our first vacation | MIAMI 2019

Our first vacation was a trip to Florida taken in the first week of August 2019 - first to Miami, then to Fort Lauderdale, before returning home and making an unexpected pitstop in Atlantic City. It was just what I wanted it to be: relaxing, adventurous, and full of good eats & togetherness, with a side order of Grams.

DAY 01 - AUGUST 3, 2019

our first vacation // MIAMI 2019 | Amanda Zampelli

In the airport, waiting for our flight, we had a drink or two at the bar. We were flying SPIRIT Airlines (I do NOT recommend.)

Early, early that morning, when we were at my mom’s waiting to be driven to the airport, there was news that…well…I’ll just let you read it for yourself below:

Yeah. A friggin’ BAT! …could that have been a bit of foreshadowing for 2020? Hmmm…

Our boarding was of course: DELAYED. Spirit you never (cough, cough ALWAYS) let us down! When we did (finally) get on the flight, we were given the first two seats with lots of extra leg room, so I can’t complain. Also, happy to report there was no stowaway animals of any kind on the flight, thank goodness.

Our first dinner was to RED, and Tom had made reservations for us way before we arrived in Miami. We ordered RED wine and ate RED meat.

Afterward we bought our own bottle of red wine and brought it back to the hotel where Tom used this interesting contraption on the hotel’s lobby to open it up. MMMMMKAY…

DAY 02 - AUGUST 4, 2019

We woke up in Miami refreshed and with the plan to walk by the beach a bit and then go to the rooftop pool of our hotel. The views of the ocean were great! (Take me back!)

We first ordered drink-drinks: me, a mojito, and Tom, his beloved red sangria and drank them white tanning in our cabana.

After these, we switched to Bon & Viv Spiked Seltzer which I now refer to as Miami White Claws. Whoopsie. We spent a good deal of time in the pool playing ‘save me from falling off a cliff’ and chit-chatting with each other into the afternoon.

Then we dressed up to get some drinks at the Drag Queen-themed Sweet Liberty the best crab dinner in town at Joe’s Stone Crab.

DAY 03 - AUGUST 5, 2019

Fast forward a pack-up and drive from Miami to Fort Lauderdale, we were in Grams’ condo eating stuffed shells, shrimp cocktail, meatballs, and ribs with sauce. Our first night with her was spent playing BINGO at The Clubhouse.

DAY 04 - August 6, 2019

The next day we planned to spend at Grams’s pool so Tom and I stopped at the store for some poolside beverages and walked out with a pack of White Claws and a cooler. This was the summer of White Claws.

When that famous Florida afternoon storm cloud started moving over the pool, Tom and headed back to Grams’s condo, showered and got ready for dinner — second night dinner with Grams:

…linguine and white clam, coconut shrimp, and homemade baked clams. I’ve always said she should host her own cooking show called “Cooking with GLAM-ma” — although it would have to be rated R for how much she would undoubtedly curse during programming. These would be Glam Grams’ Baked Clams.

After dinner, it was off to another night of (not winning at) BINGO, but this time at the actual Seminole Casino for big money. I loved this night because all three of us - Grams, Tom, and I - were wearing our own print. We were really cute. So were the two of them walking together to the car…

DAY 05 - AUGUST 7, 2019

This day was supposed to be our return home, but that was an uncertainty since were taking another Spirit Airlines flight home. (eye*roll) As you can see in the image above, there were complications. Not enough fuel or something…we landed in Atlantic City and waited on the tarmac for about two hours, for them just to say the flight was cancelled. GOOD OL’ Spirit Airlines! Do yourself a favor and NEVER fly with them.

It turned out to be a blessing in disguise because we got an extra day out of it. We decided to spend the night in Harrah’s Resort and had the buffet for dinner that night.

UNEXPECTED DAY 06 - AUGUST 8, 2019

We were headed home on the Greyhound from Harrah’s to New York City at around 4pm, so we woke up and had a morning at the casino. I watched Tom play Roulette and for the first time, I really understood it.
It was exciting guessing numbers with him and being arm candy to the high roller! Haa haa!

We made our way from the casino in the morning to Harrah’s Pool area in the afternoon where we sipped a few drinks to pass the time. While sitting at the bar, this woman came up to me and said, “Miss Zampelli"?” She looked familiar right away, but couldn’t place where from, until it clicked: she was the mom of one of my former students!

With Tom listening to the whole thing she talked to me about how I was her son’s favorite teacher, how he was doing, and she even called him so I could speak to him! WHAT A SMALL FRIGGIN’ WORLD, right?! We weren’t even supposed to be in Atlantic City - let alone the same hotel she was in! It blew my mind, and I took it as a sign from The Universe that I’m on the right path, that this upcoming year of teaching is what I’m supposed to be doing, and that Tom is the one I’m supposed to be doing this life with.

After that very serendipitous experience, we hopped on the Greyhound bus home to New York. We shared headphones and listened to Billy Joel. We’re so comfortable with each other. There’s nobody on the entire planet I’d rather be shoulder-to-shoulder with. This vacation was so good for us, and I’m grateful for all these beautiful memories.