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Hollywood Date Day

7 Mar

Thursday was date day for Chris and I, the best part of my week. For as long as I can remember, Chris and I have only had one day off together per week, and it’s a day that’s sacred. We usually do a couple of errands, picking out items to go with our new design idea for the house or picking up something for one of our hobbies. Thursday’s errand was picking up some ribbon to finish a wreath and then we went down to Hollywood.

Trips to Hollywood are always a little nostalgic for me now after we lived there for 4 years. It was where we found our first apartment after moving back to Florida from Michigan, which was really just a tiny studio that had just a sliver of a kitchen. It was where Chris surprised me when I came one day to find out we were moving to an actual one-bedroom with a separate room big enough for each of us to have a desk and a kitchen we could actually cook in. We had success in our new careers with multiple promotions, we got engaged, and I finished my Bachelor’s degree, all while living in Hollywood.

Now, we just go down to the Broadwalk to visit a few shops, go for a bike ride, or grab a bite to eat on occasion. While the food was severely underwhelming this time, we had a wonderful time re-visiting the Anne Kolb Nature Center which expanded greatly since we first visited 8 years ago now.

The only wildlife we saw was an iguana and some fish
The added boardwalks wind through the woods
Nice views of the intercoastal from the boardwalk
Port Everglades’ crains in the background

They now have 2 main trails with lookout points along the way. When we were there 8 years ago, the only thing I remembered was the observation tower. Views up there are amazing, with Sunny Isles Beach to the south, downtown Fort Lauderdale to the north and seeing as far west as the Hard Rock’s Guitar Hotel. The only wildlife we got to see this time were a few fish and an iguana that scared me half to death! They’re currently in the process of doing several renovations but it’s probably one of the nicest Broward parks we’ve been to.

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Breakfast at Tiffany’s

22 Feb

One of the best things about living in South Florida near the big cities is all of the amazing opportunities that arise! When Tiffany’s in New York announced it was opening an actual café where you could have “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” it ranked close to the very top of my bucket list! And while I have not yet made it to New York to experience the Blue Box Cafe, they did have a pop-up in Miami’s Design District for the months of December and January that Alia and I decided we had to see, with some Holly Golightly inspiration, so LBDs, pearls and gloves were a must!

Although I was expecting a perfectly curated Tiffany blue palette for everything, from the tables and chairs to the plates and napkins, Miami had to put its touch on it which included perfect pops of blush, and I was in heaven 👼.

We chose a table outside, because why would you sit inside when you can people watch? For as picky as I am about my coffee, the Tiffany Latte was on point and set the bar for the Egg and Cheese Sandwich. While a healthier option that the Butter Croissant I wanted in Holly Golightly fashion, it tasted as it. It started off well with tons of cheddar cheese wrapped inside fluffy eggs, topped with tomato and arugula inside a brioche bun, but it lacked flavor. Found out later, I should have asked for the garlic aioli sauce (tip for anyone else interested in trying at the next pop-up, hint hint Miami😉).

We couldn’t Breakfast at Tiffany’s without actually visiting Tiffany’s, now could we! So we took a stroll upstairs and found so much fun stuff! The hot pink stairs led to the 2nd floor with a mirrored hallway and a Neon Tiffany blue and pink sign that flowed into the bright jewelry store where we met Cici, who made us the once-in-a-lifetime offer to try on any Tiffany piece we liked. After perusing the store, I tried the classic Tiffany Heart Tag Necklace while Alia, with an eye for all things sparkly tried a gold and 12ct. diamond necklace worth $12K and a picture really is worth a 1,000 words!

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Mermaid Crossing

14 Sep

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I am so excited about my newest wreath!!!! Every time my friend and I go craft shopping, we have talked about wanting to make a mermaid wreath – it’s the theme for her daughter’s nursery, and with both of us having grown up mostly in the Florida Keys, the love of all things sea related is simply instilled in our DNA.

I had thought about finally making one for her daughter’s birthday last month in August, but I wasn’t able to get the concept to come together in time or decide on a style. Buying Little Mermaid fabric was the farthest I got with the project 😕

Going shopping on my own, colors are always the biggest question, so I used the Little Mermaid as inspiration, sticking to purples and greens….and green just so happens to be her favorite color 😉. Christmas themed items being in some of the stores in town since July has been amazing and helped with this project, giving me idea of a mermaid ornament and also made possible the coral fan branch. Passing the Mermaid Crossing sign in the nautical section and the ombre scale ribbons in the sewing section just brought the whole idea together!

