Crew Cuts
words by > Alexandra P. Karplus
Danilo Muller
The rhythm of South Beach starts in the morning with a café con leche by the beach. By noon, the beach is awash with sunbathers paying tribute to the sun. Then this tropical paradise picks up the tempo for trendy dinners on the beach and a beat that carries on into the wee hours, with dancing all night. Latin fusion has taken it one step further; in addition to spicing up food around the country, it has added flavor to an entire city. Miami is the magnet that holds it all together. Danilo Muller, a Customer Service Agent for AirTran Airways, moves to this city’s music everyday.
Child-Friendly
Muller moved to Miami when he was only 10 years old, so he has first-hand experience of what it’s like to be a youngster in this vibrant city. According to him, two spots not to miss when traveling with the little ones are the Miami Children’s Museum (www.miamichildrensmuseum.org) and Parrot Jungle Island (www.parrotjungle.com). Over the years, the Parrot Jungle has been revamped and upgraded. It’s now an entire island, fun for exploring kids and bird-watching adults alike.
Nights at the Beach
While days at the beach can get plenty warm, it is after the sun sets that things really start to sizzle. “Ocean Drive is the hotspot, the place to be,” Muller says.
He points out The Clevelander (www..clevelander.com) and Gloria Estefan’s The Cardozo Hotel (www.cardozohotel.com) as great spots to start off the night.
For visitors looking to shake their hips, Miami’s nightlife offers a range of dancing opportunities. Mango’s Tropical Café (www.mangostropicalcafe.com) offers lessons to first timers. “They have mostly Spanish music—a mixture of Salsa, Merengue and even a bit of hip-hop—and a lot of dancing,” says Muller.
Often Overlooked
“There is the area where I live, 8th Street—it’s called Calle Ocho. It is very popular with the locals.” This is a great part of the city to find delicious dishes from all over Latin America, leaning heavily towards the Cuban vibe. Muller, whose family is originally from Nicaragua, pointed to a popular Cuban spot, Versailles (305-444-0240) as a great restaurant to grab a bite to eat. “I love to go there and order the half chicken, Cuban rice and beans. It’s great!” This part of Miami holds a festival every year in March (www.carnavalmiami.com), where street dancers, musicians and hundreds of international food stands fill the blocks. “While many tourists don’t make it, this is a very unique event that people should definitely check out.”