Miami Vices

I adore beaches and warm places. Places where you go outdoors and are greeted by bright skies and warm sunshine and the rhythmic crush of waves. I love being close to water and preferably in it. So that’s what I wanted for my birthday this year and wound up in Miami. I have never been and was curious to experience it’s over-the-top-ness along with its beaches and sun. 

I’ve managed to accumulate a few hotel points from traveling for work and used them to stay at the lovely W South Beach. The suite was larger than my apartment in DC with balcony views of the ocean and downtown Miami. Between the suite, pool, and beach, I could have stayed on the W property for four days and had a perfect time. I was greeted with a strawberry cheesecake and bottle of champagne… and each morning enjoyed complementary French-pressed coffee, pastries, and fresh fruit on the balcony after a run on the beach promenade.

I’m a runner. Running on vacation might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it was a pleasure to have unhurried time to run in a beautiful place, on a boardwalk covered with palm trees nestled between the beach and a parade of fancy hotels. Not to mention the novelty it was to be outside in shorts and a tank top.

So, pastries and coffee on a balcony with a view. CHECK. Running and swimming on the beach. CHECK. Seriously, that could have been enough for me. 

A good friend accompanied me for this trip to warmer climes (but not the running). Our first day, we made our way to the Wynwood neighborhood. Wynwood is an up and coming area brought to prominence by an outdoor gallery of international street art called “Wynwood Walls”. It really is a perfect introduction to Miami – a maze of color, bold lines and arresting scenes to wonder through. 

There are also indoor “galleries” along the way with eclectic and funky collections. We stopped for a drink at the onsite café (mostly so I could use the bathroom), and I tried the “La Rubia”, a blonde ale from a local craft brewery. I highly recommend! It bursts with flavor with a smooth, nutty finish. Murals inspired by the Wynwood Walls have sprung up all over this part of town, so part of the fun is just walking around. 

Miami is known for being expensive, and it didn’t disappoint… We hopped around during our four days and did a lot of expensive food sampling. We found gems at all price points. On Miami Beach, we found a small Italian restaurant called Sylvano’s with a hidden garden patio that had reasonable prices and ample portions. The food was homestyle and satisfying and the ambience was calming with all the green and lights strung overhead. 

On the other end of the spectrum, we accidentally wondered into Byblos which has a funky, “welcome to my eccentric Aunt’s living room-vibe” and pretentious waiters, but incredible food. We only had appetizers, octopus and lamb dishes, and both were worth writing home about. With two glasses of wine we paid what I would consider a reasonable price for an entire two-person dinner… which seems to be the story for most places in Miami. 

We didn’t really do the club thing (I know, I know…), but the people watching was great. We walked down Ocean Drive and took in all the art deco architecture and saw very pretty, young woman in bright, skimpy swathes of cloth looking cold and waiting for taxis. We went to a jazz club at the back of the Regent on my birthday and had fancy, expensive cocktails and enjoyed the music and watched hapless guys buy drinks for a procession of woman, hoping a dart stuck in the board I suppose. We noticed the annoying habit of waiters and waitresses always assuming my male friend was paying for the check. Miami culture? 

We ventured into Little Havana and had brunch at Versailles, a no-fuss Cuban restaurant, clearly very popular with locals and tourists alike. Very good food and very good prices. I’m still dreaming about the coffee con leche and the empanadas. On the way back, we walked a long, un-scenic stretch of “Calle Ocho” which is the main street through Little Havana. It was a nice a day though and felt good after gorging on all the delicious Cuban food. We stopped in at the Ball & Chain for more fancy cocktails, music and dancing. 

Continuing the trek back downtown, we hopped on a trolley and stopped by the Brickell City Center to gawk at the super fancy mall and go up 40 floors to “Sugar,” a trendy Asian cocktail bar and restaurant overlooking Miami bay. We arrived shortly after they opened and had nearly 15 glorious minutes to ourselves until the “trendy” crowd steamrolled in. We ate deliciously spicy Korean chicken wings and skedaddled out of there.

On our hopscotch back to South Beach, we stopped at “Monty’s” on the West side of the island, known to be a great place to watch sunsets. The sun did not disappoint! You get great sunrises but don’t see much of the sunset from the beach side of the island, so I was happy we made it to primetime sunset viewing at least one night. Monty’s laidback, sports bar/poolside vibe was also a refreshing contrast to the (too) hip crowd at Sugar. I had another La Rubia. 

Beach and sun look good on me...

I spent my entire birthday at the beach, rolling myself about like a rotisserie chicken and frolicking in the waves in between daiquiris and ice cold Tecates. We also spent time at “Wet”, the W’s charming pool. Honestly, the best part was grabbing a pool noodle and floating around with a jalapeno tequila margarita (best cocktail of the trip). 

Totally feeling my retro-inspired swimsuit from Target

Colorful outdoor street murals? CHECK. Cuban food in Little Havana? CHECK. All spare time spent on the beach, in the ocean, or in the pool? CHECK. A lot of ridiculously priced food and cocktails? CHECK… 

Except for the punch to the wallet, I loved Miami and would go back. 

The Wild West

It's time for a relaunch. The last few years have been rough. I'm finding my way back to the things that once made me happy, and finding happiness in reclaiming my passions. Two of these things are writing and traveling. My traveling did not stop, although some of the joy I took in it suffered. I have a lot of writing to do to catch up. I'll start in the present and go backwards in time.

