Celebrity Salami Pigs Out at Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza

Antonio loved the cauliflower pizza.

Many of you will remember the world's most interesting salami, Antonio Bandeja, from the Chevy Pizza Crawl. Antonio never fails to crash a good party, so yesterday he joined a bunch of bloggers at Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza in Miami Lakes for the Well Done Tour.

Anthony Bruno, founder of his namesake chain of restaurants, recently welcomed bloggers in Central Florida so yesterday was Miami's turn. On the roll call were sexy lady bloggers Jewel's Fab Life, Midtown Chica, Grill Grrrl, Raising Child, Raising Self and of course, yours truly.

Macho blogger Mike La Monica (he's where the beef is) showed up with bromance buddy Social Media Puto. Fit as a fiddle The False Start also attended and barely broke his caveman Paleo diet.

But these stellar South Florida bloggers couldn't hog the spotlight like Antonio Bandeja, who floored us with some shocking news. He's coming out! Yeah, he's tired of hiding and lying about the truth: Antonio used to be a pepperoni before his transgender surgery.

Not that you can really tell ... he's still pretty oily on the bottom and smells just as salty as ever. And it doesn't matter, Antonio, everybody still loves you for your irresistible charisma.

Antonio also confessed that he's become vegetarian in an effort not to eat his own kind, which was just as well, since the salad was scrumptious and dressed perfectly with the right balance of oil and vinegar (a culinary skill he can never seem to master at home). The Eggplant Marino, named after that famous football guy, was delicious and filling and the perfect accompaniment to the rich cauliflower pizza, loaded with yummy cheese.

Veggie lover's delights.

Antonio wasn't too keen on getting close to that coal-fired oven, but that's what makes Anthony's food stand out above the rest. Everything is cooked in there, even the eggplant dish and the cauliflower pizza.

Donning a gorgeous white bandana, Antonio insisted on getting chummy with handsome Anthony Bruno, who told us about his first memories of Italian food ("my mother's meatballs and pasta fazul"), what he eats at home ("I never get tired of Italian, it's the food of love") and what he would do if he were a salami ("I'd hang out with a nice piece of provolone").

See more in our exclusive Antonio Bandeja interview featuring Anthony Bruno!



We are grateful to Anthony Bruno for keeping his cool while holding a cured meat product in his hand and being subjected to grueling questions.

More photos on Flickr.

WIN A DATE WITH SEX AND THE BEACH

Tempted to try this food of love? Here's your chance to win a date with Sex and the Beach! You'll get a $25 gift certificate to Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza to use for lunch or dinner. To win, just leave a comment below on why you deserve such an honor. Antonio Bandeja will pick the best one and if you're really lucky, he might make a cameo appearance to break bread with you.

This isn't about romance, but about romancing the pie, so girlfriends, feel free to leave a comment too!

Contest ends July 15.

It's Sex AND the Beach, Not ON It

The girl from Ipanema is always walking by and you know who has his shutter ready.

Well I'm sure everyone who didn't make it out this weekend was just scared of Miami Beach parking and who could blame you? But I know each and everyone one of you was there in spirits and boy, spirits we had, with $5 Punanitinis at C-Level at The Clevelander, which proved to be quite the classic South Beach party spot. No location would have been better for celebrating five years of Sex and the Beach; it was buzzing, electrified, non-stop with energy and gorgeous! Simply gorgeous! The whole of the island city laid out before us and no pun on the laid! For a second there, I almost thought I wasn't a Golden Girl candidate anymore.

(Oh but who am I kidding ... a few us were channeling Blanche Devereaux.)

Drinks and good times with a stunning view at The Clevelander. Available every weekend, people. Always a good time to celebrate.

I can't thank The Clevelander enough for sponsoring Sex and the Beach's fifth anniversary bash and putting me up for the night. My room, which faced the back alley, was cool, quiet (thankfully!) and the beds plush and comfy. But enough of that (you really don't want to know what happened in my room, right? Let's just say that "dial zero for booty call" is not available from the The Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau).

We had such an incredible time celebrating with an ocean view, balmy breezes, great music, food and drink, hanging out with old friends and making new ones, that I swear I would consider going back to the Cleve regularly. Locals, take advantage of their Rockstar rewards -- worth crossing the causeway. I'll put my money where my mouth is on that one ... oh wait, that's incredibly inappropriate considering everything that did not happen in my room!

Soul of Miami took some great pictures. These are my two favorites.

The Punanitini was good but could've been better. A little less triple sec and perhaps a splash of soda.

Now, I told you there would be punani at this party. The look on Annette's face is priceless.


My friend Carlos Miller shot a video, which features the cart wheeling babes. I swear, I didn't go to a Broward trailer trash flea market to hire this circus entertainment. It was a "normal" thing to do in South Beach. I don't know about you, but when I go to a fabulously chic, classy outdoor rooftop lounge and meet complete strangers, I strip down to a bikini, do cart wheels and flash my ass and pussy for the whole world to see.



