Dining in Miami and Miami Beach

Dining in Miami
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Karu & Y
Mix one part cuisine, one part art and one part theater and you get Karu & Y (71 NW 14th Street; 305-403-7850), Miami’s hot new dining and entertainment complex in the nascent arts and entertainment district west of downtown. Chef Alberto Cabrera, one of the city’s most sought-after culinary geniuses, oversees the kitchen at Karu. His alta cocina -- that’s haute cuisine with a Spanish twist -- spins tradition on its head, taking, for example, foie gras and creating foie gras lollipops served with mango, papaya and guava marmalades in the tradition of the untraditional Spanish deconstructionist chefs like Ferran Adria and Jordi Valles.
More recognizable dishes such as the organic chicken breast with lobster and corn ravioli, sweet pea foam and cachucha pepper relish are also available, and the setting alone is worth the trip. Enter by crossing a bridge over a reflecting pool of water; the Dale Chihuly chandelier and wall of multicolored Murano glass from Venini, the Italian art glass studio are two of the scores of original art works on the walls. Y Ultralounge serves drinks and tapas like a fig roll up with ham and Spanish cheese. The soon-to-be-open Tottem and Tottem Gardens next door will be entertainment venues
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Versailles (my favorite!!!!)
Despite its French name, Versailles (3555 SW 8th St.; 305-444-0240), a mirrored diner in the heart of Little Havana, is one hundred percent Cuban. The food and experience are memorable, and the menu is diverse. If it’s your first venture into Cuban dining, choose a classic such as lechon asado, roasted pork marinated in mojo sauce, which is a combination of sour orange juice, olive oil, onions, garlic and spices. Another traditional option is the Versailles half chicken, roasted to a golden brown, infused with the flavor of garlic and the tang of sour orange.
Traditional side dishes include moros y cristianos (black beans and rice), platanos (fried plaintains, a sweet but starchy banana) and yuca (cassava, a root vegetable). If your Miami visit is short, try a combination with several Cuban specialties. The exception is the paella, a traditional Spanish dish with seafood, chicken, chorizo, peas, pimento, sweet peppers and onions cooked in saffron rice. Choose from rich, sweet and creamy desserts such as flan or go next door to the Versailles Bakery for a pastry. Low prices attract local families, so the atmosphere is casual and full of loud chatter and laughter. Language is a surmountable barrier (point a lot), service is ambivalent, but locals don’t seem to notice. Come early for breakfast and an eye-opening café Cubano or café con leche (an eye opener with milk) or come late for an after-partying dinner. It’s open past midnight.
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The Forge
The Forge (432 Arthur Godfrey Rd.; 305-538-8533) earns a spot on two best-in-the-country lists: "best wine lists" and "best steakhouses." The baronial setting of Old World oil paintings, large stained-glass windows, chandeliers, tapestries and polished woods in this Miami Beach restaurant of multiple dining rooms seems apropos for dining on tender, aromatic oakwood-grilled prime rib and "The Super Steak," rated the No. 1 steak in America by Wine Spectator magazine. Most unusual is the selection of salad entrees that are as mouth watering as the main meat and seafood plates. The old-fashioned full-on luxury attracts an “A” list of stage, screen and sports celebrities. Expect a cadre of servers to hover inconspicuously and the food to be perfect. It's a misnomer to call the wine list a "list," because the Bordeaux section alone is more than 40 pages and the California section is 50 pages. Alas, spectacular food, wine and service come with a spectacular price tag. Reservations recommended.
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Taverna Opa
Taverna Opa (36 Ocean Dr., South Beach; 305-673-6730) has three locations in south Florida; this one’s at the foot of South Beach. The cavernous dining room outfitted with long brown tables resembles a boarding school refectory, and once the evening gets underway, the atmosphere is just as rambunctious. Meals start with hot pita bread served with a mortar of whole, cooked garbanzo beans, olive oil and chunks of garlic and a pestle to crush them for the freshest hummus you'll ever have.
Along with traditional Greek fare, the menu features prawns, octopus, shellfish and wood-fired meats, from lamb to filet mignon, priced from $7.50 to $19. The lamb shank ($8) cooked on a wood-fired grill is fall-off-the-bone tender, mildly seasoned and served with orzo, in a pool of tomato sauce.
