SoCal Wine Country

"I'm not drinking any Merlot!!" - Paul Giamatti, Sideways

Contrary to the ravings of Mr. Giamatti, I dig Merlot and tasted lots of it in Solvang and Los Olivos!!

If you happen to pop into Santa Barbara Wine Country, you must follow up your day of wine tasting at Los Olivos Cafe. It is most famous for it's appearance in the movie Sideways, but it is also well known for it's delicious California/Mediterranean cuisine. They offer up some wonderful dishes that feature flavors from the surrounding farms and vineyards. I was blown away at the variety of choices I had from delicious salads, appetizers, sandwiches and entrees for greenies like me! Their hummus and olive tapenade was to die for and my primavera gnocchi was beyond delicious. And of course, you MUST have wine with dinner!!

We popped into Solvang, the neighboring Danish replica village and had some good eats as well! For the meaties, they will love any of the Danish spots as they serve up some of Denmarks most popluar dishes like Frikadeller and it's popular spirit, Aquavit. My friend's had a great time chowing on the Danish goods and I didn't miss out on the fun as I was able to get salads and veggie sandwiches at all of the places we stopped into. You musn't miss the Danish bakeries either!!

Solvang, Los Olivos and Buellton are the 3 vineyard towns in Santa Barbara wine country and each has their own special charms. Some of the vineyards offer horseback tours of the wineries and others have bed & breakfasts on the grounds. It's a great little weekend getaway for delicious food, wine and fun!!

Don't Forget Ft. Lauderdale!!

I love Miami but I think I might love Ft. Lauderdale just a little more. The vibe is slow paced and the lifestyle is cool and relaxing. Very Florida, very beachy!! And not mention it is home to one of my most favorite places to dine!!

So I will start with that one! Sublime really is Sublime!! It is one of the best vegetarian restaurants around and will not scare meat eaters. They have an imaginative menu that includes sushi, Italian, and american/asian fusion comfort foods as well as some of the best desserts I've ever had. If they have it, you must try their Tiramisu - it's out of this world! I can't recommend this place enough!!

Now another one of my South Florida addictions is Sara's (3944 N 46th Ave, Hollywood, 33021 - at Stirling Rd between 441 and 95). Technically it's in Hollywood but that's about a 5 minute drive from the heart of Ft. Lauderdale. Since becoming vegan 8 years ago, I never missed meat or cheese but I do miss Cuban sandwiches ; ( But that all changed the first time I went to Sara's. They make the sickest, vegan version of a cuban sandwich!! So much so I make my mother smuggle them to me by the dozen when she comes to visit me out west!! Besides that, they have delicious salads, pizzas, and sandwiches. They are 100% Kosher so veggies have a great time here. In fact, I've gotten a bunch of my non veggie friends and family hooked on this place. You shouldn't miss it!!

Las Olas is a beautiful area near downtown Ft. Lauderdale and one of the most hoppin' places on the strip is Cafe Europa (726 E Las Olas Blvd
Fort Lauderdale, 33301) (954) 763-6600. They've got great pastries and coffees but you shouldn't miss a meal there. They have a heavy European menu (go figure) and I lean towards their Italian goods. I get a cheeseless veggie pizza every time I go and it is 100% tastiness!!

Ft. Lauderdale is packed with waterfront bars, grills and restaurants and it's not hard to find a healthy yet delicious meal. Some of the best seafood around is found here as well as amazing juice bars and spots to get ginormous salads. Healthy goes hand in hand with this beach city so no worries in Ft. Lauderdale!!!

Miami Twice

Yep, Miami has to much going on to leave for 1 posting!! In this follow up post, I will cover some more veggie-ish places all over Miami as well as a few more on our beloved beach ; )

Near my old alma mater, U of Miami, you will find Beehive (5750 Bird Rd, Miami 33146 - at SW 40 St and Red Rd/SW 57 Ave)305-663-1300. Here you can munch on veggie empanadas, Jamaican patties as well as homemade soups and sandwiches. It's a great little juice bar that packs a king size punch!

Off the beaten path, you can convene at the tasty Garden of Eating (136 NW 62nd St, Miami 33150 - at Martin Luther King Blvd) 305-754-8050. Their island influenced juice bar and buffet are pretty good but you can't leave without a taste of their cakes and pies!!

On the beach, try The Cafe at Books & Books (933 Lincoln Road; 305-695-8898) for yucca and leek hash browns and tomato-cucumber gazpacho. The nearby Bayside Grill at The Standard (40 Island Avenue; 305-673-1717) is another great choice. Dine waterfront on the fritto misto — chickpea fries and crispy baby artichokes — or a selection from the greens and grains section (quinoa and dried fruit, yum).

Just over the bridge, The Lost and Found Saloon (185 Northwest 36th Street; 305-576-1008) offers meatless dishes like the posse club burrito with tofu and spinach and the pinon-and-pepita-crusted tofu. Or, grab some latin soul food at Canela Cafe (5132 Biscayne Boulevard; 305-756-3930), where you can nibble on tapas like the tostones rellenos (crispy plantain cups filled with asparagus, sofrito, and goat cheese) as well as their awesome veggie paella.

