A guest blog post by Tracy
Part 1: Pre-Festival Shenanigans
After attending a few really impressive food and wine festivals over the last few years (including the International Pinot Noir Celebration in 2013 (Willamette Valley, Oregon), the Telluride Wine Festival in 2015, and the Aspen Food & Wine Classic just last year), we felt a calling to continue the daunting task of uncovering the very best wine festival in the country. I wouldn’t go so far as to call us martyrs, but we’re willing to do the work so that you don’t have to. You’re welcome.
To that end, we decided that next up would be the South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Food Network and the Cooking Channel. I’m not going to lie – this would be a tough one for a few reasons. First and foremost, while parts of the country would still be contending with bitterly cold conditions, we’d be in Miami…suffering through nearly constant sunshine and temps in the 70’s and 80’s; and don’t get me started on the white sand beaches and Caribbean blue waters. We’d certainly have our work cut out for us.
As this would be our first trip to Miami, there was so much we wanted to see and do outside of the festival. First up was a Little Havana food tour that we booked through Miami Culinary Tours. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, we’re in the habit of doing a food tour each time we visit a new city, not only as a fun way to get acquainted with the area, but also as a great way to get recommendations for can’t-miss eateries during our stay. I’m curious…does eating count as a legit hobby? If not, it should. #eatingasahobby (I need that to catch on ASAP)
Our guide led the way as we sampled picadillo-stuffed empanadas at one of the oldest restaurants in the area (El Pub); sipped on an exceptionally delicious mojito at Ball and Chain (just the right balance of sweet and tart); watched cigars being hand-rolled at Cuba Tobacco Cigar Co.; chowed down on croquetas and an authentic Cubano sandwich at Old’s Havana; enjoyed a perfectly made pastelito (a pastry that can be made with various fillings, but in our case, guava) at Yisell Bakery; sipped guarapo (sugarcane juice) at Los Pinarenos Fruteria and finally finished with mantecado ice cream at Azucar Ice cream. Along the way, we took a stroll through “Domino Park,” a Little Havana landmark where older residents meet to socialize, smoke cigars and, of course, play dominoes!
We found Little Havana incredibly charming. From the friendly residents and delicious food, to the vibrant art and rich culture, I wish we’d had more time to explore this delightful neighborhood.
The other non-festival event we planned during our visit was an Everglades tour. We decided to do the 5-hour tour with Miami Native Tours. Our guide, John, picked us up at our hotel in South Beach and we made the roughly one hour drive to Big Cypress National Preserve. Once there, we stopped on several occasions to do a bit of bird watching and even stopped briefly to check out the Big Cypress Art Gallery. Definitely worth a visit to see the spectacular nature photography on display.
Along the way, we saw soooo many alligators that it became almost commonplace. I was truly blown away by the sheer number. The very best viewing spot, in my opinion, was the Big Cypress Swamp Welcome Center.
After a few hours of fascinating bird and alligator watching, we headed over to the Miccosukee Indian Village for an airboat ride to the tree island where the Miccosukee lived for generations. The views along the way were quite beautiful.
Next: Wine & Alligators…the Perfect Pairing (Part 2: South Beach Wine & Food Festival)
Tracy Thornton, Guest Blogger
Read a short bio on Tracy in Red Shoes. Red Wine.‘s Guest Contributor section here. Follow Tracy’s adventures in Travel, Wine, and Photography on Instagram: @texanstracy and see her featured blog posts on Red Shoes. Red Wine. here: Tracy Thornton, Guest Blogger
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