Review: South Beach Food and Wine Festival

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

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This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend the 15th annual South Beach (SoBe) Food & Wine Festival and I must say it’s one of the best festivals I’ve been to, hands down. Even though I only had a chance to partake in two of the events, which totaled 5 hours of indulging in some of the best food and adult beverages I’ve tasted, I felt like I got my fill of the experience – enough to have me already planning out my participation next year.

The feature event on Friday night was the 10th anniversary of the wildly popular Burger Bash, in which Food Network Stars Bobby Flay and Michael Simon have participated in previous years. This year, the two high-profile chefs showing off their burger skills were world-renowned Chef Morimoto and TV personality and weatherman Al Roker, who actually served me one of his delicious patty melts. Who knew Al could throw down in the kitchen like that?

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Even though I’m very much a carnivore and love my meat dishes, I’m not much of a burger girl….that is, until the Burger Bash. I have never in my life tasted so much yummy goodness in one night. I wish I could say I had a taste of the more than two dozen burger entries but sadly, I tapped out around 10. I certainly put in a good effort though! Ultimately Jersey Dawg, a food truck based in South Florida, won the contest but unfortunately for me they were one of the burgers I didn’t get to sample. That’s just an excuse to go back to Miami and try it out. Of the ones I tasted, certainly STK and El Rey de Las Fritas were among my favorites.

On Sunday, I participated in the Goya Grand Tasting Village, and grand it was indeed. So grand in fact that the 2 hour option I selected in lieu of the 5 hour option wasn’t long enough. I could have had at least another hour to soak in all of the deliciousness that awaited me. From the grilled octopus to the macaroni and cheese meatball to the flank steak and horseradish mashed potatoes with chimichurri sauce to the smoked cod fish offered by one of my favorites, Oceanaire, I was absolutely in heaven. Not to mention the large selection of wines offered. There was so much to experience there that the 2 hours felt more like 20 minutes.

In addition to the dozens of food and adult beverage stations, there were cooking demonstrations offered by actress and TV personality Tia Mowry and world renowned Chef Jose Andres; a book signing by one of my favorite Food Network stars Geoffrey Zacharian; several swanky lounge stations decked out in the signature all-white or Art Deco-style South Beach motif; and an entertainment stage hosted by the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. I seriously was on sensory overload. Helpful Hint: Invest in the five hour option so you don’t feel rushed and you can savor the entire experience.

I definitely recommend making a visit to the SoBe Food & Wine Festival but the one thing that may stop you is the price. Despite the cheapest tasting event being around $100, just about every event was sold out. Simply put, don’t expect the prices to go anywhere but up. I will say though that price is only an issue in the absence of value, and this festival certainly brought a lot of value so it was well worth the investment.

Foodie Heaven

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

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Foodie – noun  food·ie  \ˈfü-dē\: a person who enjoys and cares about food very much; A foodie seeks new food experiences as a hobby rather than simply eating out of convenience or hunger. Yep that’s me. Many people travel to South Beach (SoBe) for bachelor and bachelorette parties or just to party in general. Not me. I come to SoBe to eat. Well I come for the beach and the sun too, but there’s nothing like indulging my inner fat girl with what I like to call Foodie Heaven.

There are dozens of wonderful places to dine in SoBe and I know for sure I haven’t been to them all yet but I can recommend some of my “staples” that I come back to almost every time I’m in town, which is quite frequently. Whether on Collins Ave, Ocean Drive or Lincoln Road, there is a dining experience for just about everyone waiting to ignite your foodie senses as well.

Grillfish: I know there is an extensive selection of fresh fish daily, hence the name, and I’ve seen it well prepared on other people’s plates, but I cannot stop myself from getting the same dish every time I dine there. They had me at shrimp scampi. Yes, I am a self-professed shrimp scampi connoisseur and this is literally the best I’ve ever tasted. Ever. And I’ve had my fill of shrimp scampi over the years.

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Shrimp Scampi Pasta at Grillfish

Red The Steakhouse: There are plenty of great steakhouses in SoBe and I’ve tried a good number of them considering I’m a carnivore, but Red is my favorite. The bone-in ribeye with the garlic topping will change your life. And if you pair it with the Belle Glos Pinot Noir, well I might as well just send you to heaven right now!

Dolce: This quaint Italian treasure is tucked away in the Gale Hotel on Collins Avenue and has a branzino/seabass dish to die for. If you are a meat lover, try the Veal Saltimbocca, which is my mom’s favorite. Their menu changes quite frequently but the food there is amazing so I don’t think you can go wrong with any dish you select.

