After NYC, I headed to Washington DC. My sister lives outside in Arlington, so I drove down with her. This was my first time in DC, so I was excited to explore a new city in the fall weather and foliage. I got an AirBnb in Logan Circle, which is a historic area with lots or restaurants and cute houses. During the week, I was just working from the apartment, so nothing too exciting, but on the weekends I got out and explored. Here are some things I did if you're visiting DC and would like some suggestions:
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A few days ago I had a socially distant staycation at The Caribbean Motel in Wildwood, NJ. Since the pandemic has put all of my travel plans on the back burner for the remainder of the year (RIP Paris), I wanted to try and make the most of the summer and plan some local adventures. I am originally from the South Jersey area, so I grew up going to the Jersey Shore every summer. I hadn’t been to Wildwood since I was very young, so I was excited to go back and check out all the 1950’s design and architecture it has to offer.
The Caribbean Motel was built in 1957. The current owners, Carolyn and George, purchased it back in 2004, and they’ve done an amazing job of updating the property while still preserving the atomic era design. There is a pool and shuffleboard court which guests can use. Both have been recently updated, but still pay homage to the property’s original amenities. The rooms were also clean and modern, but still hold on to the best parts of the past. During the day they play ’60s music outside by the pool. The speaker system is also hooked up in the rooms, so you can blast some retro tunes inside and really get in the mood. Carolyn told me the faux wood paneling is also original from the ’50s which they discovered accidentally while remodeling. I also loved the original 1950’s pink fixtures in the bathroom as well. This was the first time staying in a hotel since the pandemic really hit, so although I was excited, I was also a bit hesitant. I read some articles about whether or not it was safe to stay in a hotel before the trip. Since health experts agree the most common way Covid-19 is transmitted is from person to person, the biggest risk staying in a hotel poses is the other guests you would encounter, say while checking in at the lobby or riding in an elevator. The Caribbean did a great job making sure people were socially distant. Upon checking in, only 1 person/family was allowed in the office at one time, and both Carolyn (who checked me in) and I wore masks while she got me situated. The keys were old school, but she assured me that they were all wiped down and sanitized between guests. As you can imagine, due to the pandemic, the motel capacity was a lot less than a typical summer. Since there was only a few other guests, there was plenty of room to spread out at the pool area. One day my sister and I even had the whole area to ourselves. They also limited how many people went in the actual pool at one time. They had soap and hand sanitizer readily available in the pool, office and other common areas. Our room was super clean as well when we arrived, but I did bring a bottle of Clorox wipes and sanitized the room myself just to be safe. Overall, we had a great stay at The Caribbean and I can’t wait to come back again. If you’d like to learn more about the motel or book a stay, check out their website here. *The Caribbean was kind enough to comp my room in exchange for this blog post and photos, but all thoughts and opinions are honest and my own. As you know from my recent Instagram posts, I went to San Diego a couple weekends ago with my friend Adam. This was my first time visiting San Diego, and it was such an amazing city. Looking back now, I’m so grateful for the timing of this trip because things with the Coronavirus escalated so quickly after we returned. Here is a recap of our days, everywhere we ate, drank and shopped. Day 1: When we arrived in San Diego it was lunch time and we were starving, so we took an Uber downtown to La Puerta, a Mexican restaurant with walls covered in celebrity mug shots and a bathroom dedicated to Jim Morrison. It was a cool vibe and the food was solid too. I had a margarita and cheese quesadilla. We walked around the downtown area a bit before jumping in another Uber to The Kings Inn where we were staying. You can read my post all about our stay here. After checking in and taking some photos by the pool, we took another Uber back downtown. We wanted to do happy hour at The Pearl, another hotel with a bar/restaurant, but unfortunately they were closed for renovations. So instead we got back into an Uber and went back downtown to Trailer Park After Dark, a dive bar