By Juan C. Ayllon I've been reading this book, You Can't Screw This Up, by Adam Bornstein, a bestselling author, nutritional expert and consultant to stars like LeBron James, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Cindy Crawford as Belle and I prepared to fly south to Tampa, Florida on holiday. Arnold Schwarzenegger had recommended it in his newsletter, "Arnold's Pump Club." Unlike the Keto Diet, Atkins and several others, Bornstein's approach was more forgiving, accommodating restaurant takeout for example, so I decided to bring it along for encouragement as we sought to have a fun, but healthy break from our daily lives. Our trip wasn't purely vacation oriented; Belle (or Isabel) wanted to check up on her elderly mother, Mary, and her wheelchair using half-sister, Naomi, and attend to some pressing matters needing attention. In exchange, we got free lodging, saving us thousands in hotel fees. I also had plans of touring the factory of Valve Amplification Company (or VAC, a maker of high end vacuum tube amplification equipment) in nearby Sarasota, and meeting up with my longtime friend, Steven Hill, owner of Straight Wire, Inc., which makes high fidelity consumer and OEM A/V cables, roughly four hours away in Hollywood, FL. Now, I know what some of you are thinking: vacationing with in-laws can be disastrous or taxing ventures at best. However, we've developed a rhythm that works for us: alternate spending a day or two with Mary and Naomi and others, heading out on our own. On their days, we relaxed at their home, visiting with caregivers and their friends (we enjoyed a home-cooked Cuban feast provided by a doting caregiver and her husband), took them shopping or to destinations like Tarpon Springs or the St. Petersburg Pier. Now, their home came equipped with a lanai and a pool, which was quite the splash for us on down days. Add a glass of wine and cigar for me on select eves, and I was set! On days that Belle and I ventured out alone, our excursions included shopping, strolling and dining at John's Pass; sampling Peruvian cuisine at Lima (a storefront restaurant in Tampa); enjoying live music at a hotel bar and walking on the white sands of St. Petersburg's beach; noshing on the eclectic menus at Spinners (a rotating rooftop restaurant at the Bellwether Beach Resort in St. Pete); exploring the expansive seaside environs of St. Petersburg's Pier, taking in the spectacular views from their five story building a quarter of a mile out at the end of the pier, then dining at its Teak restaurant on the fourth floor. A Word on St. Pete's Pier We'd been to St. Pete's Pier several times before, but by 2004, its pilings were unsound, so it was demolished in 2013, and subsequently a replacement plan by Michael Maltzan Architecture was committee-approved but rejected by voters. Afterwards, a new plan by Rogers Partners was approved. The resulting series of angular structures is much more open and green-friendly; no longer accommodating cars as the former pier had (parking is now restricted to a land-based parking lot), it's now only open to foot traffic and a tram that ferries some visitors to the capstone building at the end of the pier. It features three buildings by Rogers Partners—a fast food dining pavilion with a swimming beach on shore, an education center part way out, and a five story St. Pete structure at the pier's end with restaurants and a rooftop bar. Totaling 12 acres, this public pier is the spectacular result of a collaboration by Rogers Partners, ASD | SKY, and Ken Smith Workshop and, at $56 million, a modernist revision and part of a larger 26-acre Pier District redevelopment project. (architecture.com) We had a few minor setbacks during our trip. For example, following a realignment of Naomi's specialty van, which is equipped with a retracting wheelchair ramp, Belle noticed that the steering wheel shimmied while driving at highway speeds, so we spent two -- not one -- lengthy mornings at the mechanic's shop. Then, following a trip with Mary and Naomi to St. Petersburg, we discovered that I had contracted contact dermatitis on the top rear of both calves! We don't know if a mechanic applied some chemical cleaner on the cabin seats after servicing the van or if some cleanser had been applied to the restaurant chairs where we ate. Add to that, Belle developed a cold about halfway through our visit. We guessed it had something to do with the extreme temperature changes from