Gab's Top Picks for South Beach Wine & Food Festival 2011

It's never too early to start thinking about food. That being said, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, Florida's famous five-day foodie fest, is less than a month away!

Here are Gab's top picks for the SoBe Wine & Food Fest 2011:

Thursday, Feb. 24

7 to 11 p.m.
The Brilliance of France at The Biltmore Hotel. Beautiful food, beautiful hotel, and (we're guessing) beautiful guests. How can everything not be gorgeous in the historic Coral Gables hotel where presidents, royalty, celebrities (famous and infamous, like Al Capone) have stayed?
 

Friday, Feb. 25

1 to 4 p.m.

Gab will be in attendance at the invite-only 4 Orange Premium Vodka Classic Cocktail Competition as competitors take to the Wine Spectator Trade Tasting stage. Using 4 Orange Premium Vodka, the world's only vodka made from pure Florida oranges, mixologists from all over the country will present their fresh take on the Next Classic Cocktail for a panel of expert judges. The winner, whose cocktail is judged based on appearance, aroma, taste, and overall impression, receives $3,000, a trophy and certificate, and the coveted title of "4 Orange Vodka U.S. Champion 2011.”

1 to 4 p.m.

Power pair Emeril Lagasse and Martha Stewart host the 10-year anniversary celebration Let Them Eat Cake, presented by Ocean Drive. However, we suspect the cocktails, confections and champagne (Moet & Chandon) will steal the spotlight.

Saturday, Feb. 26

3 to 4 p.m.
Danny Meyer Shake Shack Seminar at the W. Shake Shack may be new to South Beach, but it's an old favorite of ours.

7 to 10 p.m.
Thrillist's BBQ & the Blues, hosted by Tyler Florence at The Raleigh Hotel.

7 to 11 p.m.
Wine + Dine + Design, presented by Gilt City, in the Design District.

10 p.m. to 1 a.m.
The Best Thing I Ever Ate at the Beach hosted by Duff Goldman and presented by Food Network. The Food Network show that is literally impossible to sit through without getting up to go to the kitchen.

Sunday, Feb. 27

11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Paula’s Down Home Cookin’ Sunday Gospel Brunch hosted by Paula Deen. If you've ever or seen her kneading buttery dough with rings on every finger, or heard her drawled-out y'aaaall, you understand why this is a must-see.

2 to 3 p.m.
Prohibition Cocktails Clinic with Zane Lamprey, Bank of America Lifestyle Seminars. Like being in an episode of Boardwalk Empire, without getting offed.

11 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Dim Sum & Disco at the Setai hosted by Ming Tsai, presented by Groupon


The countdown has officially begun. See you in South Beach!

Gab's 'Girls Night Out': The Search Is On For Eligible Butlers in the Buff

 

Founder Alex Jones with The Gab Group PR Director Michelle Soudry

Last night, Gab hosted a rowdy Girls Night Out event at Il Bacio Restaurant & Lounge, featuring a casting call for U.K. sensation Butlers in the Buff™!

The lucky attendees, who sipped free cocktails from 7 to 11 p.m.,  participated in the interactive casting call for the  Butlers in the Buff™ Florida team, the first  U.S. team of its type.

Nine fit and friendly male contestants competed for a coveted Butlers in the Buff™ staff position. Not only did the men have to be attractive and in good shape, but they had to be charming, polite and well-spoken.

After being asked a few impromptu interview questions by The Gab Group PR Director Michelle Soudry, Butler potentials were put to the test and asked to serve ladies in the audience clad in a bow-tie, cuffs, apron, and, naturally, no shirt.

Aspiring Butlers were awarded in three categories: MVB (Most Valuable Butler), won by Cameron Ricci, Most Buff Butler, won by Billy Kiraly, and Mr. Congeniality, won by Dan Palisay. The winners were awarded a gift certificate to Naked Hair Salon in Delray Beach.

Butlers in the Buff™ Florida is available in Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Aventura, the Palm Beaches, Naples, Sarasota, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Daytona. BITB is available for a variety of customizable events, including bachelorette parties (known as “hen parties” in the U.K.), corporate events, wedding receptions, birthdays, and private parties. For more information, visit http://www.butlersinthebuff.com/, or call (941) 309-5430.

