Whiskey for Women

I think I like whiskey. Yes, I know it was something I never thought would come out of my mouth.....so, let me explain.

I had the good fortune of being invited by my friend Dana to a "Whiskey for Women" event held at the Ritz Calton Key Biscayne this past Friday. There was a woman there who worked for Johnny Walker and was trying to help promote whiskey as a drink that women could enjoy.

Besides sitting amongst the rest of the "Real Houswives of Key Biscayne" some who were more "doctored up" than others, I got to sip on some amazing mixed cocktails all made with whiskey. Dana and I each had a cocktail which was concocted of muddled raspberries, simple syrup, soda, basil leaves, and Johnny, all served elegantly in a martini glass. Yummy :) I was pleasantly surprised.

Then we all sat down and got to sample each of the Johnny Walker labels. Black, Red, Green, Gold and Blue. Surprisingly, the Gold was delectable and we were told it went well with desserts and was meant to be chilled. Of course the Blue was nice too, but maybe that was because they served this one to us in a miniature snifter (I'm such a sucker for presentation.) When we sipped the Red, they told us dip our strawberry in the black pepper on our plates and then try the Red. Interesting.....while not a fan of that particular label, the strawberry + pepper was an tasty unique snack.

I know in the past I've turned up my nose at this brown scary spirit, rightfully so. I always thought that brown liquor made you sicker, but maybe that was just the fact that all the college boys drank Johnny to extremes....

My place setting for the tasting. 

From Commoner to Royal

And he finally proposed.....

After all the hub bub and chatter about when a royal proposal would ever actually occur, it finally did. On a safari to Kenya no less. Now, really Wills??? Do you really think carrying around your mother's monster sapphire engagement ring in your "rucksack" for several weeks as you scamper across the safari is wise? Good thing he didn't lose it. How would the tabloids take that?

And then she became the royal fiance. Lucky girl, even if the future king of england is somewhat balding.

Will this be my generation's "Royal Wedding?" Will these nuptials be as watched throughout the world as Charles and Diana's were?

I can't wait. Dying to see what she'll wear and how many silly English hats will be donning the guestlist.

She did well......for a commoner. Cheers Kate!

Happy Veteran's Day

Thanks to all our service men and women who continually fight for our country everyday. And thanks to our veterans.... because our country wouldn't be what it is today without their past sacrifices.

Holiday catalogue bliss

So yesterday I came home after a loooooong day of work to find my mailbox overflowing with wondrous jolly holiday catalogues. I couldn't wait to dig in.

Glass of wine, check. Blanket on the couch, check. My newest glossy postage treats on my lap. Bliss.

Of the ones that arrived yesterday, Anthropologie, Nordstrom, Free People, and Sephora. I could spend an entire evening flipping through the pages of these (and I pretty much did). Something about the the models with their red lips, teased hair and sparkly shoes that makes the cloud of holiday joy sprinkle its confetti down on you.

There were a few things that caught my eye in Nordy's. Some rhinestone Vera Wang flats and a new ostrich Marc Jacobs bag. Ugh I really don't need these items, but they are pretty for now and give me something delightful to think about when my day might otherwise be dull.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Ozzie bag

Vera Wang Lavender Label Luna flats

Time for another glass of wine. Time for Free People.

I've never actually bought anything from this brand, although they have some fascinating little dresses and quirky slips if you can find a way to pull it off without looking like you got dressed in the dark or want to dress like Laura Ingalls Wilder (for those of you not from the midwest, this equals "Little House on the Prairie style). There were a few items that were manageable, but I'm still holding out and eagerly awaiting for my J Crew holiday catalogue to magically emerge in my mailbox. Now that would be a great end to a workday.

A few interesting Free People finds....

Goddess Dress

Milicent Slip

Hello November.

WOW. Now that was a blog hiatus. What has it been, like 2 weeks? 3 weeks since I last made a post?
Oh well, time flies I guess...

But since I mentioned it....and time flies, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT'S FREAKIN NOVEMBER ALREADY?????? Seriouslyface, what has happened to dear old 2010? It has come and will be gone very shortly. Oh yes, and that means New Years Eve will be here before you know it and we can all deck ourselves out in sequins and champagne and toast in 2011.

