SORREL 2019

When the flyer for Sorrel came out, I was interested as I saw some of my favorite Christmastime delicacies and thought it would be a nice Christmas party to go to.

The event was scheduled from 11-5 so figured 1pm would be an ideal time to arrive.  This gives me time to eat without rushing and another 4/5 hours to party and drink.  Driving up, the parking looked sketchy but there was a parking lot right across the street and it was free. Double win!

After the short walk from the parking garage to what looked like a little clubhouse that we'd have to fight one another for breathing room, we walked right in.  Inside was beautifully decorated. Not too much, not too little and gave me a very different look than what I initially thought from outside.  Inside was very spacious and I was pleasantly surprised.  Once ticked and given a band, to the immediate left was where I could have stayed.  It was the food station. The first thing I saw were the cheese paste sandwiches.  There was bread, I could also tell that the bread was homemade. There were cupcakes, cake, sweet bread, eggs and my favorite, HAM!  Listen, I have no shame in saying that I think I singlehandedly ate all of the cheese paste sandwiches as I stayed in that little room stuffing my face for about an hour.  *rolls eyes cause I don't care.

Once I ate til my belly nearly buss, it was time to attend to my drinks.  The bartenders were very attentive and weren't overwhelmed.  There were just the right amount of bartenders to keep the crowd flowing and they made the drinks very well.  I actually tasted the alcohol and they didn't put too much ice the way many of these bartenders like to do.  That was appreciated and encouraged me to purchase more.  I felt like it was worth it.

So now I'm set.  Walking into where the party was actually taking place... the atmosphere was different.  There were large white curtains that separated the eating/social area from what I call the party area. CinCity had a large, single white table set up (which I called the V.I.P. because some very important people sat there) and many standing tables which were on two ends of the 'dancefloor'.  The set up was dimly lit with red lighting. I must say, there was certainly a 'mood'.  Throughout the party, people complained that the a/c gave out and that they were hot but I was quite comfortable and glad that I didn't experience that. It could also be because I was never stationed indoors throughout the event and kept making trips outside.

The music took me on a musical journey.  There was parang, old school and new music of all genres which I also appreciated.  We even got some Whitney Houston and New Edition!

This Sorrel will be an annual event brought to us by CinCity Entertainment and although this was only the 2nd Sorrel, I see this being one of the events that you can not miss once you're in South Florida for Christmas.  It was an amazing event and I have no complaints.

The food was finger licking worthy *and I did lick my fingers, the drinks and bar service was A-1 and we all know how I feel about music.  If the music isn't right, I am sour.  Man, we even got a sexy Santa.  Man an woman alike sat on Santa's lap! He was one of the Sorrel highlights.

 (the cheese paste)

(more treats)

Not one of the best pictures as lighting was dim but one of the most talked about 'things' at Sorrel.  Santa look like he could break me in two right?!

Should you be interested in having your next event catered by the catering service that catered Sorrel, you can call or message Tieesha from Not A Tie Catering food is ALWAYS on point! Click the link to check out the IG page or just take my word for it (cause I'm a little fatty) and call direct 305.724.4971.

FLIGHT 868, SOUTH FLORIDA'S CARNIVAL SEND OFF

This party is TROUBLE!

Every time I attend this fete, there is always some bacchanal.

There have been fashion feux pas that have changed the dynamic of friendships..
There have been fashion don'ts that have been ignored that left people looking fish fry ready in foil paper..  Then there have been those who've ignored their limits of alcohol which now makes them afraid and literally cringe to attend another 868 event BUT WILL lol.  It's the beginning of the year crack that keeps us going back!

Flight 868 is always the first must go event of the year and the aftermath is always entertaining (to those who play it safe and stay in their lane) and this year it will not disappoint.  My fellow feterans, I urge you to get your tickets ASAP if you haven't done so already because I don't think everyone fully understands the level of DJ godliness that is about to bless The Warehouse on the 26th of January!

