Maybe it's cheaper in some of the other States too, which I've found. That's due in part to the tax rate. In Florida it's 7%. I'm still trying to figure it what it applies to but really, it's quite a difference from good old Ontari-ari-ario.
Here's an example.
Yesterday I treated myself to a pedicure. (Gotta have pretty toes wearing sandals all the time!) Found a place that did all the right cleaning things and seemed busy when I walked in. Made an appointment. Did I want it right away? I didn't need to come back.
Said I'd see them the next day as I had errands to run.
Everywhere is like that. Drop in, get what ever you need, no waiting!
Price for an awesome pedicure, with all the bells and whistles and a French polish. $40. Wow! That's about $25 less than up north.
Then I headed to Great Clips for a hair trim.
Again, they don't take appointments. Come on in, maybe wait a bit, go for a coffee two doors down then you're good to go.
Awesome hair cut, fun girl doing the cut with lots of ideas of where to go and restaurants to try.
$14.00
Get OUT!
AND if you're a senior it only costs $8! What???
Laura, the hair dresser, asked if we liked wings. Hoh boy. Yup! She suggested Chubby'z. Yeah, with a "zed".
Wing night on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. 30 cent wings.
Sounds like a plan for dinner!
Found a little hole in the wall beside a Midas garage.
This is Chubby'z.
Tons of cars, some motorcycles (The Man was commenting in the biker bar we were going to) outside patio, inside area with lots of TV screens, outback Tiki Bar.
8 flavours of wings. Naked or breaded. (The Man liked the naked term.)
6 beers on tap.
In the door 4 minutes, beer in hand in 5. Wings in hand in 6.
Fastest service ever. Wings were so hot we couldn't touch them for a minute or so.
Best, biggest, juiciest wings ever in the most succulent bourbon BBQ sauce I've EVER had.
2 draft beers, 25 wings.
Total: $13.07
WHAT????
I commented that I was a cheap date but REALLY...
Tipping comes easy to most Canadians I think. We're trained pretty well to do that. I don't know that some folks are so well trained. In one restaurant near Key Largo there was a card with the bill explaining what amounts are "appropriate" to tip. We stick with our 15% usually but it's hard not to tip more. I mean on a $13 dinner tab to give $1.50 seems soooo chincy. Maybe that's why they love Canadians as much as they do because we do tip well. I tip the usual amount but if the staff has gone above and beyond or been funny or something along that line I go higher. Here it's easy to go higher, the meals are so inexpensive.
We also noted that just after 7 pm the place pretty much cleared out. There were a few tables left with diners but that was about it. Snowbirds seem to go home to bed early. It was a beautiful night too. First one in a while where we went swimming after dinner. It has been getting very damp once the sun goes down. The past few days though it's been very humid and hot in the afternoon. Had to work off the wings! We still couldn't get over the cost of our awesome meal.
In the heat and sun there are these little geckos that come out and climb on the screening of the lanai. Okay the picture isn't the best because a) they move like lightening and b) I'm on the inside and he/she is on the outside.But you get the idea. They are great bug eaters.
The other thing that we've noticed is the lack of bookstores. (See previous post) But we did finally find one that appears to be like an Indigo. Books-a-Million it's called. We will add this to our "visit" list. See what it's all about. The Man is reading so much that we need to add to his library. I'll have to figure out what to do with the books when I leave but I think I have a couple of places I can donate them to. Don't feel like hauling them all home. We'll see.
So life continues on.
The sun comes up and shines pretty much all day, though we noted 3 minutes of a light sprinkle of rain last night. Not even enough to wet the roof of the Tiki Bar! Then stars.
Light breeze every day but hot and humid these past few days.
Just right for pool lounging.
Yes, the palm tree in the back does light up! They're all over here.
Cheers all from Port Charlotte, Florida
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