Archive for category Miami South Beach
Miami Polo World Cup 2013
Posted by theluxurylife in Miami South Beach on March 19, 2013
Polo has long been the sport of royalty — an elegant affair played on horseback, it’s an exercise in natural grace as well as the unspoken connection between rider and horse.
While typically played on the grass, Miami Beach’s The Polo Life Club, decided to bring the sport to the natural feature for which the area’s best-known — the beach. In 2004, beach polo first debuted in Miami Beach, and has been growing in popularity every year since.
A beautifully groomed piece of beach makes for an ideal setting to take in the Maserati Miami Beach Polo World Cup. Expect lots of sun, perfect temperatures and plenty of adjacent activities, either right on the beach or in town. Cocktails, live music, great food, fireworks and much more are plentiful at the World Cup — and of course the event will feature some of the world’s best polo players.
Come and see what makes beach polo so unique to South Beach. Take in this incredibly graceful sport and enjoy the weekend-long party.
Our South Beach Luxury Hotel Experts Recommend
Miami Fashion Week in South Beach
Posted by theluxurylife in Cool Hunters, Miami South Beach on February 19, 2013
From March 20th – 24th, Miami will once again be the epicenter of the fashion world, as the best in the business descend on the city for Miami Fashion Week. This year marks the event’s 15th anniversary, and you can be sure there will be plenty to see and do as a result.
Taking place at the Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami Fashion Week places an equal emphasis on American, Latin and international fashion. Designers from across the globe make a point of stopping at Miami Fashion Week every year to show off their lines for the coming seasons.
While attending Miami Fashion Week, be sure to check out the Culinary Style Café, which will be hosting a different celebrity chef cooking up his/her signature dishes every day. The week of events close with the Miami Moda & Music Awards, celebrating everything fashion and music in one incredible evening.
Once the events come to a close, hit South Beach’s shopping districts and pick up some designer threads of your own.
Our South Beach Luxury Hotel Experts Recommend
See our other South Beach Luxury Hotels.
Winter Music Conference in South Beach
Posted by theluxurylife in Cool Hunters, Festivals, Miami South Beach on February 5, 2013
From March 15th – 24th, thousands of artists, producers, labels and more will descend on South Beach for the 28th Annual Winter Music Conference. It’s ten days of non-stop panels, workshops, and parties for fans of electronic dance music (EDM).
If you’ve ever had the urge to learn how to make your own EDM, the Winter Music Conference is the place to be. Some of the industry’s biggest and best names will be on-hand, and can help you learn the ins and outs of creating killer beats and catchy hooks. If you’d rather just sit back and watch the pros in action then check out the DJ spin-off, the VJ Challenge, or peruse the exhibits and try out the latest gear.
Of course a huge component of the Winter Music Conference is the club events and after-parties. With so many artists and producers in town, you can bet South Beach nightclubs will be rocking well into the early hours. The Winter Music Conference has over a dozen sanctioned events already lined up, and you can be sure there will be other parties and after-parties to come. From house music to trance to more mellow vibes, you’ll definitely find something that will fit your groove.
Our South Beach Luxury Hotel Experts Recommend
See all of our South Beach Luxury Hotels.
Where to Stay for the South Beach Wine & Food Festival
Posted by theluxurylife in Food and Wine, Miami South Beach on January 18, 2013
The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE has become one of the country’s biggest and most anticipated culinary events. Bringing together the world’s best chefs, restaurateurs, winemakers, and more, the festival runs from February 21st – 24th, and is a chance to taste what’s hot in the kitchen and the vineyard. Whether you’re interested in technical, sit-down tastings or simply cutting loose with celebrity chefs, great wine and killer food, you’ll love the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. Pick and choose from the dozens of events happening in and around South Beach at some of the area’s hottest spots for dining, drinking and dancing. What kind of events can visitors expect? Among your options: check out Moët Hennessy’s Q After Dark, featuring celeb chef Curtis Stone, and sip champagne while enjoying music and theatrics on the beach. Play a round of golf in the Celebrity Chef Golf Tournament at the pristine Turnberry Isle Resort. Learn to taste wine like a sommelier at Wine Spectator’s tasting seminar, or hang out with Chef Guy Fieri and Ziggy Marley at their Reggae Jam. Experience the flavors of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival for yourself — you’ll never look at food and wine the same again.
