Over two years in the making . . .

music: The Kooks "Eaten By Your Love"

a film by l&m

shot using a gopro camera

God Bless Okra

I know I have mentioned roasted vegetables before but I am still amazed by how simple and delicious they are. No one told me! All the years I have been chopping and sautéing when I could have just simply tossed everything into the oven. Well, there's no going back now.

Today I decided to get a little fancier with my roasting. Instead of just olive oil and s&p I added a few more ingredients. Prep time 10 minutes (if you're a skilled chopper probably 5). Cook time 25 minutes. Preheat oven to 375.

Ingredients:

2 cloves of garlic

Olive oil (I used a spicy chili infused)

Basil, Oregano, Rosemary 

Salt and Pepper

Okra, tomatoes, mushrooms
couscous

I first added two pulverized garlic cloves to a bowl with olive oil and salt and pepper. I tossed my vegetables in the olive oil then added a finely chopped mixture of basil, oregano and rosemary from my stairway herb garden. I then put everything on a cookie sheet and into the oven. The 25 minutes they cooked flooded the house with the most delectable smell of garlic and herbs. In the last 5 minutes of cooking I made the couscous.

When everything was finished I topped the couscous with the vegetables and a generous squeeze of lemon.

Cultural Friday: Little Havana & Korean Food

Every last Friday of the month the neighborhood of Little Havana hosts cultural Fridays which includes salsa dancing, art, ice cream, street performers, live music and my favorite, a historical tour by legendary professor and historian Dr Paul George. 

After the tour we decided to make the journey west on Flagler to eat at Seoul Garden the first and only (to my knowledge) Korean/Nicaraguan restaurant. I cannot even express my love of korean food and the lack of it in Miami kills me. I had no knowledge of this restaurant until Friday and knew I had to try it immediately. It was a bit of a journey from the beach but Seoul Garden did not disappoint.

I apologize for the lack of pictures but once the food was placed on the table, photographing it was the last thing on my mind. You can view pictures and read reviews for Seoul Garden on yelp or try them for yourself at: 

8228 W Flagler St 

Miami, FL 33144 

(305) 554-0111

If you would like to attend the next Little Havana walking tour on August 31:
Meet in front of the Tower Theater, 7pm sharp:

1508 SW 8th St

Miami, FL 33135

Meatball addiction?

Most likely, but who can blame me? Banh Mi Sandwiches are perfect for a casual dinner with close friends.

Toppings for the sandwich: meatballs, fresh thin sliced jalepenos, cabbage, cucumbers, spicy mayo, pickled carrots and cilantro.

Gone fishing

Boyfriend is gone on a fishing trip to Bimini. I am relishing the time alone but at the same time can't help but miss him just a little. What can I say, I just love hanging out with the guy. He'll be back tomorrow hopefully with tons of fresh fish! Do I see a dinner party in the near future?

Maybe I should invite a couple friends over for dinner tonight. I need motivation . . .

Rigatoni with tomatoes and cream

Sunday was a dark and rainy day so I knew the chances of me leaving the house were slim. I looked in the cabinets at what I had (not much) and decided to make a tomato cream sauce adapted from this recipe.  I didn't really measure anything just tossed some tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper in a skillet then added my noodles when then weren't quite al dente to finish cooking them in in the sauce. I removed the mixture from the stove, mixed in the cream and topped with fresh basil.

The whole gang at Miami Metro

Miami Metro Zoo

Not pictured: "Ballerina Brad and Mike"
Visit Miami Metro Zoo

a nice little Saturday

tradicional ceviche

grilled shrimp taco

. . .

1. My Ceviche take out

2. champagne

3. the new issue of bon appétit 

4. latest episode of The Newsroom

Sidewalk Chalk

At about 7:30 am I awoke to a wide eyed and excited niece. "It's tomorrow morning! We can go outside and play with Chalk!" I instantly regretted my bedtime promise the night before, cursed Jesus for the gift, then pulled myself out of bed, headed outside and surprisingly . . . had a pretty lovely time.

Painting Party at Jesus's

After a delicious dinner of meatloaf with goat cheese mash potatoes and salad, the festivities at chez Jesus continued. . . fort making, followed by painting, which naturally progressed from the paper to the face.

A week with my niece

As my sister vacations in Vegas my adorable niece has come to stay. Something lovely and terrifying all at the same time. I have never been in charge of a little person for so long before! We are doing lots of activities and having a good time but I am experiencing extreme paranoia. What if something bad happens?! She didn't eat her dinner! Is she starving?! What if she falls? Does she need more sunscreen? . . . thankfully, so far, so good. . .

Jesus's birthday at the donkey show

The Adrienne arsht is transformed into studio 54 for a disco take on Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream". 

By far my favorite photo of the night. Jesus dressed in a 70's afro looking stunning (pretty typical) as his hilarious sister stares horrified. Happy Birthday Jesus! What would I do without you?

The Donkey show runs July 13 - August 12. You can purchase tickets here.

New favorite lunch spot - My Ceviche, Miami Beach

Always on the lookout for new restaurants my boyfriend introduced me to a little hole in the wall called My Ceviche. With my desire to find something off the beaten path this place definitely delivered. Located on Washington avenue, you can order your tacos, burritos and ceviches at a small counter and enjoy them, as god intended, under the warm Florida sun. The hostel next door provides great people watching and the possibility for new friends as the open travelers share stories and inquire about South Beach activities.

My Ceviche boasts seasonality, sustainability, and local availability, and it's definitely true. While we were eating we witnessed a gentleman drop off three freshly caught yellowtails, you can't get much fresher than that.

Octopus and shrimp tacos

My plan is to eat here everyday for, most likely, the rest of the summer. Check it out:

My Ceviche

235 Washington Ave

Miami Beach, FL 33139

(305) 397-8710

http://www.myceviche.com/