Local-Friendly 'On & Off the Avenue Night' Kicks Off at Deck 84

If you work on or near Atlantic Avenue, good things are around the corner - literally. 

From 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 26, Deck 84 launched On & Off the Avenue Night, allowing guests who work on or near Atlantic Avenue to whip out their business cards for 20 percent off Deck 84's Casual American cuisine and refreshing cocktails all day long.

Sponsored by Van Gogh Vodka, the On & Off the Avenue Night launch party treated guests to tasty complimentary hors d'oeuvres, cocktails and good company.

Stop by Deck 84 all day on Wednesdays for On & Off the Avenue Night to network with nearby businesses, catch up with neighbors and meet new local friends.

Deck 84

840 East Atlantic Avenue

Delray Beach, FL 33483

(Adjacent to the bridge where Atlantic Ave. meets the Intracoastal)

Call: (561) 665-8484

http://www.deck84.com/

Become A Fan! www.facebook.com/deck84

Vote Today & Win $50K in Funding For Kids Affected By Breast Cancer!

Calling all Gab VIPs! The Connie J. Goodale Breast Cancer Foundation, a local 501c(3) charity (and great longtime friends of Gab), is in the running to win $50,000 in funding courtesy of the Pepsi Refresh Project. We need your votes to push them into the Top 10 by January 31!

Their Pepsi Refresh Project idea is to start a new program providing arts, sports, tutoring, and counseling to children of breast cancer patients, and to continue financial aid for those fighting to survive.

Show your support. Vote today and every day all three ways (online, texting and Facebook) by visiting www.refresheverything.com/conniefoundation.

Your voting efforts could even win you 2 orchestra seat tickets to Wicked on Saturday, Apr. 3. To win, vote by text (save your texts for verification) and Facebook every day until January 31.

The Connie J. Goodale Breast Cancer Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to provide direct support to local families affected by breast cancer in overcoming obstacles related to this disease.
Need help delivering voting instructions to coworkers and friends? E-mail info@conniefoundation.org to give or get help.

Vote today, and spread the word!

Connie J. Goodale Breast Cancer Foundation

P.O. Box 15015

West Palm Beach, FL 33416

Visit: http://www.conniefoundation.org/  

Big Game, Big Plans | Deck 84 Scores With Super Bowl Viewing Party

If Super Bowl Sunday turns out to be a typical February day in Northern Texas, the afternoon high in Cowboys Stadium will be the same as our winter lows!

Thankfully, South Florida's surf and sunshine make for excellent outdoor-viewing weather...

Next Sunday, Feb. 6, you can watch the Packers take on the Steelers at Deck 84's waterfront Super Bowl Viewing Party.

Starting at 5 p.m., rub (very large) shoulders with NFL stars like Pierre Garcon of the Indianapolis Colts and Jacoby Ford of the Oakland Raiders, plus many others, as you catch the action. Live music, state-of-the-art flat screens, a complimentary buffet, and the casual waterfront atmosphere will get you in a relaxed gameday state of mind.

Tix are $75 at the door and $50 in advance. Or, chill with the pro's on the VIP Floating Lounge for $150.

Ticket proceeds benefit Prep & Sports, Inc. For tickets and more information, visit http://www.charitysuperbowlparty.org/ or call 1-877-515-9595.
Deck 84

840 East Atlantic Avenue
Delray Beach, FL 33483
(Adjacent to the bridge where Atlantic Ave. meets the Intracoastal)
Call: (561) 665-8484
http://www.deck84.com/
Become A Fan! www.facebook.com/deck84

You Know How We Roll | Sushi & Sake 101

An intimate group gathered on Saturday, Jan. 22, for Sushi & Sake 101, RA Sushi's interactive, educational (and tasty!) crash course in sushi and sake.

Hosted at RA Sushi's Pembroke Pines location in The Shops at Pembroke Gardens, Sushi & Sake 101 included a sushi and sake history lesson, sushi rolling lessons, sake flight pairings, a non-alcoholic beverage, edamame, miso soup, and a pre-stamped lunch card good toward future lunch visits.

