Gatorland the Adventure

Forget being in a pit of vipers...how about a pit of Gators! Two weekends ago I was at Gatorland in Orlando, FL along with the Town of Palm Beach United Way Team (not so) Extreme. Our first "official" outing was the Scream Gator Zip Line. It just happened to be my lil brother's birthday so I took him along (he turned 15!). From high above the tree-tops, you go between towers, zipping along. You get to see the whole park from a bird's eye view. The final zip line, is a race after you cross a rope bridge, that really puts your balance skills to the test.

After the Zip line experience, you are then free to roam about the park and see the gators up close. They have Pops, the oldest gator who has been there since they opened and area where Albino gators live. Then there is the Jumpin Gator show. Where two good ol' Southern boys, Bubba and Cooter compete for a job, by seeing who can get the gators to jump up and eat the chickens - dead of course- off the line first. This is an experience all on its own.  

It was a really good time, and something I would not have thought to do on my own - so you see community service, can be an adventure.

Its all about Neiman's (Marcus of course!)

Entirely too excited about two fabulous events this week:

1) The Preview Party at Neiman Marcus tomorrow, Wednesday, I mean shopping while being served lite bites and cocktails, does it really get any better than that? A first look at what they are calling Lady Chic, rich bordeaux colors, fur, leather- I wish we actually had a fall here, but I love the fashion nonetheless - what's not to love? 

2) The Consolidation Sale beginning Friday, August 12 - where clothes from all over the countries Neiman's converge into our lovely little store here in Palm Beach and I get to shop fabulous designers at even more amazing prices. This leads me to think I should probably purge my closet before Friday. As I did just get some to-die-for outfits at Neiman's in Boston last month during Last Call. Here is one of my secrets: I love being in New England for the 4th of July and while I am there Last Call usually hits - plus no sales tax, love, love, love. Then by the time I get home, Last Call has hit Palm Beach, so I get the best of both worlds. Then I get word the consolidation sale is coming, and I am just in heaven.

I'll be sure to keep you posted on the shopping adventure...then this weekend...Gatorland. Taking my lil bro for his 15th birthday on the Screamin' Gator Zip Line as part of the Town of Palm Beach United Way, Team (not so) Extreme! See do gooding is an adventure too! 

As One Decade Ends Another One Begins

One week into being 30 and can I just say I am happy my 20's are over? I am happy, quite ecstatic actually. My 20's were a mix of happy and sad, joy and pain...like I think anyone's life is - but at moments it was just downright hell. I will report that it was really the first 4 years into my 20's that were misery to the point where I just wanted to check out. Isn't that sad? To be 24 years old and think life has just handed you a bad hand and you don't want to play anymore - its not a groovy place to be. Its not because my childhood was bad, or my parents didn't love me. Quite the opposite. For whatever reason, some of us come to a point in life where we take the wrong path. And sometimes, we travel too far, some of us never come back, and sometimes we get the gift of being restored. I've been given that gift.

The adventure is that since my 25th birthday, the world has opened up and smiled. Or maybe the world was always smiling, but I could never see it. The last 5 years have been absolutely amazing, and  it just keeps getting better and better. I have a life beyond my wildest dreams -to date. That is not to say it has been a bed of roses, but it sure beats what could have been.

I think the best part of turning 30 is not just the whole older, wiser thing. But I have a stronger sense of self. I know who I am, what I am, what I want (although that continues to change), what I stand for, what I will tolerate and what I will not, I am able to stand up for myself and not apologize because you didn't like the answer I gave you. I am not into the nonsense - leave that to someone else. That right there is priceless. I suffer not wanting to have gone through all the growing pains, to get those gifts, but I guess that is the deal and that will continue to be the deal. However, I have come to the place where I have peace and serenity in my head and in my heart - the majority of the time.

I know that life is the change, its always changing and the adventure is that we get to continue to change, if we want to. We can continue to learn about ourselves, which is really very cool. I have an amazing job, I live in a beautiful place, I have friends and family that love me and I love them, I have a quaint little home and a cute little car and a fabulous wardrobe, I do love the finer things. These are the tangible gifts I have - the things I touch and see - its the intangible, faith, hope, peace of mind, being comfortable in my skin, love and the general sense that THIS is the good life. Those are the gifts that on my 30th birthday mean the most.