Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Elastika Restaurant Opens in Miami Design District's The Moore

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Walk away energized for another round of shopping after dining on an egg sandwich, a salmon mango bowl pesto or tuna wrap to pair with a superfood smoothie or a juice shot. We can’t imagine a time when Michael Schwartz didn’t dominate the Design District. One of the area’s very first restaurants was his Michael’s Genuine, which still reigns supreme today. Then came his pizza place, Harry’s,and a grab-and-go café named after his daughter, Ella. We’ll start with a Michael’s Genuine home brew, followed by a tomato-mozzarella pizza at Harry’s, and finish up with a chai-sugar doughnut at Ella.

Swan And Bar Bevy

Wynwood, Miami's Art District Guide - Time Out

Wynwood, Miami's Art District Guide.

Posted: Sat, 02 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

They shave the ice fresh with a little machine, filling the bowl with a dozen or so flavor options ranging from mango lassi to cortadito. Our favorite is the tiger tempura, which is infused with what tastes like cereal milk, then topped with milk espuma and Frosted Flakes. It’ll not only make you happy, but help you stop sweating. ​​L’Atelier is expensive, but also a guaranteed impressive dinner (if you're into fussy futuristic French dishes). Expect great service and very decadent small plates involving lots of foie gras.

L’atelier De Joël Robuchon And Le Jardinier

This place is also an ideal day-off lunch spot, with a daytime prix fixe lunch for about $40-$60 per person that's worth making up an excuse to blow off work this Friday. Miami has a thriving arts and culture scene, with a variety of museums and public art installations. Check out the Institute of Contemporary Art, with free admission, showcasing the works of local and international artists. The museum is in the Design District; walk around the upscale neighborhood to view several large-scale sculptures and murals.

DINING DIRECTORY

Le Jardinier's produce-centric approach places the essence of seasonal fruits and vegetables in the spotlight, enhancing the meats and seafood they accompany. Situated in the vibrant Miami Design District, Le Jardinier is a haven where the architectural brilliance of Pierre-Yves Rochon intersects with the area’s modern aesthetic. The outdoor patio unfolds as a verdant retreat, while a black marble bar inside offers the quintessential setting for intimate moments & vibrant conversation.

Sexy Fish After Dark will feature an exclusive performance by DJ Guy Gerber starting at 10 p.m. Guests are invited to enjoy exquisite signature cocktails and an extensive list of premium spirits and fine Champagnes. Pilo’s Tequila Gardenis hosting a Thee Fever pop-up to listen to beats by DJ Mr. Anderson and special guests from 9 p.m. No RSVP is needed and this event is open to the public. Guests are invited to relish in delectable dishes and theatrical cocktails curated to transport them to the Great White Way, while listening to legendary show tunes written by Broadway’s most iconic composers.

Bar Luca Debuts in Mid-Beach, Offering All-Day Italian Fare from a Lucali Chef

Coffee and tea are free, along with Kimpton’s popular complimentary wine social hour (best happy hour in Miami!). We found early winter, midweek rates for under $200 a night. Elastika, located beneath its namesake sculpture in The Moore, combines a modern design with the building’s historical features. The interior, a collaboration between WoodHouse and ICRAVE, includes an 18-seat bar, velvet banquettes, a semi-private dining area for up to 12, and a lounge near the original staircase. The renovation added a new skylight and a sidewalk patio with greenery.

The Most Anticipated Miami Restaurant Openings of Spring 2024 - Eater Miami

The Most Anticipated Miami Restaurant Openings of Spring 2024.

Posted: Wed, 20 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

She emphasized the design must be "fully customized for Naples." Otherwise, she said, it's unlikely to win support from the board, which must sign off on it, if it's to be built. Board members criticized the simplicity of the building, with some describing it as a box that looked like it could be dropped anywhere else in the country. The Design Review Board has sent Chick-fil-A back to the drawing board on a proposed restaurant in Naples. The event will be open to the public with RSVPs.

