Key West is the key to an ultimate romantic weekend getaway. Located at the southernmost part of Florida, it is the perfect venue for couples who want to break free from their everyday lives.

Although you can fly straight to Key West International Airport, choose Miami as a landing destination instead and begin your weekend getaway with a romantic drive along the US1 (nicknamed The Overseas Highway) over the vast waters. The drive gives you impeccable views of the ocean, and the wide variety of hotels, seafood restaurants, dive shops and boats that serve as a preview of how much of an amazing trip you are about to have.

Couples often prefer a quiet getaway for a romantic weekend. Make the most of each other’s company by spending the whole day at the beach, lying on the sand or swinging on a hammock with good food and good drinks. You can also take the seventy-mile ferry or chartered plane ride to the island of Dry Tortugas for an extraordinary diving experience, or simply enjoy the cool breeze brushing up your hair on a cruise ship. Spend some quality time walking around Key West. Enjoy strolling the palm tree-lined streets hand-in-hand with your spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend and watch the sunset.

Spend your romantic weekend at the luxurious Marquesa Hotel right in the center of the historic district. Just in the same street, the Eden House offers the same historic atmosphere with a more affordable rate. One of the essentials of romantic weekend getaways is to linger over local cuisine. On Duval Street, you will find many of Key West’s top restaurants for your romantic dining. On this strip, restaurants have an area with porches where you can just watch the world go by over a sumptuous meal and a glass of wine. These restaurants serve seafood as their specialty with fresh catches from the surrounding waters, served in many different ways. If you want your fish raw, the Japanese Origami is highly recommended. Other top picks include the Seven Fish and Bagatelle for those who prefer their fish cooked. Last, but definitely not the least, try the local’s long time favorite, Sloppy Joe.

If you are the party type of couple, on the other hand, you can take your romantic weekend getaway to Key West during the spring break and in November where fun is spread throughout the island. During the spring break, resorts and bars throw parties and promise everyone in attendance a good time. November activities, on the other hand, include the Halloween costume parties and the Key West Power Boat Race. Water sport enthusiasts fly in to Key West every year to witness this event.

Key West is said to be the haven of writers. Authors get inspired by the beauty of the island. Since the mood for this particular weekend getaway is romantic, visit the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum and explore the very walls where Ernest Hemingway wrote his emotional novels. Those fascinated to the underwater can have a self- or guided-tour at the Key West Aquarium, which features diverse exhibits of sea life in the Florida waters. Check the Aquarium’s daily schedule for feeding if you wish to have a close encounter with the sharks.

Whether you want it quiet and private or loud and wild, Key West has something for you to break loose from the routine. It is the jaunt perfect for couples who wish to unwind and relish a romantic weekend getaway.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and plenty of folks living in Key West will place piping-hot poultry on their dining room tables for dinner, as well as some non-traditional spreads including local favorites like stone crab (in season in November), Key West pink shrimp and Florida lobster.

But Thanksgiving may be the only day of year in Key West when turkey is talked about more than chicken, and it has nothing to do with what’s on the dinner menu. See, in Key West, chickens and roosters roam free on the streets. Story goes that chickens were once owned by residents during the Depression area, using them for eggs and, later, meat. When times improved, some of those people released those chickens from backyard coops, and they began to multiply. These “gypsy” chickens are protected by a city ordinance, and the city doesn’t condone  the inhumane treatment of the animals for reasons explained here.

Just hanging out in the Southern Keys Cemetery

Some people love the chickens and roosters and some people hate them, as perfectly evidenced by this local Web site. The now-defunct Chicken Store also documented the “Chicken Wars” that pitted pro-chicken and anti-chicken residents against one another. But no matter how you feel about the chickens, they remain one of Key West’s interesting oddities, and one of the most photographed attractions on the island.

Just a little update with Nate and our travels! Everyone was asking us where we are off to next and the first time we had no clue! We were thinking about the outer banks, charlotte, Toledo, or fl for thanksgiving. But we finally came up w a game plan. We are headed back down south!
I will post some pictures of the wedding and the bride and groom once we get to a place I can get Internet, We are stopping in Atlanta to pick up our summer stuff and drop off our winter stuff in storage and then making our way down to ……

Drum roll please!! – Key west, fl. It’s a long haul but will be well worth it once we get in the warm sun!

So Stay tuned to more adventures to come!

SMS

Ket West, FL hosts the Largest women’s flag football tournament in the world. Players and teams from the USA, Canada, Sweden, Denmark, Mexico, Finland, Norway and Scotland meet in paradise to compete.

Dates for the Women’s events start February 7, 2010 with games beginning the 11th. The World Challenge and all other final games end on February 15, 2010.

The girl’s events are February 13-14, 2010

!!!

Register without penalties, by December 15, 2009
Closing registration by December 31st, 2009.

Don’t have a team? Join the Loose Women. A team composed of women who do not have a team but still want to compete.

Want more info? e-mail iwffa@iwffa.com

Spring break is a pricey experience sometimes.  However, spending a lot on a college budget is not ideal.  As my roommate and I have been looking for a good spring break package I thought it would cool to report some of the less expensive yet still fun vacations.

Be shipped off to Paradise by Carnival's Paradise cruise ship. Photo Credit- Beau Hudspeth

Cruises, see 3 places in one week

Carnival Cruise lines offers a West Caribbean vacation starting in Miami, FL traveling to Key West, FL; Cozumel, Mexico and then back to Miami.  This vacation without taxes starts around $274.  This includes food, but not beverages while on the boat.  You can buy a hotel separately , or you can find the nearest campground where you can pitch a tent.  In Florida it always seems warmer than Chicago so camping shouldn’t be that risky, right?

