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Arts & Entertainmentfeatured

People en Español’s Festival Returns En Casa

September 26, 2020

People en Español’s Festival, traditionally held in New York annually, returns en case this year, kicking off Hispanic Heritage Month. The prized cultural event will bring multiple generations of Latinos together during the virtually interactive weekend. With participation from singer-songwriter Gloria Estefan, actress Julissa Calderón, actress and entrepreneur Elizabeth Gutierrez, and musicians Gian Marco and Aymee Nuviola, among many others, this year’s Festival will be gratis and is scheduled for October 10th and 11th. 

Stars from various Netflix productions – David Castañeda (The Umbrella Academy), Julissa Calderón (Gentefied) and Julio Macías (On My Block; Selena: The Series) – will be discussing what it means to be Latino in Hollywood today. As we strive for more inclusive and diverse representation on screen, these actors allow those watching to see themselves reflected in television and films in a way they haven’t seen before. Additionally, Netflix will debut never-before-seen, behind-the-scenes footage from the upcoming Selena: The Series.

Amazon Prime, The Clorox Brand, Facebook Watch’s Red Table Talk: The Estefans, Netflix, and Prime Video join as sponsors for the event.

“Clorox is delighted to partner with People En Español during their ‘Festival en Casa’ to celebrate Hispanic culture, community and entertainment,” said Magnus Jonsson, Vice President of Cleaning at The Clorox Brand. ” As a leader in public health we are dedicated to creating a cleaner and safer future where we all can thrive, so we are especially proud to sponsor ‘Healthy Families are Happy Families,’ a discussion around emotional and physical wellbeing during these uncertain times.”

As Meredith Corporation’s largest consumer-facing virtual experience, Festival People en Español will honor history and culture through live content and remarkable experiences curated by our editors. The final event programming and talent lineup will be announced in the coming weeks. Performers will include Adrian Vadim, Lenier, Ingrid Contreras, Gian Marco, Drizmali Lyanno, and Aymee Nuviola. Join the conversation @peopleenespanol. 

This is a free event. To join us at Festival, please quickly register by clicking here.

DiningfeaturedFood

Islas Canarias Celebrates 43 Years of Serving Croquetas

September 25, 2020

Islas Canarias Restaurant & Bar, the miami-based food and beverage company, is celebrating their 43 year anniversary. The restaurant was established by the late Raul and Amelia Garcia in 1977 and is currently run by their daughter Nancy Andrade and her husband Luis Andrade. Islas Canarias continues to preserve Raul’s secret family recipe for the Islas Canarias Croqueta. The restaurant’s croquetas have been an iconic favorite in Miami-Dade County for decades.

  • courtesy of islas canarias

Miami’s highly-coveted croquetas are sold out yearly during Valentine’s Day, due to their heart-shaped croqueta boxes. The frenzy is due to the family’s use of the finest ingredients.

The exclusive celebration campaign aims to show appreciation for the community that has continued to support the restaurant. The campaign has incorporated hashtag such as #croquetacounty and #miamisfavoritecroqueta. The dedicated handles that include @croquetacounty and @islascanariasrestaurant. As part of the celebration, a new website croquetacounty.com launched. Croqueta fans can visit the restaurant to purchase a celebration shirt. A free sticker comes included with the purchase of a t-shirt. Visit the restaurant’s webpage at islascanariasrestaurant.com

Beauty

Last Day for 15% off $150 at the Bluemercury 21st Anniversary Celebration

September 21, 2020

Bluemercury is celebrating its 21st anniversary this month.

Courtesy of Blue Mercury

In honor of this milestone, Bluemercury announced a special 15% off $150 and it ends today. This offer is available in-store only, so be sure to stop by your local Bluemercury! Bluemercury’s 21st Anniversary sale is the perfect time to stock up on your beauty favorites, transitional skincare for Fall, and any new beauty and wellness launches you’ve been dying to try. 

In addition to the fantastic savings, Bluemercury is now offering a special anniversary gift-with purchase bag for all purchases over $200, online and in-stores while supplies last. The GWP includes Bluemercury 21st Anniversary Gift Bag ($300 value!) with

Courtesy of Blue Mercury

  • Bluemercury Travel Bag
  • Chantecaille Faux Cils Longest Lash Mascara
  • NARS Deluxe High Pigment Longwear Eyeliner in Via Veneto
  • Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Heat & UV Protective Primer
  • Dr. Barbara Sturm Travel Face Cream
  • Molton Brown Heavenly Gingerlily Bath & Shower Gel
  • Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray 
  • Dermalogica Calm Water Gel 
  • Moroccanoil Morccanoil Treatment
  • SkinCeuticals Resveratrol B E
  • m-61 PowerGlow Moisturizer
  • m-61 Power Cleansing Cloths
  • m-61 Perfect Cleanse Packette
  • 8Greens Effervescent Tablet is Made From 8 Real Greens
  • KNC Beauty Retinol Infused Eye Mask – NEW at Bluemercury! 

