Debi Mazar at Girls Gone Wild

New Zealand wine, girls going wild, blues, and barbecue were just a few of the exciting events on the third day of the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival.

Wine Spectactor’s Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir Style Diversity event explored the land that produces the best-selling sauvignon blancs in the world, as well as lighter pinot noirs gaining popularity.

Patrick Materman, a New Zealand wine expert who acts as the Marlborough Regional Winemaker, led participants through a tasting of highly-touted Brancott Estate and Stone Leigh wines, both of which are just becoming available in the United States. Most noteworthy were the 2010 Brancott Estate Icon Sauvignon Blanc and Brancott Letter Series T Terraces Pinot Noir.

After the wine, it was time for mojitos at Girls Gone Wild. Andrew Zimmern, host of Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods, moderated a panel of the food world’s leading ladies: Alex Guarnaschelli, Michellin-starred chef and Food Network star; Gabrielle Hamilton, owner of Prune Restaurant and author of Blood, Bones & Butter; Debi Mazar, actress, blogger (Under the Tuscan Gun) and co-host of Cooking Channel’s Extra Virgin; and Nadia G., host of Cooking Channel’s Bitchin' Kitchen.

The event was advertised as an “unadulterated and uncensored conversation that may not be suitable for children,” and that was definitely the case. The women did go a bit wild, but they also gave candid insight on what it’s like to climb the male-dominated chef ladder.  

Michael Symon, now seen on ABC’s The Chew, was the host of Thrillist's BBQ & The Blues event. Held around the pool at the Eden Rock in Miami Beach, guests listened to the sounds of Diablo Dimes & The Bloodhounds and drank cocktails made with Michael Collins Irish Whiskey.

Among the unique barbecue tastings, we sampled Korean barbecue-spiced beef brisket from Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill; Gastropod Miami’s smoked tongue pastrami with bone marrow brioche; and short ribs on manchego cheese polenta from Jacksonville’s Cabana Beach Club. The biggest line of the night, though, was for Sparky’s Roadside Barbecue’s beef brisket, short ribs, collard greens, and cole slaw.

Matador! An Introduction to Anta Banderas Winery with owner Antonio Banderas

Friday was the Wine Spectator Trade Tasting, a sneak peek at the Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village. The Village runs for blocks along the beach and offers samples of every food, wine, and spirit imaginable. We sampled Skinny Girl Cocktails, Bethenny Frankel’s low-calorie line of drinks, the popular White Cranberry Cosmo, and Q Dream, another low-calorie spirit that offers two creamy blends.

A mini rendition of The Cosmopolitan Hotel in Vegas offered Bloody Marys and a comfortable lounge out of the sun. In addition to keeping everyone hydrated, Fiji Water had a fun booth with fortune tellers and warm donuts to-go.

It was a good idea to carbo-load before heading to Matador! An Introduction to Anta Banderas Winery with owner Antonio Banderas. The crowd swooned as Banderas told jokes and answered questions, but the focus was his new Spanish winery. The winemakers led the crowd through tastings, with the 2004 Ante Banderas A de Anta receiving the most accolades.

The Amstel Light Burger Bash hosted by Rachael Ray was a feast of beef (with a little lamb and a lot of pork). Chef Michael Symon won his third straight people’s choice contest award with his Porky Burger, a pork and bacon patty topped with pulled pork and slaw.

	Abe & Arthur's burger and truffle fries

Guy Fieri won the best dressed award with his Straight-up with a Pig Patty burger, but it was his salted Jack Daniels whisky caramel shake that really had the crowd talking. The judges’ favorite was by chef Brendan B. Connor of Whisk, who put together a loaded bacon Swiss burger with buttermilk-marinated shallots.

Honorable mention goes to the Crème de Cassis milk shake from Good Stuff Eatery; the unusually delicious burger from NoMi Kitchen; Abe & Arthur’s truffle fries; and the frozen hot chocolate from Serendipity 3.

The night ended on the rooftop of 1111 Lincoln Road with Party Impossible, hosted by Robert Irvine. With a buffet of food, decadent desserts, and plenty to drink, it was quite an event. The sold-out group couldn’t get enough of the colossal shrimp, Cookies by Shar, and chocolate peanut butter cakes from Ready, Set Cupcake!

The cancellation of fan favorite Bubble Q at the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival is all but a memory as Moët Hennessy’s The Q event stepped in and kicked off the eleventh annual festival.

Food Network star Guy Fieri and famed chef Emeril Lagasse hosted the inaugural event, which provided a sold-out crowd with more barbecue, Moët Champagne, Hennessy Cognac, and Belvedere vodka than one could dream of.

The biggest hit of the night came from host Guy Fieri, who served a banh mi taco with barbecue chicken fried rice from his Tex Wasabi restaurant. Also receiving major accolades was the barbecue beef tenderloin on cornbread pudding with mango pickled red onion salad, served by chef Dean Fearing of Fearing’s restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas.

Chicago-based chef Yoshi Katsumura’s barbecue Wagyu short ribs on scallion pancake with watermelon salad was also a fantastic mixture of flavors, as was the barbecue baby-back spring rolls with white truffle barbecue sauce served by Celebrity Cruises chef Jacques Van Staden.

Nadia G of Cooking Channel’s Bitchin’ Kitchen was all smiles as her food got raves. “I think we’ve got the best barbecue in the house,” she said with pride. “It’s slow-smoked pork belly with a pineapple balsamic glaze on a fresh challah bun, with a really crisp red cabbage slaw. It has a little bit of cider vinegar, parsley, brown sugar. It’s tangy-sweet.“

Chef Chris Lilly of Alabama’s Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q had the most daring dish of the night: Wagyu beef brisket Benedict with barbecue hollandaise. The Today show’s Al Roker kept his contribution simple with perfect pulled pork sliders.

