Happy Friday, Miami. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving! In today’s edition: Christmas Wonderland, Disney’s Moana live-to-film concert, The Bass highlights tour, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

📰 In the news

Holiday magic meets oceanfront: Miami Beach readies a tropical holiday season in December with Art Basel Miami Beach, No Vacancy installations, Miami Beach Holiday Festival of Lights, and the AvMed Orange Bowl Beach Run — check out the full lineup.

An immersive dining destination: Ava MediterrAegean has opened in Coconut Grove as Riviera Dining Group’s new flagship, blending Greek island minimalism with coastal energy, seafood-forward plates, and a hidden members-only club with Japanese-inspired cuisine — get all the details.

Boost for 305 entrepreneurs: Miami-Dade County has launched a pilot with cities to streamline permitting, installing MeetQ kiosks at municipal building departments. Doral is latest, connecting applicants with county reviewers for faster resolutions — learn how the pilot works.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Scams are rampant: Last week, my step-dad got a call from someone pretending to be his grandson, all beat up and asking for bail money. They knew his grandson’s name, how old he is, and what city he lives in. How? Data brokers. They sell your info to anyone willing to pay for it (yup… anyone). Incogni removes your info from all of those sites so scammers can’t use it against you. Annual plans are 55% off until Sunday — check it out here.

Highlights this week

• Miami Art Week kicks off at CONTEXT
• Celebrate art, blues, and soul
• Explore Miami’s largest holiday wonderland
• Ride the rails at Miami Railfest
• Shop the Therapia by Aroma Holiday Market
• Need new windows? Check out RBA’s latest deals
• Pet parents: Don’t miss Chewy’s Black Friday sale

🫶 We got your back

Where design meets dolce vita: Milan’s beloved La Specialita (est. 1977) has opened its first U.S. outpost in the Design District, blending retro-chic design with art curated by Andre Sakhai. Expect airy, crisp pizzas, house-made pastas and gelato, plus a heavyweight Italian-leaning wine list and playful cocktails. Get all the details.

Holiday cheer in store: Santa’s Wonderland is back at Bass Pro Shops in Miami now through Dec. 24, with free 4×6 photos with Santa and kid-friendly games, crafts, toy stations, and weekday giveaways. Stores are decked out like a winter village. Also featured: Christmas Tales storytime with Santa or Mrs. Claus Tuesdays at 5 p.m. through Dec. 23; free reservations required. Get all the details.

Crate-digging, upgraded: Opened in 2005, Sweat Records fuels Miami’s music nerds with new and used vinyl, turntables, accessories, zines, and local merch. All-ages in-store events keep things lively, and “just one record” often becomes a happy stack.

Health drinks that don’t taste like grass: With tasty tea and matcha blends for everything from recovery and radiant skin to energy without the crash, a metabolism boost, and immune support, everything in Pique’s lineup tastes as good as it makes you feel. They’re clean, there are no additives, and all new monthly subscriptions are 20% off for liferight now. Yup… literally forever (or until you cancel).

📆 Around town this weekend

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

Today

🧘‍♀️ Complimentary Yoga Class @ Aventura Mall | Friday (11/28) at 9:00am – Start your Friday with a free vinyasa flow that lights up your body and clears your head. Janine Forte guides you through 45 minutes of movement and breath so you can shake off the week and slide into the weekend feeling grounded and energized. Bring your mat, meet us near Nordstrom, and find your flow.

🤝 Mr. Pauer and more @ Wynwood Marketplace | Friday (11/28) at 8:00pm – Mau y Ricky, Mr. Pauer, and Los Wizzards pack the room with Latin pop, live percussion, and electronic grooves you’ll feel. Expect Latin Grammy-nominated Mr. Pauer’s immersive blend of classic rhythms and beats that turn head nods into dancing, no pep talk required.

This weekend

🏛️ The Bass Highlights Tour @ The Bass Museum of Art | Saturday (11/29) at 2:00pm – Take a cultured stroll through The Bass with trained guides who actually make you want to look up from the labels. Highlights, architecture, and outdoor pieces, plus a bit of behind-the-scenes, all interactive and included with admission. Short, smart, and blissfully air-conditioned.

