$1,000 or Less: Islamorada

When you see a place like this -- where ex-presidents go to unwind and the poolside cabanas have plasma TVs -- you generally expect to whittle away your life's fortune. But if you can resist temptation from the tiki-hut spa, you may actually get out of here with some savings left over.

FLY: NYC to FLL $125

RENT: A car to get you to Islamorada and back via the Overseas Highway, a two-hour drive but a destination unto itself. An economy ride for four nights through Budget will set you back $96.

STAY: Four nights at the ridiculously pretty Cheeca Lodge & Spa. You really can't beat the fabulosity of their pool. Why hide in the cabanas? The rooms are lush too, with marble soaking tubs and pillow-top mattresses, but that only helps if you manage to drag yourself off these cool mini-docks. The best part? They know how to run a special. Most upscale hotels think package pricing means throwing in a bottle of champagne, doubling the room rate, and calling it the "Romance Package." Here, you can stay three nights at $219 and get the fourth night free. So classic!

DO: The $39 resort fee (per night) includes free use of the resorts kayaks and bicycles. You have to fork it over either way, so take advantage.

EAT: The on-site Atlantic's Edge restuarant is closed during summer low season, but the seafood's better (and cheaper) at local fave Bentley's, anyway. You can even BYO fish. Or if you love rodizio like I love rodizio, go to Braza Lena for salsichao and filet mignon wrapped in bacon.

TOTAL: $995. Okay...excluding food. But I'm not apologizing.

Award-winning sugar coma.

There is no such thing as bad chocolate. I include ancient chocolate buried under the sofa cushions in that statement, along with melted chocolate, dollar-store chocolate, and chocolate that's gone stale and developed those weird sugar-mushroom blobs all over it.

But good chocolate is goooood. And I guess Hilton knows it, because they recently held a contest to honor the best chocolate dessert at their hotels. The winner: Cappuccino Chocolate Delight from the Hilton Sandestin Beach. The yumalicious concoction has been added to the menu at the hotel's Sandcastles and Seagar's restaurants, or you can whip it up yourself if you're good with a mixer. I'm tired just reading this recipe; plus I'd rather have an excuse to go to Florida.

RECIPE:
1 slice: chocolate sponge
4 each: egg yolk
2 oz: sugar
8 oz: cream cheese
3 cups: heavy cream (whipped)
1 oz: Myers Original Dark rum
2 oz: coffee espresso
8 oz: Godiva white chocolate
1 cup: heavy cream
12 oz: Godiva dark chocolate
1 oz: raspberry puree
1 oz: mango puree
1 oz: granulated sugar

Whip egg yolk until fluffy. Cook two ounces of sugar to a soft ball and add it to the egg yolk. Melt the white chocolate with the coffee and fold it in the cream cheese and whipped cream. Arrange the sponge in a cake mold and soak the sponge with the rum. Pour the mix in the cake mold and freeze it.

$1,000 or Less: South Beach

The sweltering weather today is reminding me of my long weekend in South Beach, a trip I can only look back on in memories...namely because the film in my disposable camera melted from the heat while I was on the beach.

SoBe has a reputation as a swanky paradise teeming with celebs, but let's be honest: It's really just a Florida beach. And that means it's budgetastic, as long as you don't feel the need to lodge at the Delano with all the other star-chasers. Here's the itinerary for a long weekend of indulgence:

NYC to MIA: $150 (Northwest and American usually have the lowets fares for this route)

HOTEL: Stay 4 nights at the Clinton Hotel ($132/night for a queen), a boutique hotel on 8th and Washington. Translation: Two blocks from the beach, but right near the clubs. The staff is friendly, the bar is chill, and there's even a pool -- a SoBe rarity. Crank the A/C, snuggle up in the down comforter, and forget it was 110 degrees on the sand.

EAT: Grab any meal you can at News Cafe, where Versace used to dine almost daily. It's one of the best food values in the area, with the absolute perfect people-watching location. My faves are the ham and brie panini ($11.50) and the salty, salty, salty margarita ($7.50...I think). Also try Pizza Rustica on 863 Washington.

DO: Sleep on the beach all day (free). Party all night at Opium, B.E.D., Mansion or Prive ($20 each for cover). If you have time in the middle, head for the stores -- there's a reason I left a little breathing room in the budget, you know.

TOTAL: $777.

Shoes.

These may be the cutest sandals I've ever seen. Or maybe I'm just blinded by the $11 price tag. Either way, you'd better believe that the Kino Sandal Factory on Fitzpatrick is going to be my first stop in Key West. Well, maybe my third; conch fritters and a margarita will have to take top priority. But then, the sandals.