, which is designated a natural habitat for local birds, ducks, and turtles to name a few. It is the perfect place to sit and enjoy a cocktail before dinner while taking in the serene atmosphere. the beautifully landscaped inn is located off the beaten track but close to everything. It is a serene sanctuary and a great retreat from the atmosphere of the large resorts and high rises. You will feel right at home the moment you enter. The friendly staff is quite informative about the local area and offers a personalized experience of Marco Island. If you are looking to escape your fast paced life and slow down for a while, you will want to stay here. If you are looking for more adventure, there is plenty to do on Marco as well, from fishing, to parasailing, to wave runners or scuba diving, Marco Island has it all. If you are here on business, we also offer free wireless access in all rooms, flat screen TV's & DVD players in all living and bedrooms and I-Pod clock radios. This was our second stay at a Beachtree property. The small at home feel, along with the interaction with other guests makes your visit extra special too. Marco Island itself is quite the place.


Marco Island is celebrated for the Ten Thousand Islands off its coast and incredible sunset views. The town boasts an immense diversity of wildlife from dolphins to manatees to birds and offers jet ski, catamaran, and boat tours through the environment. Marco Island boasts six miles of beach and over 100 miles of waterways. The city of Marco Island is located in Collier County, a brief drive from the city of Naples. It is well known for its high quality of life, natural resources, casual atmosphere, and friendly people. Locals boast of luxurious resorts and favorite eateries like CJs on the Bay and Tiki Bar. Visitors enjoy crossing the Jolley Bridge and indulging in fishing, kayaking, or sailing. Must-sees at Marco Island include the Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve. There’s no shortage of outdoor options with Caxambas Park, Marco River, Tigertail Beach, and Resident’s Beach. This Gulf coast area features plenty of water recreation and great local seafood right on the beach. Marco Island is perfect for a fun and adventurous beach trip.

The weather for our week was spectacular. In fact on Wednesday it hit 87 for a new island record. We went to Tigertail beach on Tuesday and spent Thursday and Friday at South Beach. Both beaches have ample available parking but charge $8.00 per day.Wednesday we had a leisurely day around the pool at the Inn. I read an enjoyable James Patterson Novel "The Affair".Monday was a little overcast so after relaxing around the Inn for a bit we decided to venture north and visit Naples, Cape Coral and Port Charlotte. Along the way we stopped into a couple golf course communities and gathered information on the perspective retirement communities.
I really like Southwest Florida. It has quite a bit to offer. I wouldn't have any problem at all relocating there in the next 10 years or so. Naples has so many golf courses, beaches and things to do. The people are friendly and the taxes are low.
We had fun during the evenings as well. Sunday night we went to the Sandpiper, a local Sports Bar to watch the Redskins game. Drink prices were very reasonable at $8.00 a bucket of beer. The food wasn't bad either. The only disappointment was the Skins losing.

Tuesday, we started at the Rookie's for Happy hour and then made our way to the Snook Inn for some waterside dining and drinks. Boats can pull right up to the restaurant. The view was quite nice too. We met a fun couple from Atlanta, Mike and Jean and some young college kids from Chicago.Thursday evening we went to CJ's on the Bay. They have an outside gazebo and on Thursday nights have a DJ with outside dancing. We sat with a nice family from Chicago and had a good time drinking and dancing. Friday we ate dinner at Cocomo's Restaurant. It was an Italian place not far from our Inn. I had the chicken cacciatore and Maureen had the shrimp alfredo. It was quite good and came recommended from some locals.
Of course the week flew by. I look forward to returning to Marco Island again.

It's a new year

Every year I come up with something I am going to try and accomplish over the next year. Here is a a list of 50 things to give up in the next year. After reading the list I think everyone can come up with an idea of how to make 2013 a better year for themselves. Have a great 2013. 50 Things to Give Up