I need to do a better job at keeping up with this!

Alongside upgrading my domestic skills in the kitchen, I also knocked off a few new countries off the bucketlist.

Island style loco moco – one with traditional white rice and one with cauliflower fried rice (my new favorite recipe!)

Banana, chocolate chip, & oatmeal cookies

At the end of September, a few of my girlfriends and I went on a cruise in the Caribbean. We stayed at the cutest hotel in Miami (The Redbury) and had a very typical Miami time – beach, delicious Cuban food, and interesting night life.

Shake Shack burgers for breakfast at JFK

South Beach, Miami

Eating dinner outside at Havana 1957.

Coffee and huevos rancheros for brunch at Orange Blossom.

After a good cup of coffee and reliving our night out, my friends and I finally headed over to the Miami port to board the ship.

The view of Miami from our ship.

As a francophile nerd, I was really into the little hints of France the Carnival Conquest provided.

Dinner in the Renoir restaurant

Our first stop was in the Bahamas, where my friends and I booked a kayaking excursion (my first time). The tour guide was really great and took us all around the island and we were able to check out some of the “sea creatures” that live and filter out the water.

Half Moon Cay was beautiful: soft sand, painless kayaking experience, and drink pina coladas on the beach? Can’t go wrong.

Stay tuned for part 2 – The Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico!