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Miami Info · Joined: 05 Jan 2007 Posts: 17 Home Country: usa

NIGHTLIFE IN MIAMI

With all the hype, you'd expect Miami to have long outlived its 15 minutes of fame by now. But you'd be wrong. Miami's nightlife, in South Beach, and, slowly but surely, downtown, is hotter than ever before -- and still getting hotter.

Practically every club in the area has installed closely guarded velvet ropes to create an air of exclusivity. Don't be fooled or intimidated by them -- anyone can go clubbing in the Magic City.

South Beach is certainly Miami's uncontested nocturnal nucleus, but more and more diverse areas, such as the Design District, South Miami, and even Little Havana, are increasingly providing fun alternatives without the ludicrous cover charges, "fashionably late" hours of operation (things don't typically get started on South Beach until after 11pm), the lack of sufficient self-parking, and outrageous drink prices that come standard in South Beach.

And while South Beach dances to a more electronic beat, other parts of Miami dance to a Latin beat -- from salsa and merengue to tango and cha cha. However, if you're looking for a less frenetic good time, Miami's bar scene offers something for everyone, from haute hotel bars to sleek, loungey watering holes.

Parts of downtown Miami, such as the Biscayne Corridor, the Miami River, and the Design District are in the throes of a trendy makeover a la New York City's Meatpacking District, in which, slowly but surely, cool lounges, bars and clubs are popping up and providing the "in" and arty crowds with another, newer, more urban-chic nocturnal pasture.

But if the possibility of a celebrity sighting in one of the city's lounges, bars, or clubs doesn't fulfill your cultural needs, Miami also offers a variety of first-rate diversions in theatre, music and dance, including a world-class ballet (under the aegis of Edward Villella), a recognised symphony, and a talented opera company. The brand new Cesar Pelli-designed, $446-million Miami Performing Arts Center is the focal point for the arts, created to prove to the world that Miami isn't as shallow and devoid of culture as people once thought.

For up-to-date listing information, and to make sure the club of the moment hasn't expired, check the Miami Herald's "Weekend" section, which runs on Fridays, or the more comprehensive listings in New Times, Miami's free alternative weekly, available each Wednesday, or visit http://miami.citysearch.com online.

The Bar Scene

There are countless bars and lounges in and around Miami (most require proof that you are over 21 to enter), with the highest concentration on trendy South Beach. Keep in mind that many of the popular bars -- and the easiest to get into -- are in hotels (with a few notable exceptions). For a clubbier scene, if you don't mind making your way through hordes of inebriated club kids, a stroll on Washington Avenue will provide you with ample insight into what's hot and what's not. Just hold on to your bags. It's not dangerous, but, occasionally, a few shady types manage to slip into the crowd. Another very important tip when in a club: Never put your drink down out of your sight -- there have been unfortunate incidents in which drinks have been spiked with illegal chemical substances. For a less hard-core, more collegiate nightlife, head to Coconut Grove. Oh, yes, and when going out in South Beach, make sure to take a so-called disco nap, as things don't get going until at least 11pm. If you go earlier, be prepared to face an empty bar or club. Off of South Beach and in hotel bars in general, the hours are fashionably earlier, with the action starting as early as, say, 7pm.

Hotel Bars
While South Beach is known for its trendy club scene, hotel bars all over Miami are also very much a part of the nightlife. Among the hottest hotel bars are the Champagne and Crustacean Bar at The Setai, Skybar and the Nobu Lounge at The Shore Club, the Rose Bar at the Delano, the bars at Metro Kitchen + Bar at the Hotel Astor, the Bond St. Lounge at the Townhouse, Amadeus Bar at the Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, the M Bar at the Mandarin Oriental, and Bahia at the Four Seasons.

Long gone are the days of the old-school Holiday Inn lounges. In fact, some hotels seem to spend more money on their bars than they do on their bedding. That aside, hotel bar-hopping is very popular in Miami. The newest hotel in town, the swankier than thou Setai, has the prettiest and most expensive bars, including their "Champagne and Crustacean Bar."

Here's a list of the rest of the best:

Rose Bar at the Delano for seeing and being seen.

SkyBar at The Shore Club also for seeing and being seen.

Metro Kitchen + Bar at Hotel Astor to bask in a flattering light with a sophisticated, not snotty, crowd.

