#ThankYouMiami for Miami Beauty Experts - Localeur

Miami is an amazing city. But, with everything it offers, it can be an overwhelming city for visitors who are unfamiliar with the area. Enter Localeur, an Austin-based company, whose mission is to help travelers get the inside scoop of where to eat, drink, and play on their website and app. Earlier this summer Localeur tapped #ThankYouMiami to share our local expertise with their audience. In our latest recommendation, we share the four beauty experts that we swear by. Click on the image below to see who keeps us picture-perfect and make sure to keep an eye on the #ThankYouMiami Localeur page for future recommendations!

Have you visited these beauty spots? What Miami beauty experts are your go-to? What other recommendations would you like to see from the Miami Localeurs? Leave a comment below or send me a tweet @ThankYouMiami!

#ThankYouMiami for Our Growing Start-Up Scene - Part 2: Will Weinraub

Will Weinraub, CEO and Co-Founder of LiveNinja

Welcome to Part 2 of my 4-part series, “#ThankYouMiami for Our Growing Start-Up Scene", where I recount my conversations with Miami entrepreneurs about what Miami is doing right for its entrepreneurial movement, where there is room for improvement, and why they each say #ThankYouMiami. Today, I share with you a summary of my interview with Will Weinraub from LiveNinja. Access the rest of the series here: Part 1, Part 3, and Part 4.

Miami entrepreneur Will Weinraub calls his hometown "a diverse, quickly-evolving city that keeps me on my toes and keeps me innovative".

The Start-Up

Will Weinraub is the CEO and co-founder of LiveNinja, a video chat marketplace where users can find and book chat sessions with experts ("ninjas") on a variety of subjects ranging from career counseling to video editing to yoga. Simultaneously, the LiveNinja platform gives individuals the necessary online tools to monetize their skills and connects them to potential customers.

LiveNinja has been widely recognized for its successful execution of an innovative concept. In December 2012, LiveNinja closed a seed round of $500,000 in funding through angel investors from Miami, New York, and South America.

The Miami Benefits
Will was born and raised in Miami and, from our conversation, is a big fan of the area. When I asked him why he decided to start LiveNinja in Miami, he quickly responded by asking: "Why not Miami?". He credits the following qualities for making Miami a valuable place for entrepreneurial endeavors:

1. Access to funding - When Will decided to start LiveNinja, he was pleased to find that there was a funding framework to facilitate its creation and growth locally. He saw possibilities for capital from both local angel investors, as well as foreign funding sources.

2. Community diversity - The range of demographics in Miami give start-ups, like LiveNinja, access to different audiences on which to test ideas and from which to get feedback.

3. Geographic location - Miami's proximity to Latin America and its connection to the international community facilitate access to foreign funding sources and to the option of easily expanding outside of the United States for companies like LiveNinja.

4. Industry transformation - Miami is rapidly evolving from a tourist destination to a thriving urban environment that supports locals, like Will, in their entrepreneurial ambitions.

The Miami Challenges

There are two challenges start-ups commonly face regardless of where they are located: acquiring funding and acquiring talent. I was curious to know whether these challenges were amplified or lessened by Miami's unique qualities so I asked Will whether LiveNinja has encountered any obstacles that may be Miami-specific.

In terms of funding, LiveNinja achieved a tremendous milestone when it received seed funding at the end of last year. However, Will believes Miami can attract additional funding opportunities for its early stage businesses through continued support of innovation and entrepreneurship. He stated that the ability to draw capital for local entrepreneurial undertakings is also dependent on the willingness of local entrepreneurs to work hard to bring it here.

Will found that identifying the local technical talent necessary to develop LiveNinja was slightly more challenging. In his eyes, there is technical talent in Miami, but it is much more scarce than marketing, sales, and management talent. He is confident that Miami's low cost of living, lifestyle opportunities, and weather will make it easy for companies to attract technical talent to the area into the future as long as they produce projects worthy of their attention.

The #ThankYouMiami Statement

So what is this talented Miami-native most grateful for? Will said "#ThankYouMiami for being enticing and exciting, for spurring my professional and personal growth, and for giving me both a family and a tech career".

Check back tomorrow for Part 3 of this 4-part series where I share with you my interview with Brad Liff, CEO and Founder of Fitting Room Social.