decorated kitschy with mobile homes inside. After grabbing a $5 well drink, we got some food at Cold Beer and Cheeseburgers before calling it a night and heading back to the hotel. It was pretty much a sports bar, but the food was solid and they did have some vintage decor, which I of course appreciated. Day 2: The next day we were up bright and early (thanks time difference) and headed to Rudford’s for breakfast. Rudford’s is a classic diner which has been open since 1949. We learned there is even a famous photo of JFK in front of the historic diner from when he drove by in a motorcade on his way to give a commencement speech at a local college. I got pancakes and they were delicious. After breakfast we took an Uber to South Park to meet my friend Amanda. Amanda and I have been Instagram friends for years now, so it was so great to finally meet her in real life and have her as our tour guide. The first store we went at was Bad Madge, which was so adorably curated and had a mix of vintage clothes, jewelry, home decor and knickknacks for both men and women. There is also a super cute record store called Vinyl Junkies a few stores down, so we stopped in there as well, but they only sell new, modern records, no used, vintage records. After South Park, Amanda was kind enough to drive us to North Park. The first store we went into was The Girl Can’t Help It, which had amazing vintage pieces for both men and women, but was very expensive. Next we went into another store called Mila, a women’s wear store that was a mix of modern and vintage women's wear that was also pricey. Last, we went into Hunt and Gather, which was funkier and more affordable with mostly 80’s, 90’s and modern pieces. After North Park, it was back in the car to the Normal Heights neighborhood. We went to La Loupe, which was definitely one of my favorite vintage stores of the day because it was very well curated and super affordable. I found an amazing red handbag that was in almost perfect condition for only $24. There is also a super cute record store next door called Nickelodeon Records. After shopping we went to Soda and Swine for some food. We all ordered Coke floats and mac and cheese. The food was really tasty and affordable and they also have an amazingly priced happy hour for food and drinks. Soda and Swine is sort of a speakeasy because it connects to a cocktail bar called Polite Provisions. This is my one regret of the trip not having a drink here because it looked adorable and you can even order food from Soda and Swine and have it next door at Polite Provisions. After lunch, Amanda had to go to work, so Adam and I continued on our own. We walked to Zack’s Attic and did some more shopping here, where I found 2 Coca-Cola thimbles. Next we walked to Frock You! and I’m so glad we did because they were having a huge sale. The pieces in the store were a bit on the pricey side, but outside they had pieces that were very affordable. I got 2 dresses, a belt and sunglasses here. Down the street from Frock You!, La Loupe has another location which we went to next. I didn’t find anything here, but like their other location, it was still very well curated and affordable. After shopping, we decided to grab a drink at Sycamore Den. This bar was super cozy with a fireplace and ‘70s decor. They also had skee ball machines as well. After a drink, we went next door to Nozaru for ramen, which was delicious, and probably one of my favorite ramen places I’ve even been to. Day 3: The next day, Amanda came to meet us at our hotel to have breakfast at The Waffle Spot, located right in The Kings Inn. The waffles were really good, I got a plain waffle with whipped cream and strawberries. Next we went to Kobey’s Swap Meet, a flea market that’s been around since the ‘70s. I scored a record, dress and a few t-shirts here. Across the street from the flea was a giant antique mall called Consignment Classics. This antique mall was clean, bright and super well curated, we honestly could have spent hours here. After the antique mall, we drove to Ocean Beach. Ocean Beach is super hippy and reminded me a lot of Venice Beach. We went into Ocean Beach Antique Mall here as well, where I found a pin. The owners had two dogs that hung out at the counter too, so that made me really happy to see. After shopping, we walked to the beach and took some polaroids. After Ocean Beach, Adam and I had to check into the Airbnb we were staying at for the remainder of the trip. We stayed in one in the North Park area, so Amanda was nice enough to drive us and drop us off. After checking in, we went to Ranchos, a Mexican restaurant in the neighborhood. It was a no fuss, authentic type of place, which was just what we wanted after a long day of shopping