Dining Out: The Daily

Two mornings ago my mother, sister and I fled the apartment early in the morning to avoid some work being done inside the house. My mother took us to one of her favorite breakfast places in Miami, The Daily.

Located on Biscayne Blvd, The Daily serves breakfast and lunch from an intimidatingly large menu that hangs above the cash registers. I was completely overwhelmed when trying to decide what to order!

In the end I created my own omelet of mushrooms, onions and Swiss cheese (my go-to omelet combo), my mother ordered a veggie omelet and my sister ordered eggs, bacon and toast.

The food is served on custom plates with the restaurant's logo (very cute). The tables are covered in a plastic finish that looks like newsprint. All the tables and chairs are red, which adds some fun to the decor.

The food was excellent, the portions were generous, the staff was very friendly and they were playing great music from their sound system. The Daily is the perfect spot to take a break from a busy day with family or friends. Low key, casual and delicious.

Rental Review: (500) Days of Summer

I have been wanting to see (500) Days of Summer since I first saw the preview for the movie over a year ago. I love Zooey Deschanel and the story seemed like a quirky twist on the usual romantic comedy.

I was not disappointed. I rented the movie from Netflix and absolutely loved it! The film stars Deschannel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, made famous by his roles on the sitcom "Third Rock from the Sun" and the hit teen movie "10 Things I Hate About You."

In the movie Tom (played by Gordon-Levitt) falls in love with Summer (played by Deschanel and the inspiration for the movie's title). The film is punctuated by shots of a calendar where before each scene, you see what day it is in the 500 days of their relationship. The scenes do not go in chronological order, which keeps you guessing as to where the story ends.

Gordon-Levitt plays his part with amazing candor. The realism with which he portrays the roller coaster ride of being in love is worthy of gold statue recognition.

Dechanel's presence is more impressive than her acting. The cinematography often captures her in a way that is more like a photograph than a moving image, and she always looks exquisite. Bravo to the costume team for keeping her in fantastic pieces through out the film.

My favorite scene features the couple at the start of their relationship when they venture to IKEA and pretend that they live in each room in the store. Its adorable, charming and relatable.

I also enjoyed the final scene of the movie. I felt it ended on a sweet and humorous note. Its always nice to end watching a movie with a smile on your face.

Although I loved the movie and would be thrilled to see it again, I must say, its really for the ladies. I can't image a man enjoying the 90 minute peak into this couple's relationship. So pick it up for your next girls night and prepare to glow with happiness.

Fun Find: Crazy Pianos

On Sunday night I met friends for dinner at Green Street in Coconut Grove (a family favorite) and begged them to come with me afterward to a new bar up the street called Crazy Pianos.

Crazy Pianos is as it sounds, a piano bar. There was a fantastic piano bar in Boston called Jake Ivory's that all my friends adored, but I never made it there before it closed last year. After my sister raved about Miami's new piano bar, I knew I had to check it out.

Crazy Pianos is in the space previously occupied by Tu Tu Tango on the second floor of the Coco Walk. Although I loved Tu Tu Tango (small plates, great mojitos) this new addition is supremely fabulous.

Crazy Pianos has two bars, one when you first walk in and one in the center of the space. In between the two bars is a large stage with two, red, grand pianos! Red pianos. What could be more fun than that?

There are always two pianists, a drummer and horn players. On this night, there were two saxophone players adding funk to the group. The pianists take requests and also play standards. On the night we went they played everything from Billy Joel to Johnny Cash to the Beatles to Carrie Underwood to Flo Rida. They also take requests for songs in Spanish! It is Miami after all.

The piano players all have larger than life personalities and give great performances that include call and response with the audience, dancing around the stage, and one performer even laid on top of the piano and played the keys from above!

I also loved that the walls inside the bar are covered with one giant mural that looks like a chorus of pop stars. Madonna, Mariah, Whitney, Steve Wonder, Michael Jackson, the list goes on.

Crazy Pianos is a superb spot for a fun, high energy night out. Get your vocal chords warmed up and be sure to put on your dancing shoes. Its impossible not get into the spirit.

You can keep up with all of the fun happenings and special events at Crazy Pianos by following them on Twitter: @CrazyPianosMIA.

Dining Out: Scarpetta

This week I am on vacation in Miami, FL visiting my parents. Miami has a very lively dining and nightlife scene, which I will share with you as I check out new places!

