Because of reasons that virtually everyone is well aware of, this year’s Art Basel Miami Beach is going interactive, as are most of the Art Week satellite fairs. Although you’ll have to venture online to see the works featured as part of Art Basel, in Miami Beach and beyond, some art-related events are still happening on a much smaller scale.

For instance, during Art Week The Sagamore will display different works around the property, and part of the sales received from the art sales will be used to help The Bass in purchasing art from local artists located in Miami.

The Oolite Arts’ Pop-Up Exhibition “MATERIALIZE” launched last week can be found on Lincoln Road until December 6. All of the artwork at the pop-up can be purchased and all proceeds will go directly to the artistic minds behind the pieces. There is more than plenty to pick from, and prices start as low as a whopping $1 or $1,000 depending on the piece. With social isolation in mind, the in-person art for sale can be navigated and admired safely. MATERIALIZE opens its doors at noon and closes at 8 pm.

Blackstone International Realty, LLC provides buyers, sellers, and renters with the access to exceptional properties – both on and off the market – in the Miami Beach luxury real estate market, and throughout South Florida. Each agent is thoroughly trained to provide clients with exceptional service, competency, and professionalism. For more information on the company or Continuum in South Beach call 305-588-2451.

This Thanksgiving holiday season will be significantly different from those of the past. While you’re busy enjoying socially distanced meals with friends and loved ones and making cherished memories, those that have a long weekend in store may be wondering where they can go and what activities they can enjoy.

Most attractions and dining establishments will be closed on Thanksgiving day and will reopen beginning on the 27^th. If you want to enrich the mind with some art, places like The Bass and Art Deco Museum will be open for regular business hours.

If you happen to be in or near Miami Beach and you have little ones, Jungle Island has revamped itself as an eco adventure park. Speaking of animals, over at Zoo Miami, the attraction will kick off its Zoo Lights event where millions of lights in animal shapes plus a massive Christmas tree will be illuminated. You can find more information on tickets by visiting the respective websites.

For those that want to enjoy the Thanksgiving weekend catching some rays at the beach, county beaches remain open.

We hope you have a safe and joyous Thanksgiving weekend!

Blackstone International Realty, LLC provides buyers, sellers, and renters with the access to exceptional properties – both on and off the market – in the Miami Beach luxury real estate market, and throughout South Florida. Each agent is thoroughly trained to provide clients with exceptional service, competency, and professionalism. For more information on the company or Continuum in South Beach call 305-588-2451.

In the ever-changing world of Miami Beach hotels, some big shakeups are occurring and this time around, the changes involve some highly familiar names in the barrier island.

The Sagamore, Ritz-Carlton South Beach, and the Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, now have the distinction of being part of the same family and are equally owned by a multitude of companies, one of which includes the Miami-based Lionstone Group.

The new ownership is part of a larger strategy to potentially merge the Sagamore and Ritz-Carlton South Beach by the time 2024 has come around. There are no concrete proposals yet though, as to whether Sagamore will maintain its name or come under the umbrella of Ritz-Carlton. As for the site of the Bal Harbour hotel, there are proposals to make enhancements to the public spaces while also enhancing art activities.

Extensive renovations will also be made to The Sagamore, including improvements consisting of marble countertops. That would also reduce the number of rooms to turn existing ones into bigger suites. To best match those provided at the Ritz-Carlton, facilities are also anticipated to undergo improvements.

By visiting https:/www.miamiherald.com/news/business/real-estate-news/article247103367.html you can read more regarding the various enhancements and improvements in store for the Miami Beach hotels.

Blackstone International Realty, LLC provides buyers, sellers, and renters with the access to exceptional properties – both on and off the market – in the Miami Beach luxury real estate market, and throughout South Florida. Each agent is thoroughly trained to provide clients with exceptional service, competency, and professionalism. For more information on the company or Continuum in South Beach call 305-588-2451.

COVID-19 pandemic has not been kind to the restaurant industry in 2020, forcing businesses to close their doors or adopt changes to serve customers while taking into account social distancing and other measures. But according to the website Restaurant Business, some restaurants managed quite well last year. Among its list of the 100 most financially successful independent restaurants in 2019, several South Florida restaurants made the list, including one right here in Miami Beach.

Not only did a Miami Beach restaurant make the list, but it also earned the highest placement. That honor goes to Prime 112, the steakhouse known for its popularity among celebrities. The Ocean Drive eatery earned nearly $24 million last year and served over 200,000 meals, with the average bill hovering around $135.