Bond St. Lounge at the Townhouse hotel, a New York import, is a tiny bar/lounge that also serves food; it's known for excellent sushi and a hip, chic, jet-set crowd.

Raleigh Bar at the Raleigh Hotel, a true throwback to the days of deco set to the tunes of Edith Piaf, Tony Bennett, Sinatra, and more, and run by Crispy, one of Miami's best known bartenders (ask for her original concoction, the Frescita).

The Club & Music Scene

Dance Clubs
Clubs are as much a cottage industry in Miami as is, say, cheese in Wisconsin. Clubland, as it is known, is not just a nocturnal theme park but a way of life for some. On any given night in Miami, there's something going on -- no excuses are needed to throw a party here. Short of throwing a glammy event for the grand opening of a new gas station, Miami is very party hearty, celebrating everything from the fact that it's Tuesday night to the debut of a hot new DJ. Within this very bizarre after-dark community, a very colourful assortment of characters emerge, from your (a)typical 9-to-5 crowd to shady characters who have reinvented themselves as hot shots on the club circuit. While this scene of seeing and being seen may not be your cup of Absolut, it's certainly never boring.

The club music played on Miami's ever-evolving social circuit is good enough to get even the most rhythmically challenged wallflowers dancing. To keep things fresh in Clubland, local promoters throw one-nighters, which are essentially parties with various themes or motifs, from funk to fashion. Word of mouth, local advertising, and listings in the free weekly New Times, www.miami.citysearch.com, or the "Weekend" section of the Miami Herald are the best ways to find out about these ever-changing events.

Before you get all decked out to hit the town as soon as the sun sets, consider the fact that Miami is a very late town. Things generally don't get started here before 11pm. The Catch-22 is that if you don't arrive on South Beach early enough, you may find yourself driving around aimlessly for parking, as it is very limited outside of absurd $20 valet charges. Municipal lots fill up quickly, so your best bet is to arrive on South Beach somewhat early and kill time by strolling around, having something to eat, or sipping a cocktail in a hotel bar. Another advantage of arriving a bit earlier than the crowds is that some clubs don't charge a cover before 11pm or midnight, which could save you a wad of cash over time. Most clubs are open every night of the week, though some are only open Thursday to Sunday and others are only open Monday though Saturday. Cover charges are very haphazard, too. If you're not on the ubiquitous guest list (ask your concierge to put you on the list -- he or she usually has the ability to do so, which won't help you with the wait to get in, but will eliminate the cover charge), you may have to fork over a ridiculous $20 to walk past the ropes. Don't fret, though. There are many clubs and bars that have no cover charge -- they just make up for it by charging $13 for a martini!

Latin Clubs
Considering that Hispanics make up a large part of Miami's population and that there's a huge influx of Spanish-speaking visitors, it's no surprise that there are some great Latin nightclubs in the city.

Plus, with the meteoric rise of the international music scene based in Miami, many international stars come through the offices of MTV Latino, SONY International, and a multitude of Latin TV studios based in Miami -- and they're all looking for a good club scene on weekends. Most of the Anglo clubs also reserve at least 1 night a week for Latin rhythms.

Thursday and Friday nights at Bongo's Cuban Café (American Airlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Downtown; tel. 786/777-2100) are an amazing showcase of some of the city's best salsa dancers, but amateurs need not be intimidated thanks to the instructors at Latin Groove Dance Studios, who are on hand to help you with your two left feet.

At Ballet Flamenco La Rosa (in the Performing Arts Network building, 13126 W. Dixie Hwy., North Miami; tel. 305/899-7730), you can learn to flamenco, salsa, or merengue. This is the only professional flamenco company in the area. If you're feeling shy, $50 will buy you a private lesson; otherwise, it's $10 for a group lesson.

Nobody salsas like Luz Pinto (tel. 305/868-9418), and she also knows how to teach the basics with patience and humour. She charges between $40 and $55 for a private lesson for up to four people and $10 per person for a group lesson. A good introduction is her multilevel group class at 7pm Sunday evenings at the PAN building. Although she teaches everything from ballroom to merengue, her specialty is Casino-style salsa, popularised in the 1950s in Cuba, Luz's homeland. A mix between disco and country square dancing, Casino-style salsa is all the rage in Latin clubs in town. Good students may be able to convince Luz, for an extra fee, to chaperone a trip to a nightclub to show off their moves. Ask her for more information.

