#ThankYouMiami Unveils A Miami Resources Page

For the past two years when you've wanted the scoop on what to do, what to eat, or what is going on in Miami, you've looked to us and for that we are grateful. As a thank you, we've condensed our insider knowledge into a new Miami Resources Page that is accessible from our homepage. The Miami Resources Page lists must-have resources to navigate the Magic City, such as information on whether its better to rent or buy in Miami, how to prepare for a hurricane, and a list of our favorite Miami blogs. Don't see a resource you would find helpful? Leave a comment below or send us a tweet @ThankYouMiami and we'd be happy to include it!

#ThankYouMiami for COYO Taco's Arrival to South Beach

COYO Taco is a blessing for Miami Mexicans. We’re not saying that because it’s the most authentic Mexican restaurant in Miami—because it’s not—but because it’s the most well-suited Mexican restaurant for Miami. COYO’s atmosphere, décor, and menu work cohesively to deliver a concept that is not only perfectly Mexican, but also uniquely Miami. For Mexican-born Miamians like us, COYO is our alma gemela, or “twin soul”.

#ThankYouMiami How-To: Getting In The Holiday Spirit

Thank you for your patience with our third post of the week. ICYMI we arrived in Mexico today and will be heading to ski New York late next week. Turns out, packing for two straight weeks of travel is a lot harder/time consuming than we thought so we had to bump our usual writing time to properly plan our luggage. That said, we've been wanting to put together this post for a few weeks because we've heard from you that the bizarre weather this winter—the summer-like rainstorms, the heat—are making it hard to get into the holiday spirit. The winter season is one of our favorite times of the year so today we are highlighting some events going on around town to help you muster that holiday cheer we know and love.

We completely missed the ball on Hanukkah pero there are a few days left to get amped before Christmas. One of our favorite annual events is Conrad Miami's Jack Frost Happy Hour at The Bar at LvL 25. In addition to festive cocktails and special holiday bites, the popular December happy hour livens the 25th floor every thirty minutes from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. with a flurry of glittering snowflakes. One level below, the Spa at the Conrad—which we've mentioned previously has amazing seasonal specials—has three blissful new treatments that channel the spirit of the season: the Dance of the Sugar Scrub Berries body wrap and Swedish massage, the Let It Glow facial and Swedish massage, and the 75-minute License To Chill mani-pedi. Nothing like the spa to get you through the stress of holiday shopping and planning.

For New Year's Eve, we're more the champagne and chill at home type of people so we don't usually go out. But, for those of you who like to go all out, Miami is the perfect place to ring in the new year because our beautiful city loves exceeding your wildest dreams. If you're looking for that over-the-top, "So Miami" experience, you've got a couple of options. You can treat your palate with decadent prix-fixe menus (think lobster, caviar and the like) from restaurants like Bazi, COYA,  Meat Market, Il Mulino New York, AQ by Aqualina, and Hakkasan. Take a peek at their websites for detailed information on reservations, seating times, menu, and pricing. 

Alternately, you can snag tickets for dinner and a show at El Túcan. On New Year's Eve, the new  Brickell hotspot will host a historic performance by the world's most famous cabaret El Tropicana de Cuba—an exclusive preview of the cabaret's world tour scheduled to begin in 2016. If you prefer to sail away, you can charter a Windridge Yacht to party with family and friends over live DJ music, passed hors d'oeuvres, dinner and dessert buffet menus, and premium open bar, starting at $224.90 per person. Or, if you're a high roller, you can drop $25,000 to "Ring in the New Year" at W South Beach on a package that includes 6 nights in an Oasis suite, transportation to and from the airport, prix-fixe dinner at The Dutch on NYE, VIP tables at WET and WALL for up to four people.

Whatever the limits of your budget or your imagination, Miami's here to deliver your holiday wish list. All you have to do is have fun, stay safe, and surround yourself with the people you love. Happy holidays, Miami!

#ThankYouMiami for Coffee Buns in Miami Beach

This post will be short and sweet because sometimes a photo is the best way to introduce someone to food. (After all, you first eat with your eyes.) Today we're introducing you to the coffee bun and our favorite place to get it: O' My Buns in Miami Beach. If you've ever traveled to Asia, you already know about the coffee bun. The fluffy, baked pastry is so popular there—like donuts are for Americans—O' My Buns has opened 7,000 stores in the continent to date.

