Viva Italia - Part 2 - When Fantasy Becomes Reality

Exhausted from a 14 hour travel day, and lost sleep due to the stress of being rejected from my flight, racing to get an emergency passport, and finding a new flight, Chris and I decided to spend our first full day in Italy relaxing on the white sandy beach. It was so great to have an umbrella, two chairs, beach towels, and a spot on the beach reserved for us as apart of our accommodations with the Hotel Adriatico, and not have to worry about having to secure all that on our own. Finally we could truly relax with the feeling of the waves from the Adriatic sea rolling through our tired bodies.

There are certain visions ingrained in my mind as true Italian experiences, ones that I had pieced together from film and photographs, that I was unsure whether they were a reality or just a thing of fantasy. Visions of dining at large banquet tables, surrounded by beautiful people, in small alleyways, being served family-style, traditional, rustic Italian food, and experiencing that feeling of sheer bliss. As much as I craved those experiences before coming to Italy, I really wasn't sure if I had seen Big Night and Bicycle Thief one too many times for my own good, and had a crazy fantasy in my head that real life could never live up to. It was on our very first full day in Italy that I feel so lucky to say I had the privilege of experiencing one of those magical moments.

Though many of the people in the group we were traveling with promised me that our meal at Trattoria Da Peppe that evening would be incredible, in my head I kept thinking "I just met you, I don't know if I trust your opinion on food." An embarrassingly snobby thought, I must admit, though I'd been warned of the many tourist traps within Italy that lack authenticity and quality, while still receiving rave reviews from the streams of tourist that walk through their doors.

Filled with a mixture of skepticism and hope, we passed the buzzing restaurants in the centre of the city of Vasto, and walked through a small, dimly lit alleyway to arrive at a large banquet table set out for us outside of the ancient converted stable, which is now home to the cozy and welcoming Trattoria Da Peppe. Upon our arrival we were immediately greeted by Peppe himself, Giuseppe and his wife Maria, who gave us a quick tour of the space, telling us about its history as a stable, and showing us the small Argentinian-wood-burning oven that Giuseppe does his magic in, as well as the tiny windowless church adjacent to the restaurant, and the exquisite private gardens directly across the alley. I was already swept up in the drama and romanticism that Giuseppe and Maria so beautifully created, and our meal hadn't even begun!

After settling into our seats we were presented with homemade wine, bottles of sparkling water, and crusty bread, followed by an elaborate selection of lovingly-prepared antipasti. When I say "lovingly-prepared" I mean to evoke that same feeling you get when diving into your grandmothers cooking, you just know it was prepared with love and care. You can taste that love!

Though all of the antipasti was fantastic, the one dish that stood out to me as one of the best bites of food that has ever crossed my lips was Giuseppe's famous Cheese and Egg Balls, also known as Pallotte Cacio e Uova, or a type of polpette (meatball), but without the meat. Pallotte Cacio e Uova are known as being a "poor mans dish," the type of dish one would make to use up stale bread, eggs, and cheese and reinvent it into something comforting and delicious. Crustless stale bread is cut into cubes and soaked in water or milk to soften. The liquid is squeezed out and the bread gets mixed with beaten eggs, parsley, garlic, and a mixture of hard sharp cheeses, and rolled into small balls. The egg and cheese balls are then fried until golden, and transferred to simmer in homemade tomato sauce until the balls puff up from soaking up some of the savoury sauce. It sounds simple enough, though Giuseppe's Pallotte Cacio e Uova were truly extraordinary! Despite the fact that they were one of the first dishes presented to us and I knew there were many more dishes to come, I couldn't help but get my hands on as many of those delicious little bites of heaven as I could!

Those little bites of heaven were followed by cornmeal flatbreads topped with cicoria AKA. chicory, veal simmered in sauce, stuffed eggplant, homemade sausages, a selection of thinly-sliced char-grilled meats, salad, rum cake, and blueberry cheesecake. SWOON! I wish I could accurately express to you how truly extraordinary this meal was. Every single dish was out of this world incredible. I know, the hyperbole is at all time high right now, but I am not embellishing by any means how special this meal  actually was. Just incredible, and unlike anything I have ever experienced.

We walked back into the heart of the city with full bellies and happy hearts, to drink into the evening while revelling in the experience that we had just shared. Though I knew there was a lot of other fantastic food in Vasto that I had yet to try, I couldn't help but wish that we could experience another meal from Giuseppe again during our short trip.

Other Things Of Note:
Since coming home from Italy I have tried to recreate Giuseppe's Pallotte Cacio e Uova, and though mine were very tasty, they were nothing compared to the perfection that Giuseppe presented to us!

What made our meal so special at Trattoria Da Peppe was so much more than the food. From the moment we arrived at the restaurant we were treated like family and received hospitality unparalleled from any other restaurant I have ever been to.

Stay tuned for Part 3 of my Italian adventure to hear about my visit to Pescara and exploring the Medieval city of Vasto.

Listening To:
Jamie XX - Gosh

Viva Italia - Part 1 - Also known as the time I almost wasn't allowed in the country

Me (Danielle Rose) in total bliss in Vasto, Italy

When I was 14 years old my mom told me to start a savings account. "One day you'll want to travel the world" she said, and encouraged me to start thinking of places I'd like to explore. With visions of nonnas rolling pasta dough, and pizza crusts bubbling out of wood-fired ovens, there was one place above all others that stirred my desire to travel, Italy. 

Though I've been lucky enough to travel to some extraordinary places since then, it wasn't until now that an opportunity to visit my dream country, Italy, finally arose! Thanks to an invitation from my boyfriend Chris' parents to join them, along with a large group of Italian friends, on a trip to Italy to trace their families roots, I could finally make my dreams of exploring the legendary "boot" a reality. 

The plan was to stay in the coastal town of Vasto, situated in Abruzzo's southern coast, adjacent to the Adriatic sea, and from there take day trips to visit the various towns from which Chris' ancestors were from. With several of the other families we were traveling with from Vasto, with friends and family still living in the beautiful town, it was easy to make Vasto our "home base" for the trip. 

Though our vacation got off to a rocky start (ummm...I was rejected from the plane AT THE GATE due to an apparently "expired passport," though my passport was actually due to expire this November 2015. See my angry Twitter rant for more info!), and with a day and a half of mine and Chris' trip lost, not to mention thousands of dollars down the drain thanks to having to purchase a new one-way ticket to Rome, we finally arrived at Fiumicino airport in Rome!

At the sight of a "Mozzarella Bar" in the airport after landing, I knew that all of our initial trouble to get here was worth it! Bring on the mozzarella! After downing prosciutto and mozzarella panini's and cold Fanta's, Chris and I hopped on the Dicarlo Bus (Italy's version of a Greyhound) to continue our long journey to Vasto. Though our string of bad luck seemed to persist through our trek to Vasto, having to switch from our comfortable, air conditioned and near-empty bus to a packed, hot, and smelly bus after blowing a tire, we were happy to be greeted with smiling (and teary-eyed) familiar faces upon our arrival.