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Branzino with broccoli rabe at Dolce

Cleo: Another restaurant on Collins you might miss if you weren’t looking for it but I promise, once you’ve gone, it will become your second home. This Mediterranean tapas-style restaurant has a little bit of everything for everyone. Before you order anything though, make sure you order the Lebaneh with Feta and Cucumbers and Yogurt dips to go with the hot bread they serve you…Yummm! Some of my other favorites: the kale flatbread (which my mom calls her crack lol), the Brussel sprouts and the roasted lamb.

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Roasted Lamb

CJ’s Crab Shack: I have to say, I’m not a fan of eating on Ocean Drive because many of the restaurants are overpriced simply because they exist on Ocean, but CJ’s is not one of them. I found this delightful gem of a restaurant on one of my girlfriend’s getaways a few years ago and it has some of the best seafood for half the price of its neighbors. As a DC girl who loves her crustaceans, CJ’s can do no wrong with their crablegs and shrimp scampi platter.

Sushi Samba: This unique Japanese/Brazilian/Peruvian fusion restaurant can be found in several cities across the U.S. but I have to say my favorite is in SoBe. I don’t eat sushi often but when I do, I dine here and get the Ezo samba roll, absolutely delicious! No worries if you don’t like sushi, they have plenty of other yummy goodness to go around like the braised shortribs, vegetable tempura and chicken teriyaki Samba-style. Oh, and if you are a mojito lover like me, you’ll absolutely want to indulge in their authentic mojito selection.

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Ezo Samba Roll

 

If you’re a self-professed foodie too, you won’t want to miss my review of South Beach’s Food and Wine Festival next week. Stay tuned!

Wheels Up

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There are a select few who enjoy flying and look at it as part of the experience of their travels but for most, taking a flight somewhere is something they tolerate to get the reward of arriving at their final destination. Even more so nerve-wracking for us is the stress of knowing when and where to book a flight to get the best price and itinerary. Airline travel is different than just about every segment of the travel industry for many reasons, but mostly due to the volatility and range in pricing from one moment to the next and from one company to the next. As a travel professional, I’m constantly on a plane or booking a flight, so I’ve come across some “tricks of the trade” that might make at least booking those flights for that next vacay, if not the experience itself, more palatable.

There are a handful of articles I’ve come across in the past year that have changed my life as it relates to airline travel and I hope they help you as well. I’m also including some of my takeaways from booking my own travel and travel for my clients.

  1. There is an ideal day and time of the week to fly and book a flight to get the cheapest rates. Tips From Air Travel Insiders and Best Dates for Cheap Flights This Year
  2. It’s important to know the difference between a direct and a nonstop flight. The Difference Between a Direct and Nonstop Flight and Why You Should Care
  3. All airlines are not created equal. Knowing this fact, you should determine for yourself what types of amenities or services you value over others. As an example, if you know you are more liberal with your packing and you travel with a lot of bags, you would likely prefer Southwest over Spirit so you won’t be nickeled and dimed with baggage fees.
  4. If you are flying internationally, check to make sure your passport does not expire within three to six months of your travel, depending on the country. Which Countries Require Six Month of Passport Validity?
  5. Enrolling in TSA Pre/Global Entry has been one of the best investments I’ve ever made. If you hate waiting in lines and the rigorous process of taking off your shoes, coat, belt, etc. during the security process as much as I do, you’ll find it a worthy investment as well.

 

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Why won’t we be great?

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

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I absolutely love quotes. Every now and again one jumps out at me and won’t let me go like this one from Mr. Lois. This quote was hidden on the 110th page of the “On Passion” section of this month’s edition of Forbes magazine. Being an entrepreneur, I immediately thought about how this related to potential new business owners, but the more I thought about it, this quote is for every living human being. If I’ve learned one thing going into my twelfth year of being in business for myself, it’s that everyone isn’t made to be an entrepreneur. However, everyone was put here on Earth for a purpose and the sad reality is many people don’t even bother to discover what their purpose is, much less fulfill it. Many people wander through life settling for a mediocre existence, not because they weren’t born for something greater. More often times than not, it’s because of one simple yet powerful emotion, fear.

What is it that we are afraid of anyway? For some it may be failure, for others it may be success, but why is that? Is it because we are afraid of what others might think or say? If we all just accepted the reality that all of us are human and we all have something to be fearful of wouldn’t that be enough to motivate us pass the fears of others’ opinions? Maybe that’s not it. Perhaps it is the responsibility that comes along with being great that people fear.