It will be hosted by one of my fav's, the Original DJ Shakiera who's a natural riot on any given day.  Out of BCM (Bad Company Music) AND fellow 'Pull Out Boy', Sonic Boom! Lord Jesus.... Infamous could have stopped there but no, he added the leader of the Soca Musical Creep Squad aka 'Pull Out Boy's' Mr Freeze International!  Although I absolutely love DJ House Arrest and respect what I've heard (musically) from DJ J Rocca, I am going FOR my Pull Out Boy's as they will be giving me my entire life for 2018.....

For those of you who love allyuh "last minutry", the tickets are $10.  $10 will neither make you or break you.  Go get your tickets NOW at Eventbrite or your neighborhood Roti Shop.  If you haven't purchased your ticket as yet, you can also consider getting your 2 for $20 deals.

Hope to see you there!

SALTFISH ~ 2

WHEN THE JAB JAB COOKIN SALTISH

THEY DOES SOAK IT GOOD! 

SUNDAY 

MAN GO PUT THEY FIG 

IN THE SALTFISH

Last year SALTFISH was a scene!

Cooler fetes have a vibe that can not be compared to another.  You create your own vibes and concoct your own poisons. For some reason whether you know the people there or not, you feel at home and if this hasn't been your experience with a cooler fete then you need to come to SALTFISH!

SALTFISH2 is the second installment of Ghost Management and Dem Boyz Dem's annual affair.  Doors open at 9am, *please do not go at that time because pacing yourself will be impossible. There will be music by:

• DJ Shakira
• Selecta PJ
• DJ Glamaa Fyah
• Survivor International
• The Miami Dream Team
• And the youngest, freshest DJ to hit South Florida DJ Everfresh

THIS WILL BE ONE FOR THE BOOKS!

TICKET LOCATIONS

Sweet Hand Kathy     305-974-5876

Singh's Roti Delight   954-735-4686

Joy's Roti Delight      954-587-7684

Tropical Feast           305-652-8648

Leta's Bakery           954-239-8555

Ali's Roti Shop          954-533-6017

WHERE EXACTLY IS OLDIES BUT GOODIES?

Seeing as there is some confusion regarding the venue of Oldies BUT Goodies, I will try shedding some light.

For those who do not know, there is a building in Lauderhill that is divided into several parts.  The two in question would be "The Warehouse" which is on the southern side of the building and then there's the northern side which is called the "The Luxurious Banquet Hall".  There are two events happening in the same building however, every wall in The Luxurious Banquet Hall is sound proof and will not be affected by the other event that is IN FACT carded for THE WAREHOUSE.  I can not speak for The Warehouse and how the walls are constructed but patrons of Oldies BUT Goodies will be unbothered.

Oldies BUT Goodies is an annual TeamKelz event and I made a vow to attend once I have health and strength.  Partying with a mixed crowd is always appreciated and having DJ's that can satisfy everyone is a must and that is covered.  The music wasn't geared toward any particular age group and flowed effortlessly.  We knew and enjoyed all songs played, had some clean fun and had a great time.  There were quite a few people that I didn't know.  We all connected over some good 'old school jams' that we haven't heard in a long time and for those simple connections alone, I was hooked.  When music is good, it unifies people.  The intimacy was a plus and I'd like to experience it again.

My hope with this post was to shed some light on the situation for both events involved because Oldies BUT Goodies will be a classy affair, the other will be a Flag Fete.  This means they both have completely different dress codes.  Be advised, those coming dressed for a Flag Fete will be turned away from the Oldies BUT Goodies door. Although we enjoy those types of fetes, it will not be permitted tomorrow night.  The venue has arranged separate entrances, so hopefully things run smoothly.

Can you imagine showing up here in clothes for a Flag Fete?

Enough of that.
HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL TOMORROW NIGHT!
Use the hash tag #OldiesBUTGoodies in all your pics.
You don't want to miss it!
There will be surprises!

BUBBLES N BRUNCH.......THE AFTERMATH

Bubbles N Brunch, where shall I begin?

When I initially saw the flyer for Bubbles N Brunch, I was skeptical and already decided I'd probably not go.

AURORA has a successful annual New Years Eve party that I've never attended so I didn't know what to expect.  This flyer is also the only thing I had to go off of besides the elaborate inclusive food and drinks menu.  It seemed as though the promoters were trying too hard to 'sell' the event.  I tried looking for who the DJ's were, (just to see what kind of crowd was being targeted) and that too was missing from the flyer.

