Hard At Work As Usual

All work and no play makes for a very unhappy girl. But, you don’t have to worry about that with my ad agency. We have fun wherever we go! On this “business” trip, our mission was to meet with the various industry partners of Florida’s Gulf Islands in Manatee County, Florida, to present them with the ohhhhss and ahhhhs of the recent web marketing campaigns we have launched with Jennifer Barbee and her company. Next task, kickoff partner sales opportunities for the annual Visitors Guide and website. Then, spend time with our clients at the Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. Also on the plate, time with Amy from Acqua Aveda Spa and David from Tortuga Inn and Tradewinds Resort to talk about their websites. Finally, the biggest mission – a photo shoot on the beach with the talented photographer Mary McCulley to capture a new cover for the 2009 guide book.

My trip started late, with a little side track to the emergency room with my husband, which turned into 3 days and many, many tests later including a heart catheterization. My biz partner Kimberly and our Director of Communications Jessica pinched hit for my part at the kickoff meeting, which I was disappointed to have missed. Wifely duty called and my daughter and I remained bedside until he was out of surgery. (He’s doing great, by the way.) When we arrived at Anna Maria Island Wednesday afternoon, Taryn and I had about five minutes on the bridge to take in the beauty of the island while the bridge rose and fell, in preparation of the next couple days.

Kimberly, Jenn and Amy had gone off after some final wardrobe needs for the shoot. Jessica, Drew Barbee and Drew’s 2 daughters were patiently awaiting lunch, as it was 3 pm. So I showed them to the Beach House where the margaritas began flowing. The ladies caught up to us and it was a much needed reunion between us and the Barbee’s, as we have been working side-by-side via phone and internet for the past 6 months. Face time is always a cherished event in this business.

Our accommodations this trip were arranged by Liz Andricks at A Paradise Rentals. She booked us a couple condos at the newly built Bradenton Beach Club. Our unit (#225) was beautiful, and we each made lists of items we wanted to take home with us, particularly some of the artwork. My daughter was like a kid in a candy shop when she discovered the unit had its own elevator. She quickly announced that would keep her busy for hours!

After the Beach House, and some planning for the morning shoot, we met our client Michelle and her husband Jeff at Mr. Bones, my favorite island rib joint. I’ve mentioned this place before with its cajun style menu with a twist of Indian. I got the Veggie Tikki Masala, and it made me think to give a warning to those who are not into spiced foods. Everything on this menu is FULL of flavor, so get your taste buds ready.

Thursday began at 5 am, when Kim and Jenn set off to rake part of the beach. Jenn took pics of the sunrise and the God light struck her deep in her soul. Conversations of selling their Texas ranch and moving to Florida peppered the daily chat. At 6 am, Taryn started curling Coti and Andi’s already fabulous manes, to add a touch of ringlet. Six year old Andi wanted to know why the shoot was on the beach and not on a stage – she is soooooo cute! The morning was gorgeous, a perfect day for shooting, and we picked off the shots one by one, until the sun began to get high and warm. A few of us noted the late morning sun was the less than charming part of photo shoots – as we searched for a little shade between set ups. The girls were adorable and easy to work with. We had a little trouble explaining to Andi why she couldn’t touch the fake sea turtle we were using in the shots, she just looked at us blankly when we mentioned PETA. Dakota (Coti) was like a star on Broadway, taking great direction and going from fake mommy to fake mommy like a natural. Even two daddies didn’t throw her off. Although I have to say, Adam’s little daughter Maddie did chase after him when he walked down the beach with a different wife and daughter. My cousin-in-law Ken rounded out our shoot with his great abs in a sexy shot with Jessica. He was loving every minute of the conversation surrounding his stomach.

In the afternoon, we met with David T, one of the TDC board members and owner of two awesome resorts. We shared time and a beverage at his bay side office, where we planned his annual advertising. I’m telling you, this stuff is hard work (LOL). After the daily downpour, we shot up to the Sandbar Restaurant, owned by Ed Chiles, and had an amazing sunset dinner with the Executive Director of the CVB, Larry White, outgoing Marketing Director Susan Estler and Marketing Coordinator, Michelle Stewart. Larry told mermaid stories to the girls and showered them with gifts for their modeling efforts. My country salmon dish was delicious, I loved the seasoning on it, and the wine poured with ease. What a great ending to a couple whirlwind days, hard at work as usual. Boy, do I love my job!

Blue Water & Happy Teens

The first time I truly discovered the magic of Anna Maria Island wasn’t on my first visit. I had, in fact, already been working on the tourism account for the County (Manatee) for quite some time. It was October 2006, and my first “personal” visit to the destination, in which I took my family to the island - to see what they thought and to experience it as a leisure traveler, not just through the eyes of a brand marketer.

I have to tell you, I was a little worried. Reason being, the campaign we had developed for the destination of “TIME” was authentic. This was a far cry from Disneyworld or Busch Gardens, and I feared my 15 year old and her cheerleading friend would be bored to tears in this laid back, sleepy beach town.

The first thing you notice on Anna Maria and Longboat Key is the blue water. The amazing shades of deep blue to aquamarine make you feel like you’ve just arrived in the Caribbean, or way down south in the Florida Keys. But this unspoiled location is only one and half hours from home, tucked between Tampa and Sarasota Bays. It was also the weekend of my cousin’s birthday, and her husband and I surprised her with an adjoining two bedroom suite to ours at the Tortuga Inn. Proprietor and developer David Teitelbaum gets my kudos for creating a luxuriously appointed resort with a most unpretentious, flip flop character.

The teens spent plenty of time in front of the mirror doing their hair each day before walking the few steps across the street to the private beach. Only to lay out for about 10 minutes before they decided they had enough sugar white sand for awhile. They toggled between the air conditioned apartment and the resort’s main pool, eating snacks, watching t.v. and texting their friends. Oh well, I thought, at least Cheryl’s two young boys are entralled with the place, the pools, the piers, the beach. The girls did seem to enjoy the food on the island, especially the calamari at the Beachhouse, the ice cream at Joe's and the ribs at Mr. Bones.

To my surprise, as we were packing to leave, my brace-faced daughter took me aside to thank me and tell me this was just what she needed, a relaxing weekend doing nothing in an incredible place, because she was “way too stressed out” recently. She wanted to know when we could come back. My first thought, “What could a 15 year old be so stressed out about?” and my second, “I’ve just found heaven on earth!”

"Where are we going?"

Unobstructed views every which way

"We're ready!"

The ten-minute sun worshippers