With a past that includes topless donut shops and kitschy theme restaurants, Fort Lauderdale has not historically been known as a culinary hotbed. That, however, has been changing for quite a while. With an onslaught of new culinary events, Fort Lauderdale is working to heighten its image in the foodie…
Have you ever thought it would be cool to make a vodka/white wine spritzer? Neither have we. But apparently, someone else has. Absolut will be releasing its newest product, Absolut Tune, touted as a sparkling fusion of vodka and white wine, on Tuesday. The company sent us a bottle to…
Peruvian food is kind of a big deal these days. Ceviche, one of the country’s most famous dishes, was once strange and exotic, but now pops up on menus all over the place. From high-end dining establishments on Palm Beach to tiny mom and pop shops, Peruvian influence is everywhere…
We all know that Joan Jett loves rock n’ roll. But she also loves animals and the environment. Jett, a vegetarian for about 20 years, unveiled her new PETA add Sunday afternoon as part of a campaign to spread awareness of vegetarianism. The unveiling took place at Sublime in Fort Lauderdale…
Chef Allen Susser has made a bit of a name for himself in south Florida. Okay, that might be a bit of an understatement. The New York native and longtime South Florida resident has won numerous awards and accolades: James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef 1994, southeast region; one of the…
It’s become a parental tradition: taking pictures of kids in a pumpkin patch. Kind of like the fall version of the social media Christmas card. And yes, we agree, your kid looks great surrounded by a mountain of gourds. But let’s be honest, it’s kind of wasteful. The majority of…
This year has seen an influx of new culinary events for Fort Lauderdale. Cheers for Charity was a great success. Now it’s almost time for Flavors of Fort Lauderdale. The next four-day culinary event, which kicks off Tuesday, November 8. The event is meant to showcase the culinary talent and lifestyle…
It’s no secret that South Florida is kind of spread out. Yeah, there are bars galore, but if you don’t have a teetotaling friend who doesn’t mind babysitting while you get smashed, you’re picking one bar and cabbing it. Well, we have the solution for you. The Boca Bus Loop…
Winter is coming. Time to light that fireplace, pull out the knee-high boots, throw on your barely used ski gear, and get ready for the winter festivities to commence. Okay, it’s not a real winter, but there is a slight change in the air. And that’s all you’re getting in…
To say Giovanni Rocchio is busy would be an understatement. The original New Yorker is chef/owner of two restaurants — the recently relocated, award-winning Valentino’s Cucina Italiana and the new Osteria Acqua & Farina. To go along with this week’s review of Osteria, we decided to catch up with the…
Chef Clay Conley has paired up with Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign. On Sunday October 28, at Buccan, he is holding a charity dinner. Sounds like quite the offer from the James Beard nominated chef. Right?Well, it gets even better. Conley has invited a handful of star chefs…
For those of you who may have missed out on the high caloric intake, last Saturday night saw the sixth Annual Broward Meals on Wheel’s Chocolate Extravaganza. The event, which took place at the Fishing Hall of Fame museum, gave guests the chance to sample sweet and savory finds from…
Attilio Reale has been making wood-fired pizzas for 25 years.Originally from Naples — Italy, not Florida — he grew up in northern Italy. And his pizza closely mimics his background.”My pizza style is close to the Napoli style with an influence from the north,” says Reale in his melodious Italian…
Halloween is huge — $8 billion huge, that is. Seven out of ten Americans will be celebrating this year — that’s 170 million people. And let’s be honest, this is a time of year when normal folks tend to go a bit crazy. Bath salt zombies will be running down…
Osteria Acqua & Farina is the new concept from Giovanni Rocchio, owner of Valentino’s Cucina Italiana. The restaurant, which opened in June of this year, in the former space of Valentino’s, is Rocchio’s causal adaptation of his renowned high-end Italian restaurant.The menu is comprised of classic Italian fare: sauteed calamari…
They’re inescapable in South Florida: big, white-hulled yachts docked up and down the Intracoastal Waterway. This time of year it’s even worse. For four days, starting today, the waters of Fort Lauderdale will be overtaken with yachts during the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.Everyone sees these magnificent vessels from afar,…
Osteria Acqua and Farina: New Fort Lauderdale Pizzeria Prepares the Pies Pungently but Just Right
After owning Fort Lauderdale’s Hi-Life Cafe for 15 years, Top Chef season two contestant Carlos Fernandez decided to pack up his knives and go. Well, sort of. He sold the restaurant but stayed on as executive chef for another two years. He actually packed up his knives about six months…
In honor of last week’s World Food Day, a group of local activists gathered Saturday at Hollywood’s Yellow Green Market. The group gathered together to show support for an initiative, Propostion 37, that will appear on the November ballot in California. Food activists nationwide are pushing an effort to require…
With Halloween just around the corner, next week is going to be big. Unfortunately, it’s more than a week away. Looking for something to do before Halloween week? We’ve got you covered. From pre-Halloween events to sustainability forums to cooking classes and more, there is plenty to do in south…
Pizza is awesome. Even more so when it’s free. In celebration of national pizza month–yes, there is such a thing–Domino’s in Dade and Broward counties are giving away free pizza. Sorry, Palm Beach. The company wants to spread the word about the new Handmade Pan Pizza. This time Domino’s has decided to…
There’s a reason Fort Lauderdale is host to one of the largest boat shows in the world. With over 300 miles of navigable inland waterways, Greater Fort Lauderdale is known as the Venice of America.A lot of the region’s land space is taken up by multimillion dollar waterfront McMansions with…
