If you love going to Jungle Island with the family, you’re going to LOVE this… From February 1st through March 31st, when you buy a 1-day park admission to Jungle Island, they’ll throw in an Annual Passport for free! The Annual Passport gives you unlimited access to the Jungle for 365 days so you will be saving a lot of money and enjoying Jungle Island a lot more.

Annual Passport holders also get free admission to events such as their Easter Eggstravaganza, Halloween Spooktacular and many more. You would also receive discounts throughout the parking including in their gift shop, Lakeside Café and other areas. This offer is only valid for Florida residents and cannot be combined with any other offer.

To learn more about this offer and Jungle Island, please click here.

Jungle Island
1111 Parrot Jungle Trail
305-400-7000

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Wondering what executive chef Giorgio Rapicavoli is doing with the money he received after winning Chopped? Lucky for us, he is opening a pop-up restaurant with his long-time friend and business partner Alex Cassanova. The restaurant will be called Eating House and it is scheduled to start dinner service early February through August inside Cafe Ponce, an existing breakfast and lunch joint in Coral Gables. This is our opportunity to see (or taste) for ourselves why this Miami chef beat three other chefs in a recent episode of Chopped.

Eating House will open every Tuesday through Thursday from 6pm-1am and the menu will be short and sweet, with only 20 items (including dessert) to choose from. Also, the menu will change daily, depending on what he picks up at the market and what he’s in the mood to serve that evening. Another great opportunity to taste all the different dishes Rapicavoli can do. There will be an interesting list of unique sodas, craft beers and innovative cocktails made with sakes, wines, Sherries and ports. Giorgio and Alex plan to feature (portable) graffiti art from local artists, including their own, as part of the decoration.

Eating House’s opening day is Friday, February 3 from 6pm-1am.

Cafe Ponce
804 Ponce de Leon Blvd
Coral Gables
305-448-6524

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Two Miami fashion bloggers and creators of Fringe Direction have started a new adventure where they’ll show you and inspire you to dress your best on a budget. The project is called The Goodwill Project and their mission is to put together 365 amazing and innovative outfits with basic pieces from your closet and other pieces purchased at a Goodwill thrift store that will cost no more than your lunch money.

Eugenia Alliegro and Simonett Pereira have been obsessed with fashion for as long as they can remember but quickly realized that being fashionable didn’t mean buying the most expensive item at a designer store. To them, style is more than just wearing the trends, it’s about expressing who you are as an individual through what you are wearing. The two friends and fashion addicts are encouraging people to think outside the box and look good for less by putting together a different outfit every day and posting pictures on their blog. So not only are you saving money by buying at Goodwill, you will also help Goodwill’s programs for sports teams, adult education classes, and help with their mission to employ people with disabilities.

The most exciting part for Eugenia and Simonett is going to a Goodwill store with no idea of what they are looking for and then finding something that blows their mind. The hardest part is keeping the promise to post a different outfit every single day. Finding pieces they can incorporate into their wardrobe, taking the pictures for the blog, writing about it and promoting it is a lot of work.

This project is a great opportunity to push themselves into becoming better stylists, explore avenues they tend to shy away from and experiment with different styles. Also, they want to inspire people and open their eyes to the endless possibilities in fashion, without spending a fortune.

The masterminds behind this project are definitely not wasting any time. They are already working on a private label called Fake Frivolity that will make some of the things shown in the blog available to the readers. The label will include cut up jean shorts, graphic tees, jewelry, handbags, etc. If you like what you see but don’t have the time or imagination to search through thrift stores, they will do it for you!

If you want a first-look of what these girls can do, make sure you come to Fashion Loves Bloggers Style Lounge & Show on Tuesday, January 31st at the Shelborne Hotel. Eugenia and Simonett will showcase what Fake Frivolity is all about and everyone is welcome to attend. Event starts at 9pm. Don’t forget to dress to impress!

To learn more about The Goodwill Project and check out their daily outfits, please visit their website www.thegoodwillproject.com, Facebook page and follow them on Twitter @TGWProject

Shelborne Hotel
1801 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach
305-531-1271

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A new Irish Pub is opening in Brickell this weekend and to celebrate they are having a Grand Opening Block Party on Saturday, January 28 from 7-11pm. There will be live performances by Miami’s own Latin/Funk band Spam AllStars and Orlando’s Legendary JC’s.

From 7-9pm, Miami New Times is also hosting a TweetUp and they will be offering light bites and free drinks for everyone in attendance but you must be 21+ to attend. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet Brickell’s newest Pub and enjoy the festivities.

Lucky Clover Irish Pub
SW 11th St between SW 1st Ave. and South Miami Ave will be closed

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South Beach Wine & Food Festival is definitely one of the biggest, if not the biggest, event for foodies in Miami featuring the best chefs, winemakers, culinary personalities, and wine & spirits experts. The 11th annual edition of the festival will take place February 23-26, 2012 and tickets are already selling out.

Guy Fieri, Ingrid Hoffman, Robert Irvine, Paula Deen, Emeril Lagasse, Scott Conant, Anthony Bourdain, Miami’s own Michelle Bernstein, David Burke and many more are attending this incredible festival. There are over 40 different events to choose from and some of them are for the whole family.

