Jennifer Diaz, a happy ambassador for the Greater Miami CVB
Hilton's Lisa Cole
Barbie getting ready to put on the Ritz at the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne
“The best thing about Miami is that it reinvents itself all the time,” says Lisa Cole, who for years has repped Hilton Hotels in the Southeast USA. And she should know: a lifelong Floridian, she clearly is in love with her home state. What makes Miami so special? “Every day I marvel at the beautiful water – do you know, I have a home on the water and there’s a dolphin who visits usually twice a day?” When your own home turf boasts nothing more exotic that a few cheeky squirrels, I think that sounds pretty darned cool.
Lisa was just one of 10 exhibitors at a recent do for travel industry types at the hip Drake Hotel on Queen West in T.O. Touting all things MIA, they regaled us with tales not only of dolphins but of cool new museums (such as the green and energy focused Miami Science Museum, breaking ground in 2014) and the divine dining at the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne. They’ve recently introduced moonrise dinners (served during the full moon) – at a mere $60 U.S. for four courses, we can all afford to soak up a little of that legendary Ritz Carlton vibe!
And don’t forget South Beach. No longer “just for gays” as Lisa put it, “It’s a hip hop, cool community with great boutiques and of course that wonderful architecture.”
Back on the food scene, the very cool Ola Resto, which features Central and South American fusion, offers ceviche and mojito classes, perfect for a novel way to spend a couple of hours and ideal for a partners’ program for conferences. The secret to a good mojito? According to Katie Durgin of Ola, “The ingredients must be fresh – and just bruise the mint, don’t bash it or it will become bitter.”
I’ll drink to that – and to all the hospitality to be found in MIA!