You'll be sure to enjoy these south florida pit stops as much as your carnivorous cohorts will!! Isn’t the wheatgrass always greener?

Bienvenidos a Miami!!

Being a Miami native, I can absolutely agree with why people from all walks of life are so enamored with this tropical paradise. The weather is hot and so are the people, the scenery is beautiful and the food is delicious. The taste of all of the Caribbean cultures that come together in Miami make for a delectable town to chow in!

I could spend days writing about the killer places to eat well in Miami but I will keep it short so that it's easily digestible, haha!! (I kill me!) I will have to do a few Miami blogs to cover it!

There is no denying that if you are visiting Miami, you have to stop by Coconut Grove and South Beach's Lincoln Road and Ocean Drive. Both parts of town are chock full of incredible restaurants and al fresco eateries that cover every style of cooking there is. From ridiculously good Italian to the "you can only get it in Miami" Latin fare, your taste buds are in for a gastronomical climax! There are plenty of places to get amazing salads, fresh seafood and vegan/vege or just figure friendly cuisine. In fact, you have no choice if you want to prance around the beaches amongst all the bathing beauties!!

One great place that is good for veggies as well as non-veggies is on Lincoln Road called Sushi Samba. This super modern cafe offers a delicious menu that fuses Japanese, Peruvian and Brazilian flavors so there isn't a soul who won't leave happy. I had their yummy miso soup and one of the best and most imaginative vegetarian sushi rolls I've ever had. You can find them at 600 Lincoln Road - (305) 673-5337.

Another perfect spot for the healthy and non-healthy travelers on Lincoln Road is Nexxt Cafe. This place has perfected and gourmet-ized comfort foods. No one would be disappointed with their menu as it is enormous. If you're looking for a light lunch or a hearty dinner, Nexxt is sure to please! They are right up the block from Samba at 700 Lincoln Road - 305.532.6643.

Another one of my favorite areas in Miami is Coconut Grove. And eating on the water is one of the best things South Florida has to offer. Monty's in Coconut Grove is the quintessential Miami bar grill. Everything is always fresh and the bamboo hut atmosphere is very relaxing and island like. They are famous for their weekday happy hour where you can get seafood and drinks half off. Seafood lovers will go buck wild and veggies like me will adore their salad bar and yummy pina coladas!! Monty's is a must and you can find them at 2550 South Bayshore Drive, Miami Florida 33133 - (305)672-1148.

More to come next week!!!

Healthy Big Bear Fare

Definitely a place for some killer outdoor recreation, Big Bear also has some surprisingly good places to eat and keep fit!

Most people who visit Big Bear know that it gets pretty chilly in the evenings and crazy cold in the winter. That means people need sustenance! There is no shortage of hearty cuisine here but they don't neglect to fill up our leafy eatin' friends just fine ; ) Check out B's Backyard BBQ and Cafe Mambo in our webisode below.

B's Backyard BBQ and Beach Bar is located at 350 Alden Rd in Big Bear Lake
Phone: (909) 866-5400
It really is a perfect place to bring your hungry friends and you won't have any problems finding some healthy choices.

Cafe Mambo is located at 40766 Village Drive, Big Bear Lake
Phone: (909) 878-2166
This Latin Fusion eatery is not only unique to the area but unique in taste!!!

One more place to hit up is Mandoline Bistro. Also in Big Bear Village, Mandoline has a jazz club and an upscale ambiance. They were great when I mentioned I was vegan as the chef whipped up a special gourmet plate just for me ; ) For a nice night in Big Bear, check them out for sure!! www.themandolinebistro.com

Sensational Santa Barbara

So, I had to take a quick day trip for business up to Santa Barbara. Rough, ain't it? I know, I know ; ) What a beautiful place to have a meeting, a spa treatment, an out of this world meal, a history lesson.... You catch my drift! Santa Barbara is choice!! (Yeah, I'm bringing that back)

Of course, I had to eat somewhere so I popped into Le Bon Cafe in Downtown. It's super close to the popular State Street and ridiculously good! I almost fell out of my seat when I took the first bite of my Plantain Sandwich. Yeah! No bread for you low and no carb people as well as gluten free'ers. It was jam packed with hummus, black beans and corn, avocado, and more. So Yummy!! I also had some of their fresh squeezed watermelon juice ; ) They've got a great selection of salads, sandwiches and juices and is mostly organic. I was so excited and I will definitely be back!! Look them up at www.leboncafe.net .

If you are in town for a long weekend, definitely stop in for dinner at Sojourner Cafe (it happens to be right next door to Le Bon). The menu is to die for! Incredibly vegan/vegetarian friendly, the dishes are phenomenal. It really is a leaf eaters paradise that won't scare away any carnivores as they also serve poultry and fish. Check out their imaginative menu at www.sojournercafe.com .

Finally, this little secret will make your stay even better. Spa Angels is a private studio spa as well as a "we come to you" treat. They have super innovative treatments, a serene studio with a private chef, pilates and yoga classes as well as their own signature line of holistic, natural products. Go to their studio or have them pop into your hotel, office or home by booking them at www.spaangels.us .

So much to do and see, so little time. Guess I will have to go back soon!!