Today, I am introducing you to the Miami doctor who danced with an Octopus. It’s quite a story. If you can’t get in Rao’s in New York City, try Miami. Yep, Rao’s is making its Miami debut. Everyone always asks me “Where should we stay when we vacation in Miami Beach? Here’s my hotel recommendation.  Here’s a great way to spend a Thursday evening. Take the Biscayne Bay Sunset Cruise that offers the best views of the Miami Skyline.

Meet The Miami Doctor Who Danced with An Octopus

Most people know Dr. Steve Mandy of Miami Beach as one of the most famous cosmetic dermatologists in the United States. He is also known as a photographer, painter, sculptor, and wine connoisseur.  What everyone doesn’t know about Dr. Mandy is that he is one of the only folks on earth who has actually danced with an octopus.

I know that sounds too crazy to believe but it is actually true. It happened during a diving trip in the British Virgin Islands. Dr. Mandy wanted to see what happened to the RMS Rhône, a UK Royal Mail Ship owned by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company (RMSP). The boat was wrecked in a hurricane off the coast of Salt Island in 1867, killing 123 people. It is now a popular Caribbean wreck dive.

Dr. Mandy was diving down about 30 feet when all of a sudden, he spotted something that he had never seen before.  It was about five feet long and had a head the size of a honeydew melon. Dr. Mandy suddenly realized it could possibly be an octopus.

The reason why he wasn’t sure was because most divers don’t usually get to see nocturnal animals. If they do, the animals are very shy and try to hide. This one was just staring back at him. When Dr. Mandy realized it probably was an octopus, he tried to get a closer look.

He slowly cruised up to the octopus as it was carefully examining Dr. Mandy. He said, I could see that it was following me. I got to an arm’s length from it and I just stopped. I was just sitting there, trying to breathe very slowly so that I appeared friendly. I didn’t want to scare it off.

“Much to my surprise, the octopus reached out to me with one of its tentacles. I wasn’t sure if it was being aggressive, or if this was a friendly gesture. I took a chance. I was wearing diving gloves, so I extended my index finger. The octopus then put its tentacles around my finger. We stayed like that for a few minutes. It showed no sign of fear. Then out of the blue it took another tentacle and put it on my face and started exploring.

“I didn’t know it at the time, but octopuses have tentacles that act like little suction cups. The suction cups are tasters, and they actually learn a lot about who you from what they taste. I’m wearing a mask and a mouthpiece but that doesn’t stop the octopus from exploring my beard. I could still feel that this was a friendly encounter. Then while it was still holding my finger, the octopus began gliding backwards in the sand. I didn’t want to disturb this process, so I just followed. It was like we were dancing.

“Then it started to slide under a coral rock. We broke loose. This is where it apparently lived. I wanted to see more so I went down to the bottom level of the rock. I looked in and I saw the octopus looking back at me. I put my finger in front of the opening, wiggled my finger and one of its tentacles  suddenly wrapped itself around my finger again. Then the octopus emerged about halfway out from under the rock. There was no sign of it being upset or aggressive. or anything. We stayed like that for quite a while when I realized that I was running out of air. I had to immediately go to the surface. I finally disengaged and off I went.”

Dr. Mandy remembers that when he got back the boat, the boat captain told him that he had seen what was going on when he went for a dive. He too had been diving for a long time and had never seen anything like that from an octopus. He continued, “You almost never see octopuses in the water. The sight of you dancing with one is an image I want to remember forever.”

Six years later Dr. Mandy was teaching a course in surgical anatomy at University of California San Diego. He had just finished his lecture when a gentleman came up to him to say “I know you. You are the one who danced with an octopus.” Dr. Mandy was astonished. “How did he know this guy? How did he know about the octopus?”

It turns out that the guy was the dive captain he met on his octopus dancing trip and he too was a doctor. In fact, he was the head of the ear, nose and throat department at University of California, San Diego.

How is that for a coincidence?

Rao’s Is Coming To Miami 

Photograph: Tova Carlin Rao’s

Miami is really becoming a super-hot restaurant destination. It seems like every well-known chef from around the world wants to make sure they are part of the Miami scene. The latest restaurant to announce that they are making a Miami debut is one of New York’s most popular, Rao’s. Can you believe it? You can’t get into Rao’s in New York unless you are featured on Page Six, good or bad, but you may have a shot on the beach in Miami.

