CUBAN SANDWICHES & THE MIAMI WYNWOOD ART DISTRICT, FLORIDA

MY MIAMI TRAVEL GUIDE

One of most amazing parts of being a blogger is discovering things. New food, new places, new people. If you have been following me for a while you have probably already figured out that I’m quite a naturally inquisitive person and if you haven’t, well let me tell you – I like an adventure. You may even soon discover that locals want to share their experiences with you and recommend places to go and restaurants to eat at. Sometimes, it’s even before you have a chance to ask for it! Haha!

I recently went to Florida to visit my mom who like many other Canadians has become a snowbird flying south for the winter. I will admit I went on this trip with one objective, to find the best El Cubano sandwich. It is well know that Miami is the epicenter for Cuban influence in America and I was determined to find the best, most authentic Cuban pork sandwich Miami had to offer – and thankfully, my mom was game!

After doing some research I found a Cuban restaurant located in Little Havana called Versailles that was supposed to have the best Cuban sandwich in Miami, so off my mom and I went.  It was no surprise that the restaurant was packed with Cuban families and businessman.

Aesthetically the restaurant is a little outdated, but the prices are great and everything that came out of the kitchen looked delicious including my sandwich. The bread was toasted until golden, cheese melted just so, pork perfectly roasted and full of juicy flavors, all topped with the perfect amount of mustard accompaniment - YUP! It deserved all the hype I had previously read about!

Now, this is when things get good because blogging and being a social media creator opens a lot of doors/windows into other people’s lives. I mean, isn’t that what social media is for? To discover and share experiences? Well, it didn’t take long for me to soon stumbled across photos of walls, many walls, painted in these amazing murals. I was very happy when at one point I made a new Instagram friend who grew up and worked in Miami and recommended I check out the Wynwood Art District while I was in town – specifically the Miami Wynwood Walls. Perfect! My mom was game so off we went on another adventure!


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The Wynwood Walls (where you find all the murals) occupy an entire city block on NW 2nd Avenue between 25th and 26th Streets. Here you will also find a garden, indoor gallery and studio space, as well as the adjacent Wynwood Kitchen & Bar.

Finding parking, a places to eat or bars in Wynwood is very easy. The entire art district and neighbourhood seemed to consist of about five square blocks but even before visiting the walls my mom and I went to a great contemporary art gallery in the area and grabbed food in Wynwood at The Butcher Shop Beer Garden & Grill . The Butcher Shop has both an indoor seating area and an outdoor patio at the front of the restaurant shielded nicely from the street. Like a little oasis my mom and I took some refuge from the mid-day sun for lunch and were pleasantly surprised to find the service quick and food delicious. I really liked this spot and thought it had a great casual dining vibe and a perfect spot to grab drinks if you are looking to enjoy a Wynwood happy hour . It also soon seemed to be a popular spot amongst young creative’s that work and live in the area which made it all the more appealing to me.

With our bellies full and the taste of sangria still on our lips we wondered over to the Wynwood Walls and were surprised to discover how many murals there were and how they span both sides of an entire block not to mention lining a pedestrian only walled walkway/art park. The entire place was awesome and I would definitely recommend the Wynwood Art District to anyone visiting Miami who is looking for a cool activity for a day. If you are like me you won’t miss the opportunity to snap a photo in front of a Miami mural than perhaps you’ll be lucky enough to leave with a new profile picture like me – it’s just that good.

Cheers!!!!


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A TRAVEL GUIDE TO TODOS SANTOS, MEXICO'S BAJA CALIFORNIA

Photo Credit: Louis Wu @ A private Hacienda in Todos Santos, Baja California Mexico

A TRAVEL GUIDE

I recently took a trip to Todos Santos Mexico in January and had an amazing time. It's a quaint little Mexican town full of artists, ex-pats, and hippies free to live their bohemian/low maintenance lifestyles in a small rural city an hour away from the commercialized Cabo San Lucas. Todos Santos has many draws including great beaches and the widely known Hotel California where this year’s Todos Santos Music Festival was held.


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Above Frankie The Band @ Todos Santos Music Festival - January 16 2016

MUSIC FESTIVAL

The Todos Santos Music Festival was created by Peter Buck of REM in 2012 and brought to life by The Hotel California as a way of bringing musicians together to make a difference in the community and support local charities.

BEACHES AND RESTAURANTS

Aside from the music festival the area is full of fun activities! There are both quiet and built-up beaches in and near Todos Santos where you can surf and boogyboard and many pleasant restaurants and cafes in town. There are also local food and artisan markets weekly and at sunset, you can occasionally go see the turtle release.