• Price starting at $274

Party cruise to one island

Your friends want to experience a cruise, but you are not to keen on being stranded at sea for to long.  Not a big fan of Titanic I am guessing? Companies have introduced cruises with one island destination.  For example you, your friends and 1000 other college students can pile on to what is known as a Party boat for a few hours, and then once you arrive at your destination you vacation there for the next four days.  Packages that I have seen online start at $349, and include beverages, food, and hotel accommodations on and off the island.

• Price starting at $349

Corona manufacturing plant in Mazatlan, Mexico. Photo Credit- Stan Shebs

Mexico Party Bus

Take an all-inclusive Motor Coach bus to Mexico for about $399.  Mazatlan Party bus vacations include 10 free meals, five night hotel stay, easy payment plans and more.  For those in the north you must fly south, but this trip is very popular for Texas college students as reported on Mazatlan site.

• Price starting at $399

What are some other inexpensive spring break websites? Where did you find your deal at?

 This former airline once known as Value Jet had a very bumpy start into aviation history as the premiere LCC in the Atlanta Georgia market many years ago. The airline has really come a long way from their once very humble beginings. AirTran was made up of mainly ex Eastern Airline flight attendants and mechanics which started by flying around on some rather old outdated broken down DC-9 equipment with a ridiculous cartoon character on it’s planes. Yet, now they are barely recognizable from when they first started. Today they are on brand new state of the art Boeing 717 airplanes with a great safety record and a huge market share of the leisure market which they have effectively carved out for themselves in the Delta Airlines backyard at ATL.

The airline changed it’s name from Value Jet to AirTran after a horrific crash in the Florida Everglades. This included moving it’s headquarters to Orlando Florida in 1997. It is from this location that they have been making a solid viable growth plan across the United States and the midwest. The carrier now has it’s sights on making slow and steady enrodes to begin chipping away at American Airlines in the Dallas Fort Worth Market in DFW. This is with hopes of creating the same successful low cost alernative there as well as solidifying it’s midwestern presence in Milwaukee.. The airline is hoping to accomplish these goals through new innovative alliances, codeshares and marketing agreements with very successful west coast based smaller regional airline, SkyWest. AirTran is also making other unique strategic moves in their leisure markets.

They have brought back a long retired Eastern Airline trademark service of Boeing Jet airline service to the island of Key West, Florida. This is a service which the airline industry has not seen since the days of legacy carrier Eastern Airlines. The Eastern Boeing 727 jet could be seen each mid afternoon making it’s final approach over the historic Key West Light House and the former home of Ernest Hemingway. The flight operated for several years up until the winter of 1991 when it ceased operation when Eastern folded.

This new service will begin on Dec 17th from Orlando MCO with non-stop Boeing 737 service to Key West EYW. AirTran will also be adding new Orlando MCO to Aruba AUA service starting on Dec 19th just a few days after Key West begins.

Italian coffee lovers will also be pleased to know that AirTRan will be adding new premium coffee offerings onboard it’s flights with the highly popular authentic espresso european brand illy issimo Latte Macchiato. The gourmet Italian coffee will be made available complimentary in the business class cabin and for $4 in the economy coach cabin.

The new coffee will be a welcomed addition to the already unique offerings of Fortnum & Mason tea and Swiss Miss hot chocolate complimentary on every flight. The carrier also offers some other unique offerings such as Vitaminwater, Cherry Coke, Fuze Slenderize Tropical Punch and Peach Mango. Additional inflight services include WiFi for the charge of $12.95 per flight provided by GoGo hotspot and free Xm Satellite radio similar to services already being offered by Jet Blue Airways and Virgin America.

It seems as though AirTran has a great expansion plan in place and we will be very excited to see just how their new flights to Key West, Dallas and Aruba continue to grow. We will keep you all posted as more feedback becomes available once these new destinations begin over the months ahead.

 - The Daily Aviation Grind

,a waitress, at another restaurant told us that they have good food and she told us that the one thing we had to try was their chicken soup. It’s a Cuban Restaurant, more of a lunch place, all the employees speaking Spanish to each other but perfect English to the customers. Naturally the Chicken soup is the starter, loaded with chunked moist white meat with potatoes, noodles and carrots in a broth like a garbanzo bean soup (however there are no beans in this soup), it was as good as we had been told, simmered long and slow to bring out all the tender goodness. Next up, Dixie got the Ropa Vieja, tender shredded beef, marinated, seasoned, and slow cooked, this is even better than any Restaurant in Ybor City in Tampa. It comes with enough yellow rice and black beans and fried sweet plantains to fill up the hungriest human. I tried the lunch special of chicken and yellow rice, this is a HUGE plate full of delicious chicken and yellow rice and it is GOOD it arrived just warm not hot. Dixie is craving sweet so she orders the flan, it’s coated with super sweet caramalized glaze, it was the creamy finish to what was to have beeen just a light lunch for us, so much for good intentions. We are headed to the boat races now and the KW7 are at the Navy Pier The Outer Mole is what they call it. There are concessions, so they have beer and food for sale, Thank God. I’m not a big race fan, watching boats go round and round gets a little boring, if I was driving it would be a whole different story. After the final race we go to the pits where the “Stihl” Boat team has invited us for drinks, we kill a few beers and then thank them for their hospitality and its off to The Conch Republic

for Mojitos, and appetizers courtesy of Glenn and Charlene. We are getting a little tired so Dixie and I take off to the campground but stop off at Publix for a loaf of bread and some cheese for a light snack/dinner and star gazing since it is such a nice clear night. That’s it for today. See Ya Brian

