DEC 7 from 6:30pm - Our Anniversary Awards / Holiday Meet & Greet Party with special guest Honorable Senator Darren Soto - get your tickets fast. Only 20 left!
 Honorable Senator Darren Soto - first Puerto Rican Florida Senator. Will be here with us to share in the awards and enjoy your company and conversation! |  Get your ticket FAST! Only 20 tickets left... awards , lt buffet dinner , special guest Senator Soto , raffles , cash bar and dancing! Special Holiday photo taking session by GlowPixs |
Save the date Sunday from 12pm to 8pm - April 13 - VIVA Pine Fest Parade & Block Party
 Signup for Parade Participation $35 .. Award for the BEST Float , Best School Band and community civic group! Themes should be along the celebration of the discovery of the State of Florida by Juan Ponce de Leon! |  Signup to showcase and sell your goods at the block party! Booth spaces go for $150 for FOOD Vendors , $100 Non Food Vendors and $50 Non For Profit organizations! |
End of Year SALE!!
Business of the Week : GOT CANDY on S Kentucky / Lakeland ask for Lea
Why I believe Thanksgiving Day should be a day of family , fun & Christmas List Reviewing
The other morning while having my cup of Joe and watching the morning news , the topic of Big Box retailers opening up on Thanksgiving Day at 6:00 PM came on. Now mind you with all due respect , I am old school and Thanksgiving Day I always look forward to it , not just because of giving thanks but to perform the whole tradition of just being with sometimes and not all , the family members that sometimes drive you nuts. But hey that's why they call it Thanksgiving!
Ask yourself's , "why should I interrupt my day by being all stressed out that I have to get ready to go and support a madman mentally to those who are coming to my place of work for a flat screen TV perhaps at a crazy price and all they have is 3 to sell. OR...Are you as a shopper really wanting to getting pushed , shoved , yell at and even accosted in the parking lot by some thug knowing I am foolish enough to leave my family just to do this insane ritual called "Retail SALE Brainwashing" and get robbed!
Well I have really only once attempted this in NYC . I lived across the street from the mall. I did this because of my son whom wanted a specific toy and only Kaybee Toys carried it. I was there at 6:00AM and by 9:00AM I had gotten the last one , I was happy it was over, but I made a promise to my self to get it earlier even if it will cost me more and not interrupt my day. I was so pissed that whole day it was not funny. But a little homemade Sangria made it better. Later on in years, internet shopping became popular and guess what I got hooked.
My Thanksgiving day starts like this : early rise start prep work for the main event "the dinner"..breakfast or brunch for my boys ( all three of them..Dad , Son and Dog ..LOL) watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade / televised of course...get Christmas items out to start decorating while my boys calmly watch every friggin' football game that is out there. I will take a break have a little holiday sangria or coquito (Puerto Rican faux eggnog ..really made with coconut) .. call my mom and ask her what time is she coming over and di she make her famous potato salad , flan and tembleque.
Get my counter ready with appetizers , the drinks and the table is set. a quick shower and make sure all the Christmas DVD's are out. Our favorite "It's A Wonderful Life" of course , but we have a new family tradition one called " Nothing Like The Holiday's"! After dinner and a quick rosary for those whom have passed everyone goes home. That is when I hit my laptop and start to search for the sales. Mark my favorites , click and buy. I even get gift wrapping! But I also make it my thing to visit later on Friday and Saturday the smaller establishments and my favorite place .. Beall's. In the following weeks I will hit some of our local small business retailers for little things the big box retailers wont give me..which is called a headache , but something they will give me which is a ... Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
So after this whole wording of how I feel about big box retailers .... you decide what is really important for you ... cutting your time in half with your family which unfortunately we do anyways because of our jobs , business etc. Or make do , and enjoy the reason for the season.... the birth of Christ and the laughter of family. after all it is only once a year and we wait for it with an open mind and heart.
Ask yourself's , "why should I interrupt my day by being all stressed out that I have to get ready to go and support a madman mentally to those who are coming to my place of work for a flat screen TV perhaps at a crazy price and all they have is 3 to sell. OR...Are you as a shopper really wanting to getting pushed , shoved , yell at and even accosted in the parking lot by some thug knowing I am foolish enough to leave my family just to do this insane ritual called "Retail SALE Brainwashing" and get robbed!
Well I have really only once attempted this in NYC . I lived across the street from the mall. I did this because of my son whom wanted a specific toy and only Kaybee Toys carried it. I was there at 6:00AM and by 9:00AM I had gotten the last one , I was happy it was over, but I made a promise to my self to get it earlier even if it will cost me more and not interrupt my day. I was so pissed that whole day it was not funny. But a little homemade Sangria made it better. Later on in years, internet shopping became popular and guess what I got hooked.
My Thanksgiving day starts like this : early rise start prep work for the main event "the dinner"..breakfast or brunch for my boys ( all three of them..Dad , Son and Dog ..LOL) watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade / televised of course...get Christmas items out to start decorating while my boys calmly watch every friggin' football game that is out there. I will take a break have a little holiday sangria or coquito (Puerto Rican faux eggnog ..really made with coconut) .. call my mom and ask her what time is she coming over and di she make her famous potato salad , flan and tembleque.
Get my counter ready with appetizers , the drinks and the table is set. a quick shower and make sure all the Christmas DVD's are out. Our favorite "It's A Wonderful Life" of course , but we have a new family tradition one called " Nothing Like The Holiday's"! After dinner and a quick rosary for those whom have passed everyone goes home. That is when I hit my laptop and start to search for the sales. Mark my favorites , click and buy. I even get gift wrapping! But I also make it my thing to visit later on Friday and Saturday the smaller establishments and my favorite place .. Beall's. In the following weeks I will hit some of our local small business retailers for little things the big box retailers wont give me..which is called a headache , but something they will give me which is a ... Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
So after this whole wording of how I feel about big box retailers .... you decide what is really important for you ... cutting your time in half with your family which unfortunately we do anyways because of our jobs , business etc. Or make do , and enjoy the reason for the season.... the birth of Christ and the laughter of family. after all it is only once a year and we wait for it with an open mind and heart.
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