The weekend is here and there's celebration in the air (also humidity).
Need something to do over the weekend? We suggest toasting to summer, hanging with your four-legged best friend, or checking out a hot new restaurant.
For even more ideas, pick up our just-released Best of edition, which gives you literally hundreds of options to pass the time away in style.
Weekend starts now!
See also: Best of Miami 2014
The Village Stand Best of Celebration
Have you shopped at The Village Stand? If not, it's high time you checked out this adorable food shop in Miami Shores. After all, it was named "Best Gourmet Market" in our latest Best of edition. To celebrate, the shop is hosting a party tonight, June 20, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. with live entertainment and free tastings from Ethical Bounty, a local raw nut butter company, and Bonjour dressings.
Yappy Hour at Cocowalk
Today is "Take Your Dog to Work Day," which means that after a long day at the office, both you and Buster are going to need a little "yappy hour" relaxation.
Take your best friend to Cocowalk tonight from 5 to 7:30 p.m. for a special celebration. For a $20 donation to the Humane Society of Greater Miami, you'll get a book filled with food, drink, and shopping deals from Bindi, Chili's, Fat Tuesday, the Gap, La Bottega, Makis Place, and Paragon Theater.
If you don't have a dog to celebrate with, Miami-Dade Animal services is offering a "Yappy Hour" adoption special. Adoption fees are 50 percent off for pets four months or older, with the fee waived for dogs over 35 lbs. Adopters will be responsible for a $27 license fee. Adopt at Miami-Dade Animal Services or at Cocowalk today from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Toast to Summer
Summer solstice is tomorrow, June 21. Toast to the sun with some of the best cocktails in Miami. Our annual Best of Edition is filled with the best places to grab a drink so whether it's a Bloody Mary at Morgan's; a pitcher of Sangria poolside at Hyde Beach; or a fresh, local beer at Wynwood Brewing Company, we've got the perfect place for your toast to the sun. Check out out ten best boozy offerings here:
See also: Best of Miami 2014: Ten Boozy Winners
Check Out a Brand New Restaurant
In the mood for something different? There are a host of exciting, new restaurants for you to try.
Miami's favorite native son, Kris Wessel, officially opened Oolite Restaurant and Bar yesterday. The South Beach restaurant, named after the limestone our city is litereally built on, celebrates everything fresh, local, and delicious about South Florida. Menu items include Florida white water clams with lentil roti and safflower aioli ($16); dry rub, hot smoke, slow-braised ribs with guanabana ($14/$26), and the chef's signature BBQ shrimp ($14),
Oolite will be open for dinner daily from 6:30 to 11 p.m. (except Sundays).
L'Echon Brasserie by the Pubbelly Group officially opens for breakfast, lunch, and dinner today. The restaurant, housed inside the Hilton Cabana Miami Beach hotel, features the Pubbelly take on classic French brasserie dishes. The menu, created by Jose Mendin and executive chef Josh Elliott, include frisée aux lardon salad with warm bacon vinaigrette, croutons, poached egg, and tarragon dressing; confit de canard with charred carrots, carrot puree and ginger; raviolis de lapin with mustard crème, sauce vierge, olives, Florida basil salad and pine nuts, and modules frites with celery, shallots, white wine, and sauce beurre blanc.
L'echon Brasserie will serve breakfast daily from 7 to 11 a.m.; lunch Monday through Friday from noon to 3 p.m., and dinner Sunday through Thursday from 6 to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. to midnight. The pool and beach will be open from sunrise to sunset, with food and beverage service from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The pool bar will remain open until 10 p.m. on most evenings. A French-style weekend brunch will be served every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Valet parking is available at the hotel.
Benchwarmers opened quietly last weekend. The midtown sports bar by Cesar Morales of Wood Tavern is the perfect spot to watch World Cup mania. Its casual, laid-back vibe is broken only by the cheers of soccer fans. Make sure you get an order (or two) of fries. We recommend the seasoned fries, sprinkled with cayenne pepper ($4.25). You can also get them slathered with cheese sauce ($5.50), topped with blue cheese and balsamic ($6), with fried eggs and bacon ($8.25), loaded ($8.25), or topped with a cheeseburger ($9.25).
Benchwarmers is open Sunday through Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 a.m.; Thursday to Saturday 11:30 a.m. through 5 a.m. (The kitchen will close one hour before the bar.)
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