Lombardi's - Food Over Service

The food display outside Lombardi's Ristorante is a teaser to lure patrons into the restaurant. A marketing tool that majority of the restaurants Downtown and South Beach, Miami have adopted. The presentations were far more impressive than the inadequate service. Gratuity included robbed us of good service. The food arrived hot, it was tasteful, and filling there was enough for two meals. I had rice with Scallops, Calamari, Mussels, and Shrimps mixed in tomato sauce. Lombardi's is located in Bayside Market Place an indoor/outdoor mall on the East South end of the mall. Inside the restaurant was clean, the tables were covered with White paper, and courtesy crayons were provided for fun and games, a deterrent to pass the time. We were tempted by the presentation and in the mood for a lasting meal. As I see it the quality of service requires some improvement, but the food is worth a visit. I give it 3 blinks.

AHSI.....The restaurant atmosphere was very pleasant. It had an open view of the Port of Miami and it was inside their outside mall. You could enjoy the sound of the live entertainment that was playing for the large crowd at the mall. I give the restaurant a 3.5.

Star Island - Miami's Home to the Stars

ASWI -Take a cruise around Star Island aboard the Pirate ship, a sightseeing excursion offered by Aqua Cruises for $14.00; however, if you listen to a time share presentation. You will receive a $7.00 admission ticket. While visiting South Beach, Miami, we decided to tour Star Island. the tour is an hour long and provides a back yard view of Julio Iglesias, Ricky Martin, Madonna, P. Diddy Combs, Tiger Woods' lot purchased for 12 Million dollars just for the land, and Davis Thomas the founder of Wendy's Daughter's house to name a few. Food and drinks are offered on board and the seating is ideal for sightseeing. You can also purchase a souvenir picture of your party and the pirate that is covered in this picture. At the end of the tour you can purchase the picture for $5.00 with photo folder frame that also contains pictures of the Stars home, just in case you neglected to bring a camera. However, personal pictures taken with the Pirate is not permissible.

We understand why Shaquel O'Neal is insisting on keeping his Miami home. He and his wife Shauney are divorcing and their Miami home is less than ten minutes from American Airlines Arena via road or water. According to the tour guide, The Rock lives next door to Shaq and Rosie O'Donnell. Shaq has a bobble head doll on his board walk that marks his territory.

The criteria for residing on Star Island is 1. Have, not access to, Ten Million Dollars, and 2. You must be a Star. Is what the tour guide told us, but he also said that there are prominent doctors like Philip Frost whose home is pictured (right), and entrepreneurs who reside on Star Island and their mansions are larger than the Stars.

A number of movie scenes were filmed on Star Island. Meet the Fockers starring Dustin Hoffman, Barbara Streisand, and Ben Stillar is pictured (left); Any Given Sunday with Jamie Fox and James Todd Smith; Fast and the Furious, Scarface with Al Pacino, and of course Miami Vice. The Island is an oasis of mansions and Pirates Adventures is one of many cruise excursions that visit Star Island. Although the cost of admission is reasonable, but $14.00 to tour the backyards of Star homes for an hour is less attractive than, if the general admission was $7.00 a person, and offer the time share participants complimentary tickets.