Source: Ruth Cenat / Courtesy of Hello Beautiful
December may be synonymous with the holidays, but it’s also a great time to travel, especially if you live in cold weather. To amp up a holiday destination, go when there is a major event or festival occuring. It provides you with an opportunity to see the city in a charged light and meet people from all over.
While the holidays are approaching, art lovers, art dealers, and social sceners from all over the world gather in Miami Beach, Florida for the annual Art Basel. Art Basel brings together over 256 galleries across 32 countries, making it a one-stop-shop to buy and sell art. There are many of activations that happen throughout the city from talks, to brunches, to events, to live demonstrations and more.
This is definitely a see and be scene, if you know what I mean. If you want to take in some culture in warm weather and schmooze amongst the rich and famous, Art Basel in Miami Beach is for you. This is a great trip for girlfriends. Never been and need some help on what to do? I got you!
Here’s where to stay, what to do, where to eat and how to navigate the art scene.
WHEN TO ARRIVE:
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Art Basel coincides with what’s known as Miami Art Week. This year, it begins from Monday, December 3rd and goes through the weekend, ending on Sunday, December 9th. If you have some time off, definitely come for the week. There are a lot of pre-events and VIP events that happen before everyone descends onto the city over the weekend.
Arriving on Thursday, which is the official kick off of the art weekend, puts you right in the middle of all the action.
WHERE TO STAY:
The official Art Basel Fair takes place in the Miami Convention Center which is in Miami Beach. You are guaranteed to be around the action if you stay in this vicinity. Stay on South Beach if you want to be in the heart of the nightlife and action. Many of the hotels host events during the day and night, so pick the right one and you can score entry to an exclusive event almost by default. Here are my top picks, I advise you book these as far in advance as possible, as they fill up quickly and the prices go up!
THE STANDARD
The Standard Hotel in Miami is definitely the place to see and be seen. You’ll see celebrities strolling by for an early cocktail event hosted by some lavish brand. Grab a seat at the hotel bar and do some epic people watching.
AIRBNB
Hey, who says you can’t ball on a budget? Save your money for a lavish dinner and shack up with a few friends or rent a private space. There are so many beautiful properties you can rent from standard, simple condos on Miami Beach to beautiful homes. Be careful about which neighborhoods you choose as if you stay in Brickell (part of Miami) or even Aventura (located in Ft. Lauderdale), you’ll lose money on the travel back and forth to get to the action.
FONTAINEBLEU
If you like the feel of the old Miami with a vintage Scarface flair, where opulence and glamour play center stage, the Fountainbleu is for you. This hotel is in the north part of Miami Beach, keeping you a throws distance away from South Beach, but far enough to retreat. Their known for their pool and have a club, Liv, inside the hotel. You can have a great time without even leaving the property. They are also hosting a Lanvin x Krista Kim Exhibit during Art Basel so you can get your fashion and art on (for free).
SOLE ON THE OCEAN
This location is a little off the strip, but the 4-star hotel is worth the stay. You get beautiful bay and ocean views and can retreat after a night of partying to some peace and quiet.
WHAT TO DO:
If you’re coming here, the assumption is that you like or at least have an interest in art. There are tons of art fairs (keep reading!) but there’s also more that you can do in the area.
WYNWOOD
You’ll definitely want to bring your camera. Visit this industrial district to see beautiful murals and great art pieces surrounded by a multitude of galleries. You can learn so much about world renown graffitti and street artists and meander through galleries and discover new artists. This is free so you don’t have to worry about paying for a pass or entry. This is the perfect area to grab artistic photos that will undoubtedly make your follower count go up on the ‘gram.
GRAB A DRINK IN A FANCY HOTEL LOBBY OR ROOFTOP
Art Basel is definitely full of people watching and what better place to do it than in a hotel lobby. Miami is known for their hotel bar scene so pick pretty much any hotel on South Beach and you’re guaranteed to have a good time and meet some new people. My personal favorite is 1 Hotel on South Beach. It’s a beautiful view that’s worth the expensive cocktail.
DOWNTOWN MIAMI
I know all the action is on South Beach, but venture to downtown Miami. There will be lots of activations happening here too.
WHERE TO EAT:
The Miami Food scene is undoubtedly one of the best in the world boasting XX Michelin star restaurants. However, the scene here also favors New York in the sense that you don’t have to pay a ton of money to eat great food. We have places you should definitely try while you’re at Art Basel!
