*postcards* from *south*fla*

hey, readers.

*

so,

I still have today,

tomorrow,

and

a tiny bit of Wednesday

left in

Florida.

*

[pic above of my splashin' feet while lounging with family at my great aunt tina's group pool]

*word blurts*

of the past three days so far:

pack,

airport,
plane,

TURBULENCE,

land,

gratitude,

palm trees,

heeeaaaattttt,

Grams,

baked clams,

shrimp cocktail,

hugs,

kisses,

laughs,

loudness,

magenta,

Aunt Tina,

cousin,

cousin,

sleep,

11:00,

breakfast,

waffles,

OJ,

love,

laughs,

bikini,

flip-flops,

chipped-mani,

pool,

splashing,

fancy dildoos,

chlorine,

wrinkles,

bathing caps,

lounging,

knotty hair,

miss my sis,

shower,

dinner,

soup,

Marsala,

twice baked,

show,

rock and roll,

live,

dance,

boogie,

boys in tights,

us girls,

mall visit,

Barnes & Noble,

chocolate ice cream cone,

bomb,

goodnight.

up

morning,

quick breakfast,

talk of the kitties,

kisses goodbye,

off to key west,

pics pics,

horizon,

checkers,

hicks,

hospitality,

mopeds,

endless riding,

up and down,

40 mph,

beaches,

duval,

polydactl cats,

hemingway,

balcony,

sweat,

moped moped moped,

buffalo shrimp,

mojito city,

date night,

heels,

dress,

moped,

sunset celebration,

awesome pics,

Jimmy,

6 drinks,

2 people,

cigar shop,

salsa music,

fail.

laugh,

tipped moped.

fail.

room,

night.

*

me,

computer,

now.

*

time for some continental breakfast, and then maybe a jet*ski adventure.

**

talk to you when i do.

**

have a nice monday...

all aboard JetBlue Flight 1 en route to Fort Lauderdale, FL...

that's me today, everybody.

it's *officially* here.

*

i've plowed through the past two weeks

and now

time to vacate the premises.

airport time.

*

*

...and what's my favorite thing about

*the airport*

besides the aura and atmosphere of far-away lands,

and big, winged metal and engine machines,

and shops and coffee stops,

and luggage tags, and the magazine rack, and the silly

souvenir shop??

*

*

airport style, yo.

*

here is the inspiration for mine:

hats & shades.

plain & simp.

*

just like this:

take a look at some *celeb*spiration* i gathered throughout the week,

in anticipation for my departing flight:

ashley tizz.

*

rachel bilse.

*

fuckin' meagan fox.

[like the shades, ain't crazy about the grumpy old man hat]

*

nicole 'always gets it right' ritchie

[my fedora/shades look hopefully gets pulled off somethin' like hers]

*

rhi-rhi

[...under her feh-dora, dora dora, eh eh eh...]

*

fuckin' meggy foxers again!

[okay, maybe this look isn't cool]

*

julieanne huff? houghs? the DWtS chick, turned country singer.

[like how laid-back this looks]

*

reese.

[the black = hotness, but not for today...more for fall, me thinks]

*

...and

last

but

not

least:

Kourtney K.

[i love every every every thing about this,

but i needs me a flopster hat]
*

i'll be wearing the hat seen in this post,

with one of these three sunnyG's.

*

for more stars' airport style

check it here.

*

*

*

*

*

i think that's

all she wrote, folks.

*

i'll try to write from a Starbs or something,

maybe post an in-the-middle-of-vacay

sippin-on somethin' at the beach shot

like

that crazy bananas girl did here.

[i *so loved* all her Hawaii posts]

*

wish me happy travs.

i hope the plane don't crash.

...and off i go.

{{smiles, skips a little, gigglegiggle}}

*tomorrow*...i *depart*

*today*...i do everything else

****

***

**

*

mainly, pack.

[although that is totally reserved for later on tonight when i'm going to be way too drowsy to focus on what i need to be a-packin']

i wish my luggage was

as neat and tidy as

those, above.

