Miami: Beauty Music Nurture

When I was in Miami just before spring, I stole away from my family and old friends to pamper myself at the St. Somewhere Spa at Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort in Hollywood, Florida, just a few minutes’ drive away.

As you can expect from the name, Margaritaville is the newest of a series of hotels in the South that have a Jimmy Buffet theme. I mean, you can’t get more Buffet than a “Lost Shaker of Salt Scrub”.

I received an expert mani-pedicure from Pascale Coeur-Locke, who is a fabulous nail technician at St. Somewhere Spa. Pascale has been an esthetician for over 17 years as well as an educator/ trainer for high end spas and salons.  She specializes in natural nail care and helping women age gracefully. She has had a diverse set of celebrity clients such as Pamela Anderson, Jay-Z and Quincy Jones.

We had a great talk about the beauty trends we noticed in the Miami/Hollywood area. Well-defined brows are popular. “And lots of hair”, I pointed out to Pascale. “LOTS of hair. Sometimes too much hair!”. Pascale said that while it may vary somewhat “depending on ethnicity and age group, ombre hair is huge along with bright colors that are in the rainbow (literally)”.

I also noticed the use of bronzers. If I wore nothing else, I made sure I applied a bronzer every day during my stay. I used the bronzer cream and translucent powder all over to give me an even glow, especially on areas on the face where the sun would naturally fall. Bronzers can give the face a sun-kissed look without prolonged exposure to harmful rays. This was paired with a lip liner and lip gloss for day. I added matte lipstick and my favorite shade of turquoise eye shadow at night. Also made sure my eyelashes had staying power before I left New York. My vacation makeup regimen is a very simple one that I perfected during my modeling days, when I would apply makeup in the five-minute taxi ride going from modeling assignment to modeling assignment! Ready for the Miami scene!

Pascale said that mineral-based makeup is popular in Miami because of its natural sun protection. Mineral makeups contain some natural sun-protecting ingredients such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. (You still need an additional layer of sunscreen, however, even if you don’t live in Miami.) It can also contain mica and iron oxide. The hype around mineral makeup also centers around the ingredients that it tends to NOT contain: parabens, dyes, fragrances, preservatives — ingredients that are irritating to sensitive and allergic skin.

As a nail technician, Pascale knew from client requests that nail art and gel polishes are very big. For me, she chose a pale pink for my hands and a deep sea blue for the toes. She said she chose the pink because “it’s a trending neutral that works well all season no matter where you live. It is chic, classy and fun”.

Pascale’s perfect pedicure certainly made me flip flop-ready. I wished that I had time to enjoy the other services on this trip, but I had to get back to all my reunions with old friends and family.

My parents came to Florida from the Bahamas. I was born and raised in Miami, a tall lanky Junior Olympian who excelled in track and field. I was invited to the Olympic trials for the high jump. When I went away to Texas on an athletic scholarship, I left all of my family at the other end of the country. Now, when I’m home, I rush to the yard to admire the 60 year-old hibiscus plants planted with my mother’s own hands and pick juicy limes off the trees.

We also go out. There are so many places to go in Miami and Hollywood.

Had a delicious red snapper dish at Mamacita’s Grill in Hollywood, Florida. It’s made to order, so our family had 40 minutes to catch up. Mouth watering presentation. This Mexican restaurant also has a Cuban menu which includes the classic Cuban sandwich. Good food and good fun.

And Conch Heaven in Miami is a treasure-find, with amazing, authentic Bahamian dishes: conch fritters, peas and rice, guava duff for dessert. Washed it down with real Kalik Bahamian beer. A band playing piano, horns, drums and guitar brought alive Bahamian songs from past to present, including classic Smokey 007, of course. I enjoyed this tasty food and music.

Miami is called “Magic City” with its cultures from Brazil, Haiti, Bahamas, Caribbean, Cuba, Costa Rica, South America, etc. Music Is therapy for these cultures. As you drive all over Miami, Hollywood and South Beach, there are Latin and Caribbean melodies, played at levels from subtle to blaring. Plus, the Calle Ocho Festival was in full swing while I was there. The City was full of life and sound.

Music by native Florida groups as KC & the Sunshine Band and Gloria Estefan with the Miami Sound Machine played in the background while I had lunch at El Cristo Restaurant in Little Havana. I watched my coffee get made by a woman from an older, experienced generation who was all-business. I felt a real sense of actually being in Cuba there. The setting, ambiance, locals and the most perfect, authentic, handmade Cuban coffee really took me away.

As a surprise treat one evening, the Junkanoo group that my older brother, Langston, leads gave me a mini show with “cow bells” and the works. It was fun to hear my brothers plan my niece’s Sweet 16, which will have a Junkanoo theme. Junkanoo is celebrated at different times of the year in the Bahamas as a carnival. The Junkanoo carnival roots came ashore in Miami and is a way for us to celebrate all year-’round. Langston is a realtor by day and started his Junkanoo venture as a hobby. His group is now in high-demand, very busy performing in films, at parties, corporate events, parades, sports events (halftime at Miami Heat games as an example), on cruises, even funerals — just a host of occasions that need entertainment, music and an opportunity to celebrate. His company, Bahamas Junkanoo Revue, shows that Junkanoo is not limited to a time of the year. Junkanoo involves an entire culture. I miss it. It was great to have a taste of home again.

My visit enabled me to connect with my roots. A successful, satisfying trip. And my mani-pedi lasted until I returned home. Thanks St. Somewhere and Pascale!