We stowed our luggage in our gorgeous suite at the Hotel Adriatico, and quickly joined our friends and family to begin our adventure! After gorging ourselves on an Italian feast of an antipasti buffet, pasta fagioli, an array of grilled meats, a fruit platter, and dessert, we were off to take part in the excitement and energy thriving from Vasto Marina, as the town celebrated Notte Rosa, also known as Pink Night. Though Chris and I hardly had a wink of sleep for days, we managed to stay up until 3:30 AM, listening to live music, taking in the sights, and sipping on cool drinks, taken by the infectious energy of the festival. 

Other things of note:

The espresso was so good all over Italy, that even the espresso offered on the Dicarlo Bus was fantastic, and better than most of the espresso you can find in Toronto!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of my Italian adventure to hear about one of the most extraordinary meals of my life!

Listening To:
Jamie XX - Stranger In A Room 

Borough Market AKA That Time I Fell In Love With A Market In London, England

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Borough Market signage; An assortment of gorgeous wild mushrooms; Beautiful green produce everywhere; Huge vats of freshly prepared curries.

When I came home from my incredible trip to the UK almost two months ago all I wanted to talk about was my last few days in London, England, which were filled with some of the most mind-shifting, sensory overloaded experiences of my life. I was so eager to share these unique experiences that my words would turn into a jumble of chaotic nonsense that only my boyfriend Chris, with whom I got to experience my UK adventure with, could understand. I was sure that writing would be the avenue that would allow me to properly articulate the feelings, sights, smells, tastes, and sounds that so pleasantly overwhelmed me in those last few days, but to my dismay, each time I sat in front of my computer, fingers poised at the keyboard, the words refused to come. Instead I would slip into a foggy, dreamy state, full of nostalgia as I took myself back into the vibrant Borough Market, with a cone full of cured meats in my hand; through the dark and eery rooms of Temple Studios, with my heart racing; squeezed into a corner in the incredibly packed Maple Leaf Bar, watching our Canadian women's hockey team take home the gold; perched on a couch sipping a bone marrow bloody mary at Lounge Bohemia; and surrounded by brute Brits, shouting inaudible chants at the Arsenal game. 

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Artichokes, and green onions, and parsnips OH MY; Mustard heaven; Olive heaven; Lord London cheese.

With back-to-reality-induced writers block, I kept putting off writing the entry I had previously been so fired up to write, to the point where I sit here now, over two months later, wondering where all that time went, and how I could possibly find the words to write anything of value about it now. So rather than wrack my brain to attempt to piece together all these memories, I give you a simple photo diary of my experience at the absurdly wonderful Borough Market, AKA where I publicly foodgasm'd for two hours. Despite National Geographic donning my familiar St. Lawrence Market with the crown of "top food market in the world", there is no doubt that London's Borough Market takes the cake...and the doughnut...and the spelt almond croissant...and the cheese...and the meat...and the fresh shucked oysters...and the hand-made gnocchi...and the fresh-pressed juice...and the-ok, you get the point. 

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Chicken, duck, and quail eggs; Fresh oysters; Cheese, glorious cheese; Olive heaven.

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Incredible dried meats; 4 pounds for meat cones? You had me at meat cones!; So much cheese; Meat cones, best idea! 

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Fantastic selection of unbelievably delicious and pillowy freshly-made stuffed pastas; Olive oil for days; Hope you're not a vegetarian; Fresh and light as a feather potato gnocchi in tomato sauce.

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Everything is better with burrata; Fresh-squeezed juice in every flavour imaginable; Melted cheese! MELTED CHEESE!; Look at the buffalo mozzarella oozing out of those sandwiches! JUST LOOK AT IT!

The best doughnut in existence! Why oh whyyy did the three of us split only one?! WHYYY?!?!

Listening To:

The Strokes - Reptilia

Castles, Wynds, Closes, Ghosts, & Scotch in Edinburgh

On a rainy, grey morning Chris, Melissa, myself, and Melissa's friend Kayla arrived in Edinburgh Scotland. Despite the rain, we couldn't help but already be charmed by this mysterious city, as our cab drove past streets lined with little cottages in the foreground of the lush green landscape. The rain began to dissipate just as our cab pulled up to Cumberland Street, where we had rented a cute, little, modern lower-level apartment on VRBO for the next two nights and three days. It's amazing how much you appreciate the little things when on vacation, like opening up the lockbox provided for us to find a skeleton key to unlock the apartment door. We squealed with glee at the sight of this simple skeleton key, already deciding in our minds that this skeleton key was a symbol of this mysterious old city, just waiting for us to explore! After dropping off our luggage, it was time to walk up the hill to take in all the extraordinary sights down the Royal Mile. 

The Royal Mile is known as being the heart of Scotland's historic capital, running straight through Edinburgh's Old Town, connecting the breathtaking Edinburgh Castle, which rests upon a base of volcanic rock, with the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Overwhelmed by the beautiful historic architecture surrounding us, we took those first few hours as an opportunity to take in some of the sights, and in true UK fashion, grab a couple pints and some grub at a pub on Rose Street. 

After some short exploring and stuffing our faces with sausage and mash, fish and chips, and pints of Guinness, we succumbed to our exhaustion and took the misty rain as an opportunity to grab a not-so-quick nap at our rental apartment, so we would have lots of energy to make it up to the castle later that afternoon. After our much-needed nap, we felt energized and ready to walk through the royal mile and up to Edinburgh Castle. Although the tours of the castle were already done for the day, the mere sight of the stunning, ancient Edinburgh Castle was enough to send us all into a tizzy! The castle alone was of course stunning, but I can't forget to mention the magnificent view that the large, volcanic hill affords you of both the New and Old town, allowing you to take everything in all at once. High off our castle photo shoot, we walked back down the Royal Mile to pop into a few shops and purchase some Celtic jewelry at an outdoor stand before the sun set. 

As darkness loomed, our thirst kicked in and we were once again ready for another pint! Our mighty navigator, Chris, led us to The Abbotsford Pub in New Town, Edinburgh, built in 1902. The Abbotsford Pub was absolutely beautiful, featuring exquisite Edwardian pub design, with a classic island bar carved from Spanish Mahogany and an intricate Jacobean ceiling.  Although their pub fare sounded above the ordinary, Chris had bigger plans for us, with a pin on his Google map at a restaurant called The Dogs. 

The Dogs was appealing for us because we love dogs! Just kidding! We do love dogs, but what really caught our attention was the mouthwatering menu filled with unique takes on Scottish classics at very reasonable prices. One of the things we noticed in Edinburgh was that the food tended to range from very low quality pub fare, to extremely high end dining with staggeringly high prices, and not a whole lot in between. So The Dogs, with its delicious sounding menu and fair prices was like finding treasure! With no reservation, we were very happy to be accommodated immediately, simply warned that we would have a short seating, as the table was reserved in a couple hours. 

