Post Christmas Blues

December 26th, 2011….

Christmas is finally over and to remind me of all the festivities of this time I have been gifted a brand new 5 pounds. Yay me! This morning I awoke in a cold sweat when I realized, NYE is in less than a week and I have a VERY fitted dress that I have to fit into.

OMFGosh…WTF and I am going to do???
So in total me fashion and of course in a state of panic, I have made a deal with the higher powers. If I am able to lose the lovely 5 pounds, I PROMISE I’ll be a good girl and I’ll eat very healthy and I will not touch greasy food ever again. Pretty pleeeeease . This took me back to those deals I’ve previously made with the Porcelain Gods (in my 20′s) where I rid my life of alcohol consumption. So, I’m a bit nervous now, because the higher powers know my track record (never kept those promises to the the Porcelain Gods). So plan B…..an exciting diet of albacore tuna and spring mix salads and water, ALL WEEK.

Pray for me.

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Beers, Chicken and Antiques

I love feeling like a tourist in my home and discover new things and places to do in my own back yard. The last couple of weekends I have spent exploring this great city. Who new that there was so much to do on the beach that doesn’t include 6 inch stilettos, a mini skirt and long lines?!?!?! Gasp!

So every other Sunday South Beach has the Licoln Mall Antique and Flea Market. If you love antiques, from Fendi purses to Jimmy Choo shoes, this is a great place for amazing finds. However, if your like me and can’t even commit to a piece of jewelry, the market is a backdrop to great people watching and a great time just looking. My favorite part is that it is a great event to do as a family. And as with almost everything in South Beach, it’s dog friendly so your pet can join the fun. The day was gorgeous, the vendors had great antiques and the people were from all walks of life. Since the flea market is located in the Licoln Mall, it is sorrounded by great eateries, from an Irish Pub to a Ghirardelli for some amazing chocolate. So for lunch, we wanted to chek out Quattro which is a fancy little Italian restaurant right on Licoln Mall. The food was ok. I had the baked chicken with aspargus and fingerling potatoes. My girlfriends had the veal and the steak. And was a very over priced. It’s definitely not  place to go with the family if your on a budget.I was bit dissapointed because for Lincoln Mall I’d expect something a bit better. I’ll stick to a local mom and pop Italian place. When I find it in Miami beach i’ll let you all know. After a bit more shopping, sight seeing and people watching, it was time for some nice cold beers. So we hit what is  now my FAVORITE bar, Burger and Beer Joint on Alton Road. Now, if your on a diet, I’m letting you know now, don’t even bother. The majority of the appetizers ARE veggies, but deep friend and in a light batter. So we had deep fried battered green beans with and some great Indian Pale Ale beers. It’s a great spot with a cool crowd. The games are always playing and the staff was incredibly nice and provided us with a lot of feedback in regards to their beer selection. I’d definitely recommend this place. They do have another B & B in Downtown Miami, which I of course have also checked out already, The same great service.

Here are the links if you want to check these places out yourself:

http://www.antiquecollectiblemarket.com/

http://quattromiami.com

http://www.bnbjoint.com/

Can’t wait for next weekend.

Moving Checklist

To celebrate the first Monday of 2012 I thought it’d be a great idea to go to the beach with a blanket a book and bottle of champagned and that’s exactly what I did. It’s the little things that make me love living beachside. As I begin my search for a new place in a couple of months, it’s not going to be the state of the art gym and the stainless steel appliances that are going to sell me on it. One thing that I have learned while living here is that you will have to sacrafice the comforts of a brand new place if you want to live walking distance from the beach, that is of course, unless you are blessed with making a insane amount of money or have a sugar daddy. So here’s my checklist for my new and permanent place:

2 bedrooms & 2 bathrooms

Nofurther than 2 blocks away from the beach.

…..that’s about it : But here’s the catch, rent can’t be more than $1300.00.

Now, the only way to get that is will be sacraficing on square footage, around an 800 sq ft apartment is what i’ll probably end up with, which is small for Miami standards, and all other fancy amenities. If im lucky I’ll get a washer and dryer inside the unit. But it’s all worth it to live here. I guess that’s the part that some of my friends don’t get. It other areas, that much money can get me a pretty sweet pad. However, you miss out on great culture, eateries, galleries and diversity.

Am I alone on this guys?

2012 Ready Or Not, Here I Come

I’ve been debating all day what would be my first blog entry. You see, this is a pretty big deal to a new blogger. lets just say I was not very productive at the office today with ideas running through my head. But just now, after a nice cold glass of champagne, it hits me….my new years resolution.

Now, before I can tell you about my 2012 resolutions, I must first tell what 2011 has been like. This has been a year of new beginnings. I ended a horrible relationship and embarked on a dating frenzy, I moved to a new neighborhood and I started a great new job. But it has also been a year of transition. Because my daughter has spent the last 6 months in the West Coast with her father, I am living in a temporary place with temporary furniture. Needless to say, I am looking forward to this New Year.

I’m not going to get fancy here being that all of my resolutions/goals are pretty self descriptive:

1. Do more yoga
2. Read more (Not magazines)
3. Start gardening
4. Be more spiritual
5. Save
6. Start working out
7. Spend more quality time with my daughter
8. Join the PTA
9. Be more involved in my daughter’s school
10. Start a charity
11. Take a trip alone
12. Take a trip with my daughter

These seem pretty realistic and achievable. Usually every year I think of these ridiculous resolutions that not even a buddha can achieve. I’m very excited for 2012. Let’s see what it brings us.