Laura Ratliff

In between the occasional deluge, it would seem that Miami has finally entered its brief but beautiful autumnal window. These breezier, less humid afternoons are the reminder we need that winter is around the corner, and that's really when this city hits its stride. In the meantime, palm trees are getting dressed up in their twinkling holiday outfits, Art Basel is just a couple of weeks out and, suddenly, there's a whole lot more to do. Take this weekend: the Miami Book Fair, the debut of Gulfstream Park's Miracle at Carousel Club Christmas pop-up, a vintage market on Lincoln Road and an album release party and art show in Little Haiti are all on our agenda. If it's too chilly for that beach day you had planned, perhaps a fabulous Miami spa day is in order. If the sun's out but you'd rather avoid getting your toes sandy, sunset vibes at a Miami waterfront bar could be the move. There's a free art exhibit, bustling farmer's market, festive Christmas carnival or raunchy drag show for every stripe of weekend warrior. Ready to have some fun in the 305? Here are the best things to do in Miami this weekend.  RECOMMENDED: Things to do in Miami

South Florida doesn’t do winter. At least, not the frosty, scarf-necessary, hot-cocoa-as-survival-fuel kind. Which is why the return of real-ice skating to downtown West Palm Beach feels like a minor miracle powered by equal parts holiday spirit and serious refrigeration tech. Winter Wonderland is back at The Ben Hotel starting November 1, transforming the waterfront lawn into a glittering holiday playground with twinkling trees, Aspen-style chalets and, of course, a 50-by-66-foot rink made of the real stuff. Yes, ice. In Palm Beach. Again. Last year’s debut drew more than 30,000 skaters, proving locals are more than ready to trade sand for snowflakes, at least in theory. Around the rink, expect plenty of festive distractions: chalet vendors slinging gifts and sweets; a holiday bar for hot chocolate, s’mores, grown-up toddies and the debut of a Holiday Tree Forest created in partnership with local nonprofits, including Habitat for Humanity and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County. There will also be themed events like Live Music Saturdays and Santa Sundays, ornament-making workshops and an opening-day curling exhibition (yes, Palm Beach now has curling athletes and, no, the tropics do not care about your winter stereotypes). When is Winter Wonderland at The Ben Hotel? Skating runs daily from November 1 through January 4 from 10am to 9pm. How much are tickets? Entry is free unless you’re lacing up, in which case tickets start at $25 for adults and $10 for kids 11 and

Talking Heads frontman, Broadway innovator and all-around creative polymath David Byrne is once again blurring the line between art and science, this time in the middle of downtown Chicago. “Theater of the Mind” is Byrne’s latest experiment in perception, identity and theatrical immersion—and it’s happening inside a real office space. Created with writer and philanthropist Mala Gaonkar, the 15,000-square-foot experience invites audiences of just 16 at a time to explore a series of rooms designed to mess with your senses and make you question, well, yourself.

If you’ve been waiting for an excuse to bust out your faux-fur hat, shearling coat or anything that screams “I’ve skied Highland Bowl,” you’re in luck. Public Hotel’s beloved winter igloos are back on the rooftop starting this Saturday, November 22, bringing peak après-ski vibes to the middle of downtown, no lift ticket required. The annual pop-up is co-hosted this year by Aspen’s Buckhorn Social Club, complete with glowing domes, sweeping skyline views and a cozy winter atmosphere—you'll forget that you’re steps from the Bowery. Guests are encouraged to come dressed in their best mountain-wear, which can mean anything from a puffer that could double as a sleeping bag or a statement knit that suggests you’ve at least considered learning how to ski. The menu inside the igloos leans into cold-weather comfort. Last year’s fan-favorite fondues are back, joined by newcomers like pan-seared branzino, braised lamb shank and a bruleed cheesecake that's worthy of its own holiday card. The bite-sized lineup is tailor-made for lingering as long as possible, wrapped in a blanket and pretending you see snowflakes in the forecast. Drinks are equally committed to the wintry theme. The holiday cocktail menu is back with spiced espresso martinis, apple cider spritzes and plenty of bubbles for those who prefer celebratory winter beverages. And because no après scene is complete without hot chocolate, Maury Rubin, the creator of City Bakery’s iconic cup, will once again be ladling out both booz

