Israel. Summer 2022. Day 1. A Real Miami Experience.
What is the most embarrassing experience I’ve ever had at the front desk of a hotel? Great question. I’d love to tell you.
Well, here we go. Another work trip. I wish all of us involved a lot of luck.
For those who don’t know, today I am flying to Miami so that tomorrow I can fly to Israel. Why am I not flying directly from New York to Israel? Because I have to escort 186 kids from Miami to Israel. Sounds like a party I don’t want to be invited to.
So, this morning I woke up and dropped the girls at school. Hallie went off without an issue and when she walked in I overheard her tell her Morah that her “mom is going to Israel for work!” At least someone is excited. Next was Madeleine. This week is “in-between camp” so it’s basically a new morah and kids she doesn’t know. I think there are couple from her old class, but it’s definitely a new mix. We actually got to walk into the JCC and bring her to the classroom (for the first time since Hallie was there in 2019)! She didn’t cry when we left, but she was sad.
We went back home, made breakfast, Pop Pop dropped off coffee, and then we were off! Well, not without two more trips back in the house for multiple items left behind (masks, a purse). I was sure I was forgetting more things though. I guess we’ll wait and see!
I got to the airport around 10:00 for an 11:15 flight. While some may say that’s late, it was more than enough time. Check in was good and security was quick. My luggage was only 44lbs, which only intensified my anxiety over forgetting things. It was about a mile walk to the gate, and then I waited. It was at that time that I realized I forgot my hair iron. I guess it’s curly hair for the next 6 days! Unless I buy a hair iron in Miami. But that would be ridiculous.
We finally boarded. I was in row 24 seat A, a window seat. I do enjoy a window seat, but the man in the middle was a large older man. I actually don’t know if he was awake or asleep the entire flight because I kept seeing him awake but also kept heard him snoring. The guy on the aisle was also a large older man. Basically this meant I was going nowhere. I made the mistake of drinking a seltzer, and for the last half hour of the flight I really had to pee, but there was no way out. I was flying American, which at least gets you to your destination (as opposed to Jet Blue) but the seats were so cramped and there’s no TV, so you connect to their inflight entertainment with your own device. That was fine, but what if you have kids that don’t have devices?? You also have to pay for wifi, which I didn’t because I figured a human being should be able to survive without internet for a few hours. Luckily, the flying time was 2 hours and 11 minutes. So short! I didn’t even get to finish Crazy Rich Asians (for the 50th time).
Anyway, after landing and another mile walk to baggage claim, I was off to the hotel. Oh man, stepping out of that airport was something. It is so hot and so humid it is hard to breath. How do people live here? The cab to the hotel was fine. The driver was very nice but I couldn’t understand anything he was saying. He kept talking and I was like “what? What?” Thankfully I was on the phone with Tzvi who could hear and understood. At one point he just yelled at me, “HE’S ASKING YOU IF YOU’RE HERE ON VACATION!” Si Senõr.
I am staying at the Miami Airport Marriot, 6 minutes from the airport. The room is nice, clean, and spacious. Bathroom is fine. After about a minute I realized I could hear the room next to me blasting their TV. That should be fun.
I did some work and then decided to go to the gym. In the middle of my workout two guys showed up. They would lift for about 30 seconds and then talk to each other for like 5 minutes. Over and over. Efficient. At this point I am regretting not bringing gym sneakers. I also didn’t bring any cardigans. That has nothing to do with gym sneakers, and I don’t know why I’d need a cardigan in this heat, but it’s just something else I forgot. Anyway, I got back, showered, and then met Jennifer for dinner. Jennifer is my colleague, based in Arizona, who is my co-chaperone for the flight tomorrow.
We got in an uber and headed to the “merrick shops.” We walked around a bit and then met Zohar for dinner at an Italian restaurant there. Zohar also works for JNF and is based in Florida (you may remember him from last year’s trip to Israel). Dinner was pretty good. We shared zucchini fries and I got salmon. Surprise, surprise. From there Zohar drove us to Wynwood where we walked around looking at the graffiti walls; the actually graffiti exhibit was closed, but it’s fine – I was there in January. Then we got Salt and Straw ice cream! Salt and Straw is the best ice cream and only recently came to the East Coast (Florida only); we usually get it when we go to LA. I tried this flavor that was Deviled Egg Custard with Smoked Black Tea. It was absolutely horrible, and I knew it would be. The server said this is not a flavor he would seek out. I ended up getting a cone with Snickerdoodle and Sea Salt Caramel. It was obviously delicious.
Jennifer wanted to stop at a supermarket to get special plantain chips you can only get here, so we ended up at Fresco y Mas, a local supermarket. I’ll tell you, it was no Publix. A real Miami experience. Finally we got dropped back at the hotel. I have about 8 bug bites, isn’t that great?
When I get back to the room I find my key doesn’t work. I figure it had been near my credit cards and must have gotten deactivated. So I go to the front desk and tell the person working there that my key isn’t working and I give him the key. He says, “This is a Four Seasons key, so it’s not going to work.” I literally have no words. I mumble something and say ‘Sorry, I guess I lost my key.’ I didn’t lose my key, I just grabbed an old key that was still in my bag for some reason from October. Anyway, I got a new key and hit a new level of shame. Thank you.
We have to be at the airport tomorrow at 7:30am. No comment. Buenos Noches.