The quiet and intimate atmosphere of the canine-themed restaurant was a welcome change from the bustling pub scene we were so familiar with throughout the UK. This change in mood required a change in beverage, switching from beer to wine that would pair with our meals. After promising all of my foodie friends in Toronto that I would try the Scottish favourite, Haggis while in Edinburgh, I had no choice but to order the Lamb Barnsley Chop with Haggis Hash, Braised Cabbage, & Tarragon Gravy as my entrée. Although I was a little uneasy about the idea of eating haggis (sheep's heart, liver, and lungs, minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and stock, encased in the animals stomach) I was so pleasantly surprised at the delicious, savory flavour the haggis added to the potato hash, not to mention my succulent, tender lamp chop, with the ever so slightly bitter braised cabbage playing the perfect accompaniment. There was a chorus of "mmm's" ringing through the quiet space as all of us cleaned off our plates, satisfied with this special Scottish fare. Stuffed to the brim, with a bit of a buzz from the wine and beer, it was off to bed for us sleepyheads, with lots of tours planned for the following day. 

With plans of hitting up The Scotch Whiskey Experience tour on our second morning in Edinburgh, there wasn't a chance we would be skipping breakfast that day! Just a short walk from our apartment was Eteaket, a bright and welcoming tea room that specializes in ethically-sourced, exceptional loose leaf teas. After cramming ourselves into a tight, corner seat by the window, we ordered a round of tea lattes, with myself ordering Eteaket's specialty, their Chai Latte, made with their secret recipe. I've had many Chai lattes before, and have always enjoyed them, but this was no ordinary Chai latte, with an intense flavour from the blend of spices and topped with a garnish of spices to give you a hint as to what you are sipping. To go along with my tea, I ordered simple poached eggs with toast. A lovely way to start another busy day in the UK! 

After breakfast we excitedly headed over to Castlehill to take part in The Scotch Whiskey Experience, AKA Chris' number one reason for coming to Scotland! The tour is designed to give you the full scotch whiskey experience by first taking you through their interactive swirling, bubbling barrel ride, allowing guests to become apart of the scotch whiskey making process, with narration by a friendly ghost. After you are taken through each step of the scotch whiskey making process, guests are guided up to a private room where a scotch whiskey expert leads an introduction to the aromas found in various types of whiskey. We were each given a little scratch-and-sniff card with the names of the various regions within Scotland, each one identified with a different colour. One at a time, we were taken through each region, beginning the lesson on each one with our guide asking us to scratch the designated area on our scratch-and-sniff cards of that particular region, and asking us what we smelt. Through this, we were taught all about the dominant flavours that are found in scotch whiskeys made in those different regions. Those flavours were:

Lowland - Grapefruit

Highland - Vanilla

Speyside - Banana

Islay - Peat

With this as a reference, we were each asked to pick which flavour we were drawn to most, and were then poured a glass (which we were later gifted!) of a whiskey from that region. Not much of a whiskey fan myself, after understanding how scotch whiskey gets made and learning about why certain flavours are present, I found a new appreciation for the punchy liquor...but this doesn't mean I was able to finish my glass! This next part of the experience was my favourite, as we were led into a room that was entirely lined with bottles upon bottles of scotch whiskey, which we soon learned was the largest scotch whiskey collection in the entire world! The look on Chris' face was absolutely priceless! The man was in his glory! Then came the part he was really looking forward to, the scotch tasting! Chris had purchased the Gold Experience Tour, which gave him a flight of four scotch whiskeys that ranged from light flavoured, to strong and peaty. What a treat for him! An extra special treat for Chris came when he purchased a rare and fairly reasonable bottle of Scotch to take home with him. My guy works so incredibly hard, he most certainly deserves a nice bottle!

After the scotch whiskey experience, we found a cheap restaurant nearby to satisfy our hunger. Plain "American" greasy fare, there isn't much to report on that restaurant other than, it was cheap and it filled our growling bellies! It was off to do some more exploring and shopping after that.

Thanks to a suggestion from an old friend who lives in Edinburgh, we had eagerly signed ourselves up for the Ghost & Torture Tour from Auld Reekie Tours, a decision that us ladies would later regret. My friend Lyle had promised us that the ghost tour would be a great way to learn about the history of Edinburgh in a fun and frightening way. I love me some history mixed with entertainment, so I figured this would be a cool and funny experience. Now after the fact, 'funny' is definitely not the word I would use to describe the tour, as our eerie guide took us through the dark underground vaults and torture rooms, while passionately telling us horrifying stories of the tortures that went on in Edinburgh back in the day, as well as ghost experiences that guests have had while on the tour. Shaking and white as...well, you guessed it, white as a ghost, we ended the tour, sure that we would never get a wink of sleep ever again! 

Thank goodness for fun bars with charming bartenders and wicked music, the Victoria Bar in Leith was just what we needed to take our minds off of our terrifying ghost tour experience. 

We awoke on Wednesday morning, sad that this was our final day in beautiful Edinburgh, but excited to take part in The Real Mary King's Close Tour. After grabbing a quick bite at our favourite Edinburgh breakfast spot Eteaket, we rushed back up to the Royal Mile to make it in time for our tour, which would take us through a network of hidden underground streets and spaces which were once inhabited by Mary King (a prominent businesswoman in the 1630's), and are now buried underground, shrouded in myths and mystery! Although this tour hinted at possibly being a repeat of the blood curdling ghost tour we had experienced the previous night, The Real Mary King's Close Tour was only similar to the prior tour in its historical base, as our costumed character tour guide shared with us the true tales of how families lived in this underground town many centuries ago. 

With a few hours to spare before our short flight back to London, we decided to take some time to relax with a good meal and chat about everything we had experienced on our little excursion. Back on Rose Street we stowed our luggage and quickly got a table at Jamie's Italian, Jamie Oliver's large Italian eatery known for their large cheese and charcuterie planks and fresh pastas. Exhausted from a very busy three days, it was so nice to slide into our seats and indulge in Jamie's Meat Plank which featured fennel salami, pistachio mortadella, prosciutto, schiacciata piccante, buffalo mozzarella with chili & mint, pecorino with chili jam, green chillies, green olives, Gaeta, caper berries & shaved carrot & beets with lemon and mint. Following the plank, we shared a plate of Crispy Tomato & Mozzarella Risotto Balls, doused in a spicy arrabbiata sauce, and I dived into my large plate of Tagliatelle Bolognese. Everything was so incredibly delicious and, believe it or not, so much lighter and easy on the stomach than all the greasy, heavy pub food we had been eating. The only thing that could have made our experience at Jamie's Italian better? Why, if Jamie Oliver himself showed up, of course! 

With full bellies and happy hearts, we sleepily boarded our EasyJet flight back to London to continue our UK adventure! 

Listening To:

Geto Boys - Damn It Feels Good To Be A Gangsta

London, England: Camden Market

After a great nights sleep in our cozy hotel bed and a light breakfast of custard pastries from the local Costa Coffee shop, Chris and I were ready to delve into day two of our London adventure! After having so much fun walking around Portobello Market the previous day, Melissa and her friends decided to take us to another well known market in London, Camden Market, known to be one of the busiest weekend markets in London, with Sunday's trading day being the most lively. This Sunday was certainly no exception with streams of people snaking through the many incense-filled lanes lined with stalls, selling everything from hot prepared food, fashions, jewelry, vintage goods, and crafts from all over the world.  With so many beautiful offerings, I found myself overwhelmed and unsure as to how I could possibly fit everything I loved into my luggage. Hand painted ceramic bowls, striking textiles, haunting paintings, and vintage bar trays were just a few of the treasures I had hopes of coveting, had I thought of packing less in my luggage to allow more London goodies to fill it to take home. I'll have to remember that for my next trip to London!

