Quantcast
Channel: oceandrive.com - Main Channel
Viewing all 4825 articles
Browse latest View live

There's an App for Ordering Bottle Service at Home

0
0

Throwing a party and running low on the most important ingredient: the booze? Download THIRSTIE for delivery within the hour. 

THIRSTIE app.

When it's inconvenient for you to run out to the nearest liquor store (i.e. your guests have already arrived), or you're tired of scouring Miami for your favorite bottle, there's an app you'll want to have ready on your laptop, iPhone or Android device. THIRSTIE lets users order spirits for home delivery from its partner liquor stores in your area—think Seamless, but for alcohol only.

THIRSTIE launched in Miami earlier this month after serving thirsty residents of New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Download the app or visit THIRSTIE.com, enter your home address, and scroll through beer, wine, and liquor in stock within your delivery range. Users can narrow down the list by liquor type or search for a particular spirit. Then simply place your order (delivery services vary slightly by location and hours), have your ID ready, and your booze will arrive within an hour. 

New Yorkers got the first taste of THIRSTIE when it was created back in February. The idea was to keep cocktail culture alive in the city by bringing bottle service to customers' homes, according to CEO Devaraj Southworth. The choice to bring THIRSTIE to Miami was easy thanks to the city's energy and excitement. "Miami sets the trends for the mixology scene, with both mixologists and venues offering the newest techniques and cocktail offerings," Southworth told us. "We wanted to launch THIRSTIE in a city that truly knows how to enjoy themselves." 

THIRSTIE users will soon be able to find specific bottles from home. "We are planning to offer a wish list feature for special-request bottles in the near future," he said. Cheers! 


5 Dessert Destinations That Chefs Love

0
0

Where do chefs eat dessert? Here, five pro-recommended spots for sweet treats via our friends at Find. Eat. Drink.

Cupcake from Misha's.

Grab a cupcake from one of Misha's five Miami locations. 

Misha’s Cupcakes

Pastry Chef Hedy Goldsmith (Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink) loves this bakery and gift shop established by home baker Misha Kuryla-Gomez and boasting five Miami locations. “Misha’s Cupcakes make me do the happy dance,” says Goldsmith. “I can taste the passion and the quality of ingredients in the first bite. My go-to cupcake for every occasion.” 13440-B SW 120 St., Miami, 786-573-9700

A.C.’s Icees

Chef Daniel Serfer (Blue Collar) recommends this shaved ice truck that has been going strong since 1978, when Allen Cohen received the City of Miami's first mobile concession permit. “When it’s ripping hot outside, there’s nothing as refreshing as one of his icees,” Serfer declares. 2600 S Bayshore Dr., Coconut Grove

Mojo Donuts.

Mojo Donuts' off-beat selections

Mojo Donuts

“They do different kinds of really funky donuts,” says barman Gabe Orta of Broken Shaker about this gourmet donut shop. “They have dulce de leche, guava and cheese, tiramisu, flan, bacon—things you wouldn’t think of in donuts.” Go early, because Mojo is open daily until they run out of their unique treats. 7906 Pines Blvd., Miami, 954-983-6632

True Loaf Bakery

Recommended by Chef Serfer, this Miami Beach bakery specializes in sourdough breads made with organic flour. “They have amazing bread like brioche and croissants—it’s all excellent,” he raves. Tip: Find True Loaf croissants at Panther Coffee. 1894 Bay Road, Miami Beach, 786-216-7207

cream puff from Charlotte Bakery.

Charlotte Bakery's cream puffs 

Charlotte Bakery

“It’s really a quintessential South American pastry shop,” says Pastry Chef Goldsmith about Charlotte Bakery. At this family business, the kids have taken over; they’re trained pastry chefs, but follow the same traditions as their parents and grandparents. “Overly sweet, incredibly delicious and it feels so old-school and homey,” Goldsmith praises. “It’s as I imagine what it would be like being in Venezuela in the ‘40s and ‘50s.” 1499 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 305-535-0095

 

Want More? Download the Find. Eat. Drink. App 

Find. Eat.  Drink. is the first travel guide app curated by the world’s top chefs, bartenders, sommeliers, and food stars passing along their favorite places to eat, drink, and food shop around the globe.

find eat drink app

Seen and Heard at Miami Swim Week

0
0

Find out what Leonardo DiCaprio, LeAnn Rimes and hubby Eddie Cibrian, some Real Housewives, and the designers themselves were up to during Miami Week Swim. 

LeAnn Rimes and husband Eddie Cibrian at Luli Fama.

LeAnn Rimes and husband Eddie Cibrian at Luli Fama. 

Bombshells and barely there swimsuits descended upon Miami Beach for another frenzied round of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim July 17-21, and the star power was nothing short of high voltage. Designers churned out everything from neon explosions of tribal print to terry cloth bikinis, all paired with messy beach hair. Even celebrities weren't immune to model-gawking; we spotted a few of them sitting front row and one mega movie star causing quite a stir on the shoreline.

SEEN: Country cutie LeAnn Rimes and husband Eddie Cibrian sat front row at the Luli Fama show on Sunday, July 20, holding hands and wearing matching whites.

HEARD: Swim Week queen Mara Hoffman was excited to get her models down the runway on Saturday, July 19, as she made some last-minute tweaks to her Guatemalan-inspired collection backstage. “We bring it,” said Hoffman. “We bring sexy to Miami. Always.”

SEEN: No stranger to model attention, actor Leonardo DiCaprio was seen enjoying a night out with friends at Bianca at Delano during Swim Week. He kept the party going with dinner at Prime 112 another night. 

HEARD: The models were hair-raising in towering ponytails wrapped and elongated with metal wiring at the Dolores Cortes show on Friday, July 18. The runway presentation represented a double-sided personality that teeters between a woman who is both sophisticated and wild—hence, the out-there hair. “If you look at it, it does have an Eiffel Tower element to it,” said Cortes.

Housewives Marysol Patton, Adriana de Moura, and Luann de Lesseps at Maaji.

Housewives Marysol Patton, Adriana de Moura, and Luann de Lesseps at Maaji. 

SEEN: The Real Housewives of Miami stars Marysol Patton and Adriana De Moura, and New York Housewife LuAnn de Lesseps sat together and posed for photographers while waiting for the Maaji show to begin on Saturday. 

HEARD: Models walked on water at the L*Space show on Saturday at The Raleigh's Cabaña Grande, where the runway was transformed into a faux ocean for The Water is Waiting collection. “I’ve always had this ongoing love affair with the water as a young woman and being from the Midwest; it was always about being in search of the perfect water," said L*Space designer Monica Wise. "There’s a very 'sirens of the sea' kind of vibe to the runway show.”

SEEN: TV personality and actress Maria Menounos wore a Grecian coral maxi dress while signing copies of her new book, The EveryGirl’s Guide to Diet and Fitness, at The Raleigh.

HEARD: Backstage at the 6 Shore Road show on Sunday, designer Pooja Kharbanda took a quick breather before the runway mayhem, as models sporting warrior-princess braids and traditional nose rings got their makeup done. “This collection was influenced by Nepal, so you’re going to see a Nepali-warrior type of woman, influenced from all the colors that they use,” added Kharbanda. “You’re going to see tons of embroidery, tons of colors. You’re going to see a little bit of Nepal.”

SEEN: Sports Illustrated model Nina Agdal and boyfriend Reid Heidenry got cozy in the front row during the Beach Bunny swim presentation on Friday. 

HEARD: Model and fashion blogger Natalie Suarez of Natalie Off Duty traded in her front-row seat for the catwalk and closed the 6 Shore Road show.  “I used to do runway so much when I was 15, 16, and every show imaginable,” Natalie said. "It’s kind of fun to get to do it again, and in Miami, too. It’s very different." 

