Miami Spice, 2011 is here!

Miami Spice, 2011 is here!!!!  It starts tomorrow, August 1st and runs through September 30th.

Miami Spice has been around for a few years.  I always enjoy going and trying new restaurants with my hubby, family or friends.  I look forward to finding some new gems this year...

**The information below and images have been copied from:  www.ilovemiamispice.com

Miami Spice will run from August 1- September 30, 2011 with even more rave reviews! 

Miami Spice 2011 is a mouth-watering summer restaurant promotion showcasing the very best of Miami cuisine.

During August and September, Miami’s top restaurants offer three-course meals (Lunch $22, Dinner $35) featuring signature dishes created by world-renowned chefs. Discover the tropical fusion of ingredients that makes Miami dining so wonderfully out of the ordinary. An epicure’s paradise awaits you in Greater Miami and the Beaches! 

For more on these restaurants and fine dining in Miam

For comprehensive information including attractions, events, clubs, accommodations and much more visit the Greater Miami Convention & Bureau's online Miami tourism guide at www.MiamiandBeaches.com.

The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) hopes your Miami Spice experience is memorable, if you would like to share any comments or concerns with us please send an email toMiamiSpice@gmcvb.com 

The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau is proud to present an impressive lineup of participating Miami Spice restaurants! Please check back periodically for updates. Days offered and menus to come... Miami Beach/South Beach 660 at The Angler's 1500° Ago Restaurant A Fish Called Avalon Asia De Cuba at Mondrian Baires Grill Resto Bistro One LR Blade at Fontainebleau Miami Beach BLT Steak at The Betsy Blue Door Fish at Delano Blue Sea at Delano Bond Street Lounge Cabana Canyon Ranch Grill China Grill Miami Beach Deco Grill The Dining Room Eden South Beach Essensia Restaurant & Lounge Fogo de Chão Churrascaria The Forge Restaurant & Wine Bar Gotham Steak at Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hakkasan at Fontainebleau Miami Beach Kung Fu Kitchen & Sushi La Marea at The Tides South Beach Meat Market Morton's The Steakhouse, Miami Beach Mr. Chow OLA Restaurant Pelican Cafe Quattro Gastronomia Italiana Quinn's South Beach Red, The Steakhouse The Restaurant at The National The Restaurant at The Setai Rosa Mexicano The Royal Sardinia Enoteca Ristorante Scarpetta at Fontainebleau Miami Beach Shula's Steak House at The Alexander Hotel Smith & Wollensky Solea SUSHISAMBA dromo Sushi SoBe Tantra Restaurant & Lounge Tudor House Vita Restaurant & Lounge Wish Yuca Mainland—North (Airport Area, Aventura, Design District, Doral, Miami Lakes, Midtown, Morningside, North Miami, North Miami Beach) 94th Aero Squadron Armillary Grill Restaurant Bourbon Steak Catch Grill & Bar City Hall the Restaurant Graziano's Restaurant—Hialeah La Riviera Mercadito Midtown Mesazul Steakhouse Michy's Morton's The Steakhouse, North Miami Beach  Palm Restaurant Petit Rouge Shula's Steak House—The Original Sra. Martinez Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill Sustain Restaurant & Bar Tuna's Raw Bar & Grille Mainland—South (Brickell/Downtown, Key Biscayne, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, South Miami) Anacapri on Ponce Area 31 Atrio Restaurant & Wine Bar Azul Bizcaya Cafe Sambal Caffe Abbracci Caffe Portofino The Capital Grille Chart House Miami Christy's Restaurant db Bistro Moderne Eos Fontana at The Biltmore Hotel Gibraltar Graziano's Restaurant—Bird Road Graziano's Restaurant—Brickell Graziano's Restaurant—Coral Gables La Cofradia Restaurant La Palma Ristorante & Bar Le Provencal Restuarant Loulou "Le Petit Bistro" Morton's The Steakhouse, Coral Gables Morton's The Steakhouse Miami Novecento—Brickell Novecento—Key Biscayne Old Lisbon Restaurant Ortanique on the Mile Palme d'Or at The Biltmore Hotel Pascal's on Ponce Por Fin Restaurant & Lounge Red Fish Grill Red Koi Lounge Rincon Argentino Steakhouse Rincon