Weekend In Miami: Afterglo

by Willy Volk on

After cruising the Lincoln Road area for dinner options but finding nothing, I wasn’t disappointed. After all, I had a back-up plan: Afterglo.

I had heard about Afterglo before we headed to Miami. Claiming its “beauty cuisine” is effective in beautifying the body both inside and out, the food at Afterglo is designed “to restore cellular health in the body, reverse the effects of aging, and reveal one’s true beauty.” Yeah, it sounded a little fruity, but we wanted to dine somewhere unusual, and Afterglo appeared to fit the bill. If it lived up to the hype, eating at Afterglo would be both good and good for us.

We had planned on eating at Afterglo for lunch, but when we walked by in the afternoon, the doors were shut: it’s a dinner-only place.

I had called ahead and asked if reservations were necessary. When the woman asked me what time I wanted the table, I told her 8 o’clock. She said, “You probably won’t need reservations.” But it was a Saturday night, I thought…

We showed up just past 8 and were amazed that we were the only ones in the restaurant. Guess we didn’t need that reservation, after all. By 9, two other tables were occupied. Note: Miami is a late-night city, and 8 o’clock is not considered late-night. In fact, it’s apparently early bird time.

Afterglo is beautiful inside. With an intimate Persian-esque atmosphere, the colors are soothing and luxurious.

I stopped and stared at the bar for a moment before heading to my seat. The rock literally glowed from within.

We ordered some drinks and took a look at the frequently-changing menu. After talking to our waiter — who was hip, but not pretentious; knowledgeable, but not condescending; sincere, and not smarmy — we decided to start with an appetizer. We ordered the Venison and Truffle Tataki: “Free-range venison with fresh shaved truffles, with a salad of julienned apples, crushed juniper berries, and spiced pumpkin seeds, drizzled with truffle oil, raw honey, pumpkinseed oil, and apple cider vinegar.” If you don’t think that sounds delicious, let me say that, for the record, it was so good, I forgot to take a picture of it. So instead, I’ll present this one:

Next, we ordered dinner. I ordered Wild Mushroom Stuffed Organic Chicken Breast: “Wild-harvested mushrooms and cave-aged gruyere-stuffed chicken breast with fig pangravy and organic grilled tamarind vegetables.”

My wife ordered a special: Mahi-mahi topped with mango salsa. In her enthusiasm to eat, the picture she took turned out a little blurry. You get the idea.

Both our meals were exquisite: the flavors were unusual but not conflicting, and the presentation made you eager to take the next bite. While I can’t say whether or not my cells were any healthier after eating my meal, I enjoyed the taste of every bite and I seriously felt healthy eating it. Therefore: time to order dessert.

I ordered The Beauty Inside: “A warm molten chocolate cake filled with an aromatic blue cheese ganache with a roasted pear compote, mixed berry sorbet, honey drizzle, and black pepper.” Pepper and chocolate? Blue cheese and chocolate? Weird, I know, but I was willing to try, since my entree had been so good. Not only was the description out-there, but the presentation was amazing, too!

My wife ordered the Honey Pot: “A walnut tartlette filled with banana cinnamon creme, topped with sliced banana and orange segments with an organic raw chocolate sauce drizzled with a choice of honey or agave syrup, and sprinkled with hemp seeds.” The Honey Pot is a totally raw dessert with absolutely no sugar added. It was unbelievably good. (Again, sorry for her enthusiasm.)

After eating, I had to ask our waiter what the unusual structure in the middle of the dining room floor was. First, he told me that it was reserved for small parties. Then, he added that on the first Saturday of each month, Afterglo holds an “Erotic Party Night.” Featuring pole-dancing, airbrush-artists, and fire-twirlers, the action revolves around this 16th-century marble gazebo surrounding the private elevated dining platform. Equal parts romantic and cool, I wished we’d eaten in there.