Shop in-store and see all brands carried at Blue Mercury online here.

Beautyfeatured

Exclusive Q & A with Jewelry Designer Jianni Acosta

September 18, 2020

Courtesy of House of Jewels Miami

Tell us about yourself and why you chose to open House of Jewels Miami? 

As a first generation college student, I followed the american dream every immigrant parent wants for their children. That is to pursue a degree and land a corporate job. I did just that. Upon college graduation, I was on a flight to California to begin working for a corporate 100 company. Once I started working, I felt unhappy and unfulfilled. Life wasn’t as glamorous as everyone made it seem. I keep thinking that I didn’t want to disappoint my friends and family who had always looked up to me. 

Consequently, I used to bead for fun and I decided to begin selling my jewelry designs as a “side hustle.” That’s when I realized, what fulfilled me was in front of me. My dream of combining my jewelry making hobby and my interest in business came true when House of Jewels Miami launched. Thanks to the support I have received, I was able to quit my Corporate Finance job to follow my dreams of being a business owner. Now, I’m able to work on something that I truly LOVE – making and designing jewelry. 

When did House of Jewels Miami launch and where are you located? 

We officially launched March 1st 2020 and we are based out of Miami FL. 

What is the inspiration of your brand and its collections? 

The inspiration behind my brand is being able to offer quality gold jewelry at an affordable price. We take pride in using gold-filled, gold-layered and water friendly jewels (18K gold plated over stainless steel) while staying budget friendly. Trends are constantly changing, and we believe there is no need to break the bank in order to accessorize in style.  When working on a collection, we ensure to consider different styles (i.e., dainty vs bold). At HOJM, we like to offer something for all of our gold lovers. 

Have you grown fast? Has the growth been local and national? 

Yes, our revenue continues to grow every single day with an increase in nationwide and international sales. At first, most of our supporters were local. In the recent months, we’ve been receiving an incredible amount of support from individuals across many different states and Canada. Since our launch date, we’ve had sales growth in the high double digits month-over-month. We hope to keep the momentum going!

When is the next collection launching? 

The new INDULGE collection has launched and is available online at House of Jewels Miami.

Screw Bangle $30
Double Heart Cuff $23

Your site has a grant program, can you tell us about it? 

House of Jewels Miami’s mission is to encourage people to follow their dreams and live a life with purpose. We want to help aspiring entrepreneurs, who feel lost or stuck at a job they dislike, to launch their business ideas. Early stages of a startup company may need things such as extra inventory or advancement courses. We want to help however we can. That’s why we’ve launched an initiative where the brand commits to donate 30% of proceeds from our DREAM collection to support my fellow dreamers and do-ers! 

In addition to my cash donation, I have also partnered with other business owners (i.e, tax advice, digital consulting, and apparel printing) who would like to also offer their services in order to offer the winner a “entrepreneur starter pack” experience. Together, we can live our best life while implementing innovative ideas, transforming the way we work, creating jobs and ultimately making the world a better place. 

Do you plan on opening stores or stay online? Do you wholesale? 

Our goal is to be solely online and partner with small boutiques across the nation to carry our brand in their store. We currently offer wholesale options and have plans to continue to expand that channel.

Visit House of Jewels Miami to shop their collections.

DiningfeaturedFood

Last Minute Labor Day Dining Plans

September 6, 2020

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With all the stop and go on whether you can dine inside or outside, it’s hard to tell which restaurants are open for indoor dining. Here’s a guide on where to dine inside to avoid the Miami Heat (no pun intended, because they’re winning).

Barton G announced the resume of their indoor dining. There are temperature checks at the door, hand sanitation stations are available throughout the establishment, and you can make reservations for up to six. Even the valet will be sanitizing the driver seat and steering wheel of vehicles. See menu and reservations link here. 

Bulla Gastrobar has the best of both indoor and outdoor seating. Visit the Doral, Coral Gables, or The Falls locations for lunch, dinner, happy hour, and weekend brunch. Click here to make a Reservation. 

