The Culture Club: Top 6 low-key stops for a Miami getaway
The Culturites just spent five days on a “working holiday” in paradise–we camped out at The Standard Miami. Somewhere in between our conference calls held poolside and writing proposals over smoothies in the breakfast nook, we found time to completely un-wind with some local neighborhood joints outside of the typical SoBe haunts. Our top spots for a quick Miami getaway below:
Stay, dine, swim or relax in the hammam at The Standard Miami (40 Island Avenue, 305-673-1717, standardhotels.com/miami). It’s off the main strip and offers yoga, a wellness spa, free in-room films, green smoothies (featuring ingredients like parsley spirulina and kale) for breakkie and poolside quinoa salad. This is not the spring-break Miami you may be familiar with.
Puerto Sagua (700 Collins Avenue, 305-673-1115). Cuban comfort food at its best–nothing about this resto is chic or refined, just the way Culturites like it these days! The roasted chicken, black beans and fried plantains are the best Cuban food we have tasted outside of Havana. No preferential treatment here–there is always a line, and slipping the “maître’d” some cash isn’t going to make it move any faster. Instead, order some bottles Presidente beer while you wait and people watch.
Fuel up at Café Bustelo (Gansevoort South Beach Hotel, 2377 Collins Avenue, 305-604-1000, cafebustelo.com). With its claim of “America’s Favorite Espresso Coffee,” Bustelo definitely has a lot to live up to. Not sure how this claim was substantiated, but their delicious Cuban coffee is certainly worthy of note. (Amanda’s husband favors the popular Cortadito–an espresso topped with steamed milk.) The light Hispanic bites and desserts represent staples of Latin cuisine infused with modern culinary inspiration and tropical influences.
Garcia’s Seafood Grille & Fish (398 Northwest North River Drive, 305-375-0765). We enjoyed our first ever meal of fresh stone crab at this hard-to-find seafood resto that’s popular with locals and tourists alike. Lets just say it certainly will not be our last. We loved everything from the open-air dining room, the wooden picnic tables, the boat “parking lot” to the mouth-watering ceviche!
Joe Allen Restaurant (1787 Purdy Avenue, 305-531-7007, joeallenrestaurant.com/miami-beach). When we stumbled upon this little neighbourhood gem, we couldn’t believe our luck. It had everything Culturites look for in a restaurant: dim lighting, comfortable seats at the bar, friendly staff, delicious food and a buzzing atmosphere. If you go on a weekend, be sure to make a reservation!
Sick of white leather banquettes, bottle service and the posturing that goes along with it? So are we. So we were thrilled to come across a great little boîte where we danced away our Thursday night with no pretensions. Buck 15 (707 Lincoln Lane, 305-538-3815, buck15.com) is above the Chinese resto Miss Yip, with an entrance off a laneway. The drag queen DJ that spins on The Simple Life Thursdays has a playlist that’ll make you shake your booty.
Ashleigh Dempster and Amanda Blakley are the co-founders of The Society Global, a social club with chapters in Toronto, New York, L.A. and Miami. The Miami chapter launched March 25 with a private supper salon at the home of fashion designer Naeem Khan and jewellery-designing wife, Ranjana. For more info on The Society Global, visit their website, thesocietyglobal.com, or follow them on Twitter at twitter.com/culturites.
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