I had no idea what to expect of Montevideo. I'd read that it was up and coming, but I'd also heard that it wasn't worth spending more than one day in. We took a chance and spent three nights there. It was definitely worth the visit.

Montevideo is beautiful...architecturally stunning. It's also a bit gritty. I like my cities a little rough around the edges, so I was fine with that. Along those lines, there is some great street art around the city.

One of my favorite stops was the old port market, Mercado del Puerto. It is full of great authentic restaurants, and has the best empanada stand. As we were enjoying a messy but delicious chorizo and provoleta plate, the stall next to our little restaurant caught fire. We had to evacuate before we could enjoy our steak. Luckily, no one was hurt. C'est la vie.

It was Carnaval time in Uruguay, and we got to see one of the nighttime parades. It was a completely different vibe than the other celebrations I've experienced (in Trinidad, the Dominican Republic, and of course New Orleans). It was decidedly more family friendly, and more dance centered. For a quick primer on Carnaval traditions, the Museo del Carnaval is great.

About thirty minutes from Montevideo, there are several vineyards. We visited Bodega Bouza, a gorgeous wine estate. I knew almost nothing about Uruguayan wines prior to our visit, and I left a huge fan. Tannat became my new favorite. 

Considered the national grape of Uruguay, it produces a full-bodied, very drinkable red. It's also supposed to be the best wine for your heart, because of the high antioxidant content. I don't know about the health benefits, but I really enjoy drinking it. I got a few bottles of Bouza's 2015. I highly suggest it if you like dry reds. It is in limited distribution in the states. In my opinion, it's worth seeking out...and Montevideo is more than worth a visit.

Punta del Este is really as beautiful as everyone says. It's the perfect summer getaway, especially for Portenos (my beloved residents of Buenos Aires). 

Friends from Uruguay recommended visiting Jose Ignacio, about a thirty minute drive from Punta. We fell in love with it. Punta is great, but Jose Ignacio is more laid back and less touristy. We spent most of our time at Playa Vik in Jose Ignacio. The resort is on a beautiful beach, and the restaurant serves perfect steaks and sushi.

In Punta, we had dinner at Lo de Tere for Brandon's birthday. It's a bit old-school fancy, but not stuffy. The food is solid. I had an incredible seafood au gratin.

I also very much enjoyed eating chevito sandwiches. A chevito is essentially a filet mignon sandwich with mozzarella, tomatoes, and olives. I usually added bacon and a fried egg...because, why not? Amazing. On my next visit, I'll be going to get a chevito as soon as the plane touches down.

We recently spent some time in St. Maarten/St. Martin, between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. It had been a good decade since our last visit, and the island has definitely become more developed. It was still a great time.

Needless to say, the beaches in St. Maarten/St. Martin are beautiful. Definitely reason enough to visit. The good food is just the icing on the proverbial cake.

We rented a beautiful townhouse on the ocean. The views were incredible. We were on the French side of the island, which I prefer. Just outside our condo complex, there was a boulangerie. I loved going to get pain au chocolat and a cafe au lait every morning. It gave me the chance to practice my (rusty) French, and the pastries were delicious.

I don't know how I missed this on previous visits, but the barbecue on the island is amazing. It's not fancy at all...our favorite places were shacks on the side of the road. Getting ribs every morning became a necessity.

Our best meal, by far, was at Temptations. We'd met a few expats living on the island, and they all raved about it. I made a reservation, and we went on our last night there. We were not disappointed. Chef Dino Jagtiani is incredibly personable, and extremely talented. We were lucky enough to meet his kind and funny dad, who happened to be hanging out at the bar. Chef Dino prepared some of his favorite items from the menu, creating a special tasting menu for us. We especially loved the French onion soup, and the short ribs. Temptations also has a fantastic piano player. The overall atmosphere is cozy chic. I'd absolutely come back...to the restaurant and the island.