Following Rabbits Blog

Anyone who watched season 2 of Jersey Shore while they were in Miami (the shame and horror, I know) are familiar with Lecca Lecca gelateria in South Beach. The JS cast worked there during their stint in MIA, scooping SoBe's best gelato. I got a cup of mint chip and it was fab!!

I walked around for a bit, checking out the shops. The cabbie was so pumped to show me the "designer strip" of stores and boutiques... I kinda smiled and nodded, thanking him for the tip. I didn't come here to shop, obviously... a staycation in NYC would have been the way to go for that. I did take a few pics of some stores- the buildings down here give the stores such a different vibe than they have in New York.

I took a cab back to my hotel after my gelato and stayed in for the night. I'm doing far less clubbing and drinking here than I expected (read: none). For one, most clubs here have a cover of $50... I can't imagine what the drinks cost. Not to mention I'm not staying on South Beach, and the cab fare is $20 each way. A pricetag of $90 on the evening before ordering a drink is a bit silly to me. So rather than relying on my dance moves to get me through the Miami nights, I've been streaming Netflix on my laptop.

Every night since I got here there has been an incredible thunderstorm. I'm used to Northeastern thunderstorms that pass by fairly quickly. The storms over Biscayne Bay each night last hours. My hotel room is all glass sliders on the back wall, and I have to shut the curtains during the storms-- the lightning is blinding. Now to illustrate my point (yes, I tend to be dramatic, but I'm serious here) I videotaped a few minutes of the storm and took some stills out to share:

a flash like this would precede every lightning bolt

Two more beach days left! I hope tomorrow's weather holds up.

view from my hotel room {Biscayne Bay}

Today I awoke to sunny skies in Miami, which was a relief after a rainy evening last night. I had breakfast in my room and bummed around a bit before heading out to South Beach for the day. SoBe was everything I thought it'd be... prime spot for sunning, swimming, shopping, eating, and people watching. Major people watching.

beachfront biking, rollerblading, and volleyball... natch

South Beach {at 7th Street}

The water was ridiculously warm. I spent a fair amount of time floating around... sandbars galore, virtually no waves. Was nice! There were tons of U Miami kids hanging out... I think I was the only one on the beach without either a styrofoam cooler or boombox. After a few hours in the sun I was a bit crispy and in need of some lunch. I packed up my beach bag and headed up Ocean Drive to the News Cafe-- everyone I spoke to and everything I read regarding Miami said to eat here. So I did.

Ocean Drive

Part sidewalk cafe, part indoor bar, part tourist shop, this place is open 24 hours. I went at 4:30p so it wasn't very busy, but generally this place draws quite a crowd. Reviews say it's overpriced, but I live in NYC and grew up on Cape Cod-- the prices seemed pretty reasonable to me. I got an iced tea and a chicken ceasar salad (I'm boring, I know...). The people watching is absolutely the best part about alfresco dining in South Beach. If I had to describe the majority of people here in 3 words: shameless, vain, exhibitionistic. I know, I sound cynical. I do find it mildly amusing... mostly because it's just so not my comfort zone. I hate being the center of attention (ask my friends-- I get hives).

While I sat on the patio, the group of ladies behind me talked in turn about the famous "ball players" they've each dated, the penthouses they live in, the girlfriends who they've cut off, and the things they've purchased. The valet at the cafe next door had an extremely hard time getting a brand new Maserati in gear... whiles several people photographed the car and its enormous rims. Several women (and one suspected man) walked by wearing thong bathing suits with sky-high stiletto heels... and nothing else. Men hollered at women, women giggled and kept walking. Numbers were exchanged, club promoters handed out fliers, Bentleys rolled by. Everyone put their best foot forward and checked out the crowd to make sure everyone else was doing the same. And I sat there in the middle of it sipping my iced tea, marveling. What a change of pace from NYC. I really think most people in New York do their own thing, rock their own style and don't give a damn. Individuality rules in NYC. Here, it's See and Be Seen. I smirked at the stark contrast of South Beach today.

I had a hell of a time getting down to Miami today. The airline waited until we were all settled on the plane for a cozy 40 minutes before letting us know that our pilot was stuck in Holland Tunnel traffic and would be another hour. Then when we finally got down to Florida, we had to circle above the airport for 45 minutes to wait out a thunderstorm. By the time we finally went in for a landing, all the right turns and other planes out the window doing the same thing had given me serious anxiety. Then the luggage carousel busted. So we waited again. What was supposed to be a 2 1/2 hour trip had taken 5. I will never fly American Airlines again. They didn't even apologize. Common courtesy, people. 

once I saw the thunderstorm, I was glad we didn't fly through it... turbulence makes me cry. seriously.

Anyway, I rushed to my hotel on Biscayne Bay, checked in, and ran back out to head to the Honda Civic Tour featuring New Found Glory, Tegan and Sara, and Paramore. The show started at 6:30 and I didn't get there til 8, so I missed New Found Glory (booo). I did get there just as Tegan and Sara were starting their set though, which was sweet.

I only knew a few of their songs, but I'm definitely a fan now. They killed it! They were giving away downloads of their new album Sainthood with tshirt purchases, so I bought one and downloaded the album when I got back to the hotel. Good stuff! My fave song is Northshore:

I saw Paramore once before, when they opened for No Doubt last summer. Hayley Williams has some serious pipes! They were amazing, as expected. I got to hear all my faves: Misguided Ghosts, Crushcrushcrush, The Only Exception, Fences and Decode:

They encored with Misery Business which was awesome. They even pulled a girl from the crowd to sing with Hayley. (Jealous!) Confetti, pyrotechnics, a sweet acoustic set (that included a couch and floor lamps on stage)... such a good show. So glad I made it out there.

Now I gotta rest up so I can hit South Beach tomorrow!!

I shudder to recall the number of times that I've left a spa after an eyebrow shaping with a red unibrow-- you know, the strip of raw skin laid to waste after a harsh waxing treatment. For a long time I accepted it, always carrying my giant Jackie-O sunglasses with me to cover up afterwards. Beauty is pain, right? Wrong.

At Go Green Organic Spa, they apply a calming lotion to the sensitive area around your eyebrows and let it hydrate your skin before waxing. The lotion provides a barrier between your skin and the wax, preventing the wax from tearing off a layer of skin. They use an organic wax formula that is gentle on your skin, while providing the results you expect from a professional eyebrow shaping.

Go Green's estheticians are all very professional and warm. They offer up a comprehensive menu of waxing, facials and massage therapy. The spa itself is a calm retreat from the outside world; bamboo, crystals and soft New Age music set the mood. The prices are serene too-- an eyebrow shaping will run you just $15. And you won't have to hide those pretty peepers afterwards, either.

Go Green Organic Spa is located at 365 Broome Street, and is open everyday from 11a-8p. Call (212) 966-3898 for an appointment or more info.

Lo Res

I have a thing for unique shoes... I love wearing shoes that get people's attention, shoes that no one else has. I recently came across United Nude-- designer footwear that is sure to start conversations and draw glances your way. How amazing are these Lo Res pumps?! I would rock them in a heartbeat! I'm not sure about the rest though... what do you think? Would you wear any of these shoes?

Label Shoe by Dutch designer Antoine Peters (these pumps make me think of caution tape... I dig)

Block Pump Hi (I do like these but I'm wondering how frequently people would tell you your shoe is broken...)

Graffiti (if nothing else, people will stare at these to try to figure out what they say [...they say United Nude])

Loop Hi (these resemble mod furniture to me)

Eamz Pump (these are pushing it... how silly! attention getters for sure)