Every Miami winter goes the same way. The temperature drops to 68. Someone in Brickell pulls out the puffer jacket they bought for a ski trip in 2019. The group chat declares it “freezing.” And somewhere, an office manager opens a spreadsheet titled HOLIDAY PARTY and quietly panics. Is that you? Hi. Pull up a chair. Here’s what nobody tells you about December in Miami: the good venues go fast. Art Basel takes over the first week. Rooftops get bought out. The restaurant you loved last year wants a deposit the size of a used car. But then — look around. You already have a venue. It’s your office. An office floor set for a holiday party, with a mobile bar by the windows Why the office works Everyone knows how to get there. Nobody has to find parking in South Beach. The party starts the minute the laptops close. And the room already means something — it’s where your team actually spent the year. What it doesn’t have is atmosphere. Fluorescent lights and a sheet cake don’t say “celebration.” They say “Gary’s retirement, 2014.” So let’s fix that. Step one: call your building before you call anyone else This is the unglamorous part. Do it first anyway. Most Miami office towers have rules for after-hours events. Ask property management: Do vendors need a certificate of insurance? Many buildings want one before anyone rolls equipment through the lobby. Do we need to book the freight elevator or the loading dock? Will the AC stay on after hours? Some buildings switch it off — or charge for it. A room full of people gets warm fast, even in December. This is still Miami. Are there rules about serving alcohol on the premises? Five minutes on the phone now saves a very awkward conversation with a security guard later. Step two: pick a time people will actually show up for A Thursday, right after work. Start at 5:30. Wrap by 8:30. Nobody wants to go home and come back. Nobody wants their Saturday eaten. Three hours is the sweet spot — long enough to loosen up, short enough that people leave happy instead of tired. Step three: make the bar the centerpiece Here’s my bias, and I’ll own it: the bar IS the party. Think about every holiday party you’ve been to. Where did everyone end up? Not by the slideshow. By the drinks. A cooler of beer on the break-room counter is technically a bar. So is a vending machine. Hiring a mobile bartender changes the whole room. A real bar, a real person behind it who knows what they’re doing — and suddenly the office feels like somewhere else. Here’s the part that surprises people: you usually buy the alcohol yourself, and the bartender brings the setup, the tools and the know-how. (Ask for a shopping list. A good one will tell you exactly how much to buy, so you aren’t stuck with eleven bottles of tequila in January.) A few things that make an office bar sing: One signature cocktail. Not five. One. Make it taste like Miami — guava, passion fruit, a squeeze of lime. Give it a terrible pun for a name. People will talk about it on Monday. A real mocktail. Not a cup of cranberry juice. Some of your team doesn’t drink, and some of them are driving. Give them something just as pretty in the glass. Coquito, if you dare. It’s December in Miami. Someone on your team has an abuela with a recipe. That abuela will judge yours. A guava cocktail, a passion fruit cocktail and a sparkling mocktail Step four: feed people (properly) Drinks without food is how holiday parties end up on Instagram for the wrong reasons. You don’t need a tasting menu. A few trays of croquetas and pastelitos from your favorite ventanita will vanish faster than anything fancy. Add something green so it looks like you tried. Step five: plan the ride home before the party starts This one isn’t optional. Send a rideshare code with the invitation. Tell the bartender when last call is — and when to switch to water and coffee. A round of cafecito at 8 p.m. is a very Miami way to say goodnight. Your team should remember the party. Ideally, all of it. Cafecito and ice water at the end of the night The short version Call the building. Pick a weeknight. Put a real bar in the middle of the room. Feed everyone. Get them home safe. That’s it. That’s the whole party. Now go enjoy your 68-degree winter. David Alvarez owns YD Cocktails, a mobile bartending and party rental company based in Miami. By David Alvarez. Images (AI-generated) courtesy of YD Cocktails

Perched atop a secluded shoreline where white-sand beaches and rocky coves meet mesmerizing turquoise waters on a northwest tip of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos, Amanyara delivers an enchanting island escape draped in luxurious simplicity–with personalized touchpoints at every turn. The property is set along an 18,000-acre nature reserve and borders Northwest Point Marine National Park, acclaimed for some of the world’s best wall and reef diving. Deeply rooted in the Aman ethos of wellness, the beachside sanctuary offers a flawless balance of relaxed luxury, unparalleled service, and adventure for all ages. ACCOMODATIONS From the moment you arrive on property and are welcomed by friendly staff who know you by name and mix up a fresh juice or cocktail, the elevated level of service is apparent–with attention to detail that makes your experience both special and effortless. Dotted with airy pavilions and villas that seamlessly blend into the natural environment, the Jean-Michel Gathy designed property is a vision that delivers a sense of surroundings untouched, yet meticulously arranged. Water throughout the property’s focal points instills a sense of tranquility, from the open-air gazebo bar that seemingly floats above a central pond to the infinity edge pool made of volcanic rock that draws your eyes towards the crystalline ocean water. Guests stay in a collection of 36 ultra-private, timber-shingled pavilions that are tucked away behind lush pathways. Each features modern minimalist design with wood accents and open floor plans overlooking views of the ocean, ponds or vegetation. The rooms blur the lines between indoors and outdoors, with floor to ceiling sliding glass walls and private sundecks. Our terrace pathway led directly to the ocean with its own private beach cove. For the ultimate luxury experience, there are 20 expansive multi-room villas that offer a mix of options with private pools, al fresco soaking tubs, and access to a butler and private chef. Hotel villas can accommodate small and large groups, making the property a perfect place for an intimate honeymoon celebration or a two-week getaway to paradise with the whole family. DINING The food and beverage at Amanyara is spectacular, from the day’s first sip of coffee to the night’s last bite of dessert–and tea time in between. Every plate comes with its own highly elegant spin of the on-site chef, who expertly