swim week survival tip numero uno |staycation|

Even though this year marked just my second time attending Miami Swim Week, I already feel like I am closer to mastering the madness. Last year my biggest struggle was commuting back & forth across the city to get to each event. Given that I don’t live within walking distance of the beach, I found myself wasting a lot of precious time twiddling my thumbs in the backseat of Ubers. I know that may not sound all that bad, but a normal day during Swim Week starts around 10:30 am & typically runs sometime past midnight. Factor in the time it takes for hair, makeup, & travel, and you end up with one hell of a long day. This year, older & wiser, and in the company of a few of my favorite Miami babes, Emilie Sobel from Soul in Stilettos, & my partner in crime, Christie from Christine Michelle Photography, we made Shore Club South Beach our Swim Week “home away from home!”

Shore Club is a boutique oceanside resort centrally located in the heart of Miami Beach, which made it the perfect command center for all of us. The location was ideal for a mid-day break when our heels were taking a toll on our feet & the heat was taking a toll on our faces. We would come back, cozy up in the fluffy bathrobes, and most importantly, recharge ourselves & our dying phones 😉 Roughly 45 speedy minutes later, when it was time for us to rally for the evening events, we would turn on some music and pop a bottle of champagne to kickstart our second wind [Side Note: How pretty are these limited edition Chandon Rose & Brut Summer bottles?!]. Although taking a mid-day break was a luxury for Swim Week, I think the same concept applies to vacationing as well. Sometimes you get so caught up in the going, doing, seeing, & exploring that when you come home, you need a vacation from your vacation. To avoid this phenomenon, I am a strong proponent of vacation napping.

I’m a sucker for interior decorating and outdoor spaces, so I wouldn’t be doing our stay at Shore Club justice if I didn’t mention their lobby & terrazzo. The lobby is a bright white modern space flooded with silver lanterns & sleek couches. The design elements are crisp and clean, yet somehow still feel very inviting. Exiting through the back of the lobby, you find yourself in a colorful and eclectic paradise. The terrazzo is peppered with couches, chairs, benches, & even a massive bed… yes, you read that correctly—a friggin’ outdoor bed! The diversity of the colors, textures, and materials used to create this space embody a garden you would find in Marrakech. It truly is the ideal space to cozy up to the bar for a refreshing cocktail and engage in some casual people-watching. Oh, and don’t forget your dark sunglasses.

This Swim Week was an absolute dream for me, and I have great company, lots of laughs, amazing runway shows, & this beautiful hotel to thank for that. If you ever find yourself in the heart of Miami, make sure you check out Shore Club. And if you’re thinking to yourself, “I thought this was a Swim Week post—where the hell is the commentary on all the amazing bikinis?!” then stay tuned. I’ll be sharing my Swim Week fashion highlights & a post about this red dress very soon! As always, sending lots of tropical vibes your way!

Xx – Rachael

[Photography: Christine Michelle Photography. Star pizazz by Summer of Diane]