Category Archives: Travel & Miami

Date Night

If you’re wondering why in God’s name I’m voluntary wandering around West Kendall on a sacred date night, fear not – I have not suffered a concussion or been taken against my will. This is, however, illustrative of what happens when you insist on trying to wrap up a phone conversation while simultaneously gesturing to your husband as he heads in the direction of your flailing  hand signals that should have been pointing east when you were, unfortunately, directing west. Don’t point and talk, kids.

But I digress. Because venturing around Kendall makes for good blog fodder and vivid imagery, mainly produced by the neon lights at the Village Diner and Romero Britto’s insatiable desire to imprint on anything standing still long enough to get a healthy coat of kaleidoscopic glitter paint.

So what’s a girl to do? Well, what did Alice do? She painted the roses red with the rest of them. And so I did as the Kendallites do and enjoyed some time with my man by having some grub at the aforementioned greasy spoon, perusing the magazine racks for some quality glossies, and waiting around for a heavily-marketed summer flick that was delayed due to “technical issues” for about 45 minutes (you don’t want to miss the pic below; the screen was in that state for about 15 minutes following a half-hour period of plain old darkness).

But, if I’m honest, I’ll admit that it wasn’t really that bad. In fact, it wasn’t bad at all. I mean, will I volunteer for another night of dark-screen gazing and overcooked frites-consumption? Well, possibly. But that’s not the point. The point is that my honey took me on a date and made Kendall tolerable, blog-worthy, and even kinda nice. And you’d be lying if you didn’t admit you’d probably feel just as syrupy as I do right now.

So I give you my date-night highlights for your enjoyment and edification. And a word to the wise: Always head east.

Outfit details: L.A.M.B. Maier Tote, Qupid Black Wedges 

Year Two

Today I’m excited to celebrate year two of the blog and all that’s come along with it. When I started Bubbles & Ink, it was nothing more than a hobby – something for my friends and family to see what I was up to. Two years later, I’m so grateful for everyone who’s decided to keep reading and all the amazing opportunities that have come of it.

To celebrate, I rounded up some of my favorite posts from the past couple of years. Just click on the pic and it’ll take you to the original post. I hope you enjoy reminiscing as much as I did. And if there’s something you’d like to see more of, let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear what you’d like to see in year three. Thanks for reading… xxoo

 

 

 


Vacation Detour

While Tony and I were packing for the Caribbean last week, our vacation had very different plans in mind. We showed up at the Port of Miami with our bags packed only to be turned away because our ship was apparently oversold and someone forgot to call us and give us a head’s up.

So we walked away, our bathing suits feeling utterly useless beneath our no longer so appropriate tropical attire and, after sulking for a few hours, did what any self-respecting Miami couple would do: We headed for Orlando.

There’s something about driving up to Kissimme and seeing those purple mile-markers on 192 that immediately regresses my verbal skills to tween-worthy squeals of excitement. Once I saw my first pair of Mickey ears, the disappointment melted away into fairy-tale dreams of running around Epcot in a slightly inappropriate but well-deserved buzz. There’s nothing quite like drinking around the “world” while dodging baby strollers and tortured parents. It was fantastic!

Since Tony and I had already packed for the cruise, we decided to keep some of our nicer outfits and put them to use at an indecently delicious dinner at the Bull & Bear in the Waldorf Astoria Orlando (many a sigh was emitted while consuming). I gotta admit, I love seeing my man all Don-Drapered out in an Armani suit. I traded my Nike’s that night for some Kelsi Dagger heels and my new H&M necklace. There were no children to be seen there, which was absolutely lovely.

While it wasn’t the cruise vacation we had in mind, after seeing the all-rain all-day forecast for Nassau, things probably turned out for the best. And, honestly, who can resist a pair of Mickey ears? Except for the family that sat next to us at the Electrical Parade at the Magic Kingdom and managed to spill ice cream, coffee, AND coffee ice cream on us (no joke), things were pretty spectacular.

Pics from our adventures included below. I’m clearly obsessed with my new Hello Kitty sunglasses, purchased in the Japan gift shop at Epcot. Think I can pull them off all the time?

 

 

 

Wanderlust: Buenos Aires

I was digging through my pictures when I came across these shots from my trip to Buenos Aires earlier this year. A friend and I were assigned to a job that gave us the chance to take in the sights and visit an antiques festival where we wandered around in the glorious January summer sun and drank cold cheap beer while checking out the treasures in this quaint little market.

I remember marveling at the choice of artwork on display and the brightly colored murals covering the walls of so many old buildings. We wandered around all day, searching for trinkets to bring home. I finally scored an antique soda fountain dispenser in a delicate shade of pale green glass and a Superman comic in Spanish, dated 1961, for my husband, both totaling less than $20 USD.

