A day late but not a $ short

I know, I’m a day late writing this but I got home too late to start writing this blog last night and during the day I was too busy on deadline.

Here’s what I wanted to tell you about since I hit your inbox last Friday…

A colorful salad I made with lettuce, purple carrots and cherry tomatoes I purchased at Legion Park Farmer’s Market.

Saturday was a busy day, I hit the Legion Park Farmer’s Market in the morning and picked up a bunch of fresh produce and other goodies. While there, I also got to visit with my friend Monica Uribe, a high school buddy whose got a stand there for her homegrown Microgreens. Find her on Instagram @shorecrestmicrogreens.

Bagel with salmon and the works and a side salad from Neverland

Lolita Dessert Club

Later that afternoon I went with my husband to the adorable and very woodsy Neverland Coffee Bar and its neighboring and very pink Lolita Dessert Club. I had the bagel with cream cheese and salmon from Neverland and then we popped into Lolita where I took home some bon bons. It was a lovely afternoon.

Nicholas proudly displaying his Jimmy Butler jersey and in full head gear as we cheered on the Miami Heat to victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

That night we watched the Miami Heat defeat the Atlanta Hawks at the Miami Dade Arena. Although our seats were in the nosebleed section we had a fantastic time. Watching them win was extra special since the Heat haven’t been doing so great this season.

On Sunday Nicholas had a Special Olympics soccer match and although he is still super stubborn about running, they still advanced to the next round. He’ll be playing next Saturday in the regional tournament.

I spent the majority of the week driving to Miami Beach to cover the art activations during the Aspen Ideas: Climate 2023 Conference. I met some amazing artists and got to watch great dance and music performances. Click here to read all about it.

The Greek course with fruity olive oil, mini pitas, tzatziki and briny multi-colored olives.

Lovely presentation of the grilled octopus with feta and coulis with an edible flower garnish.

We all watched as the Vespa riders jumped from the screen to our tables, weaving around our plates and glasses.

Lemony, creamy pasta set on a delicate blue and white dish adorned with lemons. This was served as we took in the lemony scents wafting through the air and learned about lemon grove farmers in Italy.

After watching the heartwarming video of the truffle farmer and his truffle finding canine companion traipsing through the woods, we were presented with the main dish. Grilled prawns set atop a perfectly cooked filet mignon with truffle butter, grilled carrot and eggplant. The rustic, deep red colored dish was a real eye catcher.

The dessert course, almost too pretty to eat, followed a video of a bee farmer who spoke of his passion for honeybees and producing honey. The honeycomb garnish sat atop a creamy lavender cake with a honey crust. The honeybee gummies were a cute touch around the plate.

Dancing champagne bottles surrounded us for our final toast.

I was done covering the conference on Wednesday so Thursday I attended a very lavish luncheon aboard the Enchanted Princess cruise ship where they were debuting their new 360 menu. It’s a theatrical, immersive and interactive dining experience with a surround sound screen displaying images of several Mediterranean ports. The images correspond to the dishes being served while sounds and smells envelop you, preparing you for that first delectable bite. It is multiple courses with wine and a glass of champagne as a grand finale. I was particularly impressed with how the servers came through to present the dishes, almost as if they were performing a choreographed dance. Click here to watch a video about this experience which perfectly encapsulates it all.

My great niece Annemarie following a passionate performance in Area Stage Company’s “Rent,” getting ready to take a bow. Bravo!

And finally, the reason I’m writing this today is because last night I was busy watching my great niece Annemarie perform in the ensemble cast of Area Stage Company’s production of “Rent.” The show was top notch, as always is with anything Area Stage produces. So proud of her, she’s one talented girl, I should ask for her autograph now before she hits the big time!

One last note, I also had an article in Artburst Miami about the Miami Book Fair’s Speak Up! Creative Writing Series. It’s a great free resource for teens looking to sharpen their writing skills for those important college essays. Click here to read my blog post. Perhaps you’ll recommend to a teen you know would benefit.

Tonight I’m looking forward to a girls dinner with my friends Madelyn, Betty and Janet at Luca Osteria on Giralda Ave. in Coral Gables. I’ve heard great things about it so I’ll report back right here next week. I also haven’t hung out with them in forever so it’ll be great to catch up.

That’s all for this week, have a great one and see you next Friday (unless I have another late Friday like last night!)