COQUETTE TRAVEL DIARY // MIAMI
kim sauter
MIAMI IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA
Sun, sand and seashells, Miami is SUCH a COQUETTE destination! Whether your in town for work or play it does not disappoint! The vibe and energy are infectious and the people are beautiful! I traveled there in early December and the weather was perfect. Mid 70s to low 80s, the sun obviously felt amazing from being trapped in the cold.
We stayed at the Fontainbleu and the resort is immaculate, not to mention The Bodyguard and many other legendary Hollywood movies were filmed on the property. Que Whitney!
Im sorry, I can't resist a Whitney power ballad. The room was a double queen, the mini bar was great and so were the sleeping amenities. Always need quality beauty rest ladies. They put us in a tower that was farther away from the main lobby than others so definitely request you are near the main entrance if you don't want to walk. We used Uber to get around and it was easy and quick! I also used Uber Eats and became obsessed. Everyone please open your Uber Eats app daily and request they come to our zip code! We need to LIVE! Here's the spots we hit!
SWEAT
BARRYS MIAMI BEACH
BARRY'S BOOTCAMP is quite the religious experience. I have to be honest, I didn't really know what we signed up for except that it would be hard. I knew it was a supermodel South Beach favorite and was hoping to see Kate Upton on the treadmill next to me but had to settle for Coach Wendy. XO, WINDEY! We took class back to back days and had Derek and Patrick as our instructors. Both were good and I creeped them online for more than I would like to admit after. Derek was evidently on tour with Britney Spears at one point and I would have tried a bit harder in his class if I would have known the facts. Basically they set the bar SUPER F*CKING high for boutique fitness. Smoothie bar (nut milks, vegan protein powder), luxury apparel, friendly faces, Oribè amenities in the locker rooms, lockers that actually lock, etc. I felt like we were at Disney World. If you get the opportunity, GO! The class is said to burn 1,000 calories at a time and will maximize strength training and fat loss with interval tread running and floor work. They also refer to their studio as the RED ROOM, oh behave. This place is a must if your looking to earn some bad decisions.
SOUL CYCLE SOUTH BEACH
This place is also a little slice of heaven. If I could have taken class every day I would have. You just can't beat it. I cried roughly 3 times during the workout and Raul our instructor was giving me all the feels. We literally went to SOUL immediately after our Barry's class was over so I was whipping around my sweat soaked pony like it was my job. I can't explain it, I just felt I was with "my people". They were going WILD! Singing, bike dancing, whipping towels above their heads, no one gave a shit what anyone else thought/said. The room is an entire experience for the senses with dimmable colored lights, scented candles, fans, I don't even know what else. It was all perfectly timed with the intense parts of the ride and the song selections. I loved it here and can't wait to go back.
SWIM
My personal preference is ALWAYS beachfront over poolside views. You just can't beat the white sandy beach and turquoise blue water. Make sure to take the essentials to the beach or pool with you including your ID, room key, sunglasses, a comfortable cover up, sweater if during winter months and later in the day, sunnies and sunscreen. A gigantic hat would also take your sun preparedness to another level. My favorite beach cocktail is a skinny marg but if thats not available clear tequila, lime juice and club soda and keep em' coming. I was on the beach every chance I got trying to soak it all in. In the morning I grabbed an almond milk latté and sat watching the sunrise with my morning meditation app. Get Insight on the app store! At sunset I looked for seashells to add to my collection and since I was by myself took pictures of couples romancing on the beach.... Cabana for one?! Ill make Alex go back with me soon.
SHOP
LINCOLN ROAD MALL
We stopped at Lincoln Road Mall for a bit to explore the shopping scene and a little retail therapy. There were lots of cute stops to eat and drink and also a wide range of stores from moderate to high end with some speciality shops mixed in. I have to admit, I don't get as much of a thrill out of shopping while on vacation now that I have the COQUETTE COLLECTION but we hit up the Nike Store, Intermix and Lululemon. I shop for more necessity and see it as more of a waste of time. Give me an hour and I am good! The people watching here was also pretty legit. If your into it I would definitely recommend checking this place out.
BAL HARBOUR SHOPS
We didn't hit up Bal Harbour on our trip but I have been there before and it is a great place for potential celebrity sightings, pure LUXURY and indulgence. Bal Harbour should not be considered a mall, there should me some sort of special more than a mall name for it. It is basically a beautiful open air international shopping destination with stores like Valentino, Balenciaga, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, etc. etc. If that sort of thing makes you uncomfortable, skip it!
SEE & DO
MUSEUM OF ICE CREAM
If you can get tickets to the Museum of Ice Cream, JUST GO! They are notoriously sold out. I am not even sure how to describe it accurately except it is a childhood ice cream, candy sprinkle, color explosion, fantasy come to life. The building is historic and has been turned into a gigantic, art installation all in the name of ice cream. Each room has a different theme and flavor and you get to sample ice cream that is matched to the theme. Highlights for me were the sprinkle pool, key lime ice cream and rooftop ocean views. This place is SUPER instagram worthy. I loved it!
ICEBOX CAFE
We stumbled upon this place after our Barry's workout DAY ONE. They have all kinds of fresh cold pressed juice on the menu and the green juice was much appreciated! The serving sizes were huge and the food is fresh and seasonal. They also have a cake shop.... just saying.
DIRT
DIRT was provided courtesy of UBER Eats and it was super convenient. If your looking for some major food inspo check out their menu online. I could eat at this place 365 days a year! There was so much I wanted to get but not enough time! I will definitely hit this place up if I am ever back! I ordered the Spaghetti Squash Alfredo that was vegan and GF and tried to order the house made Komboucha but it was out. Such a tragedy.