Are you a part of the Miami entrepreneurial movement? What do you think Miami is doing right to support its future growth? Where do you see room for improvement? Which local entrepreneurs would you like to see give their opinion on this subject? Leave a comment below or send me a tweet @ThankYouMiami!

#ThankYouMiami for Fashion Happy Hour - October 2013

I have a love/hate relationship with Miami and one reason is the absurd amount of events going on at one time. There is almost TOO much to do in Miami. And, as locals, we are stuck with the burden of choosing between going to that music festival, pool party, business opening, or art event. Let's face it - they all sound really fun, but we can't do them all.

Luckily, some events make the decision-making process easy. Enter, Fashion Happy Hour, a monthly event hosted at different Miami venues that is free and open to the public. Fashion Happy Hour merges all of the elements of your usual happy hour experience (e.g., music, 2x1 drinks, delicious food, and new friends) with art, fashion, and shopping. Best of all, most of the participating vendors are Miami-based or Miami-originated businesses (and #ThankYouMiami for that).

Last month, I grabbed my best friend and checked out the September Fashion Happy Hour at RedBar Gallery in Brickell. Needless to say, I had a cocktail in hand, two shopping bags, and a handful of new friends within 5 minutes of arriving. The highlight of the night was enjoying shopping, cocktails, and the awesome vibe with Miami chicas like Maya from A La Mode Maya, Mariamely from Local Genie Miami, and Yoana from Think Red, Inc.

This Friday, Fashion Happy Hour will be hosting its monthly event again at RedBar Gallery, but with a Halloween twist. I can't wait to get into the Halloween spirit with festive body painting by Miami local Vee Marie of iBrushYou and a manicure from Miami nail salon, Candy Coat Nail Boutique. I'm also excited to check out this month's vendors and to meet more fascinating locals so see you there, Miami!

Check out some of my favorite moments from the September event below:

A social butterfly's dream. Fashion Happy Hour combines shopping, fashion, art, and your typical Friday evening socializing into one convenient monthly event so you don't have to make any social trade-offs.

Unique fashion finds. One of the vendors, Pretty Odd Boutique, had me hooked as soon as I walked in. Check out Thank You, Miami's Instagram for a sneak peek of the gorgeous dress I picked up at the event.

Late night munchies. RedBar Gallery is outfitted with a little cafeteria window that offers latin bar food specials like these ground beef tacos.

I owe how much? RedBar's Happy Hour prices were more than reasonable. So much so, that I took a photo of my receipt at the end of the night.

Have you attended a previous Fashion Happy Hour? What were some of your favorite moments? Leave a comment below or send me a tweet @ThankYouMiami! Also, let me know if you are coming on Friday. I would love to meet you!

#ThankYouMiami for Miami Spice – August 2013

Jury’s still out in our household on whether Miami Spice is as good a value as it was intended to be. Regardless, as the resident glutton and spender in our household, I am a huge proponent of going out to enjoy Miami Spice – good value or not. As long as the food and atmosphere is promising, I’m there…and, by association, so are my husband and friends.

This year our strategy was to visit our regular haunts during August and to put off the more exclusive venues for September because it is my birthday month. So how is it going so far? Although our pace has been slower than usual this year, we almost managed to average 1 Miami Spice outing per week in August, particularly thanks to the early Miami Spice previews in July. And, of the restaurants we've visited, so far we have no complaints.

660 at the Angler’s (660 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach)

I fell in love with 660 the first time I walked in – which is frustrating because I had a culinary haven a block away for almost a year before I even realized it was there. And, if you’ve ever been to South Beach and you’ve never heard of 660, I bet my piggy bank savings that you, like me, have either been too distracted by the lush wall of vegetation surrounding the Angler Hotel property or by the traffic on Washington Avenue to notice 660 is there. So next time you're in the area, stop by. The service is excellent, the food is delicious, and the ambiance is much more serene than what you'd expect in the heart of South Beach.



This year for Miami Spice Chef Carlos Torres is featuring the restaurant’s most consistently delicious dishes in a 3-course prix fixe menu, as well as a 3-mojitos-for-$10 special. My husband and I tried everything but the Cuban Wrapped Pork. I know, Miami sacrilege. Our favorites were the Crispy Gulf Shrimp, the 8-hour Braised Short Rib, and the 3 cilantro mojitos that I downed with my dinner.

