If you're looking to spend about $200 on a special gift for dad on Father's Day (June 17) -- one that he can wring quite a bit of pleasure from -- this just might be it: Thor, a new 16 year old single malt Scotch whisky from Highland Park's Valhalla Collection.

"We wanted to create an exciting new range which offers Highland Park fans something both affordable and collectable," says Gerry Tosh, Global Marketing Manager, of the Valhalla Collection, which starts with Thor. "We put Thor first, as he is such a mighty character and deserves his rightful place at the very forefront of this range. Everything about this whisky bellows power; this is quite honestly a true whisky of the gods."

My thinking is: If it's good enough for the gods, it's probably good enough for dad.
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This one goes out to all the weekend transplants arriving today to spend the weekend in the Magic City.

Bienvenidos a Miami, y'all!

We realize Miami has a way of being quite the sassy-pants when it comes to Memorial Day weekend. For that, we apologize. But lucky for you, we've compiled a snazzy list of South Beach restaurants for you to check out. Some have great drinks, others have great food, but all of them have a great vibe.

We think you'd be silly to miss them while on your stay.
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Become a grillmaster with these tips from Miami's best chefs.

What's Memorial Day without the barbecue? Millions of us will fire up the charcoal and throw some steaks on the grill, beer in hand, as celebration of the unofficial start of summer (and in remembrance of our troops).

But how many of us can successfully navigate our way around the fire pit without reducing $100 worth of burgers and chicken to cremains? Thinking of last year's attempt at grilling, we decided to enlist the help of some of Miami's best chefs. Here are their tips on making your Memorial Day barbecue one to remember -- for the right reasons. (Not like last year when you set Aunt Hilda on fire.)
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Memorial Day in Miami is unlike any other. If you're not joining or dodging the swarms of people in town for Urban Beach Week, you're probably firing up the pit, throwing on a slab of meat, sitting back with a cold beer, and relaxing.

This year, spice things up up a bit. Try one of our top ten barbecue sauces for every kind of palate. They'll make you tipsy, thirsty, and eager to suck those bones good and dry.

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All photos courtesy of Jamie DeRosa

Show mom how peachy she is with this breakfast.

The tradition of treating mom to breakfast in bed has long been abused by movies and television shows, which feature an adorable child (or clumsy husband) serving mom burnt toast and Cheerios. Burnt toast? Come on! This meal has to be worthy of a special lady.

We love the idea of surprising mom with a tasty treat to start her Mother's Day so we asked Tudor House executive chef Jamie DeRosa to show us how to make his Peaches and Cream dish using fragrant peaches, sorbet and creamy feta cheese. Pair it with a peach Bellini and you've got yourself one happy mom!
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muffintopmommy.com

Oh, mom

We're just going put it out there: it's not always the thought that counts. That's just what people say when they're totally pissed.

Moms are the prime example of this idea. You got her a new set of bakeware, but little does your sorry ass know, she's not interested anymore in hanging around the oven to make sure your favorite casserole isn't burning.

"Aw, sweetie, it's the thought that really counts."

Wrong!

Here are ten gift ideas that are off limits for Mother's Day. Allow the elimination of these ten to ease and narrow your search for the perfect gift.
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Take mom to The Rusty Pelican for the view.

Moms come in all shapes and sizes, and Miami restaurants offer meals  to suit every type.  We've compiled a list of restaurants serving up special meals for Mother's Day... by mom type. Enjoy.

Rusty Pelican
For the mom who insists the whole family join her... including abuela.

If you're looking to make several generations of women happy this Sunday, The Rusty Pelican is offering a brunch buffet in their renovated ballroom with paella, ceviche, prime rib, and lamb food stations. Unlimited mimosas and bloody marys will make the day go by faster, as will the live jazz quartet. A balloon artist and special kiddie buffet will make the young ones happy, and the view will make everyone else giddy. Served from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the brunch is $75 per person, $34 for children 4 - 11 (free for kids 3 and under), exclusive of tax and gratuity. Call 305-361-3818, ext. 4 for reservations (required).
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Lee Klein

Enchiladas: Mex or Not Mex?

There is often confusion concerning the boundaries between Mexican food, Tex-Mex, other-American-Mex, and all variations thereof. Do people in Mexico eat tacos in fried, U-shaped corn tortillas? Is chimichanga a silly American word for an Americanized Mex concoction, or a silly Mexican word for an actual dish from that country? Does chili con carne have authentic Mexican roots? Did the Taco Bell chihuahua respond more to commands spoken in Spanish or English?

Actually, we don't know the answer to that last one, but our crack research team has spent innumerable hours combing through the histories of both countries to determine what is Mex and what is Not Mex. Or at least that's more or less how we came up with this info. The important thing is that we've got it and are sharing it with you just in time for tomorrow's Cinco de Mayo celebrations -- a great American, er, Mexican, er, Mexican-but-celebrated-more-in-America holiday!
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Jefe's Original Fish Taco via Facebook

Jefe's Original Fish Taco and Burger invites you to feast bravely.

Cinco de Mayo is this Saturday, and that means it's time for margaritas and mariachis. True, the holiday has turned into a bigger party in the States than in Mexico, and it's really not a celebration of Mexico's Independence Day (which, by the way, is September 16). But who cares? It's a reason to celebrate Mexico's music, culture, and food. And that's good enough for us.

Because Miami loves a good party, there are plenty of ways to celebrate Cinco de Drinko (as the Corona commercials say). From family-friendly parties at the local market to eating bravely at a local food truck, here are our favorite ways to celebrate.
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Wikimedia Commons

Pretend you're in Mexico for one day.

When Zaragoza crushed the French Army near Puebla, Mexico on May 5, 1862, he intended to commemorate the victory by celebrating with tortillas, guacamole, beer and block parties. Yes, block parties, kind of like the one World of Beer in Dadeland is hosting in two weeks.

Authorities will close off the section of SW 72 Place between WOB and Lime Fresh Mexican Grill Dadeland, which will be selling food and margaritas from the side of the street. WOB opens at 12 noon, but the block party festivities start at 3 p.m.

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