I arrived in Miami late Saturday night and Sunday morning we went as a family to have brunch at Scarpetta, one of the eleven restaurants in the newly renovated Fontainebleau hotel on Miami beach.

Scarpetta is decorated in nautical colors and offers a deck overlooking the hotel pool on one side and the ocean on the other. Naturally, we chose to sit on the deck.

Sunday brunch includes one entree per person, unlimited brunch cocktails (bellinis, mimosas, bloody marys) and an unlimited buffet.

After ordering mimosas and bloody marys, we headed to the buffet which offered over twenty kinds of fresh fruits, veggies, eggs, pastries, cheeses and desserts.

After round one at the buffet, our entrees arrived. I tried the truffle egg toast which was a piece of crusty bread, soaked in truffle oil, served with a poached egg in the center. The toast was covered with melted fontina cheese and fresh arugula. It was absolutely sublime! Although you needed a steak knife to cut through the crusty bread!

My father had the steak and eggs which looked like something that would be served at the Capital Grille. Both my mother and sister ordered the scrambled eggs served with sausage over toast.

For round two at the buffet, we went straight to the dessert. I tried the chocolate mousse and the mini carrot cake. My family sampled the cheesecake, the panacotta and the apricot danish. Of all the desserts we tasted, the whole group agreed the chocolate mousse was the winner.

We had a very nice, friendly and handsome waiter who made the entire experience seamless.

After the meal we explored the hotel. The pool deck includes multiple swimming pools, cabanas and bars. The lobby, which still boasts its original bow tie tile pattern also has three enormous and beautiful chandeliers.

The lobby bar has a light up blue floor and a light up pink bar. The renovation gives the hotel a Las Vegas style and feel. Having just returned from Vegas in October, I was thrilled to feel transported right back.

The Fontainebleau has become a center of dining and nightlife in Miami. So much so that Lady Gaga will be performing there on New Years Eve.

If you make it to Miami, a trip to the Fontainebleau is a must. It is clearly to the new place to see and be seen. And who doesn't like to be noticed?

Movie Musings: Nine

Yesterday I saw the movie "Nine." Although there are about seven other movies out I'd rather see, the company I was with was dying to see the film adaption of the Broadway musical, so I packed my gummi bears and off we went.

"Nine" is a movie that has an all star cast and some outstanding musical numbers, but never comes together as one cohesive film. While there were moments I enjoyed, overall, I couldn't wait for it to be over. I think I checked my watch six times during the two hour film.

Daniel Day Lewis plays the lead, Guido Contini, who is trying to come up with a plot for his 9th movie. On stage, this role had been played by Antonio Banderas and Raul Julia, but on screen, Day Lewis just didn't cut it. He lacked sex appeal and seemed to go in and out of an Italian accent. We spent the entire drive home from the theater brainstorming which actors could have been more successful in the role.

Guido's wife in played by Marion Cotillard, who is indisputably the star of this film. She has several emotional and poignant moments that take your breathe away.

Equally phenomenal was Penelope Cruz in the role of Guido's mistress. In this role, as she is in many other films, Cruz is fiery, passionate and electric.

The best and most comedic dialogue comes from Guido's costume designer and confidant, played by Judi Dench. Her ability to tell Guido exactly what he needs to hear keeps him humble and keeps the audience laughing.

Fergie of the Blacked Eyes Peas is also featured in the film as a prostitute Guido met as a child. She has a high energy singing number called "Be Italian" that sticks with you after you leave the theater.

Surprisingly, the best musical number stars Kate Hudson called "Cinema Italiano." Hudson plays a reporter for Vogue magazine who is dying to interview as well as sleep with Contini. Her musical number is high energy, has great costumes, and brings the movie back to life.

Lastly, Nicole Kidman plays Contini's muse and although she isn't on screen until the end of the film, she wears two stunning evening gowns that seem to be made just for her figure and coloring. She was absolutely gorgeous.

One of the most fun parts of the film actually came at end, when the credits were rolling. While the names were scrolling, they showed behind the scenes footage of rehearsals for the film! It was very cool to see. We had been wondering if the cast sang their songs or if they had professional singers record the performances, but by the looks of the behind the scenes footage, it seems they all sang their own numbers.

