Dinner In Paradise

The event that lives up to its name is hard to come by (almost every event that ends in the word 'Festival', for example).This incredible food journey, founded by Celebuchef Michael Schwartz, of New York Times 'Best 10 New Restaurants in the US Outside NYC' fame, and Paradise Farms owner Gabrielle Mawerski, is an amazing exception. Eating food prepared in the place where some of it is grown, in these times, is an almost mystical experience (if I may wax Zen-like for a moment). See the full story, with pictures, at http://www.miamisunpost.com/ Scroll down to the photo of the chefs in the herb fields...
Special thanks to Alexandra Rangel Brody for the transplendent photos. Also thank you to Gabrielle, Michael, Chef George Fistrovich of the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne and his staff, Chef Urbani, and everyone at Paradise farms for their help, kindness, and damn good food...

Anthony Bourdain Claims Food Network "Dog Murderers"

"They killed my poor fluffy!"

One last hilarious bit from St. Tony, where he gets all sensitive, soft, and tender. Miami kind of brings that out in people.

Giada's Yada's

The sunburned snowbirds on Ocean Drive.




Under a gorgeous sky. Big line to see...




Giada...






Ahem. Kim and Dania pour sparkling liqueur Nuvo, my new favorite cocktail. "Nuvo is best served chilled over ice in a Champagne flute, to capture the essence of the Nuvo Experience." Go on...

Nazly and Pamela from Domo Japones.
Catch their 'Cocktails Anyone?' on Thursday night.
There's some cocktails involved, apparently, according to Shal ben-Ami ("The Operator"),
but I'm a little hazy on the details. I believe we spoke of cucumber foam, shiso-based Mojito's, and lighter fluid (that's what it says in my notes, anyway).


Wonder if they'll be serving Nuvo?

Bourdain on Cocaine...

Wherein St. Anthony gets asked a question that isn't about his baby (three), or, "My favorite show took place in [blank]. Will you be going back?" (the rest). A radiant Bourdain, with an equally toned Michael Ruhlman at ringside (it looked like they had both gone to the spa at The Loews that afternoon, and gotten massages and facials together-apparently the drinking and smoking have been replaced by more lady-like pursuits) couldn't remember to whom they had given their own awards. Apparently this was hilarious to them, although the humor escaped me. Then Bourdain rambled about nothing for a few minutes, and opened the floor to questions. As my mind wandered after the second 'baby' question (AB was actually sporting something of a 'baby bump' himself, starting some foodie gossip), it occurred to me that Bourdain was using his bottle of beer for a prop (he never took more than a sip), and that he reminded me of an old Borscht-Belt comedian who has delivered his punch lines so many times, and so well, that audiences still laugh even though they've heard it a million times before. It's shtick, but, in person, it feels homey, almost familiar, somehow. And Bourdain seems oddly tame, and likable; and far less dirty than his PR people would have you believe. In fact, Dana Cowin, Editor of Food & Wine Mag, looking like a translucent pixie melting in the heat, and who introduced him, used more four-letter words than he did.
But back to Daily Cocaine. DC asked Bourdain, "With all the emphasis placed on seasonal, and especially local ingredients, how would you incorporate Miami's most well-known ingredient, cocaine, into your repertoire?" A sputtering Bourdain doesn't get the joke, and goes off on a mini-tirade. Then walks off, 15 minutes before his scheduled end time. Sorry, Tony. Next time I'll ask about the kid.