Have you noticed the brilliant colors just before sunrise, and after sunset?
The best views are by the water (beach or bay).  This morning, the clouds were a soft pink over the beach front homes. So pretty!
The island events continue today- shopping, music, food, etc. And, a comfortable night to watch the annual Christmas Parade: north along Third Avenue from 104th Street to 96th Street, then right on 96th Street toward Second Avenue…starting at 6:30pm.
 Picture perfect weather to kick off the Thanksgiving weekend events!
Now THAT’S a sand sculpture! “Sand Santa” is on display- 96th Street in Stone Harbor (in the open lot next to Stone Harbor Pizza).
The artist arrived on Wednesday (during the pouring rain) and worked all day. He was back on site this morning for touch ups.
Holiday music and activities today and tomorrow in downtown Avalon and Stone Harbor. And the weather is incredible! Enjoy.
Wow! A room full of clever and unique Christmas trees donated by local businesses, clubs, and residents.
The options range from quirky to designer. And look carefully- many include gift certificates (or Flyer’s tickets!)
The preview cocktail party starts tomorrow at 5pm-  Whitebrier Motorclub, 20th Street entrance. There will be additional time to bid before and after the 21st Street tree lighting ceremony on Friday afternoon.
11/26/11 Update- Guess which tree won the highest bid? Our Flyers theme tree was auctioned off last night for $475! 🙂
Be sure to stop by our Power Play Realty office (2821 Dune Drive) on Friday, November 25th- for Festive Friday .
We are giving away beach coolers all day.
For a full schedule of the downtown events:  http://www.indulgeinavalon.com/
P.S. Big thank you to Shore Title Agency for donating  2 Flyer’s tickets (January 5, 2012 game) for our hockey theme Christmas tree. The Avalon Festival of Trees auction opens for previews on Wednesday 5pm at the Whitebrier. Final bidding on Friday evening after the Borough of Avalon tree lighting ceremony.
UPDATE 11/27/11 Local news report from the Friday events:Â
Here’s the NBC40 coverage
http://www.nbc40.net/news/19972/
Click on video coverage to see the piece that ran Friday night.
 
Ever wonder about the red light bulb in the front window of summer homes?  It’s a popular “high tech” system used by owners who leave their heat and water on in the winter months. The light bulb is plugged into an interior wall outlet with a separate thermostat.  If the temperature in the house drops below the setting (set it 10 degrees below the heater thermostat), the light will go on. The police or real estate agent notice the light (the red light stands out) and call the owner and/or service company to check the heat.
ACE Hardware in Stone Harbor sells the kit- and will know what you are talking about if you ask for the “red light thing”!
P.S. I still recommend a winter watch service if the home will be vacant for an extended period.  An inspector regularly walks through and around the property to make sure everything is secure.Â
Gullies and sand bars created by the tide…
 And THIS is why I bundle up and walk along the beach!
It’s a gradual transition: shorts to work out pants. Long sleeve t-shirts to turtle necks; then a fleece jacket.  The knit hat/light weight gloves- switched out with warmer options as needed. The cotton socks replaced with wool socks. The heavier, dorky…I mean warm…pants. Hiking shoes (originally purchased for a trip to Ireland- great for beach walking and much warmer than sneakers).
This morning-Â my final wardrobe change: the serious LL Bean winter jacket!Â
Perfect fall weather this weekend- fewer layers will be needed later today and tomorrow 😉
4,000 Tweets?
This is a tech savvy group- with plenty of smart phones, tablets, Kindles, and Facebook accounts between all 3 generations. Yet my 4,000+ tweets seem bizarre (and admittedly, some are).
I recently posted how I relied on Twitter during the hurricane : https://anndelaney.com/2011/08/29/technology-during-irene/ and the blizzard of 2010. It’s been a great way to instantly communicate with property owners and others who just love the shore. I “share” my beach walks with others…even in the middle of winter!
But the surprise bonus of Twitter is the amazing connections. I read first hand accounts as events take place…a completely different perspective.
For example, shortly after the devastating tsunami, I started following a Japanese woman who works in Tokyo for the New York Times. She traveled to the villages and posted heart breaking reports.Â
On the 10 year anniversary of 9/11, I followed a young woman whose sister died on Flight 93 in Shanksville, PA.  It was as if I was sitting next to her at the memorial services. Her comments were respectful and incredibly honest. Another woman tweeted about her experience of living in New York City, and the days spent searching for her friends. Emotional storytelling, 140 characters at a time.Â
On the lighter side, there are posts that make me laugh out loud- I follow some smart, witty people!
If you would like to follow along: http://twitter.com/AnnDelaneyBeach