As attendees created their own rolls, RA’s expert sushi chefs lead the sushi portion came around to everyone’s station for one-on-one attention, answering questions and lending a hand for the tricky parts.

So, what was on the menu? California Roll, Shrimp "Ebi" Nigiri Sushi, and Tootsy Maki, one of RA’s most popular rolls, made with kani kama crab mix, shrimp and cucmber rolled and topped with crunchy tempura bits, and drizzled with a sweet eel sauce.

Guests sampled a wide variety of sake from RA’s extensive sake selection, led by Bar Manager Evan. The class finished strong with a sake bomb with the guest’s choice of sake and Kirin Light, and a Japanese countdown.

Location:

The Shops at Pembroke Gardens

201 SW 145th Terrace, Pembroke Pines

Tel: 954-342-5454

Become A Fan! www.facebook.com/RASushiPembrokePines

Visit: http://www.rasushi.com/  

Date Night, Reclaimed: VIP Theaters Revive the Dinner & A Movie Experience

In the spirit of the Sundance, which kicked off its vibrant ten-day film fest today, try to remember the last flick you caught in a theater.

Now, imagine if, rather than sipping a $7 Diet Coke, you had a mango-ginger-habanero daiquiri in hand. Or Braised Beef Short Rib with Black Mission fig-balsamic glaze, pear raviolini and a butter-sage sauce in place of a lamp-heated hot dog.

Ipic Theaters, located in Scottsdale, Arizona, now offers patrons such amenities in a nearly 42,000 square-foot  theater hybrid, including a restaurant, Tanzy, and sleek lounge, Salt, that Gab helped brand and design. This is a high-end, all-night experience for the serious cinemaphile, foodie and club kid in one location.

It looks like dine-in theaters, not 3-D, may be the future of film. According the Wall Street Journal, out of roughly 5,750 total theaters nationwide, about 300 to 400 now have restaurant service, and industry analysts predict that number could double over the next few years. Read the full article at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703808704576062040285064856.html.

Luckily, you don’t have to catch the next cross-country flight to get in on the action. Here are some local South Florida theaters combining cocktails, cuisine and cinema:

For the Film Buff

Living Room Theaters in Boca Raton - http://fau.livingroomtheaters.com/  

Located at the south end of FAU’s campus, four 50-seat theaters facilitate the university’s film study program by day and show foreign, classic and independent films on nights and weekends, emphasizing new releases from around the globe. A European-style café offers tapas, nosh, salads, paninis, desserts, a wine list, and beer on tap.

Date Night Destination

Cinemark Palace 20 in Boca Raton - http://beta.cinemark.com/theatre-detail.aspx?node_id=1724  

Experience a large selection of movies with reserved stadium seating. Escape upstairs to Bogart's, featuring signature selections from restaurateur Burt Rapoport's past and present restaurants. Think homemade thin-crust pizzas, sirloin burgers, gourmet salads, and entrees including fresh seafood, chicken and steak. If you’re only looking to dine, you can even skip the movie.

Bring the Fam

Frank Theaters in Deerfield Beach - http://www.franktheaters.com/Home.aspx  

Tucked in the Deerfield Mall 8, Frank Theaters’ Starlite Café offers classic movie grub plus café extras like crab cake sandwiches, veggie burgers, cheesesteak sliders, and wings. Keep the kids busy with a birthday party and sneak off to the premier 21 and over theater where you can sip signature cocktails the Casablanca and Casino Royale.

BRLTA's Boot Camp 101 Takes Your Weekend Workout to Another Level

What were you doing on Saturday morning? Sleeping off the night before? Sitting down to brunch? Catching reruns and thinking about how you really need to start going to the gym before swimsuit season creeps up on you? (It's South Florida, after all, and beach weather can strike at any time.)

At 10 a.m. on the sunny morning on Jan. 15, Gab and about 60 other go-getters were standing at attention for Boot Camp 101, the latest installment of Boca Raton Life Time Athletic's Life & Learn 101 health and fitness event series.