It’s Saturday

I’m up early and do a 2 mile walk, write my blog and do some reviews on Anthony Bourdain contest. Dixie has been wanting to try B.O. Fish Wagon

and so we are off to eat lunch there. It doesn’t matter what side you enter from, this place is my kind of dump. It was a 8×12 food trailor that has had tin roofs added onto it until it is a menagerie of roof styles and leaks. But enough about the almost building. You wait in line, and place your order,pay cash as credit cards are not accepted, for fish,shrimp or conch sandwiches and add what ever side that you want, get a cold beer and find a table and clean it off yourself and wait for your fresh tasty fish to arrive.Today grouper(fried only) or Dolfin,we get it blackened and a side of hand cut fries. Both sandwiches served on soft loaf bread, their own homemade key lime sauce, lettuce and tomato.A hunk of grouper dusted with corn meal breading and the dolfin blackened. Nothing not to like here. If you want ambience go some place else, this place is about plain old good tasting fish and if you don’t like it they don’t care. While we are there Glenn calls up and they are back from fishing and let us know that they will pick us up for a boat ride, on the way to us the Super boat “Aquamania” flips and they are the first boat on site, as they are approaching the capsized boat they see the rescue hellicopter dropping divers to get the people out, everybody looks OK but there’s a million bucks down the drain. So they pick us up and we’re cruising around looking at all of the go fast boats in for the race and poker run. There’s a 37′ with 5 that’s right 5 -350 HP engines,

 absolutley amazing. We see 2 wet people with life jackets on coming in on another rescue boat, another boat “All Jacked Up”

has flipped also. We decide to watch them pump the water out of the boats and haul them out of the water.

 We head back to the condo and clean up the boat and then head back to the campground to get ready for the night out. First off we are off to the 94′ Yacht for appetizers and drinks on the boat “Judy Ann” owned by the Stihl Guy.

This is the view from the balcony of my friend’s high-rise apartment building. Need I say more? No? Well, I will anyway. This apartment is paid for, fully furnished and in MIAMI. It’s provided as part of a fellowship program in which the participants travel around the country working on various projects and learning about the company they work for.

So while I live here:

The fellows live here:

Again… need I say more?

I think no one (especially my parents or high school guidance counselors) ever looked at my high school report card. Had they ever done so, they would have noticed an A in chemistry, an A in physics, and an A in pre-calculus. Perhaps these grades would have indicated an aptitude for engineering? I don’t know. I suppose the A+ in Advanced Placement English and Art History may have overshadowed my math and science classes. And shit… would I have listened to anyone at that point in my life anyway? I had wanted to be an artist since I was six years old, remember?

Alas, we cannot dwell on the past (though I was doing so the entire weekend and still am at this very moment). I have decided to try and focus on what’s ahead. My weekend in Florida was refreshing and stimulating and certainly has me contemplating my future… as an ENGINEER. Just kidding (sort of).

Some final reflections:

Perhaps a Southern relocation is in order. I mean, 84 degrees in November, with sun on your back and the Ocean at your feet. Wow. Does it get better than that?

I really love to travel. Anyone who knows me, know this, but each time I visit a new place I am reminded of its importance in my life. And I can’t travel without money. And I can’t make money without a JOB. But why not find a job (like my engineering friends) that will allow me to travel?

I discovered that Always Sunny in Philadelphia is the funniest show ever (this new-found favorite is thanks to a four hour marathon Sunday night). AND I’m in love with Charlie.

Everyone must experience the drive from Miami to Key West at least once in their lifetime. It’s the most beautiful three hours in a car you can ask for (if you’re not crammed in the back seat of a micro van, that is).

Okay, enough of my random thoughts on the awesomeness of Florida. What I have learned this week is that, perhaps I need to think bigger when it comes to making my next career move. Or go back to school for the third time…

Florida Places !!

Florida (esp: Flowered Land) indeed is one of the most scenic and beautiful states located in South Eastern USA. With its warm weather and hundreds of miles of beaches attract about 60 million visitors every year The top three tourist locations in Florida are Miami for its blissful beaches, urbanized skyline & hottest nightlife, Orlando the home of Walt Disney with largest vacation resorts and theme parks and beautiful Key West island in the Straits of Florida famous for its scenic drive with oceans on both sides and toasting at sunset

1. Orlando: Top Places to Share a Smile

The world always looks brighter from behind a smile. As Mark Twain said, “wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.” Put a smile on your family’s faces with these surefire Orlando landmarks that are known as both smile inducers, and places where memories are made.

Breakfast with Mickey. Share a smile with Mickey Mouse and his friends at a Walt Disney World^® character breakfast.

Journey to Atlantis at SeaWorld^® Orlando. Brave twists, turns and watery falls of mythical proportions as you explore the mysterious lost city of Atlantis aboard this thrilling water coaster ride at SeaWorld Orlando.

Dinner for Two at Hemingway’s. It’s just the two of you, enjoying a sumptuous and romantic meal in an authentic Key West setting at Hemingway’s.

Find the Perfect Gift. Discover the perfect item for a loved one, something you know they’ll treasure forever, and buy it for a song at an area outlet mall.

Finally Relaxing. Let all your cares melt away while getting a massage at the Mandara Spa at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel.

Discover a New Favorite. Feel yourself unwind as you dance the night away to your favorite song, and find a few new ones at upscale lounge Blue Martini.

Lose Yourself on the Green. Play 18 holes at Eagle Creek Golf Club, and finally lose your handicap.

Get Cultured at the Orlando Ballet. Buy a ticket, take a seat and let yourself be transported from the grace of Swan Lake to the romance of fair Verona at the Orlando Ballet.