La Mesa Miami is back as of Thursday, the Coral Way spot is ready to seat you inside for brunch. A.K.A con aire frio. Here you can order tapas, salads, and Miami food such as Arroz con Huevo (Grilled churrasco over rice with fried eggs, spicy ketchup, scallion and grilled lemon). Make your reservation by calling (786) 703-3907. 

Take it slow on this next one, because Tap 42 is back with Bottomless Brunch. This Saturday, Sunday, and Monday all the locations will offer $25 bottomless Mimosas, Blood Marys, Funky Buddha Floridian and 42 Hazy Daze from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can make reservations for parties of up to six. You can also enter for a chance to win a Labor Day Bottomless Brunch here.

You can eat your Florida Alligator Strips, Frita, and drink your Guava Shake again at the LoKal. The servers are wearing masks and are following guidelines to keep the safe and community safe. You can view the menu before you visit here. 

The home of the Ruoto di Parmigiano (tableside experience of parmigiano-reggiano cheese), Divieto is also open for indoor service as of last Monday. The three locations (Doral, Aventura Mall, and Estero) are also offering takeout and delivery services.

featuredFood

Four new cereal flavors to add to your WFH routine

August 10, 2020

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Aside from the tasty protein bars, KIND Snacks just gave us another reason to love the brand even more. It just launched its first ever cereal in four flavors exclusively at Walmart.

Think of the new cereal as a protein bar in a bowl. Each box is packed full of all the healthy goodness you’d expect from KIND, including your dose of protein. The four flavors, inspired by their most popular nut bars are gluten free and contain 5-6 grams of protein per serving. 

The flavors include Dark Chocolate Almond ($6.98) complete with almonds, dark chocolate, cocoa and super grain flakes. Apple Cinnamon ($6.98) with cinnamon apples, pumpkin seeds and super grain flakes. Honey Almond includes almonds, toasted coconut and super grain flakes. And Cranberry Almond with almonds, cranberries and super grain flakes.

Beauty

Beauty Finds Under $50

July 27, 2020

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Worried about what goes on our skin? Here are a few brands delivering stress-free options with their latest beauty launches. And they are all under $50.

Cover FX developed the first Adaptogenic and Pre + Probiotic infused Luminous Tinted Moisturizer in four shades ($39). It helps blur pores and fine lines while restoring the skin’s natural barrier. The innovation includes probiotics that help strengthen and balance your skin’s protective layer. The Anti-Stress Adaptors help protection your skin against pollution, free radicals, and age-accelerating environmental aggressors. The new moisturizers are also Vegan & cruelty-free. 

courtesy of the brand

Urban Decay released Lash Freak Volumizing Mascara ($25). The mascara comes quipped with an asymmetrical brush that lengthens, lifts, and curls lashes leaving the appearance of a dramatic and wide-eyed look.

courtesy of the brand

Becca Cosmetics launched an interesting take on highlighter, the zero™ no pigment glass for face + lip ($24). It provides polymers that catch and reflect light, giving a gloss appearance on high points of the face. Lips get a high gloss + shine look. The vegan friendly product provides sheen on all skin tones.

courtesy of the brand

Sigma Beauty has a new 14 eyeshadow palette inspired by their best selling  Aura Powder Blush. The Cor-de-Rosa Eyeshadow Palette ($49) brings a dual ended brush. One side is a E38 Diffused Crease™ that soften and blends harsh color lines, while the other end includes the E54 Medium Sweeper™ that packs and blends product onto the lid. The brush has patented waterproof technology. The palette is also cruelty free.

courtesy of the brand, sigma beauty.com

Tarte™ Cosmetics launched a hydrocealer™ concealer ($24) that will not crease or settle into smile or laugh lines. The concealer adapts with the movement of your skin because of its hydroflex technology™. It’s oil-free, fragrance-free, sweat-proof and waterproof.

tartecosmetic.com

Arts & Entertainment

Painting A Path To A More Inclusive World

July 26, 2020

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The thousands of refugees that arrive in South Florida every month find themselves in a new environment where they don’t speak or understand the language and culture. They are pulled between two worlds — the beloved homeland they left behind and their new home. Refugees today are often subject to political whims that can place them in precarious situations and threaten their future. 

The Refugee Assistance Alliance (RAA) was founded in 2017 by Kristen Bloom to support underserved refugee populations in South Florida by providing services such as in-home tutoring, cultural programming and special activities. The non-profit organization has gotten creative with raising the funds needed to operate. Their movie screenings and dining experiences are popular and in 2019, they began a partnership with Artist Adriana Jaramillo, who goes by Adriana Jay, for online art auctions.

