Forty eight hours of art, parties, fashion, and fun.

Joy Cioci Dress, YSL purple tributes, one feather earring.

As a fashion blogger, I spend many hours squirreled away on my laptop writing and editing, and sometimes being a hermit is just no fun. Most of the time, I just want to crawl out of my writing hole and  and actually witnesss the incredible clothing, inspiring art, and the creative people behind that I blog about, and experience a little joie de vivre. Well folks, Art Basel is the just the ticket.

What’s the trick? When in Miami, do as they do. Baselers gallery hop, party bop, and take advantage of all the city has to offer. My goal was to soak up the experience and attend arty fashion parties or fashionable art parties. I visited rooftops, hotel lobbies, pools, restaurants, convention centers, outdoor installations, and in-store events all in a 48 hours window. Regardless of my banzai approach, I did not get to every party or exhibitor. That would be quite the impossible feat. This year there were more than 250 exhibitors at the Convention Center, and dozens of others at the satellite fairs. I did want to sneak in a little beach time, but alas, Miami you were cool and breezy at best.

Day one. Landed at 4pm, I raced from the airport in Robert Clergerie wood chunky heels that broke (major fail) on my  way to the Convention Center. I arrived for opening night, met up with some friends and walked barefoot for 4 hours. No joke here. I may have won out but my feet will tell you it was a pyrrhic victory. Thankfully part of the place is carpeted in grassy turf. I bumped into Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Val Kilmer and I could’ve sworn they looked at my barefooted manicured toes! I did see some amazing art, and super-chic street style art-goers. Does art imitate fashion or does fashion imitate art or both? You decide, Check it out.

Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones

After looking at so much art all day (wink, wink) people, I actually need a change of scenery. Bring on the cocktail party. At 8:30 pm I walked straight to the newly renovated Shelborne Hotel for the opening party Art of Night celebrating the photographer Seth Browarnik. Suzanne Bartch designed all the costumes for the event which lasted well into the wee hours of the night.

Art of Night

Art of Night

Suzanne Bartsch

Day 2. Art, art, and more art. I went to the Rubell Family Collection, de la Cruz, Scope, and my favorite one, Pulse. This year’s Rubell collection was about US-based artists in a show titled American Exuberance. Since Jennifer Rubell is obsessed with food, this year her performance juices stirred up “Incubation”– a live yogurt culture from birth to food equipped with refrigerators, yogurt makers, measuring spoons for eating, honey dripping from the ceiling, and of course, bees. People were fascinated by this installation, holding their spoon in the air and then getting splashed by honey.

Incubation

Honey

At Pulse.

Girl swinging in a pink sequin slipper

That evening I headed over to the Design District where I caught the exhibition FriendsWithYou, went to the Dior pop-up shop, saw the OH-WOW gallery, went to the Maison Martin Margiela shop, and reveled at the Refinery 29 Miami launch party at Cafeina.

On my final day I went to an event for Architectural Digest at the Raleigh. It was an outdoor oasis with a fab lunch, a DJ, manicures and pedicures courtesy of Exhale Spa, phone charging station, drinks courtesy of Kanon Vodka, amazing jewelry and sunglasses and a time just to chill. I met up with my new blogger friend and we shared fashion tips and lunch. I then went to the Standard Hotel for an Imperial Manicure event, had a fantastic meal and headed home.

How I really feel?  Just like this artist. Basel, See ya next year !