Sabrina – Flair Miami

By Sabrina Restrepo July 21, 2013 in All, Fashion

FUNKSHION: EMERGING DESIGNERS

Wednesday July 18, the Flair interns got to attend one of our favorite Funkshion Swim Week events yet, the Emerging Designers Fashion show sponsored by Peroni. The show presented the collections of young aspiring fashion designers from Miami International University of Arts and Design. The contestants competed for the title of Peroni Top Emerging Designer. For the challenge, the designers had to create a collection with their interpretation of Italian style.

Hosted in the SLS, the models strutted a series of romantic handcrafted pieces in an intimate pool area setting. As each collection made their way down the catwalk, I like others wondered how only one designer could be picked. The caliber of artistry and talent that night was overwhelming!

There was one collection however, that stood above the rest. In a series of complex geometric and structural hand-sewn garments, the Quyen Dimension line wowed the audience with its effortlessly Italian avant-grade look. The proud designer of the collection? Kim-Quyen Nguyen!

We got a chance to chat with this very sweet fashion prodigy:

Tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am 21 years old. Born in Boston and lived in St. Petersburg. I’ve always wanted to have my own fashion line it’s every girls dream to make a name for herself!

What was a common theme in your collection?

Structural geometric shapes. I wanted to create a collection that had body and different looks.

What was the inspiration behind the Quyen Dimension line?

My main inspiration behind the structural construction of my line where flower petals. If you look at a flower from one angle it’s different then if you look at it from the top or the side. I wanted my collection to have the same illusion by using shapes.

Who are you most excited to see at NYC Fashion week?

Anyone from Hong Kong. They are all my inspiration!

Who are your designs geared for?

People that want to stand out and don’t care what they look like as long as they’re making a statement.

Kim is not only a gifted designer, but also a down-to-earth girl with many talents! Her young spirit and visionary ways inspired us! We wish her all the best in her future fashion endeavors. And I have a good feeling that this won’t be the last time we see her work strut down the catwalk ;)

By Sabrina Restrepo July 1, 2013 in All, Food

TAP TAP HAITIAN RESTAURANT

I don’t know how many times I have driven past Tap Tap Haitian Restaurant on South Beach and 5th Street and thought to myself “I should check it out someday.” After living on the beach for a month, I finally stopped thinking about going and actually went! Now, here’s my attempt to convince you to do the same… It’s delicious!

Tap Tap is a South Beach hidden gem, raved about by all the locals as one of the best Haitian cuisines in town. Here you can expect Haitian flair to come alive as the colors of the murals, decor and vibrant people immerse you in their tropical culture.

Seated in one of their variously themed rooms, I enjoyed my complimentary appetizer of fresh bread with a selection of mild to spicy sauces. The foods listed on the menu are authentic and delicious, but if there is something you don’t recognize, it’s in your best interest to keep an open mind. I had the Cabrit or goat stew, which was a first for me, but so worth it! Another tasty dish I would recommend is the Griot plate, a win for any beef lover. But, if there is one thing that you cannot leave this place without having it’s one of their killer Mojitos. Awarded “Best Mojito” by The New Times, their combination of fresh mint leaves, rum and lime juice is for lack of a better word, perfection.

So, now that the secret is out, how could you not try the best mojitos in town? Maybe next time you’re in the area, you too can stop by and explore this new flavorful experience!

By Sabrina Restrepo June 3, 2013 in All, Fun

STYLES, SWEETS & SIPS EVENT

If you’ve ever celebrated a birthday before then you might be able to understand our excitement, Friday May 31, we celebrated our 1-year anniversary at Blush Boutique!

What says celebration better than sipping a refreshing hibiscus, chai, or chamomile tea lovingly prepared by “JoJo” himself, as he vividly describes the tea you’re enjoying. Or being able to chat with Miami fashion Bloggers like, Nany’s Klozet about her recent trip to New York, shopping side-by-side with the creator of Fancy Things and snapping pictures with the fabulous girls of Glam Life Blog. All while enjoying a selection of delicious Cupcakes provided by Pipona’s Cupcakes — with flavors ranging from classic vanilla to a delicious chocolate chip.

Blush Boutique even joined in on the fun by offering a 15% discount on anything purchased during our Style, Sweets, and Sips event. But this anniversary wouldn’t have been complete without gifts! Flair Miami subscriber, Wendy Collado, won $100 gift card to Blush Boutique for sending in the best Instagram picture of the event.

We had such a great time getting to meet so many of you who came out to celebrate with us. Thank you all for your support and your encouraging words. We hope you’ll join us again next time!

A special thanks to Blush Boutique and the lovely hosts.

By Sabrina Restrepo May 31, 2013 in All, Food

GET TO KNOW JOJO TEA

Michael Ortiz, a Miami local and owner of acclaimed JoJo Tea, wants you to recognize that drinking tea is not merely about drinking, but about the experience behind it. An experience he refers to as the “spirit of the tea.” JoJo Tea does exactly this by providing a natural, smooth and consistent tea experience for everyone who has a taste. A cup of their tea stands to improve health, stimulate creativity and energize the intellect through their meticulous selection of hand picked teas from around the world. Their mission to provide quality tea is also consistent with their commitment to only purchasing tea’s from reputable farms. With all these reasons and more, JoJo Tea makes it their lifework to make tea more than a soothing drink for your throat, but also a soothing mediation for your soul. We got a chance to chat with Michael Ortiz about his experience working with JoJo Tea:

1) How did you get started in the tea distributing business?

