Today I am excited to feature fellow foodie Cristyle of Eat Palm Beach! After you are done reading her spotlight, be sure to head over to her site and check out a Q&A with Holli of The South Florida Sage 🙂
- What made you decide to start a food blog? What is your focus/theme/area?
I had wanted to start a food blog for years. A friend of mine had done a similar concept in Charlotte, NC a few years ago (at the time, I was blogging under TheCharlotteLifestyle) and I was enamored watching his blog take off. I love food and getting to know local gems and people in the area.
My focus is really anything surrounding food in the South Florida area from The Keys to Tequesta (maybe a little further North). I’ve been loving the Spotlight section of the website and really getting to know the people behind local favorites. I cover restaurants, culinary talent and events. I’m currently in the process of adding Recipes and am excited to see how the blog grows and where it goes over time.
- How did you come up with the name “EAT Palm Beach?”
This was the most brutal part with starting honestly. I thought of the name a couple years before I started the blog. It was exactly what I wanted but someone else owned the domain and wasn’t using it. I emailed her multiple times literally begging to by it from her. And then one year she didn’t renew. In a serendipitous way, the domain officially became mine on my birthday in 2013. The site went live about a week later. I love it because it’s short and sweet and what the blog is all about!
- Who is the person behind the keyboard/smartphone? (Where are you from originally? What is your foodie background?)
I was born in Miami, lived in the Keys for a bit and was more or less officially raised in Palm Beach Gardens. I grew up here and attended UF so I’m a Florida Girl through and through. My foodie background comes from loving to cook (and especially bake) since I was a munchkin. Traveling made me get to know other cuisines and I have looked at applying to culinary school an obscene number of times. There is something about really great food that I can’t get enough of. The way it makes you feel and surprises you and makes you think.
- What is your food crush of the moment?
My food crushes of the moment are polar opposites. I’ve been really into super fresh, leafy, bright and light food. And then warm and cozy comfort food. In the morning I’ll have some greek yogurt with tons of fresh berries and by dinner I’m craving mashed potatoes with gravy and anything Southern and soulful. I’ve also been getting into good coffee.
- What’s one thing you would love people to know about your blog/site?
That a major goal of mine is to help support our local entrepreneurs and culinary talent. I want to highlight local restaurants, bakeries, food trucks, you name it. I want people to get to know the chefs and owners and whoever behind their favorite foods. Starting, owning, and running a business (especially a restaurant) is hard work and I love having a platform to get the word out about the places and people I love in my town.
Please share some of your top picks in your area:
– Happy Hour: Waterway Cafe for a great deal on the water on PGA Blvd. I also really like the outdoor bar at The Cooper in PGA Commons.
– Brunch: Wine Dive (Saturday for low key, Sunday for a real party) on Clematis downtown.
– Date Night: Buccan on Palm Beach.
– Bakery: Alaina’s Bake Shoppe on Northlake Blvd.
– Foodie Event: Palm Beach Food & Wine Fest in December.
– Wild Card: Coolinary Cafe on Donald Ross. The Green Markets on Clematis Saturdays and Burns Rd Sundays.
Where can you be found?
Facebook: Facebook.com/EatPalmBeach
Twitter: Twitter.com/EatPalmBeachCom
Instagram: Instagram.com/EatPalmBeach
Website: www.EatPalmBeach.com
The South Florida Sage 