Just Another Day in Paradise

Just back from 5 glorious days and nights in Key West with this hunk.  

We honeymooned there almost 11 years ago and loved the relaxed island feel.  As fabulous as our honeymoon was, we both agreed this trip was even better!  It was strangely wonderful to sleep past 6:00 every morning....ride miles and miles all over the island every day.....enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee at Starbucks.....complete uninterrupted thoughts and conversations.....lounge by the pool and read.
No nap schedule to work around.  No ones food to cut up when we went to dinner.  No arguments to settle.  No cartoons.  

A true vacation with the man I love most!

We visited the original Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville and partook of the legendary "Cheeseburger in Paradise".  Another highlight was finding an authentic french bakery that served us morning pastries that rivaled delicacies we've enjoyed in Europe.  And you just can't visit the Keys without tasting Key Lime Pie....delish!

Im afraid Im becoming a bit of a foodie.  Good thing we biked miles and miles every day or I would have returned from Key West with a couple extra pounds as a souvenir.  We were invited to be guests at Braza Leña our last night and enjoyed an exquisite fare that offered both a fine dining experience for the sophisticated palette and quantity for those desiring a full and satisfied tummy.  If you've never been to a Brazilian Steak House, this is a great anniversary or special occasion experience.  It starts with these cheese rolls that just ooze goodness.

The salad bar is stocked with not only every conceivable salad topping known to man, but additionally roasted vegetables,  dishes like shrimp ceviche, sushi, salmon, marinated portabello mushrooms, beef stroganoff over rice and hot pasta dishes. There were imported cheeses and  artisan bread that I could have exclusively filled up on.  Oh my!  Is your mouth watering yet?

And then the fun starts.   16 different cuts of meat (top sirloin, lamb chops, filet mignon just to name a few) were then brought out on huge skewers that had been roasted over an open flame.  Every table has "cue cards" that you turn to red or green.  Red if you can take no more.  Green if you want to continue being served by the "gauchos" (cowboys).  Unfortunately, we filled up so much on the salad bar, that we only had room to sample 3 or 4 of the main dish meats, but the dining experience was such a delight and I have a new favorite - caipirinha...the national cocktail of Brazil.

Key West provided endless stagings for the nightly drama to unfold...the sunset over the southernmost point of the United States.  There is a nightly "carnival" in Malory Square with acrobats, jugglers, musicians, magicians and peddlers....but we preferred the quiet piers and pavilions to take in the beautiful canvas God atristically splashed paint on every night.  

Breathtaking really!  

Many thanks to my mother who took all six of the children for our extended weekend away.  What a labor of love.  Though there is no one more qualified (she raise 11 children), I should also mention that she kept them on the front end of a family reunion with 36 house guests in her home!!  She's super-mom!!  

We decided we shouldn't wait 11 more years before doing this again.....

So....who wants to babysit next year? :)