If you’re trying to eat outside and stare at the water, head to one of these spots. Big Cities, Small Budget is a series of occasional stories highlighting budget-friendly ways to visit popular destinations across the United States. The property, spanning 1.4 acres, was first developed in 1969 with an office building. City records show several permits have been issued over the years for alterations, repairs and upgrades to the existing structure, which would be demolished to make way for the new restaurant.

design district miami restaurants

Essential Restaurants in the Miami Design District

Sure, the Design District might seem like a neighborhood built for folks whose butlers have butlers. But among the designer brands and lines of people trying to get into the Gucci store, there are excellent outdoor restaurants, some of Miami's best sushi, and great date night spots. We’ve also included a few Buena Vista restaurants within walking distance. Now go make a reservation, and try not to step on a hypebeast’s sneakers along the way. Art aficionados can squeeze in some culture amid all of the partying and athletic events by attending Cash App’s partnership with Wynwood Walls, the world’s largest outdoor street art museum.

Sofia Design District is the latest restaurant to open in South Florida by the team behind Byblos and Amal. The Toronto import offers an Italian cuisine menu curated by Chef Daniel Roy. The menu boasts Italian classics such as antipasto, pasta, and larger entrees like branzino, wild king prawns, and ribeye. The cocktail menu is also a tribute to Italy’s geography and pop culture history. Sofia’s flamingo pink decor, with ruffled umbrellas, teak furnishings, and pink lacquered pieces, adds to the Italian glam theme. Color us impressed that Pharrell Williams knows how to create a dining hit as well as a musical one, with some help from his partner David Grutman (OTL, Planta and Komodo).

The chic white and green outdoor dining area, stretching bar, and light-filled interior provide the perfect ambiance for indulging in classic French dishes with a modern twist. Savor the farro risotto with mimolette or miso-glazed tofu with crispy Brussels sprouts and cabbage, accompanied by the house-baked bread. Don’t miss the wagyu bavette au jus, served with broccolini and mushrooms. Cote should be on your shortlist for any sort of big, celebratory blowout dinner. The Korean steakhouse is excellent—both the experience and the food.

Cote’s award-winning beverage program also offers an impressive selection of hard-to-find vintages, large-format bottles, and Magic City-inspired cocktails. Joel Robuchon’s legacy of French haute cuisine is embodied at his Miami Design District outpost, where the late master chef’s culinary prowess is still on display. With a precise approach to cooking and intense flavor combinations, the restaurant has been awarded two Michelin stars - the only restaurant to achieve this distinction in the entire state. The interior dining room is an artful blend of dramatic lighting, bold colors, polished rosewood walls, red leather Italian seating, and black-painted ceilings. B-Side is a Design District sushi spot from the team behind Maty’s, and it’s in the space where its former sister restaurant, Itamae, used to be. There are a couple menu items leftover from Itamae (like the incredible scallop and octopus bañaditos), but B-Side is less a special occasion spot, and more of a casual place to grab some very good sushi rolls.

Under his leadership, the Gabriel Kreuther restaurant garnered two Michelin stars and received several accolades including Relais & Chateaux, Les Grande Tables du Monde, and the coveted AAA Five Diamond awards. The restaurant’s culinary team embraces the principles of regenerative, and sustainable farming, with an effort to create seasonal dishes that are both robust in flavor and nourishing. Inspired by Miami’s international community and The Moore’s century-long legacy of art, design and culture, the restaurant acts as a culinary canvas, where thoughtful ingredients and soulful cooking come to life. The restaurant is named for the iconic Zaha Hadid sculpture, Elastika, which is suspended throughout the four-story atrium above the restaurant’s dining room.

Some affairs are to be remembered – especially those had with Sofia.Elevate entertaining to an art form with an unforgettable event at Sofia Design District. Sofia’s modern and refined space is the quintessential backdrop for perfectly planned private events. The interior design of Elastika was a collaboration between WoodHouse and hospitality design firm, ICRAVE. Executive Chef Joe Anthony brings a wealth of fine dining experience and a wholesome approach to food to Elastika. A native of Florida, Anthony moved to New York City in 2009 to hone his craft at Restaurant Daniel, subsequently leaving an indelible mark on the classic New York institution. Anthony also helped in opening the acclaimed Gabriel Kreuther restaurant, where he became culinary director.

Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Viking Ocean Alaska Cruise Reviews 2023 UPDATED: Ratings of Viking Ocean Cruises to Alaska

viking ocean cruise reviews

We booked the Hotel Havnekontoret and were very happy with our choice. This was followed by several hours of on-your-own exploration before the train ride (with free German wines) back to the ship. Once in the city, we were treated to a panoramic bus tour of the Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, Checkpoint Charlie and other main Berlin sights. No matter how attractive a ship is, though, it’s the destinations that matter most to us. In fact, on our Viking Star cruise, we had five guest lecturers.

Comments on “Our Review: Viking Ocean Cruises”

I should have clearly stated that we DID have a very good time overall. We enjoyed New Zealand more than Australia which may be because of the mentioned canceling of included tours and doing our own thing instead. (We also had more time in New Zealand.) But we have no regrets about traveling this way to see this part of the world. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear.

More Viking Sea options

As a Viking Explorer Society member, you’ll receive an onboard credit when you book your next Viking cruise within 2 years of your last one. In Warnemunde, the free shore excursion was a chartered train ride to Berlin for a day. And sure enough, we discovered oodles of interesting travel-related books scattered about in lounges throughout both ships we sailed on.

The Ship: a Viking Sea cruise ship review

For women, elegant casual includes dresses or skirts/pants with a blouse or sweater. These are all identical sister ships that are classified as “small ships,” carrying only 930 passengers. You’ll probably want to check out other Viking star reviews to see if a cruise on this ship (or with Viking Ocean Cruises) is right for you. We were in port every day, except one, on our two-week Viking Star cruise. Hagen once said Viking passengers would “rather have a free laundry.” And, indeed, there’s a self-service laundry on every deck. They included a polar oceanographer, a Fulbright scholar/law professor and a BBC television journalist.

Review: The Cabins on Viking Jupiter

viking ocean cruise reviews

A good travel agent will quiz you about your particular interests, travel style and preferences, and steer you to the perfect cruise line, ship, itinerary and cabin for you. An agent can also help you if something goes wrong before, during or after your voyage. Evenings have an official dress code, but it's not too formal. The line asks passengers to keep things "elegant casual" when heading to any of the ship's dining venues, performances or special events. To Viking, that means a dress, skirt or slacks with a sweater or blouse for women, and trousers and a collared shirt for men. All of the line's vessels have standard North American-style, 110-volt outlets in rooms as well as European-style, 220-volt outlets and USB ports in cabins.

And doubly pleased when we learned they organized a late (11 pm- 2 am!) dinner for us in Miami. Very professional of them to make these arrangements at their own expense after our cruise days had ended. There are options to send out your laundry with a quick turnaround, but Viking is unique in providing free laundry facilities and detergent on each floor.

Viking is also known for a relatively simple-to-understand array of subcategories of rooms within its balcony-cabin and suite categories. Unlike some cruise brands such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, which offer as many as 36 different sub-types of cabins, Viking's ocean ships offer just six. Viking's bigger ocean ships also have poolside grills that serve made-to-order gourmet hamburgers and other grill items.

Viking cruise cabins and suites: A guide to everything you want to know

Come 2023, a new ship, the Viking Saturn will set sail, making a total of 10 Viking ocean-going ships. Read other reviews of Viking Ocean Cruises on Cruise Critic or other reputable sites and you’ll see they agree with us. Viking River Cruises counts almost 80 river vessels in its fleet, plying the waterways of Europe, Egypt and elsewhere. Waiters from our cruise ship circulate rum punches froma pop-up stand set up by a roadside stop.

