Juvia: A View From the Top!

Hamachi Espuma

Ever since Juvia opened earlier this year I've been hearing people talking about it. The views, the design, the romance. The food? Well, that was a subject of much debate that ranged from superlative statements like "Best meal of my life!" to "Not worth it." with some claiming their first time was amazing but they were disappointed on return. What to do? With uneven reviews from friends and high prices, it wasn't quite on the top of my list. But then I finally got a chance to go and see what all the fuss was about for myself. It's the views, stupid! 

Like their other restaurant in St. Barth, Bonito (I've been, it's good!), the views are spectacular. And the ambiance is unlike any other restaurant in Miami. It's sexy, but in a sophisticated way that feels more like... somewhere else. Not anyplace that actually exists mind you, just somewhere you wished would. And the views are spectacular by day or night. The food, is secondary, which not to say it's not good, it's just hard to compete with that view. But it tries. Hard. A few things I had could even fit under "best ever." Those included the buttery Hamachi Espuma (above), the Sea Scallops Plancha and then, the "candy bar" dessert. All amazing, all were recommendations from our waiter. He did not specifically recommend the Korean Marinated Short Ribs, which Yannick ordered anyway. They had pretty good flavor, but they were very, very dry. So the lesson here is that the menu might be a bit uneven, so it's best to ask the waiter what is best and pick from those selections.

So is Juvia worth it? Most defiantly, especially for a special occasion and I don't mean big birthday parties either, I mean the kind of celebrations that are best done à deux. Tête-à- tête, if you know what I mean ;)

Juvia's view down Lincoln

Juvia menu

The Gap Stole My Name!

When I was little, I rather hated my name. And because my mother kept my hair short, people didn't know if I was a boy or a girl, and my name, well, it didn't give them any further clues. I could never find never barrettes, notepads or other fun personalized trinkets with my name on them. At some point, around high school, I started to appreciate the uniqueness of my name. But now, many years later, my name seems poised not to be so unique any more. And the fact that The Gap has turned my own personal brand into a cut for jeans doesn't make me as happy as it might have when I was, say, seventeen. What's worse, they are made for some other fictional Hadley, one with no curves and that's definitely not me.

The truth is, I've kind of liked being (more or less) the only one all these years. While there is a website, a registry for all the Hadleys in recent history, in all of my years I've never met another one, and neither have most the people I meet. Once, years ago, a friend of a friend I wasn't so sure about asked me if she could name her daughter Hadley. I told her I'd rather she didn't. Was that mean? Am I selfish? Perhaps. But now it seems there may not much chance of stemming the tide of Hadleys to come, so I might as well just face that I've been paving the way for a new generation of "Hadleys" everywhere.

Former 944 Interns take Fashion Week Swim!

Me and Simonett

These are the days when reporting from the front lines really gets interesting and South Beach really does live up to it's sexy reputation. Thursday marked the beginning of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim in Miami Beach. But it's not quite like Fashion Week in New York. This one sees women on that catwalks in skimpy swimsuits instead of ready to wear (out the door) fashions and hooked-in locals rarely get shut out from shows they really want to attend. As an editor, I'm on the lists, but connected non-media and buyers can usually wiggle their way in as well, making the shows much more social than other cities. It doesn't hurt that they do these at night, after all the buyers are done perusing the biggest swim trade show in the world at the Miami Beach Convention Center, and more recently, Salon Allure at the W.

On Thursday at Soho Beach House, I attended an event thrown by a former 944 intern-turned-serious-stylist, Rachel Russell. It is called Style Saves and it's a fundraiser to help disadvantaged children get back to school duds. While waiting for the show to begin, I caught up with another former 944 intern, Simonett Pereira who is now a fashion blogger. I must give her props - blog looks fab.  Never say an internship can't change your life! Check it out www.fringemiami.com.

Beauty in Ohio: Swans at Buckeye Lake

Get too close and they'll hiss like Naomi Campbell

Buckeye Lake was always filled with ducks. Lots and lots of ducks. But now, they have become replaced by hoards of Canadian Geese, which the locals hate because they settle on land and leave such a mass of droppings everywhere it is impossible to avoid stepping in them. (See the strings below that were installed by my husband as a barrier to keep the geese in the water and off the yard.) The geese are still there, but lately there have been a new breed of visitor: swans. The most recent sitings have involved a husband and wife team with a brood of four cygnets. 

They are so cute, but if you come close -- they will hiss. One day my mom decided she must feed them - with the only thing she had on hand - saltines. While I implored her not to, I didn't have any hard fast evidence as to why this was bad for them. She did it nonetheless and was excited when they ate some of it. I have since learned that it is very bad to feed these birds, because the typical foods people try to give them are harmful to their intestines, and keep them from eating their nutrient-dense diet of super foods like algae. The only time it is ok is if it is winter or late fall / early spring and their natural food is not available. Then it is ok to give them natural popped corn, cooked brown rice or lightly steamed vegetable scraps. Got it? Good! If you don't believe me, stop by Wild Birds Unlimited in Dublin and let tell you what they think. Whatever you do, just don't tell them my mom gave them saltines! 

