After getting in late I expected we’d sleep in a little. It had been a bit… festive outside the hotel when we went to bed and the noise machine we had picked up at the front desk helped a little, but I don’t think any of us got a restful night of sleep. Given it was a Saturday night in South Beach we weren’t surprised or upset. It was part of the vibe and we’d adapt!
Breakfast with a Chance of Showers
Since breakfast isn’t offered as a welcome gift for elites at Moxy hotels, we decided to find something outside the hotel. About a block north we found a diner and managed to get a table right away. We sat outside under a canopy. Within a few minutes of sitting down we could hear a downpour begin outside. We got in just in time!
We ordered breakfast which was okay and we ate quickly. When we got the bill I was surprised at the amount. On closer inspection an 18% tip had been added automatically which helped ease the shock a little. We found several places added this automatically, but some ALSO asked for a tip on top of that, so if you weren’t paying attention you could end up paying an extra 40% pretty easily. Beware!
It was still raining when we finished and we made our way back to the hotel unsuccessfully trying to stay as dry as possible. In the lobby the boys spotted the foosball table and we played a few games while we tried to figure out what to do next.
It was forecast to rain most of the day off and on and was in the mid 60’s so it was definitely not a beach day. The boys weren’t interested in going to the science museum that my wife was suggesting. She instead found the Museum of Illusions which the boys seemed a little interested in so we hopped in a Lyft and headed there. It was only a 10 minute ride away.
When we got there we realized it was on Lincoln Road which is a pedestrian area with LOTS of shopping. My wife decided to do that while we went to find the museum. When we arrived we asked about the ticket prices and what there was to do. The museum has different exhibits with paintings providing interesting perspectives that make it look 3D. You can look like you’re going to jump off a diving board or jump across a river and take pictures to post on Instagram or whatever. The admission was $40 per adult and $30 per child. It seemed like it would be interesting, but certainly not $100 worth of interesting so we passed.
I ended up taking the boys to some other stores to pass the time while my wife did her shopping. By lunch time we met up with her. We decided to split up for lunch so my youngest and I headed to the Pizza Bar, which we frequented in our last trip. It has GIGANTIC pizza slices cut from pizzas at least 4 times larger than a normal large pizza. We loved it!
Tomatico and my wife went to a Cuban restaurant which they enjoyed. Per usual, Tomatico liked what my wife got better than what he ordered.
After eating, Tomatico and my wife wanted to do some more window shopping so my youngest and I walked back to the hotel since it had stopped raining. It was only a 15 minute walk and we needed the exercise.
Watching the Super Bowl!
Back at the hotel we played some more foosball before Tomatico any my wife got back from their shopping. The boys then went to check out the pool. It was a happening place with good music and a good crowd lounging around. One end of the pool has a glass floor which goes into the roof of the lobby.
After getting waterlogged, we decided to get some food before the Super Bowl started. We split up again because Tomatico and my wife had a big lunch and weren’t very hungry. They ended up using the $20 daily food voucher we got as the welcome gift on checkin to get tacos at the taco stand in the lobby. Tomatico said they were really good.
Our youngest and I went to get some fried chicken about 3 blocks from the hotel. When I paid, I didn’t pay close attention and I payed the double tip, turning our sub-$30 meal into a $40+ bill. Oops. The food was average at best and we had to bring it back to the hotel to eat it. Oh well.
After dinner, we all met up in the room to watch the big game. It was neat having the bunkbeds. We each had our own space to sit and watch so it was nicely compartmentalized. We anxiously waited for breaks in the play for the next commercials while my wife managed to get a lot of work done to catch up for the start of the week.
We both had to work during the week. I was planning to work half days while she had to work mostly full days but was planning to take Friday off. It would be a juggling act to keep them entertaining and out of each other’s hair.
At least being a Sunday, the hotel didn’t have music playing in the restaurant to keep us up all night.
Tomatico Travels 
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