As noted above, almost all of Viking's river ships are of the same basic design and are known as the Longships — a reference to the historic vessels used by Vikings in the Middle Ages. Viking's two expedition ships, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, are smaller than the above vessels, as is typical for expedition ships, and carry 378 passengers at maximum occupancy. At 47,800 tons, these ocean ships are less than a fourth the size of the giant megaships being built by the likes of Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises, in keeping with Viking's focus on intimate, upscale voyages.

Each of the Owner's Suites has a separate bedroom, living room, dining area that seats six people and master bathroom that includes a sauna with a glass wall facing the ocean. I am a 4 star mariner on HAL, but I have left them for Viking. Their ships are worn out and show it so I don't want to be on one of them until they do something about the condition of the cabins. I was told they had refurbished but found out they had only refurbished the suites. I am about to go on my 5th Viking cruise and I love the ships. I learned long time ago to interpret the ship excursions for what they are really providing.

Viking has one of the most diverse arrays of itineraries of any cruise line, mostly due to the fact that it operates both ocean cruises and river cruises. All of Viking’s ships are considered “small ships,” carrying only 930 passengers each. However, you will find luxury accommodations, serene community spaces, live classical music, and lectures to educate and inspire. We're leaving on Viking Venus in 36 days for 15 days on the Trade Routes of the Middle Ages. First time on a Viking ocean cruise, but have been on many River cruises.

Passengers can grab a snack — with a Norwegian twist — at the forward-facing lounges atop the ships, which are home to a small food counter called Mamsen's. Viking has more ships than any other major cruise brand in the world, more than 90 in all. It also has both ocean ships and river ships — something that is unusual among major lines. Despite this, it has one of the easiest-to-understand fleets. The Viking Jupiter is an upscale casual ship focused on providing a cultural experience onboard and at every port of call. You’ll find plenty of relaxing spaces onboard in the atrium levels, as well as a library, games for use, and interactive maps.

viking ocean cruise reviews

Viking Ocean Cruises is the oceangoing line by the team behind Viking River Cruises. Launched in spring 2015, the ocean cruise ships take some of the most notable aspects of the river voyages and offer them at sea. Wi-Fi, wine and beer with lunch and dinner, specialty restaurants, and one shore excursion in each port are all incorporated into the fares. Headphones are waiting in your cabin on arrival for use on guided city walking tours, and you'll find plenty of modern Scandinavian design details, from blonde wood to furniture with clean lines. The largest stateroom onboard a Viking Ocean ship is the Owner’s Suite.

This includes beers, wines, cocktails, liquors, and soft drinks. During the day, casual attire including shorts and jeans is acceptable. Swimsuits, cover-ups, and exercise clothes should only be worn around the pool, sports deck, and fitness center. Since 2015, Viking Ocean Cruises has been a leader in “small ship” cruising. You’ll notice lots of differences between Viking Ocean Cruises and other popular cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Princess from the moment you step onboard.

Viking Sea has no formal night, but some men do wear jackets to dinner, though it's certainly not required. During the day -- and anytime in the ship's World Cafe buffet -- more casual clothing such as shorts, jeans, T-shirts and capris are acceptable. Passengers tend to wear swimwear in the pool or spa area only. Viking Sea, the second oceangoing ship from longtime river cruise stalwart Viking, is a stunning vessel that seamlessly integrates comfort and modern, Scandinavian style. The ship's small size means it rarely feels busy and is able to get into ports bigger ships can't reach. Viking simply has some of the best new cruise ships out there!

During the day, there is no specific dress code, and people dress casually. If it's a sea day in a warm-weather destination, and you're bound for the top deck, a short-sleeve shirt and shorts are just fine. On all ships, smoking (including electronic cigarettes) is only allowed in designated outdoor areas. In keeping with the high-end nature of the brand, Viking cabins and suites have a lot of upscale touches, from sumptuous bedding that envelops you to heated floors in bathrooms. Most Viking Longships are 443 feet long, the perfect length to fit into the locks on many of Europe's rivers. The 410-foot-long versions of the vessels, for instance, were specifically built to be able to sail into the heart of Paris on the Seine River.

