Hello friends! What day is it? Wednesday? Cool.
It’s been a bit of a process getting back to “real” life after twelve days in Orlando, Florida. I didn’t mean to take five days off from the blog. I guess I’m still adjusting and trying to find a natural groove into it all again.
My “normal” posting schedule has been anything but that lately, so I appreciate you checking in when you do!
Scott and I are coming off of working an amazing event with extremely full hearts that I can’t wait to share soon. Until then, I thought it would be fun to start by covering the two days we actually had off after everything at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports came to a close.
Like most trips to Orlando, this one was very scheduled and left little time for plans with loved ones. Going into it, we knew that we wouldn’t really have extra time to catch up with our Orlando friends, but that didn’t make it any easier.
Scott and I decided to dedicate Friday to spending time with our friends who flew in from Michigan, then Saturday with local family before we flew back to New York early Sunday morning. Here are the highlights!
Cocoa Beach
One of the contingencies of our friends from Detroit flying in to spend time with us in Orlando was making it to the beach. I suggested a trip out to New Smyrna (my favorite!), but we decided on Cocoa Beach because it was much closer to where everyone was staying in Kissimmee.
We got a later start to the day than we expected, but after a quick break into Publix for subs (a must-stop for lunch on the way to the beach!), we were on our way and into the sand in no time.
Scott has never been a fan of simply lounging in the sand, so he and Liam spent the majority of the afternoon playing cornhole with the beach party next to us. The girls, on the other hand, had no problem basking in the sun for hours (with sunscreen, of course).
We enjoyed our subs for lunch and eventually walked over to Coconuts to cool off with a frozen beverage or two.
Coconuts is an old favorite of mine, and it is one of the only places I can think of where you can walk in dressed in a bathing suit without a ton of stares. #Floridalife
We almost made it to sunset before we packed up to head back to the Orlando area, but I recommend sticking around if you get the chance. Sunsets on the Florida beaches are unreal!
Until next time!
Cafe Tu Tu Tango
Those who have been following the blog since the beginning might remember that my love for Cafe Tu Tu Tango is strong. It’s a tapas-style restaurant filled with live entertainment, and is also the location of Scott and I’s first official date!
The restaurant is located in the heart of the tourist area (International Drive), but it feels anything but touristy. There is usually a small wait if you decide to go during peak dining hours, and it’s always worth it.
The menu offers a variety of appetizer-sized dishes, and we always have to start with my favorite plate of dynamite shrimp. I’ve never left that place hungry, and we were excited that everyone enjoyed the food and ambiance as much as we did!
After dinner, we gave it our best effort to drive back to the resort our friends were staying at to catch the Disney fireworks from the rooftop. We were about fifteen minutes too late, and we felt bad that we didn’t get to see them!
It’s too bad that Scott and I didn’t have access to our old condo balcony. We were spoiled with views of fireworks from both Universal and Disney over the lake every single night. *Sigh*
Those were the days!
Lake Eola Park
Saturday was our last full day to spend in Florida. As much as we wanted to be five places at once, Scott and I saved the day for my family and met my sister and her family to watch my nephew, Cole, play in a soccer game. It had been years since I was able to attend a sporting event to watch either my niece or nephew, and we had a great time. His team won!
After the game, we went back to my sisters house and then all drove to downtown Orlando to spend the afternoon with my brother, his girlfriend, and my parents.
My brother recently moved downtown near Lake Eola Park, and it’s one of Scott and I’s favorite areas to come back and visit. We have completed many training runs around the water, and we often chose it as the destination for many dinner meet-ups and weekend walks.
We were able to park at his condo and walk over to a new-to-us spot for lunch called Baoery Asian Gastropub. The menu offered plenty of options for a variety of tastebuds in our family including sandwiches, salads, tacos, noodle bowls, ramen, and appetizers. (I shared pictures of my spicy chicken ramen bowl on Snapchat, but didn’t think to save it!)
Everything was delicious, and it was great to have our entire family together at one meal.
After lunch, we took a short walk over to Menchie’s for frozen yogurt.
It was just as tasty as I remember it, and we took our yogurt with us for a lap around the lake.
I am still completely in love with living in New York, but man, I sure do miss this place. There’s something so calming about walking around Lake Eola.
I’m not always a fan of birds, but they seem to be rather tolerant here. You can practically walk up to the swans! (But, I would stay away from the ones with yellow beaks … just sayin’.)
