#SobeSavvy Presents #BeachyBrunches ! Vol 11: @YBSouthern @50EggsInc #SundayBrunch #MiamiBeach #SouthBeach #Miami

September 23, 2015SobeSavvy 1 Comment

The great jazz musician Charlie Parker’s nickname was ” Bird”. Shortened from “Yardbird”. He once said of his nickname; “I got the name Yardbird because I was crazy about eating chicken: fried, baked, boiled, stewed, anything. Down there in the South, all chickens are called yardbirds. Every house has some.”

Something so ubiquitous as chicken may seem to some to be a plain bland boring staple of a food choice. These naysayers have NEVER stepped foot in Yardbird Southern Bar and Grill restaurant in Miami {and now also in Las Vegas} http://runchickenrun.com/ They take their chicken so serious that their website states:

“Our chicken is 100% natural with no steroids or hormones and is American Humane Association Certified. Our labor of love begins with a 27-hour brining process, then we dredge it in our secret recipe of spices and flour, followed by the final step of frying to perfection.”

They have turned chicken into, well.. REALLY good chicken ! My family and I decided to see how they did Sunday brunch this past week. I knew how popular they were so we arrived by 10am and were seated promptly. They have terrace tables on the side of the restaurant but September heat in Miami is still stifiling so we opted to sit indoors. Their interior is best described as a beautiful huge country kitchen/dining room. Just like Miami’s denizens, it is stylish and attractive.

We had a window seat and I ordered a mimosa and the hubby ordered one of their signature cocktails. They has a bourbon selection like no other. It is REALLY extensive, but he wanted something with whiskey. So he got the Watermelon Sling.It was served in a old fashioned mason jar. White whiskey, fresh pressed watermelon juice and lemon . Served with a rosemary stalk. Nice touch and it was refreshing on such a warm Sunday morning.

Carlos, the general manager came over to assist with breaking down their brunch menu. Certain items are available for brunch and lunch/dinner, but some specific items are brunch only. We were famished so we decided to have some fun and order a number of different dishes.

We started with something I was very familiar with…brisket. We had the :

Smoked Brisket
pickled onion & cucumber
smoky tomato jam, house-made

Having spent time in Texas, I know brisket and I know the pretenders pretending to make brisket. This is no pretender ! Brisket so tender it just dissolves in your mouth. The tomato jam and pickled onion went great on it. This was addictive so you have been warned.

Our palate now fully online, we ordered their signature entrée :

Chicken ‘n’ Watermelon ‘n’ Waffles
honey hot sauce, chilled spiced watermelon
vermont sharp cheddar cheese waffle, bourbon maple syrup

Ladies and gents this is chicken unlike ANY other. Beyond description. Uber juicy, bursting with herbs and spices. The cheese infused waffle is uniquely tailored to be the Bonnie to the chicken’s Clyde. The bourbon maple syrup is divine. Watermelon was the cool side to both of these.

Our next entrée victim was off of their “Mama’s Biscuits” portion of the menu. We had the multi layered gargantuan

Egg & Sausage Biscuit
fried egg, house-made sausage
‘merican cheese, heirloom tomato

I found it impossible to take a civilized bite out of this. I have a feeling it was designed to be a “improper” kind of dish. Too big to properly bite so you just dive in wherever you see an opening !! So I deconstructed this behemoth and indulged in good ole fashion slicing and dicing. Sausage is obviously not mass produced but hand made. This dish is like when all different players come together for perfection. It took me back to my Grandma’s kitchen in Maryland when she pieced together breakfast favorites to make a meal. Incredibly good.

Next up was one of my favorite dishes when I am visiting south of the Mason Dixon Line. We had :

Shrimp n’Grits
seared shrimp, roasted tomatoes, virginia ham, nora mill grits, pbr chicken jus

Reminded me of being in low country around Savannah, Ga. Subtle flavors that just meshed together well. A really well thought out dish done with country flair.

As if all of that food was not enough , we finished our tour of the south with :

Cinnamon Apple Hand Pies
house-made vanilla bean ice cream

I describe it as really small empanada like pastry puffs filled with apple delights ! Served still warm with their homemade vanilla ice cream. Delightful end of our culinary journey .

Usually very popular restaurants end up not living up to diners’ inflated expectations. Yardbird is the exception. They deserve all the praise and almost cult like following of their return guests. Not resting on their laurels seems to be their key to long term success..

I hope this YARDBIRD manages to fly for a long time to come.