Monday, April 1, 2024

Viking cruise cabins and suites: A guide to everything you want to know

viking ocean cruise reviews

Needless to say, we couldn’t book our tour and spent 6 hours in a hotel conference room before our flight. The Owner's Suites, of which there is just one on each traditional Viking ocean vessel, are truly sprawling and impressive complexes that measure 1,448 square feet. They are true owner's suites in that they are used by Viking founder and chairman Torstein Hagen when he sails on the ships, and they feature some of his personal mementos, including family pictures.

Viking expedition ships

The entire main pool area is covered with a glass magrodome that can be opened on short notice on warm and sunny days — or closed if the ship encounters inclement weather. On the line's river ships, you'll also find onboard lectures, usually related to the destinations the ships are visiting, as well as destination-related demonstrations and tastings. (On a Seine River voyage, you might have a tasting of local French cheeses or French wines, for instance). All of Viking's oceangoing ships, which are much bigger than its river ships, have at least four and usually more outlets serving food of some sort. If you're looking for a big open room on an ocean cruise (and are willing to pay for it), Viking offers you plenty of options. Viking's ocean ships have a major presence in Scandinavia and Northern Europe, which the line considers its home turf.

The ultimate guide to Viking cruise ships and itineraries

We did purchase their package when we sailed their smaller ones. Passengers will also find finger sandwiches, scones and teas in the afternoon at the glass-topped Wintergarden lounge at the top of every vessel. What they are is eminently functional, with storage in all the right places, lots of outlets for charging your devices and lighting right where you need it. We love the reading lights built into the fabric headboards, which are in addition to the lamps on bedside tables. Bathrooms in Viking cabins are serene, modernist escapes with luxurious travertine-lined walls, Scandinavian-influenced wood-veneered vanities, shiny white sinks and chrome fixtures.

Walking on the promenade deck

Part of the appeal to Viking’s ocean-going cruises is the one free shore excursion offered in every port (like our St. Thomas tour) – something that all Viking Ocean Cruises shore excursion reviews note. Still, even on Viking's river ships, most cabins are balcony cabins. The other cruises we've been on have been very good to excellent excursions.

viking ocean cruise reviews

But while onboard Guest Services came through with a level of hospitality we hadn’t found on other cruise lines. A big thank you to guest services for hosting an impromptu gathering of participants from Cruise Critic. We enjoyed drinks and appetizers in the 8th floor Explorers’ Lounge as we met offline for the first time. Other unique public spaces include the ‘Living Room,’ a three-story elegant atrium where you’ll find games, puzzles, and cozy corners to sit while enjoying performances by Viking’s musicians. The Explorers’ Lounge and Torshavn are the focus for evening cocktails, music, and conversation. There are outside terraces for watching the world go by and a sports deck for shuffleboard enthusiasts.

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Note that Viking river ships do not have fitness centers, which is relatively unusual for river ships. Viking has long argued that few of its customers use fitness centers and the space that would be devoted to one is better used for other things. However, if you're fitness-obsessed, Viking river ships may not be the best choice for your river trip. The number of restaurants and other dining options that you'll find on Viking ships will vary greatly depending on whether you are sailing on an ocean or a river ship. Other little touches in Viking cabins that show a line thinking about functionality as much as decor include the large and clear lettering on the Freyja toiletries that you'll find in every Viking cabin bathroom.

Departure Ports

We have booked our own transportation so, hopefully, we will have no problems. Thanks again for taking the time to write such a thorough review. Cruise Critic is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Rates are in USD and valid for US and Canadian residents only. When you book with one of our partners, please be sure to check their site for a full disclosure of all applicable fees as required by the U.S. This evening dress code is not enforced at the casual World Cafe eateries on Viking ocean ships, where passengers can go even more casual in the evenings.