After popping into just about every little shop within the market with wide eyes, it was of course time to enjoy a pint. We found ourselves in The Cuban Bar right in the heart of the market, a bar that fit the bill for us, purely because we could get a table and fast service. The Cuban Bar was nothing particularly special during the day (when you have great company, that's all you really need!) but Melissa told us to try and come back at night when the restaurant turns into a lively lounge filled with Cuban music and lots of dancing.

Still getting over our jet lag, and with an early flight to Edinburgh in the morning, we decided to have a quiet night in at Melissa's flat, picking up some beer from the off-license a few doors down, enjoying the hockey game like the true Canadian's we are, and digging into a big plate of pasta made by one of Melissa's roommates. We had a big day ahead of us! Stay tuned for our experience in Edinburgh, Scotland!

Listening To:
Sorcha Richardson - Last Train

London, England: Day 1 - Portobello Market & Wahaca Mexican Eating

Back to reality. After ten enchanting days of bopping around London, England and Edinburgh, Scotland it's back to reality for this little dreamer. That sinking, back-to-reality feeling at the end of a wonderful trip can feel so heartbreaking at times, that you can't help but wonder "was it worth it?" We all know the answer is always a resounding YES! Getting the opportunity to travel to the UK with someone I love, to experience all of the unique sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and so much more in a foreign country that ignited a fire in my soul can never be something I could ever regret. Thankfully I have so many fabulous memories that I can hold onto to keep that fire alive and, hopefully, will help to shake up my own routine-filled life. 

So enough with back-to-reality pity party, it's time to focus on a trip that I will be talking about for years to come! I arrived in London, England with my boyfriend Chris to visit his sister Melissa who is currently living in England (lucky gal!) working as a teacher. After hugs, hellos, and a big breakfast of eggs, toast, and bacon made by Melissa's roommate, the Canadian crew was off to enjoy our first London market experience. Melissa was so excited to take us to the world famous Portobello market, a street market that runs right through the heart of Notting Hill, taking up most of Portobello Road, with stand after stand selling antiques, fruits and vegetables, striking fashions and jewelry, and fresh, hot prepared food. 

It took all of two minutes for me to regret that large breakfast with so many tasty offerings being served up at each stand, the most appealing of which was the massive vats of fresh and colourful paella, filled with every shellfish imaginable. The smells as you walked past each booth was positively intoxicating, begging you to sample each and every dish. If only the servings of paella weren't quite so large I would have undoubtably given in to the mouth-watering Spanish dish...I'm still kicking myself for not. 

It was at the fresh churro stand that I had to stop to purchase an order for Chris, Melissa, and I to share, with each order containing far more churros than I could ever dream of eating. Prepared to order, the cinnamon and sugar dusted churros were just the pick-me-up I needed to do a little shoe shopping. I had heard that the shoe selection in London is wonderful, but was warned about the high cost of everything. To my delight, the rumors of London's beautiful shoe selection was true, but that high cost was pure hogwash as all three of us walked away with a pair of shoes much cheaper than we would have ever found in Toronto! High from our shoe purchases, we decided it was time for another snack. The long line up at the falafel stand was a telltale sign of high quality and flavour, so we joined the line for a quick falafel break. Although I didn't order a falafel myself (I was the mooch stealing bites from Chris and Melissa), I was once again kicking myself for my full stomach and not ordering one. These falafels were outstanding, and comparable to the falafels found throughout Israel, but with a Lebanese twist. The perfect fried-to-order, crispy on the outside, soft and moist on the inside falafel balls were drizzled in a zingy chilli-peanut sauce that gave this familiar dish an exotic twist that I couldn't get enough of...and let's not forget their impossibly creamy humous! With such a large Mediterranean community in Toronto, why can't we have falafels like this?  

It was definitely beer O'clock after all that walking around, so we wandered into the quirky, open-facade Mau Mau Bar for a couple of beers and on-the-house cocktails. This old school London bar had a laid back attitude that was just what we were looking for after winding through the crowds on Portobello Road. The friendly bartender was awesome, chatty, and generous giving Chris a Manhattan and a Negroni on the house! Hooray for British hospitality! 

After checking into the Crown Moran Hotel and a much needed nap in what was possibly the coziest bed I have ever been in, we were back out with our Oyster cards in hand, to hop on a double decker bus and the tube to meet up with our Canadian crew for our first dinner in London at Wahaca Mexican Eating in Covent Garden. Chris had raved about the popular Mexican restaurant from his last trip to London, emphasizing their fresh ingredients, reasonable prices, and great tequila selection. With a massive lineup that filled the lobby and wound up the stairs, we were nervous about getting a table any time within the hour, but lucky for us, a large reservation had not shown up, and we were able to snag a table for seven immediately! 

The menu, which is filled with an assortment of authentic Mexican street food, is made with care using the freshest of ingredients, which are all sourced as ethically and locally as possible. Encouraged to share, we started off our meal with mortars filled with tomato dotted guacamole and tortilla chips and, of course, margaritas! From there, Chris and I shared an order of Pork Pibil Tacos (slow cooked pork in Yucatecan marinade with fiery pickled onions), Chicken Mole Tacos (tender chicken in a rich red Coloradito mole sauce from Oaxaca), Chorizo and Potato Quesadillas (British chorizo, made with their own special recipe, with fresh thyme and steamed potato), Slow-Cooked Pork Burritos (toasted flour tortillas wrapped around slow-cooked pork, with frijoles, shredded cabbage, green rice, crema, avocado salsa, pink pickled onions, habanero chillies, and Baja cheese), and Spicy Slaw (shredded cabbage and red onion in a spicy dressing). Every dish (minus the lackluster not-spicy-at-all slaw) was fantastic, with the Pork Pibil and Chicken Mole tacos being our favourite! We ended our lovely meal with a couple of rounds of tequila shots to toast to an inevitable incredible trip! 

Despite our let jag and tired bodies, we had to do it up on our first night, so we headed down the road to the multi-floor Porterhouse Bar for live music and more pints! 

Stay tuned for Day Two and our visit to Camden Market!

Listening To:
Soko - We Might Be Dead By Tomorrow

Cottage Eats

Last week my mom and I were able to take a lovely little escape out of the city and head up north to Jeffery Lake to a beautiful cottage that my aunt and uncle had rented. With our house still up on the market at the time, and offers scattering through, it was nice to have a different atmosphere and be surrounded by close family to take our minds off all of the anxiety and stress we were dealing with. While a lot of people go up to a cottage to escape chores such as cooking, in my family food is once again one of the highlights! No cottage escape is complete without a killer meal! Now what we're going for here is a meal that is killer in flavour, but easy on the effort, which does require some simple planning. This time around all of the three families that were up each brought groceries, with my uncle Eddie taking the reigns in the kitchen. Eddie wanted nothing more than to spend the afternoon blasting his awesome Motown music, while singing and cooking up a feast for us...and possibly sneaking some ribs for himself along the way. Although he spent the day working hard keeping an eye on those delicious slow-cooked ribs that him and my mom collaborated on, the truth is, the meal that we planned was clever and simple enough that you could truly spend all day on the dock, with only a few short last minutes in the kitchen, all it takes is a little planning. When I'm planning cottage meals, I like to think of dishes that allow me and my family to spend as little time as possible in the kitchen. I like to keep things simple, but take things that one step further to make them a little special and memorable. 

