Third Annual Dog Walk - Shops @ Midtown Miami

It's no secret I'm obsessed with my dog, Lola. Not only is she my companion, I happen to think she has a special gift for making people laugh and smile. Really, that's the whole point of having a pet, right?

Well, there's a special group of pets that deserve much recognition and praise... guide dogs and service animals are more than just pets, they are working animals who help transform the lives of the blind and visually impaired.

This Sunday, Miami Lighthouse for the Blind will present its third annual dog walk to raise awareness of guide dogs at the Shops @ Midtown Miami (3401 N. Miami Avenue). Walkers and their dogs are invited to come out and participate in a fun event for a great cause. There will be music, food and lots of fun events for you and your pets!

The event will be hosted this Sunday, March 14 @ 9:00AM-12:30PM. For more info please CLICK HERE.

And the Winner Is...

This past week I received the distinct honor of being named BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BLOG by the Sun-Sentinel for the first annual #BOBAwards held on Wednesday night @ Yolo Lounge in Ft. Lauderdale. It was an honor to even be nominated… yet alone win! To this day, I still have no clue who nominated me, but regardless, I want to give a big thank you to all my friends and fans that helped Midtown Chic-a reach the #1 spot.

The best part of this whole experience has been meeting some of the other local bloggers that I’ve been admiring for some time. I mean, really, I think any blogger who takes the time to write about things they’re passionate about or their experiences and wanting to share them with others, deserves to be recognized. Most bloggers have full-time jobs (ahem) and blog b/c they feel inspired to share their experiences with anyone who cares enough to follow along…

As most of you know, I felt inspired to start my blog after moving back to Miami from NYC and wanted to highlight all the cool things South Florida has to offer. I found it coincidental that I could move from working in Midtown Manhattan and find myself living in Midtown Miami (even my apt # matches my old NYC address – crazy!). Of course, I like to write about a lot of different things; events, pets (Lola), travel, fashion, food, etc. Most of my posts are from my own personal experiences … I guess you could say I consider myself a “lifestyle” blogger who happens to live in a cool hot place.

Here’s a snapshot of the winners from the Sun-Sentinel BOB Awards:

Special shout outs to The TinyJewelBox, Sex and the Beach, Florida Keys Girl and Worstpizza.com for winning too!

Here are some other great neighborhood bloggers (sure I'm missing a bunch) you should be following…

"Neighborhood" Blogs:
*305 Misadventures
*Brickell Life
*StrictlyMIA
*Coconut Grove Grapevine

and don’t forget to check out my Links Lovin for some other great blogs! -->

Thanks again for being on this ride with me as we continue to explore the scene!

Food Network South Beach Food & Wine Rewind

If you're a big foodie or a Food Network junkie, there's one Miami annual event you just can't miss. The Food Network South Beach Food & Wine Festival is one part exquisite food treats, one part vino/bubbly, mixed together with some Food Network celebs and sprinkled with white, smooth sandy beaches… all makes for the perfect festival recipe! Someone described it best when they said this is the Disney World for adults... Sure the $200+ ticket price for the tents isn't ideal, (many say that for that money they can go and eat at their favorite $$$$ restaurant) but if you're really into wine and want to sample delicious foods from various venues, then this is a must-do for you.

We've been fortunate enough to have friends who've hooked us up with tickets the last couple of years, but regardless, we'd be willing to pay to experience the tents year after year. The tents, I should explain, are part of the main event called the Grand Tasting Village, which take place on Saturday and Sunday. There are other smaller events that take place the week before, but the Grand Tasting Village brings it all together. You have hundreds of restaurants, vendors and brands all showcasing the best of the best. Usually the best vendors have the longest lines, but each sample is worth it. You also get to participate in presentations done by some of the Food Network’s biggest stars including Bobby Flay, Paula Deen and The Neely’s (who we personally love!)

This time around our SoBe Food & Wine festivities began on Wed. evening @ the Betsy Hotel where the Food Network Magazine held a special event with two of the Food Network’s newest stars, Melissa d’Arabian of Ten Dollar Dinners (airs on Sundays @ 12:30pm) and Aaron McCargo, Jr. of Big Daddy’s House (airs on Sundays @ 1:30pm). We caught up with Aaron at the party and asked him if he was enjoying his visit to Miami and if he’d tried the perfect Cuban sandwich yet? When we found out he hadn’t tried one yet, we secretly tried to plan a getaway route to Little Havana but there were too many Food Network folks around who would have spotted our escape route. (Next time, Aaron!) Overall a genuinely nice guy who loves what he does and knows how to BBQ! For some great recipes from Big Daddy, click HERE.

Me and Big Daddy

Here's @strictlymiablog getting interviewed :)

Flash-forward to Saturday’s Grand Tasting Village and all I can think about is how much food Juan and I consumed in a matter of a few hours… Word of advice, have a very light breakfast before you go to the Grand Tasting Village. You tend to think that small samples will not get you full, but there are literally hundreds of them and plenty of wine and champagne ;)

w/ Melissa d'Arabian

Towards the end of the day, we were introduced to Melissa d’Arabian (click HERE for her deelish recipes!) and I had the chance to chat with her about her SoBe experience. All she had to do was point towards the beach and sigh… and that’s all she needed to say because then I knew what makes this festival so special. I mean, where else in the world can you have the best food and wine and feel the sand beneath your feet in the middle of “winter”?

