| Welcome to Miami |
A HELPFUL CLICKGREATER MIAMI ONVENTION A FEW CAFES Probably the most famous of the cafes is the News Café at 800 Ocean Drive. Gianni Versace religiously trekked down the street to this landmark each morning before his untimely death. Since its opening in late 1988, owners Jeffrey Davis and Mark Soyka have constantly expanded this quaint sidewalk café/bookstore which today includes a full-service kitchen and a bar with a great happy hour. They even have a little shop so you can walk away with your very own News Café T-shirt. When I’m in Miami Beach I usually hit the café in the late afternoon. I must admit that I’m a big fan of their Roast Duck Pizza.
A perfect place to sit outside and people-watch is Balans Miami at 1022 Lincoln Road. This London import has a delicious lobster club sandwich and a killer Oreo Key Lime pie with a raspberry sauce and whipped cream. (Yes, I got the whipped cream.) David’s Café is a cool spot to enjoy some great Cuban eats. There is a ton of history behind this restaurant. David’s has been in Miami Beach since 1977, but the Gonzalez family has been cooking since the 1800’s in Havana, Cuba. There are actually two David’s Cafes in Miami Beach: one at 1058 Collins Avenue and one at 1654 Meridian Avenue. You’ve got to try the café con leche. A LITTLE SHOPPING The shopping seems endless. There are countless boutiques along Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue, Washington Avenue and everywhere in between. Every designer who is “anyone” has set up a trendy boutique in Miami, so if you want it, chances are pretty good you’ll find it.
Definitely a tourist trap by most standards, the Bayside Marketplace in downtown Miami is for the Gap and Guess crowd. There are some great shops and I did pick up a great pair of Prada sunglasses, but I wouldn’t put this up there with one of the “must-sees” in Miami. Unless, of course, you just have to eat at Hooters or Miami’s Hard Rock Cafe. They always say, “If you can’t find it on South Beach, head to Aventura.” The 2.4 million square feet Aventura Mall (80,000 of which is the AMC Movie Theatre) is only a short drive from SoBe (No, not the energy drink; that’s South Beach Beach for short for you newbies.) The Macy*s Men’s Store and Bloomingdale’s alone are worth the drive. This megamall is located at 19501 Biscayne Boulevard. NIGHTLIFE, OF COURSE If you’re only going to be able to fit in one club on your trip, I hope you’ll make it Twist at 1057 Washington Avenue. Twist is actually two stories and is one of the most popular bars on South Beach. It has a casual vibe with a dance floor packed with guys from all over the world. There are so many bars under one roof (I think I counted seven) and it’s open til 5 a.m. The bartenders all passed the “Hot Test” and there is never a cover.
Funkshion Lounge & Restaurant is one of the newest hotspots to pop up. This may sound familiar to you fashionistas since it bears the same name as Miami Fashion Week—Funkshion. Friday nights are fun filled as famed South Beach promoter Edison Farrow presents Showgirls Cabaret: South Beach’s Most Glamorous Drag Queens. BoyBar on Normandy Isle has an awesome outdoor patio larger than almost any apartment in New York City. The club is only about five minutes north of South Beach and has a great Happy Hour from 5-9 p.m. seven days a week. BoyBar is located at 1220 Normandy Drive. Twilo Miami, 30 NE 11th Street, is a spin-off of the New York club Twilo. The dance floor is enormous and the sound system (Phazon) cannot be beat. After opening in the summer of ‘06, Twilo Miami soon became a must-stop for legendary DJs from around the globe. This is definitely a hot spot for the boys of Miami Beach. SO BE-ING SOCIAL Martini Tuesdays is Edison Farrow’s weekly event for gay professionals that meets in a different upscale venue every Tuesday night at 9 p.m. Edison Farrow started this event as a gathering for friends, but it grew into a phenomenon for Farrow. The night eventually turned into a ritual of South Beach social life; an event where the smart and fashionable South Florida set come to see and be seen. GREAT SLEEPS Diesel, believe it or not, owns the Pelican. No, the thirty rooms are not all done in denim but each is decorated differently and even given a theme. Some of the rooms you can choose to stay in are the “Psychedeli(ate) Girl,” and “Big Bamboo.” We’ll be staying in the “Best Whorehouse” although I would prefer to stay in “The Pelican Penthouse.” (I hear it has a six-foot round fish tank overlooking the living room.) The Pelican is located at 826 Ocean Drive.