THE ENTRÉE

For our entrée, we chose slow cooked ribs. We got two families to each bring up several racks to split the cost, then my mom cooked up her notorious rib sauce recipe back at home so that she could simply pour it into a container to travel up north with us, saving us a lot of time in the kitchen at the cottage. With the ribs needing little babysitting while slow-cooking, you have plenty of time to enjoy cottage life outside! Pulled pork, brisket, ribs, just about any slow cooked recipe will do here.

• Do the prep - Make your sauce ahead of time, back in the city! 
• Take it slow - Go for slow roasted meats like ribs, pork shoulder, brisket, etc. Why not bring up your slow cooker from your city kitchen! You won't regret using up that extra space in the car!
• Start early - Start your cooking first thing in the morning so that you have everything done before the sun comes up, and by dinner time you'll have fall-off-the-bone delicious meat.

THE SIDES

For the sides, we're once again going for simplicity. Little ruby red potatoes and fresh Ontario corn on the cob can be cooked up in no time at all by simply tossing them into some boiling water. Here is where the planning comes in. It's easy to end the dish at that and have your guests and family season up the veggies with some salt and pepper themselves, but why not aim to impress? Whip up some easy and delicious flavoured butters to bring up to the cottage in a cooler. Perfect for topping corn or stirring into hot potatoes, these butters can quickly and easily transform a simple side dish! You can also do all the prep work for an awesome potato salad ahead of time! Just a quick chop of some bell peppers and you're pretty much good to go!

• Herbaceous Butters - Whip up some softened butter with fresh chopped herbs like basil, parsley, chives, mint, and/or rosemary, scoop and drop it onto a piece of plastic wrap, roll into a log, and refrigerate until solid. Serve with corn on the cob or stir into steaming hot ruby red boiled potatoes.
• Hot & Spicy Butters - Whip up some softened butter with cayenne pepper, lime, and cilantro for a festive butter with a kick! Scoop and drop it onto a piece of plastic wrap, roll into a log, and refrigerate until solid. Serve with corn on the cob or stir into steaming hot ruby red boiled potatoes.
• Speedy Potato Salad - Cube up some red, yellow, and/or orange bell peppers ahead of time at home and toss into a tupperware container. When your potatoes are boiled and ready to serve quickly stir in those cubed bell peppers, a scoop or two of mayo, a generous squeeze of lemon juice, salt, pepper, chives and a bit of garlic and ta da! You have a simple, delicious, and healthy potato salad!

THE DRINK

No cottage meal is complete without a fantastic drink! My uncle Eddie once again stepped up to the plate this time around, creating a delicious and striking gin and tonic. By simply cutting up some halved cucumber slices and adding just a touch of fresh cracked pepper, the classic gin and tonic is transformed and becomes irresistible! With only two extra steps, Eddie's take on a classic gin and tonic is sure to be your new favourite!

• Play with a classic - It's easy to create your signature cocktail by simply adding an ingredient or two to your favourite classic cocktail! Uncle Eddie chose cucumbers and fresh cracked pepper for his gin and tonic, but don't shy away from other ingredients like hot peppers, fresh herbs, berries, brines, syrups, and more! 

Listening To:

Danny Brown - Grown Up - Love the video for this song! Check it out!

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The Land of Milk & Honey

Where do you even begin to retell some of the best ten days you've ever had in your life? The pressure's on with 47 new eyes awaiting the retelling of this incredible experience that we got to share together. I'm feeling that pressure not because I'm worried about judgment, let's face it, after ten days of spilling some of your deepest, darkest, and brightest secrets, memories, and desires, all the while creating a whole slew of new ones, all judgment has gone right out the window. No, the pressures on in my mind to represent this unforgettable experience with that same energy and magic that we all felt as we lived it, capturing the moments as precisely as possible so that maybe, just maybe, it can send us right back there, if only for a moment. 

After two weeks of adjusting back to reality here in Toronto, telling my friends and family all about the magical land of milk and honey and the amazing people I got to meet and learn from, I've come to realize that no matter how many stories you tell, how much details you give, how many photos you show, you really can't capture the way you felt as you experienced those special memories right there in that moment.  In fact, those memories that I can still see so vividly when I close my eyes, start to feel a little less real each time I share them.  Running down 140 slippery stone steps in Tzfat with a falafel in one hand, Israeli mango juice in the other, while trying not to trip on my floor-length, Tzfat-approved, modest dress to make it back in time for our tour; holding hands while dancing and singing on the Southern Steps of the Temple Mount surrounded by over 100 other Jewish Canadians celebrating Shabbat as the sun begins to set, the Western Wall just behind us, sending chills through out bodies; sleeping in the desert beneath a Bedouin tent surrounded by 47 new best friends, the smell of bonfire smoke and camels lingering in the air; bobbing around like buoys in the Dead Sea, the view of desert mountains behind us with Jordan straight ahead, running our hands down our arms and legs, feeling that slick and slippery dead sea water as it brushes our skin; feeling the lukewarm water from the Ein Gedi waterfall stream down our backs and through our sweat soaked hair, after just climbing down the snake path of Masada in 38 degree weather; on paper, you just can't do those memories justice. So instead of doing my usual, wordy blog post, going through my itinerary each day to share every last detail with you, I'm choosing to simply tell you a little bit about Birthright itself, seeing as many people are unfamiliar with the organization, share some photos, and, of course, fill you in on what I got to experience of the food culture in Israel.

First up, many of you are probably wondering what exactly is birthright? Taglit-Birthright is an organization that offers the gift of a free 10-day educational trip to Israel for Jewish adults between the ages of 18 to 26. This means Birthright covers your flights, accommodations, two meals a day, activities each day, a bus for all of your transportation during the trip, as well as hiring an educator to lead your trip, which I found priceless! Since its inception in 2000, Taglit-Birthright Israel has sent nearly 300,000 Jewish young adults to Israel. They come from nearly 54 countries, all 50 U.S. states and Canadian provinces, and from nearly 1,000 North American colleges and universities. The trip aims to strengthen participants Jewish identity; to build an understanding, friendship and lasting bond with the land and people of Israel; and to reinforce the solidarity of the Jewish people worldwide. Although there are many different trip organizers within Birthright, they all offer a very similar itinerary including: Israeli tour guides; 5 or 10 days spend with Israeli peers (mostly soldiers and students); tour of the Old City of Jerusalem and the Western Wall; tour of Massada and the Dead Sea; travel to other cities/towns like Tel Aviv, Haifa, Tsfat and Eilat; accommodation in three and four star hotels and kibbutz'; uniform safety and security procedures. What more could you ask for? (birthrightisrael.com)

Because I was on an organized trip, most of our meals were planned out for us, which meant a lot of big Middle Eastern buffets for breakfast and dinner.  Some were better than others, but they all had a very similar spread.

Thanks for the olive photos Shafir!