While I could see how "Nine" would be fun to see as a Broadway show, I just couldn't get into the movie. Certain pieces were spectacular, but they never melded together to form one solid product.

The film is nominated for five Golden Globe awards (to be given out on January 17th) and both Maron Cotillard and Penelope Cruz deserve those gold statuettes.

If you feel you must see the film, I recommend saving your money and waiting until its available on Netflix.

Dining Out: Rudy's Cafe

For the first two years after I graduated college I lived in the funky, bohemian neighborhood of Inman Square in Cambridge. During those two years I discovered many bars and restaurants in the Cambridge/Somerville area that are still on my list of favorites despite having moved across the river to Brighton.

One of those spots is Rudy's Cafe in Teele Square in Somerville. Teele Square is like the little brother to Davis Square; small, cute, quaint and just enough spots to make a night of it.

Rudy's Cafe is a spacious restaurant with light Mexican decor (sorry, no Mariachi band or sombreros) and a terrific menu of Tex-Mex grub. This menu includes, of course, margaritas and a laundry list of tequilas.

On my most recent visit I tried the prickly peach margarita, which is a blend of prickly pear and white peach purees with a traditional margarita. The drink is pink (not quite sure from what) and super delicious.

I ordered my favorite combination plate which comes with one guacamole taco, one bean enchilada (smothered in cheese) and Mexican rice. It is a very generous portion and a feast for a vegetarian!

My dinner companion ordered the quesadilla, which she said was heavenly.

The only down side to Rudy's is that unlike most Mexican restaurants which provide chips and salsa for the table, here you have to pay for the chips and salsa. $3.95 to be exact.

Rudy's is a great place for a post-work dinner, a date (who you don't mind stuffing your face in front of) or even dinner with the parents.

To make the most of Teele Square, after dinner, zip across the street to Irish pub PJ Ryans for a night cap.

New Discovery: Weeds

For years now I have watched Mary Louise Parker get nominated award season after award season for her work on Showtime's drama Weeds. Friends and coworkers have highly recommended the show, but without access to Showtime, I had no way of viewing the program. That is until my boyfriend Netflix decided to offer the first two seasons of the show with its "Watch Instantly" feature.

Given the snowstorm that left me cooped up inside yesterday, I decided to snuggle up and see what all the fuss was about.

Now 14 episodes in (yes, you did the math right, that's 7 hours of Weeds) I am totally hooked! The premise of the show is that widow Nancy (played by Parker) decides to sell pot to support her family in the wake of her husband's sudden death.

Her husband is played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, best known for his role as Denny Duquette on Grey's Anatomy. Apparently he likes to play ex-husbands who haunt from beyond. Not that I'm complaining, he's awfully easy on the eyes.

Nancy is determined and competitive while also being quirky and aloof. Its a bizarre combination that works. Her two sons, Shane and Cylis, are constantly acting out and she has her brother-in-law Andy under her roof as well. In addition to enjoying the perks of Nancy's new business, Andy has decided to enter rabbinical school in order to avoid army service.

I was surprised (rather pleasantly) to see that Romany Malco from the 40 Year Old Virgin plays Conrad, one of Nancy's business partners. I loved him in that movie and he delivers again in this role.

Elizabeth Perkins plays Nancy's frigid, cruel neighbor Celia who hates her husband and counts her 11 year old daughter's calories. The ice running through her veins is a delicious television treat.

Each episode of Weeds takes unexpected, strange turns and always ends on a cliff hanger or shocking realization. I have had the luxury of watching the episodes back to back, but if you were watching once a week, I could see how they keep you hooked!

If you have Netflix, definitely take advantage of the "Watch Instantly" availability of Weeds and enjoy this zany and unique drama. A stellar cast, great writing, and perfect music selection make this Showtime gem a fast favorite.

Dining Out: Watch City Brewing Company

Yesterday afternoon I went out with two girlfriends for a holiday celebration lunch. Normally, we like to dress up and go out for nice dinners downtown, but with the impending snow storm we decided to keep it local and have a mid-day feast before the flakes moved in for the kill around dinner time.

We decided to dine at Watch City Brewing Company on Moody Street in Waltham. I had been to Watch City two or three times before, but that was pre-blog. Watch City is located on the same block as the Skellig, Jake's Dixie Roadhouse and Margaritas. The bar/restaurant attracts college students, the young professionals crowd, as well as families.