Miami’s got a new way to cruise. Inter Bike, a fresh fleet of bright-orange rides from digital bank Inter, has rolled into The Underline. The 10-mile linear park is already one of the city’s best places to wander, jog or attempt a jog before giving up halfway. Now, it’s also a place to grab a bike and glide from Brickell through Coconut Grove and Coral Gables, with the system expected to extend to Dadeland next year. While you don’t need an account with Inter to spin around town, Inter customers do score free daily rides—up to 60 minutes, automatically unlocked through the Inter Bike app. Speaking of the app, it’s the whole command center for the operation. Riders can buy passes, locate stations, unlock bikes and track their ride time. If you’re not an Inter customer banking on that free hour, pay-as-you-go rentals start at $6 for 30 minutes. For regular riders, monthly memberships offer unlimited 60-minute trips for $25 or 30-minute trips for $15. Several stations are already up and running, with more sprouting up through the remainder of the year as part of a phased expansion. It’s all designed to make moving along the corridor easier (and far breezier) for both Miamians and the millions of visitors who descend on the city each year. Inter’s presence along The Underline isn’t new—its cafes, gallery and performance space debuted in 2024—but bikes are its biggest swing yet at turning the park into a true mobility hub. The idea is simple: link neighborhoods, ease pressure on t

If you were hoping for a breezy, stress-free Thanksgiving travel weekend, the atmosphere has other plans. A parade of storms is lining up to march across the country next week and AccuWeather meteorologists say the timing couldn’t be worse: right as millions of travelers hit the roads and airports for one of the busiest holidays of the year. Starting on Monday, stormy weather will move into the southern Plains and northwest, bringing along with it rain, fog, snow and gusty winds. AccuWeather meteorologist Paul Pastelok warns that “major travel headaches” are likely, especially for drivers navigating snowy stretches of the midwest and northwest. Flyers should prepare for early week delays out of Dallas, Minneapolis, Chicago, Atlanta and New York—because nothing says “holiday spirit” like a terminal of tense passengers. By Tuesday, the storm will move east. Downpours and severe thunderstorms may sweep from eastern Texas to the Ohio Valley, while winter weather settles into parts of the Rockies and High Plains. Snow may pile up from Montana through Wyoming and into western Nebraska and Colorado. Chicago, St. Louis, Nashville, Houston, Minneapolis and Pittsburgh are all in the storm’s splash zone, meaning ripple-effect delays could spread nationwide. Wednesday—the busiest travel day—is when things get really messy. Rain is expected to slow traffic in already-congested corridors from the Ohio Valley to the Northeast, with reduced visibility and slick roads possibly causing signifi

New York City’s great green maze—the hulking sidewalk sheds that have shaded blocks for decades—just got a glow-up. On Tuesday, mayor Eric Adams and Department of Buildings Commissioner Jimmy Oddo pulled back the plywood curtain on six redesigned sidewalk sheds meant to brighten streets, reduce clutter and actually let the sun hit your face again. The new designs were created by Arup and Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU) and are part of the administration’s ongoing “Get Sheds Down” push, which has already resulted in more than 15,000 old sheds being removed citywide. These fresh concepts aim to fix the other half of the equation: the sheds that actually do need to stick around. Each comes with its own personality: Photograph: Courtesy of PAU PAU’s Speed Shed is a lightweight, quick-deploy option with an angled, netted roof that lets sunlight actually reach the sidewalk. Photograph: Courtesy of ARUP Arup’s Rigid Shed shrinks its footprint so major construction projects no longer swallow entire blocks. Photograph: Courtesy of PAU PAU’s Baseline Shed comes in light- and heavy-duty versions, with a transparent roof that brightens even the gloomiest stretches. Photograph: Courtesy of Arup Arup’s Air Shed lifts completely off the ground and anchors into the building, leaving pedestrians with nothing but open space beneath. Photograph: Courtesy of PAU PAU’s Wide Baseline Shed spaces out its heavy-duty columns to keep wide sidewalks feeling, well, wide. Photogr

Five years after his death, Chadwick Boseman, the actor who brought Wakanda to life, is being honored with a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The ceremony will take place this week, on Thursday, November 20, at 11:30am at 6904 Hollywood Boulevard, where fans can gather as Boseman's star—the 2,828th—officially joins the sidewalk galaxy. “The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is deeply honored to celebrate Chadwick Boseman’s extraordinary legacy with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,” said Ana Martinez, the Hollywood Walk of Fame producer, in an official statement. “His powerful performances and enduring impact both on and off screen continue to inspire generations around the world.”  The guest list for Boseman’s ceremony speaks to how deep his legacy runs: Ryan Coogler, who directed him in Black Panther, will be present alongside Viola Davis, his co-star in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Boseman’s widow, Simone Ledward-Boseman, will accept the honor on his behalf. Boseman, a South Carolina native and Howard University alumnus, carved out one of the most remarkable trajectories in modern Hollywood before he died in 2020 from colon cancer at the age 43. His breakout performance was Jackie Robinson in 42, but he followed that up with an electrifying turn as James Brown in Get On Up and his portrayal of Thurgood Marshall in Marshall cemented his range. It was ultimately T’Challa, the noble, steady king of Wakanda, who turned him into a global phenomenon. Black Panther sma