We had our first cold snap this weekend here in Miami. I woke up on Saturday morning to venture to my neighborhood Starbucks only to figure out that it was 59 degrees outside and that my leggings and flipflops did little to shield me from the outdoor chill. Nonetheless, I still got my usual Iced Coffee. :)

This is the time of year when my clients at work show up to the bank in their furs and I'm reminded that these people DO NOT KNOW cold weather. I'm from Kansas, I know cold weather. Now while I completely understand this whole "your blood thins out syndrome".....mink coats? REALLY? Come on people, this is Miami, not Minsk.

Catherine Weitzman jewelbox

I stumbled across this amaaaaazing jewelry designer a few months ago. With influences from Hawaii, it's clear what the designer's inspirations are. The sea, nature, the elements. Although I haven't purchased any of her designs as of yet, I keep coming back to her perfect website. And while we all know I have an addiction to bracelets (the more the better) I also find that her necklaces and rings are simple and elegant as well. Hmmmm, maybe a "Happy November" present to myself soon??? Oh online shopping is such an addiction, and delicious designers and websites like this one only add to the high.

Check out for yourself:  http://www.catherineweitzman.com

A few of my obsessions.....

Filigree Cuff

Ganesh necklace

Urchin necklace

Ruby fade bracelet

Octopus ring

Keishi pearl bracelet

Coral Basket with Turquoise

Jellyfish necklace

Shaker necklace

Urchin Ring

Coral Cuff

SPOTTED! Pablo Escobar. In Wisconsin.

Alas, it is none other than one of Peter's notorious friends, after a wild night at Ricky and Dana's wedding reception! Clad in cheese hat and the groom's oversized Miami-esque shades, and possibly wearing pink socks, Victor looks amazingly like a certain cartel lord's twin. Was it all the drinks we had that night? Or just the unshaven appearance of Victor eating pizza, wings, and fried green beans while drinking out of the homemade "roadie" he crafted with the help of a very large butcher knife and Dasani water bottle?

It is quite possible that 90% of us at the Greenmill (Bar that is) post reception have this sexy photo in our phones. Victor at his finest, after he knighted Ricky with the cheese hat during his best man toast.

A humorous end to the weekend. And probably one of the loudest, most intoxicating (pun intended) parties to hit ever hit Eau Claire Wisconsin.

Thank you Ricky and Dana for having such a wild wedding weekend. We all had a blast, minus the fire alarms at 2 am at the hotel.

Greyhounds to go.

Some of the more "normal" guests at the wedding

OMG the movie was about FB

I left the movie theater last night feeling content. For the first time in a long time, I saw a movie that was worth seeing (i.e. worth my $10.50). Behold the Social Network. I'd been dying to see this film since the previews came out a few months ago being that I am part of the "original" facebookers.....(remember when you actually had to have a school  email address ".edu" to join?) Oh the good 'ole days before they sold out to the general public.

The movie goes into detail about how manic Mark Zuckerberg started the database/social networking site while being an absolute nerd at Harvard. Emphasis on the NERD aspect. Whatever. However ugly the kid might've been, he was an absolute genius and computer nerd who managed to completely shut down the Harvard computer servers during a night of binge beer drinking and computer coding while building the site "Facesmash.com" (where you rated the hotness of girls against each other).

The actors were phenomenal and believable. And the amount of screwing over each other was fascinating....It's amazing how litigious people can be over intellectual property even in their twenties. Beyond that, it's pitiful how dumb Harvard kids can be while signing incorporation documents only to see their beloved social network shares being diluted and diluted....

I found that I didn't want this movie to end. Was it that it narrated through an important and time-consuming part of my life? How many hours did I spend on facebook in college exactly??? Um, I plead the fifth.

At any rate, it was such a well done film, I would see it over and over again. Greed, betrayal, money, sex, it's all in there. All I can say is poor Eduardo.....just wait and see what happens to him. And get ready to laugh during the AE Pi Caribbean Night party. It's entertaining.....were there ANY girls there?

Zuma

I had the fortunate experience of going out to dinner for one of my colleague's retirement at a fabulous new restaurant in Miami about two weeks ago. Zuma, at the Epic Hotel.

It. Was. Fabulous.

