Weekends are more than just football with these new events at area lounges

By Lesley Abravanel9/21/2012

Turning Japanese
Katsuya at the SLS Hotel South Beach (1701 Collins Ave., Miami Beach) is launching Samurai Sundays, a new weekly 'thing' from 9 p.m. to midnight beginning Sunday, Sept. 23 in the restaurant's swanky Dragon Lounge. Evening features a "Japanese speakeasy" vibe, DJ Luigi, and specially priced cocktails.

Going Somewhere?
HaVen Gastro-Lounge (1237 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach) wants you to get away, but not go too far. Enter Destination Saturdays, a new monthly 'do from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. featuring a different "location" starting on Saturday, Sept. 22 with Mykonos, Greece. How does one get to Greece via South Beach, you ask? Well, for starters, the restaurant's staff will play dress up, sporting pilot and flight attendant costumes; those distracting high def video walls will do its best in tricking you that you're in a plane and, eventually, in Mykonos. You have to be there, we guess. But at least you don't have to go that far.

A Heady Schedule
The Brickell Irish Pub (1451 S. Miami Ave., Miami) is gearing up for Oktoberfest from noon to 7 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday now through Oct. 7 with an outdoor Pop-Up Beer Garden, a fancy term for drinking craft, local and seasonal beer on the outdoor terrace. That terrace, however, will "transform itself into an enchanting outdoor garden complete with plants, rustic lights, umbrellas and social seating." Anti-social seating will also be available for those people with their heads buried in their phones.

Into the Sunset
The Mondrian South Beach (1100 West Ave., Miami Beach) is sending the off season into the sunset with its new weekly cocktail confab, Sunset Fridays, where the chic elite, a Kardashian or two, and assorted other types will gather from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. for pricey--er, specialty cocktails, small plates, music by Patrick M and Brandon Rullan and those views, oh those priceless views.