[B]efore Miami, the name Alan Faena didn’t mean much to me… that is until I stepped into his world. The suave Argentine man who always dresses in white has a Gatsby-eque mystery about him. Where did he come from? What are his plans? What is he thinking? Over the course of Art Basel he hosted the most beautiful asados, a South American tradition of barbecue, with the famed Patagonia-raised, French trained Chef Francis Mallmann. Chef Mallmann uses every aspect of the fires: from the flames to the thick smoke and smoldering ashes, a style of cooking he grew up with in Patagonia hanging around the gaucho cowboys with their simple way of life. He has now taken it all over the world including, on this day, the spectacular seaside of Miami.

So here we are at this beautiful asado on Miami Beach where Alan Faena has choreographed a collection of artist collaborations, celebrity friends, and world media for one big purpose- to talk about his vision for FAENA Miami, a new cultural district covering six city blocks complete with a hotel, shopping bazaar, multiple restaurants, arts center and the most exclusive condos in Miami with asking prices starting at $50 million. Just to paint a small picture of what is to come, filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and his wife Catherine Martin have been enlisted to remake the 1940’s Saxony Hotel which I can only imagine will be… spectacular, spectacular.

If this new Miami cultural district is anything like what Mr. Faena already built in Buenos Aires, this might set a new bar stateside of hospitality and experience.

Above, Alan Faena speaking to guests in signature white style. 

Below, the construction site for the new FAENA district. Some of the buildings are built from the ground up while the other historic buildings are being renovated and reimagined.