Thursday, February 28, 2013

MIAMI MINI BREAK


A & I spent five days in Miami on our own a few weeks ago.  It's great for a mini-break since it's only two and a half hours away from San Juan and perfect for a little dose of "city" and to cure island fever.

We slept the first two nights at the Ritz-Carlton South Beach and borrowed S's luxurious convertible so we could drive around and explore the city.  On the first day, we walked to Lincoln and had a quick lunch at Paul and headed back to our beautiful beach-front suite.  The following day was spent walking the hip and happening Design District which keeps getting better since we first visited it in 2010.  A few more boutiques and restaurants have opened and I'm sure that soon, this area will be filled with interesting stores and fun places to eat.  As usual, we had lunch at our favorite Michael's Genuine Food and Drink which we never miss when we're in Miami, then did some retail therapy at the swanky boutiques nearby.  We also had dinner at nearby Khong River House and further out at Zuma, in Brickell's bustling area.

Our last two nights were at the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne where all we did was relax and enjoy the sun, sand, beach and pool.  We literally spent two days lying on a sun lounger doing nothing much except eat and read.  We had lunch right on the beach at Dune (grilled shrimp salad and a fish sandwich with crispy sweet potato fries) on the first day then another al fresco lunch on our last day (hummus, baba ghanoush and taboule with warm pita bread, a Spanish-influenced plate of pan con tomate, marinated anchovies, roasted peppers and mussels and octopus then a slider trio: tuna, Angus beef and turkey) right by the pool.  The food was simple yet delicious plus there were perfect poolside treats like frozen grapes, sunscreen, buckets of Fiji and lots of magazines.

Four days were a bit short but it was enough for both of us to enjoy some quiet time and breathe after the busy holiday season.  Next trip will probably be Florida again with the kids then hopefully, further on the west coast to sunny California.

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