February’s Karen’s Kudos features a terrific dinner special from leading seafood restaurant La Dorada, a shoe museum exhibit — shoes as art at the Bass’s bassx gallery, Bellissima: Italian Fashion and High Art at the NSU Museum, fave product finds, and cooking classes Miami, a series on healthy comfort food.

For 20 years I’ve been eating at La Dorada in Coral Gables – always seafood that has been flown in from Spain. In all of that time the quality and service has not waivered. Plus, the tables are large and well spaced, and the noise level is moderate, an increasingly rare phenomenon. At dinner it’s on the pricey side, so I was recently delighted to see that their excellent value 3 course lunch for $21.95 is now offered weeknights from 6:30 – 8. You could say it’s the late dining Spaniards version of an early bird special. Choices on a recent visit included appetizers such as salpicon de mariscos (cold seafood salad) and Mediterranean salad with Serrano ham and manchego cheese. Mains included grilled mahi mahi with roasted potatoes and vegetables and boneless trout on the grill topped with Serrano ham. Meat dishes featured lamb shank in a wine sauce. All entrees are served with potatoes and vegetables. The third dessert course was torrejos, fried sweetened bread (better than it sounds). Now that’s a deal.

Love shoes? Then here’s an exhibit not to miss. Art & Sole features footwear Stuart Weitzman has commissioned since 1996 by artists, designers and craftsmen from around the world. The most inventive of these shoes will be featured in the Bass Museum of Art’s bassX gallery from March 8 through April 10, 2016, located in the Miami Beach Regional Library (227 22nd Street, Miami Beach).These fantasy shoes are remarkable for their imaginative construction and elaborate adornment, constructed from unexpected materials such as bronze,ceramic, wire, Plexiglas, or cardboard as in the case of Robert Steele’s Corrugated Curves, VI.

Other shoes are noteworthy for their surfaces, embellished with feathers, gems, fresh flowers and cake frosting. Joan Klimo, who worked in fabric and mixed media, transformed shoes into whimsical soft sculptures. Art & Sole is part of the museum’s bassX series of artist projects based in the Miami Beach Library during the museum’s year long renovation.

Fashionistas in South Florida have another exhibit of note this month and next, “Bellissima: Italy and High Fashion 1945-1968 at the NSU Museum, in Fort Lauderdale. The exhibition, on view now through June 5, 2016, explores the remarkable period of creativity in Italy that gave rise to Italian high fashion (alta moda) and was notable for extraordinary contributions in art, architecture, cinema, theater and photography. On display are everything from textiles and day to evening fashion to accessories from major names including Fendi, Emilio Pucci, Valentina and Mila Schon.  More than 90 designer garments are featured that are said to define the identity of Italian fashion, revealing its themes and distinguishing features — from  creations that lit up grand ballrooms and theaters, to elegant cocktail dresses, from the distinctive black and white graphic look, to the chromatic explosion of the 1960s. My favorite were the accessories including handbags, shoes, hats and jewelry from names including Roberta da Camerino, Gucci, Ferragamo and Coppola e Toppo.

Fave products this month – from time to time I’ll write about products I’ve especially liked. Starting off is the best steaks  in town. Someone who would choose steak for a last meal on earth, my search has taken me from Fresh Market and Whole Foods to Epicure, Milam’s, Costco and various Argentine butchers. The winner? New York Strip at Costco – and it’s one of the most reasonable. It’s well marbled, white fat, beefy, and just the right thickness …..Speaking of Costco, love their multi grain wheat crackers and a runner up (though for Mr.W it’s #1) are the Firehook baked crackers. They hold their crispness and go equally well with cheese and dips, not overpowering either…….Always on the lookout for new teas, my new find is Numi organic teas which has one of the most unusual assortments of tea bags I’ve seen. Find a line of tumerics which are said to have major health benefits; Pu-Erh, richer than black tea, smooth and malty in flavors like basil, cardamom and ginger along with chocolate and the emperor’s; a  chocolate line; and get this — garden sampler such as tomato mint. A package of 12 bags starts at $7.99. Added benefit, they’re eco friendly.

Hold your frying pans. The Patti and Allan Herbert Wellness Center is introducing a new cooking skills series open to all in the South Florida community. Throughout the series, participants learn time-saving techniques and basic cooking skills designed to quickly make simple and easy  and healthy meals. Offered on Saturday mornings, the four-part skills series is led by Robyn Webb, an award-winning cookbook author, nutritionist, and culinary instructor. In addition to teaching new skills, Webb ensures that no one walks away hungry from her classes. Each session includes a full meal. Webb is also raffling off two autographed copies of her award-winning, best-selling cookbook, The American Diabetes Association Diabetes Comfort Food Cookbook, at each session. Sessions include Veggie Heaven, February 27; Perfect Poultry, March 19; and Hold the Meat, March 26.  The series costs $110 per person, but classes can be purchased individually at a prorated price. For more information or to register for the series, visit miami.edu/wellness or contact the Herbert Wellness Center at 305-284-5433.