New Year!! New Y–! Forgettabout it, you’re awesome!

Happy New Year from BrickGals!!!  Our first stop tonight – minus kitty – is  Tobacco Road!  Follow us on Twitter (@BrickGals) for live updates… forgive typos, we may be getting saucy!

 

Brickell New Year’s Eve Happenings

So Christmas and the Matzo Ball – eh em, I mean, Hanukkah – have come and gone, but don’t fret my friends, one of the best holidays of the year is right around the corner this weekend.  Don’t let this NYE be another year where you say, eh, it’s just another night out.  Within the last year, our hood has bloomed into an all out awesome place to kick it so gosh darnit let’s celebrate this city.  Whether you go Country Grammar with Luda downtown, Latina flava at Kukaramakara (i still don’t know how to say it) or Irish throwback at Fado, holler to our boy Neil at Brickell Info for rounding up what’s going on New Year’s Eve in Brickell!

For the BrickGal that loves to drink… endlessly… check out the open bar at Tobacco Road or Brickell Irish Pub.

For the BrickGal looking for a palette pleaser, head to Mandarin Oriental, Miami or Edge at The Four Seasons Miami.

For the BrickGal amused by fireworks, Club 50 at the Viceroy Miami and Bayfront Park serve up a kick ass view.

For the BrickGal ballin’ on a budget, check out Lucky Clover… or don’t.

For the full list or Brickell New Year’s Eve 2012 Events, check out – http://www.brickellinfo.com/2011/12/17/a-list-of-things-to-do-for-new-years-eve-in-brickell-miami-2011/.

Ugly Xmas Sweater Pub Trivia

This guy's coming... are you?

Normally, BrickGals are too cool to step foot out of their well-appointed Brickell pad in anything less than Rachel Zoe-styled gear.  Alas, tonight Fado is throwing an ugly Christmas sweater-themed pub trivia.  I’m pretty confident in saying most of us independent women probably don’t have an ugly holiday sweater still laying around (unless you know, you still live at home).  Don’t fret my friends, Fado is not only hooking up those wearing ugly sweaters, but also my charity chicas who bring in an unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots can expect a free pint on the house.  Oh yea, and the winning team picks up a $250 bar tab.  That, my peeps, can buy you a lot of egg nog.  Happy Holidays!

Trivia starts at 8 pm, so make sure to get there a little early to get your team set and drinks straight!

Happy Bday Sega!

Luck of the… Irish??

“If there’s one thing it doesn’t leave to be desired, it’s lots of giant fake boobs.”

Yup, after leaving the Lucky Clover last Tuesday, that could have been my thought exactly.  (Truth be told though it wasn’t the first thing that crossed my mind but rather something a male* friend pointed out later in the week.)

Although large breasts has been a common thread among my discussions RE: the new bar, boobies aren’t the only thing the Lucky Clover has gone over the top on (a list which also includes ass, lights, decor and prices, to name a few).  If Brickell was a neighborhood in Texas (no offense!), the Lucky Clover just might work.  Too bad bigger isn’t better here, and not all good comes to those who wait (I mean seriously how long were we waiting for the Lucky Clover to grace us with its presence??).

Why so many lights??

After living in Dublin for six months back in college (which obviously qualifies me to rank the authenticity of claimed Irish establishments), the only similarities I found from bar to bar were crappy wooden floors, some hot guys with sexy accents and dim lit beer halls.  Unfortunately, sans Irish accents available at Fado, Lucky Clover wants to light up the entire neighborhood, deck every inch of the walls with gaudy signs and hike up their prices to replicate the fuckin Euro.  Not to mention, I (and I’m sure every single person that has stepped foot into the place) have visually assaulted the female staff.

I’m actually physically embarrassed (ok, so, my friends say I have nakey phobia) to see bartenders in skirts so short that their black undies look like their actually meant to be hanging out and corsets that strangle one’s boobs up to the ceiling.  I mean, this isn’t Scarletts.  The corsets look soo tight that they may replicate those of the Victorian era and could quite frankly break some ribs (imagine a cross between a bad BIP and Blue Martini).