and walking. I got the cheese enchiladas with rice and beans, which were solid, and a sangria. Their sangria and margaritas are both only $5 all day long. After dinner we hopped in an Uber and went downtown to False Idol, a tiki bar, which did not disappoint. I had The Painkiller, which is usually my tiki drink of choice. Day 4: The next day we started with breakfast at Snooze, a mid century modern style eatery. The food was super good, I had the huevos rancheros and the vibe was cute too. After breakfast, we coincidentally walked by Flashbacks, the last vintage store on our list. This one was also super affordable and was a mix of vintage, but also costumes and accessories too. I found a skirt for only $10 here. We continued our walk to Balboa Park. The park is gorgeous and has so much beautiful architecture, it almost feels like being in Europe. We went to the San Diego Zoo first since we knew this would take up most of the day. Since the zoo is huge, we were a bit overwhelmed when first arriving, so an employee suggested we take a bus tour, included in admission. The bus tour took about 30 minutes and covers the majority of the zoo. You don’t get off the bus, but you can see animals from the bus and it will help you decide which areas you want to go back and see on foot. After the bus we walked around and saw more of the animals. We spent a little over 3 hours here, but you could easily spend all day here. Admission for a standard adult ticket is $58. After the zoo, we checked out the carousel which is right nearby. Of course we decided to ride it, and a ride costs $3 per rider. Next we walked to the San Diego Automotive Museum. They have classic cars and artifacts on display, but I really wanted to go to because they currently have a 1970’s exhibit on display. It was a really cool museum and admission is only $12. After a long day of walking through the park, we went back to North Park for dinner. We settled on a bar called Working Class with solid burgers (I had a beyond burger) and beers. After dinner, we walked to get ice cream at Hammond's Gourmet Ice Cream. Day 5: We only had about half a day on our last day in San Diego, so we woke up early and went to Donut Bar. I went to their Vegas location a couple years ago and have been dreaming about their donuts ever since. After breakfast we went to the Maritime Museum because Adam wanted to check it out. They have several boats you can go on, one of the boats that acts as more of the museum. It was cool to see and admission was only $20. After checking out of the Airbnb, we went back to Rudford’s for one more meal with Amanda. This time I got a cheese omelet and a Coke, which was equally as delicious. If you made it to the end of this post, thank you! I hope you enjoyed this recap of the trip. If you have any other questions about any of the places I mentioned, feel free to ask!
I’m sure it’s no surprise that I wanted to find a retro hotel to stay at while in San Diego. When I came across The Kings Inn, I immediately fell in love with the mid century modern vibes. It looked adorable and seemed super affordable as well. After doing more research on Yelp, I found mixed reviews so I became more hesitant to book it. I spoke to my friend Amanda who is a local and knows people who have stayed there. She assured me it was a good motel, so we decided to take our chances. For some reason every hotel we looked at was booked on Sunday night, so we decided to book The Kings Inn for 2 nights then find an Airbnb for the remainder of the trip.
While we did love the Airbnb, I’m glad we decided to stay at The Kings Inn for a couple nights. It’s definitely not a luxury hotel, but it is a good value for the cost. The rooms were small, but renovated and clean. The pool area was cute and kitschy (although the pool itself was heated, it was still a bit too cool to go swimming). They also have 2 places to eat on the hotel property, The Amigo Spot, a Mexican restaurant, and The Waffle Spot, a breakfast place. We didn’t try the Mexican place, but we did have breakfast at The Waffle Spot one morning and it was delicious. They also give you a discount on your food if you’re a hotel guest. My only complaint is that the walls were very thin and we were woken up by our very loud neighbors one night. I’d definitely recommend The Kings Inn if you’re looking for a cute and affordable spot to stay in San Diego. You can check out their website here. where to go: Cazaban Dinosaurs 50770 Seminole Dr, Cabazon, CA 92230 I drove past the dinosaurs on my way to Coachella a few years ago but didn't stop, so I was glad I was able to make it there this time. These dinosaurs are right on the way if you’re driving from LA, so it’s really easy to stop by. There’s a