Miami mini guide.
I took a trip to Miami for my birthday! It was a perfect getaway from the -10 degree weather that was gripping the Midwest and it also offered so much damn color that I needed to see. Here’s what we did, where we ate and other adventures.
STAY
In Miami Beach:
Freehand Hotel- inexpensive + hip, not great hospitality but generally a cool place to hang
The Standard Hotel- upgraded but so cool + hip and has an amazing hotel feel
One Hotels- fancy and luxury
EAT / DRINK
Mandolin Aegean Bistro - Gorgeous patio dining with fresh, Mediterranean cooking
Enriqueta’s- Breakfast only for some authentic, local vibes
Restaurant 27- At the Freehand- it’s cool and if I wasn’t staying there I probably would have ventured over there to eat
Café Roval- Gorgeous patio perfect for a cocktail or happy hour
The Salty Donut- Brioche donuts filled with lots of inventive and classic flavors (I had the Tres Leches)
Broken Shaker at Freehand Hotel- Outdoor patio bar. Lounge by the pool and have an inventive tropical delight.
Lido Cafe / Restaurant at The Standard Hotel- I prefer Lido during the day while I do work and hang by the pool. It’s easy to miss all the amazing grounds of the Standard if you’re only there at night.
Little Havana neighborhood- Duck into one of the many little restaurants for some authentic Cuban cuisine.
Café Galleria- Super trendy, instagram-designed cafe the size of a shoebox. I got an iced coffee that was special to them, and not only good but quite instagrammable.
Pink Pie- Kinda a bit much / trendy but worth a quick stop if you’re in Wynnwood already. The pies are the size of a reece’s peanut butter cup and they’re tasty little bites.
1-800 Lucky- One of the city’s new food halls. This one is all Asian. Has the feel of a container park a bit.
St. Roch’s Market- The second location. The first is in New Orleans in a beautifully-restored market hall. I prefer that one. The NOLA one is in a cool neighborhood (Bywater) and is filled with small businesses and grass-roots ideas. The Miami one is in the Design District and JLo visited the next day. It’s just a totally different vibe and though it was cool, it felt a bit manufactured.
Rosetta- French bakery perfect for breakfast or lunch and it would be great to take something to-go from there over to the beach or on a walk around the city.
SHOP
Miami Design District- fancy + spendy but it’s so beautiful and fun to spend the day wandering around there. There’s probably more shopping, but I didn’t really do any.
EXPLORE
Wynnwood
Coconut Grove (we didn’t get here but it seems like a really awesome place to go)
Miami Beach (art Deco buildings / walking along the beach)
Little Havana
You could definitely do some boating / tours of the Everglades but we didn’t have time
CHILL
The beaches are so nice, and most have these little huts where you can buy refreshments.
Walk along the boardwalk along the beach- it’s just so nice.
Pop into One Hotels or The Standard and chill by their immaculate and cool pools.
MANDOLIN AEGEAN BISTRO
THE FREEHAND
Hang out by the pool at The Freehand.
The Broken Shaker at The Freehand
ROSETTA
PINK PIE
THE STANDARD
The lobby of The Standard.
Hang at the pool at The Standard.
I did some work (I love traveling + working) over at the Lido Cafe before I hit the pool at The Standard.
Pop up by Sabah over at The Standard. They have monthly artists-in-residence there!
VISIT SOME ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN
The gorgeous Temple Israel of Greater Miami
Art Deco details in Miami Beach
Tacos, ceviche + frozen cocktails at St. Roch Market
Exploring the Design District
Boozy Ice Cream / Sorbet in the Design District at Aubi + Ramsa
Coffee at Cafe Galleria
Grab candy-colored wigs and head out dancing!
Take a stroll along the beach. I took runs daily here. It’s PERFECT.
I can’t wait to go back to Miami. This time, I’d definitely stay at The Standard. I’d eat at Mandolin a few more times, I’d plan to go on a tour of Little Havana with a local, and I’d definitely go dancing a bit more!