If you've ever had 660's Jalea, their Crispy Gulf Shrimp is just as crunchy, just as sweet, and every bit as exquisite.

The 8-hour Braised Short Rib was the perfect entree served with a sweet potato mash, scallions, roasted garlic, gremolata, and demi glaze.

Seasons 52 (321 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables)

I inherited my love for Seasons 52 from my parents, who are huge fans of “chain restaurants” (a taboo phrase with my self-proclaimed foodie husband and friends). Growing up, my family lived, breathed, and ate nothing but Sysco-based food from chain restaurants. Then, one day, my parents discovered the one national chain I am proud to frequent: Seasons 52.

Seasons 52’s claim-to-fame is that their menu is seasonally-inspired and that all of their dishes are under 475 calories. The former makes me excited to visit year-round, the latter offers little dietary comfort because I eat at least 3 dishes every time I visit. The benefit of choosing Miami Spice this time of year is that it gives me an excuse to explore their menu beyond my usual choice of shrimp chipotle flatbread and tuna roll. During my visit, I opted for the Roasted Shrimp, Spinach, and Crab Stuffed Mushrooms, the Vegetarian Tasting, and the Blueberry Cheesecake Mini Indulgence. While they were all satisfying, they did not compare to my normal selections.

The Roasted Shrimp, Spinach, and Crab Stuffed Mushrooms tasted like your run-of-the-mill stuffed mushrooms. Nothing to call home about, but good nonetheless.

If you like tofu and veggies, everything but the grain salad is worth choosing The Vegetarian Tasting.

Essensia at the Palms Hotel and Spa (3025 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach)
I have yet to try a single food item that I do not like from Essensia. Even worse, I suffer food envy every time I visit regardless of how much I am enjoying my meal. I love Essensia because they not only highlight fresh, seasonal food, but also focus on eco-friendly practices like using locally sourced ingredients. And, the result has thus far been consistent deliciousness.

Our entire party opted for the Miami Spice menu so I had the opportunity to try all of the menu items, except for the Fettuccini with Shrimp and Summer Vegetables. The Kale Caesar was my absolute favorite, but I love all things kale so I consider myself biased. The group favorite was the Thai Lemongrass Soup. I only had one spoonful, but I have craved that soup every rainy day since our dinner because the hot coconut milk and Thai spices made it the ideal comfort food. Our advice: skip the dessert, in my opinion, it was not worth the extra calories.

Whether I'm biased or not, this Kale Caesar was excellent. It was the perfect mixture of crunchy, creamy, and nourishing.

The Thai Lemongrass Soup is the perfect comfort food for a rainy day.

One month down. One to go. Which have been your favorite Miami Spice menus thus far? Leave a comment below or send me a tweet @ThankYouMiami!

#ThankYouMiami for One-Of-A-Kind Weekends - July 2013

I love living in Miami because our weekends are one-of-a-kind. And as locals, we easily reap the benefits of having amazing venues close to home or of knowing that friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend that is our "in" to that exclusive party. Moreover, there is never a lack of great things to do - giving us a calendar full of weekend events to keep the foodie, fashionista, and Miami snob in us reeling all year.

Our July weekends looked a lot like this (and #ThankYouMiami for that):

Standard Hotel Spa & Pool Day

My husband is such a sweetheart. He is not a spa person, but for our one-year anniversary he booked us a couples massage at my favorite spa, the spa at The Standard. The highlights of our romantic stay-cation were meditating in the Hamam, enjoying tequila sodas and fresh food by the pool, and staring at the gorgeous view of Biscayne Bay.

Guilt-free pool side lunching. Chef Mark Zeitouni offers so many delicious, healthy options from which to choose, but I can never not get the Mediterranean Flatbread (pictured above).