parking lot, so it’s also easy to pull over, hop out, stretch your legs and snap a pic with the dinos. They’re located about 20 minutes outside of Palm Springs. Ruddy’s General Store 221 S Palm Canyon Dr Open Thursday-Sunday 10-4 This general store is actually a man’s personal collection of antiques from the 1900’s-1960’s set up to look like a store. It's just a $1 donation to enter and check it out. Palm Springs Historical Society 221 S Palm Canyon Dr Open 10-4 daily Located right next door to Ruddy's General Store, this little museum is free and has different artifacts and information about Palm Springs. My favorite things in there was all of the Lucy and Desi paraphernalia. Elvis' Honeymoon Hideaway 1350 Ladera Cir, Palm Springs, CA 92262 You probably know how much I love Elvis, so of course I had to stop by the Honeymoon Hideaway where he and Priscilla lived. Tours happen every day at 1:00pm and 3:30pm. It takes about 45 minutes for the tour and costs $35. You can purchase tickets online or walk up to buy a ticket. Palm Springs Walk of Stars Palm Canyon Drive There are stars along the sidewalk for all the celebrities who owned homes in Palm Springs. The stars for Elvis and Frank Sinatra are right next to each other. If you want to find a specific star, there is a website that gives you the exact location for them here. where we ate: Great Shakes 160 S Palm Canyon Dr Open 12pm-10pm everyday This milkshake place is so good we went twice! Not only are the milkshakes amazing, the decor is also cute and retro with photos of old celebs, like Frank Sinatra and Lucy and Desi on the wall. I got the mint Oreo milkshake both times. The Reef 411 E Palm Canyon Dr Open 10am-1am on Saturdays, 10am-12pm on Sundays and 1pm-1am on weekdays Our first night we ate dinner inside the Caliente Tropics Hotel. Their hotel bar, The Reef, serves tiki drinks and burgers. Both the food and drinks were awesome, definitely my favorite meal of the trip. I had the veggie burger and the painkiller to drink. The inside is kitschy and they also have a covered outside space to sit as well. Elmer’s 1030 E Palm Canyon Dr Open 6am-9pm everyday Although our hotel served breakfast, we wanted to go out for diner food one day. We each got an omelet and split an order of pancakes as well. The food is solid and there are lots of black and white photos on the walls of celebrities in Palm Springs, like Frank and Sammy Davis Jr. we also ate at... Eight 4 Nine 849 N Palm Canyon Dr Open Friday 11am-11pm; Saturday 9am-11pm; Sunday 9am-9pm; Tuesday-Thursday 11am-9pm We stopped here for lunch on our second day after a local tipped us off that there is a secret all day happy hour menu you can ask for where everything is $9. They serve upscale bar food here and we both ordered a quesadilla for $9. The decor here is more modern but still has a nod to the past as well. Trio 707 N Palm Canyon Dr 11am-10pm Monday-Thursday; 11am-11pm Friday; 10am-11pm Saturday; 10am-10pm Sunday Another restaurant serving upscale bar food. We weren’t super hungry, so we split a few appetizers including a burrata salad, hummus and spinach and artichoke dip. The food was very good and the decor is also mid century modern style, the only thing we did not enjoy was the music. It was a Monday night and they were blasting electronic house music, I felt like I was in an episode of Jersey Shore. Birba 622 N Palm Canyon Dr 5-10pm Tuesday- Thursday and Sunday; 5-11pm Friday and Saturday; closed Monday This was our last dinner spot and the hardest place to get in. Every other restaurant we were seated immediately. We showed up around 7-7:30 on a Tuesday night and they told us to come back around 9. It’s an Italian restaurant, I got gnocchi and Adam ordered pizza. I enjoyed my meal but Adam said the pizza was just ok (but keep in mind we are New Yorkers so we have high standards when it comes to pizza). We sat outside and there are fire pits that make a cozy atmosphere. where we vintage shopped: Gypsyland Vintage 2675 N Palm Canyon Dr Closed Monday-Wednesday; Open 11am-5pm Thursday- Sunday Dazzles 1035 N Palm Canyon Dr Closed Tuesday & Thursday; open 12-5 every other day Iconic Atomic 1103 N Palm Canyon Dr Closed Tuesday & Wednesday; Open 10am-6pm every other day We also stopped at Sunny Dunes Antique Mall, Aida's Place, Antique Galleries of Palm Springs and Little Shop of Treasures. All of these stops are right in the same area so you can park nearby and stop in all 4 of these stores. All of these antique malls had reasonable prices and seemed negotiable as well. I bought a 3pc 70's suit at one store, the price was listed at $50, but I negotiated it down to $35. Overall, with all the vintage stores, there was more home stuff, antiques and jewelry vs clothes.