#ThankYouMiami How-To: Co-Working with the Locals

The start of another week means going back to work. But, these days in Miami, heading to the office is no longer routine and boring. Thanks to co-working spaces (like our very own #ThankYouMiami HQ) the cubicle prison of years past has been replaced by cheeky office décor, beer on tap, fun events, and a sense of community. Today contributor Brad Wells shares his top four co-working spaces in Miami with Localeur. Read the excerpt below then click on the photo for the full feature. If you're a Miami local, you will get the chance to vote on your favorite(s) co-working spaces. If you're visiting, you will find Miami's best places to work and tap into local talent while you're in town.

#ThankYouMiami for "So Miami" Holiday Gift Ideas

Can you believe we're two weeks from Christmas/in the middle of Hanukkah and we've only bought one of the gifts on our holiday list? We can — we run on Miami time, duh! Plus, this year it has been particularly hard getting in the holiday spirit between the warm weather, the daily "summer" downpours, and the speed at which this year has gone by. Thanks to our procrastination we are left with just 14 days to get our act together, brainstorm gift ideas, and finish our holiday shopping. As fans of efficiency, we are killing two birds with one stone by making today's post our brainstorming sash, while simultaneously sharing ideas you too can use. We're firm believers that giving someone an experience is a thousand times better than giving someone a material gift so you'll see that as a common theme across the four gifts we recommend. Because we're Miami's number one fans, the gifts we chose also support and/or promote our beautiful city (also known as "So Miami" gifts).

1. Gift certificate to "Cook Like A Wok Star" with Eleanor Hoh.

Eleanor Hoh is a Miami-based cooking teacher, food blogger, and entrepreneur that offers interactive wok cooking classes locally. In three hours, Eleanor teaches how to make healthy one-dish dinners in under 30 minutes using only a lightweight cast iron wok, a gas stove, and fresh, quality ingredients. She uses a no-recipe technique that easily adapts to any style of cooking. Miami loves her cooking classes because they are perfect for both people who love to cook and people who usually struggle in the kitchen. In fact, the Miami New Times voted them one of the top five cooking classes in Miami. You can purchase a gift certificate to her "Cook Like A Wok Star" class for $85 plus $5 shipping and handling.

2. Gift certificate to Miami Culinary Tours.

Miami Culinary Tours is the ideal itinerary for discovering Miami in under 24 hours. For only $59, the 2.5 hour-long tour satisfies an appetite for Miami's food and culture. We took, loved, and highly recommend the Little Havana Tour but we've also heard amazing feedback about their Wynwood Art & Food Tour and their South Beach Food Tour. Their tours are so popular they have been praised by Forbes, The Miami Herald, Cooking Light, and Huffpost Miami. The best part? You can purchase a Miami Culinary Tour gift certificate and let the recipient select the location, time, and date of their tour.

3. One month of unlimited workouts with ClassPass.

ClassPass is a monthly fitness membership that allows its users to explore a large network of boutique gyms in their cities. They arrived to our city one year ago this January and Miami is absolutely obsessed. In fact, we love it so much we've become the unsponsored, unofficial spokesperson for ClassPass membership. In the past year it has allowed us to alternate between our favorite Miami workouts (e.g., FlyWheel, Vixen Workout, Green Monkey) and given us a chance to discover new gyms throughout Miami (i.e., Metropolis Fitness). Its ClassPass Flex feature also let us try out gyms during our travels to other ClassPass cities including Dallas. If you love your friends, you will give them the gift of ClassPass membership for $109 plus tax and help them achieve their best bikini body yet.

4. Made In Miami beauty, fashion, and décor.

When it comes to creativity, Miami is queen (because, you know, Miami). The large crowds at the A&E District's Miami Flea events speak volumes of the quality of handmade goods in Miami. So, if you insist on giving an item rather than an experience, shop our local vendors. Some of our favorites from the Miami Flea are Heist's metal and leather accessories and La Succulenta's unique succulent arrangements. We also love the natural beauty products by Ina Dayle and Island Girl Co. Racked Miami's Holiday Gift Guide 2015 has some other great gift ideas from a ton of other favorite local brands.

#ThankYouMiamiGoesToDallas

When we were preparing to go to Dallas in October, we asked all of our foodie and travel blogger friends to give us tips on what to see, eat, and do while we were in town. Turns out, not a lot of people (in Miami, at least) visit Dallas. Before our trip we thought maybe it was Dallas' fault—that perhaps it isn't a cool place to visit or it's not worth the trip. After visiting we can confirm 100% that is not the case. In fact, we had an absolute blast in Dallas and would go back in a heart beat. Lucky for us, both Miami International Airport and the Dallas-Forth Worth airport are American Airlines hubs, meaning getting there is not an issue. And now, thanks to our latest piece for Beyond Words, figuring out what to do while you're there isn't either. Read the excerpt below and click on the photo for the full feature.

