what is the what - a book review

Here's a perfect example that discovering the sweet things in life doesn't have to be dessert oriented...

As the world slowly but surely turns itself to electronic reading (insert the sound of a baby crying out loud), I fall under the stubborn group who refuse to let go of the tangible act of holding a book. In due time I will own my very own nook/kindle/shnook/book device but during this stop at the bookstore, I was spending my dollars on ink and pages.

I developed an urge to read something that would simultaneously inspire and captivate me - and boy did I find one. The book is called 'What Is the What' by Dave Eggers (New York Times Bestseller) and once I completed it, my sole responsibility was to share this compelling, eye-opening, sometimes funny and ultra wise story with you.

midtown miami does fresh asian

it took me some time to warm up to twitter but once i got the hang of the constant updates and it's many treats, i was participating at a fast rate. the foodie updates are incredible and has allowed me to keep up with all the buzz and news in south florida and beyond. my bucket list to try different places increases week after week with all the new spots opening around town and miami, especially, has developed a great food scene near downtown with neighborhoods termed "upper east side" and "midtown."

recently, foodies are tweeting left and right about dining finds that offer all the key components for an enjoyable fresh asian eating experience. with additional insight from trustworthy foodie-friend jessica brager, i present you two spots worthy of trying in the near future - as in, right now.

sakaya kitchen in midtown miami
twitter.com/sakayakitchen

after a wonderful evening spent at the soho beach house with jess and her charming boyfriend craig dell, we hopped over to midtown to try the food at sakaya kitchen. fortunately craig is a food lover who isn't afraid to try new things and most importantly, lots of new things. the setting of the restaurant is low key and the menu is presented on a chalkboard on the lefthand side. the food is asian inspired with korean influences - think lots of fresh produce, well marinated, all-natural meats, especially pork. off mr. dell went with the order and jess and myself were swooning with glee because we were in for some good eats.

oliver twist eats

i have to admit that lately most of my fine dining has been at my home or at the homes of my friends. suffice it to say, i've still had the chance to try some new eats for you to hear about. these will keep you warm for now and saying "please sir, i want some more."

the pub in pembroke pines
http://www.luvthepub.com/pub_pembroke.html

english pot roast
this is the ultimate holiday meal to enjoy at a bar. tender pieces of beef with peas, carrots and chive whipped potatoes served over a bordelaise sauce. accompanied with a great glass of cabernet sauvignon while it's a little chilly outside will make it feel like you're in a scene right from the movie 'the holiday.' albeit, jude law would have been a much nicer side to the roast than red wine.

november must haves

since it's the first of november i thought it would be timely to share some must have items that this eleventh month of year can't be without. gotta love shopbop.com for always helping me get my "find" on.


must have handbag
por la victoire
lennon tattered leather satchel in black
throw this over anything and you're good to go.

nirala sweet house in sunrise

i love, love, looooooooooooove this restaurant. i'm pakistani and this is a hole in the wall pakistani joint which really means it is incredibly delicious and i always feel like i'm celebrating my birthday when i get to eat here. so when my second family a.k.a the wildest group of women i know informed me that we would be going to nirala for their infamous sunday brunch, i kinda cried with joy. i have a lot of foodie friends but mimi, zara and maliha are a whole other world of food eaters. some have described us as "beasts" and my favorite "garbage disposals." what's the harm in getting a tad bit excited about the food you eat?

finding atlanta

atlanta is a wonderful mix of old southern hospitality with a new, vibrant urban movement. the friendly factor was extremely overwhelming for me, almost something i wasn't familiar with but i accepted it with open arms. and the food scene is glorious! my host for the weekend was jenna cloyd -a great friend who i share many fond memories with during college and beyond, and is now embarking her own journey in the budding town. her taste is only the best which ultimately meant great food spots and a lot of memorable sight seeing.

