Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with SouthBeach

Why are we planning New Year's Eve this early?

unexpected — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:27:53 -0800

My friends and I trying to plan New Year's Eve. Help us figure out if New Orleans or Miami would be better... Hey everyone,

Even though it's August, my friends want to plan New Year's Eve. We've narrowed it down to two choices: Miami or New Orleans, and we're having trouble deciding.

If you have any experience with either of these two cities (especially around New Year's) I'd appreciate your input.

New Orleans:

Pros:

1) We'd stay on Bourbon St. All the action is centrally located here.

2) Sugar Bowl is going on. It would have lots and lots of people

3) We feel like drinks/entertainment would be cheaper here.

Cons:

1) NO seems to be a lot more "dirty" - especially Post-Katrina

2) There doesn't seem to be much to do besides drinking.

3) Potentially colder

Miami (South Beach)

Pros:

1) BEACH! (Though weather seems to be hit or miss)

2) More glamorous

3) Seems to have more non-drinking activities

4) Potentially warmer

Cons: (Basically the NO Pros)

1) We're a pack of 7 guys. I feel like we'd have an easier time getting into places in NO than Miami

2) Miami nightlife is going to be more expensive

3) Everything is more spread out in Miami - a lot of time in cabs traveling to and fro, no central location like vegas.

So HiveMind, I turn to you. If anyone has experience with either of this two cities (especially on NYE), I'd appreciate the input.

Let me know if you want more info about us, and our tastes.

New Year's Eve in Miami

kevin-o — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 07:00:42 -0800

In Miami for New Year's Eve. Where should we celebrate? My boyfriend and I are going to be in South Beach for New Year's Eve, and we haven't yet made plans for the night. We are gay, and we would be happy in a gay venue or a mixed venue. We love dancing, we love lounges, we love music, and we love being outside. We don't mind places that are a little bit crowded, but I would prefer not to have to wait in line. Our budget is flexible up to $200/person, but I would be very happy to spend significantly less than that. Where should we go?

How can I stay on this diet?

arniec — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 13:24:04 -0800

How can I stay motivated on a very long term diet/exercise/weight loss routine, and eventually convert it to lifetime maintenance? I have fought weight my entire life. My first diet was at age 5, controlled by my parents. I'm now 34, and starting yet another diet. I am morbidly obese and would like to lose at least 160 lbs, which will still leave me as obese but in far better health than I am now. (for my height, my BMI would be only "overweight" were I to lose 50% of my body weight)

I realize that most of my previous diets have been hampered by two things: reluctance to exercise for various reasons, and an inability to stick to the diet long term.

Currently for exercise: My wife and I have joined a gym and will be doing basic weight-loss cardio (exercise bike and treadmill). Our current goal is 60 minutes 4 times a week.

The diet, we have recently started the South Beach Diet.

Here is where my past failings have come in:

Exercise: I usually am gung-ho about working out for a period, then it becomes more reluctant. I finally find an excuse to miss one (weather, sickness, too busy) and the routine fails until I am paying for a gym club membership I don't use (or have a treadmill/exercise bike as a clothes rack), and then I cancel the membership.

Diet: I again start off gung ho, but I end up "cheating" on the diet for whatever reason. It usually involves eating out with wife or family or friends and just desiring food I shouldn't have. I then find that I don't gain as much as I imagine, or perhaps don't gain at all, which justifies more cheating on the diet, which then leads to fear of the scale, and then to a complete abandonment of the diet and weight gain.

Additionally, plateaus can be very frustrating and lead to quitting the diet, though I know they are a required part of weight loss.

I know my patterns, I've done them for almost 30 years now, time and time again. But I'm coming to the point where I am considering surgical weight loss options (which I know don't stick either without regular exercise and proper diet, and if I could keep to a proper diet and exercise regularly I wouldn't need the surgery). Additionally, my mobility is starting to be impacted by being obese for my entire life... I'm viewing this as a "must do, last ditch effort" to save my own health.

