Key West take 1

How exactly do I exactly explain how I spent the past five incredible days? I don’t even know where to start because my friends and I truly enjoyed ourselves, beyond what we all initially expected for this little summer getaway. So let me try and do our trip some justice – the trip we collectively like to call “summer break 2012.”

Earlier in the year, my girlfriends and I were all about heading to Europe for two weeks but that trip is being delayed slightly so we started to throw out other destinations for a summer getaway.

Mexico for an all-inclusive? Nah – we’ve been there, done that.
Sonoma for a wine tour? Great idea – but we’ll save that for fall.
Key West? Sure – why  not!?!

Out of the gate, we knew Key West was going to be a blast because we had a local as our tour guide, my cousin Josie, to take us around the island and it was coincidentally Lobsterfest, which was something we definitely didn’t plan for but it proved to be an awesome bonus!

After spending most of the day traveling Thursday, we lounged by the pool, sipping our first few mojitos until we headed out for dinner at the Conch Republic Seafood Company, where we knew what was on the menu – conch, seafood and key lime pie.

Westin pool view - no filter needed

Sidenote: My goal was to judge all the restaurants we went to by their key lime pie and in all places dessert rocked, so I can’t even pick out a favorite other than tell you to order it wherever you go the next time you visit.

Post dinner, we walked past Duval and decided to head into Sloppy Joe’s for a few beverages, listen to the band and see what was in store for us the next night because we knew we would end up there. Of course, upon entry, we met some colorful people and danced to a few 80s songs before heading home.

iconic establishment

On Friday, we spent the rainy morning at La Creperie West where we filled up on crepes, omelets, mimosas and fresh fruit before we lounged by the pool for the rest of the day where our biggest decision in between a few work emails was, “What should we drink and eat?”

Between recommendations from friends, Twitter and the locals, we had indirectly mapped out where we would be eating the whole trip so before what will be lovingly called “summer break 2012” was to commence, we went to Amigos Tortilla Bar for Pacifico, fish and lobster tacos for dinner before my cousin and her friend met up with us on crazy Duval street.

At this point, I blame the Lobsterfest bar crawl we signed up for because we all decided, especially me, to sip vodka sodas like they were water – I also blame the ridiculous heat. Let’s just say it made for an interesting night of hilarious meet and greets with people and an even more interesting morning filled with lots of advil and water. It was vacation, right?!?

Cousin Josie and me; Lissa, me and Melissa; pretty much sums up the night; Stamped at the bar

Saturday we tried to get into Pepe’s but we desperately needed breakfast, which they stopped serving, so we ate at Harpoon Harry’s where we recounted the night’s activities over blueberry pancakes, breakfast burritos, coffee and mimosas in this electic diner. Why stop now right?!?

After a day in the pool, we ventured out to Duval street where we ate lobster on a stick! Yes, on a stick dipped in a delicious honey butter with lobster macaroni and cheese and even some lobster fritters. (Seriously, next August, book your trip and get there!)

tails and mac and cheese.. yum.

Post lobster coma much later in the evening, we went to Santiago's Bodega, which is about a mile from the Westin Key Resort where we stayed, for wine and tapas, which sounded like the perfect combination of what we needed that night. We toasted to Melissa’s recent engagement with lots of champagne and wine and to an exciting year past and ahead of us while eating a ridiculous mix of burrata, dates, tuna and beef tartare and a few other dishes.


toast to melissa; using the flashlight; brie and chocolate grilled cheese; chocolate cake w/ bing cherries; welcome sign

To continue to the faux bachelorette party, we heard some locals talking about a dessert only place called “Better Than Sex.” Yes please!  The walls are dark red with velvet curtains and an assortment of chandeliers hanging in each room where you literally order these incredibly decadent desserts with cocktails all set with the perfect mood lighting, where they offer mini flashlights to read the menus if needed.

We chose two of their top rated desserts and glasses of prosecco with lavender infused honey dripping down the glass. And honestly, if you go, I don’t think you can go wrong with ANYTHING you order. Plus, if you need an excuse to get the conversation flowing, they offer sex books and hilarious question cards, which left us cackling and smacking the table because we were laughing so hard in between each of our answers.

Up next – the best Sunday Funday on the water ever in my whole entire life and a bike tour of the island.