puts distinctive and local twists on global favorites. Breakfast at The Restaurant serves all types of coffee, fresh juice and smoothies, eggs any style, and yogurts. Everything you can order, from the simplest fruit plate to an assortment of homemade pastries, is made to the highest standard. For beach-side or pool-side lunch, The Beach Club’s Mediterranean-inspired menu features light, casual fare with fresh salads, ceviche’s, pizzas, conch, lobster, and local fish. The dinner menu focuses on classic and modern Asian dishes including fresh sushi and sashimi, coconut curry and A4 Japanese Wagyu beef. All the dishes served are special, from their presentation to the unique perspective the chef introduces. There is also a daily special menu that typically features fresh local seafood. All desserts are also homemade, one-of-a-kind, and absolutely delicious. Amanyara also offers a number of opportunities to enjoy the chef’s creations in even more intimate and stunning settings, or from the comfort of your room. Guests can reserve lunch in a poolside daybed that overlooks the ocean, and can also book a private dinner on a waterside cliff overlooking the breathtaking sunset. For villas that have a full kitchen, guests can have a chef come cook a private meal, or even have the property’s executive chef come over and teach them to cook something extra special. WELLNESS The resort’s expansive spa overlooks a reflection pond with multiple treatment pavilions, a wellness studio, a yoga sala, and aqua therapeutic pool lined with sun loungers. Treatments range from Thai massages and reflexology to grounding face rituals incorporating Peruvian black mud and amethyst crystal. Aman’s own line of all-natural skincare is an absolute dream, with body balms, fragrant dew mists, and anti-ageing serums that are made of ingredients collected from around the world, including pearls, healing tree oils, jade, and wild-harvested Amazon butters. There are also tailored wellness programs and workshops from meditation to acupuncture and medical body composition assessments. The result is a full relaxation of the body, mind and soul. For a more private setting, you can also indulge in an impressive menu of treatments and holistic programs from your own villa. ACTIVITIES Activities available at Amanyara cover all the bases: exercise, relaxation, exploration, and fun for the kids. From lounging at the beach or pool to snorkeling and scuba diving, horse-riding along the coastline, watersports, mountain biking, or a private yacht charter–possibilities for discovery are endless both on and off property. The Amanyara private beach spans 2,625 feet of white sand and is equipped with paddle boards, sea bobs, kayaks and Hobie Cat sailboats–plus a house snorkel boat that transports guests to the reef (only 5 minutes away) filled with beautiful coral and tropical fish. From February to April, you can spot the humpback whale migration just offshore. Golf carts and house bikes are available all around the resort grounds so you can explore solo, or sign up for a guided nature walk along the coast to learn about the native plants and animals. The property also has clay tennis courts, pickleball courts, a soccer field, volleyball court, basketball, an indoor game room, a boxing studio, and a fully equipped fitness center. Fitness pros are available to play with and teach guests, and activities across all facilities are routinely planned where guests can reserve spots to join in the fun. If you are bringing children along, the property has an impressive Nature Discovery Center that includes a kid’s pool, a jungle gym and clubhouse, and is staffed with counselors who offer engaging environmental programs ranging from critter safaris and nature photography, to cave tours, art projects and turtle conservancy initiatives. PROGRAMMING Throughout the year, Amanyara has offered guests a series of unique and immersive experiences, creating unforgettable moments that set the property apart. From wellness retreats to culinary adventures, movie nights, and competitive tennis tournaments, the hotel has consistently curated exceptional programs for its visitors. Among the standout past events was the Amanyara Legends series, which featured former World No. 11 tennis professional and pickleball pro Sam Querrey, who hosted daily clinics for guests. The property also welcomed a Clase Azul tequila pop-up, complete with specialty cocktails, a sunset tasting experience, and an exclusive masterclass paired with gourmet dishes. Additionally, Macallan hosted a luxurious program, offering private tastings and custom menu pairings for an elevated culinary journey. For more information, visti: www.aman.com/resorts/amanyara By ML Staff/Gaby Fleischman. Images courtesy of Aman

Hennessy is bringing its It's Henny Season: The Game Day Edition to Miami on Saturday, October 17, 2026, for a special event celebrating the rivalry between the Miami Hurricanes and Florida State Seminoles. Hosted at The Sacred Space Miami in Wynwood, the gathering will combine college football, food, music, and Hennessy's new ready-to-serve cocktails. The event begins at 6 p.m., ahead of the 7 p.m. game kickoff, offering guests a chance to enjoy the matchup in a setting that brings together sports and culture. The evening will feature Hennessy Very Special Cocktails, a new collection introduced nationwide in June 2026. The collection marks Hennessy's first entry into the ready-to-serve cocktail category, offering three bottled variations made with Hennessy Very Special cognac and carefully selected natural flavors. Designed to be served chilled over ice, the cocktails are available in 375 ml bottles. The new collection is part of Hennessy's broader It's Henny Season campaign, which features actor and musician Michael Cimino, content creator Quenlin Blackwell, and model Salem Mitchell. Each represents one of the three cocktails, with Cimino featured alongside Henny-Rita, Blackwell with Henny Berry, and Mitchell with Henny Iced Tea. The lineup includes Henny-Rita, an 18% ABV margarita-inspired cocktail featuring natural lime flavor and citrus notes; Henny Berry, a 20% ABV blend of blackcurrant, blackberry, lime, and mint inspired by the mojito; and Henny Iced Tea, an 18% ABV combination of black tea, orange, and lemon with vanilla and spice notes from the cognac. Event Details What: It's Henny Season: The Game Day Edition When: Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 6 p.m. (game kickoff at 7 p.m.) Where: The Sacred Space Miami, 105 NE 24th St, Miami, FL 33137 Guests interested in attending can RSVP for the event here. Each attendee must register individually, and guest names must be submitted to the organizers in advance. All guests must be 21 or older and present valid identification upon entry. Please drink responsibly. By ML Staff. Photos/Hennessy

