Conch fritters are tasty, even for a two-year-old. Jonny led us, on Saturday, February 27, 2016, to the Farmer's Market at Coral Gables. Coral Gables is a ritzy neighborhood, and the market was full of fancy fare (Belgian almond cookies packed in shiny bags tied with ribbons) and ethnic foods from many other cultures. Jonny and Jenny tried the Peruvian shakes and barbecued pork served with corn cakes.
The produce almost tempted me to cook.
My choice was conch fritters, spicy and warm, served from a pink and yellow truck that reminded me of Caribbean cruises.
Viczaya is a mansion built before World War I by John Deering, an owner of International Harvester. The mansion looks like an Italian palace and is filled with Old World treasures.
Sam loved the spiral staircase.
I loved the lush gardens, including the collection of orchids.
The rock ship in the lagoon is a sculpture by Alexander Calder, the father of the creator of mobiles.
Next stop was Rusty Pelican, a restaurant on the road to Key Biscayne. It was a chilly day, so we sat close to the fire pit on the porch, eating brunch and enjoying the fabulous views of the Miami skyline and the boats scooting by.
On Saturday night we visited Matheson Hammock. A "hammock" is a raised place, or hill, and Matheson Hammock is a shallow island in the bay. It has a doughnut-shaped pool in the center, with a causeway that lets salt water flow in and out. The guidebook describes Matheson Hammock as the place that Miami's people come to learn how to swim. We came for the sunset, but we also saw many Miamians getting their pictures taken in this beautiful spot. There were several very pregnant ladies posing with their huge stomachs and their significant others--apparently, a formal prebirth photo is a new "thing." We also talked with a proud 60-something patriarch, whose whole family posed in typical Miami dress--beige linen shirts and slacks for the men and lace short-shorts for the women!
We dined at Versailles, a Cuban restaurant on Calle Ocho, in Little Havana. I tried the Criollo, a platter of Cuban delicacies.
It was a big day.
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