Angel Arroya has been teaching salsa to the clueless out of his home (at 16467 NE 27th Ave., North Miami Beach; tel. 305/949-7799) for the past 10 years. Just $10 will buy you an hour's time in his "school." He traditionally teaches Monday and Wednesday nights, but call ahead to check for any schedule changes.

Live Music
Unfortunately, Miami's live music scene is not thriving. Instead of local bands garnering devoted fans, local DJs are more admired, skyrocketing much more easily to fame -- thanks to the city's lauded dance-club scene. However, there are still several places that strive to bring Miami up to speed as far as live music is concerned. You just have to look -- and listen -- for it a bit more carefully.

The Performing Arts

Theatre
The Actors' Playhouse [kds], a musical theatre at the newly restored Miracle Theater at 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables (tel. 305/444-9293; www.actorsplayhouse.org), is a grand 1948 Art Deco movie palace with a 600-seat main theatre and a smaller theatre/rehearsal hall that hosts a number of excellent musicals for children throughout the year. In addition to these two rooms, the Playhouse recently added a 300-seat children's balcony theatre. Tickets run from $27 to $40.

The Coconut Grove Playhouse, 3500 Main Hwy., Coconut Grove (tel. 305/442-4000; www.cgplayhouse.org), is also a former movie house, built in 1927 in an ornate Spanish rococo style. Today, this respected venue is known for its original and innovative staging of both international and local dramas and musicals. The house's second, more intimate Encore Room is well suited to alternative and experimental productions. Tickets run from $35 to $45.

The Gables Stage at the Biltmore Hotel, Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables (tel. 305/445-1119), stages at least one Shakespearean play, one classic, and one contemporary piece a year. This well-regarded theatre usually tries to secure the rights to a national or local premiere as well. Tickets cost $35; $15 and $32, respectively, for students and seniors.

The Jerry Herman Ring Theatre is on the main campus of the University of Miami in Coral Gables (tel. 305/284-3355). The University's Department of Theater Arts uses this stage for advanced-student productions of comedies, dramas, and musicals. Faculty and guest actors are regularly featured, as are contemporary works by local playwrights. Performances are usually scheduled Tuesday through Saturday during the academic year. In the summer, don't miss "Summer Shorts," a selection of superb one-acts. Tickets sell for $14 to $16.

The New Theater, 4120 Laguna St., Coral Gables (tel. 305/443-5909), prides itself on showing world-renowned works from America and Europe. As the name implies, you'll find mostly contemporary plays, with a few classics thrown in for variety. Performances are staged Thursday through Sunday year-round. Tickets are $35 on Thursdays, $40 on Fridays and Saturdays, and $35 to $40 on Sundays. If tickets are available on the day of the performance -- and they usually are -- students pay half price.

Classical Music
In addition to a number of local orchestras and operas, which regularly offer quality music and world-renowned guest artists, each year brings a slew of classical music special events and touring artists to Miami. The Concert Association of Florida (CAF) (tel. 877/433-3200) produces one of the most important and longest-running series. Known for more than a quarter of a century for its high-caliber, star-packed schedules, CAF regularly arranges the best "serious" music concerts for the city. Season after season, the schedules are punctuated by world-renowned dance companies and seasoned virtuosi like Itzhak Perlman, Andre Watts, and Kathleen Battle. Since CAF does not have its own space, performances are usually scheduled in the Miami-Dade County Auditorium or the Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts. The season lasts October through April, and ticket prices range from $20 to $70.

Dance
Several local dance companies train and perform in the Greater Miami area. In addition, top traveling troupes regularly stop at the venues listed below. Keep your eyes open for special events and guest artists.

Major Venues
The Colony Theater, on Lincoln Road in South Beach (tel. 305/674-1040), which has become an architectural showpiece of the Art Deco District, opened in 2006 after a $4.3-million renovation that added wing and fly space, improved access for those with disabilities, and restored the lobby to its original Art Deco look.

At the Miami-Dade County Auditorium, West Flagler Street at 29th Avenue, Southwest Miami (tel. 305/547-5414), performers gripe about the lack of space, but for patrons, this 2,430-seat auditorium is the only Miami space in which you can hear the opera -- for now. A multimillion-dollar performing arts centre downtown has been in the works for years . For now, though, the Miami-Dade County Auditorium is home to the city's Florida Grand Opera, and it also stages productions by the Concert Association of Florida, many programs in Spanish, and a variety of other shows.

