Party in the city where the heat is on
All night, on the beach till the break of dawn
Welcome to Miami
Buenvenidos a Miami
Will Smith, "Miami"
I n Florida's unofficial capital, in addition to significantly more hours of sunshine than in Northern Europe, it is above all a carefree attitude to life and experimental design that attracts visitors: from the Art Deco hotel to the gym-hardened body on the beach. Especially in the Advent season, Miami is a wonderful, palm-lined contrast to long queues in shopping malls, complicated guest lists and elaborate menu and outfit planning. Oh, and the Christmas cards would have to...
The beauty and party mecca on the Gulf Stream can score with an additional goodie from December 1st to 4th, namely when artists from all over the world, their collectors and the most renowned gallery owners make the city the place to be during Art Basel Miami . Of course, you also wear (summer) cashmere under the Florida sun, and since Andrea Karg is also an expert on the art scene herself, we have listed some highlights of the fair and Miami Beach in this guide. Happy Art Holidays !
WHERE TO SLEEP
Faena Hotel Miami Beach , 3201 Collins Ave
The selfie camera is running hot at this hotel, criss-crossing the public spaces and 169 suites. Whether by the spacious pool with retro-look red and white striped parasols, in the glamorous rooms that Gianni Versace would have liked, or in front of the gilded mammoth skeleton by British artist Damien Hirst, which stands in the garden. There is definitely no boredom at the Faena. Fancy a culinary adventure trip? The in-house restaurant Pao by Paul Qui serves Asian cuisine with European influences from Spain and France. The best example is a modern variant of paella, in which a whole fried fish is served in a pan with salad and rice.
Soho Beach House , 2901 Collins Ave
We've been trying to establish relaxed boho chic à la Sienna Miller and Kate Moss in our own wardrobes for what feels like an eternity. However, it has never really caught on in our latitudes. Which is probably due to the German reluctance when it comes to super summer. In Miami, a real boho feeling is part of the check-in at the Soho Beach House. The mix of rustic vintage furniture, colorful fabrics and luxurious details makes us almost automatically sing those legendary lines from The Doors' "Soul Kitchen" while we throw on a light cashmere tunic:
" Well the clock says it's time to close now
I know I have to go now
I really want to stay here
All night, all night, all night ".
It is worth reserving a seat on the terrace for dinner. The sunset is breathtaking! A suitable cocktail is the "Golden Light" with grapefruit and fallernum.
WHERE TO EAT
Phuc Yea , 7100 Biscayne Blvd
When Phuc Yea opened five years ago, the line in front of the small restaurant was so long that many had to turn back. With a growling stomach. Not even the founders of the small Vietnamese restaurant, Aniece Meinhold and Cesar Zapta, expected such positive feedback. The Phuc Yea was only planned as a pop-up restaurant. As of this September, the Phuc Yea has arrived permanently, on Biscayne Boulevard. Furnished with a wonderful mix of modern and over 250 year old antiques. Particularly stylish: the private dining rooms!
The Bazaar by José Andrés , 1701 Collins Ave
Although the luxurious restaurant with its huge coral chandelier is very impressive and almost intimidating, every guest can sit back and relax here. Nobody needs to follow the order of the cutlery – from the outside to the inside, etc. – because other table rules apply here. Tapas, for example, are served in glass slippers and the elaborately draped salads are served in bowls that resemble tin cans. “The Bazaar” by star chef José Andrés is a far cry from the strenuous chi-chi that some top restaurants celebrate. Culinary delights meet a wink!
WHERE TO DRINK
Pool Bar at 1 Hotel , 2341 Collins Ave
While rooftop bars in our latitudes are only tolerable with a patio heater and cashmere blanket from September onwards, in Miami you can enjoy cocktails in airy kaftans practically all year round. The roof terrace in the 1 Hotel definitely offers the best view, from which you can admire the skyline and the sea from a 360-degree perspective. From the loungers by the pool , people-watching with creative drinks and cool live music is even more fun. Cheers !
Wynwood Walls / Wynwood Kitchen & Bar , 2550 NW 2nd Ave
Before the Wyndwood Walls developed into a hotspot for street art, the street consisted mainly of empty factory buildings that are best not to be lost. American art patron Tony Goldman was the first to transform the forgotten area into a park with an open-air gallery for graffiti. Right in the middle is the Wynwood Kitchen & Bar. Not only the excellent Latin American cuisine is fun here, but also the mix of colorful graffiti that runs across the restaurant. In addition to local greats such as Santiago Rubino, there are abstract, 6 meter high works by Christian Awe from Berlin.
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HIGHLIGHTS AT ART BASEL MIAMI
Tony Cragg
To ensure that there is enough space for his extraordinary works, an entire museum has been cleared for the British artist Tony Cragg. And the art of the 67-year-old also stands out from the crowd at Art Basel in Miami: His twisted and intertwined objects made of plastic, stainless steel and wood seem to literally stretch through the room. A few shadowy faces appear to have been tousled by the wind. But were those really human traits in this “advanced Rorschach test”?
Brian boys
Sneakerholics are likely to faint after just a few seconds at the sight of Brian Jungs three-dimensional murals. The Canadian does not use the usual materials such as metal, fabric or wood, but real sports shoes such as the famous Nike Air Jordan. The 46-year-old attracted international attention with a series of Indian masks for which sneaker parts were reassembled and sewn by hand. In his latest work "Walk this Way", the artist went even further and cut up popular cult sneakers himself.
Jacqueline Humphries
At first glance, everything that leaves the American artist's studio seems like a chaos of colours, lines and shapes. Abstract, unfathomable, with no apparent meaning. Only on closer inspection does it become clear which message is hidden behind the pictures. Supposed triangles turn out to be small "heaps" of the kind familiar from smartphone emoji palettes. Instead of casual bold consumption, Jacqueline Humphries demands maximum concentration and leisure.
After exciting days and nights between South and Miami Beach, concentrated art and chilled drinks, Will Smith should once again have the last word:
Here I am in the place where I come let go
Miami the base and the sunset glow
Will Smith, "Miami"
Photo (lead story): iStock.com/marchello74; Faena Hotel (feat. art work by @gfuenmayor77); 1 Hotel South Beach/@ellenmannaert
