This is not a recommendation to drink and drive. Please don’t do that. It’s just an observation that motion alters mood. Just as much as sunshine, hot fudge sundaes, spinning in circles on a playground swing set, or sipping on a Savoy-proportioned sidecar (three parts cognac, two parts Cointreau, two parts lemon juice, no garnish) going fast can put a smile on your face. Even just thinking about it is kind of fun.
That association came to mind last March while checking out the rides at Cars & Croquetas, a fundraiser held in the parking lot behind Chug’s Diner in Coconut Grove. There were croquetas and sliders and some other snacks from Chug’s. There were cocktails by Brugal, Marielita, and Una Vodka, a local favorite featured in this column previously. And there were cars: high-performance autos, lovingly restored rides, hoopties, hot rods, and this one perfect truck. It was a 1956 Chevy 3100, black and curvy, with a custom paint job done as a perfect tribute to a Jack Daniel’s label – “Sour Mash Whiskey” in cursive over the rear wheel wells; “LYNCHBURG, TENN” in block capitals on the side of the hood; and “Old No. 7” in an oval on the door.
As a fundraiser, Cars & Croquetas was a success.
(Courtesy @carsandcroquetas)
The black and curvy 1956 Chevy 3100 with a Jack Daniel’s theme, evoking bootlegger vibes at Cars & Croquetas.
“We raised about $20,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, where last year's number was around $10,000,” said Ariete Hospitality’s Nicolás Jiméne.
They’re likely to hold another next year, if not sooner, so keep an eye out. As an aesthetic event, that JD pickup was a triumph: smooth with a bit of a burn to it.
That was just in a Coconut Grove parking lot. The vehicle seemed to speak of a bootlegger heritage, the same outrunnin’-the-revenuers spirit that gave us the original NASCAR races. Yep, stock-car racing directly descends from outlaws blasting past John Law while loaded down with contraband substances. But it also brought to mind the races of May.
Sure, a Biscayne tippler could sip juleps while watching simulcasts of the Kentucky Derby, as previously covered in this column. But one could also feel the thunder of some of the fastest machines on land blazing through the Miami Grand Prix.
(Courtesy Formula One Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix)
Last year’s winner, Lando Norris, wore a familiar Jack Daniel’s patch on his sleeve.
THE FAST AND THE FABULOUS
The ‘56 Jack Daniel’s Chevy doesn’t conform to the rigorous standards of an F1 race car. But the Miami Grand Prix still has a bit of the same spirit of spirits, if you’re lucky enough to watch the race trackside from The Trophy House.
You might have noticed the space during previous races – a private venue with Michelin-starred cuisine, exclusive concerts, premium spirits, and a celebrity clientele. This year, the Trophy House is once again being sponsored by Diageo, which, if you’re unfamiliar, is a sort of brand-of-brands in the spirits world. It’s the company that owns Johnnie Walker, Don Julio, Guinness, Crown Royal, Ketel One, Smirnoff, Tanqueray, and around, oh, 200 other liquor labels. If you have an opportunity to walk into any liquor store with a Diageo attorney, take it – they’re issued these magic cards that make something like two-thirds of what you see totally free. Don’t ask how I know this, and don’t ask how it’s possible. We do not question magic here.
(Courtesy DIAGEO)
The Trophy House has some of the best views of the track.
For the 2025 Miami Grand Prix, Diageo set up The Trophy House with a few fascinating features. A dedicated whisky lounge features the fourth installment of the Prima & Ultima Collection, a series of Diageo’s rarest and most exceptional whiskies. A Tequila Don Julio bar pours signature cocktails made from spirits like Alma Miel, 1942, and Ultima. And VIP guests get to enjoy daily whisky masterclasses.
“Miami lives at the intersection of culture and celebration and The Miami Grand Prix is the pinnacle of luxury, making this the perfect opportunity for Diageo,” said Tracy Doyle, Diageo’s senior vice president, brands In culture. “The Trophy House at the Miami Grand Prix is a highly-curated and elevated trackside experience that allows us to bring the craft and character of our luxury portfolio to life. Everything we do is designed with extreme focus on the detail.”
FURTHER AFIELD
Trackside might be the most immersive spot to feel the cars go by, but it’s not the only way to experience Miami fast. Across the causeways in Miami Beach, Gala, the high-end “premier ultra lounge” has a pretty full race weekend, starting with appearances by Chase B on Friday, PARTYNEXTDOOR on Saturday, and a Tyga show on Monday. Sunday, the club is hosting the Red Bull Official Afterparty with Hurry Up Slowly, but that’s a private affair by invitation only.
Elsewhere, in an undisclosed location, in fact, Chef Mario Carbone will curate the “Supper Club on the Sand,” Carbone Beach. He and fellow organizers Jeff Zalaznick and Rich Torrisi of the luxury hospitality company Major Food Group won’t say what’s on the menu or who will be providing entertainment. But previous years have seen performances by Andrea Bocelli, Lauryn Hill, Kygo, Diana Ross, Nas, Wyclef Jean, Busta Rhymes, Gipsy Kings, and Chloe Flower, with guest lists that have included notables from Venus and Serena Williams to Dwayne Wade, Jeff Bezos, David Beckham, and James Corden. The drinks, of course, are also as surprising as they are superlative
(Photo by Seth Browarnik/World Red Eye/Sweet Liberty)
Sweet Liberty hosts a laid-back race week where the cocktails are the real center of attention.
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Closer to the cocktail-lover’s heart is the race weekend observances at Sweet Liberty, a Miami Beach bar that’s been decorated for its drinks, which is to say, they win awards. It’s laid back, social, and sort of ideal for watching a race, or unwinding after the day’s adrenaline, with friends.
Downtown Miami has its own favorite hotspots for Race Week and beyond. Ultraclub E11even showcases its house brand vodka and performers including 50 Cent, Nelly, Afrojack, and Diplo.
Maple & Ash, a newcomer to the city, has a totally different ambience, with a creative menu for food, including a hearth-roasted seafood tower, and for cocktails. The IDGAF Old Fashioned leans into the smokiness of an aged spirit like an F1 driver leans into a hairpin turn.
(Photo by Haas and Haas/Maple & Ash)
Is that burning rubber? No, it’s the much more savory IDGAF Old Fashioned at Maple & Ash.
THE NEXT FASTEST THING
Racing, by its nature, is over quickly. If it wasn’t, it’d be called “slowing.” After the Miami Grand Prix blows by, the cars drive off, the track gets converted back to a stadium, and most of us get stuck back in traffic or on Tri-Rail.
That is, for the next three weeks. By the end of May, there are more motors revving.
Bodega, the Miami Beach hotspot with the bar hidden behind a truly unexpected entrance – you’ll just have to see it yourself – has some time set aside for the local F1 race, sure. But even after May 4, you can look forward to more funny-car fun behind that secret door. Over Memorial Day weekend, they’ll be hosting watch parties for that big race up north – the Indy 500.
And if you want to see something fast thundering by in person, go out to the beach and look up: It’s time for the stealth bombers, paratroopers, and C-17 flybys of the Miami Air and Sea Show.
Grant Balfour is a Miami Beach native, writer, editor, traveler, musician, bon vivant and our official Biscayne Tippler