See you next year SoBe Food & Wine Fest!

Look Ma! No Hands!

My NYC bestie @MBetrock - xoxo!

Platanos and Collard Greens - get em while they're hot!

A couple of years ago, when we were living in NYC, Juan and I would see some funky ads for an off-Broadway show called Platanos and Collard Greens. We’d see them in the subway and comment on it all the time like, “who would come up with such a name?” and “man I’m hungry!” LOL

We knew it was getting tons of hype, but never got around to checking it out (there’s just way too many shows in NYC and even if you live there your whole life, I doubt you could see every show.)

Obviously when I found out a few months ago it was coming to the Adrienne Arsht Center, I jumped at the chance to see it here in Miami. So this past weekend, Juan and his cousins, Jessika and Jared and I all walked over to the Arsht (best part of living in midtown – you can walk there!) to catch the Friday night show. Needless to say, from the moment we sat down to the moment it ended, we were all doubled-over with laughter and reciting memorable lines from the show.

Described as a “modern day West Side Story” by the NY Times, Platanos and Collard Greens is a refreshing, yet provocative way of addressing the stereotypes that exist among Blacks and Latinos. The story focuses on the relationship b/w Freeman (African American man) and Angelita (Latin woman) and how they overcome cultural and racial prejudices from family and friends. I personally loved the combination of spoken word, hip hop references and musical talent shared amongst this clever cast. There were definitely times when I would look at Juan and whisper “Did she just say that?!” or “Oh yea, I’ve heard that one before!” that give it this element that was all a bit too close to home. But by the end of the show, we were all walking out with huge smiles on our faces.

Again, not your average ballet or Broadway show which makes it even more fantastic! Try Platanos for something more culturally relevant… and kudos to the Arsht for taking chances with features such as this. It opens the whole theatre experience to a broader audience.

Platanos is now playing through the end of February. For more details CLICK HERE.

And remember this… “Platanos and collard greens go together like macaroni and chicken wings!”

Here we are with Angelita (Karina Ortiz)

The gang with Freeman (Phillip Smith)

What's Your Florida Side?

So what if Arnold Schwarzenegger thinks Florida is for old people?! Last time I checked, 62 already classifies you as a senior citizen, Mr. Terminator, so stay away from my hot city!

In related news, Visit Florida (the official tourism site for the state) has launched a new marketing campaign called "Your Florida Side" which they hope will resonate well with recession-weary consumers looking for both value and a renewed spirit. I recently saw the TV spot and it reminded me of how I somtimes felt when I lived in NYC and would reminisce about being back home... especially in the winter.

Check out the spot and let me know what you think?

Sweet dreams are made of these...

Sure the cupcake craze has taken over New York, LA and San Fran. But “don’t fret my pet” (as the popular Miss Marc Jersey Tee reads), there are tons o’ cupcakes spots in South Florida all waiting to be discovered!

This past week I was delightfully surprised when one of our vendors showed up with a box of mini-cupcakes from Misha’s. I’d heard about this place off of S. Dixie Hwy in Coral Gables, but finally had the perfect excuse to try them out.  There they were, staring right at me from my desk calling my name… I took my first bite and knew I had found heaven. What’s not to love about a small burst of red velvet chocolate and smooth icing? This got me thinking about the whole cupcake trend and how South Florida has tons of bake shops. Of course, Lady O is still my personal favorite, but for those of us willing to explore the cupcake scene, here are some other top cupcake spots to test out.

Buttercream cupcakes and coffee - Coral Gables

Cupcakes Nouveau - Coral Gables

2 Girls and a Cupcake - Downtown Miami

We Take the Cake - Ft. Lauderdale

Wicked in South Florida Once Again!

If you haven't bought tickets to the smash Broadway show Wicked, then I have no idea what you're waiting for. It is absolutely the best show you'll ever see (period). Please go with you partner, mother, grandfather, sister, friend, cousin, cousin's cousin (you know how we Latin’s do) but please, please... go see Wicked playing at the Adrienne Arsht Center from March 3-21. This is the third time I’m going to watch it and I wish I could afford to go four and five more times!

Wicked tells the story of breaking stereotypes, building friendships, following your dreams and believing in yourself. It also tells the story of how the “wicked witch of the west” from the classic movie, Wizard of Oz, got to be so wicked. It’s so clever and worthwhile my post won’t do it justice.

There are few things in life that make me as happy as watching this play. The order would go something like, eating the world’s biggest crème brûlée, winning the lottery and Wicked.

Now, please click HERE and have your credit card ready. If you end up hating the show, I’ll buy you a burger.

We've Been Nominated for a BOB AWARD from the Sun-Sentinel

Hey guys! Awesome news!! Midtown Chic-a has been nominated by the Sun-Sentinel for a BOB (Best of Blogs) Award in the Neighborhood category!! I couldn't be more honored by this. It came as a surprise and just to be nominated is cool... but a WIN would be amazing! I ask that you take a moment to vote (once, twice, okay maybe click on that button all day long, puhleez!) Voting will begin on February 15th and end March 1st.

Again, I'm honored to have you follow me as I explore the scene and appreciate all of my readers!  My fellow blogger has also been nominated strictly MIA in some of the other categories so show em' some love. Thanks again for all your support. :)

To vote and for more info, please go to http://www.sun-sentinel.com/