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Restaurant St. Michel
Picture windows, polished wood floors, soft lighting and an art deco setting lend Restaurant St. Michel (162 Alcazar Ave., Coral Gables; 305-444-1666) a bistro charm. It’s located in the Hotel Place St. Michel, and its fabulous Sunday brunch makes it a favorite among local residents. Chef Gabriel Roldan created a New World take on the Old World napoleon: eggplant coated in Parmesan and bread crumbs is fried and then layered with seared and then baked black grouper and salmorejo sauce, a thick paste of tomato, bread, garlic and oil. It’s drizzled with a yellow pepper coulis for color. The result is beautiful, crunchy yet delicate. Most entrées are in the low-to-mid $20 range. Lunch and dinner daily; dinner served until 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Reservations recommended.
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Perricone's Marketplace & Cafe
Few people could imagine an enjoyable lunch with an angry Sicilian, but that’s just one of things you’ll find, and fortunately only on the menu, at Perricone’s Marketplace & Café (15 S.E. 10th St.; 305-374-9449). This particular “Italian” is a deli-fresh sandwich of thinly sliced layers of prosciutto di Parma, soppressata, Genoa salami, provolone cheese, and ripe tomato, topped with capicolla peppers and a sprinkling of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, on a freshly baked baguette. With a few whole wheat pasta selections, even the health-conscious diner can indulge here. The building is a reconstructed circa 1700s barn, creating a laidback, rustic setting. There’s woodsy, canopy-covered outdoor seating, and a bustling Italian deli in front where you can browse the wine racks for your lunch libation. This may not appear to be a likely venue for a working lunch, but don't tell that to the scores of downtown professionals who dine there throughout the week. They go for the moderately priced antipasti, salads, pastas and good service -- once they get a seat. Make a reservation, and request one of the quiet sections. At just under $16, the Sunday Brunch is one of the best dining values in town.
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Christy's
If the wood-paneled walls at Christy’s (3101 Ponce de Leon Blvd.; 305-446-1400) could talk -- and were discretion not paramount here -- they would speak of the thousands of deals sealed at the white-linen tables in this steakhouse's quiet club-like dining rooms. They also would talk about the rich corn-fed Midwestern aged beef, which runs $31-$36. At this classic eaterie guests often start with a traditional oyster Rockefeller, then dine on a juicy, grill-marked eight- or twelve-ounce filet mignon over a bed of asparagus and sliced portobello mushrooms. The finishing indulgence is another classic, a baked Alaska served flaming tableside. Tradition never tasted so good. Service is prompt and professional. Selections begin with a signature Caesar salad and include a baked potato and vegetable or mushrooms. You can't go wrong with choices other than steaks, either. The lamb, roast duck, lobster and sea bass ($19.50–$38.50) are favorites and beautifully presented.
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Big Fish
At Big Fish (55 S.W. Miami Avenue Rd.; 305-373-1770) the formula is simple: build a casual seafood eatery along the downtown riverfront, set up tables outdoors and indoors with a view of the Miami skyline and river boat traffic, and then serve delicious Italian specialties such as polipo al libure, an octopus, artichoke and potato salad tossed with a tangy lemon vinaigrette, and crab cakes fried to a golden brown, set on a bed of mixed greens and drizzled with a slightly pink aurore sauce. Those two appetizers are ample enough to be meals in themselves. The seafood pastas, made fresh daily, are just as appetizing. And you can’t go wrong with local fish dishes like the whole fried yellowtail that’s succulent within, crispy outside, and flavored with a lemon ginger sauce. Get a little bit of all the foods you like -- lobster, tuna, shrimp and calamari -- in the seafood grill for two, which is big enough for three. In the late afternoon, join the after-work crowd gathered around the patio bar wrapped around a large banyan tree for drinks and lively conversation. Most entrees are priced in the $20-$30 range. Reservations recommended on Friday and Saturday nights. Closed between lunch and dinner during the week, but on weekends it's open straight through to 11:30 p.m.