“I was completely blown away.” Said Adriana Jay about attending the dinner hosted by RAA that prompted her to get more involved. Adriana Jay is known for her paintings of women traveling the world. The online auction kicked off June 24th 2020 and will run through August 24th 2020. 

Three paintings are up for auction. All original works of art, that come with Certificates of Authenticity signed by the artist. Adriana Jay has garnished attention from local media and her works are expected to increase in value over time. All profits from the sale of the paintings will be donated directly to the RAA to support refugee families and promote peace and understanding among the people of South Florida. 

“We all can relate to each other on some level, we’ve all had to start over, face our vulnerabilities, been challenged in different ways and when we bring people together it’s really special.” Said Bloom about the work the RAA does in an Instagram video conversation with Adriana Jay.

Beauty

Five Cleansers to Try Right Now

April 19, 2020

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Your new stay-at-home routine gives you more time to focus on skincare. One of the steps toward clearer skin is to wash your face daily. This important step will help you avoid acne breakouts by removing impurities that could clog your pores. Seek your dermatologist as a great source to help determine the ingredients you should look for or avoid when shopping cleansers. We’ve rounded up cleansers for all skin types to try right now. 

Kreyol Essence’s Haitian Moringa Oil Facial Cleanser ($20) is gentle on all skin types. The cleanser’s ingredients include healing properties that even out dark spots, eliminate blemishes and fight eczema. The formula also includes Haitian Moringa Oil that is loaded with protective Antioxidants and nutrients to help combat free radical damage that can lead to the formation of wrinkles. 

Moroccan Magic®’s Sleep Face Wash ($19) is formulated to help all skin types with calming Lavender Essential Oil and nourishing Argan Oil. Argan oil can help protect the skin from free radical damage caused by the sun and has anti-sebum effects that can promote a smoother complexion. The face wash is also made with Bamboo Stem Extract and Provitamin B5 to create radiant looking skin. 

Lab to Beauty™ provides luxury CBD beauty products using plants + CBD for your skin. The formulas are all-natural and vegan. The Balancing Face Wash ($40) effectively purifies the pores, without stripping skin of its natural moisture. It also clears and combats breakouts while reducing inflammation leaving the skin soothed and smooth.


Botanics is a UK established brand with a focus on plant based products. The All Bright Foaming Face Wash ($5.99) has a great lathering power that is gentle on the skin. It’s a soap-free formula with natural hibiscus seed pods. The hibiscus property breaks down dead skin cells to purify the pores. It also helps control acne. The brand also offers an All Bright Face Scrub ($6.99) that buffs away dull skin with a tri-blend of exfoliating agents leaving skin feeling soft and smooth.

SkinCeuticals Micro-exfoliating Scrub ($31) is for daily use to exfoliate skin while providing hydration to soften skin’s surface. The formula includes Hydrated silica which gently sweeps the skin’s surface to lift and remove dead skin cells, excess oil, and debris. 

DiningFood

Kona Poké to Launch a Delivery-Only Location in Miami

April 13, 2020

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Kona Poké, Central Florida’s popular, fast-casual, fresh food concept is coming to South Florida.  Opening soon at 155 SW 3rd Street, Miami, FL 32130 in the Brickell neighborhood of Downtown Miami, Kona Poké Brickell is the brand’s first delivery-only store.  Famed chef and recent James Beard Foundation Award nominee for Rising Star Chef of the Year Henry Moso created Kona Poké’s delicious signature bowls and sauces, which will be available for delivery, in addition to Build Your Own Bowls, Soup, Salads and more.  Kona Poké’s customers will enjoy their healthy and delicious Hawaiian-style poké bowls made with fresh sushi-grade fish, house sauces and over 40 fresh toppings to choose from, plus vegan, gluten-free and cooked options are also available.  Delivery is provided directly by Kona Poké and third-party delivery services.  Kona Poké has a 100% no-contact food prep guarantee.  

“Even in these difficult times, we are opening new locations, focused on delivery-only,” says Kona Poké Owners Matthew Ting and Ernie Falco III.  “It’s our way to continue excelling.  We opened our first two locations in Central Florida in just one year, and we are excited to keep the momentum going while also adapting to the changing circumstances bringing our first delivery-only store to Brickell.  We can’t wait to feed the Miami community our insanely delicious bowls and continue making many more fans statewide.” 

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