Miami Culinary Tours

http://www.miamiculinarytours.com/

BloggeroverMiami.com is very pleased to welcome

Chocolate Fashion

www.chocolatefashiononline.com

and

Sweet & Tipsy

www.sweetandtipsy.com

to our magazine!!!

Welcome aboard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The garden patio defines romance in a tucked away spot in SOBE

My toes were pink and the walls were framed almost in my honor …

The Flamingos were pink with desire…hiding from the crowd..

Even the guests were feeling pink..

The interior was enchanting!

A wine boutique I wish I could take a sweet siesta in…

Every detail is a petal of perfection…

I love nature…the sky is courting me…

Our waiter is making sure of the allure…

I am reminded there are bites…

How can I refuse?

On my way out of a slice of paradise…

I’m reminded every Friday is PINK FRIDAY…a Celebration of Rosé !!!
In Veronika Hart language a Celebration of LIFE!!!

So you won’t find me whining?..but you will find me at my little Shangri La…tucked away in a corner of the Chaos.

WD 555
555 Jefferson Ave
Miami Beach

Veronika Hart wants to sip under a pink filled sky!!!!

We are very happy to announce 4 New Advertisers to the Magazine!

We’d like to welcome…

1) Staples Tech Department

2) Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden

3) Simply Sharon’s by Meals that Heal, specialty all Vegan ingredients!

4) Miami Beach Animal Hospital & Pet Resort

BloggeroverMiami.com has taken its journey to the highest level yet, the Garden of Eden, otherwise known as the Food and Garden Festival at Fairchild. From the get-go it was a day immersed in the beauty only nature can deliver. The sweet smells of a botanical goddess-the zen that only willful flowers and towering trees can offer.

The magnificent colors and magnitude of the new Butterfly Conservatory…

Even life reborn-in metamorphosis intrigues all of us.

Locally Grown produce is where our hearts and apparently our stomachs are too,,,

The lawn was transformed for the day,,,

Our senses were buzzing as were the bees making fresh sweet honey,,,

Our most passionate and beloved artist Dave Chihuly pops up everywhere, he always intermingles with life and nature effortlessly,,,

This leapin’ lizard preferred a tree view of the sights around him,,,

We were thankful that the everyday stress could be put aside for a few hours or even an entire day right here in our own backyard,,,

Our senses were in ecstasy overload-we were breathless over Fairchild,,

PS- Jack and the Beanstalk would appreciate the baby pineapple sitting next to the Jack fruit!

The Garden of Eden does exist, its Called Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden!

BloggeroverMiami.com HIGHLY suggests everyone to come and see!

We also wish to extend our special thanks to Brooke LeMaire for making this all possible.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden 10901 Old Cutler Road Coral Gables 305-667-1651 StephenLars & special thanks to Veronika Hart for her eloquent contributions to this story

I think the chicken, or should I say 50 eggs have caught Veronika’s tongue??
Yardbird is all I can say…the drool is running down my chin just saying the name!
 

The bar is what I would like to call Southern Comfort..the Bourbon is the elixir of choice…

Did they actually realize Veronika Hart was in the house…because she had a sweet front row seat for the food orgy that was about to unfold…

Do we order Chicken or Pig???
 
The room is a buzzing food frenzy…

It was so delicious I’m still delirious …There was fried Chicken and Waffles and Watermelon…

Ribs..Omg I want more now…

The Shrimp and Grits even converted haters…

We all shared as I said to myself no I want that don’t touch it…the Macaroni and cheese ooey gooey goodness …
 
 
They sat me almost in the kitchen…close enough to pounce on an order waiting for pickup..

At this point all I can say is I’m falling in love at a rapid pace…last week Khong…this week Yardbird…
I thought falling in love made you lose weight ??
At this rate 50 Eggs is increasing Veronika’s waste line at a rapid rate…
All I can say is keep it coming bring on my next food orgy!!! Please….
 
I may have to descend upon Swine next week? Wink Wink!,
Or in this case Oink Oink!
 
Veronika Hart always loves a great romance!
Bring it on 50 Eggs…I can’t wait
 
Yardbird
1600 Lenox Ave
Miami Beach

BloggeroverMiami.com has done lots of exploring throughout Miami but has not yet encountered such inside and outside beauty as exists within and without the walls of Vizcaya.

Vizcaya, now named the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, is the former villa of businessman James Deering, on Biscayne Bay in the present day Coconut Grove. The early 20th century Vizcaya estate also includes: extensive Italian Renaissance gardens; native woodland landscape; and a historic village outbuildings compound. The landscape and architecture were influenced by Veneto and Tuscan Italian Renaissance models and designed in the Mediterranean Revival architecture style, with Baroque elements. Miami-Dade County now owns the Vizcaya property, as the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. The villa was built primarily between 1914 and 1916, while the construction of the extensive elaborate Italian Renaissance gardens and the village continued into 1923. The estate’s name refers to the northern Spanish province Vizcaya. In 1952 Miami-Dade County acquired the villa and formal Italian gardens, needing significant restoration, for $1 million. Deering’s heirs donated the villa’s furnishings and antiquities to the County-Museum.^[5][10] Vizcaya began operation in 1953 as the Dade County Art Museum. The village and remaining property were acquired by the County during the mid-1950s. In 1994 the Vizcaya estate was designated as a National Historic Landmark.^[3]In 2008 the National Trust for Historic Preservation listed Vizcaya as one of America’s Eleven Most Endangered Historic Places^.

