We love art! You got to--to appreciate this space. Great staff Rachel (so informative), Alex in…read morespray paint, and Alex -the one checking tickets- all sooo friendly and great. Rachel is above and beyond awesome. Beautiful art space outdoor and indoor (this was a great break from the heat). The outdoor fans, great idea but they aren't cold so not helping anyone cool off hehe On our second visit we brought the kids and did some spray painting on canvases and a skateboard. Such a great experience. Alex and her partner Andres were so helpful made the experience very enjoyable.

Wynwood Art Walk Tours isn't just walking past murals. It's walking with someone who knows which…read morewalls have stories attached, which artists took risks, which pieces cost the neighborhood something. The murals themselves are massive and they're professional, but scale alone doesn't make art work. Context does. Shepard Fairey's augmented reality layer is the differentiator here. It's not a gimmick. When you scan a mural with your phone, the piece opens up into layers and motion. It's the artist's way of saying "there's more here than what you see." It works because it's restrained, not constantly pulling you into your screen. You're still in the neighborhood. You're just seeing deeper. The guide we had knew the economics of gentrification in Wynwood. Knew which artists have been here for years and which are new money. Knew the politics of murals, why some walls get painted and others get buffed, why some artists collaborate and some don't. That knowledge cost something to build. You're paying for it. We took three teenagers, ages 14-17. Not a group naturally inclined to stand still for street art. They asked questions about technique, about why certain artists choose certain walls, about whether the AR experience changes how you see the piece or adds distraction. They engaged. That's not about impressive art alone, that's about the tour structure creating room for actual thinking instead of passive consumption. The neighborhood is dense and chaotic and intentional all at once. You'll see pieces that are technically flawless next to pieces that are deliberately rough. Some murals are massive, some are character-scale. Some artists are making statements about politics, some about beauty, some about ownership. The variation is what keeps it alive. A sanitized art walk would kill this. Walking it yourself is free and worth doing once. Walking it with the tour is $29 and worth doing if you want to understand why these walls matter to the city and why some artists chose to paint them. The difference is context. Context costs something, but you leave with more than photos. The sun hits different at 4 PM than at 11 AM, so timing matters if photography is part of your thing. The neighborhood gets foot traffic but it's not overwhelming. You're in a real place, not a theme park. That texture is part of why this works.

George Merrick is the founder of the City of Coral Gables. His family came to Miami from PA two…read moreyears after Henry Flagler brought the railroad to Florida. It was the dawn of the development of Florida. George Merrick attended Rollins College in Winter Park and in 1922 he meticulously planned Coral Gables. The houses were so well made that they survived hurricanes before there were building codes and his architecture was so charming that Coral gables is called the city beautiful. He also created the University of Miami. At first he wanted his buildings to be strictly Spanish and later Mediterranean style. Eventually he expanded his vision to include seven unique villages inspired by different international influences. The villages were built during the land boom years in the 1920's. It was a joint venture between Merrick, The American Building Company and former Ohio Governor Myers Cooper. The original plan was for more 1,000 residences in a series of villages based on architecture from around the world. The plan was never fully realized when the housing boom crashed from two hurricanes followed by the Great Depression. In the end only seven villages were built including this Italian Village. By 1928 George Merrick was forced out of the city he founded and ended up in the Keys. He returned to the city two years before he died to serve as postmaster. You can learn more about George Merrick by taking a tour of his family home in Coral Gables. The Italian Village was designed by architects Frank Wyatt Woods, Pierson, Skinner, Alfred L. Klingbeil, R.F. Ware, and Robert Law Weed who took their inspiration from 17th century Italian farmhouses. This is the largest of Merrick's villages. The homes have street facing entrances, walled gardens and exterior stairways. There are seventeen buildings located within San Antonio Avenue, San Esteban, Segovia Street and Monserrate Streets. All are private residences so you can only view them from the street but there are some interior pictures online from when they come up for sale. I love how the outside themes are carried throughout the interior of the houses. The homes in the villages are some of the most sought after residences in the Gables. Today there 80 homes left. Expect to pay well over a million for an Italian village house. They rarely go up for sale and are always in high demand. Once you see them you can easily understand why they are so popular.

Coral Gables has quite a few "Villages", that depict different architectural styles from around the…read moreworld (see my other reviews) for example here in Coral Gables - we have Chinese, French, Italian and Dutch. This review is about the Italian village - see below for some more information regarding it. Please look a the pictures I managed to capture of one of the Italian style homes I saw from my car during the covid. Italian Village Generally bounded by San Antonio Avenue, San Esteban, Segovia Street and Monserrate Street, are seventeen homes inspired by the Italian farm houses. Architects Alfred L. Klingbeil, John and Coulton Skinner, R. F. Ware, and Robert Law Weed designed these residences from 1925-1927.