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF AARON DAVIDSON/GETTY FOR LULI FAMA; ALEXANDER TAMARGO/GETTY FOR MAAJI

5 Stunning Swimsuits from the Swim Week Runway

0
0

Swim Week has ended, but the fashion lives on. Reminisce with some of the most striking looks from Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim.

Long-sleeve one-piece by Mara Hoffman.

Though a little unconventional for the beach, Mara Hoffman’s long-sleeve one-piece is the ultimate eye-catcher with black and white checker print surrounding Hoffman’s signature tribal designs.

Bikini by Poko Pano.

Poko Pano’s yellow bikini is interesting from all angles thanks to its wide, knotted straps that dangle down the back. 

Colorful bikini by Luli Fama.

This shiny bikini by Luli Famaearned everyone’s attention—including LeAnn Rimes and hubby Eddie Cibrian’s—when it came down the runway.

Black and blue bikini by L. Space by Monica Wise.

This year’s best L.B.B. (little black bikini) was seen on the L*SpaceBy Monica Wise runway. The classic silhouette is updated with expertly placed blue detailing. 

One piece bathing suit by Maaji.

Maaji’s mixed-print suit sets a new standard for the cut-out one-piece. We bet front-row Housewives Marysol Patton, Adriana De Moura, and LuAnn de Lesseps approved. 

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY (MARA HOFFMAN); FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY AND NEILSON BARNARD/GETTY (POKO PANO); FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY (LULI FAMA); FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY (L*SPACE); FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY (MAAJI) 

VIDEO: OceanDrive.com Watch Channel Launch

Spotted: Where Leonardo DiCaprio Spent Swim Week

0
0

Where did Leo spend the weekend in Miami? This and more in this week's celebrity news.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Leo was spotted by Swim Week attendees. 

Leonardo DiCaprio's Weekend at Delano South Beach

After dining with friends at Bianca at Delano on Friday, July 18, Leonardo DiCaprio made his way to FDR at Delano with Entourage actor Kevin Connolly, and club owner Chris Paciello, where they drank vodka and tequila with a party of 10.

The crew was seen hanging out under the sun at Delano Beach Club the next day.

LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian’s Swim Week Outings

While in town for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim, LeAnn Rimes and husband Eddie Cibrian stopped at Shore Club for a poolside lunch between shows on Saturday, July 19.

That night, the couple joined MIKOH designers Kalani and Oleema Miller for their runway show after party at Bâoli Miami. Kalani's boyfriend, surf legend Kelly Slater, was also in attendance.

Jenny McCarthy Parites at E11even 

After performing her Dirty, Sexy, Funny comedy act at Magic City Casino on Saturday, July 12, Jenny McCarthy hosted the official after party at E11even Miami, where she stayed till 3 a.m.

A slew of football stars were also seen at E11even recently, getting some partying in before training camp. On Friday, July 18, Tennessee Titans linebacker Shaun Phillips and Pittsburgh Steelers' Marcus Gilbert congregated at a VIP table into early Saturday morning. The next night, Tennessee Titan Michael Oher was seen in the main pit.

Related: More celebrity and designer sightings during Miami Swim Week>>

Vincent De Paul Swings by the Riviera Hotel

Actor Vincent De Paul was seen at the Ready, Set, Swim runway show and cocktail party at the Riviera Hotel on Saturday, July 19.

Nina Agdal Lounges Poolside at Boulan

Nina Agdal attended the Wildfox Swim Week party on Saturday, July 19 at Boulan’s rooftop pool. The Danish supermodel relaxed and sipped punch with her boyfriend.

Mario Lopez Feasts at Hakkasan

Mario Lopez dined for the first time at Hakkasan Miami on Saturday, July 19, sampling dishes like the charcoal-grilled sha cha sea bass, wild mushroom hand-pulled noodles, and the dim sum platter.  

After dinner, the manager escorted Lopez to LIV nightclub.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTEST OF CHRIS JACKSON/GETTY

4 Miami Spice Newcomers to Try

0
0

These first-time Miami Spice participants are aiming to please with some of the most diverse menus around. 

1826 Restaurant and Lounge in Miami.

1826 is serving up Florida-inspired dishes for Miami Spice. 

1826

Chef Danny Grant's Spice menu at 1826 Restaurant & Lounge is centered on in-season local ingredients, with dishes like the Florida avocado salad with grapefruit and hearts of palm; poached Florida grouper with shrimp, saffron, and potatoes; and yellow fin tuna tartare with heirloom tomato, black olive, and basil. Diners start the four-course meal with a snack; choose from hen egg black-garlic custard, beef tartare cornets, smoked salmon mousse, or a leek croquette. 1826 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-763-8860

15th & Vine

Viceroy Miami's 15th-floor restaurant, 15th & Vine Kitchen and Bar, is putting a boozy spin on its Spice dinner menu by incorporating spirits into a handful of the 24 dishes and desserts. We recommend starting with the shandy oysters with bacon crumble, beer emulsion, and chimichurri salt, followed by Chef Frank Rog’s specialty: Southern pork loin with pecan and peach chutney and Abita beer-braised collard greens. For dessert, order a cocktail-inspired treat like the Moscow Mule, a vodka apple tarte tatin with ginger beer sorbet, or the Bellini, consisting of peach crème brûlée with Prosecco-marinated peaches. 485 Brickell Ave., Miami, 305-503-0373

Traymore at the Metropolitan by COMO in Miami.

Traymore at the new Metropolitan by COMO is hosting Miami Spice-goers. 

Traymore

Executive Chef Jonathan Lane at Traymore—located inside the new Metropolitan by COMO—has put seasonal seafood and Florida fare on his three-course Spice dinner menu, which will rotate every two weeks. For the first menu round, start with Campari tomato risotto with zucchini blossoms, thyme, and aged parmesan; have a main course of wild stripped bass with shredded potato and leek cake, shitake mushrooms, and scallion vinaigrette; and end your meal with Caramélia mousse. 2445 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-534-7111

Michael Mina 74

The Fontainebleau Miami Beach’s newest bistro, Michael Mina 74, is serving a Spice dinner menu that spans Mina's global tastes to all-American favorites. For your main dish, choose from the Florida snapper with shrimp fried rice, Berkshire pork belly with grilled stonefruit and cognac-peach coulis, or buttermilk-fried chicken with hot sauce and honey. 4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-674-4636

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF 1826; COMO HOTELS AND RESORTS (TRAYMORE) 

Backstage Beauty Hack Tips from Miami Swim Week

0
0

Countless hands work behind the scenes at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim to create those runway-ready looks for models, so it's not surprising their ideas and tips are indispensable. We caught up with some of the most creative minds in hair, makeup, and nails at Swim Week to talk shop and get failproof tips for the rest of us.

For Your Nails

Suboo Miami Swim Week nail

Nails often chip and polishes bubble if painted too quickly.

“Always start with a clean, dry nail by using Remove + to remove old polish, clean the nail bed, and prepare for polish,” said Zoya Creative Director, Rebecca Isa. “Even if nails are already bare, swipe a cotton pad soaked with Remove + over the nail prior to painting to remove any trace of particles or oils. Next, you will need a good base to apply polish over. If your nails are in great shape, try Anchor to lock on polish, if you have ridges or a rough nail surface, try Get Even to smooth out the surface. Allow your base to dry. Follow with two coats of your desired Zoya nail polish color and finish with a single layer of Armor top coat and Fast Dry drops to provide a glossy, dry to the touch surface quickly.”

If you are looking for a quick tip…

“Nail Polish formulations dry at different rates,” Isa adds. “This is why you may have noticed that some polishes shrink or dent when you mix brands. Just reapply your top coat every other day to protect and extend the life of your color. Always make sure to remove any polish that has gotten onto cuticles to finish your look.”

