Mermaids Swimwear Boutique, South Miami, FL

Suit up at one of Miami’s best swimsuit shops

by Nikki Novo | July 05, 2010

While some people were downing hotdogs on Fourth of July, I was busy checking out swimsuits. If you’ve ever spent time either poolside or on the sands of Miami, you probably noticed that a Target-bought bikini just won’t cut it. When your lounge chair neighbor is Kim Kardashian the competition for a head-turning bikini is only intensified.

One place I consider my go-to for glamorous swimsuits is Mermaids Swimwear Boutique in

Calle Ocho, Miami, FL

A Guide to Miami’s Calle Ocho

by Nikki Novo | July 02, 2010

Some may be waiting for Obama to lift the U.S. embargo act against Cuba, so they can travel to the lost island. But in the meantime, there’s Miami’s Calle Ocho, a salmagundi of cigar shops, art galleries, authentic cuisine and live salsa all dedicated to the homeland of many Miami residents: Cuba.

In the heart of Little Havana, located on Eighth Street between 14th and 17th is where you’ll want to begin your …

Miami International Film Festival, Miami, FL

A Miami Film Festival you won't want to miss

by Nikki Novo | June 28, 2010

The Miami International Film Festival happens once a year in Miami usually during the months of February or March. In its 27th year, the festival has taken a dramatic new position since artistic director Tiziana Finzi took over in 2009. Finzi claims Miami audiences tend to like the same racy, proactive films as do audiences of Venice Film Festival. With that in mind, the festival’s 2010 program included a drama about male prostitution …

Joey’s, Miami, FL

Where to eat in Wynwood

by Nikki Novo | June 25, 2010

While in Miami you may find yourself in the city’s art district known as the Wynwood Arts District. The best (and safest!) night to roam the area is on gallery night, which happens every second Saturday of the month. After you check out the artsy crowd and the many interesting galleries you’re sure to work up an appetite. Unfortunately, there are not too many options, but there is one spot I’d like to share …

Peacock Park, Coconut Grove, FL

An all-day July 4th celebration in Miami

by Nikki Novo | June 21, 2010

Fireworks, apple pie, picnics and booze. What’s not to love about Fourth of July? If your plans find you in Miami on this American holiday know that there is plenty going on through the city—from Pinecrest to Miami Beach. But this year the standout celebration seems to be throughout Coconut Grove.

The day starts off with a traditional July 4^th picnic at The Barnacle Historic State Park at 11am. The family event …

Lou’s Beer Garden, Miami Beach, FL

A Miami Beach garden you’ll like to tend

by Nikki Novo | June 18, 2010

There’s a plethora of spots in Miami Beach to get a frosty beverage, but there aren’t many for the beer connoisseur. Introducing Lou’s Beer Garden, a tropical hideaway tucked behind The New Hotel, a historical boutique hotel in the North Shore of Miami Beach. Categorized as a pub with gourmet food, Lou’s gastro pub takes the term a step further by adding a tropical garden and pool for the relaxation and enjoyment of its guests. …

The Democratic Republic of Beer, Miami, FL

Tap it out at a Downtown Miami brewery

by Nikki Novo | June 14, 2010

As of late, Miami has caught the brew fever. Bars and restaurants selling microbrews have been popping up all around town. One hotspot is The Democratic Republic of Beer, also known as DRB.

Tucked in a corner just off of N.E. 2nd Avenue and right across from the Adrienne Arsht Center, the bar/restaurant serves over 40 dishes (anything from pot stickers to a steak sandwich) and over 500 beers …

George’s in the Grove, Coconut Grove, FL

Dine at a Miami favorite

by Nikki Novo | June 11, 2010

At first glance, George’s in the Grove may seem to posses all the ingredients of a quintessential first date restaurant: French, pricey and an extensive wine list to help break the ice. Yet, quiet, romantic dinners for two aren’t necessarily their specialty.  It has nothing to do with its location on Commodore Plaza, just a stone’s throw from college hangout Mr. Moe’s, nor is it due to a lack of quality food. But …

Doral Golf Resort & Spa, Miami, FL

Golf on the PGA course

by Nikki Novo | June 07, 2010

If you’re into Golf, you’re in luck. Miami is home to the Doral Golf Resort & Spa, which is where the PGA Tour has been held for the past 45 years.

There are 5 championship coursed: The TPC Blue Monster Course, The Great White Course, The Jim McLean Signature Course, The Gold Course and The Red Course. You can learn more about each here, but know that the PGA is …

Habit, Coral Gables, FL

Shop Miami's latest fashions at Habit

by Nikki Novo | June 04, 2010

 After arriving in Miami, you realized your Target-bought bikini and Reebok’s just aren’t going to cut it. Don’t worry; I’ll let you in on a little shopping gem that will have you styling like a local in no time.

