Dear K,

Your 4th of July sounds soooo fun and adventurous! Even though I was on the East Coast, I still managed to have a blast. I also went on a road trip but around Florida: Saint Petersburg, Anna Maria Island and Miami.

Me and some friends started our trip at Red Mesa Cantina in downtown St. Pete, which is a restaurant/bar/club. We had an early dinner as we were starving after driving from Orlando. The food was quite enjoyable. We tried 4 samples of ceviche and then salmon. The place was completely packed, which doesn’t really surprise me as the ambiance was incredible.

We then hit some bars close by. The Mandarin Hide and Cask & Ale were the most noticeable ones. Great atmosphere and exquisite cocktails in both bars! We ended up partying at Lux Lounge & Bar. The club was full of bimbos, but at least we got to dance a little bit.

On July 3rd it was brunch tiiiime!!! We went to 400 Beach Seafood & Tap House. It was buffet style. The seafood was good but not great. The mimosas were on point though! After brunch we kept bar hopping. We stopped by some really cool places, but I can only recall The Canopy due to its gorgeous view from the rooftop.

Later, for dinner we went to Sushi Hana in Bradenton. Pretty much in the middle of nowhere, but the rolls were soooo yummy!!!

On the 4th, it was time for Anna Maria Island. There was a parade to celebrate the holiday and a bunch of traffic due to it. I was so annoyed! All I wanted was to eat and drink by the beach. A couple of hours later we finally got to The Sandbar Restaurant. Amazing view, delectable food and cold drinks! What else?

Later it was time to get to Miami.

We stayed downtown at the Langford Hotel. Since it was my last night in the US, we decided to go to Wynwood for dinner, as it was my favorite area in Miami. Suviche was the choice and I’m glad I found this place. When Peru meets Japan magic really does happen! The restaurant had that hipster vibe of Wynwood with the walls full of art. And the flavors I tried that night were to die for! I’m a huge fan of Peruvian and Japanese cuisine, but I honestly did not believe the merge of both would be so mouthwatering. I was so full but so happy and satisfied!! Best farewell dinner EVER ahah.

We then had a drink at Beaker & Gray where we went for my birthday, so that my friend could check the place out. We were exhausted from the trip, so we passed out pretty early.

Next morning I woke up full of energy, so I showed the amazing art around Wynwood to my friend JP. I can never get enough of it. There’s always something new!

And we had lunch at our well-known Wynwood Kitchen & Bar. I took the opportunity to try some new dishes we haven’t tried when we went there and they did not disappoint. We tried the devilish eggs, ropa vieja empanadas, queso frito, pork belly, scallops and seared duck breast. Also, our server was sooo nice and friendly that our experience was even better.

After lunch it was time to head to the airport and say goodbye to my crazy adventures in the US… At least for a while! I have to say these two past years were really something. I grew up academically, professionally… but also as an individual. I saw new and better things. I experienced some bad things as well, which made this adventure feel like a rollercoaster sometimes. I brought good memories with me, a lot of them with you in it. So I wanted to thank you for joining me in this blog adventure, for all the trips we went on together, and most importantly for your true friendship. In almost two years, you’ve became really important to me and I can’t wait to see you again… and hopefully travel together!

LOVE YOU,

– C