What I Did on Spring Holiday
At the risk of feeling as though I'm back in grammar school writing one of those infamous 'What I did for ____ vacation' essays, I'm going to do the very official and very overdue post-mortem of the the Miami trip (behind the cut, of course, as it's likely that only Ms. Lopez will care to view the ensuing picture spam!).
If I had to pick the moment I fell in love with Miami, I'd have to say it was while I was flying into Miami International Airport, over the shores of South Beach and the blue-green waters of a warmer Atlantic than I'm accustomed to. I'm pleased to say that the week got even better from that point on. What made it so great, you may ask? The answer's simple: Painting the coolest town in the U.S. red with two of my favorite ladies in the world!!!!! Here's my salute to one of the top three vacations of my life....
The week was off to a kick-arse start with a home-cooked Cuban meal of arroz con pollo courtesy of Deedee's mum with Deedee's My Big Fat Greek Wedding-like family, immediately followed by a moonlit driving tour of the greater Miami-Key Biscayne area.
Next on the agenda was a walking tour of some of Miami's prettiest spots....
Nope, that's not Tarzan! It's Deedee swinging from branch to branch along the streets of Coconut Grove!
Banyans are bloody famazing, and ickle Emily looks so cute tucked in this beauty in Coral Gables.
I seriously wanted to take this adorable little iguana home with me; here he is, dangling from a bridge at the Biltmore's golf course after being harassed by a trio of fun-loving tourists! *cough cough* :)
Oh, Floridians KILL me with how fussy they are about their water temperature! Here are Deedee and me being silly at the Venetian Pool in Coral Gables. Note that we're the only bloody crazies in the water! Although too cold for most locals (Deedee gets a gold star for being a good sport!), the water felt like bathwater to me.
Emily riding a mechanical bull at Mr. Moe's in Coconut Grove. She so earned the $100 bar tab for staying on 8 seconds, even though the sneaky judge said she didn't. Cheap bastards! :-/
Deedee and I on our makeshift but entirely kick-arse kayaking-snorkeling excursion to Dinner Key. Note to self: falling into oily marina water while trying to get into a kayak is NOT fun; fortunately, seeing sting rays and coming face-to-face with evil!pufferfish and creepy!barracudas IS an absolute hoot that totally makes falling into dirty water worth it (regretfully, Kodak seems not to have yet mastered the subtle science and exact art of underwater disposable cameras, so the pics to prove the experience have been omitted).
After kayaking, it was back in the Grove for lunch at a bloody famazing smoothie bar called Zoom.
Sunken garden at Fairchild botanical gardens. Breath-taking just doesn't do it justice.
What would St. Patty's day be without a pint of Guinness?! Deedee and I at the John Martin's Street Fair after a way-generous, way-delicious, authentic Spanish meal with Deedee's amazing family at Rias de Vigo Galician Restaurant.
No, it's not a prelude to Girls Gone Wild, it's just Emily and I kickin' back a brew on St. Patty's day whilst listening to a kick-arse classic rock cover band at the John Martin's Street Fair.
This picture makes me laugh *every* time I look at it! This was leaving the Fair and heading to this awesome bookstore with a BAR inside it (I'm in love with that place--two of my favorite things in one location!). I have NO idea why the looks of absolute confusion are on Emily's and Deedee's faces, BUT I'll giggle freely nonetheless.
Yeah, the moon over Miami is legendary, but the sunrise ain't too shabby either! After a delightful night of debauchery, we stayed up to watch the sunrise over the marina across from our hotel. I was so exhausted afterwards I actually fell asleep on the plane back to Boston (I can *never* sleep on planes!), but it was worth every neck cramp I got!
Of course, there was even more: mango trees, stalking peacocks, blaring the theme to 'Star Wars' whilst cruisin' around Miami, driving down the strip, smoking stogies, egging a certain bratty cousin's car, Condom USA, The Sandbar, bitching out the hotel staff for being utterly unhelpful, lounging by the pool, Carrollton, body surfing at South Beach, the Museum of South Florida History, birds that meow like cats, mysteriously missing Goya juices, breaking hotel glasses whilst cheering with Goose and Coco, drunken bullshitting/praising girl power, a host of wildlife, taking pictures of random houses on Key Biscayne, Calle Ocho, chickens, Elian Gonzalez's house...... Needless to say I have a candy jar of precious memories to take with me wherever I go the rest of my life!
Thanks to the ladies who made it possible!
