LA Fitness Opening Soon!

I know this is non-food related...but I couldn't help myself. I need to workout to counteract all the pigging out I do on the weekends. I'm very excited about the new gym (that statement is really sad, haha)!

I've been a member of LA Fitness for about a year now. I work in Boca Raton, so the one in East Boca that's opening up off Yamato and 95 is perfect for me! It's finally opening on Saturday, October 25th! From what the salespeople have told me, it's going to be the largest LA Fitness in Florida. They'll have a huge cardio area...plus racquetball, basketball and a pool.

10/24 - UPDATE: They will be opening some day between 10/28 - 10/30 due to inspections. But they said everything is set up and ready to go.

10/29 - UPDATE: The plans are to open on Saturday, November 1st. They are going through the last inspections today.

11/3 - UPDATE: They are now open for business!

Get Some Flavor...

We're smack in the middle of the inaugural Flavor Palm Beach, where some great restaurants in Palm Beach County are offering a 3 course menu for a nice price, $20 for lunch and $30 for dinner. This only runs through the end of September, so there are only a couple weeks left to take advantage. I'm definitely going to go to at least one. My problem is Miami Spice goes on at the same time too...there are way too many good restaurants to go to!

When I was looking at the menus, some sound really appealing and some just don't seem worth it. The first place I really want to try is Forte di Asprinio, which is owned by Top Chef's infamous Stephen Asprinio (I've been to the bar there, but not yet to eat...and yes...I saw Stephen). The two things that really interested me were the local corn zuppa with crispy pancetta and brioche gnocchi appetizer and the wood burning oven-roasted local grouper “ivornese with marscapone polenta and asparagus. Some other menus that looked good were Strip House and iii Forks.

New Cooking School Opening

I love to learn new recipes and cooking techniques! I have gone to several cooking classes at Chef Jean Pierre Cooking School in Fort Lauderdale. The classes there are informative and entertaining. I've learned how to make everything from a classic Bolognese Sauce to Zabaglione. Now I'll have another option to get some great culinary lessons...

Publix is opening it's 1st Aprons Cooking School in South Florida in October. The school will be in Boca Raton. It will be the 5th school that the grocery chain began on the West Coast of Florida.

The main focus of the school is cooking classes for adults. But they will also offer cooking classes for kids & teens, as well as wine tastings and cookbook signings. Celebrity chefs will even stop by for a visit. They will offer both hands-on and demonstration classes. A couple topics they feature in their current cooking schools are Basic Knife Skills and Chocoholics Anonymous.

Pricing and registration information will be available closer to the opening date. But you can sign up on their website for the newsletter, if you'd like to be e-mailed more information.


Michael Chiarello speaking to an Aprons class in Tampa.

Lunch at Publix Greenwise

On Thursday, I went to the Grand Opening of the Publix Greenwise Market in Boca Raton. It was mobbed! I finally found a parking space and walked in. They were handing out recycled cloth bags with samples and coupons inside, that was a nice touch. The layout is pretty good, similar to the one in Palm Beach Gardens. The prepared foods and express lanes are on the left, and then further back they have the deli, cheeses, meats and fish. They had a very impressive selection of everything and were giving out lots of samples. It is VERY similar to Whole Foods, except they don't have a make your own food station (which I really like). But the positive side is they do have alot of the "regular" items that aren't organic or natural so you don't have to go to a regular Publix on a separate trip to buy things like toilet paper. I was really impressed with the produce section! It had fruits and veggies I had never even heard of and everything looked super fresh.



Then it was time to eat. I was debating between the carvery, which had hot items and the salad & wrap station. I decided to go for a salad. They had great options. I opted for the Baja Chicken Salad. It was a little but pricey ($8.29), but worth it. On the salad was peppers, tomatoes, cheddar, black beans, spicy sunflower seeds, and chicken. The chicken had a great spice rub that went well with the dressing, which was a little bit sweet (similar to a white balsamic I've had before). They put alot of chicken on the salad and it was very filling. I couldn't even finish it all. I'll definitely be going back for sure, but I'll wait a week or 2 until the grand opening crowds simmer down.

Publix Greenwise Opening this Month

I was driving to the Boca Town Center Mall today during my lunch break and noticed some food trucks lingering next to the new Publix Greenwise Market they are building. It looked promising, so I drove by to see what was going on. I'm pretty sure the sign said "Grand Opening, Thursday May 24th at 7:00 AM". When I looked at my calendar, May 24th is a Saturday so I will double check tomorrow. But I'm glad it's finally opening!

I have been to the one in Palm Beach Gardens and it is great. The staff was extremely helpful. They have mostly organic, Whole Foods type of products. But the nice thing is they offer regular products as well, so you won't have to go to regular Publix to buy certain necessities. Publix Greenwise also has a great prepared food sections with soups, sandwiches, and a carvery, just to name a few. I will be sure to make it there when it opens.

**Update! It's Opening on Thursday, May 29th at 7:00 AM**

Salad Creations vs. Tossed

I usually try to keep it somewhat healthy for lunch and have a salad. I work in Boca and have 2 salad restaurant franchises that are pretty close to me. I have tried them both and this is how they compare.

Salad Creations: They feature salads, wraps and soups. The salads have a "create your own" option which is $6.99 ($2.25 extra for meat). I like this idea because you can pick anything you want and it's the same price. They also have a great choice of dressings, including several that are low fat (and actually taste good). Salad Creations is the winner for overall value, and it's my pick.


Tossed: They have a larger menu than Salad Creations. They also offer regular sandwiches and smoothies. Their wraps are "crepes", but it's basically the same. Their Salad Palate (their version of Create Your Own, which you can also put in a crepe) lets you choose all your toppings, but they charge you for each individually. This really adds up! For the same price of Salad Creations, I get about half as many toppings. The best deals are the pre-designed salads and crepes. The dressings they offer are regular (way too many calories) and Fat Free (gross!). But overall, Tossed is good if you're looking for the most variety.