There’s networking, and then there’s networking with craft beer. And if you were lucky enough to attend KR’s recent Beer Bash, then you know that small detail makes a world of difference. Read ahead for some tips on navigating the new style of networking that is (thankfully) shaping the way people make connections.
Saturday’s Wynwood Brewing Co. celebration found me with a baby and husband in tow around Wynwood’s colorful, art-loving, food-truck-gathering streets. This was Lucy’s first time out in that neighborhood and she seemed to be really amused by the graffiti walls and chalk-drawn sidewalks, not unlike her parents. Since she’s a Miami native, like her momma, we decided to capture a few shots to commemorate the visit to one of our city’s most iconic spots. The whole experience, though short because of the extreme heat, was really exciting for everyone – it’s not everyday you get to watch your little girl embrace some of the very things you enjoy yourself (minus the fermented stuff).
As a result of the experience, I wrote a piece for SimplyQ – a basic craft beer guide for ladies, something I hope you’ll find helpful. Feel free to check it out on their site. And to see more pics of Lucy romping around town, click on through.
Date nights took on a very special meaning when Lucy was born. Personally, I had no idea what to expect in terms of managing our personal time with a baby in our lives. So the fact that we have amazing family members who will watch her while we go out and enjoy some time as Mr. and Mrs. is incredibly precious – and exactly what we need at the end of a long week of changing diapers. Last weekend, we grabbed a couple of drinks at DRB before catching the Bruno Mars concert (major husband brownie points). Seeing as to how I’m a wife and mom now, I went for a Betty Draper meets Wednesday Adams feel. No sense in losing one’s identity, after all…
The thing about beer is that I didn’t really appreciate it at all until I met my husband. I hate to admit it, but I’d often turned my nose up at even the finest brew before Tony introduced me to IPA’s. My love of brut champagne made this my go-to flavor. It’s been quite the happy marriage on both accounts ever since. Which brings me to today’s post in honor of Father’s Day. I don’t often have guest bloggers, but when I do, I make sure they’re experts on their subjects. And few people are bigger experts on beer than my friend MP.
We recently attended the opening of the Funky Buddha Brewery in Oakland Park, which inspired a post I thought would please my beer-loving husband on his first Father’s Day. Today, MP has lent me his encyclopedic knowledge of beer to bring all you ladies up to speed on what you need to know about the frothy stuff and what you can try next time you’re out with your beer-drinking counterpart. Hope you enjoy it. And Happy Father’s Day to all the great dads I know. Cheers to you on your day.
P.S. Just wanted to note that I certainly don’t mean to imply that all women are ignorant about brews and the like. I know there are plenty of ladies out there who are quite well-versed in all manner of topic related to beer. To those women, I offer a toast to your knowledge and only wish I’d been enlightened sooner. Xx – Alicia
P.P.S. Check out the pic of the Most Interesting Man in South Florida and the street style shots at the end of the post. I’m all about those leg warmers in a non-ironic way.
Attending my own baby shower was probably one of the most surreal experiences I’ve had in a while. Picking out a crib and registering for baby essentials really only hit me as shopping. Watching my belly grow and become heavy enough to make me shun my heels hardly phased me. But I caught myself staring a little too long at that pink banner hung over our place settings and it smacked me in the face: I’m having a baby. Soon.
Luckily, this was probably a little on the milder side in terms of actual baby-type stuff when it comes to the admittedly foreign realm of baby showers. Having a husband who can illustrate helped string our bottle-themed shower together into a low key, friendly affair for both guys and girls. Not to mention making it feel much more us. I think the fact that we were able to weave beer and champagne into our central theme made us feel much more comfortable with the event.
I’m excited to share some of our details, including: special home brew favors for the guys (crafted with care by the dad-to-be and home brew master & uncle-to-be MP), milk bottle mimosas for the ladies, a Polaroid sign-in book, story books in place of cards to build our baby’s library, and guava cupcakes (for the Cuban mom-to-be, yours truly). I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Check out specific event details after the jump.
