I arrived into Miami-Dade County airport mid-afternoon yesterday and cabbed it to the always-fantastic Standard Hotel and Spa in Miami Beach, a relaxing oasis set apart from the 24/7 party hotels of South Beach. Arriving back at The Standard year after year for Art Basel Miami Beach, the annual weeklong art and party extravaganza, makes me feel like I am back at adult summer camp, running into old friends at every turn as I am greeted cheerfully by the hotel staff. 

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the yearly art fair, the most important one of its kind in the Americas.  Art Basel Miami Beach features over 260 leading galleries from North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa, showcasing artworks by more than 2,000 artists of the 20th and 21st centuries.  The art fair and the scene surrounding it have become a cultural, fun-in-the-sun destination and social highlight on the calendars of artists, gallerists, collectors, fashionistas, design enthusiasts, musicians, the requisite hangers on, and all of the beautiful (or attempting to be) people accompanying them.

Tuesday night usually marks the beginning of the week’s festivities.  My evening started off with cocktails at the eminently chic Mr. Chow restaurant at The W Hotel, South Beach.  From there, we walked to the Gansevoort Hotel where we were shuttled into blacked-out SUV’s and driven to a party hosted by Ferrari, Peter M. Brant and Sotheby’s Tobias Meyer, in honor of Ferrari’s Chairman Luca di Montezemolo at 1111 Lincoln Road, a parking garage designed by famed Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron.  As far as parking garages go, this is certainly the cream of the crop design-wise, replete with exaggerated geometric beams, massive ceiling heights, 360-degree panoramic views and a large penthouse apartment on the roof. Hosted by Interview Russia, the party included the unveiling of the new Ferrari 458 Spider and a screening of RPM, a 3D installation by amazing video artist Marco Brambilla. Word on the street was that the Ferrari party had been moved to the garage at the last minute from a newly completed $60 million home on Indian Creek Island because of potential noise complaints from neighbors. The venue change seemed appropriate given the content (there were many slick and sexy Ferraris parked around the garage), but it was quite blustery and chilly up there.  Once my teeth began chattering, I headed over to the Soho Beach House for the White Cube gallery party.  The Main Pool and Tiki Bar were bustling and filled to the brim, with flowing libations and guests in a celebratory-mood to kick off the week.  Gallery owner and the evening’s host Jay Jopling always pulls in a rocking crowd… even Damien Hirst was there. 

After that, we hopped in a taxi bound for The Florida Room at The Delano, site of Paris club transplant for the week, Le Baron, and hands down the best nightly dance party.  After shaking a few tail feathers to a random music mix that only a French DJ could muster up, I called it a night and cuddled up under my down comforter at The Standard, next to my roommate who had passed out in the bed with cookies, Pringles and an uneaten cheeseburger.  Welcome to Miami!