Miami, Oh My! From South Beach to Vizcaya... and a wedding to remember

Junior summer roommates! Amanda, Me and Ashley

Up until four days ago, the only Miami I knew was in Oklahoma, and it was pronounced "Mi-am-uh".  The small city was not too far from Grand Lake, where my uncle headed up a division of the water patrol.  He'd often take me out on his boat and occasionally show me videos of all the crazies he busted.

Ironically, Miami, Fla., has some similarities to its smaller, Midwest version.  It has lots of water, lots of partiers, and lots of natural beauty.  But, let's be real... Miami, Fla., blows most cities out of the water.

It's really unfair to even try to compare.  First of all, we rented a home in Coconut Grove that seemed to be the hangout for some stray peacocks.  Then, we spotted a manatee under a bridge during a leisurely stroll.  And, there was an unlimited supply of fresh seafood.  (My one complaint is that no one seems to recycle oyster shells, but maybe I'm being a little crunchy about the whole thing.)

Depending on who you ask, we had some authentic Cuban food at a highly-recommended restaurant in Little Havana called, La Carreta.  I thought my friend Eric was going to lose his mind.  The food was delicious, and we had enough leftovers to snack on throughout our trip.

Eric often found himself giddy with delight

We made stops in South Beach, Key Biscayne and Coconut Grove, to name a few.  If you're going to visit, make sure you stop at The Rusty Pelican for one of the most awesome views of the area.  

I'm so glad we got to go sightseeing, but in the end, I made the trip to Miami to celebrate the wedding of one of my great college friends.  It's not my story to share here, but I just wanted to show you a picture of the beautiful bride, Lori, and a handful of my favorite friends from the University of Kansas.  Lori married a wonderful man who you might be familiar with if you follow the NFL.  Jeff Darlington is the lucky guy, and the pair had the most incredible wedding at the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.  It was absolutely breathtaking, and I felt so honored to be there to support them.  

Even if you don't get the chance to attend an elaborate wedding there, make sure you put it on the list of places to see.  It will really knock your socks off, maybe even your spanks.  It's that good.

Want to know more about Miami?  Message me.