At the end of the night, the biggest line was at New York’s Big Gay Ice Cream truck, where guests could not get enough of the salty pimp ice cream cone. Also on hand to satisfy a sweet tooth was the Godiva Double Red Velvet, a selection of Daisy Cakes, and Three2OH! chocolate-orange Grand Marnier ice cream with cherries jubilee.

The beach barbecue party continued into the wee hours of the night at The Q After Dark.

The Food Network’s South Beach Food & Wine Festival runs through Friday. Tickets for some events are still available through the website.

Wesselman I, 2011 by Nicolas Saint Gregoire

As the inaugural Art Wynwood opens, we catch up with the fair’s director and partner, Nick Korniloff, to learn more about the fair and its impact on Miami’s growing reputation as a major international art hub. 

What inspired you to create Art Wynwood? 
NICK KORNILOFF: I experienced December’s Art Week firsthand as part of Art Miami and know the global art market’s complete focus and commitment is on Miami. There is a certain hangover of interest from December, and a new, fresh enthusiasm around a focused art event during the busiest holiday weekend in South Florida.

You’re the show director and partner of Art Miami, as well. Would you say that Art Wynwood is an extension of Art Miami?
NK: Not at all. The art fair business suffers from fair fatigue and an overall monochromatic approach in appearance and feel. Art Wynwood is unique. It has its own personality and is reflective of the growing pains of Miami's cultural scene and the contemporary art market in general over the last 10 years. When you walk into the fair you can immediately feel that the energy is different. When you look at the integration of the top urban artists, who some would say are graffiti artists, that Tony Goldman has personally commissioned to be a part of the fair, it clearly creates new possibilities and a new platform for those artist to be highlighted in a mainstream contemporary art fair, which is actually not so mainstream because of their overwhelming artistic contribution.

What are the variances in price points?
NK: From a thousand to a few million dollars. I can assure you that this fair represents a complete cross-section of what the contemporary art market has to offer.

Art Miami Pavilion, 3101 N.E. First Ave., 786-623-3610; Friday–Sunday, 11 AM–7 PM; Monday, 11 AM–6 PM

Size 0 cocktail

Post-Valentine’s Day chocolates and sweets sales are hard to resist. Equally irresistible is South Beach’s new ice cream and dessert shop, New York’s famed Serendipity 3. While the frozen hot chocolate has earned raves (and movie cameos), don’t miss the shop’s whimsical cocktails, which can be as indulgent as a dessert or virtually guilt-free. Calorie-counting diners might try the Size 0 cocktail made with vodka, muddled strawberry and cucumber, and light lemonade. And for something sweeter, there’s the Caketini, which is topped with actual cake.   

Scarfs by Theodora and Callum

Rather than hop a plane to faraway places like Bora Bora, Morocco, Turkey, and India, opt instead to channel the sultry locales through fashion with exotic scarfs, jewelry, shoes, and handbags by Theodora & Callum. Helmed by fashion trailblazer Stefani Greenfield, of Scoop NYC stores and Bravo’s Launch My Linefame, and entertainment producer Desirée Gruber (wife of Sex and the City’s Kyle MacLachlan), the bon vivant-inspired line is named after Greenfield’s daughter and Gruber’s son, Theodora and Callum. While whimsical printed scarves are at the heart of the collection, Stuart Weitzman manufactures the shoes and handbags. “We think of Theodora & Callum as a creative factory. It’s not about chasing trends,” says Greenfield. The dayglow designs in Theodora & Callum’s spring collection are sure to be seen around South Beach. Capretto Shoes, 5822 Sunset Dr., South Miami; 305-661-7767

When it comes to creating timeless, handmade gold pieces, Italian jewelry designer Ippolita has got it in the bag. Touted for her sculpted designs in gold, silver, and rose-colored metals, Ippolita’s bold necklaces, chunky rings, and stacked bangles have become a fan favorite of celebrities like Brooke Shields, Sofia Vergara, Mila Kunis, and Zoë Saldana. Meet the designer behind the brand at Neiman Marcus, Bal Harbour on Saturday (February, 18; 11:30) during an exclusive spring/summer 2012 trunk show promising bites and bubbly. 9700 Collins Ave., Bal Harbour; RSVP to 305-993-4612 or RSVPBalHarbour@NeimanMarcus.com.

Fall’s teal-colored nail polishes will take on a decidedly pistachio hue this spring. We love Priti NYC's Dusty Miller ($13), Dior's Waterlily ($23), and RGB's Dew ($16). Try out the look at your favorite salon—a green manicure might be the cure for the February blues.

Kruger, wearing Repossi ear cuffs

At the premiere of her new film, Farewell, My Queen, in which she plays Marie Antoinette, actress Diane Kruger sported these chic ear cuffs. Upon further research, fashion website Refinery29 revealed that the cuffs are by Italian jewelry brand Repossi, and are made of white gold and diamonds. Similar styles are available in the Colette e-shop and start at a cool $12,468.

TOMS ballet flats

The exceedingly comfortable TOMS slip-ons have been morphed into a collection of ballet flats ($74–$84) for spring. Available in 13 colors and styles, materials include suede animal print, black leather, canvas, burlap, linen, and a woven variety. For fans of the classic TOMS shoe, there is also a limited-edition Valentine’s Day print (gray canvas, pink hearts) available only online. And, as always, for every TOMS shoe purchased, the brand will donate a pair of shoes to a person in need. Nordstrom, 7239 S.W. 88th St., 786-709-4100