Yes, I was blessed to spend this weekend with my amazing friend Betsy, so with three quarters of a Sunday in our pocket, this is what we got up to.
But first coffee…
Cafe Caruba
Serving delicious Panther Coffee beans.
Then on towards the Biltmore Hotel and the beautiful church opposite.
Coral Gables Congregational United Church of Christ
The church was designed by the architect Richard Kiehnel of Kiehnel and Elliott in 1923 and is regarded as a fine example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture.
And it is just picture-perfect stunning!
And brings out Betsy’s holy side.
And opposite is the amazing and incredibly posh Biltmore Hotel.
And of course a favourite filming location of mine from Bad Boys.
Biltmore Hotel
The whole place is magical and wondrous. I think I will have to stay here next time.
It was designed by Schultze and Weaver and was built in 1926 by John McEntee Bowman and George Merrick as part of the Biltmore hotel chain.
Coral Gables
Coral Gables was one of the first planned communities, and prefigured the development of the gated community and the homeowners association. It is infamous for its strict zoning regulations. Coral Gables was developed by George Merrick during the Florida land boom of the 1920s.
A drive through Coral Gables is so relaxing. It has a great community feel and the wealth of the residents oozes out of the mansions onto the asphalt.
That Election
Yes, I was in the US just after the infamous 2016 election, so I got a first hand few of Trump supporters.
The best thing about this election is that it seems to have woken everybody up and got them off their butts. The true outcome is yet to be seen, and the media is SO negative. On the street all I see is hope.
On towards lunch…
La Camaronera
Ok. This is the best fish burger I’ve EVER had…
And I think Betsy agrees…
Their tres leche wasn’t as good as the ones I used to eat in Albania, but it was still pretty good.
After dropping Betsy for her flight home, it was time to re-stock the wardrobe. So it was out to the Dolphin Mall.
As you may know, I’ve been on the road for 5 months with a small carry-on suitcase. With such limited items, some clothing does need to be replaced every now and again.
Dolphin Mall
This mall has a pretty good experience. Ok, it’s confusing as hell to find anything, but I love the idea that they have a stage outside, for performances and bands.
And of course, it was great that the mall had my two favourites – Gap and Banana Republic. It was time for a new top…
Afterwards it was back to Whole Foods to pick up another delicious salad bar meal, and then watch the supermoon.
What a great Sunday!