Still Roasting in Miami Beach

Setai Courtyard

Yesterday we dined at the restaurant at the Setai hotel.  At first glance all hotels along South Beach appear the same from Collins Ave.  Once you step inside the Setai there's no mistaking where you are.  The Southeast Asian influences make for an awesome looking hotel.  Dinner was very good with portion sizes for sharing.  After dinner we headed out to the amazing courtyard to listen to a jazz trio.  The vocalist was as great as the setting; a massive courtyard with water in the centre and benches/couches surrounding it. Definitely recommend coming by this hotel for at least a drink if you're in Miami Beach; be sure to check their special events list.  Sunday Jazz Brunch also sounds pretty spectacular.This hotel has a very different vibe then the Delano which is much more hipster with a DJ rocking the lobby and the pool scene turning into a party at night.  By contrast we checked out the 3 beautiful pools at the Setai and it was completely dark except what appeared to be a couple off in the distance in one of the pools; we didn't linger.

Stolen from the Setai web site -- courtyard actually looks this cool.

After the jazz jam we headed back to our hotel to see hordes of people streaming in and already a velvet rope at 11.  We knew it was going to get progressively crazier as the weekend approached and this definitely confirmed it.  Unfortunately our early AM runs and full days in the sun had us down for the count despite me promising that I was going down at any hour to check out the scene.  Waking up at 230a I almost went for it.. but then there was getting dressed.

Friday morning Julie headed up to the spa for a massage as I took off for a run.  Even at 730a the doorman could be quoted as saying "Better go now it's going to be hot as hell".  Perfect, hotter than yesterday.  I ran South through Lummus Park and down to South Pointe Park which provides a great view of affluent Fisher Island and the waterways leading into to Miami.  Would recommend doing this walk on a nice day as the view looking into to Miami is noteworthy. We hit the pool before noon to make sure we got chairs and an umbrella.

You don't want to know the cost of that plastic cup.

The pool scene is picking up and there was a significant increase in speedos, thongs and plastic surgery -- notably in the chest area. We spent the entire day around the pool .. so not much to note. Tonight we're off to Ocean Dr to dine at  Prime One Twelve; if Julie ever finishes getting ready.