The Blogger Union has partnered with CreativeMornings/Miami for a collaborative storytelling marathon. Tune in to read the story of our city told by local creatives, bloggers and entrepreneurs. Each week, a different member of CreativeMornings will take over to post what inspires them about South Florida. Do yo want to take over the CreativeMornings/Miami blog and share your take on our community? Email Paola at info@thebloggerunion and we’ll get working on it!

Hi Tumblr! My name is Estrella and I am super excited to be taking over the Creative Mornings page this week with The Blogger Union-Miami. My blog, www.lacasabloga.com, is all about travel, lifestyle, beauty, and wellness. For many years I have called South Florida home and would like to share some of my favorite places as well as how South Florida inspired me and helped mold me into the person I am today over the years. So, I hope you enjoy!

This article was originally published on www.lacasabloga.com. 

South Florida Guide: Ft Lauderdale & Miami

Although I am not physically in Florida anymore (which, by the way, breaks my heart to even think about), I still tend to day-dream about some of the spots that I absolutely loved there.  During my 4 years in South Florida, I lived in a total of 4 different cities! So, basically I couldn’t sit still in one place for more than 1 year. LOL! I lived as far south as Brickell Ave, also known as the Miami Financial District, and just recently moved from Ft Lauderdale, which is the furthest North I lived, so it’s safe to say I had my fair share of exploring a good part of South Florida.

I didn’t think it would be fair to only list Miami spots, since Broward county, which is about 40 minutes north, also has some cool spots to check out as well. So I am dividing this post into two different areas you may visit: Miami and Ft Lauderdale.

If you are in the Fort Lauderdale area, make sure to check these spots out:

1. Whenever you are in need of a cup of joe, or just a place for cool photo ops, check out Brew Urban Cafe. I promise, when you step in, you will feel like you are in a Harry Potter movie, hehe. The decor and unique way this coffee shop is set up is perfect for lounging, and catching up on some work. Not only is it a coffee shop, but they also host weekly movie nights (for free!), have yoga classes every week, open mic nights, and host music events there every once in a while. Need I say more? Although, don’t be fooled by the book wall; the cafe isn’t your neighborhood library!
2. Craving Mexican? Rocco’s Tacos, famous for their….you know, tacos, is a good place to enjoy their fresh made guacamole and sip on some margaritas. Go on a Tuesday and enjoy $15 all you can eat tacos-but beware as the wait can get pretty long.
3. For a more relaxing lounge/bar, head on over to Rhythm & Vine, a fun, quirky, “Garden & Den” with an outdoor and indoor space. The food trucks located on site makes for the best finger food to pair with those gin and tonics. ;) Live music is played frequently, so make sure to get there early for some good vibe tunes. I was never much of a “club scene” type of girl, so I much prefer the laid back type of places, if and when I did make it out of the apartment!
4. If you are in the mood for some Italian, Louis Bossi has a great variety of Italian eats on their menu! If you are up for enjoying the beautiful Florida weather, make sure to get there early enough to enjoy your meal in the beautiful patio they have out back. I highly recommend it!

For those of you in Miami:

1. I think we can all agree that breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, right? Which is why I skipped Denny’s and went straight to The Daily. This quick serve eatery not only has the best breakfast in town, but serves sandwiches and salads for lunch or dinner. My personal favorites were always on the breakfast menu.
2. I know I’m not the only one that craves sweets first thing in the morning which is why I found this little gem that has the best donuts in all of Miami! The Salty Donut, is a pop-up truck nestled quietly in the Miami Art District area. Just a forewarning, get there early as the line may get pretty long, but it’s totally worth it. This isn’t your average Dunkin Donuts.

    C. I am sold over on Italian food all the time (it is absolutely my fave). But one     restaurant in particular stole the show. Perricones won my heart over at “bruschetta” and also because that is where my boyfriend took me on our first date almost 4 years ago. If you don’t get too full on the bread, try one of their signature pasta dishes. Thursdays are $10 pasta nights and live music is played on the weekends-perfect date night choice? I think yes. The ambience is always on a thou.

    D. If you want to hit the town for a little nightlife scene, check out Blackbird Ordinary. The music is great, the drinks even better, and no cover unlike most of the night clubs in Miami. The back patio area is a great place to unwind, get a breath of fresh air, and dance the night away under the stars.

Which one of these places have you visited and what did you think? If you haven’t been to any of the spots I mentioned above, which one would you like to visit the most? Let me know your thoughts below!

Ciao,
Estrella