If your holiday budget is looking a little grinchy this year, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) is stepping in with a bit of seasonal magic. On Tuesday, December 2, the utility will give away 200 five-foot Christmas trees and LED lights, completely free, to Miami-Dade residents at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade’s long-running Christmas Tree Lot. It’s a rare chance to walk away with a fully decked-out starter setup without dropping a single dime. The giveaway will take place on a first-come, first-served basis. The line will open at 4pm, with distribution running from 5pm to 7pm—or whenever the 200-household limit hits its holly-jolly cap. It's all part of FPL’s annual push to help customers trim their trees and their electric bills. Alongside the freebies, the team will be on-site to share simple efficiency tips to help keep holiday costs from snowballing. You can expect demos, quick tutorials and “aha” moments about how LED strands, smart usage habits and a few low-lift tweaks can make a real dent in winter energy costs. The setting also couldn’t be more fitting: the Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade have sold trees for more than 75 years, alongside poinsettias and wreaths, to support youth programming across their six clubs. Proceeds from the tree lot will support after-school tutoring, homework help, STEM programs, arts and crafts, sports, mentoring and summer activities. This giveaway layers a little extra goodwill on an already beloved local tradition. FPL will al

If your New Year’s resolution involves “treat yourself” energy but your bank account will still be recovering from December come January, the city’s got your back. NYC Hotel Week is officially returning for 2026 and this year’s deals are practically begging you to plan a winter staycation (or lure that friend who keeps saying they’ll "visit soon.") From January 2, 2026, through February 12, 2026, more than 140 hotels around the city are slashing 25% off their standard room rates. Yes, even the fancy ones. The roster is stacked: classics like W New York - Union Square, Lotte New York Palace, The Pierre, The Plaza and the Marriott Marquis are all in the mix, alongside stylish newcomers like Renaissance New York Flushing at Tangram, the Rockaway Hotel, Ace Hotel Brooklyn and Romer Hell’s Kitchen. Uptown, downtown, beachside, outer boroughs: the map is wide open. Bookings are live now and the filters make it pretty easy to zero in on your preferred neighborhood, commute radius or vibe.  The program's return also coincides with NYC Winter Outing, the city’s now-annual trifecta of January perks. Once mid-month hits, you can stack your hotel savings with Restaurant Week prix-fixe menus, two-for-one Broadway tickets and two-for-one admission to museums, attractions, tours and performing arts venues. In other words, this is the rare moment when New York becomes a value destination with no sacrifice in bragging rights. The timing also hits that sweet spot between holiday sparkle and sp

If your holiday spirit tends to skew more feelings than fa-la-la, there’s a new pop-up in Williamsburg that understands you on a deep, early-2000s level.  Emo Christmas, a seasonal takeover of Arlo Williamsburg’s Mirror Bar, is here to rescue the season from polite cheer with a festive dose of eyeliner, nostalgia and moody holiday energy. The experience officially opens tomorrow, November 20, and runs through December 28, making for what’s essentially a Christmas party thrown by your old MySpace top eight. Throughout the run, the hotel’s usually-glimmering bar transforms into a dimly lit shrine to pop-punk adolescence, complete with neon signs (“Taking Back Christmas”), black Christmas trees and a soundtrack built for sing-alongs.  Drinks are just as committed to the bit, including the centerpiece “Welcome to the Black Parade,” served (of course) in an ornament. The menu leans all the way into the mood with options like I’m Not Okay, Ocean Avenue Punch and Welcome Yule Call It. Throughout the pop-up’s run, expect programming that runs the gamut from album-anniversary parties to band-themed nights and a grab bag of emo and pop-punk-era activities designed for anyone who once used lyrics as away messages. Trivia nights and Friday late night parties round things out, with the latter priced at $27.25 (including fees... and including a Welcome Yule Call It cocktail). General admission for regular 90-minute sessions starts at $17.80, a price that includes entry and a Black Parade