Get Animated at Universal Studios Florida^®. Brace yourself for a wild ride with Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson, stars of TV’s longest running series, The Simpson’s at Universal Studios Florida.

Reconnect with the Ones You Love. After a long day of activities, sit down for a much-needed family meal prepared in the comfort and convenience of an elegant vacation home.

If your family is visiting Orlando, you’ll have plenty of thrills to experience. The destination is loading up on the new theme-park action, providing parks, rides, shows and parades that are only available in Orlando. Get wet at Aquatica™— SeaWorld’s Waterpark, take a ride withThe Simpsons at Universal Studios Florida^® or have a “Block Party Bash” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ Just remember to get some rest, because with all of the new excitement, you’re going to need it.

Worlds of Discovery

The Busch Entertainment Corporation family of adventure parks is now known as Worlds of Discovery. Worlds of Discovery parks include Aquatica – SeaWorld’s Waterpark, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, SeaWorld Orlando and Discovery Cove, as well as the company’s other theme parks throughout the country.

Aquatica — SeaWorld’s Waterpark opened in March 2008. The one-of-a-kind park will include up-close animal experiences, high-speed thrills and wide, sandy beaches. Aquatica is the first new water park to open in Orlando in 12 years. It features 36 water slides; six rivers and lagoons and more than 80,000 square feet (7,432 square meters) of beach area. Guests are immersed with live animals in the park, including Commerson’s dolphins, brilliant macaws and colorful fish.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay unveiled an exotic jungle area in the theme park, called Jungala. The four-acre (1.6-hectare) attraction area is be located in the existing Congo area and includes tiger, orangutan and gibbon habitats mixed with dense landscaping. Two signature rides have been added including a zip line experience with three different flight patterns, and a ride launching guests above a towering waterfall. A three-story family climbing area letting visitors explore different layers of jungle life and a children’s water-play area has also been constructed. Two new restaurants, Bengal Bistro and Orang Café, opened in the themed area.

SeaWorld Orlando introduced the next generation of SeaWorld thrills with Manta — a new mega-attraction which seamlessly transitions guests from the awe of encountering rays in underwater flight into the sensation of actually being one. Swooping over sea and sky, Manta inspires riders with amazing underwater animal habitats, then soars them face-down, in a horizontal position, aboard a manta-inspired flying coaster.

Universal Orlando Resort

Universal Studios Florida unveiled a new ride based on FOX’s blockbuster hit series, The Simpsons. Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson —stars of TV’s longest running series — ride along with guests in the new attraction, which takes them on a hysterical, almost unimaginable adventure. And don’t forget about Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit^SM, a new high-tech, multi-sensory roller coaster, that is anticpated to open this year. On this adrenaline-filled thrill ride, you’ll have the power to create your own unique roller coaster, complete with a soundtrack, lighting scheme and special effects chosen by you. On-board cameras record your pulse-pounding flight in what is surely the world’s most technologically advanced roller caoster. After the actions stops, you’ll have a video of all the fun to take home.

Opening in spring 2010, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ at Universal’s Islands of Adventure^® will provide visitors with a one-of-a-kind experience complete with multiple attractions, shops and a signature eating establishment. This completely immersive environment will transcend generations and bring the wonder and magic of the amazingly detailed Harry Potter books and films to life.

Walt Disney World Resort

Disney-MGM Studios theme park has been renamed Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The new name, which reflects how the park has grown from representing the golden age of movies to a celebration of the new entertainment that today’s Hollywood has to offer, debuted in 2008. The park also unveiled the following attractions:

• Toy Story Mania! involves an interactive “Toy Story” competition inspired by the film. 3-D glasses put guests in the middle of the action as they board vehicles and zip into a world of exciting midway-style games hosted by their favorite characters. The ride opened in summer 2008.



• “Block Party Bash” encourages guests to play, party and dance at the new interactive Disney parade, which opened in March 2008.
• “Playhouse Disney — Live on Stage!” introduces a whole new cast of friends engaging children in singing, clapping and dancing. The new show opened in February 2008.
• At “The American Idol Experience,” guests will experience the challenge of auditioning, the rush of performing and the thrill of judging performances live on an interactive set. Guest performers with the highest votes will win a guaranteed reservation for future “American Idol” auditions. The attraction opened in early 2009.

2. KEY WEST

In Key West, you can visit these and a host of other attractions by taking advantage of convenient public transportation, taxis, pedi-cabs, tour trains, trolleys, bicycles or even your own two feet. For a visual introduction to the sights of Key West, please peruse our iPix virtual panoramic tours.

With its balmy weather and crystal blue skies, the island is famous among the outdoors set for its diving, fishing, watersports andgolfing at the nearby Key West Golf Club, a course designed by Rees Jones.

But only in Key West would the sun shine the brightest when it sets. Everyone gathers for the never planned, always varied Sunset Celebration on the Mallory Dock.

Once the sun is safely tucked away by jugglers, mimes, musicians and street artists, the city moves to a different beat. A night beat. The streets, filled withsidewalk cafes, open-air bars, legendarypubs and world-class restaurants come alive. Gourmets and gourmands alike treat their palates to island specialties. Drama,musicals and comedy flourish on our stages.

Key West’s African cultural heritage is represented by the vibrant Bahama Village neighborhood, founded in the early 1800s by Africans migrating from the Bahamas, and in historic churches, indigenous food and annual festivals.

Among Key West’s most significant African cultural sites is the 1860 African Burial Ground, located on the island’s Atlantic Ocean shore beside a Civil War-era fort. It is believed by experts to be America’s only African refugee cemetery.

