Picture This

You are cruising down the Overseas Highway in the Keys and you happen to glance over at the next car. Inside you see a woman smiling from ear to ear, doing what might be called a jig in the front seat. All the windows are down, sunroof open and you can see a stray piece of paper flying around. There is the faint sound of the radio blasting (the name of the station appropriately enough is called The Sun) which is playing fun “can’t help but push down on the gas pedal more” type of music. The car is cruising along at a nice clip, so you decide you might back off a bit, she looks a little dangerous.

Well, it might have been me. I’m not dangerous, I promise, just working again. Gosh, I hate my job, not!

I’ve just left Miami where I was attending the Miami Swim show. The show was great, and the mood amongst the “swim folks” was upbeat and optimistic. Lot’s of great new looks for the up and coming season(s). Amy Hornby (our director of sales) and I attended some of the fashion shows during the Mercedes Benz fashion week which coincided with the Miami Swim show. We saw some great suits from companies like Cia Marichima, RYGY, True Religion, Jessica Simpson, YBL and Sunsets. It was also great to see more traditional surf companies like Volcom and Hurley having a presence there. If you didn’t make it down to the swim show, you can catch all of these companies at our up and coming September show.

Swim Journal Crew and Amy Hornby of Surf Expo (right) at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week

After a few days in Miami, it was time for me to head south to visit stores and buyers down in the keys. God I love it down there! As you are traveling south, it doesn’t look like much of anything from the road. All you can see is the road, and what is immediately on that road. But if you veer to the right or the left, you’ll probably chance upon a little piece of heaven. The keys are literally small pieces of land strung out off the coast of Florida, and what feels like are only connected together by the highway itself. I swear at times, there was only 30 yards from side to side, as I drove. Lush vegetation, palm trees galore and water (every color of green and blue imaginable) everywhere.

Most of the keys are still affordable. There’s been the developer or two that has ventured down, but thus far, most have gone out of business, leaving the more quaint mom and pop places, as well as hidden small boutique hotels that you can everywhere. Off season especially, is very affordable, and there is so much to do. The keys are not about sitting around doing nothing. You’ll find some of the best diving and fishing anywhere in the world. It’s “old school Florida”. No pomp or pretentiousness. But you will find delicious key lime pie, great summertime thunder storms, and lot’s of very tan people drinking their beverage of choice. And man is it hot! The air is so thick it pours over your skin, and breathing is like inhaling a sweet smelling tropical smoothie.

My first stop is Key Largo. The key closest to Miami and also the largest and most populated. But I’ve run out of time, so I’ll have to write more later.

Sweet dreams.

Aly

Doog and I travel to the ends of the world to see our Buyers and Stores!