La Carreta Miami, FL

La Carreta is a classic restaurant in Miami, FL which serves authentic Cuban food.

Since I live in South Florida and often have to go to Miami for work, people from out of town are always asking about where to go for good restaurants, specifically Cuban restaurants. For years I would just say, "Don't go to Miami Beach unless you want to get ripped off."

I've gone to La Carreta several times this year, each time to the location off Calle 8 in Little Havana Miami, FL. The prices are reasonable, the food is good, there isn't a wait at lunch time so it ends up being a good choice for lunch if you have some time. Usually when I'm in Miami for work (usually meetings), it is an all day event anyway so I have a bit more time for lunch since it ends up being an extension of the meeting I went to Miami for anyway.

La Carreta has become my go-to place to take people from work who are visiting from out of town. So far, everyone from up north has been impressed. The people from the southwest who grew up on Mexican food can't get over eating black beans. They are stuck in their ways it seems.

On this occasion I started out with a can of Coke and the Cuban bread they bring out before each meal. 

We ordered croquettas de jamon as the appetizer. 

I usually get a lunch special. Today it was picadillo with white rice, black beans, and fried plantains. 

Who wore it best?

Who wore it best?

Ethan and I have the same shoes! We were at the sporting goods store getting a bike tire inner tube replaced and saw some Nikes in Ethan's size on clearance. They were a little big but he took to them right away. Those are now his shoes for everything. A few weeks later I saw the same pair when shopping for new running shoes for myself. Now we have the same shoes. What's next, matching outfits?

I normally only wear these shoes to the gym or running, but had to get some side by side pics with Ethan at the park :).

Foo Fighters Concert

I recently got to see the Foo Fighters perform at the Coral Sky Amphitheater. They played for three hours! It was a memorable show and we had great seats. I missed watching round 1 of the NFL Draft that night but that was OK. Here are some pics.

Odd Jobs

I'm normally sitting at a desk while at work, but a few times a year I get tasked to suit up and hit the field. This time I was sent to work on a boat and was on the water in the intercoastal and in the ocean near the coast from Miami to Pompano Beach, FL.

I got some decent pics since the weather was nice. A few of the photos are off center because the boat was rocking in the waves, but mostly because I was on the boat with 20 year olds who work out here all the time and were driving around fast. They had no interest in sight seeing.

This was my view of the 17th Bridge in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The other side of the bridge is Port Everglades where the cruise ships berth and Port Everglades Inlet access to the Atlantic Ocean.

View to the east while on the boat to Miami from Ft. Lauderdale.

Sunny Isles, FL. View to the west while getting to Miami. 

Another view of Sunny Isles, FL (north of Miami Beach). You can see it was a little rough in the boat and I couldn't get a level picture.

Haulover Beach Park on the coast north of Miami Beach.

Going under the bridge for Baker's Haulover Inlet (also known as Government Cut) which is the access to Miami from the Ocean.

This is a Miami block party. Lots and lots of boats anchored on a sandbar.

More boats at the daily party on the sandbar just inside of Haulover Inlet.

Hillsboro Inlet Bridge in Pompano Beach, FL north of Fort Lauderdale, FL. Things are different than Miami here. This is a residential area with very expensive houses on the water whereas Miami has the condos on the water.

View of Hillsboro Inlet outbound to the Atlantic Ocean.

One more view of Hillsboro Inlet Bridge and the traffic going through the bridge. Notice the difference in boats from Miami? These are yachts and a long line of them waiting to get out intercoastal to go on the ocean. Miami likes to pretend they have money but up here they really have money.