Image by DepositPhotos A mother in Hialeah takes two buses and about 90 minutes to bring her four-year-old to the pediatrician for a rash. The visit itself lasts ten minutes. The doctor confirms it's mild eczema, adjusts a cream, and sends them home. Counting the return trip, she has lost most of a workday and a chunk of her paycheck for a conversation that could have happened over video. Across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, traffic, long commutes, and hourly jobs without paid leave make this a common story. Telehealth doesn't fix all of it. It fixes more than many practices assumed. Which Visits Work on Video The practices getting good results are selective. Video works well for rashes, especially when parents upload clear photos beforehand, along with pink eye, follow-ups on ADHD medication, behavioral health check-ins, newborn feeding questions, and reviews of a child's asthma action plan. It works poorly for ear pain, which needs an otoscope, belly pain that could be appendicitis, sore throats that need a strep test, and well-child visits with vaccines. A practice that pushes everything onto video ends up with frustrated parents who get told to come in anyway after waiting for a virtual slot. The fix is a short triage step. A nurse or trained front-desk staffer asks a few questions when a parent calls and books the visit type that actually fits. Those two minutes save everyone a wasted appointment. Building It for the Families Here South Florida's patient population shapes what good telehealth looks like. Many families speak Spanish, Haitian Creole, or Portuguese at home, so the platform needs a simple way to bring a medical interpreter into the video call, not a separate phone line the parent has to juggle. Many parents join from inexpensive Android phones on limited data plans. Visits that open from a text message link in a browser, with no app download and no account creation, see far fewer no-shows than those that require installing something first. Hurricane season adds another reason. When offices close for a storm or lose power for days, practices with telehealth already in place can keep seeing patients from providers' homes, handling fevers, refills, and worried calls that would otherwise end up in crowded emergency rooms. Check payer rules too. Florida Medicaid covers many pediatric telehealth services, but billing codes and requirements change, so confirm before scheduling heavily. Buy, Build, or Use What You Already Have Most small pediatric practices should start with the telehealth features built into their records system. Documentation lands in the chart automatically, scheduling stays in one place, and there's no separate login for staff to manage. Hiring a telehealth app development company makes sense for larger pediatric groups and health systems with needs the standard tools don't meet: connecting school-based clinics with remote physicians, pulling readings from home asthma or glucose monitoring devices, or building visit flows in several languages from the ground up. Expect a six-figure build, ongoing maintenance, security reviews, and a business associate agreement covering patient data. The common failure is a beautiful custom app that families never download. Before funding a build, test whether a simple text-link visit already solves most of the problem. Reading Records System Reviews Carefully When practices compare records systems with telehealth in mind, they often read Greenway Health reviews alongside reviews of several competitors. Reviews are useful if you read them selectively. Filter for practices similar to yours in size and specialty, because a review from a 40-provider orthopedic group tells a solo pediatrician very little. Check the dates, since software changes considerably between versions. Look specifically for comments on telehealth integration and on how quickly support responds when something breaks on a Monday morning. Then ask each vendor for a reference practice in Florida with a similar patient mix, and call them. Ask what they wish they'd known before signing. The mother from Hialeah doesn't need cutting-edge technology. She needs a text message link that opens on her phone during her lunch break, a doctor who can see the rash clearly, and an interpreter if she wants one. Practices that keep that picture in mind tend to make better technology decisions than those starting from a feature list. By ML Staff. Image courtesy of DepositPhotos

Ann Storck Center – a Fort Lauderdale-based private nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities – announces its intent to participate in the Afterschool Meals Program, a subcomponent of the Child Care Food Program at the All Heart Learning Academy, located at 1790 SW 43rd Way, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317. The Afterschool Meals Program is designed primarily to provide nutritious snacks and/or meals to children in participating afterschool programs. Snacks and/or meals will be available at no separate charge to children attending the sites listed below, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. Ann Storck Center’s private school, the All Heart Learning Academy, provides educational and therapeutic services for children with special educational needs from kindergarten through seventh grade. The private school environment offers innovative and integrated programs and services on-campus, including therapy and specialized nutrition. Ann Storck Center believes in taking its mission to heart. It offers students a safe, secure environment where ability and potential are individually nurtured and maximized. Teachers use research-based, hands-on instructional strategies through a thematically organized curriculum designed to meet individual needs via language and communication, mathematics, art and sensory exploration and adaptive skill building. ​ Ann Storck Center’s multi-disciplinary team uses individual assessments together with parent collaboration to set unique educational and developmental goals for each student. Parents have the flexibility to incorporate necessary therapies into the individualized educational plan (IEP), including Speech and Language, Occupational and Physical therapies, as well as Applied Behavior Analysis. Children are thoughtfully placed in the best classroom environment, equipped with low student-to-teacher ratios to ensure exceptional individualized attention and the most enriched, dynamic experience. For additional information about the Afterschool Meals Program, please contact: Ann Storck Center, Attention: Mary Lauderdale, School Director, 1790 SW 43rd Way, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 954-584-8000, mlauderdale@annstorckcenter.org. By ML Staff.

