daniellecopeland shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

daniellecopeland just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Headed home!"
(taken at LaGuardia Airport (LGA))

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

daniellecopeland shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

daniellecopeland just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Parfait with seasonal berries and yogurt honey!"
(taken at Marriott East Side)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

Part 3 - Brunch at La Coquina in Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress

I have a few more photos about our recent visit to the brunch at La Coquina in Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress!... Here's my second plate of delicious food.

I had some stone crab, tenderloin with chimichurri, a salmon sushi roll, mini corn pancakes, cornmeal fried ham, asian caesar roll, shrimp spring roll,chicken and spinach cannelloni, and eggplant and roasted tomato and goat cheese terrine, and salmon and cream cheese in a sesame cone.
 
The asian spring roll was definitely delicious. In fact, I'd love to make them at home, but they were likely a lot of work. The outer wrap is so sticky...I don't have the patience.
 
The cannelloni was to die for. I would love to make these for a party since they can be served warm, cold, or room temp.
 
The terrine was probably pretty easy. The flavor was good and the presentation was great.

Part 2 - Brunch at La Coquina Grand Cypress Hyatt Regency in Orlando

More about our lovely brunch this morning at La Coquina Grand Cypress Hyatt Regency in Orlando. For part 1, click here.

I always make a bee line to the cheese table. You can see it in the background here.


Here's my cheese selection...all I can remember is boursin, goat, parmesan. There were a bunch of other soft cheeses and we delicious. I always get fresh honey to have with my cheese. Here, it's the honey with the honeycomb mixed in. This year I paired my cheese with warm cherries simmered in booze. It was amazing and I can't wait to try it at home.

I also tried the polenta, topped with a tomato and cheese. John likes polenta, so I'll put this one on the list. The prosciutto wrapped shrimp was delicious but the star of this plat was the little sandwich. I don't remember this from previous visits, so I think it's new. It was Parmesan toast with arugula, mozzarella, tomatoes, and pesto. What's so great about this brunch is that many of the recipes are traditional, but they are prepared with superior ingredients and with a meticulous method. They are just so good!

Brunch at La Coquina Grand Cypress Hyatt Regency in Orlando

We were in Orlando this weekend for our 6th anniversary...we hit the La Coquina brunch at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress and I am still in awe of the magnificent job that Executive Chef Alan Gould continues to orchestrate. One of my all time favorite dishes has been on the menu for years at Hemingways located at the back of the resort...it's some kind of green tomato with pasta. I highly recommend trying both restaurants.

The dining room at La Coquina opened at 10:30. I believe we finally left at noon and the champagne bottles started popping around 11am. The pianist began promptly at 10:30 and the dessert room was open early for viewing.


John always grabs a cocktail before smiling for a photo. Today he grabbed two :). Looks like his plate was filled with Atkins foods...tenderloin, stone crab, oysters, sausage, salad boats, and ravioli. Well, he almost didn't cheat :)


John ordered one of the 5 entrees offered during today's brunch. It was a delicious sea bass with asparagus. I believe other options included buffalo tenderloin, guinea fowl, eggs Benedict, and lamb.


Here's a peak at the kitchen, which is where the brunch tables are located. In case it's not obvious, let me state that the Sunday Brunch at La Coquina is among the top culinary experiences one can have in Florida. Just my opinion.

Here's the seafood table...shrimp cocktail, raw oysters, gazpacho with a shrimp garnish, and fresh Florida stone crab. Of course the cocktail sauce is fresh and there's a heap of extra horseradish on the side of the dish.

The table even changes color. Looks like those great Ikea LED lights.

I do not enjoy roe - fish eggs - caviar, but many people love the caviar table at brunch... It's served along side a fresh red onion creme fraiche.


I have more to say about the brunch, so keep reading here.

West Hollywood, CA 2011

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to travel to West Hollywood, CA for some meetings.

I stayed at the London Hotel (A Gordon Ramsey) hotel on Sunset Blvd. The room was beautiful! It had so many little extras (spa socks, bathrobes, eye mask, soaking tub). The bar downstaits was great...both Sobieski Vodka and 4 Orange Vodka were flowing freely and their take on a cosmo made with 4 Orange Vodka was delicious!

The London Hotel, West Hollywood, CA.


The view from the balcony



In LA, we dined at Fig and Olive - A Kitchen and Tasting Bar. I ordered the STRIPED BASS PAPILLOTE. The menu described it as steamed striped bass filet in papillote with zucchini, eggplant, fennel, tomato, thyme, scallion, saffron served with olive oil mashed potato & chives - Arbequina Olive Oil.

