All posts by Alicia

Events by Francesca

Events, , ,

I’m very excited about working on the copy for Events by Francesca‘s new website. Aside from being a highly talented and creative event planner, Francesca also happens to be one of my dearest and closest friends, as well as the one who managed to keep me calm and more bridal than bridezilla under severe wedding pressure. Because of her, I had the the kind of wedding I thought I could only dream of.

Now she’s lending her talents to some very lucky brides in Miami, helping them realize their dream wedding within very real budgets. I’m beyond proud and excited for her and hope everyone gets a chance to know her exquisite work. If you’d like to contact Francesca, you can email her at info@eventsbyfrancesca.com or become a fan on Facebook while Tony and I work on her site.

South Miami Farmer’s Market

Food & Drink, Travel & Miami, , , ,

Saturday mornings at the South Miami Farmer’s Market are quickly becoming a treasured weekend ritual. My favorites are the french pastries and espresso stand at the head of the tiny strip, the nameless Peruvian ceviche stand that also sells some of the freshest guac and salsa I’ve ever tried, Crackerman’s herb humus and German bread, and, most recently, the Cheesecake Gallery’s petite bites of happiness. There are also a few stands with fresh produce, organic honey, and enough ingredients to make you want to take on cooking as a serious pass-time. Check it out on Sunset & 61st Ave if you’re in the area. The Market opens at 9:00 a.m. and runs until 12:00 p.m. every Saturday.

One Long Year

General

I suppose I should take it as a sign of good things that last month came and went and I was truly too busy to remember that it marked a whole year since I decided to start Bubbles&Ink and take on writing as my full-time profession. I couldn’t feel more blessed. Thank God for this amazing year and for the people who have been so supportive during this transitional time. I only hope that I’ll be in the same predicament next year.

Much love and Cheers!

American Cancer Society Relay For Life Brickell, Downtown, The Roads

General, Life & Family, Travel & Miami,

Join us this weekend on Watson Island for the first American Cancer Society Relay for Life of the Roads, Brickell, and Downtown. Free music, entertainment, and art over an eighteen-hour celebration of life for those who have beat cancer, are living with it, and will not lose hope of finding a cure for this disease that affects so many.

Freschetta Simply…Inspired

Food & Drink, , , ,

This post brought to you by FRESCHETTA®. All opinions are 100% mine.

I love pizza as much as the next gal, but make it free and that’s just a whole other level of greatness. The good people at FRESCHETTA® were kind enough to send over a coupon for a free sample of their new FRESCHETTA® Simply…Inspired™. Honestly, frozen pizzas aren’t really my thing but I have to hand it to them – I’m quite impressed.

This particular line boasts eight flavors that sing to my foodie heart. It was hard to pick one from a lineup of potential suitors like Harvest Supreme, Classic Bruschetta, and Chicken Bianco, to name a few, but I finally went with the Rustic Pepperoni Pomodoro – I couldn’t resist the allure of gouda, shiitake mushrooms, and large pepperoni peaking out at me through that great little window in their new (and quite Green) FRESCH-TASTE SEAL™ packaging.

I’ve included an actual picture of the end-result. You can clearly see the amazing ingredients on a thin and crispy crust pie fresh out of the oven. And since it’s unfair that I’m showing off and can only provide you with pics on my blog, I’d like to share the wealth and send you a coupon to try a free FRESCHETTA® Simply Inspired pizza for yourself along with a bonus gift, a bamboo cutting board. Leave a comment on this post and you might be the lucky taster!

Also, if you’d like to keep up with FRESCHETTA® and their upcoming freebies and deals, be sure to “Like” them on Facebook.

Buon appetito!

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Not Just Cakes by Patty

Food & Drink, Travel & Miami

Congratulations to Not Just Cakes by Patty on their Grand Opening last Saturday! Tony and I dropped by their quaint little shop last week to say hello and thank them for the delicious birthday cupcakes in Dulce de Leche, Red Velvet, and Guava flavors with just-sweet-enough, cream cheese icing. Turns out, we were their first order. Some things are just meant to be… If you’re in the Sunset area, check them out in the same shopping center as the Sports Grill.

31

Life & Family

Today is my 31st birthday and I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. I’ve been surrounded by friends and family, all of whom have shared in making this day so very special. Today marks another year, another opportunity to make changes, mark progress, and set forth intentions for the year to come. Six years and two weeks ago today, I took a risk in leaving a secure job and set forth my intentions to seek more fulfilling employment in a more creative environment. Six years ago to the day, I received news that the job I sought was mine. Though that chapter is now over, it was one of the best risks I’ve ever taken, one of the most formative experiences of my professional adult life.

Today, yet again, I begin another chapter  – I have finally taken a risk and made the decision to do what I love. Though I’m a little nervous (honestly, downright scared!) I guess I’ll take it as a sign that I tend to begin important life cycles on my birthday. I guess I’ll say a little prayer that I hope I can continue to consider this date not just a birthday but the mark of an anniversary to celebrate great things. And with that prayer, I send my praises and thanks for the amazing people who have surrounded me each and every year, day in and day out. I am ever grateful for so many fulfilled wishes.

New Ink: Part 1

Art & Culture, , , ,

It’s been a while since the last time I got a significant tattoo, which means I’d forgotten just how painful and exhausting they can be… But they’re also thrilling and beautiful if done by the right artist.

Maytee did a fantastic job with clean lines and beautiful shading (despite the shaking I was totally unaware of but that she politely pointed out at the end of our session). In this initial phase of what will most likely be a three session process, she added an ornate antique frame to my existing Mark Ryden piece. Following this piece, she will add two portraits from the work of Angelique Houtkamp.

  

  

Also, Tony was able to document a bit of my experience, so here’s a video of my decidedly goofy self getting a beautifully painful tattoo. Call me a masochist, but I can’t wait for the next!

Date Night: SoundScape Cinema Series Miami

Art & Culture, Travel & Miami, , ,

Tony and I are headed to the beach tonight for a long overdue date night (with Romeo in tow, of course). The SoundScape Cinema Series is offering a selection of free family-friendly films on the lawn of the recently opened Frank Gehry-designed New World Symphony campus. Bring a blanket and some snacks to enjoy a cinematic evening under the stars at the ExoStage on the corner of 17th Street and Washington Ave.

SOUNDSCAPE CINEMA SERIES @ExoStage
April 13 – Moulin Rouge
April 20 – Big
April 27 – Casablanca
May 04 – North By Northwest
May 11 – Wall-E
May 18 – 2001 A Space Odyssey
May 25 –  The Sound of Music
June 01 – Fantasia
June 08 – The Wizard of Oz