It’s Chili Dawg’s 3rd birthday and because I couldn’t resist, this was on his Facebook Page:

“It’s my birthday!  Shout out to all my home-dawgs!”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEST PUPPY IN THE WORLD!

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© 2012, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

My family went to Miami last weekend and while we were primarily there to visit University of Miami, it was a vacation as well.  Everyone in the family had something special they wanted to do in Miami:

My son: visit the university and experience Miami for the first time.

My daughter: swim and play on the beach.

My husband: eat Cuban food.

And me?: I wanted to eat Key Lime Pie.

I would say Key Lime Pie is my favorite dessert, so I have very high standards.  Although I order it whenever I see it on the menu, I am rarely impressed.   Rarely does it taste as homemade and fresh as when I make it at home. I’ve had good Key Lime Pie, but I haven’t had spectacular Key Lime Pie at a restaurant too often.  So even though the Miami area should have the best Key Lime Pie anywhere, honestly I didn’t expect much.

After touring the university we drove around Coral Gables/Coconut Grove to let me son get a feel for the area.  Near CocoWalk shopping area, we came upon this happening beer and burger joint, Lokal.   Specializing in locally sourced ingredients, Lokal had a funki neighborhood vibe and while I don’t eat red meat, there were non-beef options on the menu.   My husband Yelped great burger reviews and, to my surprise, they were supposed to have a good Key Lime Pie.   Always one to challenge another’s review, I ate my turkey burger, but I was really there for the Key Lime Pie.

(For the record, my husband and son really loved their burgers.  According to them, the 50/50 – half beef, half bacon – was really a winner.  That’s just an extra for you meat-eaters out there.)

Let me say again, that I did not have high expectations.  I was ordering it and eating it because I love Key Lime Pie-even mediocre Key Lime Pie.  But WHOA!  The Key Lime Pie at Lokal was amazing!  Fresh, tart and creamy-just the way Key Lime should be.  The thick crust is made with graham crackers and crushed pecans.  The pie is made with fresh-squeezed key limes and lime zest.  And the whole thing is topped with freshly made whipped cream.  Heaven.  I don’t think I’ve tasted a better Key Lime Pie.  My family tried to have a bite or two of my pie and they almost lost a finger.  I slowly ate and savored every single bite.

gorgeous!

As delicious as the pie was at Lokal, it did not come up on any google searches for “the best key lime pie in Miami.”  Joe’s Stone Crab held that distinction.   Naturally, I had to test this theory before leaving Miami.  We drove by Joe’s Take Away and got a few slices of Key Lime Pie to go (my family had learned their lesson and got their own slices).   First of all, Joe’s did not have fresh whipped cream, it was sprayed from a can right in front of me.   But the pie was good.  I mean, if it had been the first pie I had eaten in Miami, I would have thought it was very good.   But it did not compare to the Lokal’s pie, not at all.

However, to have a real taste test we would have to taste Lokal’s Key Lime Pie again.  It was only the fair thing to do.  So we drove from Joe’s in South Beach to Lokal in Coconut Grove for lunch (and pie).  This time I had the caesar salad with rock shrimp, but again, this was just an appetizer before my main course, pie.   Two pieces of Key Lime Pie in one day was a bit much-even for me-but in the name of research, it had to be done.   Another piece of the Lokal’s Key Lime Pie, and it was officially declared by everyone in my family: Lokal had the best Key Lime Pie.

Meeting and talking to the Lokal’s owner, Matthew Kuscher, we learned that Lokal had only been open a few months.  That explains why the Key Lime Pie doesn’t have the press that it deserves yet.  But it will; mark my words.  You heard it first from Funkidivagirl, Key Lime Pie connoisseur.  If Matthew keeps the same commitment to freshness and quality in his Key Lime Pie that he has now, “the best Key Lime Pie in Miami” award isn’t far behind.

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© 2012, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

“Remember Summer? The warm air, blue skies, and endless days in the water?  Me either.  Share a photo from last Summer that brings you back.”  - A prompt from Mama Kat.