Nightlife in Miami & Miami Beach

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Nightlife in Miami and Miami Beach

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14-Thirty-Five
The Four Seasons' chic 14-Thirty-Five (1435 Brickell Ave.; 305-358-3535) lounge reads like an Italian design magazine with colorful glass accents. This cool décor gives the impression of hipness, but look more closely and you’ll see that those glam girls aren’t imbibing the latest libations; they’re sipping tea. Yes, traditional British tea. This hip take on the Transatlantic tradition translates splendidly in über chic Miami.
Nibble on European cucumber and minted Neufchatel on sourdough or heirloom tomato and goat cheese napoleon sandwiches. Forgo the blueberry and cranberry orange scones served with the usual accoutrements of homemade marmalade, clotted cream and strawberry jam as too traditional. Instead save room for the tropical fruit mousse cake and dulce de leche religieuse, a traditional creamy, sweet Cuban dessert. And, of course, there’s the tea. The black-leaf jasmine oolong is a perfumey blend of oolong and green tea. The pear green has the aroma of ripe pears. The herbal infusions are more contemporary, with selection such as organic peppermint and mango rooibos. Tea is served from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday to Friday, but reservations are required a day in advance.

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Van Dyke Cafe
The Van Dyke Cafe (846 Lincoln Rd., South Beach; 305-534-3600) serves a solid, eclectic, moderately priced -- but not overly creative -- menu of dishes such as grilled fresh tuna and pasta with Portobello mushrooms, artichokes, spinach and roasted peppers. By day, the al fresco tables shaded by palm trees and umbrellas are crammed with patrons and their pets because its sidewalk corner location makes it one of the coolest people-watching spots in Miami Beach. On weekends and holidays throngs of people mill around waiting for one of those prime seats. Put your name on the list and head down Lincoln Road for some window shopping until it’s your turn to be a watcher instead of a watchee. For good food, go for breakfast; a good time, go for lunch; good music, make it dinner.
Upstairs at what is by most opinions the best jazz club in town, the Rio-born Rose Max and the Don Wilner Quartet every Sunday start a week of nightly jazz with just the right amount of urbanity. As the week rolls on, musical director Wilner, a bassist with classical and jazz roots, showcases big-name regulars like pianists Brian Murphy and Mike Orta, vocalist Nicole Henry and drummer Don Miller. Cover runs $5-$15.

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The Miami Latin Film Festival and the Italian Film Festival
The Miami Latin Film Festival (305-283-4575), which takes place Oct. 2-11, features more than two dozen films from Latin American countries, Spain and the United States. Locals head for the Albion Hotel (1650 James Ave.) for screenings of documentaries and short films outdoors and in the lobby. Afterwards, there’s live entertainment and lots of chatter about the films. Special passes for opening party and awards ceremony run $75 to $100. Each screening costs $10 and is shown twice: once in Miami Beach at the Colony Theater (1040 Lincoln Rd.) and the Theater On Collins (6701 Collins Avenue) at the Deauville Miami Beach Resort.
The buzz at the Italian Film Festival (305-447-0233), which takes place Oct. 5-10, is always a frenetic mixture of English, Italian and Spanish as the three groups try to communicate their excitement or disappointment about the films. Producers and directors present their films before each screening, which cost $10 and are held in Miami Beach at the Regal Cinema (1120 Lincoln Road at Alton Road). Special passes for early seating privileges and elbow-rubbing events with film makers, stars and celebrities at opening and closing parties run $60 to $250.

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University of Miami
Some of biggest football games of the year are collegiate, between the Miami Hurricanes and their cross-state rivals, the Florida Gators and the Florida State Seminoles. Not only do current students and local fans turn out, but thousands of alums fly, drive and boat in for the game and tailgate parties that start the night before. Coach Larry Coker's "'Canes" kick off at the Orange Bowl (1501 N.W. Third St.; 800-GO-CANES), located just west of downtown Miami. Tickets run $15-$45 and are usually available for all except the top games. The regular season runs from September to December. The Hurricanes are also fierce competitors in basketball, baseball and a variety of other sports.

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Tobacco Road
The venerable Tobacco Road (626 S. Miami Ave.; 305-374-1198) has been jazzing up the night since 1912. As a downtown blues bar in the tradition of Chicago (but with tropical heat), it hosts live bands nightly and packs in everyone from lawyers to bikers from noon until 5 a.m. A menu of inexpensive steaks, lobsters, burgers and fries satisfies the late-night munchies. Cover charge: $5.

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Miami Beach Film Society's Cinematheque
Art films are enjoying a renaissance in Miami, thanks to the Miami Beach Film Society’s Cinematheque (512 Espanola Way; 305 67-FILMS). The venue is part movie house and part art gallery. Special events often include performance art and a screening. For example, a recent "Foreign Film Picnic" event featured Rene Clair's 1931 A Nous la Libert (Freedom for Us) with interpretive performance art by Natasha Tsakos and an optional boxed French picnic. Admission runs $8; special events cost $10-$20.

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Jazid
For a selection of jazz, blues or fusion, check out the downstairs bar at Jazid (1342 Washington Ave.; 305-673-9372). Upstairs, this Miami Beach club has a relatively hipper crowd and DJs that spin the latest electronic music. Lineups have included R&B singer Nicole Henry and the Afro-Cuban funk group DJ Le Spam and the Spam Allstars. The club hosts a Brazilian party the last Thursday of every month. Cover varies.

