Grove Isle Hotel & Spa Cliff Drysdale Tennis Clinic, Miami

While in Miami I brought my tennis racket with hopes that I could jump on a court in  between the coffee breaks of our conference. I knew the hotel had a tennis facility, but I had no idea what to expect. I arrived on a Monday afternoon and signed up for the 1.5 hour Tuesday morning clinic. The facility was fantastic with 11 Har Tru courts. Four pros assigned a court to groups of four when we arrived and began warm ups. It made me miss all my tennis besties from Mary and my Hackett girls, to Tracy and my Ripon College teammates to my Diva Doubles partners McCall and Nicoletti. Again, I am so thankful for my Baltimore doubles group and for Karen inviting me to join them last year. It has brought a balance to my week that I have been missing for the last ten years. I think a tennis reunion should be part of our 20th college reunion next year. (Holy bejimminy...is that right?)

Later that same evening I went to a second 1.5 hour clinic with a much different group and a few new pros. We played king of the court, did Spanish drills, beat the pro and other drills I hadn't done since learning to play at the Tennis House at the Y in Kalamazoo. Ah, such good memories.

I neglected to hydrate which posed a problem later in the week and returned to the tennis house for some much needed Coconut Water. This tennis club made me want to move to Miami. The group of participants were so nice, competitive in a good way, and funny. I spoke to one member who said that another tennis club had closed and that everyone he used to play with now comes to Grove Isle. There was a great range in ages but everyone in both clinics were very good. It was a blast and I can't thank Max and his pros enough for the good care he took of all of us. He said I had great control of the ball and Ana said I need to hit the ball, not push it! Does that sound familiar anyone? I swear my coaches always told me that. 

Thanks again to the pros! I miss you already and wish I could play three times a week. I'm heading to the GSRC clinic on Wednesday and hope it lives up to my high expectations. Seriously email me if you are an intermediate to advanced player and want to hit if you live in Baltimore. 

Khong River House, Miami

My apologies. I have become one of those bloggers who is posting photos that have already been posted on Instagram. However, I have to share the details of this amazing new restaurant in Miami with you, twice. If you don't know what Instragram is, the saying goes it is Twitter for people who don't like to read. Insta-photo-gratification is what I think it should be called. I had the privilege of working a conference with Elizabeth Duncan Events in Miami last week at the Grove Isle Resort and Spa and had many opportunities to show off on Instagram, another key feature to the social media tool.  Our first and only dinner away from the resort was suggested by the rooms manager Ben. We ordered the Thai pork balls to start. It was, after all, a very cool Thai restaurant focusing on the flavors found in the Mekong Delta region of Thailand. Don't try to order Pad Thai. It's not on their menu. They are focusing on being as authentically Thai as possible without the watered down, Americanized Pad Thai craze.

The restaurateur, John Kunkel, also owns the James Beard Award winning Yardbird as well as Khong. The Executive Chef for both is non-other than Top Chef hottie Jeff McInnis from Season 5. Correction, Chef Piyarat Potha Arreeratn aka Chef Bee is at Khong and Jeff McInnis is at Yardbird. (Thanks to the restaurants PR team for shooting me the correction note.)  So who did we spy at the bar? Non-other than Top Chef judge, Tom Colicchio. When we mentioned it to our waitress, she said, "Who is that?" Ha! I let the poor man enjoy his drink without photo bombing him, but I have to say it took everything in my power not to say hello. Instead I tagged the hell out of him on my Instagram feed!

The space is industrial but doesn't feel cold. It features corrugated steel lined ceilings, exposed bricks and a confessional wall for sinners, dreamers and truth tellers giving everyone something to gawk at on the way to the restrooms.

This is a Thai tradition that works as a living art piece in the space. The confessions are brutally honest and I imagine each board is burned in some awesome kitchen ritual every three months or so with a Monk flown in from the east for absolution and prayer. This has not been confirmed but please lie to me if it isn't true. Restaurants and religious ritual! I can totally get into that. As my father taught me, why let facts get in the way of a good story. My husband lived in Thailand and caught dengue fever while working there. I still have this image in my head that Monks took care of him and nursed him back to health. Thank heaven for those wonderful Monks! Who cares if it isn't true, right? The point is, he made it back alive, well and much refreshed from that scary experience.

Back in Miami this bar at Khong summons up ideas of toothless fisherman weaving baskets in the food markets. It is beautifully lit and covers one full wall of the restaurant. The unique lighting was made with fish traps, I imagine they were bought from said toothless maritime waterman in some wicked cool village thousand of miles away. I did call the restaurant to confirm, but no one answered. We made our reservation on Open Table and got a seat that evening.

The wood tables add a warmth to balance the space. We enjoyed the Gimlets featuring Thai basil. Notice the gold purse party in the background? When in Miami Rome, one must wear gold. Who am I kidding? I wear gold any chance I get in Charm City.

We split the Crispy Duck, ordered jasmine rice and stir fried broccoli as a side. All the items are meant to share.

I just adored the look of these pepper berries and the glazed plates are gorgeous. Every detail was thought of without a hint of white tablecloth stuffiness.

Tom Colicchio sat here. The place was pretty empty due to the Alabama v. Notre Dame game that was taking place at the exact moment.

The open kitchen is small and somewhat tucked away behind the bar wall. Their is no view of the kitchen from the dining areas, but again, it is something to behold before heading to the confession wall and restrooms.