Argentino Steakhouse No. 2 Rosa Mexicano Ruth's Chris Steak House Shula's 347 Grill Tony Chan's Water Club The Trapiche Room Truluck's Two Chefs Restaurant Whitney's Northern Beaches  (Bal Harbour, Sunny Isles Beach) The H Restaurant Il Mulino New York Mister Collins The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) hopes your Miami Spice experience is memorable. If you would like to share any comments or concerns with us, please send an email toMiamiSpice@gmcvb.com  For more information on these restaurants visit: www.ilovemiamispice.com **IMages and information from:   Home     Restaurants     Events     Offers     Sponsors     . The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau is proud to present an impressive lineup of participating Miami Spice restaurants! Please check back periodically for updates. Days offered and menus to come... Miami Beach/South Beach 660 at The Angler's 1500° Ago Restaurant A Fish Called Avalon Asia De Cuba at Mondrian Baires Grill Resto Bistro One LR Blade at Fontainebleau Miami Beach BLT Steak at The Betsy Blue Door Fish at Delano Blue Sea at Delano Bond Street Lounge Cabana Canyon Ranch Grill China Grill Miami Beach Deco Grill The Dining Room Eden South Beach Essensia Restaurant & Lounge Fogo de Chão Churrascaria The Forge Restaurant & Wine Bar Gotham Steak at Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hakkasan at Fontainebleau Miami Beach Kung Fu Kitchen & Sushi La Marea at The Tides South Beach Meat Market Morton's The Steakhouse, Miami Beach Mr. Chow OLA Restaurant Pelican Cafe Quattro Gastronomia Italiana Quinn's South Beach Red, The Steakhouse The Restaurant at The National The Restaurant at The Setai Rosa Mexicano The Royal Sardinia Enoteca Ristorante Scarpetta at Fontainebleau Miami Beach Shula's Steak House at The Alexander Hotel Smith & Wollensky Solea SUSHISAMBA dromo Sushi SoBe Tantra Restaurant & Lounge Tudor House Vita Restaurant & Lounge Wish Yuca Mainland—North (Airport Area, Aventura, Design District, Doral, Miami Lakes, Midtown, Morningside, North Miami, North Miami Beach) 94th Aero Squadron Armillary Grill Restaurant Bourbon Steak Catch Grill & Bar City Hall the Restaurant Graziano's Restaurant—Hialeah La Riviera Mercadito Midtown Mesazul Steakhouse Michy's Morton's The Steakhouse, North Miami Beach  Palm Restaurant Petit Rouge Shula's Steak House—The Original Sra. Martinez Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill Sustain Restaurant & Bar Tuna's Raw Bar & Grille Mainland—South (Brickell/Downtown, Key Biscayne, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, South Miami) Anacapri on Ponce Area 31 Atrio Restaurant & Wine Bar Azul Bizcaya Cafe Sambal Caffe Abbracci Caffe Portofino The Capital Grille Chart House Miami Christy's Restaurant db Bistro Moderne Eos Fontana at The Biltmore Hotel Gibraltar Graziano's Restaurant—Bird Road Graziano's Restaurant—Brickell Graziano's Restaurant—Coral Gables La Cofradia Restaurant La Palma Ristorante & Bar Le Provencal Restuarant Loulou "Le Petit Bistro" Morton's The Steakhouse, Coral Gables Morton's The Steakhouse Miami Novecento—Brickell Novecento—Key Biscayne Old Lisbon Restaurant Ortanique on the Mile Palme d'Or at The Biltmore Hotel Pascal's on Ponce Por Fin Restaurant & Lounge Red Fish Grill Red Koi Lounge Rincon Argentino Steakhouse Rincon Argentino Steakhouse No. 2 Rosa Mexicano Ruth's Chris Steak House Shula's 347 Grill Tony Chan's Water Club The Trapiche Room Truluck's Two Chefs Restaurant Whitney's Northern Beaches  (Bal Harbour, Sunny Isles Beach) The H Restaurant Il Mulino New York Mister Collins The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) hopes your Miami Spice experience is memorable. If you would like to share any comments or concerns with us, please send an email toMiamiSpice@gmcvb.com  Miami is known for its world-class fine dining experience. In addition to participating Miami Spice restaurants, the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau touts a plethora of unique restaurants. For additional restaurants, please click here.

