Miami Beach, south of fifth, our favorite stretch of sand. Nothing about Miami was exactly fixed, or hard. Hard consonants were missing from the local speech patterns, in English as well as Spanish. Local money tended to move on hydraulic verbs: when it was not being washed it was being diverted, or challenged through Mexico, or turned off in Washington. Local stories tended to turn on underwater plot points, submerged snappers: on unsoundable extradition proceedings in the Bahamas, say, or fluid connections with the Banco Nacional de Columbia. So the question becomes “why Miami?” and the answer is as murky as the description above. Something intangible, something related to the mix of cultures and money washing through this city, the louche undercurrent of excess and experimentation that flows from cash in search of safe harbor. Miami’s a place where fortunes are parked and the people doing it don’t need to speak a word of English. In, say, Los Angeles, Spanish remained a language only barely registered by the Anglo population, part of the ambient noise, the language spoken by the people who worked in the car wash and came to trim the trees and cleared the tables in restaurants. In Miami Spanish was spoken by the people who ate in the restaurants, the people who owned the cars and the trees…exiles who felt isolated or declassed by language in New York or Los Angeles thrived in Miami. An entrepreneur who spoke no English could still, in Miami, buy, sell, negotiate, leverage assets ,float bonds, and if he were so inclined, attend galas twice a week, in black tie. The two selections above are from Miami, Joan Didion, 1987. As much as the city’s changed in the last 40 years, this central fact has not. Spanish is the primary language and drives the city’s culture, reinforcing Miami’s otherness while also making it the destination of choice for all points south, why it’s sometimes called the “northernmost Latin American Capital”. We first started coming here twenty years ago because it’s a short flight, less time than traveling to South Padre, and because there’s no tar on the beach. Plus I can see my feet — the water’s not muddied by the Mississippi’s murky plume. What follows is a map, a starting place and nothing more, for a weekend diversion. Our entry point to the culture is food, always food, the most tangible expression of the city’s diversity and its history. WHERE TO EAT The Tip Miami eats late — primetime dinners are between 8 and 10 — so we’ve learned to love the early meal. The New York Times, for example, called Boia De one of the hardest reservations to snag in America. We went at 5, put our name on the list outside, and were promptly seated on opening at 530. This has been true with anywhere we want to go. Easy to eat before 7, impossible without advance planning after that. Boia De & Walrus Rodeo The “it places” of the moment. The Michelin-starred Boia De and its new acclaimed cousin Walrus Rodeo are tucked into a run down strip center between the Design District and Little Haiti, easy to miss but for Boia De’s distinctive exclamation mark — part of the cultivated mystery, the name translating roughly to “oh my”, as in something discovered, something unexpected, something wonderful. The New York Times, 50 Best Restaurants in America , 2024 Walrus Rodeo, courtesy Michelin Guide . The real life couple behind these two gems are Luciana Giangrandi, a Miami native of Italian-Swiss-Chilean descent and her partner, Alex Meyer. They appeared in The Bear and personify how the city’s unique collision of cultures creates the cool. Luciana Giangrandi and Alex Meyer of Boia De,courtesy Miami New Times. The food here toys with your expectations in this way, with dishes that look familiar, only to reveal flavors you didn’t predict. Servers mash carrot tartare, bound by espuma and salsa verde, as soon as it lands on the table; charred long beans hold dollops of lemon curd. The staff will make you feel lucky to be part of the scene unfolding nightly in this unassuming Little Haiti strip mall. The New York Times, 50 Best Restaurants in America, 2024 , Walrus Rodeo. Kush A low down burger bar that we love to hit when we’re in Wynwood. It feels real and lived in, a place to get grounded in a district overflowing with aspiration. Estiatorio Milos No better place for a nice dinner. Attentive service, perfectly executed seafood and Greek dishes. Crust More “real Miami.” A treasured Italian joint with huge portions on the Miami River. It’s just up the street from Garcia’s, which has been here forever. Grab a drink at the upstairs bar, unchanged since Don Shula was coaching the Fins, then go to Crust for dinner. Cafe La Trova Named to more than one list of the world’s best bars , Cafe La Trova pairs classic reinterpreted Cuban dishes from local chef Michelle Bernstein with a bar scene literally imported from the homeland along with acclaimed cantinero Julio Cabrera. Julio Cabrera, who grew up above his father’s speakeasy in Cuba, brought cantinero cocktail culture with him to Little Havana. He and his fellow bartenders stylishly toss and