Upon arriving in Miami, Grace picked me up at the airport and we headed to Downtown Coral Gables for some shopping and lunch while we waited for more of the girls to arrive.  Our first stop was Hip.e Boutique (www.hip-e-boutique.com), a cute and trendy boutique located along the city's trendy Miracle Mile.  We both tried on several dresses, and Grace purchased a new Diane Von Furstenberg bathing suit for our trip south.  Next stop was Peterbrooke Chocolatier just a few blocks away.   I told Grace I was familiar with Peterbrooke since there is one located on Park Avenue in Winter Park. "You must see this store and meet the owner, Sharon," Grace said.  And she was right. As soon as I walked in and shook hands with

 
We worked up an appetite and stopped at Charlotte Bistro (www.Charlotte-Bistro.com), the area's newest French restaurant, for lunch.  The owner, Venezuelan-born chef Elida Villarroel, has been trained by three-Michelin-star Chef Michel Bras.  The food was delish and we were now fully prepared for our two-hour drive to Duck Key in the Florida Keys.  The great thing about all of our Coral Gables visits is that each business is female owned and operated.  So proud of these terrific entrepreneurs.  I hope to support more businesses like these!!

 
After a few hours of singing in the car (where's the karaoke bar?), we arrived at the 60-acre luxury resort, Hawk's Cay (www.HawksCay.com).  One step into their exquisite lobby sets you in a relaxed mood as soon as you walk in.  We checked in, relaxed in our rooms, and then met our lovely hosts in the Bar at Alma, which is located in the resort lobby, for appetizers and cocktails.  My favorite drink of the trip was the Little Red Dress (be sure to try while you are there) and the Lobster Risotto seemed to be a group favorite for dinner.
 
We woke up to a beautiful view of the Atlantic Ocean and enjoyed breakfast poolside.  Then it was off to tour Hawk's Cay (www.HawksCay.com). The great thing about this resort is that everything is located on property.  We saw the marina, which houses fishing boats for charter and water sports such as kayaks, jet skis, parasailing and more.  Also at the marina is a small grocery store and Tom's Harbor House restaurant.  The resort also boasts a lovely spa and fitness area, as well as a great kids recreational area.  Our last stop was the on-site villas with 2-3 bedrooms that are perfect for a family or large group of guests who don't mind staying together (hello Girls Getaways).
 
After a quick bite for lunch at the poolside bar (I ate the Chicken Caesar Salad two days in a row...so good), we walked to the on-site Dolphin Connection for our Dolphin Discovery Program.  Hawks Cay is one of the only resorts in the continental U.S. to have an on-site dolphin training facility that guests can participate in.  After squeezing into our wetsuits (which was entertaining), we got an overview of what we were going to do that day (keep hands on vests).  Our trainer, Jeff, introduced us to all of the dolphins (Hastings, Lucky, Bolla, Sebastian) and we danced, sang, hugged and kissed them for one amazing experience!

 

To continue with our adventurous day, we decided it was time to try some parasailing.  After a brief overview from Freddie, Grace and I were harnessed into our gear and up, up and away we went.  It was much more calm and peaceful in the air than either one of us expected, and Grace pointed out that, from the air, Duck Key really does look like a duck. After about a 15-minute ride, they reeled us in and back into the boat.  Hmmm...I wonder if I am now ready for skydiving???  Anyone???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dinner that evening was at Tom's Harbor House where we ate some awesome fish dishes of snapper, grouper and mahi mahi.  As we were about to leave, we saw David Hope playing the guitar inside the bar area.  Ah ha!  We found our karaoke (well, sort of).  With Karen channeling Janis Joplin, Grace on the tambourine, Elvis on the harmonica and Georgette and I as back-up singers/dancers, we were a force to be reckoned with!  Thanks to David's gracious sharing of the stage, Elvis and the Bichons were born and will forever remain icons at Hawk's Cay.  

 

 

 

If Friday was the day for adventure, then Saturday was our day for relaxation.  First on the agenda was a yoga/pilates class at the fitness center appropriately named Midsection Meltdown.  Georgette was the star performer here while trying a new move on the fitness ball.  After working out, we were ready to get worked on with massages at Calm Waters Spa.  This 80-minute unique massage and energy experience is aimed to reduce stress, unblock natural energy and re-balance your mind.  Afterwards, I felt like a wet noodle as Karen and I enjoyed some girl talk in the eucalyptus steam room.
 
We were ready for some down time as we sat poolside (the resort has two; one is adults-only) and some enjoyed the resort's lagoon, which sits between the pool and the ocean.  It even has a platform in the middle that you can swim to and enjoy the saltwater.  After our sun time, we were ready for our sunset cruise as no trip to the Florida Keys is complete without some time on the water.  Many thanks to Lauren for keeping our wine glasses full and to Elvis for providing a great game of "One Foot Boat Balance" for our entertainment. 

 

We had one more incredible dinner together at Alma, the resort's tropically-inspired Nuevo Latino cuisine.  The meal was complete with La Crema Pinot Noir, tasty rib eye steaks and their signature appetizers, which were delicious.  For dessert, we sat by the fire pit and enjoyed more wine and our stogies (just like the guys do).

 

Sunday morning we said goodbye to Hawk's Cay and Duck Key.  While only here for a few days, we all certainly caught a little "Keys Disease" as we reluctantly drove back home and to reality.  Many thanks to Hawks Cay Resort for a wonderful time!