Key West vacation, day 2

9 a.m. -- Woke up to this glorious view...

I am feeling a bit cracked out from drinking a triple espresso since the rooms didn't have a regular coffee maker. Lesson learned: an espresso is not a regular cup of coffee.

10 a.m. -- I have made my way down to the hotel's private beach. Just want to say how glad I am that they have fruit-infused water... It's the little things that make for big luxury!

When you first walk out of the lobby:

Love the sand sculpture.

Found the shadiest hammock, you can see our room balcony from here.

Looking left from my hammock.

Get it, Jetski Man!

I'm reading this February 2015 O magazine, and it has a wonderful deep thought.

It says, in Martha Beck's column, the following:

"If you're hungry and you eat a square meal, you'll feel better. But you won't feel ten times better if you eat ten square meals. Our culture instills in us an unfettered lust for more, more, more. Like a cancer, that lust doesn't know when to stop. Consider asking, How can I make do with less? You'll find yourself headed for the even-keeled moderation that leads to real happiness."

SO POWERFUL! Love it, as I eat my leftover chocolate cake from the Better Than Sex dessert restaurant...

1 p.m. -- I was so busy working in my hotel room (yes, unfortunately I have been spending a chunk of time daily having to keep up with my job)... I almost missed my planned snorkel trip! I didn't realize the time was 12:30, and I was supposed to already BE AT THE MARINA!!

I flew out of the door and raced in my car, parked and ran there. I was out of breath by the time I made it onto the catamaran, and the captain was like, "Slow your roll!" But I had made it!

 Notice the LSU flag on this mega-yacht. Geaux Tigers, even in Key West! :)

The ocean conditions were decent with clear visibility, although winds were high and there was chop. It made the snorkeling a little rough because I was fighting the waves. I think this mag be my final snorkel excursion for quite a while. The Blue Heron bridge snorkel trail in Riviera Beach has me so spoiled, nothing really compares.

The only things of note today that I sighted were huge barracuda, and a sting ray. Of course my camera battery was dead by the time I saw the sting ray. But it wasn't a big deal since I see them all the time at the Blue Heron bridge.

Yellowtail snapper...

 Brain coral...

 I think this is some kind of boxfish...

 The big, bad barracuda. This picture doesn't convey how large they were.

 Check out dem teefs!

 #SnorkelSelfie

The catamaran, from Key West Sebago. The company offers snorkeling, sunset cruises and sailing. The crew members were perky and helpful. Highly recommend.

On the way back in, I admired what was allegedly Oprah's vacation home (one of them) until she sold it a couple of years ago. The internet confirms she did rent out all of Sunset Key cottages to celebrate her 44th birthday with a few of her celebrity BFF's... 

I love Sunset Key -- it's this little island with fancy homes and bungalows, only accessible by boat right off of Key West's shores. No cars are allowed on it so people just drive golf carts.

There it is, the distant island...

4 p.m. -- Best slice of pizza ever at Duetto's, a delightful, small cafe-type spot right between the marina and Sloppy Joe's Bar on Duval. It bills itself as "A Taste of Italy in Key West." 

Totally gave them a glowing review on Trip Advisor because they were so hospitable, the pizza was so crazy-good and inexpensive, and another customer suggested it. I literally said "Wow!" as soon as I bit into the garlicky goodness, and the fellow customer heard it and said to me, "Best pizza ever. Give it a good review online." So I did!

7 p.m. -- Awesome dinner with Kelly Aline's work posse at the Casa Cayo Hueso. This spot is cool! I wish it had a secret passageway I could explore. It looks as if it would have one.

10 p.m. -- Shenanigans ensue on Duval Street. 

Angela Street!

Key West vacation, day 1

There is so much to write in this post, I hardly know where to begin. In case you didn't know this about me, Key West is my FAVORITE place in the world! I love soooo many things about it. It makes me feel like it's a tropical New Orleans! For example, Duval Street to me is like a classier, cleaner version of Bourbon Street. There's so much to see and do, everything is both laid-back and fun and funky all at once... I adore the kitschy architecture, the tourists, the clear blue water, the sunsets, the predictably sunny weather... Just everything about it!

My friend Kelly Aline lives in DC, and she came to Florida for a work conference. My husband Nathan and I picked her up in Orlando, then took her to stay with us in West Palm Beach a couple of days. Today, I brought her to her training conference here in Key West, with the awesome benefit of getting to stay with her in this amazingly luxurious hotel, the Waldorf Astoria's Casa Marina. We livin' in high cotton, y'all!! 

Check out the view from our private balcony-- I was flipping out over it.

Of course we had to spend some time on the hotel's private beach...

I went sightseeing while Kelly Aline was in her conference networking get-together.

Choo choo! It's the Conch Train.

The Southernmost Hotel.

I heart conch shells. Did you know Conch are also people? Interesting info straight from Wikipedia: Bahamians in the keys continued to be known as "conchs". Other residents of the Florida Keys, especially in Key West, began applying the term "Conch" to themselves, and it is now applied generally to all residents of Key West. 

The cliche "I'm in Key West" photo. Had to do a Southernmost Point selfie!

Sweet and well-fed Key West kitty.

SUNSET!!!! This is from the private hotel beach... Can't wait to watch a sunset from Mallory Square. These Key West sunsets are legendary. These photos I snapped with my iPhone look fake to me, but they're so real.

Historic cigar factory...

There are bicycles, mopeds, and other modes of tourist transportation galore! These reminded me of my SmartCar.

For years now, I've been dying to try the voted-number-1-in-America dessert restaurant (don't laugh at the name, it's a brilliant marketing ploy), Better than Sex. FINALLY got to enjoy it with Kelly Aline!

Chocolate and Brie grilled cheese with a strawberry champagne dipping sauce. Dusted with cinnamon, cocoa and powdered sugar. My favorite thing!

Delicious! I was like, this restaurant has already surpassed my expectations!!

She ordered the Cookie Nookie, which was a chocolate chip cookie pie and ice cream. This description is under-selling the fantastic dessert!

I feel guilty posting these iPhone pics, because they just don't do these works of art justice. The restaurant is owned by a husband and wife team, Danny and Lynn Johnson. Lynn a is master self-taught baker- everything is created in-house! The decor is charming, very cozy and romantic. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Check out my behind-the-scenes kitchen shots! This is where the magic is made...

I admit that my chocolate dessert, which won an award in 2013, was not the best pick for me. I should have gone with the Key Lime Cream Pie!

So, to make myself feel better, I ordered the Perfect Partner ice cream drizzled in white chocolate. :)

I'm sure you're not surprised to hear that after all of that indulging, I looked at Kelly Aline and declared, "I feel sick." Then we burst out laughing and kept on eating!!!

That's messed up...

Anyway, we decided to walk it off going down Duval Street.

Only on Duval will you see a water sports and Cuban cigar kiosks connected to a Denny's. Somehow, it works in Key West.

I've been looking for some cheap aviator sunglasses that perfectly fit my face, and I found these at a Duval sunglasses shop for $25. Do you like them?

Kelly Aline said, "Our futures are so bright, we're blinded!" That must be why we are wearing sunglasses at night. Or we just cray-cray.

Vacationing in a postcard spot is fabulous. I can't wait for Day 2!!!