The presentation was wonderful! A charred parchment bag arrived at the table and the server opened it up for me.


We had the carpaccio and some recommended crostini appetizers along with the house olive bread with a trio of olive oils. One of the walls was literally covered in different olive oils. It was great.


The rest of the trip was great too. The meetings went well and the other dinner at Mr. Chow was great. I do have to mention the signature cocktail at Mr. Chow though...I helped myseld to two of them and can't wait to go back for more. From what I remember, the lychee martini only had three ingredients...Sobieski Vodka, sugar, lychee syrup (with fresh lychee garnish).

For Christmas, Joey got me a lychee tree and he didn't even know I had just had this outstanding cocktail. Perhaps next season, I'll be able to make my own lychee martini in Florida. :)

October 2011 Trip to NYC

I had a great trip to NYC recently for some business meetings. I had the opportunity to hit up Madison Square Garden, Lucky Strike Bowling Lanes, and the Museum of Sex.

Had a blast entertaining guests at a suite for a Rangers hockey game. We lost, but it was a fun evening.

We had a corporate function at Lucky Strike Bowling Alley...I highly recommend it for private functions even though it's pretty far south.

The cocktails at Lucky Strike were fabulous!!!

I happened to see a very famous penthouse apartment from across the street which is owned by a singing powerhouse...think "Sasha Fierce."

At my partner's agency, the recently renovated offices are very modern, yet warm and creative.

Here's a shot of the Statue of Liberty from the plane. I always get giddy looking for it from the plane.

Delray Beach, FL

I attended the Delray Beach Centennial, which was a street festival with hundreds of vendors, a giant cake, and lots of drinking and fun.

John and I stayed at The Colony Hotel right on Atlantic Ave. It's pet friendly, dates back to the 1920s, and reminds me of "old Florida."

4 Orange Vodka sponsored the event, so I just had to grab a photo in front of the 40-ft vodka bottle. It was very windy; I'm glad the company securely tied down the bottle.

Labor Day 2011 Part 2

Despite the horrible, filthy conditions at Lee and Rick's Oyster Bar, the rest of our Orlando trip was great. We stayed at the Royal Pacific Resort. The biggest plus....it's pet friendly.

Here's Tinsel in the dog park outside Tower 2 at the resort. She didn't love it, but it was certainly a nice place for her to do her business.

Labor Day 2011

A few photos to document Labor Day 2011...

The most gross and disgusting restaurant I've ever seen in my life. Not overexaggerating...it was horrible. Don't go to Lee and Rick's Oyster Bar in Orlando, FL. It is filthy and they don't even appear to have shame.

Horrible traugh at Lee and Rick's in Orlando. Don't go there. It's filthy.


John and Jim were in heaven. They ate every last one of those smelly, filthy oysters.


The healthy department needs to shut down Lee and Rick's Oyster bar in Orlando. They shovel garbage into traughs that are built into the bar where people eat.


The katsup and lemon bottles are filthy and aren't cleaned.


For some reason, my family enjoyed the 2-3 buckets of oysters. I'm happy they had fun, but I didn't even want to touch the water they served me.



The Royal Pacific Resort at Univeral was nice...their food was good. I ate at the sushi bar, and also at Jake's downstairs. The pool bar serves 4 Orange Vodka, so I loved the bar. When in Orlando, as long as you don't go near this oyster bar, you'll be fine.

The Omphoy Ocean Resort in Palm Beach

Summer in Palm Beach can be brutal...unless you are on the beach at the Omphoy Ocean Resort.


Shot list...check.
Product and props...check.
Photographer and PR agency...check.
Bartender...check.

All turned out wonderful and I'm so happy I work with a great agency.

New Orleans, LA 2011

That's Bourbon Street below my feet! I had to travel to New Orleans for work but as always, I found some pleasure time. My colleagues and I stayed at the Bourbon Orleans. It's the most haunted hotel in New Orleans and upon check in, the front desk was nice enough to move me off of the most haunted floor in the most haunted hotel in the most haunted city in the country. Wow, was I relieved.


After I got off the floor that the dead twins supposedly haunt, I was moved to nice courtside suite. My colleague's suite had two stories and a balcony right on Bourbon Street. Not sure if it ever quieted down enough for him to sleep, but it was sure nice partying on the balcony with all my other co-workers for a few hours. You haven't experienced Bourson St until you throw beads from a balcony.



Had a couple good cocktails at Tropical Isle...a place I go to EVERY time I'm in Nawlins.


Tales of the Cocktail is what brought me to the city...I just love my work.



the world's largest Negroni in a huge tub made from ice.