Tuesday, Sep. 22, 2009
1. Bal Harbor
For a serious dose of retail therapy, a trip to the tony community of Bal Harbor is in order. Just a 15-minute drive north of central Miami Beach, here is where you'll find Bal Harbor Shops, the super-snazzy outdoor mall where ladies-who-lunch and rapper's girlfriends all congregate to make their Platinum Amex scream. There's Brioni and Bulgari and Pucci and Prada — and every exclusive boutique in between. Once you're ready to show off the brand-name shopping bags, settle into a seat at Lea's Tea Room, on the second level, for died-and-gone-to-heaven French pastries.