Miami's spice: a multicultural mecca. African Americans will enjoy visiting this stateside hot spot.

A sprawling urban metropolis, Miami, like its music, is a mix of cultures. Latin salsa, jamaican reggae and Haitian compas blend with African-American rap, rhythm and blues, and good old American rock `n' roll to define the Miami sound. It is this blend of African-American, Caribbean and Hispanic cultures peppering the mainstream that flamboyantly evokes the Miami vacation experience.

The hot spot in Miami these days is South Beach, the historic section of Miami Beach known for its Art Deco hotels. Sidewalk cafes and bars line the street along Collins Ave., where you can survey the trendy beach scene from midday to the wee hours of the morning. It is here you'll find the colorful ShaBeen's Cookshack & Bar (1200 Collins Ave. , a black-owned Jamaican restaurant in the Marlin Hotel where an eclectic mix of patrons gather for drinks, before heading off into the bustling night scene. It is also here that the city's first major black-owned hotel, Sheraton Suites Hotel, will be developed by late 1996. The hotel should fit in nicely with its Art Deco neighbors, and nearby resorts such as the Fontainebleau Hilton and Doral Ocean Beach Resort. Another new edition to the South Beach scene is Glam Slam (1235 Washington Ave. , the latest addition to the night club portfolio of the artist formerly known as Prince.

A fun place for tourists to shop and hang out is the Bayside Marketplace (401 Biscayne Blvd. at N.E. 3rd St.), Miami's culturally diverse mall complex. Among the myriad of shops are 32 African-American-owned businesses, including the mall's logo shop, Bayside To Go, owned by Carole Ann Taylor. Besides shopping, there's an outdoor marina amphitheater and park that features daily live entertainment, from bands to balloon artists.

Miami features dozens of other attractions that the entire family will love, including the Miami Seaquarium, the Miami Museum of Science and the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, an Italian Renaissance-styled villa surrounded by 10 acres of formal gardens on Biscayne Bay.

Sporting types will love Miami, as there is so much to do in this tropical climate with all the amenities of a major city. There is, of course, swimming off the beaches, along with boating, fishing and scuba diving--not to mention golf and tennis. (Hint: Check out the 99 PGA championship holes at the Doral Resort and Country Club.

If you prefer watching your sports instead of playing them, there's professional football at Joe Robbie Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins, while the Miami Arena is home to the NBA's Miami Heat, as well as the scene for many of the city's major concerts.

And, if you enjoy "the races," there's horse racing at Calder and Hialeah Park and dog racing at Biscayne and Flagler race tracks.

After work, black professionals can be found networking on Wednesdays and Friday's at the jazz Room in the Studio 183 complex (2860 N.W. 183rd St. and 27th Ave.). Marc O'Ferrall, national sales manager for the Doral Ocean Beach Resort, entertains clients at South Beach or Coconut Grove. O'Ferrall says Joe's Stone Crab on South Beach is great for lunch or dinner. He also recommends his hotel's restaurant, Alfredo's: Original of Rome, for its Northern Italian cuisine and exclusive dining atmosphere, high above the beach crowds.

"Miami is a great place; the sun is always shining," says O'Ferrall. "It's the only city of its kind on the East Coast--both a city and a beach resort. We provide people with every experience imaginable."

RELATED ARTICLE: TRAVEL TALK

QUESTION: What can I do to keep better track of my travel and entertainment expenses?

ANSWER: Despite hardline corporate policies, more employees are traveling on business and entertaining clients. According to the 1994 American Express Survery of Business Travel Management, companies spent an average of $2,484 a year per employee on T&E expenses. To organize and control T&E expenses, individuals and companies should keep in mind:

* Always, always, save receipts;

* Never use cash. Use a corporate travel card or a personal credit card; it's easier to track expenses and if receipts are lost, the statement will list expenses. Also, when traveling abroad, the exchange rate is better when you use a credit card;

* If you have a hard time keeping track of T&E expenses, use the airline ticket envelope to stick all your receipts inside for that trip;

* To control T&E spending, businesses should establish a policy and assign a travel manager, or one person whose duties include travel management. This person enforces the policy and tracks expense reporting.