Every day can't be vacation, but at least we get to live in paradise

"That looks good. Are you taking it back on the boat with you?"

The woman was staring at the Morgan Salad — piled high with strawberries, bacon and pecans — I'd just purchased to-go from Ossorio Cafe and Bakery in Cocoa Village. I was rushing back to work and found the crowd milling around in the dining area a little disorienting.

Who were all these strangers, and why were they in my local hangout?

The woman's question snapped me back to reality. While I was wondering if I would have time to eat lunch before my next meeting, she was on vacation, a cruise passenger enjoying a leisurely weekday stroll through the Village.

I paused for a moment and shook my head wistfully. "I'm headed back to the office."

Brevard Blended Burgers ready for competition

"You live here?" she said, eyes wide.

This encounter happened years ago, but I still remember that moment of mutual envy, me wishing I could head back to the cruise ship while she wondered what it was like to live in the land of perpetual vacation.

Sometimes living in Florida can be like living in a college town a decade after graduation. It's not always easy coming to terms with being a grownup.

As summer drops her hot, humid dome over us, I feel my motivation waning. I want to skip my morning run and sleep in. I want to go home after lunch and take a nap. I want to spend a Tuesday at the beach. 

I want to be on vacation.

That's when I pack my office into a blue-and-orange computer bag and head back to Ossorio. If I can't be on holiday, at least I can soak up the relaxing vibes from people who are.

From my vantage point by the window, I watch couples come in carrying pink shopping bags. They linger for a while, eating ice cream from waffle cones.

Young mothers walk by pushing strollers. Tweens, finally released from school, bounce through the door and gaze with wonder into the bakery display case.

Some are visitors. Some are locals, out of school or retired, the ultimate vacation.

As a late afternoon rain washes over the town, more people come in seeking shelter and coffee.

It's a calm group. Voices are hushed. A toddler makes clumsy circles around her parents' bistro table, babbling "da-dee, da-dee." A teenage girl stifles a yawn and stretches. The heady aroma of wood-fired pizza crust fills the air.

No one is in a hurry. This is summer. It's too hot to rush.

Though I've got my laptop in front of me and a deadline looming, I finally understand why that cruise passenger felt a twinge of envy. Sometimes we need to see our home through the eyes of a visitor to truly appreciate where we live.

If you like pina coladas, pull out the blender

This is a place where we wear Lilly Pulitzer prints year-round and dressy flip-flops are appropriate for work. This is a place with palm trees and frozen drinks and beaches less than a half-hour away. This is a place with barefoot locals, fresh seafood and nighttime water that explodes with bioluminescence, where people come to escape the cares of their everyday lives.

It may be a few weeks before I get to sail off on my own tropical getaway, but in the meantime, I'll sip an iced chai tea and watch as rain-soaked Harrison Street comes back to life after the afternoon downpour.

And I'll enjoy the next best thing to vacation. I get to live here.

Blended Burgers & Brews Bash

Even if you don't have a big vacation planned in the near future, July 4 is almost here. Come celebrate the holiday with us at our Blended Burgers and Brews Bash at the Brix Project. The event features four chefs and four courses, all perfectly paired with Playalinda craft beers. Tickets are $60, $55 for FLORIDA TODAY DAY Insiders, and are available at floridatoday.com/insider.

Email Leonard at sleonard@floridatoday.com. 

Facebook: @SuzyFlemingLeonard

Instagram: @SuzyLeonard