Word has it that the 126-year-old, family-owned Harlem establishment, (455 East 114th Street) has picked the Loews Hotel in Miami Beach to open in early 2023.  This is big news for everyone who has ever wanted to taste the family recipes. I must note that Rao’s already has two other locations in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The original New York location will always be the one that is most cherished but that is to be expected. It only has 10 tables and that’s the way the late, legendary owner Frankie “No” Pellegrino liked it. The clientele was and is exclusively CEOs, actors, politicians and VIPs. It is considered a private club. That’s why the other locations are such a treat. raosrestaurants.com

My Hotel Recommendation Is the Marriott Stanton South Beach

Everyone always asks me “Where should we stay when we vacation in Miami Beach? I always recommend the charming Marriott Stanton South Beach. I live a few blocks away and I can honestly say I have been going there for 20 years when I want to go to the beach. We camp out on the beach in the back of the hotel and eat in their restaurants. It’s located in the heart of South of Fifth in South Beach so everything you would want to see or experience is in walking distance.  South Beach, South of Fifth (also known as SOFI) is an exclusive and affluent neighborhood that stretches from Fifth Street to South Pointe Beach Park.

Marriott Stanton South Beach Is in walking distance to some of the best restaurants in Miami: Joe’s Stone Crab, Carbone’s, Red Steak House, Stubbon Seed, Prime 112, Smith & Wollensky, Prime Fish, Prime Italian, Forte dei Marmi and Estiatorio Milos, Nikki Beach, Santorini Georgios, Call Me Gaby, Papi Steak, Fratelli La Bufala, Fogo de Chao, Big Pink, Monty’s, Intima, Planta, Orilla Bar & Grill, Texas de Brazil, and Abbale’ Telavivisn Kitchen. I didn’t list these in any particular order.

The Marriott Stanton South Beach also has two terrific restaurants on the premises and a Starbucks next door.

Lolo’s Surf Cantina is a casual Mexican restaurant that was voted best tacos by the Miami Times. They have a great happy hour menu that features $4 glasses of rose and a great small bites menu.

The other restaurant, Azabu, is Japanese. It was also voted the best Japanese food by the Miami Times and it’s one of favorites by the condo residents who live nearby.

The hotel is considered a boutique size so it’s easy to navigate. The pool is adjacent to the beach so you can easily pick between the two many times during the day.

When you are not sunning yourself and you want some exercise, you can walk to the gorgeous walkway behind the hotel  that can take you from the bay to the beach. The walkway goes through South Pointe Park, which borders the bay where the cruise ships pass through. That’s a very exciting sight. The walkway also goes north adjacent to the beach so you can walk for miles.

Make Thursday’s The “Smell the Roses” Day

Thursdays seem to be the day of reflection. Facebook has throwback Thursday’s where many members post pictures from the past.  Everyone looks forward to that. Miami has a beautiful Biscayne Bay Sunset Cruise every Thursday that offers the best views of the Miami Skyline. Guests enjoy complimentary Sunset Margarita’s during the 1 hour non guided cruise through Biscayne Bay.

Some folks go to yoga to relax, others go for bike rides, runs, or long walks. I love all that but there is something very special about cruising on the water watching the sun go down. I can see the most magnificent sunsets from my condo but we sometimes opt to be closer to the water. It gives us a certain type of calm and renewed energy that is very rewarding. I guess that’s why we love Miami so much.

We get to see the mouth of the Miami River, the Intercontinental Hotel Running Man, Bayfront Park, Bayside Marketplace and the Bayside Wheel, the Miami Skyline, the Miami Beach Skyline, the Port of Miami, and Fisher Island. The vessel is equipped with an onboard Bar / Galley that is opened for snack and beverage service.

The cruise includes:

• Best Views of the Miami and Miami Beach Skylines
• Best views of the Sunset
• Complimentary Sunset Margarita’s

Schedule

The Sunset Cruise operates every Thursday

Boarding Time: 6:40pm

Departure Time: 6:45pm

Cruise Duration: 1 hour

POSEIDON FERRY LLC – GET THE DETAILS