Tag Archives: MIAMI BEACH

liberté, equalité …

top: Geld Iaz, 2006 | leggings: Forever 21, 2008 | shoes: Yves St Laurent, 2008 | shirt (men’s): Coast, Weber, & Ahaus, 2010 | jeans (men’s): Balmain, 2011 | boots (men’s): Balmain, 2011

 

although i really looove these men’s Balmain jeans and think it’s great that sweetie got them, here’s a little secret about shopping in Miami Beach: they don’t believe in sales. i’d asked a salesperson in a store about a Moncler coat (yes, in Miami) at the end of last winter, and was surprised when she’d told me it wasn’t on sale at all. she’d explained to me that in Miami Beach, they "get a lot of tourists"— and apparently, tourists are too stupid to realize that we have seasons in America (?) and that surplus retail items often get discounted at the end of those seasons. and so supposedly this is why in Miami Beach surplus retail items hardly ever get discounted, despite the item perhaps being, shall we say, démodé.

anyway, there’s this very nice store on Collins Ave called The Webster, they have some really beautiful things. and it’s true, nothing ever goes on sale there. on our previous visit i’d seen a great pair of Azzedine Alaïa shoes that seriously tempted me and had been quite relieved to hear they’d only had one pair left in a size that was way too big for me. well wouldn’t you know on this most recent visit, they still had that very same pair of size 41 Alaïa’s, and still they had not been discounted to expedite their unloading. weird, right?

in any case, my point is i’m glad these Balmain’s are so remarkable and unique, the likeliness of them sitting in a bargain bin somewhere else is really rather nil. but i’m still afraid to google and see if they could have been had elsewhere for less, cuz that might drive me a little bit crazy.

dinner at Hotel Griffou.

 

urban jungle – 02

dress: Geld Iaz, 2011

 

remember when i said something like The W is my new favorite hotel in Miami? well i kinda take it back. sort of.

one of the great things about Miami Beach (as opposed to the other wonderful quick direct-flight getaways like Punta Cana, Providenciales, or Bahia Beach) is that when you arrive, you aren’t just stuck in one resort all the time with no place else to go. it’s a lot like NYC in that you can pretty much walk everywhere and there are so many good restaurants and shops and whatnot. also it has all the major mega-drugstores, which makes packing so much easier, you never have to be afraid you’ve forgotten something important like aspirin or tampons or your favorite brand of toothpaste.

the funny thing about The Setai though, is that you arrive at its Miami Beach location and then you never want to leave the place. as much as i used to love The Raleigh and do appreciate The W, i must say this visit totally reminded me The Setai really really really is above and beyond all others. every amenity is truly superb and the service is remarkably impeccable. so, yea. and i just signed up for a Starwood Preferred Guest membership too. sigh, ah well.

dinner at Mr Chow. drinks at The Setai.