I was a full-time yoga teacher for a couple years, and got more and more into tea as time passed. Next thing I knew I was always disappointed with the teas that would be brought out at the end of my meals. So I decided to buy a few pounds of some of my favorites and present them to some of my favorite restaurants. That’s really how it all started.

2) What is unique about your tea business?

What makes us unique is our locality. Most tea companies are based on the west coast, which means that most clients out here would have to wait a week or two before their orders get in. These companies also have no local representation to train the staff of local restaurants. We deliver at least twice a week, and train the staff at all of our restaurants. We also use whole leaf tea, which offers the most complete and complex flavor profiles compared to most tea companies that use fannings of broken leaf, and even some dust. JoJo Tea uses whole leaves, even in our iced teas. That’s quite unique.

3) What tea would you recommend to someone who has never had tea before?

Chai or Green Jasmine Pearls. Chai is a rich and malty black tea that we blend with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and vanilla. It is typically taken with milk and sugar to create a sweet, spicy, creamy drink that is enjoyed all over India and the world. Green Jasmine Pearls take the first two leaves and the bud of each branch of the tea bush, which is the sweetest, most delicate-tasting part of the plant. At origin, in Fujian, China, these tips are repeatedly scented with midnight-harvested jasmine to give them a nice soft flowery aroma without quite getting perfumey.

4) What is a little known fact about tea?

Where to begin?! Its documented history in China goes back about three thousand years. The drink caught on in Japan (it was brought over by Zen monks) around the 13th century. It wasn’t cultivated in India until around the 17th century. The taste of tea will be affected by many things, including the altitude at which it was picked, the humidity of the area, and what else grows in the area around it. Also, the bigger leaves closer to the bottom of the branch will bring a thicker, maltier taste and those closer to the tips, particularly the first two leaves and the bud, will give the sweetest, subtlest taste.

5) How did you come up with the name for JoJo Tea?

While I was going to school in New York, my sister had a beautiful baby boy. He was learning everybody’s name and when, just out of curiosity, they pointed to me in a photo and said “Okay, Andy, who’s this?” He looked at the photo, squinted his eyes, and then relaxed and said, “That’s Jo-jo.” To this day he calls me Jo-Jo. Which is cute enough in and of itself, but I was amazed to find that in Chinese, Jo-Jo actually means uncle! Not only does it mean uncle, but it means maternal uncle! So, JoJo it is.

To learn more about JoJo Tea or to find out what Miami locations carry their tea’s make sure to visit, jojotea.net

By Sabrina Restrepo May 28, 2013 in All, Fashion

GET TO KNOW MAIKA

A chat with Miami’s fashion blogger, Maika, from GLAM Life Blog…

GLAM Life Blog is composed of 4 writers. How did the four of you decide to start this blog?
GLAM Life Blog is a lifestyle blog run by me and my 3 younger sisters. It began with just me and then my sister Lydi’Ann came up with the great idea of having all four of us blog together and the rest is history!
4 personalities means 4 different perspectives. How do you ladies distribute the workload and deal with the differences that come along with running a blog?
We create an editorial calendar and try to stick to it each month. Before we create the calendar, we’ll have an impromptu meeting where we come up with different topics to write about, events that we’ll be attending, etc. Discussing everything before we start writing helps prevent any kind of disagreements and we all get along as siblings, so that helps too.
Through your blog you’ve been able to interview some really incredible people. Who has been the most inspirational to you?
There are two — Samyr Laine a philanthropist and Olympian who competed for Haiti as a triple jumper in the 2012 Olympics and Mara Schiavocampo, of NBC Nightly News and the TODAY show.
What advice you can give to other young bloggers?
The best advice I could give is to keep on blogging! When I first started blogging, it would be inconsistent. However, once I fully committed myself, I started receiving a ton of different opportunities. I’d also say that it’s super important to just go out and meet people. It’s a little nerve-racking at first because you worry about your inexperience, but once you get past that, you really start to enjoy all the new people that you meet and the experiences that you gain.
What do you hope to achieve in the future with GLAM Life blog?
We really want to inspire others to Go Live A Marvelous Life; that’s what the “GLAM” in GLAM Life Blog stands for. We’ve branched out from fashion and now include lifestyle, beauty, and more topics. We don’t really know where it will take us, but we’re really enjoying the ride.
Tell us a little secret. What’s something that most people don’t know about you and or your blog?
Most people don’t know that I speak Spanish. It comes in really handy living in South Florida!
To learn more about Maika or her sisters, or to see her entire outfit post for our Black is Back: Blogger Style Challenge make sure to visit GLAMLifeBlog.com

By Sabrina Restrepo May 27, 2013 in All, Fashion

GET TO KNOW KRISTIN

A chat with Miami’s fashion blogger, Kristin Brophy, from Fancy Things Blog…

1. What first inspired you to post “your four favorites” as opposed to daily looks of the day?
I loved the idea of sharing four things you love each week, whether it’s an inspiring quote, an item you’re coveting, or a link you enjoyed reading. It gives you the ability to share what you’re loving with your readers and meet new friends by linking up!