A memorial honoring the buried Africans is being constructed at the site.

New restaurants and stores are popping up in the historic Bahama Village neighborhood, which was settled in the 19th Century by Bahamian immigrants. Hemingway loved coming here to mix with the hard-working locals at boxing matches and arm-wrestling contests.

3. Miami

Miami is a major coastal city in southeastern Florida, Miami’s skyline is ranked third most impressive in the U.S., behind New York City and Chicago, and 18th in the world according to the Almanac of Architecture and Design.In 2008, Miami was ranked as “America’s Cleanest City” according to Forbes Magazine for its year-round good air quality, vast green spaces, clean drinking water, clean streets and city-wide recycling programs.

Miami has a true tropical climate, specifically the Tropical monsoon climate (Köppen climate classification Am)^[24] with hot & humid summers and warm winters, with a marked dry season in the winter

Downtown Florida (watch video for a flava of Miami)

Miami Beaches

Miami’s beaches offer a great opportunity to get some exercise or just enjoy some time in the sun! In this article, I take a look at a few of my favorite beaches, including a couple of lesser-used spots where you’ll be able to avoid the tourist crowd.

1. South Beach:

Miami Beach has been synonymous with glamour, glitz and non-stop sun. The epicenter of the beach is really on the barrier island’s south end, which is why South Beach is really what people mean when they refer to Miami Beach. At 17 blocks long and 12 blocks wide, South Beach is a perfect place for a walk.

South Beach is the quintessential Miami beach experience. It’s the place to see and be seen and show off the product of months in the gym. South Beach isn’t clothing optional, but topless bathing is permitted. The beach is located on Ocean Drive, across the street from many of Miami Beach’s famous nightclubs

With boutiques, restaurants, bars, clubs, museums and, of course, sandy beaches, you’ll never be bored. The following is a perfect walking tour for an afternoon, or can be split up over a day or two..

2. Virginia Key Beach

Virginia Key Beach is one of the most interesting beaches in South Florida. It’s located right off the Rickenbacker Causeway (on both the north and south sides) near the Miami Seaquarium. The location makes for easy access and some areas become crowded, but there are plenty of secluded spots (such as the one shown in the photo) if you’re willing to explore a bit. Don’t be surprised if you see me when you visit. I love to take my black lab for a walk/swim on the only area beach that allows leashed dogs.

3. Haulover Beach

Haulover Beach, located on Miami Beach between Sunny Isles Beach and Bal Harbour, is known around the world as Miami’s only legal “clothing optional” nude beach. If you’re skittish about shedding your swimsuit, never fear. The beach offers traditional sunbathing as well and the nude beach is clearly marked to avoid accidents! Haulover Beach is a fantastic surfing spot.

4. Bill Baggs State Park

Bill Baggs State Park, located on the south end of Key Biscayne, is home to the famous Cape Florida lighthouse. The park provides sunbathing, swimming and history in the same spot! You can spend some time on the beach and enjoy a guided tour of the lighthouse. Fishing is also allowed from the seawall. The park also hosts Boater’s Grill, a full service restaurant.

5. Homestead Bayfront Park and Marina

Homestead Bayfront Park is a great option if you’re looking to avoid the tourist scene. Located in the southern portion of Miami Dade County, Bayfront Park offers swimming and boating options with a full-service marina. It’s located at 9698 SW North Canal Drive.

Miami Everglades

With 1.5 million acres of swamps, saw-grass prairies and sub-tropical jungles, Everglades National Park is one of the most unusual public parks in the United States. Located on the southern tip of Florida, the park is home to 14 rare and endangered species, including the American Crocodile, the Florida Panther and the West Indian Manatee. A large portion of the park is primitive, explored only by adventurists and researchers – but visitors have ample opportunity to walk, camp and canoe.

Fairchild Tropical Garden

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden provides residents and visitors with a uniquely South Florida garden experience. Dedicated to preserving the diversity of tropical plants, Fairchild features some of the world’s best collections of palms, cycads, flowering trees, vines and fruit trees along with other tropical plants. The garden also contains a 2-acre tropical rainforest, a fruit pavilion and a new exhibit entitled Jewels of the Caribbean.

Miami Nightlife

Miami is home to some famous nightclubs, such as Space, Mansion, Parkwest, Ink, and Cameo. The city is known to be part of clubland, along with places such as Mykonos, Ibiza and Ayia Napa.

Ocean Drive Nightlife

The first place that most visitors flock to is Ocean Drive, the always-packed catwalk that hugs the Atlantic Ocean. While this is a fine place to drink and dine (especially during the day, under a shady umbrella, when the sun is at its peak), there really aren’t many clubs on this 15-block stretch. Two exceptions: the Clevelander, a landmark bar/hotel/poolside hangout. Yes, there is a pool in the middle of the patio, and yes, you can dangle your feet (or other body parts) in the pool. It’s also a perfect example of Art Deco architecture, in case you care enough to rip your eyes away from the beautiful people lounging around.Another fun Ocean Drive hangout is Mango’s Tropical Café. This is a U.S. version of Havana clubs of days past: salsa bands, sexy dancers in tight leopard-print hot pants, frothy tropical drinks. A menu and sidewalk seating is also available.

Arts & Museums

Miami is home to many entertainment venues, theaters, museums, parks and performing arts centers.