Habit is located in Coral Gables just around the corner from Miracle Mile, also known as bride mile. Make sure to bring quarters, because most of the …

Viscaya Museum and Gardens, Miami, FL

This is where you want to host your dream wedding in Miami.

by Nikki Novo | May 31, 2010

I may be a little bias, but when it comes to the best wedding venue in Miami my vote goes to Viscaya Museum and Gardens. I’m really into house weddings, and since Viscaya was someone’s (American industrialist James Deering) home at a point it’s right up my alley. Deering built the house in 1916 to look like a 400-year-old Italian estate with the intentions of using it as his winter residence (talk …

Miami Metrozoo, Miami, FL

A vacation adventure awaits you at Miami Metrozoo.

by Nikki Novo | May 28, 2010

For those of you who think lizards are the only wildlife in Miami, visit Metrozoo and be pleasantly surprised. Located down south, just a few miles north of Homestead, you’ll find the country’s only subtropical zoo, which occupies 740 acres and houses more than 2,000 animals. The exhibits are open-air, which may sound hot, but it’s a great opportunity to see the animals in their natural habitat.

Plus, you can tour the zoo …

Miami Seaquarium, Key Biscayne, FL

Get personal with a Miami killer

by Nikki Novo | May 24, 2010

A lot has changed at the Miami Seaquarium since my middle school field trip days. I remember checking out a few tanks and watching maybe one show when I was a kid. Now, there are four different shows that run throughout the day, featuring dolphins, sea lions and, of course, Lolita the Killer Whale. There’s also a variety of Miami Seaquarium Presentations, which is where visitors can view several sea creatures (think sharks, manatees, …

Agua Spa at Mondrian South Beach, Miami Beach, FL

A Miami spa you won’t want to miss.

by Nikki Novo | May 21, 2010

For those of you that want to take advantage of some spa time while on vacay in Miami, the options are endless. From time to time, I’ll make sure to tell you about the local spas worth visiting. A personal fave is Agua Spa at Mondrian South Beach. Not only is the hotel chic yet cozy, the location is perfect if you’re looking to be on South Beach, but on a quiet street—well, quiet …

Matheson Hammock Park, Miami, FL

Escape the Memorial Day Crowds at this Miami-Dade Park

by Nikki Novo | May 17, 2010

It has happened one too many times: an uniformed traveler innocently plans a trip to South Beach for Memorial Day Weekend. Upon arrival, he realizes he has just stepped into a bad Spring Break movie.

Memorial Day Weekend in South Beach is also known as Urban Beach Weekend. Click here to read about last year’s event. So unless you’re visiting for that specific weekend, I’d recommend staying on the mainland like the locals. …

Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne, Key Biscayne, FL

Miami’s island gem

by Nikki Novo | May 14, 2010

Yesterday, I had one of those days where I thought to myself “my job ain’t too shabby.” It hit me mid-day, when I found myself enjoying freshly made guacamole, these melt-in-your-mouth miniature crab tacos, and an ocean view. I know what you’re thinking “where do you work, and how can I get that job?” Well, I wasn’t actually in my office, but instead on a field trip at The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne.

Although, …

Everglades National Park, Miami

Camping in Miami with a water view

by Nikki Novo | May 10, 2010

Looking for a place to stay in Miami with a water view? Forget the swanky hotels on South Beach; consider a few nights stay at Everglades National Park.

One of two national parks in Miami-Dade County, the subtropical park is the perfect place to experience South Florida’s wildlife and nature—plus a great escape from the hustle and bustle! Visitors can chose from camping in either the front country (accessible by car or RV) …

The Bernice Steinbaum Gallery, Miami, FL

Quilts from Gee's Bend to Cover the Heads of Haiti

by Jen Karetnick | March 03, 2010

All the benefits to help the Haitians after the earthquake, especially here in Miami where we have such a large Haitian population, have been unfailingly generous. But they’ve also been a touch, well, ho-hum. Food, wine, a little more food, a lot more wine, with the ticket proceeds headed toward the island.

