Dogs on a plane
A'Riva at Harbour Club, New World Symphony Gala, $10M+ real estate deals, Luca Osteria, Piemonte, Bark Air, Super Bowl viewing, MORE
RESTAURANTS & CLUBS • First Person
Neighborhood club
I was curious (and skeptical) on first hearing of Harbour Club, a new private club open since October in Sunset Harbour. I’m a regular in the micro-neighborhood, and the club’s curvilinear two-story space at Bay Rd. and 18th St., while full of potential, has seen high turnover through the years. Could this hip, laidback locals neighborhood really sustain a private club?
The brainchild of James Julius (formerly of The Dorchester, London’s Annabel’s, and Miami’s ZZ’s Club), Harbour Club draws inspiration from the private clubs of his native London. It’s divided into three distinct spaces: the open-to-the-public Italian restaurant a’Riva, members-only cocktail bar Palm Room — both on the first floor — and Nikai, a “Japanese-forward” restaurant and lounge (also members-only) on the second floor. Club membership runs $2500 annually with a one-time $5000 initiation fee.
The interiors of a’Riva evoke a subtropical, British colonial club. There are pearlescent tile floors, low-slung dining chairs in sand and moss tones, banquettes upholstered in palm frond patterns, and softly lit architectural columns. The room is richly textured, with accordion-like plasterwork, leather-backed barstools, brushed brass, and potted plants.
On a recent Saturday night, our charming server guided us through chef Michael Esposito’s Italian-Riviera-inspired menu. We started with caviar service, presented elegantly on ice alongside chives, shallots, crème fraîche, tater tots, and blinis. But before that hit the table, a freshly baked round of warm, perfectly spongy focaccia and olive oil arrived.
Antipasti also impressed. Fried zucchini flowers with ricotta, mozzarella, and sundried tomatoes are richly battered and perfectly crisp. Beef tartare is prepared tableside with black truffle and parmesan foam. Hamachi crudo with grapes, mint, and pomegranate makes for a bright, fresh, wonderful start.
We skipped the tempting secondi and large format proteins for sharing — Wagyu tomahawk with chimichurri, dover sole alla Mugnaia, a selection of Milaneses — for a straightforward rigatoni pomodoro made with bright San Marzano tomatoes, and tagliolini with black truffle and brown butter, both sumptuous. We drank martinis and finished with a silky chocolate mousse.
On a Saturday night at the height of season, the room was about three-quarters full, so I was curious to see the vibe in the private club. The obliging host gave us a tour. Inside the Palm Room and upstairs at Nikai, revelers lurked in the glittery spaces where dark walnut finishes, velvet upholstery, and a deeper color palette make for a nice transition from dinner to nightlife.
The whole operation brings a new level of sophistication to Sunset Harbour. Let’s hope it sticks around. –Shayne Benowitz
→ A'Riva at Harbour Club (Sunset Harbour) • 1766 Bay Rd • Tue-Fri, 12-10p, Sat 11a-11p, Sun 11a-4p • Reserve.
MIAMI RESTAURANT LINKS: Chef Michelle Bernstein readies outpost of La Cañita in Kendall • Cult Portland donut shop Voodoo Donuts opening in Brickell later this year • Why is my drink so damn weird? • The economics of dry January.
CULTURE & LEISURE • FOUNDLISTING
New World Symphony’s Gala goes Hollywood
CELEBRATING THE MAESTRO OF THE MOVIES: Join Miami arts and business leaders in celebrating New World Symphony’s 37th Anniversary Gala alongside special guest John Williams, the visionary composer whose iconic film scores have defined magical moments in cinema.
“Without John Williams, bikes don’t really fly, nor do brooms in Quidditch matches, nor do men in red capes. There is no Force, dinosaurs do not walk the Earth, we do not wonder, we do not weep, we do not believe.” –Steven Spielberg
Tickets for this black tie event start at $2,500 and support the future of classical music.
→ New World Symphony’s 37th Anniversary Gala (Miami Beach) • 500 17th St • Sat, 2/22 @ 6p [spon]
REAL ESTATE • Market Report
Big deals
It was a strong year for ultra luxury home purchases in 2024, with 1,744 properties trading hands nationwide at $10M or above. That’s a 12% increase over last year, per Compass’s year-end Ultra Luxury Report. Ten markets accounted for 70% of all sales, with Miami-Dade in the third slot, Palm Beach County in fourth, and Southwest Florida tied for sixth.