Led by award-winning instructor Jay Dever, this fast-paced and intense outdoor event was not for the faint of heart (or weak of limbs). Attendees, among them athletes, members determined to stick to their New Year's resolutions and first-time guests checking out BRLTA's amazing facilities, rotated between four stations that emphasized cardio, leg strength, upper-body strength, and core.

After an hour of military-style exercises, everyone was exhausted but feeling amazing - not only because they got a head start on their health, but because their $5 entrance donation benefited the Life Time Fitness Foundation, a 501c3 organization supporting healthy kids and healthy communities.

Check out the photos below, and see more at http://www.facebook.com/lifetimeathleticbocaraton.

Life Time Athletic Boca Raton

1499 Yamato Road

Boca Raton, FL 33431

Call: 561.208.5900

Prime Grand Opening Brings Droves of Guests, Classic Glamour to Atlantic Ave

The Gab Group transported guests to another era at the Grand Opening of Prime, Steven Pellegrino's new supper club concept on Atlantic Avenue, held on Tuesday, January 11.

Taking over the former spot of Bluefish, the arrival of Prime brings the dining excellence and cachet of decades past. Executive Chef Peter Masiello prepares the best of land and sea, serving guests certified USDA prime beef, sushi and seafood.

Ushered in by statuesque flappers, guests were greeted by a regal King Louis desk, imported Italian marble flooring and alabaster glass lighting. Antique white woods, coral columns and a black baby grand piano evoke the glamour of early-century Palm Beach, while imported Italian marble flooring, fluted woodwork and crystal chandeliers add to the opulence.

Guests enjoyed a martini bar and passed hors d'oeuvres, sinking into chocolate leather banquette seating in the main dining room, the sectioned-off family dining room, with three crystal chandeliers, and the private dining room, which features a dazzling hand-painted mural. Before or after dining, guests are invited to relax in the lounge area near Prime’s 600-bottle wine room and enjoy nightly live entertainment, including a piano player.

Prime is open for lunch and dinner and features live entertainment nightly, with Happy Hour from 4 to 7 p.m.

Prime's steaks can be served with a variety of sauces or your choice of Maine lobster tail, crab crust or rock shrimp “scampi.” Prime Entrees include beef, chicken, pork, and seafood options, featuring a Slow Roasted Sea Bass and Veal Chop Milanese. Entrees can be served with any of fifteen decadent sides. In addition to classic steakhouse starters and salads, Prime offers a selection of sushi and sashimi.

Guests can even purchase an inscribed liquor cabinet to store their premium spirits and cigars, and are also able to hand-select their cut of meat from a separate butcher area. For more information or for reservations, please call (561) 865-5845 or visit http://www.primedelray.com/. Valet is available on site.

Location:

PRIME Steak Sushi Seafood

110 East Atlantic Avenue

Delray Beach, FL 33444

Call: (561) 865-5845

Visit: http://www.primedelray.com/

Meet Sports Icon Rudy Ruettiger & Pioneering Age Management Physician Robert D. Willix, Jr., M.D. | The Triumph Tour | 7-9 p.m. Tues., Jan. 25

It's never too late to transform yourself for the better. That's one of the many lessons left with us from our longtime client, Cenegenics Medical Institute of Boca Raton (in addition to giving us spiritual guidance, triathlon tips, you know, in case we ever decide to compete in the Ironman, and the simple yet hard-to-face factoid that white pasta is the devil).

For one night only, Robert D. Willix Jr., M.D., pioneering age management physician and the man behind Cenegenics Boca Raton, is sharing his wealth of expert knowledge with the public, joining forces with Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger, a.k.a. the real Rudy from the 1993 sports classic, "Rudy," starring Sean Astin, one of the greatest sports films of all time (you know, the one that makes you yell "Ru-dy! Ru-dy! Ru-dy!" at the TV screen).

Meet CEO/CMO of Cenegenics Medical Institute of Boca Raton, Dr. Willix, and celebrity sports icon and Notre Dame football legend "Rudy" Ruetigger at The Triumph Tour, from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 25, at the stunning Omphoy Ocean Resort.