I first wanted to go to Palm Springs about 5 years ago. I'm not sure how it even got on my radar, maybe I saw photos on social media or I read about it somewhere. Shortly after, in 2015, I made my first trip to the West Coast. We stayed in LA for a few days and then headed to the desert for Coachella in Indio, which is about 15-20 minutes from Palm Springs. I wanted to check out Palm Springs while we were there, but there wasn't enough time. None of my friends I was traveling with are as into vintage stuff as I am so it wasn't as much of a priority. I made a mental note that I had to make it back to Palm Springs one day.
Then it seemed like Palm Springs became extremely popular. It seemed like everyone on social media was choosing Palm Springs as their vacation spot, so many people that it made me not want to go anymore. I felt like maybe I'd seen everything I needed to see on Instagram. But after my recent vacation, I don't feel that way at all. I'm so glad I made the trip back to the desert. I think there's still something to be said for seeing things for yourself. I've seen countless photos from inside Elvis' Honeymoon Hideaway, people posed on the couch under the infamous photo of him and Priscilla locked arms with a cocktail in their hands. But the moment I walked into the house, a feeling came over me and I realized seeing a photo of something is not the same as experiencing it in real life. I think another trick to having a unique travel experience is looking for things to do outside of Instagram. According to Instagram, it seems like everyone stays at The Saguaro, so it made me think maybe this was one of the only hotels in Palm Springs. We drove past The Saguaro a few times and while it looked cute, I'm glad I did my research and found out about The Monkey Tree instead because it made for a more unique Palm Springs experience and it was a better fit for my aesthetic and personal taste too. Overall, I think social media can be a great resource to get travel recommendations or find out about a destination you might not have otherwise known about. However, I think it's important to do your research off Instagram as well. Try looking for more obscure recommendations that are off the beaten path, rather than seeking out "the most Instagramable spots". To me, these spots usually end up being the least inspiring anyway. And even if something is a tourist trap or Instagram bait, if it's something you really want to see, you should still go because no photo will ever give you the same feeling as seeing it with your own two eyes. While in Palm Springs, we stayed at The Monkey Tree Hotel, a fabulous boutique hotel straight out of the 60’s. The hotel was originally built in 1960 and aside from the amazing retro style design, the hotel also has an impressive history behind it. Several famous stars stayed here in its heyday, including Katherine Hepburn, Lucy and Desi, and The Beatles (except Paul). Allegedly JFK and Marilyn Monroe even had a private encounter here with the Secret Service guarding the entrance to their suite. Over the years, the hotel changed names and owners, but in 2015 the current owners, Kathy and Gary, purchased the hotel and restored it to the original name.
