Gulf Shores Day 1

For B's 29th birthday, we went down to Gulf Shores.  We hadn't been to the gulf in about three years, and it was just time.

B just looks like a little kid while he is in the water.  I will be the first to admit that sometimes big waves scare me, and jelly fish, but B never seems to mind it.  I'm pretty sure the only way to keep him out of the water is the dreaded double red flags.  

And even then I'm not so sure.  

So our first day down at the gulf, we spent the afternoon drinking rum and watching the waves.  We then went to a place that we went to the last time we were down there; the people who owned it were so afraid that they wouldn't survive.  They had just opened up right after the BP oil spill, and were afraid that they weren't going to do any business.

We weren't even sure that the place was still going to be open. 

But it was!  We went there and it was packed!  We were like proud little parents!  Like for some reason we were responsible for their success.

But we weren't.  Their amazing sushi and oysters are what made them awesome.  

Some pictures from our first day..

                                       

              

 I put these pictures in here even though I look like absolute crap, it was our time at the beach.  I'm really feeling that it's time to get rid of the red hair and go back to blonde again.  Or something.  The more I look at them, the more I feel like they need to go away.

I know I'm my hardest critic, but oh well.  I need a change.  Maybe the hair is the right place to start.

We Stayed at the Waldorf!!

B surprised me and got us a night at the Waldorf Astoria.  I have never stayed at a hotel so nice in my entire life. 

And since B has the pleasure of being a Diamond Member (from all of his traveling days), they even gave us an upgrade!  The place was absolutely beautiful.  Our room was right on the beach; they gave us a free appetizer and two free drinks.

Also, while you're laying at their beach, they come around with fresh watermelon, the cabana boy spritzes water on you, and they have popsicle hour.  Oh yes, none of this you have to pay for.  Cabana boys sure are the greatest invention ever.  None of the bartenders or cabana people were even from the area.  They were all transplants, saying they came from various US states and fell in love with it.  Not really too hard to see why.  

Ahhh, to live like the other half even if just for a day.

It was a man-made beach, hence all the rocks and stuff at the shore.  But it was pretty fun to take a walk out on the pier and get right in.

Also got to have my first cigar with my B on that pier.  It was a little flavored one, but it was still fun.

Miami Sights

We learned very quickly that we weren't big Miami fans.  There were so many people, and so little parking, and so many people in very little clothing, or no clothing.  We just felt like if that there any city on earth that could make us feel more like we don't fit in, it would be super hard to find.

Also, it was hot.

And people bug you to eat at their restaurants --- where they have the fake food and stuff glued to a tray, and where all the menus have a $9.50 special for seafood that didn't look that great.

I don't know, maybe I'm just biased against the Atlantic Ocean all together.  You get pretty spoiled getting gulf seafood and the pretty sand of the beaches.

And to top it all off, we accidentally booked the hotel room for Saturday night for the wrong day, and this place was incredibly unhelpful and rude.  So we ended up driving to Fort Lauderdale and staying in an unbelievable hotel 2 blocks from the beach for $60 less.  More on that place later.

One thing we did love about Miami?  Okay, two.  The clear blue water and the art deco buildings.

Almost all of these hotels are home to restaurants on the bottom floor..the annoying aforementioned kind.

As pretty as those hotels are, I'm not sure that I would want to stay in one.  I know those windows, because we have them in our house and yes, they are pretty, but they pretty much let all the heat come in from the outside.  I would much rather cross the street and sleep on the beach.

So while the Cuban food we had for lunch was fantastic, that was pretty much it.  

Sorry, Miami, you were definitely not our favorite.

Gulf Love

By the time this posts, I'll be in Key West.  Can I just tell you that that is pretty much the only reason why I've made it through this horrific work week? 

 

We spent our Sunday on the beach; the weather was beautiful, and we thought, why the heck not?  So we drove down to Gulf Coast, got ourselves some cheap ass little margarita drinks, and parked our booties on our towels in the sand.  The yellow flag was up, so that pretty much nullified me going more than two feet out.  My crazy hubs went way far out, and said the cross current was pretty strong, but then proceeded to go out onto the sand bar anyway.

 

He's a total water baby. 

 

But the beach tends to make everything better.  As do those little margarita drinks, some happy Jack Johnson and a soft beach towel. 

 

 

I was thinking that I was brave enough to post a full body in a swimsuit, but hell no.  I'm not.  You always see those girls that are full of body confidence walking on the beach, and damn it I want some of it.  Maybe I'll have some courage later on. 

 

In the meantime, just as another FYI, a day (or even 3 hours) on a beach can cure pretty much any ailment.  Trust me on this one.