BLUSHING THEORY: Learning to survive the humidity

Going to high school in Miami, I avoided the sweltering humidity and the killer heat by moving from my air conditioned house, to my air conditioned car, and to my air conditioned destination. I'm sure this experience is familiar to most people from the Southeast where the heat can be absolutely unbearable in the summer (but you don't really think about it because you rarely spend any time outside). With this mindset, when the boy came down to visit me in Miami, of course I thought it would be the perfect time to drive down to Key West to explore the adorable streets, enjoy the decadence of Duval Street, indulge in some delicious Key Lime Pie, and get something of a "vacation". We scored a last minute deal at the beautiful Old Town Manor and stole away in my mother's car on our summer adventure.

The drive was magnificent. While we did get unbelievably drenched in a flash storm when we had the top of my mom's convertible down, the views and freshness of the ocean made me feel like summer had really, finally begun. After checking-in, I changed into an adorable Zimmermann romper I happily broke out of hibernation and off we went into town to find a spot for drinks and dinner! However, within five minutes, I could already feel my makeup melting, sweat beads trickling down my back, and my hair puffing out like an upside down yield sign à la Mia Thermopolis from The Princess Diaries.

"Why don't we just stop at this bar for a quick second? Looks good enough to me!"

Instead of our original plan to bike around the island the next day, we opted to do a quick walk (after buying a deliciously ice-cold bud-light to keep cool), check out the beach, and seek shade in different little restaurants and bars. We ended up having a great time, eating some fantastic seafood and exploring different bars. Some of the places we loved included:

The Blackfin Bistro where I enjoyed a yummy Yellowfin Tuna Burger
The Porch Wine Bar, which allows dogs to come inside
Amigos, which serves square-shaped soft corn tortillas for its delicious tacos

After returning from this adventure, I spent a day recovering in my mom's cool apartment, swearing off walking in South Florida despite my hatred for driving.

What are some of your favorite destinations for the summer?