Treehouse Miami Opens With Ess & Emm and Troy Kurtz

Ess & Emm at the Treehouse Grand Opening .

​Maybe you lost your virginity in a tree house. Maybe you used to steal your pop's old Playboys and flip through them with a flashlight. Maybe it's where you drank your first 40-ouncer and smoked your first cigarette.

Fast forward a decade or so, and now you've got Treehouse Miami. The place opened its doors on Friday to the sounds of Ess & Emm and Troy Kurtz. The event also featured a two-hour open bar. Hooray for free Goose!

Hit the jump for details and pictures of the opening.

The concept is clear, but I had higher expectations for the decor. The first room captures the theme more than any other: the bar resembles a rope wall and it's done up with knick knacks and lanterns. You had that youthful urge to reach up, grab the rope, and give it a swing.
 
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The second room is bigger. But aside from the occasional lantern and fake candle, the only extra design touch was a set of mounted golf clubs. Though the walls in both rooms are entirely wooden, the abandonment of detail in the second room made the space feel more like Noah's Ark than a refuge of youthful rebellion. Had it not been for the flashing lights and pounding beats, you could have easily assumed that you were trapped inside a wooden crate.

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The outdoor area slightly missed the mark as well. For some bizarre reason, only one of the two entrances to the terrace were open, causing an unnecessary build up of bodies to get outside. The bar featured hanging tree lights that offered a calmer mood than the party inside, but the surrounding lounge area fell flat. There were no real "trees," just those tall bush-like things that you find inside your doctor's office.

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Overall, it was still refreshing to see a new concept on the Beach, though it may not meet the vivid expectations the name inspires. The dress code seemed to be a little more lenient and the vibe never really felt pretentious.

Treehouse is the brainchild of owner Jeremy Waks and designer Dave Glass. Overthrow has partnered with them in providing entertainment, so we can probably expect the collective's artists (think Tamara Sky, Pirate Stereo, and the like) to make regular appearances.

Treehouse. 323 23rd St, Miami Beach. Call 305-674-4478 or visit treehousemiami.com. 

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