In total, dinner cost us $162, which was steeper than we expected, but this was the best dinner we’ve enjoyed in months. The food looked good, it tasted good, and it “felt” good, too. In other words, I wasn’t over-full from too much food or lethargic from food that was too heavy. However, don’t just take my word for it. Check out some of the other reviews of Afterglo:

  • Gayot: The kitchen takes what is essentially an all-organic, sustainable, seasonal and free-range pantry and creates some truly outstanding dishes.
  • Sun-Sentinel: It has a staff that is warm and friendly and that knows newcomers are not going to be instantly won over, so they make an effort to help. They won over everyone I took to the restaurant.
  • Miami Herald: Here’s what you’re missing if you haven’t yet tried this new South Beach stunner: Amazing, cutting-edge cuisine.

If you head to Miami, I certainly recommend trying Afterglo. Maybe I’ll see you there one Saturday night!

Weekend In Miami: Lincoln Road

by Willy Volk on

After we left Lincoln Road Beach, we cruised along the pedestrian-only, open-aired Lincoln Road Mall to see what we’d do for dinner. After all, everyone had told us Lincoln Road was THE place for shopping and nightlife — the NY Times calls this the Fifth Avenue of the South! — so we figured we’d scope out our options, and think about them as we cleaned up from the beach.

In addition to the many retail shops on Lincoln Road, there are also a number of “freelance vendors” trying to sell their goods. Some of the art was especially good.

Interestingly, right in the middle of this commercial area sits a beautiful old church.

The City has done an excellent job making Lincoln Road look “natural.”

However, while I was intrigued with the “look” of Lincoln Road, I felt that it resembled outdoor strips the world over. There was nothing particularly special about any of the restaurants we passed, though admittedly, the offerings looked good. Many restaurants around here prepare their dishes and set them out to lure passersby. A good idea, I’d say, considering the number of restaurants competing for business.

When we reached the end of the strip, we turned and headed back.

We were a little disappointed, since we had heard such good things about this area. Sure, it was pretty, but there was noting unique about it, except for maybe the architecture.

We shuffled on back to the entry-point…

…and were very happy that our hotel was so close.

In reality, I wasn’t all that sad we hadn’t found anywhere to eat dinner on Lincoln Road. Why? Because I had a contingency plan, and as it turned out, it was better than anything we could’ve expected.

Previously: Weekend In Miami: The Beach

Weekend In Miami: The Beach

by Willy Volk on

After changing clothes in our hotel, we hustled to the beach. We were anxious, as South Beach’s beaches are famous for their pristine sands, emerald waters, and strutting model wannabees.
One of the first things you’ll notice about many of South Beach’s beaches is the fabulous, dramatic entryways they offer. For example, this curving courtyard takes you from the major, car-filled thoroughfare of Ocean Drive to the quiet beach in about 60 seconds. You can literally hear the sounds of the city fading away, being replaced by the sounds of the waves. It’s like a real-life Corona commercial.

Once on the beach, I skedaddled straight to the water to look and feel it. It was so clear… but a bit cool.

I turned and saw how crowded the beach was.
Into the horizon, there were people everywhere.

I referred to this sign-less, nameless stretch of beach as “Lincoln Road Beach.” Just north of flashier and trendier Lummus Park Beach, and just south of smaller, quieter Collins Beach, Lincoln Road Beach is family-friendly and tourist-intensive.

Some people had encouraged us to go to Haulover Beach — several miles north — for some beach time. However, Lincoln Road Beach was close to the hotel, which was very appealing. Moreover, the north part (and only the north part) of Haulover is an officially-recognized naturist beach. In other words, it’s clothing-optional. My previous clothing optional-beach experience had been icky — lots of men cruising past, sizing me up — so we decided to avoid that.

In any event, this beach was nice, and the sun felt good on my face and back. Though there were a number of college-aged girls sunning themselves, there were no topless Saline Machines wandering around, like CSI: Miami would have you believe. As soon as I laid down, I fell asleep; if you want to see more of what the local beaches look like, check out Miami Photo Meetup or Miami Travel Photo.

