My family spends a lot of time at the beach, but that doesn’t stop us from wanting more, and in fact when considering travel destinations coastal or waterside places are usually higher on the list. My personal favorite beach activity is sunset viewing, I love watching as the last moments of the day slip under the sea, often in a vibrant explosion of reds, pinks, oranges and yellows.
Santa Monica Beach
Of course when visiting destinations to the East the process is reversed, which is how I found myself on the beach in Fort Lauderdale at literally the crack of dawn. Watching as the sun rose up out of the ocean…
Harbor Beach Fort Lauderdale
These peaceful mornings at the beach were a great way to start my days during my time in South Florida where the majority of my time was spent pursing and viewing as much art as I could fit into three short days.
Fort Lauderdale FloridaFort Lauderdale FloridaHarbor Beach Fort Lauderdale
Lifeguard towers are a favorite photo subject of mine, so the next morning I ventured a little further in the hopes of finding some…
South Beach ParkSouth Beach Park
Do you have a happy place? A favorite subject you seek out to photograph when traveling? What are your favorite ways to find peaceful moments when life gets busy?
Harbor Beach
You might be interested in reading about some of my other South Florida adventures:
Every December art lovers and collectors from around the world descend on South Florida for America’s biggest art show, Art Basel Miami. Officially Art Basel takes place over the course of four days, but with independent satellite shows and parties taking place all week long its become part of a larger happening known as Miami Art Week.
Miami Beach Convention Center
There are over 250+ galleries representing over 4000 artists from around the world on display inside Art Basel. It can seem overwhelming, especially when you factor in related exhibitions taking place everywhere from the sandy shores of Miami Beach and trendy hotel lobbies and rooftops, to the Wynwood Art District.
Art Basel Showroom
As this was my first visit, I decided to use it as a learning and fact finding expedition. I missed out on quite a bit, I knew this would happen, but my expectations were more than met, and now that I have an idea of how to navigate I’m convinced that a return visit is definitely in order.
Research available events prior to your arrival and plan an itinerary. Many events are free, but for those that aren’t purchasing tickets in advance will help you to avoid waiting in long queues.
There is something for everyone. From paintings, sculpture and drawings to photography, films, video clips, digital art, and installations, you’ll find a feast for the senses that will appeal to all interests.
Ruinart Champagne
Pace yourself. Take you time, and enjoy all that art, discover a new artist, pose with something, and don’t worry if you can’t see it all, remember I mentioned there are over 4000 artists represented. Grab a glass of champagne, they have carts that come right to you, or other refreshment of your choosing and take your time.
Art Basel Refreshment Stop
We spent one full day exploring inside the convention center, another exploring the hotel exhibitions, and yet another in the Wynwood Art District, and still came nowhere near seeing everything on our wish list. Had I just one more day I would have loved to visit the emerging artists exhibition located directly on the sand and only steps from the crashing waves.
Thousands of amazing art pieces were on display at Art Basel Miami. Here are just a few of my favorites:
We Play Endlessly 2018
Artist: Jeffrey Gibson
Stained Glass and Light – 32 inches x 4 inches deep – Edition of 3
Artist:Jeffrey Gibson Title: We Play Endlessly
White Narcissus in Orange (Colour Wonder 2018)
Artist: Valerie Belin
Archival Pigment Print – 51 5/8 x 41 3/8 – Edition of 25
Artist: Valerie Berlin Title: Narcissus in Orange
Before Transparency 2018
Artist: Emil Lucas
Thread over Painted Wooden Frame – with Nails – 60 x 30 x 3
Artist: Emil Lucas Title Before Transparency 2018
Artist: Emil Lucas Title Before Transparency 2018
Forest Companions 2017
Artist: Takashi Murakami
Acrylic on Canvas Mounted on Board
Title: Forest Companions Artist: Murakami
Life is A Killer 2018 & Leave It As Is 2018
Artist: John Girono
Acrylic on Canvas – 56 inches x 56 inches
Artist: John Girono Title: Life is A Killer 2018 & Leave It As Is 2018
Artist: John Girono Title: Life is A Killer 2018 & Leave It As Is 2018
Studies for Lemon Tart 2011
Artist: Kim Dingle
Oil on Polyester – 14 x 11 inches each
Artist: Kim Dingle Title: Studies for Lemon Tart 2011
Untitled_0114, 2018
Artist: Davide Balliano
Plaster Gesso & varnish on wood – 60 x 60
Artist: Davide Balliano Untitled_0114, 2018
$#!+/Say No More
Artist: Mel Bochner
Oil on Velvet in Two Parts – 29 1/2 x 89 5/8
Artist: Mel Bochner Title: $#!+/Say No More
Rich Kid Blues
Artist: Jack Pierson
Metal, plastic, wood and Enamel – 62.5 x 64.25 x 4.13 Inches
Artist: Jack Pierson Title: Rich Kid Blues
Womxn – Women 2018
Artist: Andrea Bowers
Lightbox and Neon – 60 1/2 x 79 inches – Edition 1/3
Title: Womxn – Women 2018 Artist: Andrea Bowers
Title: Womxn – Women 2018 Artist: Andrea Bowers
Siebterjunizweitausenndundzehn
Artist: Ugo Rondinone
Acrylic Airbrush on Cavnas, Silkscreen one Plexiglass Plaque 8 Parts
More Justice More Peace 2018
Artist: Sam Durant
Electric Sign with Vinyl – Text 45 x 80 inches – Edition 2 of 3
Artist: Sam Durant Title: More Justice More Peace
Rirkrit Tiravanija
Untitled 2018 (black hole) 2018
Black Chalkboard Paint
Artists Unknown:
Artist: Unknown
Artist: Unknown
Artist: Unknown
If you’re interested in modern and contemporary art including both established and emerging artists consider a visit to Miami, Florida during Art Week. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Named for Cuba’s capital and largest city, and famous for it’s large concentration of Cuban exiles, Little Havana should be on any Miami Must List. Even with limited time to explore I managed to get a feel for this vibrant cultural area, and came away wishing for more.