Mermaid Crossing Deco Mesh Wreath

This is the newest favorite amongst my girlfriends and I. Chris thinks it needs more embellishments…maybe Pearls next time. What do you think?

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Dreaming in West Palm

12 Sep

On Labor Day, Chris made plans for us to go to lunch at The Breakers West Palm, a resort originally built by Henry Flagler. It has been one of my favorite hotels since I first found it and learned of its history. Growing up in the Keys, you learn all about Flagler and how his presence and railroad impacted South Florida. Seeing the places he built brings a piece of that history to life for me.

The drive up was perfect and relaxed, driving along the beach on A1A, and everyone was so gracious when we arrived and as we explored the grounds. It was just as beautiful as I had imagined and had seen in all of the pictures, and then some!!

Mediterranean Courtyard at The Breakers West Palm

We found the Seafood restaurant and promptly passed (Chris doesn’t eat seafood) and wandered over to The Italian Restaurant, which was closed and we plan to make another trip to try. Striking out for a second time, we checked out The Beach Club Restaurant, where we were told that non-guests can only dine at Seafood Bar, much to our dismay 😐.

Valet made up for the confusion, so with service recovered and views beyond expectations, Brunch at The Circle and dinner at The Italian Restaurant remain on the Bucket list for must dine at restaurants in South Florida….although we may have to wait a while due to Covid. At least we got to visit the resort!

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Taking the Plunge

11 Sep

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission at no cost to you! When you purchase through the links provided, you will be supporting Brittany Bower and helping to bring new content to the site!

I finally took the plunge. Chris (my fiancé) and I have been talking about wanting to get me certified for SCUBA diving for the 10 years we’ve been together (he’s now been certified for 20 years) and I’ve been interested for even longer. We recently had 2 days off together and decided to take the first steps.

We started off looking around Fort Lauderdale, staying local but struggled to find anything that didn’t seem outrageously priced for a beginner and that I liked – it has to be pink! Chris took to the internet and wound up on Amazon – as we always do – and found a Mares set. While it wasn’t pink, the pricing seemed reasonable, having included the regulator, computer, gauge, and octo. However, we had the remaining question of size to figure out, so we took a trip to Diver’s Direct and found out that the one we were looking at was not a women’s BCD and would be WAY too big for me. I tried the Aqua Lung Soul in XXS and it fit perfectly….at a price outside of our intended budget. I then tried the Aqua Lung Pearl, which I liked the design of better and was available in a package, but they only had a XS and I was conflicted about the sizing – it felt big compared to the Soul. Not wanting to regret my purchase due to size, we found out that the Key Largo store had the XXS in stock, although they struggled with availability for the complete package due to delays from Aqua Lung related to Covid 😒.

The next day, we made a road trip out of it. It had been so long since we’d been down in the Keys, and even though I never wish to live there again, I am always excited to visit. With low expectations of the visit to Divers Direct, we decided to putz around and tourist for the day. We passed a local dive shop, Scuba Outlet, in Key Largo, and decided to check it out, even doing a circle to get back to it. It was the most organized dive shop I have ever been in and with an impressive selection!

The gentleman was attentive and knowledgeable, and understanding of a female’s needs, and listened to my desire for Pink :). For just a little more than the Aqua Lung Pearl package at Divers Direct, I ultimately got the Tusa Tina BCD with an Oceanic gauge and computer (a brand Chris knows and respects), and a Hollis Air2 (we’ve never heard of the brand, but it saved us from having to find the replacement for an octo). Chris even found a new computer for himself.

Starving from the drive down, we stopped for lunch at Lorelei Restaurant and Cabana Bar, a restaurant right on the water that Chris had originally proposed as the location for our first date, that I still had never been to. The food was good and the views were even better. Being on the ocean, seeing the mangroves and palm trees, and boats in the water – nothing beats it, it’s just so peaceful.

After lunch, I was so excited that we went back home and I jumped in the pool to try my new gear and start practicing. I’ve started the book work through Padi and am excited for my new #divelife 🥽!

Got any good recommendations for dive sites around South Florida? Although Chris has 2 decades of experience, it’s almost all based in the frigid waters of Michigan. I know the Keys are littered with them, but where else should I check out? Let me know 🙂

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