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Hotel Astor Bar
If you want to unwind in a sublime setting, try the Hotel Astor Bar (956 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; 305-531-8081). Most nights it's a quiet place to sip the best champagnes, nibble on gourmet hors d'oeuvres and enjoy a decadent experience. On Tuesday and Saturday nights, two of the best DJs in the business spin.

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Books & Books
Books & Books (265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables; 305-442-4408) has become a hot spot for a night out on the town. Every night new and famous authors read from their latest books, the al fresco café serves dinner, and the outdoor wine bar features 12 wines served by the glass. Friday nights, musicians perform in the Mediterranean-style courtyard.

(Minha sugestão - se você for entre Abril e Novembro (antes do vento da temporada de inverno...) faça uma caminhada pelo Boardwalk de Miami Beach... à noite.

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Mango's Tropical Café

With its tropical rainforest décor and wait staff wearing leopard-print catsuits, all who enter Mango's Tropical Café are in for a wild time, indeed. There's a reason Mango's reigns as the numero uno nightclub on SoBe for the Latin vibe; check out the waitresses dancing on the bar, the music blaring and island-inspired drinks flowing. (Ladies, skip this as a date spot -- the waitresses can be a bit distracting.) They pump salsa, merengue, bachata, samba and reggeton until the wee hours and often feature a live band and dance shows (professionals, that is, not drunken tourists). You may bump into some overly friendly travelers, but just slide to the right and dance yourself out of his grasp.
When to go: Pretty much any night that people are out and about on SoBe, but weekends are especially festive.
Mango's Tropical Café, 900 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach. 305-673-4422

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Macondo

Despite its Colombian country-cute décor, this nightspot gives off plenty of SoBe 'tude, so don't expect the revelers to trip over themselves trying to drag you to the dance floor for a vallenato or a cumbia. But not to worry; just swing by Macondo in a rowdy group or paired up with your favorite dance partner. The music will not disappoint -- all of your Colombian faves like Shakira, Fonseca, Juanes, plus merengue, cumbias and other typical tunes from the land of García Márquez.
When to go: DJ David Orihuela mixes all your Latin favorites Wednesday through Saturday and there is a $20 door cover every night, but Fridays and Saturdays are hottest.
Macondo, 665 Washington Ave., Miami Beach. 786-276-1516

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Bongo's Cuban Café

Owners Gloria and Emilio Estefan spoon feed you exactly what you need in a Latin resto-nightclub; the authentic Cuban menu, colorful modern tropical décor, bongo drums lining the bar area, and of course, minty mojitos with a slice of sugar cane. The DJ plays salsa, merengue, bachata, disco, with live salsa bands on the terrace, so you can boogie down under the stars and enjoy the breathtaking view of the bay.
When to go: Friday and Saturday nights, cover is between $10-$20, but if you have a late dinner, you miss that and the line that forms outside.
Bongo's Cuban Café, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. 786-777-2100

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Macarena

Okay, we know the name is cheesy. However, Macarena the nightclub has outlived the corny '90s dance craze by years and shows no sign of receding into obscurity. Live acts, flamenco artists and DJ Alfred spinning Latin pop, rock and mixes keep the vibe at this sophisticated club edgy and the party pumping until late. But be careful, dancing queen, the dance floor is rather petite, so save your kick-ball-change for a more spacious venue.
When to go: Friday nights at 10 p.m. is Flamenco Night, free tapas and paella from 10-11 p.m. and live flamenco music, then DJ Alfred spinning until 5 a.m. $10 ladies, $20 guys.
Macarena, 1334 Washington Ave., Miami Beach. 305-531-3440

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La Covacha

La Covacha gives you that cozy feeling, as if you're partying in a neighbor's (incredibly huge) backyard tiki hut. The crew of DJs mixes salsa, Cuban classics, merengue and vallenato, and they even throw in some disco and house. The **11**ce is relaxed and the crowd is anything but pretentious. Many Miami residents go through a La Covacha phase, usually occurring when they are legally able to drink, have just immigrated, or when they are newly single (separated, divorced or undecided) and are ready to get out and meet people. So expect a good mix of folks of all ages ready to burn a whole in the dance floor.
When to go: Friday through Sunday, two-for-one drinks at the Friday Happy Hour, Saturday night features an open bar from 10 p.m.-11:30 p.m. and on Sundays, ladies drink for free until midnight.
La Covacha, 10730 N.W. 25th Street, Doral. 305-594-3717

