If you are a friend of mine, you know that any time you have an ailment I’m going to suggest apple cider vinegar as a cure. A best friend and proponent of this health potion got me drinking it years ago. Now, it’s a daily habit.

I know a few of you who have listened to me and bought ACV, but I also know that it’s just sitting there, still sealed, in your cabinet. I’m here to say DON’T FEAR THE VINEGAR. Embrace it. Here’s what you need to know, and to be clear, these are my opinions. I’m not a medical expert. I’m a blogger, so if you’re going to try it, please talk to your doctor first.

1. Buy organic, unfiltered, unpasteurized ACV with little bits of fleshy substance called the Mother. I get Bragg. It has all the good stuff you’re looking for in your apple cider vinegar.

2. Drink 1 or 2 teaspoons of ACV mixed with cold water, up to 3 times a day. Bragg suggests you mix in honey, but I don’t like honey in my drinks – not even tea – so I’m sure as heck not going to mix it with vinegar. *shudder* I actually drink mine like a shot. I take 4 teaspoons, straight, with a water chaser, once a day.

3. No matter how you do it, it’s going to taste bad. It’s vinegar, people. Plug your nose and drink it.

4. I take a shot about 30 minutes before a cross-fit workout for a little energy boost. My trainer swears by it, as long as I don’t breathe on him.

5. It’s great for sore throats. Mix a couple of teaspoons in 1/4 cup of water, gargle and swallow. My daughter says it doesn’t help, but I found out that she was only saying that so I wouldn’t make her do it anymore. See #3. For the record, since I made her start gargling ACV for sore throats, she hasn’t had strep. Not in years.

6. A few months ago, I had heartburn so bad that I thought I was having a heart attack. I took over the counter antacids, then switched to prescription antacids, and it wouldn’t go away. I was in so much pain in the middle of the night and I thought I’d try ACV.  I have no idea what made me think of it, because it seems counter-intuitive, but within minutes of drinking, the heartburn lessened. I drank more about an hour later and the heartburn went away completely. Then I found a bunch of people on the Internet who said the same thing. (Note: If you think you’re having a heart attack, don’t drink vinegar. Go to the ER.)

7. Clear up a pimple by dabbing it with a cotton ball dipped in ACV.

8. Do the same thing to treat a sunburn.

9. Though we have never had lice (*knocks on ALL THE WOOD*), I once thought we had lice so I soaked my head in apple cider vinegar, covered it with a shower cap, then wrapped it in a towel and went to bed. The “lice” turned out to be dandruff, but my hair was super shiny the next day!

10. I can’t prove it has done these things for me, but ACV is purported to help lower cholesterol and glucose levels.

So what do you have to lose? Plug your nose and bottoms up!

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Since we returned from our vacation I have been asked a lot of questions about Key West. As people begin to plan their spring break getaways, I thought I’d share my favorite things about this southernmost city and some tips to get you started to having a whole lot of fun if you go.

First and foremost, know someone on the inside. We were fortunate to have Toni as our personal concierge, and who happens to be a Key West celebrity. She was born there, practically raised in her father’s saloon (see #1 under Must Do Activities), and knows anything and everything about the town. She not only hand-picked family-friendly activities for us, she emailed me an itinerary that was spot-on. I kind of want her to organize my life.

Why you should visit:

1. You can’t get anywhere in the continental United States that is farther south, which means it’s WARM. My kids went swimming every day, we wore shorts, and I even got a tan. I’m quite the novelty in Ohio right now.

2. Rich history abounds and I’m not just talking about Hemingway. The island’s early inhabitants were a resourceful lot of shipwreckers who made money by salvaging. The Shipwreck Museum was one of my son’s favorite places to visit.

3. Culture, diversity, and Cuban food. Need I say more?

4. It’s walkable. We stayed on the “quiet” side of the island and walked to the other end (Old Town) almost every day. Along the route there were stores, restaurants, art galleries (tip: If you have children with you, keep them out of the t-shirt shops) and once we got to Old Town there were museums, the Key West Aquarium, and more activities than a family of four can tackle on a five day trip.

From arrow to arrow, it was 1.4 miles.

Must do activities:

1. Have a drink at Captain Tony’s Saloon – If you want a real Key West history lesson, step inside this colorful landmark and belly up with the locals. This is where Hemingway spent many evenings and Jimmy Buffet got his start (and is the bar he immortalized in “Last Mango in Paris.”

2. Parasailing – The first time I went parasailing in the Bahamas the boat pulled us up in the air from a platform that was docked about 300 yards off the beach. We had to LAND on the platform too. All I could think about the entire time (other than the lightning storm…not kidding) was about how I was going to have to stick the landing or end up in the Atlantic Ocean trapped under a parachute. The Key West experience was a MUCH better one. They sent us up from the boat and reeled us back in. It was a breeze. Plus, I got to go up in a tandem harness with my son. It was an unbelievable experience and I got to share it with my kid. Bonus.

My daughter and husband going UP.

3. Jet Skiing – SO MUCH FUN. The end.

4. Trolley Tour – You can take a trip all the way around the island, get a history lesson, check out the architecture, and you have an open-air ride in the saltwater breeze.

5. Drink a Goombay Smash at Hog’s Breath Saloon – This was Melisa’s idea and ohmygoodness does she make good suggestions. You’ll be happy you have a trolley ride home afterward, too. Yum.

6. The Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square – I don’t know how to describe this, but it’s a must-do. It’s kind of like a circus and you walk around from act to act to see the jugglers, acrobats, and sword swallowers then watch the sun go down. This was a fitting end to a day that started with a Goombay Smash before noon.

7. Visit the Southernmost Point in the Continental United States – Just to say you did.

Tips:

1. Don’t feed the roosters or the pigeons. Or the herons.

2. Go to the nearest drug store or supermarket to pick up snacks. There isn’t a lot of inexpensive food in Key West and having a bag of cashews will go a long way to tiding everyone over.

3. Wear sunscreen. Even if you think you don’t need any.

4. Carry hand sanitizer. The public restrooms we used at Mallory Square had no soap dispensers. *shudder*

5. Go off the beaten path. We attended mass at The Basilica of Saint Mary Star of the Sea which was beautiful, serene, welcoming, and not at all a tourist destination. We walked through the gardens and visited the grotto where people light candles and pray before hurricanes. Also, they gave us coffee and doughnuts. So, there’s that.

6. Know ahead of time that there aren’t a lot of beaches. Key West is a big rock and though you can find sandy spots, not every hotel has one. If it’s important to you, do your searching.

7. From what we’ve been told, you shouldn’t visit Key West with children around Halloween; unless your kids like huge crowds who mostly wear body paint.

8. Pack your flip-flops and have a blast!

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Today’s post on road trip advice is sponsored by Kia and can be found on my review page, here.

Come over and tell me what your best road trip advice is. You may be surprised to hear mine.

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Happy 4th of July, everyone!

Tip from Momo: When setting up your seats for the fireworks, don’t put your blanket down behind a light pole.

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