February 14th, 2016
This winter in order to get guaranteed warm weather you better go way south, past Florida…..needless to say, my friends, Jody, Cindi and I took off for La Isla del Encanto, otherwise known as Puerto Rico. I think the best time to go to Puerto Rico is February. The temperatures? 77 degrees to about 84 degrees. I cannot believe that on my last day there I was complaining that it was too hot. Well, that stopped me on my tracks when arriving in Baltimore it was a mere 34 degrees. Brrrrrr!!!
My friends had not been there. I told them that the airport could be a little hectic. Guess what? It made a liar out of me. Smooth arriving and picking up the luggage. It early evening, and after a little wine on Ashford Avenue in the Condado section of San Juan we took off for some Puerto Rican fare.
Ashford Avenue is a tourist destination. Oceanfront hotels and a great avenue to do some shopping, exercising or hitting some of the hotels for a little nightcap or some gambling.
We decided to stop at Orozco’s Restaurant at 1126 Ashford Ave. Tel. 787-721-7669. This little restaurant has surprised me on other visits. Even though is in a tourist area, the food is true Puerto Rican. It is small and cozy. You can sit street side or go inside. Latin music is always playing.
A little Sangria for us….it was the first of many Sangrias on the island.
We ordered some Corn Fritters or Sorullos de Maiz. Every restaurant has them. They are served with a sweet sauce. They are stuffed with a little bit of cheese. I was trying to have my friends get a taste of “comida criolla”.
Plantains are a staple of the Puerto Rican cooking. They are used like a potato. You get it in different ways…..tostones (fried plantains) or Mofongo. The traditional Mofongo is shaped in a mortar, adding bacon crumblings, garlic, and broth until mashed to the right consistency. Then it would be turned over on a plate and served with broth on the side. The purists still like it that way like my cousin, Sonia, who was with us through the whole week.
Through the years as innovative chefs in the island learned that the Mofongo could be stuffed…..a new way of serving started. You can get it stuffed with lobster, crab, beef, pork, you name it. We ordered the one stuffed with beef.
Another walk after our meal completed our first evening in Condado.
February 10th, 2015
Walking on Ashford in Condado is a past time for many that are visiting the island of Puerto Rico….plenty of upscales shops, restaurants, and hotels on this very popular Ave. I hear the community is involved in making sure Condado lives up to its name.
Ashford Avenue is within walking distance of beaches and everything else to make your vacation a special one. As a matter of fact Ashford Avenue is parallel to the beach. Taxis, and public transportation can take you to Old San Juan, a city over 500 years old.
The Art Deco Buildings are beautiful and one in particular is the Miami building located at 868 Ashford Avenue and built in 1936. The colors are peach and light blue.
“The Art Deco style represented luxury, glamour, exuberance and faith in social and technological progress.” Bold geometric designs, lavish ornamentation, and colours characterized this style.
Congratulations to San Juan, Puerto Rico since the National Register of Historic Places has recognized 3 iconic hotels and has welcomed them as members. They are the Caribe Hilton San Juan, built in 1949, Condado Plaza Hilton built in 1963 and the Condado Vanderbilt Hotel built in 1919.
The Condado Vanderbilt is located at 1055 Ashford Avenue. http://www.condadovanderbilt.com The style? Mission/Spanish Revival. This is a 5 star hotel, known for luxury and special services. Ballrooms, banquet meetings…the hotel is oceanfront. So, I stopped to check it out with my Puertorican cousins, Sonia, and Margie. Resort wear is the choice for dressing.
The hotel has been updated completely. The marble floors, I believe are the original ones.
We stepped into the Vanderbilt Court…here are some of the photos.
Please visit http://www.condadovanderbilt.com/our-story-condado-en.html to learn more about the history of this gorgeous hotel, which is very interesting.
LOCALISTA – Puerto Rico Disena. Location? Condado Vanderbilt Hotel.
A must stop shop for everything designed by independent designers. Local brands and Puertorican designers, promoted by Localista. Website? http://www.puertoricodisena.com. Catching our attention…..
La Mantilla by Marx Rosado is a modular surface that works well as a wood carpet, a flexible parquet, a non-permanent wood flooring or a cover for horizontal and vertical surfaces. It is open modular assembly.
Jewelry by Marcia Budet. You can find Marcia Budet on Facebook as Designer Marcia Budet.
The clutches made in crystal clear acrylic Plexiglass with original photography, I loved. They were made by designer Natalia Subira.
Promoting Puertorican designs, buying local…http://www.puertoricodisena.com/localista-a-design-store.
And then, as you come out of the hotel head over to Ventana al Mar….and forget that is winter at home. Have a good one!!
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