Wicker Park is about to lose one of its longest-running smoky institutions. After 31 years on Division Street, Smoke Daddy BBQ will serve its final brisket on January 4, 2026, Block Club Chicago reports—though the space won’t stay quiet for long. The closure, confirmed to the outlet by Josh Rutherford of 4 Star Restaurant Group, marks the end of an era for 1804 W. Division Street, where Smoke Daddy first fired up in 1994. Back then, it was “more of a bar that just happened to have some barbecue,” Rutherford said. Over the years, it grew into a neighborhood fixture with a revamped dining room, a steady roster of live music and an unmistakable perfume of ribs that drifted down the block. Still, three decades is a long time in restaurant years and the post-pandemic landscape hasn’t exactly been kind to legacy spots. With barbecue competition heating up across the city and shifting dining habits in the neighborhood, 4 Star decided it was time for a reboot. A new concept will replace Smoke Daddy in the same location sometime in 2026—details still under wraps—but the team hints it will be a full transformation. If you’re a Smoke Daddy loyalist, take a breath: the Wrigleyville outpost, which opened in 2018 inside Hotel Zachary, isn’t going anywhere. Your pulled pork fix will survive. In the meantime, the OG isn’t bowing out quietly. The restaurant is rolling out a months-long farewell tour, complete with all-day happy hours, a 1994 throwback night, a pig roast and a final tailgate o

Chicago’s fine-dining scene just picked up some serious sparkle. At last night’s Michelin Guide Northeast Cities ceremony in Philadelphia, two Chicago restaurants walked away with fresh stars—one a major promotion and one a glittering debut—cementing the city’s status as a heavyweight in the regional guide. Photograph: Kristen Mendiola Kasama, already a national obsession and the pride of Ukrainian Village, officially joined the two-star club. The Filipino tasting menu spot from husband-and-wife duo Tim Flores and Genie Kwon has long been where pastry dreams collide with modern Filipino cooking—and, now, the inspectors agree. The guide’s write-up calls out the restaurant’s “striking originality,” highlighting dishes like the adobo with mussels and mushrooms and a sweet-corn semifreddo (a.k.a. the “mais con yelo” dessert that in-the-know Chicagoans have been bragging about for years).  Photograph: Jack X. Li Meanwhile, Feld, Chicago’s seasonal, hyperlocal, farm-obsessed newcomer (also in Ukrainian Village) secured its very first Michelin star. Chef Jacob Potashnick’s menu is a greenmarket fever dream: asparagus in multiple forms, halibut surrounded by maitake three ways and sour cherries sourced from trees in the restaurant’s backyard. The inspectors also awarded the restaurant a coveted Green Star for sustainability, thanks to its commitment to responsible sourcing and waste reduction. If you’re sensing a theme, Ukrainian Village is quietly having a Michelin moment. Betw

If you’ve ever wanted to step into Oz without the drama of a tornado, consider this your personal invitation: a Wicked-themed pop-up is taking over Penn Plaza—and it’s secretly doing double duty as the soft launch of New York’s newest music store. Opening on Friday, November 21, "Wicked: For Good, the Soundtrack Pop-Up" lands at 2 Penn Plaza just in time for the release of the film’s second soundtrack. It’s also the first look at UMusic Shop NY, a new physical outpost from Universal Music Group’s retail venture, UMusic Shop. The concept blends music, design and cultural programming in a space that feels more like a playground than a typical retail store. (If there were ever a fandom suited to a maximalist debut, it’s Oz devotees.) Inside, visitors can walk through themed installations, get up close and personal with film props and take photos that fully lean into the green-and-pink palette. It’s also the only spot in the country where fans can buy the full suite of D2C music products in person, including limited-edition vinyl variants, CDs, apparel and the requisite Funko Pops. They’re not messing around with giveaways, either. Two iconic props from the film—The Grimmerie spellbook and Glinda’s wand—will be on display and guests can enter their information for a chance to win them. If your bookshelf or costume trunk has been missing a little sparkle, this is your moment. The pop-up runs through November 29, opening at 10am daily (with an 8am start on Black Friday). It’s built

The American Museum of Natural History is re-staging one of the greatest plot twists in the history of Earth—and it involves a killer asteroid, a global winter and a few very unlucky dinosaurs. "Impact: The End of the Age of Dinosaurs" opens to the public today, November 17, dropping visitors into the moments before, during and after the massive collision 66 million years ago that erased 75% of all species—and eventually cleared the way for mammals (and us) to show up. This isn’t a redux of your childhood dinosaur hall, though. The museum has leaned into the scale, spectacle and scientific updates: an 18-foot Triceratops yanks down a tree, a 27-foot mosasaur lunges at a plesiosaur and a towering early mammal looks overhead as a reminder that not all of the survivors of the apocalypse necessarily looked like winners at the time.  “What makes this exhibition so exciting is how much of the story we can now tell through science,” said Roger Benson, lead curator of the exhibition and the Macaulay Curator of Dinosaur Paleobiology in the Museum’s Division of Paleontology, in an official statement. “Advances in paleontology and geochemistry have given us an unprecedented look at what happened before, during and after the asteroid hit—including how ecosystems collapsed, adapted and ultimately flourished again.” Photograph: Laura Ratliff The museum pairs the life-size models with dioramas, fossils and a six-minute panoramic video that visualizes the asteroid slamming into what’s now