I had heard a lot about the breakfast buffets in Israel, so I was looking forward to checking our what all the hype was about.  I have to say, being non-kosher, I couldn't help but feel a little let down walking into a breakfast buffet and not smelling the enticing scent of bacon and sausages, but then again, the addition of delicious, super creamy and smooth Israeli hummus and tahini at each buffet made it worth it! Something that came as a surprise to me was the selection of raw vegetables and dressings that were present at each meal, including breakfast.  As many times as I tried, I could never really get into the whole vegetables for breakfast deal, but I enjoyed making a habit out of eating a boiled egg, cottage cheese, cheese slices, and toast each day. Speaking of cottage cheese, the yummy cheese is a staple for breakfast in Israel and tastes 50x better than any cottage cheese I have had in Canada, which I suppose is thanks to those notorious Israeli cows (which are known for producing more milk than any other cows). Cottage cheese is so popular in Israel that when Israeli's began noticing that the price of cottage cheese in Israel is even higher than any other parts of the world where Israeli cottage cheese is shipped, the citizens went on a cottage cheese boycott until the prices were lowered. Because Israel relies on the popularity of cottage cheese for their economy, the price was lowered in next to no time! Shakshuka is another Israeli breakfast item that I was looking forward to. Similar to my Italian-style Fried Egg with Tomato Sauce and Mozzarella, shakshuka is eggs that are baked in a tomato-based sauce with vegetables and Middle Eastern spices.

Amazing fresh passionfruit juice in Tzfat

On one of our final days of the trip we went to Neot Kedumim where we learned about the popular herb hyssop (the humble herb), which is ground to make za'atar, which is often sprinkled on pizza, pasta, and pita bread. One of the Israeli soldiers that I befriended on the trip, Tali, told me about the most popular way to eat za'atar, which is to dip warm pita bread in olive oil, then dip it into the za'atar, and voila, you have a delicious and simple appetizer! Tali was kind enough to give me her baggie of za'atar that we ground together so that I could experiment with it at home. Thanks Tali! Despite being extremely nervous carrying the marijuana-resembling herb through customs, I'm glad to have a little bit of Israel in my kitchen to cook with!

The olive press, grinding za'atar, and Golan Heights Winery

Another great foodie find that I was able to take home with me was Israeli olive oil. Our incredible educator, David, who led our trip was able to pull a few strings one day to fit in a visit to an olive press where we got to taste a selection of different olive oils that they press right there.  The selection included some oils that came from different types of olives (ie. black, green, and another type, which was the strongest in flavour), as well as a number of flavoured oils such as lemon, garlic, and chili pepper.  Their olive oil was so delicious and fragrant, I had to take a bottle home! Although we unfortunately didn't see much fruit at our buffets (we were still pretty early in the season for ripe produce) Israel is known for its abundance of figs, grapes, pomegranates, and dates as well as olives, barley, and wheat, which are known as The Seven Species.  The Seven Species are the seven types of fruits and grains named in the Torah as the main produce of the land of Israel.

Me (Danielle Rose) & some good friends!

Our last supper in Israel

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you'll know that I was most looking forward to the falafels in Israel! It was only a few hours after we landed at Ben Gurion airport just outside of Tel Aviv that I experienced the most amazing falafel ever! None of the other falafels that I ate on the trip (and oh, there were A LOT) even compared to this falafel perfection.  First off, you need to understand that falafels in Israel are like a whole other animal.  Unlike the burrito-like falafels we enjoy here in Toronto, Israeli falafels are not wrapped.  The fresh and fluffy pita's (unlike Toronto's dry pita's) are simply cut in half, and stuffed with the falafel balls, and lots of fresh and delicious toppings and sauces. This particular falafel stood out because of its unbelievably fresh falafel balls.  Just behind the topping counter was something I had never seen before and have yet to see again, a falafel ball maker! The falafel ball maker consisted of a stainless steel vat containing the chickpea mixture, which, on command, would pop out a stream of the chickpea mixture for the cook to swiftly cut into balls, which would then drop directly into the hot oil to deep fry. These unbelievably fresh falafel balls were crisp on the outside, with a soft and fluffy interior, and loaded with lots of fresh flavours. To die for! It's interesting to note that a very popular falafel topping in Israel is actually french fries! I tried it one day and really liked it, although it made the street food even more filling than it is already. Although I've never been a big fan of shwarma, I knew that Israel would be able to turn me into a shwarma lover! The first couple of shwarma I ate were OK, but nothing to write home about. But it was on one of our last days that I got to eat the type of shwarma that I have always dreamt of. The meat was uber tender, moist, and flavourful turkey and I chose to wrap mine in laffa bread as opposed to pita, which is thicker, softer, and more flavourful. Loaded with lots of Israeli sour pickles, roasted eggplant, and amba (a spicy and savory mango condiment), this shwarma was fantastic!

My amazing shwarma

Our dinner at the Bedouin tents. Thanks for the photo Elena!

Because we were on such a strict schedule and would often only have 30-45 minutes on our own for lunch (which can fly by when you have 52 people waiting in lines) we would usually pick up some quick street food to quickly fill ourselves up.  Of course there were lots and lots of falafel and shwarma options, but one of my favourite street foods of the trip was actually pizza! Before exploring the Nachalat Binyamin Artist Market, two friends and I decided we had to eat something other than falafel, shwarma, and hummus, and found ourselves inside this quiet, little pizza place.  I've gotta say, I was definitely skeptical of the idea of Israeli pizza, but after taking a quick glance at the selection of pizzas they had in their display, I knew it wouldn't disappoint.  We all decided on the most unique pizza of the bunch, a thin crusted pizza topped with a bit of tomato sauce, tomato slices, eggplant, olives, green onions, and one lone bocconcini ball at the end of each slice. The veggies were all topped with a light grate of some sort of cheese that I wish I knew the name of! White and very salty, and not melted, just warmed until slightly softened on the pizza, this cheese was absolutely delicious and helped to make this pizza one of the best I've tasted! After the pizza we went to the Nachalat Binyamin Artist Market, which is an outdoor market filled with vendors selling lots of T-shirts, toys, games, accessories, novelty items, and my personal favourite, lots and lots of food! It was really cool to get to see all the different types of spices, olives, condiments, pastries, breads, and more that Israel has to offer. I felt like I was in foodie paradise, taking photos at every turn (that is until my camera died). 

The incredible pizza outside of Nachalat Binyamin Artist Market

The many delicacies at Nachalat Binyamin Artist Market

With a good portion of our trip spent on our tour bus, snacks were absolutely essential! Growing up with an Israeli friend as a child (hey Noa!), I was already looking forward to snacking on Bissli, a savory snack food that comes in all different flavours such as onion, grill, smokey, pizza, falafel, taco, and hamburger. Going into the grocery store to buy some Bissli, I found myself totally blown away, and quite frankly overwhelmed, by the abundant and unique array of snack foods and chocolates that are available in Israel. I was so taken by them that I actually brought my sister home a whole selection of some of the favourites, as well as bringing home my little cousins some special Israeli chocolate bars (that I now wish I had also bought for myself). Although there were so many delicious snacks and chocolates in Israel, the clear standout for everyone was a type of snack called Bamba. Bamba have the exact same texture and shape as cheese puffs, but are flavoured like peanut butter. When most people tried their first bite of Bamba, they seems unsure of they think: "Oh, that's different...I don't know if I like this..." (takes another bite) "...oh hmm...this is different...Do I like this?" (takes another bite) and before you know it, you've eaten the whole bag and are begging for more! Oh how I miss my Bissli and Bamba!