A couple of places below Prime 112 is the Asian-themed Komodo in the Brickell area of Miami, which served over 250,000 meals and earned $22.5M. Other notable restaurants that made the list include the sushi restaurant Makoto in Bal Harbor, Key Biscayne’s The Rusty Pelican, and the trendy Swan in Miami.

To read more about the list of restaurants and their ranking, please visit https://www.miamiherald.com/miami-com/restaurants/article246832446.html.

Blackstone International Realty, LLC provides buyers, sellers, and renters with access to exceptional properties – both on and off the market – in the Miami Beach luxury real estate market, and throughout South Florida. Each agent is thoroughly trained to provide clients with exceptional service, competency, and professionalism. For more information on the company or Continuum in South Beach call 305-588-2451.

Alongside names like the Fontainebleau, the W South Beach is among Miami Beach’s most highly regarded hotspots. The five-star experience quickly earned tremendous popularity, welcoming names like Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio, U2 frontman Bono, Grammy-winning singer, rapper, songwriter, and flutist Lizzo. The hotel recently went a $25+ million renovation that began in March, which has since completed its initial phase.

The new and improved W South Beach comes with a bunch of new upgrades, including a new 9,000 square foot spa dubbed Away, pool deck, plus tons of art curated by one of the owners of the hotel. The ambiance is all-new thanks to the efforts of Urban Robot Associates, which also oversaw the redesign of the hotel’s 400+ guest suites. Speaking of guests, they have the option of choosing from three different lighting options and they can further add to the mood by creating a playlist for the entire day.

Phase 2 of the W South Beach renovation is expected to kick off next year. Amenities such as Mr. Chow, RWSB, and the basketball/tennis courts are still accessible.

Are you excited about the new changes to W South Beach?

Blackstone International Realty, LLC provides buyers, sellers, and renters with the access to exceptional properties – both on and off the market – in the Miami Beach luxury real estate market, and throughout South Florida. Each agent is thoroughly trained to provide clients with exceptional service, competency, and professionalism. For more information on the company or Continuum in South Beach call 305-588-2451.

Fans of clubbing, there is some news worth celebrating. This past weekend, the city manager of Miami Beach announced that the city will bo longer be enforcing Miami-Dade County’s curfew. The news should especially welcome for owners of clubs and those that have become accustomed to enjoying them until the later hours. With the suspension of enforcement, Miami Beach clubs are allowed to serve alcohol beyond 8 pm and they can remain open past midnight.

The original purpose of the curfew was to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. However, the limited hours have made life harder for businesses such as restaurants, bars, and yes, nightclubs. Now that the curfew limitations are gone, clubs such as Mynt Lounge, for example, can remain open until the wee hours of the morning.

Even though the curfew is gone, it is almost certain that clubs will be taking steps to ensure some degree of social distancing. Please remember to stay safe when you’re out enjoying yourself on the dance floor.

How do you feel about Miami Beach’s decision to no longer enforce curfew? You can read more about it by visiting the following link: https://miami.cbslocal.com/2020/10/18/miami-beach-curfew-lifted-bars-clubs/.

Blackstone International Realty, LLC provides buyers, sellers, and renters with access to exceptional properties – both on and off the market – in the Miami Beach luxury real estate market, and throughout South Florida. Each agent is thoroughly trained to provide clients with exceptional service, competency, and professionalism. For more information on the company or Continuum in South Beach call 305-588-2451.

You will be happy to hear that Miami-Dade County made some improvements to its curfew this week for those of you who want to stay out late. The 11 pm curfew has now been tweaked to midnight, allowing those that like to be out and about more time before curfew kicks in until 6 am to experience the sights and sounds of cities like Miami Beach. Only health staff, the public, or officials are permitted to be roaming around outside when the curfew is in effect.

As Miami Beach adjusts to the revised curfew, you may be intrigued as to how this could impact enjoying a meal on the barrier island. Local authorities are asking restaurants to close for indoor dining, considering the curfew extension. The decision to buy takeout or have the food delivered to your door persists, however.

Speaking of eating, if you did not know, the updated restaurant standards from Miami Beach permit restaurants to run at 100% capacity if the tables are kept at least six feet away from other tables. These tables are restricted to a maximum of individuals.

Are you thrilled to see the extra hour added before the curfew starts? Perhaps you’ve been out eating since the limits were placed in effect.