I must admit that The Setai is unbelievable. Who would have ever thought that an Asian-inspired hotel would be successful in South Beach? You’ll love the rainfall showers and the Acqua Di Parma bath soaps and the in-room espresso maker. The place is almost magical. The Setai can be found at 20th and Collins Avenue. If you want to take your pet along on your trip to South Beach you’ll want to consider The Aqua Hotel at 1530 Collins Avenue. You can’t help but notice the surfer theme but the rooms are relaxing, yet hip. Grab your surfboard, man’s best friend, and you’ll fit right in. I’m usually not much on Bed & Breakfasts but the gay-owned SoBe- You Bed & Breakfast Inn is a nice alternative to the big hotels. It was once the Jefferson House but was totally redone by owners Susan Culligan and Julie Weaver. I love how they bill their 10-room Inn as “straight-friendly.” It is located at 1018 Jefferson Avenue. AND OUTINGS The Miami Seaquarium can be a fun-filled day if you’re with the right people. People that enjoy fish, that is. There are performing seals, a killer whale and plenty of dolphins. One was wearing a nametag that read “Flipper.” The Seaquarium is located at 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway.
I’m always up for a great art museum and the Bass Museum of Art always hits the spot. From May 18 thru July 22, the museum will host the traveling exhibition ¡Azucar! The Life and Music of Celia Cruz. The exhibition will explore the life of legendary Cuban-born singer Celia Cruz (1925 – 2003) and her worldwide influence on music and culture. The museum is located in Collins Park at 2121 Park Avenue. And... the beach! There’s nothing like a gay beach is there? The 12th Street stretch of sand is the popular gay beach area. Just look for the rainbow flag, the smell of testosterone and you know you’re home. If home only looked this good, right? So grab your Gucci shades, your Louis Vuitton towel, your Prada slipons and head to South Beach. You’ll enjoy everything that this “Gay Riviera” has to offer. Even the tan lines!
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Another favorite is the Front Porch Café. It is located at 1418 Ocean Drive. If you are there for breakfast you have to have the pancakes. I can’t remember eating at the Front Porch and not having the pancakes and a bottomless cup of coffee. This is a very popular gay breakfast in Miami Beach. And why wouldn’t it be? The service is quick, the staff is friendly and the food is quite inexpensive.
For one-stop designer shopping you’ll want to set aside a couple of hours for The Bal Harbour Shops at 9700 Collins Avenue. This is one of the top shopping destinations in the country. From Dior, David Yurman, Custo Barcelona and Gucci to Pucci; Vilebrequin, Cavalli and Versace, you are sure to find something nice and tight to wear out in the clubs. You’ll also find Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue but you will NOT find an Abercrombie here, boys. 
Score is another place you’ll want to check out. Located at 727 Lincoln Road, it has a French bistro-style terrace for you to lounge on while watching guy after guy stroll down Lincoln Road. They boast a Sunday T-Dance that is packed week after week. It is evident that this stylish club lives up to its name. 
Located in the heart of South Beach’s Art Deco Historic District is The Hotel. Being just a block away from the beach, one of the great amenities is the complimentary beach chairs and umbrella. You’ll love the rooms—Todd Oldham redesigned the rooms when the hotel did an extensive makeover. The 4-star hotel is located at the corner of 8th and Collins Avenue. 
WEAM, World Erotic Art Museum, is quite an interesting collection of art, sculptures, and many other unique objects of erotica. The multimillion dollar collection personally belongs to Naomi Wilzig, and was collected on her travels throughout Europe and the United States. The museum is located at 1205 Washington Avenue. 
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