Miami: Deco dreaming under the Florida sunGET TO KNOW EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY OF THE THRIVING METROPOLIS

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Miami BeachMiami Beach has come a long way since the mid-‘80s. Thetown’s once derelict Art Deco apartment buildings thatnot so long ago were populated by senior citizens anddrug addicts have taken on a second life, and now brightlyglisten, their façades colorfully renovated and their interiorshousing trendy hotels or expensive condo residences.

Comprised of 17 islands floating breathlessly on theturquoise waters of Biscayne Bay, Miami Beach is mostfamed for its spectacular southern tip, South Beach, wherethe bulk of the town’s glorious Art Deco buildings arelocated. Visitors to the city will find everything and morealong the handful of streets that comprise South Beach.

First and foremost, of course, is Ocean drive. This mostphotographed of Miami streets has a spectacular lineup ofArt Deco structures, all of which directly face the greatAtlantic Ocean. Many of these buildings are now hotels,and virtually all of them have either a restaurant or a cafélocated on their ground floor. These spots include thesuper trendy News Café, where Gianni Versace had his last

Yes, Miami is a big city – a really big city – but I like to think of it as a cluster of mini cities, all vying to outdo one another in terms of fashion,glamour, popularity and overall trendiness. There is Miami Beach in all of its Art Deco splendor; Coconut Grove, where Bohemian chic neverseems to go out of style; Coral Gables, with its Mediterranean-flavored villas slumbering under lush banyan trees; Little Havana, which bearsmore resemblance to Cuba than to its North American surroundings; and newer enclaves like the Design District, where some of SouthFlorida’s edgiest restaurants exist alongside ultra-hip stores. A visit to Miami is like a fanciful flight to wonderland: there’s always something newto discover in this dynamic, sultry seaside destination where the weather is forever warm, and where sudden, brief thundershowers are alwaysfollowed by brilliant, dazzling bursts of sunshine.

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meal before he was assassinated on the front steps of his beachfrontmansion. Speaking of Versace’s former home, the place (the only houseon Ocean drive) is now the exclusive and very upscale Villa by BartonG., which doubles as a boutique hotel and gourmet restaurant.

Parallel to Ocean drive runs Collins avenue, on which many of SouthBeach’s iconic hotels are located. There’s the Asian-inspired Setai hotel(see p.180), the most glamorous of the bunch and a magnet for A-listcelebrities like Heidi Klum, Usher, Janet Jackson, Bono, Jay-Z andSheryl Crow. Then there’s Madonna’s Delano hotel, with what isperhaps one of the world’s most spectacular lobbies: guests enterthrough sheer white curtains that act as partitions between thevarious sections of the lobby and eventually lead to the now legendarypool area directly fronting the ocean. Further south along Collinsavenue lie various international boutiques, all housed inside lovinglyrestored Art Deco structures and including Armani Exchange, Diesel,Nicole Miller, Club Monaco and Kenneth Cole.

But for sheer charm, nothing beats Lincoln road. This pedestrian

thoroughfare is lined with some of South Florida’s best restaurantsand most popular cafés, all of which provide outdoor seating to takeadvantage of Miami’s abundant sunshine and blissful ocean breezes.Carl Fisher, who first developed Miami Beach during the early 20thcentury, envisioned Lincoln road as the city’s answer to New York’sFifth avenue, linking the east and west sides of the island (much likeFifth avenue links the east and west sides of Manhattan). Nearly 100years later, Fisher would be proud to see that his dream did come tofruition: the area’s best stores, art galleries and even nightclubs livealong or just off Lincoln road. The credit for Lincoln road’s currentbeauty goes mostly to architect Morris Lapidus, who in the ‘60ssuggested turning the street into a pedestrian-only zone and creatingplanter beds and fountains, effectively transforming Lincoln into a sortof garden for the city.

Beyond the constant buzz of the Miami Beach streets, there’s alwaysthat beach. Seemingly endless and dotted with beautiful people onvirtually every day of the year (note that a designer swimsuit is themost important clothing item you can have here), the pristine stretchof powdery white sand alone carries visions of sun-filled holidays,beach bonfires and summer romance. The blue-green ocean waters,temperate in summer and pleasantly cool in winter, are a major drawfor both water-sports enthusiasts and those who prefer to laze aroundin the ocean in hopes of achieving a golden tan.

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Coral GablesIf the glamour and dizzying pace of Miami Beach get too hot tohandle then head to Coral Gables, officially dubbed “The CityBeautiful.” Beautiful indeed. Designed by George Merrick in 1925,Coral Gables was one of America’s first fully planned communities,incorporating secluded residential enclaves and commercial areas andbuilt entirely in a Mediterranean-inspired architectural style. Streetnames, most of which are Spanish – Matanzas, Alhambra, Alcazar,Catalonia, Augusto, Cordova, Granada – are etched into white coralcurbstones, giving the entire town an added touch of romance. Scenicwaterways, perfectly manicured lawns, lush tropical plants and gentlycurving roads all come together in one of Florida’s – and indeedAmerica’s – greatest architectural and landscaping triumphs.

Presiding like a regal queen over the entire town is the Biltmore hotel(see p.184), listed as a National Landmark and designed in the sameMediterranean-revival style as the rest of Coral Gables. The Universityof Miami, South Florida’s prime institution of higher learning, is alsolocated here, with a sprawling, verdant campus surrounded by lovely,picturesque villas.

Coral Gables’ main shopping street, Miracle Mile, is dotted withspecialty stores and virtually every kind of restaurant imaginable,

including French, Italian, Japanese, Cuban and American. Fashionmavens looking for the world’s best clothing brands can head to TheVillage at Merrick Park. This new shopping center, designed toseamlessly blend into Coral Gables’ historic architecture, is home tothe likes of Burberry, Juicy Couture, Etro, Victoria’s Secret, Godiva,Jimmy Choo and Nordstrom. There are also a handful of upscalerestaurants (try Asian-Mediterranean eatery Sawa) and a terrificoutpost of Borders bookstore.

Coconut GroveA virtual ban on pruning has transformed Coconut Grove (or “theGrove” as locals call it) into Miami’s most verdant enclave. Out of allMiami communities, the Grove feels most like a Bohemian village:tree-lined streets, which lead down to a magnificent sailing bay, arehome to sidewalks cafés, niche boutiques and two seductive shoppingcenters (CocoWalk and Mayfair in the Grove). Musicians play Latin-flavored melodies throughout the neighborhood, while the Coconut

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Grove Playhouse, with its fascinating lineup of plays, addsa touch of culture to the mix.

You’ll have to drive for a few minutes to reach VizcayaMuseum and Gardens, perhaps South Florida’s mostcaptivating structure. Formerly the home of James Deering,who strived to create his dream palace, Vizcaya was builtin 1916 to resemble an Italian country villa. Today, thecarefully preserved mansion and its exquisite gardens havebeen transformed into a visitors’ attraction, complete withan on-site boutique. Closer to the commercial heart of theGrove stands the Barnacle House, built in 1891 and givingvisitors a glimpse of what life must have been like inFlorida at the tail end of the 19th century.

Dream onThere are many other enclaves to visit while in Miami,including the newly created Design District, in whichformer warehouses have been transformed into designerboutiques (selling clothing and furniture) and trendyrestaurants; and Little Havana along and around CalleOcho (Eighth street), where many Cuban expats havesettled and sought to recreate the mood and feeling oftheir beloved homeland.

And perhaps this is what most captivates about Miami: itsability to offer so many different moods in a relatively smallgeographic area. It’s a city that keeps changing, always intosomething more beautiful, with each passing year.

Marwan Naaman

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Coconut Grove