More Zeppelin Pics

In honor of being or recognized by SFDB's post of the week roundup, some more shots from my ride on the dirigible.

Feeling the wind in your hair, at 1200 feet.

Woman-ing the flight deck.

Haulover inlet and Bal Harbour. 

Rocking the Native shoes on their first zeppelin trip.

Riding a Zeppelin Over Miami

The other day I rode a Zeppelin. I know. A zeppelin. Do they even make those things anymore? The answer is yes. Yes they do. They make them in Germany and they haven't stopped since 1908, Hindenburg be damned. I rode on Airship Ventures' Eureka ship, the largest passenger airship in the world. 246 feet of helium-filled goodness. It was like sailing on air.

The gondola only holds 12 people and you only need to stay seated for about 90 seconds after lifting off. Then you're free to walk around the cabin, stick your head out the window (!) and take in the views of the landscape below. The ship is only here through the weekend and offering tours that least anywhere from an hour to an hour and half. More info here.

The condo canyon in Sunny Isles.

Our pilot was Captain Katherine Board, the only female airship pilot in the world. So yes, she's hard core. And there are a few female blimp pilots out there, but piloting this beast is a completely different game.

Our tour left the airfield at North Perry Airport in Hollywood, then veered east and south, sailing over the ocean. We soared to 1200 feet, thus allowing for detailed views of the landscape below. Floating over South Florida's flat terrain I was struck with how many swimming pools are out there - practically every home has one - and how interesting all those condo buildings look from the top. We rarely take in those buildings in all their skyscraping splendor but here I was able to appreciate some of their structural nuances.

The panoramic back window.

Gulfstream race track (and massive parking lots) in Hallandale.

New Restaurants You Haven't Heard Of

Restaurants come and go in this city like promiscuous reality stars. Some of them receive (and deserve) lots of coverage. Some fall through the media cracks. Here are a few spots that have popped up that may be worth checking out.

• The Joint in South Miami.
• The Boilerhouse, next to Transit Lounge, which is staying open.
• Chinois Chinois, a Chinese-sushi hybrid near Coral Way.
• Vero's by the Bay, on the Rickenbacker Causeway.

Sweet Point Bakery, Midtown

The latest dining trend in the city: burgers (still). And a close second - bakery/cafe hybrids. There's Michelle Bernstein's Crumb on Parchment which has the power of her name and touch to make it an instant hit. And little farther south in Midtown there's Sweet Point Bakery, an unpretentious spot that instantly won me over.

The menu's not very exciting - the usual sandwiches/salads/pastas you'd expect - and they're sort of oblivious to the whole eco-locavore-seasonal trend that other places are so quick to tout. But the cakes are good, the staff is friendly and there's plenty of room to spread out with your laptop and toddler (that's how I roll these days) and take advantage of their strong coffee and free wifi.
Also - all their baked goods are half off after 9p, a nice touch.

3252 NE 1st Ave
786-477-6235

Cinco de Mayo @ Ritz Key Biscayne