The grifters
Design District restaurants, Le Bilboquet, Del Mar, $3M listings, Moxy, Uchiko, MORE
GETAWAYS • Palm Beach
The Palm Beach hustle
An FBI agent once told me that, at any given time, grifters make up about 10 percent of the world’s most prestigious zip codes. That sounds about right.
Here is my favorite con artist story. I was standing at the crowded bar at Le Bilboquet in Palm Beach. A man in his mid-50s, dressed in smart looking attire, began chatting me up. He dropped the usual local markers: “I just came from Mar-a-Lago... blah, blah, blah.”
I eventually moved to a bar seat, and the man shifted his attention to a woman standing near me. I was within earshot, so I eavesdropped. He asked her if she had noticed the pristine 1952 MG Roadster in British Racing Green parked out front.
“Of course,” she said. “What a beautiful car.”
He leaned in, confident and casual. He told her he had bought it at a London car show and shipped it to Palm Beach.
It was my car. Born the same year as me.
I left shortly afterwards, fearing that the grifter might have figured out how to sell my classic MG by the time I finished Bilbo’s sumptuous mousse au chocolat.
A Grift of My Own
Almost every morning, I swim in a secluded ocean cove in Palm Beach. It sits across from the late multi-billionaire David Koch’s estate, Villa El Sarmiente, an Addison Mizner-designed Mediterranean Revival masterpiece spanning two parcels on North Ocean Boulevard.
This compound anchors the northern end of Billionaires Row, situated just south of the Estée Lauder family properties. It is known as North End Beach. I’ve dubbed it Trillionaire Beach.
The massive rocks recently installed along the shoreline are part of reinforced revetments and groins designed for coastal protection. This ongoing work, intended to secure the Lauder shoreline and reinforce sea defenses, must have required a sophisticated marine landscaper.
The result is magical. The placement of the stones created a rare little cove on the south side, as you might find along the Mediterranean. In the middle of these enormous rocks, a tiny beach was also formed. It faces the Lauder estate and feels private.
The beauty of public beaches is that they remain public. Shark warnings, threats of parking fines, and non-working key-code gates don’t keep the persistent beachgoer, like me, out. The Koch and Lauder families fund the upkeep and meticulous protection of the beach. Bravo.
A tiny group of people uses the beach. I routinely enjoy the accidental largesse of the super-rich. That is my grift. –Brad Inman
CULTURE & LEISURE • FOUNDLISTING
John Adams and Víkingur Ólafsson at New World Symphony
This weekend, composer John Adams leads an era-defining retrospective.
He’s won five Grammys, a Pulitzer Prize, and a reputation as an American icon.
John Adams is one of the most influential composers of our time. This weekend, he joins New World Symphony to conduct a retrospective of his work that includes music from Doctor Atomic, Nixon in China, and After the Fall, a thrilling new piano concerto written for and performed by Icelandic superstar Víkingur Ólafsson.
Arrive early to explore the Frank Gehry-designed concert hall or take in the view from the rooftop garden.
→ John Adams with Denève & Ólafsson (Miami Beach) • 500 17th St • Sat 01/17 @ 730p and Sun 01/18 @ 2p [spon]
RESTAURANTS • First Word
Coastal char
The Skinny: Fort Lauderdale’s Auberge Beach Residences & Spa opened Del Mar, a new restaurant by chef Mitch Brumels and Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, in November. The sprawling 17,000-square-foot space spans a dining room, beachfront bar, wine cellar, oceanfront terrace with Atlantic Ocean views, and four private dining rooms.
The Vibe: Open and coastal. The arrival finds guests walking through a dramatically long entrance hallway surrounded by curtains opening up to an enormous dining room decked out in green marble, wicker chairs, and warm lighting. I knew the square footage going in and was still surprised by how massive it is. There are two bar areas (inside and out). Set directly on the water, the patio is ideal to soak in the views, especially during the daytime. By night, fire pits are ablaze for a cozy, coastal evening.