But I realize I'm looking at lifelong lifestyle changes, hard ones, and years and years of strict diet and exercise in order to lose the weight in the first place.

How can I stay motivated during this process? (You'd think the health problems, life extending, etc. would be enough but I'm an immediate gratification kinda guy....)

Help me mefites to stay motivated before I lose it this time.

Weather in Miami In September

PenguinBukkake — Tue, 20 May 2008 10:45:31 -0800

I'll have some free time (a week) after Labor Day (Sept. 1). I really really like Miami Beach; I have been there several times in the winter and once in early July. Will hurricane season make a short trip right after Labor Day this year a nightmare? I don't mind really hot/humid weather I do mind hurricanes... Even if the weather is O.K., will South Beach be dead anyway? I can't go earlier than that, and I can't go later. Personal experiences of Miami Beach in September and good weather resources welcome. Thanks!!!

South Beach Phase 1, help me eat better?

Kickstart70 — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:11:48 -0800

I am currently on the South Beach diet (Phase 1, one week into it, please do not reply if you are going to criticize). I am not following their meal plans because they are overly complicated and in many cases require ingredients that I can't get here in this small town. If you've got very simple filling recipes that would qualify for Phase 1 and 2 (please specify which), I would really appreciate hearing them! Please note that my biggest problem is taking Phase 1 too far right now...as always I tend toward strong willpower and too stringent self-imposed rules and end up making myself suffer unnecessarily. Some simple recipes that qualify but help me eat well are best.

Thanks!

What are good South Beach hotels for a fun, young, large group?

sandmanwv — Mon, 29 May 2006 13:51:22 -0800

Where to stay in South Beach (Miami) for large group (40+) of the post-collegiate (but not too serious) type for a weekend in September? Trying to find places $150-$200 which deal with groups (10 rooms or so) often. I'm helping planning a trip to Miami in September. I've narrowed the list down to 20 places (all south of 17th st in Miami Beach).

We're looking for fun, above else, and quality management (so that we won't be screwed paying for $4,000 of hotel rooms).

Here's my thoughts, give your own on them (or suggest others)

Chain Hotels:
1. Best Western at 10th
2. Comfort inn at 13th
3. Courtyard by Marriott at 15th

Non-Chain
1. Clevelander
2. The Shelley
3. Park Hotel

Hotels in South Beach?

ThePinkSuperhero — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 19:29:35 -0800

Where should my Mom and I stay in South Beach in March? My mother and I are taking a road trip to South Beach in March. We'd like to stay near the beach, not spend a ton (although I realize we will have to shell out some and I'm willing to spend more for a nice place- I just might not tell my cheap mother the full price), and be near lots of fun restaurants, shops, etc. Any specific recommendations? (Warnings are also welcomed.)

What to eat on South Beach.

Anonymous — Wed, 03 Aug 2005 15:55:41 -0800

What foods can I eat on the South Beach Diet? I am midweek through my second week of phase 1, and the food situation is starting to really get me down. I find that I'm really enjoying my dinners, which I think is because I have the time to make something delicious. The big problems are breakfast and lunch, when I'm always running late and pressed for time.

I'm anxiously awaiting the end of the first two weeks and getting to introduce more variety into my diet.

I know some of you have had great success on South Beach, so I was hoping for some help. What did you eat? Any tips on things I can either make quickly or prepare ahead of time and reheat? What do you eat in a day?

Thanks in advance.

Do low-carb diets really work?

_sirmissalot_ — Thu, 15 Jan 2004 11:32:06 -0800

A co-worker claims to have lost 4.5 pounds in the last six days on the South Beach Diet. This person goes on to claim that most people lose around 10 pounds in two weeks, then lose additional weight more slowly. So, is this possible? I think he is just losing water. But maybe I'm wrong--do these low-carb diets really, truly work? . . . And if you research this online you get about a million conflicting opinions and very little real science (or so it would seem).