The trick, of course, is to pretend you’re not looking. So you reapply sunscreen, sip your cocktail, lean back against the mod poolside loveseat and flip lazily through your magazine. But you’re not reading a word, of course. You’re staring—secretly—at everyone. How can you not?
It’s the whole point of being in the model-swirling, music-thumping, scene-making fabulosity that is the 26,000-square-foot rooftop pool deck of Gansevoort South (2377 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305/604-1000; gansevoortsouth.com; standard double room begins at $395). This two-year-old property is the newest extension of New York’s Gansevoort Hotel, whose signature cool minimalism—and rooftop pool deck—is favored by A-listers, reality TV stars and style-makers. You’ll find that crowd here, too (is that a Kardashian sister who just walked by?), thanks to dad-and-son developers William and Michael Achenbaum’s successful exporting of their Meatpacking District–based hotel brand 1,000 miles down the coast to gloriously decadent South Beach.
The sun-and-fun, 24/7 celebration of youth and beauty that is South Beach elegantly informs every floor of this luxury property in the area’s on-the-rise north end. Its 334 very large rooms (at an average 700 feet each, they’re bigger than most NYC apartments) are boldly designed with hibiscus-yellow, aqua and magenta details. Each offers a “wow” view of the pool plaza below and the Atlantic beyond. The lobby introduces its own dramatic counterpart to the rooftop pool: a hypnotic 17,000-gallon shark tank. Inside, 2-foot-long Pacific-tip sharks and 27 species of fish glide the tank’s 50-foot length, again and again and again.
But the real action is upstairs, and so we gather again on the 18th-floor, palm-tree-lined pool deck the next sunny Miami morning.
You’re wondering: Is it all too cool, too young, too much—or is it ridiculously fun?
It’s ridiculously fun. It’s authentically South Beach. It’s walking into your own reality TV show for a weekend of R&R and voyeuristic escape.
At night we go to dinner at Philippe, on the 23rd Street side of the Gansevoort. Phillipe Chow, the proprietor chef of Manhattan power eatery Mr. Chow, brings his signature haute-Chinese cuisine south from New York. We order and enjoy the crunchy duck salad and shrimp spring roll appetizers and sea bass in white-wine sauce entree. The portions are enormous (two people can easily split one entree), and the place is hopping. Tables are jammed with locals and hotel guests dressed to the nines, and the noise level is almost deafening. The newest outpost of STK restaurant had not opened while we were there earlier this summer, but has set up shop this fall. Also on property is Bustelo Café, offering a jolt of Cuban java whenever you need to get your South Beach mojo working.
The next morning, we say adios to the rooftop pool and check out. We’re tanned, rested and have made nary a dent in our reading material. And that’s when our reality TV getaway comes full circle. As we settle our bill and walk out the door for our weekend’s finale, Nina Garcia, Project Runway’s famously tough fashionista judge, makes her entrance into the lobby, gliding past the shark tank and toward the elevator, presumably going up, up, up to fabulosity.
5 Travel Hot Spots
Chicago
Hotel Felix (hotelfelixchicago.com), Chicago’s new eco-friendly boutique hotel, brims with unexpected delights—we especially like the 1920s gangster-era façade that belies the sleek modern design of the hotel’s interior (pictured). Among its many wonderful amenities is Elate, a contemporary American restaurant that serves everything from prosciutto to slow-baked organic salmon.
Toronto
From November 24 through April 18, 2010, the Art Gallery of Ontario (ago.net) showcases Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs, an extensive exhibition featuring 130 pieces from Tut’s tomb and other ancient sites. The long-awaited show includes a 10-foot statue of Tut, found at the remains of a funerary temple, and the first 3-D CT scans of the king’s mummy. Other artifacts include jewelry, furniture and weapons, as well as Tut’s golden sandals—created specifically for the afterlife and still covering his feet when his mummified remains were discovered in 1922. The exhibition will feature an audio tour narrated by award-winning actor Harrison Ford.
London
The Leopard Champagne Bar (rubenshotel.com), adjoining the Palace Lounge at The Rubens at the Palace Hotel, is part of the new generation of Champagne bars springing up across London. The intimate atmosphere (decorated safari chic) is more reminiscent of a private club than a public bar, albeit one that features 15 champagnes, 11 of which are available by the flute.
St. Louis
The trailblazing art at the new Absrakt Gallery (abstraktgallery.com) makes the eye—and mind—giddy. Vibrant colors and rich textures abound. The gallery, situated in the edgy Benton Park neighborhood, provides visitors with an opportunity to enjoy local, national and world-renowned artists while giving back to those who need it the most.
San Francisco
The Outdoor Exploratorium (exploratorium.edu) at Fort Mason between San Francisco’s Aquatic Park and the Marina District features 20 new interactive science exhibits and works of art. These hands-on exhibits harness the wind, waves, marine life and the man-made and natural environments at this urban waterfront.
—Patrick Hayes
3 Perfect Weekends
1
Whether you live in the area or are just visiting, go ahead—make a weekend of it.
What: The Nutcracker, performed by The Washington Ballet, Dec. 18–27
Where: The Warner Theatre (1299 Pennsylvania Ave., NW; 202/362-3606; washingtonballet.org)
What You’ll Like: Artistic Director Septime Webre sets the classic in D.C., complete with cherry blossoms (sure, even in December)
Where to Stay: Willard Intercontinental (1401 Pennsylvania Ave., NW; washington.intercontinental.com; 202/628-9100).
We Like: Sugar Plum Package, which includes overnight accommodations, breakfast for two, valet parking, premium orchestra seating for The Nutcracker and Superior Room, $469.
2
What: A Christmas Carol, Nov. 23–Jan. 3
Where: Ford’s Theatre (511 10th St., NW; 202/347-4833; fords.org)
What You’ll Like: As usual, Ebenezer’s ghosts get all revelatory, but they do it in Ford’s newly revamped digs—and don’t miss the impressive new museum.
Where to Stay: Hotel Monaco (700 F St., NW; 202/628-7177; monaco-dc.com).
We Like: Exclusive deal for Washington Flyer readers. From Nov. 11 to Dec. 30, ask for “DC Flyer Rate” to receive 25 percent off your room. Visit monaco-dc.com and enter DCF or call 800/649-1202 (rate code DCF).
3
What: Young Frankenstein, Dec. 15–Jan. 10
Where: Kennedy Center (2700 F St., NW; 202/467-4600; kennedy-center.org)
What You’ll Like: Comic twists and pedigree from the Tony-winning trio behind The Producers, along with some of the same tunes from the movie, including “He Vas My Boyfriend.”
Where to Stay: Four Seasons (2800 Pennsylvania Ave., NW; 202/944-2026; fourseasons.com).
We Like: Theater weekends include transportation to the performance. Also, kids under 5 eat free. Rates starting at $445.