Welcome to Little Havana
Declared a national treasure in 2017, Little Havana has no shortage of cultural landmarks, architecture, and art, a lot of which you’ll see as you stroll along Calle Ocho (SW 8th street).
Domino Park Little Havana
Dominos is a big part of Cuban culture, and is so popular in Cuba that it is practically an organized sport. The same can be said in Little Havana and Domino Park was abuzz with both players and spectators during our visit.
Cortadito
Shops selling local Cuban art, cigars and coffee line the street. Sadly, we’d already eaten prior to our visit, but if you’re looking for something more substantial, there are plenty of restaurants to choose from.
Little Havana Miami
I’ve never had the opportunity to visit Cuba, but Little Havana felt very authentic. All of the people I met were local, and I had the very distinct and positive feeling of being somewhere completely new.
Welcome to Little Havana
Although located next to an area known for higher crime rates, I felt completely safe during my visit, and in fact quite welcome.
Azucar Little Havana
I was delighted, but not surprised to find a lot of public art throughout the neighborhood a lot of which was representative of the people, their culture, and their pastimes.
Its safe to say, with the exception of family and friends, art is the greatest passion in my life. Fine or street, museum or gallery, indoor, outdoor, I love it all, which is why a visit to the Wynwood Art District in Miami, Florida was long overdue.
Artist: Queen Andrea
The Wynwood Art District, is not only home to the Wynwood Walls, the famous outdoor street art museum, but the entire area is a colorful riot of murals, galleries, one-of-a-kind boutiques, and hip restaurants.
Wynwood Art District
Beyond officially commissioned or organized works, every available surface is covered in art, the sidewalks, entire buildings, signage… Everything! The neighborhood is a celebration of all things art, and is positively buzzing with a vibe that you can literally see and feel.
Slap Tags
Artist: Chloe Hakakian
Artist: Fiest.RSM
Artist: Chloe Hakakian
Artist: DMIR.World
I ❤️ Wynwood
Artist: Unknown
Artist: Zapata
Artist: Ginero
Prior to my arrival, I had an idea of what to expect, but was still surprised by all there was to see and experience in this multicolored wonderland, and because my visit took place during Miami Art Week everything was amplified. I spent 8 hours exploring, and still didn’t see it all, but if you’ve never been before here are a few suggestions to get you started:
Wynwood Walls
Location: 2520 NW 2nd Avenue, Miami
What are the Wynwood Walls?
Wynwood Walls is a free “museum of the streets” an outdoor art museum where all the works are created and displayed directly on the walls.
Wynwood Walls was created in 2009, by developer Tony Goldman, in an attempt to revitalize and transform the warehouse district of Wynwood. Mr. Goldman saw artistic potential in the area’s warehouse buildings, many of which were windowless. He beautified them with giant murals and opened a restaurant and bar in the hopes that it would bring foot traffic to the neighborhood. 10 years later Wynwood has been called the hippest neighborhood in America, with millions of people visiting every year. I’d say his idea was a smashing success!
Also including Wynwood Doors, the Wynwood Garden and Outside The Walls, Wynwood Walls includes works from over 50 artists from around the world. Every year, during Art Week/Art Basel, artists are invited to contribute based on the year’s theme. 2018’s theme was: Beyond Words
Tours aren’t required for a visit to Wynwood, but if you do take one you’ll learn in-depth information about the artists and their process as well as the history of the Wynwood Art District. Choose the Official Early Access Tour and you’ll enter more than an hour before the crowds. This is important if you’re interested in people free photos of the murals.
Artist: James GoldcrownArtist: Alexis Diaz and Unknown
1-800-Lucky
Location: 143 NW 23rd Street, Miami
If 1-800-Lucky was located in Los Angeles it would absolutely be my favorite restaurant. In fact, if I could eat there whenever I wanted I would be hard pressed to ever cook again. The food was pure deliciousness!
1-800-Lucky Wynwood Miami Florida
I could try to describe it myself, but I doubt I could do better than Conde Nast Traveler:
A 10,000-square-foot food hall in the style of a hip, Asian market with indoor and outdoor seating and a booming soundtrack of hip hop. Seven vendors hawking pan-Asian dishes from ramen to Vietnamese sandwiches encircle an open dining room that is also flanked by two full bars and a karaoke lounge.