The city is home to numerous museums as well, many of which are in Downtown. These include the Bass Museum, Frost Art Museum, Historical Museum of Southern Florida, Jewish Museum of Florida, Lowe Art Museum, Miami Art Museum, Miami Children’s Museum, Miami Science Museum,Museum of Contemporary Art, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Wolfsonian-FIU Museum and the Miami Cultural Center, home of the Main Miami Library. Other popular cultural destinations in the area include Jungle Island, Miami MetroZoo, Miami Seaquarium, Coral Castle, St. Bernard de Clairvaux Church, Charles Deering Estate, and parks and gardens in and around the city; there are over 80 parks in Miami.[34] The largest and most popular parks are Bayfront Park and Bicentennial Park (located in the heart of Downtown and the location of the American Airlines Arena and Bayside Marketplace),Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Tropical Park, Watson Island, Morningside Park and Key Biscayne.

This is too much to cover if you have just  few days of Vacation. So be prepared to pick for now and for more later bcoz you are gonna fall in love with it and revisit the Funtastic Florida…Life never misses a beat here..

Keywest are comprised of five young men, Andy Kavanagh (vocals), Andrew Glover (Guitar, vocals and keys), James Lock (lead guitar),  Sam Marder (bass) and Gary Grant (Drums). The band have already enjoyed some success with their single “Miss you most” which charted at number 6 back in April, no mean feat for a band just starting out. Since then, Keywest have been touring around the country, playing high-profile gigs such as the Rose of Tralee festival. While building up a positive reputation in the Irish music industry, they couldn’t avoid building a plethora of comparisons to well-established, well thought of fellow Dublin band, The Script.

The band performed in The Village on Dublin’s Wexford street,  on Saturday the 7th of November to promote their long-awaited debut album. Support came from yet another Dublin band finding their way out of the word work, Seven Days, and the increasingly popular Roof Top Anthem, who never fail to impress. Keywest themselves put on an impressive show for the crowd on the night, playing every song from they’re forthcoming album, and then some. The set was a balanced mix of moving ballads and imposing pop songs to get the crowd dancing. The crowd were even treated to some never-before-heard songs that have only recently been recorded for the album.

Andy Kavanagh’s vocals were remarkable throughout the performance, with the exception of one forgivable crackle towards the end of the gig. At the bar, spectators were commenting on his strong vocal abilities, something which stands for more than any journalist’s review. Guitarist Andrew Glover played off Kavanagh’s embraceable energy, showing the comradery within the band. There is nothing more refreshing than a band that are more than just a band, but also friends, and Keywest’s effortless and together performance showed that this is true of them. In reviewing the gig, it would be ridiculous not to comment on how happy the band were, it was delightful watching a band that genuinely enjoy themselves, rather than just going through the motions of performing the set.

Although the mix of up-beat pop songs and soothing ballads was refreshing, it has to be said that the atmosphere amongst the crowd waned a little when the slower songs were performed, this will surely change when the songs become more familiar after the release of the album. To uplift the crowd following the slower songs, the band played two impressive covers. A rocked-up cover of Beyonce’s “Sweet dream” followed a welcomed version of the summer’s main anthem “I got a feelin’” by Black Eyed Peas. The covers fit in perfectly with they’re own better known songs such as “On angels wings” and the deliciously catchy “Where you’ll find me”.

While the band’s songs are veering more towards the pop side of the musical spectrum, guitarist James Lock adds a touch more rock to the band. He will be the definition between the script’s pure pop songs, and Keywest’s slightly edgier sound, when the band break out of the music scene. Lock’s presence was truly felt on the night with his incredible guitar solos. When the show began he seemed to just fade in with the rest of the band, however, he suddenly burst into an astonishing solo which send the crowd into a whirl of admiration for the fresh-faced guitarist.

Before the encore, the band finished their set with what is arguably their best song, the emotion ridden “the one that got away”. The song encouraged the crowd to finally come out of their shells, and to dance and clap along. The band briefly left the stage and returned with a lengthened version of their hit single “miss you most”. The set came to an explosive end with an introduction to each band member, met by cheers from the impressed crowd, and a thunderous instrumental ending to a thunderous performance.

While a little more perfecting may be needed from the band, Keywest are the eclectic, edgier pop band Ireland has been screaming out for.

Although I wouldn’t change a thing if I had the whole experience to do over again, not being in Yankee Stadium to see the Yankees win their 27th World Series title, and being 1,200 miles away instead, was a truly bizarre event.

At game one of the 2009 World Series with my fiancée

Let me explain: Anyone who has met me for six seconds or read this blog more than once knows I’m a die-hard Yankees fan. I had partial season tickets in Box 611 in the old Yankee Stadium since 1997, specifically for the purpose of being able to go to postseason games. It takes a very significant event to get me to miss any postseason game, much less the final game of a World Series.

And I was fortunate enough to be in Key West for a very significant event, which, as I already said, I wouldn’t change at all. One of my closest friends got married, and she found an absolutely fantastic guy. Not being there was never a consideration.

Something similar happened to me a couple of years ago, when I missed the Cowboys-Giants game, also for the wedding of another very close friend. I wasn’t the least bit upset with either friend in either case. In the case of the football game, it was just bad scheduling luck. In the case of the World Series, it was just pure stupidity on the part of Major League Baseball. The World Series should not extend into November, and the fact that a potential game seven would have been played Nov. 5 is a sad joke. I never gave the World Series a thought when making the travel plans. November is NOT baseball season.

A stop at the greatest breakfast place on Earth on the way down to Key West

So I ended up watching games three through six all over the place, after attending games one and two at Yankee Stadium.

I watched game three at my fiancée’s father’s house in Boynton Beach with three Phillies fans: my fiancée, her father and her stepmom. I actually like the Phillies, so this wasn’t an issue, with just a little good-natured ribbing going on.

I watched game four at Whiskey Tango, an excellent sports bar in Hollywood, FL, with my fiancée, my best man and his wife, the latter friends since college.