#Miami, Dine #RosaMexicano ,Elevate Your #TacoTuesday ! ~ @RosaMexicano Review by #SobeSavvy .com

September 22, 2015SobeSavvy Leave a comment

Taking up the ground floor of the iconic 1111 Lincoln Rd garage building sits Rosa Mexicana. http://www.rosamexicano.com/miami

Adjacent to the movie theatre, it is the perfect place to have dinner or lunch prior or post movie. Is it a “chain” restaurant? Yes, but you would never know it by the quality of food and service. It feels more like a high end independent restaurant in Ciudad Mexico. Inviting décor..not too dark and not too bright. Their menu runs the gamut, from Mexican street food to dishes curated to perfection by their executive chefs.

Their long bar with views of various flat screens makes this the perfect place to watch the game on Sunday or the news after work at their renowned Happy Hour. The tequila choices here are quite expansive. It is a sort of tequila hall of fame. Some are great with cocktails and some high end ones are what I call sippin tequilas. Complex as any wine. Their bartenders go through a vigourous vetting process prior to being hired. They can educate any novice on tequila choices that fit your mood. We had a pitcher of sangria and the pomegranate margarita. Both were awesome.

Their guacamole is iconic. It is made tableside from scratch right in front of your own eyes. In the processed bottle and canned world we inhabit, this was refreshing. Hass avocados are peeled and tomatoes, onions, herbs and spices are hand blended. You can request mild, medium or hot. We decided one medium and one mild. Both were mouth watering and went great with the warm tortilla chips. In Oct they are celebrating an event called “Guactoberfest”. So if you are a “guac” lover be sure to stop by.

We decided to get a broad spectrum of their most popular dishes. Pork carnitas, Tacos camarones, Pollo with plantains and Mexican corn. Each choice stood out as individual perfection. It helped to soak up all that Sangria !! My daughter loved to cherry pick out the fried shrimp so she was ecstatic. The hostess gave her a kids packet of coloring book and crayons. Rosa Mexicano loves kids and families and it showed .

We “forced” ourselves to try some dessert. The churros were out of this world. With a trio of dippin sauces we ended up fighting over the last one !! The raspberry tres leches and peanut butter/chocolate molten cake was rich and divine. Our visit to Rosa Mexicano was apleasurable one to say the least.

Viva La Mexico !!

#SobeSavvy .Com Celebrates #NationalRumPunchDay with @GubbaRum! #GubbaRum #CocktailRecipes #Rum

September 21, 2015SobeSavvy Leave a comment

2PM Sunday Afternoon in Miami. 91 Degrees and I’m thirsty. Not for water and not for wine. I want something tropical. Something tropical with a punch. Like a Rum Punch. Lucky for me, Sunday was NATIONAL RUM PUNCH DAY ! It’s celebrated every year on the 20th of September. I needed a top shelf rum. I was in the mood for a white rum. With infused flavors of coconut. I went for my all time favorite. Gubba Rum Silver.http://gubbarum.com/rum/paradise-bay-silver/ It is an artisanal rum that they describe as “wicked smooth”. I couldn’t agree more. It’s made using pure (Agricultural) Organic Cane and Organic Coconut.

My hubby and I strolled down to the bayside park to watch sailboats. Gubba Rum joined us as we sipped on a rum punch{or two} that we made using cranberry, orange and pineapple juices. The subtle coconut flavor profile of their Silver rum really makes this cocktail exceptional. Perfect drink. Perfect Place. Gubba Rum may not be the biggest name in the Rum world but they don’t seem to strive for that. But in my opinion {and it will be yours too !} they are the best.

Get a bottle now and you too can have a “vacation in a glass” with Gubba Rum.

Also try out these two recipes below :

Sweet:

Tart:

Photographs of Cocktail Consciousness~ @GaleSobe @ExhaleSpa @AbsolutelyX~Recap by #SobeSavvy .com

September 20, 2015SobeSavvy Leave a comment

Yogis..Sunsets..and Cocktails..Oh My!

Celebrating National Yoga Month,
SobeSavvy.com attended an event on the Gale Rooftop featuring:

Yoga Class from 7-8

A complimentary cocktail from Absolut Elyx

Free Manicures and Chair Massages from 8:00-10:00 provided by Exhale Spa

Cash Bar available
Partnering with LDV Hospitality are Exhale Spa and Absolut Elyx Vodka

This was an RSVP only event, free and open to the public from 6:00pm – 11:00pm

The class was led by Morgan Anderson-Reed, who is an Exhale Spa Mind Body Manager and a very talented trainer!
Exhale Spa is also doing a special in honor of National Yoga Month for 2 for 1 yoga classes… plus they have their big yoga event NamasDay on the 24th taking place at the Epic Hotel location!
There is also an online promo going on – 25% off spa therapies if you book online… amazing deal!