We saw a group of babies on our way out, and I wanted to stay there and watch them all day. So stinking cute!
Ever since Scott and I moved away from Orlando, it’s been a challenge to rally up the family and get everyone together any time that we are in town. I was so thankful to have a full, uninterrupted day with both of my siblings, their families, and my parents all at once.
I wish we had more downtime while we were there, but I guess we will take what we can get. I’m thankful for the opportunity to fly down and for the time we had!
I sure do love you guys!
I plan to be back soon with more highlights from our trip. Scott and I are both back at it and in the process of interviewing for jobs in the NYC area, and most of our downtime is going to slowly piecing our apartment together. We already have a handful of visitors on deck to come stay with us, so we need to make it happen!
That said, I hope to keep blogging a priority, but I have to be honest … it’s been rough. Life is a roller coaster of emotions right now, and I’m not as motivated to log on and chat on a daily basis like I used to be. The last six months haven’t been easy to document, and I still have my good days and bad days.
I listen to my body and take breaks from working out when I need it, I eat a hamburger when I feel like my body is craving meat, and I’ve finally realized that this isn’t any different. If it seems like I am becoming distant from the blog, I might be busy, but I also just might need a break for a bit.
By no means am I finished sharing our lives, healthy recipes, and workouts, but I’m just taking everything one day at a time and will check in when it makes sense.
Again, thank you for sticking with me and following the journey! I appreciate you!
Questions of the Day
• Is there something that you look forward to every time you visit your hometown?
• Where are your favorite spots to visit in Downtown Orlando?
Scott and I always have a list of t0-dos when we visit Orlando. Included are a handful of restaurants, along with people to visit and favorite things to see. It’s almost impossible to do them all, but we almost always check off getting a sub from Publix, making a trip into The Fresh Market, and spending at least a little quality time with family.

Ahh I love Florida!
I hope you keep sharing as you figure out life in NYC. It’s home for me, so I’m not a visitor, but if I leave I can imagine having to head straight to Central Park every time I land at the airport!
renaissancerunnergirl recently posted…A Beautiful Day in Kennebunkport
Thanks! I’ll be back … Central Park is amazing. I can’t wait to spend more weekends there this summer!
Oh my gosh, bringing me back to Orlando! Dave and I lived right above the lake in downtown and would walk to Menchie’s all the time. And our first date was at Cafe Tutu Tango! Love it! So glad you had a nice time in Orlando, and believe me, I GET IT — leaving is hard. Being away from family is hard. But you guys are doing some awesome things. And don’t worry about being away from the blog — your followers understand and will love you no matter how often you post. Go enjoy life!
Ashley @ A Lady Goes West recently posted…Class review: FlyBarre makes you burn
Right? Our trips home are never long enough. Too funny that your first date was Cafe Tu Tu Tango as well! Love it 😉 Thanks for always checking in!
I love visiting home and going to my favorite ice cream spot, it’s frozen custard and they have so many flavors, it’s my favorite! Sounds like you had a nice visit!
Patricia @ Sweet and Strong recently posted…Pairings that Pop
There’s great frozen custard where Scott is from. I probably gain 5 pounds each trip home! Ha.
That sounds like such a fun trip! I have a beach trip scheduled for the beginning of June and I could not be more excited! Pretty awesome you got to be with friends and family !
Hilary recently posted…Aztec Protein Breakfast Bread
Beach trips are the best – enjoy your time away in June!
There are definitely a few traditions I have when I visit home. We always make a trip to the Mall where my favorite restaurant happens to be.
Lauren @ The Bikini Experiment recently posted…3 Unique Ways to Enjoy Hummus
An afternoon at the mall followed by dinner is always a great time!
I totally understand the need to step back from the blog! Don’t worry. Every blogger needs that… <333 Being engaged in life is important! <3 It looks like you had an awesome time in Florida with family. Spending time with family is always fun, because you get to make so many memories and just catch up. 😉 And yes, swans, can be a bit.. unpredictable, is what I've heard.
Emily Swanson (@Emily11949309) recently posted…Friday Favorites: Ireland is Amazing
Thanks so much Emily! We are definitely trying to soak in life as much as possible. Very true about the swans!
My dad actually grew up in Cocoa Beach and my grandpa used to own the pier, so I used to go there all the time! And I totally understand, sometimes you just need a break. When I’m not feeling it, I usually don’t force it!
Aurora@Fitness is Sweet recently posted…WIAW: Senior vs Sophomore
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