8 Best Things About Miami Book Fair International

1.  That I finally got there after living in South Florida for 15 years and wanting to go.  (It's only 1-1/2 hours away.)

2.  Got to spend the entire day with Hubby because, by some miracle, neither of us were traveling for work, attending a meeting or driving our kids somewhere. 

3.  The weather.  Gorgeous Saturday, even though it poured buckets the previous day.

4.  Arrived just in time to see our good friends, Riley and Kenny, of Page Turner Adventures, perform "The Great Pizza Contest," based on Riley's book.  After they finished performing and emceeing the children's stage for the day, we joined them for a delicious Cuban dinner on Biscayne Bay. 

5.  Finally heard the guys who make being a book nerd cool -- The Rock Bottom Remainders.  Dave Barry rocked out, his brother Sam Barry played a mean harmonica, Ridley Pearson sang with soul and the whole band got a huge audience dancing to "Mustang Sally." 

6.  We even got to hear a Chinese orchestra play Jingle Bells.

7.  Dave Barry introduced the one author/comedian we saw -- Andy Borowitz.  Hubby loves his Borowitz Report and his very funny tweets, so we bought his new book and listened to his presentation.  Funniest dude around!  Laughed the entire time.

8.  But for me, the best part of the Miami Book Fair was meeting this guy . . .

Papa Bear

When our kids were little, they LOVED the Berenstain Bear books so much so that we all acted out the parts.  Hubby got to be Papa Bear.  I, of course, was Mama Bear.  Oldest son played Brother Bear.  And our younger son got stuck playing Sister Bear.