-- Master of the Keys (Day 20)

Rob left for the airport at 5:30am.  I wanted to see him off, but I was too dog-tired to get up that early.  hah.  Happy travels, bro. 

We said a fond adieu to the Fontainebleau.  Haha, I made a rhyme.  We're headed for the Florida Keys. 


We drove through Key Largo, but didn't know where to go for lunch.
So we asked a couple of locals from the area:

"Lunch in Key Largo?  I say Hobo's Café."

 


So Hobo's Cafe, it was:

After lunch, we continued south over the causeways toward Key West.

Oh baby, what a view

 

We stayed at Boyd's Campground for the night:

Our campsite is right on the water. 
Hope I don't get drunk and take a wrong turn...

 

 

 

On our walk, we saw this RV -- total overkill on the Xmas deco, dude. 

Dad, don't be that guy...

 

 

 

Mom and Dad had a hankering for pizza for dinner.  They walked up the street to a restaurant called Roustica. Yum!

 

"Leftovers" is one of my favorite words in the world.

Rich and Tristin just called me from the Empire State Building.  So jealous!  I wanna go there. 

Hi Tank -- We're thinkin' 'bout you at the Empire State Building!



"There they are, there they are, there they are..."

Hey Dad, I have an idea...  Can we go to New York next? 



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-- A Day by the Pool (Day 19)

Today is our last day at the Fontainebleau Hotel, and more importantly, our last day to spend with Rob.  Staying in sunny Miami Beach seems like a waste if you don’t bask by the pool.  So that was our plan for the day.

 

Mom squeezed into her suit and Dad did his best to fasten his board shorts.  After a holiday weekend gorging on anything and everything, it’s a good thing there’s an adjustable Velcro strip on Dad’s shorts instead of a zipper.

 

We enjoyed a nice (but expensive) poolside lunch. Then Mom and I made a quick dash to the room.  We looked over the balcony and saw Dad and Rob by the pool. 

Dad and Rob are at top right

 

I couldn’t wait to get back down there and hang with the boys.

 

 

 

I noticed a sign next to the jacuzzi.  I couldn’t make any sense of it:

 

Say what?

 

 

Basking in the sun sure was exhausting.  Dad shared his water with me:

 

The sun dipped below the trees and my mom got cold. Lucky for me, I have a fur coat, but our day at the pool was about finished.  So we headed back inside the hotel.

 

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, the focus is now on Christmas.  A huge tree was assembled in the lobby while we were out at the pool.  I did my best to strike a pose for America’s Next Top Model, Cycle D (for doggy).  

 

I'm so little next to that tree,  I look like the tree stand.  haha

 

 

Okay, I'm ready for my close up:

 



Much better!
 

Yo Tyra, I’m all that, Boo.

 

After dinner, Mom, Dad, and Rob went to see a movie, "Dumb and Dumber To."

 

Although it didn't get good reviews, Mom said it was good, silly fun. 




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-- Black Friday (Day 18)



Black Friday

Another bee-u-tee-ful day in Miami Beach.  We all got to sleep in today (which I do everyday, so it was no big deal, but everyone else enjoyed the extended snooze time).

Then Dad and I ate a late breakfast on the balcony.

Today is Black Friday.  What does that mean?  Well, my mom will tell you, "The more you shop, the more you save." 

But my dad ain't fallin' for that line. If you ask him, Black Friday means standing in long lines and spending money. 

So Mom had to put on her best pouty look:

That did the trick.  Dad gave in.

Woo hoo!  We're going shopping!

As for me, I'd rather be outside sniffing the trees and bushes for other dogs' pee smells.  Hey Boo, don't judge -- I'm a dog, okay?

We ate lunch at a place called "Havana 1957." 

The ladies there loved me.

On the way to the mall, I spied the enemy.  We had a stare-down contest and it was a draw.  Finally, Mom pulled me away.

Don't blink

Then came the shopping.

Okay, haha  -- that's not Mom

Back at the hotel, we all took a nap.  It wasn't long before we started thinking about dinner.  (Yeah, right?) Rob and Dad did some searching on the Internet and they found a dece restaurant in town called "Texas de Brazil."  Lots of meat, I'm told.  Sounds dee-lish.

Of course I couldn't go in the restaurant, but Mom promised me she'd bring me some bread. 

The guys come to your table and slice up some meat from a stick. 
And it's endless.  Bring it on... 

Dad says, Gimme some o' dat filet mignon

There was flank steak, filet mignon, leg of lamb, picanha steak (that was Mom's favorite), sirloin, Brazilian sausage, and beef ribs, just to name a few. 

Yeah, buddy -- I hear ya.  I got my drool goin' too

After dinner, Mom and Dad waddled into our room.  Fatties. 


"Come closer, Sue..."                                                
                                   "...Uh, this is as close as I can get, Rich."

Mom kept her promise, though.  She remembered to bring me a piece of bread.

...and now I'm a fatty, too.

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-- Happy Turkey Day (Day 17)



My people
 

Happy Thanksgiving, and what a glorious morning it is in Miami.  Check out the view from my balcony.  Epic.  

 

Today is all about giving thanks, watching football, and practicing gluttonous eating habits. Football comes later. First off, it was time to eat. 

 

Mom took me down to the hotel coffee shop for a muffin bonanza.  I wasn’t allowed in, but I kept a watchful eye on the pastries while she stood in line.

 

 

Without all the crazy night clubbers crowding up the lobby, I scoped out the area. I must say, this is a pretty nice joint.

 

 

My bro, Rob, musta been way tired after his flight here last night because we couldn’t get him to wake up to eat breakfast. I offered to eat his muffin for him, but Mom wouldn't let me -- I suppose there’s plenty more food to come. And for that, I’m thankful.

 

Dad and Rob went down to the gym -- no doubt to relieve a smidgen of guilt for the impending feast tonight. But before we can enjoy that gluttonous Thanksgiving dinner, we need to prepare by stretching:

 

No, no, no -- not that kind of stretching. 

 

We need to prepare by stretching our stomachs -- and that means eating a big lunch.  haha

 

Hey -- a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do...

 

 

Lunch was at a place called "Five Napkins."  Hah.  That says something about the messy burgers, but they were dang good!

 

 

 

We walked around the mall -- seemed like all the retail stores were open, even though it was a holiday. I guess Thursday is the new Black Friday.

 

 

 

For dinner, we ate at a restaurant in the hotel -- actually, Mom, Dad, and Rob ate in the restaurant. 

 

 

I was forced to wait in our room, but Mom didn't fail to bring me spoils from the Thanksgiving feast.  Score!  I had turkey, stuffing, and a big fat roll (I'm not talking about my big fat belly-roll, I mean she brought me a piece of bread).

After I chowed down, it was time to settle in and watch some football.  We all got sleepy pretty fast -- as is expected after a huge Thanksgiving meal. Ordinarily, I would dream about chasing squirrels, but tonight's gonna be special.

Yeah, that's what I'm talkin' about

 

 

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