My last trip to Miami was very bitter sweet.  I left my Dad’s bedside to see him for the last time to go, but I knew in my heart he would want me to go, really he would want to be there.  My Father was a sunaholic.  He loved to go lay on the beach, get frozen drinks and turn at just the right time to have the perfect tan.  He enjoyed Anguilla, St. Barts, and the French Riviera way more than any city.  He never went to Miami, but he would embrace Miami, the good food, pretty women and lots of sun.

We went despite everything because our best friend was getting engaged.  And I think it was important for me during that time to embrace the good that was happening, as well as, the bad.  Just feeling the warm sunshine I was reminded how much Dad loved to feel that warmth.

The Skinny on Hotels.  Now I have stayed at many places in Miami and visited others.  And some notes on hotels.  First off, stay in South Beach.  Everything you really want to be around is either in or near South Beach.  After being at the Biltmore or Ritz Key Biscayne, it is just a lot nicer to be at South Beach.  Second, don’t stay at a huge hotel, pick a medium sized one.  My favorite is the Ritz in South Beach.  I prefer it because of its great location right at Lincoln Road, the 24hr pool and decent spa, and the spacious bathrooms with wonderful Ritz beds.

I also really like The Palms, which is a little more North, but also quieter and has a nice beach area, which isn’t quite so busy, with nice, comfortable rooms.  I also really enjoy the hammocks by the pool for a lazy afternoon napping in the sun.

This past trip I stayed at the National.  When their Pool Suites are renovated it will be really nice.  During the renovation it was so noisy relaxing by their beautiful pool was a no-can-do.  The rooms were moderately sized, bathrooms were smaller, like a boutique hotel.  My only quibble with the bathroom was not the size, but the half glass shower door which got water everywhere and was a bit more chilly than a normal shower.  (Very European like)  It is also really lacking in amenities and their toiletries were dreadful.  But if you wait till the renovation is done it isn’t a bad hotel at all, especially if you can get a good deal and don’t mind going out of the hotel for your amenities and bringing your own shampoo (with the Delano and Ritz next door spas are just a step away).

After Sleeping, Eating is Best.  When you want an excellent meal, head to Hakkasan at the Fontainebleau. The monstrosity and madness, and almost half mile walk through the resort, is worth it for this restaurant.  The extremely long bar has almost any spirit you could think of with a huge drink list.

For dinner we had the dim sum platter, tea smoked ribs, duck spring rolls, soft shell crab with curry and grilled shanghai dumplings. The dim sum platter, tea smoked ribs and soft shells were the best, but all the appetizers left us very satisfied and hungry for more.  Dumplings weren’t too thick and everything had excellent flavor. For entrees we had five spice wagyu in hot pot which was really really good, if you like beef this is a must order.  The stir fry xo prawn with pineapple was good, but not a must have spicy and sweet, but just not as good as other entrees, such as the roasted satay chicken with very crispy skin and juicy chicken, shredded ribeye beef that was spicy and chewy got a B+ in my mind, the doung bo pork was excellent and the snow pea shoots were excellent with both garlic and ginger sauce. End of the meal with a white chocolate mousse with passionfruit sorbet to leave yourself on a sweet and tangy, the mousse had great texture and richness, but the passionfruit really cut the sweetness.  This is one of our all time favorite restaurants in Miami.

Next on the list is the Blue Door in the Delano.  This place holds a special place in my heart as it is where I got engaged.  The menu is always creative and excellently prepared, with great ambiance.  I like indoor seating for a intimate, romantic dinner, and outdoor for a more fun, laid back vibe.  At night the whole place seems to be a glow with a just right amount of ambiant light.  The Homard Paillette and Mango Porco are some of my favorites on the menu.

Being from a city with a real lack of deli- Hubby and I always stop by Jerry’s for a lean pastrami.  It is tender, juicy with great taste.  I like the melt myself.

I also really like Sushi Samba, Tantra and for Cuban in South Beach Puerta Sagua.  And if you do stay at the Biltmore, the one big perk is they have great restaurants.

To do once the Sunburn sets in.  I love visiting Vizcaya.  It is a beautiful house, with really nice gardens and a fun history.  I also really like to shop at Merrick Place in Coral Gables.  An outdoor mall, with covered walkways, housing all designer stores such as Diane Von Furstenburg and Caroline Herrara.  If you want a daytrip, head down for some great diving in the keys, or head to Key West.  You can also charter a boat to take you around to check out the outrageous celebrity homes.  Did you know J. Lo has a huge, ugly bunny statue in front of her gigantic pink house?  Lastly you could take a drive down to the Fairchild Botanical Gardens, they are a bit of a drive, but have some really unique plants.  And of course, Little Havana, is definitely worth checking out.  Or stay local and wander Lincoln and Collins Avenue.

(Vizcaya)

Wouldn’t it be nice to live like this?  Way to go James Deering.  You’re an industrialist with vision.

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