It’s been 3 weeks and I have to tell you… I’m still thinking about my time in MIAMI!  I definitely wanted to let you guys know about all the amazing stuff we got into in case you’re planning a trip there soon!  (Or better yet…a Bachelorette Weekend!)

Every part of the weekend was marvelous, but if I had to distill the amazingness down to 5 key points they would be as follows:

1. Hotel Gansevoort – OK, so I may be a tiny bit biased.  When I lived in NYC, I spent far too much time and FAR too much money sipping cocktails on the roof deck of Hotel Gansevoort in the Meatpacking District…and I don’t regret a single minute or a single cent of it.  So when I checked in to the Miami location, all that good nostalgia came rushing back the second I saw the logo.

But the enormous and gorgeous rooms, top tier customer service, inexplicably green tea scented air and the fact that there is a BIG DROP in the lobby I think more than support my positive feelings.

(For those of you who don’t know about Big Drop – it is only one of my FAVORITE stores in the whole wide world.  I could go on and on.  I got the most spectacular yellow dress and turquoise earrings and could have happily left the rest of the contents of my wallet there as well.  Click HERE for more information and locations)

Also worth noting were the TWO pool scenes they had going on.  We spent the majority of our time at the 3rd floor pool, gazing out from the infinity pool to the ocean while lounging 12-deep on cushy beach chairs while delightful servers brought cocktails, frozen fruit, and ice cold water.  It was so serene and blissful, I never wanted to leave.

The other pool option? The roof deck.  I am here to tell you that there was a line around the block to get up to the roof deck pool and it was full of ladies in stilettos and bejeweled cover ups and dudes with hair product.  I was intrigued so my girl Ashley and I went up for a little walk-through and that party was BUMPING.  People dancing in cabanas, standing shoulder to shoulder in the pool, bottle service, the whole 9.  It was rumored that several famous athletes and Justin Bieber were there that weekend and if they were…I either didn’t recognize them or see them, but suffice it to say – a total 180 from the oasis on the 3rd floor, but just as awesome.

I totally snapped this with my iPhone like a nerd.

Hotel Gansevoort South Beach…I love you.

2.    The Big Pink – We did some good eating in Miami, but I really got a kick out of the Big Pink.

It’s this total beach place with huge long family style tables running from end to end and the portions are ridiculously enormous.  I got a chopped salad and I’m sure the entire contents of a produce section of a grocery store made it onto my plate.

Looking down the table I also saw mounds of French toast, omelets, French fries, and all kinds of other delicacies sure to cure the damage we did to ourselves the night before at the W Hotel.

Struggle Street

3.    Taverna Opa – These people are professional partiers.  If you are bringing ANY kind of group situation to Miami, I think Taverna Opa should be on your list- no question.

We parked our party at one of their sturdy wooden tables and for a mere $25/per person, they brought us mounds and mounds of delicious Greek food and threw stacks of paper napkins at us as we danced on the tables and generally had a ball.  Opa is always a good, rowdy time.

Bachelorette approved!

4.    Sushi Samba – I’m sure you’ve all been to a Sushi Samba in one city or another.   I had NO IDEA they had such a cute price fixe menu for a group! There was literally something for everyone.  We started with edamame and salads and the regular fare and ended with a platter of amazing sushi, but we had some very interesting stops along the way such as sea bass on skewers and grilled octopus – it was absolutely perfect.   When can you open a location in the ATL, Sushi Samba?

5.    Fontainebleu/Arkadia– We did a fair amount of partying that weekend, and it was very hard to pinpoint my favorite lounge, but we really had a great time at Arkadia in the Fontainebleu Hotel. 

We got a table and totally felt like VIPs as we bypassed the enormo line and sashayed right down stairs to a freezing cold, almost totally empty club.  We really appreciated both the temperature and the moment of quiet before the place totally filled with people and we had a blast dancing on floor, the banquettes, and everywhere else.

I will admit, I could have had fun just about anywhere with the group in attendance, but that weekend in Miami was something special…

Next up?  Bachelorette weekend for my girl EZ in HOUSTON this weekend!

Further bulletins as events warrant…

Get ready, Houston!

xx, L

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