The 5 Ws and 1 H: Miami and Miami Beach

Who:

You, your significant other, your kids, your parents, your siblings, your grandparents, your great grandparents, your aunts, your uncles, your great aunts, your great uncles, your first cousins, your second cousins, your friends, your coworkers, your frenemies or your enemies! Maybe not your enemies, but you get the idea. Miami and Miami Beach are for everyone.

What:

…To Do: In the past decade, Miami and Miami Beach have reinvented themselves. While the beaches, pools and late-night will forever and always be a never-tiresome cliche, Miami and Miami Beach have shifted their focus. With the arrival of the international art fair, Art Basel came a newfound appreciation for existing contemporary art institutions - Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (“ICA Miami”), Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami (“MOCA”), Pérez Art Museum Miami (“PAMM”), Rubell Museum, and The Bass along with an influx of new contemporary art institutions - Wynwood Walls, de la Cruz Collection, and Museum of Graffiti, exhibits, and galleries. This renaissance of sorts was not limited to contemporary art. Simultaneously, the restaurant, bar, and shopping scenes evolved. While there are still smaller, homegrown offerings, international staples are plentiful as well.

When:

…To Go: High Season is November to March.

Miami Music Week: Every March Miami Music Week (“MMW”) unifies Miami/Miami Beach with a buffet of events across venues that transform the cities into an electronic dance music (“EDM”) paradise. MMW is capped by the premier EDM festival, Ultra.

Miami Open: The Miami Open, also known as the Miami Masters, is one of the largest tennis tournaments outside the Grand Slams. Held between March and April, the Miami Open is the latter of the two “Sunshine Doubles,” the former being the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California.

The Miami Grand Prix: Formula One (“F1”), is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l' Automobile (“FIA”). A Formula One season consists of a series of races, known as Grands Prix. Taking place in May, The Miami Grand Prix is one of the newest circuits.

Art Basel: As previously highlighted, Art Basel is an international art fair. Initially staged in Basel, Switzerland, the fair has expanded to include Miami Beach, Hong Kong, and Paris. Come early December, thousands of artists, art dealers, collectors, and art aficionados enjoy contemporary art from over 250 galleries.

Where:

…To Party: Miami and Miami Beach’s party scene is a pilgrimage of sorts for many. However, as the scene can be a lot of smoke and mirrors, please note that I am more than happy to coordinate your day-time life and/or nightlife experience.

Day: Hyde Beach at SLS South Beach

Night: Club Space (Floyd and The Ground), Do Not Sit on the Furniture, Dante's HiFi and/or Jolene Sound Room

…To Shop: From one of the most iconic, independent boutiques, The Webster, to high-end malls, where $300k Rolls-Royce’s are the norm in valet (Bal Harbour Shops), to luxury districts dotted with contemporary sculpture (Design District) to Bohemian enclaves (Coconut Grove), you may need an extra suitcase, lol.

Why:

… Not?

How:

Contact me, your Travel Advisor. (Duh!?!) On a more serious note, it would be my pleasure to transform the above into an itinerary for you, your significant other, your kids, your parents, your siblings or your grandparents!

Where

…To Eat:

Breakfast: As you may be out all night, breakfast may be best served in bed. Order room service on me. As seen above, many of Fora’s relationships allow us to provide you with a daily breakfast credit.

Lunch: As the day should be spent lounging at the pool and/or beach, lunch is more or less an afterthought. Nevertheless, the family-owned, kosher-style, Eastern Mediterranean restaurant Motek is a worthwhile option. The Crispy Schnitzel Sandwich is the sweetest ‘wich you’ll ever eat. As Motek is Hebrew for Sweetheart, I could not help the Jersey Shore reference.

Aperitif: New York’s buttoned-up cocktail scene to the North and the Caribbean’s convivial cocktail scene to the South collide. Creating a mix of distinctive watering holes including some of my favorites, Lagniappe, MO Bar + Lounge at Mandarin Oriental Miami, The Broken Shaker at The Freehand Miami, The Champagne Bar at The Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club and Watr at 1 Hotel South Beach.

Dinner: Miami and Miami Beach is all about dinner and a show. However, sometimes dinner and a show can feel like more show than dinner. With that in mind, these are a few of the options that balance both, Asian Bazaar at Jaya at The Setai, Miami Beach, Bellini at Mr. C Miami - Coconut Grove, Joia Beach, Kaori, Mandolin Aegean Bistro, Sexy Fish, and Swan.

Late Night: No matter where you are in Miami and Miami Beach, and more importantly, no matter what time, La Sandwicherie is there. With five locations, most of which are open until 5:00am. La Sandwicherie is, has always been (since the 1980’s), and will always be essential. There is no place quite like the original in South Beach at 4:00am on a Saturday night (Sunday morning, lol).