by Cubby

Grab your porkpie hat, dancing shoes, a few beers (or course), and get ready to relive an invasion. That's right South Florida hepcats, for one night it will feel like it's 1997 when clubland was in the middle of a ska gold rush. And there's no better band in the land to grab your dancing shoes for than the outfit that helped start it all-the Toasters.

As summer temperatures soar, Cubby takes a look at where the beautiful people go to play outdoors.

The neon lights of South Beach burn brightly year-long and the nightlife playground of internationally acclaimed nightclubs, lounges, bars and restaurants never closes. Tropical temperatures are often blamed for endless nights of bacchanalian behavior, but in South Beach it's a nightly occurrence.

First-time visitors to South Beach are often overwhelmed by the scope and diversity of nightlife entertainment. The neon studded Ocean Drive hosts a constant parade of strollers making the ocean-front cafes ideal spots for people watching. Among the favorites on Ocean Drive are News Café (a South Beach landmark open 24 hours), Les Deux Fontaines/Speakeasy Bar, (a French eatery boasting fine cuisine with an incredible ocean view), STUDIO (a newly opened restaurant/bar featuring art exhibitions in the old Palace Bar & Grill space), the Front Porch Café (a locals favorite) and the Clevelander (an ocean front café/club complete with outdoor bar, pool, café and live entertainment).

An Ocean Drive stroll isn't complete without a stop at Mango's Tropical Café, where a good time is guaranteed as all the employees are entertainers and the show is continuous. Most of South Beach's nightclubs are located on Washington Avenue, but you can find two entertainment complexes at either end of Ocean Drive. Billboardlive, a multilevel nightclub offering a variety of music, DJs and live, is located at the north end (1500 Ocean Drive). Farther south at One Ocean Drive is the Penrod's complex, which boasts an elegant upstairs restaurant/champagne bar called Pearl and a downstairs restaurant/bar/beach club known as the Nikki Beach Club--the site of Ibiza-themed beach parties filled with gorgeous models (lounging on hammocks, hiding in teepees and wearing practically nothing).

Several South Beach clubs offer outdoor patios for stargazing and romantic toasts under the most beautiful moon in the world. Opium Garden, located on Collins Avenue just a couple of blocks from Nikki Beach Club is a multilevel club with an Oriental Garden surrounded by a variety of bars (upstairs and down) and a Hip-Hop upstairs. RAIN, a recent addition to the club lineup, located on 23rd Street in the space formerly known as Groove Jet, features a back patio for dancing and mingling. Reopening this year with a new look, BASH (655 Washington Ave.) also boasts a back patio with its own bar, mural-covered walls and a second DJ booth.

Another club with an outdoor patio is Club Space, located in downtown Miami, which quickly become a favorite with "seasoned" club-goers since it stays open late and often offers after-hours (with a 24 hour liquor license)--so bring your sunglasses. While you're in the neighborhood (downtown Miami) check out the new Living Room (also offering after-hours parties).

Although the lights inside the South Beach clubs are quite dazzling, nothing compares to the moon over Miami and the allure of a star-filled tropical sky. With South Beach's abundant supply of outdoor cafes, couples who prefer sipping champagne under the stars without the beat of club music have a myriad of choices at their disposal. Lincoln Road, a walking mall located between Alton Road and Washington Avenue, is packed with cafes offering dining and cocktails under the stars. While seated on Lincoln Road you'll also see the world walk by, so intimacy isn't on the menu. The Van Dyke Café, located in the heart of Lincoln Road, offers indoor and outdoor seating on the ground level with a second level that offers more intimate seating as well as live jazz.

Tantra, a restaurant with an elegant yet eclectic décor, has brought a bit of the outdoors inside--the front bar is carpeted with grass, and there's even a hammock in the back room. Most people are taken aback when they realize that they're walking on grass, yet they're safely inside enjoying the comforts of air-conditioning and loud music. Most visitors to Miami have had already spent all day basking in the sun by the pool or on the beach so they're happy to be dancing inside. Nightspots like Level, crobar, Rumi, Spin, Blue, Lola, Mynt and Honey are all within blocks of the beach if a late night stroll under the stars is on your agenda.

Miami nights sparkle, so enjoy South Beach's nocturnal playground whether it's under the twinkling stars or the pulsing strobe lights. But if you take a moonlight stroll after clubbing, don't be adventurous and wander away from the lights or into a secluded area off the beach. Be warned--the beach is covered with sand (don't ruin those Gucci's) and officially closed from Midnight to 5am, but the walkway between 5th and 15th Streets is open round the clock (and well lit). My advice is to take the romantic walk before clubbing and enjoy a cab ride from the club to your hotel. Miami has the most beautiful moon in the world, but if you can't see the moon you should be walking under a streetlight.

For club addresses and phone numbers, see our club listings on page