In my line of work I get to talk to people every day about what we call a “WHY”. It can be an acronym for What Has You. Simply put, if you could have it your way and time and money were no issue, what would you be doing and who would you help? Frequently in those same conversations I hear the excuses people give themselves for why they can’t be great. They say they want more but they don’t have enough time or energy or resources to go after it. But is that the truth? Could it be that we are instead choosing to believe the lies our fears are telling us? I’ve come to the conclusion that it is the latter. Because if that were the case, if it really were a lack of time or resources or even opportunity, those who have come from literally nothing to go on and be a great success would not have been able to do it. I live for the success stories of people who literally had no other option but to win because it helps me take all my excuses off the table for why I can’t achieve my own greatness.

Going back to responsibility, I believe our job and responsibility as human beings is to first seek and understand God’s purpose for our lives and then live boldly in that purpose. Some of us have a purpose that is larger in scope than others but I refuse to believe that any of us were put here on this Earth to just survive. I get it. I once believed that I was more comfortable and safe collecting a paycheck every two weeks from a job I didn’t like in lieu of being in pursuit of my WHY. Then I had a mindset shift. I asked myself what if it’s even more dangerous to get to the end of life, which could be at any moment, and realize we didn’t do all we could to be great?

Here’s another pertinent quote: “Action cures fear.” Go out there and slay the dragons of mediocrity today by taking action towards your greatness.

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Beyond the Barre

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

Once upon a time there was a little girl who had a dream of becoming a ballerina. She put on living room performances for her family in between rehearsing and performing three to four times per week and nothing pleased her more than to express herself through dance. Then that little girl grew up. In addition to realizing her flat feet and crooked back did not make her an ideal candidate for a professional ballerina, she noticed the ballerinas who had “made it” didn’t really look like her. And like most little girls who dream of becoming a ballerina, she eventually went on to find another dream to pursue.

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Circa 1986, Laverne Reed Dance School

My story is not much different from many little girls whose dance careers start at three or four when their parents enroll them in dance school to teach them how to be graceful or get them to socialize and be outgoing or perhaps get them out of their parents’ hair for a few hours a week. The reality is the dance world is tough and most who pursue the art form as a career don’t succeed, and for those who do, there’s often times a short shelf life. One thing that struck me as I attended my alma mater Jones-Haywood Dance School’s 75th anniversary last night was that no matter whether those little ballerinas defy the odds and grow up to become professional ballerinas or they go on to pursue another dream, there are lifelong lessons that stick with them and help them to excel in life well beyond the barre.

As I looked around the dance studio that seemed so much smaller now as an adult, all the memories that have shaped me into the woman I am today suddenly came rushing back to me. I focused in on my spot at the barre where I remember Ms. Jones tapping her cane at me telling me to “pointe those toes and stand up straight”! I remembered the place where I fell to the ground, breaking my wrist after slipping on those glistening hardwood floors while trying to master a tap routine. I can still hear Ms. Jones say “get up, you’re ok”! My most vivid memory took me to Ms. Fortune-Green studying my back and telling me I should go see a doctor because she believed I had scoliosis. [Side note: Though I was prescribed to wear a back brace for four years, which I absolutely hated, that early discovery allowed me to escape back surgery.] It was in those moments I learned about and developed grace, endurance, poise, self-confidence, persistence, discipline, tenacity, an overcoming spirit, and most of all, the ability to smile through pain.

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Gettin’ down in Laverne Reed’s Beary Merry Christmas lol

I applaud and honor the women I “grew up with” in the dance world like Brandye Lee, Karen Niceley, Dionne Figgins and the late Tiffany Glenn who were all able to make a living out of their passion of dance. And I would be remiss if I did not offer a special word of praise to Misty Copeland who kindly accepted the invitation to be a special guest last night. She offered humble words of gratitude for being honored by Jones-Haywood for her outstanding achievement of becoming the first African-American woman to be promoted to principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, one of the three leading classical ballet companies in the United States. That is huge! Ever since reading her book Life in Motion, I’ve been mesmerized by her and her story and it was an honor to be in her presence.

I also want to applaud the countless other women you may never hear of who’ve gone on to pursue other dreams but have utilized the skills, disciplines and lessons learned in dance schools all around the world to propel them forward in their respective professions. I’m grateful to be one of them.

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Having it all

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

There is a blessing and a curse to having it all. By all I mean, investing in all-inclusive travel experiences. I’ve experienced my fair share of all-inclusive (AI) from resorts to cruises and I must say ultimately I’m a fan of it, when it’s done right. But there are levels to this and unfortunately, some experiences miss the mark.