Have you ever been to Dallas? What did you do when you were there? Which restaurants, attractions, etc. would you recommend? Which of the places on our list are you excited to check out on your next visit? Leave a comment below or send us a tweet @ThankYouMiami!

#ThankYouMiami for Our Natural Resources - Seed Food and Wine Festival 2015

#ThankYouMiami is about being grateful for what our wondrous city has to offer, but it is also about appreciating and preserving its unique gems for future generations to enjoy. We're talking about living sustainably. But what is sustainable living and how do we achieve it? Well, it takes small changes in our daily lives, such as eating less meat to reduce the environmental impact of livestock production. Last month we joined thousands of Miami-ans at the Seed Food and Wine Festival to find out how we can incorporate more plant-based products in our daily lives.

In case you missed it, the Seed Food and Wine Festival is the nation's only plant-based food and wine experience. As meat lovers, we were initially skeptical that vegan fare would do it for us. But as early as the Made In Miami Farm To Table Dinner preview, we were blown away by the possibilities in vegan cooking. Props to Chef Mark Zeitouni of The Standard for proving lasagna doesn't need meat or cheese to be delicious. That said, we're not professional vegan chefs so, how realistic is it that we'll be able to make something like that at home?

#ThankYouMiami for Fashion - 4 Miami Fashion Bloggers, 4 Fall Outfit Ideas

Miami is so hot right now. Everyone wants to know what we have to say, what we like to do, how we like to dress, what we like to eat. As freelance writers, the world's love for Miami makes our job so fulfilling because we get a lot of platforms through which to share how much we love our city and how awesome our fellow locals are. The most recent outlet to which we've started contributing is Beyond Worlds, a digital lifestyle magazine inspired by the work and life of best-selling author Sylvia Day. For our first piece, we tapped some of our fellow Miami fashion bloggers for advice on how to dress for fall. Read the excerpt below and click on the image for the full feature starring these four of our favorite creative and chic ladies.

What are your fall fashion tips? Which tip did you find most helpful? Which of the four distinct personal styles do you like best? What other advice or topics would you like to see us cover for Beyond Words? Leave a comment below or send us a tweet @ThankYouMiami!

#ThankYouMiami for New Restaurants - Tuscan Way

To the unexplored Miami-an, North Bay Village is the no man's land between Miami Beach and the mainland. To the seasoned local, it is the land of Shuckers and the Japanese Market (yes, the one with all the strict rules) that serves Miami's best sushi. This fall, thanks to the arrival of Tuscan Way Restaurant, North Bay Village has also become our favorite spot to get authentic, delicious Italian food.

If the name Tuscan Way rings a bell, it's because the Italian owners of the restaurant started their business as a travel company that organizes culinary-based trips to their properties in Tuscany, Italy. Their model is focused on providing their guests with local experiences in the area, such as home cooked meals and winery tours. They recently opened up their first restaurant in North Bay Village as a way of bringing the magic of Tuscany to Miami for those who cannot make the trek to Italy. So, the Tuscan Way team hired an Italian chef and imported Italian products (think, limoncello and Mediterranean seafood) to bring authenticity to the restaurant experience.

The restaurant's location is its first strong point. It is located on the water along a hidden, private marina that we did not realize existed until our visit. The interior builds on the restaurant's waterfront location with marine-inspired décor, including an impressive fish tank and a boat pillar in the center of the dining room. Other critical attributes include its friendly, attentive staff, its delicious food, and its reasonable pricing. Tuscan Way Restaurant is only steps from Miami Beach, but it is worlds away in terms of service, quality and prices.

We are super excited to see a new favorite pop-up in one of our scantily visited areas of Miami—particularly as the Beach starts to get more crowded for tourist season. We look forward to watching this hidden gem grow into one of Miami's go-to destinations for good food, good service, and good prices in the years to come. We are particularly excited about their future plans to serve brunch and to offer cooking classes with Italian chefs. Lord knows their food is delicious (see photos below). Plus, we could use a break from Miami Beach every once in a while.

Appetizers

Bruschetta

Bruschetta di Melanzane (Eggplant bruschetta)

Carpaccio di Salmone (Salmon carpaccio)

Mozzarella Milanese (Fried mozzarella in marinara sauce)

Entrées

Filetto di Manzo (Filet mignon in a wine and mushroom sauce)

Pollo alla Valdostana (Chicken with prosciutto, asiago cheese and light cream with roasted potatoes)

Salmone in Crosta (Crusted salmon)

Desserts

Panna cotta

Cioccolatissimo