Pappa swan in Buckeye Lake

Things to do in Ohio: A Romp in a Field of Corn

The first time we saw it was quite a trip. Late one winter night in early 1995, some friends and I were driving around having a "That 70's Show" kind of time, when we stumbled upon a field of concrete corn.  We couldn't believe our eyes (or those ears), so we pulled over to take it all in. At first we giggled and then we were in awe at the installation of 109 eight food ears of corn. Why hadn't we heard about this? Where did this come from? Where the hell were we? (Lost, that's where.) They were all legitimate questions that we might have known the answers to if we hadn't all been in college, living outside of Columbus.

We dubbed it, ominously, "The Corn" but its real name was "Field of Corn" and it was a commission by the Dublin Arts Council by artist Malcolm Cochran. The idea was  to create the sculpture in the very spot where Sam Frantz once planted the very first hybrid corn. He created "Corn Belt Dent Corn," a  double cross hybrid, and so a field of concrete corn was erected in his honor after the Frantzs donated the land. Field of Corn is set on the fringe of an office park and the intersection of Frantz and Rings Road, and failed to be taken seriously by, well, almost anyone for many years. It's been painted, defaced by drunken teenagers, and jokingly called "Cornhenge" by locals, but the truth is everyone kind of loves it, if only for its complete and total randomness. And while it may be a monument the precursor of GMO corn, Field of Corn is more enduring and endearing than most art installations and certainly worth a detour.

How to have fun in Ohio: A Ride in the Testarossa

The Ferrari materializes in front of Mom's house

Returning to Ohio is always somewhat of a "Back to the Future" experience for me. But this time, I really felt it when my cousin Rob Case took me for a ride in his "new" 1991 Ferrari Testarossa. I couldn't help but feel a little Doc 'n Marty when he picked my up in this bucolic Ohio burb of Muirfield to go for a drive. 

watch full screen to experience!

prancing pony

original lipstick red interior

Back to the Future

Passion for cars runs in the family, but Rob takes it to another level. He has painstakingly rebuilt the entire car, restored the leather and made it look, and run, like new.  It really is breathtaking, but I know him, now that he's done, he'll probably sell it soon and it's on to the next thing!

Beautiful!

Jugofresh - Open for Life - or 2pm, whichever comes first

Jugofresh is the newest and hottest thing among Miami Beach's smart set. It is a beautiful little organic juice bar that has taken design cues from the Cowshed, and hot yoga teacher customers from Whole Foods. It's a great place to go get juice on a fast, but in my case, I'm coming here to break it with one of their delicious "blended beverages".

But there are issues, there are.. rules. Essentially, they are the "Juice Nazis" of Miami Beach, and just like Seinfeld's original Soup Nazi, the lines are long, the rules are strict (no changes to juice recipes, cold-pressed never centrifuge!) and subjects willingly go back day after day until the last Gogi Lemonade or Mylk Shake is gone.  Which is around 2pm, when they close. I know, I know, 2pm?! But remember we're playing by their rules, not ours.

That said, they have already expanded their offerings beyond just juice to include some food. Raw, vegan food that is. See menu below:

Perhaps their indifference to walk-in customers has more to do with the fact that their core business is the juice cleansing clients, who get an entire day of juices for $75. These people take priority and have first dibs on the Allow Meow H2O. And personally knowing how much work it is to make juice I would say it's a pretty good deal if you've got the scratch.

devotees

Chia Seed Pudding

Sugar Sherm - my reward for making it 4 days!

from the outside

They deliver if you're on "the program"

4 Days of Just Juice - the recipes

My fridge during a cleanse

When I juice cleanse, I pull out my big Breville juicer and make all of my own juice and put them in assorted glass jars that I have on hand. I usually press enough for two days so I don't have to clean the juicer every day. (Lazy, I know.) I label them so I remember exactly what's in each one, I have to avoid cucumbers but they are valuable during a cleanse so I make them for Yannick. Here are some yummy new combinations that I came up with this time around.

Beet - Grapefruit

Honeydew-Ginger - Lemon- Parsley- Kale

Carrot-Ginger-Lemon

V8- Tomato, Celery, Cilantro, Basil, Parsley, Carrot, Lemon, Cucumber

Master Cleanse Water - Lemon, Cayenne, Honey

Juice Beet Greens by themselves and take with water for shot before a tastier juice, same with kale


Remember, the more sweet juices you have, the more blood sugar fluctuations the hungrier you'll be. If you want to stave off hunger while you're doing this, strain the juice (digestion shuts down when there is no food or fiber and you are less hungry), and stick with vegetable juices of the low sugar variety (that means limit carrot and beet and fruit juices!)

"Lunchbox" for Yannick complements of Blue Print Cleanse - use an ice pack