Sanibel Island Vacation Diary - January 17, 2007We both slept until 10 a.m. Susan got up and went to the beach. I went to the conference center and downloaded 1700 e-mails. About noon I finished and went out to the beach to get Susan for lunch. The beach was nearly empty of sunbathers. Today was cooler than our previous days, and the wind was blowing. I found Susan covered with her towel and ready to leave the beach. Normally she leaves her chair and other stuff on the beach when we go to eat. But today she was ready to take everything in to the condo. Just a short drive from our condo is the Lazy Flamingo restaurant. Driving into the parking lot, we immediately noticed something new here: outdoor seating. Few restaurants on Sanibel offer any outdoor seating, perhaps because of the high temperatures during most months as well as space limitations on the island. We went in and asked for a seat outside. We were seated immediately and the waitress got our drink order. The temperature was pleasant and we thoroughly enjoyed relaxing at the table. Susan ordered the deep-fried shrimp basket ($12.95) I ordered a special -- French dip -- for $9.95. Both included fries. The food was delivered quickly and we both enjoyed our meals, eating every bit. The total bill was $26.40 plus tip. We left the restaurant and I drove Susan to one of her favorite stores in Sanibel, Keylime Clothing. She went inside while I sat in the car and called home to my office to check in. Inside the store, the clerk actually remembered Susan from our trip here in June of last year. Susan didn't buy anything. We drove back to the condo and I told Susan I wanted to look at possible timeshares available on Sanibel Island. She wasn't thrilled about looking, but she did get online with me and we located several available properties. Finding the properties was easy since we know our way around the island, and also because Sanibel is easy to navigate. We looked at several places but Susan was not impressed. I was beginning to think a timeshare wasn't a viable option for us. Then we went to Sanibel Cottages. Wow! Susan became a different person. This place was a five-star resort, and made most of the other places look like dumps by comparison. We spent 30 or 40 minutes talking with the sales agent on site. The place sold out many years ago, but they have quite a few resales available. Prices range from $9,500-$65,000 for a week's time share ownership. Leaving the resort, Susan told me "you're in trouble now!" She was excited and was practically ready to buy. We looked at one other timeshare, which was nicer than most, but still didn't compare to Sanibel Cottages. Six o'clock came and we decided to head out to dinner. Susan had already decided she wanted to go to Matzaluna, an Italian restaurant we hadn't eaten at since our second year here about 10 years ago. At that time I wasn't a big Italian food fan, but have since gained an appreciation for it. We had a loud meal the first time around, so we had just never been back. But since I liked Italian much more now, we decided to retry Matzaluna's. The restaurant is obviously popular, with ample parking for large crowds. The interior is brightly decorated, although I don't think the decor has changed much since we visited 10 years ago. We were seated immediately and had our drinks quickly. A table nearby was filled with six seasoned citizens enjoying a meal. Unfortunately, one of the men at the table was obnoxiously loud and dominated the conversation at his table, and every table nearby. We also had the only child on Sanibel Island seated at the table directly behind me. He was kicking and drumming, and his parents didn't stop him. Another noise problem was what I could only guess was a back stairway that the staff used to service guests on the second floor. They often ran loudly up the stairs, and we heard every step. Oh yes, the food. Susan ordered ravioli. I ordered chicken parmesan, which was $12.95. Both meals included a house salad, which had obviously sat for awhile as the leaves were limp and browning. They did taste okay. My chicken Parmesan was good but nothing special. Susan's dish was $11.95. Our service was efficient but not overly friendly. Total meal cost was $37.43. When we left, I commented to Susan that we had originally nicknamed the restaurant Notzaluna for a reason. Perhaps we just had bad luck both times we came. The restaurant has thrived as long as we've been visiting the island, so they probably do most things right. Maybe will try it again in another 10 years. On the way back to the condo, we swung by Dairy Queen for my second Blizzard. The line was short like it was the other night, and I got my treat quickly. We headed home and sat on the balcony while I ate half of the Blizzard. At 8 p.m. we watched more American Idol, shaking our heads at people who think they have talent. Susan fell asleep about 10:30 p.m. while I was writing this.
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