Oh but forget about all that. There was the love, I tell you. The L - O - V- E. Friends far and wide, even those who couldn't make it in person, were in touch. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Wait no, let's go deeper than that, I thank you from head to toe!

But now let's get to the moment we've all been waiting for. Here are the winners of the drawing! Due to technical difficulties, we didn't hold the drawing during the party. (How could I, with all that punani in the air?) I held the drawing last night during a super secret ceremonial ritual with my friend @miamishines.

Drum roll! And the winners are ...

Dayngr from Dayngrous Discourse wins my beat-up and signed South Florida Firefighters Calendar.

Dori Zinn wins a Body System from Ardyss.

Anonymous (you know who you are) wins a facial from Body Care.

Karlene from The Cleve wins the Life Extension basket from kNOw-AGING.

Stephanie, aka Midtown Chica, wins a case of wine from Wine Sisterhood. I know she needs it because she's planning a wedding.

Jessie from Bites and Pieces wins a gift certificate to Journelle.

And last but not least, @pochaccoyoly wins the grand prize with a photo shoot by Ipanemic and hair and makeup by D & L Hair Studio!

I want to thank all of you for supporting and following this blog for the last five years. May there be many more years of good reads and fun around the corner.

But enough about me. Celebrate yourself and what you do everyday! Follow your passion.

And about the title of this post ... a friend of mine tweeted me just before the party:



My reply: if you don't want to get sand in your delicate parts, don't have sex on the beach. Have sex and the beach. Why not? A little preposition makes all the difference in the world!

Sex and The Beach Contest Update [updated]

This contest is now officially closed. We'll be updating after the party. Thanks to all who left comments!

It seems like no one was into my video contest so you know what? If it's broke, fix it! Ladies, we are downgrading from a contest to a drawing. Seriously, you have to be in a coma to pass up these great prizes in celebration of Sex and the Beach's fifth anniversary party. I'm going to make it VERY easy for you! Like, totally painless. Like, it hurt you more to lose your virginity than to qualify for this awesome drawing.

Here's all you have to do: submit ONE comment on this post about something that you've done or experienced in the past five years that you're particularly proud of and are willing to share with others for inspiration. I will take down all names and do a drawing Sunday at the party.

That's it! How easy is that?

GRAND PRIZE

SIT PRETTY & GET PRETTY
Win a photo session with photographer and blogger Scott Branch of Ipanemic.com in a local location of your choice (no studio). Scott will give you three of the best shots, non-watermarked, so if you've been looking to refresh your avatar or need a good publicity photo, here's your chance. Or maybe you want a tasteful sexy photo for your ball and chain; whatever -- it's up to you! I recommend you go for a natural, outdoors portrait but you can work out the details with Scott.

But what's a good photo if you're not sporting your best look? If you win the grand prize, you'll also benefit from fabulous hair and makeup services from D and L Hair Studio in South Miami. This isn't just a wash and blow! D and L will take care of you up to $300. Laila, the owner, is really good at figuring out what coloring and cut works best for you. Get to know her. She's an entrepreneur I highly admire and that's why I'm proud to have her as a sponsor of this blog. Plus her team is awesome and she has wi-fi and wine at the hair studio!

OTHER NOT TOO SHABBY PRIZES

SLIP INTO SOMETHING SEXY
Lincoln Road's sexiest new store in South Beach is offering you a $250 gift certificate to buy pretty underthings for your bod. Visit Journelle online to see what they got ... this is dreamy lingerie, ladies!

DRINK UP
Win a case of wine from Wine Sisterhood, a California-based wine company made for women by women! I had a chance to meet these fine ladies at Blogalicious this weekend and I also go to try the wine. You'll get to pick from the collection so you can try them all. I recommend the delicious and refreshing Middle Sister Sweet and Sassy Moscato or Middle Sister Drama Queen Pinot Grigio (my favorite). This gift is valued up to $150.

AGING IS SO YESTERDAY
Win a Women's Health Gift Basket from Life Extension, a $275 value with vitamins, supplements and other goodies to keep that spring in your step and a healthy glow, as well as one-year membership to Life Extension! Gifts courtesy of the fabulous and gorgeous Tonya Scholz of kNOw-AGING and Social Chats, a woman who teaches us that real beauty comes from within and is never fake!

A FACE EVERYBODY CAN LOVE
Does that mug need a little tune up? Win a microdermabrasion or chemical peel valued at $125 from BodyCare Center for Advanced Rejuvenation in Fort Lauderdale. Or opt for 15% off any liposculpture or smart lipo.

SUCK IT UP - IN A GOOD WAY
If surgical intervention is not for you, then maybe you'll opt for a chance to wine a Body Magic System from Ardyss valued at $170! They say you can drop 3 sizes in 10 minutes by wearing this medical grade reshaping undergarment. That's just a fancy way of saying that it flattens a muffin top and promotes correct posture, which is a huge plus! I'm all about the good posture; it's the best fashion accessory. This gift comes courtesy of Alma Herrera.