twirl expertly balanced cocktails, then dance in rhythm when the nightly live band leads them in Cuban oldies. One technique that’s far more common in Cuban bartending is throwing drinks, a mixing technique that hasn’t yet caught on widely in American bars. It’s a delight to watch (and fun to try at home): Rather than shaking or stirring, the bartender “throws” the drink from one container to the other, pouring it from one tin to the other from a substantial distance, creating a long, slender ribbon of liquid that magically goes where it’s supposed to. It adds chill, dilution and texture without the more substantial bubble and froth that comes from a hard shake. The Washington Post, May 2019 Red Rooster Swedish-Ethiopian chef Marcus Samuelsson made his mark with Red Rooster in New York, and he opened his second location in the historic black neighborhood of Overtown, with the hope of anchoring a renaissance for the once-vibrant community. The restaurant stands on the site of Clyde Killens’ legendary pool hall, where Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Sam Cooke, and other Black legends would hang out after performances at the Lyric Theater across the street. Rick Ross, Marcus Samuelsson, Dwayne Wade, US Magazine, 2021 . WHERE TO SHOP The Design District Everything current from everywhere in the world. This is where the world’s biggest names show off, in the same way they do in global centers like New York, Paris and Tokyo. Hold on to your wallet, and check out the eye candy. Wynwood A fascinating study in urban renewal, and a model being followed by the St. Elmo Arts District in Austin. In stage one, abandoned warehouses attract artists, who then attract people who want to be near the creative class. As the scene develops, more sophisticated players move in — fancy restaurants, tech start ups, housing. This is where Uchi set up its Miami outpost. Wynwood’s also home to elaborate experiences like Superblue, just across the street from the jewel of Miami’s museum scene, The Rubell. “Flowers and People, Cannot be Controlled but Live Together – Transcending Boundaries, A Whole Year per Hour” (2017), by the art collective teamLab, is part of the Superblue Miami experience. (Photo courtesy of Pace Gallery) Below are the places we peruse. BASE Superstore Walt Grace Vintage Wynwood Walls The Rubell Superblue We’ll note that we also like to spend a few hours at the Perez Art Museum, which is a short Uber ride away. Lincoln Road Slowly over the last two decades — and more rapidly after the pandemic — we’ve watched rising rents push out interesting local businesses like the Brazilian sushi joint and custom sandals store in favor of the same chains that seem to populate every city’s shopping district. One of the few places we now stop is the Miami outpost of Brazilian brand Osklen. The Adidas store has a large Messi selection, and various pop ups and street performances make for an interesting evening stroll. The sidewalk cafes always look tempting, but we’ve never had a great meal here. THE FLIGHT American Airlines has a flight that goes point to point — Miami to Austin and back. It’s almost always on time, and leaves Austin midday, one of the better times to navigate our overcrowded airport. The Tip The midday flights arrive around four, grab an Uber to the Design District and hit Michael’s Genuine , a James Beard-recognized restaurant with maybe the best roasted chicken I’ve ever had. Most of the shops close at 7, but the area’s great for a post-dinner stroll prior to heading to the hotel. WHERE TO STAY We like to stay on the beach, which can be pricey — like so pricey they seem to invent new ways to separate you from your money. But that being said, if you’re looking for a luxury experience, these three stand out. Blowing It Out The Setai Where you run into people like Bella Hadid and Mark Wahlberg. The Edition The Bungalow room is the best we’ve ever experienced in Miami. The Faena If you want to know what it feels like to live in a big-budget Hollywood musical, try staying at Faena Miami Beach. Conde Nast Traveler . A Budget Choice The Balfour Hotel If we’re staying more than a couple days, we opt for quiet, clean and cheap. The room is where we go to sleep, we spend the rest of our time in the city or on the beach. There’s no pool with thumping music, no loud bar, no real restaurant. In short, something of a cocoon. This art deco gem is right across the street from the beach, and they partner with Esteban’s for chairs and an umbrella. It’s worth spending a bit more to upgrade to the new section of the hotel. You’ll love the convenience. Oh — and don’t go north of 5th after about 11 unless you want to plunge into the craziness that’s Ocean Drive. Our notes on the city always are changing, new additions get added and favorites disappear, but that change, the shifting currents, keeps bringing us back. An interactive wall at Superblue On we go. Alan Berg, Publisher. *quotes and interviews occasionally edited for clarity. How are we doing? We want to hear from you. 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