This is the first time in three years that I've decided to embrace Art Basel Miami. A lot of people I spoke with wondered how different this year's would be because of the economy, but staying at the newly minted Fontainebleau, you'd hardly notice that a recession has been in full swing for over a year. Funny, this is where I also stayed three years ago, but now it's barely recognizable. This place is so NICE and so HIP. It's like what people say in New York -- uptown is the new downtown. Last night in the lobby, before heading to PUMAVision and the Rubell Family dinner for the exhibition and book 30 Americans, I spotted A-Ron the Downtown Don chatting with Paul Sevigny. A-Ron's been down here for a while working on the "It Ain't Fair" fair at O.H.W.O.W. (Our House West of Wynwood) and A.R.E Weapons were down here to perform and DJ and various O.H.W.O.W. shindigs.

The 30 Americans dinner was held at Pacific Time in the Design District. The affair was to celebrate the Rubell Family Museum's new collection that consists of works by 30 African American artists and PUMAVision's "Reality Bag No. 2" launch. All the artists have collaborated on the "content" of the bag. A lot of New York journalists were there as well as a bevy of international editors from all over the world including China and India. I ran into Ryan McGinley who rode up there on a moped. Kehinde Wiley, who's among the 30 artists, was present in a coral- colored suit alongside many other artists who are in the show. I was most excited to see one of my favorite artists, the beautiful Shirin Neshat, there as well. The night was a wee bit chilly.

After the dinner, we did the obligatory party hopping. First, Sagamore for the Tokion party only to find out that we had totally missed Grace Jones at the Delano; then the Raleigh for the Deitch party with The Gossip; drinks and A.R.E Weapons DJ-ing at Bella Rose; then the Delano to see the Weapons. This is just the first night.