Miami, FL

Miami’s diverse cultures weave together to form a fascinating mix of experiences. On the dining side, there are Michelin-starred restaurants to try, plus rooftop and oceanside dining opportunities. The city is also full of dinner shows, art museums, unique bars, and luxurious hotels and spas, all set across vast neighborhoods bustling with culture.

Miami’s nightlife is one of its calling cards. One of the best ways to experience that is by going to a dinner show, where you’ll eat a top-notch meal and take in a live performance, with performers by dancers, musicians, even fire-eaters. There’s El Tucán, a newcomer to the scene with modern vibes, Asian-inspired cuisine, and a party atmosphere complete with aerialists, singers, burlesque shows and dancers. Dine on inventive New American dishes at Marion, which is known for its Thursday soiree’s dinner party, champagne bar, and world-renowned DJs.

Greater Miami and Miami Beach are making a name as a world-renowned arts destination. From stunning architecture to art museums and events, this is truly a hub for art aficionados. There’s the New World Symphony Center, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Frank Gehry, with its 7,000-square-foot (650 square meters) projection wall showing free concerts, video art and films.

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami Dade County – the second largest in the U.S. after the Kennedy Center has three separate performance facilities created to present ballet, opera, theater and symphonic music. There are also two nationally recognized companies in the Florida Grand Opera and Miami City Ballet. Events like Art Basel Miami Beach, Art of Black Miami, Design Miami, and the Miami International Art Fair contribute to a full calendar of events worth building a trip around.

And the museums will impress any visitor. At Museum Park, a spectacular vantage point overlooking Biscayne Bay, there’s the Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) and The Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science (Frost Science). The Bass, formerly the Bass Museum of Art, sits on Miami Beach and exhibits of-the-moment art. The Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami) is dedicated to contemporary artists and to the exchange of art and ideas throughout the Miami region and internationally.

The city is strewn with arts districts that are worth exploring. The Miami Design District is a trendy area north of downtown with luxury fashion and home design shops, stunning architecture and great dining experiences. Lounges, show rooms, and galleries round things out here. Nearby, the Wynwood Arts District is packed with galleries, museums, warehouses, and exhibition spaces. Best bets are the Margulies Collection, known for photography and contemporary art exhibitions, and Wynwood Walls, an open-air ticketed based museum dedicated to cutting-edge contemporary urban murals, with regularly scheduled musical performances.

Michelin recently expanded its world famous dining guide to include Miami, and for good reason. There’s plenty to love about the diverse dining scene, with a lifetime’s worth of outstanding restaurants and other dining experiences. Miami’s dining scene reflects its international influences, from Cuban, Haitian, Peruvian and Colombian to Indian, Thai, Japanese, and Argentine. There are plenty of options for fusion cuisine, where chefs meld multiple regional influences to create new inventions. The James Beard Foundation, another well known food award committee, has recognized a slew of Miami chefs: Michelle Bernstein (Café La Trova) and Giorgio Rapicavoli (Luca Osteria/ Eating House,

Coral Gables / Glass & Vine, Coconut Grove), Jose Mendin (Pubbelly Restaurants), Michael Schwartz (Tigertail + Mary/ Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink/Amara at Paraiso), and Adrianne Calvo (Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard and Wine Bar / Redfish by Chef Adrianne / Cracked Eatery). Michelin has recognized 11 one-star restaurants and one two-star restaurant, including The Surf Club Restaurant, Boia De, Le Jardinier, and Cote Miami.

Any trip to Miami would be incomplete without a visit to a rooftop or beachside bar or restaurant. Dine with a view at places like Juvia, Watr, MILA, and many more. Closer to the water, there are scores of options, with the best including La Mar, Bayshore Club, and Tigre.

As for where to stay, there are a range of great options depending on what you’re looking for. There are beach hotels, of course, including the extravagant Faena Hotel Miami Beach and the elegant St. Regis Harbour Resort. On the boutique end, there’s the Art Deco Abbey Hotel, and the iconic Hotel Breakwater South Beach. Luxury hotels abound, too: stay in style at the Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, the Mandarin Oriental, or the Biltmore Hotel.

If you can tear yourself away from the beach, Miami has scores of spas dedicated to relaxation and wellness. Amenities, treatments, and fitness classes round out the offerings – and it’s possible to spend an entire day pampering yourself. Lapis, the Spa at Fontainebleau, boasts its “Water Journey,” which includes mineral baths, massage jet showers, a eucalyptus steam room, and marble hammams. The Spa at Carillon Miami is massive, including a full thermal experience with a rooftop Jacuzzi, swimming pool, crystal steam room, rain showers, Finnish sauna, herbal laconium and much more.

Fitness buffs may want to add a workout to their relaxation day. There’s the exhale Spa, which has locations at the Kimpton EPIC Hotel, the Loews Miami Beach Hotel and the Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, Miami. Here, visitors can join mind-body classes including yoga, Core Fusion Barre and HIIT bootcamp, while The Standard Spa Miami Beach offers yoga and Pilates, as well as stand-up paddleboarding on Biscayne Bay.

NINE

WOMEN-OWNED FOOD BRANDS YOU SHOULD TRY

Whether curious for your own experimentation, or hoping to support women-owned businesses as you’re buying your next gift, here are nine brands you should try this winter.

HOT N SAUCY

Created by chef Samantha Allonce, her all-natural blends are mouth-watering and made with the experience of having worked in some of New York City’s best restaurants. Her Jamaican heritage and unique ingredients are boldly evident in each blend. Garlic N Peperoncini is featured on the Season 14 lineup of sauces on Hot Ones. A nice endorsement by a hot sauce aficionado!