For Your Face

Suboo Miami Swim Week makeup

The look for Suboo was sexy, effortless-looking and easy to achieve, according to Sacha Selhi, the lead makeup artist at Vincent Longo. For her runway looks, Selhi provided these tips: “Smudge some Midnight Duo Eye Pencil into the lash line and use a #33 flat brush with a little navy colored shadow (we used Trio Eyeshadow in Forever) to blend it up onto the eyelid. Using whatever liner and shadow is left over on that same flat brush, work along the bottom lash line. Pop a touch of our Lip and Cheek Gel Stain in Sweet Apollonia onto the cheeks and lips. (It's a two-in-one product that is long-wearing enough to stand up to that Miami heat and humidity!) If you want to get the entire Suboo look, take it one step further and dab a little of the Water Canvas Highlighter in Mermaid Muse onto the brow bone, into the center of the forehead and down the bridge of the nose and into the bow of the lip—it really makes the lips look sexy and full.” 

For Your Hair

Suboo Miami Week hair

When it comes to hair, the main problem stylists come across in Miami is flat locks and frizz.

“Since it was so hot and humid, it was really difficult to get hair to hold any style, so I winged it with mousse,” said Mario Silvestri, co-founder of Junior & Hatter and lead stylist for Living Proof. “On dry hair, I used the mousse to slightly moisten each section before I ironed it. Not only did it hold better, but it ultimately created a fuller, springier curl. The results were amazing and held up on the hot runway.”

TRESemmé stylist Tyler Laswell had an entirely different hair vision in mind for Swim Week, though. Instead of fighting the battle of the flyaways, why not slick it all back? “My fool-proof hack for achieving the sleek, wet look is to start by slipping an extra-wide black elastic headband on, leaving it around your neck,” he said. “Apply a generous amount of TRESemmé TRES Two Extra Firm Control Gel and tightly comb the top section back, behind the ears. Here is the hack: slip the headband on to hold the hair in place while it drys, then use your defuser to dry the top section of hair. Once dry, remove the headband and you will have your very own sexy, slicked back look.”


The Ultimate Summer Bucket List from ‘Ocean Drive’ Staffers

0
0

Members of the Ocean Drive staff share what’s at the top of their summer to-do lists—covering everything from their favorite eats to snorkeling in Key Largo’s clear waters.

Snorkeling at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.

Deputy Editor Bill Kearney suggests a snorkeling tour at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.

Day Trip to Wynwood

“I drive through it all the time to check out new walls and murals and look at some of my favorites, but I really need to park, grab a coffee at Panther (2390 N.W. Second Ave.), and hit the ground.” -Jared Shapiro, Editor-in-Chief

Snorkeling in Key Largo

“I’m dying to go snorkeling in Key Largo at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (102601 Overseas Hwy.). Summer, with its light winds, is when water visibility is at its best and the water temp is perfect.” -Bill Kearney, Deputy Editor

Food Truck Tuesdays

“I pass the blinking sign for this event all the time. Every Tuesday from 5:30-9 p.m., approximately 10 food trucks pile into Haulover Beach—it’s like being back in New York City, only with a beach and clear skies.” -Jared Shapiro, Editor-in-Chief

H2OMBRE

“Catch H2OMBRE at the Adrienne Arsht Center’s Ziff Ballet Opera House (1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami) before it closes August 31. This summer show has become a much talked-about event, with its interactive, multisensory experience.” -Cristina Parra, Event & Marketing Manager

PAMM’s Summer Exhibits

“Go to Pérez Art Museum Miami (1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami) pronto. Four exhibits, including the vibrant and stirring “Caribbean: Crossroads of the World” and “Edouard Duval-Carrié: Imagined Landscapes,” close in August.” -Bill Kearney, Deputy Editor

Dwntwn Art Days

“I'm excited for Dwntwn Art Days—the three days (September 19-21) when over 100 artists, galleries, and institutions participate in showings and exhibits all over Downtown, some of them right smack in the middle of public spaces.” -Jared Shapiro, Editor-in-Chief

Miami’s Summer Menus

“Toast to the last days of summer with a tour of some great summer menus throughout the city. We'd kick it off on Wednesday (because it's summer) at The Palms Hotel & Spa (3025 Collins Ave., Miami Beach) for their Flourish event, which includes a yoga class followed by Essensia's farm-to-table plates. 

"Thursday, you'll find me at Radio Bar (814 First St., Miami Beach) for a refreshing whiskey cocktail at Bourbon & Beats night, and on Friday, I'd head over to Danny Grant's 1826 (1826 Collins Ave., Miami Beach) for the Flavor of the Month—gin, lemon juice, and grapefruit-basil shrub.

"We’d conclude the week on Saturday night at Oak Tavern (35 N.E. 40th St., Design District) to enjoy the tasty late-night menu while listening to live music from the Under the Oak summer series. -Julia Ford-Carther, Assistant Editor

PB Steak

PB Steak (1787 Purdy Ave., Miami Beach) was the first restaurant I ate at upon moving to Miami Beach—when Sunset Harbour was really getting hot—but now it's closing. I have until Sunday, August 3 to make it happen.” -Jared Shapiro, Editor-in-Chief

Medical Cocktailing

“I’m going to treat myself to a weekly Liquid Beauty medical cocktail from Vitasquad.” -Cristina Cabielles, Sales Associate

The Standard’s Tuttle Punch Pitcher

“I plan to head to The Standard (40 Island Ave., Miami Beach) to soak up the Miami sun while sipping on an uplifting Swedish cider made from fermented pears. This, have no doubt, is more Miami than it sounds.

"The South Beach retreat’s Tuttle Punch Pitcher features Rekorderlig strawberry-lime cider, white rum, fruit slices, fresh lime juice, and mint sprigs. It’s a tribute to Julia Tuttle a.k.a. the “Mother of Miami,” a pioneering businesswoman who made this city magical more than a century ago. -Galena Mosovich, Contributor

SUP at The Standard

“Take a stand-up paddleboarding class at The Standard Spa (book at 305-704-3945), followed by a glass of rosé at Lido Restaurant & Bayside Grill at sunset.” -Michelle Petrillo, Assistant Distribution & Social Media Manager

Neon Paddleboarding

“Do the neon sunset tour from Miami Beach Paddleboard before summer ends.” -Michelle Chala, Account Manager

Miami Spa Month

“During Miami Spa Month, book spa days at Acqualina Spa by ESPA (17875 Collins Ave., Sunny Isles Beach), The Standard Spa, and Lapis, The Spa at Fontainebleau (4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach).” -Shana Kaufman, Event & Marketing Coordinator

PHOTOGRAPHY VIA FACEBOOK.COM/PAGES/JOHN-PENNEKAMP-CORAL-REEF-STATE-PARK-CONCESSION

Beauty Hacks from Backstage at Miami Swim Week

0
0

We caught up with the beauty experts behind our favorite runway looks at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim to get their indispensable tips for summer hair, makeup, and nails. 

TRESemmé hair look at Gottex show.

Perfect summer curls at the Gottex show

Summer Curls Without Frizz 

Even at Swim Week, stylists encountered the same hair problems we all experience in Miami: flat locks and frizz. With a little trial and error, Mario Silvestri, cofounder of Junior & Hatter (2750 N.W. Third Ave. Wynwood, 305-571-8361) and lead stylist for Living Proof, came up with a solution that "held up on the hot runway.”

"On dry hair, I used the mousse to slightly moisten each section before I ironed it,” he told us. “Not only did it hold better, but it ultimately created a fuller and springier curl."