Coorg, is a top spot in Karnataka for people who want a calm break in nature. When the rains arrive, the hills look fresh and bright. Coffee estates shine after the showers. You can also see fog moving through the trees. If you like slow mornings and easy sightseeing, the coorg in monsoon season can feel just right. It gives you a chance to enjoy the place without rushing. A luxury trip in this season is not really about cramming in plans all day. It is more about choosing a good mix. Think of rest, quiet nature walks, and moments you will remember. If you plan carefully, you can take in the views of the Western Ghats and still feel comfortable, even when the rain comes down hard for a while. Image by DepositPhotos Choose the Right Time for Your Monsoon Escape Monsoon rains usually reach Coorg in June. They often last until September, but the rain can shift from one year to the next. In that stretch, the hills look bright and green, and the air usually feels cooler. Many visitors like this mix of weather and scenery. Before you book anything, look up the forecast for the dates you picked. Also check the state of the roads. Big downpours can slow travel, cut down visibility, and change how comfortable it is to be outside. If you leave room to adjust your plan, the trip feels less rushed. If you want quiet, try to go on weekdays. You can also aim for times that are not near big holidays. This can reduce the number of people at well known spots. Select Accommodation That Complements the Landscape Your choice of where to sleep can change the feel of a luxury trip. If you only pick a place because it is near popular sights, you may miss the bigger benefits. Aim for a stay that has quiet privacy, rooms that feel easy to live in, good service, and easy access to green outdoor areas. In Coorg, you will find many kinds of stays. There are plantation homes, small upscale hotels, and forest retreats made for people who like nature. If your place is set among trees and plants, even rainy days can feel calm. You can watch fog drift across the hills, read near a window, or just enjoy the rain sounds. Some travelers look at well known luxury hotel names and may notice The Leela Palace. Still, it helps to check where the specific place is. A brand name may cover many locations, but you want one that is actually in the Coorg area. The Leela Coorg Forest Sanctuary is one option for those who want a luxury stay tied closely to the outdoors. Before you book, check where the property sits, what is included, how food is handled, and the cancellation rules. In the monsoon season, indoor comforts matter more. It also helps to have booking terms that give you some flexibility. Experience Coorg's Coffee Plantations Coffee is tied closely to Coorg, and the monsoon gives you a fresh way to see how the plantations work. You can smell wet soil, watch raindrops on the coffee plants, and feel the calm mood of the hills. Many people find this kind of visit more inviting than the usual stops around town. What you can do depends on the estate and the day’s rain. Some places let guests go on a slow walk with a guide. You might hear how coffee is grown or see how the beans are handled after picking. These moments show local farming ways without feeling like the same old sightseeing routine. Pick a walk led by local people who know the area well. Also check if the paths are safe after a heavy downpour. Wet trails can get slippery, and the ground can turn muddy fast, so you may need to plan your route. If you want it softer and less rushed, fit in a coffee tasting along with the plantation visit. Trying coffee made from nearby beans while you sit in the green, rainy landscape can turn into a standout part of a monsoon trip. Image by DepositPhotos Plan Outdoor Activities Around the Weather Coorg during monsoon season can be beautiful, mainly because of the green views. Still, rain can be nonstop, so you have to stay flexible about plans. Rather than trying to fill every day with long trips, pick one big outdoor activity and keep some room for sudden changes. In the area, people often visit Abbey Falls and Raja's Seat, and they also like the nature spots near Madikeri. Rainy weather can make waterfalls and viewpoints look even better. At the same time, entry rules and safety limits may shift when the rain gets heavy. Before you go to any falls or hiking paths, check the local updates from trusted sources. Do not step into fast rising water. Do not get too close to edges that might crumble. Also, do not go on hikes when thunderstorms are around. A nice place is worth seeing only when it is safe. Bring a waterproof jacket and wear shoes that grip well on wet ground. A small day bag helps keep your items dry. With these basic steps, even short walks can feel more relaxed and enjoyable. Make Time for Indoor Comfort and Relaxation A calm, high end break can stay fun even if rain puts a stop to walking around outside. Pick a place with warm rooms to use indoors. Look for solid meal options and plans that do not rely on dry skies. Build your days around an easy pace. Have slow mornings, take time for tea in the afternoon, and read at your own speed. Board games and quiet chats also work well, even when your original outdoor plan is not practical. If the site has a spa or wellness area, think about booking a slot ahead of time. Some stays also run cookery sessions, cultural events, or indoor games and pastimes. Check what is on offer before you pay, and do this extra carefully when the forecast looks wet. The goal is a trip that feels calm and helpful, not packed with tasks. Let yourself spend hours doing very little. That can be the best part of a countryside stay. Explore Local Food and Coorg Culture Food is a great way to enjoy Coorg. You will find Kodava dishes, spices grown in the area, and flavors tied to the local forests and farms. What you try will depend on what is in season and what fits your diet. Some common picks are pandi curry and akki rotti. You may also come across older recipes that use ingredients from nearby farms. Menus can feel different from place to place, and cooking methods can change too. Try asking your host for ideas. Local people often know small spots that tourists miss. If you plan a meal with regional food in mind, you may understand the place better than you would from