Written by Megan Hill

GOOD & TASTY BAKES

Created by a mother-daughter duo from Texas who wanted to enjoy something sweet while still eating healthy. Good & Tasty Bakes makes cheesecakes that are grain-free, allnatural, keto-friendly, and made with no added sugar. All products are certified gluten-free through the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO), a program of the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America.

CAPE COD SELECT

Owned and operated by Cindy Rhodes, a third-generation owner of Edgewood Bogs (where Cape Cod Select cranberries are harvested), combined her years of experience in the cranberry industry with a new outlook on frozen fruit and took the market by storm. Cindy Rhodes runs the family business today and has made the fresh-frozen berries available outside of the holiday season. From smoothies to baking, and cooking sweet and savory dishes, there’s always a reason to add versatile frozen cranberries into your daily diet.

KO MATCHA

This AAPI and woman-founded brand uses only high-quality camellia sinensis leaves direct from Japan to make their 100% organic matcha powder. KO Matcha has a smooth and clean taste that gives you the sustainable energy you need throughout the day, with a long list of health benefits! With hundreds of five-star reviews on Amazon and fitness influencers naming KO Matcha their matcha of choice, the difference is in the quality. Awaken your mind, renew your body, and energize your soul, with the premium matcha from KO Matcha.

SMALL TOWN CULTURES

Supporting gut health has never been so colorful and tasty! Being a mother, founder Cori Deans knows how important it is to introduce healthy foods to children and how to encourage trying those new foods in a fun way. She kept picky eaters in mind when designing the small batch, plantbased probiotic foods using mountain water from the Adirondacks. With bright, colorful, raw fermented food in transparent containers, kids can get excited about adding some colors from the rainbow to their favorite dishes including sliced jalapenos, turmeric kimchi, Meyer lemon, and more. Crafted in Keene, New York, all clean offerings are made without vinegar or sugar and no additives or preservatives. The products are gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO, and keto-friendly, accommodating just about every diet.

COO MOO JAMS

Perfect for spicing up grazing boards or family recipes, hosts will love adding a little kick to cooking or snacks with Apricot Habanero jam ($12). Perhaps the sweeter Peachy Mango Madness jam ($12) or Triple Berry Moogarita jam ($12) may become a favorite spread, and the whole family can enjoy a new recipe incorporating the Triple Berry Moogarita sauce ($10) as a marinade for meat. Their sweet and spicy gift sets ($25) make the thought deliciously count! Founded by Julie Deck, her love of jam, Scotland, and Highland Coo cows has blossomed into a sweet-and-spicy jam company filled with love that you can taste.

PARIVA

Pariva makes the most deliciously addictive spreadable yogurt bites, the first of their kind! Available in Tandoori, Garlic and Rosemary, and Za’atar, these healthy savory yogurt snacks were lovingly created by foodie Manjarrie Saha, who always loved hosting loved ones and making intriguing dishes that would often become the topic of conversation. Enjoy these guilt-free gourmet bites on steaks, bagels, crackers, salads, and more. Made with heart-healthy oils and spices, you’re going to want to savor every last drop; even once the yogurt bites are gone, use the remaining oil in salad dressings, as a meat or fish marinade, or even a flavorful bread dip.

UPRIGHT INSTANT OATMILK

Upright is an instant oatmilk alternative. The AAPI and woman founder said she knew there was an opportunity to create something that was better for people and our planet. Not only is Upright just as nutritious as cow’s milk with eight grams of oat protein in every serving and added vitamins and minerals like calcium, vitamins A, B12, D, and plant-based pre-biotic oat fiber, but the brand also has a strong focus on sustainability. Upright is more ecofriendly than traditional oatmilks since they are not shipping water and don’t require refrigeration. Plus, they package using post-consumer recycled plastic and recyclable materials.

I’M THE CHEF TOO!

I’m The Chef Too! is a baking kit created by a mother/educator that infuses educational concepts into recipes to make learning fun, engaging, and tasty! Each month, new adventures are released that blend food, STEM, and the arts into educational fun! Kids can learn about outer space as they whip up galaxy donuts, engineer erupting volcano cake as they learn about chemical reactions, or even discover geology as they bake cupcake geodes – the adventures are endless! There’s never a shortage of STEAM ideas to get young minds thinking and learning in the kitchen!

Written by Megan Hill

CHRISTMAS IN NATCHEZ

MISSISSIPPI

Natchez, Mississippi, known for its Southern hospitality, historic homes, and significant architecture, invites visitors to avoid the crowded cities this holiday season and swap snow for sunshine in this quaint riverside town. With mild winter temperatures and a selection of holly-jolly happenings, including colored lights covering Main Street, home tours and more, Natchez is the ideal place to create lasting memories for the whole family.

STOCK UP ON GIFTS WITH SHOPPING ON MAIN STREET

If you are looking for the ideal place to check off your nice list and find something special to put under the tree, be sure to stop by Darby’s for unique gifts and famous freshly made fudge, Soirée Boutique for trendy brands and accessories, Hal Garner at Nest for stunning antiques and home collectables, or spend the day wandering the city’s many other shops.

EXPLORE THE JOLLY DECORATIONS AT THE TOWN’S HISTORIC HOMES

Do You See What I See? Christmas tours at Sunnyside takes visitors through each room in the house, decorated with over 30 Christmas trees. Jeweled Christmas Tours, located in The Towers Mansion, adorns its halls in thousands of shimmering jewels in a showing named one of the Top 10 Most Unusual Christmas Displays by USA Today.

ATTEND THE CHRISTMAS IN NATCHEZ KICKOFF CELEBRATION

This event kicks off with the annual Kids playing at San Buenaventura State Beach tree-lighting event held on Thanksgiving Visit Ventura weekend, featuring pyrotechnics set to music, visits from Santa Claus, caroling around the tree, delicious food vendors, kids’ rides, and other family-friendly activities.