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Alcazaba

Wednesday night is the night for serious salsa dancers to head over to Alcazaba. And since the bar is pampering the ladies, offering up complimentary Champagne and wine, and two-for-one drinks, the men are swarming as well. Needless to say, you'll find your share of guys on the prowl, but ladies, most likely he's gainfully employed and if you're lucky, he knows how to dance. For those who need a refresher course, an instructor from Salsa Lovers Dance Studio gives an intensive class starting at 8 p.m. Resident DJ Alex Gutiérrez is always on deck, assisted by Jammin' Johnny, Frank Banderas and others who know how to keep the couples dancing until their feet hurt.
When to go: Wednesday nights 6 p.m.-8 p.m. complementary paella, 8 p.m. Salsa lessons for the rookies and after 10 p.m. for the pros.
Alcazaba, 50 Alhambra Plaza, Coral Gables. 305-569-4614

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Hoy Como Ayer

Where is that guayabera you once bought during that cruise of the Caribbean? Well, make sure to give it a good ironing so you can exhibit your affinity for all things Cuban at this cozy club in Little Havana. The place is a shrine to the greats of Cuban music, with photos of Benny More and Celia Cruz plastered on the walls, and it keeps the tradition going with weekly showcases of Cuban groups and bolero singers. To really get your groove on, go during Fuácata!, the Thursday night event where you can order yourself a Cuba Libre and give a listen to house band Spam All Stars with their funky brand of Latin fusion.
When to go: Thursday nights for Fuácata! if you want to shake it, door is only $7. Ladies free before 11 p.m. But Friday through Sunday they have balladeers and traditional Cuban ensembles as well.
Hoy Como Ayer, 2212 SW 8th St., Miami. 305-541-2631

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Club Tipico Dominicano

Remember your last trip to Punta Cana? The palm trees, the merengue, the cold cold beer. Relive it in Allapatah, the heart of Miami's Dominican expat community. The merengue, bachata and salsa flow generously and the crowd somehow exudes that same Dominican joie-de-vivre that sends us running back to their all-inclusives every summer.
When to go: Saturday nights after 10 p.m. the throngs come out ($5 for ladies, $10 for guys). Sunday after 3 p.m. is Domingo Playero, which is for the entire family, especially the members of the family who would be interested in the two-for-one specials on Presidente beer.
Club Tipico Dominicano, 1344 NW 36 St., Miami. 305-634-7819

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Café Mystique

At Café Mystique it doesn't matter what kind of car you drive, what matters is how you dance. This is a club for serious movers and if you can't keep up, you might be returned to your seat. But maybe the free Thursday night salsa lesson with Ramani Nicola of Salsa Casino Dance will help you blend in. Café Mystique is a favorite with Cuban salsa lovers and is considered the birthplace of "Rueda de Casino," an intricate, circular group dance that you should not try to participate in unless you really know what you're doing.
When to go: Thursday-Sunday, it starts to heat up after 11 p.m. and the kitchen is open till midnight in case you arrive hungry. Sundays is for the experienced salsa dancers. If that's not you, you might just enjoy watching the couples that dance like pros.
Café Mystique, 7250 NW 11 St., Miami. 305-262-9500

