Our latest Haute Living Miami ambassador, Radmila Lolly, sits down with us to shed some light on a big topic of discussion as we ring in the new year: health/fitness and diet. A longtime vegetarian, she shares some of her favorite vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurants, as well as her favorite workouts/fitness studios here in the Magic City.
Photo Credit: Eugene Manning
HAUTE LIVING: Health and fitness seem to be very important to you. What are your plans in this new year, in terms of health and fitness overall?
RADMILA LOLLY: Personally, I have a very specific routine that I follow for both physical and mental health, and my plan for the new year is to continue [with] that. My routine usually involves dance four times a week (both for fitness and to prepare for my upcoming show—a surprise is waiting!), boxing twice a week, personal training twice a week, and long walks three times a week or so. Some days I double up on workouts. This year, I’m [also] going to focus on learning tennis, and really improving my game. It was something I started this year for fitness, and I’ve decided that I’d like to improve my skill. For my mental health, I try to say my prayers every morning, and make sure I’m taking the time to relax in whatever way I might need, which could be [as simple as some] simple pleasures, like taking my mom to lunch or turning on a silly Netflix show/movie to unwind at the end of the day.
HL: Where are your favorite places in Miami to go for health/fitness-related activities, such as different workouts, gyms, studios, etc.?
RL: I love Tapout Fitness—I am biased because my dear friend and personal trainer Alvin Davie is based out of there. Another place is my dance studio, Sexy Sassy Strong, with my private dance instructor, Dawn Price.
Photo Credit: Rhonny Tufino
HL: You follow a vegetarian diet. Why is that?
RL: I don’t actually do it for health reasons, but rather for the environment and for the animals. I have been vegetarian for so long, I don’t even think about it anymore—it’s just how I live. I’ve found that when people spend a lot of time around me they realize [that] they can eat more vegetables in tasty ways, so that they don’t even miss having meat fewer times a week.
HL: What are your favorite restaurants in Miami with vegan or vegetarian-friendly menu options, and what are your favorite dishes at each of those places?
RL: In Miami, definitely PLANTA Queen in Coconut Grove—it’s so tasty that we usually order basically the entire menu! So, the only downside is that we can overeat because it’s so good! I also love Bombay Darbar in Coconut Grove; what I love about Indian cuisine is that [it] has such a large selection of plant-based options, and every dish tastes so different and unique. I also love Mr. C Miami, Cipriani and La Petite Maison—they have a lot of vegetable dishes on the menu that I enjoy.
Photo Credit: Radmila Lolly
HL: What tips do you have for people in Miami who want to start a new health or fitness-related regimen for the new year?
RL: I think there are no excuses here in Miami. Every day, the weather is perfect for outdoor workouts—[and] especially now with the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s the perfect time to be exercising outside. I think working out outside is also really good for your mental health—it always puts you in a good mood!
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