Spring break week & my cousins were spread all across Florida so we all met in Siesta Key on April fool’s day. Here we all are… Mark, Dean, Ricky, Heather, Diane, me, Lucian, Aunt Barb, Ronnie, red hat is Uncle Rick (who’s 97 years old!), Alexia, Nina, Niki & Darryn. We walked around Siesta Key Village where all the restaurants & bars are. Daiquiri Deck was our first stop where we had lots of daiquiris, buckets of daiquiris:) Uncle Rick did 2 shot of rum……… April fools!
As we were walking across the street my Mom & I run into our South Euclid neighbors from Homestead Road! Small world. We had a drink with them. Then went to the beach. Siesta Key has the softest sand evaaa. It was voted #1 best beach in the US. The sand was so white too
So fun hanging out with the whole fam in Florida. We are all seriously thinking of moving to Siesta Key … April fools!
For Valentine’s Day we went to Turks & Caicos. If you’ve never been you need to go. We stayed at Gansevoort on Grace Bay which is voted one of the best beaches. It is beautiful with white sand, the sand so soft & the water a turquoise color just like you see on the front of a postcard! The beaches reminded me of Anguilla’s.
We walked the beaches almost every morning, laid out on the beach & at the pool & only left the resort one night to go to dinner. A couple restaurants that were recommended to us were: Magnolia’s which sits up on a hill & faces the marina and Coco Bistro. But don’t try to go to these 2 restaurants on a Monday, like we did, this is the only day they are closed. We ended up at Cayaba. I always had good food at the restaurants at Gansevoort. You’re going to get fresh fish anywhere you go on the island. As you walk Grace Bay you’ll find all different restaurants & bars along the beach. We stopped at Somewhere… it’s literally called “Somewhere” They have 3 levels of outdoor tables so it’s a good view of the water & to watch the sunset.
Definitely one of my favorite islands in the Caribbean! It doesn’t matter where you stay… all the beaches are beautiful & it doesn’t matter where you eat… the food is fresh.
After the groundhog did not see his shadow (which doesn’t really matter her in So. Fl… but I’m happy for family & friends up north), we went to the West Palm Beach Green Market near downtown on Clematis Street. Local businesses have tents & sell different types of food & drinks mostly. There was one tent selling freshly made red velvet doughnuts! I’m not that big on red velvet or doughnuts but these were so fresh & sooo good!! Didn’t even compare to Dunkin Donuts
Sunday morning we went to breakfast & the beach! Then spent the afternoon with some friends at the International Palm Beach Polo Club. We stomped the divots, drank some champagne & had dinner. I love going to the Polo Club… it’s so pretty, lots of fancy cars & you spend the day outside! We got home & watched the Superbowl halftime show with Beyonce… LOVE HER! I saw this quote online: “So I heard they’re playing football at the Beyonce concert tonight” hahah!
Rough life in Florida during the winter Hope you are staying warm or get to travel somewhere warm!!
We go to Montauk every year & have been for the past 6 years. We couldn’t make it there this summer til September… usually Mark & I go in the middle of summer. I always love going in July or August cause that’s when it’s the hottest. While we were there it was super sunny but it was a little chilly.
Montauk is all about spending the days at the beach & nights are for going to dinner & drinks at all the great restaurants. We stayed right on Fort Pond Bay. One day I rented a stand-up paddle board & tried it for the first time. It takes a couple times to get your balance but once you do it’s easy. I really didn’t feel like I got a workout… maybe if you do it for a couple hours. Mark went out on the board tried to stand up right away & fell off… ha! He was done with paddle boarding. During the day you can also take a drive to East Hampton for shopping & a good mani/pedi place I loooove is A.Studio Spa. It’s a boutique place that has everything from manicures & pedicures to laser treatments.
There were pretty sunsets every night. Going there in late summer (out of season is anytime after Labor Day weekend) the restaurants/bars are only open certain nights so MAKE reservations since restaurants have limited seating. My favorite place to eat is Crow’s Nest. We made it to Montauk Yacht Club, Harvest, Clam & Chowder, Backyard (at Sole East) and Swallow East. We didn’t make it to Surf Lodge this year. And I wanted to check out the Beach House. I’m glad we made it there this past summer… even if it was for a week. We spoiled ourselves last summer by staying there a whole month.
The beaches of Thailand are the hottest beaches I’ve been to! The temperatures were in the 90′s. They’re clean, white sandy beaches with beautiful blue water. The water was like bath water. All I did was take a million pictures.
First I spent a few days in Phuket. About an hour from the airport is a nice beach called Kata Beach. Packed with people from all over on “holiday.” The water is similar to when Mark & I were at Kaanapali Beach in Maui. Waves come crashing up on shore making it fun to ride the waves in. Some people not paying attention get tumbled over by the powerful waves… ha! Mark was having a blast in the water. I laid under an umbrella & tried a “Phuket Paradise” cocktail. The sun is so strong here… seriously! This is the most important tip if you want to travel to these beaches: WEAR SUNSCREEN & DO NOT BE IN THE SUN VERY LONG. At breakfast Mark saw a family of 4 that all get sunburned. The 2 children were so burnt, he said it looked like they had 3rd degree burns. People who live here & lay out do not get tan, they get black. I suggest you wear SPF 50 & don’t stay in the sun for more than an hour. I’ve never seen so many burnt people in my life!
Take a 2-hour boat ride & you reach the Phi Phi Islands. We stayed on Phi Phi Don where all the nice resorts are located. You can’t leave your resort unless you want to take a boat into town to pick up some groceries but that’s about all that’s there. Of course the resorts all have restaurants & bars on location.They are beautiful beaches to see!
I never made it to Phi Phi Leh where the movie The Beach staring Leonardo DiCaprio was filmed. No one lives on this island. You can take a boat to Phi Phi Leh’s Maya Bay for some snorkeling & pictures on the beach.
Hope you are staying warm or get to travel somewhere warm!!