🛶 Disney’s Moana Live-to-Film Concert @ Adrienne Arsht Center | Saturday (11/29) at 6:30pm – Grab the kids or borrow a grandkid and set sail for a live-to-film Moana concert, where the movie plays while top Hollywood studio musicians, Polynesian rhythm masters, and vocalists bring the score to life. It’s Disney magic with real musicians, not a Bluetooth speaker.

🎶 Emily Maddox @ Adrienne Arsht Center | Saturday (11/29) at 7:30pm – Ready for a musician who keeps time, then steals it? Emily Maddox, a drummer who sings, mentored by jazz greats and road-tested with Julio Iglesias, Christian McBride, and more, brings originals and smart covers that wander from country to pop, indie, and funk.

🖼️ Museum Store Sunday @ Pérez Art Museum | Sunday (11/30) at 12:00pm – Ever wonder what goes on in the mind of a muralist? Pop into the PAMM Shop and chat with Daniel Fila as he shares the stories, sketches, and sparks behind his wildly imaginative work. Snag a custom print and walk out feeling a little more Miami.

🌊 Ocean Drive Promenade Series @ Lummus Park | Sunday (11/30) at 5:00pm – Swap the velvet ropes for ocean breezes and stroll Ocean Drive on Sunday afternoons for free concerts, art fairs, literary readings, wellness, and tasty pop-ups, all under swaying palms. It is family friendly, gloriously local, and shockingly free, plus the people-watching is world class.

🎨 AfriKin Art Fair 2025 (Opening) @ Scott Galvin Community Center | Sunday (11/30) at 6:00pm – Skip the Basel stampede and head to North Miami for AfriKin’s opening during Miami Art Week, a soulful showcase of African and diasporic creativity. The theme, Through Creation, We Find Meaning, digs into scenes from home, memory, and belonging. Grown-up energy, real conversation, zero fluff.

Next week

🎄 A Very Merry Garden @ Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden | Monday (12/1) at 10:00am – This is your sign to dive headfirst into holiday cheer under a canopy of tropical greens. Kids can chase down a Reindeer Roundup, drop off their wish list, or settle in for storytime with Mrs. Claus. Want to sweeten the day? Grab a gingerbread cookie kit or swing by the hot cocoa bar.

📦 The Container Project @ DVCAI Space | Tuesday (12/2) at 6:00pm – If you are curious about how objects can hold entire histories, this show will speak to you. Through deeply personal and collective reflections, artists explore grief, resilience, and cultural legacy in ways that encourage you to look inward. Expect a thoughtful, emotional experience filled with meaning and memory.

🎄 Christmas Wonderland @ Tropical Park | Tuesday (12/2) at 5:00pm – Christmas Wonderland is taking over Tropical Park with six immersive holiday worlds, the half-mile Tinsel Trail, unlimited rides, and new Firework Fridays. Yes, there’s a human cannonball and acrobats, because Miami. Bring the kids, visit Santa, snap the photos, and enjoy the free parking.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 11/28 Gardy Girault @ Bargean Miami – 9 pm
• 11/29 Laura Goodstone @ Copper Blues Rock Pub & Kitchen – 7 pm
• 11/29 DJ Cruz @ E11EVEN – 8 pm
• 12/2 Matt Brown @ Puttery – 8 pm
• 12/3 Clue – The Musical @ Adrienne Arsht Center – 8 pm
• 12/3 Moodymann @ ZeyZey – 8 pm
• 12/4 Benjamin Grosvenor @ FIU Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Auditorium – 7:30pm
• 12/4 Traumer and more @ Jolene Sound Room – 10 pm
• 12/5 Luciano and more @ Mana Wynwood – 1 pm
• 12/6 Ragie Ban @ Sable – 3 pm

🏠️ Price is right – Miami edition

How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).

Listed by: Alejandro Diaz Bazan (Coldwell Banker Realty)

Behind a private gate, this Modern Mediterranean in the Coral Gables area plays host to airy, well-zoned living spaces that drift from conversation-ready lounges to a chef-minded outdoor kitchen. Five bedrooms and four baths keep the party organized, while a three car garage tucks away the toys. Lush landscaping frames a resort pool and Jacuzzi, transforming the backyard into a tropical hideaway with palm-brushed views.

Curated vacation vibes with real-world function and a dash of Gables glam. Gated privacy, effortless indoor to outdoor flow, and a location close to tree-lined avenues, cafés, and culture.

Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →