Miami: Sleep

TO / FROM THE AIRPORT SuperShuttle305/871-2000, supershuttle.comA van will deliver you to any address in Miami, though the route can be circuitous and long because of all the passengers it picks up and drops off. Book return trips at least 24 hours in advance. $10-$16 each way. TaxisTaxis are the quickest option from the Miami airport. Some fares are set at a flat rate according to seven zones. A one-way trip downtown costs about $19, while South Beach is $28. Note: The fee is per car, not per passenger. Car rental The only practical option for reaching Miami from the Fort Lauderdale airport, which most of the new budget carriers like JetBlue and Song use as their South Florida hub. The ride into Miami is about 45 minutes. GETTING AROUND Public buses & trains305/770-3131, miamidade.gov/transit/Miami's local bus system is slow but easy to use. Handiest routes include the no. 24 to Coral Gables and the C, K, and S, which all connect to South Beach and run north. $1.50 (exact change only). The Metrorail system makes 22 stops, each a mile apart, along a single north-south line between Palmetto and Dadeland South. Tourists, though, can use it as a quick option to whiz down to Coral Gables. $1.50 (exact change only). Free shuttles South Beach Local 305/535-9160, Metromover 305/770-3131, Coral Gables Trolley 305/460-5070, coralgables.com/cgweb/trolley.aspxConvenient, district-specific public transport includes the South Beach Local (25¢), which runs in a loop from Washing-ton Ave. to Dade Blvd. and then to Alton Rd. Downtown, the Metromover light-rail (free) ribbons around the central business district, making regular stops on the waterfront and in the Brickell and Omni districts. Coral Gables has its own daytime trolley service (free), which whisks you from Douglas Rd. to the Miracle Mile, making regular stops on the way. TaxisYou'll have no problem hailing a cab on the streets of South Beach. (Elsewhere in the city is more difficult.) Fares run $1.70 for the first eleventh of a mile, then 20¢ for each additional eleventh of a mile. Call Central Cab, 305/532-5555. WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND TOWN   Ocean Drive magazine, oceandrive.com   The Miami Herald's weeklong listings supplement, free with the newspaper every Friday   Miami New Times, miaminewtimes.com   Go Anywhere, Do Anything magazine (GADA)   Deco Drive TV show, nightly on WSVN-TV, Channel 7 TOURS The Urban Tour Host305/663-4455, miamiculturaltours.comChoose from an array of thematic tours: Watch workers roll cigars in Little Havana, see the homes of early Bahamian settlers, or join ecoguides in Everglades National Park. Call for schedule and pickup points. From $49 per person, includes lunch. Historical Museum of South Florida tours101 W. Flagler St., 305/375-1621, historical-museum.orgRotating schedule of about 20 historical walking and cycling trips that take in every aspect of the city: guided ghost walks, boat tours of the Miami River, and bike rides to the Bacardi Buildings on Biscayne Blvd. Call or check the website for current schedule. From $15. Miami Design Preservation League1001 Ocean Dr., 305/672-2014, mdpl.orgHighly recommended. Informative tours of the deco highlights run by the South Beach-based preservation society, which cherry-picks the best buildings along Collins and Washington aves., as well as Ocean Dr. $20. Wed.-Sun. NUMBERS TO KNOW   Information 411   Emergencies Police, fire, ambulance 911   Area codes 305, 786   Tourist info 800/933-8448   Sports, theater & concert tickets Ticketmaster 305/358-5885

