Saturday, March 18, 2006
Wednesday, May 21, 2003
Palm Beach, FL
South Beach in Miami is an interesting place to visit. We walked up and down the street where all the nice restaurants and independent hotels are. There were a lot of people walking around in this area and there was a lot of traffic. Dinner was at Rendezvous, where I had rack of lamb, and Sanda had paella. The food and service was good and the atmosphere was excellent.
For breakfast, we went back to CityPlace, at a little bakery called Bellagio (same name as the restaurant we ate at there a few nights ago). Sanda went to a couple of stores and picked up some clothes at one of them. After we got back, we spent our time outside the hotel looking out on the ocean and reading until a rainstorm came in and forced us inside. That only lasted about 30 minutes or so and now it's sunny again. We'll be going out for a walk and for dinner in a few minutes and then coming back in time to watch the American Idol finale.
Tomorrow, we get on the plane and head back to Seattle. We're going to miss the warm weather, but it will be nice to be back home again.
South Beach in Miami is an interesting place to visit. We walked up and down the street where all the nice restaurants and independent hotels are. There were a lot of people walking around in this area and there was a lot of traffic. Dinner was at Rendezvous, where I had rack of lamb, and Sanda had paella. The food and service was good and the atmosphere was excellent.
For breakfast, we went back to CityPlace, at a little bakery called Bellagio (same name as the restaurant we ate at there a few nights ago). Sanda went to a couple of stores and picked up some clothes at one of them. After we got back, we spent our time outside the hotel looking out on the ocean and reading until a rainstorm came in and forced us inside. That only lasted about 30 minutes or so and now it's sunny again. We'll be going out for a walk and for dinner in a few minutes and then coming back in time to watch the American Idol finale.
Tomorrow, we get on the plane and head back to Seattle. We're going to miss the warm weather, but it will be nice to be back home again.
Tuesday, May 20, 2003
Palm Beach, FL
Sanda got a cold yesterday. We hung around the hotel room until she felt good enough to get up and go. We had breakfast at a place across the street called Cafe del Mar. Blueberry pancakes for Sanda and cheese blintzes for me. Food was good but nothing special. It was certainly a lot cheaper than the hotel restaurant though.
We took I-95 down to Fort Lauderdale, stopping first at a place called RiverWalk. It's a nice place to walk because there's a lot of plants and trees to look at, but there are also some homeless people asking for handouts. There's also a lot of construction going on along the river -- mostly condominiums. I'd say in about 5 years this place might actually look more finished off and more active. Anyway, we walked the entire mile back and forth before moving on to dinner.
We went to a place called Aruba Beach Cafe for dinner. It's right on the beach in Fort Lauderdale (actually Lauderdale-by-the-Sea), and the view is great. The food was good, too. Sanda had a Portobello Burger and I had Cuban Grilled Pork Chops. Too much for me to finish off, but it was really good. After stuffing our faces, we got back on I-95 and headed back to Palm Beach. We got back in time to watch Cybil Shepard pretend to be Martha Stewart on NBC.
This morning, we went to Dune Deck Cafe, a little restaurant next to the hotel. The food there is excellent and so is the view! You look right out onto the ocean (over Lantana Beach). It's all open-air, so it's warm, but still nice. Blueberry pancakes for me and Sanda had their fruit-stuffed French toast. Food, service and atmosphere were all great. We will probably go there again tomorrow.
Today we're going to head down to Miami. We're still planning what to do down there and where to eat.
Sanda got a cold yesterday. We hung around the hotel room until she felt good enough to get up and go. We had breakfast at a place across the street called Cafe del Mar. Blueberry pancakes for Sanda and cheese blintzes for me. Food was good but nothing special. It was certainly a lot cheaper than the hotel restaurant though.
We took I-95 down to Fort Lauderdale, stopping first at a place called RiverWalk. It's a nice place to walk because there's a lot of plants and trees to look at, but there are also some homeless people asking for handouts. There's also a lot of construction going on along the river -- mostly condominiums. I'd say in about 5 years this place might actually look more finished off and more active. Anyway, we walked the entire mile back and forth before moving on to dinner.
We went to a place called Aruba Beach Cafe for dinner. It's right on the beach in Fort Lauderdale (actually Lauderdale-by-the-Sea), and the view is great. The food was good, too. Sanda had a Portobello Burger and I had Cuban Grilled Pork Chops. Too much for me to finish off, but it was really good. After stuffing our faces, we got back on I-95 and headed back to Palm Beach. We got back in time to watch Cybil Shepard pretend to be Martha Stewart on NBC.
This morning, we went to Dune Deck Cafe, a little restaurant next to the hotel. The food there is excellent and so is the view! You look right out onto the ocean (over Lantana Beach). It's all open-air, so it's warm, but still nice. Blueberry pancakes for me and Sanda had their fruit-stuffed French toast. Food, service and atmosphere were all great. We will probably go there again tomorrow.
