Meet the Real Miami
Look beyond the bronzed beachgoers and flashy nightclubs and you’ll find Miami is also home to a vibrant arts scene, gourmet dining culture, and booming business district
Miami may be diminutive in size, but it packs a powerful punch. It’s an international hub – Miami International Airport is the number two gateway in the US for international arrivals, while PortMiami is considered the cruise capital of the world. Downtown Miami is also a financial heavyweight, with the highest concentration of international banks in the US.
So exactly what is attracting visitors to the city, and tempting a great many of them to invest in Miami real estate? “The magnitude of urban renewal in Miami is nothing short of compelling,” observes Ron Shuffield, president and CEO of EWM Realty International, an affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate. “And the confluence of weather, our overall geography, and most recently, our entertainment, restaurant, and lifestyle options, all make Miami a truly international destination.”
The city itself is loosely divided into four sections – North, South, West and Downtown. At Miami’s heart is Downtown – a magnet for banking and business, and within an easy drive of the city’s premier dining and shopping centers. The airport is northwest of Downtown, and many of the city’s sought-after 1920s properties are in the northeastern part. The beaches are east; Coconut Grove, with its myriad restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and shops, is south. A century ago, Miami barely existed; today, it is a mesmerizing melting pot of vintage Art Deco architecture, Cuban culture, premium shopping, world-leading art, and a thriving restaurant scene.
Art and culture
Forty years ago, one of the first US public art programs was established in Miami, and contemporary art continues to flourish. More than 700 works of public art have been commissioned in the intervening years, and the result is a city that pulses with creativity. Miami International Airport and PortMiami are well-furnished with work by artists as diverse as Floridian architect Nitin Jayaswal and Chicago-born sculptor Donald Lipski, while Downtown is home to the Pérez Art Museum Miami, Museum Park, the historic archaeological site of Miami Circle, and the tranquil Ichimura Miami Japanese garden.
The city’s commitment to creativity is just one reason why Art Basel Miami Beach art fair has been so successful. December’s show attracted over 260 galleries, displaying works by more than 4,000 artists. Art Basel also appointed its first director of the Americas, Noah Horowitz, who acknowledged that Miami’s influence now spreads much further than its city limits. “Since its 2002 debut, Art Basel’s show in Miami Beach has played a pivotal role within the art scenes of the Americas.”
Visitors to Downtown seeking cultural inspiration at other times of the year won’t be disappointed, with events such as the Art Deco Weekend in January (15-17), the Coconut Grove Arts Festival in February (13-15), the Miami International Film Festival in March (4-13), and the Miami Book Fair in November (15-22). And future visitors should check out the soon-to-open $300-million Patricia and Phillip Frost Science Museum and Planetarium, which, according to Ron Shuffield, “will be a beacon for all those passing through Downtown.”
Architecture and hotels
Miami is synonymous with magnificent pastel-painted Art Deco buildings, and South Beach alone has more than 800 examples of notable architecture, including Art Deco, Streamline Moderne, and the rakish angles of Miami Modernist (endearingly nicknamed MiMo) architecture. The Miami Design Preservation League runs tours for aficionados throughout the year. But nowhere is Miami’s unique architecture better represented than in its hotels.
The Hotel of South Beach now resides in the former Tiffany Hotel, and still bears the iconic lighted spire; its interiors have been transformed by fashion designer Todd Oldham. Hotel Victor, on Ocean Drive, combines an Art Deco façade with beach-chic interiors, and Soho Beach House brings its own unique brand of global cool to the former Sovereign Hotel – the boutique hotel and members’ club now occupies the beautifully restored 16-story oceanfront tower, with guesthouses, three bar areas, and a rooftop taqueria.
Restaurants and bars
The city’s reputation as a gourmet dining destination has never been more apparent, with a raft of new restaurants and bars opening in 2015 alone. “Top-tier chefs have brought a level of culinary culture to Miami that you previously only found in major US cities,” explains David Blonsky, executive chef and co-owner of recently opened Apeiro Kitchen & Bar. “Another great aspect of Miami is the incredibly strong farm-to-table movement, and the progress that small producers have made to supply South Florida with exotic, fresh, and sustainable ingredients, grown in our own backyard.”
Juan Carlos Marchan, vice president and concept founder of newly opened Peruvian restaurant Pisco y Nazca, points to another hot trend: luxe bars with gourmet menus. “Informal dining is becoming the new norm, and our gastrobars are part of that movement. Pisco y Nazca oozes with soul and brings the first Peruvian gastrobar to Miami.”
For dinner, Cena by Michy, Daniel Boulud’s DB Bistro Moderne, and La Mar by Gaston Acurio at the Mandarin Oriental all have plenty of appeal; for lunch, head to Verde at the Pérez Art Museum for waterfront views and fresh seasonal ingredients.
Shopping
Two premier shopping destinations are easily reached from Downtown Miami. Bal Harbour Shops, north of Miami Beach, is an indoor-outdoor mall hosting Chanel, Gucci, and Alexander McQueen. Closer to the center of the city, Miami Design District, home to art galleries, retail spaces, restaurants, and cafes, is located between Midtown and Wynwood. Marc by Marc Jacobs, Tiffany and Céline are just some of designers to stake their claim on this creative neighborhood, and luxury beachwear designer Tomas Maier relocated here in 2012. Outdoor furniture company Brown Jordan opened a two-story showroom here during Art Basel in December.
Neighboring Wynwood Arts District boasts galleries, museums, and exhibition spaces, and recently saw the opening of SWGR, an engaging mix of art and streetwear with a nautical theme. Finally, moving south, Coconut Grove retains its bohemian, even radical, reputation; its colorful Caribbean-style streets contain antique shops, bookstores, and charming one-off fashion boutiques.