Our Hotel Experts Recommend
Miami International Boat Show
Posted by theluxurylife in Miami South Beach on January 7, 2013
From fishing boats to luxury yachts, The Miami International Boat Show is an aquatic paradise. With over 3,000 boats and 2,000 exhibitors spanning three locations, it’s one of the largest events of its kind in North America. The show, held from February 14 -18, 2013 isn’t just about showing off the newest, flashiest boats. Grab a drink at the Marlin Bar in the Big Game Room while checking out the latest in the fishing world. Meet Capt. Brett McBride and Chris Fischer from National Geographic’s Shark Men. Book a diving adventure at the Dive & Travel Harbor. Learn the latest in boater safety, the basics of powerboating, and so much more. Tickets include access to water taxis, which will shuttle attendees between venues. Most importantly, your ticket gets you up close to some of the newest, greatest PWCs, sailboats, speedboats, and yachts in the world. Whether you’re in the market for a craft of your own or simply love being out on the water, the Miami International Boat Show is the place to be.
Our Luxury Hotel Experts Recommend:
See all of our South Beach Luxury Hotels
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim 2013
Posted by theluxurylife in Cool Hunters, Destination Events, Miami South Beach, Uncategorized on June 25, 2012
One of the world’s leading fashion events, the inimitable Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim 2013 returns to beautiful Miami Beach from July 19-23, 2012. Expect five days of fashion shows, parties, gorgeous beach beauties, and more.
With plenty of hot sun and miles of sand, Miami Beach is the ideal locale to feature a first look at next year’s swimwear collections. Check out the hottest swimwear for 2013 from some of the biggest swimwear designers in the world: White Sands Australia, Aqua di Lara, BCBG Swimwear, Crystal Jin and dozens more.
Once you’ve taken in the fashion shows, head to nearby Lincoln Road, the area’s best shopping district. A star-studded event like this could only happen in incredible Miami Beach―where sun, fun and fashion all come together.
Our Hotel Experts recommend:
The National, Delano, and SLS
See all of our South Beach Luxury Hotels
MIAMI BEACH POLO WORLD CUP
Posted by theluxurylife in Cool Hunters, Destination Events, Miami South Beach on April 23, 2012
April 26-29, 2012
Yes, they play polo in Miami. The Sport of Kings has managed to secure a foothold on this side of the Atlantic. This coming April its shoreline will thunder with dozens of statuesque polo ponies as the Miami Beach Polo World Cup unfolds at 21 Street Beach. Kicking off with a parade and proceeding in elimination rounds of men’s and women’s polo championship matches, the event is free to beach-goers and also features paid premium seating in the grandstands, where champagne flows in a swirl of white, pink and baby blue.
Polo Life’s AMG Miami Beach weekend commences Wednesday night in the host hotel with a welcoming cocktail party where flush guests, celebrities and socialites meet and mingle with international riders, trainers and team owners. De rigueur after-hours dance parties will rock each night at area velvet rope nightclubs. The women’s matches begin Thursday morning in bracketed elimination rounds, culminating in a trophy presentation at day’s end. The men’s matches fill the streets of South Beach with a horse parade Friday morning and continue through Sunday afternoon with playoff rounds and a final awards ceremony at sunset.
If you should like to spend a weekend rubbing elbows with the horse-and-mallet set,VIPtickets are available on the Miami Polo website and also sold at the grandstand box office on match day. If you prefer watching from the comfort of your own lounge chair or beach blanket for gratis, check the schedule online and stake your claim to a court side patch of sand by the sea. Matches take place from 2-5 p.m. Expect heat and sun, so bring along H2O, powerful sunscreen and a spiffy beach umbrella.
Maserati Miami Beach Polo World Cup VIII. www.miamipolo.com
SCUBA DIVE IN MIAMI SOUTH BEACH
Posted by theluxurylife in Cool Hunters, Miami South Beach on April 17, 2012
Among South Beach’s many splendid attractions diving heads the top of a few lists. Florida is the center of scuba diving in the USA, and Florida diving rules. South Beach finds itself smack dab in this divers’ paradise. Its turquoise waters offer some of the most beautiful diving in the world, with teeming marine life, shipwrecks, and reefs. The Gulf Stream gives the area warm water year round with excellent visibility and some of the best drift diving in the United States. In addition to unparalleled diving and snorkeling (and an underwater photographer’s dream site) lobstering and spear-fishing are also popular among locals and tourists alike.
Spear-fishing is legal in Florida, as is lobstering from late July through March. Imagine snatching your own gourmet meal on a dive. You’ll need a Florida saltwater fishing license to do it, and don’t forget to follow the laws. If you prefer the more tranquil activity of photographing, or even filming, Florida’s limpid blue waters, mangled wrecks, abundant marine life, dramatic reef formations and stirring depths will make you shutter-happy. Goliath groupers, stingrays, sharks, moray eels, urchins and turtles, soft and hard corals: you’ll run out of film before you run out of subjects.