    Sleek Hair How-To

    TRESemmé stylist Tyler Laswell had an entirely different approach for Swim Week hair. Instead of fighting the endless battle against flyaways, he went with a "sleek, wet look." Here's how it's done:

    1. "Start by slipping an extra-wide black elastic headband on, leaving it around your neck."
    2. "Apply a generous amount of TRES Two Extra Firm Control Gel and tightly comb the top section back, behind the ears."
    3. "Here is the hack: slip the headband on to hold the hair in place while it drys. Then use your defuser to dry the top section of hair.
    4. "Once dry, remove the headband and you will have your very own sexy, slicked-back look.”

    Suboo Miami Swim Week makeup

    The hair-and-makeup frenzy backstage at Suboo 

    Makeup on Double Duty 

    The sexy, effortless look at the Suboo runway presentation was easy to achieve because two products did double duty. Sacha Selhi, lead makeup artist at Vincent Longo, told us how:

    1. Put a touch of a two-in-one gel stain, like the brand's Lip and Cheek Gel Stain in Sweet Apollonia, onto cheeks and lips for a healthy glow.
    2. Dab a little Water Canvas Highlighter in Mermaid Muse onto the brow bone, into the center of the forehead, and down the bridge of the nose and into the bow of the lip. "It really makes the lips look sexy and full," Selhi said. 

    Suboo Miami Swim Week nail

    Bright nails backstage at Suboo 

    Chip-Free Nails 

    Zoya Creative Director Rebecca Isa knows the ins and outs of nail polish. Here, her tips for a chip- and bubble-free at-home mani that lasts: 

    1. Start with a clean, dry nail by using Remove + to take off old polish and clean the nail bed. "Even if nails are already bare, swipe a cotton pad soaked with Remove + over the nail prior to painting to remove any trace of particles or oils," she said. 
    2. All nails need a base coat, even if they're in great shape. If your nails have ridges or a rough surface, apply a smoothing base like Get Even
    3. Allow the base to fully dry before applying color. 

    Did you know that different nail polish formulas dry at different rates? “This is why you may have noticed that some polishes shrink or dent when you mix brands," Isa said, and added that, no matter the brand, reapply a trusted top coat every other day to prolong polish. 

    Where to Eat on National Oyster Day

    0
    0

    August 5 is National Oyster Day, and these Miami restaurants are serving the summer delicacy just the way you like it: fresh, briny, and with a cocktail.

    Oysters at Devon Seafood and Steak.

    Devon Seafood + Steak: now serving oysters after work. 

    Just in time for National Oyster Day, Devon Seafood + Steak has added the One Buck Shuck to its weekday happy hour menu. Patrons can choose from six different oyster options handpicked nightly by Executive Chef Scott Barrow, with rotating selections like Hood Canals from Washington, Foley Blue Points from Long Island, and Fanny Bay Miyagis from British Columbia. 11715 Sherri Lane, Miami, 305-275-0226

    Swing by the bar at Meat Market for all-day oyster specials on Tuesday. Go for the Drunken Oyster Shooter after work—it's a mix of Hangar 1 Vodka, cilantro, tomato, and jalapeño with truffle salt on the rim. Diners can also opt for oysters by the piece served with yuzu truffle mignonette, atomic horseradish, habanero cocktail sauce, or another creative topping. 915 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, 305-532-0088

    The Design District's Oak Tavern is toasting National Oyster Day with exclusively priced wood-roasted oysters all day, and hand-shucked oysters during happy hour. While you're there, try the restaurant's signature iced Kumamoto and Wellfleet oysters. 35 N.E. 40th St., Miami, 786-391-1818

    Oyster sandwich sliders at The Dutch.

    Oyster sandwiches at The Dutch

    One of The Dutch's signature snacks puts a Southern spin on oysters—inside sandwich sliders. Try one in honor of National Oyster Day; you won't regret your first bite into the brioche bun filled with fried oysters and pickled okra sauce. 2201 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-938-3111

    At SHIKANY, oysters are paired with bacon in Chef Michael Shikany's panko-dusted fried oyster dish served on top of chili-ginger steak tartare with bacon tupelo honey gastrique and crispy chard. The sweet and spicy entrée is part of the three-course Miami Spice dinner menu, available Tuesday-Saturday. 251 N.W. 25th St., Miami, 305-573-0690

    Stop at one of Midtown's favorite raw bars, SUGARCANE raw bar grillfor happy hour, when East and West Coast oysters, as well as pitchers of sangria, are available at special prices. If you miss happy hour, choose seasonal oysters from SUGARCANE's blackboard selection or get a true indulgence: the shellfish tower—it is a holiday, after all. 3252 N.E. First Ave., 786-369-0353

    5 Girls Spa Day Ideas for Miami Spa Month

    0
    0

    Gather a group of girlfriends and spend the day at one of these beauty destinations offering specials for Miami Spa Month

    myspa relaxation room

    The relaxation room at mySpa.

    Throughout August, mySpa at the InterContinental Miami is adding one of its signature treatments to the Spa Month menu: the 80-minute Urban Warrior. Perfect for your girlfriends who've been feeling stressed lately, the treatment uses methods that once helped heal ancient Thai and Hawaiian warriors, like steamed herbal compresses to combat muscle tension and a mixture of lomilomi massage and Thai stretching to leave you feeling rejuvenated. 100 Chopin Plaza, Miami, 305-372-4444

    Take a personal day from work and head to Lapis, the Spa at Fontainebleau for a workday special available Monday-Thursday. Our pick is the 90-minute Take a Load Off My Back Massage with an Organic Renewal Facial and Lapis Mineral Soak. The treatment starts with a 25-minute deep tissue massage to get the kinks out before moving on to a 25-minute facial with vegan products (sans gluten, parabens, or nut oils). End the experience with a mineral soak and join your friends at La Cote for the spa lunch special. 4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-674-4772

    There's nothing like girl talk over a good mani and pedi, and ELLE Spa at Eden Roc Miami Beach has the perfect package. The 105-minute ELLE Signature Manicure and Pedicure hydrates and softens your skin with a custom blend of warmed avocado oil, pomegranate extract, and essential oils like verbena, mandarin, and jasmine. After your treatment, take advantage of the spa’s amenities and head to the sauna, eucalyptus steam room, or sensory shower. 4525 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-674-5585

    Related: The most luxurious treatments available during Spa Month>>

    If your group is looking to stock up on spa products while indulging in a treatment, book the Sheer Bliss: Spa and Shop treatment at Bliss Spa at W South Beach. The 75-minute treatment is a body buff that exfoliates and smooths skin and includes a carrot mulch and hot oil rubdown, a warm milk and honey drizzle, a wrap, and a sesame seed and sea salt scrub, ending with a Vichy shower. After getting pampered, go for a Bliss product shopping spree (included in the special) with the girls. 2201 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-938-3123

    Join a friend at The Spa at The Setai by THÉMAÉ for a 60-minute Asian Fusion Massage for Two that uses the Paris-based brand's products crafted from four types of tea. Relax in one of the spa suites with a calming treatment that targets built-up tension. The massage ends with a gift for both of you: a bottle of Gold Shimmering Dry Oil to give your skin a healthy glow. 2001 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-520-6900 

    Plan a Miami Staycation That Feels Like the South of France

    0
    0

    If you can't squeeze in a last-minute trip to Saint-Tropez or the like, soak up the end of summer with a French-inspired Miami staycation.

    Casa Tua

    French-inspired relaxation awaits at Casa Tua. 

    STAY: Tucked away in South Beach, Casa Tua feels worlds away from the hustle and bustle on Collins Avenue. Settle into the Mediterranean-style villa containing just five suites—all stocked with furniture and amenities from all over the world, including Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France, near Monaco. 1700 James Ave., Miami Beach, 305-673-1010

    RELAX: Book a spa day at The Ritz-Carlton Spa, South Beach with a La Maison de Beauté Carita treatment like the Carita Le Renovateur Body Polish, which is part of Miami Spa Month. Using sunflower seeds from France in an exfoliating serum, you'll receive a massage that smooths your skin's imperfections. One Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach, 786-276-4000

    Outdoor dining at Villa Azur.

