Miami Arts & Design Districts
 

I ventured into the unknown in Miami last week for five days.

It had been ten years since my last visits to the Deco or Lincoln Road areas. As S. Beach's praises are well-known, I thought I'd alert fodorites to two other areas that caught my attention.

The Miami Arts and Design Districts appear to be in the development stages that S. Beach and Lincoln Rd. were at 20 years ago. They are just now being accepted as bona vide (you can't imagine how many developments are proposed in booming Florida but never quite live up to expectations) and have become a destination in and of themselves.

The Design District already has plenty of cohesion. North of downtown and south of 395, there are blocks upon blocks of refusbished buildings, not deco in style, filled with furniture and decor, touting Miami's eclectic mix of modern, mediterranean, and tropical design. The stores are for the designers but are open to the public.

A few blocks south of the Design District is the Rubell Family Collection Museum. This is a wonderful new two story museum (possibly a huge warehouse rehab) that houses the collection of the Rubells, who are modern art collectors. There is a sculpture garden in the back that is small but contemplative, and there was a "Supersized" exhibit in the main room with collections of largely conspicuous originals by up-and-coming artists. Admission is $10 to this rambling building, what was for me more than an hour of art oggling.

The Rubell Museum brings some stability to the enclave of artists who have taken over about 20 warehouses from 20th street north, creating an interesting departure from the artificial Miami art that attracts upscale tourists. This is a working class group of artists whose grass roots efforts have succeeded in creating a community, and many of these working studios and galleries are open to the public. Across Biscayne Blvd. for just as many blocks (10?) is a sprawling recently-demolished area called Miami Shops that just broke ground. Although one hates to see commercial interests take hold in this bohemian stretch, its now a high-crime area and needs something to make it safer, which this will surely do.

Those of you who appreciate art and artists, be sure to break away from the South Beach glitter to see what is becoming yet another scene to be seen in Miami.

TG, I agree it's wonderful and I love the giant concrete "sofa".

Did you by chance go to Miami Beach for Art Basel? It was December 2-5 and is an international art show. If I'm not mistaken, it is one of the largest in the country. It is city wide.

For anyone who wants to view photos, go to this link---> http://www.designmiami.com/findit/main_art.cfm

and click on Public Art.

The Living Room Building houses the sofa.

GoT, no I was there a few weeks afterwards.

I'm sorry, I missed the "Sofa". What is that?

Hmmm. I've looked through your link and am not sure this is the same arts district but is rather the city's district that they like to promote to the tourists. The area I'm referring to is dicey and edgy, perhaps "seedy" by some standards. I will look for my map. The artists on your link are outside of the Arts District (warehouses) where Miami Shops is going up.

Hi TG

<The area I'm referring to is dicey and edgy, perhaps "seedy" by some standards.>

I know the area you are talking about. The Jewish Home for the Aged is right up the street a little. My Grand ma is there.
There is also a fantastic restaurant she takes us to it's called Soyka, did you try it?
Great lunch and dinner!

Ok, here's the cross streets. NOT Biscayne Blvd. (doh!) but rather Miami Avenue between NW 20-29 Streets. And this is north of 395.

So, OK, I totally blew that address.

Lewis, did your Grandma tell you I was there having lunch with her at Soyka? Haha. Unfortunately, I did a drive-by touristing, and stopped only at a few of the artists galleries. I've heard there are some great restaurants there. The day after we were there a policeman was shot there :-( -- the sad reality of an up and coming neighborhood.

I'm reminded of the many trips to the design district in the 70's and early 80's when I was there frequently on business and always ate lunch at the wonderful and over the top "Food Among the Flowers" restaurant. One day we joined two female designers for lunch, who had beaten us there. As I lifted one's very heavy purse off the chair I was about to sit in, I said, "my God, what do you have in this thing?" She coyly opened it to show me a rather huge pistol, loaded and ready. One took extra precautions in those days in the area. Maybe one still should?

Lord, Patrick, you must be a million years old.

Yea, I am. Hell, I meant the 1970's and 1980's not the 1800's!!!
Hey I can't get Social Security yet!

TG, I was thinking you were writing about the Design District downtown.

http://www.designmiami.com/