My Heart is in Havana
Little Havana, that is—at the new Life House hotel.
Life House—the new collection of immersive and affordable hotels by Sydell and Starwood alum Rami Zeidan—has opened its first property in Little Havana. Located in a restored 1920s-era Mission Revival-style building minutes from Calle Ocho, the hotel features 33 rooms, a living room-style lobby, a library, a courtyard garden with various dining options, and a rooftop terrace and pool. The concept: to transport guests to 1950s Cuba via a design scheme of vintage furniture from Hans Wegner, Cassina and Jeanneret alongside Afro-Cuban ceramics, collected books and local plants. To bring the spirit and culture of Little Havana to life within the hotel, Life House has collaborated with local artists to create custom pieces including a three-story atrium portrait gallery and guest room photography by young Cuban artist Leandro Feal. Each room is outfitted with small comforts like Le Labo bath products, scents by Dyptique, Revival linens, and Marshall speakers. Parcelais, a vegetable-forward cafe, offers dishes and drinks inspired by the urban agriculture movement of Havana, Cuba and Miami’s rich mix of Latin cuisine, while the hotel’s rooftop restaurant and bar offers Latin-infused street food and an vibrant, colorful ambience. The Life House experience is powered by its own mobile app featuring a social network of travelers, allowing guests to connect with each other before check-in and during their stay; guests who use the app to check-in can do so automatically and bypass the lobby’s check-in process, accessing their rooms via a mobile key. The app also allows guests to chat with staff, requesting everything from room service to late check-out. For more information, visit lifehouselittlehavana.com.
It’s All About the Food
The first North American version of the Haute Cuisine International Food Festival takes place in Bal Harbour this month.
Transforming into an unparalleled gastronomic destination, from May 8-11, Bal Harbour Village will launch Haute Cuisine, showcasing the mouthwatering talents of six celebrated chefs who between them have been awarded nine Michelin stars. Created in Switzerland at W Verbier in 2015, this yearly event in the Swiss Alps has been a sought-after gourmet experience from the beginning, and now the organizers have chosen Miami—Bal Harbour specifically—as its first North American venue. Food lovers will enjoy curated interactive cooking classes and intimate theme-based dinners with bespoke menus, starting with a welcome cocktail reception at the iconic Center Courtyard on Wednesday night followed by a fashion-themed dinner at Stephen Starr’s Le Zoo, where the globally inspired menu will be crafted by Chefs Jacques Pourcel, Thierry Drapeau and Alain Caron. On Thursday evening, a design-focused dinner will be featured at Oceana Bal Harbour led by Chef Sergi Arola from Spain, Chef Joel Cesari of France, and Chef Jean-Baptiste Natali of France. Friday evening will pair music and dining at The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour’s Artisan Beach House led by Chefs Natali, Pourcel and Drapeau with a total of six Michelin stars. During the four days, six immersive cooking classes each led by one of the chefs will take place at The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort and the Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour. The four-day epicurean adventure concludes with a formal gala at The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort on Saturday evening beginning with a cocktail reception on the property’s outdoor Ocean Terrace and followed by a dinner in the oceanfront ballroom showcasing a collaborative menu from all six chefs. Haute Cuisine will be presented at various venues in Bal Harbour Village, including Bal Harbour Shops, Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort and Oceana Bal Harbour. Tickets are $250 for the intimate dinners and limited-seating cooking classes, and $350 for the closing reception and gala. For more information and to view the full schedule, visit balharbourflorida.com/hautecuisine.
The Kids Are Alright
Or they will be—just get them some Gryph & IvyRose Elixirs.
It’s the ultimate elixir fixer: Boost your beauty and wellness routine with herbal elixirs from Gryph & IvyRose, a new line of children’s health and wellness products created by supermodel (and South Floridian) Karolina Kurkova, beauty expert Rachel Finger and herbalist Orion Nevel. But the solution-oriented, problem-solving formulas are perfect for the whole family with ingredients rooted in thousands of years of traditional Chinese medicine. Check out Belly Works, a blend of sprouted rice, yam, licorice, fennel seed and nine other carefully curated herbs to support healthy digestion, and Call It A Night, a blend of turmeric, organic chamomile, silk tree flower, and six other masterfully curated botanicals to support a healthy night’s sleep—among others. Visit gryphandivyrose.com.
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