Got moxy
CARLOS LOPEZ • Moxy Miami South Beach
WORK • Thursday Routine
CARLOS LOPEZ • director of food & beverage • Moxy Miami South Beach
Neighborhood you work in: South Beach
Neighborhood you live in: South Beach
It’s Thursday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
It’s 9a, our hotel lobby is bustling with hotel guests rushing to get that much-needed sip of La Colombe coffee. The Tiendita grab-and-go team members are slinging all sorts of breakfast sandwiches and wraps. Guests at the front desk are overheard making the routes for a morning stroll on our complimentary bikes. A couple is anxiously waiting by the bar for Serena’s daily brunch to start, to get their first sip of the day alongside huevos rancheros. I’m amidst the chaos, ensuring the complimentary coffee doesn’t run out for even one second.
What’s on the agenda for today?
First order of business is our daily stand up meeting with all the other departments to go over any announcements, projects, and guests that might be in-house or arriving that day. Next is to check the weather for the third time (most of our F&B areas are outdoors), then to check that all restaurant staff have arrived and that they’re ready to open for service with a big smile.
Once service starts and all stations are ready, it’s time to tackle the “projects.” These range from marketing events to banquets and general operational tasks. Miami Music Week and our annual Mezcal Festival are on the horizon.
Any bar or restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
A must in Miami Beach will be to start with Uchiko’s fantastic happy hour, then off to The Standard to catch the sunset and an evening drink at Monterrey Bar. All days must come to an end, but fortunately for us locals, we have Brother’s Keeper and the Abbey Brewing Co. to ease into that.
How about a little leisure or culture?
The newly opened Bayshore Park in South Beach offers all sorts of beautiful and relaxing landscapes, as well as new tennis courts for private and group lessons. Saturdays are dedicated to tailgating at the ‘Canes games at Hard Rock Stadium with coma-inducing amounts of Go-Go Fresh’s empanadas and occasional stone crabs from Joe’s.
Any weekend getaways?
Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada is just over an hour’s drive; it has all you need from the Keys and then some. Book a private villa at the resort’s casitas for an extra-serene stay. For dinner, I love Pierre’s across the street for fine dining French-Caribbean. The roasted heritage chicken is great, as are all the seafood appetizers.
What was your last great vacation?
Jamaica. I was always wary of all-inclusive resorts, but the new Sandals Dunn’s River changed my whole outlook. The Jamaican hospitality combined with a “no problem, mon” attitude guarantees endless smiles every day. The onsite restaurants and bars are all carefully curated, but all share one common trait: an ample selection of Jamaican and Caribbean rum. If you’re up for an adventure outside of the resort, take the tour to Bob Marley’s childhood home. You’ll experience the “Natural Mystic” Blue Mountains and lunch at a local jerk chicken spot.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
A nice bottle of Doña Vega Tobala Mezcal.