I turned 26 a couple of weeks ago, and instead of exhausting myself trying to outdo last year’s Black Panther themed party, I decided to spend twenty-four hours in Miami. Miami is my absolute favorite city in Florida (I know, I’m betraying my whole Orlando blogger vibe right now), so I really just wanted to escape there for a day. I hopped in the 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander (provided by the company) and made my way down to South Florida with my mom and one of my best friends.
Fuel Break: Dior Café
I found about the Dior Café earlier in the year while scrolling through my Instagram feed. And if you’ve heard me use similar lines before, it’s because I use Instagram as a search engine for travel and discovering new places. It seemed that the Dior Café was a pop-up and I was unsure if it would still be open through April, but the location is actually now here to stay (according to the employee I spoke to).
The café is located at the Dior boutique in the Miami Design District, which is a beautiful district full of luxury brands. The Dior boutique is stunning, but since the Dior saddle bag is still a dream on my vision board and not something I can splurge on (yet), I headed straight up to the café. It has a drink menu, dessert menu, and small bites menu; I ordered an almond latte which came out to $14. It was the most expensive latte I’ve ever had, and probably one of the worst.
My mom got the $9 lemonade and said it was pretty good, and my best friend Peter got a plate of pastries that were okay. I went around 5:30 PM on a weekday and there was luckily no wait. Honestly, it’s worth going once for the atmosphere, or maybe after making a purchase inside the boutique.
Birthday Dinner: Cecconi’s
I went to Cecconi’s at the Soho Beach House on my first Miami Swim Week trip for a brunch, and fell in love. I had my sights set on their agnolotti del plin with truffle and parmesan, because after having truffle pasta in Paris, that’s all I’ve been craving. The pasta was amazing, and the restaurant is so stunning at night.
The bar is also beautiful during the day, and the drink selection is good! I highly recommend booking reservations at least a week in advance and taking an Uber to the hotel.
South Beach
There’s nothing like going to South Beach in the morning. Ocean Drive is nice and empty around 7:30/8 AM on a weekday, so if you’re staying in a hotel on the beach or close to Ocean Drive, that’s the perfect time to explore the area. Don’t miss the beautiful water and colorful lifeguard stands on the beach.
Wynwood Walk: Glossier Pop-Up
I’d be lying if I said the Glossier pop-up wasn’t one of the reasons why I was so keen on driving 3.5 hours to Miami. After visiting the flagship store in NYC and the Los Angeles pop-up in December, I knew I had to check out the Miami one. With their launch of the mango Balm Dotcom, Glossier’s pink aesthetic took a tropical turn, and I was here for it.
I ended up swatching some Glossier Play products and ended up buying a couple, which I didn’t expect to happen. I initially went for more Boy Brow, and completely forgot about it because I was in awe of how well Glossier integrated the city of Miami into its pop-up aesthetic. The store was only open until May 5th, so I’m glad I got to check it out.
Of course, there’s always a reason to go to Wynwood, whether it’s to grab food/dessert/drinks, or just walk around and see the art.
The Last Lunch: Swan
Before shooting a couple of looks a heading back to Orlando, my mom, best friend, and I had lunch at Swan. Swan is located in the Miami Design District, not too far from Dior. The restaurant is brought to you by Pharrell (yes, THE Pharrell Williams) and David Grutman, who you may be familiar with if you’re in the Miami hospitality scene. Swan has both indoor and outdoor dining that are equally gorgeous, and all of the details from the bar to the restrooms are incredible.
I had the goat cheese omelet while my mom got the ham & truffle omelet, and both were amazing. I ordered the Flowers cocktail, which was not only aesthetically pleasing, but it was also one of the best cocktails I’ve ever had. I would definitely go to Swan again, and I would like to check out it’s sister, Bar Bevy, next time I’m in the area.
My twenty-four hours in Miami were short but sweet. We stayed at The Stiles Hotel in South Beach, booked through the HotelTonight app, which ended up being a lifesaver as it was such a last minute trip. The hotel looked newly renovated and our room had plenty of space. It also came with a solid continental breakfast at one of The Stiles’ sister hotels. You can use the code ‘NUTODD’ for $25 off your HotelTonight booking.
As for the drive, it was made so much better by the Mitsubishi Outlander. The vehicle was spacious, equipped with all the tools I needed for entertainment, and the safety specs were on point. I love a good rear view camera, especially because parallel parking is a must in Miami. You can read more about the vehicle here.
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