canyon southwest cafe

canyon southwest cafe
ft. lauderdale, fl
www.canyonfl.com

cozy, dark and packed with young, hip diners all eating some of the best locally produced food in ft. lauderdale. the music is loud and the wait is long. here's the deal - they don't take reservations, they're only open for dinner and happy hour doesn't exist. but what does exist are their infamous prickly pear margarita's, which you must order. they describe their cuisine as 'american artisanal' with southwestern fusion and exciting hints of asian and south american influences. a few girlfriends and i went on a saturday night and had a ravishing time - the prickly pear margarita's were great company.

breakfast in orlando-oviedo

my best friend annie lives in orlando but every time i take the three hour drive to see her, she never manages to take me to any of the local restaurants. to her credit, we get to enjoy her family's homemade food or make quick trips to chipotle (which i will never say no to.) i started asking her friends where is the best place they love to eat at in orlando and the majority said the town house restaurant in oviedo, just outside of orlando - a place known for their breakfast (my absolute favorite meal of the day and annie's least favorite.) luckily, our friend michael o'donnell was willing to show me what all the buzz was about and i'm so glad he did.

georgetown cupcake bakery

i recently visited my family in virginia for the weekend which consisted of a lot of necessary bonding, teasing and most importantly - home made pakistani food. it's safe to say that eating and loving food is the family glue. my cousins sauira and humaira wanted me to try cupcakes from, the now very popular, georgetown cupcake bakery. they have been fans of the bakery before tlc gave them a tv show, so we drove to d.c. for a short visit that was all the worthwhile.

talia's tuscan table - a local favorite

talia's in boca raton is an italian restaurant that is loved by locals - completely valued by its loyal customers who spread the good word about this oh, so good spot. many, many friends have insisted that i check out the low key eatery and after my friend erin (who is ultra picky about what she eats) said she just had the best sandwich ever, i made it a point to go asap.

shop vintage, shop new - shopnastygal.com

shopnastygal.com

this is a tough one for me. it's very easy to share a great place to eat but when i share a great place to shop, i have to take the risk of mary, mindy and probably molly too of shopping there. however, i love the giving more than the taking therefore you must visit this great website of wonderful, affordable vintage and new clothes that will certainly be a top place for your online shopping. i would actually wear every single piece that they carry and beware, their selections get sold out fast.

racks downtown eatery + tavern in mizner park

mizner park in boca raton is hands down a destination spot for out-of-towners and residents of south florida alike. there's pretty much a restaurant for everyone's liking - sushi, mexican, irish, italian and of course, american. but regardless of the amount of dining options the high end park offers, something was missing. and that's where racks comes in - talk about a game changer.

finding las vegas

let's spare the "what happens in vegas, stays in vegas" what not and go straight to "what happened in vegas was amazing and i wish i stayed in vegas longer."

first things first, my partner in crime, jessica brager who i am so thankful that i got to share this trip with - especially because we were always on the same page, which made the "finding" so much better. she's the friend that truly wants the best for you, the friend that understands that leaving your id at the hotel room could actually happen to anyone, the friend that hopes dessert will follow every meal and the friend that you can laugh and dance with until the early hours of the morning with a clutch in hand and all the hair accessories possibe on -while making plans to probably eat again. and then there's jordan spitz, who provided for the ultimate vegas experience and will forever be indebted in our hearts. jordan is the man.

upon arriving to the las vegas airport, brager and i were greeted by a man holding a very formal sign with her last name. i was so excited that such a finely dressed man was waiting for us with an actual sign that i went straight for my camera from my purse and within five seconds my face was planted on the floor. i had managed to trip over some woman's luggage and then in the feet of brian, our chauffeur. poor jess had to admit that i was with her but brian was so sweet about the fall even though deep down inside he was thinking "she won't last an hour in this city." minutes later, after the dessert heat settled in, we reached our next destination - the phantom. now most vehicles can't be considered "destinations" but when it's a rolls royce, it is. we were swooning with so much joy that truly the trip could have ended there and we'd be completely fine. brian told us stories about wild nights with tourists and something about drawing the line at animals - all while frank sinatra played in the background. we knew already that this was going to be one the best weekends ever.

