Stylin', profilin', growlin' and smilin'

Bags in the car, iPod packed, Blackberry in hand, I shower kisses over JohnnyMac and MiniMac.

Why? Because just like LL Cool J, I am going back to Cali.

I am flying here:

to spend the next five days with my little brother at his fabulous new place. I can't wait to see him and visit one of my top five favorite cities.

There will be a lot of this:and this:

As well as many minutes of this:

And five days of this:

OH, and we are also driving here: 

MMMMMM. Tres bien. I can't wait to visit some of my favorite vineyards, and by all means, if you have some favorites too, share them with us. So in addition to wining, shopping, dancing, laughing, and Napa'ing, we will also be dining, socializing, and exercising (to make up for 1/2 of those other things.) And unlike LL Cool J., I like to add the letter "g" to my words.

Have a fabulous rest of your week. Don't forget about the beach bag giveaway. I will see you Monday.

You know it was a great vacation when...

Freshly back from the beach, I feel refreshed, relaxed, and a little goldeny sunned. Despite my slathering of sunblock, that FL sun is tenacious. But I could have easily stayed five more days.

I used to love the beach vacations when it included 800 other options as well: surfing, sailing, windsurfing, boating, hiking, running, etc. I think my vacations were enough to wear people out and leave them needing more vacation. JohnnyMac is a 100% lover of the beach vacation and his list of vacations wants is narrow: sleeping in, eating great food, lounging by pool or surf, drinking. Repeat.

As much as I am a true Type A, here are ten signs you know it was a great vacation:

1. JohnnyMac asked me one morning where my Blackberry was and I didn't know.

2. I not only didn't wear a watch, I didn't even pack one. (Do you know what a hurdle this is for Type A people???)

3. I could go almost an entire day without shoes on. And when I did put them on, hello fabulous flip flops.  And spent most of everyday in my swimsuit, beach hat, and sunglasses.

4. When the pool boy comes over at 12:30 and inquires if you would like a cocktail, your only answer is, "Of course I would."

5. You spend over 1 entire hour in the exact same spot in the pool because your son is having the best time jumping from the edge into the water and into your arms. You do it not only because of his megawatt smile every time he does it, or his bright-eyed plea "can we do that one more time?" but also because you remember a time when the simple act of jumping in the pool was enough to make your entire day.

6. You stand on the beach at night and just listen to the waves. Listen as in really listen. 

7. You do not get caught "exercising" by your toddler. 

8. You turn your BB on once and see 50+ work emails and don't even read ONE because you are not at WORK. You are on VACATION. I feel like I should get some kind of BB rehab coin.

9. We met very interesting and very fun people from all over the world. And MiniMac made a new friend named Sophia from Chile who looked like a tiny Penelope Cruz.

10.  You are forced to witness a woman totally berate one of the pool staff because she doesn't have a chair OR an umbrella. She yells at this kid loud enough where you can practically see tonsils. She wants to know WHY she can't get an umbrella at 1 pm. 1 pm on the kick off of holiday travel season at a beach resort.  She asks WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO? The employee says nothing and JohnnyMac, taking a long sip of his beverage says, "Plan better?"
BUT, that is not the best part. She throws enough of a fit to get the staff to bring her a chair and an umbrella like Queen Ankhesenamon came to Florida. After listening to her rant, I thought my ear canal could use a long cold rinse of vodka, and then curl up and take  a catnap. By had I napped, I would have missed her finally sitting down and spilling an entire bright pink frozen concoction on herself. A bright pink frozen concoction that had it been a person, would have earned a standing ovation from about 50 people at the pool. Even at the beach, Karma is a betch. 
____
Thank you to all 300+ entries. Who won the fab giveaway from Modern Bird Studios?  Lucky be a lady tonight because the winner is Kiki from Kiki's Thoughts and Escapades. Congratulations. Email me Kiki and I will put you in touch with MBS.

If you like pina coladas

My favorite line of that song is actually "come with me and escape" not just because its the best line but because it has been a long long time since I even had a pina colada, and I'm going to pass on getting busy in any dunes in the Cape. Come with me and escape, well, that line conjures up pretty thoughts and great memories of vacations gone by.

Oh, the art of vacation.

This picture is taken from our shoreline patio in Anguilla. I had never been to Anguilla but leave it to JohnnyMac to show me the ways of the world. Early in our courtship, JohnnyMac wanted to go on vacation together. Vacation? I am in. The year prior to meeting him I took eight weeks of vacation. Oh....times were different then. He said he wanted to go to St. Maarten, where he has a rental. Great. What will we do I ask. "Nothing," he replied with a look of delight. And for the most part, he meant it. His dream vacation involves beach time, pool time, nap time, light lunch time while enjoying pool time, sipping on beverage time, dinner time, and more sipping on beverage time. No sights to see, no hustle, no shopping. This does sound like a great vacation. For part of the time.

At that time, I was a New Year's in NYC, weekends in Chicago, Mardi Gras, Bastille Day in France, World Cup finals in Prague type of vacationer. I have been to Hawaii but spent less than 50% of my time on the beach. I wanted to drive a jeep up a mountain, dive into seven pools, swim under waterfalls. The beach? Well, who doesn't love the beach but there must be things to do.

Vacations are interesting because the word means something different to everyone. Think about your favorite vacation. What components give it the sacred status as "Best"? Sometimes its location, parties involved, or uniqueness of experience. Or maybe a combination of all of those elements.

And when JohnnyMac told me we did not even need to take our cell phones because there is no international service, I think I got agida on the spot. I took a deep breath and pondered, do I tell him now or let him discover in time I might actually lack the chemical make up for sitting on a beach for seven days with no tasks at hand except eating, drinking, and reading. For our impending "relaxing" vacation, I did gently broach the subject that I might need a little more to do. JohnnyMac laughed and said there would be plenty to do.
As it turned out, there was plenty to do. Plenty that involved eating, drinking, and reading. And plenty of activities that included lounging, relaxing, and resting. We did zip over to St. Bart's one day and did some great shopping but a miracle of all things occurred. I actually enjoyed it. The art of vacation...who knew? JohnnyMac's preference is to be on vacation and have zero cell phone service and no one needing to call or be called. I can't say I am ready to cut that cord yet but after several days in Anguilla, I barely wanted to traipse down the beach to the incredible restaurant on property. Since we had already been to NYC together, I realized quickly that NYC and all its glorious chaos was not exactly JohnnyMac's dream vacation but ahh, compromise. It applies to vacations too. And since these locations are so different, you can't really compare NYC to Anguilla, but if you did, sorry NYC.

And our next round of vacations grew to take on a pattern. Weekends in busy cities, weeks in sandy beach areas. And now, many many vacations together later, I look forward to the low key wind down time. Maybe I just didn't need it before the same way I need it now. We are going back to Cabo in May and I can hardly wait...to do nothing. Although last time I was there, there may have been an incident involving dancing on a catwalk while the house band played "You Really Got Me". When one hears one of their favorite songs, what is one to do but get up on a catwalk and dance?

Cabo is a fantastic trip. This is the view from the restaurant at Esperanza in Cabo. The picture alone invokes deep, peaceful breathing.


But I am also planning a girls weekend in NYC so I haven't completely lost the edge. And with my recent post on Weekend Wanderlust in NYC with all of Jamie's great suggestions, how can I not.