Zuma is a Japanese tapas type place, that also serves sushi and other interesting items. A few things I tried that I would've steered clear of otherwise sans my present company, were Uni (sea urchin roe, yes I know what you're thinking) and Tofu. Now this was the very first time I had tried tofu and I will say I was pleasantly surprised. Being from Kansas (aka a MEAT EATER), I had my reservations, but Steve (who's retirement we were celebrating and also an avante garde foodie) told me I wouldn't be disappointed. He was correct. Now I don't know where these chefs found this tofu to fry but it tasted amazing, the flavors were spectacular and the texture was like goat cheese......smooth and creamy. NOT how I thought tofu would be at all.

And the Uni (that mysterious looking sea urchin roe), well......let's be honest, it kinda smelled like low tide. And the fact that the membrane was around the roe, made me think I was eating some sort of intestine or something. But once again I was pleasantly surprised and was glad that I was finally branching out of my steak and potatoes ways.

Some other things we sampled (amongst the bottles and bottles of cold sake and wine we drank) were:

Seabass Sashimi with yuzu, truffle oil and salmon roe
Spicy Yellowtail roll with serrano pepper and wasabi mayo
Beef tenderloin with sesame, sweet chile and soy

A few other things worth mentioning: the ambiance was amazing, the service was outstanding, and the place was packed for a monday night! And apparently there is no recession in Miami, because this place was not cheap.

So far this is my favorite Asian/Japanese restaurant in Miami. And another plus.....I always love an eatery that switches out my white napkin for a black one since I'm wearing a black skirt. JACKPOT!

Visit Zuma online....

beauty and the beach

How amazing is technology if I can blog while in the comfort of my lounge chair on the beach in marco island???? Ahhh, satisfaction.....

What is it about the beach that makes it so simply intoxicating?? Is it the sound of the waves? The smell of coconut infused sunscreen products? Or just the thrill that you can laze about like a lump on a log for hours?

The beach here is so different than miami beach. Most notably, I see more fabric included in ladies swimsuits. As I gaze around here like a stalker, I can't help but notice the amount of full coverage bikini bottoms rather than the minuscule Brazilian styles that grace the bums of the miamians. My friend tara once told me though when I was considering my first purchase of a nonexistent bikini bottom that "less fabric on your butt actually indeed does make it look less larger." While it took me a moment to examine this "finding" of hers, I actually think there is something to this....

When you cover your behind with enough fabric to swaddle a newborn baby, you're going to look like you're wearing an adult diaper. If if you're worried about the volume your rump takes up, take this advice from my late grandfather "fat looks better tan."

Escale à fragrance heaven.

When it comes to perfume, I think we all have our "go to" scent. We get comfortable in our fragrance and rarely venture out into the unknown....

For about a hundred years mine was Lolita Lempicka. It smelled like cotton candy, strong, delightful. And it came in a bottle that looked like a forbidden apple. As I grew older I then moved on to the other usual suspects, Chanel (in my case, Chanel Chance). And then finally last year, I stepped into the unknown, Viktor and Rolf's Eau Mega. This was a fantastic scent, fresh, floral, green. Although expensive, about $100 for 1.7 ounces, it was well worth the price, because it lasts......................................................................

Next up, my mom just recently came back from Italy and brought me the new Dior fragrance I've been after, Escale à Portofino. This is downright awesome. The same fresh, light green floral scents I like, but feminine, not unisex smelling (like some can be). Davidoff Cool Water anyone? Anyone? Just kidding. So anyway, this Dior features bergamot, citron, orange blossom and almond notes. If you're into fresh floral scents like me, head up to your favorite Nordstrom counter and grab a sample. The only downfall is that it doesn't last long on you, so I feel like I might go through this bottle rather quickly. But oh well, the smell is worth it.

Bananas in a box

Oh behold China Grill....the one place that does Miami Spice well. For those of you readers who don't know, Miami Spice is the season during August and September when some of Miami's best restaurants offer a price fixe menu for lunch ($24) and for dinner ($36) for three courses. And that's where China Grill comes in....

So many restaurants skimp you on small portions, bad menu options, and poor service when you want to order of the miami spice menu, but not China Grill. I usually hit up the place for lunch once a year, but this year they decided not to offer the lunch menu, and only offer dinner instead. So three of my friends, Angela, Emily and Stefanie decided to go for dinner this rainy Thursday evening.

