In Search of Woosa
A stroll thru the Florida Keys and South Beach in search of a smile.
Our family has a few inside jokes, or silly expressions we toss around. One such expressions comes from the movie Bad Boys Featuring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. During the third installment, Martin’s character is trying to deal with the stress of the job and the stress of being partners with Will Smith. His therapist teaches him to meditate aloud saying “WooooSaaaa” It is a hilarious part of the movie, and good advice: breathe in, exhale out, find Woosa.
We enjoyed the movie so much I had to make into a lunch bag.
Next time, I’ll check the spelling first!
We headed South for MEA Weekend 2021 in search of seafood, sun, and a little Woosa ourselves, albeit 1774 miles away. Our Sun Country flight said Miami, but our destination was deep in the Florida Keys. After a remarkably pleasant rental car pick up with Alamo, we headed towards the keys. Passing thru Key Largo and then Plantation Key we found a beautiful lunch spot: Marker 88 located in Islamorada. The unexpected view, from a turquoise blue table on the beach, was amazing. The calamari platter, uniquely seasoned and delicious, was perfect.
We made our way to Marathon Key and checked into The Faro Blanco Yacht Club and Marina for a three-night stay. Though it sounds fancy, it’s really a Hilton Garden Inn operating by a different name.
We checked out the pool, the life-sized chess, and connect four games before finalizing arrangements for the next day. We chartered a boat (SeaSquared Charters) to take us fishing out on the flats. We spent the morning fishing between shoals without land in site. Becky somehow caught two Nurse Sharks, and a razor fish, while Morgan reeled in a Puffer Fish. We all caught plenty of Snapper, and when we returned to shore, back Lazy Days Grille turned our catch into a seafood feast!
The next day we ventured down Hwy 1 and sauntered thru Big Pine, Sugarloaf, and Boca Chica Keys before landing in Key West. A trip to the Keys would not be complete without the requisite stop at the Southern Most Point of the Continental U.S. Though we walked about and got some ice cream, the kids did not care for Key West. They found it to be a smaller, hotter version of New Orleans’s Garden District.
Ice cream in hand, we headed back up to Marathon Key. We found ourselves at dinner at the Island Fish Co. In fact, we ate there twice. The food was good, the ambiance great, and the open-air restaurant just felt right.
The weekend found us back in Miami on South Beach. Yes, it is almost a shock to the system coming from the perfectly laid-back Marathon Key to the boom-boom of Miami. It’s not an understatement either. Our first night, we ate at TACO TACO on Collins and 17th. The food was good. The people watching impressive. The sounds oppressive. From the hotels and restaurant to the cars strolling down the street, the senses were in overdrive.
Macallen and I even found time on Sunday to take in the Dolphins - Falcons game at Hard Rock Stadium. Meanwhile Becky and Morgan enjoyed the beach, a fun lunch and even got henna tatoos!
We flew home on Monday a bit more tan, and a way more relaxed. It was good to experience South Beach, but the Keys are much more our style. The best parts of Florida, from small beaches to low key restaurants and local ice cream shops, are scattered from Key Largo to the tip of Key West. If you are not keen on driving on vacation, the same vibes can be found on Sanibel Island too. Though each part of Florida is unique, they all earn the name Sunshine State, and all offer a little woosa too.
Send me a note sharing your favorite Florida destination at bradley@lunchbagartdad.com