I watched game five at the pool bar of the Southernmost Hotel Collection in Key West, where we were all staying for the wedding. The wedding, incidentally, was a perfect beach wedding on a beautiful day, and I’m ecstatic that I was able to be there.

And I watched the sixth and final game at Jack Flats, also in Key West, with an interesting mix: a healthy number of Yankees fans, a healthy number of Phillies fans and one ass hat wearing a Red Sox shirt.

The main thing I learned from games five and six: Whiskey is evil.

I had a great time, and I couldn’t ask for better company. It still felt surreal watching the Yankees and my fellow fans celebrating in the Bronx and not being there, but it was for a worthy cause and, as I said, I’d do it all over again.

On the beach at Key West, after the wedding

Here is a little video from this morning’s class.  So many of you have asked what is yoga rhythms?  Here is a little taste of it. 

Come on down and enjoy the experience.

” there’s nothing ambivalent about the way Jody Carlson brings Key West into her house. Local art,color,tropical gardens and music are all here.”

“Weatherboard and shutters, pink and white paint work and pretty wooden verandas put The Popular House in Key West firmly into the Hemmingway category of picturesque Victoriana in the Florida Keys.”

Wer mich kennt, weiß, dass ich, wenn’s um Großereignisse geht, eher zu Zurueckhaltung neige, was meine Erwartungen diesbezüglich angeht. Einfach, um Enttäuschungen vorzubeugen, pflege ich die Angewohnheit, im Vorhinein eher mit Understatement heranzugehen, immer dem Sprichwort folgend:

Pessimisten können nicht negativ überrascht werden.

Um auf den Punkt zu kommen: so ein Großereignis stand vergangenes Wochenende für mich. Fantasy Fest in Key West. Berichterstattungen anderer zufolge findet bei diesem Festival eine durch völlig verrückte Freaks bevölkerte Parade statt, welche Vergleiche mit Mardigras nicht zu scheuen braucht. Da ich wie erwähnt eher skeptisch auf derartig ueberschwängliche Aussagen reagiere, dachte ich mir: “Jaja, sicher nur ein etwas ausgefallenerer Kindergeburtstag”. Trotzdem wollte ich über Halloween nicht in South Beach bleiben und die Gelegenheit nutzen, ein Wochenende in Key West zu verbringen – ob mit Freaks oder ohne.

Schon die vierstündige Anreise in bereits vormals erwaehntem knallroten Ford Mustang war ein beschwingter Start in das Partywochenende und erinnerte (für Außenstehende) etwas an Mädchen-RoadTrip Szenen à la “Thelma and Louise” nur ohne Mord und Todschlag.

Angekommen wurden wir sehr herzlich von unseren Bekannten empfangen und konnten sogar ein ruhiges Plätzchen finden, uns Fantasy Fest tauglich zu bekleiden. Wären wir echte HardCore Feiernde gewesen, hätte dies geheissen, dass wir nichts hätten tragen müssen. Da wir aber artige Maedels sind, besannten wir uns unserer ausgesprochen guten Kinderstube und trugen unsere Röcke etwas länger und unsere Ausschnitte etwas weniger tief als der Durchschnitt.

Trotzdem erhielten wir zahlreiche Komplimente für unsere Outfits. Hauptsächlich weil wir nicht vollkommen nackt waren, aber trotzdem ansehnlich aussahen. Natuerlich habe ich auch eine ganz wunderbare Bekanntschaft gemacht. In gewisser Weise hat sie einige Jahre meiner Kindheit begleitet und um ehrlich zu sein, winkt sie mir auch noch heut hin und wieder von der Mattscheibe entgegen. Zwar ist sie im Fernsehen eher selten nackt, aber ich habe sie dennoch wieder erkannt.

Natürlich war die Parade nicht alles. Danach stürmten alle Schaulustigen die zuvor abgesperrte Zone, auf der die mächtigen Festzugvehikels die Massen passierten und wanderten von dort geschlossen zu den zahlreichen Clubs und Aftershow Parties auf der Hauptstraße, wo kräftig weiter gefeiert wurde.

Am Ende des Abends habe ich über 190 Fotos geschossen und Videos gedreht und damit dummerweise meinen Akku gekillt. Da mir jedoch die WordPress Pro Version fehlt und ich daher keine Bildergalerien anlegen kann, um euch zumindest die Leckerbissen in gebündelter Form vor Augen zu führen, muss meine Berichterstattung nun ein abruptes Ende nehmen. Natürlich ist jeder, der detailierte Infos oder mal Freddy Krüger in Windeln sehen möchte, herzlich eingeladen, sich von mir anrufen zu lassen.

Da es wirklich schwer ist, die Stimmung vor Ort in Worte zu fassen, drehte ich an die 10 Mini Videos. Bei der späteren Ansicht dieser am heimischen Laptop musste ich jedoch resignierend feststellen, dass nicht annähernd herüber kommt, wie voll und laut es war, welch verrückte Gestalten dort herum liefen, auch wie unglaublich nett und friedlich alle waren, trotzdem der Alkohol eher in Massen als in Maßen floss, ist wirklich beeindruckend und für künftige Massenveranstaltungen in heimischen Gefilden wünschenswert.

Ehrlicherweise muss ich jedoch zugeben, dass besagte Hauptstrasse von Key West und Schauplatz des ganzen Spektakels am nächsten Morgen aussah wie der Berliner Alexanderplatz zu Neujahr, bevor die BSR den Besen schwingen konnte und roch wie das mittelalterliche Paris in den ersten 10 Minuten des Films “Das Parfum” beschrieben wird.