The baskets looked like another art installation.

We decided that it should be a rule in the Gastronaut bi-laws that you can't pass up any coconut dessert when offered on a menu.  This photo is making my mouth water with memories of it's all-things-coconut on the plate. I've written about my love of coconut on this blog many times and so if any of you dear readers remember you know I was in dessert heaven. 

Instagram

Thank you Elizabeth for such a wonderful outing and for trusting me with the restaurant choice. Ben! You couldn't have picked a better spot for us. Thank you again.

Baby Nephew FaceTime

Time for a little overdose on family photos. Turn away if you only care about my foodie and travel posts. :) How did we live without FaceTime? For you in the dark ages or sadly without an iPhone, FaceTime is a way to have a face to face conference calls with business people. Or to love on your Baby Nephew and tuck him into bed every night! Here are a few fun shots from recent visits.

My funny brother and my precious grandmother Francie, who traveled all the way to Michigan, by herself, for Christmas. 

Silly Aunt Nellie and mimicking Andrew at Bye-d's (Momma is now Bye-d, Biddy, Bi D?). 

Little love muffin! He still only has a few words so our expressions say it all.

Who's that crazy lady?

Cuteness overload of the two goatee brothers and the Baby. 

Wishing you all moments of wonderful real face time with your families, and for those who are far away from yours, I pray you have the ability to Skype of FaceTime with them as often as your cellular plan allows! 

Oatmeal Flax Pancakes

Here's to your health everyone. Eric loves these pancakes to start the day off right. This morning he asked me to make them and sent me a recipe which I changed for the healthier.

Oatmeal Flax Pancakes

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (GF version try almond flour)

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

2 tablespoons of ground golden flax seed

Zest of half a lemon

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

3/4 cup almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 egg

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Add wet ingredients and mix together. Let sit 10 minutes. Use cooking spray on a griddle and flip when cakes start to bubble all over. Heat oven to 200 degrees. Add cooked cakes on a plate and keep warm in oven until all are ready. Yields approx 6 pancakes. Serve with Grade B Maple Syrup.

This girl needs a detox and how. Hope this will inspire you to start the morning off with good carbs and low sugar. Enjoy the weekend!

Birroteca

Birroteca has been open for a few months in Hampden, on Clipper Road. We've passed it a ton but never stopped in before last month. It seemed unapproachable before they paved the parking lots. Prior to this face lift and new ownership the place just seemed, honestly, kind of sketchy. I don't even know why, but my perception was that it was unapproachable and seemed like a scary . New paint and asphalt has made all the difference. Good thing they have directions on how to enter. You would think that the entrance is from the Clipper Road side, but no. The front of the building is on the Falls River side, not the road.

When you turn the corner, you are welcomed by our local stone details so prevalent up and down the Falls River.

Robbin Haas is the owner and walked me through the space. I adore a good charcuterie plate and this new restaurant doesn't disappoint in it's cured meats. They make everything in-house.

We came early enough that we got a primo location overlooking the Garde Manger side of the bar where the charcuterie platters are assembled.

The space is warm and cozy with ambient lighting, nice banquets and a large square bar that is the heartbeat of the restaurant.

There is a small dining room downstairs and larger area upstairs.

We split a gorgeous kale salad and sausage pizza.

They have E-worthy beers on tap.

On my tour of the back-of-the-house I saw their much Tweeted about Mussel pizza. You can even follow them on Instagram for drool induced photos. 

You can take the catering director out of the kitchen but you can't take the kitchen out of the catering director. The kitchen really is still my favorite place to visit in a restaurant. It's like a secret window into the soul of each dining establishment. I think that is why so many restaurants have open kitchens now in their design. You can watch the drama and choreography unfold before you. This kitchen is upstairs in this restaurant, a few steps from the man dining areas. The wait staff must get a great workout.

The pizza is very popular and the crust is fantastic. We have so many great places to eat wonderful pizza in Baltimore. This new kid on the block is dangerously close to Stone Hill Farm and boasts delicious flavor profiles on their pizza pies. Chazz: A Bronx Original has a damn good crust, so it really is a "toss" up for me. But Birroteca isn't just a pizza joint. It is a mix of gastro pub and Italian enoteca. 

Robin Haas and Cyrus Keefer make a great leadership team. Chef Keefer came from Nage in Rehobeth and 1542 Gastro Pub in Federal Hill. Haas jumped on the chance to be closer to friends and family with a lease to purchase option for this location all the way from Guatemala, via New York. It's addition to the neighborhood is increasing our property value and waste lines. Along with all of the work at Mill No. 1 we are going to be in culinary heaven with Woodberry Kitchen, Gertrude's, Artifact Coffee, The Food Market, and Birroteca all within a mile of our home. At least we can walk off the calories.

Robbin literally fed me the boar bolognese as we were in the kitchen. It was heavenly.  

Squash stuffed ravioli with sausage and Brussels sprout leaves also looked amazing. What a nice nod to winter.

When we stopped in the upstairs was still undergoing space definition. I think it will be a great spot for receptions and rehearsal dinners seating approximately 40-50 guests.

By the time we left the parking lot was packed and the entire restaurant was buzzing with energy. They are open M-F 4pm until closing and for lunch on Sat and Sunday until closing. I've heard they are considering Friday lunch as well. 

Thank you Robbin for the great tour and taste testing behind the scenes. Look forward to coming back soon for the bolognese.