    Outdoor dining at Villa Azur 

    EAT: At Villa Azur, diners can indulge in a French Mediterranean Miami Spice menu crafted by Chef Erwin Mallet and pastry chef Sébastien Feneyrol. Dinner is a choice of roasted red snapper with tapenade and basil, or lamb chop with garlic confit and thyme juice, ending on a citrusy sweet note with a lime and raspberry éclair. 309 23rd St., Miami Beach, 305-763-8688

    Originally from the South of France, Executive Chef Mathias Gervais at The Restaurant at The Setai is also whipping up a Miami Spice menu inspired by Europe's Sun Coast. Though the menu changes every two weeks, we hope you'll get a taste of the lamb tajine entrée with slow-braised lamb shoulder, zaalouk eggplant, and Moroccan harissa, or the chocolate chaud-froid with crispy pralines and salted caramel ice cream. 2001 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-520-6000

    Nikki Beach

    The champagne is flowing at Nikki Beach. 

    DO: Cozy up in a cabana at the South of France-inspired Nikki Beach Miami. On Sundays, soak up the sun while enjoying brunch from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. One Ocean Dr., Miami Beach, 305-538-1111

    Or, head to the National Hotel Miami Beach, whose sister hotel is the luxe Hotel de Paris in St. Tropez, for a beach bar that transports you to Southern France. 1677 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-532-2311

    PARTY: Inspired by its sister club in Cannes, Bâoli Miami offers a taste of the Riviera in South Beach. If your staycation is a girls' getaway, swing by the weekly dinner party dubbed My Boyfriend is Out of Town, with DJ SUB Z3RO spinning on select dates. 1906 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-674-8822

    PHOTOGRAPHY VIA CASA TUA; VILLAAZURMIAMI.COMFACEBOOK.COM/NIKKIBEACHMIAMI

    10 Satchels to Brighten Your Look

    0
    0

    Top designers continue to reimagine the satchel—this summer they're shrinking down the classic bag and adding a burst of color. Here, 10 of the brightest satchels that'll instantly upgrade your daily look. 

    Bright purple Coach bag.

    Coach Bleecker Mini Brooklyn Messenger Bag in Pebbled Leather ($298). Aventura Mall, 19501 Biscayne Blvd., 305-935-7549

    Coral pink mini satchel.

    Mark Cross Mini Scottie Satchel ($2,295). Barneys New York, 832 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-421-2010

    Sky blue mini satchel.

    Versace Small Signature Bag ($1,950). Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave., 305-864-0044

    Two-tone aqua green mini satchel.

    Prada Saffiano Bicolor Small Flap Crossbody Bag ($1,630). Neiman Marcus, Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave., 305-993-4620

    Diane von Furstenberg bag.

    Diane von Furstenberg Sutra Micro Mini Mixed Leather Crossbody Bag ($150). Village of Merrick Park, 320 San Lorenzo Ave., Coral Gables, 305-446-4003

    blue metallic mini satchel.

    3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli Crossbody Satchel ($825). Scoop NYC, Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave., 786-304-2600

    Floral satchel.

    Dolce & Gabbana Miss Sicily Satchel Bag ($1,895). Neiman Marcus, Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave., 305-993-4620

    Bright green Michael Kors mini satchel.

    Michael Michael Kors Hamilton Mini Saffiano-Leather Satchel ($168). Saks Fifth Avenue, Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave., 305-865-1100

    Red Tory Burch mini satchel.

    Tory Burch Mini Harper ($350). Nordstrom, 4310 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Coral Gables, 786-999-1313

    Hot pink mini satchel.

    Jimmy Choo Rebel Jazzberry Patent Leather with Suede Cross Body Bag ($995). Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave., 305-864-3656

    This Summer's Best Dive Watches

    0
    0

    The world’s finest watchmakers plumb the depths of Miami’s devotion to deep-water exploration with a series of functional yet fashionable dive watches.

    cartier
    New from Cartier, this bold 42mm Calibre de Cartier Diver ($28,100) is crafted in 18k pink gold and offered on a rubber strap. Not only does it look good, but it is also highly functional. It houses the self-winding Manufacture Calibre 1904 MC, with small seconds and calendar, and is water-resistant to 300 meters. The ADLC unidirectional bezel and sword-shaped hands and markers coated with Super-LumiNova enable easy underwater reading. 151 NE 40th St., Miami, 305-864-8793

    One of the fastest-growing sports around the globe is scuba diving. As people look for adventure and enlightening experiences, the concept of mingling with marine life and experiencing a world that is both beautiful and foreign becomes ever more appealing. Recognizing this desire to explore new frontiers, luxury watchmakers have begun offering timepieces suitable to the depths.

    A dive watch should be water-resistant to at least a diver’s International Organization for Standardization (ISO) rating of 200 meters, with 300 meters and greater being preferred. Additionally, it should be easily readable and include features such as a unidirectional bezel, antireflective crystals, Super-LumiNova hands and markers, and interchangeable or expandable bracelets for use over wetsuits. Often these timepieces are COSC-certified (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres, the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute) chronometers, tested over a specified length of time for ruggedness and durability under a variety of conditions. Deep-dive watches that go 300 meters and deeper also offer helium escape valves. If you plan to take to the waters, you may want to explore these six watches that take the necessary factors into consideration.

    rolex watchThis Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner Date watch ($34,250) is a 40mm 18k yellow gold professional instrument. The 31-jeweled COSC-certified chronometer is water-resistant to 1,000 feet. It features a rotating blue ceramic bezel and is fitted with an Oyster Glidelock bracelet. 135 NE 39th St., Miami, 305-576-5391

    breitling watchThis Breitling Avenger II Seawolf with a Cobra yellow dial and Diver Pro III strap ($3,825) is designed to withstand shock. Lateral reinforcements protect the large screw-locked crown, and its antiglare-coated crystal and large hands and markers with luminescent coating make it extremely functional. It is a COSC-certified chronometer and water-resistant to 3,000 meters. Aventura Mall, 19501 Biscayne Blvd., 305-935-9350

    tudor watch
    From Tudor, this self-winding mechanical Heritage Black Bay watch ($3,100) is the newest addition to the Heritage collection, inspired by a diving model the brand first introduced in 1954. The 41mm watch features the historic “snowflake” hands that are legible under water, and it is water-resistant to 200 meters. Like all models in the Heritage line, it comes with two bracelets or straps: an adjustable blue fabric strap with a sophisticated weave and a choice of either a midnight-blue distressed leather strap matching the bezel or a satin-finished and polished steel bracelet. Both come with a folding clasp. Mayors, 1000 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, 305-672-1662

    ulysse nardin
    From Ulysse Nardin, this Marine Diver watch ($22,200) is crafted in titanium and gold with a rubber strap. The 45mm watch houses the UN-26 self-winding caliber with 28 jewels and powerreserve indicator. It features luminescent hands and markers and is a COSC-certified chronometer. It is water-resistant to 200 meters. Aventura Mall, 19501 Biscayne Blvd., 305-830-1786

    audemars piguet watchThe new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver ($19,000) is crafted in stainless steel with a 42mm case, glare-proof sapphire crystal, screw-locked crown, and rubber strap. Highly functional, the self-winding watch offers luminescent hands and markers and dive scale on an inner rotating ring that is activated via a unidirectional click mechanism. The watch is water-resistant to 300 meters. Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave., 305-864-6776


    Dr. Jesse Sandhu’s Hangover Cure

    0
    0

    Chasing wellness or recovering from last night’s fun gets an IV boost from Dr. Jesse Sandhu’sVitaSquad.

