The Betsy Hotel photo
Audio By Carbonatix
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Groove, Spot, groove.
Even by the standards of dog-friendly establishments, The Betsy is a woof above the rest. Not only is the legendary hotel and music venue staffed by two C.E.O.s (Canine Executive Officers), but that pair of female golden retriever leaders — Betsy and Rosa — moonlight as master brewers with their own signature Austrian-style copper lager, crafted alongside Miami brewery House of Motor, “with notes of lemon zest and allspice.”
And if The Betsy rides that (head out the window) hard for dogs all year, you might be wondering how the hotel’s August — that’s National Dog Month, pooch poseurs — is shaping up.
The answer? Pretty doggone great: Miamians are invited to bring their dogs to enjoy the inspired programming and top-level talent of the stellar free jazz series at The Betsy’s swank-yet-inviting Piano Bar as well as the Sunday outdoor Promenade Music Series performances in Lummus Park put on in partnership with the Ocean Drive Improvement Association.
“At The Betsy, dogs are not simply an amenity; they are important to who we are,” The Betsy co-owner Jonathan Plutzik tells New Times. “Whether they are ours or yours, whether you are checking in or stopping by the Piano Bar, their presence makes the hotel feel less like a place you visit, and more like a home you return to.”
The Betsy photo.
The festivities kick off Saturday, August 1 with the jazz-by-way-of-house stylings of multi-instrumentalist Patricio “Pato” Romero; singer Amy Arlo performs with pianist, bassist and chromatic harmonic player Jaui Schneider on Sunday, August 2; the Haitian American Assel Jean-Pierre Trio brings together jazz, classical, Caribbean and Latin influences on Sunday, August; and much more. (National Dog Day is Wednesday, August 26 for those planning ahead.)
Oh, and to provide dog owners a bit more peace of mind about bringing their pups out to a concert, The Betsy points to a 2017 research paper on the effects of music on the stress levels of dogs. Perhaps predictably, it chills them out. (“Dogs were found to spend significantly more time lying and significantly less time standing when music was played, regardless of genre,” the abstract reads.) But did you know dogs are so passionate about live music they’ll demand encores? “There was no observable effect of music on barking,” the study notes, “however, dogs were significantly more likely to bark following cessation of auditory enrichment.”
The Betsy’s dog-friendly jazz concerts. From Saturday, August 1 – Wednesday, August 26 at The Betsy Hotel, 1440 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach; thebetsyhotel.com; 844-539-2840. For more information and reservations, visit the hotel’s online event calendar. Admission is Free.
