A Mini Miami Getaway

[ The Fontainebleau in Miami Beach. ]

This weekend we are continuing my husband's 30th birthday celebration with a quick trip down south to Miami Beach. G decided that, for his birthday, he'd like to see his favorite team, the San Diego Chargers, when they came to Florida to play the Miami Dolphins. So that's what we're going to do. On Sunday. But outside of game time, we're going to take advantage and explore the Magic City, South Beach and environs.

We leave tomorrow and will come home Monday. Here's our game plan for our mini Miami getaway:

[ A look inside the $200-million Fontainebleau renovation. Glitzy. ]

• Check out the elaborate and recently renovated landmark hotel, the Fontainebleau Resort & Spa. I didn't know much about Miami before researching for this trip, but I did know about the famous Fontainebleau. 

[ Scarpetta Miami Beach, a nautical version of the urban-rustic Italian original in New York. ]

• While at the Fontainebleau, we plan to pop into Scarpetta, the Miami Beach outpost of celebrity chef Scott Conant's original New York Italian eatery. The menu is pricey, as is to be expected, but I figure we can just have a glass of wine, share an app and enjoy the ambience and ocean views. G and I are huge Food Network fans and love watching acclaimed restaurateur Conant deliver deft criticism (and, sometimes, praise) on "Chopped."

[ Urban art at Wynwood Walls. ]

• Visit the Wynwood Walls, an open-air museum of sorts in the Wynwood Arts District. The graffiti garden is filled with Instagram-able, world-class street art painted on warehouse walls and doors, and there's even a restaurant and bar on site. The collection of urban murals is definitely a Miami must-see for me.

[ The Cafe at Books & Books. ]

• Browse Books & Books, the best bookstore in the city, and perhaps have lunch at the Cafe, which serves up a mix of Latin and Southern cuisine as well as plenty of people-watching if you snag an outdoor table set along Lincoln Road, SoBe's main shopping artery.

[ Our home for the weekend: The Hilton Cabana Miami Beach. ]

We'll be staying at the Hilton Cabana Miami Beach, a brand-new luxury beachfront hotel in Miami Beach, on Collins Avenue, in an up-and-coming area called "Millionaire's Row." With cabana in the hotel's name, the pool area looks unsurprisingly amazing and I got a new bathing suit for the occasion. I just need to remember to pack the sunblock!

[ Sparkling pool and ocean views at the Hilton Cabana Miami Beach. ]

In between these rough plans there is bound to be plenty of imbibing and at least one night out on the town. Not sure where we'll go exactly (and what flashy nightclub we'll be able to get into-- hopefully we won't have trouble getting past the velvet ropes) but we'll just see where the weekend takes us.

If you've been to Miami, we welcome any recommendations on places to go, things to see, or where to eat and drink! I'll be sure to fill you in next week on our adventures.

[ Story, named 2014 Nightclub of the Year. ]

(Fontainebleau images via the resort's Facebook page and website, Scarpetta image via the restaurant's website, Wynwood Walls images via Goldman Properties,  Books & Books image by Justin Namon via Cafe's Facebook page, Hilton Cabana images via its website, Story image via club's Facebook page)