According to one of the premiere travel trade publications Travel + Leisure magazine, “At an all-inclusive resort, more than at most other lodgings, you know just what you’re paying for and can take care of all the arrangements well in advance—leaving you free to relax from the moment you arrive.” I would agree with that statement. And I love not having to pull out my wallet from the moment I step foot on the resort. However, the first thing to note is that all AI experiences are not created equal. The ones I love the most are those that offer a variety of quality dining options, including specialty restaurants, without having to jump through hoops and that aren’t limited in the adult beverage department. If that seems obvious to you, note the ones that offer this are few and far between and they will most certainly cost you. In many cases the specialty restaurants are either an additional price or very hard to reserve. You might have to wake up at 6 am on your vacation to get in line to make a reservation before anyone else does. I mean really, who wants to do that?

As a self-professed foodie, which these days seem to be anyone who loves food, I can honestly say that I’ll try just about anything and I absolutely love to have a different experience every day. I also like to indulge in the local cuisine of the destination I’m visiting. Sadly, not all AI experiences offer these options. In fact, some AI properties only offer two or three restaurants, the majority of which are buffet where you find yourself dining morning, noon and night. I get bored with that very easily because for me the dining experience is just as much about the ambiance as it is about the food. Well, it may not be equal but it’s up there.

I’m currently visiting an AI property in South Florida. Yes, there are AI options within the good ole US of A, likely in driving distance from wherever you are. [Side note: I found there are dozens of properties that classify themselves as AI in the United States. In Colorado alone there are 18! Who knew?!] I knew I had to manage my expectations going in though because of the star rating and price point of the resort. And if you’re wondering, yes I got an amazingly cheap rate (partially due to my status as a travel professional). I’ve found the saying rings true for AI as it does for just about everything in life: “You get what you pay for.” Trust me, I’m not complaining but I know what I like and you should too before you choose which one to visit.

My recommendation is to do your research and take into account what type of eater and drinker you are. If you are anything like me, you’ll want to save up to do one of the higher end AI resorts or cruise lines that offer a variety of dining and beverage options. Trust me it’s worth it, and it truly is possible to have it all.

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One of my favorite all-inclusive brands, Karisma Resorts

That is Love

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

Life is hard. It’s harder for some than it is for others, and if we live long enough we all experience those moments that force us to make that statement at some point in our lives. But if there’s one thing for sure that makes life worth living, is love.

Love showed up big this Saturday at Central Union Mission (the Mission), one of the largest men’s shelters in my hometown of Washington, D.C. I met men from all different walks of life who found themselves at the Mission because of the side effects of life happening – addictions, loss of employment, health challenges, loss of loved ones, you name it.

Dozens of us were there to help one of my dearest friends celebrate her birthday. Yep, my friends celebrate their birthdays by inviting their friends and families to serve more than 150 men at a homeless shelter. That is certainly love, and it was nothing short of phenomenal. What was phenomenal about it, you ask? Professional chefs and barbers took time away from their busiest and most productive days in their respective businesses to volunteer their skillsets and efforts to serve the men. Families, with children as young as four, came out and served together. What was most phenomenal to me though was that everyone, from the dozens of volunteers to the Mission staff to the men who were being served that day, all participated in selfless acts of love.

I had a unique bird’s eye view of the day because my role was to capture the moment with photos. I observed nearly everyone in that place and I couldn’t help but smile all day because even if for a brief moment, I witnessed each person think about someone other than themselves no matter what hardship was going on in their lives at the time. One of the residents of the shelter shared with me some health challenges he was having and then somehow our conversation shifted to my gray hair. (Side note: my natural gray hair paired with my youthful looking face seemed to be a popular subject among the men of the shelter lol.) When he sensed I felt a little insecure about it, he offered me a compliment and he smiled at me, which in turn made me smile. I witnessed a little girl who couldn’t have been older than eight, diligently wipe down one of the beds in the shelter and ask her family members if there was anything else she could do because it was important that the whole place be spic and span. Now I don’t have kids of my own yet but one thing I know for sure about many of them is how self-centered they can be but that truth was nowhere to be found that day.

Sometimes we think of love in these grandiose terms, perhaps because of the way we’ve been conditioned to think of love from the various forms of media that dominate our lives. Every now and again, we need to be reminded of what love is, like I was on Saturday. Love is simple words of encouragement or a smile or a listening ear to someone who needs it. It is the simple acts of kindness that don’t even take a whole lot of time and effort but can make a world of a difference in someone else’s life. Love is thinking of someone else more than you think of yourself, even if for a moment. If you are reading these words and you are encouraged or inspired in some way, that is love and my hope is you find some way to pay it forward today.

