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Lovin' some Dunkin

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Rachael Ray goes for some treats from Dunkin Donuts.

More pics from Burger Bash

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The Love Shack cooks were getting down.

We love Giada

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No Crest Whitener needed here! Make sure to read Howard Cohen's piece on Giada "I-can't-spell-her-last-name" this weekend in The Miami Herald (Man, Howard was so lucky to get that gig!)

Ming the Man

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Ming Tsai hanging out beside the stage.

Final stop at the craps table and the ladies were on a roll. The luckiest lady was up $9,000. After her big bet that brought $7,000 of that she split the winnings with her two friends and it was time to go while the other two stayed. Oh, and nobody won any raffle items. See you later today from more events, including the Bubble Q.

- Fred G.

Going once, Going Twice….

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Plenty was up for auction, including a Kitchen Aide mixer autographed by Paula, Guy and others. The winning bid – $2,400 (those mixers retail for about $300). “You are getting a really good deal,” Paula told the winner from her seat on the stage. Also on stage was Elaine Lancaster, who kept Paula cool by fanning her. (Nice work all around, Elaine. We even overheard Ming Tsai say you had a nice bum. But next time can we limit the performances from your girls to, say, two instead of four?)

- Fred G.

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Giada with her fans

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When Giada came in she was swarmed by cameras and fans, and she was nice enough to take pictures with several of them, despite her hectic schedule. (In fact most of the chefs in attendance enjoyed mingling with fans and taking photographs). And that smile – I mean, c’mon, how can you not like anything cooked by someone with a smile like that. That’s one lucky baby on the way!

- Fred G.

Back to the tables

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Moseyed over to the craps tables and the ladies were still playing. After starting with $5,000 in play money, they had dropped down to about $800 each. But there were raffle tickets to be drawn later, so they kept playing until winners were announced. Among the prizes were autographed poker table tops and a gift basket of recipies and food. Ok, back to some more mingling.

- Fred G.

On Location

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Guy was filming a new episode of Diners, Dive-Ins and Dives while in Miami and stopped off at the following places: Benny’s in South Miami, Jamaica Kitchen in Kendall, 11th Street Diner on South Beach, and Scully’s in Kendall – “Now that’s a bar and tavern and they are shooting pool, but the food is legit.

“I had mofongo at Benny’s. Chicharones and plantains, too,” Guy said. “When I tasted all that, could someone tell me where I have been for the last 37 years? It’s gonna be on my show. It’s coming to a theatre with you. This place is alive, it’s poppin, and we are having a blast.”

Guy’s first time

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Guy Fieri, the rock n roll chef with the platinum blonde hair (which kinda looks like Paula’s), was visiting Miami for the first time, but it won’t be his last.

“You know brother, it’s my first time here and it’s crazy,” he told me. “I saw my first Jai-Alai match last night and I got to go on the court and throw the ball, and that was one of the greatest sports activities I ever had a chance to see or do. Miami has another culture into itself and so many great ethnic influences. There is such flavor in the air you can smell it. It’s awesome, I am digging it.