Blogs

Default Blog Header

Blog Categories

Syndicate

Subscribe in a reader

SIGN UP FOR FLORIDA TRAVEL + LIFE IN YOUR INBOX

August 11th, 2010

RA Sushi's winning "Roll for the Cure"

by Susan Friedman

RA Sushi, winning Roll for the Cure

Enlarge Photo

I had an entertaining evening recently at RA Sushi in Palm Beach Gardens located at Downtown at the Gardens. Asked to be a judge at a charity event involving inspired sushi rolls, I was all in. There were four sushi rolls created by four charities: South Florida Affiliate of Susan G. Komen For the Cure, Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League, Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County and Make a Wish Foundation of Southern Florida. RA Sushi, with its swanky red and black interior, was buzzing with volunteers from these noteworthy charities eager to have their sushi deemed the crowd fave.

June 9th, 2010

Savor Sarasota Restaurant Week

by Patricia Letakis

Short ribs at Derek's Culinary Casual

Enlarge Photo

Last Friday in Sarasota, I joined the town’s foodies at Libby’s and Derek’s Culinary Casual for Savor Sarasota Restaurant Week (savorsarasota.com). Through June 14, diners can pick and choose from 33 restaurants where multi-course meals are just $15 for lunch and $25 for dinner. This unbelievable deal is an opportunity for diners to get out and discover Sarasota’s culinary scene without breaking the bank.

May 26th, 2010

Seasoning the Steak

by Patricia Letakis

Shula's 347 Grill

Enlarge Photo

Football, steak and coach Don Shula are as American as apple pie. Since retiring from the game, Shula has built an empire around red meat. The latest addition is Shula’s 347 Grill.

>>> Read More

Tags: food | orlando | Shula | steak | steakhouse

May 13th, 2010

Another Milestone at Walt Disney World

by Patricia Letakis

Seared Columbia River salmon on English pea risotto

Enlarge Photo

It seems like just yesterday that I was celebrating the 10^th anniversary of Disney World’s California Grill, the 15^th-floor restaurant in the Contemporary Resort where the entertainment giant’s climb up the gourmet ladder began. Today we gathered to toast the restaurant’s 15^th anniversary with a lunch prepared by chef Brian Piasecki and complemented with California wines selected by sommelier Bridget Sherren.

May 10th, 2010

Village of Gulfstream Park has Arrived

by Susan Friedman

III Forks Legends Room

Enlarge Photo

I recall heading to the legendary Gulfstream Park Racetrack in Hallandale on more than one occasion in recent years—not so much to play the ponies—but to enjoy bands in the outdoor setting. With “Saturday in the Park” wafting through the air, the place always seemed sleepy and retro. That’s hardly the case anymore. The new Village of Gulfstream Park is a lively destination worth a visit (or two, or three ...).

April 7th, 2010

Get in the Grove Groove

by Shawn Bean

harveys grove

Enlarge Photo

These days, the Sunshine State is having a love affair with Key lime pies and blueberry wine, guava sake and mango margaritas, pomegranate mojitos and strawberry shortcake (after all, we are smack dab in the middle of Florida's strawberry season). Why happened to the orange's A-list status? Can't we give this bright orb a mother-peelin' break?

>>> Read More

Tags: florida orange | food | fruit | Rockledge | tastes

March 25th, 2010

Hotspot! Baru Urbano

by Susan Friedman

Hotspot! Baru Urbano

Enlarge Photo

Arriving at Miami's new Baru Urbano, a destination for Brickell-area hipsters, my first reaction was 'cool.' The bohemian interior is quasi-industrial and graffiti-filled with colorful compelling Latin-inspired street art. It works, especially with the rich dark-wood-filled décor set against gold-hued banquettes. Immersed in the scene, I imagined this was a café in Buenos Aires or perhaps Bogota!

>>> Read More

Tags: bar | Mary Brickell Village | Miami | music | seafood

March 4th, 2010

Pasta Party

by Patricia Letakis

Pasta Party

Enlarge Photo

I was among the rousing crowd of amateur cooks donning aprons and toques at the SoBe Wine & Food Festival’s FT+L-sponsored Barilla Interactive Luncheon last Saturday at the Biltmore Hotel. Leading the show was chef Scott Conant (scottconant.com) The American-Italian chef (remember him from Top Chef, Chopped and 24 Hour Restaurant Battle), whose Scarpetta restaurant recently opened at Miami Beach’s Fontainebleau Resort, teamed up with Barilla chef Lorenzo Boni.

>>> Read More

March 2nd, 2010

BubbleQ Fun at SoBe Wine & Food

by Susan Friedman

SoBe Wine Food

Enlarge Photo

I’m a Food Network junkie. I admit it; I love to watch chefs on TV. My senses go into overdrive when I’m glued to the tube, so imagine my joy at being in the thick of things at the foodie and star-sated hot ticket in town, the annual South Beach Wine & Food Festival. Despite attending year after year, I’m always excited at the prospect of who I’ll see, what I’ll taste and what I’ll imbibe (flowing Perrier Jouet, no less).

>>> Read More

March 1st, 2010

Chef vs. Beef

by Patricia Letakis

Vauthy, Popovic & Symon

Enlarge Photo

Last week at a kick-off dinner to the South Beach Wine & Food Festival I joined meat-loving foodies at Red, The Steakhouse. Rightly so, the star of the show was the beef and more specifically Certified Angus Beef (certifiedangusbeef.com); however there was some tough competition for the limelight.

>>> Read More

newsletter signup

Blogs

Recent Posts

Blog Categories

Syndicate

SIGN UP FOR FLORIDA TRAVEL + LIFE IN YOUR INBOX

newsletter signup

Member Login

Not a member? Register Now!

Blogs

Recent Posts

Blog Categories

Syndicate

SIGN UP FOR FLORIDA TRAVEL + LIFE IN YOUR INBOX