Beyond the Beach

Face it: The Grove might be a mellow, tree-lined hood in which to live, eat, and maybe shop, but it’s not exactly ground zero for the upscale, beautiful-people party circuit. Perhaps to blame are certain unnamed, reviled City of Miami commissioners and relatively early bar closing times. Still, there’s always the daytime, and at least one venue has entered the Sunday pool-party fray usually dominated by swank spots on South Beach. The Mayfair Hotel & Spa (3000 Florida Ave., Coconut Grove) launched its Summer Sundays series last month, and the recurring weekly continues this and every Sunday through Labor Day weekend. It’s the kind of sexy, bikini-filled hangover-helper you might find at a place like the Fontainebleau, for about a fraction of the price and hassle, and with the addition of an ahhhh-spa twist. Yes, there are poolside beats courtesy of DJ Ethics, but revelers can also enjoy free mini manicures, ten-minute chair massages, suntan lotion, and pineapple-mint water. When was the last time you got anything for free at a South Beach pool without having to talk to a creeper who bought a bottle? Ballers on a budget will especially appreciate the cabana deal — a plot of shaded poolside real estate for the whole day, a bucket of five domestic beers, iced aromatherapy towels, two liters of water, and frozen grapes for $150. No, there’s no option for champagne with a sparkler, but this is the mainland after all, and sometimes class is sacred.
Sun., Aug. 12, 1-7 p.m., 2012