I feel so lucky to have been able to take part in such an incredible experience.  This trip was so much more than I ever thought it would be and I will never forget it! I want to send out a great big thank you to CIE Birthright, our amazing educator David, our wonderful leaders Courtney and Kyle, and our medic, security guard and good friend Ben for helping to make our trip as fantastic as it was. If you are eligible to participate in Birthright, I highly, highly recommend applying and taking part in this incredible opportunity yourself.

Listening To:
Diddy-Dirty Money - Coming Home (Feat. Skylar Grey)

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Welcome to Miami!

For the past few months I have been living my life the way I should have been living it all along, to the very fullest! Never before have I taken advantage of so many wonderful opportunities that have come my way, jumping into them with full force and a total lack of fear. Each time I resist the temptation to contemplate each decision I make or action I take and just say 'yes', I find myself taking part in the most incredible experiences. This was no different when only a few weeks ago I saw that my friend Alex's status on Facebook was "looking up flights to Miami". I commented on the status, asking what was bringing her to Miami, and within only a matter of hours I had booked a flight to beautiful Miami, not knowing where I was staying, exactly why I was going, or if I could even take the time off of work to go...nor had I mentioned a thing to my parents!

Having been back from Miami a week now, I can tell you that those 5 days under the incredible Miami sun felt like it went by just as fast as it took to book my trip! Never before has the phrase "time flies when you're having fun" been so fitting. Not a moment went by in Miami that I wasn't having an absolute blast! Needless to say my incredible trip had a lot to do with the fantastic weather, ocean, and sand, but more significantly it was thanks to the amazing company I kept.

I cannot thank Alex enough for inviting me along on this Miami adventure with her, and embracing each moment with me! I am also incredibly grateful to Abbe and Paul, the best hosts I have ever met, who not only gave us a roof over our head (which just so happened to be in the form of the sickest condo I have ever seen!) but were also so warm and welcoming, treating me, a total stranger to them, like I was truly apart of their family. Their kindness and generosity, as well as their vibrant personalities and incredible love will not be forgotten. Thanks so much to Alex, Abbe and Paul for giving me the greatest grad trip a girl could ever ask for!

Thursday

Alex, Abbe, and me (Danielle Rose)

Mmmmm Mojitos!

Ropa Vieja and Platanos Maduros

Sazon Pollo Enrollado Relleno de Pure de Platanos Maduros con Salsa de Chimichurri

Arroz Amarillo and Frijoles Negros

Tres Leches

Alex and I arrived in Fort Lauderdale and were kindly greeted by Paul, who drove us to his and Abbe's stunning condo in Aventura, Miami. After getting settled and being given the grand tour of the condo, Abbe and Paul took us out for our 'Welcome to Miami' dinner at Sazon Cuban Cuisine on Collins Ave. After daydreaming about Cuban food since booking my trip, the casual, family style Sazon was the perfect way for me to start my trip! We began our meal with the traditional Cuban drink Mojitos! I've been lucky enough to have been on several vacations down South, and with each trip I always get at least one Mojito, but never before have I had one this amazing! Seriously, any other Mojito I have had in the past should be illegal, because nothing can compare to Sazon's ultimate Mojito!

For our entree, Alex and I decided to each get a dish and to share them, so that we could have the pleasure of tasting more than one dish on the menu. We decided upon the Ropa Vieja, which is extremely tender Shredded Beef enveloped in a flavorful Tomato Sauce with Red Peppers and Green Peas. Comforting, exotic and flavourful in every bite, this is one dish I must learn to make! To accompany the Ropa Vieja, were Platanos Maduros, Fried Plantains with a hint of sweetness. Our second dish was was on Sajon's specials, Sazon Pollo Enrollado Relleno de Pure de Platanos Maduros con Salsa de Chimichurri, which is Chicken Rolled and Stuffed with Mashed Sweet Plantains with Chimichurri Sauce. This was a dish unlike anything I have ever had. The chicken was moist and flavourful due to the chimichurri sauce, and the mashed plantains not only added a slight sweetness, but also a unique smooth texture. To accompany that we got Arroz Amarillo and Frijoles Negros, Yellow Rice and Black Beans, simple yet delicious.

The restaurant has a display set up at the front desk of all of their traditional Cuban desserts, enticing patrons from the moment they walk through the door. The moment we walked into the restaurant Abbe pointed out the Tres Leches, which is a Sponge Cake with "Three Milks", one of her favourite Cuban dishes. I'll be honest, I was a little skeptical upon seeing the display and hearing about Tres Leches. It just seemed too sweet to me, and I was sure I wouldn't like it. Oh man was I ever proven wrong! Yes, Tres Leches is very sweet, but the different types of sweetness from the three milks adds a complexity to the dessert. I also loved the pool of sweetened condensed milk sauce that the cake rested on, welcoming you to drench each bite of cake in its creamy, sweet goodness!

Friday

Our lovely healthy breakfast on the balcony

Me (Danielle Rose) at an art gallery on Lincoln Rd.

Me (Danielle Rose) enjoying my massive mango margarita

Rigatoni with Tomato Sauce and Roasted Eggplant

Although Alex and I had no problem indulging ourselves come lunch and dinner each day, we made sure to start every morning with a healthy breakfast. Each morning we were greeted by a fantastic array of healthy breakfast items, an assortment of teas, and a cute note, all laid out by Abbe. Life doesn't get much sweeter than waking up to a delicious, fresh and healthy breakfast on the 29th floor balcony of a luxury condo overlooking the ocean...no big deal.

On Friday, our second day in Miami, we decided to take it easy and sunbathe by the pool all day long to work on our tans...which, of course, for a redhead meant serious burn. After a very exhausting and hard-working day laying in a lounge chair and dipping in the pool, we had certainly worked up an appetite. We decided to drive back to South Beach to Ocean Drive, a lively strip, lined with restaurants all overlooking the beach. After walking up and down the strip several times, we decided upon the most popular looking restaurant, Cafe Milano, and got a nice table on their outdoor patio, making it perfect for Miami people-watching.

While walking the strip, I couldn't help but become totally entranced by the monstrous looking drinks that everyone seemed to be sipping on. That was it. I had to have one. If I didn't indulge in one of those fish-bowl-sized margaritas, my time in Miami would simply be incomplete! Despite the fact that I had to finish the entire drink on my own (Alex was our designated driver for the evening), and the fact that I just may be the biggest lightweight I know, I did it! I sipped, slurped, and gulped my entire Mango Margarita down all by myself and I enjoyed every last bit of it!

Of course, I wouldn't have made it back to the car in one piece had I not ordered a big portion of pasta to go along with my Mango Margarita. I ordered the Rigatoni in a Tomato Sauce with Roasted Eggplant and Red Peppers. First of all, the portion size at Cafe Milano was perfect. Just enough for me to finish every last noodle without leaving me feel like I should have worn a looser dress. It was a pleasure for me to finish my pasta as it was perfectly seasoned with a little bit of spice in the tomato sauce, there was just enough of the wonderfully flavourful and tender eggplant to allow me to scoop up a piece with each and every noodle, and a nice sprinkling of fresh basil to add a burst of freshness. Yet another delicious and comforting meal!

