Thursday, April 30, 2009

Miami-Pembroke Pines and Cafe Cubanos


(left to right - top to bottom) Elvis has left the building!, Mariquitas with garlic mojo, It was very windy in Ft. Lauderdale at night, Dennis, Mimi, Jack, Blanca and me at Casablanca Cafe, Flanigan's Seafood menu, my Cortadito at Romeu's, Everglades Holiday Park flyer, Paradise at The Seminole Hard Rock Casino, perhaps the highest point and longest view in Miami, Jack pouring "los addiction."

My job as a commercial photographer requires me to travel quite often and this allows me to visit friends in cities that I would not have visited otherwise because of business or financial obligations. My excursion to South Florida was one such trip. (see the Carnival Cruise post below) My longtime friend and fishing cohort, Jack Dunmyer has lived in the Miami - Ft. Lauderdale area for over 15 years where he and his beautiful wife, Blanca own a large home in the Silver Lakes area of Pembroke Pines. A list of special memories during my 4 day visit: a large Cubano sandwich and a Cafe Cubano at Versailles' in Little Havana, cuban dinners at Las Vegas and Romeu's, the Cordadito's at Sedano's, my two lobster dinner at the Casablanca Cafe, Mariquitas with garlic mojo, Late night pizza at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino, Columbian breakfast pastries (yes, there is a food theme here), fishing in the Everglades Holiday Park, Jack and Blanca's dog Elvis, Blanca's mother speaking in broken English and me trying to speak or understand Spanish, the Latin culture in every way, shape and form ! The Miami-Fort Lauderdale area is a beautiful area bursting with culture from every corner of the world. If it wasn't for the "sweat fest" every summer and the "$100,000 car thing," I'd move there tomorrow.


Fishing for bass in Everglades Holiday Park. April 25, 2009.
Check out http://doncudneysfishing.blogspot.com/ for
more fishing details and image captions.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Carnival Cruise - April 20 - 24, 2009.



WOW ... where do I start? What a wonderful vacation and wedding assignment ( I refuse to call my photography ... WORK). My friend and colleague Kristin Engler, affectionately known as KE to many, was married to Steven Brooks, now known as Spanky to many, in Key West, Florida on April 21, 2009. Afterward, the entire wedding party, family and friends (and photographer(s)) spent the next three days sailing around the Caribbean on the Carnival Imagination with a short layover in Cozumel. A list of special memories during my 5 day cruise: realizing I knew a lot more people on the cruise than I originally thought and that all of them were beautiful women, all the great conversations at breakfast, lunch and dinner, Steven and KE's wedding in Key West, karaoke, yes, I said karaoke, the comedy shows, the Newlywed Game, hanging next to the pool with all the girls, dancing with all the girls, meeting and developing new friendships with Steven and KE's family and friends, falling asleep on the bow of the ship under a sea of stars, no pun intended, and last but not least, my 43rd birthday present to myself, a guided bonefishing trip on the island of Cozumel !

Below is just a small sample of the over 2,000 images captured during the cruise!


Port of Miami, Megan, Bree & Becky, a beautiful Caribbean sunset

Carnival Imagination, South Beach, Miami, Carnival Imagination

Introducing Steven & Kristin Brooks - Congratulations Kids !

"Spanky," Kristin in Key West, Bree and I, Sunset at Sea

Dinner dancing, "Ketu" & TC, Becky, Don and Megan

Cozumel bonefishing, Cozumel Sunset, The Girls, Carnival Imagination

Friday, April 17, 2009

Spring Snow Storm #2


For All My Redneck Friends in Florida
Spring Snow Storm #2