#ThankYouMiami for One-Of-A-Kind Weekends

Miami's social calendar is constantly hustlin' and bustlin' and it can be overwhelming, especially on weekends when we are pulled in a thousand different directions. Earlier this week we received an e-mail from a friend who will be in town for the next few days and wanted some help sorting through the chaos. We figured since we went through the exercise that we'd share the goods with our readers. Check out the exciting programming we're looking forward to this weekend. As always, if you catch us out and about, say hi! We'd love to meet you. Happy weekend-ing!

Saturday, May 30

Cine Al Fresco at O Cinema Wynwood (Wynwood Arts District Social)

Grub & Pub Tour Little Havana (Little Havana Food and Pub Crawl)

Sunday, May 31

Lazy BrunchBQ at Canvas Miami (Arts & Entertainment District Social)

Guitars over Guns at Clandestino Pub (Local Charity Event)

Cocktail Consciousness at Repour (Yoga, Cocktail Class & Boutique Pop-Up)

National Hamburger Month Food Truck Competition (Local Food Blogger Hosted Event)

What are your plans for the weekend? Will you be attending any of these events? Are there any exciting events that we missed? Leave a comment below or send us a tweet @ThankYouMiami!

#ThankYouMiami for Fashion - Summer Look Inspired By Jose Cuervo

This past weekend, we evacuated the Memorial Day mayhem for which Miami is known for the tranquil, salty shores of Key Largo. We spent a beautiful three days relaxing with friends, boating, cooking and, of course, enjoying refreshing cocktails. For today's post, at your request, we share more Miami fashion with a new personal style story for our "#ThankYouMiami for Fashion" column. The featured look is a casual one that is composed of some of our favorite finds for summer. It is on trend, easily customizable, and inspired by the unique design of the new Jose Cuervo "Reserva de la Familia" bottle. Read the excerpt below and click on the photo for the full feature.

Would you wear this outfit? What are your go-to pieces for summer? Where do you draw the inspiration for your summer outfits? What is your favorite color for the season? Where will you be traveling to in the summer months? Leave a comment below or send us a tweet @ThankYouMiami!

#ThankYouMiami How-To: Renting or Buying in Miami

 

One of the questions we get asked most frequently about Miami life is whether it is affordable. It is a determining factor for everyone who wants to know if the Miami dream is within their grasp. If you're already a local, you witnessed rental rates increase substantially in the past few years - we're talking $1,500 for a 300 sq ft studio - and, still, available rentals disappeared like hot cakes. In fact, according to Zillow, rents in Miami rose nearly 2.8 percent from January 2014 to January 2015.

As your friendly Miami informant, we are in the process of cooking up a Resources page to help locals and visitors alike navigate Miami more easily. In the interim, we want to share with you one of the resources that will be featured on the page: Zillow's Miami Home Prices and Values. Why is this information important? Because the Breakeven Horizon currently shows that renters should consider buying in Miami if they plan to live here for more than 1.7 years. Even if you cannot afford to buy, this information will help you better understand the local market and make more informed decisions about your living situation.

In our opinion, regardless of what the real estate market looks like here, if you want to make the Miami dream happen, you can make it happen. As Sir Nike once said, "Just do it." It just takes a little creativity, patience, and perseverance. For us, it meant living in a dingy studio on Washington Avenue until we found our dream home on Ocean Drive and, from the photo above, you can see that our view was well worth the wait. So, if you ever need advice, shoot us an e-mail at info [at] thankyoumiami [dot] com or send us a tweet @ThankYouMiami!

Do you rent or own? How did you find your rental? Is there a real estate agent you recommend for Miami newcomers? Do you have any advice for someone looking to move to Miami? Leave a comment below or send us a tweet @ThankYouMiami!

#ThankYouMiami for (Travel) Fashion

Today's "#ThankYouMiami for Fashion" column is a short and sweet travel style post dedicated to all of those escaping the Memorial Day Miami mayhem. Read the excerpt below and click on the photo for the full feature, including four travel style looks.

Are you traveling this weekend? Where are you going? If not, how do you prepare for Memorial Day weekend? How do you prepare for traveling? What is your go-to travel look out of the four we presented? Leave a comment below or send us a tweet @ThankYouMiami!

#ThankYouMiami How-To: Get Your Bikini Body Back with Davidson's Eggs

Last week we joined a dozen food bloggers and experts at the Biltmore Culinary Academy kitchens for an egg focused cooking class with celebrity chef Brooke Williamson. Chef Brooke is best known for being the Top Chef: Seattle runner-up, competing and winning Knife Fight, and for being the youngest female chef to cook at the James Beard house. In addition to her professional accolades, she’s an egg magician. In just two hours, she took eggs from breakfast blah to an all-dish staple AND she kept us from burning down the Biltmore Hotel. Has there ever been a more accomplished woman?