Blackstone International Realty, LLC provides buyers, sellers, and renters with the access to exceptional properties – both on and off the market – in the Miami Beach luxury real estate market, and throughout South Florida. Each agent is thoroughly trained to provide clients with exceptional service, competency, and professionalism. For more information on the company or Continuum in South Beach call 305-588-2451.

Biking is a fun activity that’s good for your health. However, there is always the risk of vehicles as you’re passing busy streets like those in Miami Beach. Thankfully, a recently debuted bike lane in the barrier island addresses this very concern.

Washington Avenue has the distinction of being the first roadway in Miami Beach boasting the first parking-protected bike line not only in the city but in all of South Florida! It has already received tons of acclaim from locals, businesses, and frequent cyclists.

Despite seeming new, these parking-protected lanes have been used around the world. As for the one here in Miami Beach, the lane is marked with white and green lines of paint and it runs across both sides of Washington Avenue, extending from Lincoln Road to Fifth Street. The lanes are divided from street traffic by a series of parallel parked vehicles which also serve as something of a barrier. To accommodate these new lanes, both directions of Washington Avenue have been reduced to a single lane of traffic.

How do you feel about the new parking-protected bike lanes? You can read more about them by heading to https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/miami-beach/article246062925.html.

Blackstone International Realty, LLC provides buyers, sellers, and renters with the access to exceptional properties – both on and off the market – in the Miami Beach luxury real estate market, and throughout South Florida. Each agent is thoroughly trained to provide clients with exceptional service, competency, and professionalism. For more information on the company or Continuum in South Beach call 305-588-2451.

Miami Beach recently debuted a new marketing campaign dubbed “My Miami Beach, Your Escape”. It showcases a series of portraits showing the appeal of Miami Beach snapped by local photographers and offers an insider’s look at Miami Beach through an assortment of photographs chosen via a submission that happened earlier in 2020.

The Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority knows locals are among the most authentic and trusted in swaying the decision of tourists to enjoy a staycation. Miami Beach is a vacation paradise offering sun, fun, dining, and a host of activities for others to enjoy.

Photos for the “My Miami Beach, Your Escape” campaign were sent in by South Florida photographers using social media. The shots provide the photographer’s vision of Miami Beach and the lifestyle. The campaign features famed celebrities and personalities, along with local photographers, who reside in Miami Beach home. The campaign also seeks to represent art, food, fitness, and the culture of the barrier island.

For those interested in following the “My Miami Beach, Your Escape” campaign, the images and photos can be viewed by following @ExperienceMiamiBeach on Facebook and Instagram or @EMiamiBeach on Twitter.

Blackstone International Realty, LLC provides buyers, sellers, and renters with the access to exceptional properties – both on and off the market – in the Miami Beach luxury real estate market, and throughout South Florida. Each agent is thoroughly trained to provide clients with exceptional service, competency, and professionalism. For more information on the company or Continuum in South Beach call 305-588-2451.

Are you a fan of Cuban sandwiches? If this Miami staple sounds appetizing, you may want to head over to the pop-up Bebito’s in Miami Beach. The owner and chef of the cafe recently joined forces with chef Louie Estrada of New York to create a fusion of specialty sandwiches.

Louis Estrada has made several appearances on television, including Beat Bobby Flay and Chopped. He is also famous for “The Boss”, his take on the Cuban sandwich which has become something of a legend as the best Cuban Sandwich in “The Big Apple”. If you ever happen to be in the borough of Brooklyn, you can try “The Boss” by visiting Estrada’s ventanita restaurant appropriately dubbed My Cuban Spot.

The Bebito’s pop-up debuted earlier this month on the 12^th and has offered distinct spins on the Cuban sandwich each weekend. During this weekend, customers can try the amusingly named “This Little Piggy Needs Bread”, comprised of mojo, slow-cooked pork butt, and potato sticks using the customary Cuban bread.

You can use the Eventbrite app or website to preorder Bebito’s specialty sandwich. Pickup hours are from noon to 4pm. Don’t think about it too much as orders are limited to a max of 200 sandwiches a day.

Bebito’s is located at 1504 Bay Road.

Blackstone International Realty, LLC provides buyers, sellers, and renters with the access to exceptional properties – both on and off the market – in the Miami Beach luxury real estate market, and throughout South Florida. Each agent is thoroughly trained to provide clients with exceptional service, competency, and professionalism. For more information on the company or Continuum in South Beach call 305-588-2451.