SEE Musée Carnavalet23 rue de Sévigné, 01/44-59-58-58, paris.fr/musees/musee_carnavaletComposed of two beautiful Renaissance mansions situated amid manicured gardens, the museum charts the history of Paris through the belle epoque (late 1800s to WWI) and the present day. Paintings, sculptures, Neolithic archeological finds, and maps. Free. SEE Place des VosgesTidy early-17th-century row houses surround a grassy square. Their stately, formal elegance epitomizes architecture in the Marais, much of which was built for aristocrats. Businesses under the arcade, which wraps around the square, provide opportunities for splurging on clothes and art. EAT Au Petit Fer à Cheval30 rue Vieille du Temple, 01/42-72-47-47, cafeine.comThe kitchen at the "Little Horseshoe" (named for its U-shaped bar) keeps cooking until 1 a.m. It has a deserved reputation for moderately priced, robust French cuisine (the duck confit in particular). Weathered white tiles, chipped mirrors, and old wooden subway seats provide charm. EAT Brasserie Louis Philippe66 quai de l'Hôtel de Ville, 01/42-72-29-42Unpretentious, unrenovated fin de siècle decor-faded mirrors, tiles, ironwork, and a wood-and-leather spiral staircase. Order a steak in pepper or blue-cheese sauce. EAT Minh Chau10 rue de la Verrerie, 01/42-71-13-30One of the Marais's cheapest, friendliest restaurants, which is why it's usually packed. Refuel with such Vietnamese staples as spring and imperial rolls wrapped in mint leaves, and sautéed beef and onions over rice. EAT Sacha Finkelsztajn 27 rue des Rosiers, 01/42-72-78-91, laboutiquejaune.comA landmark bakery in the Jewish part of the Marais offering Yiddish goodies like fresh bread with poppy seeds and lemon cheesecake. It even has free samples. Unoccupied stools are rare, so consider a picnic on the grass at the nearby Place des Vosges. DRINK Beige13 rue des Archives, 01/42-71-69-69The wall along the sidewalk at this minimalist café slides open in warm weather, providing a breezy view of life in the fashionable Marais. While away the hours in one of the comfortable armchairs. DRINK La Belle Hortense31 rue Vieille du Temple, 01/48-04-71-60, cafeine.comA diminutive bookstore-bar that triples as a gallery and quadruples as a wineshop; it also occasionally holds literary events. DRINK Politburo25 rue du Roi de Sicile, 06/13-25-82-78 The walls are red, and 1920s-style Soviet Constructivist posters hang from the walls, but what really sets this bar apart are the inexpensive cocktails in a neighborhood that isn't. Rotating photograph exhibitions, too. SHOP Blaq Out52 rue Charlot, 01/42-77-88-18, blaqout.comFor DVDs of documentary, indie, and auteur films the chain stores can't be bothered with. The friendly employees enjoy guessing your tastes and suggesting titles (even if they don't carry them). The shop stocks discs in different languages and hosts public get-togethers with directors and actors. SHOP Iglaïne12 rue de la Grande-Truanderie, 01/42-36-19-91Affordable vintage garb from decades past. French Navy pantaloons, Hawaiian flower-print shirts, and leather slacks are easy finds, but rarities-say, a strapless raffia clutch-do crop up. PLAY Forum des ImagesForum des Halles, down the Porte St-Eustache stairs located in place Carrée, 01/44-76-62-00, forumdesimages.net Paris's largest vidéothèque screens more than 6,500 films shot in the capital (Breathless, Last Tango in Paris, etc.). Movie lovers select the film they want from a database, and then enjoy their choice on miniscreens designed for three or four viewers. The collection, dating from 1896, is touted as the "memory of Paris." E5.50 for two hours of viewing. PLAY Les Bains7 rue du Bourg l'Abbé, 01/48-87-01-80Dress über-hip and wipe off the smile for the detached cool look needed to get into this club. (Warning: Lines and wait times can sometimes test one's patience.) The institution suffered somewhat from a botched 2004 renovation, but it's still frequented by such aristocrats as Madonna, Brad Pitt, and Diddy, who once commandeered the turntables to wild cheering. Autograph-hunting deemed gauche.

SEE Passage Vendôme3 place de la RépubliqueThe arcade is a good example of France's early-19th-century shopping malls; it remains unrestored, unlike most of its polished, upscale cousins scattered around the grand boulevards to the west. The walkway is illuminated with "zenith lighting," or a glass roof. Closes at 8 p.m. SEE Promenade PlantéeAccess along avenue Daumesnil, promenade-plantee.orgBuilt atop a disused elevated railway, the walkway makes for a bird's-eye glimpse of life below. Underneath lies the Viaduc des Arts, a series of brick arches converted into well-heeled showrooms and artisan ateliers selling furniture, tapestries, musical instruments, and jewelry. EAT Café de l'Industrie16-17 rue St-Sabin, 01/47-00-13-53Reliable French food such as quiche and boeuf bourguignon (beef stewed in red wine) served amid eclectic decor and funky accents such as enormous tortoise shells, which hang on the wall. It attracts in-the-know locals and artsy globetrotters. EAT Chez Paul13 rue de Charonne, 01/47-00-34-57A bustling boîte with low ceilings and close tables. The menu features affordable highlights from France's cuisine traditionnelle, including rabbit thighs stuffed with mint and goat cheese. EAT Paris-Hanoi74 rue de Charonne, 01/47-00-47-59The cheapest trendy ethnic joint in town, so expect to dine with your elbows pinned to your sides. Try a Vietnamese dish of chicken sautéed in either ginger or citronella (lemongrass). EAT Pause Café Bastille41 rue de Charonne, 01/48-06-80-33A café where most habitués just plop down for an afternoon coffee or cool drink on the ample terrace, which gets great amounts of sunshine when the weather permits. Terrific for people-watching. SHOP 77029 rue Beaurepaire, 01/42-02-07-88Inexpensive vintage clothes and new knockoffs of the trendy look. But the real treat is the charm of Canal St-Martin, Paris's most laid-back waterfront, lined with sidewalk cafés and baby strollers. SHOP Le Night Shop34 rue de Lappe, 06/88-04-26-40An embodiment of the Cool Paris Hipster Boutique: a small, unisex space with colorful 1970s clothes and paintings by local and international unknowns. It keeps alternative business hours-until 2 a.m.-to be in sync with the well-known party scene that's sprouted around the street's proliferation of bars. Closed Sun. SHOP The Lazy Dog2 passage Thiéré, 01/58-30-94-76, thelazydog.frStocks a great selection of books and magazines on graphic art-many in English. Titles include such fashionable disciplines as Japanese junk-food packaging and American indie fonts. PLAY BatofarOpposite 11 quai François Mauriac, 01/53-60-17-30, batofar.orgThis former lightship, now a nightclub moored on the Left Bank south of the Bastille, is a research center for French cool-hunters. Its scènes d'été, or DJ parties, on summer Sunday aftenoons are especially popular-people come to lounge and hear expert DJs. Cover from E5 (but occasionally free). PLAY La Scène Bastille2 bis rue des Taillandiers, 01/48-06-50-70, la-scene.comA buzzing venue for above-average soul, rock, reggae, rap, and electronica bands, and DJs, with a lounge and second bar separate from the thundering concert and dance hall. Cover from E10. PLAY Le Sanz Sans49 rue du Faubourg St-Antoine, 01/44-75-78-78, sanzsans.comA slice of the capital's decadent dance scene, bringing together trappings of Baudelairian Paris-velvet-covered walls, paintings in gilded frames, deep armchairs, and purplish lighting-and techno music culture. Real-time video of the dance floor and bar, where bartenders on the main level whack cymbals on swinging lights, is screened in the chill-out mezzanine. No cover. TIPSee a fashion show Not invited to the big runway shows in Paris? Try the free weekly fashion shows at Printemps and Galeries Lafayette, two Parisian department stores with locations on boulevard Haussmann. Printemps shows are Tuesdays at 10 a.m. (printemps.com); Galeries Lafayette's are Fridays at 11 a.m. Reserve in advance at welcome@galerieslafayette.com.

SEE Centre National de la Photographie11 rue Berryer, 01/53-76-12-32 Exhibitions of iconic international and emerging French photographers in the neoclassical Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild town house. E4.60. Closed Tues. SEE La Samaritaine19 rue de la Monnaie, 01/40-41-20-20, lasamaritaine.comAn art nouveau department store with eye-popping price tags. However, the rooftop's open-air observatoire offers a view of Paris for free. Just take the escalators to the top. EAT Le Zinc d'Honoré36 place du Marché St-Honoré, 01/49-27-05-00The epitome of a Parisian sidewalk café: Marble tables are surrounded by rattan chairs and menus scribbled on portable chalkboards. The fine food includes dishes such as grilled lamb with hazelnuts seasoned with herbes de Provence. EAT Angélina Salon de Thé 226 rue de Rivoli, 01/42-60-82-00Don't let the belle epoque decor and waiters in tuxedos intimidate you: Jeans-clad travelers fit in just fine. The fluffy quiche lorraine and tart fruit sorbets have carved out a reputation, but the real treat is the warm, slurpy hot chocolate (chocolat africain), served with whipped cream on the side. SPLURGE Le Fumoir6 rue de l'Amiral de Coligny, 01/42-92-00-24, lefumoir.fr"The Smoking Room," replete with leather armchairs and a library, has an expensive, ever-changing menu, which includes seared tuna and pistachio pie. (Try for a window seat for a view of the Louvre and the St-Germain-l'Auxerrois Gothic church.) DRINK Buddha Bar 8 rue Boissy d'Anglas, 01/53-05-90-00, buddha-bar.comThe Buddha lives up to his rep. Join the smartly dressed hipsters imbibing away in the shadow of the famed 10-foot potbellied statue. Dinner is served, but the best vibes rev up after 11 p.m. on the upper-level bar. SHOP Drouot9 rue Drouot, 01/48-00-20-20, drouot.frFrance's oldest auction house sells everything from bottles of wine (from E30) to paintings (from E100). There's no charge to watch and anyone can participate. Multilingual booklets explain the rules-you can blurt out your bids in English, but understanding French numbers helps you follow the competitors. Auctions most days. Check online for schedule. SHOP Yoba11 rue du Marché St-Honoré, 01/40-41-04-06, yobaparis.comAn iconic lingerie boutique. Each Thursday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., women (no men allowed) gather to sip free champagne and talk about sex, bra sizes, and the pros and cons of lace. SHOP Reciproque88-101 rue de la Pompe, 01/47-04-30-28, reciproque.frParis's largest luxury consignment shop, divided into seven boutiques, is your best shot at bagging Chanel or Dior without selling your blood. Although everything here is secondhand, it's rigorously selected. PLAY Au Bec Fin6 rue Thérèse, 01/42-96-29-35This whimsical café-theater in a 1659 stone building stages comedies and thrillers by contemporary playwrights. Some are in English. With only 50 seats, there's not a bad one in the house. Dinner at the adjacent restaurant is optional, but cheap-here's an opportunity to sample garlic-sautéed frog legs. E14; E30 with dinner. SPLURGE Mandala Ray32-34 rue Marbeuf, 01/56-88-36-36, manray.frA lounge-bar-restaurant, with a posh Zen look, that's partly owned by Johnny Depp, Sean Penn, and John Malkovich (each known to make an occasional appearance); it's a magnet for lower-orbit stars in need of a cooler image. DRINK YOUR WAY TO THE BOTTOM OF THINGSFlex your French or just enjoy the romantic stereotype of that quintessential Parisian cultural mecca: the intellectual café. Café des Phares7 place de la Bastille (Métro: Bastille), 01/42-72-04-70People thirsty for cerebral stimulation gather at Paris's leading café philosophique on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. A moderator chooses a subject on the spot, so you can't bone up to show off. Recent topics include "The Notion of Time" and "When Does Childhood End?" Au Père Tranquille 16 rue Pierre Lescot (Métro: Les Halles), 01/45-08-00-34At 8 p.m. on the second Wednesday of every month, an expert lectures on anything from aerodynamics to women in physics. Debate ensues. Free. Café Psycho13 rue de Médicis (RER: Luxembourg), 01/43-25-21-81, cafe-psycho.comGuest lecturers discuss a subject (think obsessive-compulsive disorder) on Thursdays at 7 p.m. The bistro dinner is optional, but entrées are reasonable. Private "work rooms" are available after the talk-for discussion, not therapy. Café de la Mairie8 place St-Sulpice (Métro: St-Sulpice), 01/43-26-67-82, cafedelamour.free.frThe former owner of a matchmaking agency moderates a discussion about love on Mondays at 8 p.m. E5 plus one-drink minimum.