...and as vintagey-cute.

*

i found this webpage

and this webpage

that's supposed

to give me

a

checklist of

what to be packin'.

*
how cute are these luggage tags??!!??!!

*

wow.

*

i'm really *ALL* over the place today.

*

9:00 am

get my hair straightened, so I can look halfway decent during my busy-ass day today

*

10:00 am

mani/pedi?

i hope i can fit this in.

nobody likes rugged, raggedy, chipped, & crusted toes/fingertips on vacay

not cute.

*

12:00 pm

eyebrow threading.

ooooooooooowwwww-ch!!

*

1:00 pm

pick-up my new car :)

*

2:00 pm

server meeting @ Strawberry's Grill

this is where i'll get to air out all my peeves

with the job so far.

great. awesome.

NOT!

*

4:30 pm

the first day of my *thesis*class*

the LAST [yes, i did say L-A-S-T] class i'm required to complete

for my program @ Queens College

let'sDOthis!

[this seems like yesterday...already back to school...{whomp,whomp}]

*

7:30 pm

birthday dinner for

the boyf's uncle & daddydukes

*

*

*

breath.

*

*

*

come home and pack.

*

*

*

what a day, huh?

*

*

*

i'll get through it

knowing somewhere in

tomorrow-morning-land

i'm going to be outside

on the sidewalk

waiting to load my luggage

in the car

looking

something like

this:

yeah, excited as hell [accompanied by this feeling]

...and definitely *not* with heels on,

or size 00 skinny jeans,

but you get the point.

we need to tawk...

...about my fear that by *going*away* to *south*fla* for a few days, the babies will forget that i'm their mommy and when i come back, they'll treat me like a stranger

the thought really freaks me out.

*

they've been so cute, lately,

--as in the picture above--

and

i don't want to disturb their

state of comfort and bliss in the house.

*

little

Carmen Sandiego

below:

her little *pink* bunny nose is the best!

*

below,

Alejandro

is licking

his sister:

[remember this post?]

*

here,

he's grabbed hold of her head:

*

soooo...

notice from these pictures that

they've been hanging a lot

by the

front window:

above, Carmen.

below, Alejandro.

the reason for this new *window*hang*out*

is because my mother bought

them a new *scratch*pad*

and it's location is...haa haa!...by the window.

*

now,

let me tell you about this *scratch*pad*...

*

my mother casually

said to me somewhere at the

end of July/beginning of August,

"Oh, Amanda...I bought the kittens a scratch pad online."
*

*

*

oh, okay.

I thought nothing of it.

i figured

she bought them a nice, little scratch pad

to put in the corner of the room so

they won't scratch the furniture anymore.

okay.

cool.

*

*

*

the next thing she mentions about it is:

"Oh, it's six-feet tall."

*

*

*

six-feet tall??!!

*

*

*

i couldn't fathom where we would put it!

*

holy crap. six-feet!

*

that's when she slipped in the

last

part

about

it:

"...they had it in beige, but

i got the leopard print..."

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

oh, Helene...you are too much.
above, little ham Carmen, always aware of her camera
below, Alejandro over the edge
*
they really love their new tree house,
and
they love being able to look out the window:
*
they are the two cutest partners in crime:
i don't know what
i'm going to do away
from them for four whole days.
*
i tell myself, like a real parent,
i need to take care of me to
best take care of my babies.
*
that gets me through time away from them,
but
four whole days away from them
has never happened yet.
*
a night here and there, yes,
but
four. whole. days???!!!
*
i'm scared.
*
i don't want them to forget me,
or
be mad at me.
*
they've grown reallllllllly attached to me.
*
no, like, really.
*
it's even gone so far as
they watch me while I take a shower
and wait for me outside the shower door:
they just turned 4-months old,
and
i want them to stay my babies.
*
while both of them are attached to me,
my little boy, Alejandro,
is a total *mama's*boy*
*
i'm most worried about him
because he follows me around,
and sits on my lap while i'm at the computer,
and tries to "catch" the cursor on the screen.
he doesn't like anyone but me to hug up on him.
i don't want him to feel lonely.
*
look at the sad sap:

*

boy, it's hard being a mom.

