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Month: July 2018

Five stars across the board, my top rating goes to Novikov Miami, a sophisticated new entry in Miami's dining scene featuring Japanese and Chinese cuisine. I'm talking about decor, menu, food, service and atmosphere. Seldom when I read a menu do I find so many appealing dishes that I'm already plotting my return visit .Miami is loving the place, judging by its being packed even early in the week in July. Novikov is the first US outpost of chef owner Arkady Novikov who has 50 restaurants in London, Dubai, and primarily Moscow.
August is a time to do something different, and we've got the things to do -- food, culture, art, festivals, beach bash. Check them out.
Miami likes the bold, statements, and showmanship, so it's not surprising that we have several serious options for food as theatre, with restaurants of incredibly creative chefs such as Jeff O'Neill at Barton G., Walter Martino, the world famous Jose Andres and the Colombian born Juan Manuel Barrientos. A guest blogger went to Barrientos' Elcielo Miami for me a few years ago, but after hearing about a new menu and readers' comments, I decided it was time to go myself and have "The Experience".
Miami Swim Week 2018 closed last week and it was bigger and better than ever with runway shows, exhibits and parties galore. What may surprise you is that this is the most prominent swim week in the US. Not only were there bathing suits and beach wear for men and women, but beauty products , accessories (lots of hats), and even beverage (coconut waters). Designers from Bali and Crete to Brazil, France and the UK were represented. Here’s a photo gallery of some of my favorite pieces from designers well worth checking out online with links provided.
A perfect thing to do in summer and with guests from out of town is a unique sunset cruise called Seabirds on the Bay. And there's not only one coming up July 27, but it's a full moon cruise!Thanks to a tip from a loyal reader and good friend, Francinelee, I found out about this gem of an outing. And by the way, be sure to scroll down to the end of every blogpost and see the images from Instagram, some exciting ones that don't make their way into the blog since there are only two posts a week.
This month on the sixth anniversary of MiamiCurated I'm happy to launch the new, more contemporary design with more images and along with it, a mobile friendly site which a lot of you mentioned you wanted. Love to hear your comments, suggestions! Thank you for your readership and loyalty! Kicking off the new design is a post on Farmer's Table.
It’s that time again, spa lovers! Miami Spa Month 2018 when spa treatments and services typically costing $200+ are reduced to set prices as low as $109 along with value added features ranging from fitness classes, and extra treatments to your own tiki hut on the beach. New this year is hot addition, The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel and Residences at The Surf Club. We’ve narrowed down all the offerings and curated a list of ten just for you. Happy Spa Month or actually months since it's for July and August.
July in Miami is going to be a great one! From the first-ever PARAISO at FUNKSHION event for Miami Swim Week, a five-day festival honoring Ernest Hemingway and a Cuban music concert, to the 20th Annual Mango Brunch, Shakespeare by the Sea and more, there’s so much to do and see. On top of that, we’ve rounded up a bunch of year-round activities that we think would make an excellent addition to your summer to-do list.
There’s a lot of boasting these days about being farm-to-table, buying locally and through specialized purveyors. I tend to think it’s often just talk. One restaurant, Essensia Miami, has always been true to that mission, even having a garden steps from the restaurant’s terrace where they grow their own herbs, eggplant and even shishito peppers. And now they have a new chef, Ilde Ferrer, who brings his varied and impressive background at Le Bernardin, French cuisine and seafood; the Setai, Asian; Union Square Café, American; and Ortanique, Caribbean, to the table. The result is dishes that are creative, while bringing out the flavors of the ingredients. And two of the dishes are earmarked for my roundup of Best of the Year.
Since my return from the long trip, I've been making up for lost opportunities, out on the eating trail. Here's juicy Eating News for the month -- a serious find for fruit pie lovers (and just in time for July 4th), great lunch and happy hour deals, a Russian restaurant and nightclub, new restaurant and eatery openings you'll want to know about.