Dress Up, Dine In

I may have traveled more this year than any other. Vacation lives on tomorrow in the form of a trip to San Diego dubbed "Panda Birthday Week." We'll also be doing other things in addition to celebrating the zoo's soon to be two year old panda (and for me that means shopping). I'm glad to be traveling with the original family. I'm excited too because unless Seth and I take a "babymoon" this will be the last trip before Eileen arrives. I have to admit, I'm also feeling a little lame because I got homesic k while in Kissimmee last month. I mean, how can you stand to be away from family this lovely? I guess there are worse things than to realize you adore your life and those in it.

M-i-c, See You Real Soon... Though I had started my return trip to Kissimmee with the intention of retracing the steps of my younger self, I found it was much more enjoyable to just revisit what I could. Plenty of my favorite haunts were reincarnated as something else. My favorite bar was up for sale (gasp!). However, therein lies the beauty of Kissimmee. For every old memory there’s a new one waiting to be made. I was lucky to get to return, to find those old familiar buildings I always wished I’d gotten pictures of when I lived down the street. It was great to have time with family who I wish weren’t on the other side of the country. That is what Kissimmee is…a prefect backdrop for reconnecting and enjoying your vacation companions and scenery. The next time you find yourself there, make sure to take it all in. This is a city with so much to offer and one that reinvents itself constantly. There’s no way to return to that life you lead before but you can always count on

Welcome to the Jungle...Golf My brother and I somehow became big fans of mini golf and Kissimmee offers a lot of options. We stumbled upon Jungle Golf on one of the hottest days of our visit (think triple digits) but thought it would add to the experience of putting through the Serengeti course. They were also offering an amazing summer special that allowed you to play for best price that we found on the whole trip. We were sold! I may really like mini golf but I’m not particularly graceful at it. Jungle Golf had an ideal balance of holes that made me feel like I was better than I was and ones that made me nervously excited. They had done an outstanding job of landscaping their area with desert plants, cheerful animal statues, and the all important misters to cool off with. We may not have succeeded in any hole-in-ones on the free game holes but we had a blast. We felt like we had time to enjoy the game and our competition without being rushed. I also got a magnificent

Susan's Courtside Cafe My old college roommate and all around lovely lady, Ashleigh, works at the Kissimmee courthouse so it was imperative that I meet her on her lunch break and catch up. She suggested a sandwich place that she knew I would love because it was set inside an old house and had lots of rooster decorations. Susan’s Courtside Cafe turned out to be every bit as charming as she described. Walking up that porch to the Cafe is like going to a friends for a visit. We were greeted with friendly faces and an unique atmosphere. The house has been broken up into themed dining areas while still maintaining a cozy feel. Once we placed our orders Ashleigh lead us to her favorite of the rooms. The tabletops balanced on salvaged fire hydrants! While we chatted and waited for the arrival of our food, I couldn’t help noticing all of the architectural details that remained intact in this 1912 home. My husband and I are in the middle of restoring our own “old home” and l

Pirates Always Finish Under Parrrgh! Kristofer and I did the adventure golf circuit like champs and eventually happened upon our most favorite one. Pirate’s Island Adventure Golf at Guide Marker 8 was an excellent mix of visual stimulation as well as challenging golfing. It earned its five beard status of awesome early on. It was also the only course both of us managed to get holes-in-one on free game holes (designated holes along the course that earn you tokens for a free game). We were lulled into a false sense of grandeur afte r those holes only to be met with more dangerous ones on the second level. The water features that we so appreciated for cooling purposes claimed my orange ball when I couldn’t launch it over the waterfall stream. I guess it was karma for me laughing at all the brightly colored bobbing balls when we started. After a good laugh and a replacement ball, we continued through holes that had equally fun obstacles. Despite some of our bad shots we had

Critters Galore at Green Meadows Petting Farm Green Meadows Petting Farm is a field trip favorite during the school year. The tree-shaded animal oasis allows for easy meetings of all of th e critters that call Green Meadows home. The staff leads two hour tours that encourage you to touch most of their furry friends. The experience is punctuated with activities that let you “kick back” as well, ab oard their hay ride and train trolley that shows you just what an impressive piece of land they have. Green Meadows also understands the importance of air conditioning. One of the cutest stops is inside the old barn where guinea pigs, bunnies, birds, and even a hedgehog cool off too. Even in the hot Florida summer, Green Meadows is a tre at. I was surprised to find that visiting the farm was just as fun as when I took my kindergarten class there. Kristofer and I learned new skills like how to catch a duck and milk a cow. We got up close and personal with baby chickens and ducks

