Toys for Big Boys!

Tonka trucks.  Do those two words do anything for you?  Do you recall images of bright yellow steel trucks in a sandbox?  Having an impromptu demolition derby with your favorite toys?  Perhaps helping to "build" your little sister's Barbie dream-house (and subsequently running over Barbie's Corvette monster-truck style)?

If you have fond memories of Tonka trucks, scale sized Caterpillar trucks or Mega Bloks, this blog post is for you.

Enjoy the toys of the repair and remodel of Casa Del Mar:

Need a high-pressure spray?   This is your tool! 

Some sort of surveying device.  The operator was quite occupied, so I didn't want to investigate further.

Mobile compressor

I really, really, really want one these...if just for a day. 

The ultimate margarita mixer. 

It delivers the cement, a powered wheel barrow if you will.

(Insert witty picture saying here)

There exists a litany of quotes about pictures and photos.  Some examples include:

·         “Words and pictures can work together to communicate more powerfully than either alone.” – William Albert Allard

·         “Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language.” – Walt Disney

·         “A picture is worth a thousand words” – Unknown

It is this final idiom that most of us are familiar with; it is also the expression that this blog post will revolve around.  A thousand words cannot describe the work, the clamor and the excitement that is currently taking place at 621 South Atlantic Avenue in Ormond Beach, Florida but a few pictures may:

Our ocean-side wall of "newness"

For comparison's sake

Our new "potbelly" railings

Work still left to be done.

Not as refreshing as it was... but it will get there. (And look at the new location of the Hot Tub!)

The new pool deck taking shape

Working on the breezeways

Soon to be replaced by luggage carts

Colorful Places to Play still in progress.

So there you have it, about 9,000 words worth of photographs.  There is definitely more news and pictures to come so please "follow us" and visit often.

For quicker updates, please follow us on Twitter:  twitter.com/casadelmarbxg.

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Welcome!

Welcome to the brand new Casa Del Mar Resort Blog!  We have introduced a little more Bluegreen flavor into the site.  But don't worry, the site is still dedicated 100% to the resort that is your home away from home by the sea, Casa Del Mar.

Changes are happening so please join us for the ride as we count down the weeks to our grand reopening.

Thank you, and we'll see you soon.

Renovación de Casa Del Mar

     The sounds of guests laughing and enjoying themselves or the roar of motorcycles during Biketoberfest have been replaced with the sound of jackhammers along with the occasional chunk of concrete block hitting the roof over the Lobby. As week six begins, it is amazing to see how much work has already been done. Although we are only in the demoliton phase and will be for some time, a great change can be seen from when it all began in mid-September.

     The associates have all been busy with an assortment of projects. Those who are not answering phones or helping out at other resorts have kept busy moving furniture out of the units, removing wallpaper and carpet, scraping popcorn off ceilings and retexturing and finishing; all part of getting the rooms ready for new furniture.

     At this point, we are on schedule, on budget and the quality of work has been as good as we expected it to be. To date, there have been no real big surprises and of course, we hope that will continue to be the case. The construction crew is safety conscious and keeps a clean job site.

     As a picture paints a thousand words, I will let the pictures speak for themselves and we'll have more as the progress continues.

Casa Del Mar's Burger Champ

Labor Day.

Originally created to celebrate America's working class, it has evolved into the culmination of all things Summer. Not the least of which is the Summer barbecue.  That time honored tradition of grilling meat, fish and vegetables over an open fire (a huge "thank you" to Prometheus).  And what better symbolizes, nay epitomizes, that tradition than the All-American Hamburger; the perfect combination of grilled meat, bread and cheese.

In honor of Labor Day and the Hamburger, Casa Del Mar hosted its 1st annual Casa Del Mar Burger Cook-Off this past Sunday, September 5th.  The challengers were a valiant group of cooks undeterred by the inaugural challenge and represented the vast demographics that are Casa Del Mar owners and guests.

Competitor Erin grilling her "Deca-burger"

Each grill-master possessed the grit and fortitude saved only for professional linebackers on football afternoons as they perfectly grilled their creations.  Running the gamut from traditional to unique toppings and ingredients included bacon, cole slaw, blue cheese, bacon, tortilla strips, bacon and (this author's favorite) a fried egg.

Egg on a Burger!  Now we're really gilding the lily!

With a keen eye on creativity, presentation, "burger-ness" and taste, our panel of esteemed judges valiantly scored each burger presented.

Judges Jorge, Matt and Amy

But in the end, there can be only one.  With her "KC Masterpiece" (a thoroughly satisfying strata of angus beef, grilled onions and crispy tortilla strips to which one judge gave the only perfect score of the day) Casie Hill was crowned the 1st annual Casa Del Mar Burger Cook-Off champ.  In second place, Skyler Anderson's "Rock Steady" with Jim Haven's "J&J Burger" deemed worthy of third.

L to R:  Jim Haven, Champion Casie Hill, Skyler Anderson

The Summer may be coming to an end, the children may be going back to school, the white shoes may be returning to the closet.  But the pursuit of the perfect burger shall continue... at least until next year.  See you all for the 2nd Annual Cook-Off, Labor Day Sunday 2011.

Let me sleep on it...

We have all needed it:  the vacation after the vacation.

Sometimes there are just not enough hours in the day to do all that you have planned; you are excited by your vacation surroundings, you play a little too hard, you wake at sunrise to make sure you get that perfect lounge chair on the pool deck; whatever the reason, quality sleep is often tough to come by on vacation.

We figure the least we can do is make your time in the bedroom, however brief, a bit more comfortable.  Gone are the pastels and bright colors that have come to define the Miami Vice and Golden Girls era of Florida; no longer will your sleep be interrupted by a visit from the Ghost of White Furniture Past.

Casa Del Mar has come full circle, we are embracing our Spanish roots and at the same time embracing a more easy on the eyes color scheme; welcome to the Casa Del Mar as it always should have been.

Before:
    

After:

We'll be back with some more updates; in the mean time, leave a comment behind to tell us how you feel about the changes.

Thanks!