Where for Art thou? Well, for starters, thou should try Miami Beach where this year marks the eight annual convergence of more than 250 fine and contemporary art galleries from around the world.

This year marks my first Art Basel Miami Beach and all I can say is….WOW.

If you are an art lover or just want to see where the world’s best-dressed come to hang out during the first week of December, the answer is South Beach. This international art show is, without a doubt, a once in a lifetime experience that everyone should attend.

I arrived on Wednesday, December 2nd aka opening day at 11pm and am staying at the newly opened and uber hipster W hotel which seems to be the hottest hotel on the beach and is a convenient 5-minute drive from the Miami Convention Center where the main show takes place.

For those that have never been, this is how it works: the finest and most prestigious galleries showcase their works in the Convention Center where you basically walk up and down dozens of rows to view their booths. I cannot emphasize what a treat this is. It’s like visiting the world’s largest fine and modern art museum where EVERYTHING is for sale. Pining for a Picasso? They’ve got ‘em. Tempted by Thiebaud? You can have his cake, or two, or three.

You can peruse paintings with the likes of Lance Armstrong and Wolfgang Puck, not to mention several bankers under indictment (no joke). (Btw, Lance is so not cute in person, I hate to burst anyone’s Live Strong bubble).

Once you visit the Convention Center, you then have the option of venturing to all of the peripheral shows that pepper the city where you can view the latest in graffiti art and Japanese porn animation. I will be visiting some of these today and tomorrow and will share today’s musings in tomorrow’s post.

After returning to the W, we made three stops before calling it a night. First, we stopped by the Maybach cocktail party where the luxury motor vehicle manufacturer showcased their lastest hot wheels. Then we made our way aboard a sailboat for the Casa Dragones tequila launch party. At 11pm, we shmoozed with friends at Nikki Beach (one of Miami’s hottest nightclubs) where we had a table in honor of the topless burlesque show flown in for the week from The Box in New York (think Cirque du Soleil meets the Pussycat Dolls).

Before turning in to our room, we may or may not have consumed the BEST pizza I have ever had in our friend’s suite at 3am.

But as a member of the Faux Diet Club, then you’ll know that if you can’t remember the name of the restaurant from which the pizza came, then the calories don’t count (wink).

Tune in tomorrow, for Day Two – More Musings from Miami.