Exploring Miami

After our cruise in the Caribbean, we had one full day to explore Miami.  After hours of pouring over hotel choices and neighborhoods, I had decided that South Beach would be the best place to see Miami in less than 24 hours.  Little did we know when we planned this adventure that the same day we were there was not only Spring Break happening but also a giant DJ conference.  Trying to catch a taxi at 6 am the next morning was an adventure I would soon like to forget.

While perhaps my timing was not so great, the neighborhood was a good choice because of all the cool architecture and fabulous eats.  For lunch we stumbled into a little pedestrian street called Espanola Way that I read about online.  It was touristy but nothing like Ocean Drive just a few blocks away.  It actually felt very European.

After walking down the street, stopping to check every menu, we settled upon Tapas & Tintos.  Wow.  Wow.  Wow.  Just check out those mojitos with at least 1/4 cup of mint in each one!  It was slightly warm but very, very humid, so these were refreshing.

Next, gazpacho.  I love gazpacho.  I make it quite frequently in the summer but this gazpacho tasted nothing like mine.  Orange in color, with a little more oil in it plus chunks of red peppers.  Flavor explosion in the mouth.

We also ordered a Manchego plate and this was like no Manchego I've ever had in Washington state.  So much earthier and creamier and melted in your mouth.  It must be nice to be on the east coast and have access to much more goodies from Europe.

Next we ate sauteed chickpeas with Chorizo.  Need I say more except that I wish this restaurant was in Tacoma?

Finished with espresso.

After lunch we walked down to a busy outdoor shopping mall and since it was a Sunday it was the farmer's market as well.  An antique sale was also going on at the market and we were sad about how expensive it would be to ship any of the cool furniture we saw for sale.  Lots of mid-century modern pieces that would have looked fantastic in our house.  We did find a cool Bakelite cork screw that I bought for our house sitter.  We don't see pineapples at our farmer's markets at home.

We found an Argentinian steak house at the outdoor mall and drank bubbly Rose with steak salads and people watched for a few hours and finished it off with more espresso.  Sigh.  I love food.  

While I adored the food and art deco architecture of Miami, I realized once again that I am definitely a west coast person.  All the super tan bodies with done up hair and big heels and gaudy clothing would be a little much for me on a daily basis.  When we left the hotel at 5:45 AM to find a taxi, there were literally hundreds and hundreds of people out on the street that had not gone to bed yet.  Trevor and I looked at each other and said, boy, are we getting old!