Shireen's Favorite Things

Jungle Island, 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami, Florida 33132

I’m obsessed with three things in life: shoes, vodka and flamingos (not necessarily in that order. ) So imagine my delight when I got wind of Jungle Island’s new brainchild: yummy hamburgers and my favorite fabulous pink, feathery friends. The food and flamingo shenanigans are all about highlighting the parks new cafe, Island Burger. The gist: eat food and watch flamingos.

With one of my favorite Deco Drive producers, I hightailed it over to Island Burger (which is right in front of Jungle Island) last week to enjoy an incredibly delicious Cuban Burger (there are 12 mouth-watering beef patties to choose from,) all whilst watching pink flamingos saunter about the park’s lush greenery.

It was nothing short of magical; with beautiful So-Flo winter temperatures, great food and a chance to escape a dark television studio while eating with a good friend. The entire situation gave me a major moment of jungle love (“oh-we oh-we-oh.”) My stop at the ever-so-famous park didn’t end there, though; the park offered me a tour of its featured attractions, allowing me to pair-up my favorite fall fashions with some of its exotic animals.

The flamingos were a no-brainer, fashionably speaking. We wanted to showcase the whimsical side of Florida fashion, which is always on display year around because of our sub tropical temps. Dominique’s Boutique hooked us up with everything pink! Fluffy, frilly and beyond girly was the goal. It’s not everyday a fashionista gets to hang out with her favorite feathery friends. The birds were delicate, dashing and oh-so dainty. They scare easily, so we had to be extra diligent when it came to movement while shooting pictures. The slower, the better. The result: everyone was pretty in pink.

Up next: my new best friend, Manny, the fluffy and friendly Lemur (who hails from Madagascar.) Manny’s rich and beautiful deep dark colors allowed us to really get into the textures of fall. A chic animal print dress, paired with strong accessories and a crocheted beanie cap helped set the mood. Honestly, though, Manny stole the show without even trying. I mean, look at those eyes! Our ode to the jungle outfit was also head-to-toe Dominique Boutique.

Birds of a feather flock together (at least at Jungle Island, they do!) I’ve always loved the beautiful and vivacious colors of tropical birds. Showcasing their vibrancy was easy in a bright green jumper from Hollen & Jen’s Vintage Showroom. It’s actually a piece I collected some time ago, but it’s hard to wear green on television due to the green screen, so instead, I waited for the perfect fashion moment to debut the vintage onesie and well, this seemed to be it. Added bonus: it has sleeves and having a parrot perched on your shoulders is a better experience with a little material under its talons.

Jungle Island is one of my favorite things because it’s the kind of place where you can lose yourself in the beauty of nature; recharging the mind, body and spirit. Besides, sometimes a fashionista just needs a break from the hustle and bustle of the big city and it doesn’t get much better than a “Cheeseburger in Paradise.”

The park is located in the heart of the Magic City; just off the MacArthur Causeway (I-395) in between Downtown Miami and South Beach. Island Burger is conveniently placed at the front of Jungle Island and accessible without entering the park. There’s plenty of parking for both venues; with a roomy garage that validates your ticket if you’re just breezing through to pick-up lunch.

Jungle Island is open 365 days a year! Usual hours are Monday-Sunday 10am-5pm.
Island Burger is open Monday-Friday 11am-3pm & Saturday-Sunday 11am-5pm.