Watch City Brewing Company gets it name because they brew their own beer. The current seasonal offering has chocolate and coffee flavors. Are you salivating?

On this particular trip we were seated at a table right in the front window which gave us a great people watching spot for all the foot traffic on Moody Street. We had a very friendly (and painfully handsome) waiter who was happy to answer questions about the menu and make recommendations.

We started with the nachos, which Watch City serves in a non-traditional way. They bring a basket of chips with a plate that has beans as the base, melted cheese on top, and fresh salsa, jalapenos and sour cream on top of the cheese. Holy yum.

For lunch we each ordered a different style of burger. I had the veggie burger with Swiss cheese, onions, mushrooms and served with a side of sweet potato fries.

Another friend had the BBQ cheddar turkey burger which was oozing with the perfect amount of cheese and sauce.

Lastly, our third dining companion tried the slider sampler which included one chicken, one pulled pork and one steak slider. She ordered a side of french fries to go with.

All of the burgers and both varieties of fries were perfection. We practically licked our plates!

In the holiday spirit of gluttony, we decided to check out the dessert menu. We had seen an apple crisp a la mode float by on its way to a nearby table and we were intrigued. We asked our adorable waiter if he recommended the apple crisp or the brownie sundae? We were only interested in the brownie sundae if the brownie itself was warm and fudgey. He assured us it was, so we ordered it up.

The dessert did not disappoint! Not only was the portion size enormous but it was the perfect ratio of creamy, vanilla ice cream to perfectly warmed, chocolatey brownie.

Watch City has a terrific menu. Not just burgers, but soups, salads, pastas, meat/fish/poultry and classic American dishes like mac n' cheese and pot pie. The prices are incredibly reasonable, the staff is energetic and friendly, and the atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable. It is the perfect place to park yourself for a nice meal without the fuss of going downtown.

If you feel like making it dinner and a movie, the Embassy movie theater is right behind the restaurant!

Shop: Feminine Party Dresses

I subscribe to a shopping email service called "Shop it to Me" which delivers to my inbox emails containing sale items available in my size (amazing, right?) from the designers I have selected I'm interested in.

In yesterday's email there were two dresses that took my breath away.

The first dress is a purple number by Tory Burch (whose embellished flats I adore) which has a beautiful ruffled neckline. I like this dress exactly as it is shown - with black tights and black ankle boots. Add fun earrings or multiple bangles to jazz it up.

The second dress is by my favorite designer, Max Azria for BCBG. While it seems like more of a summer dress to me, this perfectly fitted number can be winterized by adding a shrug or a cardigan. To complete the look add a long, multi-strand necklace or multiple bangles. This dress definitely demands pumps. I would go for black, gold or silver.

If you love to shop online, be sure to subscribe to "Shop it to Me"!

Top Chef: A Voltaggio Brothers Restaurant?

After an exciting season finale, this week Bravo's Andy Cohen (one of my favorite TV personalities) hosted the cast reunion. I always love to watch the Bravo reunion specials, because unlike the MTV specials, these post-finale recaps include new, never-before-seen footage and Andy doesn't shy away from the tough, burning questions!

In this hour we learned that Michael and Bryan are considering opening a restaurant together! I would travel to any city in America to eat at that restaurant.

We also learned that Mike Izabella got married (shocking!) and that Kevin was offered a full scholarship to MIT but declined it to become a chef.

In one of the nicest video montages we learned that all the chefs really love and respect Jennifer. That despite her unraveling at the end, all the cheftestants (as Andy calls them) still think she is one of the best chefs they have ever seen.

There was also a fantastic montage about how self deprecating this round of chefs was, which involved many bleeped out words.

In this hour we also learned that Ashley is actually quite funny! On the show she was a bit whiny, but in this special hour she was light hearted and hilarious.

The best question of the night was "How many people think Padma hates them?" to which every contestant and judge Tom all raised their hands! Priceless.

During Thursday night's "Watch What Happens Live" Andy Cohen and his special guest Sarah Jessica Parker announced the winner of Top Chef fan favorite, Kevin! No surprise there!

This truly was one of the most entertaining and mouth wateringly delicious seasons of Top Chef. Looking forward to the next round to see who packs their knives and goes!