    Dr. Jesse Sandhu
    VitaSquad’s Dr. Jesse Sandhu helps pump up weary Miamians with vitamin infusions.

    The new Miami is not unlike the old Miami—we still love to party, spend days in the sun, and care about our bodies. But in this new incarnation, we don’t have the time to recover from our own high-demand lifestyles. Thankfully, there’s VitaSquad, a mobile service that uses intravenous nutritional therapy to deliver vitamins directly into the bloodstream. “We get vitamins from a compounding pharmacy, and then we combine them with saline bags used in hospitals,” says VitaSquad’s medical director, Dr. Jesse Sandhu. “Vitamins such as B-12 (which increases metabolism) and vitamin C are injected and bypass your digestive tract, so those vitamins are immediately and 100 percent available for use.”

    A graduate of the University of Michigan and Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center & Sinai-Grace Hospital, Dr. Sandhu spent the last decade practicing medicine in various ERs around Miami before landing at Baptist Hospital. “IV therapy isn’t something new, but the accessibility is,” he says. “During my residency, [doctors] would be able to take an IV if you drank a little too much the night before. That’s how I found out about the benefits [and saw] firsthand what it can do.”

    Only about 50 percent of users are looking to recover from last night’s debacle. “We actually promote the other side of IV therapy: wellness,” says Dr. Sandhu. For example, VitaSquad’s Liquid Immunity has the vitamin C equivalent of 10 cups of orange juice.

    While you can walk in and get hooked up in VitaSquad’s tranquil IV room at Pure Pharmacy in South Beach, the advantage is that the service can also come to you. Their mobile crew can deliver bags of VitaHydrate (curing the worst of hangovers) or VitaLuv (“enhance your night with that special someone”) to your office, home, or beach chair. Those entertaining a larger group or stumbling out of a club should keep an eye out for the VitaSquad RV, which handles more volume, as it did during Miami’s Ultra Music Festival. “We did over 500 IVs in about 10 days,” Dr. Sandhu says.

    And while athletes from the NBA and NFL are also using VitaSquad, it can give “regular Joes” an edge in the gym, too. “I tell my patients to go to the gym and time yourself running your best mile, and then a couple of days later, take an IV and run the same mile,” says Dr. Sandhu. “You’ll shave about 30 seconds off of your time. It’s because your endurance goes up and the blood flow to your muscles is better.”

    Of course, Miami isn’t the only city lining up to get infused. “We’re starting to get international interest,” says Dr. Sandhu. “Miami is the perfect place for this to launch, but the sky is the limit.” 959 West Ave., Miami Beach, 855-464-8778

    Is South Beach the New NYC?

    0
    0

    For a New York-based development organization and a multi-market luxury broker, it’s easy to see why South Beach is where New Yorkers are settling.

    Pietro Belmonte and Michael Tillman
    PietroBelmonte and Michael Tillman at the new 1 Hotel & Homes South Beach.

    A new wave of New York buyers and developers are hitting Miami. Michael Tillman, director of Florida development and acquisitions at LeFrak, a privately held group of real estate companies, and PietroBelmonte, associate broker at real estate firm Douglas Elliman, discuss why, with only the sand in mind, these new players are buying up South Beach.

    Michael Tillman: When people come here, their natural attention is to the Beach. Most heads of the companies know the Beach. It’s a proven entity, and even in the cyclicality, it has remained relatively stable and is the first to grow again. There is more and more interest from New York developers who want to start platforms down here. It’s saying something different for the South Florida market. When developers at the [level] of LeFrak start showing up, they expect certain infrastructure developments to be happening, which you’re seeing. Those were necessary to attract the attention of bigger guys.
    PietroBelmonte: We started seeing New York [buyers] coming down before it was a tough market. It’s a trend that’s been happening for the last two years.

    MT: New York has made a huge presence, and it’s a different kind of money. It’s not necessarily capital that’s looking to get into the safety of the shore of the United States. This is a second house, a third, fifth, sixth.
    PB: They’re seeing an opportunity—who else is going to think $2,500 a square foot is a screaming deal? This is a bargain, and they want to be on the sand.

    1 Hotel & Homes
    1 Hotel & Homes offers floor-to-ceiling-glass end units, a restaurant by star chef Tom Colicchio, and access to the beach.

    MT: The buyer who’s coming down wants to be on the beach, so we did something very creative [at 1 Hotel & Homes South Beach]. We took the concrete wall off the eastern end, and it is glass from floor to ceiling. Those end-cap units are our units in most demand. They’re two and three bedrooms, going at around $2,200 per square foot. We have 156 condos and we’ve sold about 60, and 30 percent of sales are from the Northeast.
    PB: Before, developers were like, “How many Brazilians do you know? How many Venezuelans?” Now it’s, “Who’s connected to New York?” I sold real estate in New York City for 10 years prior to coming down to Miami. I personally get two to three referrals from my New York office per week. To them, Miami is interesting because the top restaurants from New York are coming down here.

    MT: You have the same chefs popping up here. One of the biggest chefs in New York, Tom Colicchio, is doing his first restaurant in Miami here at 1 Hotel & Homes. Then you have the culture, the vibrancy of South Beach, and, most importantly, the pedestrian nature of this city. New Yorkers love that.
    PB: For New Yorkers, it’s convenience. Like you said, they don’t want to drive. They want easy access to everything, with a sophisticated attitude. They want the building with the amenities. You guys really hit every target [with 1 Hotel & Homes]—its location, Tom Colicchio, access to the ocean. That’s why you’re getting all these New Yorkers. 1 Hotel & Homes South Beach, 2399 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-361-5100; Pietro Belmonte, 135 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach, 305-335-1981

    Why Miami's Billionaires Are Staying Put

    0
    0

    No longer a resort stop on the way to or back from the rest of the world, Miami is becoming the go-to destination for the world’s wealth.

    Wealthy Miami

    Miami as a millionaire’s playground? Been there, done that, got the tuxedo. That was the Miami of the 1930s through the 1950s, culminating in the years when Dean, Sammy, Frank, and the rest of the Rat Pack made Miami Beach clubs like Copa City and the iconic Fontainebleau hotel a part of their lives.

    Fast-forward five decades and the wheel has come full circle. This time around, however, Miami—and Miami Beach, in particular—isn’t just appealing to plain-vanilla, single-digit millionaires; it’s an elite group of billionaires who have rediscovered the city. Instead of just dropping in once or twice a year for a few days to see what’s happening at Art Basel Miami Beach and catch up with friends, they’re looking about, liking what they see, and deciding to stick around for a bit longer. They fly into town in their private jets, using one of four South Florida private jet-landing airports, then book a suite at whatever happens to be the hotel of the moment, and perhaps drop $20,000 to rent a Lamborghini Aventador to drive around South Beach.

    While in town, they realize that not only is the weather fabulous, the beach great, and the club scene exciting (none of this has been in doubt), but also that their favorite restaurants are now to be found in Miami, just as they are in New York (Wolfgang’s, Cipriani) or London (Zuma, Nobu). They can find the same stores that they do in Paris or Hong Kong as well as perhaps even some special items they can’t source elsewhere. Here in Miami, the cultural life is increasingly vibrant—a new symphony hall, a new art museum—and yet there’s a laid-back vibe that many other big cities simply can’t offer. So, why not buy a condo—or two or three? And art and furniture? And a car that’s always gassed up (or in the case of the many Teslas down here, charged up) and ready for you.

    The ranks of the world’s ultrawealthy have decided to admit Miami to the list of their favorite cities, boosting it to number seven—ahead of Paris and Dubai—in this year’s annual survey by Knight Frank, a London real estate consulting firm, up from eighth place in 2013. (London and New York constantly jostle for first and second position; Miami is the only other US city to make this year’s list.) It’s the quality of life that this elite group really loves, ranking Miami fourth on that criterion. For them, it’s no longer enough merely to be birds of passage, as they are in so many other cities worldwide; they want to stick around.

