I lived in Orlando before I moved here, and I remember enjoying driving to the beach (either side) for swimming and fishing, good food, the fringe festival, Seaworld, the local theater, shopping, the zoo (a teeny one, with cool little paths), boating on the lake. I never did go to Disney.

DC'istas

I am tentatively flying to DC (to attend an FDA public hearing on social media, kind of fascinating to me)Nov 11, returning either Saturday or Sunday the 15th. Any of you going to be around? The hearing is from 8-5 both days but otherwise I'd be free.

but I'm not sure there's anything to *do* other than Disney.

Sea World, Universal Studios, there used to be some water parks in the area, lots and lots of clubs. I did boot camp there. The city is set up to entertain.

I'm out of town for a wedding Friday-Sunday, but could do something on Thursday.

Oh good, Vortex. I was thinking seeing you was Key! And I'd love to meet the new Sparkybebe, of course. I get a little mixed up about which peeps are in Baltimore vs DC.

Sparky's in Takoma Park (reminds me, I owe her $20), which is slightly north of the city, but totally doable by car or public transport. We had dinner there when smonster was in town.

Thanks!

My company is expecting/hoping for big news in mid November and we don't know what impact it will have on my department's activity. So I've registered for the hearing, and am now reserving a hotel room and buying an airplane ticket. But the trip could get cancelled at the fairly last minute.

Does the idea of a Jersey Shore F2F appeal to anyone? We could fill up a cheap motel and eat baskets of fried shrimp all weekend!

I'm sticking to my tradition of taking extra vacation time around whenever it is that the F2F is held, and doing some extra traveling, so: Jersey Shore sounds great, Orlando sounds great, I'm getting some Nashville tourism bureau info in the mail any day now, since I'm trying to decide whether or not to go to a conference there in March. Orlando isn't that far from Gainesville or Cedar Key, either of which are quite fun.

Seconding, t-, Katerina and t- and I sipped cool beverages, noshed on artisan cheeses & good bread, beautiful home-grown-by-Katerina tomatoes, crisp apples & carrots, and Halloween cupcakes, and soaked in the low sun in between making the hard decision of the hot pool and then the medium-temp pool, or lap swimming and then the hot pool, etc. Nora and Tom sat with us for a while and I think we succeeded in persuading them that they should go back there on their own to take a day to chill out from the break-neck schedule of wine-tasting and eating out. Heh.

Orlando is a good place to get group rates because so many conferences come through there, but I'm not sure there's anything to *do* other than Disney.

Some years back friends and I went on an Orlando vacation and actually stayed in Kissimmee close to Old Town, which might appeal to buffistas who aren't crazy about the full theme park experience. It's more like a market bazaar with a Ferris Wheel and carousel in the middle. The prices weren't too high at the place we stayed either, we got a 2-bedroom suite for about $99 a night (back in the mid 90s).

but I'm not sure there's anything to *do* other than Disney.

MAGIC KINGDOM MAGIC KINGDOM MAGIC KINGDOM! Wheeee, Haunted Mansion with Buffistas!

(What? You people know my views on Disney parks. Even if Pete has said in no uncertain terms that we ARE NOT setting foot in a Disney part for at least 2-3 years.)