The economists should be noticing a slight shift in the economy after this weekend. My visiting dear friend and I went shopping until the credit cards were getting too thin to be processed. Just kidding. Those things never get too thin to be processed. The power of the plastic money.
Shopped my village until they were calling us on first name basis. My dear friend helped a woman buy a $185 overcoat to visit Chicago. Then she in turn, bought the same coat, and got a 10% discount. Karma all the way.
Had lunch at a Cuban cafe. Cuban sandwich, also called Media Noche, fried yuca, fried ripe plantains (what else) and flan to make the extending waists so much happier. Today, Sunday it was caramelized peaches with cranberries spinach salad. I had the familiar caesar salad and we shared the five cheese, basil/tomatoes pizza on a wheat crust. Making the elastic of the waist of our slacks happy, we had red velvet cake for dessert. What a happy life!!!
Also, I am getting a free facial at a high-end retail store, when I purchase products worth $125. Nothing is for free in life. What did you think? My face is somewhat good-looking, but not that much to appeal to the kindness of the saleswoman to just volunteer out of the blue of the sky to just hand me a free facial. My visiting friend will have to wait her turn. She is skipping town on Monday.
The damage done with the stuffing our faces with food and libations were offset by the walking for hours in the mall and in the village.
And of course, there goes the train to make it just perfect!
Hope you have enjoyed the narration of our journey through the food alleys of somewhere in Florida. We certainly did!!
So…it was today…21 August, 2011…another day of being grateful for the wonderful life I have and making a toast to my good fortune of having the greatest friends anyone can ask for. Thanks dear friend, and may our paths cross again soon. In the meantime, may you experience much happiness and joy together with your lovely family.
Your Happy Contessa
“It is not how much you spend, but how you spend it.” Happy Contessa, a happy American citizen, writer, philosopher and expert in happiness. 21 October…-
Noury's Creative World... 
Hope your family is going to be OK with the storm. I am predicting it is going to go further East than they are saying by the time it gets up this way.
Hey buddy, what would I do without you to keep me informed? On the way back from the airport, got crackers, water, tuna, and peanut butter. I am all set. Hope you and Nancy are also. I am trying to call the Republic, so I will keep you informed. Thanks for your concern. Thanks again, Lindsay.