The Food: The menu runs deep with wood-fired Mediterranean dishes, and the taste from the fire’s smoke comes through in every dish, almost like barbecue. For starters, the loaded smoky hummus comes with pomegranate-braised lamb cooked with cinnamon and laced with green tahini. The octopus is chargrilled with bell pepper vinaigrette, onions, and cilantro pesto. And the open fire-roasted shellfish platter, available in two sizes ($75 and $145 per), includes South African lobster tail, scallops, prawns, clams, and mussels with garlic lemon.
For mains, there’s rich lobster spaghetti, or snapper for lighter fare. Or consider the menu’s “From the Hearth” section, including lamb rack with roasted squash, green olives, pine nuts, and a preserved lemon jus.
The Drink: Handcrafted cocktails and an extensive wine-by-the-glass list. Cocktails run Mediterranean, featuring a Spanish G&T built on Gin Mare and rosemary. Del Porto is made with Don Fulano Blanco with solera sherry. Sangria blanca with grilled apricot comes by glass or pitcher, while the wine list emphasizes Italian and French wines.
The Verdict: We didn’t think we’d be back in Fort Lauderdale again so soon, but Del Mar is worth the trip for its gorgeous oceanfront dining scene. –Olee Fowler
→ Del Mar (Fort Lauderdale Beach) • 2200 N Ocean Blvd • Mon-Thu 4-10p, Fri 4-11p, Sat 11a-11p, Sun 11a-10p • Reserve.
MIAMI RESTAURANT LINKS: Eight-seat counter Yasu Omakase debuted yesterday in Design District • In Doral, FreshCo Fish Market & Grill opens as seafood market and restaurant • Restaurateur Stephen Starr planning Slim’s Steakhouse to open this spring in Bal Harbo.
WORK • Thursday Routine
Got moxy
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.
GETAWAYS LINKS: In Belize, Robert’s Grove Beach Resort rebrands as Blue Reef Beach Resort and Marina, now under new management • Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit completes $30M guest suites renovation.
REAL ESTATE • First Mover
Three for-sale properties in Miami that recently came to market asking ~$3M.
→ 10250 SW 135th St (Kendall) • 4BR/5BA, 3865 SF house • Ask: $2.995M • wine cellar, ‘resort-style pool’ on 1/2-acre lot • Days on market: 5 • Annual tax: $29,938 • Agent: Jason Villanueva, One Sotheby’s.
→ 54 Bay Heights Dr (Bay Heights) • 3BR/3.1BA, 2392 SF house • Ask: $2.995M • more ‘resort-style amenities,’ like summer kitchen, pool deck, pergola • Days on market: 8 • Annual tax: $42,334 • Agent: Audrey Ross, Compass.
→ 2496 Abaco Ave (North Grove, above) • 6BR/4.1BA, 3417 SF house • Ask: $3.2M • spiral staircase and ‘secret garden’ oasis but no pool • Days on market: 2 • Annual tax: $5,489 • Agent: Karl Fong Yee, Keyes.
MIAMI WORK AND PLAY LINKS: Are more California billionaires on their way to Miami? • Opposition grows to Jeffrey Soffer’s Fountainbleau waterslide plan • Jean-Georges’s branded condos getting private wellness club • The lost art of the work happy hour • The best gadgets that also look good at CES.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Big Easy
Thunder v Heat • Kaseya Center (Downtown) • Sat @ 8p • sec 107, $378 per
Miami Comedy Festival • Hard Rock Live (Hollywood) • Sat @ 8p • sec 101, $206 per
Anders Osborne • The Funky Biscuit (Boca Raton) • Fri @ 9p • GA, $60 per
ASK FOUND
Three PROMPTS for which we seek your immediate attention:
What new restaurant opening has you most excited?
Which gym are you joining this month (or returning to)?
Where are you booking for a ski trip this winter?
Got answers or more questions? Hit reply or email found@itsfoundmiami.com.
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Restaurants, Design District
Torno Subito, chef Massimo Bottura’s 2.0 inside The Moore, intel