Bienvenido a Miami

So I've been on a blogging hiatus for various reasons (#1 being I cannot download Windows Live Writer and Blogger drives me nuts!) but I'm going to try my best to not be a fair weather blogger and keep up with this blog! Lucky for you, I just got back from vacation and I have lots of content :)

Our vacation started out in Miami and I never thought I would be going down there to enjoy cooler weather. Oklahoma is experiencing quite the heat wave and it is hot hot hot! The weather in Miami was great and a nice break from what we've been experiencing!

Our first night there we partook in a South Beach Culinary Tour. It was fantastic! Click here to check out Katie's post about the tour.

The second day, while the boys lounged around the hotel, Katie and I took a Millionaire Mansion boat tour. It was lots of fun but you will have to forgive me for not remembering who each mansion belongs to, I knew I should have written it down!

Our first drive-by was Fisher Island. Fisher Island is a sustainable community off the coast of Miami Beach. The only way on and off the island is by boat or helicopter. Famous current and former residents include Andre Agassi, Boris Becker, Tom Cruise and Oprah Winfrey.

After that we moved on to Star Island as seen in the aerial photo below (obviously not mine). I think there are a total of 25 residences on the island and the tour took us by most of them.

The tour guide never mentioned who owned this house but they did point out that it had been used for some music videos. It was also rented by Usher for an MTV Music Awards after party. I really love the spiral stair case! Keep this place in mind for your next party ;)

This was the house used in the movie Scarface and to the left you can see a tiny portion of a yellow house that belongs to Rosie O'Donnell.

This house belongs to the CEO (I think) of Parker Pens. If not the CEO, something high up. I had never actually heard of Parker Pens until this tour. You learn something new every day!

Next up Gloria Estefan's property. Her house is on the left and her music studio is on the right.

To my surprise this is Vanilla Ice's house. It was my understanding that he was broke, but apparently he has been able to keep this house!

This next house was originally built for Sylvester Stalone but is now owned by Donald Pliner, the shoe designer.

I believe this house is owned by a former Miami Dolphin's player but it's one that I can't quite remember. Either way it's a pretty house.

This next one was easier to remember, especially because of all the construction. This is where Shaq used to call home. I believe it's for sale if any of you are interested in purchasing a vacation home ;)

This is Elizabeth Taylor's home, or was (R.I.P.) A beautiful home for a beautiful lady!

This is another one I cannot remember. It is HUGE! I'm thinking it might belong to a Spanish singer?

If you thought the one above was big, this next one was ginormous! It is the largest residence on the island and it seemed to go on forever. The owner founded the second pharmaceutical company in the U.S. All of the palm trees on the property were imported from South Africa for a mere $10k a piece. The picture directly below this one is just a close-up of the house. Crazy!

Next up, the home of Julio Iglesias. Better known to me as Enrique Iglesias' father. Judging by all the window coverings, I don't think anyone was home :(

These next two, I have no idea! Maybe just some average Joes working hard for their money :)

This house belongs to a German engineer who not only has the inside of the home air conditioned but also has the outside air conditioned. I have no idea how this possibly could work but I wish I had an air conditioned outside this record breaking hot summer!

This residence was at one time a popular hang out of the infamous Gangster Al Capone.

Last but not least the residence of P. Diddy, Puff Daddy, Puffy, Sean Combs...whatever you want to call him! Unfortunately he has quite a bit of vegetation growing so you couldn't see the house very well.

That sums up the boat tour. More vacation posts to come...