Kathy and Gary have done an amazing job with the property and really make you feel welcomed and comfortable at their hotel. They also lived in NYC before moving out to the west coast so we chatted about that and they were more than happy to give us suggestions of bars, restaurants and things to do while in Palm Springs. The hotel offers continental breakfast every morning, including homemade bread and muffins, yogurt, granola, fruit, tea and coffee. It’s also an extremely relaxing environment. Children under 14 are not permitted and they encourage all adults to be quiet and respectful. We lounged at the pool every day where 60’s music played over the sound system. In addition to the salt water pool, they also have an exercise pool, hot tub, sauna and a cold plunge. The pool area has a Smeg fridge stocked with sodas and everyday at 4:30 they serve sangria. The hotel has 16 rooms and we stayed in the Deluxe King with Kitchenette style. The room had a bed, sitting area, kitchen and bathroom. Each room only accommodates two people, they don’t have portable cots like most hotels. The rooms were very clean and comfortable and the two of us had plenty of room to spread out. Again, since The Monkey Tree Hotel is meant to be a relaxing environment, there weren’t screaming kids or rambunctious party people, so the hotel was peaceful and quiet every night and morning. Palm Springs is a pretty small town, but The Monkey Tree Hotel is conveniently located to anything you might want to get to. Each hotel room comes with a parking space, so we didn’t have to worry about finding parking for our car. During the day we would drive around but at night we left the car at the hotel and took an Uber to get dinner. It usually took about 10 minutes to get anywhere and about an $8-12 Uber ride. Kathy and Gary also have a vintage car from the 60’s, so they brought it over to the hotel for us to take photos with which was fun! We had an amazing stay at the The Monkey Tree Hotel and I would highly recommend it if you’re planning a relaxing trip to the desert with a friend or significant other. Thanks Kathy and Gary for hosting us and for comping 2 nights of our stay! If you want to learn more about The Monkey Tree Hotel, check out their website here: https://www.themonkeytreehotel.com/about This past Sunday, I took a day trip to Asbury Park, NJ. This was my first time visiting, and I’m not sure what took me so long to check it out! It’s only about an hour and a half from NYC. We took the NJ Transit train from Secaucus, NJ (one stop before NY Penn Station). It was raining in the morning before we left, but we crossed our fingers the weather would clear up and we headed down the shore.
When we first arrived, it was still raining, so we headed over to the Convention Center to check out the Summer Bazaar, a craft fair type of market that was happening that day. To be honest, we were pretty disappointed by this fair, because it was much smaller than we expected. They also advertised that there would be vintage vendors there, and there was literally only one booth carrying vintage. After the bazaar, it was still misting outside, so we headed to the Silverball Museum Arcade, a supercool arcade filled with retro games. They have everything from pinball, to skeeball, to video games. You pay before you enter, and the price depends on the amount of time you want to stay. There are options from a half hour up to a day pass. Once you’re inside, you can play as many games as you’d like. We stayed for an hour, which was the perfect amount of time for me because there were tons of kids and it was very loud (probably since everyone was trying to escape the rain). After the arcade, the rain finally cleared, so we grabbed a quick lunch, then headed off the boardwalk to the Main Street to vintage shop. Unfortunately, I underestimated how good these vintage stores would be, and we only had about an hour to spend in them before they closed at 5pm. All of the stores had amazing selections at very affordable prices. The first store we checked out was Backward Glances, where I bought a super cool 70’s printed shirt for $15. This store is primarily women’s and men’s clothing and accessories. Next we stopped into Flux Modern. This store was mostly furniture and home decor, so I didn’t buy anything here, but they still had lots of amazing items. Then we headed to Antique Emporium. I could have stayed in this store for two hours easily. It is huge, and they had everything from clothes, accessories, records, magazines, furniture, home decor, literally anything you could think of. Unfortunately we only had about 15 minutes to browse (and the guy working there kept following me around the store telling me they were closing, which was a bit of a turn off). Since I felt pressured to look quickly, I didn’t end up buying anything here either. Lastly, we checked out the record store called Hold Fast. They had an amazing selection for super affordable prices. I ended up getting an Elvis record for $5. After shopping, we headed back to the boardwalk. We grabbed some ice cream at Coney Waffle (we each got a waffle and ice cream). Then we decided to play some mini golf at Asbury 18 Mini Golf. Finally, we grabbed a quick cocktail before heading back to the train. Overall, I had an amazing day, and I definitely plan on coming back again. I’d definitely recommend a day trip to anyone living around the NJ/NYC area if you haven’t been yet! If you'd like to shop my top, you can find it here: https://www.dollyanddotty.co.uk/clementine-cropped-gingham-tie-front-blouse-in-yellow-white Top: c/o Dolly and Dotty Shorts: vintage; Sneakers: H&M; Sunglasses: Hello Holiday; Headband: American Apparel Location: Asbury Park, NJ Last Friday, I made my first trip of the year to Coney Island. Coney Island is one of my favorite things about New York City summers because it really does have an old school, retro feel to it. Even though most of the attractions are new, there are still a few original rides left.