1-800-Lucky Wynwood Miami Florida
Honey-Glazed Char Siu Pork Ribs
Hawker Style Chicken Wings
Peking Duck Buns (2pcs)
If a hip vibe and delicious food aren’t enough to convince you, I asked three people on the street where to eat and they unanimously said: 1-800-Lucky. Oh, and did I mention that its also a record shop?
1-800-Lucky Wynwood Miami Florida
Shopping
You can’t bring home the murals, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities to bring home other art treasures. The retail shops and galleries are selling everything from moss statues and paintings to street art inspired clothing and even holiday baubles.
Plant The Future
Location: 224 NE 59th Street, Miami
Intrigued by the mossy wall on the outside we ventured into Plant the Future, which turned out to be part gallery, part installation, part shop, and all kinds of cool.
Artist: Teppa
Plant the Future Gallery
Artist: Reedy & Teppa
WYNWD
Location: 181 NW 25th Street, Miami
Wynwd the (un)official visitor center is part shop and part gallery. They feature neighborhood centric items including, paintings, pins, patches, stickers, t-shirts, and hats. I found some fun t-shirts for my boys and some Chris Uphues patches for a project I’m working on.
Wynwd Shop
Miami Art Week/Art Basel events
Art week is a great time to visit Wynwood as there are a lot of special events taking place, many of which are free to attend, including live mural painting festivals, skateboarding exhibitions, and art fairs.
Even if you don’t attend one of these events, you’re almost guaranteed to come across a mural in progress. I saw a number of artists at work during my visit, but it was meeting FinDAC, that was the real highlight. I’ve been following his work, and really enjoyed getting a chance to see him at work and to speak with him.
What can you do with only three days in South Florida? Turns out quite a lot, and although more time would have allowed me to dig deeper, I think I did pretty well with the amount I had. The was a solo adventure, which meant I was able to focus almost completely on art and photography, and by organizing my list of potential activities into neighborhoods and then into must, want and hope I prioritized my time, and hit the ground running…
The South Beach (SoBe) Sign
Miami Beach, and more specifically the South Beach neighborhood is famous for it’s large concentration of Art Deco architecture (the largest in the world), and its vibrant nightlife has been featured in films, television and books.
Avalon Hotel Miami Beach
However, it was the collection of colorful and unique lifeguard towers dotting the beach that cemented Miami Beach’s place on my Florida To Do List. Delighted by their cheerful candy colored existence I had to see them. All! Half walking and half running, I went up and down the beach stopping at each one, snapping photos from every angle.
Miami Beach Florida
These iconic stands, many of which have been around since the 1980s, have withstood not only sun, sand and time, but hurricanes as well. Six of them were recently auctioned off and will be used as everything from DJ booths, to tree houses and backyard art pieces. Here’s hoping their new, more resistant aluminum, replacements will be equally as enchanting.
Miami Beach
Miami Beach
Miami Beach Florida
Miami Beach Florida
Miami Beach
Miami Beach Florida
Miami Beach Florida
Once I’d checked my number one Miami Beach “must see” off the list I set about exploring the rest including, a stroll along Ocean Drive, a peek into some of the area’s glamorous hotels, and a delicious Cubano sandwich on Lincoln Road.
The Royal Palm Hotel
Art Week is a great time to explore the area’s famously chic hotels as most of them will be hosting art shows and parties many of which are free and open to the public.
Artist: Stephen (ESPO) Powers
Art Week saw the historic National Hotel transformed inside and out by alumni of the University of the Arts Philadelphia.
The National Hotel
The National Hotel
The National Hotel
The gorgeous pool deck at The National Hotel is a great place to grab a bite to eat or a drink, and if you fancy it you can pay an additional fee to while away the afternoon lounging by the pool.
National Hotel Pool
This neon sign in the Sagamore Hotel bar was a favorite, though I admit I’m not sure it was part of the art show.
The Bar in the Sagamore Hotel Miami Beach
Artist: Niloufar Banisadr
The Sagamore Hotel
Renowned for its art deco architecture on the outside, and its playful yet chic styling on the inside it’s no wonder the Delano South Beach has stayed so popular. The cool dark interiors are a welcome respite from the bright hot Florida sun and the light airy curtains coupled with large columns create secret spaces in which one can retreat out of the spotlight.
Delano Hotel Lobby
Delano Hotel
While the origins of the Cubano sandwich are surprisingly less than clear, what isn’t in question is their popularity, and that meant having one was high on my list. I admit to grabbing mine in quite a touristy spot, but the Cuban bread layered with marinated pork, sweet ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and a mustard mayo spread paired with a traditional mojito not only met my expectations, it exceeded them.
Cubano Sandwich Havana 1957
When asked what he might like me to bring back from Florida, my younger son had what might be considered an unusual or even difficult request, a photo of a large lizard, unless of course you’re visiting a place with an exploding iguana population. Though I only saw this one “little” fellow during my stay, I think he more than met the requirements.
Iguana Miami Beach
Given it’s touristy reputation I was surprised at how much I enjoyed South Beach, and I hope to find myself there again one day.
