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!!

Pleasant Pensacola

If you ever find yourself in Pensacola, Florida, you will be pleasantly surprised. Not only by their white sandy beaches and their southern hospitality, but also by the variety for us green eaters ; )

For a light meal, I stopped at the End of the Line Cafe. It was a vegan coffee house and eatery that absolutely delighted me. They had some delicious sandwiches, salads and deserts. I had a phenomenal tomato and vegan mozzarella panini as well as a great chocolate mousse pie. It was very indie, arty coffee house and you will love all of the local artists contributions to the look of the place. It's a non profit co-op so you're eating smart and spending smart! Don't forget to pop in to one of their Monday movie nights!! You can check them out at The End of the Line Cafe .

For a special occasion, we visited Jackson's in downtown. Right in the historic Jackson Square and very near the hip Seville Quarter (Pensacola's mini version of the French Quarter just a few hours west), Jackson's is a beautiful fine dining establishment that went way out of their way to create an immaculate, vegan gourmet meal for me. I was blown away by the 5 course meal that just got better and better with every dish. And might I mention the exceptional wine pairing with every course!! With advance notice, Jackson's will accommodate any diet and they will hit it out of the park! Their information can be found at Jackson's Restaurant.

Lastly, but definitely not leastly, catch a cool local band, a bottle of beer and a vegan snack at Sluggo's. In more of a residential part of town, Sluggo's is a watering hole of choice for veggie conscious artists and musicians. Definitely worth checking out! Try the nachos or one if their killer sandwiches! Sluggos on Myspace

Take a nice Northwestern Florida vacation this summer and leave your worries about your taste buds and your tummy at home!!

Sunny San Diego

One of the most beautiful towns in California, San Diego really is a paradise for those who want to live a healthy lifestyle. Surfing, hiking, biking, this ocean side town just makes you feel good! We did some great stuff during our four days in town as well as having some pretty awesome meals.

After our drive down, day at Legoland and out hot air balloon ride, we were spent. But the next few days were filled with deliciousness! I will say that Legoland had some great options for healthy theme park goers. If you are taking the kids or are just poppin' in to see some nifty lego architecture, be sure you eat at the Fresh Market in Fun Town. I got a yummy rice bowl with freshly cooked teriyaki veggies. I also saw a great salad and soup bar in that food court. I was pretty impressed because you are always hard pressed to find something good for you at a theme park. See for yourself at Legoland!

Below in our featured San Diego webisode, we visit three wonderful places. Naked Cafe, which has locations in Point Loma and Solana Beach is a perfect place for a late breakfast, brunch or hearty lunch. It is beyond vegetarian friendly and the menu is just fantastic for anyone in your party. All their info can be found at The Naked Cafe.

For the serious guilt free sweet tooth, we visit Stephanie's Bakery in Ocean Beach. It's a cute bakery that has ridiculous cookies, cakes, strudels, and pizza! It's fully vegan and fully Yumm!! Just 2 blocks from the beach and with a pet friendly patio, you can't pass this place by if you ever head to the city north of the border! Stephanie's Bakery rocks!!!

Lastly, if you and your travel partners want a cool night out in the city and you still want to be cuisine conscious, Indigo Grill in Little Italy downtown is a must! Chef Deborah Scott is famous with a good reason. Her southwestern fusion menu is out of this world. They have superb dishes for health nuts that won't make you feel left out when you see your friend's masterpiece of a dish. Check them out at Indigo Grill.

Enjoy!!

The Mile High City

Denver, Colorado...Home of the Broncos and Rockies, the unsinkable Molly Brown's House, and some pretty good grub!!

In the video at the end of the post, we visited Watercourse Foods and chatted about it's other location, City O' City Pizza Bar and Coffee House. Both locations were excellent and really involve their loyal customers and the community in regards to the artwork and feel of both locations.

www.watercoursefoods.com

In addition to Watercourse, we visited the Vesta Dipping Grill in Lodo (the locals abbreviation for lower downtown). It was a perfect choice as I was the only veggie in the group but I was still able to enjoy a fantastic meal. They specialize in dishes that are to be dipped in a variety of sauces of your choosing and I got a rad grilled tofu with brown rice dealio. The trendy look of the restaurant and the cool bar really give the place a certain "je ne se quoi" and it is a definite must for everyone, healthy or not ; ) www.vestagrill.com

One more place to visit when you are in the mile high city is Mercury Cafe. They are an organic, "colorado cuisine" cafe that also boasts a bar and nightclub! They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and party on through the evening with no gastronomic guilt! www.mercurycafe.com