2016 Toyota Camry

My Miami Travel Diaries

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General Information

As you may know by my Instagram bio (and pretty much every social media bio) I am a proud Miami Girl. I moved to LA 8 years ago, but Miami will always be my city. I was actually born in Guayaquil, Ecuador. I would spend almost every summer vacation in Miami (while my parents traveled to England and Italy to visit my sisters that were studying abroad) it was like their alone time and they never took me. And then when I was 12 my family decided to moved to Miami for 3 years (to be closer to my sisters) and then we moved back to Ecuador ( I still don’t know why) right when my sister moved to Miami to continue their studies, so pretty I was away from my sisters, living in different countries. Then 3 years after that I officially moved back to Miami (and I could finally be close to my sisters), so you see what I mean when I say I am a “Miami Girl”.

This trip to Miami was to celebrate our wedding anniversary and for a childhood friend’s birthday party. I met Douglas in Miami, we got married in Miami, we started our business here (we had an online travel agency, that’s for another post) so Miami has a very special meaning to us and Europe is too cold in January, hahaha!

My Miami Travel Diaries

Gas Mileage

25mpg (Highway)
35mpg (City)

Color

Interior: Black
Exterior: Ruby Flare Pearl

Engine

2.5L I-4 Cylinder
6-Speed Automatic

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cafecito at Versailles
miami lakes

Detailed Trip

Day # 1, I love to fly on the red eye, so I sleep on the plane and when I get to Miami I go straight to have a Cuban toast and Cortadito coffee at Versailles in Little Havana, but first we had to pick our Toyota Camry, Toyota loaned us for a week.

After picking up the car and having breakfast, we headed to go visit my sisters Giovanna and Liliana. both of them live in Miami Lakes. My sister Giovanna’s backyard is the epitome of a Miami home, a pool on a canal full of palm trees, ducks and views for days.

Right that we went to Miami Beach to visit my Connie, while taking tons of pictures like a tourist and proud of it.

I wanted to try new restaurants that I haven’t been to on previous trips or that had just opened. And one of those restaurants is Cvi.che 105, it is Peruvian food. And of course we had ceviche and try a new drink I’ve never had before is made a Chicha Pisco  Sour, and a fruity yet tangy flavor.

After lunch we went to our hotel to check-in, unpack and chill for a little. Before heading out to dinner to celebrate our Anniversary, which was the actual day that we arrived.

The went to Toscana Divino at Mary Brickell Village in the Brickell area (where I grew up). I had my mandatory Rose, which goes with every on the menu.

Day # 2 it was time to explore new places and familiar ones and visit more friends and a little of “Me” time. First we stopped at my friends’ Corrine salon in Coral Gables, Jean Claude Biguine a french franchise. I haven’t seen her in 4 years, way too long. She has been doing my color ever since she moved from Lyon to Miami. And of course she wanted to do my hair color (’cause she is the best colorist in the world, no exaggeration) I couldn’t say no.

Then I went to visit my friend Gisella at her Oxygen Spa, where I’ve been getting my facials for over 10 years. She is a skincare guru, and I haven’t seen her in 2 years, this trip was very emotional, some many mixed feelings and wondering if we should move back to Miami (never say never).

After my new hair color and a facial, we wanted to take a few picture to capture it all for our memories and the blog.

We drove from Coral Gables to Coconut Grove all through Bayshore Drive, to capture pictures of the Vizcaya, Dinner Key Marina and Grove Isle.

And then crossed the Rickenbacker bridge to Key Biscayne, when it started raining, so we took as many pictures as possible before running to the car.

Day #3, we went back to Coral Gables and one of my favorite mall in Miami, Merrick Park and Coconut Grove’s Main Highway and Commodore Plaza to shoot an outfit for Cabi clothing Spring collection.

Right after that we went to Wynwood, to take some street and graffiti art . This area has changed so much since I moved to LA, so much beauty, art, murals, restaurants and shopping. I need to spend more time here next time.

Because after having lunch, I started feeling ill. So we went to hotel to rest. The stomach pain was so intense I thought it was food poisoning, Douglas went to the pharmacy to get a few to make feel better.

I had a dinner date with a girlfriend and had to cancel (and if you know me you know I never cancel), so that’s how bad I felt. After taking several thing, the pain wouldn’t go away, so I asked Douglas to please take to the hospital.

We get to Doctor’s Hospital in Coral Gables on a Friday night (’cause that’s how I roll), the pain was so intense I could walk, sit. I have never felt this kind of pain before. They did a few test, and the Doctor comes back saying I had gallstones and I needed to surgery to have my gallbladder removed.

I started crying, I got so scared, idea of surgery makes me really nervous. But the pain killers kicked in, I could actually start relaxing and accepting what had to be done.

Then my brain started thinking all the things I still needed to do, starting with my friends birthday the following day, so much work and photoshoots that were pending. I thought I would leave the following day, but how wrong was I.

Then I realized we have no control of certain things in life, we make plans but everything can change at any time. Saturday afternoon I had surgery and obviously I wasn’t going to be able to the my friend’s party that I travel cross country to go to, because it was that evening. But I did ask Douglas to go for a few hours and have fun and tell everyone what had happen to me.

I wasn’t going to able to do a swimwear photoshoot for a big brand I had scheduled and in my mind I was thinking, I have no control it and it is what it is. My health comes first, and I want to be healthy for my family.

I didn’t have the strength to text or email anyone, so my sisters and Douglas help me with it. Our ticket back to LA was booked for the Sunday, but I wasn’t allowed to leave the hospital for a few days. Douglas had important meetings and a business trip, so they logical thing to do was for him to go ahead with his plans. So he left to go back home, thank God I had my sisters with me, they took care of me and when I got discharged from the hospital Monday night I went to my sister Giovanna’s house, so I was in good hands.

Thursday morning I had my post-op check up and everything looked good and I was given the okay by the doctor to travel back home, so just like that I packed a few I had with me and flew 6 hours to go back home. It was such an uncomfortable flight, I tried to sleep but I couldn’t they scar was hurting me too much.

So this is my Miami Travel Diaries with a twist, all I can say life is full of surprises and we have to live every single day to the fullest. Let’s be kind to one another, don’t do to other what you don’t want other to do to you, and we should be good. Surround yourself with good people and don’t take things too serious, these are mottoes and I live by them.

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Highlighted Features

What We Liked

Practical with an impressive thrust and a capacious trunk to fill all our luggage. It has one of the most accommodating back seats in the class.

Let the Sunshine In

It comes with a standard power sunroof. Yeah!

Wireless Connectivity

Connected Navigation Scout allows for the navigation function of a paired device to be sent into the Camry’s head unit.

vizcaya

2016 Toyota Camry

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Before the Storm

These last 2 photos were taken a few hours before I went to hospital and I was already in so much pain, can you tell? So it was pretty much a 3 day vacation, because day 4 to 10 I was at hospital or recuperating at my sisters house.

With Lots of Love,

thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed this very personal post, it took awhile to to decide to write it, I wanted to open and honest because everything in life is con rainbows and unicorns. Hope you have a super duper day!

x Rossana

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