A real, live meeting with the District Manager that holds the keys to my new
job is scheduled for tomorrow morning!
Tonight, I spent some time with my cousin
José. We started with dinner at Jungle Jim's and followed up with a round of putt-putt golf. He won. By quite a lot. I'm going to change the subject...
We then took a little trip to downtown Orlando. While very tourist-y, we could always count on this area called "Church Street Station" for a little schlocky, faux-historic, bar-type fun. They had great ice cream too. Well, the entire place has gone to pot and everything closed. Even the chain restaurants pulled out--it's pretty bad when the Olive Garden thinks it can consolidate resources by pulling out of downtown Orlando. José couldn't quite believe it when I explained this recent development, but our fears were confirmed tonight. It was a ghost town. It was kind of depressing to see a place that had once seemed really cool when you were 12 run down into the ground by the time you're 24.
Oh well, it all got bought out by a local commercial real estate group. Maybe Disney will plan a "Disney North" theme park. Let's hope not.
As a small side note: With all of the restaurant and shop closings, it was very telling to see, in the midst of blackened windows and "For Lease" signs, the persistant twinkling lights and bright orange hot pants of a Hooters franchise. Will wonders never cease?