*

...and my oldest baby, my neena, who's now 18,

is going to the vet today for the first time in years,

and

i'm afraid of what the vet might tell us about her.

{{deep sigh}}

*

God bless all my babies, and

all the babies of the world, and

the mommies and daddies who have way too much love for them.

*

aye yai yai!

*

Happy Wednesday...

...2 more days, *south*fla*...

*KeY*WeST* in ONe WeeK

next Sunday,

imma be kissin' Grams goodbye after breakfast

and travellin' with the boyf in our rental car

three-hours south to the Keys.

***

we'll know we're almost there

when we see

this sign:

****

Actually measuring 6.79 mi long,

the Seven Mile Bridge

connects the Middle and Lower Keys of Florida

and is believed to be the world's longest segmental bridge.

*

It has 39 expansion joints separating its cement sections.

the boyf is gonna pee himself going across this bridge.

i know it.

*

no, but really...he's got bathroom issues.

once across the bridge,

i'm pretty sure we'll see this image:

I will be ecstatic.

[info below found here]
***
A FEW TIDBITS ABOUT THE CONCH REPUBLIC
The Florida Keys are a unique chain of small and not-so-small islands and man-grove clusters stretching southwestward from the tip of the bottom of mainland Florida over 100 miles into the Atlantic Ocean. Key West, the southernmost city in the United States, is the most populated and best known of all the Keys and the Monroe County Seat. Some say Key West is the end of the road…we think it’s the beginning of an adventure!

MILE MARKERS
Key West, a four mile by approximately two mile island, is 159 miles southwest of Miami, 90 miles north of Cuba and 755 miles further south than Los Angeles. Both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico border Key West. The population is approximately 25,000 permanent residents. The Keys are linked to the mainland by the Overseas Highway (US 1) by 43 bridges (that’s a lot of bridges) from Florida City to Key West. The mile marker system starts with MM126 at Florida City (south of Miami) and ends with MM Zero at the corner of Fleming and Whitehead Streets in Old Town Key West. Key West is actually located much closer to Caribbean Islands than to mainland Florida. It’s the southernmost tip of land in the contiguous United States and the last and most exciting of the Florida Keys.

SO, WHAT’S A CONCH?
We speak of conch food, conch houses, conch talk, the beautiful conch shell, and conch as in seafood (fritters, ceviche) as well.

The word “conch” (pronounced KONK) also refers to a native of Key West, someone born on the island. An old conch may never have left the island of Key West. Some believe that the name originated with the migration of Bahamians to the Keys who were “conchs,” others think it came from the tradition of placing a conch shell on a stick in the yard to announce another birth had taken place on the island. No matter, a “conch is a conch” and only those born on the island are true conchs. New residents to the island other than those on a Key West vacation are called Key Westers. For free things to do in Key West check out the Annual Conch Shell Blowing Contest for a fun time with the whole family.

KEY WEST GLOSSARY
Café Con Leche – strong coffee with steamed milk, be sure to specify how many sugars you want.
Cuban Mix – really yummy pressed sandwich with ham and roast pork – order it “all the way”.
Mangos – you know, to make mango daiquiris
Dolphin – yes we eat Dolphin here, no not Flipper! You might know this fish as Mahi Mahi.
Polydactyl – referring to the 6 toed Hemingway Cats
Bugs – Caribbean spiny lobster…bring on the butter!
No-see-ums – tiny biting midges…watch for them at dawn and dusk.
Conch Republic – we seceded from the Union in 1982, something about a Border Patrol blockade…hey it was the 80’s.
Duval Crawl – There are A LOT of bars in Key West and most of them are on Duval Street…you figure it out.
Green Flash – After finishing your Duval Crawl at Mallory Square, you might be lucky enough to see the famous Green Flash at sunset.

