Sunday, January 29, 2012

There is a new little Cheesesteak joint called MLT

I ate a bunch before remembering to snap a shot

A lot of times you can judge a restaurant by it's french fries - and the fries at MLT are delicious. Both the truffle fries and sweet potato versions were completely addictive and gone a few seconds after my friend Adina and I got going on them (the boys were counting their carbs, shame on them!)

Everyone at the table wanted to order a Philly Cheesesteak, which is supposed to be their specialty, so we didn't get to try the sliders and fried chicken and waffles that friends and Yelpers says are the best things on the menu. We did sample all the desserts though. The fried Oreos were just  a little too much for our health-conscious crew (they come in regular and vanilla wafer) but the Krispy Kreme bread pudding was a hit. It probably would be even more so if they could figure out a way to serve it warm. Needless to say we'll be back to Washington Avenue to try the rest soon.


That is one clean kitchen

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Where the Stone Crabs are.. on Fridays


There are only about 3 1/2 months left in stone crab season and I really haven't quite had my fill yet this year. So when I heard that Kitchen 305 at the Newport Beachside Hotel had a $55 all-you-can-eat stone crab dealy-o on Fridays, I was game to go try it. After all you'll pay at least twice that at Joe's and odds are it won't be so much the crab as the sides that you fill up on. So Yan and I headed up there and ate our fill of the delicious (and renewable) crustacean. They were really big and really tasty, albeit a bit more work than the one's from Joe's.  One plate was enough, but they'll keep them coming until you say "Uncle!" The other menu options are decent, and the rolls are warm and tempting, but it's really the crabs that are worth the trek.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Viva Miami!


I love the Deco Bike bike sharing program as much (or more) than the next gal, but if you really want to feel like a local, get a Vespa.... in flamingo pink. ¡Viva Miami!

Shop Vespa - Click Here!

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Pulse at New World Symphony

Hipster xylophonist

I had so much fun at the New World Symphony's Pulse last night! Last year I didn't get to catch the whole event so I got there early this year and stayed front and center. It's my favorite show of the year - and probably everyone else's too - it was sold out way in advance and everyone was there for this very grown-up kind of rave.  DJ's mixing dance and ambient music with symphonic instruments, a light show to rival any laser job. Check it out!

Inside Frank Gehry's new New World Symphony

Thursday, January 19, 2012

It's Called "American Apparel" for a reason


 Lately I've been feeling a little patriotic, or maybe it's just the state of the economy that is making me wish just about anything was still made in the USA. Well, there is one brand that still makes their stuff here, albeit it's often in the form of lamé hotpants: American Apparel. I've always loved their marketing and 80's ethos but I didn't realize they are also the biggest clothing manufacturer in the Western Hemisphere and a pretty cool company to work for. I recently went to their site and took their virtual factory tour and fell in love with the company all over again.. and it's pervy owner, Dov Charney. Click here to see it!



PS. Even if "Legalize Gay" tee-shirts and see-through mesh bodysuits aren't for you, they have a lot of great, well-cut basics like turtle necks, v-necks and sweats.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

One Dolla!

Montadito
Midtowners already know the magic of the Montadito, but I just had the chance to finally eat one last week. They're little sandwiches which come with anything and everything on them, and on Wednesdays, at 100 Montaditos, they're all a dollar. And the beer, well that deal is supposed to be on Friday, but they gave us a little one for free! The sandwiches are about  $2.50, so you can go any day of the week and not the bank. Try the choriso, or Serreno ham with olive oil or the Pulled BBQ Pork. They're all pretty yummy, but I might suggest steering clear of the fish ones - they're the only ones that are not so great. That should be easy considering there are 100 different varieties. Beachers will have their own outpost of the Spanish chain any minute on 15th and Washington! Yipee!



