Florida Fun

July is a travel-filled month for Katja, so just a few days after returning from Mexico City it was back to Newark, this time to hop on a plane to visit friends in Boca Raton. Thankfully she was able to detox during her few days in New York, as even a jet-setting party girl needs some calm and healthy every now and then (and, of course, her ballet classes).

Her trip got off to a good start when she was upgraded; Katja felt very classy drinking her Coke Zero out of a proper glass instead of the usual plastic cup. Plus there was a good selection of snacks from which to choose.

She was curious about the Pasta Chips (her main question being why chips made of pasta would be particularly appealing to anybody), but not certain they were a wise choice. Luckily the nice flight attendant let her take a few backup treats in case the Pasta Chips didn’t hit the spot. They sort of just tasted like flavored crackers.

Although Florida is known for its beaches, Katja is not a lie around the beach kind of girl. Even when wearing sunscreen she’s convinced sunbathing will give her wrinkles, plus she’s much too hyperactive for inactivity. She does, however, love long evening walks and cocktails by the beach. So, a few hours after arriving at her friend's house they made their way to JB’s by the Beach, where they enjoyed a beautiful sunset and indulged in decadent frozen cocktails, the type Katja usually avoids due to their high sugar to alcohol ratio, but which are an integral part of any beach holiday. She also had a slice key lime pie, one of her favorite desserts, and a must have treat any time she visits Florida.

Katja is not a morning kind of girl, yet she found herself up relatively early her first full day in Boca…it must have been the Florida sun. She was thus in dire need of caffeine, so headed to The Seed, a charming local coffee shop with fun decor, good coffee and lots of tasty baked goods (including delicious pies).

As she lives in New York City it’s a treat for Katja to go to a proper shopping mall, so she spent much of the day at the massive Town Center at Boca Raton. Luckily she had enjoyed a hearty lunch at the Tin Muffin Café - another local spot with delicious baked goods (she does have quite the sweet tooth), and perhaps the most elaborately decorated bathroom she’s ever encountered (current theme, Fourth of July) –

so she had lots of energy to wander around the mall and check out the seemingly endless stores. She’s a stylish girl who loves her fashion, and was particularly pleased with her purchases from francesca’s.

Of course there was also some wandering along the beach - she hit both Spanish River Park and Delray Beach. She also just enjoys strolling down the palm tree lined streets, spotting the many little lizards, which she thinks are ever so cute.

All the meandering around town in the Florida heat provided her with the perfect excuse to indulge in lots of frozen yogurt (not that she ever really needs an excuse). It’s one of her favorite treats, and one she’s sampled in more cities and yogurt shops than she can keep track of. Yet she must say that she was quite impressed with the stuff at the Yogurt Emporium, the peanut butter and the mint chip being particularly tasty.

She was, however, much less impressed with the outfits and numerous bad dye jobs she saw on her night out in Delray. But, the company was good,

as were the so many she can’t remember how many appetizers she shared with friends at The Office. It was, however, the restaurant’s cocktails that she enjoyed the most (surprise, surprise), her strawberry and jalapeño margarita being just slightly more sophisticated than the frozen concoctions she had been drinking earlier in the trip. And, since weekend getaways are never the time to practice moderation, she decided more cocktails were necessary, and made her way to Cabana el Rey, where she had a very tasty passion fruit pisco martini (or at least that’s what she thinks she ordered…it was that kind of night).

Although Katja is a true big city girl, she thoroughly enjoyed her Florida getaway. She even brought a bit of the beach back with her, which she admired over a glass of rosé (the perfect summer wine). It is, after all, always best to ease oneself back into things after a trip. And, of course, to start planning the next escape.