    The results can be seen most readily in the frenzy of ultra luxury waterfront condo construction activity. Consider, for instance, the 60-story Porsche Design Tower Miami in Sunny Isles Beach. Already 85 percent sold, the condos, whose price tags start at $6.1 million and range as high as $32.5 million, reportedly count some two dozen billionaires among the buyers. Those moving in will join the likes of MickyArison, Norman Braman, Jorge Pérez, Edward Lampert, and a handful of other billionaires who have called Miami home for decades. As of 2013, there were approximately 24 billionaires living in South Florida (not including the many mysterious international billionaires who often go unnamed in megaresidential purchases).

    For the ultrawealthy, the prices in the Porsche Tower could look downright modest compared to Manhattan, where iconic apartments like those at 15 Central Park West might start at the high end of that range. At the Porsche Design Tower, when the billionaires take residence in early 2016, they will get plunge pools and summer kitchens on their 15-foot-deep terraces, private wine lockers, an oceanfront ballroom, a car concierge, and yes, car elevators allowing them to park their actual Porsches (or Jaguars or Lamborghinis) in sky garages adjacent to their condos.

    Single-and double-digit billionaires are lining up to sign on the dotted line to purchase these and other ultraluxury homes. Goldman Sachs Group CEO Lloyd Blankfein snapped up a Miami home for himself and his family at the $1 billion Faena Miami Beach. When he’s at the RemKoolhaas–designed arts center, he’ll be able to swap Wall Street gossip with Leon Black, the billionaire founder of Apollo Global Management. Maybe Black will choose to hang his recently purchased $120 million pastel version of Edvard Munch’s The Scream on the walls of his new Miami home. “Miami has grown up,” says Richard LeFrak, a New York–based real estate developer with properties around the globe. “It was Grandma’s place to go for a vacation, and then it became a fun mecca for the really young crowd.”

    luxury car
    Last year The Collection, a luxury car dealer in Miami, had its best year to date, with $428 million in sales.

    Now, in contrast, LeFrak says, there’s something for everyone. “My wife is a composer; she loves the Frank Gehry–designed concert hall,” which opened in 2011 and is home to the New World Symphony. LeFrak’s name is intimately associated with the New York real estate scene—so much so that LeFrak City, a Queens apartment complex, is a city landmark. But that hasn’t stopped him from spending more and more time in Miami, a trend that began when he started working on the recapitalization of a troubled bank in 2009. Before long, he found himself as an investor in another financial institution and, as a result, owning a large inventory of unsold condos in Miami. “The world was yelling that this was a 20-year supply, a glut on the market, and we had real-time information that this was nonsense, that buyers were coming up from Latin America and literally inhaling them.”

    LeFrak remains a die-hard New Yorker, but the amount of time he has spent in Miami has doubled, to about six weeks a year, and he now owns four condos in the city. He’s been spotted everywhere, from celebrating 1 Hotel & Homes (a coproduction with Barry Sternlicht, chairman of Starwood Capital Group) to dinner at Bâoli. Would he move here permanently? “I could,” he says, slowly. “A lot of my friends are thinking about Miami; they say it’s different than it was or than they thought. More and more, they’re willing to plant a stake in the ground.”

    The more members of the affluent crowd who make the move, the more follow. That’s the kind of chain reaction that LeFrak and others say is spurring the current real estate boom. “People like to be around their peers,” says Don Peebles (net worth: $350 million), CEO of a privately held, multibillion-dollar portfolio of real estate investments and developments. “Increasingly, that happens in Miami.”

    One of Peebles’s own real estate development partners is Steve Witkoff, CEO of The Witkoff Group, which has a portfolio of residential and industrial real estate. “Our offices are 10 blocks apart in Manhattan, but I see him more in Miami than I do there,” Peebles adds.

    Indeed, wanting to hang around with fellow citizens of what journalist and author Robert Frank dubbed “Richistan” is one of the characteristics that distinguishes the world’s 1,600 or so billionaires and its slightly larger group of those able to boast of a net worth in the seven or eight figures. If you have a private jet and use it to hop from art fairs to business meetings to fashion shows, dropping in periodically at one of the four or five homes you may own worldwide, it’s tough to mingle with the hoipolloi. Only that tiny circle of peers really understands your world. And if a growing number of those peers are choosing to spend more of their time in Miami, shopping in the Design District or BalHarbour (whose stores generate more in sales per square foot than any other mall in the world), then you want to be there too.

    It also makes sense economically. Florida is the ultimate in tax-friendly states: no personal state income tax to pay and no state inheritance tax. “Not only is it a great place to live, it’s also a great place to die,” quips Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine. And as long as you’re living, odds are you can do so more inexpensively—even at the ultraluxury end of the spectrum—than you could anywhere else on that Knight Frank list.

    Art Fair #2, by Eric Fischl, 2013, Mary Boone Gallery.
    Art Fair #2, by Eric Fischl, 2013, Mary Boone Gallery.

    Peebles, who built his fortune doing business in Washington, DC, rattles off the numbers. Buying a condo in a top New York building will cost you $5,000 per square foot; in an ultraluxury apartment, you’ll pay $13,000 per square foot. In Miami? Those figures are closer to $1,000 and $6,500, respectively. “It’s tough to pay more than that,” says Peebles. And in Miami, you get oceanfront views; in New York, if you want ocean, you have to venture out to the Hamptons, where lots on the waterfront start at $30 million for houses that most owners will only use a few months of the year. “A friend of mine paid $100 million for the lot alone—and then he had to build the house,” says Peebles, whose latest Miami venture, The Bath Club Estates—13 ultra luxury, customizable residences priced at $10 million to $55 million—are a bargain in comparison. He points out that in the same time it takes him to make the arduous weekend drive out to his Bridgehampton house from Manhattan, he can hop on his jet and travel all the way down to Miami.

    While Peebles’s target audience is domestic, those bargains are equally compelling to buyers from Europe. Miami also offers a way for ultrawealthy citizens from Russia, China, and Latin America to hedge some of their bets on their still-emerging local economies. As EdgardoDefortuna pointed out, when he first moved to Miami from Buenos Aires three decades ago, it wasn’t just exciting, but safe—he could drive his sports car down the highway without worrying about kidnappers. And that global twist to the tale may mark the biggest change since the last time Miami was this hot, back in the aforementioned Rat Pack days. “If Brazil is booming and Venezuela collapses, Miami benefits,” says Mayor Levine. “If Venezuela suddenly explodes, and Brazil goes south, we’d benefit as wealthy Brazilians choose to come to Miami.”

    All that movement is spilling over into consumption, especially during the height of the billionaire season: Art Basel Miami Beach in early December. That’s when the jewelry and watch stores at BalHarbour, always flush with one-of-a-kind items, fly in their priciest and choicest offerings from elsewhere in the world to tempt buyers. And unsurprisingly, that’s when top-tier luxury buildings make their most subtle and most convincing pitches to those who come for the art and decide to stick around for the lifestyle. “We try to entertain them, to show them the possibilities,” says Defortuna, “because they’re coming more often, staying for weeks at a time, and they know that trying to get a hotel for Art Basel is almost impossible. They can buy without having to worry about it; they can make another base here, whether or not they ever decide to relocate.”

    Another element that has helped make Miami so appealing to the ultrawealthy today is its diversity. As real estate prices soar, diversity can all too easily evaporate. “If this became a homogeneous society of wealthy people, it wouldn’t be very appealing,” says Mayor Levine, who is focused on improving public-transportation links, “workforce housing” initiatives, and developing subsidized office spaces lining a park near Miami Beach’s new convention center that entrepreneurs can rent inexpensively while they’re developing new business ideas.