CLIMATE
Due to the Gulf Stream in the Straits of Florida and the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Key West has a subtropical climate. The average temperature is 77.7 degrees with the average possible days of sunshine at 76% of the year. The average temperature range is 14 degrees between summer and winter. Yearly average rainfall is 40 inches, and the rainy season lasts from June through November (which is also our hurricane season), though rainy days in Key West usually consists of downpours followed by sunshine.
***

***

loves,

Key West is a'calling:

Amandaaaaaaaaa...Amandaaaaaaaaa...

my *new*sunglasses*, YO

i took the opportunity to showcase

the 3 fabulous pairs of

*new*sunglasses*

that i mentioned about in yesterday's post.

***

first pair:

no rims, GUESS, bought at a KAH-RAZY discount price from Century 21
[the peeved-off face in most of these photos derives from a second-day-of-my-period mood, and from PMS at my morning uncleanliness. here: teeth aren't brushed, eye-gunk isn't dug out, the 'that time of the month' zit is in FULL FORCE throbbing mode and i'm still in the same shirt/jewelry from the night before's dinner...yeah...so enjoy the sunglasses!...haa haa]
those pics were of
*sunglasses#1*
***
on to #2
***
second pair:
gold-rimmed, skinny skinny...uhhh...what are they called?...legs?? arms??...skinny skinny bands that go behind my ears. [pathetic]
see where i make 'em sit on my nose bridge?
i'm trying to disguise the monstrous size of *the shnoz*
***
i don't think it's working.
***
oh well. focus on the cuteness of the shades.
those
were
*shades#2*
***
i like this pic:
my reflection in the sliding glass door.
made me think of
where to set the stage
to showcase the third pair.
***
over the pool.
third pair:
oh, the aviators.
***
whoops! almost fell in.
***
*
aviator shades shadow
***
*
the avi's: *pair #3*
got all three for just under 40*bucks.

you seriously can't beat that.

pairs # 2 & 3 were $9.50 each!

Which pair did you like best??

*south*fla* you're so close i can taste you.

no images would *fit*the*bill* today but these:

*it's*official*

and when i

step*off*that*plane*

one week from today,

this is going to be me:

i'm going to gaze at those palm trees
in utter, raw gratitude for their existence in my world
at that moment.
[...and i'm going to be wearing one of my three fabulous new pairs of sunglasses while i do it]
[...i'm going to need to with all that sun on my face...i hope...]
***

i will raise up my palms to the palms.

***

let's plow through these next seven days, shall we??

***

two dresses, a cardigan, pics featuring accessories, **THEN** one girl, three boys, rice*&*beans, & talk of a much needed girls' night

i did enough damage

in the past two days:

*date*night*dress*~*army*green*airport*dress*~*heart cardigan*

*

*

*funky*chunky*necklace*
*hanging*up*for*my*eyes*to*see*
*
*
*$10*sandal* & *$5*ring*
ain't no thang
*
*
after
my bitt & my
shopping day #2
yesterday,
i
met up
with
the boyf
& friends
for dinner:
...and drank Colombian beer & ate Colombian food.
*
*
it was so incredibly on-point, and new for me, and delicious, and goooood.
*
*
Ken & Damian:
Ken suggested the place. So glad he did.
*
*
see why i
was
so glad he did:oh lord.
daaaaaaammmnnn!!
!aye dios mio!
*
*
what fun, ya'll.
really and truly.
the food was bomb,
the beer was plentiful and satisfying,
and
i love being one of the boys.
we talked about everything
from Damian's contracting gig,
to farts,
to the slaughtering of cows,
to my boyfriend's digestive issues,
to poop in the shape of a NIKE check
[don't get me started on that last one],
to the waitresses in white pants,
well...
...i listened while Ken & Damian ogled,
but anyway...
...boys will be boys...
and
i love it all, really.
*
*
[pause]
*
*
i am, however, [tee hee hee]
so uberly excited
for dinner out again tonight,
but
this
time,
it's
to
a Spanish restaurant
and
it's
with my homegirl
and
some of her girls:

only. us. girls.

how flippin' refreshing.

Happy THURSday, reader so dear to mi corazon.