Saturday, January 14, 2012

My Georgia Oatmeal Recipe

Brrr. It's cold again. And that means you need a hot breakfast. But not the animal and lard-laden sausage and biscuit kind, that's for Sunday. Saturday requires it's own type of warm, cozy breakfast that will enable you to do all those fun Saturday things that need to get done (read: chores). So get out regular (not instant) oatmeal and follow my recipe for Georgia Oatmeal below:

Oatmeal for 1
take a small saucepan and add:
1/2 cup oats
1 cup filtered water
1 pinch of salt (1/8 tsp or less)
frozen or fresh peaches
sprinkle of cinnamon
bring to a boil then lower to low heat for 4 minutes
add a splash of almond milk, pecans and raw, Grade B maple syrup to taste

Friday, January 13, 2012

RED's Red Wine


Every time someone asks me where to go for steak in Miami, I always tell them hands down, without a doubt they should go to RED the Steakhouse. It is by far and away the best steakhouse (and the owners are from Cleveland, which might be why the service is so good). They are the only ones serving real prime beef, warm Alaskan King Crab and their sides are amazing, not heavy triple cream junk that makes you want to hurl afterwards (Prime 112, I'm talking to you), but really beautiful, well-seasoned vegetables and starches. So I jumped at any excuse to go there and in this case it was to try their new house red, Constant's Diamond Mountain Vineyard. The special blend of 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon runs $199 a bottle and isn't found anywhere else. And I can speak from experience, it's full of bite, yet super smooth. It won full approval from my French palate (aka the better half.) What has the steakhouse really excited is that they are one of few restaurants around the world to offer such a fine house wine, bottled and labeled just for them. They still offer their $72 house wine from Gerard, which is great (smooth and peppery), but we're kind of stuck on the Diamond Mountain.  An amazing bottle to order if you're in that league... or just blowing all your money on a big celebration.
The big cheese

a taste of filet mignon and creamed corn
A little Bulgari water never hurt

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Drink Your Greens!


Have you seen Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, but not quite gotten around to using your juicer every day? Me neither. I usually only get it out for serious juice fasts. Or when I have a bumper crop of oranges from my yard. It's a pain in the butt to clean, so I just don't use it every day. What I can do every day, and have been for 8 years or so, is have a big glass of greens every morning. It takes a few seconds to mix, is super alkalinizing and is full of micro-nutrients. It also keeps you regular and balances your blood sugar. The one that I find easiest to drink is Kyo Green. It's a mix of chlorella, wheat grass, barley grass and FOS. Drink it first thing, before eating and before brushing your teeth. I dilute it a lot and drink it with a straw (you'll taste it less and prevent a swamp-thing mustache). It blends well and doesn't taste too bad. Give it a try for 2 weeks, it will change you! Not convinced? Watch the movie in it's entirety here.

Buy at Whole Foods, Apple-a-Day or online here.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

BMW X3 Throwdown: Old vs. New

2006 X3 (left) and  2012 X3 (right)

Some of you may know I'm a bit of a car hound. It runs in the family pretty fervently. I think that's why I splurged a bit when I got my 2006 BMW X3 some years ago. It was built to my specs (M stick shift, full body color, servotronic steering) in the summer of 2005 and received it three months later.  Now it's got 20,000 miles on it and even though I still love it and think it looks great,  I cheat on it all the time. I test drive other cars at dealerships, accept all invitations to media driving events and constantly think about getting a new one. For 2012, BMW came out with an updated X3 which I immediately tried then decided I definitely would not trade my car in for the new model. They lowered the roof line for less headroom and visibility and added some unnecessary lines and tons of black plastic and I just didn't like it. Yesterday, I happened to park right behind a brand new X3 just like mine. Side-by-side, I think the old one looks much prettier. Am I crazy? Take a look and tell me what you think. Personally, I've decided when the times comes to replace it, it'll be between the Range Rover Evoque, Volkswagen Tiguan, Audi Q5, Mercedes GLK, Mini Countryman or if the economy keeps tanking, maybe just a Jetta.

Old X3

New X3


Still like mine better


Can you REALLY drive?