Shopping in Miami

Wolfe's Wine Shoppe
Other than the spelling of shoppe, everything at Wolfe’s Wine Shoppe (124 Miracle Mile; 305-445-4567) is straightforward. The owners, husband and wife Jeffrey and Christie Wolfe, bring years of experience to their shop — for him, as a restaurant sommelier and manager; for her, as wine marketing director — which carries no supermarket brands. Instead, they focus on small producers, growers and importers to fill the 1,500-square-foot space, whose shelving and floor decor looks like a warehouse store. The wines are pricey, the expert advice is free. There are wine tastings, classes, a newsletter, gift baskets and a computerized databank for researching wine information.
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Source Paris
Well-dressed hommes and femmes who want to exchange their city garb for Florida chic should head for Lincoln Road, then step into their respective Source Paris (720-728 Lincoln Rd.; 305-531-2608 and 305-672-2675). There are two for her and one for him. Her racks hold slinky French frocks and wonderfully light-weight and colorful linen and silk blouses and slacks, as well as accessories; for him it's white linen trousers and dazzling shirts.
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Sawgrass Mills Mall
Sawgrass Mills Mall (12801 W. Sunrise Blvd.; 800-FL-MILLS or 954-846-2300), the mother-of-all-discount-malls, is in Sunrise, 25 minutes north of the airport. It has two miles of outlets for such stores as Saks Fifth Avenue, Kenneth Cole, Neiman Marcus, Tommy Hilfiger and Gap. Dozens of restaurants and eateries and a 23-screen movie theater complement the 400 stores, vendors, and kiosks. Print the VIP Coupon Card on the mall's website and take it to the information booth in exchange for a coupon book with $1,500 in discounts. Sawgrass Mills is open from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.
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Sasparilla
Looking for just the right outfit to make a scene as a 1950s diva at The Raleigh? Go to Sasparilla (1630 Pennsylvania Ave.; 305-532-6611), a South Beach vintage clothing store with a large selection of high-end fashions, accessories, costume jewelry and shoes. You'll find classics by Pucci, Gucci, Cartier and many others in a wide range of prices. It's open late, so you can stroll over after dinner.
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Rene Ruiz
Cuban-born fashion designer Rene Ruiz (262 Miracle Mile; 305-445-2352) developed his sense of style by watching old American movies with Grace Kelly, Ingrid Bergman and other classy femmes. Today, a squadron of seamstresses keep the mannequins in his Coral Gables boutique dressed in evening gowns (from $1,600) and the racks filled with a stunning line of ready-to-wear suits ($1,250) and separates. The fashions have a soft, tailored look.
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Museo del Disco
Your dilemma: Miami's Latin rhythm has eased its way into your head and you can't shake it loose. Your solution: Museo del Disco (1301 S.W. 70th Ave.; 305-267-5511), a Latin music superstore that's part CD shop and, due to its vast selection of old tunes, part museum. Located 10 minutes south of the airport, it stocks tunes from most of the countries south of Miami, as well as a few that are homegrown. If they don't have it, they boast that they can find it. Prices are $2-$3 less online. It's open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (closes Sunday at 6 p.m.)
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Lincoln Road Mall
South Beach's Lincoln Road Mall (Lincoln Rd. between Alton Rd. and Washington Ave.) is more than a place to shop. The pedestrian-only road is lined with shops and street vendors, sidewalk cafés and restaurants, a theater and church, art galleries and nightclubs and a museum. Parading down the middle of it all are locals and visitors sporting the latest fashions, the littlest fashions, no fashions, the biggest dog, the smallest dog, the hottest rollerblades, the coolest shoes, no shoes, the shiniest bikes, the sleekest skateboard, etc. There's a farmers' market every Sunday and an antiques market in the 400 block every other Sunday, from October through May.
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Dolphin Mall
"You give us 10 minutes, we'll give you the mall" could be the slogan for the Dolphin Mall (11401 N.W. 12th St.; 305-DOLPHIN), located five miles northwest of Miami Airport. The mall has more than 250 outlets, including Neiman Marcus Last Call, BCBG Max Azria and Brooks Brothers, as well as theaters and restaurants. Internet access, international calling cards, and phone, pager and radio rentals are available at its Dolphin Communications and Shipping Center in Ramblas, Entry 3. It also offers worldwide shipping and delivery to your hotel. No car? No problem. Free shuttle service from the airport and downtown, airport and Miami Beach hotels will get you there and back. The mall is open from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
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Loja Victor’s
A Victor's foi o roteiro obrigatório dos turistas brasileiros em visita à Miami nas décadas de 70, 80 e 90. O atendimento especial ao consumidor brasileiro continua sendo o foco Victor's, que reinaugurou sua loja em Miami em maio de 2008. Nossa linha de produtos inclui perfumes, cosméticos, óculos, telefonia, câmeras fotográficas, filmadoras, games, entre outros.Estamos localizados em Downtown Miami com atendimento em português e produtos de primeira linha com garantia opcional de assistência técnica em todo territorio nacional.Através da loja virtual, a Victor's dá oportunidade aos consumidores brasileiros de adquirirem nossos produtos de qualquer região do Brasil, com a comodidade de receber seu pedido em casa. Com a parceria da DHL, o processo de envio é simples, rápido e 100% dentro da lei. Dentro da filosofia de excelência em atendimento, disponibilizamos uma central de atendimento no Brasil, para que os nossos clientes sintam-se seguros e satisfeitos.
15 SE 2nd Avenue
Miami – Florida, 33131
Ph: (305) 377-0015
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Bal Harbour Shops:
South Florida's temple to luxury, this outdoor mall -- anchored by Neiman Marcus and Saks -- caters to the R&F. Every luxury brand you can think of has representation here -- Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel and more. Spotted: J.Lo, Oprah, Gloria Estefan, Christina Aguilera. 9700 Collins Ave., Bal Harbour, 305-866-0311; www.balharbourshops.com
(Este Shopping Mall é chiquérrimo!!!!!!!!)