Saturday

Saturday was Alex and I's day totally dedicated to South Beach. The day we had been anticipating since booking our trip! We spent the entire afternoon parked on the beach, and despite the slightly overcast weather, we still managed to both get bright red burns. As you lounge on the beach, you are constantly approached by different club promoters handing out fliers to get you to come to their party that evening. After being approached so many times, all the parties begin to sound pretty much the same. Finally we were approached by one promotor who told us about a deal we couldn't refuse! You begin the night at the Astor Hotel, where you and the rest of the guests indulge in 2 hours of an open Grey Goose bar, this is followed by a 2 course dinner prepared by Chef Douglas Rodriguez (whom you may know from Top Chef Masters) at his restaurant D. Rodriguez Cuba, situated in the Hotel Astor. After dinner, guests are whisked away in a hummer limo and taken to Play nightclub, where there is another open bar for women. For a mere $60, it was certainly a steal!

After hours of beach bumming around, we took a walk down Lincoln Rd., a fantastic pedestrian strip in South Beach, lined with cute al fresco restaurants and tons of beautiful shops. We shopped around a bit, and then grabbed a quick bite to tide us over before our late dinner at D. Rodrigeus Cuba. We picked a cute little Mediterranean Hookah Cafe where patrons were smoking hookah out of hollowed out fruits like pineapples, mangoes, and melons. Because the real fruit hookahs were so expensive ($95!!), we ordered a basic Guava flavoured Hookah, which our waiter recommended to us. We also got a Mediterranean Salad and Goat Cheese and Mint Baraka's. The Guava Hookah was fruity and delicious, and was also a flavour that neither of us had tried before. The salad was massive, and was generously topped with large chunks of salty feta cheese, green and black olives, chopped marinated tomatoes (which tasted like bruschetta), and rounds of cucumber. It was fresh, delicious, and satisfying. The Goat Cheese and Mint Baraka's were were also quite large (there were three large pockets) and were filled with not only mint, but spinach to cut the strong taste of the mint, and the perfect amount of creamy, salty goat cheese. There were also more large chunks of tasty feta alongside the Baraka's. It was the perfect light and fresh snack to tide us over before dinner, while still leaving us satisfied and full enough to be able to enjoy the open Grey Goose bar later!

After getting all dolled up (which proved to be quite pointless as the Miami heat melted any makeup we had put on right off our faces), we headed over to the Hotel Astor. We settled in at the bar and began enjoying multiple free drinks. After chatting up the other guests, and sipping on a few Sex on the Beach's, we were brought our dinner. I had ordered the Plantain Crusted Mahi Mahi, with Fufu (if you're wondering what that is, as I was, then click here), Smoked Red Onions and Chipotle Mayo and the Cuban Malanga Tacos with Black Been Beef Picadillo, Topped with Queso Blanco and Pickled Cubanel Peppers. The Mahi Mahi was light and flaky, with the plantain crust giving a nice texture to the fish with its slight crispness. I would have liked a bit more of the chipotle mayo to add just a hint more spice. The Cuban Malanga Tacos, were a little bit of a let down for me because, in fact, there was only one teeny, tiny, lonely taco on my plate. I would have looked past the portion size if it had tasted incredible, but unfortunately, it did not. The flavours were just not there. Not enough seasoning, not enough spice. I understand that they did alter the portion sizes for the club package, but I was disappointed by the taste as well. I left daydreaming about my amazing Cuban meal at Sazon.

Sunday

Me (Danielle Rose), Abbe, and Alex

After sleeping in a bit, to recover from the damage that was done the evening before, Alex and I headed out to grab some breakfast (although it was just what I needed at the time, it was certainly nothing memorable to report), and then settled back on the beach. After lounging on the beach for a few hours we grabbed some gelato and hopped back in Abbe's car to go back to the condo. Sunday was Abbe's birthday so we were all going to go out to Hollywood Beach to go for Flaribean food, which Abbe described as fresh Florida fish with Caribbean flavours.

Abbe had heard from several people that the Hollywood Beach restaurant Sugar Reef was something worth checking out. We grabbed a table on the outdoor patio, overlooking the beach, and each ordered a glass of white wine to toast to Abbe's birthday. For our appetizer we ordered the Blackened Sea Scallops, Served on Cucumbers, Filled with Spicy Mayonnaise and Topped with Mango Salsa. Oh my goodness, that has got to be one of the best fish dishes I have ever had! There were so many different complex flavours going on in this dish that complemented eachother perfectly, not to mention the wonderful different textures. The sea scallop was perfectly cooked, with fantastic flavour, the cucumber is rested on was fresh, light and crisp with the spicy red pepper mayo oozing out from the inside. To top it all off, the mango salsa added some extra heat as well as sweetness, and even more texture. So unique, fresh, and delicious! What a treat!

For my entree I ordered one of the specials of the day, the Blackened Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa. The Mahi Mahi was nicely cooked, and flaked perfectly, with delicious flavours that left a hint of heat on your tongue. The bit of heat was cut with the refreshing sweet and spicy mango salsa. The fish rested on a bed of potato gratin and was topped with crisp and flavourful green beens.

We finished off our meal with a little slice of Florida, Key Lime Pie, which of course was fitted with a big sparkler in honor of Abbe's big day! No ladies night is complete without an incredible meal, and our meal at Sugar Reef did just the trick!

Monday

Alas, I have now arrived at Monday, our very last day in Miami, Florida. Unfortunately we had a little passport mishap...or should I say disappearing act, which needed to be taken care of, so we spent the majority of our day in the office of the Canadian Consulate. We were able to slip away for a few hours to grab lunch in downtown Miami, and head back to Lincoln Rd. for a little more shopping. We picked a restaurant with an outdoor patio for our lunch, where I ordered a Club House Sandwich on the restaurants house-made focaccia bread. The club was very tasty, stuffed with moist chicken, creamy avocado, spicy mayo, maple bacon, and fresh spring greens, and the focaccia bread was out of this world! I only wonder why it didn't come with a salad or fries.

After we resolved the passport issue, we had a nice final dinner at Abbe and Paul's condo, where we cleaned out her fridge of all the tasty treats, snacks, and leftovers Abbe had bought for us. It probably would have been the sensible thing to do to hit the sheets a little early to prepare for our 6 AM wake-up the next morning for the airport, but that's just not how we roll. Off we went again, down to Ocean Drive one last time for another massive margarita. We once again picked the most lively restaurant, which on this evening was Primetime (which so happens to be right next to Cafe Milano). Me and Alex shared a giant Strawberry Margarita, which just like the mango one, was spectacular! Because we were feeling that tequila a little too much for our liking, we ordered some Warm and Creamy Spinach and Artichoke Dip with House-Made Tortilla Chips. The perfect snack to sober up from a fish-bowl sized margarita! After swapping stories about all of our favourite memories from throughout our trip, we headed back to our cozy king-sized bed for our final sleep before flying back to Toronto.

Listening to:

Kid Cudi - Up Up & Away

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