Slums of Miami Beach

Tuesday-night party Favela Chic is very much a misnomer, considering favela is Portuguese for slum. There is nothing chic about a place where gang activity, drug trade, and shanty houses are the norm. But we suppose American ignorance can make something so depressing and hostile seem trendy. That's why at...

By Jose D. Duran

February 18, 2010

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Tuesday-night party Favela Chic is very much a misnomer, considering favela is Portuguese for slum. There is nothing chic about a place where gang activity, drug trade, and shanty houses are the norm. But we suppose American ignorance can make something so depressing and hostile seem trendy.

That's why at its peak, the party, which used to take place at Mokai, was the best excuse to drink on a weekday. Now, with its return to Coco de Ville, Tuesdays are back. Returning as well is DJ Ross One, who puts the favela in the party's name by mixing indie, hip-hop, and pop with the Rio export of baile funk.

But it's the L.A. outpost of Coco de Ville that seals this party as a must-attend. Small and intimate, the dimly lit space is understated yet elegant. While there is never a cover charge, doormen make sure only the best of Miami pass through the ropes.
Tuesdays, 11 p.m., 2010

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Jose D. Duran is associate editor of Miami New Times where he primarily oversees the arts and culture and music beats. Jose joined the New Times staff in June 2008 but has been covering Miami culture since 2005. His work has also appeared in publications likeVice, Billboard, and Spin. He’s earned numerous accolades including placing first for Weekly Newspaper Contest: Business Reporting from the Florida Press Association in 2020; placing third for the Writing: Light Feature from the Florida Press Club in 2019; and placing third in Weekly Newspaper Contest: Best Obituary from the Florida Press Association in 2015. Jose holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Florida.

Contact: Jose D. Duran

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Twitter: @jose_d_duran