The full top 10:
Manhattan NY • 307 sales (20%)
Greater Los Angeles CA • 190 (-18% YoY)
Miami-Dade FL • 152 (29%)
Palm Beach County FL • 132 (21%)
Orange County CA • 107 (32%)
Silicon Valley & Peninsula CA • 72 (1%)
Southwest Florida FL • 72 (76%)
The Hamptons NY • 70 (-3%)
Aspen CO • 58 (-12%)
San Diego CA • 56 (30%)
Elsewhere in the ultra-luxe neighborhood, Tampa Bay & Sarasota (26 sales, 100%) surged, and the Emerald Coast (20 sales, 54%) and Broward County (21 sales, -5%) remained players.
Some other emerging markets: Snowmass Village, Colorado notched 21 $10M+ sales, 3x last year’s number. The Lake Tahoe region tallied 3 ultra-luxury sales, compared to 12 in 2023. Finally, Greater Nashville splashed onto the scene, with nine such transactions in 2024 versus last year’s single sale.
WORK • FOUND Jobs
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Having lived through (and mostly ignored) the rises and falls of Flipboard, Facebook Instant Articles, Google AMP, and TikTok (risen again!), we’re wary of relying on social media for distribution. Strategies shift, algorithms reset, entire ecosystems disappear.
That’s why you’re probably reading this FOUND dispatch in your email inbox. It’s the best, most efficient way for us to make sure we reach you directly, at least for now.
But even as we endeavor to build a lasting media brand insulated from the whims of platforms, we’re still building audience. And so we’re going to beef up our capabilities a bit.
This quarter, we’re looking to bring on a freelance social media manager to handle accounts across the FOUND network. That entails posting regularly on Instagram and Substack Notes, fleshing out strategy on those platforms and others, and helping translate the FOUND voice, wherever it travels.
Ideal candidates will have a few years professional experience managing and executing on social media strategy, preferably for a media brand, and at least a few hours a week to spend on this project. If that’s you, drop us a line at found@itsfoundmiami.com with some samples of your work.
MIAMI WORK AND PLAY LINKS: Sales launch at forthcoming new luxury condo development Ponce Park in Coral Gables • The James Hotel & Residences Downtown Miami plan highest luxury bar and restaurant in Americas • Inside Precision Drive Club, where the amenity is an F1 track • World Architecture Festival coming to Miami in November • Why the Miami Heat are a case study in sports dysfunction.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Free Bird
Lynyrd Skynyrd • Hard Rock Live (Davie) • Fri @ 8p • section 115, $136 per
Senators v Panthers • Amerant Bank Arena (Sunrise) • Sat @ 7p • section 118, $112 per
Drive-By Truckers: Southern Rock Opera Revisited • Culture Room (Ft Lauderdale) • Sat @ 730p • GA, $67 per
WORK • Thursday Routine
Power chef
GIORGIO RAPICAVOLI • chef & owner • Luca Osteria, Eating House, Mayfair Grill
Neighborhood you work in: Coral Gables & Coconut Grove
It’s Thursday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
At around 7ish, I head straight to the gym. Thursday usually consists of a mid-level workout, which begins with a five-mile run with Team Soul, then we’ll head to the Crossfit Soul gym, and I’ll either do the workout of the day or some strength stuff — gymnastics or bodybuilding. I’ll workout until maybe 10:15 or so. Exercise is a crucial, important part of my day, so I do my best to avoid taking calls or meetings in the morning.
After the gym, I’ll make myself breakfast, which is pretty much the same thing every day, a shake with collagen and whey protein, and Greek yogurt with a nice granola and fresh fruit.
What’s on the agenda for today?
Today I’m headed to a P&L meeting. We didn’t always have these back in the day when we were a small restaurant, but we’ve grown up. We have 50+ employees that rely on us to run the restaurants as best we can, so it’s something we take seriously now. Once I’ve wrapped my meetings, I’ll grab a quick, healthy lunch, maybe something from Rice on Giralda Avenue, or one of the healthy fast-casual spots in the area.
Once 4pm hits, we do pre-shift, go over any menu specials or changes. Sometimes I’ll do wine tastings too. I usually have a couple tastings a week, because I also handle the wine menu at both Luca and Eating House. Service starts at 5pm and I’ll spend the rest of the night commanding the kitchen and expediting or overseeing service, and sometimes, helping out with wine service.
How about a little leisure or culture?
