Southbound and back

This past week, I headed down to Miami for a job meeting and had the opportunity to visit some old friends and make a few ones as well. The meeting was with a local consulting company for a GIS specialist position they are hiring for. The meeting went well, but it seems they are unsure what they are looking for in the position. Therefore, I'm not sure what, if anything, will come of it. The rest of the time was spent soaking up the fabulous Florida sun, checking out the area, and enjoying time with old friends.

During the brief 3 day stay, I spent time in Coral Gables, Key Biscayne and Bill Baggs State Park, Dadeland, Midtown, South Beach, and North Miami Beach. Although the water was more of the turquoise green, similar to that in the keys, it was very turbid and not as inviting as I had imagined. However, it was a warm enough to swim in and that I did!

On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of lunching with a friend I have not seen in years [too long] and meeting his lovely wife... yes, it's been that long! We ate as a great little restaurant in Midtown, UVA 69. I started the lunch off with a mojito and being a soup lover, had to try their soup of the day, which was a tomato bisque style soup. It was delish! We followed the food with coffee and as I was sad to say goodbye, it was so wonderful to spend time with them that I was more so happy to have had that opportunity.

Another spot I enjoyed [so much I went there twice] was Sweet Point Bakery & Cafe. The menu was simple, but they offer a pleasant blend of dishes and you can tell the ingredients was all fresh and made to order. Additionally, they have daily soups! It was a pleasant tranquil spot amongst a busy shopping center that has wonderful outdoor seating and was perfect for people watching or simply relaxing. To top it off, the staff are very attentive, pleasant, professional, and all around great.

To get a feel for the area and people that may have common interested, I contacted a member of a volleyball meetup group to see if I could join them while I was down. The member I spoke with was very nice and although he was not going to be attending the Wednesday night meetup, he said I was more than welcome to join. Super excited, but a little nervous when it came time to show up, I overcame my fears and forced myself to go. The group was playing at North Shore Park in North Miami Beach. There was a nice group of people and they were all very welcoming. Having not played sand vball since last August, I was a little rusty, not to mention the indoor moves I have been using were useless on the sand. However, I was able to pull off a few good plays and our team actually won a few games. Having been the first meetup I have attended, I think it was a success and am definitely going to utilize the site in the future.

Overall, it was hard to leave the wonderfully warm weather in S. Florida... especially being surrounded by family and friends. That alone makes any place hard to leave! Although I was not excited to return to the chilly NC coast, I was overjoyed to be reunited with K. I'm not sure where the next few weeks will take us, but I am looking forward to warmer days and summer fun to come!