2. What kind of impact do you want your blog to have?
I want my blog to be a place for readers to visit and feel inspired. I love to share beauty, fashion and bits of my personal life, so I’d love it if someone could read my blog and feel like we’re already friends.

3. What are the “4 MUSTS” that any blogger should do in order to remain successful and relevant?

Quality over quantity– Write when you feel inspired, not because you feel like you need to. Your readers will be able to tell how much time you spend on your blog. I feel it’s better to have good quality posts, than post every single day. if you don’t have time to post every single day, your readers will understand, just be consistent.
Be yourself- Try to find your own voice. If you’re sharing the same exact things as other bloggers, what would make your readers want to stop by and read YOUR blog? Just be yourself.
Learn new skills– Take the time to learn Photoshop or similar programs, and invest in a DSLR camera. You will find that it makes a huge difference when it comes to the quality of your blog.
Communicate with your readers– Respond back to their comments, tweets or emails and check out their blogs if they have one. It’s important they know that you appreciate their readership; then they will continue to come back.

4. Where do you find your style inspiration?
I find my style inspiration on Pinterest, my favorite blogs, fashion magazines and on the streets of Miami. I’m constantly inspired by new trends and love to make them my own.

5. Where do you hope your blog will take you in the future?
Writing and sharing about fashion is what I love to do. It would be great to be able to work full time doing what I love. It’s definitely a dream of mine, and I’m willing to work hard to make that happen in the future.

6. Tell us a little secret about you. What’s something that nobody knows?
As much as I love fashion, I’m happiest at home in an oversized t-shirt. I basically collect oversized shirts to sleep in and there’s one shirt in particular that’s my favorite and it’s from Chili’s. (Don’t worry, you won’t be seeing that in an outfit post!)

Thank you for reading + I hope you will stop by my blog and say hello! xo

To learn more about Kristin Brophy, or to see her outfit post for our Black is Back: Blogger Style Challenge make sure to visit fancythingsblog.com.

By Sabrina Restrepo May 26, 2013 in All, Fashion

GET TO KNOW NANY

A chat with Miami’s fashion blogger, Daniela Ramirez, from Nany’s Klozet…

1) What is the most timeless piece in your closet?
A pearl necklace my grandmother gave me right before passing away. It’s a classic piece that will never go out of style.

2) What was your most rewarding and difficult experience interning with Seventeen Magazine?
The most rewarding experience was getting to know me as an employee. I learned that I’m hard-working, organized, and detailed oriented. The most difficult experience was enduring the long and exhausting hours.

3) What advice do you have for girls who want to make fashion a career?
My main advice is to be passionate. When you do things with passion and dedication, great things will come your way.

4) What is the most exciting opportunity you’ve experienced because of your blog?
Being part of the Seventeen Style Council was definitely the biggest… :)

5) What first inspired you to start a blog?
If I’m totally honest, it started out of boredom. It was in 2009 and there weren’t many Spanish speaking blogs… But it became a passion instantly and that’s what keeps me going.

6) Tell us a little secret. What’s something nobody knows?
I’m actually very shy and clumsy. People think I’m very extroverted and confident because of the nature of my blog, but things are not what they seem :)

To learn more about Daniela Ramirez or to see her take on our Blogger Style Challenge make sure to visit her page, NanysKlozet.com

By Sabrina Restrepo May 24, 2013 in All, News

NEWSLETTER: MAY 2013

Hello Flair Miami readers! My name is Sabrina and I am the new Summer intern at Flair Miami. Originally an Orlando native, I came to Miami seeking excitement, city life and internship opportunities.

I’ve been blessed with the chance to work with Flair Miami for the summer. Blogging and fashion have always been passions of mine, so much that I created my own lifestyle blog, Sabrina Captures. I’m looking forward to everything I will learn by working with a well-seasoned blog like Flair Miami.

I chose to intern in Miami this summer because my hope is to live in this amazing city and work in advertising and public relations. I’m truly living the tourist Miami life on South Beach and as a result I’ve found myself falling in love with the city. There is life, creativity, and diversity every where you turn! From the little bit of exploring I’ve done I’m coming to appreciate the Miami beyond beach and party scenes.

My favorite locations have been the local hole-in-the wall restaurants and little art stores that I’ve found myself stumbling into. Juice and Java on Washington, Books and Books on Miracle Mile, and Pinocchio Italian Deli on 8th and Ocean are a few of the hidden gems I’ve come across.

Although I’ve enjoyed going out to new restaurants every night, that won’t be possible much longer on a college students budget. This has forced me to enjoy the more organic things about the city like workouts on the beach, walking along the Wynwood Walls, or stopping to watch a street act share their talent. With all that Miami has to offer I’m beginning to see that even in a big city like this it’s possible to find your niche. Blogging about all of it with Flair Miami might just be mine.