The Soul of South Beach
In the 1970s, Miami Beach was a dilapidated senior citizens' community. See how this sunny spot became a pop culture icon, known for its music and bold sense of style, design, and architecture. Stop in for famous concoctions, whether it's Apple Martinis at the News Cafe or Cardoso's for a Cuban omelet, made with sweet plantains and peas.

Dally in Sobe, the third largest historic district in the U.S., or head to Boardwalk on 9th Street and Ocean Drive for one-of-a-kind sand castles. Or indulge your artistic side with a visit to Romero Britto, considered "the Brazilian Andy Warhol."

Before departing, get a sneak preview of what's next for South Beach, from the perspective of internationally-renowned designer Philippe Starck, musician Jon Secada, author Laura Cerwinske, chefs Douglas Rodriguez and Aaron Sanchez and many others.

South Beach Dining and Night Life

Casa Tua, South Beach
305-673-1010
Five-suite hotel with restaurant, with a menu that changes daily. Rates: $500 and up per suite.

News Cafe, Miami Beach
305-538-6397
www.newscafe.com
The most popular drink at News Café is the Apple Martini.

Joe's Stone Crab, Miami Beach
305-673-0365
www.joesstonecrab.com
Joe's was a favorite restaurant of Al Capone's and sells a ton of stone crabs per day, in-store and via phone or e-mail orders with overnight shipping.

Nikki’s Beach Bar, South Beach
www.nikkibeach.com
Trendy beachfront bar with private cabanas, showers and hammocks. Claims to make the best "Mojitos" in town.

Douglas Rodriguez, Chef
Yuca Restaurant, Miami Beach
305-532-9822
www.yuca.com
Rodriguez is co-owner of Patria, New York’s premiere restaurant "Nuevo Latino," a phrase he coined in 1994.

South Beach Art and Performance

Edward Villella, Miami City Ballet
Tickets: 877-929-7010
www.miamicityballet.org

Bass Museum of Art, Miami Beach
Closed Mondays, $6 General Admission, $4 students/seniors
www.bassmuseum.org

Romero Britto, Artist
www.britto.com
Britto's art is described as Neo-Pop Cubism, and he is referred to as the "Brazilian Andy Warhol."

Jon Secada, Musician
www.jon-secada.com
Listening lounge and listings for this crooner

Wolfsonian Museum of Modern Art and Design
Admission $5, closed Wednesdays
305-531-1001
www.wolfsonian.fiu.edu

Additional Resources

Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
800-933-8448
www.gmcvb.com

Miami Design Preservation League's Art Deco Welcome Center
1001 Ocean Dr.
305-672-2014
www.mdpl.org
Art Deco tours guided by native historians: Sat.,10:30 a.m. ($10); self-guided audio tours Mon.-Fri. ($10 rental fee); maps, directions also available

OceanDrive.com
www.oceandrive.com
News and listings on events, music, style and more

Visit SoBe Online
www.visitsobeonline.com/artdeco.htm

SoBe Wine & Food Festival
www.sobewineandfoodfest.com

Philippe Starck, Industrial Designer/Architect
www.philippe-starck.com
Starck's studio is in Paris, where he began his career designing discos in the 1970s.

ICON South Beach
www.markzilbert.com/sofi_icon.asp
Condo complex designed by Philipe Starck

Next: Sanibel and Captiva Islands