What to do in Miami and Miami Beach

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Miami Attractions

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Miami Design District and Wynwood Art District
As real estate rates climbed along the beach, the arts scene shifted west to more affordable space, where artists have occupied low-rent studios since the mid-1980s. Today, two of those enclaves of creativity have attracted the attention of art-world trendies with nearly ‘round-the-clock activities: lectures, conversations with designers and artists, events, social gatherings and exhibitions.
The Miami Design District (between NE 41st and NE 36th streets and N Miami Avenue and Biscayne Boulevard), or MDD, is 18 pedestrian-friendly blocks of design bliss. Here’s where you’ll stroll past international home furnishing designers such as Ann Sacks, MiaCucina and Holly Hunt, and galleries such as Ethnic Design which sells primitive and traditional art and furnishings, Iran Issa-Khan, photographer whose subjects include Nancy Reagan, Iman and the Fendi family. Every Saturday at 10 p.m., DJs pump up the volume with PopLife, an evening of music, dancing, and drinks at The District Restaurant/Lounge (35 NE 40th St.).
On the MDD’s west border, the Wynwood Art District (between NW 39th and NW 20th streets and N Miami Avenue and NW 3rd Avenue), or WAD, as its name suggests, focuses more on art, with galleries, artist studios and a museum. The heart of WAD is the Bakehouse Art Complex (561 NW 32nd Street; 305-576-2828), a former bakery that might be considered the incubator for artists in the two districts. It houses 70 studios of emerging and mid-career artists and two exhibitions galleries. You never know who will be working on what when you look into the studios, but always there’s a hive of activity, a cacophony of creativity—voices, machinery, hammering and laughter. Through October 14, you can see works by all of the Bakehouse Art Complex artists in an exhibition entitled Get to Know Us.

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Miami-Cuba USA & Hispanic Florida Tours
To appreciate the influence of Cuban culture on Miami is to climb onboard Azucar, Miami-Cuba USA’s new trolley sightseeing tours (877-723-8846) into the Cuban community. Dance to Latin rhythms as you board the hand-painted trolley for the Azucar (sugar in Spanish) tour along Calle Ocho, which includes a trip to a corner cafecito, a hole-in-the-wall coffee shop, for a cup of Cuban coffee, a demitasse-size cup of java with the kick of a mule, and a pastelito, a small pastry. Once you’re wide-eyed, watch a master Cuban cigar roller ply his trade, pop in and out of Afro-Cuban shops and art galleries, learn the tactical strategies of dominoes while watching by men play in Domino Park and hear the history of Cuba and its exiles. Singing and dancing are encouraged. Choose from 11 day and night tours, from heritage to Cuban cowboy, from a night of salsa dancing to traditional dancing. Tours last two-and-a-half to four hours. Stops vary. Day tours cost $40–$45; evening tours $80–$115.

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Vizcaya Museum
Chicago industrialist James Deering wasn't thinking average when he had Viscaya (3251 S. Miami Ave.; 305-250-9133) built in 1916. It features an Italian-Renaissance-style villa, an orchid house and formal gardens on 50 acres overlooking a bay. Vizcaya has an opulent, over-the-top luxury more associated with European castles than American estates. Tour the house on your own (buy the $2 guidebook) or with a guide, who intersperses history of the era with details about the estate. Guided tours take in the formal gardens and some of the 70-plus rooms filled with personal items—such as in the bathrooms and Deering’s sitting room—set out as though the residents will soon return. For $10, you can take a Moonlight Stroll, which features a slide lecture and guided tour of the garden on bright, moonlit nights. Inside, there are paintings, sculptures and antiques dating back to the 15th century. The cafe offers a gorgeous view of the pool and gardens, and the gift shop has Italian crafts. However, not even the rich can escape nature. You can still see the devastating effects of Hurricane Wilma, which felled trees and damaged walls, steps and plantings in October 2005. Open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tickets for the house and garden tours cost $5-$12.

