The Colonnade building was designed by famed architect Phineas Paist who often worked with Coral…read moreGables developer and founder George Merrick and his uncle, Coral Gables artistic director Denman Fink. Phineas Paist was known to Merrick because of his work with the local estate of Vizcaya. The building was completed in November of 1926 at 169 Miracle Mile, the historic four blocks of retail and restaurants at the intersection of Ponce de Leon Boulevard. The building was designed to be George Merrick's sales center for Coral Gables and his land office was located here. It was centerpiece of the shopping area. Like the many buildings in Coral Gables it was designed in a Spanish Colonial and Baroque style. In the 1920's different businesses in the Colonnade included a bank, pilot training facility, movie studio, and parachute factory. One of the signature features of the building is the oval-shaped grand rotunda ballroom in the main foyer which is three stories tall. It contains the original Spanish fountain. Clouds and blue skies are painted on the ceiling. Today the Colonnade building is the Hotel Colonnade. The building has been restored and it is part of the Westin Colonnade Hotel and office complex. The original building has been added on with a newer addition designed by Spillis & Candela. You can see the hotel rooms behind the historic building. The two story entry hallway to the hotel is at the rear of the atrium. The complex includes an Italian restaurant, a panini lunch cafe, and an antique dealer on the street level.

The Colonnade Building, 133-169 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables. It was built in1926, Original…read moreArchitects: Phineas Paist, Walter De Garmo and Paul Chafin. It is located right in the centre of Miracle Mile. The downtown commercial district, including Miracle Mile, was designed by George Merrick, who could boast that every business in Coral Gables was less than a two-block walk. The Colonnade Building at 133-169 Miracle Mile was designed in 1926 by Phineas Paist in collaboration with Walter De Garmo and Paul Chalfin in a mixture of Spanish Colonial and Baroque. The main purpose, in Merrick's planning, was to house his growing sales operation. Since the 1920s, the Colonnade has had many tenants including the Colonnade Movie Studios and a World War II parachute factory. The architecture is beautiful and very noticeable as you walk past. No 169 houses the Bac bank.

Being English I am a history buff, here in Miami. So I decided to check out this place on the…read moreHistorical list. This is what I found out about the place - although now it houses a Ballet studio and school. This impressive Neo-Classical building was designed for J.W. Warner, founder of South Florida's first floral company. The home's fine craftsmanship is especially evident in its massive columns, Palladian window and porte-cochère. Wide porches and verandas adapt the J.W. Warner House to the Florida climate with a graciousness that evokes the elegance of Florida's early years. This house was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

The J.W. Warner House is a historic Greek Revival house that was added to the U.S. National…read moreregister of Historic Place in 1983. James Warner came to Miami in 1906 to work as an accountant for Henry Flagler's railroad. Having lived in Palm Beach James wife Susan noticed that there were no florists in Miami. Susan began to grow flowers and made arrangements for friends and family. She then decided to turn her hobby into a business which turned out to be quite profitable. The Miami Floral Company was founded in 1906 and it did so well that James left his at Miami Electric to work at the flower business. In addition to working at the family business James was also active in politics and civic organizations. As the family became wealthy James desired to have a house reminiscent of the Plantation style homes he grew up with in Georgia. He hired German architect George L. Pfeiffer to design the neoclassical home. Unlike the wood homes that were standard in Miami at the time the Warners decided to build their home with reinforced concrete to withstand hurricanes. The house was completed in 1912 and also unlike other homes at the time had both electricity and indoor plumbing. after James death atthe age of 54 in 1922 Susan and her children continued to run the floral building until her death at the age of 69 in 1942. Two of the children continued to run the company until 1972 when they finally shut it down after being in business for 66 years. George Warner the son of James and Susan passed away and left the house to his widow Autumn and her daughter. By that time the house had become run down and was too large for her to manage. Preservationists were able to buy the home from Autumn Warner and renovated it and leased it to commercial businesses. Today the home is used by the Miami Hispanic Ballet. They purchased the house in 2009 with a grant from the city of Miami. They received a second grant in 2012 to remodel it and it now includes a space to exhibit art and two dance studios. The house is instantly recognizable with it's six three story columns along the front. When the Warner's occupied the house it had 22 bedrooms and a view of the Miami River. Today culture and history mix in the home that once belonged to one of the founding pioneer families of Miami.

