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Face it girls, most nightlife guides are written
by-and-for the boys. And the boys
(bless them one and all) usually have
but one thing on their mind—the thrill of the
chase.
Of course we girls wouldn’t have it any other
way, but
don't you think it's about time that someone wrote a nightlife guide
from a girl's perspective?
Well, with that in mind, here’s a nightlife guide designed especially for
you ladies wishing to further
your amorous adventures during
your next visit to South Beach.
Clubs, Clubs, Clubs
While Miami Beach is known worldwide for its raging club scene, you must
keep in mind that not all Miami Beach clubs are located in…uh…”clubs.”
Many of the coolest scenes around are found in
hotels, restaurants (after midnight) and lounges. The key to Miami Beach
nightlife is knowing where and when to find
“the scene” on any given night. Here are the must-see-must-do’s:
Sanctuary Hotel's Roof Lounge
1735 James Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305.673.5455
A recent addition to South Beach, the Sanctuary
Hotel's Rooftop Lounge may be
the new best-kept secret in town… but don’t expect it to stay that way for long.
No expense was spared in making this hotel a chic
retreat, and news is spreading by word of mouth alone
as the owners aren't bringing in promoters to
energize the scene. And
from the recent looks of it, nothing more than word of mouth is needed:
Sanctuary's roof-top lounge is rapidly becoming the
place to be on Fridays and Saturdays as a
launch-pad
to pre-game for the big party, which in South Beach, lies
directly ahead
regardless of where the night takes you.
The Hotel Astor
956 Washington Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
On any given Tuesday night, a sure bet is TAI Entertainment’s party at
the Hotel Astor. Renowned promoters
Casares/Pooch/Roth make sure the models
are-a-plenty, providing eye candy for both boys and girls. Be sure to
get their early and dress your best, because the hassle at the door can
be overwhelming. The party is kept selective by keeping the regular
passer-by’s out, but if you dress the part
they'll know you're
looking to play. Once inside this indoor/outdoor party, you have your
choice of several bars, but
the drinks can be somewhat pricey (plan on
$10-15 a round). Just think of it like this: You're
simply paying for the lush
atmosphere and the amazingly
good-looking company you just met.
The Forge
432 41st Street
Miami Beach, FL 33140
The Forge is a Miami Beach institution and
their parties are legendary. On Wednesday nights, after serving dinner
to haute Miami’s most discriminating
clientele, the place packs a full house of scenesters who are just as
picky about their partying as the dinner-crowd
is about their steaks. And if you're looking
to catch a glimpse of a celebrity or two, The Forge is your place:
Anyone in the latest issue of People
who happens to be passing through Miami Beach usually
makes a stop at this destination for fab dining and exclusive
lounging. The music varies between different rooms,
pleasing just about everyone in Miami’s
socially and sexually diverse scene. And luxurious
surroundings full of happy people make for amazing parties, week after
week.
Sky Bar at the Shore Club
1901 Collins Ave
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305.695.3100
A personal favorite of mine, the Shore Club Hotel’s Sky Bar
has something to offer no matter what your mood. Their Thursday night party, hosted by Erica
Freshman and Zack Bush, brings in the perfect mix of locals and
tourists. If you would prefer to move and groove in a club-type
locale
fit for a P Diddy video, just jump into the notorious Red Room and give
your thing a good ole’ shake to the hip-hop groves. When your amazing
moves catch the eye of one of the resident hotties, and you need to go
somewhere to chat, the outdoor living room-themed Red Room Garden is
great for conversing with your new found friend, who is obviously
interested in buying you as many cocktails as you can consume all night
long. If you and your new beau want to lounge by one of the enormous
pools on one the beds provided, feel free. The Rum Bar is conveniently
located centrally between the two pools for easy access. Just keep in
mind that during Sky Bar hours, the pool is off limits: You can look,
but don’t touch. *Please note: This rule does not apply to
the hunk at your
side.
Cameo
1445 Washington Ave
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305.531.5027
Cameo is a dance-lovers wet-dream. This four-tiered club is a renovated
movie theater and everyone here comes to party. And when I say everyone, I
mean everyone. Cameo is a destination for locals and
tourists-alike, and the line is always long, even at 4am.
This Miami
Beach institution has no problem charging $20 a pop to get
through the doors even at 4am, knowing full well that the party is
almost over. They get away with it because the party is that good. In
order to get away from the almost overwhelming crowd, try to slip upstairs to
the VIP (Not an easy task, but try the “My friend has a table
right up there. Point, and when he turns to look, slip past like you
know what you are doing.) And once you get up one flight of stairs,
don’t stop there—There are more VIPs to be found. Almost hidden in the
upper left corner of what seems to be the end of the line, there is a
door leading to a small private room, which can be classified as Upper
VIP. This small, intimate hidden room is home to all the debauchery you
can imagine, night-after-night. The walls are lined with small tables
and chairs, and those lucky enough to find themselves in this setting
can actually talk and hear above the music, unlike the rest of the club,
which pumps its house tunes loud enough to get every patron’s body
moving.