Why Dubai?

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In the last few years or so Dubai has become one of the hottest and fastest growing tourist destinations in the world. Of course being in the travel industry, I had to put all this hype up to my own test. Last week I returned from a girlfriend’s getaway there and I must say it lived up to all its hype and then some. Probably for different reasons than you might think. But if you think it’s just desert and skyscrapers, you haven’t even scratched the surface of what Dubai has to offer.

Regardless of whether you are a beach bum, party goer, sightseer or adventure seeker, Dubai has got just about something for everyone. As someone who can be all of these things (not always necessarily in one vacation), I was in jetsetter heaven. We tried to see and experience everything we wanted to but I’ve convinced myself another trip is required to get my complete fill of Dubai, and the other Emirates for that matter. Side note: We did take a day trip to Abu Dhabi to visit the Grand Mosque, which was absolutely the most beautiful place I’ve seen in the world to date.

There are some must have experiences that everyone who’s visited talks about like the desert safari complete with dune bashing and camel rides, shopping in the world’s largest mall (The Dubai Mall) and going to the top of the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, which were all awesome. However, I would not do this destination any justice if I didn’t talk about three of what I call hidden treasures of Dubai that gave me the most life (If you are unfamiliar with that term it means anything that gets you excited or brings you joy), and that is the Dubai Miracle Garden, Global Village and the Dubai Fountain.

The Dubai Miracle Garden, which has only been in existence for just about two years, is the world’s largest flower garden and it is the most unique and breathtaking display of foliage I’ve ever seen. There are flowers designed in just about every shape and form you can imagine. If the thought of that bores you lol I promise it was fascinating. There’s also live music and food to keep you entertained as well.

Global Village has been in existence for quite some time but for some reason it’s not widely talked about as a tourist attraction, especially considering its claim to have more than 5 million visitors a year. I hadn’t even heard of it until I got there. It is claimed to be the world’s largest tourism, leisure and entertainment project with more than 80 destinations around the globe represented. It is indeed massive! Each destination from the USA to Thailand to Africa had its own souk (marketplace) to visit chock full of shopping, dining and entertainment experiences. There was so much ground to cover we couldn’t even make it to half of the souks!

As for the Dubai Fountain, the world’s largest choreographed fountain system, it lived up to its hype as well. Designed by the same architects of the Bellagio fountain in Vegas, it is a phenomenal display of water and light accompanied by a range of music depending on what time of day you choose to see the show. Ironically, three of my favorite Dubai treasures were the least costly of all our experiences. This brings me to my last and final point.

Dubai is not cheap so don’t go there for a budget vacation. They do everything big, clearly. You see a theme with the world’s largest right? That shouldn’t preclude you from going though. Just make sure you save up your coins before making the trek. I promise It’s absolutely worth every penny to do it up big in Dubai.

 

What is golden life?

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If you know me or follow me on social media, you may have heard me mention golden life a time or two. What does it mean to live a golden life, to live life like it’s golden? It means living your best life now, not waiting until some day to live the life you love. Many of us are waiting on something – to make more money, have more time, get that dream job, meet their soul mate – before they begin to live life fully. We fail to realize the best time to start living your best life is always right now.

Several years ago I went into business for myself because I wanted the opportunity to earn what I thought I was worth and gain financial independence so I could pursue my passion projects full time. In that pursuit of wealth and time freedom, I found myself putting my life on hold, which was the exact opposite of what I wanted for myself! That’s when I made the decision to course correct and combine my business pursuits with golden life living. I realized I didn’t have to wait to become wealthy and get complete time freedom to start living a life I loved.

Speaking of love, my first love (besides Jesus of course lol) was and always will be music. I could not launch this blog without first giving you the inspiration behind its name. In 2004, the year I launched my first business, one of my favorite artists Jill Scott released a song entitled Golden. That song inspired me in ways no song had ever inspired me before. I decided a short time later the theme of that song would become the soundtrack to my life and the rest is history.

This blog is about all the things that make my life golden from enjoying good music and food, to using my spiritual gifts to serve others, to traveling around the world and everything in between. I hope what I share will inspire you in some way to live your own golden life. We only get one of them, so we might as well live it like it’s golden!

A snippet from Jill Scott’s Golden…

I’m holding on to my freedom,
Can’t take it from me,
I was born into it,
It comes naturally,
I’m strumming my own freedom,
Playing the god in me,
Representing his glory,
Hope he’s proud of me,

I’m living my life like its golden, golden, golden, golden, golden, golden….

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