Here and Back Again

I am a tired little monkey. I have to say it was night to be so far away from home and away from the computer for a week. I kept so busy with new things that I didn't have a chance to dwell on all the stuff that has been emotionally bogging me down here at home. Needless to say it is nice to take a break from obsessing :) So lets talk about the trip! I am too tired to re-read this to correct my typos, sorry just go with it ;)

I got to LAX last Wednesday morning for my flight landing me in Miami at around 4:40. I went straight from the airport to the Botanical Gardens were I set up for our meeting in the morning. After that I hopped a ride with another employee who was renting a car to get a ride to dinner. She handed me her GPS and told me to get us there. Oh dear. Anyone who knows me well knows that I spend most my time lost, and that is in places that I know well. Well needless to say we got horribly and hopelessly lost. By the time we got to the Cuba restaurant I was starving having only eaten a bagel that day. Well just my luck, they had no vegetarian options and I had to get creative with my order.

The next morning we had our salesman meeting at the Botanical Garden all day. I was in back with the models helping them change into their outfits. Luckily we got out in enough time that I caught the last hour of sun up on the roof top pool. It was gorgeous and the only time I got to use that pool before it was invaded by the masses. After that we went to the Trina Turk fashion show in the evening followed by dinner in the W hotel. Ooooh, love love love the W hotel, so beautiful. I stayed at the Gansevoort which wasn't as nice but my room was 3 times the size of my apartment so I was a happy camper.

The next morning we showed the line again in the Botanical Garden to two of our bigger accounts, then at 5:30 we racked everything up and wheeled it across the street to the convention center where the main show was starting the next day. I got the models line reading in the dressing room and then left. We were having our company cocktail party at the 3rd floor pool which is outside and right next to the ocean. Around 8:30 I met M at the pool because she can't swim and I was going to give her lessons. Well, unfortunately the pool closed at 9 and they kicked us out. So M and N and myself went to to the beach for some wonderful night swimming. I don't think I will get over how strange a warm ocean is. Totally wonderful but very strange.

The next morning our show started and I was in the back room with the models all day helping dress the girls so the sales people have the visuals while showing their accounts. At 4 I left to do some shopping research and sample buying at the nice outdoor mall in Bal Harbour. We couldn't stay too long because we had a business dinner that evening. When I got back to the hotel in was filled with the most loud ghetto ass crowd you have ever seen which seemed strange compared to the usual crowd that is there. Well apparently the hotel was hosting some event to welcome Lebron James to the city and there was some sort of boot contest at the upstairs pool as well. The crowd was super loud, drunk, and annoying. Girls were getting into fights, the guys would try and corner you in the elevator, and the whole 3rd floor was just ripe with the smell of weed. We met our guest in the very loud lobby and then went to Casa Tua which is possibly the nicest restaurant I have even been to, haha it was too extremes there. The wine was incredible and the portions were so small that I got to eat a starter, meal, and dessert. My dessert was the most wonderful crème brulee with white peaches, mmmm drool After the meal I decided that it was one of my only times I could go out and take some photos of the night life. I walked by myself about a mile or two and then it started raining. I know that Miami rain usually only last a few minutes so I tried to wait it out under an over hanging. I waited and waited but it wasn't letting up. I finally tried to get a taxi but on a surprising rainy Saturday night it was not going to happen. I finally wrapped my stuff in a plastic bag and walked back to the hotel. It was warm out and actually very nice. I didn't mind getting wet I was just worried about my camera. I never really got photos of the night life.

The next day, Sunday, we worked the show all day and into the evening and grabbed a quite bite to eat at a little hole in the wall next to the hotel. I took a beautiful walk on the ocean boardwalk in the evening.

On Monday we worked the show all day and then went out to out traditional design dinner at the Standard. I just love it there! You eat facing the bay and it is just endlessly relaxing. Plus I love hanging out with only the design team. We don't talk numbers or business. Well since it was my last night I had my share of cocktails. I mean I drank cocktails even night while there but the last night I let a bit lose. I went swimming in the hotel pool till they kicked me out so I moved my skinny dipping to the ocean. So much fun!

Tuesday we had a few meetings in the morning, then I had to checkout and catch my plane back. Wish I could have gotten more then an hour of sun but all in all it was a good trip.