At the “Egg Mixer”, which you can relive through our photos below, Chef Brook used Davidson’s eggs to whip up an appetizer, entrée, dessert, and cocktail. All four dishes were delicious and relatively simple to cook. But, while we enjoyed the eating part the best, the preparation process was priceless because Chef Brooke revealed three tips for cooking eggs that vastly improve their taste, texture, and ease of use.

#ThankYouMiami Talks Our Favorite Six Miami Beach Restos

As you've noticed from our Instagram, we're on a short hiatus exploring the Northeast. But, rest assured Miami, we've been thinking about you the whole time. We promise!

One of the things we miss most from our Miami routine is the delicious suite of dining options. There are six Miami Beach restaurants in particular for which we've got a soft spot due to their ambiance, service, and/or exquisite food. And, because we're generous bloggers, we've shared the goods with Hometown Tourist and, today, we're sharing them with you. Read the excerpt below and click on the link for the Hometown Tourist feature. Bon appetit!

UPDATE: The same day we published this post we received the very sad news that La Gloutonnerie has closed and will reopen as a new concept. We have opted to leave this short description of all of the amazingness it brought to SoFi with the hopes that the revamp will bring all this and more.

What are your favorite restaurants in Miami Beach? In Miami? What do you like most about the restaurant(s)? Leave a comment below or send us a tweet @ThankYouMiami!

#ThankYouMiami for Tequila - Jose Cuervo's Galería de la Familia

In a city where handcrafted cocktails reign supreme, our drink of choice is tequila and soda with a lime. Why? Because it is the tastiest way to go out as much as a Miami-an must and still maintain a bikini body. And, because we're Mexican so it only make sense.

As one of Miami's resident tequila drinkers and as your token Mexican friends, we were invited on Monday to join bartenders, bar managers, and bar owners at Maps where Jose Cuervo introduced a new "Reserva de la Familia" bottle. "Reserva de la Familia" is an extra añejo tequila from the Jose Cuervo family's private reserves - the kind you sip neat or on the rocks. It was first released 20 years ago to commemorate the company's 200 year milestone. Every year, Jose Cuervo collaborates with a Mexican artist to create a one-of-a-kind design for the bottle, like the one created this year by Enrique Rosas that "explores the impact of geometry and space in modern art."

#ThankYouMiami for Fashion Luminaries - Michelle Nakah

Today's post is dedicated to our Instagram feed because, from the tiny screen of our cell phone, it has allowed us to see and be inspired by more Miami people and places than was ever possible before social media. And, for that, we're thankful.

In this week's Miami Fashion Profile for The New Tropic, we share a sliver of our Instagram feed treasure. Specifically, we profile Michelle Nakah of SusyWho, whom we found through Instagram, and explain why she is an example to follow as a designer and a Miami-an. (Hint: She uses her voice on social media to inspire confidence in others.) Read the excerpt below and click on the photo for the full feature.

What inspires you most about Michelle? What Miami fashion luminaries would you like to see featured in future iterations of The New Tropic's Miami Fashion Spotlight? What other topics would you like to see us cover for The New Tropic? Leave a comment below or send us a tweet @ThankYouMiami!

#ThankYouMiami for Fashion - #TheFallsINDULGE Event Recap

Last week, we joined our mom, three Miami fashion bloggers, and their moms for a fun pre-Mother's Day fashion presentation at The Falls Miami. The event was an opportunity to celebrate mom over great music, food, drinks and fashion. The pinnacle of the event was when we joined our mom on stage to talk about our favorite trends for summer (chambray, everything blue, and palm prints) and our special mother-daughter bond. In our latest #ThankYouMiami for Fashion column, we share our recap of the event and our favorite photos of the night. Read the excerpt below and click on the photo for the full feature.

A huge thanks to the team at The Falls Miami for putting together such a memorable event and inviting us to be a part of it; to the team at Macy's for letting us feel like tropical Cinderellas for the night; to the beauty teams at Macy's Chanel and Lancôme counters and the stylists at HSI Professional Hairbar for making us look gorgeous; and, last but not least, to ERGE Footwear for our new summer shoes. You all made us a very happy mother-daughter team!