Now on to the F & B, the main reason one heads to a watering hole.  At the Clover, I ordered the fish & chips.  I’m a huge fan of fried anything (yes, inner fat chick is back), and the name fish & chips normally tricks my brain into thinking its really not that bad for me… Its a light white fish, right?  Wrong.  Well, while the petite salad and mini side of green peas were both quite good, both the fish and the fries were a little dense and salty.  I often choose fried fish as opposed to chicken fingers because its normally lighter, so I was a wee bit disappointed.  Positive note: the fish and chips platter ($15) was a a pretty good size dish (i mean we’ve seen the general trend here…).  And the beverages, well, the only difference I can point out from other bars in the hood RE: the beer is that the bartender really had an extremely difficult time filling a cup without 3/4 of it being foam (i’m sure it was the tap…).  I had a fellow BrickGal check out the place this weekend, and she reported back that a vodka soda splash of pineapple came back over 12 bucks short of the vodskie.

And then there were the jams… when I went on a Tuesday happy hour, it seemed like Elvis Duran was running the beats… slacking. A compadre hit up the place later in the night when he said a cover band took the stage around 11. 11??? on a work night???  According to another Yelp reviewer, “the night [she] went was fantastic…Local one-man-band solo act that was very impressive.”  Prove it!!!  The site also mentions “Celia Cruz and Bachata”… WTF? Who the hell are they/it/wtf?

As one Yelp member put it, “This is where pub meets club.” uh no thanks joker… keep your South Beach stripper clothes for LIV on special occasions.  (that fella, who rated the place 5 YELP STARS!, also said “there is definitely a demand for [trivia] in Brickell.” go home guy, point made.)

Although I have some strong negative opinions, I did reallly really enjoy this shot made with Goldschlager so I may give the Clover, which opened just last Monday in the Axis, the benefit of the doubt and test it out again in a couple weeks.  That’s a big maybe though so if you’ve had any experience over the past week, positive or negative, please share so we’re all equally informed.

*It is important to note the gender of the speaker so all you guys don’t think I’m hatin’ on some hotties.

BrickGals Holiday Party Tonight!!!

Whether you’re Jew or Gentile, Crazy Cat Lady or Dog Lover, Snookie or The Situation, or even Britney or Christina, Mamma BrickGal loves you all equal (ok, maybeee not, if don’t pick Brit…).

Spots around the hood, contrarily, I do not love similarly.  That is why I’ve chosen to give back to all of you that I love the same at a place that I consider my fav.

Tonight, BrickGals will ring in the holiday spirit at Fado with bottomless vino.  Because I care so much about all of you who have supported BrickGals during our first 10 months, the first 50 of my chicas that arrive between 8:30-9:30 pm will be on the house.

I hope to see you all tonight!  Love, BrickGal Meg

Crazy Cat Lady Strikes Again

It’s me…

 

Caring About The Strays is a non-profit group dedicated to rescuing, fostering and finding permanent homes for homeless animals.

Holler for Habitat!

D4C tonight at Novecento for Habitat for Humanity!

Taste This!

Buenos Dias BrickGals!  I bet you all have been anxiously awaiting word from moi after my long travel hiatus, so voila cet ici!

Big things are happening this week in the hood from the opening of Lucky Clover Irish Pub and Puerto Madero Fish and Steak House to the Taste of Brickell Pre-Party.  Obs b/c I’m a fat ass my life centers around food, so check back in over the next few days for reviews on Lucky Clover and PM.

Now on to deets RE: the Taste of Brickell Pre-Party, or, what I like to call, a party explosion in la boca.

Last year’s Taste of Brickell pretty much rocked my world.  From my apt terrace, I was able to observe quite a good number of peeps heading into the abandoned lot just south of The Mark, so when I hit up a bud who was down to check it out, bam I was in.  We rolled up to the fest, grabbed some adult beverages and then set out on  a culinary tour of Brickell.  I hit up some friends at the Fado booth, grabbed some amazing Boeuf Bourguignon from Le Boudoir, downed some Yellowfin Tuna Ceviche courtesy of Oceanaire and fell in love with the Serrano Ham Croquettes at Crazy About You.  Honestly, can’t tell you what my friend ate, I was more worried about my tummy’s quest for all that is good. I’m sure it was bomb, so, continuing…

My bud BrickGal Whitney has been raving about the ideas she’s heard regarding the second annual Taste of Brickell, coming March 24 & 25th of 2012, so I was overly pumped to hear about the Pre-Party going on this Thursday at Mary Brickell Village.  Not only will you be treated to 2 comp drinks (c/o Blue Martini) and wine and champagne tastings from Cavas, but you’ll also be able to taste foodie delights from some Brickell fav’s including Fado, PF Changs and Oceanaire as well as newbies to the hood such as Taverna Opa, Doraku and Toscana Divino.  Fashion Show, live music, goodie bags and more are on tap to round out the soiree.

Tickets are $50 in advance, $75 at the door. Party goes from 6-10 pm. Attendance? Le Duh.