Arlington Memorial Bridge
Pretty ducks
Thomas Jefferson Memorial
The Hand
The Face
Washington Monument
Abraham Lincoln Memorial
Abraham and us
Korean War Veterans Memorial
Mr. Soldier
The White House
Protesters
More protesters
Andrew Jackson Memorial
Ben's Chili Bowl, a Washington landmark
Georgetown
The line to Georgetown Cupcake
The Exorcist stairs where Father Damian Karras fell.
Eeep!!!
McDonald's McSkillet Burrito + hash browns + cinnamon melts + orange juice + coffee
And for my breakfast dessert, Gilbert's Bakery Tres Leches
Good Morning, Miami!
McDonald's and Gilbert's Bakery: South Terminal, Miami International Airport, Florida, USA
This was De Rodriguez Cuba at its old location in the Astor Hotel.
I heard they moved to Hilton Bentley on Ocean Drive. Poolside and beachfront location. Ooohhh.
Chips and dip
I sipped on a Cojito while waiting for my first ever Nuevo Latino meal.
My cocktail had coconut rum, lime, mint and fresh coconut. Light and refreshing.
Snapper & Conch
Estiradito snapper, diced conch, sour orange, red pepper, grape tomato, crispy onions and garlic
Pan con Bistec
Short rib skewers, crunchy garlic, onions, toasted bread crumbs
(Not So) Crispy Skin Cuban Pork :(
Confit and flash roasted, Cuban mojo, pickled sweet peppers
Of course, I had to order this most interesting canned dish I saw at almost every table
The waiter opened the can slowly in front of me...
… And ta-da! My Rabo en Lata!
Boneless oxtail, tomatoes, capers, olives, spicy red wine sauce, roasted cauliflower puree
While the presentation was fun, the food was just okay.
What I enjoyed most was my Cuban dessert.
It came complete with packaging
Smoky Chocolate Cigar
Pistachio, chocolate cake enrobed with semi sweet chocolate mousse served with matchbox candy.
I love anything chocolate and inhaled the whole thing in seconds.
Guess what I saw on the way back to the hotel...
A man in Guayaberas and panama hat rolling the real deal
I picked a vanilla-flavored one and took 3 puffs to complete the Miami experience ;)
De Rodriguez Cuba: 101 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, Florida, USA 33139. Tel +1 (305) 672-6624
Quick lunch at Sushi Samba before hitting the beach.
It serves Japanese + Brazilian + Peruvian cuisine. (Whew!)
Food tasted trendy more than anything else.
Seared Wagyu Beef
warm honshimeji mushroom, ponzu gelée, truffled tofu crema
Maine Lobster Crispy Taquitos
lemongrass, frisée, hearts of palm, served with spicy aji panca sauce and fresh lime
Rainbow Dragon Roll
fresh water eel, red bell pepper, cucumber, mango, avocado
Chicharron de Calamar
cornmeal crusted calamari, tomato, mint, plaintain, tamarind
Tiger Shrimp Tempura
As you can see, there is nothing tiger about the shrimp
In fairness, I quite enjoyed the Seabass and Miso Anticuchos with Peruvian Corn
Sushi Samba: 600 Lincoln Road Miami Beach, Florida, 33139, USA. Tel: +1 (305) 673-5337
On News Cafe's menu:
A "cafe" is a hangout where one can sit for as long as they want, sipping only a glass of wine, while listening to music or engaging in the simple daily ritual of leisurely reading the newspaper over a cup of coffee or tea and a bagel or croissant; this philosophy gave birth to News Cafe in 1988, with great outdoor seating facing the ocean.
From its humble beginnings as a small 8-seater ice cream parlor 24 years ago,
News Cafe has expanded to over 350 seats serving thousands everyday.
It is an institution in Miami.
Locals and tourists flock to the cafe. Can't say it is because of the food, which, IMHO, is blah.
I come because of the happy, energetic vibe. It's a great place to spend your mornings.
Benedict Style Eggs, Smoked Salmon
Breakfast Special: Two Eggs with News Fries, Ham and Toast
Good Morning, Miami!
News Cafe: 800 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, Florida, 33139, USA. Tel: +1 (305) 538-6397
They say it is one of the musts in Miami.
Even my supercrush Anthony Bourdain thinks so.
Michael Schwartz champions fresh, sustainable local produce and mix-matches it with fun, unexpected ingredients.
That, to me, is always a winner.
The place was packed on a Tuesday night. So glad we came with reservations.
Meet my new best friend, OpenTable.com :)
It was so dark and red inside Michael's. While it was perfect for people who enjoy a little coquetry and romancing with their dinner, it turned out really bad for me and my photos.
Bread and whipped butter
We ordered 3 medium dishes + dessert to share.
Chargrilled Octopus
salad of gigande beans, roasted peppers, green olives and torn herbs
Crispy Sweet and Spicy Pork Belly
kimchi, crushed peanuts, paradise farms pea shoots
Pan Roasted Scallops
local calabaza puree, hazelnuts, pomegranate, crispy sage
Chocolate Cremoso
sea salt, olive oil, sourdough crostini, espresso parfait
The ingredients tasted fresh indeed, but somehow it felt more exciting reading through the menu than actually eating the food.
Flavors were mediocre. Something was missing.
Or perhaps, someone was missing.
Next time I'll invite Anthony Bourdain.
Michael's Genuine Food and Drink: 130 Northeast 40th Street, Miami, Florida, 33137, USA.
Tel: +1 (305) 573-5550
The 1.5 hour cruise starts at Bayside Market
Port of Miami
Biscayne Bay
On the cruise, you'll see the houses of Rosie O’Donnell, Shaquille O'Neal, Al Capone, Gloria Estefan, Donald Pliner, Elizabeth Taylor, Vanilla Ice, Puff Daddy, etc, etc, etc...
Not sure if I got these right, but it's what my failing memory remembers.
(Please correct if I got them all mixed up)
Miami Vice shoot location
Mexican pop star Paulina Rubio
Julio Iglesias
Scarface movie shoot location
Philip Frost. The largest on Star Island.
Will Smith
Other sights:
And finally, Jin Perez's Yacht.
Har har har! :P
Miami Sightseeing Cruise: http://miamitourcompany.com/miami-cruise.html
Why not?
After the run, gift packs are up for grabs, so you can reward yourself by gorging on Regent Foods goodies. Mwahahaha!!!
Plus, there's a chance you can win a roundtrip ticket to Thailand via Thai Airways + an overnight accommodation at the Dusit Thani Hotel + many many more.
Registration starts June 22 till August 5 at selected Robinson’s Supermarket including Robinsons Galleria, Pioneer, Ermita, Timog, and BF Homes, and Runnr at the Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.
For more info:
Regent Foods Website: http://www.regentfoods.com.ph
Regent Foods Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/regentfoodscorp