Did you come out to The Falls INDULGE? What was your favorite moment? Which featured summer trend are you excited to try? What special moments have you shared with your mom? Leave a comment below or send us a tweet @ThankYouMiami!

#ThankYouMiami How-To: Celebrate Mother's Day Like A Miami-an

Mimosas, pool, relaxation, and shopping: that's how Miami celebrates just about every occasion. Mother's Day is no different but, since it is less than a week away, we figured we'd offer a helping hand for those of you on Miami time and in need of ideas. In our latest recommendation for Localeur, we share the four spots that have everything a Miami mom could want -  those four elements we mentioned are musts for any Miami celebration. We even spill where we are taking our mamá for brunch so play close attention!

Read the excerpt below and click on the photo for the full feature. For more ideas, yesterday's post listed other local restaurants offering Mother's Day specials. And, stay tuned later this week for a recap of our hosting gig at The Fall's INDULGE: Fashion and Fun for Moms event. It was so much fun!

Where are you taking mom for Mother's Day? What Mother's Day traditions does your family have? Leave a comment below or send us a tweet @ThankYouMiami!

#ThankYouMiami Talks This Week In Miami

Folks, we're gearing up for a busy one here in the 305 thanks to Cinco de Mayo and Mother's Day. Miami loves to celebrate and this week is a double whammy of festivities that put your quiceñera to shame. Here are the upcoming events that caught our attention this week:

Monday, May 4

Tonight we are hosting our favorite friends and bloggers at the Miami Beach Edition for a private martini making class with Absolut Elyx. Keep an eye on our Instagram page and our snapchat (@ThankYouMiami) to join in on the fun!

Tuesday, May 5

This is the night when you can expect to expend most of your energy for the week because Miami has Cinco De Mayo parties to spare. There will be a Cinco De Mayo celebration in Mary Brickell Village, a Cinco de Mayo fiesta with Power 96's Morning Crew at Jalapeño in Miami Beach, and our personal favorite: COYO Taco's Cinco de Mayo Block Party in Wynwood. Come find your favorite Mexican-born Miami blogger (read, me) enjoying COYO's luchador matches, dancing to the march band, and drinking as much Don Julio as is respectable. ¡Viva, México!

If you're looking for a more quiet night out, The Bookstore in the Grove will be hosting a Local Author Night featuring Miracle Herbs & Plants author Cami Onolfo, North of the Grove author William Hobbs, and others starting at 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, May 6

The city slows down its programming for a night or two to let you recover so go ahead and continue the Netflix binge you started over the weekend. You will need your energy back for when the celebrations pick right where they left off earlier in the week. If you feel like enjoying your mellow night outdoors, grab some vino and snacks and head to the New World Symphony's SoundScape to watch Chevy Chase in Fletch as part of the SoundScape Cinema Series presented by Citi.

Thursday, May 7
If you've regained your energy, congratulations! Your reward is the monthly LoweDown Happy Hour at the University of Miami Lowe Art Museum. For $10, you receive a guided tour of the current exhibition, plus wine, healthy bites, and Bacardi cocktails. Is it any surprise why this event is a local favorite?

Friday, May 8

Center yourself after a long, hectic week at the kick-off of Circa 39's Vino y Vinyasa yoga and wine tasting community get-together. The event, hosted by local Lululemon yogis, will take place every Friday in May in the hotel's tropical courtyard and include a full hour of yoga followed by a tasting of artisanal wines by WunderBar and light bites from The Palms Hotel & Spa's Essensia restaurant.

If you're looking for good music, head to Ball & Chain Bar at 9 p.m. for another Miami Boheme night hosted by award-winning director Joe Cardona that marks the return of Miami Latin funk septet Electric Piquete to the venue's Pineapple Stage. The band will play two sets beginning at 10 p.m.

Saturday, May 9

Kick-off the weekend at The Blogger Meetup's Miami Meet + Sweet event. From 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., you can enjoy delicious cupcakes and other sweet treats while you mix and mingle with other South Florida bloggers at the Miami Beach Women's Club.

Sunday, May 10

Mother's Day comes with a flurry of specials at your favorite restaurants around town like Casabe 305 Bistro, Atrio Restaurant + Wine Room, Bistro Cassis, StripSteak by Michael Mina, and Scarpetta. Tomorrow morning we will be releasing the four places you need to take your mom so she can get the full Miami experience of celebrating with brunch, relaxation, and retail therapy - including where we are taking our mom for brunch. Stay tuned!

Which of these events are you most looking forward to attending? Are there any noteworthy events this week that we missed? Leave a comment below or send us a tweet @ThankYouMiami!