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Karen’s Kudos January

 

 

 

Elegant stationery that harks back to times of civility and glamour, a super pick for inexpensive orchids that really last,  next up in the excellent art and investment series at the Frost, and a French pastry and cooking school Miami for dabblers, serious cooks and chefs to be. This month in Karen’s Kudos.

Do you love to write (or receive) handwritten notes on handsome, thick stationery that conjures up glamour and civility?  And enjoy travel? Then you’ll want to note about the Grand Tour Collection from prestige stationer Dempsey & Carroll. Designed by John Derian it features white #3 (6-3/8″ x 4-1/4″)  blue and red white bordered cards  paired with hand-lined blue envelopes of  vintage hotel prints. This collection comes as a set of ten and includes two of each envelope design.  A set of ten is $55. www.dempseyandcarroll.com.

orchid delivery miami

The good news is that orchids are so ubiquitous and cheap here. The not so good news is that if you buy them on the roadside or sometimes even at farmers or food markets, they hardly last. So was I ever delighted when I stopped in at The Orchid House, 2265 Coral Way, and found an elegant one stem white phalaenopsis orchid for $15. Owner Maureen Moreno assured skeptical me that it would last several months in my apartment.

orchid delivery miami

Glory be, not only has it lasted over two months, but – unheard of – it has sprouted a new stem with buds. I haven’t added any fertilizer or done anything special except put the bottom third in water every week for 30 minutes. Happy day.  What’s the secret to the quality of her orchids I asked? Temperature and humidity control, music and positive energy said she. Orchid House sells vandas, oncidium and a good selection of phalaenopsis plants for $15 to $36. They also do next day free delivery anywhere in Miami on orders over $35. While you’re there you may want to pick up a white ceramic pot. There were  attractive ones like those pictured here for around $12.

orchid delivery miami

 

 

A French baking and cooking school, Gastronomicom Culinary Academy, has come to Coral Gables and it sounds like the real deal. The instructors have serious credentials at the finest hotels and Michelin starred restaurants in Europe. We’re talking three star Eugenie Les Bains, two star La Bastide St.Antoine and the Beau Rivage Hotel. You can go to hands-on workshops with tasting for a day or two, an intensive week long class,  make a larger commitment of one to three months, or even figuratively “graduate” to studies at their school in Agde, France if you want to become a professional chef. In all the classes, students are promised to come away with a portfolio of recipes and new cooking techniques.

cooking school miami

Month long cooking classes are held four hours a day, five days a week. Not to worry about being put on the spot — you’ll have a partner as students work in teams of two. Each week there’s a different category of food item – cold starters, hot starters, fish dishes and meat dishes.  Prices range from $90 a day to $9600 for three months with an enrollment fee of $250 for the month long classes. For the day classes cooking themes include French charcuterie, molecular technics, foie gras and more.

cooking school Miami

Always wanted to learn to make pastry? Their program covers all the bases you could want: from bread, dough and viennoiseries to entremets, chocolate/ confiserie and plated desserts.  The one day classes are 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. so they suit those of you who work. Pastry themes range from birthday cakes and French breads to Wedding cakes, chocolates and more.

Gastronomicom.com, 2151 S. Le Jeune Road, Suite 110, Coral Gables. T.(786) 534-7325.

Brian Boucher

 

 

If you missed the first in  The Art & Investment Series at the Frost Art Museum FIU with Dr. Don Thompson who talked about how marketing and branding affect prices in contemporary art (excellent), you have another chance with the second talk by Brian Boucher, art critic and journalist on Saturday, February 18 at 11 a.m. The series features speakers whose views on the dynamics of the contemporary art market providing new ideas and  insight to new and seasoned art collectors. A 10-year veteran of Art in America, Brian Boucher has served as the Senior Writer of Artnet News, the 24-hour global art market newswire, since January 2015. He has written feature articles on such artists as Ken Price, Michael Rakowitz, Tom Sachs, and Rachel Harrison, and broken major news, such as the story about the sale of the Armory Show. When asked about his specific topic, he explained, “As the country is fearsomely divided, as some of us see “American carnage” in effect today and some of us see us barreling toward that same apocalyptic vision, does art matter? I say that it does, and I hope we can all find ways to encourage the people in the art world doing the kind of work we find meaningful, as I’ll talk about at the Frost.”  Admission is $25; $15 for the FIU community. The two hour session also includes brunch.  And in more news at the Frost, they recently opened Vicky’s Cafe where you can grab breakfast, a sandwich, light bite, salad, pastry or a selection of coffees and sit inside or outside overlooking the lake. Nice. For tickets, click here.

 

Karen Escalera

Karen Escalera

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