Most of my leisure time involves running. I just ran my first marathon in December and I’m running the Chicago Marathon in October. I’m also planning a group run from the restaurant, where hopefully a bunch of industry people will join us. After my runs, I like to pop into the Vizcaya Farmers Market and grab a fresh juice. I also enjoy taking my son, Luca, to LNB Grovestand for rainbow smoothies and tropical fruit on the weekends. I don’t go to as many concerts or shows these days, but my next big one is in Atlanta in April to see Glassjaw and Poison the Well.
Any weekend getaways?
To me, there's nothing better than driving down to the Keys for lunch. It’s usually not even a whole weekend thing, but it’s nice to take a day to just drive slow, take in the beauty of the Keys, and relax. I’ll usually stop anywhere that feels good at the moment for fresh seafood. I like Key Largo Fisheries a lot, and there are some cool breweries in the area, like Islamorada Brewery & Distillery.
What was your last great vacation?
Italy, just over a year ago. My family is from Piemonte, and I think it’s the most spectacular and most overlooked region in the country. The wine is amazing and it’s just so beautiful. Alba is an amazing little town to visit, and of course there’s the capital, Turin. Make sure you get a Bicerin, which is a three layer chocolate, coffee, and milk beverage invented there. I always get my fill of carne cruda, which is this region’s version of beef tartare, and tastes like nothing you’ll find anywhere else. The University of Gastronomic Sciences (also known as Slow Food University) in Pollenzo is also a must. There’s an insane wine cellar, and the restaurant at Albergo dell'Agenzia right on the campus has the best panna cotta in the world.
What store or service do you always recommend?
I love USA Sports Therapy — specifically the Coral Gables location — that’s where my PT work is done. I don’t do physical therapy to treat an injury, but I do it to prevent them. I’ve been going to USA Sports Therapy for three years and these guys have kept me really healthy and feeling great. I also love J Flo Therapy. My boy Mikey is my massage therapist, and he’s awesome.
GETAWAYS • Airlines
Ruff ride
Owning a large dog brings endless joy, but also logistical challenges, especially when it comes to travel. A few years ago, after multiple attempts to crowdsource a pet-friendly flight from New York to California through a very popular and active Facebook group, we gave up and drove — from Montauk to LA and back — just so Scout could join us.
So when I first heard about Bark Air, I didn’t hesitate. The idea of making it to LA in just five hours on a plane specifically designed to accommodate big dogs was obviously appealing. Flying out of Teterboro (TEB), Bark serves destinations including LA, Fort Lauderdale, London, and Paris, operating each route several times a month. (To add another layer of convenience, Bark can arrange pet-friendly transport to and from the airport.) Our one-way fare to LA, for both dog and human: $6000.
Upon check-in, each of the eight or so pups on the flight gets a “pup passport,” complete with photo and stamps, followed by a meet-and-greet session to burn off any pre-flight zoomies. I found the attention to detail impressive — there were plenty of dog treats and cozy beds for lounging, plus drinks and snacks for the humans. The flight attendants were very experienced with dogs and kept them (and their humans) calm, happy, and informed.
Once on board, the pampering continued with a new experience for the pups every hour: a pupachino, “chompagne,” old socks and shoes. Scout even got wrapped up in a robe for a “spaw” treatment where his ears were cleaned, paws detailed, and head massaged until he fell asleep.
One may think that a plane full of dogs would be chaotic, but my Bark Air experience proved the opposite. Our flights were filled with the sweetest, most well-behaved dogs and their equally respectful owners — there was a shared sense of excitement and gratitude for such an incredible experience, to say nothing of the ability to travel with our pups. –Sarah Jackson
→ Bark Air • Ft Lauderdale to NY • Rates from $475 per dog & person • NB February Florida-New York special.
GETAWAYS LINKS: New hotel Excellence Coral Playa Mujeres opens 2/12 outside of Cancun • How Antigua became Caribbean's top destination for pickleball • Icelandair planning direct MIA-RKV (Reykjavík) flights starting this fall • Navigating new restrictions at Delta Sky Clubs • Private jet pitfalls, examined.
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Today, three FOUND subscriber PROMPTS for which we seek intel:
What new fitness/wellness trend/class are you taking on?
What’s your new winter bar?
Tell us a secret about your favorite ski mountain!
Got answers or more questions? Hit reply or email found@itsfoundmiami.com.
RESTAURANTS & BARS • The Nines
Super Bowl viewing
Nine of the best spots to watch the Super Bowl in the city. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or found@itsfoundmiami.com.
The Brightside (The Roads), neighborhood vibes, stiff drinks, classic bar food