The menu is served family style, large portions, great flavors, lots of choices. For four people, we got to pick three appetizers, three entrees, and a dessert. The skirt steak and spicey beef dumplings are always a favorite when we go there. Angela also loves the calamari salad with the miso dressing. But a standard is always Bananas in a Box, our dessert. It arrives in a tower of carmelized confection, filled with whipped cream, chopped bananas, and a custard of sorts. What you do is take your forks, and whomp the tower over, crunch up all the carmelized candy shell and mix 'er all up. Yum, it's bananas.....and it's our favorite part of the evening. Don't leave China without it.

Oh and did I mention we left looking like bag ladies because we each had a monster sized doggie bag to take home our leftover man portions????? This miami spice is good. Don't miss out.

Sweet Succulence

Monique Lhuillier

I wanted to share some more fashion photos from Monique Lhuillier's ready to wear Spring 2011 show. Something about the models' makeup and the splash of colors just made everything pop. It looks like such a happy, colorful show.

And for any of us who have gotten married, we all know that Monique makes the most exquisite wedding dresses....this is actually where she began. Her ready to wear collection only began recently, in the past few years I think. Monique Lhuillier's wedding dresses are known for their "pick-ups" in the skirt and her beautiful lace and other detailing. Nevertheless, she knows what looks good on a woman and her fit looks perfect. I would like to have one of everything in this collection! Yes please!

I need this. We'll call it "lacy mermaid"

I love everything, I almost put up a pic of every look from the show.

Altamar

It is my favorite restaurant in Miami. And if you haven't been there you've been missing out. We had dinner there last night with some friends, and as always, it food did not disappoint. Where else can you go and find such yummies on the menu such as: yellow jack, mutton snapper, hog fish ceviche???? Sound just like "some other fish" to you? Well, let me explain. Most restaurants don't serve these types of fish. Sure you go somewhere and you can always find a snapper, a grouper, mahi, but you can't always find jack, hog or mackeral on the menu. The very first time we went there, on the menu that night was hogfish, triple tail, jack, and tilefish. My husband was astonished. It's hard to really explain, but you don't see all these fish together on ONE menu. Altamar is known for serving up exotic fish.

We ordered the raw sampler for an appetizer. I adore their scallop ceviche. Usually they make with with the Meyer lemon and blood orange and it is simply spectacular. On the bottom left is the hog fish ceviche made with lemon and asian pear.

Also I miss the old Altamar before they expanded into a larger space and made it more "south beachy," their food hasn't changed. It is still the best seafood restaurant in Miami.

Go there.

                        

Marvelous Marchesa

So I just finished looking at the Marchesa spring confections. Wow. Honestly, I think that Marchesa might be one of those designers where photographs just don't do justice to their pieces. Everything looks so complex and intricate from the beading to the tucks of tulle (yet weightless). Maybe this is why Marchesa just plops their models onto pedestals to show off their show, instead of the typical runway march....Gives the viewer some time to take it all in. Otherwise that runway would never be long enough.

So many things to wear, so few places to go.....

Miami needs a little more high fashion.

Enjoy.

love this grecian drapey ensemble.
Can this double as a wedding dress?

Wow. Flowerbomb. How much tulle is in there exactly?

Oh how I adore the boho floatiness of Anna Sui

There's nothing more fun than procrastinating at work by watching the New York Fashion Week runway show recaps....courtesy of NY Magazine's slideshows.

I could spend hours going through all the designers and loving or hating their ready to wear 2011 spring collections. It's uttering addicting.

Sooooo my 1 o'clock hour consisted of Anna Sui procrastination. Here goes....I love love LOVE the way she can put together such a boho show. The floaty dresses, empire waists, those lace shorts (I need!), and the indian feathers....muah! I love it. Not only is it a little native american mixed with of The Mamas and The Papas' "california dreaming", give me a pair of ivory lace shorts and a peasant top and I'm yours forever. Enjoy....and did I mention I love those shorts. Oh yes, about 3 times now.



enough said. i want these shorts NOW

give me Pocahontas inspired flower child anyday.