bbq, pound cake & falafels

bulldog bbq in north miami
http://bulldog-bbq.com/

who can really resist bbq food? it's savory, sweet and if done right - the portion is enough to keep you satisfied for quite some time. bulldog bbq in aventura fulfills all of the above and just a little more. the restaurant isn't your typical tablecloth style joint. it's small in size but with a stainless steel bar and tables topped with butcher-paper, the atmosphere provides for a place to enjoy a great meal with your family and friends. the menu is simple with unique choices and a few of the favorites. for an appetizer, we ordered the 'bbq chicken flatbread' which was topped with pulled chicken, roasted corn, jack cheese, charred onions and their house sauce. i know your mouth is watering! it looked more like a pizza to me but call it a flatbread... it was delicious!

joie de vivre's for april

new food fantasticals. place's that will keep you wanting to come back.

epicure gourmet market in sunny isles beach
http://www.epicuremarket.com/

i have a tendency to spend my lunch breaks at either fresh market or whole foods because what's second to eating food, looking at food. so when i discovered epicure on collins avenue, i was afraid that completing  important work tasks was going to be impossible. between their deli, hot foods, produce, full bar, wine collection, exetensive cheese collections, seafood varieties, isles and isles of international groceries and my cryptonite - desserts, galore... i just didn't know what to do with myself. i wanted to unleash my grazing muscles when i saw the assortments of chocolates, baked goods and cakes. there was a point where my face was so close to the glass case, that my breath had created a fog. i didn't stay long once i realized that i was close to grocery shopping for items that would have hit an all time carb high. this was a serious charlie and the chocolate factory moment. amazing.

seasons 52, florida room & primanti brothers. top night.

what's better than good food? that's easy. enjoying it with good company. this past saturday night's adventure is better told with my two friends who accompanied me.

the unusual suspects:
jessica brager - foodie/fashionista/friend-to-the-end

michael hidalgo - foodie/dj/way too literal for his own good/superstar

curiouser and curiouser - alice in wonderland inspired

after seeing tim burton's alice in wonderland in 3d, i was entirely captivated by the movie's cinematography, art direction, sound and mostly, storyline. lewis carroll's original has been told and told in many different ways but regardless if you read the book or saw the original movie, alice's journey always takes us to a world full of fantasy and utmost wonder. i was so inspired by the whimsical marriage of  naiveness & growing up, therefore i'm sharing with you a few finds that even the mad hatter himself would approve of.


 

you say st. paddy, i say st. patty

according to the irish, st. patrick's day is shortened by saying "st. paddy's day." i, of course, have been wrong for as long as i can remember by calling it "st. patty's day." my sincere apologies for the misuse of letters but my deepest gratitude for one of the greatest reasons to be merry in the name of drafts and spirits. not trying to deter from the origin of the holiday itself, which reaches far back near the fifth century. story goes...a young patrick was held captive by irish raiders, soon escaping away after having a dream to devote his life to the church and then later on becoming a bishop. he returned to ireland reversing aristocracy, providing for the poor and telling the story of the holy trinity with a shamrock. it's safe to say saint patrick was a deserving title.

soon followed a tradition celebrating his worthy efforts and most importantly, the people of ireland and their culture. the annual st. patrick's day parade held in delray beach brings together crowds from all over south florida waiting to watch a very green parade and a chance to swig their saturday away. all days before the holiday itself.

serendipity 3 at the boca resort

serendipity 3 in nyc is adored by both tourists and locals. with a vast history and whimsical interior, crowds swarm to the restaurant for their extravagant desserts such as the 'outrageous banana split - $22.50,' 'can't say no sundae - $15.00,' and the infamous 'frrrozen hot chocolate - $8.95.'

to not that many dessert lover's knowledge, serendipity 3 expanded their location to south florida at the ultra-private boca raton resort around the end of 2008. you pretty much have to be a guest at the resort or be a member (we are talking mucho mula here) to be able to enjoy their many amenities. believe it or not, bare with me people... i'm not a member. so getting into the club was a little mission impossible. but i was in a 'if there's a will, there's a way' mood at work and my co-worker sam and i disguised a "work errand" at the resort into a quick "to go" order at serendipity 3.

