The Season for Sports

I have so much to report about the wide world of sports right now that I can't even fit it all in one blog entry. With the final day of summer last week, and fall beginning, I am now able to fully embrace college football, NFL football and NBA preseason activity. I'm so happy that my summertime sports drought is over...call me un-American, but I simply cannot follow baseball. Going to a live game, of course, but the endless days of televised baseball are not for this sportsfan. In only one week, I have the Miami Heat training in my hometown, I cheered on the Gators at Florida Field and...brace yourself...I met an all-star NBA player!!! Perhaps it would be more fitting to say that I ambushed him.

Here's the story: I was spending the day shopping at the Mall at Millenia in Orlando with Krissy, my super shopping-savvy cohort, just flown in that morning from Connecticut. As I was standing in the entry area of Neiman Marcus, perusing the fall Theory collection, I looked out into the mall and spotted none other than Orlando Magic Forward Rashard Lewis. He tends to stand out a bit as he is just shy of seven feet. At first I thought it was just cool to have seen him, but thanks to Krissy's encouragement, we chased him along the corridor past Jimmy Choo, Tiffany's, etc. (and it's hard to move quickly past those enticing windows) then down the escalator where we finally caught up to him. Wow, is that guy tall!?! He was very nice to us and kindly let Krissy snap the photo shown here. In my frenzy of catching up to him and my typical moment of idiocy when meeting famous folks, I forgot to ask him any sports questions or where he had been shopping that day. Next time I'll be better prepared, but I was able to tell him I'm a huge fan and that I hope they have a great season. He seemed to be quite confident that it will be a good year for the Magic.

Back home in the panhandle, the Heat have arrived and are staying very well protected and out of the public eye as guests of the Air Force. Sadly for me they are staying on the base (in California king beds provided by the team--I just knew there wouldn't be beds their size around here), dining on base and practicing on base. Very tight security there so it is unlikely that I'll get to see them, which I don't mind now that I've had my recent brush with Magic royalty. My brother-in-law, Devon Ravine, however has been on the scene photographing for the Northwest Florida Daily News. He hasn't been close enough to chat with them, but reports that they "seemed personable" and of their playing skills found them to be "insanely fast". He sent me this great shot of Dwyane and LeBron. Click here to check out the rest of his photos.

Upon reviewing Devon's photos, my sister, Mathilda has declared that Dwyane Wade "almost rivals Dwight when he's smiling." Good thing she threw in the almost because we all know Dwight has the sweetest of all smiles. I'll be looking for him on my next shopping spree...

xoxo

Panhandle Forecast: Heat

Imagine my surprise when my sister called me bright and early this Thursday with the front page story from the Northwest Florida Daily News. She said I wouldn't believe the news...so I'm thinking "finally we're getting a real Saks not just the outlet store", but no, it's a sports story, and not just any sport, it's basketball. Then I query "is Carmello Anthony being traded to the Magic?" No, it's better than that sportsfans...the Miami Heat has announced that it will be holding it's training camp in none other than my hometown. That's right, you read it correctly, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh and company are coming to town to train in the quiet and (unfortunately for me) protected setting of Hurlburt Field and Eglin Air Force Base.

The Heat will arrive on September 27 and will train and practice here until October 3. Needless to say, I am wracking my brain to think of ways I can have a sighting of this most highly anticipated hoops trio. Security is something that the Air Force, naturally, takes quite seriously so I'm not sure how my chances are looking for seeing the live action on base.

Perhaps I'll have to spot them in a public setting, maybe a restaurant. The husband seems to think that basketball players eat lots of steak , so we should go out to steakhouses during that week. Hmmm....it's an interesting thought but he might just be using this as a way to get out of the house where he is typically force-fed a mostly plant based diet. Meat deprivation can apparently make one quite devious.


Then I wonder, where will they stay? Could they be staying on base, eliminating any wishes I have to see them? Are they staying in a fine local hotel? Are there extra long beds available at fine local hotels? Do we have any fine local hotels?


I'm sure the details will soon be revealed as secrets don't usually stay secrets in small towns. The imminent threat of oily beaches seems to have spared us, tourist season is over and the tropics are not (knock on wood) sending their winds down Hurricane Alley, so we have little else to do but chat about the fact that a hugely popular professional basketball team is coming to town. I have happily lived here, on the Redneck Riviera, for my entire life and cannot recall any visits/events of this magnitude. Previously we just looked forward to the running of the crabs and Captain Billy's yearly show of taking the city over from the Indians so I'd say this is pretty big news for our once sleepy fishing village.

And hopefully, yours truly will be able to take in some of this exciting basketball action.

xoxo

Organic Basketball

My life lately is displaying a lot of contrasting interests. For example, I typically start the day with a a brisk walk and a nutrient rich green drink, then I could find myself starting the afternoon lounging around poolside with an oddly green, lime enhanced pina coloda (you know the one, Krissy). Or after a quiet bit of yoga, reflecting on the simple joys of life, I immediately turn up the AC/DC and check out the latest at Saks.com, consumerism at its finest. Perhaps I have multiple personalities, but I prefer to think I just do a nice job of keeping my life in a state of balance and harmony.

In this same vein, I find it somewhat curious that the only two magazines I subscribe to are Whole Living (previously Body & Soul) and Sports Illustrated. This seemingly polar opposite pair showing up in my mailbox seemed odd to me at first, but it's starting to make sense. I tend to spend a lot of time studying up on what to eat, what not to eat, what's good for the environment, what's bad, the importance of exercise, etc. Basically, I'm trying to take care of myself, inside and out, and apparently so are all of those athletes reported about weekly in Sports Illustrated. The really great ones know that their birth talent alone is not enough, to be the best, you have to work hard and you have to treat your body well for peak performance.

I recalled an article I'd read about Shaquille O'Neal as I was perusing the selection of local produce at the Seaside Farmers Market this weekend. Even Shaq is going organic, and removing soda, white bread and red meats from his diet. I'm hoping this change will give him better luck sporting the Celtic's green than he had back in Cleveland with that other guy.

So, Shaq and I have this interest in common now, except I don't think he buys his healthy provisions in Seaside, but he should consider it. It has a lovely market downtown every Saturday morning, where I can now purchase all types of seasonal fruit and vegetables, honey, milk, eggs, etc. all from local area farmers with lots of local color. And I've been reading up on what are the MUSTS for organic and which ones are safe if you can't find organic, so here's the scoop:

Organic Musts: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, kale, lettuce, imported grapes, carrots, pears, potatoes, raspberries and spinach

OK Non-organic: onions, avocados, sweet corn, pineapple, mangoes, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwis, cabbage, eggplants, papayas, watermelon, broccoli, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, cauliflower, bananas

But don't be fooled, it's not always healthy eating around here, as indicated above by the midday consumption of strangely delicious green drink. Moderation is the key so they say...

or to quote the great Oscar Wilde, "I can resist anything except temptation."

xoxo