PUBLIX DELI
Publix is a fantastic grocery store that’s known for their delicious subs! Go all out with a chicken tender sub or my personal favorite, Boars’ Head Salsalito Turkey. It’s affordable, delicious, and packs perfectly for a day at the beach.
STUBBORN SEED
This restaurant is south of Fifth on the strip and brought to you by Top Chef alum Jeremy Ford. It’s relaxed comfort food in a great atmosphere.
R HOUSE WYNWOOD
This vibrant place turns into a little club late night. Go for some eats and stay for the dancing.
ART FAIRS AND SHOWS
The whole reason for Art Basel is to take in the art! However, there are multiple art fairs that are going on at the same time. Don’t get overwhelmed, we have them all for you here so that you can navigate like a pro. If planning things like this overwhelm you, consider joining Anoko, an organization for Black people interested in the arts. Founder, Shimite Obiala provides white glove service with complimentary tickets to some of the hottest art fairs and insider information and more.
ART BASEL 2018
Location: Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, Florida 33139
RED DOT MIAMI | SPECTRUM MIAMI 2018 CONTEMPORARY ART
Location: Mana Wynwood, 2217 NW 5th Avenue (at NW 22nd Street) Miami, FL 33132
JEWISH MUSEUM OF FLORIDA – FIU
Location: FIU
Don’t sleep on college campuses. This museum is featuring a variety of artists for great show. You don’t want to miss Daniel Chimowitz: Walking Canvases (through February 3rd, 2019). It’s the first-ever museum show by the fashion designer/graffiti artist.
MIAMI ARTS FAIR
Location: 3852 North Miami Avenue, Miami, FL 33127
Date: Saturday, December 8th, 2018 2PM
ART AFRICA MIAMI FAIR
Location: 920 NW 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, Overtown
Date: Wednesday, December 5th, 2018 – Sunday, December 9th, 2018
The 2018 theme is ‘Black Art Matters’. Find more information and see who is exhibiting, here.
EVENTS
There are so.many.events. happening during Art Basel that it’s hard not to get overwhelmed! Not to worry, I’ve exceled sheet it out and have all the hottest events that you definitely won’t want to miss.
PIGMENT INTERNATIONAL, ‘MIAMI REVEAL’
Location: 125 SW North River Rd. Miami, FL
Date: Tuesday, December 4th, 2018 – Thursday, December 6th, 2018
ART CONNECTION OPENING NIGHT AND INTERNATIONAL ART EXHIBITION SHOW AND SALE
Location: Fountainbleau Miami Beach
Date: Thursday, December 6th, 2018 from 6PM to 10PM
HAMPTON ART LOVERS PRESENTS ELIZABETH CATLETT AND THE HAMPTON ARTS TRADITION AT ART BASEL IN OVERTOWN
Location: Historic Ward Rooming House, 249 Northwest 9th Street, Miami, FL 33136
Date: Wednesday, December 5th, 2018 – Monday, December 10th, 2018
NAUTIGRIND CAFÉ AND CHILLHOUSE
Location: Ward Rooming House, 249 NW 9th Street, Miami, FL 33136
Date: Wednesday, December 5th, 2018 – Sunday, December 9th, 2018
REVOLT HOUSE WITH TEYANA TAYLOR
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrGfT1ihJca/
Location: 342 NW 24th Street Miami, FL 33127
Date: Friday, December 7th, 2018 at 8PM
This is definitely a ‘must attend’ party of the season. Hurry up and RSVP, here.
BUSTLE + TEVANA + THE BUSHWICK COLLECTIVE
Location: The Sacred Space, 100 NE 25th Street Miami, FL 33137
Date: Friday, December 7th, 2018 6PM to 8PM
JIDENNA AND LIL’ DUBAL AT ‘THE ART OF CONVERSATION’
Location: Black Archives Historic Lyric Theater, 819 Northwest 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33136
Date: Friday, December 7th, 2018 6PM to 8PM
OPEN STUDIOS BRUNCH AND TOUR
Location: Art Center, 924 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, FL
Date: Saturday, December 8th, 2018
BRUNCH AND BEATS
Location: Bubble Wynwood
Date: Saturday, December 8th, 2018, 3PM to 9PM
You can buy tickets, here.
Be sure to follow our Head of Fashion and Beauty, @TheIslanDiva and @HelloBeautiful for up to the moment coverage from the weekend!