sweltering afternoons outdoors to cool, air conditioned interiors! Thankfully, her symptoms improved toward the end of our trip. Additionally, I incurred some damage to my MacBook Pro, rendering it unusable. Thankfully, it was covered by warranty and was fixed and returned in several days after I dropped it off at a nearby Apple Store. Thank the Lord! Also, I was ultimately unable to tour the VAC factory, as Kevin Hayes, its owner, was preparing to travel to the Pacific Audio Fest held June 23-25 in Seattle, WA, and he wanted to be able to personally show me around; however, he said he'd love to give me the tour the next time I'm in town. And, unfortunately, I was also unable to meet with Steven Hill, as business and personal commitments tied him up. However, there's always next time! Then, on the day of our return home, our departure was delayed six times. SIX TIMES! We were supposed to depart from Tampa International Airport at 9:30 AM, however, after we paid a premium of $150 for our Lyft ride at 6:30 AM (if we left at 7:30, the cost would have been $50), Belle received a text stating, "Flight UA2191 from Tampa to Chicago is delayed because we're waiting for your crew to arrive. It now departs at 1:10 PM..." Several hours later, the departure time was updated to 3:30 PM. [Editor's Note: after being delayed to 6:00, then 6:30 PM, our United Air Lines flight was abruptly cancelled. The cited reason for that was "bad weather." A retired airlines employee standing in line with us suggested this was a ruse, that the reason for delays was that United was in labor negotiations with the pilots union. Due to a shortage of commercial pilots since the COVID epidemic, airlines have pilots working excessive hours of overtime, he suggested, and now as a way of gaining leverage, they are refusing to work overtime. Thus, despite the fact that we had a plane lined up for our flight, we had no pilot. United knew this all day, our new friend alleged, but was "hoping against hope" that they'd somehow find a pilot to take overtime, and when they did not, they used weather as an excuse to cancel. "Bad weather is an 'Act of God'," he said, and this legally excuses the airline from being obligated to refund our money. After standing in line for over an hour, at his suggestion, we demanded and were comped a room and meal at a nearby Sheraton, as well as arrangements for another flight the next day with American Airlines. We ended up returning home the next day without further incident.] Sigh. The prices we pay for modern conveniences like air travel! However, over the duration of our vacation, Cuban feast aside, I was able to stay on course with my modified dietary regimen. Eating smaller portions and making wiser food selections and trade-offs, I was actually able to lose 14 lbs. since I began reading the book a couple weeks prior to our two week vacation! This fact was not lost on Belle, Mary, or Steven -- whom I'd sent sent several photos of our adventures via text. Chatting on the phone, Steven said, "Clearly Florida is very agreeable with you; you're losing weight!" When I mentioned Bornstein's book, Steven -- who's lost over 60 lbs., said, "Juan, it's very simple: exercise, eat modest meals, avoid the carbs, and when you're hungry, eat a salad." Towards the end of our holiday as we noshed on appetizers on the outside rooftop terrace at Spinners, Belle and I agreed that, as nice as this trip was, perhaps the next time we visit, we'll set aside a few days prior to our arrival at Mary's and Naomi's home, rent a hotel room and car, and spend a week or so on our own. I seem to recall having a similar discussion the last time we were in Florida, but I'm down for that if she is! Either way, it was a lovely and refreshing visit -- one filled with lots of memories that we will treasure. No doubt, there will come a time when the advancing years will necessitate some unpleasant business ahead, but we will take what good we can, as long as we can, and will handle life's challenges, as they come. One day at a time. And, with the Lord's help, that's something I can't screw up. Selah.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Juan C. AyllonA writer, artist, educator and owner of Prairie Audio Man Cave, he lives with his wife, Isabel (AKA Belle), and their Goldendoodle, Liam, enjoys listening to high fidelity music and all things hi-fi at their home in the greater Chicagoland area.. Archives
March 2024
Categories |