South Beach Wine and Food Festival

We headed down to Miami last Friday for the Food Network's Wine and Food festival. We went with mom and dad and without the kids. My mother-in-law drove down to watch the kids for us so that we could go. (I cannot say enough nice things about my mother-in-law. She is absolutely amazing and I am so lucky to have her.)
We booked a Jet Blue flight directly to Ft. Lauderdale and thought we were pretty smart to do it until we found out that our flight was coming in from New York and that New York was having a blizzard!
We waited as patiently as possible in the Admiral's club (Thanks Dad!) for several hours until our plane arrived. Turns out it was one of the last planes to get out of New York that day. After that it was smooth sailing (flying) and we arrived in Ft. Lauderdale only two hours later than planned. Unfortunately, those two hours were too long for the fabulous limousine and driver mom and dad had hired to surprise us to wait. (Thanks for the thought though!) We grabbed a private sedan from Go shuttle and shuttled our rear ends to South Beach as quickly as possible.
We checked in to our fabulous, art deco, boutique hotel called the Pelican. I had done a ton of research and this seemed our best bet for our price range. We were thrilled with it. The rooms were funky and cool and reminded me of our friends Chris and Fabian's old house. Each room had a name. Ours was Bang-a-Boomerang and my parent's room was Executive Zebra. They had a great suite with huge windows over looking ocean drive and the beach and water.
We threw on our fancy clothes and headed out for the Bubble-Q. Here's the description from the website:
"If you long for the pleasures of sweet-salty-finger-licking goodness elevated to gourmet perfection, then the breezy, chic, totally happening BubbleQ will suit your fancy. Beneath a star-filled sky and atop the soft white sand of the Delano’s private beach, this signature party beckons with non-stop temptations: serving station after serving station of juicy grilled meats and succulent seared seafood, fire-roasted vegetables, and all manner of spicy, creamy, crunchy side dishes and daring, decadent desserts, including specialties from eCreamery, not to mention endlessly flowing Perrier-Jouët Champagne, the epitome of excellence and extravagance. And for the first time in BubbleQ history, Graffigna wines from Argentina will add yet another layer of excitement and their chef ambassador will prepare a dish to compliment the wines in a daring and sophisticated fashion."
This was our least favorite event. Some meat and champagne is good, but too much can wreak havoc on your body. It was also extremely crowded and COLD. We did have some excellent moments- watching a unitard clad lady serving champagne from the chandelier, meeting Todd English, Tim Love and Susan Spicer (and her telling us to call her when we wanted a reservation at Bayona!), and drinking really fantastic champagne, but we probably wouldn't buy tickets to that event again.
The next morning we had a see and be seen breakfast on the patio of our hotel and then went on a long walk down the boardwalk. The weather was cool and breezy and a storm was rolling in. We bought some beautiful hand crafted jewelry and then headed back to the hotel to change and get ready for our next event.
Our next event was a Sushi and Sparkling Substitutes event. Here's the description
"The sushi experience is taken to new heights when you know which wines to pair with it. PBS wine personality Mark Oldman, author of the best-selling Oldman's Guide to Outsmarting Wine, and Thomas Buckley of Nobu join forces to show you which bubblies bring out the best in your favorite sushi. Mark will introduce you to scintillating sparklers from around the globe-- from the light-and-zingy to the rich-and-toasty to a delicious sparkling red - all paired with some of Thomas Buckley's signature dishes."
We really enjoyed this one and learned a ton. We only wished there was more sushi! I really want to try Nobu sometime. Michael talked to Thomas Buckley and got his cell number and an offer to come in later that night, but it was too late a reservation and we made other plans. Still, it was really nice of him! We bought some copies of Mark Oldman's book and I love it. I think I might start becoming even more of a wine person. It's fascinating.
That evening we went out to dinner at a little cafe next door to our hotel. Our friend Chris Wike met us there and we had a really good time. We had a tower of seafood and home made pasta. Delicious!
The next day was our favorite day. We woke up and had croissants and coffee in mom and dad's room. Then we got dressed and headed to the whole foods tasting tent. It was unbelievable. The website description follows.
"Celebrate the glories of gastronomy at the Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village. Leave behind your cares as you enter a world devoted exclusively to the seductive, restorative power of inspired cuisine, excellent wines, and well-crafted spirits. This one-day “holiday” will have you enjoying a refreshing stroll upon a white-sand beach beneath welcoming white canopies and within earshot of gently lapping Atlantic waves as you encounter a seemingly unending array of sublime tastes, the non-stop action of your favorite chefs holding forth on kitchen stage, and unrelenting fun from start to finish. New this year is the Cocktail Clinic Tent hosted by Sandra Lee, where master mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim, along with Katie Lee, Ingrid Hoffmann and Robert Irvine, will each explore a variety of concoctions – both shaken and stirred. With every sip, nip, and nibble, the experience will heighten your appreciation for and deepen your knowledge of what the global community has to offer those with an adventurous spirit and open mind. Accept the invitation to learn more, try more, and live more when you step mind, body, and soul into this welcoming place."
It was amazing. As we entered we received Waterford crystal wineglasses and lanyards so we could wear them around our necks. We received swag bags full of great stuff, cheese slicer, spice mixes, snacks, books, calendars, etc. Wine was flowing from the moment we put foot in the sand. We saw cooking demonstrations from Michael Chiarello and Michael Symon. We hit the Taste of France tent twice. The tasting tents were incredible. There were amazing bites of food and so many wines, liquors, and champagnes available for tasting. It was not too crowded and the weather was beautiful. We spent six hours there and it was six hours of pure bliss.
After we left we went and sat on the beach, watching cruise ships leave Miami and kicking around in the waves.
That evening we took a long walk around town and then crumpled in exhaustion at the hotel. I was so tired by then. That was a problem with all this drinking and eating during the day, we never had any energy left for the night life. Our little hotel room faced two different alleys and the garbage truck woke us up every morning at 7. Our bed was also hard as a rock so we weren't getting very good sleep either. Oh well, it was cool and in our price range and the service was amazing.
The next morning we got up and went and had breakfast with Michael's old friends Alex and Kristy at a fabulous sidewalk cafe called the Front Porch. The food was good and the company was better. We really enjoyed it. Then we packed up and headed for the airport.
It was a great trip. I missed my boys of course, but I knew they were in good hands. I would highly recommend the festival to anyone who likes food and wine. I hope you enjoy the pictures. XO, Amber