South Beach Divers, a PADI 5-Star facility located in the heart of South Beach, offers a wide array of services for diving enthusiasts, as well as a comprehensive selection of quality merchandise. South Beach Divers professional instructors provide expert dive lessons and scuba instruction, and have certified thousands of new divers. Take a diving class or two, or indulge in a one-day dive-and-snorkel trip to Key Largo’s John Pennekamp Marine Sanctuary for an unforgettable wreck-diving adventure.
South Beach Dive and Surf Center. 850 Washington Ave Miami Beach, FL 33139 (305) 531-6110 Mon.- Sat.: 9:00 a.m. -7:00 p.m. Sunday: 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
We recommend you stay at,
The King & Grove Tides South Beach occupies an ideal Ocean Drive location, just moments from the turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Its 1930’s Art Deco period-inspired exterior stands poised in the historic Art Deco District, walking distance to Collins Avenue, Lincoln Road Mall and some of South Florida’s most acclaimed dining, nightclubs and shopping. This 4.5 star 1936 landmark hotel offers an intimate setting in one of the most vibrant beach locations in North America.
The Acqualina Resort and Spa on the Beach offers 5 star luxury in the exclusive area of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida. Where the allure of a Mediterranean villa meets oceanfront luxury, guests will find the 5 star Acqualina Resort and Spa. For two consecutive years, this beachfront hotel is the recipient of AAA’s coveted Five Diamond Resort Award. Those who want to experience Miami like a native Floridian rather than a tourist, will love the opportunity to stay in the more tranquil Sunny Isles Beach neighborhood.
Inspiring and imaginative, Dream Hotel South Beach is a true escape, a retreat to a world of fantasy where every desire is satisfied and every whim is catered to. Connecting two previously separate Art Deco buildings using an entry courtyard with wall fountains and bamboo plants, and a rooftop walkway, emerged a sophisticated boutique property.
MIAMI’S BEST KEPT SECRET ATTRACTIONS REVEALED!
Posted by theluxurylife in Cool Hunters, Miami South Beach on April 11, 2012
Miami’s not just about sun and sand. A number of unique and unexpected Miami attractions offer a break from sun-worship, or in the event of inclement weather, something to do while waiting out the rain.
Butterfly World, the biggest butterfly house in the hemisphere, has 10 acres of botanical gardens, waterfalls & aviaries with over 150 species and 5,000 butterflies on display. The butterflies rub shoulders with brilliant birds such as the Lorikeet, Blue Cheeked Cordon Bleu and Yellow Legged Honeycreeper. 3600 W Sample Rd. Coconut Creek, FL (954 977-4400) 9-5 Monday-Saturday; 11-5 Sunday. No Entrance after 4:00 p.m. www.butterflyworld.com.
The Duck is a “Hydra Terra,” a virtually unsinkable amphibious vehicle. The Duck will take you by land to Miami & Miami Beach attractions such as South Beach, the Art Deco District, Fisher Island, Bayside, then dip into Biscayne Bay for glimpses at the Homes of the Rich & Famous on Millionaire’s Row & Star Island. Life jackets & preservers available on board, restrooms are not. 1665 Washington Avenue Miami Beach, FL (1-877-DUCK-TIX) www.ducktoursmiami.com
Check out 60 acres of Botanical Gardens, Aviaries, & Wildlife Sanctuaries at Flamingo Gardens. Start with the green-themed Xeriscape Garden then see the Butterfly & Hummingbird Gardens. The Tropical Plant House boasts orchids galore. Wander Alligator Lagoon and get close Florida’s native birds & reptiles. Take a narrated tram tour through tropical rainforest. Gardens & Galaxies children’s tour includes a Buehler Planetarium visit and tasty lunch. 3750 S Flamingo Rd. Davie, FL (954 473-2955) OPEN 7 DAYS 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. www.flamingogardens.org
Originally called “Parrot Jungle” when it opened in 1936, Jungle Island hosts 1,100 tropical birds & 2,000 varieties of plants and flowers. Enjoy a Jungle Book of beasts like tigers, leopards, orangutans and chimpanzees. Feed the pink flamingos in the park. Adult $32.95 Senior $30.95 Child $24.95. 2 and under are Free. 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail Miami, Florida 365 days a year 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. www.jungleisland.com
Miami Seaquarium offers killer whales, sharks, manatees and dolphins for your spectating pleasure. Meet “Salty” the frisky sea lion at the Golden Dome. Relax by serene aquariums filled with Atlantic and Caribbean fish. 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway. Key Biscayne, FL. (305 361-5705). OPEN 7 DAYS 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. Last show at 2:30 p.m. www.miamiseaquarium.com
MIAMI HOTELS WE LOVE
The Acqualina Resort and Spa on the Beach offers 5 star luxury in the exclusive area of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida. Not only is it close to some of our attractions listed above, for two consecutive years, this beachfront hotel is the recipient of AAA’s coveted Five Diamond Resort Award. Those who want to experience Miami like a native Floridian rather than a tourist, will love the opportunity to stay in the more tranquil Sunny Isles Beach neighborhood.