The day before the event I got tickets to go.  Fortunately for me that very day, I was able to see the venue.  This venue was hidden in plain sight, I swear!  There was a plantation house sitting in the middle of a beautiful piece of land.

The back yard was equally spacious but there were less tables set up, I'll explain why later.

Parking was a breeze.  As cars were seen, they were ushered in and led to parking spaces.  From the parking area to the actual venue was a matter of seconds.  

The brunch was scheduled from 10am to 4pm so the plan was to arrive at 11.  Needless to say I got there at 12pm but it was actually the perfect time to arrive as there was no line and enough people inside to feel comfortable.  Upon entry, we were given beautiful signature glass favors that served as drinking glasses throughout the event and the cabanas were set up all along the wall on the opposite side of the entrance.

The first station that caught our attention was a daiquiri bar. The presentation of these drinks had us in awe, I don't drink daiquiris but couldn't help it.  The choices were mango or strawberry,  I chose the strawberry.   The drinks were given in a long champagne~flute crossover plastic cup.  At this point, I didn't know what to do with my original glass so in my purse it went and seeing that this one was bigger, it became my 'drinking cup' and the signature favor glass remained in my purse for the balance of the day. 

This was made out of fresh fruit, ice and English Harbour Rum.  I wasn't thrilled with the taste as I like all my drinks on the sweeter side but it wasn't horrible.

Let's get to the reason reason I left my house on a Sunday! After we got our drinks we went around to the back of the house.  The back yard wasn't as big as the front but had the same decor, about two or three tables set up, the second bar and the food.  

I've taken the liberty to copy the entire menu just as the AURORA STAFF PROUDLY ADVERTISED:

Brunch:

Pastry and Fruit Station
Yogurt Parfait Bar
Continental Breakfast (Omelets, Pancakes, Waffles, Eggs, Fruit, etc...)
Salt fish With Green Banana
Black Pudding
Jerk Chicken and Jerk Fried Rice
Corn Soup
Lobster Bites
Crab Rice
Corn on the Cob
Mac n' Cheese
Shrimp Skewers

Deserts: Premium Desert Station
Vanilla Cake Pops with white chocolate gold accents
Chocolate Cupcakes
Rice Krispy Treat Pops with white chocolate
Rum cake-balls
Rum Cake
Chocolate Cake
Two Tiered Vanilla Cake with Buttercream roses
Three Tiered Oreo Stacked Cake
Assortment of Doughnuts
Caramel Popcorn
Gold Sixlets Candy Coated Chocolate
Candy Coated Chocolate Gems

Bottomless Champagne / cocktails:
Mimosas
Belinis
Daiquiris
Rum Punch
Aurora Specialty Drinks 
Champagne

Premium Liquor:
Vodka - Tito's Hand Made Vodka and Ciroc flavors (Peach, Green Apple, Coconut, Pineapple)
Rum - English Harbor 5yo and 10yo
Gin - Bombay Saphire and Hendricks
Tequila - Patron Silver
Whiskey - Jack Daniels and Johnny Walker: Black Label
Cognac - Hennessy
Your musical enjoyment will be Top 40, Hip Hop, EDM, R&B, Latin, Disco, Caribbean (Soca/Reggae), and International. Our Djs will have a little something for everyone.

With the exception of the gin, *both the Bombay Saphire and the Hendricks 

EVERYTHING LISTED WAS PRESENT!

EVERYTHING WAS THERE!

WE ATE ALMOST EVERYTHING!

AND IT WAS GOOD

The first order of business was to attack the lobster bites.  I was expecting some sort of lobster fritter but no, I can show you better than I can tell you.  