a random stop. When the weather is fine and the roads are okay, visit a local market. You can look for coffee, spices, and other local goods to take home. Chat with the sellers if you can. Their stories can help you see what daily life in Coorg feels like. . Prepare for Monsoon Travel Getting ready ahead of time can stop small problems from ruining a calm trip. On the way, roads in hilly spots can get slick. Heavy showers may also slow things down without much notice. Plan for extra time, especially if you are coming from Bengaluru or from another city. Bring a few key things with you. Pack waterproof shoes or footwear. Carry quick-dry clothes. Add insect repellent and your personal medicines. Keep electronics covered with protective cases or covers. It also helps to pack one light set of spare clothes for after you get caught in rain. If you are hiring a car or setting up a pickup, check that the driver knows the local roads well. Ask about how they handle rainy conditions. Do not push through water on the road. If local officials or locals advise people to stay away from certain areas, follow that advice. For your stay, choose a room option that allows changes or free cancellation when needed. Travel insurance can also help if weather issues cause delays or other disruptions. Image by DepositPhotos Build a Relaxed Two- or Three-Day Itinerary A brief visit can be enough to enjoy Coorg. You do not have to rush from one spot to the next. Use the plan below to map your days, but stay ready to adjust if the weather turns. Day 1: Arrive and take it easy Get to your stay and drop your bags. Have a relaxed lunch after you settle in. In the afternoon, walk around the place or go nearby if the sky is clear. End with dinner at a calm pace. Then sleep early. Day 2: See the greenery and taste coffee Start with breakfast. After that, join a guided walk through the plantations or visit a nearby place of interest. Come back for lunch, then spend the rest of the day resting. If rain shows up, swap outdoor plans for a coffee tasting. Or choose an indoor option. Day 3: A gentle start and a simple finish Eat breakfast slowly. If it works, stop by a local market. Pick up some regional coffee or spices before you go. Keep your checkout plan and travel route flexible. Roads can change fast in monsoon days. With this kind of schedule, Coorg in the monsoon season can be a good fit for couples, small families, and anyone who wants a quiet break from busy routines. Conclusion A calm luxury trip to Coorg in the wet season starts with picking the right place to stay. Plan your days with the rain in mind. Then focus on activities that let you enjoy the views slowly, not on a strict schedule. You can tour coffee estates, taste local food, and spend quiet time in the green around you. It is easy to relax here without running from one stop to the next. If you want a higher end stay, look into retreats that are tied to nature, like The Leela Coorg Forest Sanctuary. This can point you to options that fit the area well. Go in with a sensible mindset, handle the basics before you arrive, and keep some free time for rainy weather. With that kind of room to move, Coorg during monsoon can feel like a fresh break, with comfort, real scenery, and days you will remember. By ML Staff. Images courtesy of DepositPhotos

Bansko's own price list put a six-day adult lift pass at €341 for the 2025/26 season, with a single high-season day at €59. A six-day adult pass for Les 3 Vallées, the largest linked ski area in France, is listed at €421 for 2026/27. Eighty euros across a week is not nothing, but it is nowhere near the three- or four-to-one gap that the phrase "budget skiing in Eastern Europe" tends to suggest. The savings in a Balkan ski week are real and they are substantial. They simply no longer come from the lift pass. Where the Savings Actually Are Lift-pass prices across the region now sort into two tiers. Bansko sits at the top, and its figures are published openly on the Pirin ski centre's own price page, which also shows a cheaper spring band of €259 for six days from 1 April. Kopaonik in Serbia comes next: the price list issued by the state ski-area company runs from about 24,900 to 27,100 dinars for a six-day adult pass depending on the date band, roughly €210–230, VAT included. Jahorina in Bosnia is cheaper still, at 316–373 convertible marks for six days across its pre-season, mid-season and peak bands — approximately €160–190. In Bulgaria's two smaller resorts, Borovets and Pamporovo, single adult day tickets have been running in the €45–50 range; Pamporovo opened its 2025/26 season with an adult day ticket at 88 leva, about €45. Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026, so lev figures from earlier seasons convert at the fixed rate of 1.95583. The genuine savings sit in the four lines that rarely make headline comparisons. Six days of mid-range ski, boot and pole hire in Bansko is advertised at roughly €65–100, against two to three times that in a major French or Austrian resort. Tuition runs at a similar discount. A bed in a three- or four-star hotel in Bansko town, Jahorina or Mavrovo in the 2025/26 season was commonly in the €35–70 per-person band including breakfast. And eating is where the difference becomes obvious: a sit-down lunch on the mountain generally came in at around €10–18 a head, and dinner in a town restaurant with wine at roughly €15–25. A week's food and drink for one adult, eaten sensibly, lands far closer to €200 than to the €400–500 the same discipline buys in the Tarentaise. Weekdays, Weekends and Which Resorts Fill First Price is not the binding constraint on a Balkan ski week. Proximity to a capital city is. Sarajevo airport is about 32 km from Jahorina, a drive of roughly 42 minutes, and the Bjelašnica and Igman centres sit a similar distance from the city on the other side. Both are day-trip mountains for several hundred thousand people, which means Saturday and Sunday lift queues in the two peak windows bear no relation to a quiet Wednesday in late January. Jahorina's own price list effectively maps the problem: its peak bands are 22 December to 15 January and 9 to 27 February, and those are precisely the weeks when beds and lift corridors are tightest. Skopje airport lies about 126 km from Mavrovo, under two hours by road, so Mavrovo absorbs