La Isla (morada) Bonita at The Mooring’s Village!

This past weekend I discovered a hidden jewel, just one and a half hours away from Miami. It is a city called Islamorada and it is my new undercover favorite spot.

The Moorings Village is where we stayed. Composed of eighteen homes on twenty acres of beachfront land, there are great options for everyone. Depending upon your party size, you choose the size of your cottage. Completely romantic, think of a Bruce Weber photo shoot. In fact, I am told that Bruce shoots many of his campaigns for various brands there. Not a shocker!

My entourage of fabulosity included Brand Ambassador of the Standard Hotel Group Kamil Parchomienko, “it” men Edison Lozada and Anthony Spinello, the gorgeous Jilian Sanz, PR maven Lauren Gnazzo and Miami Housewive’s star Marysol Patton. Can you imagine the elegant debauchery that took place? Envision Madonna’s “Deeper and Deeper” and “La Isla Bonita,” turned into a weekend dance party. We rented the “Plantation” home, a three-bedroom, three and a half bathroom beachfront villa. Each home has a lux-bohemian vibe and comes with a fully equipped kitchen, Molton Brown products in the bathrooms, and divine, plush beds that allow one to sleep like a baby. The pillows are beyond comfy, coming from a pillow snob!

If you need to shut down, pure relaxation and an easy getaway, the Mooring’s Village could be perfect for you. Think of lounging in a hammock on a dock with just a view of the horizon, or a kayak trip approximately three hundred yards away to a sandbar. You can also swim in the water, but don’t expect a Miami-like ocean experience. There are a lot of lobsters and fish, so I suggest floating with your legs up if you are a sea-phobic individual.

Because Islamorada is en-route to Key West, as you can imagine there is a narrow strip of land between the sea and the bay. For the ultimate evening sunset, all one must do is cross the Overseas Highway (similar to a mini US1) and there lies your evening activity at Morada Bay. Listen to the live band while sitting in the sand or on a wooden beach style chair, have some rum based Key’s style drinks and truly you can experience heaven. Then, strut in your designer flip-flops into the Mooring’s sister property Pierre’s where a culinary experience awaits. I suggest the Oyster’s Rockefeller and the Burger Slider’s. #heaven. For a great brunch, drive or walk to the Green Turtle Inn where you can have some of the best coffee ever, delicious omelets and a warm sticky bun that for sure gives cellulite, but it is worth it. I suggest reservations for both restaurants.

For reservations to a paradise a few miles away, just click here: The Mooring’s reservations.