Finally, here’s something different to whet our appetites for altruism anew: The Bernice Steinbaum Gallery has announced an auction of …

Travel Guide to Miami

Why You Should Visit Miami

by Jen Karetnick | February 22, 2010

When visitors think about Miami, a.k.a. the Magic City, they usually picture the pastel-perfect Art Deco District. Also known as South Beach, this square mile of historic buildings, designed by such architecture greats as Morris Lapidus and Henry Hohauser, comprises world-class restaurants, exciting nightclubs and lounges, designer boutiques and some of the best people-watching in the country. Plus, South Beach’s most renowned streets—Ocean Drive, Lincoln Road and Collins and Washington avenues—filled with …

Ta•ta•toos, Miami, FL

Decorate Your Bikini Top Line with More Than a Sun Tan

by Jen Karetnick | February 22, 2010

We all know kids love temporary tattoos. Well, now the sexy mamas who make the kids in the first place get to have their fun, too. So appropriate for Miami, where Mamís of all ages wear bikinis in the subtropical sun, Ta•ta•toos are temporary tattoos for your, well, bodacious “ta-tas”, shall we say. But don’t let the name fool you: If Chanel, Rodarte and Jean Paul Gautier, all who sported removable skin art on their …

The 12, Miami, FL

Rock out to the Sequel of Jesus Christ Superstar

by Jen Karetnick | February 22, 2010

If you cut your musical theater teeth on such productions as Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar—or, if you’re among a younger generation, Rent and Spring Awakening—then you will no doubt appreciate the next installment of rock operas: THE 12, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan, with music, lyrics, and story concept by award-winning composer Neil Berg.

THE 12 picks up after Christ is crucified and explores what happens to his disciples—how they carry on his …

Actors’ Playhouse, Coral Gables, FL

One Community, One Play Teaches Us How to Melt

by Jen Karetnick | February 15, 2010

If you want to get a really good idea of what living in Miami might be like—you know, sort of trying it before buying it—head to the the Actors' Playhouse (280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables) from Feb. 18-28. There, you can view the Carbonell Award-winning play MELT, which is set against the backdrop of Miami’s growing skyline, diminishing affordable housing and the necessary interaction of Miami's different cultures. It tells the story of …

Prime Hotel & Lounge, Miami, FL

You Say Mardi Gras, We Say Carnival

by Jen Karetnick | February 15, 2010

What Mardi Gras is to New Orleans, Carnival is to Miami. Our large population of Brazilians ensures that this celebration, taking place this year from February 13-16th, is just as lavish and energetic in South Beach as it is in Rio de Janeiro, with parties and parades galore.

Helping to maintain that spirit—literally—are Cabana Cachaça, local mixologist Ron Hedman and Prime Hotel & Lounge (100 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach, 305-532-0553). Cachaça, made …

Mandarin Oriental, Miami, FL

Bring in the Year of the Tiger with a Roar

by Jen Karetnick | February 15, 2010

It may be the Year of the Tiger according to the Chinese lunar calendar, but at the Mandarin Oriental in Miami, it’ll be the lion shaking his thang at the annual Chinese New Year celebration. Taking place on February 22 from 7-10 pm at the hotel’s Asian waterfront restaurant Café Sambal, the one-night festival offers traditional lion dance performances on the outdoor terrace of the café, which is backed by some of …

Super Bowl, Miami, FL

The Biggest Game in the Hottest City

by Jen Karetnick | February 02, 2010

Call multicultural Miami what you will—the New World Riviera, the Gateway to the Caribbean, Sin City. But what this town really is, at its subtropical, Southernmost heart, is an all-American, football-loving place that needs no excuse for a party, even when our own beloved Dolphins fail to qualify.

Make that dozens of parties, because if there’s anything the Magic City knows how to do in a completely magical way, it’s to produce over-the-top revelry. In fact, …

The Betsy Hotel, Miami, FL

Yes, She Is... Simply Irresistible

by Jen Karetnick | February 01, 2010

I find it impossible not to love the plantation-shuttered Betsy Hotel—and not just because she’s also the name of my sister. This historic British Colonial boutique property on Ocean Drive is subversively romantic. You could walk with your partner into your orchid-hung guest room submerged in the worst argument of your life, but once you spy the four-poster beds dressed with pastel-hued Frette linens, the only thoughts on your mind will be how fast …

The Angler’s Boutique Resort, Miami, FL

Check out the Mediterranean Revival Angles in the Art Deco District

by Jen Karetnick | February 01, 2010

So much about Miami, and South Beach in particular, is new, cutting-edge and trendy that sometimes it’s almost difficult to remember the history here. That’s not the case at The Angler's Boutique Resort, which opened in 2007 as a unique enclave of four renovated Mediterranean Revival buildings and a gorgeous street-side restaurant, 660 at The Angler’s, with romantic banquette seating. The Angler’s was actually the last historic property on South Beach have its …