the same weekend wave on a smaller scale. Kopaonik is different. At about 287 km and four hours from Belgrade airport — or 127 km and two hours from Niš — it is too far for a day trip, so it fills instead with Friday-to-Sunday stays and school-holiday weeks, and its weekday pistes in the shoulder season can be startlingly empty for a resort with 25 lifts. Booking patterns follow the map: the Balkan resorts that fill up first are the ones within comfortable driving distance of a capital, which is why a Jahorina room in mid-February is harder to secure at short notice than a Mavrovo one in the same week. Arriving on a Sunday rather than a Saturday shifts a whole trip onto the quieter side of that cycle, and usually costs nothing to do. The Transfer Line Nobody Budgets For In the Alps, the airport is often an hour from the lifts and served by a dense network of scheduled coaches. In the Balkans neither of those things holds, and the result is a line item that routinely surprises first-time visitors. Sofia airport to Bansko is about 163 km and a little over two hours. Sofia to Pamporovo is around 223 km and more than three hours, though Plovdiv airport cuts that to roughly 79 km and an hour and a half. Belgrade to Kopaonik is a four-hour drive. Only Borovets, at about 68 km and an hour and a quarter from Sofia, and Jahorina, at 42 minutes from Sarajevo, behave the way an Alpine transfer behaves. Scheduled public transport exists but is thin and slow. Bansko has a railway station about 2 km from the ski area, reached by narrow-gauge line; Jahorina and Bjelašnica have a single daily seasonal bus each from Sarajevo, timed for day skiers rather than for arriving flights. None of the other resorts has a direct rail connection at all. For a party of two carrying ski bags and landing at nine in the evening, a pre-booked road transfer is usually the only workable option, and over a return journey it can account for a tenth of the whole trip cost — a share that would be trivial in Chamonix or Innsbruck. Groups of four or more dilute it quickly, which is one reason the region rewards travelling together. What the Money Does Not Buy Grooming on the main runs is better than the region's reputation implies. Kopaonik runs about 55 km of pistes between 1,770 m and the 2,017 m summit of Pančić's Peak, with snowmaking across most of the area and roughly 160 snow-covered days a year; the state company that runs it also operates Serbia’s smaller ski areas and publishes their pass prices. Bansko spans 990 m to 2,560 m across about 48 km of piste served by 14 lifts, and Jahorina lists some 52 km between 1,300 m and 1,890 m. Snowmaking coverage, however, falls away sharply outside the flagship resorts, and Mavrovo's 1,255–1,860 m range leaves it exposed in a warm winter. What the money does not buy is Alpine infrastructure density. Mountain restaurants are fewer and plainer, and at peak times the few that exist become the bottleneck rather than the lifts. Uplift capacity concentrates on one or two key arteries, so a gondola queue of half an hour on a Saturday morning is normal in Bansko and on Jahorina's six-seaters, then evaporates by Monday. English-speaking instruction is reliable and genuinely cheap in Bansko and Borovets, which have served the British package market for two decades; in Bjelašnica, Mavrovo and parts of Kopaonik it has to be arranged in advance rather than assumed. Signage, piste maps and the quality of rental stock all vary more than the price difference alone would predict. Questions That Come Up Before Booking Which resort has the most reliable snow? Kopaonik, on altitude and snowmaking together. Its base sits at about 1,770 m — higher than the base of several well-known Alpine resorts — and artificial snow covers most of the terrain. Bansko's upper mountain reaches 2,560 m and holds snow well, but its lowest 1,000 m of descent back to town is far less dependable. Is a hire car better value than a transfer? Over a week, sometimes. Against the cost of a return transfer for two to somewhere like Bansko or Kopaonik, a small hire car can come out even, and it unlocks a quieter neighbouring area on a crowded Saturday. The trade-off is winter tyres, chain regulations, mountain parking and the final ascent in poor weather, all of which make the car the harder option for a first visit. When is the cheapest week to ski? The second half of January, between the New Year peak and the February holidays, and then from mid-March onwards. Both Jahorina and Kopaonik discount their passes in those bands, Bansko drops to a spring rate from 1 April, and accommodation falls further than the pass does. How far in advance does a February trip need booking? For Jahorina or Bjelašnica in the peak fortnight, two to three months is sensible, because demand comes largely from drivers who book late and locally. Kopaonik's holiday weeks go earlier still. Mavrovo and Pamporovo generally have availability much closer to departure. The Numbers in One Place The table below sets one week in Bansko against the same week in the Three Valleys, per adult, for two people sharing. Lift-pass figures are each area's own published rates for the season named; the remaining lines are approximate ranges drawn from advertised prices at the time of writing and will move with dates, exchange rates and how early the booking is made. Line item (6 days, per adult) Bansko, 2025/26 Three Valleys, 2026/27 Return flights from Western Europe €80–220 €90–250 Return airport transfer (2 sharing) €55–95 €40–80 Six nights, mid-range hotel, B&B €210–420 €520–900 Six-day adult lift pass €259–341 around €420 Ski, boot and pole hire €65–100 €140–220 Six mornings' group tuition €120–200 €230–350 Food and drink, on and off the hill €170–260 €380–520 Approximate total €960–1,640 €1,820–2,740 Read as a whole, the arithmetic says something more specific than "cheaper". A Balkan ski week costs roughly half an Alpine one, the margin is concentrated in beds, boards, tuition and dinner rather than in the ticket, and it is partly eroded by the long drive in from the airport. Swap Bansko for Jahorina or Mavrovo and the lower end of that range drops by another couple of hundred euros per head — at the price of fewer lifts, less snowmaking and a Saturday that belongs to the city down the road. By ML Staff. Images generated with OpenAI.

