I am not quite sure how that happened, but it did. It must be true, time flies when you are having fun!

Here’s a quick look back at 2013 and a walk down memory lane for 2014 (below).

South Florida Strip Mall Jewels: Part 2 

“My first post on this blog highlighted ten wonderful restaurants with locations hidden inside your every day strip mall: restaurants that are anything but typical. It’s only fitting that I celebrate this special anniversary with a sequel post to the original. I present to you, South Florida Strip Mall Jewels, Part 2!” READ MORE…

 

SOBEWFF: East ‘Meats’ West Dinner

“It’s no secret that I am a big fan of both Bourbon Steak and Chef Michael Mina. After attending their South Beach Wine and Food Festival dinner last year, I was reminded of just why I love them both so much.” READ MORE…

 

 

Touché Rooftop Lounge & Restaurant

“At first glance, Touché seemed like yet another warehouse in a somewhat forgotten part of town. Once we drove around the back, we found the main parking area and the entrance to E11even Nightclub. To enter, we took the outside elevator (located to the left of the main E11even double doors.) Touché is located on the third floor of the nightclub’s building.” READ MORE…

 

 

SHIKANY Unlocked…Finally!

“Shikany’s namesake restaurant has finally opened in Wynwood and it is every bit as spectacular as I expected it to be. Designed as one big open space, everything is in plain view from the second you enter; a quaint atrium with seating welcomes you, the bar sits to the left, the main dining room right at your feet, and the kitchen in the far back. The decor is mostly in neutral tones with some color pops of aquamarine. The very sexy chandeliers stand out as a focal point throughout the restaurant: clear crystals softly shine through stringed shades.” READ MORE…

Miami Spice 2014 Kick-Off Dinner

“The countdown to Miami Spice has officially begun! Last night, I attended a preview dinner hosted at the gorgeous J+G Grill inside the St. Regis Bal Harbour Hotel. Chefs Bradley Kilgore (J+G Grill), Antonio Bachour (J+G Grill), and Jose Mendin (Pubbelly) showed off some of the dishes that will be on their menus this upcoming Miami Spice season.” READ MORE…

 

The Happiest Place on Earth

“Contrary to popular belief, the happiest place on earth is NOT Disney World. Not even close. The happiest place on earth is Napa Valley. What’s not to love? The sum of perfect weather, food, and wine equals pure joy. Neatly nestled within acres of distinct wineries, Napa Valley is also home to some of the best restaurants nationwide. If you love to eat and drink to your heart’s desire, this is the perfect place to visit year round. A very HAPPY one at that.” READ MORE…

1826 Restaurant and Lounge

“Growing up in South Florida has allowed me to experience the rebirth of our beloved South Beach, a.k.a. SOBE, first hand. Surprisingly, not everyone knows that for a while there SOBE resembled a scene out of Miami Vice. Ocean Drive? Think quiet, retirement homes, and oceanfront rocking chairs. Washington and Collins Avenue? Good luck walking those shady, dark streets at night without running into some kind of trouble. The beach is completely different now, of course. All the notoriety of the early 1990s brought an exorbitant amount of nightclubs and restaurants. The second I fell in love with a restaurant then, I knew chances were high it would not be around by the end of the month; R.I.P. WPA’s. Nowadays, it is rare to find many Miami Beach restaurants that are still around, twenty something years later. Kudos to Escopazzo, Grillfish and Osteria del Teatro for making it this long!  It’s even rarer to find one that has been open more than that (say hello to The Forge!). You can love ‘em or leave ‘em, but yet they are still here.” READ MORE…

La Mar by Gastón Acurio

“Miami’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel has been keeping a secret since March, though not for much longer. Twenty-five steps down from the lobby and sitting directly underneath Azul, La Mar by Peruvian chef extraordinaire, TV personality, entrepreneur, and author Gastón Acurio is quickly becoming a South Florida favorite. Peruvian born, Diego Oka, has already worked at other La Mar locations: Lima, Peru; Bogota, Colombia; and San Francisco, CA. This time around, the power duo is doing it big in Miami.” READ MORE…

Miami Michelin Guide Selections

“New York City has them. The San Francisco and Wine Country area has them. Chicago has them. Miami does not. Well, why not? How much longer do we have to wait? Miami restaurants are ready. Bring them on! I am, of course, talking about the much coveted Michelin stars given out annually by the Michelin Guide. Yes, this Michelin. No, Miami doesn’t have any rated restaurants yet. No, I don’t care who told you we did. We don’t. Twenty-four countries and hundreds of restaurants going head-to-head annually, vying for a one to three-star rating by the guide. A three-star rating is the top honor to achieve. Only about 140 restaurants have stars in the United States.”  READ MORE…

New Kid on the block – SIENA TAVERN

“I’ve been meaning to visit Chicago’s Siena Tavern for a while, but I’ve never gotten around to it.  Back home, for nostalgic reasons, the sight of the abandoned former China Grill space always saddened me. Luckily for me, I now get to enjoy Siena Tavern in my own backyard and see the 5th and Washington corner come to life again. Problem solved.” READ MORE…

 

A HOPPY kind of Christmas

“New year. New tradition.Last year, I wrote all about a holiday wine tasting party I had recently hosted. This year, for a change, I’m writing about “hoppy” kind of celebration. You guessed it, beer! Now I am not referring to just your everyday Miller Light and Budweiser. This casual tasting I hosted focused solely on elite craft beer. Luckily, I have a friend who just happens to be a connoisseur and who also volunteered to bring all of the beverages for the night. I provided the decor and food. Win-win!” READ MORE…

My Top Restaurant Choices- 2014

“With so many incredible dining options, narrowing my favorite restaurants down always proves to be a difficult task. This list of favorites is different than last month’s Miami Michelin Guide Selections post (where I chose what I think are South Florida’s BEST restaurants, worthy of a Michelin nod). The criteria for the following list is more straightforward; if a restaurant is mentioned, you can most likely find me dining there on any given day. The restaurants I listed here are my personal, day-to-day favorites.” READ MORE…

 

 

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Life is my palette. The Whet Palette.