This year’s South Beach Wine & Food Festival kicked off with a bang on February 21st at Moët Hennessy’s The Q, presented by Omaha Steaks and sponsored by Miami Magazine. Previously known as the BUBBLEQ, the shortening of the name has in no way diminished the the grandiosity of this event, the importance of the chefs and cooks participating, nor the quantity of fantastic dishes available to sample. A happy marriage of champagne and barbecue, this year’s The Q was hosted by that queen of indulgent Southern cooking, Paula Deen, along with her sons Jamie and Bobby. The Deen family, however, were not the only celebrities present as foodies were able to meet some of their culinary heroes, like Todd English and Geoffrey Zakarian, as well as sample some of the cuisine that has made them famous. With over 40 of the nation’s top chefs, including many local favorites, it was a delicious challenge trying to sample everything, and while most things were pleasant, there were a few dishes that really stood out.
A new seasonal restaurant, The Standard Plaza, located (you guessed it) at The Standard, is now open until late September. Chef Seamus Mullen will be the summer's chef-in-residence, preparing simple Mediterranean dishes on a new wood-fired oven and charcoal grill outside the hotel's plaza. The menu features sharable plates, as well as special dishes for lunch and weekend brunch. The wine list emphasizes innovative Spanish wines, including three on tap, as well as sangrias and cocktails. The outdoor area is the perfect place to relax during the summer, day or night. Here's the deets!
Between hit 2011 movies like Contagion and Melancholia, and the lunar Mayan prophecy looming, —it’s hard not to get the sense that life as we know it is ticking. So partiers will have the right to be confused at the club next weekend, December 31, when large unidentified objects dive down from the sky. Or from the ceiling, as certain venues are planning to unleash of 100,000 balloons to descend upon the crowd at midnight. But NYE party-goers, which includes anyone who wasn't transferred here begrudgingly for work, take heart, for if haplessly flapping through inordinate amounts of latex and helium doesn’t cut it, and aerial, and we assume hot, performers and pyrotechnic play don't either..then tip it up, throw it back & focus on the spin. Our favorite DJams of New Year's Eve include:
Warning!
The infamous Sunset Saturdays at Dream Downtown's pool will now be taking place at PH-D Rooftop Lounge. The lounge is located on the 12th floor of the Dream Downtown and has amazing views of the city. The Lounge has hosted numerous celebs such as Solange Knowles, Christina Ricci, and Tyson Beckford and is brought to you from the creators of Tao, Marquee, Lavo, and Avenue. Signature cocktails are pricey, but equally delicious. Similar to The Standard, this venue is selective at the door (read: dress to impressss), but once you weave your way in, it is worth the wait. Don't miss these wild evenings every Saturday from 5:30-10pm. For reservations, e-mail SunsetSats@gmail.com.
It was a Mingus Monday in New York City at the Jazz Standard. The brassy comforting tone of a tenor saxophone wailed out Charles Mingus’ famous elegy to Lester Young, “Goodbye Porkpie Hat.”
I knew that it was going to be a hot night despite the relentlessly awful weather.
All of a sudden sheets of sound filled the entire room: a robust trumpet section blared with precision at the top of the register. They were complimented by a tuba holding down the bass line that insured instant chills down my spine.
