First off, wow, its been a long time since I have posted! My life has been a little out of control lately. My job has been very busy and as you will soon find out, I was also unplugged and out of town for a bit. BUT not to fear! I have come back with many recipes and experiences to share.
First off, the trip was FABULOUS. Zach’s parents offered us the trip of a lifetime for a graduation present, which we were late using because last summer we were moving to the music city. I had never been to the Florida Keys before so I really had no idea what to expect. We stayed in a small resort on Marathon Key with a beautiful view of the water complimented by crazy iguanas romping around. It was truly unique. I loved waking up to the salty air and sitting on the balcony with a cup of coffee, the perfect way to unwind.
During our drive down to the resort in Marathon, we made a slight detour to a place called Alabama Jacks. While it is off the beaten path a bit, it is SO worth the visit. The atmosphere is grimy, casual, friendly, and fun. The cocktails are refreshing and the conch fritters are to die for. This bar/restaurant backs up to the everglades offering a scenic view with the occasional boaters riding by and waving. I could have stayed there all day listening to music, observing the locals, and drinking fruity rum drinks. I think that may be the definition of vacation.
We also had fun exploring the city of Key West. Ernest Hemingway has really become a part of my life through Zach’s fanaticism so I really enjoyed touring his house and visiting his old stomping grounds, which mostly consisted of bars. We had the perfect day planned: tour the Hemingway house and wander the grounds, walk a couple blocks to the Green Parrot (Hemingway’s favorite local bar) and have the special cocktail (which consists of cranberry juice, soda, some coconut rum, and lime), and then venture over to Sloppy Joe’s for a big ole Sloppy Rita (a delicious and quite strong margarita). While Sloppy Joe’s tends to be touristy, the drinks are great and there is usually some good live music to groove to. I highly recommend this Hemingway pilgrimage, but do your research first so you can really appreciate all you are seeing and experiencing.
After taking in the Keys, we were off to Miami. Miami is SUCH a fun city, and I am so ready to go back. Obviously Miami has a very different vibe from the Keys. The Keys are laid back, casual, and relaxed and Miami is fast paced, beautiful, and vibrant. The people are gorgeous, the food is exquisite, and the atmosphere is alive. I always enjoy having a drink on Ocean Drive and just people watching. One night, Zach and I ventured away from the party scene into Little Havana, about a 30 minute drive from South Beach, to experience some real Cuban food. We went the Little Versailles, a quaint restaurant with a loud atmosphere. First off, do yourself a favor and order the Sangria, its truly the best in the city. Zach ordered a cuban-style steak with rice, beans, and fried plantains which was so rich and flavorful. I ordered a rice dish referred to as “Imperial Rice”. It consisted of rice, saffron, shredded chicken, roasted peppers, a mayonnaise-based sauce, eggs, and peas. It was incredible! I am determined to try to replicate it at home.
Now you can’t talk about vacation without talking cocktails! One night we ventured into a Mojito bar after finishing up a Spanish-style dinner of tapas on South Beach. Per the bartender’s recommendation, Zach ordered an expensive and highly reviewed rum called Zacapa. If you see this rum on a menu… order it over ice because rum stands alone and is very flavorful. Besides rum-based cocktails, I tend to flock to vodka based cocktails, my favorite being a simply dirty vodka martini. This was my drink of choice for hanging out back in the condo because it is so easy to make, its refreshing, and its something to sip on. A vodka martini consists of vodka, vermouth, olives, and olive juice. I tend to like more olive juice and less vermouth, but everyone makes their martinis differently.
I could literally write a novel on this vacation, from the food to the music to the culture. Do yourself a favor and go visit!