Honeymoon Pics

I printed out a few snapshots of my wife from our honeymoon this past weekend and have posted them next to my desk.  It's turning out that it may have not been the best idea as I continue to reminisce about the wonderful places that we traveled to.  I miss those honeymoon destinations and want to go back.  After leaving from Detroit last June where we got married we traveled to San Diego and Santa Monica in California, then flew to French Polynesia and hopped from Bora Bora, to Moorea, to Tahiti.  And then we finally ended up going home through Hawaii too - story below.


I quickly picked a few images to share.  Each has a note below to help identify them.

Bora Bora from the air

Headed to our over water bungalow hotel room via boat shuttle - the Bora Bora Airport is on an island a few miles away from where we stayed.

We rented bikes to get around in Bora Bora - go figure

The over water bungalows at our hotel in Bora Bora

The floor in our room in Moorea

My wife taking a picture of me through our glass floor in Moorea

Looking out from our lunch table in Moorea

A snapshot of the infinity pool at our hotel in Moorea - you can see Tahiti in the background

A pic from the ferry ride from Moorea to Tahiti

Downtown Tahiti - one wouldn't even know they are out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean

The local beer, Hinano, which was good

A little bay adjacent to our over water bungalow room in Tahiti

A picture in meat department at a grocery store in Tahiti - note that it was mostly Tuna and Marlin

Teahupoo Mile Marker 0 - Home of the big surf competition

We also had a crazy experience towards the end.  The Tahiti Airport Union workers went on strike the day we were supposed to fly back to the U.S.  So we ended up getting stranded in Tahiti five extra days.  It sounds glamorous but French Polynesia is probably one of the most expensive places to be and each day was a new episode of trying to find more information about when the airport was going to open back up.  All in all it made a great story and we figured out how to handle ourselves really quick, by checking into a cheaper hotel, keeping our rental car, heading to the grocery store, and finding the airport ticket office downtown.

respite

For the 4 lonely followers that I have...Don't worry, I haven't retired. I have many more things to say, a lot more burgers to eat (and report back on with bad photos with poor lighting), and soon enough I will have killer photos from the fairytale like honeymoon I am going on.

Oh, and for those who have not noticed, AHT ran a bracket contest of burger chains and Five Guys won. Hell yeah! I just don't have it in me to vote for the left coast In-N-Out family. Don't get me wrong, I have tremendous respect for what they offer, but for chains I am a Steak 'n Shake guy first then a newly ordained Five Guys follower.

Back to the honeymoon. I am so excited I can't even begin to tell you. Forget that! I will. We are starting ... this is probably a repeat post, but so what, it's my blog and I can do what I want. I need a Flip camera for our trip. Anyways, we are starting out in San Diego. Reasoning = finish any wedding leftovers in the states and there were no flights on certain days to our real destination. I wanted to go old school and leave the wedding site straight to the honeymoon so we are leaving from Detroit. Instead of brunch we are buying a block of bleacher seats for the Detroit Tigers game. Hell yeah. From San Diego driving up PCH for a one nighter in Santa Monica right by the pier and close enough to LAX for am easy departure to French Polynesia. We are staying in over water bungalows each night - the kind with a partial (actually small section, smaller than my tv) glass floor and our own sun deck to jump into the water and then a ladder back up. The day to day debate at home is who is jumping off first. Can you tell that I am excited? The first island we are venturing to is Bora Bora, then to Moorea, and finally Tahiti.

It could very well be the best vacation for the rest of our lives. If not, it will be a challenge to top.

Sweetwater Tavern

I ate another great burger in the Detroit area this afternoon. Previous memorable experiences I had at Miller's and Red Coat had me ready for a cheeseburger once I landed in town for Christmas break.
We ended up choosing Sweetwater Tavern in downtown Detroit. The selection started off on a positive note with a meter parking spot instead of being forced into the surrounding pay lots. Upon entry we quickly noticed that the establishment allowed smoking throughout but later learned that this was the last 3 weeks before the smoking ban goes live.

I ordered the Sweetwater Burger sporting bacon, swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and their special sauce on the side - it also came with fries and a side of coleslaw. The menu boasted of fresh meat daily from somewhere local and I was ready. My plate was served cooked to order with my medium rare burger and fries. I started off cutting it in half and noticed something special about the sesame seed bun's appearance. It was either dipped in butter or oil which was definitely recognizable by the taste.

The cheeseburger was great and only cost 8 or 9 bucks. We also saw signs out front offering a free shuttle to the local sporting venues. Definitely a great spot to revisit.

Random Burger Pics

I recently went through my burger pictures and realized that I had previously not posted a handful of meals. Below are some leftovers that I may have referred to but never posted previously. Enjoy!


First up, Mr. Joe's in Southfield, Michigan. I recall the great sweet potato fries. The burger was okay and came at a very cheap price.

The popcorn they served at Mr. Joe's when you sit down is a nice treat as well.

Miller's Bar in Dearborn, Michigan remains one of my favorites. The things that I remember distinctly are the honor code when paying for your meal. You just walk up to the bar and tell them what you had and they ring it up on an old cash register.

Each burger at Miller's comes to the table in a paper wrapper without a plate. There are stacks of patties ready to go by the bar. And are cooked tens at a time on a flat top. A soft squishy bun and a perfect burger. The exterior of the joint is very plain but well worth the visit.

Christy's in Starkville, Mississippi was supposed to be one of the best burger stops around. I found it mediocre but worth the stop in the small town. You can see here in this out of focus picture that they sure do serve up a classic presentation.

And then there is Jack Fry's. A classic establishment in Louisville, Kentucky. They serve a good burger topped with caramelized onions and mushrooms tucked below the cheese. This is a great place but potentially better visited for steak or a glass of wine.

El Rey de Las Fritas in Little Havana, Miami. I probably will not find another burger like this anywhere else. But I will be back to 8th Street to eat one again. The patty integrates beef with chorizo and is topped with a plethora of shoestring fries sandwiched between Cuban bread. I found this place through A Hamburger Today with an article referencing Food Network's 50 best burgers. Don't forget to try the Materva. This Yerba Mate drink is tasty.

Corner Bistro. A long term burger destination with recognized aficionados. My experience there was not so good, but I'm hoping it was an off day. Here is a shot from the outside when I was in New York and had 2 and half burgers for lunch at Shake Shack, brgr, and then Corner Bistro.

My last pic is from Kingdom. I remember my Kingdom burger to be very good. It came out in a red basket and was prepared pretty much how I would write up my favorite burgers. Condiments, temperature, and bun.