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THE SETAI SOUTH BEACH

2001 Collins Avenue Miami, Florida 33139 Ph: (305) 520-6000

With the likes of Art Basel, the South Beach Food and Wine Festival, and the Miami International Film Festival, Miami Beach has evolved from its hedonistic roots into a more sophisticated, cosmopolitan destination. It’s hard to imagine that perched on a quiet block of Collins Avenue, beyond the whitewashed Art Deco exterior hides an Asian-inspired oasis. In the lobby, antique slate brick flooring imported from Shanghai creates a rustic tone while walls adorned with Burmese teak lattice and circular jade disks (known as Bi in Chinese) add refined Eastern flair. Decorative details like architectural floral arrangements, urns and vases with naturally aged patina, abstract artwork, and ancient stone sculptures compliment the tranquil interior.

Guests, greeted by name, are whisked to the comforts of the check-in lounge where scented cool moist towels and refreshing lemongrass iced-tea await as the attentive staff seamlessly checks you in. Those looking for privacy will appreciate the private entrance and a dedicated concierge to handle their mundane to exorbitant requests.

The Setai unites two starkly different buildings – a 1930’s Art Deco building and a modern beachfront high-rise—by using décor to bridge past and present. The Art Deco building houses the lobby and restaurant as well as suites and junior suites designed with a sultry, sexy ambiance (dim lighting, dark wood paneling, and deep soaking bathtubs). The tower building with its glimmering glass façade houses the specialty suites, multi-bedroom suites, and a stunning 10,000 square-foot 40th floor penthouse with a private lap pool and spectacular panoramic ocean and bay views. All rooms feature amenities such as sumptuous handcrafted Dux beds, perfumed bath products by famed English jeweler Asprey, Lavazza coffee makers, deluxe rain showers and Bose sounds systems.

Weaving the two buildings together, the tranquil common areas exude a tropical exotic aesthetic that will have you believing you are in Bali rather than South Florida. Of particular note is the serene courtyard with its meditative reflecting pool lined by swaying palms and luminescent candles that begs for an alfresco brunch or imbibing in late night cocktails with friends or the international clientele.

A short stroll past the spa brings you to 3 azure pools (each of varying temperature) flanked with day beds ready for lounging and attendants equipped with oversized towels, cucumber-lime water, and misting sprays for those humid Miami days. Crystal clear waters and white sand beaches lay just steps away, past the hotel’s gates at the private beach for those wanting a classic beach experience while retaining the resort’s five-star service.

Helmed by Chef David Werly, the restaurant serves a pan-Asian menu. For the sushi lover, try the hamachi appetizer; yuzu marinated yellow tail sashimi delicately placed over slivers of hearts of palm with hijiki and creamy avocado dotted with mango puree and sea salt. For an inventive take on the traditional Indian tandoor, the Macchi Tikka is moist and spicy with pieces of succulent Chilean sea bass marinated in yogurt and masala roasted over hot coals served with a tangy tamarind sauce and crispy onion pakoras. Dim sum selections also offer modern interpretation such as braised veal cheek dumplings with ginger and scallops dumplings with a truffle emulsion. Inventive cocktails like the Chili Passion Martini infuse East and West like yin and yang.

After a day at The Setai, one ceases to wonder what lies beyond the doors of the hotel. It seems you’ve found everything you could possibly want within this haven.

Rooms from $885

-Shayan Rayani

SPOTLIGHT - Matt Zarley

Named one of Billboard magazine’s “Critics Top 10” picks for the year in 2008, Zarley has continued to deliver hits that touch the heart, and the dance floor. He has been named one of People Magazine’s “Hottest Bachelors”, performed extensively on Broadway and had top charting Billboard Dance hits. Beginning his career at 12 years old starring in national commercials, Matt’s career subsequently led him to New York City where he made his Broadway debut at the age of 19, appearing in numerous shows including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and The Who’s Tommy on Broadway. Matt displays intense passion and boyish charm when discussing his musical process, which is clearly a journey of honesty and openness. “Like many songwriters, my music is really inspired by love and heartbreak,” admits Zarley. “During the recovery process after a painful break up a few years ago I had an epiphany. After accepting my contributions to the reason for the split, I really began to work on myself. I believe that you can never really expect people to change and sometimes it requires you to change things in your own life to find happiness,” says Zarley. “If you want your life to change, I think those changes first have to start within.” His new album, aptly titled, “Change Begins with Me” is now available on iTunes and includes both poignant tracks like “I’ll Always Remember” and dance floor essentials like “WTF.”

- Randy Slovacek

Best of 2011

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL’S IRIS On September 25th, a spectacular night at the famed Kodak Theater studded with celebs including Priscilla Presley, Neal Patrick Harris and Mario Lopez kicked off IRIS. Through visual language, acrobatics and choreography, all interwoven with the narrative of the show, IRIS brings the splendor, inventiveness and sense of wonder of cinema to the stage and is written and directed by French stage and film director, dancer and choreographer, Philippe Decouflé. Danny Elfman’s moving soundtrack and the mind boggling performances of the dance company, make this one of the most thrilling of Cirque’s shows. Continuing to wow the lucky audience was the sprawling after-party that literally took over Hollywood Boulevard so that amazed invitees were sipping champagne and relishing gourmet food while looking up at signs of El Capitan and the Roosevelt.

JEFFREY SANKER’S WHITE PARTY The desert extravaganza that marks April for the hip gay set is almost around the corner so start planning your white outfits and booking your hotel stays soon. This year, Swedish pop sensation Robyn and UK’s Wynter Gordon performed for fans while top DJs like the Freemasons, Dave Aude and Manny Lehman made it impossible to leave the dance floor. Direct from Las Vegas, select performers from Zumanity, The Sensual Side of Cirque Du Soleil performed throughout the main event on Saturday to provide a visual bonus. Sunday’s popular T-Dance, “Under the Big Top” even brought Latin sensation Charo to the stage.

COOKING FOR LOVE Savor the Season The annual food event at The Lot Studios in Hollywood brought notable chefs, restaurants and wineries like Jar, Patel Napa Valley, Morton’s, Stefan’s LA Farm, Katie Chin and Ludo Lefrebvre’s Ludo Bites to bring awareness and empower youth to end domestic violence. Benefiting “Break the Cycle”, this is a festive and refreshingly intimate gathering where the food and wine flow and a party becomes the reward for contributing to a good cause. Mark your calendars for next year’s event.

“THE TWO KRISHNAS” BOOK LAUNCH AND RECEPTION The Indo American Arts Council launched author (and our fellow editor) Ghalib Shiraz Dhalla’s novel, “The Two Krishnas” at the Sundaram Tagore Gallery in Soho, NYC on October 20th. The book reading, signing and reception brought out an eclectic crowd including vocalist, Falguni Shah, actors Christian Campbell (Trick), America Olivo (Spider Man) and Sakina Jaffrey (The Ode, Mystic Masseur), and even all the way from Bollywood, acclaimed Director, Madhur Bhandarkar (Chandni Bar, Fashion). The novel, already a bestseller in India, is now available in paperback and Kindle in the U.S. It was selected in LA Magazine’s September reading list and Dhalla has been praised by bestselling author, Lisa See (Shanghai Girls) as “brilliant.”