22 March 2010

calle ocho

My favorite part of any vacation is when I accidentally stumble into a place or an event that blows my meticulously planned agenda right out of the water, which is exactly what happened when I ran across the annual Calle Ocho Festival in Miami's Little Havana. My companion and I had no idea what were were doing, just that we should head towards Eighth Street because it, um, looked big on the map.

Who knew that "Eighth Street" was actually Calle Ocho, or that it happened to be the day of the famed festival? Well...hundreds of thousands of people. Ehhh, so what? I know now!

One of many men hawking meat on a stick...


Enjoying Cuban tamales from an open-air restaurant counter...
Fresh baby coconut water from a cigar-chewing old man...


Arepas!


Huge vats of paella being made and sold for a dollar...
...and so much more! You will love this festival if you've ever wanted to compare the rice and beans of a hundred different grandmas from all over Central America, snack on slow-cooked lechon with your beer, smoke a cigar that's been hand rolled right in front of you, play dominoes with your Cuban elders in Maximo Gomez Park, or just dance.

photos via me, except arepa lady via here.

19 March 2010

la sandwicherie

I just got back from Florida, freshly tanned and well fed. I spent a great deal of time in South Beach, surrounded by spring breakers, beautiful women, hairless men, and exhibitionist hobos. To ensure that none of these people go hungry or sober, the streets are lined with restaurants, hotels, bars and clubs with one thing in common: they're all outrageously expensive.

Broke-ness is a central component of the Lazy Hedonist's lifestyle, so I did a little detective work to find good values in South Beach and the surrounding area. Mistakes were made (i.e. a $50 tab for what was supposed to be a shared falafel sandwich), but I ultimately found that with a car, a flexible schedule, and the ability to say no, anyone can succeed in southeast Florida.

The car, especially, turned out to be a critical factor in finding good food. Little Havana in Miami Proper and infinite seafood along Rte. 1 in the keys had some of the best eatin' available. My personal favorite, though, was from a little sandwich stand called "La Sandwicherie," between Collins and Washington on 14th Street, right in the heart of South Beach. They're open from 8am-5am so there's absolutely no excuse to skip out on this gem. It doesn't really matter what kind of sandwich you order, so long as you get it with the works (lettuce, tomatoes, green and hot peppers, black olives, onions, cucumbers, cornichons, mayo) and for God's sake, don't skip the dressing. I didn't know what a big deal it would turn out to be, so I didn't take any pictures. Fortunately for everyone, their website has many.




A word to the wise - the sandwiches are not conducive to eating on the go and the French guys who serve them up are as tasty as the food, so grab a stool and enjoy your meal at the counter.

04 March 2010

let's hear it for the boys


I don't know what it is, but I love when men ditch their socks and ties and still manage to look...dressed. Maybe because it looks European? Eh...I don't really care as long as they keep doing it.





all images via the sartorialist, who taught me that men can be fashionable too.

03 March 2010

life is a beach!

I don't want to sound ungrateful -- I'm not! I'm glad that the dark months are over and March is finally here. It's just that I'm kind of over this lion phase and totally ready for the lamb. But as luck would have it, I'm leaving for Florida next Sunday and all of this dismal cold will be but a distant memory...which has me thinking lustful thoughts of paradoxically modest but ultra-sexy swimsuits and rompers...


top row: topshop
bottom row, left to right: j crew, j crew, anthropologie


The icing on the cake is that they go for $150 or less a pop. Style one of these puppies with cheap sunglasses, flip flops, sunscreen, a cooler of beer, a smutty novel, plus maybe a friend or two and you're set for the summer!




01 March 2010

milan

Milan showcased everything Italians do best. Classic materials, beautiful tailoring, and of course tons of sex appeal.

Alberta Ferretti defines pretty with sweet dresses...


...and Moschino Cheap and Chic confirms that flowery patterns paired with tweedy fall staples will make the cold months tolerable...


These graphic Marni sweaters are an instant classic...



...Dolce & Gabanna blur the line between underpinnings and outerwear...



...and remember all those disparaging things I had to say about leather? None of it counts when it's Italian. Moschino reminds us how perfect leather can be...


all images via style.com

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