We All Scream For Ice Cream! In continuing our love affair for interestingly shaped buildings, we hit Twistee Treat . There’s just something about getting a frozen treat from a building that’s shaped like an ice cream cone that makes it taste fabulous. Kristofer and I had a hard time deciding whether to order a classic ice cream combination or rehydrate with a frozen slushy drink. Oh vacation life is so hard! While we were deciding, the woman working the cone was delightful for conversation and didn’t mind letting us blast our faces with the cool air from inside that was coming out of the window. I finally decided on a good old fashioned chocolate and vanilla swirl. Kristofer went with mint chocolate chip and gummy bears. We both discovered it was way more ice cream than we possibly needed but man, was it delicious (and an affordable afternoon treat too)! I suggest you plan on stopping for something refreshing the next time you’re driving 192. It’s the perfect pick me up

Night on the Town My parents and sister had to cut the Kissimmee adventure short and return to their jobs. My brother and I needed some place to recover from our theme park marathon of the day before. Cue Old Town . It’s shopping, dining, clubbing, and a mini amusement park all rolled into one. It’s completely free to take a look around too! By day, Old Town is a perfect place for families to grab a bite to eat and stroll down the cobbles tone streets. My favorite find was a store called the Pet Palace. It was bright, cheery, and filled to the brim with animal accessories. They had everything your dog or cat could need and even more for the people who love them. I was missing my own puffs back home. This shop was a nice chance to be surrounded by the likeness of my furry friends. If you’re a pet parent, stop by the P alace. Pets love souvenirs too! After our exploring we dropped into the Tex Mex Express for what they like to call “slow food, served fast.” The menu incl

Memory Lane Has a Name: Lanier's Antique Marketplace I was born in the wrong era because I adore everything antique or vintage. When I was a Kissimmee local I was just beginning that love affair and happened upon Lanier’s Antique Marketplace . This charming store is in historic downtown and packed with anything your antique-loving heart can imagine. 5 years ago I bought an embroidered chair that has made many moves with our family and it made me a fan for life. Armed with a greater love and knowledge of things of the past, I was excited to see if Lanier’s was as much fun as it had been in my past. I was not disappointed. There were radiant antique lamp sets that would have looked perfect in our vintage house back in Utah. Crystals reflected heirloom pieces of furniture and decorations that made me think of classier times. For those not ready for such a big commitment, there were plenty of items that could fit in your carry-on luggage. I spotted an organized box of bea

A Day at Sea(World) SeaWorld grows with you. Each time I visit, the park makes an impression on me in a different way. This time I was expecting to flashback to all the memories that accompanied having worked there…wandering through Happy Harbor, visiting the Adventure Camp kids, and all as some favorite sea creature. While I went down memory lane, I also discovered that SeaWorld had new entertainment by which to make new memories. We got to Shamu stadium early because good seats for those shows fill up fast. I was anxious to see what One Ocean would be like since Believe had just opened while I was still an employee. Despite the absence of trainers in the water, the new show was still moving. SeaWorld continued their message of conservation. They still stressed the bond between humans and the nature around us. My favorite part was when they celebrated the generational impact. The big screen showed video of mama and baby animals while a mama and baby orca whale duo acted

Alligator Capital of the World Gatorland is nostalgia at its finest. They have captured that delicate balance of staying original while introducing new exhibits that make you want to rediscover one of Florida’s surviving roadside attractions. Naturally, it was the first place I went to after flying in. The last time I had seen Gatorland was in 2006 when an early morning fire was funneling smoke through the iconic gator mouth entrance. I needed a replacement image. I’m pleased to say that walking up to Gatorland was just as fascinating as it had been as a child. There are some things fires can’t change. The park continues to combine the wild nature of the state with charismatic performances. Every employee we encountered was friendly and obviously passionate about being part of the experience. My family and I enjoyed a leisurely stroll around the park, taking in the sunbathing gators, cooling off in the misters at the petting zoo, and forgetting that we were so close to