Alhambra Tower This…read moreis a very dramatic and regal looking building, and one that you surely notice. It is abflatiron shaped site in the heart of downtown Coral Gables, the Owner and City Board of Architects required a seamlessly integrated design that complimented Coral Gables' century old town. Class A+ highly usable floor plates for high-quality office space above ground-floor retail and dining services are integrated with an "architecturally screened" parking garage. The project was positioned to supply a market demand from growing multi-national financial institutions, international government services, and corporate users. Its design conveys a unique business experience to the affluent market clientele of Coral Gables, Miami, South America and Europe. The flatiron design of the building responds to the rich heritage of George Merrick's original 1925 Spanish Mediterranean style vision for the City of Coral Gables, Florida. The building composition and mass are organized in the classic tower idiom of "base, middle and top" with harmonic, syncopating rhythms of proportion, color, materials, and finishes.

every note, every flicker -- magical under the glow of a thousand candles…read more A beautiful night with @collinsquartet at @candlelight.concerts The kind of experience that reminds you to slow down, be present, and simply let the music move you Thank you @fever for creating an experience worth remembering

We had a chance to visit this beautiful church for the Candlelight concert. This place holds the…read moremagical feeling and with thousands of candles, it makes it more mysterious and beautiful. The music was great and we enjoyed the whole experience. Oh, this place had an excellent AC. I highly recommend to take your jacket with you.

Sweet! Open late! Come get yer smokes here! Uh huh, yeah. Toby was great! And so are the other…read morepeople.

It was a beautiful afternoon to wander around the Grove . There is so much construction here I…read moredon't really recognize it anymore. We have enjoyed many delicious restaurants & eclectic shops over the years. There is a lot of new residential construction next to beautifully carved old buildings. This was a Bahamian settlement in the 1870s, now celebrated in the Little Bahamas neighborhood and through historic sites. Coconut Grove is Miami's oldest neighborhood, known for its bohemian charm, lush canopy, and laid-back bayside lifestyle. It's along Biscayne Bay, this walkable village offers a blend of historic charm, high-end dining, sailing culture, and elite private schools. It is a premier residential area combining tropical surroundings with modern, upscale shops. There are still many banyan trees, but the roaming peacocks are history.

The seven remaining structures can be seen in the park I was walking at…read more Stiltsville is a group of wood stilt houses located one mile south of Cape Florida, on sand banks of the Safety Valve on the edge of Biscayne Bay in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The structures stand on wood or reinforced concrete pilings, generally ten feet above the shallow water, which varies from one to three feet deep at low tide. View from the Cape Florida Light History Most sources claim the first stilt shack was built in the early 1930s, but some Dade County historians say that there were a dozen shacks in "the flats" as early as 1922. Crawfish Eddie "Crawfish" Eddie Walker built a shack on stilts above the water in 1933, toward the end of the prohibition era, allegedly to facilitate gambling, which was legal at one mile offshore. Crawfish Eddie sold bait and beer from his shack and was known for a dish he called chilau, a crawfish chowder made with crawfish he caught under his shack. Thomas Grady and Leo Edward, two of Eddie's fishing buddies, built their own shack in 1937. Shipwrecking and channel dredging brought many people to the area and more shacks were constructed, some by boating and fishing clubs. Local newspapers called the area "the shacks" and "shack colony". Crawfish Eddie's original shack was destroyed by the late-season Hurricane King of 1950. Calvert Club at Stiltsville Calvert Club The first social club built at Stiltsville was constructed during the late 1930s and named the Calvert Club. The Miami Beach Rod & Reel Club was organized in 1929 and held its first official outing at the Stiltsville Calvert Club in August 1938. A club picture was taken in front of the club, which was popular enough to have picture postcards printed with its image. Quarterdeck Club The Quarterdeck Club, built on a barge by Commodore Edward Turner, opened in November, 1940. The club gained popularity after an article about the club appeared in Life magazine on February 10, 1941. The article noted that this was an "extraordinary American community dedicated solely to sunlight, salt water and the well-being of the human spirit." The club was described as "a $100,000 play-palace equipped with bar, lounge, bridge deck, dining room and dock slips for yachts". The local newspapers began running stories and photographs of parties with celebrities. The Quarterdeck Club was viewed by tourists as a "must see" attraction at Miami Beach, Florida. Rumors of gambling persisted, and the club was raided in 1949, but no evidence of gambling was found. Hotelman Warren Freeman purchased the club in 1950 and envisioned it as a high-class operation. The structure was renovated and expanded, only to be heavily damaged by Hurricane King late in the season. Dejected and broke, Freeman sold what remained. The club was rebuilt, but never regained the popularity of its early years. Hurricane Donna in 1960 damaged most of the structures in Stiltsville, including the Quarterdeck Club, then the building was completely destroyed by a fire in 1961 that burned all the way to the pilings. The rumor was that the owner's wife set fire to the club after a jealous fit. Karl Mongelluzzo, the last owner of the Quarterdeck Club, was denied a building permit in 1967. Party Central Stiltsville may not have looked like much, but in the 1940s and 1950s, it was a popular place where lawyers, bankers, politicians, and other moneyed, well-connected Miamians came to drink, relax and kick back. Law enforcement periodically visited the area, looking for vice activities.