Arizona 

One of the perks of working for a consulting company that sends me around the country and sometimes world for work is the ability to "flex travel" - to take an extra few days in a place to explore at little personal cost. I was able to do so this past week after I was in Flagstaff, Arizona for work. A coworker friend and myself stayed behind to visit the Lower and Upper Antelope Canyons, slot canyons made famous by National Geographic and more recently social media, as well as the grandest canyon of them all...

Flagstaff

But first, let's start with Flagstaff. Flagstaff is a mountain town whose character was described to me as "yuppie meets hippie." Very different style sensibilities from the East coast. Route 66 goes right through the middle of town, which is dotted with local coffee shops, unique eateries, old fashioned candy shops, and eccentric and colorful offerings such as "Crystal Magic." (Yes, I did purchase a chrysocolla to imbue me with "goddess energy" and a surprise $7 artisan candy apple.) I highly recommend the ramen from SoSoba, the homemade burrata from Fat Olives, and the mezcal jalapeño cocktails served nearly everywhere.

Down a side street in Flagstaff

Street murals are plentiful

Home of the $7 candy apple (delicious)

Goddess Energy from "Crystal Magic"

Antelope Canyon

The Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons reside on Navajo tribal land about two hours north of Flagstaff. They were often used as hiding places while the tribes were force-marched and relocated by the U.S. government. In this century, their hypnotic waved walls have become a popular destination and can only be explored on timed, guided tours run by the Navajo. There's a lot of advice online about the "best" time of day to go, and the consensus seems to be between 10-12 to catch the best light coming into the canyon. Our guide also said that May through August is the prime season for "light beams" to fall mysteriously like UFO tractor beams from the sky down to the canyon floor. However, I think that you could go at any time of the day or year and the canyons will be beautiful and you'll get some amazing pictures. 

Incredible lighting effects

Lower Antelope Canyon

Lower Antelope Canyon

We arrived early enough at Ken's Lower Antelope Canyon to get on the 9 am tour, but wanted to wait until our reservation time of 10 am to get the "better" light. In retrospect, the earlier tour may have been a better experience due simply to there being fewer people and having more unhurried time to wander through and marvel at nature's beauty. These canyons were underwater during their creation and carved over centuries by the power of water alone. We spent about an hour and 15 minutes in the canyon, which is about 3/4 of a mile long. It takes so long because most people are in it for the 'gram, and frankly it's difficult to keep yourself from snapping a new picture around every fantastic turn. The otherwise kind and informative guides occasionally have to get snappy after they've asked a particularly selfie-happy group to keep up with the tour for the twenty-fifth time. The guides are well-versed in where to take the best photos and the best camera settings for iPhones, Androids, and DSLRs alike. Our young guide earned himself a tip with this award winning masterpiece (to which he applied the black and white filter).

Canyon Magic

Upper Antelope Canyon

While you would not guess the existence of the Lower canyon from looking at the flat earth disguising it, the Upper Antelope Canyon rises up in front of you after a short, bumpy ride, like the beginning of an Indiana Jones movie. We hopped over for an afternoon tour shortly after completing the morning one. The Upper canyon is much deeper in the earth, and therefore colder and darker, and perhaps even more dramatic. If you were strapped on time or budget, you could see one or the other and be happy, but I enjoyed the subtle differences between the two. 

Looking up

Would not have figured this one out on my own <3

Often when I go to places like this that have become so popular and somewhat commoditized, I think of how incredible it must have been years before to explore in solitude and peace. However, I wouldn't dissuade you a visit, only encourage realistic expectations. These slot canyons are still a marvel to behold, and the interplay of light, shadow, texture, and movement is a photographer's dream.

Undulating canyon walls

Horseshoe Bend

We finished the day at the nearby Horseshoe Bend, which was an enjoyable change after the somewhat harried and contained morning in the slot canyons. Horseshoe Bend is a wide open and unregulated canyon in the shape of a horseshoe. Unregulated for now - our guide mentioned plans are in the work to charge admission in the next year. It's a fair walk to the canyon from the parking lot, but a pleasurable one through the vast, wide-open landscape that slowly reveals its treasure. We were there in the late afternoon golden hour and had a slow walk along the rim, pausing often for photo ops. 

Horseshoe Bend

Peering over the edge

Playing with exposure and filters

Perching on top of the world

Grand Canyon

We drove back to Flagstaff for the night and headed out to the Grand Canyon the next day before a redeye flight. This is the third time I've seen the Grand Canyon. It's difficult to describe the impact its immensity and grandeur has on the soul. It's like you see it with your eyes, but all your senses stand in awe. Even the best photos fail to accurately capture its scale. You can process the largeness of a place like Horseshoe Bend, the mind can comprehend it. The Grand Canyon boggles it all. The mighty Colorado is rendered the appearance of a muddy puddle next to the enormous, sheer, jagged canyon walls. We simply walked along the rim in quiet admiration until it was time to leave.

The Grand Canyon

Devil's Watchtower

The Wide Open West

It's been quite a long time since I've been in the great American West. It's so very different from the forested or farmed Midwest where I grew up or the hilly, tree-covered Northeast I now call home. The West is a special place where the land goes on forever and the earth gets big. The GPS made my travel partner and I laugh every time it would say something like, "Continue on this route for 140 miles." Then make a left. Then you've arrived.