And now, with some (not so) gentle prodding, I have been informed that
canisdoofus is seriously entertaining the notion of applying for a design position at a certain publishing company where yours truly happens to work! Do wonders never cease?!
If I had to pick the moment I fell in love with Miami, I'd have to say it was while I was flying into Miami International Airport, over the shores of South Beach and the blue-green waters of a warmer Atlantic than I'm accustomed to. I'm pleased to say that the week got even better from that point on. What made it so great, you may ask? The answer's simple: Painting the coolest town in the U.S. red with two of my favorite ladies in the world!!!!! Here's my salute to one of the top three vacations of my life....
The week was off to a kick-arse start with a home-cooked Cuban meal of arroz con pollo courtesy of Deedee's mum with Deedee's My Big Fat Greek Wedding-like family, immediately followed by a moonlit driving tour of the greater Miami-Key Biscayne area.
Next on the agenda was a walking tour of some of Miami's prettiest spots....
Nope, that's not Tarzan! It's Deedee swinging from branch to branch along the streets of Coconut Grove!
Banyans are bloody famazing, and ickle Emily looks so cute tucked in this beauty in Coral Gables.
I seriously wanted to take this adorable little iguana home with me; here he is, dangling from a bridge at the Biltmore's golf course after being harassed by a trio of fun-loving tourists! *cough cough* :)
Oh, Floridians KILL me with how fussy they are about their water temperature! Here are Deedee and me being silly at the Venetian Pool in Coral Gables. Note that we're the only bloody crazies in the water! Although too cold for most locals (Deedee gets a gold star for being a good sport!), the water felt like bathwater to me.
Emily riding a mechanical bull at Mr. Moe's in Coconut Grove. She so earned the $100 bar tab for staying on 8 seconds, even though the sneaky judge said she didn't. Cheap bastards! :-/
Deedee and I on our makeshift but entirely kick-arse kayaking-snorkeling excursion to Dinner Key. Note to self: falling into oily marina water while trying to get into a kayak is NOT fun; fortunately, seeing sting rays and coming face-to-face with evil!pufferfish and creepy!barracudas IS an absolute hoot that totally makes falling into dirty water worth it (regretfully, Kodak seems not to have yet mastered the subtle science and exact art of underwater disposable cameras, so the pics to prove the experience have been omitted).
After kayaking, it was back in the Grove for lunch at a bloody famazing smoothie bar called Zoom.
Sunken garden at Fairchild botanical gardens. Breath-taking just doesn't do it justice.
What would St. Patty's day be without a pint of Guinness?! Deedee and I at the John Martin's Street Fair after a way-generous, way-delicious, authentic Spanish meal with Deedee's amazing family at Rias de Vigo Galician Restaurant.
No, it's not a prelude to Girls Gone Wild, it's just Emily and I kickin' back a brew on St. Patty's day whilst listening to a kick-arse classic rock cover band at the John Martin's Street Fair.
This picture makes me laugh *every* time I look at it! This was leaving the Fair and heading to this awesome bookstore with a BAR inside it (I'm in love with that place--two of my favorite things in one location!). I have NO idea why the looks of absolute confusion are on Emily's and Deedee's faces, BUT I'll giggle freely nonetheless.
Yeah, the moon over Miami is legendary, but the sunrise ain't too shabby either! After a delightful night of debauchery, we stayed up to watch the sunrise over the marina across from our hotel. I was so exhausted afterwards I actually fell asleep on the plane back to Boston (I can *never* sleep on planes!), but it was worth every neck cramp I got!
Of course, there was even more: mango trees, stalking peacocks, blaring the theme to 'Star Wars' whilst cruisin' around Miami, driving down the strip, smoking stogies, egging a certain bratty cousin's car, Condom USA, The Sandbar, bitching out the hotel staff for being utterly unhelpful, lounging by the pool, Carrollton, body surfing at South Beach, the Museum of South Florida History, birds that meow like cats, mysteriously missing Goya juices, breaking hotel glasses whilst cheering with Goose and Coco, drunken bullshitting/praising girl power, a host of wildlife, taking pictures of random houses on Key Biscayne, Calle Ocho, chickens, Elian Gonzalez's house...... Needless to say I have a candy jar of precious memories to take with me wherever I go the rest of my life!
Thanks to the ladies who made it possible!
And now, with some (not so) gentle prodding, I have been informed that
canisdoofus is seriously entertaining the notion of applying for a design position at a certain publishing company where yours truly happens to work! Do wonders never cease?!