things i will miss about florida.

well, just about 21 months have come and gone since i moved to orlando for graduate school, even though it kind of seems like yesterday that i packed up and left boston. it's been a good/weird/challenging/transformative time down here, but as many of you know, i have done a lot of soul-searching and decided that:
a) i miss my family and friends immensely
b) my heart is in boston, and it felt like home from the first night that i spent in my north end apartment at age 20 (something which unfortunately never really happened here), and
c) i had my move-across-the-country adventure and don't get me wrong, i'm still a free spirit, man. that said, i'm kind of ready to put down some roots. go all house hunters or some crap in the next couple years. y'know?

so! enough sap. since i made this post when i moved away the first time, i figured it was only fair to give flo rida the same courtesy. so without further ado, the things i will miss about the sunshine state!

1. the weather
'nuff said.

2. the mall at millenia
literally the nicest mall i think i've ever been in. it has a very "florida" feel and a great forever 21/urban outfitters to boot! also, valet parking. at a mall. and PINKBERRY! there's a pinkberry.

3. the vero beach hotel & spa
i'll be making my third trip here next week, before my graduation, because my family and i are obsessed. mainly with the nightly free wine tasting and the weird-ass people that show up to it. and it's right on the ocean, and the staff is really nice, and they have a little sign with the names of the dogs that are staying there(!).

4. goodfella's pizza/sweet! cupcakes/marshmallow delight from publix/four rivers bbq
these four things are honestly all you ever need to know about if you're visiting orlando (aka chain restaurant capital of the world). goodfella's has the best italian & pizza i've ever had, sweet! has the best cupcakes i've ever had (owner is a 2x cupcake wars champ), and four rivers has the best BBQ i've ever had. DONE. i can probably make publix marshmallow delight myself, but it won't be as good.

5. palm trees
never got sick of 'em! :)

6. the winter park farmers market/downtown winter park
a little taste of class, and new england, in florida.