Carry-on drinks policy

Purchasing the Silver Spirits beverage package for $25 per person per night affords the guest upgraded wines, beers, and unlimited cocktails and spirits. As this was our first Viking cruise, we decided to test the value of the package. We enjoyed the included wine and beer, but also ordered cocktails or an evening aperitif as we desired. In the end our bill was $174.50, far less than the $600 the Silver Spirits package would have cost. We’re moderate drinkers on vacation but I think the liberal pours over dinner kept our costs low.

Viking Sea review: Cabins

We rank Viking up there with Silversea, different in some ways, but high end and very enjoyable. Viking needs to rebrand this restaurant and make it a more high end offering with better dishes. We are leaving Viking Orion in an hr to fly home from Bermuda.

But at the end of the day, Viking has carved out a massive niche with their small-ship (930 passengers) sailing vessels that folks have come to trust and adore. Yes, the Viking loyalty program is called Viking Explorer Society. You’ll be enrolled automatically after your first Viking cruise.

There's an adjacent pantry that can be used by staff serving room service or catering hosted events. Among other personal touches related to Hagen, the company founder, are book, wine and music collections that he curated for the rooms. Each of the Explorer Suites is a two-room complex with a well-appointed living and dining area complete with a table that seats four people. Very large master bathrooms feature a double-sink vanity, a spacious glass-enclosed shower and a bathtub (something you won't find in any of the lesser cabin categories on the vessels). If you do decide to try Viking again, I recommend picking the walking tour ones. The included walking tours that I took in Iceland and Norway were very informative.

It will probably come down to itineraries, estimates of shore excursion vs. shuttle bus costs, number of sea days, and whether or not airfare is free. I wish that all cruise lines would list an estimated cost for their shore excursions on their websites as that would help greatly. You'll also find musicians including pianists and guitar players performing at times in the Viking Living Room — a three-deck-high, atrium-like space at the center of the ship. Filled with comfortable seating areas and home to a bar, the Viking Living Room serves as a central meeting point for passengers throughout the day and night.

(The company was founded by a Norwegian family.) It's also a big player in the Mediterranean. You'll find Viking's ocean ships in other key cruise destinations as well, such as Alaska, the Caribbean and Panama Canal, Canada and New England, South America, Asia and Australia. The line's ocean ships can be found in nearly every ocean and sea around the world, from North America to Europe and Asia. Our review of Viking Ocean Cruises comes after perhaps four years since we last sailed on one of their ocean ships. This type of room comes with 3 priority reservations at each alternative restaurant, priority shore excursion reservations, and priority spa reservations.

We're booked for Viking Sea in January 2022 in the Caribbean and on the Orion for Alaska. We had the penthouse veranda suite which was a well proportioned 320 or so sq. We’re fans too, and look forward to our next Viking ocean cruise. In Old San Juan (our last port of call), we’re surprised the colonial buildings, shops and restaurants look in such good shape – here, you’d hardly know Puerto Rico was very badly hit by Hurricane Irma in 2017. “We offer our guests the thinking man’s cruise, not the drinking man’s cruise,” Torstein has said.

Note that the credits mentioned above cannot always be combined with promotions the line offers. A secondary pool area with an infinity pool is at the back of each of the ships. In keeping with Viking's focus on cultural immersion, lecturers often have expertise related to the places you'll be visiting on your sailing. The line also draws a wide range of interesting and accomplished people from all walks of life to serve as guest lecturers, including well-known academics, diplomats and even astronauts. In general, it's an educated crowd, with many passengers coming from professional backgrounds or a life of running their own businesses. You'll find everything from eight-day cruises in the Mediterranean to 138-day around-the-world voyages among the line's voyages.

A large number of people have cruised Viking's riverboats in Europe, prompting their curiosity about the ocean product. Viking Cruises has garnered a slew of awards over the years for its ocean ships – from “#1 Ocean Cruise Line” (by Travel + Leisure readers) to “Best Overall Ship” (Cruise Critic annual cruisers’ choice awards). There’s no extra charge either for the specialty restaurants or to use the Nordic Spa (complete with hydrotherapy mineral pools, steam room and “snow grotto”). Some guests laze by the central main pool, which has a glass retractable roof.

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