Another great excursion during your staycation or if you're visiting something other than the…read morebeach! This "village" was built in 1926-1927, and was designed by architects John and Coulton Skinner. They are supposed to resemble a 15th century French village. It's difficult to see much beyond the white stuccoed walls as you walk around the block. However, the profusion of flowers is amazing with wisteria and bougainvillea. The connected houses were not always privately owned. In 1935, the Village was sold to nearby University of Miami and served as homes to five fraternities. Next, during World War II like most of the iconic Art Deco hotels in South Beach, they were used to house soldiers here for training.

George Merrick is the founder of the City of Coral Gables. His family came to Miami from PA two…read moreyears after Henry Flagler brought the railroad to Florida. It was the dawn of the development of Florida. George Merrick attended Rollins College in Winter Park and in 1922 he meticulously planned Coral Gables. The houses were so well made that they survived hurricanes before there were building codes and his architecture was so charming that Coral gables is called the city beautiful. He also created the University of Miami. At first he wanted his buildings to be strictly Spanish and later Mediterranean style. Eventually he expanded his vision to include seven unique villages inspired by different international influences. The villages were built during the land boom years in the 1920's. It was a joint venture between Merrick, The American Building Company and former Ohio Governor Myers Cooper. The original plan was for more 1,000 residences in a series of villages based on architecture from around the world. The plan was never fully realized when the housing boom crashed from two hurricanes followed by the Great Depression. In the end only seven villages were built including this French Normandy Village. By 1928 George Merrick was forced out of the city he founded and ended up in the Keys. He returned to the city two years before he died to serve as postmaster. You can learn more about George Merrick by taking a tour of his family home in Coral Gables. The French Normandy village is based on a 15th century French Village. It is one of three of Merrick's villages that showcases different periods of French architecture. Architects John and Coulton Skinner built the eleven townhouses that make up this village between 1926 and 1927. The townhouses are characterized by hollow tile, poured concrete, and white stucco are crisscrossed with half timbering and topped by flat, shingled, gabled roofs. The grounds have traditional kitchen gardens, enclosed courtyards, and open-air porches. The village is bounded by LeJeune Road, Viscaya Court, Viscaya Avenue, and Alesio Avenue. In 1935 all of the French Normandy townhouses were purchased by the University of Miami to use as men's dormitories. During World War II, they were used as barracks for soldiers. Today they are all privately owned. The homes in the villages are some of the most sought after residences in the Gables. They rarely go up for sale and are always in high demand. Today there are 80 homes left. Expect to pay close to a million for a French Normandy residence. Once you see these beautiful homes you can easily understand why they are so coveted.

The Miami Design District is so much fun to explore and there are exciting discoveries around every…read morecorner. Nestled in between high end stores like Christian Louboutin and Louis Vuitton are exciting pieces of public art like Dollar A Gallon III. Dollar A Gallon III is a sculpture that looks like a rusty Sunoco gas sign sinking into the ground. Actually compared to today, the prices aren't so bad on it. If I ran across this gas station I would definitely stop and fill the tank. At night the gas prices are illuminated. In 2019, artist Virgil Abloh was inspired to create the sculpture by his thoughts on the effects of advertising on the public. He created this piece specifically for the Design District to provoke thought on shopping and brands. Not only is Abloh an artist but he is also an architect, engineer, creative director, and fashion designer. His art work has been shown at the Museum of Contemporary art in Chicago. Abloh is the Chief Creative Director and founder of Off-White and the Men's Artistic Director at Louis Vuitton. It was so nice to find a piece by such a prominent artists. I enjoyed learning more about the artist and the sculpture. The Design District is like a free art museum. You can go on an outdoor treasure hunt to find all of the pieces.

Wacky art? you bet? typical Miami? you beat, what? where? why? see below for info I found on the…read morenet - (be your own judge) Love or hate it, come take a peak! Where? Paseo Ponti, 168 NE 41st Street, Miami, FL 33137 What? Dollar A Gallon III is a sculpture by artist Virgil Abloh presenting a window into the artist's study and research of the effect of advertising on the impressionable. The work serves as a comprehensive lighthouse of mixed media. The framework is reminiscent of a gasoline sign relaying information about various types of gasoline and the respective pricing, while also being the commodity of an advertised sponsor. The series of global occurrences of this work was considered specifically for the Miami Design District, where its final positioning implies the concept of commerce and necessity re-packaged as a brand -- while underscoring the relevancy via location. Ultimately the work is a signature of Abloh's multi-lauded artistic logic emanating in a physical form not limited to any specific medium. Why? - Born in Rockford, Illinois, Virgil Abloh was an artist, architect, engineer, creative director, and fashion designer. After earning a degree in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he completed a master's degree in architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago. At IIT, while studying a design curriculum devised by Mies van der Rohe, Abloh began to craft the principles of his art practice. The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago presented a major traveling survey of Abloh's work in summer 2019--one of the highest attended exhibitions in the museum's history. the late Virgil Abloh was the Chief Creative Director and founder of Off-White™ and Men's Artistic Director at Louis Vuitton.