BEEFCAKE FEAST FOR THE EYES
I will personally part ways with my signed copy of the South Florida Firefighters Calendar. Yes, that's how much I love you. And it's a little worn -- I carry it in my laptop bag, no joke. A $17 prize but the social and trivia value is priceless! And besides, every time you sigh, moan and groan looking at the guys I know you'll be thanking of Sex and the Beach.

Now what are you waiting for? Start commenting now!

RULES AND LEGAL STUFF

Please submit all comments by Saturday, October 16 no later than 10 PM. One comment per person, please. Make sure your name is recognizable so that I'll be able to reach you. If you have a public Twitter handle and don't mind sharing, please include that in your comment. You don't have to be present at the party to win, but I do encourage you to attend! How else will you be able to try the exclusive $5 Punanitini cocktails?

You must be 21 or older to participate. I will help you coordinate with prize companies but I'm not responsible if anything happens to you as a result of winning. Also, you should probably live in South Florida because all the prize stuff, except the wine, is local. But if you visit here regularly or plan on coming here soon, that's cool too.

Special thanks to all who are sponsoring prizes!

Sex and the Beach 5th Anniversary Contest!

Sex and the Beach will be celebrating its fifth anniversary next month. In five years, we've laughed, cried, we've broken bones, we've lost weight, we've gained weight, we've been in relationships and out of them, bla bla bla ... but most importantly, we've evolved and continue evolving.

We've touched upon different topics, from sex to food and everything in between, but one theme has remained consistent: how to be the best woman you can be even in this process of constant evolution and that's why the tag line "single woman's guide to chronic living" still remains true.

In honor of this, I want to celebrate in a BIG WAY -- not for me, but for YOU. All you women out there doing this "living" thing, being resilient, rolling with the tide and pulling through no matter what.

THE CONTEST

I'm partnering with my cherished friend Scott Branch from Ipanemic and my awesome blog sponsor D & L Hair Studio for a fun contest!

Most of you know Scott as the guy who takes steamy photos of hot chicks in a boudoir setting or the beach, but this contest isn't about sex or about soft porn. It's about putting your best face forward, bravely. It's about being sexy while being you. I don't care how big, fat, skinny, tall, short, white, black, whatever you are. Trust me when I tell you, Scott can even make a jaded South Beach 40 year-old look good. (See photo above, taken spontaneously at Monty's in South Beach a couple of years ago.)

Go ahead, own it. Be saucy and seize the opportunity. If you win, you'll also get a hair and makeup session with D & L Hair Studio, one of my blog sponsors, up to $300 value! Now how can you pass up on that?

There will be other beauty goodies too ... details to follow!

RULES

• You must have Twitter, Youtube and Facebook accounts.

• Submit a ONE MINUTE video, posted to your Youtube, telling us how you have evolved over the last five years and why you deserve a photo session with Scott as well as hair and makeup by D & L Hair Studio. We'll be looking for a woman who really lives up to the spirit of "chronic living" that inspires this blog. Humor a big plus. Tag the video SEXANDTHEBEACH.

• Contact beachbombshell AT gmail DOT com when you've posted a video. Include a link to the video, as well as your Twitter and Facebook accounts.

• "Like" Sex and the Beach and Ipanemic Facebook pages.

• Follow @vicequeenmaria and @ipanemic on Twitter (strongly encouraged) for updates and interaction. Talk to us!

• If you submit a video, you agree to let Scott and I broadcast it and contest-related material (such as photos of you, retweets and so on) on our social networks.
  

• You do not have to be local to participate, but obviously, you'll have to come to South Florida if you want the photo shoot and beauty session!

• This contest is *not* open for established or aspiring models, sorry.
  

• Must be 21 years of age or older. No age limit over 21!
  

• If you do participate, kindly tag Sex and the Beach and Ipanemic in any contest-related updates on your Facebook wall and use the hashtag #satb5 on Twitter.

DEADLINE
Sunday, October 10th, 2010

GRAND PRIZE
A photo session with Scott at a local location. Hair and makeup by D & L Hair Studio, up to a $300 value. This is not a simple wash and blow! You will consult with the studio and could opt for a color glaze and cut, for example. After the photo shoot, Scott will give you three high-resolution non-bookmarked images. You will arrange the photo shoot, determine the location and set up the beauty session with Scott and D & L Salon respectively, but I will be available to help coordinate, if necessary. You will have six months to take advantage of your prize.

RUNNER-UP PRIZE
Every woman who submits a video will get a little somethin' ... discounts on Scott's photo services as well coupons from D & L Hair Studio. Details to follow.

PRIZE ANNOUNCEMENT
The Grand Prize winner will receive notification by email and also be announced at the Sex and the Beach 5th Anniversary Bash sometime in mid-October, details to follow. You need not be present to win, but I hope to see you at the party!

That's it! Now go whip out that video camera and get crankin' ...