The Ferris wheel, better known as The Wonder Wheel, was built in 1920. In 1989 it became a historic NYC landmark. The Wonder Wheel is definitely my favorite ride. It's cool getting to see the whole park from a birds eye view, even though it's equally as terrifying too haha. Some of the cars intentionally "swing" during the ride, so make sure you opt for a stationary car (like I do) if this isn't your thing. The Cyclone is another original ride. It is a wooden roller coaster built in 1927. It also gained NYC landmark status in 1988. I rode this ride once, but to be honest, I wouldn't do it again. Since it is old and wooden, it is super rickety and rough, a very different feel than riding a modern roller coaster. I'm not a huge ride person, so I mostly just like to go to walk around and enjoy the ambience. And of course I always stop at Nathan's for french fries and lemonade. My friends all swear the hot dogs are amazing too, but I don't eat meat, so I can't directly comment on them, but I'll take their word for it. I can't wait to go back to Coney Island again this summer! If you'd like to shop my dress, you can find it here: https://www.karinadresses.com/collections/sunny-afternoon/products/ruby-dress-blue-and-white-gingham?variant=292344233988 Dress: c/o Karina Dresses Necklace: vintage; Ring: Kate Spade; Sneakers: H&M; Sunglasses: Guess; Headband & Bag: unknown (both were gifts) Location: Coney Island (Brooklyn, New York) As you probably know by now, I spent last weekend in Miami. It was my first time visiting this part of Florida and I absolutely loved it. We spent our time checking out the Art Deco architecture, catching some rays on the beach and enjoying some amazing food and drinks. Living in NYC, I am spoiled when it comes to bars and restaurants. Since there are so many amazing options in NYC, sometimes when I travel I am disappointed in the quality of food and drinks. However, I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed every place we ate and drank at in Miami. Not to mention, each place had quirky and vintage inspired decor. So I decided to put together a little guide of these bars and restaurants. Naked Taco 1111 Collins Ave Come here for solid Mexican food and cocktails. We actually ended up eating here twice, dinner on our first night and lunch on our last day. Havana 1957 819 Lincoln Road There are 3 different locations in South Beach, but we went to the Lincoln Road spot. We just grabbed drinks here, so I can't comment on the food. The drinks were good and it had great ambience. The decor and music were reminiscent of vintage Cuba. 11th Street Diner 1065 Washington Ave I'm a sucker for some classic, all-American food, so we came here for breakfast twice. Solid diner food with a retro interior and exterior. Pane & Vino 1450 Washington Ave Authentic Italian restaurant. They even prepared the pasta right in front of us at the table. Milani Gelateria 436 Espanola Way After dinner we grabbed some gelato here. I got the Nutella flavor and it was amazing! Broken Shaker 2727 Indian Creek Drive This place was a bit farther north, so we had to take an uber there, but it was well worth the quick drive. This place is a tiki bar with cool outside seating area. The drinks were amazing, definitely the best we had on the entire trip. The bar tender even concocted a coconut rum cocktail just for us. The Social Club 1717 Collins Ave We came here for brunch one morning. Although the service was a bit slow, the food was very good. Also you can get a free mimosa if you check in on Yelp! Sweet Liberty Drinks & Supply Company 237 20th Street We came here for some pre-dinner appetizers and drinks. They have happy hour everyday from 4-7 where they have $5 cocktails (including Moscow Mules- which are my favorite!) Yardbird Southern Table & Bar 1600 Lenox Ave I ate at the Vegas location last year, and I've been dreaming about their biscuits and mac and cheese ever since, so I had to come to this location to get my fix! Sorry I kind of slacked on the last two spots and only got photos of the bathroom lol My one regret is that we didn't have any Cuban food while we were here, but all the more reason for me to plan another trip back here soon! I hope this guide is helpful if you're planning a trip to Miami!
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