A boat or watercraft is needed to reach Stiltsville as it is 1 mile due south of Key Biscayne…read more Hurricane Andrew destroyed must of the home and businesses. It is a great way to view the Miami coast from sea.

You won't find a European building this old in the Americas! Built in the 12th century in Spain,…read moreit was packed up and brought to Miami last Century. Peaceful grounds and remarkable antiquity, the Monastery offers a unique experience in Miami. 44 minutes is more than enough time for a self-guided wander across the grounds, but arrive by Noon for a guided tour (which I missed). Also, check the calendar on their website as they close for many private events.

I came to this establishment because I greatly enjoy history and wanted to have the opportunity to…read moretake photos of the architecture and perhaps a video explaining what I've learned about this beautiful place. Unfortunately, the business that runs this monastery is predatory in nature. As it happens, my ancestor, William R. Hearst, was the original proprietor of the monestary when it arrived in the United States. They insist that photos can only be taken from Wednesday to Saturday, and you must schedule an appointment with a fee of nearly $400 to take portraits or photographs. The woman at the front desk was preventing us from entering the monastery without discarding any equipment that can be used for taking photos. I will add that she was extremely rude, yelling at me and my mother when we were clearly unaware of the rule. Don't come here; it's a complete waste of time; the history is very fascinating, and the building seems to be relatively well kept, but they not only charge you for entry, but additionally charge for you to take photos. $400 mandatory. There are many other beautiful historic places around Miami to visit; I would never recommend going here. Save yourself the $410 and go to the nearby lighthouse, or early 1890s church in Miami instead. The Art Deco District is also very nice. The fact that they charge an exorbitant fee to enter the premises for taking photographs is highly reminiscent of the exact reason why Martin Luther had nailed his list to the door of the Catholic Church. God frowns upon an institution that calls itself religious and charges up the wazoo for people to share information about it. To the people running this facility: do better. Be nicer. Let people explore and interact with this treasure.

Villa Vecchia means old villa in Italian. This historic mansion was built by architect L.M…read more Barrettduring during Florida's land boom years in 1928 as a winter residence for Byron De Witt Miller. Esq, the President of F.W. Woolworth Company. Villa Vecchia is located on millionaire's row on Pinetree Drive in Miami Beach. The nearly 2 acre property is on the widest part of the Indian Creek Waterway. There is a waterfront dock that can accommodate a 100 foot yacht. The main house is 18,000 square feet with 13 bedrooms including a Marie Antionette Bedroom and a Napoleon Bedroom. The grand master suite overlooks Indian Creek. The 150-guest grand ballroom inspired by Versailles has hosted many famous world leaders including Benjamin Netanyahu, Dr. Henry Kissinger, Margaret Thatcher, Mikhail Gorbachev, and President Bill Clinton and luxury designers Emilio Pucci, Zuhair Murad, David Yurman, Luca Orlandi of Luca Luca. The ballroom is an exact replica, only smaller in size, of the ballroom at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach. Other notable features of the house include a mahogany paneled library, a formal dining room with 18th century furniture and a fireplace, servants quarters, a six car garage, a gentleman's all wooden library, and a gourmet kitchen with high-end appliances and stone floors. The home has been fully restored with custom crown molding, chandeliers, archways, wide windows, murals and terrazzo and hardwood floors. Also on the property is a two-bedroom guest house with a living room and kitchen, and a detached gym with steam room. The mansion has been used in the film Iron Man III and in Telemundo telenovelas. It was listed for 20 million dollars in 2012 and last sold for 15 million in 2019. It is currently off the market but there are many pictures of the interior online and you can get a quick peek through the massive mahogany gate.