The Design District has some of the best public art in Miami and this blue glass building façade is…read moreno exception. Completed in 2014 and spanning 17,000 square-feet, it is located over two floors in Palm Court, linking the storefronts with the courtyard in the southern part of the Miami Design District. It was designed by noted award winning Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto who takes his inspiration from nature such as forests, nests, and caves. He seeks to combine nature with architecture. For this piece he was inspired by waterfalls and Miami's torrential rainstorms which is represented by a series of glass fins. I love the blue color and how it cascades over the front of the buildings transforming ordinary store fronts into art. It is one of my favorite pieces to photograph in the Design District. It is so much fun to play with when taking pictures. You can shoot it at different angles and even through it to make creative photos. It is also a great backdrop for portraits and selfies.

Ocean Drive is the most iconic street in Miami Beach, running along South Beach with historic Art…read moreDeco buildings, restaurants, and cafés. The pastel-colored hotels and neon lights make the area feel lively both day and night. Walking here gives you the true South Beach vibe with music, sports cars, and beach views. Even a short stroll along this stretch feels like stepping into a movie scene. At night, the whole area takes on a completely different vibe. Since it's a one way road, you really notice the kind of cars cruising through--and some of them are just incredible to see. The party energy spills out everywhere, with people roaming around freely until the early hours of the morning.

If you haven't been, it's a nice place to visit. We've been numerous of time so it wasn't like we…read morehad ti stop and see and do everything. It is a major tourist trap along the strip with restaurants and bars. They'll solicit you in with deals but once inside, it can be very pricey. Also, be careful with your bill, so many different fees added on as well as gratuity. You may end up tipping double if you don't check. Places does get pretty wild and loud at night and especially on the weekend. It was pretty mellow during the daytime as evening during our stay mid week. Also, weather wasn't that great either. Beside that, it's a staple of your in Miami.

This is a pop up garden inspired by the Baroque gardens of the 17th century with a twist. It was…read morecreated in the Jungle Plaza by the Swiss watch maker OMEGA in the Miami Design District. OMEGA has made medical watches, kick started trends, launched watch technology, and reimagined the classics of the past. Last summer they did a tribute to time keeping in the Olympics pop up. The garden opened on July 31st and it is open until August 14th. The garden was designed as a tribute to women and the brands jewelry watches of the early 20th century. There is subtle history around every corner. For instance when you enter the garden there is a display of vintage posters. Rooms are set up so you can take Instagram pictures. The backdrop of one has walls covered in Toile de Jouy: the same French inspired pattern that is on the straps of OMEGA's De Ville Mini Trésor watches. I love that mirrors set up inside make you look thinner than you actually are. LOL Throughout the garden you will find fountains, rooms, mirrors, benches with pillows, tables and chairs, topiaries, and other props so you can take your best photo. It is worth getting dressed up for. At the exit to the garden you will find a golden gazebo with images and quotes from all seven current OMEGA ambassadors: Nicole Kidman, Zoë Kravitz, Allyson Felix, So-hee Han, Dongyu Zhou, Kaia Gerber and Kiko Mizuhara. Overlooking the garden is a giant mural featuring four of the ladies. I love the interactive feature of this installation which exudes an Alice in Wonderland English garden vibe. Gather your friends and family for a photo shoot at this must see pop up in the Design District.

Surrounded by colorful graffiti design wall murals is this massive thirty foot tall art sculpture…read moreby artist Daniel Popper at the entrance way of the Society Wynwood apartment complex. Had to wait in a small line of tourists on the sidewalk to get my worthy picture. It is an interesting piece with a woman's head covered in tentacles. Supposedly the structure lights up at night but did not get a chance to see that spectacle.

Were you guilty of walking past? Did you overlook?…read more World-renowned artist Daniel Poppers sculpture called "Lumen" is permanently displayed at the entryway at Society Wynwood. The 30 foot sculpture is covered entirely in cracked tile mosaics. It is located in the heart of Wynwood. Definitely worth of a look. I was sad to see a homeless man napping, but this is a sign of the times. Daniel stated, "This piece is deeply inspired by Wynwood's vibrant history and creative spirit, with organic, vine-like structures symbolizing the hidden energy and resilience beneath the city's surface. The name 'Lumen' reflects those unseen connections--like the internal channels in plants--that are essential yet often overlooked."