Susan and I decided to spend a long weekend in Miami. There is a fast train that goes from West Palm Beach to Miami, with 1 interim stop in Fort Lauderdale. Total time is about 1.5 hours. The announcement lady with a British accent bid adieu to all passengers with the tagline “enjoy your care-free, car-free ride on the Brightline”.
The purpose of our trip was for me to get acquainted with Luigi, who I found while searching for a tailor in Miami. It might sound pretentious, but quite the contrary, yours truly cannot buy formal wear off the rack without looking like a character from Oliver Twist.
Luigi hails from Naples. If you can imagine a fashionable, animated, Neapolitan tailor you’ve got Luigi pinned.
The match bell rang when Luigi, doing business within Miami’s smartest neighborhood, started discussing the price list with a Berardi from Staten Island who bargains like a Moroccan spice trader. We went at it like Ali and Frazier. I dodged Luigi’s best rope a dope and we shook hands on a price point where Luigi assured me he was losing money. Susan scored it a TKO.
After my trade war with Luigi, Susan and I continued our Miami getaway, which for some reason, consisted of lots of Italian things. We had lunch at the Italian market (aptly named “Mercato” to give it a hip urbanite vibe), dined at Miami Beach’s “Prime Italian” which was excellent (Susan had grilled Branzino and I had Orecchiette mixed with broccoli rabe and fried miniature meatballs…phenomenal).
On Saturday night, we explored Ocean Drive. Ocean Drive has many of the old Art Deco hotels most of which have been sympathetically restored. The evening scene, however, felt like Saturday Night Fever meets Scarface. If you like your women (or men) big and flopping, this is the place for you.
We strolled thru the Brickell district which is Miami’s business district….think Midtown Manhattan without the actual businesses. Truthfully, this district is visually beautiful with ultra-modern office and residential high-rises all tastefully and artistically lit up for the evening. The crowd was young, attractive, friendly, and civilized. Unfortunately, however, if the sea doesn’t swallow this neighborhood, loan defaults will.
A trip to Miami is not complete without a stroll along South Beach. Here, Susan and I availed ourselves of the free trolley service (not because it was free or convenient, but because it was a million degrees outside..a billion with the humidity). Here is where we had a pretty good thin crust pizza shown in the photo which cost about the same as one of Luigi’s sport coats.
I am sorry we didn’t get to Little Havana on this trip. We will next time because it is a wonderful neighborhood which pays homage to the Cuban community that built Miami (along with the Gambino and Luchesse families). A trip to Little Havana requires a purchase in one of the many cigar factories still hand rolling Cuban (seed) and Dominican leaf Coronas and Torpedoes. Afterwards, perhaps a Cuban sandwich at the nostalgic “Versailles” diner…Miami’s answer to Katz’s deli.
I do like visiting Miami. I don’t know why, exactly. Perhaps it is the ultra-modern juxtaposed with Art Deco all set against a backdrop of salsa music, blue sea, emerald lagoons, and friendly people. This is what Luigi likes about Miami too, so that must be it.