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

I can't wait for Odysseo by Cavalia

Last year I was totally floored when Cirque du Soleil debuted Cavalia. I mean Cirque du Soleil plus horses? It's like Champagne and shopping, dangerous, unnecessary and completely awesome! Anyways, Cavalia made me feel like a kid again, and now it's back with a new show with the same concept: carefully choreographed acrobatics on a stable of beautiful, galloping horses. Like most shows, this one is best witnessed up close so get your tickets early. Horses ride into town on March 13.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Field Trip: South Pointe Park


Show Off


Rough Biking on the Pier

The only place in Miami that looks really "Eastern Seaboard"
Sun in front of us - rain behind

Our Meddow


Sunday, January 8, 2012

I Love Aileen's New Jeffrey Campbell Shoes


Lunch at Soho House with make-up artist Aileen Quintana and artist Erin Parish produced some interesting results. Fashion results that is. I was pretty happy to be wearing my new cashmere All Saints Sweater and my old, black Rockstar Uggs, but these two ladies really showed me what it is to be edgy and fashionable. Aileen rocked green, spiked flats by Jeffery Campbell, heart-shaped shades and a crazy-perfect nail job one could only expect from a make-up artist. Erin sported a neoprene (read SCUBA material) blazer from Osklen and black leather pants.  Next time I have lunch with these two, I'm going to have to step up my game!



Saturday, January 7, 2012

Brunch at Sugarcane Raw Bar & Grill

Duck & Waffles






Where should we go to brunch? I get asked that all the time because I've eaten at just about every restaurant in the city. And I'm known to be a bit....choosy. Of course everybody knows about Sugarcane by now, it is slammed every evening and weekend.  But do they know they have a fabulous and slightly avant brunch menu that is even more adventurous than their lunch and dinner options? It's true. Whether it's fresh squeezed carrot-ginger  juice, organic eggs (I'm a stickler), fennel & herb sausage, house-made muesli or truffled toad-in-a-hole it's going to be completely original and completely delicious. Don't miss the amazing artisanal brunch cocktails with ingredients like fresh pomegranate seeds, celery bitters and fresh muddled Oregon blackberries. Bottoms up!

Friday, January 6, 2012

Chalk it up! The Ping-Pong trend arrives in style






Last night Yannick and I headed to Chalk Ping Pong and Billiards Lounge for their grand opening, and it was packed! Not so crowded that you couldn't get a table for comp ping-pong or Absolut cocktails, but full of hipsters ready to have fun. The new venue is a big place right on Washington Avenue where the Hustler superstore stood for a hot minute. Now it's got a better crowd, billiards and all manner of games which are peddled for $15 an hour. $50 monthly memberships available for heavy users. And judging by the fervor with which table tennis hit New York last year, there might be quite a few of those.
 

Ess & Emm

Game Girl



And in case you were wondering - I'm terrible at ping-pong.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

How I Managed No-Chip Nails

Guys, unless you're really into male polish, or just wonder why your girlfriend is always worried about messing up her nails, you can just skip this entry. It's about nail polish, something I more or less stopped wearing a while ago because it's just too much maintenance and is possibly a little toxic. Plus, there's nothing worse than chipped nails, especially if you're wearing dark polish. And mine always chip. It doesn't matter if I go to a luxury salon, a little Korean nail place, or do it myself, my polish never usually last more than two (max three) days before the inevitable first chip.

But today I realized something quite astonishing. The navy polish I hastily dug up and put on on New Year's Eve still doesn't have one single chip. It's been five days and I am shocked. So I decided to go back and look at these miraculous products I had used, which are by no means new. First up: Ulta Professional Base Coat which was a gift when they opened the superstore on Lincoln Road. Next up, two coats of Yoga-ta Get This Blue! by OPI followed by OPI Top Coat. Et voila! The magic combo. Who'd a thunk it?


