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Florida Life Things To Do

Happy Valentine's Day

Okay, I have to admit that although I love my husband, family, friends, clients, south Florida, referrals, wine and dark chocolate, but am not a big fan of Valentine’s Day.  As my husband said early on in our dating, every day should be Valentine’s Day, not just a day where flower prices sky rocket, restaurant reservations are scarce, and Hallmark cashes in.  So instead of celebrating just one day, go out and celebrate all weekend!  There is so much to do between the boat show and Coconut Grove Art Festival that you will find plenty of reasons to love living in, or visiting, south Florida.

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Florida Life Things To Do Where's JWo?

Weekend Trip From South Florida – St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg is a 4.5 hour drive from Miami and, though different, has a lot of similarities.   St. Pete is on the Gulf, Miami is on the Atlantic.  St. Pete is full of tourists, as is Miami.  The Port of Tampa (St. Pete/Tampa/& Clearwater are basically considered one area) services Central Florida and is doing a lot of business with Brazil; Port Miami services Central America and also does a lot of business with Brazil.

There are a lot of things to do in both St Pete and Miami, but I am a beach girl and spent the time I was in St Pete on the beach with my nephews.

 

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Florida Life Things To Do

On The Road Again….

Not only a Willy Nelson song, but for someone who lives in South Florida it is a bit of a mantra.  There are always places to go and people to see.  If the “people” aren’t family or friends visiting your home in Miami, “people” are family or friends visiting somewhere in Florida close enough to justify a road trip.  In this case, it is my brother and his family coming to the west coast of Florida to visit his in-laws and escape an oncoming winter storm in the northeast.

Being in real estate and a spur-of-the-moment person, any excuse for a road trip is usually good enough for me.  All the stars aligned and I didn’t have showings for two whole days so late Friday I threw a bathing suit, pjs, running shoes, and a change of clothes into an overnight bag and headed for the west coast…of Florida that is.  Four and a half hours later I was driving over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge into Saint Petersburg, Florida.

 

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Things To Do

The 2012 Borscht Film Festival Starts Tomorrow

Art Week and Art Basel ended on Sunday so hopefully you have had enough time to rest and are ready for the Borscht Film Festival, which starts tomorrow.  This series of short movies, all filmed in Miami, will run through December 16 and are another example of the growing Miami cultural arts scene.

An article in this Sunday’s Miami Herald describes in detail the growing importance of the Borscht Film Festival in promoting Miami to filmmakers.

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Miami Beach Things To Do

Visiting Miami For Art Week? Check Out The James Royal Palm Hotel

Photo Courtesy of The James Royal Palm Hotel

The James Royal Palm Hotel is the perfect place to kick off  Miami Art Week 2012 before the opening with Art Miami on December 4.  The James Royal Palm not only features  “An Ocean Apart,” a carefully-curated art collection curated by Lauren Rottet, it also supports an Artist in Residence program for local emerging artists, and has a rich history.

Art@TheJames includes Alex Prager, Carrie Sieh, Gavin Perry, Gerry Stecca, Portia Munson, Stephanie Jaffe Werner and Troy Stanley.

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Florida Life Things To Do

Art Miami Starts In One Week, Kicking Off Art Week And Art Basel

Art Miami - Kicks Off Art Week

Art Miami, the original and longest running contemporary  art fair that kicks off art week and culminates with Art Basel Miami, starts in one week on December 4th.  This year Christie’s International Real Estate and a group of Christie’s global affiliates, including EWM are Art Miami 2012’s Exclusive Real Estate Sponsor.

Art Miami, located in trendy Midtown Miami, hosts 170 artists and galleries.


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Coconut Grove Coral Gables Florida Life Miami Beach Pinecrest Restaurants Things To Do

Best Sunday Brunch Spots In Miami

Biltmore Brunch

There are a lot of great breakfast spots in Miami, from Wagon’s West in Pinecrest;  Greenstreet and Peacock Garden Cafe in Coconut Grove,  and one of my favorites, The Big Pink on South of Fifth.  But for Sunday Brunch, I want something a little more extravagant.  Here are some of my top brunch spots from Coral Gables to Miami Beach:

  1. Biltmore Champagne Brunch Coral Gables – Whether you enter through the grandiose lobby or by their gorgeous pool, the setting for the Biltmore’s Sunday Brunch reminds me of the Great Gatsby era and I love the history of the place.
  2. Gibraltar at Grove Isle Coconut Grove – This restaurant has one of the most gorgeous views in Miami.
  3. The National Hotel Miami Beach – Though not as decadent on the food end as the others on this list, the fact that it is so reasonably priced and comes with complimentary access to the hotel’s beach and pool
  4. Terrazza at the Shore Club Miami Beach – the outside open porch over looking the pool is so relaxing.
  5. Sunday Jazz Brunch at the Setai Miami Beach – It is the Setai, need I say more?
  6. The Forge Miami Beach – Fresh, seasonal ingredients make for a varied menu and great food.

The SouthFloridaGourmet.com has a much more extensive list of  locales serving brunch in Miami

 

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Things To Do

The Round Up Has Great Concerts For Cheap!

Gloriana

Okay, so you don’t really think of country music when you think of Miami.  We are more well known for the house and trans music played by DJs at our great clubs or at Ultra and the Winter Music Festival.  However, if you are a country music fan or just want to try a different scene, head to the Round Up Country and Western Bar in Davie.  They have a large dance floor and their stage gets the live performers literally in with the crowd.

 

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Things To Do

Excercise Your Right To Vote!

If you did not wait in line for early voting or request an absentee ballot, make sure you take the time to vote today.  My daughter was so excited to be able to vote for her first time, I hope all registered voters feel the same!

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Florida Life Things To Do

Don't Let Sandy Ruin Your Weekend…Still Lots To Do!

1.  Movie screening of “Last of the Haussmans” at Coral Gables Art Cinema [youtube width=”425″ height=”344″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGM-1bh-HN0&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]

2. Early voting starts Saturday.  The ballot is long, so know how you are going to vote on everything before you go so you don’t add to long lines.  Pack your patience!

3. Deering Estate’s Wine On Harvest Moon is Saturday night.

4.  South Florida’s Jazz Orchestra’s,  Great American Songbook is at Pinecrest Gardens on Saturday night

5. Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is going on Friday-Monday.  Fireworks and flyover scheduled for Sunday.

6.  Gables Bike Day is on Sunday from 10 a.m to 4 p.m