Unparalleled vistas and lounging. There's nothing like lounging poolside with a tequila soda and this view of Miami's gorgeous mainstay, Biscayne Bay.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (MBFW) Swim Week

In the summer, there's no hotter place than Miami Beach. We do summer year-round so we know how to do it right. That is why every year for the past 9 years we have welcomed locals and visitors at our hotels, beaches, and nightclubs for MBFW Swim Week to party and commiserate in our collective love for swim and resort wear fashion. It is also our biggest opportunity as locals to stock up on our beach bum wardrobe for the year at the amazing sample sales. Worst case scenario, you make a lot of awesome new friends, get pampered and drink free booze. This year, I had the chance to enjoy the Escape Miami Lounge at The Sagamore, the What Women Want event at Nikki Beach, the Don't Worry Baby pool party at Freehand, and the Lazy Sunday BBQ at The Standard - all enjoyable in their own right.

Bubbles, baubles, and bikinis. Enjoying free Zonin prosseco and Voli vodka cocktails with friends at the Sagamore Hotel during the Escape Miami Lounge event.

Whimsical details. The "Don't Worry Baby" pool party at Freehand Miami was one-of-a-kind thanks to the artsy decor and the kryogenifex machines that kept the crowds cool in the Miami heat.

WD555 Tuesday Tasting

Everywhere else Tuesdays count as a weekday, but in Miami our weekends are week-long. And, nothing screams "weekend" to a woman more than a free champagne tasting. If you're a local male, this is THE place and time to find Miami's single ladies and woo them with your knowledge of wine and culinary know-how. The featured wine is well-chosen and WD555's menu is a what's what of fancy french eats. Plus if you like any of the selections at the tasting, WD555 offers all of them at reasonable prices as part of their "Weekly Offer".

A single man's dream. A mostly female crowd congregates at WD555 for Tasting Tuesday to enjoy free champagne and chatter.

Excellent wine, excellent prices. WD555 offers the wines from their Tuesday Tasting at a reasonable cost in their "Weekly Offer".

Did you also enjoy one of these events this past month and have a different perspective to share? Did you have a fantastic one-of-a-kind weekend experience in July that also deserves a highlight? Leave a comment below or send me a tweet @ThankYouMiami!

Why #ThankYouMiami?

I have been publicly thanking Miami for almost two years. I have been thanking Miami for the good, the bad, and the ugly. Sometimes my "thank you"s seem more like rants, but in the end I'm always thankful. But why #ThankYouMiami?

The idea for Thank You, Miami was born from my growing frustration with Miami's blatant disregard for common courtesy. One day, I decided I had had enough when one too many people didn't hold the elevator for me or didn't say "Good morning!" back. And I decided to do something to fix it. So I called upon the basic manners I was taught as a kid (the pleases and thank yous) and began to remind Miami, through example, how to be polite.

Part of leading by example meant engaging with Miami through social media. And, my work on Twitter opened my eyes to a lot more of Miami than I knew existed. After a few months, I realized many things about Miami, including a baffling realization - us locals often take it for granted.

It's easy to do. I mean, we are blessed by a beautiful setting, surrounded by gorgeous and talented people, and exposed to unique opportunities. But, after living here for some time, we get accustomed to these perks and they start to seem less special. Not to mention, they are often overshadowed by the trade-offs that come with living in such a popular destination.

Due to that realization, Thank You, Miami has since evolved into something more for me. It has become a way for Miamians to rediscover Miami, the city we love but also hate. A way to thank it for the joy it brings us. But also, an outlet for laughing and commiserating about those things that drive us mad. Because if you don't laugh, you'll cry.

In honor of Thank You, Miami's upcoming two year anniversary (August 8), let's look back at our favorite and least favorite aspects of Miami through my favorite 10 tweets from this past year:

I really enjoy swapping stories with others about how awesome, but often frustrating it is to live in Miami. Do you have a reason to thank Miami or a story to share? Leave a comment below or sending me a tweet @ThankYouMiami!

#ThankYouMiami How-To: Planning Your Miami Wedding

We've only been married one year and our friends and family already want us to renew our vows. I think they just want an excuse to come party with us in Miami. After all, we did host what all of our guests refer to as the "wedding weekend to remember". But a wedding party that successful is easy in Miami.