Together, this dynamic duo will share their secrets about triumphing over adversity, setting goals for

your business and future, and giving you the motivational skills to transform yourself. This is one seminar you won't want to miss. Tickets are available for purchase at http://www.thetriumphtour.com/. Advance tickets are $200 per person or $300 per couple. Tickets are $225 at the door. The first 500 registrants will receive a "Rudy" DVD signed by Rudy himself.

A portion of proceeds benefit Success for Kids, an international non-profit organization dedicated to

empowering at-risk children and adolescents.

Location:

The Omphoy Ocean Resort

2842 South Ocean Blvd.

Palm Beach, FL 33480

See you on The Triumph Tour!

Delray Beach's Iconic VolleyGirls Dine at Deck 84

Last night, South Florida's VolleyGirls hosted their latest dinner at Deck 84, Atlantic Avenue's first waterfront dining location of its kind. As the ambassadors and spokespersons for Delray Beach's International Tennis Championships (ITC), The VolleyGirls attend private parties and engagements with players on TV and radio, and make appearances at the hottest spots throughout Delray and Palm Beach.

Naturally, they chose to dine at the Ave's hottest new waterfront restaurant, which has already created a buzz with its iconic Florida views and cuisine by Executive Chef Chuck Gitlleman.

Sitting alongside the Intracoastal Waterway, the girls watched boats cruise by as they held a toast and enjoyed several courses of Deck 84's delicious cuisine, which food writer Bill Citara describes as "a mix of Florida flavors with a taste of the Orient and a touch of the American Southwest."

So, what did the girls decide to order last night? "Everything!" Baked Spinach and Cheese Dip, Chicken Spring Rolls, Soy and Ginger Marinated Skirt Steak, Baja Fish Tacos, and Grilled Key Lime Mahi, just to name a few, all ended up on the girls' table.

To reserve your table, call (561) 665-8484 or visit http://www.deck84.com/. Outdoor seating is first come, first served.

Deck 84

840 East Atlantic Avenue

Delray Beach, FL 33483

(Adjacent to the bridge where Atlantic Ave. meets the Intracoastal)

 (561) 665-8484

CG Burgers + Coal Fired Pizza Opens in PGA

Yesterday, America continued its love affair with the burger at the Grand Opening of CG Burgers + Coal Fired Pizza.

Carmine Giardini, a celebrated area restaurateur, celebrated the arrival of his Palm Beach Gardens burger and pizza joint by giving away signature all-natural burgers from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. By the end of the day, more than 2,000 burgers - Kobe beef, lamb, bison, brisket, turkey, South Beach, veggie - were distributed.

This CG Burgers + Coal Fired Pizza concept is actually the second in North Palm Beach (the first is located in Jupiter), although several more locations will be popping up from Coral Springs to Merrick Park. The decor is kitschy-cool, with a bucolic farm scene mural, warm reds, reclaimed Wyoming snow fence flooring, "stone" bar and table tops (the material is actually created from pulp and resin compressed to create warm "stone" material), a ceiling with recycled vents for chandeliers, and long tables for communal seating.

But there's more to CG Burgers + Coal Fired Pizza than what its name suggests. Carving board sandwiches (including beef on kimmelweck, popular in the Northeast), fire-roasted wings, burger chili, and Hummel hot dogs are served, as are Italian gelato shakes, beer and wine.

CG Burgers + Coal Fired Pizza goes far beyond what you'd expect from a typical burger joint or pizza parlor. We daresay it's healthy. Their never-frozen meat, which is ground fresh daily on site, is sourced from Niman Ranch, where all cows are 100% vegetarian-fed and never given hormones or antibiotics. Veggie burgers are cooked separately from meats to satisfy the area's vegetarians and flexitarians. Plus, there's an all-natural deluxe salad bar featuring a variety of fresh lettuces, hard-boiled eggs, hearts of palm, olives, and more gourmet additions, plus your choice of Carmine's own famous all-natural dressings.

We think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Location:

CG Burgers + Coal Fired Pizza

2000 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens

561-275-2185