Vacation, all I ever wanted...

I'm currently in Naples, Florida on vacation. In the last decade I've probably been here 9 or 10 times, as my parents own a rental condo here. Naples is a beautiful and quiet beach town, perfect for clearing my head. It feels like a home away from home -- familiarity without stress.

This trip I'm not forcing myself to "get everything in." I'm not going to do any touristy things or take day trips to other cities (in the past we've driven to Key Largo, Miami, etc). In the past few days I've slept in and taken daily naps, consumed lots of wonderful food and drink (definitely less expensive than NYC), and done a lot of thinking. Hopefully I will be in the right head-space to do some writing tomorrow, maybe even on the beach! (Although maybe I'm idealizing this "writing on the beach" thing... hmmm...)

I welcome the slower pace of Naples for now. I know if I lived here year round the slowness and lack of things to do would drive me crazy. Also, everyone here is really friendly, and even though I've spent a lot of time here, that openness always startles me. Today at the Barnes & Noble cafe this older dude started talking to my husband and me and he was totally nice, and sometimes I don't even know how to react to that! I'm not used to it. Unsolicited human interaction with no "catch" -- weird.

Also, maybe because of the median age of the inhabitants, Naples seems stuck in the not-too-distant past. There aren't that many things around that remind me that it's 2010. I hear songs on the radio I haven't heard in years, like "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone" (Paula Cole) and "Nothing Compares 2 U" (Sinead O'Connor) -- I love both of those songs, by the way. And everyone dresses in that classic "Florida" way, nothing that looks remotely "in fashion" and I love it. I can wear any random jeans and shirt from H&M and I feel uber-fashionable!

In addition, the supermarkets are full of delicious-looking food and wide aisles, pitchers of beer at the bowling alley are only $6, and there is a stunning sunset every night -- the best show in town. It's one of the only "shows" in town in fact; the only theatre that is moderately interesting is the national tour of Spring Awakening currently in Ft Myers, but I think I can skip it, having seen SA off-Broadway, on B'way twice, and on tour in DC! :)

It's just a nice break from everything that has stressing me out about NYC. A break from my messy apartment, from the fast-pace of the theatre industry, from the cold that keeps me indoors, from hours on the internet checking the same websites obsessively. The only things I miss are my friends and my kitties, and they'll be waiting for me when I get back.

PS - In case you are wondering how I can not have a job and still go on vacation, just know that this is the cheapest vacation ever! Early-bird specials for me! I promise I'm not breaking the bank on this one. :)