]]> http://blog.yogaonbeach.com/2009/11/02/first-day-greetings/ Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:26:57 +0000 njcyogi http://blog.yogaonbeach.com/2009/11/02/first-day-greetings/

It was a most magnificent morning at Yoga on the Beach as we kicked off our season.  The ocean was flat calm and the most beautiful shade of blue .  As Don begin to bring us to center and inward I was completely distracted by a pod of dolphins leaping behind him as if to say welcome back!   I breathed in their joy, and breathed out deep appreciation to them.

A slight breeze kept us cool, as the blue of the sky brought a sense of spaciousness to the practice. 

Supine, Divine

As our practice took us onto our backs I looked up at the green of the pines, and noticed a few birds observing us as we stretched our legs and back.  The feeling of welcome was all around us.

Embraced by the warmth of the sun we continued our practice to honor the full moon today in moon salutation.   Opening the side body is such a delight, as we breathed through our ribs like gills opening and expanding all around our hearts.  Ahhhh!

Today I felt appreciation all around me in nature and with my fellow students.  Tomorrow I look forward to sharing this experience with you again, virtually or on the beach.

Namaste,
Nancy

These Beverly Feldman's are perfect for chasing rainbows and what ever else in life you may need. Photo by Jean Thornton

Rainbows in Key West are not an uncommon sight, especially during the rainy season. On my morning walk with the dog after a pre-dawn rain shower, a perfect rainbow presented itself against an equally flawless blue sky.  I fought the child-like desire to chase the colors sprayed across the sky in an attempt to find the mythical pot of gold promised on the other end.  But even as adults, no matter how fast we run or how far we drive, it seems the end of the rainbow is never reached.  So why, even when we know better, do we still feel drawn to chasing rainbows?

It could be the cynic in me or it could have been that, at the exact moment nature was presenting a wonder in the sky, my mp3 player was blasting You Can’t Always Get What You Want  by the Rolling Stones, giving me a strange urge to run the exact opposite direction of the rainbow.  After all, if Mick Jagger’s words are right we get what we need, not always what we want.  The independent woman in me agrees—I get what I need through my hard work and ambition.  A goal-driven person like me must believe her success is the result of her own efforts and is not what is found at the end of mystical illusion. 

However, if I listen to Kermit the Frog, who actually gives very good advice, I am told not to believe that rainbows are not simply visions or illusions yet in reality are what separate the lovers and dreamers from the rest of the world.  Judy Garland sang of a world where troubles melted away and blue birds soared.  If there was ever a girl who needed her troubles to melt away it was Judy.  It is easy to see why as children rainbows sent our hearts racing.  Let us not forget that a somewhat healthy breakfast can consist of a bowl of Lucky Charms—a sugary treasure, but a treasure none the less.  

So is it better to believe in a pot of gold and a land made of dreams we had when we young—or is it best to stay grounded in our own reality, understanding that discovering unclaimed treasures seldom happens in the real world?  As much as I would like to believe that a shoe closet filled with all the high-heeled wonders this shoe girl could imagine would be at the end of my rainbow,  another part of  me has to me realize that, like the many other fantasies we hold as children, following rainbows are not the most practical use of our time. 

On the only side of the rainbow I know, I have no choice but to see the reality of life.   Dreams do not always come true on this side; at times there can be more frustration and stress than happiness.  It seems that as we get older, we give up the ideals we once had about careers, relationships, and the types of people we want to be.   It becomes just as unrealistic to continue chasing the dreams of perfection and unending bliss as it does to chase a rainbow.

And just when I think the push of the world is too much, I look up on a morning walk and see a rainbow arching across the top of the world.  I personally cannot help thinking that maybe Kermit and the Rolling Stones are both a little right.  We can not always get what we want; more often than not it is a struggle just to get what we need.  And we should never feel bad for accepting the difference between what we want and what we need.  But yes, I also believe there is still a rainbow connection out there too—a place where everything is bright and where our pot of gold waits for us in whatever form that “gold” might be.   And we should never feel bad for chasing rainbows even when it’s impractical.

For now I will choose to still let those color bands to be more than just visions and illusions and keep searching for my rainbow connection.  And if Kermit really is right those colors may just show us who we really are.  Treasures can be hard to find, but I am pretty sure that when they are found it is amazing.  There just might be a day when you wake up with the clouds far behind you; until then, a rainbow ahead of you is a good sign.

I know most of you have never been to Key West, but if you ever get the chance…go!

Having lived there for almost two years, I could tell you about all of the typical tourist places to pop into just to say you did, but I won’t because truthfully if you only have a couple of days or a few hours off a cruise ship, then you shouldn’t waste any time. So spend your time in the places with history, wander the cemetery (amazing!!), take a house and garden tour, or eat somewhere a little off Duval.

And if you do get time to shop, head toward Petronia Street. A favorite shop of mine is located in between Whitehead and Thomas.
It’s called “Besame Mucho,” which means “Kiss me again and again…”

Romantic, right?

It is, but not necessarily in a “boy-meets-girl” kind of way, although that might be true as well. Besame Mucho oozes romance in a way that makes you stop and appreciate all the little things in life. From the music played, to the Moroccan glasses displayed – there is something just a little special about everything they carry.

And for the architectural enthusiasts among us (me included!), the tiny conch cottage which houses the whimsical store just adds to the uniqueness of Besame Mucho.

Part of the reason I’m so enamored with remembering Besame Mucho right now is because I’m headed to Key West in a couple of weeks…it’s only for the day, but I’m excited to take Michael on a tour of all the little places I used to love.
Those out of the way haunts are what I remember and loved most about the Conch Republic.