The Hilton Bentley is a luxurious all-suite beachfront boutique hotel with a coastal attitude and an elegantly intimate ambience. Situated on Ocean Drive and just one mile from Jackie Gleason Theater and Lincoln Road, this 4 star luxury oceanfront hotel offers a premier South Beach location, contemporary spacious accommodations and an atmosphere of pure indulgence. Enjoy a complimentary value package when you book with us, which includes beach lounge chairs, towers, free wifi, and more!
The Mandarin Oriental Miami is located on the southern tip of Brickell Key, a 44-acre man-made island separated from downtown Miami via a pedestrian-friendly bridge. This elegant waterfront hotel affords 360-degree views of downtown Miami, South Beach and the ocean from its prestigious location at the mouth of the Miami River. This tranquil hideaway across Biscayne Bay is convenient to the pulsating energy of South Beach, Coconut Grove and Mary Brickell Village.
SOUTH BEACH: YOUR ART DECO DESTINATION
Posted by theluxurylife in Miami South Beach on March 21, 2012
Swirls and curves, trapezoids and rectangles, steps and mirrors, sharp-edged black and white: sounds like a Fred Astaire movie set. Indeed, the style known as art deco combined the geometric motifs of the Machine Age with the high-gloss finishes and glamorous black-and-white color palette of the silver screen. Considered ultramodern at the height of its popularity, some of the first art deco designs came from the cutting edge Bauhaus School in Germany. In the 1930s, the architectural revolution arrived with panache and whimsy to South Beach, Miami.
At its best, art deco represented elegance, functionality and modernity. Its linear symmetry departed from the organic curves of its predecessor style art nouveau, and embraced influences from many different 20th century styles, including neoclassical, constructivism, cubism, futurism, and drew inspiration from ancient Egyptian and Aztec forms. Unlike many design movements with political or philosophical foundations, art deco was purely decorative, distinguished by features like flat roofs, smooth walls and bold exterior decorations—zigzags, swans, lilies and sunrise motifs—and the use of materials such as glass block, neon, chrome, and opaque glass panels.
Art deco’s appeal began to fade in the 1940s, as did South Beach. It resurged in the 1980s, when South Beach arose from the ashes to become an art deco vacation paradise. Today, its collection of more than 800 (the world’s largest of Streamline Moderne Art Deco) buildings from the 1930s and 40s have been transformed into an ultrachic destination of celebrities and a neighborhood of eccentric residents. It’s hard to believe the area once looked like a slum.
The renaissance into a wonderland has garnered global fame for the Art Deco District, now home to a mix of luxury resorts, chic hotels, hostels and national chain hotels. Ocean Drive is renowned for its trendy cafés, bikini-clad rollerbladers and beaches packed with sun-worshippers. Lincoln Road has emerged as a cultural, entertainment and retail magnet. But South Beach’s heart is its Art Deco Historic District, from 18th St. and south along Ocean Dr and Collins Ave—one of the largest areas in the USA on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Art Deco Welcome Center (1001 Ocean Dr) offers an informative permanent exhibit in the gallery, walking tours of the area’s best in 1920’s architecture, and a gift shop for that extra special souvenir.
Our Top Art Deco Hotel Picks:
At a glance, the King & Grove Tides Hotel is somewhat reminiscent of a ship, but inside you’l find an all suites luxury hotel that occupies an ideal Ocean Drive location, just moments from the turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Its 1930’s Art Deco period-inspired exterior stands poised in the historic Art Deco District, walking distance to Collins Avenue, Lincoln Road Mall and some of South Florida’s most acclaimed dining, nightclubs and shopping. This 4.5 star 1936 landmark hotel offers an intimate setting in one of the most vibrant beach locations in North America.
The Sagamore Hotel is called ‘The Art Hotel’ for a reason. It’s lobby is reminiscent of an art gallery with art works adorning the pristine white walls and various sculptural elements thoughtfully displayed throughout. Since The Sagamore’s opening in 2001, numerous works of art and photography, murals, sculptures and installations have been on exhibit for guests and visitors to enjoy. Book with us to stay at this Art Deco hotel with an artistic twist!
A classic Art Deco landmark, right in the Art Deco district lies The National Hotel, which has been on Collins Avenue since 1939. This beachfront hotel is amidst pulsating nightlife, exclusive shopping and a world of dining options, ensuring guests are just steps from must-see destinations including Lincoln Road Mall, Ocean Drive, Miami Beach Convention Center and Espanola Way. Book with us and receive waived resort fees, which gives you access to wifi, use of the fitness center, 2 lounge chairs and more!
The Life and Luxury 