Miami Spa Month continues...July 1 - August 31, 2011

 I am re-posting this entry as a reminder that

 Miami Spa Month is still going on for 1 more

 month.

Miami Spa Month, July 1, 2011 - August 31, 2011

Some of the best spas in the country are right here in Miami-Dade county.  For just $99 you can enjoy special treatment at our world-renowned spas...


For information on participating spas and special offers, please visit:  www.miamispamonth.com


I will definitely be visiting a few times.  You have 62 days to enjoy the reduced prices...go ahead take advantage and indulge yourself!

South Beach/Miami Beach

• Agua at Mondrian South Beach • Agua at Delano • Bliss South Beach, W South Beach • Canyon Ranch Wellness Spa, Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa Miami Beach • Elemis Spa at Loews Miami Beach Hotel • ELLE Spa, Eden Roc A Renaissance Beach Resort • Lapis, the Spa at Fontainebleau  • The Ritz-Carlton Spa, South Beach • TheSpaAtDavidBartonGym, Gansevoort Miami Beach • The Spa at The Setai  • Spa at Shore Club • Spa V, Hotel Victor • The Standard Spa, Miami Beach • Uhma Organic Spa

Mainland—North  (Aventura, Design District, Doral, Miami Lakes)

• Emena Spa  • The Spa at Doral, Doral Golf Resort & Spa, A Marriott Resort • Spa at Shula's, Shula's Hotel & Golf Club • Willow Stream Spa, Fairmont Turnberry Isle

Mainland—South  (Brickell/Downtown, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, Key Biscayne)

• Biltmore Spa, Biltmore Hotel • The Boutique Spa at the Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, Miami • Elemis Spa at the Village of Merrick Park • Exhale Mind Body Spa, EPIC Hotel • Jurlique Spa at the Mayfair Hotel • mySpa Miami, InterContinental Miami • Rik Rak Salon & Spa at the JW Marriott Marquis Miami • The Ritz-Carlton Spa Key Biscayne, Miami • RockResorts Spa at Tempo Miami • The Spa at Conrad Miami • Spa at Grove Isle, Grove Isle Hotel & Spa  • Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami • The Spa at Viceroy Miami

Northern Beaches  (Bal Harbour, Sunny Isles Beach)

• Acqualina Spa by ESPA, Acqualina Resort and Spa on the Beach • Aquanox Spa, Trump International Beach Resort Miami • Seven Seas Spa & Salon, Newport Beachside Resort •The Spa at Marenas Resort• The Spa at One Bal Harbour

Come back and leave comments on the spas you visit, we'd love to have your feedback...

Cirque Eloize iD

Cirque iD

BEGINS JULY 26

A spectacular, mind-blowing fusion of new

theatrical circus and urban dance!

Created in collaboration with Cirque du Soleil 

by the great contemporary cirque director, 

Jeannot Painchaud, Cirque Éloize iD 

is an astonishing 

new acrobatic/theatrical spectacle.

iD transports us into the vibrant streets at the heart of 

a city. The stage comes alive with the boundless 

energy of acrobats, break dancers, contortionists

 and a fearless stunt biker who perform against a 

kaleidoscope of eye-popping video projections

 drawn from science-fiction films, comic books

 and graffiti.

**Images, video and information from: http://www.arshtcenter.org/

This production seems like a real treat.  I am planning to buy tickets.  I'll keep you posted...

 

Fabulous Sandbars

We always enjoy the beach so much more when there are sandbars.  We can rest a little easier and feel less threatened by the possibility of rip tides or other dangers.  Although one should never let their guard down when it comes to ocean safety, its hard to imagine anything but beautiful thoughts of fun and relaxation when sandbars are out there. 

The children have more freedom and the adults can relax a little more.  Thankfully we have an abundance of sandbars on the beach at Seacoast.  I'm not sure why, but we have them almost all the time and we LOVE them.

This group even took their chairs and coolers out to enjoy the water.

