Few places in the world have it all. But, Greater Miami and the Beaches boast that they have it all. There’s the big city excitement with international restaurants, non-stop nightlife, an arts and cultural scene and blocks and blocks of open-air shopping paired with enormous malls and marketplaces featuring dining and entertainment. Then there are miles and miles of beaches which lure sun-worshippers to salty, sandy vacations by the sea.
Miami Beach is almost exclusively tourist-oriented, consisting mostly of condos and hotels. Out-dated hotels give way to modern hotels and condos that improve the quality of accommodations and beautify the strip immensely. The famous “Miami Vice” Inter-coastal waterway area never looked so good! 
Charmed by the look (and Miami’s affordability at the time), vacationers, retirees and Northern transplants flocked to the area in the ‘30s and ‘40s. The ‘50s were heydays, as Arthur Godfrey and Jackie Gleason televised nationally from Miami studios and high fashion swept into Saks Fifth Avenue, Bonwit Teller and Cartier. Ladies and gentlemen were at those times dressing to the nines to be seen.
However, on South Beach, less is more. People- watching is the supreme phenomenon, especially from the open-air restaurants that line Ocean Drive. You can see everything from the most sophisticated to down-right beach-bum attire. Having a good time is thematic to the over-all psyche of the area. Bring them on! Where else can you see an unending parade of people that are so entertaining?
Linked by causeways and an easygoing lifestyle, Miami Beach is an energizing mix of natural beauty and contemporary entertainment
BAL HARBOUR VILLAGE
The luxurious Bal Harbour that we know today was once just 245 acres of submerged mangrove swampland. In 1929, however, three Detroit automotive industrialists planned a community on a barrier island at the northern tip of Miami Beach. It’s on the Atlantic ocean-equidistant from Miami and Fort Lauderdale
Today it is considered the glamour-capital of Southeast Florida, just minutes from South Florida’s renowned nightlife and cultural attractions.
Incorporated in 1946, Bal Harbour Village is South Florida’s most stylish beach community. It’s a “must see” for celebrities and jetsetters and vacationers in-the-know .This tropical oasis features two full-service oceanfront resorts, the legendary Bal Harbour Shops, pristine beaches and a people-watching scene that rivals Beverly Hills and Monaco.
One of the first structures built along the Bal Harbour’s coastline, the European-style Sea View Hotel Bal Harbour has been a family favorite for generations. It features 220 newly renovated guestrooms, an intimate private beach, 50 Key West-style cabanas surrounded by a heated Olympic-size pool and several restaurants offering contemporary and international cuisine. 
You can enjoy its timeless hospitality, casual elegance and European ambiance enhanced by custom French furnishings. The atmosphere is soothing, revitalizing and memorable as you sit under a swaying palm tree or walk the beach and let the sand run through your toes. Each of my meals delighted my culinary fancy as I enjoyed the delights of the chef.
The Sheraton Bal Harbour Beach Resort, just across the street from the Bal Harbour Shops is renowned for its spa treatments. The Regent Bal Harbour, the first new hotel to be built in Bal Harbour Village in 50 years, opened in December 2006. The 18-story property overlooking the Atlantic Ocean Haulover Inlet and Inter-coastal Waterway, hosts 124 suites including a Presidential suite. This property features a 10,000-sq. ft. L’Institut de Guerlain of Paris Spa, fitness center with personal training and plasma TV’s, fine dining and oceanfront swimming pool.
Created in 1965 by luxury retail visionary Stanly Whitman and situated directly across the street from both hotels, Bal Harbour Shops is ranked the “number one shopping center in the U.S.” by Woman’s Wear Daily. It’s the home to 100 flagship stores including Hermes, Gucci, Prada, Giorgio Armani, Chanel, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. Bal Harbour Shops is a favorite playground for socialites, fashionistas and celebrities. Recent celebrity sightings include J-LO and Marc Anthony, Beyonce Knowles, Cindy Crawford, Cher and Lenny Kravitz.
As Bal Harbour Shops celebrates its 40th or Ruby Anniversary, it continues to lure its international and fashion-forward clientele interested in one-of-a-kind collectibles and the highest concentration of world-class jewelers and watches in the United States.
Bal Harbour Village offers a diverse selection of restaurants including The Sea View Hotel’s Terrace Room overlooking the ocean. At Bal Harbour Shops complex you can find charming al fresco cafes including Carpaccio, an Italian eatery where shoppers congregate to see and be seen, the Zodiac Café at Neiman Marcus and Lea’s Tea Room. Each had their own special atmosphere and cuisine.
My next fashionable cultural experience was attending the 8th Annual Fashion Week festivities. 
In May 1999, the first Miami Fashion Week was presented to an international audience of buyers, media, celebrities and special guests. This event was created to provide a forum offering international exposure and promotion specifically for the designers of Latin America and the Caribbean with a special interest in establishing bridges and opportunities between the designers of this region and the world’s fashion industry.
During the past eight years, Miami Fashion Week has developed into one of the world’s premier fashion events spotlighting designers from Europe, USA, Canada, the Caribbean, Middle East and Asia, as well as largest showcase of Latin American designer talent in the nation.
During Miami Fashion Week attendees were dazzled by signature designs on the catwalk by 36 international designers from all over the world including North and South America, Russia, Spain, Italy, Egypt previewing their spring 2007 collection to over 6,000 guests during the week at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
The Fashion Prelude included Camilo Pardo/Colombia for Mercury Milan Swimwear Showcase, Arianne Lingerie/Canada and Satillan San San/Argentina featuring sunglasses by Cartier Jewelry and accessories were on display at the Trends Display. Miami Fashion Week has been an integral component in the Miami fashion industry, bringing the city to the forefront with international press and attracting select designers from all over the world.
The Opium Garden kick-off party for Miami Fashion Week was a special treat. This open-air club, with strict door policy, makes you feel like one of the beautiful people as you get picked to enter. House and hip-hop music dominated in separate rooms. The upstairs lounge had a more exclusive door policy for celebrities and A-listers. Nightlife in Miami can be really fun-filled and memorable!