    However sunny the weather, the horizon isn’t without its clouds. There’s a hangover effect of the “Occupy” movement and the 2012 presidential election debate, in which the growing national wealth gap emerged as a topic of contention. With the Miami City Commission’s decision to give the green light to a $600 million project that would include berths for billionaires’ superyachts, Miami Herald columnist Fred Grimm vented his wrath, arguing that Miami seems to exist only to solve “rich guy travails” like trying to “parallel park a 150-foot yacht” as “we fawn, we grovel, we see to the whims of the super rich.”

    That’s one argument. Another is that to the extent that these ultrawealthy individuals put down roots and invest in the community, what we’re witnessing today could just be the earliest stages of a far more dramatic and long-lasting transformation of Miami into another London or Hong Kong. “The Miami of 10 years ago doesn’t resemble what is here today,” argues LeFrak. “A decade from now, it will be radically different again.”

    Where Miami Locals Find Authentic South American Food

    0
    0

    Where Miami’s South American residents dine for a real taste of home.

    It’s no coincidence that South American restaurants are now widespread in Miami. Nearly half of all South America–born immigrants live in one of two US metropolitan cities: New York or Miami. Hundreds of thousands of transplants—mostly from Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru—account for more than 20 percent of the overall immigrant population in the Latin-centric melting pot that is Miami. Here, we look to find out where they eat when they crave a taste of home.

    EvelinyBastos-Klein, President, EBK Public Relations

    Home country: Brazil
    Favorite Brazilian restaurant in Miami:Boteco

    Eveliny Bastos-Klein
    PR pro EvelinyBastos-Klein can’t resist the Brazilian food at Boteco.

    At Boteco, a small and always-packed restaurant and bar, Bastos-Klein travels back in time to her childhood on the breathtaking sands of São Paulo. “As a country of immigrants, Brazil has a varied cuisine that incorporates elements of many cultures and the abundant local flavors, which I love the most,” says Bastos-Klein, who visits Boteco (Portuguese for “hole in the wall”) on Friday nights for savory dishes, live music, dancing, and caipirinha de frutas (refreshing cocktails made with Lebloncachaca and mixed fruit). The camaraoalhoe oleo (sautéed shrimp with olive oil, garlic, and fresh parsley) is identical to what’s served at her beloved Brazilian beach shacks, and she says she can’t resist the picanha (top sirloin cap steak) sprinkled with farofa (a crispy condiment made from toasted cassava flour). Boteco, 916 NE 79th St., Miami, 305-757-7735

    Nick Garcia, Commercial Photographer

    Home country: Colombia
    Favorite Colombian restaurants in Miami:Narcobollo and La Estacion Cafe

     Narcobollo’s mojarra with coconut rice and patacones
    Nick Garcia favors Colombian food like Narcobollo’smojarra with coconut rice and patacones.

    Garcia has lived in Miami for 20 years, but he says a love of Colombian food still runs through his veins. Lucky for him, there are two restaurants in town specializing in his favorites: La Estacion Cafe in Brickell and Narcobollo in Doral. Colombian food, he explains, can be very diverse, as the country’s cuisine is divided by geographical regions. In Baranquilla, his home on the northern coast, the food is dubbed “costena,” and classic street food reigns, including arepas de huevo (fried corn cakes with soft-cooked eggs), caribanolas (yucca empanadas stuffed with cheese), quibes—sometimes called kibbe—(torpedo-shaped fried bulgur stuffed with minced meat), and chicharrones (deep-fried, bone-in pork belly). For a memorable main dish, Garcia reaches for mojarra (fish such as tilapia) with coconut rice and patacones (tostones, or fried plantain slices). “These restaurants are very relaxed and laid-back,” says Garcia. “You don’t need to dress up or make reservations; it feels almost like visiting family.” Narcobollo, 2557 NW 79th Ave., Doral, 305-597-7722; La Estacion Cafe, 1390 Brickell Ave., Ste. 100, Miami, 305-539-7465

    AgustinaWoodgate, Visual Artist

    Home country: Argentina
    Favorite Argentinean restaurant in Miami:Lo de Lea Argentinean Grill

    Lo de Lea Argentinean Grill
    AgustinaWoodgate, a visual artist, enjoys Sunday dinner at the cozy, homelike Lo de Lea Argentinean Grill.

    On Sundays, this rising star in the art world calls her brother and makes plans for dinner at Lo de Lea, a charming house-like structure in Miami’s Upper East Side neighborhood. A vegetarian, Woodgate begins with provoleta, a thick piece of grilled provolone cheese served very hot. Then, in lieu of a classic hunk of meat, Lo de Lea’s hearty vegetarian platter comes out of the kitchen with grilled eggplant, squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and, of course, a side of traditional chimichurri (finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, and white or red wine vinegar) for dipping. Woodgate adds a glass of Malbec for a perfect accompaniment. Lo de Lea Argentinian Grill, 7001 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, 305-456-3218

    Daniela Ramirez, Fashion Blogger and Stylist

    Home country: Venezuela
    Favorite Venezuelan restaurants in Miami: La Latina and Doggi’s

    La Latina
    Blogger and stylist Daniela Ramirez gravitates to La Latina when she craves food from her home country, Venezuela.

    Venezuelan Cuisine The Caracas-born fashion blogger didn’t realize how much she loved Venezuelan food until she moved to Miami nearly a decade ago. “Every dish on a Venezuelan menu is completely different from the next, but all have special flavors that remind me of home,” says Ramirez. When nostalgia arises, she leans on her two favorites in Miami: La Latina in Midtown and Doggi’s Venezuelan Cuisine south of Brickell. You can find her in the mornings at La Latina, an arepera, where she’s prompted by memories of her family’s big Sunday brunches, brimming with round flatbreads typically filled with cheese, ham, chicken, or beef. At Doggi’s, Ramirez orders the sweet and savory arepa de pabellon (shredded beef, fried plantains, white rice, and organic queso), combining her cherished arepas with the national dish, pabellon. La Latina, 3509 NE Second Ave., Miami, 305-571-9655; Doggi’s Venezuelan Cuisine, 1246 SW Coral Way, Miami, 305-854-6869

    Spotted: Where Sofia Vergara's Boyfriend Met Her Family

    0
    0

    Find out where the Colombian bombshell of Modern Family introduced her family to boyfriend Joe Manganiello. This and more in this week's celebrity sightings. 

    Actress Sofia Vergara.

    The star was seen around town with her new boyfriend. 

    Sofia Vergara's Family Dinner at Makoto

    Sofia Vergara introduced Joe Manganiello to her family on Saturday, July 26 over dinner at Makoto in Bal Harbour. The table of 12 started dinner at 10 p.m. and stayed past midnight. 

    The next day, Sean Connery went unnoticed as he dined at Makoto with friends. 

    A-Rod's Birthday Dinner at Prime 112

    New York Yankee Alexander Rodriguez celebrated his birthday in the wine room at Prime 112 on Saturday, July 26. He dined with former WWE diva Torrie Wilson and friends. 

    Shaq Dines at Prime Italian

    Across the street from A-Rod, Shaquille O'Neal was spotted enjoying a meal at Prime Italian.

    New Heat Player Parties at FDR

    On August 4, Miami Heat's new forward Luol Deng drank Patrón and Grey Goose and danced with a few friends during FDR at Delano's Monday night party. 

    Jamie Foxx and Timbaland Celebrate at Zuma 

    Jamie Foxx and Timbaland appeared to be celebrating as they entered Zuma's private dining room with friends on July 29. 

    On August 4, Grammy winner Juanes dined at Zuma with his girlfriend. 

    PHOTOGRAPHY VIA DIMITRIOS KAMBOURIS/GETTY

    Viewing all 4825 articles
    Browse latest View live




    Latest Images