I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Guided Turtle Walks in Melbourne, Florida

Melbourne is close enough to Miami to warrant a drive to see the sea turtles.  I know they sea turtle walks are also available closer to Miami, however I have not done any other walks so I can't say whether I'd recommend them or not.  I can recommend the Sea Turtle walks in Melbourne, FL.  Although reservations are required and the guided sea turtle walks are very popular, my friend's friend was able to get us tickets to participate this evening. It was a special favor, so don't attempt to go without a reservation, it won't happen...It is unlawful to harass or disturb the sea turtles as they are preparing their nests or laying their eggs. There are specific rules regarding lighting and walking on the beach at night which are designed to protect these threatened and endangered species and their eggs. For the safety of the sea turtles it is recommended that viewers join guided watches.



We've lived in Florida most of our lives and had never been on a Sea Turtle walk. The Sea Turtle Preservation Society prepares you well for the exciting experience. We watched a video and a guide explained everything we would encounter and also provided instruction on how to behave during the walk. Flash photography is not permitted so the pictures are a bit dark, but thankfully you can still make out what is happening.



There are permitted STPS guides throughout the beach searching for incoming sea turtles preparing to nest. Once spotted and once she starts nesting and its safe to approach her, the group quietly comes closer and closer to the nesting mother. Once she has starting laying eggs it is okay to get close and watch this miracle.

Light pointed to Loggerhead Mama laying eggs.

 The nest and the eggs.

The nest and the eggs.

We had more than enough opportunity to see the entire process. While we were there we also spotted about five other turtles heading up to lay eggs. Apparently some got spooked because three of them turned around and left.



We were also lucky because during our experience, the Loggerhead turtle we were watching had a tracking device on her. The scientist who'd been tracking her, showed up looking for her. It was the third time she'd come ashore since May to lay eggs on that beach. The scientist drew blood and performed other exams, which was an added bonus. The guides that were with us had never experienced that at all.

The scientist examining the turtle.



The scientist holding the turtles head.

 We all loved the experience and recommend it highly to everyone...we even had seven year-olds in our group and they were patient, cooperative and awe-struck throughout the entire process. It is so amazing that everyone remains actively involved the entire time.



Go ahead, take the drive and experience this wonderful miracle of life...



Sea Turtle Preservation Society

PO BOX 510988

Melbourne Beach, FL 32951

321-676-1701

STPS@seaturtlespacecoast.org

or check out the link to their website above.

Ana

Our Wedding Anniversary in Melbourne

When Al and I got married seventeen years ago, I was a teacher.  I planned our wedding in the middle of the summer to ensure I would have ample time to get ready for the wedding and ample time from the honeymoon until the start of the new school year.  It worked out perfectly. 

It also works out well for our anniversaries.  We usually travel for our anniversary just because we can...work is usually not as busy and the children don't have any commitments, so its perfect.  Although we weren't planning to be away this year, it worked out that way.  We were in Melbourne.  We had a great time celebrating our special day.

Melbourne is only a short 3 hour drive from Miami but there are things to do there that you couldn't do in Miami such as visiting  Kennedy Space Center.  The beaches are different from the beaches in Miami because they are a bit more rough.  Surfing is a possibility there (unlike Miami).

We spent the early part of the day relaxing and then had frozen drinks and appetizers at SquidLips.  It has a "Florida Keys feel" with the live music playing, the raw bar and just sitting by the water relaxing and sipping cold drinks.  We had a table for the adults and a table for the children.  Everyone had an enjoyable time while listening to beautiful music, enjoying terrific scenery and munching on delicious treats.

We had the frozen Margaritas to start, accompanied by the  Artichoke and Crab Dip, Conch Fritters, Coconut Shrimp and Chicken Wings, yum!!!

Stop by SquidLips, you'll be happy you did!

Afterwards, we went to our friends house and I beat all the kids on the Wii game, Just Dance 2.  WE went to the mall, which was small and very empty, and then off to our next adventure...

We had a picnic on the beach for dinner.  It was beautiful, and a unique experience.  We ordered takeout from ThaiThai2 on A1A and then took it across the street and had a lovely dinner. 

The meal was delicious, the company great and the evening was spectacular!

After dinner we had yet another amazing experience in Melbourne.  Guess what we did...
Check tomorrow's post for the details...