I also had the pleasure of meeting Jessica Schreiner, who is the events manager for exhale at the loews south beach hotel, located at 1601 collins ave, miami beach, fl 33139 t: 305.200.1301

Enjoy this photo slideshow from the amazing event !Namaste!
https://instagram.com/p/71n3_ZiXFz/

#SobeSavvy enjoys #ResortLife @BonnetCreek #HiltonBonnetCreek ~ A #soTravelsavvy Recap

September 19, 2015SobeSavvy Leave a comment

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Spending the day at the theme parks in Orlando was going to be tiring. Knowing that, my family {hubby and a 4 yr old} needed a base camp to spend the previous day and evening relaxing before heading into the amazing theme parks there. We had three unwavering conditions that had to be met before deciding on a spot. 1. Awesome pool area for everyone. Not just a kiddie pool or a adult pool overran by kids. 2. A “real” luxury resort, not a low end motel masquerading as a “resort”. 3. Good Food. Finding those 3 things may sound easy, but anyone who visits Orlando knows that tourist traps await the uninformed. Cheap prices or deals too good to be true usually are.

With those prerequisites we decided on the Hilton Bonnet Creek Resort in Lake Buena Vista http://www.hiltonbonnetcreek.com. Being familiar with the Hilton product, we felt this was the right choice. Their pool area was perfect. Big enough for adults to relax and also a REAL lazy river section that is incredible. They also have a small water slide that we all enjoyed. We even had couple of great cocktails from their pool area bar called “Beech”.

Our room was modern clean and comfortable. Fast Wifi and comfy luxurious bedding. After a post pool clean up we went to dinner at one of the numerous onsite restaurants. We chose the Harvest Bistro. Everything was great. The Steakhouse Burger and Roasted Chicken was superb. My little one loved their in house Candy Shop near the entrance. In the morning we stopped by their 24 hr grab and go store called Muse for some oatmeal and coffee. They also provide free charter transportation to and from the major parks. Proximity to most of the parks is very close.They have a regular schedule and it was accurate. Great stay at the Hilton Bonnet Creek. Will be my preferred lodging the next time I am in Orlando.

Enjoy my IG slide show below :
https://instagram.com/p/7jc3MICXC1/

#soNCsavvy goes on #Staycation ! Explore the romantic side of #Raleigh @RaleighMarriott #DTRMarriott @FallonsFlowers #DTR~ #Travel Recap

September 7, 2015SobeSavvy 1 Comment

Dieciséis Anos ?? Wow where did these 16 years go so fast, I asked my hubby. It was our anniversary and since we recently relocated to Raleigh we asked around about where could we do a memorable romantic overnight staycation. We kept getting the same answer..The Raleigh Marriott City Center http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/rdumc-raleigh-marriott-city-center/

In my former life as a healthcare consultant I had spent endless nights in Marriott properties, so I definitely heeded that advice and headed downtown for a nights stay. Being a new transplant to Raleigh I was always surprised as how vibrant the city center here is. People bound about. Popular Restaurants and trendy bars are everywhere. Rye, one of the hottest restaurants in the entire region just happens to be inside the Marriott. Downtown Raleigh also has various venues for plays and concerts and The Marriott City Center literally is in the center of it all. Convientely located on Fayettville St and connected to the Raleigh Convention Center, this property is ground zero for a downtown base for fun or romance. This is a full service property with an indoor pool and 15,000 sq feet of event space. They even have a concierge level of rooms with exclusive access to their concierge lounge and amenities. With that in mind, we headed downtown.

Check in was fast and efficient. The modern Lobby was stylish and bright. We found our suite to be luxurious but not garish. Marble bathroom and plush bedding was top notch. Our room had a great view of the Raleigh Skyline which came to life in the form of twinkling lights as the sun was setting.

Since it was our anniversary, also waiting in the room was a beautiful bright bouquet of flowers from the famous Fallons Flowers http://www.fallonsflowers.com/ They have been Raleigh’s premier florist for over 8 decades. Looking at these beautiful flowers I now know why. The arrangement was gorgeous! Fallon’s will be my Raleigh florist of choice going forward.

We had reserved their wonderful “romance package” room. They provided a bottle of Prosecco with a tray of chocolate covered strawberries. They also had 2 pouches of actual fresh red rose petals! We scattered them on the bed and spelled out how many years of marriage we were celebrating. What a great start. I took a quick swim in their rooftop pool and got dressed for a night out on the town. Before heading out we stopped by the bar at Rye for cocktail. Amazing bar atmosphere with attentive bartenders who explain how they make their cocktails out of fresh fruits and mixes.