Tickets range from $20-$350 (depending on the event) and some of them are already sold out. To buy yours, click here. All proceeds benefit the Florida International University Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management and the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center.

For more information, please visit their website.

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Remember when Cerveceria 100 Montaditos first opened in Midtown not long ago? The place where they sell 100 different types of montaditos or mini sandwiches filled with Serrano ham, Spanish tortilla, pulled pork, grilled chicken, chorizo, tuna, shrimp, Nutella with almonds and the list goes on and on, all for under $3. The menu also includes Spanish brava potatoes, Spanish olives, salads, beer, tinto de verano (red wine and Sierra Mist) and soft drinks. The Spanish franchise has become so popular it’s already expanding all over Miami.

The first Miami location opened in Midtown in the beginning of 2011 and was an immediate hit with their affordable and delicious tapas, specially on Dollarmania Wednesdays when everything is only $1 and Fridays when beer buckets are 2 for 1. The second location opened a few weeks ago in South Beach, 1504 Washington Ave, and this one is open until 5am, perfect for those late night munchies after clubbing. Another Montaditos is coming soon to Sunset where Cavas used to be, 5829 SW 73rd Street, and it’s set to be open by February. But that’s not all, the restaurant will also open in Miracle Mile taking Baja Fresh Mexican Grill’s spot. It’s definitely come a long way since its U.S debut.

For more information and to keep up with the latest news, visit their website and follow them on Twitter @100MontaditosUS

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Now you can have your favorite vodka with a hint of Miami! ABSOLUT MIAMI is the latest limited-edition flavor in the ABSOLUT VODKA portfolio, making it the sixth limited-edition city-inspired flavor following New Orleans in 2007, Los Angeles in 2008, Boston in 2009, Brooklyn in 2010 and San Francisco in 2011.

ABSOLUT MIAMI features a citrus and refreshing combination of passion fruit and orange blossom, just what we need for this Miami heat. The bottle is absolutely beautiful and vibrant with playful images of palm trees, flamingos and martini glasses, very representative of the Miami lifestyle. The limited edition bottle is available at bars, restaurants, nightclubs and retailers across the country for a suggested retail price of $21/750ml and $26/1L.

On Thursday, January 19, ABSOLUT MIAMI will invite guests to the ultimate South Beach soiree for the official launch party, held at the Fontainebleau Hotel (4441 Collins Avenue). A special performance by singer/songwriter SANTIGOLD will close out the night.

Hurry up and pick up your own bottle of ABSOLUT MIAMI or head over to your favorite bar for a delicious ABSOLUT MIAMI cocktail.

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Admission is only $10 in advance and $15 at the door, and the event will take place aboard the $40,000,000 SeaFair docked at the Intercontinental Hotel Dock. Fancy, huh? It will be open Friday-Saturday from noon- 10pm and Sunday-Monday from noon- 7pm. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit Miami International Art Fair’s website.

Intercontinental Hotel Dock
100 Chopin Plaza
Miami, Fl

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Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate! That’s what you’ll find at Fairchild’s Annual Chocolate Festival on Friday, January 20 through Sunday, January 22 from 9:30am to 4:30pm. There will be fine chocolate samples from artisan chocolatiers, a Chocowalk to learn about the life cycle of a cacao plant, master chocolatiers and chef will demonstrate recipes with chocolate, yoga for kids and adults, and more.

Admission for non-members is $25 for adults, $18 for seniors 65 and up and $12 for children 6-17. Fairchild members and children 5 and under go in free. If you walk, ride your bike or take public transportation to Fairchild, receive $5 off admission for adults and $2 off admission for children.

For more information about the festival and a complete schedule, please visit their website. Click here to check out our pictures of last year’s festival.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
10901 Old Cutler Road
Coral Gables
305-667-1651

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The holidays are over now and the Christmas trees have to come down, but instead of throwing it away you can recycle it until January 9. Miami-Dade County Public Works and Waste Management Department is encouraging residents to take their natural Christmas tree to a Neighborhood Trash and Recycling Center or Home Chemical Collection Center. All trees must be free of lights, tinsel, ornaments and the tree stand.

Trees will be converted into mulch and it will be available for residents on a first-come, first-served basis and while supplies last beginning in mid-January. The following Trash and Recycling Centers accept trees seven days a week from 7am to 5pm:

• North Dade Landfill- 21500 NW 47 Ave.
• Norwood- 19901 NW 7 Ave.
• Palm Springs North- 7870 NW 178 St.
• Golden Glades- 140 NW 160 St.
• West Little River- 1830 NW 117 Ave.
• Snapper Creek- 2200 SW 117 Ave.
• Sunset Kendall- 8000 SW 107 Ave.
• Chapman Field- 13600 SW 60 Ave.
• Richmond Heights- 1450 Boggs Drive
• West Perrine- 16651 SW 107 Ave.
• Eureka Drive- 9401 SW 184 St.
• South Miami Heights- 20800 SW 117 Court
• Moody Drive- 12970 SW 268 St.

The Home Chemical Collection Centers accept trees seven days a week from 7am to 5:30pm.

• West Miami-Dade- 8831 NW 58th St.
• South Miami-Dade- 23707 SW 97th Ave. Gate-B

For more information and other disposal options, please visit their website.

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