Geoffrey Holder’s paintings, drawings, collages and sculptures will take center stage at MOCA North Miami this fall. Scheduled for November 12, 2026, through April 5, 2027, Geoffrey Holder: Black Magic will bring together more than 60 works in what the museum describes as the first museum survey focused on his visual art. According to MOCA, many of the works have never been publicly shown. Holder’s performance career offers a familiar entry point. He won Tony Awards for directing and designing costumes for the original Broadway production of The Wiz in 1975. Film audiences also know him as Baron Samedi in Live and Let Die and Punjab in Annie. His work crossed disciplines, connecting theatrical performance with the creation of characters, costumes and visual worlds. Guest curator Erica Moiah James, PhD, approaches that career through Holder’s visual practice, presenting it as a foundation of his broader creative life. The exhibition follows five thematic sections: Portraits, Epistles, The Sacred and the Profane, Genre, and Figure Studies. The subjects range from biblical scenes interpreted through a modern perspective to portraits drawn from memory, landscapes and still lifes. The human figure provides another connection between his disciplines, with the exhibition examining the body through the perspective of an artist who also worked in dance and choreography. What to Know Before Visiting MOCA is located in the Joan Lehman Building at 770 NE 125th Street, North Miami. Regular museum hours are Wednesday from noon to 7 p.m. and Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; the museum is closed Monday and Tuesday. Check MOCA’s visitor information for updates before planning a visit. Website: MOCA North Miami Phone: 305-893-6211 Address: 770 NE 125 Street North Miami, FL 33161 305-893-6211 By ML Staff. Photo/Courtesy of MOCA North Miami. Geoffrey Holder, Man in Black, 1991, oil on board. Courtesy of Judy Robins. © 2026 Estate of Geoffrey Holder / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

Special Needs Group® / Special Needs at Sea®, a global provider of mobility and medical equipment rentals, has announced a new partnership with MAST Travel Network, a member-owned travel agency consortium and marketing network, to expand accessible travel education and resources for MAST's member travel advisors. Through the partnership, MAST members will gain access to Special Needs Group's educational resources, including its Certified Accessible Travel Advocate (CATA®) program, which equips travel professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to better serve travelers with mobility and other accessibility needs. Members will also have access to Special Needs Group's mobility and medical equipment rental solutions, helping them coordinate services for clients traveling aboard cruise ships and visiting hotels, resorts and other destinations. "Accessible travel begins long before a traveler reaches their destination. It starts with a knowledgeable travel advisor who understands their client's needs and knows what resources are available," said Andrew J. Garnett, president, founder and CEO of Special Needs Group® / Special Needs at Sea®. "Our partnership with MAST Travel Network allows us to expand that knowledge among its member agencies while connecting advisors with the equipment and services their clients need. Together, we're helping more travelers experience the world with greater confidence, comfort and independence." Special Needs Group's CATA® program is the travel industry's first e-learning curriculum designed to educate travel professionals about the accessible travel market. Through online coursework and testing, participants gain essential knowledge to help address the needs of travelers who require mobility assistance and other specialized services. Travel professionals can earn the designation by completing the online three-module curriculum and required testing or participating in a live presentation and testing session. The certification program is available at no charge to travel industry professionals with a valid industry identifier. "This partnership is an important step in MAST's growth," said Andrew Davis, president and COO of MAST Travel Network. "Accessibility isn't a niche market. It's a fundamental part of serving every traveler well. Partnering with Special Needs Group allows us to give our advisors the tools and education they need to confidently serve travelers of all abilities." In addition to the CATA® program, MAST members will have access to Special Needs Group's comprehensive equipment rental services, including wheelchairs, scooters, oxygen and other specialized equipment. Special Needs Group provides service in 217 metropolitan areas and cities across 70 countries, helping travelers access mobility and medical equipment during their vacations. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to expanding accessible travel opportunities by providing travel professionals with the education, equipment and resources needed to better serve clients with diverse mobility and accessibility requirements. By ML Staff.

ALINA Residences Boca Raton has released one of its largest remaining developer residences, a move-in-ready, $9.38 million home within ALINA 220. Part of the community's Estate Collection, Residence 803 offers more than 6,200 square feet. Designed for expansive living and entertaining, the residence features a private elevator entry and vestibule, high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling glass that fills the interiors with natural light. An open-concept layout connects the living and dining areas to a spacious kitchen with an oversized island, while a separate den offers additional flexibility for a home office, media room or private retreat. Each of the four bedrooms features an en-suite bathroom, including a generously proportioned primary suite with walk-in closets and a spa-inspired bathroom. The residence's expansive covered terrace, complete with a summer kitchen, creates an extension of the interior living areas, offering space for outdoor dining and entertaining. Two assigned self-parking spaces provide additional convenience. From the terrace, residents can enjoy sunrise views overlooking The Boca Raton’s historic golf course, which is undergoing a $25 million transformation led by golf course architect Brian Silva. Expected to reopen in late fall 2026, the redesigned course will feature reconstructed bunkers, new practice facilities, upgraded landscaping and additional amenities, further enhancing the scenic backdrop of Residence 803. "Residence 803 offers buyers the opportunity to move directly into an estate-sized home without sacrificing the convenience of condominium living," said Candace Jorritsma, vice president of sales and marketing for El-Ad National Properties. "With more than 6,200 square feet of living space, four en-suite bedrooms, a private elevator entry and an expansive terrace overlooking The Boca Raton golf course, this residence delivers exceptional space and privacy within one of downtown Boca Raton's most established luxury residential communities." ALINA Residences was recently