With that historical background, we made our way thru the statutes into the heavenly gates of the estate itself.

Upon entering the museum, we encountered an interior design that was frozen in another dimension of time.  We walked thru the more than 70 rooms that featured antiques that ranged from the 15^th century through the early 19^th century with a definite emphasis on European art and furnishings.

But it was the outdoors on the 50 acres of the estate which included the Italian Renaissance formal gardens that took this magazine’s breath away.

From the trees that could’ve been drawn in an Edgar Allan Poe novel…

To the courtyard straight out of a Tale of Two Cities,,,

The water that surrounded “King Arthur’s castle “was as impressive,, from the moat to the pool to the boat shaped lost island that was sinking away like Venice herself, we stood there in awe basking in the zen of the moment.

And the maze-like gardens that reminded one of the pedicured maze in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining,,,

Even the ducks and iguanas seemed at peace in this historical landmark,,,

After enjoying a cup of tea in a lovely hidden café

We finally made our way reluctantly back home. It’s very easy to see why this outstanding landmark has hosted Presidents like President Reagan in 1987 when he received Pope John Paul II and has been the setting of many movies and weddings. It is easy to see why Tripadvisor.com ranks it the number 1 sight to see in Miami.

BloggeroverMiami.com wishes to especially thank Holly Blount for making this all possible.

Vizcaya is located at 3251 South Miami Avenue in Coconut Grove, and is open to the public daily except Tuesdays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.

StephenLars

Vixen Veronika hasn’t been this excited in a cat’s year… Khong is so full of flavor and delight…the Mekong seems short…

I can’t stop Meowingggg the bar is so bright…the mixology is purrrrrfection! I feel like the feline with Kaleidoscope eyes……

It’s hip…it’s Northern Thai that is making me drool just thinking about it! The flavors almost too complex to explain…

The Noodle Wraps so mesmerizing my group devoured them before I could snap the photo…

The Chicken Wings tantalized my taste buds…I was counting the seconds the next culinary adventure was to arrive at our table…

The boat noodles made us want to dive into the Mekong head first!!!

Veronika never even knew she liked Beef Jerky…now I can’t wait to sink my claws into it again!

The Green Green Broccoli is crunchy and exotic..I am falling in love……..

Crispy prawns are worth getting your paws dirty over!!!

It was a kitty classic Birthday wish..in the form of scrumptious mini Coconut cake filled with melt in your mouth ginger chutney …alongside is a creamy coconut…coconutty heaven..someone may call ice cream!!!

All in all it was so delicious no one seemed to notice or care Bobby Flay was in the house! He is human and has cravings too!!! Just like me, Vixen Veronika and just like you will too….once you make the move and step into KHONG

Khong River House is sooooo intoxicating even the King of Kong wouldn’t stomp on..
He would want to dine in!
 
Veronika Hart
 
Maybe meet me for lunch tomorrow….at…
 
Khong River House
South Beach

Who knew that the animals at Jungle Island had such an amazing view?!

BloggeroverMiami.com was invited to take a mini-safari thru Miami’s Jungle Island, and quite the safari it was.  We were greeted by a very friendly staff and some equally accommodating birds of many species.

Is that Toucan Sam??

The monkeys, and we’re not referring to Mickey, Peter, Davy, and Mike were all in high spirits and showing off for us. Maybe they wanted to be the stars of our feature story.

This one actually got his hair colored for our visit! Blond!

The most impressive animals there, which are always this editor’s favorites, were the white tigers and the lion, who were all in very sleepy Saturday mode. Nonetheless, just so beautiful, and regal, and cute!

It was off to the petting zoo to feed the baby goats who were all like little old fat doggies following us everywhere.

This porcupine was the star of the show that was put on for the public and which the children in particular loved.

And the absolute highlight of the day for yours truly was taking a ride with the sweetest elephant you could imagine!

By the time our mini-safari ended and your sleepy editors were on their  way home, the only animal we most identified was with this guy. 

A most magical, zen day and BloggeroverMiami.com highly recommends everyone to check it out.

We wish to thank Ashley of Jungle Island and her staff!

StephenLars

Jungle Island | 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail| Miami, Florida 33132 | Phone: (305) 400-7000

Being born in December 1963 I unfortunately was too young to recall Beatle Mania as it made its way across TV’s all over America in Feb. 1964; Then to be followed by the Rolling Stones.

But on this particular evening, with enough glasses of wine and a comfortable auditorium seat, it almost became like a time travel back to those early days of 1964 complete with an enigmatic and quite funny Ed Sullivan impersonator  introducing “the boys.”

And then there they were; you got it, the Nowhere Band! Almost the Beatles, looking a little alike in their outfits from afar.

They rocked thru every time period of The Beatles from She Loves You and I want to Hold Your Hand, right on thru to Yesterday and Sgt. Peppers, complete with costume changes. Boy the wine was working.

After finishing the era with a “Get Back” session and even an “Imagine”  singalong

Out came the cover version of the Rolling Stones, complete with an overweight Mick Jagger lookalike and a comatose version of Keith Richards.

And they did in fact rip thru some Stones classics such as Satisfaction, Honky Tonk Woman, and Gimme Shelter.

All in all, for  $40 a ticket and 3 hours  worth of recreation and some good cover music, it was “a good time had for all” and one rocking Sabbath eve!

StephenLars