We've been in Florida since about midnight yesterday after having the wrong size plane show up, then having a "unscheduled maintenance opportunity", and then about 30 minutes of de-icing.  Not to mention Budget rent-a-car completely messing up our car reservation (thanks to Avis for coming through with some real customer service).  Anyway, it is hard to complain when I can now do this …

This was my basic view about 4:15 this afternoon.  My big foot and a book I am reading by the pool with the palm tree, my kids and wife in the pool, and the tiki hut preparing frosty beverages pool-side.  Literally not a cloud in the sky, but not quite 70 degrees (80 by Friday).

I have my first recommendation of the trip – it is a restaurant called Sweet Tomatoes (http://www.sweettomatoes.com/ ).   The main theme of the place is "fresh" ingredients – they are making everything in real-time in front of you.  They have the biggest  salad bar I have seen (with just salad stuff on it) with every vegetable known and lots of other toppings.  Then a pasta area, 8 fresh made soups, bakery stuff, and deserts.  It is all done basically buffet style.  So if you have a family who eats different foods, and need something fast, healthy, and a very fair price – this is the place.  It'd be a great place to go to lunch or an informal dinner.  I am sure we will go again before we leave.

BTW, it turns out it is a franchise or at least a chain.  I'd be first in line to help invest in something like this if it came to West Michigan.  I know we have some soup and salad places in town now, but nothing done so well.