Welcome to Fort Lauderdale: Boat Shows and Unexpected Reunions

 

Since a few months into the pandemic I've been shooting boats for a company out of Canada. Vincent, the owner, needed me to shoot at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show for a week. With Brooke OK with me going for the week, I was all in.

This show is famous for its yacht row. The day before I shot this massive Sirena yacht. This was a big departure from the fishing and pleasure boats I've shot to this point.

 

 

 

 

I also shot the Boston Whaler and one other "booth." The show is the largest (mostly outdoor) boat show in the world and they build these docks just for the show.

That's, Milan. He's been shooting for Vincent for a decade. We'd be shooting alongside one another all week long.

Meanwhile, back in Minneapolis. Theo decided a few days before Halloween that he wanted to dress as Link from Zelda. I found a costume on Facebook Marketplace. Driving to go pick it up Meadow said, I want to live here.

After shooting some Tiara boats in the morning, I walked the show floor with Vincent. It was great seeing how he made sales and connections with every boat manufacture on the convention floor.

I want this for the cottage. 

Yes, Vincent. These boats are huge.

It's challenging whenever Scott is gone. My work days are longer because I have to take time off working during the day to get Meadow to and from school and make dinner. I guess Theo got worn out too. It was really quiet and when I went to check on him he had gone down for a nap. He never naps anymore.

 

This was one of the sleekest boats in the entire show.

I told Vincent about this place cooking steaks over wood fires.

It was so hot out. If this was late October weather in south Florida, I'm not sure how people handle summer.

 

 

The night before we went to a toy store to get a birthday present. Later when I was putting Theo to bed we couldn't find his blanket anymore. I said, I think you left it at the toy store. I called the store the next morning to ask if they saw and she said, "Oh I think I know which blanket you are talking about". Needless to say Theo was very happy to have it back.

 

Vincent had to leave the show early, so we made a night of it.

 

The entire main drag of Los Olas was packed. While we waited for dinner we checked out some galleries and very Floridian stores.

Throuhgout the week Milan discussed the harm that United States wreaked on Serbia. He's a dual American-Serbian citizen and spent years in NYC. Of course those conversations lead to me thinking about my high school bestie Olger who's from neighboring Albania. 

 

I looked up Olger on LinkedIn and saw that he was doing a doctoral fellowship in neighboring Hollywood Florida. I texted him and a couple days later Olger was debating Milan about Balkan diplomacy. LOL. 

Eventually Olger and I got out to some of his favorite spots in Fort Lauderdale. 

I was so happy to see this guy.

 

Back at home Meadow went to an Adam's Family themed birthday party.

After I picked her up she rolled around on the floor saying, "I'm so hyper and I don't know why!!"
 

After exploring the city's artist row we picked up some food and drinks at a nearby food hall. Here's hoping that I get back down to the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area and we can hang again.

The next morning was our last day shooting.

Milan and I got some work done and then explored the city.

And finally got to the beach.

I'm not sure I'd live here, but I do like the coastal big cities of Florida.

 

The kids were excited to put their costumes on early.

 

Ever so slowly we're getting there. 

I've been finding lots of "treasures' from previous home owners past.

 

We were trying to find some seafood, but ended up at a chill outdoor bar on northside of the city.

 

Scott was missing out on Halloween.

We went trick or treating with Olive and June too. June happened to be Link too.

We were just going to go to a few houses in the neighborhood then go over to old our neighborhood. But people are so into Halloween over here we ended up staying nearby.

Theo scored on the big candy bar.

We ran into a couple of Meadow's classmates and they said to check out Enchanted Alley. I'm starting to really like our new neighborhood.

Since we were nearby we had to stop by the pumpkin house.

Every year we always say we're only going to go out for awhile but then they have so much fun. And we have so much candy.

 

We stayed the whole week together at this AirBNB.

Milan and I were both flying out in the evening. We finally got to explore Miami. First stop, Miami Beach.

Milan had a work call, so I rented a bike and cruised along South Beach.

One of my favorite things about traveling (mostly) on my own for work is chatting with the locals.

Milan met up with me and we cruised around some more.

 

It's funny that when you're thinking of Miami, you're actually thinking Miami Beach. It's across the Biscayne Bay from Miami proper FYI.

At the end of the world again. Seems like this is a recurring theme for trips that Vincent sends me on.

We headed across the bay after chatting with this cool dude.

Milan suggested Winwood.

 

 The entire neighborhood is a street art mecca.

We feasted on Mediterranean small plates at Doya. This was the best meal of the whole trip.

And got some ice cream at Dasher and Crank just down the road.

 

And after a stop at Best Buy (Milan needed his fix before heading to NYC and then back to Serbia) we parted ways at Miami International.