At the 1,700-seat Gusman Center for the Performing Arts, 174 E. Flagler Street, downtown Miami (tel. 305/372-0925), seating is tight, and so is funding, but the sound is superb. In addition to hosting the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra and the Miami Film Festival, the elegant Gusman Center features pop concerts, plays, film screenings, and special events. The auditorium was built as the Olympia Theater in 1926, and its ornate palace interior is typical of that era, complete with fancy columns, a huge pipe organ and twinkling "stars" on the ceiling.

Not to be confused with the Gusman Center (above), the Gusman Concert Hall, 1314 Miller Dr. at 14th Street, Coral Gables (tel. 305/284-6477), is a roomy 600-seat hall that gives a stage to the Miami Chamber Symphony and a varied program of university recitals.

The elegant Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts, located in South Beach at Washington Avenue and 17th Street (tel. 305/673-7300; www.gleasontheater.com), is the home of the Miami Beach Broadway Series, which has recently presented Rent, Phantom of the Opera, and Les Misérables. This 2,705-seat hall also hosts other big-budget Broadway shows, classical music concerts and dance performances.

And last, but definitely not least, The Performing Arts Center, 1444 Biscayne Blvd. (tel. 305/372-1220) finally opened after a whopping $446-million tab, featuring the 2,400-seat Sanford and Dolores Ziff Ballet Opera House and the 2,200-seat Carnival Concert Hall; these will be Miami venues for the Concert Association of Florida, Florida Grand Opera, Miami City Ballet, and New World Symphony, as well as premier venues for a wide array of local, national, and international performances ranging from Broadway musicals and visiting classical artists to world and urban music, Latin concerts and popular entertainment from many cultures. The Studio Theater, a flexible black-box space designed for up to 200 seats, will host intimate performances of contemporary theatre, dance, music, cabaret and other entertainment. The Peacock Education Center will act as a catalyst for arts education and enrichment programs for children and adults. Finally, the Plaza for the Arts will be a magnificent setting for outdoor entertainment, social celebrations and informal community gatherings.

Designed by world-renowned architect Cesar Pelli, it is the focal point of a planned Arts, Media and Entertainment District in mid-Miami. The complex will be wrapped in limestone, slate, decorative stone, stainless steel, glass curtain walls, and tropical landscaping, and it is slated for completion in late 2006. For more information, check out their website at www.pacfmiami.org.

Casinos

Although gambling is technically illegal in Miami, there are plenty of loopholes that allow all kinds of wagering. Gamblers can try their luck at offshore casinos or on shore at bingo, jai alai, card rooms, horse tracks, dog races and Native-American reservations.

Especially popular is Miccosukee Indian Gaming, 500 SW 177th Ave. (off S.R. 41, in West Miami on the outskirts of the Everglades; tel. 800/741-4600 or 305/222-4600), where a touch of Vegas meets west Miami. This tacky casino isn't Caesar's Palace, but you can play tab slots, high-speed bingo (watch out for the serious blue-haired players who will scoff if you make too much noise or if you win before they do), and even poker (with a $10 maximum pot). With more than 85,000 square feet of playing space, the complex even offers overnight accommodations for those who can't get enough of the thrill and don't want to make the approximately 1-hour trip back to downtown Miami. Take the Florida Turnpike south toward Florida City/Key West. Take the SW 8th Street exit (no. 25) and turn left onto SW 8th Street. Drive for about 3 1/2 miles and then turn left onto Krome Avenue, and left again at 177th Street; you can't miss it.

The Gay & Lesbian Scene

Miami and the beaches have long been host to what is called a "first-tier" gay community. Similar to the Big Apple, the Bay Area, or LaLa land, Miami has had a large alternative community since the days when Anita Bryant used her citrus power to boycott the rise in political activism in the early '70s. Well, things have changed and Miami-Dade now has a gay-rights ordinance.

Newcomers intending to party in any bar, whether downtown or certainly on the beach, will want to check ahead for the schedule, as all clubs must have a gay or lesbian night to pay their rent. Miami Beach, in fact, is a capital of the gay circuit party scene, rivaling San Francisco, Palm Springs, and even the mighty Sydney, Australia, for tourist dollars. However, ever since South Beach got bit by the hip-hop bug, many of Miami's gays have been crossing county lines into Fort Lauderdale, where there are surprisingly many more gay establishments.


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