This is the photo I think she has in mind, taken in Malibu:

Yes, the beach was glorious and I loved every minute I spent there.  But when you think of summer, don’t you also think of your favorite summer foods like watermelon, ice cream or lemonade?  I ate some delicious food last summer in California.  Here’s what I remember:

This was the best ice cream sandwich.  Ever.

Ice cream sandwich –  Coolhaus Truck, Santa Monica

Two of my favorite things on a perfectly cooked waffle.  A party in my mouth!

Lemon Curd & Blueberry Waffle – The Waffle, Hollywood

This roll was so big and buttery, even my son couldn’t finish it.

Crab roll – Fish, Sausalito

My daughter’s first banana split in her dad’s childhood spot.

Banana split – Creamery, Palo Alto

Cookies and milk-that’s all they sell and they do it well.

Chocolate Chip Toffee cookie – Anthony’s Cookies, San Francisco

A day at Disneyland isn’t complete without one.

Dole Whip – Aloha Isle, Disneyland

What are some of your favorite food memories from last summer?

I’m linking up with Mama Kat, you should too.

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© 2012, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

Happy Mardi Gras everyone!  My family experienced Mardi Gras for the first time over the weekend and we had a ball.  I know some of you are thinking, “You took the kids to Mardi Gras?  Isn’t Mardi Gras just a bunch of drinking and partying? ” Well, yes and no.

There is much drinking and partying, but as I learned, the drunkenness that outsiders associate with Mardi Gras is done by the tourists and others who use Mardi Gras as an excuse to practice the phrase “what happens in Mardi Gras stays in Mardi Gras.”   Mardi Gras is in fact a family celebration that is steeped in tradition, custom and history.  It takes over the entire city and everyone is in a celebratory mood.

There is celebrating–food and family parties by locals–and then there is celebrating by tourists (as in another word for getting fall-down drunk) . Because we stayed in a hotel on Canal Street, right downtown and near the French Quarter, we saw the drunken tourists in action.   We made the mistake of walking down a few blocks of Bourbon Street at noon and it was full on debauchery.  At noon!  Can you imagine what it’s like at night?   Here’s a shot of Bourbon Street from our hotel balcony.  Remember, this is in the afternoon.  As it got later, it just got more crowded.

As long as we stayed off Bourbon Street, the French Quarter shops and restaurants were fun to explore .  The balconies were decorated and people threw beads to the crowds below.  That’s my son in the right corner trying to catch some beads.

There are parades every day and every night and this is very much a family-friendly activity.  At night you have to watch the parades in the right place (away from the tourists) to avoid the drunkards.  We were invited to Mardi Gras by a family very much involved in the traditional celebrations and very well connected in New Orleans, so we watched the parades with them.  During the Bacchus Parade, we were in the mayor’s box, which was great because most of the marching bands stopped to perform there and King Bacchus made his toast to the mayor.  The king of Bacchus is Will Ferrell this year.  Here’s a photo and video of him toasting the mayor:

The floats are amazing to see, but you had better keep your head up or you might get beads flung at your head.   All the floats have riders that throw beads, cups, stuffed toys and if you’re really lucky, a coconut, to the crowd.    This is so much fun and my kids quickly caught on to the phrase, “Throw me something mister!” as they kept their hands up in the air.  One time I wasn’t paying attention and two strings of heavy beads clocked my knuckles – ouch!  These photos only show about an 1/8 of the beads we have.  I think we came home with about 10,000 beads and other throws.  What ever will we do with all that Mardi Gras booty?

No matter.  My kids had so much fun; they had never seen anything like Mardi Gras before.   Thanks New Orleans for showing us a good time!  Happy Mardi Gras!

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© 2012, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

I met Whitney Houston once or twice.  I know her family, so it wasn’t a surprise when I met her, but it was still a thrill.  She was normal and down to earth, but I don’t think I said two words to her because she is after all, Whitney.

Like everyone else in the world, I thought she was a phenomenal singer, but more than anything I remember her as the skinny-legged, pretty black girl on the cover of Seventeen.   As a skinny black girl too, I didn’t see myself often represented on the cover of teen fashion magazines.  She was an inspiration.  Only much later did I connect the dots between the girl-model and the powerful voice.

I’m linking up with Mama Kat by answering the prompt: Share a Whitney Houston song that meant something to you.

© 2012, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.