Wednesday, January 4, 2012

A Really Great Lunch at De Rodriguez Cuba

Empanadas

When I was working as the editor of 944 Magazine, I wrote about new restaurants and bars all the time. The operative word being new. But what happens when all the buzz wears off and the eatery is -gasp - a couple of years old? There's generally not much follow up for that. Such is the case of De Rodriguez Cuba in the Hilton Bentley Bay. I hadn't eaten there since their opening and I had a hankering for some rice and beans that didn't come from Pollo Tropical or David's Cafe, so my husband and I decided to take our bikes and dine beach, er, poolfront.

So, unlike a lot of restaurants, it turns out the food is actually better than when it opened. And the prices are really reasonable for the high quality of the food.

Everything we ordered was divine - especially a Watercress Salad with goat cheese, pumpkin seeds, puree and oil. The Chicken Empanadsas were delicious as was a $12 giant plate of fried fish tacos.


Even the sparkling water was bubbled in house in the modern, eco style.

The patio had some diners, but the restaurant was empty. Which is just plain wrong.  I know Miamians are fickle, and frankly there are just too many restaurants courting too few diners for them all to be full, but

Douglas Rodriguez

is one of Miami's great chefs and worth of respect and a crowd. Give it a try next time you're on South Point.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

It's Still Absolutely Fabulous!






It's just as awesome as it ever was, and thanks to facelifts and Botox, it's like no time has passed for Patsy and Edina. In fact, they look better than ever. Enjoy the full episode here!

Monday, January 2, 2012

If We Took a Holiday


go full screen for full effect!

An impromptu bike ride along the beachwalk on Monday yielded some great vibes. I stumbled upon a local breakdancing trio called Revolution drawing a crowd with  an 80's style breaking circle. Then I heard some drum beats a bit down the way and found some African drummers. I didn't want to interrupt their performance to get their name - they were way into it. But Ocean Drive was so alive, and everyone was having so much fun everywhere that it made me think... this is exactly the kind of Holiday that Madonna has been singing about all these years.



Schwinning!

I bought the basket at Fritz's - next: fenders, streamers and a rear-view mirror!

Today is probably going to be the best bike riding day of the year - in Florida anyways. No commuters, no drunk drivers, just a bunch of people staying home, taking the day off - perfect conditions for biking. And now, thankfully I have a new bike to do it on. (I've been bikeless for over a year - when my expensive mountain bike was stolen and thrown into a shipping container bound for Central America with hundreds of others at the Port of Miami (well that's what the guy at Fritz's Skate Shop thinks anyways).

Replacing it wasn't as easy as I thought. I didn't want to spend too much if it was just going to get stolen again, and I wanted to try a hybrid. You know, half road bike, half mountain bike - a perfect pix for a Goldilocks like me. The problem was I couldn't find a bike that looked chic, had fenders and shocks for less than $600. So I gave up - until I found not a Trek, or a Jamis, but a good, old fashioned Schwinn for $279! And I love it! It's so comfortable and cute. But I have two.

Instead of buying it, I put it on my Christmas list and low and behold my Mom and my Dad both bought a bike for me! Now I have two. And bikesdirect.com is unreachable (I thought I would return one and get a mens version for my husband). So if anyone would like to buy the second one from me email me at hadleyhenriette@gmail.com!

color: white (with pink and white houndstooth embroidery accents)
size: Medium (for 5'6" -5'10")
gears: 3



Eat your heart out Pee-Wee!

Sunday, January 1, 2012

The Best New Year's Day - Brunch at Your House


Everyone knows the perfect cure for a hangover is food - and lot's of it! But New Year's Day isn't just national hangover day - it's a real holiday deserving of it's own little celebration. So why not have a little hair of the dog, whip up some eggs and bacon and have a few equally hung over guests in casual duds chez toi? After all, you didn't have a New Year's Eve party at your house. Right? You're not that crazy!


Brunch Chez Henriette:
Assortment of oven-baked quiches (mushroom & soy cheese, ham & Gruyere, salmon & cream cheese)  
Oven roasted potatoes
Baguette
Frisée Salad
Bloody Mary's
Peach Bellini's