Weird, but cute*

The only way to describe my experiences with Miami. It is a mixture of flash and tacky, high end and less so. You can buy a $300 caftan in a boutique off Ocean Drive or a $2 bracelet from a street stall. On the first visit the modern deco style took me by surprise. It fell short of expectations. Not quite sure what those expectations were, but they were not met. This time I am appreciating it for what it is. Homage to art deco, beautiful people and Spanish culture.

Wandering along Ocean Drive you are accosted by maitre d's left, right and centre, but I chose the only place with a line. The News Cafe, having brought out the 'chilled' to South Beach boasts a 24 breakfast menu. Its leafy court yard setting offers an escape from the burning sun and the busy sidewalk. I did say burning sun. Yes, it is February and Miami is sweltering with record temperatures in the high twenties and humid. Probably exaggerating a bit but this is heaven. I'm just going to polish off this soft shell crab sandwich, a peach sangria and head for the beach.

* I am borrowing this phrase from Z. He has a few of these rolling off his tongue, but this one too delightful not to steal