Today we're going to head down to Miami. We're still planning what to do down there and where to eat.
Monday, May 19, 2003
Palm Beach, FL
After sitting around the room for a little bit, we decided to head south to Boca Raton. We took A1A to get down there, a road that goes along the coast. It was pretty scenic. We only stopped at a couple of places while we were there. One of them was Mizner Park, an outdoor shopping mall. We just walked around it for a little bit and then went to Red Reef Park, a state park with lots of picnic tables and barbeques. Everyone seemed to be grilling chicken there and Sanda wanted to eat all of it.
We headed back to the hotel for some more time at the gym, and then went back to the room to clean up before dinner. For dinner, we went to Rosalita's Tex-Mex Grill. The best thing on the menu is the Tex-Mex Eggrolls. Everything else was comparable to any mexican restaurant you can find anywhere else.
Today, we're going to go down to Fort Lauderdale and will stay down there for dinner before coming back to Palm Beach. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow.
After sitting around the room for a little bit, we decided to head south to Boca Raton. We took A1A to get down there, a road that goes along the coast. It was pretty scenic. We only stopped at a couple of places while we were there. One of them was Mizner Park, an outdoor shopping mall. We just walked around it for a little bit and then went to Red Reef Park, a state park with lots of picnic tables and barbeques. Everyone seemed to be grilling chicken there and Sanda wanted to eat all of it.
We headed back to the hotel for some more time at the gym, and then went back to the room to clean up before dinner. For dinner, we went to Rosalita's Tex-Mex Grill. The best thing on the menu is the Tex-Mex Eggrolls. Everything else was comparable to any mexican restaurant you can find anywhere else.
Today, we're going to go down to Fort Lauderdale and will stay down there for dinner before coming back to Palm Beach. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow.
Sunday, May 18, 2003
Palm Beach, FL
Yesterday we drove down from Orlando to West Palm Beach. The trip took a little over 2 hours with 1 stop. We took the Florida Turnpike pretty much all the way down. The traffic seemed pretty light, and most of the way the posted speed limit is 70mph. I think we averaged about 75-80mph though. Temperature most of the way was 91 degrees -- hot, and a little humid.
In Palm Beach, we're staying at the Ritz Carlton. Really really nice hotel. Has much softer water and good water pressure, as opposed to the Rosen Centre Hotel, which is where we stayed while we were in Orlando. We took a look around the hotel our first day here, spent about an hour or so in the gym and then cleaned up and rested in the room until we were ready to go get dinner.
For dinner, we went to CityPlace, a big outdoor mall. We had Italian food at a restaurant called Bellagio. Sanda had Chicken al Carbone (grilled chicken), and I had Tortellini Aurora (veal-stuffed tortellini in a pink sauce). For appetizer, we had tomatoes, mozarella and eggplant. Everything was good there, especially the bread. We were too full for dessert. The whole mall, including the restaurant, was busy. Lots of people doing lots of different things. Service was good and fast at the restaurant though, and we enjoyed the experience.
This morning, we had breakfast at one of the restaurants in the hotel. I had cinnamon French toast and Sanda has blueberry pancakes. Everything tasted great, but as usual in hotel restaurants, it was really expensive.
We're still working on the plan for today's activities.
Yesterday we drove down from Orlando to West Palm Beach. The trip took a little over 2 hours with 1 stop. We took the Florida Turnpike pretty much all the way down. The traffic seemed pretty light, and most of the way the posted speed limit is 70mph. I think we averaged about 75-80mph though. Temperature most of the way was 91 degrees -- hot, and a little humid.
In Palm Beach, we're staying at the Ritz Carlton. Really really nice hotel. Has much softer water and good water pressure, as opposed to the Rosen Centre Hotel, which is where we stayed while we were in Orlando. We took a look around the hotel our first day here, spent about an hour or so in the gym and then cleaned up and rested in the room until we were ready to go get dinner.
For dinner, we went to CityPlace, a big outdoor mall. We had Italian food at a restaurant called Bellagio. Sanda had Chicken al Carbone (grilled chicken), and I had Tortellini Aurora (veal-stuffed tortellini in a pink sauce). For appetizer, we had tomatoes, mozarella and eggplant. Everything was good there, especially the bread. We were too full for dessert. The whole mall, including the restaurant, was busy. Lots of people doing lots of different things. Service was good and fast at the restaurant though, and we enjoyed the experience.
This morning, we had breakfast at one of the restaurants in the hotel. I had cinnamon French toast and Sanda has blueberry pancakes. Everything tasted great, but as usual in hotel restaurants, it was really expensive.
We're still working on the plan for today's activities.
