The best things to do in Miami this week

December weather is best enjoyed outside, preferably with some kind of alcoholic beverage in hand. If that’s your winter vibe, head to the Loews Miami Beach this month. The oceanfront hotel launches a pop-up experience on the lawn that combines food, drink and shopping. Head to the outdoor setup for Veube Cliquot champagne specials (both by the glass and by the bottle), elevated bar bites (think wagyu and foie burgers and lobster rolls) and racks of goodies by Tom Ford and other designers. Daily through Jan 1, 11am–5pm

Pretty much everything pairs well with champagne, but oysters and bubbles are a timeless classic. And the duo is on sale every Thursday night at Freehold. Stop by from 8pm to close for $1 oysters and $6 flutes of G.H. Mumm Champagne, plus regularly priced pizzas—the second-best coupling for a glass of sparkling vino. A roster of female DJs bring the tunes all night long. Thu 8pm–midnight

Play hooky from work and head to Nikki Beach for its new weekday daycation deal, It’s Always Summer in Miami. For $100 per person, you’ll get access to your own daybed and a bottle of rosé, plus a beach tote full of goodies to keep you comfortable while you lounge.

The people-watching along Lincoln Road is great, but have you tried leaf-peeping? The outdoor pedestrian mall partners up with Fairchild Garden to make it easier for folks to spot and identify the promenade’s vibrant vegetation on a self-guided tour. More than 100 QR-coded signs are placed on trees, palms, orchids and plants that, once scanned, reveal a wealth of information—and it’s absolutely free to experience.

Aqueous, the latest immersive installation from ARTECHOUSE, examines the calming qualities of Pantone 2020’s Classic Blue and its connection to water. Step inside the South Beach museum and prepare to chill out staring at trippy ocean vistas, listening to the sounds of falling rain and experiencing other aquatic-themed moments. The piece is part of ARTECHOUSE’s newest series, Submerge, spanning other cities with different elemental installations relating to earth, water and air.

It’s been a topic that artists continuously grapple with and now the MOAD is giving it another whirl with “The Body Electric,” an expansive examination of the relationship between man and machine. Technology has made the whole thing fraught as the group of 55 international artists all relay through videos, installations, photography and visual media, which explore the digital world’s role in shaping gender, sexuality, class and race. Works span the last 50 years and are often provocative and subversive in their assessment of the ways screens have shaped our realities.

MOCA reopens its doors with a groundbreaking exhibition that examines the relationship between the artist's solo sculptural work and his collaborative performances. Risa Puleo curated Raúl de Nieves’ survey to be an immersive experience composed of sculptures, installations, and audio performances that together reinforce ideas of spirituality, family and self across planes and time. Expect some elements of idolatry, colorful installations and a mix of materials and mediums in Mexican-born de Nieves’ self-reflective showcase.

In a year that’s tested all of our limits, Frost Science puts our powers of survival and resilience on full display at its newest production, “Nature’s Superheroes: Life at the Limits.” The American Museum of Natural History organized the exhibition where life-size models and larger-than-life displays the ways organisms persist in their respective environments. “Nature’s Superheroes” employs a number of hands-on experiences and scenarios to highlight the range in ways organisms—plant, animal, aquatic, terrestrial and beyond—have evolved and developed so-called superpowers that help them thrive in stressful conditions. 

The weather is ripe for exploring