enchanting oscar gowns

i never intended to report on hollywood's biggest night and the fashion that ensues but after seeing some of the stunning dresses on the red carpet, there's no way i couldn't share my elation.

sobe wine & food fest - grand marnier diner en rouge

the food network south beach wine and food festival is a mecca of an event and i was determined to crash at least one extravaganza this year. so you can imagine how loud my little girl scream was when i found out i was going to be able to attend grand marnier's very exclusive diner en rouge at the temple house in miami beach on thursday, february 25th.

baked & cupcaked: tequila cupcakes & chocolate party cupcakes

for my darling sister's 21st birthday i found it absolutely necessary to bake her cupcakes that celebrated the big occasion just right. i made two batches. the first were tequila cupcakes- just used the standard yellow cake recipe and added 2 tbsps of tequila & 4 tbsps of patron liqueur citronage for the batter / 1 tbsp of tequila & 2 tbsps of patron liqueur citronage for the icing (buttercream icing.) topped those babies with some lime and the festivities began!

joie de vivre's for february '10

february has been quite a month for me and i've had the pleasure to explore some new places and some new delicious charms. although not everything i eat is going to excite me, i can still certainly attest to a few food fantasticals and i'm calling these 'joie de vivre's' because simply put, they're my joys of living.

yucatan combination plate at rocco's tacos, boca raton
561.416.2131
http://www.roccostacos.com/

mexican food is pretty much a first choice for me when i like to dine out. always start off with the fresh made quacamole (yup, they make it infront of you) and serve it with well-seasoned chips. for dinner i ordered the yucatan combination plate (chicken enchilada with two skirt steak tacos) but switched one of the tacos for 'rocco's taco.' ridiculously good- it's a meatball taco with roasted peppers, cotijaa cheese, crema and cilantro. que rico! fyi- their chimichanga is worth the try too!

for the girl who likes to mix things up

follow this link to register for the website launch of the new line called Alice by Temperley.
It's from renowned designer Alice Temperley but this collection is her ode to the funky, rock-and-roll and fun chick. Temperley herself says that she pictures a girl who listens to The Killers and The Cure- someone who likes to mix things up. i'm already hooked from the sneak peeks in magazines and blogs.

world's 5 best food cities

check out food & wine's slideshow of the best food citie's in the world. 
any cities missing from this list?!

urban outfitters - early spring catalog

every part of urban outfitter's 40's inspired spring catalog makes me feel all warm inside. looking forward to the season full of flowers and festivities.

allegria frozen yogurt & cupcakes

for my weight-conscience and could care less about weight friends- i present to you 'allegria frozen yogurt and cupcakes.' located in coconut creek at the promenade, this is your place for incredibly light and satisfying frozen yogurt.

made from non-fat yogurt and skim milk, their flavors range from the originial ( a great, tart taste), chocolate, green tea, pomegranate and a secret flavor every day. try each sample and then make your choice of delicious healthy toppings such as, fresh cut strawberries, granola, blueberries, pineapples, almonds, coconuts, bananas, mangos and some fun toppings such as, cocoa pebbles, graham crackers, chocolate chips and cap'n crunch. first you order the size, then yogurt of choice and then your toppings- voila!

baked & cupcaked: really-raspberry filled cupcakes

my wonderful dessert-enthusiast friend stephanie just turned 23 and for her birthday i decided to take a spin off of our favorite cake- raspberry elegance (layers of vanilla cake, raspberry jam and vanilla icing.)

momofuku - the book

while recently strolling around the bookstore, i stumbled upon the book 'momofuku' by david chang & peter meehan and decided to skim through and gaze at the pictures since the chain of momofuku restaurants in new york city are becoming legendary and all within a few short years. after drooling over the assortment of recipes (think japanese inspired- ramen noodles, a lot of meat and unique sauces) i sat down and started to read the beginning of the book where the founder and owner of the booming brand (chang) shares his story of how he came to be where he is today. he's a brutally honest character, swears whenever he can throw it in but all-in-all, wins you over with his sincere effort to just make good food.