Event Setup Assistance: Events by Francesca, Location & Catering: Angelique Euro Cafe, Cupcakes: Not Just Cakes by Patty, Milk Jar Favors: Beau-Coup.com, Centerpieces: Hydrangeas & Spider Mums from Berkeley Florist Supply in Miami set in Ball jars, Heart Manicure by Miya at Portfolio Salon, Chunky Pave Link Bracelet from Brighthouse Baubles, Flowy Top by ASOS Petite.
All photos and graphic design details courtesy of dad-to-be Tony Espinoza.
In a cluster of vacant spaces and abounding conventionality sits Lokal, a respite for those of us who wish we lived in the kind of city this little joint portrays. Unassuming, unpretentious, and just plain cozy, Lokal is the kind of place where one can enjoy a seriously good burger and a healthy selection of craft beers with only the occasional hipster sighting due to the $2 PBR cooler out by the window. It’s this little haven that saved our evening from Miami’s suffocating moisture and my admittedly poor choice of wardrobe throughout the summer months.
Perhaps it’s my naivete or occasional spurts of optimism that drive me to sign up for “free” events only to arrive and find that I do, indeed, live in Miami, and not Utah, as my husband so articulately likes to remind me – and all that that implies. It was in this sporadic state of idealism that I signed us up for the Rock of Ages premier at the Paragon, to later show up and be reminded that there’s usually a price for “free” and it often consists of sweating in Miami’s unforgiving humidity and standing in line behind what can only be described as the unwashed guy’s oily secretions (it smelled exactly as it sounds).
In the interest of full disclosure, I feel that it’s important to tell you that I suffer from a condition, as yet unnamed, where I often find myself inappropriately garbed and completely unawares until I’ve arrived at my destination that I’ve dressed for an entirely different city. Such was the case last night when I showed up in what I thought to be a completely acceptable casual outfit of dark-washed denim, long-sleeved cotton top, and platform pumps (see below) when what I really should have been wearing was a mu-mu and some flip flops to more comfortably stand in line behind approximately 300 of Miami’s other hopeful movie-goers.
Chalk it up to optimism or sheer delusion. Maybe it’s some underlying M.O. to eventually move to a more seasonal climate. But the fact remains that I was born and raised in Miami and yet still own a wardrobe consisting (without exaggeration) of 60% fall/winter items. We lasted all of twenty minutes before my bangs were plastered to my forehead and my “cute casual outfit” felt more like a winter coat at the beach. Without a chance of getting into the premier before suffering possible dehydration by denim, we cut our losses and decided on dinner.
Walking back, we realized we were stuck in a tourist trap full of franchised fried food so we made for the car and braved rush-hour traffic for about ten minutes when Tony literally turned the car around and said, “Screw this. We’re going to Lokal.” God bless his heart for knowing that a good burger can save any night. It’s probably one of the reasons I married him.
It took only a few minutes and a couple of IPA’s (Deviant Dale IPA, Dogfish Rotating Taps Milton DE, and Lagunitas IPA) to turn the night around. That, a mouthwatering 50/50 burger, some gator strips with an un-posted garlic sauce (thank you, Ms. Bartender), and a genuinely friendly staff. And really, in this city or any, what more could you want?
I know I’m not the first person to cover this place. Far from it. But this post is just a simple thank you from the bottom of my heart – for not falling into the generic food scene this city has seen for too damn long. And for allowing my husband and I a simple night of great food, beer, and conversation. It shouldn’t be such a rare occurrence. But in our transient little city, it tends to be. So here’s to hoping Lokal remains a local favorite, no cliched puns intended. We really look forward to seeing you again soon.
P.S. I love a bar with purse hooks. You’d be surprised how many places overlook this essential little detail. Thanks again, Lokal. From the ladies in Miami with annoyingly large bags that we just can’t seem to get enough of.