recognized among the inaugural residential communities to receive the VERIFIED™ Luxury Residences designation from Forbes Travel Guide, in collaboration with FirstService Residential and ATELIER CX. The designation recognizes luxury residential communities that achieve exceptional hospitality-inspired service standards and resident experiences. Residents of ALINA enjoy access to more than three acres of resort-inspired amenities across the campus, including two rooftop pools, spa facilities with steam rooms and saunas, state-of-the-art fitness centers, a golf and sports simulator, yoga and wellness spaces, club rooms, outdoor dining and entertainment areas, lush green spaces and a dedicated dog park. Located between the fairways of The Boca Raton and Southeast Mizner Boulevard, ALINA Residences places residents moments from downtown Boca Raton's restaurants, boutiques, art galleries and cultural destinations, including Mizner Park, the Boca Raton Museum of Art, Brightline Boca Raton station and the city's beaches. The release of Residence 803 follows a period of significant sales activity at ALINA Residences, which surpassed $90 million in sales in 2026, including more than $30 million in approximately 60 days during the summer. The community reported just 10 developer residences remaining at ALINA 220 in August, marking the final opportunities to own within the three-building luxury residential community. ALINA 200 and ALINA 210 are sold out and occupied. Private appointments can be scheduled through the ALINA Residences sales gallery at sales@alinabocaraton.com. Douglas Elliman Development Marketing is the exclusive sales and marketing team for ALINA Residences. By ML Staff. Photos: Shelby Cooper Photography

South Florida’s developers and luxury residential brokers will come together at The Real Deal Miami Real Estate Forum, scheduled for November 4–5, 2026, at Mana Wynwood Convention Center. Featured speakers include Terra CEO David Martin and Related Group’s president of condominium development, Nick Pérez, bringing perspectives from companies involved in the region’s residential development market. For professionals following Miami’s luxury property sector, the lineup connects the development side of the business with the people selling its homes. Announced speakers also include Judy Zeder of The Jills Zeder Group at Coldwell Banker Realty, Douglas Elliman’s Dina Goldentayer, and Mayi de la Vega, founder and executive chair of ONE Sotheby’s International Realty. Related Ross executive vice president of development Jordan Rathlev and Merrimac Ventures managing partner Nitin Motwani are also listed. Discussions and Networking The forum combines panel discussions with an exhibition floor and networking opportunities for real estate professionals. Its format is particularly relevant to developers, brokers and investors looking to hear industry perspectives and meet potential business contacts. Among the confirmed 2026 programs, the Power Breakfasts address the businesses behind the transactions. The first day’s discussion examines how agents build and manage growing firms, including recruitment, retention and leadership. Listed participants include Nelson Gonzalez, Danny Hertzberg and EklundGomes Team CEO Julia Spillman. The second day turns to generational transitions in South Florida real estate families, with Harrison Soffer of Turnberry, Diego Torrealba of MG Developer and Lucia Ojeda of Rilea Group. Breakfast doors open at 9 a.m., with discussions beginning at 9:30 a.m. Access is included with All-Access passes or available to other pass holders for an additional $100 per day. A separate Top Agents & Brokerages Reception is scheduled for November 4 from 4 to 5 p.m. at Mana 320, across from the convention center’s main entrance. The awards and networking reception is included with All-Access passes; other forum attendees can purchase a $75 add-on, subject to availability. Tickets and Access The official registration page lists the following prices through November 3: Pass Listed price Included access General Admission $275 Both days, main panel room, Innovation Stage and expo floor VIP $400 General admission benefits, plus VIP Greenroom, priority check-in, bar and bites, and photo studio All-Access $800 VIP benefits, plus Subscriber Suite, Power Breakfasts, reception and after-party invitations Subscriber $100 Both days, general programming, Subscriber Suite and priority check-in; eligibility requires an annual subscription active during the event On-site prices rise to $300 for General Admission, $425 for VIP and $150 for Subscriber passes. All-Access remains $800. Groups registering at least 10 attendees together can purchase General Admission passes for $200 each. What to Know Before Going Venue: Mana Wynwood Convention Center, 318 NW 23rd Street, Miami. Hours: November 4–5, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. each day, with Power Breakfast programming starting earlier. One-day attendance: The organizer’s FAQ lists a one-day pass for November 5 only. Parking: A parking lot and street parking are available. Organizers recommend rideshare because the lot fills quickly. Entry: Attendees must have a valid badge and display it throughout the event. Business or business-casual clothing is a practical choice for meetings and networking; this is an editorial recommendation, rather than a confirmed event dress code. For hotel booking links, registration assistance or access questions, contact The Real Deal’s events team. By ML Staff. Photo(s)/TheRealDeal

Some wines are worth the wait. Others are worth skipping the line for. On Wednesday, November 4, Uchiko Miami Beach is bringing together two of life's finer pleasures: exceptional wine and premium Wagyu. The restaurant's exclusive Wine & Wagyu Dinner will feature a 10-course tasting menu paired with six sought-after wines from acclaimed Napa Valley winemaker Jayson Woodbridge's Hundred Acre, Summer Dreams and Fortunate Son labels. As an added perk, guests will have the rare opportunity to purchase bottles from Hundred Acre, skipping the winery's four-year waiting list altogether. Known for its highly coveted Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons, Hundred Acre has earned a devoted following among wine collectors and critics alike, with six wines from its 2021 vintage receiving perfect 100-point scores from The Wine Independent. The evening's menu is a celebration of Japanese-inspired fine dining from Uchiko, featuring A5 Wagyu steak, a crab and caviar handroll, Hokkaido scallops and a bluefin tuna nigiri flight showcasing akami, chutoro and otoro. Each course is thoughtfully paired with one of six wines from Summer Dreams, Fortunate Son and Hundred Acre, including the latter's prized WRAITH Crypt 2019 and ARK Vineyard 2023, which will make its debut at the dinner. The Wine & Wagyu Dinner is on Wednesday, November 4, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Uchiko Miami Beach. Tickets are $575 per person, excluding tax and gratuity, and reservations can be made here. With limited seats available, this is one evening wine lovers won't want to miss. By ML Staff. Photo Credits: Matt Armendariz