It was my first trip to South America, which makes it that much more nostalgic to have come across this little set of images (most were taken with my iPhone). Looking at these takes me back to the sights, smells, and tastes of this vivid city. Thought I’d share my wanderlust with you. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beachwear Bash at Bliss Spa

Just in time for summer, Shortcuts to Fabulous presents the Beachwear Bash at Bliss Spa at the W Hotel Miami Beach on Thursday, May 3, 2012 from 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. to get you ready for bikini season.

Hosted by Electric Blogarella Ginger Harris, you’re invited to shop swimwear by Kariza and beachwear by Aquarius while receiving complimentary mini-spa treatments courtesy of Bliss Spa. Indulge in free hand massages, rapid rub massages and energizing vitamized oxygen spray facial treatments while imbibing on cocktails provided by Grey Goose.

Details below. RSVP to RSVP@shortcutstofabulous.com.

Arizona Inspired

This week finds me in Scottsdale, land of red sands, lavish golf resorts, exquisite spas, and very good hair days (read: zero humidity). And while I’m here purely for work, it’s hard not to be inspired by a place with so much vivid texture and tapestry. Mostly everything here has been embellished with some sort of rich print and it’s left me hungry for more indigenous flavors. So I leave you with two little treats to indulge in mid-week, as it appears Gwen Stefani was also feeling inspired by the same.

 

In this post:

1) L.A.M.B. Dakota Convertible Tote

2) L.A.M.B. Colville Satchel

By the way, I’m also on Instagram, so if you want to check out pics from my travels, follow me at @apalma419

Wynwood Art

There’s really no particular reason for sharing this art with you other than it’s long overdue. And, truthfully, we could all use a little gratuitous culture on occasion. All of these images were captured during the Wynwood Art Walk, one of the best ways to indulge in free culture and deliciously tempting food trucks. The next one is coming up on March 10 from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Until then, here’s something to get you through the day. Oh, and Happy Leap Day!

   

   

The Business of Fashion: IFB Con in NYC

There’s a palpable energy that courses through New York City on any given day. It’s the kind of energy that makes you want to leap around town and just get things done. Being from Miami, I always feel the need to be productive. But I’m always just a little more inspired the minute my plane begins to make its descent over Manhattan, no matter the season.

That feeling was amplified on the eve of New York Fashion Week as hundreds of bloggers gathered in the spirit of fashion PR, ready to make a name for themselves and the brands they love. This was my first conference experience as an official blogger, a position I chose to take on seriously at the end of 2011. And while I never doubted its validity, attending IFB Con drove home one glimmering point: Fashion is a serious business.

Serious enough to gather the likes of Glamour (@susancernek), DKNY (@dkny), Refinery 29 (@refinery29), Bryan Boy (@bryanboy), and Bauble Bar (@baublebar), industry favorites that were all present to discuss and explore with bloggers the direction of this fledgling industry that’s changing the way business is run. Blogging is no longer the awkward distant cousin of direct marketing but rather the polished celebrity influencer you want in the front row – and we’re all thrilled to be a part of it.

The ladies (and gents) who attended were poised, chic, and ready to do business. They’ve inspired and encouraged me to keep doing what I do, and for that I’m utterly grateful.

Pics are included below, along with some shots of a few of my favorite outfits. You can keep up with these lovely ladies at their blogs:

By the way, check out the live runway shows here on YouTube.

What did you think of IFB Con? How did you fare from at the conference? Let me know in the comments below!

   

   

Vizcaya at Night: Moonlight Garden Tours

Thanks to I Heart Miami for the reminder that Vizcaya Museum & Gardens has resumed their rare Moonlight Garden Tours. Tours begin tonight, January 11th, at 6:30 p.m. and continue at intervals throughout the evening.

Tickets run at $15 for non-members, $10 for Members, Students and Seniors, and are available onsite only from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on the evening of the program.

 

Additional tour dates listed below:

Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Wednesday, April 4, 2012

EM3 the Movie (Eenie Meenie Miney Moe)

Sometimes the gods are good. And though I’m not sure what I’ve done to deserve the favor of their grace, I am, all the same, basking in the glow of the film gods as I continue to watch the teaser trailer for EM3 and wonder how I got so lucky to be even marginally involved with this piece. Though my involvement was minimal (I had the chance to review and do one of the script edits in its developmental phase), it was an amazing experience to be able to work on such a dynamic screenplay. These guys captured Miami in its good and bad, the way only a native could.

While I wish I could share the trailer with you, Emmy award-winning editor turned feature film director Jokes Yanes insists it’s not ready for the world yet, so I’ll have to sit tight and keep my links to myself for the moment. But what I can share with you is a few behind-the-scenes images to whet your appetite for the kind of film-making that’s been long overdue in Miami.

   

   

   

From the award-winning filmmakers behind Magic City Memoirs and Vladimir’s Vodka comes EM3: Written & Directed by Jorge Jokes Yanes, starring Andres Dominguez, Belkys Isabel Galvez, Oscar Torre, J.Bishop, David Lago, Sito Rocks & more. 

To follow this Miami-born, Miami-made movie, check out their tumblr or follow them on Twitter at @em3_themovie.