A Sunday in Miami with events impresario Lee Brian Schrager

This article is part of a guide to Miami from FT Globetrotter

When I’m not working or travelling, my perfect day in Miami is a sunny Sunday. It usually begins at 7.30am, as opposed to my weekday 6.30am wake-up call — that extra hour of sleep helps after a typically late Saturday night. I’ll have a cup of coffee and read the newspaper. Then my partner Ricardo and I take our two dogs Stanley (a Briard) and Jackson (a Sheepadoodle) — aka “The Browns” — for a leisurely 30-minute walk around our neighbourhood in the French Country Village, a small enclave of homes in Coral Gables inspired by 18th-century rural French architecture that were built in the 1920s. 

I’ve been doing yoga at home for around 10 years now, which has helped me both physically and mentally. Following my hour of yoga, Ricardo and I like to stay in the neighbourhood and eat locally. We’ll usually do brunch at Bachour Bakery, a small local chain started by pastry chef Antonio Bachour, or Madruga, another bakery in Coral Gables. If we’re going to Bachour, I’ll order the Spanish Scramble (it comes with a satisfying amount of jamón). Madruga does the best breakfast sandwich: bacon, egg, greens and cheddar, served on a fresh onion poppyseed roll.

If I want to treat myself, I’ll pop into Well Groomed Gentleman in the Gables for a hot lather shave, which feels like a real luxury. Depending on the Sunday, I’ll then head to Miami Beach to visit my SOBEWFF Artisan Market on Lincoln Road. It started as a limited series pop-up for local food artisans during the pandemic, and has now become a larger event with more than 70 stalls that regularly takes place in the first half of the year. At the market, I’ll usually pick up some dog treats for Stanley and Jackson and always buy a crêpe from Crêpemaker on the way out.

I’m an avid photography collector and a proud board member of the Pérez Art Museum Miami, which in my view is one of the city’s great cultural institutions. Sundays are the perfect chance to swing by the museum to see the latest exhibit, especially if I’m not pressed for time. On the way out, I’ll typically grab a pastry from Verde, the museum’s excellent café/restaurant, or poke my head into its equally excellent gift shop if I need to pick up a lovely host/hostess gift for someone.

If the weather is nice, however, we’ll go out for a sail — there’s simply nothing like an afternoon spent on the open water. It’s so relaxing and one of the few places where I’m able to completely disconnect. We’re part of a sailing club based at Coconut Grove, though there are plenty of places to rent boats around Miami (or find other ways to get out on the water, with kayak, paddle-board or jet ski rentals). 

I’ll then head up to Fort Lauderdale to visit my mom. On the way, I always swing by Luna Pasta e Dolci on Biscayne Boulevard to pick up her regular order: two chicken empanadas, two ham and cheese empanadas, an arugula salad and some type of pasta dish. We’ll spend a couple of hours together, walking and talking about what she’s been reading or watching and, more often than not, she’ll tell me how many mah-jong games she’s won that week.

Once I’m back down south, Ricardo and I will either host a small gathering at home or do dinner at one of our regular spots, Luca Osteria or Sapore di Mare (both great Italian restaurants), or we’ll go for sushi at Hillstone. I dine out six days a week because of my work, and I always appreciate coming back to these restaurants and being able to get a table without a reservation. If Ricardo and I forgo dessert, we might stop at Salt & Straw on the way home for ice cream. Luckily (well, maybe not for my waistline), its Coconut Grove location is right around the corner from our house.

After dinner, it’s time to turn in. I like to be in bed by 10pm and I’ll usually read a book to help me wind down from the day. (I just finished John Grisham’s The Judge’s List and am now reading Philip McCutchan’s The Man from Moscow.) Or I’ll catch up on some TV. Succession and The Morning Show are my current obsessions — until the fourth season of The Marvelous Mrs Maisel is released this week.

Lee Brian Schrager is the founder and director of the South Beach and New York City Wine & Food Festivals

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