Under normal January-in-Chicago circumstances, a luscious photo of an ice-cold, frozen mojito from the pool bar atop The Hotel at South Beach in Miami might have made you all long for summer…but the relatively balmy temps right now aren’t making winter as soul-crushingly horrid as it normally is. Don’t get me wrong, my weekend trip to South Beach and Naples was a welcome respite from Chicago’s ice-encrusted sidewalks, salt-coated cars and dreary skies. I didn’t go too crazy, but did have a mind-blowingly good dinner at Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink (forgot camera-blaaaggghh!) and a fantastic muddled rhubarb cocktail at The Setai courtyard bar (the most stunning bar I have ever seen). But a definite highlight was the frozen mojito served at the pool bar atop our hotel. At first glance around the pool, I thought (wished) it was a green smoothie, but figured that was much too healthy an option for 3PM on a sun-soaked, 80-degree Friday. I was feeling more frozen margarita, but our server convinced me otherwise. I’m not a huge mojito fan, but the mint didn’t overpower, nor did the alcohol, and it didn’t taste like a sugar bomb…just a refreshing mint-kissed mojito, perfect for an unseasonably warm day in Chicago. The Hotel at South Beach, 801 Collins Ave.
Frozen mojito magic
ELIZABITES 