Sweet Temptations…

Summer of ‘94. Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories on repeat.

New Smyrna Beach, Florida (locally referred to as NSB) back when it was still being marketed as ‘The World’s Safest Beach’ and before it earned its current moniker of ‘Shark Bite Capital of the World.’

Near the west end of Flagler Avenue was a special little spot that felt like home to my 14-year-old soul. Sweet Temptations ice cream and coffee shop was sidekicked next to the local dive shop and filled to brim with old friends, new friends and future friends.

This little slice was quintessential old school surf town and beachside vibes, yet unique because it was managed by my 13-year-old best friend Katie, whose parents owned the property, as well as the hotel and restaurant adjacent to it.

From my perspective, the coolest part of it all was simple…being paid by the hour to be there- serving our friends hand-scooped ice cream and freshly brewed Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee while showcasing our skills on the espresso machine…all of which were learned during a few sessions of what we called ‘coffee school.’

Acoustic guitars on the deck, circled with salty and sandy teenagers from our high school…laughter, storytelling…story making. Talks of Lollapalooza, great poetry, and counting the number of times each person watched Oliver Stone’s The Doors movie.

We were so free…we read great books, listened to great music, wrote in our journals and celebrated everyday accomplishments without the internet.

Instead, we had the deck of friends who would stop by…that’s where we ‘posted’ what we loved. That’s where we shared our ‘sweet temptations,’ including the ones we indulged in and the ones we either ran from or quietly yielded to.

I was back in NSB last week and running errands with my still best friend Katie for her world-class spa that she built and operates. Her teenage son was in the back seat and I mentioned that his mom was my boss when we were around his age. His eyes widened with pride- kinda like my own do every time I see her build an impressive and successful new business.

How lucky I am to have been there when it all started…me and Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories…and anyone else who wanted to sing songs with us from behind the counter.