Wine and Spirits Travel

It may have seemed like I had more than enough to eat and drink while covering the South Beach Food & Wine Festival , but it’s my job and I had to keep up the work during my last day in South Beach. I’ve recently started working as a cocktails writer for AOL’s Slashfood (the section will be introduced soon) so I needed to “research” some assignments.  Today’s task included flavored rum and my friends at Cruzan suggested that the News Café would be the perfect place to “investigate.” I met with Al Serrano, the News Café’s Beverage Manager to talk about the restaurant.  It’s got a perfect location on Ocean Avenue, directly across from the beach. The place was packed at lunch time, as Serrano says it often has been during the restaurant’s 22 years in this spot.  The unusual thing about this place – in addition to the variety of tropical drinks that can even be ordered inside coconut cups – is that it is open 24 hours a day.  In the style of diners I am used to in New York, the h

I was invited by Beam Global to a party at the Presidential Suite of The Royal Palm to launch the new Cruzan Strawberry.  Considering this was the middle of the South Beach Food and Wine Festival , I knew that I was obligated to attend as many parties as I could, so Lynn and I were one of the first to arrive. Cruzan flavored rums are known for their genuine taste and the strawberry is no different.  Whether you are sipping it on ice, mixing it into a cocktail or pouring it on strawberry shortcake (one of the offerings), the latest flavor is definitely a keeper. Of course, while I was checking out the new I also needed to make sure the old was as good as I heard, so I tried the Mango and Black Cherry flavors (separately) with club soda, Coconut with Pineapple Juice and the Pineapple by itself over ice.  I can confirm that they are all good! We headed back to the Riu South Beach for a good night’s sleep before Sunday’s final day at the Food Network Festival.   I was at the Whole