The next morning we awoke with room service. A full breakfast was in order. They brought it up on time and as ordered. We both hated to say goodbye, but alas it was back to the real world. Until next time Marriott, until next time.

#Yoga Me Impressed, #Namaste Right Here @Kimpton @KimptoninDC #MonacoBaltimore @PublicBikes~ #soDMVsavvy #Travel

August 24, 2015SobeSavvy 1 Comment

One of my New Year resolutions was to incorporate fitness in my life and embark upon a more healthy lifestyle. I decided to practice yoga because it was something that I could consistently do. It embraces all levels of fitness, ages and can be done anywhere at anytime. Through yoga workouts and breathing exercises one can maintain physical fitness and serenity.

Serenity… that is something that’s often missing in travel but does not have to be. Being in transit does not mean one can not stay in shape and have a peaceful mind. Many hotels are starting to cater to the healthy lifestyle of travelers and are providing healthier lifestyle accomodations.

A few months ago, I stayed at a Kimpton Hotel ~ Hotel Monaco ~ because I needed to be close to Royal Farms Arena to photograph the sneak peek of Cirque du Soleil’s return to Baltimore ( http://atomic-temporary-51558291.wpcomstaging.com/2015/07/09/photographs-of-cirque-in-baltimore-sneak-peek-varekaicirquedusoleilmdsciencecenter-phillipsseafood/). Although it was last minute reservation and a short one night stay, I thought I would share with my fellow yogis how Kimpton Hotels has a health-focused approach to hospitality. When you get to your room, call the front desk and ask them to send up a tote bag. They will bring a complimentary bundle of mats, straps, bands and props, which you may use for the duration of your stay. The tote provides all the necessities for yoga, meditation and Pilates. I liked having the option to start the morning with a sun salutation ,carry the mat in the cute tote bag to practice outside ( which I did ) or end every night with child’s pose. Although yoga was not something my travel companion enjoys, Kimpton Hotels also features free on-demand fitness programs on your in-room TV, meaning you can squeeze in a workout while still in pajamas!

We got a chance to do some quick local exploring via bikes courtesy to all hotel guests (no time for the downtown Baltimore attractions this visit, although this hotel is conveniently located near the Inner Harbor and more ). We rode around on one of Kimpton Hotels state-of-the-art bikes at every location, allowing for some major calorie-torching while sightseeing. Even better, this hotel is healthy for the environment. By implementing ‘green’ initiatives like non-toxic, eco-friendly cleaning products, complimentary parking for hybrid vehicles, and an on-site water filtration system that eradicates the need for bottled water, Kimpton Hotels take health and wellness to a global level.

So whether you’re traveling for business or leisure, you can rest assured that you can keep your health a top priority by staying at KIMPTON Hotels.

Enjoy my yogi around town/#getLovelyfit @getLovelyfit pictures using Kimpton Hotels yoga mat and @PublicBikes! Namaste!

‘Lovely’ / Freelance Photojournalist
The ‘Bon Vivant ‘ Blogger
http://www.SobeSavvy.com
Follow Twitter/Instagram @IJust_LoveThis
Hashtag #SobeSavvy #soNCsavvy #soDMVsavvy

Photographs of the 6th Annual Chesapeake #Crab and #Beer #Festival #MDCRABFEST @drinkeatrelax @NationalHarbor~#soDMVsavvy Event Recap

August 21, 2015SobeSavvy Leave a comment

Summer’s end may be near ….but first, let’s celebrate with friends/family, crabs and beer at the 6th Annual Chesapeake Crab and Beer Festival!

SobeSavvy.Com joined others for the World’s Largest Crab Feast August 22, 2015 at National Harbor, MD

Guests chose between either SESSION ONE: 11am – 3pm or SESSION TWO: 5pm – 9pm to join this Maryland Tradition! The festival is an ALL-YOU-CARE-TO-TASTE extravaganza complete with over 60,000 crabs, lots of beer, arts & crafts, live music, family fun and so much more! Here is what over 20,000 people have come to enjoy:

• LOTS OF SUMMERTIME FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!
• ALL YOU CARE TO TASTE Over 50 beers and wines and a few spirits. All of your favorite craft beers and some great wines were served to highlight the summer afternoon on-hand.
• ALL YOU CARE TO TASTE CRABS. Enjoy all the crabs you can handle during the four hours of the show. The crabs vary in size and was offered at 6 crabs at a time, per person.
• OTHER GREAT FOOD. There are Crabs and MORE CRABS and MORE CRABS and even MORE CRABS – but there was other great food options as well available for purchase. There are no vegetarian options available. Unless outlined – all food is sold ala carte.
• ALA CARTE CRABS OPTION WILL BE SOLD 6 CRABS (1/2 dozen) AT A TIME PER PERSON FOR $35 – CASH ONLY. (WHILE SUPPLIES LASTS)
• LIVE MUSIC. Enjoy fun summer sounds from area bands.
• THOUSANDS OF TABLES AND CHAIRS AND HUGE TENTS for crackin’ to your heart’s content. They have even ordered enough crab paper to stretch all the way across The Potomac and back.

