Getting into the Season

Being from the North, it's always is strange to me to see Christmas lights on palm trees and other holiday creations in South Florida. But I guess to the people of this area, it's quite normal. I'm going to start documenting all the lights and displays I come across since some of them are spectacular. I can't wait until South Miami Avenue gets their displays going. They are great! But I saw this one off of Coral Way this evening. I was driving by so it may not be as clear as I wanted but you get the idea:

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from the 305! I hope all of you have a great Turkey day wherever you are and whatever you do.

St. Thomas

So I mentioned that I was in St. Thomas for Nerd in Chicago's wedding (btw, she was a beautiful, fantastic and awesome bride... the only one I would run up a steep hill with high heels in 90 degree weather for)

Here's a pic or two for you to enjoy the island.







As long as you stay on the beach and away from driving, St. Thomas is amazing

Sunday Sunset

On the Venetian:

tastalicious report

You know, in North Carolina, I doubt I would have ever stopped on the side of the road to buy food. Especially if they were grilling right off a major road. But Miami is different.

If you go to Don Domingos on SW 107th, you can buy grilled meats right there. A churrasco is $8, cooked. Inside you can buy cheese, hot plates, or fresh cut meats. It's all pretty tasty.

Wagon's West - Best Pancakes in Pinecrest!

This past Saturday I went to Wagon's West for the first time. I didn't know what to expect. Actually from my friend's description as a Western themed woodsy saloon meets a log cabin or something you would find in Wyoming, I was expecting to pull off of US-1 and see this free-standing spectacle. But low and behold, it is deceptively hidden in a strip mall (how Florida) called "Sunnyland" (I believe it's spelled this way - Sunniland looks too much like Sunni to me and un-Floridalike). Once inside, I was blown away. We had to wait for a table because according to my friend this place is like a South Florida institution. It was everything I had been promised and more because the food was that good. They have egg and pancake specials which are delicious. I recommend the blueberry pancakes which come packed with steroid-sized blueberries. And the decor - oh my. Anything that would make you think of the wild west can be found here, even a Skoal ad hanging on the wall. I took some photos and plan on going back for some more pancakes again and again:

The Sunnyland Strip Mall:

I love the basket lamps that hang from the ceiling:

The Skoal ad, a Longhorn, more basket lamps and Dudes:

Capoeira at the Art Walk

Watching capoeira and the crowd that gathered to watch them gave the Art Walk that human element I was talking about. They had music, people, an audience, it was great. It made the Art Walk feel more like a street festival than the typical Art Walk. Congrats for capoeira!

More from the Art Walk

It's great sharing this blog and having two perspectives on what we see throughout the city. The same can be said for the Art Walk. Usually Christina and I are together but sometimes we break off and find things that catch our eye. This past Art Walk was a lot of fun and featured some great art. But I noticed there was more of a human element this time around as well. Here are some pics:

These were really cool but I can't remember which gallery I snapped them in. I love how colorful they are:

This one was a bit more political and timely:


I thought this one was really interesting and neat:
He wasn't part of any display - just hangin' out playing with some rusty dirt. But he was adorable!

Art around town

Yes, this weekend was another Wynwood walk, and as usual we went out. But I am noticing a disturbing trend, as is El Capitan. This is getting to be known as the free booze walk, and I don't much care for that.

Regardless, I snapped pics and vid. There was definitely alot of political commentary, not surprisingly.




street art.... literally. El Hombre seems to think the Spanish references Santeria, but wasn't sure.


Locust Gallery - This had a video along with it, with some guy dressed in white, rolling around in the car.


Again, Locust Gallery


And once again, Locust Gallery. This gallery is interesting because it is so markedly different than the last time we were there. Last time it was a weird, vintage freakshow fair, and the whole gallery was a maze. Pretty interesting.


The David Castilla Gallery (that name is probably off.) This gallery is usually packed because they have a liquor sponsor and music in the back, but usually has some interesting stuff inside.


The UM gallery. The whole wall was pictures. And interestingly, we saw several subjects that have popped up in the blog. Surely coincidence, but El Capitan, El Pedrino and I all noticed.


Random car, check out the horns!

And the back hood.


Typical Wynwooders.


Some random gallery I have never visited, but had a very cool space.

Their sign

And ultimately, what is the best way to get people into your gallery and emotionally connected? Free beer, music or art? Try adding something else into the mix:


And let's not forget one of my new favorite walls, the one at Vagabond:


And last but not least, this time there were capoeirstas in the street. I caught video and El Capitan will probably post pics soon:

Out of the Office

"your life is a dashing and bold adventure."

That's the fortune I got at Pei Wei the other day and I quite like it. BTW, if you haven't checked out Pei Wei, it's owned by PF Changs, is super tasty and super cheap.

But never mind that. I am headed out to St. Thomas, USVI, so I will not be around much this weekend, but I leave 305 in the hands of my trusty co-blogger, El Capitan.

Have a great day!

Upper East Side Farmers Markets, part II

I told you guys I took a ton of photos, right? Here's part two of our farmers market adventures. This is another market in MiMo, seven blocks south of the Vagabond Market, in Legion Park.

I actually liked this market better, even though it was smaller. You can easily walk between the two, but maybe because all the booths are together and outside, it makes it more relaxing.

The park itself is beautiful. You have to walk up through the park, which has alot of oaks with Spanish moss hanging, something that makes me nostalgic for Charleston, SC. There were a bunch of dogs chasing squirrels and having a blast.


The booths overlook the street, and have many of the same kind of vendors. The first vendor was selling ceviche and it was AMAZING. Pineapple and MahiMahi. We bought half a pound and ate it all in the same day.


This was mediterranean food, which also looked fantastic.




You can't have an outdoor market in Miami without orchids.




You also can't have an outdoor market in Miami without organic soaps.

My suggestion? Go check out both markets. Buy some awesome veggies and some ready-made food, and walk down through the park to here and have a picnic. Oh yeah, and take your dog if you have one.

Upper East Side Farmer's Market

So, as referenced in a previous entry, farmer's markets are popping up all over South Florida. In the MiMo area there are two, one in the old Vagabond Hotel, and one seven blocks south in Lummus Park. We went Saturday afternoon to see what they are all about. I like the Mimo area because there are some interesting little shops and restaurants, and so far it seems most of them are locally-owned (except for Starbucks.)

We stopped at the Vagabond Market first. There were many fruit, craft and food venders set up.



While these juices were expensive - $5 per cup, they were made fresh in front of us, with no added sugar. El Hombre got a watermelon juice and it was actually pretty good. Normally I don't like watermelon juice because people pour extra sugar.


We ended up getting a sample of one of these cakes, yummalicious but very rich.


I wish I had been hungry, because I LOVE Indian food and this looked incredibly fresh and smelled fantastic. This was Raja's Indian food.







Mishi's cupcakes. I first had these a few weeks ago at Iron Fork. I still like Buttercream better.