Miami: South Beach Society

Lucky enough to be treated to another work trip, this time I was in a much warmer climate; Miami, Florida. Although there was a lot I enjoyed about Miami (the SUN, the night life, the ocean...) my favourite part of the trip can be summed up into two main streets: Ocean Drive and Lincoln Road.

Ocean Drive:
Ocean drive is essentially the eastern most street in South Beach, right on the ocean. It's riddled with outdoor bars, art deco shops, and restaurants. (Specifically, we started our adventure at about 10th ave & Ocean Drive and walked for roughly 6 blocks.)

The best part about the restaurant scene on Ocean drive is its European feel.  Lots of outdoor seating so you can enjoy your meal in the warm weather, and people-watch! There is also a hostess standing outside each of the eateries to try and convince you come in and try their special of the day. (If you've ever been to Little Italy in New York its also very similar).  To top off this wonderful evening, after our (rather large) meal, we walked through a few galleries/art deco shops. This photo is now my inspiration for my stairwell at home!

Lincoln Road:
This outdoor shopping area puts all Toronto 'outdoor malls' to shame!  Cleverly nicknamed 'The 5th ave of the South' this pedestrian road is enclosed by boutique shops, brand name stores, restaurants, cafes, bars, theaters...you name it, it's on Lincoln road.  I spent so much time in this area I ended up eating both my lunch and dinner in this district. Just like Ocean drive, the restaurants offer most of their service to outdoor seating.  Of all the restaurants we checked out, Meat Market was hands-down the best. (We actually sat indoors at this place).  The decor was stunning, the wine selection was superb, and the food was fantastic! The only thing I didn't like about Meat Market....was my bill at the end of the evening.