Miami is already a ready-made party mekka. You just have to know how to make it work for you. Here are a few tips to make your Miami wedding as amazing and as successful as ours:

1. Pick a holiday weekend. We chose the Fourth of July. The long holiday weekend allowed our guests from out of town to extend their stay, giving them extra time to enjoy Miami beyond our festivities. And, because most of our visitors arrived a few days early, our wedding celebrations were extended by almost a week. Hello?! Who doesn't want to be the center of attention for a whole week?!

2. Settle only for the best of the best. I have to give my mom props for finding the best person for each task (i.e. the mariachis from Sabado Gigante). You just can't go wrong when you have the best of the best and, in Miami, the best instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. The most important people to vet are your Day-Of Planner (trust me, you will need one) and your DJ/band (they can make or break your party with a wrong song selection). Here are some of the people without whom our wedding wouldn't have been as fabulous an occassion:

• Venue: The Palms Hotel and Spa. You can't have a Florida wedding without the proper vibe, and the Palms has nailed that southern Florida vibe. It doesn't hurt that they host weddings almost every weekend of the year so they know what they're doing.

• Cake: Cake Designs by Edda. The Queen of Miami cakes helped us carry the Florida vibe into dessert with a delicious four-tier key lime-flavored creation featuring a sugar orchid.

• Dress: Chic Parisien. Not only did they have every dress imaginable, but they made me feel like a princess from the moment I walked in. If your bridal shop doesn't treat you amazing, walk out immediately. Dress shopping is your moment and you should enjoy every second.

• Bridal Party Hair and Make-up: Gloria Pelo. She is a professional hair and make-up artist with an extensive portfolio. I am not big on wearing make-up, but she gave me the natural look I wanted and gave me the confidence to rock it!

• Day-Of Coordination: Guerdy Abraira from Divine Design by Guerdy. Guerdy and her team reminded me of Jennifer Lopez in the Wedding Planner. She was involved very early in the planning process and had fantastic ideas to improve every aspect of the wedding. The day of the wedding she had a solution or an answer for everything, making the entire occasion seamless and allowing me to enjoy my day stress-free.

• Music: AA Musicians. We were limited to choosing a DJ to accommodate our expansive guest list, but they offer bands and DJs. The DJ that was assigned to our wedding kept our guests dancing the entire night and everyone still raves about what an amazing dance party it was...even my mom, who fought for a band throughout the entire planning process.

3. Throw in a surprise element for your guests. Since I am Mexican, my parents decided to add our own special touch to the wedding: a mariachi band that walked in as my husband and I cut the cake. This surprise element made for a fantastic photo opp and was a fantastic way to end the celebration.

Happy planning!

#TouristsByLocals Giveaway!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Dear Miami local,

As you and I are aware, we live in a very unique and fabulous place where most of us locals are kooky as sin and where tourists flock from near and far for the chance to be us for the weekend. If you're like me, you avoid tourist hangouts like the plague. The masses of visitors, distracted by the lights and the oddity of our people, are unwelcome obstacles to my fast-paced day-to-day. Hell, sometimes they are ill-timed reminders that even though the beach and pool are a few feet away, I can't spend all day tanning or drinking Veuve poolside. But every once in a while (about once a year), I take a stroll down Ocean Drive and bask in the throngs of awestruck tourists and their rowdiness and joie-de-vivre remind me of why I love living here.

#TouristsByLocals Giveaway Details

To inspire us to enjoy the good, the bad & the absurd of where we live, I will be doing a giveaway founded on the principle of: "If you can't beat them, join them". Starting Monday, July 1, take pictures, Miami, documenting tourists taking pictures while being touristy in our home. Photograph them posing by our world renown landmarks, taking pictures by the water with Fat Tuesdays cups in hand, and while they take group photos wearing silly helmets on segway tours. Photograph them taking pictures on their rented mopeds violating every traffic rule in the state.

Tag your pictures #TouristsByLocals for a daily chance to be featured on my twitter. Each picture that you submit and that I retweet between July 1 and July 28 will enter you into a drawing for a chance to win a $50 VISA gift card. There is no limit to the number of pictures you can submit, but you must be following me on Twitter (@ThankYouMiami) to be eligible. The winner will be announced on July 29 at 11:00 a.m. (EST). Snap away!

Exhibit A: Tourists taking pictures posing with a parked Ferrari on Ocean Drive #TouristsByLocals