oil-free florida

two weeks ago today, i was hopping a plane at FAR for a four-day trip to fort lauderdale for work (rough life, i know!). after changing planes in MSP, i arrived at FLL and hopped a cab for our hotel on the A1A and north fort lauderdale beach (and no, vanilla ice, i didn't see any "rockman lovers driving Lamborghinis." too bad.). here's the sweet cell-phone quality view from our 18th floor hotel room:

and the lovely palm tree shade on a 90+ degree boardwalk outing...

we had dinner at a local restaurant (Casablanca Cafe) the night we arrived, since the conference didn't start until the following morning. they had the best spinach pesto...

lunch the first day of the conference was cuban-themed...and amazing...and looks completely unappetizing when captured by my old school lg scoop:

(*notice the avocado salad in the background - avocado slices, lime juice, olive oil, and sea salt - yum!)

big cargo boats anchored off the coast...(from the front steps of our hotel)


strangers parasailing (because i'll never get in one of those crazy things)...

hubby was teasing me about tracking down Miami Ink and getting a tattoo...so i made sure to find a tattoo shop on the A1A for him;)

morning runs along the beach - love the view...

sunrise on the beach during my morning run...

missed my hubby lots when i saw the cat challenger dragging the beach:(

now, i have to mention that i work in a really fun office with some really...creative...people:). so while i was gone, they made sure that i was up-to-date on all the things i was missing while in sunny florida...

wednesday morning bible study trip to perkins (roy is their new spokesman)...

naps under their desks...

playing dress-up in my office (roy in my pink fleece and the rastafarian hat that has been perched atop a stuffed tiger in the ops area. don't ask:))...

more napping, this time with the bob marley look...

and convincing dear, sweet pam to sniff bleach:)...

(*no pams were harmed in this photo shoot)

finally made it back home on friday after stops in CIN and MSP and a delay waiting for our flight to FAR....it's a lovely place to visit, but i'll take being home with my hubby over jet-setting any day:).