the osmand family vacation

So it began. 

The Osmand family Vacation for Richie and Katie Niemer. I hopped on a plane, not last Thursday but the one before and headed to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where my brother vacations during the work week (he lives in Chicago but is flown to Florida weekly). 

We hung out around there and then ventured to the keys...

Most importantly we only listened to the Beach Boys and Jimmy Buffet the whole weekend. 

I took the above picture of Richie outside a tourist shop... Just kidding, that sponge animal is not my brother. But Richie does have a vicious amount of facial hair these days.

 

We went Ernest Hemingway's bar... Sloppy Joe's (in Key West)... it was spectacular. They have great drinks and live music. A police officer on a horse rode his horse into part of the bar.... and the band started playing "Horse with no name"!

I got a '90s style water bottle... Think straw with a cap AND a koozie cover... new favorite cup.

 While we ventured out to the various Keys (Key Largo for snorkeling, Key West for adventuring etc...) we stayed in Marathon (a middle key). Next to our hotel there was this AWESOME bar called Hurricane. And they have a band that was Exceptional. A few pitchers later I snapped this picture. It is hard to tell but behind the AWESOME singer... is a giant map and the have stickers for where the current tropical storms are!

 

This was a street art performer who was GREAT.... some of you may know that I have an exceptional passion for street performers (I miss you Boston Feneuil Hall performers).

  

I took this picture (above a few minutes before... and below, right during) sunset. We went to the famous Mallory Square to watch the sunset... AND a couple at the table next to us got engaged!

 It was an awesome weekend with Richie (thanks for being an awesome host and brother).. and I cannot WAIT to hear about the adventure when my parents visit!