Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy

Healthy ain’t exactly the first word that springs to mind when you think about the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. Decadent, yes. Gluttonous, indeed. Cardiac-arrest-inducing – quite possibly, if you do it right. The festival prides itself on excess – more fancy TV chefs than you can shake a strainer at, enough booze to get a legion of sailors on leave plastered, and tray after tray of bite-size appetizers. All of this and more (and more!) awaits, but this year there’s a new event that fest creator Lee Schrager is superexcited about. It’s called Fun and Fit as a Family, and it takes place at Jungle Island. “This is our giveback to the community. You can come to Wine & Food and stuff your face as usual. But this is important. This is about sustaining our future. I am convinced we’re on to something big here,” Schrager gushes. As well he should: Fun and Fit sounds freakin’ awesome.

The event is geared toward parents and children, but anyone with an interest in healthful eating will enjoy this two-day minifestival within a festival. There’ll be cooking demonstrations by the culinary world’s biggest stars – Jamie Oliver, Rachael Ray, and Tyler Florence, among others. Dr. Arthur Agatston of the South Beach Diet will be presenting the Children’s Sustainable Food Garden, so your rambunctious bundles of joy can see, smell, and touch fruits, veggies, and herbs while learning to love gardening. There’ll be team sports and Pilates; food labs where you can don an apron, get messy, and create something yummy under the guidance of a local chef; and station after station of healthful eats. Tickets cost $28 for adults, $23 for kids under age 11. Call 877-762-3933, or visit www.funandfitasafamily.com. Visit www.sobewineandfoodfest.com for info about all of this weekend’s fabulous events.
Sat., Feb. 23; Sun., Feb. 24, 2008