Rose Bar at the Delano Hotel
1685 Collins Ave
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305.672.2000
There's no place in South
Beach quite like the Delano. Upon entering the front door of the
hotel, patrons are awed by the sheer massiveness of the walls and of
the sophistication of the setting. Only the elegant feel of the Rose Bar
matches the old-world Miami Beach grandeur of the lobby. Located in the back of the main floor
of this South Beach landmark, the Rose Bar pours plenty-a-cocktail every
evening, and does so in a style befitting a queen
(you). The atmosphere virtually
demands that you sip only the finest bubbly while gabbing with your
friends. And if you're in need of a sugar-daddy, The Delano is your
best bet. (While
recently enjoying my own glass of bubbly in the lobby, I overheard an older gentleman say to his
young prey: “I want to buy you
something — not a drink, I was thinking more
along the lines of a handbag.”
And what girl
couldn’t use one more purse?)
Hotel Victor
1144 Ocean Dr
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305.428.1234
A new and much-needed addition to the South Beach nightlife scene,
the
Hotel Victor has certainly taken over Thursdays with their party hosted
by Michael Capponi. Whether you plan to relax in the posh settings for the
entire
night or to simply start your evening off in the right place, the
Hotel Victor's bartenders are hot, the digs are beyond fashionable, and the décor is
stunning. The scene is at once
both relaxed and stimulating. The
restaurant draws in the upper echelon, dressed to the nines, and
after dinner they
make their way up to the second floor atrium and mingle
with the crowd where you are just as likely to find patrons in jeans
as fancier frocks. The Hotel Victor is highly
recommended.
Mansion
1235 Washington Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305.531.5535
Having just celebrated their
one-year anniversary in style, Mansion—the
biggest club in South Beach—shows no signs of slowing down. Their
parties are the best of the best and consistently bring in
top celebrities
galore. Mansion is best on weekends (including Thirsty Thursdays,
of course), where both the main and hip-hop rooms are packed with
partiers. Be prepared to dance, dance, dance once you make it
inside, which, by the way, can be a feat in and of itself. Because of the
overwhelming popularity of Mansion’s bashes, be prepared to wait in line
a bit to join the fun. But as always, acting like you should be in is
always one way to get it. Girls, march right on up to the door man, give
him your best smile, (shoulders back, chest out) and let him know that you
are on the list, even if you are not. But if
you really want to avoid the fuss, easiest thing to do is make
a
phone call during the day and ensure your guest-list status. Give the
club a call and ask them who is handling their guest list for the
night’s event. Its one sure way to guarantee you're in
the game, instead of
cheering from the sidelines.
Mynt
1921 Collins Ave
Miami Beach, FL 33139
786.276-6133
Possibly the most selective of all of South Beach’s clubs, Mynt Lounge
is host to superb festivities every weekend. The front room plays
up-tempo house beats, while the back room blasts the hottest hip-hop.
This is where the 1% gene poolers come to party: bouncers have no
problem telling the not-so-perfect they are not up to par with the
regular clientele. But the attitude at the door
doesn't hinder the party
inside, which is always bumping. The beat often moves many a girl to
shake it on the table top… I personally have damaged
some personal property at this posh locale by putting my heel through the
white leather couches while dancing in the hip-hop room. Oops! What can
I say, the music moved me to new heights, and I was forced to live in
the moment. So ditch the shoes if you want to dance
high above the crowd.
Privé
136 Collins Ave
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305.531.5535
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays there is no place like Privé. This
club is actually considered the VIP room of the Opium Garden, which lies
below. Privé is made up of a hip-hop room
and a house room, both of
which are packed weekend after weekend with South Beach’s young hot
crowd. Upon gaining entrance to Privé, you're
also given access to Opium
Garden and you can feel free to gloat: Those not in-the-know enough to
stick to the left upon arrival at the complex are forced to stay down
below in Opium Garden. But there are worse places in the world to be
stuck than Opium Garden (such as any of the clubs that lie between
500-700 Washington Avenue). The party down in the trenches is just
as hot as up in Privé… and by hot I mean both bumping and without
air conditioning—Opium Garden (unlike Privé) is an
open-air party, so keep an
eye on the weather before heading out.
The Roof at the Townhouse Hotel
150 20th St
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305.534.3800
On Friday nights the
rooftop lounge at the Townhouse hotel gets packed with the
young and laid-back
beautiful people who are just looking for a good time… on a waterbed
with a view. For guests and
locals looking to get their groove on high above the hectic
street below the Townhouse hotel opens
up its rooftop lounge where
the unique
red-and-white décor seems straight out of a 60’s movie set.
The party
is more of a starting-out point than a final destination
and the
innovative drinks available soothe your inhibitions and get you
ready for whatever the night brings.
Raleigh Hotel's Sunday Soiree Party
1775 Collins Ave
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305.534.6300
When you're looking to end your weekend in the right place, head over
to The Raleigh Hotel's Sunday Soiree
pool/beach party, and join the rest of Miami Beach’s
in-crowd as they relax after a weekend of partying like the stars
they are. Whether you are looking to gear-up or wind down, The Raleigh’s
Sunday Soiree is a must-do. The atmosphere is one of a casual pool party
circa 1955, albeit with dance music instead of Sinatra. Feel free to lie
by the pool, sit at one of the tables on the sand, or join the crowd
around the fire-pit. Once the sun goes down, the tempo of the party gets
kicked, and people settle in to party all night… again.
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