Above are photos from a turtle release on January 20th 2016

Tortugueros Las Playitas is an environmental conservation with a sea turtle focus whose mission is "to protect, conserve and replenish the fragile marine eco-systems of Baja California Sur, Mexico". On occasion when a nest has hatched they have a free viewing of the release at sunset. You are also able to adopt a nest for $40 USD and contribute to their cause. In exchange, they will send you photos of your nest once it hatches! Cute right!

Aside from the turtle release I recommend you go to La Esquina Cafe - a cute outdoor cafe and popular restaurant in Todos Santos that has a relaxing bohemian feel. Their menu consists of great options from healthy veggie shakes and smoothies to full breakfast and sandwiches all very reasonably priced. I had a breakfast enchilada (seen below) paired with a La Esquina Special (a fresh, local and organic fruit smoothie) which was delicious. On Wednesdays, they host a small outdoor market where locals sell their homemade loaves of bread, artisan leather goods, and even organic pesticides. When I went to the market they had a musician playing live music and people couldn't help but get up and dance while they waited for their breakfast. On Thursday evening they are also known to host a band and although I never had the chance to go I definitely would check it out next time I go back.

Above: Photos from La Esquina Cafe

I was so inspired by all the great food and culture of the area that I took advantage of the local markets and fresh ingredients to cook an authentic Mexican meal! I was able to find fresh chorizo at the market along with zucchini hearts (otherwise known as squash blossoms), fresh fish from the local fisherman and all the citrus fruits your heart could desire. In pursuit of my goal of a home-cooked Mexican-inspired meal, I made chorizo potato tacos with fresh guacamole, fried stuffed zucchini hearts, and fresh traditional Mexican ceviche! Also as a refresher, my friends came up with this delicious 'Mexican Screwdrivier' which had vodka, fresh orange juice, Cointreau, and a splash of fresh pomegranate juice! Perfect for sipping by the pool! All of these delicious dishes, which I encourage you to try making yourself, can be found under the Food & Drink section of my blog!

On top of all the great food, there are some hidden gems that I also want to share with you including this fabulous hidden beach that is so picturesque and great for bodyboarding. Off the highway, down a dirt road, and hidden behind an oasis of palm trees there lies a hidden, remote beach called Los Palmas. It’s a little tricky to get to so ask a local for directions just to be safe. When my friends and I went to this beach for the afternoon there were wild horses grazing along the oasis of palm trees. I do not recommend getting too close as they are wild but please enjoy them from a distance. This beach seemed practically deserted and is a great place to have a romantic picnic or bask in the cool ocean water and hot sun!

Above: Photos from Los Palmas beach just outside Todos Santos, Baja California Mexico.

Before I end this adventure I also have to tell you briefly about three more things! The first is called Tacos El Poblano which was my favorite little Tacoria restaurant in Todos Santos with the best Carne (pork and/or beef) Tacos I have ever had! Not to mention they were so cheap! It doesn't look like much of a spot from the outside but it is well known and loved by the locals. We ordered 40 tacos for our group when we went there and kept having to go back for more!

The second thing, which to be honest will require a bit of luck to find because we literally saw him on the side of the road, is a local Tamale cart! Since we were renting a hacienda close to town, we were told about this guy Tamales from an ex-pat we knew living down the road. She said if we see his cart to pull over and get as many as we can because they are so good and often sell out. So there we were, a week into our vacation coming back from a beautiful day at the beach and there he was with his cart going along the side of the road. Well of course we pulled our rental car over and bought a dozen Tamales. In hindsight, we wish we had bought more because we were unable to ever find him again. The tamales however were SO DELICIOUS! I also think they were less than $1 a piece which is ridiculous! If you happen to see someone with a cart selling tamales I urge you to stop and try one!

The third restaurant in Todos Santos that I wanted to share with you was a small Italian Pizzeria/Cafe called Caffe Todos Santos. I didn't have a chance to actually eat there but the back patio looked very quaint and they had an outdoor pizza oven. I stumbled upon this place while looking for pizza dough and was directed to this cafe by a local artist. I also bought some of their jams while I was there (I thoroughly enjoyed their fig jam) along with some fresh bread and of course the pizza dough. I took a look at their menu which appeared to have both Italian and Mexican dishes and although their prices may have been high for the area I would say they were traditional American standard pricing ($15-$22 for a main).

Above: Me Outside Caffe Todos Santos

Above: Me Outside Caffe Todos Santos

and so now I must go but before I do I will leave you with this....

On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair
Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
I had to stop for the night

- Hotel California, The Eagles


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