MiamiNights - Miami Night Clubs, Nightlife

All Purpose Dark says Sushi Samba has announced they will be opening an "ultralounge" (god I hate that word) at Midtown Miam, which I imagine means the Shops at Midtown. The place will be called Sugarcane, which one already exists in New York so the concept isn't exactly new. If it is indeed opening at the Shops, I think this is exactly the kind of business the retail location needs. More cafes, bookstores, bars and lounges need to move into the available spaces. It potentially could be a nice alternative to the Washington Avenue strip, or, dare I say it, an alternative to Coconut Grove and CocoWalk (of course in a better, non-douchy kind of way). The place will open around Winter 2009, which I'm guessing is the beginning on 2009 not the end.

And do I think the concept will be a success? Ask the people over at Domo Japones, whose Thursday nights are the talk of the town. I do have one question, will Sugarcane be open during the day/evening serving food?

I'll admit it, I'm a fucking hypocrite. I always preach about sticking it to the man and supporting local business. But fuck me if I can't get enough of Starbucks, so much so that I know who are the best baristas in town. Plus, I'm a fucking pussy because Cuban coffee is just way too strong for me. Well lucky for me a brand new Starbucks opened on Biscayne Boulevard and 30th Street, just four blocks from my new place of a residence. It opened on Saturday, I know because they have a Polaroid picture of their very first customer, which I'll admit I'm a bit jealous it wasn't me.

So if you don't know already the former Boom Boom Room space was taken over by Alfred Spellman of Rakontur and Keith Paciello and transformed into a new lounge called Bella Rose. In Lesley Abravanel's Velvet Underground column, Spellman says the place aims to bring back the South Beach of yore:

"We were getting really tired of the same stale bottle service nightlife options, so we wanted to do a small room, kind of a throwback to The Spot or Lua."

I have yet to check out the space, but anything is an improvement over the Boom Boom Room, which need I remind everyone a few weeks before its demise it experienced a drive-by shooting. I'll get everyone the full report on the place as soon as I can get my ass over the causeway.

There are also other new places you need to watch out for. Tony Guerra's Aero Bar should be opening soon in the area near the Ganesvoort Hotel and Collins Park. And the airport-themed lounges doesn't stop there as Heathrow Lounge opens up in the ill-fated area of Washington Avenue between 8th and 5th streets (actually, reps for the place have contacted me saying while the place is English inspired, it definitely isn't inspired by the English airport). However, Dek23, which is located in the same area, has been able to pull a steady stream of quality clientèle in an area better known for seedy clubs with even seedier people, so why can't Heathrow do the same?

Ok, so possibly the most creative and funniest "video flyer" I have ever seen. Tomorrow the new night, DAMN SON!, at Jazid makes it's debut featuring.....well just watch the vid below for all the deetz!

Don't forget people, the ultimate Miami party, Money Shot returns tonight to The Vagabond! Free before midnight, $10 after. We'll be there with camera in hand.

Apt. 423 (formerly Apt. 407) is NOT at some poor fool’s apartment. It’s at Love Hate (423 Washington Ave., Miami Beach) starting tonight. Apt. 423 is the underground’s underground party because it attracts a very non-typical, South Beach crowd. For now, at least. Hopefully you’re not a typical South Beach reader who will go to this party and spoil the vibe. No offense, but keep away from things you’ll never understand.

I’m talking music, son. If you dig disco dancing, put your t-straps on and be prepared to twirl. From disco to electro to straight up rock 'n' roll, Apt. 423’s musical tastes run the gamut. DJs Jonathon, Josh and Ray Milan handle the decks – which turns this party into a secret society of music nerds. Except in 423’s case, all the nerds are handsome – glasses and goggles included.

Here’s where you can become their friends: www.myspace/apt407miami

It's with great pride and absolutely no trepidation that I introduce to you our new site Ybor City Nights! I really like Ybor City because I can go out and have a good time in Nike flip flops and not spend a lot of money. It's way more relaxed than all that Downtown junk in Miami that we normally talk about on this site.

Check it out and give us your feedback!

Everyone rejoice! Thursdays are back to being the new Fridays thanks in large part to Xavier Burt and Jake Jefferson, better known as the guys behind Money Shot. Remember Money Shot? It started at Pawn Shop, then moved to Love Hate. Now it's back at a perfectly sized venue for the party. This Thursday DJ Blu Jemz (LA) will spinning for the crowd alongside resident DJs Contra and Induce.

Be aware there is a new cover charge policy that mimics the Poplife formula: free before midnight, $10 after. And it's all going down at the Vag -- um, you know, The Vagabond.

So for those who couldn't score the elusive invitation to The Vagabond's soft opening tonight, don't fret. The brand-new venue will have its door open to the general public all weekend long. Friday and Saturday doors will open at 10 p.m. so you can take a peek inside before the WMC crowds descend and reek havoc upon our little city. I have no idea on who is spinning or what exactly is happening, but the hype is so loud on this place I'm pretty sure everyone is going to regardless just to want to see what all the fuss is about. I'll be attending the festivities tonight and I hope to have a report for everyone tomorrow morning. Wait for it!

I attended the swanky and somewhat puzzling opening of Dune Oceanfront Burger Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton on Key Biscayne. We don't normally cover Key Biscayne on Miami Nights because Key Biscayne is one of the most boring places on earth, yet it is simultaneously too crushingly beautiful and relaxing to be able to convincingly talk shit about it. Anyway, Dune aims to be something like Nikki Beach away from South Beach: a relaxing spot to have a cocktail and detox without the hordes of drugbabies that you'd encounter at the regular parties. How burgers fit into this I'm not sure, but those were damn good burgers.

Would I go back? Hard to say. Everything was comped so I don't have any idea about drink prices, but as the hotel runs $600 per night at 100% occupancy, I would imagine they won't be doing 2 for 1 specials. The food was good, but the crowd had a credit rating higher than the types of people I usually choose to associate with. The music was good in a sort of loungey house way, but they flew in DJ Bruno from Ibiza, so it's hard to say what the regular night may hold. Parking was (free) valet only, if you like that sort of thing: I prefer to slang my wreck into a spot on my own.

Suggestions for Dune staff if they happen to be reading this: find unique, quirky, unusual people and pay them with bottles to attend on a regular basis. You have to be unusual enough to make people drive the ~15 minutes into the key, past a toll. You have the raw materials to make this work with that location and the fresh reputation. Also, where are the spice worms?