If you don’t want to head to Lummus park, Lincoln Road, or Collins Park, there are a number of beaches in greater Miami. At the end of the weekend, our favorite turned out to be Key Biscayne’s Crandon Park Beach. But more on that later.

Previously: Weekend In Miami: The Greenview Hotel

Weekend In Miami: The Museum of Thinkism & The Dynamo

by Willy Volk on

After completing our walking tour of South Beach’s Art Deco District, we grabbed some lunch and headed to Florida International University’s Wolfsonian Museum. Established in 1992 by Mitchell Wolfson, Jr., to house his large and eclectic personal art collection, The Wolf’s exhibits currently occupy 4 floors in a beautifully-renovated warehouse.

While the Museum features revolving exhibits, we really wanted to see the permanent collection, which is 100,000 pieces strong. Amusingly — yet appropriately — this part of the Museum is referred to as The Museum of Thinkism.

Originally built in 1927, the former storage facility is located in downtown South Beach, right on Washington Avenue.

I love the intricate detailing around the entryway.

Upon entering the lobby, visitors are greeted with an open space.

The odd juxtaposition of extravagant, decadent art and pop surrealism prepares you for the collection.

There is no photography allowed above the lobby. This is the guard who enforces the rule.

Gargoyle heads watch over visitors riding in the elevator.

The idea behind Thinkism is contained in Wolfson’s phrase, “What man makes, makes man.” In other words, by examining the products, propaganda, and artwork that people have created over the years — and thinking about them — we can begin to understand objects as human ideas, concerns, and aspirations and start to understand why the world looks the way it does.

It’s more than just looking at a beautiful painting; it’s about considering an object, thinking about where and why it was made, and what role it plays in society. In this way, we make connections among everything in the world, and come to realize that everything is inter-connected. Everything. From old book covers to old stoves…

…from wartime posters to old post office boxes…

…from Turkish folding chars to New Deal murals…

…everything shows how people look at and interact with the rest of the world. It was a fascinating and fun exhibit, and for $7 apiece, it was cash well-spent. For more examples of the items inside the Museum, check out Gallagher’s Travels or, of course, the Museum’s website.

After Thinking so much, we were famished, so we headed to the Museum’s store/cafe, The Dynamo Cafe. Designed to feel like an old-timey European bookstore…

…with its modular design, it has a very modern feel.

The Dynamo offers a great assortment of teas, coffees, snacks, and sandwiches — all of which have been getting rave reviews lately. I had some excellent Chai Tea, while my wife enjoyed some Lemongrass Tea. (For the record, mine was better.)

It was an excellent way to relax after thinking so hard. But now…it was time to check into the hotel and get changed for some beach-time!

Previously: Weekend In Miami: Casa Casuarina

Weekend In Miami: Casa Casuarina

by Willy Volk on

Right in the heart of Ocean Drive — smack dab in the middle of the Art Deco District — sits this building. With pastel flashes of color surrounding it, this 12-bedroom, 13-bathroom Mediterranean Revival home, in all its cream-colored glory is probably the most famous building on the strip. It’s certainly the most photographed. What is it? It’s Casa Casuarina, of course.

Casa Casurina was built in 1935 and features a gorgeous oolitic limestone entryway and stairs, and a Cuban barrel tile roof (each tile of which is rumored to have been molded on the thighs of beautiful Cuban maidens). A replica of the home in the Dominican Republic in which Christopher Columbus’ eldest son lived (La Casa del Cordon), Casa Casuarina is also where Versace took his last breath. He was gunned down on the front steps of this building by Andrew Cunanan in 1997.

Gianni Versace purchased the building in 1992 for $2.9 million and renovated it substantially. Peter Loftin, a telecommunications billionaire, purchased it in 2000 for approximately $19 million and is converting it into an “invitation only B&B” (for around $2500/night). Alternatively, the entire house is available for private events — at a cost of $10,000 a night.

I’m sad to announce that flashing my Gadling Press Pass did NOT grant me access to the interior. Sorry. But you can take a sneak peak at the home’s elegant appointments here.

Previously: Weekend In Miami: The Art Deco District