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The Island Queen
Take a 90-minute sightseeing tour narrated in English and Spanish on the Island Queen (401 Biscayne Blvd.; 305-379-5119), a 140-passenger tour boat. When the weather’s fine, stand outside on the upper or lower forward deck to catch the sea breeze and get the best view of mega-yachts, cruise ships, sailboats, the city skyline and the condos and houses of the rich and famous, including the cottage where Elizabeth Taylor and Eddie Fisher honeymooned. Hour-long late-night cruises feature DJs and dancing. There’s more elbow room on lunch-hour and dinner-hour cruises. It’s not Venice, but the one-hour gondola cruise for up to four people, with or without dinner, is still very romantic as it putters past the manses with your favorite CD playing in the background. The boats depart from Bayside Marketplace downtown every hour from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for daytime cruises, and from 9 p.m. to midnight for evening cruises. The fare is $17 for adults and $8 for children for sightseeing, $10 for dancing. Gondola trips start at $150 without dinner, $290 with dinner for two. The website offers a $3 discount if you buy tickets online.

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Parrot Jungle
Parrot Jungle (1111 Parrot Jungle Trail; 305-2-JUNGLE) contains 20 acres of rain forest, gardens, talking parrots and pink flamingoes as well as reptiles and exotic insects. Animals and birds take to the stage for shows throughout the day. Stroll 1.5 miles of meandering paths under the shade of a tree canopy to get from venue to venue. Along the way, watch butterflies and wild birds flitting among the trees and flowering shrubs and flamingoes wading in a lake. For picnics, the best option is the grassy expanse along Biscayne Bay. Ask if the fruit on the African sausage trees is ripe. If so, don’t miss this marvel of nature with hundreds of sausage-shaped fruits suspended. And try to stand still long enough to have your photo snapped with a parrot walking on your head or an anaconda slithering across your shoulder.Bring your bathing suit if you want to plunge down the park’s newest attraction, The Hippo, a 168-foot waterslide. For a bigger thrill, sign on for a personal tour of the park to spend time with trainers and visit one-on-one with animals backstage and in special enclosures. It costs $80-$240 for 30-90 minutes. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission ranges from $22.95 to $27.95, plus $7 for parking. Buy tickets online and save $2 per person.

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Miami's Art Deco District
Everyone comes to Miami Beach -- especially its southern community of South Beach -- for a good time, and most are not disappointed. Besides the sun, sea, sidewalk cafes and celebrities, there's the whimsical, colorful architecture of the historic Miami Art Deco District. Leaving behind the flourishes of the previous era, Art Deco ushered in the precision of the Machine Age, making its world debut at the 1925 Paris Exhibition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs. It quickly caught the eye of Miami Beach architects. The more streamlined Art Moderne, followed closely. What’s the difference? Art Deco is marked by smooth, often colored, stucco walls, decorative designs such as flora and fauna and chevrons and zigzags arranged in geometric patterns, relief designs in horizontal bands near the roofline, and square towers and parapets. Art Moderne has a more streamlined futuristic look, sometimes resembling an ocean liner. It has far fewer decorative motifs, replaced by high-tech materials like steel and glass and aluminum. The windows resemble ship portholes or are made from rectangular glass blocks

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Miami Art Museum
The Miami Art Museum (101 W. Flagler St.; 305-375-3000), located in downtown's Miami-Dade Cultural Center, collects international art with a focus on contemporary artists of the Western Hemisphere. In Miami in Transition local artists graphically portray the city’s current development-boom transformation. Leila Leder-Kremer’s work is a real head turner. You can almost feel and hear the percussion of air and sound in her photograph of the Everglades Building caught in mid-collapse during the structure’s demolition. A Lorna Simpson exhibition opens Oct. 5. Her photography, installations and videos allude to historic topics, primarily race and gender. Local DJs rev up the crowd of hip young professionals and art lovers while they sip, nibble and mingle at the “JAM at MAM” 5-8:30 p.m. on the third Thursday each month. Open Tuesday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and weekends noon to 5 p.m. Visitors admitted free on Sundays and the second Saturday of every month. Admission: $5.

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Española Way
Miami Beach's architectural allure doesn't end with its famed Art Deco buildings. Española Way (between 14th and 15th streets) is the heart of a historic Spanish village built during the 1920s South Beach boom. Once rumored to be home to Al Capone and other gangsters, its Moorish arched-buildings, wrought-iron balconies, flower-filled courtyards and pink sidewalks are now part of an artist's enclave with shops, galleries and restaurants. From Saturday at 11 a.m. through Sunday at 9 p.m., the open-air Weekend Market turns the street into a lively pedestrian thoroughfare lined with vendors and artisans selling jewelry, paintings, incense, savories and more under white canopies, while street performers amuse any kids tagging along. Restaurant tables and chairs spill onto the sidewalks, turning dining into part of the "in" scene. The European-style architecture and picturesque tree-lined street make it a popular location for filming movies, TV shows and commercials.