All SHOW FEATURES are covered, so rain or shine – we were all fine!

VIP & PLATINUM GUESTS ENJOYED WATERMELON AT THE SHOW TO COOL THINGS DOWN ON A HOT SUMMER DAY!

Lastly, this event was for a good cause! A portion of event proceeds go to Spirit of Hope Children’s Foundation Visit:www.spiritofhopechildrensfoundation.org
Be sure to Follow on Facebook and Twitter to get information in real time @DrinkEatRelax.

We had a crackin’ good time at the festival. As a native of Baltimore, it gets no better than crabs in the summertime! Here are some of my fun event photos from the #mdcrabfest! Enjoy!

#OutandaboutAva Creates #kidsart at #Mommyandme #Art Class @Artopia_Raleigh #Artopia #FamilyFun #Raleigh~#soNCsavvy Recap

August 17, 2015SobeSavvy Leave a comment

My daughter loves art. All kinds of art. I told my husband I wanted to take our little one to a real art studio so she could experience art in a classic but fun age oriented atmosphere. I live near a place called Artopia in North Raleigh.http://www.artopia-raleigh.com/. They offer all sorts of art classes for all age groups. Summer art camp programs and adult oriented art programs in the evenings.

I always would drive by and see the different programs they have highlighted on their billboard. One day I saw they had a “Mommy and Me Class” on Fridays between 9:30-10:30am http://www.artopia-raleigh.com/Programs/mommy-and-me/. It just so happened to be Ava’s birthday weekend so this was perfect. So we attended Friday’s Mommy and Me Art Class. It was a great way to have some mommy and me fun with her and we got to take home a frame-able piece of art that both her and I created. We call the project “Ava’s Autumn”. All the material used are non toxic and safe for children so that was a plus.

Their website states “.. Projects will include finger painting, chalk art, arts and crafts, and much more! You will go home with a frame-able piece of art that both you and your child created. It is held on Fridays from 9:30-10:30 am \ Ages 0-4 Sign up now and enjoy a great experience of art and connection”

We were greeted by their pleasant staff and led to the space where the class was held. It was bright, airy and loft like. The project of the day was to do a painting to represent the fall season. The instructor gave us a myriad of fall like color choices to be used.

They supplied all the materials and direction. Ava {with a little help from me !}used brown, orange, reds and whites to make falling leaves, barren trees and soil.

The instructor quizzed Ava on her knowledge of primary colors and she passed {with flying colors !}. The instructor/student interaction was lovely and engaging. The finished product ended up on Ava’s bedroom wall where she proudly shows it off to any visitors. Mommy and me gets two hands up !

Artopia is a great space for kids birthday parties and events. Call them at (919) 307-8144 for details and plan your party today.

Here are some pictures from our day at Artopia !

Photographs of #BeerBourbonBBQ @DrinkEatRelax @TownofCary @boothamp #soNCsavvy Event Recap

August 2, 2015SobeSavvy 1 Comment

http://www.beerandbourbon.com/cary/show-info

91 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. It’s the first day in August in the triangle. Let’s go to a festival. Not just ANY festival but the Beer Bourbon and BBQ Festival at the Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, Nc. Thousands showed up to enjoy the party. Samples and samples of beer and bourbon and even some free samples of BBQ were spread around the scenic acres of land. Upon entry we were greeted by a huge and very roasted whole pig being carved up to sample. It was so fresh, steam was still rising from it!

On the main stage they had a great band and also various contests like who had the biggest beer belly and which girl can drink the fastest beer with a straw!
Bean Bag throwing games were lakeside as were turtles and ducks frolicking. You could purchase BBQ throughout the venue from the famous and not so famous BBQ restaurants. All were serving up world class food to go with the world class drinks! If you missed it this year, put in in your calendar for next year !

All in all a great day for Beer, Bourbon and BBQ !

Enjoy the slide show and photos highlighting this fun event!

https://instagram.com/p/52sfikCXJ5/

*Congratulations Marcus L. ~ the winner of the giveaway for 2 VIP tix

SobeSavvy

Sharing The Savvy Of My Life|Family,Food,Travel,Fun

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