Lucky Strike Lanes & Lounge, Miami Beach, FL

Exercise Your Arm and Get Your Game On at Lucky Strike Lanes & Lounge

by Jen Karetnick | January 05, 2010

If bowling isn’t high on your list of exercise possibilities, that’s because (we’re only suggesting) you’re still penciling in games at your father’s, or maybe your grandfather’s, bowling alley. We're delighted to inform you that at the 18,000-square-foot Lucky Strike Lanes & Lounge in the heart of South Beach, the game has changed for the better and the fitter. These 14 high-tech lanes, which include neon lights, personalized marquees and mechanical bumpers that can …

Shark Valley, Miami, FL

Bike and Hike Among the Alligators for a Real Subtropical Workout

by Jen Karetnick | January 05, 2010

If you’re looking for somewhere to shave off calories in Miami, there’s always running on the beach. But trust us, you get a lot more exercise when you’re running from something. And the most natural place to do that is at Shark Valley, where it’s not scary prehistoric fish that rule but Florida’s more famous toothy predators: alligators.

In this corner of the Everglades, ‘gators of all sizes, from newborns just slithering from the nest to monster twenty-footers …

W South Beach, Miami, FL

You Can't Wear Out Your Welcome at the W South Beach Hotel

by Jen Karetnick | January 04, 2010

Whether "season" is in full swing or summer is holding sway, the W South Beach, opened in June, 2009, is clearly the place to book your holiday stay. This artful and trend-setting resort, adjacent to the sands of South Beach, is a draw for travelers ranging from parents on the move with small children to celebrities toting tiny Chihuahuas. That's right--this pet-friendly place even makes Fido and Fifi feel right at home. And the comfortable …

Miami Seaquarium, Miami, FL

Seeing Dolphins, Killer Whales—and Santa—at Miami Seaquarium

by Jen Karetnick | January 03, 2010

Sure, Miami Seaquarium is home to seals balancing soccer balls, sea lions blowing kisses and killer whales with names as unlikely as Lolita. It's a wonderful attraction for all ages at any time of year, and swimming with the dolphins here is a irresistible lure. But Miami Seaquarium's got a little extra something during the holiday season that you probably never thought you'd see in Miami: snow.

That's right, the cold white stuff falls every night …

Grass, Miami, FL

On New Year's, Sow Your Oats at Grass Restaurant and Lounge

by Jen Karetnick | January 03, 2010

The question on everybody's lips on this turn of decade is not, "What shall be my resolution?" Instead, it appears that we're all asking, "Are we supposed to call this new year two-thousand-and-ten or twenty-ten?"

Grass, the tiki hut-designed restaurant-cum-nightclub in the Design District that foresaw the region's trend by being among the first to open here, seems the appropriate icon to answer this burning query by throwing a bash named, appropriately enough, "Twenty …

8 oz. Burger Bar, Miami, FL

Bring in the New Year on a Beer-and-Burger Budget; Stay for Gourmet Brunch

by Jen Karetnick | January 03, 2010

Yeah, everyone's kind of broke this year. But stay home on New Year's Eve? That's so 2008—and 2000-late. Especially when you can hit up 8 oz. Burger Bar, "South Beach's Original Burger Joint." Open for 24 hours on New Year's Eve, the neighborhood gourmet burger bar will be featuring its usual renditions of epicurean products, such as Niman Ranch Lamb Burger, Bison Burger, Boar Burger, Short Rib Grilled Cheese, Mini Kobe Corndogs and Truffle …

Holidays at Miami Metrozoo, Miami, FL

During the holiday season, extravagant events light up the lives of humans

by Jen Karetnick | December 28, 2009

Giraffes may have some of the longest necks of any animal in the world, but it’s never more obvious than when said giraffe is comprised of holiday lights. And that’s not the only animal on display in such a celebratory manner at Miami Metrozoo from the end of November throughout December. “Holiday Nights with Wild Lights” presents fluorescent giraffes, bears, monkeys and more every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 7-11 p.m., courtesy of Brandano Displays. Bring …

Santa’s Enchanted Forest, Miami, FL

The Magic City shows off some of the South’s hottest holiday lights—and carnival rides to really make you sweat

by Jen Karetnick | December 28, 2009

If you want to see just how bright 3 million bulbs can be, then Santa’s Enchanted Forest should be your destination. But don’t think you’re about to enter a display of lights built around something primeval and piney here—this is Miami, after all. We’re more about palm and citrus trees, cliché as they might seem to some. And at this annual, holiday-themed carnival, that’s exactly what you’ll see. Except in addition to the real thing, you’ll …