Calling All Animal Lovers!
Join Us For The Pet Care Fair and 1-Mile Fun Walk!

Saturday, May 1
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Miami Bayfront Park
(301 North Biscayne Boulevard)

Schedule of Events:
8:30 – 9:15 a.m. 1 Mile Fun Walk Registration

9:30 – 10 a.m. FREE 1 Mile Fun Walk
Walk participants will receive an ASPCA bandana and goody bag complete with product samples and coupons from pet care sponsors. Donations are encouraged, and all proceeds will benefit the Humane Society of Greater Miami, Miami-Dade Animal Services and The Cat Network.

10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The Pet Care Fair

FREE FUN FOR ALL!
o Adoptable dogs and cats in need of loving homes provided by Humane Society of Greater Miami, Miami-Dade Animal Services and The Cat Network
o Hourly main stage entertainment including Frisbee dog shows, expert Q&As, grooming demonstrations and more
o Pet care education from experts, including one-on-one consultations with local veterinarians and animal behaviorists from local shelters
o Educational booths, pet care products and samples from event sponsors
o Photo opportunities with your pet
o Face painting for kids


YOU CAN HELP:
Animal lovers everywhere are encouraged to visit www.facebook.com/lendapaw and help “Lend a Paw” to support the ASPCA’s mission to save and improve the lives of millions of animals nationwide. By clicking on the “Click to Lend a Paw” button, Walmart, through the generous contribution of key pet suppliers, will donate $1 for each “click,” for a total donation of up to $100,000.


REMEMBER to prevent animal cruelty--SPAY & NEUTER YOUR PETS!

Recently a new tour launched in Miami. Not just any copy-cat tour but the ultimate blend of the Miami marvels--history, culture and of course, the food. Introducing the Miami Culinary Tours!
Whether you're a visitor to Miami or a local resident, this tour is a must for foodies and cultural connoisseurs!

Today I had the pleasure of taking this blended tour that touched on Cuban food, called Little Havana Food Tour. At 10am, we met in South Beach and boarded a clean van and as Guido, our driver, smoothly rolled on our tour guide, Grace, presented us with goodie bags, or in this case, foodie bags. She instructed us to take out certain items, open them in a particular order and to sip, whiff, and swallow. The taste and sensation was a preview of our upcoming food sampling. What a fabulous introduction!

As Guido headed to Little Havana, Grace began the storytelling of the history of the first food item we were soon to try--a Cuban sandwich. Now as a Miami resident, I've eaten many Cuban Sandwiches but knew nothing of its history or the ingredients or the process in creating the medianoche, a slightly different version of the sandwich.

Living in such close proximity, I have driven through Little Havana eyeing weathered signs for restaurants and bars and always wondered how long they existed, which ones offered time-honored Cuban food or traditional recipes with a slight twist. I was about to find out!

At each stop we sat down and sampled the food while Grace shared the history of the building and the owners. A special treat was the fact that many owners were the original founders and were still working there, working on a Sunday and came out to meet us in person!

A TIME MACHINEOur tour through Little Havana was a journey of Cuba past that presented pristine traditional recipe dishes. So when Heliodoro Coro, the 80-year old Cuban owner of the Pub Restaurant stepped out to meet us, and showed us vintage photos of his retaurant beginnings 60 years ago, I felt transported in a time machine. Don Heliodoro couldn't resist showing us momentos painted on the restaurant walls of when he opened his restaurant "The Chattanooga" in Havana offering Cuban, Chinese and Spanish food. Yes, that's right--the Chattanooga. That's a story in itself and I don't want to spoil all elements of surprise. You'll just have to ask Don Heliodoro. That personal connection between owner and customer, was notable all around. I was in awe.







Our other stops included El Cristo for beef empanadas, and the Palacio de Jugos (Palace of Juices). Now in the grocery store, I've spotted names of tropical fruits like Mamey. Alas, I learned their origins, where they grow, and unmasked the flavors of these mysterious fruits. It was healthy and tasty.


True to the website description we stopped at Domino Park and the Cigar Factory.

At 11 in the morning on a Sunday, despite the pouring rain, elderly men sat on picnic-style tables under matching picnic roofs. Never have I sensed so much energy in a place full of 60, 70, 80 year old men. Dominoes is the national "sport" or game of Cuba and serious business to these men. But they obviously had fun. Maybe that's their secret to robust longevity.




Strolling beneath store awnings, the rains could not overpower the waft of cigars. Hence we walked into the Cigar Factory and watched workers handroll the cigars. The tobacco leaves originate in Nicaragua, Dominican Republic and Ecuador. But the seeds come from Cuba.





Below is a video of rolling the tips of the cigars. This factory has remained with the same family for generations.





To round out the tour, desserts followed with a stop at Roma Bakery. Like all other stops, everything is made from scratch from the dough to the fillings and toppings to the gelato.

Giacomo stands next to industrial blender

Christine with owner Giacomo at Roma Bakery

Tour Guide--Gracielita Bella