This picture was retrieved from the Official BubblesNBrunch Gallery because I didn't get any. I've gotten complaints from some of my friends that the lobster finished too fast but I couldn't say the same.  I got to the venue at 12.  There were many people there before me.  I made a stop at the daiquiri bar and yes, went directly to the food line HOWEVER, when I saw the lobster in the foil pan I assumed that I had enough time to to eat, got off the food line and went on the drinks line.  The time that it took us to get the drinks and return to the food line, LOBSTER WAS GOOOONE.  Luckily the last batch was already on the grill.  We were told that they would be finished in about a half hour, that he would remember our faces and we shouldn't get on the line (that would be at 12:45).  Okay, we could do that.  While listening to the live entertainment and taking pictures, time slipped us and exactly 12:50 we all could have kicked ourselves because now we were scrambling to collect our things and race to the back. The disappointed look on the face of the server already told me that we have missed the last batch of lobster bites.  The lobster 'bites' from what I heard were everything and then some.  Friends of mine even bragged about getting seconds and thirds of it.  The crab rice, macaroni pie, shrimp skewers and corn on the cob were all appetizing but in the back of my mind was the missed lobster.  

In a quick switch around 2pm the music was taken off from the front and began to play in the back.  I believe this was planned as there were fewer tables set up there to encourage dancing.  By now, the majority of people were intoxicated and loosened up.  With the closer proximity in the back, the brunch felt more fete like and was now in full swing. Many shoes came off and we had a time. 

For the time frame given, there was just not enough time to eat and drink everything offered.  Imagine it was not until the Official Bubbles N Brunch Pictures posted on Facebook had I known there was a Hennessy fountain.  Never got a chance to taste, let alone see the Aurora Specialty beverage and was too full to touch anything from the Premium Dessert Table.  

All in all $65 was an excellent price for such an epic event.  This is the first time I've attended an event and felt the need to say thank you to the team.  Team Aurora went over and beyond to make their patrons feel like we actually mattered and feel appreciated.  Not just ticket sales.  Bubbles N Brunch exceeded my expectations.  An email was sent out to patrons requesting their feedback.  EXCELLENT! I have no complaints and there was nothing that I could think of that could be added to the event to make the experience more enjoyable. From beginning to end I loved it and it would be my honor to attend the next Bubbles N Brunch movie.

South Florida promoters, take note.

FOAM........THE AFTERMATH.

So.

I want to believe that I am the only person in South Florida who has never been to a FOAM party prior to Sunday, so I kept that bit of information to myself. It took a while for me to write this review because I had to wrap my mind around what I took part in on Sunday evening.  It was very different for me and you (my readers) know that I am a creature of habit and don't do well with change.

I never shy away from my age and for that reason alone, I've just never made it.  FOAM targets a much younger crowd that I'm used to but with me doing this whole revamp of the brand and blog, I decided to give it a try and to experience this event as a patron not a critic.

The line was long and discouraging at a first glance but it moved quickly.  Thank God.  I asked for no favors or comps.  I wanted to experience the wait.  I'm glad I did it this way, that way I was able to tell from experience that the wait wasn't long. It wasn't until I was almost inside that Itchi Baba saw me lol.

Win.

Once inside, to the far right was a foam machine and drenched people alongside it.  We slid quickly to the far left and stayed clear from it for the balance of the night. Although it didn't look like it, we were inside yet still outdoors....  Wait.  We appeared covered but somehow weren't....  It was the outside portion of Revolution Live yet partially covered so you felt like you were indoors but weren't.  Listen man, that is literally the ONLY way that I could describe it.  The set up was genius and something that you'd have to experience yourself.  It was everything I never imagined because I had a whole other setup constructed in my mind.

The crowd. It wasn't mine but there were enough familiar faces and age appropriate people for me to mix with for the night to feel comfortable.  It was mixed well.

The music was great!  From the old school to the new was played and from a variety of genre.  I even got to represent Brooklyn with the old school hip hop/rap and it was just the right amount of everything.  I don't hate but seriously dislike modern day music and who knew? I enjoyed it as it played for the little time it did.  I expected more of it but nothing was played long enough to get annoyed with it and the dj's felt it. (In my mind).

All in all, FOAM pleasantly surprised me.  It was nothing I expected and it was enough of a 'turn up' for a Sunday evening when having to work the following morning.  As a critic, I can not judge any event based on just what I'm used to or prefer and need to see it simply for what it is.  Each event on it's own merit and I'd say that FOAM was damn good.  Although the fete is named FOAM, it gives the option of getting wet (with foam) or not. That's a winner for me!