Chop Shop Cutz and Designs

So I thought I remembered meeting a mom and starbucks (my favorite one of course) that had her son with her.  He had just had his hair slightly died blonder with a pretty hip cut. As the boys, one with his music app up on his iphone and my son with his music app up on his ipad were playing a one up game of who had which song already downloaded.  In the background I’m hearing Dynomite, Usher, Rhianna and all the songs that are played in this day and age.  Anyway as the boys were having there fun I asked the woman where she had taken her son (because I think I’m kind of over the sitting in a little car or airplane to get a haircut) and she said the Chop Shop.

Now this is a couple months later and my sons school sends a note home saying he needs it cut above the ears which is so not what I want as right now its chin length and so surfer blondie cute.  But as I want him to be able to attend school we head to the chop shop.  Well, it’s definitely not a cutesy get in this airplane and I'll pop in Barney for you to watch. Instead it’s pretty tough but in a good way. Black leather chairs, pretty big dudes working the chairs and what I found out and had never seen before something called hair design it’s like graffiti on the head or a tattoo that grows and of course I'm mesmerized. The woman lying next to my son has "Money Mike" working on her. And it’s a straight up sweet design he’s working on between her blond mohawk and then her son starts showing me some of her modeling photos on his iphone.  Seriously smokin.  Then I look at my son who usually hates getting his haircut and he is all vibed up, asking a million questions and completely sitting still. This place was different and new and Ray did a superb Job. So we will see you again in a couple months Ray.

On a side note I mentioned to my sons teacher that we had gone to the Chop Shop and she said that that’s were the Jersey Shore boys went when they filmed here. Interesting. http://www.chopshopmiami.com/

Review Rosa Mexicana

So here I was so excited to go see a movie with the kids and walk directly across the theatre in South Beach to eat some good Mexican food. Dreaming of the days living in Los Angeles and frequenting my favorite Mexican jaunts  like El Pavo in San Bernadino with poblanos stuffed with garlicky chicken in the most amazing sauce, fresh Burritos, fish and shrimp tacos and tortas.

 The 50 cent tacos outside Rosarita.

First off let me tell you about the cheeses of Mexico before I start writing about my review of Rosa Mexicana.

1.         The Mexican cheese that has a crumbly texture when it’s heated, not really melting, but becoming soft and creamy without losing its shape like

Queso Blanco- very similar to Monterrey Jack or Mozzarella in flavor

Queso Fresco- crumbles easily

Panela- crumbles very easily and has a slightly salty flavor

Requesón- a very soft texture similar to Italian ricotta cheese

2.        And then the molten melting cheeses like

Queso Quesadilla- mild in flavor

Asadero- stronger flavor

Manchego- yellow color and tangy flavor

Oaxaca- similar texture to string cheese

Chihuahua- similar flavor to a mild cheddar

So I was excited to see some of these cheeses on the menu and I was really enthusiastic when I ordered Alambre de Camerones/Shrimp Brochette which is skewers of grilled shrimp with tomatoes, onions and Serrano peppers served with a roasted tomato-jalapeno caper sauce, salty ordered Suiza Enchilidas with pulled roasted chicken, creamy tomatillo sauce and melted Chihuahua cheese. Our boys ordered the chicken tacos and the quesadilla.

Not one dish was good.

 How is it that the pulled chicken in the taco was not only dry but flavorless that the side of peas, carrots and corn was not even cooked.  My sauce for my desiccated tasteless shrimp was dreadful with and odd almost bitter undertone to it. Saltys sauce had a strange lime flavor to it making it eerily pungent and that the only one good part of all of our dished was the saltiness of the cheese in the quesadilla.

We were all miffed by the end of the meal and really ready to head home as the

Service was also extremely slow.

 In my opinion if you’re headed “south of the border” to Rosa Mexicana for dinner… plan on ordering a LOT of drinks and enjoying  only the Guacamole and chips as stated by our server “its really what this restaurant is known for” and I’d agree.